An Approach To Crowd Management At Spring Creek Park

Off Duty Deputies and Parks Personnel to provide full time supervision
By Sid Riley

At Tuesday’s regular meeting of the Jackson County Board of Commissioners, Parks and Recreation Director, Chuck Hatcher, and County Sheriff Lou Roberts presented a plan for providing daytime supervision of Spring Creek Park, seven days per week during the summer season, to the Board for approval. The plan provides for using two employees of the Parks Department, funded by the “Back to Work” stimulus program, combined with use of two off duty deputies from the Sheriff’s staff.

The stimulus funding will provide $10,800 for the two involved workers, and the Board approved $13,200 for the cost of the deputies. The duties of these individuals will include informing and educating park patrons on ordinance requirements, providing recycling bags, and patrol of the park for littering and other problems.

Commissioners Lockey and Branch both stated that they had already received phone calls relating to problems at Spring Creek and Magnolia Landing last weekend. At Magnolia Landing, so many cars were haphazardly crowded into the landing area, boaters were unable to launch or get their boats out of the river.

The Commissioners approved the staffing plan, and it will be put into effect as soon as possible.