Clover to get smaller piece of county rec funding

District 2 could see more county recreation funding in 2016 even though the district may get less of the overall percentage it did last year.

York County Council will vote Oct. 5 on how to spend recreation tax dollars. A new formula to divvy the annual $1.1 million would decrease the percentage for District 2 along with five more municipalities. However, council members voted to add $597,600 from the general fund for 2016 giving all areas an overall increase.

The current proposal decreases base funding to Clover by almost 17 percent. Traditionally, county recreation money goes to Clover to serve the town and unincorporated Lake Wylie because Clover has a parks and recreation department.

Councilman Bruce Henderson said he doesn’t think Clover and Lake Wylie should get less funding by percentage, given high growth, particularly in the Lake Wylie area.

“There’s all kind of wrong to that,” Henderson said.

Clover received more than $206,000 in 2015, or 18 percent of the county total. The new formula puts Clover at just more than $172,000, or 15 percent. With the general fund appropriation, total funds would be $282,826 for 2016, up more than $76,000.

The proposal dropped base funding in Hickory Grove, McConnells, Sharon and Smyrna by almost 29 percent each, and York by almost 33 percent. It increased funding more than 120 percent in Tega Cay, almost 114 percent in Fort Mill and almost 9 percent in Rock Hill.

The county money supplements municipal parks and recreation departments, helping offset costs from out-of-town participants.

“It is designed to help as many people in the unincorporated areas as possible,” Henderson said.

A little more than half the participants in Clover come from outside town limits. Lake Wylie is another story. With no municipal limits, Lake Wylie Athletic Association serves more than 1,000 players per year. Those players don’t factor into Clover numbers, which could impact its share from the county. The county provides no money to Lake Wylie Athletic Association.

“District 2 is such a unique and different area,” Henderson said. “This one is just screaming and shouting out, fairness has to rule the day.”

Henderson proposed adding Lake Wylie Athletic Association, which almost exclusively serves unincorporated parts of the county. The idea met resistance given no municipal tie.

“I’m trying to figure out how to make it as fair as possible,” Henderson said. “This is not a social club.”

Ron Domurat, athletic association vice president, also heard the social club stance from some, when questioning whether to include his group.

“Lake Wylie Athletic Association cannot be considered a social club for two reasons,” Domurat said. “Competition is purely recreational. It is the only option within 10 miles.”

Domurat would like to see the county funding used to help build the proposed park on Crowders Creek, which already has a county hospitality tax advisory committee recommendation for $4.9 million. Domurat “feels it’s only fair” for Lake Wylie to get half of the District 2 money, based on the sizes of the association and Clover program.

“Half of the challenge with our park and our organization is there is no recreation organization serving the needs of Lake Wylie,” Domurat said. “One could argue Clover is a nearby option, but parents are challenged with schedules and timing when juggling priorities, and transportation between Lake Wylie and Clover.”

Several factors, including population and participation numbers, go into the new formula and percentages given to each area of the county.

“We plan to update the variables annually going forward,” said Beth Latham, county finance director.

This story was originally published October 2, 2015 at 1:09 PM with the headline "Clover to get smaller piece of county rec funding."