Baldwin County officials are searching for new sources of income to keep up with maintenance at Bicentennial Park, a 367-acre stretch of nature trails off Alabama 225 that has struggled with staffing and upkeep in the decade since it opened.
During a recent work session, commissioners discussed the park’s ongoing maintenance challenges, including overgrown walking trails that have become a haven for snakes near the property’s swampy edges. County horticulturist Madison Steele told commissioners that cutting back vegetation is essential not just for appearance but for public safety, since unmowed grass along the trails creates hiding spots for snakes drawn to the surrounding wetlands.
Commissioner Tucker Dorsey said the park “has tremendous potential” but needs a dedicated revenue stream to keep pace with its upkeep. Ideas floated during the session included charging a fee for weddings held at the historic Montpelier Methodist Church on the property, charging vendors who sell goods there during festivals, and creating new ticketed events to draw more visitors.
The park currently has just one maintenance worker assigned to look after the entire property, after a second position was cut last year because of budget constraints. Commissioners are exploring whether temporary or part-time workers could be brought on to help close that gap.
Commissioner Chris Elliott said any new spending should be paired with a matching revenue source rather than drawn from the county’s general fund. “We aren’t going to spend general fund money without the revenue to match it,” he said, describing the panel’s approach as a conservative one.
The discussion also touched on Live Oak Landing, a nearby county-owned boat launch and fishing site along the Tensaw River that received a financial boost last year from BP Deepwater Horizon settlement funds. Commissioner Frank Burt Jr., who represents the area, said the county already approved a master plan for the landing in 2013 that outlined boat launches, cottages and bike trails, and he suggested the county stick with that existing roadmap rather than start over.
No final decisions were made on new fees or revenue sources, but commissioners said they intend to keep studying the options as they look for ways to make both Bicentennial Park and Live Oak Landing more self-sustaining without dipping further into the county’s general fund.