Resident urges county to standardize park event insurance, proposes parks review and camping options

Blake Hempstead, a local resident who addressed the Commission during public comment, urged county officials to create a consistent process for permitting events in county parks after what he described as unequal enforcement of insurance and liability requirements at recent events including the Goosetown cornhole tournament.

Hempstead said a commercial vendor was allowed to participate with a commercial auto policy while another local provider was required to obtain a $1,000,000 liability policy; he described that outcome as unfair and asked the Commission to task Parks and Recreation and the CEO with studying ways to allow appropriate uses and potentially overnight camping similar to state parks. "The rules are always different," he said, and asked for a consistent, equitable permitting process that supports local events while protecting taxpayers from liability.

Chairman Kevin Hart said the CEO can set up a county employee committee to review park policies and permitting and that County Attorney Morgan Smith would have an active role. Hart noted reports of unauthorized vehicle camping and some damage after the recent tournament and said the county will address consistency in permitting and enforcement across county parks. County Attorney Morgan Smith said she supports efforts to "clean up our process for our liability, taxpayer liability, and expectation for event applicants to have an understanding of what they get," and indicated staff will follow up.

The Commission directed staff to review permitting, insurance requirements and enforcement practices and to return with recommendations; no formal action was taken at the work session.