Currently the lot lease amount at Marion County Park and Lake is $1,050 for 153 days of use per unit. Most lessees use their property about half that amount of time. The above figures equate to $6.86 cents per allowable day of use. There are approximately 60 units currently paying $1,050, which equates to $63,000.

By Mr. Holub’s own figures, published in the paper, the county makes a profit of $1.37 per unit per day. If it is based on 365 days, the county is making a profit of $30,000 per calendar year on the trailers alone, which in today’s economy is quite good.

Couple that with 60 families and their friends coming into Marion County, spending their money at local businesses, and paying sales tax and property tax, you increase the monetary value of the park.

The trailer park guarantees income for Marion County, for its residents are permanent. Therefore, there is accountability on both sides. Trailer owners are required to have $100,000 in liability insurance. People who bring in camping trailers do not. Therefore, the $13 dollars a day for them is justified.

Mr. Holub’s proposal is to increase lot rent to $2,520 per 153 days of allowable use which equates to $16.47 per day of allowable use. In theory, this would increase the gross trailer park income from $61,950 to $151,200.

In Wichita, at the higher end parks, you can currently lease a single-wide spot for around $2,580 per 365 days of use. These parks include in ground pools and playgrounds, grounds keeping, trash service, cable television, and high speed internet service. That is about $7.06 cents per day of allowable use. Lot holders at Marion County Lake currently pay $6.86 per day of allowable use.

As previously stated, this is a theory. I cannot afford to keep my trailer at that rate, for the value to dollar ratio will have decreased to a point that it is not worth the money for me.

I think it is important to remember the park is a business that provides a service to its customers for a fair profit. By Mr. Holub’s own account, the park is turning a profit. So, my question is, why would he propose such a high rate increase, I have my opinion, you, the reader, can come to yours.

Jim Bratt
Owner, lot #28, Fisherman Lane
Marion County Park and Lake