Changes to Mt. Laurel’s summer camp may be coming for next year as the recreation department is reporting a drastic drop in registration for 2014.
Township Clerk Meredith Tomcyzk said only 30 children are registered for the 2014 camp, down from 90 who attended last year and 150 the year prior.
Township officials say the biggest issue is the camp hours. The township’s camp is from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., while the school district runs a separate camp from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. The township’s camp doesn’t have the time flexibility with the school district’s.
“It’s hard for parents who are working,” Tomczyk said. “They can’t pick up their kids at three.”
The township cannot extend the hours because of its arrangement with Springville Elementary School, where the camp is held. The school does not permit the campers to remain there past 3 p.m.
Another issue is the fee for the summer camp. There is not currently a reduced fee for families with multiple children, while the school district offers a discount.
To make the camp more attractive to kids, Tomczyk recommended a discount for families with multiple children, which she said wouldn’t have a drastic effect on the camp’s finances. Registration for the camp goes into a trust fund, which is used to pay for the expenditures. The camp does not have any direct impact on the taxpayers.
“We’d still be able to pay for the camp with the trust fund,” Tomczyk said.
There was some concern among members of council about the camp not being able to cover costs with the reduced attendance. However, Tomczyk assured everyone the camp would break even with the current number of children registered. In addition, the recreation department is hoping for an influx of late registrations in the next few weeks. The camp opens on June 30.
