[at-l] Re: Camping Fee for Trail Days--- [1/2]

[lwbooher@halifax.com (Leslie Booher)]

Thank you for your kind response.  I was just reminding you that, if you =
charge a camping fee, we're entering into a contract, and that gives you =
a larger responsibility for my welfare. =20

Leslie Booher =20
484 Mountain Road=20
Halifax, VA 24558
(804) 476-6473
lwbooher@halifax.com
    -----Original Message-----
    From: Apple Tree B&B in Damascus, VA <appletree@naxs.com>
    To: Leslie Booher <lwbooher@halifax.com>
    Date: Thursday, January 25, 2001 1:33 AM
    Subject: Re: Camping Fee for Trail Days--- [1/2]
   =20
   =20
    DEAR LESLIE,
    please see following response to similar email message:
    =20
    Hi Michael,
    =20
    Thank you for your interest in Trail Days, and your loyalty to the =
Festival for six years.  I apologize for not responding to your question =
the day you sent it, I have been processing material for Trail Days =
until 1 - 3 am nightly, and getting bombed by email virus attempts every =
other night. =20
    =20
    First, the tent fee is A TENT FEE.  The fee is $10 per tent for up =
to 5 nights, not per person. =20
    =20
    To answer your question as to how-come, I need to first explain that =
Damascus Appalachian Trail Days Festival and the Town of Damascus are =
not one in the same creature.  The  Festival is run by volunteers =
working under the Damascus Parks and Recreation Commission.  The =
Commission IS part of town government.
    The Volunteers work for no more than a volunteer tee-shirt.
    =20
    The Festival is funded by sponsorships and contributions collected =
mostly form local merchants, sale of tee-shirts, and booth rental fees =
form food, crafts, products, and service venders.  THE TOWN FRONTS THE =
MONEY FOR THE FESTIVAL so we can hire bands, rent equipment, rent the =
Rock School Auditorium, rent portable toilets ($900 worth last year), =
pay for trash disposal (I have a state grant this year to help with =
trash), and order the tee-shirts.  We turn collected funds back to the =
town. =20
    =20
    The ATD Festival committee tries very hard to show a profit each =
year for two reasons. The following year's front money is never more =
than we produce from the current Festival.  This means if we don't =
"grow" the funds we won't have as much next year to spend on music, etc. =
 The other reason is that Parks and Recreation, with town approval, can =
use the profits to purchase equipment that benefits future Trail Days =
Festivals.
    =20
    Over the past few years we have been able to spend more money on =
better bands, more events, and better publicity.  We have bought several =
tents , some signs and banners,  a sound system, a golf cart, and =
blacktoped the dance area  at the town Gazebo.  Almost all of the =
purchases are used by the Commission throughout the year and do benefit =
the entire town.=20
    =20
    OK, HERE IS WHAT ALL THIS PREAMBLE LEADS UP TO:
    =20
    The town, contrary to some beliefs, is not getting rich off of Trail =
Days.
    The usual "you is gettin'  rich" argument ALWAYS mentions big sales =
taxes from sales, and Fat Wealthy Merchants. =20
    The sales tax collected in Damascus is split between the =
Commonwealth of Virginia, other towns and counties, and Damascus.  Our =
cut ain't that much!  Damascus gets more sales tax revenue from the =
Wal-Mart complex located 25 miles form here than our town takes in an =
entire year, including TRAIL DAYS. =20
    There are only 29 merchants in Damascus.  Some of us ARE GETTING =
FAT.  But we are not getting rich off the town or it's visitors.  =
(although I feel that anyone with the courage to invest time energy and =
money in a business has every right to earn as much as he can honestly =
and morally).  It is those same merchants who contribute to the Trail =
Days funds so we can have a festival.
    =20
    Over half of our business owners do not live in Damascus.  So out of =
a population of roughly 1000, employees of most of the 29 businesses, 14 =
resident business owners, and a few crafts sellers in the park make =
money from the Festival.  OVER HALF of our town citizens are on fixed =
incomes.  The only benefit they get from Trail Days  is listening to the =
music, getting a little excitement in town, selling a few things at the =
TOWN WIDE YARD SALE, and getting to meet some really nice people who are =
passing through town on the AT.
    =20
    NOW HERE COMES THE TENT FEES:
    =20
    The Festival Committee does not pay for the police overtime and the =
extra 14 officers hired during Trail Days.  The Committee does not pay =
for the THREE public restroom facilities we have in Damascus (two with =
showers).
    Trail Days also does not pay for getting the parks ready for the =
event either. =20
    It takes a BUNCH of cost to cover these items when 20,000 people use =
them. =20
    The expense is covered by the 1000 citizens, or at least the part =
who can pay town taxes each year. =20
    =20
    When Trail Days started 15 years ago, it was not much of an expense =
dealing with less than 100 people who showed up.  It has become a large =
expense now.  The Town Council and Mayor approved a $10  per tent for up =
to 5 days camping fee for Trail Days visitors who camp on town property. =
 Trail Days is the only time of the year camping is permitted in town on =
town property.  Council also approved allowing Non-profit Organizations =
camping privileges on town property for up to three days for $2 per =
camper throughout the year.  Yes, that includes Boy and Girl Scouts.  =
(the Scout leaders claim our fee is the best bargain they have found in =
the Southeast.  The National Forests charge more than Damascus does.)
    =20
    It comes down to this, Michael, if anyone wants to come to Trail =
Days, tell them they are welcome.  If they can't afford the $10 tent =
fee, they can still come.  Tent outside of town in the National Forest, =
hike in, attend the events, renew acquaintances and make new friends, =
drop by Quincys or Dots, hike back out to the woods, and have a good =
time.
    =20
    Please also mention that drinking alcoholic beverages in public is =
still against the law, uninvited camping on private land is also against =
the law, and vandalism  is not a good way to promote warm feelings in =
the town populace either.
    =20
    I know that I have taken a lot of space laying out Damascus' case =
but I do think everyone needs all the information, at least as far as I =
see it.  Any opposing views or opinions should have the courtesy to =
identify themselves and have their facts straight.
    =20
    John Reese
    Chairman Damascus Parks & Recreation Commission
    Chairman Appalachian Trail Days 2001
    Council member,Town of Damascus, Virginia
    Fat local Merchant
    appletree@naxs.com
    =20
    =20
    =20
    =20
        ----- Original Message -----=20
        From: Michael Paton=20
        To: John Reese=20
        Cc: lamb@naxs.com ; trailtown@damascus.org=20
        Sent: Tuesday, January 23, 2001 7:55 PM
        Subject: Trail Days Tent Fees?
       =20
       =20
        Mr. Reese,
       =20
        My name is Michael Paton, and I am the founder and co-author of =
a popular web site for long distance hikers (Hiker-Trash.com).  I have =
been attending Damascus Trail Days since 1995, and haven't missed any =
since.  I really enjoy coming back to Damascus every year to renew =
acquaintances, and meeting new ones. =20
       =20
        I was reading on the Damascus.org web site that this year there =
will be a $10 per person charge to tent camp on the public property.  =
Would you take a moment to reply and let me know the reasons why this =
year Damascus has decided to charge the hikers a fee?
       =20
        Having been a thru-hiker myself, I know how much Damascus meant =
to me while I was a thru-hiker.  I have been staying in tune to the =
hiking community and "The Trail" every since. I would like to let you =
know that it is my opinion that this fee will spoil the "atmosphere" and =
the traditions of Trail Days.  The fee will drive the current and =
returning hikers to camp illegally on private land, or skip the =
festivities all together.  It may also have the effect of vandalism, due =
to irate hikers being charged the fee.  This WILL ultimately spoil Trail =
Days as we knew it.
       =20
        I will wait for your reply.
       =20
        Sincerely,
        Michael Paton
       =20
       =20
    =20
        ----- Original Message -----=20
        From: Leslie Booher=20
        To: trailtown@damascus.org ; appletree@naxs.com ; lamb@naxs.com=20
        Cc: List AT=20
        Sent: Thursday, January 25, 2001 12:26 AM
        Subject: Camping Fee for Trail Days---
       =20
       =20
        Dear Trail Days organizers---
       =20
        It has been brought to our (hikers') attention that the town of =
Damascus
        plans to initiate a $10 camping fee for anyone camped on town =
property for
        Trail Days.  I am willing to pay this fee with some improvements =
on your
        part.
       =20
        For my $10, I expect lots and lots of hot water in the restrooms =
right
        around the corner from the Post Office, so that I don't have to =
have a cold
        shower every day.  I expect lots and lots and lots of toilet =
paper in the
        restrooms, so that I don't have to go buy packages of toilet =
paper to
        contribute to the town, as I did last year.  I expect you to =
have all
        toilets flowing at all times, so that one of the toilets in the =
lady's room
        isn't always plugged up; in that same vein, I expect there to be =
enough
        toilet plungers so that every stall has one at all times, so =
that we can at
        least make an effort to keep everything working properly---last =
year, every
        time we needed a plunger, it had been removed from the bathroom. =
 Doors on
        the toilet stalls would be helpful.
       =20
        If I'm to pay $10, I would also expect to have a marked off area =
as mine,
        with no one else's guy wires, stakes, dogs, garbage, etc., =
infringing on my
        territory.  A laid out walking path would be excellent, too, so =
that no one
        has to trip over my tent trying to get to their own.
       =20
        If our responsibility is to pay a camping fee, then you have =
certain
        obligations to fulfill in return.  Some of us volunteered our =
time to help
        Trail Days be the wonderful event it was.  Are we expected to =
volunteer and
        pay, too?  If we pay a fee to camp, can we expect a higher level =
of security
        in the camping areas?
       =20
        Think about this plan for a camping fee just a bit more.  You =
might find
        that you are getting into territory that you'd rather not =
travel.
       =20
        Sincerely---
       =20
        Leslie Booher
       =20


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