By: ZACH HARMUTH
The Williamson County Human Resources Committee passed a resolution on Monday night that provides non main budget funds to start searching for Academy Park staff.
The County Commission must pass it on Oct. 10 for final approval.
The Williamson County Enrichment Center and Performing Arts Center, currently under construction off Columbia Pike next to the county library in Franklin, is ahead of schedule and could open as early as mid-January.
Given that, the Williamson Parks and Recreation Department asked for funding for 11 full-time positions to staff the three-building center, at a cost of about $373,000 per year in salaries.
“This is the bottom line amount of staffing we need to operate the Academy Park facilities,” said Gordan Hampton, assistant Parks and Rec director, in response to questions from committee members wondering if 11 new county positions are truly necessary.
The center will be open seven days a week for about 10 hours each day.
“You are talking about roughly six people being at work there at any given time,” said County Commissioner Todd Kaestner.
Both Kaestner and Commissioner Kathy Danner expressed concerns about the project not being budget-neutral, as the county’s parks operate at about a $5-6 million annual loss despite efforts to generate revenue.
