JACKSON – The Township Council has adopted an ordinance that will change certain recreation program fees in the community.
Council members adopted the ordinance Feb. 27. No residents commented during the public hearing. Council President Ken Bressi, Vice President Robert Nixon and council members Scott Martin, Barry Calogero and Ann Updegrave voted to adopt the ordinance.
According to the ordinance, the fee for volleyball will range from $75 to $100, the fee for theater arts will range from $80 to $100 for Theater I and from $80 to $125 for theater camp. The travel camp for teenagers will have a $75 registration fee. Fees for a booth at the Jackson Day community event will range from $5 to $250.
The fee for basketball will range from $75 to $100, the fee for tennis will range from $50 to $75 and the fee for wrestling will range from $50 to $90 with a singlet fee (charge imposed for failure to return uniform).
Township Administrator Helene Schlegel said, “The range in the fee for a specific program allows for any needed changes (to be made) without having to go back and change the ordinance should an increase ever be needed.”
Schlegel previously told council members not all of the programs that had been offered could continue. For example, Arts and Crafts – Kindercraft and Me and Mom Jr. Crafts and Ceramics are being discontinued.
Schlegel said programs offered by Jackson must be self-sustaining. She said the fee that is charged to participants is not designed to make money for the township, but only to cover the cost of the program.
“The fee for wrestling actually had gone down from $75 to $50, there is no increase in the wrestling fee at all. The only change in the ordinance with regard to wrestling is that if a participant did not return the singlet, we would charge them whatever we paid for the singlet,” Schlegel said.
There was public comment when the ordinance was introduced on Feb. 13. At that time,
Nicholas Russo said he and other parents whose children are involved with wrestling are not just paying the registration fee.
“We are not paying (only to register a child). We pay the (registration fee) and then we pay another $30, not to the township, but for referee fees and what have you. We do not know who takes that money or what they do with it,” Russo said.
“In addition to that, we were forced to buy sweatshirts. (The people running the wrestling program) said (we) had to buy sweatshirts, which was another $37, so in essence we are paying $117 to wrestle when it really only costs $50 to the township,” Russo said.
Russo mentioned other issues involving an entity known as Team Jackson.
Council members thanked Russo for bringing the issues to their attention and said the matter would be investigated.
Two days later, Schlegel said, “After investigating the information that was provided at the (Feb. 13) council meeting, it appears Team Jackson is a private parents club acting as the competitive arm of wrestling.
“Our recreation program is instructional only and Team Jackson offers those children who want to wrestle competitively the option of going to tournaments. We are the feeder program to Team Jackson. There is no affiliation with Jackson Township Recreation and our registration form clearly states that matches are optional and not included in our registration.
“As a courtesy, we do provide the singlet. Team Jackson uses their own insurance and acquires gym time in their own name. If there are any questions regarding their finances, they should be directed to that organization and not to the township, as we do not provide the oversight,” Schlegel said.
