The Water Oriented Recreation District of Comal County (WORD) kicked off the New Year with a $4.5 million budget approved by county commissioners in late December.
General Manager Mike Dussere said revenue expectations were “downgraded” due to the impact of excessive drought on water recreation and Canyon Lake, which is only 60% full.
He did not provide further details. WORD’s 2023 budget allocated $2.6 million for water operations and $1.7 million for parks.
WORD issues permits that allow water-related businesses to collect user fees from customers visiting the district. The district includes Canyon Lake; Comal Park, Canyon Park and Nichol’s Landing; boat ramps 3, 4 and 18; and over 30 miles of floatable water on the Guadalupe River above and below Canyon Lake.
Included in the new budget is $220,000 for community events and amenities in WORD’s three parks.
Another $100,000 was allocated to clean up trash along the lake’s receding shoreline.
Dussere said WORD cleaned up shoreline trash three times in 2023.
“These parks are definitely starting to live up to their potential,” said Pct. 4 Commissioner Jen Crownover, who represents part of Canyon Lake on the court.
Also budgeted for 2024 are:
- Buoy maintenance – $4,000
- Dumpsters-lower river – $21,321
- Dumpsters-upper river and lake – $16,800
- Dumpsters-Comal Park – $25,000
- Gate attendants-Comal Park – $42,000
- Fire/EMS – $70,000
- Flood siren maintenance – $27,059
- Lake projects/boat – $30,000
- Canyon Lake Dam cleanup – $67,000
- Law enforcement- constables – $165,000
- Law enforcement- sheriff’s office – $310,000
- Mesh bags – $36,400
- Litter education-street teams – $84,625
- Lower river cleanup – $173,830
- Upper river cleanup – $45,675
- Portable toilets-lower river – $23,920
- Portable toilets-upper river/lake – $16,640
- Road cleanup – $29,000
- Boat ramp cleanup – $17,250
- Roadside as needed – $85,000
- Signs and repairs – $3,120
- Law enforcement infrastructure – $47,500
- Hancock Trial – $4,200
WORD anticipates it will make $736,936 from entrance fees at Comal Park.
Click here to see the budget submitted to the Commissioners Court.
At their Dec. 28 meeting, commissioners also reappointed Don King and Theresa Akard to WORD’s board of directors and appointed Tim Frederickson and Stacy Thigpen.
