KENT, Conn.—Matt Busse, director of Kent’s Parks and Recreation Department, was breathing a sigh of relief Thursday after learning that a Congressional bill requiring towns to license their municipal camps had died in the House Wednesday night as the legislative session ended.
The Senate passed the bill on May 15.
Concerned about the impact of the bill, Busse and Parks and Rec Commission Chairman Rufus P. de Rham had co-authored a letter to the Board of Selectmen asking them to register opposition to the portions of Senate Bill 6, that, if enacted, would have required licensing by the Office of Early Childhood.
Currently, Connecticut summer camps operate with no oversight from the state. Though many say their internal standards are high, there are no state requirements to comply with basic safety measures such as background checks, staff to camper ratios or water testing.
The bill was championed by Senate Democrats, who argued it was about making children safer. But Republicans argued it would have an opposite effect, forcing many municipalities to close their summer day camps because of increased costs, and depriving parents of an outlet for summer day care.
Busse and de Rham told the Selectmen that the bill’s provisions would impose significant unfunded mandates on municipalities without evidence of improved outcomes for participants. They contended that Kent’s municipal camps, Camp Kent and the Slamma Jamma Basketball Camp, are “long-standing, trusted programs that already adhere to high safety standards that include background checks for staff, CPR and First Aid certification and protocols and annual training in mandated reporting and emergency response preparedness.”
The requirements outlined in Senate Bill 6 would have required significantly more staffing, they contended, including a camp nurse and backup under the supervision of a trained APRN or physician, a waterfront director, assistant camp director, program assistant and an administrative assistant to manage medical documentation.
Additionally, the town would have been required to implement a licensed electronic medical records system, pay annual licensure feeds, and accommodate inspections that could conflict with facility access and scheduling.
They argued that the mandates would increase the 2025-2026 budget line items for the camps from $51,561 to $92,856. To absorb the increase, camp fees would rise by about 50 percent next year.
It is unclear whether the bill will be reintroduced next year.
Busse told the Parks and Rec Commission Tuesday that Camp Kent, a day program operated during the summer recess from school, will begin June 23 and run in weekly sessions until Aug. 8. He said enrollment at the camp is at 92 percent, with waiting lists for some weeks.
In other business, the commission is awaiting estimates of the cost of repairs for the swimming pool at Emery Park. At last Friday’s town meeting, voters approved reallocating funds to boost the amount available for the work.
“We now have $500,000 for the park, which is a massive increase,” said Busse. Emery Park Subcommittee member Miranda Lovato said the group expects estimates for the pool by the end of June. “We have talked about the playground and looked at a plan,” she said, “but we think we will wait until we get the swimming area figured out.”
Busse has spearheaded an effort to bring life back to the beautiful town park since he was hired in January 2024. He and volunteers have been clearing trails on Leonard Mountain and encouraging more hiking there.
He anticipates completion of two more trails by end of month, the Segar Summit Spur and the Lend-a-Hand trail, a flat tract behind the playing field. Aquarion Water Company, which mows in the area, and has agreed to mow the path.
Busse instituted a popular weekly hiking club last summer and said the group hikes will begin again June 10. Hiking enthusiasts are invited to gather in the parking lot at 6:15 p.m. for a 6:30 start.
The Parks and Recreation Commission is also allowing camping at Emery Park and two groups have already taken advantage of the opportunity. The Kent Boy Scouts had a visitor when they stayed overnight—a largish black bear.
This led the commission to a discuss whether the recreation department should provide a container for visitors to secure their food while camping, or whether campers should be required to bring their own. De Rham suggested that the town might be held liable if there were to be an incident and it had not provided a bear safe. He asked Busse to check with the town’s insurer.
The commission also discussed providing a portable firepit for the site and restoring the memorial drinking water fountain to provide potable water for visitors.
