By Perry Schaible
Enquirer contributor

MOUNT HEALTHY - Parents who rely on this city's summer day camp might have to find other activities for their children next year. City Council members are considering closing the program if it continues losing money.

Councilwoman Carolyn Bryant noted last week that the program lost $6,000 this year. The overrun will come out of the city's general fund.

"I really don't want to see the day camp close, but it's a possibility if we can't figure out a way to at least break even," Bryant said.

She said this has been a problem for the last couple years.

Park Director John Peters said in the past he turned away people from the day camp. But enrollment has declined and rainy weather early last summer hurt participation, pushing staff costs too high for enrollment.

Last summer, some 45 children attended the nine- to 10-week day camp at the city park. The program, in existence for more than 15 years, can accept up to 60.

Residents with one child pay $90 a week and up to $170 a week for four children.

Dale Stigall, a resident of Mount Healthy, doesn't want to see the program end. "I'd have to pay more money to go somewhere else," he said.

Stigall's 12-year-old stepson and 10-year-old daughter attend the camp.

"There's a lot of interaction, which is not something you're going to get at somebody's house," he said.

Resident Mary Louden and her husband, both employed full-time, sent their two sons, Jay, 10, and Royce, 8, to the program over the summer.

"We like the fact that they're involved with something at the day camp and not just sitting in the house," Louden said.

Peters asked council to decide soon what it plans to do with the program. Day camp letters are sent to residents after the first of the year.