Could the popular Falmouth beach be closed? (2024)

The Historic Port of Falmouth Park is a popular destination for those who want to swim in the Rappahannock River, but one member of Stafford County’s Board of Supervisors says county funds just go down the drain there.

“I think we’re spending too much money, too much resources down at that beach,” said Supervisor Darrell English, who represents Hartwood District. “We’re just dumping money into something that’s not for our residents of Stafford County … and I’m gonna speak on the record that I wanna close the beach.”

Fellow board members weren’t ready for that. Chair Meg Bohmke said there wasn’t time Tuesday to delve into the matter, but it would make a good topic for a future work session.

English expressed his concerns after a report from Brion Southall, director of Stafford Parks, Recreation, Facilities and Tourism. His figures showed the county spends more on staff expenses than it generates from parking fees at the Falmouth beach, accessible off River Road in Stafford.

“Labor is the driving force,” Southall said.

For decades, the beach and nearby roads have been crowded with people and vehicles during the summer months. It got so bad that in July 2022, the supervisors voted to charge $25 per vehicle for non-local residents to park there. Entrance was free for residents of Stafford and the City of Fredericksburg.

The county sent Park & Rec staff to the facility, initially every day of the week, to collect parking fees. Last year, that was amended to weekends and holidays only from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

The swift water rescue team with Stafford’s Fire and Rescue Department also began posting staff there in summer 2021 on the weekends to educate people about river hazards and help with water safety. Since the 1980s, there have been more than 85 drownings in the river which can look deceivingly calm but conceals dangers such as construction debris, snagged trees and deep holes.

In addition, the Sheriff’s Office has sent deputies to respond to 516 incidents at the park since 2022, according to Southall’s report.

All that manpower cost Stafford $243,091 from January 2022 to July 8, 2024. During the same period, the county collected $149,386 in fees, or $93,705 less than expenses.

That’s a delta of about $30,000 a year, said Chair Meg Bohmke, although the 2024 figures cover only six months.

The data shows how many people continue to use the park, despite the fee. In 2022, county workers collected fees for parking every day of the week, and owners of 1,765 vehicles paid to park at the historic port.

By 2023, the number of paid parkers climbed to 2,302 vehicles, even though fees were collected on weekends and holidays only. Numbers for 2024 are on track to match 2023 as 1,330 vehicles paid to park there the first six months of the year.

Local residents tend to visit the beach on weekdays, Southall said, while weekends attract people from areas outside Stafford and Fredericksburg.

The comment about non-local usage and concerns about water safety prompted English to suggest closing the beach.

“Sooner or later … something bad is gonna happen down there, and that’s gonna be on us,” English said.

Supervisor Deuntay Diggs, who’s also an officer in the Stafford Sheriff’s Office, said he’s against closing the beach. He said his constituents are clamoring for parks and other outdoor venues, “and if we’re spending $30,000 a year for our families, it’s well-worth it.”

Supervisor Vice Chair Tinesha Allen said closing the beach wasn’t an option because people would still figure a way to get in there. She said she’d rather discuss ways to be more efficient and make sure “that we’re protecting the public as best as possible.”

Supervisor Monica Gary wanted more information, including the impact on public safety, not just from the financial point of view but if “peoples’ lives are being saved or the response is quicker because we have staff there.”

Total expenses from 2022 to July 8, 2024 showed that fire and rescue spent the most on manpower at Falmouth Beach. Their costs were $127,100 for staff compared to $105,485 for Parks & Rec and $5,988 for law enforcement.