Suffolk drops policy for full camp fees months in advance after backlash

Suffolk County park officials are backing away from a policy that made campers ante up thousands of dollars in early reservation fees after pushback from outdoor groups.

The new policy had been especially problematic for camping clubs that required them to pay the full balance of a stay within five days of making a reservation instead of a $150 deposit. This forced club leaders to pay potentially several thousand dollars up front — money they don’t have in advance, they said. The change, which coincided with an increase in camp prices, sparked outcry among campers, who lobbied county legislators to intervene on their behalf with the Suffolk County Department of Parks.

Camp organizers said the restructured payment method will allow clubs to camp this year, continuing in some cases a decades-old tradition of staying overnight at Suffolk’s parks during warmer months.

Ken Weeks, vice president of the Suffolk Committee for Camping, a group formed in 1992 to advocate on behalf of camping clubs and county campers, told legislators this week "after numerous phone calls, after an in-person meeting, and many text messages our concerns were heard."

"Today, I stand in front of you for what I consider to be a rare moment in politics and government to say thank you," he said.

The parks department and Weeks said going forward camping clubs will be required to pay a deposit within five business days and the remaining balance 30 days before check-in. He said the committee's board members worked with parks Commissioner John Giannott to reach a compromise.

The parks department also reversed a policy implemented this year that would have required the clubs to pay for all the sites within the larger campsite, which is typically 15. Instead, the clubs must guarantee at least seven sites.

'Equitable for everyone'

Clubs known as the Pathfinders, Drifters and LI Wagoneers reserve sites each season at the six county parks that permit group camping. Campers described the setup in Suffolk parks as unique, allowing them to park RVs or pitch tents in a circular pattern around a shared firepit that forges a sense of community.

"Everybody comes together for one big campfire," said Ed O’Shaughnessy, president of the Suffolk Committee for Camping. "It’s a group of friends with similar interests."

Each year, the group hosts an annual kickoff event at Cathedral Pines County Park in Middle Island that draws several hundred RVs. The number of individual campers can exceed 1,000, which O'Shaughnessy said shows the popularity of camping in the county. This year will be the 33rd event.

In recent years, the clubs paid a $70 nonrefundable deposit and $80 refundable deposit for each booked group reservation. The balance for the stay was payable on check-in.

 At the six county parks there are a total of 16 sites with capacity for 192 units, according to the parks department.

Legis. Anthony Piccirillo (R-Holbrook), who chairs the legislature’s Environment, Parks and & Agriculture committee, credited the campers for voicing their concerns.

"We're just trying to make sure everybody can enjoy the parks and make sure it's equitable for everyone," he said in an interview.

O’Shaughnessy told campers at their Feb. 5 meeting that they were advised by the parks department that it changed the payment structure because campers had canceled reservations too late for the county to rent the sites. Campers at the meeting, however, questioned how common a problem that could be to require a drastic change.

Michael Martino, spokesman for County Executive Edward P. Romaine, confirmed the main reason the parks department changed its policy was "due to the underutilization of the group camping areas." He said the manual process for making reservations for group camping and calculating fees "was becoming a burden on staff time."

He said cancellations equated to an approximately 14% loss in revenue in 2024. Overall, $97,000 in revenue was generated from Suffolk camp reservations.

Steve Doner, president of the Mallards Camping Club, which last month celebrated its 60th anniversary, said the club typically hosts a "Friendsgiving" camping trip in November at Indian Island County Park in Riverhead that brings together 30 families. The club reserves two sites, each with 15 units.

"We don’t have over $3,000 to book two group areas," he said in a January interview. "A lot of the groups and clubs don’t have bank accounts," he added.

Christina Doner, his wife, added that it can take six months to confirm which families can commit to the date, let alone collect all the money.

Not far enough

John Groves, who founded a club known as the Cruisers, said after the Feb. 5 meeting the changes don't go far enough and his club would likely skip group camping at Suffolk parks.

In a follow-up interview last week, Groves said the club's plans for this year were still uncertain, but he was in the process of trying to confirm dates to reserve. He advised his group members that "if you can't lay out the money, we can't do it."

"If I don't go camping, I'll be doing a lot of housework," he said.

Christina Doner said while she is optimistic about the Mallards, who will push ahead with its "Friendsgiving" weekend, the reservation process was "still a bit of a mess." 

"This club has been through all sorts of changes before and we have endured," she said.