The Linn County Commission is looking at upgrading six rustic cabins, like this one at the Linn County Park, with plans to market rentals on the Airbnb website. (Journal staff photos)
By Charlene Sims, info@linncountyjournal.com
MOUND CITY – Linn County Park Manager Sheri Loveland met with the Linn County Commissioners on Monday, Feb. 3, to discuss plans for the park services including reservation platforms, a possible new swimming area and the installation of a new boat dock.
During the past year, former County Commissioner Danny McCullough expressed concerns that the park had the potential to make more money. He encouraged Loveland and Public Works Director Shaun West to look into putting the park cabins on Airbnb and building a swimming area. Other ideas he was pushing was putting gates at the park entrance and setting up a new reservation platform for people camping, fishing or visiting the park.
At this week’s meeting, Loveland showed the commissioners the cabins’ income from 2024. The six original more rustic cabins, not on the Airbnb platform, earned at total of $47,155 in rentals, an average of $7,859 each. These cabins are not rented out on an online platform but through reservations with the marina office.
The newer cabin listed on the Airbnb platform earned $4,240 from rentals in 2024.
Commissioner Jason Hightower said that the reason he had wanted to be able to look at the numbers because the numbers Loveland had just presented told him that the park was not cutting it with Airbnb.
Loveland told the commissioners that the newest cabin was the nicest. She said the other ones all needed new flooring and new real beds that were not connected to the wall, which made changing linens more difficult. She pointed out that even the new cabin had beds that were connected to the wall.
Last week, commissioners seemed to focus on the price of a commercial washer and dryer that Loveland had requested if all the cabins were put on Airbnb. At present, people staying at the six older cabins bring their own linens. For the Airbnb cabin, linens are provided by the park. Adding the linens from the six cabins would require more time washing and drying them. Loveland said that the older household washer that was presently at the park took one and half hours just to wash a set of sheets.
Loveland said that if the other cabins were put on Airbnb, she would need the tools, staff and items to operate them. Besides the washer and dryer, several sets of bedding, along with towels, rugs, silverware, and dishes would need to be purchased for each cabin.
At last week’s meeting, Commissioner Alison Hamilton had said that rather than rent the other cabins on Airbnb now, she would like to develop a vision and a six-month strategic plan for updating the cabins in preparation for being rented on Airbnb.
Discussion was held on possibly developing one or two cabins for the Airbnb platform.
Commission Chair Jim Johnson asked if the commercial washer would be needed if just one or two cabins were added. Loveland said it might work if only two cabins were on Airbnb.
The discussion ended with plans to work on improving one of the cabins and then buying supplies before adding it to the Airbnb platform. Johnson asked that the county construction manager Randy Page go to one cabin and give the commissioners a cost estimate for the remodeling.
Hamilton said she would also like to have Loveland go ahead and work on the décor and beds of the one that is already on Airbnb.
The commissioners briefly looked at the online platform for renting camping spaces, parking and boat docks. The fees that the company charged just for renting a parking space nearly doubled that rate for park users. Hamilton said that it was possible that the new website would have the ability for reserving camping sites so they should wait on making a decision on that.
The swimming area was discussed with West. He said that he had met with Don George with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) and they had looked over the area for the possible swimming area. He said that George had asked for a more detailed drawing of the area showing the width, length and depth of water.
The cost of insuring the swimming area was also brought up. West said he would check with KCAMP, the county’s insurance company, about whether they would insure it and how much it would cost.
Johnson said there was no reason to put in the swimming area if the cost of insurance was too high.
The commissioners also agreed that tearing out the old boat docks and installing the new one was important. While the boat dock was donated free by Evergy, there was a cost for parts to put it together. Loveland had gone out for bids months ago and received a price of $5,300 plus about $600 for freight for the parts. The commissioners asked her to go ahead and publish another bid because of the time that had elapsed.
Loveland said that the while the rental from the boat slips would be about $80 per day, the availability of the boat slips was an amenity that encouraged people to come and stay at the park.
Hightower suggested closing the meeting early one week and all go over to park to see the cabins and other areas of the park. The other commissioners agreed. Hightower said that he would like to do that with other departments also.
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