By Ted Carter

Tybee City Council has reluctantly agreed to invest $75,000 for electrical upgrades at city-owned River’s End R.V. Park and Campground.

At the urging of Mayor Jason Buelterman, council voted 3-2 Sept. 24 to pay for the work, though none of the members voting for the allocation were too pleased to hear that the seven-acre campground for which the city paid $7 million in 2006 would need electrical upgrades to remain safe for visitors.

Was not “an inspection” of the property done before the city bought it? asked Councilman Dick Smith . City Manager Diane

Schleicher, who was not with the city at the time of the purchase, stayed mum, as did other department heads at the meeting.

Smith voted to spend the money, which covers a $32,060 bid from Oglesbee Electric Co. and an additional expenditure of about $42,000 for in-house work. Paul Wolff, and Wanda Doyle also voted for the allocation. Charlie Brewer and Barry Brown dissented.

Buelterman said inspectors have concluded the electrical wiring at the park and campground has deteriorated to the point of endangering visitors.

Wolf said the winter season is the best time to get the work, though Brewer argued that spending money on the property is not a good idea at a time of year it is generating little revnue.

River’s End had a strong summer, as vacationers flocking to Tybee sought less expensive lodging, tourism officials say.

Tybee bought the property from developer Bobby Chu for about $7 million. City officials said at the time the property would give the city more preserved green space at a time developers were rapidly buying up island land. Further, officials said, the campground would fit into the city's long-term master plan for preserving green space and creating a linear park. And, they said, it enhances public access to Tybee'sbeaches in keeping with federal law under which Tybeecan receive beach renourishment funds.

 Chu obtained the property from Walt and Cheryl Simmons for a sum city officials said was about $5 million. He had reportedly planned to build single-family homes on it.