INDIAN ROCKS BEACH, Fla. — Jack Tenney said the 'Joogsquad Skim Camp' started organically after he helped out a kid on the beach 15 years ago.
"I was a young teenager, I was out at the beach and there was a kid skimboarding," Tenney explained. "He didn't seem to know what he was doing. He didn't have wax on his board. Me and my friend went and waxed it up, gave him some general tips, and his mom came up and gave us 20 bucks. We're like, wow, then a light bulb went off. We're like, I bet we can turn this into a summer job."
Since then, he said hundreds of kids have enjoyed learning to skimboard with him and his staff, many coming back year after year.
He said the camp has always been informal. Currently, they meet along the beach in June and July, every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 9-11 a.m. for lessons on the beach.
"It's not really a camp, but it's kind of more of just a demo where we teach them about the ocean, take them out, play at the beach," Tenney said.
But now, a dispute over a city gathering application has the future of his beach camp up in the air.
The city of Indian Rocks Beach said they learned about the skimboarding camp several weeks ago after seeing the flyers posted around town, reading clearly: "Joogsquad Skim Camp!" and listing its rates.
Indian Rocks Beach City Manager Brently Gregg Mims said in a statement:
"Out of courtesy our Code Enforcement Team reached out to the Joog Squad and Nekton Surf Shop and let them know that the Camp would require the submission and approval of a commercial gathering application. No one from either party requested a permit. As a result, those involved in this commercial activity have placed themselves in violation of section 74-82 of the IRB City Code."
The fine for that code violation is $500.
City Manager Mims explained the request is not unique.
"Four different individuals hold commercial gathering permits for our beach. Two fitness, one yoga, and one sunset painting class. The process involves filing out a one-page application, securing an Indian Rocks Beach Tax Receipt (business license) and a certificate of insurance."
The commercial gathering permit costs just $100, but Tenney said it's the insurance requirement that threatens to sink him.
"I got two quotes. One was for over $6,000 and one was for, like $4,500," he said. "They were all about as much money as we make an entire summer."
Currently, he's operating the camp informally for free, but he worries for the future of his 15-year-old passion project.
"The boards are expensive. I've got to pay coaches to come out and help when we have so many kids. I just really wish that instead of shutting us down, they offered us a solution because we do this for the kids," Tenney said.
An informal summer camp like this is not necessarily unique.
"I think you have probably a lot more of that going on that's outside of someone's watch, whether it be in a backyard, whether it be in a public park, on a golf course or a tennis course somewhere," said Charles Gallagher, an attorney with Gallagher & Associates Law Firm.
Gallagher said camp or activity coordinators should always get insurance and have liability waivers. He also encourages parents to evaluate risks.
"It's good to have that safety net," he said. "You have to ask yourself: is this an ongoing, established camp or business, or is this something that's very informal and new?"
He also suggests not taking any liability waiver lightly.
"If they're asking you to sign a document that includes release language or exculpatory language, it's the first kind of red flag to make sure that, you know, expectation-wise, that you're releasing them from liability."
Tenney said since he posted about this situation online, he has seen an outpouring of community support, including from local companies who might be willing to help pay for the insurance.
While nothing is set in stone just yet, he says it's a hopeful step in the right direction.