Possible strategies for enforcing the rules at the Greeneville Skate Park were discussed Wednesday at a workshop with a representative of the Tennessee Municipal League's Risk Management Pool.

Eight city officials met with Judy Housley, TML loss control consultant, who gave a presentation titled "Liability Issues in Parks and Recreation and Special Events."

Attending the nearly two-hour workshop at Greeneville Town Hall were Mayor Laraine King, Recorder Jim Warner, Butch Patterson, director of the Parks and Recreation Department, and members of the Board of Mayor and Aldermen and Parks & Recreation Advisory Board.

The "big question," according to Parks and Recreation board member Bill Isbell, was, "How do we enforce the helmet situation" at the Greeneville Skate Park?

At several recent meetings, members of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board have expressed concern about driving by the skate park and seeing skaters without helmets.

Housley said the town and TML need to be "diligent" in enforcing the rules at the skate park, but it may not be possible to know if every skater is wearing a helmet.

Housley shared strategies used by other towns, including Athens, where she said charging violators with criminal trespassing has been successful.

The Greeneville Parks and Recreation Advisory Board has voted twice this year to recommend that the town adopt an ordinance to strengthen enforcement of the skate park rules.

The recommended ordinance would call for violators, including those who do not wear helmets, to be banned from the park and charged with criminal trespassing if they return.

Criminal trespassing charges can result in court hearings, fines and even a jail sentence.

However, those charges may not be as effective locally, because of the lack of patrolling manpower in the Parks and Recreation and Greeneville Police departments, the group was told.

Patterson said some of the skaters have verbally abused police officers who questioned their lack of helmets.

"It has just been a very, very difficult situation," Patterson told Housley.

Patterson said the Parks and Recreation Department has more than 200 names registered to use the skate park.

Among those who actually use the skate park, more than half come with a parent, Patterson said.

The younger skaters typically wear helmets, while many of those who are 12 years old and older do not wear helmets, he said.

The group discussed the need to issue a photo identification card to each skater who registers to use the skate park.

Mayor King said she is working with the Greeneville-Greene County Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, which is capable of producing photo identification cards.

Warner suggested that concerned citizens could volunteer their time to sit at the skate park and monitor helmet use.

Other strategies mentioned by Housley include installation of security cameras and "perks," such as swimming pool passes, for those who do follow the rules.

Warner also said the users of the skate park need to understand the seriousness of a head injury.

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons says on its Web site that skaters "can suffer permanent impairment or even death if you fall off the skateboard and strike your head without a helmet."

Skateboarding, the Web site states, "can lead to injuries that range from minor cuts and bruises to catastrophic brain injury.

"Each year in the United States, skateboarding injuries cause about 50,000 visits to emergency departments and 1,500 children and adolescents to be hospitalized," the Web site states.

"Most hospitalizations involve head injury. Even injuries that heal quickly can cause pain and anxiety, cost time, and money and may lead to disabilities. This can include loss of vision, hearing and speech; inability to walk, bathe, toilet, dress or feed yourself; and changes in thinking and behavior," according to the Web site.

Housley recommended thorough documentation of maintenance and inspections of all Parks and Recreation property.

"You have a good program," Housley said. "You've got a lot of great activities for the children in this community, but we've got to make sure they're safe ones."

She shared copies of a "Model Agreement for Facility Use," a "Hold Harmless Agreement for Special Events," a "Participation in City Sponsored Activity Waiver/Release" and a "Recreation Department Hold Harmless Agreement for Outside Leagues."

She said third parties who use town facilities for special events are required to show proof of at least $1 million in liability insurance.

Patterson noted that Greeneville has several unusual situations related to sports leagues.

For example, the town uses ball fields at county schools and Kinser Park, while schools and other groups use the town's ball fields at Hardin Park.

The group also discussed the need to have sign-in sheets at town facilities used by the general public, including swimming pools and EastView Recreation Center.

Housley said having the users' signatures can be particularly helpful in the event of an emergency.

Patterson asked Housley to work with him on a checklist of what documents are needed for each activity at each location.

Housley works with an estimated 170 members in the East Tennessee region of TML's Risk Management Pool, she said. The pool has a total of 500 members.

Housley has been traveling across East Tennessee speaking to members of the pool about liability issues.