Parks commissioners pass on raising fees for non-residents

Carson City Parks and Recreation staff have been asked to rethink a plan to raise fees for people who live outside city limits and participate in recreation programs and use park facilities.

Staff recommended raising the fees -- currently 10 percent more than fees for Carson residents -- to 20 percent. Swim lessons, for instance, would go from $25.50 to $28 for nonresidents.

After discussing the across-the-board fee hike Tuesday, parks and recreation commissioners were concerned that 20 percent wasn't a large enough increase.

"Why don't we raise our fees 50 percent?" asked Commissioner John McKenna. "You've got to draw a line someplace, and the line is drawn around Carson City."

Commissioner Pete Livermore, also a city supervisor, agreed to raise the proposed fee hike, considering the city's struggle with recent budget shortfalls.

"We can't continue to give it away," Livermore said.

Some commissioners were concerned about raising fees for nonresidents who enroll children in after-school day-care programs. Commissioner Donna DePauw said she would rather "ease" into a 50 percent increase.

Livermore said he was concerned many fees are not high enough to begin with for the use of park facilities, for instance.

Parks Director Steve Kastens said number of nonresidents participating in programs was "not overwhelming." but there were several throughout the system.

A vote to recommend that city supervisors raise nonresident fees by 50 percent lost by a 3-to-4 vote. Livermore, McKenna and Commissioner Thomas Keeton were in favor.

Instead, the commission directed staff to return, possibly by September, after taking a look at all fees charged for parks and recreation programs and facilities.

"They would like to see it come back at a later date to figure out what the true effect would be," Kastens said.