Council delays decision on recreation fees
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Updated: August 21, 2009 7:56 AM
The city continues to drag its feet on proposed hikes to recreation fees.
Council postponed once again a final decision to await the receipt of additional information from staff.
It will try again next month. Staff and members of the city’s parks, recreation and culture committee have considered the proposed increase for weeks, if not months now.
Monday’s decision to postpone was the second time council had pushed the issue to another date and council heard from staff that the delays are impacting bookings starting in January.
Mayor Dan Ashton acknowledged the concern and instructed staff to accept bookings on a month-to-month basis based on the current rates.
Monday’s discussion certainly highlighted a consistent theme that has emerged so far during the life of this council — a resistance to raise fees, when cost cuts will do, as echoed by several councillors.
Staff, however, appeared to advise against that by noting that a small and consistent increase will likely be less harmful than a single large increase after a period of no increases.
But these arguments did not sway council as it moved for postponement over the objections of Coun. Judy Sentes, who wanted council to make a decision in light of the booking circumstances.
On substance, she also preferred a two per cent across-the-board hike rather than the more detailed staff recommendations. The majority of council, however, disagreed with the substance of that recommendation in seeking more staff input.
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