Politics & Government

Skate Park, Little League Fees Removed from Upcoming City Budget

The mention of the two possible sources of revenue for the City of Imperial Beach was a mistake, city staff said. Other cost increases were approved.

A resolution to increase fees at the Sports Park and Recreation Center was approved unanimously by City Council at their June 6 meeting.

A final vote will be held to approve changes to the city's entire 2012-2013 budget at council's next meeting June 20.

Mention in the list of proposed fees to charge residents to use the skate park and field fees for sports leagues was a mistake, city staff said.

Find out what's happening in Imperial Beachwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Though the ideas have been considered in previous meetings, staff said the fees were not removed as an option because of outcry from the community, but because they were accidentally included as options for City Council to consider.

Proposed skate park fees would have meant a $25 annual membership fee for residents and $50 fee for non-residents, with a $5 charge for both on each visit.

Find out what's happening in Imperial Beachwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Instead of keeping a contract with a private landscaping company, Imperial Beach Little League and Imperial Beach Girls Softball have agreed to maintain the fields.

"If that doesn't come to fruition, then they too would have to pay," said City Manager Gary Brown.

Other fee increases at the Imperial Sports Park and Recreation Center were approved include:

- $25 per hour for adult use of softball field

- $25 per hour for adult use of softball field lighting

- $55 for softball games, practices, tournaments etc.

- $40 per month for youth music lessons

- $35 per hour for picnic table rental, minimum two hours and up to four hours

Costs will rise for nearly every service offered by the sports park and recreation center, and are estimated to produce $20,000 in revenue.

The increases will set prices at or below rates in Chula Vista and San Diego, said IB Sports Park and Recreation Center Director Jim Coates. To view a cost comparison and the full list of cost increases, see the document attached to this story.

"We've been getting nothing but good vibes on it," Coates said when Councilman Spriggs asked if he had received "significant opposition" to fee increases from the community.

Aside from an increase in revenue, another positive side effect of the price increase is that there are now standards for how long people use the park tables. Knowing there's another group coming in behind them allows more people to use the space and a chance to make more money.

"We get calls from people who want to use the tables asking if they know when someone currently using the table will finish, and we'd say that's not our policy," Coates said.

Since cuts to budget discussions began earlier this year, half of the center's staff .


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