Acknowledge Proposed 2023 Rental Fees for the Municipal Center and Park Facilities

The purpose of this work session topic is to acknowledge proposed changes to the fee rates for room reservations at City Hall and park buildings, as well as a few minor changes in how this business is conducted. It may be pointed out that the annual Schedule of Rates, Fees and Charges adopted by Ordinance each year includes a space in the Facility Use category wherein there is the statement: 'Municipal Center Room Rental\Park Facilities - Refer to Facility Use and Rental Policy'.  This is due to the inability to cover all the variables and details of reserving a room or facility at a park within that table—and also to minimize confusion within an otherwise straight-forward table of rates and charges.

The first attachment is an exhibit of the existing and proposed 2023 City Hall room rental fees. The second is the rental rates for the Park Facilities.  At the meeting Staff will highlight the proposed changes and rationale. In summary, these include $5 or $10 per hour rate increases for some park facilities (more for non-residents), and similar increases for Municipal Center rooms, among other suggested changes to be discussed with the City Council; it is proposed to have these rooms moving to an hourly rate rather than a flat rate. 

Additionally, as it relates to Municipal Center room rental, the City Council may wish to consider setting the fee structure to mirror what our neighboring cities charge (staff will be prepared to provide that data at the meeting contingent upon the City Council's interest) and simplifying the groups (categories of renters) from four to three (most cities charge based on Resident and Non-Resident groups and some include a category for Youth Organizations).   

Lastly, staff will provide added language regarding the requirement that candidate forums and election-related meetings must be open to the public.

There are some rates that are proposed as not increasing, with one new fee category proposed, and that is a Special Event Facility and Maintenance Fee applicable for special events within parks (large and small).

 

Ten minutes may be needed to provide the background on this topic, and perhaps up to 10 minutes may be needed to respond to various inquiries and ideas on how facilities are reserved, utilized and the associated fees. 

No funding is required for consensus direction on this topic—rather, there will be a modest revenue increase for 2023 for room and facility reservations, and the new Special Event Facility and Maintenance Fee.

Colleen Lasher and Mark Riverblood

Acknowledgment that upon Adoption of Ordinance #22-28 (11-22-22 Council meeting), establishing the 2023 Schedule of Rates, Fees and Charges will by extension include revised facility rental rates for both the Municipal Center and Park Facilities as proposed in the two attachments—or as otherwise specified by City Council.