The Winslow City Council approved two ordinances July 11 amending the rates scheduled for fees and charges within the city.
Ordinance 1290 is the increase of city recreation fees as proposed in the 2017-18 budget approved by the council last month. The changes will go in to effect immediately. Swimming lessons for kids ages 6 to 16 are now $30, up $5 from last year. Lessons for kids ages 3 to 5 are now $25, up $5 from last year. Junior lifeguard fees are now $60, up $10 from last year. Private lessons for both children and adults are now $100, up from $50 for adults and $40 for kids.
The youth basketball fees are now $55, up $10 from last year. Family youth basketball is $155, up from $125, and co-ed softball, co-ed volleyball and men’s basketball team costs are now $400 each, up $50 from last year.
These changes have been included in the proposed budget throughout the budget cycle and were presented for public discussion in June.
Councilman Tom Chacon commented, “We need to scrutinize a lot of these fees; they are getting pretty high. In the next cycle, let’s look at it.”
Councilman Harold Soehner reminded Chacon that this is done each year, to which Chacon responded, “We just need to make them affordable to everyone.”
Finance Director Elias Jouen explained that the fees help to offset the cost of operations and, more specifically in the recreation department, to pay the wages of employees required to facilitate these programs.
Mayor Robin Boyd noted that there has been a $10,000 to $12,000 increase in summer recreation costs due to the minimum wage increase approved last year by voters.
During the call to the public, business owner Laurie Lashomb agreed with Councilman Chacon’s thoughts, saying, “We should be subsidizing our children’s future if we are subsidizing anything.”
The approval of the rate increase was passed with a roll call vote, with a singular “no” vote coming from Councilwoman Judy Howell. Councilman Bob Schlesinger was not in attendance at the meeting.
