DANVILLE — Hendricks County Parks & Recreation is considering charging fees for some of its programming.
At Tuesday's County Commissioners meeting, Superintendent William Roche discussed a fee structure policy the park board created. Programs that are considered beneficial to the community, such as environmental education or the Summer Fun Run series that promotes exercise, would remain free or be assigned a low percentage in the value of its cost recovery. There are five levels in which programs could be assigned for such an assessment, he said.
"The only way the parks department can continue to grow is to have fees for certain things," said Roche, who added that the parks department currently only collects fees for facility rentals.
More is already needed. Last year more than 10,000 residents participated in park programs. About 2,000 of them had to be turned away because of space limitations. Roche said one night hike last September drew 150 people.
He said the park board is looking at charging fees for more "enhanced" programs, as well as those that offer more individual benefits. Any fees that are approved would be rolled out gradually.
"We're not going to all of a sudden dump a very large fee on someone who's enjoyed a program (for years)," Roche said. "We'll build into it so the community understands where we're going, to the point it facilitates further growth of the department so we can continue to meet the community's needs."
Commissioners aren't entirely on board with the idea.
"I would hate to see us charge school groups because they're taxpayer funded and taxpayers pay for the parks," said Phyllis Palmer, adding the same sentiment about the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and other non-profit groups that benefit the community.
Roche responded, "Right now, the park board, just in discussion, has no interest in charging school groups. Scout groups, because (programs for them) are so common and a lot of work goes into it, they are considering a nominal fee for that. But it wouldn't be extravagant."
Commission President Eric Wathen said he thinks the proposed policy makes sense.
"It's not written in stone and it gives you direction without locking you into any thing," he said.
Roche says no cost recovery formula means no revenue regeneration, and that would make it difficult "to expand beyond what we can achieve now without additional funds from other areas."
Fees were listed as the top choice by residents for the parks department to recover costs in its master plan adopted last year. Roche said the park board likely won't make a decision on the fee policy until March.
He also told commissioners that an Indiana Department of Transportation grant awarded to the county for the Vandalia Trail (which stretches three miles between Amo and Coatesville) is now available. A contractor has been hired and public information meetings will be scheduled to discuss plans and get feedback.
wade.coggeshall@flyergroup.com
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