Fort Dodge recreation fees set
Golfers to see large increasesBy BILL SHEA, Messenger staff writer
The price of season passes at Lakeside Municipal Golf Course is going up by about 12 percent, with another price hike likely in 2010.
Baseball and softball players will see some family passes eliminated at Harlan and Hazel Rogers Sports Complex, but registration and field rental fees there are to increase.
Also, an $80 fee for reserving the Fort Dodge splash pad in Oleson Park as a site for birthday parties is being instituted.
All of those changes are included in a fee schedule approved Monday by the city's Parks, Recreation and Forestry Commission. The fees will be included in the 2009-2010 budget proposal that will be submitted to the City Council later this month.
Lori Branderhorst, the director of parks, recreation and forestry, described the fees as ''fair to consumers as well as our commitment to the budget.''
Commission members Mark Campbell and Steve Daniel were absent from the otherwise unanimous vote to approve the fees.
The proposed Lakeside fees generated the most discussion before the commission voted.
Branderhorst said those increases average 12 percent. She said a 13 percent increase is planned for 2010.
''City Hall basically wanted bigger increases, but we broke it in half,'' said commission Chairman Larry Calvert.
He said the price of season passes hasn't been raised in three years.
The biggest increase is in the price of season passes for adult couples, which will rise $69 to $644.
Senior couples passes will have the next largest increase, a $63 jump to $588.
A new $575 unlimited cart pass will give golfers the right to reserve a cart owned by the city-owned course.
At Harlan and Hazel Rogers Sports Complex, family passes and recreation daily admission fees for adults and children are being scrapped.
Field rental fees, however, are going up $10, to $50.
The $27 fee for recreation girls softball programs is being restructured. The fee will now be $35 for T-ball and $40 for softball.
The $27 individual fee for baseball is being replaced with a $150 per team fee.
The price of reserving a cabin in a city park is also increasing sharply from its current $30 level. To reserve a cabin, a $50 reservation fee and a $100 refundable deposit are now necessary.
Branderhorst said money received from cabin reservations will be set aside to pay for maintaining them.
''We are really taking the time to improve our parks structures,'' she said.
Contact Bill Shea at (515) 573-2141 or bshea@messengernews.net
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ckelly
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12-04-08 8:20 AM
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These increases are someone trying to make a name for themself -- and not a good name-- when options are being taken away from families. Shame on them. I don't know how some of those people can sleep at night.
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Dodger
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12-03-08 10:57 AM
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It's laughable how misinformed posters are on this site. Downright laughable.
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nottotell
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12-02-08 11:06 PM
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Come on Lori you are not improving anything except maybe your salaries. How are some families suppose to let the kids play sports at those prices? It is really a shame that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer in this town. Oh by the way, should not have to worry about people renting the splashpad. It is a joke anyway. And next thing you will start charging to drive through and look at the animals in Olson Park. What are you setting aside the money received from selling beer at Harlan Rogers for? Or is that just general fund money since it isnt suppose to be happening?
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mongococo
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12-02-08 10:31 PM
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Nothing wrong with a tax to play more. You can't have it free, someone must pay to pay the workers. Wake up
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BobJohnson
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12-02-08 9:20 PM
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Now more FD people are going to get part time drug dealing jobs to help pay to live in this crappy town.
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CHELLS
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12-02-08 6:20 PM
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CKELLY YOU GOT THAT SO RIGHT. THE FINE FOR THE KIDS GETTING IN TROUBLE WOULD NOT BE AS MUCH AS THE INCREASE AT LASKESIDE. HUM MAYBE SOME KIDS WILL BE PLAYING BALL IN THE SMALL TOWNS THE HAVE NICE BALLFIELDS.
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ckelly
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12-02-08 4:14 PM
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We had planned on doing a few of these things, but not anymore. Not with those prices. Even with the kids -- families can't afford all that. And they wonder why kids are on the street without anything to do except get in trouble........
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