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City staff cautions against broad fee waivers for nonprofits; Sunrise nonprofits already get discounted rate
Summary
City Manager Mark Lubelski told commissioners Sunrise nonprofits may rent city facilities at $15 an hour; staff warned that waiving fees more broadly or for outside nonprofits could flood bookings, strain staff and displace resident events, and suggested narrow, targeted options if the commission wants to act.
City Manager Mark Lubelski briefed the commission on Oct. 21 about existing rates and staff concerns related to a proposal from Assistant Deputy Mayor Jacqueline A. Guzman to waive or reduce facility rental fees for nonprofits.
Lubelski said the city currently charges Sunrise‑based nonprofits $15 per hour for facility rental and higher nonresident rates for groups outside the city. “If you’re a Sunrise nonprofit, then you pay the the $15 an hour,” Lubelski said. He warned that opening up waivers to outsiders or broadly eliminating fees could invite a large increase in rental requests and reduce availability for residents.
Staff proposed more limited alternatives during the discussion: (a) consider waivers only for the small set of nonprofits the commission already funds through the budget, (b) allow fee relief for weekday, low‑demand hours only, or (c) leave current rates in place because $15 an hour already provides a substantial discount for Sunrise nonprofits.
Assistant Deputy Mayor Guzman said her concern was fairness for nearby nonprofit partners that do not have Sunrise headquarters and asked whether the city could offer parity for those groups in some circumstances. Commissioners generally expressed reluctance to change the program without a narrower set of eligibility rules and an assessment of staff impacts.
Why it matters: Facility rates and waivers are operational decisions that affect where community organizations meet and whether resident users face displacement. Any change in policy could affect staffing, building maintenance and scheduling.
What’s next: Staff will not change rates tonight; commissioners asked staff to return with options that identify a limited eligible list or weekday exceptions for further consideration.
