Lowell parks board approves $200 custodial overtime rate, tightens tournament permitting and enforcement

Lowell — The City of Lowell Board of Parks on Wednesday approved raising the custodial overtime charge to $200 per four-hour block and moved to require board-issued permits for all sports tournaments on city fields, voting to impose penalties for groups that fail to obtain required permits. Board members and parks staff debated how to apply a separate $200 trash fee for tournaments and how to split custodial or dumpster costs when multiple groups use the same complex. The board approved the overtime-rate change and a motion to require tournament permits; it also directed staff to continue working on fair fee allocation and credits on a case-by-case basis. The board’s action follows repeated complaints about overflowing dumpsters and late-night trash after multiday tournaments in heavily populated neighborhoods. Board member…