Olive tte council adopts new athletic-field rental fees; ordinance becomes 2814

The City of Olivette City Council on second reading approved an ordinance updating athletic-field rental fees for the fields at Stacy Park and Worsen Park, and the bill became Ordinance 2814.

Parks and Recreation Director Beverly Tucker Knight told the council the update is the final component in a multiyear fee review and reflects a comparison with neighboring cities. "We found that there was, a disparity between the condition of our fields and some of our neighbors fields," Tucker Knight said, adding the city is not matching higher rates charged by cities with lights, modern drainage or artificial turf because Olivette's fields do not have those features.

The ordinance moves fee schedules into the annual budget process so the city can adjust rates each year. When asked whether the new charges would affect leagues the city sponsors, Tucker Knight said, "They don't affect our leagues that we sponsor ourselves. So we do not charge ourselves the the fee cost." The council approved the ordinance unanimously; recorded votes included Council Member Lewis, Council Member Sean Hellman, Council Member Solmanoff and Mayor Clark.

The updated fee schedule was described as correcting rates that have not been updated in "a couple of decades," and staff said the change is intended to keep rates current with operating costs and allow annual adjustments as costs are clarified. The ordinance text and the exact new fee amounts were presented with the second reading and will be incorporated into the budget ordinance going forward.

The council did not attach any amendments during the vote. Staff said the Parks and Recreation Commission and city staff led the fee review and benchmarking process.