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Board debates fee increases, automation after parks fell short of revenue targets
Summary
Board members discussed campsite fee increases tied to inflation, reservation automation and enforcement, and concerns after parks reported a roughly $192,000 revenue shortfall in 2024; staff said automated kiosks and reservation reports should help improve collections and analytics.
Board members discussed staff recommendations to adjust some park fees in 2026, the need for better reservation data and enforcement, and strategies to address a reported revenue shortfall from 2024.
Staff said a proposed plus/minus 5% adjustment to many fees is intended to approximate recent CPI increases; board members asked for the comparable rates used in staff analysis and for a clearer 2‑year CPI calculation. One board member said the committee should see comparable fees from other counties before endorsing changes. "If we don't do everything we can to align ourselves...we had a shortfall of $192,000 in 2024," a board member said, summarizing last year's budget gap in park revenues.
Automation and enforcement: staff said the department is implementing automated kiosks and a reservation system that will provide more timely reports identifying which sites are paid and which are occupied without payment. Staff argued that automation will enable rapid enforcement rounds (checking reserved‑and‑paid status during the day) and reduce reliance on cash handling.
Board members proposed alternate approaches to boost revenue besides rate increases, including improved collections, stricter enforcement, and better analytics to understand visitation trends. Staff said the reservation system will go live by May for the busy season and that they will provide comparative fee data for other counties and CPI justification for the proposed adjustments.
Next steps: staff will produce comparables and CPI calculations, provide updated analytics as kiosks and reservation reports come online, and bring a more formal fee schedule for board consideration in a subsequent meeting.
