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Lebanon council endorses policy that park rental fees not be waived; refers applicants to Chamber grants
Summary
Council instructed staff to adopt an administrative policy not to waive park reservation fees and to help applicants pursue Chamber of Commerce grant funding; staff noted large events produce significant wear at Cheadle Lake Park.
Lebanon City Council members on March 12 agreed with staff recommendation not to routinely waive park reservation fees and directed staff to adopt an administrative policy to that effect. Instead, staff will help eligible groups apply to the Lebanon Chamber of Commerce’s grant program for fee support.
Why it matters: City staff told council that park operations and capital are funded through tight budgets; parks maintenance has limited staff and no dedicated capital fund to replace shelters, restrooms or irrigation. Staff said a full‑day rental of Cheadle Lake Park has been priced at $600 to reflect expected impacts when large festivals or heavily attended events use that property; the city cited a winter event that cost about $8,500 to repair turf damage after a muddy event.
What council decided: Council endorsed an administrative policy (staff to finalize language) that does not allow routine fee waivers. The policy directs staff to refer fee‑assistance requests to the Chamber’s grant program (budgeted at about $43,000 annually) and to continue outreach so applicants understand options. Councilors asked staff to make rental prices and booking options transparent on the city website and to consider discounted pricing for smaller groups at locations such as River Park.
Details from staff: Public works staff said the city maintains more than 300 acres of developed and undeveloped parkland (Cheadle Lake Park acreage noted at about 32–33.5 acres including recently purchased land) with roughly two full‑time parks employees; that staffing level makes heavy repairs costly. Staff recommended keeping rental fees to recoup maintenance and avoid shifting costs onto the general fund.
Next steps: Staff will publish the administrative policy, add rental pricing and booking guidance to the website, and continue coordinating with the Chamber on grant availability.
Ending: Councilors said they favored preserving park infrastructure and supporting community events, while ensuring the city recovers costs from large rentals rather than using limited general‑fund resources.
