Council denies Build Lebanon Trails fee-waiver request by consensus; directs staff to draft park-fee policy

Build Lebanon Trails asked the Lebanon City Council on Feb. 12 for a waiver of $1,750 in park fees for its annual fun run at Cheetah Lake Park; the council declined the waiver by consensus and directed staff to draft a standard policy for handling future fee-waiver requests.

City staff described the $1,750 amount as the production of the existing city fee schedule — covering staff time, electrical and water use and post-event maintenance — and said the city currently relies on two park staff to maintain parks. The city manager told the council that both he and the public works director had denied the fee-waiver request, and recommended a written policy so staff would not have to decide ad hoc.

Rod, representing Build Lebanon Trails, said the group is an all-volunteer nonprofit and has invested more than $2.6 million in trail and park infrastructure since 2012 and provides $20,000 annually to the city for temporary trail maintenance staff. He asked the council to consider the organization’s decades-long volunteer contributions when weighing the fee waiver.

Council discussion centered on fairness, administrative process and alternative funding routes. Several councilors said the Chamber’s tourism grants are available for events and that using an outside grant-review process avoids perceived favoritism. Council members also suggested a deposit model for park users that would be returned if no damage occurs, and discussed shifting some motel-tax funds toward parks and trails maintenance depending on pending state legislation.

Outcome: The waiver request was effectively denied by consensus at the meeting; no motion to waive was made. Council directed staff to draft a written policy for fee-waiver requests and to return with proposals for the council to consider by the March meeting. Staff and council noted the applicant’s May 3 event date as feasible if a policy can be developed and approved in time.

Votes at a glance: The consent calendar motion at the start of the meeting — which included approval to award the North Santiam Highway waterline extension project and the Grove Street sanitary sewer extension project and to approve minutes — passed on a voice vote. The fee-waiver request was denied by consensus (no formal vote to waive was offered).

Ending: Staff will prepare a draft fee-waiver policy for council review, and Build Lebanon Trails may reapply or seek eligible tourism grant funding pending policy adoption.