Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Fees And Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Yakima staff reviews park and recreation fees as city considers budget committee review
Summary
Parks staff presented the department’s fee schedule (effective Jan. 1, 2024) and discussed tradeoffs between cost recovery and access, citing Franklin Pool operating costs, fee increases that reduced participation in one program, and new reservations for pickleball courts.
Parks and Recreation Department staff presented the commission with the department’s current fee structure Wednesday and outlined how fees interact with program access and the department’s budget.
Ken, a department staff member, told commissioners the department updated fees in the fall of 2023 and those rates took effect Jan. 1, 2024. He said the department faces a budget shortfall for fiscal years 2025–26 and has shared fee information with city council and will provide it to the new budget review committee.
Using Franklin Pool as an example, Ken said operating costs run about $200,000 annually while user fees brought in “about $100,000,” meaning the pool requires subsidies to operate. “If we charge too much, no one will go,” Ken said. He added the department tries to keep admission low to encourage broad community use.
The packet and staff remarks included specific fees in place: general admission for pools is $3 for youth, $4 for adults and $3 for “honored citizens” (seniors and active military). A family pass (two parents and up to four children) was listed at $17. Ken said the parks department raised fees for the Beyond the Bell after-school program last year; he told the commission that the fee increase reduced participation for some families.
Other changes and topics identified by staff:
- Pickleball court reservations: staff added reservation fees after installing eight pickleball courts at Franklin so users can book courts for tournaments and private events. - Vendor and concessions fees: vendors pay a one-year vendor fee (listed in the packet as about $314–$315) to operate at events; concession agreements at some facilities preclude other on-site food vendors from competing. - Picnic shelters: the department now offers half-day and full-day shelter rentals to improve availability and reduce long blocks of time reserved for single users. - Cremains scattering: the department has a written policy and a small fee for spreading cremains in parks; staff said only a few people have used the option. - Golf and fitness: Fisher Park golf fees were raised slightly to move the course closer to break-even; the department continues to offer discount programs such as a $15-per-month “Forever Fitness” option.
The commission discussed how to balance accessibility and cost recovery. Commissioners asked whether nonresident fees apply to residents outside Yakima City limits; Ken clarified a “nonresident” is someone who lives outside city limits because their taxes are paid to the county rather than the city.
No fee changes were adopted at the Feb. 12 meeting; staff said further adjustments could be proposed during the 2026 budget process.
