Parks & Rec proposes $5 across-the-board fee increase; board sends pickleball rates back for detail

Wolfeboro — Parks and Recreation Director Christine Collins proposed Feb. 19 a modest fee update for town programs and a new hourly rental structure for the town’s pickleball courts. The board discussed event and rental rules and asked staff to bring a clarified schedule and revenue impact columns at the March 5 meeting.

The proposal: Collins told the board staff reviewed program fees and found them generally comparable to neighboring departments. Her recommendation was a $5 increase across all general-fund programs to compensate for rising staffing, equipment and facility costs and to keep program offerings sustainable. For pickleball courts, staff proposed a rental fee of $10 per hour per court for residents and $20 per hour per court for nonresidents when a group wants exclusive use or for special events; first-come, first-served play for individuals would remain free.

Discussion highlights: Board members raised equity and pricing concerns. Some suggested percentage-based increases would better balance low- and high-cost programs; others preferred whole-dollar simplicity. The board also discussed how to price a full-complex rental versus individual-court hourly rentals, how many courts the facility has (staff noted 10 playable pickleball courts when tennis courts are striped), and whether staff should cap the number of hours for a single renter. Christine said special-event permits would be the mechanism for multi-hour or multi-day exclusive rentals (for example, a multi-day pickleball tournament) and that existing permit processes can account for setup time and exclusive use.

Requested follow-up: The board asked Collins to return on March 5 with a three-column memo showing current rates, proposed rates, and anticipated revenue for items the board would vote on. Members also asked for clarity on the proposed $800 whole-complex figure discussed in the meeting and example hourly-breakdown scenarios (how many courts × hours = revenue comparison).

What was decided: The board did not adopt the fees at the meeting. Members moved to defer formal action until staff provides the requested comparisons, caps and a clear rental policy for exclusive events.

Ending: Collins said the $5-per-program adjustment was intended as a predictable, small increase to keep programs affordable while covering rising costs; staff will return with the requested data so the board can consider a single, informed motion at the March 5 meeting.