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Council to review park fee increases after recreation fund shows large shortfall
Summary
Councilors asked for more detail before advancing a proposed 20% fee increase and a separate nonresident surcharge, citing recreation fund losses of about $180,000 on $363,000 in expenditures and concerns about concessions operating at a loss.
Pataskala City Council members asked administration staff for a fuller briefing on a proposed update to the city fee schedule after a parks report showed the recreation fund operating at a substantial deficit.
At a development committee meeting earlier and again at council, staff proposed about a 20% increase to park- and street-related fees and a higher nonresident surcharge (an additional 25% on individual-based items such as softball team fees). The parks board provided a unanimous motion of support to forward the fee changes to council.
Why it matters: Council members said they need a clearer connection between the proposed fee increases and the recreation fund’s financial performance before approving an ordinance. One councilor pointed to the current report showing approximately $363,000 in recreation expenditures and an $180,000 shortfall when expenses are compared with revenue — a gap the member said makes a straight fee increase a questionable sole remedy.
Council discussion and next steps - Jennifer (city finance/administration staff) told council she would prepare a packet and could present details at the Oct. 6 meeting; the administration proposed delaying formal consideration of the fee ordinance until Oct. 20 to allow time for that review. - Staff noted salary and benefit accounting changes (moving salaries into fund 604) will alter how future recreation fund numbers appear in reports; council members asked for a clearer breakdown of concessions, staffing, inventory control and participant-level revenue before voting.
Quotes "Out of the $363,000 spent we've lost $180,000 when you look at expenses versus revenue," a council member said, citing the parks report and urging further review before an ordinance is introduced.
Ending: Council directed staff to assemble a more detailed breakdown of recreation revenues and expenses and to present that information ahead of a scheduled budget workshop; the tentative plan is for a focused presentation at the Oct. 6 meeting and to delay fee-ordinance introduction to the Oct. 20 meeting unless council requests otherwise.
