San Mateo Council adopts FY25–26 fee schedule and waives recreation staffing fees for approved neighborhood association meetings

The San Mateo City Council on April 7 adopted a resolution approving revisions to the fiscal year 2025–26 comprehensive fee schedule and added an amendment exempting recognized neighborhood associations and qualifying nonprofits from recreation center facility staffing fees and certain hourly surcharges until a formal city policy is developed.

The change was proposed by Councilmember Sohorkoeketi and approved on a 5-0 roll call. Councilmember Swierko Guditsky, Councilmember Fernandez, Councilmember Diaz Nash, Deputy Mayor Lorraine and Mayor Newsome all voted yes.

The amendment — read into the record and incorporated into the motion — directs that recreation center facility staffing fees and any hourly surcharges “shall not be charged for nonprofits or neighborhood association meetings as approved by the parks and recreation director until such a time as a city policy will be created to address this matter in more detail.” The amendment was advanced after several neighborhood leaders told the council that one-off staffing charges (speakers cited examples including fees as high as roughly $300) were imposing a barrier to organizing low-cost community…