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Parks staff propose modest increases to Meridian Community Pool fees; public hearing scheduled
Summary
Parks staff presented proposed fee increases for the Meridian Community Pool to help offset rising operating costs and to maintain roughly 25% cost recovery; council members expressed support and asked for annual review and staff follow-up on scholarship eligibility and staffing.
Meridian parks staff presented proposed fee changes for the Meridian Community Pool at the March 11 council meeting and asked council for preliminary support to post the fees and schedule a public hearing in two weeks. No formal action was taken; staff plans to bring the ordinance setting fees back to council after the public hearing.
Garrett White, who presented the package, said the pool provides swim lessons for more than 2,000 children and that the city subsidizes public swim operations. Proposed adjustments are small increases to day passes, season passes, swim lessons, private parties and swim-team fees. The proposed changes are intended to keep the pool's cost recovery near 25 percent and to offset wage, chemical and operating cost increases that have occurred since the pool's fees were last adjusted (staff estimated the last fee change occurred in or before 2017).
White said the pool's scholarship program (Cares for Shares) covers primarily swim lessons and is intended to cover roughly 80 percent of lesson fees; the day-pass product was not currently eligible for scholarship use but staff said they would work to make reasonable accommodations on a case-by-case basis. Council members asked about staff recruitment and said they were supportive of modest fee increases; staff reported active recruitment with several dozen guard applicants and an ongoing hiring period.
Why it matters: The pool is a frequently used recreation amenity and staff said the proposed increases are modest compared with peer agencies while improving the facility's cost recovery. Council members asked staff to review fees annually and to consider programmatic options to maintain access for low-income families.
Public process: Staff intends to post the proposed fee schedule and conduct a public hearing two weeks after the presentation; final adoption would follow that hearing.
Next steps: Post proposed fees, hold public hearing (target: April 1 guidance from staff), and return to council for formal adoption after public comment.
