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Billings parks staff propose fee increases to recover costs; council asks for pro forma and equity adjustments
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Summary
Parks, Recreation & Public Lands proposed fee changes intended to generate roughly $105,000 annually; council praised the approach but asked staff to return with a pro forma, consider higher commercial/out‑of‑city rates and clarify scholarship mechanics.
Parks, Recreation & Public Lands (PRPL) staff presented draft fee adjustments for pools, park permits, field rentals and program fees designed to reduce an operational deficit and better align user charges with costs.
PRPL interim director said the package, if approved, would generate about $105,000 in additional annual revenue and that the department plans a three‑year timeline for regular reviews. The presentation stressed protecting access for low‑income residents through a scholarship program, which staff said relies largely on private funding and partners such as the Parks Foundation.
Council members asked several questions about how scholarships are administered and how event fees would affect nonprofit community organizers. PRPL staff acknowledged a large per‑event jump on the draft schedule (for example, a jump cited from $150 to $500 for large events) and said the increase is intended to cover multi‑day staffing, cleanup and maintenance costs that current flat fees do not recover.
Several councilmembers recommended leaning more heavily on commercial or out‑of‑city rate increases to ease the burden on residents, adding that an annual escalator or routine review be considered so rates do not need to return to council each time. Staff agreed to return with a pro forma showing current vs. projected revenue, a recommended escalator or review cadence, and more detail about scholarship numbers and funding sources.
Next steps: PRPL will bring a draft resolution and the requested pro forma back to council with suggested adjustments ahead of the February program printing deadline.
