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Gilbert staff recommend inflationary increase now and phased cost‑recovery study for parks fees
Summary
Parks staff proposed four options: an immediate across‑the‑board inflationary increase for FY27, a tiered cost‑recovery model, a phased implementation of that model, or no change; council favored a small immediate inflationary adjustment plus a third‑party fee study and phased tiered implementation, with special attention to youth programs like swim lessons.
Parks and recreation staff told the council that the department’s cost recovery has declined about 19% since 2022 and that rising personnel, utilities and supply costs have eroded the program’s revenue balance. Director Michael outlined a six-tier cost-recovery framework ranging from fully subsidized public access (playgrounds, trails) to market‑priced exclusive uses (third‑party concerts, for‑profit tournaments).
Staff offered four options: an immediate inflationary increase across fees; a strategic tiered cost‑recovery adjustment based on the proposed pyramid; a two‑phase implementation of a tiered model to soften the impact; or no change. Staff said a third‑party cost‑recovery study would produce defensible tier assignments and recommended regular (every two‑year) fee reviews thereafter.
Council discussion favored a hybrid approach: a modest near‑term inflationary “kickstart” (council members suggested 5–15%) to prevent further budget pressure entering FY27, followed by a third‑party study and phased implementation of a tiered model to protect equity and affordability. Several councilors asked staff to prioritize protecting low‑cost youth programming (for example, swim lessons) from price increases and to propose scholarship or reward mechanisms.
Staff estimated a realistic timeline: an immediate inflationary adjustment could be effective July 1 (FY27) with required posting notifications; a procurement and third‑party study completed over summer would allow council consideration by October and potential fee table implementation in January 2027. Staff also recommended codifying a biennial fee review to avoid large, infrequent jumps.
What’s next: staff will bring back an inflationary fee proposal for council consideration and solicit a vendor for a fee study; staff said they will report estimated impacts on participation levels and options for financial assistance or scholarships.
Quotable: “We want a model that’s proportionate and preserves accessibility; higher tiers should pay the bulk of the increase,” Michael said.
