Commissioners direct 90-day pilot to waive gym fees for children at Lander County rec center

The Lander County Board of Commissioners on Sept. 11 directed county staff to implement a 90-day pilot waiving gym fees for county-resident children 16 and under, issuing a free 10-punch card for gym access while leaving pool fees unchanged.

"What I'm proposing is a 10 punch card that would cost nothing for the gym only for ages 16 and under," said the commissioner who made the motion (speaker 5), urging a county-resident restriction to prevent nonresident use. Commissioners and staff debated accountability and tracking; staff said the rec center's point-of-sale system can record usage so administrators can monitor the program for abuse or unexpected costs. Chair (speaker 1) moved to make the pilot limited to 90 days and have staff return with a utilization report, which the board directed the administration to do rather than vote on a permanent policy at this meeting.

Supporters said a limited pilot could increase youth participation without a major budget hit. A fellow commissioner noted the facility is already inexpensive compared with neighboring communities and said the punch-card approach is intended to manage demand "so we can keep track" rather than create open-ended free access. Staff agreed to tailor the program, track county-resident use, and report back in roughly three months with counts and a recommendation. The board did not take a final ordinance or fee-waiver vote at this meeting; it directed staff to implement the pilot administratively and return with results.