Chamber officials say fees ‘tough to swallow’

Insight into municipal park fees may lead to restructuring of how groups pay for park amenities use, after city administration faced backlash from facility renters and event organizers.

The workshop, which also involved fielding concerns about new park use rules (See related story on Page 1), was hosted by Marble Falls City Council June 15 in which parks and recreation committee members were in attendance.

“We have groups that we know want to use the facility, but the pricing that we have quoted for them, it’s implicit that it’s not feasible,” Marble Falls Parks and Recreation Director Lacey Dingman told council members.

Much of the discussion involved relaying a general sentiment from public feedback regarding Lakeside Pavilion rental fees as well as reservations of Johnson Park and Lakeside Park and the pavilions at those venues.

Marble Falls/Lake LBJ Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jarrod Metzgar addressed council members about the increasing cost and complexity of the municipality’s fee and rate schedule which impacts the entity’s festivals and events.

“We’ve had city-wide garage sale, Mayfest and Lakefest that we’ve paid for this year to the tune of over $15,000,” he said. “For the chamber as a nonprofit, trying to keep things going in the right direction for the chamber of commerce and provide for our community and be a good neighbor and good partner with the city.

“We appreciate that we do have with the city,” Metzgar added. “It’s been kind of tough to swallow.”

Council member William (Dee) Haddock asked Dingman for perspective on the local fees.

Dingman said the municipality is in “market price range” of surrounding community venue rental costs, however, suggested parks and recreation consider reformatting the “rate schedule.”

A tier system delineates pricing using categories such as nonprofit entities – for example, 501(c)3 (civic organizations, social welfare groups, POAs and VFDs) and 501 (c)6 (chambers of commerce) – which receive tax exemptions for their charitable, educational and public safety work; commercial/business-related activities; and private functions.Other considerations include whether alcohol is served; if the entire park venue is used for an event versus an individual pavilion at a particular park.

“Instead of setting a tier, say group 1 nonprofit, that we take that verbiage from group 1 and say anyone that falls in this (category) gets a discount on the rates outlined, whether it be 50 percent because we do have requests for discounts in our other facilities, park pavilions and those kinds of things,” she said.

Ultimately, administrators suggested simplifying the categories, while still maintaining a goal to generate revenue to cover cost of operations as well as see a return on millions of dollar of renovation and upgrades paid for with bond debt over the past several years.

“It’s something to consider that maybe it’s more than a service to our residents, more of a revenue generator because, you’re right, I feel very much my job is to serve the community and most things we do is a service, but there is a need in places to generate revenue so we can continue to provide those services, to turn around and do those free things for our community whether it’s events or making parks, so just maybe consider that as maybe that’s an option to widen the difference of price point between our residents and non-residents,” Dingman said.

Mayor Richard Westerman emphasized that he did not consider the goal to be “profit” for the city but instead asked that city staff to consider the needs of groups on a case-by-case basis.

“Clearly, there are some 501(c)3s that need help. It should fall on city staff to be able to make that decision, the city manager,” Westerman said.

City Manager Mike Hodge answered, “The ordinance gives me some discretion already.”

Based on The Highlander reporting, a brief history of rate restructuring and changes dating back to 2019 included the following:

• In November 2019 staff from the Marble Falls Parks and Recreation Commission recommended increasing the facility deposit from $250 to $500 for non-alcohol events; from $500 to $1,000 for alcohol events; and cleaning fee from $350 to $500. At that time, the average deposit is about $750 and the average cleaning fee is $500;

• In December 2019 and January 2020, the facility was closed for extensive renovations to include a new heating and AC system, ceiling insulation repairs, new kitchen appliances and flooring.

• In November 2020, Marble Falls parks officials proposed changing fee structures, increasing certain rates and charging non-residents more than residents as well as an overall fee for use of Johnson Park. If a closure of the facility for an event is required, the parks department charges for use of all facilities – pavilions, amphitheater and softball field. The fee is proposed a cumulatively $50 per hour or $500 per day. A nonresident rate, consistent with other fees, would apply.

Other changes in 2020 included adopting a rental fee for Lakeside Park, proposed at $750 per day, for the summer months due to the closure of the swimming pool and the addition of more amenities in the park. During the offseason (September to May) a $500 per day is proposed; and increasing the current rental rate for athletic fields, Johnson Park, Lakeside Park and Westside Park at a 50 percent over the resident rate. At that time, Westside Community Hall was the only facility where an increased nonresident rate applied.