Hailey park fee too high?
Special event organizers to address
council Monday
By MATT FURBER
Express Staff Writer
A recent hike approved for city park user
fees by the Hailey City Council has raised concerns that the increase will scare
off some traditional city events.
A $500 per day rental fee for major
organized events or special events in Hailey city parks was made effective on
June 23. The new fee schedule includes a $125 application fee and a $500
security deposit.
At a special Hailey City Council meeting,
5 p.m. Monday, June 19, at the Blaine County Courthouse time has been reserved
on the agenda for event organizers to address the city council about the fees,
which some event organizers believe could drive away park users away.
One casualty of the fee increase could be
the Rod, Run and Car Show scheduled to be held in August, said event organizer
Elbie Bellon.
"It would be terrible for us to lose that
event," Bellon said, who is also concerned about the impact of the fee increase
on the annual Trailing of the Sheep event scheduled for Oct. 8 to the 10 this
year. "I want to let the community know they will be chasing things like this
away with the fees."
The city council approved the fees this
year because previous fees were deemed insufficient to cover the cost of impacts
related to special event use on city property.
At present the council has decided that
the per diem fee will not be applied to not-for-profit events occurring before
Oct. 1 2004. Any event, whether for-profit or not-for-profit, will be subject to
the rental fee on or after Oct. 1, 2004.
Although the fees have been adopted the
city council is open to discussing the issue with event organizers Monday, said
Hailey City Clerk Heather Dawson.