Fee waivers cause slight debate at city meeting

The Clovis city commission found consensus on upcoming community functions during its meeting Thursday night, but slight disagreement on whether or not it should waive park fees as part of those functions.

City Commissioner Randy Crowder pulled a trio of items off of the consent agenda, a portion of the commission agenda reserved for items expected to pass unanimously with no discussion.

If any consent agenda proposal does not meet with the approval of all commission members, or if a citizen so requests, the item is heard under the regular discussion agenda.

As he pulled the items from consent, Crowder stressed that he had nothing against any of the items, and that he supported them — just not an automatic willingness to waive fees.

"If we're going to have a policy in place," Crowder said, "it's goofy to turn around and (repeatedly) waive the fees."

The meeting otherwise had little disagreement, and included a brief study session on the city budget process and a presentation from Plains Regional Medical Center Administrator Hoyt Skabelund.

The items removed from the agenda all passed on 6-1 votes with Crowder as the lone dissenter:

• A Clovis High Volleyball Booster sand volleyball tournament at the Hillcrest Park Zoo's "Little Africa" rental facility.

Parks and Recreation Director Bill Bizzell said it is the second year for the tournament, and that fees were waived in the inaugural tournament.

The club, Bizzell said, made an in-kind contribution of new sand for the two volleyball courts and intended to upgrade netting this year if enough of a profit was made.

"As far as I'm concerned," Bizzell said, "they're beyond their $25 rental fee per day."

Crowder noted Bizzell's mention of new netting was not in the documented request, and asked that such items be included in the future.

• Ethnic Fair activities, scheduled for 8 a.m.-6 p.m. July 21 at Hillcrest Park.

Fees waived included use of the park, free use of the splash pad for the public and bleachers and chairs moved to the park for the event.

• An Ethnic Fair Fun Run, scheduled for 8:30 a.m.-10 a.m. July 21 with a course stretching from Seventh and Cameo streets to Greene Acres Park.

Crowder noted that no fees waivers were requested, but said the item requires police monitoring and barricade setups by city employees.

He asked City Attorney David Richards if approving such items at no cost to the requesters set up any type of precedent. Richards noted that Ethnic Fair activities were a "quasi-city event" through involvement of the city's Ethnic Affairs Committee, and noted that all items brought to the commission are decided on separately.

"There may be a perceived precedent," Richards said. "But as far as a legal precedent, I don't think we'd be at any risk."