The Kemmerer City Council met on Monday, May 22, at Kemmerer City Hall. One of the main topics of discussion was the proposed price increase for recreation center passes.

Resolution 2017-737, which concerned Recreation Center and program fees to be effective on July 1 of this year, passed. The resolution had been read twice before in City Council meetings.

The result of the resolution passing is that annual (12-month) passes for youth, seniors, and those with a valid military ID are now $145. The previous price for an annual pass for these groups was $90.

Mary Ann Putnam spoke up during the allotted time for visitors’ comments. Putnam said she uses the rec center often, so the proposed rate increases would affect her.

“I totally understand why you’re raising the rates, because the budget is really having a lot of difficulty,” Putnam said. “I just think you need to show the community that you have a good, solid reason why you’re doing this. Use Facebook, use the newspaper, put something in the mail.”

Terri Cartwright, director of the Kemmerer Senior Center, also addressed the council with her concerns about the price increases.

“I can’t think that increasing fees is going to get the rec center operating in the clear,” Cartwright. “I don’t think price increases for seniors are the most respectful way to show them we care about them and their health.”

The resolution was originally to increase the annual pass rates to $163, but after visitors’ comments, council members debated about the practicality and fairness of that number.

Mayor Anthony Tomassi even suggested the resolution be tabled until more public input could be gathered.

Discussion among the council members continued until a decision was reached to amend the annual pass price to $145, and pass the resolution with the amendment.

“We know it seems like a big increase all in one go, but our rates didn’t even compare to others in the area,” Councilman Robert Reetz said. “At least the new price (of $145) would be a nice round number.”

“We’re fighting the same battle year after year,” City Administrator Andrew Nelson said after the meeting. “We had to look at other rec centers in the area — and we know it’s hard to compare facilities, but no one else was offering the incredibly high discounts that we were.”

Nelson also pointed out that even though some prices were increased, the base rates stayed the same, and the rec center fees “haven’t been adjusted in five years.”

The Recreation Center director mentioned that only 19 Kemmerer seniors have annual passes to the rec center, and for each group of monthly pass holders (adults, youth, etc.) there are less than ten pass holders.

“We do appreciate the public coming to this meeting and participating,” Mayor Tomassi said at the conclusion of the meeting.