Date: Fri 05-Apr-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: KAAREN

Quick Words:

sports-Council-fee

Full Text:

Council Approves A $5 Fee For Sports

B Y K AAREN V ALENTA

Legislative Council Tuesday night approved a request by the Parks & Recreation

Department to add a $5 fee to registrations for sports programs to raise money

for the town's future recreational needs.

Larry Haskel, chairman of the Parks & Recreation Commission, explained that

the $5 surcharge for adults and children would raise about $20,000 a year and

probably would be used eventually to purchase and develop additional playing

fields.

"If we lose Fairfield Hills and the fields there, it will be a disaster," he

said. "And if the state gives us other land at Fairfield Hills, we will need

money to prepare the fields."

Mr Haskel said the town would like to buy other property, such as a seven-acre

site on Old Farm Road, for soccer and baseball fields but to do so would

require at least $100,000. A building might become available at Fairfield

Hills or another big project might be proposed which could be funded through

the surcharge, he said.

"We need a revolving account to provide for the future. Towns like Ridgefield

do this," he said.

Parks & Rec Director Barbara Kasbarian said the $5 surcharge would be for all

sports activities, not just those which are field-based, but wouldn't apply to

programs such as cartooning classes. Scholarships are available for children

whose families cannot afford to pay, she said.

Council member Bill Brimmer pointed out that the high school already has "pay

for play" fees included as part of its sports programs.

Council member Pierre Rochman said the $5 surcharge would have to be deposited

in the town's Reserve Fund for Capital and Non-Recurring Expenditures, a fund

that is controlled by state regulations.

"Money cannot be allocated when it goes in," he said. "We can keep track of

it, but it cannot be allocated until it is withdrawn."

Mr Rochman said that once the money is in this account, it could eventually be

used for any purpose approved by a future Legislative Council. Under the

existing town charter, the council can remove up to $50,000 from this account

for any purpose without voter approval. Amounts of $50,000 or more must be

approved at a town meeting.

The council voted 11-1 to approve the request by Park & Rec. Council member

Jack Rosenthal cast the only negative vote.