Paying more to play

The Cape Girardeau City Council last week approved 5 percent across-the-board fee increases for parks and recreation services. The boosts are expected to add $20,000 annually to the city's general fund, a small down payment on $500,000 in spending cuts, fee increases and fund transfers planned to ease some of the financial strain on the city.

Dan Muser, director of the Parks and Recreation Department, says this is the first across-the-board increase in fees for the city's park and recreation services in six years.

Fees for some specific services have been increased during those six years. The cost of season passes at the Jaycees Municipal Golf Course rose to the current $385.85 from $367.50 in fiscal year 2002-2003. The cost of season passes will not be increased again this year, but daily greens fees will go up to $10.40 for weekday use from $9.90 and to $12.70 from $12.10 for play on weekends.

By comparison, 10 years ago a weekday round of golf cost $7.

Seniors pay $248.05 for a one-year golf pass. That is one of the best bargains around, Muser says. "We have people that play golf every day practically year-round. A lot of them buy their pass the first of the year. They would have gotten their money back by June."

The good news is that the golf course is coming close to paying for itself, which hasn't always been the case. In fiscal year 2002-2003, expenses at the golf course were $471,745, an amount which included some purchases of equipment. Revenue for the same time period was $452,970. If the capital purchases were eliminated, expenses and revenue were about even.

The city also is increasing the cost of renting -- for commercial uses -- the A.C. Brase Arena Building ($595.35, up from $567) and the Osage Community Centre ($1,312, up from $1,250).

Local organizations holding conventions will pay $40 more to rent the Osage Centre, bringing the cost to $840. The fees for smaller meeting rooms also will be increased.

All of the increases are scheduled to take effect when the city's new budget year begins July 1.

In the city's financial position, incremental savings and revenue boosts are preferable to the dramatic changes in services and costs that would be necessary in the future.