Cordova council members back 10% facility fee for youth nonprofits, down from 25%

Cordova City Council members agreed Thursday to charge youth-only nonprofits 10% of standard city facility rental rates starting in 2027. The rate would cover Cordova Little League and the Iceworm Swim Team. Other nonprofits would pay full price.

The agreement came at a budget work session. It replaces the 25% rate for all nonprofits that council members backed Oct. 29. Neither group had paid a facility fee before. The decision is not final. The budget work session packet lists a possible budget vote Dec. 2. It says any change the council directs will be offset by cuts elsewhere in the proposed budget.

Sherman Powell, a Little League supporter, testified against the fees again. "The field fees for the league are set to be the highest in the state," Powell said. He asked the city to seek a memorandum of understanding with the league. Mike Glover, another Little League supporter, said volunteers are eager to help maintain the fields in exchange for lower costs.

Council Member David Zastrow proposed limiting the discount to nonprofits that serve only youth. He said the two groups are exclusively youth and that a fee should apply only when a group reserves a facility for its exclusive use. Another member said she preferred no fee at all. She said she would accept 10% so groups face a cost if they reserve a field or pool and do not show up. Members noted the fee schedule is reviewed every year.

"Yes, I can get behind 10%," Vice Mayor Kasey Kinsman said, adding a condition: "the strict adherence to CivicRec." CivicRec is the city's facility scheduling system. Kinsman said staff should be able to charge full price to groups that skip it. The Parks and Recreation director said the swim team was the first group to use the system.

Kinsman also asked that Iceworm swimmers be required to buy swim passes. The council settled on no pass requirement after the director said most swimmers already hold one.

The lower rate leaves a budget gap of about $6,000. Kinsman said it should not come from maintenance funds. Police Chief Cameron Hayden told the council he had counted $13,000 for body cameras and related equipment twice in the police budget, and he said he would look into covering the gap. Staff will bring a revised budget back to the council.