Weyburn city council approved an average five per cent increase in fees for the use of the recreation facilities this fall, at its regular meeting on Monday. The new prices will go into effect on September 1.

The increases include an eight per cent hike, to $30 per hour from $27.75 per hour, for school rental of the Colosseum and Sports Arena, and a 2.5 per cent increase, to $90 per hour from $88, for rental by an organized adult league. Minor sports after 8 a.m. will pay an extra $2 per hour for rental fees this fall to rent the two facilities, to $46 per hour. That's a five per cent increase.

Most Colosseum/Sports Arena rates for the Weyburn Red Wings will remain the same as this year. The Red Wings pay $450 per game for exhibition games and $650 for each regular season game. Practice time is included.

Admission to the Weyburn Leisure Centre will go up by 10 per cent for children aged 13-17, to $3.15 from $3 per visit. Seniors over 65 also will pay 10 per cent more at $3.15 from $3 per visit this summer.

A one-year membership at the leisure centre for youths aged 13-17 will rise to $243, from $231.50 and for adults will rise to $269.75 from $257. A one-year family membership will rise only three per cent, to $443.25 from $422.25.

Leisure services director Shauna Bourassa told council her department recovers about 40.42 per cent of costs from user fees. This is down 1.57 per cent from 2002. "Based on the budget, the projected revenue recovery for 2003 will be 36.21 per cent," she said.

George Kalman was the only councillor to vote against the increases. Council has increased rates at these facilities by 28 per cent over the past five years and it's too much, he said.

"(Council is) always going to the public. We should look at cost-cutting," he said.

Mayor Don Schlosser told Kalman the city will pay 18-20 per cent more for natural gas this year. "Are you saying we should cut costs when we get hit that way?"

Councillor Bill Rudachyk told Kalman the city tries to collect about 40 per cent of the recreational facilities' cost from the users. This is a five per cent increase for the users, he said.

Councillor Ray Hamm said another option the city could examine is to reduce services but he's not sure the public wants that. Schlosser said every time the city cuts back on the hours available, the public screams.

Councillor Debra Button was concerned about the charge for visitors to the outdoor pool in the summer. She said it's unfair that grandparents must pay to sit in the shade and see their grandchildren swim when they're not planning to swim themselves. Bourassa told her the number of lifeguards required is based on the number of people around the pool as well as those swimming in it.

City council also approved a half-price property tax arrangement with the Wheatland Senior Centre. The vote was unanimous.

Earlier this month, the centre asked council for some relief from its $19,454 tax bill this year. Council agreed to cut the bill to $9,898 for the next three years, including school taxes.

"The centre has money in the bank but it has a 20 year old building that needs repairs," said Schlosser. "I'm sure they would like to know for sure what their taxes will be for the next three years so they can budget for it."

Councillor Button noted that in some communities, senior centres pay nothing in taxes and sometimes receive a municipal grant.

Council learned the city administration is slightly behind property tax collections for 2002 but slightly ahead of 2001. About 68 per cent of the tax has been collected, about $6.2 million this year.. On June 30, 2002, $6.219 million had been collected, while in 2001, $5.6 million had been collected.

Just over $$2.7 million remains to be collected this year, while $2.4 million remained in 2002 and $2.7 million in 2001.

In 2002, the city wrote off $49,000 in uncollectable property taxes. In 2001, that figure was $194.