Councilors Continue to Question City Event Fees

New Bedford City Councilors continue to question the actions by the Park Board impose fees on organizations holding events in the city without any concrete policy. 

Representatives from the Mayor's Office and other city departments attended the Council's Committee on Appointments and Briefings meeting Wednesday evening to provide answers to these questions, but in the end the entire matter was tabled for 30 days until more information is available.

Among the information presented Wednesday was the costs to the Department of Infrastructure to assist with set-up and breakdown of events in public parks or streets.

According to data provided by DPI Commissioner Zeb Arruda, his department incurred costs of $190,925.74 for event staffing in FY16 while only generating $5,541 in revenue from over 230 events.

The plan to cover part of these costs would make up the deficit moving forward, but Councilor at Large Brian Gomes called the costs a "drop in the bucket" compared to the FY17 budget and that Mitchell should account for the costs moving forward.

"If there is anything that is an alternative to this is to get that list [of costs] back, find out the grand total, make it part of the budget to make sure it gets done," Gomes said.

The Council requested the list be redone by Arruda in order to show which events were "city sponsored" and which were not.

According to Christine Arsenault, who represented Mitchell at the meeting, city sponsored events would be exempt from the new fees.

"There are things that are going to be taken on a case-by-case basis but there has to be some sort of guideline," Arsenault said.

When asked what defines such an event, Arsenault said that would have to be discussed further with the administration.

Councilors were unhappy that there is still no set policy and requested the collection of fees be put on hold until guidelines are established.

"The process wasn't very transparent, it's very confusing for me and it's very confusing for the organizations that bring thousands and thousands of people to New Bedford and it sends a bad message," said Ward 2 Councilor Steven Martins.

However, it was made clear that parades and free events hosted by the Fort Taber Military Museum will remain exempt and a list of all exempt organizations and events will be drafted.

In addition to the DPI fees, the Park Board will roll out park-usage fees beginning in January 2017. The fees will begin at a 20-percent rate before moving to the full amount in 2018.

A public hearing and presentation on these park fees will take place during the Park Board's next meeting on November 30 at 6 p.m. at Fort Taber Community Center.