A Review of the City of Aiken’s 2022 Recreation Fee Increases
by Don Moniak
September 21, 2022
At the September 12, 2022 Aiken City Council meeting, city resident Laverne Justice was one of eight citizens who spoke during Council;s open public comments period. Ms Justice declared that the City of Aiken was overcharging people at its recreation centers:
“I am disappointed in the new rules…like a family of four having to pay $400. We are not a country club, we are a recreation center. I disagree with a child having to pay $2 to have a pick-up game (of basketball)…Taking $2 from a child to play a game is ridiculous.”
Subsequent to those comments, a review of the city’s recreation fees was conducted that revealed the implementation of the new fee structure at Odell Weeks and Smith-Hazel recreation centers violated the City of Aiken’s Municipal Code.
Summary of Issues
Section 2-261 of the City of Aiken’s Municipal Code states:
All fees, rentals, admissions and other charges made to the public for the use of city recreational facilities shall be recommended by the director of parks and recreation, reviewed by the city manager and approved by the city council.
In 2022 the City of Aiken unceremoniously increased two sets of fees in the Parks, Recreation, and Tourism department:
- A two to five fold increase in user fees at Smith-Hazel and Odell Weeks Recreation Centers; including new fees for youth pick-up basketball on indoor courts at both parks, and an “all-day” $10 per day activity fee replacing a $2 Pickleball fee at Odell Weeks Park. ( After months of objections, the latter fee is now $6 per day for residents, and $10 per day for nonresidents.)
- A doubling of the “seat tax” at the city-owned, downtown Performing Arts Center, from $1 per ticket sold to $2 per ticket sold or a minimum charge of 10 percent.
The “seat tax” increase was quietly approved in a City Council vote on June 27, 2022 when Council approved the city’s new ten-year lease for the downtown Performing Arts Center with the Aiken Community Theatre.
In contrast, there was no vote or even any discussion by City Council on the drastic increase in fees and admissions at the recreation centers. Council was only informed on February 28, 2022 within the City Manager’s “Issues and Updates” memorandum, buried on page 126 of a 140-page meeting agenda. No public input on the actual fee proposals was ever solicited. Not a single discussion of fees at the recreation centers was recorded on the City’s You Tube channel. The written justification for the fee increase has not been publicly released.
Timeline of Events:
Smith-Hazel and Odell Weeks Fee Increases
January 10, 2022: Aiken City Council heard a presentation on the Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Department’s (PRT) Master Plan Report from its author, Professor Bob Brookover of Clemson University. The plan reflects the “process and results of a needs assessment conducted by Clemson University researchers October-November 2021 in Aiken, South Carolina and provides strategic recommendations to guide the future development and sustainability of park, land, and recreational programs and amenities in the City of Aiken.” (1)
The research reportedly involved public input through an online survey with 950 respondents and seven focus groups involving more than one hundred recreation facilities users. One goal was to determine “willingness to pay” for recreational facilities.
Brookover asked focus group participants two questions:
- how much each “would be willing to pay to obtain use of recreational and park facilities and programs in Aiken” if all the park facilities and programs in Aiken had been seized; and
- how much each was willing to pay for new facilities and programs.
The reported average amount respondents were willling to pay per year was just under $100 for current programs, services, and facilities; and just under $75 for “improved programs, services, and facilities.”
In regard to funding and fee structure, Brookover had three recommendations:
- Conduct a comprehensive review of pricing structures to include making a determination about the future of fee differentials for in city and out of city participants;
- Address lost revenues from allowing free-use of facilities to groups;
- Increase the hospitality tax from 1% to 2%.
January 18, 2022. According to PRT’s quarterly publication The Park Bench, a Recreation Commission meeting was reportedly scheduled. No notification in the City Calendar of meetings was made; the meeting never happened.
February 1, 2022. A Recreation Commission “special call meeting” was held during which Smith-Hazel and Odell Weeks fee increases were approved. The meeting was not posted to the City’s calendar and there is no record of a notification for a meeting.
Until September 15, 2022, there was also no record of an agenda, or meeting minutes. Only after City Manager Bedenbaugh and PRT Director Jessica Campbell were informed of the oversight did the agenda and minutes appear in the City’s online records. The agenda was a single page and contained a single item: Fee Proposal.
No agenda packet containing any details of the fee proposal has been publicly provided—even though a written proposal was provided to the commission.
Although approved on March 15, 2022, the February 1, 2022 meeting minutes were not posted until September 15, 2022 and have never been distributed to City Council as per normal informational procedures. The minutes do not indicate why there was urgency to review a change in fees.
Although two commissioners attended via Zoom and one of the staff made a presentation via Zoom, there is no indication the meeting was open to the public via Zoom. Even though his work was cited as a basis for the fee increases, Professor Brookover did not participate in the meeting and there is no indication that he was invited.
The minutes describe a fee approval process that would only require notification of City Council:
Under new business, Director Jessica Campbell distributed (and shared via Zoom) a draft copy of the Parks, Recreation, and Tourism (PRT) Fee Change Proposal, developed by PRT Management and Supervisors with input from Dr. Brookover of Clemson University (and citizens who participated in his survey). Ms. Campbell stated once reviewed and approved by the Recreation Commission, that this would be an internal process, (and) that the City Manager, Stuart Bedenbaugh, would support whatever recommendation the PRT department makes regarding fees, and that it would not require the approval of City Council. It will be included in their Council Meeting Issues & Updates so that they are aware of the changes and have the opportunity to ask questions.
The proposal included uniform fees for residents and nonresidents, new fees for daily basketball, and an increased in fees for pickleball courts from $2/day to $10/day at Odell Weeks. The written proposal was not attached to the agenda, and is absent from the city’s electronic documents system.
According to the meeting minutes, the only set of serious objections to the fees were expressed by then Co-Chair Mike Beckner, who reportedly stated:
- he was “anticipating a big pushback from pickleball players and the ‘older folks’ because that is all they play and all they do;”
- the fee structure was unfair to older pickleball players;
- residents expected more for their money because they pay taxes;
- more time was needed “to review the information and discuss before being expected to vote;” and
- “all supplemental information be sent out in advance of meetings so that the Commissioners have time to review and process the information.”
In spite of his misgivings, Vice-Chair Beckner joined Commission Chair Suzy Haslup and fellow commissioners Lori Cremshaw, John Wallace, and Melissa Viola in the 5-0 vote to approve the new fees.
February 28, 2022. In his “Issues and Updates” memorandum, which is presented during the final “Information” portion of City Council meetings, City Manager Stuart Bedenbaugh, via memorandum only, informed City Council of the Recreation Commission’s decision to change the User Fee Structure, effective April 1, 2022:
Effective April 1, 2022 , the PRT Department will implement a change in structure for existing user fees. The new structure simplifies the facility user fees , providing benefit to the participant, and improved operations for staff. The detailed fee change proposal was reviewed and approved by the City Recreation Commission on Tuesday, February 1, 2022.
As an overview, changes include the following:
– Removal of separate Non-Resident Membership and/or Fee per program or activity
– Odell Weeks: Consolidation of facility user fees per activity into a Wellness Membership that is all inclusive . Wellness Memberships offered to adults and seniors at an annual rate , 6 months, or 3 months , and priced for Family or Individual User. Youth Open Gym Pass is also available.
– Daily Rates available per facility
– Fee increase to select Recreation and Athletics Programs” (3)
The information remained on paper and never reached the discussion phase. Assistant Manager Mary Tilton took Bedenbaugh’s place at Council’s February 28th meeting. During the five minutes of discussion pertaining to “Issues and Updates,” she reviewed the following:
- A Chamber of Commerce First Friday Breakfast event involving the Aiken Mall;
- The dedication of a new historic marker in downtown Aiken;
- A Council workshop on goals and planning; and
- the process for approving the hanging of banners along city streets—-an item not even in the memorandum but one which generated substantive discussion.
Ms. Tilton made no mention of the following items in the Bedenbaugh memo, nor did Council ask any questions about:
- The March 1, 2022 Design Review Board meeting at which demolition of the Berckman Building (106 Laurens Street) and the Hotel Aiken were on the agenda;
- The March 15, 2022 Aiken Municipal Development Commission meeting;
- A survey regarding the Lower Savannah River Council of Government’s Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian plan;
- Changes in the Parks, Recreation, Tourism Fee structure;
- An contract extension for the City Audit;
- An SCETV Tower update.
The official meeting minutes accurately reflect that no presentation of the fee change took place; no questions were asked, and no vote was taken. The fee increases were considered “approved” by notification only, in violation of city ordinance specifying City Council approval.
The fee increases were assumed to be approved due to the Recreation Commission’s approval, even though the Recreation Commission is not charged with approving fees.
City Attorney Gary Smith did not point out that Section 2-261 of the City of Aiken’s Municipal Code mandates that recreational facility fees be approved by City Council.
March 15, 2022. The Recreation Commission met, although that meeting notification was also absent from the City’s calendar of meetings. According to the minutes for that meeting:
Still continuing under old business, Mrs. Gaines reviewed fee updates further. She shared the flyer that is being distributed at the facilities with the commissioners. She expanded on some fees that had been updated since the February special call meeting about fees, including the different daily fee for Smith-Hazel and the clarification that if you paid the $10 fee at Odell Weeks, you could also utilize Smith-Hazel the same day (but not vice-versa). (4)
The referenced flyer is not a part of any agenda packet.
March 2022: The changes in fee structure were announced through postings and flyers at Odell Weeks and Smith-Hazel. No media advisories were issued. At the time, the fee structure published in The Park Bench appeared as it had since about 2015:
April 1, 2022. New fees went into effect. In the April, May, June edition of The Park Bench the new fees are published for the first time:
April 12, 2022. WJBF-News reporter Shawn Cabbagestalk reported on complaints about the new fees. He described numerous constituent calls received by Councilwoman Gail Diggs. As a result, Diggs asked for an issue update at the next City Council meeting. (5)
April 25, 2022. The fee issued was discussed during a City Council workshop; which are not recorded and where public comment is not generally sought. According to the meeting minutes, Stuart Bedenbaugh informed Council that:
Historically the Recreation Commission makes any fee increases for recreation activities, and any changes in fees are reported to Council. Then the fees are implemented at a date in the future. The Recreation Commission at their February meeting approved recreation fee increases. The increases were reported to Council in the Issues and Updates Memo on February 28, 2022.
Parks director Campbell also spoke to Council. According to the minutes:
She noted they took the information that was presented by Dr. Bob Brickover in our Needs Assessment and staff worked alongside him on the recommendation for many nights in November, December and January doing research on fees for similar facilities within our community as well as across the state. They put together an extensive proposal that went into more detail than just for the Weeks Center. That information is what was discussed with the Recreation Commission in February, and the proposal was approved. They rolled it out in April because it took about two months for everything to be implemented within our software system and within our marketing materials. It was a process to get to the point where we actually rolled out the change with the public. We tried to do due diligence in notifying everyone in advance.
We put together flyers, met with certain user groups, and answered as many questions as we could within the pickleball community, basketball, fitness room users, etc
May 2, 2022. The Aiken Standard published a letter to the editor by Nancy Hughes addressing the new recreation fees. Ms Hughes wrote about the 500 percent increase in pickleball fees and asked the question “Why are in-city residents getting these exorbitant increases which far exceed even the most dire inflation predictions?”
(A search of the Aiken Standard archives for key words “Odell Weeks,” “Pickleball,” and “Smith Hazel” yielded no stories on the fee increases).
May 17, 2022. A scheduled Recreation Commission meeting was either cancelled or failed to have a quorum.
June 1, 2022. The June, July, August edition of the The Park Bench reported no change in fees.
June 27, 2022. City Council approved its lease agreement with the Aiken Community Theatre for its use of the city-owned Amentum Performing Arts Center. The theatre was built in the early 2000’s as a means to stimulate downtown growth, and since its opening the group has collected a $1 “seat tax” for every ticket sold. This helps fund the city theater’s operational costs and maintenance.
The new lease arrangement doubled the seat tax to $2 or no less than 10% of a ticket. While the fee increase was approved by virtue of the lease being approved, there were no questions or discussion by Council on the fee increase. No explanation for the increase was provided.
August 16, 2022. The Recreation Commission meeting was held at which the March 15 meeting minutes were approved. “Fee updates” was a part of old business and a new Commissioner, John Pettigrew, was introduced, replacing former co-chair Mike Beckner.
September 2022. The October, November, December edition of The Park Bench published a small change in the fee structure—-a daily activity resident fee at Odell Weeks of $6, reduced from $10. No notification to City Council of fee changes were made at any meetings following the August 16th Recreation Commission meeting where this change likely occurred.
September 14, 2022. In response to the question, “Was there ever any announcement of fee increases on the City’s website, as in a news release,” PRT Director Jessica Campbell responded:
“In February 2022 public notice on the changes in fee structure were provided to users of the facilities and was also announced in City Council agenda packet Issues/Updates;” and
“The changes in fee structure were announced through postings at the facilities.”
September 16, 2022. An email was sent to City Manager Stuart Bedenbaugh and PRT Director Jessica Campbell, and cc’ed to Mayor Rick Osbon, requesting information about meeting notifications, a copy of the new fee proposal presented at the February 1, 2022 meeting, and:
“An explanation for why the Recreation Commission was tasked with approving new fees when Section 2-263 of the Municipal Code states:
‘All fees, rentals, admissions and other charges made to the public for the use of city recreational facilities shall be recommended by the director of parks and recreation, reviewed by the city manager and approved by the city council.’ (emphasis added)”
As of September 21, 2022, there has been no answer from City Manager Bedenbaugh or Mayor Osbon.
Conclusions
The City of Aiken substantially increased fees in its recreation department twice this year with minimal to no oversight by City Council. The most dramatic change involved activity fees at the Odell Weeks and Smith-Hazel recreation centers. These fee increases were decided at a “special called” Recreation Commission meeting that lacked any public notification.
The recreation centers fee increase decision was subsequently buried in a meeting packet memorandum to City Council, and not placed on the meeting agenda. The City Manager’s office chose to not raise the issue during the meeting. No discussion, questions, or vote occurred, in spite of the requirement in City Code for approval of recreation fees by City Council. City Manager Stuart Bedenbaugh has declined to release the original Parks, Recreation, and Tourism department proposal. (A FOIA request for the proposal and additional information was filed September 20, 2022) .
It is not the job of the Recreation Commission to set recreation fees. Its mission is to provide recommendations and advice to City Council. In this instance, Aiken City Council was not subjected to a single citizen comment, complaint, or question during a public session. Through inaction and a lack of inquisitiveness, Council and Mayor Osbon instead placed the burden for dealing with citizen complaints on Parks and Recreation Department workers.
For the past five months, recreationists at Odell Weeks and Smith-Hazel have paid new daily fees that were implemented in violation of Aiken’s Municipal Code. Families are being charged $400 per year, seniors playing the fast growing sport of pickleball are paying a daily fee three times higher than six months ago, and Aiken youth are being assessed a new two dollar daily fee just to play basketball. Kids are having to pay the city to stay off the streets.
City Council has only discussed the matter after the fact in a “workshop” setting, but never in a formal public meeting. When presented on September 12th with the first objection to the new policy during a formal meeting, every Council member remained silent.
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References
(1) Aiken City Council Workshop Agenda for January 10, 2022; and Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Department Needs Assessment and Strategic Plan. https://edoc.cityofaikensc.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=2686276&dbid=0&repo=City-of-Aiken-LF
(2) February 1, 2022 City of Aiken Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes: https://edoc.cityofaikensc.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=2757333&dbid=0&repo=City-of-Aiken-LF
(3) Aiken City Council Meeting for February 28, 2022. The “Issues and Updates” memorandum is on page 126 of the meeting agenda packet. “Issues and Updates” is within the “Information” portion of the agenda that is traditionally the last item for council meetings. https://edoc.cityofaikensc.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=2721579&dbid=0&repo=City-of-Aiken-LF
Meeting Minutes for February 28, 2022. While no discussion occurred pertaining to the fee increases, the minutes do reflect a substantive discussion regarding the procedure by which banners are approved. Following are the official minutes related to the “Information” portion of the meeting:
Ms. Lawton stated she would review some upcoming dates and give a report to Council on the matter of Council approval for banners.
She stated that on Friday, March 4,2022, at 7:30 a.m. Southeastern will present an update on the Aiken Mall redevelopment project at the Aiken Chamber of Commerce First Friday breakfast meeting at Newberry Hall. She encouraged all Council to join that event.
On Saturday, March 5, 2022,at 1:30 p.m. there will be historic marker unveiling at 118 Laurens Street SW. The marker recognizes our rich legacy of Jewish merchants in Aiken. An email had been given to Council with more information regarding the unveiling.
On Monday, March 7, 2022, at 5 p.m. there will be a City Council work session to hear the New Horizons facilitator, Irene Tyson,present her summary of Council’s goals and actionable items for each goal. That work session will be followed by an executive session.
Banners
Ms. Lawton stated Council had raised a question at the last Council meeting about the approval process for banners. Staff consulted with the City Attorney, Gary Smith, and confirmed that a change would require a text amendment to the sign section of the Zoning Ordinance. She said unless Council feels strongly that staff pursue that to allow administrative approval, we would continue as is and continue to bring banner requests to Council for approval.Councilwoman Brohl asked in doing the research do we know why Council had that provision put in the Zoning Ordinance.
Mr. Smith, City Attorney, stated the provision had been in the Zoning Ordinance for a long time, and he could not remember why it was put there. He said he felt that it was probably put in the Zoning Ordinance when we redid the Zoning Ordinance in the 1990s.
Councilman Woltz asked if we want to fix it.
Mayor Osbon stated it would be Council’s choice. If Council does not want to see the list of banners coming and just wants staff to use their discretion,the change would need to go through Planning and then to Council for the usual process.
Councilwoman Gregory recommended that Council move forward with changing the Zoning Ordinance. Several Councilmembers stated they did not care whether the banner requests came to Council or were handled by staff.
Mayor Osbon stated Council did not have to decide on the matter at this time.
Ms. Lawton stated staff could go through some records to see if we can find any information for the approval of banners being in the Zoning Ordinance.
Mayor Osbon asked that staff take the next steps and bring the information back to Council as to why Council approval was in the Zoning Ordinance. Direction could be given later on the matter.
https://edoc.cityofaikensc.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=2725938&dbid=0&repo=City-of-Aiken-LF
Video: At 50:25 to 55:00 of the meeting, “Issues and Updates” were discussed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRgk2Q6cs2E
(4) Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes, March 15, 2022 https://edoc.cityofaikensc.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=2748506&dbid=0&repo=City-of-Aiken-LF
(5) WJBF News. April 12, 2022 https://www.wjbf.com/csra-news/fees-increasing-at-aiken-activity-centers-residents-react/
(6) Why Have Fees Gone Up at https://www.postandcourier.com/aikenstandard/opinion/letters/letter-why-have-fees-gone-up-at-weeks-center/article_45505806-c364-11ec-84de-5f9b365fe421.html
Additional Background :City of Aiken Recreation Facilities with Fees
Amenities include:
Smith Hazel Park:
- 1 basketball court (lighted)
- 2 tennis courts (lighted)
https://www.cityofaikensc.gov/parks-playgrounds-natural-areas/smith-hazel-park/
Odell Weeks:
- lighted hard tennis courts *
- 4 outside Pickleball courts
- 4 outside hardball courts
- 4 outside racquetball or hardball courts *
- 2 outside basketball courts *
https://www.cityofaikensc.gov/parks-playgrounds-natural-areas/virginia-acres-park/
The Park Bench is the Recreation Department’s 16-page Quarterly Publication containing information on every facet of the Departments programs, facilities, and activities. It is available at : https://edoc.cityofaikensc.gov/WebLink/ElectronicFile.aspx?docid=2755816&dbid=0&repo=City-of-Aiken-LF
