The Vashon Park District will take on the issue of user fees Wednesday night at a special meeting, where one commissioner will lead a conversation about raising fees to help the district, which has struggled financially, build its reserves.

Many of those involved with groups that use the facilities in question said they’ll attend the meeting with an open mind, but also expressed concern, as any significant fee increase would be tough on their budgets and likely force them to raise their own participation fees.

“The average parent on the island should be concerned,” said Cheryl Pruett, vice president of Vashon Youth Baseball and Softball. “I don’t know any sport financially healthy enough to eat that expense.”

The meeting will be led by commissioner Scott Harvey, who will present information on the rationale for a fee increase, he said, including what he sees as the need for the district to develop a financial reserve and that the fees be set in proportion to related park district expenses, which he will determine before the meeting.

“I will come to the meeting with an analysis to support what I think needs to be done,” he said at the most recent park board meeting.

All five park commissioners plan to attend and will consider the public’s feedback in the coming weeks as they craft next year’s budget, Harvey said.

While many park districts charge fees for certain uses of their facilities, Vashon has a mixed history regarding its fees. After a period of not charging most users, it instituted its current fee schedule in early 2013. Those fees cover a variety of facilities, including the district’s athletic fields, equestrian facilities at Paradise Ridge Park and the Ober Park performance room. Additionally, under an agreement between the park district and the Vashon Island School District, the fee schedule covers the rental of the school district’s athletic fields and gyms as well as classrooms and meeting rooms.

The fees, graduated and set for nonprofit, private and commercial use, range from $5 to $40 per hour. Alternatively, sports teams may pay a fee of $15 per player for each season of use. This amount covers two practices and one game each week, and most athletic clubs choose this option, according to Elaine Ott, the park district’s executive director. The Vashon Park District has some of the lowest user fees around, she said, adding that she has checked into what several other area districts charge.

On Vashon, with several teams paying per participant instead of per hour, comparing field fees is somewhat challenging. However, a look at several park district websites shows that hourly rates do vary. For example, to rent a grass field through the Mount Si park district for a youth soccer game, the hourly fee would be $11 compared to a $10 flat fee on Vashon.  To rent such a field in Kitsap County or Tacoma would cost $15 per hour, and through Seattle Parks and Recreation, it would cost $10 per hour. In some cases, amenities such as lights and field striping are listed as additional expenses, and artificial turf fields often come with higher rental rates.

The idea of raising the park district’s fees first arose last summer, after the district’s ad hoc finance committee, chaired by Harvey, delivered a financial plan to the board that suggested the district should raise revenue by increasing user fees. The board voted to accept that report in July and sent it to the state auditor’s office. The auditor required such a plan after an audit last year, when the final report raised concerns about the fiscal health of the district.

In a discussion about user fees at the most recent park board meeting, however, not all members agreed that a reserve should be built with user fees.

Longtime commissioner Bill Ameling said he believes user fees should be paid by groups that want to a use a facility in a manner above normal use, not to establish a reserve.

“A user fee is not because I want to finance the whole district differently,” he said.

Despite that disagreement, both Ameling and Harvey indicated the need for groups to pay proportionally similar fees compared to the park district costs and that perhaps some groups that have been costing the district more would see greater fees, while some fees might not increase.

Several facility users, however, said they are wary of potential fee increases, including Charlie Krimmert, the president of Vashon Lacrosse Club.

With about 100 players last year, the lacrosse club is likely the smallest club to use the island’s athletic fields and is stretched thin financially, he said. If the fees are increased, he wonders what teams would get in return, noting that the current fees sometimes provide simply field access and not other basic amenities some might expect. Per contract, the club has paid for its own portable toilets at McMurray, he said,  and he indicated  it would be nice to have access to locker rooms.

“If I’m paying to use facilities, why do I have to pay additional to use the locker room?” he said, noting that some off-island facilities provide lacrosse teams access to the changing rooms.

Also, Krimmert said, practicing at Agren Park, which does not have a perimeter fence, has caused the club to lose about  $100 worth of balls per season into the woods. He inquired about a fence once, he said, but did not get a response from the park district and has been hesitant to use limited club funds at the park, which is for community use.

The board of the Vashon Island Soccer Club, which has 470 players registered this season, understands the need for user fees and wants to be a good partner with the district, club president Hans Van Dusen said. Still, he said, it would be helpful to understand the park district’s goals with any fee increase, adding that club families would have questions about the district’s tax revenue and how it is allocated.

If park district fees go up, soccer fees will go up accordingly, he added.

“We are looking to pay appropriate user fees and keep the sport affordable for families,” he said.

He noted that that club, too, pays for a portable restroom at McMurray during soccer season and for lights at the VES fields. Its user fees to the park district last year totaled about $8,000.

In addition to the sports programs, some users of the Ober Park building also expressed concern.

Drama Dock’s president Tim McTighe said that while he understands the park district’s need for revenue, paying extra for rehearsal space would be difficult for the group.

“We are fiscally OK, but not fiscally in a situation where we could easily take on increased fees,” he said. “I think we would be seriously impacted if they raised fees.”

Sam Van Fleet has offered a Fitness Beyond 50 class at Ober Park for nearly five years. Punch cards allow people to come to class and pay between $11 and $13, but he said he turns no one away for lack of funds.

“I have always considered (my class) a community service, as per the previous mission of the park district,” he said. “I really want people to come and be fit — period.”

He added that he is not happy to pay for problems that he believes stem from mismanagement at the park district.

“I am not thrilled helping them fix mistakes I was not part of, the fields project and getting into such a huge financial hole,” he said.

For his part, Harvey, who was elected last fall after promising improved fiscal responsibility, said he has talked to many people who use district venues and none has objected to at least a small increase. And, he said, a public meeting with a hard look at user fees and related district expenses will provide needed information to the board and the public.

“After this (meeting) … we will have discussed fairness and who should be paying what and where, and hopefully the board will come to a consensus on what our course is going to be,” he said.

The meeting will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 5, at Ober Park.