Council increases fees for recreation programs
BY DAVE BENJAMIN
Staff Writer

JACKSON - Recreation fees are going up. Members of the Township Council voted 5-0 on June 26 to raise fees for Jackson's recreation programs.

"The Recreation Department is trying to make the programs more self-sustaining where it does not cost the town additional dollars," council President Angelo Stallone said. "We also want to have new programs and we want to be able to control the costs."

Eric Schubiger, Jackson's director of recreation and senior services, said, "My goal here as a director is to do the best we can in offering programs at an affordable price for the residents. There is a lot that goes into that, and within that we are also trying to attract quality staff who are qualified."

Schubiger said the recreation program also needs quality equipment and supplies.

Agreeing with Stallone's assessment of the fee increase, Schubiger said, "One of the goals is to make the programs self-sufficient. Sometimes the costs go up and we want to make sure the participants are sufficiently insured - another cost. So the fees will have to go up a little bit from time to time."

Schubiger said he believes the quality of the programs being offered are well worth the fee that is being charged.

The new list of fees, effective immediately, is as follows: crafts activities for kindergartners, $12 to $18, Me and Mom, $6 to $10, and Junior Crafts, $8 to 12.

Registration for girls volleyball will be $35, girls softball will be $60 and pee wee softball will be $40.

The new summer camp registration fee will be $160 and other camp fees will be $5 for T-shirts, $2 to $35 for trip fees, $60 for theater arts, and $36 for mini-camp.

Registration for fall basketball will be $40, and registration for basketball camp will go up to $65.

Registration for wrestling will be $75. The men's basketball registration fee will now be $20.

Other fees have also been listed in the ordinance: for teen dance tickets, $5; lost identification, $5; Father-Daughter Dance and Mother-Daughter Tea, both $8; and hip-hop dance classes, $30.

Special events vendors will now pay $250 to sell their products, and the cost of a booth at Jackson Day will now run from $30 to $225 with a $25 late fee.

Runners will pay $6 to $15 for the 5K run and the fun run.

There will be a $5 late fee for all programs.

Schubiger said the new fees are a small increase and he believes the programs are well worth the cost.