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Janesville City Council waives event fees

JANESVILLE — One Janesville council member at Monday's meeting invited nonprofit groups to ask the council to waive city fees when they hold events on city property.

Yuri Rashkin's invitation came as council members considered whether to waive $327 in fees for the 2009 Partners in Prevention Family Fun Fest on Sept. 12 in Riverside Park.

The council waived the fees on a 4-2 vote, with Tom McDonald and Frank Perrotto voting no because of the precedent it could set. Kathy Voskuil was absent.

Fees are designed to offset the cost of the event to the city and to maintain facilities, Jennifer Petruzzello, neighborhood services director, said.

Leisure services staff recommended against waiving the fee because it would set a precedent.

"As the city is facing budget reductions that will include service level decreases, it is problematic to walk away from revenue sources," staff said in a memo.

City Manager Eric Levitt, meanwhile, noted the hard economic times and said the council should consider granting the request. The event is free and open to the public, and Partners recently lost its two major funding sources—General Motors and the UAW.

This isn't the first time council members have struggled with the issue. In 2007, former council member Craig DeGarmo warned that other nonprofit groups would seek waivers after they were given to the Janesville Farmers Market and the Janesville Jaycees.

McDonald said the council should change city ordinances rather than waive fees on an individual basis.

"The reality is, there are dozens upon dozens of wonderful community events throughout the year," McDonald said. How does the council decide to waive fees for one group and not the next?" he asked.

"The purpose is to recoup city costs, not to make profits for the city."

Council member Frank Perrotto agreed, saying, "If we choose to do this, I would hope that the council would encourage all organizations who are nonprofits to come to us so we can waive all of their fees. If you do it for one, you need to do it for others.

"Unless you are willing to make that statement tonight, I cannot support this motion."

At that point, Rashkin did make that statement.

"I would encourage other organizations that do good for the community (such) as Partners in Prevention to approach the council," he said. "This is one way for the council to send a message that we are looking for these types of activities to take place in Janesville and looking to support them.

"This is really more of a policy issue."

Russ Steeber favored waiving fees on an individual basis.

"Each one has to stand on its own merit," he said.

Levitt agreed with Steeber that there are "unique situations," noting Janesville's current economic situation.

The event benefits the community and, while it is a loss of revenue for the city, "this is something I would think the city would want to encourage," Levitt said.

Bill Truman asked how the council could even think about charging the fee when the festival supports Janesville residents.

The council has given millions to a baseball complex and the performing arts center, he said. It gives money to TIF districts and recently gave $200,000 to the Janesville Jets, with some of its partners being some of the wealthiest people in Janesville, he said.

"It's ludicrous that the city of Janesville is getting to be the city of Scrooges because we don't want to help nonprofits," he said.

In other business, the Janesville City Council on Monday:

-- Postponed approving a resolution supporting universal access to quality health care. Council members could not agree on the language of the resolution.

-- Authorized $75,000 for a water conservation program, a negotiated settlement with Clean Wisconsin. Clean Wisconsin is an advocacy group that was awarded intervener status when the city applied for a water rate increase with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin. The city will develop a water conservation plan that will include community education, residential rebates and commercial/industrial audits.

-- Agreed to buy properties at 407 Lincoln St. for no more than $51,000 and 212 Madison St. for no more than $41,000 as part of the Neighborhood Stabilization Grant Program. The Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 created the program, under which Janesville received $1 million to buy foreclosed properties to rehabilitate or demolish. Both properties are single-family homes in foreclosure. The city would do improvements and sell both homes to low- to middle-income families with the stipulation that the property remains owner-occupied. Improvements are estimated to cost no more than $54,000 at each of the two homes, with the money also coming from the grant.

-- Created an Ice Skating Advisory Committee.

-- Approved bids for the Parker Drive parking structure for $4.2 million. The bids came in lower than expected and the council opted to keep several amenities, including a covered walkway and brick facing. J.P. Cullen & Sons was the low bidder.