Tonight, the Pierre City Commission updated a number of public safety and park fees. The Commission adopted the fee changes to cover City costs and prevent passing those costs on to taxpayers who are not directly benefitting from the services.
Public safety fee changes include the following Street Closure Request fees.
- Residential Street Closure –no barricades: $50
- Residential Street Closure –with barricades: $150
- Commercial Street Closure –no barricades: $100
- Commercial Street Closure –with barricades: $150
- Commercial Street Closure –adjacent to State Highway: $700
According to Twila Hight, City Finance Director, the City has very real costs when City streets are closed, particularly if the closure is next to a State Highway.
“The state has very prescriptive and specific rules for street closures that are adjacent to a State Highway,” said Hight. “Those rules are all in the name of safety, and they require additional off-hour manpower and equipment and material use.”
Mayor Steve Harding stated that prior to bringing these fee changes forward, City staff met with a variety of user groups.
“We talked to different groups who regularly make Street Closure Requests about balancing community benefit with the actual associated expense,” said Harding. “We don’t want to stifle activity; we want to wisely use the resources we have.”
Park fee changes include:
- Sport field use without lights: $50
- Sport field use with lights: $100
The park fee changes are only applicable to out-of-town groups requesting use of the fields.
“Occasionally, a sports team from an area community will ask to host an event at one of our fields,” said Hight. “These fees just cover the City’s utility costs associated with field use –things like electric use and garbage collection.”
Previously, there was no sport field use fee; the Street Closure Request fee was $50 regardless of location or use of barricades. The new fees are effective immediately.