LEWISTON – Discounts for local nonprofits were enough to sway the City Council to approve a new policy charging fees to use three city parks.
Councilors approved the policy by a 4-3 margin, with Councilors Renee Bernier, Marc Mason and Norm Rousseau voting against. Leaders of the Salvation Army and the Jesus Party also argued against the measure, saying it limited their right to free speech.
“These are public parks, built with public dollars,” said Salvation Army Capt. John Bennett. “You have to admit that this is just a back-door attempt to circumvent our rights.”
The policy affects Kennedy Park, Courthouse Plaza, the Bates Mill Fountain Park and Railroad Park.
An early draft would have made certain parks available only to certain events.
According to the policy adopted Tuesday, the city will charge any group of 25 or more a fee to use the parks based on the city’s capital debt at the park. Events at newer Courthouse Plaza would cost organizers $250 in capital fees, while events at the Bates Mill Fountain Park would cost $150. Railroad Park events would pay $125 in capital fees and events scheduled for Kennedy Park would be free.
Local nonprofit groups would be required to pay only 20 percent of the fee to use any park. For example, a local group could use Courthouse Plaza for $50 in capital fees, the Bates Mill Fountain Park for $30 and Railroad Park for $25. Each group would be able to get the discount up to five times per year.
That wasn’t enough for the Salvation Army, Bennett said.
“I guess it ends up, I go right where you want me to go – Kennedy Park,” Bennett said. “I don’t care if the fee is $10, we are a nonprofit and we can’t pay it. We end up forced into where it’s free.”
Bernier agreed.
“I think the speakers really had a point,” Bernier said. “Parks are meant for the public.”
Councilor Roger Philippon defended the policy.
“We are trying to balance our need to protect valuable city assets with their rights,” he said. “Not for one minute have we tried to circumvent their first amendment rights. I can’t see how we’ve silenced them by establishing a reasonable fee and reasonable restrictions.”
staylor@sunjournal.com
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