Rental increases for the pavilion and pool at City Park on Lee Street as well as regulations changes for adult softball, baseball and basketball leagues were delayed by Vicksburg aldermen Monday until next week when Mayor Paul Winfield can be present.

The increases are being recommended by Parks and Recreation Department Director Joe Graves and South Ward Alderman Sid Beauman, who served as parks and recreation director for eight years before being elected to the board in 2001. 

The changes, said Beauman, would include increasing the pavilion rental fee from $25 per day to $75 per day. Beauman said the rates have been in place since he began working for the city in 1993. Since then, the pavilion has been upgraded to include bathrooms and a stage. Also, the refundable deposit for cleaning the pavilion following a rental would increase to $100 from $25.

“What happens is, for $25 no one is cleaning up the pavilion after they use it and it’s costing us more than that to clean it,” Beauman said. “The $100 would still be a refundable deposit, but it would cover our costs if they chose not to clean up.”

As proposed, rental rates at municipal pool would go from $200 per day to $350, Beauman said. Lifeguards on duty would be provided for $15 per hour, up from the current $10 per hour charge. Pool rates were last revised in 1994. Beauman said the recreation department called departments in Madison, Jackson, Meridian, Tupelo and Hattiesburg to gauge what other municipalities charge for similar rentals to come up with the proposed increases.

“Right now, I think we’re under all of them,” he said. 

Beauman said the proposed changes to regulations for adult recreational leagues amount to formalities, and would not make it more difficult for people to participate in the leagues. He noted the team and individual fees for leagues would not rise under the proposal.

“It shouldn’t affect individual participation. Most of the changes we’ve looked at are requirements for using fields — what you have to do to reserve a field and how long you can book it,” he said. “It’s really aimed at giving everybody an equal chance at using fields and facilities.”

Beauman said Winfield had requested they table any changes until he could discuss them. Winfield is in Washington, D.C., through Wednesday with several other local officials on an annual lobbying trip. He had made expanding the recreation department and providing more recreation options a cornerstone of his election campaign last year. 

The board is scheduled to meet next at 10 a.m. Monday in room 109 of the City Hall Annex, 1415 Walnut St.

Contact Steve Sanoski at ssanoski@vicksburgpost.com