Hanover’s controversial non resident user fees are up for review.
Non resident user fees generated almost 24 thousand dollars in 2008.
The fees were implemented after Hanover failed to secure any new recreation cost sharing agreements with neighbouring municipalities.
The new fees have come at a cost.
Hanover’s Aquatic programs realized an 11 per cent decrease in registration (197) over the year — 6 per cent of that decrease was from non residents.
However staff attribute some of this decrease to the school swim programs.
And while Summer Camp Programs actually experienced a slight increase, the number of non resident participants was down 14 percent.
Hanover still plans to phase in a 33 per cent non resident user fee surcharge, but it’s not going to happen as quickly as originally planned.
For now the town is holding the line with the 25 per cent increase in the anticipation of raising it to 29 per cent in 2010 and 33 per cent some time after that.
But the final decision on the next increase won’t take place until Fall.
Overall, Manager of Programs Sherri Walden says there seems to be more acceptance from non residents over the user fee system.