Recreation dept. to tighten fee-waiving procedures
Will use reduced-lunch program as guideline
Asbury Park’s recreation department will soon formalize its fee and waiver process, fulfilling a recommendation from the city auditor.
Families pay to participate in the recreation programs in Asbury Park, but those who cannot afford the fees are exempt from payment. The department has long used an informal system of waiving program fees for families who are unable to pay the full cost of registration.
An independent auditor recently scrutinized the city’s finances. One of his recommendations was to have the recreation department formalize its fee waiver process.
Program development aide Leesha Floyd attended the July 11 council meeting to address the governing body about the previous procedures. The department until now handled fee waivers on an informal, case-by-case basis, Floyd said.
“I am a resident of Asbury Park,” Floyd said in a phone interview, “and I knew a lot of the residents and their financial situations.”
Waivers will be granted based on whether a family qualifies for the New Jersey Reduced Lunch program, a government-run system that grants children free or reduced-price school lunches based on the size of their family’s household and their annual income.
Only children from Asbury Park may apply for waivers to Asbury Park recreation programs, and there is no limit to the amount of waivers that can be issued.
Also, the governing body will now establish fees by resolution annually, as recommended by the annual audit.
The recreation department oversees a number of programs for local children and adults, including day camps, karate and boxing lessons, and soccer, football, and volleyball leagues.
