The Randall Plan Commission Thursday recommended the Town Board enact hefty increases in boat launch fees.
Current boat launch annual passes are $15 for resident/property owners and $22.50 for non resident/property owners. The plan commission recommended changing those fees to $50 for resident/property owners and $75 for non resident/property owners.
The commission, which has been charged with studying all types of government fees in neighboring municipalities, brought the isolated boat launch fees to the board now because of the impending boating season, said commission Chairman Charles Gitzinger.
“We’re suggesting them to the town with the hope the town can glean a little more money,” Gitzinger said.
Fees are $20 for residents and $30 for non-residents in Silver Lake and $47 for residents and $70 for non residents in Twin Lakes, Gitzinger said.
The commission also made several related recommendations, including a paid launch pass be a sticker to be attached to the tongue of a boat trailer and establishing a marina business launch pass of $75 annually per vehicle used for launching. The town also proposed no launch fee for a resident launching a non-motorized vessel.
Town Chairman Bob Stoll said he thought the proposed fees might exceed what the town could enact under state Department of Natural Resources regulations. If some of the comparison launches are strictly municipal launches, there may be more latitude. One of the Randall launches on Powers Lake is a joint project with the DNR. The board has been ordered by the DNR to bring down launch fees in the past.
Stoll directed Supervisor Mike Halvorson, the board’s liaison to the DNR, to research the matter and report back to the board. The matter of launch fees was tabled by the Town Board.
Aside from what might be the too high fees, some board members liked other aspects of the commission’s proposal, such as the sticker on the trailer tongue and the new marina business pass.
