The Randall Town Board voted to mplement a boat trailer sticker system for paid launch fees, but tabled any change to higher launch fees themselves until further information can be gathered.
Last month, the town Plan Commission 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.
Supervisor Mike Halvorson, the Town Board’s liaison to the state Department of Natural Resources, said he found out from the DNR that the maximum fee that could be charged is $70. Also, the plan commission’s proposed marina launching fee for businesses that launch many boats is not possible, he said.
The plan commission had also proposed a system where those who have paid yearly launch fees would be required to display a sticker on the tongue of their boat trailer in order to use the launch. The stickers would cost $287 for 250 and the board unanimously approved implementing the system as soon as the sticker printing could be done.
The matter of increasing launch fees bogged down this time around uncertainty about what maintaining the town’s two launches on Powers Lake costs. Launch fees have to be spent on launch maintenance or construction.
Chairman Bob Stoll said he would like to know what the cost of maintaining the launches is before setting any new fee.
But Plan Commission Chairman Charles Gitzinger urged the board to set the higher rates and acumulate the money if it was too much for a year’s maintenance.
“Build it up,” Gitzinger said. “The administrative code doesn’t say you have to use it each year.” He added that the Bayview launch could need extensive work soon, due to its age.
Changing launch fees was tabled on a motion by Supervisor Lauren Fox and unanimously approved by the board.
Sounds like a future slush fund.