In the wake of fee increases that went into effect in July at the Aquatic/Community Center, clubs have had to get creative about paying for meeting space. Some have even resorted to tapping into their own funds to pay for what used to be free, according to a handful of local nonprofit organizations.

Western Welcome Club of Arizona member Monica Dugger works last week in a community room at the Aquatic Center to create holiday crafts that will be on sale during the club’s charity holiday boutique event Nov. 21. Jayne Hanson/News-Herald Photo.

“The more money we have to put out to pay for fees is that much less the amount we have to put out into the community,” said Carolyn Villines, treasurer for Western Welcome Club of Arizona.

The club explored options of a location change, but decided against leaving after realizing location is an important part for their fundraiser.

“We talked about it and looked around, but it is a big, big deal to change it,” said Patty Rideout, Western Welcome president.

When the Aquatic Center opened for business in 1994, three organizations were grandfathered in to use the meeting rooms for free as a perk for large financial contributions during construction.

Those clubs are Western Welcome, Relics and Rods and Telephone Pioneers, said Lake Havasu City Parks and Recreation Department parks division manger Bart Wagner and administrative assistant Cheri Kowalski.

At least two of the normally exempt clubs are now required to pay to use the center’s largest room, the Relics and Rods Hall.

Recently implemented fees for a nonprofit organization to rent the hall are $120 for a four-hour time period or $240 for eight hours. Additional fees would include a $300 cleaning deposit, $16 for kitchen area and $40 per day for the use of the stage.

Western Welcome’s Villines said she is concerned about the rental fees being broken down by area.

The new fees have been waived for a few of Western Welcome’s events because the events were booked before the increase. With the club’s regular monetary contributions to Parks and Recreation’s youth programs, exceptions were made, Villines said.

Next year will be a different story and the club may have to make some adjustments, the treasurer said.

Relics and Rods, a 110-member club, meets once a month at the Aquatic Center’s large hall, and the new rental arrangements have cramped the classic car club’s style.

“We were told we were going to be charged, so we switched to the smaller room for no charge — but it didn’t work,” said Kathy Stiller, treasurer for Relics and Rods.

Fees tied to the large hall have been waived for the remainder of 2009 to accommodate the car club. Next year, the members anticipate they will have to switch gears, the treasurer said.

“Some of the money that would normally go to charity will go to the city,” said Relics and Rods member Bill Junge.

The Aquatic Center representatives reported there haven’t been any complaints about fees from the clubs in line to use the community rooms.

In retrospect, a list of clubs provided by the city agency showed the number of clubs currently using the rooms has decreased by 17 clubs compared to a list of clubs using the rooms one year ago.

“In some instances, the clubs are actually paying less so it is working out,” Kowalski said. The city’s new fee schedule did show a significant savings for nonprofits when compared to the old fee schedule.

Clubs interviewed by the Today’s News-Herald reported fees were previously overlooked and use of the rooms at Aquatic Center was free. The new fee schedule came into play in July as an effort for the Aquatic Center to be self-sustaining after city officials targeted it during budget-balancing efforts.

“That is how it was originally designed … but it doesn’t pay for itself,” Wagner said.

Barbara Schoof, Pet Partners of Havasu executive director, said she has booked the community rooms at the Aquatic Center for free twice per year since 2004 for the therapy animal organization’s orientation and evaluation process.

This year, the upcoming orientation has been moved to the Havasu Community Health Foundation’s much smaller meeting room to sidestep the new fees, she said.

Schoof said she anticipates Pet Partner evaluations will remain at the Aquatic Center location since it is ideal for that application. Schoof said she is prepared to pay the fees to make that happen.

Tinnell Memorial Sports Park Committee meets once a month at Aquatic Center for about $20 a month, said board member Julie Sasseen.

“Right now, we are paying them (fees) but we are looking for an alternative … we will meet at someone’s house if we have to,” Sasseen said. She expressed the committee just doesn’t want to part with the money for meetings and prefers it all go toward the skate park project.

Before the new fees went into effect, the sports park committee met at the Aquatic Center for free since summer 2006, Sasseen said.

You may contact the reporter at jhanson@havasunews.com.