Councilmen propose reduced rec center fees on bad-air days

On bad-air days, two councilmen believe Salt Lake County can continue its mission of promoting public health by reducing entrance fees 50 percent at all recreation facilities.

Democrats Jim Bradley and Sam Granato have proposed an ordinance that would offer the fee reduction for days on which the Utah Department of Environmental Quality issues a red-air alert or designates the atmosphere as being unhealthy or very unhealthy.

To make an impact on the current air-fouling inversion season, they also are asking their colleagues to suspend a new council practice of considering measures twice before they are approved and to change the fee immediately.

"By offering a 50 percent reduction," the councilmen said in asking for the proposal to be put on Tuesday's council agenda, "Salt Lake County is promoting healthy and active lifestyles through recreation centers."

The council will consider the proposed ordinance at its work session, which starts at 1 p.m. in Room 2003 of the North Building at the County Government Center, 2001 S. State. If the majority of the nine-member council concurs, the measure would be up for adoption at the council's formal 4 p.m. meeting in the same building.

Granato and Bradley estimate the county sells 1,049 passes daily to recreation centers for an average price of $5. The county would lose $79,000 annually if 30 red alerts are declared, $105,000 if 40 days are deemed unhealthy, they said.

mikeg@sltrib.com

Twitter: @sltribmikeg