Meaford council at its regular meeting on January 25 approved the municipality's 2010 Fees and Charges bylaw. Across the municipality the cost of using the municipality's recreational facilities is rising in the new bylaw.

Many of the increases are minor in nature - Memorial Park campsite rentals are up $1 a day and rentals of the ball diamonds are up $2.50. The biggest increases are at the Blue Dolphin Swimming Pool and the Meaford Arena.

At the pool a family swim pass will jump from $160 to $170. A full day rental of the arena will jump from $600 to $650.

Councillor Gerald Shortt objected to the increases and voted against the bylaw. The rest of council approved the bylaw (with Deputy Mayor Mike Traynor and councillor Cynthia Lemon absent from the meeting) in a 4-1 vote.

"This is a translation of the cost of doing business. Our costs have gone up," said councillor Harley Greenfield. "I hate to pass these on to the residents, but the increases are not huge," he added.

Councillor Jim McPherson said the pool users themselves generated the increases at the Blue Dolphin Pool. Councillor McPherson said regular users of the pool realized the facility is aging and will need to be replaced soon and asked the municipality to increase fees in order to plan for the future.

Councillor McPherson supported the bylaw because he said he hasn't heard from any local residents upset about the fees the municipality charges for its facilities.

"If people feel the fees are onerous they need to let us know. I haven't heard from anybody," he said, noting that he felt the fee changes were appropriate. "I think (municipal) staff have a pretty good handle on things," he said.