In the story “Pleasant Valley Horse club receives partial funding from District of Houston,” published in the Houston Today May 24, 2017 issue, the Pleasant Valley Horse club received a total refund of $337.16 for the special events fees for the 2016 Pleasant Valley Days.
According to the report presented to the District of Houston council on June 6, 2017 it was noted at the time the refund was granted on May 16, 2017 that this decision would violate the Leisure Services User Rates and Fees Refund Bylaw, but past practice indicated that the district should issue a refund for the 2016 Pleasant Valley Days event.
Prior to, on May 9, 2017 district staff sought legal advice and were told that the district was bound by its bylaw for the current year of 2017.
Pinchbeck said under the community charter, any refund, exception, or discount has to be issued by bylaw.
At the council meeting on June 6, 2017 a first, second, third reading of the Leisure Services User Rates &Fees Refund Bylaw No. 1092, 2017 was presented to council.
“So what this does is authorize a refund for 2016, and then it authorizes an exemption for 2017,” said Gerald Pinchbeck, Corporate Service Officer for the District of Houston. “This is a single year exemption only.”
Houston council approved the the first, second, and third readings of the Lesiure Services User Rates and Fees Refund Bylaw No. 1092, 2017.