SANDPOINT — The City Council unanimously approved the Festival at Sandpoint’s lease of Memorial Field for its annual waterfront concert series on Wednesday.

The council did not impose a cleaning fee for the facility’s new artificial turf because it is being rolled into the purchase price for the new field surface, although it did decline the Festival’s request to waive a $1.25 surcharge on each ticket sold for the event.

Festival representative Amy Bistline asked the city to waive the per-ticket fee for the 2020 installment of the summer tent-pole event due to an anticipated $150,000 increase in infrastructure and security costs. The event also saw delays in the announcement of this year’s lineup and the sale of season tickets, which created a cash flow issue.

“That was significant and it still is,” said Bistline.

City Administrator Jennifer Stapleton said the surcharge, which has been in place for the last several years, essentially amounts to the lease payment to the city for the use of the field and helps fund capital improvements and maintenance of city parks. The surcharge generated $21,817 during last year’s series, according to Stapleton.

Councilman Joel Aispuro asked whether the fee waiver could be revisited after the lease was approved, but Stapleton said the lease and surcharge needed to be a package deal for revenue planning purposes.

“Timeliness is of the essence,” Stapleton said.

The city is also imposing a prohibition on all glass containers except wine bottles because of the artificial turf’s difficulty in absorbing bits of broken glass. Wine bottles were given a pass because they are more durable than stemware, glasses and beer bottles, according to Parks & Recreation Director Kim Woodruff.

Bistline acknowledged that the wine bottle-only rule would be greeted with unhappiness among some guests, but didn’t see it as a deal breaker for Festival attendees. She noted that George Thorogood & the Destroyers prohibited glass containers when they performed at the Festival in 2017.

The debate over the Festival’s policy prohibiting firearms did not take center stage during the council’s discussion, although it was in the wings.

Aispuro said security was a concern because the Festival’s 4,000 attendees would essentially be “caged in” by the cyclone fencing which encircles the facility, limiting people’s ability to escape in the event of a mass shooting.

“That is a concern of mine,” Aispuro said.

Bistline said the Festival contracts for its security services and said event organizers will be developing a security plan that will keep guests safe.

“That is of utmost importance to us,” she said.

Keith Kinnaird can be reached by email at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow him on Twitter @KeithDailyBee.