Title
Report on the Recreation and Parks Department Requests for Fiscal Year 2019 - 2021 Operating and Capital Improvement Budgets.
Body
To: Honorable Chair and Members of the Recreation and Park Commission
From: Amy Wooldridge, Recreation and Parks Director
Re: Report on the Fiscal Year 2017 - 2019 Budget for Recreation and Parks Department.
BACKGROUND
The City Council adopts a two-year City budget in June with the next budget process being for Fiscal Year 2019 - 2021. The Alameda Recreation and Parks Department (ARPD) is comprised of three divisions: Park Maintenance, Recreation Programs and Mastick Senior Center.
The Park Maintenance Division budget is primarily funded by the General Fund. Maintenance of Marina Cove, Bayport and Marina Village Parks are funded by assessment districts from the adjacent neighbors and businesses. Current staffing includes:
• 1 Parks Manager
• 1 Parks Supervisor
• 1 Parks Foreperson
• 1 Park Maintenance Worker II
• 6 Park Maintenance Worker I
• 1 Equipment Operator
• 3 Gardeners
• 10 part-time
All recreation program revenues and expenditures are in the Recreation Fund, which is a special revenue fund that is separate from the General Fund. There is a transfer from the General Fund to the Recreation Fund to help support programs, particularly those that are minimal or no cost to the community and serve a broad and at-risk population, such as Mastick Senior Center, free Parks and Playgrounds programming, aquatics, teens, and people with physical and developmental disabilities. Current staffing includes:
• 1 Director
• 2 Recreation Managers - Recreation Programs and Mastick Senior Center
• 4 Recreation Supervisor I
• 1 Account Technician
• 1 Senior Clerk
• 1 Office Assistant
• Over 200 part-time
o Includes regular part-time staff for office work
DISCUSSION
The following describes the Alameda Recreation and Parks Department budget requests for FY 19-21.
RECREATION PROGRAMS - Operating Budget Requests
The Recreation Fund is a special revenue fund that receives a transfer of funding from the General Fund. This transfer increases 2% annually to help offset rising staffing and other program costs. This does not fully offset rising full-time and part time staff costs and other facility, services and supply costs, which must be covered with increased fees and revenues. The goal of the Recreation Fund is to be fully balanced.
ARPD is requesting an additional $160,000 from the General Fund Transfer. This increase is requested to offset the city-wide minimum wage increase adopted last year, bringing it to $13.50/hour on July 1, 2019 and $15/hour on July 1, 2020; mandated staff cost increases from the union contracts; and continuing the annual 2% increase.
ARPD is also requesting $250,000 for Building Maintenance to be added to the General Fund Transfer. The building maintenance “cost allocation” for ARPD is increasing due to a new and more comprehensive formula that is based on a full facility assessment for a 10-year maintenance plan as well as addressing deferred maintenance. ARPD has the largest amount of building square feet of any city department.
PARK MAINTENANCE - Operating Budget Requests
Alameda added Estuary Park and Jean Sweeney Open Space Park with a combined total 33 acres of new parkland. This includes 14 acres of active park area and 19 acres of open space, all of which requires maintenance. ARPD is requesting two full-time Gardeners, in the amount of $200,000 to address the increased acreage and high volume of usage at Sweeney Park. ARPD is also taking over maintenance from Public Works of Marina Village Park (4.5 acres on the west estuary side) and Portola Triangle (2 acres across from Washington Park). The funding is requested as 1.5 position from the General Fund and 0.5 from the Marina Village Assessment District.
It’s important to note that Alameda Parks Maintenance maintains 14 acres per full-time staff. A review of other comparable cities showed that their average was 7.3 acres per full-time staff with the range being from 4.0 acres (Mountain View) to 12.1 acres (San Leandro) per staff.
Other operating budget requests include:
• $14,000 in training as we bring on new employees and work to expand our training program for existing employees. This includes safety trainings, Playground Safety Inspection, Bay-Friendly Certification, and others.
• $25,000 for additional tree trimming services to address and remove trees of concern.
• $35,000 to convert 70% of the gas-powered small tools to electric, including leaf blowers and mowers. This reduces pollutants, fuel costs and is quieter for neighbors.
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (CIP)
ARPD is requesting $250,000 for a new Park Maintenance Replacement Fund. Historically, anytime a fence breaks or an area requires re-grading or benches/drinking fountains/picnic tables need replacement, this is expended from the operating budget within existing funds. The result is that without a secure funding source there is significant deferred maintenance. This new fund will provide $250,000 annually for small and medium size projects. These could include a new restroom at Estuary Park Phase 1, retrofitting tennis court lights to LED with new timers, re-grading at Leydecker Park to address building flooding and potentially add a dog park, adding a small play component to Harrington Field, replacing park signs and irrigation pumps/controllers.
ARPD is also requesting $250,000 for the Playground Annual Replacement Fund. The last four playgrounds were funded through a combination of funding sources that are either no longer available or limited grant programs. Staff will continue to seek grant opportunities for playgrounds, such as through Prop 68, but this request would provide a secure funding source to replace one playground each year.
Lastly, Mastick Senior Center HVAC is being proposed for replacement. The funding sources include $250,000 from the Mastick Legacy Fund; $15,000 from the Mastick cell tower lease revenue; $100,000 from the City Non-Departmental Fund; and $150,000 from the Building Maintenance Fund. This is an extremely old and faulty system that is in need of replacement. Additional roof work will be done to accommodate a heavier system with HEPA filters so that the main hall can be a clean air and cooling center for city-wide emergencies.
After the City Council adopts the FY 2019-21 Bienniel Budget, staff will bring a full budget overview to the Commission in July 2019.
RECOMMENDATION
Report on the Recreation and Parks Department requests for Fiscal Year 2019 - 2021 Operating and Capital Improvement Budgets.
Respectfully submitted,
Amy Wooldridge, Recreation and Parks Director