Title
Review and Recommend Adoption of 2020 Recreation and Park User Fee Schedule.
Body
To: Honorable Chair and Members of the Recreation and Parks Commission
From: Amy Wooldridge, Recreation and Parks Director
Re: Review and Recommend Adoption of 2020 Recreation and Park User Fee Schedule
BACKGROUND
On January 22, 1992, the City Council adopted Resolution Number 12191, codifying all fees for services into a City-wide fee schedule (Schedule). This Schedule is updated each year, via resolution, to reflect changes in the cost of providing services as well as in the Consumer Price Index for the San Francisco Bay Area.
The Recreation and Park User Fees (Exhibit 1) are reviewed annually by the Recreation and Park Commission with a recommendation brought forward to the City Council. The Alameda Recreation and Park Department (ARPD) reviewed its current fees and made adjustments based on its budget in combination with cost comparisons with other local jurisdictions including San Leandro, Emeryville, Piedmont, Fremont, Union City, and San Ramon in addition to local comparisons for gym rentals and large rental venues. (Exhibit 2).
The City’s Schedule is updated annually as part of the City budget process, which has a start date of July 1st. Due to the timing of summer recreation programs, the Recreation and Park User Fee Schedule (Exhibit 1) is adopted earlier, with the implementation date of January 1, 2020. However, the school-year fees are noted separately with a start date of August 2020 to coincide with the start of the school year.
DISCUSSION
Fees represent direct costs for program staff time, facility maintenance and utilities, plus indirect costs for administrative staff time and supplies. Fees are intended to recover costs as a whole system while balancing the benefits for the community and individuals. For example, programs that are available to a broad section of the community as well as at-risk populations, such as the free Parks and Playgrounds program, free Summer Park Baseball, and Mastick Senior Center activities have a lower cost recovery rate than programs with specific group or individual benefit such as facility rentals, summer camps or adult sports leagues with a higher cost recovery rate to offset and balance the total budget.
As of July 1, 2020, the City of Alameda minimum wage will increase from $13.50/hour to $15/hour. With more than 150 part-time staff, this significantly impacts program costs, especially for youth programs such as aquatics, teens, tiny tots, summer and after school that have part-time staff providing all direct supervision. The City Council approved an increase of the General Fund transfer to the Recreation Fund to partially offset the minimum wage increase with the understanding that the net balance would be generated from at least a 5% increase in user fees. Subsequently, fees for summer and after school youth programs were increased by 5% and group swim lessons increased by 12%. The overall market and cost comparison to relative programs were also considered.
The following fees were adjusted for 2020:
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FEE TYPE |
CURRENT 2019 FEES |
PROPOSED 2020 FEES |
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CHANGES TO EXISTING FEES |
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Athletic Field Youth League - Non-Profits |
$5 / Hour |
$6 / Hour |
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This fee is being incrementally increased each year by $1 to improve cost recovery of field maintenance and supplies such as fertilizer, infield dirt, equipment maintenance and water costs. |
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Alameda Point Gym |
Alameda youth /school $30 / hr Resident & Non-Res youth $45 / hr Non-Resident $55 / hr |
Alameda youth /school Practice: $30 / hr Game: $40 / hr Tournament: $50 / hr Resident & NR youth org: $60 / hr Non-Resident: $70 / hr |
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Alameda is significantly lower than any local comparison gym rental and previously has not separated costs based on use types. Games bring larger numbers of people to the gym and tournaments host very large numbers of spectators and players. Both have large cost impacts to the City than practices. Additionally, the youth organizations charge a door fee for games and a door fee and registration fee for tournaments. Gym fees were last increased in 2013. |
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Recreation Center & Picnic Rentals |
Varying |
Rounded up to the nearest $5. |
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The rounding provides streamlined customer service because odd numbers are more difficult for customers to remember which often creates more questions and increased staff time. |
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Picnic Rentals - Non-Resident |
Small Area $43 / hour Medium Area $67 / hour Large Area $103 / hour |
Small Area $55 / hour Medium Area $85 / hour Large Area $135 / hour |
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This is a 22% increase that assists with recovering costs of ARPD’s scheduling and Park Monitors who put out reservation signs and manage trash pick-up and a clean park area. Resident rates were not increased. Also changed the definition of a Large Group to 50 or more (reduced from 75 or more) which better reflects actual impacts on parks. |
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O’Club Rentals - Non-Resident |
Main Room $216 / hour Trident Room $185 / hour Terrace Room $155 / hour Squadron Room $93 / hour |
Main Room $240 / hour Trident Room $205 / hour Terrace Room $170 / hour Squadron Room $105 / hour |
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This is a 10% increase to recover costs for facility attendants, utilities, and janitorial services. Resident rates were not increased. |
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O’Club Rentals - Set-up |
$155 / event |
$175 / event |
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This includes rental costs for the event tables and chairs which are set up by an outside contractor managed by the City. This increase covers the contractor costs. |
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Youth Programs |
5% increase: • Recreational After School Program (RAP) • World of Wonder (WOW) and Day Camp • Break Camps 20% increase: • Group Swim Lessons |
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The large majority of part-time staff are in ARPD Youth Programs. Increased fees help offset the increase in minimum wage as well as other rising costs for supplies and facilities. Youth group swim lessons were increased 20% because it was under current market rate with long waiting lists every summer. |
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NEW PROPOSED FEES |
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Gym Rooms A,B,C |
n/a |
A&B (500 sf): $35 / hr C (700 sf): $50 / hr |
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These are newly available rooms that will be utilized for ARPD classes and may be rented out to use groups, either during tournaments or for separate groups such as a martial arts or dance group. |
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Electricity Use |
n/a |
$20 / day |
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In its effort to continue making green infrastructure improvements, ARPD added publicly available (although locked for rental use) electrical outlets at Franklin Park instead of rented generators. It is being explored for addition at other parks as well. |
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O’Club Saturday Event Rental |
n/a |
Regular rate plus 15% |
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Saturdays are generally filled one year out and this surcharge reflects that demand and is intended to encourage users to consider Friday and Sunday events as well. |
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O’Club Garden Set-Up |
n/a |
$250 / event |
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There is already a set-up fee for inside the facility, which covers the cost for an outside contractor to set up all tables and chairs as specified and includes the rental and use of those tables and chairs. The garden set-up fee is to cover costs when the outside rose garden is used for a ceremony. It’s a more difficult and time consuming set up and therefore a higher rate. |
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Discount options |
n/a |
Early Bird: 10% off Bring-a-Friend: $15 - $25 voucher |
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These are new discounts that ARPD staff will apply for specific marketing outreach efforts with the goal to increase overall registration counts. |
The overarching goal of the Recreation and Park User Fee Schedule is to provide effective cost recovery with a balanced model of community benefit. The Recreation and Park Department continues to seek and secure additional program and facility funding through partnerships, grants, donations and fundraising events.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The Recreation and Park User Fee Schedule proposed new and increased fees are intended to offset additional expenses as described above.
RECOMMENDATION
Review and Recommend Adoption of 2020 Recreation and Park User Fee Schedule.
Respectfully submitted,
Amy Wooldridge, Recreation and Parks Director
Exhibits:
1. 2020 Recreation and Parks Department User Fee Schedule
2. Fee Comparison