Title
Report on the Recreation and Parks Department FY 2021-23 Budget
Body
To: Honorable Chair and Members of the Recreation and Park Commission
From: Amy Wooldridge, Recreation and Parks Director
Re: Review and Recommend the Recreation and Parks Department FY 2021-23 Budget
BACKGROUND
The City Council adopts a two-year City budget with the current budget process being Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 - 23. The City Manager’s recommended budget is being discussed with City Council on May 11 and May 20.
DISCUSSION
The Recreation and Parks Department (ARPD) is comprised of three divisions - Parks Maintenance, Recreation Services and Mastick Senior Center. The department has 30 full-time staff, an average of 200 part-time staff and over 250 volunteers (who work an equivalent of 13 full-time staff each year). ARPD manages 25 parks with playgrounds, recreation centers, picnic and rental facilities and trails plus 17 recreation facilities including public boat launches, skatepark, gym, model airplane field, and athletic fields. ARPD provides a wide range of recreation services for tiny tots, youth, adults, families and seniors. The Department administers the contracts for the operation of Corica Park - a 45-hole golf complex. Through ongoing park maintenance, park projects, and innovative programming, ARPD provides high quality parks and programs that enhance the quality of life in Alameda.
In previous budgets, the ARPD program operational revenues and expenditures were separated into a special revenue fund known as the Recreation Fund with an annual transfer from the General Fund to help support operations. Park Maintenance has always been funded by the General Fund and supplemented with five assessment districts. This year, the entire operational budget for all three divisions is now incorporated into the General Fund. This is due, in part, to an outside review of the City’s special revenue funds and the requirement to include all expenses, including those outside of ARPD’s control such as retirement benefits and other rising costs including cost allocation for all internal services (human resources, liability and insurance, city attorney, finance, building facility improvements and maintenance, vehicles, information technology). It is beneficial to be part of the General Fund as these increased costs are incorporated into the budget each year rather than the department being required to offset the rising costs through increased program and rental fees to the community.
The Park Maintenance budget continues to be primarily funded by the General Fund plus assessment districts/community facility districts. These are residential developments that pay a fee for public services including park maintenance. With the addition of two new parks at Alameda Point and one new park coming at Alameda Landing, ARPD budgeted for supplies, services and staff from those assessment districts.
It is a core value of ARPD to providing services to residents of all income levels. Subsequently, ARPD is expanding its financial assistance program, especially for youth services. ARPD also offers free programs at Mastick Senior Center plus free Parks & Playgrounds as well as Summer Park Baseball for youth. We also ensure there is as at least one picnic area at each park that is first come, first serve so everyone has the opportunity to utilize our parks for birthday parties and family events.
The City Manager’s recommended budget to City Council includes no reductions to the ARPD operational budgets, a new Park Maintenance Worker position to manage the new park at Alameda Landing and a reclassification of the Accounting Technician position to a Management Analyst which better encompasses the position’s scope of work and provides additional support to the Director in the only department of its size without an Executive Assistant. More detailed budget information is included in Exhibit 1. Specific issues or anomalies to note are explained below.
Park Maintenance Budget
The Park Maintenance budget funds 18 full-time positions and more than 10 part-time positions. Together, the staff maintains 25 parks, ranging from high use parks such as Sweeney and Washington Parks to passive parks such as Main Street Linear and Towata Parks. In this budget, there is a significant increase in the General Fund budget of approximately $700,000 for the City’s General Liability (nearly $500,000), PERS and dental. These are necessary costs that are budgeted by the Finance Department and City Manager’s Office. Part-time Park Maintenance costs increased because staff better delineated the Park Monitor program responsibilities which was previously under Recreation Services and is now equally split between Parks and Recreation Divisions. Parks Maintenance is responsible for cleaning up trash and maintaining restrooms on the weekends during high volume times. Recreation Services will continue with the program, now named Park Ambassadors, to check permits on weekends and provide education and outreach in the parks.
Recreation Programming Budget Assumptions - Recreation Services and Mastick Senior Center
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted recreation services revenues across two fiscal years. This is evident in FY 19/20 and FY 20/21. Revenues were reduced in both and expenditures were reduced by City Council in FY 20/21. Therefore, the earlier FY 18/19 is the best comparison for the FY 21/22 and FY 22/23 as it was the last full year of pre-pandemic revenues and expenditures.
Key points to note regarding the budgets for Recreation Services and Mastick Senior Center:
• Costs were re-allocated for some staff, such as the Recreation Manager, from being fully accounted for in the Administrative budget to now being allocated across programs and administration. This shows more true program costs based on how staff utilize their time.
• Aquatics programs are now year-round which increases revenues as well as expenditures for part-time staff and supplies. ARPD is also adding more adult sports such as kickball.
• It is assumed that ARPD will resume drop-in programs and large facility rentals in January 2022.
• Community events are being reimagined so they are more inclusive and the 4th of July Parade is assumed to resume in 2022.
• Funds were included to add the mobile recreation program.
• The Tiny Tots program budget was reduced due to continued lower enrollment from expanded Transitional Kindergarten through the school district but ARPD is increasing other Tiny Tots activities.
• Mastick Senior Center is anticipated to re-open its physical site this summer. The increase in part-time includes cost of living increases and equitable rates. Part-time budgets in earlier fiscal years were underspent due to difficulties filling the custodian position.
Capital Improvement Projects (as recommended by the City Manager)
|
ARPD |
Year 1 |
Year 2 |
Funding Source |
|
Park Maintenance - address deferred maintenance and projects to improve operating cost efficiencies. |
$356,000 GF = $250,000 Other = $106,000 |
$183,000 GF = $75,000 Other = $108,000 |
General Fund, Other = cell tower revenue, memorial bench donations |
|
Playground Replacement - Construct a new playground at Lincoln Park with increased disability accessibility and safety. |
|
$475,000 |
General Fund, Grants |
|
Park Pathways - Repair and replace deteriorated pathways for improved safety and ADA. Implement an annual pathway replacement program for regular repair to reduce long-term costs involved with deferred maintenance. |
$50,000 |
$50,000 |
General Fund |
|
East End/Harbor Bay Dog Park -High public demand for dog parks on the East End of Alameda. Location TBD through public input process. |
$75,000 |
|
General Fund |
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Please see Exhibit 1 for ARPD FY 2021 - 23 details.
RECOMMENDATION
To receive report and provide comments on the Recreation and Parks Department FY 2021-23 Budget.
Respectfully submitted,
Amy Wooldridge, Recreation and Parks Director
Exhibits:
1. Recreation and Parks Department FY 2021-23 Budget