Title
Adoption of Resolution Amending the Fiscal Year 2021-22 and Fiscal Year 2022-23 Capital Budgets for the Playground Replacement Project (C5200) by Increasing Expenditure Allocation by $250,000 for Fiscal Year 2021-22 and Decreasing Expenditure Allocation by $250,000 for Fiscal Year 2022-23. (Recreation 10051400)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On December 13, 2021, a large oak tree fell in Lincoln Park during a major storm event. The fallen tree significantly damaged the Lincoln Park playground, rendering it unsafe and unusable. This recommended action is to accelerate the Lincoln Park playground replacement project by re-allocating $250,000 of General Fund monies that had been allocated in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022-23 Capital Improvement Plan to the FY 2021-22 Capital Improvement Plan.
BACKGROUND
The large oak tree that fell on the Lincoln Park playground and caused irreparable damage to the playground. The playground structure has been removed in the interest of public safety. The small playground for children under five (5), the swing set and two small stand-alone climbing components were not damaged and will remain.
Lincoln Park is one of Alameda’s larger community parks and is heavily utilized. Prior to this incident, the playground was in use all day, every day by residents, the Recreation and Parks Department after school program, local pre-schools and private youth programs, numerous parent/child groups and more.
DISCUSSION
The Lincoln Park playground was scheduled for replacement in the FY 2022-23 Capital Improvement plan as part of the Annual Playground Replacement Program. Funding included $250,000 allocated from the General Fund plus $226,344 from the Department of Parks and Recreation Per Capita grant for a total project budget of $476,344. The grant funds have already been confirmed and are available for use this fiscal year. In addition, staff have filed an insurance claim for the damage to the playground. If the claim is approved, there is a $250,000 deductible that would be funded by the project budget. The grant would then either be allocated to a different playground replacement project, if allowed by the funder, or utilized for additional improvements to the Lincoln Park playground such as more play components and/or a larger area of rubberized safety surfacing.
Approval of this action to re-allocate $250,000 of General Funds from the FY 2022-23 Capital Improvement Fund to the FY 2021-22 Capital Improvement Fund will allow staff to accelerate the project timeline for the playground replacement. The process includes procuring draft playground designs from at least three playground companies, soliciting community feedback on these draft designs, design approval by the Recreation and Parks Commission and then City Council approval of the design and contract. Playgrounds generally take eight weeks to receive the supplies after ordering and then four to six weeks to construct.
If the funding is made available this fiscal year, the playground could be completed by the end of August 2022. If funding is not available until next fiscal year, as currently budgeted, then the earliest the playground could be completed would be early December 2022.
ALTERNATIVES
• Re-allocate $250,000 of General Funds from the FY 2022-23 Capital Improvement Fund for Playground Replacement to the FY 2021-22 Capital Improvement Fund for Playground Replacement in order to replace the Lincoln Park playground sooner than originally scheduled.
• Do not re-allocate $250,000 of General Funds and direct staff to continue with the originally scheduled replacement plan. This will delay replacement of the Lincoln Park playground by at least four months.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
This action is to re-allocate $250,000 of General Funds from the FY 2022-23 Capital Improvement Project Fund C5200 (Playground Replacement) to the FY 2021-22 Capital Improvement Project Fund C5200 (Playground Replacement) to fund the Lincoln Park playground replacement sooner than was originally scheduled.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
This action is consistent with the Alameda Municipal Code.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Sections 15301 (Repair, maintenance and/or minor alteration of an existing facility).
CLIMATE IMPACT
There are no identifiable climate impacts or climate action opportunities associated with replacing this playground structure.
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt a resolution amending the Fiscal Year 2021-22 and Fiscal Year 2022-23 Capital Budgets for the Playground Replacement Project (C5200) by increasing expenditure allocation by $250,000 for Fiscal Year 2021-22 and decreasing expenditure allocation by $250,000 for Fiscal Year 2022-23.
CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDATION
The City Manager recommends approval. The City Council could further consider the $250,000 reduction in 2022-2023 during the Budget review for next year.
Respectfully submitted,
Amy Wooldridge, Recreation and Parks Director
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Gerry Beaudin, Assistant City Manager/Interim Finance Director
cc: Eric Levitt, City Manager