City of
PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION
STUDY SESSION
MINUTES
November 15, 2010
Present: Commissioners Eggers, Gardiner, Lewis, Noraas, Rosenthal; Director Robertson; Superintendents Dials and Gies
Absent: City Council Liaison
Gardiner called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. at the Parks office, 340 S. Pioneer.
CHITWOOD PARK DISCUSSION
Robertson said the commission decided (at the October 18 meeting) to slow down the
Landscape architect Kerry KenCairn referenced two drawings of the potential park site, one showing existing conditions and the other, proposed conditions. She said all surface water currently reached the wetland area and flowed to the creek and the low areas on both sides of the dike could be converted for the commission into a wetland stormwater bioswale by RVCDC. She asked for the commission’s approval to move forward in creating documents for their signature and said if RVCDC were to maintain the bioswale, an easement would need to be put into place.
Commissioners voiced approval for having RVCDC develop and maintain the stormwater and wetland portions of the development project. They said neighbors of the park property might be confused by the slow pace of the project. KenCairn suggested sending a postcard to neighbors notifying them that the commission was considering delaying the master planning process and park development.
Staff was directed to place the topic on the November 22 regular meeting agenda. Robertson said he would talk with the City Attorney and bring a document to the meeting for the commission’s review and signature.
FEES AND CHARGES DISCUSSION
Dials distributed copies of her presentation showing all FY 2009-2010 fees and charges along with revenues and expenditures. Categories included Facilities, Daniel Meyer Pool, Ashland Rotary Centennial Ice Rink, Calle Guanajuato,
FACILITIES
Facilities include the
Dials said the only fee increased in this category was the lighting fee, raised to $28 per hour to get to the 80% recovery point (effective July 1, 2010). She said the Facility Manager position remained unfilled, with those duties absorbed by the department. She said staff received feedback that the $300 security deposit for facility rentals was too high and she suggested lowering the fee for facility renters having smaller meetings. She also recommended lowering wedding fees based on similar feedback.
Total Revenues: $55,395.38 / Total Expenditures: $142,655.17 = 39% Recovery
Discussion Among Commissioners
Commissioners said they decided to increase wedding fees in past years because they wanted to recoup costs associated with weddings. They asked staff to provide a thorough breakdown of wedding fees for the December regular meeting.
DANIEL MEYER POOL
Dials said the commission approved a 30% increase in pool fees in February 2009. She said FY 2009-2010 revenues generated by swim lessons and camps, open swim, concessions, lap swim, water polo, and water aerobics and fitness classes decreased by $9,153 over the previous year; expenditures for part-time staff, full-time administrative staff, pool equipment, supplies, and utilities decreased by $8,800; and swim lesson participation decreased by 135; for an overall 5% recovery rate drop over the previous year. She attributed the decrease in swim lessons and revenues to a lack of scholarship funding and said she was brainstorming with the Recreation Coordinator about new options for camps and other pool activities for summer 2011.
Total Revenues: $37,385 / Total Expenditures: $114,093 = 33% Recovery
No increases were recommended for this category.
Dials said the commission approved increases in ice rink fees beginning in November of 2008. She said the FY 2009-2010 season was short due to the reconstruction of the ice rink and the last comparable season was FY 2007-2008. She said revenues were generated from recreational skate, skate rentals, and concessions while expenditures were incurred for part-time and full-time staff, office pods, utilities, materials and supplies. She said staff training and setting up / tearing down the rink took 1-2 weeks on each end of the season and cost just over $3,000.
Total Revenues: $51,245 / Total Expenditures: $77,325.17 = 66% Recovery
No increases were recommended for this category.
CALLE GUANAJUATO
In September 2009 Dials said the commission approved increasing the square footage fee on the Calle—charged to artisan market vendors and restaurateurs—from $3.60 per square foot to $4.00 per square foot. She said any revenues collected after expenses were directed into the CIP fund for future improvements of the Calle and the current balance in that fund was $13,069. She referenced a letter from Grilla Bites Restaurant owner Tom DuBois who asked the commission not to raise fees for outdoor restaurant seating on the Calle and not to use the rental fees for costs associated with maintaining the Calle restrooms, as his restaurant patrons did not use those restrooms.
Total Revenues: $16,170 / Total Expenditures: $11,012.76 = Self-sustaining program
Discussion Among Commissioners
Rosenthal said the restaurateurs, operating on the Calle seven days a week during the Calle season, paid a total of $9,500 while artisan vendors, operating their market just two days a week, paid $6,684 for the season, with the artisans clearly paying a higher rate for use of the same space as the restaurants.
No increases were recommended for this category.
Dials said Nature Center program revenues were generated from community programs, donations, school programs, and community garden rentals while expenses were incurred from staff costs for community classes, events, and community garden coordination; school program costs; staff time and supplies for interpretation and exhibits; staff time and supplies for the service learning program; staff time and supplies for volunteers; and the foundation. She said recovery for FY 2009-2010 was down 3% from the previous year.
Total Revenues: $29,879.07 / Total Expenditures: $291,315 = 10% Recovery
No increases were recommended for this category.
OAK KNOLL GOLF COURSE
Dials said golf course revenues were generated from green fees, power cart rentals, the driving range, monthly specials, annual passes for singles and families, clubhouse merchandise, and food and beer while expense items included staff time, equipment and supplies, merchandise, utilities, and advertising. She said total rounds of golf played in FY 2009-2010 were 16,093. She said the commission approved fee increases in February 2008 for summer daily rates along with increasing the senior age to 55 and raising the summer senior fees and cart fees. She said the FY 2009-2010 recovery rate dipped by 9% over the previous year. Robertson said that was largely due to staff costs, including a payout to a long-time golf maintenance employee who terminated his employment with Parks. He said an internal employee was promoted to that position and the additional work was completed using part-time temporary labor. He said an additional permanent part-time employee had been budgeted to work as the golf clubhouse assistant.
Total Revenues: $325,711.07 / Total Expenditures: $437,285.33 = 74% Recovery
Discussion Among Commissioners
Noraas said the commission had talked at length about diversifying use of the golf course land by installing a walking trail and disc golf course. She said she expected those amenities to be implemented by summer 2010 but that had not happened. She asked for the agreed-upon markings for the walking trail areas and said it was a beautiful area and the more people using it, the better. Gardiner said disc golfing and regular golfing could probably co-exist but disc golfers did not like to “pay to play.” Robertson said staff continued to schedule cross country meets at the golf course each fall.
No increases were recommended for this category.
ADULT RECEATION PROGRAMS
Dials said adult recreation programs included classes in languages, dance, photography, fitness, painting and drawing, tennis, and bookbinding. She said program expenditures were incurred for instructor contracts, full-time administrative staff, materials and supplies. She said classes were contracted on an individual basis, with between 60-70% of revenues directed toward instructors, but staff was decreasing percentages paid to instructors and increasing class fees so the recovery rate increased by 8%.
Total Revenues: $102,562 / Total Expenditures: $112,535.29 = 91% Recovery
No increases were recommended for this category.
YOUTH RECEATION PROGRAMS
Dials said youth recreation programs included rafting, tennis, Salsa Rueda for teens, and percussion for teens while program expenditures included full-time administrative staff and instructor contracts. She said youth programs were continuing to be scaled back due to a decrease in participation. She said the FY 2009-2010 recovery rate declined by 18% over the prior year.
Total Revenues: $4,000 / Total Expenditures: $10,950 = 37% Recovery
No increases were recommended for this category.
Dials said
Total Revenues: $25,558.75 / Total Expenditures: $134,480 = 19% Recovery
No increases were recommended for this category.
SPECIAL EVENTS
Dials said special events included the Bike Swap and the 4th of July Run while Bear Creek Festival funds went directly through the Parks Foundation. She said both the swap and the run had fewer participants than the previous year and the special events recovery rate was down by 6% over the previous year.
Total Revenues: $27,256 / Total Expenditures: $50,300 = 54% Recovery
Dials said this was the final program category and asked the commission for their feedback
Discussion Among Commissioners
Commissioners asked Dials for a further breakdown of weddings in
ADDITIONAL ITEMS FROM PARKS STAFF
Gies reported on two possible grants for
§ Firewise Grant
Gies reported meeting with Ali True, Firewise Coordinator for Ashland Fire and Rescue, about using the Parks office as a model for modifying a building and the surrounding area to prevent fires. He said they discussed replacing the existing roof with a metal roof, clearing brush from the back of the building, and taking out trees. He said if Parks received the grant, it would cover the cost of materials and supplies, with Parks assisting on labor.
§ Biomass Grant
Gies spoke of a possible grant through Biomass in which Parks staff used their own equipment and labor to chip trees delivered by Biomass, with all chipped materials used within the parks system.
ADJOURNMENT OUT OF STUDY SESSION – By consensus, Gardiner adjourned out of study session at 8:45 p.m.
ADJOURNMENT INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION – By consensus, Gardiner adjourned into executive session at 8:45 p.m.
§ Executive Session: To consider the employment of a public officer, employee, staff member, or individual agent – ORS 192.660 (2)(a)
ADJOURNMENT OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION – By consensus, Gardiner adjourned out of executive session at 9:15 p.m.
ADJOURNMENT– By consensus, Gardiner adjourned the meeting at 9:15 p.m.
Respectfully submitted, Susan Dyssegard,