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4.1. SR 09-15-1997~.ty of iver MEMORANDUM Item #4.1. TO: FROM: DATE: SUBJECT: Mayor and City Council Patrick Klaers, City Administrator September 15, 1997 ~ Community Recreation Board Update The City of Elk River is a member of the Community Recreation organization. Councilmember Roger Holmgren is our city representative on the Board and JeffAsfahl is the Community Recreation Director. This organization and Jeff are in charge of the city recreation programs. The Community Recreation Board meets at least monthly. The Board is scheduled to meet on September 15, 1997. Attached for your review is the meeting agenda and relevant background material. Either Jeff or Roger will be able to update the City Council on recent Community Recreation activities at our September 15th meeting. s:\council\comrecud.doc 13065 Orono Parkway · P.O. Box 490 · Elk River, MN 55330 · TDD & Phone: (612) 441-7420 · Fax: (612) 441-7425 Community Recreation Board Notice of Meeting Monday September 15, 1997 - 11:45 am LaRose's Pizza - Elk River * Your attendance is always important! If you cannot make the meeting please arrange to send an altemate or notify me at 241-3523 that you will not be in attendance. Thank you! AGENDA A. Routine Matters: 1 .) Approval of meeting minutes fr: 8/18/97 2.) Changes or additions to the agenda 3.) Staff reports & updates: 3.A) Youth Initiatives 3.B) 1997 Fall Program Updates 3.C) Insurance Update 3.D) Special meeting notification protocol B. Items of Information / Discussion: 1.) Discuss: Otsego concem 2.) Consider: payroll administration change 3.) Review: program fee data 4.) Review: fiscal agent budget coding improvements in progress Agenda Item Information; 1 .) Otsego Concern: Please find enclosed Otsego's notification memo and related information that followed from the Star News. I was in attendance at the Otsego Park and Recreation Commission meeting on Tuesday September 9, 1997 where they met with City Council related to the Council's action. They have requested that Mark Beming discuss considerations with the Recreation Board to minimize the cost of their communities participation. 2. Consider payroll administration change: Currently the city of Otsego is the payroll agent for our Program Specialist and Secretarial position. If Otsego does not continue with their partnership with us, we will need to make other arrangements. 3. Review: Program fee d~te,; At the August meeting, Roger Holmgren requested a report on program fees. J. Asfahl will be prepared to review information related to program fees that we administer as part of the various recreation programs throughout the communities. 4, Review: Fiscal agent budget coding impr(~vement,~' At our July 9, 1997 meeting discussion took place about difficulty in understanding the budget coding system, lSD 728 is our program fiScal agent. They are held to certain coding ;tdctions that is not necessarily suited for our actual needs. I have worked closely with the lSD 728 accounts manager To improve our coding system. I will review the changes/improvements. COMMUNITY RECREATION BOARD Minutes Fr: 8/18/97 Attendance: Staff: J. Asfahl- Comm. Rec., Community Representatives: Doug Thompson - Hassan, G. Eitel - City of .~togers, M. Berning - City of Otsego, R. Holmgren - City of Elk River, J. Gongoll- lSD 728, Jason Osgard - City of Dayton, Roy Johnson - Livonia, Pat Klaers - City of Elk River Community Representatives absent: None - The meeting was called to order at 12:00 by Roger Holmgren. A. Routine matters: 1 .) Approval of past minutes: On a motion by J. Gongoll, seconded by Roy Johnson, the minutes from July 9, 1997 & June 16, 1997 were approved. Motion carried. 2.) Agenda changes/additions: None 3.) Staff Reports: JA reviewed the staff reports as presented with the agenda packets. We have had a very busy summer. Participation was very good. B. Items of Information ! Discussion: B.1) Budget Committee reoort: Gary Eitel presented the budget committees' 1998 budget considerations. Gary reviewed the various revenue generating concepts that were considered and that each 1998 wage determination was the result of recent review and study of each positions responsibility and market competitiveness. Each community population was also updated according to the most recent demographic data available. (The 1998 budget and related data is attached to these minutes.) i'he 1998 proposed budget of 119,810 Expendtures & 15,810 Revenue requiring an assessment of $104,000 to be shared on a per capita basis of $4.35 by each member community. The meeting adjourned on a motion by J. Gongoll, seconded by Gary Eitel. Motion Carried. Next regular meeting: Monday September 15, 1997. Respectfully Submitted, 9/1 O/97 Community Recreation Board J. Asfahl - Staff Report for 9/15/97 programming: Fall program registration began Sept. 6th. The fall brochure featured a new cover design that includes all program Iogos. (CE, ECFE and Com. Rec.) We have already begun planning for Winter activities. Our next brochure will be delivered on October 22. That brochure will cover activities for November and December. The brochure after that will be delivered December 31. I will have brochures available at our 9/15/97 meeting for your reviewal. Miscellaneous Updates: - Youth Initiatives: The "Youth Initiatives" process continues. We have been meeting regularly since July of 1996. We are considering hosting another large community meeting similar to the July 1996 meeting. It is our hope that a meeting such as this may breathe some fresh air to the process and spreads our network of support and ideas. Continuing to work closely with the Arena Manager on a variety of program developments and program needs. - Assisting The Elk River Park Commission with their continued efforts associated with a September park improvement bond referendum. - Continually working to address the need for increased opportunities for youth. Along with CE staff, we are planning to submit a grant to increase opportunities for youth. This grant was wdtten by Pam Black from the CE staff. I will have copies of the grant at our 9/15 meeting. - Working with the lSD accounts manager to develop a more efficient budget coding system for our program responsibilities. - Beginning policy determinations with the Elk River Park Commission related to the opening of the Youth Athletic Sports ;omplex in the Spring of '98. - First time participation in Rogers Old Tyme days and Heritage Festival celebrations. - The 2001 committee will be hosting a m Fall Conference" Enriching our Communities: The Power of the Arts." Copy enclosed. - Working with the Nordic ski club to co-sponsor the First Annual, Woodlands Loppet - Nordic Ski Race. This event Will take place this coming January 11, 1998. - Have offered input to lSD 728 and the city of Elk River with the need to develop additional soccer fields related to the loss due to the ALC project. 8899 Nashua Avenue N.E. Elk River, MN 55330 ~~ T~~~ ~ oITY OF ON THE GREAT RIVER ROAD (612) 441-4414 Fax: (612) 441-8823 August 27, 1997 Mr. JeffAsfahl, Coordinator Community Recreation Board 1230 School Street NW Elk River, Minnesota 55330 RE: COMMUNITY RECREATION BOARD Dear Jeff.' This letter is to inform you that at the Council Meeting of August 26, 1997, the Otsego Council motioned to drop out of the above Community Recreation Program. (The vote was 4 to 1 for this motion). It was noted that they realize Otsego would remain with the board for a six month period following the date of this letter as required by our Joint Powers Agreement. A list of concerns of Otsego's Council will be brou~t forth by Council Member Mark Berning at the next Community Recreation Board Meeting. The Council noted they liked the programs for children, but Otsego% amount for Community Recreation has doubled since 1994. Livonia Township and Zimmerman are no longer participating. The budget for 1998 Community Recreation Board has increased 6% and our city is under a levy limit for 1998 and 1999. Otsego% resident participation in Community Recreation has declined and Otsego's Comunity Recreation Budget has increased. It was also noted that the "user pay" system is preferred. Jeff, Otsego Mayor, Council and Staff wish to thank you and your staff for your support and hard work. Sincerely, City Clerk/Zoning Administrator eb Otsego drops recreation program by Charmaine Barranco gram last year. Staff writer After seeing the city's Community Recreation cost more than double from 1994 to 1998, Otsego council members voted 4-1 to drop out of the program. Upon learning Otsego's deci- sion last Wednesday, Program Coordinator Jeff Asfahl said, "I'm stunned. We provide qual- ity programs for kids and we've never gotten any com- plaints from the people who participate in our programs." Community Recreation, based out of Elk River, pro- vides area youth with orga- nized activities such as soccer, baseball, hockey, wrestling and tennis. But the quality of the pro- gram is not the problem, said council members. It's the cost. "And if they bring the cost down, we'll reconsider it," said Mayor Larry Fournier. Council Member Virginia Wendel, who added the discus- sion of Community Recreation to the city's Aug. 26 agenda Tm stunned. We provide quality pro- grams for kids and 'we've never gotten any complaints from the people who participate in our programs.' Jeff Asfahl that night, said Otsego is sim- ply paying 'too much for the service. "This year we have to pay them $23,000 and we only have 610 people from Otsego participating," Wendel said. "That's a lot of money right now and I'm just wondering if it's really necessary or if we can do something on our own for less money." Wendel noted that Zim- merman and Livonia Town- ship dropped out of the pro- "Then they raised our rate from $3.73 to $4.35," Wendel said. "Non-residents pay $9.30 and if you break it down we're paying about $38 per resident for 610 people." After a moment of silence, Fournier said, "Well, in 1994 our contribution was~a little over $11,000. Now it's doubled three years later. It is getting expensive. Maybe that money would be more appropriately given to our parks board if there is such a need." Wendel also questioned the program coordinator's (Jeff Asfahl) $45,390 yearly salary. "And the city is paying the PERA, insurance and work- man's compensation," Wendel said. "I think this is terribly expensive for what we're get- ting out of it." Council Member Mark Berning, who is the city's Community Recreation repre- sentative, said, "From what they proposed in 1997 to what they're proposing in 1998, I believe it's a 6.2 percent Recreation board unaware of city's financial concerns by Don Heinzman Editor Community Recreation Board Chair Roger Holmgren said his board had no idea Otsego was concerned over the costs of the program. He met Tuesday with program director Jeff Asfahl to map out ways to keep Otsego in the regional recreational program. · Holmgren said he had no correspondence from the city of Otsego regarding their continuing with the program. "If they are concerned about making some adjustments on the way they are being assessed, we can deal with that," Holmgren said. Otsego Mayor Larry Fournier told the Elk River Star News that the action was taken to get the Community Recreation Board's attention. He said the costs are too high, but he added, "I think ~ve Holmgren continued to page 8 increase and their justifica- tion was that cities' tax levies go.up about 5 percent a year. "Hold it," Fournier said. "We have levy limits for the next two years." Berning said, "But your val- uations of your properties go up about that. The reason for Recreation to page 8 8 / Elk River Star News / Wednesday, September 3, 1997 Recreation. Continued from page 1 the rate jump from $3.73 to $4.35 is because Zimmerman and Livonia backed out." Council Member Vern Heidner said, "But ffthere's people back- lng out, you would think there would be less work Jeff Asfahl for the people there to do. So' you should get a percentage drop. '"there was a 12 percent drop in overall participation, yet there was a 6 percent increase," Heidner continued. "So, there's an 18 percent dif- ference. There's fewer people being served, yet they're rais- ing the rates." Wendel then made a motion to drop out of the program. Council Member Suzanne Ackerman seconded. Heidner commented that under the joint powers agree- ment, Otsego's tie to the pro- gram would be officially sev- ered only after a six-month notification period had elapsed. "If you look at the $23,000 that they want us to pay, I don't think we could do it any cheaper," Heidner said. "But at the same time only 14 per- cent of the participants in the program were from Otsego. But we're paying 18 percent or 22 percent of the total bill." Berning, who was the only council member to vote against dropping out of the program, said Elk River pays 58 percent. Heidner replied, "What it boils down to is Elk River and Otsego pay more than what their residents are using. Only 10 percent of our people are using it. Last year 800 eople used it and it cost us 18,000. Now 610 people use it and it's costing us $23,000.' Fournier said, "If we drop out our residents can still 12ar- ticipate in the activities, they would pay a higher fee though, but on the average it's about $9.. What I like about that is that the users are pay- lng for the privilege to be in those programs rather than everyone paying. I support Otsego Parks and Recreation will discuss recreation program The Otsego City Council will meet with the Otsego Parks and Recreation Board to discuss Community Recreation at 7 p.m. Sept. 9 at the Otsego City Hall. Otsego sent a letter to Community Recreation last week stating that it was dropping out of the program due to the cost. users paying for things." Berning said as the repre- sentative to the group 'he wanted the council's concerns written down so that he could · present them to the Community Recreation board. 'That's what Hassan ownship d~d, Bermng smd. rom the ~ndications I get they are going to stay in. And you might reconsider your decision to drop out. You've got six months to think about it." Heidner said, 'qVIy problem is that the per capita costs should be going down and the fees that the people pay should go up. I have no prob- lem that we should still stay part. of it, if we can stay in at a lower rate and raise the prices more. I'm also a firm believer in the user pays principle." Berning said the communi- ties pay for the administration fees associated with the' activ- ities. Participants pay for the cost of the activity for which they register. Wendel withdrew her motion. She then made a motion to send a letter to Community Recreation stat- lng the council's intent to drop out of the program because of the high cost and to request a reduced rate. Ackerman .sec- onded. "Whatever we do, if we are thinking about it, we should notify them right away because that preserves some of our rights so that we don't have to pay for another whole year," Heidner said. ~The orig- inal motion was more appro- priate.' SO Wendel withdrew her sec- ond motion and restated her first motion to drop out, which passed 4-1. Council members then unan- imously voted to submit their concerns to the Community Recreation Board. ~The board makes the deci- sions on the costs," Asfahl said. "Otsego'obviously didn't get any community input when they made this decision. The people in the community are the ones that benefit and we get good marks from them. "As. far as the exact number of Otsego residents who are using the service is concerned, we're not investigators," he said. "We don't know for sure. Many. Otsego residents have Elk River addresses. SO, it's hard to tell. There could be many more Otsego residents using the program than the council thinks." Holm en, Continue'~ from page 1 will stay in it. We have to look at it." Holmgren said, "We want to keep them in the program but ff they decide in six months they don't want to be in the pro- Holmgren gram, the Recreation Board will look at · charging surcharges to com- munities who are not mem- bers of the Community Recreation system." The board will have this matter on the agenda. Otsego's decision is impor- tant because Zimmerman and Livonia have dropped out of the program. Hassan Township has indicated it wants to drop out after six months. This leaves only Rogers, Dayton and Elk River. Despite Zimmerman and Livonia's decision to leave, the total number of young people registering, is grow- Zimmerman sponsored its own recreation program, spending $13,250 this year, compared to the $7,038 it would have been charged had it been a member of the Community Rec. Board. Zimmerman said it had lower fees and offered 11 more programs this summer than were offered last sum- mer by Community Recreatiom Zimmerman had 496 par- ticipants in its summer pro- The need for the recreation programs is not going away, said Holrngren. The funding mechanism' may change, meaning people not in the program will have to pay more to use it. Otsego City Council should reconsider its decision We hope the decision by the Otsego City Council to drop out of the Community Recreation program will be reconsidered. Otsego Mayor Larry Fournier said he believes an agreement can be reached where the city can continue to participate. The decision was placed on the agenda, discussed and voted on with no notice to the public and to the Community Recreation Board. No recommendation was sought from the community's Park and Recreation Commission. Fournier said the action was taken to send the Community Recreation Board a message that the costs are going up too fast. If that was the council's inten- tion, it has gotten the attention. Fournier said the council is willing to schedule a meeting with the Community Recreation Board and discuss the matter. He realizes the program is good for the residents of Otsego, but he questions at what cost. This dropping from the pro- gram because of a belief that it was too expensive for benefits received started with the City of Zimmerman, followed by neigh- boring Livonia Township. The Township of Hassan also has served notice it intends to drop out of the program after this year. This would leave only the City of Rogers, the City of Elk River and the City of Dayton in the program. Unless Otsego can be persuad- ed to stay in the program, it will dissolve. Elk River will have to run its own program and charge higher fees to kids outside the city who want to participate. Charging extra could hurt indi- viduals in the cemmunities who do not even know all of this is going on behind the scenes. Otsego's action was unexpect- ed, triggered by costs that have gone up from $11,000 to $23,000 in three years, partly because Zimmerman and Livonia dropped out. Roger Holmgren, chair of the Community Recreation Board, said the issues concerning Otsego were never brought up before the board, which meets monthly. Even Mark Berning, the Otsego council representative on the board, who is known to be a cost-cutter, sees the need for the programs. To his credit, he voted to retain the program. There was no clamor from the public to cut out of the Community Recreation Program. In fact, we're led to believe the public likes the pro- gram. · Otsego has a good council. It faces a host of tough decisions. We concur with Mayor Fournier that a meeting should be called and that ways be found to keep Otsego in a program that is good for its citizens, particularly its young people. - Don Heinzman .~ As',a Valued leader in our community, you are' cordially inVited .tO th~ ~ENRICHING OUR. COMMUNI,T. IE$:. .The Power ..of the Al'ts" Please join us , Saturday, September }I7, 1997 ' in the beautiful woodland setting of Camp Elk River Gray Koch Program. Building (newly 6onstructed) Elk River, 'Minnesota .. Research shows that the' arts are a significant dnwng.force .in successful, developing Cominunities. The arts stimulate economic.well being, provide community conn.'eclion, and are important ~o the healthy development of families and individuals: 8:00 fi.m~ Registration ' 8:30 a.m. Keynote spealc~r, john M6ndale 'Performance -"The Arts are a River"- Panel of communities known for their ' ' success through the arts: " . ' ': - Mary Altman, Director of Minnesota Rt~ral Aris Initiative,'. , " .' . COMPAS. John Davis, Founder & Executive Director, ~ New York Mills Regional Cultural Center, Sonja Peterson; .. EXecutive Director,,I~dce Region Arts Council, Fergus Falls, ' Paul Steinman, Director of Econoraic Development, Elk River. i2:30 p.m. Lunch (catered byOlde Main Eatery) ' ~ Grdup reflection: dreams-visions-actions Cost is $,i5 " R.S.V,P. By.september 19th 241-3520 Call District 728 Community Education Office or marl the enclosed reply card. "Art captures'the eye rind. lifts the ~spirit. Art 'takes us out bf the realm of the ordinary, stimulates our imagination, streiches our minds, and changes the way we see the world: Art speaks to our humanity and cherishes the. sounds of our souls." ., .- -Joan ~dams Mondale