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4.5. SR 07-19-1999 rei ---'\) ( ); tli{ Item #4.5. a-b River MEMORANDUM TO: Mayor and City Council Patrick KlaerfF~strator July 19, 1999 JfiJ FROM: DATE: SUBJECT: Community Recreation Program a. Update on Activities . Interim Community Recreation Director Michele Bergh will be in attendance to update the council on recent community recreation and city of Elk River recreation activities. One of our biggest summer city programs, the Safety Camp, was recently completed and a five minute video on this two day event is scheduled to be shown to the council. Michele also will provide the council with an update on Emporium activities. Michele should be able to answer questions from the council about the current status of city programs and what is on the horizon. b. Discussion on Community Recreation Prolttam Options Ever since Jeff Asfahl resigned as the Community Recreation Director in May, options for the future of the Community Recreation Program have been discussed and reviewed. Michele Bergh has been appointed Interim Community Recreation Director and is doing a very good job with these additional responsibilities. Accordingly, there is no great urgency for a decision to be made on Elk River's future role with this organization. . Whenever a major personnel change occurs within a department it presents an opportunity for evaluation of the future direction of the program or department. Such an evaluation is currently taking place regarding the community recreation program and the city is considering withdrawing from the organization and providing its own municipal recreation programs. f: \shrdoc \ council \comrecud.doc 13065 Orono Parkway · P.O. Box 490 · Elk River, MN 55330 · TDD & Phone: (612) 441-7420. Fax: (612) 441-7425 . One of the reasons why the City of Elk River is considering establishing its own recreation department is the ongoing financial concerns raised by Otsego (and, to a certain extent, Dayton and Hassan Township). It seems that the goals of members of the organization have changed from when the organization began seven years ago. In 1992, the goals of the members included combining resources in order to offer more and better recreation services and programs. Now, since reasonably good recreation programs, facilities, and services are available, it seems that the goal for some members is to maintain the status quo (especially financially) versus wanting to continue to offer more and better recreation services and programs. This changing goal is creating conflicts and is one of the reasons for Elk River's evaluation of its future role with the organization. Most everyone has "weighed in" with opinions on the various options for the future of the organization. This includes Elk River considering doing its own recreation programming and the school district offering to manage the municipal recreation programs if the joint powers organization dissolves. Under the right conditions, it may be best to continue with the community recreation organizations with all of the current members remaining as participants. . The Community Recreation Board meets on July 19 and the budget is anticipated to be considered by the board in the near future. Assuming that a new director is hired, and that some additional part time programming time will be needed in order to increase services and programming opportunities, then a modest budget increase is anticipated. Response to a proposed community recreation budget increase from Otsego, Dayton, and Hassan Township, or if the community recreation budget is "frozen," may be beneficial to Elk River in deciding which of the three program options is best for our residents. Regarding a decision timeframe for the city to withdraw from the joint powers agreement or not, there doesn't seem to be any great rush and the city can wait until the community recreation budget is considered. Also, the city can, if it decides to withdraw from the organization, give one year notice rather than a six month notice. This one year notice gets all the members through next summer's programming season, and this is the heaviest program period for the organization. The additional six months also allows everyone more time to better consider their future options as individual communities. . If (for whatever reasons) the current joint powers agreement does not survive, then Elk River will have to decide if it should go on its own . and form a city recreation department or if it should have the school manage its municipal recreation programs. In this regard, it may be to the advantage of all the members to have Elk River make this decision now. Eliminating one option now would simplify issues for everyone. If the City Council wants to make this decision now, staff still recommends establishing a city recreation department and not having the school district manage the city's recreation programs. . . J?~. ".",.y:~, "\....:;:.\: '/r"~.~~-=- -~~,,. ........-./"1- ~ "~ ,-~ . , - . . ":P~ :,~ ," ,'p' ",-.'" ""-' ~", " '. ,P - ,_ _. ~'. , BOARD The following amount represents your community's assessment to the Joint Powers Agreement forthe period of July and August 1999 City of Elk River City of Dayton City of Otsego City of Rogers Hassan Township $10,33ROO $ 530.84 $ 3,313.68 $ 1 ,536.34 $ 1 ,384.34 I.S.D. 728 Make your check payable to: and send to: Community Recreation 1230 School Street Elk River, Mn 55330 The following results have been compiled from information received from 82 out of 42 cities surveyed. The survey consisted of 28 metro cities and 14 non-metro cities having a population over 10,000 and under 25,000. Keep in mind that on some surveys, not all questions were answered. . . . Recreation Proerammine Services The desired result of this survey is to determine how many municipalities, which are similar to Elk River, provide their own municipal recreation programming or have this service provided by the school district (as part of Community Education) or by another contract. 1. Does your city have its own park or recreation or park and recreation department? Yes 25 No 1 Park / Rec. with additional Pub. Works, Ice Arena, Arts, or Forestry 1 Joint Powers - School/City ,g What is the size of the city park/recreation staff (maintenance, programming, administration)? Average FT admin. / prog. !! Average PT admin. / prog. ~ Average FT maint. / pub. works !! Average PT maint. / pub. works 1 Average Seasonal 90 What is the approximate amount of the city park/recreation budget? Average overall budget $1.2 million Average Parks only budget $500.000 Average Recreation only budget $200.000 2. Does your city do its own recreation programming or is this service done by the school district (as part of community education) or is this service contracted out to another agency? City 23 School District ~ Other - majority city / some Community Ed., parent / volunteer organized, or joint with school district '1 Recreation Facilities 1. Does your city or school district have the majority of the: Inside facilities (gymnasiums) City 1 School District 24 Shared 1 . Outside facilities (softballlbaseball, soccer fields) City 21 School District ! Shared ~ 2. What type of revenue is generated through recreation programming...How does this compare to programming expenditures? Average Revenue $100 - 300.000 - Majority break even on expenses - 20-50% recuperated, not incl. staff costs 1 - 60-90% recuperated, not incl. staff costs 1 3. What is the municipal relationship with the organized youth athletic associations for such things as scheduling fields, maintenance of fields, registration of participants, etc.? Majority stated that youth athletic associations organize programs; city registers, schedules, and maintains fields at no cost. . 3. stated that the city charges each association a fee to offset city expenses. (~ f- ~C r y:r -- .- jO 111' .(t,o .<<1 0\,\.""" c) ev I c. t< ( <;'tr; ff Or CO., J,^c-+('~ 1iis. fer. <)"V.n)t'y JtJ1e . ~~e. J,\ The 't~'I.A.(f~ are \I.o"y Ii) PII..T- ;::. w et ~ WI () d- ,'1'\ +t!"v'~ '!Je J ; h -rh e rr: ( lA lis b ~,us+i"'" -fi;:1., ~ ~ .