5.11. SR 09-09-2002TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT:
MEMORANDUM
Mayor and City Council
Pat Klaers, City Administrator
September 9, 2002
Park and Recreation Fee Subcommittee
Item # 5. I I
In the past twelve months or so there has been a lot of Park and Recreation activities going on
in the City of Elk River. One Park and Recreation highlight was the construction of the Lions
Park Center (LPC) facility which houses the City Recreation Department and which the City
Recreation Department manages for public use and for recreation-city programs. Another
highlight, although not as visible as the LPC project, was the dissolving of the Community
Recreation joint powers agreement and the establishment of the City Recreation Department.
This changeover to City Recreation from Community Recreation has generated a significant
amount of admimstration work and changes in "how the city does recreation." Examples
include: the school district resuming scheduling and maintenance responsibilities for their
fields; the softball league at the complex looking to City Recreation to manage concessions,
tournaments, and league scheduling; and management of the Youth Athletic Complex
development and (in the furore) concession activities.
With the establishment of the City Recreation Department and the management of the LPC
facility there has been a great deal of discussion about city expenditures for programs and
activities and city revenues (fees) to offset these expenditures. The Park and Recreation
Commission and City Council has approved various fees numerous times over the past twelve
months. At least three times fees have been presented relating to the LPC and at least twice
fees related to shelters, parks, and fields have been presented. Next on the list of issues to be
discussed are city revenues and expenditures related to the softball complex and weekend
tournaments.
After the last discussion on fees in August there has been some comments received about
developing a comprehensive list of all Park and Recreation related fees and also reexamining
the appropriateness of the existing fee structure for Elk River tax payers. One of the best ways
to address these comments and concerns is to establish a subcommittee of City Council, Park
and Recreation Commission, and staff members to review the entire city Park and Recreation
fee situation. This subcommittee can then make a report on the current status and possible
changes to both the Park and Recreation Commission and the City Council.
Nothing that has been proposed in the last twelve months is atypical for a municipality and a
lot of recommendations have been more or less "frae tuning" existing fees or continuing with
Community Recreation fees as it relates to the city. Nonetheless, it does appear that the fee
structure has been piecemealed together and not presented in a comprehensive nature. Some
of this has to do with the newness of the City Recreation Department and the newness of the
LPC. Both the LPC procedures and policies and the City Recreation Department are evolving
and a subcommittee seems appropriate in order to complete a comprehensive review of our
current Park and Recreation policies and fee structure.
Both Councilmembers Dietz and Kuester have expressed interest in participating on a Park
and Recreation Subcommittee.