Report to Mayor and City Council
Tuesday, March 19, 2019
Discussion
SUBJECT:
Title
CONSIDER THE VETERANS SPORTSCOMPLEX MEMBERS VOLUNTEER ASSOCIATION REQUEST TO REINSTATE OPERATING HOURS OF THE VETERANS SPORTSCOMPLEX INCLUDING ADOPTING RESOLUTION 19-055 APPROPRIATING ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR STAFF COSTS (CITY COUNCIL)
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I. SUMMARY
This report was continued from the March 5, 2019 City Council meeting.
In June of 2017, the City Council approved several actions concerning the operations of the Veterans SportsComplex. Among them were to reduce the hours of operations by closing during non-peak periods. At that time, the hours of operations were Monday-Friday 6:00 AM - 9:00 PM, Saturday 7:00 AM - 6:00 PM, and Sunday 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM. The decision was made to close the SportsComplex to members at 5:00 PM on Fridays and Saturdays and altogether on Sundays. On May 23, 2018, a petition was sent to the Community Services Director by the Veterans SportsComplex Members Volunteer Association requesting the reinstatement of a portion of these hours. Specifically, the facility would be open on Fridays until 9:00 PM, and on Sundays from 7:00 AM to 12:00 PM. In October and November several members met with elected officials and staff to discuss this matter with a revised proposed schedule of 9:00 PM on Fridays and from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM on Sundays. More recently, the request was brought up by the same group with the addition of expanding Saturday operations an additional hour to 6:00 PM. The City Council is asked to consider this proposal.
II. RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
TAKE the following actions:
1. DISCUSS and PROVIDE direction regarding the Veterans SportsComplex Members Volunteer Association’s request to reinstate the operating hours of the Veterans SportsComplex.
2. Should the City Council authorize reinstating the operating hours at Veterans SportsComplex, APPROVE an appropriation of $5,824 from the unreserved General Fund Balance to cover the cost of staff hours for the remainder of the fiscal year.
3. WAIVE further reading and ADOPT Resolution No. 19-055 “A RESOLUTION OF THE CARSON CITY COUNCIL AMENDING THE FISCAL YEAR 2018/2019 ADOPTED BUDGET APPROVING ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR STAFF SALARIES DUE TO REINSTATING THE OPERATING HOURS AT THE VETERANS SPORTSCOMPLEX.”
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III. ALTERNATIVES
1. AUTHORIZE maintaining the current Friday, Saturday and Sunday operating schedule.
2. TAKE another action the City Council deems appropriate.
IV. BACKGROUND
During the 2017 budget preparation, the City Council approved decreasing the hours of operations at the Veterans Sports Complex during non-peak periods. Specifically, the facility would close at 5:00 PM on Fridays and Saturdays and not open on Sundays. The exception to this directive was for room or gym reservations for a private event. Reducing the operating hours during these times, and raising membership rates and rentals prices were done with the goal of decreasing the yearly operating cost of the Sports Complex. Largely as a result of these directives, the City saw a cost savings of nearly $40,000.00 between Fiscal Year 2016/17 and Fiscal Year 2017/18.
Recently a request to reinstate a portion of the Sports Complex’s operating hours was presented. Rather than close at 5:00 PM on Fridays, the facility would stay open until 9:00 PM as it had in the past. Saturday’s closing time would be 6:00 PM instead of 5:00 PM and the facility would be open on Sundays from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
It is important to note that due to the bi-level structure of the Veterans SportsComplex, the need to have the check-in desk staffed at all times, and the need to maintain adequate supervision of activity when the workout areas are in use, the minimum staffing level at any given time is 3 employees. Employees that are on duty for a gym or room reservation are not counted into this equation since they have duties related to the reservation.
V. FISCAL IMPACT
Fridays 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM - 2 staff* x 4 hours x 52 weeks = 416 hours
Saturdays 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM - 3 staff x 1 hour x 52 weeks = 156 hours
Sundays 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM - 3 staff x 5 hours x 52 weeks = 780 hours
Total staff hours increase = 1,352
* Only 2 additional staff required because the Center Supervisor of the SportsComplex is on duty until 9:00 pm on Fridays.
Part-time staff hourly rates range from the current minimum wage of $12.00 to $17.41 an hour. Using $14.00 an hour as an average, the approximate payroll increase would be $18,928 per year to expand the hours of operation to include the above noted time periods. There would be expected increases in utility costs associated for the additional 1,352 operation hours however that figure is not easily quantified.
The $5,824 appropriated in Resolution 19-055 is only for the remainder of the fiscal year, until June 30, 2019. The new higher cost with the full year’s $18,928 would be factored into the FY 2019-2020 budget.
VI. EXHIBITS
1. Veterans Sports Complex Members Volunteer Association Petition. (pgs. 4-25)
2. Resolution No. 19-055 (pgs. 26-27)
3. VSC Membership Report (pg. 28)
Prepared by: Scott Griffee, Recreation Program Manager