Agenda Item Wording:
title
Consideration of a fee waiver - Request from Visalia Gadabouts to utilize the Visalia Senior Center for the purpose of providing programs and services for senior citizens.
body
Deadline for Action: 1/16/2023
Submitting Department: Community Services
Contact Name and Phone Number: Laurissa Roggenkamp 713-4336 laurissa.roggenkamp@visalia.city
Department Recommendation:
It is recommended by the Parks and Recreation Commission and by City staff that City Council waive the rental fee, $2,784 annual value, but assess the direct staffing cost, $1,330.37 annual value.
Background Discussion:
In 2006 a process was developed to designate free or reduced facility rental fees for the use of the Visalia Senior Center. Whereas there were once several organizations requesting fee waivers, this number has decreased over the years. Some programs have become City operated and others have found alternate locations.
Following the established process, organizations requesting to utilize the Senior Center and receive a fee waiver or reduced fee must annually submit a Facility Use Application for the upcoming calendar year. Their application must include information about the organization, non-profit status, and financial records for the past two years. For 2024 one fee waiver request was received by Visalia Gadabouts.
The 2024 application was reviewed by City staff to ensure that the established criteria for consideration for a fee waiver and/or reduced fee were met. The criteria are as follows:
• Application
o Organization must apply annually and provide records of their non-profit status and financial records for the past two years.
• Programming & fees to participants:
o Programs/services meets the needs and interests of Visalia seniors.
o Programs/services are affordable and within the economic means of Visalia seniors.
• Organization Finances:
o How does the applicant use the fees paid by participants?
§ Is the applicant a commercial business profiting from their use of City facilities?
§ If an applicant is profiting from its use of this City facility, it is recommended that the applicant pay full facility rental fees.
• Appropriate use of facility space:
o Applicants request for time, room, set-up, etc. is suitable
• Impact on City:
o The City should not incur expenses specifically for the function of the a free or reduce fee rental.
§ Facility use outside of normal operating hours the City pays a Building Attendant to open, close, set-up, assist, etc.; this creates a City subsidy.
Through the review process staff have determined that the 2024 applicant, Visalia Gadabouts, meet the above criteria. They offer a service of interest to Visalia seniors, their finances show that they do not benefit financially, they are a designated non-profit 501(c)(3), their requested use of the facility space and time are appropriate for programming. The applicant, Visalia Gadabouts, is a travel club for seniors. They meet one Saturday per month to provide trip information, they do not collect fees from attendees at the meeting (donations are accepted), they do collect fees to pay for trips, however they are not profiting from these fees, and their services are affordable to seniors.
The applicant has requested use of the facility outside of normal operational hours, as such the City will need to schedule and pay for staffing specifically for their facility use. The projected cost to the City of 2024 staffing is $1,330.37. This estimate includes hourly wages, worker’s comp, FICA, and deferred comp. Staff will arrive 1 hour prior to the reservation to set-up and remain 1 hour after the reservation to clean and breakdown; for a total of 6 hours per rental date.
While staff appreciates that the Gadabouts provide good and affordable services, staff also believes it is appropriate to continue past practice and charge for direct staff costs. Alternatives to paying this fee, or options for reducing the fee, would be to that the Visalia Gadabouts host a shorter meeting time requiring less staff time, and/or to meet during regular operational hours, which would eliminate the need to schedule additional staff. Additionally, the requested space, Main Room, at the Senior Center is a popular rental option for private parties such as baby showers, graduation parties, etc. The Gadabouts are an appropriate use for the facility, but their use does eliminate one Saturday a month for use by the general public.
Fiscal Impact:
The Visalia Gadabouts have requested the use of the Visalia Senior Center Main Room on the first Saturday of each month beginning January 2024 thru December 2024 from 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. The cost for a non-profit to reserve this space is $58 per hour. The applicant is requesting a fee waiver for their 2024 rental, $2,784.
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2024 Facility Rental Rate Breakdown - Visalia Gadabouts - Senior Center MAIN Room |
|
Amount of Days |
Rental Duration |
Hours per Year |
Rental Cost/Hr |
Total Rental Fee |
|
12 |
8 a.m. - 12 p.m. |
48 |
$58 |
$2,784.00 |
|
2024 Direct Labor Cost for Facility Use Breakdown - Visalia Gadabouts |
|
Amount of Days |
Staff Hours |
Amount of Hrs/Yr |
Wage Rate |
Sub-Total Wages |
Work Comp |
FICA |
Defer Comp |
Total Wages |
|
12 |
7 a.m. - 1 p.m. |
72 |
$17.00 |
$1,224.00 |
$64.14 |
$17.75 |
$24.48 |
$1,330.37 |
Prior Council Action: Council has approved fee waivers and/or fee reductions for Visalia Gadabouts for the past fifteen years. Beginning in 2020 Council approved a rental fee waiver with assessing the direct staffing cost be paid by the applicant.
Other: Parks and Recreation Commission met on December 14, 2023 at a special meeting to review the request from the Visalia Gadabouts. The commission motioned that their recommendation to City Council is that the rental fee is waived, but that the applicant pay the direct cost of staffing.
Alternatives: 1. Deny applicants request for a fee waiver. Applicant would pay full facility rental rate.
Recommended Motion (and Alternative Motions if expected):
recommendation
I move to accept the recommendation from the Parks & Recreation Commission to waive the 2024 facility rental fees, but to assess the direct staffing cost for Visalia Gadabouts use of the Visalia Senior Center to provide programs and services for seniors.end
Environmental Assessment Status: N/A
CEQA Review: N/A
Attachments: Fee Waiver Request and Facility Request Application from Visalia Gadabouts.