TONIGHT’S DISCUSSION

Review of Previous Year’s Budgets

2014 Divisional Budgeting

Where we Fall in Comparison to National and Mountain Communities

Projected Costing Strategies for 2015Projected Costing Strategies for 2015

Questions

2008-2013 COMPARISONS

2014 BUDGET NUMBERS VS. 2013

Administration: 2014 - $ 181,889

2013 - $ 295,587

Recreation: 2014 - $ 755,531

2013 - $ 669,994

Parks: 2014 - $ 1,105,821

2013 - $ 1,053,798

Botanic Park: 2014 - $ 144,008Botanic Park: 2014 - $ 144,008

2013 - $ 132,823

Trails & Open Space: 2014 - $ 168,685

2013 - $ 202,456Numbers shown represent original budget for 2013 and approved budget for 2014

RECREATION OVERVIEW

Department approached Commission in 2012 with proposed cost recovery model

2012 Levels:

Administration/Grants 0% Cost Recovery

Youth Programs: 60% Cost Recovery

Teen Programs: 20% Cost Recovery

Youth Sports: 85% Cost Recovery

Adult Sports: 100% Cost Recovery

Events: 85% Cost Recovery

2012 COST RECOVERY GOALS VERSUS 2014 BUDGETED

2012 2014 Budgeted

Youth Programs: 60% 83%

Teen Programs: 20% 49%

Youth Sports: 85% 88%

Adult Sports: 100% 103%

Events: 85% 132%

* While the Recreation Division’s cost recovery has performed well over time, our overall cost recovery as a department is 23%; below the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) benchmark of 26.9%.

PARKS MAINTENANCE

Division currently manages and maintains 191 acres of parkland

Distribution of land includes 28 parks and other public facilities

Other duties include snowplowing, maintenance of parks equipment and working with the open of parks equipment and working with the open space/trails division and recreation on a variety of programs and projects

PARKS MAINTENANCE COSTS PER ACRE

The division budget currently appropriates $2,191 per acre to maintain all parks grounds. No differentiation with regard to types of turf maintained (sports turf vs. natural grass areas).

Comparisons:

The National Recreation and Park Association 2012 PRORAGIS study found that the median cost to maintain parks per acre was $5,236 (2012) for jurisdictions of less than 20,000. Overall cost per acre for all polled jurisdictions showed an increased to $6,381 in 2013 (for all population groups).all population groups).

Mountain and Western Slope communities polled (Breckenridge, Durango, Fruita, Grand Junction, Silverthorne) compiled an average of $3,670 per acre. City of Durango estimates its sports fields/turf costs to be much higher than general park land costs (no actual cost figures)

OPEN SPACE AND TRAILS DIVISION

OPEN SPACE

Manages largest land assets in department; over 2,600 acres of managed open space lands

Recent acquisitions and developments include Emerald Mountain Park (586 acres) in 2011 and 2A trail development (Morning Gloria)

Currently appropriate $31 per acre to maintain and manage open space areas

Comparisons:

Town of Breckenridge appropriates $402 per acre for management and Town of Breckenridge appropriates $402 per acre for management and maintenance of open space

City of Durango appropriates $57 per acre for maintenance and management

Trust for Public Lands (TPL) estimated that local governments spend, on average, $3,750 per acre on parks and protected open space per year (TPL, 2010)

OPEN SPACE AND TRAILS DIVISION

TRAILS

The Open Space and Trails Division manages approximately 55 miles of improved and unimproved trails in the city

The Division partners with volunteer groups, like Routt County Riders (RCR), to maintain certain trail areas

Trail miles will increase approximately 4 miles this year with the development of Morning Gloria trail. More trails are proposed to be developed as 2A Trails are constructed.

Division estimates that it spends approximately $985 per linear mile to maintain unimproved and improved trails in the City of Steamboat Springs (expense does not include bike park maintenance)

TRAIL EXPENSE COMPARISONS

Most mountain towns polled for the comparison did not have the costs to maintain per mile

The Town of Breckenridge estimates it spends $3,863 per linear mile for management and maintenance of trails

The City of Durango estimates it spends approximately $11,000 per linear mile for maintaining and managing improved trails in the city

Rails to Trails (railstotrails.org) estimates an average annual cost of $1,500 Rails to Trails (railstotrails.org) estimates an average annual cost of $1,500 to maintain improved and unimproved trails (2005)

RECREATION SYNOPSIS

The Recreation Division has sustained program and activity cost recovery to a level that is consistent with the 2012 recommended measures

The Recreation Division will work to provide recreation programs that the community desires, partner with others when it is feasible and fiscally responsible, and enhance new program and activity areas without new subsidies

The Division will evaluate programs annually and adjust fees accordingly to maintain cost recovery guidelines. If a program, or programs do not maintain cost recovery guidelines. If a program, or programs do not maintain a prescribed cost recovery goal through two sessions or is in decline (cost recovery or patronage), the program will not be continued

PARKS SYNOPSIS

The Parks Maintenance Division will work to create and apply standards for all parks and public grounds under its management

The Division proposes to build its maintenance budget to a level that is on par with other mountain communities and the TPL national average over the next three years

The Division will explore cost-effective maintenance practices that would better sustain parks and grounds long-term

OPEN SPACE SYNOPSIS

The Open Space and Trails Division will work to enhance its maintenance capabilities on managed lands and apply maintenance standards to these areas over the next year

Will work with partners, where applicable, to maintain these areas and apply best management practices (BMP’s) and solicit information and feedback for ways to better maintain developed and undeveloped open space areas

The Division will work with the management team, Commission, City The Division will work with the management team, Commission, City Council and other community partners to develop methods to increase its level of maintenance to $100 per acre over the next three years. This will occur through direct maintenance, working with partners to sustain open space areas, and finding new ways to maintain these areas with effective measures and defined outcomes

TRAILS SYNOPSIS

The Trails Division will apply maintenance standards that are used in other community trail systems

Continue to work with community partners and other land managers in the region to create sustainable trail systems

Propose to work over the next three years to create measures and outcomes consistent with other communities to maintain our city trail network to a level of $2,000 per linear mile

Institute a maintenance standard of $2,000 per linear mile for any new trails constructed after 2014