PARKS AND RECREATION PACKET 121423

Page 2 of 4 DISCUSSION Based on the high level of service provided by Lifetime to the bocce community, staff recommends continuing to contract out bocce operations to Lifetime with new cost- saving measures included. In the proposed agreement, Lifetime would continue to operate adult bocce leagues and oversee court maintenance. Cost-saving measures would include the use of one maintenance employee (formerly two employees) for all court care, as well as the elimination of a staff attendant during daytime drop-in hours. The courts would remain open and accessible for community members to play throughout the day, utilizing their own equipment. The drop-in bocce program has experienced high staffing costs and low community use during program hours since 2021. Lifetime employed two attendants at drop-in on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays year-round from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. For calendar year 2023, the staffing cost was $55/hour, totaling $25,740. Lifetime registered an average of 14 participants per week, for a total of 665 visits throughout the year. Participants paid $2.20 per drop-in session. Total revenue collected for drop-in was $1,463. This equated to expenses for Lifetime and the City of $36.50 for each drop-in user. According to the City’s Master Fee Schedule, contract instructor-facilitated programming must recover 76 percent – 100 percent of expenses. The program had a cost recovery level of three percent in 2023, which is far below the target. By eliminating Lifetime’s staffing costs associated with bocce drop-in play, the City can realize savings of approximately $25,000 per year. This change would have minimal impact to participants by allowing community members to use the bocce courts free of charge with their own equipment during these hours, much like the City’s other park amenities. Currently, 489 players participate in the bocce league throughout the year, consisting of 163 unique individuals. The cost per team is $160 per team for residents and $176 per team for non-residents, with each team consisting of 5 to 23 players. Revenue for calendar year 2023 was $8,298. Bocce league staffing expenditures were $25,200. This program currently costs the City and Lifetime $103.69 per individual per year or $34.56 per player per year, after revenues. This program also belongs in the 76 percent – 100 percent cost recovery category, and in 2023 had a cost recovery level of 25 percent. While this program is more expensive per player and does not meet current cost recovery goals, this program is well-valued by participants and leagues need organization and oversight. Lifetime will increase league fees by 25 percent each year to help reach cost recovery goals for the bocce league program. A three-year agreement, with two potential one-year extensions, allows both parties to continually reevaluate the bocce program and make necessary adjustments based upon community and/or fiscal needs.