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CASE APPROVE PURCHASE OF PLAYER BENCHES AND REVIEW PARK AND RECREATION MAINTENANCE EXPENDITURE POLICY By: Mark Boos, Parks/Utilities Coordinator Background: Issue I: Player Benches for Central Park Fields 5 & 6. In 1991, the City added softball fields to Central Park. As pan of the revision of the CIP occurring in that summer for 1992 and beyond, the Park and Recreation Commission requested player benches for the two new softball fields, two smaller bleachers for those fields and one larger bleacher for the baseball field. Early in 1992, the Commission's improvement request was brought to the Finance Committee. The Committee recommended funding Central Park's parking lot paving, but not the benches or bleachers. For 1993, the Ramsey Youth Athletic Association (RYAA) will be using Fields 5 and 6 for games as well as practice beginning May 24, 1993. They have requested player benches for those two softball fields. The City no longer has player benches specifically budgeted for Fields 5 and 6. The Commission, as you may recall, has requested within the CIP a line item referred to as miscellaneous capital outlay for incidental purchases such as modest playground improvements and amenities. Dave Baack, RYAA President, offered 50% of the purchase cost towards the four player benches to "leverage" the funding of the benches. RYAA's desire is to realize the installation of the benches as early as possible. To this end, RYAA increased the contribution to 100% of the purchase cost to allow the City to order the benches and in the event, the Finance Committee determined that the benches are not a prudent expenditure to cost share, RYAA would willingly expend the entire $825 cost. If the Finance Committee approves of the 50% shared expense concept, RYAA offered to allow the City to place "their half" $412 towards a different improvement. Subsequent to this "deal", I was informed that the issue should still come before the Finance Committee prior to purchase because of the replacement fund cost implication. (The useful life of the aluminum benches with back rests is projected at 25 years.) However, we did not follow this procedure for prior donations such as the spring rider for Peltzer Park or player benches at River's Bend Park. It would seem to be helpful for staff to be able to accept modest donation to facilitate a timely receipt of contributions and to simplify the process with the donor. I would respectfully suggest that small donations with longer lifespans be amenable to staff acceptance with the receipt of the contribution being confmned via the Finance Committee or City Council's consent agenda. More substantial donations would go before the Finance Committee with the City Administrator and Finance Officer providing direction in the event that the donation was time sensitive. Issue II: Public Funding of Improvements for Specific Users. Certain improvements, like player benches and athletic complexes serve identifiable populations, in this example, primarily RYAA. Therein lies the question of whether or to what extent those users should fund a particular amount of that item's cost(s). This summer, the City supplied paint for the riding arena in Traprock Commons and assisted with the donation of mateu'ials for the needed repairs to that arena. The City did not perform the painting, make repairs or purchase the lumber, because the "improvement" clearly benefitted a specific group and not the majority of Ramsey Residents. Conversely, a player bench in a neighborhood park is used by the general public and RYAA alike and therefore should be publicly funded. The policy questions asked of the Finance Committee is: In this case, should the RYAA be asked, if financially able, to assist with the funding of the satellites needed as a result of their activities or is it a responsibility of the City to provide restrooms no matter what generated the addkional activity at the public facility (tournaments are the obvious exception). Normally, smaller neighborhood parks do not need "Satellites" because of the intensive use and proximity to the home of users. However, the City has provided Satellites to Autumn Heights and Bear Parks this year for RYAA use during spring softball practice.