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Home My WebLink About1996-05-15-REC-rpt "Reconsideration of Article 4" MEMO To: Town Meeting Members From: Recreation Committee Subject: Reconsideration of Article 4 -- Line Item 5200 Recreation In Lieu of Tax Payment Date: May 15, 1996 The Recreation Committee will ask you to reconsider Line Item 5200 of Article 4. We are concerned about the impact that the In Lieu of Tax Payment will have on Recreation services if implemented at this time. We are asking for your support in delaying action on the In Lieu of Tax Payment until a thorough study of the issue can be conducted. Should the Recreation Enterprise Fund make a $50,000 In Lieu of Tax Payment at this time? While it is true that the Recreation Enterprise Fund has had an Undesignated Fund Balance, these reserves are critical to our ability to maintain recreation facilities without funds from the Tax Levy. The Recreation Enterprise Fund has been able to pay cash for capital projects because we have had an Undesignated Fund Balance at the end of each fiscal year from which to draw. Unfortunately, that Fund has been dramatically depleted for a number of reasons: 1. Declining Golf revenue during the reconstruction of the 5th and 9th hole. 2. The FY 97 budget proposes to transfer $265,110.00 from the Recreation Enterprise to the General Fund to support the Parks Department and the Council on Aging. Raising Fees on Golf and Recreation Programs We would have to raise fees in order to make the In Lieu of Tax Payment in FY97. Roughly half of Recreation Enterprise Funds are generated by the Pine Meadows Golf Course. When the citizens of Lexington voted to purchase Pine Meadows for the purpose of preserving open space, it became the responsibility of Recreation to maximize the Town's return on its investment. We have been focusing a great deal of our time and resources on the Golf Course because it has potential as a substantial money maker for the Town. In order to increase Golf revenues we must improve Pine Meadow's competitive position in the local golf market. We have made great strides toward this goal by hiring a top quality professional manager and investing in necessary improvements to the course. However, these efforts will be in vain if we are forced to raise greens fees above the level of our competitors. The table on the next page provides an indication of what the market will bear. Among our 7 primary competitors, Pine Meadows has the third highest weekday rate and the weekend rate is the highest (equal to that of two competitors). We feel that we are charging about as much as we can given the present quality of our course. Raising fees at this point could actually reduce revenues if enough golfers choose to take their business elsewhere. Greens Fee Comparison For 18 Holes WEEKDAY WEEKEND LOCATION COURSE RATE RATE Lexington* Pine Meadows $21 $25 Andover Rolling_Green $13 $15 Cambridge Fresh Pond $20 $25 N.Reading Hillview $23 $25 Salem Olde Salem Green $17 $13 _Saugus Cedar Glen $18 $19 Weston Leo J.Martin $12 $14 Woburn Woburn $22 $24 * The Lexington rates shown are for non-residents. Residents pay$2 less on both weekdays and weekends. The other half of Recreation revenues is generated from the fees that are charged for the multitude of programs that we offer. The Recreation Committee reviews program fees every year. A schedule of these fees is attached. The Recreation Committee must balance the desire to maximize revenues with our mission to provide quality programs at a cost that is affordable to most, if not all, Lexington households. Our objective has been to set fees high enough to fully cover the costs of each program and no higher. An In Lieu of Tax Payment for FY97 would require us to increase fees well above the cost of providing the service. Several fees have been increased recently including the swimming fees which were raised for the first time in years. Unfortunately, our ability to select which fees to raise is limited because of the timing of Town Meeting's action. Fees for Summer programs have been established and have been mailed to all residents. As a result, there are fewer programs to share the $50,000 cost of the In Lieu of Tax payment than there would have been if we had more notice to spread this cost among a larger number of programs. As a result, some households may find that they can no longer afford the youth leagues or senior programs that they enjoyed last year. The current relationship between the Recreation Enterprise Funds and the General Fund The Recreation Enterprise Fund has been fully self supporting since 1991. Recreation fees (including Pine Meadows) pay for the maintenance of all of the municipal recreation facilities and some of the School recreation facilities. We feel it is important to take into consideration the transfers from the Recreation Enterprise Fund to the General Fund that are already taking place. The proposed budget contains $248,597 of directed funding from Recreation to the Parks Department to pay for the labor and expenses that the Parks Department dedicates to recreation facilities. This year the Recreation Enterprise Fund will also support half of the cost of the Council on Aging's Program Coordinator. Recreation would like to have your support in delaying the transfer of$50,000 from the Recreation Enterprise Fund to the General Fund so that a more deliberate, more thoughtful approach may be taken on this issue. f L�0411'5), � May 14, 1996 The Recreation Enterprise Fund maintains all of the municipal recreation facilities and some of the School recreation facilities in Lexington. The Recreation Enterprise Fund is 100% self- supporting and is NOT supported by the Tax Levy with the exception of the purchase of Pine Meadows. Below is a list of facilities maintained with revenue from the Recreation Enterprise Fund. Recreation Playgrounds and Tot Lots: Center Playground, Park Drive Valleyfield, Valley Rd. Rindge Playground, Rindge Ave. Adams Playground, Waldorf School Monroe School Tot lot, Mass Ave. Kineens Park, Burlington St. Justin Park, Justin St. Garfield Park, Garfield St. Baskin Park,Wyman Rd. Marvin Park, Marvin St. Franklin Park, Allen St. Sutherland Park, Sutherland St. Bow/Oxford Street Park, Bow St. Football Field: Crumb High School Football Field, Park Dr. Tennis Courts: Gallagher Tennis Courts, Worthen Rd Clarke Tennis Courts, Clarke Middle School Stedman Rd. Adams Tennis Courts, Mass Ave. Valley Tennis Courts, Valley Rd. Baseball Fields: Center#1, Worthen Rd. Center # 5, Worthen Rd. Clarke #1, Clarke Middle School Stedman Rd. Diamond #-1, Diamond Middle School Hancock St. Little League Fields: , Center#4, Park Dr. Fiske#2, Fiske School Adams St. Garfield #1, Garfield St. • Sutherland#1, Sutherland Rd. Kinneen#1, Hancock St. Monroe#1, Mass Ave. Rindge #1, Rindge Ave. Bridge Triangle, Bridge School Middleby Rd. Estabrook Tee, Estabrook School Grove St. (Over) Softball Fields: (also used for Little League) Lincoln#1, Lincoln St. Lincoln#2, Lincoln St. Bridge #1, Bridge School Middleby Rd. Franiklin#1, Allen Rd. Bridge#2, Bridge School Middleby Rd. Fiske#1, Fiske School Adams St. Estabrook#1, Estabrook School Grove St. Bowman#1, Bowman School Phillip Rd. Diamond #2, Diamond Middle School Hancock St. Hastings #1, Hastings School Crosby Rd. Harrington#1, Harrington School Lowell St. Harrington#2, Harrington School Lowell St. Center# 2, Worthen Rd. (field with lights for night play) Soccer/Lacrosse Fields: Lincoln#1, Lincoln St. Lincoln# 2, Lincoln St. Lincoln# 3, Lincoln St. Harrington#1, Harrington School Lowell St. Harrington#2, Harrington School Lowell St. Adams #1, Mass Ave. Worthen#1, Worthen Rd. Center of Track, Worthen Rd. Clarke#1, Clarke Middle School Stedman Rd. Muzzey#1, Mass Ave. Diamond #1, Diamond Middle School Hancock St. Aquatics/ Swimming Facilities: 4 Pools Center Complex, Worthen Rd. Reservoir, Marrett Rd. Basketball Courts: Center Court, Worthen Rd. Adams, Mass Ave. Baskin, Wyman Rd. Estabrook, Estabrook School, Grove St. Fiske, Fiske School, Adams St. Harrington, Harrington School, Lowell St. Sutherland, Sutherland Rd. Rindge, Rindge Ave. Picnic Areas: Tower Park, Mass. Ave. Old Resevoir Picnic Area, Marrett Rd. Willards Woods., North St. Open Recreation Land: Hennessey Estate, Robinson Rd. Willards Woods, North St. Other Areas: Pine Meadows Golf Course, Cedar St. Bike Paths, Throughout town Teresa& Roberta Lee Fitness Path, Worthen Rd. Restrooms at Center Playground, Park Dr. Center Track, Worthen Rd. / TOWN OF LEXINGTON iVrd cl6 RECREATION FEES 5�' 5/96 Swim Tags: $ 30.00 Senior and Youth $ 40.00 Adult $120.00 Family $240.00 Out of town family $100.00 A person who works in Lexington $ 30.00 Swim Lessons Tennis: $30.00 Tennis ID $50.00 Adult Lessons $30.00 Youth Lessons $ 5.00 Court Reservation without ID for lights (per hour) $ 3.00 Court Reservation with ID for lights (per hour) $ 3.00 Court Reservation without ID (per hour) Free Court Reservation with ID (per hour) Golf: $10.00 Resident Golf ID for Tee Times $11.00 9 Holes Resident $13.00 9 Holes Resident Weekend $13.00 9 Holes Non-Resident $15.00 9 Holes Non-Resident Weekend Sports Clinics: $55.00 per week 1/2 day session Camp For All: $250.00 per 2 week session Teddy Bear preschool Camp: $75.00 per week 1/2 day session Adult Programs: $40.00-$98.00 (1 day per week for 6 or 8 weeks based on program) Youth Programs: $40.00-$150.00 (1 day per week for 6 or 8 weeks) Preschool Programs: $30.00.-40.00 (1 day per week for 6 weeks) Adult Gym: $ 70.00 early morning season pass $ 40.00 Resident Season Pass $ 65.00 Non-Resident Season Pass $ 3.00 Daily Fee Bailfields: $ 15.00 one time use $ 40.00 per evening of Center#2 lights 8pm-lOpm $ 5.00 per season, per child, youth league fee $150.00 Adult League Blanket field Permit (under 20 games) $200.00 Adult League Blanket field Permit (Over 20 games)