HomeMy WebLinkAboutADULT SOFTBALL FEES 04-16-84OAT'E: Mamh 27, 1984
FROM:
'SUBJECT:
Wtlllam A. Huston, City Manager
Jeff Koli n, Recreation Superintendent
ADULT ~OF'TBALL LEAGUE FEES
i~r~Al~Oli$: Available Alternatives
l. Maintain league fee of $349.00 per team.
2. Change City Council Policy #4-05 and subsidize adult sofi~all program using
General Fund support. Reduce fee bo $315.00 per team.
3. Direct staff to cancel Spring league or another quarter bo 'renovate turf at · Columbus Tusttn Park.
The City Counci'l in Maroh, 1981 adopted Council Pollcy'#4-05, which stated that
fees for sports leagues, recreation classes, and special· programs will be
self-sUstaining, Including direct costs and administrative overhead. Council
Policy #4-05 also established that subJ'ect bo the above guidelines, fee changes
would be approved by the Commntty Services Director.
The Community Serivces Department, at the direction of the City Council, sets
fees for activities so that the gepartment can be as self-supporting as
possible. Fees and charges are reviewed on a regular basis and adjusted to
reflect changing program costs. The Community Services Department's goal is to
provide high quality and reasonably priced activities for all citizens of
Tustt n.
of 6 tO xg t~ams eecn season. The aeul: softOall program In :ne ul:y OT
nas en~oyee a tremendous ~se in popularity during the past five years. The
number of softball leagues and teams participating in the program has increased
each year. Future plans call for the development of afternoon and t~illght
games to accommodate additional teams at lower league fees. In this manner,
Industrial leagues can be established so that employees- working in Tustin can
enjoy softball games immediately af~ter work.. Afternoon and twilight games
eliminate the need for night lighting, one of the major costs of the existing
adult softball program and make lower ·fees possible.
Fees for t~e -a,,lt softball proiram are deteretmed b~f breaking do~ the costs of
prOVlel~ l~e-~oilrmm- TheSe costs lnCluoe umpires, maintenance, flel~
ADULT SOFTBALL LEAGUE FEES
Page Two
[4a~h 27, 198~
supervision, supplies, supervision, llghttng and electricity, Clerical suppo~c,
and maintenance supplies. A copy of this cost breakdown is attach~ to the
repo~ for ~our information. T~e cost breakdow~ is then used to estsbltsh a
recommended league fee. The most recent cost breakdown established a per game
fee of $34.10. When multiplied by the number of games in a season, this would
establish a league fee of approximetely $341.00. The next step taken is to
compare the recomended league fee with those of other Orange County agencies
offering adult softball programs. A league fee of $349.00 was set to eliminate
the need for future increases for a period of at least 12 months.
A ~u~v~ of O~-~ Coeet~ a~tes offering adult sofl~a11 places our leonine., fee ·
In 1~ af-roe~le rankle. A comparison of Orange County agencies offering aoult
sotma;~ programs was ~ast conducted in Se~er, 1983. This survey showed
that four cities had higher league fees than were tn effect In Tusttn at the
time of the survey. ~n addition, two other Orange County cities were ~thtn
$20.00 of the Tusttn .league fee. After co~aring prices with other agencies
offering adult softball programs, It was felt that the $349.00 league fee was
within an acceptable and reasenable range for the quality of. program provided by
the Department.
The ~ortty of adult sofia11 games tn the City of Tustfn are played at
Coluneus Tusttn Park. This multt-dtamend facility offers yew high quality
night ltghtlng and is one of the few facilities ~tch can be used for year-round
play. The location of the park is extremely convenient for both residents of
Tusttn' and surrounding communities. Supplies for the program are of the highest
qualtt7 including Oudley balls, Bolco bases, and holl2wood bases. ~nflelds are
prepared and dragged prior to each evening's games. The quality of fnfteld
preparation is also extremely htgh when compared to other Orange County
agenc t es ·
~lata~_:-~e re__~r,~tbtllttes are shared by tire' CttT and School
~l~US TUS:ln Pa~. ~l~us lus:ln Par~ lSa 3o1~t r~lllty, opera:~ anu.
~lntatned b~ ~e ~l~y of Tusttn and Tusttn Untfled ~ol Otstrfct. ~e ~otnt
po~rs agrement outltnes ~tntena~e res~nstbt~tttes foe the ~ age~tes.
The ~otnt ~ agr~nt asstgns ~sponstbtltty ~e ~rf ~tn~na~e and
1~r~gatton matn~na~e ~ the Tusttn Untfted ~1 01strict. Sp~tallzed
~tntena~e, ~st~om mtntena~e, ~nnts cou~ mtn~na~e, and fnfteld
preparation ts ~e ~s~nstbt~t~ of ~e Ct~ of Tustfn. ~ ~ Ctty and
~hool 0tstrtct am ~a~ ~at ~e ~rf at ~lumus TustJn ~rk ~ds ~ be
rennovated. ~e ext~ely heavy use at ~e ~tlt~ has caused ba~ s~
appear tn ~avt~y-used outfield a~as. ~n addition, ~e a~lettc ftelds a~
plagu~ b~ an ex:~ly heavy gopher ~pulatlon. ~ol Olstrtct c~ have
been atte~tlng ~ add additional ~tertal ~ outfleld a~as ~ both f111 ~phet
~les and ~ r~uvena~ ~ tu~ areas. ~e District's resou~es a~ also
11mtt~ due ~ f~al ~stratnts. ~ver, ~gular ~tntena~e of ~e athle:tc
ADULT SOFTBALL LEAGUE FEES
Page ~ree
March 27, 1984
facilities have been conducted both.by the City and the School District. Gopher
control crews are regularly dispatched to' the Colu~us Tustin facility.
sh°rt of shutting down the facility for an eight to twelve week period, it is
doubtful if gopher eradication and turq~ rejuvenation can be achieved by I)istrtct
and City crews. T~e best that can be hoped for with current resources is to
control and limit the damage done by pests.
~,~l Dts'c~'tc~. and CI~ )mrsonmel plan.rel)ulm.r ,mtntenanc. ·., pest.co~t~._~l__~ _and
~. Current plans call for tur~ maintenance to ~e conauc~ on a
regu throughout the year. In addition, during the next two weeks, sod
will be placed over bare areas in an atten~t to cover worn areas in outfield
locations. Gopher conl~rol crews will continue to trap and po.isDn gophers at the
Coiuflimus Tusttn site. Until neighboring agricultural uses are eliminated, it is
doubtful if the gopher population at Colun~us Tustin can be successfully
controlled. Crews are limited in the techniques they can use because of
education and health codes. Extra attention and effort will be made to fill
holes made by gophers on athletic fields by both District and City staff.
Recent meetings with School Oistrict maintenance staff have been encouraging.
School District cre~is will be fertilizing, thatching, aerating, seeding, and
sodding the field this month. R~ular meetings will be held in the future to
make sure communicattqn is maintained and that problems are solved as they come
up.
C~ to Individuals for sof~)alLts' consistent wtth other acl:lvltles offered b~
the ~nl~ ~lces~. Staff feel s that a league fee of $34g.00 ts
a reason · ee r e qua ~ y softball program provided to participants. Re
per game cost for mn.individual softball player to participate in the City of
Tustin adult softball program with a. league fee of $349.00 per season is only
$2.33 per player. When a co~arison of individual participant costs are made,
the $2.33 per player cost for adult softball participants is indeed very
reasonable. Several ex~les follow: Bowling, $2.50 per person per class;
Tennis lessons, $2.75 per person per lesson; Aerobic Dancing, $2.75 per person
per classi Adult Jazz Dance, $3.38 per person per class; jazzercise ranges from
$2.25 per person bo $2.62 per person per class; Photography, $6.$6 per person
per class; and finally Cooking, $9.00 per person per class. When an individual
participant cost comparison is made, adult softball is indeed an affordable
recreation activity for all individuals. When you consider that anyone may play
adult softball for less than half of what it cost~ tm attend a movie at a local
theatre, it is very reasonable indeed.
Proof of the affordability of the adult softball program in the City of Tustin
is demonstrated by the tremendous increase of the popularity of the program.
· Each year the n~er of teams participating in the City of Tustin program has
~:)I.ILT 5OFTI3ALL LEAI3UE FEES
Page Four
t4arch 27, !~984
Inc~'eased. ~:n addttlon, watttng 11sts for each season's leagues cont~nue to
~cur in spite of ~e creatton of ~ddittonal leagues, St~ff feels Gat pricing
for the adult $of~all pmgrm, Sen .the dand for the activity,
age~y i~tctng, and Individual pa~tctpant cos~ am considered, ts tndeed
reasonale on all ~ counts,
JK:sk
Attic I~ent~