Discuss 2013 Municipal Center Policy and Room Rental Fee Adustments

At the regular Personnel Committee meeting on Tuesday, January 22, 2013, the Committee discussed hiring a part-time building maintenance worker for a myriad of tasks and coverage at the Municipal Center.  As the attached (draft) meeting minutes attest, discussion relating to the need for the position was identified as driven in large part by public demand for meeting space within City Hall.

The consensus of the Committee was to table the case until more information was brought back to the next Personal Committee meeting with information relating to existing revenue generated by meeting room rental - as well as proposals for better alignment between the real cost of providing the public rooms, with the cost of maintenance.

At the regular Personnel Committee meeting on February 12th, 2013 the Committee reviewed Staff recommended changes to the Municipal Center policies and associated adjustments to meeting room rental fees - finding that the increases (and reductions), 'closed the gap' in funding for the part-time building maintenance position.

Staff is completing the process of updating several facility use policies with attendant rental rates; with the park and tournament policies having been approved by City Council on February 12th, 2013.

Pursuant to the Personnel Committee's direction, Staff has revised the proposed rate schedule for meeting rooms at the Municipal Center as part of the general facility use policy revisions.  Attachment #2 is Staff's recommended 'MUNICIPAL CENTER FACILITY USE & RENTAL POLICY'.  The rental rate schedule has been modified considerably to provide more options in matching users with logical room rental rates.  Additionally, there would be a 'new' Minimum Maintenance Fee proposed for those users whose room rental is waived (non-profits and business networking groups).  Further, general resident meeting room rates are proposed to be lower.  

Lastly, the schedule also lists new fees; a one-time Audio Visual charge if requested by the users, and an After Hours/Weekend rate.  The table representing the above proposed changes is on page 3 of the attachment (#2), with 'after hours' clarified in the paragraph below it.

The existing Municipal Center facility use policies and fees are contained within attachment #3 for reference.  A part of the review of the policy and room rental rates was to generally update the policy; and also to match the demand for the proposed part-time maintenance position with the associated funding for the replacement position.   However, perhaps equally important, the proposed new rental rates and charges more accurately reflect the true cost of serving the public for City Hall's rooms for rent.

Staff is recommending City Council approval of the proposed facility use policy and rates changes; and accordingly, would recommend that future revenue from these improvements be considered as a funding source for the part-time building maintenance position.

This case does not require funding, but rather identifies future funding for the case on the City Council's agenda authorizing the hiring of Jeff Strelow as a part-time building maintenance worker.

Please see Management Analyst Patrick Brama's revenue projections (attachment #4) for the rental rates' impact if/when adopted by City Council - the summary of which is as follows:

• Adding a minimum maintenance fee for non-profits and business networking groups of $5 nets an estimated $3,156 each year.
• Adding an audio visual (technical and set up) fee for those users requesting it nets an estimated $576 annually.
   

The above estimates are somewhat conservative, and the after hours rates are not included in the annual revenue forecast below. Using these numbers, and assuming that room rentals (for paying individuals and entities) are the same for future years as 2012, Staff estimates the total meeting room revenue for the Municipal Center to be a minimum of $6,732 annually, (or as high as $7,521, excluding after hours fees), if the proposed changes are approved by City Council.

Consensus in acknowledging that the MUNICIPAL CENTER FACILITY USE & RENTAL POLICY is to be adopted later in the evening under the February 26, 2013 City Council Consent Agenda. 

Or, Based Upon Discussion.