Report Prepared by: Christopher Jensen, Director, Parks & Community Services
Title
SUBJECT: Approving Professional Services Agreement with Merced City School District Expanded Learning Opportunity Funding to Support Parks and Community Services FUNdamentals Youth Sports Programs Including Jr. Giants Baseball, NFL Flag Football, and Jr. NBA/WNBA Basketball and Accepting Funding in Amount of $231,588.05
REPORT IN BRIEF
Considers approving professional services agreement for Merced City School District Expanded Learning Opportunity Funding to support Parks and Community Services FUNdamentals youth sports programs including Jr. Giants Baseball, NFL Flag Football, and Jr. NBA/WNBA Basketball and accepting funding in amount of $231,588.05 This contract would cover the cost of up to 500 K-6th grade MCSD students participation in recreation programs.
RECOMMENDATION
City Council - Adopt a motion:
A. Authorizing the City Manager to sign Professional Service Agreement with Merced City School District; and,
B. Authorizing acceptance of $34,738 and increasing revenue in Fund 1018-Parks and Community Service, Cost Recovery Youth Sport Division.
Body
ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve, as recommended by Staff; or,
2. Deny; or,
3. Refer back to Staff for reconsideration of specific items.
AUTHORITY
Charter of the City of Merced, Section 200.
CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES
As provided for in the 2025-26 Adopted Budget- increasing financial sustainability.
DISCUSSION
Background
Parks and Community Services Department is a cost recovery-based service that relies on program fees to help cover the cost of operations. For youth sports, fees are paid by users and help to cover expenses including staffing, materials and supplies and field preparation and maintenance. These fees however can often be a barrier to participation and although the Department does retain a small pool of funding to help cover the cost for a number of families who require scholarship, the vast majority of participants bear the full cost of the program fees.
Parks and Community Services (P&CS) began conversations with Merced City School District (MCSD) in 2024 about the potential to leverage Expanded Learning Opportunity Funding from the district to cover the cost of sports programs for students. The District awarded an initial pilot funding the Jr. Giants Baseball program in the Summer of FY24/25. The partnership was a major success and allowed P&CS to offer 3 Divisions of the program including Baseball, Softball and Champion (Special Olympics) Divisions.
In FY 25/26 MCSD awarded a full year of funding to P&CS to cover student costs for Jr. Giants Baseball, NFL Flag Football, and Jr. NBA Basketball. The Department was able to serve approximately 450 youth for free as a result between all four programs. This equated to over 30,000 hours of direct services to MCSD students in K-6th grades in FY 25/26.
Proposed Service Agreement
The proposed Service Agreement is similar in structure with increased to fees affiliated with a rise in staff, material, and supply costs as well as a percentage for administrative overhead to manage the contract and program. The Professional Service Agreement is a comprehensive approach that covers all sports through the FUNdamentals Youth Sports Initiative which would cover costs for up to 500 youth in Jr. Giants Baseball, NFL Flag Football, and Jr. NBA Basketball. The contract amount of $231,588.05 is a reimbursable contract with $23,159, or 10% of the contract, available within the first 30 days of the contract to assist with staff onboarding, material and supplies and contracts necessary to carry out the services agree to.
The professional service agreement is covering two fiscal years. Jr Giants Baseball starts in June 2026 through July 2026. The funding within the agreement is split between both fiscal years; allocating $34,738 to current fiscal year and the remaining amount of $196,850 is included in the FY2026-27 Proposed Budget.
Funding Contingency Acknowledgment
The contract includes a funding contingency acknowledgement, affirming that funding from the District is contingent on State allocations. Should a change in policy at the State level remove Expanded Learning Funding from MCSD, the City would receive a 30-day notice that funding will cease.
P&CS would be required to restore the cost recovery model and require all users of youth sports to cover the cost of participation.
IMPACT ON CITY RESOURCES
Staff is requesting the acceptance of $34,738 and increasing revenue in account 10184040-431002 in FY25-26.
The remaining amount ($196,850) of the contract is included in the FY2026-27 Proposed Budget: 10184040-431002.
Recommendation B requires five affirmative votes for approval.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Professional Service Agreement- Merced City School District & City of Merced Parks & Community Services, FUNdamental Youth Sports Initiative