Report Prepared by: Christopher Jensen, Director, Parks & Community Services
Title
SUBJECT: Considers Adopting the Recreation and Parks Commission Recommendation to Extend Current Lease Agreements for McCombs Youth Center with Boys and Girls Club of Merced County, 27th & K Street Youth Center with Restorative Justice League and Challenged Family Resource Center and to Open McNamara Youth Center to Request for Interest for Youth Programming Over a One Year Term with an Option to Extend an Additional One Year Term Next Fiscal Year
REPORT IN BRIEF
The Recreation and Parks Commission is recommending Council’s approve the extension of lease agreements with Boys and Girls Club of Merced County for the McCombs Youth Center, Restorative Justice League and Challenged Family Resource Council for the 27th & K Street Youth Center and opening a Request for Interest to lease McNamara Youth Center for afterschool and summer youth programming. All leases are subject to a one-year extension with the potential to extend one additional year.
RECOMMENDATION
City Council- Adopt a motion:
A. Approving the recommendation of the Recreation and Parks Commission to extend the current Lease Agreement with Boys and Girls Club of Merced County for McCombs Youth Center, Restorative Justice League for 27th & K Street Youth Center, Challenged Family Resource Center for 27th & K Street Youth Center for youth programming for a one-year term with option to extend an additional one-year term next fiscal year; and,
B. Authorizing staff to solicit Request for Interest (RFI) for providing youth services at McNamara Youth Center; and,
C. Authorizing City Manager or Designee to execute all necessary documents.
Body
ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve as presented; or,
2. Approve, subject to other than recommended (identify specific findings and/or conditions amended to be addressed in the motion); or,
3. Deny; or,
4. Refer to staff for consideration of specific items (specific items to be addressed in the motion).
AUTHORITY
Charter of the City of Merced, Section 200.
CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES
As provided for in the 2023-24 Adopted Budget.
DISCUSSION
The City of Merced entered into agreements with several non-profits who had interest in providing afterschool programs and special camps for youth in Merced. The terms of the lease included a one-year guarantee with the option to extend an additional two years if approved by Council. Recreation staff worked with the lessees awarded to develop a quarterly activity report to showcase the work being done, report barriers faced, establish monthly roundtables to strengthen lines of communication, and to coordinate program visits by the Recreation and Parks Commission to see firsthand the services being offered to the community.
These efforts were driven by a desire of the Recreation and Parks Commission to review requested lease extensions with both qualitative and quantitative data that reflected lessee use of the Youth Centers.
Each Vendor provided Mid-Year Activity Reports (July 1, 2022- December 31, 2022) and 3rd Quarter Activity Reports (January 1, 2023- March 30, 2023) to the Recreation and Parks Commission. Commissioners visited programs over spring break to observe activities in each of the youth centers and met in late April to develop formal recommendations for City Council’s consideration.
The Recreation and Parks Commission recommends that City Council extend the current lease agreement with Boys and Girls Club of Merced County, Restorative Justice League, and Challenged Family Resource Center for an additional year with the option to extend for one consecutive year for use of their respective facilities. In addition, it is the recommendation of the Recreation and Parks Commission to not extend the lease of McNamara Youth Center to Students with Aspiring Goals and Symple Equazion and to open a Request for Interest process to provide new youth programs at the facility.
Facility Use and Other Terms:
Each Youth Center offers several amenities that are not available within other recreational facilities in the City. The City hopes to maximize the low-cost programming that is offered to the community through leasing the facilities to non-profit vendors.
Each vendor will provide youth programming for students and families with limitations to private after school programs, care, and activities.
Vendors will report program efforts on a quarterly basis to the Parks and Community Services Department which will be shared with the Recreation Commission and, if requested, City Council, on a quarterly basis. Lessee yearly performance measures will be shared with Council in consideration of any request to extend the lease. The Quarterly Activity Report is attached for review.
Per Council direction, leases would be extended through next fiscal year and will be considered for an additional extension by Council at the end next fiscal year.
IMPACT ON CITY RESOURCES
Annually, the City of Merced Parks and Community Services Department dedicates funding to offset expenses for the operation of these facilities. The amount(s) allocated in the current lease agreement include $34,999.92 to the operation of the McCombs Youth Center, $7,500 to the 27th & K Street Youth Center, and $7,500 to McNamara Youth Center. Funding has yet to be secured in the Fiscal Year 2023-24 budget for this dedicated funding.
Lessee is responsible for expenses above and beyond the Cities allocated funding.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Boys and Girls Club of MC Activity Reports 22-23
2. Restorative Justice League Activity Reports 22-23
3. Challenged Family Resource Center Activity Reports 22-23
4. SWAG & Symple Equazion Activity Reports 22-23
5. Request for Extension- Restorative Justice League
6. Request for Extension- Challenged Family Resource Center
7. Request for Extension- Boys and Girls Club of Merced County