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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWaiver Fees Senior Softball League 2001 Season �, I CITY OF PALM DESERT DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT MEMORANDUM TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL FROM: JEFF WINKLEPLECK, PARKS AND RECREATION PLANNING MANAGER DATE: JANUARY 11,2001 SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR WAIVER OF FEES FOR THE PALM DESERT SENIOR SOFTBALL LEAGUE I. REC OMMENDATION: 1. By minute motion , that the City Council waive field usage and reservation fees associated with the Palm Desert Senior Softball League 2001 season. II. BACKGROUND: The Palm Desert Senior Softball League is requesting that the City waive the field usage and reservation fees for the league's 2001 season. The league will field 10 teams with over 100 players,with the majority(approximately 80 percent)being from Palm Desert. The players range from 50 to 84 years of age. Games will take place on Tuesday mornings at the Civic Center fields and last 9 weeks. Mr.Robert Dakin is the commissioner of the league and presented the proposal to the Parks and Recreation Commission at its November 22,2000 meeting. The commission recommended that the City Council waive the fees for senior softball. Staff spoke with Coachella Valley Recreation and Park District staff to identify the specific field costs associated with the league's usage and they are as follows: Field Preparation Fees $615/season Field Reservation Fees $1500/season Total $2115/season The field preparation will be done by CVRPD staff and the City will need to reimburse the $615 if approved. Field reservation fees will not need to be reimbursed. TY COUNCIL ACTION: iPPROVED DENIED RECEIVED OTHER MEETING DATE AYES: NOES: ABSENT: — — ABSTAIN: VERIFIED BY: Original on File with City Clerk's Off MEMORANDUM PALM DESERT SENIOR SOFTBALL FEE WAIVER MAY 25, 2000 Staff recommends that the City Council approve the proposed fee waiver. Prep d By: Reviewed and Concur: ECK J. F ,P.E. C OLKE PARKS &RECREATION ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER FOR PLANNING MANAGER DEVELOPMENT SERVICES Review: , . d Concur: Reviewed and Concur: r 7 L CARLOS ORTEGA DIRECTO' OF COMMUNITY CITY MANAGER DEVELOPMENT /attachments CITY COUNCIL ,ACTION: APPROVED ✓ DENIED RECEIVED OTHER MEETI G DATE I - II - I AYES: ,Onie fe{50S,5Y1 NOES: Ahle V _ ABSENT: �fn ABSTAIN: N Y�, ` VERIFIED BY: L kL (Hain Original on File witth City Clerk's Office 2 RECEIVED '00 DEC 13 Pfi 3 `f`I *in gills fs wpm December 11, 2000 Palm Desert City Council City of Palm Desert 73-510 Fred Waring Drive Palm Desert, California 92260 Dear Members of the Council: We are writing on behalf of the Palm Desert Senior Softball League. We look forward to starting in January 2001. At this point we expect to have ten teams in the league (over 100 players). On November 22, 2000 we met with the Parks & Recreation Commission. They made a recommendation to the City Council, "that the field fees be waived for the senior softball league, that Tuesday mornings be reserved for the senior softball league making sure the sprinklers are off and the restrooms are open." We request your approval as soon as possible so we have time to inform our players of your decision. We also need time to make the necessary arrangements with the Coachella Valley Recreation& Parks Department. We would like to thank you for the recent work repairing the infields. This has really made a big improvement on the fields. We look forward to being associated with the City of Palm Desert and appreciate your consideration regarding this request. Sincerely, ()di Robert Dakin, Commissioner George Anas, Assistant Commissioner PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION NOVEMBER 22, 2000 MINUTES The list of this year's nominees will be kept for consideration for next year. Kee the list for rt xt year. There are seven spots left. B. Senior Softball Mr. Robert Dakin, Commissioner, and Mr. George Anas, Assistant Commissioner, attended on behalf of the Coachella Valley Senior Softball Program. Softball has been an active enterprise in the Coachella Valley for a number of years. They are representing over 500 people who play softball regularly. There is a league in Palm Springs and they would like Palm Desert to organize a league in Palm Desert with Palm Desert nomenclature. They distributed a letter and a memo to the Commission outlining their requests. They want to formally organize a senior league to play on Tuesday mornings beginning January 23, 2001, through March, 2001, from 8:00 am to noon. They use all four of the diamonds at the Civic Center Park. The local roster consists of approximately 100 seniors on the eight teams, 80% of which are either full-time or snowbird Palm Desert residents. The minimum age is 50, ranging up to 84. The league gets more participants each year. This is a national group of people that play tournaments around the country, but this is a home league and they want to play in Palm Desert, not Palm Springs mainly because the Palm Springs games are during the weekend. These are some of the same players who participate World Series of Senior Softball. They are trying to establish the Coachella Valley Senior Citizens Softball Association. The Association is requesting upgraded infields; reserved Tuesday morning field time; field maintenance including bases and lines, sprinklers turned off, and unlocked restrooms; waiver of field fees; a storage locker; and team shirts and balls. The key problem is the condition of the infields. They are sandy and need stabilizers. The ball is unpredictable as it bounces. There is concern about accidents and injuries. Mr. Martin stated that the infields would be better kept up if they were watered down and graded everyday. Last year, $4,000 was spent on brick dust and it is gone because there's not enough water pressure and it is not packed down. The current watering system is not up to par and with a booster pump, all four fields could be done at one time. It is presently done one at a time. The fields still have 3 PARKS&RECREATION COMMISSION NOVEMBER 22, 2000 4" MINUTES to be dragged, but on those days they are not dragged, watering will keep the surface packed. Otherwise, the brick dust blows away. The water pump was discussed a year ago. But due to the fairly substantial cost, the subject was left on the table. The City currently charges $200/team for the season, ie, $1,600/season. In comparison, Palm Springs has had an established program and the seniors are not charged for the fields or the maintenance, but the uniforms are sponsored by private businesses. Palm Springs has annual maintenance contracts for so many fields per year. Palm Springs does not have any adult softball leagues, but the maintenance contracts still stand, so they get their fields done for free. Coachella Valley Recreation & Parks District (CVRPD) only has a crew of three. Whenever CVRPD hosts team competitions, they build the cost of the field maintenance into the entry fee. Insurance is also built into their entry fees. Mr. Martin stated that the main cost is maintaining the fields at $30/field, or $120/week. This is what CVRPD charges when they have the time. Otherwise, it would go to an outside service as Palm Desert does. Also, it may be difficult to get someone to do the dragging, watering, and lining on Tuesday mornings. Baseball teams use the fields on Monday nights. Mr. Dakin stated that there were for more fields slated for the Country Club Regional Park and these same issues could be inherent. He believes that they will be able to field 16 teams in their league so they are already thinking ahead to the regional park. For Little League, CVPRD sets up the fields at the beginning of the season and Little League maintains the fields through the season. Commissioner Barnes stated that we maintain the tennis courts 52 weeks a year and thought we should do it for the ball fields. Commissioner Babcock asked how much storage space they would need. They responded that they needed enough storage to lock up the balls, screens, a rake, and other equipment. Mr. Winklepleck reported that the current storage area will open up as soon as the Public Works Department completes their new storage facility. Until then, the Commission might consider a temporary shed for both the Senior and Little League teams, knowing that the other building is being built. Commissioner Babcock asked how much money they were asking for. 4 • PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION „ NOVEMBER 22, 2000 MINUTES They don't know how much it would be to renovate the fields. Other than that, the waiver of fees, the shirts and balls, and the storage shed about $2000. Little League (groups under 18 years of age) is the only group CVRPD currently waives fees for. Every adult league, every outside league from outside the City pay their own fees. Only Palm Desert youth sports or recognized Palm Desert youth don't pay. Mr. Martin explained that every organization pays but CVRPD waives light fees and fill use fees for the youth groups. However, they do pay about $85 per player to their own organizations. Soccer is a similar per player fee The field fees are $200/team with 10-12 players, that is $20/player (a revenue of $1 ,600 for field maintenance and insurance). In addition, the players pay the umpires $40 per game. Applicant receiving input from out-of-state snowbird players indicating that it is not unusual for • municipality to provide the services to the seniors. When Palm Desert asks $200 per team and Palm Springs is offering the same for free, the applicants are at a competitive disadvantage. There are 20 games per season. As mentioned by Mr. Martin, maintenance is $30/field/week or $120/week (an expense of$2,400 for maintenance per season). Mr. Martin thought that brick dust should be included for this year so that it can be packed down. Commissioner Scheurer stated that it would cost each player $115 to play in this league and added that if the Commission can help this league by waiving the field fees and maintaining the fields, it would reduce their out of pocket costs. The players would pay for their own uniforms and balls. The cost to the City would be $4,000/season to support the senior softball league ($1,600 in field/insurance fees and $2,400 for maintenance). Commissioner Barnes asked that if the City picked up the bill for team shirts and balls for the first year, did they think by the second year, they could pick up other sponsors. They thought they could. Commissioner Royer asked if there was any problem with the team paying for their own shirts. They responded that they could probably handle that. Mr. Martin pointed out that insurance is included in the $200/team fee. In Palm Springs, they are charged $70/person if they want the insurance and they sign a waiver if they don't. Since the kids sign waivers for the skate park, the applicants should provide insurance for themselves. 5 PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION NOVEMBER 22, 2000 MINUTES • The main thing is to get the fields up to par. If they get the storage locker and waiver of fees, that would be best. Mr. Martin pointed out that if the local seniors won't play on these fields, how can CVRPD draw players to the Senior Games in February. Action: Commissioner Babcock moved, seconded by Commissioner Barnes, to upgrade the infields with another load of brick dust and by improving the water system in the infield by adding a pump. Motion carried 5-0 with Commissioners Tanner, Bats, and Guyer absent. Action: Commissioner Scheurer moved, seconded by Commissioner Phil, to make a recommendation to the City Council that the field fees be waived for the senior softball league, that Tuesday mornings be reserved for the senior softball league making sure the sprinklers are off and the restrooms are open. Motion carried 5-0 with Commissioners Tanner, Bats, and Guyer absent. C. Soccer Park With the success of the San Pablo community garden, staff had been asked to look at other potential sites for other community gardens. This site is at the southwest corner of the Soccer Park adjacent to Portola Country Club (PCC). When the Soccer Park was being planned, staff met with PCC residents who expressed their desire not to have an active facility in this corner. It is not a large area, maybe 10,000 sq.ft. It is estimated that 10-12 plots will fit in the space. It is important to note that the site is just to the west of a large apartment complex which is going in and doesn't have space on its own site. This is land where utilization is minimal. Commissioner Munson asked if this would affect the Soccer Park parking. As most of the work gets done in the mornings and the gardeners don't all show up at once, it will not pose a parking problem. The City will have to provide water faucets, may cut a pedestrian gate in the wall from the apartment complex, may install some sort of fencing, and perhaps a shade structure and benches. This garden site will not be as fancy as the San Pablo gardens. The City has had some conversation with the apartment developer about putting in a public facility. 6