Discussion:
The Community Center membership rates were discussed with the PRAB and City Council in April of this year. At the City Council work session the City Council approved the PRAB's recommendation to not increase fees in July but rather in January of 2018. The City Council then directed staff to propose increased membership fees for January 2018 to reflect the added amenities of the Community Center. They directed that a family membership rate should be around $600.
Staff evaluated the current fees and used the rate of $600 for a family membership as a basis for developing the additional fee packages. Staff is recommending the following fees:
| |
Annual Res |
Annual Nonres |
Monthly Res |
Monthly Nonres |
| Family |
600 |
815 |
55 |
73 |
| Adult |
380 |
540 |
35 |
48 |
|
Senior/Youth/
Military
|
275 |
370 |
25 |
33 |
| Adult +1 |
490 |
680 |
45 |
62 |
The proposed fees were developed utilizing incremental changes and evaluating comparable membership fees. Attached is an updated chart of comparable rates. The chart also lists the current fees and proposed fees. The proposed fees are competitive yet reflect the amenities the city now has to offer. The fees proposed include the same amenities that the current fees include; fitness center, fitness classes, open swim, open skate, open gym, walking track and playground. The membership also includes a discount on childcare.
On September 11, 2017, the PRAB reviewed the recommended fees. They discussed two additional items. The items discussed was including open hockey and/or childcare in the membership. After a lengthy discussion the PRAB recommended to include open hockey in the membership but not childcare. Of the comparable community centers reviewed, three facilities do include childcare and one facility has the option to upgrade the membership to include childcare. The PRAB felt childcare is a specialty service that will only be utilized by certain members. Members that
want to utilize the childcare will pay for that service. Increased membership rates would be warranted if childcare were included in a membership.
The PRAB felt that, if their recommendation to not include childcare in the membership was approved by the City Council, staff should track the usage of the service and bring the topic back for further discussion in the future.
The PRAB moved to recommend to the City Council for approval, the 2018 fees as proposed and the inclusion of open hockey in the membership.