SCOTTS VALLEY >> To achieve more financial stability in the Scotts Valley Parks and Recreation Department, the Scotts Valley City Council approved changes to the fees it charges for reserving parks, fields and facilities for private events at its meeting Wednesday evening.

Before addressing the agenda item, Scotts Valley Mayor Randy Johnson, who chose not to seek reelection to the Scotts Valley City Council, celebrated the passage of Measure X, which raised the city’s annual business license base rate from $90 to $150. Johnson also congratulated the tentative winners of the three seats on the governing body that were up for grabs this election cycle and the citizens who voted.

“Not everyone knows, but Jack Dilles and I are going to be leaving the council,” said Johnson. “I want to congratulate Donna Lind, for being the top vote-getter, which was very impressive. Krista Jett is also going to be part of the City Council so congratulations to Krista and Steve Clark, who is in attendance here.”

The City Council then heard a presentation about the proposed fee changes by Scotts Valley Administrative Service Director Stephanie Hill and Recreation Manager Allison Pfefferkorn.

“In June of this year, the City Council passed the cost-based user fees and charges that made up the bulk of our master fees,” said Hill at the meeting. “At that time, it was explained how recreation fees follow a slightly different structure since they are more facility and rental-based so staff have been going through, modifying and reviewing those, doing some cost analyses to come up with the fees we will be presenting.”

Pfefferkorn described how, in March, she and Scotts Valley Finance Manager Kendra Reed attended a financial sustainability certification program offered by the National Parks and Recreation Society, along with representatives from cities in the Bay Area, to help attendees develop cost recovery programs.

Hill explained how city staff evaluated the department’s most recent budget, comparative market data and service analysis of parks and facilities to calculate updates to the fee schedule, which was last updated in 2018.

She said that the total cost for the Scotts Valley Parks and Recreation Department in the current budget is about $2 million.

According to the item’s staff report, the city’s current recreation programs are subsidized in the city budget by approximately $750,000 each year, and the “proposed increase in fees is a step toward greater fiscal sustainability in recreation activities. Actual results will vary based on utilization of the different programs and facilities. Staff will continue to collect data in the categories to be able to monitor and report out the results and any proposed future changes.”

After the presentation, Johnson asked the staff about the public’s reaction to the fees. Pfefferkorn mentioned that most appreciate the low cost of the fees and that sports leagues will be charged differently from the proposed schedule under memorandums of understanding with the city.

Also under the updated fee schedule, city residents receive a 15% discount and nonprofit organizations get a 25% discount.

The City Council approved the fee schedule update in a unanimous vote, and the new fees will go into effect in January 2025.

To view the meeting, visit scottsvalley.gov.