Consent Item 4k
STAFF REPORT
City Council Consent Item
DATE: July 17, 2023
TO: Honorable Mayor and Councilmembers
FROM: Cameron Mull, Director of Parks & Recreation
THROUGH: Merritt Perry, City Manager
SUBJECT: Supplemental Budget Request (SBR) for Additional Part-Time Recreation Staff Hours for Fiscal Year 2022-2023
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Approve the SBR to balance the Recreation Division budget for Fiscal Year 2022-2023 for the additional use of part-time salaries and benefits.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
During Fiscal Year 2022-2023, the Recreation Division’s part-time staff budget originally allowed for a total of 7,550 hours per year. The hours budgeted for part-time recreation were exceeded as a result of staff taking more time to improve the quality and addition of program offerings. Staff made an effort to reduce part-time hours, but were unable to reduce the hours enough to balance the budget, primarily due to the need to maintain proper staff to participant ratios, as well as using non-routine hours to train staff on using a new online software and safety programs.
On November 7, 2022, the City Council approved an SBR for the addition of, 1,450 hours (or $26,329 to the Recreation budget); giving a new total of 9,000 part-time staff hours for the year to utilize. This adjustment was requested to provide the hours needed for the overage. Also, on February 2, 2023, Council approved an additional SBR to utilize 750 hours of part-time staff hours using First 5 Humboldt grant funds to subsidize staffing hours for the new playgroup program that were also not anticipated in the original budget.
Below is a table/ summary of the actual hours accrued in Fiscal Year 2022-2023, and the projected hours to be accrued in fiscal year 2023-2024 for part-time Recreation employees.
Consent Item 4k
Month Hours
July Adjustment* (1,159.90)
Jul-22 2,455.81
Aug-22 2,309.50
Sep-22 1,120.00
Oct-22 612.00
Nov-22 633.00
Dec-22 557.25
Jan-23 547.00
Feb-23 527.25
Mar-23 904.00
Apr-23 579.25
May-23 324.75
Jun-23 2,067.25
TOTAL 11,477.16
*July adjustment is remove hours worked in prior fiscal year A total of 11,477 hours were accrued in 2022-2023, which was 1,727 hours over the budgeted amount. A total of 10,000 hours are budgeted in Fiscal Year 2023-2024.
As you can see in the table above, the difference between budget an actual primarily occurred between September and December (after summer break programs and up to the start of winter break camps). The effort was primarily used to develop new programs, complete training and plan for future break programs. These hours should have been more closely monitored and schedules adjusted to stay within budget. Staff will be tracking hours accrued much more closely this fiscal year, and will provide monthly report to the City Manager with the budget, vs. actual for hours worked by part-time recreation employees. Staff will also continue to seek grants, donations, and volunteers when possible to expand the hours available and improve the quality of programs.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Approval of this SBR will balance the Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Recreation budget’s expenses for part-time salaries and benefits, by adding a total of $27,550 of part-time Recreation staff hours (covering the additional 1,727 hours) to the budget. This funding will come out of General Fund reserves.
While it is out of the ordinary for staff to bring forward an SBR after the fiscal year it was deemed necessary on a number of accounts. First, because payroll is paid after the work was performed on a bi-weekly period the number of hours for June was not known until the July 7, 2023 payroll had been completed. Second, this amount was large and to the General Fund budget and is necessary in order to stay in compliance with public agency laws, which requires public agencies to receive legal authorization to spend public funds. One way the City receives legal authorization to spend public funds is by the Council approving a budget appropriation. Ensuring we are compliant in this area will help the City stay in compliance with its annual audit of our financial statements.
Month Hours
Jul-23 2,250
Aug-23 1,210
Sep-23 300
Oct-23 550
Nov-23 530
Dec-23 520
Jan-24 550
Feb-24 460
Mar-24 750
Apr-24 560
May-24 340
Jun-24 1,980
TOTAL
10,000
Consent Item 4k
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Approve the SBR and authorize a budget adjustment for the Recreation Division in Fiscal Year 2022-2023.
ATTACHMENTS:
Supplemental Budget Request