Agenda Report
Fullerton City Council
MEETING DATE: APRIL 5, 2022
TO: CITY COUNCIL / SUCCESSOR AGENCY
SUBMITTED BY: Jeffrey w. collier, acting City Manager
PREPARED BY: ALICE LOYA, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION SUBJECT: MAPLE AND GILBERT NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS LEASE AGREEMENTS
SUMMARY
The Parks and Recreation Department solicited Request for Bids (RFB) from qualified partners interested in leasing and providing programming and services at park neighborhood centers and recreation facilities. The Parks and Recreation Commission reviewed the RFBs and recommends awarding lease agreements for the Maple Neighborhood Center to the Friendly Center and Gilbert Neighborhood Center to OC United.
RECOMMENDATION
Approve the lease agreement, in substantially the form as attached and in such final form as approved by the City Attorney, with the Friendly Center, Inc. for the Maple Neighborhood Center to provide neighborhood services to the surrounding communities as recommended by the Parks and Recreation Commission.
Authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute and administer the Maple Neighborhood Center lease agreement and all documents related to the lease agreement including options to extend, in a form approved by the City Attorney.
Approve the lease agreement, in substantially the form as attached and in such final form as approved by the City Attorney, with OC United Together for the Gilbert Neighborhood Center to provide neighborhood services to the surrounding communities as recommended by the Parks and Recreation Commission.
Authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute and administer the Gilbert Neighborhood Center lease agreement and all documents related to the lease agreement including options to extend, in a form approved by the City Attorney.
PRIORITY POLICY STATEMENT
This item matches the following Priority Policy Statements:
Infrastructure and City Assets
Fiscal and Organization Stability.
FISCAL IMPACT
The new lease agreements will provide an annual General Fund savings of approximately $82,000 beginning in FY 2022-23 as the lessees will pay building maintenance and custodial costs. The City closed the facilities at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and has evaluated non-profits operating the centers. If the City resumed operating the centers, the staffing cost would total approximately $164,000. The City maintains responsibility for any and all necessary capital repairs.
BACKGROUND
The City issued a request for bids in January 2021, soliciting proposals from qualified agencies to lease neighborhood and recreation facilities to provide programming and services to the community. The RFB sought partners to continue to provide programming in place of programs staffed and funded programs through the Parks and Recreation Department.
The City received proposals from six agencies for the Izaak Walton Cabin, Red Cross Building, Gilbert Neighborhood Center, Independence Park Gymnasium and Racquetball Building, Maple Neighborhood Center and Orangethorpe Recreation Building locations.
A committee reviewed the bids and identified the most qualified organizations through scoring the requirements outlined in the RFB, using the following categories:
overall quality
organizational structure
past successes
experience
comprehension of goal
operations and management plan
responsibility
financial capacity
proposed programs.
The committee consisted of two Parks and Recreation Commissioners, two Parks and Recreation staff members, one Fullerton School District administrator and a consultant from Athenian Partners (a former Community Services director.) The following table summarizes the scores for each organization.
Proposal Rating Summary
Rater
YMCA
Friendly Center
B & G Club
OC United
Izaak Walton League
Fullerton Alano Center
Athenian Partners
4.94 4.59
4.70 4.50
3.79 3.34
Fullerton School District
5.00 4.40
4.08 3.76
3.62 4.66
P&R Staff 1
4.83 4.76
4.48 4.78
1.86 2.32
P&R Staff 2
4.61 4.71
4.04 4.33
2.08 2.34
P&R Commissioner 1
4.60 4.56
3.80 3.88
4.15 2.64
P&R Commissioner 2
4.88 4.27
4.68 3.78
4.06 3.22
Average Rating
4.78 4.54
4.22 4.11
3.15 3.04
The Parks and Recreation Department provides an afterschool program for the Fullerton School District (District) at the Maple Neighborhood Center and Orangethorpe Recreation Building. The Fullerton School District receives an ASES grant to provide an educational-based afterschool program at their schools that serve disadvantaged neighborhoods. The District opted to operate both ASES programs with District staff on their campuses. Due to this change, the Boys & Girls Club chose to withdraw from the RFB process before the interview. The YMCA decided to withdraw their proposal for the Orangethorpe building after their interview.
The Committee invited the four most qualified agencies to a virtual interview to present their organization’s mission, staff members and vision for the facility and programs to offer to the surrounding community. The agencies answered questions related to the flexibility of their organization in adapting to the changing needs of residents, information on their current partnerships with other public agencies and their ability to pay for maintenance and utilities. The review committee then scored the proposals based on each agency’s qualifications for the proposed facilities.
Interview Rating Summary
Rater
OC United
Friendly Center
NOC YMCA
Athenian Partners
25 24
24 P and R Staff 1
25 22
22 P and R Staff 2
24 23
23 P and R Commissioner 1
23 N/A
25 Average Rating
24 23
23 All three interviewed agencies scored well and with little-to-no difference in their scores. They all have a successful history of providing community-based services and programs. OC United is the only agency that submitted a proposal for the Gilbert Neighborhood Center. OC United provides free youth and family neighborhood services and programs. Both the Friendly Center and the YMCA submitted proposals for the Maple Center. The Friendly Center provides free neighborhood service programs and social services while the YMCA focuses on fee-based youth and family programs. Although the YMCA has a scholarship program, not all participants will receive a scholarship.
DISCUSSION
The lease agreements include only the facilities and do not include the park. The agreement requires both groups to obtain prior written approval from the Parks and Recreation Department to use any portion of the park. The lease agreements have five-year terms with two options to extend the lease for another five years each, totaling 15 years upon agreement from the City. The City has the ability to terminate the agreement at any time during any term of the agreements, with or without cause, with 90-day written notice.
The two organizations will provide neighborhood services previously operated by the City Parks and Recreation Department. This change in service provides the City ongoing savings of approximately $164,000 a year in staffing costs otherwise needed to operate the centers. Both tenants will take over building maintenance and custodial services which will save the City an estimated $82,000 per year beginning in FY 2022-23. In exchange, tenants will pay $1 rent per year for each facility and the City will continue to provide major infrastructure repairs as needed.
The Parks and Recreation Commission reviewed the RFB results at their June 2021 meeting and recommends City Council approve lease agreements with the Friendly Center for the Maple Neighborhood Center and OC United for the Gilbert Neighborhood Center.
Attachments:
Attachment 1 – Lease Agreement with the Friendly Center, Inc.
Attachment 2 – RFB Proposal from Friendly Center, Inc.
Attachment 3 – Lease Agreement with OC United Together
Attachment 4 – RFB Proposal from OC United Together
Park Facilities RFB and Lease Agreement
April 5, 2022 - Page 4