December 16, 2025
TO: City Council
REQUESTED BY: Travis Randel, Deputy City Manager, Development Services APPROVED BY: Robert A. Johnson, City Manager
SUBJECT: Professional Services Agreement with Craig Orona Consulting for Boys & Girls Club Facility Developme
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. APPROVE a Professional Services Agreement with Craig Orona Consulting to provide capital project development support, organizational development, and liaison services for the Boys & Girls Club facility project.
2. AUTHORIZE $30,000 from Economic Development CIP (Project 18-007), Account 199-9999-425.40-01, to fund the scope of services through June 30, 2026.
3. AUTHORIZE the City Manager, with concurrence of the City Attorney, to finalize and execute the Agreement.
BACKGROUND:
In October 2023, the City Council approved agreement terms with the Boys and Girls Club of Inland Valley (BGCIV) and committed operational funding over a three-year period to help establish a new Boys and Girls Club in San Jacinto. That action was rooted in the community's strong desire for accessible youth programs, supported by the Measure V needs assessment, which identified youth programming and gang-prevention programs as core priorities.
The City has made substantial progress across many Measure V initiatives, including new public safety staffing, new fire apparatus, a homelessness outreach program, and major water system upgrades. Despite these advancements, San Jacinto remains underserved in the area of dedicated youth enrichment, before and after school programming, and safe spaces for youth during parental working hours. The Boys and Girls Club model provides a direct, community-supported way to address that gap.
Over the past two years, City staff has worked closely with BGCIV to identify an appropriate location for youth programming. Staff evaluated several existing City parks in detail and explored a range of other options, including the use of existing City facilities, San Jacinto Unified School District facilities, and other potential sites throughout the community. None of these alternatives proved to be a suitable or viable long-term solution due to space limitations, operational constraints, or lack of dedicated facility availability. As a result, staff determined that developing or acquiring a purpose-built recreation building is the most practical and sustainable approach. The facility would remain a City asset and be used to host youth programming, with BGCIV anticipated to serve as the program partner.
As part of continued due diligence, staff also explored alternative pathways to achieve the same outcome. One emerging option involves working with an active housing developer that is planning a new park as part of its project buildout. Early discussions indicate that incorporating a recreation building into that future park could provide a more efficient and cost-effective solution rather than retrofitting an existing City park, though no formal commitments have been made. This option remains under evaluation, and staff will return to the City Council once the development details and partnership structure are more defined.
As staff evaluated this refined approach, it became clear that additional technical guidance would strengthen the City’s ability to plan a successful project. BGCIV’s experience has primarily been in school-based or tenant-improvement facilities rather than ground-up development, and as such, additional support is necessary to ensure the facility is thoughtfully designed, financially supported, and positioned for long-term community use.
Staff also recognized opportunities to strengthen coordination with BGCIV leadership, improve project planning, and begin early work on a funding strategy that supports sustained youth programming, regardless of which nonprofit partner ultimately operates the facility.
To support these goals, staff engaged Craig Orona Consulting to develop a proposal that provides technical expertise, organizational development support, and fund development guidance. Mr. Orona brings deep experience with Boys and Girls Clubs statewide, including capital project planning, operational readiness, annual operational budget and capital fundraising expertise, strategic leadership development, and municipal partnerships. His scope is designed to assist the City navigate facility development while also building the organizational capacity, leadership alignment, and funding pathways needed to support long-term youth programming in San Jacinto.
DISCUSSION
Craig Orona Consulting will serve as a thought partner and technical advisor to support the City as it evaluates, plans, and develops a new recreation building intended to host youth programming in San Jacinto. BGCIV is anticipated to serve as the program partner, and the consultant’s scope is structured to assist both the City and BGCIV navigate the complexities of facility development, organizational readiness, and long-term sustainability. The consultant’s services include:
• Insight into national Boys and Girls Club facility models, best practices, spatial layouts, safety considerations, funding opportunities, and programmatic requirements relevant to a purpose-built youth recreation facility.
• Recommendations on optimal building size, room configuration, outdoor recreation needs, and programmatic flow that support a wide range of youth enrichment activities. • Guidance on the full development lifecycle of a new recreation building, including predevelopment requirements, site planning, design reviews, operational considerations, and long-term sustainability.
• Liaison support to strengthen communication between the City and BGCIV leadership, ensuring clear expectations, responsiveness, and consistent alignment throughout the planning process.
• Executive coaching and organizational development to prepare BGCIV for its anticipated role as the initial operator of youth programming within the new facility. • Fund development strategy support, including capital campaign readiness, donor cultivation, grant identification, and preparation of a Fund Development Roadmap that aligns with the facility’s development timeline.
• Board development support for BGCIV to strengthen governance, decision-making capacity, and organizational structure as the program expands.
These services are essential to reducing risk as the City advances a project that involves multiple partners and a potential new park site under negotiation. The consultant’s expertise will help ensure the recreation building is designed for long-term community benefit and that youth programming remains financially and organizationally sustainable, regardless of which nonprofit partner may operate within the facility over time.
The proposal spans through June 30, 2026, with flexibility to extend if needed. Compensation totals $23,000, consisting of a $5,000 initial payment and $3,000 per month from January 1 through June 30, 2026. Travel costs, if incurred, would be billed separately.
This consulting engagement will allow staff to keep the project coordinated, technically sound, and financially sustainable. It also advances the City’s Measure V commitment to expand youth programming and provide safe, structured spaces for San Jacinto families.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Professional Services Agreement with Craig Orona Consulting totals $23,000 for services through June 30, 2026. To ensure adequate funding for travel and other incidental expenses identified in the proposal, staff recommends including an additional $7,000 as a contingency.
The total recommended appropriation is $30,000.
Funding has been identified in CIP #18-009 (Economic Development CIP) in the Fiscal Year 2025/2026 Budget. No additional General Fund allocations are required.
ATTACHMENTS:
Professional Services Agreement - Craig Orona Consulting