9, Council Comments & Staff Updates

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The majority of youth field use in Arden Hills comes from the Association Use. Below is an estimate of fees we would have collected from 2010 if we had a youth field fee. If we charged $5.00 per 4 hour time block: Association: Shoreview Area Youth Baseball (SAYB) Games: Practice: TOTAL 520.00 $2,120.00 $2,640.00 North Suburban Soccer Association (NSSA) Games /Practice: TOTAL: 180.00 $2,820.00 If we charged $15.00 per 4 hour block: Association: Shoreview Area Youth Baseball (SAYB) Games: Practice: TOTAL Games /Practice: TOTAL: 1,560.00 6,360.00 7,920.00 North Suburban Soccer Association (NSSA) 540.00 $8,460.00 Things to consider regarding fees: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Administration of the fees will take extra staff time. The per hour fee is more difficult to manage than a 3 or 4 hour time block. In most cases, groups will only book for an hour or two and use the fields for a longer period of time. Practices for the associations are assigned in a block of time. For example, Perry #3 is assigned to SAYB Mondays and Tuesdays all spring /summer from 5 -dusk. They assign their own coaches. The associations would be reluctant to book time slots if they have to pay for each time slot, whether it is used or not. Therefore, they may send coaches to us to schedule and this would be very high maintenance for our staff. If we decide not to charge associations, the youth facility /field fees would end up being minimal. The majority of field use comes from the associations. Expectations for field conditions become a problem when fees are instituted. The users expect fields to be dragged daily versus our standard every other day and game days. Mowing expectations become unrealistic. The association will use the fields as minimally as possible when there is a fee involved. They will go to surrounding suburbs that don't have fees.