City of Lawrence

City Manager’s Office

MEMORANDUM

DATE:	7/7/2006
TO:	David Corliss, Interim City Manager
FROM:	Casey Liebst, Budget Manager
CC:	Debbie Van Saun, Assistant City Manager Ed Mullins, Finance Director
RE:	Swimming Pool Fees

Attached are a memo and attachments from Jimmy Gibbs, Aquatic Manager regarding a potential increase in the aquatic rates for 2007.

The memo shows how an increase in fees would generate additional revenues. It also shows how fees for the City of Lawrence fall below the average when compared to similar facilities in the region.

The cost of operating the outdoor and indoor aquatic centers exceeds the revenues generated by fees. The table below shows the revenues as a percent of the expenditures.

Aquatics	2004 Actual	2005 Actual	2006 Budget	2007 Budget
Total Revenues	$371,520	$558,752	$525,350	$540,000
Total Operating Expenditures	$1,009,546	$1,110,450	$1,126,671	$1,208,740
Rev as % of Exp.	36.8%	50.31%	46.62%	44.67%

While it has been the general practice of the City to align fees with the cost of providing services, there is no formal policy that applies to recreation fees. Past direction from the City Commission has indicated a willingness to subsidize recreation programs such as aquatics as a public service for the community.

Staff is not recommending an increase in pool fees for 2007, however, we should continue to monitor this issue.