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Lake Forest recreation cost recovery at 62%; maintenance costs kept in public works budget
Summary
Recreation staff told the Community Services Commission on Oct. 8 that the department’s fiscal‑year 2024–25 cost recovery rate was 62%, well above the city council’s 27% guideline; staff said major maintenance costs for fields and facilities are recorded in Public Works and therefore not reflected in the department’s recovery rate.
Recreation Manager Bluffin told the Community Services Commission on Oct. 8 that the department’s 2024–25 cost recovery rate was 62%, driven mainly by facility rentals and recreation programming.
The 62% figure, Bluffin said, compares with a city council target of 27% and sits well above typical community services recovery rates she cited in other California cities. “For this year, for 2425 fiscal year, our community services had a 62% cost recovery,” Bluffin said. “So we're way, way above where we should be.”
Why it matters: commissioners said higher cost recovery helps preserve programming and keep the department financially healthy while still offering services that are not expected to generate revenue, such as senior and special‑needs programs. Commissioner Jones called the 62% result “outstanding,” and asked staff to…
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