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High Springs commissioners direct staff to propose higher rental rates for Civic and Douglas centers, discuss broader parks and lease issues
Summary
After staff presented rental rates, maintenance costs and leases for city facilities, the commission directed staff to bring a resolution increasing rates for the Civic Center, Douglas Community Center and sports fields and asked for further analysis on leased buildings and program partnerships.
City staff presented proposed updates to facility rental rates, Parks & Recreation fees and city lease terms, and the High Springs City Commission directed staff to return with a resolution increasing fees for two event venues and the sports fields while deferring final action on other leased properties.
Ashley, a parks and recreation staff member who led the study, told the commission the city has not updated rates since February 2018 and that proposed increases range from $10 to $100 depending on facility. "Right now, staff is proposing a $10 to $100 increase in all facility rentals," Ashley said, and showed expense-and-revenue estimates indicating several facilities operate at a loss.
Parks and Recreation Director Jennifer Appleby and Finance Director Diane Wilson joined the presentation. Appleby said the Douglas Community Center had been open only two months during fiscal 2024 and that its annual estimates are therefore preliminary. Diane Wilson provided the spreadsheet-based estimates for expenses (utilities, maintenance, insurance, staff time and supplies) and current rental revenues.
Several commissioners raised concerns about facility condition, deferred maintenance and subsidized leases. Commissioners said the Santa Fe Room and other rooms need repairs before being rentable and that several city-owned lease properties are billed at $10 per year, which does not cover ongoing maintenance. One commissioner summarized the problem: the city maintains seven leased buildings that together generate only $10 per year in documented lease revenue and require substantial capital upkeep.
After discussion, the commission agreed to two immediate steps: direct staff to prepare a resolution increasing rental rates for the Civic Center and Douglas Community Center and to develop rates for the sports fields; and to gather more detailed financial data for the other leased buildings and programs (for example, Saint Madeline Community Outreach, Boy Scouts, Good News Arts and robotics). "If we put a little bit of investment into [the Civic and Douglas centers] ... we can start bringing in more money there to satisfy those programs," one commissioner said. Another commissioner said, "If we need to vote on it, I'll make a motion to vote on raising the rates of them two facilities." City Manager Marshall and staff agreed to return with proposed rates and a resolution for the commission's consideration.
Why it matters: City-owned community facilities and leased buildings are costly to maintain. The commission sought to close operating gaps and asked staff to propose rate adjustments and pursue grant or sponsorship options for programs and building repairs.
What happens next: Staff will produce a resolution and proposed fee schedule for the Civic Center, Douglas Community Center and sports fields, and will return with more detailed expense/revenue analyses and lease-renewal recommendations for the remaining properties.
