Branch Connection reports $19,765 in Q1 revenue as facility closes for renovation

The Farmers Branch Senior Advisory Board received a first-quarter financial and program report showing $19,765 in revenue and 10,230 program participants for the fiscal quarter covering October through December.

The report, presented at the board meeting, said the fiscal year began Oct. 1, 2023, and that Branch Connection closed its building for renovation on Jan. 2, 2024. The presenter said the facility closure has required staff to hold activities at alternate locations and will affect participation and expense patterns through the renovation period.

“For the Q1, we had a total revenue of $19,765,” said Jennifer, a staff member reporting to the board. She told members that revenue sources included vendor fees from a craft fair, membership fees and rentals, and that the quarter is the program’s second-highest Q1 for revenue over the past five years. Scans recorded at the center totaled 8,427 for the quarter, a 2% increase from Q1 of the prior fiscal year, the staff report said.

The quarter included 169 programs and events—among them a craft fair, five new arts-and-crafts classes, four educational seminars and two holiday lunches—and staff noted the Veterans Day celebration was hosted at the Farmers Branch Community Recreation Center while the Branch Connection was unavailable.

Expenses for the quarter were $142,949, the presenter said, a 32% decrease from the prior year’s Q1. The reduction was attributed in part to hosting the Veterans Day event at lower-than-projected cost and lower instructor costs during the holiday period. Cost recovery for the quarter was reported at 14%.

Officials cautioned that operating costs will continue during the renovation because staff are still paid and programs must be hosted at off-site locations. “We’re probably gonna have to rent a facility. We’re still paying our instructors. We’re still paying our staff. We’re still buying recreation supplies,” Jennifer said.

Board members pressed staff on how renovation costs interact with operating budgets. Staff clarified that the department’s operating budget covers instructors, program staffing and supplies, while facility costs—water, electricity and major building systems—are controlled and budgeted by a different city department. That department will determine any necessary adjustments to janitorial contracts or maintenance budgets when the new finishes are installed, staff said.

Staff confirmed alternate arrangements for programming through the spring and summer: fitness classes will be scheduled at the event center, dance classes are planned for the Nancy Watson Center, and a third site (potentially a church) is being negotiated. Staff said they will return to city facilities for programming after summer if suitable spaces become available.

The report also included satisfaction metrics: the presenter said Branch Connection’s Q1 Net Promoter Score was 89, which the staff memo described as “exceptional.”

Board members asked for ongoing updates about program locations, costs of off-site rentals and whether the shift would affect enrollment long term. Staff said they will monitor participation and expenses and provide updates to the board as the renovation proceeds.

For now, staff recommended continued monitoring and earlier communication to members about summer program sites and any costs associated with alternative venues.