Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parks Recreation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council signals support for outside consultant to complete recreation assessment; funding to come from recreation reserves
Summary
Councilmembers endorsed hiring a consultant to perform a comprehensive recreation assessment (scope and budget options requested), with staff to return with scoping, price tiers and implementation options funded from recreation fund reserves.
The Gilroy City Council on Sept. 15 directed staff to pursue an outside consultant to conduct a comprehensive recreation assessment that would review programming, staffing, user-fee policy, facilities and potential joint-use arrangements, with the cost to be funded from recreation fund reserves.
Bryce (Recreation Division staff) presented the advantages and disadvantages of an internal versus external assessment. He said an internal review would be less costly but would require extensive staff time and likely take longer; an external consultant would cost more but could deliver faster, with more dedicated analysis and less staff diversion. Staff provided a lower-end consultant estimate of about $65,000 for a scoped organizational/operations assessment and said costs could rise if the council asks for substantial community engagement or a full needs-and-feasibility study.
Councilmembers and speakers from the Parks and Recreation Commission urged a full-scope external assessment. Councilmember Ramirez and others said recreation links to public safety, youth engagement and economic development and warranted comprehensive study. Councilmember Klein and others pointed to outdated prior studies (a 2019 needs assessment and older parks plans) and recommended fresh community input.
Public commenters including Emily Miller, Alicia and Luis Ramirez urged the council to invest in recreation capacity and noted that residents often travel to neighboring cities for programs. Councilmembers also noted potential partnerships with Gavilan College and the school district as avenues to expand programming without large immediate capital expense.
Direction to staff: prepare an RFP scope and cost tiers for an external consultant, including lower-cost organizational options and higher-cost full needs/engagement options; specify anticipated timeline and planned outreach; fund the work from the recreation fund reserves and return to council with a recommended contract and budget amendment. No final contract was approved at the Sept. 15 meeting.
Next steps: staff will draft scoping options and request council input on the level of community outreach desired, then bring a proposed consultant contract and budget amendment to council for approval.
