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Council approves optional utility bill “round‑up” to raise funds for parks and recreation programs
Summary
Council approved a voluntary ‘round‑up’ program enabling ratepayers to donate small amounts via utility bills to support parks maintenance, development and recreation subsidies; staff estimated initial annual revenue could range from about $124,000 to $193,000 if participation matched peer utilities' rates.
The City Council voted Tuesday to authorize a voluntary “round‑up” donation program that will appear as an optional line on utility bills so customers can round up their charges or contribute a fixed amount to support parks and recreation programs.
Program basics: Parks & Recreation Director Travis Mini proposed an opt‑in program administered through the utility billing system. Customers could make one‑time or ongoing contributions; the city would contract for software to process donations (staff identified a monthly software cost of about $100). Funds would be used for park maintenance, facility upkeep, recreation supplies and program subsidies.
Revenue estimate: Staff presented peer examples: a Minnesota cooperative with roughly 44,000 accounts reports an average donation of $6 annually and estimated the city could reach similar participation levels. Using a 45–71% participation range, staff estimated annual donations could eventually range from about $124,000 to $193,000; staff cautioned it will take time and outreach to achieve high participation numbers.
Council discussion and action: Council members asked about marketing and how customers would sign up online; staff said the program will be promoted through utility bills, social media, QR codes and the city’s communications team and that customers could sign up online or by phone. A motion to adopt a resolution approving the program and to authorize the City Manager to appropriate donations passed unanimously.
Next steps: Staff will contract for the billing software, launch outreach and report back with program performance data. The council did not appropriate program revenue in the general fund beyond authorizing the City Manager to appropriate received donations to Parks & Recreation.
Attribution: The program and revenue examples were presented by Travis Mini, Director, Parks & Recreation. Peer program data were drawn from public examples presented at the meeting.
