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Parks staff propose capping Mill rental discount at 50% and removing staff overtime from in‑kind donations
Summary
Parks staff asked council to limit Mill rental fee waivers to 50% and remove staff overtime from the in‑kind donations program; council asked staff to return with a proposed dollar cap and options after discussion about impacts on large events such as AquaFest and Festival of Trees.
Parks staff presented proposed changes Feb. 24 to the city’s in‑kind donations program, which waives fees and provides staff/equipment support to community events. Tanya, identified to the council as the recreation specialist, described the program’s goals and financials and recommended two main adjustments: cap Mill rental fee discounts at 50% and exclude staff overtime from the in‑kind calculation.
"By limiting the discount to 50%, we're striking a balance between supporting our special events while still supporting the cost recovery of those hard costs that we have," Tanya said, noting the Mill has fixed costs (electric, janitorial) the city must cover. Parks staff also recommended removing staff overtime from the in‑kind program because those overtime costs occur only because the event runs outside regular hours.
Council members pressed for detail on how the changes would affect major events. Council members noted AquaFest received substantial in‑kind support in past years and that Festival of Trees raised significant funds for food‑bank partners. Staff said the city’s rubric and after‑action budgets generated the event profit figures and that the program is limited to public, open events; fundraisers without a public component are generally ineligible.
Council discussion considered alternatives including a lower percentage (25%), a per‑event dollar cap, and separating annually designated allocations for specific community uses (for example, permitting one weekend for food‑bank use). Staff said a proposal with options and suggested maximums would be returned to council for a future vote.
What council directed: staff to prepare a formal proposal with recommended percentage(s), an optional dollar cap, and impact analysis for council consideration in a future meeting.
