Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Summer Programs topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
PlayEast summer recap: camps, scholarships and meal service; SummerWorks shortfall prompts temporary hires
Summary
Staff told the board PlayEast ran 46 of about 70 summer camps with roughly 230 participants (a 9% drop) and awarded 47 scholarships totaling about $5,300; the summer meal program served just over 1,100 meals and SummerWorks delays left PlayEast hiring temporary staff at an estimated $15,000 to sustain programming.
Board members and staff reviewed summer programming outcomes and operational challenges, including fewer camp registrations, increased scholarship use, a robust summer meal program and problems securing SummerWorks youth workers.
The recreation director said PlayEast offered about 70 camp options this summer and successfully ran 46, serving a total of 230 participants — a 9% decrease from the previous year — and bringing in roughly $37,000 in registration revenue, a reported 14% decline.
"This year, we were successfully able to run 46 of those, and we serve a total of 230 participants," the director said, and staff attributed lower registration in part to cost-of-living pressures and timing issues that affected some newer provider-run camps.
To reduce barriers, staff reported awarding 47 scholarships for a combined value of a little more than $5,300. The scholarship application is an honor-system questionnaire; staff explained they do not require proof of income and often use school free-and-reduced-lunch participation as a guideline for award levels.
Because several external provider-run camps canceled for low sign-up, the program piloted in-house camps run by contracted program partners; when run in-house PlayEast retains 100% of registration revenue for those sessions, staff said. Staff also noted provider payout arrangements generally allocate 80% of registration fees to providers and 20% to PlayEast.
PlayEast’s summer meals program — run in partnership with the local school district — served a little more than 1,100 meals during seven weeks of operation, staff said. The director thanked community partners and donors who subsidized meal weeks and noted the program reached families who rely on school meal services during the school year.
Separately, the SummerWorks youth employment partnership underperformed this year, producing few youth placements because of late starts and administrative changes. To sustain in-house programs, staff presented a plan to hire temporary staff to cover supervision and work previously expected from SummerWorks youth. Staff estimated those hires would cost on the order of $15,000; board members supported planning for that contingency while staff explores county or alternative workforce supports.
Staff briefed the board on fall program planning and the first PlayEast standalone printed guide; fall registrations opened Aug. 18 and staff said the guide gives the program greater control over timing and messaging. The board will reconvene in December for a fuller recap and to continue budget discussions in advance of city budget cycles.
The meeting closed after a motion to adjourn was seconded and approved by voice vote.
