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Home My WebLink About4.12 Mt. Diablo Rose Soc Fee Waiver CITY CLERK File # D~~[D]-[[][llJ AGENDA STATEMENT CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: OC1tober 2,2007 SUBJECT: Request from the Mount Diablo Rose Society for Renewal of Fett Waiver Under the Civic Center Facility Use Policy Report Prepared by Erin Lamberger, Administrative Analyst I ATTACHMENTS: 1) 2) Letter dated August 29, 2007, from Marianne Jameson, Mt. Diablo Rose Society Photograph of Emerald Glen Rose Garden, July 2007 RECOMMENDATION: Consider the request made by the Mount Diablo Rose Society, grant the renewal of the fee waiver for use of the Civic Center for monthly meetings and the use of the Senior Center Ballroom for the Annual Spring Rose Show in exchange for caretaking services of the City's rose garden at Emerald Gle~ Park, and grant staff the authority to renew the fee waiver to Mount Diablo Rose Society in subsequent years. ~J FINANCIAL STATEMENT: Value of Volunteer Hours *: Lost Fee Revenue: Net Savings: $6,443 $3,960 $2,483 * The value ofthe volunteer hours is based on the cost for the City's maintenance contractor (MCE) to perform these services. DESCRIPTION: On April 19, 2005, the City Council granted a fee waiver to the Mount Diablo Rose Society (MDRS) for use of the Regional Meeting Room at the Civic Center for monthly meetings in exchange for caretaking services of the City's rose garden at Emerald Glen Park. The MDRS is now requesting a renewal of the fee waiver for Fiscal Year 2007-2008. Volunteer time is specified as the care and removal of spent blooms from spring .:0 fall and an annual pruning and demonstration at the Emerald Glen Park rose garden in January. Minor alterations to the fee waiver COpy TO: Marianne Jameson, MDRS Page 1 of3 ITEM NO. !f. / 2.. G:\AGENDA STATEMENTS, MISC\agst MDRS IO-2-07.doc request include a request for one additional monthly meeting in December and the stipulation of use of the Dublin Senior Center Ballroom for the Annual Rose Show. The current Facility Use Policy sets forth criteria regarding user ~;roup classifications and grants free use of the Dublin Civic Center to resident charitable organization:; that serve the Dublin community. Although several members and officers of the MDRS are Dublin residents, MDRS does not meet the requirement that membership be comprised of 51 % Dublin residents in order to qualify for free use of the facility. Before the original proposal was submitted in 2005, the City Council had granted no waivers since the adoption of the current Facility Use Policy in October 2002. In spling 2005, the City Council voted in favor of the fee waiver proposed by the MDRS. Since that time, the MDRS has successfully fulfilled its obligations as set forth by the City. The rose garden located at Emerald Glen Park contains 170 roses. The care of the roses includes cane pruning and dead heading (removing spent blooms), the heaviest of which takes place in December/January. The MDRS fulfilled its obligations throughout the summer and winter months, presenting multiple rose pruning and care demonstrations, as well as dead heading. Their efforts in Emerald Glen Park are evident in the photograph taken on July 9,2007 (see Attachment 2). The methodology used to determine the value of the volunteer hours was re-calculated for FY2007-2008. The City's Maintenance Supervisor estimated the annual cost of maintaining the 170 roses at $37.90 per rose, a total annual value of $6,443. According to the Facility Use Policy, the Mount Diablo Rose Society is classified as a Group 5 - Individual or Other Group. The fee for this classification to use the Regional Meeting Room is $78 per hour. Based on 10 monthly meetings at 3 hours each, the annual cm;t for the MDRS to use the Regional Meeting Room is $2,340. The fee for this classification to use the Senior Center Ballroom is $162 per hour; last year MDRS reserved the Ballroom for 10 hours. The mmual cost for the MDRS to use the Senior Center Ballroom for the Spring Rose Show is $1,620. A re::undable $250 Security Deposit and evidence of liability insurance covering bodily injury and property damage at a minimum limit of $1,000,000 per occurrence are also required. Last year, the estimated rental revenue ($2,106) for use of the Regional Meeting Room included 9 meetings; the president of MDRS has requested the addition of one monthly meeting, to be held in December. Waiver of fees for the Annual Spring Rose show, although absent from last year's agenda statement summary of rental revenues, was granted in Spring 2007. The event was held on May 12 at the Dublin Senior Center and was a great success, with 229 blooms entered for judging. The continued presence of the Annual Spring Rose Show at the Senior Center will provide an opportunity for Dublin residents to see a beautiful springtime display of many rose varieties. By partnering with MDRS, the City will help create greater community awareness of roses and their beauty, and foster stewardship in caring for Dublin's own rose garden at Emerald Glen Park. The rental revenue estimated for FY 2007-2008 ($3,960) reflects the additional revenues described above. The services provided by the Mt. Diablo Rose Society offset the rental revenue; a net savings of $2,483 is provided to the City. Staff will continue to provide annual review of the services to the rose garden and use of the facility. Based on continued satisfactory fulfillment of the contract, it is Staff s intent to administer the renewal of the partnership in subsequent years without submitting a formal request to the City Council. Page 2 of3 Staff recommends that the City Council consider the request made by the Mount Diablo Rose Society, grant the renewal of fee waiver for the use of the Civic Center for monthly meetings and the use of the Senior Center Ballroom for the Annual Spring Rose Show in exchange for caretaking services of the City's rose garden at Emerald Glen Park, and grant staff the authori:y to renew the fee waiver to Mount Diablo Rose Society in subsequent years. Page 3 of3 August 29, 2007 F!F:Cl"!1!;';~ TiQ c9- '5 : ZOO? Melissa Morton, Director, Department of Public Works City of Dublin 100 Civic Center Dublin, California 94568 ~>iUHKS Dear Ms. Morton, The Mount Diablo Rose Society would like to continue its agreement lVith the City of Dublin whereby members will work at Emerald Glenn Park and provide the following;ervices: 1. Pruning rose bushes 2. Providing a public demonstration of pruning techniques 3. Deadheading from May through September. 4. Opening our Spring Rose Show to Dublin and other Tri-Valley Residents In exchange for these services, we are requesting the use of the Civic Center Regional Room for ten monthly meetings - the second Wednesday of the month, January lhrough June and September through December - and the use of the Dublin Senior Center for the Spring Rcse Show, the first Saturday in May. During 2007 members of the Mount Diablo Rose Society spent time at Emerald Glenn Park as follows: Pruning - January & early February - at least 35 hours. Deadheading - April through August 23, 2007 - a minimum)f 89 hours. This does not include the times when members found the bushes in excellent condition and did less than an hour's work. We plan to continue deadheading through September. Pruning demonstrations were held January 21st (unofficial) and 27th (official), and several semi- private demos were given to passers-by during the regular pruning sessions. After the January 27 demo, a photographer from the Contra Costa Times tOQk a number of pictures, two of which were published in the Valley Times and in Contra Costa papers along with a brief news item about MDRS and Emerald Glen Park. The Spring Rose Show was held in May at the Dublin Senior Center. Thirty-seven exhibitors entered some 229 blooms and six people provided arrangement entries. While most of the exhibitors were MDRS members, four non-member Dublin residents as well as two out-of-the area individuals entered their roses. Many ribbons were distributed, and 14 trophies were available to the top winners. While we kept no count of the public visitors, a number of people came in to view the roses. One visitor, a Dublin resident, has joined the Society and has become active in the deadheading at Emerald Glenn Park. Several other Dublin residents, including the Vice President, Mike Iri;h, and the Coordinator of Consulting Rosarians and Arrangement Chair, Dolores Moffat, are active members of MDRS. We also serve the Dublin community by providing advice and assistance with rose questions. Our monthly meetings are open to the public, and Consulting Rosarians (including five Master Rosarians) are always available. We feel that this program has been and will continue to be mutually beneficial to the City of Dublin and to the Mount Diablo Rose Society. Dublin will benefit financially through the work we do and socially by providing events that are open to the citizens of the city, and the Society will benefit by having a space for meetings and for the Spring Rose Show. If you have any questions,: may be reached at 925-831-0864 or E-mai1.mmiameson3@yahoo.com or davidlitl@aol.com or atthe adcress below. Marianne J arneson, President Mount Diablo Rose Society 634 El Pintado Road Danville, CA 94526-1405 ;?;~~ / / ( t /lJ-2-v7 y,/2... ATTACDmT I. r- ~ \l ~v ~ VI I.J,J / ~