HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 5.1 Pasta Festival 2000CITY CLERK # 0950-40
AGENDA STATEMENT
CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: March 21, 2000
SUBJECT:
WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS: Correspondence from
GoodTimes Promotions on the 2000 Dublin Pasta Festival
Report Prepared by Paul McCreary, Recreation Supervisor
ATTACHMENTS:
Letter from GoodTimes Promotions
Analysis of 1999 Pasta Festival Budget
Budget Change Form
RECOMMENDATION: 1.
Determine whether the City should continue to sponsor the
Pasta Festival
If so, provide direction on the location, dates and preferred
method of producing the event, and approve the Budget
Change Form
FINANCIAL STATEMENT: See Attached
DESCRIPTION: The 1999 Dublin Pasta Festival was held the weekend of September
11 and 12. Prior to 1999 the Pasta Festival was sponsored and produced solely by GoodTimes
Promotions, Inc. In 1998 the event moved from Pleasanton to Dublin because the festival had outgrown
the site in Pleasanton. On May 4, 1999, the City Council approved an agreement with GoodTimes
Promotions to produce the event on behalf of the City who is now the event sponsor. The agreement with
GoodTimes Promotions is a five-year contract, which can be renewed annually.
A letter has been received from GoodTimes Promotions indicating that they are no longer interested in
producing the Pasta Festival (Attachment 1). GoodTimes has decided to pursue expanding their
successful RV shows and therefore will no longer be able to produce the Pasta Festival for the City.
According to the terms of the City's agreement with GoodTimes, if the agreement terminates before 2002,
then GoodTimes has the right to use the name of the festival. However, GoodTimes has indicated that
they are not interested in the naming rights.
The City's agreement with GoodTimes does not require the City to continue to sponsor the Pasta Festival
if the agreement is terminated. Therefore, the City has the option to discontinue sponsorship or cancel the
Festival. Conversely, the agreement does not prohibit the City from continuing to sponsor the Festival.
This could be done through a contract with another festival promoter or in-house by hiring additional
Staff. A discussion of the options follows.
G:\COUNCIL\d1321 pastafestival.doc
COPIES TO:
GoodTimes Promotions, Inc.
ITEM NO.
Option 1 - Discontinue Sponsorship of the Pasta Festival
As noted previously, Dublin has been the site of the Pasta Festival for two years. The first year the Pasta
Festival was produced solely by GoodTimes Promotions, Inc. and the second year the City assumed the
sponsorship of the event under contract to GoodTimes. When the City consented to take over the
sponsorship of the Festival in 1999, the Festival budget proposed by GoodTimes estimated that the City
would realize a net gain for the Festival of $7,502. As shown in Attachment 2 (1999 Dublin Pasta
Festival Budget versus Actual) sponsorship of the Pasta Festival actually cost the City $36,305.
Consequently, the City is heavily subsidizing the Pasta Festival.
However, the Pasta Festival has attracted over 50,000 people to Dublin over the past two years. The
festival has provided additional exposure to Dublin businesses and has enhanced community pride.
According to a November 1999 article in the Tri-Valley Herald highlighting the City's festivals, residents
look forward to these community events. The article quotes residents as saying the City's festivals are a
great way to get to know your neighbors and local businesses. Another resident was quoted as saying the
festivals give residents a sense of ownership of where they live and promote pride in the City.
Option 2- Continue Sponsorship of the Pasta Festival With a Festival Promoter
The City could continue sponsorship of the Pasta Festival through a contract with another Festival
Promoter. In order to secure the services of a promoter, a Request for Proposals would be developed and
circulated to festival promoters. It should be noted, however, that the last time that the City solicited
proposals for the management of the St. Patrick's Day Festival, only two proposals were received
(GoodTimes Promotions and Terry Pimsleur & Company). Staff has found that there are a limited
number of festival promoters and that summer and fall is the prime season for festivals. Consequently,
with only five months remaining until the Pasta Festival securing the services of a festival promoter may
prove problematic.
Option 3 - Continue Sponsorship of the Pasta Festival With In-House Staff
At present, there is insufficient Staff time available to successfully produce the Pasta Festival in-house
due to the other high priority goals approved by the City Council. In order to produce the Festival in-
house, it is recommended that a Community Events Coordinator be hired. This position would be
responsible for the planning and operation of both the Pasta Festival and the St. Patrick's Day Festival
thus eliminating the need to contract for these services. This position would also coordinate an annual
sponsorship recruitment program for the City's events and would work closely with the local business
community and non-profit organizations. It is expected that a staff person would be more familiar with
the community than a contractor and would be able to provide better customer service and keep event
costs to a minimum. The Coordinator could also maintain a comprehensive community events calendar
and act as a liaison for the City with others who are planning events in the community.
Analysis of Contracting Versus In-House Staff
When the City expanded the St. Patrick's Day Festival in 1997, the decision was made to contract with a
professional event producer rather than hire additional staff. With only one festival at that time, it seemed
more advantageous to contract the work. With the addition of the Pasta Festival in 1999, the City now has
two separate agreements for festival production services. The scope of services for both agreements
includes the complete planning and operation of the festival. The contractor has received a flat rate
management fee to provide these services, plus a percentage of any sponsorships secured for the event.
Within this management fee the contractor absorbs the cost of the operations staff for the event (including
beverage managers, volunteer coordinators, ice distribution, vendor coordinators, etc.).
Some of the expected benefits of contracting included a reduction in Staff time and expenditures,
increased sponsorships to offset the festival cost, and higher quality vendors. However, after three years
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of working with contractors the net cost of the festivals has actually increased not decreased.
Additionally, the Staff time associated with managing the contractors has increased as well. Many of the
problems Staff has encountered working with contractors stems from them not being familiar with the
local community.
Staff analyzed the costs of contracting versus hiring and found the costs would be roughly the same. The
table shown below compares only those costs that are affected by contracting for services and how they
would change based on using in-house staff.
Management Fee
St. Patrick's Day Festival
Pasta Festival
Sponsorship Commission
St. Patrick's Day Festival
Pasta 'Festival
Operations Staff
St. Patrick's Day Festival
Pasta Festival
Per Diem
St. Patrick's Day Festival
Pasta Festival (n/a)
Graphic Artist Services
St. Patrick's Day Festival
Pasta Festival
Art/Craft Vendor Management
St. Patrick's Day Festival
Pasta Festival
Community Events Coordinator
Salary
Benefits
Total
Estimated Costs
Under Contract
Estimated Costs
In-House
$ 30,000 $ 0
$30,000 $ 0
$ 1,175 $ 0
$ 1,900 $ 0
$ 7,065 $ 6,000
$ 2,800 $ 6,000
$ 750 $ 0
$ o $ o
$ 2,275 $ 500
$ 100 $ 5OO
$ 0 $ 2,325
$ o $ 1,ot5
$ 0 $ 44,265
$ 0 $15,095
$ 76,065 $ 75,700
If the Council wants to continue sponsorship of the Pasta Festival and is in support of having the festivals
produced in-house using City Staff, a Higher Service Level for the new position would be prepared as part
of the Fiscal Year 2000-2001 Budget. If the position were approved with the budget, recruitment could
begin in July. In the interim, Staff recommends hiring a part-time employee for the balance of Fiscal Year
1999-2000 to begin planning for the 2000 Pasta Festival. A Budget Change increasing Part-time Salaries
and Benefits by $10,552 and decreasing Contract Services in the like amount is Attachment 3.
2000 Festival Date and Location
Following the 1999 festival, the Council directed Staff to change the event dates for the 2000 Festival
from September 9 and 10 to August 19 and 20. The Council also directed Staff to relocate the festival to
the Dublin Civic Center and Sports Grounds. Since then, Staff has discovered that the dates of the
Hayward Zucchini Festival have also changed to August 19 and 20. As the Zucchini Festival is a larger,
more established festival, it could have a detrimental impact on booth sales, media sponsorships and
attendance. The event dates could be changed, however the Sports Grounds will not be available after
August 20 because the soccer season will be starting. If the Council wanted to change the dates, the event
could potentially be relocated to the location of the St. Patrick's Day Festival on Amador Valley
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Boulevard. This location was selected for the St. Patrick's Day Festival because it does not "land-lock"
any shopping centers or businesses. However to use this location, space in the Shamrock Village
Shopping Center would also be needed to accommodate the event. These merchants may not be favorable
to holding two festivals in their shopping center every year.
The Tri-Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau has provided the following listing of other area festivals
and events for the month of August and September.
August 4
August 4-5
August 5-6
August 19-20
August 25
August 25-27
September 2-3
September 3-4
September 10
September 15-17
Hop Fest
California Wine Auction
Bean Festival
Zucchini Festival
Cruise Night
Good Guys Car Show
Scottish Games
Harvest Wine Festival
Taste of Downtown
Cowboy Gathering
Pleasanton
Livermore
Tracy
Hayward
Pleasanton
Pleasanton
Pleasanton
Livermore
Livermore
Tri-Valley
Regarding the date and location, Staff has identified the following options for City Council consideration.
If it was the desire of the Council to use the Dublin Civic Center and Sports Grounds but change the date,
Staff would recommend that the Festival be changed to August 12 and 13. This would require that the
Summer Concert Series be changed from July 14 through August 11 to July 7 to August 4.
If it was the desire of the Council to change the date and the location, Staff would recommend that the
Festival be moved to September (as it has been in the past) on either September 9 and 10 or September 16
and 17. The Festival could be relocated to the location of the St. Patrick's Day Festival on Amador
Valley Boulevard provided that the merchants at Shamrock Village Shopping Center are agreeable.
Con clusion
If the Council wishes to continue to sponsor the Dublin Pasta Festival, Staff believes it would not be
advantageous to contract the production of the festival to a private company. For the same cost, hiring a
Community Events Coordinator would give the City more control over the planning and operation of both
the Pasta Festival and the St. Patrick's Day Festival. This would help the City provide better customer
service and potentially reduce the cost of these events to the City.
Recommendation
With only five months remaining until the Pasta Festival, time is of the essence in making a decision on
the furore of the Pasta Festival. Therefore, it is the recommendation of Staff that the City Council
determine whether the City should continue to sponsor the Dublin Pasta Festival. If so, then Staff asks for
further direction on the following:
1) Preferred method of producing the event (contract o~ in-house staff)
2) Location and Date.
a. Dublin Civic Center/Sports Grounds, August 19 and 20 o__rr August 12 and 13
b. Amador Valley Boulevard/Shamrock Village, September 9 and 10 o._rr September 16 and 17
If the Council supports production of the event with in-house staff, Staff recommends approval of the
Budget Change Form.
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GoodTimes
6451 Scarlett Court, DUblin, CA 94568 · (925) 803-4050 · Fax (925) 803-7528
Promotions, Inc.
February 18, 2000
Diane Lowart
Parks & Community Services Director
City of Dublin
P.O. Box 2340
Dublin, CA 94568
Dear Diane:
GoodTimes Promotions have been producing upscale festivals and RV
Shows in the Th-Valley area since 1990.
Over the past 12 month's we have evaluated our current calendar of events
to determine cost effectiveness and growth potential. Our f'mdings tell us
that GoodTimes Promotions must step away from the Pasta Festival and
focus on expanding our current May and September RV Shows.
GoodTimes Promotions will do everything possible to assist in making this
transition smooth and successful for the City of Dublin.
Please contact us at your earliest convenience, so we can start the process.
Michael Nohr
President
GoodTimes Promotions, Inc.
ATTACHMENT 1
1999 DUBLIN PASTA FESTIVAL BUDGET VS. ACTUAL
Art & Craft Booth Sales
Commercial Booth Sales
Restaurant Booth Sales
Food Cart Contracts
Children's Attractions
Sponsorships
Beverage Sales
Commemorative Item Sales
$20,000 $10,155 ($9,845)
$15,000 $16,580 $1,580
$4,500 $4,325 ($175)
$1,800 $1,447 ($353)
$1,000 $2,735 $1,735
$19,000 $19,000 $0
$41,180 $21,859 ($19,321 )
$3,000 $180 ($2,820)
TOTAL REVENUE
Postage
Operating Supplies
Advertising
Printing and Binding
Rentals and Leases
Contract Services
Bank Service Char~les
TOTAL EXPENDITURES
NET REVENUE(LOSS)
City Support Services-Police, Fire, Public Works
$105,480 $76,281 ($29,199)
:~,Fr~ ._r~,~.~ ~]li(:]~=],r.(~
$619 $515 $104
$12,097 $12,402 ($305)
$12,500 $11,458 $1,042
$210 $163 $47
$12,783 $15,974 ($3,191)
$50,319 $58,932 ($8,613)
$0 $361 ($361)
$88,528 $99,805 ($11,277)
$16,952 ($23,524) ($40,476)
$9,450 $12,781 ($3,331 )
ACTUAL COST TO CITY
$7,502 ($36,305) ($43,807)
ATTACHMENT 2
CITY OF DUBLIN
BUDGET CHANGE FORM
CHANGE FORM #
New Appropriations (City Council Approval Required):
Budget Transfers:
From Unappropriated Reserves From Budgeted Contingent Reserve (1080-799.000)
X Within Same Department Activity
From New Revenues Between Departments (City Council Approval Required)
Other
Name: Special Events Contract Services $10,552 Name: Special Events Part-Time Salaries $9,750
Account #: 001.80700.740.000 Account #: 001.80700.701.002
Name: Name: Special Events Workers Comp $56
Account #: Account #: 001.80700.702.006
Name: Name: Special Events FICA $141
Account #: Account #: 001.80700.702.008
Name: Name: Special Events FICA OASDI $605
Account #: Account #: 001.80700.702.009
Name: Name:
Account #: Account #:
Fin Mgr/ASD Date:
Signature
REASON FOR BUDGET CHANGE ENTRY: To provide funds to hire a part-time employee to coordinate the
2000 Dublin Pasta Festival.
City Manager: Date:
Signature
Mayor: Date:
Signature
Posted By:
formsX, budgchng
Signature
Date:
ATTACHMENT 3