Do You Use RM Parks?

[Martha]

Originally Posted by Maximus

dad who wants to pitch his son baseballs (which is what I have done about 500 times)

HOLD ON JUST A DAGGONE MINUTE!!

You've done that about 500 times?

You've exceed the allowable number of times.

You must now pony up for the excess. You can only go out there 495 times!

Crack. Me. Up!

[Maximus]

Actually I did ask you. Thank you for answering.

What is your standard? Organized sports? Isn't that because organized sports use ("beat up") the fields more than other activities at the parks? If so, my north Gazebo question is apples to apples. Kids are there 5 days a week for about 15-20 minuites in a very small area. Re grass vs bark, yes they are different. But the equipment at the north Gazebo gets used and has to be replaced too, and as you know that is very expensive equipment. Much more expensive than throwing seed on used turf.

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by Martha

HOLD ON JUST A DAGGONE MINUTE!!

You've done that about 500 times? You've exceed the allowable number of times.

You must now pony up for the excess. You can only go out there 495 times! Crack. Me. Up!

I have a slightly torn right rotator cuff as a result. Elbow hurts too. Maybe there is Tommy John surgery in my near future. Or maybe I'm just getting old.

Oh, and I leave my garage door open when I go to the park with my son. Is that OK?

[Mama Mia]

Why not a user fee for outside groups?

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by Mama Mia

Why not a user fee for outside groups?

Because it comes back to RM residents. We start charging visiting teams a fee. They start charging us when we go there. Or, alternatively, we pay for their user fees in our registration dues. These are parks people are using, not a Summerfest carnival event.

[Martha]

Originally Posted by Maximus

Martha, one of the nice things about RM is our parks which is what we saw and liked when we decided to move out here. Why charge extra for those who take more advantage of it than others. Compare this to any street in RM. Should I pay for that street maintenance even though I never use it. Should I pay for the street lights on that street? Yes, YOU should, but not the rest of us! (crack. me. up!) Go back to using the bridge to get to S.F. We all pay tax to use I-80. If I only go to Davis, I don't have to pay the toll to cross the Bay Bridge. Bay Bridge needs more upkeep than the Pioneer Bridge (over Sac River) for one, but it also serves about 40k more users PER DAY. So, you pay a toll. (user fee) I suppose you could someday see a user fee for that bridge, but I kinda doubt it.

If your standard is to charge a user fee based on the amount of time spent on the field, (i.e. organized sports use it more than weekend warriors) then maybe you can answer my question about the north Gazebo playground. On average, that small area gets more use than any one part of the fields at Stonehouse or Riverview. Prove it! Gimme some numbers.

Again. Board needs to define "user". User fees need to be the same for all. In other communities that's based on an "hourly rate".

Can't answer Karat Top about where that is in budget. Perhaps the Treasurer of the Corporation should have been doing his job and noted it during the budget process.

That said, it doesn't go to Rec cuz it's not a Rec deal. It's a contract. A contract signed by the GM of RMA and League president (RMSC, for example, merely gets the contract to the League and back with the check...RMSC prez does not sign). A contract that is within the confines of the GM's job description to carry out the day-to-day business of the Association.

[Martha]

Originally Posted by Maximus

Actually I did ask you. Thank you for answering.

What is your standard? Organized sports? Isn't that because organized sports use ("beat up") the fields more than other activities at the parks? If so, my north Gazebo question is apples to apples. Kids are there 5 days a week for about 15-20 minuites in a very small area. Re grass vs bark, yes they are different. But the equipment at the north Gazebo gets used and has to be replaced too, and as you know that is very expensive equipment. Much more expensive than throwing seed on used turf.

Max, you're wearing me out.

The Gazebo tot lot is maintained in terms of YEARS, not weeks. We haven't had any work done there, that I can recall in, well, YEARS!! But the crew was out on Stonehouse last week cutting the grass.

Gimme some numbers for Gazebo tot lot please.

[Zebra Top]

Originally Posted by Martha

Again. Board needs to define "user". User fees need to be the same for all. In other communities that's based on an "hourly rate".

Can't answer Karat Top about where that is in budget. Perhaps the Treasurer of the Corporation should have been doing his job and noted it during the budget process.

That said, it doesn't go to Rec cuz it's not a Rec deal. It's a contract. A contract signed by the GM of RMA and League president (RMSC, for example, merely gets the contract to the League and back with the check...RMSC prez does not sign). A contract that is within the confines of the GM's job description to carry out the day-to-day business of the Association.

Charges of $5,500 is a line item under Income in the Park Facilities Maintenance Department of the Budget. The explanation is "Usage fees for parks." Just sayin.

[Martha]

Originally Posted by Mama Mia

Why not a user fee for outside groups?

Originally Posted by Maximus

Because it comes back to RM residents. We start charging visiting teams a fee. They start charging us when we go there. Or, alternatively, we pay for their user fees in our registration dues. These are parks people are using, not a Summerfest carnival event.

Ma, no fee for outside groups cuz without OUR kids, they don't get to come in. Private property. And we looked at it only being "our kids". We don't have enough of 'em to provide a quality and safe sporting experience (can't have the 6yr olds going against the 10yr olds, for example)

Max, you're sorta on the right track. I already said it here, in the case of soccer, EGYSL sets the registration fees. Kids in Laguna Club get charged, thru their reg fees, to use Stonehouse. Just like our kids get charged to use Feickert. Or Dillard School or Strong Park. EGYSL gets charged by EGUSD, EGCSD, and RMA for field use. Let's say they get charged $6000.00*, total, for field use. That goes in their budget planning, so they divvy that up amongst 3000 (projected) participants and come up with registration being $125 for all athletes (cuz there are other costs associated with bringing organized sports to the masses). They then pay their invoices to those three entities for use of fields.

*Dislaimer: all figures totally pulled outta my hat and are used for example only and are in no way meant to imply these are factual numbers

[Maximus]

M, the numbers: About energetic 20 kids, ready for a brand new adventure of the day. 15 minutes. 25 yards by 15 yards area. You should go by there at about 7:10 am. You would get tired just watching them.