5.5. SR 06-25-2001 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Elk River · Otsego · Ramsey o Rogers ° Zimmerman Otsego drops recreation program by Charmaine Barranco Staff writer After seeing the city's Community Recreation cost more than double from 1994 to 1998, Otsego council members voted 4-1 to drop out of the program. Upon learning Otsego's deci- sion last Wednesday, Program Coordinator Jeff Asfahl said, "I'm stunned. We provide qual- ity programs for kids aud we've never gotten ar~y com- plaints from the people who participate in our programs." Community Recreation, based out of Elk River, pro- vides area youth with orga- nized activities such as soccer, baseball, hockey, wrestling and tennis. But the quality of the pro- gram is not the problem, said council members. It's the cost. "And if they bring the cost down, we'll reconsider it," said Mayor Larry Fournier. Council Member Virginia Wendel, who added the discus- sion of Community Recreation to the city's Aug. 26 agenda 'I'm stunned. We ' provide quality pro- grams for kids and we've never gotten any complaints from the people who participate in our programs.' --Jeff Asfahl that night, said Otsego. is sim- ply paying too much for the service. "This' year we have to pay them $23,000 and we only have 610 people from Otsego participating," Wendel said. "That's a lot of money right now and I'm just wondering if it's really necessary or if we can do something on our own for less money." Wendel noted, that Zim- merman and Livonia Town- ship dropped out of the pro- gram last year. "Then they raised our rate from $3.73 to $4.35," Wendel said. "Non-residents pay $9.30 and if you break it down we're paying about $38 per resident for 610 people." ' After a moment of silence, Fournier said, "Well, in 1994 our contribution was~a little over $11,000. Now it's doubled three years later. It is getting expensive. Maybe that money would be more appropriately given to our parks board if there is such a need." Wendel also questioned the program coordinator's (Jeff Asfahl) $45,390 yearly salary. "And the city is paying the PERA, insurance and work- man's compensation," Wendel said. "I think.this is terribly expensive for what we're get- ting out of it." Council Member Mark Berning, who is the city's Community Recreation repre- sentative, said, "From what they proposed in 1997 to what they're proposing in 1998, I believe it's a 6.2 percent Recreation board unaware of city's financial concerns by Don Heinzman Editor Community Recreation Board Chair Roger Holmgren said his board had no idea Otsego was concerned over the costs of the program. He met Tuesday with program director Jeff Asfahl to map out ways to keep Otsego in the regional recreational program. Holmgren said he had no correspondence from the city of Otsego regarding their continuing with the program. "If they are concerned about making some adjustments on the way they are being assessed, we can deal with that," Holmgren said. Otsego Mayor Larry Fournier told the Elk River Star News that the action was taken to get the Community Recreation Board's attention. He said the costs are too high, but he added, "I think we Holmgren continued to page 8 increase and their justifica- tion was that cities' tax levies go up about 5 percent a year. "Hold it," Fournier said. "We have levy limits for the next two years." Berning said, "But your val- uations of your properties go up about that. The reason for Recreation to page 8