Saratoga News

Next year's budget reflects increases in recreation fees

By Sarah Lombardo

The inspection process may be over for the Saratoga Recreation Department.

After assessing the department's expenses, revenues and overhead costs, looking into the city's policy on the allocation of overhead costs and, finally, comparing the department's salaries with those of other cities' recreation departments, the city's staff may have proven that the city has no choice but to gradually raise fees for the Saratoga Recreation Department until it becomes a completely cost-recovering operation.

City Manager Larry Perlin said he plans to present a financial plan soon to the City Council that would gradually increase recreation program fees across the board by about 8 percent a year, which he said should bring the department's revenues in line with its costs. Next year's budget already includes an increase.

The process began about a year ago during budget hearings. The council, trying to balance the city budget after the loss of the city's utility-users tax, had concluded that recreation service was a discretionary service, too costly for a city with as tight a budget as Saratoga's. At that point, the council began looking into ways to reduce costs or increase revenues within the Recreation Department.

According to a report issued in February, the Recreation Department has been successful in recovering all of its direct costs and a portion of its indirect--or overhead--costs.

"When compared with what other cities do, I believe Saratoga's Recreation Department recovers a much greater percentage of its total overhead," Perlin said. "Most cities are unable to recover even its direct costs. From that standpoint, Saratoga's department is doing a better than average job."

The last of the studies regarding the department--the salary comparison--was presented to the City Council April 7 by the Finance Commission. The commission reported that a salary survey of recreation directors from San Mateo and Santa Clara counties showed Saratoga's salaries fall within or below established rates. According to the commission's report, recreation director Joan Pisani's salary is a little more than $64,000 a year, compared with an average salary of more than $83,000 a year for those in comparable positions.

When it was compared with management salaries within Saratoga, however, some finance commissioners questioned Pisani's salary, noting that it was higher than what is being offered the public works director.

Perlin said it needed to be noted that Pisani, who has been with the city for about 20 years, had reached the top of her salary scale. "I am convinced already that Joan is not overpaid," he said. "And we can debate this six times till Sunday, and you will not convince me she is."

Pisani was out of town and unavailable for comment.

In addition, Perlin said cutting Pisani's salary would not make a dent in the overall costs of the Recreation Department.

Councilmembers said they wanted to see job descriptions for comparable recreation department directors in other cities, explaining that they want to ensure they have looked into all possibilities before continuing to raise fees.

Councilmember Gillian Moran said the council wanted to "make sure that we feel we can go to the public and say we have looked at these sorts of issues, we've looked at overhead and allocation, we've looked at salary structures and personnel issues and we think we're presenting to [the public] a well-run, well-managed and, we all agree, a high-quality program: 'We're offering you the best, and here's what the cost is.' "

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