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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAGENDA REPORT 1991 1106 CC REG ITEM 11AITEM l 1. A. TO. FROM: DATE MOORPARK 799 Moorpark Avenue Moorpark, California 93021 MEMORANDUM The Honorable City Council (805) 529-6864 CRPARK, CALIFORNIA ��; y CounkcI Meeling r 199-L ACTION: By i Philip E. Newhouse, Director of Community Services October 30, 1991 SUBJECT: Consider Refund and Waiver of Fees from Moorpark Active Senior Citizens to Use Citrus Room for Food Share Program The newly formed Moorpark Active Senior Citizens group are requesting a refund of fees in the amount of $115 for use of the Citrus room on October 29 and future rental fees be waived for use of the Community Center Citrus room for the distribution of food under the Ventura County Food Share Program. Total fees requested to be waived for future use of the Citrus room are $135 monthly. The Food Share program will continue indefinitely. FOOD SHARE PROGRAM 1. F.O.O.D. Share (Food On Our Doorstep) began in 1986 as a Temporary Emergency Assistance Program administered by the United States Department of Agriculture. 2. The program is targeted for low income residents of Moorpark meeting eligibility requirements regardless of age. 3. Food is received from the Federal Government (excess food) through the U.S.D.A. 4. Food is distributed monthly at designated sites throughout Ventura County. 5. Food is picked up in Ventura by volunteers the day before distribution and brought to Moorpark for distribution. 6. Must be a non-profit organization with a 501 (c) (3) tax exempt status to distribute food. The Moorpark Active PAUL W. LAWRASON JR. BERNARDO M. PEREZ SCOTT MONTGOMERY ROY E. TALLEY JR. JOHN E. WOZNIAK Mayor Mayor Pro Tem Councilmember Councilmember Councilmember The Honorable City Council Page 2 10/30/91 Senior Citizens are currently applying for tax exempt status. SENIOR CENTER INVOLVEMENT The Food Share Program was originally registered under the name of the Moorpark Senior Citizens, Inc. While registered under this name, an application was made on July 29, 1991, to use the Senior Center for this program. The application requested use of the Senior Center the last Monday and Tuesday of each month from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. The Executive Board of the Moorpark Senior Citizens met on August 26, 1991, and approved use of the Senior Center for the last Monday of each month from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. to receive commodities and the last Tuesday of each month from 9:00 a.m, to 12:00 noon for distribution. Apparently, the hours were not acceptable and the Senior Center was not used. A second request/application to use the Senior Center was made by the Moorpark Active Senior Citizens (changed their name from Moorpark Senior Citizens, Inc.) and considered at a special board meeting of the Senior Citizens on September 11, 1991. This request was approved provided they paid rental fees. Payment of the fees was requested because their request was considered as an outside rental of the facility. On September 13, 1991, Mrs. Vina Milburn, Senior Center Room Chairman, was called by Mrs. Kuscinkas and asked if the - Senior Center would be available on September 23 and 24 at 8:00 a.m. for use. Mrs. Milburn said "yes." On September 15, 1991, Mrs. Milburn stopped by the "One More Time" thrift shop and told Mrs. Kuscinkas personally she would have the center open at 8:00 a.m. On September 19, 1991, Mrs. Kuscinkas informed Mrs. Milburn they would not be having food distribution in September because they were having trouble getting use of the Senior Center. On September_20, 1991, at approximately 12:30 p.m., Dr. Braun called Food Share and spoke with Mrs. Hazel Beard who informed Dr. Braun the food distribution program for September was canceled by Mrs. Sessler because there was no facility available from which to distribute the food. Dr. Braun informed Mrs. Beard the Senior Center was available and could he pick up the food. Mrs. Beard said he could if he signed a contract to be the agency to distribute the food, which he agreed to do. The Honorable City Council Page 3 10/30/91 On Monday, September 23, Dr. Braun arrived at Food Share at 8:00 a.m. to pick up the food and was told by Mrs. Beard he could not have the food. When asked why, Mrs. Beard informed him Mrs. Sessler had signed a contract on Friday, September 20, around 3:00 p.m. in the name of the Moorpark Active Seniors listing the distribution address as 220 High Street (address of the "One More Time" thrift shop). COMMUNITY CENTER The Moorpark Active Senior Citizens group is requesting a refund of previously paid fees in the amount of $115 for use of the Citrus room on October 29 and waiver of future rental fees for use of the Citrus room the last Monday and Tuesday of each month to distribute food under the Ventura County Food Share Program. Non-perishable food would be picked up on Monday and stored in the Citrus room for distribution on Tuesday. Perishables will be picked up on Tuesday. Use of the room on Monday would be minimal, less than 30 minutes to store food in the room. Tuesday the room would be used from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon for food distribution and from 12:00 noon to approximately 1:00 p.m. for cleanup. Staff has a concern the food stored in the Citrus room on Mondays can be safely secured. The room is used for city recreation programs and activities and occasionally rented for evening use without city supervision. If possible, all food for distribution should be brought to the Community Center on Tuesdays. FEES Fees associated with this request are as follows: Citrus Room: Setup one (1) hour $ 35.00 Room rental 8 am to 1 pm, 5 hrs. @ $20/hr. $100.00 Total fees: $135.00 Should the kitchen be requested, the current rental fee for this group would be $10/hr to a maximum of $50. DISCUSSION Currently, the Citrus room is available for the time requested by the Seniors. The Citrus room is the primary room we use to schedule our recreation classes. The Honorable City Council Page 4 10/30/91 Use of the Citrus room varies each quarter when the recreation classes are setup. Because it is currently available, does not mean it will be available the next quarter (December, January, February) when recreation classes are scheduled. Current uses in the Citrus room are the County W.I.C. program which utilizes the room all day on the second Tuesday of each month; Weight Watchers which uses the room every Tuesday from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.; and Rotary International which uses the room every Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Additional use of this room may restrict the recreation program which currently relies on this room as the primary facility to run programs and activities. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Direct staff as deemed appropriate. PEN:db 11. ACTION/DISCUSSION ITEMS: A. Consider Waiver of Fee Request From Moorpark Active Senior Citizens to Use Citrus Room for Food Share Program. Staff Recommendation: Direct staff as deemed appropriate. Mr. Newhouse gave the staff report. In response to Councilmember Montgomery, Mr. Kueny indicated that the Council has not yet established criteria for waiving fees for use of City owned facilities. He said the Public Works/Facilities Committee is to address the subject at their next meeting. Councilmember Talley expressed concern that dissension between the two senior organizations in the community might forestall programs such as Food Share. Councilmember Montgomery suggested that the City continue to assess fees and defer a final decision on whether to waive fees for facilities use until the Public Works/Facilities Committee meets and drafts criteria for waiving fees and returns with the draft to the full Council for action. In the interim, he said regular fees should be assessed. Mayor Lawrason said he felt the rental fees should be waived but not the staff time and expense. He also requested that the nonprofit status of the Moorpark Active Seniors should be determined. CONSENSUS: By consensus, the Council determined that the tax exempt status of the Moorpark Active seniors should be determined. MOTION: Councilmember Montgomery moved and Councilmember Perez seconded a motion to direct staff to continue to assess fees and all other standard requirements of facility lease/rental and to direct the Public Works/Facilities Committee to bring back the criteria on the waiving of fees for use of City owned facilities to the full Council as expeditiously as possible after which a waiver and/or rebate for the Moorpark Active Seniors would be considered. The motion carried by voice vote 4-1, Mayor Lawrason dissenting.