Parks & Recreation Advisory Board

Advisory Board Agenda Merriam Community Center, 6040 Slater St. March 26, 2024 - 6:00 PM If you require any accommodation (i.e. qualified interpreter, large print, reader, hearing assistance) in order to attend this meeting, please notify the Community Center at 913-322-5550 no later than 24 hours prior to the beginning of the meeting. 1. ROLL CALL/ATTENDANCE 2. PUBLIC COMMENTS a. The Univesity of Kansas Sensory Enhanced Aquatics Request 2024 Request 3. APPROVAL OF FEBRUARY 27, 2024 MINUTES a. February 27, 2024 Minutes Parks & Recreation Advisory Board - Feb 27 2024 - Minutes - Pdf 4. STAFF REPORTS a. Director's Report i. Community Center Update March Director Update ii. Monthly Community Center Membership Report Annual Comparison Membership February Annual Visits Comparison February b. Assistant Director's Report i. Program Evaluations 1. Hearland Artist Exhibition 2024 Heartland Evaluation ii. Upcoming Events 1. Visualizing Sound & Space Opening Reception April Invitiation  2. Volunteer Appreciation Dinner Volunteer Appreciation Invitation iii. Program Updates 1. Turkey Creek Festival and 5K 5. NEW BUSINESS a. 2025 Girl Scout Owl Prowl Request Girl Scout Fee Reduction Memo 2025 Girl Scout Owl Prowl Request b. Review of Scholarship Policy Scholarship Policy Discussion Memo Scholarship policy.2023 6. OTHER BUSINESS a. Art Committee Update 7. ADJOURNMENT March 3, 2024 Anna Slocum Parks and Recreation Director City of Merriam 6040 Slater St Merriam, KS 66202 Dear Anna Slocum: We are grateful for our partnership with the Merriam Community Center (MCC) to provide Sensory Enhanced Aquatics (SEA), a swimming and water-safety program for children on the autism spectrum. Our partnership with MCC began Fall of 2021 and we have since provided swim lessons to over 40 autistic swimmers ages 4-18 and MCC is our only partner offering SEA to adults with ASD. MCC supported our successful National Institute of Health R21 research proposal titled “Testing the Effectiveness of Swim Instruction for Improving Swim Competence of Autistic Children.” We are excited to collaborate on this project to better understand how to teach swimming to this population and proud to have secured financial support for our partners to do this work with us. Since 2022, MCC has provided resources to hold a swim-a-thon to raise funds to purchase equipment & supplies for the program, as well as provide scholarships to swimmers who are not eligible for Merriam’s Dolphin Scholarships. MCC’s support of our first two fundraisers has been critical to SEA success and growth. We were pleased to share our success by providing an aquatic wheelchair (valued at~$2000) to MCC to support pool access for individuals with physical disabilities. We are requesting Our plan is to utilize the outdoor pools and surrounding deck space at MCC for a Swim-A-Thon fundraiser on Saturday, July 13th (1st choice) or 20th from 9-noon. Sensory Enhanced Aquatics swimmers will solicit pledges to swim laps and complete them with 1:1 support from SEA instructors and volunteers. We anticipate <30 people in the water at time (swimmers with 1:1 support) in increments of 20-30 minutes (~80 swimmers total with 15 volunteers/staff). We estimate swimmers will bring 1-2 family members and may stay 45 minutes total at the event so <50 people will be at the event at any given time. We request fees for use of the outdoor pool(s), deck space and locker rooms be waived to maximize benefit to autistic swimmers and families. We anticipate needing support from front desk staff and XXX lifeguards during the 3 hours of the event and request this support at low or no cost. Sensory Enhanced Aquatics and University of Kansas Medical Center staff and students will support the event to reduce burden on MCC staff. Money raised through this fundraiser will directly benefit SEA program participants at MCC. We appreciate you considering our request to grow our collaboration and continue to make a difference in the Merriam community. Sincerely, Kayla Hamner, MOT, OTR/L Lisa Mische Lawson, PhD, CTRS, FDRT KU Sensory Enhanced Aquatics Program Manager Professor & KU SEA Director University of Kansas Medical Center University of Kansas Medical Center khamner@kumc.edu lmische-lawson@kumc.edu  MINUTES Advisory Board Meeting City of Merriam, Kansas Merriam Community Center Tuesday, February 27, 2024 6:00 PM 6040 Slater Street 1. ROLL CALL/ATTENDANCE The February meeting of the Merriam Parks & Recreation Advisory Board was called to order at 6:00 p.m. by Chairperson Christopher Leitch. Board members in attendance included: Evan Quinley; Katie Leary; Christopher Leitch; Laura Sagan; George Vesel; and Scott Diebold. Staff members in attendance were: Anna Slocum, Parks and Recreation Director; Dave Smothers, Assistant Parks and Recreation Director; and Abby Hall, Guest Services Coordinator. Kathy Stull and David Zukley notified staff and chairperson of their absence. 2. PUBLIC COMMENTS a. Girl Scout Owl Prowl Request A detailed memo from the organization was included in the packet. The Girl Scouts have requested that the fee’s for their Owl Prowl event be at the residential rate and not the commercial rate. It was expressed that the goal for this event was to offer a quality event at a reasonable price without having to raise the event price for participants. Currently the price is $30 per girl. At the most recent event, a troop from Merriam attended. It is expected that they will return for the next Owl Prowl event. Discussion:  The exact number of troops in Merriam is not known.  Owl Prowl is a lock-in event. There are other programs for troops to participate in throughout the year.  The last Owl Prowl event had just over 600 girls and chaperons in attendance.  This request for 2025 would be the third year the event would be held at the Merriam Community Center.  Staff had very little concern or after action items for improvement after the 2024 event. Having the experience of one year significantly helped and improvements implemented were successful.. 3. APPROVAL OF JANUARY 23, 2024 MINUTES Page 1 of 6 Parks & Recreation Advisory Board Minutes – February 27, 2024 a. January 23, 2024 Minutes Board Member Sagan made a motion to approve the January 23, 2024 minutes. Board Member Diebold seconded and the motion was unanimously APPROVED. 4. STAFF REPORTS a. DIRECTOR'S REPORT i. Community Center Update A detailed memo was included in the packet. Updates to the information included:  One of the motion sensor lights in family change has failed. A part has been ordered with estimated install in the next week.  Staff will begin 2025 budget preparation in the next week.  The temporary art wall stabilization project is in place and is operable.  Cecilia Walther, Recreation Coordinator-Fitness provided a two-week notice. She has accepted a similar position with another municipality closer to home. Her last day will be March 8. The position is posted. Staff anticipates first review of applications to occur March 11 with first round interviews occurring shortly thereafter.  Flags for Freedom volunteers completed the 800 flag replacement process, taking two volunteer dates do complete. Discussion:  Guests are able to request certain equipment to be added to the facility by relaying the information to the Welcome Desk or sending an email through the website. These will be managed in one of two ways. If the recommendation has merit, staff could implement through the current year operational budget. This is how the mirrors and bench request made in 2023 were completed. If the improvement is more costly, then the fund would need to be requested through the annual budget process. ii. Monthly Community Center Membership Report A detailed memo was included in the packet. Updates to the information included:  February member visitation is expected to exceed 2023 by 900 visits with daily visits expected to exceed 2023 by 150.  Staff is carefully monitoring February revenue. While not as early as January, February is anticipated to exceed 2023 revenue on Tuesday. Discussion:  The facility does offer a program called Gympass. This program works differently than other insurance based programs. There has been one redemption of use since the agreement was signed in 2023. Page 2 of 6 Parks & Recreation Advisory Board Minutes – February 27, 2024 b. ASSISTANT DIRECTOR'S REPORT i. PROGRAM EVALUATIONS 1. Sweetheart Ball A detailed evaluation was included in the packet. Staff reported that this event has been canceled the past couple of years. There are many more communities offering an event of this nature. In an effort to have the event stand out in the competition of events, staff will investigate ways to add new elements next year in attempts of creating more interest. There was no discussion. 2. Swiftie Super Bash Pop-Up A detailed evaluation was included in the packet. This event was the brain child of the Recreation Program Assistant when the Chiefs won the AFC Championship. This event was put together in eight days. Swiftie bracelets were made and the ERAs tour was plaid. Staff plan to nominate the event for a KRPA program award at the 2025 annual conference. ii. UPCOMING EVENTS 1. Heartland Artist Exhibition Opening Reception The opening reception invitation was included in the packet. Staff shared that there were oover 109 artist entries for this year's national juried show representing artists from 11 states. This show awards $3,300 in prize money. There was no discussion 2. Free Day at MCC for Merriam residents Staff reported that there are two upcoming free days for Merriam residents. Staff uses the Shawnee Mission School District calendar to determine dates. Typically, the dates chosen are Fridays when pass visitation is lower. The upcoming dates are March 8 and April 12. 3. Brunch with the Bunny A flier for the event was included in the packet. Staff shared that currently 100 of the 125 registrations are taken. Staff will be reviewing the task list for the event and reaching out for volunteer opportunities soon. There was no discussion. Page 3 of 6 Parks & Recreation Advisory Board Minutes – February 27, 2024 iii. PROGRAM UPDATES 1. 2024 Merriam Farmers' Market Update Included in the packet is an update to 2024 season. To date there are 13 returning vendors and applications for five new vendors. Full season fees increased from $370 to $400, this is the first price increase in five years. Opening day of the market is Saturday, May 4. There was no discussion. 5. NEW BUSINESS a. Orchid Society Rental Rate Request Members of the Greater Kansas City Orchid Society (OSGKC) attended the January Park Board meeting requesting that for two of their upcoming events, annual fundraising auction and the orchid show, be considered exempt from the commercial rate. OSGKC has been renting space at the Merriam Community Center since December 2021. This will be the third year the event would be held at the community center with no issues in previous years. Since OSGKC is a 501c3 organization, with proceeds from the event funding their educational mission, staff recommends approval of the reduction of the rental rate from commercial to residential to include paying for all hours the rooms are occupied during hours of operation. Discussion:  Board members commented that that this event is a beautiful opportunity for staff and residents to see and experience orchids. Board Member Vesel made a motion to approve the residential rate Board Member Diebold seconded and the motion was unanimously APPROVED. b. SilverSneakers Amendment With the growth of SilverSneakers® along with inquiries from patrons that participate in the program, staff began researching the opportunity to change the status from an amenity only facility to a full-service facility. Tivity, the parent company of SilverSneakers®, has extended an amendment to the original February 2020 agreement to change the status. Under the terms, the Merriam Community Center would be responsible for maintaining and replenishing equipment and comply with the exact specification for the equipment as defined in the Reference Guide. Staff has reviewed the document. The equipment is already available to members and is currently maintained by the department. The last change to the agreement is a change in the reimbursement rate per visit. The rate would increase from $2.50/visit to $2.75/visit up to $20/member/month or just over 7 visits/month/member. Out of the 1,391 visits in January, 61% were completed by 64 participants maximizing the $20 cap/member. Staff will have to complete the Tivity Training for teaching their classes. Tivity is prepared to provide 2 free vouchers to certify instructors. At this time, staff will complete the training and instruct classes. Classes will be scheduled on Tuesday / Thursday during a time when the class schedule for seniors is lighter. Participants in Page 4 of 6 Parks & Recreation Advisory Board Minutes – February 27, 2024 SilverSneakers® will attend the class for free but others can register to join the class. Staff is seeking Park Board recommendation to sign the amendment to the agreement to become a full-service participating facility providing Tivity Health Proprietary Classes. Discussion:  These classes must meet SilverSneakers requirements. Training certificates will be provided through Tivity for whoever is identified to teach the classes.  This will mean opportunity for growth in members and expansion of programs.  There is no initial output of resources from the department to offer these programs as the required equipment is already available.  Once the vouchers are redeemed, there are fees associated to become certified but the fees are minimal and easily budgeted, $40/class.  Output is minimal for the potential return on investment. Board Member Leary made a motion to approve the new SilverSneakers Amendment Board Member Vesel seconded and the motion was unanimously APPROVED. c. IKEA Friends and Family Promotion Staff looks for ways to cross-promote services with Merriam businesses, typically in the form of sponsorship. Since not all Merriam businesses can provide financial support to community events, staff considers other avenues for promotion. Recently, IKEA inquired if there would be an opportunity to join efforts and resurrect a promotion from the Merriam Aquatic Center. The terms of the agreement would include IKEA promote Merriam Community Center the local store webpage in the Family Partners Page as well as be included in the family newsletter distributed in the Kansas City market twice during the promotional period as well as promoting events and activities offered by the department. The department will provide IKEA Friends and Family Members receive the resident rate for daily pass membership by showing proof of their Friends and Family card. In addition, IKEA will be able to provide printed material to promote IKEA at the community center. The promotional period will be one year. Staff is seeking Park Board recommendation for staff to continue with the agreement with IKEA. Discussion:  No new expense will be accrued to implement this for this program.  The center will be gaining visibility and notification.  The last time this promo was used, there were less than 100 guests took advantage of the opportunity.  This would help add to the identity of Merriam and solidify that this is Merriam, not Shawnee or Mission. Board Member Vesel made a motion to approve the IKEA Friends and Family Promo Board Member Sagan seconded and the motion was unanimously APPROVED. d. Flag Usage Policy and Procedure Page 5 of 6 Parks & Recreation Advisory Board Minutes – February 27, 2024 In late 2023, City Council approved the transition of Flags 4 Freedom from a committee driven event to a city event. One of the requirements of the MOU was the established flag usage partners would continue to have access to utilize flags. Prior to the first request, it is imperative to have established policy and procedures for usage. The procedure includes notification process, coordination of pick-up and return, donation process for use, defining responsibilities as well as flag kits and proper storage and return of equipment. Staff is seeking Park Board recommendation to approve the Flags 4 Freedom policy and procedure as proposed. Discussion:  If there is a request to use flags before July 4th, the old flags will be used.  Currently, staff is not in charge of picking up or dropping off flags.  The City buys the flags, the Parks & Recreation department is responsible for the event. Public Works is in charge of storage.  Life of a flag is hard to determine. It will be based upon elemental conditions to which it is exposed.  This is the first large quantity of flags to be replaced. In the past, the most that had been replaced at one time was a couple hundred. Board Member Leary made a motion to approve the new Flag Usage Policy and Procedure plan Board Member Vesel seconded and the motion was unanimously APPROVED. 6. OTHER BUSINESS a. Art Committee Update Discussion:  Meeting was postponed b. Year End Video 2023 As part of the annual report process, the Communication Team created the 2023 annual video. Staff shared the video with the Advisory Board. c. KRPA Distinguished Board and Commission Member Video At the annual KRPA conference, Kathy Stull was honored as the Distinguished Board and Commission Member. The video that was compiled based upon the nomination and photos provided was shared with the Advisory Board. 7. ADJOURNMENT Board Member Leary made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 6:55 p.m. Board Member Leitch seconded and the motion was unanimously APPROVED. Page 6 of 6 To: Merriam Parks and Recreation Advisory Board From: Anna Slocum, Director of Parks and Recreation Subject: Director’s Report Date: March 26, 2024 Community Center Update • Staff has interviewed several candidates for the summer internship program. An offer has been extended to a student. • Staff has started interviewing for the Recreation Coordinator-Fitness position. • Preparation for outdoor pool season started over spring break. With the need to repair parts of the basin and repaint the black striping, the weather provided a perfect opportunity to prep the area. • The summer edition of Highlights is at the printer. Staff is preparing the website for new registration which begins April 1. • Preparation for the 24th annual Turkey Creek Car and Motorcycle show started in March with the first meeting of the committee. A draft of the calendar is currently being reviewed. Discussion at the meeting focused on ways to make the 25th anniversary next year something special. • The Flags 4 Freedom committee held their second planning meeting on Thursday, March 21. The completion of flag replacement in February was a significant relief with a solid plan on how to evaluate the remaining flags and reduce the inventory to the quantity needed for the existing event. • On Sunday, March 17 one of the side panels of the outer sliding glass doors broke. The vendor was called on Sunday to make them aware of the issue. On Monday, staff called again to confirm the repair was scheduled. Unfortunately, the repair did not occur on Monday and there was an issue again on Tuesday morning. After a third call to the vendor about the emergent nature of the repair, the repair was completed on Tuesday. Park Updates • The week of March 11 staff were informed that the drainage issue along the trail south of Campbell Park has been completed. Public Works has seeded the area and will monitor to ensure there are no additional issues. • March playground inspections have been completed. At Brown Park the bottom of the slide has movement. Upon inspection, it was determined that where the plastic of the slide attaches to the bolts is cracked. At Chatlain Park the slide also is damaged at the exit point. Staff is contacting the vendor to replace these slides. At Waterfall Park one of the smaller slides has a loose bolt. Unfortunately, the bolt would not tighten. Public Works is going to investigate this further and follow-up if a solution is not found. There 1|Page  were no changes in safety surface areas previously identified at Brown Park and Waterfall Park. These are still slated for repair when the weather is warm enough. At Brown Park, staff is investigating the possibility of installing a landing pad to reduce the damage at the exit of the slide that is occurring. • In preparation for spring, the portable restrooms will return the first week of April. De- winterization of water fountains and the marketplace restroom will occur the first part of April as weather allows. Monthly Community Center Membership Report Included in the packet are the comparison reports for annual membership and daily visits for February. February membership sales improved over 2023 sales. Household and Senior memberships experienced the most growth for the month. Cancellation for February were 16 lower than 2023 with 30. The reasons provided included: Medical-2; Financial-1; Non-Usage-13; Relocation-6; Other-8. The installment payment that occurred on March 5th surpassed the monthly installment from March 2023 by $1,888. February 2024 visitation increased 8% higher than February 2023. The highest member visit day was a Monday. February 2024 daily visits surpassed the same time frame of 2023 by 138 visits. The day with the most day passes was Saturday, February 10. Insurance visits for February continue to improve month over month in all but two categories. In total, there were 3,022 insurance visits in February 2024 compared to 2,498 visits in February 2023. Recommendation: This memo was provided for your information. No action required. 2|Page Membership Category 2020* 2021 2022 2023 2024 TWO PERSON CHARTER 44 TWO PERSON HOUSEHOLD 26 164 229 195 53 ACTIVE & FIT 1 26 52 95 81 ADULT CHARTER 41 ADULT MEMBERSHIP 56 265 340 305 60 CARETAKER PASS 2 2 0 COUNCIL - BOARD MEMBERSHIP 8 7 3 22 6 EMPLOYEE MEMBERSHIP 61 68 118 105 5 FIT CLASS PASS 119 108 15 HOUSEHOLD CHARTER 81 HOUSEHOLD MEMBERSHIP 41 414 515 439 92 NANNY PASS 7 6 1 ONE PASS - HEALTH CONTRIBUTIONS 2 TIVITY PRIME MEMBERSHIP 30 29 52 45 22 PEERFIT 0 25 7 52 11 RENEW ACTIVE 44 118 177 185 354 RETIRED SENIOR HOUSEHOLD 5 8 3 4 2 RETIRED SENIOR 1 1 1 11 1 SCHOLARSHIP MEMBERSHIP 2 3 14 14 3 SENIOR CHARTER 54 SENIOR CHARTER HOUSEHOLD 44 SENIOR HOUSEHOLD 6 74 79 81 20 SENIOR MEMBERSHIP 19 123 140 140 29 SILVER & FIT 2 18 8 6 18 SILVER SNEAKERS 105 359 229 222 579 YOUTH MEMBERSHIP 2 25 54 44 8 TOTAL MEMBERSHIP SALES 671 1,727 2,149 2,081 1,362 CANCELLATIONS 66 287 516 547 84 SUSPENDED 30 0 0 0 0 EXPIRED** ***292 17 36 9 0 *Charter Sales for Grand Opening began in March **All Council and Employee related passes expire annually in December ***Includes 80 IBFCC memberships carried over due to COVID-19 closures Annual Membership Sales Comparison Year-to-Date 2024 Membership Category 2021 2022 2023 2024 TWO PERSON CHARTER TWO PERSON HOUSEHOLD 8 12 11 13 ACTIVE & FIT 1 3 10 4 ADULT CHARTER ADULT MEMBERSHIP 13 16 29 19 CARETAKER COUNCIL - BOARD MEMBERSHIP EMPLOYEE MEMBERSHIP 1 4 8 FIT CLASS PASS 10 9 HOUSEHOLD CHARTER HOUSEHOLD MEMBERSHIP 10 33 30 41 NANNY PASS 1 1 1 ONE PASS - HEALTHY CONTRIBUTIONS 2 PRIME MEMBERSHIP 1 5 8 PEERFIT 3 7 RENEW ACTIVE 10 19 18 17 RETIRED SENIOR HOUSEHOLD 2 RETIRED SENIOR 1 SCHOLARSHIP MEMBERSHIP SENIOR CHARTER SENIOR CHARTER HOUSEHOLD SENIOR HOUSEHOLD 2 3 7 7 SENIOR MEMBERSHIP 2 13 9 15 SILVER & FIT 4 1 SILVER SNEAKERS 16 25 17 24 YOUTH MEMBERSHIPS 1 5 5 TOTAL MEMBERSHIPS SOLD 70 144 157 166 CANCELLATIONS 0 31 46 30 SUSPENDED 0 EXPIRED 0 2 Membership Report February 2024 2024 TOTAL VISITS JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC TOTAL VISITS MEMBERSHIP VISITS 12,223 10,797 23,020 DAILY VISITS 1,736 1,379 3,115 GUEST PASSES 10 0 10 TOURS 32 31 63 2023 TOTAL VISITS JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC TOTAL VISITS MEMBERSHIP VISITS 11,709 9,991 11,632 9,049 10,112 15,567 13,858 12,976 8,972 9,105 8,704 9,441 131,116 DAILY VISITS 1,465 1,241 1,790 1,122 2,037 3,478 2,814 2,116 1,052 751 957 1,511 20,334 GUEST PASSES 3 8 1 4 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 18 TOURS 35 18 10 10 26 43 26 28 18 8 3 5 230 2022 TOTAL VISITS JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC TOTAL VISITS MEMBERSHIP VISITS 7,282 7,419 9,127 8,142 8,202 11,668 11,816 11,214 8,502 7,739 8,521 9,558 109,190 DAILY VISITS 739 1,067 1,449 1,045 1,649 3,051 3,079 1,836 750 569 906 1,137 17,277 GUEST PASSES 10 21 48 2 0 0 0 24 0 0 1 4 110 TOURS 45 32 45 55 4 49 37 61 30 20 12 0 390 2021 TOTAL VISITS JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC TOTAL VISITS MEMBERSHIP VISITS 3,318 3,169 4,924 4,769 4,775 10,607 11,284 9,662 6,138 5,799 6,006 6,097 76,548 DAILY VISITS 185 211 482 386 576 2,148 2,055 1,774 496 401 590 661 9,965 GUEST PASSES 3 2 24 20 7 24 18 19 10 2 3 0 132 TOURS 77 38 93 85 102 90 107 65 27 83 33 28 828 2020 TOTAL VISITS JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC TOTAL VISITS MEMBERSHIP VISITS 388 1,765 1,862 3,159 2,833 2,490 12,497 DAILY VISITS 3 53 59 197 104 144 560 TOURS 366 378 149 133 56 31 1,113 Visit Comparison 2020-2024 2024 Highest Attended Day JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC 558 566 MEMBERSHIP VISITS (Wed 24th) (Mon 19th) 122 124 DAILY VISITS (Tues 2nd) (Sat 10th) 2023 Highest Attended Day JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC 581 512 548 434 561 892 707 588 462 463 460 525 MEMBERSHIP VISITS (Mon 23rd) (Mon 20th) (Mon 13th) (Mon 10th) (Wed 31st) (Mon 19th) (Mon 3rd) (Mon 21st) (Mon 4th) (Mon 30th) (Mon 27th) (Mon 18th) 95 113 178 73 182 252 224 174 140 46 65 119 DAILY VISITS (Sat 14th) (Sat 25th) (Tues 14th) (Sat 1st) (Mon 29th) (Mon 19th) (Sat 29th) (Sat 19th) (Sat 2nd) (Sat 21st) (Thurs 11th) (Thurs 28th) 2022 Highest Attended Day JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC 339 412 412 409 420 641 531 568 425 346 427 439 MEMBERSHIP VISITS (Mon 24th) (Mon 21st) (Mon 28th) (Mon 11th) (Wed 25th) (Mon 13th) (Wed 6th) (Mon 1st) (Mon 19th) (Wed 26th) (Mon 14th) (Mon 12th) 62 90 91 79 159 261 174 152 72 40 84 83 DAILY VISITS (Sat 29th) (Sat 26th) (Fri 18th) (Sun 3rd) (Mon 30th) (Sat 18th) (Sat 9th) (Sat 13th) (Mon 5th) (Fri 14th ) (Sun 20th) (Fri 30th) 2021 Highest Attended Day JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC 149 (Tues 159 (Tues 213 228 247 496 478 449 297 310 284 304 MEMBERSHIP VISITS 5th) 2nd) (Mon 15th) (Thurs 8th) (Wed 19th) (Wed 16th) (Tues 13th) (Mon 9th) (Mon 6th) (Mon 25th) (Tues, 2nd) (Mon 27th) 147 22 66 45 52 69 136 126 (Mon 9th / 78 29 81 (Sun 51 DAILY VISITS (Sat 16th) (Thurs 25th) (Fri 19th) (Sat 10th) (Mon 31st) (Sun 13th) (Mon 5th) Wed 11th) (Mon 6th) (Fri 15th) 14th) (Tues 28th) 2020 Highest Attended Day JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC 72 85 92 148 159 117 MEMBERSHIP VISITS ( Thurs 30th) (Mon 24th) (Thurs 10th) (Tues 27th) (Wed 11th) (Wed 30th) 19 2 6 11 (Sat 10th/ 16 16 DAILY VISITS (Tues 28th) (Mon 31st) (Sat 5th) Tues 27th) (Sat 14th) (Mon 28th) Highest Attended Day Comparison 2020 - 2024 2024 INSURANCE VISITS JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC TOTAL VISITS Silver Sneakers 1,391 1,438 2,829 Prime Fitness 157 179 336 Renew Active 1,047 980 2,027 Silver & Fit 0 11 11 Active & Fit 305 318 623 PeerFit 107 96 203 2023 INSURANCE VISITS JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC TOTAL VISITS Silver Sneakers 1,364 1,262 1,497 1,178 1,189 1,259 1,237 1,464 1,302 1,275 1,148 1,277 15,452 Prime Fitness 173 150 134 128 130 188 161 180 112 116 111 132 1,715 Renew Active 787 683 891 726 743 710 816 917 735 884 859 1,001 9,752 Silver & Fit 17 15 10 4 11 8 16 11 7 6 8 1 114 Active & Fit 276 319 310 283 293 352 331 331 314 309 271 255 3,644 PeerFit 90 69 73 93 83 88 69 57 63 50 64 68 867 2022 INSURANCE VISITS JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC TOTAL VISITS Silver Sneakers 831 788 1,114 950 792 944 986 1,065 978 956 956 1,048 11,408 Prime Fitness 103 96 117 134 143 151 153 189 145 144 140 129 1,644 Renew Active 419 470 594 573 489 561 666 645 580 523 622 654 6,796 Silver & Fit 45 43 42 22 20 18 20 26 34 14 16 13 313 Active & Fit 88 64 88 98 121 128 173 208 200 188 177 217 1,750 PeerFit 55 57 87 90 86 113 81 87 76 94 76 61 963 2021 INSURANCE VISITS JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC TOTAL VISITS Silver Sneakers 328 347 443 437 410 475 595 811 557 645 773 738 6,559 Prime Fitness 24 17 35 56 53 52 118 112 69 72 59 76 743 Renew Active 136 138 254 286 291 299 330 349 298 309 315 386 3,391 Silver & Fit 8 8 13 12 18 22 24 48 9 10 33 34 239 Active & Fit 3 2 0 3 24 51 42 62 58 56 45 61 407 PeerFit 3 46 39 27 53 44 62 49 54 68 64 509 2020 INSURANCE VISITS JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC TOTAL VISITS Silver Sneakers 32 156 187 264 308 287 1,234 Prime Fitness 0 26 37 33 29 32 157 Renew Active 1 19 98 118 121 357 Silver & Fit 6 6 Active & Fit 0 0 PeerFit 0 Insurance Visit Comparison 2020-2024 Special Event Evaluation Event Name: 28th Annual Heartland Artist Exhibition Date: Saturday March 2, 2024 Location: Founders Room & Tim Murphy Art Gallery - MCC Number of Submitting Artists: 109 Artists (20 Photographers) Number of attendees: 225 Number of Artists Accepted: 58 (10 photographers) Ages/Grades: Adult Cost of Event: $45 per Artist (Submitting up to 3 works/ FREE for attendees) Revenue: $4,905 Expenses Juror $400.00 Print Materials $844 Awards $3,300.00 Sam's Club (baking ingred, paper prod, flowers) $190.20 Hy Vee (baking ingred) $45.61 Tipsy’s (wine) $66.81 Band (Emily Dix Duo) $650.00 Amazon (certificate folders) 27.28 Total Expenses $5,523.9 Net: $-618.90 Special Items Needed: Chairs, 8’ and high top tables, table cloths, portable bar- stocked, beverage napkins, cups, serving platters, big trash cans on wheels with skirts, beverage dispenser, name tags for artists, podium, microphone, laptop, thumb drive with slide shows, vases with flowers, Anna’s Oreo truffles and baked treats. Modes of Publicity: brochure, fliers, Art websites, postcards, Email to past participants, Facebook, Brightsigns Staff: Ingrid Berg, Anna Slocum, Dave Smothers, Cole Surber, Emily Nelsen Volunteer: Nancy Hupp, Kathy Stull, LaVera Howard, Scott Diebold, Christopher Leitch, Diane Austin, Melissa Johnson Strengths: Live music for the reception from Emily Dix Duo was a lovely addition. As always reception attendees were excited for have Anna’s homemade treats. Weaknesses: Heartland art workshop only had four registrants so staff had to cancel. Opportunities: Building schedule was reset, but for some reason the front doors still locked. Thoughts: Email winners to encourage them to attend reception/awards presentation without letting on that they won? Continue to have live music as it adds a sophisticated element to the evening. You ’re an important piece OF THE The City of Merriam cordially invites you to our Volunteer Appreciation Reception Thursday, April 18 I 5:30-7:30 p.m. Merriam Community Center, 6040 Slater St. Cocktails, dinner, and live music by Terry Hancock Please RSVP by April 5 to 913-322-5550 or rjenkins@merriam.org To: Merriam Parks and Recreation Advisory Board From: Anna Slocum, Director of Parks and Recreation Subject: Girl Scout Fee Reduction Request Date: March 26, 2024 At the February Park Board meeting, a member of the local Girl Scout Council made a request to have a reduction in fees associated with their annual Owl Prowl Event. Whenever a request for reducing fees is requested, these items are brought to Park Board. The goal of the process is to determine if the group making the request is adequately prepared to host a successful event. Historically, the organization requesting the reduction is either a non-profit or holds a 501c3 distinction. The event that the Girl Scouts are proposing is entitled “Owl Prowl” and 2025 will be the 42nd anniversary. The event is a non-sleeping event geared for girls in 4th-6th grade with girls in 7th-12th grade serving in leadership roles providing activities throughout the night. Volunteers are required from each troop participating. They serve in a variety of roles from keeping the girls moving through the activities of the evening to securing any possible exit points or areas within the facility that are off limits. At the February meeting, the group shared that 40% of the local council is from Johnson County, with one Merriam troop participating in the event in 2024. There is a registration fee for participants, which by definition requires a commercial rate to the rental. Since exact space and time frames are still uncertain, staff created an estimate outlining each space and the fees associated. The chart below provides the overall rental cost based in each category of fees. There are a few constant variables. Staff costs and aquatic fee rentals do not have fees established for non-resident and commercial rates. The formal request made by the Girl Scouts is attached. 1|Page  Non - Resident Resident Commercial Space Fees Fees Fees Founders Room 4pm-7:30am $ 1,472.50 $ 1,860.00 $ 2,247.50 Esther Brown 4 pm - 7:30 am $ 465.00 $ 542.50 $ 697.50 Conference Room 4 pm-7:30 am $ 387.50 $ 465.00 $ 620.00 Gymnasium 6 pm - 7:30 am $ 540.00 $ 675.00 $ 810.00 Group X 6 pm - 7:30 am $ 472.50 $ 607.50 $ 742.50 Child Watch 6 pm - 7:30 am $ 337.50 $ 405.00 $ 540.00 Aquatics 9 pm - 3 am $ 1,920.00 $ 1,920.00 $ 1,920.00 Party Room #1 9 pm - 3 am $ 150.00 $ 150.00 $ 150.00 Party Room #2 9 pm - 3 am $ 150.00 $ 150.00 $ 150.00 Subtotal $ 5,895.00 $ 6,775.00 $ 7,877.50 Applicable Discount $ 1,500.00 $ 1,500.00 $ 1,500.00 $ 4,395.00 $ 5,275.00 $ 6,377.50 Additional Staff ($20/hr.) 8 Lifeguards 8:30 pm - 3:30 am $ 1,120.00 $ 1,120.00 $ 1,120.00 1 Porter/Janitor 6 pm - 7:30 am $ 270.00 $ 270.00 $ 270.00 2 Facility Attendants 6 pm - 7:30 am $ 540.00 $ 540.00 $ 540.00 $ 1,930.00 $ 1,930.00 $ 1,930.00 Total Event Package $ 6,325.00 $ 7,205.00 $ 8,307.50 Staff recommends Park Board approve the resident rate for the Girl Scouts request for Owl Prowl 2025. 2|Page To: Merriam Parks and Recreation Advisory Board From: Anna Slocum, Director of Parks and Recreation Subject: Scholarship Assistance Policy Review Date: March, 26, 2024 There has been a request by a member of the community to evaluate eligibility to qualify for scholarship assistance. The existing eligibility requires the following: 1. Proper identification proving residency within the city limits of Merriam. 2. Proof of public assistance. The assistance listed is based on household’s gross monthly income at or below 130% of the Federal Poverty Level. Recently, the Kansas Education Enrichment Program (KEEP) has been implemented to support families and children recovering from the impact of COVID-19 on learning. Qualifying parents and guardians are awarded funds per eligible student to pay for a variety of education goods and services that promote educational learning and recovery and facilitate academic enrichment opportunities. The Merriam Community Center does not qualify to accept KEEP funds but a family that qualifies for the program would like to use this qualification to be accepted as proof of public assistance. In researching further, KEEP tiers assistance. Households that are not enrolled in SNAP benefits must have an income of 300% or less of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. Staff’s concern with accepting KEEP as a qualifying program will complicate the current scholarship program. Currently, the vetting of income is done by other assistance programs. Staff requires proof of current year assistance from a variety of accepted public assistance programs. Adding a program that offers a tiered approach, the policy and process would need to be completely overhauled and evaluated. In addition, the number of qualifying households would greatly change. For reference, the poverty guideline for a household of 4 is $30,000 with $5,140 added for each additional person. Income-qualification guidelines in KEEP allows households at 300% of poverty to qualify. For a household of 4 annual household income is $90,000 with each additional person the household income increases by $15,420. Attached to this memo is a copy of the existing policy for review. Recommendation: Staff is seeking Park Board input and recommendation to the retain the existing eligibility standards.  Scholarship Assistance Policy Description Merriam Parks and Recreation is committed to providing quality recreation opportunities to all resident households, regardless of their economic condition. Since user fees support the recreational programs and facility memberships offered by the City of Merriam Parks and Recreation Department, program participants are required to pay registration fees for each program in which they register. To assist residents in offsetting the costs, there are various scholarships available to qualifying families in order to receive assistance in off-setting fees. Scholarship Assistance Programs 1. Merriam Parks Recreation and Community Center Membership Scholarship. a. Available only to Merriam household residents. b. Limited to $420 // household // calendar year to be applied toward resident household memberships. 2. Dolphin Fund a. Available only to Merriam household residents who are 18 years of age or younger and enrolled in school. b. Scholarship to be used toward Dolphin Swim Team and Merriam Community Center swim lessons. c. Limited to $100 // year // youth. 3. Senior FitClass Pass Scholarship a. Available only to Merriam residents who are 60 years of age or older. b. Requires an active membership to the Merriam Community Center. c. Limited to $240 // person // calendar year to be applied toward the purchase of a FitClass Pass 4. KanCare a. Youth must participate in a qualified KanCare Medicaid Program (no residency restrictions apply). b. Limited to $50 // year // youth. Eligibility All information provided by the applicant will be kept confidential and will be used solely for the purpose of establishing eligibility. Merriam Parks and Recreation Community Center Scholarship, Senior FitClass Pass Scholarship & Dolphin Fund 1. Proof of Merriam residency – proper identification to include a valid driver’s license, a state issued identification, current utility bill (electric, gas or water), current city business license or Notice of Appraised Value issued by the Johnson County Assessor’s Office. 2. Proof of public assistance – proper documentation of current year assistance to include: Social Security Supplemental Security Income (SSI); Food Assistance (SNAP); or other assistance from SRS, WIC food vouchers, or free school lunches. 3. Household is defined as two adults and up to four (4) dependent children as defined by IRS Qualifying Age Rule at the same address. Children 18 – 24 must provide proof of residency. The IRS Qualifying Age Rule per the IRS website (https://www.irs.gov/credits- deductions/individuals/earned-income-tax-credit/qualifying-child-rules). 4. Senior is defined as an individual 60+ years of age. 5. Completion of appropriate application. Revised January 2023 KanCare 1. Proof of KanCare member identification. 2. Provide appropriate paperwork from KanCare caseworker and a copy of member identification card. 3. Applied toward eligible youth classes. Application Procedures 1. Obtain verification of need from the public assistance agency of the type of assistance being received. Documentation must be provided for the current year. 2. Complete the Scholarship Application form and attach verification of assistance. Form can be completed on-line at Merriam.org/Scholarships or can be obtained at the Welcome Desk. a. If completing a paper application, bring the application to Merriam Parks & Recreation Department office, Merriam Community Center, 6040 Slater (Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM.) 3. Allow up to seven working days to receive notification of approval or denial. 4. If the scholarship is approved, the recipient is required to pay balance of the program, membership, or class fees, following the normal registration procedures. Other Information: 1. No portion of the scholarships are transferable to another person, remaining balances are not carried forward into the next calendar year. 2. Age restrictions apply to KanCare, Senior FitClass Pass and Dolphin Fund scholarships. 3. Recipients must follow all Merriam Parks and Recreation Department rules, regulations, and policies. Failure to do so will result in revocation of scholarship and loss of privileges. 4. Scholarships do not apply to the purchase of class supplies. 5. Scholarship funds are provided from private and civic group donations, and are available on a first- come, first-served basis, subject to availability. 6. Recipients of Membership Scholarships will be responsible for $20 // month fee for annual household membership and $10 // month fee for adult / senior membership. 7. Recipients of Dolphin Fund Scholarships will be responsible for 20% of program fee. 8. Recipients of the Senior FitClass Pass Scholarship will be responsible for $5 // month fee. Revised January 2023