Title
Presentation: Review of 2012 Special Events Costs
Executive Summary: Annually, the administration presents a special events cost summary to City Council detailing the overtime costs for providing services to special events throughout the year.
Body
Legislative History
N/A
Purpose & Explanation
Each year, the City provides services at no expense to support special events on our public greens. We recognize that events are good for the City and good for economic development.
Over the past 5 years, the City has sought to decrease our overtime costs for providing services to special events, largely through scheduling as many services as possible during regular working hours and by requiring event organizers to change set up times to limit the need for overtime. This has reduced and/or maintained our costs, while the number of events continues to rise. In 2012 there were 71 events, compared to 50 in 2008. For this year, 2013, we have requests for three new 5-K runs, which in total will cost us approximately $6,000 more in overtime. While we are reaching a saturation point in the key summer months (June through September), where virtually no dates are open, many are now asking for April and May dates. In addition to new events, some current events continue to expand, requiring more services.
In 2012, overtime costs totaled $40,543. When adding regular hour costs ($17,473) and equipment costs ($11,564), our total cost for special events in 2012 was $70,136. The attached document, 2012 Special Event Cost Summary provides details of those expenditures and compares our costs from year to year. Only the events that required City services are listed. There are many events that do not require any City services.
The most costly events for the City based on total costs are, in order from high to low: Taste of Hudson, Fireworks, Bandstand Concerts, Memorial Day Parade and Screen on the Green. Based solely on overtime costs, the events ranked for high to low are: Fireworks, Bandstand Concerts, Memorial Day Parade, Taste of Hudson, and Green on the Green Environmental Day.
Timing Considerations
N/A
Fiscal Impact
X Currently Budgeted
Supplemental Appropriation Required
Appropriation Not Required.
Recommendation
Suggested Action
City staff would like City Council's input on our costs for special events. Additionally, we are asking Council to determine if there is a desire to put a cap on City costs for special events as we continue to receive requests for more events each year. If so, what should that cap be?
Submitted by,
Anthony J. Bales, City Manager
Scott N. Schroyer, Asst. City Manager
Jody Roberts, Communications Manager