13 Staff Report - Addendum Oak Meadow Park for Organized Soccer Practice~owN of MEETING DATE: 06-06-05
ITEM NO. 13
ADDENDUM
'i COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
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DATE: JUNE 3, 2005
TO: MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCI
FROM: DEBRA J. FIGONE, TOWN MANAGER
SUBJECT: COUNCIL POLICY DISCUSSION AND DIRECTION REGARDING USE OF
OAK MEADOW PARK FOR ORGANIZED SOCCER PRACTICE
The attached letter to Mayor Wasserman from, Ed San Juan from the Los Gatos United Soccer
League, (LGUSL), dated October 14, 2004, addresses the LGUSL position regarding maintenance
of public fields for organized soccer. Since this issue is discussed in the staff report on this item,
the letter is being provided as supplemental information.
Attachments:
1. Letter from Ed San Juan, LGUSL, October 14, 2004
PREPARED BY: PAMELA S. JACOBS
ASSISTANT TOWN MANAGER
Reviewed by: Assistant Town Manager __,_1 Town Attorney Clerk Administrator
gel .Finance Community Development Revised: 6/3/05 9:16 am
Reformatted: 5/30/02
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October 10, 2004
To Mike Wasserman
-Regarding Maintenance and Operations of Public Use Fields-
It has always been the policy of the Los Gatos United Soccer League that where possible, as a non-profit
community service entity where we own no physical resources (other than a storage container), we will
provide monies, contract support, and volunteer support, needed to equip, maintain, and cooperatively
operate with the field provider (school districts and LG Parks and Recreation).
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On average, the LGUSL spends:
-Greater than -$25k per season just on field maintenance
-Non-recurring cost: -$15k for hardware (Goals, and storage containers-capital investment items)
-For recurring cost:-$20k for field lining (using bio-degradable paint),
Everything associated with a practice or a game, we fund.
Hiring Contractors
For the two previous seasons we hired Jensen Landscaping (same contractor handling the Fisher
landscaping) to upgrade and maintain Fisher and Stratford fields. In the 5 years before that it was Ted
Cooper. Last season, we could not repair the fields due to the Fisher construction and having the soccer
fields not watered for 5-6 weeks (portables stored on fields). This season we hired Richard Johnson to place
emergency sod, and handle gopher abatement.
We also hire. contractors to do the time intensive scheduling work, and computer registration of the 1350
recreational players.
For any maintenance required to keep the playing surface safe, we would look internally to provide monies
for labor and materials. We have also had conversations with Ken Olds, about when his employees had
"slow periods", we could provide monies for soccer field maintenance tasks that they could do. He also
stated that he's interested in being the preferred grounds keeper (with Maryann's ok), for any soccer field
given access to us by the Town of Los Gatos. Ken sees it as a way to keep his folks busy.
Community Partners
On top of hiring contractors, two seasons ago we donated a $5k aerator (deep root plugs for root growth
and fertilization) to the Los Gatos Union School District to use on all of the districts fields, including
baseball fields. And last season, we co-funded a topdressing machine to the district as well- a $9k ($l8k
total cost) investment. This machine is used for leveling the surface of a field, while compacting the soil- a
basic requirement for athletic fields. We helped purchase this with LG Pony Baseball and the LGUSD. We
believe we're good community partners.
Volunteer Support
We are lucky to have 200+ coaches volunteering their time every season. We also enlist Los Gatos High
School, Leigh High school, Fisher, and Union middle school students for a litany of volunteer opportunities
that range from picking up trash at the school fields, to working registration nights, moving goals, putting
up nets, and working tournaments. We would look to the league volunteers to help maintain any property
given to us to use. I've also started a "Green Field Policy" where teams are not allowed to leave a field
until all the trash is picked up.
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Over and above the standard maintenance required for a schools or public fields (one mowing per week,
and consistent watering), we have provided monies for gopher abatement, filling rodent potholes
(dangerous by California Youth Soccer Association Standards), and weed abatement where permissible
(USD prefers to use their maintenance staff to handle state approved chemicals and procedures for USD
schools. Ken Olds and his staff handles this for LGUSD). We either work cooperatively with school district
officials to allow their staff to work soccer field maintenance simultaneously with school required work, or
we (the LGUSL) pay overtime to Ken's staff, or we hire and pay a school district approved contractor to
have the work done (Jensen Landscaping). This is how we've operated in the past, and it is how we plan on
operating in the future.
Since we don't "own" soccer specific field like other leagues, our goal is to be 100% self sufficient, and to
not burden the school districts and LG Parks and Recreation with a litany of special needs.
So, if the opportunity of a field in town presents itself, you can count on us to maintain it, and operate it in
a manner consistent with the spirit of the Town of Los Gatos.
Our intent is for the LGUSL to truly be a great community partner.
Sincerely,.
Ed San Juan
President
Los Gatos United Soccer League
17860 Bruce Ave
Los Gatos, Ca
95030
408-354-5485