Public Service Clinics Topics
Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation #1
Agency/Program Overview
The Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) is part of the City of Seattle with an operating budget of about $131 million and 1,003 FTE. DPR manages a 6,200 acre park system, comprised of 430 parks, which include 185 athletic fields, 130 children's play areas, nine swimming beaches, 18 fishing piers, five golf courses, and 22 miles of boulevards. Other facilities include 151 outdoor tennis courts, 26 community centers, 8 indoor and 2 outdoor swimming pools 27 wading pools, a nationally recognized Rose Garden, the Seattle Aquarium, and more.
Specific Research Question
As we set our fee structure in 2010 for the 2011-12 budget, we wish to be consistent with a new fee policy that is framed in terms of the portion of program costs to be paid by program participants. The project would allocate the 2010 Adopted Budget to the different programs and services for which we charge. The basic question is "What does it cost to run a community center, pool, athletic field, or other facility?"
Additional Project Background
It will be necessary for the student to combine information from different systems and people to formulate the best possible cost allocation factors. DPR recognized that there is not one right way to do this and will work with the student to assess the best possible method given available time and resources. Some work on the cost of athletic fields has already begun.
Key Steps
Define a list of cost centers for which the student would be determining costs of operations.
Use information from the Parks budget system, work order system, payroll system, and interviews with parks maintenance crew chiefs or other staff to allocate certain cost pools to the various cost centers.
Additional Research Resources
The student would work with a committee of Parks staff that are updating our fees and charges consistent with the new fee policy.
If you have questions about this topic or would like more information, please contact Carol K. Everson, Director of Finance & Administrative Services.