CV Starr Community Center now owned by City of Fort Bragg
FORT BRAGG, CA >> After a sixmonth transition, the City of Fort Bragg is now the owner and operator of the CV Starr Community Center. Located at 300 South Lincoln Street, the Center will continue all current operations and classes for its members and visitors. Any disruptions will occur due to the installation of new equipment or scheduled maintenance repairs.
The City of Fort Bragg stepped in to take charge of the facility from Mendocino Coast Recreation and Park District when the Center's
limited income could not proceed with a proper maintenance and operation budget. At that point, bankruptcy became a possibility due to inadequate revenue.
CV Starr Community Center Manager Moneque Wooden said that before her tenure, “The Recreation and Park District was slowly losing the financial flow.” She continued, “They could keep going from day to day, but they did not have the financial floor to put away money for any type of capital improvements they needed for maintenance.”
By 2011, in the Center's second year, the facility had closed temporarily to review its financial troubles and appealed to the City of Fort Bragg for assistance. The Recreation and Park District agreed to a property tax-sharing arrangement with the city, leading to Measure A.
The city needed legal property ownership to put Measure A on the ballot. The Recreation and Park District would continue to manage the facility with its employees. The Fort Bragg City Council did have some oversight of budgeting and funds.
After the public approval of Measure A in 2012, which dedicated sales tax revenue to the Community Center, no reserves were established for future needs.
Fort Bragg City Manager Isaac Whippy said, “The tax was never designed to do more than cover daily operating costs.”
However, with the arrival of a new director in 2018, the Center was in further financial straits. Then, when the Center closed during the COVID pandemic, Community Center Manager Wooden described the crisis as “everything falling apart.”
She added, “It was a blessing in disguise because the doors shut for almost two years.” Tax revenue continued to come in and build up.
The Recreation and Parks District kept its programs going, and
the Center held on to Center Manager Wooden and four other employees to limit facility deterioration. It reopened, but Wooden said the Center “was out of money for 2024-2025.” There were no sources left.
In August of 2023, the Mendocino Coast Recreation and Park District voted to turn over their operating agreement to the city. The Fort Bragg City Council agreed and developed a six-month transition plan effective in February 2024. All employees would be city employees, and a new cost-saving plan was designed.
The risk to the city's budget is hazardous, but the City Council was willing to commit. “It's a gem in the community,” noted Whippy. “We want to ensure it's here for a long time.”
He added, “Some tough decisions must be made, and we have an upcoming marketing program to increase membership.” Membership rates, last increased in 2012, have already been raised to increase critically needed revenue.
Since the city's Finance Department took over management of the Center's finances, the Center now has a small reserve fund established. However, the fund is insufficient to finance a major upgrade or infrastructure repair.
With that in mind, Whippy said, “The city can now pursue grants, generate more memberships, improve staff efficiency and tech.” This is new territory for such a small city. Wooden noted, “The city does not have a parks and recreation department with established revenue.”
There is much to improve. According to Wooden, the solar panels do not function properly and “have a decade and a half beating from the weather.” The Center also has a lifeguard staff shortage.
Some improvements have already been completed. New weight training equipment is now in place and separated from the cardio and aerobic areas. The funds came from a budgeting approval two years ago.
Wooden noted that “the gym equipment was never commercial.” She credits the Center's trainer with getting “our equipment to go way past its life expectancy.” Corporate memberships have also been reinstated.
The Center still holds 32 weekly classes and a pool use schedule, and all classes remain popular. The party room is often booked. Although the building is in full use, Wooden is looking to set up independent contractors to hold classes in a variety of areas both for health and relaxation.
It will take time to build up a financial reserve, repair the infrastructure, and look to expansion of services. Regarding perspective employees, Whippy said, “There will be good jobs for the community that will offer city benefits and retirement plans.”
In the meantime, the Center will need to rely upon students as half-time employees to fill the gaps. Wooden explained that operating the pool, slide, and river requires nine to eleven lifeguards, and she does not have the staff to keep it going seven days a week.
Lifeguard training is rigorous, and regulations are strict. The Center hopes to find young people who are physically fit and may even be interested in a medical career at some point. Wooden noted, “We had two major rescues in the last few months back to back.”
She stressed that intense and constant watch over the pool is not as easy as it looks. “The burden of what they carry out,” said Wooden, “can be a little overwhelming.” The Center does offer classes for anyone interested in passing the required test. Only one certified lifeguard instructor in this area is another roadblock.
City Manager Whippy places high value on the CV Starr Community Center for the public. A Center that originally served a Recreation and Park District with a ten-mile radius around Fort Bragg now includes most of the Mendocino County coast.
He noted the extent of what the Center has to offer. “It checks off all the boxes,” he said, “physical health, mental well-being, youth development, social interaction and more. The city has worked hard to stabilize operations and begin saving for future needs.”
Whippy then added, “There are other exciting opportunities for the Center. We just have to ensure we get the financial pieces in place besides the operation. We just need to get the lifeguard situation sorted out, and we'll be open seven days a week.”