Agenda - 08-22-2006-5z - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: August 22, 2006 Action Agenda Item No. 5 - Z SUBJECT: Reduced SportsPlex Membership Rates for Orange County Employees DEPARTMENT: Manager/Personnel PUBtmIC HEARING: (YIN) No ATTACHMENT(S): None INFORMATION CONTACT: Rod Visser, 919-245-2308 Tyrone .Jackson, 919-245-2552 PURPOSE: To consider approving reduced annual membership rates at the SportsPlex for permanent Orange County employees as an element of the employee pay and benefit package, effective September 1, 2006. BACKGROUND: During June 2006 budget work sessions, staff described a potential employee benefit that would provide SportsPlex annual memberships to permanent Orange County employees at a rate that is half of the regular published membership rate. Commissioners had previously cited discounted employee SportsPlex memberships as a desirable benefit. Employees actively using SportsPlex memberships would be likely to maintain a higher wellness level, which might over the long run have a positive impact on the County's utilization rates for health care benefits and their related costs. The June 2006 proposal was developed by the County's contracted management firm for the SportsPlex, Recreation Factory Partners (RFP), at the specific request of the Gounty Manager's Office.. The Manager further proposed that of the amount that would be charged to employees, half of the membership cost would be paid directly by the employee, and the other half would be paid on the employee's behalf by the County. In developing their proposal, RFP noted a desire to maximize the benefit for the Orange County employees, while ensuring that RFP maintains balanced resource/service availability to the residents of the County. RFP concluded that the best approach was to offer a straight 50% discount off of the Silver membership package to all permanent Orange County employees. This approach would provide each County employee with the same benefits as any other facility member, including full fitness center use, exercise classes (they could sign-up the same as any regular member) and use of the pool. Gold memberships (which also provide for use of the ice rink) would also be offered to employees at the 50% discount rate. Individual services such as massage, personal fitness trainers, etc.. and individual one-time uses of the facility would not be eligible for the discounted rate applied specifically to memberships. To illustrate how this would work, a Single membership is normally priced at $570 per year (Couple memberships are $700 and Family memberships are $910). The discounted Orange County employee rate would therefore be $285 per year for a Single ($350 far a Couple and 455 for Family). If Orange County were to subsidize the fees to employees by half, the employee