DATE: September 26, 2017
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Steven E. White, Director
Department of Public Works and Planning
SUBJECT: Fresno City/County Historical Society Agreement
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Authorize Chairman to execute Amendment I to Agreement No. 13-284 with the Fresno City/County Historical Society for operations and maintenance of the Kearney Mansion Museum Complex, extending the 5 year term for one additional year to September 30, 2018.
REPORT
Approval of the recommended Agreement will allow for the continued development, enhancement and maintenance of the cultural, historical and social resources of Fresno County, specifically related to the Kearney Mansion Museum Complex (Mansion). If extended Agreement No. 13-284 will terminate on September 30, 2018.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Staff is not aware of any viable alternative actions.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with this recommended action for FY 2017-18. Annual appropriations totaling $19,325, which are not revenue offset, are included in the FY 2017-18 recommended budgets of Interest and Miscellaneous Expenditures Org 2540 ($12,500) and Parks and Grounds Org 7910 ($6,825) at the same level as previous fiscal years to help fund the operation and maintenance of the Mansion. Appropriations for FY 2018-19 will be contingent on amounts approved in the adopted budgets of that fiscal year.
The Agreement provides for a 50% reduction in the rental revenue for each event, which currently represents a waiver of $1,335 per day based on the current $2,670 per day Master Schedule of Fee (MSF) rate for use of the entire Kearney Park. The Agreement also requires full payment of the daily refundable deposit for damage/cleanup, which is currently $1,000 per the MSF. In addition, the Agreement provides for a 100% waiver of the standard vehicle entrance fee, currently $5.00 per vehicle per the MSF. For a single two-day event, this could represent a waiver of $25,000 in County revenues based on an estimated 5,000 vehicles (i.e. an estimated 15,000 attendants with three occupants per vehicle.) The FY 2017-18 Budget of Org. 7910 reflects reduced rental revenues and the exclusion of approximately $25,000 in vehicle entrance fees related to the annual two-day Civil War Reenactment event. Impacts to revenues resulting from future arranged events will be reflected in those applicable fiscal years.
DISCUSSION:
The County operates Kearney Park under a long-term lease from the Regents of the University of California which expires February, 2027. The Historical Society began partnering with the County in 1962 to care for the Mansion, about twelve years after the County began operating the Kearney estate grounds as a public park. Specifically, the Historical Society took on the administration of the Kearney Superintendent’s Lodge as an historic site museum (known as the Kearney Mansion Museum) and assumed responsibility for the Servants’ quarters, Carriage House and Ice House, all of which comprise the Kearney Mansion Museum Complex, referred to as the “Mansion”.
On August 8, 2017, the Historical Society’s board requested a one-year extension of their current agreement. Approval of the recommended action will allow for the continued administration and operation of the Mansion by the Historical Society, and the maintenance of an historical artifacts collection and archival material on local history. Public presentations, newsletters, and historical resource information will also be provided. The Historical Society is responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the interior and exterior of the Mansion, except for those services that are the responsibility of the County. To off-set potential costs the agreement allows the Historical Society to hold events, in additional to the civil war reenactment, in which net proceeds must be appropriated to fund the upkeep and maintenance of the Mansion. Additionally the Historical Society may charge a reasonable fee for admission to the Mansion and retain the funds so received, provided that the funds are devoted to and expended for the promotion, development, operation, and maintenance of the Mansion.
The County is responsible to provide the necessary improvements to the grounds to allow public access to the Mansion and provide for the convenience of the public, including roads, parking lot, restrooms, sidewalks and fences. The County also provides utilities including water and electricity, a security alarm system, and periodic landscaping to the grounds adjacent to the Mansion. In addition, the County will continue to be responsible for the maintenance of the Mansion’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, and major plumbing and electrical systems, contingent upon the availability of funding.
The Agreement’s insurance provisions are in line with insurance provisions approved by Risk Management. Also, the County continues to provide Property coverage against certain loss of or damage to the Mansion. The Agreement also includes provisions for the Historical Society to indemnify the County against liabilities, losses, etc. resulting to County and others due to the performance of or failure to perform by the Historical Society. It also continues to provide that the County indemnify the Historical Society from certain losses sustained by the public resulting from incidents occurring on the premises of Kearney Park that are unrelated to the Historical Society’s performance or failure to perform. This provision applies only to the Mansion and not to the Historical Society’s exclusive use of Kearney Park for historical related events. The above mutual indemnity is primarily due to the County’s stewardship of the Kearney property (i.e. the Mansion) for which the County does carry property insurance and some of the maintenance and upkeep responsibilities, and for which the Historical Society has insurance protection for the comings and goings of the Mansion’s visitors
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #9, September 22, 2009
BAI #24, September 27, 2011
BAI #36, August 7, 2012
BAI #37, August 7, 2012
BBR, Historical Society’s relationship with Fresno County, Posted August 23, 2012
BAI #47, May 21, 2013
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Agreement with Fresno City/County Historical Society
CAO ANALYST:
John Hays