# Presentation: 618939

## GROOM CREEK SCHOOLHOUSE“Rooms With a View”Rental CabinPRESCOTT NATIONAL FOREST

- PROPOSAL FOR FEE CHANGE
- FLREA EXPANDED AMENITY FEE
- December, 2006

## Groom Creek Schoolhouse – Location & Setting

*Groom Creek Schoolhouse*

- GROOM CREEK
- SCHOOLHOUSE

## Groom Creek Schoolhouse - Proposal

- Proposal –
-   Make Schoolhouse building available to the public and increase day use fee at site from $50 to $150 per day
- Proposal meets FLREA criteria for an expanded amenity fee - “rental of cabin or historic structure”
- Additional fee of $9 per reservation is charged by NRRS
- Schoolhouse building has not been rented for over 10 years
- Schoolhouse is in the Forest Service Arizona Cabin Rental Program (Rooms With a View) which has an established business plan

## Groom Creek Schoolhouse – Cabin Rental Program Business Plan

-  Highlights of existing “Rooms with a View” Business Plan (2003)
- A statewide program for multiple cabins managed with common objectives and pooled resources
- Provide a unique recreation experience on National Forest lands
- Generate $$ for maintenance and repair of underused buildings
- Restore and rehabilitate historic facilities and adapt them for rental
- Has options for rental management
- Forest Service staff
- Volunteer staff with Forest Service oversight
- Contract
- Rental fees are based on market demand, number of occupants, amenities and management costs

## Groom Creek Schoolhouse – Amenities and Attractions

- Amenities
- 1400 sq ft of indoor space, 60 person capacity
- Kitchen prep area with liquids disposal sink
- Tables and chairs for presentation, meeting or dining area setting
- Projector screen and blackout blinds
- Wood stove heating
- Electric lights and outlets
- Outdoor security lighting
- Vault toilet
- Adjacent picnic area with 9 tables,
-    fire ring, and amphitheater
- Total site capacity of 100 persons

- Attractions
- 2 hour or less drive from Phoenix or Flagstaff; 20 minutes from Prescott on paved road
- Schoolhouse itself, a rare historic “one-room” Schoolhouse, listed on National Register of Historic Places
- Pine tree and granite boulder setting
- Secluded, attractive location for group day use

## Groom Creek Schoolhouse – Management & Marketing

- Management -
- Reservations made through NRRS
- Forest Service Enterprise Team (Recreation Solutions) does day-to-day management under percent-of-fee contract with staff in Prescott who provide
- Marketing (handouts, web pages, news releases, articles)
- Customer service (reservation follow up, complaints, Q&A)
- Cleaning (trash pickup, interior cleaning, yard maintenance)
- Minor maintenance (plumbing, hardware, appliances)
- Payment of utility bills
- Prescott NF does major maintenance and provides oversight for contract management
- Marketing tactics–
- handouts, brochure, Web pages, newspaper & magazine articles

## Groom Creek Schoolhouse – Justification for Increased Fee

- Justification for Fee
- Set to match rates for somewhat comparable rentals in Prescott area (other day use facilities are $250 – $700 per day)
- Fee is only source of funds for annual operation & maintenance
- Fee is only source of funds for “landlord” maintenance and desired improvements
- Accrued fee collections less annual expenses will be used to fund major maintenance and improvement projects
- 	- drainage & parking improvements
- 	- water system
- 	- accessibility

## Groom Creek Schoolhouse – Financial Detail

- Projected Annual Revenue & Expense
- Revenue (rental collections) –
-       60 days @ $150/day                           	  $_9,000_
- 					   	Total		     $9,000
- Expense –
-   Contract mgt @ 75% of collections      		  $6,750
-   “Landlord” O&M 				    1,000
-   Administrative oversight (1 day @ $250/day)	       _250_
- 						Total                    <$8,000>
- Net annual accrual for cyclical
-   maintenance & improvements				    $1,000

## Groom Creek Schoolhouse – Social/Economic Impact, No Action Alternative

- Social/Economic Impact
- Fee does not impose a significant social/economic impact
- Positive benefit to public who appreciate that rental fees are used to maintain a historic facility
- No Action Alternative
- No Action means Schoolhouse is not available for public rental
- No funds available for maintenance and historic preservation
- Improvement projects are dropped pending other sources of funding

## Groom Creek Schoolhouse – Public Involvement

| Type of Contact | Date | Remarks |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Prescott newspaper article | May, 2005 | Photo with caption indicating plans to adapt Schoolhouse for public rental |
| Emails, letter from interested citizen | Feb – Dec,
2006 | Mr. Delany supports restoration, adaptive use & fee for Schoolhouse |
| News release | July, 2006 | Recreation Solutions provides info about improvements at Schoolhouse |
| Federal Register Notice | Nov, 2006 | In case rental is considered a new fee, FRN is published |
| Flyer at Schoolhouse | Nov, 2006 | Proposed rental fee & reason posted |
| News release | Nov, 2006 | Notice of proposed rental and fee; 3 requests for info, no citizen comments |
| Call to camp owner | Nov, 2006 | Ms. May supports rental; fee is “fair” |
| Public tour following news release | Nov, 2006 | 2 persons, positive comments, offers of support |

## Groom Creek Schoolhouse – Summary of Public Involvement

- SUMMARY of PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT
- Variety of contacts
- Minimal response from general public
- Support from targeted public (Mr. Delany, Ms. May)
- Proposal is not controversial

## Groom Creek Schoolhouse – Summary

- SUMMARY of PROPOSAL
- Groom Creek Schoolhouse Fee –
- Meets FLREA criteria as an expanded amenity fee
- Is proposed based on sound management
- Is justified based on market demand, amenities, occupant capacity and price comparisons
- Is non-controversial and well supported following public involvement