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HomeMy WebLinkAboutC- 4 Re-organization of Recreation and Parks Department AZUSA AGENDA ITEM TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL FROM: RICK COLE, CITY MANAGER "AO DATE: SEPTEMBER 23, 2002 SUBJECT: RE-ORGANIZATION OF RECREATION AND PARKS DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that City Council approve a re-organization of the Recreation and Parks Department under a single director, incorporating the Senior Services Division (formerly part of Library and Community Services, currently reporting to the City Manager), create a new director of Park Planning and Development, phase-in additional staff as funding becomes available and initiate the re-classification of certain staff members for new and/or additional duties. BACKGROUND The vision that has emerged from the General Plan process for Azusa is of a "quality family community" in which safe streets and public services like schools, recreation, parks and our library create a wholesome and supportive atmosphere for residents. Azusa's recreation programs for youngsters has long been a source of pride and distinction. Since the building of the Senior Center, we have also provided a high- quality, low-cost range of programs and services for our older residents. Along with the Library, Transportation and Park Maintenance, these people-oriented divisions used to be part of a Community Services Department. Four years ago, Recreation and Parks became an independent department, with an unusual management team of two long-time colleagues sharing responsibility for overall administration as well as dividing up particular areas of focus. This approach has resulted in record-setting year-by-year growth in both the range and participation of youth sports activities and a dramatic increase in participation by adolescents in the Department's programs. In addition, the Department successfully: • Spearheaded the "2000 Trees in the Year 2000" effort which has resulted in the , planting of more than 3500 trees and a comprehensive catch-up program to trim and maintain our city's trees, resulting in our first-ever designation as a "Tree City USA" • Embarked on the first projects in a comprehensive overall and upgrade of our park facilities, including the make-over at Gladstone Park, new facilities at three other parks and the Valley's largest Skatepark construction • Launched a Park Master Plan effort to guide facility and program planning over the next five years • Working with the new Public Works Department, addressed deferred maintenance on the Slauson Pool in time for the most successful summer ever of aquatics programs • Continued to put on a growing array of special events throughout the year as part of an aggressive fundraising and sponsorship program that last year brought in $75,000 in cash and an equivalent amount in in-kind support for the Department's events, facilities and programs All these achievements have occurred without substantial new staff positions or new funding, beyond fundraising and grants. Council and community expectations for continuing to expand our recreational programs, facilities and participation are contingent on new resources, including an augmented staff and addressing the issue of competitive compensation for both full and part-time staff. Moreover, three factors have changed in the past year: • The new Public Works Department was created and the Park Maintenance Division (which had been the principal responsibility of one of the Associate Directors) was transferred to that new operation • Passage of two State bond issues along with park fees from new development created funding for more than $3 million in new park facilities and land acquisition, all of which will require extensive project management to complete - along with new grant opportunities for potentially millions more • After the departure of the Director of Library and Community Services, a new Director was hired to focus on the Library, with emphasis on building a new Library and significantly expanding its programs. With Headstart no longer being operated by the City, a new approach is needed for the remaining • Divisions that once made up the Department - Transportation and Senior Services The Council has clearly emphasized the importance of recreational activities for youth as a key element in our "quality family community" vision and as a vital part of our commitment to public safety. The Council has also called for greater emphasis on adolescents and the one out of four children in our community growing up in poverty • and overcrowded conditions. And the Council has also directed staff to actively pursue grant funding for park improvements and acquisition, both in our neighborhoods and as part of a River protection and enhancement strategy. Finally, the Council has been committed to continuing to offer excellent service to our community's senior community through our Senior Center. To maintain the quality of our programs and achieve these long-term goals, I propose a re-organization of our existing Recreation and Parks Department to create a new Recreation Department, with three divisions: • Recreation overseeing youth and adult programs and special events • Senior Services providing recreational, social and nutrition services though our Senior Center • Park Development providing planning, grantsmanship and project management for the "Azusa Park Rennaissance" Under this proposal, Joe Jacobs would become the new department Director. Randy Noriega would be Director of Park Development. He would be housed in the new Department, with shared staff support, but report directly to the City Manager's office, while collaborating with both the Recreation and Public Works Department on park planning, management, programming, acquisition and capital project construction. Carolyn Crawford, slated to retire next August, would continue to head the Senior Division, reporting to the Director. Many cities put recreation and senior services in the same department. It would allow the Department the full advantage of opportunities to pool resources with the goal of augmenting recreation and human services to all ages. Examples of pooling of resources would be insuring Senior Services Division had an administrative voice at cabinet and would include the augmenting of staffing in the Senior Center with Recreation personnel as well as looking at the age appropriate, greater use of both Senior Center and Women's Club facilities during currently dark periods. Preliminary discussions have even suggested the renaming of the Senior Center because of the sometimes misleading connotation of "senior" to an aging adult population whose active lifestyles belie "senior" stereotypes. While only a suggestion, Crawford has offered the alternative "The Dalton Community Center" . . . Gateway to Adult Services and Activities". Additional pooling of resources will also be highly visible in the cooperative relationship between the new Recreation and Senior Services Department and the Azusa Unified School District. Both parties have embraced the concept of the expansion of the after school playground program to include all elementary schools as well as the coupling of current AUSD facilities and the possibility of transcending their facilities to parkland acreage during non-school hours. The cumbersome task of securing additional funding combined with the legal tussles of join use are challenging, but pale in comparison to the many positives that would arise from such a pooling of resources. The goal of the partnership would be to provide quality after-school activities at every Azusa elementary school campus. As part of our workplan, we are working on the Council's public safety priority with the goal of expanding staffing and resources in the Police Department, Library and Recreation areas. With an initial investment of $25,000 during the remainder of this fiscal year, we can move in the right direction. As part of the $2 million in additional recurring resources strategy that I outlined to the Council to achieve our goals, approximately $500,000 would go to the Police Department, $300,000 to the Library and $200,000 would go to Recreation to address understaffing and competitive pay issues for full and part-time staff. We have made tremendous strides as a City, and the new Recreation Department and "Park Renaissance" emphasis will play an integral part in the City's continued success story for both will continue to have a noticeable impact in the community. FISCAL IMPACT Up to $25,000 would be earmarked from the General Fund fund balance during the remainder of this fiscal year for the costs of job salary reclassifications and augmentation of part-time staff hours (to be separately approved as they are processed.) In future years, additional funding would be contingent on successful implementation of the strategy for additional revenue to underwrite Police, Library and Recreation expansion for a safer community.