11-08-1983 Meeting agenda and Sept minutes

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A question which comes to mind is why so few people were found to be using the park system o a Frid orning in early August? A more fair test of use could be e on a Saturday morning in October or ovember when it is less like!y to be fA ily vaca on time. An idea whic mig t e explored comes from a back issue of National Par a—nd Recreation Association magazine. It suggests that children prefer brightly colored slides, swings, whirls, over the more natural solid wood tone climbing structures that are found in most contemporary park developments. Aesthetically, the wood tones are consideredably more pleasing to adults but something about the brightly painted metals may more emphatically say "park" to a child. Comparative testing at Ingerson Park for example, might prove to have an impact on park use. The existing wood climbing structure is troubled by vandalism and deterioration. A replacement structure is not planned until 1986 or after. A new painted cluster of equipment for small children on a level bench into the hillside could be considered a 1985 experiment, which could greatly affect future development activity. The capital improvement program has a number of additional climbing structures scheduled over the next ten years. A�Inng ranQp -gra � _plan should be developed with the help of the Parkes & Recre Cnmmittee, which identifies the various areas of responsibility for recreation. Voluntary Agencies together with the Community Education program offer d y the School District provide many services which do not need to be duplicated. The program plan would show how services are supplied and offer a mechanism to explain recreation objectives discussed earlier. PERSONNEL An accountability write up for the position of Director of Parks and Recreation was • developed by the City Council in August of 1981. It credits neighboring municipalities as the primary source and marks a beginning point for the preparation and distribution of a job analysis extending to part time maintenance workers, playground leaders and volunteers. Appendix B contains four suggested writeups including that of the Director of Parks & Recreation to maintain a consistent foremat. These descriptions have been adapted from.a collection of job descriptions made available from the Minnesota League of Cities. They anticipate community growth primarily as a result of land use changes on the present site of the Arsenal. Such growth would generate need for additional staff including a part time Recreation Specialist and a full time Park Maintenance Worker. A recreation specialist would be able to focus his or her attention on the management of all recreation programming, whereas the park maintenance worker would be used to absorb the demands of increased land to maintain. There has been no attempt to evaluate the efficiency of the present work force. Workers are capable of handling the needs of the present land areas. A significant increase in public open space is likely to require additonal full and part time workers. The two descriptions for Park Maintenance Worker suggests a future need for someone who would carry slightly more responsibility on the job without actually establishing a position of foreman. An evaluation of personnel and programming of St. Paul recreational facilities reported on by the St. Paul Sunday paper in a recent issue raised questions about the need for city employees to provide all park maintenance and programming functions. It cites the experience of Los Angeles County where lawn maintenance firms have produced savings of 30 to 40 percent compared with public employees. Bids on park maintenance would be worth considering particularly for the work performed by