1090 COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET - - - - Room 696, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Tuesday, March 22, 2005 10:28 a.m. - - - - BILLS 040767, 040789, 050001, 050002, 050003, 050007, 050008. RESOLUTION 050022. PRESENT: COUNCIL PRESIDENT ANNA C. VERNA COUNCILWOMAN JANNIE BLACKWELL COUNCILMAN DARRELL L. CLARKE COUNCILMAN DAVID COHEN COUNCILMAN FRANK J. DICICCO COUNCILMAN JAMES F. KENNEY COUNCILMAN RICHARD T. MARIANO COUNCILWOMAN DONNA REED MILLER COUNCILMAN MICHAEL A. NUTTER COUNCILWOMAN BLONDELL REYNOLDS BROWN COUNCILMAN FRANK RIZZO - - - - V A R A L L O Incorporated Litigation Support Services Eleven Penn Center 1835 Market Street, Suite 600 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103 215.561.2220 215.567.2670 1091 I N D E X WITNESS KAREN LLOYD BORSKI 1092 CHRIS PALMER 1105 ROBERT NICKS 1152 DENNIS WALLER 1180 MARK FOCHT 1182 VICTOR RICHARD 1206 BILL CARAPUCCI 1216 MARY PLATT-COLES 1224 JEFF CARDWELL 1225 TOM FOX 1237 LEO DIGNAM 1245 CARLTON WILLIAMS 1246 DIANE REED 1256 JIM DONAGHY 1259 MICHAEL SHELTON 1295 LINDA HOWARD 1349 CHRIS DAVIS 1364 DAVID RASNER 1373 ANN D'HARNOCOURT 1378 GERRY LENFEST 1379 GAIL HARRITY 1385 1092 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET
Good morning, everyone. This is the continued public hearing of the Committee of the Whole regarding Bill Nos. 050001, 050002, 050003, 040789, 040767, 050007, 050008, and Resolution 7 No. 050022. Before we call our first witness, I would like to acknowledge that we have students from the Discovery Charter School in Fairmount. I believe that they are up in the balcony. If they would stand we would like to recognize you. (Applause.)
Welcome. Our first department to testify today will be the Fairmount Park Commission. May I ask the witnesses to please come to the table, identify yourself and proceed with your testimony?
Good morning and welcome. I see that your testimony is rather lengthy. We will give the 1093 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET stenographer a copy of your testimony. It will be transcribed in full.
Good morning, Council President Verna and Members of City Council. My name is Karen Lloyd Borski and I am the Interim Executive Director of the Fairmount Park Commission. 2 million operating budget for Fiscal Year 2006. 1 million in all classes and an additional $96,000 in Grants Revenue Fund. The Class 100 request of $8,917,919 is $615,259 below Fiscal Year '05's estimated obligations due to personnel reductions implemented in January, bringing our full-time staff level to 180. Our Class 200, 300 and 400 requests are for $2,742,509, $534,657 and $83,964 respectively. While our commitment to care for the City's green spaces continues to be our primary focus, there are several exciting 1094 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET partnerships that the Commission is involved in that will enhance the Fairmount Park experience for users and visitors alike. Just last month the lease was signed with the Please Touch Museum, the Commission and the City of Philadelphia for the museum's occupancy of Memorial Hall. This project will not only expand a popular children's activity destination, but also invest millions of dollars into the restoration and stabilization of one of Philadelphia's most treasured land marks. Scheduled to open in 2007, the museum will greatly enhance the public's ability to visit and learn about Memorial Hall. Together with the zoo, the Mann Center for the Performing Arts and neighborhood development in the Park Side area, this will breathe new life into West Fairmount Park as plans are being made to create a centennial district among these cultural institutions on the very same grounds where our country celebrated its centennial anniversary in 1876. Last fall ground was broken on two 1095 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET significant partnership projects in Fairmount Park. 5 acre campus in West Fairmount Park. We look forward to this development fostering a tremendous environment for advanced learning and enhancing the Park Side and West Philadelphia communities. , has begun work on its new indoor/outdoor tennis center on the site of the former Gustine Recreation Center. This development will not only create an ultra-modern indoor and outdoor tennis facility, but also replace the existing 40-year-old rec center with a building with enhanced athletic and community spaces. Savings of approximately $20,000 will also be realized in annual exterior maintenances costs as the tennis center will become responsible for the entire Gustine site. Also notable is the potential partnership with the Fox Chase Cancer Center 1096 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET for an expansion of its campus into Burholme Park. Discussions continue which would allow this world-renowned institution to develop additional hospital and research facilities in Burholme Park while providing funds for the future care and improvement of the park and the Rider's Museum. The mission of Fairmount Park is to preserve and protect and maintain the open space, street trees, natural and cultural resources of Philadelphia's parks for the recreation and enjoyment of visitors and residents. Further, our mission is to educate the public on the environment, history and use of the park system and promote, celebrate and enhance the uniqueness and value of the Fairmount Park System and its economic impact to the City, region and state. Our responsibilities of woodlands, watersheds, landscapes and physical infrastructure of some 469 buildings and almost 200 sculptures are throughout the 9,200 acres. The park system provides 1097 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET Philadelphia's citizens and visitors with opportunities for both passive and active recreation, with more than 60 parks managed by the Commission, comprising one of the largest municipally-operated landscaped park systems in the US. Each of these parks falls into one of different classifications outlined in 9 our strategic plan.
10 Our major accomplishments in Fiscal 11 '05 include the completion of the strategic plan. As a result of the completion of the Fairmount Park strategic plan, the Commission has begun to initiate a variety of changes. Many of these changes seek to improve efficiencies by reducing duplicity of tasks with the Department of Recreation and concentrating on the core strengths of each organization. Fairmount Park is focused on self-directed recreation and has strengths in maintenance, environmental education and historic preservation. The Department of Recreation provides more active recreational opportunities with an emphasis on programmed 1098 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET activities and facilities. Implementation strategies of the plan which have already been initiated include the following: Our administrative offices have moved from Memorial Hall to One Parkway and are now located on the same floor as the Rec Department. Fairmount Park has brought together the volunteer services and environmental education functions into one division; environments, stewardship and education. Fairmount Park is likewise developing better business management strategies for our concession services. Steps in this direction include rewriting and rebidding contracts to better serve park users. Our trust funds are being evaluated and a more streamlined, systematic business approach is being developed in order to enhance the effectiveness of these funds and reduce our administrative costs. A special event policy has been developed to improve the delivery of services and provide a mechanism to recover costs 1099 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET associated with events. As mentioned earlier, the implementation of the plan has spawned the realignment of Fairmount Park staff, both physically and organizationally. Along with moving our offices in July, at the end of the William Penn Grant for the Natural Restoration and Environmental Education Program brought into being the creation of the Environment, Stewardship and Education Division. The focus of this unit is to provide a better managed volunteer experience as well as quality environmental educational opportunities. Most recently, the Operations and Landscape Management Division has been retooled from six geographic districts to four and has increased its emphasis on managing street tree planning, removal and pruning contracts. These changes will allow for greater efficiencies within the division and a streamlined management approach to caring for the 9,200 acres of the park system. Our initiatives for Fiscal '05 were to continue to expand the Growing Neighborhood 1100 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET Program. In '04 the Commission and the Fairmount Park Conservancy announced the launch of the Growing Neighborhood Program. This initiative is designed to work with community members to select and implement privately funded improvements in neighborhood parks throughout the system. The program is currently funded at a level of $300,000 through $100,000 grants from William Penn Foundation, ACINA (ph) and Novacare Rehabilitation. In the first year of the program Commission staff completed projects with friends, groups and interested citizens in Palmer, Kimball and Fernhill Parks. In FY '05, $75,000 is being spent for similar improvement projects at Clover, Lee and Fisher Parks. In the first two years of the program an additional $400,000 has been leveraged to compliment the investment in these community parks. The program is scheduled to run through 2007 and will involve new parks each year through a competitive 1101 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET selection process and will utilize additional funds raised by the conservancy from the Philadelphia business community.
The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the School District of Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Eagles and the Commission have teamed up in a public/private partnership to restore the tree cover in Philadelphia and the surrounding suburbs called Tree Vitalize. This $8 million program targets neighborhoods and cities and townships where the tree cover is less than 14 percent. 15 Tree Vitalize is designed to 16 revitalize older communities and improve the 17 air and water quality in those communities, 18 enhancing the quality of life for citizens 19 living in urbanized areas. Ultimately, this 20 program will plant more than 20,000 shade 21 trees and create 1,000 acres of forested 22 buffers in the five county Philadelphia 23 region. 24 Thank you for this opportunity to 25 appear before you today to discuss the 1102 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET present, but more importantly the future of the Fairmount Park System. That future will be guided by the recently completed strategic plan which clearly indicates the challenges that lie ahead. The plan also confirms, however, that our volunteer resources are among our strongest assets and we owe tremendous gratitude to those citizens who love their parks and continue to support them year after year, as well as support us as we appear before Council yearly. I'd also like to acknowledge the commissioners that have come to support the Commission today and our testimony. Thank you. )
Thank you very much. Commissioner, can you tell us the number of positions that were eliminated from your FY '05 budget?
Going into '06 our staffing level will be 180. 1103 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET
However, from the detailed budget it appears as though you were budgeted for 204.
So you were not allowed to fill those positions?
Correct. We were not allowed to fill positions, and staff reductions further eliminated classifications.
You also mentioned that you had to reduce your personnel level in January. How was this accomplished and why were you required to do this?
It was driven by the economic needs of the City. We looked at staff reductions that looked at classifications of employees that perhaps Fairmount Park could continue its core services without those classifications. It 1104 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET was a difficult decision across the board, but like most departments in City government, we were asked to look hard --
Can you tell us what is the operational impact of these reductions?
We tried very hard to have very little service impact wherever possible, and are absolutely committed to achieving that goal. The truth is, it is much more difficult to do things with less people. So we are reorganizing. I mentioned in my testimony that we've streamlined our Operations and Landscape Management Division from six to four districts. That, for instance, is an effort to do more with less.
The Managing Director's budget reflects an expenditure transfer of $380,000 to your department for the Vacant Lot Program. Do you in fact receive this funding from the MDO?
I'm going to let Chris Palmer, our Director of Operations and 1105 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET Landscaping, address that.
Good morning. The $380,000 is money in the MDO's budget and we ask for a transfer every month for the money for CLIP and NTI work.
So who controls how the funds are spent, the MDO or Fairmount Park?
Fairmount Park manages the staff that maintains the CLIP and NTI programs as far as street trees and lots and alley trees go.
Do you know why they are budgeted to the MDO and not directly to your office?
Neither do we. The Managing Director's Office has approximately $2.5 million budgeted for tree pruning, planting and removal. Does your office oversee the expenditure of these funds?
Yes, we do. We manage the tree removals, tree prunings and tree 1106 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET planning contracts.
Again, I ask why is that money not budgeted to your department? And you can't answer.
I have several other questions. However, there are a number of Councilmembers that want to be recognized. So each Councilmember will be given five minutes for questioning on the first go around. Before I recognize my colleague, I would just like to recognize someone we all know and respect. Mrs. Longstreth, who is here, and certainly has been a strong supporter. (Applause.)
She has always been a very strong, strong supporter of the Fairmount Park. The Chair recognizes Councilman Rizzo.
Thank you, Madam Chair. 1107 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET Director Borski, first of all, let me start off by telling you it that amazes me that you're even able to keep up with the workload that you have, because I remember when, I believe, we had close to a thousand people before both of our times to do the work to maintain the park. I'm concerned about the infrastructure of the park. I got a call just as I'm leaving for this hearing talking about the condition of some of the roadways. An example, I was told that Forbidden Drive in the area of Alley Green is just deplorable, that it's in such bad condition that it's hard to even drive at two or three miles an hour through there. Again, I'm not saying that it's your fault. I guess it's very difficult to keep up with the magnitude of work that you have, to keep it looking like it should, especially in one of the prime areas of the park, probably one of the hotter spots around in Fairmount Park. How do you plan to, with this limited budget and the limited number of 1108 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET people, how do you plan to not let it slip away any further? I understand in the spring there's always the clean up, fix up. Bells Mill and the stretch between Germantown Avenue and Ridge Avenue, it looks like a dump with all the debris on the side of the road. I don't know whether that's Streets Department. But I know Park had a gadget called the Brush Hog. They went in there and cleaned it up and it looked good for a while. I'm just concerned that it's going to get away from us. I'd like to hear from you or your colleagues to assure me that that's not going to happen.
Well, thank you for noticing. You know this past year we were hit with the impossible number of 100 year storms, and for noticing the damage to the infrastructure is critical to us because Fairmount Park did take an extraordinary hit. We've been working closely with agencies like FIMA and PIMA (ph) to see if there were ways to recoup some damage dollars for some of these real infrastructure needs. 1109 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET They are not as forthcoming as we would like them to be. But we're still investigating every possible scenario for that. In the meantime, yes. In the course of doing more with less, we do try to strategically work with our crews to do whatever repairs we can do. And I think that you will find throughout the park system that we are trying to target areas where we really can fix them up. You talk about Forbidden Drive. We don't want you driving faster than that anyhow on Forbidden Drive in front of Alley Green.
No. The truth is that the area was very, very hard hit by the floods. We are working on it. We are actually also working with the Friends of the Wissahickon on a major sort of infrastructure improvement project in that area, trying to accommodate parking, trying to get landscape back up to the point that it should be. It is an icon of our park system. 1110 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET
I know I only probably have a minute or so left, so I'll run the clock out with this question. Another example of the infrastructure concern -- and I know I've talked to your staff about this -- is the water run-off both on Lincoln Drive and Kelly Drive. A very dangerous situation. Again, I'm starting to realize that there might be some turf issues here. There's a few inlets, that the area around the water inlets, the macadam has been totally broken away and there are big, gaping holes. If someone hits them, they're going to have significant damage to their vehicle. You send the request in to the Streets Department, the request system, and weeks go by and nothing happens. So I don't know whether you're coordinated with them or not, but the water run-off there, especially a few weeks ago when the temperatures are high during the week, and you come down and you see a wreck at Rittenhouse, cars all over the place because someone hit a patch of ice. I know that the drains were cleared at one time 1111 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET to allow the water to drain off. But it is such a bad situation on Kelly and Lincoln Drive. Up where Forbidden Drive is at Lincoln, the road there is broken away. It's terrible because the water-run off has deteriorated the roadway. Here's some person coming from working midnight to 8:00 or coming home late at night, the temperatures have fallen and there's a terrible accident as a result of a freeze up that occurred overnight. The infrastructure is so important. I see it as a person that grew up in that park and loved it, just seeing it slip away. Again, with how many people?
So I don't know whether we've got to drag the Streets Department in. I understand there's some issues with Philadelphia College, that the water is cascading down from miles away onto the drive. It is just a bad situation and it needs to get addressed.
Absolutely. We have 1112 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET paid so much more attention to things like storm water run off in the past, recent past. This is the sort of thing that's going to move us into a new era of how we deal with parks and rec issues, particularly since we're major byways for traffic coming through. Lincoln Drive always comes up as a point of reference, an example of this. Collaborative efforts with both Streets and Water are moving forward. It's also a PennDOT issue. The state highway is involved in this. We are working to bring everyone to the table, including Philadelphia University, to come to the solution to this problem, and it will get applied again and again throughout park. That is our hope.
Thank you. I'll speak with you again in the next round. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Brown.
Thank you, Madam President. 1113 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET Good morning.
On your testimony you talk about a number of exciting, unprecedented developments in the West Park Side area. The one I think that many of us may be most unfamiliar with is the Centennial District. Can you just for the record give us a brief description of the Centennial District, what it is supposed to do and the timetable for the roll out?
Yes. A wonderful study has been underway for about the last 12 months, maybe a little longer, for an area called the Centennial District, which would stretch essentially from behind the Art Museum and cross over the river and encompass from the zoo to the Mann Center for Performing Arts. In that footprint already would be the Please Touch Museum coming into Memorial Hall and the School of the Future as well. It is a very exciting plan to take this area, call it a district, call it a zone and try to make it have revenue generating 1114 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET capabilities as well as become a tourist destination in and of itself for both citizens and visitors to the region. The roll out is ongoing right now. We presented it to a lot of interested parties. It does need to come back to the Commission one more time to be looked at in its entirety. But it's a plan that has immediate pieces that can be put into place and others that are very long term, sort of dream issues of how Belmont Avenue might look in the future. But the whole goal is to sort of regenerate and revitalize interest, not only in the West Park Side community, but in the park as it sits right there.
At what approximate date do you anticipate it will come back to the Commission?
Is that document available for distribution to review? 1115 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET
It will be. The Commissioners saw it informally. They need to have a formal presentation and then it will roll out to the world. The Daily News has been good about covering it and very involved in the sort of study of the area.
I'm sure other Members of this Body will look forward to reviewing that. So at whatever juncture, you'll let President Verna know. One project that you mentioned on of your testimony is the Fox Chase Cancer Center. It's my understanding that the project has now been approved by the Commission. However, it's my understanding there may be or is a court challenge. What is the status of the project with regards to the court case?
There is a court challenge which I believe is going to be heard in perhaps the first week in April. There is also another challenge before Fox Chase Cancer Center, which is to bring this issue before Orphans Court. So the process is ongoing. 1116 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET
I see. Will Council approval be necessary for this to move forward at some juncture?
Okay. You do discuss in your testimony the strategic plan, and I'm sure you remember that I introduced a resolutions calling for hearings on the progress of the park's strategic plan. So at this point, I'll table that question. I would like to, Madam President, be on the next round because I have several more questions.
That's fine. The Chair recognizes Councilman DiCicco.
I'm very interested in the tree revitalization program. How soon do you expect that program to take 1117 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET effect? There's $8 million based on your testimony. The Fairmount Park Commission will not be getting the full $8 million. Do you have any sense what portion, how much of that $8 million we will be receiving?
Tree Vitalize Program starts this spring. We are planting 316 trees at elementary schools throughout the City. 10 We also will be planting another hundred in 11 the park system in various parks. It's 12 anticipated that over a million dollars will 13 come to the City of Philadelphia to increase 14 the street tree cover. 15
So the tree 16 plantings are for sites, locations that 17 Fairmount Park Commission has made a decision 18 on. Will there been any trees planted in the 19 neighborhoods as a result of requests by 20 Councilmembers? 21 One of the problems we have -- and 22 it's not to be critical -- is that we make a 23 request, and I know of instances where it's 24 two, three years before the tree gets planted. 25 Can you explain why it takes so long? 1118 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET
With the Tree Vitalize Program we can market different areas of the City. We're hoping to plant more neighborhoods versus individual trees. So if it's driven by one person on each block, that's probably not the program that's going to help them. We're concentrating more on tens and twenties and thirties type numbers in neighborhoods. As far as individual trees such as the concerns that you're mentioning, we try to plant as many trees as possible with the funding available. It's a first come, first serve basis.
How much funding do you normally have available for those cases where it's an individual tree, maybe one or two on a specific block as opposed to the entire block? In that category how much do you have?
This year we anticipate spending $334,000 planting almost 1,000 trees.
Where I'm going 1119 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET with this is, following up on the Council President's question of the $2.5 million that is dedicated for Fairmount Park for -- was it for tree planting?
The $2.6 million is for removal and pruning. We do not earmark any of that for planting. We are trying to reduce the amount of potential liability for the citizens of Philadelphia.
I understand that. Maybe I misunderstood. When the Council President was asking the question as to why the $2.5 million is being controlled basically by the Managing Director and not being transferred over to the Fairmount Park Commission, if you had that $2.5 million, conceivably I guess you would be able to do more plantings.
Once again our primary purpose is to reduce the amount of liabilities on the streets of Philadelphia. Pruning and removal.
But you still don't have that $2.5 million. 1120 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET
We control the $2.5 million through the management of the contracts. We make the decision on what trees are removed, what trees are pruned. The Managing Director allocates the money to us for that.
Can I have a point of information, please? Looking at your matrix, actually you're going to be planting less trees in '06, am I correct, then your targeted projection was for FY '05?
In FY '05 your projection was 1,500 trees to be planted. And for '06, I think it's 800?
Then on of your testimony you're reducing the number of street trees removed from 4,300 in FY '05 to 3,200 in FY '06. I believe that's a decrease of 25.5 percent. I think we need some explanation.
With the planting 1121 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET contract, that is capital funding. That capital funding was frozen until the latter part of last Calendar year. We were unable to spend any money from that during that period of time. Normally we have two planting seasons, the fall and the spring. Because of that we were only able plant this spring, which we are doing now. We anticipate planting 958 trees this spring. We will have a carry over of $209,000 to the fall. Because we were not able to plant this past fall, we felt it was prudent to do that so we weren't planting trees in the heat of the summer. The end of our spring planting system is the beginning of June.
So I think we can now go back to Councilman DiCicco's question. How many of the street trees are in neighborhoods that are being planted? Of the 950 that will be planted this spring or were planted this spring, how many of them are in the neighborhoods?
Every one of them are 1122 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET in the neighborhoods. They're street trees. They are located in front of people's properties.
Those are requested by individuals or through Council offices?
That's correct. They're requested either by individuals or on behalf of individuals.
I would love to have a list that have been planted in my district, and I'm sure every district Councilperson would also like to see. So if you can get that information to us.
I would agree. Maybe what would be a little more helpful to us, when we make requests, often times I'm not certain if the requests have been fulfilled unless I drive by the location and see the trees planted. If you can give us something, a report, in anticipation of the plantings, if you're going to do plantings in April, maybe in March, say, of the list that was requested, 1123 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET these trees at these particular locations will be planted in the spring. That way we can follow up on that.
Part of our reorganization that we mentioned, with the Operation and Landscape Management Division, is bringing our tree staff, the staff that goes out there and services our customers, bring them into one unit to better manage and provide more efficiencies. So if we anticipate what you are asking for, we'll have the better ability to do that at the time.
That will be helpful. I don't know if I spoke with you, Ms. Borski, or not about this. I know I spoke to Rick Tustin of the Capital Office. I might get in trouble with my colleagues, especially the district Councilpeople. Again, the frustration of not being able to fulfill the request for tree plantings on our part and your part obviously because of funding, in our individual capital expenditures that district Councilpeople get, 1124 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET I thought of an idea and it may be helpful to get plantings done more quickly. Individual Councilpeople could set aside whatever portion of that capital dollars that we have for the purpose of getting trees planted in respective districts. I would put $20,000 in annually or whatever portion I decided to with the understanding -- just a way in which we can get more trees planted on a much more timely basis than we have been in the past -- with the understanding, though, if we allocate from our individual capital dollars, that these are done in a much more timely fashion than historically we've been able to do that. Have you had any further discussion? I dropped it on Rick and I think I may have discussed it with you.
You did. Actually, Rick and I have had some significant discussion on it. Where Chris is going with his discussion on the whole street tree management system is we are truly looking at a tree management system. And your suggestion 1125 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET is a big piece of that, to be able to be responsive to both Councilpersons and individual customers, it would be hugely helpful to us. So we're looking at a system where -- and we will actually come to talk to you about this -- where maybe some dollars should be thrown initially into the idea of funding a major software system which would then let us be able to break down by Councilmanic district, which we can't do now. We can do zip codes, but we can't do actual Councilmanic districts, I think. Right, Chris?
Okay. But we can look at being more responsive and also being able to target where street trees can be planted.
How much do you think that hardware or software would cost?
I think the 1126 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET Redevelopment Authority or the Housing Authority, some other authority has a system in place already that breaks the districts down geographically, street by street, zip code by zip code.
We've been working with both MOIS and some of the organizations, RDA for instance, to put some dollars into the appropriate computer platforms. That's why the cost of this program might come down substantially. We're trying to coordinate efforts so that we're not reinventing the wheel, using what's already out there and coming up with a program that will work for us.
I just recently, through the Vacant Property Review Board, asked for a break-out of City-owned properties in my district. They broke it out across the entire Councilmanic district, which runs from South Philadelphia all the way up to the Oxford circle. It was able to identify specific streets, blocks, within the district. So I think much of that software is out there 1127 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET already.
Right. We just need to sort of customize it for Fairmount Park. In all honesty we looked seriously at maybe lowering service levels in order to put this program into effect because ultimately it would help our response time. So we actually think we'll come around and visit some Councilmembers.
I do have other questions. I'll wait for my next go around.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.
Thank you, Madam President. Good morning, all. We are really concerned about the issue of neighborhoods and the issue of maintenance, not only planting of trees, as my colleague mentioned, in a timely manner, but tree maintenance and tree removal. They become increasingly difficult issues and therefore more difficult each year. I wonder if you could comment a little on that. 1128 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET
Yes. We are always trying to address this and make it better. We have come before you before to say that we are trying slowly but surely to cut down the backlog for the time that it takes, especially to get to dead and dangerous trees. Chris has done a lot of work with him, the Operations and Landscape Division, to try and address this. We're looking actually to study our numbers to see how effectively we are getting out there and turning around the turn around time. We know we're not there yet, but we've made it a priority to get there. We try to be as responsive as we can to calls to the office on that front.
As you know, years ago they used to remove trees. Then they started cutting them halfway down. Now they cut them a little lower. But we know the issues with the infrastructure and getting pipes and all of that. It's such a problem. We even have neighbors who are willing to get together and try to do something, even in the 1129 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET rear. For example, there are neighbors in my area who can't get cable because of the trees and that sort of thing. So I think that people are willing to do their part and share in what they can, but trees are such a big area that it's hard to get volunteers because you don't know what you're dealing with. And it's very, very difficult certainly without additional help. So I would appreciate that. You can get back to the Chair and she'll get back to the rest of us.
While Councilman Nutter goes to his desk, I have a point of information related to Councilman DiCicco's question regarding the Tree Vitalize Program. Can I seize the moment and just do that real quick? 1130 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET You mentioned that you were in elementary schools. What is the criteria for those schools that were the lucky schools to win that kind of opportunity?
We do feel the schools 7 are lucky because now they'll have an 8 opportunity to have some beautiful trees 9 around the school. There was several ways we 10 developed this. We wanted to choose schools 11 that would have support from a program from 12 the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society called 13 the Tree Tenders. Tree Tenders are volunteers 14 that are trained to assist us with street tree 15 work. 16
They do wonderful work. 19 So we wanted to partner with either a Tree 20 Vitalize group from a neighborhood or Earth 21 Force, which is another program through the 22 school system that teaches more about the 23 environment, because the School District does 24 not have the capacity to maintain all of the 25 trees to the standard we would like. So the 1131 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET Tree Tenders are those that help out. So we first chose the areas that had support. Then we looked at our map and wanted to make sure that each neighborhood was being represented, so we made a decision to bring the program into every neighborhood.
Can I trouble you to please forward that list of schools and/or the map to President Verna?
You're welcome. The Chair recognizes Councilman Nutter.
Good morning. I know we were just in the world of street trees, so I think I'll stay there for a moment, although that was not my plan. If you answered this question already, you'll just tell me, because I was on the other side of 1132 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET the room. From time to time, we've had the discussion or I've talked with your staff about plantings, and it is unfortunately sometimes a somewhat torturous process. I have one in the 400 block of Martin Street. We've been, based on commitments from the staff since the summer of '03, trying to get the tree planted. What's the main issue that causes us to be in some of these situations where a planting just drags on and on? What is the problem?
It is unfortunate. Some of the issues that we've talked about with your office and others also center around the idea that you can't really take a tree down and then instantly plant one. Chris made mention the fact that there are planting cycles, and we try to do it in the spring and the fall. This year we missed the fall planting cycle. So that may have had some impact on a tree from '03.
Why did we miss the fall planting cycle? 1133 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET
Planting dollars, our capital dollars and the Capital Budget was frozen for awhile this year. Ultimately it was freed up and we are on a roll over cycle playing catch up to do as many plantings as we can. I think ultimately by fall we will have spent those capital dollars and gotten as many plantings in the ground as we can.
Was the freeze as a result of the, quote/unquote, delay in the approval of either last year's budget or from the bond ordinance?
The loan authorization was not approved in time for the spring ballot, which is what caused the freeze in our funding.
Whenever you get off the witness stand I'd like to talk to you about a couple others.
Let's go back to the strategic plan on of your testimony. Who is in charge of the strategic plan?
The strategic plan was run out of the Managing Director's Office, but ultimately it is a plan for Fairmount Park, so in terms of implementation it falls to us.
Let me ask again. Who is specifically in charge of implementing the strategic plan?
It's not going to be the individual commissioners, right? Isn't it going to be the staff?
Which individual is responsible for the implementation of the strategic plan?
Currently the strategic plan's recommendations asked us, the Commission staff, to set up work groups and 1135 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET for those work groups to try and tackle some of the recommendations of the plan. That is the status of the situation right now. We have our senior staff overseeing a variety of work groups to try to see which elements of the plan we can move forward on.
Okay. Is there any one individual at the Fairmount Park Commission on staff who has the responsibility for making sure that the elements of the strategic plan are implemented?
While the plan was in the study stages Chris Palmer served in that function. Now Barry Bessler, Chief of Staff, serves in that function. He is not with us day.
So Barry Bessler is the person in charge of the implementation of the strategic plan; is that what you're saying?
Quickly, what are its major recommendations and when do you expect to implement them? 1136 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET
There were a variety of them. We made mention in our testimony to reduce redundancies with the Department and Recreation. We are moving forward on that all the time and looking for other ways to do that. I talked to Commissioner Richard just the other day about whether or not we should be looking at our special events policies and trying to coordinate efforts more with both our permitting fields and special event opportunities. That's one of the things that's most recently on the plate. We've already moved into the space with Rec. We've talked about turf and maintenance issues again and again.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Clarke. Before he gets to his desk, as far as the tree planting, I don't want to beat a dead horse, but I have requests that are two 1137 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET and three years old for tree planting. If the trees had been planted, I would love to know where they were planted in my district and what type of backlog we have. I think that every district Councilperson would like to know the same thing.
I'd like to talk about the concessions program. Since I've been absent from the Fairmount Park Commission, I don't really have a sense of what's going on out there. That was one of the issues that I was interested in when I sat on the Commission. Where are we at with the concessions program? I know at one point there was discussion about the operation, particularly of some of the mobile units on the drive. I 1138 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET think the Nylons (ph) had it at the time. I believe there was some changeovers. Additionally, if you can give me a sense of where we are with the Water Works?
We are trying to retool our concession agreements. We had in place something called a park wide concessionaire, but was a model that ultimately did not work as well for us as we would have liked. There's just too many different places in the park. Everything from the hot dog cart along the drives to our major facilities like the Hort Center and handling those two types of concessions really probably needs to be looked at separately. That is pretty much where we are right now trying to address those needs.
As you retool your thinking as it relates to letting the concessions programs, what's your thought on how we're going to do this? I know one of the issues when we 1139 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET were involved in the process that we wanted to have levels of inclusion, we were looking at getting minorities involved. I know a number of the people that came that made presentations had teams that were very inclusive of women and minorities. Will we take a similar approach as we move ahead on concessions?
Absolutely. I think the park has always been sensitive to that sort of involvement, speaking from this chair, and I think that we will certainly continue that. What is out there is how we will pursue this process. To get back to even what Councilman Nutter was saying. One of the things in the strategic plan is to try to look at the park as zones. We talked about the Centennial District as a zone. Do we put out RFP's for concession agreements in that zone or do we try and put out RFPs based on what the concession is, from a hot dog/ice cream vendors as opposed to a major catering hall. They're the kinds of issues that we're dealing 1140 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET with right now in trying to decide which way to go. But in any of the those circumstances we're going to look for participation.
Who's responsible for the concessions now, both the stands, the permanent stands and the mobile stands?
Fairmount Park Commission. It's back in-house right now because the concession agreement with the park-wide concessionaires ceased.
In all honesty I think we're spending this year moving forward. As a result of that concession agreement ending, we are continuing our agreements with most of the vendors that were in place for this year as we go forward because we still want to be able to offer the services in the park as we try to figure out a model that works better for us.
Who will be involved in that process in determining what model we will use as we move ahead, just the 1141 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET park staff, commissioners?
Yes. Commissioners and staff. Although people are certainly welcome.
Because it was a pretty open process before when we were looking at massive concessions. It's unfortunate that it didn't work.
Even as we've talked, we've had this sort of really nice and comprehensive study done at West Park, and a similar one for East Park is something that I think the park system and the neighborhood would really benefit from. We're pursuing that as well.
Real briefly before my time runs out, can you get me up to snuff on Water Works? And one last question, the Boxer's Trail. Where are we at with phase two of that?
Moving on both fronts. 1142 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET There are negotiations underway for the restaurant to be in place in the Engine House. The proverbial lawyers are meeting now to draft an agreement. While I hesitate to put a time line on it, things are moving along quickly. The RFP for the restauranteur was very comprehensive, so hopefully that means negotiations will be fairly compact and they really will begin to fit out that building. Similarly with the Boxers Trail, things are moving along nicely. Let me just turn to Mark Focht for one second. We have a major grant request in to DCNR for about $340,000, which we should hear on very shortly. With our fingers crossed we'll use that to complete that part of the project.
From the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources of Pennsylvania State Grant.
From our friend Mike DiGrevenous (ph)? 1143 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET
I'm not familiar with the specifics of how that phase two will be laid out. Can you send me something?
I know we had conversations a couple years back on how it was when I was strong enough to run back there.
The layout of the trail is certainly available. We'll send over the design plans to you.
Sure. We'd like that to have a big splash. That's a wonderful, wonderful trail system.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Rizzo.
Thank you, Madam 1144 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET Chair. I don't like normally to talk about rumors, but I would like to know if it's more than a rumor. There's been some conversations that the 92nd Police District will be eliminated and that there will be no coverage by the Philadelphia Police Department from midnight to 8:00 in the morning in the park. Can you confirm that there is a conversation about that going on and have you been communicated with about that?
Yes. Anything that would impact the 92nd would be very important to us. I can say that a few months ago I had heard similar rumblings, and we have absolutely and immediately registered our concern that that be the case. We have also received assurances that the 92nd will stay in place. So that's extremely important to the park, especially going into the spring and summer season where we have so many visitors.
So what I hear, for the record, is that you heard what I heard. You asked the Police Commissioner? 1145 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET
You asked the Managing Director's Office if what we heard, that the 92nd District would shut down the midnight to 8:00 shift, and that would be covered by the districts that would normally cover the park and you were told, no, that that's not going to happen?
Actually it wasn't just in reference to the midnight to 8:00 shift. But my understanding from the captain is that that is not the case, that there will be coverage, 24-hour coverage.
And the 92nd District that's located on Lincoln Drive is going to stay?
Okay. The other question that I have. A week ago we learned that there's going to be a 1146 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET major Water Department job that will affect Kelly Drive in the area of the City Line Avenue area. Are you aware of this project, and from your perspective what will the impact be?
The project is known as the Dobson's Run project. I believe that's the one you're referring to. That's been studied and been looked at for a couple of seasons now. We actually thought that it might have gotten implemented last year and was pulled, I think. From Fairmount Park's perspective, we are very much involved in the project, both from the water channeling and also from the impact on traffic on Kelly Drive. So we have been working with the Water Department and the Streets Department on this to make sure there is as minimal impact as possible. But this is a big project and there will definitely be an impact on traffic flow on Kelly Drive. In fact, I think one of the reasons it was delayed was another look at the impact of traffic at the time. 1147 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET
There are several impacts that will occur, including traffic and construction that will occur. We did negotiate with the Philadelphia Water Department to bring some benefits to park users, one of them being resurfacing the parking lot at the Strawberry Mansion Canoe Club. The second one being an overlook near Hunting Park Avenue over the river that we would provide an opportunity for users of the park to be right over the water. The third one, at least temporarily, a traffic light at Fountain Green Drive so people can not only turn off of it in their car, but can cross the street by foot.
So it's agreed that this will be an, I understand, a $20 million project that will have significant impact on traffic on Kelly Drive, correct?
There has been discussion about the traffic, the effect that 1148 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET will occur there. The Water Department is working to keep that to a minimum. But at the area where the construction will occur, there's likelihood that it will be reduced either from four to three lanes or four to two lanes, at least for part of the project.
Thank you. I'm pleased to hear that you're in the loop, because you know the area best. The Water Department is doing the project, but I think we hope that you'll have significant input on how they commence and do this construction.
We've met with them several times. They've been very positive about our requests.
You're welcome. The Chair recognizes Councilman DiCicco.
Thank you, Madam President. Good morning again. 1149 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET In the last year I've become an advocate of the game of golf. Some days I wonder why I took the game up. But I'm kind of hooked on it. As a result of that I occasionally go down to Council President Verna's district to FDR Park to do some practice and I played a few rounds of golf there. Anyone who knows anything about the game of golf who has played at FDR Park knows that that place has many more hazards than the typical golf course. It is a problem because of the flood plane and it's constantly flooding out. I bring up FDR Park because I think there are six all under Fairmount Park Commission's Control. What is the status of the lease with the company or companies that have been operating these golf courses? Because I understand that the lease either has come up or is about to come up. What's going on with those?
Golf usually gets the chairman of the Commission going, so he might feel compelled to jump in at any time. 1150 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET We have been operating under an agreement with Meadow Brook Golf for several years now. That lease agreement is about to come to an end. The effective date is actually March 31st. The golf courses will be managed by another company coming in at that time. Fairmount Park, like we made mention of our concession agreement for park-wide food concessionaire is simply looking at our concession arrangements. We're trying to get the best return to the park and certainly the best services we possibly can within the park system too. Six public golf courses are clearly a place where we want to deliver our high-end service.
So you're saying there's a new company that will be managing these six golf courses?
Excuse me, Commissioner. Would you wait just a moment? Councilman, why don't we wait until the children leave? It's a little noisy. 1151 03/22/05 - FY '06 OPERATING BUDGET