I would say they are a 19 part of the ongoing. 20 We know what services we already 21 contract out. I can't -- there is not a written list of them. We know what we contract out currently.
So, then, the ask is to please develop a master list as part 60 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 of the strategic plan, please share that with City Council.
What about a list of preferred service providers for tents, catering, portable toilets, et cetera? Where are you with this?
We haven't done that because it is not really our place. We haven't felt -- we have not made that a high priority. We don't think it is our place to tell our folks that come in and request a permit to do something on park property, we are not sure what the benefit is of giving them a list of preferred users.
Okay. I will certainly respect that position. What I do know is that a number of arts and cultural institutions in this town do have what they call a preferred catering list, wherein those caterers meet criteria established by that particular arts institution, which then gives them the 61 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 opportunity to do business with the broader community. So it is your point of view that you simply don't see the value in telling vendors to -- where to do their business; is that what I am hearing?
Well, I think there are two different things. Here, in the case of the park, we are not talking about facilities. The example of a large family reunion comes in and pulls a permit to do a picnic at one of our sites. And we can reconsider this, but to date it hasn't been our sense that it is appropriate for us to tell the family that they need to go to one of these places to get their caterer or their tent. We do have insurance requirements, absolutely, that protect the city and the park and the public. So where they go to get those services, they then have to provide us with the appropriate insurance coverages and security deposits and things like that. We 62 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 can certainly revisit it, though.
Let me ask a broader question. Where, then, do you apply MBE/WBE opportunities and guidelines and criteria, which is a real requirement for government?
Absolutely. Those are applied, basically, for us on our behalf through the procurement process on all procurement contracts that are done, through procurement, like our lawn cutting and street tree pruning and things like that. Those are all done by procurement.
All right, then. I am deliberately today staying away from questions related to the Commission, because I think that's a whole other session. Okay? The plan calls for a comprehensive recreation program plan for Fairmount Park in conjunction with the rec department. Update us on where those discussions are, what kind of planning has taken place, 63 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 and what lies ahead for the future.
Beyond the transfer of facilities to Recreation Department, which, as you know, occurred in Fiscal Year '03, when we transferred to the Recreation Department, our outdoor swimming pools and our recreation centers. Beyond that, we have not developed a comprehensive plan, no. 11
What's the time line, timetable, action plan, contingent plan for that?
I would have to look at the strategic plan to know what the recommendation was, but we will certainly get back to you on that.
So of the 39 -- you mentioned that there are 39 priority areas. That is not one of the 39?
Could you provide to the Chairperson those 39 priority areas you are currently focusing on as a 64 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 department?
The report also calls for performance measures. It states best practices that we know happen around the country with regards to the operation of Parks and Recreation. Have those performance standards been established, discussed? What's the status of that conversation?
That is in progress. We have revised our performance measures. You see some of them in the back of my testimony. Some of the performance measures that we have historically used for our operations group have been revised. We have established new performance indicators for our environment stewardship and education division, which is a division that manages our natural resources, runs our environmental centers, and cements our relationship with all of our friends groups. Those are all new performance indicators that have been established. So now 65 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 we will be working into the additional groups in the park. But, that's definitely an ongoing.
In the new performance standards for the environmental aspect, are there any conversations with Mike DeBerdinis and all they are doing at the state level in this particular area?
Absolutely. I have, actually, regular communications with the secretary as recently as this past weekend on some matters.
So then by this time next year, we can expect that this particular part of the plan will be complete?
It was revealed in the public hearings on the proposed Charter change that the Commission had retained a public relations firm, a lobbyist, to do what 66 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 they do. It was unclear precisely what that individual or individuals were charged to do and who was paying for them. Please clarify what the responsibility is.
I believe the company that you are referring to was engaged by the Fairmount Park Conservancy, it was not engaged by the Commission.
Very well. Thus the need for clarification; right? So it was the Fairmount Park Conservancy that hired the firm. So I need to reserve those questions for the Conservancy on the 20th. All right, then. I need to review my notes, Madam Chair, to make sure I have covered my questioning, so I will come back around on the next round. Thank you, Madam President.
Thank you very much. 67 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 The Chair recognizes Councilman Nutter.
Thank you, Madam President. Mr. Focht, just a couple of questions. Am I reading correctly from Section 40, , you are projecting for FY '07 170 full-time employees? Is that correct?
There were 180 prior to the transfer of ten positions to form the administrative cluster in Recreation and Park. And that has already occurred. So currently we have 170 employees now in Fairmount Park.
And, now, your document indicates that your proposed budget for FY '07 is $12,952,858; is that correct?
And, now, do you have access to other funds or are there other funds in other budgets, other departments, 68 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 that are utilized on behalf of Fairmount Park?
Well, we receive support from several city departments, including the Law Department, certainly Fleet Management, the Capital Program Office. And then, by extension, I would say possibly, when we are doing special events, Public Property. And the Managing Director's Office, certainly, for our tree work.
So the money for street tree pruning is still in the MDO?
Councilman, let me confirm. You are asking how much money we have to do street tree work?
Excuse me, Councilman. I apologize. 2.3 million is from the Managing Director's Office. We have an additional 400,000 in our Operating Budget.
So the $12,952,858 does not include the $2.3 that's over in the Managing Director's Office?
And the rest of the services, I mean, all the departments get some amount of service from the law department, fleet management, and all the rest. So, I mean, I can't get too excited about that. Capital Program Office, this is to assist you in capital projects?
Is this for salaries of individuals who work with the 70 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 park?
Correct. There is a Fairmount Park team within the Capital Program Office.
That work on capital projects. Okay. Can you give us an assessment of the current condition of the park system from a user standpoint?
I mean, you know, of course you have the big areas, East Park, West Park, the Wissahickon, the Pennypack, FDR; and then, obviously, a bunch of neighborhood parks and trails, et cetera, et cetera. Just can you give us your in-the-field assessment of, what's the current state of the parks?
Generally, I think we feel the park is well maintained. We have -- in the last Mayor's support in city services -- report on city services, excuse 71 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 me, we received an 82 percent citizen satisfaction level with Fairmount Park system. That, I believe, is the highest we have been in the last several years, something we're quite pleased with.
Because I think we are providing very good services to the citizens.
What's your assessment of the cleanliness of the overall system, trail maintenance? As I go through various parts of the park, I am left with the impression that we are still trying to recover from -- we had a series of storms in August, September time frame of, I think, 2004.
Isn't some of that debris and trees and a bunch of that stuff still hanging around in different parts of the system?
Some of it is, yes. We are working with -- we have several 72 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 initiatives. We are working with the Philadelphia Water Department and their waterways restoration team to remove debris dams, when the wood is choking up our streams. And in particular in the Wissahickon, which was particularly hard hit by those storms in 2004, the Friends of the Wissahickon have stepped forward in a major way with fundraising and providing in-kind services, working with our staff to rebuild trails. It is a constant challenge.
What do you think are the -- I will use your word. What do you think are the major challenges going forward to improve both the look of the park, as well as enhance the user experience? What kinds of things should we be doing that we're not doing today?
Some of the things -- I will take the second one first. Some of the things to enhance users' experiences are some of the things that are in our strategic plan, like implementing the 73 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 parkwide sign program to provide updated information to park users, interpretation, directions, maps, things like that. We have applied this in several sections of the park; such as, the Wissahickon along Forbidden Drive at our environmental centers. We are currently talking with our partners to try to apply it in other sections of the park. It is going to be a multi-year process to roll out the program. So I think that's one of the ways we can certainly enhance the user experience in the park.
Have you taken the strategic plan and -- my recollection from reading it, tons of ideas and proposals about what we should be doing to make Fairmount Park one of the best parks in the country. Many of those recommendations, as they often do, come with cost factors associated with them. Have you taken the report apart and cost it out, what it would take to implement 74 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 many of those recommendations?
No. We have been focusing on implementing the recommendations that we can with park staff and our partners.
Are there some recommendations that you would like to do that you decided not to do?
Well, we would like to, in the end, do them all. It is a ten-year strategic plan. We are in the second year of it. It would be our goal, by the end of the plan, to have the plan fully implemented.
Right. Well, but, let me go back to the earlier question. I mean, maybe I missed something. You don't have unlimited funds; right?
And as much as you will try to implement what you think you can with the resources that you have, I mean, 75 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 there are some components of the recommendations that are beyond your current resources; is that correct?
So do you have a sense of the scale or magnitude of what it would take to implement, you know, percent 9 of the plan, 50 percent of the plan, 100 10 percent of the plan? 11
No, I don't have those 12 figures. We haven't calculated those figures. 13
Well, could you 14 forward to the Chair your best estimate of 15 what it would actually cost to implement the 16 strategic plan? 17
Last question. 19 Tell me about any activities or steps that 20 have been taken with regard to -- I read in 21 the -- and you alluded to it earlier, but I 22 think it is mentioned in the Recreation 23 Department testimony, who is coming up soon. 24 I guess this is probably the ten 25 positions that you talked about, but 76 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 Recreation in their testimony mentions that eight full-time positions from Fairmount Park are now a part of the Recreation's budget. Is that from this cluster of administrative services?
Have there been any other consolidation steps or reorganization steps internally between Recreation and Fairmount Park in recent times?
Yes, there has. We transferred our three outdoor swimming pools and our six recreation centers to the Recreation Department, consolidating active recreation and rec. That was in 2003. In 2004, Recreation transferred to us their tree-maintenance crew, and we are now responsible for all tree work on all Recreation Department sites, in addition to Fairmount Park sites. And then in Fiscal Year '05 was the formation of the administrative cluster.
And what's happened in the course of 2006? 77 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06
Right now the Recreation Commissioner and myself and senior staff and the Managing Director's Office are working together in looking at other areas between the two departments that could be realigned. So, that conversation is continuing.
There is three areas we are looking at right now. One around fleet. We both obviously maintain fleets of vehicles, we both have fleet liaisons. There were probably some alignment possibilities there. The second is around volunteer services and support. We both have friends groups. We both provide similar outreach to our friends groups, and there is things we could learn from each other, and combined resources on that. And then the third is around the very basic but important issue of trash pickup in Fairmount Park sites and Recreation Department neighborhood parks.
And those are 78 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 items that are under current discussion at the moment?
Any other consolidation thoughts or ideas taking place?
There are other ideas that are out there for the future that are brought up, but there is nothing else that we are currently discussing. Those are the three that we are currently working on.
You are welcome. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Brown.
Thank you, Madam President. Point of information. You said in 2005 the major move between the two departments was what? I am just trying to keep a record here.
That's the administrative cluster. 79 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06
Yes. Okay. And as a footnote to Councilman Nutter's question, wherein he made the request to indicate dollars needed to implement the strategic plan, with his consent I would like to add a friendly amendment. And since the strategic plan calls for a ten-year roll out, knowing that it is virtually impossible to do all of that in 11 months, if you could add to that 12 incrementally -- an incremental assessment of 13 dollars needed to roll out the various -- to 14 roll out the execution and implementation of 15 the recommendation in the strategic plan. 16
You are welcome. 20 The Chair recognizes Councilman 21 Nutter. 22
Thank you. I 23 was in error. Can I have Ms. Reed up to the 24 table, please. Good morning, Ms. Reed. How are 80 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 you?
Ms. Reed, I wanted to ask you about one of the components of the Five-Year Plan. It is in the, I guess, the introduction, or I guess the commentary section. On Page -- I guess that's small 19, from a Roman numeral standpoint.
In the introduction, small Roman numerals 19. It would be the xix.
In the Fairmount Park section, it reads, "Completed the first comprehensive strategic plan in years in 20 2004 and began implementing recommendations regarding governance operations and funding for the future of the park system." Can you tell me what funding is anticipated in the Five-Year Plan for the future of the park system? 81 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06
This -- the bullets for Fairmount Park came from the park relative to their achievements since 2000. So this reflects what is in the text of the strategic plan, not in the Five-Year Plan.
But it is in the Five-Year Plan. I mean, the park didn't write the Five-Year Plan; right?
This just refers to what the goals in the park's own strategic plan are.
Okay. Well, what are the goals of the Administration as it relates to the park for the Five-Year Plan?
The park system took a cut, along with other departments, for Fiscal Year 6. And we at this point are pretty much holding to that strategy, given the Five-Year 82 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 Plan outlook that we have with respect to fund balances, of which the lowest is Fiscal 8, at only 4.3 million. So that we are including the raises; and they are subject to the same hiring freeze, conditions, as other departments.
Well, I mean, that's a good technical explanation. I mean, so, the goal here is to keep it flat at -- what are we at, 12.9 now? That's the --
With the assumptions about increases for raises, which occur in Fiscal 7 and 8, yes.
Look, I mean, you don't get a gold star for funding the raises. I mean, people are going to get the raises as they are due to get them. I mean, so you kind of don't get much credit for that. What is the goal down the line for the future of the funding of the Fairmount Park system? I mean --
The goal is to manage with the resources that we have, which are, 83 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 you know, constrained.
Well, Ms. Reed, I mean, I could possibly go along with that, but for the fact that we have got a budget and a Five-Year Plan in front of us that, in some areas, I mean, has the government on a, you know, wild spending spree. I mean, what are you talking about? I mean, you have got more borrowings than a small bank in this plan; and, you know, a variety of new initiatives, some of which could very well be good. But, I mean, you can't -- it is impossible for you to sit at the table and try to make a case that the city is broke, when, by your own testimony, probably two weeks ago -- what's the current anticipated fund balance for FY '06?
The fund balance for '06 is about $168 million. But that goes down --
No, that's not over the budget; that's just what the fund balance is. It was higher than anticipated. 84 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06
When we passed the FY '06 budget, what did you anticipate the fund balance to be at the end of the year?
In September of last year. When you anticipated, I think, the fund balance was going to be $26 million; right? Or something like that?
I don't have that handy with me right now, I am sorry. I will have to get back to you on that.
It is going to take me a while to look it up. I could just get back to you on it. 85 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06
Okay. I mean, why don't we do this: Do you have a vague recollection of what you thought the FY '06 fund balance was going to be when we passed the budget last spring?
Okay. All right. That's fine. So what we should take out of this is, the park is pretty much -- at the moment, the park is anticipated to stay at a flat funding level for the foreseeable future, or at least through the course of this Five-Year Plan?
Yes. We have no plans for extraordinary increases in funding. We also did not receive any requests from the department for extraordinary increases for '07.
Okay. Well, then, my last question is, how would you envision the implementation of the strategic plan for Fairmount Park would take place? 86 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06
That's a document that is a document of the park system. We just will have to have a dialogue about that every single year, depending on what our resources are at that time.
So you are taking the position that this is a park system plan, which has no relationship to the city government? Or, you are not acknowledging it? Or, I mean, is this, like --
I mean, what we -- we can't afford in any one year to accommodate all of the implementation strategies that there are in the plan. So it is, you know, as the director said, it is a ten-year horizon, and we will have to see what our ability to pay is in any one year.
I understand that. I mean, has the Administration taken a position on the strategic plan for Fairmount Park?
Not that I am aware of. 87 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06
Let me finish. Have you seen it? Have you read it? Have you accepted it? Have you rejected it? Do you like some parts, not like some other parts? Have you indicated what, if anything, within the strategic plan the City of Philadelphia thinks should be implemented?
Those discussions are ongoing. I would say that we -- just at a policy level, there are discussions about this, and the department and the city come to an agreement on what will be in the budget. We did not receive any requests for strategic-plan-related initiatives, extraordinary ones, for '07.
It might be the implementation of a new plan. A nonextraordinary one would have to do with, you know, lump sums, full funding of positions that were partially vacant from the prior year, and that kind of thing. 88 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06
Well, do you think any of the elements of the strategic plan should be implemented?
I think that we cannot afford to do anything that has a multi-year impact at this time because of the Fiscal 8 fund balance, which is only $4.3 million. If we were to implement something that costs 2, 3, 4, 5 million, we would have a deficit in '08, and we would have to cut other parts of the budget in order to cross the '08 threshold.
Would that be a multi-year commitment? 89 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06
It is about $12 million, although 6 are what is in the '07 budget.
So in some situations we should make multi-year commitments?
Yes. I mean, debt service, it just goes with the territory, of course.
Well, I understand that. Which you don't have debt service, if you don't have a borrowing.
Is to stimulate arts and culture development, which has proven to result in a lot of economic impact development; and also the neighborhood commercial corridors throughout the city, which will also help stimulate the economies, you know, the micro economies in those areas. 90 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06
I believe there might be a section in the strategic plan that indicates that parks can be revenue generators, as well. And they are one of, you know, the prime amenities that attract people to the city, may keep some people in the city. I mean, I don't know. There aren't many cities in the country that have 9,200-acre park systems. Have you -- are you okay?
I think that all of the projects that will be included in the borrowing have not finally been determined. I am not aware of what they are. It is possible that there is something for the park in there. I just don't know at this time.
Okay. I mean, you wouldn't be saying that because we're now talking about the parks? 91 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 Because I think I asked you last week what was in the borrowing, and you indicated that you did not know.
I just -- it's possible, you know, in relation to the Parkway or -- but, I don't know. So, it could be.
I don't know. Probably. Especially the New Millennium Park, which I have not seen. 92 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06
Thank you, Madam President. I had a chance to see that Mr. Binswanger is here. I wanted to pose a couple of questions regarding the Conservancy. If we could ask Mr. Binswanger to come to the witness table. Good morning.
I have a few questions here regarding The conservancy. And I can seize the opportunity now, versus on the 20th, when we will be together again. It is my understanding that there is no longer a master concession management plan or agreement. And we know that in our park systems this is used, it is a great source of revenue 93 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 for the park, as Councilman Nutter has already outlined. First give me your opinion or perspective with regards to having a master concession management plan, and then speak to where the Conservancy may or may not be with regards to this particular opportunity.
The Conservancy hasn't addressed that issue specifically, at least not yet. We are looking at different revenue-generation issues, but we have not addressed that at all.
All right. And the reason for that would be? And the only reason I say that is because, again, of these numerous recommendations cited in the strategic plan, that is one of them.
I can't give you a reason that we have not, except it has not been on the agenda yet. We are looking at all phases of revenue generation, and I am sure it will come up as we go through that. 94 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06
All right. The report calls for, and I quote, maximizing the effectiveness and fundraising capacity of the Fairmount Park Conservancy. Speak to, if you will, what type of coordination has happened around fundraising and what's being done. Just simply give us an update.
The commission -- the Conservancy continues to address the private sector for funding. I don't have the exact number in front of me today, but approximately $11 million has been received or pledged since we started. We are still actively involved with major projects with the Commission and the waterworks and the gardens around the waterworks, the trail issues. They are all on part of our agenda, as it is on the Commission's. And I think we are supporting each other in getting that done.
You say since 95 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 you started. What was the start date?
I think we are five years, approximately five years, since we were put in place.
So is there a standing committee of the Conservancy that is dealing with the issue of coordination with the Fairmount Park Commission around fundraising?
There isn't a standing committee. There is the -- Mark sits on our Board, so he knows what's going on. Commissioner Nix sits on our Board. So there is overlapping issue between us. We are, obviously, meeting with the Commission -- or, Mark and his staff, on issues on a continuing basis. So I think there is a reasonably good coordination at the moment.
I don't think there is a formal plan. I think we are working through, as we are with the whole 96 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 reorganization commission, and so forth, a lot of different issues. But I think the Conservancy looks at itself as an independent body, as far as raising funds. I think we feel that we should continue to be that way. But, from an operating standpoint, we are communicating on a regular basis.
Mark shared with us in your absence a good news story, wherein a number of, I would call them, members of the business community, with some level of civic pride, came, stepped up to the plate with regards to all the good stuff that is happening on the Parkway. So it is a clear indication of what can happen when the business community is intimately engaged and pushing forward an agenda of the city. Final question. It was revealed after the public hearings on the proposed Charter change amendment that the Commission had retained a public relations firm lobbyist. It was unclear precisely what that individual 97 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 or individuals were charged to do and who was paying for it. I have been informed that this is a question more appropriate for the Conservancy. Clarify for us what the responsibility is or was. And has there been any consideration given to using some of those dollars to help the staff implement the strategic plan?