In the latter, the answer is no. 13 In the former, we were using public relations purely from a communication issue; as far as how we should communicate with the public, is what we were doing.
Certainly. 98 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 Are there any other questions from members of the committee for this witness? Seeing none, Council will stand in recess until 12:45. Thank you. (Short recess.)
Good afternoon, everyone. This is the continued Public Hearing of the Committee of the Whole. Mr. McPherson, who is our next department to testify? MR. McPHERSON: The next department is the Recreation Department.
Good afternoon. Please identify yourself for the record and proceed with your testimony. MR. VICTOR N. RICHARD, III: Good afternoon, Madam President and City Council members. My name is Vic Richard, and I am the Recreation Commissioner for the City of Philadelphia, Department of Recreation. I would like to take this opportunity to introduce our executive team. To my far left, your far right, is Deputy Commissioner William Carapucci; Deputy 99 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 Commissioner Mary Platt-Coles; and to my far right is Deputy Commissioner Tom Fox. We would like to thank you for your leadership and for giving us the opportunity to present our requested budget for Fiscal Year 2007. Fiscal Year 2007 budget request. The Recreation Department is requesting $35,218,738 in the General Fund. That includes an increase of $1,459,000. This increase is due to the wage increases and also the retirement lump sums. 9 million, 5 percent of our total operating General Fund budget, in Class 500. 5 million for the Fiscal Year of '07. 100 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 The Rec Department's grant fund appropriation will provide for the summer food and afterschool snack programs, our older adult senior programs, our local law enforcement block grants, human services development fund, and also the juvenile accountability incentive block grant. Our intent is to maintain the staffing levels and service delivery. Consistent with that intent, our General Fund position levels from Fiscal Year '06 to Fiscal Year '07 are as follows: In Fiscal Year '06, our full-time positions were 494, and in Fiscal Year '07, 502. Permanent Fiscal Year '06 part-time positions were 142, and Fiscal Year '07 are 140. Seasonal positions in '06 were 1,837 and are unchanged for '07 at 1,837. The changes are due to the consolidation of an administrative services cluster for the Recreation and Fairmount Park Commission. Eight full-time positions from Fairmount Park are now part of the Recreation Department's budget. Our service delivery impact. In 101 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 maintaining our core mission of public recreation and leisure services, in Fiscal Year '07 we offer the following: There will be no change in service involving afterschool programs. In Fiscal Year '05, citizen satisfaction survey reported this program at 90 percent from those who reported using the recreation center afterschool program. There will be no change in service involving summer day camps. In Fiscal Year '05, the citizen's satisfaction survey reported this program at 95 percent effective from those who had a child that participated in the programs. There will be no change in our ice-skating rink season. The summer aquatics program will consist of 8 weeks, from June through 21 August 25 for pools, and 12 weeks of operations for the spraygrounds. In Fiscal Year '06, the summer aquatics program consisted of eight weeks. Neighborhood park maintenance will 102 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 continue to be maintained by the seasonal maintenance attendants; and there will be no 4 change in that service, as well. Our turf management is improved from cutting once every three weeks to once every two weeks for approximately 265 Recreation properties across the city. Some of the accomplishments in Fiscal Year '06. Our maintenance and capital projects. In Fiscal Year '06, we continued to demonstrate our commitment to excellent service delivery through the dedication, hard work, ingenuity, and skill level of the men and women of our maintenance division. We were able to open three new teen centers; one at Martin Luther King, Feltonville, and Dorothy Emanuel Recreation Centers. We are proud to say now that we have 19 centers in operations across the city; Rivera, McVeigh, Francis Myers, Kingsessing, Shepard, Simons, Feltonville, Martin Luther King, and Dorothy Emanuel.
We also demolished three pools, 103 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 Smith, 48th and Woodland, and Waterview, and replaced them with new state-of-the-art spraygrounds to maintain water play activity in their respective communities. A fourth sprayground has been installed at Ferko Recreation Center, and that grand opening is scheduled for the spring of '06. We installed state-of-the-art play equipment at eight recreation center facilities throughout Philadelphia; Olney Rec Center, West Mill Creek, Simon's, Conshohocken and Windemere, 29th and Chalmers, Kingsessing, Sacks, and McPherson Square. Right now we have on the table scheduled four more rec facilities with new play equipment before Fiscal Year '06 is over. And that's at 33rd and Wallace, Holmesburg, Columbus Square, and at McAlpin. We started our major in-house renovations again at Waterview Recreation Center, along with Smith Playground and also Chew Playground. The pride in our daily maintenance 104 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 of our facilities is the key to our quality service delivery. And our Administration and development unit, that division manages the fiscal, personnel, procurement, and warehouse functions for the Recreation Department and Fairmount Park. With the implementation of the clustering of these services, the city has realized an annual savings of $550,000 annually, while improving services to both departments. Administration is also involved with program development and works closely with our program division, social services departments, and other outside entities to create new programs and identify programs and new funding sources. Due to these working relationships, the Recreation Department was able to provide enhanced programs; such as, the teen girls personal development program and the newly created opera program. The opera program was recently 105 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 conducted at three rec centers, where teens attended instructional classes to prepare for attending the opera Margaret Garner. Administration also manages the older adults program at our five older adult centers, where program participation continues to grow for programs; such as, the senior art camp and craft workshops which served approximately 75 senior citizens in the spring and the fall, the senior holiday party which is hosted and held at the Marriott Hotel which served over 2,100 senior citizens this past Christmas, the Philadelphia senior games which is a mini Olympics created for our senior citizens which served over 435 senior citizens, and Rally in the Park which served over 647 older adults in June. The Administration is also responsible for the management of Camp William Penn. In our program unit, as mentioned, the department opened three new teen centers, being Martin Luther King, Feltonville, and Dorothy Emanuel, bringing the total number to 106 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 nine. Since the opening of the first two teen centers, the department has provided programming service to thousands of youth, ages to 21, who participate in classes, 7 tournaments, dances, field trips, or just drop 8 in to enjoy the teen lounge. 9 Currently there are approximately 10 3,155 registered teens as official members of 11 the teen centers throughout the Rec 12 Department. 13 We have converted Fisher Park into 14 the permanent headquarters for our year-round and summer visual arts camps. We are now converting Waterview Recreation Center into a year-round performing arts theater facility, similar to the Fisher Park model. Through our ongoing partnerships with the Philadelphia Phillies, the 76ers, and the Eagles, we are able to maintain our special athletic programming in our neighborhoods.
In addition to the ongoing soccer, basketball, softball, baseball, and gymnastics 107 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 program that operate year-round, the department will continue to serve over 8,500 children and teens in the community day camps and sports and athletic camps, which include golf, baseball, tennis, and swimming instruction. We are continuing our work in relationship with the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg Center and the Settlement Music School for our performing arts camp, serving over 400 children and teens. m. m. Monday through Friday during the academic school year. The Department of Recreation is the recipient of the Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society Award for Excellence in Programming. Tonight our staff will receive from the state association eight awards. The 108 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 awards will be given to the department tonight in the following categories of programming: Pool Cool, Personal Development for Teen Girls Program, Jardel Recreation for its special kids program, the Philadelphia Department of Recreation's boxing program, the model and the business model on the sprayground conversion, Grandparents Day, the National Senior Health and Fitness Day, and for diversity at Camp William Penn with the Latino Family Camp Encampment. As you can see, we are just as committed today as we were yesterday to play our role in enhancing the quality of life in Philadelphia. We thank the City Council for its support, its leadership, and we are glad to answer any questions that you may have for us. Thank you.
Thank you very much, Commissioner. I would like to start out by thanking you and members of your staff for working so diligently in certainly making 109 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 recreation a top priority. And I see Tom Fox up there with you, and Bill Carapucci, who have been with the department for as long as I can remember. And I want to compliment them publicly for really doing a great job. And, of course, you and the rest of the department, Commissioner. I really appreciate it. Getting back to the budget. On of your testimony, under Measurement, can you explain the sixth item, which is Percent of Centers in Compliance with Recreation Standards. And what are the standards that you refer to?
Thank you. I will let Deputy Commissioner Carapucci respond.
Deputy Commissioner Bill Carapucci. In our centers, if they are open 40 hours, what that means is that there's programs 20, 40 hours, 60 percent of the time. So about two-thirds of our facilities are now 110 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 compliant. Now, what that is, is a standard, it is a national standard. We took that off of the NRPA convention. And we never started doing this until a couple of years ago. And it just started now, to where we are above the average. If you go across the country, the average recreation facility run by a municipality is less than that.
Well, we could do even better. It depends on, you know, our future staffing. At this point in time, we are doing better than we did in the past, but there is always room for improvement.
Well, I see that it has been 65 percent for the last couple of years. And --
Our staffing has been fairly stable, it hasn't increased in the last couple of years. 111 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06
Okay. On that same page, for the ice rink attendance -- I don't have any in my district -- I am just rather curious to know why there is such a drop in attendance on that. In FY '03, we had 52,000; and in FY '06, we had 32,000.
Well, this year, actually, we only operated three ice rinks. Two ice rinks are down.
Because the two that are closed, Tarkin and Scanlon, they are in need of major capital renovations.
If I may jump in, as well. The latter part of last ice-skating season, one of the rinks lost, I think, 22 days of operations due to the failure of the refrigeration system. I believe the other one 112 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 may have lost or days. We knew that we were having to replace one of the rinks, and we had $2 million in the bank to do that. But, we did not anticipate two of them blowing out at once. So right now we have a $3 million project going on to refurbish both Tarkin and also Scanlon. I believe that the capital projects department is on schedule to have both of those rinks back up and running for the '07 calendar year season. So that's the reason for our attendance drop in the rink.
Thank you. How many maintenance positions will be funded in your proposed 2007 budget?
You don't need more than 233, Tom? Come on, you are leaving anyway.
Well, I think we could all say that we could use more, and we could do more with more.
So you are totally satisfied that 233 maintenance people are ample for the Recreation Department? Now, you are under oath. Look at me in the eyes and tell me.
I just feel that we don't have enough maintenance and we don't have the appropriate maintenance personnel. But you are standing there -- sitting there telling us that we do. I have enough confidence in you, Mr. Fox, to believe that. And all of my other questions were, why don't we have the personnel that we should. So if you are satisfied, I guess I'm going to have to be satisfied. 114 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 Commissioner, on of your detail, you are requesting $50,000 for the Mayor's Fun and Fitness Program. Can you explain to me what that is and why is it in your budget? I mean, how do we go about becoming members of this Fun and Fitness Program?
Madam President, I believe that is a social service initiative that has been in our budget, and it is a line item in our budget.
That's part of the Mayor's Health Fun, Fit, and Free Initiative. And I believe it is part of the program that Gwen Foster runs, as well.
No, ma'am. I believe 115 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 they are housed in the MSB Building somewhere. We all work jointly together on certain projects, but it is not a direct responsibility of the Rec Department.
How does one go -- I can't even say it without laughing. I guess I have to go further. How does one go about enrolling in this program for $50,000?
I can't give you the detail of the program. I know they do have a structured program relative to smoking prevention and weight loss and healthy lifestyles. And I am sure they could give you more detail. But I know the office is housed in the MSB. And they do stuff for the public, and they also do a lot of programming for city employees. But, I'm sorry, I can't expound on the details.
That's okay. I am questioning you only because it is in your budget. 116 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 On of the quarterly city manager's report, your department shows an average sick leave usage of days per 5 employee. 6 What do you think are the reasons 7 for this high usage? 8
I apologize, I don't 9 have that document with me. 10 But I believe part of it may be 11 from -- I know we had a few employees that had 12 long-term terminal illness. 13 It may also be that some of the 14 employees may also be towards the end of their 15 careers, as well; that they may be -- 16
Some of their time, as 19 well. So that is something we have been 20 paying attention to. 21 We are one of the departments that 22 will experience and has been experiencing some 23 of the high attrition. 24 But I appreciate that question. 25 That is something that we do pay attention to. 117 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 Thank you.
Thank you, Madam President. That was kind of a surprising number, on average. What does that 9 represent in dollars? 10
I'm sorry. I don't 11 know. I would have to get back to you. 12
Could we try to 13 find out what it represents in dollars and 14 what efforts are being made to reduce that 15 number? I mean, I don't know anybody that's 16 sick that much in here. 17
It just seems 19 like an awful lot of money that's going to pay 20 for people who aren't there, that really could 21 be used for something else. 22 Could you try to find out what that 23 represents? 24
And have we 118 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 hired a consultant or brought somebody in to try to figure out how we get that number down? Or what efforts are you doing internally? I don't know how any company could run like that, with that many on average. So I would appreciate seeing what that number is.
There has been a lot of discussion in here about capital needs, capital budgets, and whether or not they are adequate, and the amount of money we are borrowing, and how much is going to take care of the facilities we already have, as opposed to some new incentives, new projects. What is your estimate of your current capital needs annually, per year? How much money do you need to maintain your facilities, existing facilities, on an annual basis?
I don't have a hard number myself. 119 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 I know we are still working from the assessment that Capital has done. But I can talk about my professional experience and what I have done in the past. With my knowledge of the age of the city, the age of the infrastructure, we could probably spend right now $100 million just to clean it up. We have infrastructure that needs to be totally torn down and rebuilt at today's standards. I understand some of the buildings may be or may not be an historic, or they should be, but some of the other facilities need to come down. I'm not saying that they shouldn't be rebuilt. Because we have some of that data, as well, from what we did a year ago. But to invest money into an 80-year-old nonhistoric building, versus being able to tear it down and build a new one between 6 to 8 million dollars. So if you are asking me right now, we could spend $100 million. 120 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06
Over what period of time would you be able to spend that $100 million?
Without having to put any contractors in default, we could move $100 million.
Well, I don't have management of the -- the Capital Budget is in each perspective district, each perspective Councilperson's district. And, from my understanding, that came down from $1.2 million annually per 121 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 district, which is approximately $12 million a year, which is about half of that right now.
So we are about $6 million a year for ten districts, when the need is 20?
And, in your opinion, or in the opinion of any of the facilities people, Tom or whoever, what does that cost us in the long run by not maintaining our facilities to the level they should be maintained, and replacement cost and the expiration of their usefulness? I mean, in the end aren't we going to spend a lot more money, if we don't get a handle on what our facility needs are now?
Yes. Exactly. Yes, the costs will rise. We will lose the infrastructure. If you do have an opportunity to do something, you can reshape the face of the city on the types of facilities, the standard modernization of the facilities, the new technology, and the type of programming that 122 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 the changes of society dictate.
In your opinion, do you believe that a state-of-the-art Recreation Department and facilities is a major factor in people wanting to stay in a neighborhood or move into one?
It is part of the personality and characteristic of any community, whether it is an urban or a rural environment. It is part of the personality and characteristic; just like your neighborhood school, your neighborhood church, and your library. It is part of the everyday life.
So it is part of the attraction or possibly the detraction?
Madam President, I mean, we have had this discussion through the Capital Program discussion. Again, we are slated in this budget and Five-Year Plan to be borrowing a substantial sum of money for programs that are, at this point, nonexistent. And we are 123 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 shortchanging our own physical facilities to the detriment of the taxpayer, because in the end they are going to have to replace it at a higher cost, if we don't maintain it on a regular basis. So, I mean, I would argue that we seriously as a Council should be looking at moving that $6 million number up to a substantially higher number; and perhaps using some of the borrowing power the Administration is intending to use on other projects heretofore nonexistent, to make sure we maintain our facilities. I mean, it is not only not in the best interest of the taxpayer and the citizen not having a facility that's up to speed, but it is crazy in the long run not to pay attention to those needs. When we have the ability to borrow money for other things, we should be borrowing it to put into facilities that people use the most. I can't think of a department in this city that gets more use than the 124 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 Recreation Department. I mean, and it is positive use. It is not like your contact with the Fire Department, God forbid, or your contact with the Police Department that could be a negative one. All of the experiences at the Recreation Department are positive and affect every neighborhood. I mean, I can't think of a better way and a fairer way to serve the public than taking care of the Recreation Department's physical needs throughout the city on an equal basis. So, I mean, I would be looking at hoping to gain some support from Council Members before we approve this budget to do something different on the capital side as it relates to Recreation. And I just have just one other request. I know I have gone higher. We have had this discussion. But, in your testimony, you said you were going to do the grass cutting from every three weeks to every two weeks. 125 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 If you could just do me a favor and make sure that, if we have a drought this summer, that the contractor we hire does not cut the dirt. Because I don't care -- I would like to see it cut on a regular basis. But if it is not growing and it is burning out, I want those guys off those riding mowers. Because I had to chase one down at Murphy Recreation Center one day, after we had seeded. Actually, at Murphy you guys did a great job of putting the irrigation system back in place, so hopefully we won't have that burn-out problem we had for the last couple of years. But if you could maybe clearly identify with the contractor that, if they get out there and the place is a dust bowl, please don't cut the grass.
You are welcome. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Brown. 126 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06
In earlier testimony in another hearing earlier in the year, I had responded back about creating designated plan sites.
The Commissioner and I have had discussions in the past about designated playing sites, as they do in suburban communities; where you would construct three or four fields that were nothing but little league baseball that could be used by the whole city and many of the other leagues. Same thing with designated football facilities or designated soccer 127 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 facilities. A lot of our facilities get used, for example, Murphy, in your district, gets used for football, baseball, softball, and soccer, whatever else, and it just gets torn up. And because of the usage, it never gets any down time to grow the grass back and to do what's necessary. So maybe as part of this capital effort that some of us in here may try to approach, we could talk about some of those fields. Because, I am telling you, I think one of the things that's embarrassing to me is to have our leagues, whether it is football, soccer, baseball, be in conjunction or be in a league that plays in the suburbs, and the suburban people come here. It is embarrassing sometimes, because of the amount of use that the fields get, the condition of suburban fields as opposed to our stuff. I mean, our kids are playing on hard 128 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 dirt. You go out in the suburbs, and they are playing on nice Kentucky bluegrass grass. And it really is depressing. And our kids deserve as much as the kids in the suburbs do. And I think if we invested the money we need to invest, we would have those facilities that we would be proud of. And it is not through any fault of the maintenance people, because they are understaffed and they are working hard. But we really have to put some money into these things so that our people can enjoy what suburban people enjoy. Thanks, Commissioner.
Do you still want to be recognized, Commissioner, or was it all said?
Thank you, Madam President. Good afternoon, everyone. Let me 129 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 seize the moment and publicly congratulate the entire department and the leadership for the recognition you received this past Sunday with the Philadelphia Horticultural Society. Well deserved. And just a good indication of what lies ahead with the department. So I really congratulate all of you for that. Very quick question. Does everyone in the department that has any involvement or interaction with children receive background checks?
Mary Platt-Coles, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Recreation. Yes, they do now, Councilwoman Brown. About two years -- about four years ago, actually, we instituted that all new hires for rec leader trainees, NRLs, were to receive background checks. And for this coming season, we now require even seasonals of 18 years and older, as well as seasonal maintenance attendants. Because they work near the children as well, 130 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 everyone will have it.
Does that include those persons who handle food, as well?
Okay. All right, then. On of your testimony, there is discussion that eight full-time positions transferred from Fairmount Park budget into the Recreation Department, into the recreation budget. Just discuss with me what they do.
The eight positions are part of the administrative cluster. Four of those positions are --
Sure. Four of the eight positions that came over from Fairmount Park -- actually, if I could go back and state that it was ten originally. But we have recently moved RIT people, two of which came from Fairmount Park, and one recreation IT 131 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 person, to MOIS, so that we could have RIT needs better managed. And so far it is working very well. Recreation, as you probably know, as well over a hundred sites with computers, and Fairmount Park has a dozen or more. So that we believe this is going to be a very good relationship. But back to the eight that you are asking about. Four of those staffers work in our personnel unit, headed by Linda Turner. Two of those staffers work in the fiscal unit, headed by Janice Chen. And there are two people running -- working at the storage warehouse out in Fairmount Park.
Thank you. Last year there was much discussion and, some might say, anticipation, others might say reservation, with regard to the installation of spray pools. Just give us an update, if you will, on how that has come along. And has there been, as best as you can tell, a significant 132 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 decline in either pool or playground-related incidents?
Bill Carapucci. The spraygrounds have been very well used. We had three operating last year.
We will have one new one, so that will give us a total of four. And it is actually going to give the neighborhoods a longer season. Because we are going to open up the spraygrounds around Memorial Day, and they will stay open until Labor Day. And they have been very well received, and they are geared towards the younger kids.
Have there been fewer incidents of injury and the like?
Well, that I know of, no incidents of injury. And that's a lot 133 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 safer environment for the younger kids in many cases. And the neighborhoods have tended to like them.
And now with the benefit of hindsight, I mean, last year you indicated that it would also be a significant cost savings to the department, but you are achieving the same end. Has that proven to be true?
It has been cheaper to operate because we hire less seasonal staff, without a doubt. And we hire one staff person, versus, when you operate a pool seven days a week, you have to hire ten. You have to hire five lifeguards, one or two night watchmen, and three other what they call pool maintenance aides. When you have a sprayground, you really only have to hire one person to be there during the day when the kids are operating the spray pool. And that's it. It is a lot cheaper all the way around with operating costs. 134 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 And, again, this is not a panacea, where you wouldn't have any pools. But, in communities where there is other pools nearby, this is an added -- it adds to the overall community.
That leads to my next question. Because we do not want to be completely insensitive to adults wanting recreation, and we know that spray pools are for the children. So any level of consideration given to having options, if you will, available for adults who like to recreate by swimming, as well?
For the record, the purpose of the spray parks is not intended to eliminate swimming pools; its intention is to replace antiquated facilities and, also, as we restructure and realign the city based on its population density and its usage. And, also, if I could add to your previous question relative to the cost, from 135 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 the numbers that we have posted and printed, the difference in the operating costs annually on the pool at $40,000 versus $14,743. That's the difference between the spray park and a pool on an annual basis.
Thank you. Substantial. Please define, quote, state-of-the-art playground equipment that's going to be installed at eight recreation centers. And is there a distinction between new play versus state-of-the-art?
State-of-the-art -- Tom Fox, Deputy Commissioner of Recreation. The state-of-the-art equipment we are referring to there is, since 1991, they have come up with very good, strong standards for installation and the type of equipment that's installed, how it is manufactured, especially keeping in mind safety of the children that use it.
And the equipment that we 136 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 have installed recently and we anticipate installing in the near future all meets these standards for surfacing and the type of manufacture of the equipment.
So, for the record, the eight facilities, they are installed. They are not being installed; they are installed. They are in now. And we are looking at trying to do four more before the end of June. So, the eight are in place.
So is there a long-term plan to install new playground equipment systemwide?
That is part of the plan that we are looking at with the facilities assessment that happened through CPO with all the A's and B's. We are piggybacking on that, as well. Initially we started out on our own, prior to the assessment being done. And what we did was, we immediately ripped out any piece of play equipment that could cause imminent danger, a fatality or either loss of 137 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 a limb on a child. So we immediately ripped those out. And then, from there, we started evaluating what we could repair in-house until we were able to get the funding needed to totally redo it. So some systems we totally ripped out immediately, some systems we replaced. And this is where we are now on that progressive plan.
The opera program at the older adult center, my personal opinion, they serve as great outlets for seniors. Please speak to some of the other partnerships you, meaning the Department of Recreation, has with other entities around the city. For example, are there any partnerships with any of our professional sport teams, University of Pennsylvania -- 138 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 well, I know about Annenberg. The summer program is there; correct? The summer performing arts program. Any others that are underway in the ranks for being established, or in the pipeline for being established?
As you mentioned, the opera program, that is a program we rolled out this winter with the Philadelphia Opera Company for children. Or teens, actually. And we took about 50 teens and chaperones to the opera for the first time ever. The older adult program, as listed in the Commissioner's testimony, those programs are always very successful. We have other partnerships with other Department of Social Services departments. And we work -- we are working currently on a Philadelphia Obesity Task Force, Childhood Obesity Task Force with DHS, the Health Department, Behavioral Health, Recreation, of course, MOCS, and OESS. So, yes, we have several other things going on with other entities. 139 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06
So is the opera piece, is that going to be ongoing, or was that a one-shot opportunity?
We plan to do it each year, as long as the opera company is offering it to us. This was the first time for Recreation. This was traditionally done with the schools.
So I did hear something that they may be cutting back on that program, but hopefully it is not going to be Recreation that's cut out. And we are going to see to it that, if they are doing this program, our rec kids get to go.
On your testimony, on Table 4 of your testimony, I know that there has been an effort underway to bring all of the rec centers in compliance with recreation standards. And right now there is a 60 percentile with regards to those standards. 140 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 Is that a level that is satisfactory, or not? And what are the plans going forward to raise that?
Based on the national standards across the country, that is an acceptable rate. Myself personally, it is not where we want to be. But we needed to start somewhere a few years ago, so we could track and also cost justify the usage and the percentage of utilization of the facilities across the city. So, this is where we are now. We also use these numbers, along with the citizenship survey, also along with the last census report, when we are working with the Planning Commission, to dictate should this facility be there, why it should be there, or why it shouldn't be there. And, if it should be there, what size should the facility be, what amenities should be in a facility, and what type of programming. We also take into consideration the prorated growth in the population that is 141 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 presented to us by the Planning Commission, as well.
This is a starting point. Eventually I would like to see us make 80 percent. And I believe if we could serve the population at 80 percent, I think we are doing a decent job, an excellent job. I think we are doing an excellent job now, but we can do better with the capacity.
Tell me about the citizen survey report. I mean, that's a new practice of the department, is it not?
The citizen survey process that you utilize, just tell us about that. What is it and its purpose, citizen survey.
I am sorry. I can't tell you when, because I don't know off the top of my head, when the survey actually 142 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 began. I know it has been in effect at least in the last five and a half years that I have been here. But I believe that it is a report card or a measurement. And it is conducted out of the Mayor's Office and through the Managing Director's Office on how well we are viewed by our customers --
-- being the citizens. From the conditions of the facilities that we have, how well we maintain them, versus the type of programming that we offer, versus delivery of that program, along with the staffing that delivers it.
My final question is around the afterschool programming. Is there a thread of discussion between School District, Free Library, Rec Department, and Safe and Sound on the standards, if you will, of afterschool programming? I mean, we know that they are 143 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 stellar -- and that's based on data -- with regard to the Rec Department. But is there a sharing of that information systemwide with those other entities that are in the business of providing afterschool programming?
We have worked with Safe and Sound over the past six years, where we have traded information with Safe and Sound extensively. So as far as the Library and the School Board, we really haven't had a lot of communication in that area. But when it comes to Safe and Sound, I would say over the last six and a half years, there's been a lot of communication. And our program today is compliant with all standards.
I am very much aware of the fact that that's the case with the Rec Department. I mean, I clearly remember the days when you were ramping up to do that. And that's been since I have been here. 144 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 The broader question is, is there a uniform standards document on how afterschool programming should be run?
Okay. Any discussion about the value and need, really, for -- so that when parents are making decisions about where they want to send their children after school, they know that others who run afterschool programs, that the standards are similar to those that's practiced with the Rec Department?
Those are some of the practices that are being discussed through the leadership of Julia Danzi. And that was one of our concerns relative to rec afterschool, a nonprofit after school, a Beacons afterschool, or any after school, that they would have at least a minimum requirement. So when those discussions first started -- and the push is still going -- and I believe it is a 24-hour certification. Is it 24 or 18? It is a 24-hour classroom 145 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 certification that the staff has to go through, including child and infant CPR, basic first-aid kit, the background check, and the rest of the criteria.
Could you please forward to the Chair a document, if you will, that speaks to what the standards are for the Rec Department?
Let me just review what I think I heard. I heard that Julia Danzi, or those around her, are taking a leadership role and looking towards having anybody who is doing business in the area of afterschool also know that there are legitimate standards that they need to be reaching towards. Is that what I am hearing?
Thank four your testimony. Thank you, Madam President.
You are welcome. The Chair recognizes Councilman 146 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 DiCicco. COUNCILMAN DiCICCO: Thank you, Madam President. I would like to add to the comments made by Council President and Councilwoman Brown about the fine work the department does. I have been saying this every year since I have been here, and will continue to say it, hopefully, for the next few years. I just have one question. Does anyone have any update on the Franklin Field issue? I know it was reported in the paper a couple of weeks ago, and either the Mayor or someone from his Administration, contacted me that Paul Vallis is now having second thoughts about taking that facility, due to the fact that there are several hundred grave sites possibly on that location, 200 or 300 grave sites. I mean, my understanding is, you know, we agreed to sell the property, Department of Recreation, with my recommendation, and the community's support a new Willard School at that site. 147 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 Is there any movement in the last couple of weeks?
I am sorry to say that I can't give you any definitive answer. It is being handled out of Public Property. Once it leaves the ownership of the individual agency, Public Property, with the help of the Law Department, consummates the deal. So I am sorry to sit here to tell you that I don't know, but I don't. COUNCILMAN DiCICCO: I appreciate that. I will contact Public Property. Thank you. I really have no other questions, Madam President.
Thank you, Madam President. Good afternoon. A couple of quick questions. Commissioner, during the course of your tenure and, I guess, also with your 148 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 predecessor, you have had an opportunity to solicit and receive funds from the state, am I correct, for capital projects?
Can you give me a sense of the dollars associated with that? I mean, the amounts? Or just some examples of facilities that, were it not for your ability to solicit dollars from the state, possibly federal or other funding entities, would not have happened?
I'm sorry. I wouldn't be able to tell you the total amount that we have been able to leverage, but I can give you some examples on how we have leveraged city dollars to do projects.
Probably one of the last biggest ones is the Dorothy Emanuel job. And I am sorry I don't recall the -- Eric, you can step up if you remember how much state money was leveraged there. We also -- 149 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06
Excuse me, Commissioner, because that's important. I want to talk about dollars specifically. I see Eric is over in the corner.
Eric would remember. And, also, another one we just finished, I want to say it was approximately a one and a half million dollar project where the city, we started out with only a half a million dollars, but it was the total exterior renovation at Kingsessing, where we were able to leverage the city dollars against state dollars, and we reconfigured the outdoor basketball courts. With that reconfiguration, we were able to add an additional court. They were built at today's standards. Also, we were able to reconfigure and refurbish the outdoor tennis courts, and they were enclosed. We were able to demolish a 1957 pool that was also one of very few that still had a deep end. And we took that pool out, and there is a brand-new pool at today's standards, in compliance. 150 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 Also, all of the new play equipment. And, also, the picnic and leisure seating area for the parents and the children. That's one that we just finished in July.
Eric Iffrig, Capital Program Office. The Dorothy Emanuel Recreation Center is a new construction. The final cost is around $5.2 million. The state grant for that center from the state's capital redevelopment assistance program was one and a half million dollars.
So in terms of the process, essentially the department works with, in some instances, elected officials or community organizations and identifies a facility that needs some work or restoration; then the department interact with the state elected officials; and the department, who runs the funding program on a state level, and you guys actively go out and solicit money to leverage recreation projects?
Yes, sir. That's correct. 151 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 With the unique situation, we have to have the District Councilperson on the front seat, as we can justify the project to say, this is what we have in the hole, this is what we don't have. And we have an obligation to you and the citizens to present the pros and the cons to why we should move forward or try to pursue certain things. But it has been very, very successful.
Commissioner, under your tenure, I know that you have gotten very aggressive and creative during a number of programs. One that comes to mind is one that actually opened up recently in my councilmanic district, the teen center up at Martin Luther King Center. Can you kind of talk to me about some of the other programs? And my assumption is that that was not totally funded with city dollars, or was it? Were you able to get some external dollars to support some of those programs? 152 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06
Mary Platt-Coles. Yes, a lot of the teen centers were funded with Juvenile Accountability Incentive Block Grant money that we received over the past four or so years.
The federal, that's correct. As well as, we have been able to use some other grant money as it comes our way to keep continuing to open some centers. And that would be something called JAG money, Juvenile Accountability -- I am sorry, I forget the full name for the acronym. And we use HSDF money, where possible, to also fund some things in the teen centers.
We were also instrumental in having one done in Councilman Nutter's district, with his leadership, and also when the city hosted the NBA All Star 153 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 Week. So with the help of the Commissioner of the NBA and Councilman Nutter, that's how we were able to get the one done in Haddington over at Shepard, as well.
Do you have any others? You don't have to give me the specifics. But are there other occasions where you were able to get external dollars from nongovernment sources?
That is correct. We have relationships with other corporate citizens. As a matter of fact, we are working on two real big ones right now that haven't come through yet, and hopefully they do. It will make another major impact. In my testimony, if you look at that 154 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 refurbishing of that playground at McPherson, library and park, that is an example of one that just got done at the end of this summer. And that was done by a responsible corporate citizen, along with city employees.
Commissioner, during the course of the last almost a year now, as a result of discussions about the possible consolidation of the Departments of Parks and Recreation that would subsequently create the Department of Parks and Recreation, it has been suggested by some of the opponents of that proposal that the ability of a department would eliminate the city's ability to get external dollars to leverage developments in our city, be it parks or be it rec centers. And, based on your testimony, or your responses to my questions, it appears that your particular department has been able to do that relatively dramatically, given some of the numbers that have been spoken of. If you can, can you get to the Chair, I would say over the last three, four 155 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 years, the dollar amount of money that you got from nonPhiladelphia government sources, be it federal or state, capital grants, federal/state operational grants, and private-source contributions over the last four years that have gone to the Department of Recreation to provide assistance to programming and capital projects? And can you get that through the Chair for us, please?
Yes, sir, we will provide it. We will have to put it together, but we will get it for you.
Thank you. Thank you, Commissioner. Thank you, Madam President.
You are welcome. The Chair recognizes Councilman Nutter.
Thank you, Madam President. Madam President, I need to ask for -- I do not have at the moment a question for the Recreation Commissioner. I do not 156 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 have at this moment a question for the Recreation Commissioner, and I actually need to leave the chamber for a minute. I wanted to take a moment in the course of the Operating Budget and Capital Budget hearings to put forward an amendment, or a proposed amendment, to 060001 and 002, which are related to our Capital Budget, and the issue of allocation of dollars with regard to City Council, to start a process that goes through the Planning Commission. It does not require any action by the body, merely it is introduction. I wondered, with the Chair's permission, if I could put amendments forward and move on?
I certainly would agree. However, I think it would be very nice if each of the Council Members had a copy of it.
Thank you. Please proceed. 157 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06
Well, I can give them to a sergeant-at-arms. But, they are just two proposed amendments to our Capital Budget that need to be put forward to enter into this part of the process.
That's fine. They will be submitted, and the stenographer will get a copy. Please make certain that the stenographer gets a copy. Thank you. Are there any other questions for the Recreation Commissioner? Seeing none, thank you very much.
Thank you, Madam President, City Council members. MR. McPHERSON: Camp William Penn.
Commissioner, are you going to be testifying? MR. VICTOR N. RICHARD, III: Yes, ma'am.
Yes, ma'am. Good afternoon, Council President Verna and honorable members of the City Council. I am 158 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 Vic Richard, the Recreation Commissioner. I would also like to take the opportunity to introduce our Camp Director, Michael Shelton. I am presenting testimony in support of Camp William Penn's budget. Camp William Penn is requesting a total of $283,000 in our General Fund appropriations for Fiscal Year '07. The '07 budget supports four full-time employees; being a camp director, a secretary, and two property caretakers. It would also include seasonal employees; 58 seasonal employees, of them who are also 15 hired contractually through Camp America. 16 In Fiscal Year '07, Camp William 17 Penn will offer five encampments of six days 18 each. The Camp can currently manage 180 children per encampment, 90 males and 90 females. In the summer of 2005, the Camp was inspected by American Camping Association, an independent agency that inspects camps for health, safety, and programming. Its average score of 98 percent 159 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 places the Camp in the top percent in the country. This is a strong indication of the quality and safety of the camp, the characteristics we will fully exploit in the Camp's advertising. In regard to diversification of our participants, our first effort was to increase the number of Latino children attending the camp. Our efforts were rewarded by the recognition from the Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society for a Hispanic Family Camp that was held at the facility in August of 2005. Finally, the Camp is collaborating with social service departments to create targeted encampments that will meet the needs of specialized populations. These collaborations additionally will offer a steady stream of new camp participants. Camp William Penn is truly an asset for the City of Philadelphia. President Verna and members of City Council, this concludes our testimony on Camp 160 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 William Penn's '07 budget request. I will be glad to answer any questions that you may have regarding the testimony or the operation of Camp William Penn.
Thank you, Commissioner. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Brown.
Thank you, Madam President. Does Camp William Penn, in response to the interest to raise the level of presence of Latino families, does the Camp William Penn have a website?
Yes. Three years ago, we redesigned the website, last year we upgraded it. This year we have upgraded. And we have also just been awarded a grant by Fels Institute to help us to develop a professional advertising piece for the camp. There is also a business plan that was completed, with the help of the Budget Office, through Dianne Reed, Jerry Buck, and a 161 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 the Managing Director himself, along with Dianne Reed and our staff, as well. A business plan has been done. Also, there was a weekend that was taken by the Managing Director himself, along with the Budget Director, Dianne Reed, to come and tour the facility. As well, the Mayor's Chief of Staff, Joyce Wilkerson, also took a day last year while the children was at camp to actually see the improvements, the changes. So we are very proud and excited about the opportunity that has been presented, and even more so Fels thinking enough of the facility to lend its money and its credibility to the facility.
Yes. The grant was applied by the department through the Managing Director's Office, with his help and leadership.
Is there someone on your staff, Commissioner, whose 162 FY '07 OPERATING BUDGET HEARINGS - 3/14/06 principal responsibility is that of fundraising, or do you do that in concert with the Managing Director's Office?
Myself, along with the -- to answer your question, no, we don't have designated staff.
I beg, borrow as much as I can any given day, wherever I can get it from, along with the help of the executive team. But, no, we do not have a designated area of our organization that is geared towards strictly planning, development, and outside funding.