Committee Hearing, February 16, 2001

And do I understand that there were seven primary areas where this work was going take place?

Yes, sir.

How many environmental centers were going to be created as a result of the William Penn grant?

We were going to add an additional four environmental centers to the existing two.

Now, I'm assuming for a number of reasons, some of those centers are not going to be done. I see, again, on there's discussion about Pennypack and the Cobbs Creek Community and Environmental Education Center. Are those the only two that are going to be done?

At the present time, that's correct. Although we're considering some improvements to the Andorra Environmental Center in the Wissahickon at its present location.

Okay. The only two were going to be a new center in Wissahickon and a new center, I believe, in Strawberry Mansion? 1025 2/16/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET

That is correct.

Those two are not being done?

That is correct. Not at the present time.

Does that mean that at some other time?

Well, we hold out that as a potential option, but at this present time, we have chosen not to proceed.

The two centers that are mentioned in the testimony, Pennypack and Cobbs Creek, what are the staffing levels for those centers?

Well, the Pennypack will continue -- right now, really, there's an "A" and a "B" answer to that question. Right now we have been able to increase the staffing levels through the NLREEP grant at the facility in Pennypack. There are three folks assigned to the Pennypack Environmental Center. There are additional folks who use that location as a reporting location who are what we call environmental outreach educators and their office happens to be at the Pennypack. 1026 2/16/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET But on a full-time basis, we have three folks assigned to the Pennypack. We had one and a half folks prior assigned to Pennypack prior to the grant. We have pledged the same number, three staff members to the Cobbs Creek Center.

Is that through the grant also?

That's through the grant also.

Now, is there any staff funding in your budget for these positions?

No. 14

How will we maintain them? It will expire at some point in time, right?

The grant is set to expire in June of '02.

So a little less than 18 months?

Yes, sir.

How will we maintain them if the grant expires and they're on a grant-funded basis? 1027 2/16/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET

Each one is a little different. The Cobbs Creek Community Center has an active organization and in fact I think thier executive director's here this afternoon. They've actually been providing environmental programs in the community for a number of years working out of a facility not in Fairmount Park. So we certainly have a partner in the Cobbs Creek Center. We would anticipate doing fund-raising. We have grants that are available to us for environmental education programs.

The center is going to then be responsible for raising the money to pay the staff?

Well, the centers along with the support of the Fairmount Park Commission and our Fairmount Park Foundation.

So in the next Fiscal Year, you would be seeking funding support through your budget?

We have chosen to seek private sources or outside City budget sources for those positions.

Okay, we'll come 1028 2/16/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET back to that. How much of the William Penn money is unspent at this point?

I can tell you -- I'll have to do the math quickly in my head if you're asking how much is unspent at this time. About 8 million, I'm told, of the 26 is unspent at this 9 time. 10

So the original 11 grant was 26; you've spent 10; you have 18 months to 12 go. Is the $16 million presently programmed or what 13 will be left over when the grant expires. 14

We anticipate spending 15 down with a remainder of about $9 million in June of 16 '02.

And what will happen to the $9 million?

Well, we are in discussions William Penn Foundation regarding that at this time. It was a five-year grant initially. What we have found, and the foundation understands at this point that the planning process which we thought would take about half the time that it did has extended and we have the remaining period of 1029 2/16/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET time where we plan to spend about $7 million to implement recommendations and priority projects that we've identified.

Is it possible that we'll have to send the money back?

I don't know that I can answer that question. Unequivocally at this point, I guess the potential is there, yes.

Some of the numbers on the dangerous tree situation have become, at least for me, a little confusing. Somewhere in your testimony I thought I read and I think the president just asked you a little while ago, you're going to remove 6800 trees in --

No, we're going to prune 6800 trees.

You're going to prune 6800 trees. And then the anticipated increase as a result of the Neighborhood Transformation Initiative is an additional 1200 in FY '02, taking that total to 8,000.

That is correct.

Also as a part of that initiative, we're anticipating removing 4300 1030 2/16/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET dead trees, dead and dangerous trees?

That's correct.

Toward the tail end of your testimony, you talked about the ranger program. And I think, at least for myself, this was the first I had heard of the possibility in the next -- you're talking FY '03?

'03.

The prospect of the program going away. And I thought your testimony was that the ranger corps organization had committed to a fund raising plan, had, I think in your words, had maxed out or it reached a maximum level of fund-raising and did not match the half million dollars that the City put up last year?

No, that's not what I said I don't believe.

I may have misquoted you. Why don't you tell me again?

What I am saying is that the match for FY '02 will be met by the Ranger Board. The match for '03, should the Administration and City Council continue to support the ranger program, will have to be matched by another entity 1031 2/16/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET other than Fairmount Ranger Board.

I thought I heard you say something about some entity having reached its maximum fund-raising capacity.

That is a Ranger Board. In a recent meeting of the board just this past week, it was determined that given the endowment and amount of funds available to the Ranger Board, they've indicated and they actually have an agreement with the City Administration that they would match the City money through '01, and now we're going to do it through '02, and that a fund-raising plan would be developed by the Fairmount Park Commission to continue to match the City's funds. What I'm suggesting is that that vehicle will be known as the Fairmount Park Foundation. So basically you have the foundation taking the place of the Ranger Corps Board.

So what's the Park Commission or the foundation plan to raise the half million dollars?

They don't have a specific plan at this point. This is a foundation that was established less than a year ago. It's made up of 1032 2/16/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET approximately very interested individuals whose sole mission is to raise private dollars for the Fairmount Park Commission. They have an initiative of seeking primarily cooperate support for the park, but they have not -- we've just hired an executive director in the last month, and one of the priorities -- they've identified five priorities, and you can imagine there are a lot of priorities for Fairmount Park, and one of them is the park ranger program.

Let me make sure I 13 understand this. Your budget is for this Fiscal 14 Year $13.3 million? 15

Yes.

And for the next fiscal year it's 13.4; is that correct?

I'm sorry. I believe it's 13.3 for '02; 13.330.

13.3 for '02?

Yes, sir.

Earlier you said you have $16 million from the William Penn NLREEP grant which at best you expect to have $9 million left over from that grant which you may or may not have 1033 2/16/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET to return. The City Administration or the Administration and Council working together providing a half million dollars for the rangers. Were there rangers? 6

Yes. 7

The Ranger Board has 8 reached its fund-raising capacity and now the park 9 or the park and the park foundation now have to find 10 a half million dollars to support the rangers or the 11 program will go out of business; is that the 12 situation? 13

Yes, sir. 14

And at present at 15 least, they don't have a plan to raise a half 16 million dollars? 17

They have the commitment 18 to do it, but not a specific plan other than what 19 I've shared with you is their approach to go into 20 the cooperate community. 21

Well didn't the 22 Ranger Board go into the cooperate community? 23

The board did not see 24 themselves as fund-raisers.

But they did raise a 1034 2/16/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET half million dollars.

That's right.

Did they go into the cooperate community to get the half million dollars?

No. 7 If I could just comment on the William Penn foundation because I think you're going to return to that and the money that's made that will be remaining June of '02. As you may well no, Councilman, the William Penn Foundation has been all the years I've been the park director, 12 years, it's been on an annual basis a major funder for Fairmount Park from a private foundation perspective. I can't imagine -- and I shouldn't so cavalier, but it's certainly my understanding that that relationship will continue at some level. So I don't -- you know, they've said to me, we started the park ranger program in 1987. We put a lot of money into it at that particular time. The ranger program may not be of interest to them at this point. My understanding is they have sort of moved beyond the funding of the ranger program, now focussing on environmental issues in the park.

Well, is it 1035 2/16/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET something that should just be taken completely by Fairmount Park.

Uh-huh.

Has there any talk given to it's our park we've been working with these people a long time, it should be our responsibility. I assume you have regular discussions with the Budget Office, with the Managing Director's Office, with the Mayor's office about what the needs are.

Uh-huh.

It seems over the past few years that right around budget time because I thought the rangers were in danger a few years back. Now it's being extinct. Now, at some level, we either want them or we don't. They either provide a good service or they don't. And if grant funding started something and grant funds don't last forever, I think we probably knew that when it got started, we have to figure out a way to keep the program going or move on. Now, I think that they provide a great service. But I've never seen a long-term game plan that demonstrated that level of support to make it work. So every year we're running around trying to find a half million dollars 1036 2/16/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET to keep something going that some people probably think maybe should be expanded.

We do have a operations plan which is, in essence, a development plan for the ranger corps. It was established about 7 months ago. It's a pretty good footprint for the 8 future. I'll be happen to share that with you. And 9 again, the City is providing a half a million 10 dollars for the ranger program, and has for the last 11 two years. 12

Now, I received a 13 letter from the Friends of Philadelphia Parks who, 14 as I said earlier, are great at what they do, strong 15 supporters of the park. And in the letter it reads 16 that they, you know, believe in parks and support 17 parks, and to that end we ask a that the Fairmount 18 Park commission be provided with the following: An increase in operating and capital budgets. A dedicated funding source or volunteer support staff, funding for natural area restoration, funding for quality recreation and neighborhood facilities, funding for corps staff and the ranger corps. What is the request that you are making today with regard to additional funding for 1037 2/16/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET Fairmount Park?

As I've indicated in my testimony, it is a $13.3 million request that does clue an addition from last year.

That's already in the budget, though. You're going to get the 13.3. The letter I'm getting, and I'm assuming all my colleagues received, is a request for an increase in operating and capital budgets, dedicated funding source for volunteers -- I have to go back to the list. So the question is, beyond the 13.3 that you know you're getting, what is your request today in this budget process for additional funding?

I wasn't being presumptuous. I thought I was here testifying to the $13.3 million budget, so I am not seeking funds beyond that.

So you're not asking for any additional funding?

Not today.

Well, there aren't going to be many other days to have this discussion. Madam Chair, I've taken advantage of a number of opportunities when you were away from the 1038 2/16/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET table.

I know. I have noticed on here how long you've been questioning the witnesses. And there are two other Councilmembers that would like to be recognized, so if you don't mind, we'll have a second go-around.

I would magnanimously, Madam Chair. Thank you.

Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Brown.

Thank you, Madam Chair, and I will be brief. Good afternoon, everyone. I want to follow-up on Councilman Nutter's interest in the future and life of the ranger corps. I, too, share an interest in the good work that they do and I am prepared work with them and you and the Administration to make sure that has a lasting life. So we'll have follow-up conversations about that. Secondly, on of your testimony, you talk about the Fairmount Park historic preservation efforts. And you mention 20 structures under long-term lease and plans to restore three additional structures. I am interested in what that 1039 2/16/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET means and I will say I'm particularly interesting along with also Councilman Nutter in the life and future of the bell mount mansion.

Okay.

.

I have it, thank you. This refers to the Fairmount Park Historic Preservation Trust, a nonprofit organization which works in concert on property management with the Fairmount Park Commission. Briefly, it's ability or the advantage of the trust is that it can on behalf of the commission offer long-term leases. It can very aggressively go after grants that perhaps the City which is not 501C3 nonprofit is not capable of obtaining. The trust has, quite frankly, been very successful in working on properties in 18 Fairmount Park, including Belmont Mansion. 19 As you may remember, at the capital 20 budget hearing last week, there was a somewhat deliberate discussion about Belmont Mansion and the funds available for it. We do have a one million dollar allocation of City dollars for Belmont Mansion that was provided in this Fiscal Year and work will begin shortly on design of its 1040 2/16/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET restoration. There are individuals here in the audience from the Capital Budget Office who are familiar with the details of that project if you'd like to hear more specifically about that.

I would. Thank you.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, sir.

Good afternoon. I'm Thomas Kline, the park engineer from the Capital Program Office. I guess your question is on the time table for the remaining work to be completed at Belmont Mansion?

That would be helpful, yes.

Basically we're talking this year for design. We go out for bids the end of the year, which will be next winter. The idea being that we'd open bids and could start construction in the spring of 2002. The construction consists of two phases. Phase 1, both phases would be bid in the same set of documents. The first phase is for the exterior stabilization and structural 1041 2/16/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET restoration of the building. And in Phase 2 would be for the interior. We would be requesting additional monies for the interior in the next year's capital budget which would the FY '03 budget. We think the million dollars is definitely enough to do the exterior. We know that from the assessment that was just completed. After we're done design, we'll know exactly, more exactly what the interior. The interior is more unique with the restoration of the ceilings then have detached from the structure. And some of that work, we won't fully know until we really kind of get going, do exploratory work during the design work. We would bid that work with the first phase of work. We'd bid them together. The idea being that we have to do the exterior first anyway. Make it water tight before you can start working on the interior. That's why we didn't ask for the half million in this year's budget. So the timing is that the million dollars in this year's capital budget will get us off the ground, get us under construction and then next yea's FY '03 capital budget we anticipate, I think, a half million should be enough to finish the 1042 2/16/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET question.

I thank you for that. Again, for my own understanding, even these were dollars garnered through -- and help me if I'm incorrect, Mr. Mifflin. Were these dollars, the capital improvement activities that he just spoke about, those dollars were garnered through the Fairmount Park Historic Preservation 501C3? I'm trying to get an understanding of the relationship.

The million dollars that Mr. Kline just testified to is all City dollars. There was private dollars which the trust administrated in the first phase of restoration.

Thank you both. My final question is simply related to many letters that we get in the office, and I need to echo the sentiments of colleagues with regard to the tremendous advocacy that exist on behalf of Fairmount Parks. This question is related the footpaths, the Wissahickon footpaths and the mountain bikes, what the new policy, is there a new policy, what's the status of that issue?

Very briefly, the park commission actually took testimony just this week 1043 2/16/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET with regards to our program of mountain bike activity in the Wissahickon. And I'll go through this.

Just briefly.

Very, very briefly. We are going to maintain our present plan which is to permit mountain biking on designated trails in the Wissahickon.

You're doing things internally to get that word out to those that care about mountain bikes?

Yes, we are. This position enjoys the support of the Friends of the Wissahickon who have a very extensive communication process.

Thank you very much. Thank you, Madam President.

You're welcome, Councilwoman. The Chair recognizes Councilman Cohen.

Thank you, Madam Chair. 15, 20 years ago appropriation time would frequently involve the question of funding for Robin 1044 2/16/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET Hood Dell East and the Mann Center, and I that time the issue always was why is the Dell East funded so badly compared to the Mann Center. A policy was adopted for equal funding, which apparently continued for a good number of years, and now the question almost seems almost reverse. As I gather, there's always quite a battle on funding for Mann Center while the Dell East, even though I think it was difficult to find the appropriations here because it was put into another category, but there has been more stable funding for Dell East. I'm wondering what the reason is for that and why is there a deviation with the policy, because I think both are great treasures to the City of Philadelphia. I think both deserve the full support of the City.

We certainly agree with you, Councilman, the Mann Music Center is a true asset to the City of Philadelphia. As I think you're aware, the Dell East managed by the Department of Recreation and the Mann Music Center by te Fairmount Park Commission. If my memory serves me correct, in 1998, the Fairmount Park Commission on behalf of the City of Philadelphia 1045 2/16/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET entered into a 10-year agreement with some options for renewal with the Mann Music Center for Performing Arts, Incorporated, a non-profit. That lease agreement requires that the Mann Music Center folks do significant fund-raising and basically provide the musical performances and opportunities at the center, although the City does continue with a contribution, I believe a Class 500 contribution to the Mann, I believe in the vicinity of $300,000, but I'm not positive of that number because it goes directly from the City for Mann Center for Performing Arts and not through the Fairmount Park budget. But basically, the day-to-day operation and the responsibility, although it does not preclude the City or the Park Commission from providing maintenance and capital improvements, is the responsibility of the non-profit. I think, quite frankly, all things considered, they've been doing fairly well. We monitor the operation fairly closely. Last year, the variety of performances and the crowds were, quite frankly, very satisfactory. They have a financial delima at the Mann as it relates to, among other things, the contractual obligation with the 1046 2/16/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET Philadelphia orchestra.

I raise the question because my office gets flooded with requests for free tickets for youngsters largely who otherwise would never have access to the kind of cultural events that take place at the Mann Music Center. And we're almost always faced with jus having to say no to large numbers of the population that I think it extremely important to make cultural events of the kind at Man Music Center as well as the Dell East, make them available. And I just couldn't understand why we adopt policies that tend to discourage or make it difficult for our youngsters to acquire the cultural skills, the cultural knowledge cultural experiences that we all know would be very good for them. It seems to me in both Dells, the Mann Music Center I really consider a Dell too because I think in it's original concept it was the second Dell. I just think it important that we work out those problems. I never feel comfortable with privatization agreements. Sometimes they work out well; sometimes they work out; sometimes they work out poorly. But whatever it is, it seems to me, the main objective has to be 1047 2/16/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET furnishing the best for the people for Philadelphia and particularly the youngsters who are coming up and are being deprived. So I would just like to urge upon you that they ought to be dealt with expeditiously. Whatever your relationships are, the private groups, I just urge you to keep in mind the final result on the youngsters in the City in that area.

We certainly will, Councilman. We take that obligation very seriously. I know there are three children's concerts each summer available to all children in Philadelphia and the region. Again, I think the variety of performances has really expanded significantly. There was a policy change in the ticket distribution, whereas tickets were available on an individual basis. The Center is now looking -- and so many nights the tickets were just not used. But there's been a concerted effort to work with organizations, including community organizations parkside area so that the groups, the community groups, quite frankly, have tickets available to them. But I understand your question. 1048 2/16/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET

The parkside area is very ably taken care of by Councilman Nutter, and basically our demands come from all over the City because I'm Councilman-at-Large. And I don't think that young people ought to be limited to children's concerts. I think it's awfully important that they get the flavor of what we adults get because that's the only way they're going to learn to experience them and appreciate them. So I'm just suggesting without wanting to get involved in any of the details that I think that these two institutions, Dell East and Mann Center are a mopping the finest treasures generally available to ordinary people in the City of Philadelphia, not the very affluent that can afford to purchase the tickets. But I think we want to give them the rich cultural experience that they can get both at Dell East and Mann Music Center. I would just urge you to ease the situation, whatever it may be. I'm not against the private fund-raising activities. I think that's poor. But you've got to have in perspective when there's huge fund-raising going on for the Avenue of the Arts South and all the different foundations in the City and areas of interest, it's very tough for 1049 2/16/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET an organization like -- I don't know what they call themselves, Friends of Mann Park. Maybe that may not be their name, but it's their purpose, for any individual groups to get the financial support the smaller groups need. It's like encouraging or nurturing the growth of the small theaters. I just think it's extremely important to do so to enable Philadelphia to really be a world class City in the most significant areas, not tourism and trade, but in the rich life of Philadelphia. Now, in the Adopt a Park Program, I heard your encouraging comments and your hope that you're going complete 140 parks. What does that number mean? Why is it 140 instead of 120 or 160? What does the number represent?

I don't think there's anything magical about that number. But what we have done is taken our seven watershed areas and divided them into sectors, and I believe there are 140 sectors in all seven watersheds. So our goal is to have each and every one of those adopted in the next two years.

Is there a federal program of funding that's involved in the Adopt a 1050 2/16/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET Park Program?

Our program does not enjoy federal funding.

State funding outside the City?

We're doing all of this in-house with local leadership from the community and the corporate community. We can certainly pursue state and federal dollars for this initiative as well.

So there is no 13 existing funding program outside of City funds for the Adopt a Park Program?

Not that I'm aware of, sir.

Because I know it's done great work with Councilman Nutter and under his leadership. I know there's been all kinds of advances in Morris Park, Overbrook Farms area. The people are delighted with what's occurring, and I think they become very strong supporters of Fairmount Park and all of its activity.

I think that's part of friends and support groups. The 85 friends support 1051 2/16/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET groups that I mentioned previously. There is a Friends of Morris Park, as an example.

The last area of my questions, what makes the decision as to what comes under the Recreation Department and what comes under Fairmount Park? I notice in your listing in the beginning of your testimony you list recreation centers, playgrounds, that kind of thing, things that we usually associate with recreation centers. What makes something a Fairmount Park activity rather than the recreation center activity, or does it just happen?

Well, a very brief summary. The Fairmount Park Commission has jurisdiction over approximately 9,000 acres in the City of Philadelphia. And we have evolved from a five-acre track of land in 1850 near the art museum and we've grown today to being one-tenth of the total land mass in Philadelphia. So we have acquired park land from fee simple acquisitions to donations to bequests to sometimes just administrative order from the Mayor's Office or from the City Administration. We tend to focus on open space and the natural areas and parks as opposed to 1052 2/16/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET recreation facilities. And I think what you'll find is that the majority of recreation facilities that are managed by the Fairmount Park Commission are more regional in nature. We do not do the active recreation neighborhood center that is at the corner of a particular intersection. Our centers are more in the center of a park such as Hunting Park or Fern Hill Park or FDR Park. And I could go on to all 10 of them. And they tend to draw regionally because 11 of ball fields and other activity, open space that's there. We work very closely with the Department of Recreation. We ensure that we're not duplicitive. Given our resources, we try to affect as many people as we possibly can. We only have three swimming pools; they have 80. So what we do is we direct folks who come to our centers that may not have a pool to the closest Department of Recreation pool. So there's clearly not duplicity. We hope things are not falling through the cracks. We do work with the School District as well on a Recreation Coordination Board. So I think all three entities are trying to do the very best they can to provide recreational opportunities.

My last question, the 1053 2/16/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET last one --

Excuse me, Councilman. I would really remiss, and I don't know whether he's leaving, but we've had in our audience a very friend and an esteemed member of the Fairmount Park Commission, Isador Shrager. He's been sitting here very patiently, and I certainly wanted to acknowledge him and thank him for coming in. (Applause.)

Councilman Cohen, are you finished?

Just one more question. That last innocent-sounding question had an ulterior purpose to it. We're talking about anti-blight programs in the City. We talk about urban areas as being overcrowded. It seems to me that Philadelphia has the rare opportunity of being able to develop the open space you just talked, the greenery you talked about in a large way and I'm wondering what role Fairmount Park -- I believe it ought to be a major role. In fact, I would say the major role in planning a new Philadelphia that's going to take advantage of instead considering 1054 2/16/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET itself suffering from a reduced population for the first time in areas that are jammed packed or were jammed packed with people, we really have an opportunity for greenery and for open space. I'm wondering what do we do to bring about that kind of a massive survey so that part of the anti-blight program can be bringing in those aspects of life that urban communities were not supposed to able to afford in which we if Philadelphia can richly afford now because we have so much available space we can really transform Philadelphia and I think make it maybe some kind of a living paradise where people would want to come to live. And I think it needs long-range planning. I think it goes with an anti-blight program. Do you have a role in it? That's my last question. And if you don't, I would urge you to consider what could be done.

Councilman, very quickly, we do have, I think, a very significant and important role in the Neighborhood Transition Initiative. Fairmount Park staff members have been working, again, under the director of the Managing Director's Office where we're assisting with our expertise and our specifications with vegetation 1055 2/16/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET cover, with fencing, and even with contractual in-house staff maintenance responsibilities. The Park Commission does not have a great deal, as an example, of parkland in North Philadelphia. And I'm in the a scholar of the details. It's a very large park system, but I think as you and I have talked about us we go further above Lehigh Avenue into North Philadelphia, Allegheny Avenue and over towards the river, there's not an abundance of open space. So to the extent that when these areas are reclaimed in a more attractive manner, we'll one of the people at the table to talk about how that can become usable parkland.

Thank you. Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you very much. The Chair recognizes Councilman Clarke.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Councilman Cohen actually asked my question about the park's involvement in the Neighborhood Transformation Initiative. And actually, Mr. Mifflin and I had some discussion earlier, maybe a year or so ago, about an area where we were trying to do a small square block park in inner North 1056 2/16/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET Philadelphia. At that time, we did not know that we were going to be talking about Neighborhood Transformation Initiative, so since we're now talking about that, I have five more neighborhood parks that I would like for you review. Thank you.

Thank you. We're interested.

Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Nutter.

Thank you. I had a couple questions regarding Belmont Mansion. Can we have Mr. Kline back, please?

Thomas Kline, park engineer for the Capital Program Office.

Thank you. Mr. Kline, in response to the questions that Councilwoman Reynolds-Brown asked, I thought I heard you put on the record that there will be additional funding needed to complete the full Belmont Mansion project. Did you say that?

Yes. We expect it will -- the money that's in the budget right now, a million dollars, is sufficient to do the exterior and design, do the design services. We know there's 1057 2/16/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET going to be additional funding needed to complete the interior. We don't know the exact amount until the design is completed.

And when do you anticipate the design being complete, did you say at the end of in year?

Yes, the design should be complete to go out for bidding next winter.

Do you anticipate the design will be complete in a -- this is a timing issue. Do you anticipate that it will be complete at such time that you would be able to make a capital budget request at the time that the capital budget is bing put together, make whatever argument needs to be made as it relates to the Planning Commission and make sure that those dollars get in that following year's budget?

That's exactly right. In other words, we'll have a very good estimate of the cost at the end of preliminary design, which is like -- design is like schematics, preliminaries, and then final. We will be done preliminary design by September when we're putting the other capital budget for '03. 1058 2/16/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET

And when do you expect the work that will be done by the million dollars, the exterior work, when do you expect that to start and when do you expect that to be completed?

I think that would start probably in the spring of next year, '02. To be specific, maybe April 1st. And that should be complete within one year. And during that year, we would hope that we would get the additional funding appropriated needed for the interior and award the interior work during that process.

Therein lies a little bit of my concern. If you anticipate that the exterior will be completed in now we're talking about the spring of '02 or '03?

The exterior work should be complete by the end of '02, calendar '02.

Calendar '02. The interior dollars would then technically not be available to you at the earliest until July of '03; is that correct?

No, '03 budget, July 1st, '02, the dollars would be available. 1059 2/16/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET

Because you're going to apply for them --

Next September for the '03 budget.

Okay. So based on the schedule that you've laid out, you don't anticipate that there would be a scenario in which the exterior work would be completed and you would not have interior money available which would then cause a gap in construction time activity and see the project once again in a stalled situation; is that what you're saying?

No, I don't anticipate a gap. As I said, we would bid, we would design the entire project and bid the entire project next winter. It would be bid in two parts. We would award the first part with the current monies, start construction. During construction and we got into the new '03 year come July 1st, we would hope to award the remainder, which would be the interior work.

I understand. This is my request then. What I would like is a detailed memo that lays out all of what you just said, that 1060 2/16/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET is date-specific, that is event-specific, and action-specific to this project. I then want a monthly update on what's going on. I want you to be in touch on a regular basis with the head of the American Women's Heritage Society, Ms. Audrey Johnson-Thorton, no less than once a month to let her know what's going on. Do you know whether she has a phone number for you or you have a phone number for her?

It will be between the Park Commission and ourselves. I'm not sure the exact contact.

Who's responsible for the project?

Pardon?

Who is responsible for the project?

We're responsible for the project for the Park Commission.

We, CPO?

Yes.

Because when Mr. Tustin was here, he took responsibility for the project. 1061 2/16/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET

Yes, I was here. That's right.

Well, what I would like you to do when you're finished is go over and meet Ms. Thorton-Johnson, give her your daytime number, your nighttime number, and weekend number and establish a regular contact time. And I would like monthly updates on what's going on with the project and I want a full detailed memo taking me from today to ribbon cutting on Belmont Mansion.

I'll do that in concert with the Fairmount Park Commission because they will have to maintain the facility. So while I'm designing it, I'm not --

I understand. You can do it in concert with whoever you want to do it in concert with.

I'll do that in concert with the Park Commission.

Thank you. Lastly, with regard to the new effort on street trees, the dangerous ones as well as the pruning upgrade. I think two days ago when the Managing Director was here, he indicated that this 1062 2/16/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET will be a jointly-run project by the Managing Director's Office and Fairmount Park. Can you give us any details as to how, from an operational standpoint, this program will see any changes if there are any changes planned? The reason I ask that question is, from time to time Mr. Donaghy gets excited phone calls from me, sometimes in the daytime, sometimes at night, with regard to street tree problems. He has been responsive in many instances and also established some special projects when requested. Nevertheless, if that relationship or regular contact did not exist, as I said the other day, generally we can't tell our citizens when we're going to do anything for them. I've not been in a position to tell them with any kind of certainty when we were going to do something. Will that change in this program, both on the removal side for the dangerous trees as well as the increase pruning activity that is scheduled to take place not only in the next Fiscal Year, but the three on four that's mentioned in the testimony with upwards of 8,000 trees being taken care of? What difference will citizens see in the process going forward as compared to what's happened over the past few years? 1063 2/16/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET

I'll start off. Mr. Donaghy can fill in if there is some misleading issues. I think, Councilman, you're going to see a dramatic improvement on the response both from the Fairmount Park Commission when a request comes in as well as a dramatic improvement on response time to actually performing the work. And you mentioned it the other day when you prefaced your remarks by saying that a lot of the issue you will you under has stems from a funding issue. And I'm not going to suggest that the additional funds will be a panacea to solve all of the problems. Right now, we are collecting the data on the most serious 4300 street trees that should be removed starting July 1st of this year.

Are we doing any emergency or dangerous street tree removals between now and July 1st.

Yes, sir. We continue to provide --

I've got one in the 5000 block of Overbrook Avenue that I don't think is going to last until July 1st. 1064 2/16/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET

As you well know, any particular projects like that that have been brought to your attention, if you bring them to ours, which you've just done, we will address that on an emergency basis.

So you are still doing that work now; you're going to dramatically increase it July 1?

That's basically right. We perform most of the emergency work in-house, as you may know, and we do have a removal component of the pruning by the pruning contractor, again as you well may know. So if it's something that we can -- what Mr. Donaghy does is decide who best --

Part of the problem with he pruning situation -- I don't know who the contractors are -- I don't ever know where they're going to be doing work. I have no sense of a schedule. I have no sense of an area design. I have no sense of what the routes are. I don't know if they've broken the City up into modules, grids, sections or anything that somebody could say, "I appreciate your request about the pruning, but they're not going to be over there for a couple 1065 2/16/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET years because next month they're here, the following month they're there, the other month they're over on the other side." I mean, I don't know.

We may not have communicated -- and I know recall testifying here last year on the plan. Under the present financial arrangement of pruning 6800 trees, Mr. Donaghy can give details, but I'd like to just say that we do the entire City Philadelphia, all 10 councilmatic districts, and we do our best to do an equal amount in each of them. If we can do better a better job telling you when we're going to be there, where we're going to be there and when the work is completed, we'll be happy to do that.

That would be very helpful. I have two last questions, Madam Chair. There was discussion earlier today with regard to the Recreation Department. They have a program called MS 2000. That's their maintenance system. Is there a comparable system for the park system in your various facilities?

No. I'm sorry, I did hear that discussion, but I don't believe so. 1066 2/16/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET

Well, there's a plan to increase after school programs. I assume that notwithstanding the discussion, I think Councilman Cohen is right about who has what facilities and whether something is more of a recreation facility versus a park facility, but in a not too long ago tour, whether it's maintenance or capital, Poppa Playground was, at least the day that I was there, was somewhat in a disgraceful condition. We were not too long ago at Gustine Lake for a meeting regarding that particular building. I will tell you that I was somewhat fearful about using the bathroom facilities at the location for fear disease. There are places where we both ask people to work and encourage people to use that are in disgraceful conditions. So what is the game plan for making sure that our facilities are in decent enough shape that somebody would want to actually use them?

We have personnel assigned to both of the two facilities that you've mentioned.

It's not just those two. You have a whole lot. I mentioned those as two that I'm very familiar with. Do you have a list of standards and a regular maintenance program that 1067 2/16/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET ensures that in the course of the day and over the course of a week and any use of the facilities that the park facilities are in a decent enough shape for somebody to use them?

I think you know we have a five-district geographic district operation. Each of those districts have a manager and a hierarchy of supervisors, employees who work in those particular geographic areas. They have a schedule of trash removal, a schedule of cleaning facilities, and are doing so at the best of their ability. We supplement the full-time effort with seasonal employees. There are more than 30 public rest rooms in Fairmount Park that may or may not be associated with another recreation center. They have procedures established where they're open and where they're staffed and where they're cleaned.

Madam Chair, I'm going to end this portion, at least for myself. I have some other capital budget questions. On capital budget day we had to move along. I'm sure there will be some additional opportunity. All I can lastly say, Director Mifflin, is I would like strongly encourage you -- and I know 1068 2/16/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET you get out and about, it's a large system, a lot of facilities. I would like to strongly request either yourself or other top people on the staff to spend some personal time at some of these facilities. It is distressing at some levels, at least for me, for some of the facilities that I've gone to and what's going on in them from a maintenance standpoint. You have, I'm sure, in the past heard me strongly urge improved maintenance standards and levels with our recreation facilities, and I feel equally as strongly about Fairmount Park. If there are unmet needs or upgrades that you're looking to try to make, I'd be glad to have a discussion with you about them. I'm sure other Councilmembers would like to hear it as well. But I will continue to talk about this and I'd like to see some improvements.

Well, Councilman I accept your challenge. As I'm sure you do know, our staff particularly led by myself are out in and amongst the park on a daily basis. I've seen the same conditions that you have seen and I believe we've taken appropriate action to the best of our ability to keep these in a safe, attractive and efficient 1069 2/16/01 - FY '02 OPERATING BUDGET manner. But it is , as you've indicated, a large system. We've just completed a GIS based inventory and have discovered -- for many years we said we had 300 buildings; now we know we have 400. So we're beginning to get our hands around the details of what our inventory is. Our buildings are getting older. We're going to continue to maintain to the best of our ability.

The hundred buildings weren't lost, were they?

No, they weren't. There are a hundred additional structures. So we now have identified everything from inlets, culverts to little park guard shelters.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Gentlemen, thank you very much.

Thank you, Council President.

The Committee of the Whole will stand in recess until Tuesday, February 20, 2001 at 9 a.m. Thank you. (Council adjourned at 5:15 p.m.) 1070 C E R T I F I C A T I O N I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing proceedings of the Council of the City of Philadelphia of February 16, 2001, were reported fully and accurately by me, and that this is a correct transcript of the same. RE: COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE ___________________________ Lisa C. Bradley, RPR and Notary Public ____________________________ Josephine Cardillo, RPR and Notary Public