HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 1997.09.17 - 39030OAKLAND COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION RETREAT
Sept. 17, 1997
The retreat was called to order at 9:12 a.m. by Chairman Pecky D. Lewis, Jr. in the classroom of the Lewis
E. Wint Nature Center at Independence Oaks.
COMMISSION MEMBERS PRESENT:
Chairman Pecky D. Lewis, Jr., Vice Chairman Ruth Johnson, Secretary Richard D. Kuhn, Jr., Nancy
McConnell, Lawrence Pernick, Kay Schmid, Richard Skarritt
COMMISSION MEMBERS ABSENT:
Fred Korzon, George Kuhn, L. Brooks Patterson
ALSO PRESENT:
Parks and Recreation Ralph Richard, Executive Officer
Jon J. Kipke, Assistant Manager
Frank Trionfi, Chief, Admin. Services
Jan Pung, Public Communications Officer
Dan Stencil, Chief of Parks
Mike Thibodeau, Chief of Golf
Joseph Figa, Chief of Design and Development
Sue Delridge, Chief of Recreation
Performance Strategies Inc. Rae Blackerby, PhD, Facilitator
The purpose of the retreat was a strategic planning workshop to address issues/concerns from the Strategic
Planning Committee of the Oakland County Board of Commissioners to ensure their assessment is "in tune"
to Oakland County residents' wants and needs.
The three main concerns are as follows:
To ensure availability and access to the parks system to all residents of Oakland County
To ensure adequate open space and recreational facilities to the residents of Oakland County
To ensure the residents of Oakland County understand and support funding for acquisition,
maintenance, and development of county parks
The commissioners and staff were asked to list the top five issues they believe the residents and businesses
of Oakland County have in relation to parks and recreation. The list is as follows:
• Availability of facilities
• Sites and facilities in south Oakland County
• Awareness and knowledge of facilities and programs that are available
• Cost (both to use and of the millage) to the residents
• Expanding variety of facilities
• Additional open space and land preservation
• Safety and cleanliness
• Taxes (millage)
• Maintaining high level of quality
• Role of county park system in comparison with local parks departments
• Assisting local parks systems
• Addressing current trends and needs
• Specialized activities interests - individual and group
• Effective and efficient management of the system
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(Commission Retreat, September 17, 1997)
• Maintain professional staff and service
• Contribution to the quality of life
• Parks relations with neighbors
• More park accessibility/locations
• More coordination between parks systems
Staff and Commission were asked to list their top five objectives they believe the residents and businesses
of Oakland County want the Parks and Recreation Commission to accomplish over the next ten years. The
list is as follows:
• Develop existing facilities S
• More variety of recreation to meet existing lifestyles T
Increase customer base S
• Provide variety of programs in southeast Oakland County T
• Keep fees and charges affordable T
Increase participation; increase value S
• Continue to provide high quality of customer service/quality of life T
• Explore public/private ventures T
• Increase public knowledge of operations and facilities
Increase awareness and support T
Increase participation S
• Upgrade older facilities T
• Maintain significant natural areas for low impact development S
• Procure all possible grants for land acquisition T
• Acquire more land for the future S
• Integrate current technologies in parkland development T
• Continue to have a good funding source S
• Easy accessibility to parks and facilities
Accessibility S
Ease: geographically T
Ease: in getting there and for ADA T
• Maintain operational safety standards (in general) T
• Coordination of parks and recreation with other parks and recreation providers T
Provision in order to avoid duplication of services S
• Continue cooperation with local host communities T
• Ensure residents know payback they are getting ("bang for the buck") S
• Explore additional revenue sources T
Get a good funding source S
• Major campaign to provide information about parks and recreation activities T
• Wildlife management T
• Resource (natural) management T
Commissioners then worked through the list of objectives, dividing them between strategic objectives and
tactical objectives; each is marked above with either an "S" or "T" to reflect that designation.
Dr. Blackerby focused attention on the list of main goals. The language of the goals was changed so they
would read as follows; plus, the strategic objectives noted above were paired with their respective goals and
listed.
To ensure availability and access to the parks system to all people of Oakland County
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(Commission Retreat, September 17, 1997)
* Increase customer base
* Increase participation, increase value
* Ease accessibility to parks and facilities
• To ensure optimum parkland and quality recreational facilities to the people of Oakland County
* Develop existing facilities
* Maintain significant natural areas for low impact development (preservation)
* Acquire more land (for the future)
• To ensure the people of Oakland County understand and support funding for acquisition,
maintenance, and development of county parks
* Continue to have a good funding source
* Know payback they are getting (bang for the buck)
* Avoid duplication of services
The following goals were also added:
• Customer service
* Education
* Satisfaction
* Multi -ethnic
* Variety
* Cooperation
* Affordability
* Safety
• Intergovernmental coordination/cooperation
* Parkland inventory
* Duplication of services
* Supportive services
* Zoning
Commissioners focused on goal #2, specifically the number of acres they would like to acquire; commission
concurred on the acquisition of 2,400 - 2,500 acres by the year 2008.
Executive Officer Richard noted that, at a median price of $10,000 per acre, acquisition of 2,000 acres would
be $20 million.
After discussing the objectives focusing on land preservation and development under goal #2, Commission
requested staff research national definitions for "active," "passive," and "natural' for use as guidelines for them
to use when considering proportions of parkland for development. These guidelines can then be used to help
produce budget figures for this development.
Commissioners discussed the objectives listed under goal #1, making the following comments:
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(Commission Retreat, September 17, 1997)
Consider deleting the word "new" on strategic objective #1, adding the year "2000," and the phrase
"and regularly thereafter" at the end.
Commissioners discussed the objective addressing the increase in number of parks; they requested staff
compile an "all inclusive" park inventory map of Oakland County (city, township, county, regional, and state
parks). Vice Chairman Johnson also noted that, instead of looking at acquiring very small (1-acre) parcels,
the county parks should concentrate more on bringing mobile recreation units to the communities.
Staff will schedule an additional work session to finalize the goals and objectives with Dr. Blackerby in
October.
The retreat was adjourned at 1:30 p.m.
1 .-, ,b tl'l , 9
Richard D. Kuhn, Jr., Secretary
Karen Smith, Recording Secretary
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