Parks & Recreation Magazine February 2017

FEBRUARY 2017 W W W. N R PA . O R G

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contents february 2017 volume 52 | number 2 | www.parksandrecreation.org

FEATURES

34 The Gathering Pension Storm: How You Should Prepare Whether you’re just starting your career or a seasoned professional, the cost of unfunded pension liabilities could impact when you can retire and the financial resources you’ll have available during those years.

Richard J. Dolesh and Kevin Roth, Ph.D.

38 Forget About Grants! Annual Fundraising for Park Foundations & Friends Groups Rethinking how park foundations and friends groups approach annual fundraising strategizing.

Nathan A. Schaumleffel, Ph.D., CPRP, CNP, CFRM, CVA, IYD

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Parks & Recreation

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contents february

departments

columns 8

Perspectives Controlling Your Future Savings Barbara Tulipane, CAE

10 Editor’s Letter

12 Research Rising Pension Liabilities 12 Park Pulse: Staying Active and Fit During Winter 14

A Guiding Hand Gina Mullins-Cohen

20 Advocacy

16 Community Center

Replacing the Affordable Care Act Oliver Spurgeon III

Good Governance Paul Gilbert

18 Member to Member ‘Good’ Times in Pennsylvania Tim Herd, CPRE

22 Law Review Head Shots: Just Part of the Game James C. Kozlowski, J.D., Ph.D.

28 Conservation

42 NRPA Update Have You Thought About Certification as an Alternative Educational Experience? 42 Parks & Recreation Crossword 44 NRPA Connect Hot Topics 46 Member Benefit: And the Winner Is… 46 Professional Development Calendar 47 Member Spotlight: John C. Staley 48

49 Operations

Preserving a Marsh for People and Wildlife: The Dotson Family Marsh Ana M. Alvarez, Ph.D., and Erich Pfuehler

30 Health and Wellness Go Healthy STL Sonia Myrick

32 Social Equity Unconscious Bias in Parks and Recreation Ava Holliday and Aparna Rajagopal-Durbin

How the City of Keller, Texas, Built a Dog Agility Course 49

51 Products 52 Marketplace 55 Reader Service and Advertiser Index 56 Park Bench Refreshing an Entrance Daniel Sanford

Cover Photo by Bull’s Eye / Getty Images

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GRANT PROGRAM NFL Network, NFL PLAY 60, NRPA and NFL teams are asking afterschool programs in NFL markets to show their commitment to health and wellness for a chance to win a $7,500 grant and an NFL PLAY 60 visit with players from their local NFL team. To apply, go to www.nflfoundation.org/applications/programs/view/NRPA

Grant applications being accepted from:

1/15 – 4/1

P E R S P E C T I V E S A M E S S A G E F R O M N R PA’ S L E A D E R S

Controlling Your Future Savings In this month’s issue of Parks & Recreation magazine, we tackle the impact of retirement and the economic forces shaping pensions and savings plans for park and recreation workers. This is an issue of great importance for anyone working in the park and recreation industry, whether they have worked in parks and recreation for just a short time or for an entire career.

The profile of the park and recreation worker’s employment benefits is changing rapidly. Thirty or 40 years ago, workers who entered the park and rec field were likely to stay there, oftentimes in the same agency for an entire career. While salaries may not have been competitive with the private sector, defined pension plans made a career in parks and recreation the gold standard.

If you put in 30 years, you could expect to retire with predictable and secure benefits from a government pension.

I have often wondered, however, if the security of defined retirement plans in general stifles individual growth. If seeking professional growth opportunities means leaving an agency and/ or municipality, individuals are not likely to pursue new employment if their pension benefits will be lost. The fear of losing retirement benefits also creates a risk-averse culture, where innovation isn’t encouraged because the consequences are so great. As more municipalities move away from defined benefit pension plans, and employees have less fear of changing jobs and expanding their horizons, I believe individuals will be free to seek agencies that welcome innovation and creativity, and in turn, these agencies will attract top talent.

Individual retirement accounts, such as 401(k), 403(b) and 457(b) plans, have a lot to be said for their benefits. They give the employee greater control of his or her future, and they are completely portable — if you take a new job, your retirement savings plan goes with you. You also have control of how your retirement savings are invested — you can take greater risks AND reap greater rewards.

It’s not all roses however, as early proponents and adopters of these plans are now advising individuals to save considerably more than the previously recommended 3 percent. Most experts now advise individuals to save a far greater proportion of their income for retirement — as much as 10 percent of their salary in addition to the employer’s contribution!

If defined contribution plans are going to work for us as a principal means of saving for retirement, we must be vocal in advocating for the following: salaries must rise to be commensurate with the private sector, mandatory plan contributions must be made by both the agency and the individual, reasonable caps must be placed on fund management fees and employees must be given better guidance on picking funds.

Whether you have a defined benefit plan, a defined contribution plan or a hybrid of both, your future depends on the steps you take today. Becoming knowledgeable about your options and taking control of your future savings is your greatest and most powerful retirement tool. You should expect more from the plans designed to help you save for retirement, but you must control your own destiny as well.

BAR BAR A T ULIPAN E, C AE President and CEO 8

Parks & Recreation

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2377 Belmont Ridge Rd. | Ashburn, VA 20148 2 703.858.0784 | www.nrpa.org

NRPA’S MISSION: To advance parks, recreation and environmental conservation efforts that enhance the quality of life for all people.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Jack Kardys

Chair of the Board of Directors Stephen Eckelberry

Miami-Dade Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department Miami, Florida

Bartlett Park District Bartlett, Illinois

Michael Kelly

Chair-Elect Leon T. Andrews

Chicago Park District Chicago, Illinois

National League of Cities Washington, D.C.

Karen Kress

Past Chair Susan Trautman, CPRP Great Rivers Greenway District St. Louis, Missouri

Treasurer Michael Kelly Chicago Park District Chicago, Illinois

Secretary Jack Kardys Miami-Dade Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department Miami, Florida

President and CEO Barbara Tulipane, CAE National Recreation and Park Association Ashburn, Virginia

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Jesus Aguirre Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation Seattle, Washington

Leon T. Andrews

Yellowstone Park Foundation Emigrant, Montana

Herman Parker City of San Diego, California, Park and Recreation Department San Diego, California

Molly Stevens Westcave Outdoor Discovery Center Austin, Texas

Susan Trautman, CPRP The Great Rivers Greenway District Saint Louis, Missouri

William “Joe” Turner Houston Parks and Recreation Houston, Texas

Dr. Howell Wechsler Alliance for a Healthier Generation New York, New York

Boyd Behnke

Fort Mill, South Carolina

KPMG Des Peres, Missouri

James H. Evans

Kevin Coyle

Anne S. Close

New York, New York

Rosemary Hall Evans Sugar Hill, New Hampshire

Earl T. Groves

National Wildlife Federation Washington, D.C.

Gastonia, North Carolina

Stephen Eckelberry

Richmond, Virginia

Bartlett Park District Carol Stream, Illinois

Harry G. Haskell

Robert García

Charles E. Hartsoe, Ph.D.

Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania

The City Project Los Angeles, California

Kathryn A. Porter

Richard Gulley

Perry J. Segura

Balboa Park Conservancy San Diego, California

New Iberia, Louisiana

Roslyn Johnson

Round Hill, Virginia

Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission Greenbelt, Maryland

WEBINAR SERIES

Beverly D. Chrisman Lexington, South Carolina

PROS Consulting Indianapolis, Indiana

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LIFE TRUSTEES

National League of Cities Washington, D.C.

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2017 SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

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R. Dean Tice Eugene A. Young, CPRP Baton Rouge, Louisiana W W W. PA R K S A N D R E C R E AT I O N . O R G | F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 7 |

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EDITOR’S LET TER

A Guiding Hand This month’s issue of Parks & Recreation magazine will help guide you through some of the most complicated and daunting financial issues affecting today’s park and recreation agencies, especially when it comes to pensions and fundraising initiatives. Fortunately, we have enlisted some leading experts to walk you through the process and offer some sage advice. In addition, we’ll bring you up to speed on the efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act and what legal steps the NRPA Public Policy Team plans to take on your behalf.

In their piece on page 34, titled “The Gathering Pension Storm,” authors Richard J. Dolesh, NRPA’s vice president of strategy and trends, and Kevin Roth, Ph.D., NRPA’s vice president of research, discuss how the cost of unfunded pension liabilities could potentially affect park and rec agencies’ efforts to meet their goal of effectively serving their communities, not to mention their ability to protect their employees’ retirement plans.

Next, author Nathan A. Schaumleffel, Ph.D., shares his best practices for annual fundraising with his piece, “Forget About Grants!” beginning on page 38. According to Schaumleffel, park foundations and friends groups should employ a multichannel fundraising strategy using five or more channels, including membership, direct mail, direct email, phone solicitation, online and social media, and a signature special event.

Making good on their campaign promise, congressional Republicans have already taken steps to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA). On page 20, Oliver Spurgeon, NRPA’s government affairs manager, delves deeper into the ACA and points out the challenges Congress will have in repealing and, ultimately, replacing it. What’s more, the NRPA Public Policy Team will continue to work with congressional Republicans to draft a bill that (1) stabilizes or lowers healthcare costs, (2) continues to improve the quality of healthcare, (3) maintains coverage for as many as possible of the 23 million Americans who gained it under the ACA and (4) emphasizes the role park and recreation agencies play in promoting prevention, improving public health and aiding medical research to lower America’s long-term healthcare costs.

You should also check out the 2017 Aquatics Guide. Inside the pages of this special supplement are the latest trends in aquatics. Featured topics include how variable frequency drives conserve energy, the ins and outs of salt chlorination systems, and how to leverage media engagement to promote your aquatics facility.

Lastly, don’t forget to apply for the NRPA awards. This is your agency’s chance to be recognized by your industry peers. Winners will be honored during the NRPA Annual Conference September 26–28, 2017, in New Orleans. Further details can be found on page 46, or email us at www. awards@nrpa.org with your questions. Remember, you can’t win if you don’t apply.

GINA MULLINS-COHEN Vice President of Marketing, Communications and Publishing Editorial Director 10 Parks & Recreation

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PRESIDENT AND CEO Barbara Tulipane, CAE VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING, COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLISHING, AND EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Gina Mullins-Cohen gcohen@nrpa.org EXECUTIVE EDITOR Samantha Bartram sbartram@nrpa.org MANAGING EDITOR Sonia Myrick smyrick@nrpa.org EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTOR Catrina Belt cbelt@nrpa.org PUBLICATION DESIGN Creative By Design www.creativebydesign.net SENIOR SALES MANAGER EASTERN REGION AND EUROPE Kip Ongstad 703.858.2174 kongstad@nrpa.org SALES MANAGER WESTERN REGION AND ASIA Michelle Dellner 949.248.1057 mdellner@nrpa.org MAGAZINE ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS Mike Abbaté Keith Anderson Gerald Brown Ernest Burkeen Gwendolyn Chambers Brendan Daley Anthony-Paul Diaz Ryan Eaker Mariela Fernandez Robert García Kathleen Gibi Paul Gilbert Greg Harrison Tim Herd Mareya Ibrahim Edward Krafcik Todd Lehman Sam Mendelsohn Maria Nardi Lisa Paradis Gil Peñalosa Dr. Kevin Riley Matthew Rudnick Paula Sliefert Anne-Marie Spencer Stephen Springs Randy Wiger

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Research Rising Pension Liabilities And the impact on recruiting and retaining top park and recreation employees

By Kevin Roth, Ph.D.

O

n page 34 of this issue is an article about defined benefit (DB) plans offered to most local government employees, including those working for park and recreation agencies. DB pension plans are essential components of park and recreation professionals’ compensation and retirement benefits. More than nine in 10 full-time local and state government employees have access to a defined benefit from their employer, and, in many cases, this is their sole source of retirement savings.

At the same time, the commitments tied to these plans are, in many cases, putting extreme financial pressures on their sponsors. The size of the local and state governments’ pension liabilities varies widely because of differing assumptions and the dynamic nature of financial markets. The Federal Reserve estimates that local and state governments’ DB plan liabilities totaled $5.697 trillion at the end of the third quarter of 2016. This represented an 8.8 percent increase in just the past two years.

There are many public DB plans that are in good shape, being either nearly or fully funded. But this is not true for all plans.

In fact, on average, these plans are a third underfunded. According to the Federal Reserve, unfunded DB pension liabilities of local and state governments totaled $1.879 trillion at the end of the third quarter of 2016, after having grown 25 percent over the past two years. Regardless of the health of their DB plan, local and state governments are paying closer attention to the obligations they made to their current and retired employees.

The Cost of Servicing Public Debt Pensions are not the only financial pressure weighing on local government finances. In many cases, blossoming obligations tied to healthcare for current employee and retirees are diverting funds away from day-to-day operations. Another source of

12 Parks & Recreation

financial pressure is the growth in local and state government debt.

Consider this: Between 1994 and 2014, outstanding debt for local governments in the United States grew from $663.66 billion to $1.83 trillion. That represents a gain of 175 percent over the 20-year period, or an annualized growth rate of 4.0 percent.

While the debt itself is not necessarily a problem, the growing amount of money needed to service that debt can be. In 1994, local governments spent a combined $31.24 billion to make interest payments on their outstanding debt obligations. By 2014, debt service payments had nearly doubled to $61.93 billion. It is worth noting that the cost of servicing public debt has been kept in relative check because interest rates in recent years have been at historic lows thanks to Federal Reserve monetary policy and economic instability outside of the United States.

Yet, the low-interest-rate environment is not likely to last forever.

The growing percentage of local government budgets dedicated to servicing debt, pension liabilities and healthcare obligations reduces the discretionary budgeting abilities of policymakers. In other words, there is a smaller proportion of the budget that is now available to support the vast services provided by local governments, whether it be for public safety, education, transportation or parks and recreation.

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Impact on Park and Recreation Operations Spending Per the U.S. Census Bureau, operations spending at local park and recreation agencies grew 134.4 percent to $32.5 billion from 1994 to 2014. This translates to a 4.4 percent annualized growth rate that well outpaces the rate of inflation experienced over the same 20-year period. But a closer look at the data is not as sanguine.

When we shrink the time horizon to just 10 years (2004 to 2014), local park and recreation agency operations spending grew at a slower 2.3 percent annualized rate. To make matters worse, operations spending contracted 10.0 percent between 2009 and 2014 or at an annualized rate of -1.9 percent. To provide some context, inflation increased 12.7 percent over the same five years.

The implications of this are clear: the growing financial obligations of local and state government have led to reduced spending for discretionary parts of the budget. This change is not cyclical in nature, caused by changing economic conditions, but rather a structural shift that will permanently affect park and recreation funding.

In this environment, it is more imperative than ever to share your agency’s park and recreation story with the community to protect and even grow its budget. As demonstrated in the Americans’ Engagement with Parks survey and other NRPA reports, the strong support Americans have for parks and recreation is an important piece of this story. These data and insights help tell your agency’s story and show that what you provide to your community is not a luxury. Rather, parks and recreation is a vital resource that improves the lives of those who live in our communities.

A few key points from the Engagement survey that are worth having in your arsenal include: • Americans on average visit their local park and recreation facilities approximately 29 times a year.

• Three in four Americans agree that the NRPA Three Pillars of Conservation, Health and Wellness, and Social Equity represent what they see as the priorities for their local park and recreation agency.

• Nine in 10 Americans agree that parks and recreation are important services delivered by their local government, nearly matching the percentages of survey respondents who had said the same for public safety, education and transportation.

• Americans are more likely to vote for local politicians who make park and

recreation funding a priority. Furthermore, three-quarters of Americans support increased local government spending for park and recreation agencies.

It is also critical to tell key stakeholders in your community that local park and recreation agencies are engines of economic activity. According to our Economic Impact of Local Parks study, local and regional park and recreation agencies were responsible for $140 billion in economic activity and nearly 1 million jobs simply from their operations and capital spending.

But, beyond the impact of rising pension liabilities and other financial obligations, it is imperative to better understand the role that employee compensation, including retirement benefits, plays in recruiting and retaining top park and recreation employees.

Whether it be a defined benefit plan, a de-

fined contribution plan or a combination of both, providing solid retirement benefits to park and recreation professionals is a “must have” in any compensation offering.

To that end, NRPA will be launching a new research project in 2017: the NRPA Salary Survey. This survey will not only collect data on base salaries for a variety of park and recreation agency jobs, but will also explore what are the other key components of agency compensation offerings. This will include healthcare, paid time off, disability and life insurance, and retirement. We hope to learn what the best practices in recruiting and retaining park and recreation employees are as agencies strive to serve their communities.

Kevin Roth, Ph.D., is NRPA’s Vice President of Research (kroth@nrpa.org).

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NRPA Park Pulse Each month, through a poll of Americans that is focused on park and recreation issues, NRPA Park Pulse will help to tell the park and recreation story. Questions span from the serious to the more lighthearted, and with this month’s poll, we take a closer look at how Americans stay active and fit during the winter.

How Americans Stay Active and Fit During Winter A Park Pulse poll conducted by the National Recreation and Park Association asked 1,000 Americans ages 18+ what their favorite ways to stay physically fit are during winter.

Four in Five Americans make an effort to stay physically fit during winter Top 3 Activities:

46%

28%

Walking, jogging, running or hiking outdoors

Using home fitness equipment or a personal fitness device

25% Working out at a local gym or recreation center

NRPA encourages adults and children to stay active and fit year-round at their local park and recreation centers.

www.nrpa.org/Park-Pulse Š2016 National Recreation and Park Association The National Recreation and Park Association Survey was conducted by Wakefield Research (www.wakefieldresearch.com) among 1,000 nationally representative Americans, ages 18+, between November 28th and December 1st, 2016, using an email invitation and an online survey. Quotas have been set to ensure reliable and accurate representation of the U.S. adult population 18 and older.

The margin of error for this study is +/- 3.1 percentage points at the 95 percent confidence level.

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INVISIBLE WALLING - LA’S FIRST City Management foster Safe and Peaceful Communities in Los Angeles.

California City Management recently installed Cochrane’s ClearVu Invisible Wall to protect a prominent Los Angeles city park.

This is in line with their strategy to protect public facilities and once again make them accessible to communities. Parks have often been the location of drug activity, petty theft and harassment. The elderly, children and mothers with infants, those who should benefit the most from these outdoor communal areas, have been most vulnerable to criminal attacks.

That is why the City selected ClearVu.

ClearVu Invisible Wall is the world’s most advanced Physical Perimeter Security Barrier. Over 30 patents and design registrations reflect ClearVu’s engineering and technological development. ClearVu offers the protection of a solid concrete wall in a near Invisible form. Developed in collaboration with the architectural profession and Defense Agency tested, ClearVu is the world’s only design-inspired, high security barrier.

With this distinction and crisp, unobtrusive finishes, ClearVu enhances the appearance of any facility. Besides unparalleled appearance, durability and cost effectiveness, ClearVu is approved as a defence-rated Type 4 fencing system – compliant with the specifications detailed for National Key Points and by Police Advisory Services.

This innovation provides the protection of a solid wall in an ‘invisible’ form. The first and only architecturally inspired perimeter barrier in the world, ClearVu’s clean lines and engineered form are a visual enhancement for these green areas.

The complete transparency of the fencing also allows law enforcement to observe what is happening inside the park and to spot any trouble in the making.

The City also saw the long term value of a product with proven longevity and low maintenance. These elements will have an important impact on cost-saving for the city in the coming years.

California City Management can expect a reduction in petty crime in the area and a substantial increase in the use of the park by residents and visitors to Los Angeles.

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Community Center Good Governance

The key to unlocking effective organizational leadership

By Paul Gilbert

G

overnance is one of the least understood terms and approaches to effectiveness in organizational leadership today. Many people hear it and think you are mispronouncing “government.” But, if it is to achieve its full potential, effective governance is a key element members of elected or appointed boards must contribute to the oversight and guidance of an organization.

Virtually every organization, including park and recreation departments and districts, has a governing board that may take the form of a city council or county board. With park districts/authorities, it takes the form of an elected or appointed board serving only the park agency.

A governing board’s role includes financial oversight, strategy adoption, approving budgets, and setting policies and regulations. Unlike advisory committees that make recommendations, governing boards have fiduciary duties and policy responsibilities for assuring the long-term sustainability of the organization, and for approving the plans

and providing the resources necessary to deliver value to your jurisdiction’s citizens and stakeholders.

Role Clarification It is this fiduciary duty and oversight authority that make achieving effective governance challenging. Some board members view their responsibilities as if

they were acting as “super managers,” but this perception can be problematic.

A governing board hires the executive director or CEO, and it is that person’s job to manage the organization under the strategic and policy direction set by the board. Board members can actually run afoul of the law, and even negate the liability insurance of their directors and officers if the actions of the members are outside the proper scope of governance.

Laura Grape, a Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority (NOVA) Governance Committee member, explains, “I am a board member in my civic life and an executive director in my professional life. I have seen people new to governance struggle to understand how their role differs from that of management.”

So, what are newly elected or appointed members of a governance board supposed to do? How do they fully engage in all the right ways to make their park agency the best it can be and not engage in activities that are beyond their authority or even dysfunctional? How do they stay on the right side of public meeting laws that define how many fellow board members they can talk to at once outside of an officially advertised public meeting? How do they help set direction, interact with staff, avoid conflicts of interest, and understand how and why meetings are conducted in a certain way? If only there was a handbook that explained all of this.

A Resource The 12-person NOVA Parks governance board is endowed with many experts in the field of governance. All the board members have served on a number of

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other governing boards; some are current or former elected officials and current and former executive directors/ CEOs of other organizations. With this wealth of knowledge and experience, NOVA Parks set up a governance committee and developed a comprehensive governance handbook.

The idea for the handbook started from a question about board members emailing each other with thoughts on board business. Was that OK and, if so, how many board members could be on the email? What constituted a meeting?

Unlike the email exchanges most of us have many times every day, a different set of rules apply if the emails are related to a public board conducting business. This information was in the state freedom of information law, other rules about conducting board business were in the bylaws, and still other rules were in other policies. For several months, the governance committee met and reviewed board handbooks from a number of other organizations to come up with the right mix of policies, laws and best practices.

“Our handbook is short, 18 pages, but it contains all the essential information one would need to be an effective governing board member,” says Jeff Tarbert, chairman of the governance committee. “The goal was to have one place where all our key policies sit sideby-side with best practices,” he adds.

The handbook also includes appendices containing the authorizing legislation for the Authority, bylaws, state laws on freedom of information and other relevant content. Dr. Tarbert, a former city mayor, association executive and governance consultant, brought both an academic and practical focus to the process, having published, this year, a book titled Governing for Excellence.

A few of the suggestions contained in the handbook include:

• If more than two board members are discussing board business, it is a meeting and needs to be advertised and open to the public.

• Do not hit “reply all” on emails related to board business if more than one other member is copied.

• Central to governance is setting the mission and long-term direction of the organization through the strategic plan.

• Board members are encouraged to visit parks and talk with staff. But care should be given that comments and questions are not interpreted as orders or directions.

• The board approves operating budgets that provide resources to achieve high-value services and achieve the strategic plan.

“Excellence in governance really is the key to unlocking the best potential for any organization. When the partnership between the board and the CEO is good, and everyone is focused

on their shared mission and distinct roles, great things happen!” remarked Michael Nardolilli, NOVA Parks Governance Committee member.

“I am remarkably fortunate to work for a board that has such a deep knowledge and appreciation for the role of governance,” says Paul Gilbert, executive director of NOVA Parks. “The creation of the board handbook will serve to help NOVA Parks continue to be a mission-focused, high-performing agency for many years to come. Since governance is so important to success, we would be happy to share our handbook with other organizations that might be able to use it as a template for their own governance guidance document.”

Paul Gilbert is Executive Director of Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority (pgilbert@nvrpa.org).

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Member to Member ‘Good’ Times in Pennsylvania

By Tim Herd, CPRE

O

n Labor Day weekend 2015, a working committee, led by the Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society (PRPS) and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), launched “Good for You, Good for All.” This statewide campaign is aimed at increasing usage of local park and recreation facilities across Pennsylvania while equipping local providers with the tools to raise awareness and increase support in their communities.

The “Good” campaign is inspired by the belief that local parks and recreation improves the lives of all Pennsylvanians. All the information about the campaign can be found at http:// goodforpa.com/, where users can dis-

18 Parks & Recreation

cover the many benefits of local parks and recreation and easily navigate to the DCNR-powered “Explore PA Local Parks” tool to find more than 5,850 local parks and dozens of state parks in every region of the state.

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To assist and partner with local providers, the campaign also established an eToolkit that includes a series of promotional materials for providers to use in their communities, as well as access to case statements with facts, figures and case studies on the “goodness” of local parks and recreation.

Also available are instructions for creating a Customized Local Parks Finder for a specific municipality or county so users of community websites can find a locally tailored map of parks near them.

To date, the campaign has primarily used low-cost social media and email marketing to reach and engage more than 200,000 people and drive more than 18,000 users of GoodForPA.com over a 16-month period. Usage of the website by community members and of the Customized Local Parks Finder by providers is on the rise going into 2017.

Now that the “Good” campaign has launched, the working committee has set exciting goals for the future. In 2017, the committee will expand and strengthen a cross-state “Good Advisory Team,” made up of local parks providers and partners, to bring the campaign to a fuller life in urban, suburban and rural communities. The Team’s work will also include an effort to drive more project applications to NRPA’s FundYourPark fundraising platform (http://bit.ly/2jbQY1Z) so more Pennsylvania providers can receive critical dollars to improve their park and recreation facilities while engaging local residents and users to contribute to their community’s quality of life.

In addition, the campaign will integrate and expand a “Good for Cities”

initiative focused on raising awareness of the essential benefits of parks and recreation in urban settings (more information can be found at http://goodforpa.com/Urban/).

Through this campaign, Pennsylvania is speaking with one rallying voice, and the future looks “Good.”

For more information about the campaign, go to http://goodforpa.com/ and/or follow Good on Facebook (Good for PA), Instagram (@goodforPA) and on Twitter (@goodforyouallpa). For more information about the Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society, go to http:// prps.org/.

Tim Herd, CPRE, is CEO of the Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society (mherd@prps.org).

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ADVOCACY

Replacing the Affordable Care Act

By Oliver Spurgeon III

J

ust a month into the 115th session, Republicans in both chambers of Congress are attempting to make good on their campaign promises to “repeal and replace” the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare. After their political royal flush in the November elections, Republicans have all the pieces in place — control of the House of Representatives, U.S. Senate and the White House — to overhaul our nation’s healthcare system. They currently are in the middle of the easiest part of the legislative two-step process — repealing the ACA — and will soon tackle the tougher of the two tasks: replacement.

ACA, congressional Republicans will be hard-pressed as they craft an ACA replacement bill to achieve the previously mentioned goals of lowering costs, improving quality and maintaining coverage for those who recently gained it. One of those three pillars will have to go.

In short, the ACA was written to fix three major issues in healthcare: rising costs, inconsistent quality and limited insurance coverage. It was paid for with a series of new taxes, by rooting out wasteful practices and by innovating to lower healthcare costs. Cost, quality and coverage are closely linked in the ACA, which sought to bring down healthcare costs — especially uninsured emergency room care at hospitals — and lower out-of-pocket spending by increasing the number of people who have health insurance. If we dig a

Walking a Legislative Tightrope Although the timetable for crafting an ACA replacement is uncertain at the moment, it’s important for NRPA members to remember that policymaking is often a deliberate and painstakingly slow process. It took Democrats roughly 15 months, from President Obama’s January 2009 inauguration through March 2010 when the bill was signed into law, to put together the nuts and bolts of what we now know as the ACA. As Republicans develop an ACA replacement over the next two or three years, they will

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little deeper, this aligns with what we all learned in Civics 101. To increase the number of people who receive a public benefit — in this instance, health insurance — you have to pay for it by raising taxes or saving money somewhere else (cutting spending or making healthcare cheaper through innovation). The money raised from taxes, and saved from lower spending and medical innovation, was used to pay for the newly insured. Going forward, without the new taxes, waste reduction or medical innovations required by the

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be forced to walk a similar legislative tightrope and craft a bill that satisfies the whims and wishes of many groups.

Stakeholders, including doctors and hospitals, conservative and moderate senators and representatives in Congress, governors from all 50 states, congressional Democrats and millions of Americans who have now come to favorably view many of the ACA protections will all have a voice in this process.

Aside from delivering an ACA repeal bill quickly, at least by congressional standards, Republicans will also have to be wary of avoiding several political hurdles, including completely excluding ideas from Democrats — a charge they lodged against Democrats during the enactment of the ACA. While they won’t be able to count on the votes of Democrats to help replace the ACA, Republicans may well heed the calls of their Democratic colleagues to maintain the ACA’s more popular provisions that Americans have embraced, such as preventing insurance companies from denying coverage and keeping children on their parents’ insurance up to age 26.

That being said, some of the ACA’s most popular provisions (known as essential health benefits), which require all insurance plans to offer a minimum set of benefits and to guarantee coverage of certain medical services, are opposed by many Republicans.

Some opponents of the ACA believe that these guaranteed benefits have increased health insurance costs without providing substantial benefits to consumers. The ACA requires insurers to cover 10 core benefits, including trips to the emergency room, certain common prescription drugs, maternity and newborn care before and after pregnancy, and dental and vision care, immunizations and vaccines for kids. Rather than allowing the federal government

to decide what benefits and services all insurers must cover, many existing Republican ideas for replacing the ACA would cede this authority to states.

This aligns with traditional conservative orthodoxy to “give power back to the states,” but may ultimately increase out-of-pocket costs for Americans as states implement a patchwork of laws requiring fewer guaranteed protections and insurers begin selling plans with skimpier coverage.

Refocusing Coverage One of the thorniest issues awaiting Republicans is how to provide coverage for the roughly 23 million Americans who gained it through the ACA — primarily in the 32 states, including the District of Columbia, that expanded their Medicaid programs. Currently, the federal government matches 100 percent of Medicaid costs in states that expanded their programs. These 32 states now have higher income limits to participate in Medicaid, which provides healthcare coverage for low-income Americans, compared to the other 19 states that chose not to expand Medicaid. Before the expansion, millions of veterans, childless adults and working families with kids who gained coverage under these higher income limits were unable to afford private insurance — it was too expensive, yet, they made too much to qualify for Medicaid. Most simply went without coverage. While there’s still no final bill to replace the ACA, it’s nearly certain that any plan that comes forth won’t have additional Medicaid money for states. Every Republican ACA replacement idea released to date proposes doing away with the federal money for states that expanded their Medicaid programs, which would effectively snatch coverage and peace of mind from millions of recent Medicaid enrollees.

As Republican leaders in Washington continue to debate among themselves and use terms like “universal access” (which evokes an emphasis on healthcare treatment, rather than a focus on insurance coverage as the ACA did), it appears Republicans may be moving away from NRPA priorities like prevention, public health and helping Americans manage costly chronic diseases, including arthritis, diabetes, obesity, asthma and strokes. The dirty little secret among healthcare policy nerds is that promoting treatment and skimpier healthcare plans, rather than emphasizing better insurance coverage, broadly lowers healthcare spending — especially by folks suffering from multiple chronic diseases like obesity and diabetes. Skimpier plans that don’t have as many benefits allow for repeated visits to the doctor, or pay for expensive medications means higher out-of-pocket spending for Americans. More importantly, it means millions of people already struggling with their health won’t be able to afford medicine or unexpected visits to the doctor.

As the 115th session of Congress moves forward, the NRPA Public Policy Team will continue to work with congressional Republicans to devise a bill that (1) stabilizes or lowers healthcare costs, (2) continues to improve the quality of healthcare, (3) maintains coverage for as many of the 23 million Americans as possible who gained it under the ACA, and (4) emphasizes the role park and recreation agencies play in promoting prevention, improving public health and aiding medical research to lower America’s long-term healthcare costs.

As this process continues in Congress, please send me your thoughts, ideas and concerns about how replacing the ACA will impact you — good or bad.

Oliver Spurgeon III is NRPA’s Government Affairs Manager (ospurgeon@nrpa.org).

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L AW R E V I E W

Head Shots: Just Part of the Game

By James C. Kozlowski, J.D., Ph.D.

F

rom a legal perspective, getting smacked in the face on the street is categorically different from taking that same smack in the face when participating in a sport or recreational activity. Ordinarily, a careless blow to the head that causes injury might give rise to civil liability for negligence.

However, as illustrated by the opinions described below, participants necessarily assume the foreseeable and inherent risk of injury normally associated with a given sport or recreational activity, including potential head injuries. One state supreme court has described this legal distinction for sport participants within the context of golfing activity as follows: Acts that would give rise to tort liability for negligence on a city street or in a backyard are not negligent in the context of a game where such an act is foreseeable and within the rules. For instance, a golfer who hits practice balls in his backyard and inadvertently hits a neighbor who is gardening or mowing the lawn next door must be held to a different standard than a golfer whose drive hits another golfer on a golf course.

A principal difference is the golfer’s duty to the one he hit. The neighbor, un-

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like the other golfer or spectator on the course, has not agreed to participate or watch and cannot be expected to foresee or accept the attendant risk of injury.

Conversely, the spectator or participant must accept from a participant conduct associated with that sport. Thus, a player who injures another player in the course of a sporting event by conduct that is a foreseeable, customary part of the sport cannot be held liable for negligence because no duty is owed to protect the victim from that conduct.

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Water Polo Concussion In the case of Mayall v. USA Water Polo, Inc., 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 115047 (C.D. Cal. 8/26/2016), Alice Mayall’s daughter, H.C., sustained a concussion while playing water polo for a team governed by the rules and policies of defendant USA Water Polo.

On February 15, 2014, H.C. was playing in a water polo tournament when she suffered a concussion after a ball hit her in the face. Neither the referee nor the coach stopped the game. Her coach, who was not trained or educated in concussion management, allowed her to continue playing. H.C. continued to play in other games that day and took additional hits to the head that exacerbated her initial injury.

Two days after the initial blow to her head, H.C. started to experience physical symptoms, including headaches, sleepiness and fatigue. Shortly thereafter,

she was diagnosed with post-concussion syndrome. H.C. continues to experience physical symptoms and to struggle socially and academically.

In her complaint, Mayall alleged it was negligent to allow H.C. to return to play the same day she suffered a concussion without medical clearance. In so doing, Mayall alleged the USA Water Polo coach and referee had “increased the risk to H.C. of aggravated, secondary injuries.”

Inherent Risks Assumed As cited by the court, “a Plaintiff must allege facts supporting a duty, breach of duty, causation and damages” in order to “state a claim for negligence.” In determining negligence, the preliminary issue before the court was whether a legal duty existed under the circumstances of this particular case. Generally, the court noted, “a duty is owed to use due care to avoid injury to others.”

However, in the “sports setting,” the court acknowledged “conditions or conduct that otherwise might be viewed as dangerous often are an integral part of the sport itself.” Further, under the primary assumption of risk doctrine, the court found “[d]efendants generally have no legal duty to eliminate (or protect a plaintiff against) risks inherent in the sport itself.”

That being said, the court recognized that “defendants generally do have a duty to use due care not to increase the risks to a participant over and above those inherent in the sport.”

Conduct is not inherent in the sport if that conduct is totally outside the range of ordinary activity involved in the sport and if the prohibition of that conduct would neither deter vigorous participation in the sport nor otherwise fundamentally alter the nature of the sport.

Secondary Head Injuries In this particular instance, Mayall did

not claim that USA Water Polo had a duty to prevent the inherent risk of concussions. On the contrary, Mayall claimed USA Water Polo had a duty to address “the risk of secondary injuries that can occur if a player returns to the game prematurely following a concussion.” Specifically, Mayall alleged that USA Water Polo had a duty “to prohib-

tion of return-to-play policies in many states and organizations could prove that the risk of secondary injuries is part and parcel with playing a sport such as water polo.”

Concussions Not Recognizable In this particular instance, the court found USA Water Polo had “made an

‘Acts that would give rise to tort liability for negligence on a city street or in a backyard are not negligent in the context of a game where such an act is foreseeable and within the rules.’ it same day return to play after a concussion, head blow or the exhibition of concussion symptoms.”

Moreover, Mayall claimed USA Water Polo had a duty “to prohibit premature return to play before a player has fully recovered from a concussion.” This alleged duty would ensure that a player is “asymptomatic after proceeding through a stepwise return-to-play protocol and is cleared by a physician.”

The court, however, found that “getting hit in the head and suffering a concussion is common in water polo.”

Mayall had further acknowledged that such “injuries are also a prevalent, related occurrence.”

Studies show that players who have not recovered from a concussion and those with a history of previous concussions are more likely to have future concussive injuries than those with no history, particularly within the same playing season.

In the opinion of the court, the risk of secondary head injuries, specifically concussions, are inherent to the sport.

According to the court, “the adop-

attempt to minimize the risk of secondary head injuries by adopting a policy prohibiting premature return to play.”

Regardless, “if such an attempt was unsuccessful,” in the opinion of the court, “failing to minimize risks inherent to the sport is not the same as increasing those risks.” More importantly, the court noted “concussions are not readily recognizable during a game.”

Whether a concussion is recognizable is important because Defendant’s alleged breach — that Defendant failed to adopt certain return-to-play guidelines before sending a concussed player back in the game — depends on a coach recognizing that the player was concussed in the first place.

In this particular instance, the court found no allegation that “H.C.’s concussion was readily recognizable.”

Aside from being “dazed” during the game, the court noted “H.C. didn’t start showing symptoms until two days after being hit in the head.” Accordingly, “the only way to recognize H.C.’s head injury would have been to stop the game each time H.C. was

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L AW R E V I E W

As cited by the court, ‘a Plaintiff must allege facts supporting a duty, breach of duty, causation and damages’ in order to ‘state a claim for negligence.’ hit.” In the opinion of the court, “water polo’s fundamental nature” would be altered if such a legal duty was to be imposed.

[W]ater polo is a contact sport. Taking a player out of the game every time a ball hits her in the head might leave teams without any players left in the game.

Such an action would fundamentally alter the game.

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As characterized by the court, “[t]his alleged duty even goes above and beyond the return-to-play policies adopted by many states and organizations cited

by Plaintiff [Mayall] as support” for her negligence claim.

As a result, the court concluded that Mayall had “failed to adequately allege a legal duty” under the circumstances of this particular case. The federal district

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court, therefore, granted USA Water Polo’s motion to dismiss Mayall’s negligence claims.

Karate Nose Break In the case of Morgan v. Kent State University, 2016-Ohio-3303; 54 N.E.3d 1284; 2016 Ohio App. LEXIS 2160 (6/7/2916), plaintiff Aaron Morgan was injured in a karate class at Kent State University.

In the 2012 fall semester, Morgan enrolled in a beginning karate class taught

by Edward Malecki, an employee of KSU. Morgan had no experience in martial arts before enrolling in the beginning karate class but had a general idea of what karate entailed through movies and television.

The course syllabus for beginning karate listed objectives for the students, including “demonstrating basic self-defense techniques including release from various holds and counter attacks, joint locks and throws.” Additionally, the syllabus listed a variety of fighting techniques, including punches and kicks that the students were expected to perform. Students enrolled in the class were required to wear a mouth guard and padded gloves.

As part of the class, students were required to spar with one another and with the instructor using only “light physical contact.” According to Malecki, there was no bodily or facial contact permitted either by the students or the instructor.

During the sparring, students practiced guarding themselves using their hands in defensive postures in front of their body. It was not uncommon for students to make mistakes, such as dropping their guard by lowering their hands. When a student would drop his or her guard, the instructor would stop the sparring procedure until the student resumed guarding himself or herself.

On October 24, 2012, while Morgan was sparring with Malecki, he lost his balance and dropped his guard. When Morgan dropped his guard, Malecki punched Morgan in the face. According to Morgan, Malecki’s palm struck him on the nose. Malecki was not wearing padded gloves when he struck Morgan.

Morgan’s nose immediately started bleeding. Malecki and a student employee helped to stop Morgan’s bleeding and then filled out an incident report. Morgan later sought medical care and was told that he suffered a nasal fracture.

On July 15, 2014, Morgan filed a lawsuit alleging negligence against Malecki and negligent hiring against KSU. The state court of claims granted KSU’s motion for summary judgment, effectively dismissing Morgan’s lawsuit. Morgan

appealed. On appeal, Morgan argued the trial court had erred in finding his negligence claim against KSU was barred by the doctrine of primary assumption of risk.

Primary Assumption of Risk As cited by the appeals court, “Ohio courts have historically applied the doctrine of primary assumption of the risk to cases involving sporting events and

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L AW R E V I E W

recreational activities”: Under the doctrine of primary assumption of the risk, a plaintiff who voluntarily engages in a recreational activity or sporting event assumes the inherent risks of that activity and cannot recover for injuries sustained in engaging in the activity unless the defendant acted recklessly or intentionally in causing the injuries.

According to the court, the rationale for the primary assumption of risk doctrine is “certain risks are so inherent in some activities that they cannot be eliminated, and therefore, a person participating in such activities tacitly consents to the risks involved.” Moreover, the court

not be held liable for negligence because no duty is owed to protect the victim from that conduct. Were we to find such a duty between co-participants in a sport, we might well stifle the rewards of athletic competition.

Accordingly, when applicable, the court noted “[t]he affirmative defense of primary assumption of the risk completely negates a negligence claim because the defendant owes no duty to protect the plaintiff against the inherent risks of the recreational activity in which the plaintiff engages.”

Further, primary assumption of risk defense would apply by the mere fact of one’s participation in a sport or rec-

According to the court, the rationale for the primary assumption of risk doctrine is ‘certain risks are so inherent in some activities that they cannot be eliminated, and therefore, a person participating in such activities tacitly consents to the risks involved.’ noted the “test for applying the doctrine of primary assumption of the risk to recreational activities and sporting events” was as follows: (1) the danger is ordinary to the game, (2) it is common knowledge that the danger exists, and (3) the injury occurs as a result of the danger during the course of the game.

Further, for primary assumption of risk to apply, the court acknowledged “the risk must be one that is so inherent to the sport or activity that it cannot be eliminated.”

[T]he spectator or participant must accept from a participant conduct associated with that sport. Thus, a player who injures another player in the course of a sporting event by conduct that is a foreseeable, customary part of the sport can26 Parks & Recreation

reational activity. As noted by the court, “the injured plaintiff ’s subjective consent to and appreciation for the inherent risks are immaterial to the analysis.”

[E]ven persons entirely ignorant of the risks of a sport, still assume the risk by participating in a sport or simply by attending the game. The law simply deems certain risks as accepted by plaintiff regardless of actual knowledge or consent...If the activity is one that is inherently dangerous and from which the risks cannot be eliminated, then a finding of primary assumption of the risk is appropriate.

Focus on Inherent Risks Moreover, the appeals court found “the doctrine of primary assumption of the risk applies to co-participants and

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non-participants alike.” In so doing, the court noted “the analysis of the doctrine focuses exclusively on the activity itself.”

As a result, “if the activity is one that is inherently dangerous and from which risks cannot be eliminated,” the appeals court found “primary assumption of the risk is applicable.” In the opinion of the appeals court, “[a] holding to the contrary would likely shift the focus of the analysis away from the activity and its inherent risks.”

The analysis would then, unnecessarily, focus upon the extent of the defendant’s involvement and the defendant’s classification as a participant, nonparticipant, coach, instructor, official, operator, owner, sponsor, provider, or otherwise.

Injured participants would frame their allegations sufficiently to cast a liability net...with no regard for the inherent risks of the activity.

On appeal, Morgan argued that primary assumption of risk did not apply in this particular instance because his injury was “not a ‘foreseeable’ consequence of participating in the subject Beginning Karate class.” In so doing, Morgan claimed the following alleged facts proved the injury he sustained was not an inherent risk in this particular instance: (1) all of the students in the class were ‘novices in martial arts,’ (2) ‘the students were specifically assured by the instructor that there would be no bodily contact during the class and that facial contact was explicitly prohibited,’ (3) ‘the instructor was required to wear padded, protective gloves as a further safeguard against injury,’ and (4) ‘when a student dropped his or her guard, the instructor was required to stop the session until the student raised his or her guard.’

According to Morgan, in considering the applicability of primary assumption of risk, the trial court should have con-

sidered that he had “no experience in the martial arts.” The appeals court rejected this argument. In the opinion of the appeals court, considering Morgan’s lack of experience in determining primary assumption of risk improperly “shifts the focus of the analysis away from the activity and its inherent risks.”

Accordingly, the appeals court would focus its analysis on the inherent risks associated with karate activity. Specifically, the court would “consider whether karate is an inherently dangerous activity from which the risks cannot be eliminated.”

In this particular instance, the state claims the court had found “there is no question that the martial arts class was a sports or recreational activity with an inherent risk of injury.” Moreover, the

state claims the court had acknowledged “physical contact between participants during karate sparring is simply a foreseeable hazard of the activity”: Karate is a recreational activity involving physical contact in the form of punches, kicks and other techniques as detailed in the course outline for the beginning karate course in which Morgan was enrolled. Thus, by its very nature, karate, as a martial art, is an inherently dangerous activity from which the risk of harm cannot be eliminated.

According to the court, the course outline itself recognized the dangerous nature of the activity by requiring a “mouth guard, sparring gloves, athletic supporter w/cup.” Further, the court found “danger is inherent in karate.”

Moreover, it was “common knowledge

that such danger exists.” As a result, the appeals court concluded the doctrine of primary assumption of the risk applied in this particular case because Morgan’s injury occurred during the course of participating in the inherently dangerous activity.

Accordingly, the appeals court held that KSU owed “no duty to protect Morgan from the inherent risks of the activity.” The appeals court, therefore, affirmed the trial court’s granting summary judgment in favor of KSU.

James C. Kozlowski, J.D., Ph.D., is an Attorney and Associate Professor in the School of Recreation, Health and Tourism at George Mason University (jkozlows@gmu.edu). Webpage with link to law review articles archive (1982 to present): http://mason.gmu.edu/~jkozlows.

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Dotson Family Marsh

Preserving a Marsh for People and Wildlife: The Dotson Family Marsh

By Ana M. Alvarez, Ph.D., and Erich Pfuehler

W

hen Ethel and Whitney Dotson were growing up in Richmond, California, on the eastern shore of the San Francisco Bay, they spent hours exploring outdoors. Their father, Reverend Richard Daniel Dotson, had grown up in a rural area of Louisiana and instilled his family with a love of fresh air and scenic open spaces. Decades later, the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) renamed the wetlands that young Ethel and Whitney roamed the Dotson Family Marsh, in honor of their family’s environmental legacy.

When the Rev. Dotson moved his family to the Parchester Village neighborhood of Richmond, California, in the 1950s, they were some of the first settlers in what became a predominantly African-American neighborhood.

Whitney Dotson recalls how refreshing it was to move near the shoreline after living in public housing further inland.

Built after World War II, Parchester Village consists of 400 single-family homes intended to house those who would have otherwise been displaced after

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temporary war-time housing closed.

Tucked between two railway lines, Parchester Village was named for its developer Fred Parr and his son Chester and came with the promise the community would always have a view of the bay.

In a city known for its industrial activity, including oil refineries, shipyards where many U.S. ships were built during World War II and a deep-water port, this assurance meant a lot to the community.

When Mr. Parr sold the property in the 1970s to Gerald Breuner, the owner of

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a furniture company, the Dotson family and their neighbors found themselves having to fight to keep the shoreline adjacent to their neighborhood undeveloped.

There were numerous proposals to develop what was then known as Breuner Marsh, into industrial uses: a small airport, several versions of housing developments and a light industrial park were some of the proposed options.

Whitney Dotson recalls his father’s dismay at the proposed development.

“Everybody neglects the need of low-income communities to access to quality of life,” says Mr. Dotson, remembering the community using the adjacent open space for fishing, swimming and nature viewing. Rev. Dotson was determined to keep this corner of the East Bay wild and open. To uphold the community’s promise, Rev. Dotson organized his

neighborhood council and later brought in the Sierra Club as an ally to halt such development projects. In 2008, Whitney successfully ran for an open, elected seat on the EBRPD Board of Directors and, today, continues to be a driving force in the advocacy of this valuable parcel being accessible to the public.

In May of 2008, the EBRPD was able to acquire the marsh through the eminent domain process after three years of legal battles. Had it not been for the Park District’s efforts, and the passion Parchester Village had for this Bayfront marsh, the property would have been developed and the community’s promise broken. In 2012, the EBRPD Board of Directors adopted a plan to restore the marsh and improve public access to the area then known as Breuner Marsh.

The marsh is contiguous with the District’s Point Pinole Regional Shoreline, one of two major shoreline parks operated in the city: Point Pinole and Miller/Knox — each located on former industrial sites.

The 150-acre marsh is currently un-

EBRPD Board Director Whitney Dotson

The project includes a 1.5-mile extension of the San Francisco Bay Trail, helping to close the remaining 10 miles of Bay Trail gaps within the city’s current 32 miles of existing trail and will provide the first safe, non-motorized access to Point Pinole Regional Shoreline. It also includes a 24-space parking lot and two new trails, to be

Once open, the Dotson Family Marsh will be a site for outdoor recreation activities such as hiking, picnics and nature observation. dergoing an extensive, $14 million habitat project funded by more than 10 agencies, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and through local bond Measures CC and WW. When the restoration is complete, the marsh will be a self-sustaining wetland complex that will filter polluted runoff and provide habitat for high-quality native plants and threatened and endangered species, such as the ridgeway rail and the salt marsh harvest mouse.

named the China Clipper Spur Trail and Cordgrass Jetty Trail.

During the restoration project, the marsh is closed to the public, but the restoration is expected to be complete in late spring 2017. Once open, the Dotson Family Marsh will be a site for outdoor recreation activities such as hiking, picnics and nature observation.

The park addition is designed to accommodate for sea-level rise resulting from climate change through 2080. This

includes infrastructure design such as elevated trails and planning wildlife habitats so that even if some areas are submerged, the area can still sustain diverse species. The final restored area will also include interpretive exhibits.

“This was all possible because of decades of community engagement for environmental justice in an area impacted for so long by industrial uses,” says Park District General Manager Robert Doyle.

“The Dotson family and other Richmond residents worked hard for this project, and we’re thrilled to honor them this way.”

Today, Parchester Village is the home to more than 10,000 individuals of various races, education and income levels. Through the efforts of the Dotson Family, Park District and community, Parchester Village retains its view of the San Francisco Bay, as promised.

Furthermore, the restoration and soon-to-come public access to the Dotson Family Marsh is part of an overall trend in the city of Richmond toward increased outdoor access. There are now several miles of publicly accessible shoreline along the Bay, in a city which in the 1950s had hardly any.

In November 2016, the East Bay Regional Park District officially incorporated the Breuner Marsh parcel and one other into the Land Use Plan for Point Pinole Regional Shoreline and renamed the wetlands the Dotson Family Marsh.

“This is a tremendous honor,” says Whitney Dotson, whose family has been on the forefront of Richmond environmental advocacy and justice for decades. “This beautiful marsh is an asset not just for Richmond residents but the entire Bay Area.”

Ana M. Alvarez, Ph.D., is the Deputy General Manager at East Bay Regional Park District (aalvarez@ebparks.org). Erich Pfuehler is the Government Affairs Manager at East Bay Regional Park District (epfuehler@ebparks.org).

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HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Go Healthy STL Improving nutrition and fitness for low-income preschoolers in St. Louis

By Sonia Myrick

T

he distribution of fresh produce by food pantries is a development that started slowly in the late 1980s but has gained momentum in recent years. Several things had to align to drive this development: a better understanding of the importance of a nutritious diet in combating a number of health challenges faced by residents of low-income and food-insecure communities — obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, to name a few; improved methods, like refrigerated trucks, for storing fresh produce; and more large scale as well as local food growers stepping up to provide produce that might otherwise go to waste. In St. Louis, Missouri, a 16-yearold high school student by the name of Sophie Bernstein is a local food grower who’s stepped up. An athlete and avid gardener, she is committed to improving the nutrition and fitness level of low-income preschoolers in her community.

Bernstein has always had a passion for gardening. At a very young age, she started growing food in her backyard and taking the excess produce to the Harvey Kornblum Jewish Food Pantry. On one visit, she decided to tour the facility and realized that there was little in the way of fresh produce available for its clients —

30 Parks & Recreation

“People don’t donate that,” she was told when she asked why. So, Bernstein decided she’d use her love of gardening to meet this need. With the money from her bat mitzvah and the help of some Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, friends and members of her synagogue, she built a garden at Ferguson Day Care. In 2013, Bernstein

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launched Go Healthy St. Louis (STL), with an audacious goal: “to build, plant, maintain and grow healthy fresh vegetables at low-income preschools and shelters to donate fresh produce to area families in need and to provide more healthy fresh options to local area food banks.”

One garden at one preschool has blossomed into 22 gardens located at several preschools, a few elementary schools and a crisis nursery center in the St. Louis area. And, the initial group of volunteers has grown to some 750 teens who help her to build, maintain and harvest the produce. So far, Go Healthy STL has donated more than 9,500 pounds of pro-

duce to local food banks, in addition to teaching preschoolers about gardening and healthy eating and giving them hands-on opportunities to connect with nature and the food they eat.

During the winter months, Bernstein and her volunteers focus their efforts on food drives and fitness by holding running, swimming, soccer and other sports clinics for kids and activities like yoga for the community. “The Clayton (Missouri) Parks and Recreation Department has been awesome to work with,” Bernstein says. “They’ve offered us space — in the parks, on soccer fields, basketball court and even tennis courts — and equipment over the years for our free sports clinics for youth with autism. They have been extremely generous, welcoming and supportive, and we could not have done it without them.”

“They’ve become a regular part of our offerings,” says Patty Deforest, Clayton Parks and Recreation director. The programs Bernstein and her volunteers provide “certainly fits with the mission of what we do,” she continues, “which is to provide opportunities for everyone in the community.”

Bernstein, a huge fan of Twitter, relies heavily on social media to get the word out about Go Healthy STL. She also works closely with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, founded by the American Heart Association and the Clinton Foundation as a response to the growing rate of childhood obesity. As an Alliance All Star, Bernstein participated in seminars on topics like how to get people involved and how to find and apply for a variety of grants from other organizations, such as Youth Service America, Sodexo, generationOn, Katie’s Crops and Start A Snowball. The funds she obtains from these grants and through donations are used to buy the tools and resources needed to build, plant and maintain the gardens and to teach the preschoolers about nutrition and fitness. “Every time we go into the classroom, we normally bring in something for the kids about gardening, whether it’s seeds or something that’s really very inexpensive.”

A Learning Process Along the way, Bernstein has faced some bureaucratic as well as natural challenges with her gardens. For example, she shares that Go Healthy STL is primarily focused on preschools because “there is a really big difference between getting into a school district and getting into a preschool.

There are so many hurdles to jump over and hoops to jump through.” Then, there’s nature to contend with, she says, adding with a chuckle: “I love gardening, but I think the rabbits and squirrels are probably out to get me out there.”

Her goal right now is to expand Go Healthy STL in the Midwest area. She already has a couple of gardens in Illinois and is old enough now to drive to those places. Bernstein also has her sights set on taking her program nationwide but is working on

how best to manage it. She has gardens at a school in Indiana and one in New York, “but, I have them there because I trust the people there to run them,” she adds.

For her dedication to fighting hunger and promoting fitness in her community, Bernstein was chosen to be an Alliance All Star by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation. The Alliance’s Healthy Out-of-School Time initiative also partners with NRPA on health and wellness initiatives, and the Alliance works with dozens of young leaders who advise and provide the organization with a youth perspective on how to encourage young people to make healthy choices.

So, what does it take to make a program like this successful? Bernstein shares: “I started with a pack of seeds and it’s just really grown from there, but you really have to be dedicated and passionate about it. It’s definitely hard at times when you’re going through everything and dealing with issues, but it’s definitely worth it.”

Sonia Myrick is NRPA’s Managing Editor for Parks & Recreation magazine (smyrick@nrpa.org).

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12/19/16 1:33 PM

SOCIAL EQUITY

Unconscious Bias in Parks and Recreation

By Ava Holliday and Aparna Rajagopal-Durbin

I

n the past few years, we’ve seen a significant uptick in discussions on unconscious bias. It has shown up in the tech industry, in politics, in policing and, of course, in the outdoor recreation and environmental sector. In fact, we’ve heard about unconscious bias so much, I’m guessing some folks are sick of the buzzword and ready to move on. Most of the time, I’m right there with you when it comes to overused tropes; I could do without hearing, “moving the needle,” “disrupt” and “robust” ever again. But I’m not sick of unconscious bias. While it has been a concept explored at a staggering rate, the exploration is warranted.

At the Avarna Group, we support outdoor recreation and environmental organizations in becoming more socially and environmentally just. That means, we get to work with compassionate, creative and motivated individuals excited about making their organization more equitable and inclusive. Notwithstanding this commitment, these folks often feel frustrated because their DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) efforts just aren’t working. This is where unconscious bias comes in. The framework of unconscious bias helps us uncover the mysterious gap between the best of intentions and lack

32 Parks & Recreation

of success. We lead with bias because it brings everyone into the conversation, and that’s because we all have it!

So what is unconscious bias? We share a fairly simple definition: “unconscious, subtle, involuntary assumptions or judgments we make every day based on our prior experiences and culture.” Most often, we use a large pair of sunglasses to illustrate that unconscious bias is, at its core, about the unique lenses through which we see the world, and we talk about how those lenses are shaped via our experiences, be it our upbringing, the media we consume or even our friend groups.

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When we talk about bias, inevitably someone asks, “Is bias inherently bad?” No — bias simply refers to the neurobiology in all of us; it is, in fact, a survival tool that helps us quickly process the world around us.

However, that doesn’t mean that we should let ourselves off the hook. Bias becomes dangerous when it’s imbued with power dynamics. Therefore, if we fail to identify, mitigate and interrupt bias that is informed by or reinforces systems of power (or more simply, the “-isms,” like racism and sexism), then our DEI efforts may also fail. In other words, despite our conscious opposition to racism, sexism, etc., we may still unconsciously be perpetuating those “–isms.”

That harmful, unconscious bias can manifest in a variety of ways, including in our parks. We generally view unconscious bias as manifesting through three lenses: in us as individuals, within our organizations and agencies, and within the park and recreation sector as a whole.

• On an individual level, bias manifests in our own internal thoughts and beliefs, as well as in our interactions with others. We may say something to a person in a park or in our work setting that unintentionally disempowers them based on an identity. For example, we have heard from so many park users of color that subtle comments and looks have made them feel uncomfortable in parks. Some folks tend to hold stereotypes about specific communities and their relationships to parks and recreation, and those stereotypes seep out in subtle, yet impactful comments.

• On an institutional level, we can unintentionally create programs and parks that exclude people or entire communities.

Or, we may unwittingly propagate an office culture that is not welcoming to all.

• Finally, on an industry level, looking back at the history of parks, recreation and outdoor engagement, we can see a long history of power and privilege. (See Dorceta Taylor’s book, The Rise of the Conservation Movement: Power, Privilege, and Environmental Protection).

So, you may ask, “what can I do?” While there is not enough space in this article to outline all of our suggestions, here are some that rise to the top: Mitigating individual bias: • Investigate your own biases by taking the Implicit Association Test, available at https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/.

• Keep learning and seek to learn from authors, bloggers, activists, podcasters and speakers who are different from you.

• Interrupt harmful bias when you see it. This can be incredibly difficult, but not saying anything means that you’re sending a signal to your colleagues, family members (kids included!) or friends that this behavior is OK. • When you do interrupt bias, make sure to address the person’s behavior (not their character) and the impact of this behavior (not their intent).

• Understand that discomfort is part of the process.

• Say “thank you” when you receive feedback and own your impact even if you don’t understand why the person was impacted at the time; it is indeed a gift and a learning opportunity.

Mitigating institutional bias: • Make sure your hiring practices are inclusive and equitable.

(See our hiring practices toolkit at http://bit.ly/2ja0SRZ).

• Make sure your parks and programs are accessible and culturally relevant to all constituents (Start by asking your community what they want and need!).

• Engender a culture of feedback in your office that enables open and honest conversations.

Mitigating industry bias: • Investigate the indigenous presence (past and present) of the land your park occupies.

• Incorporate indigenous presence into curriculum, park interpretation and programming.

• Expand your understanding of “outdoor recreation.” Not everyone recreates in parks in the same way; honor all the ways individuals and communities want to connect with the outdoors.

Of course, these are just some pieces to get you started.

The work of uncovering and mitigating our harmful biases is a lifelong journey. And, though it can be easy to dismiss bias and say “it’s just the way my brain works,” remember that biases can reinforce “-isms” and that with this knowledge comes an opportunity and responsibility to investigate and grapple with them. Though it may be uncomfortable, this discomfort is in service of more environmentally and socially just parks and recreation. So lean in to the discomfort and start grappling!

Ava Holliday is a Founding Partner of The Avarna Group (ava@theavarnagroup.com). Aparna Rajagopal-Durbin is a Founding Partner of The Avarna Group (aparna@theavarnagroup.com).

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The Gathering Pension

St

By Richard J. Dolesh and Kevin Roth, Ph.D.

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rm

How You Should Prepare

P

ublic park and recreation agencies in America are facing a gathering storm, long in the making, but no less threatening because of the long time it has taken to develop. Unfunded pension liabilities could affect the annual operating budgets of park and recreation agencies, the ability to take on new debt for capital improvements, the capacity to continue to offer good retirement benefits to workers, and in some extreme cases, the ability to continue to pay full benefits to retirees in the future. Left unchecked, these liabilities could threaten the long-term financial well-being of park and recreation workers as well as the agencies that employ them.

The cost of unfunded pension liabilities may play a significant role in the ability of agencies to fulfill their mission to serve their citizens as tax dollars previously allocated for operations may have to be diverted to fund pension obligations. In addition, many affected workers will be required to contribute ever-increasing amounts to help keep their pension fund afloat. Regardless of what point you are in your career, this looming crisis could impact when you will be able to retire and the financial resources you will have for your retirement years. And yet, many park and recreation professionals are unaware of how much this crisis could affect them.

“The costs of these pensions are obligations that are going to come due,” says Bob Johnson, former chair of NRPA’s Board of Directors and a vice president for Cobbs Allen, a national risk management and insurance fund. “If you are an employee counting on a pension or if you are an official who is trying to figure out how to deal with these obligations, you have a stake in how this plays out.”

The Big Picture Some cities, states and special park districts have managed their pension costs prudently and responsibly. Unfortunate-

ly, many others have not, and their performance raises deep concerns about the long-term viability of their pension plans.

Some of the largest cities and counties in the country have significantly underfunded pensions, including Chicago, Dallas, Phoenix, Houston, Los Angeles, Jacksonville, Austin, Clark County, Nevada, and Fairfax County, Virginia. States with the largest shortfalls relative to their revenues are New Jersey, Illinois and Texas. Many other cities and states have persistently underfunded their pension obligations and are now only contributing enough to “tread water.”

Estimates by the Federal Reserve place the shortfall for unfunded defined benefit pension plans at nearly $1.9 trillion. State and local defined benefit plans are on average 33 percent underfunded.

The causes of the funding shortfall have been simmering for a long time, including years of not setting aside sufficient funds to cover the future costs of generous benefits, overly optimistic projections of in-

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PENSION

vestment returns, financial downturns and rising costs of other key employee benefits such as healthcare. These factors have all worked to weaken the financial health of pension plans of many cities and states.

If pension plans remain partially funded, the unfunded liabilities can affect the ability of cities and states to deliver top-quality services to their constituents and threaten the long-term fiscal health of the city or state government. Unfunded pension costs can put great stress on the operating and capital budgets of local and state park and recreation agencies and, in turn, reduce the ability of agencies to deliver needed and planned services to the public.

The long-term implications are serious.

For example, unfunded pension liabilities have already affected some cities’ ability to issue debt for large-scale park and recreation capital improvements or public/private partnerships. Unfunded pension costs can sometimes lead to higher borrowing costs for local and state governments due to lowered bond ratings and debt affordability ceilings, which restrict the amount of general obligation bonds a city or state may issue. Finally, troubled pension plans are likely to adversely affect agencies’ ability to recruit and retain top-quality workers who may seek employment where retirement savings plans are not at risk.

In answer to the question if unfunded pension obligations will affect the ability of park and recreation agencies to provide services to their communities, Mike Kelly, general superintendent and CEO of Chicago Park District, says, “Will there be harm to our mission? Potentially, yes there will.”

Retirement Benefits Delivery One of the defining benefits of a public service career, including in parks and recreation, has been a secure pension. This benefit has been nearly as important as salary and quality health insurance.

Historically, park and recreation agencies have offered pension plans known as defined benefit (DB) retirement plans, to their employees, and nine out of 10 city 36 Parks & Recreation

and state governments still do. In DB plans, employers offer a specified payout — determined by formula that includes age and length of service — that employees receive at the time of their retirement and which continues as long as they live.

Workers in DB plans must be employed by the agency for a minimum number of years before becoming eligible to receive full or partial retirement benefits. DB plans frequently include an annual costof-living increase that is intended to protect the retiree from inflation.

In most cases, both the employer and employee make regular contributions to fund the DB plan. Importantly, many public employees with defined benefit pension plans frequently do not pay into Social Security. Their pension is the only retirement benefit they will receive.

In contrast, the overwhelming majority of private sector employers have moved away from DB plans to offer defined contribution (DC) plans. In DC plans, the employer may make a regular contribution into a retirement account owned by the employee and the employee puts aside a fixed amount of their earnings. The funds held in DC plans cannot be withdrawn without penalty by the worker until a certain age, typically 59.5 years old. In addition, the taxes on the income earned by these plans are typically deferred until the worker withdraws funds from the plan.

DB plans have become much more popular in the private sector due to lower longterm costs and less long-term obligation by the employer. They are also attractive to employees because they are portable if an employee changes jobs. Unlike DB plans, DC plans do not guarantee a specific payment amount at retirement, but they do give employees the ability to choose how to invest their retirement savings.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, most private-sector companies have replaced DB pension plans with DC plans, while the overwhelming majority of publicsector employers, park and recreation agencies included, still offer DB plans. Nine out

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of 10 public-sector employers offer direct benefit plans while just 6 percent offer only DC plans to their employees, but an increasing number of governments are moving toward DC plans. About 30 percent of public-sector employers have added DC plan options to their DB plans. By comparison, just 21 percent of private-sector employers provide a DB plan and 71 percent provide a DC plan to their full-time workers.

401(k), 403(b) and 457(b) plans are the most widely offered DC plans, but doubts have been raised recently that such plans alone will provide sufficient funds for retirement. Critics of these plans note that such plans have not performed as well as originally expected because of lower than anticipated participation and savings rates, high investment fees that eat away at earnings and lower than expected rates of return on plan investments. Herbert Whitehouse, a former executive at Johnson and Johnson and an early proponent of DC plans, expressed regret in a January 2017 Wall Street Journal article at how poorly these plans have served workers.

How Retirement Benefits Are Funded Local and state government retirement plan sponsors must set aside funds equal to the net present value of the expected payouts for the life of their pension plan.

These funding plans are actuarial estimates that reflect the expected payouts to current and future retirees, the age of the employees, the expected lifespan of the employees and a discount associated with the expected rate of return on investments.

Estimates of the local and state governments’ pension liabilities vary widely. But a report from Moody’s Investor Services notes that half of the states did not contribute sufficiently to reduce Adjusted Net Pension Liability. Further, pension liabilities relative to a capacity-to-pay more than doubled in the last 10 years for local governments.

In just 10 years, the average cost of the employer’s share of contribution to a DB plan has nearly doubled, going from 6.3

percent a decade ago to more than 10 percent of salary today. Some plans are now requiring employee contributions of up to 13.5 percent of an employee’s salary.

Troublingly, half of the states and many localities are only making enough contributions to “tread water,” meaning they are not incurring any additional deficits, but, at the same time, they are not paying down future obligations. In these scenarios, plans will remain underfunded indefinitely and higher employee contributions are likely.

How Local and State Governments Are Responding Cities and states with underwater pensions are taking a variety of actions to forestall a crisis, although frequently only after reaching an agreement with workers’ unions. These actions can include increasing employer and employee contributions. Each of these actions is fraught with problems, however. Increased employer contributions often must come at the expense of operational funds, thus decreasing the ability of the agency to serve the public, and increasing employee contributions is effectively a pay cut.

Cities and states may decide to change the benefits of DB plans for existing and entering workers. Such changes might include increasing the number of years an employee must work before retirement, reducing payouts for sick and annual leave, and simply reducing benefit payments. Two-thirds of state and local pension funds reduced benefits after the Great Recession (2009–2014).

More commonly, states and localities will close or freeze existing plans and only offer lesser benefits to entering workers.

Current beneficiaries continue to receive agreed-upon benefits as long as they live, but not new workers who may be offered an opportunity to enter a DC plan such as a 401(k), 403(b) or 457(b) plan to supplement reduced-benefit DB plans. In worst case scenarios, cities and states may unilaterally rescind current benefits, an

action that causes great harm to workers who have no other retirement income.

Johnson cuts to the chase about what the impacts of growing pension liabilities will mean to parks and recreation: “Parks and recreation has always had to fight for funds relative to other public services — police, fire, roads, sanitation and other services. A dollar is a dollar. You can spend your dollar any way you want, but at the end of the day, you still have to provide all those services.

When you have to make the hard choices, what will you cut?”

Importance of DB Plans to Parks and Rec Even with the present funding difficulties DB plans are a very important part of public worker compensation. These plans are essential to attract and retain highly qualified and mission-critical employees who may otherwise take higher paying, private-sector jobs. John Jenkins, deputy director of the City of Dallas Parks and Recreation Department, who is also the chair of the city’s retirement board fund, says, “You really need to offer a defined benefit plan to recruit and retain top-quality workers such as architects, engineers, financial managers and other professionals. For some positions, there is no way we could compete with the private sector without it.”

But, to meet pension obligations and keep existing benefits available to current employees, local and state governments must dedicate increasing amounts of their operating budgets to meet financial obligations associated with their pension plans.

Mike Kelly says, “Underfunded pension plans like ours will take additional resources from the taxpayer and from other sources to make up the difference. Our services are so tied to staffing levels that if we cannot make up shortfalls, we may need to cut staff, reduce hours or devise other ways to generate new revenues. And, we are the model of managing within our means.”

Willis Winters, director of Dallas Parks and Recreation, says that the city of Dallas, which is one of the cities with the larg-

est ratio of adjusted net pension liabilities relative to operating budget, says that to overcome its challenges, the city will be implementing a variety of solutions to reduce unfunded liabilities, including creating a two-tier system in which new employees will have fewer benefits and raising the retirement age, as well as other changes. “It is in everyone’s interest, the city as well as the employee’s, to make sure that our pension plan is sound,” he says.

How Will This Affect Me and What Can I Do? Park and recreation leaders agree that DB plans are vital to attracting both young professionals and well-qualified specialty occupations. However, many of these agency leaders also say that most young people working in parks and recreation give little thought to how much they will actually need for retirement.

Mike Kelly says, “I am alarmed. We employ a lot of young people, and I wish I could tell them, ‘You really need to take notice of this!’” He cautions, “Yes, it is complicated, but people cannot just have blind faith that benefits will be there when they retire.”

How can you take better charge of your own future? Among the things you should do are to inquire about the financial soundness of your agency’s retirement plan options. You should find out how long it will take your benefits to vest, and what options are presently available to you to supplement pension benefits. “Live on less than you can make and save a lot more for the future,” Johnson advises. “But it is not easy and it is not fun. You cannot assume that what you put aside will be sufficient. Match any contributions to individual plans that your agency makes such as to 401(k) and 403(b) plans and then, on top of that, put as much as you are able into them.” He says, “Live below your means and save vigorously. The day will come when you need it.”

Richard J. Dolesh is NRPA’s Vice President of Strategy and Trends (rdolesh@nrpa.org). Kevin Roth, Ph.D., is NRPA’s Vice President of Research (kroth@nrpa.org).

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Forget About

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Grants!

Annual fundraising for park foundations & friends groups

By Nathan A. Schaumleffel, Ph.D., CPRP, CNP, CFRM, CVA, IYD

A

t the 2016 NRPA Conference in St. Louis, I shared best practices on how to set your park foundation’s cornerstone to build optimally functioning fundraising and engaging volunteer organizations. Setting the cornerstone is code for building a board of directors that works, gives, gets and understands the role and benefits of operating a friends group or park foundation to hone the power of philanthropy to improve your public park system.

Admittedly, there are a host of benefits for creating and operating a park foundation, but the essential function is relationship-building and resource development that starts with the board of directors and membership. Resource development includes fundraising; acquiring in-kind donations of equipment, supplies and land; and engaging volunteers.

Articulating Your Case An annual fundraising plan needs to be nested within a comprehensive fundraising case statement, which absolutely should align with the organization’s vision, mission, core values and strategic plan. No one from the organization should be soliciting funds on behalf of the organization without being intentional and understanding the strategy of multichannel fundraising. Whether you are launching a membership retention effort, a donor acquisition campaign or giving a speech before a 5k about the impact of the organization, all of these strategies, or what we call a “case expressions,” need to be spawned from the case statement to ensure consistent communication, branding and messaging.

As rec people, we tend to be program people; we also tend to not be numbers and math people. When we think fundraising, we often default to special event fundraisers and grants. Instead, we need to do strategic planning, first! Then, develop a case statement, then an annual

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P A R K F O U N D AT I O N S

fund development plan followed by a membership campaign and then a direct mail campaign. Then, maybe, and I mean maybe, a signature special event.

Establishing a Resource Development Committee that ‘Gets It’ Park foundations and friends groups should establish a resource development committee, led by a board member or two.

Otherwise, the committee should largely be composed of members or “friends” serving as volunteers who implement a robust, sustainable annual fund development plan. The board of directors and resource development committee should be acutely aware of the Association of Fundraising Professional’s Code of Ethical Standards, Donor Bill of Rights and e-Donor Bill of Rights (http://bit.ly/1c1jCHW).

In an article I wrote for Illinois Parks & Recreation magazine, I described the goal of an annual fund campaign as being “to raise enough money to cover monthly operating expenses for the organization... it is better to think of an annual fund as the fund that pays for your organization’s annual operating expenses, like a checking account.” Author and fundraising professional, Stanley Weinstein, teaches that after we get an initial gift, then we must further our relationship with the donor to repeat the gift and, ultimately, increase the gift in a cyclical process.

When establishing an annual fund, don’t

rely on one corporate sponsorship or one grant maker or one special event. In fact, put the special events on the backburner for later consideration and forget about grants!

If you begin by relying on a grant, then your organization will suffer from what I like to refer to as hand-to-mouth disease.

You’ll be living grant to grant, wondering how long you can pay your bills. Operating a park foundation this way is unsustainable and shortchanges the power of philanthropy and what philanthropy can do for enhancing your park system.

Planning the Annual Campaign To hone the power of philanthropy and to effectively manage the annual campaign, you’ll need to build a fundraising infrastructure by establishing a gift acceptance policy and adopting a donor management system (DMS). A DMS is an advanced software platform, typically cloud-based, that functions primarily as a dynamic database system that allows you to systematically manage relationships with prospects and donors. If you don’t have or don’t use a DMS, you’re really hurting your chances of getting off the grant-reliant life support!

Before your organization begins soliciting donations and implementing the annual fund plan, the Resource Development Committee needs to identify two to three members who can become the in-house experts on using the DMS. The

Table 1. Sample Annual Fund Development Plan Summary Fundraising Strategies

Percent of Annual Fundraising Goal

Dollar Amount Per Fundraising Strategy

Board Giving

20%

$20,000.00

Membership

30%

$30,000.00

Direct Mail

20%

$20,000.00

Direct E-mail

7%

$7,000.00

Phone Solicitation

3%

$3,000.00

Face-to-Face

10%

$10,000.00

Signature Special Event

5%

$5,000.00

Sales

5%

$5,000.00

Annual Fundraising Goal

100%

$100,000.00

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DMS team should add as many suspects, prospects and past donors as possible.

Your fundraising efforts, including your annual fund, will only be as successful as your DMS data are accurate.

While the DMS team is entering prospect and donor data into the DMS, the resource development committee should create a Matching Gift team. The Matching Gift team should simultaneously create a list of local employers who offer a matching gift program whereby a donor gives $25 to your organization and their employer makes a matching $25 donation to your organization. Building a matching gift program is critical to a successful annual fund.

The next task is to write an annual fund development plan, which serves as the road map to meeting your realistic fundraising goal for the upcoming fiscal year. Setting the goal will require you to assess your organization’s financial needs by reviewing past and current financial statements, audits and program budgets.

Sustainable annual fund campaigns deploy several strategies to generate revenue, or what we call net contributed income in the nonprofit world, to achieve the fundraising goal. Using multiple strategies is called multichannel fundraising. Strategies used by park foundations and friends groups should integrate board giving and five or more of the following channels: membership, direct mail, direct e-mail, phone solicitation, online and social media, face-to-face, sales, contract services and a signature special event (Table 1).

Every park foundation or friends group should use multichannel fundraising.

Although there is no one-size-fits-all development plan, most organizations will have some common strategies and overlap. In all park foundations, giving should be compounded with an effort to secure matching gifts from donors’ employers.

Board Giving Most park foundations have an average

board size of 10 members, so in the example in Table 1, the assumption is made that each board member should be giving a gift of $2,000. You may be in shock right now as you realize that your foundation doesn’t even have 100 percent of board members giving, much less giving at a leadership level. The fact that board members are not giving at a leadership level is the single most critical reason that park foundations and friends groups are not meeting their annual fundraising goals.

Weinstein highlights the 80/20 rule of annual fundraising and summarizes it as follows: 80 percent of annual funds should come from the top 20 percent of donors. Most of the top 20 percent of donors should be the board members. If your board members follow the 80/20 rule, then, as a group, they would be contributing about $60,000 of the $100,000 goal. The example given in Table 1 is actually very modest for board giving until your organization creates a culture of leadership giving by the board.

Weinstein also highlights that trends in fundraising are actually transforming the 80/20 rule into the 90/10 rule, so be sure to not just nominate any park lover for the park foundation or friends group board, but nominate a park advocate that has affinity along with the financial capacity.

Individual board member annual giving is directly correlated with the impact that the park foundation can make on the park system and users. All park foundations must have a board policy that sets the expectation of 100 percent board giving.

Direct Mail Annual fundraising should be anchored with board giving and membership, then spring boarded with a solid direct mail campaign. Once you control for board giving and membership, direct mail is still king! These letters, delivered by the U.S. Postal Service, should include a persuasive, donor-centered appeal that highlights the needs of the target audience your organization is serving, not the

financial needs of your organization. The mailing should also include a response device, employer matching gift information, a pre-addressed return envelope (sometimes postage paid, sometimes not), and, usually, a free gift or trinket.

It is critical to ask donors and members to give at least quarterly through direct mail, once each season, including a late fall or early winter end-of-year appeal. Remember, annual fund does not mean we ask one-time each year but, rather, that we ask multiple times per year so we can pay our annual expenses. It’s also helpful because the USPS will notify you of prospects’, donors’ and members’ change of address information so you can systematically update mailing address information in your DMS. In essence, the direct mail campaign is critical to maintaining an accurate, up-to-date database.

Your annual new and sustaining membership campaign can be seamlessly combined with your direct mail campaign, so that each year a first gift is the “membership” and any following gift that fiscal year falls under the direct mail campaign.

Many board members will want to eliminate a direct mail campaign simply because of the assumed cost and the seemingly free online options, like crowdfunding, social media and online gift processing. There’s no doubt online giving has increased exponentially over the last 15 years. However, organizations that use direct mail in tandem with online strategies tend to raise more money, which means your organization will need to invest in establishing a mobile-friendly website with a “Donate Now” online gift processing opportunity. Many times, the direct mail letter serves as the reminder to give online.

events can bring new prospects to your DMS and replace donors who have quit giving to the annual fund. Get creative and don’t default to a golf scramble, 5k, 10k, or typical walk or run event.

So what makes a special event a signature special event? The event does several of the following things very well: • It builds mission awareness through metaphors (i.e., missionizing the event) • It deepens existing relationships with volunteers and donors • It establishes new relationships with prospects • Your organization assesses your community’s unofficial social and philanthropy calendar and then carves out a date that the community essentially annually reserves for your organization. For example, your event might ALWAYS be on the third full weekend in September each year.

• Your organization is KNOWN for the event!

• Your organization MIGHT choose to use the event as a fundraising event.

Not all nonprofit special events are intended to be fundraising events. It’s important to determine the role of your signature special event and then intentionally engineer the experience to achieve that goal. Ultimately, the event is ALWAYS about your mission and vision and the specific function of the event is determined by your strategic plan.

Note: Article content is drawn from “Cornerstone Blog with @Drschaumleffel” and is copyright protected. Detailed references can be found at www.parksandrecreation.org/2017/ February/Forget-About-Grants.

Signature Special Events Now that you have 100 percent board giving, a new and sustaining membership campaign, and direct mail fundraising is underway, consider establishing a signature special event that metaphorically ties to your mission. Signature

Nathan A. Schaumleffel, Ph.D., CPRP, CNP, CFRM, CVA, IYD, is Proprietor and Senior Consultant, Driven Strategic LLC, and Associate Professor and Campus/Executive Director, Nonprofit Leadership Alliance Certification Program, Department of Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sport at Indiana State University. He is also the Member Services Consultant for the National Association of Park Foundations (nas@drivenstrategic.com).

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NRPA Update Have You Thought About Certification as an Alternative Educational Experience?

By Molly Sullivan

C

ertifications can assist in deepening your education and elevating your professional presence, and these benefits do not have to be limited to those who have achieved a bachelor’s degree or higher.

In an article by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, titled “Data on Certifications and Licenses (CPS)” and published in U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2015, a drastic difference was found in the number of certified professionals, 25 years or older, who held an advance degree compared to those with less education.

In addition, individuals with a certification or license were found to earn about one-third more than those who did not and, when compared to people of similar demographic backgrounds or education, those who held a certification or license had lower unemployment rates than those without credentials.

Having built a long-standing reputation in the field of parks, recreation and leisure services, the Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP) certification offers a diverse range of education and work experience requirements for initial applicants.

These requirements were designed to create as many opportunities for certification as possible, while still maintaining a quality program designed for today’s park and recreation professional.

Now is the perfect time to strengthen your knowledge in finance, human resources, operations and programming, and solidify your place among the almost 5,000 professionals who are already enjoying the benefits of CPRP certification.

Molly Sullivan is NRPA’s Certification Manager (msullivan@nrpa.org).

TREAT YOurSELF Become a certified park and recreation professional (CPRP) to advance your career

GET A FREE CPRP PREP COURSE ($100 VALUE)

when you apply to take the CPRP Exam Offer valid through February 28, 2017

To learn more, visit www.nrpa.org/CPRP-Present

42 Parks & Recreation

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It’s Time to Fill that Trophy Case

Every year NRPA recognizes individuals and agencies who work hard to advance parks, recreation and environmental conservation efforts that advance the quality of life for all people. Our awards programs highlight the efforts of those who go above and beyond to make a difference in the community.

Now accepting submissions for Gold Medal Awards, National Awards and the Hall of Fame.

www.nrpa.org/Awards

©2017 Myles Mellor

Parks & Recreation Crossword

Across 1 Comprehensive data service from NRPA for park and recreational professionals 6 What exercise gives you more of 9 Goal 10 Desert-like 12 Start up the mountain 13 Volleyball obstacle 15 Young bear 17 QB’s statistical blemish, abbr.

18 Large, shady tree 20 Wear away a coastline, say 21 Was at the forefront 22 Comes down as natural water 24 State where some of the Smoky Mountains are, abbr.

25 Playground feature 26 Older of two sons 28 The loss of this is causing species to become endangered and extinct 31 Baby hooter 34 Wolfed it down 35 Young horse 36 More sedentary game for seniors who can’t play rigorous games 37 Fox’s lair, for example 38 Laughter sound 40 “Twenty Questions” replies 41 Regal butterfly in trouble

Down 1 MC tool 2 Set of doable exercises for seniors that help prevent falls, 2 words 3 Net holder, on a court 4 Suffuses with color 5 Older demographic 6 Sewing aid 7 Popular medical TV series 8 Popular game for active adults 11 French for of the 14 Call it a day 16 Bottom of a river 18 Sculpture, murals, etc.

19 ___ Cruz, NM 23 Refusal word 26 Egg, larva, chrysalis, for example 27 Assess 28 Chess, stamp collecting, birding, for example 29 Edges 30 Lawrence of Arabia’s initials 31 Rhode Island, the ___ State 32 Triumphed 33 Value system 39 Dawn time

Check the answers to the crossword at www.nrpa.org/crossword. As an added bonus for completing the crossword, you can enter a drawing to win a free NRPA Career Center Seven-Day Job Posting Package (good for one year) when you check your answers. A winner will be randomly selected and notified February 28, 2017.

44 Parks & Recreation

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NRPA Update

Hot Topics Visit the only professional networking platform dedicated to your profession to learn about the latest hot topics and newest trends in parks and recreation.

Hand Dryers vs. Paper Towels — Does your agency use automatic hand dryers or paper towels? Your colleagues discuss the benefits of ditching paper towels, which include being green, less staff time and waste around the facilities. Some may argue that automatic hand dryers spread more germs. Share your thoughts!

Brochure Design — Looking for inspiration for brochures for your summer programs? Whether you’re building a new community center or just looking to revamp your style, your colleagues share their tips and offer examples. Working with local colleges to hire student interns to help with the graphic design is an example of the advice found in the discussion!

City/County Operated Golf Courses — Members are looking for help with their golf course issues, which include constant minor to significant improvements that may be needed to increase play and revenue. While some agencies have hired consultants, many are moving to new fees, etc. Read this discussion to see what has worked and can help keep your golf courses up and running.

Swim Lessons — It’s never too early to think about swim season.

In your preparations, you need to be sure you have a game plan for inclement weather or unexpected facility closures.

Some suggest leaving a week at the end of the season for makeup sessions, keeping Fridays open for makeups or offering credits.

Ask question of or share ideas with colleagues nationwide on www.nrpaconnect.org/home, today.

1

2

3

4

46 Parks & Recreation

And the Winner Is…

I

t could be you! NRPA recognizes that our members and supporters work hard to advance parks, recreation and environmental conservation efforts that improve the quality of life for all people. This year, NRPA is offering 11 National Awards (five individual awards and six agency awards), seven Gold Medal Awards (five based on population, one for armed forces recreation and one for state parks systems) and the Robert W. Crawford Hall of Fame. Winners not only earn bragging rights for their agency, but they also are recognized at the NRPA Annual Conference, scheduled for September 26–28, 2017, in New Orleans. Attending Conference is one of the benefits of receiving your award.

I am thankful to have been selected as a scholarship winner. I had a wonderful time attending the 2016 NRPA Conference in St. Louis. This experience helped me connect with fellow park and recreation researchers and practitioners. — Austin Barrett, Pennsylvania State University NRPA members have the opportunity to apply for these awards and unlike many awards programs, ours have no application fee. Applying for and winning an award is an excellent way to show your stakeholders and community members the quality of your work and programs. Take it from another 2016 Scholarship and Fellowship Award winner, who shared the following sentiment:

Receiving the 2016 Young Professional Fellowship was one of the highlights of my career. The opportunity it provided to experience the NRPA conference, network and learn is something invaluable and I will be forever grateful for and proud of. — Anthony Iracki, Milwaukee Recreation & Community Services Get your trophy cases ready! Applications are due March 12, 2017.

Looking for tips on making your application stand out? Visit http://bit.ly/2jhnEts and check out our “7 Tips for an Awesome Award Application” blog. Have questions? Email awards@nrpa.org. Good luck and see you in New Orleans.

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NRPA is dedicated to providing learning opportunities to advance the development of best practices and resources that make parks and recreation indispensable elements of American communities.

Find out more at www.nrpa.org/education.

TOM O’ROURKE TO LEAD NRPA DIRECTORS SCHOOL NRPA is proud to announce that Tom O’Rourke, executive director of the Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission, is the new head of the NRPA Directors School. In addition to spending a significant amount of time educating park and recreation professionals, O’Rourke is on the Board of Regents at the NRPA Revenue School, the NRPA Directors School and is a past member of the Supervisors’ Management Board of Regents. He succeeds school co-founder and North Carolina State Professor Emeritus Dr. Phil Rea, who headed the school for its first 10 years and retired this past fall. The Directors School is made possible through our partnerships with North Carolina State University and the Oglebay National Training Center and through the sponsorship of The Toro Company. Please join us in welcoming Tom O’Rourke as our second school director.

All NRPA Schools are held at Oglebay Resort in Wheeling, West Virginia, unless otherwise noted.

March 12-17, 2017

August 27-September 1, 2017

September 26-28, 2017 New Orleans, Louisiana

www.nrpa.org/education

APR

5-6 25-26 25-26 26-27

Wilmington, Delaware Sacramento, California Sioux Falls, South Dakota Lawrence, Kansas

www.nrpa.org/AFO

FEB

Wilmington, Delaware Little Rock, Arkansas Seattle, Washington Tuscaloosa, Alabama Auburn, Alabama Canton, Michigan Westerville, Ohio Tullahoma, Tennessee Derby, Kansas Ashburn, Virginia Margate, Florida Cheney, Washington Anaheim, California

MAR

MAR

1-2 2-3 6-7 7-8 9-10 9-10 9-10 14-15 15-16 15-16 23-24 29-31 30-31

22-24 27-March 1 28-March 2 1-3 6-8 8-10 8-10 14-16 14-16 15-17 22-24 28-30 28-30 29-31

Ashburn, Virginia Overland Park, Kansas Noblesville, Indiana Roseville, Minnesota Phoenix, Arizona Bismarck, North Dakota Denver, Colorado Winter Park, Florida St. Charles, Missouri Auburn, Washington Newport News, Virginia

APR

CPSI PROGRAM

AFO PROGRAM

SCHOOLS AND CONFERENCES

Columbia, Tennessee Irving, Texas Sacramento, California

4-6 4-6 4-6 12-14

East Hartford, Connecticut South Burlington, Vermont Sioux Falls, South Dakota Post Falls, Idaho

www.nrpa.org/CPSI

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NRPA Update

Member Spotlight: John C. Staley

By Vitisia Paynich

D

uring the late 1990s, John C. Staley was serving as the director of the Grand Forks Park District in North Dakota when he began focusing on philanthropy as a source of capital dollars to fund recreation facilities rather than relying on tax dollars. His efforts eventually led to the creation in 2007 of the Parks and Recreation Foundation. He remained the foundation’s director until his retirement in July 2013. Today, Staley is well into the next chapter of his life as a professor at the University of North Dakota.

Parks & Recreation magazine recently spoke with Staley about his work at the foundation, his post-retirement role as a professor, as well as what he believes strengthens a relationship between a park and recreation agency and its foundation.

Parks & Recreation magazine: How did you first become involved with the Grand Forks Park and Recreation Foundation?

John C. Staley: In 1999, the Grand Forks Park District secured a $1 million donation from a family that completed the capital financing for an Arnold Palmer signature golf course. By 2004, it was apparent that although we needed to

complete, we began other foundation activities, such as annual giving, to increase cash flow for other Park District programs. When I retired from the foundation, the sustain donor list was growing at an annual rate of 212 percent for business contributors, and 120 percent for individual contributors.

P&R: Tell us about your current role as a professor.

Staley: I am a professor at the University of North Dakota (UND) in the School of Business and Public Administration, where I teach public administration, nonprofit organization management, with an emphasis on philanthropy at a graduate level over the internet to

A well-done strategic plan process with a park district or agency should include your nonprofit recreation groups, members of the community, stakeholders, etc. replace a dilapidated fitness center, tax money would not be available. We then turned to philanthropy as a source that could complete the fitness center project, along with other forms of non-tax funds. In order to facilitate the capital fund drive, we created the foundation in 2007. Once the capital campaign was 48 Parks & Recreation

off-campus students around the world.

In addition, I teach a facilities and events administration class in the sport business curriculum. Lastly, I teach American government at an undergraduate level.

I thoroughly enjoy the students in my classes. They are serious, respectful and wonderfully creative.

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P&R: In your experience, how does a community benefit from a foundation’s efforts?

Staley: When I was with the foundation, for example, we raised funds for a 160,000-square-foot fitness center. And, we did it not only through raising money, but also through sponsorship development, partnerships, rental fees, etc.

Then, we developed a youth sponsorship program for those who couldn’t afford it.

We used a business model to keep fees low and to keep our capital down. Thus, we were able to build this foundation without any new taxes whatsoever. The community is very generous with us.

It’s a very successful venture, and it’s become a major beacon in this community for what you can do with philanthropy.

P&R: What is the key to creating a strong relationship between a foundation and the agency it supports?

Staley: A well-done strategic planning process with a park district or agency should include your nonprofit recreation groups, members of the community, stakeholders, etc. They do an analysis of the agency’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT). And when a broader planning group can come together and ask, ‘How can we serve our community better?’ you just go from there — and it all works out.

— Vitisia Paynich, Freelance Writer for Parks & Recreation magazine

Operations How the City of Keller, Texas, Built a Dog Agility Course

By Sonia Myrick

T

o achieve the rank of Eagle Scout, a Boy Scout must fulfill requirements in the areas of leadership, service and outdoor skills. In 1912, when the award was first presented, 23 Boy Scouts earned this honor (http://bit.ly/2jLvbOW). In 2015 alone, more than 54,000 young men became Eagle Scouts, and from 1912 to 2015, 2.3 million young men have earned the highest honor in Scouting. Taking into accout the average number of awards presented in 2015 alone across all 50 states, that’s a little more than 1,000 projects per state. And, young men seeking to achieve this highest rank in Scouting are always on the lookout for project ideas.

In the city of Keller, Texas, Jared Griffin, a local Boy Scout, learned through a neighbor that the city was planning to build its first, official dog park. Back in 2014, the residents had been asked to share what amenities they’d like to see as part of the city’s master plan, and they had indicated that a dog park was one of their top priorities. In the 2015-2016 fiscal year, the city officials approved a budget of $110,000 for the dog

park, and soon thereafter the Parks and Recreation Board started working on the plans.

Griffin had spent many hours volunteering at the local Humane Society, walking and playing with the dogs and cleaning the facility, and decided that for his Eagle Scout project, he wanted to help dogs. So, he submitted an application for a dog park project to Jennifer Basham, Keller’s recreation manager and liaison to area Boy

Scout and Girl Scout troops. With the project still on the drawing board, the idea of installing a dog agility course took shape.

Griffin was asked to present this idea to the Park Board, which approved the project, but he would need to secure the funding and equipment.

Since the city required commercial-grade equipment for the park, Griffin’s project gained a price tag of $8,965. “This was a larger scale project than most,” says Basham about this Eagle Scout project, but Griffin has already done his homework. He’d contacted Tiffany Bruce, engineering manager for the neighboring city of Flower Mound, who connected him with Hollywood Feed, the company that had sponsored that city’s agility course. Hollywood Feed, in turn connected Griffin with Gyms For Dogs, the

Eagle Scout Jared Griffin is pictured in the city of Keller K-9 Pointe Dog Park, alongside a piece of the dog agility equipment.

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Parks & Recreation

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Operations

manufacturer of the agility equipment it uses, who also worked with Griffin on Keller’s agility course.

“My biggest challenge was getting the funding for my project,” Griffin explains, “but I learned that communication was essential to my efforts. I presented my project to Hollywood Feed and continued to communicate and follow up with them. In the end, they funded my whole project.”

“We acted pretty much as the facilitators,” says Basham. “Jared solicited all the funds himself, picked out the equipment and went over the layout with us.” “It took seven months from start to finish to complete my Eagle project,” Griffin shares.

The Parks and Recreation Department opened K-9 Pointe to the community on November 12, 2016. It features designated areas for large and small dogs, a pavilion for shade, seating, water fountains and, thanks to Griffin, agility and obstacle equipment. “My troop and the community installed the equipment and the community is enjoying the dog park and is grateful for my Eagle project,” he says.

Today, the city of Keller not only welcomes the addition of a new dog park, but also a new Eagle Scout.

Sonia Myrick is NRPA’s Managing Editor for Parks & Recreation magazine (smyrick@nrpa.org).

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Some Things to Consider When Planning a Dog Park • Location of park — make sure the park is situated in a safe place that is a popular area.

• Space planning — whether to provide one large space for all sizes of dogs or two separate spaces: one for small dogs and another for large dogs.

• Water fountain — a water supply so the dogs have adequate drinking water.

• Sunlight/Shade — make sure there is a good combination of shaded and sunlight areas.

• ADA accessibility — make sure sidewalks and entrance gates are ADA accessible.

• Water irrigation/Sprinkler system — installing these elements not only keeps the grass or turf fresh and flushed, but also keeps the area clean and healthy.

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YES! I would like free product information!

Check the product(s)/company(ies) that you would like information from: AQUATICS Aquatix by Landscape Structures.......... 13 952.445.5135 www.aquatix.playlsi.com ATHLETIC/EXERCISE EQUIPMENT Go Ape................................................... 53 415.553.0769 www.goape.com Greenfields Outdoor Fitness............... 2-3 888.315.9037 www.greenfieldsfitness.com NFL Foundation...................................... 7 www.nflfoundation.org/applications/programs/view/NRPA BLEACHERS/ SEATING Kay Park Recreation.............................. 54 800.553.2476 www.kaypark.com BUILDINGS/TENTS/SHELTERS Easi-Set Buildings................................. 53 866.252.8210 www.easisetbuildings.com Shade Systems™ Inc................................ 1 800.609.6066 www.shadesystemsinc.com PARK PRODUCTS/SERVICES

Cochrane................................................ 15 202.434.8163 www.cochraneusa.com Doty & Sons Concrete Products........... 52 800.233.3907 www.dotyconcrete.com Dogipot............................................ 19, 52 800.364.7681 www.dogipot.com Great American Business Products..... 31 800.790.8896 www.petwasteeliminator.com Gyms For Dogs...................................... 53 800.931.1562 www.gymsfordogs.com Jayhawk Plastics................................... 54 913.764.8181 www.frogfurnishings.com Most Dependable Fountains................ C2 800.552.6331 www.mostdependable.com Pilot Rock®............................................. 25 800.762.5002 www.pilotrock.com PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT Cemrock................................................. 50 520.571.1999 www.cemrock.com

American Swing Products.................... 52 800.433.2573 www.americanswing.com

Playcore®............................................... C4 877.762.7563 www.playcore.com/inclusiveplay

Bright Idea Shops.................................. 52 800.886.8990 www.brightideashops.com

Landscape Structures®........................... 5 888.438.6574 www.playlsi.com

BCI Burke............................................... 11 800.356.2070 www.bciburke.com RESTROOMS/LOCKER ROOMS Easi-Set Buildings................................. 53 866.252.8210 www.easisetbuildings.com Salsbury Industries................................. 9 800.562.5377 www.lockers.com SPORTS EQUIPMENT Scoremaster Goals................................ 54 888.726.7627 www.scoremaster.com Soccer5®USA......................................... 33 305.393.5230 www.soccer5usa.com SURFACING Sof Surfaces........................................... 54 800.263.2363 www.sofsurfaces.com EDUCATION Illinois IPRA............................................. 9 708.588.2282 www.ilipraa.org GROUND MAINTENANCE John Deere............................................ C3 800.358.5010 www.deere.com TURF PRODUCTS Soil Technologies Corporation............. 51 800.221.7645/Ext 105 www.soiltechcorp.com

Mail the completed form to Kip Ongstad at NRPA, 22377 Belmont Ridge Road, Ashburn, VA 20148-4501 or email to kongstad@nrpa.org or Michelle Dellner at mdellner@nrpa.org.

(ISSN 0031-2215) is published monthly by the National Recreation and Park Association, 22377 Belmont Ridge Rd., Ashburn, VA 20148, a service organization supported by membership dues and voluntary contributions. Copyright ©2017 by the National Recreation and Park Association. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Opinions expressed in signed articles are those of the writers and not necessarily those of NRPA. Issued to members at the annual subscription price of $30, included in dues. Subscription: $46 a year in the U.S.; $56 elsewhere. Single copy price: $7. Library rate: $58 a year in the U.S.; $68 elsewhere. Periodical postage paid at Ashburn, Virginia, and at additional mailing offices. Editorial and advertising offices at 22377 Belmont Ridge Rd., Ashburn, VA 20148. 703.858.0784. Postmaster, send address changes to Parks & Recreation, 22377 Belmont Ridge Rd., Ashburn, VA 20148.

W W W. PA R K S A N D R E C R E AT I O N . O R G | F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 7 |

Parks & Recreation

55

Park Bench

Refreshing an Entrance

By Daniel Sanford The supervisors for the Town of Plattsburgh, New York, thought the entrance to their town hall needed a bit of brightening up. The windows were drab, thought Supervisor Michael Cashman, so this past November they devised a plan to turn town hall into a more colorful place.

The town’s director of Recreation and Youth Services in the Park and Recreation Department, Melanie Defayette, devised the TOP (Town of Plattsburgh) Window Mural Contest.

The murals to kickoff this first annual contest are dedicated to winter-themed activities.

More than 50 children from the local community submitted art work, and the winners were selected by Town of Plattsburgh board members who were the contest judges. In the end, only three young artists were selected and, in late December, they gathered at town hall to paint their murals, which will last until early spring.

In first place was Emma Chase of Morrisonville Elementary and honorable mentions were awarded to Bailey Blair of Morrisonville Elementary and Homeschooler Luke LaForest. Emma’s snow scape showcased two synchronized ice dancers preforming their routine in front of four judges, including a rather impressive snowman. Bailey chose to portray a great snowball fight for her snow scape and Luke featured sledding as his favorite winter activity.

Going forward, each season Plattsburgh hopes to change the murals with new seasonal activities. Supervisor Cashman also hopes that eventually civic organizations will participate, with months dedicated to causes ranging from breast cancer to autism awareness. “We plan to hold one [contest] each season,” says Recreation Program Coordinator Erin Pangborn. “Community members have had a lot of positive feedback now that our lobby entrance is refreshed and colorful,” she adds.

The Town of Plattsburgh has highlighted a unique, community-based approach that not only pushes community participation, but also art appreciation.

— Daniel Sanford, NRPA’s Administrative Assistant to the CFO

56 Parks & Recreation

| F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 7 | W W W. PA R K S A N D R E C R E AT I O N . O R G

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The object is simplicity.

67170

This Inclusive Playground has been designated as a National Demonstration Site for meeting best practices that promote inclusive play and recreation.

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Learn more at: playandpark.com or call 800.727.1907

By thoughtfully aligning outdoor inclusive play environments with researchbased best practices, your Play & Park Structures project can be designated as a National Demonstration Site and serve in a network of leadership case examples that address the local needs and goals of community stakeholders.

Chesapeake, Virginia

Destination Park

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7 PRINCIPLES OF INCLUSIVE PLAYGROUND DESIGNÂŽ

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PARKS&RECREATION FEBRUARY 2017 ◆ UNFUNDED PENSIONS ◆ SUSTAINABLE FUNDRAISING ◆ 2017 AQUATICS GUIDE