However, these arrangements also come at a high risk. The upfront costs rest with the city, who then has little to no control over daily operations to ensure its success.
FRIENDS OF PARKS Many parks have nonprofit “friends” groups who form to support the department or park. As a 501(c)3 organization, these volunteers are able to solicit donations and allocate funds outside the restrictions of a city government. This makes them a highly valuable tool for large and small parks alike, offering a unique freedom and flexibility. That said, they still require a considerable amount of effort on the part of City staff, who must stay heavily involved to ensure the organization stays in line with the department’s overall goals and vision. Mansfield currently works in tandem with a number of partner groups in other departments, including Friends of the Library, Keep Mansfield Beautiful and Mansfield Commission for the Arts. In addition to fundraising, friends groups help build loyalty in the community and strengthen the overall reputation through expanded visibility. At this time, however, no such groups exist in Mansfield for parks and recreation. The goals subcommittee recommends researching the feasibility and logistical requirements for creating a Mansfield Parks & Recreation Friends group to open the department to new funding opportunities and outreach possibilities. 166
BOND ELECTIONS A bond election occurs when voters are asked to approve the issuance of debt for a specific set of public improvement projects. Bond funds can only be allocated within the specific, predefined project scope, making it an effective way to fund an expensive project with demonstrated citizen support. Few people will support a general tax increase, but many are willing to pay extra for a specific project that they believe in. In 2004, Mansfield voters approved a bond referendum in the amount of $5.1M to build an aquatic center. After the Mansfield Park Facilities Development Corporation added $2.8M, the City partnered with Mansfield Family Entertainment Hawaiian Falls to leverage an additional $2.0M to design, build and operate the Hawaiian Falls Waterpark. This is the last example of a bond referendum put before voters for parks and recreation facilities. As part of the feedback process, survey and focus group respondents were asked about their willingness to support a possible bond to fund future park projects. In both rounds, the support was overwhelmingly positive, with 88% in favor in 2019 and 76% in favor in 2020. This support is likely to increase with specific details versus a hypothetical question.
How likely would you be to
support a bond election to finance a major park project?
44% 44%
MANSFIELD PARKS & RECREATION 2020 MASTER PLAN
VERY LIKELY
7%
LIKELY
5%
UNLIKELY
VERY UNLIKELY