MP3 of Meeting with Doug Long (Dir. Parks & Rec)

This morning Debbie Freeman and I met with Doug Long, the San Carlos Director of Parks and Recreation.  Doug graciously allowed me to record the conversation, the MP3 of which can be downloaded here.

Doug Long Interview (mp3).

Here are some of the main points.  I will add to this later....

The Budget Situation: The city has a 'structural' (recurring) $3.5 million deficit.  Parks and Rec has to come up with $900K in repeatable, annual savings. $600K in savings would result from the closure of the Youth Center,  Crestview Park and either Laureola or Arguello Park.

Outsourcing Park Maintenance: The city is looking at outsourcing the lower skill 'mow and blow' aspect of park maintenance.  Mow and blow accounts for $400K and could be cut by 50%, yielding a savings of $200K.  These numbers are still very preliminary.  Doug has never had personal experience working with an outsourced vendor.  But he is cautious about outsourcing more than mow and blow based on anecdotes from colleagues.  I am in favor of encouraging a more aggressive outsourcing policy.  But hear Doug for himself on the MP3.

User Fees:  The city is looking at raising user fees.  Parks and Recreations brings in fees of roughly $1.7 million from camps, classes and the like.  Just a 12% hike in those fees would yield another roughly $200K.

Sports Organizations: AYSO, CYSA & SCLL are discussing ways of funding the parks that they use.

Park Sponsors:  Doug was cool on the idea of corporate park sponsors. His concern is in how you filter appropriate businesses (would you let a liquor store sponsor a park?). 

While this is very encouraging, NONE OF IT WILL ACTUALLY HAPPEN if we don't demonstrate our numbers and repeat our priorities.  There will be many competing voices.  More to come on how to do that soon....