20 minute read
Revisiting Minimum Wage Increases
Equity in wages was a concern for multiple departments described below. As we readjust to the future of our industry, we will need to keep wage equity a priority when rebuilding our departments and structure.
Changing Fees to Manage Budgets in Oregon
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In 2015, the Tualatin Hills Park and Recreation District in Oregon was facing a minimum wage increase from $12 to $15 an hour, resulting in a budget impact of $500,000 to $2.7 million, depending on which rate garnered approval. The lower rate and budget impact would result in minimal changes to the department’s rate chart, while the higher number resulted in a more drastic adjustment.
Eligible employees were split between two groups, with program supervisors making up 85 percent of the workforce and maintenance workers comprising the remaining 15 percent. The district managed this by adjusting fees to cover 75 percent of program costs and cutting back on their number of offerings to offset the budget impact. At the time, the district had around 3,000 offerings per year and no tax increase had been discussed. But, due to a $100 million bond measure that passed in 2008 and a subsequent climate poll, it was determined that the public was favorable to the option.
Aisha Panas, director of park and recreation services, along with her Tualatin colleagues, Keith Hobson and Katherine Stokke, provided an update from 2015 and offered insight on how the district was handling a law passed in 2016 that would increase the minimum wage to $14.75 by 2022 with annual adjustments following based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index, with Portland, Oregon, metropolitan area coming in $1.25 higher than the other areas in the state.
To address these increases, staff have been provided with augmented expenditure targets of 2.5 percent to 3 percent a year to pay applicable positions the minimum wage. This includes updating their class fee structure using a cost recovery model. Panas reports this approach has been successful and the restructuring of fees has resulted in minimal impact on operations. Next steps include addressing compression, which results when differences in pay do not reflect the skills, experience, level or seniority between two employees, along with the next group of employees impacted, which includes lifeguards and other certified staff.
Maintaining Balance in Illinois
In the Midwest, the McHenry County Conservation District in Woodstock, Illinois, was already preparing for the 2015 increase by implementing merit raises — so, at most, the 2015 increase would amount to a $1.50 raise, bringing the minimum wage up to $10 per hour. Although the district had planned for an increase, adjustments still would be needed. Human Resources Manager Jenny Heider predicted a hiring freeze, minor cuts to seasonal staff and deferred maintenance resulting in an impact to programs and park appearance. In a follow-up interview with Heider in 2020, she reported that managers were able to find room in their budgets so staff would not need to be reduced nor fees raised. Heider attributed this success to her agency’s yearly merit increases, which meant that when the minimum wage was increased, it didn’t have a negative impact and adjustments were made without a loss in service. She reported they have since increased their minimum wage to $11 per hour. In response to a new Illinois law raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2024, they plan to continue to implement incremental raises along the way to reach this goal. At this time, an increase to taxes is not an option, so funds must be made up operationally.
The Rockford Park District in Illinois was expecting an increase of the minimum wage to $10, resulting in a budgetary impact of $1 million. To offset this cost, Director Jay Sandine predicted an increase in program fees along with a reduction in programs, services and staffing. Already impacted by the Great Recession, Sandine voiced concern over the impending change, as his community was struggling financially and the loss of jobs and quality-of-life services would only signal further hardship.
Following up with Sandine in 2020, I learned the past five years have resulted in many changes for the Rockford Park District. The district has cut staff, closed facilities and reduced the number of programs it offers. With the new Illinois minimum wage law set to have a $2 million impact on his budget over the next four years and nowhere else to scale back, Sandine and his team have been looking for other areas to adjust and alternative sources of funding. One adjustment has been to his Parks Foundation, which in the past used money for capital cost and
facilities. Now, the foundation money is used for operating deficits.
Additionally, the district seeks out sponsorships and naming rights along with grants from local and national organizations. This approach, however, is not a long-term sustainable solution. The real answer lies in the state capital of Springfield, Illinois. Sandine has been working with the legislature to have more funds appropriated toward his district and others like it. Currently, he receives no percentage of hotel, sales or gas taxes collected from the events his facilities bring to the area. Also, his district sees no revenue from the newly passed marijuana legalization. Through continuing to explore alternative revenue streams and working with his elected officials and the state association, Sandine is hopeful there will be changes made to funding that will allow his district to recover costs and continue to serve its community.
Considerations
During my conversations with staff at these agencies, multiple people expressed concerns over compression, wage equity and recruitment. They add that with an increase to the minimum wage comes additional work for restructuring their wage schedules to ensure staff with experience, seniority and certifications are being paid at an equitable rate against new hires making upwards of $15 per hour. In addition, the agencies expressed concern over recruitment of staff, citing how they will have to consider paying above the minimum wage to attract lifeguards and other part-time employees who may find alternative work more appealing.
Following are considerations for managing an increase to the minimum wage based on my research: 1If possible, agencies should implement incremental wage increases in anticipation of a future rise in minimum wage. Incremental increases will lessen the impact of a mandatory rise in wages. These increases should consider compression and equity.
2A cost recovery model that considers fee structures, rental revenues, maintenance costs, and sponsorship and grant opportunities should be developed.
3Non-revenue generating service programs should be assessed for potential revenue generating viability.
4Alternative funding should be considered to cover the increasing cost of wages outside of sponsorships and grants. This can be completed through forming park foundations, realigning foundation funding goals, working with legislatures, and finding support from partners such as NRPA and your state association.
5Community engagement is essential to ensure park and recreation agencies are meeting the needs of stakeholders through these changes. Engagement will allow agency staff to develop a strategic plan around closing facilities, restructuring and adjusting programs. Feedback from the community will ensure the agency is still meeting the needs of its stakeholders and may increase support for alternative funding.
Conclusion
My research has shown there is no one solution for an increase to the minimum wage, but there are considerations to be had based on what others have learned through their experiences. While many agencies continue to balance the business model with the service model and face a multitude of funding and other external challenges, adding a mandatory wage increase can be a significant cause of stress. What is promising is the number of agencies that have gone through situations and can offer feedback and support. If you’re having doubt, I encourage you to visit NRPA Connect (connect.nrpa.org) and share your concern with other professionals. By reaching out and making connections, you will find the support you need to do what’s best for your agency and community.
Given today’s challenges, increases in the minimum wage may be the furthest thing from our minds. The research has shown, however, that this is not a topic that disappears due to changes in the economy. If anything, it simply bides its time and waits for the challenges of the day to pass and then presents itself again when the work being done demands the conversation. When departments rebuild, many will still need to address this on top of every other financial challenge they currently face. The truth is the 2008 financial crisis prepared departments for the COVID-19 crisis and moving forward, we will begin to rebuild thanks to lessons learned along the way. While it may take more time, it is achievable.
We face not only economic challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, but also social challenges. Throughout this current health crisis, the inequities our communities encounter have become increasingly apparent. Now, more than ever, our work and workers are essential and deserve equitable pay for their work across the board.
By making your people the priority, you will see a greater return on investment than any stock, bond or line item ever could.
Anthony Iracki, MS, CPRP, is Recreation Supervisor for the Whitefish Bay School District (anthony.iracki@wfbschools.com).
OPERATIONS
By Paula Jacoby-Garrett
Despite the quarantine due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the slow reopening of our nation, the Orlando, Florida, Parks Build Community (PBC) Grand Avenue Park project has continued to move forward. The city of Orlando’s Families, Parks and Recreation Department along with NRPA and donor companies have worked hard to ensure the park renovation continues to forge ahead.
To date, stakeholder meetings have been held, design plans have been created and donors have stepped up to contribute products for the park. A big milestone in the project, the Grand Avenue Neighborhood Center groundbreaking, took place July 16, 2020. The event celebrated the construction of the neighborhood center, as well as the park revitalization. In attendance were Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, Commissioner Bakari Burns, the city of Orlando Families, Parks and Recreation Department Director Lisa Early, along with other local officials and personnel.
We celebrate the donors and their dedication to creating an interactive and engaging park for the Grand Avenue community. “This is a strong community that truly values this park. None of this would be possible without the PBC donors,” says Ted Mattingly, NRPA’s PBC project manager. “Their willingness to donate the products and design the play areas gives the local community more options than they normally would have. The donors are providing the best equipment on the market to this project, and they understand how important the project is and the value of giving back.”
Freenotes Harmony Park is donating dual-use musical/public art structures to the 2020 PBC project.
Playgrounds
Nothing defines a park and attracts youth more than its playgrounds, and this park will have something for everyone. BCI Burke Company (bciburke.com) is providing a custom-designed playground for children ages 5 to 12. Targeted for the same age group, GameTime/ PlayCore (gametime.com) will be supplying a custom challenge course playground with integrated shade. A separate play structure will be furnished for young children ages 2 to 5. To top off the playground, approximately 3,000 feet of artificial turf will be provided by ForeverLawn (foreverlawn.com) from its Playground Grass Ultra collection. This advanced product contains antistatic and antimicrobial technology, resists ultraviolet degradation and is manufactured to withstand the heavy traffic of a playground.
Fitness
Designed for accessibility and built to last, Greenfields Outdoor Fitness (gfoutdoorfitness.com) has generously donated a six-piece fitness equipment set for the park. Its equipment can be enjoyed by people of all ages and fitness levels. To keep the equipment cool, Shade Systems™, Inc. (shadesystemsinc. com) is providing a shade structure for the fitness equipment. “Shade Systems fabric shade designs are engineered for easy removability in the event of a severe storm, [while] the CoolNet™ shade fabric protects against the sun’s harmful UV rays,” says Brad Buzard, general manager at Shade Systems, Inc.
Fields
Outfitting the sports fields around the country since 1922, Gared Sports (garedsports.com) has donated fiberglass backboards with goals, stationary bleachers, competitionsized soccer goals, lacrosse goals and outdoor batting cages to the Grand Avenue Park project. “Gared is an advocate for rebuilding communities through the renovation of green spaces, such as Grand Avenue Park, and we love that NRPA shares our passion for play and the importance of recreation,” says Kara Oughton, marketing manager at Gared Sports.
Known as a leader in outdoor
lighting, Musco Lighting (musco. com) is providing the LED lights for the multipurpose field at the park. This will extend park-use times and allow games and other community events to occur in the evenings.
Park Amenities
Grand Avenue Park is a true community center, and stakeholders of the park specifically asked for the ability to have more community activities on-site. To be able to include movie nights at the park, Epic Outdoor Cinema (epicoutdoorcinema. com) has donated a 16-foot inflatable movie screen. These screens allow for a pop-up movie night without the added issue of outdoor storage and maintenance of the screen.
Focused on quality design with the best materials and easy maintenance, Most Dependable Fountains, Inc. (mostdependable.com) will supply a multiuse unit that provides a traditional drinking fountain combined with a water bottle filler and pet fountain.
Freenotes Harmony Park (free notesharmonypark.com) will provide aesthetics and music for the park with its dual-use musical/ public art structures. An industry leader in outdoor musical instruments, Freenotes Harmony Park will donate two of its multiinstrument, whimsical, natureinspired collections. “The installation in Orlando is going to have our botanical collection, which includes a lot of brightly colored naturethemed products and our new butterfly collection [that] goes hand in hand with the botanical pieces,” says Kate Morrison, sales and business development manager for Freenotes Harmony Park. “It is fun to watch all ages interact and to let generations come together to play.” Stephanie Devine, vice president of marketing and brand strategy at UltraSite (ultra-site.com) says “UltraSite worked with NRPA and Grand Avenue Park on the site amenities that would best fit their space and needs, including the size of the park and the frequency of use. The team landed on UltraSite’s sleek Oxford Collection. UltraSite will donate eight 8-foot Oxford Tables, four of which will have umbrella holes. We will also be donating four umbrellas for the tables.” UltraSite also will be providing nine of its 36-gallon Oxford Receptacle trashcans.
DuMor Site Furnishings (dumor. com) will be providing additional site furnishings for the park. “DuMor is honored to have been invited to participate in another Parks Build Community project,” says Anita Rudy, president of DuMor. “We are happy to donate 10 of our all-steel benches and three all-steel game tables toward the Grand Avenue Park renovation.”
Recognizing the merit of the community and the people in it, Rudy believes that people are at the heart of every project, including the Grand Avenue Park revitalization. “We see the value public spaces bring to a community. We believe NRPA does a great job developing worthwhile projects, and we appreciate the opportunity to be a part of something so positive.”
For more information about the 2020 Parks Build Community project and how you can be involved, contact Gina Mullins-Cohen, NRPA’s vice president of communications and chief marketing officer, at gcohen@nrpa.org.
The 2020 Parks Build Community Donors Include:
BCI Burke Company
bciburke.com
GameTime/PlayCore
gametime.com
Greenfields Outdoor Fitness
gfoutdoorfitness.com
Musco Lighting
musco.com
Playground Grass by ForeverLawn
foreverlawn.com
Epic Outdoor Cinema
epicoutdoorcinema.com
DuMor Site Furnishings
dumor.com
Gared Sports
garedsports.com
Most Dependable Fountains, Inc.
mostdependable.com
Freenotes Harmony Park
freenotesharmonypark.com
Shade Systems, Inc.
shadesystemsinc.com
UltraSite
ultra-site.com
PHOTO COURTESY OF FOREVERLAWN
ForeverLawn will provide approximately 3,000 feet of artificial turf to the Grand Avenue Park renovation.
Paula Jacoby-Garrett is a Freelance Writer based in Las Vegas, Nevada.
PRODUCTS
Fitness Obstacle Course
Burke’s Outdoor Fitness Collection combines physical fitness with time spent outdoors to create a fun, active community space that encourages people of all fitness levels to move! ELEVATE® Fitness Course brings out the ninja in all of us and helps engage teenagers and adults in obstacle course fun! ACTIVATE® Fitness Circuit and INVIGORATE® Dynamic Fitness can be placed in fitness clusters or along a trail and offer variety in both cardiovascular and strength workouts. Created with certified trainers, each collection is complete with instructional videos and an app to ensure everyone gets the most out of their workout.
BCI BURKE COMPANY, BCIBURKE.COM, 800.356.2070
Canine Play and Agility Bench
Gyms For Dogs® has introduced a new outdoor play and agility product for dogs that also serves as a comfortable seating option for people. The bench is free-standing and features a very unique polar antique color topped with a clear coat to protect the finish of the product. It is designed to be playful for dogs, and provides a comfortable seating area for people with a perfect slope that allows the bench to dry shortly after any rain. At approximately 5 feet long, 22 inches high and 24 inches deep, the bench is great for any park or backyard play area.
GYMS FOR DOGS®, GYMSFORDOGS.COM, 800.931.1562
Beach Entry Pool Fountain Nozzle
Fountain People is pleased to offer its new ZEN-Series Zero Entry Fountain Nozzle for any zeroentry fountain or beach entry pool. The nozzle produces a cluster of solid streams of water that, when vertically aligned, create a water-column effect from a flush-mounted configuration. This flush jet can be placed in as little as three to six inches of water and produces a terrific aerated bubbling effect at the beach entry of pools or in shallow fountains. The ZEN-Series Zero Entry Nozzle is made of 304 stainless steel or corrosion-proof brass.
FOUNTAIN PEOPLE, FOUNTAINPEOPLE.COM, 512.393.1155
Recreation Management Software
The CivicRec® recreation management software from CivicPlus® is efficient and configurable software with insightful data access to help drive revenue and engage the community. It has an interface that is easy to use for both staff and citizens, as well as robust tools for managing activities, facilities and point-of-sale. CivicRec® offers integrated functionality to manage memberships, instructors, sports leagues, volunteers and ticketing. Accounting tools, reports and other financial tool integrations allow recreation departments to share accurate data with their local government administrations. For citizens, the public portal conveniently enables users to track their activities and reserve facilities. CivicRec’s responsive design ensures that the public portal is optimized for any device to ensure a positive citizen experience.
CIVICPLUS®, CIVICPLUS.COM, 888.228.2233
GIVE YOUR COMMUNITY THE VERY BEST
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nrpa.org/CAPRA
NRPA20
Aquatix by Landscape Structures ....................................................13
BCI Burke Playgrounds .................................................................. 5, 51
Bright Idea Shops, LLC........................................................................51
CivicPlus ..................................................................................................51
Central Michigan University ..............................................................51
DOGIPOT...............................................................................................52
Doty & Sons Concrete Products......................................................53
Easi-Set Buildings ...............................................................................52
Ex-Cell Kaiser ........................................................................................53
Gared Sports..........................................................................................53
Goldenteak/The Wood Carver, Inc. ...............................................53
Gopher Sport.........................................................................................27 Gyms for Dogs/Livin’ the Dog Life ................................................54
Kay Park Recreation............................................................................54
Landscape Structures Inc. ................................................................... 3
Most Dependable Fountains............................................................23
National Construction Rentals.........................................................54
NiceRink .................................................................................................54
Pilot Rock/RJ Thomas Mfg. Co. ......................................................15
Playcraft Systems/PlayCore.............................................................C4
Shade Systems .................................................................................C2, 1
ULINE.......................................................................................................21
Urban Fountains + Furniture ............................................................55
(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 ©2020 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.
Breaking Barriers to Live Abundantly
To empower people of color to spend time in nature to inspire wellness, abundant living and connection — that is the mission of Abundant Life Adventure Club. This Nashville, Tennessee-based adventure company is breaking down barriers to the outdoors, so that everyone can enjoy the wellness benefits of parks and open spaces. Founded in 2017 by Claude and Dr. Kim Walker, the club was borne out of the duo’s commitment to living healthier. “As health professionals, we knew in order to make our active lifestyles sustainable, we needed to get active outside of the gym, find our tribe and add some fun variety,” Dr. Kim says. “Outdoor recreation was the solution and transformed our lives.”
Contrary to their current love for outdoor adventures, Claude asserts that they were not always outdoorsy people. “Our exposure to outdoor recreation was once limited to only traditional sports in urban parks.” He recognizes that this experience — or lack thereof — is not unique to them. “We know the challenges of trying to figure out where to go, who to go with and how to stay safe. We created Abundant Life Adventure Club to help people of color live an active lifestyle through positive exposure to outdoor recreation with ease.”
Not only is the club creating access to nature for people of color, but also it goes a step further to be intentional about cultivating deep relationships with nature for participants by incorporating mindfulness and meditation. “We take a break to stop for meditation in the most scenic part of the adventure, we call ‘inspiration point,’” says Dr. Kim. “We want to be transformed, challenged and restored while being immersed in nature’s beauty.” And, as participants are connecting with nature, they are also building bonds with their co-participants. Claude asserts, “We’ve created a safe space to talk about our challenges, experiences and perspectives to connect on a deeper level. We get to celebrate, inspire and support one another. It’s refreshing to really feel seen, heard and understood.”
As guests on a recent episode of NRPA’s Open Space Radio podcast (openspaceradio.org), the Walkers discuss their mutually beneficial partnership with the Nashville Parks and Recreation Department that increases the offerings the club can provide while helping the agency expand its audience and participation, specifically to diverse participants. “Anything outside of hiking and biking is outside of our scope of expertise…so we knew we needed help with that,” Dr. Kim says. “That’s where we rely on Nashville Parks and Recreation the most, because they bring that level of expertise, different activities and access to different places. We basically bring the people.”
When asked about how the club is making a difference, Claude tells a story that exemplifies the importance and impact of the program. “Last year, we took our club on a waterfall hike to Burgess Falls. One of our members in her mid-40s, [who] was born and raised in Nashville, had such an amazing and transformative experience. She said she lived in Nashville her whole life and didn’t know there were any waterfalls in Tennessee. We encouraged her to take in every moment of this first-time experience. The joy on her face made our hearts smile.”
– Lindsay Hogeboom, Associate Editor of Parks & Recreation magazine
Members of Abundant Life Adventure Club take part in a group kayaking trip.
20 20 Dynamic
PARKS & RECREATION SEPTEMBER 2020 ◆ THE EQUITY ISSUE ◆ BALTIMORE COUNTY RECREATION & PARKS TACKLES NEW ROLES ◆ A MINIMUM WAGE UPDATE
