Department of Parks & Recreation

Thomas Ott, Director

ADOPTED FY23 BUDGET

$37,413,087

Department Mission

FULL TIME EQUIVALENTS

343.7

The Department of Parks and Recreation provides high quality parks, facilities, and recreation services that enhance residents’ lives through responsible and effective management of resources.

Budget Overview

The adopted budget for the Department of Parks and Recreation is $37,413,087, an increase of $601,082 or 1.6 percent from the 2022 adjusted budget of $36,812,004. Personnel costs comprise 55.4 percent of the budget for 577 positions (343.7 full time equivalents). Operating expenses account for 37.2 percent and capital expenses account for 7.4 percent of the budget.

Significant Changes

The 2023 adopted budget for the Department of Parks and Recreation includes $145,000 for pool management fees and $45,000 for a work order program. The Creve Coeur Soccer Complex budget includes $60,000 for synthetic turf field maintenance due to the significant amount of play.

Core Business Functions

The Department of Parks & Recreation is responsible for the management of:

→ 75 Parks with 12,700 acres

→ Seven Recreation Complexes

→ Six Historical/Cultural Sites

→ 166 miles of trails

→ 65 athletic fields

→ 44 playgrounds

→ 78 picnic shelters

→ 590 acres of lakes

→ 87 restroom buildings

→ 400 plus recreational programs annually

→ Citizen Volunteer program

Program Descriptions

Administration

The Administration Division provides support for all the departments financial and personnel functions through effective leadership and fiscal management as well as guiding information technologies, leases and marketing of programs and facilities within the department. The tracking of all purchases, invoices, submission of bid documents, human resources, revenue, and payroll are only some of the supportive functions of this division.

Strategic Priorities and Performance Metrics:

 Priority 1 (PR5.1): Provide a responsible, cost‐effective, and valuable service to the public (GG ‐ Efficient and Responsible)

 Priority 2 (PR5.2): Reduce vacancy rate for Park Personnel (GG ‐ Improve Effectiveness)

 Priority 3 (PR5.3): Provide a safe working environment (GG ‐ Improve Effectiveness)

 Priority 4 (PR5.4): Effectively communicate Parks and Recreation programming to the public (GG ‐ Efficient and Responsible)

Note: an “x” included in a performance metric data field means that data has not historically been reported. The 2023 business plan includes many new performance metrics where the department will capture and report data going forward.

Rangers

Park Rangers are responsible for visitor and resource protection, interpretive programming, and public relations. They provide public safety for park visitors through patrols on foot, ATV, or bicycle, answering complaints, issuing summonses for county ordinance violations, traffic citations and investigating incidents within the parks system. Park rangers prepare and present a wide variety of educational and recreational programs to enhance the public’s enjoyment of the resources that St. Louis County provides. They also support numerous department wide special events by providing security and traffic control for large numbers of attendees.

Strategic Priorities and Performance Metrics:

 Priority 1 (PR4.1): Providing a welcome, safe, and secure recreational experience (O ‐ Improve Quality of Life)

Park Operations

The Park Operations Division operates, repairs, and maintains outdoor facilities (playgrounds, shelters, restrooms, athletic fields, etc.) and all grounds maintenance (prairies, trails, lakes, roads, parking lots, invasive species, etc.) of county parks divided into three geographic areas (North, Central/West and South) to ensure availability and safety for park visitors.

Strategic Priorities and Performance Metrics:

 Priority 1 (PR1.1): Improve satisfaction of park users (O ‐ Improve Quality of Life)

 Priority 2 (PR1.2): Increase the # of park and trail users (O ‐ Improve Quality of Life)

*Data used from Creve Coeur, Spanish Lake, and Bella Fountaine Parks

**Data used from Suson, Tilles, and Lone Elk Parks

Recreation Services

The Recreation Services Division manages all recreation complexes, historical/cultural sites, museum collections and the special usage of all county parks’ outdoor facilities and grounds. The division also operates and manages indoor facilities, recreation programs and cultural events and letters of agreement with outside organizations holding their events in the parks. The division is responsible for the management of volunteer, friends, and partnership programs.

Strategic Priorities and Performance Metrics:

 Priority 1 (PR2.1): Provide quality programs for a wide variety of people (GG ‐ Improve Effectiveness)

 Priority 2 (PR2.2): Reduce operational costs through the use of volunteers (GG ‐ Efficient and Responsible)

PR2.2: $ saved through use of volunteers ($ in millions)* $1.4 $1.9 $2.2 $2.6

*Volunteer value per hour from The Independent Sector; 2020: $27.20 value per hour, 2021: $28.54 value per hour, 2022: $29.95 value per hour, 2023: $31.42 value per hour.

Creve Coeur Park Soccer Complex

Creve Coeur Park Soccer Complex contains 13 synthetic turf fields, a “super pitch” natural grass playing space and a stand‐alone championship field with permanent bleacher seating. In addition to the fields, the complex affords visitors ample concessions, restrooms, and lighted parking areas throughout. St. Louis County’s central location within the Midwest region has made Creve Coeur Park Soccer Complex a convenient destination for athletes and families from across the country. The complex regularly sees close to a million visitors a year as it is the site of more than 25‐plus event weekends each year and the primary training home for numerous area youth soccer clubs.

In the summer of 2023, US Youth Soccer will bring its Midwest Regional Championships to St. Louis County. The five‐day event, which will consist of teams from 13 states, is expected to generate millions of dollars in economic activity for the area. Besides soccer, the facility is able to accommodate other sports such as lacrosse, flag football, American football, ultimate frisbee, and other related activities.

Design & Development Group

The parks professional design staff plans, designs, and manages delivery of capital improvements, including facility upgrades and renovations. The group reviews and issues land use agreements and easements and assists with regulatory compliance and permitting. The primary function of this group is to manage all the capital improvement projects within the Parks Department and provide technical support to park staff and trades sections.

Strategic Priorities and Performance Metrics:

 Priority 1 (PR3.1): Fund the renovations identified in the Vision 2030 Master Plan (GG ‐ Efficient and Responsible)

Organizational Chart