January 2017 Senior Staff Notes

MARYLAND PARK SERVICE

SENIOR STAFF MEETING NOTES

January 11, 2017

NRP Broadneck Office – Sandy Point State Park

Attendees: Nita Settina, Chris Bushman, Amanda Mock, Mary Owens, Mike Riley, Christy Bright, Steve McCoy, Alison Woodfield, LeeAnne Chandler, Angela Baldwin, Angela Pease, Robin Melton (next meeting’s manager-of-the-month – Western)

REGIONAL REPORTS

• Southeastern

1.     Assateague: Angela Baldwin provided an update on the dune restoration project, scheduled for fall / winter 2017. Dunes will be moved inland to broaden the beach and protect the campground. Staff working on plan to alert customers about campground changes.

2.     Assateague: Park will pilot a “generator free” camping loop.

3.     Assateague: Working on updating agreement with Rackliffe House.

4.     Assateague: Proposal for a beach camera to live-stream the beach / dunes. Project would require a 50-foot tower, so will not be approved.

5.     Harriet Tubman: Issues with geo-thermal system (heat not working in very cold temperatures). E&C working with contractor.

6.     Wye Island: Hoffman house settlement soon – new acquisition.

7.     Cypress Branch: Letter of intent sent to the prospective tenants. Cooper will provide report on current status of project proposal.

8.     Love Point: NRP will be in building soon (Langenfelder property).

9.     Belt Woods: Riley provided update about letters he is receiving from Bowie City Council, etc. about upcoming plans for the property. Main point of contact will be shifted to the new Sandy Point State Park Manager.

• Central

1.     Curatorships: Working on at least three different transitions of curatorships including: Alfred Brown house at Patuxent River, Baxter farm at Monocacy, and Gittings-Baldwin at Gunpowder Falls.

2.     Patapsco Valley: Staff is looking into plan for upcoming season to address carrying capacity issues in Avalon / Orange Grove area.

3.     Patapsco Valley: Hollofield Shop Complex now managed by the MPS. Will serve as park shop facility / will provide auto mechanic services for Patapsco (also available to other parks) / roll-back tow truck available for tow jobs and/or transport of equipment.

4.     Elk Neck: Staff working with Friends group and Cecil County Tourism to explore shuttle bus service to Turkey Point to alleviate parking problems associated with the lighthouse.

5.     Fair Hill: 93 hunters harvested 55 deer in two-day managed hunt. There were no incidents or issues.

6.     Fair Hill: Neighboring stable using Fair Hill for guided rides for profit. Will need to meet with them to discuss Use Agreement / insurance.

• Western

1.     Greenbrier: Mary Ironside will attend senior staff to further discuss a day-use area reservation system proposal.

2.     Hispanic Outreach: Working with Kevin Chesley on dates for outreach.

·       Choosing dates for six State Parks: Point Lookout, Sandy Point, Patapsco Valley, Greenbrier, Cunningham Falls, Rocky Gap

·       Community service hours for high school students / C JC / MCC (possibility to assist with outreach programs)

CHIEF OF INTERPRETATION (Pease)

• Update on Interpretive Initiatives
• Healthy Parks, Healthy People
• Draft brochure – would like to publish by Feb. 1.
• Doctors are writing prescriptions to patients in the West (10)
• Would like to see program move to Central Region next year.
• Park Quest 2017
• 10^th Anniversary / final year for program in its current form.
• Theme is Best of Park Quest (previous popular Quests).
• 20 parks have already indicated that they plan to do a Quest. Regional Managers will work with managers to identify sites, including the consideration of whether to have them at over-capacity parks.
• Registration will be through the online store – 1,000 passports.
• Trash Free Parks
• New sign reviewed – Owens will address changes.

REVIEW OF CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SURVEY

REVIEW OF ATTENDANCE REPORTING

• All staff, especially supervisors and managers, is reminded to review and follow the Attendance Reporting Procedures. Attendance figures are to be carefully reviewed, reconciled / corrected if necessary, and initialed as per policy.
• McCoy described background of large increase in visitation at Gunpowder Falls.
• Managers will be providing annual attendance report narrative (beginning now, for 2016) to describe trends and other significant information related to attendance at their park(s).

                            

PLANNING AND CONSERVATION PROGRAMS (Owens)

• Owens reviewing archived files for materials that should be retained.
• Internal Review: 301 projects
• Strategic Management Plans: New Germany, Smallwood and Fort Frederick being reviewed by Settina / Bushman. Susquehanna and Tuckahoe coming soon.
• MCC: Things going well.
• CJC: Working on bus / van contracts.
• VCC: Program has started at Point Lookout. Staff at EMR training at Janes Island.
• HWA / EAB: Mike Burditt is collecting information from managers to identify next set of trees for treatment.

TRAINING DIVISION UPDATE (Melton)

• Overview of upcoming Customer Service training that will be conducted on same day as Town Hall meetings. Intended to comply with required DNR customer service training. Senior staff reviewed the outline and will follow up with Melton to guide the development of a lesson plan.
• Coming in 2017
• Ranger School (fall at New Germany)
• Supervisors Training, Historic Weapons Training
• Workplace culture, employee engagement, enhanced lifeguard training
• Lifeguard Competition: Melton posed to senior staff the possibility of discontinuing the event. Regional Managers will solicit input from managers / field staff.
• MDE Beach Conference: MPS attends annual meeting, and was asked to present at this year’s conference. County health officials attend. Melton will present an outline of our waterfront facilities and discuss operational / visitor service impacts of water sampling protocols / timelines.

ADMINISTRATION (Mock)

• Seasonal jobs are being posted in JobAps. Recruitments will be posted for two weeks and then another two weeks (pass codes will be provided to managers after each two-week period). After that, recruitments can be extended on a case-by-case basis.
• Thanks to all Park Managers for providing recruitment materials in a timely manner!
• Budget Projections: Thanks to managers for staying on top of projections!
• Bullying in the Workplace Policy: Policy and acknowledgement forms have been distributed to all classified staff. Forms to be signed and returned to Knisely.
• Reservation Service: Mock working with Lora McCoy and Angela Baldwin on transition from Active Network to CAMIS USA.
• General Assembly session started today (January 11). Bushman and Mock will monitor bills and attend weekly legislative meetings.
• Thanks to staff who worked on Uniform Contract – Packet went to DGS.
• PEPs are due to Barb Knisely by January 23.

SUPERINTENDENT UPDATE (Settina)

• POS stabilization funding: 10% of land acquisition cost – can be used for public access improvements. MPS will be asking for full funding for all acquisitions.
• Workday: Some issues with Election Day holiday. Knisely will re-send email detailing the problem, and that the issue was resolved.
• As per feedback from November Managers Meeting, will be forming a committee to review MPS Awards Program / employee recognition. Owens and Riley will lead.
• Big Picture Goals for 2017: Regional Managers will solicit input from managers and then Settina and Bushman will meet with each Regional Manager to discuss. Senior staff will then meet to develop goals for 2017, as well as accomplishments from 2016 (record visitation, Strategic Management Plans, day-use survey, pollinator plans, Google drive attendance reporting, EAB treatment program).

DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT UPDATE (Bushman)

• Last call for NRP Officer of the Year – to Bushman by end of week.
• Bi-weekly report to governor is WEEKLY during legislative session – Regional Managers to have weekly reports in by COB on Mondays.
• NRP training division is offering Spanish class and offering available spots for MPS staff (e.g. Johnson office, Fort Frederick).
• Trail Wayfinding Guidelines will be incorporated by reference into the MPS Policy Manual (similar to Bloodborne Pathogens policy). Hudson will draft section for policy manual. The guidelines will also be posted on the MPS training site.
• Portable Toilets: Reminder to managers to consider portable toilets in remote areas (e.g. hunter parking lots) to prevent sanitary issues in surrounding woods.
• NRP Promotions Ceremony: March 4 – Anne Arundel Community College – Interested MPS staff may attend – Provide names to Bushman by end of January.
• Finalizing MPS Pet Policy for 2017: Last call for changes.
• Trapping in State Parks: Requests for trapping to be forwarded to MPS for internal review. Park managers to submit current / recent trapping programs for review (Janes Island, Cedarville, Patuxent properties, Youghiogheny). Information to include species, methods, acres, dates, number of trappers, etc. Regional Managers to coordinate with WHS counterparts to include resource information. Owens will be working with Peditto / WHS on trapping workshop that will educate MPS managers and staff about the trapping and the process (Regional Managers to provide names of appropriate staff).
• Policy Issues: Nothing brought up by Regional Managers.
• Email signature block: “Ranger” title can be put in front of name. Field staff can use name of park instead of Unit name (Maryland Park Service) – keep it simple (do not list all parks in a complex). Managers to remind staff to change email signature as per the guidelines, and ensure that it is done.
• Park closures: Reminder to notify SDO and DNR of weather-related closures. SDO will notify Bushman / Settina, at their discretion, for significant events. OC may be notified if appropriate. If social media posts desired, SDO to include Michelle Ramirez in notification, as she is the current designee from the MPS Social Media Team.
• Campground Coverage: Bushman will be meeting with NRP to discuss needs for consistent patrols / presence in busy campgrounds. Emphasis will be placed on good communication between Park Managers and local NRP officers.
• Deer Hunting Opportunities: Look for opportunities for new deer hunting programs as a resource management tool / recreational opportunity. Regional managers will be asking managers to brainstorm possible hunting areas in their park(s).