July 2017 Senior Staff Notes

MARYLAND PARK SERVICE

SENIOR STAFF MEETING NOTES

July 12, 2017

Broadneck - Annapolis

Attendees: Nita Settina, Chris Bushman, Amanda Mock, Mary Owens, Mike Riley, Christy Bright, Steve McCoy, Andrew Hangen (next meeting’s manager-of-the-month – Southeast)

Senior Staff commends and thanks all MPS staff for the hard work and long hours during the extended Independence Day holiday and bookend weekends.

REGIONAL REPORTS

• Southeast

·       Heat issues affecting staff and visitors (not just in the Southeast L)

·       Seasonal Hiring – Issues remain with time involved in the process. Parks are also having difficulties recruiting / hiring adequate staff.

·       Will be evaluating / discussing seasonal salaries to ensure that we can compete with other employment opportunities in each area.

·       Love Point – meeting with NRP to develop letter of intent for property.

·       PLO – NRP staffing levels. Have followed up and the NRP is making a concerted effort to provide a consistent presence on weekends.

·       Franklin Point – Settina met with AACO Parks and Rec staff. County exploring possibility of assuming management of the park.

• Western

·       Sang Run – To be designated as a separate State Park – need to speak with Friends family and other stakeholders.

·       Day-Use Reservations – No feedback / direction from Office of Secretary thus far. May start to explore reservation system for outlying areas with carrying capacity issues, e.g. Falling Branch, Daniels.

·       Carrying Capacity study – Greenbrier – Would like to begin in the fall.

·       Healthy Parks, Healthy People – Brochure designer is not responsive. Cover photo needs to be changed.

·       Strategic Plan for Historic Resources – High priority for MPS. Working with MHT and Preservation Maryland.

• Central

·       Have had success with new picnic area and no fires / no grilling policy in the Avalon Area of Patapsco. McCoy hopes the model will help other parks with similar day-use visitation / carrying capacity issues.

·       Gittings-Baldwin – McCoy has draft of lease with new model that establishes rent but provides for rent credits to a certain threshold.

·       Request from Carroll County to establish a dog park at Freedom Park (Patapsco property in Sykesville leased to the county). Project review package was put together by park staff and is awaiting review. If approved, will have to review the current lease and amend if necessary.

·       Bohemia River State Park – Eastern Shore Land Conservancy went to settlement on June 20. McCoy is working on site visit for Assistant Secretary, senior staff and Fair Hill staff. Staff to develop an operations plan.

·       Continuing issues with undeveloped outlying areas. Daniels area of Patapsco and Falling Branch at Rocks are both seeing issues with traffic, parking, trash, etc. Staff is continuing to meet with NRP and local law enforcement to address problems. A church who owns one side of the road in the Daniels Area is planning to eliminate parking area and picnic tables on their property.

REVIEW OF CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SURVEY

·       Senior Staff reviewed June results (81 pages) of customer satisfaction survey, as well as day-use survey feedback.

·       Comments on animal care noted – Settina reminded everyone to pay close attention to welfare / condition of animals in our care.

REVIEW OF VISITATION / ATTENDANCE REPORTING

·       Reported visitation in June tracking very close to June 2016.

RANGER SCHOOL UPDATE – Hangen

• Similar model / curriculum as past schools.
• Some changes made based on feedback from Rangers who recently attended.
• Will be held at New Germany State Park from October 16 – November 10, 2017. The staff will be: Dean, Ranger Andrew Hangen; Assistant Dean, Ranger Debbie Cooper, and; Assistant Dean, Ranger Erin Thomas.
• Senior Staff reviewed the draft agenda.

ADMINISTRATION (Mock)

• Narcan / Naloxone – MPS will be coordinating with the NRP, as the lead for DNR, on training / protocols. Settina asked for feedback from Regional Managers / Managers. Will follow up with NRP leadership.
• Budget Update / Budget Closeout. Parks have ample money to cover expenses. Significant equipment purchases made once we were confident that all else was covered.
• Annual MES Meeting – Mock will set up meeting for the fall.
• FY18 – money has not been allocated to units – usually not until late summer, early fall. We will be replacing 18 vehicles this fiscal year.
• Mock needs to hear from regions about equipment needs, seasonal staff needs, etc. This information should be provided to her during September budget meetings.
• FY19 – No target yet. Real Estate Transfer Tax estimates will help us determine our budget for the fiscal year. Regional managers should provide Mock with information about any significant revenue streams that may be ending, e.g. leases, capital projects that will take facilities off-line.
• Personnel – Ranger recruitment process is continuing – interview dates being scheduled for August.
• Supervisor Feedback information distributed to all staff.
• Coupon books for field staff use in resolving customer issues – Mock asked regional managers to talk with staff at regional meetings and provide feedback.

PLANNING AND CONSERVATION PROGRAMS (Owens)

• Project reviews – 210 projects to-date. Reminder that the form must be filled out and put into Tracker to become an approved project. Please avoid submitting proposals for small structures unless there is significant justification.
• New Germany day-use and beach – 30% design submittal.
• Sandy Point Plaza – 100% drawings submitted. The plan is to get the program out to bid by Labor Day / construction in the fall.
• Chapel Point – Settina would like to sign the lease. Owens to follow up with OAG.
• SMPs

§  Belt Woods received a lot of comments. Internal meeting to be scheduled by Shane Johnston.

§  SMPs to OOS – Smallwood came back. No word yet on New Germany, Fort Frederick, Susquehanna, Tuckahoe.

§  Owens will follow up with Parks who are due October 1.

§  SMP schedule – Plans for parks who present in the fall will be due April 1; plans for parks that present in the spring will be due October 1.

• EAB treatments in Parks went well – 300+ ash trees treated.
• 1,680 hemlock trees treated this spring.
• Final DNR Pollinator Plan is out.
• MCC wrapping up year of service.
• CJC is going well.
• VCC – great accomplishments; the crew has done an amazing job at Greenwell!
• Park Quest – Program is going well this summer. Staff is still discussing / brainstorming for next year’s program.
• Trash-Free Parks – signs have been delivered to Cunningham Falls and Sandy Point.
• Signature Events calendar – Needs to be updated in the Fall.
• Aquatic Invasive Species Plan – Owens distributed and asked for feedback from managers who have lakes – will provide information to Resource Assessment Service.

SUPERINTENDENT UPDATE (Settina)

• Review May Senior Staff Meeting notes – All tasks have been completed.
• Follow-up from June Retreat

§  JobAps – We have made some progress in streamlining process.

§  Operational House policies – Regional Managers have followed up with staff on operational house policies, requirements and best practices

§  Standard Operating Procedures – Further discussion on best vehicle to provide information to staff – Pocket Guide?

§  Park Inspections – Wayne Suydam is working with Sarah Gray to develop forms. Owens will bring a draft to next Senior Staff meeting.

§  Park Wayfinding and Signage – first draft August 31 (first parks – Cedarville, Wye Island, Fort Frederick and Fair Hill).

DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT UPDATE (Bushman)

• Policy Issues – None presented by Regional Managers.
• National Night Out – August 1. MPS will be officially collaborating with the NRP on events this year. Bushman to obtain list of events and share with Regional Managers, so that parks in proximity to events have the opportunity to participate with their local NRP partners. Participation is voluntary.
• NRP Commanders Meeting
• Reminder to DNR / officers to notify MPS staff about reported suicidal subjects possibly heading to parks (suicides, reported suicides, suicide attempts). NRP command staff in full agreement that notification is important.
• Importance of NRP presence in campgrounds on weekend evenings.
• Improved communication between NRP and park staff regarding incidents occurring on park property – MPS staff may have useful information.
• Notification to Park Managers in advance if all NRP officers in area are in training, regional meetings, etc. so that park staff is aware and may make fully informed decisions if they require law enforcement assistance.
• General discussion about awareness / vigilance with regard to parks hosting large special events - soft targets for acts of violence.
• Two-night minimum stay policy. New policy has provided better options / improved customer service. Managers need to anticipate operational needs and adjust accordingly, e.g. schedule additional camper check-in / cleaning staff.
• MCE Sign Orders – MPS staff must check with MCE first, but should be assertive in requesting that our requirements be met. If they can’t do so, advise them that we are requesting a waiver and will need to go elsewhere. If they don’t respond by meeting our requirements / timeline, get the waiver and procure the signs at another vendor.
• Speed Limit 20 – Regional managers will discuss appropriate speed limits in parks with managers, including feedback on establishing a standard 20 mph speed limit.
• Radio Communications – Scan all local MPS / NRP radio channels and use the radio for incidents, to take advantage of its broadcast capability / purpose. Scanning channels will give Rangers valuable information related to ongoing events and possible law enforcement issues in the park. Regional managers will be asking managers if there are any specific issues related to communication with NRP or the DNR Communications center. Any issues will be reported to Bushman.