2019 May Senior Staff Meeting Notes

MARYLAND PARK SERVICE

SENIOR STAFF MEETING NOTES

May 1, 2019

Broadneck Office, Annapolis, MD

Attendees: Nita Settina, Chris Bushman, Amanda Mock, Mary Owens, Christy Bright, Steve McCoy, Patrick Bright, Jonas Williams [next meeting’s manager-of-the-month (July) – Western Region]

REGIONAL REPORTS

Central – Steve McCoy

      

·         Patapsco Valley – The Hammonds Ferry Road dumping site has been cleaned up by the person(s) caught in the act of dumping debris at the site.

·         Rocks – Falling Branch / Kilgore Falls – Discussion of implementation of the free in-house day-use reservation / permit procedure starting in late June.

·         Patapsco Valley – Maintenance and safety improvements to the flood-damaged Grist Mill Trail are nearly complete and the majority of the trail will be opening soon, including the segment from Lost Lake to the second tunnel / washout.

·         Seneca Creek – Black Rock Mill – Staff are working with DNR partners to take a fresh look at the management of this important historic site, including an evaluation of parking and carrying capacity.

·         Soldiers Delight – Inspection of building renovations was recently completed, with excellent results, and park staff is following up on several issues.

·         National Recreation and Park Association Conference in Baltimore (September 24-26, 2019) – Staff attendance at this event should be approved and coordinated by the Park Manager, like any other training opportunity, and within staffing / operational limitations.

Western – Christy Bright

·         Town of Hancock – Park staff to meet with the Mayor of Hancock on plans to install pavilions, picnic tables and other infrastructure on land leased along the Western Maryland Rail Trail.

·         Rocky Gap – Significant challenges with establishing working internet services at the park. Park staff working with DoIT to resolve.

·         Herrington Manor – Discussion of renewal of, and changes to, the Jennings-Randolph lease agreement.

·         Wolf Den Run – Discussion about seeking feedback from OHVA partners on the draft reservation and fee schedule approaches. Great work by all park staff working on this important effort!

·         Sang Run – Historic Election House – Project to stabilize the structure to begin in early June.

Southeast – Patrick Bright

·         Greenwell – Patuxent Aeromodelers RC Model Airplane Club lease up for renewal. DNR will draft new lease as per last year’s agreement and send it to the club for review and signature.

·         Assateague – Dune and campsite construction project is progressing; however, park staff have been required to shift campers to accommodate construction delays.

·         Sandy Point – Park staff met with NRP, Anne Arundel County PD and MdTAP to coordinate traffic management for the upcoming season.

The attendance reporting and customer satisfaction survey results were discussed and reviewed.

BED BUG PROTOCOLS - Jonas Williams

Ranger Williams presented key elements of a draft “Bed Bug Information and Guidelines” document that he developed with feedback from several State Parks. Discussion of various treatment options and the effectiveness of each. Discussion of future impact to availability of mini-cabins. Kudos to Ranger Williams for researching and developing this very helpful resource!

PLANNING AND CONSERVATION PROGRAMS – Mary Owens

·         Project Review – Approximately 150 projects are in the review process. The new LTC Natural Resources Planner, Logan McSherry, is starting in mid-May.

·         Trash-Free Parks Bags – Order being processed now.

·         Construction Projects – Discussion about the status of completing several projects, including the Sandy Point plaza, Belt Woods, and Assateague dune project.

·         Conservation Jobs Corps – To ensure there is sufficient funding to maintain the MCC program, the number of CJC participants in non-Baltimore area locations may be reduced this summer.

·         Veterans Conservation Corps – Agreement with Student Conservation Association is under final review and approval.

ADMINISTRATION – Amanda Mock

·         Personnel – Discussion of mandatory sexual harassment training being coordinated by DNR Human Resources Service, and a pending request for information about DNR employees’ various licenses / certifications. More to come on both.

·         Budget – To ensure a smooth FY 2019 closeout, park budget projections should be up to date and grant expenditures (e.g. Recreational Trail Grants) should be finalized and associated documentation submitted. Amanda provided an update on FY 2019 expenditures and revenues, as well as the status of the FY 2020 budget.

·         Mentoring Work Group – Discussion of the work group report and presentation at the May Managers meeting.

·         Volunteer Management – Park staff are encouraged to keep working with volunteers to ensure volunteer hours are tracked in the volunteer tracking system (Samaritan), as this data is closely tracked by the State. Regional Managers will seek feedback about specific volunteer management tasks headquarters should implement to support parks volunteer efforts. 

DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT UPDATE – Chris Bushman

·         Deputy Superintendent Bushman asked for any policy suggestions and encouraged the solicitation of ideas from field staff.

·         Radio Interoperability issues – The technology and equipment will allow interoperability with the NRP radio system. If staff are having issues with ensuring radio communication with NRP, they need to coordinate directly with their NRP counterparts to troubleshoot and seek resolution, i.e. test the radios in the presence of the NRP. NRP leadership has directed their officers to do the same.

·         E-Bikes – New law effective October 1, 2019 supports current policy prohibiting e-bikes (motorized vehicles) on all park trails. E-bikes will remain prohibited on all natural surface trails. Regional Managers to seek feedback on the use of e-bikes on select paved / improved State Park trails throughout the State.

SUPERINTENDENT UPDATE – Nita Settina

·         Reviewed April 2019 Senior Staff Notes and discussed several related follow-up items.

·         June Senior Staff Retreat – The Secretary will be joining Senior Staff at the retreat. Discussion of the potential meeting agenda, information for the Secretary, and associated activities.

·         May Managers Meeting – Discussion of several items on the agenda and associated meeting logistics.