Does Pierce have a vision?
A vision and a plan for the recreation department were two major needs identified during a recreation innovation and programming workshop last month.
“Your citizens don’t care who or how provides the programs they want, they just want you to provide the programs and facilities for them,” said Steve Card, Executive Director of the Georgia Parks and Recreation Association (GRPA).
Card gave a wide-ranging, hour-long presentation on recreation programs, funding and community support and involvement during the workshop. All members of the recreation advisory board were present for the presentation along with County Chairman Neal Bennett, Former County Manager Raphel Maddox, District Three Commissioner Randy Dixon and District Four Commissioner David Lowman.
Lowman referenced the recent budget hearings when he pointed out the challenges of raising taxes and then also planning for building a new recreation complex for baseball and softball.
“Many taxpayers told us during the budget hearings to just do away with the recreation department,” Lowman said.
Card encouraged those present to focus efforts on making recreation an “investment” instead of a “budget expense.”
“It costs lots less to provide recreation programs than it does to build jail space and house inmates,” Card said.
He also told those present to expect criticism and blow back.
“It’s not going to be easy. What you have to do is talk people into supporting the idea,” he said.
He asked recreation board members to get their community involved, to get businesses to provide in-kind work and donations and to go to civic organizations to encourage volunteers.
“You can’t do everything you need to with a full-time staff of three people,” he said. “You need help from the community.”
Card heaped praise on the county’s athletic facilities at the schools and Pierce County’s overall image as an attractive place to live, work and raise a family.
Recreation Director Maureen Brown and rec board member Brad Arington expressed frustration Pierce County’s recreation facilities are not better than they are.
“I know people who show off Pierce County, but skip showing our recreation facilities,” Brown said.
Arington pointed out other communities the size of Pierce County have attractive recreation facilities.
“We can, too. We’ve got to figure this out,” he said. Card, a former rec director in Wayne County, pointed out the recreation facilities there were built about a decade ago with community support.
“We had to get funding from the county budget and later the special purpose local option sales tax, but we also had lots of in kind donations from local businesses,” he said.
Card said estimated cost of the facility at that time was $3 million and Wayne County was able to build it for $1.5 million.
It was noted Pierce’s original estimate for the new complex and renovations at Ware Street this past June was a whopping $17.86 million. The board is trying to reduce that amount to around $6 million. The SPLOST proceeds will fund about $3.4 million, meaning the county will need to find a way to finance the rest.
Rec board chairman Chris Wright asked Card for tips on grants.
Card told those present to remember that grants are not “free money.”
“They require matching funds and lots of paperwork and documentation,” he said.
Maddox suggested bonds would be used to finance the balance and Card indicated that was an option for funding. He cautioned board members to plan for maintenance and operations funding once the facilities are completed.
“Once you have built new facilities you are going to have to staff and maintain them,” he said.
Card encouraged the recreation board to meet and determine their goals and vision before they make plans for facilities and programs.
“Having clear goals is important,” he said.
