04-22-2019 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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Big Island Nature Park Management Plan November 2011 ____________________________________________________________________________ 40 VIII. ADMINISTRATION AND OPERATION Staffing Maintenance The City of Orono owns and manages more than 20 parks and recreation facilities located throughout the City. Other than the Orono Municipal Golf Course, Orono‘s parks are not staffed, and park maintenance is performed by the Public Works Department staff or via private maintenance contracts. The City of Orono is committed to protecting the Big Island Nature Park‘s natural resources, providing appropriate recreational and educational opportunities, and ensuring a safe user experience. The remote location and limited accessibility of Big Island Nature Park, while being highly attractive to the public, present a variety of operational challenges in fulfilling this commitment. These challenges include the provision of necessary basic ongoing services such as litter collection and trash removal, maintenance of grounds and other facilities, and emergency repairs. While the removal of nearly all Park buildings has significantly reduced the need for ongoing building maintenance, other maintenance activities generally have been performed on as-needed basis rather than on a regular schedule. Additionally, to date the City has relied to a certain extent on volunteer efforts to accomplish basic maintenance services. However, it is not in the City‘s best interests to continue indefinitely to rely solely on volunteer efforts. While opportunities for volunteerism should be encouraged with regard to interpretive programs or specific Park improvement projects, volunteers should not be relied on for basic Park maintenance. The City should consider establishment of and provision of budgeting for dedicated staffing to ensure that Big Island Nature Park continues to be maintained on a regular basis. That staffing could be in the form of additional part-time or temporary staff, or could simply be a formal assignment or re- distribution of duties among existing Public Works employees. Programs/Activities/Projects Public use of Big Island Nature Park is essentially self-directed by Park visitors, as there are no programmed activities requiring staffing. The limitations on individual and group activities imposed by City ordinances and by the Conservation Easement (see Appendices A and C) are intended to promote passive recreational uses that generally require minimal if any program staffing. All recreational uses of the Park are expected to be self-sustaining. To the extent that organized activities are allowed, permitted or organized by the City, short-term program staffing needs will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis. Programs or projects involving the use of volunteers will require some level of City coordination and direction. Funding and Revenue Big Island Nature Park is operated as an element of the City of Orono park system. The administration, operation and maintenance costs for the Park are funded from the City‘s general park maintenance budget. Initial operating and cleanup funding for the Park was obtained from proceeds of the original bond sale used to purchase the property in 2005. This