Vandalism in Port Orange Parks
We hope this picture is not part of our future !
| Memo from Susan Lovallo, Parks and Recreation Director | February 5, 2014 8:43 PM |
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| To: | “Greg Kisela” <gkisela@port-orange.org> | |||||||||||
Greg:
I have serious reservations about your approach. First, time is of the essence at least for Coraci, the damage continues at Coraci. The report provided by the Recreation Department was inaccurate. There has been vandalism at Coraci beyond ruts, damage to fences and gates around the soccer field. It has been going on for several months. I have brought it to your attention several times. To this date, nothing effective has been done. Clearly there is a need to secure Coraci. The sooner we can get the gates closed, the better. The City has been dragging its feet far too long on this issue. The report is inaccurate in its conclusion that when improvements are made vandalism will be reduced. Research has clearly demonstrated that vandalism allow to continue just gets worse.
As I noted previously the taxpayers of the City of Port Orange are making a major commitment to our Parks. For example in Coraci, additional investment may well exceed 500,000 for soccer field and lighting. Ruts across a new soccer field could be devastating.
Another park that I am very concerned about is All Children’s Park, the recent additions to that Park (the Ship, splash pad) are expensive. Vandalism could be quite costly. The substantial investments at the All Children’s Park also needs additional attention.
Why would staff consult with the Park and Recreation Board about a security plan? Would it be more appropriate to ask the Police Department to assist in crafting a security plan? The obvious question is are you asking the Parks and Recreation Board to weight in on the appropriateness of the Council instruction? If not fine, if so I have a problem with it.
Council in a formal action instructed that a plan be developed to secure the Parks at night. Anywhere other than Port Orange, this would appear to be a reasonable request. I politely request that you proceed to put together such a plan.
From: Kisela, Greg
Sent: Wednesday, February 05, 2014 4:56 PM
To: City Council
Subject: FW: Memo from Susan Lovallo, Parks and Recreation Director
Mayor and City Council: See report from Susan Lovallo, Director of Parks and Recreation, relating to the City Council’s motion to secure/lock the parks. Only a small percentages of our facilities have gates. She is suggesting and I agree that we agenda this before the Parks Advisory Board to get their recommendations on how to proceed with the direction of the City Council. Please advise if you have any concerns with this approach. Thanks.
Greg Kisela
City Manager
Greg,
Before we let this issue get too large without addressing the immediate problem, let me just say that Corracci is one of the three parks that are now gated. It is where the immediate problem is, and the current damage out there is what has precipitated our desire to look at park security. We need to immediately be securing that park! I feel that paralyisis of analysis is setting in. There may be an additional need for gates or cameras, and we can discuss that later. But the immediate nightly securing of Corracci doesn’t need any policy conversations. Lets solve that one problem now, and we can take a more methodical approach to the policy questions that remain once that is done.
Thanks,
Don
Vice-mayor: I don’t disagree with addressing Corracci. We thought we had it solved with a combination of volunteers and City employees but unfortunately it wasn’t. The intent of the e-mail was related to the broader policy issue.
Greg Kisela
City Manager