Page 90 - KCMO Parks Master Plan 2032

Organizational Stability City hall. Not only to better coordinate with

allied departments such as KC Water Services
and the Department of Public Works, but also
This department has a responsibility to its citizens to make sure park budgets are spent on park
and staff to remain a viable arm of the KCMO priorities. The department must find ways to
government. The goal statement for this fourth increase its budget. In spite of the recent passage
and crucial pillar reads: of $80M in Park GO Bonds, these funds will
quickly be swallowed up by the long list of capital
Ensuring the benefits of Parks and improvements waiting to be made across the
Recreation and its services are available to system. The department is heavily reliant on its
our community in perpetuity. 1/2-cent sales tax. Inflation has kept sales tax
numbers high - it will not continue. Unless the
Improving the health and stability of the population grows, the sales tax dollars will stay
department needs to happen on multiple fronts. flat. The department needs to do what it can to
They must be able to recruit, hire, and retain great control costs and improve cost recovery at its rec
staff. The top challenge listed by department centers. It can also look at alternative measures
staff during our engagement with them was the of funding such as grants, which have dropped
lack of staff. Job satisfaction is also a concern, off steeply in the last few fiscal years. Park
registering a 6.8 out of 10 during that same survey. conservancies and friends-of-park groups are
Parks and Rec needs to let its employees know also an option on which Kansas City has barely
they are valued and make its workplace one of scratched the surface. These housekeeping
the most desirable in the region. The department matters are perhaps the most crucial so that this
can also expand its volunteer programs through department has the resiliency and strength to
not only the Ambassadors program, but through continue to care for this park system with needs
partnerships with local not-for-profits as well. that parallel its gargantuan size.
There is a need to improve relationships with

84 KANSAS CITY PARKS MASTER PLAN