A former Recreation Division employee said her investigation shows current programs are failing.
In public comment Monday, Faye Clark said a recent "Get on the Bus" trip was unsuccessful and had to be canceled and said, "Teen Camp has no teens." Recreation Superintendent Roni Taylor was not present to respond Monday, but Council President Bridget Rivers told Clark to email the information so it can be verified.
"We had high enrollment - what happened to that?" Clark said, although former Recreation Superintendent Dave Wynn consistently declined council requests for participation statistics. Wynn left the position in 2012 and later Public Works & Urban Development Director Eric Jackson said participation was just a few hundred.
Clark said she personally distributed fliers for one of the events. She requested figures on current participation.and also questioned current staffing, specifically whether one individual is holding two positions.
Councilwoman Gloria Taylor said she had "real concerns" that Clark's questions were not being answered.
"Teen Camp with no teens? I have a real problem with that," Taylor said.
Although voicing support for Roni Taylor (no relation, she said), Gloria Taylor told Clark that when she keeps coming and gets no answers, "I have a problem with that. I really have a problem."
Gloria Taylor said she wants information from current DPW&UD Director Eric Watson and from Roni Taylor.
Besides offering programs, Roni Taylor stated goals in 2014 including automated data gathering, dual language signage at recreation facilities, partnerships with schools and churches and computerized registration and fee collection.
Commentary
Over the past decade, the school population has shifted from predominately African-American to mostly Latino, which may signal a need for bilingual staff in Recreation. By the time the next budget process begins, the division will have two years of data to guide planning for the 2016 season. A youth group in 2013 recommended greater use of Facebook, Twitter and other social media to publicize recreation programs and with a new web site coming soon, perhaps timely information there will increase participation.
--Bernice
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Jerry Greens' girl Faye needs to have several seats, she's just bitter because shes out of a job.
ReplyDeleteanon 9:22am I think you are really out of line. If a citizen request information what's the problem. Anytime someone speaks up against this administration it becomes a problem. I was at the meeting and information Ms. Clarke asked for was legitimate. People please stop. When Mr. Wynn was the recreation director Mayor Mapp whom was on the council always asked for the number of children listed in the recreational programs.
ReplyDeleteRenee
Did he ever get the numbers? If not were you as verbal and insistence.
DeleteHe did. Above and beyond.
DeleteHow do I know? I was one of 3 SEASONAL STAFF members who completed the request...actually, as a result I met a lot of nice people.
The information disappeared when Ms. Taylor took it upon herself to clear out ALL recreational paper documents as well as dumping the computer input. I gather to start a fresh. Silly. Now look.
That's fact not hearsay.
Remember! Make the best out of every situation good, bad or indifferent.
He did. Above and beyond.
DeleteHow do I know? I was one of 3 SEASONAL STAFF members who completed the request...actually, as a result I met a lot of nice people.
The information disappeared when Ms. Taylor took it upon herself to clear out ALL recreational paper documents as well as dumping the computer input. I gather to start a fresh. Silly. Now look.
That's fact not hearsay.
Remember! Make the best out of every situation good, bad or indifferent.
I serve (along with the Council President) on the city council's Recreation Committee, so I stay abreast of what the Parks and Recreation Division is doing in terms of advancing its mission to provide recreational opportunities to our community, as well as its work in maintaining our parks and other recreation facilities, producing the Independence Day events, the concerts, National Night Out, and a host of other activities. The Recreation Division has (besides the superintendent) only a secretarial assistant and a recreation leader. Everyone else is seasonal. The council, in its infinite wisdom, defunded the position of Public Information Officer, so the programs are being publicized as much as possible with this small staff. Many programs are very successful, and others will take a bit more time for the public to know about them and to sign on.Offering teen trips is part of what the mandate for recreation is about--if teens don't sign up for every trip, then staff time is not spent on the trip. For Faye Clark to continually come before the council with baseless insinuations, accusations based on her own flawed and biased perceptions and lack of knowledge, and for her to repeatedly focus in an almost obsessive way on the duties of a particular city worker (that is weird), is almost comical, were it not so unsettling and suggestive of harassment. The superintendent seems to be doing a stellar job after just a single year in the position, and the accolades on her behalf (and on behalf of the staff and seasonal personnel) that I continually receive from parents, seniors, youngsters, and from the young people whom she has employed in recreation, it appears that the only person who seems to have a problem is Faye Clark. The data that is being gathered through the new industry-standard Community Pass, through walk-in registrations, and through the revenues received will give an idea as to which programs will need more support next year, and which ones seem to be doing well. Adding variety and innovation will increase the recreational opportunities for ALL of Plainfield's residents.
ReplyDeleteRebecca Williams
Proof of enrollment was frequently requested by the City Council and CABC from Recreation under the former administration with vague or no information forthcoming. Where is this proof of success that Ms. Clark frequently refers to when she was an employee. As a former employee of Recreation, I kept rosters of each program for each season including summer camp and all employees. I was asked to generate the stats on families/siblings for the council while I was there prior to 2008 and it was a matter of pushing a button to produce the numbers and verified by the manual receipts written for each payment of program fees that were received. Without the proof, success remains in the mind of the beholder.
ReplyDeleteIt would also be nice instead of spreading negativity about a division that is about providing positive wholesome activities for the young and young at heart, how about we as residents concerned about our children make sure we do all we can to make sure they know what is available.
Ms. Clark has now developed a reputation for going to the mic frequently casting shade first on Queen City Baseball League and now on Recreation. You have to wonder why it seem she is on a mission that is not healthy for Plainfield. There are plenty of private programs that maybe she can find is good enough to not complain about and let Recreation continue to develop their programs, new and old.
Nancy Jordan
Like 9:22 said, sounds like she is being influence to go to the mic. She obeys because she thinks her reward will be a job. From where I sit it looks like recreations in heading in the right direction and I'm sure it will only improve. We should all be working together to make the programs offered by the rec department a success instead of looking for fault. Have a seat Ms. Faye.
DeleteIt seems Councilwoman Taylor speaks out of both sides of her mouth. She begs for the city to have programs for youth and seniors, but votes often to defund important positions that will improve outcomes in many City departments. Councilwoman Taylor seems to take any situation to cut down the current administration. She wants everyone who works for the city to live in Plainfield, qualified or not, but her husband didn't worry about that and she makes her substantial retirement by working in outside of the city where she lived. She seems to have one set of ethics for herself and the past administrations and another for this. It is difficult to take this woman seriously. I want to know what she has done for her ward since election. Now that will be news.
ReplyDeleteMs. Bernice, I may not always agree with some commentary but freedom of speech is just that.
ReplyDeleteCouncil woman Rebecca Williams, do know I'm not moved by your comments. "WEIRD, HARASSMENT& COMICAL) is your OPINION. As the Recreation Committee member my concerns should be yours NOW not later. Our youth needs programs as our SENIORS has PROGRAMS and a PROGRAM DIRECTOR to facilitate and advocate for them.
With that. Have a pleasant day and enjoy your weekend.
Faye, if a program director position became available do you have the qualifications for the postion?
DeleteNancy.
ReplyDeleteContinue your mission with no connection to recreation. Do know we ll have PRIVILEGE TO THE FLOOR rights.
This superintendent has had to clean up quite a bit of former mess. It didn't help that records mysteriously disappeared. But it is certainly a better atmosphere down there than it was.
ReplyDeleteWhere was Gloria Taylor when Dave Wynn said he had NO numbers to track any of his programs?
ReplyDeleteI'll take a seat and step away from the mic as I am so moved.
ReplyDeleteClearly shows YOU who think I'm led to the mic by order of others truly don't know me.
So, I end this with...I understand the need to attempt to insult/or humiliate me, I'm not.
Thanks again Ms. Bernice.
What?
DeleteIt seems that Faye Clark is on a mission to destroy....
ReplyDeleteVikings Pop Warner Football
Plainfield Youth Baseball
Recreation
Too much time on her hands it seems.... Instead of working well with others, she seems hell bent on working to tear down....