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Bench thanked the representatives for coming and indicated <br />the Council would discuss their proposal. After their <br />departure, Bench suggested that this be discussed at the <br />November meeting. <br />b. Annual Recreation Division Report (Chris Sousa) <br />Recreation Manager Lee Barnes joined Superintendent of <br />Recreation Chris Sousa in reporting on recreation programs <br />in the last year. Sousa passed out a comprehensive report <br />with data about programs, events and activities and <br />participation rates and revenue generation. Overall, <br />Recreation had a good year. There were challenges, <br />however. Two employees left the department at different <br />times, so the division was shorthanded for the entire year. <br />The primary function of Recreation is athletics and recreation <br />program management, facility management, volunteer <br />management concessions and community outreach. Sousa <br />described the scope of the recreation staff and its tiers of <br />supervision. He also provided a table comparing Orange <br />County programs and staffing with other jurisdictions. <br />Williams Reid asked if it was possible to decrease some less <br />popular programs and increase resources for the more <br />popular programs. Sousa noted that Orange is the only <br />county to his knowledge among those in the table that does <br />not subsidize recreation programs. Program categories <br />include: Athletics; General Recreation; Special Events; and <br />Camps. Facilities managed are Central Recreation Center; <br />Soccer.com Center; and Efland Cheeks Community Center. <br />Volunteer use for programs was discussed, as was the <br />manner of providing concessions. Community Outreach and <br />new ways to reach the public was also discussed. <br />c. Planning for Biennial Joint Advisory Boards Meeting. Orange <br />County is the host this year. Staff is anticipating that the <br />meeting will be in January/February as it was last year. At <br />this meeting the County, Chapel Hill, Carrboro and <br />Hillsborough parks and recreation advisory boards meet <br />together on matters of mutual interest. . Stancil will be <br />meeting with the other department directors next week, and <br />asked if the Council had any suggested topics for the joint <br />meeting. Artificial fields were mentioned as one topic, <br />although there were concerns about health impacts from <br />these fields. Stancil added that Joint Capital parks planning <br />has been a previous topic and is still relevant. Siler <br />mentioned pump tracks (for mountain bike riding). Disc Golf <br />as mentioned, as was the Mountains to Sea Trail (MST) and <br />trails in general, along with primitive camping. <br />d. Staff Memorandum on Disc Golf. Stancil shared a <br />memorandum prepared by staff related to disc golf, potential <br />at County parks, as requested by the Council earlier this <br />year. In summary, staff recommends the following: <br />1. Suggest that the Council could recommend to BOCC that <br />a possible joint disc golf course venture with the Town of