Orange County NC Website
of seasonals to help with parks maintenance. Normally Parks seasonals are hired in <br /> March and work into early November. These seasonals are relied on due to the <br /> small number of full-time staff for the number of parks we have. However, current <br /> budget issues have not allowed for that yet. Stancil is working with County <br /> management to create a plan for limited seasonal staffing. The department may be <br /> asked to significantly reduce seasonal staff, and depending on the scale of <br /> reductions, may be looking at reducing maintenance and closing some parks during <br /> the weekdays in order to maintain them. The County Manager will make a final <br /> decision on this in the next several weeks as the budget is prepared, but options <br /> are being discussed. Recreation seasonal staff are a bit different in that they are <br /> not hired until their programs are in place (and the revenue for the programs <br /> received), making their positions revenue neutral. Parks seasonals however do not <br /> have this luxury. The Manager has just approved hiring one full time seasonal at <br /> Cedar Grove to help with the ballfields with HYAA starting up. <br /> Blackwood Farm Park: Park construction design and engineering is nearing <br /> completion and bid documents will soon be out and construction bids solicited, with <br /> construction to begin this summer. One of the scenarios being considering is <br /> closing Blackwood Farm Park during the construction process — which would last <br /> about a year. Much of the construction would take place in parts of the park that <br /> see public usage and the staging area may take up the existing parking area. <br /> Director report: It does appear we will be doing limited in-person summer <br /> camps, but at much smaller numbers than usual. Should know more in the next <br /> couple of weeks. Tennis single and double play is allowed at Fairview. However, no <br /> tournaments are being allowed at this time. <br /> Rhodes noted the Intergovernmental Parks Workgroup will meet virtually April 14. <br /> Friends of Parks and Recreation: Gina Reyman will work to have a meeting set up. <br /> One Hillsborough resident is very interested in planting trees along Hassell Street to <br /> improve the play area behind Central Recreation. This has been suggested for <br /> fundraising and may be a good project for the Friends? <br /> Alice Armstrong mentioned that Chapel Hill will be extending a greenway up to <br /> Eubanks Rd and the Parks and Greenway Commission would like to see Orange <br /> County consider extending the greenway towards Hillsborough in the future. <br /> The next meeting will be held virtually April 7tn <br /> Meeting adjourned at 7:35 pm <br />