SUBJECT: Staff Report
Title
Parks & Recreation Department Intent to Pursue Reaccreditation with the Commission for Accreditation of Parks and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA)
Body
DEPARTMENT: Parks & Recreation
PRESENTER: Farrell Buller, Parks & Recreation Director
FISCAL INFORMATION: N/A
Cost as Recommended:
Balance Available:
Budget Line Item Number:
New Appropriation Required:
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Board of Trustee Support for Parks & Recreation Department to Pursue Reaccreditation with the Commission for Accreditation of Parks and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA)
End
SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND OF SUBJECT MATTER:
In 2012 Town of Erie Parks & Recreation Department was granted national accreditation by the Commission for Accreditation of Parks and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA). Accreditation is based on demonstrating compliance with 144 national standards of industry best practices. Being a CAPRA accreditation agency assures policy makers, department staff, the general public and taxpayers that Erie’s Parks & Recreation Department has been independently evaluated against established benchmarks and been found to deliver a high level of quality through effective and efficient administration and operations.
Erie was the only third Colorado agency to achieve CAPRA accreditation and did so meeting all 144 standards - the first agency in the nation to achieve a 100%! We feel it is important to maintain this designation as a creditable way to show the public we strive to maintain a high level of service in a cost effective manor and use resources in the most effective and efficient way.
The national standards cover 10 categories:
§ Agency Authority, Role and Responsibility
§ Planning
§ Organization and Administration
§ Human Resources
§ Financial Management
§ Programs and Services Management
§ Facility and Land Use Management
§ Public Safety, Law Enforcement and Security
§ Risk Management
§ Evaluation and Research
In order to maintain this highly regarded status, it is necessary to complete a reaccreditation process every five years to ensure that accredited agencies continue to follow industry best standards and continue to deliver a high level of service. It is now time for the Erie Parks & Recreation Department to prepare its first five year review. The initial steps in this process have been started and these include: reviewing updates to the standards, registering to attend the required training session, setting deadlines, scheduling independent review, and confirming support from Town Administration and the Board of Trustees.
The benefits to the agency and Town for achieving and maintaining accreditation are:
§ Increases efficiency and evidence of accountability
§ Answers the question “How are we doing?” through extensive self-evaluation and external validation processes
§ Identifies areas for improvement by comparing an agency against national standards of best practice
§ Enhances teamwork by engaging all staff in the process
§ Creates improved relationships between departments
§ Forces written documentation of policies and procedures
§ Creates an environment for regular review of operations, policies and procedures and promotes continuous improvement
§ Public assurance and validation of well-administered services in accord with approved professional practices
As department staff works on the self-assessment report and supporting documents it will be necessary to enlist the support and assistance of other Town Departments for their expertise and approval on standards that relate to their functions. The final report is a reflection of the excellence of the entire Town, not just the Parks & Recreation Department.
Our timeline to complete the process is as follows:
|
Announce Intent to Pursue Reaccreditation |
July 26, 2016 |
|
Attend Required Training |
August 22, 2016 |
|
Conduct Review and Prepare Self-Assessment Report |
August 2016 - March 2017 |
|
Submit Final Self-Assessment Report |
March 24, 2017 |
|
Site Visit by CAPRA Team |
June 2017 |
|
CAPRA Commission Hearing / Decision |
September 2017 |
The direct costs of reaccreditation include the 5-year fee of $1,650 and the cost of hosting the independent CAPRA visitors, both of which will be included in the Parks & Recreation Department’s operating budget request for 2017.
With the support of the Board of Trustees, Town Administration, and other departments the Parks & Recreation Department can maintain CAPRA accreditation and help build community through the delivery of exceptional parks, open spaces, trails, facilities, programs, and services.
ATTACHMENTS:
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