Dear Uncle,
As far as I can tell. the Parks Commission says that they need the increased fee to pay the costs of creating and keeping track of the actual park passes themselves. They are installing a new (and expensive) system.
It seems like a huge jump and their apparent decision to void all existing passes is disturbing. I'm trying to double check this last point. If someone paid for a four year pass in 2006, are they just out of luck?
I'll let you know what else I find out.
Jonathan
18 comments:
Nice graphic Unc.
There is no way you can convince me that software to "track passes" costs THAT much. I want to see the budget for the Park & Rec Department!
What they need to do is hire a Parks and Rec Director that actually has a 4+ year degree in the field, and experience in management. A new director could probably turn that department around and have it working much more efficiently without raping the public in park fees!
Good lord! $25.00 for a four year pass doesn't seem that bad. Why shouldn't the parks department cover their costs.
Its $25 for 5 years or $5.00 a year, please relex Woodbury!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am interested in the bands? Who pays for the bands and the concept that we pay as we go for these bands seems like a good idea. If there is any truth to the statement that the parks paid $$10,000 for a band, some body needs their head examined. So what's the truth on the bands? We need to pay the lifeguards more money as all I ever hear is we can't get enough lifeguards because we don't pay well and yet we pay for bands. No I am not a lifeguard nor do I work for the town or park and rec. I just love the Parks and Rec and want to see it well maintained.
As a member of the parks commission I would like to say a few things:
1. the raise in your pass has nothing to do with the pond renovations!(p.s. not all the renovations is being paid for through park land fees, only a certain amount was allowed, the rest was bonded)
2. Gilda has only been out of work since September. She has a very serious back problem.
3. It does NOT and has NOT cost us $10,000 for a band!
4. The person that wants to see the budget for the Parks dept needs to FOIL it. Be my guest.
5. If you want to see the parks well maintained then stop complaining.
So you can't have it both ways. A) Either the commissioners and Gilda have been asleep at the wheel in only charging minuscule amounts for the park passes for the past two decades and do not know how to develop budgets properly, and have FINALLY come to their senses, or B)They aren't being entirely truthful about why they are requiring such a large increase.
It reminds me of what the NYS DMV did a few years ago when they needed to raise cash in a hurry- they increased the term of your license at a much greater fee. Sounds like another band-aid to me.
Just out of curiosity, does Gilda have a degree? If so what kind of degree and in what field of study? Does her position require a degree?How much does she get paid per hr, month, year? And finally, what does she do from September to June?
Also- I've heard rumblings in the past that the lifeguards only make a pittance in comparison to lifeguards in other Towns like Newburgh, or for private establishments like the local hotels/motels. Why? If these young people have to be certified Lifesavers, and certified in CPR & Safety, it sounds like much more responsibility than Gilda has.
I think Mr. Burke and the Town Board, and Mrs. Weeks and the Village Board need to take a much closer look at how that whole department and commission is being run, and perhaps clean house!
To the last poster. It is very obvious that your child is a lifeguard.
As far as the boards taking more control, maybe they should. Let's remember that the parks commission are volunteers not elected officials.
Why don't you people go to the parks meetings and voice your concerns. I believe Mr. Burke goes to their meetings, so he can hear your compliants first hand.
$25.00 dollars per person over the age of fourteen thru the age of 64 for a five year pass is a bargain. That breaks down to $5.00 per year. The residents of Woodbury are lucky to have a wonderful park system. We happen to be the envy of other local municipalities that can not offer their residents what we have.
I have no problem renewing my pass every five years. This allows the system to be updated so people who have moved out of Woodbury are deleted from the data base. This prevents non-residents (who don't pay taxes!!) from using the facilities.
I suggest the Parks Department communicate with the Assessors office on a monthly basis and update their data base when a resident has sold their home in Woodbury or check with the Orange County Board of Elections as to who has registered to vote in Woodbury or changed their voting location outside of Woodbury. This would help within the five year term of the pass to update the data base with people who have moved out of Woodbury.
Proud to be a Woodbury resident
If My questions sound like complaints then you sound like it's my way or the highway. We don't need volunteers with that type of attitude. Just give the facts. We don't always have to agree!
FYI- I have no children who have been or ever were lifeguards...as stated , only heard "rumblings".
And as far as being a "bargain", I am simply questioning the INCREASE. If you had paid for something last year that was $10, and this year is $25 (for what appears to be 1 extra yr), you wouldn't scratch your head and wonder why? That is a 150% increase- gas didn't even increase by that amount!
Why not just answer the questions???
"Just out of curiosity, does Gilda have a degree? If so what kind of degree and in what field of study? Does her position require a degree?How much does she get paid per hr, month, year? And finally, what does she do from September to June?
Also- I've heard rumblings in the past that the lifeguards only make a pittance in comparison to lifeguards in other Towns like Newburgh, or for private establishments like the local hotels/motels. Why? If these young people have to be certified Lifesavers, and certified in CPR & Safety, it sounds like much more responsibility than Gilda has."
The cost of park passes are pro-rated. So the individual that applied for a pass in 2006 did not pay the full amount. The parks dept. receives notices from the tax assesor when homes are sold, apartment dwellers are a different situation entirely, thus a yearly pass with proof of residency.
The cost of computer software is astronomical, something the user has no control of.
If the village were to take over the parks, we might no longer have them. The insurance would be out of reach...the new village would have a high risk rate.
Yeah, Hire someone with a degree, are you an idiot? Never mind, I already know the answer to that......Do you think the Town would pay enough to lure someone with a big degree? And what the hell kind of degree would it be? Bachelors of fun? Stop crying and pay the $25.00 , typical woodburyite, want everything for nothing. Costs rise, get over it.
To the last two posters- MORONS. You're still not answering the questions since you think you know so much. Why the big increase? And does Gilda have a degree? For your information, there are 4 yr bachelor degrees in phys ed and recreation!
The extra cost covers the computer
software necessary to produce the id cards. If you read the posting you would have seen the answer to your question.
They have had laptops and software for years. Is this all NEW stuff they're getting? How many laptops do they need? It's not like they're building a rocket or something. Do the math and see how much money they'll be getting this year over last. Does that stuff go out to bid?
The purchase was of software (programs) not hardware (laptops).
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