ARE MORE MANAGEMENT CONTROLS NEEDED AT CITY HALL?As we reported in # 93; the CM PRESS had been under the impression that the City was moving forward with a process toward making Paularino Park (as well as other passive parks) safe for its intended passive uses.
Then, at the Parks and Recreation Commission meeting this past Wednesday (2/28), we suddenly learned that nothing at all had been done or was even in the works for Paularino Park (or other passive parks).
Apparently, we weren't alone in thinking that things were moving forward and we also weren't alone in being surprised to hear that they weren't.
After the Parks and Recreation Commission meeting, we received an email from former Parks and Recreation Commissioner Byron de Arakal reminding us that the Parks and Recreation Commission's "direction was very clear back in September. I offered at that time that Paularino Park was not configured to handle large-group athletic play and that staff should work with the neighborhood to develop the appropriate programming for the park, and bring those suggestions back to [The Parks Recreation Commission] for review and recommendations to Council."
That order from the Parks and Recreation Commission to staff was, as we now know, never carried out.
And, it was only because the CM PRESS asked about the progress on Paularino Park that we have now all learned that nothing is being done. Zero. Zip. Nada. And, not only is nothing being done, but no one on staff bothered to tell the Mesa North Community Association Board, or, presumably, anyone else, including the Parks and Recreation Commission, that nothing was being done.
This incident makes us wonder how many other projects the City Council and the two Commissions think are being worked on--while nothing is being done.
Mr. De Arakal also indicated to us that he didn't remember the City Council giving any direction to the Parks and Recreation Commission on this matter. Actually, the Council did give such direction in 2005.
Mr. De Arakal finished up his message to us with this: "I would suggest you email the [Parks and Recreation Commissioners] and remind them of the history of this issue and where it stands and ask them to request that staff have a report on programming suggestions at its March or April meeting."
We did as Mr. De Arakal suggested. Will anything start happening now? Who knows? Staff doesn't seem to take direction from the Commission or City Council very seriously.
DOES THIS POINT UP A BIGGER PROBLEM IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT?
Don't for a minute think that this is just about a puny little park in one neighborhood. The bigger issue here is whether or not the City Council, the Planning Commission and the Parks and Recreation Commission can direct staff to do things and have confidence that they will actually be done.
Why do these officials have to suddenly learn, after a citizen asks a simple question at a public meeting, that what the officials asked staff to do is not being done? Is it necessary for the City Council members and the members of the two Commissions to constantly monitor staff to see that they're doing what they've been asked to do?
If we were on the City Council, we'd want to know if this was just something that slipped through the cracks, or was staff too busy, or did staff just decide to ignore the Commission, and by extension, the City Council. We'd also want to know if there are any other projects that have been given similar treatment.
This leads to the related question as to whether or not our elected and appointed officials might be relying too much on some staff members and just assuming that their orders are being carried out when they're not.
We understand that many things are said at these meetings and it may be difficult to remember who is supposed to do what and when it's supposed to be done but...well, maybe a better tickler system needs to be set up to keep things moving forward.
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Those are our opinions. Thanks for reading them.
