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Garland Parks and Recreation

  • This chapter is all about capacity management. Advisory boards and commissions are utilized to influence, direct, and, often, approve policy, strategy, and financial decisions necessary for the agency to carry out its mission. The roles, responsibilities and structure should be clearly understood by staff and the public. An effective administrative reporting system ensures communications throughout the chain of command. An agency should make use of the many community organizations that exist in its jurisdiction and establish relationships with them. The park and recreation agency should play an active role in organizing community groups where they do not exist. By establishing such links with the community, the park and recreation agency learns of issues, needs, and opportunities and responds to them before they become problems. Engaging in the use of right-fit-to- the agency technological resources enhances efficiency and effectiveness. Agency transparency is a key component in building trust and credibility with the public. Ensuring there is a process through which the community is able to report barriers to access under the ADA. Agencies should ensure continuity of operations and regularly review such plans.

  • The agency shall have at least one board, commission, and/or committee comprised of members of the public that influence, direct, and that may approve policy, strategy, and financial decisions of the agency. This body may be advisory, policy-setting, elected, or appointed.

     

     

    Required Evidence of Compliance

    • Provide a list of public boards, commissions, and/or committees.

    • Provide evidence of input collected from each group that has influenced or directed policymaking, service delivery adjustments, or other changes to the organization.

  • There shall be collaborative and cooperative relationships that assist in fulfillment of the agency’s mission and its measurable performance objectives. Collaboration and cooperation must be nurtured with strong relationships built on trust and mission alignment, which requires clear and effective expectations and communication.

     

     

     

    Required Evidence of Compliance

    • Provide a matrix outlining a list of 3 Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA), Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) or ongoing cooperative projects or efforts with accompanying staff assigned. To include:

      • how this program fulfills the mission

      • identifies the staff and their relationship with the partner agency

      • start date and expiration date of agreement

      • performance measures

      • link to the agreement(s)

  • Agencies shall engage in progressive research, adoption, upgrade, installation, and/or usage of technology in furtherance of the agency's mission and planning strategies. These goals shall be sufficiently supported with technological expertise and equipment to enable the staff to perform their appropriate functions efficiently and effectively.

     

     

    Required Evidence of Compliance

    • Provide a matrix illustrating the technology used by the agency. Including:

      • Dates of adoption/installation or latest upgrade

      • Description of how each resource is used to further the mission and goals

      • Link or screenshot of technology example

    • Examples should include but are not limited to data management and sharing systems, work order and assignment applications, park maintenance activities, and activity registration systems.

  • There shall be a designated position responsible for records management; There shall be a Policy in place that ensures public records are retained in compliance with open records laws intended to promote transparency; Such records shall be protected from loss through disaster by mitigation/ recovery strategies.

     

    Required Evidence of Compliance

    • Provide the position description that reflects responsibility for records management for the organization and agency liaison if different.

    • Provide the policy and procedures.

    • Demonstrate how a member of the community can access public records.

    • Provide a narrative describing how the agency has planned to recover records in the event of a disaster or other threat to agency records.

  • Providing accommodation processes for services and programs ensures that everyone has access to publicly funded essential services provided by park and recreation agencies. There shall be a policy or procedure available to all members of the public and staff which addresses issues pertaining to ADA compliance, access, and inclusive/adaptive programming either in a written or electronic format. Such resolution shall be adapted to strategies that are welcoming to everyone. Agencies shall be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).This standard requires that agencies appoint a person with overall compliance function fulfillment and services and programs compliance responsibility, publicly post notice per the requirements of the ADA and the process by which identified access barriers can be reported to the agency for removal or reasonable accommodation, conduct an ADA Policy Audit, provide website accessibility. As well, agencies shall conduct the ADA-required access audit for development of a Transition Plan. The agency shall regularly review and report on progress in remedying barriers to access identified in the Audit. Agencies are encouraged to exceed the minimum standards required by the ADA wherever possible. Agencies must provide accessible, welcoming, and/or adaptive programming, either standalone or through interagency collaboration. Agencies are required by federal law to offer face-to-face resolution of accessibility complaints.

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    Required Evidence of Compliance

    • Provide policy and procedures which address issues pertaining to ADA compliance, access, and adaptive programming either in a written or electronic format.

    • Provide the position description that reflects responsibility for ADA compliance functions.

    • Demonstrate that the agency's website is accessible.

    • Provide the Transition Plan, including evidence of an access audit and regular review and reporting on progress in remedying barriers to access identified in the Audit.

    • Provide evidence that the agency provides adaptive programs or is cooperating with an agency or agencies who do provide such programming.

    • Provide evidence of a publicly posted notice that communicates the dispute process in compliance with the ADA.

    • Demonstrate how the policies and procedures are used to receive and respond to a complaint.

  • Agencies shall provide a procedure for the continuity of operations (COOP). The COOP is a plan designed to continue essential functions of an agency. Key elements of the COOP are a list of essential functions, orders of succession, delegation of authority, continuity of facilities, continuity of communications, vital records management, human capital, training and reconstitution. The desire is to provide continued operation during short term vacancies, emergency situations and other challenges that may impede normal operations.

     

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    Required Evidence of Compliance

    • Provide a COOP plan that outlines the key roles for short term vacancies such as vacations. leaves or temporary vacancies and provides guidance for emergency situations and outlines the elements of "Viable Continuity Capability" as outlined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

    • The COOP should provide date of acceptance and latest review date.

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