Friendly Forest is finished, a victim of budget cuts.
‘It’s such a popular event, but you have to cut somewhere,? said Mike Turk, director of Independence Township Parks and Recreation. ‘Special events are kind of the extra things we do, so I think you have to look at those things first.?
Besides Friendly Forest, a Halloween event at Clintonwood Park attracting 800-1,000 children each year, programs on the chopping block may include next year’s Fourth of July Festival of Fun.
‘That cost us a lot of money, but we’ve done a lot of good things to reduce the net loss,? Turk said. ‘It’s gone from about $17,000 to closer to $10,000.?
For Clarkston Area Chamber of Commerce’s Taste of Clarkston, cuts include trash bags for the event.
However, chamber Director Penny Shanks said she is glad to have Parks and Rec for ‘man power? items, such as hanging banners, and putting up and tearing down tents.
‘They (the banners and tents) go up in timely fashion,? Shanks said. ‘If our volunteers were doing the banners it might take us six hours because we’re having issues.?
Though parks and rec gets reimbursed by the chamber, Rec. Supervisor Kelly Hyer said it barely covers their cost for personnel.
‘It’s on a Sunday, everybody is on double time, we have a union contract to adhere to,? she said. ‘Some of our managers like Mike (Turk) and myself, we can be a little bit more flexible, but for employees under union contracts, there is no flexibility.?
Cost to parks and rec is $6,000-$8,000, she noted.
‘I think everybody’s budget is tight right now and it’s very important for all of us,? Shanks said. ‘The non-profit organizations as well as the municipalities and schools, when we partner for events we have to remember that you communicate not only with your department but with your partners as well.?
Turk noted they also reduced the hours at Deer Lake Beach.
‘This time of year we lose a lot of lifeguards,? he said. ‘Kids going back to school, change of weather, there no reason to keep it open all day.?
With a total of 220 workers between full-time and seasonal workers, Turk said they cut the Park staff overtime from $10,000 to $5,000 and with the Holiday Lights Parade the only special event left for the year, he says they should be in good shape.
‘Our numbers have stayed pretty steady, we haven’t really seen the economic fall out like other departments have, we’re still doing pretty good,? he said. ‘People still need Park and Recreation, especially now things are so tense and stressful.?
Despite being $80,000 over budget last year, parks and rec is not over budget every year, he said.
‘Ever since I’ve been director, as far as I know, we’ve been under budget except for 2007 and 2008,? he said. ‘I haven’t seen anything to the contrary.?
He noted he was confident they would come in under budget this year. Currently, $1.7 million or 69 percent has been spent of their allotted $2.5 million budget.
‘I’m not very concerned at this point,? said Susan Hendricks, finance director.