The Wrangell Parks and Recreation Advisory Board met Monday, June 29. During the meeting, the board reviewed the department's new budget for FY 2021, and also took a look at some tentative plans for summer programming.
The borough assembly adopted the FY 2021 budget for Wrangell in their assembly meeting on Tuesday, June 23. The entire budget is aiming to break even, according to Borough Manager Lisa Von Bargen, with expenses and revenues set at approximately $16 million. The Parks and Rec budget, according to the June 23 agenda packet, has total revenues across the areas of the swimming pool, parks, and recreation set at $114,114. Total expenses, however, put the department in the red at $656,236. Transfers from the general fund, sales tax fund, and permanent fund listed in the budget put the parks and recreation department back at the breakeven point.
While the COVID-19 pandemic has thrown many summer plans out the window for many organizations, the P&R board took time in the meeting to look at some potential programming. P&R Director Kate Thomas emphasized that these are tentative plans. The department is still putting together a safety mitigation plan, she said, which will need approval from city administration. Another concern for summer programming, she added, is the department's capacity. Several staff members have gone on to pursue new career opportunities in recent months, she said, as well as students graduating and going off to college. Staff availability and their comfort level of being around others, during the pandemic, are important factors to consider.
One of the ideas for summer programming is a modified swim camp, for kids from the ages of 9 to 12-years-old. Other ideas include a "Beach Explorers" and "Forest Explorers" program, and a modified version of capture the flag in the parks. Thomas said that these programs will be kept small, and kids who sign up for these programs will have to sign up for the full run of the program. These steps are meant to help limit any potential spread of COVID-19 between kids, or to staff members. Of course, as these are only tentative plans, Thomas said work is still being done to organize the programs and see what is feasible.
"Kids, naturally, do not operate six feet apart," Thomas said.
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