{"id":852,"date":"2012-05-05T11:29:06","date_gmt":"2012-05-05T15:29:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2012\/05\/finance-facilities-and-projects-vlpra-2012-04-19.html"},"modified":"2012-05-05T11:29:06","modified_gmt":"2012-05-05T15:29:06","slug":"finance-facilities-and-projects-vlpra-2012-04-19","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2012\/05\/finance-facilities-and-projects-vlpra-2012-04-19.html","title":{"rendered":"Finance, Facilities, and Projects @ VLPRA 2012 04 19"},"content":{"rendered":"

Imagine an appointed body that likes citizen input, and even puts (some) board packet items on its website before its meetings! Parks and Rec is that body.<\/p>\n

<\/a> With 1.5 mil of our tax dollars every year, it’s good to see the Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks & Recreation Authority (VLPRA) reviewing finances<\/a>:<\/p>\n

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At the end of February, the Parks and Rec had $2.69 million in cash, $541,000 in liabilities, and that leaves about $2.1 million….<\/p>\n

For the eight months ending February 29, tax receipts $3.22 million. That’s $79,000 dollars more tax receipts than for the eight months of the previous year.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

So that’s about $4.3 million per year in tax receipts, plus SPLOST money (see the video<\/a>). The board didn’t have any questions about finance.<\/a><\/p>\n

At least we can see some results of their money, such as\n\n\nthe <\/a> United States Specialty Sports Association’s (USSSA) Georgia\/Florida Showdown<\/a> that started two days later,<\/a> and the Dizzy Dean tournaments they discussed in the board meeting:<\/a> that’s a lot of hotel nights and restaurant meals and other local business. They’ve even been trying to coordinate with the Lowndes School System about a band fundraiser.<\/a> VLPRA supplied a written report to the Valdosta City Council and to the Lowndes County Commission about completed projects;<\/a> maybe they could put it on their website so we the taxpayers could see it.<\/p>\n

They talked about trying to get signs put on I-75 pointing at VLPRA parks.<\/a> Might I suggest also fixing the VLPRA web page about their parks<\/a>? It’s currently welded too wide, so you have to scroll horizontally to see anything.<\/p>\n

<\/a> They did put their writeups on rental rates on their website<\/a> before the meeting, so we probably know what they voted to approve.<\/a> They promised to put the new rates on their website.<\/a><\/p>\n

Regarding turnout for the four Master Plan citizen meetings in April<\/a>:<\/p>\n

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It could have been better. We had about 9 or 10 at Mildred Hunter, 10 at Naylor. We had about 25 at Hahira. …It was kind of slim at South Lowndes.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

They were written up once in advance in the VDT,<\/a> but they weren’t listed on VLPRA’s own website.<\/a> Apparently there were also some partners meetings<\/a> (not sure what they were).<\/p>\n

Still, as board member JC Cunningham said,<\/p>\n

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It was so good to see the citizens be involved, and talk, and speak. It was really good; it made me proud.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Executive Director George Page agreed:<\/a><\/p>\n

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I felt we had some good input.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

They also sent out 2500 surveys in the mail. And they’re painting up a Showmobile that says VLPRA on it so they can be visible in the community.<\/p>\n

Hm, maybe these battery-powered LED scoreboards<\/a> could have solar panels to charge the batteries.<\/p>\n

<\/a> Here are links to some materials they were considering<\/a> in that 19 April 2012 board meeting. Maybe they’ll get around to putting agendas and minutes on their website<\/a>, which says their next board meeting is 4:30 P.M. Thursday 17 May 2012 at their office, 1901 N. Forrest Street, Valdosta, GA.<\/p>\n

Here’s a video playlist:<\/a><\/p>\n