St. Joseph Committee To Restore Our Parks

10/22/2021

PARKS PROTECTION PARTNERSHIP – PUBLIC FORUM UPDATE

We have held 3 public forums for people to come and discuss ideas for protecting our parks from vandalism, and I am really proud of the ideas that came from those forums! Thank you to all who participated in the discussions and contributed your ideas, asked questions and helped us brainstorm solutions. These ideas will now be considered, explored and evaluated to see if and how they can be incorporated into the future of the parks system. The feasibility of these ideas depends on the cost and availability of manpower and materials, which has yet to be determined.

The meetings began with an update on the sales tax projects as well as the importance of protecting the investment we are making. A partnership between the Parks Dept. and the community is necessary to make this possible.

WHAT THE CITY CAN DO

An electronic gate at Krug Park that can be opened and closed remotely

Building anti-vandalism protections into any new construction
Institutional fixtures in bathrooms that are difficult to vandalize
Specialized locks that are difficult to break, more secure

Added lights and cameras to at-risk locations

Drone surveillance

Signage warning that this area is being photographed/patrolled

Park Rangers on duty to randomly patrol parks at night

City support for an anti-litter campaign

Work with schools to educate about park history, pride, responsibility

Host public events that give outlets to our youth in a positive way

Of course, city employees can’t be everywhere at all times, so there are ways the people in our community can make a great impact on reducing these problems. The parks belong to all of us, and all of us can join forces to protect them.

WHAT THE COMMUNITY CAN DO

Utilize the P3TIPS app on our phones to report problems in real time

Form ‘neighborhood watch’ groups for local parks in your area

Periodically drive through your park to check on it

Gather friends to the “Adopt-A-Park” program through the Parks Dept.

Join the Parks Ambassador Program (details to follow)

Pick up litter while in your parks, don’t throw litter on the ground

Volunteer with local service groups for upkeep and cleanup projects

We realize that not everyone can physically do volunteer work such as painting or cleaning, but everyone can contribute to keeping an eye on the park nearest you. Everyone can pick up a little trash and put it in a trash can. Everyone can report problems they see, and everyone can make a difference. The more eyes we have on these parks, the more we report what we see, the less likely vandals will feel safe doing damage.

There is no single solution, no one thing that will stop vandalism completely. However, if we do 20 small things together as a community, we can reduce the problem and make a positive impact. Every little thing we do to make it harder to damage our parks can lead to a noticeable improvement for all of us.

We hope you will join us to help make a difference. We can do this together.

10/02/2021

NOW THAT YOU'VE SAID YES TO PARKS....

One of the biggest questions raised since the parks tax passed is how to protect them from vandals? If we are investing $50M in our parks, how do we stop them from being damaged?

Since July, members of the City government have been meeting with Community Leaders to form the new PARKS PROTECTION PARTNERSHIP to combat this issue together.

Vandalism affects everyone. It's not just a Parks Dept. issue or a City Government issue, it affects every citizen who pays taxes in St. Joseph. It takes workers away from necessary jobs to repair something that wasn't originally broken, it wastes resources in money and manpower and it makes amenities unavailable to the people in the parks during those repairs. All of us pay the price, and it will take all of us to combat this problem as a community.

The PPP is approaching this from 3 aspects:

1. Prosecution.
Stricter enforcement and more opportunity to catch and prosecute vandals.

2. Prevention
Installing technology to protect the parks from vandals, youth programs to encourage ownership of the park system at a young age, and exploring events that other communities have used successfully to reduce the destruction in their parks.

3. Participation
Providing ways for the community to volunteer in the park system to have eyes and ears on the problem, to provide simple ways to report problems to authorities, and to discourage potential vandals from targeting vulnerable areas. This includes public outreach and education, hands-on programs and fun events the public can participate in.

There are 3 public forums scheduled to discuss these methods and to gather public input and suggestions.

OCT 5TH at 6 P.M.
FAIRVIEW GOLF COURSE CLUBHOUSE
3202 Pacific, St. Joseph

OCT. 7TH at 6 P.M.
RE*****ON NATURE CENTER
1502 MacArthur Drive, St. Joseph

OCT. 13TH at 6 P.M.
COMMUNITY CHRISTIAN CHURCH
2009 Mason Rd. St. Joseph

We hope you will attend at least one of these public forums to offer suggestions and learn about ways you can help! The City cannot do this alone, but as a community we can stand up for our parks and protect our investment in them!

09/21/2021

As we promised, we will continue to update you as there are new developments regarding the Parks Tax. The City of St. Joseph have released the priority list for the projects on the list. Please click on the images below to see the list.

08/07/2021

Okay, so the sales tax passed! What happens next?

The revenue from this sales tax will not begin to be collected until Jan. 1, 2022 and it will take a little while for the money to be available for use. Now we must decide if we want to use a general obligation low interest bond, or if we want to use the money as it comes in.

If we choose not to use a bond, we will have to wait quite a while to begin work. Each year is projected to generate about $5M so we would only have the total amount available for each year at the end of that year. This means that we would only have $5M at the end of 2022 to begin work, and each year we would only be able to do $5M worth of work.

If we use a general obligation bond at a low interest, we would be borrowing against that revenue projection so we can begin the work early next year and can get more work done up front and see results sooner. The decision will be based on cost effectiveness and urgency in the projects. We have to weigh the cost of interest on the bond vs. the cost of inflation over 10 years and increases in cost of materials in that time. If the interest of the bond is cheaper than the cost of inflation, it makes more sense to use a bond and get more done sooner.

Creating an order of priority on these projects depends on whether we use a bond or not. If we don't use a bond, some of the bigger projects would have to wait until we accrue enough money to pay for them at $5M per year in revenue. If we use a bond, some of those bigger projects could be moved closer to the top of the priority list. Also, urgency plays a big part in that decision. There are projects that will suffer failure if we wait too long, so they will have to be toward the top of the list. From what I understand, the Council, Parks Dept. and the Committee will all contribute to the creation of an order of priority. This will take time since the list is so big and comprehensive.

The people have made it very clear with the 71% margin of votes that they support this work and want to see these things done. We would ask everyone to be patient while this process takes its due course, and to be involved by coming to Council meetings and emailing your Council person so your voice can be heard. We know from personal experience that this Council is open to hearing from you on what you want done. By the same token, we want you to have the information you need to understand the process and know how these things will unfold.

08/05/2021

Took a bike ride around Krug this afternoon. WOW! What a gem! Even spotted a Panda. 🐼

We can’t wait to see this beauty come back to life now that our community has said YES to our parks & our future. 🌲

08/04/2021

If you received a yard sign, you can either dispose of it yourself or message the Committee here with your address and we will come and pick it up. Thank you for your support to make this vision a reality! Can't wait to see the difference this will make for our beloved parks!!

08/04/2021

PARKS TAX PASSES!!

From all of us on the Citizen's Committee, we want to send out a huge THANK YOU to all the people who came out to the polls to vote YES for the Parks Tax initiative!! You made a difference today and our Parks Dept. is very grateful for your resounding show of support! Now we can begin to rebuild a vital part of our beautiful city and bring it back to life! This is a game-changer! THANK YOU ST. JOE!!!

08/03/2021

GET OUT AND VOTE YES TODAY!!!!

08/03/2021

We vote TODAY! Before you head to the polls, be sure to click here to see where your voting location is! If you’ve moved it may have changed. Polls are open until 7:00PM!

https://www.co.buchanan.mo.us/157/County-Clerk

TODAY!

Vote YES for parks!

Find information on the Buchanan County clerk.

08/03/2021

It's been a very educational few weeks and we have appreciated everyone's feedback throughout this campaign. At the end of the day... we would like everyone to exercise their right to vote and consider the potential to improve and restore our current parks system by voting "yes".

We understand there is apprehension and question, but this committee has worked hard to show transparency. We have vowed to hold City Council to their word and follow through with their commitment. We are just like you. We are a committee of citizens that have volunteered our time because we have hope and truly believe we can be better.

Please exercise your civic duty tomorrow and show your civic support. It takes us all working together to better our city. No more "they", "them" and "someone"; it's "US". Let's do this together and VOTE YES FOR PARKS.

08/01/2021

What is ROLLING STOCK and why does it cost $4M in the proposed sales tax budget?

Rolling stock means things with wheels. Everything from work trucks to mowers to flat bed trailers the Parks Dept. needs to do their job. It also means every kind of equipment from w**d eaters to hand tools, mechanic’s tools to pressure washer tanks. Everything a Parks worker touches falls under ‘rolling stock and equipment.’

My dad was the Flight Line Chief for Offutt AFB, and also a lifelong mechanic. I’m sure he thought his hard headed daughter never heard a thing he told her, but I still hear him in my head repeating over and over, “Anything mechanical is subject to failure at any time.” His words have been proven true time and time again in my life. Everything that has a moving part has a life expectancy, and generally it takes a little bubble gum and magic to push it past that life span. Nobody knew more about jenny-rigging and Mickey-Mousing something to keep it going than my dad. But even he understood that eventually you just have to hold your nose and replace it.

Somewhere on the parkway, there is a mower that has broken down 4 times this season. There are two guys who should be out mowing that are stuck in a hot garage trying to spitball and bubble gum it together to keep it going just a little longer. Some mowers are new but with the amount of use and abuse it will be put through, it will require spit-balling and bubble gum to survive beyond 5 years or so. Things break. Machines complain and grumble and get cranky just like people do, especially with too much hard work in this Missouri heat.

We have 26 miles of parkway and over 45 green-space parks, not to mention all the back areas and hidden spaces you never see. There are multiple buildings that must be continually maintained as well. Anyone who has ever tried to take care of a yard, a house or a business knows how hard it is to keep up with it all when you have equipment that works, much less how difficult it becomes with equipment that keeps breaking down.

Our Parks Dept has a monumental job caring for this huge system. When the Citizen’s Committee was tasked with creating this project list, the first thing we realized was the necessity of proper equipment to maintain the system we all enjoy. You can build the most beautiful park in the world, but if the grass is too high, it appears to the public like no one cares for it. Having the proper equipment to keep it maintained is essential.

The $4M we allotted for ‘rolling stock and equipment’ will be spread out over the course of the 10 years of the sales tax. Some will be spent in the first year to replace those mowers that keep breaking down so we can keep those mowers and their workers out there mowing instead of in the shop spit balling and bubble gumming and hoping for magic. Some of that money will be allotted in 3 years or 4 years when equipment that is working now begins to fail. Some of that money will be held back for Year 7 or 8 or 10 when other equipment will need to be replaced. This way, when the sales tax is about to expire, the Parks Dept will still have working equipment to last beyond the life span of the tax.

When you invest $4M in rolling stock, you also invest in the visible appearance of the parks you love. You invest in the ability of the park system workers to do their jobs more efficiently and effectively. You free them up to do other jobs, other repairs and other maintenance that they currently can’t get to because they are constantly spit balling and bubble gumming broken equipment in the shop.

Our Parks Dept. can’t do their job for us if we don’t do our job for them. Give them the funds to maintain and replace their necessary equipment and they will be able to give back to us and maintain our parks.

Vote YES for our parks on August 3rd! It matters more than you think!