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Q&A
Council Member Narcisse questions Parks Commissioner on budget allocation and community needs
3:52:13
·
3 min
Council Member Mercedes Narcisse engages in a Q&A session with Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue, discussing various issues related to the Department of Parks and Recreation. The conversation covers topics such as budget allocation, tree pruning, playground development, and addressing gun violence through community spaces.
- Narcisse inquires about the potential allocation of 1% of the city budget to parks and how it would be used.
- Discussion on tree pruning concerns and the department's strategy for managing urban forestry.
- Narcisse raises questions about a specific playground in Marine Park and the process for developing community spaces to address gun violence.
Mercedes Narcisse
3:52:13
Commissioner, we appreciate you.
3:52:15
We love parks, you know the chairs now.
3:52:18
He loves parks.
3:52:19
So in the mayor's campaign, he was supposed to allocate 1% of the budget, right?
3:52:29
And if you get that 500,000,000 extra, what are the funding?
3:52:35
What would you do?
3:52:36
Where would you allocate it?
3:52:38
Which area of our park needs that this money will go to?
3:53:34
We're wishing.
3:53:36
We're hoping.
3:53:37
Yes.
3:53:37
And hopefully we get it.
3:53:38
Tree pruning is one of the most common complaints my office been receiving, right?
3:53:44
Residents regularly raise concerns about overgrown or dangerous limbs especially after storms.
3:53:52
Do you believe department is being adequately funded to meet its annual pruning goals and how are you prioritizing neighborhoods like my neighborhood where the need is especially high?
3:55:05
Where are we with the playground in Marine Park?
3:55:09
You know I have to ask that question because everyone calling me for that.
3:55:20
The only one kid's playground we have at Marine Park.
3:55:23
But I'm waiting for that forever.
3:55:24
It was part of the project we supposed to have a long time ago.
3:55:27
So I'm gonna leave with that and I want to know if a park, place, property, land being used for addressing the needs that gun violence will have a center in our community, what are the processes that what can you help me do?
3:55:44
Because right now I 68 area, I have a bunch of young folks standing there all the time, gun violence is the highest in that area, and I really want to plan something over there where we can get the kids off the street.
3:55:58
So I'm looking forward to have that conversation.
3:56:00
I know you wouldn't be able to answer all that today.
Sue Donoghue
3:52:43
Thank you so much for the question.
3:52:45
And we would have no trouble allocating that money for sure, council member.
3:52:50
And as I just mentioned with our Vital Parks for All analysis that we did and with the data mapping, it helps us to target areas of high need, areas that have been underinvested in.
3:53:03
We are and want to be very, very specific in targeting our investments to areas that are most needed.
3:53:11
And we would use that data analysis to both target our resources.
3:53:17
I mentioned the PIP ratings earlier.
3:53:19
That helps us uncover areas that are consistently failing where we need to dedicate more staffing.
3:53:26
With the additional one hundred second shift sites, we were able to target areas of high need.
3:53:31
So we'd continue that work and put the resources where they're most needed.
3:54:07
Thank you for the question.
3:54:10
We have really an outstanding team that's recognized across the country for our urban forestry management.
3:54:17
And we follow a very specific tree risk management strategy.
3:54:22
And so if there is a three eleven complaint about a tree or concern about a tree, we have inspectors that go out and look at those trees and inspect those trees.
3:54:35
And in terms of pruning, we are funded.
3:54:38
Our tree pruning is funded on a seven year cycle.
3:54:41
It is the industry standard.
3:54:44
And so the combination of our in house team, our inspectors, and the procedures and processes we follow, and the pruning contracts that we use, we feel like we are very much focused on tree risk management and addressing the areas of high need across the city, in your council district and in districts across the city.
3:55:14
The playground in Marine Park, if you tell me the name and the specifics we would absolutely
3:55:22
Okay.
3:56:02
Thank you but we're happy to have a follow-up conversation on it.
3:56:06
Thank you.