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After-School Park Program Discussed

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By HAROLD VALENTINE

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 21, 2008

NORTHDALE - A master plan on Hillsborough County's Web site has some Northdale Park users concerned.

Posted May 6 at www.hills boroughcounty.org/parks, the 112-page plan includes budget cuts that are likely for the county's Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department. The plan, which department manager Mark Thornton said cost $325,000, pinpoints after-school programs as a significant expenditure.

The plan was developed by URS Corp. of Tampa and Bucher, Willis and Ratliff, a Kansas City, Mo., firm.

A portion of the plan suggests that significant adjustments be made to the out-of-school programs to balance the park programs and funding.

Currently, $16 million of the annual $18 million dedicated to free programs by the parks department is devoted to after-school programs, Thornton said. Northdale Park manager Rick Valdez said 300 children, ages 6 to young teenagers, benefit from the park's free after-school activities from 2 to 6 p.m.

Cuts likely will affect the parks department's budget largely due to an $87 million deficit in the county. Thornton said the approval of Amendment One by state voters, which raised homestead exemption amounts and decreased tax revenue, accounts for most of the deficit.

"I always thought that Amendment One was a Trojan horse," said Jose Jordan, whose 9-year-old son Joshua uses Northdale's after-school program. "Even though I'm in the real estate industry and knew it would stimulate the market somewhat, I knew that it was a Trojan horse because it would cut education and other areas that needed funding."

Bill Castens, who founded Northdale's OWLS, frequently uses the park with his senior group throughout the week.

"The Northdale OWLS probably won't be affected greatly," Castens said. "But I've always thought having the kids utilize the park was a great use."

Heidi Abdalla's 9-year-old twin sons, Miro and Sedy, also benefit from Northdale's free programs.

"It's very difficult to work and find affordable after-school care," Abdalla said. "If you have to pay full price for day care, it really can cut into your budget."

Thornton said when consultants were commissioned during fall 2006, the county was experiencing an economic boom and the focus was on how to best spend a budget surplus. Since then, the consultants have focused on the deficit and now "we have at least a tool to use that gives us options," Thornton said.

Parents of children in the park's programs should know there are no plans to cut after-school care outright, Thornton said. But he added necessary changes are probable.

County staff members will present budget recommendations, which are expected to include decreases for the parks department, to commissioners June 4. Until then, Thornton said, he cannot specify changes.

He cited possibilities mentioned in the master plan. Those include cutting hours of operation for parks for an entire day or instituting a fee for parents based on their annual income.

However, Thornton said he thinks the strongest option is joining with nonprofit organizations that are not part of the county, such as the YMCA or the Boys & Girls Club.

"We would probably still be involved on some level in overall programming," Thornton said. "We just wouldn't have the full staffing we do now running the program directly, and that's where most of the cost is."

He said he thinks the plan provided by the consultants is reasonable. Thornton said he has received many e-mails regarding the plan, saying that after-school programming is necessary.

"We don't want kids to become juvenile delinquents left out on the street," Thornton said. "We're not in any disagreement as to the value of the service; that's why we're trying to make sure we continue the service. That's the priority."

After the budget proposal is given to commissioners on June 4, Thornton said public meetings regarding budget changes for county parks should be expected.

Reporter Harold Valentine can be reached at (813) 865-1526 or hvalentine@tampatrib.com.

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