DNR
Home PageStaff Input
The following ideas were submitted by staff at the annual division conference.
Staff Training and Expansion | Programs and Events | Marketing and Promotions
Facilities and Land Acquisitions | Diversity | Funding | Miscellaneous
Dedicated Division of State Parks (DSP) person for facilitating “walk around” training for DSP succession plan class.
More cross training in other programs.
Multi-allocate the park maintenance worker series for the I/II. This will allow the division to bring staff in, provided training and be able to move them up to the II level after a set amount of time.
Better cross-training of field and central office staff.
Succession Planning -- an equal or greater commitment is needed on the immediate supervisors and above. They have to do a great job of planning, coordinating and monitoring in developing their employees. This will require training of supervisors and will require a commitment of their time to make this program successful.
Start a concerted effort by each supervisor to work on opportunities to do mentoring and cross training to help growth of the employees and depth of knowledge.
Allow seasonals and volunteers interested in full-time positions with DSP to attend Joseph Jaeger Academy.
Have a monthly wellness day for staff to get out and walk/hike and visits parks. If whole day is not practical, at least a couple of hours.
Allow central office and district office staff to help out at visitor centers as greeters monthly to avoid nature deficit disorder and thus work more productively. Also, assist park staff by answering questions about paperwork issues.
In order to match seasonal applicants to the positions that will benefit most from their individual interests and skills, we need to provide housing for all seasonal interpreters.
Invitations (options to attend) for conference and training need to reach all employees through supervisors or through chain of command. Supervisors are not extending the invitation to all employees.
It sounds like the succession plan is targeting management first and the support staff is last on the ladder. It sounds like we (support staff) aren’t going to have the opportunity to move up like the rest until last.
Have greeters at entrances to park/sites -- especially on busy weekends. I know staffing would be an issue but it would be great public relations. You could hand out info on facility, upcoming special events, trails, answer questions, provide special instructions on parking, ideas on what to do (caves tours, historic tours,) things people may not know is available. Maybe upper managers could do once in a while to hear directly from visitors.
Once a year, executive staff (director, deputies, district supervisors) should meet with all personnel on a one-on-one conference to discuss ideas, suggestions, concerns, problems and issues, in private or at least at individual park/site basis. Sometime not all ideas get passed along or it either takes so long to go through the process the momentum is lost. This no only improves communication but makes all employees feel they have a voice and their opinion matters.
Allow training opportunities for maintenance staff that will assist them in gaining park management positions. Many want to do this but lack the opportunities to get the experience to make them the top candidate.
Streamline hiring process, make it easier and quicker. Review merit system. Have someone check merit exams.
Develop a group that their job is to play. (We don’t stop playing because we grow old -- we grow old because we stop playing.)
Identify those workers with good organizational skills and a high level of motivation coupled with good administration talent to assume future roles.
Additional recognitions look at people doing a great job day in and day out. More pats on the back. It’s nice to hear you’ve done a great job.
Special events coordinator for St. Louis County and Jackson County. You already have the urban St Louis city coordinator -- what about Kansas City?
A St Louis County outreach person for programs, schools, special events, etc. Community outreach -- a lot of focus on urban what about suburban. Lots of population to reach and big park enthusiasts.
How about promoting at each site. Some type of promotion at individual work location. If you are a park superintendent III after going through the succession plan, you can be promoted to a natural resource manager or an interpretive resource technician can be promoted to the next level but remain at the same location.
There is no reward for doing a great job everyday at the same location. Even though someone is at the same location for awhile, there are new challenges everyday at the location. Employees could be assigned some of those extra duties.
Recruit seasonal staff at a higher pay -- train and house them farming them for future positions.
Emphasize the DSP mission.
Parks without campgrounds could benefit still from “park hosts” if parks or sites would be willing to put in hookups by either shop buildings or offices, etc. They could man contact stations, do trash, close gates, etc.
Develop a work environment in which employees are encouraged, supported and rewarded for taking chances in developing more efficient methods of getting work done.
Expand volunteer program, encourage facilities to use volunteers, provide better training for volunteers, better recognition for volunteers and facilities that have good volunteer programs.
Stay with mission and let Fortune 100 buy Fortune 100 and parks/sites be used/available to all.
Will cross training be a part of the succession plan? Can we add to our jobs to move up?
I would like to hear about some of the visions of Doug or some of the other leaders’ ideas. This would help us (me) see what they are thinking about.
Assign a specific person in Financial Information and Resource Management (FIRM) to a group of parks/sites for bill paying, etc. This would build a relationship between the facility and FIRM.
Develop a comprehensive list of jobs that will be specific to volunteers.
Take a look at current full-time employees and make sure they are correctly classified under the merit system for the succession planning program.
Job descriptions/qualifications need to be re-examined. We have applicants for interpretive resource technician positions who are more qualified than the vast majority of applicants for entry-level management positions (park/site specialist)
Hire a fitness/wellness coordinator for employees.
Online training programs
Annual conference is very beneficial -- a must each year for networking and getting new ideas. Very motivational.
Encourage all DSP staff to “walk the walk.” Provide opportunities or mandate that all staff use state parks and historic sites. We seem to have a disconnect somewhere.
Give field office support more opportunities to cross train within the facility they work at.
Support staff conference/training -- must have
Allow retirement-eligible employees to sort of “contract” out some of their work, maybe one day a week to seasonal or volunteer interested in working for DSP. This won’t drain the seasonal funds, allows more opportunities for younger interested staff, relieves senior staff of stress and high workloads and prevents early retirement and loss of quality staff.
Limit amount of time new assistant facility head can stay in a position to encourage mobility and availability of training positions. New employee in these positions should sign agreements that they will move within two-three years.
Do a photo directory of all DSP employees every couple of years.
Does the division still want to know how all employees are doing in the workplace?
Connecticut has a program called “The Great Park Pursuit” to increase visitors to their parks and sites. Adapting a program similar would be a great way to attract visitors to our historic sites.
Promote fitness events in parks: i.e. Frisbee golf and other up and coming sports events.
Plan an employee/family day in a park or historic site to encourage our own staff to spend time in a park/site with family or friends.
Recreation is one of the main parts of our mission. Why not have a recreation plan as part of the operations plan.
Interpretation pop-up camper (possible mobile) to show how to camp or easy new camping idea.
On the “finding ways to increase visitation, emphasis should focus on quality visitation, balancing the elements of our mission -- preservation, interpretation and recreation. Important to not lose sight of our commitment to the preservation element and keeping a balance of the three.
Offer camping how-to on weekends with all supplies provided for use. Write a grant to get funding for equipment or tax write-off for Bass Pro or Cabela’s.
Need a presence in St Louis and Kansas City to reach and teach love of out-of-doors and outdoor activities. We need to be there so they can come to us.
Increase interpretation budget and make it easier to purchase new programming material.
Have staff from DSP give program in parks that don’t have naturalist. Help them develop the program.
State parks -- sponsored outdoor day camp or summer camps at under utilized group camps.
Earth Day -- have a children’s advisory group for activities.
“Blinded by the Light” concept -- think for themselves and stop educating. Have kids explore by touch, smell, sound.
Parent/Teacher Organizations -- present ideas to them.
“Work outside” day
Let kids create their own history/legacy.
Conservation has “Frontiers” program -- Let’s start state park youth clubs at parks/sites -- they would have regular meetings and guided activities. The main purpose is to learn about outdoors or history and recreate, explore and be creative.
Promote parks as health and fitness venues
“No Child Left Inside” program could be down-sized to pertain to a individual park/site. Maybe the four weekends of a slow month to increase visitation. Town participation for public relations and costs would help. Maybe not a competition but more of a passport type of a program where every one wins.
Are we having a 90th anniversary celebration?
Natural Resource Science Fair -- statewide
Naturalist Program -- take children and blindfold them and let them discover nature by using their sense of smell, touch and hearing. Let them visualize with their minds.
Accessible hikes, tours and programs in digital format, both video and audio
If we are to attract new audiences, we must be able to send interpreters into the community.
To encourage more people to come to our parks, have a free camping weekend each summer.
Sport Programs in Missouri State Parks
- to increase attendance and participation in parks, implement sporting, exercise and physical activities
- Research and find out what different sports are popular in the area and communities around your parks
- Accommodate to the kids or adults to the sports that are popular
- Start with smaller sports and grow -- test the water
- Incorporate leagues and annual tournaments and keep them coming back.
Really promote and push our staff to put out geocaches. Work with area schools and use this as a teaching method in the schools for a wide variety of subjects.
Interpretation programs with sister countries like Japan and so forth to broaden knowledge of cultures.
We need to have as great a presence in schools as other agencies. DNR and MEE (Missouri Environmental Ethic). Have DNR employees adopt a certain school grade level, cover set curriculum about environmental concerns (stewardship diversity, etc); encourage those schools to use our facilities as outdoor classrooms.
Decentralize the Web site -- this would allow more staff to update their Web site. Move it into Public Information office. Eventually as connectivity issues are better, each facility should be able to update their own page.
Hire four seasonal journalism interns to create a “what state parks mean to me” Web site. It could contain oral interview and/or written summaries of what park users feel about their parks.
We should produce a magazine like Department of Conservation (MDC) does to specially promote Missouri state parks.
Market to family and healthy living.
“Wake up to Missouri” was successful. Why not do a retro marketing plan? how the old film to today’s market. We all got a kick out of it. Why wouldn’t the public? Remind people of the “good ol days” spending time with family. It would be like watching the fun reruns on TV. Remind families of old fashion values and quality time together.
Communicate the “value” of Missouri state parks and historic sites to our customer base.
Develop a scenic Missouri state parks/historic sites DVD. Focus on beautiful scenes with simple captions. No narrative.
Make Web site more user friendly
“Volunteer in Parks” needs to be very visible on the Web site home page.
Marketing to specific user groups such as rural, urban, black, Latino, etc, should be oriented to educate them why and how parks/sites are relevant to them and their lives. We should not change our facilities or mission to make them relevant.
Market parks/sites-related jobs and careers directly from our main Web page.
More instate marketing of Missouri state parks through Missouri Division of Tourism
Do more programs that teach kids outdoor skills such as fishing. Some kids do not get that experience and if we can give them a love for the outdoors “sport,” it will gain a young group of park supporters.
Web site -- easier way to post programs, events, tours, etc., from field.
Strongly market the family rate for historic site tours.
Submit to schools a division/district/facility newsletter that can be included or incorporated into their own school newsletters. These will end up at home where hopefully parents will read.
Please put town or region on the new brochures. People in other states may not know where the facilities are.
State parks should gear a part of the Web page specifically to kids. Fun things to do, simple game to encourage getting their families to the parks.
More marketing about donations especially by will, trusts, etc. Put in publications and Web sites.
Facilities and Land Acquisitions
More full hook-up campsites to meet the growing demand for these services
If we are considering swimming pools, then build indoor/year round pool near large population areas to attract city users. Should also include fitness center and programs for seniors. Teach canoeing and kayaking; sponsor trips to canoe and kayak. This may be a way to inspire/excite inner city youth and minorities to outdoor pursuit thus encourage them to pursue a career in the out of doors.
Take better car of what we have
DSP employees are still in need of a liaison to help when there is a breakdown in communications between management and staff.
Provide a coal strip mine in western Missouri along with a new rail-to-trail.
We need to add at least one more ATV park in western Missouri to meet growing demand and take pressure off allowing riding in other state parks.
With the aging population, there seems to be inaccessible Missouri treasures to people who are not physically able to visit them. An example would be Mina Sauk Falls. I wish a drive to area (with picnic area) could be constructed in close proximity to the falls. There are many who cannot access this area due to health restraints.
Do these inspire the “Love of the Land” we want people to have? Golf courses -- aren’t there enough of these? Why duplicate what there is plenty of -- use our resources to give people experiences they can’t get in other ways.
Let’s maintain and build up the parks/sites we have now and not keep adding more without adding more money.
Can we see the missing masterpiece plan? How can we comment on it if we don’t know or remember what is in it.
For ruins, provide photos of how it was or ghosting at the ruins.
Develop historic site in Marshfield for Edwin Hubble (discovered that universe is expanding); partner with Missouri State University in Springfield.
Living history site at Watkins Mill or Lexington -- new site with working farm
Create a centralized site to locate a sawmill. Form a small crew of maintenance workers to learn to use the mill and to travel the park system to haul logs back to the mill and process them into useable lumber. The need for specialty lumber for various projects within our historic sites is constant. It makes good sense to use the abundance of trees we manage as a renewable natural resource. The abundance of storm damage to our system in recent years and the natural management of our parks by naturalists can create a continuous supply of lumber to our benefit.
Use Americans with Disabilities Act design standard for all developed campsites built in the future.
- less site degradation
- less standing water
- few trip hazards
- easier site maintenance
Land acquisition of property in the recharge area of our large spring, even if not connected to the park boundary.
Concentrate more on the roofing and painting of existing facilities.
We need, as a historic site, a typical 1930-1960s family farm with row crops, orchard, cows, pigs, etc.
Acquire properties that reflect greater cultural and historical diversity.
Have the maintenance staff of the park look at and have input on projects and buildings. Engineers only see the design side of it and we have to maintain them.
I think we should use the Land and Water Conservation Fund for state parks. (It isn’t like we have more money than we know what to do with.)
Add golf courses in state parks, maybe near large cities. Golf would tie into the third part of our mission plus generate revenue to help support our sales tax.
More urban state parks with focus on introducing rural activities. Bring the country to the city.
Baby boomers will have financial resources to donate in their later years. We need to attract them and ask them to donate for land acquisitions. I think their “environmental ethic” will inspire them to leave a legacy for their grandchildren.
Sell off valuable acreage where warehouse/sign shop is located. Use proceeds to purchase more land at a cheaper price elsewhere for these facilities and still make a nice profit.
The family farm will soon be a thing of the past. The division should be ahead of the game and acquire property, equipment and livestock to operate a living history family farm. Cut hay, grow small crops and have paid participants to haul in the hay, work in the garden, feed calves and other small working jobs. Youth need to be in contact with livestock.
Work with Big Brothers and Big Sisters to provide opportunities for them to utilize our facilities.
Community Involvement -- Families would love to have a place to take their children for activities sponsored by the park system. Activities are too far and few between. DSP needs to go into the schools, attend community meetings, let society know we are here. If we involve our local communities, the word would spread. Each park should hold regular scheduled events that bring families and nature together.
Indian Intern at Missouri’s American Indian Cultural Center
Advertise job vacancies.
Bring Al Terrill back
Perhaps President Roosevelt was no too far off when he established the Civilian Conservation Corps. What would happen if we could assist society by hiring unemployed workers to build or renovate buildings within our parks. This would help the community as well as our parks.
We don’t offer anything that would attract 18-24 year olds to our parks. Suggestions: spelunking, rappelling, star gazing, square dancing at pavilion. Something!!!
Allow three-quarter time employees to work full time as park maintenance worker Is so that during the off season they have the opportunity to learn more skills that there is not always enough time for during the busy season.
Develop FAM tours of area state parks for urban community activist leaders and church groups. The purpose is to educate and encourage use by urban folks and families.
Develop and distribute a pamphlet to all urban/suburban youth with a focus to experience nature in your neighborhood or backyard with incentives to visit a state park.
Director of Race and Social Justice/Injustice
Think of diversity as a reflection of all facets of our changing culture, not just in terms of racial diversity. Be more diverse in terms of cultural background and religious background.
Provide volunteer coordinator at district level to assist with recruiting for specific needs, train and recognize as DSP volunteer. Current program does not address individual volunteers’ needs; facilities are not equipped to accomplish the need.
Recruit and mentor outside of the current schools that we are going to; seek interns from unconventional areas.
Increase seasonal labor budgets.
Create a 10-year sales tax to fund an endowment for the state museum and historic sites that would free up the parks-and-soils tax for infrastructure and improvements in parks.
Hire a professional organizer to form friend groups. Someone who can take the time to investigate the community and locate that fireball person to lead a support group for a particular state park or site.
More activities like Cycle Across Missouri Parks that make money that can be funneled back into the park/site. Charge for WOW or a camping group/programs. Sportsman hunt for bison or elk. Champion fishing tournament, primitive pioneer or Indian craft lessons, art fair.
Restructure the accounts payable process; lower level three approval to program director for a more efficient timely process.
For yearly budget, need to have district management come to the site/parks prior to go over our needs.
Where is the funding going to come from for this “succession program” and for the growth “promotions”? What will happen to the program if the political winds changes? Will the program continue or will it fall by the wayside? Is it set to withstand the change?
Need to do an analysis of the allocations within the division to ensure funding is given to organizations needing funds. There are some budgets that could be reduced to allow the division to better meet the needs of the higher cost facilities. Staff may need assistance in reduction of spending to control growth of operating budgets.
Decommission small state parks/sites; reduce services and maintenance in these facilities that have very small usage and redirect the funding.
Need to hire a grant specialist/writer or need to train one.
Although the parks-and-soils sales tax has been an asset to our system over the 20+ years, I see it as not a complete funding system into the next 50 years. We need to think about increasing the tax or obtaining replacement general revenue or other possible funding sources. However we do it, it has to be a good, solid and stable resource. An investment in resort type facilities may be of high value in years to come; a golf theme is very popular and will probably continue to be. Anyway we look at it. Resorts are popular and should be considered for long-term funding sources.
It is time to ask for an increase in the next sales tax imitative. It will be an effort with risk but it is the only true mechanism that ensures adequate funding for the division.
Outdated playground equipment is a major issue on the playgrounds in the parks. Unable to receive funding for replacement.
Corporate partnerships -- seek out those interested in our mission and can financially support.
Revenue enhancements -- try some
In 1991, the construction crews and the maintenance crews were in for a repositioning. The construction crews were “kicked out” and the maintenance crews got theirs. We were told that we would be in the next time. Next time never has made it yet. Can you help?
Direct-connect or partnerships with other departments or agencies that directly benefit each other; i.e. pavement management, MDC/DSP in trout parks.
More perks to help seasonal labor enjoy working for lower wages than corporate world that have a lot of other things besides wages, like free Internet and vacation discounts that we can’t offer. Are there perks that are allowed for all state workers?
So much money is wasted on things like statewide contracts. Often whatever is needed can be bought locally or from another vendor much cheaper. I think our goal should be about saving the division money before worrying about a contract. Same with going with lowest bidder; on large projects, that is not always best. We should be more concerned with quality of work or items we are purchasing.
Is there a better way to get local interest groups to become more interested in fund raising? And more open minded to making the park/site better without it being in the control?
In an era where we are now taxed by staff reductions, you want us to encourage competent staff to take time away from their current job (where we already do more with less). Heaven forbid they advance; their position will not be filled. This does not sound win/win.
Develop program that assists with request for proposals (RFP) in division or for specific sites. They can assist with the cumbersome budget process that accompany most grant processes.
Park staffs want to do more (listen to the ideas!) and be the best system. We need funding. We need a director who can sell our system and sell the governor and legislature to fund us adequately beyond our sales tax. Sell us to the Hammonds, Danforths, etc. who can bring their fortunes to our system. Find the people who can show you the money.
Possibility of a contract with well chosen gaming industry business that could operate at or near a state park to offer gaming interests for adults in a family atmosphere similar to the new concepts of Las Vegas. One well chosen successful operation could assist funding the park system for years to come.
Look to incorporate the services of the private sector (contracts) to assume roles of government employees.
Write a comprehensive guideline booklet for employees on recycling conservative practices and hazard materials handling.
- Aluminum can, etc. recycling
- Control leaks from dumpsters with plugs/replacement by companies.
- Reinforce recycling of florescent lights.
- Require all incandescent bulbs to be replaces w/ fluorescent.
- Organize a centralized yearly collection of hazardous materials.
- Make it more feasible for all parks to recycle plastics and glass in addition to aluminum cans.
- Allow use of recycling funds to pay for seasonal labor to run the recycling program.
- Provide information sources for managers to access info about energy star and saver technologies and materials when they plan projects. Encourage/require use of “on demand” hot water heaters.
- Form steering committee for finding “green” chemicals to stock at warehouse and use in the system.
- Explore the “testing” of motor oil to see if truly needed. Right now the field sticks to the manufacturers’ guidelines in fear of warrantee and probably not needed as much.
Purchase striping equipment to stripe our roads and parking lots. This would make our roads safer at night and during precipitation events. It would also make our parking lots more efficient. Teams could be trained to use the equipment. By purchasing and using the equipment ourselves, we could afford to stripe all of our roads and lots versus just a few.
Some people in mid-management need to personally talk to the maintenance (full-time and part-time) to see how things are going. Not just superintendents’ views.
Set up enterprise zones to encourage a more businesslike mind set in our division.
DNR management needs to listen more to the park maintenance staff. The people (our visitors) tell them what they want in a park and showerhouse and the information doesn’t go anywhere. Why not add dispenses to the showerhouses with soap, shampoo, etc. and charge for it. Put money back in revenue.
Schools and colleges have a program called job shadows. Could a person that wants to move up the ladder shadow a person in that field and follow that person for experience?
Create an ongoing task team to study, prioritize and the implement the best visioning ideas. This can be ad-hoc teams but a Director’s Office level coordination entity can help facilitate action and follow up.
All staffed facilities should have high speed Internet access within two years.
We’ve talked a lot about the recreation and support functions this week but shouldn’t we also be discussing the future of the resources? How will cultural and natural resources be managed over the next decade? What challenges do they face? How can we manage those challenges? Can we meet to talk about that?
Bar code scanners and software for warehouse inventory could be utilized to check in and out shared equipment so that all parks could go online to see where equipment is and its availability.
The current procurement process is not working and is costing the division time and money. We need an audit of Financial and Information Resource Management Program and the procurement process similar to the recent audit of the Ranger Program.
This may take some doing but provide driving directions to all the state parks or at least in the region from each park/site. It could be from 55 South, 70 West, etc.
Funding merit increases would assist in enabling technical skills to be rewarded. It has been a long time since these increases have been funded. Many no longer bother to submit requests for these increases.
Kaufmann Foundation in Kansas City offers grant money to pay for buses and substitute teachers so students can visit museums. This should be explored and similar options found.
In this “high tech” age, we should be able to give each facility the capability to pay bills online, speeding up the whole process. Devolve purchase and accountability authority to the facility heads, etc. FIRM and Division of Administrative Support kicks in as “police” only when there is an abuse or clear violation of fiscal policy. Spend less time on this.
Create independent staff board to review disciplinary actions.
Buying items from Granger has hurt our grass roots support because we are not buying repairs and supplies from local merchants. In most repairs and supplies, the cost is only a few cents more. These business people we don’t support anymore are pillars of their community and we need their support now and in the future.
Provide PDFs at all interview and job postings.
We need to post vacancies when we need to hire. DNR/Office of Administration Human Resources does not work . Stop lying to job candidates.
People who work inside need to be able to go outside. It would be good for our department and that particular employee. A win-win situation.
Interchange workers within classifications at different facilities to diversity skills.
A lot of division time is wasted on dial-up Internet. In areas where available, upgrade the site’s Internet access.
I think the current apparent trends of RV escalation may be only temporary. We must be careful to not overdevelop our campgrounds and infrastructure for something that may not be there in 30 years. We should re-emphasize our core values and mission of resource conservation and stewardship. We should not be lured into a “bigger is better” mentality. We should focus on maintaining what we have and make sure that we are preserving the land, water, plants, animals and space that will be rarer and rarer in the future.
Have each facility develop a recreation plan.
Suggest group (school) tours allow for free time during their visits.
Offer small incentives (monetary) for movement within the system (transfers) to encourage training.
The current process/structure for purchasing procurement in FIRM needs to be evaluated and made more time efficient.
Reduce levels of organization to generate funding for essential programs.
More programming, more outreach, more interpretive resource technicians at all urban sites. We do not take full advantage to reach out to metropolitan areas.
Each park needs a “recreation plan” as a part of their general management plan.
Make three-quarter time employees full-time employees with no lay off. That way it gives opportunity for them to learn more skills.
More of a focus on natural resource management and stewardship.
Encourage field supervisors to listen and communicate often and better with field staff.
Create site themed playgrounds
We have two priorities -- public service and adherence to our mission as an agency. When these come into conflict, the mission must prevail or we need to change our mission.
Create a fast track system for home run type ideas.
We are all the face of state parks. Park maintenance workers and temporary seasonal laborers need a short course on naturalist training.
Sample tour itineraries should stress the inclusion of playtime.
Let’s use one of our group camps for a residential environmental education camp. Bring in fifth grade classes for two-four days and use interns from area colleges as outdoor instructors and immerse the students with hands-on nature and environmental education. Over the years, these students grow up and remember the great week they had in a Missouri state park. A great example of this is Bradford Woods in Indiana or Camp McDowell in Alabama.
Have each program and park identify good opportunities for volunteers and/or internship needs. Then find the logistics of utilizing them -- office, work space, hours, benefits, work plan, etc.
Technology. You want to appeal to those who use various forms of new technological communications? Ask someone young -- someone who uses it.
Have all visitors “Adopt a space.” (GIS coordinates in a state park could be their space to watch. Then write a journal or publish on the Web and location on Google Earth.
We give a lot of lip service to good communication but it still breaks down at the lowest levels with the true front line employees. Most field facilities do not have access to Intranet but also very few maintenance and interpretive staff have access to the Internet. We really need to address how these folks are finding out what is going on.
Build dog park, skateboard park and challenging trails in urban area parks. Be extreme -- reach out to adventurous folks.
Develop a statewide umbrella organization for facility friends groups. This type of organization can become a strong lobbying group and share information on fund raising/grants, etc. These types of organizations have been very successful in other states. The key to these organizations is the individual friends groups that support their facility.
Add registration system for camping/lodging to better use technology to track tends and visitors needs.
Use Web-based attendance/revenue reporting system to avoid adding same data several times.
Make MRO contracts optional. Sometimes they work well with big ticket and bulk purchases but for smaller projects, routine tasks or highly specialized projects, they are an impediment. Staff spends as much time planning and justifying a $30 purchase as they do a $3,000 purchase. It would be helpful for procurement card levels to raise to the full $3,000 for program directors and facility heads. Staff needs to spend less time on small or mundane purchases to be efficient.
Try to streamline the biding/purchasing process. The current system is so cumbersome that countless man hours are lost and work gets delayed on an almost daily basis. An absolutely ridiculous example would be if the MRO vendor does not stock an item thus we would go to the local hardware store to buy the item. However we find that we have reached the $3,000.00 limit and now must bid out every item no matter how small from the vendor. This is not a rare example and a great number of parks find themselves in this situation especially near the end of the fiscal year.
We need to streamline the performance appraisal system.
Need a workshop on “thinking outside of the box.” Visioning for some is not a strength (nor ability); they like it how it is now.
Having worked in another state department prior to transferring to DSP, there are a lot of difference between the two. (DSP for the better) But the idea that pops up in my mind is how communication is so important. Having the individual responsible for sharing information; working as a team on all levels. This is a process that should always be worked on. Sharing information and believing in what you do.
For maintenance purposes, most parks need a gator or mule (type with bed) to use in the parks. Less fuel use, less cost of purchase, better to get around trails, lower repair cost. And better for TSLs to use.
Intranet vs. Internet is not the only issue of field and central office (in reference to succession efforts and training). It will be a major issue for a potential manager in the Bootheel to come to attend a two hour training session or even a one day session.
