Last December, we brought together a focus group to aide the Board in strategic planning. We chose a cross section of ages, people who use the Rec and people who don’t, seasonal and year round residents, and former Board members and leaders. We asked the group for their honesty and ideas in responding to questions from the Board. Everyone jumped in with ideas and enthusiasm, and we thank them again for their time and thoughtful consideration of the CRC’s role in the community and unique strengths and challenges.
We have provided you with highlights from the Boards’ Strategic Planning Retreat last summer, as well as a synopsis of the focus group and where we are with addressing the feedback. You can expect more information to follow as we work, and we would be delighted to hear any feedback.
Board 1-3 year goals (8/18/2015 Board Retreat)
Needs Assessment
Public Perception Change
Teen Center: Vision and Programs
More welcoming inside and out
Clear Policies and Procedures
Staffing model (what additional staff do we need)
Formal Evaluation Process for staff
Increased Community Involvement
Increased Board Membership
More volunteers: coordination and utilization
Capital Plan in Place and Working
Landscaping
Pool relined
Make more money
Focus Group Highlights (12/11/2015)
What do you like about the Rec and it’s programs?
Facilities - Kids Place, pool, playground, fitness room
Programs - Winter Carnival, Teen Center, Summer programs, After School, Fitness Classes
Mixing of Age Groups
Kids “aging” through the Rec, having sense of ownership in “their space”
What are the barriers for people using the Rec?
Small year round population impacts participation and volunteering
Organizing and sustaining programs that rely on staffing, interests, costs and attendance
Efficient communication of plans, activities and scheduling
Non profit status challenges with fundraising, volunteering and Board participation (Rec Centers are typically town run facilities)
What programs or services would you like to see the Rec offer?
Mixed ages programming (currently offered)
Pursue relationships with Golf and Tennis Clubs
Strategic Communication
Plan driven programming (long-term, big picture)
Free programs (or offered by donation)
Community meals, winter informal gatherings, live music and dancing Clear policies around substance abuse at Teen Center
What is the image of the Rec?
Controversial
Underutilized
Communication issues
Improvement Ideas
Increase “face-time” to public/open door to office
More employees
Orientation for newcomers
Outdoor announcements (signs?)
Facility upgrades and improvements
Increase parent involvement
Teen participation in maintaining the facility
Linking the Board Goals to the Focus Group - “Taking one step at a time”
Recognizing that we can’t do everything at once, we try our best to prioritize and do each thing right. The good news is we have operated (with Kelley Rich’s excellent fiscal management) well within our budget for all these years. That is no small accomplishment given the amount of programs that the CRC offers each year. It’s a place our Community can count on!
Public Perception Change/Image of the Rec
The Board has set a priority for itself and the Executive Director to improve upon our image through community outreach, better and more frequent communication. The feedback we received from the Focus Group was helpful. We also appreciate receiving feedback and suggestions for improvement from individuals based on individual experiences.
More welcoming inside and out/Capital Plan in Place and Working/Facility upgrades and improvements
We recognize managing and maintaining the Rec Center facility is important to our Community. Like all organizations, we are challenged by the necessary funding to take care of everything at one time so we prioritize projects by age, cost and safety. The pool maintenance and repairs have been our focus for 2015 and 2016. Our next priority will be to replace the gymnasium lighting. The HVAC is an ongoing challenge and expense.
We hope to update our capital plan in 2016 which will give us a better understanding of the future costs of maintaining the facility. Our Executive Director established a capital allocation based on the original capital plan which is being funded through our annual budget. We will need to embark on a capital campaign to further fund the needs of our aging facility and intend to do so once we update the plan. We are also actively seeking a new Board member with some building background to help us better focus on the facility.