Agenda - Parks and Recreation Commission - 08/15/2002

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Park operations also has a sizable fleet of trucks~ roomy- ers and construction-grade equipment to keep up with the vast complexities of readying the park for the millions who enjoy it each year. It is a daunting task to mobilize a virtual army of employees and organize them and their resources effectively. It could easily get out of hand, and resources could be weighted toward one aspect of the park unnecessarily, thus unbalancing the entire system. Like all systems, Cleveland Metroparks' methods of organization, management and maintenance are a work in progress. Over the years it has refined major parts of the sys- tem while working to refine the entire system. ,. An important factor that has heyed the park is a well- defined, big-picture goal that encourages park employees and the organization as a whole to strive ['or excellence and efficiency. "We have established principles in parl~operations - manage and protect the natural resources, serve and educate the public and maintain the legacy of those who came before us," says Steve Dice, director of park operations for Cleveland Metroparks. "We achieve this by helping employ- ees become all they can be and igniting a passion for the profession, which leads to satisfaction on the job." Cleveland Metroparks is on the forefront of technology, automation and park management techniques and trends, but its focus on people has been the primary catalyst toward good park management. Sure, everyone agrees that people are the key ingredient to success in any type of organization; it's almost become a hackneyed cliche. The trick, however, is to utilize and empo~ver people in such a way that it interlocks seamlessly with tools and technology. An Appropriate Distribt~tion Park operations recently did a facility inventory with the goal of consistently distributing staff. "How many miles of road and trails do we have, how