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2012 Annual Report

* Front cover picture of Arbuckle Acres fountain and back cover picture of Williams Park taken by Bonnie Smith.

By all accounts, 2012 was another banner year for Brownsburg Parks. It is evident that we have turned a corner. No longer is the staff focused predominantly on defining the operations through policies and procedures that allow us to manage the system forward. We are properly managing the system and moving forward!

This performance was the direct result of disciplined execution by Brownsburg Parks’ staff and the repositioning of fiscal operations across all sections of the park system (Administration, Park Maintenance & Development, and Recreation Events & Programs). In addition to the many highlights within the 2012 Annual Report, the staff has continued to identify new opportunities to expand the services under the directive of elected and appointed officials for “smart growth.” “Smart growth” has a couple of meanings in a municipal setting. On one hand, it is the theory of concentrated development to create walkable centers of town, mixed-use developments and complete streets concepts. On the other hand, and in our application, it is the value of long-range planning, preserving natural resources, promoting public health, and monitoring growth to achieve a more sustainable system while creating a unique sense of community and place.

In order to achieve and maintain a unique sense of place, Brownsburg Parks has alleviated a significant amount of deferred maintenance and are pleased to say that there are only a handful of items remaining within the current system. A majority of them will be addressed in 2013. Also on the 2013 agenda is a new pavilion in Arbuckle Acres Park to replace shelter #3, design of a new splashpad, new trails, a water fountain along the loop trail in Williams Park, and the 9-11 Memorial in Williams Park. While we are always looking forward, it is important to look back and remember what we have accomplished and how we got to this point. The 2012 Annual Report does just that. As you read through the 2012 snapshot, please feel free to contact the Brownsburg Parks office with any questions you may have regarding your park system. After all, it is the community’s park system, we are just afforded the honor of managing it for you.

Enthusiastically,

Philip ParninDirector

MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR

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ADMINISTRATIONAdministration of parks and recreation services are concentrated in Town Hall in the center of downtown. From this location, Brownsburg Parks staff manage the budget, reserve facilities, register participants for programs, plan capital projects, hold Park Board meetings, direct operations, and provide essential services to the residents of Brownsburg and surrounding areas to improve the quality of life. Brownsburg Parks is business-minded in its approach to providing services, allowing the public a greater benefit from more efficient management of the park system. This has been achieved through established cost recovery goals, approved policies and procedures, fiscal responsibility through a focus on maximizing use of resources, improved revenue generation, and equally beneficial and equitable partnerships. Brownsburg Parks has four funds used for operations and capital outlays:

General Fund (101.09)Annual budgets are developed for the Park General Fund which is supported by an appropriate level of property taxes from residents incorporated into the Town of Brownsburg.

Non-Reverting Fund (211)The Non-Reverting Fund generates revenue from program user fees and other recreation services. The Non-Reverting Fund allows Brownsburg Parks to offer a variety of programs such as summer camps, aquatics, youth enrichment, and senior programs and events.

Recreation Impact Fee Fund (212)The Recreation Impact Fee Fund is specifically allocated for land and trails to assist the park system in future growth commensurate with the Town’s growth.

Food and Beverage Fund (280)The Food and Beverage Fund is collected from visitors and residents of Brownsburg that choose to eat at one of the local establishments. This fund is specifically allocated to capital projects and improvements including plans for the future.

Brownsburg Parks may have looked a little different to you in 2012. One of the main goals of the organization last year was to ensure that the community would be able to rely on consistent and effective communication. Part of this goal was accomplished through re-branding the organization in a way where park users and participants could clearly identify a service offered by Brownsburg Parks. One identifiable feature of this process is the new logo. Brownsburg Parks will continue this process in 2013 by updating signage and refreshing the website to reflect consistency with the rest of the agency’s communications.

New policies and processes were developed to accomodate new services offered. One was the implementation of the Mobile Event Stage rental policy, giving community partners and organizations the opportunity to use the stage for their community events.

The agency continued to improve its communication internally and externally by implementing a maintenance work order system for tracking issues as they arise with facilities. Brownsburg Parks expanded its use of social media as a means to relay real-time parks updates and happenings to the community. Brownsburg Parks also saw a growth in the use of online registration for programs and facility reservations.

The agency was able to invest in training including the Certified Playground Safety Inspector course, revenue development and management, marketing and promotions, as well as risk management.

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

2012 2011Revenues and Other SupportProperty Tax Revenue $720,098 $640,536Food & Beverage $543,701 $478,033Recreation Impact Fee $123,986 $140,178Grants - $150,000User Fees $174,115 $145,467Interest & Other Revenues $17,259 $10,475Total Revenues & Other Support $1,579,159 $1,564,689

ExpensesSalaries & Benefits $560,986 $497,428Supplies $96,108 $79,200Other Services & Charges $223,431 $367,335Capital Outlays $118,832 $86,951Total Expenses $999,358 $1,030,914

Differential (negative) $579,801 $533,775

Property Tax

Revenue46%Food &

Beverage34%

Recreation Impact Fee

8% Grants0%

User Fees11%

Interest & Other

Revenues1%

2012 Revenues

• $79,692 in unused property tax revenue was returned to the Town of Brownsburg. Since 2008 Brownsburg Parks has returned more than $330,000 to the Town through fiscal responsibility.

• Brownsburg Parks was able generate 20% more revenue through user fees and other revenue sources.

• Other services and charges were decreased by almost 40% and total expenses by 4% due to increasing the amount of in-house labor for projects.

Salaries & Benefits

56%

Supplies10%

Other Services

& Charges22%

Capital Outlays

12%

2012 Expenses

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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

These businesses assisted Brownsburg Parks, with their individual contributions, in impacting the lives of more than 40,000 people through programs, events and services provided last year.

...and volunteers help!

Volunteering is a cornerstone of a community. Volunteers assisted Brownsburg Parks in areas of crucial need to the overall operation of the agency including: labor, maintenance, activity preparation and supervision.

Brownsburg Parks tracked more than 400 volunteer hours in 2012. According to the Corporation for National & Community Service, the value of a volunteer hour is $21.79. Thank you to the volunteers that helped save almost $9,000 to the budget. You have helped make Brownsburg a better place to live.

Brownsburg Parks manages more than 160 acres of park land and open space. Park management includes many types of tasks such as: lawn care, landscaping, arbor management, equipment management, playground safety inspections, repairs and replacement of broken items, electrical work, construction, floods, lost and abandoned pets, and addressing vandalism.

In 2012, we were able to complete most of the remaining deferred maintenance projects identified back in 2008. In four years, Brownsburg Parks was able to eliminate 92% of the more than $800,000 identified in deferred maintenance. Only 17% of the funds used to alleviate the deferred maintenance came from property tax dollars. The remaining amount came from the Food and Beverage Fund and in-house labor saved $135,000.

Brownsburg Parks doesn’t have any plans of slowing down moving forward into 2013. Some future improvements include: a new pavilion to replace shelter #3 in Arbuckle Acres, the largest shelter in the park system, re-designing Maple Ridge Trail in Williams Park to alleviate erosion and include multi-use activity, updated signage on all park properties, and designing the Cardinal Delaware Property to allocate funding for future development.

IN THE PARKSBrownsburg Parks added new features to existing parks, updated older features, and addressed many deferred maintenance concerns in 2012. Here are some of the more noticeable projects that took place last year.

• The re-surfacing and painting of the Arbuckle Acres and Williams Park basketball courts.

• The addition of the climbing boulder to replace an older and unsafe play feature in the Arbuckle Acres playground.

• The addition of ADA accessible water fountains and bowls at the bottom for dogs in Arbuckle Acres and shade structures to keep the water temperature cool.

• In partnership with Lowe’s Home Improvement, a shade structure was constructed at Blast Off Playground in Williams Park.

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Brownsburg Parks is committed to meeting the diverse needs of the Brownsburg community through a variety of recreational programs, activities, and events each year. Because of these programs and events, participants were able to enjoy affordable, wholesome family fun and entertainment, personal development through enrichment, physical activity and healthy lifestyles, and social interaction with other community members. 2012 saw the addition of new programs mixed in with the popular programs and events Brownsburg Parks offers each year. Some new programs included:

• The return of Open Swim during the winter/spring and fall program seasons at the Brownsburg High School Aquatic Center brought in more than 300 new swimmers from the community.

• Brownsburg Parks Adventure Camp for 6-12 year olds adjusted its schedule with the new Brownsburg School Corporation’s balanced calendar to offer a fall break mini-camp. Adventure Camp will offer school break mini-camps into 2013 during the spring, fall and winter breaks.

• The return of flag football with the Turkey Bowl saw teams battle it out for the coveted Turkey Bowl trophy. This program marked the start of the return of adult sports to Brownsburg Parks’ offerings.

• The Super Hero Trails Dash had more than 50 trail runners navigate their way through, around, and over obstacles throughout Maple Ridge Trail in Williams Park.

• The start of a recreational outreach program helped “push play” into the community by taking programs and supplies to various locations to create reacreational opportunities and health awareness in areas of the community other than the parks. Brownsburg Parks will advance this program in 2013 by including more stops througout the year at community events and in neighborhoods.

• Brownsburg Parks hosted more than 12,000 participants for programs and events, an almost 20% increase, with a revenue increase of over 31% from 2011 and an increase in programs offered by 10%.

• Only 15% of these programs had to be cancelled due to low enrollment. This shows that the majority of the programs offered are relevant to the community’s needs.

• Shelter reservations were down in Arbuckle Acres due to construction of the new water treatment plant. Other shelters in Arbuckles Acres and Williams Park were still utilized with 270 reservations bringing in more than 10,500 additional park users last year.

RECREATION HIGHLIGHTS

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Brownsburg Parks and Recreation Board

Michael Klitzing, President (Town Council Appointed)Scott Lattimer, Vice President (Town Council Appointed)

Joseph Almon, Member (Town Council Appointed)Phil Utterback, Member (Brownsburg School Corporation Appointed)

Vacant AppointmentVacant Appointment

Brownsburg Parks and Recreation Staff

Philip Parnin, DirectorTravis Tranbarger, Assistant Director

Cynthia Hyatt, Administrative AssistantJudith Daniels, Office Assistant

Lora Lacey, Recreation CoordinatorKevin Enders, Recreation Coordinator

Andy Wilson, Grounds SuperintendentKris Myers, Grounds LaborerJoe Maples, Grounds Laborer

61 North Green Street, Brownsburg, IN 46112 317-858-4172 www.brownsburgparks.com