On October 2, 2010 – The citizens of Orleans Parish will vote to amend the Home Rule Charter of the City of New Orleans to create an entirely new, ‘best-practices’ based, model for New Orleans recreation.
The proposed Reform reflects the findings of the New Orleans Recreation Department Citizen Advisory Panel (NORD CAP), a panel that Council President Fielkow and his fellow Councilmembers created in 2008 to study the New Orleans Recreation Department (NORD) and review programs/best practices in other cities. The NORD CAP submitted to City Council a summary of their results as well as recommendations for how to best reform NORD.
Below is a list of frequently asked questions on the proposed NORD Reform:
Q: What is NORD CAP?
A: A group of about 75 experts and regular citizens in the fields of recreation, parks management, education, professional sports, performing arts, neighborhood organizations, community outreach, juvenile justice, government, fundraising, and other interested parties whom held a series of facilitated public meetings. NORD CAP is co-chaired by Rod West, Roy Glapion and Bobby Garon, who led meetings, met with recreational management consultants, and spoke with recreation department heads in comparable cities.
The NORD Citizen Advisory Panel laid the groundwork for what now is the proposed Charter amendment.
Q: What exactly are we voting on?
A: On October 2, 2010, the citizens of New Orleans are being asked to consider a change in the City Charter that would create the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission.
The new Commission will do the following:
- Create a governance structure that is a quasi public-independent body operating without political interference
- Significantly increase the funding of NORD from the City Budget
- Develop increased supplemental funding by establishing a partnership with the private sector to fundraise
- Ensure transparent recreation services
- Put recreation facility maintenance under one governing authority
Q: Why create a governance structure that is independent and depoliticized?
A: As long as NORD is directly under the Mayor’s office, NORD leadership will be subject to turnover every time there is a Municipal election. For the past 30 years, NORD has had 14 directors for an average term of just over two years. There have been four different NORD directors in the last 18 months alone. This frequent turnover limits long range planning. The governing body of this Commission would be comprised of members of both the private and public sectors, thus mitigating the negative effects of political turnover.
Q: Who will be on the governing body of the proposed Commission?
A: The City Council will vote on the Commission’s make-up during the September 2nd City Council Meeting, but the Commission make-up will be diverse and represent a broad cross-section of the community.
Q: Is NORD definitely going to receive increased funding from the City?
A: Mayor Landrieu has pledged to significantly increase the funding of NORD in the 2011 Municipal Budget.
Q: Why incorporate the private sector?
A: The charter amendment will create the New Orleans Recreation Development Foundation to be organized as a Louisiana non-profit corporation. The Foundation will serve as a fundraising body to further support the activities of the Commission.
Q: But if NORD becomes a Public Private Partnership, will its operations be private?
A: The proposed NORD commission will be very public and transparent, thus all meetings must be publicly posted, open to the public, as well as subject to all open records and public meetings laws.
Q: What can you do to help create a better recreation system for all New Orleanians and why is it important?
A: A good and successful recreation system is a high priority for New Orleans citizens and will greatly assist the community in crime prevention, overall physical and mental health and economic development. PLEASE VOTE YES ON OCTOBER 2ND!
