Understaffed Recreation Department in Norwich about to get some attention

Acting city manager says he’ll act to begin ‘shoring up’agency

Norwich — Acting City Manager John Bilda will turn his attentions to “shoring up” the city Recreation Department, which has been operating without a director since November 2013, while still running programs that serve hundreds of Norwich children and adults.

Department administrative secretary Victoria Daniels is currently the only permanent office staff member, although the department has been bolstered by a full summer staff: an office assistant, camp supervisor and assistant supervisor, a first aid staffer, 16 camp counselors, a Norwich Free Academy intern and an after-camp staff person from TVCCA to oversee children waiting for parents to pick them.

“On Aug. 14, all of that goes away,” Daniels said Tuesday of the temporary summer staff.

But the end of the popular eightweek summer camp doesn’t mean the Recreation Department will slow down. Daniels will be gearing up for all of the fall and winter programs.

The department was criticized last year for canceling a recreational basketball program. She would like to bring it back, but would need additional staffing.

“I’ve been with the city for 29 years, 28 years with Rec Department,” Daniels said. “This is my home away from home, and I don’t want it to go down on my watch. I know I can do the work, but I know it can be done much more efficiently with more people here.”

Daniels is receiving a pay differential of $291.85 per week for the additional administrative duties on top of her regular annual salary of $44,173.

Community Development Supervisor Gary Evans has been overseeing the Recreation Department in the absence of a director, according to a memorandum of understanding with his employee union, Bilda said.

Bilda said he hopes to have “a more permanent solution” — although not a new full-time director — within a month. “I know they’re very busy,” Bilda said. “It’s the busy season, and in terms of priorities, I would like to wrap it up within a month.”

Alderman Mark Bettencourt, a member of the Recreation Advisory Committee that has been advocating for a boost in staffing in the Recreation Department, said an ultimate goal is to have the department become self-sufficient through program fees, not including field maintenance.

According to the current city budget, the department, with a budget totaling $ 581,091, expects to serve 4,500 youths and 600 adults this year with a combined total of 5,000 program hours. The three full- time department maintenance staff takes care of 166 acres of facilities.

Da n i e l s a g re e d that the department could become self-sufficient with the help of small grants to offer camp scholarships, fee waivers and sliding fees for low-income families.

This summer, the department has a $10,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Southeastern Connecticut for summer camp programming for 40 children.

“We could get some more scholarships,” Daniels said. “We could offer sliding scale fees and scholarships. Someone has to write the applications.”