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Friday, March 29, 2024
HomeNewsLocal newsSports, Parks and Recreation Quizzed on Staffing Shortages, Low Salaries

Sports, Parks and Recreation Quizzed on Staffing Shortages, Low Salaries

Pedro Cruz, commissioner of Sports, Parks and Recreation speaks with Sen. Nereida Rivera-O'Reilly during a break in Wednesday's budget hearing.
Pedro Cruz, commissioner of Sports, Parks and Recreation and Sen. Nereida Rivera-O’Reilly at a 2017 hearing.

When Pedro Cruz, commissioner of Sports, Parks and Recreation, brought his budget request for $6.4 million to the Committee on Finance Friday he mostly fielded questions about how his department’s employees are treated.

One issue raised by Sen. Tregenza Roach was that, according to information provided, some employees were being paid less than allowed by the minimum wage ($10.50 per hour) law which went into effect at the beginning of June. Cruz said the salary document at which senators were looking was prepared in May and salaries had been changed to come into compliance last month.

Sen. Jean Forde followed up by asking what the salary raise means to employees who have been at the department for a while and are now earning what the lowest paid employees are making. Cruz said he would look at that. The new law requires a full-time employee earn a minimum wage of $22,800 a year. Some employees at the department were previously making only $21,000.

Cruz said his department has been struggling to stay fully staffed. He said the department has had ten resignations, seven retirements, and one transfer out during the last fiscal year.

“This shortage of staff has impacted the daily operation of the department and its ability to continue being productive on a timely manner,” he said.

The department now employs 98. Cruz said that is a drop of 12 percent in the last year. On St. Thomas 42 are employed; St. John has five employed and on St. Croix 51 are employed.

One area that has suffered is the collection of trash from the parks and other department properties. Four employees, two in each district, should be doing the work, but now there are only two, one in each district, and one of those will soon be leaving.

Adding to the problem is the fact that the department has only one garbage truck running. Garbage pickup in the St. Thomas/St. John district is handled by pickup trucks.

Another staffing problem for the department is finding life guards for its beaches. Assistant Commissioner Calvert White said many applicants can’t pass the Red Cross test to qualify as life guards.

Senators questioned Cruz also about the status of Emile Griffith Park, located on the waterfront in Charlotte Amalie; Vincent Mason Park and Paul E. Joseph Stadium. Cruz said construction will begin at the stadium north of Frederiksted as soon as it determined that the land can hold the building. He added that he hopes that will be this September. The stadium project, initiated in 2012, has been stalled several times.

White said repairs at Emile Griffith Park are going slowly because the department decided to do something extra there – replace the ballpark lights that went down with LED lights. The road to the Vincent Mason Park, on the West end of St. Croix is finished, according to Cruz, but the park entrance remains blocked because the pool is still in bad shape. Cruz said he is waiting for money to begin work on the pool. Funding the work on the pool and park will be difficult because not all of the damage was storm damage. Looters, reportedly, carried away kayaks, buoys, and at least three $500 pumps, along with computer equipment.

Sen. Kurt Vialet, chairman of the committee, asked why the new track at the St. Croix Educational Complex could not be sanctioned for international events. Cruz said it was one foot short of the measurement needed. The track saw its first event last month with several schools in the territory competing.

Few questions were asked Friday about the specifics of the budget. Of the $6.4 million requested, $5 million will go to personnel services. The cost of utilities is estimated at $775,800 or 12 percent of the budget. White said the high cost of utilities is one reason the department wanted to put energy efficient LED lights at Emile Griffith.

The department collects fees for recreation programs, park use, concessions, and recreational facilities, which are under its jurisdiction. Cruz’s figures indicate that only about half of the $200,000 collected last fiscal year will be collected this year.

Cruz said in his testimony the vision of the department is to provide a citizen-driven and professional approach to make facilities safe and well-maintained, and its mission is to provide a standard of excellence in service, diverse sports programs, and recreational activities.

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