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Recreation Commission Meeting Page Seven Mr. DiSalvo asked if there were any questions from the Commission members. Ms. Jones asked if someone staffs the ticket booth late at night for over-the-hill hockey. The Commissioner stated that whoever the closing supervisor is will be physically there rather than in the office. Mr. Limpert asked if there would be a cost trade off as to card swiping for who's in the building and who's not. If we're paying $7-$9 an hour, the Recreation would eventually be spending thousands of dollars instead of some sort of bar code I.D. so that the Recreation staff would actually know who's coming into the building. Would that seem to be an advantageous trade-off as opposed to someone manning the ticket booth? Mr. Gareau said he liked the idea that there should be someone around, especially during odd hours of the day. If the Recreation Center allows some groups to enter because they are known, before long everyone will be coming in unsupervised. Someone walking around the Complex is, itself, the deterrent. Mr. Limpert said that limited staffing, e.g., for an all-night party, puts two people in the pool area and one in the ticket booth. With so many dollar demands, could the time be played smarter? Mr. DiSalvo's concerns are that there should be someone at the ticket booth at all times for a cash exchanges. Once money exchanges are over at the ticket booth, rounds will be made to let staff presence known. Mr. Limpert proposed that, perhaps, some money saved at the ticket booth would provide for a video camera running for a 24-hour targeted time frame. If no one reports a wallet or other valuables missing, re-run the tape. Mr. Gareau stated that once the Commissioner reviews the dynamics of the situation, there might be a lot of money being spent where it shouldn't be. Three people sitting in a ticket booth is not cost effective. Perhaps taking one of those people out to patrol the complex at night, thus reallocating the money, would help. Mr. Gareau further stated that the Commissioner will find that reorganization and reallocation of current staffing is the key. Who knows? The Rec Center might be able to get both: proper staffing as well as the video camera set up. Mr. Gareau's major concern is that people are free to enter and leave the building at will. Some control must be put in place to monitor the situation, maybe something as simple as an access card like a hotel key. Mr. DiSalvo said there's definitely potential for more efficient use of the system, especially in the ticket booth. The training must be better so that everyone's time is maximized for the benefit of the Rec Center. Salary concerns might be one issue, but proper training provides the initial impetus for any kind of longevity. Perhaps longer shifts and more hours per week would give more incentive. There's been a big turnover, and the employees need recognition and attention to keep them interested in their jobs. Mr. Jesse stated that another issue is that, because of the publicity about the security, the Recreation Center has become somewhat of a target. There needs to be an immediate response to this issue. The perpetrators read papers as well. Mr. Baxter said that perhaps programs could be curtailed so that the Recreation Center is not open at 5:00 a.m. or 10:00 p.m. Must the entire facility be open for a small amount of people, given the cost to keep the Center open? Mr. DiSalvo said that, based upon his experience, once you have a program, the people utilizing it want it kept open. The consensus of the Commission was that the Rec employees and Commission should be able to keep all programs running, as long as the programs are making money. A balance is the key. Page 7