§ 72.12 Assessment of needs, problems and issues. The Action Program should begin with an Assessment describing the existing park and recreation system; issues and problems; goals and objectives. The Assessment should summarize the entire system including: Operation and maintenance; employment and training; programs and services; rehabilitation of existing facilities; and the need for new facilities. The Assessment should also describe how the park and recreation system relates to other public and private services. The Assessment consists of six parts which are as follows: ( a ) *Context.* The context should provide: ( 1 ) A short description of the local jurisdiction including: population; economy; geographical location; type of government; how the park department fits into the government structure; how the planning for parks and recreation is achieved; and the relationship to the community's comprehensive planning effort.
( 2 ) A brief descriptive overview of the park and recreation system which includes a discussion of: The populations being served both within and outside of the jurisdiction; the types of services being provided; the degree to which the system is available and accessible to the populations intended to be served; and projected changes in system use.
( 3 ) A discussion of the elements of planning, financing, programming, operation and maintenance, acquisition and development, and other factors common to park and recreation systems and other community services and prospects for future coordination.
( 4 ) A discussion of the approaches and mechanisms used for citizen participation.
( b ) *Physical Issues.* Summary information should be provided on existing facilities including: ( 1 ) Types of facilities and the distribution of acreage and uses at different locations;
( 2 ) Integration of park and recreation planning and facility use with other service agencies such as schools, transportation and housing;
( 3 ) Special facilities for the handicapped or elderly as well as facilities which work to mainstream special populations;
( 4 ) Heavily used non-public or quasi-public facilities;
( 5 ) Facilities of historical and architectural significance which provide recreation and are managed by the park system;
( 6 ) Dependence upon nearby recreation resources outside the local jurisdictions, including public and private resources;
( 7 ) Deficiencies and existing facilities and the needs of the community for new facility development, expansion and/or closure of facilities and the effects of such activities.
( c ) *Rehabilitation Issues.* Summary information should be provided on the need for rehabilitation of facilities. This should include: ( 1 ) Geographic areas needing rehabilitation;
( 2 ) Types of sites and properties for rehabilitation;
( 3 ) Importance of rehabilitation in specific geographic areas; and
( 4 ) Value of rehabilitation over replacement through new facility development.
( d ) *Service Issues.* Summary information on existing services should outline activities and needs in the following areas: ( 1 ) The type, extent and intended beneficiaries of recreation services;
( 2 ) Special programs for the handicapped, elderly, minorities and mainstreaming programs for special populations;
( 3 ) Relationship between and coordination with public and significant non-public programs and private sector groups;
( 4 ) Extent to which park and recreation services relate to other community services including joint programs with schools, social service organizations, historic preservation groups, libraries, or community education facilities;
( 5 ) Coordination with Federal, State (SCORP), regional, county and other jurisdictional plans and activities having direct and indirect impacts on parks and recreation.
( e ) *Management Issues.* Management issues deal with operation of the park and recreation system. Information should summarize the needs and issues of: ( 1 ) Process for developing procedures and policies;
( 2 ) Staffing levels including full-time, seasonal and service personnel, and use of volunteers;
( 3 ) Use of contractual services for recreation programming;
( 4 ) Equipment maintenance and replacement policies; and
( 5 ) Budgeting process, funding cycles and budgets for the past three years and methods of budgeting (such as zero based or performance budgeting).
( f ) *Conclusions, Implications and Issues.* This section should state major conclusions of the discussions in previous sections, summarize the major problems and highlight the implications for actions needed to address the problems which have been outlined in the issues sections.