The purpose of this monthly newsletter is to keep Foundation partners and affiliate groups better informed with monthly updates on our activities, upcoming meetings, and other news of interest.  Your input is welcome.  If you have content to add to a future newsletter, wish to subscribe, or want to unsubscribe, please contact the Foundation webmaster/secretary, Karen Townsend at KarenTownsend@rrpfoundation.org.

A Holiday Message from the Foundation’s Executive Director.
8 December 2006

Dear Foundation Partners and Friends,

As 2006 draws to an end, I have been looking back and evaluating this past year relative to the Richmond Recreation and Parks Foundation.

Informally, I think the best event was the City’s hiring of John “JR” Pope to head the Parks and Recreation Department. He has provided strong, consistent leadership within the Department and managed to find funding for much-needed projects. I think he has been effective in articulating and advocating for Department priority needs with the Administration, City Council, and other City Departments. And he certainly has been willing to meet with many parks and recreation groups and he brings many new and exciting ideas to Richmond.

I think the funding for the Foundation and its partners has increased somewhat, but we’ll have to look at the books after the end of this year to know precisely. The growth of the Foundation was somewhat slower this year: one new partner (Friends of Jefferson Park), a revived partner group (Friends of Paradise Park), and the creation of an endowment account for the Friends of James River Park. However, several partner groups were very active: Friends of Forest Hill Park and its huge tree planting with Philip Morris (thank you Joyce Stargardt), Friends of Fonticello Park’s Ka-Book playground and park renovation (thanks Rose Marie Wiegandt), and the City’s expanded initiatives to go after more grants via the Foundation. We helped Dogwood Dell celebrate its 50th anniversary, the Cultural Arts programs are going strong, and big advances have been made in the City’s recreation programs. Plus, most of the parks seem to be making real progress with their improvements, and the James River Park System is getting more support and national recognition.

Perhaps more important than external growth is the Foundation’s need to formalize and strengthen its internal operations; officer’s job descriptions, smoother paperwork processes, and better checks and balances. Casey Cockerham and Joyce Stargardt have contributed strong leadership and lots of time and effort to help improve these important functions. They both have motivated the Board of Directors to reach important strategic plan goals. Casey will step down as President next week, and Joyce will “take charge”! The Board and I are grateful for their dedication! Thanks to all the Board members for their hard work!

2007 promises to be a very exciting year, with unusual opportunities and unique challenges. I hope you will continue to assist the Foundation and enrich the City of Richmond and its citizens! Happy Holidays,

John J Zeugner
RRPF Executive Director
288-5005

Board of Directors Meeting Summary - Wednesday November 15, 2006, 4:30 pm
Landmark Theater

Foundation President Casey Cockerham called the meeting to order at 4:30 p.m.

Joyce Stargardt introduced her guest, Sara Englehart, explaining that she met Sara through the Scuffletown Park friends, and that Sara is an attorney with Capital One. She is interested in getting involved with the Foundation as a Board Member, and would help the Foundation with her legal expertise. She said she looks forward to working with us.

P, R & CF Liaison, Mary Lois Mitchum reported that the Conservation Easements initiative was moving ahead. She talked about some park clean-ups. Lombardy Park will begin work or rehabilitating the park, including the removal of some of the 1970s concrete playground structures.

Mary Lois Mitchum also reported on the big work days planned for Carter-Jones- Fonticello Park, sponsored by Ka-Boom and Home Depot. There will be a site prep day on Nov. 28, with several hundred volunteers from Home Depot, and the City, and a work day on Nov. 30 from 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. with a board-cutting that Thursday afternoon. Rose Marie Wiegandt, the President of Friends of Fonticello Park explained how the Friends of Fonticello Park have gotten a $35,000.00 from KA-Boom to renovate the playground, She said the $10,000.00 grant from Wachovia will be used later to construct a Vita Course.

President, Casey Cockerham reported that he had received full written approval from the City’s Chief Administrative Officer’s Office and JR Pope’s approval for the final distribution of the old Broad Rock funds, currently residing in the Foundation’s SouthSide Youth & Family Activities Program Account ($12,640). Mary Lois Mitchum has a list of playground structures and family oriented amenities to be placed in the Broad Rock Sports Complex and at the Broad Rock playground. All these funds will be expended, where they were targeted to be spent, on improvements benefiting the residents and neighborhood.

Treasurer, Carl Otto reported that the Federal 990 Tax form for 2005 was completed, and the independent audit was completed several weeks before. Bookkeeping Solutions is still sending out acknowledgment letters for donations over $2500, yet still may be confusion with partners as to their role in thank-you letters and acknowledgment letters.

Executive Director, John Zeugner reported that he and Molly Dellinger-Wray, President of Friends of James River Park, had been investigating the creation of a James River Park Endowment Fund, in order to build up capital over the long term (10-20 years and more), to supplement funding for the Park. Molly Dellinger-Wray explained that they were receiving a $5,200 grant from the Ruth Campo Campbell fund, and another Richmond citizen wishes to leave money to the park in his will. John Zeugner reported that it seems that this can be done under the auspices of the RRPF account at Davenport. It would be different from regular partner accounts in that the interest generated by the account would remain in that account and not go into the RRPF account. Ideally, as an endowment grows larger, the interest it generates (say 5%) is directed to the beneficiary and the principle remains intact. Carl Otto recommended that the Foundation charge its customary “one time charge” of 3% as the contributions come in (for our Foundation expenses) and provide guidelines for the endowment funds’ operation and administration. Other partners may wish to do this too, but we all agreed that the James River Park is indeed a special case. After a little more discussion, Carl Otto moved that the Foundation help establish a James River Park Endowment Fund at Davenport. The Board vote was unanimous approval. John Zeugner and Molly Dellinger-Wray were asked to bring forward specifics and guiding legal language.

John Zeugner also reported that Peter Girardi was leaving the City’s Urban Forestry Program. Jose Hernandez is the interim Division director, but that this probably would not be permanent, and that he felt that the Friends of Urban Forestry would be meeting soon, to discuss the needs for a Tree Commission, a tree ordinance, and an Urban Forestry Plan.

Joyce Stargardt said that there would be Elections in December and she’d put together a slate. Joyce Stargardt also reported that like the tree planting in Forest Hill Park sponsored by Philip Morris earlier this year, Philip Morris was looking for three possible projects for 2007. She would be working with Mary Lois Mitchum on this.

Leighton Powell reported that the Echo Harbor project proposed for the old Cable property, on the north riverbank below Libbie Hill Park, would disrupt the view of the bend on the James for which Richmond was named. Scenic Virginia and a few other groups were opposed to this, and preferred to see the City develop the riverside for trails and open space. She’ll report more on this later.

Calendar of Upcoming Board Meetings and Other Events

December 20 - Board Breakfast at Cafe Ole
January 17 - Hotchkiss
February 21 - Highland Park, Strategic Planning Retreat
March 21 - Annual Partner Luncheon

(This month the Foundation will hold a Board breakfast in lieu of a full board meeting.  Please join us at our next meeting in January if you wish to get involved.)  Regular board meetings are held at 4:30 pm on the third Wednesday of each month. (NOTE THE NEW MEETING TIME!)  Locations vary as noted above.  Partners are cordially invited to join any or all Board Meetings.  For directions, please refer to the City's web page for community center information.