Latest news with #ParksandRecreationDepartment
The Star
8 hours ago
- The Star
DA slams Emfuleni municipality for R15 million cemetery outsourcing blunder
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Emfuleni has slammed the municipality for wasting R15 million on outsourced cemetery services, accusing officials of reckless spending while residents continue to suffer from collapsing infrastructure and poor service delivery. This comes after Kingsol Chabalala, the DA's constituency head for Emfuleni North, revealed that over the past five financial years (2019–2024), the municipality spent a staggering R15 million paying 65 different service providers for basic cemetery maintenance and grass-cutting. 'This spending is concerning, as the municipality has a Parks and Recreation Department equipped with full-time employees and the necessary equipment to handle these tasks.' Chabalala further stated that the DA will be submitting formal questions to Gauteng MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Jacob Mamabolo, to clarify the roles and responsibilities of the municipality's current staff, particularly in light of the ongoing outsourcing of duties they are employed to perform. Previously, IOL reported in detail on the growing concern around neglected cemeteries in Emfuleni, situated in the Vaal Triangle, which have become dangerous hotspots for criminal activity. Due to the municipality's failure to maintain these graveyards, leaving them overgrown with tall grass and surrounded by broken fencing, criminals have found ideal hiding places to operate in. Evaton resident Nomsa Macha expressed frustration over the lack of basic facilities at the local cemeteries, noting that there are no toilets or access to water available on-site. 'There is no security, and I was once robbed at gunpoint inside the graveyard. I hear people complaining about the same thing.' She added that it's difficult to locate her family's graves as they are hidden beneath thick weeds and overgrown grass. Another resident, Lebohang Mabitle, echoed Macha's concerns, saying they frequently hear gunshots coming from the graveyard, making the area feel unsafe. 'And we are also struggling to find our family graves because the grass keeps growing and the municipality never sends people to come and cut it,' she said. However, Emfuleni Municipality Communications Manager Makhosonke Sangweni dismissed the allegations, stating that the municipality has systems in place to maintain cemeteries across the region. He explained that graveyards are cleaned on a rotational basis and that the municipality is fulfilling its mandate by cutting grass, pruning trees, and maintaining the overall grounds. Sangweni clarified that while the municipality ensures the general upkeep of the cemetery environment, the responsibility for maintaining individual gravesites lies with the respective families. He maintained that the municipality continues to do its part despite resource constraints and urged residents to distinguish between municipal responsibilities and personal obligations in cemetery care. He added that the use of external contractors is intended to support the municipality's efforts, especially given challenges like limited staffing and insufficient equipment. According to Sangweni, outsourcing is a practical solution to ensure essential services, such as cemetery maintenance, are carried out effectively despite internal resource constraints. 'It is not true that Parks and Cemeteries are fully equipped. In Parks, there are employees who do grass-cutting, and they do. The Municipality has just procured equipment valued at R1.7 million to support the grass-cutting service at Parks. However, during rainy seasons, grass grows fast. This is when complementary services are required.' Sangweni further explained that cemeteries are currently staffed only with caretakers who assist in coordinating funerals, but not with grave-digging. He added that the municipality is exploring the possibility of reinstating a dedicated grave-digging team. However, this plan would require acquiring the necessary equipment, which the municipality currently lacks. When asked about the payment breakdown for each service provider from 2019 to 2024, he said contracts are usually signed for three-year periods. Sangweni said staff will be urged to upkeep cemeteries, and called on residents to report crime. 'We encourage our employees to maintain cemetery grounds, and the public must report any criminal activity to the Municipality and SAPS,' he said. The Star sought comment from the Office of the MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), but the department had not responded to queries at the time of going to print. The Star [email protected]
IOL News
14 hours ago
- IOL News
DA slams Emfuleni municipality for R15 million cemetery outsourcing blunder
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Emfuleni has slammed the municipality for wasting R15 million on outsourced cemetery services, accusing officials of reckless spending while residents continue to suffer from collapsing infrastructure and poor service delivery. This comes after Kingsol Chabalala, the DA's constituency head for Emfuleni North, revealed that over the past five financial years (2019–2024), the municipality spent a staggering R15 million paying 65 different service providers for basic cemetery maintenance and grass-cutting. 'This spending is concerning, as the municipality has a Parks and Recreation Department equipped with full-time employees and the necessary equipment to handle these tasks.' Chabalala further stated that the DA will be submitting formal questions to Gauteng MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Jacob Mamabolo, to clarify the roles and responsibilities of the municipality's current staff, particularly in light of the ongoing outsourcing of duties they are employed to perform. Previously, IOL reported in detail on the growing concern around neglected cemeteries in Emfuleni, situated in the Vaal Triangle, which have become dangerous hotspots for criminal activity. Due to the municipality's failure to maintain these graveyards, leaving them overgrown with tall grass and surrounded by broken fencing, criminals have found ideal hiding places to operate in. Evaton resident Nomsa Macha expressed frustration over the lack of basic facilities at the local cemeteries, noting that there are no toilets or access to water available on-site. 'There is no security, and I was once robbed at gunpoint inside the graveyard. I hear people complaining about the same thing.' She added that it's difficult to locate her family's graves as they are hidden beneath thick weeds and overgrown grass. Another resident, Lebohang Mabitle, echoed Macha's concerns, saying they frequently hear gunshots coming from the graveyard, making the area feel unsafe. 'And we are also struggling to find our family graves because the grass keeps growing and the municipality never sends people to come and cut it,' she said. However, Emfuleni Municipality Communications Manager Makhosonke Sangweni dismissed the allegations, stating that the municipality has systems in place to maintain cemeteries across the region. He explained that graveyards are cleaned on a rotational basis and that the municipality is fulfilling its mandate by cutting grass, pruning trees, and maintaining the overall grounds. Sangweni clarified that while the municipality ensures the general upkeep of the cemetery environment, the responsibility for maintaining individual gravesites lies with the respective families. He maintained that the municipality continues to do its part despite resource constraints and urged residents to distinguish between municipal responsibilities and personal obligations in cemetery care. He added that the use of external contractors is intended to support the municipality's efforts, especially given challenges like limited staffing and insufficient equipment. According to Sangweni, outsourcing is a practical solution to ensure essential services, such as cemetery maintenance, are carried out effectively despite internal resource constraints. 'It is not true that Parks and Cemeteries are fully equipped. In Parks, there are employees who do grass-cutting, and they do. The Municipality has just procured equipment valued at R1.7 million to support the grass-cutting service at Parks. However, during rainy seasons, grass grows fast. This is when complementary services are required.' Sangweni further explained that cemeteries are currently staffed only with caretakers who assist in coordinating funerals, but not with grave-digging. He added that the municipality is exploring the possibility of reinstating a dedicated grave-digging team. However, this plan would require acquiring the necessary equipment, which the municipality currently lacks. When asked about the payment breakdown for each service provider from 2019 to 2024, he said contracts are usually signed for three-year periods. Sangweni said staff will be urged to upkeep cemeteries, and called on residents to report crime. 'We encourage our employees to maintain cemetery grounds, and the public must report any criminal activity to the Municipality and SAPS,' he said. The Star sought comment from the Office of the MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), but the department had not responded to queries at the time of going to print. The Star
Chicago Tribune
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Lincolnwood cops v. summer campers dodgeball showdown: ‘A fun time for us to interact with the kids'
The Lincolnwood Police Department continues its collaboration with the village's Parks and Recreation Department, participating in a series of activities with summer campers that include the fierce 'Dodgeball Showdown.' Lincolnwood Police Department records clerk Sarah Yun told Pioneer Press that officers and other department personnel have played the annual summer dodgeball game consecutively since 2021 and also in 2018. 'It's a fun time for us to interact with the kids in a playful manner,' said Yun, whose dodgeball team included Deputy Chief Travis Raypole, Lieutenant Eric Gronlund, Sergeant Luis Nunez, and officers Michael Pignato, Andy Bialek, and Raul Salazar, along with information technology specialist Christian Alcala. Dozens of children participated in – and won – the nearly 45-minute dodgeball game July 9 versus the police at the outdoor inline skating rink at Proesel Park. Yun said there were more players than the usual 50 or so, and campers were between the ages of 8 and 12 – mostly Lincolnwood residents with a smattering of participants from Skokie and Chicago. 'It shows these kids, starting at a young age, that police officers really are friends,' Yun said. 'It helps kids see an everyday hero.' Yun, a former camp counselor who grew up in Lincolnwood, explained that the fun of the Dodgeball Showdown can lead to youngsters trusting police in an emergency or scary situation. She said the dodgeball game also offers police personnel a change of scenery. 'It gives officers an opportunity for them to laugh and enjoy the day, and interacting with others,' Yun said. Yun collaborated with Kandice Newton, a Parks and Recreation Department recreation supervisor, for the most recent years of Dodgeball Showdown, and said Newton also helped with new collaborations connecting the police with about 80 campers this summer. 'Since we know the dodgeball games are such a hit, it was a good opportunity to show the kids what we do,' Yun said. 'A lot of them don't realize we have a drone or we have evidence techs or other specialties our officers have.' After kicking off on June 25 with Gronlund and Officer Jesse Wienski talking about what a police officer does, and letting children try on bulletproof vests and check out a squad car, the collabs continued on July 9 with a drone demonstration by Bialek and Sgt. David Kramarz. 'Officer Bialek actually brought the drone up into the air to show it flying and the kids got to see if they could outrun the drone,' Yun said. 'The drone is a wonderful tool that's helped us find people when we've had a missing person.' The police and parks department collaborations were scheduled to conclude on July 16 with Officers Adriana Hernandez and Adina Soica, who are evidence technicians, showing how they process crime scenes and obtain fingerprints. 'Community is a huge part of our culture here in the police department,' Yun said. 'We're very community-oriented so whenever we're able to interact with the community, we do. The summer is a great opportunity to do that.'
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Emerald Evening' coming to Downtown Elizabethton
ELIZABETHTON, Tenn. (WJHL) – Elizabethton's Parks and Recreation Department is bringing Oz to downtown. An 'Emerald Evening' will be hosted at Kiwanis Park on Friday, June 20 at 7 p.m. The event is free, open to all ages and will include a cookout and food trucks, trivia, face painting and the movie 'Wicked' will be screened. Emma Carney sat down with our News Channel 11 team to discuss the event. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Raymond town manager reflects on first weeks on the job
Jun. 9—Raymond Town Manager Joseph Crocker discussed his first weeks on the job, and the issues the town is facing as it heads into the summer tourist season. Crocker, who was officially appointed to the position on May 20, previously served as director of parks and recreation for five years. According to a Facebook post from the Parks and Recreation Department celebrating his appointment to the role of town manager, Crocker's tenure saw major new installations such as a snack bar and bathrooms at Tassel Top Park, as well as the construction of tennis and pickleball courts, and over 50 programs and events being "built from the ground up." Crocker first took on the role of interim town manager after his predecessor, Sue Look, stepped down after a year in the position. Crocker told Lakes Region Now that Look accepted another job closer to her home in Pittsfield. When asked about what the most important issue facing the community of Raymond was, Crocker said his main focus in the early days of his tenure has been the Jordan Small Middle School Visioning Committee. The committee is in the later stages of presenting possibilities for what could be done with the soon-to-be-vacant building. Noting that the committee was charged by the Select Board to gather information in a relatively short period of time, Crocker praised their efforts, particularly committee head Peter Lockwood. The middle school is due to be shuttered in 2027, when Raymond and Windham plan to merge their middle schools into a single building, and the old building will be turned over to the town. The committee, which includes representatives from the Comprehensive Plan Committee, the library and a senior citizens group, among other stakeholders, was formed earlier this year to discuss potential uses for the school building. Possibilities include facilities for seniors, and a new home for the library or community center. While Crocker did not directly indicate his preferred use to Lakes Region Now, at a Select Board meeting in late 2024, he mentioned how Westbrook had successfully converted a former school into a community center. When asked what lessons he is carrying over from his previous role as parks and recreation director, Crocker said he was hoping to focus on community development. Parks and recreation, he said, was about community building, and providing services that are valuable to all community members, whether children, adults, or senior citizens. As town manager, he said, he wanted to make sure that he kept building on those services, and trying to adapt as those services are implemented. Copy the Story Link
