Risk Management: Legal Issues-Park Overlook Scenario

Risk Management: Legal Issues-Park Overlook Scenario

In or about September 1993, Jenny Cliffhanger and her family were visiting the North Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park. They paid a fee upon entering. Jenny was visiting the park with her parents and younger brother Trey as one of many stops on a month long trip to see the West. Jenny was thirteen and one year older than Trey with whom she was in a constant state of competition. At every stop along their trip, Trey and Jenny would race from the car to see who could reach the next attraction first. It was no surprise therefore that when they reached the parking lot for the short hike to the rim that Trey and Jenny bolted from the car toward the trailhead. Their parents made a feeble attempt to stop them from going ahead but the long miles of driving had taken its toll on their resolve to control the actions of their energetic children. Jenny and Trey ran ahead down the trail toward the overlook. They ran past the warning signs that the overlook was under construction and ducked under the rope which was strung across the path to keep people out. They were running at full speed when they neared the overlook which was littered with metal poles and scraps of construction materials to be used for a new and better guarded overlook. They slowed down their pace as they neared the rock ledge of the overlook, but Jenny in her haste, tripped over a piece of metal guard rail which lay on the ground. Her momentum carried her forward and, off balance, she tumbled over the edge of the overlook into the canyon. Trey was witness to the fatal accident. Jenny’s parents, who had seen the warning signs posted at the trail head, had followed quickly but were too late to save Jenny. They sued all parties whom they felt to be responsible for Jenny’s death.

What are the facts of the case? (be very specific)
List all parties that can be sued and apply the elements of negligence to each.
What are the defenses to negligence that each person can use
Who are witnesses for the prosecution?
Who are the witnesses for the defense?

Knox and Clifford Public Recreation-Public

Knox and Clifford are twin cities in Iowa that are facing some difficult financial issues. The two cities combined have a population of 40,000 people and have operated as separate governments for 75 years. Both cities have run into some financial problems and have decided to stop, reorganize, combine, or contract out many city services. A committee is being formed to determine how to deal with recreation services in Knox and Clifford. The committee is composed of someone from Knox, someone from Clifford, and at least one person who has some knowledge of providing recreation services. Since recreation services are a core service in any community, the committee’s task is to study the situation and determine how the new recreation entity will look. The committee will determine issues concerning structure, jobs, and so forth. The end result will be one public agency that serves both communities. The following is information that will guide the committee’s task.

Staff

Currently, a total of 20 full-time staff members are employed in both agencies combined. Some are administrators, some are recreation professionals, and the rest are parks workers. It may be necessary to let go of some staff, hire new staff, or move people to different positions.

Facilities (spread across both communities)

A nine-hole seasonal golf course
An outdoor Olympic-sized pool and new water park
A recreation center with an indoor pool, senior program areas, dance and fitness areas, a youth arts room, two full-size gyms, and a pottery studio
Sports facilities that include 5 baseball diamonds, 14 soccer fields of various sizes, and a 6-diamond softball complex
A nature center that is adjacent to Clifford’s largest park, which is 90 acres. This environmental education center has four multipurpose rooms and is open to the public Monday through Saturday from noon to 4:00 p.m. for drop-in visitors.
An outdoor amphitheater that holds 1,500 people
25 parks with 525 acres of land, 7 pavilions, and 6 miles (9.7 km) of paved trails running through the parks. The parks in Knox are recognized nationally for their high-quality maintenance and landscaping. Clifford has lagged behind in terms of maintenance and landscaping, but the public does not seem to mind.

Programs

A preschool program is housed in the recreation center and runs from 9:00 a.m. to noon.
Programming for all ages is held in the nature center and the recreation center year-round.
A summer concert series, outdoor movies, and theatrical performances are held at the amphitheater in the summer. Other arts programs are held in the community center during the other seasons.
150 active seniors use the senior programs at the recreation center.
Special events are held throughout the year at the various facilities in the parks.
Sports leagues are held year-round for both youth and adults.
A few lessons are offered at the golf course, but the course is mostly used for open play and an occasional scramble tournament.
A swim team uses the facilities year-round.
The nature center holds quite a few one-day special events and programs.
The agency relies on 500 volunteers each year to assist with programs, events, and park maintenance. These people give anywhere from 2 hours a year to 20 hours a week.

Knox Clifford Public Recreation 75 points

The Committee's Task

Imagine that you are a member of the committee. You will be developing a reorganization report. This should be a very detailed report because the committee wants to answer all questions on paper in order to minimize the questioning in the city council meetings. Sections that are only a few sentences are probably insufficient. Include the following in your report.

Write a vision statement.
Write a mission statement.
Write 2 goals with 5 SMART objectives for each goal.
Describe what the agency will look like in its new form. (this is the divisions or overall structure). Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of operating your agency in this sector compared to the other two sectors.
This section should include an organizational chart that illustrates the positions within the organization, as well as logical and effective reporting lines. A narrative justification should be included to defend the choices made in personnel and reporting lines.

If you hire extra people you must be able to justify how this will make the organization profitable or save money by hiring extra people. IF you eliminate positions go you should explain how the duties will be covered and how it will make the organization effective and efficient.

World-Record Musical Chairs

Your class is responsible for planning a major special event to raise money for a local charity (e.g., Make-A-Wish Foundation, American Cancer Society). Following are details for the event.

2,300 players are needed to play musical chairs. The game will need to be played for 24 hours to break the world record specified in the Guinness Book.
Carnival-type games will be set up and run by campus groups; the money raised by these games will go to the cause.
This is a community-wide event and not limited to campus.
Assume that you have lined up sponsors to supply chairs, equipment, and so on. Your job is to attract people to participate as players, groups to staff booths, and people to attend the event. The goal is to attract 8,000 to 10,000 people to the event.

Tasks and Questions

What groups are your target markets?
What are your marketing objectives (e.g., to attract 2,300 people to play musical chairs)?
What are your strategies and tactics to reach your marketing objectives (e.g., Send news releases to the local newspaper)?
How will you use the promotions mix to execute your strategies and tactics?

Object Classification Budget Project

You work for a commercial company that runs outdoor adventure trips. This company runs some of its own trips, and it also contracts with local businesses to run trips for these agencies. For the contracted trips, only revenues are included in the budget because the business pays all expenses. Additional expenditures for the company are also listed for each program. In the object classification budget, list all revenues and expenditures for the company.

You also need to develop a line-item budget for each of the three programs (Starved Rock, Buckner’s Cave, and New Glarus). You should provide detailed expenditures and revenues, as well as a summary of these items, in the spread sheet provided You should then transfer the revenues and expenditures to the object classification budget. All of this will be done in the same file. You must submit the project electronically, and it must be done in Excel using working formulas.

Expenditure line items:

Director of outdoor trips / $50,000 per year salary
Coordinator of land trips / $30,000 per year salary
Coordinator of water trips / $31,000 per year salary
Land trips supervisor (permanent, part time) / $7 per hour, 20 hours per week
Water trips supervisor (permanent, part time) / $7.25 per hour, 20 hours per week
Custodian / $14.50 per hour; full-time permanent position
Benefits / $3,500 for full-time employees; half that for part-time employees
Utilities / $700 per month
Tents / $500
Kayaks / $2,000
Paddles / $450
First aid kits / $250
Facility rental / $1,000 per month
Facility insurance / $250 per month
Postage / $70 per month
Advertising / $500 per month
Phone service / $125 per month
Equipment repairs / $400
Cleaning supplies / $150 per month
Office equipment / $350

Revenue line items:

Kayaking program / $120,000
Backpacking program / $222,000
Winter camping trips / $432,000
Zion Slot hiking / $213,000
Snowboarding excursions / $543,000
Thailand trekking trips / $127,000

Program 1: Hiking at Starved Rock

Description: Join us for a one-day adventure along the scenic trails of Starved Rock State Park. This area contains 18 canyons that were formed by glacial melt water and stream erosion. The park is nestled right next to the Illinois River and contains fascinating rock formations. Don't miss this great opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors and one of our local state parks.

Details: For this day trip, participants will depart at 7:00 a.m. on Saturday and return at 7:00 p.m. that evening. Transportation and lunch are provided.

A minimum of 10 people will attend.
Lunch is $7.50 per person.
Two trip leaders will lead the trip. They make $7.50 and $7.25 per hour. They are temporary employees and do not receive benefits.
Van rental is $50 per day for a 15-passenger van and $35 per day for an 8-passenger van.
Gasoline will cost $45 for the trip.
The company needs to make a 10 percent profit on this trip; for revenue, you should round the trip fee to the next-highest dollar.
All the trip fees must include the cost of the leaders, and the leaders are not charged a fee for going.

Program 2: Caving and Camping Trip to Buckner’s Cave

Description: Do you want a wet, muddy adventure? On this trip, we crawl, cram, and wiggle our bodies through Buckner's Cave in Indiana. See for yourself the beautiful, natural rock formations, stalactites, stalagmites, and calcite falls that fill this cave. Then enjoy a peaceful evening camping out under the stars.

Details: For this trip, participants will take vans to Buckner’s Cave in Indiana. Trip departure is 1:00 p.m. on Friday with a return at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday. Participants will spend Friday and Saturday nights at a nearby campground. All tents, sleeping bags, guides, and meals are provided by the company. The following are expenditures:

A minimum of 30 participants will attend.
Average meal prices are as follows: $4 for breakfast, $5 for lunch, and $7 for dinner. The first meal is dinner on Friday, and the last meal is breakfast on Sunday.
The director of outdoor trips and the coordinator of land trips will go on the trip. They are salaried employees, and their salaries do not need to be included in the individual program budgets.
A trip leader will also go. He starts at 1:00 on Friday and ends at 1:00 on Sunday. He never goes off the clock. He is a temporary employee and does not receive benefits. He is paid $7.55 per hour.
Campsites are $6 each per day (two people per tent and one tent per campsite).
Caving entry fee is $5 per person.
Van rental is $100 per day for a 15-passenger van and $75 per day for an 8-passenger van.
Gasoline will cost $125 for the trip.
The company needs to make a 15 percent profit on each participant; for revenue, you should round the trip fee to the next highest dollar (e.g., $43.12 = $44).

Program 3: Biking and Camping Trip to New Glarus, Wisconsin

Description: The Sugar River Bike Trail winds through some of the most scenic areas of southwestern Wisconsin. The trail follows an old railroad right-of-way along the river and over 14 bridges, including a covered bridge. It goes past parks, picnic areas, and historic sites. This is a perfect time and place to enjoy the peak of fall colors along with beautiful vistas and a variety of wildlife. We will spend Friday and Saturday nights camping along the river and will bike all day on Saturday.

Details: For this trip, participants will leave at noon on Friday and return at noon on Sunday. All meals and sleeping equipment are provided. Bikes will be rented in Wisconsin at the trip site.

A minimum of 20 participants will attend.
Average meal prices are as follows: $3 for breakfast, $6 for lunch, and $8 for dinner. The first meal is dinner on Friday, and the last meal is breakfast on Sunday.
The director of outdoor trips and the coordinator of land trips will go on the trip.
A trip leader will also go. She starts at 1:00 on Friday and ends at 1:00 on Sunday. She never goes off the clock. She is a temporary employee and does not receive benefits. She is paid $7.75 per hour.
Campsites are $7 each per day (two people per tent and one tent per campsite).
Bike rental is $45 per person for the weekend.
Van rental is $100 per day for a 15-passenger van and $75 per day for an 8-passenger van.
Gasoline will cost $125 for the trip.
The company needs to make a 25 percent profit on each participant; for revenue, you should round the trip fee to the next highest dollar.