Amanda D’Agostino

05/18/2021
Initial Report
Initial Report

Goals and Objectives

1. Understand the process of marketing for a variety of programs and events in a municipal
parks setting.
a. Attend and participate in weekly Community Relations Team meetings which
include action items for me to achieve. So far this has been printing marketing
materials, hanging materials in parks, as well as delivering marketing materials to
local businesses.
b. Attend and participate in monthly Digital Content/ Social Media Team meetings.
These meetings also include action items for myself. The next report will have
what that means since the next meeting will be next week.
2. Assist Paula McDevitt to get a better understanding of her position.
a. Every Tuesday I will report to Paula McDevitt and attend meetings that range
from one on one staff meetings to Master Plan meetings as well as budget
meetings.
b. Request documents prior to meetings to have background information necessary
to ask questions, get clarification, understand meeting topics, as well as general
participation.
3. Create Market Bucks Reports for 2019 and 2020 that will be given to Parks Board and
Grant foundation
a. Gather data from previous years and compile information
b. Read through 2018 report to understand format and information that the agency
is looking for
c. Highlight key data points - write narrative to help readers understand the data
d. Create report using the data and narratives
e. Send for edits/proof
i. Make changes
f. Send final to Leslie Brinson
4. Understand the process of CAPRA Accreditation
a. Attend and participate in planning meetings which include the Master Plan -
needed for successful accreditation
b. Request copies of materials submitted for accreditation to see what is necessary
from a department standpoint
5. Budgets - Understand how this works in a municipal setting
a. Meetings with Paula to understand each divisions budget - there are over 24
budgets in the Department
b. Request copies to study how these all relate to each of the divisions mission and
strategic action plans
c. Make additions or edits to the documents prior to meetings to gain an
understanding of how working budgets are updated
 Amanda D’Agostino
05/18/2021
Initial Report
Agency Description
The mission of City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department is as follows:
Our mission is to provide essential services, facilities and programs necessary for the
positive development and well-being of the community through the provision of parks,
greenways, trails and recreational facilities while working in cooperation with other service
providers in the community in order to maximize all available resources.

The City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department has 11 trails, 32 parks, 2
pools, 1 golf course, 4 sports complexes, and 1 ice arena. The agency offers many different
types of events from movie nights, concerts, natural resource themed events, to pool parties.
The Parks Department is responsible for nearly 50 million dollars worth of assets and manages
2,275 acres of park land, trails, greenspace, and other facilities.
There are a variety of partnerships and sponsorships that help make these programs,
events, and facilities possible. The department is CAPRA Certified and will be up for certification
during my internship, which I will take part in meetings and the walk through so I can have an
understanding of how that process works.

Work Plan
During my 12 week internship I will be assigned a variety of tasks for three different
divisions within the City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department, Community Events,
Community Relations, and Administration. Community Events is the first division I will be
discussing. Each week I will attend some of the same meetings as the week prior as well as
adding a few meetings depending on upcoming events, marketing focus, and management
situations that arise.
First, I will be responsible for many tasks having to do with the Farmers’ Market including
working the Market on Saturdays, creating reports for grant money, and preparation for Market
days. Later in the internship, I will be working Escape Rooms, Touch a Truck, Summer Solstice,
and many other special events. While attending those events, I will be gathering photos and
participation numbers for social media usage and evaluation reports. The information collected
will be used by both Community Events and Community Relations.
Next, my work with Community Relations entails attending many meetings with the
Community Relations team, Digital Content/Social Media team, as well as sponsorships and
volunteer meetings. During my internship, I will be taking photos and posting to social media as
well as printing and distributing marketing materials. This is a case by case situation as
COVID-19 is still changing how we are communicating with our community.
Lastly, I will be assisting Paula McDevitt with her day to day business on Tuesday.
Typically, that means attending meetings, reading and proofreading reports, as well as learning
leadership skills by observing her and the other staff members in action. There are specific
things I will not be involved in, such as personnel issues or meetings with the department's
attorney.