Playing Smart changelabsolutions.org | kaboom.org 68 Even after financial and liability questions have been resolved, a joint use agreement can be stalled by other issues. Chapter 6 Strategies for RelationshipBuilding, Scheduling, and Maintenance Though challenges vary from place to place, research points to a few common areas where the agreements tend to run aground:106, 107 Establishing effective relationships with stakeholders, including unionized school-site personnel Scheduling access to facilities Understanding and allocating responsibility for maintenance and upkeep In this chapter, we provide guidance on how to make sure joint use agreements are carried out smoothly. We explore strategies for engaging a variety of stakeholders early in the planning process, and ways to build lasting partnerships. We also consider some of the typical issues that may emerge, including scheduling access to facilities and maintaining good relationships with unionized employees and other personnel. Finally, we look at ways to avoid conflicts by clarifying each party’s roles and responsibilities in maintaining facilities, and offer some suggestions for how to resolve conflicts when they do arise. Building Relationships: Establishing a Work Group Effective joint use agreements are grounded in strong working relationships. Staff overseeing the development of joint use agreements should take the responsibility of building relationships seriously. Overlooking or avoiding this aspect of the process could derail the agreement. A joint use task force or staff work group can foster these important relationships. The City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County in North Carolina established a joint use task force that offers a national model for engaging and coordinating key stakeholders effectively.108 The task force, created by a joint resolution (described below), develops policy statements and processes for the joint planning and use of facilities in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg area.109 Established in 1996, it includes representatives from two dozen agencies. This community’s vision for joint use extends beyond sports fields, gyms, and school property. The task force’s expansive approach is reflected in the diverse composition of the group, which includes agencies charged with development of virtually every type of public facility. Community Voices Community participation is key in negotiating a successful joint use agreement. Suppose a school and the local parks and recreation department have agreed to keep the lights on at a basketball court throughout the evening, to give teens and others the opportunity to use it. Sounds like a great idea, right? But if a community has had problems in the past with teens gathering near the courts, there may be resistance. This concern should be discussed during the process of negotiating a joint use agreement: a security detail could be added, or programming could be incorporated to engage young people in a way that works for the community.
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