Consent Item 4e
STAFF REPORT
City Council Consent Item
DATE: October 20, 2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and Council Members
FROM: Kaylyn Stainbrook, Parks and Recreation Director
THROUGH: Amy Nilsen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Parks and Recreation Department Monthly Report for September 2025 STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Receive report as an informational item.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Parks Maintenance
One new part-time Parks Maintenance Worker started on Monday, September 22nd.
Two additional part-time Parks Maintenance Worker candidates completed their pre-employment exams and then accepted full-time positions at other entities. Park/Facility Maintenance Tasks Completed (done in addition to several routine items):
o Repainted parking lines behind Pavillion and Rec Hall. o Assisted in the repair of the River Lodge window coverings. o Repaired Rodeo grounds grandstand bleachers.
o Cleared brush along museum hillside.
o Placed special events signs every Saturday for youth soccer at Newburg Park.
o Escorted Whitchurch Engineering for site visit of Pavillion. o Repaired River Lodge urinal, sinks, and electrical.
o Collected large art donations from donor and installed in new locations. o Vintage Market prep, event maintenance, and clean-up: 2 park staff hours. o Performed weed control applications at Boulevard, Chamber of Commerce, City Hall LIDs, Newburg Park, and Senestraro: 19.5 staff hours o Performed landscaping at the Fortuna Police Department: 24 staff hours.
Rentals
There were five Monday Club rentals, five picnic area/cookshack rentals, three Bartow field rentals, and one Lesku field rental. Additionally, several user groups, such as the Genealogical Society, Fortuna Garden Club, Eel River Little League, Eel River Youth Soccer League, Emerald Football Club, Fortuna High School and Results Fit Camp, continue to use our indoor and outdoor facilities on a recurring basis.
Consent Item 4e
Community Service
In collaboration with the Humboldt County Probation Department, one Community Service Worker helped with park maintenance, serving a total of 12 work hours this month.
Recreation
Recreation supervisor hosted a booth at Fortuna High’s Wellness Fair on September 11th to highlight our programs and upcoming events. Over 50 students participated in a Parks Department feedback survey for a chance to win two free skate passes. Parks and Recreation staff continues to plan the 5th Annual Spook-A-Thon, scheduled for October 25th from 3:00pm-5:00pm. On September 22nd, the Recreation department was awarded a $2,000 grant from the McLean Foundation to support the event.
Additionally, three event sponsors have been secured as of September 30th. The Coed Adult Softball League continues.
Year-Round Recreation Programs (Firemen’s Pavilion) Schedules:
o Drop-in Pickleball: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings, 9:00am – 12:00pm and Sunday evening, 7:00pm-10:00pm.
o Drop-in Basketball: Thursday evening, 7:00pm-9:00pm.
o Drop-in Volleyball: Sunday evening, 5:00pm-7:00pm.
o Public Skate: Fri/Sat 6:30pm – 9:30pm, Sun 1:30pm – 4:30pm o Private Parties: Fri afternoon, Sat morning/afternoon, Sun morning (Varies) September
Year-Round
Recreation
Program Totals
Drop-in
Pickleball
Drop-in
Basketball
Drop-in
Volleyball
Public
Skate
Private
Skate
Parties
Total Sessions 12 4 4 12 10
Total Participants 232 13 14 219 193
Fortuna Transit
• Staffing/Volunteer Updates
o The dispatch office continues to be adequately staffed for transit dispatch phone coverage and in-person office assistance.
o Transit hired a new part-time driver and a new per-dem driver. The new drivers started their training the week of September 22nd.
o With the addition of the new drivers, transit now has 1 fulltime driver, 2 parttime drivers, and 1 per diem driver.
• Special Projects/Announcements/Donations
o Our riders continue to utilize the weekly Eureka Medical Trips. o The Eureka Shopping Trip was cancelled for September, due to having only 1 driver on Thursdays.
• Rider/Miles/Hours Stats per usual
o This month 11 new riders signed up for the transit service.
Consent Item 4e
Fortuna
Transit
September
2024
September
2025
YTD July
2024-June
2025
YTD July
2025-June
2026
Total
Passengers 925 488 3078 906
Total Miles 2552 1882 8493 3430
Service Miles 2390 1762 7951 3206
Total Hours
Worked 297.25 217.75 968.75 405
Service Hours
Worked 261.00 198.25 857.25 373
Fortuna Depot Museum
Starting in September, the museum’s hours are: Thursday through Saturday 12:00pm – 4:30pm and Sunday 1:00pm – 5:00pm.
September’s visitation total at the Fortuna Depot Museum was 149 people. Recent years’ September visitation totals were: 2024: 172, 2023: 157, 2022: 169, 2021:
144, 2020: 76, 2019: 186, 2018: 243, 2017: 261, 2016: 179, 2015: 203. In September 2025 we welcomed California visitors from Arcata, Brentwood, Carlsbad, Crescent City, Eureka, Fortuna, Half Moon Bay, McKinleyville, Modesto, Phillipsville, Redway, Santa Rosa, Sebastopol, Temecula, as well as outof-state visitors from Arizona, Tennessee and Washington. The “Now Playing! (100 Years Ago) at the Fortuna Theatre” exhibit continues to be updated approximately every two weeks, highlighting the films that were playing at the Fortuna Theatre precisely 100 years ago
River Lodge
• Notable events in September include:
o Friends of the Eel River Banquet.
o Eureka symphony Performance.
o Ducks Unlimited Bingo.
o Humboldt County Farm Bureau Annual Dinner.
Sept. 2024 Sept. 2025 Fiscal YTD
25 - 26
Total Events
8 7 27
Total Attendees 1120 1150 2437
Total Days
Occupied 8 9 34
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
Receive Parks and Recreation Department Monthly Report. Consent Agenda vote.