Business Item 5c
STAFF REPORT
City Council Business Item
DATE: October 20, 2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and Council Members
FROM: Kaylyn Stainbrook, Parks & Recreation Director
THRU: Amy Nilsen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Park Maintenance Worker Personnel Reallocation STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Approve the Reallocation of Three (3) Part-Time Park Maintenance Worker I Positions to One (1) Full-Time Parks Maintenance Worker II Position.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The Parks Maintenance Division is responsible for maintaining approximately 81 acres of property, which includes 1.4 miles of intermittent grassy medians (approximately 4.24 acres), two mature public parks with several aging buildings, several multi-use sports fields, and public restrooms.
Additionally, they are responsible for maintaining a variety of miscellaneous properties such as the Fortuna Library, River Lodge, covered bus stops throughout the city, and more.
Current Park Maintenance Staffing Allocations:
One (1) full-time Lead Park Maintenance Worker position One (1) full-time Park Maintenance Worker III position Three (3) full-time Park Maintenance Worker II positions Three (3) part-time Park Maintenance Worker I positions The full-time positions are currently filled. However, all three part-time positions are currently vacant and have proven difficult to keep filled.
The Parks & Recreation Department, with assistance from Human Resources and the Finance Department, has been recruiting for the part-time Park Maintenance Worker I positions for several months. Since January, a total of 17 interviews were conducted, eight conditional job offers have been accepted, and eight pre-employment physicals and backgrounds have been paid for (approximately $10,900 total). Many of those individuals withdrew prior to their start dates due to full-time job offers elsewhere. Only two applicants have actually completed the hiring process and attended their start date. Of the two applicants that were hired, one started in April and quickly promoted to full-time in June, due to a full-time employee resigning and accepting a full-time position in Ferndale for better wages. The other successful candidate started in mid-September and submitted a no-notice resignation in early October after only a few weeks of employment. That employee accepted a full-time custodial position with the City of Eureka.
The recruitment cycle (posting, reviewing, interviewing, coordinating physicals, onboarding, etc.) costs the City thousands of dollars in staff time and resources. The Parks and Recreation Business Item 5c
Department recognizes that the part-time Park Maintenance Worker I recruitment has been generally unsuccessful.
Additionally, one of the full-time Park Maintenance Workers went out on medical leave in early October with no estimated date of return. With the few remaining staff members staggered to cover Park Maintenance duties seven (7) days per week, combined with unsuccessful part-time recruitment, staff recommends that the allocations for three part-time Park Maintenance Workers be combined and replaced with one full-time Park Maintenance Worker II position.
Proposed Amended Park Maintenance Staffing Allocations:
One (1) full-time Lead Park Maintenance Worker position One (1) full-time Park Maintenance Worker III position Four (4) full-time Park Maintenance Worker II positions FINANCIAL IMPACT:
In the fiscal year 2025-26 budget, the City included $107,038 in part-time wages and benefits related to the Park Maintenance I positions. The annual cost of one full-time Parks Maintenance II position is estimated at $90,467. This represents an overall annual savings of $16,571. Those savings will remain in the Parks Division fiscal year 2025-26 budget to cover the pre-employment costs that have already pushed the department over budget in that particular line item and potentially higher overtime costs due to having a full-time employee out on extended leave.
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
1. Receive staff presentation and review Council questions with staff.
2. Open Public Comment
3. Close Public Comment
4. Motion to Approve the Reallocation of Three (3) Part-Time Park Maintenance Worker I Positions to One (1) Full-Time Parks Maintenance Worker II Position. Voice vote.