Agenda packet — Audit Committee, July 29, 2026

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AMENDED
www.modestogov.com
AGENDA
City of Modesto

SPECIAL AUDIT COMMITTEE

COUNCIL WORKSHOP
2001-40 Del Puerto Room
Tenth Street Place, 1010 10th Street
Modesto, California
Wednesday, July 29, 2026 at 4:00 PM
Roll Call: Sue Zwahlen, Chair
Rosa Escutia-Braaton, Vice-Chair
David Wright, Member
Camille Garcia, Public Member
Thomas Orosco, Public Member
Alternates: Eric Alvarez, Nick Bavaro, Chris Ricci, Jeremiah Williams Council has not delegated directive or final approval authority to the Committees.

Committee actions are recommendations to the full City Council, not final decisions on an issue. * Public Comment will only be in-person. Members of the public who wish to address the Committee, by providing public comment, during the meeting must do so in-person in the 2001-40 Del Puerto Room. As an alternative, members of the public may also provide written public comment submitted via email as indicated in the Submitting Comments by Email instructions on this agenda. Zoom will still be available for viewing and Wordly translation. * Members of the public will be allowed to provide public comment through Zoom if a Councilmember is participating remotely pursuant to the provisions of California Government Code section 54953.8.3.
*If a technical issue arises with Zoom or the phone dial-in option, the Council meeting will continue unless the meeting is being held pursuant to the provisions of Senate Bill 707, California Government Code section 54953.8.3. Alternative viewing options are listed below, and the meeting is physically open to the public.
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"Wordly" puede traducir a más de 25 idiomas diferentes! Para acceder a la traducción durante la reunión, por favor escanee el código QR o haga clic en el enlace https://attend.wordly.ai/join/RJDY-6364.

You may observe a livestream of the meeting at http://media.modestogov.com. You may also view or listen to the meeting as indicated below.

THE MEETING CAN BE VIEWED BY ZOOM VIDEO

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Joining the Committee meeting via Zoom
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Joining the Committee meeting via Telephone
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PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
Three-minute time limit per speaker.

Only interested persons in the audience may present these matters. Under State law, Committee Members may respond to matters being presented under this item only as follows:
a. Briefly respond to statements made or questions raised. b. Ask a question for clarification.
c. Provide a reference to staff or other resources for factual information. d. Request staff to report back at a subsequent meeting. e. Finally, a Committee Member or the Committee itself may take action to direct staff to place a matter of business on a future agenda.
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SUBMITTING COMMENTS BY E-MAIL
Written comments may be submitted via email to: [email protected] (include Agenda Item Number in the subject line). All comments will be shared with the Committee Members and placed in the record but will not be read aloud during the meeting.

Written comments must be received two hours before the meeting.

This Agenda is on file in the City Clerk’s Office, Sixth Floor, 10th Street Place, Posting Board at entry of 10th Street Place, and is available on the City’s Web site at www.modestogov.com.

Materials related to an item on this Agenda submitted to the Council after distribution of the agenda packet are available for public inspection in the Clerk’s office during normal business hours. Such documents are also available online, subject to staff’s ability to post the documents before the meeting, at the following website www.modestogov.com/councilmeetings.

In accordance with the requirements of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) of 1990, the Fair Employment & Housing Act (“FEHA”), the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (as amended), Government Code section 11135 and other applicable codes, the City of Modesto (“City”) will not discriminate against individuals on the basis of disability in the City’s services, programs, or activities. For more information, please visit the City of Modesto website at https://www.modestogov.com/865/Americans-with-Disabilities-Act-ADA In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please contact the City Clerk (209) 577-5396. Notification 48 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this meeting
Any and all of the following agenda items are subject to action by the Modesto City Council.

NEW BUSINESS

1. Consider receipt of the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Internal Audit Status Report dated July 8, 2026. (Funding Source: Not Applicable)
• Motion to receive and file the Internal Audit Status Report dated July 8, 2026.

CITY AUDITOR; Colleen Rozillis, 206-302-6795, [email protected]

2. Consider the Audit Finding Validation Report dated July 7, 2026. (Funding Source:

Not Applicable)
• Motion to receive and file the quarterly Audit Findings Validation Report.

CITY AUDITOR; Colleen Rozillis, 206-302-6795, [email protected]

3. Consider the Information Technology (IT) Policy Review Memorandum dated April 24, 2026 and forwarding to Council for acceptance. (Funding Source: Not Applicable) • Motion to receive the Information Technology (IT) Policy Review Memorandum dated April 24, 2026 and forwarding to Council for acceptance.

CITY AUDITOR; Colleen Rozillis, 206-302-6795, [email protected] - 3 -
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4. Consider the Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Performance Audit report dated July 7, 2026 and forwarding to Council for acceptance. (Funding Source: Not Applicable) • Motion to receive the Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Performance Audit Report dated July 7, 2026 and forwarding to Council for acceptance.

CITY AUDITOR; Colleen Rozillis, 206-302-6795, [email protected]

ADJOURNMENT
Posted pursuant to Government Code Section 54954.2 on the bulletin board at Tenth Street Place on at by
date time signature
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CITY OF MODESTO

COMMITTEE AGENDA REPORT
DATE OF MEETING:

July 29, 2026
Date: July 8, 2026
TO: Audit Committee
Sue Zwahlen, Chair
Rosa Escutia-Braaton, Vice Chair
David Wright, Member
Camille Garcia, Public Member
Thomas Orosco, Public Member
FROM: Colleen Rozillis, City Auditor
SUBJECT: Receipt of the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Internal Audit Status Report CONTACT: Colleen Rozillis, City Auditor, [email protected], 206-302-6795 DESCRIPTION:

Consider receipt of the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Internal Audit Status Report dated July 8, 2026. (Funding Source: Not Applicable)
STRATEGIC PLAN ELEMENT:

The recommended action supports the City’s 2025-2026 Goal J: Build a highperformance organization.

BACKGROUND:

City Council approved seven (7) projects for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025-26’s Internal Audit work plan, plus program management. All projects are currently within budget and on track for delivery within the planned timeline. City Council also approved five (5) new projects for FY 2026-27’s Internal Audit work plan, plus program management. The attached report details the status of projects in progress and the new FY projects.

DISCUSSION:

Internal Audit projects are proceeding as planned.

FISCAL IMPACT:

There is no fiscal impact with the associated action requested in this item. #1..
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Audit Committee, July 29, 2026
Receipt of the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Internal Audit Status Report

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CEQA/NEPA REQUIREMENTS:

This item does not constitute a “project” within the meaning of California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15378 and requires no environmental review.

RECOMMENDED COMMITTEE ACTION:

Motion to receive and file the Internal Audit Status Report dated July 8, 2026.

Approved by:

Colleen Rozillis, City Auditor
Joseph P. Lopez, City Manager
Attachments:

1. Internal Audit Status Report 07-08-26.
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CITY OF MODESTO INTERNAL AUDIT STATUS REPORT 07-08-26
July 8, 2026
To: City of Modesto Audit Committee
From: Baker Tilly Advisory Group, LP
Subject: City Auditor Status Report April 1, 2026 through July 8, 2026 _____
FY 25-26 INTERNAL

AUDIT PROJECTS

RECOMMENDATION VALIDATION

PROCESS IT POLICY REVIEW HOMELESSNESS RESPONSE PERFORMANCE AUDIT

FEE BENCHMARKING & COST

RECOVERY AUDIT

CASH HANDLING INTERNAL

CONTROLS TESTING

PARKS, RECREATION &

NEIGHBORHOOD

PERFORMANCE AUDIT
Schedule July 2025 – June 2026 August 2025 – April 2026 October 2025 – March 2026 January – June 2026 December 2025 – March 2026 February – June 2026 Budget Status: Total
Budget and % Expended
through 6/30
$10,000
140%
$25,000
14%
$40,000
100%
$40,000
100%
$30,000
100%
$35,000
100%
Project Description Continue to track and validate
recommendation implementation.

Review IT Department policies,
identify gaps and opportunities for
improvement, and support the
Department during the policy update
process.

Assess the efficiency and
effectiveness of the City’s response
to homelessness and compare City
practices to industry best practices.

Review the City’s fee schedule,
compare fees to peers, and assess
the extent to which fees cover costs.

Test internal controls related to cash
handling activities across the City.

Assess economy, efficiency, and
effectiveness of departmental
operations and compare to industry
best practices.

Activities for This
Period
Continue to close findings based on
submitted documentation.

Completed analysis and developed
findings and recommendations
memo.

None. Conducted peer benchmarking and
analysis, developed draft report. None. Completed interviews and analysis, developed draft and final reports.

Activities for Next
Period None. None. None.

Complete benchmarking on Capital
Facility Fees and incorporate into
report; issue final report.

None. None.

Issues
More validation activity than
anticipated when program was
budgeted; funded additional analysis
via overall program savings.

None. None.

Added Capital Facility Fee
benchmarks into scope. Funding
additional analysis via overall
program savings and extended
timeline.

None. None.

BASIC INTERNAL

AUDITOR SERVICES

ONGOING CITY AUDITOR

SERVICES

ETHICS HOTLINE STATISTICS
Schedule July 2025 through June 2026 Complaint Type Complaints Received During the Period
Under Review Referred to Appropriate City
Official(s)
Closed
Budget Status: Total
Budget and %
Expended
$25,000
100%
Compliance & Ethics 7 0 7 7
Fraud 0 0 0 0
Employment Matters 2 0 2 2
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CITY OF MODESTO INTERNAL AUDIT STATUS REPORT 12-30-25
FY 26-27 INTERNAL

AUDIT PROJECTS

ONGOING CITY AUDITOR

SERVICES

RISK MANAGEMENT

OPERATIONAL REVIEW

INVENTORY MANAGEMENT

INTERNAL CONTROLS REVIEW

MEASURE H PERFORMANCE
AUDIT

REVENUE RECOVERY

OPERATIONAL REVIEW

TRAFFIC SAFETY

PERFORMANCE AUDIT
Schedule July 2026 - June 2027 July – October 2026 August – November 2026 October 2026 – February 2027 December 2026 – April 2027 February – May 2027 Total Budget $40,000 $35,000 $40,000 $50,000 $45,000 $40,000 Project Description City Auditor activities include
overseeing the internal audit
program, tracking and validating
recommendation implementation,
and managing the fraud, waste, and
abuse hotline.

Assess the current state and
identify opportunities for improving
the efficiency and effectiveness of
the City’s risk management
function.

Assess processes and conduct
targeted testing of internal controls
related to inventory management
across the City.

Evaluate the City’s progress toward
Measure H goals over a three-year
period. Assess the economy,
efficiency, and effectiveness of
relevant operations and compare
City practices to industry best
practices.

Review the City’s revenue recovery
function and benchmark against
peer cities to identify opportunities
to collect revenue.

Assess the economy, efficiency,
and effectiveness of the City’s
traffic safety programs and
initiatives. Review staffing,
processes, policies, and systems
related to traffic safety and compare
to industry best practices.

Activities for Next Period Continue program management
and validation activities.

Initiate project, review
documentation, conduct interviews.

Initiate project, review
documentation, conduct interviews None. None. None.
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CITY OF MODESTO

COMMITTEE AGENDA REPORT
DATE OF MEETING:

July 29, 2026
Date: July 8, 2026
TO: Audit Committee
Sue Zwahlen, Chair
Rosa Escutia-Braaton, Vice Chair
David Wright, Member
Camille Garcia, Public Member
Thomas Orosco, Public Member
FROM: Colleen Rozillis, City Auditor
SUBJECT: Receipt of the Audit Findings Validation Report CONTACT: Colleen Rozillis, City Auditor, [email protected], 206-302-6795 DESCRIPTION:

Consider the Audit Finding Validation Report dated July 7, 2026. (Funding Source: Not Applicable)
STRATEGIC PLAN ELEMENT:

The recommended action supports the City’s 2025-2026 Goal J: Build a highperformance organization.

BACKGROUND:

City Council approved an ongoing project to validate the corrective actions of audit findings and recommendations issued since 2016.

DISCUSSION:

The review incorporates all audit findings and recommendations dating back to 2016, a total of 294 findings. In the last quarter, Baker Tilly was able to verify that 10 findings have been closed. To date, Baker Tilly has verified that 249 findings have been closed, indicating that the issue is resolved.

FISCAL IMPACT:

This review is completed quarterly and was budgeted annually in the amount of $10,000 in FY2025-2026. Additional budget was allocated from other areas of the audit program #2..
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Audit Committee, July 29, 2026
Receipt of the Audit Finding Validation Report

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to support increased validation activities. This audit amount was funded as part of the General Fund budget.

CEQA/NEPA REQUIREMENTS:

This item does not constitute a “project” with the meaning of California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15378 and requires no environmental review.

RECOMMENDED COMMITTEE ACTION:

Motion to receive and file the quarterly Audit Findings Validation Report.

Approved by:

Colleen Rozillis, City Auditor
Joseph P. Lopez, City Manager
Attachments:

1. Audit Finding Validation Report 07-07-26

2. Audit Validation – Open Recommendations (Detail) – July 2026 #2..
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City of Modesto - Audit Recommendations Tracking Report 7/7/2026
Reports
Total Recommendations Open Recommendations
(Not Yet Completed by City)
Validated
Recommendations
(By Baker Tilly)
Reportable Recommendations
(Newly validated since last
summary)
Single Audit Report - 2017 (17-SAR ) 4 0 4 0
Single Audit Report - 2018 (18-SAR ) 3 0 3 0
Single Audit Report - 2019 (19-SAR ) 1 0 1 0
Single Audit Report - 2020 (20-SAR ) 1 0 1 0
Single Audit Report - 2021 (21-SAR ) 1 0 1 0
2018-2019 Stanislaus County Civil Grand Jury (18_19-SCCGJ ) 8 0 8 0 2022-2023 Stanislaus County Civil Grand Jury Final Report (22_23-SCCGJ ) 5 0 5 0 2021-2022 Stanislaus County Civil Grand Jury Final Report (21_22-SCCGJ ) 7 0 7 0 2024- FORESTRY AND SOLID WASTE EFFICIENCY STUDY UPDATE (24-FASWES ) 20 3 17 0 2024- PROCUREMENT PERFORMANCE AUDIT (24-PPA ) 11 1 10 1 2016- Solid Waste Efficiency Study (16-SWES ) 12 1 11 0 2016-WATER AND WASTEWATER EFFICIENCY STUDY UPDATE (16-WWE ) 14 1 13 0 2017- BILLING AND ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE REVIEW (17-BAR ) 4 0 4 0 2017- FLEET SERVICES EFFICIENCY STUDY (17-FSE ) 27 1 26 0 2017- INTERNAL CONTROLS TESTING: PROCUREMENTCARDS (17-ICTPC ) 19 0 19 0 2017-INTERNAL CONTROLS TESTING: TRAVEL EXPENSES (17-ICTTE ) 17 0 17 0 2017- INTERNAL SERVICE FUND REVIEW (17-ISF ) 18 3 15 4
2018- Fleet Utilization Study (18-FUS ) 13 4 9 0
2018- PERMITTING EFFICIENCY STUDY (18-PES ) 10 0 10 0
2016 INTERNAL CONTROLS TESTING: CASH HANDLING (16-ICTCH ) 42 0 42 0 2025 Employment After Retirement Review (25-EARR ) 4 0 4 0 2025 Payroll Internal Controls Review (25 -PICR ) 5 0 5 0 2025 Water and Wastewater Utilities Fiscal Review (25-WWUFR ) 9 7 2 0 2025 Accounts Receivable Internal Controls Review (25-ARICR ) 7 0 7 1 2025 Capital Improvement Program Assessment (25-CIP ) 9 6 3 2 2025 Permitting Efficiency Study Update (25-PES2 ) 11 7 4 1 2026 Cashs Handling Internal Controls Review (26-CASH ) 3 2 1 1 2026 Homeless Performance Audit (26-HOME ) 9 9 0 0
Total 294 45 249 10
Legend:

Total Recommendations = number of recommendations in the report Open Recommendations = number of recommendations not yet completed by City Validated Recommendations = number of recommendations validated byBaker Tilly as completed and adequately addresses the finding Reportable Recommendations = number of recommendations validated since last summary report for Audit Committee

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ID
Finding
Number
from
Report
Report
Year
Report
Code
Auditing
Entity Finding Recommendation Baker Tilly Determination Notes 49 7 2024 24-PPA MA
Purchasing lacks comprehensive standard operating procedures (SOPs), which are important to promote staff knowledge, consistency, and accountability; and reduce risk.

Develop comprehensive procurement SOPs to guide staff on procurement processes.

The city provided us with 9 SOPs created to support purchasing procedures. The SOPs provided are as follows.

SOP - Assign a Requisition & Create a PO.docx
Sop - Enter An Employee 2026.docx
SOP - Entering a Master Agreement in Oracle.docx
SOP - Entering an RX Non-Catalog or Stand-Alone.docx
SOP - Mass Update Requisitions Only.docx
SOP - Setting up E-Pay.docx
SOP- Mass update of Buyers name on Purchasing Documents.docx SOP - Add an Insureds to PINS.docx
SOP - Archive and Unarchive insured vendor in PINS.docx 142 1 2017 17-ISF MA
N/A Establish a risk management funding and reserve policy to fully fund each years’ liability program costs, plus estimated claims at a flexible confidence range of 75 to 85 percent.

The City has created an ISF Policy that will be presented to the finance committee in June 2026. It outlines the ISF reserves for each of the following areas: Building Services, Employee Benefits, Fleet Fund, General Liability, Information Technology, Mail Services, Property Insurance, and Workers' Compensation.
156 15 2031 17-ISF MA
N/A Establish a capital funding policy and renewal reserve funded by annual distributions.

The City provided the information they presented to City Council in April 2026.

Next steps were outlined as:

Complete $1M in Measure H Deferred Maintenance Projects:
-Identify tasks that can be done in-house and those that need to be contracted out.
-Public Works will work to contract with vendors who specialize in necessary trades to complete any portion of the work identified within the ranking strategy tasks and take contracts to the Council for award. 157 16 2032 17-ISF MA
N/A Continue to seek alternative funding for critical facilities capital needs.

The City provided the information they presented to City Council in April 2026.

Next steps were outlined as:

Complete the 5-Year Deferred Maintenance Plan
This plan will be brought to Council in the fiscal year 2027-28 budget year with a funding strategy to start the five-year funding process to address the large Deferred Maintenance Plan.
159 18 2034 17-ISF MA
N/A Consider establishing a reserve level maximum valued at three to six months’ operating costs, plus amortized equipment costs, and reallocating any additional funds to address other General Fund capital needs.

Each area has reserve levels defined depending on the need for that area. 220 7 2025 25-ARICR MA
It was noted that discrepancies and exceptions flagged by the billing system from customer accounts are reviewed by the Senior Account Clerk or Account Technician. However, according to discussions with the Director of Finance, the current billing system does not capture or display the actions taken by the employee during the review and approval of these exceptions.

As the City implements the new accounts receivable system, which includes an audit log captures all employee actions such as the review of billing exceptions, we recommend leveraging this functionality to maintain detailed records of the review process, such as timestamps, reviewer identities, and decisions made. This system capability supports strong accountability and control over billing exceptions.

The City provided a screenshot of the new utility billing system, and it provided an image of the audit log that tracks what was completed, by which user, and timestamped.

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ID
Finding
Number
from
Report
Report
Year
Report
Code
Auditing
Entity Finding Recommendation Baker Tilly Determination Notes 221 1 2025 25-CIP MA
The City does not currently have a uniform methodology across its departments for estimating and reporting project budgets which could lead to a reliance on initial costs rather than comprehensive project cost estimates. This creates an increased risk of inadequate funding for projects, as full estimated costs may not be consistently reported during the project design phase, leading to potential risks of financial shortfalls later in the construction phase, as well as reduced transparency within the CIP book's reporting.

To ensure accurate budgeting and long-term planning, the City should develop comprehensive cost estimates for upcoming projects, such as implementing GFOA and other industry standard best practices, that encompass the full scope of expenses, rather than just initial costs, and ensure that the costs for the full project lifecycle are included in the CIP book reporting.

The City provided an extract of the access database and screenshots of CIP projects. Through this, we were able to see the outward years planning that is now being completed for CIP projects. 1-5 years are represented, where they can now estimate the full scope of the project year over year. 232 1 2026 26-CASH BT
Counterfeit currency detection practices are not applied consistently across City locations, as different locations use varying thresholds for verifying bills. These inconsistencies indicate that staff are not uniformly following the City’s established policy requirements.

We recommend the City standardize counterfeit detection practices by enforcing the requirement to verify all currency of $5 and above and by providing updated, documented training for all cash handling staff. This training should also be incorporated into onboarding to ensure consistent compliance across all locations.

The City provided the email that was sent on 4.24.26 - in the email, it stated that this is a follow-up to the annual cash handling training. Here is the instructions from the email: As reviewed in our annual Cash Handling training, all bills of $5 and above must be checked for
counterfeit features at the time of each transaction.

This is a friendly reminder that all bills of $5 and higher must be checked for counterfeit features at
the time of each transaction. Please take a moment to slow down, inspect the bill, and use the tools
provided at your workstation.
222B 2B 2025 25-CIP MA
The City's capital planning and project prioritization efforts are oftentimes conducted on a decentralized and somewhat subjective basis, which creates risks that capital project prioritization and funding are not transparent or consistently aligned with specific City priorities.

The City should maintain an Unfunded Project list in priority order to identify critical project needs if alternative funding sources become available.

The City provided the CIP book for FY2026 -2027, and there is a section dedicated to the unfunded projects.
230B 4B 2025 25-PES2 MA
Plan review timelines may be difficult for some departments to meet due to limited staff capacity, variation in project complexity, and a lack of consistent procedures across departments for timely review of plans.

To help manage the plan review timelines across departments and address the limited staff capacity, the City should implement a standardized procedure for staff to perform an initial
completeness check upon receiving an application and before initial review is started.

The City provided the standardized completeness check procedure. The purpose of the procedure is stated as 'This procedure is intended to establish a consistent initial intake review process for permit applications received through eTRAKiT before formal plan review beings. The goal is to identify missing required documents early, reduce delays caused by incomplete applications, and improve overall coordination in the permitting process.' It then outlines the 5 steps of the procedure.

The City also provided additional documentation and workflows that outline the completeness check procedure for building permits.

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ID
Finding
Number
from
Report
Report
Year
Report
Code
Auditing
Entity Finding Recommendation Department Assigned Expected Completion Date 229 3 2025 25-PES2 MA
The CED Department has established performance measures related to permitting activities, although these metrics are largely volume-based.

To enhance customer service delivery, the CED Department should develop additional performance measures related to customer experience and timeliness.

CED QTR1 2027
233 2 2026 26-CASH BT
During our remote interviews with the Finance Department, we inquired about any concerns related to current practices surrounding asset safeguarding.

Finance Department reported that the City’s Cashiering Division leaves checks unattended in a secured, badge-access area monitored by cameras. They also noted that change fund drawers remain unattended for approximately 30 minutes in an area not directly covered by camera surveillance, both at the end of the day before being taken to the vault and in the morning when drawers are
removed from the vault and placed out for staff to retrieve.

During our cash count, we inspected the location where these drawers are kept and confirmed that cash remains unsecured at the end of the day and in the morning, with no camera surveillance covering the specific area where the change fund drawers sit. Additionally, we observed that checks received at the customer service window were left on top of the desk instead of being placed in a locked drawer, and undeposited mailed checks were left on employees’ desks while staff were away for breaks or lunch.

Cashiering QTR2 2026
234 3 2026 26-CASH BT
Golf cart rental cash deposits are being stored in an unsecured, unlocked drawer, leaving the funds vulnerable to loss, theft, or misuse and failing to comply with required cash safeguarding practices established by the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) and the City’s internal Cash Handling Policy.

The City should store all cash in a locked, access-restricted drawer or safe in accordance with GFOA best practices and City policy. The City should also update procedures to prohibit unsecured storage and ensure staff consistently follow secure cash-handling practices.

Cashiering QTR2 2026
232A 6A 2025 25-PES2 MA
Although eTRAKiT has significantly streamlined and modernized the permitting and plan review process, there are some challenges related to the system's governance and capabilities that are causing issues for staff. In addition, the lack of automated phone and messaging systems is impeding efficiency in some areas.

To improve the customer experience, limit staff confusion, and reduce plan review time, the CED Department should implement a nested question feature to guide applicants to the correct application forms for their project.

CED QTR3 2026
37 6 2024 24-FASWES MA
The City’s Tree Ordinance can be strengthened in several areas. Update the Tree Ordinance based on International Society of Arborists (ISA) best practice guidance.

PW QTR3 2026
44 2 2024 24-PPA MA
Despite appropriate staffing when compared to peers, some Purchasing staff reported high workloads and limited capacity. This is likely due to unbalanced workloads across buyers, recent turnover, and process and system inefficiencies.

In addition to implementing other recommendations throughout this report related to turnover and process efficiency, perform a workload analysis to support balancing workloads appropriately across Purchasing buyers.

Finance QTR4 2026
55 6 2016 16-SWES MA
The City’s Tree Ordinance can be strengthened in several areas. Update the Tree Ordinance based on ISA best practice guidance. PW QTR3 2026 66 5B 2016 16-WWE MA
The SCADA function is understaffed and disconnected from the Wastewater Division by reporting to the Information Technology (IT) Department.

Prioritize and address SCADA staffing and system needs. UTL QTR3 2026 95 17 2017 17-FSE MA
Vehicle and equipment project replacement cost calculations are missing important elements.

Revise the fleet replacement cost methodology to include surplus values, annual inflation rates, auction fees, and make-ready costs.

PW QTR1 2027
143 2 2018 17-ISF MA
N/A Develop a plan to repay the existing deficit over 10 years. OPMB QTR4 2028 150 9 2025 17-ISF MA
N/A Continue to fund fleet maintenance utilizing actual costs. PW QTR2 2026

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ID
Finding
Number
from
Report
Report
Year
Report
Code
Auditing
Entity Finding Recommendation Department Assigned Expected Completion Date 151 10 2026 17-ISF MA
N/A Revise fleet ISF replacement cost methodology to include surplus values, annual inflation rates, auction fees, and make-ready costs.

PW QTR1 2027
160 1 2018 18-FUS MA
N/A Update the utilization analysis six months after initial recommendations have been implemented to reestablish a baseline and complete a utilization analysis every two years thereafter.

PW QTR2 2027
162 3 2018 18-FUS MA
N/A Right-size the fleet based on results of the utilization analysis, which identified 45 units as potential candidates for reduction, reassignment, or pooling.

PW QTR2 2027
171 12 2018 18-FUS MA
N/A Expand the existing Wastewater Operations Pool at the Sutter Treatment Plant from 2 to 8 vehicles, using underutilized units from other Utility Divisions at the plant.

PW QTR1 2027
172 13 2018 18-FUS MA
N/A Revise the current vehicle take-home policy to add specific criteria relating to take-home and standby vehicle assignments. Review all vehicle take-home and current standby authorizations and justify approvals based on the new vehicle take-home policy.

PW QTR4 2026
209 1 2025 25-WWUFR MA
The Department lacks a systematic approach to tracking total anticipated project costs within its Capital Improvement Program (CIP), leading to large fluctuations in project costs and raising potential transparency and cash flow issues.

Clearly document total project anticipated costs, update totals as new projects are added, and evaluate project budget versus actuals to assess trends.

OPMB QTR3 2026
212 4 2025 25-WWUFR MA
Although water and wastewater rates have increased in recent years, the City has not adjusted related fees in over a decade, which may result in insufficient revenue to cover costs.

Evaluate water and wastewater fees to ensure costs are adequately covered. UTL QTR4 2026 213 5 2025 25-WWUFR MA
Despite grant opportunities, the Utilities Department lacks the capacity to pursue and manage grants effectively due to the absence of a dedicated grants management position.

Consider establishing a dedicated grants management position (potentially as a shared resource for City departments) to streamline the grant application process and reduce the workload on existing staff.

UTL QTR3 2026
223 3 2025 25-CIP MA
The City has some documented policies and procedures guiding capital planning and project management, but they are outdated and there are key gaps. This makes it difficult to ensure continuity of operations in an environment with personnel turnover.

The City should establish a comprehensive and up-to-date set of capital planning policies and procedures informed by best practices, including project management resources that provide standardized templates, checklists, and forms.

OPMB QTR3 2026
226 6 2025 25-CIP MA
The CIP book aligns with a number of industry best practices, but there are opportunities to improve public transparency, process descriptions, and financial and project data.

The City should update the CIP book with best practice elemments, including expanding on the planning and prioritization process descriptions, adding more detail to financial and project data, and providing a holistic narrative about the City's capital activities.

OPMB QTR2 2027
228 2 2025 25-PES2 MA
The City's current fee structure may not adequately cover the cost of all phases of development review and permitting activities, which could result in te subsidization of these activities.

The City should prioritize conducting a fee study and establish clear cost recovery goals for development and permitting activities.

CED QTR4 2028

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- 15 -
ID
Finding
Number
from
Report
Report
Year
Report
Code
Auditing
Entity Finding Recommendation Department Assigned Expected Completion Date 235A 1A 2026 26-HOME BT
Although the City has demonstrated leadership in pursuing funding opportunities and supporting nonprofit partners that deliver homelessness services, many community programs continue to operate near capacity and rely on uncertain funding sources. These conditions create challenges for longterm program sustainability and limit the system’s ability to consistently meet community needs.

The City should continue building on its existing efforts to strengthen long-term sustainability for homelessness programs by:

1. Formalizing and expanding support for nonprofit capacity development CED Q4 2027
235B 1B 2026 26-HOME BT
Although the City has demonstrated leadership in pursuing funding opportunities and supporting nonprofit partners that deliver homelessness services, many community programs continue to operate near capacity and rely on uncertain funding sources. These conditions create challenges for longterm program sustainability and limit the system’s ability to consistently meet community needs.

The City should continue building on its existing efforts to strengthen long-term sustainability for homelessness programs by:

2. Developing and documenting a coordinated multi-year funding strategy CED Q2 2027
235C 1C 2026 26-HOME BT
Although the City has demonstrated leadership in pursuing funding opportunities and supporting nonprofit partners that deliver homelessness services, many community programs continue to operate near capacity and rely on uncertain funding sources. These conditions create challenges for longterm program sustainability and limit the system’s ability to consistently meet community needs.

The City should continue building on its existing efforts to strengthen long-term sustainability for homelessness programs by:

3. Establishing or assessing flexible funding mechanisms to help stabilize services and leverage additional external funding
CED Q2 2027
236A 2A 2026 26-HOME BT
Regional homelessness-related data is collected through multiple systems that are used by the City, community organizations, and other regional partners.

However, differences in reporting requirements and limited integration across platforms make it difficult to develop a comprehensive view of system-wide outcomes and trends.

The City should continue building on its existing efforts to strengthen coordination across homelessness-related data systems by:

1. Establishing and documenting consistent data definitions and reporting expectations in coordination with regional partners
CED Q2 2028
236B 2B 2026 26-HOME BT
Regional homelessness-related data is collected through multiple systems that are used by the City, community organizations, and other regional partners.

However, differences in reporting requirements and limited integration across platforms make it difficult to develop a comprehensive view of system-wide outcomes and trends.

The City should continue building on its existing efforts to strengthen coordination across homelessness-related data systems by:

2. Developing and implementing a process to regularly compile and analyze key data elements across systems (e.g., HMIS, ESRI, Neighborly, and program dashboards)
CED Q2 2028
236C 2C 2026 26-HOME BT
Regional homelessness-related data is collected through multiple systems that are used by the City, community organizations, and other regional partners.

However, differences in reporting requirements and limited integration across platforms make it difficult to develop a comprehensive view of system-wide outcomes and trends.

The City should continue building on its existing efforts to strengthen coordination across homelessness-related data systems by:

3. Aligning operational data systems with existing performance indicators to support consistent, system-wide reporting and analysis
CED Q2 2028
237A 3A 2026 26-HOME BT
The City has established a strong foundation for reporting and communicating information about homelessness initiatives through formal reports, dashboards, and community engagement. Opportunities exist to improve clarity and consistency by consolidating information across programs and expanding the use of outcome-focused reporting.

The City should continue building on its existing reporting framework by:

1. Enhancing and maintaining a consolidated reporting format or dashboard that integrates key information across homelessness programs and data systems
CED Q1 2027
210A 2A 2025 25-WWUFR MA
The City lacks key maintenance data, an asset management system, and staff capacity to effectively address utility-related maintenance needs.

Collect and track maintenance data including installation dates, renewal periods, and estimated costs.

UTL QTR1 2028
210B 2B 2025 25-WWUFR MA
The City lacks key maintenance data, an asset management system, and staff capacity to effectively address utility-related maintenance needs.

Utilize Lucity as an asset management system, or explore other systems to track asset management data more effectively and efficiently.

UTL QTR1 2028

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ID
Finding
Number
from
Report
Report
Year
Report
Code
Auditing
Entity Finding Recommendation Department Assigned Expected Completion Date 211A 3A 2025 25-WWUFR MA
The City's storm drain budget is projected to decline over the next five years, impacting the City's ability to maintain the program that helps prevent flooding and protects the City's water quality.

Evaluate reallocating storm drain fees, establishing development impact fees, and levying special taxes to fund the storm drain program more effectively over time.

UTL QTR3 2026
211A 3B 2025 25-WWUFR MA
The City's storm drain budget is projected to decline over the next five years, impacting the City's ability to maintain the program that helps prevent flooding and protects the City's water quality.

Consider reallocating street sweeping expenditures to be financed by a different fund than the storm drain fund.

CED QTR3 2026
222A 2A 2025 25-CIP MA
The City's capital planning and project prioritization efforts are oftentimes conducted on a decentralized and somewhat subjective basis, which creates risks that capital project prioritization and funding are not transparent or consistently aligned with specific City priorities.

The City should adopt prioritization criteria that appropriately weight critical maintenance needs and support clear communication.

OPMB QTR3 2026
222C 2C 2025 25-CIP MA
The City's capital planning and project prioritization efforts are oftentimes conducted on a decentralized and somewhat subjective basis, which creates risks that capital project prioritization and funding are not transparent or consistently aligned with specific City priorities.

The City should consider reestablishing the CIP task force. OPMB QTR3 2026 224A 4A 2025 25-CIP MA
The City's CIP processes lack modern technology solutions deliberately designed for capital projects and is largely decentralized between different systems and departments, which makes it difficult to track and report on project status on a standardized basis.

The City should establish a formalized project-tracking methodology. OPMB QTR3 2026 224B 4B 2025 25-CIP MA
The City's CIP processes lack modern technology solutions deliberately designed for capital projects and is largely decentralized between different systems and departments, which makes it difficult to track and report on project status on a standardized basis.

The City should develop regular reporting on key financial and project data to keep all stakeholders up-to-date.

OPMB TBD
227A 1A 2025 25-PES2 MA
Due to growth in permitting activities, workloads for staff involved in the permitting and building inspection processes have increased, although capacity to manage the workload is low, likely due to low staffing levels.

As resources allow, prioritize hiring for critical positions that will alleviate the most significant workload pressures, including Building Inspectors (particularly staff dedicated to code enforcement) and Development Services Technicians (in both Building and Planning).

CED QTR4 2027
227B 1B 2025 25-PES2 MA
Due to growth in permitting activities, workloads for staff involved in the permitting and building inspection processes have increased, although capacity to manage the workload is low, likely due to low staffing levels.

Review workloads throughout outside departments involved in the plan review process after implementing process improvements recommended in the Plan Review Timelines finding.

CED QTR1 2027
227C 1C 2025 25-PES2 MA
Due to growth in permitting activities, workloads for staff involved in the permitting and building inspection processes have increased, although capacity to manage the workload is low, likely due to low staffing levels.

Review workloads at the Reception Counter after implementing system upgrades recommended in the Automated Phone and Messaging Systems finding.

CED QTR1 2027
230A 4A 2025 25-PES2 MA
Plan review timelines may be difficult for some departments to meet due to limited staff capacity, variation in project complexity, and a lack of consistent procedures across departments for timely review of plans.

To help manage the plan review timelines across departments and address the limited staff capacity, the City should consider implementing differentiated timelines based on project complexity and type.

CED QTR1 2027

Page 4 ends

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ID
Finding
Number
from
Report
Report
Year
Report
Code
Auditing
Entity Finding Recommendation Department Assigned Expected Completion Date 38B 7B 2024 24-FASWES MA
Current staffing and equipment levels are not sufficient to address the City’s tree maintenance backlog and maintain a tree pruning cycle aligned with best practices.

Consider adding additional Forestry staff and equipment to reach a five- to sixyear pruning cycle.PW QTR3 2026 42A 11A 2024 24-FASWES MA
Procurement delays are still impacting Forestry and Solid Waste’s ability to obtain necessary equipment, likely due to limited central procurement capacity and supply chain issues.

Work with Purchasing to establish service level standards and performance targets that will support efficient operations in Forestry and Solid Waste.

PW QTR3 2026
237B 3B 2026 26-HOME BT
The City has established a strong foundation for reporting and communicating information about homelessness initiatives through formal reports, dashboards, and community engagement. Opportunities exist to improve clarity and consistency by consolidating information across programs and expanding the use of outcome-focused reporting.

The City should continue building on its existing reporting framework by:

2. Standardizing and documenting a core set of performance indicators to be used consistently across reports and dashboards
CED Q4 2027
237C 3C 2026 26-HOME BT
The City has established a strong foundation for reporting and communicating information about homelessness initiatives through formal reports, dashboards, and community engagement. Opportunities exist to improve clarity and consistency by consolidating information across programs and expanding the use of outcome-focused reporting.

The City should continue building on its existing reporting framework by:

3. Establishing and applying consistent reporting practices that include analysis and clear explanation of key trends, program outcomes, and how programs and investments contribute to community-level results
CED Q1 2027

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CITY OF MODESTO

COMMITTEE AGENDA REPORT
DATE OF MEETING:

July 29, 2026
Date: July 8, 2026
TO: Audit Committee
Sue Zwahlen, Chair
Rosa Escutia-Braaton, Vice Chair
David Wright, Member
Camille Garcia, Public Member
Thomas Orosco, Public Member
FROM: Colleen Rozillis, City Auditor
SUBJECT: Receipt of the Information Technology (IT) Policy Review Memorandum CONTACT: Colleen Rozillis, City Auditor, [email protected] 206-302-6795 DESCRIPTION:

Consider the Information Technology (IT) Policy Review Memorandum dated April 24, 2026 and forwarding to Council for acceptance. (Funding Source: Not Applicable) STRATEGIC PLAN ELEMENT:

The recommended action supports the City’s 2025-2026 Goal J: Build a highperformance organization.

BACKGROUND:

City Council approved an IT Policy Review as part of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025-26 Internal Audit work plan.

DISCUSSION:

The objective of this review was to assess the design and effectiveness of existing policies, identify gaps relative to leading practices, and provide recommendations to enhance governance, security, and operational efficiency. The goal was also to review how IT has remediated financial audit findings related to IT policies. Recommendations resulting from the review included:
• Align the new Disaster Recovery Policy to the established Business Continuity Plan (BCP) that was prepared by the IT team, and address policy gaps • Develop an Incident Response Policy
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Audit Committee, July 29, 2026
Receipt of the Information Technology (IT) Policy Review Memorandum

Page 2 of 2 ends

• Develop a Third-Party/Vendor Management Policy
• Prioritize evaluating the need for additional policies and procedures to strengthen IT operations and compliance
FISCAL IMPACT:

This review was budgeted for $25,000 and was delivered under budget. This audit amount was funded as part of the General Fund budget.

CEQA/NEPA REQUIREMENTS:

This item does not constitute a “project” with the meaning of California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15378 and requires no environmental review.

RECOMMENDED COMMITTEE ACTION:

Motion to receive the Information Technology (IT) Policy Review Memorandum dated April 24, 2026 and forwarding to Council for acceptance.

Approved by:

Colleen Rozillis, City Auditor
Joseph P. Lopez, City Manager
Attachments:

1. IT Policy Review Memo 04-24-26.
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FINAL MEMORANDUM

IT POLICY REVIEW
April 24, 2026
Baker Tilly Advisory Group, LP
999 Third Avenue, Suite 2800
Seattle, WA 98104
(206)302-6500
As of June 3, 2025, Moss Adams LLP has merged with Baker Tilly.

This report is intended for the internal use of the City of Modesto, and may not be provided to, used, or relied upon by any third parties.
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IT Policy Review Memorandum | 1

FOR INTERNAL USE OF CITY OF MODESTO ONLY
Table of Contents
Introduction 2
Scope of Review 2
Summary of Observations 3
Findings and Recommendations 3
Next Steps 4
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IT Policy Review Memorandum | 2

FOR INTERNAL USE OF CITY OF MODESTO ONLY
Introduction
Baker Tilly conducted a review of the City of Modesto’s (the City’s) information technology (IT) policies and procedures. The objective of this review was to assess the design and effectiveness of existing policies, identify gaps relative to leading practices, and provide recommendations to enhance governance, security, and operational efficiency. The goal was also to review how IT has remediated financial audit findings related to IT policies.

Scope of Review

1. Our review included evaluation of IT policies that have been updated to address findings from the external financial audits, including the following:
○ The User Management Policy was missing information for defining procedures around access provisioning, modification, and deactivation, as well as ensuring proper approval and segregation of duties.
○ The Change Control Policy was not initially documented. Upon documentation, the auditors identified an inconsistency in role designation.
○ The Computer System Use Policy lacked details on essential controls such as password minimum and maximum password age and account lockout thresholds. ○ The Disaster Recovery Plan included outdated personnel assignments and lacked clearly defined Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs) and Recovery Point Objectives (RPOs) for critical systems, which are essential for effective recovery planning and prioritization.

2. Our review also included a review of other documented IT policies to provide suggestions for any missing policies based on best practices. The additional policies reviewed included:
○ Telecommunications Equipment and Services Procedures
○ Information Technology Acquisition Policy
○ Go Modesto Use and Content Management Policy
○ Electronic Signature Policy
○ Change Control Policy
○ Generative Artificial intelligence Guidelines
○ Data Governance Policy
○ User Management Policy
○ Telecommuting and VPN
○ Disaster Recovery Policy
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IT Policy Review Memorandum | 3

FOR INTERNAL USE OF CITY OF MODESTO ONLY
Summary of Observations

1. Based on our review of the User Management Policy, Change Control Policy, Computer System Use Policy, and the Disaster Recovery Plan, each of these has been updated to address the audit findings, with the exception of the finding regarding the RTO/RPO in the Disaster Recovery Plan.

However, the RTO and RPO were documented in the new Disaster Recovery Policy that we reviewed in January 2026.

2. The City has established a foundational set of IT policies; however, opportunities exist to strengthen documentation, standardization, and alignment with current leading practices.

Findings and Recommendations
• We recommend that the City align the new Disaster Recovery Policy to the established Business Continuity Plan (BCP) that was prepared by the IT team. The BCP has an emphasis on disaster recovery by providing an approach for responding to major disruptions that impact the City’s information systems, infrastructure, and technology-dependent operations. There are sections in the Disaster Recovery Policy, such as Section 5.4 (System Classification and Recovery Tiers) and Section 6.5 (Communication and Notification), that provide valuable information and should be aligned with the corresponding content in the BCP. This will help maintain the Disaster Recovery Policy as a high-level document, while the BCP contains detailed procedures for recovering systems. • The Disaster Recovery Policy also mentions that it operates in conjunction with other policies and frameworks, such as the Cybersecurity Policy and the Incident Response Policy in Section 13.1.

However, the City does not have these specific policies in place. As this is the initial draft of the policy, we recommend that the City conduct further reviews and align the Disaster Recovery Policy with the BCP and other policies.
• Based on reviews of the policies currently documented, we recommend that the City create an Incident Response Policy. Like the Disaster Recovery Policy, this policy should outline how the City detects, reports, and responds to cyberattacks, as well as how it determines when an incident needs to invoke recovery procedures documented in the BCP. Key components an Incident Response Policy should cover:
○ Definition of Incidents and Scope: A clear definition of what constitutes a cybersecurity incident (e.g., malware, ransomware, unauthorized access) and the scope of the policy. ○ Incident Response Team (IRT) Roles: Identification of key personnel, including an Incident Manager, technical leads, and liaisons for legal and communication. ○ Contact Information: Primary and secondary, out-of-band contact methods (e.g., mobile phones, personal email) for IRT members and external partners such as law enforcement, vendors, and cyber insurance.
○ Incident Reporting and Triage: Procedures for employees to report suspicious activity and a process for immediate triage.
○ Incident Response Phases (NIST-aligned):
− Preparation: Security hygiene, training, and tools.
− Detection and Analysis: Identifying threats.
− Containment, Eradication, and Recovery: Steps to isolate affected systems and restore operations.
− Post-Incident Activity: A “lessons learned” review and documentation within two weeks of the event.
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IT Policy Review Memorandum | 4

FOR INTERNAL USE OF CITY OF MODESTO ONLY
○ Communication Plan: Procedures for notifying regulatory bodies, citizens, and the media. ○ Documentation: An “Incident Handlers Journal” to document actions taken during an incident. ○ Testing and Maintenance: Mandates regular, scheduled testing (e.g., tabletop exercises) and review of the policy to ensure it remains current.
• We also recommend that the City develop a Third-Party/Vendor Management Policy that ensures third-party vendors (e.g., IT support, cloud providers) meet the municipality’s security requirements.

Currently, the City has an Information Technology Acquisition Policy. Following the acquisition of a cloud system or provider, ongoing management of that cloud system and provider should be established. The Third-Party/Vendor Management Policy would document the controls to cover the lifecycle of that product or service—from onboarding and security due diligence to ongoing monitoring, contract management, and offboarding—to ensure compliance and data protection. Key components of a third-party/vendor management policy include:
○ Vendor Risk Categorization and Assessment: Standardized procedures to evaluate vendor criticality (e.g., data sensitivity, operational impact) and security posture before onboarding. This would follow the procedures outlined in the IT Acquisition Policy and enhanced by ensuring ○ Due Diligence and Selection: Requirements for reviewing vendor security controls, such as SOC 2 reports, financial health, and compliance certifications (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA). This also would be part of the IT Acquisition Policy.
○ Contractual Requirements and SLAs: Defined liability for data breaches, Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs), and Service Level Agreements (SLAs) regarding performance. ○ Ongoing Monitoring: Continuous or periodic assessment of vendor security performance after onboarding to detect emerging threats. This would be an annual process for critical and high-risk vendors.
○ Termination and Offboarding: Procedures for secure data return or destruction upon contract termination.
○ Vendor Inventory: A maintained registry of all vendors, including their risk level, data access, and contact information.

Next Steps
Since the specific findings from the financial audits related to IT policies have been remediated, we recommend that the City continue to refine the Disaster Recovery Policy, align it with the BCP, and then prioritize evaluating the need for additional policies and procedures. #3..
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Baker Tilly Advisory Group, LP and Baker Tilly US, LLP, trading as Baker Tilly, operate under an alternative practice structure and are members of the global network of Baker Tilly International Ltd., the members of which are separate and independent legal entities. Baker Tilly US, LLP is a licensed CPA firm that provides assurance services to its clients. Baker Tilly Advisory Group, LP and its subsidiary entities provide tax and consulting services to their clients and are not licensed CPA firms. #3..
- 26 -

CITY OF MODESTO

COMMITTEE AGENDA REPORT
DATE OF MEETING:

July 29, 2026
Date: July 8, 2026
TO: Audit Committee
Sue Zwahlen, Chair
Rosa Escutia-Braaton, Vice Chair
David Wright, Member
Camille Garcia, Public Member
Thomas Orosco, Public Member
FROM: Colleen Rozillis, City Auditor
SUBJECT: Receipt of the Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Performance Audit Report
CONTACT: Colleen Rozillis, City Auditor, [email protected], 206-302-6795 DESCRIPTION:

Consider the Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Performance Audit report dated July 7, 2026 and forwarding to Council for acceptance. (Funding Source: Not Applicable) STRATEGIC PLAN ELEMENT:

The recommended action supports the City’s 2025-2026 Goal J: Build a highperformance organization.

BACKGROUND:

City Council approved a Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Performance Audit as part of the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Internal Audit work plan.

DISCUSSION:

The performance audit evaluated the efficiency and effectiveness of the City’s Parks, Recreation and Neighborhoods Department, specifically evaluating parks staffing, processes, and maintenance; special events, and the Department’s fund development strategy. The report contains 11 recommendations for improvement, including:
• Parks Staffing and Workforce: Clarify roles, responsibilities, and succession planning to strengthen accountability, leadership continuity, and workforce stability #4..
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Audit Committee, July 29, 2026
Receipt of the Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Performance Audit Report

Page 2 of 2 ends

• Parks Maintenance Operations: Improve maintenance planning, scheduling, service standards, and work management practices to enhance efficiency, consistency, and resource allocation
• Workforce Development: Establish a comprehensive training and workforce development program to support employee skills, cross-training, and operational continuity
• Operational Coordination: Enhance coordination of facility reservations, special events, and contracted services through standardized processes, improved communication, and stronger oversight
• Fund Development: Evaluate implementation of the Department’s long-term fund development strategy and dedicate appropriate resources if it remains a City priority
This performance audit was completed under Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards (GAGAS).

FISCAL IMPACT:

This review was budgeted for $35,000 and was delivered within budget. This audit amount was funded as part of the General Fund budget.

CEQA/NEPA REQUIREMENTS:

This item does not constitute a “project” with the meaning of California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15378 and requires no environmental review.

RECOMMENDED COMMITTEE ACTION:

Motion to receive the Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Performance Audit Report dated July 7, 2026 and forwarding to Council for acceptance.

Approved by:

Colleen Rozillis, City Auditor
Joseph P. Lopez, City Manager
Attachments:

1. Parks Performance Audit Final Report 07-07-26.
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City of Modesto
Parks, Recreation, and Neighborhoods
Performance Audit

FINAL REPORT
July 7, 2026
Baker Tilly US, LLP
999 Third Avenue, Suite 2800
Seattle, WA 98104
(206) 302-6500
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Parks, Recreation, and Neighborhoods Performance Audit Report

FOR INTERNAL USE OF CITY OF MODESTO ONLY
Table of Contents
City of Modesto Parks, Recreation, and Neighborhoods
Performance Audit 1
Executive Summary 1
Introduction 5
Findings and Recommendations 8
Appendix A: Example Maintenance Standards Framework 48
Appendix B: Workforce Training and Certification Resources 52 Baker Tilly Advisory Group, LP and Baker Tilly US, LLP, trading as Baker Tilly, operate under an alternative practice structure and are members of the global network of Baker Tilly International Ltd., the members of which are separate and independent legal entities. Baker Tilly US, LLP is a licensed CPA firm that provides assurance services to its clients. Baker Tilly Advisory Group, LP and its subsidiary entities provide tax and consulting services to their clients and are not licensed CPA firms. #4..
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Parks, Recreation, and Neighborhoods Performance Audit Report | Page 1

FOR INTERNAL USE OF CITY OF MODESTO ONLY

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

INTRODUCTION
The City of Modesto (the City, Modesto) engaged Baker Tilly to conduct a performance audit to examine the effectiveness of the City’s Parks, Recreation and Neighborhoods Department (Parks, the Department). Key areas of focus include staffing utilization within parks operations; the efficiency of park maintenance operations, including work orders, task management, scheduling, routing, and maintenance standards; the special events permit process; and implementation of the Department’s fund development plan.

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Our findings and recommendations are summarized below. Further details on findings and recommendations are detailed the Findings and Recommendations section of this report.

Findings and Recommendations
Finding 1 Parks does not have clearly defined or consistently communicated roles, reporting relationships, and decisionmaking responsibilities, causing difficulty aligning staff responsibilities with current operational needs.

Recommendation 1 Parks should develop an internal roles and responsibilities framework that clarifies daily reporting lines, decisionmaking authority, communication expectations, and escalation points across managers, supervisors, crew
leaders, and maintenance staff.

Finding 2 Current work scheduling and assignment practices limit operational flexibility and reduce the amount of time
available for direct field maintenance and supervision.

Frequent reprioritization, reactive work demands, and field time constraints contribute to inconsistent service delivery across parks.
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Parks, Recreation, and Neighborhoods Performance Audit Report | Page 2

FOR INTERNAL USE OF CITY OF MODESTO ONLY
Recommendation 2 Parks should develop a documented work scheduling and assignment model that allocates staff time based on park classifications and service levels, and that tracks available field time.

Finding 3 Workforce capacity and seasonal staffing challenges may limit Parks’ ability to consistently meet maintenance and service demands.

Recommendation 3 Strengthen seasonal and part-time staffing strategies to improve recruitment, retention, workforce stability, and the Department’s ability to meet seasonal and ongoing service demands.

Finding 4 Upcoming retirements and leadership transitions may create operational continuity and institutional knowledge risks for Parks.

Recommendation 4 Implement structured transition planning, cross-training, and knowledge sharing practices for critical positions and operational functions.

Finding 5 Parks has not established and implemented current maintenance standards and standard operating
procedures to guide maintenance activities, service
expectations, and prioritization decisions across the park system. As a result, maintenance activities are largely driven by staff experience and immediate operational
demands rather than a consistent, documented
framework.

Recommendation 5 Parks should develop, implement, and periodically update maintenance standards and SOPs that establish service
expectations, maintenance priorities, and consistent
maintenance practices across the park system.

Finding 6 The Department does not have a consistently used work management system to support maintenance operations.

As a result, maintenance activities are tracked through a combination of systems, manual processes, and informal
communication methods, limiting visibility into workload, work completion, and operational performance.
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Parks, Recreation, and Neighborhoods Performance Audit Report | Page 3

FOR INTERNAL USE OF CITY OF MODESTO ONLY
Recommendation 6 Optimize Lucity and related business processes to create a streamlined, user-friendly work management system that serves as the single source of record for maintenance
activities, integrates public service requests, and provides reliable data for workload management, prioritization, and performance monitoring.

Finding 7 Parks does not have a comprehensive training and workforce development program to support consistent
maintenance practices, cross-training, and operational
continuity. As a result, the Department relies heavily on informal knowledge transfer and employee experience to
develop staff and maintain specialized operational
knowledge.

Recommendation 7 Parks should develop and implement a workforce training and development program that aligns employee training,
certifications, cross-training, and knowledge transfer
efforts with operational needs and future service demands.

Finding 8 Reservation scheduling, operational coordination, and field service expectations may not always be fully aligned. Late reservation changes and communication gaps contribute
to increased after-hours response, operational disruption, and inconsistent field preparation.

Recommendation 8 A. Establish clear reservation deadlines, communication procedures, and staff responsibilities so that field
preparation needs are identified and communicated
before maintenance crews leave for the day.

B. Define what services are included with field and facility reservations and adopt a fee schedule that aligns
service levels with the staff time and resources to
support reservations.

C. Evaluate opportunities to automate reservation-related tasks, such as field lighting and reservation
notifications, to reduce after-hours staff response and improve coordination.
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Parks, Recreation, and Neighborhoods Performance Audit Report | Page 4

FOR INTERNAL USE OF CITY OF MODESTO ONLY
Finding 9 Contract oversight responsibilities, communication processes, and performance expectations may not be
consistently defined across contracted maintenance
services. This can limit accountability, reduce operational coordination, and create uncertainty regarding contractor performance.

Recommendation 9 A. Assign clear contract ownership and oversight responsibilities for each contracted maintenance
service to improve accountability, communication, and
coordination.

B. Define measurable service expectations and
implement a standardized process for inspecting,
documenting, and addressing contractor performance
issues.

C. Use contractor performance data and regular vendor
reviews to guide contract management, future
procurements, and continuous improvement.

Finding 10 The City’s updated special events permit process appears to have improved coordination and consistency compared
to the prior approach. However, the process remains
resource-intensive and may benefit from additional
workflow automation, standardized timelines, and
improved visibility across reviewing departments.

Recommendation 10 Parks should improve the special events permit process by standardizing Monday.com use, setting review
timelines, automating reminders, and expanding visibility for events that affect City operations.

Finding 11 While the Department has developed a long-term fund development strategy, implementation of key initiatives appears limited.

Recommendation 11 City leadership should decide whether the 2023 Fund Development Plan remains a priority and, if so, dedicate the staff capacity, leadership attention, and
implementation resources needed to carry it out.
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Parks, Recreation, and Neighborhoods Performance Audit Report | Page 5

FOR INTERNAL USE OF CITY OF MODESTO ONLY

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND
Parks manages a broad service area of more than 1,246 acres across 75 locations, including neighborhood parks, community parks, natural areas, trails, splash pads, playgrounds, sports fields, and other facilities. Its scope spans activities from routine groundskeeping and irrigation to tree care, building and facility maintenance, planning for new park development, and special events permitting. In recent years, the Department has added positions through Measure H, strengthened park operations and sports field staffing, and updated the special events permit process to improve coordination and tracking.

To deliver these services, Parks maintains a workforce of 59 full-time employees and more than 300 part-time employees. In FY2025, the City’s budget for park maintenance was approximately $11.9 million, with an additional $3.5 million budgeted for special events-related cost centers and approximately $1 million budgeted for fund development.

Parks also plays a central role in coordinating special event permits. This process requires review from multiple City departments and external partners before permits proceed to the Entertainment Commission for final review and approval. Reviewing entities include Stanislaus County Environmental Resources and several City departments or divisions, including Fire, Police, Business Licensing, Solid Waste, Environmental Compliance, Building Safety, and Parking.

SCOPE AND METHODOLOGY
As part of the FY2025-26 internal audit program, the City engaged Baker Tilly to conduct a Parks, Recreation and Neighborhoods performance audit that addresses the following objectives:
● Evaluate staffing utilization within Parks operations, including the deployment of fulltime, part-time, and seasonal staff, to determine whether resources are allocated efficiently to meet operational and community needs.
● Assess the efficiency of park maintenance operations, including current processes for work orders, task management, scheduling, routing of staff, and the establishment and use of maintenance standards, to identify opportunities to improve workflows and enhance operational efficiency.
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● Assess the special events permit process, including the effectiveness of the updated policy, interdepartmental coordination, and the use of tracking tools such as Monday.com to manage permits efficiently.
● Review the implementation status of the fund development plan (completed in FY2022-23), including strategies for revenue generation such as naming rights and co-sponsorships, and identify barriers to capturing potential funding.

This performance audit was conducted between March 2026 and July 2026 and was carried out across the following three phases:

METHODOLOGY
To conduct this performance audit, we gathered information to understand current Parks operations, staffing utilization, park maintenance practices, special events permitting, and fund development implementation through the following activities:
● Documentation Review: We reviewed available documentation and data, including organization charts, job descriptions, staffing and scheduling information, maintenance schedules, financial information, policies and procedures, planning documents, and relevant performance measures.
● Interviews: We conducted 14 interviews (five individual interviews and nine group interviews/focus groups) with City leadership, Parks leadership and management, Parks operations staff, and staff involved in the special events permit process, including representatives from other City departments.
● Best Practice Research: We conducted targeted research into industry standards and best practices and compared Parks practices to identify gaps and potential recommendations.

STATEMENT OF COMPLIANCE WITH GAGAS
We conducted this performance audit in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards (GAGAS). GAGAS requires that we plan and perform the audit to obtain sufficient, appropriate evidence to provide a reasonable basis for our findings and conclusions based on our audit objectives. We believe that the evidence obtained provides a reasonable basis for our findings and conclusions based on our audit objectives.
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COMMENDATIONS
The following are areas of strength and existing good practices that can be leveraged for continued improvement within Parks:
● Improved Special Events Permit Process: Interviewees across departments reported that the current special events permit process is working better than the prior approach. Moving the process into the Department has helped streamline coordination, reduce fragmented entry points, and create clearer ownership of the process. The Department has also started using Monday.com to support permit tracking and coordination, creating a foundation for continued process improvement. ● Recent Staffing Investments: Interviewees reported that staffing has improved in recent years, particularly after Measure H added positions to strengthen park operations and sports field staffing. These additions provide a stronger foundation for addressing service demands and improving the Department’s ability to maintain parks and facilities throughout the community.
● Dedicated and Adaptable Staff: Staff across Parks expressed commitment to maintaining safe, clean, and usable parks for the Modesto community. Frontline staff are recognized as flexible and willing to adjust to changing operational needs to support park users, programs, reservations, and community events. ● Commitment to Ongoing Improvement: Parks leadership expressed interest in continuing to improve operations through stronger tools for planning and tracking work. This openness to refining existing practices provides a strong foundation for implementing practical improvements that support more consistent and efficient service delivery.
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FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

STAFFING UTILIZATION
Roles and Responsibilities
Finding 1 Parks does not have clearly defined or consistently communicated roles, reporting relationships, and decisionmaking responsibilities, causing difficulty aligning staff responsibilities with current operational needs.

Parks should have clearly defined roles and responsibilities. This supports clear reporting relationships and communication so that work can be assigned effectively and staff understand decision-making authority. These elements are especially important during leadership transitions, such as the recent retirement of the Park Operations Manager, and when work requires coordination across multiple teams.

Parks has foundational organizational elements, including formal job descriptions and an organization chart. These documents define position classifications, general responsibilities, and the Department’s formal supervisory structure. However, Parks has not defined or consistently communicated how roles, decision-making authority, communication expectations, and accountability should work in daily operations. These issues contribute to coordination challenges, inconsistent accountability, and difficulty aligning staff responsibilities with current operational needs.

Staff reported that responsibilities for reservations, project coordination, system use, and cross-division communication are unclear. Communication was often described as relying on emails, phone calls, or morning meetings rather than being routed through the City’s work order system, limiting visibility into work status and completion (see also Work Management System and Tracking). Crew leaders also carry responsibility for day-to-day follow-up without clearly documented lines of authority, decision rights, or escalation expectations.
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A particular area of ambiguity involves the relationship between Operations Supervisors and Crew Leaders. While the formal organizational structure places Crew Leaders under Operations Supervisors, interviewees described Crew Leaders as carrying responsibility for directing daily work, responding to field issues, coordinating activities, and following up on task completion. At the same time, Operations Supervisors retain responsibility for supervising staff, assigning work, monitoring performance, and ensuring operational results.

As a result, the practical distinction between the two roles is not always clear. Staff described situations in which Crew Leaders serve as the primary point of direction and oversight for field crews, while supervisors may be less visible because substantial time is devoted to administrative responsibilities and Go Modesto follow-up. This operating model can create uncertainty regarding who is accountable for project completion, work quality, productivity, performance management, issue resolution, and communication with staff.

The challenge is not that either role lacks defined responsibilities. Rather, Parks has not fully articulated how supervisory responsibilities should be differentiated between Operations Supervisors and Crew Leaders in practice. Key expectations—such as what decisions Crew Leaders can make independently, when issues should be elevated to Supervisors, how performance concerns should be addressed, and how Supervisors should balance administrative duties with field oversight—are not consistently documented or communicated. Without clear operating guidance, responsibilities may be interpreted differently, contributing to inconsistent oversight, accountability, and coordination.

Best practice research supports documenting responsibility and decision-making expectations at the process level, not only at the job description level. Tools such as responsibility matrices can help clarify who is responsible for completing work, who is accountable for results, who should be consulted, and who should be informed. In Parks, this level of clarity is especially important because work often depends on daily assignments, crew coordination, work order workflows, safety inspections, seasonal needs, and coordination across parks, recreation, facilities, and special events.

Without documented internal roles, reporting relationships, and communication expectations, Parks experiences inconsistent communication and unclear accountability. These issues may also make it harder to implement updated maintenance standards and service priorities City-wide. #4..
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Recommendation
Parks should establish a formal operating framework that clearly defines how managers, supervisors, crew leaders, and maintenance staff work together to deliver park maintenance services. A primary focus of this effort should be clarifying the relationship between Operations Supervisors and Crew Leaders.

Consistent with common municipal parks maintenance practices, Crew Leaders should be positioned as frontline leaders responsible for coordinating daily field operations and translating supervisory priorities into completed work. Crew Leader responsibilities should be defined in practical, day-to-day terms that reflect their role as working leads.

Consistent with principles identified in NCCER’s Fundamentals of Crew Leadership1 program, Crew Leaders should be responsible for organizing daily work assignments, coordinating staff and equipment in the field, monitoring work progress, documenting completed work and field conditions, providing technical guidance to staff, identifying safety or performance concerns, and escalating issues that require management action.

Operations Supervisors should retain responsibility for operational planning, workload prioritization, resource allocation, quality assurance, safety oversight, employee development, performance management, and overall service delivery outcomes. While Crew Leaders should direct daily activities in the field, Supervisors should remain accountable for establishing expectations, monitoring results, resolving escalated issues, evaluating employee performance, and ensuring that operational objectives are achieved. Clearly defining and communicating these responsibilities would help establish consistent accountability, strengthen field oversight, and reduce uncertainty regarding decision-making authority throughout the division.

To support implementation, Parks should review existing job descriptions, operating practices, and recurring business processes to identify where responsibilities, decision rights, and communication expectations are unclear. Department leadership should then document and communicate clear expectations regarding work assignment, work order management, field decision-making, issue escalation, cross-divisional coordination, and system use. This effort should also evaluate whether administrative responsibilities currently assigned to supervisors limit their ability to provide field oversight, coaching, and performance management, and identify opportunities to better align supervisory time with operational leadership responsibilities.
1 https://www.nccer.org/craft-catalog/fundamentals-of-crew-leadership/ #4..
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Once developed, the framework should be incorporated into onboarding, supervisor and crew leader training, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and routine management practices. Establishing a shared understanding of roles and accountability will help improve coordination, strengthen field performance and oversight, reduce reliance on informal practices, and support more consistent service delivery across the park system.

Management Response Action or Responsibility
Management Agreement The Department recognizes the need for clearer role definitions, consistent communication, and
well‑documented decision‑making authority to
strengthen daily operations and improve accountability.

Owner Parks Manager (or Interim Operations Supervisory
Team until the position is filled)
Target Completion Date December 2026
Action Plan Develop and implement a formal Roles and
Responsibilities Framework outlining daily decisionmaking authority, communication expectations, and escalation pathways across supervisors, crew leaders,
and maintenance staff. Incorporate the framework into
onboarding, SOPs, and leadership training to ensure
consistent application across the department.

Work Scheduling Practices
Finding 2 Current work scheduling and assignment practices limit operational flexibility and reduce the amount of time
available for direct field maintenance and supervision.

Frequent reprioritization, reactive work demands, and field time constraints contribute to inconsistent service delivery across parks.

Recommendation 2 Parks should develop a documented work scheduling and assignment model that allocates staff time based on park classifications and service levels, and that tracks available field time.

Parks’ current scheduling and assignment approach relies heavily on fixed park ownership, daily coordination, and extended travel times rather than a workload-based #4..
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deployment model. As a result, it may have difficulty adjusting resources when priorities change, maintaining consistent service levels across parks, and maximizing productive field time. Best practices indicate that maintenance schedules and staffing assignments should be tied to park classifications, service levels, maintenance frequencies, work order demand, and actual staff time required by park type or task. This helps Parks’ operations functions allocate resources based on workload and service expectations rather than relying primarily on fixed assignments.

This need is particularly important because most Parks maintenance work is planned and recurring. Between 2023 and 2025, 78% of Parks work orders were categorized as preventive maintenance. Because the majority of work is predictable, effective scheduling and routing practices are critical to ensuring routine maintenance activities are completed consistently while preserving capacity to respond to urgent issues and changing operational demands.

Parks’ current park ownership model limits its ability to adjust assignments when priorities change. In the current model, individual staff have ownership of a high number of individual parks organized into geographic routes, with one of the largest regions containing 12 different parks. Because staff typically begin each day at the same assigned parks and work through their route, parks later in the route may receive less attention when employees are redirected to urgent issues, pulled to higher-priority work, or do not have sufficient time to complete all assigned locations. In addition, when a staff member is out of the office, responsibility for their parks may not be automatically reassigned, creating potential coverage gaps until another employee is available. These factors can make it difficult to redistribute work when priorities change and may contribute to inconsistent service levels across parks and facilities.

Current deployment practices may also reduce the amount of time available for direct maintenance activities. Parks staff reported beginning each day at their offices in City Hall for meetings and equipment pickup, returning to City Hall for lunch, and then returning again at the end of the day to return equipment and complete close-out activities before clocking out. This operating model requires multiple trips between City Hall and assigned parks each day and may result in significant travel time, particularly for staff assigned to parks farther from downtown. Staff also noted having limited time in the field due to travel, equipment staging, lunch breaks, and other daily coordination activities.

Peer practices among California municipalities commonly emphasize maximizing productive field time by organizing crews around geographic service areas, using #4..
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maintenance yards or decentralized staging locations, and minimizing unnecessary travel between work sites and central facilities. Many agencies equip crews to remain in the field for most of the workday, returning to a central location only at the beginning and end of a shift when operationally necessary. By comparison, requiring staff to return to City Hall multiple times throughout the day may reduce the amount of time available for direct maintenance activities and limit overall workforce productivity.

Finally, Parks has limited ability to evaluate whether staffing assignments are aligned with actual workload demand. Different parks, amenities, and service areas require varying levels of maintenance based on use, visibility, safety requirements, asset condition, and service expectations. Industry guidance, including the National Recreation and Park Association’s (NRPA) Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) standards, emphasizes maintaining documented maintenance standards, work schedules, and operating procedures and using workload information to guide staffing and resource allocation decisions. 2 Similarly, Parks’
maintenance management guidance recommends using work order history, labor hours, task types, costs, and park classifications to evaluate workload, identify service gaps, and determine where staffing or crew assignments should be adjusted.

Parks’ current assignment model appears to rely primarily on individual park ownership and daily coordination rather than a documented scheduling approach that incorporates service levels, park classifications, staff availability, workload data, and expected field time. Without a scheduling model that systematically accounts for these factors, Parks may have difficulty determining whether staff time is being distributed equitably across parks, whether service expectations are being met consistently, and whether staffing resources are aligned with actual maintenance demand.

Recommendation
Parks should develop a documented work scheduling and assignment model that allocates staff time based on park classifications, service levels, maintenance frequencies, work order data, and available field time, while still allowing flexibility to respond to urgent issues.

This recommendation addresses how available staff time is planned, assigned, adjusted, and monitored. A more structured scheduling model would help Parks move 2 https://capra.knowledgeowl.com/help/75-maintenance-and-operations-managementstandards #4..
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from an ownership-based assignment approach toward a workload-based approach.

This would help distribute service more equitably, reduce reliance on reactive reassignment, and give supervisors clearer information for field oversight and accountability.

As an initial step, Parks should estimate the staff hours required to meet expected service levels across different park classifications, amenities, and maintenance activities. Once maintenance standards and service expectations are defined, the Department should estimate the labor hours required to perform routine maintenance activities and compare those requirements to available staffing resources. Parks has detailed GIS information on the exact number and condition of parks, facilities, and assets for each location. Once it updates service standards for each location, it should be able to estimate the approximate staff hours needed to complete standard maintenance.

Parks should also evaluate how available staff time is currently being used by reviewing daily schedules, routes, and deployment practices. This review should identify time spent on non-field activities, including meetings, travel, equipment pickup and return, administrative closeout activities, and other activities that reduce direct maintenance time. Based on the results, Parks should evaluate opportunities to adjust routes, meeting practices, equipment staging, and start- and end-of-day procedures to maximize productive field time and reduce unnecessary travel.

As part of this effort, Parks should evaluate opportunities to increase productive field time by reviewing equipment staging, crew deployment practices, and the frequency of required returns to City Hall during the workday. The evaluation should identify opportunities to reduce unnecessary travel while maintaining appropriate controls over equipment, vehicles, and staff accountability. Potential strategies may include modifying route structures, adjusting equipment staging practices, or implementing alternative deployment approaches that allow staff to spend a greater portion of their workday performing maintenance activities in the field.

Using workload and field-time information, Parks should develop a documented scheduling approach that aligns staffing assignments with maintenance demand while preserving flexibility to address urgent issues, special projects, and unplanned work.

The scheduling model should establish clear procedures for adjusting daily assignments when priorities change, including defining who is responsible for reprioritizing work, how schedule changes should be communicated and documented, and how deferred maintenance activities should be tracked and rescheduled. #4..
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To support ongoing management of the system, Parks should regularly use work order and labor data to compare planned work, completed work, deferred work, and service levels across parks and service areas. This information should be used to evaluate workload distribution, identify service gaps, assess whether staffing assignments remain aligned with maintenance demand, and inform future route and scheduling adjustments.

Finally, Parks should periodically reassess the scheduling model as staffing levels, park inventory, maintenance standards, service expectations, and operational priorities evolve to ensure resources continue to be allocated effectively across the park system.

Management Response Action or Responsibility
Management Agreement Management agrees that a more structured, workloadbased scheduling model is needed to improve operational consistency and productive field time.

Owner Parks Manager (or Interim Operations Supervisory
Team until the position is filled)
Target Completion Date March 2027
Action Plan Analyze current routes, travel time, and field deployment patterns; define workload-based staffing
needs using park classifications and service levels;
develop a formal scheduling model that maximizes field
time and reduces unnecessary travel; implement
process changes and monitor adjustments through
work order and labor data. Use the 2025 Parks and
Recreation Master Plan to help create timelines as well as goals to meet national standards .

Leverage contracted maintenance services
strategically to support the new scheduling model by:
• Using contractors to absorb predictable, lower‑skill, or geographically dispersed maintenance tasks that
currently reduce internal field capacity.
• Evaluating contracted support during high‑demand
seasons, major events, or when staffing shortages
create service-level risk.
• Coordinating contract tasks within the scheduling
model to ensure that contracted work complements,
rather than duplicates, internal staff efforts.
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Seasonal Staffing
Finding 3 Workforce capacity and seasonal staffing challenges may limit Parks’ ability to consistently meet maintenance and service demands.

Parks should have sufficient staffing capacity to meet routine maintenance needs, provide field oversight, and respond to community service demands across the park system. This includes maintaining an appropriate mix of full-time, part-time, and seasonal staff to support both year-round operations and seasonal fluctuations in workload. NRPA identifies seasonal employees as key to the success of park and recreation service delivery and encourages agencies to use creative recruitment and retention strategies, such as partnerships with local schools or universities and incentives such as bonus pay, rewards, food, or other supports. 3 Parks’ staffing levels have improved in recent years, but operational demand continues to stretch available capacity. Interviewees reported that staffing has improved following the addition of positions funded through Measure H, particularly within park operations and sports field maintenance. However, interviews suggest that workload growth from new parks and amenities, and daily service demands continue to stretch crews thin.

Some frontline staff reported that staffing still feels insufficient, even as management described staffing as much improved or generally adequate.

Seasonal and part-time staffing remains an important but difficult-to-stabilize part of Parks’ service delivery model. Interviewees described these positions as difficult to attract and retain due to low pay, lack of benefits, difficult working conditions, long hiring timelines, the 1,000-hour limit, and limited pathways to full-time employment. Staff reported that seasonal workers are often hired late in the season or leave shortly after being trained and trained (see also Training and Workforce Development), reducing the effectiveness of supplemental staffing and increasing reliance on full-time employees. 3 https://www.nrpa.org/about-national-recreation-and-park-association/pressroom/seasonal-workforce-is-key-to-success-for-park-and-recreation-agencies/ #4..
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Chart: Part-Time vs. Full-Time Staff
The City’s reliance on part-time staffing has remained relatively steady over the last three fiscal years. In FY2024, part-time employees accounted for 298 employees with hours worked across the peak and off-season periods, compared to 352 in FY2025 and 347 in FY2026.

Within the PRN Department, in FY2025 Parks operations had 10 part-time employees during peak season and four part-time employees during the off-season, compared to 32 full-time employees during peak season and 36 full-time employees during the offseason. This suggests that part-time staffing remains an important part of the Department’s overall service model but may provide limited relief for Parks’ workload unless roles, schedules, and assignments are intentionally aligned with maintenance needs.

Seasonal and Part-Time Headcount by Division
Division
FY2025
Peak Season
Full-Time
Employees
FY2025
Peak Season
Part-Time
Employees
FY2025
Off-Season
Full-Time
Employees
FY2025
Off-Season
Part-Time
Employees
Administration 3 1 3 1
FY24 FY25 FY26
FTE 104 118 120
PT 298 352 347
0 50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
Part-Time vs. Full-Time Staff
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Division
FY2025
Peak Season
Full-Time
Employees
FY2025
Peak Season
Part-Time
Employees
FY2025
Off-Season
Full-Time
Employees
FY2025
Off-Season
Part-Time
Employees
Facilities 7 24 7 22
Park
Operations
32 10 36 4
Recreation 14 193 16 97
Total 56 228 62 124
Overtime data further suggests that full-time employees may be absorbing a significant share of operational demands. Between 2023 through 2025, Parks reported 11,584 total overtime hours, of which 98% were worked by full-time employees. However, total overtime increased 33% from 3,302 hours in 2023 to 4,397 hours in 2025, suggesting that full-time staff may be absorbing additional work demands that are not being addressed through supplemental staffing or service-level adjustments.

Collectively, these factors suggest that Parks may benefit from evaluating whether its current staffing model, seasonal workforce strategy, and service expectations remain aligned with growing operational demands and long-term workforce needs.

Recommendation
As noted in Recommendation 2, Parks should develop a workforce and succession planning strategy that aligns staffing resources with maintenance standards, service expectations, and seasonal operating needs.

As part of this effort, Parks should assess the effectiveness of its current seasonal and part-time staffing model and identify opportunities to improve recruitment, hiring, retention, and workforce stability. Seasonal staffing challenges are common across the parks and recreation industry, and many agencies have responded by developing proactive recruitment pipelines, partnering with local schools, colleges, workforce development organizations, and community groups, and creating clearer pathways to long-term employment. NRPA reports that nearly all park and recreation agencies rely on seasonal employees, and many agencies use partnerships with educational institutions as a primary recruitment strategy. California State Parks similarly emphasizes workforce pipeline development through partnerships with schools, #4..
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workforce development programs, and community organizations to support recruitment for difficult-to-fill positions.

Seasonal and part-time positions should function as a planned component of service delivery rather than solely as supplemental labor. Parks should establish clear expectations regarding the routine maintenance activities these positions are expected to perform, such as litter removal, restroom cleaning, pathway maintenance, blowing walkways, emptying trash cans, playground inspections, irrigation checks, and other recurring tasks. Defining these responsibilities will help ensure that seasonal staff serve as an effective force-multiplier, allowing full-time staff to focus on more specialized, technical, and complex maintenance activities.

Management Response Action or Responsibility
Management Agreement Management agrees staffing challenges impact service delivery and supports strengthening seasonal and
part‑time workforce strategies.

Owner PRN Director & HR
Target Completion Date February 2027
Action Plan Evaluate current recruitment, hiring, and retention practices; expand partnerships with schools and
workforce organizations; define seasonal role
expectations; create clearer pathways to full-time
employment; adjust hiring timelines to onboard seasonal staff earlier; expand training to improve productivity and retention. Evaluate job descriptions to ensure alignment with operational needs.

Succession Planning
Finding 4 Upcoming retirements and leadership transitions may create operational continuity and institutional knowledge risks for Parks.

Recommendation 4 Implement structured transition planning, cross-training, and knowledge sharing practices for critical positions and operational functions.

Parks should maintain succession planning and knowledge transfer practices that support continuity of operations when key employees retire, leave the organization, or #4..
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transition into new roles. The International City/County Management Association (ICMA) describes succession planning as a way for local governments to avoid service disruption when experienced employees leave, including by developing internal talent and improving recruitment pipelines.
4 The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
similarly states that organizations benefit when continuity is intentional and institutional knowledge is passed to the next generation of leaders and specialists. 5 Effective succession planning helps preserve institutional knowledge, maintain operational consistency, and reduce disruption during periods of workforce transition.

Parks faces a near-term concentration of retirement eligibility that may increase continuity risks to the Department. Retirement eligibility data shows a near-term concentration of transition risk. Sixteen out of 59 (or 27%) of PRN employees are identified as retirement-eligible between 2026 and 2030, including 10 employees in 2026 alone. Several of these employees have long tenures with the City, including nine employees with 20 or more years of service. These departures could affect institutional knowledge, informal work practices, vendor and facility history, and day-to-day decisionmaking.

These risks are particularly relevant given the recent retirement of the Park Operations Manager position, which served as the primary point-of-coordination for many operational, budgetary, contract management, and interdepartmental functions.

Interviewees reported that responsibilities previously handled by the Park Operations Manager are currently being distributed among three Operations Supervisors while the City recruits a permanent replacement, a process expected to take approximately five to six months. Although the supervisors are experienced and have participated in succession planning efforts, several interviewees expressed concern regarding decision-making authority, communication, and accountability during the transition period.

This transition highlights the importance of documenting key responsibilities, identifying backup coverage for critical functions, and establishing clear operational ownership during periods of leadership change. Without sufficient documentation and transition planning, Parks may experience operational inefficiencies, delayed decision-making, 4 https://icma.org/articles/pm-magazine/comprehensive-guide-local-governmentsuccession-planning 5 https://www.opm.gov/services-for-agencies/training-and-development/forgroups/workforce-and-succession-planning/ #4..
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inconsistent communication, or loss of institutional knowledge when key employees retire or depart.

As workforce transitions continue over the coming years, Parks would benefit from strengthening succession planning, knowledge transfer, and cross-training practices to help ensure continuity of operations.

Recommendation
Strengthen succession planning, knowledge transfer, and transition management practices to support continuity of operations during leadership and workforce changes.

Best practices among local governments and park agencies emphasize identifying critical positions, documenting institutional knowledge, developing internal talent, and preparing for workforce transitions before vacancies occur. Therefore, succession planning should become an ongoing management practice that identifies future staffing needs, documents critical institutional knowledge, and provides employees with development opportunities that prepare them for increased responsibility. Parks should establish clear skill development pathways for high potential employees, including identifying competencies, certifications, and training milestones that support advancement into future full-time positions as vacancies occur.

Parks should start by identifying positions, functions, and areas of institutional knowledge that are critical to maintaining daily operations and service delivery. This assessment should consider retirement eligibility, specialized technical knowledge, supervisory responsibilities, vendor and contractor relationships, budgetary oversight, regulatory responsibilities, and other functions that could create operational disruption if key employees leave the organization.

For critical positions, Parks should document key responsibilities, operating procedures, decision-making authority, recurring work activities, and institutional knowledge that may not currently exist in formal policies or procedures. Common public-sector succession planning practices also include cross-training employees, identifying backup coverage for essential functions, and creating structured knowledge-transfer processes before anticipated retirements or departures. These practices help reduce reliance on individual employees and support continuity during vacancies, retirements, or extended absences.

Parks should also establish a formal process for managing leadership transitions.

Transition plans should identify interim coverage responsibilities, reporting relationships, communication expectations, and accountability structures for key operational and #4..
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leadership positions. Particular attention should be given to positions responsible for operational coordination, budgeting, contract management, regulatory compliance, and interdepartmental collaboration.

To support long-term workforce continuity, Parks should periodically review retirement eligibility trends, staffing changes, and succession risks and update transition plans as organizational needs evolve. Incorporating succession planning into routine workforce planning activities will help Parks preserve institutional knowledge, support employee development, and maintain continuity of operations during future leadership and workforce transitions.

Management Response Action or Responsibility
Management Agreement Management agrees that more structured transition planning and knowledge transfer processes are
necessary as retirement eligibility increases.

Owner PRN Director
Target Completion Date June 2027
Action Plan Identify all critical positions and institutional knowledge areas; document core responsibilities and operational
procedures; establish cross‑training plans and backup
assignments; develop transition plans for leadership
roles; integrate succession planning into annual
workforce planning cycles.
#4..
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MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS
Maintenance Standards and SOPs
Finding 5 Parks has not established and implemented current maintenance standards and standard operating
procedures to guide maintenance activities, service
expectations, and prioritization decisions across the park system. As a result, maintenance activities are largely driven by staff experience and immediate operational
demands rather than a consistent, documented
framework.

Parks maintenance operations should be guided by current maintenance standards, SOPs, and clearly defined service expectations. These tools help ensure maintenance activities are performed consistently, resources are prioritized appropriately, and service levels are delivered equitably across the park system. NRPA’s Commission for CAPRA maintenance and operations standards state that park and recreation agencies should have established maintenance and operations standards that are reviewed periodically for all park and recreation areas and facilities. Other industry best practices also emphasize the importance of formal maintenance management practices to support consistent service delivery and operational decision-making.

Although Parks performs both routine and preventive maintenance activities, the Department does not currently use a set of comprehensive maintenance standards or SOPs to guide daily operations. Interviewees indicated that existing maintenance standards are outdated, incomplete, or not actively used in daily work. Several staff described work expectations as being based more on experience and on-the-job training than on documented standards. Our documents reviewed similarly did not identify a complete set of up-to-date written maintenance standards or procedures for routine park maintenance tasks, priority levels, inspection expectations, service frequencies, or work order management practices.

As a result, staff rely heavily on individual judgment, institutional knowledge, and supervisory direction to determine priorities and respond to changing operational needs.

Interviewees also said planned work is frequently redirected by safety issues, Go #4..
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Modesto complaints, irrigation failures, vandalism, and urgent repairs. While responding to these issues is an important responsibilities, Parks does not have documented prioritization criteria to consistently guide when planned work should be deferred, how reactive work should be balanced against preventive maintenance activities, or how competing maintenance demands should be evaluated.

Work order data suggests that reactive maintenance represents a meaningful but not dominant portion of overall maintenance activity. Based on our review, about 12% of work orders from 2023 to 2025 (617 work orders) were likely reactive maintenance.

These categories included work that appeared to be triggered by unplanned issues, failures, damages, safety concerns, complaints, or a need for corrective repair. The issue is not the volume of reactive work itself, but the absence of documented standards and prioritization criteria to guide how reactive and planned work should be balanced.

Without current maintenance standards and clearly defined service expectations, Parks lacks a consistent framework for communicating service expectations, prioritizing maintenance activities, evaluating performance, and monitoring service delivery.

Continued reliance on informal practices increases the risk of inconsistent service delivery, deferred preventive maintenance, and uneven maintenance outcomes across the park system.

Recommendation
Parks should develop, implement, and periodically update maintenance standards and SOPs that establish clear service expectations, maintenance frequencies, inspection requirements, work prioritization criteria, and consistent maintenance practices across the park system. Together, the maintenance standards and SOPs should provide staff and supervisors with a consistent basis for planning work, performing routine maintenance activities, responding to operational demands, and evaluating maintenance performance.

The Department should establish service levels based on park classifications. Parks are commonly categorized by usage, amenities, and maintenance demands, allowing agencies to align maintenance expectations with available resources and community needs. For example:
● High-Use Parks: Destination parks, athletic complexes, and parks with significant programmed activity, special events, or visitor traffic. #4..
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● Moderate-Use Parks: Neighborhood and community parks with a mix of active and passive recreation amenities and moderate visitation levels. ● Low-Use Parks: Passive parks, natural areas, open space areas, and locations with limited amenities and lower visitation levels.

Establishing a maintenance standard framework that includes maintenance standards, service levels, and SOPs that reflect park classifications can help Parks allocate resources more consistently, improve transparency around service expectations, and support a more proactive approach to maintenance planning (see Appendix A: Example Maintenance Standards Framework).

As part of this effort, Parks should focus on the following:

1. Establish maintenance standards, service levels, and SOPs.

The Department should develop documented maintenance standards and SOPs for major park assets and amenities, including turf, irrigation systems, restrooms, playgrounds, athletic fields, trails, trees, and other park infrastructure. Standards should define expected conditions, maintenance frequencies, inspection requirements, and response expectations, while SOPs should provide clear guidance on how routine maintenance activities are performed, documented, and inspected. An example for restrooms is included below.
○ Maintenance Standard: Restrooms should be clean, stocked, operational, and free of graffiti during park operating hours.
○ Service Level: High-use parks will have restrooms inspected and serviced daily, moderate-use parks will be serviced three times per week, and low-use parks will be serviced weekly.
○ SOP: Staff will inspect restrooms using a standardized checklist, restock supplies as needed, remove litter and graffiti, document deficiencies, and submit work orders for repairs that cannot be completed during routine servicing.

2. Define maintenance priorities and work classification criteria.

The Department should establish a consistent framework for categorizing and prioritizing maintenance activities, including preventive maintenance, corrective maintenance, safety-related work, special event support, and customer-requested service. Clear prioritization criteria will help staff balance planned work with unplanned operational demands and support more consistent decision-making when competing priorities arise.
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3. Align maintenance standards with available resources and operational practices.

Maintenance standards should be realistic, achievable, and aligned with available staffing resources, service expectations, and operational constraints. As staffing levels, facilities, and maintenance responsibilities evolve, the Department should periodically review and update standards to ensure they remain practical and sustainable.

4. Establish a process to review and update maintenance standards and SOPs.

Maintenance standards, service levels, and SOPs should be reviewed periodically to ensure they remain aligned with park conditions, community expectations, staffing resources, and operational priorities. As new facilities are added, assets age, or service demands change, the Department should evaluate whether standards remain achievable and continue to support desired maintenance outcomes.

By establishing a formal maintenance standards framework, Parks can reduce reliance on informal practices, improve consistency in service delivery, and provide a clearer basis for prioritizing work and allocating resources across parks and facilities.

Management Response Action or Responsibility
Management Agreement Management agrees that formalized maintenance standards and SOPs are essential for consistent
citywide service levels.

Owner Parks Manager (or Interim Operations Supervisory
Team until the position is filled)
Target Completion Date September 2027
Action Plan Using the 2025 Parks and Recreation Master Plan, create maintenance standards and SOPs for all major
assets and tasks using park classifications; define
service levels, inspection frequencies, and prioritization criteria; train staff on standards; incorporate standards into work order templates; establish a biennial review
process to update standards based on changing
needs.
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Work Management System and Tracking
Finding 6 The Department does not have a consistently used work management system to support maintenance operations.

Recommendation 6 Optimize Lucity and related business processes to create a streamlined, user-friendly work management system that serves as the single source of record for maintenance
activities, integrates public service requests, and provides reliable data for workload management, prioritization, and performance monitoring.

Parks should maintain a work management system that serves as the official record for maintenance activities. The system should support work identification, assignment, tracking, completion, reporting, and performance monitoring while remaining practical for field staff and supervisors to use consistently. The system should be simple enough for staff to use in the field and useful enough for supervisors to monitor workload, prioritize tasks, and identify service trends.

Like other City departments, Parks uses Lucity as its formal work management system; however, interviewees reported that it is not consistently used across maintenance operations. While some specialized teams, such as park mechanics, use Lucity to manage and close work orders, many maintenance activities are tracked through alternative methods including emails, photographs, paper forms, calendars, and direct communication with supervisors. Staff reported that Lucity requires significant data entry and is not well-suited for routine maintenance activities, leading some employees to bypass the system altogether.

Interviewees also reported that Go Modesto service requests are a significant driver of daily work but are not fully integrated into maintenance workflows. As a result, work may be assigned, completed, and verified outside of a centralized system, requiring supervisors to rely on manual follow-up to confirm task completion and track workload.

The inconsistent use of the City’s work management system limits its ability to maintain a complete record of maintenance activities, monitor workload, evaluate performance, and identify service trends across the park system. Without a reliable system of record, #4..
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management has limited visibility into work completed, outstanding maintenance needs, resource allocation, and service demand.

Modern work management systems are intended to support preventive maintenance scheduling, work assignment, workload tracking, and performance reporting. When used consistently, these systems provide management with information needed to monitor maintenance activities, evaluate resource utilization, and make informed operational decisions.

Recommendation
Parks should optimize Lucity and related business processes to create a streamlined work management system that serves as its official record for maintenance activities.

The goal should be to create a process that is simple enough for field staff to use consistently and robust enough to support workload management, prioritization, performance monitoring, and service reporting.

As a first step, Parks should review how maintenance work is currently initiated, assigned, tracked, updated, and closed across the Department. This review should identify where staff rely on emails, phone calls, photographs, paper forms, or other workarounds instead of the formal work order process and determine whether those practices result from system limitations, workflow design, training gaps, or operational expectations.

Parks should work with Information Technology and system administrators to simplify common maintenance workflows within Lucity. This may include creating standardized templates for recurring maintenance activities, reducing unnecessary data entry requirements, improving mobile functionality, and developing simplified work queues for field staff. There are significant opportunities to both simplify workflows and increase the level of automation in order to reduce total time spent on entry. If entries are made consistently, management will be able to easily produce reporting dashboards that provide supervisors with visibility into workload, completion rates, response times, and outstanding tasks. If these changes are made, they could both free staff time for more important tasks and provide high quality information for decision-making.

Parks should also evaluate opportunities to better integrate Go Modesto service requests into maintenance operations. Public requests should flow through a consistent process that supports prioritization, assignment, field updates, completion tracking, and communication back to requestors when appropriate.
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One benefit of the Lucity system is that it is already integrated with other City departments, helping Parks route requests to Public Works or other City departments as needed. Establishing a more seamless connection between public requests and maintenance workflows would reduce manual tracking requirements and improve visibility into service demand and response activities.

Finally, Parks should establish clear expectations regarding which work activities must be entered into the system, who is responsible for updating work status, and how supervisors will monitor completion and data quality. A successful work management system should serve as the primary source of information for maintenance operations, allowing Parks to make informed decisions about staffing, service levels, workload distribution, and operational performance.

Management Response Action or Responsibility
Management Agreement Management agrees with the finding and acknowledges that the current work management
system no longer meets operational needs. The
Department will pursue procurement of a modern,
integrated maintenance management platform through
a competitive RFP process.

Owner Parks Manager, in coordination with PRN
Administration and Purchasing
Target Completion Date RFP Release: September 2026
Vendor Award: January 2027
System Implementation Start: Spring 2027
Action Plan • Develop technical requirements for a new
enterprise-level work management system, focusing
on mobile usability, automated workflows,
integration with Go Modesto, and park asset data.
• Collaborate with Purchasing to draft and publish a
formal RFP, consistent with City procurement
protocols (OpenGov posting, vendor Q&A,
evaluation committee, and scoring criteria).
• Evaluate proposals using a cross‑department
selection team with IT and PRN operational staff.
• Select a vendor and begin system configuration,
data migration, and employee training based on
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Management Response Action or Responsibility
implementation timelines similar to other City
software RFPs.
• Fully transition maintenance operations to the new
system, replacing Lucity as the primary work
management tool.

Training and Workforce Development
Finding 7 Parks does not have a comprehensive training and workforce development program to support consistent
maintenance practices, cross-training, and operational
continuity. As a result, the Department relies heavily on informal knowledge transfer and employee experience to
develop staff and maintain specialized operational
knowledge.

Parks should have documented, consistent training for overall operation scheduling, routine maintenance, safety practices, and specialized technical work. This helps staff understand expectations, perform work consistently, and build the necessary skills to support changing park operations. NRPA’s Commission for CAPRA identifies professional development as part of effective agency administration, including staff orientation, training, and continuing education. CAPRA also expects agencies to maintain information on staff certifications and professional participation, which supports a more intentional approach to tracking employee qualifications and training needs.

Parks relies heavily on informal, on-the-job training, which can make work practices less consistent across crews and assignments. City staff consistently reported learning onthe-job rather than through documented procedures or structured training. This applies to both routine operations and some specialized functions. Staff reported that the learning curve can be long when training depends mostly on informal knowledge transfer from experienced employees. This creates a risk that work methods, safety practices, and service expectations may vary depending on which employees are available to train new or less experienced staff.
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Interviewees identified several operational areas where specialized knowledge and certifications are concentrated among a limited number of employees. These areas include playground inspections, backflow work, hazardous cleanup, welding, and other technical functions. Staff reported that opportunities for formal training, certification, and cross-training are limited, increasing reliance on experienced employees to transfer knowledge informally. For example, playground inspection certification was described as sitting primarily at the supervisor level, with other staff working under that license.

This may allow work to continue in the short term, but it can create service continuity risk when certified or experienced staff are unavailable.

The NRPA identifies several national certifications that are relevant to Parks’ current and future operating needs. These include the Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP), Certified Park and Recreation Executive (CPRE), Certified Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI), and Aquatic Facility Operator (AFO). NRPA describes CPRP as the national standard for park and recreation professionals, CPRE as a standard for managerial, administrative, and executive professionals, CPSI as the industry-leading certification program in playground safety, and AFO as the premier certification program in swimming pool operations. These certifications provide a useful framework for identifying which positions should maintain or pursue professional credentials based on their role, supervisory responsibilities, and assigned facilities.

Because Parks does not yet have a complete certification inventory, the Department cannot fully assess whether key certifications are distributed across enough employees to support operational continuity. Additionally, the absence of a structured training program limits Parks’ ability to systematically identify training needs, prepare staff for specialized responsibilities, and ensure operational continuity when experienced employees retire, get promoted, or are unavailable. These risks become more significant as the Department assumes responsibility for new facilities and services, including the City’s expanding aquatic facilities.

Without a structured approach to training and workforce development, Parks may experience inconsistent work practices, reduced operational flexibility, challenges in maintaining specialized knowledge, and greater disruption when key employees leave or assume new responsibilities.

Recommendation
Parks should develop and implement a workforce training and development program that aligns employee training, certifications, cross-training, and knowledge transfer efforts with operational needs and future service demands. The workforce training and #4..
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development program should establish a consistent approach for identifying required skills, maintaining certifications, cross-training employees, and preparing staff to support evolving operational responsibilities. The program should support both routine maintenance functions and specialized operational areas where knowledge is currently concentrated among a limited number of employees.

As part of this effort, Parks should establish a formal training framework that identifies required training by position, role, and responsibility. The framework should address onboarding, safety training, technical skills, supervisory development, and recurring refresher training to promote consistent work practices across crews and facilities.

Training requirements should be clearly documented and periodically reviewed to ensure they remain aligned with operational needs and industry standards.

Parks should also assess current employee certifications, licenses, and technical competencies and compare them to the skills needed to support current and future operations. This assessment should help identify certification gaps, training priorities, and opportunities to expand employee capabilities specialized functions such as playground inspections, backflow systems, hazardous materials handling, aquatic facility maintenance, and other functions that support critical operations. Expand crosstraining opportunities and developing broader technical competency across staff will help reduce reliance on individual employees and improve operational flexibility.

This assessment should include a role-based review of NRPA certifications that may apply to Parks’ operations. Parks should determine which positions should hold, maintain, or be eligible to pursue certifications such as CPRP for park and recreation professionals, CPRE for managers and leadership, CPSI for employees responsible for playground safety inspections or oversight, and AFO for employees responsible for aquatic facility operations. Parks should also identify backup employees for critical certifications so work does not depend on one certified staff member.

Training should be incorporated into routine operations through recurring training sessions, field demonstrations, site visits, safety discussions, and practical skill development opportunities. Parks should document completed training, track employee participation, and periodically evaluate whether training activities are supporting operational goals and workforce needs.

As part of developing its workforce training and development program, Parks should evaluate available certification programs, industry training opportunities, and professional development resources that align with operational needs. Example training resources are included in Appendix B: Workforce Training and Certification Resources. #4..
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Management Response Action or Responsibility
Management Agreement Management agrees a comprehensive training program is needed to support skill development,
certifications, and cross‑training.

Owner PRN Director & HR
Target Completion Date December 2027
Action Plan Create a department-wide training framework defining required skills, certifications, and development
pathways; inventory current certifications; identify gaps and priority areas (playground safety, irrigation,
backflow, aquatics, etc.); establish annual training
schedules; track training completion and update
competency records regularly.

Same-Day Reservations
Finding 8 Reservation scheduling, operational coordination, and field service expectations may not always be fully aligned. Late reservation changes and communication gaps contribute
to increased after-hours response, operational disruption, and inconsistent field preparation.

B. Define what services are included with field and facility reservations and adopt a fee schedule that aligns
service levels with the staff time and resources to
support reservations.

C. Evaluate opportunities to automate reservation-related tasks, such as field lighting and reservation
notifications, to reduce after-hours staff response and improve coordination.

Parks maintenance and Recreation should coordinate reservation schedules, staffing assignments, and service expectations to ensure reservation-related work is planned and communicated in advance. Effective coordination helps balance reservation support #4..
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with routine maintenance responsibilities and reduces the need for reactive operational responses.

Reservation Scheduling
The weekly reservation report serves as the primary tool for communicating reservationrelated maintenance needs and generally supports advance planning for field preparation, lighting, and other operational activities. Staff reported that reservation reports are distributed each Wednesday and used to plan work for the upcoming week.

However, reservations may be added or modified after the report is issued, and those changes do not always reach field staff before maintenance crews leave for the day.

This challenge is amplified by the difference between reservation schedules and maintenance staffing schedules. Maintenance crews generally work from 6 am to 2 pm, while many reservation needs occur during evenings and weekends. Staff reported that same-day reservations, late reservation changes, and after-hours updates can result in situations where field preparation activities are missed, or maintenance staff must respond after hours to address issues such as field lighting, facility access, or other reservation-related needs.

Interviewees also described uncertainty regarding reservation cutoffs, communication responsibilities, and after-hours handoff procedures. While Recreation staff provide updates when reservations change, Parks staff reported that reservation information is sometimes communicated through multiple channels and may not consistently reach the appropriate personnel before crews leave the field. As a result, supervisors and oncall staff may need to rely on manual follow-up and after-hours response to support reservation activities.

Ball Field Preparation
Ball field preparation was also identified as a recurring operational challenge. Staff reported that dragging and lining fields can require significant time and may not be fully covered by current reservation fees. Back-to-back reservations can also make it difficult to prepare fields between uses. The Sports Field Management Association’s Best Management Practices for the Sports Field Manager identifies maintenance operations, surface management, irrigation, and field-use conditions as key components of sports field management,
6 while Cornell’s sports field management guidance notes that field care depends on available labor, equipment, budget, desired quality, field type, and 6 https://www.sportsfieldmanagement.org/knowledge_center/bmps/ #4..
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use.
7 These factors reinforce the need for Parks to define what level of field preparation is included with a reservation, what requires additional notice or fees, and when field preparation cannot reasonably be completed between uses.

Field preparation practices vary by agency; however, many park systems establish service levels that distinguish between routine maintenance responsibilities and eventspecific preparation activities. In many jurisdictions, maintenance staff are responsible for maintaining safe and playable fields through activities such as mowing, edging, irrigation, and general field maintenance, while user groups assume responsibility for certain game-day activities such as field lining, dragging, or setting goals. This approach helps align service expectations with available staffing resources and can reduce the operational burden associated with supporting high volumes of field reservations.

Similarly, many agencies perform dragging and lining activities for the first scheduled competition of the day rather than before every game, unless additional services are specifically included through a contractual agreement or reservation fee structure.

Available youth baseball field maintenance guidance describes dragging, raking, and field preparation as condition-based activities, and notes that foul lines do not necessarily need to be repainted when they remain clearly visible from prior use. This suggests that field preparation is commonly performed based on field conditions, scheduled use, and established service levels rather than as a full-service activity before every reservation.

Automatic Lighting
Interviewees also identified field lighting as a recurring source of after-hours response.

Many reservations require staff to travel to parks solely to activate or deactivate lighting systems. Automated or remotely controlled lighting systems may reduce staff travel, improve reliability, and support more efficient coordination between reservation schedules and maintenance operations. Without stronger alignment between reservation practices, maintenance operations, and service expectations, Parks may continue to experience increased labor costs, avoidable after-hours response, communication breakdowns, and inconsistent service delivery for reservable facilities. 7 https://safesportsfields.cals.cornell.edu/management-schedules/ #4..
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Recommendation
Parks and Recreation should jointly develop a reservation operations framework that aligns reservation practices, maintenance operations, staffing schedules, and customer service expectations. The framework should ensure that reservation-related work is planned, communicated, and staffed before maintenance crews leave the field and should clearly define how reservations are communicated, what services are included, and how operational support is provided. Reservations should occur through a single work management system such as the Work Management System and Tracking module in Lucity, to streamline work order creation and tracking.

Many of the challenges identified during interviews stem from reservation changes occurring after field preparation schedules have been developed. To improve planning and reduce after-hours response, Parks and Recreation should review reservation deadlines and establish clear procedures for late changes, same-day reservations, and after-hours requests.

The Department should define when reservations requiring field preparation, lighting, staffing, or other operational support must be submitted to be included in normal work schedules. Parks may wish to consider requiring reservations needing operational support to be submitted at least one week in advance. If late or same-day reservations continue to be accommodated, the City should evaluate whether additional fees or full cost recovery should apply to reflect the operational impacts of those requests.

Implementation should include establishing standard reservation cutoff periods; defining responsibilities for reviewing reservation updates and communicating changes to field staff; documenting backup communication procedures when key personnel are absent; and tracking late changes, after-hours responses, and associated labor costs to evaluate whether revised procedures improve operational efficiency.

In addition, the Department should establish and communicate clear service standards for athletic fields and other reservable facilities. Many municipal park systems define what services are included with a standard reservation, which services require additional fees or advance notice, and which responsibilities remain with user groups.

For athletic fields, service expectations should be based on field conditions, operational capacity, and staffing availability rather than assuming a full drag-and-line before every reservation. Consistent with common field management practices, dragging, lining, and other labor-intensive activities are often performed based on field condition, scheduled use, and event type. User organizations also commonly assume responsibility for #4..
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certain game-day preparation activities, particularly for youth sports programs and tournament play.

Parks should also establish a standardized fee and service schedule for field use that clearly identifies the services included with each reservation type. The schedule should distinguish between general public users (resident and non-resident, if applicable) and City-sponsored or affiliated user groups and should specify the level of field preparation, lighting, restroom access, trash service, staffing support, and other operational services included in the reservation fee. Additional services requiring significant staff time, such as specialized field preparation, tournament support, after-hours staffing, or late reservation changes, should be evaluated for additional cost recovery. Aligning fees with service levels will help establish consistent customer expectations, improve transparency, and ensure that labor-intensive services are appropriately funded.

Finally, Parks should assess opportunities to reduce manual after-hours response through automation and improved coordination between reservation and maintenance systems. Particular attention should be given to field lighting, which interviewees identified as a recurring source of after-hours calls and staff travel.

The Department should inventory fields that currently require manual lighting activation; assess whether existing systems can support timers, scheduling functions, or remote controls; and evaluate the operational and financial feasibility of implementing automated lighting controls. Priority should be given to facilities with the highest reservation volume and the most frequent after-hours service requests.

By using a single work management system Parks can improve integration between reservation scheduling systems, maintenance workflows, and staff notification processes so that reservation updates are communicated automatically and consistently to affected personnel.

Together, these actions will help Parks and Recreation establish a more predictable and sustainable service delivery model, improve communication between divisions, reduce avoidable labor costs, and better align customer expectations with available operational resources.

Management Response Action or Responsibility
Management Agreement Management agrees with the finding and supports acquiring a modern reservation and facility/field
scheduling system through an RFP process to improve
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Management Response Action or Responsibility
communication, reduce after‑hours response, and
automate field preparation workflows.

Owner Recreation Manager & Parks Manager, with support
from PRN Administration and Purchasing
Target Completion Date RFP Release: September 2026
Vendor Award: January 2027
System Implementation Start: Spring 2027
Action Plan • Partner with Purchasing to develop and publish an RFP for an integrated Reservation and Asset/Field
Management System, using the City’s existing RFP
framework and procurement portal.
• Define system requirements such as automated
reservation notifications, field prep task creation,
lighting automation integration, and real‑time
schedule visibility for maintenance crews.
• Evaluate proposals based on technical capability,
system integration, ease of use, and references
from California municipal agencies.
• Implement the new system, including data
migration, staff training, and phased rollout for field scheduling, reservation workflows, customer
communication, and potential lighting automation
functions.
• Transition all reservation-related communication
into the new system to standardize workflows and
eliminate manual after-hours coordination.
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Contract Management
Finding 9 Contract oversight responsibilities, communication processes, and performance expectations may not be
consistently defined across contracted maintenance
services. This can limit accountability, reduce operational coordination, and create uncertainty regarding contractor performance.

Recommendation 9 A. Assign clear contract ownership and oversight responsibilities for each contracted maintenance
service to improve accountability, communication, and
coordination.

B. Define measurable service expectations and
implement a standardized process for inspecting,
documenting, and addressing contractor performance
issues.

C. Use contractor performance data and regular vendor
reviews to guide contract management, future
procurements, and continuous improvement.

Parks uses contractors to perform several maintenance functions that require specialized expertise, equipment, or supplemental capacity. Contracted services can be an effective way to support operations; however, they require clear oversight, defined performance expectations, and consistent monitoring to ensure services are delivered as intended.

Outsourced services should have clear contract oversight, documented expectations, and regular performance monitoring so the City can confirm that services are delivered as expected. The National Association of State Procurement Officials’ (NASPO) contract administration guidance emphasizes that contract administration should include clear roles and responsibilities, monitoring contractor performance, documenting issues, and managing communication throughout the contract term. 8 The U.S. General
Services Administration similarly states that contract administration requires day-to-day 8 https://cdn.naspo.org/R%26I%20Content%20Library/2023_NASPO_ContractAdmin_Be stPracticeGuide%20%282%29%20%281%29.pdf
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monitoring to confirm vendors meet contract commitments for timely and quality services.
9 Interviewees reported concerns regarding contractor oversight, accountability, and communication, particularly for landscape maintenance services. Staff indicated that responsibility for monitoring contractor performance is not always clearly defined and that expectations regarding service quality, schedules, and issue resolution may not be consistently communicated or documented. As a result, staff reported uncertainty regarding who is responsible for monitoring contractor performance, communicating concerns to vendors, and ensuring corrective actions are completed.

Staff also noted that Parks spends a significant amount on contracted landscape maintenance services while relying on those contractors to perform highly visible maintenance activities throughout the City. As a result, unclear oversight responsibilities and inconsistent communication can have a direct impact on service delivery and public perception of park conditions.

The larger contract outlined below, Grover Landscape Services, expires October 31, and the City’s goal is to issue a new contract effective November 1.

Current Contracted Services
Vendor Current Contracted Service
West Coast
Arborist
Tree-trimming and stump-grinding for more than 100 Modesto parks and trails
CCS Janitorial Routine and as-needed janitorial cleaning of facilities Clark Pest Control Pest control services
TK Elevator Elevator service and maintenance
Grover Landscape
Services
Landscape maintenance for parks, medians, roundabouts,
walls, basins, and sports fields throughout the City; services include mowing, edging, trimming, irrigation, and repairs Same-Day Backflow
Service
Annual backflow testing throughout the City to meet state regulatory requirements
9 https://buy.gsa.gov/contract-administration
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Vendor Current Contracted Service
Elite Maintenance
EMTS
Mowing, flailing, and fire-break work at several sites across the City
Interviewees also described challenges obtaining contractor schedules, coordinating work activities, and addressing perceived performance issues. Several staff reported uncertainty regarding who was responsible for monitoring contractor performance and communicating expectations to vendors. In some cases, staff indicated they worked directly with contractors to address operational concerns because formal communication and issue-resolution processes were not clearly defined.

The upcoming landscape maintenance procurement provides an opportunity to clarify contract oversight responsibilities, performance expectations, inspection procedures, and communication processes before a new contract structure is implemented. Whether the City continues with a single landscape maintenance contract or transitions to multiple service-specific contracts, clearly defined oversight responsibilities will be essential to maintaining accountability and service quality.

Without clearly defined contract oversight responsibilities, performance expectations, and communication processes, the City may experience inconsistent service quality, duplicated effort, unresolved performance concerns, and reduced accountability for contracted services.

Recommendation
Parks should establish a formal contract management and performance monitoring program to ensure contracted services are delivered consistently, meet established maintenance standards, and support operational goals. The Department’s upcoming landscape maintenance procurement provides an opportunity to strengthen contract oversight practices and clearly define expectations before a new contract structure is implemented.

A primary focus of this effort should be establishing clear ownership and accountability for each contracted service. Parks should assign a contract owner for every major contract who serves as the primary point-of-contact for contractor coordination, performance monitoring, issue resolution, and internal communication. For larger or higher-risk contracts, Parks should also identify backup staff or supporting reviewers to ensure continuity when key personnel are unavailable.
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As part of the upcoming landscape maintenance procurement, Parks should clearly define performance expectations before contracts are awarded. Consistent with municipal parks maintenance best practices, contract requirements should be tied to specific service standards, maintenance frequencies, response timelines, quality expectations, reporting requirements, and performance measures. If the City moves from a single landscape contract to multiple service-specific contracts, Parks should also define how work will be coordinated across contractors and City staff to avoid gaps, duplication, or uncertainty regarding responsibilities.

Parks should implement a consistent process for monitoring and documenting contractor performance. This should include routine inspections, standardized inspection forms or scorecards, photo documentation (where appropriate), procedures for documenting deficiencies, and clear escalation processes for when service expectations are not met. Inspection responsibilities should be clearly assigned, and performance information should be retained in a manner that supports accountability and contract administration.

Parks should also establish recurring performance review meetings with major contractors to discuss service quality, inspection results, operational concerns, seasonal workload demands, safety issues, upcoming projects, and any changes in City priorities.

Regular communication helps ensure expectations remain aligned and allows issues to be addressed before they become recurring problems.

Finally, Parks should use contractor performance information to inform contract renewals, future procurements, scope modifications, and ongoing vendor management.

Tracking response times, inspection results, service deficiencies, corrective actions, and recurring concerns will provide objective information to support contract decisions and improve accountability over time.

Management Response Action or Responsibility
Management Agreement Management agrees that contract oversight responsibilities and performance expectations must be
clarified and standardized.

Owner PRN Director & Parks Manager
Target Completion Date Initial implementation: Immediate for existing contracts Full implementation: November 2026 for new contracts
Action Plan Assign contract owners for each maintenance contract; define performance standards and inspection
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Management Response Action or Responsibility
requirements; evaluate agreements and contractor
performance; implement standardized inspection
forms; require routine contractor performance
meetings; document deficiencies and corrective
actions; use performance data to guide renewals,
procurement decisions, and future contracting
strategies.

SPECIAL EVENTS PERMIT PROCESS
Finding 10 The City’s updated special events permit process appears to have improved coordination and consistency compared
to the prior approach. However, the process remains
resource-intensive and may benefit from additional
workflow automation, standardized timelines, and
improved visibility across reviewing departments.

The City has a special events permit process that helps coordinate events requiring City review, services, or approval. The process applies to events that meet certain criteria, such as events in a City park that include amplified music, alcohol, more than 75 attendees, or City services. Under the current process, the Department receives applications, identifies required permits and documentation, coordinates review by other departments, and routes events to the Entertainment Commission for final approval when required.

The transition of the special events process into the Department has improved coordination and created a clearer entry point for applicants and City staff. Interviewees across departments consistently reported that the current process is working better than the prior approach, citing stronger communication, improved coordination, and a more streamlined review process with fewer fragmented points-of-contact.

While the process has improved, it remains resource-intensive to manage and continues to rely on manual coordination. The Department uses Monday.com to track permit applications and coordinated reviews, which interviewees generally describe as #4..
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helpful. However, the use of Monday.com is not yet consistent across all reviewing departments, and much of the process still depends on email reminders, back-and-forth follow-up, and manual updates.

The process would also benefit from more consistent review expectations and broader visibility across events that affect City operations. Interviewees reported that review timelines and follow-up expectations are not standardized across all departments, which can make it difficult to monitor review status and determine when delayed reviews should be escalated. Staff also noted that some events that don’t require a format or are not City-sponsored event may not appear in the same notification or tracking process, even when they have implications for public safety, traffic management, parks, recreation, or other City services.

Without a consistent mechanism for tracking and communicating all operationally significant events, departments may have limited visibility into upcoming activities and less time to plan staffing, equipment, service impacts, or operational support needs.

Expanding visibility and establishing clearer review expectations could help further improve coordination, reduce administrative effort, and support more proactive event planning across departments.

Recommendation
The Department should continue refining the special event permit process by establishing standardized review timelines, strengthening workflow automation, and improving visibility across departments for events that affect City operations. The current process is functioning more effectively than the previous approach and has created a centralized entry point for event review. The next phase should focus on reducing manual coordination, improving accountability for reviewers, and ensuring departments have timely awareness of events requiring operational support.

As the process owner, the Department should establish clear review responsibilities, communication expectations, and target response timelines for all departments involved in event review. Standard review deadlines and escalation procedures should be documented so that departments understand when reviews are due, how delays will be addressed, and what actions are required before permits can move forward. This will help reduce the amount of manual follow-up currently required by Department staff and provide applicants with more predictable review timelines.

Parks should also continue working with IT and departments that review events to standardize the use of Monday.com as the City’s primary event coordination tool. This #4..
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effort should define which departments are expected to review events within the system, what information each department is responsible for providing, and how status updates should be documented. Where possible, the Department and IT should configure automated reminders and notifications to alert reviewers when information is missing, reviews are approaching due dates, or when event milestones require action. Increasing automation will reduce reliance on emails, manual reminders, and duplicate data entry while improving visibility into the status of each event.

In addition, the Department should work with partner departments to improve awareness of events that may not require the full special event permit process but still affect City operations. This may include City-sponsored events, recurring community events, facility-based activities, or other gatherings that impact staffing, maintenance, traffic management, public safety, or recreation programming. To support operational planning, the Department should develop a shared event visibility process, such as a centralized calendar, a Monday.com dashboard, a recurring event report, or an automated notification system that provides departments with advance awareness of upcoming activities.

Finally, the Department should periodically review permit processing timelines, event volumes, reviewer workloads, and operational impacts to identify opportunities for continuous improvement and ensure the process remains effective as community event activity grows. These improvements will help reduce administrative burden, improve cross-department coordination, increase accountability for timely reviews, and provide City departments with better visibility into events that require operational support.

Management Response Action or Responsibility
Management Agreement Management agrees the process has improved but can be strengthened through automation, consistent
timelines, and cross department visibility.

Owner Recreation Supervisor
Target Completion Date August 2027
Action Plan Standardize use of Monday.com for all reviewing departments; establish review timelines and automated
reminders; create SOP to define escalation procedures
for delayed reviews; expand visibility of operationally significant events through shared dashboards or
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Management Response Action or Responsibility
calendars; continue process audits to refine procedures as community programming grows.

FUND DEVELOPMENT PLAN
Finding 11 While the Department has developed a long-term fund development strategy, implementation of key initiatives appears limited.

The 2023 Fund Development Plan and Implementation Strategy was developed to help the Department build long-term revenue capacity in response to increased service demand, aging facilities, deferred maintenance, and limited traditional funding. Key recommendations include strengthening the Department’s brand around reinvestment and community partnership, creating clearer policies for sponsorships and naming rights, developing a more intentional philanthropy and partnership program, completing a full cost-recovery study, and assigning dedicated staff capacity to lead fund development implementation.

The 2026 Parks, Recreation & Neighborhoods Master Plan carries this work forward by identifying implementation of the 2023 Fund Development Plan as a short-term action under Goal 4, which focuses on reducing operational subsidy and expanding capital funding. The master plan also identifies fund development staffing as a priority need.

However, the 2023 Fund Development Plan did not go before the City Council for formal adoption or direction.

While the Department has a fund development plan in place, discussions with staff suggest implementation has been limited. Staff did not describe significant recent work to advance the plan’s major strategies, such as naming rights, sponsorships, cost recovery, or dedicated fund development staffing.

This appears to be tied to staff capacity and prioritization. The plan identifies fund development as a multi-year effort that requires defined roles, staff time, and leadership attention. If fund development remains a priority for the City, the Department will need to dedicate more staff time to implementation. Without clear ownership and regular #4..
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progress tracking, the City may miss opportunities to diversify revenue, strengthen sponsorships, and support long-term parks reinvestment.

Recommendation
City leadership should decide whether the 2023 Fund Development Plan remains a priority and, if so, dedicate the staff capacity, leadership attention, and implementation resources needed to carry it out.

The plan already includes an implementation matrix with recommended actions and timelines. Parks does not need to recreate the plan; instead, the City should determine whether to formally move it forward, assign ownership, and provide enough resources for staff to implement the actions already identified. The dates in the 2023 implementation matrix may need to be updated, but the content of the plan is still valid and useful.

Management Response Action or Responsibility
Management Agreement Management agrees that leadership must determine whether the 2023 Fund Development Plan remains a
priority and resource it accordingly.

Owner City Executive Leadership Team & PRN Director
Target Completion Date January 2027
Action Plan Review the 2023 Fund Development Plan and confirm priority status; update implementation timelines as
needed; assign staff capacity to oversee fund
development; initiate the plan’s recommended actions
such as naming rights, sponsorships, and
cost‑recovery analysis; report quarterly to leadership
on progress and needs.
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APPENDIX A: EXAMPLE MAINTENANCE STANDARDS FRAMEWORK

PURPOSE
This appendix provides an example of how Parks may document maintenance standards, service levels, and maintenance responsibilities. The example is intended as a reference tool and should be customized to reflect the City’s park inventory, operational priorities, staffing resources, and community expectations.

Maintenance standards frameworks typically include three components:
● Maintenance Standards: Define the desired condition of an asset or facility. ● Service Levels: Define how frequently maintenance activities occur based on park classification and usage. ● SOPs: Define how maintenance activities are performed, documented, and inspected. SOPs are typically maintained separately from maintenance standards.

Parks are commonly categorized based on usage and maintenance demands to help align service expectations with available resources:
● Tier 1 – High-Use Parks: Destination parks, athletic complexes, major community parks, and parks with significant programmed activity or visitor traffic.
● Tier 2 – Moderate-Use Parks: Community and neighborhood parks with a mix of active and passive recreation amenities and moderate visitation levels.
● Tier 3 – Low-Use Parks: Passive parks, open space areas, natural areas, and locations with limited amenities and lower visitation levels.
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Example Maintenance Standards Table
Maintenance
Activity
Maintenance
Standard
Acceptable
Condition/Level
Park
Classification
Service
Level/Frequency
Responsible
Staff
Notes
Lawn Mowing Turf is
maintained at
a safe and
aesthetically
acceptable
height.

Grass maintained
within target
height range; no
excessive
overgrowth.

Tier 1 – HighUse ParksWeekly during the
growing season
Maintenance
Staff
Increase
frequency
during
periods of
rapid growth.

Lawn Mowing Turf is
maintained at
a safe and
aesthetically
acceptable
height.

Grass maintained
within target
height range; no
excessive
overgrowth.

Tier 2 –
Moderate-Use
Parks
Every 10–14 days
during the growing
season
Maintenance
Staff
Adjust as
needed
based on
weather
conditions.

Lawn Mowing Turf is
maintained at
a safe and
aesthetically
acceptable
height.

Grass maintained
within target
height range; no
excessive
overgrowth.

Tier 3 – LowUse ParksEvery 2–3 weeks
during the growing
season
Maintenance
Staff
Focus on
safety and
visibility
areas.

Trash
Collection
Parks are free
of excessive
litter and trash
receptacles
are
maintained.

No overflowing
receptacles;
limited visible
litter.

Tier 1 – HighUse ParksDaily Maintenance
Staff
Increase
during
special
events and
peak use
periods.
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Maintenance
Activity
Maintenance
Standard
Acceptable
Condition/Level
Park
Classification
Service
Level/Frequency
Responsible
Staff
Notes
Trash
Collection
Parks are free
of excessive
litter, and trash
receptacles
are
maintained.

No overflowing
receptacles;
limited visible
litter.

Tier 2 –
Moderate-Use
Parks
3–5 times per
week
Maintenance
Staff
Adjust based
on seasonal
demand.

Trash
Collection
Parks are free
of excessive
litter, and trash
receptacles
are
maintained.

No overflowing
receptacles;
limited visible
litter.

Tier 3 – LowUse Parks1–2 times per
week
Maintenance
Staff
Additional
service
provided as
needed.

Playground
Inspection
Playground
equipment and
surface
equipment are
maintained in
a safe
condition.

No hazardous
conditions;
equipment is
functional and
secure.

All Park
Classifications
Monthly formal
inspection;
additional
inspections as
needed
Maintenance
Staff
Safety
hazards
addressed
immediately.

Restroom
Cleaning
Restrooms are
clean,
stocked,
functional, and
available for
public use.

Fixtures
operational;
supplies stocked;
no excessive litter
or odors.

Tier 1 – HighUse ParksDaily, with
additional
cleaning as
needed
Maintenance
Staff
Increase
frequency
during
events and
peak
visitation.
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Maintenance
Activity
Maintenance
Standard
Acceptable
Condition/Level
Park
Classification
Service
Level/Frequency
Responsible
Staff
Notes
Restroom
Cleaning
Restrooms are
clean,
stocked,
functional, and
available for
public use.

Fixtures
operational;
supplies stocked;
no excessive litter
or odors.

Tier 2 –
Moderate-Use
Parks
Daily Maintenance
Staff
Adjust
frequency
based on
use patterns.

Restroom
Cleaning
Restrooms are
clean,
stocked,
functional, and
available for
public use.

Fixtures
operational;
supplies stocked;
no excessive litter
or odors.

Tier 3 – LowUse Parks3–5 times per
week
Maintenance
Staff
Additional
service
provided as
needed.

Trail
Maintenance
Trails are safe,
accessible,
and free from
major
obstructions.

Clear walking
surface; no
significant
hazards or
obstructions.

All Park
Classifications
Monthly
inspection; after
major weather
events
Maintenance
Staff
Prioritize
hazards
affecting
public safety.
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APPENDIX B: WORKFORCE TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION RESOURCES The resources listed below are examples of training and certification opportunities available to parks maintenance and operations staff. The City should evaluate which programs best align with operational needs, staffing responsibilities, and available funding. Inclusion in this appendix should not be interpreted as an endorsement of any specific provider.

Training and Certification Resources
Training Area Resource Organization/Website Purpose/Applicability Professional
Development
Certified Park
and Recreation
Executive
(CPRE)
NRPA –
https://www.nrpa.org/certificat
ion/cpre/
National certification for managerial,
administrative, and executive parks and
recreation professionals. Relevant for senior
managers, division leads, and employees
preparing for higher-level leadership roles.

Professional
Development
Certified Park
and Recreation
Professional
(CPRP)
NRPA –
https://www.nrpa.org/certificat
ion/CPRP/
National certification for park and recreation
professionals. Relevant for recreation,
operations, programming, and administrative
staff who need broad professional knowledge
and current skills in parks and recreation service
delivery.

Professional
Development
CPRS
Development &
Operations
Section
CPRS –
https://www.cprs.org/home
Regular training courses are available by joining
the California Park and Recreation Society’s
Development & Operations section, which
specializes in maintenance operations. Access to
maintenance-focused workshops, conferences,
networking opportunities, and low-cost regional
training events. Modesto is located within CPRS
District 5.
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Training Area Resource Organization/Website Purpose/Applicability Playground
Safety
Certified
Playground
Safety Inspector
(CPSI)
California Park & Recreation
Society (CPRS) –
https://www.cprs.org/educatio
n/cpsi
Industry-recognized certification for playground
inspections, hazard identification, and safety
compliance.

Playground
Safety
Playground
Safety Workshop
CPRS –
https://www.cprs.org/educatio
n/playground-safetyworkshop
Introductory and refresher training on playground
inspection and maintenance practices.

Maintenance
Operations
Maintenance
Management
School
CPRS –
https://www.cprs.org/educatio
n/mms
Training focused on parks maintenance planning,
supervision, asset management, and operational
best practices.

Operations
Leadership
Parks and
Recreation
Operations
(PRO) Academy
CPRS –
https://www.cprs.org/educatio
n/pro-academy
Leadership and operational development
program for supervisors, coordinators, and
operations managers.

Aquatics
Operations
(recreationfocused)
Aquatic Facility
Operator (AFO)
NRPA –
https://www.nrpa.org/certificat
ion/AFO/
Training on aquatic facility operations, risk
management, and regulatory compliance.

Aquatics
Maintenance
(maintenancefocused)
Certified Pool
Operator (CPO)
The Training Center –
https://www.thetrainingcenter.
com/cpo-certificationcalifornia
Certification focused on pool system operations,
water quality, and facility maintenance.
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Training Area Resource Organization/Website Purpose/Applicability Irrigation
Systems
Certified
Irrigation
Professional
Cal Poly Pomona College of
Professional and Global
Education –
https://careertraining.cpp.edu/
training-programs/irrigationprofessional/
Training in irrigation system management,
troubleshooting, and water efficiency practices.

Safety Confined Space
Training
OSHA Guide –
https://www.osha.gov/confine
d-spaces
Training and guidance on safe entry, hazard
recognition, and regulatory requirements for
confined spaces.

Safety CPR/First Aid/
AED Training
American Red Cross –
https://www.redcross.org/take
-a-class
Emergency response training applicable to
maintenance, recreation, and supervisory staff.

Sports Field
Maintenance
Turfgrass
Management
Certification
Programs
Sports Field Management
Association (SFMA) –
https://www.sportsfieldmanag
ement.org/certification/
Training on sports field maintenance, turf
management, irrigation, and field safety.
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Audit CommitteeJuly 29, 2026

Audit Committee
July 29, 2026