Agenda - Parks and Recreation Commission - 09/03/1992 - Memo

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I)ATE: T(): CC: FR()M: SUIlJECT: MEMORANDUM SePte~nber 3, 1992 Budget Committee Ry~'l Schroeder, City Administrator Sanclra Ashley Helling, Finance Officer Par,km~d Recreation Commission Mark Boos, Parks/Utilities Coordinator Response to Balanced Budget Proposal This time of yehr especially is a period when City Council and executive Staff bear the burden of thc weighty, fgr eeaching decisions they must make. On behalf of the Park and Recreation Co~nmission a~d .everyone connected to this City, please accept our thanks for the fairness exhibited in this tm.enviable position. At thc conclusion of the Budget Committee meeting of September 1, 1992, the Committee extended an olqpoftunity to Staff to request reprioritizing of items in their respective areas and possibly sugg0st ?alternatives to the balanced budget proposal. I would offer the following observations re¢og~pizing the serious nature of the City-wide requests and the grave actions needed. Personal Segvides Fo,'cslry: Proposal is acceptable. Declivity of th6 forestry requests will not have major adverse effects on this Tree City's long-term growth. , . Parks - UtilitieS: The proposal to address Staff hours designated for these areas is acceptable:, Wh~le somewhlt ~ficttlt for me to illustrate, there ~s no substitute for monvated, growth orientated Staff as comPa~d if° temporary employees. The flexibility in work assignments and the quality of work performedis; without exception, substantially superior. I believe the desigoated hours detailed in the proposal should preserve the status quo of 1992 maintenance !eveli~ for 1993, however, I predict that 1994's request will contain a full-time entry level maintenance iWorker. Further, I feel it necessary to reiterate the potential monetary savings of accoml..¢lishing~p,!: ro'ects, j . in-house. This can be illustrated. In the case of play equipment insmllaltons, 25 ~/o ~of the improvement cost can be expected for contract labor. Similar "savings" arc al)plicable i~ most areas. Police Chief Aasp0s eloquently described a fear of a "point of titration". A sirnilar potential exists in thc ama of the Gity's sewer and water system, both critical elements in the City's infrastructure and ¥ital to hea[th,;safety and a reasonable quality of life. We will not allow degradation of the key elements of thi~ system, however, without enough full-time staff persons, certain components may be neglected ca0sing operational costs to be higher or "come due" in subsequent years. Temporary employees generally are unable to fulfill the requirements in addressing these areas.