TO: Mayor and City Council
THROUGH: Steve Powers, City Manager
FROM: Peter Fernandez, Public Works Director
SUBJECT:
title
Increased work hours for the new Park Ranger position.
Ward(s): All Wards
Councilor(s): All
All Neighborhoods
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ISSUE:
Shall City Council increase the position authority for the Park Ranger position from .50 FTE to .75 FTE to provide for enhanced enforcement and monitoring activities in City parks?
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Approve increase of the Park Ranger position from .50 FTE to .75 FTE.
body
SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND:
The adopted Fiscal Year 2016-2017 Budget funded a Park Ranger position in the Public Works Department. Because the City has not had a Park Ranger position in its work force for some time, staff worked to develop a scope and work schedule for the position.
The Park Ranger will provide day-to-day customer service, security and enforcement activities at Minto-Brown Island, Wallace Marine, Riverfront, and Marion Square parks. The Park Ranger will serve as an ambassador to park users by engaging with the public, providing assistance and responding to questions.
Further investigation led staff to believe that to get the best use out of the position the incumbent should be on duty for a substantial amount of time during the peak season. As a fully-funded part-time position, staff also believes that the incumbent should report to work 52 weeks per year (except for approved leave time related to vacations, illness, etc.). A schedule that addresses both of these goals provides for 40-hour work weeks (10 hours per day Thursday through Sunday) from mid-June to mid-September, and 20-hour work weeks (exact hours and days to be determined) the rest of the year. This will result in about a 1,300 hours per year, rather than 1,040 hours.
This item was presented to Council at its August 8 meeting, and Council voted to defer consideration of this matter until the August 22 meeting. Council’s discussion during the August 8 meeting centered on whether to limit the position to only Minto-Brown Island, Wallace Marine, Riverfront, and Marion Square parks. Based on Council’s discussion, the park ranger position will be limited to Minto-Brown Island, Wallace Marine, Riverfront, and Marion Square parks.
FACTS AND FINDINGS:
The FY 2016-17 adopted budget provides a total of $52,500 for a .50 FTE Parks Ranger position. Upon analysis of an appropriate classification, work duties and schedule, staff determined that a .75 FTE position will better serve the needs of the community. The adopted budget authority will provide sufficient funding for the increased hours because a slightly lower classification is being proposed than originally assumed. The increase of .25 FTE will be manageable within the total budget authority for the position, and will provide for a variable year-round work schedule including 40-hour work weeks during the peak summer months and 20-hour work weeks during the remainder of the year. If the actual cost for the position differs from this estimate as the result of the employee's benefit selections or PERS status, any additional expense will be absorbed in the Parks Operations budget.
D. Patrick Dodge
Senior Policy Analyst
Attachment:
1. Position Description and Job Duties for the position of Park Ranger
08/12/2016