REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
September 25, 2014
FROM: SCOTT L. MOZIER, PE, Director
Public Works Department
MANUEL A. MOLLINEDO, Director
Parks, After School, Recreation and Community Services Department
BY: SCOTT W. KRAUTER, PE, Assistant Director
Public Works Department, Street Maintenance Division
SUBJECT
Title
Actions pertaining to funding park irrigation maintenance in FY 2015
1. *RESOLUTION - 20th amendment to the Annual Appropriation Resolution (AAR) No. 2014-95 appropriating $795,500 to the Parks, After School, Recreation and Community Services (PARCS) Department to fund park irrigation maintenance in FY 2015 (Requires 5 affirmative votes)
2.*RESOLUTION - 2nd amendment to Resolution No. 2014-96 entitled "A Resolution of the Council of the City of Fresno Establishing the Number of Positions Authorized in the Various Departments and Offices of the City for FY 2015"
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Council adopt the 20th Amendment to the Annual Appropriation Resolution No. 2014-95 appropriating $795,500 to the PARCS Department and adopt the Second Amendment to Resolution No. 2014-96 transferring five Irrigation Specialists from the Public Works Department to the PARCS Department.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
As part of the Fiscal Year 2011 Mid-Year Budget Reduction, the park landscape maintenance and irrigation program was moved from the PARCS to the Public Works Department. The Public Works Department subsequently consolidated park maintenance, including irrigation, with the existing Public Works landscape maintenance operations.
With the appointment of a full-time PARCS Director the two departments, in conjunction with the City Manager's Office, have evaluated the best opportunities to improve services in our parks for the community. The change is being recommended as there are unique differences between parks and other types of landscape maintenance. In addition, while the Public Works Department has been responsible for irrigation maintenance, the cost of water being used to irrigate remained with PARCS. Another benefit of this change is the ability to schedule irrigation schedules and repairs around the number of special events that occur in local and regional parks.
Landscape maintenance, mowing and trimming operations for City parks will remain in Public Works, along with the care of maintenance district funded neighborhood pocket parks, facilities such as City Hall, subdivision landscape buffers, median islands, trails, greenways and street trees. A Request for Proposal for some of these services is currently out to bid and it is anticipated that a contract recommendation will be presented to Council before the end of the calendar year.
BACKGROUND
For the last three years, the Public Works Department has utilized nine employees to perform irrigation maintenance on the variety of landscapes, including street landscape buffers and median islands, facilities such as City Hall, greenways and parks. Although both Departments have made efforts to coordinate irrigation in parks during this time, the lack of weekend presence in Public Works, and the demands of PARCS special events have been difficult to resolve. In discussions with the City Manager, both the PARCS and Public Works Departments have evaluated the capabilities of both operations and are recommending that parks related irrigation maintenance be managed by PARCS so to achieve better service for the City's parks.
To accomplish this transfer, the attached resolutions are needed to formally re-assign five Irrigation Specialist positions from Public Works to PARCS. This transfer will also include all equipment, inventory and other operating expenses associated with park related irrigation maintenance for the five positions (i.e., service trucks, fuel, inventory).
As is the case with other essential City services, the level of resources used to support this effort will still be less than what is needed to provide an optimal level of service due to budget reductions that have been required in order to balance the General Fund. The PARCS Department will be assessing the overall park irrigation needs, including the deferred maintenance of aging irrigation systems in the parks. The PARCS Director will be providing the City Manager with an assessment and recommendations that will considered as part of the Mayor's Fiscal Year 2016 Budget.
The transfer of park irrigation maintenance to the PARCS Department is proposed to occur effective October 1, 2014. Notice was provided to the affected bargaining unit (Local 39) representative, inviting the opportunity to meet and confer regarding the impact of the transfer of the five Irrigation Specialists. The meet and confer process is completed. The City Attorney's Office has approved as to form the Second Amendment to the PAR.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
The transfer of staff, vehicles and equipment between City departments is not defined as a project under the California Environmental Quality Act and does not require an environmental finding.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference is not applicable for transfer of resources between City departments.
FISCAL IMPACT
The transfer of staff positions, vehicles and equipment from Public Works to the PARCS Department will be accomplished through the reallocation of previously budgeted General Fund resources. There are no impacts to the General Fund, Community Sanitation Fund, and Community Facilities District funds.
Attachments:
- Financial Summary
- 20th Amendment to Annual Appropriation Resolution No. 2014-95
- Second Amendment to Position Authorization Resolution No. 2014-96