Fresno hires parks director, adds over 50 parks jobs. Measure P spending questions remain
The Fresno City Council on Thursday approved millions in spending for parks operations and construction and the hiring of over 50 new employees in its parks and public works departments — marking the first funding allocation of Measure P money, the parks sales tax ballot initiative.
The council on Thursday also welcomed a new director for the Parks, After School, Recreation and Community Services (PARCS) department. The position was filled by an interim director for over two years after the last PARCS director left the position.
A city of Fresno veteran employee, Aaron Aguirre, will lead the PARCS department. Aguirre, a Fresno native, previously served as assistant PARCS director and has worked for the city for 13 years. Mayor Jerry Dyer said Aguirre was instrumental in working behind the scenes to ready Camp Fresno to welcome over 400 young people this year. Council President Luis Chavez joked that Aguirre was “overqualified” and said he has the utmost confidence in him.
For years, Fresno’s parks earned failing grades and were grossly neglected. Thursday’s funding approvals and the introduction of new leadership were welcomed by city leaders and community members alike.
“This is a big milestone for the city,” City Manager Thomas Esqueda said during the council meeting.
Many councilmembers agreed, nodding their heads and saying “Huge.”
Extra staffing
The council approved a number of “boots-on-the-ground” PARCS positions, including operations managers, staffing for senior, sports, neighborhood safety and community engagement programs, and community recreation assistants.
During the Great Recession, staffing in the PARCS department was cut to the bone. Before the recession, the department had about 175 full-time employees. The new hires approved Thursday will bring the department to about 120.
“I’m very pleased to see the city adding staff,” said Sharon Weaver, the executive director for the San Joaquin River Parkway and Conservation Trust, who was a proponent for Measure P. “I think that will increase the level of support and the level of service that can be provided at our parks and our community centers.”
About a dozen of the new positions will be in public works for jobs such as trail maintenance, irrigation and parks maintenance. About $500,000 of Measure P money will be used for San Joaquin River Parkway maintenance.
City administrators estimate the new employees will be hired by January.
Measure P regulations
While the new hires signal a shift for city parks, Weaver and a number of the councilmembers question whether the Measure P ballot language is being followed and whether the city administration is taking the new parks commission seriously.
“I have been a little bit disappointed in how the city is not taking input from the parks commission and not setting the parks commission up for success,” Weaver said. “That is a really integral part of utilizing Measure P funds, having this independent commission that is providing advice and oversight of those funds.”
Chavez said the council has the fiduciary duty to direct which pot of money spending occurs and noted the council has the ultimate decision-making authority.
Weaver and councilmembers also questioned whether it was appropriate to spend Measure P money on staffing since the ballot language directs the sales tax revenue to prioritize the highest needs.
Weaver said she paid close attention to the city’s budget presentations in the summer, and it was difficult to discern where general fund money and Measure P money was being spent. She also said she was surprised to learn that the Parkway Trust was receiving money because no city personnel had communicated with her.
“‘I’m a little bit concerned that the city is just utilizing Measure P funds as though they are general funds. They are not meant to supplant the general funds,” she said. “Although we may be completely in favor of what the city chooses to do, the measure is very specific about the fact that they’re supposed to be doing this in coordination with us.”
Councilmember Miguel Arias pointed out that the council put millions of dollars into the PARCS budget from the general fund. He supported the new positions to get the ball rolling.
Next month, the council and parks commission will drill down further on a so-called “equity equation” for Measure P money. Arias said he anticipates further debate then.
“I do think if you’re going to hire 55 people, you better start now,” he said. “Otherwise no parks are going to be cleaner or better maintained until mid next year.”