DATE: May 6, 2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
FROM: Parks and Recreation Department
TITLE: CREATE A LIMITED TERM FULL-TIME RECREATION PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR POSITION WITHIN THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT
RECOMMENDATION
title
Staff recommends that the City Council approve the creation of a limited term full-time Recreation Program Administrator position within the Parks and Recreation Department and appropriate $28,000 from the General Fund Unassigned Fund Balance for the increased cost, effective FY 2026/27, until the incumbent Recreation Program Administrator returns from active military duty.
body
BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
The Parks and Recreation Department currently has a temporary vacancy because the incumbent Recreation Administrator is on active military duty under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA), with current deployment orders through March 31, 2027. This vacancy has been filled by temporarily out-of-class Acting assignments since the incumbent began USERRA leave on June 1, 2023. This method of filling the long-term vacancy has caused administrative instability and the Department needs to identify a more stable solution to address the prolonged vacancy. USERRA leave protections extend up to five (5) cumulative years, meaning the leave could be extended past March 31, 2027 if the employee’s deployment continues.
Filling this position with a stable long-term staff member is critical because the Recreation Administrator provides direct oversight of operations at the recreation centers, senior centers and manages sports and youth programs. There are several major projects that the Department is initiating that require this position to be filled by staff that understand recreation management operations, including:
• Implementation of the Age Friendly Network 5-year Action Plan
• Development of a Senior Commission
• Implementation of the updated Field and Facility Allocation Policy
• Improvements to the on-line registration and permitting process
• Expanded and improved programming during critical hours
• Feasibility study for the potential development of a Park Ranger program
If approved, the Limited Term Recreation Program Administrator position would remain until the incumbent Recreation Program Administrator returns, which could be longer if his deployment to active military duty is extended beyond his current orders. If approved, the Department would plan on conducting a statewide external recruitment for the Limited Term Recreation Program Administrator position.
FISCAL IMPACT
Staff anticipates filling the Limited Term Recreation Program Administrator position as soon as feasible following City Council authorization. The cost of the Recreation Program Administrator position is estimated at $192,500 at the G-Step rate in Fiscal Year 2026-27. If approved, the temporary Recreation Program Administrator position will be filled for approximately 9 months in FY2026-27, and the estimated cost is $144,375 at G-Step. The estimated actual cost paid out to the incumbent is $28,000 for vacation, sick, floating holiday, and executive leave, which represents a cost increase. Staff recommends that the City Council appropriate $28,000 from the General Fund Unassigned Fund Balance (101.3100.0001) for the cost increase of the Limited Term Recreation Program Administrator. The General Fund Unassigned Fund has a balance of $6.5 million; therefore, sufficient funds are available.
|
Position |
FY2026-27 |
|
Recreation Administrator PCN AD67NS04 budget amount |
$192,500 |
|
Provisional Recreation Program Administrator - G Step (8 months) |
$144,375 |
|
Cost Increase (Incumbent Payout) |
$28,000 |
COMMISSION OR COMMITTEE REPORT
Does not apply
CITY ATTORNEY’S ANALYSIS
Does not apply
end
Prepared by: Manuel Gonzalez, Parks and Recreation Director
Reviewed by: Chelsea D. Phebus, Director of Human Resources & Risk
Reviewed by: Rob O’Brien, Deputy City Manager
Submitted by: Jonathan Borrego, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Job Description