Fiscal Year 2013-2015 Special Budget Meeting

HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL Subject: Proposed FY 13-15 Proposed Policy Budget Date: June 7,2013 Page 11 Public Works 1) What would be the service impact if illegal dumping funds were increased by $500,000 to $1,000,000 within existing resources? Public Works Illegal Dumping Unit is funded by the Comprehensive Clean-up Fund. The other functions funded by the Comprehensive Clean-up Fund are Park Litter Removal, Street Sweeping, Graffiti Abatement, Community Volunteering Coordination and the Cut and Clean Crews. If Council allocates additional resources for the illegal dumping program within this funding source, staff would have to eliminate staffing in the other above mentioned imits. 2) What is the cost for priority Citywide Park Maintenance Upgrades? Since 2008 Public Works Agency has had a reduction in park maintenance staff due to budget cuts. The gardening staff responsible for maintaining city-wide landscaping (parks, medians, and other facilities) was reduced more than 50% over the last 5 years. The staff reduction impacted the ability to maintain the parks in an acceptable manner given the increased areas from Measure DD projects, capital improvements projects at other parks and facilities, and the growing use of Oakland parks. Lawns are mowed less frequently, litter abatement response is less frequent, and general routine landscape maintenance (pruning, edging, fertilizing) has diminished. There is a need to increase service levels to bring maintenance to a higher standard after many years of low level support. Currently, Lakeside Park has two (2) full time assigned staff and all other parks are maintained by mobile crews. Service Level options Below you will find a chart that shows a comparison of the current service level, versus proposed service level A &B. The second chart lists the cost for providing a comprehensive maintenance program for city-wide services (Service Level A). The third chart identifies the minimal cost to improve current maintenance services city-wide (Service Level B). Activity Current Service Level Service Level A Service Level B Mowing Every 3 weeks Weekly Every 12-14 Days Edging and Pruning Every 4-6 Weeks Bi-weekly Monthly Fertilizing None Lawn Quarterly; Shrubs biannually Every 6 months Litter 1-2 times per week 4-5 times per week including weekends 3-4 times per week including weekends Irrigation 3-5 days delay depending on workload Repairs within 24 hours (except weekends) Repairs with 24 hours (except weekends) Weeding Respond to weed complaints Spring and Fall weeding Spring weeding Planting None Spring replacement planting Replacement plantings if time allows