The Parks and Recreation Department continues to struggle in filling critical staffing needs necessary to deliver the services and programs our facilities are designed to offer.  The ice arena has been hit the hardest, as part-time Zamboni driver staff (also known as Ice Arena Coordinators and Attendants) has dwindled from 14 down to 5 (note: 2 of these part-timers have limited availability of 4 hours per week).

We have gone out to recruit and fill these part-time vacancies 9 times in the last 12 months and have not had a single qualified applicant.  As a result of the staffing shortage, the overtime hours demanded of full-time staff have become a threat to retention.  Full-time staff have averaged 32 hours of overtime since September 1, 2021 (combined hourly and salaried workers).

In addition, the Community Center has a contract of 8 hours per week to complete cleaning on evenings that maintenance staff is unavailable (4 hours each Monday and Tuesday) at a cost of $15,264.00 annually.

Two (2) part-time Ice Arena Coordinators are budgeted for an annual cost of $33,447.44 each ($22.18 per hr) or $66,894.88 annually.  Because we’ve been unsuccessful in recruiting to fill either of these positions in the present labor market, we propose combining and converting the positions to one full-time Ice Arena Specialist at grade 120 step 3 at $71,931.00 ($22.94 per hours plus benefits)

This new position would also cover the 8 hours weekly of cleaning at the Community Center, allowing the department to recoup the $15,264.00 in cleaning contract that will more than cover the remaining budget balance of this full-time conversion.  

Staff recommend that the Mayor and Council approve the immediate conversion of two part-time Ice Arena Coordinator positions to one full-time Ice Arena Specialist position at Grade 120 Step 3.