Amador County Parks and Recreation Program

Summary

As part of its government oversight responsibility, the Grand Jury reviewed the Amador County Parks and Recreation Department. Amador County owns and maintains two parks. The Director of General Services administers the park system. There is little money budgeted to support the parks. Volunteers provide most of the maintenance. Many of the volunteer maintenance workers are also the prime users of the park they maintain.

Findings

The Director of General Services is the administrator for all county parks.

Because of the many duties of the Director of General Services, he spends little of his time on park management.

The total budget for all park operations for the 1997/98 FY is $7,920.

1. Volunteers provide most park maintenance.
2. Many of the volunteer maintenance workers are also park users.

Conclusions

1. The parks and recreation program is small but adequate.
2. Given the size of the program, using the Director of General Services as the Parks and Recreation Program Director is appropriate.

Recommendations

None

Comment Requirements

None

Authority to Investigate

Penal Code Section 925 authorizes the Grand Jury to review the operation of county government. As required by Penal Code Section 916, at least twelve Grand Jurors voted to review the operations of the Amador County Parks and Recreation Program.

Method of Review

Interviewed the Amador County General Services Director

Background

Amador County Parks and Recreation Department leases two parks:

• Pioneer Park – 26 acres, located on Buckhorn Ridge Road in Pioneer. Facilities include a ball field, snack bar, restrooms, horseshoe pits, picnic tables, community hall, par course, swings, and other playground equipment. The United States Bureau of Land Management (BLM) leases this property to Amador County. The BLM plans to transfer this land to Amador County.
• Mollie Joyce Park – 7 acres, located on Woodfern Drive in Pioneer. Facilities include a ball field, snack bar, and restrooms. The Sacramento School District owns this land and leases it to Amador County. The lease between the district and Amador County expires in 2003.

The General Services Department manages the parks and recreation program. The Director of General Services is also the Director of the Parks and Recreation Program.

The budget for the 1997/98 FY is $7,920. The county spends most of this budget on Pioneer Park. As a courtesy, the county spends a small amount to pump the septic system at the Fiddletown Community Park. Because of the small budget for County Park management, volunteers provide most maintenance. Not surprisingly, the volunteers are those who use the parks most often.

Supplementary Information

None