Willow Glen Resident

News

City council to consider outsourcing Rose Garden park to improve upkeep

By Mary Gottschalk

District 6 Councilman Pierluigi Oliverio wants everything coming up roses, and to accomplish that he is wants to outsource maintenance of the Municipal Rose Garden.

At an April 19 press conference Oliverio announced a proposal to the city council for a one-year pilot program that would t outsource maintenance of the park.

Oliverio said he would like to see the total amount spent on staff salaries and benefits and tools set aside to pay a private contractor.

"I believe the private sector is competitive, and they'll give us a competitive bid," he said. "If money is left over, we'll spend it on books."

Oliverio's proposal will be reviewed the council's Rules and Open Government Committee before it is hear by the full city council, which is tentatively scheduled for May 15.

Since news of Oliverio's proposal to outsource park maintenance in the Rose Garden has spread, residents of other areas, including Willow Glen, have called asking for inclusion in the proposal.

Denelle Fedor, director of public policy for Oliverio, said, "Many residents have said it's a great idea and many have said we'd like our park included in this pilot project."

Oliverio would be open to adding a park in each council district to the pilot program, but not to adding another park in District 6, Fedor said.

"He doesn't want to try and change everything at one time," she said. "The purpose is to be innovative and use our money wisely."

Oliverio told the residents in favor of the proposal, "I need your support. I'm going to have resistance from the staff. They will not be welcoming the idea. It's important to have letters and e-mails sent in support of the proposal. It's important to come before the city council and speak in support of it."

Residents said they will have an organizational meeting with Oliverio to plan strategies for their presentations.

It was neighbors who first brought the condition of the Rose Garden to Oliverio's attention.

City staff and neighbors agree the Rose Garden isn't getting the level of care it once did.

Fred Schlichting, who has lived across from the park for 40 years, said he'd like to see the park return to its previous staffing levels.

"It doesn't seem like we're getting the full work done. They keep pulling people away," Schlichting said.

"If they can't fill the positions, there are contractors who can work on a contract basis. I like the idea of a pilot project, and I want to hear more about it."

Budget cuts reduced staffing at the park from 15 shifts a week in 2004 to eight shifts a week in August 2005. Due to illness and reassignments, the park has been reduced to an average of four shifts a week for much of the past year.

Todd Capurso, landscape maintenance manager for the San Jose Parks Maintenance Division, said, "It's my job to get the best maintenance services we can.

"In-house and private contractors are both viable options, but I get the sense that neighborhood folks believe privatizing the maintenance would automatically translate to a higher level of service.

"There used to be a higher level of service there. When resource levels are reduced, there's a drop in service levels."

Some neighbors say the problem is not just reduced shifts, it's the staff itself.

"It's been an uphill battle working with the park staff," resident Colleen Campisi told Oliverio at the April 18 meeting. "I don't want anyone to lose their job; I just want them to do their job."

Bill Pope, business representative of Operating Engineers Union Local 3, the park staff's union, said blaming staffers is unfair.

"They're out there trying to do a good job. The people I represent are proud of what they do. It could be cleaning the sewers or filling potholes. They're proud, and they're making a difference in everyday life."

It is the number of staff, not the staff itself, he said.

"The city is not going to recognize it's a staffing issue until something like this happens, but the answer is not contracting it out," he said.

"If a private contractor gets the job, we don't know if the people working are getting a good salary or have benefits. Most people won't focus on that, but they need an adequate wage to support themselves and their families and they need benefits.

"A contractor could go to Home Depot and get those guys standing in the parking lot.

"Contracting out is a city-wide issue and it ends up costing the city more. On the front end you save money, but on the back end you have to bring in city employees in to correct work done wrong."

One issue raised at the press conference is the fees charged by the city to use the park.

Jill Lawther, who has lived across from the Rose Garden for 24 years, echoed the thoughts of many when she asked why these fees aren't returned directly to the garden.

Oliverio said even if the fees were returned, they aren't adequate to fund its maintenance.

"I think the proposal should include a reassessment of the fees," Lawther said.

Currently, there is a $250 fee for two hours of park time for weddings. Professional photographers who use the park must also pay a fee.

San Jose Unified School District currently pays $130 a year for use of the garden for all its graduations.