Shanna Gamble, the acting director of Parks and Recreation, appeared before the municipal assembly Sept. 5 for a confirmation hearing on assembly memorandum 663-2025. Mayor LaFrance introduced Gamble and asked the assembly to support her confirmation.

Nut graf: Members used the hearing to probe operational challenges facing Parks and Recreation, including seasonal staffing shortages, the start-up of the Mountain View Community Center, a pending master plan for Cuddy Midtown Park, and the department’s role in managing trash and camps on parkland. The assembly did not vote; the confirmation is scheduled for the regular meeting on Tuesday.

Assembly members and the mayor praised Gamble’s performance since she became acting director in April. “She fit right in and quickly gained the confidence of her team,” Mayor LaFrance said when presenting the nomination. LaFrance specifically cited Gamble’s leadership during a busy summer, citing capital projects, ball-field maintenance and trail upkeep.

Gamble described her motivations for seeking the permanent post and outlined priorities. “I am committed to working with staff, leadership, the assembly, and community partners to find solutions, address our aging assets, and staffing challenges,” Gamble said. She added parks should be “clean, safe, and accessible.”

On staffing, Gamble told the assembly she is preparing requests for the 2026 budget to move the department away from a primarily seasonal workforce toward more full-time positions. “Since I started, I was kind of impressed by—I was shocked by how many seasonals we have versus full time,” she said. Gamble said she has “laid work to identify what that model would look like” and presented proposals to the mayor and municipal manager during budget planning.

Assembly members pressed for details about pay and retention. Gamble said park caretakers “started, I believe, it’s, like, $19.40 and some change,” and offered to provide the exact hourly rate later. She acknowledged compensation is a factor in hiring and retention, particularly for seasonal positions.

Members asked about several facility-specific items. Regarding Cuddy Midtown Park, Gamble said a master plan will begin after a procurement step for the adjacent old archive property is resolved: the department is “waiting for the RFP of the old archive” and, once that process is complete, will proceed with the park master plan. On the Mountain View Community Center, Gamble said Parks took over operations in June and currently staffs the center with six employees—three full-time and three seasonal. She said the center is open weekdays, provides morning transport for children to schools and resumed after-school pickup service.

Gamble reported the center’s strategic-planning survey drew 34 respondents and the department extended the survey to boost response; she said it will close on the 14th. She said staff are working on Wi-Fi, security cameras and a computer lab at the center and that funding reappropriation for contractor support related to that location appears on the upcoming Tuesday agenda.

The assembly also discussed the department’s role in cleaning encampments and coordinating with the Healthy Spaces team. Gamble said the department must retain staff able to perform cleanups because “a good percent of the camps are on parkland,” but that the Healthy Spaces team has shifted some social-work duties off parks staff. She said parks “are really truly just supporting the whole abatement process.”

On volunteers and partnerships, Gamble told members expanding volunteer programs and working with groups such as the Anchorage Park Foundation would be easier if staffing allowed more program management and if legal and risk questions about volunteer tasks (for example, cleanup or tree work) are clarified.

No confirmation vote was taken. The chair said the item—Assembly Memorandum 663-2025, the executive appointment confirmation hearing for Shanna Gamble—will return to the assembly on Tuesday for formal action.

Ending: The assembly scheduled the confirmation vote; until then Gamble will remain acting director as the department and members continue work on staffing proposals, the Mountain View transition, and the Cuddy Midtown Park master plan.