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Council approves consent items that fund parks volunteer coordinator and a GIS position; abatement fund discussed
Summary
Council approved consent items creating a volunteer coordinator for park and public‑right‑of‑way cleanups, advancing a GIS staff position in planning, and confirmed the abatement fund collects about $5,000 monthly to cover program costs; staff clarified volunteers would not use heavy equipment and abatement fund revenue adjusts with CPI.
The Ukiah City Council approved consent items Jan. 15 that include creation of a volunteer coordinator role to support park and public‑right‑of‑way cleanups and a GIS staff position placed in the planning division.
Councilmembers asked detailed questions about the volunteer coordinator position and a developing “Friends of Ukiah Parks” group. Deputy City Manager Shannon Riley said the friends group is still forming and will be overseen by the Public Spaces Commission; the volunteer coordinator will plan volunteer‑suitable activities such as litter pick‑up, creek cleanups and graffiti abatement but will not assign heavy‑equipment tasks.
“I don't imagine they would be using heavy equipment or probably equipment at all, it's probably gonna primarily be picking up garbage, doing cleanups, garbage removal, creek cleanups and some graffiti abatement,” Riley said. She added work on facilities such as City Hall could be included but routine maintenance of heavily maintained facilities typically remains with city crews.
Council also asked about the abatement fund that helps pay for cleanups and code enforcement responses. City staff said the fund currently brings in a little over $5,000 per month and is adjusted with cost‑of‑living changes; the budgeted amount for the volunteer position and associated work is less than that monthly revenue, and the fund has enough to cover ongoing and some one‑time abatement costs. Staff said the council can review fund status annually and adjust fees or allocations if needed.
Regarding GIS, Community Development staff explained the proposed GIS position would sit in planning and report to the chief planner but be a shared asset: the role would build a library of mapping assets used by planning, public works, electric, fire and water agencies and would support grant applications and interagency coordination.
Why it matters: The volunteer coordinator aims to increase volunteer engagement and reduce minor maintenance burdens on crews; the GIS position is intended to modernize mapping across departments, aid grant work and improve interagency communication. Funding for these positions is drawn from existing city budgets and the abatement fund; staff will return with implementation details as needed.
