Parks commission to trial monthly park assessment form to standardize reports and track volunteer hours

The St. Helens Parks & Trails Commission agreed to a trial run of a standardized park assessment tool designed to make monthly reporting more consistent, improve follow‑up and document volunteer hours.

Commissioner Lynn developed mockups of a one‑page assessment form and a sample monthly report she would compile and forward to parks maintenance. Lynn described the form as a brief checklist and notes field for safety concerns, structures and amenities, cleanliness, invasive species, visitor observations, planned community engagement and volunteer‑hour tracking. "It's a quick and easy information gathering tool," she said, asking commissioners to try a trial run in the coming month and send completed forms to her by text, email or as a photographed copy.

Several commissioners questioned whether the new form would create unnecessary work; others said a standardized approach would address fairness concerns (some commissioners had said previously that park assignments were uneven). A few commissioners suggested pairs be assigned to parks so coverage would be robust if an individual were absent. Lynn said she would compile submissions into a concise monthly report for Buck in parks maintenance and use the data to create an annual report to city council.

The commission agreed to a flexible trial: members and interested volunteers may pick any park for the test run, fill out the form and return it to Lynn by the methods she outlined. Lynn will email an electronic copy to all commissioners, accept photographed submissions, and assemble the reports for discussion at the next meeting.

No formal policy was adopted at the meeting; commissioners asked for a trial run and agreed to return feedback at the next meeting.