Placer County parks administrator outlines staffing changes, capital priorities and regulatory watch

Erica Seward, Placer County’s new parks administrator, told the Parks Commission on March 20 that she has spent her first months assessing staff, partnerships and capital needs and will present the department’s proposed fiscal year 2025–26 budget to the Board of Supervisors on April 30.

“For the entirety of my career, I’ve been passionate about healthy communities and landscapes,” Seward said, describing three and a half months on the job and the department’s focus on sustaining operations while taking on more park and land-management responsibilities.

Seward said several long‑time staff retired recently, including former parks administrator Andy Fisher and senior project manager Ted Lehi, and that interim and acting staff are covering key roles while recruitment proceeds. She acknowledged acting senior project manager Casey Lyons and Mark Henry for providing support and said interviews to fill open positions will begin in the coming weeks.

The administrator’s report covered operations, capital planning and regulatory…