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Monroe County Council approves benches project, splits parks hiring approvals and delays some hires for review
Summary
Council approved a donation-funded project to place 40 benches with 988 hotline QR codes across county parks and debated parks hiring exemptions. The council approved program-funded (nonreverting) seasonal hires unanimously but tabled some county-general park hires until Dec. 16 for further review of budget and prioritization.
Parks staff briefed the council on a community project to install 40 benches produced by Pendleton facilities, each bearing a QR code linking to the 988 veterans crisis hotline. Staff said most benches will be placed in county parks and highlighted opportunities to locate one downtown.
Separately, the parks department asked for approval to hire seasonal and part-time staff for programs (day camp counselors and after-school instructors funded by program fees) and county-general hourly staff to support athletic-complex supervision, park maintenance and a planned Monroe County Nature Preserve buildout. Parks staff stressed that part-time hourly staff are essential for restroom cleaning, trash removal, mowing and safety; supervisors said failure to hire would force closures of some amenities (for example, splash pads and restrooms) and could increase outsourced construction costs at the new preserve.
Councilors split the request: they unanimously approved the nonreverting/program-funded hires (day camp, after-school) in a roll call and amended the packet to correct fund lines; the county-general portion of hourly hires was tabled to Dec. 16 to allow further liaison discussion with the park board about priorities, funding transfers and timing. Councilors asked parks staff to explore whether some hourly costs could be shifted to alternative non-general sources and to return with a more specific phasing plan.
What the council approved: The bench procurement and placement plan and the nonreverting (program fee-funded) seasonal staffing; the county-general hiring requests will be reconsidered at the Dec. 16 council meeting.
