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Parks administrator unveils 2026–2027 strategic plan; new certified arborist joins crew
Summary
Parks Administrator Erica Seward presented a six-goal strategic plan for 2026–2027 emphasizing on-time, under-budget delivery, stewardship, efficiency, contract management and staffing; the commission also welcomed new parks crew supervisor Ryan Whitman, a certified arborist.
Erica Seward, Placer County Parks Administrator, told the Parks Commission she will roll out an internal 2026–2027 strategic plan that will align division work and inform budget development. The plan lists six goals including delivering projects on time and under budget, advancing standards and stewardship for park development, improving operational efficiency, strengthening contract management, building team capacity and financial sustainability, and fostering organizational learning.
"So our first goal, is to deliver projects on time, under budget, and collaboratively," Seward said while presenting the goals and associated tasks staff will pursue through 2027. She said the plan will be shared with staff starting next week and will be reflected in the current budget work.
Seward recognized staff milestones, noting Josh Hunsinger’s 25 years and Danny Enfield’s 20 years of service along with several five-year recognitions.
Mark Henry, parks operations supervisor, introduced the commission to the department’s new parks-crew supervisor, Ryan Whitman, who described his background in tree service and groundskeeping and said he is a certified arborist. "I'm a certified arborist," Whitman said, and noted he holds a qualified applicator license that allows integrated pest management and pesticide application training. Henry said the county has been without a certified arborist for about five or six years and called Whitman a needed addition.
Seward and Henry also summarized recent storm response work — streambed erosion repairs, downed-tree mitigation and chipping — and credited the fuels crew for rapid response, saying it has already "proven, paid for themselves already." They encouraged commissioners and the public to visit Big Hill Preserve and the Hidden Falls trail expansion later this year.
What’s next: staff will integrate the strategic-plan tasks into budget development in the coming weeks and report back as projects progress.
