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Burleson council backs adding part‑time plaza maintenance staff and directs RFQs for sweeping; considers compactor pilot
Summary
Parks staff described Old Town plaza maintenance gaps and proposed either hiring an additional part‑time worker or upgrading to a full‑time position; council favored adding part‑time coverage and directed staff to pursue RFQs for street sweeping and to investigate voluntary compactors/dumpster consolidation for Old Town.
Jen Basham, director of parks and recreation, told council on Jan. 5 that Old Town plaza maintenance has outgrown the original part‑time staffing model. Basham said two part‑time employees (19 hours each) now cover a large maintenance footprint and that routine and reactive tasks (restroom cleaning, turf fluffing, trash response, repair of benches and power washing) are not consistently completed.
Basham presented two main staffing options: hire a third part‑time employee (estimated at $16,796 annually) to meet current maintenance goals, or convert one existing part‑time weekday position to full time (with benefits, roughly $56,000 annually) and keep part‑time weekend coverage. She also outlined optional capital and service improvements — monthly power washing, replacement of some landscape rock with pavers, bench and play‑feature repairs, increased street sweeping frequency (outsourced RFQ), and a voluntary, city‑managed compactor program for participating businesses with controlled access.
Council discussion focused on balancing aesthetics, downtown economic health and budget constraints. Several council members urged quicker action on recurring problems (bench repairs, grease and odor issues at a small number of dumpsters, and bird droppings near two problem trees) and proposed near‑term steps such as targeted bench repairs and removing or replacing problematic trees. Multiple members favored adding at least one additional part‑time worker (and a seasonal worker for peak months) rather than immediately converting a role to full time.
The council gave staff administrative direction to double‑fill existing vacant part‑time plaza positions where appropriate to accelerate hiring, to return with a budget amendment, to issue RFQs for increased street sweeping frequency and event‑cleanup services, and to research a voluntary compactor/dumpster consolidation pilot for Old Town. Staff said bench repairs are already under contract and that additional projects will be prioritized through the budget process.
