Parks staff seek three positions to run Measure P arts grants as commissioners and grantees press for transparency and payments

Shelby McNab, assistant director of the city parks department, told the Parks, Recreation and Arts Commission on March 16 that staff will ask City Council to authorize three full‑time positions — a program administrator/project liaison, a community outreach specialist and a community coordinator — to support administration of the Expanded Access to Arts and Culture (EAC) Measure P grant program.

McNab said the positions would raise the department’s authorized full‑time positions from 164 to 167 and enable parks staff to take on cycle 2 administration and prepare for cycle 3. “Adding positions will enable program administration,” she said. The positions are permanent city classifications, McNab said, but could be reassigned in the future to other departmental duties if needed.

Why it matters

Commissioners and many public commenters said the city’s immediate priority should be resolving payment and contracting problems for grantees after the termination of Fresno Arts Council’s contract. Multiple speakers reported unpaid awards, bounced checks and little or no city communication. Kylo Push Schmidt of the South Tower Community Land Trust said private security closed Broadway Park more than 30 minutes before posted hours and criticized permitting and insurance requirements that block neighborhood events. Amy Kitner of the Alliance…