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O'Fallon parks department reports staff shortages, irrigation failures and playground repairs
Summary
Parks staff told the advisory board it is down four full-time employees for the busy season, reported a VFD failure that halted irrigation at Sports Park, and said a warrantied playground slide arrived damaged; staff described interim measures and timelines for repairs.
Parks staff reported staffing shortfalls and several maintenance challenges at the City of O'Fallon Parks & Recreation Advisory Board meeting July 14, saying the department is managing events and routine work while operating below full strength.
"We were down 4 full time employees," Jeremy, a parks department representative, told the board, adding that the department made three offers, two hires started and one candidate backed out. Jeremy said HR and the department have engaged local technical schools and Merrimack Community College to recruit horticulture and other candidates.
Why it matters: staff shortages affect seasonal maintenance workload, ability to complete capital-touch projects and event setup. Board members and staff discussed using recruiting tables at fairs and whether volunteers could assist with outreach.
Maintenance issues described included a water main/break at CarShield Field that the construction team located and repaired; sod repairs at Sports Park and Dames Park; and a failed variable frequency drive (VFD) that powers an irrigation well. Jeremy said the VFD failure "is a VFD replacement, so that's gonna take some time to bid out and and get taken care of," and that the department is using hand watering in the interim.
Playground equipment was also discussed: staff said a warrantied replacement slide arrived damaged and remains out of service while the vendor processes a replacement expected within four to six weeks. Board members raised safety concerns about separated safety-tile surfacing at Civic Park; Jeremy said the issue is on the department's radar and that the city is gradually switching to alternative surfaces, including synthetic turf where appropriate, while noting flood-prone sites (such as Dames Park) limit surface choices.
Staff announced two personnel changes: Carson Prescott was introduced as a new hire working at Sports Park, and Brian Meyer started full-time on the landscape/MOW team after two seasons as a seasonal employee.
Board members praised the parks crew for event support and day-to-day maintenance during extreme heat as staff discussed extended overtime use during high-demand events.
What happens next: staff said they will proceed with bidding for the VFD replacement, pursue recruitment through HR and local education partners, and coordinate repairs and vendor replacement for playground equipment. No formal board action was taken.
Sources: Jeremy (parks staff); board Q&A.
