The amount of revenue collected through the Measure Z Parcel Tax since it was passed in November of 2012 is $994,624.00 just shy of one million dollars.
Since the Measure Z Oversight Committee is unable to explain where almost $300,000 goes every year I figured I would give the public a little insight.
First off, when Measure Z was enacted and the parks re-opened on April 12, 2014 the city was paying $870.00 plus supplies per month for Janitorial Services at Wildoslavias three parks.
In June of 2014 the cost went up to about $1400.00 per month.(There appears to have been no contract)
November 12, 2014 a new contract with a new company was approved, on consent calendar Item #1.7, by the City Council which brought the cost up to $23,620 annually ($1968.00 per month) per the staff report.
This contract was relatively short-lived as in June of 2015 another company was doing the work by way of an emergency purchase order for $4,500 per month, this went on until April of 2016.
At this time a contract was again approved on the Consent Calendar, Item #1.5, with another company increasing the monthly cost from the previous contract to 15/16: $3,824.53, 16/17: $3,974.09, 17/18: $4,123.65 these charges do not include supplies as the vouchers show separate invoices for supplies.
What have we gotten for this 357 percent increase (357%)
Let’s take a look through pictures.
On Monday, December 12, 2016 at 10:52am we find this at one of our parks.
Notice the trash
We know the cleaning crew had been around because there was a new liner in the nearest trashcan
This is 10:00 in the AM
Then we take a trip over to the city’s premier park, in the afternoon of another day, and find these conditions:
Picture take December 16, 2016
Picture taken December 16, 2016
We also find this character (gray object leaning up against the concrete pillar next to the tree) sucking up the city’s power with his cell phone out of view of the parks cameras, while hiding behind one of the little league container.
This individual was present at this park again on Friday, December 23 at approximately 1:00pm
This is another of the parking lot electrical receptacles put in for the failed Farmers Market, now used by various individuals to power there phone chargers, vans, boom boxes, etc.
It seems the city hasn’t figured out what a circuit breaker breaker is for.
Picture take December 19, 2016
A return trip on Monday afternoon shows the conditions of the previous Friday still exist
Picture taken December 19, 2016
OK so the first time was a Friday afternoon, December 16, 2016, the second time was a few days later on Monday morning, December 19, 2016.
The above picture was taken a week after the first one, Friday, December 23, 2016 and the following picture a full eleven days, on December 27, 2016
The grounds drying out and someone is back in business.
These problems show a lack of caring on the part of the city.
A couple of new problems also show a lack of attention by city staff where-in some has turned the ball fields into an off road course.
Taken December 19, 2016
Twice since re-opening the parks the city manager has gotten quotes for gates to lock-up the parking lot at night, still no gates.
Some will say, well this is all during a week where it has rained some.
I say what are we the citizens paying over 325,000 dollars a year for.
Salaries paid to city employees to operate and maintain our parks totals $37,100 last year, this should be sufficient to monitor the contractors hired and take of the little things.
These contracted expenses of $126,800 last fiscal year are not being wisely spent.
It appears that the expenditure of $184,900 on Marna O’Brien Park alone is a total waste as no one is walking these parks daily to ensure that are clean and safe for city residents, this includes the city employee assigned to this task, the company contracted to provide “Facilities Maintenance and Janitorial Services” at a cost of $3,824.53 per month or the landscape company that is paid $34,003 annually (just for Marna O’Brien Park) to be responsible to maintain the lawn and shrubs where the campsite was located.
Further evidence of the sloppy work being performed by those employed to provide safe clean parks is found in the boy’s/men’s restroom.
Picture Taken on July 11, 2016
Picture Taken 5 months later December 23, 2016
Now we can add the other sink, $300,000 annually and we get duct tape.
The drinking fountain nearest the basketball courts has been missing its decorative buttons since day one of the parks opening.
Picture Taken April 17, 2014
Picture Taken November 16, 2016
The city can’t even spend a couple of bucks to make it look presentable.
The mayor of this berg insist on using scout projects to enhance the parks, they do the jobs the citizens are paying good money to be done professionally, money that is not being spent as the current reserves of the Measure Z Fund is in excess of $100,000.00.
These were replaced earlier in the year but a lack of proper supervision has resulted in numerous pieces of hardware coming off.
Ever wondered what happened to the bucket so prominently displayed in the first Annual Report FY 2013/14
It found a new home on the other side of the park
Back to scout projects
This fence should be straight and taut
A month later, Zip ties should not have been used
Here is another scout project gone awry in less than a year
These containers were for the collection of recyclables, they were installed just over a year ago.
Ever wonder how much this project has netted the city ?, or any charitable group ? The answer is zero
Now there is talk of another scout project, the installation of a drinking fountain for dogs at Regency-Heritage Park aka The Dog Park aka Open Channel A of the Lakeland Village Master Drainage Plan
A drinking fountain is a good idea for a dog park, but, only if the dog park is in proper location and can actually be used.
Here is a picture of the entrance to “The Dog Park” on Christmas Eve 2016. Ho Ho Ho!
Welcome to the locked gate that goes up after every rain event in Wildoslavia
This is a flood control channel after all, soon to be widened by County Flood Control. This widening will increase the width of the current channel which is 10 feet wide by 18 inches deep to 40 feet in width by 6 feet in depth, taking away an approximately 30 foot wide strip of the dog park.
This flood control channel that is home to the dog park also has a Tot-Lot as a part of its amenities. This is what it looked like most recently.
Look Ma, no swings. The two bucket swings have had no safety belts since the parks re-opened.
Notice the water logged “engineered surface” the cost several thousand dollars.
Back to the scout projects, these bulletin boards were placed in the parks in June of 2015
ViviLnk
By the middle of July they looked like this
ViviLnk
They were repaired by the city and now look like this, a year later.
As for a lack of safety of all citizens one only has to look at the Rabbit Hole.
The protective wire has been folded back, I guess water couldn’t flow fast enough with it covering the hole.
