Yolo County Grand Jury
• 2021-2022
Clover Taking Over! Where Did the Grass Go in Davis Parks?
⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings and Recommendations 7 findings
F1
The Davis Parks budget no longer adequately covers park maintenance throughout the year at satisfactory quality levels.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
The City of Davis should address the weed infestation in the parks and green belts, with removal of weeds and reinstall grass back to its original form
F2
Davis Parks greenery is unkempt and shows a lack of consistent maintenance.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2
The City of Davis’ competitive bidding process should be transparent when awarding contracts to this contractor and should provide an explanation of said process regarding
F3
The City of Davis has been unsuccessful in hiring additional maintenance staff and an IPM Specialist, as outlined in the City of Davis Policy and Procedures.3
Related Recommendations (1)
R3
The City of Davis should actively recruit for the IPM Specialist position or in the absence of a qualified candidate, the City of Davis should outsource this position
F4
Parks that are maintained by the City of Davis are better maintained than the parks that are serviced by the sole contractor. 3 https://documents.cityofdavis.org/Media/Default/Documents/PDF/PW/Integrated%20Pest%20 Management/07-IPM-Policy-ATT2-IPM-Policy-and-Procedures.pdf 5
Related Recommendations (1)
R4
The City of Davis Parks Department should actively promote civic pride and the volunteerism programs already in place such as ADOPT-A-PARK. Additional ideas for volunteer recruitments include: • enlisting Scout troops to help contain weed growth in the parks. • working with service clubs (e.g., Rotary, Lyons Club, Kiwanis) to help maintain the parks. • amplifying public service announcements encouraging “pull weeds in your neighborhood green belts and parks. “
F5
The City of Davis does not have a transparent policy in place regarding the bidding process for the publicly funded contractor supporting the Parks department.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5
The City of Davis should publicize an annual Measure H spending report detailing expenditures as they specifically benefit the parks and aquatics centers. 4 https://www.cityofdavis.org/city-hall/parks-and-community-services/volunteer-opportunities 6 REQUIRED RESPONSES Pursuant to Penal Code sections 933 and 933.05, the County Grand Jury requests responses as follows: The City of Davis Findings F-1, F-2, F-3, F-4, F-5, F-6, Recommendations R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, R-5 7 EXHIBIT A: North Davis Green Belts, taken in Oct 2021 8 North Davis Green Belts, taken in Oct 2021 9 EXHIBIT B: Play Fields in South Davis taken fall 2021 Heavy clover within the fields at Play Fields 10 EXHIBIT C: Mace Ranch taken fall 2021 11 EXHIBIT D: North Star Soccer Fields Fall of 2021 12 North Star Soccer Fields Fall of 2021 13 Photos taken in wintertime 2021 of North Star Soccer Fields 14 EXHIBIT E: North Davis Bike Path taken spring of 2022. 15 16 EXHIBIT F: Measure H 2018 https://www.cityofdavis.org/home/showpublisheddocument/17066/637800193630070000 17 18
F6
Although the City of Davis has mechanisms in place to promote volunteerism to beautify parks, volunteer opportunities could be better promoted to the public.4
No recommendations for this finding
F7
There is lack of coordination between the Public Works Department and the Parks Department when capital projects within the park system take place. This leads to the lack of re-greenification of Davis parks. RECOMMENDATIONS
No recommendations for this finding
No Responses Found 1
Government entities assigned to respond to this report. No response documents have been linked in our database.
Davis
City