TL;DR (generated · confidence: high)

Package 23,663 allocates $379,413 to fund 3.0 FTE Arborist positions using the Urban Forestry Fund for one year, allowing time for potential vacancies without service reduction. Urban Forestry arborists provide 24/7 emergency response to hazardous trees in public rights-of-way and parks. Reducing capacity would increase public safety risks, response times, and likely require more expensive private contractors. The positions have worked 1,100+ overtime hours in peak periods and are essential to proactive tree maintenance, a Parks Levy commitment. Staff reductions would impact field safety, public safety, basic operations, and reduce services to underserved communities.

Key points (each cites a PDF page):

3.0 FTE Arborist positions funded for one year using Urban Forestry Fund (p. 1643)
Total recommended funding: $379,413 from General Fund Discretionary (p. 1643)
Personnel cost $371,745; Materials and Services $7,668 (p. 1643)
Status: Recommended realignment; positions eliminated after FY2026 if new funding not found (p. 1643)
Tree Maintenance Operations responded to over 2,600 right-of-way emergencies in 2024 (p. 1643)
Arborists worked 1,100+ hours of overtime in January 2024 during ice storm response (p. 1643)
Reduction eliminates one full crew, impacting field employee safety and public safety (p. 1643)
Equity impacts: loss of diverse new hires due to union seniority provisions; reduced service to underserved communities (p. 1643)

💰 $379,413 · $371,745 · $7,668 · 👥 3.0 FTE · 📋 Urban Forestry Fund · Tree Maintenance Operations (TMO) · Park Tree Maintenance (PTM) · Parks Levy · 🏛️ Portland Parks & Recreation

23,663

Source: PDF pp. 1643-1644 · raw: 1643 · 1644

Breadcrumb: 7 vs › vc-dps_06-03-2025_16-20 › Package Details › 23,663

23,663 - Utilize Urban Forestry Fund to Retain Park Tree Care and Emergency Response Capacity Service Area Vibrant Communities DCA Sonia Schmanski Bureau Name Portland Parks & Recreation Director Adena Long Funding Type Name Realignment Status: Recommended Package Desc Expense Recommended Total Fund 3.0 FTE Arborist positions with a one-time allocation of the Urban Forestry Fund for one-year. Internal Materials and Services ($7,668) Provides cost reduction and does not reduce existing services while allowing time for potential Personnel ($371,745) vacancies to open up, e.g., retirement, movement to other positions. After the 2026 fiscal year, the positions would be eliminated if new funding is not identified. ($379,413) Urban Forestry arborists are the city's lone responders to tree emergencies in public rights-of-way, in Revenue Recommended Total parks, and on city owned or managed property. Reduced capacity to address hazardous tree situations in storm situations will result in increased risks to public safety and service response times. General Fund Discretionary ($379,413) Staff reductions could possibly require increased utilization of private contractors in emergency, high ($379,413) call volume situations which would offset potential savings. Expense Recommended Total Reducing arborists will also reduce proactive park tree maintenance which is a key Levy commitment and one of only six outcomes areas which show improvement in the FY24 PP&R Healthy Parks External Materials and Services ($379,413) Healthy Portland Actions & Results Performance Report. Internal Materials and Services $7,668 Service Impacts Personnel $371,745 Reducing the arborists' team size by three will remove one full crew of team members, this will $0 directly impact field employee safety, public safety, and basic maintenance and operations. These staff are essential employees, who respond to emergencies 24 hours a day 7 days a week. In 2024 Revenue Recommended Total Tree Maintenance Operations (TMO) responded to over 2,600 right-of-way (ROW) emergencies so far. In 2024, at full staffing, the arborists put in over 1,100 hours of overtime in one month during the Beginning Fund Balance $0 January ice storm response. A reduction in staffing will put the remaining staff under more pressure $0 during the response to hazardous tree situations, thereby reducing field staff safety, as well as increasing the need to use outside contractors, potentially mitigating any cost savings. City-owned trees currently suffer from years of deferred maintenance due to low staffing levels before the Parks Levy. In less than two years of proactive tree maintenance implementation funded by the Parks Levy, hazards have been mitigated, tree health improved, and emergency responses to treated sites have been reduced. Addressing the deferred maintenance and caring for the city trees requires staffing levels sufficient to respond to daily right of way (ROW) emergencies and park tree maintenance simultaneously. Reducing staffing will directly and immediately impact basic maintenance and operations of highly visible and valuable park assets. Equity Impacts Reduction in diversity on the TMO Team. UF TMO has responded to the opportunity presented by the levy to dramatically increase the representation of underrepresented groups on the TMO staff. Should three arborist positions be cut, the diverse new hires will be lost, due to union contract provisions regarding seniority. Reduction in service to under-served communities. City-wide, there are neighborhoods that have received inequitable tree care due to the reactive nature of emergency response. The regular implementation of Park Tree Maintenance (PTM) allows UF to prioritize under-served communities. Reducing TMO staffing will directly result in reduced service levels to under-served communities, due to demands from high priority, complaint driven, emergencies.

Parent: Package Details · PDF: pp. 1643-1644