"Too often, employees sit in idling trucks on personal phone calls, or crews spend more time driving to and from corporate yards than they do in parks doing actual maintenance. In one example, an employee was seen asleep in his truck while his immediate supervisor sat beside him. The senior park manager's office was in that same park, yet the behavior went unchecked - and longstanding basic maintenance needs in this park continued to go unaddressed."
"But they are held back by a leadership culture that tolerates underperformance, promotes based on factors other than merit, demonstrates poor change-management skills, lacks operational expertise and prioritizes appearances over outcomes. PRNS staff have been observed staging "dog-and-pony shows" for VIPs - temporary cleanups or work activities meant to create the illusion of consistent maintenance. These practices waste resources and distort public perception of how effectively the department operates."
San Jose leaders are considering spending $2.5 million to place a ballot measure proposing a sugar tax or new property tax assessment for park maintenance. Residents deserve assurance that the Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services Department can effectively steward current resources before receiving more. Daytime park observations reveal idling trucks, staff on personal calls, excessive driving time, and instances of employees sleeping while supervisors are present, with managers failing to address basic maintenance needs. A simple observational analysis indicates about a 40% productivity deficiency. Many employees are dedicated, but a leadership culture that tolerates underperformance, rewards non-merit factors, lacks operational expertise, and stages temporary cleanups for VIPs wastes resources and distorts public perception.
Read at San Jose Spotlight
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