Public should be involved in county parks strategy

Thank you city of Bakersfield for your park ranger program. City rangers began patrolling city parks on Jan. 18, 2023. Every city park is patrolled at least once daily. In addition, park rangers close restrooms in parks each night — providing “eyes” in each park to identify potential problems.

A note about the city’s training. It includes:

■ 16 hours of education in weaponless defense

■ 40 hours of crisis intervention training

■ The use of Naloxone-Narcan Bakersfield park rangers are trained to be community ambassadors. They work to resolve issues and help prevent problems without involving the Bakersfield Police Department.

And, in mid-2023 the city installed signage in each city park with a phone number and app for the public to report problems and concerns to the Recreation and Park Department. There are follow-up calls to those initiating the report. That shows true service to the community.

Contrast the city’s program with Kern County’s Park Ranger Program — since 2017 administered within the General Services Division of the Kern County Administrative Office. During the last few years several park rangers have been transferred to “building security” instead of “park ranger” duties, shortchanging county parks. When General Services requested greatly needed salary increases for park rangers on Dec. 19, the vacancy rate cited was an astounding 64%! Clearly this is an administrative failure.

The “solution” on page 11 of a lengthy mid-year budget update provided by then-County Administrative Officer James Zervis on Feb. 27 — “let the Kern County Sheriff’s Office absorb the Kern County Park Ranger Division.” One reason: “access to training.”

Missing was “training” provided to Kern County sheriff’’s deputies which resulted in Saturday’s frontpage headline in The Californian: “Sheriff’s employees accused of targeting cat at gun range.” This was in Hart Park — with one of three men (presumably a sheriff’s deputy), when questioned, responding, “It was damaging the property.”

Missing is any mention of the stipulated judgment signed by Sheriff Donny Youngblood and the state attorney general. This requires the sheriff’s office to take “remedial actions over a three-year period with oversight from the California Department of Justice” to “treat individuals with dignity and respect.”

Missing is consideration of the wellknown recruiting difficulties for deputy sheriffs (with a current vacancy rate of 13%.) Note: There was no difficulty when the city of Bakersfield recruited its park rangers.

Missing is a “plan” to provide park ranger coverage in Kern County’s 40 parks. Kern County has indicated that there are only eight park rangers assigned to parks covering 8,135 square miles. By contrast, the city of Bakersfield has 17 park rangers patrolling 151 square miles. Kern County also indicated any “plan” for park ranger coverage in all county parks will remain secret. No transparency.

Missing is an understanding of duties unique to parks. As defined in Kern County’s park ranger job description these include:

■ Periodic patrols by foot, bicycle or in a motorized vehicle

■ Meeting the public and providing information about park rules

■ Overseeing daily activities of assigned personnel in the care of parks

■ Directing traffic

Missing is a phone number to report park problems and a follow-up procedure.

Missing is any role for the public. There has been no invitation to the public to participate in decision-making involving millions of taxpayer dollars.

The Sierra Club, Kern-Kaweah Chapter has requested public hearings regarding this planned takeover. And, more than a year ago we proposed reestablishing a separate Kern County Parks and Recreation Department with full responsibility for security and maintenance, hopefully to be administered by a professional with experience managing parks. The model: Bakersfield’s Recreation and Parks Department.

Major policy changes need robust public involvement. Behind-the-scenes deal-making is no way to plan for parks — parks that provide greatly needed quality-of-life opportunities for Kern County residents.