Recreation and Parks

615 S. McClelland Street
Santa Maria, CA 93454

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Reservations

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Leisure Needs Assessment and Action Plan 2019
Parks Location Map
Final Appendix

ALEXANDER POSADA
Director of Recreation & Parks

City Phone: (805) 925-0951 ext. 2260
City Fax: (805) 925.4508
E-mail

EDUCATION & EMPLOYMENT:

• Social Services, San Jose State University
• Social Work, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo
• Public Administration, La Salle University
• Director of Recreation and Parks, City of Santa Maria
• Interim Recreation Superintendent, City of Santa Maria
• Recreation Supervisor, City of Santa Maria
• Facility Manager, City of Santa Maria
• Social Worker I, County of Santa Barbara
• Recreation Specialist, City of Santa Maria
• Recreation Specialist, Hayward Area District
• Teen Counselor, City of San Jose

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT:

• Kiwanis Club of Santa Maria
• United Way of the Central Coast
• Santa Maria Affiliate Santa Barbara Foundation
• Advisory Committee, Special Olympics Southern California
• North County American Red Cross Disaster Services
• American Red Cross

 DESCRIPTION OF RESPONSIBILITIES:

Responsible for the daily operations and management of the Recreation and Parks Department. Provide staff support to the City Manager's Office, City Council and Recreation and Parks Commission. Supervise a staff of 30 full-time and 32 permanent part-time, assigned to 5 major divisions: Parks, Landscape Districts, Urban Forest, Recreation, and Administration. Services are provided in the following areas: city parks (225+ acres), part of Los Flores Ranch Park, publicly managed trees (30,000+), street medians, storm basins and rights-of-way (45+ acres), Santa Maria Town Center landscaping and parking structures, 7 major recreation facilities offering specialty recreation classes and programs and support to community based recreation programs i.e., youth basketball, youth soccer, etc.   

2019-20 Goals and Objectives

1. Use Measure U funding to enhance recreation staff to improve youth programs and purchase vans for field trips for at-risk youth, and use other funding to establish the Safe Place program to designate locations readily available to youth in need of immediate help and safety, for the Mayor’s Task Force on Youth Safety.
2. After adoption by the Recreation and Parks Commission, use the 2019 Community Leisure Needs Assessment and Action Plan as the basis for developing department programs and services for the next three to five years.
3. Complete the reconstruction of the Paul Nelson Pool and Russell Park, by investing $1.3 million in Community Development Block Grant funds, to maintain and enhance the quality of life for residents of all ages.
4. Complete the design for the new, proposed Enos Ranch Park and Multicultural Center on eight acres between College Drive and Bradley Road, to enhance amenities for the community.
5. Develop a comprehensive landscape district financial analysis and bring for consideration to the City Council.
6. Continue responding to the City Council’s priority to address inadequate City facilities, specifically by exploring the feasibility of the funding, and working with local developers on the siting and construction, of a multi-field sports (soccer) complex.
7. Complete the department’s community tree inventory, to improve the management of and overall quality of the more than 45,000 street trees, and identify how many trees need to be replaced annually, to achieve efficiencies and eventually assist Public Works in budgeting for sidewalk replacements.
8. Maintain water conservation in the park system, including re-vegetation of landscape areas, rotation of scheduled watering, use of non-potable water, and complete renovations of landscaping and irrigation throughout the City’s parks and landscape districts to address drought requirements to maintain the community’s vibrant and welcoming ambiance.
9. Continue the role of the department in being a major contributor to finding solutions to the issue of homelessness.  Working with non-profit organizations, schools, health care providers, businesses, and funding partners in an effort to address this persistent issue.
10. Collaborate with the Community Development Department on the update of the General Plan, and on the implementation of the City’s Downtown Specific Plan and South Broadway Corridor by identifying public spaces, recreation opportunities and parks needs to meet projected growth.

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