1. Uniform Reimbursement: Following the completion of two (2) biweekly pay periods of service, employees in the Parks Unit (not including Park Aides) shall receive a uniform reimbursement of up to a maximum of nine hundred fifty dollars ($950) per fiscal year for purchase, repair, maintenance, and dry-cleaning of uniform items. Effective the first full pay period following Board of Supervisors’ approval of a successor MOU in 2024, following the completion of two (2) biweekly pay periods of service, employees in the Parks Unit (not including Park Aides) shall receive a uniform reimbursement of up to a maximum of one thousand fifty dollars ($1050) per year for purchase, repair, maintenance, and dry-cleaning of uniform items.
Uniform Reimbursement is paid at the time of hire or (for continuing employees) in the pay period beginning after July 1 each fiscal year. Employees hired after May 1st shall receive the full uniform reimbursement. However, they will not receive a uniform reimbursement for the fiscal year immediately following their hire date. (For example, an employee hired on May 15, 2025 (a) will receive the full uniform reimbursement after two (2) pay periods of service, (b) will not receive a uniform reimbursement for FY 25-26 in July of 2025), and (c) will receive their next uniform reimbursement for FY 26-27 in July of 2026.)If the employee’s service is terminated for any reason, the Employee will be required to return all County equipment and all clothing with identifying markings (e.g. patches or Parks logo).
Employees may use the uniform reimbursement to purchase items from approved vendors, including safety shoes, laces, inserts, and up to give (5) pairs of socks. For items not covered by the vendor agreements, employees will submit receipts for reimbursement. The uniform committee shall determine what items or services will be eligible for reimbursement outside the vendor contract. Whether directly billed to the County or reimbursed to employees, the total annual uniform reimbursement per employee will not exceed one thousand fifty dollars ($1050)
The County agrees to continue the Uniform Committee as needed for the purpose of re-evaluating the uniform policy
2. Memorial Park Wastewater Certificate: A Park Ranger assigned to the Memorial Park Wastewater Treatment Plant who possesses a current California Grade II Wastewater Certificate, and who spends at least fifty percent (50%) of their time performing duties related to the Memorial Park Wastewater Treatment Plant, shall receive premium pay in the amount of one step (5.74%) in addition to all other compensation. Only one employee may be so assigned. Park Rangers so assigned will be responsible for day to day operations and communications in coordination with the contract provider.
3. Memorial Park Wastewater Relief: A Park Ranger with a current California Grade II Wastewater Certificate, who provides relief for the Ranger regularly assigned to Memorial Park Wastewater Treatment Plant, shall receive the amount of one step (5.74%) in addition to all other compensation paid only for such hours spent performing relief duties. Only one employee may be so assigned.
4. Park Department Maintenance Unit at Coyote Point: Park Rangers II, III, IV, Equipment Mechanic/Operator Parks, and the Parks Open Space Equipment Operator assigned to perform maintenance work at the Parks Department Maintenance Unit at Coyote Point shall receive premium pay at the rate of ten percent (10%) of their base salary in addition to all other compensation. This ten percent (10%) premium pay will be paid beginning in the thirteenth pay period after the employee is assigned to the unit, provided that the employee has demonstrated acceptable maintenance skills.
a. For Park Rangers assigned to perform maintenance work at the Parks Department Maintenance Unit at Coyote Point, the maintenance unit premium shall be paid in recognition of maintaining a Class A or B driver’s license, and for regular performance of the following job duties the combination of which constitutes duties over and above the requirements of the employee’s job description:
i. Regular operation of Class A vehicles such as bull dozers, skip loaders, backhoe, paving equipment, excavators, rollers, and industrial mowers in the performance of job duties. Such job duties may include, but are not limited to, transporting large equipment, delivering rock, and removing green waste materials; or regular operation of Class B vehicles such as garbage trucks in the performance of job duties;
ii. Regular performance of infrastructure repairs requiring highly skilled trade qualifications in areas such as such as electrical, carpentry, welding and metal manufacturing, concrete, roofing sewer lines, and tree hazard work.
b. For Equipment Mechanic/Operator Parks, and the Parks Open Space Equipment Operator, the maintenance unit premium shall be paid in recognition of regular performance of infrastructure repairs requiring highly skilled trade qualifications in areas such as electrical, carpentry, welding and metal manufacturing, concrete, roofing sewer lines, and tree hazard work.
5. Mileage Reimbursement: Per the Parks and Recreation Division’s Administrative Policies and Procedures memo on “Mileage Reimbursement-Remote Areas”, Park Rangers assigned to remote locations shall receive mileage reimbursement up to maximum of twenty-five (25) miles per day.
6. Advance Notice of Trainings: It is the Department’s intent to provide thirty (30) days’ notice to employees of upcoming, required trainings, when feasible. The Department will make every effort to provide this notice to employees; however, the parties acknowledge the Department does not always have control over the schedules of the professionals providing these trainings. In cases where more than thirty (30) days’ notice is given, the Department will work with the employees to reschedule days off to enable them to attend the required training. In cases where schedules must be changed because the Department cannot give thirty (30) days’ notice, the County will compensate employees for time in attendance of the required training at the appropriate level of compensation.
7. Labor Management Committee: The Parks Department and Union will continue to meet in a Labor/Management committee to discuss the future Department organization, work assignments, use of non- county personnel, and other issues to be identified. The Union may have up to one (1) representative per District on this committee.
8. Parity with Comparable Classes Represented by BCTC: The County will maintain parity between the following classifications represented by AFSCME and comparable job classifications represented by
Building and Construction Trades Council (BCTC):
AFSCME Classification BCTC Classification
Equipment Mechanic/Operator Parks
Open Space Equipment Operator
Electrician and Maintenance Worker
BCTC Classification
Equipment Mechanic II Parks and Road Equipment Operator II Parks
Electrician
9. California Playground Inspector Certification: Up to three (3) Park Rangers assigned by department management as California Playground Inspectors who maintain a current California Playground Inspector Certification shall receive a one-step (5.74%) salary differential paid only for such hours spent performing playground inspections and related work.
10. California Backflow Tester Certification: Effective the first full pay period following Board of Supervisors’ approval of a successor MOU in 2022, up to three (3) Park Rangers assigned by department management as Backflow Testers who maintain current California Backflow Tester Certification shall receive a one-step (5.74%) salary differential paid only for such hours spent performing backflow tests and related work.
11. Disaster Service Work Training: The County will endeavor to anticipate and train employees in Disaster Service Worker duties, and invites input from the Union and employees as to appropriate topics for such training. However, the County reserves the right to assign employees to Disaster Service Worker duties as needed in the event of a disaster or emergency.
12. Employee Job Responsibilities in the Event of Wildfire: Within one hundred twenty (120) days of the Board of Supervisors’ approval of a successor MOU in 2022, a representative from Class and Comp will work with the department to add language into the job descriptions for the Park Ranger series to reflect the scope of Park Ranger responsibilities in the event of a wildfire. The Department agrees to review and update Policy 102 regarding Emergency Procedures effective within ninety (90) days following Board of Supervisors’ approval of a successor MOU. The parties agree to begin discussions regarding the policy update immediately upon ratification of a successor MOU.
13. Transfer of Work: The County will provide the Union with the opportunity to meet and confer over the decision to reassign or transfer bargaining unit work out of the Parks unit to non-bargaining unit employees, except when the County has decided to completely eliminate such services or change the scope or direction of its operations. Where there is an established practice of overlapping duties between unit and non-unit employees, a change in that distribution will not result in a duty to bargain.
14. Harbor Patrol: Within six (6) months following Board of Supervisors’ approval of a successor MOU in 2024, the County perform a classification study on the Park Ranger positions at the Harbor. If study results indicate a new classification is needed, will meet and confer with AFSCME before establishing the classification.
15. Wildlife Studies: For wildlife studies completed between the hours of 6 p.m. and 6 a.m., employees may flex their work schedule and receive a shift differential as defined in Section 8.1 of the MOU (8%) for all hours worked conducting wildlife studies between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. The shift differential will only apply to employees who flex their work schedule and will not be paid in addition to overtime on the day of the wildlife study.
