Council members pressed Parks and Recreation staff about a proposed abolition of several long-unfilled seasonal positions, and staff told the Urban County Council that the change is largely administrative and should not reduce current programming.

Council member Gray asked Parks whether removing the listed positions would reduce summer programming or lock funding to particular sites. Michael Johnson, deputy director of Parks and Recreation, said the positions have not been filled for several years and that the department has used seasonal staff such as recreational leaders and camp counselors to provide programming. "We have not filled this position for several years," Johnson said, describing the removal as "more of a housecleaning issue." He added the department routinely removes vacant, unfunded positions from the authorized strength.

Council member Morton asked whether, if the council later funded more positions in the budget, the positions on the schedule would be tied to specific sites such as Jacobson Park summer camp. A Parks staff speaker replied that if council decided to add permanent positions for programming, the administration would establish full-time job descriptions and advertise them; the department estimated about 90 days from job description to hire.

Parks staff said the seasonal job descriptions being removed are no longer used in the department's classification system and that the change should not affect current programming. The staff member said permanent positions could be established in a future budget if the council directed that funding.

Council members asked follow-up questions about timing and operational impacts; staff said positions listed as vacant and unfunded would not hinder the city's ability to create new job classifications and hire for summer programming if the council approved budgeted positions.

No amendment to the proposal was offered on the floor during the work session; the item was included in the new-business approval later in the meeting.