City Of Davis Receives Yolo County Grand Jury Report On The Status Of Greenery In Parks

Davis CA

15 June, 2022

7:33 AM

Description

Press release from the City Of Davis: June 2, 2022 June 2, 2022 – The City of Davis announced today that it is in receipt of a Yolo County Grand Jury report titled "Clover Taking Over: Where Did the Grass Go in Davis Parks?" The City will provide a written response to the report to the Yolo County Superior Court within 90 days as required by law. The report details the background, approach and findings that went into examining the City of Davis Parks and Community Services Department in connection to why Davis parks show a "significant lack of greenery" during summer months. The report also reviews the 2018 Measure H spending to evaluate the effect this parcel tax had on the overall City Parks operation. Recommendations from the Yolo County Grand Jury report include addressing the weed infestation in the parks and greenbelts, creating a more transparent bidding process when awarding contracts, actively recruiting for the Integrated Pest Management Specialist position, and others. This year's intermittent rain and wind patterns combined with a third year of drought played a huge role in the growth and manageability of weeds and brown spots. Recently, the City initiated a weed and landscape management plan including, but not limited to, hiring more crews and staff, reallocating resources, and providing a landing page with information and strategies about weed management on the City's website. Residents should see improvements as early as June 2022. "The City Council and staff take the recommendations of the report seriously and will provide a thoughtful and detailed response," said Mayor Gloria Partida. "We appreciate the Grand Jury's work to help improve the quality and effectiveness of local governments." A copy of the full report can be found on the Yolo County Grand Jury Reports page. This press release was produced by the City Of Davis. The views expressed here are the author's own.