The Philomath Park Advisory Board’s discussions this week on establishing a park volunteer program veered into the direction of utilizing only groups that have their own liability insurance — at least that’s the current situation.
In fact, one idea by board member Rose Bricker proposed the formation of an “adopt-a-park” program that various businesses or organizations could sponsor — that idea paralleling the state’s Adopt-A-Highway program that secures groups of volunteers to clean up litter and remove noxious weeds from along state highways.
“That is not a bad idea,” said Chelsea Starner, assistant city manager, said at the park board’s Sept. 3 meeting. “That is something that if the board was interested in, I could see if that’s something we could take on as a project.”
Earlier this summer, Starner had reached out to the city’s Public Works department for its perspective on using groups of park volunteers. The feedback she received suggested that the groups be self-organized and come forward with a planned project.
Starner said in an agenda item summary for the park board’s Aug. 6 meeting that “this is primarily due to staff time needed to identify projects, coordinate with volunteers and oversee time tracking, if needed.”
Starner said that the city currently would be limited to groups of volunteers that are able to provide their own certificates of liability insurance.
“We’ve been advised by our insurers that that’s where we need to be with what we have in place right now,” Starner said.
If an individual wanted to formally volunteer to do something in one of the city’s parks, that doesn’t appear to currently be possible.
“At this point, we don’t have a program in place for people like that,” Starner said. “Hopefully we’re going to be able to get a program in place and do that … it’s a cost and the city has to make decisions, the council has to sign resolutions that have to do with volunteerism and coverage for volunteers.”
Any insurance upgrades to cover volunteers would come at a cost and impact the city’s budget. As Starner reported, Sweet Home is using processes and forms for volunteers as recommended by CityCounty Insurance Services.
Starner shared her confidence that the City Council would add the establishment of a park volunteer program as a goal in its next strategic plan update.