Recreation and Parks

615 South McClelland Street
Santa Maria, CA 93454

Parks Location Map

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.   

2022-23 Goals and Objectives

1. Develop a comprehensive Landscape Maintenance District financial analysis as the next step in the effort to find an alternate funding source for the City’s Park system. A specialist has been contracted to conduct the necessary study for the potential establishment of a citywide landscape maintenance district.

    

2. Engage community members in the development of specific programs and services needed in their neighborhoods, using the Community Leisure Needs Assessment and holding Recreation and Parks Commission “Outreach Meetings” throughout the year in each of the four City Council districts.

    

3. Execute the acquisition, design, construction, and management of assorted projects, utilizing $10 million in grant funding secured in 2021-22: Veterans’ Memorial Park $2.6 million; Chapel Street Plaza $1.2 million; Preisker Park Improvements $491,000; Battles Road Multi-purpose trail $2.5 million; Sports Complex $6.1 million, Santa Maria River Trail $100,000 and the historic Smith-Enos home and Japanese Cultural Center $7 million projects partial funding secured.

    

4. Expand and create new meaningful programs and services for families as directed by the City Council. By soliciting input via surveys and outreach efforts, such as Downtown Fridays and social media, reassess the goals set and adopted in the 2019 Community Leisure Needs Assessment.

    

5. Expanding partnerships with those community-based organizations whose services focus on the pillars of “Intervention” and “Prevention”, as stated in the Mayor’s Task Force on Youth Safety report.

    

6. Identify and secure funding for the development of two neighborhood pocket parks, whose areas have been identified as “park deficient” in the Community Leisure Needs Assessment.

    

7. Create the framework for an operational policy that addresses the management of the City’s Urban Forest, including input of community residents (via a Recreation and Parks Commission committee) on maintenance programs, reduction of liability claims, updating current tree requirements for new construction projects, craft a field guide for staff, and develop a clear definition of homeowner tree care responsibilities.

    

8. Coordinate with the Community Development Department, integrate the goals of the Public Arts Master Plan, and advocate the importance of creating meaningful public open spaces into the City’s Downtown Specific Plan and General Plan to allow for a more livable downtown experience.

    

9. Develop and integrate an inclusion plan for offering leisure programs and services to disenfranchised and hard-to-reach residents.

    

10. Promote safety in and around public spaces, encourage environmental sustainability, create opportunities for social engagement, and instill the value of the Arts and the benefits of technology in the programs and services offered by the Department.

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