Job Summary

The Parks Maintenance Worker I/II performs a variety of grounds, landscape, athletic field, irrigation, and facility maintenance duties to help ensure the City of Fountain’s parks, trails, open spaces, cemetery, athletic fields, and recreational facilities remain safe, clean, attractive, and functional for residents and visitors. Under general supervision, employees in this classification support the maintenance, repair, and improvement of public parks and recreational amenities by operating and maintaining grounds maintenance equipment, performing routine and advanced maintenance tasks, assisting with irrigation and seasonal operations, and supporting special events, facility rentals, and community programs.

Parks Maintenance Workers work collaboratively with coworkers, volunteers, contractors, community organizations, and the public while providing professional customer service and promoting a positive experience in City parks and recreational facilities. Depending on assignment and experience level, employees may independently perform complex maintenance activities, diagnose and repair irrigation systems, maintain specialized park amenities, operate medium-duty maintenance equipment, and provide technical guidance or on-the-job training to seasonal employees and less experienced staff. Employees in this role contribute to the long-term stewardship, safety, and appearance of the City’s public spaces and enhance the overall quality of life for the Fountain community.

Duties and Responsibilities

Parks Maintenance Worker I & II

· Complies with all City policies and procedures, as well as applicable local, state, and federal laws, regulations, and requirements related to the performance of assigned duties.

· Demonstrates a respectful, collaborative, and team-oriented approach to work and establishes and maintains effective working relationships with coworkers, supervisors, external partners, and the public.

· Performs routine grounds maintenance including litter collection, mowing, trimming, edging, mulching, fertilizing, weed control, and general landscape upkeep.

· Maintains trails, open spaces, and natural areas by clearing debris, addressing erosion concerns, and preserving safe public access.

· Assists with irrigation system maintenance, including adjusting sprinkler heads to improve coverage, reduce water waste, and prevent turf damage.

· Assists in preparing and maintaining athletic fields by lining fields, dragging and raking infields, performing drainage maintenance, controlling weeds, handling bulk field materials, maintaining scorekeeping equipment, and preparing facilities for practices and events.

· Cleans and maintains park restrooms, shelters, pavilions, playgrounds, sports courts, and other park facilities.

· Performs routine maintenance and minor repairs to playground equipment, fencing, benches, signs, trash receptacles, and other park amenities.

· Assists with snow removal, salting, sanding, and de-icing of sidewalks, trails, playgrounds, sports courts, and other public areas.

· Assists with preparation, setup, inspection, cleanup, and restoration of parks and facilities before and after rentals, community events, tournaments, and special activities.

· Safely operates and performs basic preventative maintenance on hand tools, power tools, and grounds maintenance equipment including push mowers, string trimmers, backpack blowers, chainsaws (if trained), pruning equipment, shovels, rakes, painting equipment, and similar tools used in parks maintenance.

· Reports equipment malfunctions, safety concerns, damaged facilities, and maintenance needs to the appropriate supervisor.

· Works cooperatively with volunteers, community organizations, coworkers, and the public on beautification projects, park improvements, community events, and other assigned activities.

· Provides courteous and professional customer service while representing the City in public settings.

· Performs other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Additional Duties for Parks Maintenance Worker II

· Performs aeration, overseeding, and pest management.

· Performs advanced landscape maintenance including planting trees and shrubs, pruning trees and vegetation, invasive species management, vegetation control, and landscape restoration.

· Performs surface grading, improves drainage, and conducts advanced trail and natural area maintenance.

· Performs irrigation system diagnostics, troubleshooting, repairs, seasonal startup, winterization, and adjustments.

· Performs routine inspections, preventative maintenance, and repairs of playground equipment, picnic shelters, sports courts, athletic fields, benches, fencing, signs, trash receptacles, and other park amenities.

· Performs routine inspections and maintenance of skate park facilities.

· Assists with the operation, inspection, maintenance, and troubleshooting of splash pad systems, including pumps, filtration equipment, water quality monitoring, and chemical safety procedures.

· Performs cemetery maintenance including grounds upkeep, grave identification assistance, leveling, and respectful interaction with families and visitors.

· Participates in after-hours emergency response, standby rotations, and weather-related operations, including snow removal, irrigation failures, storm damage, and vandalism response.

· Safely operates and performs preventative maintenance on riding mowers, zero-turn mowers, garden tractors, utility vehicles (UTVs/ATVs), trailers, and other equipment beyond basic tools.

· Conducts pre-operation inspections, preventative maintenance, and minor repairs on departmental vehicles, equipment, and machinery.

· Provides technical guidance, training, and work direction to seasonal employees, volunteers, and less experienced Parks Maintenance staff.

Supervisor Duties

This position has no supervisory duties.

Work Environment

The Parks Maintenance Worker I & II performs work primarily outdoors in parks, athletic fields, trails, open spaces, landscaped areas, and other City-owned recreational facilities throughout the year. The position is routinely exposed to varying weather conditions, including heat, cold, wind, rain, snow, ice, and direct sunlight, and may occasionally work in dusty, muddy, or uneven terrain.

The position regularly operates hand tools, power tools, and grounds maintenance equipment and is exposed to moving mechanical parts, loud noise, vibration, airborne dust, pollen, vegetation, fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, cleaning products, and other materials commonly associated with parks and grounds maintenance. Appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) is provided and required when performing assigned duties.

Work may involve interacting with the public, volunteers, contractors, and community organizations while performing maintenance activities or supporting special events. The position may require occasional evening, weekend, holiday, overtime, standby, or emergency response work, including snow removal, severe weather response, and other operational needs. 

Qualifications

Parks Maintenance Worker I

· High school diploma, GED, or an equivalent combination of education and experience is required.

· Must be at least eighteen (18) years of age.

· Associate degree or completion of two (2) years of college coursework in parks management, horticulture, landscape management, turf management, recreation, natural resources, or a closely related field is preferred.

· One (1) year of experience in parks maintenance, grounds maintenance, landscaping, athletic field maintenance, recreation facility maintenance, or a closely related field is required.

· Experience operating grounds maintenance equipment and performing irrigation, playground, or park facility maintenance in a municipal or commercial environment is preferred.

· Valid Colorado Driver License is required or must be obtained within ninety (90) days of hire.

· CPR, First Aid, and AED certification is required or must be obtained within six (6) months of hire.

· FEMA IS-100 and IS-700 certifications are required or must be obtained within twelve (12) months of hire.

· Working knowledge of park, playground, athletic field, and recreation facility maintenance is preferred.

· Basic knowledge of turf management practices, irrigation systems, fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, and safe chemical handling is preferred.

Parks Maintenance Worker II

· High school diploma, GED, or an equivalent combination of education and experience is required.

· Must be at least eighteen (18) years of age.

· Associate degree or completion of two (2) years of college coursework in parks management, horticulture, landscape management, turf management, recreation, natural resources, or a closely related field is preferred.

· Three (3) years of experience in parks maintenance, grounds maintenance, landscaping, athletic field maintenance, irrigation, recreation facility maintenance, or a closely related field is required.

· Valid Colorado Driver License is required or must be obtained within ninety (90) days of hire.

· CPR, First Aid, and AED certification is required or must be obtained within six (6) months of hire.

· Certified Pool Operator (CPO) certification is required or must be obtained within six (6) months of hire.

· Completion of the Playground Safety Inspector Course is required within twelve (12) months of hire.

· FEMA IS-100 and IS-700 certifications are required or must be obtained within twelve (12) months of hire.

· Working knowledge of park, playground, athletic field, and recreation facility maintenance is required.

· Working knowledge of irrigation system diagnostics, repairs, adjustments, and seasonal maintenance is required.

· Working knowledge of turf management practices, fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, pest management, and safe chemical handling is required.

· Proficiency in safely operating and transporting riding mowers, zero-turn mowers, garden tractors, utility vehicles (UTVs/ATVs), trailers, and other medium-duty grounds maintenance equipment is required.

Required Capabilities

· Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form and to solve routine problems involving several concrete variables in standardized work situations.

· To safely and effectively perform the essential functions of this position, employees must be able to regulate attention; understand, remember, and apply instructions; make sound decisions; interact professionally with others; maintain concentration while operating equipment; adapt to changing work priorities and weather conditions; and consistently exercise good judgment.

· Ability to proficiently read, speak, write, and understand English. Proficiency in additional languages is highly valued.

· Ability to perform basic mathematical calculations, including addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, measurements, ratios, percentages, and area calculations commonly used in grounds maintenance, material application, and equipment operation.

· Ability to read and interpret safety rules, equipment operating manuals, work orders, irrigation diagrams, maps, maintenance schedules, product labels, and written procedures. Ability to accurately complete routine inspection forms, maintenance records, and incident reports.

· This position requires close, distance, color, depth perception, and peripheral vision sufficient to safely operate vehicles, powered equipment, hand tools, and machinery; inspect parks, facilities, playground equipment, athletic fields, irrigation systems, and landscaping; identify potential hazards; and safely perform assigned duties.

· Ability to hear and understand normal conversational speech and to hear warning signals, equipment alarms, approaching vehicles, emergency communications, and other sounds necessary to safely perform assigned duties.

· This position requires frequent standing, walking, bending, kneeling, crouching, stooping, climbing, balancing, reaching, twisting, pushing, pulling, digging, and repetitive use of hands and arms while operating equipment, performing grounds maintenance, and completing manual labor in indoor and outdoor environments.

· Must be able to frequently lift and carry up to fifty (50) pounds and occasionally lift, move, or assist with loads weighing up to one hundred (100) pounds with assistance or appropriate equipment.

· Ability to safely operate hand tools, power tools, grounds maintenance equipment, light trucks, trailers, and other equipment associated with park, athletic field, trail, and facility maintenance.

· Basic proficiency in the use of computers, mobile devices, work order systems, email, and other technology necessary to perform assigned duties, communicate with supervisors and coworkers, and complete required documentation.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.