Council President Ben Hueso is recommending the return of supervisors to the city’s skate parks, saying their removal during budget cuts in the fall has “created a public safety concern for skateboarders and neighboring residents.”
I wrote in March about the fallout from the decision, which included helmetless skateboarders and vandalism at Robb Field in Ocean Beach. City officials said the problems have declined as the novelty of the free parks has worn off.
The suggestion to bring back supervisors was contained in a memo Hueso sent to Councilman Tony Young, chairman of the Budget and Finance Committee. Hueso is one of several council members to weigh in with ideas for the budget year starting July 1.
Along with the skate park supervisors, Hueso wants to consider adding back several other positions lost in budget cuts, including pool managers and youth services librarians.
Hueso is also supporting increasing the size and number of fire academies if staffing levels decrease. Police and fire academies were cut to close a $43 million midyear budget gap.