Mayor Names City Official to Run L.A. Parks

Los Angeles Mayor James K. Hahn named Jon Mukri on Wednesday to head the Department of Recreation and Parks, as Mukri’s outgoing predecessor warned that the mayor had not provided the agency with adequate support or resources.

Mukri, a veteran manager who has headed the city’s General Services Department since January 2000, is to take over an agency where a hiring freeze has left 22% of the positions vacant. The department, which manages 387 parks, has 2,285 authorized positions.

The agency is expected to face additional budget cuts as the mayor tries to head off a $250-million budget deficit for the fiscal year beginning July 1.

Mukri, whose appointment requires City Council confirmation, said he had been warned that the job would be challenging, given the budget problems.

“My job as general manager will be to convince the mayor and City Council not to keep these vacancies unfilled,” he said.

Manuel Mollinedo, the outgoing parks general manager, said Wednesday that one reason he was leaving to run the San Francisco Zoo was frustration over his inability to fill vacancies.

“Whoever comes on board, the mayor is going to have to seriously look at providing the managerial support for him, or else he is not going to succeed,” said Mollinedo, who saw his executive staff dwindle from five assistant managers to one during his 20 months on the job.

“One person cannot run that department,” he said.

Sahar Moridani, a spokeswoman for Hahn, said the mayor supported the parks and recreation program but believed the department’s budget must be considered in the context of other budget priorities.

The mayor has made funding of police and fire services his top priority, which means budget cuts in other city departments.

Mollinedo said it was shortsighted of city officials not to provide priority funding for the parks department.

“It bothered me that the Police Department would get all of the support, whereas Recreation and Parks didn’t, and to me Recreation and Parks is really an extension of security and safety for the community,” he said.

In a recent letter to Hahn, Mollinedo warned that the city would be unable to open some swimming pools and summer camps this year unless the department could fill 32 vacancies.

He also urged an increase in golf fees and the creation of park assessment districts to keep the system operating.

Julie Butcher, who heads a union representing hundreds of parks workers, criticized Mollinedo for his failure to get authorization to fill important field positions, his inability to rally public support for his budget plans and what she said was his alienating of managers.

“It’s outrageous to be whining on the way to taking another job in another city,” said Butcher, general manager of the Service Employees International Union Local 347.