Horticulturist Senior

Requirements

• Tracks and evaluates horticultural work crew performance
• Performs directly related work as required
• Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with other City employees, outside contractors, volunteers and the public
• Prepares the work schedules of assigned work crews
• Inspects urban forestry projects to make certain that quality maintenance is being performed according to the prescribed schedule and departmental guidelines
• Provides training and technical guidance to personnel in the proper procedures for various types of vegetation maintenance
• Ensures work crews are operating with all standard safety precautions and operating procedures
• Maintains thorough and accurate records of all job activities and prepares statistical and narrative reports on job status as necessary and requested
• Coordinates internal and intra-Departmental activities relating to ongoing and/or special Horticultural projects and maintenance
• Monitors the portion of the budget relating to the expenditure of funds within assigned area
• Orders equipment and materials for assigned projects
• Provides information and collects information from neighborhood and community groups on current projects and develops ideas for future projects
• Provides needed information and demonstrations concerning how to perform certain work tasks to new employees in the same or similar class of positions
• Keeps immediate supervisor and designated others fully and accurately informed concerning work progress, including present and potential work problems and suggestions for new or improved ways of addressing such problems
• Responds to citizens' questions and comments in a courteous and timely manner
• Communicates and coordinates regularly with appropriate others to maximize the effectiveness and efficiency of interdepartmental operations and activities
• Plans, organizes, manages and directs the functions associated with the introduction and maintenance of young trees in the City of Gainesville rights-of-way, roadway medians, stormwater basins and parks that may include oversight of contractual services
• Develops planting plans that achieve the goals of providing shade and beauty while avoiding future infrastructure damage
• Supervises assigned employees
• Recruits, trains and supervises volunteers, principally citizen Tree Sponsors who provide aftercare for fifty-percent of the trees planted annually
• Maintains tree nursery and production
• Assists with plans for Arbor Day celebrations in Gainesville
• Answers questions from the public regarding the care of newly planted trees. Speaks to groups interested in the renewal of the urban forest
• Responsible for assuring the requirements of the American National Standard for Tree Care Operations, ANSI A300-1995, are followed with respect to the pruning of young trees
• Assures all trees planted on public right-of-ways are of the grade specified by the City standards or better, according to the Florida Nursery grades of the Florida Department of Agriculture Division of Consumer Services
• Drives a pick-up truck with a pull-behind water tank
• Uses mechanical tree spade to transplant large trees
• Sprays non-restricted use pesticides and herbicides as needed
• Responsible for ensuring the staking and up righting of small trees in the aftermath of widespread emergencies (e.g., hurricanes)
• Attends work on a continuous and regular basis

Benefits

• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid leave
• 11 paid holidays a year
• Pension plan
• Deferred compensation plan
• On-site fitness centers
• Tuition reimbursement
• On-site medical staff
• Wellness program