Adena Long, the director of Portland Parks & Recreation, was placed on administrative leave this week amid an already tumultuous moment for the bureau.
City Administrator Michael Jordan broke the news to parks staff in an email Wednesday that provided no details about what led to the sudden shakeup, according to a copy obtained by The Oregonian/OregonLive and first reported by Willamette Week.
“I recognize this news creates uncertainty during what is already a challenging time,” Jordan wrote. “I am asking that everyone respect Director Long’s privacy during her leave.”
Sonia Schmanski, a deputy city administrator, will oversee the Parks Bureau during Long’s absence, Jordan said. City officials did not respond to a request for comment Thursday.
Long took the reins at Portland parks in 2019 after more than two decades at the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation. In the fiscal year 2024, she and Jordan were the highest salaried employees at the city of Portland, with each earning a base pay of just under $274,000, records show.
Though beloved by residents, the city’s Parks Bureau has struggled with both a deepening maintenance backlog — now estimated at more than $600 million — and surging personnel costs.
Bureau officials, meanwhile, have repeatedly warned that if an existing property tax levy used to fund city parks and recreation services isn’t renewed by voters at double the current rate, they will be forced to make sweeping cuts.
Those factors have all led to increasing scrutiny from members of the Portland’s new City Council, who have alleged that parks leadership lacks transparency and is losing support among community advocates and the public.
All the while, Jordan and Mayor Keith Wilson have decided to fold the Portland Parks & Recreation into the city’s large public works division beginning July 1, a move that’s certain to create upheaval within the bureau.
“I also know the coming weeks are critical for charting the future of our park system,” Schmanski wrote to parks staff following Jordan’s announcement. “I am here to support you, and the important work we are doing together.”
— Shane Dixon Kavanaugh covers Portland city government and politics, with a focus on accountability and watchdog reporting. Reach him at 503-294-7632 or skavanaugh@oregonian.com.