To: Honorable Mayor and Members of Town Council
Thru: David L. Corliss, Town Manager
From: Matt Gohl, Special Projects Manager
Title
2021 Volunteer Utilization
Body
________________________________________________________________________________
Executive Summary
The Town of Castle Rock utilizes volunteers to supplement the efforts of Town departments. In 2021, 1,982 volunteers assisted multiple departments by contributing over 29,000 hours. This equates to over 14 Full Time Equivalents (FTEs). Individual volunteer support ranges from one-time service such as trash pickup and trail maintenance, to ongoing support including routine patrol duties and special event help. Note that this volunteer information is in addition to service provided by the Town’s boards and commissions members.
The total number of volunteer hours increased by 13 percent over the previous year. 2020 saw lower volunteer opportunities as a result of the COVID pandemic. Volunteers continue to support Town efforts and Town staff continue to see opportunities for volunteer support.
Volunteer support provides a significant benefit to the Town, both in services provided and financially. Assuming the 2021 Colorado minimum wage, the financial value of the time volunteers contributed to the Town equates to over $364,000. Based on the specialized nature and expertise required for some volunteer positions, such as victim assistance, the equitable rate for many volunteers would exceed minimum wage, resulting in even greater financial value. According to information produced by Independent Sector, the average value of volunteer time for Colorado in 2021 was $31.51 per hour. Using this, the value of volunteers to the Town is roughly $931,000.
Volunteers range from student groups, scouting groups, local churches, individuals from the community and more. These volunteers work in a variety of areas including Town events, Police and Fire Explorers, victim assistance, teen court, golf course marshals/starters, athletic programs and trash pickup. Additionally, the Town star atop Castle Rock is maintained by volunteer firefighters keeping it lit from Starlighting through the holiday season. A listing of the number of volunteers and hours worked by area in 2021 is included in Attachment A.
The Town continues to utilize volunteer support each year. Although the number of hours contributed each year varies based on program needs and volunteer availability, the utilization of volunteers provides great value to the Town in numerous ways. Volunteer programs will continue to be utilized by Town departments and staff continues to look for additional opportunities to expand volunteer support where appropriate.
Attachments
Attachment A: Volunteer Summary