Volunteers Doing Work for the City of Tulsa

[Hometown]

I read about Mayor Taylor's plans to seek volunteers to mow the city's parks today in the local newspaper.  I find this odd since the city just made plans to borrow $76M for a new city hall that we don't have to have.  And our roads have deteriorated so badly that we can never hope to resolve all of the deferred maintenance, but ...

The story jogged my memory of work I did for my Homeowners Association and what I learned about using volunteers to perform physical labor.

Our attorney discouraged the Association from using volunteers because of insurance issues.  If we were to use a volunteer to perform physical labor we would have to carry workers' compensation on the volunteer to protect us in the event the volunteer was injured and sued.

I think we all assume that the city has people on staff to evaluate issues like this, but you know what they say about "assume."  It makes an a** out of u and me.

Does the city carry insurance that would cover volunteers or are we self insured?  Are there any attorneys out there that are versed in risk management that can shed some light on the city using volunteers to perform physical labor?

[Wilbur]

A valid concern.

The City of Tulsa is self insured.  They do not buy insurance coverage from a company.  If they need to pay out a claim, they simply pay up.

Other people who volunteer for the City, such as the Tulsa Police Reserves, are covered by workers comp (if something happens to them) as if they were a full time paid employee.

I would think someone who gets hurt while volunteering for the city, but conducting work for the city, should be covered as well.

[TheArtist]

So do you think we should borrow money to pay for the city to mow as well?  If you could show how doing so would save money in the long run you might have as good a chance as the City Hall deal.

[Rowdy]

In my opinion, the city will just send more cops out there to pull in tickets.

[inteller]

I have a solution for the city's mowing problems....its called concentrated Roundup in ice cubes and a good throwing arm to hit all the medians.

[Rowdy]

quote:Originally posted by inteller

I have a solution for the city's mowing problems....its called concentrated Roundup in ice cubes and a good throwing arm to hit all the medians.

That would be some number of ice cubes...

[Townsend]

The city can't use the convicts at Moss to do some of the work?

Just wondering if there's rules against it.

[inteller]

quote:Originally posted by Townsend

The city can't use the convicts at Moss to do some of the work?

Just wondering if there's rules against it.

convicts with lawnmowers....yes that sounds safe.

[Townsend]

quote:Originally posted by inteller

quote:Originally posted by Townsend

The city can't use the convicts at Moss to do some of the work?

Just wondering if there's rules against it.

convicts with lawnmowers....yes that sounds safe.

They got 'em stabbing garbage.

I'm not thinking we should stop and talk to anyone with a weedeater out on the highway inteller.  You thinking about stepping in front of a 2.5 mile an hour lawnmower and waiting for it to get you?