Performs routine skilled work performing maintenance on City owned right-of-way involving the use of specialized equipment including tractors and various mowing equipment. 

Work is performed under the regular supervision of the Street Maintenance Supervisor.

• Performs and assists in vegetation maintenance including mowing, edging, pruning, trimming, spraying, watering, planting and general care of grass, plants and trees;
• Operates tractors and various power equipment to mow and maintain the right of way;
• Rakes and edges where needed;
• Sprays general landscape maintenance chemicals, under the supervisor’s direction; using hand or backpack pump sprayers;
• Prepares seed beds, lays sod, spreads seed, lime, fertilizer and straw;
• Weeds, mulches, prepares plant beds and plants flowers;
• Assists in irrigation repairs, building erosion control walls and installing drain lines;
• Sets up hose and sprinklers, and under supervision, turns on automatic irrigation system;
• Picks up trash, empties trash containers and replaces bags;
• Cleans and performs simple maintenance on equipment;
• Performs general painting;
• Picks up litter and various debris on right-of-way;
• Does general maintenance as required;
• Ensures that all work is performed in accordance with OSHA and City safety standards and policies.

Qualifications

• Must have valid appropriate driver's license issued by the State of North Carolina.
• Must be able to lift up to 50 pounds or more with assistance.
• Must be 18 years of age or older.
• Must be able to perform manual labor for long periods of time in all weather conditions.
• Employee may be required to work weekends and holidays.
• Efficiency in operating mowing equipment a plus.
• Formal Education - On-the-job Training approximately 2 weeks.
• Must be able to understand and carry out instructions from the supervisor.
• Must make responsible decisions in an expedient manner.

Physical Requirements

• Hearing/Speaking - Expressing and/or receiving information by means of spoken word are both necessary to converse with supervisor, other employees, property owners and the public in person and by telephone.
• Must be able to hear over noise of operating motors and equipment to give directives or respond to employees' questions.

• Visual ability- The ability to perceive the nature of objects by the eye. Recommended guidelines for vision are:

1. Acuity, far: Clarity of vision at 20 feet or more. Necessary to recognize and respond to questions asked by persons from a distance. Both eyes 20/25 - R 20/30 - L 20/30 corrected. 

2. Acuity, near: Clarity of vision at 20 inches or less. Must be able to see equipment and work aids at close range in order to operate them properly. Both eyes 20/25 corrected.

3. Depth Perception: Three-dimensional vision. Ability to judge distance and space relationships so as to see objects where and as they actually are. Necessary in order to properly operate equipment and monitor activities for regulation and safety. Depth Perception – 4

4. Field of Vision: Area that can be seen up and down or to right or left while eyes are fixed on a given point. Must be able to see wide span of area to cover traffic and people entering and leaving the work area to ensure safety.

5. Accommodation: Adjustment of lens of eye to bring an object into sharp focus. This item is especially important when doing near-point work at varying distances from eye. Must be able to adjust eye lens to focus readily when glancing from near work (equipment operation, observer near at hand, etc.) to distance work (people walking around in vicinity of equipment) to monitor activities and ensure safety at all areas.

6. Color Vision: Ability to identify and distinguish colors. Necessary to distinguish color from varying hues of gray. This can be important when determining plant colors and in identifying other employees.

• Physical Strength- degree of physical demands typically associated with this position include:

• Medium to Heavy Work: 

1. Exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 20 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. 
2. Physical demand requirements are varied with the different tasks. Work requires walking, standing, reaching, climbing, squatting, bending and stooping, although worker does sit on occasions..
3. Significant use of arms, hands, legs and feet.

• Type of Physical Demands

1. Reaching - Extending the hand(s) or arm(s) in any direction, but normally to front or side.
2. Handling - Seizing, holding, grasping, turning or otherwise working with hand(s).
3. Fingering - Picking, pinching or otherwise working with fingers primarily rather than the entire hand or arm.

Mental Activity/Reasoning

• Reasoning
  1. Ability to apply principles of logical thinking to work tasks and handle practical situations; to comprehend and respond to a variety of situations in an expedient manner; good judgment is important.
• Mathematics Ability
  1. Ability to apply basic math skills to analyze and compile technical information, figure amounts of materials needed for a project, interpret data in spreadsheets and reports
• Language Ability
  1. The ability to speak, read and write the English Language are required for this position. Ability to read safety manuals, instructions, directions, formulas, landscaping books and other documents relating to the job. Ability to write figures and measurements. Ability to be conversant in voice and dictation so as to participate in discussions with other employees and the general public. Must be polite and courteous when dealing with the public and answering their questions.

Environmental Conditions

• Physical Surroundings 
  1. The employee is subject to Outside Environmental Conditions: Exposed to the various weather conditions and temperatures. The worker will be exposed to weather, which is extremely hot and extremely cold, rain, sleet, ice, snow, high winds, flooding, and fog. The position is best suited for someone who doesn't mind getting hot, cold, wet, dirty and sweaty.
• Environmental Hazards 
  1. Employee will be exposed to trash, garbage, flowers, trees, grass, dirt, noise, vibration, mechanical and chemical hazards, atmospheric conditions that affect the respiratory system or the skin, darkness or poor lighting conditions, chemicals, fertilizers, mulch, debris and insects, etc. Work is subject to final standards of OSHA on blood borne pathogens. 
• Machinery/Tools/Work Aids/Other Equipment
  1. Items which may be representative, but not all inclusive, of those commonly associated with this type of work: Push mowers, riding mowers, tractors, weed-eaters, jack hammer, power hand tools, chainsaw, pruning saws and shears, dump truck, utility vehicle, water hoses, buckets, backpack blowers, backpack pump sprayers, hedge trimmer, basic hand tools, etc.

Disclaimer

This job description may not be all-inclusive, as jobs evolve over time to meet the ever-changing needs of the City of High Point's workforce. This job description is not intended to and does not create a contract or offer of employment to any individual. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, it is possible that requirements may be modified to reasonably accommodate disabled individuals. However, no accommodations will be made which may pose serious health or safety risks to the employee or others or which impose undue hardships on the City of High Point. Candidates selected for employment must pass a background screening as well as a pre-employment physical to ensure medical clearance to perform the essential functions of the job prior to receiving a full offer of employment.

The City of High Point is an at-will employer and employees may be terminated or may terminate their employment at any time with or without reason for any reason not prohibited by law.