By Megan Ma

Keith Gutierrez, longtime naturalist at Redwood Grove Nature Preserve, has given the city an ultimatum: If officials do not accept his request for increased funding, he will leave his post and take his programs elsewhere.

Gutierrez, employed as an independent contractor, contends that he is not fairly compensated for programs he manages and runs at Redwood Grove. His three-year contract with the city is up for renewal, and he said he is planning to ask the council for more money. The council meeting Tuesday was after the Town Crier press deadline, so the decision could not be included in this article.

Gutierrez seeks 90 percent compensation from the student program fees, as opposed to his current compensation of 80 percent, which covers program materials, salaries for camp counselors and utility services.

The extra money would primarily cover liability insurance for the programs he runs, which Gutierrez said the city has grossly underestimated. Annual insurance fees for archery and the teen overnight summer camps are inordinately high, he said.

Gutierrez, who uses the same insurance for his programs as Hidden Villa, said the city estimated his insurance fees at $2,500 when the total costs reach $10,000.

“This is money coming out of my pocket,” he said. “I’m fed up. I’ve justified to the city why I need more money.”

Gutierrez said Recreation Director Dave Brees met with him Oct. 9 and announced some

“baffling” news. After a cost-recovery analysis, Brees said the city is not profiting from the summer camp and school-year programs, Gutierrez said. Brees offered him three options, including raising program fees, said Gutierrez.

“If I’m paying for all the expenses - where is their cost?,” Gutierrez said. He did not receive a data sheet from Brees with the city’s expense reports even after he requested it several times, he said.

Brees maintains that city policies have remained the same. All other independent contractors employed through the recreation department for courses receive a standard 70 percent compensation from the program fees; the city takes 30 percent. For his extra services, Gutierrez receives slightly higher compensation, Brees said.

“Mr. Gutierrez sets fees for the program,’ Brees said. “If a contractor requires additional compensation, the amount of the program will go up.”

But Gutierrez said he fears that an increase in fees could hurt enrollment and deter children from lower-income families from attending.

Brees said he could not talk about the city’s expense reports or his recommendation to the city council until the meeting.