A New Year’s Reflection on Responsibility and Respect

Question:

Are all park staff subject to park rules? I heard your family stayed at Lake Skinner and had to be reminded several times of quiet time and also that they set off poppers leaving confetti all over the area. I was just wondering if this is the best example to set.

Answer:

Thanks for the question. It’s a fair one, and I appreciate the opportunity to address it.

Yes, everyone in the park, including staff and their families, is expected to follow the same rules, including quiet hours and keeping sites clean.

A long-standing tradition for my friends and their families is to welcome the New Year by camping together. This year, we chose Lake Skinner, and it was genuinely rewarding to share the experience with eight other families, some of whom had never visited the park before. Despite the rain, everyone left with great memories and a deeper appreciation for the park and what it offers, which is exactly why we do the work we do.

Regarding the situation being referenced: during our four-day stay, our group was reminded of quiet hours once. As sometimes happens with larger groups enjoying each other’s company around the campfire, we lost track of time. A ranger stopped by shortly after quiet hours and asked us to lower the volume, which we did. No further reminders were needed.

Before leaving the park, we made sure the area was fully cleaned up from our activities, including the confetti.

If you haven’t had the chance to camp in one of our parks yet, I truly encourage you to try it. Rain or shine. It’s one of the best ways to experience firsthand what we work so hard to protect and share.

My family and many of our friends visit our RivCoParks often and always strive to respect the park, its rules, and the experience of everyone around us. Thank you for allowing me the chance to clarify our experience from this past week...and Happy New Year!

Anonymous Complaint Submitted 12/18/25

Recently, a complaint was submitted to the Ask the GM blog, alleging a “rude, unprofessional, and discriminatory” interaction with a Riverside County Regional Park & Open-Space (RivCoParks) Employee. RivCoParks takes all allegations of misconduct seriously and is committed to ensuring a respectful and inclusive environment for employees, volunteers, and members of the public.

Under normal circumstances, this type of allegation would be promptly reviewed and investigated. However, the information provided within the submission is insufficient to conduct a meaningful investigation. Additionally, because the complaint was submitted anonymously, we are unable to request the additional details necessary to move forward, such as the employee’s full name, work location, date and time of interaction, and specific circumstances surrounding the incident.

RivCoParks employees are required to comply with all County policies, as well as state and federal laws prohibiting discrimination and harassment. Individuals who believe they have experienced discrimination or unfair treatment have several options for submitting a formal complaint, including but not limited to the following:

• Board Policy A-73 – Title VI Nondiscrimination Policy & Complaint Form (for members of the public)

• Board Policy C-25 Harassment Policy and Complain Procedure and Interactive Form (for employees and volunteers)

Employees or volunteers who believe they have been subjected to discrimination or harassment are encouraged to report the matter promptly to any of the following:

• Their immediate supervisor

• Any supervisor or management employee/officer within RivCoParks or the County

• General Manager or Assistant Parks Director

• The Human Resources Department, Employee Relations Division

Members of the public who believe they have experienced discrimination or harassment may:

• Submit a complaint using the form provided under Policy A-73

• Provide additional information through the Contact Us Form

• Contact the General Manager, Assistant Parks Director, or HR investigations team directly.  

We reiterate that RivCoParks takes allegations of inappropriate conduct seriously and encourage the individual who submitted the complaint to follow up through one of the options listed above so that the matter may be properly reviewed and addressed.

Respectfully,

Kyla Brown

Take Your Child to Work Day

QUESTION:

Does RivCo Parks encourage “Bring your kid to work” day? If not, is there a possibility to make this a RivCo Parks tradition? Many of us have children, some of our children even look at us as if we wear capes. I think it would be an amazing opportunity to inspire our future generations on the many aspects of our love for the outdoors.

ANSWER:

YES! RivCoParks has participated in "Take Your Child to Work Day" in the past (pre-pandemic) and YES, we would encourage participation once again. We're currently exploring how we might participate this upcoming year and will share that information as soon as we have it ready. Thank you for the suggestion!