AUBURN – Auburn’s parks have missed the city’s master gardener for part of the season, but City Councilman Tom Clark volunteered his services with a leaf rake on Tuesday.

The raking came after Monday’s city council meeting, where park patron Mary Kruger questioned lax upkeep of the flywheel installed by Eagle Scout Colton Shenefelt at Legion Park in 2006, lack of soft materials under playground equipment and overgrowth at the recreation complex.

Kruger: “The City of Auburn has some beautiful parks. We need to keep them up… My intent was not only to get the council to take note of what was happening in our town, but to try and get some of it remedied.”

Kruger said she spoke with the city’s park board after Mayor Dan White did not return an e-mail.

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Kruger: “They didn’t give me too much encouragement. Basically, about the most answer I got was we don’t have any money.”

Councilwoman Katy Billings said some times park projects like the Flywheel are installed without a clear maintenance understanding.

Councilman Tom Clark told Kruger the the street department is doing its best to help out.

Kruger: “Don’t argue with me the street department. I will back Harry Bridgmon up 100 percent. He has never failed to do something for me.

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Clark: “We have been short-handed and we have had a very, very wet summer, so I’ve got to defend us on that.”

Master gardener Yolanda Kerr has missed much of the season while dealing with a medical condition, but is expected to return to work soon.

Groundskeeper Diane Wells said she’ll continue to do her best in the meantime.

Wells: “It’s being out in nature, you know, getting close to God, pulling up dead weeds and making it pretty for next year.”

Kruger said there have been some recent improvements, but says the playgrounds are in dire need of crumb rubber matting.