[00:00:04]
[OPEN SESSION]
UM, I'D LIKE TO WELCOME YOU ALL TO THE, UH, BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING OF THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT.WE'RE BEGINNING TODAY AT 1 0 6.
UH, MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU CALL THE ROLE
[ROLL CALL]
PLEASE? YES.PRESENT? DIRECTOR COFFEE HERE.
DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER ALVAREZ.
ACTING IN THE STATE OF GENERAL MANAGER LANDRETH PRESENT.
UM, NOW PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE DIRECTOR SAN WONG.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG.
[LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT]
MEMBER ECKLES.WOULD YOU DO THE LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FOR US, PLEASE? SURE.
WE HUMBLY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE ARE ON THE UNSEATED LANDS OF THE OHLONE PEOPLE AND THAT THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT HEADQUARTERS IS LOCATED WITHIN THE ING TERRITORY, WHICH IS THEIR TRADITIONAL ANCESTRAL AND SHARED HOME.
SINCE TIME IMMEMORIAL, THE OHLONE PEOPLE HAVE AND CONTINUE TO LIVE IN RECIPROCITY WITH NATURE, UNDERSTANDING THE SEASONS AND CYCLES OF THE NATURAL WORLD, MANAGING RESOURCES FUNDAMENTAL FOR SURVIVAL, AND IMPORTANT TO CULTURAL PRACTICES, ALL WHILE PASSING DOWN THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE.
WE HONOR WITH GRATITUDE THE LAND ITSELF, THE WILDLIFE LIVING IN THESE LANDS, AND THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE STEWARDED IT SINCE TIME IMMEMORIAL AND WHO CONTINUE TO REMAIN DEEPLY CONNECTED TO IT TODAY.
JOIN US IN CELEBRATING NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH AS WE HONOR TRUTH IN HISTORY AND AWARENESS OF CONTEMPORARY ISSUES FACING THE NATIVE COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE EAST BAY, THE NATION AND THE WORLD.
THE PARK DISTRICT STRIVES TO PROMOTE ACCURATE AND HOLISTIC DEPICTIONS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES IN OUR PUBLIC AND SCHOOL PROGRAMS. THESE PROGRAMS ARE NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR NATIVE VOICES AS WE ASK OTHERS TO JOIN US IN LEARNING ABOUT CALIFORNIA NATIVE PEOPLES FROM CALIFORNIA NATIVE PEOPLES.
PLEASE VISIT THE DISTRICT'S WEBSITE FOR PROGRAMS AS WE CELEBRATE NOVEMBER NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH.
[APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
WE'LL MOVE NOW TO APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA? MOTION MEMBER.
ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
UH, WE, OUR NEXT ITEM IS SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS, AND I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ONE AT THIS POINT.
UH, WE'LL MOVE TO PUBLIC COMMENTS.
[PUBLIC COMMENTS]
CLERK, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? YES.PRESIDENT AUSTIN, WE HAVE THANK YOU.
UH, MY NAME'S RENEE PATTERSON.
I'M AN ADMIN ANALYST HERE AT PER ALTA OAKS IN THE OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT FOR BUSINESS SERVICES.
AND, UM, TODAY I'M HERE TO, UH, REMIND YOU WE STILL HAVE A PERS FILING.
IT'S WITH THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA PUBLIC EMPLOYEE BOARD.
AFSCME FILED AN UNFAIR PRACTICE CHARGE ON AUGUST 26TH, 2022.
AND THE CHARGE WAS FOR BAD FAITH, BARGAINING, INTERFERENCE, DIRECT DEALING, AND UNILATERAL IMPLEMENTATION.
I'VE BEEN SAYING THAT FOR A LONG TIME NOW.
I DON'T KNOW WHY I USUALLY MESS IT UP IN TODAY, BUT I'M KIND OF FLUMMOXED BY THIS WHOLE THING.
UM, I I, SOMETIMES IT WAS SAD 'CAUSE PEOPLE COME UP TO ME AND SAY, OH, YOU'RE STILL DOING, YOU KNOW, YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT.
AND I'M LIKE, WHAT ARE YOU THANKING ME FOR? I DON'T EVEN KNOW ANYMORE.
UM, I'M DETERMINED TO KEEP DOING IT UNTIL I HEAR SOMETHING.
I DON'T THINK YOU'VE HEARD ANYTHING, BUT, UM, I WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE AS MANY BOARD MEETINGS AS I CAN JUST TO BRING THE SUBJECT UP AND, UH, SO YOU WILL NEVER FORGET IT, WHICH I THINK YOU PROBABLY WON'T, BUT I'LL KEEP COMING ANYWAY, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
UH, ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS? UH, EVERYONE KNOWS HOW WE CAN GET PUBLIC COMMENTS TO US.
[00:05:01]
A QUICK CHECK AND SEE IF THERE'S ANYBODY.[ANNOUNCEMENTS]
WE HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? NO, I DON'T SEE, WE HAVEN'T BEEN TOLD ABOUT THAT.WE'LL MOVE TO THE BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD.
[CONSENT CALENDAR]
CONSENT CALENDAR CONTAINS 11 ITEMS. UH, MADAM CLERK, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, OR ANY BOARD MEMBERS? ANYBODY WANNA PULL ANY ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION OR, UH, YES.DIRECTOR ROSARIO AND DIRECTOR MECURIO, DID YOU HAVE YOUR QUESTIONS TOTALLY ANSWERED.
UM, DIRECTOR ROSARIO? YEAH, I HAD ALL MY QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE ONE COMMENT ON ITEM NUMBER FIVE.
UH, MY COMMENT THAT WE'RE BUYING THESE VEHICLES JUST FOR THE, JUST FOR THE RECORD, LET'S, UM, ITEM NUMBER FIVE IS AUTHORIZATION TO PURCHASE THE SEVEN FORDS AUTHORIZATION TO PURCHASE SEVEN FORD TRUCKS FROM DOWNTOWN FORD SALES AND A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $310,000 226.
AND MY COMMENT IS, UM, BASICALLY THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, JASON WAS VERY HAPPY TO, UM, GIVE ME THE, UH, THE DETAILS OF WHY IT'S SO DIFFICULT TO GET ELECTRIC VEHICLES, UH, FOR A FLEET.
AND, UH, I, I'M, I'M GONNA ASK OPERATIONS AND, AND EACH PARK TO LOOK AT THEIR, UH, LOOK AT THEIR, LOOK AT THEIR UNIQUE PARKS AND HOW THEY OPERATE AND SEE IF THEY CAN INCORPORATE ELECTRIC BIKES IN THE OPERATION.
AND I, AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE, UH, WHEN I WAS AT REDWOOD, UH, PAMELA BIKES, WHO WAS MY RANGER THEN, UH, SHE, UH, I DONATED A MOUNTAIN BIKE, JUST A REGULAR MOUNTAIN BIKE.
SHE FOUND A TRAILER, WE PUT IT TOGETHER AND WE USED THAT FOR OUR STUDENT TO, UH, UH, CLEAN RESTROOMS AND DO LITTER PICKUPS IN, UH, IN THE CANYON.
SO IT'S, IT'D BE EVEN EASIER WITH ELECTRIC BIKE.
SO, UH, THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING STAFF TO LOOK AT THEIR OPERATIONS TO SEE IF THAT'S A POSSIBILITY.
I MEAN, IT'S SOMETHING WE COULD, UH, UH, REDUCE OUR EMISSIONS BY NOT USING A, A VEHICLE AND, UM, SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.
GREAT, GREAT IDEAS BY THE WAY.
UH, ANY, JOHN, CAN I, CAN I JUST ASK A QUESTION ABOUT NUMBER EIGHT? UM, 'CAUSE I WANNA BE CLEAR ON THAT.
TELL US WHAT NUMBER EIGHT IS FOR THE, FOR THE AUDIENCE, IF YOU WOULD.
AUTHORIZATION TO APPLY FOR GRANT FUNDS FROM THE, FROM THE COASTAL CONSERVANCY AND ENTER INTO A COOPERATIVE FUNDING AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF F FREE, EXCUSE ME, WITH THE CITY OF EMERYVILLE TO PASS THROUGH THE GRANT FUNDS FOR THE POWELL STREET PROJECT AT MCLOUGHLIN EAST SHORE STATE PARK IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 480020 CENTS.
AND THE QUESTION I HAVE IS, IT'S A, IT'S A, A SLIVER OF LAND THAT WILL BE IMPROVED WITH LANDSCAPING AND OTHER IMPROVEMENTS, I THINK, AND I'M JUST WONDERING WHO IT DOESN'T SAY IN THERE WHO WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING THIS ONCE IT'S COMPLETED? UH, GOOD AFTERNOON BOARD, UH, DAVID CALWELL, ACTING GRANTS MANAGER.
UM, I DO KNOW AS FAR AS ADMINISTERING THE PROJECT AND EVERYTHING THAT THE CITY OF EMERYVILLE IS GONNA BE HANDLING THAT.
UH, AS FAR AS THE LONG-TERM MAINTENANCE, I WILL HAVE TO LOOK THAT UP AND I CAN GET BACK TO YOU.
BUT, UH, I DON'T HAVE ANY OF THOSE DETAILS IN MY NOTES TODAY.
I HAVE A COMMENT ON ITEM NINE.
ITEM NINE IS AUTHORIZATION TO APPLY FOR GRANT FUNDS FROM THE CDC FOUNDATION FOR SWIMMING AND WATER SAFETY TRAINING PROGRAMS IN EAST CONTRA COSTA COUNTY IN AN AMOUNT UP TO HUNDRED AND $25,000.
SO, FOR MY COLLEAGUES, WHAT'S NOT IN OUR BACKGROUND MATERIAL IS THAT THIS PROGRAM AND SIMILAR PROGRAMS IN EAST COUNTY BEING, UH, PUT TOGETHER, PROMOTED AND ADVANCED BY OUR, UH, UH, AQUATIC TEAM, PETE DE QUINCY, UH, IN PARTICULAR, UH, REFLECTS THE NOW MULTI-SEASON SHUTDOWN OF THE CONTRA LOMA LAGOON, WHICH, AS WE ALL KNOW, IS, UH, A RESOURCE, UH, FOR, YOU KNOW, THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF, OF EAST CONTRA COSTA RESIDENTS, UH, AND ESPECIALLY A SOURCE OF, UH, WATER SAFETY TRAINING FOR YOUTH IN EAST CONTRA COSTA.
SO, WHAT PETE AND MANAGEMENT AND, UH, THE AQUATICS TEAM AND THE LIFEGUARDS HAVE DONE IS REACHED OUT TO LOCAL HIGH SCHOOLS OUT THERE AND OTHER, UH, UH, UNDERUTILIZED SWIM FACILITIES LIKE, UH, AMBROSE, AND PUT TOGETHER WATER SAFETY PROGRAMS, UH, WHICH HAS THE EFFECT OF CONTINUING OUR ROLE
[00:10:01]
IN THIS IMPORTANT FACET OF, UH, EAST CONTRA COSTA WATER SAFETY PROMULGATION AND KEEPS OUR FOLKS EMPLOYED, UH, WHILE THE LAGOON IS SHUT DOWN.SO IT ISN'T IN THE BACKGROUND, BUT THIS IS, UM, REFLECTIVE OF THOSE EFFORTS, CONTINUING EFFORTS.
AND I, ON BEHALF OF THE, THE, MY CONSTITUENTS OF EAST COUNTY, VERY MUCH APPRECIATE WHAT THE PARK DISTRICT IS DOING IN PUTTING THESE PROGRAMS TOGETHER WITH PARTNER GROUPS OUT THERE.
UM, ANYONE ELSE? I JUST WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT ON, ON, UH, NUMBER TWO, THE AUTHORIZATION TO ENTER A CONTRACT GROUP FOR SERVICES WITH CIVIC CORP AND THE AMOUNT OF $462,903.
I I HAD SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS.
I WANNA THANK STAFF FOR ANSWERING THEM PROPERLY.
I THINK THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE ARRANGEMENT WE'RE MAKING WITH CIVICORE.
UH, WE'VE HAD A 40 YEAR YEAR RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM.
I THINK WE'RE DOING GREAT, GREAT WORK WITH THEM.
UH, I THINK IN, IN EVERY WAY, UH, TAKING UNDERSERVED YOUTH, TRAINING THEM, UH, ON JOB SKILLS, SCHOOL SKILLS, GETTING 'EM INTO THE PIPELINE OF THE PARK DISTRICT.
AND WE'RE GETTING GREAT WORK OUT OF THEM TOO.
SO I THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR PARTICIPATING IN THAT.
AND, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO US PASSING THIS.
UM, AND I'LL, I WILL AGREE WITH, UH, DIRECTOR COFFEE, UH, UH, THE LIFEGUARD SERVICES AND PETE DE QUINCY IN, IN, UM, UM, IN PARTICULAR, UH, DID A REALLY GOOD JOB OF CHANGING DIRECTION WHEN CONTRAL LOMA CLOSED.
WHAT DO YOU DO? YOU'VE GOT AT LEAST, WELL, THERE'S PROBABLY 20 OR 25 LIFEGUARDS THAT WORKED OUT OF THERE THAT HAD NOTHING TO DO AND, AND NEEDED SOMETHING TO DO, AND THE NEED OF THE COMMUNITY TO BE, UH, HAVE SOME OUTDOOR RECREATION PROGRAMS. AND PETE AND HIS CREW JUST TURNED ON A DIME, MADE THIS RELATIONSHIP WITH, UH, AMADOR RECREATION AND NOW THE HIGH SCHOOLS, UH, AND IF YOU LOOK IN THE, UM, IN THE DOCUMENTS PROVIDED IN THIS, THIS ITEM, YOU KNOW, UH, IT'S, IT'S AMAZING.
THE LEADING CAUSE OF UNINTENTIONAL, UH, INJURY TO CHILDREN AGE ONE TO 14 IN THE UNITED STATES IS DROWNING.
UH, SO THERE'S STILL A GREAT, GREAT NEED FOR TEACHING.
AND IF YOU NOTICE IN THE DOCUMENTS, IT'S NOT JUST TEACHING SWIMMING LESSONS, TEACHING HOW NOT TO DROWN, AND THAT'S A WHOLE SUBJECT IN ITSELF, HOW TO DROWN PROOF YOURSELF AND YOUR CHILDREN AND YOUR FAMILY.
SO, ONCE AGAIN, COMPLIMENTS TO EVERYONE.
UM, ARE THERE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WANTED TO SPEAK ON ANY ITEM? I DO NOT HAVE ANY, UM, CARDS SPEAK.
I'LL ACCEPT A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
SO MOVED, MOVED BY DIRECTOR ECKLES, AND SECONDED BY MEMBER MERCURIA.
UH, IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
OPPOSED? HEARING NONE CONSENT.
WE WILL NOW MOVE TO THE, UM, GENERAL
[GENERAL COUNSEL'S OFFICE]
COUNSEL'S OFFICE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING.UM, I WILL, UM, GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON THIS ITEM AND THEN YOU CAN OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND, UM, ENTERTAIN DISCUSSION BY THE BOARD MEMBERS.
UM, WE ARE BRINGING THIS ITEM TO INCREASE BOARD MEMBER COMPENSATION ANNUALLY, AND THIS IS IN RECOGNITION OF THE LOW LEVEL OF COMPENSATION THAT, THAT UNFORTUNATELY BOARD MEMBERS RECEIVE FOR ALL OF THE REALLY HARD WORK THAT YOU DO.
UM, AND IN RECOGNITION OF THE FACT THAT A LOT OF THE WORK YOU DO IS UNFORTUNATELY UNPAID.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, BOARD MEMBER COMPENSATION IS SET BY STATE LAW, AND IT'S LIMITED TO ESSENTIALLY A PER MEETING AND PER DAY, UH, UH, PAY RATE.
CURRENTLY THAT PAY RATE IS, IS $121 PER DAY.
YOU GET PAID $121, REGARDLESS OF HOW MANY HOURS YOU SPEND THAT DAY OR HOW MANY MEETINGS THAT YOU ATTEND.
AND, UM, UNFORTUNATELY THAT'S, THAT'S JUST THE FUNCTION OF THE STA OF THE STATUTE.
AND, UM, ALSO COMPENSATION IS FURTHER LIMITED FOR BOARD MEMBERS BY, UH, THE NUMBER OF MEETINGS THAT YOU ARE, UM, QUALIFIED TO BE COMPENSATED FOR.
THAT NUMBER IS A MAXIMUM OF 10 PER MONTH.
AND WE DO RECOGNIZE THAT MOST OF YOU, UH, DO MORE, ATTEND MORE MEETINGS AND, AND DO A LOT OF UNPAID CONSTITUENT WORK, ET CETERA.
SO, UM, PRIOR TO 2019, THERE WAS JUST A HUNDRED DOLLARS SET RATE OF COMPENSATION FOR BOARD MEMBERS AND A LAW WAS PASSED THAT ENABLES THE BOARD TO INCREASE BOARD MEMBER COMPENSATION BY UP TO 5% PER YEAR.
UM, IF YOU CHOOSE TO RAISE YOUR COMPENSATION THIS YEAR, STARTING FOR NEXT YEAR, THE PAY PER DAY OR PER MEETING WOULD BE $127 AND 32 CENTS.
[00:15:02]
AND AGAIN, THAT'S REGARDLESS OF HOW MANY HOURS YOU SPEND THAT DAY OR HOW MANY MEETINGS YOU ATTEND.SO WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU ADOPT THIS 5% INCREASE.
IT'S A NEGLIGIBLE AMOUNT AND IN LIGHT OF THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT EACH OF YOU SPEND ON PARK DISTRICT BUSINESS.
AND ALSO IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAINTAIN THIS STATUTORILY PERMITTED COMPENSATION RATE IN ORDER TO INCENTIVIZE OTHER PEOPLE WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN SERVING AND DOING THIS PUBLIC SERVICE FOR THE BOARD.
IT IS, IT GOES SOME LEVEL, SOME WAY TOWARD PERHAPS COMPENSATING PEOPLE FOR THE EXPENSES THAT THEY ACCRUE IN SERVING ON THE BOARD THAT ARE UNPAID.
UM, AND THERE WERE YEARS, UM, HERE BEFORE I ARRIVED THAT WHERE COMPENSATION WAS NOT INCREASED.
AND I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU JUST DO THIS ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
UM, I'M AVAILABLE TO ANSWER THEM.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, HEARING NONE? I'D LIKE TO SAY HE HAS, PARDON ME, DEE, GO AHEAD.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT, UM, I THINK THE RACE IS JUSTIFIED, BUT, AND, AND ONE OF THE THINGS I'M FINDING AS, UM, I'M SHAKING THE TREE TO, TO FIND, UH, TO LETTING PEOPLE KNOW THAT, UH, UH, MY SEAT WILL BE VACANT, UH, NOT THAT I'M NOT RUNNING IN 2024, IS THAT, UH, ONE OF THE CONSIDERATIONS OR LIMITATIONS TO BE BEING A MEMBER ON THIS BOARD IS COMPENSATION.
UH, SO YOU'RE, THE PEOPLE THAT CAN AFFORD OR AFFORD TO RUN FOR THIS BOARD SEAT IS YOU HAVE TO HAVE A JOB.
IF YOU HAVE A JOB, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY.
AND, UH, AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, IT ALMOST, IT ALMOST SELF-SELECTS FOR PEOPLE FOR BEING RETIRED.
AND SO, UH, WHAT LITTLE COMPENSATION WE CAN, WE CAN GIVE PEOPLE TO, UH, CONSIDER RUNNING FOR THESE SEATS, UH, I THINK IS, IS, UH, SOMETHING WE SHOULD DO.
SO I DID A LITTLE CHECKING AROUND ABOUT, UH, INFLATION.
AND SO I FOUND A, I FOUND A PLACE THAT YOU CAN PROJECT OUT VALUES.
AND SO IF THE A HUNDRED DOLLARS THAT WAS ASSIGNED TO THIS, TO THIS POSITION IN 1980 WOULD BE WORTH $369 TODAY.
AND IT'S INTERESTING THAT THAT ACTUALLY AMOUNTS TO ALMOST EXACTLY 3% A YEAR, WHICH IS KIND OF A STANDARD, IT'S KIND OF A STANDARD COLA, YOU KNOW, THAT'S USED, UH, WHEN IT, WHEN IT'S NOT TIED TO THE ACTUAL CPI 3% IS VERY COMMONLY.
SO ANYWAY, I JUST WANNA THROW THAT OUT THERE.
AND THEN THE OTHER THING IS, I WAS THINKING ABOUT THIS, IT REALLY, ONE WAY, ANOTHER WAY TO LOOK AT IT IS, UH, IT, IT'S NOT US.
IT'S THE POSITION THAT, THAT THE, THE AMOUNT THAT THAT IS BEING RE YOU KNOW, UH, COMPENSATED.
AND SO, UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE RESPECT ALL THOSE THAT WILL COME AFTER US TOO BY ALLOWING THIS INCREASE TO GO FORWARD, WHOEVER THEY MAY BE.
SO THAT'S A COUPLE OF THINGS I WAS THINKING ABOUT.
ALRIGHT, I'LL ACCEPT A MOTION TO APPROVE IF THERE IS ONE DIRECTOR WAKI.
PARDON ME, COLIN, GO RIGHT AHEAD.
AND ALSO JUST KEEP IN MIND THAT THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING.
AND SEE IF THERE'S ANY, UM, WHEN HE WANTS TO SPEAK, AND THEN CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SO I'M JUST GONNA BE CONSISTENT WITH WHAT I'VE, MY POSITION ON THIS HAS BEEN SINCE THE LEGISLATURE ENACTED THIS ABILITY TO RAISE IT 5% A YEAR.
UH, AND THAT IS THAT PHILOSOPHICALLY I WOULDN'T SUPPORT ANY STIPEND RAISE FOR US THAT EXCEEDS WHAT OUR WORKFORCE IS GETTING IN THE LAST YEAR OF THEIR CONTRACT, WHICH I BELIEVE IS 3%.
AND SO, IF THERE WAS A MOTION TO RAISE OUR STIPEND, THE FULL 5%, UM, I'M, IT'S, IT'S NOT LIKE I OBJECT TO IT, IT'S JUST I WOULD VOTE NO ON PHILOSOPHICAL GROUNDS.
UM, BUT I WOULD SUPPORT A 3% RAISE IN THE STIPEND, UH, TO REFLECT THE RAISE OUR WORKFORCE IS GETTING IN THE LAST YEAR OF THE, UH, AFSCME CONTRACT.
UM, ROUNDED OFF, THAT'D BE $125.
SO I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT ON WHERE I WOULD BE AT WITH THIS MEASURE.
AND I, I WILL COMMENT ALSO THAT I FEEL THE EXACT SAME WAY AS DIRECTOR COFFEE.
AND I VOTED THAT WAY EVER SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THIS BOARD, UH, AND OTHER BOARDS ALSO.
SO, UM, I'LL BE VOTING OPPOSED IT AGAINST IT, BUT I UNDERSTAND COMPLETELY THAT IT'S, IT'S, UH, TRIVIAL IN THE GREAT REALM OF THINGS.
BUT, UH, IT IS A MORAL, UH, UM, OBLIGATION THAT I'M GONNA ACCEPT.
SO, UH, DO WE HAVE A, OR OR PARDON ME,
IS THERE ANYTHING FROM THE PUBLIC SUBJECT NO.
ON THIS PRESIDENT WANTS, WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANYTHING.
ANYBODY IN THE ROOM? ANY STAFF ON THIS, UH,
[00:20:01]
OR ANY AUDIENCE MEMBERS? OKAY.HEARING NONE, I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND I'LL ACCEPT A MOTION TO ACCEPT THIS PROPOSAL.
DIRECTOR MERCURIO PROPOSAL OR MAKES THE MOTION SECOND DIRECTOR ROSARIO SECONDS.
UH, THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION.
UH, ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
SO THE MOTION PASSES FOUR TO TWO.
[GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS]
THE GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS, UH, AND THE TEEN ECO ACTION PROGRAM UPDATE.DIRECTOR WASPY, UH, DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER, DR. ALVAREZ IN THE STATE OF OUR GENERAL MANAGER, SABRINA LANDRETH.
WE DO HAVE ONE PRESENTATION SCHEDULED FOR TODAY, AN INFORMATIONAL ITEM.
AND I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE TO YOU SANDY FUNK, WHO'S OUR CURRENT AND RELATIVELY NEWLY HIRED CHIEF OF INTERPRETATION AND RECREATION.
SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO HAVE SANDY WITH US, WHO WILL BE INTRODUCING HER STAFF AND, AND AS TO COMMENCE THE PRESENTATION.
I COULD JUST USE MY OUTDOOR VOICE,
IT WAS PART OF THE INTERVIEW PROCESS.
I'M THE CHIEF OF IN INTER AND REC, AND I'M SO PLEASED TO BE HERE TODAY TO INTRODUCE MEGAN SOUM.
AND MEGAN IS ON CURRENTLY OUR ACTING RECREATION SUPERVISOR WHILE KELSEY'S OUT, BUT THE REST OF THE TIME SHE'S A RECREATION COORDINATOR AND SHE'S BEEN WITH THE DISTRICT SIX YEARS, ALMOST SEVEN YEARS.
MEGAN, UM, WORKS OUT OF OUR TIDEWATER FACILITY, AND IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THIS WORK WORK GROUP, THEY ARE A VERY SMALL BUT DEDICATED AND MIGHTY GROUP.
THEY'RE HIGHLY EFFECTIVE AND THEY BRING RECREATION PROGRAMS ACTUALLY TO FOLKS ALL ACROSS THE DISTRICT ONE WORK GROUP OF SIX FULL-TIME STAFF.
SHE'S NOT, SHE'S HAPPY TO BE HERE TODAY.
SO WHAT I WANNA SAY IS, MEGAN, TODAY IS PRESENTING AN INFORMATIONAL AND INSPIRING PRESENTATION ABOUT OUR TEEN ACTION PROGRAM.
AND I JUST WANNA LET THE BOARD KNOW THAT THIS PROGRAM ALIGNS WITH THE DISTRICT'S GOAL OF IMPROVING ACCESS TO PARKLANDS AND OUTREACH TO UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS.
SO THANK YOU FOR HAVING US TODAY.
I'M JUST GONNA PULL UP THE PRESENTATION REAL QUICK AND THEN I CAN START.
ONE MOMENT WHILE WE GET THAT UP.
SO, HELLO MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, GENERAL MANAGER, STAFF, AND PUBLIC.
MY NAME IS MEGAN SECOND AND I AM A RECREATION COORDINATOR AND ACTING RECREATION SUPERVISOR.
THIS PRESENTATION WILL TELL THE STORY OF TEEN ECO ACTION AND THE POSITIVE IMPACT THIS PROGRAM HAS FOR MANY EAST BAY TEENS AND COMMUNITIES THAT IT SERVES.
THE TEEN ECO PROGRAM WAS FOUNDED IN THE TEEN ECO PROGRAM, WAS FOUNDED IN 2007, AND IT IS IN ITS 16TH YEAR.
THIS PROGRAM FOCUSES ON OUTDOOR RECREATION, INTERPRETATION, SERVICE, LEARNING, STEWARDSHIP, AND CAREER ORIENTATION WITHIN THE PARK DISTRICT AND IN THE OUTDOOR FIELD.
TEEN ECO ACTION IS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN OUTDOOR RECREATION, INTERPRETIVE SERVICES, AND OUR FOUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
THIS COLLABORATIVE PROGRAM SERVES UP TO 17 TEAMS EACH WEEK.
CURRENTLY WE SERVE BAY POINT, OAKLAND, HAYWARD, AND RICHMOND COMMUNITIES.
THE MAIN GOAL OF THE TEEN ECO ACTION IS TO PROVIDE DEEP ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMMING AND CREATE AND MAINTAIN STRONG AND LASTING RELATIONSHIPS
[00:25:01]
WITH OUR PARTNERING COMMUNITIES THAT FOSTER MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS TO THEIR PARKS.WE ENGAGE YOUTH WHO HAVE BARRIERS TO THEIR PARKS.
WE EDUCATE YOUTH IN NATURAL AND CULTURAL HISTORY, OUTDOOR RECREATION SKILLS, AND PUBLIC TRANSIT TO PARKS.
WE EQUIP YOUTH WITH BIKES, BOATS, FISHING RODS, GLOVES AND LITTER GRABBERS.
AND WE EMPOWER YOUTH WITH A SENSE OF OWNERSHIP OF THEIR REGIONAL PARKS AND THE TOOLS TO PREPARE FOR A JOB IN THE OUTDOOR FIELD.
TEEN UCO ACTION STAFF CURRENTLY WORK WITH FOUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS THROUGHOUT ALAMEDA AND CONTRA COSTA COUNTIES TO RUN FOUR WEEKS OF SPECIALIZED PROGRAMMING.
WE THANK THE REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION FOR THE, FOR GENEROUSLY FUNDING THIS PROGRAM.
ONE NEW EXCITING COMPONENT OF THIS YEAR WAS THAT RPF APPROVED FOR US TO RAISE THE TEEN ECOS STIPENDS TO $200.
THIS MADE THE PROGRAM MORE COMPETITIVE ACROSS THE BOARD WITH OUR APPLICANTS.
IN ADDITION TO THE 20 HOURS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE THEY GET FOR COMPLETING THE PROGRAM WHICH THEY NEED TO GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL.
WE HAVE ALSO WORKED WITH A NUMBER OF LOCAL NONPROFITS TO DATE AND CONTINUE TO FOSTER THESE RELATIONSHIPS TO EXPAND CURRICULUM AND ENRICH THE PROGRAMMING OFFERED.
FOR INSTANCE, WE HAVE REMOVED INVASIVE PLANTS ALONG SOEL CREEK IN EAST OAKLAND WITH FRIENDS OF SOEL CREEK.
WE DO A TOUR OF MERRICK COLLEGE'S CAMPUS AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PROGRAM AND TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM FOR OAKLAND WEEK, SO TEENS CAN EXPLORE EDUCATION OPTIONS FOR A CAREER OUTDOORS.
AND THIS YEAR WE COLLABORATED WITH HAYWARD SHORELINE INTERPRETIVE CENTER THROUGH OUR NEW TEEN ECO PARTNER HARD, UH, FROM HAYWARD TO OFFER A FULL DAY FOR THE TEENS AT THEIR LOCAL PARK AT HAYWARD SHORELINE.
THEY DID A CLEANUP AND A TOUR OF THE VISITOR CENTER WITH INTERPRETIVE ACTIVITIES PLUS CAREER TALKS WITH HARD STAFF THAT DAY.
SO FOR RECRUITMENT, OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MARKETING THE PROGRAM, COLLECTING APPLICATIONS, AND INTERVIEWING THE YOUTH WITH OUR NATURALS AND RECREATION LEADERS.
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE FLYER AND THE APPLICATION FORM THAT WE SEND TO OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS ANNUALLY.
IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE WORK CLOSELY WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN THE PLANNING PHASE AND THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM BECAUSE THEY KNOW WHAT THEIR PARTICIPANTS WANT TO EXPERIENCE IN THEIR PARKS TO CREATE IMPACTFUL EXPERIENCES AND PROGRAMMING OVER TIME.
IT IS CRUCIAL TO BUILD THESE CONTINUOUS PARTNERSHIPS.
WE CHALLENGE THESE TEENS AND PROVIDE A RICH MIX OF ACTIVITIES AND ADVENTURES FOR THEM DURING THE WEEK THAT WE PLAN VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
ACTIVITIES WERE TYPICALLY ORGANIZED INTO FOUR AREAS AND PLANNED OUT WELL IN ADVANCE WITH OUTDOOR REC INTERPRETATION AND OUR PARTNERS AREA.
ONE IS OUTDOOR RECREATION SKILL BUILDING.
WE GO BIKING, CANOEING, FISHING, HIKING, KAYAKING, AND SWIMMING.
AREA TWO IS NATURAL AND CULTURAL HISTORY INTERPRETATION.
WE LEARN ABOUT BIRDING, BOTANY, ECOLOGY, NATIVE PEOPLES AND WATERSHEDS.
AREA THREE IS SERVICE AND STEWARDSHIP PROJECTS.
WE DO INVASIVE PLANT REMOVALS, LITTER PICKUP, MULCHING PLANTING, AND SHORELINE CLEANUPS.
AREA FOUR IS CAREER ORIENTATION AND JOB SKILLS.
WE FEATURE LUNCHTIME PRESENTATIONS FROM A VARIETY OF DISTRICT STAFF AND OUR COMMUNITY PARTNER, A PARTNERS AGENCY STAFF, SO THAT YOUTH CAN LEARN ABOUT THE RICH DIVERSITY OF JOBS HERE AT THE PARK DISTRICT AND WITH THEIR COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.
AT THE END OF THE WEEK, WE PROVIDE A SHORT WORKSHOP ON HOW TO PREPARE THEMSELVES TO APPLY FOR A SEASONAL JOB HERE OR IN THE OUTDOOR FIELD.
AND IT WORKS FROM STUDENT TO STAFF.
TEEN ECO, ALONG WITH OTHER YOUTH PROGRAMS, PROVIDES A GREAT PIPELINE OF TALENT FOR THE PRESENT AND FUTURE PARK DISTRICT.
AFTER ALL, HOW MANY OF US STARTED AS SEASONAL STAFF? WE HAVE HIRED SIX PART-TIME POSITIONS TO DATE FROM THIS PROGRAM.
AND ONE OF THOSE TURNED INTO A FULL-TIME POSITION WITH THE DISTRICT HERE.
AND THEY CURRENTLY WORK AS A PARK RANGER.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ON OUTREACHING IN HOPES OF RECRUITING MORE CANDIDATES INTO SEASONAL POSITIONS, WHICH HELP THEM TO GAIN EXPERIENCE AND GROW.
SEASONAL POSITIONS CAN ALSO LEAD TO FULL-TIME POSITIONS WITHIN THE DISTRICT.
WE PROVIDE PRE AND POST EVALUATIONS TO MEASURE HOW MUCH THE PROGRAM IMPACTS THE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ATTITUDES OF OUR PARTICIPANTS.
WE DO GENERALLY SEE A POSITIVE CHANGE IN EACH AREA.
FOR EXAMPLE, ABOUT 86% OF THE TEENS SAID THEY FELT PHYSICALLY SAFE AND WELCOMED IN THEIR PARKS.
[00:30:01]
THIS CHANGED TO ALMOST 100% IN THE POST-SURVEYS, WHICH IS AMAZING.AGAIN, THIS CHART MAY LOOK BUSY, BUT IT, BUT IT IS WHAT SHOWS US THAT THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE OF POSITIVE OUTCOMES.
THE MOST LASTING IMPACTS, THOUGH CANNOT BE MEASURED WITH A LIKERT SCALE ON AN EVALUATION FORM.
PARTICIPANT QUOTES AND COMMENTS REALLY GIVE US A BETTER PICTURE ON THE IMPACTS OF THIS PROGRAM.
I WOULD LIKE TO LET THE TEENS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES AND SHARE SOME QUOTES FROM THEIR EVALUATIONS.
THIS WHOLE WEEK, WORKING WITH EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT TAUGHT ME THAT I WANT TO WORK AT THE PARKS ONE DAY FROM A BROTHERS ON THE RISE PARTICIPANT.
I LEARNED A LOT ABOUT DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE ENVIRONMENT, HOW IT BENEFITS US AND HOW THEY WORK TOGETHER.
I ALSO LEARNED SO MUCH ABOUT THE PEOPLE I'VE MET, HEARING ABOUT THEIR LIVES AND INTERESTS, WHICH HAS REALLY BEEN AMAZING FROM A HARD PARTICIPANT.
I HAVE LEARNED ABOUT SEVERAL CAREERS IN THE PARKS, AND I HAVE LEARNED VARIOUS SKILLS AND TOOLS THAT I CAN USE FOR PERSONAL USE LATER IN LIFE OR IN THE FUTURE.
I'VE ALSO LOVED THE ENVIRONMENT IN THESE PARKS AND HAVE INTEREST IN BECOMING A STUDENT AID WORKER IN THE FUTURE FROM A CITY OF RICHMOND'S COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT PARTICIPANT.
AND I LEARNED THAT THE COMMUNITY IS SAFE AND FUN AND THAT TEEN ECO MAKES ME FEEL SOMETHING OF MYSELF.
SO THAT'S WHY I HOPE I CAN GO NEXT YEAR FROM AN AMBROSE TEEN CENTER PARTICIPANT.
AS THE SURVEY RESULTS CONVEY, THIS IS A HIGHLY IMPACTFUL PROGRAM AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND ADAPT TO THE SHARED NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITIES AND THE DISTRICT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? D YEAH, THIS IS A GREAT PROGRAM.
HOW IS THIS DIFFERENT THAN, UH, THE, UH, WHAT'S OUR OTHER, THE NATURALIST RUN OR, OR IS IT THE SAME? THE, UM, UH, JUNIOR RANGER PROGRAM.
YEAH, RICHMOND RANGERS OAKLAND.
IS IT DIFFERENT OR THE SAME? UH, THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION.
SO TCO ACTION PROGRAM IS A SPECIALIZED SUMMER CAMP PROGRAM THAT TYPICALLY ONLY RUNS DURING THE SUMMER SEASON WHILE THE RICHMOND RANGERS AND LIKE PERALTO HACIENDA, THE OAKLAND RANGERS, AND ALSO THE TILDEN RANGERS PROGRAMS TYPICALLY RUN YEAR ROUND, MAINLY THROUGH THE SCHOOL YEAR.
UM, FOR ESPECIALLY ADVENTURE CREW, WHICH ENDS AROUND JUNE.
UM, SO THERE IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S A LONGER LIKE ONE OF THOSE LONGITUDAL UH, LONGITUDINAL, LONGITUDINAL IMPACTFUL PROGRAMS, SORRY,
WE'RE WITH THEM THE WHOLE WEEK.
THEY INTERVIEW FOR THE PROCESS, LIKE THEY'RE CANDIDATES, THEY APPLY AND THEY TURN IN AN APPLICATION.
AND THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS ARE REALLY STAKEHOLDERS IN THE PROCESS, HELPING US PLAN AND, UM, OUTREACH TO THE PARTICIPANTS THAT ARE IN THE PROGRAM.
AND THEN, UH, WHILE WHEN THEY'RE WITH YOU FOR THE WEEK, ARE THEY GOING HOME EVERY DAY OR ARE THEY CAMPING OUT? REALLY GOOD QUESTION.
SO THIS IS A DAY PROGRAM AND SO THEY'RE EXPECTED TO MEET AT THEIR CENTER.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE, UM, OTHER PARTS OF THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PARTNERS.
THEY PROVIDE LIKE A CENTER LOCATION FOR THE PROGRAMMING.
SO THEY'LL MEET AT THE CENTER BEFORE THE START OF THE PROGRAM.
THEY SIGN IN, WE GET ON THE BUS, WE GO TO THE PARK OR WHERE WE'RE GOING FOR THE DAY.
TYPICALLY THESE ARE PARKS THAT ARE IN THEIR BACKYARD BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT'S REALLY BENEFICIAL.
IT'S LIKE CLEANING UP YOUR OWN BACKYARD, RIGHT? UM, AND SO GETTING THEM TO THOSE LOCATIONS, TALKING ABOUT PUBLIC TRANSIT AND, UM, JUST WORKING THROUGH THE, UH, WITH THEM THROUGHOUT THE WEEK.
I JUST WANTED TO, UM, UH, I'VE WORKED WITH, UH, BROTHERS ON THE RISE AND IN PARTICULAR GAN YES.
AND, UH, PLEASE SAY HI TO THEM.
UH, I WILL, I VISIT THEM THROUGH FRIENDS OF SAA CREEK.
WE, UH, WE DID SOME TRAIL WORK AND AT THE END OF THE DAY WE PLANTED SIX REDWOODS AND JUST LET 'EM KNOW FIVE OF THE SIX ARE DOING WELL.
AND I DEFINITELY WILL LET HIM KNOW.
WE HAD TO, GOT TO PARTNER WITH HIM WHEN I ACTUALLY WORKED WITH CITY OF OAKLAND.
AND I'VE ACTUALLY PARTNERED WITH TEEN ECO AS A COMMUNITY PARTNER FROM THE OTHER SIDE.
UM, THAT'S HOW LONG THIS PROGRAM'S BEEN GOING.
AND IT'S JUST REALLY IMPACTFUL, I CAN SAY FROM BOTH SIDES NOW THAT I'M COORDINATING IT AND BEFORE WHEN I GOT TO PARTICIPATE IN IT AS A COMMUNITY PARTNER.
WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, SOUNDS LIKE A WONDERFUL PROGRAM.
UM, SO OBVIOUSLY WE KNOW ABOUT THE, THE STUDENTS WHO COME AND WORK WITH US.
DO WE HAVE ANY VISIBILITY INTO OTHERS AND WHETHER THEY GET JOBS WITH OTHERS OR PARK RELATED, UM, ENTITIES OR, I'M JUST WONDERING IF WE WOULD GET THAT THROUGH THE PARTNERS.
YEAH, THAT'S A REALLY GOOD AND THE PARTNERS TRACK THAT.
UM, SO I DO FOLLOW UP WITH THE PARTNERS AND WE DO ANNUAL DEBRIEFS AFTER THE PROGRAM AS WELL AS WE COMMUNICATE PRETTY CLOSELY DURING THE, UM, PLANNING PROCESS.
SO I KNOW THAT, UM, TO DATE OF THIS PAST YEAR, ONE OF THE HARD PARTICIPANTS IS NOW WORKING AS
[00:35:01]
A RECREATION LEADER, UH, THROUGH HAYWARD WITH UH, UM, NOEL, UM, VEZ, WHO I WAS COORDINATING THE PROGRAM WITH.BUT, UH, IT IS REALLY INTERESTING QUESTION THAT YOU ASKED BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT IT.
I WAS ACTUALLY JUST TALKING WITH YULI THIS MORNING ABOUT HOW IT'D BE GREAT TO FIND A WAY TO TRACK.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE DEFINITELY TRACK APPLICANTS THAT COME THROUGH OUR LEADERS IN TRAINING, TEEN ECO CO-OP, OR ANY KIND OF OUR PROGRAMS LIKE THAT SO THAT WE KNOW THAT WE'RE HIRING THOSE REC LEADERS.
THEY ARE GONNA GET PRIORITY TO GET AN INTERVIEW, AT LEAST BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN IN ONE OF OUR PROGRAMS. WE WANNA GIVE THEM THAT OPPORTUNITY.
BUT IT WOULD BE REALLY GREAT IF WE COULD TRACK THAT AT A BIGGER, UH, LEVEL.
SO SOMETHING TO WORK ON WITH THE PARTNERS.
SO I'M, I'M WONDERING, SINCE THEY'RE DOING THIS WORK, DO THEY GET PAID OR IS IT JUST A PURE TRAINING PROGRAM? OR HOW DOES THAT WORK? THAT'S A REALLY GREAT QUESTION.
AND SO IT IS VOLUNTEER SERVICE, BUT THEY DO GET A STIPEND.
SO LIKE SAUSAL CREEK AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, THEY'LL GIVE LIKE STIPENDS TO, UM, SO WE RAISED IT INTO TWO, $200 PER WEEK.
AND SO IT GETS PRORATED IF THEY DON'T COME FOR A DAY, IT'S JUST LIKE A JOB, YOU KNOW, WE JUST, WE WORK WITH THEM UNLESS THEY WERE LIKE REALLY SICK OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UM, AND THEN THEY GET THE 20 HOURS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE, WHICH, UH, HELPS THEM FOR THEIR CREDIT TO GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL.
AND THEN THE OTHER THING I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT, CAN THEY ATTEND MORE THAN ONCE? I WAS STRUCK BY THAT LAST COMMENT OF THE STUDENT WHO WANTED TO GO BACK AGAIN THE NEXT YEAR.
UM, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE DO HAVE REPEATS IN THE PROGRAM.
I'M CERTAINLY NOT GONNA TURN AWAY A CANDIDATE IF THAT'S WHO OUR PARTNER IS OUTREACH TO.
UM, BUT WE DO AIM TO GET NEW RECRUITS INTO THE PROGRAM AND WITH THE AGE PARAMETERS THAT ENDS UP HAPPENING.
YOU KNOW, WE GET THE TWEENS WHEN THEY BECOME TEENS AND THEN THE TEENS AGE OUT.
BUT DEFINITELY A PRIORITY THAT WE'LL HAVE WITH THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS WHEN WE'RE WORKING IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PARTICIPANTS THAT ARE OLDER, LIKE ON THE CUSP OF TURNING 18, THAT THEY REALLY GET A PRIORITY OR A TIME FIRST BECAUSE THEY AREN'T GONNA HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY AGAIN.
SO IT'S DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE'RE USING TO KIND OF WEIGH THE, UM, HOW TO CUT IT DOWN.
BECAUSE, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, WE HAD ABOUT 40 APPLICANTS THIS YEAR FOR HARD.
SO IT WAS REALLY HARD TO CUT DOWN TO THOSE 17 POSITIONS.
SO DO YOU DO JUST ONE SESSION IN THE SUMMER OR ARE THERE MORE THAN ONE SESSIONS? SO WE DO FOUR SESSIONS.
UM, SO WE DO, WE ACTUALLY SERVE WARDS ONE THREE, THAT'S VACANT, FOUR WARD, TWO WARD AND WARD SEVEN.
SO WE WORK WITH RICHMOND COMMUNITIES AND THEY CAN BE FROM VARIOUS AREAS TOO, LIKE ALSO PINOLE IN SOME DIFFERENT AREAS.
WE WORK WITH HAYWARD COMMUNITIES AND THAT CAN BE CASTRO VALLEY, HAYWARD, EVEN SOMETIMES FREMONT, SOMETIMES THE TEENS WILL COMMUTE.
UM, AND IT, WHOEVER THE COMMUNITY PARTNER SERVES MAINLY OAKLAND PARTICIPANTS FOR WARD II WITH BROTHERS ON THE RISE.
AND THEN OUR BAY POINT PARTNER IS AMBROSE TEEN CENTER FROM AMBROSE PARKS AND RECREATION.
SO IT'S ONE SESSION PER PARTNER.
SO IT'LL BE FOUR WEEKS OF SPECIALIZED CAMP AND EACH ONE GETS A WEEK.
SORRY, I GUESS THAT WAS A ROUNDABOUT ANSWER.
UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ENLIGHTENING.
UM, YOU KNOW, I HAD A GENERAL SENSE THAT, UH, THERE WAS A LOT GOING ON IN THIS DISTRICT THAT, UM, THAT THERE'S A LOT OF PROGRAMS 'CAUSE WE'RE KNOWN MOSTLY FOR BEING PARKS AND TRAILS.
BUT I HAVE TO MAKE SURE WHEN I'M, WHEN I'M TALKING TO FOLKS OUT THERE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ALSO HAVE PROGRAMS AND I SAY THAT AND IT'S KIND OF LIKE HOPING THEY DON'T ASK ME TOO MANY QUESTIONS.
'CAUSE I KNOW IT TO BE TRUE, BUT I DON'T KNOW THE DETAILS.
AND NOW I KNOW LIKE ANOTHER DETAIL, ANOTHER GREAT PROGRAM THAT I CAN, I CAN TALK TO FOLKS ABOUT AND LET THEM KNOW THAT SO MANY PEOPLE ARE GIVEN OPPORTUNITIES, UH, THROUGH THESE PROGRAMS TO GET INVOLVED WITH NOT ONLY OUR, UH, ORGANIZATION, BUT JUST THE GENERAL IDEA OF BEING OUT IN NATURE.
AND I ALSO LIKE THE IDEA THAT IT GOES INTO CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, THAT AMBROSE DISTRICT IS, UH, IS IN IT TOO.
AND SO IT'S COVERS A HUGE, A HUGE AREA.
AND, AND, AND DIFFERENT AREAS.
AND WE, WE APPRECIATE OUR COLLABORATIONS WITH THE NATURALISTS FROM BLACK DIAMOND AND COYOTE HILLS AND CRAB COVE.
AND WHY AM I FORGETTING THE LAST ONE?
VERY IMPORTANT ONE FOR RICHMOND.
JUST HAD A LITTLE BIT OF BRAIN FART.
UM, BUT YEAH, THE NATURALISTS WORK REALLY HARD ON THIS PROGRAM AND CLOSELY COLLABORATE WITH ME AS WELL, UM, AS THE RECREATION LEADERS AND THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
AND SO WE JUST REALLY APPRECIATES EVERYBODY'S A COLLABORATION TO MAKE THIS HUGE PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM HAPPEN.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY AND SHARING THIS GREAT OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAM THAT YOU HELP LEAD, UM, REALLY IMPORTANT INSIGHTS AND PROGRAMMING IN TERMS OF ENGAGING YOUNG PEOPLE AND ALSO SHOWING THEM SOME DIFFERENT JOB OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS THINK ABOUT THIS.
MY MY FIRST JOB WAS AS A LIFEGUARD AND SWIM INSTRUCTOR, SO
[00:40:01]
I APPRECIATE PRESIDENT WASP'S EARLIER COMMENTS.YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT TEACHING PEOPLE HOW TO SWIM, BUT TO PREVENT FROM DROWNING.
AND I THINK SO MANY OF US, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT OUR FIRST JOBS, A LOT OF THEM DO GO BACK TO PARKS AND RECREATION.
AND SO I, I THINK THAT THAT'S REALLY SOMETHING TO, TO CELEBRATE AND TO INTRODUCE TO YOUNG PEOPLE.
UM, SO I HAVE A COMMENT TO MAKE, AND IT HAS MORE TO DO WITH THE STRATEGIC PLAN PROCESS.
I KNOW I MENTIONED THIS TO THE CONSULTANT THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH FOR THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL.
UM, I, I DO THINK THAT A VERY LARGE CHAPTER IN THAT STRATEGIC PLAN THAT WE'RE PUTTING TOGETHER, THE NEXT CENTURY STRATEGIC PLAN DOES NEED TO BE ON YOUTH PROGRAMS AND EMPLOYMENTS.
UH, BECAUSE, UH, I KNOW BEING ON THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, WE'VE RECEIVED PRESENTATION ABOUT SOME OTHER, UM, PROGRAMMING REGARDING YOUNG PEOPLE.
AND IT SEEMS LIKE WE HAVE A LOT OF REALLY GREAT PROGRAMS, BUT IT'S VERY PIECEMEAL.
AND I, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE US BRING THAT TOGETHER IN A COMPREHENSIVE WAY SO THEY CAN REALLY THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE OUR GOALS WITH THE YOUNG PEOPLE? WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES? WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OPPORTUNITIES? WHERE ARE SOME OF OUR GAPS? UM, SO I REALLY HOPE THAT, AS YOU KNOW, BRIAN HOLT AND THE STRATEGIC PLANNING TEAM PUT THAT TOGETHER, THAT WE DO HAVE A VERY, UM, COMPREHENSIVE CHAPTER.
WE MAY NOT SOLVE EVERYTHING IN REGARDS TO YOUTH PROGRAMMING AND EMPLOYMENT, BUT I THINK THAT THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO DO BECAUSE I DO SEE THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF, UM, PIECEMEAL PROGRAMS THAT ARE HAPPENING.
BUT IT'S REALLY EXCITING BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES.
SO I, LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER, YOU KNOW, WITH LIFEGUARD SERVICES, THAT WOULD BE ONE PART OF THE CHAPTER.
AND THEN THIS PROGRAM WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, A, A SECOND PART OF THAT CHAPTER.
AND I THINK THAT, UM, IT, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO CONTINUE TO, TO BRING THAT ALL TOGETHER.
SO THANKS SO MUCH FOR COMING TODAY.
IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM, GREAT OUTREACH.
UH, I, I, I IMAGINE THESE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE REALLY, REALLY BENEFITING FROM THIS.
AND I APPRECIATE YOUR GOOD WORK.
WE'LL NOW MOVE TO ANNOUNCEMENTS OF THE CLOSED SESSION.
WE HAD NO CLOSED SESSION, SO, WE'LL BOY,
[BOARD COMMENTS]
WE'LL MOVE TO BOARD COMMENTS AND LET'S START WITH DIRECTOR MERCURIO.SO ON NO, NOVEMBER 7TH, I WENT TO THE BOARD MEETING, OBVIOUSLY, UH, BUT LATER THAT, LATER THAT EVENING, I, UH, HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TO THE, UH, ALAMO MUNICIPAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND GAVE THEM A, A GOOD, UM, KIND OF THE, THE STANDARD POWERPOINT THAT WE'VE DEVELOPED, UM, THAT GETS TWEAKED FROM AGENCY TO AGENCY.
BUT, UM, THEY WERE REALLY APPRECIATE APPRECIATIVE OF IT AND, UM, COMMENTED THAT THEY LEARNED A LOT ABOUT THE DISTRICT.
SO THAT WAS THE IDEA AND TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THEM.
UM, ON, UH, NOVEMBER 8TH, UM, I MET WITH, UM, ANNA PORTER, UM, WHO, UM, IS ASSOCIATED WITH, UH, A RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY IN WALNUT CREEK, CALLED THE WAY MARK.
AND SHE RUNS WHAT THEY CALL THE RAILS TO TRAILS EXPLORER CLUB.
AND, UM, STARTED LOOKING FOR WAYS TO, UM, LEARN ABOUT THE DISTRICT AND HOW THEY MIGHT, UH, USE THE DISTRICT'S RESOURCES TO PROVIDE PLACES TO RECREATE, UM, BY THE, NOT ONLY THE MEMBERS THAT LIVE IN THE, THE RESIDENTS THAT LIVE IN THEIR PROJECT THERE, BUT ALSO THE WHOLE COMMUNITY BECAUSE THERE'S, THIS CLUB IS OPEN TO ANYBODY.
ON, UH, NOVEMBER 9TH, I WAS WITH DIRECTOR ROSARIO, UH, UP ON, UM, OFF OF GRIZZLY PEAK BOULEVARD.
I GUESS THAT WAS RIGHT BY, RIGHT NEAR FISH RANCH ROAD.
AND WE WERE TOURING WITH GLEN SCHNEIDER, THE SKYLINE GARDENS, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT EAST BAY MUD IS.
IT'S A PROJECT THAT THEY'VE GOT GOING.
I THINK YOU, YOU PROBABLY HAVE MORE DETAIL ON THIS ABOUT THIS THAN, THAN I WOULD HAVE, BUT, UH, IT'S A RESTORATION PROJECT THEY'RE DOING WITH ENTIRELY WITH VOLUNTEERS.
AND IT'S, IT'S JUST STRIKING WHAT THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO IN JUST A FEW YEARS.
AND, UH, I THINK THERE'S SOME LESSONS TO BE LEARNED FROM WHAT THEY'VE DONE THERE.
UH, ON NOVEMBER 11TH, UM, THE, I, I GUESS, YOU KNOW, THE, THE MOUNT DIABLO BEACON AND, AND TRADITIONALLY WAS ONLY LIT ON PEARL HARBOR DAY.
NOW IN RECENT YEARS, IT'S BEING LIT ON MEMORIAL DAY AND VETERANS DAY.
AND SO, UM, THE, THE DANVILLE VETERANS, UM, HAD AN EVENT AT THE DANVILLE VETERANS HALL TO LIGHT THE BEACON FROM THERE.
AND THEY PUSHED THE BUTTON AND THE BEACON LIT.
WE COULDN'T SEE IT, 'CAUSE LINE OF SIGHT DOESN'T WORK FROM WHERE THEY ARE, BUT THEY ASSURED ME THAT IT REALLY WAS LIT.
UH, BUT IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO, TO, UH, TALK TO A FEW OF THE VETERANS
[00:45:01]
THERE AND, AND, UH, MAKE A CONNECTION.UM, ON NOVEMBER 13TH, I MET WITH KIM HUDSON, UH, WITH A NONPROFIT CALLED EARN AND LEARN, WHICH, UH, I'M KIND OF EXPLORING WAYS THAT THEY MIGHT, UH, WORK WITH US TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS.
AND, UM, 11 ON NOVEMBER 14TH, UM, I WORK, I, UM, ATTENDED THE BOARD OPERATIONS COMMITTEE BY ZOOM ON NOVEMBER 16TH.
UM, I ATTENDED THE CONTRA COSTA COUNCIL NAVY LEAGUE DINNER.
THE NAVY LEAGUE IS AN INTERESTING GROUP.
UM, I THOUGHT IT WAS VETERANS AT FIRST, BUT IT TURNS OUT IT'S ACTIVE DUTY, UH, SAILORS, COAST GUARD AND MARINES.
AND IT PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO, TO, UH, GET OUT AND TO GET OUT AND EXERCISE ON TRAILS AND OPEN SPACE AND, AND SUCH LIKE THAT.
AND SO THAT'S A WHOLE NOTHER IDEA.
AND THERE'S A, THERE'S A GENTLEMAN THERE THAT, UH, KIND OF COORDINATES ALL THAT, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO GOING OUT AND HIKING WITH THEM.
IF I CAN KEEP UP WITH THE MARINES.
YOU KNOW WHAT, I WON'T CARRY, I WON'T WEAR MY PACK WHEN I GO WITH THEM ON THAT DAY.
UM, NOVEMBER 17TH, UM, EAST BAY LEADERSHIP COUNCIL, A BOARD MEETING BY ZOOM.
AND THEN FINALLY YESTERDAY, UM, WE HAD THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
I'LL GO NEXT SINCE WE'RE MISSING OUR LEADER IN CHARGE.
SO WE'LL JUST TAKE THAT, UM, GO FOR IT.
WE'LL GO IN THIS, THIS, THIS, UH, SEQUENCE HERE.
UM, GOSH, YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE QUITE BUSY SINCE OUR LAST MEETING.
UM, I'LL JUST SHARE REAL QUICK, BUT I DID HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO THE GRAND CANYON ON MY OWN, SO NOT PART OF THE PARK DISTRICT, SO THAT MIGHT BE WHY I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A SHORTER LIST AND THAT'S FINE.
UM, SO NOVEMBER 8TH, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE, UM, SOME MEMBERS OF THE ZONE SEVEN STAFF TO THE SHADOW CLIFF'S INTERPRETIVE PAVILION, BECAUSE I REALLY WANTED 'EM TO SEE THE RELIEF THAT WE HAD DESIGNED, UM, FOR THE PAVILION, BECAUSE IT'S A REALLY WONDERFUL RELIEF THAT WE HAVE SHOWING THE ALAMEDA CREEK WATERSHED.
AND, UH, I, I KNOW THAT THEY HADN'T HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THAT.
SO THAT WAS REALLY NICE TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THAT WITH SOME MEMBERS OF ZONE SEVEN STAFF.
AND I ALSO TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY, OF COURSE, TO TALK ABOUT THE CHAIN OF LAKES PIPELINE AND HOW BENEFICIAL THAT COULD BE FOR EAST BAY REGIONAL PARKS AND SHADOW CLIFFS LAKES.
SO, UM, NO, UH, NO, UH, ACTION ITEMS QUITE YET ON THAT CHAIN OF LAKES PIPELINE I CAN SHARE.
BUT CERTAINLY HAVING THE CONVERSATIONS, ONGOING CONVERSATIONS, I THINK IS A REALLY IMPORTANT ONE FOR US TO THINK ABOUT.
ON UM, NOVEMBER 14TH, I, UH, DOUBLED UP.
I I CAME IN TO MEET WITH THE LAND ACQUISITION TEAM, AND WE HAD A REALLY GOOD CONVERSATION ABOUT ALL OF THE DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES, UM, WITHIN THE WARD FIVE GEOGRAPHY.
AND THEN RIGHT AFTER THAT, WE HAD THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING HERE IN THE BOARDROOM.
AND THEN ON THE 16TH OF NOVEMBER, I HAD, UH, MY ONE-TO-ONE MEETING WITH, UH, OUR GENERAL MANAGER.
SABRINA AND I, UH, ASKED HER TO MEET IN SAN RAMON, ACTUALLY, WHICH IS INTERESTING 'CAUSE THE PREVIOUS TIME WE MET WITH ASD, WE ALSO STARTED THE MEETING IN SAN RAMON TO TALK ABOUT THE TASSAJARA CREEK TRAIL.
THIS TIME I WANTED TO, UH, TALK WITH SABRINA ABOUT THE IRON HORSE TRAIL, AND SPECIFICALLY LOOK AT WHERE THE TWO COUNTIES, ALAMEDA AND CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MEETUP AT THE SAN RAMON DUBLIN BORDER, UH, WHERE I GOT TO ALSO POINT OUT THE PAVEMENT AND THE PAVING AND THE QUALITY OF THE PAVING.
IT'S DIFFERENT BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTIES, AND I WON'T, UH, SHARE WHICH ONE MIGHT LOOK SMOOTHER THAN THE OTHER.
BUT, UM, IT WAS A GOOD CHAT ABOUT SOME OF THE DIFFERENT TRAIL CONFLICTS, UH, AND INCREASED USAGE ALONG THE IRON HORSE TRAIL.
FIRST OF ALL, ON THE 15TH OF NOVEMBER, I HAD MY, UH, ONE-ON-ONE WITH OUR GENERAL MANAGER.
WE WENT FOR A LONG WALK OUT BY INSPIRATION POINT ON THE NIMITZ TRAIL.
COVERED A LOT OF GROUND, LITERALLY AND FIGURATIVELY.
SORRY, I DIDN'T REALLY MEAN TO DO THAT.
BUT, UM, AND THEN, LET'S SEE, ON THE 16TH OF NOVEMBER, UH, I PARTICIPATED IN THE REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION BOARD MEETING WITH, UM, PRESIDENT WASPY AND OTHERS, AND VERY, VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE WORK THEY'RE DOING AND, AND PARTICULAR TO THE VISION MOVING FORWARD FOR NEXT YEAR.
IN ADDITION TO EVERYTHING AROUND THE 90TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS, UM, JUST ALSO A LOT OF WORK CENTERED AROUND EQUITY AND, AND REALLY MAKING OUR PARKS ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE.
SO EXCITED TO, TO WORK WITH THEM ON THAT.
AND THEN, UM, YESTERDAY ATTENDED THE PRE-BOARD MEETING, AND HERE I
[00:50:01]
AM TODAY.NOW, THE LAST TWO WEEKS FOR ME HAVE BEEN ALL, ALL FAMILY.
MY DAUGHTER AND GRANDDAUGHTER FROM ALABAMA ARE VISITING, AND I'VE BEEN INTRODUCING MY SIX MONTH YEAR OLD GRANDDAUGHTER TO BAY TRAIL
SO SHE'S LEARNING ALL ABOUT OUR TRAILS AND THAT THAT'S GONNA CONTINUE FOR THE COMING WEEK.
I DID SPEND A COUPLE OF DAYS UP IN SACRAMENTO AT THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY CONVENTION APPOINTED BY CONGRESSMAN, UH, NDI.
AND, UH, A COUPLE OF MY COLLEAGUES WERE, WERE UP THERE.
THE MOST NOTABLE THING GOING ON THIS WEEKEND WAS, UM, THE CONVENTION BEING ESSENTIALLY SHUT DOWN ON, ON LATE SATURDAY AFTERNOON, SATURDAY NIGHT.
WHAT'S GREAT ABOUT THIS COUNTRY AND ABOUT OUR, OUR PARTY WAS, YOU KNOW, THIS WAS PEACEFUL PROTESTING, BUT VERY LOUD.
AND THE PARTY LEADERS JUST DECIDED TO CALL OFF OUR MEETINGS, OPEN THE DOORS, AND LET EVERYONE IN TO THE, UH, CONVENTION CENTER TO PROTEST.
AND THAT WAS
UH, BUT IT IS A WONDERFUL COUNTRY THAT WE CAN DO THAT.
UH, AND, UH, WAS IT YESTERDAY? I DON'T KNOW.
I ATTENDED, UH, FOR THE DISTRICT, THE CONTRA COSTA, UH, SPECIAL DISTRICTS ASSOCIATION, AND THE, UM, PRIMARY SPEAKER FOR THE CONTRA COSTA SPECIAL DISTRICTS ASSOCIATION YESTERDAY WAS ANA ALVAREZ SPEAKING ON THE 30 BY 30 INITIATIVE AND THE PARK DISTRICT'S, UH, PRIMARILY HER ROLE ON THE, UH, UH, COORDINATING, UH, PARTNERSHIP COUNCIL, UM, AS ANA WAS APPOINTED AND RECENTLY REAPPOINTED BY SECRETARY CROWFOOT AND ANA'S, UH, PRESENTATION ON 30 BY 30 WAS VERY WELL RECEIVED BY THE GROUP.
EVERYONE WAS VERY APPRECIATIVE AND WANT, WANT TO GET INVOLVED AND HAVE SOME FOLLOW UP.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR REPRESENTING THE PARK DISTRICT.
UH, I WAS IN PARTICULAR PROUD OF WHAT YOU'VE DONE AND, AND WHAT YOU WERE ABLE TO PRESENT TO THAT GROUP.
UH, THANK YOU THAT THAT COVERS IT.
AND, UM, THE PRESENTATION THERE WAS JUST FABULOUS.
THAT WAS ABOUT THEIR JOURNEY TOWARDS BEING ABLE TO BE A TRAUMA CENTER FOR THE, FOR, UH, SOUTHERN ALAMEDA COUNTY.
AND, UH, THEY WERE ABLE TO STEAL AWAY, UH, UH, A HIGH PROFILE, UH, SURGEON FROM THE MILITARY, DR.
CONAWAY, WHO'S, WHO'S BUILT, UM, UH, UH, TRAUMA ROOM TRAUMA CENTERS IN THE, IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
AND SO THEY'RE HOPING TO BE ONLINE IN, IN MAYBE TWO OR THREE YEARS WHEN THEY, ONCE THEY FINISHED BUILDING OUT, UH, THEIR NEW BUILDINGS IN THE HOSPITAL.
UM, AND THEN, UH, ON THE, ALSO ON THE EIGHTH, UH, I ATTENDED THE ALAMEDA COUNTY MAYOR'S CONFERENCE AT, UH, CAL STATE EAST BAY.
AND, UH, THEY HAD A GREAT, UH, PANEL OF EDUCATORS, UH, INCLUDING MAYOR SALINAS FROM HAYWARD, UM, PRESIDENT KATHY SANDIN OF THE CAL, CAL STATE, UH, UNIVERSITY EAST BAY CHABOT COLLEGE PRESIDENT JAMAL COOKS, AND, UM, HAYWARD UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT, UH, JASON RAYMOND.
AND, UM, THAT WHOLE PANEL WAS ABOUT HOW THESE, UM, THESE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND ADMINISTRATORS IN, IN HAYWARD CAN COLLABORATE TO MAKE THE ENTIRE AREA, UH, EVEN BETTER AND, AND, AND MEET THE NEEDS OF THE, UH, OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE, UH, IN THAT, IN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY.
SO IT WAS VERY, UH, VERY ENLIGHTENING.
AND THEN, UM, UH, OH, I MENTIONED, I WANNA MENTION, UH, ON THURSDAY, 11TH NINTH, I ATTENDED THE LAKE MERCK BREAKFAST CLUB FOR, WE HAD A VETERAN'S DAY SPEC SPECIAL.
AND, UH, WE HAD, UH, A SPEAKER WHO WAS THE, UH, INTERIM CHANCELLOR FOR THE PERALTA COLLEGES, AND SHE IS A RETIRED COLONEL, AND SHE WAS THE, UH, FIRST BLACK WOMAN AND OFFICER TO BE IN CHARGE OF LOGISTICS.
AND HER, HER AREA OF O UH, OPERATION WAS THE SUNY TRIANGLE IN IRAQ THROUGH TWO TERMS. AND, UM, AND SHE WAS NOT ONE TO SHY AWAY FROM, UH, SHE, SHE LED, AS THEY SAY, UH, LED OUT THERE OUT IN FRONT.
SHE WENT OUT ON PATROLS WITH HER, WITH HER, WITH HER TEAMS. SHE, I MEAN, IT, SHE, IT WAS, SHE'S JUST AN SOUNDS LIKE AN INCREDIBLE, INCREDIBLE WOMAN.
AND IT WAS A GREAT INSPIRATIONAL SPEECH.
[00:55:01]
ON THE 10TH, I MET WITH, UH, CONSTITUENTS, UH, LAUREN HO AND, UM, UH, AND SCOTT BARBO AND, UM, TO TALK ABOUT BICYCLES AND TRAILS.AND I, UH, I WAS CORRECTED BY, UH, SCOTT THAT, UH, I MIS I MISSPOKE WHEN ABOUT, UH, THE, UH, THE BENCH TRAIL NOT BEING, UH, UH, PART OF THE, UM, UH, THE, THE, THE PROGRAM OR THE ALTERNATE DAY PROGRAM SAYS, OH, YEAH, BIKES AREN'T ALLOWED ON THAT TRAIL, ON, UM, ON THE, UH, ON THE DAYS THAT EQUESTRIANS ARE OUT THERE.
SO I STAND, I STAND CORRECTED, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT, UM, UH, PEOPLE ARE, UH, ADVOCATING FOR THAT, THAT TRAIL TO BE, UM, UM, HIKE ONLY, UH, OUTSIDE OF THE, UH, OUTSIDE OF THE PILOT PROJECT.
AND THEN ALSO, UM, ON THE 11TH WITH, UH, UH, JOHN RIO, WE TOURED THE SKYLINE GARDENS, UH, JUST OUTSIDE THE, UH, STEAM TRAINS ON EAST BAY MUD LAND.
AND THIS IS ABOUT EIGHT ACRES, TOTALLY RESTORED DE WEEDED BY VOLUNTEERS UNDER THE, UH, AUSPICES OF EAST BAY MUD AND SCOTT HILL AND, UH, NO HERBICIDES.
THEY USE HOUSEHOLD VINEGAR AND THEY, AND, UM, THE YUKS THAT WERE REMOVED FROM THAT AREA AS WELL, NO HERBICIDES WERE USED.
IT WAS ALL, UM, UH, FOR TWO YEARS, THEY JUST SUCKER BASHED AS SOON AS THE SUCKERS POPPED UP, JUST CUT OFF.
AND, UM, IT LOOKS INCREDIBLE WHAT THEY CAN DO.
AND, UH, I THINK ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WHEN I WAS A SUPER, UH, SUPERVISOR, I WAS TRYING TO USE VINEGAR AS, AS, UH, AS AN, AS AN HERBICIDE, BUT IT WASN'T LISTED AS AN HERBICIDE.
BUT THERE IS WHAT, HOW EAST BAY MUD DOES IT NOW, IS THAT THERE IS, THERE IS A, UH, CONCENTRATED FORM OF, UH, UM, A VINEGAR AND THEN THEY JUST DILUTE IT DOWN.
SO YOU, WE, I JUST COULDN'T PURCHASE IT AS A HERBICIDE BECAUSE IT WAS A FOOD PRODUCT,
UM, UH, IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A NON HERBICIDE FOOD PRODUCT THAT WE CAN USE TO, TO DO WEEDS.
AND THE FACT THAT, UM, AND I'M GONNA MAKE A PITCH FOR MY PARK RANGER SLASH VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR, UH, POSITION, WE COULD DO SPECIAL PROJECTS LIKE THIS ALL OVER THE PARK DISTRICT AND IN A NICE HOLISTIC WAY.
AND THEN, UM, UH, ON THE 12TH, I ATTENDED THE ANNUAL CLAREMONT CANYON MEETING AND, UH, GOT TO MEET THE NEW, UH, FIRE CHIEF FOR THE CITY OF OAKLAND.
AND, UM, AND THEY HERALDED THEIR, UH, THEIR, THEY'RE GETTING VERY CLOSE TO THEIR VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PLAN.
AND OF COURSE, I, I'M BEING, WE'RE BEING LOBBIED TO JOIN THE MOU, THE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT, MOU.
UM, AND THEN ALSO, UM, UH, LOOK AT THE PROPERTY AT THE, UH, AT STONE, AT THE STONEWALL, AND THEN HAD MY ONE-ON-ONE ON THE 13TH WITH SABRINA.
UM, THAT WAS VERY PRODUCTIVE AND VERY NICE.
WE ACTUALLY, WE HAD BREAKFAST
AND THEN, UH, ON THE 14TH, I ATTENDED THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE AT PROTO OAKS.
AND THEN ON THE 15TH, UH, I ATTENDED THE, UM, BAY AREA WORKFORCE CONFERENCE, FIRST ANNUAL AT THE CYPRESS MANDELA TRAINING CENTER.
AND OH MY GOD, I LEARNED SO MUCH.
UH, THERE'S A WHOLE PROGRAM TO GET YOUNG PEOPLE, UH, TRAINED UP SO THAT THEY CAN BECOME APPRENTICES IN THE TRADES.
AND, UM, AND THEN, UH, THERE'S THIS CERTIFICATION PROGRAM.
THEY GO THROUGH THE PROGRAM, THEN THEY GO TO THE UNIONS.
THEY, THEY, THEY, THEY, UH, INTERVIEW FOR APPRENTICESHIPS.
THEY, ONCE THEY GET THE APPRENTICESHIPS, THEN THEY, THEN THEY GET BENEFITS, PAID BENEFITS, AND, AND THEY, THEY GO ON JOBS, UH, AND THE, AND THE, AND THE, UH, THE, UH, THE TRADES THEMSELVES ARE ACTUALLY SUPPLYING THE TEACHERS.
AND SO, UH, IT'S REALLY AN INCREDIBLE PROGRAM.
AND THEN I ALSO LEARNED HOW, UH, ABOUT PLAS, A LOT MORE ABOUT PLAS AND HOW FLEXIBLE THEY ARE.
UH, I KNOW, UH, UH, WE WERE CONCERNED ABOUT, UH, DIVERSITY IN, IN THE TRADES.
IT TURNS OUT THAT, UM, OUSD, WHICH IS OAKLAND UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, ALAMEDA COUNTY, AND THE PORT OF OAKLAND AND OTHERS HAVE, HAVE STIPULATIONS IN THEIR CONTRACTS FOR, FOR PLAS THAT, UH, UH, YOU CAN, LIKE, I THINK LIKE 40 OR 50% OF THE, THE EMPLOYEES HAVE TO BE RESIDENTS OF, OF THE COUNTY OR THE CITY OR WHATEVER THE CONTRACT IS.
BUT THEY'RE INCREDIBLY FLEXIBLE AND THEY PROVIDE PORTABLE BENEFITS FOR WORKERS THAT ARE IN THE UNION.
AND, UM, AND THE EMPLOYERS THEMSELVES DON'T HAVE TO BE, UM, UH,
[01:00:01]
THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE UNION, BUT IT REALLY, BUT, BUT THEY JUST HAVE TO PAY PREVAILING WAGE AND, AND, UH, AND ABIDE BY THE PLA.BUT, UH, IT'S, I, IT WAS JUST MIND OPENING AND THE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT WERE INVOLVED IN THAT WERE JUST SO ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT, ABOUT IT.
SO I WAS, I WAS REALLY HAPPY I WENT.
AND THEN, UM, ON THE 15TH, OH, NO, THAT WAS THE 15TH, 16TH, I ATTENDED ANOTHER LAKE BREAKFAST CLUB, AND WE GOT TO, UM, MEET WITH THE, UM, BREAKFAST
IT'S A BREAKFAST CLUB, BUT WE HAVE GREAT, I MEAN, THIS GREAT SPEAKERS, UM, UH, THE GUEST CURATOR FOR THE, UH, AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM IN, LOCATED IN OAKLAND, UH, PATIA WILLIAMS. AND SHE DID THE, THE, UM, THE EXHIBIT FOR, UH, DR.
MARCUS WILLIAM, UH, FOSTER, WHO WAS ASSASSINATED IN OAKLAND BACK, UH, MUST'VE BEEN 15, 20 YEARS AGO NOW.
BUT HER JOURNEY ABOUT HOW, HOW SHE, 'CAUSE SHE, IT WAS OBVIOUSLY BEYOND HER TIME AND HOW SHE RESEARCHED AND, AND WAS ABLE TO PUT THE, THE EXHIBIT TOGETHER.
BUT THAT EXHIBIT IS OPEN, UH, DECEMBER 6TH, SO IT'D BE A GREAT PART OF OAKLAND HISTORY.
UH, AND THEN ON THE 20TH, I ATTENDED THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
AND THEN, UM, AND THEN TODAY I'M HERE.
AND THEN I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A, A SHOUT OUT FOR, UM, UH, ON THE, ON THE SEVENTH, I ATTENDED THE, UH, WASN'T THE SEVENTH, IT WAS THE THIRD.
I ATTENDED THE, UH, ADVISORY BOARD FOR THE, UM, MERITT COLLEGE ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABLE COM, UM, BOARD.
AND THEY'RE LOOKING FOR, UH, THEY'RE LOOKING FOR INSTRUCTORS TO TEACH, UH, YOU KNOW, JIM O'CONNOR STARTED A, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL TECH CLASS.
MM-HMM,
SO, UM, THEY NEED AN INSTRUCTOR TO TEACH THE OPERATIONS PART.
DAVE SAMAN, WHO IS OUR, IF YOU REMEMBER DAVE, UH, HE'S TEACHING THE ENVIRONMENTAL SIDE.
SO THEY'RE LOOKING FOR A, UH, AN OPERATIONS INSTRUCTOR.
SO MINIMUM REQUIREMENT IS A BACHELOR'S DEGREE.
SO IF ANYBODY'S INTERESTED, IF, IF YOU'RE WORKING OR RETIRED, SPREAD THE WORD, UH, LET ME KNOW AND I'LL GET YOU IN TOUCH.
YOU CAN UNBUCKLE YOUR SEAT BELTS.
UM, I TOO HAD MY ONE-ON-ONE WITH SABRINA ON THE 14TH.
UH, WE HAD A GREAT HIKE IN LAKE CHABOT AND TALKED ABOUT SOME, SOME ISSUES AT TRAIL, UM, UH, RESILIENCY FROM THE NEW SET OF STORMS. WE'RE STILL RECOVERING FROM THE LAST ONES AND, AND, UH, UM, SHOULD BE A BIG, BIG YEAR THIS YEAR.
UH, EVERYBODY'S PREDICTING IT.
UM, ON THE 16TH I ATTENDED THE REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION, UH, LUNCHEON AND RETREAT.
AS, AS DIRECTOR ECKLES SAID, UH, GREAT GROUP OF PEOPLE CHOMPING AT THE BIT TO DO GREAT THINGS.
UH, AND THEN IF YOU'LL DIRECT YOUR ATTENTION, I, I HAD ONE OF THE FUNNEST THINGS I DID THIS WEEKEND WAS GO TO CHA PUJA, WHICH IS, UH, WAS A SPECIAL EVENT, NOT WITHOUT, UM, NOT WITHOUT ITS DRAMA IN THE PARK DISTRICT, BUT WE GOT A SPECIAL EVENT DOWN AT QUARRY LAKES PARK.
UH, CH PUJA IS A CELEBRATION, UH, BY A SECT OF THE HINDU RELIGION THAT MOSTLY PRESIDES IN PROVINCES IN INDIA AND NEPAL.
BUT THERE'S OBVIOUSLY A GREAT POPULATION HERE IN THE BAY AREA, ESPECIALLY IN, IN SOUTH, UH, ALAMEDA COUNTY AND FREMONT.
UH, AND THEY CELEBRATE, UM, THE BOND BETWEEN HUMANS AND NATURE AND THE POWER OF FAITH AND PERSEVERANCE BY OFFERING PRAYERS.
AND THEY GET IN THE, THE, THE ONLY DIFFERENCE OF ANY OTHER CELEBRATION OR OBSERVANCE IS IN, IN THIS BELIEF SYSTEM.
YOU NEED TO BE IN THE WATER AT SUNSET OF THIS, UM, OBSERVANCE AND THEN ALSO IN THE WATER ON THE SUNRISE THE NEXT MORNING.
AND, UH, DEBORAH, COULD YOU GO TO A NEXT SLIDE OR TWO? BUT EVERYBODY IS DRESSED JUST INCREDIBLY.
THE OFFERING OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, UH, AND PEOPLE DRESSED UP.
UM, UH, I, YOU KNOW, I I, I LOBBY FOR THIS.
I, I, I'M, AS YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE COME BEFORE OUR BOARD AND TALKED ABOUT THIS.
UH, I THINK IF WE CAN GET THE ORGANIZATIONAL END OF IT DOWN, THIS JUST, THIS IS JUST A GREAT CELEBRATION.
THESE ARE WONDERFUL PEOPLE WHO ARE VERY THANKFUL.
[01:05:01]
AT THE EXIT GATE, UH, AND IT'S A VERY NARROW EXIT GATE COMING OUT OF THE, UH, SWIM CENTER, BUT EVERY SINGLE PERSON WAS VERY THANKFUL AND, AND, AND THANKING US AND THE PARK STAFF OF WHAT A GREAT JOB THAT IT WAS.IT WAS A COLD, INTERESTING, WET NIGHT, BUT EVERY, DIDN'T DIDN'T, UH, DIDN'T DISSUADE ANYONE FROM HAVING A WONDERFUL OBSERVANCE.
SO, UH, JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU.
DO THEY SPEND THE NIGHT RIGHT THERE?
THESE ARE, THESE ARE PRETTY MODERN FOLKS.
UM, UH, TO SPEND THE NIGHT IN THE WATER OUT THERE, IT WAS FREEZING.
THEY ALL GOT IN THEIR CARS, DROVE HOME AND CAME BACK THE NEXT MORNING AS DID I, UH, 'CAUSE IT WAS PRETTY COLD.
AND DID WE GIVE THEM PERMISSION TO, TO, TO ENLARGE THE, UM, TENANT? YES.
THE, UM, WE, WE WORKED WITH THEM.
UH, YOU KNOW, THEY FEEL THEY COULD DO 10,000 PEOPLE IF THEY, IF THEY HAD THE ABILITY.
WE OF COURSE SAY, WHOA, HOLD ON.
WE, WE NEED TO GET THINGS ORGANIZED HERE.
AND, AND THERE WAS LOTS OF COMPROMISES ALONG THE WAY, AND I'D LIKE TO THANK STAFF FOR ALL THAT, BUT THERE'S PLENTY OF ROOM.
IF YOU SAW THE PHOTOS, NOBODY GETS IN THE WATER ABOVE THEIR, SOME OF THE REAL PURITANS OR THE PILGRIMS GET OUT THERE TO THEIR KNEES.
AND I, I ALSO FOUND OUT THAT LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE, UH, YOU, YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO BE OBSERVANT IF ONE OF YOUR REPRESENTATIVES OR ONE OF YOUR PEOPLE IS IN THE WATER AND YOU TOUCH THEM.
AND SO THERE WAS THIS CHAIN, AND SO PEOPLE HAD SAID, I'M NOT GETTING IN THAT WATER.
I'M NOT TAKING MY MY SHOES OFF AND GETTING THAT WATER.
YOU COULD TOUCH THE PERSON NEXT TO YOU AS LONG AS ROSS WAS IN THE WATER.
IF WE WERE ALL TOUCHING ROSS, WE WERE OBSERVANT.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, QUIRKY STUFF.
BUT IT WAS COOL AND EVERYBODY LOVED IT, AND EVERYBODY HAD A GREAT TIME.
AND, AND, UH, I DID, UH, FOLKS, UH, GENEROUSLY GAVE ME FOOD AND, AND, AND DESCRIBED SOME OF THE CUSTOMS TO ME.
UM, WHAT ELSE? UM, YESTERDAY I ATTENDED THE PRE-BOARD MEETING.
AND, AND I WOULD BE, UH, UH, REMISS IF I DIDN'T MENTION THAT, UH, BEFORE THIS MEETING TODAY, WE HAD A CEREMONIAL, OR NOT A CEREMONIAL, A VERY OFFICIAL COIN FLIP TO SEE WHO WOULD BE THE NEW SECRETARY, THE INCOMING SECRETARY OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, UH, TRADITION HALL.
UH, JOHN AND OLIVIA WERE ELECTED AT THE SAME TIME, SAME DAY, THEORETICALLY.
SO THEY HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF SENIORITY, BUT WE HAVE A POSITION, UH, IN THE ROTATION THROUGH THE LEADERSHIP, UH, OF ONE POSITION, THE SECRETARY'S POSITION.
SO WE, WE HAD A CEREMONIAL COIN FLIP.
WE WANTED TO DO A SWIM AT ROBERTS OR A, UH,
SO WE FLIPPED A COIN AND UM, AS IT TURNED OUT, JOHN MERCURIO WILL BE THE INCOMING SECRETARY OF THE BOARD.
AND THANK YOU FOR GOING ALONG WITH OLIVIA.
SO, UM, WITH THAT, IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER, I JUST WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT I ORDERED THE OTHER COIN.
UM, IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE, HAPPY THANKSGIVING.
EVERYBODY HAVE A GREAT HOLIDAY.