[00:00:03]
THIS IS THE CLOSED SESSION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT ON FEBRUARY 20TH, 2024, BEGINNING AT 1106.
[ROLL CALL]
MADAM CLERK, CAN YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLE? YES.AND YOU JUST WALKED IN? DIRECTOR CORBIT HERE.
UH, GENERAL MANAGER LANDRETH HERE.
AND ASSISTANT GENERAL COUNSEL ROSENBERG HERE.
SO DIRECTOR WASPY IS APPEARING REMOTELY.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER INDIVIDUALS 18 YEARS OF AGE OR WHO WILL BE PRESENT IN THE ROOM WITH YOU AT YOUR LOCATION? NO, THERE ARE NOT.
SO DO YOU WANT US TO GO AHEAD AND PROVE THE AGENDA HERE? I GUESS SO.
UM, WE DID HAVE SOMEBODY COMING FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE DON'T KNOW IF THEY ARE COMING ON AN ITEM.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA OR NOT.
IT'S GOTTA BE ON THE CLOSED SESSION.
NO, HE COULD DO IT AT 1:00 PM OKAY.
[CLOSED SESSION ITEMS]
ALL RIGHT.SO WE WILL, UH, CONVENE IN CLOSED SESSION AT THIS TIME.
DIRECTOR WAPI, YOU CAN LOG OUT OF THIS AND LOG INTO THE CLOSED SESSION.
THIS IS THE REGULAR BOARD MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT ON FEBRUARY 20TH, AND WE ARE BEGINNING AT 1:15 PM UH, MADAM CLERK, CAN YOU
[ROLL CALL]
PLEASE CALL THE ROLE? YES.ASSISTANT GENERAL COUNSEL ROSENBERG HERE.
[PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
DIRECTOR SAN JUAN TO PLEASE LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.IF EVERYONE COULD PLEASE STAND THE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG.
FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC TO STAND ONE NATION UNDER GOD WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
[LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT]
AM GONNA ASK DIRECTOR ROSARIO TO PLEASE LEA READ OUR LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.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 HOUCHIN TERRITORY, WHICH IS THEIR TRADITIONAL ANCESTRAL AND SHARED HOME.
SINCE TIME IMMEMORIAL, THE ALLONE PEOPLE HAVE AND CONTINUE TO LIVE IN RECIPROCITY WITH NATURE, UNDERSTANDING THE SESSIONS OR 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 AND WHO CONTINUE TO REMAIN DEEPLY CONNECTED, CONNECTED TO IT TODAY.
UH, DIRECTOR WASPY IS APPEARING REMOTELY TODAY.
UH, DIRECTOR, ARE THERE ANY OTHER INDIVIDUALS 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER WHO WILL BE PRESENT IN THE ROOM WITH YOU TODAY? NO, THERE WILL NOT.
AND JUST FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO ASK WHEN SOMEONE IS ATTENDING REMOTELY.
NOW, UH, WE CAN MOVE ON TO APPROVING THE AGENDA.
[APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
[00:05:01]
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA? SO MOVED.WE WERE ASKED TO, UM, OH, NEVERMIND.
IS THERE A SECOND TO APPROVE THE AGENDA? SECOND.
ARE THERE ANY SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS TODAY? OKAY.
[PUBLIC COMMENT]
TO PUBLIC COMMENTS.AND SO AT THIS POINT, WE WILL, UH, TAKE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA.
IF YOU'RE SPEAKING ON A ITEM THAT IS ON THE AGENDA, UM, YOU WILL NEED TO TALK ABOUT IT WHEN WE ARE AT THAT PLACE IN THE AGENDA SO THAT WE CAN HEAR YOUR COMMENTS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THAT ITEM.
UM, SO AT THIS POINT, I'LL ASK THE CLERK, UM, TO EXPLAIN THE, THE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
PRESIDENT EC ECHOS PUBLIC COMMENTS MAY BE SUBMITTED ONE OF THREE WAYS VIA EMAIL TO PUBLIC COMMENT@EBPARKS.ORG VIA VOICEMAIL AT 5 1 0 5 4 4 2 0 1 6, AND LEAVING A MESSAGE WHICH WILL, WHICH WILL BE TRANSCRIBED AND GIVEN TO THE BOARD AND MADE A PART OF THE PUBLIC RECORD.
OR SIMPLY BY JOINING THE MEETING VIA THE ZOOM LINK, WHICH IS LISTED ON THE AGENDA, THE SUBMISSION OF PUBLIC COMMENTS WAS NOTICED ON THE AGENDA AND IN THE BOARD PACKET, WHICH WAS POSTED, UH, ON THE DISTRICT'S WEBSITE, FEBRUARY THE 16TH.
ALL EMAILS RECEIVED PRIOR TO THE DEADLINE ON YESTERDAY, FEBRUARY THE 19TH, HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED TO THE BOARD AND TO THE EXECUTIVE TEAM.
ANY COMMENTS THAT HAVE COME IN AFTER THIS DATE WILL BE ORGANIZED AND GIVEN TO THE BOARD AFTER THIS MEETING AND MADE A PART OF THE RECORD.
AND I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS STILL CONNECTED.
YES, DIRECTOR WASPY IS STILL THERE.
UM, SO FIRST OF ALL, HAS THE CLERK RECEIVED ANY EMAILS OR SPEAKER CARDS FROM THE PUBLIC FOR ANY ITEMS ON THE OPEN SESSION? NOT ON THE AGENDA.
I'M GONNA DO A QUICK LOOK ON THE ZOOM ROOM AND SEE IF THERE'S ANYBODY THERE.
UM, WE'RE GONNA START WITH, UH, RENEE PATTERSON, FOLLOWED BY JUDY MARTIN, SUSAN GONZALEZ, AND PAUL RANKIN.
RENEE, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES, MA'AM.
UH, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, MY NAME'S RENEE PATTERSON.
I WORK HERE AT PERALTA OAKS ON THE THIRD FLOOR IN AN ADMINISTRATIVE ANALYST IN BUSINESS SERVICES.
SO I'M HERE TO REMIND YOU, AS I DO EVERY BOARD MEETING, AT LEAST THE ONES I CAN MAKE ABOUT THE PERPS FILING WITH THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA PUBLIC EMPLOYEE BOARD, ASK ME, FILED AN UNFAIR PRACTICE CHARGE ON AUGUST 26TH, 2022.
AND THE CHARGES WERE FOR BAD FAITH, BARGAINING, INTERFERENCE, DIRECT DEALING, AND UNILATERAL IMPLEMENTATION.
AND TO MY KNOWLEDGE, NOTHING HAS MOVED ON THIS, UH, CHARGE EITHER FROM THE PARK DISTRICT OR PERPS.
SO I'M JUST HERE TO REMIND YOU, AS I WILL AT EVERY BOARD MEETING UNTIL SOMETHING HAPPENS, OR AT LEAST UNTIL I HEAR SOMETHING HAPPENS, OR MAYBE YOU HEAR SOMETHING HAPPEN AND TELL ME.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER, JUDY MARTIN.
MY NAME IS JUDY MARTIN CONCESSIONAIRE AT PIEDMONT STABLES, AND I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT PROBLEMS AT PIEDMONT STABLES WHERE I RUN WRITING LESSONS, SUMMER CAMPS AND CHILDREN PROGRAMS. WE ALSO CATER TO UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH GROUPS.
I'VE BEEN DOING THIS SINCE 2003.
WE, UM, IN 2003, WE STRUCK AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE DISTRICT AND MYSELF THAT IF WE RAISED A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS TO DO PROJECTS AT PIEDMONT STABLES, THE THE DISTRICT WOULD DO WORK THAT HAD BEEN RECOMMENDED.
FROM 2004, I RAISED THE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, AND IT'S BEEN TWO DECADES AND NOT ALL OF THOSE PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN COMPLETED.
SPECIFICALLY WHAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT IS THE FINDING OF LEAD PAINT IN THE FACILITY.
AND THAT LEAD PAINT IS PEELING AND FLAKING IN THIS CHILD OCCUPIED BUILDING.
UM, WITH THAT AND THE LACK OF A NECESSARY SHAVING STORAGE BUILDING BECAUSE THE DISTRICT
[00:10:01]
TORE DOWN A, A SHAVING STORAGE BUILDING AND WAS NOT ABLE TO PUT IT BACK UP AGAIN.I'M HITTING REALLY HARD FINANCIAL TIMES.
I HAVE, I'M, I CAN'T BRING KIDS INTO THE FACILITY.
I CAN'T RUN PROGRAMS. I CAN'T INVITE NEW BOARDERS UNTIL SOMETHING'S DONE.
SO I'M ASKING YOU TO PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS.
ONE THING YOU COULD DO IS ABATE MY RENT DURING THE TIME UNTIL SUCH TIME AS THE LEAD IS ABATED AND AS SUCH TIME THAT THE SHAVINGS SHED IS FINISHED AND I CAN RUN PROGRAMS AS NORMAL.
I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE A LOT ON YOUR PLATE, AND I REALIZE THAT YOU HAVE A LOT OF STRUCTURES AND A LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S OLD.
AND I BEG YOU TO PLEASE PUT MONEY AND TIME INTO THESE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT STRUCTURES.
KIDS BENEFIT FROM BEING OUTDOORS.
THEY BENEFIT FROM BEING WITH ANIMALS AND ADULTS AND THOSE AT RISK.
DOES A GREAT THING FOR THE PUBLIC TO ACCESS THE PARK AND TO BE ABLE TO GET IN THERE AND APPRECIATE WHAT YOU HAVE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
UM, I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ABOUT THIS, ABOUT THE HISTORY OF PIEDMONT STABLES AND WHAT'S GONE ON FROM 2003.
AND ACTUALLY I BOARDED THERE IN 1979, SO I HAVE A LONG HISTORY WITH THE PIEDMONT STABLES.
NEXT SPEAKER IS SUSAN GONZALEZ
SUSAN GONZALEZ, FIVE 50 MCKINLEY COURT.
SO I'D LIKE TO BEGIN FIRST BY SAYING THAT I RECOGNIZE THE EMPLOYER'S RIGHT TO CHANGE TO THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATORS.
UM, BUT I DO FEEL COMPELLED TO COMMUNICATE TO THE BOARD THAT I THINK THAT DISTRICT STAFF NEEDS TO DO A BETTER JOB IN MANAGING, UM, THESE CHANGES.
A FAIRLY RECENT CHANGE WAS TO MOVE THE, UH, MEDICAL FLEX SPENDING ACCOUNT ADMINISTRATION TO THE PA GROUP.
UM, IT'S NOW GOING ON A COUPLE OF YEARS AND, UH, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT SEPARATE FROM, UM, THE, UH, SETUP, WHICH IT'S KIND OF STANDARD TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH, UH, WHEN YOU'RE INITIALLY SETTING UP, UH, SOMETHING.
BUT BEYOND THAT, THERE JUST HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS, NUMEROUS, UM, PROBLEMS IN BEING OVERPAID, UNDERPAID.
LAST MONTH I RECEIVED NO PAYMENT, THEN I RECEIVED DOUBLE PAYMENT IN FEBRUARY.
THEN I RECEIVED A CHECK FOR $7 AND 88 CENTS, WHICH, UM, HAD NO EXPLANATION.
AND, UH, UH, IT'S A SMALL GROUP OF RETIREES THAT ACTUALLY TALK A LOT.
SO I, UH, WE ALL COMMUNICATE AND I KNOW THAT MY SITUATION IS NOT UNIQUE.
NOW, THE DISTRICT STAFF HAVE ELECTED TO MOVE FROM MISSION SQUARE TO EMPOWER WITH VERY SHORT NOTICE.
I KNOW OF AT LEAST A COUPLE OF PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY HAVE RECEIVED NO NOTIFICATION.
THEY'RE NOT RETIREES, BUT THEY ARE SEPARATED FROM THE ORGANIZATION.
SO I JUST LIKE TO REMIND THE BOARD, UM, OF A COUPLE THINGS.
I THINK IT'S ACTUALLY KIND OF SHORTSIGHTED AND A LITTLE DISRESPECTFUL IN A WAY, UM, THAT THE RETIREES GROUP HAS ALWAYS SUPPORTED THE PARK DISTRICT.
UM, WE ARE, UM, OFTENTIMES, UH, VOLUNTEERS.
I KNOW I PERSONALLY HAVE SUPPORTED THE BOARD.
I HAVE PERSONALLY BEEN APPROACHED TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE AND DONE SO IN A TIMELY MANNER.
WE SUPPORT BOND MEASURES, WHICH WILL COME UP AGAIN AND WHICH WILL REQUIRE SUPPORT.
AND I'M SURE THAT YOU'LL BE LOOKING TO US FOR SUPPORT.
MANY OF THE RETIREES SUPPORT THAT FOUNDATION.
AND SO I JUST THINK THAT IT'S NOT NICE.
I THINK, UH, THAT THERE SHOULD BE MORE CONSIDERATION.
I THINK MORE TIME SHOULD HAVE BEEN PROVIDED AND, UH, TO GIVE, BE GIVEN 20 DAYS NOTICE AND THEN TO FIND OUT THERE'S A BLACKOUT PERIOD.
AND SO YOU HAVE TO HURRY UP AND MAKE CHANGES RIGHT AWAY IS JUST REALLY NOT ADEQUATE FOR WHAT IS REALLY A, A PENSION SYSTEM FOR RETIREES.
SO AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I RESPECT THE RIGHT TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES BY THE DISTRICT, BUT I, UM, I THINK THAT YOU SHOULD ACTUALLY CONSIDER EXTENDING THE TIME OF IMPLEMENTATION BY MONTH.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS PAUL RANKIN.
[00:15:01]
YOU.UM, THE, IN THE FIRST PART OF YOUR, UM, PRESENTATION WAS THAT, THAT WASN'T IN REGARD TO MISSION SQUARE.
WAS THAT P PA P AND A GROUP? YES.
IT'S A GROUP IN, UH, NEW YORK, I THINK.
THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
UH, AND EXCUSE ME, IT REPRESENTS THE, UH, CALPERS, UH, UH, MEDICAL REIMBURSEMENTS AS WELL AS MEDICARE, UH, PART B REIMBURSEMENTS.
OKAY, MR. RANKIN, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES, SIR.
BOARD MEMBERS, GOOD AFTERNOON.
MY NAME'S PAUL RANKIN, AND I HAD THE HONOR OF SERVING AS THE DISTRICT CFO CONTROLLER FROM 1999 TO 2002.
MY PURPOSE FOR SPEAKING TODAY IS BASED ON PERSONAL IMPACTS FROM THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS REGARDING CHANGING THE ADMINISTRATOR FOR EMPLOYEE FUNDED.
IN OTHER WORDS, IT'S ALL ONLY EMPLOYEE FUNDS THAT WENT IN THERE RETIREMENT SAVINGS.
AS ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES, YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO INFLUENCE AND MAKE DECISIONS ON A LOT OF VERY FUN AND COOL PUBLIC FACING PROJECTS, POLICIES, PROGRAMS. BUT AS THE ADMINIS, AS THE BOARD OF A ESSENTIALLY CORPORATION, YOU ALSO HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO HANDLE CERTAIN ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS.
LAST OCTOBER, THE BOARD APPROVED THE CHANGE IN THE 4 0 1 DEFERRED COMP PROVIDER, AS SUSAN SAID, I ALSO DON'T DISAGREE THAT THAT'S YOUR RIGHT TO DO.
THE BOARD REPORTS SAID DURING THE TRANSITION PERIOD, THE PARK DISTRICT WILL PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PLAN PARTICIPANTS TO LEARN ABOUT EMPOWER AND ITS RESOURCES.
THE NEXT TIME IT CAME BEFORE THE BOARD WAS TWO WEEKS AGO, I GOT NOTIFIED AFTER THAT ON FEBRUARY 10TH AND WAS TOLD I HAVE UNTIL TOMORROW AFTERNOON TO MAKE ANY CHANGES IN MY INVESTMENTS IF I WANTED TO MOVE THE FUNDS OR WHATEVER.
AND THEN THERE WILL BE A BLACKOUT PERIOD TILL MARCH 10TH.
NO TRANSACTIONS, NO WITHDRAWALS, NO CHANGES IN INVESTMENTS FROM TOMORROW TILL MARCH 10TH.
UM, SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT SIX BUSINESS DAYS TO DO THIS, IS THAT REASONABLE? I THINK WE WOULD ALL SAY NO.
WHAT'S AT STAKE? I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE INVOLVED, BUT IF YOU HAD TURNED TO PAGE 83 IN OCTO IN ON FEBRUARY 6TH AT THE VERY BACK OF THIS, THIS, IT HAD A LIST OF THE INVESTED FUNDS, $120 MILLION OF AN EMPLOYEE, OF EMPLOYEE FUNDS ARE SITTING THERE.
AND YOU GAVE US ESSENTIALLY NO NOTICE.
I ALSO, IT'S MY PERCEPTION THAT INQUIRIES TO STAFF TO THE NEW PROVIDER HAVE NOT RECOGNIZED THE URGENCY OF YOUR DEFINED SIX BUSINESS DAY DECISION PERIOD.
THIS, THE PROGRAM IS NOT THE SAME IN MY CASE.
YOU CAN CHANGE IT, BUT GIVE ME TIME TO ADAPT.
I HAVE A CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER THAT I'VE BEEN, MY WIFE AND I HAVE WORKED WITH FOR THE PAST SIX TO EIGHT YEARS THAT THAT'S NOW A REPUTABLY GONE.
AND I'M SUPPOSED TO MAKE A DECISION ON MY ENTIRE NEST EGG FOR RETIREMENT IN THAT AMOUNT OF TIME.
SOMEONE DROPPED THE BALL, IT DIDN'T FOLLOW WHAT YOU SAID YOU WERE GONNA DO, OR WHAT YOU WERE TOLD WAS GONNA BE DONE IN OCTOBER.
I I REALLY HOPE THAT YOU LEARN FROM IT.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU CAN DO, BUT THE EXPERIENCE IS NOT WELL.
WE HAVE, UM, ONE PERSON IN THE ZOOM ROOM.
WE'RE GONNA TRY TO ELEVATE THEM.
SO, UM, I'M, UH, HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK WITH THE BOARD ONCE AGAIN.
UM, I JUST WANT TO REVIEW, UH, MY CASE ON, UH, IN JULY OF LAST YEAR, THE STAFF AT CHABOT WENT IN, UH, FOR SOME REASON SAW MY TENT AS ABANDONED.
NOW IT WAS A BRAND NEW TENT WITH A TOP OF THE LINE, THERMAL REST MATTRESS IN IT, TOP OF THE LINE, REI SLEEPING BANG IN IT, A LEATHER ENCASED PILLOW,
[00:20:01]
AND SOME OTHER HIGH QUALITY ITEMS. WHY ANYBODY WOULD SEE THAT ITEM AS ABANDONED IS BEYOND MY COMPREHENSION.THEY TOOK THAT TENT, THEY THREW IT IN THE BACK OF A DIRTY PICKUP TRUCK, DROVE IT TO THE WAREHOUSE AREA, THREW IT OUT OF THE TRUCK, WENT THROUGH THE STUFF, FOUND MY CHABOT CHECK-IN SLIP, UM, THREW IT BACK IN THE TRUCK, DROVE IT BACK TO MY CAMPSITE AND THREW IT BACK INTO MY CAMPGROUND.
WHEN I ARRIVED, I THOUGHT THERE'D BEEN A BAD WINDSTORM.
MY TENT WAS BASICALLY DESTROYED.
IT WAS LATE IN THE EVENING, CLOSE TO GETTING DARK.
AND I WANTED THE DAYLIGHT TO REBUILD MY CAMPSITE, WHICH I DID.
I ASKED OTHER CAMPERS ABOUT IT AND THEY TOLD ME WHAT, WHAT HAD HAPPENED.
AND THAT'S THE STORY I JUST TOLD YOU.
UM, I WENT TO THE WAREHOUSE AND HAD A MATURE, PROFESSIONAL, COMPOSED DISCUSSION WITH THE WOMAN THERE WHO LATER SENT ME AN EMAIL SAYING THAT I'D BE PAID.
I HAD, UM, SOME DIFFICULTIES WITH THE OFFICE STAFF, CHRIS.
UM, HE SORT OF LED ME TO BELIEVE THAT IF I EMAILED THEM THE COPY OF THE DOCUMENTS, 'CAUSE IT SEEMED TO BE TAKING A LONG TIME FOR USPS TO DELIVER THEM, UM, THAT I'D BE REIMBURSED.
UM, SO WE WAITED UNTIL THE USPS DELIVERED THE DOCUMENTS, WHICH YOU HAD.
AT THAT POINT, I ASKED IF I WAS GONNA BE PAID.
I WAS TOLD THAT THE PAYMENT WOULD BE PROCESSED VERY QUICKLY.
THEN OUT OF THE BLUE CAME A LARGE DOCUMENT FROM THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT, UM, PAGES AND PAGES OF LEGAL JARGON, WHICH, UM, I'M NOT AN ATTORNEY AND, UH, DON'T, UH, YOU KNOW, DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY, WHY WE'RE GOING DOWN THAT PATH.
BUT THE THING IS THIS IS, THIS IS A, UM, CLEARLY AN ERROR, UH, ON THE PARK'S BEHALF.
UM, AND IN A WAY, UH, WELL, I'VE CLEARLY BEEN DRAFTED INTO THIS SITUATION, BUT I'M BEING HELD, UM, OR DRAGGED THROUGH EEL DEFINE PROCESS AFTER EEL DEFINE PROCESS AFTER ILL DEFINE PROCESS, CONSUMING MY TIME AND ENERGY WITH NO CONSIDERATION FOR MY TIME AND ENERGY.
MR. DYSON, THAT'S YOUR TIME, SIR.
WE DO NOT HAVE ANY MORE, UM, SPEAKERS IN THE ZOOM ROOM.
UM, WE WILL LOOK INTO THE SITUATION.
UM, OKAY, SO CLERK, UH, IF OUR MADAM CLERK COULD LET US KNOW IF THEIR REQUESTS FOR COMMENTS ON ANY OF THE OPEN SESSION ITEMS. YES.
UM, PRESIDENT ECCLES, WE HAVE A COMMENT ON, WE HAVE 20, ANY 24 COMMENTS ON, UM, ITEM, THE ITEM REGARDING KEYSTONE.
JUST LOOKING HERE FOR THE NUMBER.
AND THEN WE HAVE, UM, I THINK THAT'S THE ONLY THING WE HAVE COMMENTS ON, PUBLIC COMMENTS.
UH, WELL, THANK YOU EVERYBODY WHO'S HERE TODAY, WE DON'T USUALLY HAVE SUCH A CROWD, BUT THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING.
UM, WHETHER YOU'RE HERE FOR KEYSTONE OR DEFERRED COMP OR, UM, MR. DYSON WHO HAD ANOTHER ISSUE ALTOGETHER, UM, IN PIEDMONT STABLES, WE, WE WELCOME YOUR COMMENTS AND APPRECIATE THAT YOU'RE HERE.
UM, GIVEN THAT THERE ARE 24 COMMENTS ON KEYSTONE, I'M GOING TO ASK THAT YOU PLEASE, UM, SPEAK FOR TWO MINUTES INSTEAD OF THREE MINUTES SO THAT WE CAN COVER ALL OF OUR BUSINESS TODAY.
UM, AND I DO WANNA ASSURE EVERYBODY THAT WE, WE DID RECEIVE 30 PLUS EMAILS ON THIS ISSUE AS WELL, AND WE HAVE READ AND REVIEWED THOSE EMAILS THAT CAME IN.
UM, SO WE ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE ISSUE, BUT I, I DO WANNA GIVE EVERYBODY AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK, WHO WANTS TO SPEAK, BUT IF YOU COULD KINDLY SPEAK FOR TWO MINUTES INSTEAD OF THREE, WE'D APPRECIATE IT.
AT THIS POINT, UM, WE CAN PROCEED TO OUR CONSENT CALENDAR.
WE, WE, AND, AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, SO I THINK THE CLERK HAS ALREADY EXPLAINED TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE KEYSTONE, UM, THAT YOU WILL SPEAK WHEN THAT ITEM COMES UP ON THE AGENDA.
SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE GONNA MOVE TO THE
[CONSENT CALENDAR]
CONSENT CALENDAR UNDER,[00:25:02]
UM, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO, I UNDERSTAND THERE'S SOME, SOME ITEMS THAT ARE GONNA BE PULLED FROM THE CONSENT? YES.ITEM THREE, CONSENT TO THE GENERAL MANAGER'S HIRING FOR THE POSITION OF ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER OF FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES.
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER DIRECTOR MECURIO REQUESTED THAT THAT ITEM BE PULLED.
AND DIRECTOR ROSARIO HAD A QUESTION ON THAT ITEM.
THE OTHER ITEM WHERE THERE WAS A, UH, QUESTION.
I DON'T KNOW IF DIRECTOR ROSARIO, THAT QUESTION HAS BEEN RES, UH, RESPONDED TO ITEM NUMBER FIVE, UM, REGARDING THE REPAIR TO LAKE ANZA DAM PROJECT.
IF WE HAVE STAFF HERE, IF THEY CAN BE PREPARED TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION AND QUESTIONS.
AND THEN ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, DIRECTOR ROSARIO HAD QUESTIONS.
HAVE YOU, I GOT AN ANSWER TO THAT.
SO, UM, AND PARDON ME, MADAM CHAIR, IF I CAN INTERRUPT, UM, MAY I ASK A QUESTION ON A COUPLE ITEMS? SURE.
ARE THERE ITEMS THAT YOU WANNA PULL AT THIS POINT? DIRECTOR? WASPY NOT, NOT POLL.
JUST I HAVE QUESTIONS ON ITEM SIX, 10, AND 11, JUST WITH A QUESTION.
UM, I'M GONNA ASK OUR COUNSEL, DO WE NEED TO PULL THEM IN ORDER TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ON THEM? YOU DON'T NEED TO PULL 'EM IF YOU JUST HAVE A QUE CLARIFYING QUESTION.
SO IF YOU WANNA DISCUSS THOSE FIRST.
ROSSBY, TELL ME THE ONES YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ON AGAIN.
SO WE WILL, SO WE HAVE, UH, I GUESS D HAD, UH, DR. ROSARIO HAD HIS QUESTION ANSWERED ON SEVEN, BUT YOU STILL HAVE A QUESTION ON FIVE.
SO WE WILL, WE WILL, UH, GO IN NUMERICAL ORDER FOR SIMPLICITY.
SO WE'LL START WITH, UM, ITEM NUMBER FIVE.
ITEM NUMBER FIVE, JUST, UH, PRESIDENT ECCLES, IF I MAY READ THAT INTO THE RECORD.
IT'S AUTHORIZATION TO AWARD AND EXECUTE A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT IN THE AMOUNT OF 260,000 WITH HALEY AND ALDRICH INCORPORATED AND TRANSFER APPROPRIATED FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $598,757 FOR THE REPAIR LAKE KANSAS DAM PROJECT, TILDON REGIONAL PARK.
AND YOUR QUESTION, AWA, I THINK IT'S DIRECTOR ROSARIO
UH, TWO QUESTIONS, BUT, UM, ONE IS, UH, I JUST WANTED TO KNOW IF ANY OF THE CURRENT, UH, USES OF THE, UH, OF THE, HOW THE DAM IS USED, UH, IF THAT IS AFFECTING THE, UH, DAMAGE THAT'S BEING D THAT'S, THAT HAS TO BE REPAIRED, UH, ON THE DAM.
UH, RAN BATES, CHIEF OF DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORS RIO, UH, NO, I DON'T, I'M NOT SURE I COM I DON'T THINK THE EXISTING USES IN TERMS OF OUR RECREATION IS HAVING THIS IMPACT.
I THINK IT'S JUST GENERAL WEAR AND TEAR.
UH, AS THE BOARD REPORT STATES, UH, DSOD CAME OUT TO LOOK AT THIS AND HAD SOME CONCERNS THAT HAVE HIGHLIGHTED.
SO WE'RE HIRING A CONSULTANT TO HELP US RESOLVE THOSE.
AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAD A, WE'RE COMBINING THE, THE MOST RECENT REPORT HIGHLIGHTED SOME ADDITIONAL THINGS FROM WHEN WE FIRST WERE LOOKING AT DREDGING AROUND THE, UM, THE DRAIN VALVE THAT'S THERE.
SO WE'RE COMBINING THEM ALL INTO ONE SCOPE OF WORK THAT OUR, THE HIGHER THE, THIS CONSULTANT WHO WE'RE PROPOSING TO HIRE, WE'LL HELP US RESOLVE ALL THAT SO THAT WE CAN DO ONE PROJECT.
AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE TRANSFERRING FUNDS INTO THIS ONE PROJECT NUMBER.
UH, I'M, WELL, THIS CONTRACT WILL PROBABLY DEFINE HOW MUCH MONEY WE'RE GONNA SPEND.
DO YOU HAVE KIND OF A BALLPARK OF WHAT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION? YEAH.
NO, WE DON'T KNOW THAT QUITE YET.
IT IS GOING, AS YOU SAID, IT'S CONTINGENT UPON WHAT THIS STUDY AND THE HELP FROM THIS CONSULTANT WILL HELP US DETERMINE WHAT THAT COST WILL BE.
AND I CAN GO AHEAD AND READ THAT AND THEN LET, UH, DIRECTOR WASPY ASK HIS QUESTION.
THIS IS THE AUTHORIZATION TO PURCHASE 26 SELF-CONTAINED BREATHING APPARATUS FROM ALL STAR FIRE EQUIPMENT, TOTAL AMOUNT OF $218,343 AND 24 CENTS.
I, I, I FULLY SUPPORT THIS AND I'M VERY GLAD WE'RE UPDATING OUR, OUR SBAS.
I'M WONDERING, WE DO HAVE 26 SURPLUS SCBAS, AND I AM, UH, WE HAVE A PRETTY WONDERFUL TRADITION IN MY OPINION THAT IN, IN OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT BECOME OUT OF DATE.
IF YOU USE HOSE FOR MORE THAN FIVE YEARS, IT'S TESTED EVERY FIVE YEARS, AND THEN IT SOME POINT IT, IT HAS TO BE FARMED OUT AND GO OUT OF SERVICE.
THERE ARE ALSO A NUMBER OF VOLUNTEER FIRE AGENCIES, UH, IN OUR AREA THAT CAN USE THAT HOSE AND HAVE USED THAT HOSE.
I'VE DONATED, UH, TO TULAME COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS A VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT.
THEY CAN USE ALL THAT HOSE FOR TRAINING, UH, ALL KINDS OF THINGS.
UH, WE'VE ALSO DONATED, UH, I THINK TWO FIRE ENGINES TO LOCAL VOLUNTEER AGENCIES WHERE THEY TERM OUT FOR US.
BUT THEY'RE, THEY'RE WONDERFUL, UH, GIFTS, UH, TO
[00:30:01]
AGENCIES THAT NEED THEM.I'M WONDERING IF THESE CAN BE, UH, USED.
I KNOW THEY'RE, IF THEY'RE OUT OF DATE, YOU CAN'T USE THEM BY OSHA STANDARDS, BUT I'M SUGGESTING THAT POSSIBLY THEY COULD BE USED FOR TRAINING PURPOSES, UH, OR, OR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES.
AND I'M WONDERING IF WE INVESTIGATED GIVING THEM AWAY TO SOMEONE.
I SEE WE HAVE OUR, OUR FIRE CHIEF CHIEF TYLEE HERE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
HI, EILEEN TYLEE, FIRE CHIEF EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT.
WE ARE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF LOOKING AT THAT.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT, UM, THE CURRENT INSPI WEST CBAS THAT WE HAVE AS CBAS SELF-CONTAINED BREATHING APPARATUS, IT'S THE TANKS THAT GO ON THEIR BACK.
UM, THEY ARE NOT GOING TO MEET, UM, NIOSH OR CAL OSHA REQUIREMENTS IN THE END OF 2024 AND, UM, 2025.
SO THE QUESTION WOULD BE, WOULD IT STILL BE SUITABLE FOR TRAINING PURPOSES? AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT.
BUT, UM, I THINK THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND I HAVE A HISTORY OF DONATING THINGS WHENEVER WE CAN, AND SO WE'LL ABSOLUTELY EXPLORE THAT.
ONTO ITEM NUMBER 10, WHICH IS THE AUTHORIZATION TO ENTER INTO COST SHARING AGREEMENTS WITH PARTNERING WATER AGENCIES AND CONTINUED BUDGETED FUNDS FOR QA ZEBRA MUSSEL INSPECTION PROGRAMS AT PARK DISTRICT LAKE QUA DETERMINATION.
THIS, AGAIN, THIS IS JUST ANOTHER QUESTION.
IT'S, IT'S VERY INTERESTING TO ME.
WE'VE BEEN HAVING THESE INSPECTIONS SINCE 2008.
I'M WONDERING IF, AND I KNOW I, I THINK I KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE HISTORY OF QUAM MUSSELS.
I THINK THEY STARTED IN THE GREAT LAKES.
THEY GET INTO, UH, SERVICE PIPES, WATER PIPES, UH, ALL KINDS OF TRANSMISSION PIPING, UH, FOR CITIES, INFRASTRUCTURES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND THEY CLOG 'EM UP AND MAKE A TOTAL MESS.
UH, I'M WONDERING, AND AND THE FEAR WAS THAT IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD THOSE QUA MUSCLES OR ZEBRA MUS WOULD MIGRATE IN THIS DIRECTION WEST.
UH, I'M WONDERING IF THERE'S A STATUS ON THAT.
I MEAN, HAVE, HAVE THOSE, HAS THAT THREAT GOTTEN HERE? UH, DO ANY LAKES SURROUNDING OUR AREA HAVE ANY QUAM MUSSELS? HAVE WE EVER DISCOVERED ANY QUAM MUSSELS IN ANY OF OUR LAKES? HI, UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, RUBY TEBAR, ACTING BUSINESS SERVICES MANAGER.
I THINK THAT MIGHT BE A MORE APPROPRIATE QUESTION FOR A STEWARDSHIP, IF THERE'S A REPRESENTATIVE.
UM, IT'S DIFFICULT FOR ME TO ADDRESS THAT.
UH, WE, WE BASICALLY ADMINISTER THE QA PROGRAM AND THE CONTRACTS ITSELF, UH, THEMSELVES.
AND WE'RE HAPPY TO GET BACK TO YOU.
DIRECTOR WASPY WITH MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT.
I THINK THOSE ARE REALLY GREAT QUESTIONS.
NOW FINALLY, UH, NUMBER 11, UH, WHICH IS THE AUTHORIZATION TO INCREASE THE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT CONTINGENCY BY 90,000 WITH EF BRETT AND COMPANY TO AMEND CONSULTANT CONTRACT WITH QUEST TO ENGINEERING BY 40,000 AND TO TRANSFER APPROPRIATED FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF 200,000 FOR THE RENOVATION OF ROBERT'S POOL PROJECT.
WELL, I JUST SAY I LOOK FORWARD TO ROBERT'S OPENING AND I'M LOOKING AT THE, UH, THE, UH, AGENDA PACKET IN THE DESCRIPTION OF THE BACKGROUND.
IT SAYS CONSTRUCTION COMMENCED ON MARCH, 2022 AND WILL BE COMPLETED ON MARCH, 2024.
I EAGERLY AWAIT THAT OPENING DAY.
IS IT GOING TO OCCUR? REN BATES, CHIEF OF DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION? YES.
THIS IS TO FINALIZE THE CONTRACT AND GET EVERYTHING DONE SO THAT WE'LL BE OPEN WHEN IT'S TIME.
SO WE ARE HOPING TO BE DONE, YES, WE WILL BE DONE IN THE END OF MARCH WITH CON CONTRACT WORK.
OKAY, SO NOW, UM, WE'RE GONNA PULL, UH, ITEM THREE AND PASS THE REST OF THE AGENDA AS LONG.
UNLESS THERE AREN'T ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
IS THERE A SECOND? UH, THANK YOU.
AND BOARD PRESIDENT, UH, IT'S AT THE BOARD'S DISCRETION.
IF YOU WANNA TAKE ITEM THREE AFTER THE OPEN SESSION ITEMS, JUST FOR THE MEMBERS IN THE PUBLIC, IT'S UP TO YOU.
BUT YOU CAN MOVE THE AGENDA AROUND AND TAKE THREE LATER IF YOU'D PREFER.
WELL, I'LL ASK THE PERSON WHO PULLED DO, WOULD YOU? YES, I WOULD AGREE TO THAT.
AND THE INTEREST OF HAVING SO MANY PEOPLE HERE.
WE DON'T WANNA HOLD YOU UP ANY LONGER THAN WE HAVE TO, SO, UM, GREAT.
[00:35:01]
SO NEXT WE HAVE THE,[ACQUISITION, STEWARDSHIP AND DEVELOPMENT DIVISION]
UH, AUTHORIZATION TO AWARD JOB ORDER CONTRACTS.GOOD AFTERNOON BOARD MEMBERS, UH, RE BATES CHIEF OF DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION.
I'M HERE TO, UH, GIVE A PRESENTATION ON THIS NEXT ITEM.
PLEASE BEAR WITH ME WHILE I PULL UP MY PRESENTATION.
SO, UH, THE ITEM BEFORE YOU IS TO AUTHORIZE TWO, UH, JAW BOARD CONTRACTING CONTRACTS.
LET ME, SO HERE IS THE RECOMMENDATION.
WE'RE SEEKING TO AUTHORIZE TWO, UM, JAW ORDER CONTRACTING CONTRACTS WITH GRADE TECH AND MARK SCOTT RESPECTIVELY.
UM, WITH EACH CONTRACT FOR A ONE YEAR PERIOD FOR A MINIMUM CONTRACT VALUE OF $50,000 IN MAXIMUM CONTRACT VALUE OF 2 MILLION.
UM, I'LL GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON JAW ORDER CONTRACTING.
WE'VE BEEN UTILIZING IT HERE AT THE DI THE DISTRICT FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW.
UM, JOB ORDER CONTRACTING IS AN ALTERNATIVE COMPETITIVE PROCUREMENT METHOD TOWARD ANNUAL CONTRACTS FOR OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS, INCLUDING RENOVATION, REFURBISHMENT, REPAIRS, AND REMODELING.
UM, WE OPERATE THIS POLICY OR THIS PROGRAM UNDERNEATH THE PUBLIC CONTRACT CODE AND BY THE DISTRICT'S OWN JOB ORDER CONTRACTING POLICY, WHICH THIS BOARD, UH, ADOPTED.
SO A LITTLE BIT OF INFO BACKGROUND JUST FOR EVERYONE'S, UH, REMINDER.
THIS IS LIKE AN ON-CALL GENERAL CONTRACTOR WHO PERFORMS WORK ACCORDING TO UNIT PRICES THAT ARE SET RIGHT BEFORE WE GO OUT TO BID.
THOSE UNIT PRICES ARE SET BY OUR CONSULTANTS, WHO THE GORDIAN GROUP, UH, THEY HAVE RS MEANS, WHICH IS A NATIONWIDE COST ESTIMATING CONTRACTING.
THEY HAVE THAT, THAT INFORMATION AT THEIR DISPOSAL.
SO THEY HELP US PROVIDE A CONSTRUCTION TASK CATALOG, WHICH HAS TASKS, UH, BASED ON PREVAILING WAGE AND LOCAL MATERIALS.
UM, SO THE FIRST ROUND OF THIS PROGRAM WAS DONE IN 2016.
WE STARTED WITH, I BELIEVE, FOUR CONTRACTS AT A $1 MILLION VALUE MAXIMUM.
UM, SINCE THEN WE'VE WORKED UP TO, UH, ABOUT $2 MILLION IS OUR MINUTE NOW, UH, LIMIT.
NOW THE PUBLIC CONTRACTING CODE ALLOWS UP TO 5 MILLION FOR THESE CONTRACTS.
SO WE'RE ABOUT HALFWAY BETWEEN, UM, THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE HIS IN, IN THAT TIME IS THE LIST HERE THAT'S PROVIDED.
IT'S PROVEN VERY BENEFICIAL HERE AT THE DISTRICT.
UH, IF YOU REMEMBER, I, WE HAVE IN THE PAST WE'VE ESCALATED, OR NOT ESCALATED, BUT INCREASED THESE TO INCLUDE A LICENSES, WHICH IS GENERAL ENGINEERING B, WHICH IS BUILDING.
AND THEN WE HAVE, UH, PAVING CONTRACTS.
SO TYPICALLY WE COME AND WE HAVE THREE AND THREE AND TWO OF THOSE.
THIS IS DIFFERENT IN SUCH THAT WE'VE ONLY COMING FOR TWO AS.
AND THIS IS A RESULT OF THE FACT THAT WE ACTUALLY UTILIZED OUR JOB ORDER CONTRACTING TO DO STORM CLEANUP LAST YEAR, AND IT PROVED BENEFICIAL.
SO BASED ON THE REQUEST OF SEVERAL ENTITIES HERE AT THE DISTRICT, WE WENT OUT TO HAVE TWO CONTRACTS THAT WE COULD ENTER INTO THAT WOULD PROVIDE MORE CAPACITY AS WE HAVE RAIN HAPPENING CURRENTLY.
UM, SO THE CONTRACT LIMITS ARE SET FOR A YEAR.
THAT YEAR IS BASED ON WHEN WE ISSUED A FIRST NTP, SO IT DOESN'T ACTUALLY SYNC UP.
SO THESE CONTRACTS, FOR INSTANCE, WE'LL AUTHORIZE AWARD TODAY, WE'LL ENTER INTO AGREEMENT, WE'LL GET THEM STARTED.
AND THEN ONCE WE ACTUALLY GIVE THEM AN NTP THAT STARTS THE ANNUAL CONTRACT.
SO THEY'LL HAVE, WE HAVE THEM TO USE AS AN ON-CALL FOR A YEAR FROM THAT, FROM THAT TIME OF ISSUE OF NTP.
THE OTHER THING TO NOTE IS THAT WE ONLY HAVE TO OFFER $50,000 IN WORK.
IF IT DOES COMES BACK IN THAT CONTRACTOR.
WE DON'T REACH AGREEMENT WITH THAT.
WE'VE, WE'VE SUFFICED THE CON CONDITIONS OF THE CONTRACT AND THEN WE HAVE A MAXIMUM NOT TO EXCEED OF 22 MILLION PER CONTRACT.
UM, SO WE DID GO OUT TO BID AND OUR BIDDING PROCESS FOR THIS IS LAID OUT BEFORE YOU, I'LL JUST HIGHLIGHT IT.
UM, WE WORK AGAIN WITH THE GORDIAN GROUP TO UPDATE OUR CONSTRUCTION CAST TASK CATALOG SO THAT IT'S THE MOST CURRENT PRICES.
UM, WE PUBLICLY ADVERTISE THAT.
I WILL SAY THAT OUR GENERAL CONDITIONS AND OUR LEVEL THREE AGREEMENT ARE THE BASIS OF THIS.
SO IT FITS IN WITH ALL OF OUR OTHER KIND OF CONTRACTS IN TERMS OF HOW WE ADMINISTER IT, THE CONTRACTS THAT WE USE.
UM, AND AGAIN, BASED ON THAT, WE PUBLICLY ADVERTISE THIS ON THE WEBSITE, OUR PLAN ROOM AND IN, IN AN INDUSTRY PUBLICATION.
THEN WE, WE THEN HOST A MANDATORY PRE-BID MEETING SO THAT IF A CONTRACTOR DOES NOT SHOW UP TO THIS PRE-BID MEETING, THEY'RE NOT QUALIFIED AS A RESPONSIVE BIDDER AT THIS MEETING.
WE WALK THROUGH BASICALLY HOW JOB ORDER CONTRACTING WORKS AND HOW WE UTILIZE IT HERE AT THE DISTRICT.
UM, AND SO IT GIVES THE CONTRACTORS FULL KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN THEY COME IN AND PROVIDE A BID.
THE BID IS AN ADJUSTMENT FACTOR TO THOSE UNIT COSTS.
SO WE HAVE REWARD BASED ON THE LOWEST ADJUSTMENT FACTOR.
AND THOSE ADJUSTMENT FACTORS ARE WEIGHT BETWEEN REGULAR WORKING HOURS, WHICH IS SEVEN TO FIVE AND NON-WORKING HOURS.
[00:40:01]
SO WE HAVE THAT BECAUSE THIS IMAGE HERE SHOWS WE DO SOME WORK ON COGSWELL MARSH AND WE HAVE OTHER WORKS THAT ARE TOTALLY INFLUENCED OR DON'T ACTUALLY COMPLY OR FIT INTO NORMAL WORKING HOURS.AND SO AT THAT POINT, THIS ALLOWS US TO DO WORK IN THE NIGHTTIME AND HAVE FIXED COSTS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED.
UM, WE DID OPEN BIDS ON THE 23RD OF LAST MONTH.
AND SO THIS A CF IS THE AWARD CRITERIA FACTOR.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS AN ADJUSTMENT FACTOR BASED ON THOSE UNIT COSTS.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, IT'S BASICALLY THE MARKUP AND PROFIT, WHAT THEY'RE BIDDING.
AND SO WHEN THEY FIGURE OUT THE COST, THIS IS WHAT THEY ADJUST THOSE COSTS TO FOR THEIR PROFIT AND OVERHEAD.
AND WE AWARD THIS BASED ON THE LOWEST FACTOR HERE.
SO PER THE, UM, UH, RECOMMENDATION IN FRONT OF YOU, WE ARE AWARDING TO GRADE TECH AND MARK SCOTT AS LOWEST RESPONSIVE AND RESPONSIBLE BIDDERS.
AND TO THAT END, WE'RE SEEKING AUTHORIZATION TO AWARD THESE CONTRACTS.
UM, WITH THAT, THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT.
UH, I'M THIS PROCESS, UH, IT'S GREAT WHEN YOU COME UP HERE.
'CAUSE FOR ME ANYWAY, IT'S LIKE A LITTLE REMINDER OF HOW THIS ALL WORKS AND YOU KNOW, AND IT'S, UH, AND I, I REALLY LIKE IT AS A, A WAY TO GET THINGS DONE IN A, IN A, IN A, IN A, YOU KNOW, STREAMLINED WAY.
BUT THERE'S STILL A PROCESS TO IT.
BUT THE QUESTION I HAVE IS, IN YOUR ESTIMATION, WHAT'S THE MOST COMMON TYPE OF PROJECT THAT GETS UTILIZED ON THIS? JUST, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE FROM OUR SLIDE, WE DO A LOT, THE DISTRICT HAS WIDE AND VARIED PROJECTS, AND SO I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY IF THERE'S BEEN ONE THAT'S BEEN MOST CONSISTENT.
LIKE I SAID, WE'VE DONE CLEANUP, WE'VE DONE DEMOLITION WORK, WE'VE DONE REFURBISHMENT OF PARKING LOTS FOR A DA ACCESS.
I THINK, UH, IT'S THE, THE BEAUTY OF THIS PROGRAM IS IT ALLOWS US TO DO WIDE AND VARIED SCOPES OF WORK.
AND SO I I DON'T, LUCKILY WE HAVEN'T HONED IN ON JUST ONE TYPE OF WORK.
IF THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A, HAS A WIDE VARIETY OF BENEFITS TO US.
UM, I ALWAYS, UH, LIKE TO HAVE THIS, UH, THIS PRESENTATION.
UH, IS THERE A POSSIBILITY OF USING THE JOCK CONTRACTORS FOR PIEDMONT STABLES? HAVE WE LOOKED AT THAT? UH, WE, WE, I DON'T KNOW IF IT MEETS THE THRESHOLD.
WE CAN, WE CAN LOOK INTO THAT.
I CAN'T, I DON'T HAVE ALL THE CRITERIA IN FRONT OF ME TO SAY DEFINITIVELY YES OR NO, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE A PROJECT THAT WOULD FIT AND YEAH, WE'LL LOOK AT THAT.
THIS IS A PRETTY, UH, COMPREHENSIVE OVERVIEW OF THE PROPOSAL, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PREPARING THE SLIDE DECK.
I, I HAVE ONE QUESTION THAT I HOPE THERE'S A QUICK ANSWER TO.
I, I SEE THE ONE YEAR PERIOD, IS THAT 12 MONTHS STARTING FROM TODAY OR IS THAT CALENDAR YEAR 2024? UH, NO.
SO WHAT IT, IT'S AN ANNUAL CONTRACT THAT THE TERM BEGINS ONCE WE ISSUE A NOTICE TO PROCEED.
I BELIEVE I SAID NTP AND I SHOULD HAVE NOT SPEAK IN ABBREVIATIONS.
THE NOTICE TO PROCEED IS ONCE WE'VE AGREED TO A CONTRACT, SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, WE, IF YOU, IF THE BOARD AUTHORIZES THESE CONTRACTS, IT'LL TAKE US PROBABLY THREE TO FOUR WEEKS TO EXECUTE THEM.
AND SO ONCE WE DO THAT, LUCKILY THE CONTRACTORS THAT WE ARE LOOKING TO AWARD TO ACTUALLY HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH THE DISTRICT IN TERMS OF THIS, SO THEY KNOW HOW TO HAVE THEIR SET UP AND ARE A ABLE TO DO ALL OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE TASKS THAT ARE HANDLED.
SO IN OTHER WORDS, THEY'RE ALREADY LINED UP AND READY TO GO.
SO WE DON'T HAVE ANY LEAD TIME IN TERMS OF THAT.
SO ONCE WE OFFER THEM A SCOPE OF WORK AND WE AGREE TO A PRICE, ONCE WE SAY, OKAY, WE, THIS IS THE PRICE WE AGREE TO, NOW YOU CAN START WORKING ON THE PROJECT.
THAT FIRST PROJECT IS WHEN OUR ANNUAL TERM STARTS.
SO WHENEVER THAT IS, AND AT THIS POINT, I WOULD SAY BEST GUESS WE'RE IN FEBRUARY, IT MIGHT BE MARCH OR APRIL.
BEFORE WE DID THAT, THAT CONTRACT WOULD RUN FROM APRIL OF THIS YEAR TO APRIL OF 2025.
AND I ACTUALLY HAVE A FEW OTHER QUESTIONS, BUT THAT WAS MY FIRST QUESTION.
UM, MY SECOND QUESTION IS, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW WE HAVE A, B AND C CATEGORIES.
A IS GENERAL ENGINEERING, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT TODAY, B IS BUILDING AND WHAT WAS C? AND THEN THE LAST IS, UM, IS AN A LICENSE, WHICH WE THEN USED JUST FOR PAVING.
AND WHAT WE REQUIRE THAT IS THAT THAT CONTRACTOR SELF PERFORMS 60% OF THE WORK.
AND SO THAT IS SPECIFICALLY JUST FOR PAVING WORK THAT WE DO THAT FOR.
AND SO, SO, SO THE B AND C COULD COME BEFORE US AT A DIFFERENT POINT IN TIME? YES.
AND SO YEAH, AND I AND I, IT'S NOT A AND B ARE THE TYPE OF LICENSES THAT THE STATE ISSUES TO THE CONTRACTOR.
C IS NOT NECESSARILY A LICENSE.
IT'S THE, THE, THE THIRD CATEGORY THAT WE HAVE IS AN A.
AND TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, YES, WE WILL BE DOING THAT, UM, RELATIVE SOME POINT THIS YEAR BECAUSE WE SOUGHT APPROVAL IN NOVEMBER OF
[00:45:01]
2022, I BELIEVE THAT WE KICKED OFF OF LAST YEAR.SO WE'RE APPROACHING, UM, SOME OF THOSE CONTRACTS TERM OUT AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE COMING AT THIS STOP GAP.
I THINK YOU CAN ANTICIPATE THAT WE WILL GO OUT FOR ANOTHER ROUND OF BIDS, AND I THINK I NEED TO VET THIS INTERNALLY, BUT PROBABLY THREE A'S THREE B'S AND TWO PAVING AGAIN PROBABLY LATE SPRING.
BUT IN, IN TERMS OF THAT, WE ALSO WANT TO GO OUT TO RFP FOR OUR CONSULTANT AGAIN, JUST BECAUSE WE'VE HIRED THEM AND AMENDED THEIR CONTRACT SEVERAL TIMES.
SO I BELIEVE I'M ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION THAT YES, THERE WILL BE MORE COMING LATER, BUT WE'RE GONNA HAVE A COUPLE OF STEPS BETWEEN THERE AND HOPEFULLY LATER THIS YEAR, WE'LL COMING BACK WITH A FULL RANGE OF AB AND PAVING CONTRACTORS FOR YOUR APPROVAL.
AND THEN, UM, WITH GRADE TECH AND MARKS SCOTT, RIGHT, THOSE ARE THE TWO THAT ARE, UH, BEING RECOMMENDED.
DO THEY CURRENTLY WORK WITH US UNDER THIS TYPE OF AGREEMENT OR WILL THEY BE NEW TO US? THEY BOTH CURRENTLY HAVE CONTRACTS WITH US AND SO THIS WILL GIVE US OPPORTUNITY.
THEY HAVE WORKED WITH US AND THEY'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL CONTRACTORS FOR US UNDER THIS PROGRAM ALREADY.
AND THEN MY FINAL QUESTION, THE, THE AWARD CRITERIA FIGURE, YOU HAD MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT HOW THAT IS, UM, CALCULATED AND WEIGHTED, YOU KNOW, BASED ON DIFFERENT FACTORS.
AND YOU USED THE EXAMPLE OF WORK HOURS SUCH AS NIGHTTIME.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER, UH, CRITERIA THAT'S USED THAT THAT'S GIVEN THAT WEIGHT FOR THAT? NO.
AND SO, AND SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION MORE SPECIFICALLY, WE DO THAT AND IT'S 80.
THEY GIVE AN ADJUSTMENT FACTOR FOR THEIR NORMAL WORKING HOURS AND ADJUSTMENT FACTOR FOR THEIR OFF HOURS.
SO WE SUM 80% OF THEIR FIRST NORMAL WORKING HOURS AND 20% OF THEIR OFF WORKING HOURS.
AND THAT PROVIDES THEIR AWARD CRITERIA.
AND IT WAS ALL SPELLED OUT IN THE BID DOCUMENTS IN THE BID FORM.
AND THEN THAT, THAT'S HOW THAT WAS THEN DETERMINED IN THAT.
WAS IT TABLE ONE A LICENSING? CORRECT.
AND THAT'S, AND WE AWARD BASED ON THAT AWARD CRITERIA FIGURE.
AND SO THE LOWEST IS CONSIDERED THE LOWEST BIDDER.
'CAUSE THAT'LL BE A LOWEST COST TO THE DISTRICT BASED ON THE FIXED UNIT COSTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION TASK CATALOG.
ANYONE ELSE HAVE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON THIS DIRECTOR? WASPY DOES, IT LOOKS LIKE, OH, DIRECTOR WASPY, GO AHEAD.
I, I FOLLOWED IT SINCE 2017 AND, AND I THINK IT'S GREAT FOR THE DISTRICT, GREAT FOR CONTRACTORS, AND I THINK IT REALLY WORKS OUT AND WE GET A LOT OF GREAT PRODUCT DONE.
I, I'M WONDERING, SO I AND UM, DIRECTOR SAN JUAN ASKED SORT OF MY QUESTION TOO.
SO GRADE TECH AND MARK SCOTT, THEY'RE, WE'VE USED THEM BEFORE.
HOW MANY HAVE YOU EVER TAKEN? HOW MANY, HOW MANY FOLKS EMBRACE THIS? HOW MANY CONTRACTORS EMBRACE IT AND HOW MANY COME BACK AND DO PEOPLE LEAVE AND WHAT, OR DON'T DECIDE NOT TO BID? AND DO YOU EVER HAVE ANY DATA ON THAT? I MEAN, UH, IT SEEMS LIKE GORDIAN HAS GOT IT DIALED IN WITH PRICES AND, AND IT SEEMS LIKE IT WORKS FOR EVERYBODY.
OUR EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN WE GET REPEAT CONTRACTORS AND IT'S GOOD FOR US.
WE LIKE THE ONES THAT HAVE COME BACK.
WE'VE AS EVIDENCED BY THIS ROUND OF CONTRACTS, WE HAD SEVEN CONTRACTORS BID IT.
I THINK TWO OR THREE OR FOUR OF 'EM WERE NEW CONTRACTORS THAT WE HAVE NOT WORKED WITH BEFORE.
SO IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S, TO YOUR QUESTION, IT'S ANSWER, IT'S DRAWING IN CONTRACTORS THAT WANT SOME OF THAT.
WE'VE RARELY HAD ANY CONTRACTORS THAT HAVE NOT WANTED TO.
WE'VE, IN THE EARLY ROUNDS, WE HAD FOLKS THAT WERE BIDDING LOWER THAN ONE AS AN ADJUSTMENT FACTOR, WHICH MEANS BELOW COST.
AND LUCKILY WE DON'T HAVE ANY CONTRACTORS THAT ARE DOING THAT ANY LONGER BECAUSE IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE BELOW COST.
SO THAT WAS ADMINISTRATIVELY A LITTLE BIT OF HEADACHE FOR US, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THAT ANY LONGER.
I THINK OUR MANDATORY PRE-BID HAVE ADDRESSED THAT.
AND UH, SO I THINK IT'S A PROGRAM THAT IS WELL SUITED AND WE ARE GETTING CONTRACTORS, UH, COMING TO BID.
SO I DON'T SEE ANY PROBLEM WITH IT.
AND ARE THEY, ARE, ARE THESE GUYS GETTING CLOSER TO THERE? 2 MILLION MARK? ARE THEY YES, AROUND 15.
YEAH, NO, WE ARE APPROACHING SOME AND THAT'S WHY WE WENT OUT FOR TWO A'S BECAUSE OF OUR TWO OF OUR THREE AS THAT WE HAVE WENT, ENTERED INTO AGREEMENT LAST JANUARY, THEY, MOST OF THAT CAPACITY HAS BEEN USED UP.
AND SO AGAIN, WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS BECAUSE THEY'VE REACHED THAT CAPACITY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR PRESENTING US.
SO AT THIS POINT, IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, UH, ANYONE LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION? OKAY.
OPPOSED? OKAY, WE PASS THIS UNANIMOUSLY.
OKAY, SO I'M GOING GET LETTER OUR A IT.
[00:50:01]
IT'S LIZ, LISA PRESENTING.[OPERATIONS DIVISION]
WE HAVE LISA GORIAN HERE TO PRESENT ON THE AUTHORIZATION TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH KEYSTONE MANAGEMENT COMPANY AT LAS TRUMPUS WILDERNESS REGIONAL PRESERVE.LISA GORGEN, UH, ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER OF OPERATIONS.
SO I'M HERE ACTUALLY TO INTRODUCE THIS ITEM THAT WILL BE PRESENTED BY RUBY TUBBER, ACTING BUSINESS SERVICES MANAGER.
BEFORE SHE BEGINS, I'D LIKE TO JUST TAKE A MOMENT AND JUST ACKNOWLEDGE, UM, ALL OF THE PUBLIC COMMENTS THE PARK DISTRICT HAS RECEIVED REGARDING THIS ITEM.
THE PARK DISTRICT TAKES EVERY COMMENT SERIOUSLY AND REVIEWS THEM THOROUGHLY.
TO DATE NOTHING THAT WE HAVE LEARNED LEGALLY PRECLUDES THE PARK DISTRICT FROM ENTERING OR CONTINUING OUR CONTRACTS WITH KEYSTONE OR CHANGING THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
THE DISTRICT DOES NOT MANAGE THE BOARDING AGREEMENT WITH THE CUSTOMERS OR THE BORDERS.
UM, THAT IS A RELATIONSHIP REALLY MANAGED BETWEEN THE OPERATOR AND THE BORDER.
AND WE ENCOURAGE COMPLAINTS OR COMPLIMENTS TO FOLLOW THE PROCESS, UM, THAT'S POSTED AT THE STABLE.
SO TODAY, THE ITEM BEFORE YOU IS TO AWARD A CONCESSION CONTRACT TO RUN THE LOST TRUMPIST STABLES.
AS YOU MAY RECALL, WE CAME TO YOU LAST FALL TO ENTER INTO AN INTERIM AGREEMENT WITH KEYSTONE, UH, AFTER OUR PREVIOUS CONCESSIONAIRE LEFT ON VERY SHORT NOTICE PRIOR TO THEIR CONTRACT ENDING, FOLLOWING THE EXIT OF THE PRIOR CONCESSIONAIRE, THE DISTRICT ADVERTISED AN RFP AND A NEW CONTRACT IS WHAT IS BEING RECOMMENDED THIS AFTERNOON.
LOST TRUMPUS IS A DISTRICT OWNED ASSET THAT IS MANAGED BY A CONCESSIONAIRE AGREEMENT.
THE DISTRICT HAS A STATED OBJECTIVE TO FOREMOST PROVIDE AND WHERE POSSIBLE INCREASED PUBLIC ACCESS, HAVE A CONCESSIONAIRE THAT IS FISCALLY ACCOUNTABLE AND HAS DEMONSTRATED EXPERIENCE AS A BUSINESS OPERATING WITHIN THE STRUCTURE OF THE PUBLIC SECTOR.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO RUBY.
GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
A GM GORIAN FOR THE INTRODUCTION.
AGAIN, I'M RUBY TMR, ACTING BUSINESS SERVICES MANAGER.
I'M HERE SEEKING A RECOMMENDATION TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH KEYSTONE MANAGEMENT COMPANY AT LOST TRUMPUS STABLES AT LOST TRUMPUS REGIONAL WILDERNESS.
I'M JOINED HERE AS WELL BY UNIT MANAGER TERRY NEWAN, AS WELL AS THE PROPRIETORS OF KEYSTONE MANAGEMENT COMPANY, ANTHONY RICARDO AND VWA LUCAS FOR A RECOMMENDATION.
TODAY I'LL PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE LOCATION OF THE STABLES, A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND, A SUMMARY OF THE RFP PROCESS, OUR SELECTION PROCESS, OUR EXPECTED REVENUE, AS WELL AS OUR FINAL RECOMMENDATION.
A GM UH, GORDIAN ALLUDED A LITTLE BIT TO SOME OF THIS INFORMATION, BUT I'LL START OFF FROM THE TOP.
THE CONCESSION IS LOCATED AT LOST TRUMPUS WILDER, UH, WILDERNESS REGIONAL PRESERVE.
IT IS ABOUT EIGHT ACRES OF LAND WITH 40 STALLS COVERED PADDOCKS, SEGMENTED PASTURES, AN INDOOR ARENA, A LARGE BARN, A SHAVING SHED, A MANURE SHED, AND TWO RESIDENCES.
THE FACILITY OFFERS HORSE BOARDING FOR THE PUBLIC AS WELL AS INDIVIDUAL INSTRUCTION FOR BOTH ADULTS AND YOUTH, AS WELL AS OTHER SERVICES THAT ARE CONSISTENT WITH AN EQUESTRIAN CONCESSION.
AS A GM GORIAN SAID, THE FORMER CONCESSIONAIRE LEFT WITH A 30 DAY NOTICE AND TERMINATED HER AGREEMENT IN JULY, 2023, IN WHICH WE ENTERED INTO AN INTERIM OPERAT, UH, INTERIM OPERATING AGREEMENT WITH KEYSTONE MANAGEMENT COMPANY STAFF.
UM, AFTER ESTABLISHING THAT OPERATING AGREEMENT, WE BEGAN CRAFTING OUR RFP, WHICH WE POSTED IN OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR.
THERE'S A LOT OF DETAIL HERE, BUT I JUST WANNA
[00:55:01]
SORT OF HIGHLIGHT THE FACT THAT FROM START TO FINISH, THE RFP PROCESS CAN TAKE AS MANY AS FIVE TO SIX MONTHS AND, UM, POTENTIALLY BASED ON THE RESULTS OF TODAY, EVEN LONGER.SO AFTER ENGAGING IN THAT INTERIM AGREEMENT, WE BEGAN DRAFTING THE RFP AS WELL AS THIS TIMELINE.
IT WAS, UH, IT WENT OUT TO BID FOR, EXCUSE ME, WENT OUT FOR PROPOSALS, UM, OCTOBER 18TH OF LAST YEAR, AND WE DID A MANDATORY SITE VISIT ON OCTOBER 31ST.
PROPOSALS WERE DUE DUE IN EARLY DECEMBER, AND WE CONDUCTED OUR INTERVIEWS IN DECEMBER AS WELL.
WE BROUGHT THIS ITEM FORWARD TO THE BOARD OPERATIONS COMMITTEE LAST MONTH, AND WE ARE HERE TODAY WITH OUR FINAL RECOMMENDATION FOR THE SITE VISIT.
ON OCTOBER 31ST, WE HAD ABOUT 10 ATTENDEES SHOW UP, AND THAT RESULTED IN THREE SEPARATE SUBMISSIONS THROUGH SEPARATE PROPOSALS FROM THREE SEPARATE ENTITIES, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE BORDERS AT LOST TRUMP STABLES.
THE THREE PROPOSALS, UM, ALL OFFERED DIFFERENT STRENGTHS.
THEY CAME FROM KEYSTONE MANAGEMENT COMPANY, TRILOGY EQUESTRIAN SERVICES, LLC, AS WELL AS SADDLE UP ACADEMY.
AFTER INTERVIEWING ALL THREE PARTIES, OUR ULTIMATE RECOMMENDATION IS TO RECOMMEND KEYSTONE MANAGEMENT COMPANY FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF LOST TRUMPET STABLES.
WE SELECTED THEM BECAUSE OF THEIR STRONG WORKING HISTORY WITH THE DISTRICT BEING BOTH RESPONSIVE AND RESPONSIBLE.
THEY HAVE BEEN THE CONCESSIONAIRE AT ANTHONY CHABOT EQUESTRIAN CENTER SINCE APRIL OF 2021.
THEY'VE PROVEN THEY HAVE PROVEN SKILLS OF WORKING WITH PARK STAFF.
THEY HAVE PROVEN FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY AND HAVE DEMONSTRATED AN ABILITY TO GENERATE REVENUE.
THIS WAS SHOWCASED IN THEIR PROPOSAL AS WELL AS THEIR INTERVIEW, AND THEY HAVE A PROVEN CAPABILITY OF PROVEN SERVICES, PROVIDING SERVICES AND MAXIMIZING PUBLIC ACCESS.
THEIR PLAN OF OPERATION WILL FOCUS ON OFFERING A RANGE OF SERVICES SUCH AS TRAIL RIDES, UM, LOST TRUMP SAVES HAS NOT OFFERED THAT AMENITY IN A LONG TIME, SO THEY HOPE TO BRING THOSE BACK HORSE CAMPS AND ONSITE CLINICS AND THEY WANNA WORK ON LESSON PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT.
WE HAVE NOT HAD LESSONS AT LOS TRUMP STABLES FOR SOME TIME AND, UM, REALLY BOLSTER COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND EQUESTRIAN EDUCATION FOR THAT COMMUNITY.
UM, SOME OF THE OTHER HIGHLIGHTS IN THEIR PROPOSAL WAS THAT THEY PROPOSED A COLLABORATION WITH NEARBY LITTLE HILLS THAT IS OUR CONCESSIONAIRE NEXT DOOR DOWN THE ROAD TO OFFER EQUESTRIAN ENGAGEMENT FOR PEOPLE HAVING VARIOUS EVENTS AT LITTLE HILLS.
AND THAT WAS ANOTHER HIGHLIGHT THAT STOOD OUT TO US BASED ON THEIR PROJECTIONS, THEY AIM WITH THE CURRENT BOARDING FEES THAT WERE, UM, APPROVED, UH, FOR JANUARY 1ST OF THIS YEAR.
THEY AIM TO BRING IN ABOUT $400,000 A YEAR IN REVENUE.
AND FROM THAT, THE DISTRICT WILL RECEIVE 5% IN TWO DIFFERENT UH, FUNDS.
5% WILL GO INTO THE CMF, THAT'S THE CONCESSION MAINTENANCE FUND.
IT GOES INTO THE MAINTENANCE AND UPKEEP OF THE FACILITY.
WE EXPECT TO GARNER ABOUT $20,000 THERE.
AND THERE'S ALSO JUST THE GENERAL 5% CONCESSION FEE, AND THAT WILL GARNER ABOUT 20,000.
WITH THAT SAID, OUR RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH KEYSTONE MANAGEMENT COMPANY AS A CONCESSION OF THE LOST TRUMP STABLES CONCESSION WITH THE THREE YEAR TERM, BEGINNING MARCH 1ST OF THIS YEAR WITH A POSSIBLE SEVEN YEAR TERM AT THE PARK DISTRICT'S SOLE DISCRETION.
EXPECTED REVENUE IS UP TO 20,000 PER YEAR BASED ON A PERCENTAGE OF GROSS RECEIPTS.
UM, PARK SUPERVISOR MATTHEW MOORE WAS NOT ABLE TO JOIN US TODAY.
HE HAD A PRE-PLANNED VACATION, BUT HE DID HAVE, UM, A STATEMENT THAT HE WANTED TO SHARE.
TERRY NUNAN, UNIT MANAGER FOR INTERPRETER PARKLANDS, WHICH INCLUDES LOST TRUMPUS.
AND YES, MATT, UH, THE SUPERVISOR AT LOS TRUMPET COULDN'T JOIN US TODAY, BUT HE DID SEND THESE COMMENTS ESTEEM MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
IN AUGUST OF 2023, AFTER NEAR EARLY DEPARTURE OF THE PREVIOUS CONCESSIONAIRE, KEYSTONE MANAGEMENT STEPPED IN TO RUN THE LOST TRUMPET STABLES UNDER AN INTERIM AGREEMENT.
THEIR PROFESSIONALISM AND USE OF COMMUN OPEN COMMUNICATIONS HAVE BEEN A WELCOME CHANGE AT LOST TRUMPET AND THE SEVERAL MONTHS SINCE WE HAVE BEEN WORKING IN COLLABORATION WITH KEYSTONE ON IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PARK INFRASTRUCTURE.
EXAMPLES OF THESE IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDE ROOF REPAIRS TO THE MAIN STABLES, VARIOUS PLUMBING REPAIRS, AND THE INSTALLATION OF A NEW FURNACE AT THE RESIDENCE.
AS THE PARK SUPERVISOR, I TOOK PART IN THE MOST RECENT RFP PROCESS.
[01:00:01]
REPLACEMENT TO RUN THE STABLES WAS THE TOP PRIORITY, AND IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THE PARK DISTRICT MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE SELECTING KEYSTONE MANAGEMENT AS THE NEW STABLES CONCESSIONAIRE WITH THE TUMULTUOUS YEARS OF THE PANDEMIC BEHIND US, I SINCERELY HOPE THAT THE LOST TRUMPET STABLES CAN MAKE IT FULL RECOVERY AND BECOME A MORE SAFE, SUCCESSFUL AND WELCOMING PLACE FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND THE HORSE HORSES.MATTHEW MOORE, PARK SUPERVISOR.
AND AS PART OF A RECOMMENDATION, WE'D ALSO LIKE TO INVITE, UM, VI LUCAS WHO WANTED TO ALSO MAKE A STATEMENT.
AS ALREADY STATED, MY NAME IS UA LUCAS RICARDO.
I'M A FOURTH GENERATION HORSE TRAINER AND I'M THE FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT OF KEYSTONE MANAGEMENT.
FIRST, I WANNA THANK THE BOARD AND THE DISTRICT STAFF FOR THE EXTRAORDINARY PARTNERSHIP WE'VE ALREADY BEEN ABLE TO ESTABLISH HERE WORKING FOR ANTHONY SHABOT AND AS INTERIM MANAGERS OVER AT LAS TRUMPUS WORKING TOGETHER, WE'RE CONTINUING TO REALIZE THE BOARD'S VISION, UH, TO MAINTAIN THESE ASSETS FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS AS PART OF THE PUBLIC RESOURCES FOR EVERYONE TO ENJOY.
NOW, IT'S CERTAINLY BEEN OUR HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO BE SERVING YOUR NEEDS AT ANTHONY CHABOT SINCE 2021, AND IT'S BECAUSE OF THAT STRONG COLLABORATION WITH YOUR TEAM, YOUR STAFF THAT WE FIND OURSELVES HERE TODAY.
NOW, WHEN THE DISTRICT STAFF ASKED US TO LEND A HAND WITH STABILIZING, UH, LOST TRUMPUS AT THIS CRITICAL JUNCTURE IN ITS OPERATIONS, AND OF COURSE ALL OF US KNOW, AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, IT'S HAD HISTORIC CHALLENGES AND IT ALSO AS WELL AS THE NEED TO KEEP THIS ASSET OPEN AND OPERATIONAL FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS OF EQUESTRIANS TO ENJOY.
WE SAID, OF COURSE, WE DIDN'T HAVE TO THINK TWICE ABOUT RESCUING LOST TRUMP AS STABLES.
IT'S NEAR AND DEAR TO OUR HEARTS, AND IT'S PART OF OUR EQUESTRIAN COMMUNITY.
WE SEE LOST TRUMP AS STABLES AS BECOMING AN ADDITIONAL ASSET TO THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT.
BY REVITALIZING THE EQUESTRIAN COMMUNITY IN THIS AREA, WE WILL OFFER ENGAGING TRAIL RIDES.
A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT RUBY'S ALREADY SAID, FORGING STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS WITH LITTLE HILLS EVENT CENTER, INTRODUCING A RIDING SCHOOL FOR ALL AGES, AND SERVE AS A HOME BASE FOR THE REGIONAL PARK POLICE MOUNTED PATROL UNIT.
WE HOPE THROUGH OUR STRONG PARTNERSHIPS AND RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER BOARDING FACILITIES IN THE EAST BAY, SOME OF WHICH ARE HERE TODAY, WE LOOK FORWARD TO ADDING LOST TRUMPUS TO THIS COLLABORATIVE ENVIRONMENT, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR, UH, STABLES TO THRIVE IN IN THESE TIMES BY EMPHASIZING PUBLIC ACCESS, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND ADDRESSING THE SHRINKING EQUESTRIAN COMMUNITY LOST TRUMP IS, STABLES WILL CONNECT THE PUBLIC WITH THE NATURAL BEAUTY OF THE REGION, CONTRIBUTING SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE WELLBEING OF THE EAST BAY AREA.
IN CLOSING, AS ALWAYS, BOARD MEMBERS, WE STAND BEHIND OUR STRONG STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE, PROFESSIONALISM, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, AND OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH YOUR STAFF TEAM, WHICH WE ENJOY.
WE REMAIN AN OPEN BOOK AS WE ALWAYS HAVE BEEN.
WE STAND READY TO BE FULLY TRANSPARENT TO ANSWER ANY AND ALL QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.
AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE.
AT THIS POINT, YOUR, IS YOUR PRESENTATION COMPLETE? NO.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE THE RECOMMENDATION AGAIN? READY FOR ANY QUESTIONS? AND, OKAY.
SO, UH, BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS BEFORE WE GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT? GO AHEAD, DIRECTOR.
COFFEE, JUST A, A COMMENT, I THINK IT VERY IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT IN ANTICIPATION OF THE BOARD'S CONSIDERATION OF THIS CONCESSION, UH, SOMEONE REMIND ME WHEN IT WAS, BUT YOU FOLKS GAVE US A VERY THOROUGH TOUR OF THE STABLES.
I THINK IT WAS LATE LAST YEAR.
AND I THINK THE RICARDO'S WERE PRESENT AND I JUST THOUGHT IT WORTHY FOR THE RECORD TO NOTE THAT, UH, EACH OF US WERE GIVEN THIS TOUR.
WE TOURED THE ENTIRETY OF THE FACILITIES.
I REMEMBER PERSONALLY INTERACTING WITH SEVERAL OF THE RESIDENT BORDERS,
AND, UH, TO HEAR ABOUT THE, UH, POTENTIAL FOR THE FACILITIES, UH, TO WITNESS SOME OF THE REPAIRS THAT WERE GOING ON AND, UH, UH, HEAR ABOUT THE PROGRAMS, I FOUND THAT TOUR IMMENSELY USEFUL AND, UH, INFORMATIVE FOR THIS DECISION.
SO I WANTED TO MAKE IT KNOWN THAT
[01:05:01]
WE WERE ALL THERE AND, UH, SAW THE FACILITIES.DIRECTOR COFFEE, DOES ANYONE, UH, DIRECTOR SAN JUAN? YES.
UM, I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT AND JUST MENTION THAT THIS DID, UM, COME BEFORE THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE AT OUR LAST OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING.
UH, THE FIRST ONE THAT I ACTUALLY CHAIRED AND I DID WANNA SHARE, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS WAS A REALLY IMPORTANT ITEM THAT WE DISCUSSED AND EXPLORED, AND AT THE END, THE, IT TOOK US A WHILE TO COME TO, UH, AN AGREEMENT WITH A MOTION TO BRING FORWARD TO THE ENTIRE BOARD.
UM, AND I, I DO WANT TO STATE THAT THE, THAT THIS ITEM WAS BROUGHT FORWARD TO THE BOARD, UM, IN A NEUTRAL WAY.
SO WE DIDN'T, UH, MOVE FORWARD EITHER A POSITIVE OR A NEGATIVE RECOMMENDATION OR RECOMMENDATION OF ANY SORT.
JUST THAT ULTIMATELY IT IS UP TO THE ENTIRE BOARD TO MAKE A DECISION ON THIS, UM, CONCESSIONAIRE AGREEMENT.
AND REALLY AT THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY IF WE WANTED TO, TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, AND WE CHOSE NOT TO DO THAT, AND IT WAS A NEUTRAL DECISION, AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S STATED.
UM, AS PART OF OUR BOARD MEETING, UH, I DO HAVE, UM, A FEW QUESTIONS.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I'VE THOUGHT ABOUT THIS A LOT, JUST HAVING HAD THIS COME BEFORE THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE AND THEN KNOWING THAT IT WOULD BE ON THE BOARD MEETING AGENDA TODAY.
AND, UM, ONE OF MY QUESTIONS IS IN REGARDS TO THE SCORING MODEL THAT WE USE FOR CONCESSIONAIRES, AND I WANNA PREFACE THIS BY SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT LOOKING TO, UM, YOU KNOW, SCRUTINIZE OR LOOK VERY DEEPLY AT THIS SCORING MODEL.
AND I, I REALLY VIEW THIS AS AN ITERATIVE PROCESS, AND I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, MOVING FORWARD, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO, TO REFINE POSSIBLY THE SCORING MODEL AND ALSO EXPLORE, YOU KNOW, CONCESSIONAIRES AS A WHOLE.
I KNOW THAT'S ON, UM, OUR AGENDA ON THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.
SO NOT JUST THIS CONCESSIONAIRE, BUT ALL CONCESSIONAIRES THAT WE WORK WITH.
SO MY QUESTION ABOUT THE SCORING MODEL, UM, ONE IS, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE INCORPORATE ANY FEEDBACK WE RECEIVE, UH, YOU KNOW, VOICE OF THE CUSTOMER TYPE OF FEEDBACK, OR JUST SEEING ALL THE INQUIRIES AND KNOWING THAT WE'RE ALSO PROBABLY GONNA HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE FEEDBACK TODAY DURING THE BOARD MEETING.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S A, A PART OF THAT SCORING MODEL, OR IS IT SOMETHING THAT'S A LITTLE BIT SEPARATE FROM, YOU KNOW, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION PROCESS? THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
UM, WE, UH, CUSTOMER FEEDBACK IS NOT A PART OF THE SCORING MATRIX FOR, UH, OUR CONCESSIONAIRES.
WE DO ASK THEM TO PROVIDE REFERENCES, WHICH THEY ALL DID FROM VARIOUS DIFFERENT PARTIES.
UM, SO WE CAN GET A LITTLE BIT OF INPUT ON THEIR INTERACTIONS WITH WORKING WITH COMPARABLE AGENCIES OR IF THEY CHOSE TO THEIR CUSTOMERS OR WHOMEVER THEY WANTED TO USE AS A REFERENCE.
SO THAT KIND OF TANGENTIALLY IS A PART OF THE PROCESS.
BUT IN TERMS OF THE ACTUAL SCORING RUBRIC, WE, UM, WEIGHING IN ON THE PUBLIC INPUT PROCESS, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF SUBJECTIVITY THERE.
SO THAT, SO FAR IS NOT PART OF, OF THAT PROCESS.
AND THEN THE OTHER PIECE OF THAT ALSO RELATING TO THIS SCORING MODEL OR THE SCORING RUBRIC, UM, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, RISK FACTORS AND, AND I, I, I THINK OF SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS, YOU KNOW, HAVING THE SAME CONCESSIONAIRE FOR TWO DIFFERENT SITES, AND WE SEE THIS WITH OUR GOLF CONCESSIONAIRE, SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE HAVEN'T DONE, YOU KNOW, WITH OTHER, UM, PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE WITHIN THE PARK DISTRICT.
I'M CURIOUS IF THAT'S, UM, INCLUDED AS PART OF THIS SCORING RUBRIC.
IF THERE IS ANY SORT OF IDEA OF RISK OF, YOU KNOW, KIND OF PUTTING MULTIPLE EGGS IN ONE BASKET, UH, IF, IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S ALSO INCLUDED.
UM, IF, IF I'M UNDERSTANDING YOUR QUESTION, THERE IS NO ADDITIONAL WEIGHT GIVEN FOR BEING A CONCESSIONAIRE ALREADY.
UM, WE DO ASK ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH A PUBLIC AGENCY, AND THAT IS HEAVILY WEIGHED IN THE PROCESS.
SO IF IT JUST SO HAPPENS THAT AGENCY IS US, AND WE CAN SPEAK ON THAT FIRSTHAND, THERE IS, YOU KNOW, THAT LEVEL OF EXPERIENCE THAT BOLSTERS THEIR PROPOSAL.
UM, BUT IT, IT'S, WE, WE DON'T, IN TERMS OF IT BEING A DETERRENT FROM SELECTING SOMEONE FOR MULTIPLE CONCESSIONAIRES, THAT THAT ISN'T CODIFIED IN ANY, ANY WAY.
UM, I, I BELIEVE THAT'S ALL I HAVE IN TERMS OF QUESTIONS.
DIRECTOR SAN JUAN, UH, I SEE THAT DIRECTOR WASPY HAD SOME QUESTIONS.
UM, THANK YOU, UH, FOR THIS GREAT PRESENTATION.
I'M WONDERING, I LOOK FORWARD TO THIS, UH,
[01:10:01]
I'M GLAD WE'RE GONNA REVITALIZE THIS AREA.UM, I'M, I'M SORT OF WONDERING, I'M LOOKING AT THE PROJECTED ANNUAL SALES, AND I KNOW THESE ARE ONLY PROJECTED, BUT I'M MM-HMM.
I'M WONDERING, UM, IS THERE LESS HORSE INCOME, HORSE SERVICES, INCOME AND TRAIL RIDES INCOME? CURRENTLY AT LAS TROPIC STABLES? THERE IS CURRENTLY NOT TRAIL RIDES AND THEY'RE CURRENTLY NOT DOING LESSONS.
AND SO WHAT IS THE PLAN? BECAUSE THAT DOES REPRESENT JUST ABOUT HALF OF THE REVENUE, EXCUSE ME, PROJECTED HERE, STARTING FEBRUARY 1ST, THERE WILL BE LESSONS, UM, IN, IN-HOUSE HORSES TO CONDUCT LESSONS.
UM, CLARIFY THIS FEBRUARY START? YEAH, STARTING NOW THIS FEBRUARY.
I, I'M SORRY FOR INTERRUPTING.
NO, I, I JUST WANNA, I, I, AND, AND THESE ARE BASED ON, SO I GET, THIS IS GONNA BE PRETTY ROBUST, RIGHT? UM, UH, UH, AND HAS NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE IN THEIR TRAIL RIDES OR LESSONS OUT THERE.
SO I, I, I HOPE FOR THE BEST, I WISH YOU THE BEST.
UM, UM, I ACTUALLY, CAN I CLARIFY SOMETHING? SO UNDER THE, UM, OPERATING AGREEMENT UNDER THEM CURRENTLY, THESE AMENITIES WERE NOT OFFERED, BUT AT LOST TRUMP AS STABLES, THEY HAVE BEEN OFFERED IN THE PAST, THE PREVIOUS CONCESSIONAIRE DID NOT OFFER TRAIL RIDES.
AND DID THEY, BUT THEY DID DO, UM, UH, LESSON HORSES AND, AND LESSONS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
THE PREVIOUS CONCESSIONAIRE DID NOT OFFER LESSONS.
UH, CAN YOU JUST FOR THE PUBLIC, UH, UH, OUTLINE, THE, UH, HOW WE'RE RUNNING THE STABLES NOW ON A MONTH TO MONTH BASIS IS AS FAR AS HOW THEY'RE, HOW, HOW WE'RE, HOW THE DISTRICT IS AFFECTED AS FAR AS WE'RE PAYING FOR, FOR THE, UH, RUNNING OF THE STABLES CURRENTLY? YEAH, THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
SO, LAST, UM, JULY, WE, WE HAD VERY LITTLE ROOM TO BEGIN A NEW RFP PROCESS, WHICH IS WHAT WE WOULD NORMALLY DO WHEN A CONCESSIONAIRE WAS VACATING.
SO WITH, UM, A 30 DAYS TO WORK WITH AND NOT WANTING TO CLOSE DOWN THE FACILITY, BECAUSE THAT WOULD MEAN THAT ALL OF THE BORDERS WOULD HAVE TO VACATE.
WE ENGAGED IN AN INTERIM AGREEMENT WITH KEYSTONE MANAGEMENT COMPANY, UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY HAD THE NECESSARY INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS TO RUN THIS TYPE OF FACILITY.
AND, UM, FOR THAT IT WAS, YOU KNOW, QUITE A PIVOT FOR THEM.
SO, UH, AS THEIR INTERIM OPERATORS, WE ARE GIVING THEM AN OPERATOR FEE, MEANING THAT THE DISTRICT IS PAYING $3,000 A MONTH FOR THEM TO MANAGE THE FACILITY, AND THAT IS COMING OUT OF THE CONCESSION MAINTENANCE FUND.
AND, UM, AND THEN RUNNING, RUNNING TWO OPERATIONS IS, IS NOT EASY, AS JUDY MARTIN CAN ATTEST.
SHE, SHE RUNS BOTH SKYLINE RANCH AND PIEDMONT STAPLES.
UM, SO ARE THEY GONNA HAVE A LIVE-IN, UH, A TENANT THERE AT, AT THE STABLE? THAT IS CORRECT.
AND SINCE THEY CAME IN AS INTERIM OPERATOR, THERE IS, UM, A LIVE-IN BARN MANAGER RESIDING THERE.
AND THEN, UM, AND THEN REGARDING, UH, ANTHONY BEL EQUESTRIAN CENTER, STRUCTURALLY THAT FACILITIES BEING TAKEN CARE OF, WE WERE JUST OUT THERE LAST MONTH.
UM, I THINK IT'S NO SECRET TO SAY NO DISTRICT FACILITY IS PERFECT.
UM, THAT IS WHY WE, UH, HAVE A CONCESSION MAINTENANCE FUND, SO THAT CAN BE POOLED AND THEN UTILIZED FOR VARIOUS DIFFERENT THINGS FOR THE UPKEEP OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, ANY SORT OF ISSUES THAT WERE BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION DURING OUR SITE WALK IN JANUARY, WE ARE WORKING TO ADDRESS EITHER THROUGH THE WORK ORDER PROCESS OR THROUGH OTHER MEANS.
BUT IN GENERAL, IT'S, IT'S IN GOOD SHAPE, I'D SAY.
SO
YEAH, THANK YOU, UM, FOR FILLING US IN ON A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THAT STUFF.
UM, BUT SO UP TILL LAST NIGHT, UM, I HAD READ 29 COMMUNICATIONS ABOUT THIS ISSUE, AND I, AND I TABULATED THEM ALL, AND I, AND I LOOKED AT ALL THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE.
I LAID 'EM ALL OUT ON THIS SPREADSHEET RIGHT HERE, AND, UM, IT WAS, IT WAS EYEOPENING.
I LEARNED A LOT ABOUT, UM, WELL, TO BE HONEST, ALL THE THINGS THAT COULD GO WRONG SOMEWHERE.
AND I ALSO LEARNED ABOUT MANY, MANY
[01:15:01]
GREAT THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON, AND, UM, AS I SAID, VERY ILLUMINATING.SO, BUT, AND, AND JUST A GENERAL KIND OF QUESTION HERE.
SO I'M, I'M JUST, UH, WONDERING ABOUT HOW DO WE KNOW WHETHER THEY'RE MEETING IN ANY, ANY, UM, ASPECT OF MM-HMM,
SO, UM, THERE ARE ONGOING ROUTINE MEETINGS THAT THE BUSINESS SERVICES DEPARTMENT HAS WITH THE CONCESSIONAIRE TO MEET ON VARIOUS ISSUES.
IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT COMES ACROSS OUR DESK IN TERMS OF COMPLAINTS, WE USE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THEM WITH THEM DIRECTLY.
THE PARK SUPERVISOR, WHO IS KIND OF THE FIRST BOOTS ON THE GROUND, UH, PERSON ON SITE AT THE PARK, IS ALSO ANOTHER AVENUE IN WHICH THEY, THEY WOULD NOT BE SO MUCH WORKING ON CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT TERMS, BUT ANY SORT OF ON THE GROUND ISSUES THAT HAPPEN IN THE PARK.
SO THAT IS ANOTHER WAY WHEN IT COMES TO THE COMPLAINANTS, UM, THE BORDERS THEMSELVES, THERE'S ALSO A SPECIFIED PROCESS THAT THEY MUST FOLLOW FOR GRIEVANCES, AND THAT'S POSTED ON SITE.
THAT FIRST MUST FIRSTLY BE ADDRESSED THROUGH THE CONCESSIONAIRE THEMSELVES.
AND IF IT'S NOT REMEDIATED THROUGH THEM TO SEND THAT TO US, AND IF IT'S NOT REMEDIATED AND THERE'S, YOU KNOW, CER SPECIFIED TIME LIMITS IN WHICH THEY HAVE TO CURE THESE RESPONSES, THEN THE BUSINESS SERVICES MANAGER CAN STEP IN.
I CAN ONLY, I CAN ONLY SURMISE AND SUSPECT THAT, UM, THE NEGATIVE SITUATIONS THAT, THAT I READ IN THESE, THESE LETTERS, THAT SOME OF THEM MAY NOT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION UNTIL RIGHT NOW.
AND SO MY MESSAGE IS, YOU KNOW, WE'VE JUST BEEN, UM, INFORMED OF A PROCESS THAT CAN GO ON, AND SO, YOU KNOW, THE, THE DISTRICT OWNS THE STABLE, THE COMPANY IS BEING GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO RUN THAT STABLE FOR THE GREATER BENEFIT OF EVERYONE.
SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE THOSE THAT HAVE SOME ISSUE, UM, TO BRING IT TO OUR ATTENTION.
UM, AND IS THERE ANY, WOULD THERE BE ANY, UM, POSTING ANYWHERE IN THE STABLES ON THE GROUNDS ABOUT OUR NUMBER AND WHAT TO CALL IN THE EVENT THAT THEY HAVE SOME CONCERN? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE REQUIRE OR MAYBE WE COULD REQUIRE, OR IN TERMS OF THEIR PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS, THEY HAVE TO, UM, REFERENCE THE DISTRICT.
SO IF YOU GO TO KEYSTONE'S WEBSITE, IT DOES SAY IT'S A FACILITY OF ANTHONY CHABOT EQUESTRIAN CENTER, AS WELL AS LOST TRUMP STABLES, WHICH BELONG TO THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARKS.
AND THEN TO KIND OF ADDRESS SOME OF THE THINGS I BELIEVE YOU'RE HIGHLIGHTING FOR THE, GIVEN EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE HEARD, WE'RE TRYING TO INCLUDE SOME OF THESE THINGS, UH, SAFEGUARD SOME OF AGAINST SOME OF THESE THINGS IN THE UPCOMING AGREEMENT WITH, WITH POTENTIALLY KEYSTONE.
AND, UM, SO THE PROPOSED CONCESSION AGREEMENT ALWAYS ALLOWS US TO ENTER THE PREMISES WHENEVER WE WANT.
WE CAN, WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO INSPECT ALL THE BOOKS AND THE RECORDS OF THE CONCESSIONARY AT ANY TIME, AND IF THERE'S ANY BREACH OF CONTRACT, THERE IS A CLAUSE, UM, TO TERMINATE THE AGREEMENT WITH THE 30 DAY NOTICE.
SO THERE ARE OTHER SAFEGUARDS, UH, CONTRACTUALLY IN PLACE AS WELL.
WELL, IT'S, IT'S GOOD TO KNOW THAT THERE IS A, THERE IS A PROCESS OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, UM, TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN MAKE IT MORE WIDELY KNOWN, I THINK THAT WOULD HELP EVERYBODY.
I, I WANT TO, UM, I, I WANNA, I DON'T KNOW, SEND OUT MY APPRECIATION TO THE EQUESTRIAN COMMUNITY AT LARGE, AND I WANNA SEND IT BACK IN HISTORY TOO, BECAUSE YOU FOLKS, UH, ARE RESPONSIBLE, IN MY OPINION, AND, AND OTHERS TOO, FOR KEEPING THE TRAIL SYSTEM IN CALIFORNIA INTACT AND ALIVE, UH, FROM THE DAYS WHEN HORSES WERE THE ONLY WAYS TO GET AROUND TO NOW WHEN, UH, IT'S CONSIDERED A RECREATIONAL AND THERAPEUTIC, UM, ENDEAVOR.
SO, YOU KNOW, THOSE OF US WHO THINK TRAILS ARE REALLY GREAT, UM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND KNOW ABOUT WHAT'S GONE ON IN THE PAST, KNOW THAT FOR, FOR SEVERAL DECADES THERE, AND MAYBE THE 1950S AND SIXTIES, YOU KNOW, HORSES WERE THE ONLY THING YOU REALLY SAW OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, AND THEN IT'S, IT'S CHANGED OVER TIME.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, I, I, YOU KNOW, A A LOT OF WORK HAS BEEN DONE ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE SHOVEL AND THE, AND THEMATIC ON THE,
[01:20:01]
ON THE DIRT TO BUILD TRAILS TOO.MM-HMM,
SO ANYWAY, THAT'S A SIDE THING, BUT, UH, THAT'S KIND OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHAT I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW ABOUT, AND THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING THOSE QUESTIONS.
ANYONE ELSE? ALL RIGHT, I THINK WE'RE GOOD.
SO, UM, I'LL ASK OUR CLERK TO BEGIN WITH OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM.
JUST AS A REMINDER, EVERYONE HAS TWO MINUTES, UM, AND YOU CAN SEE THE CLOCK FROM HERE.
UM, AND THE OTHER THING I WAS GONNA SAY IS THAT THEY ARE IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER.
OKAY? SO I JUST GATHERED THEM ALL UP.
SO WE'RE GONNA START WITH, WE'RE GONNA GO BACKWARDS AND GO FORWARD.
SO LUPINE OR LUPINE, ROBUCK, PLEASE EXCUSE ME IF I MISPRONOUNCE YOUR NAME.
AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES, MA'AM.
HELLO, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO ADDRESS YOU.
UH, MY NAME IS LUPIN ROBAK, AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF KEYSTONE MANAGEMENT AND THE LOST TRUMP OF STABLES.
UM, I HAVE PERSONALLY KNOWN ANTHONY RICARDO AND VI LUCAS FOR OVER 15 YEARS, BOTH, UM, PERSONALLY AND DOING VOLUNTEER WORK WITHIN MY COMMUNITY.
DURING THAT TIME THAT I HAVE KNOWN THEM, I HAVE FOUND THEM TO BE COMPASSIONATE, RESPECTFUL, AND ETHICAL IN ALL OF THEIR AFFAIRS.
I'VE PERSONALLY WITNESSED THEIR INTERACTIONS WITH BOTH THE PUBLIC, THE ANIMALS THEY CARE FOR, AND THEIR EMPLOYEES.
A YOUNG FAMILY FRIEND OF MINE WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES WAS DIRECTLY EMPLOYED AT ANTHONY CHABO STABLES FOR SIX MONTHS AFTER FINISHING HIGH SCHOOL.
THEIR PATIENCE AND CONSIDERATION, ESPECIALLY WITH HIS LEARNING DISABILITIES, HAS GIVEN HIM CONFIDENCE AND CHANGED HIS OUTLOOK IN A POSITIVE WAY.
WORKING UNDER ANTHONY AND VIIS GAVE HIM SKILLS THAT HE USES DAILY IN HIS CURRENT JOB WITH THE OAKLAND PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
THEIR EMPATHY FOR THE PEOPLE AROUND THEM AND WITH THE HORSES WITHIN THEIR CARE IS, ARE MERELY ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SPEAK TO THEIR CHARACTER AND ALL THINGS THEY HAVE PUT THE OTHERS' INTERESTS BEFORE THEIR OWN PERSONAL AND FINANCIAL GAIN.
I HOPE THAT YOU SEE THE OUTPOURING OF SUPPORT HERE AS A FURTHER TESTAMENT TO THEIR PERSONAL CHARACTER, AS WELL AS TO KEYSTONE'S MANAGEMENT'S ABILITY TO HELP LE TRUMP AS STABLES TO THRIVE AND GROW IN THE FUTURE.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS BRAYLIN PARKER.
UM, MY NAME IS BRAYLIN PARKER.
I AM A SEASONED FARRIER WITH A DECADE OF EXPERIENCE SERVICING BARNS IN THE BAY AREA AND THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARKS.
UM, THROUGH MY WORK, I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF OBSERVING A YRA OF EQUESTRIAN FACILITIES AND THEIR MANAGEMENT PRACTICES.
HAVING WITNESSED FIRSTHAND THE MANAGEMENT IN THE PAST OF ANTHONY CHABOT IN LAS TRUMPUS, I CAN CONFIDENTLY ATTEST THAT KEYSTONE MANAGEMENT MANAGEMENT HAS SIGNIFICANTLY ENHANCED THE OPERATIONS AT ANTHONY CHABOT EQUESTRIAN CENTER.
DESPITE THEIR POSITIVE IMPACT, THEY HAVE ENCOUNTERED UNWARRANTED CHALLENGES FROM INDIVIDUALS SEEKING TO UNDERMINE THEM FOR REASONS UNRELATED TO LEGITIMATE CONCERNS.
UM, THIS ECHOES MY EXPERIENCES WITH CERTAIN BORDERS AT THE BARN WHERE SUCH ACTIONS ARE CLEARLY DRIVEN, DRIVEN BY ILL INTENTIONS AND A DESIRE FOR CONTROL.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT MANY HORSE OWNERS ARE AFFLUENT INDIVIDUALS WITH AMPLE LEISURE TIME, AND THIS DEMOGRAPHIC FOSTERS A CULTURE WHERE CONTROLLING PERSONALITIES PREVAIL LEADING TO DRAMA WITHIN THE EQUESTRIAN FACILITIES.
UM, HAVING EXPERIENCED THE PREVIOUS MANAGEMENT AT CHABOT EYEWITNESS FIRSTHAND THE BULLYING TACTICS BY BORDERERS TO BULLY MONA, AND, UM, WITH THE TRANSITION TO KEYSTONE MANAGEMENT, IT BECAME EVIDENT THAT CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS RESISTED CHANGE AND THEY CAN NO LONGER MANIPULATE THE SYSTEM TO THEIR ADVANTAGE.
THE TRUTH IS THAT KEYSTONE MANAGEMENT HAS PROVEN TO BE THE BEST CHOICE FOR REVITALIZING THE FACILITY AND OFFERING VALUABLE RIDING PROGRAMS TO THE COMMUNITY.
THEIR DEDICATION UNDERSCORES THEIR ABILITY TO BREATHE NEW LIFE INTO ANTHONY CHABOT EQUESTRIAN CENTER.
UM, WAN ANTHONY HAVE DONE AN AMAZING JOB.
THEY, THE, I HAVEN'T SEEN AS MUCH YOUTH AND LIKE LIFE BREATHED INTO THE FACILITY SINCE THEY'VE TAKEN OVER LIKE IT.
I'VE WORKED AT EVERY BARN IN THAT YOU GUYS RUN, AND THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE BARNS TO COME AND BE AT BECAUSE OF THE SPACE THAT THEY BRING INTO IT.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS COURTNEY ROBOT.
[01:25:10]
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON.MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, UM, I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF KEYSTONE MANAGEMENT, UH, AND IN, IN PARTICULAR THE CHARACTER OF ANTHONY AND VIIS.
I'VE KNOWN THEM BOTH INDIVIDUALLY FOR 30 YEARS.
UH, FOR ANTHONY, I CAN ONLY SPEAK TO HIS KINDNESS, UH, HIS INTEGRITY AND HIS PROFESSIONALISM.
UH, HE'S A PERSON THAT DOES THINGS THE RIGHT WAY.
HE'S METICULOUS, HE CROSSES ALL THE T'S, HE DOTS ALL THE I'S.
ANYTIME YOU'RE INVOLVED WITH THE PROJECT WITH ANTHONY, YOU KNOW YOU CAN BE SAFE KNOWING THAT IT'S GONNA BE HANDLED THE RIGHT WAY.
UH, EOIS ALSO KNOWN FOR 30 YEARS.
SHE'S ALWAYS BEEN WELCOMING TO ME, ENCOURAGING TO ME.
UH, I'M A BAD STUDENT, BUT I STILL REMEMBER MY HORSE LESSONS FROM WHEN I WAS 15.
UH, SHE CARES ABOUT HER EMPLOYEES, SHE CARES ABOUT HER STUDENTS, SHE CARES ABOUT THE ANIMALS.
SHE WANTS TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE'S COMFORTABLE AND TAKEN CARE OF.
UH, I HAVE AN 8-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER AND SHE'S TOO YOUNG TO WORK FOR THEM NOW, BUT I'M HOPING THAT SHE WILL WORK FOR THEM WHEN SHE GROWS OF AGE.
I CAN'T SPEAK TO ANY BETTER, UH, COMPLIMENT THAN THAT, THAT I WANT MY DAUGHTER TO BE TAUGHT BY THESE PEOPLE.
SO I THINK THAT LA TRPA STABLES WILL BE AN EXCELLENT HANDS UNDER THEIR, THEIR, UH, MANAGEMENT AND THEIR WATCH.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DAVEY LUCAS, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES, MA'AM.
MY NAME'S DAVEY LUCAS, UM, MOTHER OF EOIS.
I WAS A RESIDENT OF OAKLAND, OF SAN LEANDRO FOR OVER 30 YEARS.
I WAS EMPLOYED BY THE PARK DEPARTMENT FOR MANY YEARS AS MOUNTED PATROL, AND TRAINED AS MOUNTED SEARCH AND RESCUE OUR HORSE KEYS AS IN KEYSTONE.
AND I PARTNERED WITH THE PARK POLICE AND TRAINED MANY MOUNTED PATROL MEMBERS.
I TRAINED HORSES FOR SKIP AND LIZ EARLY CONCESSIONAIRES IN THE NINETIES IN LAS TROPIC, AND BEGAN BOARDING IN EAST BAY PARKS IN 97.
I'VE SEEN CHABOT MANAGED BY FOUR DIFFERENT CONCESSIONAIRES, AND KEYSTONE IS BY FAR THE MOST PROFESSIONAL.
THEY MAINTAIN THE PROPERTY BETTER THAN ANY OTHER PARTY.
KEYSTONE IS CARRYING ON THE PARKS VISION OF A HORSE COMMUNITY THAT'S AN ASSET AND AVAILABLE TO ALL AT SHABO AND LAS TRUMPUS.
KEYSTONE IS CARRYING ON THAT VISION.
AND WAN ANTHONY ARE CARRYING ON A PROUD FAMILY TRADITION BY ENRICHING EAST BAY PARKS AND THEIR CLOSE KNIT HORSE COMMUNITY.
I'M CONFIDENT THIS BOARD WILL SEE THAT THE BEST THING FOR LAS TRUMPUS IN THE COMMUNITY IS FOR KEYSTONE TO RUN IT.
THEY BRING FUN, OUR KIND AND COMPASSIONATE PROFESSIONALS, AND BRING A DIVERSITY THAT REFLECTS A COMMUNITY.
WE ARE THIRD GENERATION HORSE TRAINERS IN OAKLAND HILLS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ROCHELLE ROYCE.
MS. ROYCE, GOOD AFTERNOON BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
COULD YOU PULL THE MICROPHONE CLOSER TO YOU, MA'AM? CAN EVERYONE HEAR ME? I'M SHORT.
DO YOU NEED, DO YOU NEED TO USE A STEP STOOL, MS. ROYCE? NO, I DON'T NEED A STEP STOOL.
I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE.
I SEE A LOT OF BORDERS AND FRIENDS AND MEMBERS OF METROPOLITAN HORSEMAN'S ASSOCIATION HERE.
HELLO, MY NAME IS RACHEL ROYCE.
I'M AN OAKLAND RESIDENT, A HORSE OWNER, AND CURRENTLY SERVE AS PRESIDENT OF THE METROPOLITAN HORSEMAN'S ASSOCIATION, WHICH HAS BEEN SERVING THE EQUESTRIAN COMMUNITY SINCE 1938.
FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW, MHA WORKS DILIGENTLY TO PROMOTE EQUESTRIAN SPORTS ACROSS ALL DISCIPLINES.
TO DEVELOP GOOD HORSEMANSHIP, WE MAINTAIN SEQUOIA ARENA, AND OUR CLUBHOUSE IS IN REINHARDT REDWOOD REGIONAL PARK.
IT IS SUPER IMPORTANT FOR US TO PRESERVE ALL OF THE REMAINING EQUESTRIAN FACILITIES, INCLUDING LAS TRUMPUS.
LAS TRUMPUS RECENTLY WENT THROUGH THE RFP PROCESS, AND MULTIPLE PROPOSALS WERE REVIEWED.
DURING THIS PROCESS, I WAS APPROACHED BY SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO FEEL SAFE SPEAKING WITH ME,
[01:30:01]
BUT WISH TO REMAIN ANONYMOUS IN REGARD TO THEIR NEGATIVE EXPERIENCES BOARDING AT BOTH CHABOT AND LOS TRUMP EQUESTRIAN FACILITIES.I RESPECT PEOPLE'S WISH FOR ANONYMITY, BUT FEEL VERY DISHEARTENED BY IT, AS OUR COMMUNITY SHOULD BE SUPPORTING EACH OTHER, COMMUNICATING WELL AND COLLABORATING WITH OTHERS IN POSITIVE WAYS.
UH, BUT TODAY I'M SPEAKING FOR THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE CONTACTED ME AND HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY KEYSTONE'S BUSINESS PRACTICES.
THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS INSTANCES THAT HAVE BEEN DOCUMENTED AT BOTH FACILITIES IN REGARDS TO SAFETY, MAINTENANCE ISSUES, AND BULLYING BEHAVIOR.
TO THE DEGREE THAT MANY PEOPLE FEAR RETALIATION FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR HORSES, THEY FEEL THEY HAVE NO RECOURSE AND ARE PUSHED OUT OR LEAVE TO AVOID CONFRONTATION.
WE DO NOT WANT TO LOSE LOST TRUMPUS.
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL FACILITY, NEEDS A LOT OF TLC.
THERE ARE CURRENTLY SEVERAL RETIRED HORSES ON SITE, AND, UH, THE REST OF THE LEFT ARE, THE BORDERS HAVE LEFT BECAUSE THEY DON'T FEEL SEEN OR HEARD, AND I DON'T THINK IT'S, UH, A PERSONAL THING.
ANYWAY, LAS TRUMPUS NEEDS A STRONG CONCESSIONAIRE THAT ON NOT ONLY UNDERSTANDS THE SPECIFIC NEEDS OF BARN OPERATIONS AND DEFERRED MAINTENANCE, BUT IT'S PEOPLE-CENTRIC, KNOWLEDGEABLE CARE.
YOU UNDERSTAND, MS. ROY, THAT'S YOUR TIME.
THE BEST CASE SCENARIO FOR THE PARK DISTRICT WOULD BE TO HAVE AN ADDITIONAL QUALIFIED RESOURCE OPERATING IN ITS FACILITIES.
AND, UM, I WOULD HOPE THAT, UH, TRILOGY, UH, EQUINE SERVICES WOULD BE CONSIDERED.
UM, I AM SPEAKING ABOUT, UH, VIIS AND, AND RICARDO.
I'VE KNOWN VIIS SINCE SHE WAS ABOUT 16.
SHE'S, UH, COMMITTED TO HORSES.
SHE'S GOT A VERY STRONG PERSONALITY, WONDERFUL PERSONALITY.
AND, UH, AS A TEENAGER, SHE STOOD UP FOR HERSELF AND FOR WHAT SHE THOUGHT WAS RIGHT AT ALL TIMES.
I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO RUN TWO BARNS.
I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE IN HER SHOES RIGHT NOW.
I DON'T KNOW HOW SHE RUNS HER BUSINESSES, BUT I ASSUME IT'S WITH GREAT CARE.
SHE'S BEEN THERE FOR THREE YEARS ALREADY.
UM, HAVING THE TWO BARNS IS AN ASSET BECAUSE WHILE LAS TRUMPUS STRUGGLES, SHE'LL HAVE THE OTHER BARN TO KEEP HER FED, AND SHE HAS THE LABOR OF LOVE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT AND BRING BOTH BARNS ALONG.
NOW, YOU AS A BOARD NEED TO DECIDE HOW YOU'RE GONNA HANDLE THE UPKEEP OF LATROM, THE DIS THE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE THERE.
I WAS THERE IN OCTOBER, MAYBE IT WAS EARLIER SEPTEMBER, AND I SAW VERY DISHEVELED ARENAS THAT WON'T SUPPORT A LESSON PROGRAM.
I SAW, UM, INSUFFICIENT HAY STORAGE.
I SAW THE HOUSE THAT HAS BEEN FIXED, I THINK, BUT IT WAS IN A HORRIBLE STATE.
AND SO SUPPORTING THE CONCESSIONAIRE WITH MONEY OUTSIDE OF THE CMF, BECAUSE THAT WILL NOT BE ENOUGH TO GET THAT FACILITY BACK TO WHAT NEEDS TO BE.
AND IT'S THE, IT'S JUST THE TRUTH.
UM, BUT I HAVE NOT HAD ANY, UH, THE OTHER, THE OTHER BENEFIT OF VIIS AND RICARDO IS HOW WELL THEY INTERFACE WITH THE PARK DISTRICT.
THEY HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB TALKING TO BUSINESS SERVICES.
UM, WE KEEP EACH OTHER INFORMED ABOUT HEY, PRICES, SHAVINGS, PRICES, SUPPLIERS, WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE PARK WHEN WE RECENTLY COULD NOT RAISE OUR PRICES ON TIME, LIKE, WHAT WERE WE GONNA DO ABOUT THAT? BECAUSE THE BOARD HADN'T APPROVED FEE INCREASES ON DECEMBER 1ST.
ANY QUESTIONS? FEEL FREE TO COME TALK TO ME.
NEXT SPEAKER IS, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS RAMON OR DAMON OR DAMON LEY NOT PRESENT.
UH, JUDEA, KIMBERLY, GOOD AFTERNOON.
MY NAME IS JUDEA KIMBERLY, AND I AM THE TENTATIVE ONSITE TRAINER AT LOST TRUMP STABLES.
SHOULD THE CONTRACT BE AWARDED TO KEYSTONE MANAGEMENT, I CANNOT EXPRESS HOW HONORED I AM TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE THE EAST BAY BY SHARING MY PASSION FOR ANIMALS WITH THE PUBLIC.
FIRST, I WANNA GET A BIT, A BIT OF A BACKGROUND ON WHY I BECAME A TRAINER.
I'VE BEEN OBSESSED WITH HORSES SINCE I WAS TWO YEARS OLD.
BUT MY FAMILY COULDN'T AFFORD RIDING LESSONS WHEN I WAS GROWING UP.
I DIDN'T START RIDING UNTIL I WAS 14, VOLUNTEERING AT A HORSE RESCUE FOR UP TO 12 HOURS A DAY IN EXCHANGE FOR TIME IN THE SADDLE.
[01:35:01]
COLLEGE, I TOOK EVERY OPPORTUNITY I WANTED TO BE AROUND HORSES, LIKE TRAIL GUIDING, WORKING TO PAY FOR LESSONS, AND SUPPORTING SPECIAL NEEDS RIDING PROGRAMS IN MY HOMETOWN.I BELIEVE THAT EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN IN ON THIS SPORT.
MY DEEPEST FRIENDSHIP STARTED EITHER IN A BARN AISLE OR A RIDING ARENA.
THESE EXPERIENCES INSTILLED A DEEP SENSE OF GRIT, GRATITUDE, COMPASSION, AND COMMUNITY QUALITIES THAT I BELIEVE ARE WORTH SHARING TO ANYONE WHO COMES WITH LOST AT LOST TRUMPUS.
THE IMPACT THAT HORSES HAVE ON PEOPLE IS POWERFUL AND LIFE CHANGING.
I WATCH LITTLE KIDS LIGHT UP WHEN THEY LEARN HOW TO STEER AROUND AN OBSTACLE COURSE OR FIGURE OUT HOW TO TIE A QUICK RELEASE KNOT.
I CHERISH THE MOMENT WHEN AN ANXIOUS RIDER TRUSTS THEIR HORSE FOR THE FIRST TIME AND FINDS THE BRAVERY TO DO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
ONE OF MY CLIENTS AT 50 YEARS OLD, GONE ON A HORSE FOR THE FIRST TIME.
AT THE AGE OF 50, SHE WEPT BECAUSE SHE FINALLY MADE HER CHILDHOOD DREAM COME TRUE.
THE CONNECTION BETWEEN HORSES AND PEOPLE CAN WORK MIRACLES.
VIIS AND ANTHONY TREAT ME WITH THE UTMOST DIGNITY, RESPECT, AND CARE WORKING FOR THEM MAKES ME PROUD TO RUN MY PROGRAM UNDER THE KEYSTONE NAME.
THEY SUPPORT MY DEVELOPMENT AS AN EQUINE PROFESSIONAL.
THEY HEAR AND HONOR MY PERSPECTIVE, AND THEY'RE PROACTIVE IN PROVIDING WHATEVER RESOURCES MY STUDENTS AND I NEED TO GROW.
KEYSTONE TAKES INCREDIBLE CARE OF MY BELOVED HORSE, CUSCO, WHO'S QUICKLY BECOME A FAVORITE.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, THEY, THEY PLAN TO INCREASE EDUCATIONAL AND COMMUNITY OPPORTUNITIES.
I IMPLORE THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO CONSIDER APPROVING KEYSTONE MANAGEMENT AS THE CONCESSIONARIES OF LOST TRUMPUS.
JUST LIKE WHEN I STARTED, MANY OF MY STUDENTS WOULD NOT OTHERWISE HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO RIDE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS PETER KRANTZ.
I'VE BEEN IN EQUESTRIAN FOR 24 YEARS IN THE AREA USING MANY OF THE DIFFERENT FACILITIES.
I CURRENTLY USE ANTHONY CHABOT EQUESTRIAN CENTER.
AND I'D LIKE TO JUST POINT OUT A FEW THINGS I'VE NOTICED UNDER THE MANAGEMENT OF KEYSTONE.
UH, THE FIRST IS PUBLIC ACCESS.
I HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE IN ACCESS FOR ALL AGES, UM, GENDERS AND DIFFERENT ORIENTATIONS AT, UH, ANTHONY SHABEL EQUESTRIAN CENTER.
AND THEY DID NOT SEE UNDER THE PREVIOUS, UM, CONCESSIONAIRE NUMBER TWO, UH, THE STANDARD OF CARE FOR THE HORSES AT THE FACILITY.
ALL OF, UM, THE KEYSTONE STAFF HAVE A VERY, UM, CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH ALL THE HORSES UNDER THEIR CARE.
AND I SEE THEM, YOU KNOW, NIGHTLY EXAMINING THEM, AND IF THERE ARE ISSUES, THEY BRING THAT FORWARD AND THEY'RE INSTANTLY RESOLVED WITH THEIR OWNERS OR VETERINARIANS, ET CETERA.
UH, THREE, UNDER THE CURRENT CONCESSIONARY, WE NOW HAVE A BORDER INPUT POLICY WHERE THERE ARE MONTHLY MEETINGS, THERE'S AN INPUT PROCESS, AND I'VE SEEN ALL OF THE CONCERNS ADDRESSED IN THE WAY THAT THERE'S ACTUALLY CHANGES AT THE FACILITIES.
FOR INSTANCE, THE RAINY DAY, UH, RIDING SCHEDULE.
AND, UH, NUMBER FOUR, I'VE SEEN CONDITIONS IMPROVE AS THE FACILITY UNDER THEIR MANAGEMENT AS WELL.
SOME EXAMPLES OF THAT ARE THE NEW FOOTING IN THE UPPER ARENA, REPAIRS TO RETAINING WALLS, UH, NEW LIGHTING THAT WE HAVE, THINGS OF THAT, THAT HAVE ALL BEEN BENEFITS TO US AS USERS OF THE FACILITY.
UM, I FEEL ALL OF THESE BENEFITS KIND OF SPEAK TO THEIR MANAGEMENT STYLE AND WILL BE TRANSITIVE TO THEIR MANAGEMENT OF THE NEW FACILITY AT LOS TRAVIS.
NEXT SPEAKER IS KELLY BARNETT.
HELLO, UH, MY NAME IS KELLY BARNETT AND I AM THE PROUD OWNER OF MALIBU, WHO IS BOARDED AT LAS TRUMP IS STABLE.
SO I FEEL LIKE THE SPEECH I WROTE, THE THREE MINUTES I THOUGHT I HAD, I KIND OF WANNA CHANGE IT AND ADDRESS WHAT I FEEL LIKE ARE INDIVIDUAL, UM, QUESTIONS THAT HAVE GONE ON.
YES, THEY CAME IN A TIME OF GREAT DURESS.
I HAVE HAD THE BENEFIT OF BEING THE BORDER IN BOTH PARTS OF LOS TRUMPUS, THE BEFORE TIMES, AND THE NOW.
AND I CAN SAY, UH, UNEQUIVOCALLY, I WAS THERE TODAY.
IT'S GETTING CLEANER EVERY DAY.
THINGS ARE GETTING BETTER EVERY DAY.
THEY ARE RESPONSIVE IN EMAIL, IN TEXT, AND IN TELEPHONE CALL.
THEY HAVE HELPED, UM, TO HORSES.
I AM, I REPRESENT 30% OF THE BORDERS RIGHT NOW AT LAS TRUMPET
SO I SPEAK, I HAVE A BIG VOICE HERE.
UM, THE TWO OTHER HORSES THAT ARE THERE BESIDES MALIBU ARE 28 AND 30.
SO IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HORSES, THEY'RE AT THE END, THEY'RE FRAGILE, EVERYTHING MATTERS.
THEY'RE FOOD, THEY'RE WATER CONSISTENCY.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT TIM, IN HIS, UH, NONVERBAL, HARDWORKING WAY, SHANNON AND HER BUBBLY PERSONALITY, UM, AND ANTHONY WITH HIS VOICE IN GRAVITAS AND VILA AND HER
[01:40:01]
VISHA IN HER, UM, HER EXPERTISE, WE ARE IN GOOD HANDS WITH THEM.THOSE HORSES ARE ALIVE BECAUSE OF GOOD CARE.
MY HORSE IS VERY HAPPY, AND I'M HAPPY TO SHARE A COUPLE OF REALLY QUICK STORIES THAT FIT PERFECTLY INTO THE MISSION STATEMENT OF THE CALIFORNIA PARKS, WHICH IS TO INSPIRE, TO EDUCATE AND TO BRING HEALTH TO THE PEOPLE OF CALIFORNIA, MY HEALTH, MY WELLBEING.
YOU CAN SEE I'M A BIT OFF, BUT I AM EXCITED TO GET BACK IN THE SADDLE.
AND MY PLAN IS TO DO THE RIDGE TRAIL, THE WHOLE THING, ALL 450 MILES ON THIS HORSE.
AND I'M GOING TO DO IT FROM LAS TRUMPUS.
I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT INSPIRATION.
SO ONE DAY, MALIBU AND I, WHO HAPPENS TO BE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL HORSE ANYONE HAS EVER SEEN, UM, WE'RE RIDING AND THERE WAS A LITTLE GIRL WHO WANTED TO PET HER.
THERE WAS A LITTLE GIRL WHO WANTED TO PET HER, AND SHE WAS EXCITED AND SCARED, AND HER DAD AND I NEVER EVER SPOKE.
BUT WE WAITED, WE HAD PATIENCE, AND WE JUST WAITED.
AND ALL THE HARD WORK THAT ALL OF YOU DO TO KEEP OPEN SPACE OPEN, UH, TO KEEP OPEN SPACE OPEN AND TO KEEP THE PARK ALIVE, WAS ALIVE IN THAT MOMENT WHEN SHE TOOK THE COURAGE TO TOUCH MALIBU'S NOSE, TO FEEL HER BREATH, TO FEEL HER, HER FACE, AND TO BE EXCITED ABOUT WHAT IS NEXT IN THE, THE NATURAL WORLD.
AND SO I ASK YOU, PLEASE, TO CONTINUE THIS.
IT'S GETTING BETTER EVERY DAY.
AND WITH THE EARNESTNESS OF JUDEA THAT YOU JUST WITNESSED, I KNOW THAT WE CAN BECOME THE ABSOLUTE JEWEL, THE GEM, THE, THE PREMIER, UM, EQUESTRIAN CENTER OF THE EAST BAY.
AND WITH THAT, ALL BOATS WILL RISE.
WE CAN ALL GET IN IT TOGETHER.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS TRACY BERNARD MARKS, HI, GOOD AFTERNOON BOARD MEMBERS.
UM, MY NAME IS TRACY BERNARD MARKS, I AM A RESIDENT OF SAN LEANDRO AND AN AVID USER AND ENJOYER OF ALL OF OUR BEAUTIFUL EAST BAY PARKS.
UM, I'M HERE TO EXPRESS MY ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORT FOR, UM, KEYSTONE MANAGEMENT, VIIS AND ANTHONY SPECIFICALLY, UM, IN THEIR APPLICATION TO SERVE AS CONCESSIONAIRE OVER LOST TRUMP WEST STABLES.
UM, HAVING KNOWN VIIS AND ANTHONY FOR SEVERAL YEARS, I CAN CONFIDENTLY ATTEST TO THEIR EXCEPTIONAL SKILLS AS BARN MANAGERS AND THEIR UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO THE WELLBEING OF THE HORSES UNDER THEIR CARE.
VIIS HAS CONSISTENTLY DEMONSTRATED A REMARKABLE ABILITY TO CREATE A WARM AND INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT AND ATMOSPHERE WITHIN THE EQUESTRIAN COMMUNITY WHERE THEY CURRENTLY SERVE AS CONCESSIONAIRES OF THE ANTHONY CHABOT EQUESTRIAN CENTER, WHERE I HAVE BOARDED LEAST AND CURRENTLY TAKE LESSONS.
THEIR WELCOMING DEMEANOR AND OPEN-MINDED APPROACH, UM, MAKE BOTH SEASONED EQUESTRIANS AND NEWCOMERS, UH, FEEL COMFORTABLE AND VALUED.
UM, VIIS HAS CULTIVATED AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE EVERYONE, REGARDLESS OF THEIR LEVEL OF EXPERIENCE OR BACKGROUND, FEELS ENCOURAGED TO LEARN AND GROW IN THEIR EQUESTRIAN JOURNEY.
ONE OF VI'S MOST COMMENDABLE QUALITIES IS HER UNWAVERING DEDICATION TO THE HEALTH AND WELFARE OF THE HORSES UNDER HER CARE.
UM, SHE GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND TO ENSURE THAT EACH HORSE RECEIVES THE INDIVIDUALIZED CARE AND ATTENTION THEY REQUIRE.
VIIS AND ANTHONY ARE METICULOUS IN MONITORING THE HORSE'S, UH, NUTRITION, EXERCISE, AND OVERALL WELLBEING.
THEIR COMMITMENT TO PROVIDING A SAFE AND COMFORTABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR THE ANIMALS IS TRULY COMMENDABLE.
UM, MOREOVER, THEY BOTH POSSESS EXCELLENT COMMUNICATION SKILLS, MAKING THEM ADEPT AT WORKING WITH BOTH CLIENTS AND STAFF MEMBERS.
BOTH VI AND ANTHONY PRIORITIZE OPEN AND TRANSPARENT COMMUNICATION, FOSTERING A SENSE OF TRUST AND COLLABORATION AMONG THE BARN COMMUNITY.
SO IN COLU CONCLUSION, I WHOLEHEARTEDLY, UM, RECOMMEND AND ENDORSE THEM AS CONCESSIONAIRES FOR LOST TRUMPUS.
I THINK THEY'VE DONE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT ANTHONY SHIAU, AND I'M SURE THEY WOULD DO THE SAME FOR LOST TRUMPUS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS STEPHANIE WU.
I'M STEPHANIE, AND I USED TO BE A BOARDER AT A CEC.
I RECENTLY LEFT AT THE END OF THE YEAR DUE TO THE JUST BULLYING TACTICS THAT I EXPERIENCED FROM ANTHONY, AND I WASN'T GOING TO SPEAK TODAY, BUT I REALLY FEEL IT'S IMPORTANT TO STAND UP FOR THE BORDERS AND THE COMMUNITY AND THE PUBLIC TO HAVE SOMEBODY ADVOCATE FOR THEM WHO HAS EXPERIENCED WHAT I'VE EXPERIENCED.
ALL THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN SUPPORT HAVE NOT BEEN UNDER
[01:45:01]
ANTHONY, WHO HAVE NOT BEEN BULLIED BY HIM.UM, TOSSED OFF TO THE SIDE REQUESTS JUST COMPLETELY IGNORED FOR TWO MONTHS, PROMISED THINGS THAT NEVER HAPPENED.
AND YES, THERE ARE TWO SIDES TO EVERY COIN.
HE CAN HAVE HIS SUPPORTERS HERE, BUT OUR COMPLAINTS ARE REAL.
MY CIVIL RIGHTS COMPLAINT IS REAL, AND IT IS GOING FORWARD.
I HIGHLY SUGGEST YOU ALL TAKE A VERY DEEP LOOK AT WHAT WAS WRITTEN TO YOU, WHAT WAS PRESENTED TO YOU.
AND, UM, MR. MECURIO, I HEARD YOU WHEN YOU SAID, TRY NOT TO PUT ALL YOUR EGGS IN ONE BASKET.
THERE ARE OTHER OR NOT, TRY NOT TO.
BUT WITH REGARDS TO PUTTING ALL YOUR EGGS IN ONE BASKET, UM, I BELIEVE IT WAS YOU THAT SAID IT, MAYBE IT WAS SOMEBODY ELSE.
AT ANY RATE, THERE ARE OTHER CONCESSIONAIRE OPTIONS.
IF YOU HAVE THIS MANY COMPLAINTS WITH A CONCESSIONAIRE CURRENTLY, WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO LET THEM OPERATE ANOTHER ONE? WHY WOULD YOU AWARD IT TO SOMEBODY ELSE JUST SO THAT YOU CAN HEAR MORE COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER PEOPLE? AND THEN RUBY AND LISA SAYING THAT THESE COMPLAINTS ARE UNFOUNDED.
NOT ONE PERSON HAS REACHED OUT TO ME, BUT YET THEY WANNA PUT GUARDRAILS SO THAT THIS KIND OF THING DOESN'T PROGRESS AT THE NEXT LOST TRUMPET BARN THAT THEY COULD POTENTIALLY MANAGE.
SO IF THEY NEED TO PUT GUARDRAILS UP, THEY KNOW THAT THERE ARE PROBLEMS EXISTING ALREADY.
UM, BOARD MEMBERS, UH, THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO ALL OF US SPEAKING TO THE MICROPHONE.
UM, THANK YOU BOARD MEMBERS FOR LISTENING TO ALL OF US.
UM, I'M ACTUALLY, UM, SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF KATHY DUNN, UH, WHO WAS NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT HERE.
UM, SO THIS IS WHAT SHE WROTE.
SHE SAID, MY NAME IS KATHY DUNN, AND I HAVE BEEN VERY INVESTED IN THE OAKLAND HORSE COMMUNITY FOR ALMOST SIX DECADES AS A HORSE OWNER, METROPOLITAN METROPOLITAN HORSEMAN'S ASSOCIATION, SHOW SECRETARY AND BOARD MEMBER BOARDING STABLE MANAGER AND TAX SHOP OWNER.
I MANAGED THE FAMILY OWNED VISTA MADERA STABLES FOR 20 YEARS, AND BUILT IT INTO A THRIVING CENTER WITH 70 BOARDED HORSES, A PONY CLUB, MULTI TRAINER LESSON PROGRAM, AND OUTREACH RESOURCE FOR GRADE SCHOOL CLASS FIELD TRIPS.
DURING THAT TIME, I HAVE OWNED 34 HORSES, 23 BABIES.
I BRED AND RAISED AND TRAINED.
AFTER THE PROPERTY WAS SOLD TO THE CITY OF OAKLAND, I CONTINUED TO RUN VISTA MADERA FEED AND TEXT FOR ALMOST THREE MORE DECADES.
BECAUSE OF THESE EXPERIENCES, I HAVE UNIQUE VIEW ON THE HORSE COMMUNITY AT LARGE, AND I HAVE SEEN VARIOUS DEGREES OF COMPETENCE AND THE PROFESSIONALS OFFERING SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC.
WE HAVE ALREADY LOST MANY PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE EQUESTRIAN FACILITIES, AND WE DO NOT WANT TO LOSE ANY MORE.
THEREFORE, IT IS PERTINENT THAT A QUALIFIED CONCESSIONAIRE SHOULD BE CONSIDERED TO PROTECT AND ENSURE THE FUTURE OF LOST TRUMPUS.
PROVIDING HORSE OWNERS WITH TRAINING AND LESSON PROGRAMS THAT ARE WELCOMING AND INCLUSIVE ALSO ENCOURAGES PEOPLE FROM OTHER AREAS TO APPRECIATE THE BEAUTIFUL TRAILS AND LESS TRUMP IS BY AWARDING THE CONTRACT TO A CONCESSIONAIRE THAT CAN BUILD IT BACK TO ITS TRUE POTENTIAL.
IT PROVIDES NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO ACCESS QUALITY PROGRAMS FOR ALL.
IT IS MY HOPE THAT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS HAS GIVEN SERIOUS CONSIDERATION TO ALL OF THE QUALIFIED APPLICANTS THAT SUBMITTED PROPOSALS, INCLUDING TRILOGY EQUINE SERVICES, LLC, WHO ARE A PROVEN TEAM AND HIGHLY, HIGHLY QUALIFIED CONCESSIONAIRE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KAREN LUCIDO, OR LUCIDO LUCCI LUCCI.
UM, I DON'T REALLY HAVE A PREPARED STATEMENT, BUT I AM AN OAKLAND RESIDENT AND A HAPPY NEW HORSE OWNER, AND I'VE KNOWN VIRA AND ANTHONY
[01:50:01]
FOR I GUESS ABOUT EIGHT YEARS AND ENJOY, UH, USING THE PARKS.AND JUST WANTED TO SHARE HOW HELPFUL OVERALL.
UM, EOIS IN PARTICULAR, AND ANTHONY TOO, HAVE BEEN IN MY HORSE JOURNEY.
THEY CONNECTED ME WITH MY TRAINER JACKIE, WHO I'M WITH AT APPLE CREEK.
AND JUST ABOUT ANYWHERE WE GO, HORSE RELATED VIRA IS HELPFUL AND WILLING TO SHARE ALL OF HER EXPERTISE, WHETHER IT'S A CLINIC, WHETHER IT'S A SHOW, WHETHER IT'S JUST HANGING AROUND THE BARN.
UM, IT'S AN OPENNESS AND CARING ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE INVOLVED AND CARING ABOUT THE HORSES.
AND I'VE LEARNED A TON JUST FROM KNOWING HER, EVEN THOUGH I'M NOT AT HER BARN EVERY DAY, AND I JUST THINK, UM, FROM WHAT I KNOW OF THEM, THEY WOULD MAKE GREAT STEWARDS FOR LES TRUMPUS.
THANKS, ISADORA RAISIN BOARD MEMBERS.
THANK YOU FOR HEARING ME TODAY.
I CURRENTLY WORK FOR KEYSTONE MANAGEMENT AS A CARETAKER AT THE ANTHONY BEAU EQUESTRIAN CENTER.
I STARTED WORKING FOR THEM AS A STABLE HAND LAST JULY.
THROUGH THE GUIDANCE AND OPPORTUNITY PROVIDED BY THE COMPANY.
ALONG WITH MY DEDICATION AND HARD WORK, I'VE GROWN MY KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS AND HORSEMANSHIP PAVING THE WAY FOR MY FUTURE SUCCESS IN THE EQUINE INDUSTRY.
KEYSTONE MANAGEMENT DEEPLY CARES ABOUT THE SAFETY AND SUCCESS OF ALL THEIR EMPLOYEES, STUDENTS, AND CLIENTELE VI JUAN ANTHONY EXCEL AT MAINTAINING OPEN CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION IN WHICH I FEEL COMFORTABLE COMING TO THEM ABOUT ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS.
FURTHERMORE, VI JUAN JUSTIN KEEP THEIR HORSES WELL-TRAINED HEALTHY AND SOUND, ENSURING THEY'RE SAFE TO ASSIST IN RIDING LESSONS FOR ALL LEVELS.
THEY HAVE INVESTED IN MY FUTURE AND PROVIDED ME WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO GROW AND BUILD MY SKILLS AND EQUITATION ALL WHILE PRIORITIZING MY SAFETY.
I HAVE NOTHING BUT RESPECT FOR THE LEVEL OF PROFESSIONALISM THEY BRING IN MANAGING OUR HARDWORKING CREW, PROVIDING SERVICES TO THEIR CLIENTELE, AND ENSURING A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR BOTH HORSES AND HUMANS ALIKE.
I BELIEVE THAT GRANTING LOST TRUMP IS STABLES TO KEYSTONE, WILL CREATE EVEN MORE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE EQUESTRIAN COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC UNDER THEIR MANAGEMENT AND CARE.
I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT LOST TRUMP TRUMPUS WILL THRIVE ONCE AGAIN.
UM, AND I HAVE 41 SECONDS LEFT.
SO I JUST WANNA SAY THAT I'M IN THOSE, THOSE STALLS EVERY DAY, CLEANING AND MUCKING, AND I SEE THE, THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
ROUND BARN IS LIKE A HUNDRED YEARS OLD.
IT'S NOT PERFECT AND A LOT OF WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE, BUT WAN AND ANTHONY HAVE JUST TAKEN OVER IN THE LAST THREE YEARS, THEY HAVE TAKEN OVER FROM PERIODS OF CONCESSION YEARS THAT HAVEN'T DONE THEIR BEST IN MAINTAINING IT.
AND IT TAKES TIME TO BRING IT BACK, BUT WE ALL DREAM BIG, UM, OVER AT KEYSTONE.
WE ALL WORK HARD AND WE DREAM BIG TO SEE IT FULLY REVITALIZED ONE DAY.
I, OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS NTA NTA RICARDO, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THIS TIME TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF KEYSTONE, UM, EQUESTRIAN.
MY NAME IS NTA RICARDO, AND AS A PROUD MOTHER AND GRATEFUL RESIDENT OF SAN LEANDRO, REPRESENTING WARD FOUR, I EXPRESS MY DEEPEST APPRECIATION FOR THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN MY SON, ANTHONY RICARDO, AND THE DEDICATED STAFF OF EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT.
IN WITNESSING THEIR COLLABORATION AND THE STRIDES MADE BY ADVANCING THE DISTRICT'S MISSION, I AM FILLED WITH IMMENSE PRIDE AND GRATITUDE.
THE MISSION OF THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT IS NOT MERELY A STATEMENT, IT IS A COMMITMENT TO PRESERVING OUR NATURAL AND CULTURAL HERITAGE, PROVIDING ACCESSIBLE OPEN SPACES, PARKS AND TRAILS, FOSTERING SAFE AND HEALTHFUL RECREATION, AND PROMOTING ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION.
IT IS A MISSION THAT RESONATES DEEPLY WITH ME AND COUNTLESS OF OTHERS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
ANTHONY AND VI HAVE DEDICATED THEMSELVES WHOLEHEARTEDLY TO THIS MISSION.
THEIR UNWAVERING PASSION, COUPLED WITH THE TIRELESS EFFORTS OF THE PARK STAFF, HAS RESULTED IN TANGIBLE PROGRESS TOWARDS REALIZING THE DISTRICT'S GOALS.
[01:55:01]
SACRIFICE THEIR TIME, THEIR ENERGY AND RESOURCES FOR THE BETTERMENT OF OUR PARKS, FILLS ME WITH IMMENSE PRIDE AND ADMIRATION.THROUGH HIS DEDICATION, ANTHONY IS PAVING A WAY FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS TO CONNECT, PROTECT, AND CARE FOR OUR NATURAL WORLD.
HIS COMMITMENT SERVES AS A BEACON OF HOPE.
AS A MOTHER, I AM FILLED WITH GRATITUDE FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT HAS PROVIDED FOR MY SON AND FOR OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
I URGE THE BOARD TO CONTINUE SUPPORTING INITIATIVES THAT FOSTER ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP, PROMOTE INCLUSIVENESS, AND PRESERVE OUR NATURAL RESOURCES FOR GENERATIONS TO COME IN.
IN CLOSING, I IMPLO, I IMPLORE, UH, THE ESTEEMED MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO CONSIDER THE FUTURE OF WARD SIX AND THE RICH LEGACY OF THE EQUESTRIAN COMMUNITY.
SO BY ENTRUSTING THE SUPERVISION AND CARE OF LAS TRUMP STABLES TO KEYSTONE MANAGEMENT UNDER VI JUAN ANTHONY, WE CAN ENSURE THAT THIS SHERIFF'S LANDMARK CONTINUES TO THRIVE, ENRICHING THE LIVES OF RESIDENTS AND PRESERVING OUR COMMUNITY, OUR COMMUNITY'S UNIQUE HERITAGE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS TIME.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ELLEN MICHAEL, GOOD AFTERNOON.
I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF OAKLAND AND A PARKS USER FOR NEARLY 24, 25 YEARS, AND I'VE HAD A HORSE AT ANTHONY CHABOT.
SINCE 2010, BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF, YOU'VE RECEIVED MANY COMMENTS EXPRESSING DISSATISFACTION AND ANGER OVER KEYSTONE MANAGEMENT COMPANY'S BEHAVIOR AND POOR PERFORMANCE AT BOTH ANTHONY CHABO EQUESTRIAN CENTER AND LOS TRUMP STABLES.
WE'RE DISAPPOINTED BECAUSE OUR COMMUNICATIONS SEEM NOT TO HAVE BEEN HEARD OR CONSIDERED.
WHY IS THE PARK MORE CONCERNED ABOUT KEYSTONE THAN ABOUT PARK USERS BORDERS AND THE HORSES THAT KEYSTONE IS SUPPOSED TO CARE FOR? WE HAVE VALID AND DOCUMENTED COMPLAINTS ABOUT HOW KEYSTONE IS TREATING ITS CUSTOMERS AND THE PEOPLE WHO VISIT A-C-E-C-N LESS TRUMPUS ABOUT UNSAFE CONDITIONS AT A CEC AND ABOUT MAINTENANCE THAT IS NOT BEING PERFORMED.
AND MORE DIRECTOR MERCURIO, YOU ASKED PRE KEYSTONE IS NOW ALMOST THREE YEARS INTO THE A CEC CONTRACT.
ARE THEY DELIVERING ON THEIR PROPOSAL? NONE OF THE PROGRAMS OR EVENTS TOUTED IN KEYSTONE'S ORIGINAL PROPOSAL HAVE MATERIALIZED.
NONE REASONABLE FEES ARE MENTIONED IN THE PROPOSAL.
BOARDING FEES AT A CAC HAVE GONE UP AT A RATE FAR ABOVE INFLATION OR THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX.
THEY'RE UP 36% IN LESS THAN THREE YEARS.
DOES KEYSTONE PRIORITIZE BORDERS AS PROMISED IN ITS PROPOSAL? THE MANY LETTERS YOU'VE RECEIVED INDICATE THAT THEY DO NOT.
WHAT ABOUT FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE? THERE ARE MORE STALL VACANCIES AT A CEC TODAY THAN MOST THE MOST SENIOR BORDERS HAVE EVER SEEN.
AND THERE IS NO LONGER A WAITING LIST TO FILL THOSE EMPTY STALLS.
THIS IS COSTLY TO THE PARK REVENUE IS DOWN.
THEIR FAILURE TO KEEP UP WITH NECESSARY MAINTENANCE.
WHEN MAINTENANCE IS IGNORED, MUCH MORE COSTLY REPAIRS AND REPLACEMENTS ARE REQUIRED.
NOW YOU'RE ON THE CUSP OF AWARDING ANOTHER CONCESSION TO KEYSTONE FOR LOST TRUMP IS STABLE.
ARE YOU AWARE THAT IN THE VERY SHORT TIME THAT KEYSTONE HAS BEEN THE INTERIM CONCESSIONAIRE EVERY HORSE, BUT ONE THAT COULD SAFELY BE MOVED HAS BEEN MOVED? I DON'T THINK IT MATTERS HOW WELL KEYSTONE GETS ALONG WITH PARK STAFF IF THEY CAN'T GET ALONG WITH THE HORSE OWNERS WHOSE BOARDING PAYMENTS GENERATE THE TOP LINE REVENUE.
YOU SHOULD PICK A DIFFERENT CONCESSIONAIRE FOR LOSS TRUMPUS RATHER THAN DOUBLE DOWN ON ONE.
WITH SO MANY NEGATIVES, THIS WOULD BE A BEST CASE SCENARIO.
THE PARK DISTRICT WOULD GAIN AN ADDITIONAL QUALIFIED RESOURCE OPERATING ONE OF ITS EQUESTRIAN F FACILITIES.
YOU COULD THEN COMPARE AND SEE FOR YOURSELVES WHAT BEST, BEST PRACTICES LOOK LIKE WHEN YOU LOOK AT A CEC AND LAS TRUMPUS UNDER DIFFERENT MANAGERS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JOYCE SMITH.
OH, REALLY? REBOOTING NOW? HMM.
I AM A LONG TIME OAKLAND RESIDENT WHO ABSOLUTELY LOVES AND APPRECIATES PUBLIC PARKS AND THE SPACES I'VE HAD THE DISTINCT PLEASURE OF BEING A CLIENT OF KEYSTONE MANAGEMENT FOR JUST SHY OF TWO DECADES LEASING, RIDING SO MANY WONDERFUL HORSES UNDER THE
[02:00:01]
EXCELLENT INSTRUCTION OF EOIS.MY EXPERIENCE OVER THIS TIME HAS BEEN FUN, INSIGHTFUL, REWARDING IN TERMS OF MY GROWTH, NOT JUST AS A RIDER, BUT AS A HUMAN BEING.
I HAVE CONSISTENTLY WITNESSED IN ANTHONY AND EOIS UNWAVERING PROFESSIONALISM, COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE AND DEDICATION TO THE HORSES, TO THE STUDENTS, TO THE BORDERS, TO CREATING AN INCLUSIVE, RICH ENVIRONMENT THAT RED REDOS TO THE BENEFIT OF ALL OF US.
SO I'M DELIGHTED TO SHARE WITH YOU IN, OH MY GOSH, 48 SECONDS, MY EXPERIENCE AND OBSERVATION WITH ANTHONY CHABOT EQUESTRIAN CENTER UNDER THE CARE LEADERSHIP AND STEWARDSHIP OF VIIS AND ANTHONY.
THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT THERE WERE UNPRECEDENTED CHALLENGES, PANDEMIC FIRES, ALL KINDS OF ISSUES IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT WAS THE NAME OF THAT? I'M I'M STRANGLES STRANGLES.
AND THEY APPROACHED ALL OF THESE CHALLENGES WITH CALM, GRACE, FAIRNESS, PRAGMATISM.
THEY EACH TO MY MIND PRO POSSESS AN EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE THAT ALLOWS THEM TO ALWAYS RESPECTFULLY LISTEN AND ENGAGE WITH OTHERS EVEN IF THEY HAVE A TOTALLY CONTRARY POINT OF VIEW.
LET ME JUST SAY, AND I KNOW I'M OUT OF TIME, THAT DURING THE TENURE OF EOIS AND ANTHONY, THE UPGRADES, THE ENVIRONMENT THAT THEY CREATED IN TERMS OF INCLUSION HAVE MADE THE FACILITY A MUCH BETTER PLACE.
PEOPLE ARE CARED FOR, RESPECTED.
AND I WILL SAY MY EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN THAT THEY'VE BEEN MY LIFELINE, SUPER HIGH POWER POSITION.
AND EVERY TIME I STEP INTO THAT ENVIRONMENT BECAUSE OF UA, BECAUSE OF ANTHONY, MS, I HAVE A SENSE OF WELLBEING.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND EVERYONE ELSE.
UH, MY NAME IS MAY VALLEN AND I'M A PHD CANDIDATE DOING MY, UH, PHD IN THEORETICAL PHYSICS AT UC, BERKELEY, AND AN OAKLAND RESIDENT.
SINCE MY MOVE FROM IRELAND, OBVIOUSLY IN 2022, I'VE BEEN RIDING HORSES SINCE I WAS SEVEN, BUT I HAVEN'T HAD THE TIME NOR THE MONEY SINCE I STARTED MY STUDIES NINE YEARS AGO.
I SPENT A LOT OF TIME INDOORS WITH MY RESEARCH AND MY TEACHING.
UH, SO TO GET MY MY DOSE OF SUNLIGHT, I STARTED BEING A VOLUNTEER ASSISTANT TRAINER AT KEYSTONE STABLES INIA BOIAN CENTER LAST SUMMER.
I WORKED CLOSELY WITH EOIS TO HELP TRAIN MANY OF THE HORSES THERE SEVERAL DAYS A WEEK.
AND I WANTED TO JUST ATTEST TO THE OVERWHELMINGLY POSITIVE EXPERIENCE I'VE HAD THERE.
BEFORE I MOVED TO THE US I WORKED TRAINED AND BOARDED WITH MANY STABLES AROUND IRELAND AND I HAVE EXPERIENCED A WIDE RANGE OF MANAGEMENT STYLES.
KEYSTONE HAVE GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND HELPED ME NAVIGATE THE EQUESTRIAN WORLD OF CALIFORNIA AND WELCOME ME INTO THE BURN COMMUNITY HERE.
THEY'VE BEEN SUPPORTIVE, COMPASSIONATE, THEY HAVE TAKEN A VESTED INTEREST IN MY TRAINING AND MY EXPERIENCE.
THEY'VE ALWAYS BEEN PROFESSIONAL, GOOD NATURED PATIENT AND THEY CARE.
I'VE NEVER SEEN VIJ AND ANTHONY PRIORITIZE ANYTHING OVER THE WELFARE, WELFARE, SAFETY, AND CARE OF THE HORSES, THE STAFF AND THE CLIENTS.
AND IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH THEM AND THE WONDERFUL HORSES THERE.
AND I KNOW THAT LAST TRUMP BUS WILL BE IN THE BEST CARE UNDER THEIR MANAGEMENT.
HELLO, MY NAME IS ALMA KAD WALLER AND I WAS A PRIOR KEYSTONE EMPLOYEE.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS MY DEEP CONCERN IN REGARDS TO
[02:05:01]
OFFERING KEYSTONE MANAGEMENT THE PERMANENT CONCESSIONAIRE POSITION AT LOST TRUMP.I WOULD LIKE TO START, I WOULD LIKE TO START BY OUTLINING THE NUMEROUS ILLEGAL VIOLATIONS KEYSTONE MANAGEMENT HAS COMMITTED.
I'LL START WITH, UH, THEY HAVE COMMITTED NUMEROUS VIOLATIONS OF EMPLOYMENT LAW WITH RESPECT TO EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING MYSELF, SUCH AS, BUT NOT LIMITED TO PAYING EMPLOYEES AS INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS WHEN BY LAW THEY SHOULD BE CONSIDERED EMPLOYEES WITH BENEFITS, PAYING EMPLOYEES AT AN EXEMPT EMPLOYEE SALARY.
WHEN BY LAW THEY SHOULD BE PAID AS NON-EXEMPT EMPLOYEES.
DENYING EMPLOYEES RELIGIOUS FREEDOMS, DENYING EMPLOYEES TO ATTEND CHURCH, VIOLATING EMPLOYEE RIGHTS TO PRIVACY WITHOUT CONSENT.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT, CREATING HOSTILE WORK ENVIRONMENTS, ILLEGAL HOUSING STANDARDS DUE TO MOLD, RATS AND, UH, NON-FUNCTIONING BASIC AMENITIES DENYING UNEMPLOYMENT, DENYING PAID TIME OFF NEGLIGENT CARE FOR THEIR HORSES AND, AND BORDER HORSES, PROVIDING AGGRESSIVE AND UNTRAINED HORSES FOR THEIR LESSON PROGRAM, LEAVING FRIENDS TO FILL IN AS THE BARN MANAGER WHEN THEY DECIDE TO LEAVE THE SITE.
UM, NOT ADDRESSING SAFETY HAZARDS AROUND THE BARN THAT HAVE ACTUALLY LED TO HORSES' DEATHS, UM, DENYING PUBLIC ACCESS AND LIMITING PUBLIC FREEDOMS. UM, THEY ALSO HAVE AN EXPIRED AND SUSPENDED STATE, UH, REGISTRY.
UM, AND THEY HAVE NOT REGISTERED SINCE 2014.
UM, AND THEY WERE ACTUALLY CONTACTED ABOUT THIS LAST WEEK AND ANTHONY HUNG UP ON THEM.
UM, THEY ALSO FORCE VOLUNTEER HOURS ON PAYING CLIENTS.
UM, THEY ALSO DO NOT FOLLOW QUARANTINE GUIDELINES.
UM, FOR INSTANCE, CASPIAN WAS THE HORSE THAT BROUGHT IN THE ENTIRE STRANGLES THING ON TOP OF ALL THESE LEGAL ACTIONS, VI ANTHONY DO NOT HAVE A GOOD STANDING WITH MOST EVERYONE AT CHABOT, MOST OF THE PEOPLE HERE IN SUPPORT TODAY ARE NOT PART OF, OF CHABOT DAY-TO-DAY.
THEY'RE PASSERBY ONLY WITNESSING THE PARTS VI AND ANTHONY CHOOSE TO SHOW.
IT'S WHAT INITIALLY LED ME TO ACCEPT THEIR JOB OFFER.
I THOUGHT I WAS WORKING UNDER KIND AND RESPECTFUL PEOPLE, HOWEVER, THAT WAS NOT THE CASE.
AND I'D LIKE TO TURN YOUR ATTENTION ONTO WHAT HAPPENS BEHIND THE SCENES TO THE CLIENTELE THAT VI ONE ANTHONY DO CHOOSE TO TARGET AND HARASS ON MANY OCCASIONS, VI ONE ANTHONY HAVE SCREAMED AND CURSED AT EMPLOYEES.
THEY'RE CONFRONTED BY THEIR, WHEN THEY'RE CONFRONTED BY THEIR ACTIONS OR MET WITH A BOUNDARY OR UNABLE TO MANIPULATE A SPECIFIC OUTCOME.
VI ONE, ANTHONY BOTH STRUGGLE TO MASK THEIR RAGE IN A PLACE OF POWER.
ANTHONY AND VIIS ARE IMMORAL AND MANIPULATIVE.
PEOPLE WHO FRANKLY ARE AN EMBARRASSMENT TO THE HORSE COMMUNITY.
THEY DO NOT PRACTICE THE VALUE OF SAFETY, COMMUNITY AND CARE.
THEIR RELATIONSHIPS AT THE BARN ARE PURELY TRANSACTIONAL.
THEY IMPLEMENT RULES BASED ON THEIR FEELINGS FOR THE DAY AND UPHOLD THESE POLICIES AS LAW.
I'D LIKE TO ADD THAT THEY DO NOT WANT THE JOB OR THE RESPONSIBILITY THAT COMES WITH IT.
THEY SIMPLY SEEK THE CONTROL AND MONEY AND WILL CUT CORNERS, WHETHER IT BE ILLEGAL OR IMMORAL.
UM, TO DO SO, I'M AFRAID THINGS WILL ONLY GET WORSE IF THEY'RE GIVEN THE EXTENDED PRIVILEGE OF MANAGING LOST TRUMPUS.
AND I'M SPEAKING OUT IN HOPES THAT YOU'LL RECONSIDER PLACING THAT FACILITY INTO THEIR HANDS.
ON A LAST AND FINAL NOTE, I WOULD LIKE TO INFORM YOU GUYS THAT THEY'RE ALSO FACING CIVIL AND CRIMINAL CASES DUE TO THEIR PERFORMANCE AT CHABOT.
JUSTIN LEWIS, I COULD MISPRONOUNCE YOUR FIRST NAME.
I AM VICE PRESIDENT OF KEYSTONE MANAGEMENT.
I AM THE MANAGER AT LOST TRUMPUS.
IF THIS GOES THROUGH, UM, I'VE BEEN WITH REGIONAL PARK WITH DIFFERENT CONCESSIONAIRES SINCE 2012.
UM, STARTED IN LOST TRUMPUS FOR ME.
SO I HAVE A LOT OF BACKGROUND THERE.
I'M HOPING THAT THIS GOES THROUGH AND WE GET IT BECAUSE LOST TRUMPUS WHEN WE STEPPED IN WAS IN DIRE NEED.
HORSES WERE IN DIRE NEED OF RANCH HANDS AND PEOPLE THAT WOULD GIVE THEIR ALL TO THOSE ANIMALS.
UM, WHEN YOU STEP INTO A INDUSTRY LIKE THIS, IT'S NOT A NINE TO FIVE JOB.
WE ARE IN IT FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES.
WE HAVE HORSES THAT ARE GONNA BE WITH US FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES.
UM, STEPPING INTO ANTHONY CHABOT.
I WORKED FOR MAR, UM, SORRY, UH, PRESENT MONA, SORRY.
UM, AND SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT ANTHONY AND VIIS AND KEYSTONE IS DEALING WITH WAS FROM THE PRIOR CONCESSIONAIRES DOING.
IF ANYONE TALKS ABOUT THE HOUSE, I WAS THERE WHEN THE FIRST ROOM GOT MOLD AND EVERYTHING.
THEY MOVED US OUT, ALL OF THAT.
SO THERE'S STUFF THAT DOES NEED TO BE FIXED.
IT IS A OLD FACILITY, BUT IT IS RUNNING WELL.
IT IS GETTING WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE.
HOPEFULLY WE CAN DO THE SAME FOR LOST TRUMPUS.
I DIDN'T GET UP HERE TO SCOLD ANYBODY.
I'M JUST HOPING THAT WE FIND WHAT THE PARK NEEDS SO WE DON'T CLOSE DOWN ANOTHER FACILITY.
[02:10:08]
PRESIDENT ECCLES, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND STAFF AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.MY ORGANIZATION REPRESENTS OVER 300 PUBLIC AGENCIES.
I'VE BEEN A PROUD RESIDENT OF BERKELEY AND OAKLAND SINCE 1979 AND FOR THE PAST 17 YEARS, I HAVE BEEN A BORDER AND OWNER AT ANTHONY CHABOT EQUESTRIAN CENTER.
FIRST, I WANNA START BY THANKING THE BOARD FOR ITS CONTINUED COMMITMENT AND VISION TO PRESERVING THESE CRITICAL PUBLIC ASSETS FOR THE ENJOYMENT OF US ALL.
YOUR JOBS AND RESPONSIBILITIES ARE NOT EASY AND FRANKLY, I CONSIDER MYSELF A TOUGH COOKIE, BUT I COULD NEVER DO IT.
THE FACT REMAINS THAT IN ORDER FOR YOU TO MAKE THE TOUGH DECISIONS ON HOW TO MAINTAIN THE FISCAL SUSTAINABILITY AND THE PROGRAMMING THAT WE EXPECT AND DESERVE, YOU NEED PARTNERS WHO ARE HIGHLY PROFESSIONAL, WHO ARE COMMITTED, WHO KNOW THEIR STUFF HERE IN THE FORM OF KEYSTONE MANAGEMENT TRAINING.
AND I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT I AM HERE TO STRONGLY AND UNEQUIVOCALLY SUPPORT STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION THAT YOU PROCEED WITH THEIR MANAGEMENT OF LOST TRUMPUS.
YOU HAVE A LOCAL HOMEGROWN TEAM WHO KNOWS THEIR STUFF.
THERE ARE HAPPY CUSTOMERS LIKE MYSELF WHO ARE AMAZED AT THE TRANSFORMATION OF A CEC SINCE THEY TOOK OVER MANAGEMENT.
I COULDN'T BE HAPPIER WITH THE FACT THAT THE FACILITY IS CLEANER, THAT WE HAVE MONTHLY BORDER MEETINGS, THAT THE COMMUNITY AT A CEC REFLECTS THE DIVERSITY OF THE EAST BAY.
THERE ARE MANY OF US THAT TOOK TIME OFF FROM WORK TODAY TO BE HERE TO, TO SUPPORT THE RECOMMENDATION.
I'D LIKE ALL OF YOU WHO ARE HERE ON BEHALF OF KEYSTONE MANAGEMENT TO RAISE YOUR HANDS AND STAND.
THANK YOU FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE BOARD.
I THINK YOU'VE MADE A WISE DECISION IN KEEPING KEYSTONE AS A MANAGEMENT OF BOTH FACILITIES.
I WATCHED THIS YOUNG WOMAN GROW UP.
IT'S A PLEASURE TO SEE HER GROW UP FROM A LITTLE GIRL TO A PERSON WHO'S NOW PROFESSIONAL ENOUGH TO MANAGE AND RUN A STABLE.
YOU'LL ALWAYS HAVE PEOPLE THAT YOU WON'T GET ALONG WITH.
YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE PEOPLE THAT WANT THEIR WAY.
THAT'S JUST PART OF THE BUSINESS.
SO, UM, I'VE NEVER, THE PLACE IS WELCOMING AND IN THE PAST I'VE COME THROUGH, IT HAS NOT BEEN SO, SO, PLEASE, PLEASE CONTINUE WITH YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH ANTHONY AND BOURGEOIS.
I THINK YOU'VE MADE A GREAT DECISION.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE LAST SPEAKER IN THE ROOM.
WE HAVE TWO THAT HAVE COME ON ZOOM.
I'M GONNA ATTEMPT TO MOVE THEM INTO THE ROOM SO THEY CAN SPEAK.
CAN'T GET EVERYONE ON THE FLOOR THOUGH.
I GOT EVERYBODY THAT WHO HAD A SPEAKER'S CARD, SO.
OH, IS THERE SOMEBODY THAT I MISSED? ALL RIGHT, SO IF YOU COULD JUST, YEAH, IF THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO, UH, STILL WANNA SPEAK, JUST LET OUR CLERK KNOW.
LET ME GO TO THE PANELISTS AND THEN, I MEAN TO THE SPEAKERS.
YOU DIDN'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY.
OH, YOU DIDN'T WANNA FILL OUT A CARD? OKAY.
IT'S GONNA TAKE A LITTLE BIT BEFORE THEM TO, THEY CAN COME INTO THE ROOM.
I JUST HAVE A PHONE NUMBER OF, UH, FIVE ONE OH SEVEN FOUR ZERO NINE SEVEN ZERO.
[02:15:03]
UH, YES.MY NAME IS, UH, AINO ESPINOZA.
I'M THE OWNER OF APPLE CREEK FARM EQUEST CENTER AND DIABLO CREEK FARM EQUESTRIAN CENTER.
AND I'M ALSO FRIENDS WITH AN ANTHONY AND VI I KNOW THEM FOR, UM, SEVERAL YEARS.
UH, WHEN THEY FIRST GOT LAS, UM, AN ANTHONY SHABBOT EQUEST CENTER, I WAS LIKE THINKING LIKE, THERE'S NOTHING BETTER THAN THOSE GUYS TO RUN THE EQUESTRIAN BECAUSE THEY GOT THE EXPERIENCE AND THEY ALSO KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH PEOPLE.
REGARDLESS ON, WE ARE NOT HERE TO, I, I WAS LIKE, HOLD ON, LEMME GO BACK.
PEOPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ALWAYS TALK ABOUT SAFETY, THINK ABOUT THIS.
AND THOSE SE QUESTION CENTERS, THEY'RE ALL FACILITIES, AND ANOTHER TEAM IS NOT ON THEIR HANDS.
IF IT WAS ON THEIR HANDS TO FIX EVERYTHING, THINK ABOUT THIS.
IT, IT'S NOT THEIR FACILITIES.
THEY ALL, THEY CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH.
BUT SINCE THEY GOT, SINCE THEY GOT THE FACILITIES, SINCE THEY START RUNNING THE FACILITIES, I'M BEING COMING.
IT IS BEEN A LOT OF MORE CLEAN, MORE SAFE.
I'M TELLING YOU, FROM A BUSINESS OWNER AND I RUN FACILITIES.
HIM AND I, WE GOT A GOOD RELATION.
IF HE HAS A QUESTION, HE CALL ME.
I WALKED THE TRUMPET WITH HIM SEVERAL TIMES.
HE KNOWS YOU GUYS, YOU GUYS KNOW HIM.
I THINK YOU GUYS DON'T GOT A BETTER GUY THAN ANTHONY AND BISHOP TO RUN THE TRUMPET.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER, IT SIMPLY JUST SAYS ANONYMOUS.
HELLO, MY NAME IS CAROL FULTON.
UM, COULD YOU LET ME KNOW THAT YOU CAN HEAR ME BEFORE I PROCEED? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU, CAROL.
I WAS A BOARDER AT ANTHONY CIAN CENTER FOR ABOUT ONE YEAR.
DURING THAT TIME, I DEFINITELY FELT THE BULLYING TACTICS USED BY BOTH VIJ ONE AND ANTHONY.
I FEEL THAT THEY ARE WILDLY UNPROFESSIONAL IN MANY OF THEIR AFFAIRS.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO A FEW THINGS THAT WORRY ME ABOUT THEM.
UM, CONTINUATION AT BOTH ANTHONY SHABO CIAN CENTER, AND I LOST TRUMP AND STAPLES.
UH, THEIR PROJECTED PLAN TO RAISE REVENUE AT LOST TRUMPET IS VIA LESSONS AND VIA BOARD MOSTLY.
HOWEVER, THEY HAVE LOST MANY BOARDERS AT ANTHONY SHABO EQUESTRIAN CENTER, MYSELF INCLUDED.
AND THEY HAVE DONE A VERY LOW CAR JOB BEING SAFE AND ENJOYABLE LESSONS.
I AM VERY FAMILIAR WITH ALMA AND HER ROLE AT ANTHONY CHABO EQUESTRIAN CENTER AS AN ASSISTANT TRAINER.
AND I KNOW THAT THE HORSES SHE WAS REQUIRED TO GIVE LESSONS ON AT ANTHONY CHABO WERE VERY UNSUITABLE FOR SUCH.
THEY THREW OFF MANY RIDERS AND ARE VERY UNSUITABLE FOR USE OF BEGINNER LESSON HORSES.
THEIR NEEDS WERE ALSO OFTEN OVERLOOKED BY ANTHONY BEIS.
AND OFTENTIMES ALMA SPOKE TO ME ABOUT BRINGING THE HORSE'S NEEDS AND THE RIDER'S NEEDS TO THE ATTENTION OF ANTHONY EOIS, TO WHICH THEY WERE ALWAYS NEGLIGENT.
IF THEY CANNOT GIVE SAFE AND ENJOYABLE LESSONS, UH, WITH SUITABLE HORSES, AND THEY CANNOT KEEP ORDERS, HOW ARE THEY, HOW DO THEY INTEND TO RAISE REVENUE AT LOST TRUMPET STABLES? HOW DO THEY INTEND TO BRING THOSE STABLES BACK TO LIFE? UM, I HAVE NOT BEEN THERE BY MYSELF, BUT FROM WHAT I HAVE HEARD IS A MASSIVE PROJECT, WHICH WILL REQUIRE A LOT OF REVENUE AND A LOT OF FUNDS.
AND IF THERE TWO MAIN TACTICS FOR RAISING REVENUE, OUR, UH, IF THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO USE THESE TACTICS TO RAISE REVENUE, THEN HOW WILL THEY RAISE REVENUE THERE? ANYWAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HEARING MY, UH, SPEAKING TODAY.
AND I, I, UH, I HOPE THAT YOU'LL HEAR EVERYONE'S CONCERNS AND TAKE EVERYONE'S CONCERNS POINT OF VIEWS AND INTO DEEP CONSIDERATION.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME.
ONE MORE PERSON HAS COME IN, UH, AISH ANNIKA ANNIKA OS YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO SPEAK NOW THERE.
THANK YOU, UH, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
MY NAME IS ANNIKA ODEL SMEDLEY.
I'VE BEEN A STUDENT RIDER AND VOLUNTEER AT ANTHONY CHABOT FOR 19 YEARS.
I HAVE EXPERIENCED THREE DIFFERENT CONCESSIONAIRES, UH, AND I HAVE BEEN A STUDENT OF MULTIPLE TRAINERS AT THE STABLE.
I WORKED FOR
UM, FIRST IN A WORKING STUDENT CAPACITY AND THEN IN AN ADMINISTRATIVE CAPACITY.
[02:20:02]
I HAVE OBSERVED THE TRANSITION FROM MONA AND STEVE'S CONCESSIONAIRE LEADERSHIP TO THE LEADERSHIP AND CONCESSIONAIRE HOLDING OF KEYSTONE MANAGEMENT, AND HAVE OBSERVED SOME INTERESTING THINGS.ONE, THE CARE AND REGARD FOR THE HORSES AND BORDERS HAS MUCH IMPROVED.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO MAKE THE POINT THAT PREVIOUS TO THE MANAGEMENT OF KEYSTONE, THERE WAS NO OFFICIAL AVENUE PRESENTED TO BORDERS OR STUDENTS TO MAKE ANY GRIEVANCES OR EVEN TO PRESENT IDEAS AND HOPE TO HAVE THEM ACTED UPON.
VI AND ANTHONY STARTED A PROCESS OF HOSTING MONTHLY BORDER MEETINGS, REGULARLY, GIVING PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING ISSUES TO THEM AND TO HEAR FROM THE BORDERS.
I THINK IT'S A WONDERFUL PRACTICE AND IT SHOWS THAT THEY REALLY CARE AND ARE WILLING TO ENGAGE IN CONSTRUCTIVE COMMUNICATION WITH ALL PEOPLE WHO USE THE BARN.
I AM DISAPPOINTED BY SOME OF THE RESPONSE FROM MY FELLOW USERS OF THE BARN IN TAKING THAT OPEN COMMUNICATION AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS, UH, OR, OR FEEL THAT THEIR OPINIONS SHOULD BE VALUED OVER THE GREATER COMMUNITIES.
AND I THINK THAT KEYSTONE HAS RESPONDED APPROPRIATELY.
I SUPPORT THEM FOR THE CONCESSIONARY POSITION AT TRO BUS.
UM, WE HAVE ONE, DO WE HAVE MORE THAN ONE SPEAKER LEFT? JACQUELINE? JACQUELINE BLAIR.
HELLO BOARD, I, MY NAME IS JACQUELINE BLA AND I HAVE BEEN AN EQUESTRIAN PROFESSIONAL IN THIS COMMUNITY AROUND THE BAY AREA SINCE I WAS, I STARTED VERY EARLY SINCE I WAS 16.
I WAS LUCKY TO HAVE SEEN ANTHONY CHABOT THROUGH MANY CONCESSIONAIRES BACK WHEN SARAH CRE RAN IT.
AND ALSO WHEN SKIP AND LIZ LEHE BOTH RAN, UH, LOS CHAMPUS.
UM, THEY ALSO HAD AN AUXILIARY BARN AT THE CAMPGROUND, AND THEN OF COURSE THEY RAN A PORTION OF ANTHONY CHABOT.
SO I'VE SEEN WHAT CAN BE DONE WITH AMP AND THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE SUCCESSFUL.
EOIS WAS ALSO, UM, WE, WE GREW UP AT THE SAME BARN AT ANTHONY CHABOT TOGETHER, AND WE'VE SEEN WHAT THE SUCCESS CAN BE SINCE THEN.
THEY WERE, THAT BARN WAS MY, MY SORT OF MY, MY LAUNCHING PAD FOR MY CAREER.
AND I LEARNED A LOT THERE, A LOT OF WHAT NOT TO DO, ALSO WHAT TO DO.
AND I'VE WORKED ALL AROUND THE BAY AREA.
I WORKED WITH MANY, MANY MANAGERS.
UM, I'VE WORKED IN SACRAMENTO, I'VE WORKED UP IN GERMANY AND CANADA.
AND ANTHONY AND EOIS HAVE BEEN A LONG TIME FRIEND AND COWORKERS IN THIS.
AND I, AND WE HAVE BEEN EYE TO EYE AND COMMUNICATED MANY TIMES ON WAYS TO IMPROVE THIS INDUSTRY ON WAYS TO MAKE IT VIABLE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.
AND ONE THING I I THINK IS VERY, VERY CLEAR IN THIS MEETING IS THAT MANY BUSINESS OWNERS, UM, SUPPORT ANTHONY VIIS BECAUSE THEY HAVE BROUGHT SOME LEGALITY TO THIS BUSINESS WHERE IT IS VERY COMMON IN THIS, IN THE HORSE WORLD TO HIRE PEOPLE UNDER THE TABLE.
THEY HIRE EMPLOYEES, THEY PAY BENEFITS, THEY MAKE SURE EVERYONE THAT THAT WORKS FOR THEM ARE LEGAL.
AND THEY HAVE CREATED MANY, MANY OPPORTUNITIES.
OP ACADEMY, WHICH IS ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT DID AN RFP FOR LOS CHO, ACTUALLY GREW UP UNDER THE TU OF EOIS.
UM, THEY BEGAN THE FIRST RYAN SCHOOL THERE AT ANTHONY CHABO QUESTION CENTER.
SO THERE'S WITHOUT A DOUBT THAT THEY PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND RACES, AND THAT I SUPPORT THEM FULLY.
DO WE, IF WE HAVE ANYBODY IN THE ZOOM ROOM, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND NOW.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY I WAS AT ANTHONY SHABOT FOR TWO YEARS.
I MOVED FROM COLORADO TO CALIFORNIA AND IT WAS NOTHING BUT A DELIGHTFUL TIME.
THE CARE THAT I GOT THAT MY HORSE GOT WAS CONSISTENT.
AND YOU'VE HEARD OTHER PEOPLE TALK ABOUT CONSISTENCY IS SO IMPORTANT FOR A HORSE'S WELLBEING.
I HAVE MOVED BACK TO COLORADO, BUT I WOULD GO TO ANY BARN THAT ANTHONY AND VIIS WOULD RUN
[02:25:01]
THEIR SENSE OF COMMUNITY, THEIR SENSE OF JUST THEIR EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE WHEN IT COMES TO PEOPLE AND WHEN IT COMES TO ANIMALS JUST SHINES THROUGH.IT WAS BASICALLY THE HIGHLIGHT OF MY STAY IN OAKLAND.
AND I FULLY SUPPORT THEM AND KNOW THAT THEY'RE GOOD STEWARDS OF BOTH THE PEOPLE COMING INTO THE BARN AND THE BORDERS THERE.
I CAN'T TELL YOU THE JOY OF SEEING CHILDREN COME INTO THE BARN AND HAVING THEM WANT TO SEE THE NAY, NAY OR HAVING SOMEONE COME UP TO MY HORSE THAT HAS NEVER TOUCHED A HORSE IN THEIR LIFE.
AND SO WHAT THEY BRING IN THAT WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT IS REALLY, REALLY SPECIAL.
AND I'M GLAD THAT I GOTTA BE A PART OF IT FOR TWO YEARS AND FULL SUPPORT THEM TAKING ON ANOTHER BARN KNOWING THAT IT WILL ONLY BE SUCCESSFUL.
I'VE SEEN IMPROVEMENTS WITH ANTI STABLES FROM THE TIME HE GOT THERE.
I GO, OH MAN, I'M ON VACATION.
HOW DID YOU GET MY NUMBER?
AND I CALLED AND I HAD ONE OF MY COWORKERS GET OVER THERE, RIGHT? WHAT HAPPENS SOMETIMES AS THE TOILETS SOMETIMES RUN AND IT FILLS UP OUR HOLDING TANKS.
DENNIS KNOWS
AND I SAW IMPROVEMENTS AT THIS AT ANTHONY SBOT.
NOT, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT TRUMP IS BECAUSE I DON'T GO OUT THERE AS MUCH AS I USED TO.
BUT FROM THE IMPROVEMENT I'VE SAW, I'VE SEEN THESE PEOPLE ARE LEGIT.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT ALL THIS OTHER STUFF GOING ON, BUT
'CAUSE THEY CALLED ME
AND THAT'S THE FIRST TIME ANYBODY IN THE CONCESSION CALLED ME UP AND WAS CONCERNED ABOUT A OVERFLOWING TANK, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT 'CAUSE IT'S SUIT.
THE MINUTE HE FOUND OUT HE DIDN'T GO TO STAFF OR NOTHING, HE CALLED ME AND I RESPONDED AND GOT IT TAKEN CARE OF.
SO I JUST WANT, THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
SANITATION IS VERY IMPORTANT, SO I KNOW THEY CARE.
THANK, I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAKER.
MY NAME IS JASMINE, AND I LIKE WITNESSED THAT, UM, ANTHONY CHABO THAT I SAW A HORSE DIED THERE.
AND IT'S LIKE VERY SAD TO ME AND THAT I FEEL LIKE IT'S AN UNSAFE ENVIRONMENT TO ME.
AND LIKE THERE WAS LIKE NO ONE, UM, THERE TO SEE IT.
BUT I SAW IT WHEN I WAS ON MY HORSE.
AND THAT I'VE, I JUST FEEL LIKE IT'S LIKE NOT SAFE FOR ME TO BE THERE ANYMORE BECAUSE I MISS HOW MUCH THE ENVIRONMENT WAS WHEN IT WAS WHAT, BEFORE ALL OF THIS HAPPENED.
THAT WAS MY DAUGHTER WHO HAS SPECIAL NEEDS.
UM, SO I THINK WE ARE READY FOR A VOTE UNLESS ANYONE HAS ANYTHING FURTHER TO SAY.
[02:30:01]
I KNOW A COUPLE OF THE BOARD HAS ASKED FOR TO TAKE A, A SHORT BREAK, SO IF WE HAVE MORE COMMENTS, WE SHOULD TAKE A BREAK, OTHERWISE WE SHOULD JUST GO TO A VOTE.BUT DID YOU OR DID YOU UH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT, UM, UH, I'M NOT NEW TO, TO, UM, TO RELATIONSHIPS IN, IN STABLES.
I MEAN, I REMEMBER, I REMEMBER LIZ AND, AND SKIP AND, UH, AND I REALLY MISSED THEIR TRAIL RIDES
BUT UM, SINCE, SINCE THAT TIME, UH, LOST TRUMP, I MADE THIS, I MADE THIS COMMENT IN THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE THAT, UM, CHANGE IS HARD, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, LOST TRUMPUS STABLES HAS NOT SINCE LIZ AND SKIP HAVE LEFT THAT STABLE HAS BEEN STRUGGLING EVER SINCE.
AND THAT, AND IF VIIS, IF WE, WE, WHOEVER TAKES OVER HERE, IF THEY CAN'T MAKE IT HERE NOW, THEN I THINK THE PARK DISTRICT NEEDS TO MOVE ON AND LOOK AT USING THAT FACILITY FOR SOMETHING ELSE.
FOR WHATEVER REASON, THE HORSE COMMUNITY ISN'T, ISN'T SUPPORTING THAT FACILITY.
AND IF THEY CAN'T SHOW, IF THEY CAN'T SHOW IT WITH, UH, UH, WITH NEW NEW MANAGEMENT, THEN IT'S TIME FOR THE DISTRICT TO LOOK ON TO, TO LOOK FORWARD.
SO IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'D HATE TO SEE.
BUT UH, WHEN, UH, WHEN WE HAVE THESE INTERNAL, UH, UH, INTERNAL FIGHTS BETWEEN BORDERS, IT'S, IT'S TOUGH.
IT'S TOUGH FOR THE PARK DISTRICT.
IT'S PART, IT'S TOUGH FOR THE CONCESSION ERROR.
AND I'VE, I'VE SEEN THAT AND, UH, JUDY REMEMBERS AND, UH, WHEN LLOYD LEFT AND WAS TUMULTUOUS A COUPLE YEARS AFTER UNTIL JUDY TOOK OVER.
CULTURE IS HARD, AND WE JUST HAVE TO HAVE PATIENCE.
AND, UH, THERE ARE, AND I REALLY, UH, EVERYONE HERE THAT CAME TODAY IS COURAGEOUS.
I REALLY APP APPLAUD YOUR, YOUR COURAGE IN COMING AND SPEAKING TODAY, EITHER FOR OR AGAINST.
SOME OF THOSE INVESTIGATIONS ARE OUT OF THE PURVIEW OF THE PARK DISTRICT, SO WE'RE GONNA LET THOSE GO.
THEIR, UM, UH, FOLLOW THEIR, THEIR NATURAL ROUTE AND WHAT WE CAN DEAL WITH IT AS THAT, AS THOSE COME ABOUT.
BUT I THINK, UH, I SEE NO, UH, IN MY VIEW, I SEE NO REASON WHY NOT TO CONTINUE TO, AND, AND LET, UM, UH, KEYSTONE TAKE OVER THE LAS TRUMPUS AND THEN, UM, 'CAUSE I THINK THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE A GOOD RECORD.
THE FACILITY AT AC AT NBO QUESTION CENTER IS, HAS, HAS SHOWN IMPROVEMENT AND IT'S IN GOOD CARE.
AND, UM, SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY IS THAT, UH, WE NEED, WE NEED LOST.
TRUMP NEEDS TO IMPROVE NO MATTER WHO TAKES OVER.
IF IT DOESN'T, WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN POURING, UH, A LOT OF RESOURCES INTO THIS, INTO THIS FACILITY WITH NOTHING TO SHOW FOR IT.
SO WE ARE GONNA PROCEED WITH ANY FINAL COMMENTS AND THEN TAKE A VOTE.
'CAUSE I DON'T WANNA KEEP YOU ALL WAITING ANY LONGER.
SO, UM, DIRECTOR SAN JUAN? YES.
UM, I SUPPOSE I'LL START, I I DID HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.
I HOPE IT'S, UM, AND I THINK IT'S ONE THAT WE DID REVIEW AT THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, UH, IN REGARDS TO THE RECOMMENDATION.
AND I'M JUST LOOKING AT THE SLIDE WHERE WE TALK ABOUT THE THREE YEAR TERM, BEGINNING MARCH 1ST, 2024, AND A POSSIBLE SEVEN YEAR TERM AT OUR, AT THE PARK DISTRICT SOLE DISCRETION.
UM, WITH THAT SEVEN YEAR TERM EXTENSION, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WOULD COME BACK TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OR THAT WOULD BE DETERMINED AT THE STAFF LEVEL THAT THAT WOULD BE ADMINISTRATIVE? CORRECT.
UH, WE'RE SEEKING AUTHORITY FOR THAT EXTENSION IN ADDITION TO THAT FIRST TERM.
UM, SO I JUST HAVE A FEW COMMENTS AND I, I'LL TRY TO KEEP IT, UM, CONCISE.
AGAIN, I, I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYBODY WHO SPOKE TODAY AND AT THE PREVIOUS OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, AS WELL AS SENDING IN, UH, COMMENTS THROUGH OUR PUBLIC COMMENT OPTION WITH OUR CLERK'S OFFICE, AS WELL AS THE EMAILS THAT WE'VE RECEIVED.
I I THINK THAT WE'VE RECEIVED QUITE THE RANGE OF, UM, COMMENTS IN REGARDS TO THIS TOPIC.
AND I, I APPRECIATE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THOSE COMMENTS.
I, I ALSO APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, THE BRAVERY AND COURAGE TO SPEAK UP.
I THINK THAT THERE ARE SOME SENSITIVE TOPICS THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP AND, UM, PARTICULARLY FROM SOME OF THE FOLKS WHO, UH, HAVE SUBMITTED COMMENTS IN AN ANONYMOUS MANNER.
AND I THINK THAT THOSE, UH, ARE REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US
[02:35:01]
TO, UM, RECOGNIZE.AND I, I APPRECIATE, UH, DIRECTOR ROSARIO'S COMMENTS ABOUT HOW, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE INVESTIGATIONS HAPPENING OUTSIDE THE, OF THE PURVIEW OF OUR PARK DISTRICT.
UM, I, I DO THINK THAT THAT'S AN IMPORTANT POINT, AND IT DOES GIVE ME SOME PAUSE IN REGARDS TO MAKING THE, MY, MY DECISION TODAY IN TERMS OF THE VOTE.
AND I'LL BE PERFECTLY HONEST, BECAUSE OF THE RANGE OF COMMENTS, I, I WOULD SAY THAT I'M STILL IN THAT, YOU KNOW, ON THE FENCE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF SPACE IN TERMS OF GOING EITHER WAY.
AND SO FOR ME, WHEN I THINK ABOUT THIS, YOU KNOW, I, I GIVE, UH, I GUESS THAT EXTRA PERCENTAGE FOR ME TO MAKE A CHOICE, REALLY TO THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
AND, YOU KNOW, I I I BELIEVE THAT, YOU KNOW, MY VOTE AND SUPPORT OF THIS WILL BE BECAUSE OF THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
AND I DO KNOW THAT OUR STAFF HAS DONE EVERYTHING THAT WE COULD DO WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF THE PARK DISTRICT.
UM, IT HAS WORKED REALLY HARD TO PUT THIS TOGETHER TODAY, SO I WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS.
DIRECTOR CORBITT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND, UH, I APPRECIATE ALL OF THOSE OF YOU WHO CAME TO SPEAK TODAY AND WHO CAME TO THE COMMITTEE MEETING NOT THAT LONG AGO.
UM, AND OBVIOUSLY EVERYBODY ISN'T TOTALLY HAPPY ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT WAS SAID, BUT I DO WANNA SAY THAT, UM, I'M WILLING TO TAKE A LOOK AND SEE HOW THINGS GO IN THE FUTURE.
THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE HAVE HEARD FROM MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE SUPPORTIVE AND WANT TO DO WHAT CAN BE DONE TO CONTINUE TO MAKE THIS A GREAT FACILITY.
THESE ARE TWO GREAT FACILITIES.
EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT, EVERY SCHOOL DOESN'T HAVE SUCH FACILITIES.
AND WE NEED TO KEEP OUR EYES OPEN AND WATCH AND SEE HOW THINGS ARE GOING.
I'M, I'M OKAY WITH SUPPORTING IT TODAY, BUT ALSO KEEPING MY EYES OPEN AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE DOING GOOD THINGS.
THANK YOU FOR THOSE THAT DO WORK HARD ON THIS JOB.
IT'S NOT LIKE A REALLY EASY PLACE TO WORK, I DON'T THINK.
AND THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS SOME CONCERNS TOO, WHO WANTS TO EXPRESS THOSE AND HAVE US TAKE A LOOK AND MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING A GOOD, GOOD WORK THERE.
IT'S A, IT'S REALLY, I MEAN, I JUST HAVE TO SAY, THINK HOW FORTUNATE I FEEL THAT I'M PART OF A PARK DISTRICT THAT HAS FACILITIES LIKE THIS AND THAT SO MANY PEOPLE CARE ABOUT HOW WELL THINGS CAN BE DONE AND HOW IMPORTANT IT'S TO CONTINUE SUCH, YOU KNOW, PROJECTS.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD ALL WISH THAT EVERYBODY WAS ABSOLUTELY HAPPY WITH EVERYTHING THAT WAS SAID TODAY.
BUT FOR THE MOST PART, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT BELIEVE THAT GOOD WORK IS BEING DONE.
SOME PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT THERE'S SOME WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, AND WE SHOULD KEEP OUR EYES OPEN AND WORK ON THAT.
I, I WILL SUPPORT THIS TONIGHT.
KEEP MY EYES OPEN, THANK TO THANK TO YOU TWO, ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE WORKED HARD ON BOTH SIDES OF THIS.
'CAUSE IT IS, IS VERY IMPORTANT.
WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE HERE, UM, AT OUR DISTRICT THAT WE EVEN HAVE FACILITIES LIKE THIS.
EVERYBODY DOESN'T HAVE THIS AND HAVE CLOSED THEM DOWN OVER THE YEARS.
SO FOR US TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO CONTINUE TO WORK, TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE ARE GOOD PROGRAMS, THAT WE DO MORE AND THAT WE, YOU KNOW, SUCCEED, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA KEEP MY EYES OPEN AND, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO HEAR FROM FOLKS IF WE'RE HAVING CONCERNS.
I WANNA HEAR FROM FOLKS THAT WE'RE HEARING ABOUT ALL THE GOOD STUFF THAT'S DONE TOO.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALL SIDES.
SO, UM, THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN AT ALL THESE MEETINGS, WHO HAVE CALLED US, WHO HAVE WRITTEN US LETTERS, WE'VE HEARD SO FROM SO MANY OF YOU.
AND, UH, I JUST APPRECIATE, AGAIN, AS SOMEONE IN A POSITION LIKE THIS, TO HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE WHO CARE TO LET US KNOW HOW THEY'RE FEELING AND, AND WHAT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT TO INSIST THAT THINGS ARE GOOD.
SO THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU AND ALL OF YOU.
IT'S NOT A
UM, AND, AND THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY.
AND SO I'LL BE SUPPORTING IT, BUT I'LL BE KEEPING MY EYES OPEN AND HOPING THAT THINGS GO WELL.
SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE TIME YOU'VE ALL PUT IN.
YEAH, I'LL, SO I'M NOT ON THE FENCE.
I AM, UM, STRONGLY SUPPORT THE CONCESSION AS RECOMMENDED BY STAFF.
UM, THE TIPPING POINTS FOR ME ARE TWOFOLD.
[02:40:01]
POSITIVE COMMENTARY WE RECEIVE BOTH TODAY AND IN ALL THE WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS.I FOUND THEM AUTHENTIC AND, UH, FIRSTHAND IN, IN TERMS OF BORDER EXPERIENCE.
UM, THE OTHER TIPPING POINT IS I RESPECT THE, THE CRITICISMS. UM, I MITIGATE THOSE IN MY OWN MIND, ESPECIALLY THE ANONYMOUS WOMANS WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT UNLIKE WHAT'S SUGGESTED IN MANY OF THESE CRITICISMS, THERE IS REDRESS.
AND AS DIRECTOR RIO SAID, PEOPLE HAVE TO OWN THEIR COMPLAINTS AND SUBMIT THEM.
ANONYMOUS DOESN'T GET YOU THERE.
AND I GUESS THE BOTTOM LINE WITH ME IS, I KNOW RUBY REALLY WELL.
LISA AND HER TEAM REALLY WELL.
OUR PARK SUPERVISORS, I KNOW THEM REALLY WELL, OUR SANITATION FOLKS.
UM, I, I KNOW THESE, THESE PEOPLE, I WORK WITH THEM REGULARLY.
AND THE IDEA THAT THEY WOULD IGNORE CRITICISMS OR ADDRESS THEM IN A BIASED WAY OR WITHOUT COMPETENCY OR IGNORE THEM, UM, THAT'S INCONCEIVABLE.
THAT JUST DOESN'T HAPPEN WITH OUR PEOPLE.
THEY'RE VERY PROFESSIONAL, THEY'RE HIGHLY EXPERIENCED WITH, UH, OPERATING CONCESSIONS AND OVERSEEING CONCESSIONS.
AND SO I JUST HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE, PEOPLE WHO OVERSEE THIS AND OTHER CONCESSIONS ARE REALLY GOOD AT WHAT THEY DO.
AND THAT BASICALLY ALLOWS ME TO GO FORTH WITH THE FULL SUPPORT FOR THE CONCESSION AND FAITH IN THE OVERSIGHT THAT THIS STAFF GIVES IT
YEAH, DIRECTOR COFFEE MAKES, MAKES COMMENTS THAT I AGREE WITH AS WELL, ALTHOUGH I DON'T KNOW THEM AS WELL AS HE DOES, BUT I'M TRYING TO GET TO KNOW SO MANY MORE OF THE STAFF WE HAVE WORKING HERE.
SO YEAH, THERE'S A, THERE'S A VARIETY OF OPINIONS THAT HAVE BEEN EXPRESSED IN, IN THE, IN THE, UH, COMMUNICATIONS THAT WE'VE RECEIVED.
BUT AS DIRECTOR COFFEE JUST SAID, THE, THE OVERWHELMING, UM, TREND IS THAT THEY'RE POSITIVE.
HOWEVER, I HAVE CONCERNS, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SURE WHAT TO DO ABOUT, UM, THE NECESSITY FOR SOMEBODY TO REMAIN ANONYMOUS, THAT THEY FEEL THEY HAVE TO, IS DISTURBING TO ME.
I MEAN, I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW IT COULD BE AT THAT LEVEL THAT THEY WOULD NEED THAT.
SO BE THAT AS IT MAY, THAT'S THAT'S WHAT THEY DECIDED, AND AT LEAST THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES TO US.
AND WE WELCOME ANY COMMENTS, WHETHER IT IS A NAME ASSOCIATED WITH THEM OR NOT.
UM, THE OTHER, THE OTHER THING I'M WONDERING ABOUT IS, AND I DON'T NEED AN ANSWER TO THIS, BUT I UNDERSTAND THERE'S ONLY THREE HORSES AT LAS TRUMPUS.
I GUESS THERE'S NOWHERE TO GO BUT UP FROM HERE.
BUT THAT'S, THAT'S A CONCERN TO ME.
THIS IS NOT YOUR TIME, IT'S MY TIME.
IF YOU WANNA TALK LATER, THAT'S A DIFFERENT THING.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, THE THING THAT'S RIDING OVER ALL OF THIS IS IT'S JUST A BUNCH OF PERSONALITIES OUT THERE.
YOU KNOW, YOU GOT HORSES AND YOU GOT PEOPLE.
UM, AND THE, THOSE ARE TWO DIFFERENT ISSUES.
AND WHEN YOU'VE GOT THIS MANY FOLKS THAT ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT, AND I, AND I KNOW THAT THIS COMMUNITY IS OBVIOUSLY, AND THAT'S A GOOD THING, THAT THESE, THESE DISAGREEMENTS ARE GONNA HAPPEN.
SO I THINK THAT'S JUST SORT OF THE COST OF DOING RELATIONSHIPS IS WE DON'T ALWAYS AGREE, EVEN IN OUR FAMILIES IMAGINE THAT.
SO ANYWAY, UM, THAT'S NOT ENOUGH CONCERN FOR ME TO, UM, STAND IN THE WAY OF RECOGNIZING THAT, UH, WE CAN KEYSTONE, UH, WOULD BE THE BEST CHOICE FOR US TO, UM, TO GO AHEAD WITH.
UM, I TOO WILL VOTE FOR KEYSTONE IN THIS CASE.
I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS THOUGH.
UM, THIS CAN POTENTIALLY BE A 10 YEAR CONTRACT.
UH, AND I'M WONDERING, DO WE STILL HAVE THAT, I, I KNOW IN SOME OF THE CONTRACTS WE WRITE WITH CONSUMER CASH SESSION ERRORS, YOU COULD LEAVE AT ANY TIME WITH 30 DAYS NOTICE.
IS THAT THE CASE IN THIS, THIS AGREEMENT ALSO? UM, I CAN'T HEAR YOU.
ARE YOU MUTED? HERE YOU GO BY, UH, I CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
[02:45:01]
IT'S, UH, 180 DAYS BY EITHER PARTY ON THIS CONCESSION AGREEMENT CAN TERMINATE FOR ANY REASON.PLUS, IF THERE'S A DEFAULT, UH, BREACH OF THE CONTRACT, IT'S 30 DAYS AFTER NOTICE.
SO THERE'S TWO KIND OF AVENUES TO TERMINATE THIS CONTRACT EVEN WITHIN THE TERM.
WELL, THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S A GOOD, THAT'S THE ANSWER I WAS LOOKING FOR.
'CAUSE WE, UH, I, LIKE I SAID, I'LL VOTE FOR THIS.
I THINK WE HAVE, UH, THERE'S LOTS OF POTENTIAL HERE.
THERE'S LOTS OF OPINIONS TODAY, BUT I THINK THE PROOF WILL BE IN THE PUDDING.
UH, UM, I GUESS, WELL, HERE'S A QUESTION.
THERE ARE 40 STALLS OR 40 STALLS IN THE BARN, AND EIGHT STALLS IN A SHELTER.
HOW MANY OF THOSE ARE, ARE FILLED RIGHT NOW? I, I KNOW WE HEARD COMMENTS ABOUT THERE BEING ONLY THREE, BUT THIS IS FRESH OFF THE PRESSES.
UM, CURRENTLY 10 STALLS ARE SPOKEN FOR.
UM, THERE ARE 12 WHEN THE FORMER CONCESSIONAIRE LEFT, AND THEY NOW HAVE TWO LESSON HORSES AS WELL IN, IN THAT MIX.
SO, UM, AND THEY'RE ENROLLING 16 STUDENTS FOR, FOR LESSONS AS WELL.
SO AS INTERIM OPERATORS, THERE WAS AN EXODUS OF A FEW PEOPLE DURING THE TURNOVER, BUT THEY'VE BEEN WORKING TO REBUILD THEIR BOARDING.
AND I THINK THIS IS NOTHING BUT A CHANCE FOR POTENTIAL BECAUSE, UM, LET'S FACE IT, IF YOU, IF YOU DON'T LIKE WHAT'S GOING ON THERE, YOU HAVE THE CHOICE TO LEAVE AND WE'LL SEE, UM, HOW SUCCESSFUL THEY'LL BE.
UH, UH, BUT THIS IS, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE THE RIDING, UM, UH, TRAIL RIDES, UH, LESSONS CREATE A WHOLE NEW, UM, PARADIGM OUT THERE.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO IT AND FILL THE STALLS.
WELL, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO BE HERE TODAY.
UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE HEARING YOUR OWN EXPERIENCES, AND IT DOES TAKE COURAGE TO COME HERE AND SAY WHAT YOU WANNA SAY, UM, WHETHER IT'S GOOD OR BAD OR SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN.
AND IT WAS IMPORTANT TO HEAR REALLY THIS WHOLE DIVERSITY OF OPINIONS, BECAUSE OFTENTIMES WHEN PEOPLE COME AND SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST, THEY SAY VERY SIMILAR THINGS, BUT YOU ALL HAD VERY SIMILAR THEMES MAYBE, BUT VERY DIFFERENT, UH, WIDE RANGE OF, OF INFORMATION.
SO I JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK YOU FOR THAT.
AND IT, IT, IT PARTICULARLY TAKES COURAGE TO SPEAK OUT ABOUT, UM, SENSITIVE TOPICS LIKE SOME OF THE ISSUES, SOME OF THE ALLEGATIONS THAT, THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED.
AND, UM, SO I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT.
AND, AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S CERTAINLY IMPORTANT TO, TO HEAR A COMPLAINT.
AND, AND, UH, AS OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HAVE MENTIONED, UM, THERE IS, THERE'S AN OUTSIDE INVESTIGATIONS OUTSIDE OF OUR PURVIEW.
I THINK OUR STAFF HAS DONE A GOOD JOB OF DOING THEIR DUE DILIGENCE AND LOOKING AT EVERYTHING THAT THE, THE PARK DISTRICT, UM, HAS, HAS OPENED IN TERMS OF, OF, YOU KNOW, OUR ROLE.
AND, AND THEN WE, WE WILL SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT, THAT, THAT IS UPHELD THROUGH THESE INVESTIGATIONS.
AND, AND, YOU KNOW, IF WE DO FIND ANY, ANY SERIOUS ISSUES WE WE HAVE, WE WILL HAVE SOME RECOURSE.
SO I GUESS WITH THAT AND KNOWING THAT OUR, WHAT THE WORK THAT OUR, OUR STAFF HAS DONE, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, CERTAINLY MANY OF THE VERY POSITIVE COMMENTS HERE IN THE ROOM, I AM ALSO COMFORTABLE VOTING IN FAVOR OF, OF, UM, THE, OF KEYSTONE MANAGEMENT, UH, EXPANDING TO LAS TRUMPUS.
UM, AND SO WITH THAT, DO I HAVE A MOTION? OKAY.
AND WHY DON'T YOU JUST FOR CLARITY, JUST STATE WHAT YOUR MOTION IS? YEAH, THE, THE MOTION IS TO, UM, WELL, SHOULD I READ IT HERE OR? SURE.
UM, IN FAVOR OF AUTHORIZATION TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH KEYSTONE MANAGEMENT COMPANY AT LOS TRUMPUS WILDERNESS REGIONAL PRESERVE.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION BY DIRECTOR KIU AND A SECOND BY DIRECTOR COFFEE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT, AND WE WILL TAKE A 10 MINUTE, WANT 10 MINUTES OR FIVE? THANK YOU.
WE ARE READY TO START BACK UP AGAIN.
[GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS]
AND CONSIDER, UM, THE CONSENT ITEM THAT[02:50:01]
WAS PULLED REGARDING THE APPOINTMENT OF A NEW, UM, A GM OVER FINANCE.AND OUR GENERAL MANAGER IS GOING TO DO A BRIEF PRESENTATION ON THIS ITEM TO START OUT.
AND I'LL, I'LL BE, UH, BRIEF AND HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY, ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.
UM, SO AS WE INDICATED IN THE REPORT, WE, UH, LAUNCHED A, UH, NATIONWIDE RECRUITMENT FOR OUR ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER, FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES SLASH OUR CFO POSITION.
USED AN OUTSIDE EXECUTIVE RECRUITER ON THAT PROCESS, JUST LIKE WE HAVE FOR ALL OF OUR OTHER, UM, EXECUTIVE RECRUITMENTS THAT WE'VE DONE HERE.
HA, RECEIVED 55 APPLICANTS THAT CAME IN THE DOOR, HAD, UH, NARROWED THAT DOWN TO SIX FINALISTS WHO WERE INTERVIEWED BY BOTH AN INTERNAL PANEL, AND THEN WE HAD AN EXTERNAL PANEL OF, UM, OF EXPERTS IN THE FIELD FROM AROUND THE REGION.
AND ULTIMATELY, UH, THERE WAS A RECOMMENDATION OF THREE FINALISTS THAT CAME TO ME AND, UM, SELECTED, UH, OUR CURRENT A FO DEB SPALDING AS THE PERSON THAT, UH, IS IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY, UM, AS A RECOMMENDATION TO APPOINT OR CONSENT TO THE HIRING AS OUR NEW A GM OF FINANCE.
UM, DEB, AS I THINK YOU GUYS ARE ALL PRETTY FAMILIAR WITH, UM, BRINGS THE TECHNICAL EXPERTISE AND, UM, AND REALLY THE SHARES, MY VALUES AND OUR, AND I BELIEVE OUR COLLECTIVE VALUES AS WE WORK TO MOVE THE, CONTINUE TO MOVE THE DISTRICT FORWARD, UM, AND HAS A PROVEN TRACK RECORD IN THIS FIELD.
SO VERY, VERY EXCITED TO RECOMMEND, UH, HER TO THE POSITION.
I, UM, THINK I SENT YOUR, HER RESUME WITH SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL DETAILS LAST NIGHT.
IF YOU HAD ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT HER QUALIFICATIONS.
I DO WANT TO SPEAK TO, THERE'S BEEN SOME QUESTIONS AROUND, THERE IS A, IN THE RESOLUTION, THE FIRST OR SECOND RESOLVED THAT TALKS ABOUT THE FUTURE ENGAGEMENT OF AN A GM OF FINANCE SHALL FOLLOW THE SAME PROCESS AS THE OTHER AG GM POSITIONS, AND THAT THE BOARD OPERATING GUIDELINES WILL BE REVISED ACCORDINGLY.
JUST TO TAKE A STEP BACK ON THAT AND WHY THAT'S IN THERE.
UM, AND, UH, THIS IS KIND OF TRYING TO SOLVE PROBABLY TWO ISSUES AT, AT THE SAME TIME, WHICH WE DON'T NEED TO DO.
BUT, UH, THIS GOES BACK TO JUST REMINDING, UH, SOME OF YOU, OUR CONVERSATION, UH, TWO PLUS YEARS AGO AROUND THE BOARD OPERATING GUIDELINES AND THE CONVERSATION THAT OCCURRED ON THIS OUT SOMEWHAT OUTDATED OR INCONSISTENT LANGUAGE IN YOUR BOARD OUT, UH, OPERATING GUIDELINES.
THE COMMUNICATION TO ME WAS, HEY, WE'LL, WE WILL RESOLVE THAT OR DEAL WITH THAT WHEN THERE'S A VACANCY NEXT TIME.
SO THAT'S WHY IT WAS PUT IN THERE.
UM, CERTAINLY THERE IS NO, NO URGENCY TO DO THAT TODAY.
UM, WE'RE FOLLOWING THAT PROCESS HERE AS, AS IT CURRENTLY IS DICTATED IN THE BOARD OPERATING GUIDELINES.
AND, UM, I WOULD RECOMMEND JUST IN LIGHT OF THE NEED TO KIND OF FLESH IT OUT A LITTLE BIT, BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME INCONSISTENCIES IN BOTH WHAT'S IN THE PUBLIC RESOURCES CODE, WHAT OUR CLASSIFICATIONS ARE HERE, AND THEN ALSO WHAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR BOARD OPERATING GUIDELINES THAT WE JUST GO AHEAD AND REMOVE THAT RESOLVED AND BRING IT BACK AS, UH, TO THE BOARD EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE FOR SOME FUTURE CONVERSATION.
UM, BECAUSE IT, IT'S, THERE'S SOME, AND THERE'S SOME REAL KIND OF TECHNICAL LEGAL ISSUES THAT WE NEED TO KIND OF BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION AROUND THAT, WHAT A CONTROLLER IS UNDER STATE CODE AND HOW THAT RELATES TO THIS POSITION AND HOW IT RELATES TO THE BOARD'S AUTHORITY.
THIS WAS REALLY JUST TRYING TO ADDRESS KIND OF A, UH, TWO PROBLEMS IN PROBABLY A BLUNT WAY WITH A BLUNT TOOL, UM, NOT TO CONFUSE IT WITH REALLY THE HAPPINESS AND THE EXCITEMENT OF WHAT WE, I I'M BRINGING FORWARD, UH, IN TERMS OF, UH, DEB SPALDING AND THE APPOINTMENT HERE AS THE A GM.
SO, UM, HAPPY TO HAVE THAT REMOVED.
I DO KNOW THAT JUST IN LIGHT OF THE TECHNICAL NEED FOR JUST TODAY, THERE IS SOME, UH, I BELIEVE LANGUAGE THAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT WE ADD THAT JASON HAS, AND HE CAN READ INTO THE RECORD.
UM, IT IS NOT CONTROVERSIAL, IT'S JUST TO CLARIFY AGAIN, UNDER THE PUBLIC RESOURCES CODE, UM, THAT WE WILL HAVE A CONTROLLER
SO, UM, WITH THAT, I AM VERY EXCITED TO RECOMMEND DEB AS, UH, OUR NEW, UH, ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER OF FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT, UH, SLASH CFO SLASH CONTROLLER.
UM, AND HAPPY TO REMOVE THAT WHERE, OR THAT RESOLVED PROVISION, BRING IT BACK TO THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE,
[02:55:01]
AND THEN JASON'S GONNA READ THE CLARIFYING LANGUAGE INTO THE RECORD, AND I CAN DO THAT NOW, OR WHEN YOU'RE READY, DO THE COMMERCIAL.SO, UM, AS GENERAL MAN MANAGER, LANDRETH MENTIONED THE SECOND RESOLVED, UH, CLAUSE WOULD BE DELETED AND IN ITS PLACE WOULD BE A NEW RESOLVE THAT SAYS, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS APPOINTS THE AG GM OF FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES SLASH CFO AS THE DISTRICT CONTROLLER.
THE FIRST AND THIRD RESOLVED WOULD REMAIN UNEDITED.
SO THAT WOULD BE OUR RECOMMENDATION FOR THE RESOLUTION FOR THE BOARD TO TAKE ACTION ON WHEN YOU'RE READY.
CAN WE, EXCUSE ME, SPEAK AGAIN.
I DON'T NEED THIS RIGHT NOW, BUT IF YOU CAN SEND US THE FULL LANGUAGE OF IT TONIGHT,
AND ALSO WHAT WE COULD DO IS ONCE THE BOARD TAKES ACTION ON THE REVISED RESOLUTION, I UNDERSTAND THE CLERK OF THE BOARD WOULD EDIT IT SO THE, THE ADOPTED RESOLUTION WOULD HAVE THE, THE LANGUAGE THAT I READ INTO THE RECORD.
COULD YOU JUST READ ONE MORE TIME? SURE, PLEASE.
SO, UH, TO REPEAT, THE SECOND RESOLVED CLAUSE WOULD BE DELETED IN ITS ENTIRETY AND REPLACED WITH THE FOLLOWING TEXT, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS APPOINTS THE A GM OF FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES SLASH CFO AS THE DISTRICT CONTROLLER.
AND THE FIRST AND THE THIRD RESOLVED CLAUSES WOULD REMAIN AS IS NOT EDITED.
BUT I WOULD APPRECIATE YOU SENDING THAT TO ALL OF US WHEN YOU HAVE A CHANCE.
QUESTIONS, COMMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? DIRECTOR, COFFEE? I DO HAVE A QUESTION OF THE GENERAL MANAGER, BUT I DO WANT TO COMMENT FIRST THAT, UH, CIRCULATION OF DEBORAH'S RESUME IS VERY MUCH APPRECIATED.
AND FOR THE RECORD, I, I, I GUESS HAVE IT PART OF THE RECORD, THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY IMPRESSIVE RESUME IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, UH, PUBLIC, UH, FINANCE BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCE AND RANGE OF EXPERIENCE AND EXPERIENCE WITH SPECIFIC, UM, OPERATIONAL, UH, PROGRAMS AND ASPECTS OF THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
UH, I WASN'T FAMILIAR WITH DEBORAH'S BIO OR, OR RESUME BEFORE, AND, UM, FRANKLY, I GOT TO THE POINT WHERE IT REFERENCED A MASTER'S DEGREE AT UCB GOLDMAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC POLICY, AND AT THAT POINT I WAS DONE.
UM, BUT NONETHELESS, THE ENTIRETY OF THIS RESUME IS INCREDIBLY IMPRESSIVE.
UM, THIS CANDIDATE BRINGS TREMENDOUS, UH, BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCE AND, AND I'M REALLY PLEASED WITH THE SELECTION.
MY ONE QUESTION, UH, THE GENERAL MANAGER IS THIS DID PRESENT AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, FOR REVIEWING CANDIDATES OUTSIDE THE ORGANIZATION.
IN FACT, I UNDERSTAND IT WAS A NATIONAL SEARCH, AND YOU DID ACTUALLY, YOU AND, AND YOUR TEAM HAD THE ABILITY TO INTERVIEW, UM, SOME FINALISTS FROM OUTSIDE THE ORGANIZATION, UH, AND, AND WERE PRESENTED THAT OPPORTUNITY.
WHAT WAS IT, OR CU CUMUL CUMULATIVELY, UH, SAY THE WORD WAS, UH, THE, THE FACTORS THAT BROUGHT YOU TO LAND WITH, UH, DEBORAH INSTEAD OF GOING OUTSIDE? YEAH, GREAT QUESTION.
AND YES, IT WAS A VERY COMPETITIVE PROCESS.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S, AND I THINK THAT'S ALSO SPEAKS TO WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR US TO DO THESE OPEN, TRANSPARENT PROCESSES FOR THESE EXECUTIVE POSITIONS, EVEN IF THERE IS A STRONG INTERNAL CANDIDATE, BECAUSE IT, IT CONTINUES TO LEND A LOT OF, UH, LEGITIMACY AND CREDIBILITY TO THE SELECTION.
UM, AND SO YES, IT WAS A VERY ROBUST PROCESS.
I LIKE TO TELL PEOPLE, I DON'T KNOW FISH BIOLOGY, BUT THERE IS ONE AREA THAT I DO HAVE SOME EXPERTISE IN, AND THAT'S, IS ON MUNICIPAL AND LOCAL, UH, PUBLIC FINANCE.
AND SO FEEL REALLY SOLID, UM, IN EVALUATING THESE CANDIDATES.
AND SO FOR DEB, IT COMES DOWN TO REALLY LOOKING AT HER TECHNICAL SKILLS, UM, SPECIFIC TO CALIFORNIA, UM, AND SPECIFIC TO A SPECIAL DISTRICT IN CALIFORNIA.
[03:00:01]
AND THEN SHE ALSO BRINGS HER, HER, ALL OF HER MANY YEARS OF WORKING WITHIN OUR PARK DISTRICT.SO SHE KNOWS THE INS AND OUTS AND THEN WHAT'S ALSO GOOD, BAD, OTHERWISE SHE'S HAD AN OPPORTUNITY IN THE LAST, I THINK, EIGHT MONTHS TO ALSO SERVE IN A, IN A PSEUDO ACTING ROLE, IN A, IN A LARGER CAPACITY, HAS TO, HAS HAD TO REPORT DIRECTLY TO ME, UM, I'M SORRY,
UM, AND, UH, AND SO I'VE BEEN ABLE TO HAVE EYEBALLS DIRECTLY ON HER AND TO BE ABLE TO SEE HOW SHE INTERACTS WITH THE ENTIRE EXECUTIVE TEAM AND TO LOOK AT, UH, REALLY HOW SHE LEADS WITH HER VALUES AND HER DECISION MAKING, UM, AND HER MANAGEMENT STYLE AND HER OPENNESS FOR CONTINUED GROWTH, UM, AND FOR REVISITING THE WAY THAT WE DO SOME OF OUR, OUR CURRENT PRACTICES.
SO FOR ME, SHE CLICKED ALL OF THOSE BOXES.
AND I WOULD NOTE THERE SEEMS TO BE NOW A, UM, COMRADERY OF GSPP INFLUENCE AMONG SENIOR MANAGEMENT HERE,
JUST, JUST SAYING, GO BEARS, GO BEARS,
I FEEL LIKE I NEED TO JUST SPEAK UP.
I DID SEE POMONA AS WELL, AND I, YOU KNOW, YES, I'M FROM THE EAST BAY, BUT I, I DO THINK LOS ANGELES AND SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA IS IMPORTANT, SO I ACTUALLY REALLY APPRECIATE THE ONE CALIFORNIA PERSPECTIVE AS WELL ON THE, ON OUR, UH, UH, CANDIDATE'S RESUME.
AND CAL STATE EAST BAY HAS A WONDERFUL MPA PROGRAM.
EVEN BACK WHEN IT WAS CAL STATE HAYWARD
ANYWAY, CAN I, UH, MAKE ANOTHER COMMENT HERE? YES.
UH, WELCOME DEBORAH SPALDING, UH, TO YOUR NEW POSITION.
UM, DEBORAH'S NOT NEW TO ME BECAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE'VE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER FOR YEARS AS DUE TO MY PRESENCE ON THE PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE, FINANCE COMMITTEE, AND NOW THE FINANCE COMMITTEE HERE.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE, WE'VE HAD SOME, SOME, SOME, UH, UH, INTERFACING AND I LOOK FORWARD TO A LOT MORE IN A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT ROLE FOR YOU.
SO, GOOD LUCK DIRECTOR CORMAN.
I'M ANOTHER MEMBER OF THE BOARD WHO'S HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH YOU ON OTHER COMMITTEES TOO, SO I WON'T TALK FOR A LONG TIME EXCEPT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS.
AND, UH, IT'S VERY, VERY, UM, VERY IMPRESSIVE.
I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING EVEN MORE WITH YOU IN THE FUTURE.
WELL, I, I WILL JUST ALSO SAY, UH, I WAS ABSOLUTELY THRILLED WHEN I LEARNED THE RECOMMENDATION, SO THANK YOU, UM, NOT ONLY FOR APPLYING, BUT BEING WILLING TO STEP UP AND TAKE THIS JOB AND, UM, REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH YOU IN YOUR NEW ROLE.
AND WITH THAT, UH, WOULD SOMEONE LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION? OH, OH, GO AHEAD.
WE HAVE A MOTION BY DIRECTOR CORBETT AND A SECOND BY DIRECTOR ROSARIO.
REAL QUICK, THIS IS THE REVISED.
YEAH, WE DELETED, WE DELETED THE ONE RESOLVED AND WE ADDED ANOTHER AS AMENDED.
THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING ON DIRECTOR SAN JUAN.
THIS IS, WE ARE, THIS IS A MOTION DIRECTOR, COR, BUT ON THE, ON THE REVISED VERSION AS JASON READ INTO THE RECORD.
ALL IN FAVOR? WE'LL DO IT AGAIN.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, EVERYBODY.
A I FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD BREAK OUT A CAKE,
UM, WE ALSO, THROUGH THIS PROCESS, WE'RE ABLE TO, ONE OF THE THREE FINALISTS THAT I DID INTERVIEW, UM, FABULOUS CANDIDATE, UM, BUT NOT, NOT QUITE UP THERE AT THE EXECUTIVE LEVEL YET, BUT WE, UH, OFFERED HER THE ASSISTANT FINANCE OFFICER JOB AND SHE HAS ALSO ACCEPTED.
UM, SO YOU'LL SEE AN ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
SO WE ARE, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE AN ABSOLUTE POWERHOUSE TEAM IN THE FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES.
SO YOU'RE AT A TWOFER IN RECRUITMENT, CORRECT.
[03:05:01]
MANAGER'S COMMENTS? NO, NOTHING FURTHER.[ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM CLOSED SESSION]
ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM CLOSED SESSION? UH, YEAH.SOMETHING TO REPORT FROM A PRIOR CLOSED SESSION ON DECEMBER 5TH, 2023, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AUTHORIZED THE SETTLEMENT WITH AFSCME LOCAL 2 4 2 8 TO RESOLVE A DISPUTE REGARDING A TENTATIVE AGREEMENT ENTERED INTO 2021 RELATED TO DEFERRED COMPENSATION MATCHING.
THE BOARD AGREED TO PAY AFSCME MEMBERS UP TO $3,000 AS A ONE-TIME BONUS PAYMENT, DEPENDING ON WHEN THEY WERE HIRED AND CONTINGENT ON BEING EMPLOYED BY THE DISTRICT ON DECEMBER 5TH, 2023.
THE TOTAL COST OF THE SETTLEMENT IS 2.1 MILLION.
THE BOARD AUTHORIZED A ONE-TIME BONUS PAYMENT OF UP TO 3000 FOR UNREPRESENTED EMPLOYEES WHO ARE EMPLOYED BY THE PARK DISTRICT AS OF JANUARY 1ST, 2024.
THE AMOUNT OF THE BONUS IS DEPENDENT ON WHEN THE EMPLOYEE BEGAN WORKING AT THE DISTRICT.
THE TOTAL COST FOR UNREPRESENTED EMPLOYEES IS $216,000.
THAT TAKES US TO BOARD COMMENTS.
[BOARD COMMENTS]
UM, I WILL START, I'LL START AT THIS END TODAY.SO ON, UH, FEBRUARY 6TH, I WAS HERE AT THE BOARD MEETING AND THE NEXT DAY, UM, UH, I WAS INVITED BY CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS TO PARTICIPATE IN A PLANNING PROCESS THAT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW.
A STATEWIDE PLAN CALLED THE, AND THE, THE MEETING WAS CALLED THE ADVISORY COUNCIL FOCUS GROUP FOR 2026 STATEWIDE COMPREHENSIVE OUTDOOR RECREATION PLAN.
UM, AND, AND ACTUALLY, UM, I PARTICIPATED IN THE PRIOR ONE TOO.
UM, AND SO I GUESS AS I WAS ON THEIR LIST, SO THEY INVITED ME TO TRY IT AGAIN, BUT VERY INTERESTING PEOPLE FROM ALL AROUND, UM, MOSTLY AROUND SACRAMENTO AREA.
I WENT TO THE SACRAMENTO MEETING AND, UH, THEY'RE WORKING ON, UH, A, A PLAN, UM, THAT REMINDS ME A LOT OF KIND OF WHAT WE'RE AFTER HERE WHEN IN OUR PROCESSES OF REALLY MAKING IT SOMETHING THAT REACHES OUT TO SO MANY DIFFERENT DIVERSITY GROUPS AND, AND SUCH.
SO, UM, LOTS OF GOOD STUFF, UH, IN THE WORKS WITH THE STATE.
UM, ON FEBRUARY 9TH, UM, I MET WITH SABRINA FOR OUR ONE-ON-ONE MEETING.
AND THEN ON THE 11TH, UH, FEBRUARY 11TH, UM, WE HAD THE, UM, AT THURGOOD MARSHALL REGIONAL PARK ON THE PORT CHICAGO 50, WE HAD A 90TH ANNIVERSARY, BLACK HISTORY MONTH WALK THERE AT THE SOUTH OF BAILEY ROAD, UH, PAR, UM, PROPERTY.
AND WE GOT SOME, SOMEWHERE AROUND A HUNDRED PEOPLE THERE, PLUS THE REST OF US FROM THE DISTRICT.
SO IT'S A BIG GROUP, VERY INTERESTING AND LEARNED A LOT.
UM, ON, UM, THE 13TH I MET WITH, UM, KEN WAKI AND BRIAN HOLT TO TALK ABOUT SOME ISSUES WITH, UH, THAT PROPERTY THAT I JUST MENTIONED, UH, GETTING, UH, MAYBE IMPROVING THE PEDESTRIAN OF THE BICYCLE ACCESS INTO THAT PARK.
UM, NOTHING EARTH SHATTERING THAT DECIDED, BUT WE DECIDED TO KEEP, KEEP LOOKING AT IT.
AND THEN ON, UM, FEBRUARY 16TH, UH, I WAS IN A ZOOM MEETING FOR, UM, THE EAST BAY LEADERSHIP COUNCIL MONTHLY MEETING, OF WHICH I SIT ON THAT BOARD.
UM, FEBRUARY 7TH, I HAD A SHORT MEETING WITH OUR LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS TEAM IN REGARDS TO SOME UPCOMING PROJECTS, INCLUDING THE APRIL WORKSHOP.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE, UM, ON FEBRUARY 9TH, I HAD A MEETING WITH THE NEIGHBORS AT DEL VAL, SO THE RANCHERS WHO LIVE, WHO LIVE NEXT TO DEL VAL PARK AND ACCESS THEIR PROPERTIES THROUGH THE KIOSK.
AND I BELIEVE I MENTIONED THIS AT OUR PREVIOUS BOARD MEETING.
I I DO BELIEVE WITH THE, UM, UPCOMING LEASE, UH, RENEWAL IN 2025.
AND JUST BASED ON SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS I'M HAVING WITH DIFFERENT, UH, MEMBERS OF OUR, OF THE WATER AGENCIES THAT ARE STAKEHOLDERS AT DELVAL, I I DO THINK THAT WE'RE GONNA PROBABLY BE HEARING A LOT OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS IN REGARDS TO THIS.
IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT LEASE RENEWAL.
AND, UH, I, I, I, I, I BELIEVE THAT, UM, SOME OF THESE NEIGHBORS MAY ALSO BE, UH, STARTING TO MOBILIZE IN TERMS OF REACHING OUT TO US HERE ON THE BOARD.
UM, AND SO I, I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S WORTH FIGURING OUT WHEN TO INCLUDE IT IN A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM, BUT I DO KNOW THAT THERE'S LIKELY TO BE SOME MOMENTUM HERE.
I, I, THAT'S JUST MY PREDICTION, UM, ON FEBRUARY 10TH.
I'M SURPRISED YOU DIDN'T MENTION THIS.
WE HAD AN IMPORTANT MEETING, JOHN AND I OH,
[03:10:01]
IT'S OKAY.BUT I ALSO WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, TAKE MY COLLEAGUE WHO SHARES THE IRON HORSE TRAIL WITH ME TO THE SPOT WHERE, UH, ALAMEDA COUNTY AND CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MEET WHERE, UH, YOU KNOW, DUBLIN AND SAN RAMON MEET.
AND IT, IT'S VERY INTERESTING 'CAUSE YOU CAN SEE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PAVEMENT CHANGES ON THE COUNTY LINE, AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE CREEK NEXT TO, UM, THIS SPOT, YOU'LL ALSO SEE THAT ON THE SAN RAMON SIDE, IT'S MORE CHANNELIZED IN TERMS OF THE PAVEMENT.
AND THEN ON THE ALAMEDA COUNTY DUBLIN SIDE, THERE'S MORE RIP WRAP.
SO IT HAS MORE OF THIS NATURAL LOOKING AESTHETIC.
SO IT'S VERY INTERESTING TO GO TO THAT POINT, BUT I'M REALLY GLAD WE GOT TO GO TOGETHER AND TALK ABOUT THE IRON HORSE TRAIL AND ALSO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE OTHER AREAS THAT I'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE US EXPLORE OVER.
IT'D BE NICE THIS YEAR BECAUSE I KNOW WE'RE COMING UP ON A VERY IMPORTANT MILESTONE WHEN, UM, THE IRON HORSE TRAIL BRIDGE OVER DUBLIN BOULEVARD WILL OPEN, UH, WHICH IS GONNA BE SUCH A GREAT WAY TO CONNECT TO THE DUBLIN PLEASANTON BART STATION.
BUT I DO KNOW THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF EFFORTS TO EXTEND THE IRON HORSE TRAIL AND TO LIVERMORE.
AND AT THE PRESENT MOMENT, IT'S NOT REALLY MENTIONED AS ONE OF OUR OFFICIAL CITIES.
AND SO I'D REALLY LIKE FOR US TO EXPLORE HOW WE CAN GET THIS ADDED AS ONE OF THE CITIES.
I KNOW THAT THERE'S SOME, UM, DIFFICULTY WITH MURRAY TOWNSHIP DESIGNATION AND, UH, THAT ASPECT OF THINGS, BUT IT WOULD BE REALLY NICE TO ADD A THIRD CITY IN ALAMEDA COUNTY TO THE IRON HORSE TRAIL.
I KNOW, UH, HAVING PREVIOUSLY SERVED ON THE ZONE SEVEN BOARD OF DIRECTORS, YOU KNOW, I WAS A PART OF THE APPROVAL TO, UH, WORK ON SOME OF THE, UM, IRON HORSE TRAIL IN LIVERMORE AND PART OF THAT VISION.
AND SO IT WOULD BE REALLY EXCITING TO ME HERE AT EAST BAY REGIONAL PARKS TO HAVE THAT EXTENSION HAPPEN WHILE I'M HERE ON THE BOARD.
UH, UNFORTUNATELY I LEARNED THAT THE FLU SHOT WILL OCCASIONALLY MISS SOME STRAINS,
UH, BUT BEFORE THAT HAPPENED, I, UH, DID ATTEND THE, UH, THURGOOD MARSHALL PROGRAM CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH AND, UH, UH, OUR 90TH ANNIVERSARY.
AND I JUST WANTED TO EXTEND, UH, MY APPRECIATION TO, UH, THE NATURALIST STAFF AT BLACK DIAMOND FOR PUTTING ON A, UH, TREMENDOUS PROGRAM.
UH, FOLKS WERE VISIBLY MOVED, UM, BY THE STORIES THAT, UH, OUR, OUR NATURALIST STAFF, UH, UH, TOLD AND HAD PARTICIPANTS TELL.
IT WAS A, A REALLY, UM, WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE WHERE WE WERE DIVIDED INTO GROUPS AND, UM, WERE GIVEN THE, THE BIOGRAPHIES OF SOME OF THE PORT CHICAGO 50.
AND, UH, WERE ABLE TO SHARE THE STORIES AND, AND, AND, UH, UH, UH, APPRECIATE THE, THE HISTORY THAT, UH, WE WERE TELLING.
UH, SO, SO, UH, AGAIN, IT WAS A, A VERY, UH, SUCCESSFUL EVENT AND, UH, WE, UH, WE ALL APPRECIATE WHAT THE BLACK DIAMOND CREW DID, DID FOR IT.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MR. CORBIN.
I DON'T HAVE MY CALENDAR WITH ME, BUT I WILL PASS IT IN LATER.
BUT, UM, OF COURSE, IT'S BEEN GREAT.
UM, LET'S SEE, SINCE THE LAST BOARD MEETING ATTENDED THE THURGOOD MARSHALL, UM, REGIONAL PARK HOME IN CHICAGO, PORT CHICAGO 50 EVENT, THAT WAS GREAT.
UH, CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT OUR NATIONALISTS.
AND THEN, UM, ON THE 14TH, I ATTENDED THE ALAMEDA COUNTY MAYOR'S CONFERENCE WHERE THERE WAS, THERE'S SOME ANNOUNCEMENTS OF IMPORT.
THEY, UH, THEY ANNOUNCED THE MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY, MOU, UH, BETWEEN ALL THE CITIES, BERKELEY, RICHMOND, OAKLAND, UH, SAN SAN LEANDRO, HAYWARD, UH, THEY'RE ALL GONNA, UM, UH, PARTICIPATE TOGETHER.
AND THEN ABA AND MTC, THEY'RE GONNA VOTE THIS SPRING ON PUTTING A, UH, UH, HOUSING, HOUSING BOND AT, IN NOVEMBER 20 THIS YEAR.
AND THEN MTC IS GONNA BE PROPOSING ANOTHER TRANSPORTATION BOND IN 2006.
FOR WHEN WE WANNA DO SOMETHING TOO.
AND THEN, UH, AND THEN I'M HERE AND I JUST WANNA MAKE A COMMENT ON, UM, UH, I KNOW JUDY MARTIN WAS HERE FOR PIEDMONT STABLES AND JUST WANTED TO SECOND HER, UM, HER APPEAL THERE.
I MEAN, THOSE STRUCTURES WERE SUPPOSED TO BE DONE BACK IN 2013.
[03:15:03]
THAT PAINT JOB HAS BEEN SITTING THERE SINCE, SINCE THEN.AND THE SHAVINGS BAR HAS NOW BEEN TAKING US, SO I KNOW WE'VE TRIED, WE HAD A CONTRACTOR THIS YEAR THAT'S GONNA DO A SHAVINGS BARN, BUT HE DEFAULTED.
SO I KNOW WE'RE TRYING, BUT IT JUST TAKES WAY TOO LONG,
AND, AND I'M REALLY HAPPY THAT, UH, UH, OUR, UM, UH, OUR A SD UH, DEPARTMENTS CAN TAKE CARE OF IT NOW BEFORE IT WAS SITTING IN AN OUTLYING WHATEVER
SO LET'S, UH, I'M HOPING WE, WE CAN MOVE ON THAT AND, UH, AND MAKE SURE THAT, UH, THAT RUNNING A STABLES, YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET RICH RUNNING A STABLE.
AND THEIR, THEIR MARGINS ARE VERY SMALL.
AND SO ANYTHING THAT WE TO DO TO GET THEM UP AND RUNNING OR KEEP 'EM RUNNING, UH, WE SHOULD BE DOING.
AND I, I CAN FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AFTERWARDS.
I DO KNOW, I, UM, AND I JUST DIDN'T SAY IT EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON, BUT WE, I DO KNOW THAT MAST RIGHT NOW IS WORKING ON GETTING AN INDUSTRIAL HYGIENIST OVER THERE.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY BUDGET TO DO THE PAINT, SO WE ARE WORKING ON TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO, TO COVER IT.
UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT OF THE SURETY ISSUES WITH THE SHAVINGS BARN, BUT YEAH.
WE'LL, WE'LL KEEP PRESSING HARD.
YEAH, THAT ORIGINAL PAINT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE MITIGATE THE, UH, EXISTING, UM, UH, LEAD PAINT THAT WAS ON THERE, AND APPARENTLY IT DIDN'T WORK.
SO LET'S, YEAH, LET'S, LET'S SEE.
LET'S SEE IF WE CAN'T GET THAT DONE.
UM, WELL, I'VE BEEN A LITTLE LAID UP FOR THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS, SO I HAVEN'T BEEN MANY PLACES.
UH, I THINK THAT WILL END SOON AS I JUST GOT MY SECOND NEGATIVE RESULT DURING THE BREAK.
UH, SO I HOPE TO BE BACK WITH YOU SHORTLY.
UM, ON THE SEVENTH, I ATTENDED THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING VIA ZOOM.
UH, ON FEBRUARY 8TH, I ATTENDED A HASA MEETING, UH, VIA ZOOM AND, UH, ALSO THE ALAMEDA COUNTY FIRE ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING, UH, ON FEBRUARY 15TH.
UM, AND I'VE TAKEN A LOT OF WONDERFUL SOLITARY HIKES IN THE PARK.
THIS TIME OF YEAR, EVERYTHING'S GREEN AND EVERYTHING'S WET AND WATER'S RUNNING EVERYWHERE, SO THAT WAS, WAS A PLEASURABLE PART OF THIS EXPERIENCE.
UH, AND I GUESS THE VIEW FROM THIS, UM, ZOOM WINDOW IS JUST A, YOU FOLKS, I CAN'T SEE THE AUDIENCE.
I HAD NO IDEA THAT DEB SPALDING WAS THERE DURING HER, UM, UH, FORMAL PROMOTION.
UH, I DON'T KNOW IF SHE'S STILL HERE, BUT I JUST WAS WOULD'VE SAID, CONGRATULATIONS.
I'VE KNOWN HER FOR A REALLY, REALLY LONG TIME, OBVIOUSLY AS LONG AS SHE'S BEEN HERE.
UH, AND BOY, I WILL TRULY MISS, I'M VERY HAPPY FOR HER, BUT I WILL TRULY MISS SOME OF THE WITTY, BITING, CHARMING, UH, DRY HUMOR EMAILS THAT SHE USED TO SEND.
UH, AND AS SHE'S RISEN IN THE RANKS, THEY'VE DWINDLED.
BUT, UM, IT'S A GREAT PROMOTION FOR HER.
DIRECTOR WASFI, UH, WELL FOR ME, UM, STARTING AFTER, AFTER OUR LAST BOARD MEETING ON THE SIXTH, I MET WITH ASK ME 2, 4, 2 8, UM, ON THE SEVENTH, I ATTENDED THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING ON THE EIGHTH, I ATTENDED THE REGIONAL PARK FOUNDATION BOARD MEETING, AND REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING MORE CLOSELY WITH THEM THIS YEAR.
UM, ON OUR SHARED GOALS ON THE 11TH, AS YOU HEARD, A NUMBER OF US WERE OUT THERE, CELEBRATE BRAIDING, UH, BLACK HISTORY MONTH AND THE PARK DISTRICT'S 90TH ANNIVERSARY AT THURGOOD MARSHALL REGIONAL PARK, HOME OF THE CHICAGO 50, OH, EXCUSE ME, HOME OF THE PORT CHICAGO 50.
AND I, I ALSO WANT TO REALLY COMMEND STAFF OUR NATURALISTS FOR THE INCREDIBLE JOB.
THEY DID IT, YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY DID THEY, WAS IT VERY WELCOMING, BUT, BUT THEY WERE ABLE TO BRING THE, THE, BRING THE PEOPLE BACK TO LIFE IN THE SENSE THAT, THAT HEARING THEIR STORIES AND SHARING THE STORIES AND REALLY TALKING ABOUT IT, UM, WAS REALLY QUITE INCREDIBLE.
THEY HAD JUST A GROUP OF PEOPLE YOU HEARD FROM COLIN, BOTH PEOPLE WHO WERE, UM, WORKING AT PORT CHICAGO AT THE TIME OF THE EXPLOSION, PEOPLE WHO WERE THERE SHORTLY, THEREAFTERWARDS, AND PEOPLE WHO ARE STILL ADVOCATING FOR EXONERATION OF THESE PEOPLE.
[03:20:01]
THE WHOLE THING TO LIFE.IT WAS VERY POWERFUL, AND THE NATURALISTS DID AN INCREDIBLE JOB.
SO I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR THAT.
WELL, AND THE OTHER STAFF THAT WERE THERE, EVERYBODY WHO THEN, WE HAD A LOT OF STAFF THERE, AND EVERYBODY DID A GREAT JOB, NOT JUST THE NATURALISTS.
SO, BUT IT WAS, IT WAS A GREAT PROGRAM.
UM, AND THEN, LET'S SEE, ON THE 14TH, UH, I HAD A ONE-ON-ONE WITH OUR GENERAL COUNSEL IN BURGO.
AND THEN I THINK THAT BRINGS ME UP TO PRESENT.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ECHO WHAT, WHAT DEE SAID ABOUT THE PIEDMONT STABLES.
UM, AND I KNOW THERE IT IS A MONEY ISSUE AND YOU KNOW, WE NEED A CONTRACTOR TOO TO DO THE WORK.
UM, BUT I WAS VERY SURPRISED TO HEAR THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S LEAD PAINT AROUND AND, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY AT LEAST HAD USED TO HAVE KIDS THERE.
AND, UM, I, IT'S REALLY SOMETHING THAT WE'VE GOTTA GET A SOLUTION TO QUICKLY.
AND THAT'S, UM, THAT'S IT FOR ME.
SO I GUESS ON THAT NOTE, YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING AT ME.
OKAY,
WE ARE ADJOURNED AT 4:54 PM THANK YOU EVERYBODY.