[00:00:02]
[ROLL CALL]
MADAM CLERK, CAN YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? YES. PRESIDENT ECHOLS.THANK YOU. GENERAL MANAGER LANDRETH HERE.
AND ASSISTANT GENERAL COUNSEL ROSENBERG HERE.
THANK YOU. OKAY, SO DIRECTOR WAESPI IS APPEARING REMOTELY.
DIRECTOR WAESPI, 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.
OKAY. SO DO YOU WANT US TO GO AHEAD AND APPROVE THE AGENDA HERE? I GUESS SO. NO.
WE DID HAVE SOMEBODY COMING FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
OKAY, WE DON'T KNOW IF THEY ARE COMING ON AN ITEM.
YES. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA OR NOT ON THE AGENDA.
IT'S GOT TO BE ON THE CLOSED SESSION.
[CLOSED SESSION ITEMS]
ALL RIGHT. SO WE WILL CONVENE IN CLOSED SESSION AT THIS TIME.DIRECTOR WAESPI, YOU CAN LOG OUT OF THIS AND LOG IN TO THE CLOSED SESSION.
THANK YOU. I THINK WE'RE READY.
THERE WE GO. I THINK WE'RE READY TO START.
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 P.M..
MADAM CLERK, CAN YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL?
[ROLL CALL]
YES. PRESIDENT ECHOLS.I'M GOING TO ASK DIRECTOR SAN JUAN TO PLEASE LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
[PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
YES. IF EVERYONE COULD PLEASE STAND.OKAY, I'M GOING TO ASK DIRECTOR ROSARIO TO PLEASE READ OUR LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT.
[LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT]
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.WE HUMBLY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE ARE ON THE UNCEDED LANDS OF THE OHLONE PEOPLE, AND THAT THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT HEADQUARTERS IS LOCATED WITHIN THE YUKON TERRITORY, WHICH IS THEIR TRADITIONAL, ANCESTRAL AND SHARED HOME SINCE TIME IMMEMORIAL.
THE OHLONE PEOPLE HAVE AND CONTINUE TO LIVE IN RECIPROCITY WITH NATURE, UNDERSTANDING THE 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. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
DIRECTOR WAESPI IS APPEARING REMOTELY TODAY.
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.
NOW WE CAN MOVE ON TO APPROVING THE AGENDA.
[APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA?[00:05:04]
SO MOVED. GREAT.SECOND PRESIDENT ECHOLS, WE WERE ASKED TO OH, NEVER MIND.
IS THERE A SECOND TO APPROVE THE AGENDA? SECOND. GREAT.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, DIRECTOR MERCURIO.
OKAY ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? ABSTENTIONS. OKAY.
ARE THERE ANY SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS TODAY? OKAY. SO WE CAN MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENTS AND SO AT THIS POINT, WE WILL TAKE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON
[PUBLIC COMMENT]
ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA.IF YOU'RE SPEAKING ON AN ITEM THAT IS ON THE AGENDA 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.
SO AT THIS POINT, I'LL ASK THE CLERK TO EXPLAIN THE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
ORG VIA VOICEMAIL AT (510) 544-2016 AND LEAVING A MESSAGE 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.
GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS STILL CONNECTED.
YES, DIRECTOR WAESPI IS STILL THERE.
GREAT. 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.
YES, A PRESIDENT ECHOLS WE HAVE 4 RIGHT NOW.
I'M GOING TO DO A QUICK LOOK ON THE ZOOM ROOM AND SEE IF THERE'S ANYBODY THERE.
WE'RE GOING TO START WITH RENEE PATTERSON, FOLLOWED BY JUDY MARTIN, SUSAN GONZALEZ AND PAUL RANKIN.
RENEE, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES, MA'AM.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I WORK HERE AT PERALTA OAKS ON THE THIRD FLOOR, AN ADMINISTRATIVE ANALYST AND 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 ASKED 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 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.
JUDY MARTIN. GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS JUDY MARTIN, CONCESSIONAIRE AT PIEDMONT STABLES, AND I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT PROBLEMS AT PIEDMONT STABLES, WHERE I RUN RIDING LESSONS, SUMMER CAMPS AND CHILDREN PROGRAMS. WE ALSO CATER TO UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH GROUPS.
I'VE BEEN DOING THIS SINCE 2003.
IN 2003, WE STRUCK AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE DISTRICT AND MYSELF THAT IF WE RAISED $100,000 TO DO PROJECTS AT PIEDMONT STABLES, THE DISTRICT WOULD DO WORK THAT HAD BEEN RECOMMENDED AND YOU HAVE A LIST OF THAT FROM 2004. I RAISED THE $100,000 AND IT'S BEEN TWO DECADES, AND NOT ALL OF THOSE PROJECTS 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.
[00:10:04]
ABLE TO PUT IT BACK UP AGAIN, I'M HITTING REALLY HARD.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 IMPORTANT STRUCTURES.
KIDS BENEFIT FROM BEING OUTDOORS.
THEY BENEFIT FROM BEING WITH ANIMALS AND ADULTS AND THOSE AT RISK.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
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 PIEDMONT STABLES.
NEXT SPEAKER IS SUSAN GONZALEZ.
SUSAN GONZALEZ 550 MCKINLEY COURT.
BUT I DO FEEL COMPELLED TO COMMUNICATE TO THE BOARD THAT I THINK THAT DISTRICT STAFF NEEDS TO DO A BETTER JOB IN MANAGING THESE CHANGES.
A FAIRLY RECENT CHANGE WAS TO MOVE THE MEDICAL FLEX SPENDING ACCOUNT ADMINISTRATION TO THE PA GROUP.
IT'S NOW GOING ON A COUPLE OF YEARS, AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT SEPARATE FROM THE SETUP, WHICH IT'S KIND OF STANDARD TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH WHEN YOU'RE INITIALLY SETTING UP SOMETHING.
BUT BEYOND THAT, THERE JUST HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS, NUMEROUS PROBLEMS AND BEING OVERPAID, UNDERPAID.
LAST MONTH I RECEIVED NO PAYMENT.
THEN I RECEIVED DOUBLE PAYMENT IN FEBRUARY.
THEN I RECEIVED A CHECK FOR $7.88, WHICH HAD NO EXPLANATION AND IT'S A SMALL GROUP OF RETIREES THAT ACTUALLY TALK A LOT.
SO I WE ALL COMMUNICATE AND I KNOW THAT MY SITUATION IS NOT UNIQUE.
I KNOW OF AT LEAST A COUPLE OF PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY HAVE RECEIVED NO NOTIFICATION.
THEY ARE NOT RETIREES, BUT THEY ARE SEPARATED FROM THE ORGANIZATION.
SO I JUST LIKE TO REMIND THE BOARD OF A COUPLE OF THINGS.
I THINK IT'S ACTUALLY KIND OF SHORTSIGHTED AND A LITTLE DISRESPECTFUL IN A WAY THAT THE RETIREES GROUP HAS ALWAYS SUPPORTED THE PARK DISTRICT.
I KNOW I PERSONALLY HAVE SUPPORTED THE BOARD.
I HAVE PERSONALLY BEEN APPROACHED TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE AND DONE SO IN A TIMELY MANNER.
MANY OF THE RETIREES SUPPORT THAT FOUNDATION AND SO I JUST THINK THAT IT'S NOT NICE.
I THINK THAT THERE SHOULD BE MORE CONSIDERATION.
I THINK MORE TIME SHOULD HAVE BEEN PROVIDED AND 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 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 THINK THAT YOU SHOULD ACTUALLY CONSIDER EXTENDING THE TIME OF IMPLEMENTATION BY A MONTH.
THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS PAUL RANKIN.
[00:15:01]
THANK YOU FOR COMING, SUSAN.IN THE FIRST PART OF YOUR PRESENTATION WAS THAT WASN'T IN REGARD TO MISSION SQUARE.
WAS THAT PA? PA AND A GROUP? YES. OKAY, GREAT.
IT'S A GROUP IN NEW YORK, I THINK.
THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION AND EXCUSE ME, REPRESENTS THE CALPERS MEDICAL REIMBURSEMENTS AS WELL AS MEDICARE PART B REIMBURSEMENTS.
OKAY, MR. RANKIN, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES, SIR.
BOARD MEMBERS. GOOD AFTERNOON.
IN OTHER WORDS, IT'S ONLY EMPLOYEE FUNDS THAT WENT IN THEIR 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 ADMINISTRATOR, 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 401 DEFERRED COMP PROVIDER.
AS SUSAN SAID, I ALSO DON'T DISAGREE THAT THAT'S YOUR RIGHT TO DO.
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 UNTIL MARCH 10TH.
NO TRANSACTIONS, NO WITHDRAWALS, NO CHANGES IN INVESTMENTS FROM TOMORROW TILL MARCH 10TH.
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 OCTOBER, 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.
THE PROGRAM IS NOT THE SAME IN MY CASE, AND THAT'S FINE.
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 6 TO 8 YEARS, THAT'S NOW ABRUPTLY GONE, AND I'M SUPPOSED TO MAKE A DECISION ON MY ENTIRE NEST EGG FOR RETIREMENT IN THAT AMOUNT OF TIME? IT MAKES NO SENSE.
THANK YOU. WE HAVE ONE PERSON IN THE ZOOM ROOM.
WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO ELEVATE THEM.
HELLO. HI. YOU HAVE A MINUTE, SIR? YES. YEAH.
SO I'M HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK WITH THE BOARD ONCE AGAIN.
I JUST WANT TO REVIEW MY CASE ON IN JULY OF LAST YEAR.
THE STAFF AT [INAUDIBLE] WENT IN.
FOR SOME REASON SAW MY TENT AS ABANDONED.
NOW IT WAS A BRAND NEW TENT WITH A TOP OF THE LINE THERMAREST MATTRESS IN IT.
[00:20:04]
WHY ANYBODY WOULD SEE THAT ITEM AS ABANDONED IS BEYOND MY COMPREHENSION.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 SHABO CHECK IN SLIP.
THROW IT BACK TO MY CAMPSITE AND THREW IT BACK INTO MY CAMPGROUND WHEN I ARRIVED.
I THOUGHT THERE HAD BEEN A BAD WINDSTORM.
MY TENT WAS BASICALLY DESTROYED.
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 WOULD BE PAID.
JUST GO BUY A NEW TENT AND I'LL BE PAID.
I HAD SOME DIFFICULTIES WITH THE OFFICE STAFF, CHRIS.
SO WE WAITED UNTIL THE USPS DELIVERED THE DOCUMENTS, WHICH YOU HAD.
AT THAT POINT, I ASKED IF I WAS GOING TO 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 PAGES AND PAGES OF LEGAL JARGON, WHICH I'M NOT AN ATTORNEY AND DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE GOING DOWN THAT PATH.
BUT THE THING IS THIS, IS THIS IS A CLEARLY AN ERROR ON THE PARK'S BEHALF AND IN A WAY WELL, I'VE CLEARLY BEEN DRAFTED INTO THIS SITUATION, BUT I'M BEING HELD OR DRAGGED THROUGH ILL DEFINED PROCESS AFTER ILL DEFINED PROCESS.
CONSUMING MY TIME AND ENERGY WITH NO CONSIDERATION FOR MY TIME AND ENERGY.
MR. DYSON, IT'S BEEN A TIME, SIR.
WE DO NOT HAVE ANY MORE SPEAKERS IN THE ZOOM ROOM.
OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. DYSON. WE WILL LOOK INTO THE SITUATION.
OKAY. SO CLERK, MADAM CLERK COULD.
LET US KNOW IF THEIR REQUESTS FOR COMMENTS ON ANY OF THE OPEN SESSION ITEMS. YES. PRESIDENT ECHOLS, WE HAVE A COMMENT ON WE HAVE 20.
24 COMMENTS ON ITEM THE ITEM REGARDING KEYSTONE.
JUST LOOKING HERE FOR THE NUMBER AND THEN WE HAVE I THINK THAT'S THE ONLY THING WE HAVE COMMENTS ON.
PUBLIC COMMENTS, I MEAN COMMENTS.
OKAY. WELL THANK YOU EVERYBODY WHO'S HERE TODAY.
WE DON'T USUALLY HAVE SUCH A CROWD.
WHETHER YOU'RE HERE FOR KEYSTONE OR DEFERRED COMP OR MR. DYSON, WHO HAD ANOTHER ISSUE ALTOGETHER AND PIEDMONT STAPLES, WE WELCOME YOUR COMMENTS AND APPRECIATE THAT YOU'RE HERE.
GIVEN THAT THERE ARE 24 COMMENTS ON KEYSTONE, I'M GOING TO ASK THAT YOU PLEASE SPEAK FOR TWO MINUTES INSTEAD OF THREE MINUTES SO THAT WE CAN COVER ALL OF OUR BUSINESS TODAY AND I DO WANT TO ASSURE EVERYBODY THAT WE DID RECEIVE 30 PLUS EMAILS ON THIS ISSUE AS WELL AND WE HAVE READ AND REVIEWED THOSE EMAILS THAT CAME IN.
SO WE ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE ISSUE, BUT I DO WANT TO GIVE EVERYBODY AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
OKAY, AT THIS POINT WE CAN PROCEED TO OUR CONSENT CALENDAR.
WE AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, SO I THINK THE CLERK HAS ALREADY EXPLAINED TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE KEYSTONE THAT YOU WILL SPEAK WHEN THAT ITEM COMES UP ON THE AGENDA. SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
[CONSENT CALENDAR]
[00:25:03]
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO I UNDERSTAND THERE'S SOME ITEMS THAT ARE GOING TO BE PULLED FROM THE CONSENT.DIRECTOR MERCURIO REQUESTED THAT ITEM BE PULLED AND DIRECTOR ROSARIO HAD A QUESTION ON THAT ITEM.
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 RECEIVED AN ANSWER? YOU'RE FINE THERE.
OKAY, SO AND PARDON ME, MADAM CHAIR, IF I CAN INTERRUPT.
MAY I ASK A QUESTION ON A COUPLE ITEMS? SURE. ARE THERE ITEMS THAT YOU WANT TO PULL AT THIS POINT? DIRECTOR WAESPI NOT PULL.
JUST. I HAVE QUESTIONS ON ITEM 6, 10 AND 11.
OKAY. I'M GOING TO ASK OUR COUNSEL.
DO WE NEED TO PULL THEM IN ORDER TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ON THEM? YOU DON'T NEED TO PULL THEM IF YOU JUST HAVE A QUESTION.
OKAY. SO IF YOU WANT TO DISCUSS THOSE FIRST OKAY.
GREAT. ALL THE ITEMS. SO DIRECTOR WAESPI, TELL ME THE ONES YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ON AGAIN.
SO WE HAVE FIVE, SIX, TEN AND 11.
SO WE WILL GO IN NUMERICAL ORDER FOR SIMPLICITY.
SO WE'LL START WITH ITEM NUMBER FIVE.
ITEM NUMBER FIVE. JUST PRESIDENT ECHOLS, 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 & ALDRICH INCORPORATED AND TRANSFER APPROPRIATED FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $598,757 FOR THE REPAIR LAKE ANZA DAM PROJECT: TILDEN REGIONAL PARK AND YOUR QUESTION, DIRECTOR WAESPI.
I THINK IT'S DIRECTOR ROSARIO ROSARIO.
I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS, BUT ONE IS.
I JUST WANTED TO KNOW IF ANY OF THE CURRENT USES OF THE HOW THE DAM IS USED.
IF THAT IS AFFECTING THE DAMAGE THAT'S BEING THAT HAS TO BE REPAIRED ON THE DAM.
RAN BATES, CHIEF OF DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION DIRECTOR, ROSARIO.
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.
SO WE'RE HIRING A CONSULTANT TO HELP US RESOLVE THOSE.
AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAD A WE'RE COMBINING THE MOST RECENT REPORT HIGHLIGHTED SOME ADDITIONAL THINGS FROM WHEN WE FIRST WERE LOOKING AT DREDGING AROUND THE DRAIN VALVE THAT'S THERE.
SO WE'RE COMBINING THEM ALL INTO ONE SCOPE OF WORK THAT ARE THE THIS CONSULTANT WHO WE'RE PROPOSING TO HIRE WILL 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.
WELL, THIS CONTRACT WILL PROBABLY DEFINE HOW MUCH MONEY WE'RE GOING TO SPEND.
DO YOU HAVE KIND OF A BALLPARK OF WHAT? FOR THE CONSTRUCTION? NO, WE DON'T KNOW THAT QUITE YET.
GREAT. THANK YOU. OKAY ON NUMBER SIX, AND I CAN GO AHEAD AND READ THAT AND THEN LET DIRECTOR WAESPI ASK HIS QUESTION.
YES. THANK YOU. I FULLY SUPPORT THIS, AND I'M VERY GLAD WE'RE UPDATING OUR SCBA'S.
I'M WONDERING, WE DO HAVE 26 SURPLUS SCBA'S, AND I'M WE HAVE A PRETTY WONDERFUL TRADITION, IN MY OPINION, THAT IN OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT BECOME OUT OF DATE.
I'VE DONATED TO TUOLUMNE COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS A VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT.
THEY CAN USE ALL THAT HOSE FOR TRAINING ALL KINDS OF THINGS.
BUT THEY'RE WONDERFUL GIFTS TO AGENCIES THAT NEED THEM.
[00:30:01]
I'M WONDERING IF THESE CAN BE 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 OR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES AND I'M WONDERING IF WE INVESTIGATED GIVING THEM AWAY TO SOMEONE.
GREAT. THANKS FOR THE QUESTION.
I SEE WE HAVE OUR FIRE CHIEF, CHIEF TYLER, HERE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
IT'S THE TANKS THAT GO ON THEIR BACK.
THEY ARE NOT GOING TO MEET NIOSH OR CAL OSHA REQUIREMENTS IN THE END OF 2024 AND 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 I THINK THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND I HAVE A HISTORY OF DONATING THINGS WHENEVER WE CAN.
AND SO WE WILL ABSOLUTELY EXPLORE THAT.
THANK YOU. OKAY, ON TO ITEM NUMBER TEN, WHICH IS THE AUTHORIZATION TO ENTER INTO COST SHARING AGREEMENTS WITH PARTNERING WATER AGENCIES AND CONTINUE BUDGETED FUNDS FOR QUAGGA ZEBRA MUSSEL INSPECTION PROGRAMS AT PARK DISTRICT LAKE CEQA.
YEAH. THANK YOU. THIS AGAIN? THIS IS JUST ANOTHER QUESTION.
WE'VE BEEN HAVING THESE INSPECTIONS SINCE 2008.
I'M WONDERING IF AND I KNOW I THINK I KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE HISTORY OF QUAGGA MUSSELS.
I THINK THEY STARTED IN THE GREAT LAKES.
THEY GET INTO SERVICE PIPES, WATER PIPES ALL KINDS OF TRANSMISSION PIPING FOR CITIES, INFRASTRUCTURES AND THINGS LIKE THAT AND THEY CLOG THEM UP AND MAKE A TOTAL MESS. I'M WONDERING AND THE FEAR WAS THAT IT WOULD THOSE QUAGGA MUSSELS OR ZEBRA MUSSELS WOULD MIGRATE IN THIS DIRECTION WEST.
I'M WONDERING IF THERE'S A STATUS ON THAT.
I MEAN, HAVE THOSE HAS THAT THREAT GOTTEN HERE? DO ANY LAKES SURROUNDING OUR AREA HAVE ANY QUAGGA MUSSELS? HAVE WE EVER DISCOVERED ANY QUAGGA MUSSELS IN ANY OF OUR LAKES? HI. GOOD AFTERNOON.
RUBY TAMARA, ACTING BUSINESS SERVICES MANAGER.
I THINK THAT MIGHT BE A MORE APPROPRIATE QUESTION FOR A STEWARDSHIP.
IT'S DIFFICULT FOR ME TO ADDRESS THAT.
WE BASICALLY ADMINISTER THE CLOG UP PROGRAM AND THE CONTRACTS ITSELF THEMSELVES.
SO YEAH AND WE'RE HAPPY TO GET BACK TO YOU, DIRECTOR WAESPI, WITH MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT.
I THINK THOSE ARE REALLY GREAT QUESTIONS.
BRETT AND COMPANY, INC., TO AMEND CONSULTANT CONTRACT WITH QUESTA ENGINEERING CORPORATION BY $40,000, AND TO TRANSFER APPROPRIATED FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $200,000 FOR THE RENOVATION OF ROBERTS POOL PROJEC T. GO AHEAD, DIRECTOR WAESPI.
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? BRANT BATES, CHIEF OF DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION.
YES, WE ARE FINALIZING PUNCH LISTS.
THIS IS TO FINALIZE THE CONTRACT AND GET EVERYTHING DONE SO THAT WE WILL BE OPEN WHEN IT'S TIME.
SO WE'RE HOPING TO BE DONE. YES, WE WILL BE DONE IN THE END OF MARCH WITH CONTRACT WORK.
EXCELLENT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I LOOK FORWARD TO IT. THANK YOU.
OKAY. SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO PULL ITEM THREE AND PASS THE REST OF THE AGENDA AS LONG AS THERE AREN'T ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
IS THERE A SECOND? THANK YOU. OKAY.
ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? ABSTENTIONS? NONE. OKAY.
IT'S AT THE BOARD'S DISCRETION.
IF YOU WANT TO 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.
I SEE OKAY, WELL, I'LL ASK THE PERSON WHO PULLED? WOULD YOU? YES, I AGREE TO THAT.
GOOD. MOVING RIGHT ALONG, THEN.
OKAY, SO NEXT WE HAVE THE AUTHORIZATION TO AWARD JOB ORDER CONTRACTS.
[ACQUISITION, STEWARDSHIP AND DEVELOPMENT DIVISION]
[00:35:08]
CHALK 37 AND 38.GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD MEMBERS.
REN BATES, CHIEF OF DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION.
I'M HERE TO GIVE A PRESENTATION ON THIS NEXT ITEM.
PLEASE BEAR WITH ME WHILE I PULL UP MY PRESENTATION.
SO THE ITEM BEFORE YOU IS TO AUTHORIZE TWO JOB ORDER CONTRACTING CONTRACTS.
SO HERE IS THE RECOMMENDATION.
I'LL GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON JOB ORDER CONTRACTING.
WE'VE BEEN UTILIZING IT HERE AT THE DISTRICT FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW.
JOB ORDER CONTRACTING IS AN ALTERNATIVE COMPETITIVE PROCUREMENT METHOD TO AWARD ANNUAL CONTRACTS FOR OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS, INCLUDING RENOVATION, REFURBISHMENT, REPAIRS, AND REMODELING.
SO, A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND, JUST FOR EVERYONE'S 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 THROUGH THE GORDIAN GROUP.
THEY HAVE [INAUDIBLE] MEANS, WHICH IS A NATIONWIDE COST ESTIMATING CONTRACTING.
THEY HAVE THAT INFORMATION AT THEIR DISPOSAL.
SO THE FIRST ROUND OF THIS PROGRAM WAS DONE IN 2016.
WE STARTED WITH, I BELIEVE, FOUR CONTRACTS THAT $1 MILLION VALUE MAXIMUM.
SINCE THEN WE'VE WORKED UP TO ABOUT $2 MILLION AS OUR MINUTE LIMIT.
NOW, THE PUBLIC CONTRACTING CODE ALLOWS UP TO 5 MILLION FOR THESE CONTRACTS.
IT'S PROVEN VERY BENEFICIAL HERE AT THE DISTRICT.
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 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 A'S 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 SO THAT WE COULD ENTER INTO THAT WOULD PROVIDE MORE CAPACITY AS WE HAVE RAIN HAPPENING CURRENTLY.
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 WILL AUTHORIZE AWARD TODAY.
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 ON CALL FOR A YEAR 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 COMES BACK IN THAT CONTRACTOR.
WE DON'T REACH AGREEMENT WITH THAT.
SO WE DID GO OUT TO BID AND OUR BIDDING PROCESS FOR THIS IS LAID OUT BEFORE YOU.
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 AND AGAIN, BASED ON THAT, WE PUBLICLY ADVERTISE THIS ON THE WEBSITE, OUR PLAN ROOM AND IN AN INDUSTRY PUBLICATION.
AT THIS MEETING, WE WALK THROUGH BASICALLY HOW JOB ORDER CONTRACTING WORKS AND HOW WE UTILIZE IT HERE AT THE DISTRICT 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.
[00:40:01]
WE HAVE THAT BECAUSE THIS IMAGE HERE SHOWS WE DO SOME WORK ON COGSWELL MARSH AND WE HAVE OTHER WORKS THAT ARE TIDALLY 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 NIGHT TIME AND HAVE FIXED COSTS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED.WE DID OPEN BIDS ON THE 23RD OF LAST MONTH.
SO FOR EXAMPLE IT'S BASICALLY THE MARKUP AND PROFIT THE 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 RECOMMENDATION IN FRONT OF YOU, WE ARE AWARDED TO GRADE TECH AND MARK SCOTT AS LOWEST RESPONSIVE AND RESPONSIBLE BIDDERS AND TO THAT END, WE'RE SEEKING AUTHORIZATION TO AWARD THESE CONTRACTS.
WITH THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT.
GREAT ARE THERE? DIRECTOR MERCURIO.
IT'S GREAT WHEN YOU COME UP HERE.
BECAUSE FOR ME, ANYWAY, IT'S LIKE A LITTLE REMINDER OF HOW THIS ALL WORKS AND, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S AND I REALLY LIKE IT AS A WAY TO GET THINGS DONE IN A, YOU KNOW, A 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.
DON'T THINK TOO HARD. NO, AND AS YOU CAN SEE FROM OUR SLIDE, WE DO A LOT.
LIKE I SAID, WE'VE DONE CLEANUP, WE'VE DONE DEMOLITION WORK.
WE'VE DONE REFURBISHMENT OF PARKING LOTS FOR ADA ACCESS.
LUCKILY, WE HAVEN'T HONED IN ON JUST ONE TYPE OF WORK.
OKAY. IF THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION, IT DOES.
IT'S A HAS A WIDE VARIETY OF BENEFITS TO US OKAY.
YEAH. THANK YOU. I ALWAYS LIKE TO HAVE THIS PRESENTATION.
IS THERE A POSSIBILITY OF USING THE JOB CONTRACTORS FOR PIEDMONT STABLES? HAVE WE LOOKED AT THAT? WE CAN LOOK INTO THAT.
THANKS. THIS IS A PRETTY COMPREHENSIVE OVERVIEW OF THE PROPOSAL.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PREPARING THE SLIDE DECK.
I HAVE ONE QUESTION THAT I HOPE THERE'S A QUICK ANSWER TO.
I SEE THE ONE YEAR PERIOD IS THAT 12 MONTHS STARTING FROM TODAY, OR IS THAT CALENDAR YEAR 2024? NO. SO WHAT? IT'S AN ANNUAL CONTRACT THAT THE TERM BEGINS ONCE WE ISSUE A NOTICE TO PROCEED.
SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, WE IF YOU IF THE BOARD AUTHORIZES THESE CONTRACTS, IT'LL TAKE US PROBABLY 3 TO 4 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 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.
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.
BEFORE WE DID THAT. THAT CONTRACT WOULD RUN FROM APRIL OF THIS YEAR TO APRIL OF 2025.
OKAY, GOOD AND I ACTUALLY HAVE A FEW OTHER QUESTIONS, BUT THAT WAS MY FIRST QUESTION.
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 AN A LICENSE WHICH WE THEN USE JUST FOR PAVING.
OKAY AND SO SO THE B AND C COULD COME BEFORE US AT A DIFFERENT POINT.
C IS NOT NECESSARILY A LICENSE.
[00:45:01]
2022, I BELIEVE THAT WE KICKED OFF OF LAST YEAR.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.
WE'RE COMING BACK WITH A FULL RANGE OF A, B, AND PAVING CONTRACTORS FOR YOUR APPROVAL.
OKAY AND THEN WITH GRADE TECH AND MARK SCOTT.
RIGHT. THOSE ARE THE TWO THAT ARE 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.
OKAY AND THEN MY FINAL QUESTION, THE AWARD CRITERIA FIGURE, YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT HOW THAT IS CALCULATED AND WEIGHTED, YOU KNOW, BASED ON DIFFERENT FACTORS AND YOU USE THE EXAMPLE OF WORK HOURS SUCH AS NIGHT TIME.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER CRITERIA THAT'S USED THAT'S GIVEN THAT WEIGHT FOR THAT.
NO AND SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION MORE SPECIFICALLY, WE DO THAT IN IT'S 80.
SO WE SOME 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 AND THE BID FORM.
CORRECT AND THAT'S AND WE AWARD BASED ON THAT AWARD CRITERIA FIGURE AND SO THE LOWEST IS CONSIDERED THE LOWEST BIDDER BECAUSE THAT'LL BE THE 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 WAESPI, DOES IT LOOKS LIKE.
OH, DIRECTOR WAESPI, GO AHEAD.
I LOVE THIS PROGRAM. I THINK IT'S BEEN GREAT.
I'M WONDERING SO AND DIRECTOR SANWONG ASKED SORT OF MY QUESTION TOO.
SO GRADE TECH AND MARK SCOTT, WE'VE USED THEM BEFORE.
HOW MANY HAVE YOU EVER TAKEN? HOW MANY FOLKS EMBRACE THIS? HOW MANY CONTRACTORS EMBRACE IT AND HOW MANY COME BACK? AND DO PEOPLE LEAVE AND OR DON'T DECIDE NOT TO BID AND DO YOU EVER HAVE ANY DATA ON THAT? I MEAN IT SEEMS LIKE GUARDIANS GOT IT DIALED IN WITH PRICES AND AND IT SEEMS LIKE IT WORKS FOR EVERYBODY.
I'M WONDERING YES, 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 3 OR 4 OF THEM WERE NEW CONTRACTORS THAT WE HAVE NOT WORKED WITH BEFORE.
SO IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S TO YOUR QUESTION, IT'S ANSWERED.
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 THAT WAS PROBLEMATIC AND LUCKILY WE DON'T HAVE ANY CONTRACTORS THAT ARE DOING THAT ANY LONGER BECAUSE IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
SO I DON'T SEE ANY PROBLEM WITH IT.
GREAT AND ARE THESE GUYS GETTING CLOSER TO THEIR 2 MILLION MARK OR ARE THEY AROUND 50? OH NO. WE ARE APPROACHING SOME AND THAT'S WHY WE WENT OUT FOR TWO DAYS, BECAUSE OUR TWO OF OUR THREE A'S THAT WE HAVE WENT ENTERED INTO AGREEMENT LAST JANUARY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR PRESENTING.
SO AT THIS POINT, IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, I'LL ANYONE LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION.
OKAY. MOTION MADE AND [INAUDIBLE] IS SECONDED.
[00:50:21]
GREAT. SO WE HAVE LISA GOORJIAN HERE TO PRESENT ON THE AUTHORIZATION TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH KEYSTONE MANAGEMENT COMPANY AT LAS[OPERATIONS DIVISION]
TRAMPAS WILDERNESS REGIONAL PRESERVE.GOOD AFTERNOON. LISA GOORJIAN, ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER OF OPERATIONS.
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.
SO TODAY THE ITEM BEFORE YOU IS TO AWARD A CONCESSION CONTRACT TO RUN THE LAS TRAMPAS STABLES.
AS YOU MAY RECALL, WE CAME TO YOU LAST FALL TO ENTER INTO AN INTERIM AGREEMENT WITH KEYSTONE 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.
THE DISTRICT HAS A STATED OBJECTIVE TO FOREMOST PROVIDE AND WHERE POSSIBLE, INCREASE 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.
THANK YOU. A LITTLE TALLER THAN YOU.
ALL RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
THANK YOU. AGM GOORJIAN FOR THE INTRODUCTION.
THANK YOU. LET ME PULL THIS UP.
I'M RUBY TUMBER, ACTING BUSINESS SERVICES MANAGER.
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.
AGM GOORJIAN ALLUDED A LITTLE BIT TO SOME OF THIS INFORMATION, BUT I'LL START OFF FROM THE TOP.
THE CONCESSION IS LOCATED AT LAS TRAMPAS WILDERNESS REGIONAL PRESERVE.
IT IS ABOUT EIGHT ACRES OF LAND WITH 40 STALLS, COVERED PADDOCKS, SEGMENTED PASTURES AND 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 AGM GOORJIAN SAID, THE FORMER CONCESSIONAIRE LEFT WITH A 30 DAY NOTICE AND TERMINATED HER AGREEMENT IN JULY 2023, IN WHICH WE ENTERED INTO AN INTERIM INTERIM OPERATING AGREEMENT WITH KEYSTONE MANAGEMENT COMPANY STAFF.
[00:55:08]
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 IT WENT OUT TO BID FOR EXCUSE ME, IT WENT OUT FOR PROPOSALS OCTOBER 18TH OF LAST YEAR, AND WE DID A MANDATORY SITE VISIT ON OCTOBER 31ST. PROPOSALS WERE DUE IN EARLY DECEMBER, AND WE CONDUCTED OUR INTERVIEWS IN DECEMBER AS WELL.
FOR THE SITE VISIT ON OCTOBER 31ST, WE HAD ABOUT TEN ATTENDEES SHOW UP AND THAT RESULTED IN THREE SEPARATE SUBMISSIONS, 3 SEPARATE PROPOSALS FROM THREE SEPARATE ENTITIES AND THAT'S ONE OF THE BORDERS THAT LAS TRAMPAS STABLES.
THE THREE PROPOSALS ALL OFFER DIFFERENT STRENGTHS.
AFTER INTERVIEWING ALL THREE PARTIES.
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 PROVIDING SERVICES AND MAXIMIZING PUBLIC ACCESS. THEIR PLAN OF OPERATION WILL FOCUS ON OFFERING A RANGE OF SERVICES SUCH AS TRAIL RIDES.
LAS TRAMPAS STABLES HAS NOT OFFERED THAT AMENITY IN A LONG TIME, SO THEY HOPE TO BRING THOSE BACK HORSE CAMPS AND ON SITE CLINICS, AND THEY WANT TO WORK ON LESSON PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT. WE HAVE NOT HAD LESSONS AT LAS TRAMPAS STABLES FOR SOME TIME, AND REALLY BOLSTER COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND EQUESTRIAN EDUCATION FOR THAT COMMUNITY. 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.
THEY AIM WITH THE CURRENT BOARDING FEES THAT WERE APPROVED FOR JANUARY 1ST OF THIS YEAR.
THAT'S THE CONCESSION MAINTENANCE FUND.
IT GOES INTO THE MAINTENANCE AND UPKEEP OF THE FACILITY.
WITH THAT SAID, OUR RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH KEYSTONE MANAGEMENT COMPANY AS A CONCESSIONAIRE OF THE LAS TRAMPAS STABLES CONCESSION, WITH A 3 YEAR TERM BEGINNING MARCH 1ST OF THIS YEAR, WITH A POSSIBLE 7 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.
PARK SUPERVISOR MATTHEW MOORE WAS NOT ABLE TO JOIN US TODAY.
HAD A PRE-PLANNED VACATION, BUT HE DID HAVE A STATEMENT THAT HE WANTED TO SHARE.
GOOD AFTERNOON, TERRY NOONAN, UNIT MANAGER FOR INTERPRETIVE PARKLANDS, WHICH INCLUDES LAS TRAMPAS AND YES MATT THE SUPERVISOR AT LAS TRAMPAS COULDN'T JOIN US TODAY, BUT HE DID SEND THESE COMMENTS.
ESTEEMED MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
IN AUGUST OF 2023, AFTER NEAR EARLY DEPARTURE OF THE PREVIOUS CONCESSIONAIRE, KEYSTONE MANAGEMENT STEPPED IN TO RUN THE LAS TRAMPAS STABLES UNDER AN INTERIM AGREEMENT. THEIR PROFESSIONALISM AND USE OF OPEN COMMUNICATIONS HAVE BEEN A WELCOME CHANGE AT LAS TRAMPAS.
AS THE PARK SUPERVISOR, I TOOK PART IN THE MOST RECENT RFP PROCESS.
[01:00:09]
AS THE NEW STABLES CONCESSIONAIRE.WITH THE TUMULTUOUS YEARS OF THE PANDEMIC BEHIND US, I SINCERELY HOPE THAT THE LAS TRAMPAS STABLES CAN MAKE A FULL RECOVERY AND BECOME A MORE SAFE, SUCCESSFUL AND WELCOMING PLACE FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND THEIR HORSES.
HORSES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
MATTHEW MOORE, PARK SUPERVISOR.
ALL RIGHT AND AS PART OF OUR RECOMMENDATION, WE'D ALSO LIKE TO INVITE VIJOA LUCAS, WHO WANTED TO ALSO MAKE A STATEMENT. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
FIRST, I WANT TO THANK THE BOARD AND THE DISTRICT STAFF FOR THE EXTRAORDINARY PARTNERSHIP WE'VE ALREADY BEEN ABLE TO ESTABLISH HERE, WORKING FOR ANTHONY CHABOT AND AS INTERIM MANAGERS OVER AT LAS TRAMPAS.
WORKING TOGETHER, WE'RE CONTINUING TO REALIZE THE BOARD'S VISION 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 LAS TRAMPAS 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 LAS TRAMPAS STABLES.
IT'S NEAR AND DEAR TO OUR HEARTS AND IT'S PART OF OUR EQUESTRIAN COMMUNITY.
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 LOOK FORWARD TO ADDING LAS TRAMPAS TO THIS COLLABORATIVE ENVIRONMENT, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR STABLES TO THRIVE IN THESE TIMES BY EMPHASIZING PUBLIC ACCESS, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND ADDRESSING THE SHRINKING EQUESTRIAN COMMUNITY.
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.
SO I THINK AT THIS POINT YOUR IT'S YOUR PRESENTATION COMPLETE.
I THINK IT VERY IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT IN ANTICIPATION OF THE BOARD'S CONSIDERATION OF THIS CONCESSION 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, LAST FALL, LAST FALL AND I THINK THE RICARDO'S WERE PRESENT AND I JUST THOUGHT IT WORTHY, FOR THE RECORD, TO NOTE THAT EACH OF US WERE GIVEN THIS TOUR.
WE TOURED THE ENTIRETY OF THE FACILITIES.
I REMEMBER PERSONALLY INTERACTING WITH SEVERAL OF THE RESIDENT BOARDERS AND IT WAS ALL IN ALL, A VERY PLEASANT EXPERIENCE AND TO HEAR ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR THE FACILITIES TO WITNESS SOME OF THE REPAIRS THAT WERE GOING ON AND TO HEAR ABOUT THE PROGRAMS. I FOUND THAT TOUR IMMENSELY USEFUL AND INFORMATIVE FOR THIS DECISION.
SO I WANTED TO MAKE IT KNOWN THAT WE WERE ALL THERE AND SAW THE FACILITIES.
[01:05:06]
THANK YOU. DIRECTOR COFFEY.YES. I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT AND JUST MENTION THAT THIS DID COME BEFORE THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE AT OUR LAST OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING? THE FIRST ONE THAT I ACTUALLY CHAIRED, AND I DID WANT TO SHARE.
YOU KNOW, THIS WAS A REALLY IMPORTANT ITEM THAT WE DISCUSSED AND EXPLORED AND AT THE END, IT TOOK US A WHILE TO COME TO AN AGREEMENT WITH THE MOTION TO BRING FORWARD TO THE ENTIRE BOARD AND I DO WANT TO STATE THAT THIS ITEM WAS BROUGHT FORWARD TO THE BOARD IN A NEUTRAL WAY.
SO WE DIDN'T 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 CONCESSIONAIRE AGREEMENT AND REALLY, AT THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY IF WE WANTED TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, AND WE CHOSE NOT TO DO THAT AND IT WAS A NEUTRAL DECISION AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S STATED AS PART OF OUR BOARD MEETING I DO HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS.
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 ONE OF MY QUESTIONS IS IN REGARDS TO THE SCORING MODEL THAT WE USE FOR CONCESSIONAIRES.
AND I WANT TO PREFACE THIS BY SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT LOOKING TO YOU KNOW, SCRUTINIZE OR LOOK VERY DEEPLY AT THE SCORING MODEL AND I REALLY VIEW THIS AS AN ITERATIVE PROCESS AND I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, MOVING FORWARD, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO REFINE.
POSSIBLY THE SCORING MODEL AND ALSO EXPLORE, YOU KNOW, CONCESSIONAIRES AS A WHOLE.
I KNOW THAT'S ON 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 ONE IS, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE INCORPORATE ANY FEEDBACK WE RECEIVE YOU KNOW, VOICE OF THE CUSTOMER TYPE OF FEEDBACK OR JUST SEEING ALL THE INQUIRIES AND KNOWING THAT WE'RE ALSO PROBABLY GOING TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE FEEDBACK TODAY DURING THE BOARD MEETING. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S 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.
WE CUSTOMER FEEDBACK IS NOT A PART OF THE SCORING MATRIX FOR OUR CONCESSIONAIRES.
WE DO ASK THEM TO PROVIDE A REFERENCES, WHICH THEY ALL DID FROM VARIOUS DIFFERENT PARTIES.
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.
SO THAT SO FAR IS NOT PART OF OF THAT PROCESS.
YOU KNOW, RISK FACTORS AND I THINK IF 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 PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE WITHIN THE PARK DISTRICT, I'M CURIOUS IF THAT'S 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 IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S ALSO INCLUDED. IF I'M UNDERSTANDING YOUR QUESTION, THERE IS NO ADDITIONAL WEIGHT GIVEN FOR BEING A CONCESSIONAIRE ALREADY.
SO IF IT JUST SO HAPPENS THAT AGENCY IS US AND WE CAN SPEAK ON THAT FIRST HAND.
THERE IS, YOU KNOW, THAT LEVEL OF EXPERIENCE THAT BOLSTERS THEIR PROPOSAL.
BUT IT'S WE DON'T IN TERMS OF IT BEING A DETERRENT FROM SELECTING SOMEONE FOR MULTIPLE CONCESSIONAIRES THAT ISN'T CODIFIED IN ANY WAY. OKAY.
I BELIEVE THAT'S ALL I HAVE IN TERMS OF QUESTIONS.
I SEE THAT DIRECTOR WAESPI HAD SOME QUESTIONS.
YES, PLEASE. THANK YOU FOR THIS GREAT PRESENTATION.
I'M WONDERING I LOOK FORWARD TO THIS.
[01:10:01]
I'M GLAD WE'RE GOING TO REVITALIZE THIS AREA.I'M LOOKING AT THE PROJECTED ANNUAL SALES, AND I KNOW THESE ARE ONLY PROJECTED, BUT I'M WONDERING IS THERE LESSON HORSE INCOME.
HORSE SERVICES INCOME AND TRAIL RIDES INCOME.
OKAY AND SO WHAT IS THE PLAN? BECAUSE THAT DOES REPRESENT JUST ABOUT HALF OF THE REVENUE PROJECTED HERE.
STARTING FEBRUARY 1ST, THERE WILL BE LESSONS IN HOUSE HORSES TO CONDUCT LESSONS.
YEAH. STARTING NOW. THIS FEBRUARY.
I'M SORRY FOR INTERRUPTING, DIRECTOR WAESPI.
OKAY. NO, I JUST WANT TO I AND THESE ARE BASED ON SO I GET THIS IS GOING TO BE PRETTY ROBUST RIGHT AND HAS NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE IN THEIR TRAIL RIDES OR LESSONS OUT THERE.
I ACTUALLY CAN I CLARIFY SOMETHING.
SO UNDER THE OPERATING AGREEMENT UNDER THEM CURRENTLY THESE AMENITIES WERE NOT OFFERED.
BUT AT LAS TRAMPAS STABLES, THEY HAVE BEEN OFFERED IN THE PAST.
THE PREVIOUS CONCESSIONAIRE DID NOT OFFER TRAIL RIDES.
GREAT AND DID THEY? BUT THEY DID DO A LESSON HORSES AND LESSONS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
THE PREVIOUS CONCESSIONAIRE DID NOT OFFER LESSONS.
CAN YOU JUST FOR THE PUBLIC OUTLINE THE HOW WE'RE RUNNING THE STABLES NOW ON A MONTH TO MONTH BASIS.
YEAH. THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
SO LAST JULY, 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 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 FOR THAT IT WAS, YOU KNOW, QUITE A PIVOT FOR THEM.
SO 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 AN THEN RUNNING 2 OPERATIONS IS IS NOT EASY AS JUDY MARTIN CAN ATTEST.
SHE RUNS BOTH SKYLINE RANCH AND PIEDMONT STAPLES.
SO ARE THEY GOING TO HAVE A LIVE IN ATTENDANT THERE AT THE STABLE? THAT IS CORRECT AND SINCE THEY CAME IN AS INTERIM OPERATOR, THERE IS A LIVE IN BARN MANAGER RESIDING THERE.
GREAT. AND THEN REGARDING ANTHONY EQUESTRIAN CENTER, STRUCTURALLY, THE FACILITY IS BEING TAKEN CARE OF. WE WERE JUST OUT THERE LAST MONTH, I THINK.
IT'S NO SECRET TO SAY NO DISTRICT FACILITY IS PERFECT.
BUT IN GENERAL IT'S IN GOOD SHAPE.
ALL RIGHT. YEAH. THANK YOU FOR FILLING US IN ON A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THAT STUFF, BUT.
SO UP TILL LAST NIGHT I HAD READ 29 COMMUNICATIONS ABOUT THIS ISSUE, AND I TABULATED THEM ALL, AND I LOOKED AT ALL THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE.
I LAID THEM ALL OUT ON THIS SPREADSHEET RIGHT HERE AND IT WAS EYE OPENING.
[01:15:03]
AND AS I SAID, VERY ILLUMINATING.SO BUT AND JUST A GENERAL KIND OF QUESTION HERE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS BROUGHT UP WAS ALLEGED LACK OF FOLLOW THROUGH BY THE CURRENT CONCESSIONAIRE ON CERTAIN PROGRAMS THAT WERE SPELLED OUT IN THE AGREEMENT WITH US.
SO I'M JUST WONDERING ABOUT HOW DO WE KNOW WHETHER THEY'RE MEETING IN ANY ASPECT OF THE AGREEMENT, HOW DO WE MONITOR THIS AND HOW DO WE KNOW WHETHER THEY'RE MEETING THEIR REQUIREMENTS OR NOT? YEAH, THERE'S A VARIETY OF WAYS.
THE PARK SUPERVISOR, WHO IS KIND OF THE FIRST BOOTS ON THE GROUND PERSON ON SITE AT THE PARK, IS ALSO ANOTHER AVENUE IN WHICH 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.
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, CERTAIN SPECIFIED TIME LIMITS IN WHICH THEY HAVE TO CURE THESE RESPONSES, THEN THE BUSINESS SERVICES MANAGER CAN STEP IN.
I CAN ONLY SURMISE AND SUSPECT THAT THE NEGATIVE SITUATIONS THAT I READ IN 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.
INFORMED OF A PROCESS THAT CAN GO ON AND SO, YOU KNOW, 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 TO BRING IT TO OUR ATTENTION AND IS THERE ANY WOULD THERE BE ANY POSTING ANYWHERE IN THE STABLES ON THE GROUNDS ABOUT OUR NUMBER AND WHAT TO CALL? AND 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 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 LAS TRAMPAS 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 SAFEGUARD SOME AGAINST SOME OF THESE THINGS AND THE UPCOMING.
WE CAN WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO INSPECT ALL THE BOOKS AND THE RECORDS OF THE CONCESSIONAIRE AT ANY TIME AND IF THERE'S ANY BREACH OF CONTRACT, THERE IS A CLAUSE TO TERMINATE THE AGREEMENT WITH THE 30 DAY NOTICE.
SO THERE ARE OTHER SAFEGUARDS CONTRACTUALLY IN PLACE AS WELL.
OKAY. WELL IT'S GOOD TO KNOW THAT THERE IS A THERE IS A PROCESS OUT THERE.
YOU KNOW, TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN MAKE IT MORE WIDELY KNOWN, I THINK THAT WOULD HELP EVERYBODY AND ONE MORE TIME, I WANT TO I WANT TO, I DON'T KNOW, SEND OUT MY APPRECIATION TO THE EQUESTRIAN COMMUNITY AT LARGE AND I WANT TO SEND IT BACK IN HISTORY TOO BECAUSE YOU FOLKS ARE RESPONSIBLE, IN MY OPINION, AND OTHERS, TOO, FOR KEEPING THE TRAIL SYSTEM IN CALIFORNIA INTACT AND ALIVE. FROM THE DAYS WHEN HORSES WERE THE ONLY WAYS TO GET AROUND TO NOW WHEN IT'S CONSIDERED A RECREATIONAL AND THERAPEUTIC ENDEAVOR. SO, YOU KNOW, THOSE OF US WHO THINK TRAILS ARE REALLY GREAT YOU KNOW, AND KNOW ABOUT WHAT'S GONE ON IN THE PAST, KNOW THAT FOR SEVERAL DECADES THERE AND MAYBE THE 1950S AND 60S, YOU KNOW, HORSES WERE THE ONLY THING YOU REALLY SAW OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, AND THEN IT'S CHANGED OVER TIME.
[01:20:02]
TOO. I KNOW THAT'S HAPPENED IN THE PAST.AND THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING THOSE QUESTIONS.
ANYONE ELSE? ALL RIGHT, I THINK WE'RE GOOD.
SO I'LL ASK OUR CLERK TO BEGIN WITH OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM.
YES. THANK YOU, PRESIDENT ECHOLS.
JUST AS A REMINDER, EVERYONE HAS TWO MINUTES AND YOU CAN SEE THE CLOCK FROM HERE AND THE OTHER THING I WAS GOING TO SAY IS THAT THEY ARE IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER.
OKAY. SO I JUST GATHERED THEM ALL UP.
SO WE'RE GOING TO START WITH WE'RE GOING TO GO BACKWARDS AND GO FORWARD.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO ADDRESS YOU.
I HAVE PERSONALLY KNOWN ANTHONY RICARDO AND VIJOA LUCAS FOR OVER 15 YEARS, BOTH 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.
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 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 LAS TRAMPAS STABLES TO THRIVE AND GROW IN THE FUTURE.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS BRAYLON PARKER.
HAVING WITNESSED FIRSTHAND THE MANAGEMENT IN THE PAST OF ANTHONY CHABOT AND LAS TRAMPAS, 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. THIS ECHOES MY EXPERIENCES WITH CERTAIN BOARDERS AT THE BARN, WHERE SUCH ACTIONS ARE CLEARLY 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.
HAVING EXPERIENCED THE PREVIOUS MANAGEMENT AT CHABOT, I WITNESSED FIRSTHAND THE BULLYING TACTICS BY BOARDERS TO BULLY MOANA AND WITH THE TRANSITION TO KEYSTONE MANAGEMENT, IT BECAME EVIDENT THAT CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS RESISTED CHANGE AND THEY COULD NO LONGER MANIPULATE THE SYSTEM TO THEIR ADVANTAGE.
VIJOA AND ANTHONY HAVE DONE AN AMAZING JOB.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS COURTNEY ROEBUCK.
[01:25:10]
GOOD AFTERNOON, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.I'VE KNOWN THEM BOTH INDIVIDUALLY FOR 30 YEARS.
FOR ANTHONY, I CAN ONLY SPEAK TO HIS KINDNESS.
HIS INTEGRITY AND HIS PROFESSIONALISM.
HE'S A PERSON THAT DOES THINGS THE RIGHT WAY.
HE CROSSES ALL THE T'S, HE DOTS ALL THE I'S.
VIJOA, I'VE ALSO KNOWN FOR 30 YEARS.
SHE'S ALWAYS BEEN WELCOMING TO ME, ENCOURAGING TO ME.
I'M A BAD STUDENT, BUT I STILL REMEMBER MY HORSE LESSONS FROM WHEN I WAS 15.
SHE CARES ABOUT HER EMPLOYEES.
SHE WANTS TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE'S COMFORTABLE AND TAKEN CARE OF.
I CAN'T SPEAK TO ANY BETTER COMPLIMENT THAN THAT.
THAT I WANT MY DAUGHTER TO BE TAUGHT BY THESE PEOPLE.
SO I THINK THAT LAS TRAMPAS STABLES WILL BE AN EXCELLENT HANDS UNDER THEIR MANAGEMENT, THEIR WATCH.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DAVY LUCAS.
HI BOARD. MY NAME IS DAVY LUCAS, MOTHER OF VIJOA.
I WAS A RESIDENT OF OAKLAND AND SAN LEANDRO FOR OVER 30 YEARS.
THEY MAINTAIN THE PROPERTY BETTER THAN ANY OTHER PARTY.
KEYSTONE IS CARRYING ON THAT VISION.
WE ARE THIRD GENERATION HORSE TRAINERS IN OAKLAND HILLS.
THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ROCHELLE ROYSE.
GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
COULD YOU PULL THE MICROPHONE CLOSER TO YOU, MA'AM? CAN EVERYONE HEAR ME? I'M SHORT.
YEAH. DO YOU NEED TO USE A STEP STOOL, MISS ROYCE? NO, I DON'T NEED A STEP STOOL.
I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE.
I SEE A LOT OF BOARDERS 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.
WE MAINTAIN THE COWBOY ARENA AND OUR CLUBHOUSE IS IN REINHARDT REDWOOD REGIONAL PARK.
LAS TRAMPAS RECENTLY WENT THROUGH THE RFP PROCESS AND MULTIPLE PROPOSALS WERE REVIEWED.
[01:30:05]
BOARDING AT BOTH [INAUDIBLE] AND LAS TRAMPAS 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.
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 LAS TRAMPAS.
THERE ARE CURRENTLY SEVERAL RETIRED HORSES ON SITE, AND THE REST OF THE LEFT ARE.
THE BOARDERS HAVE LEFT BECAUSE THEY DON'T FEEL SEEN OR HEARD AND I DON'T THINK IT'S A PERSONAL.
THING ANYWAY. LAS TRAMPAS NEEDS A STRONG CONCESSIONAIRE THAT NOT ONLY UNDERSTANDS THE SPECIFIC NEEDS OF BARN OPERATIONS AND DEFERRED MAINTENANCE, BUT ITS PEOPLE CENTRIC, KNOWLEDGEABLE OF HORSE CARE.
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 I WOULD HOPE THAT TRILOGY EQUINE SERVICES WOULD BE CONSIDERED.
THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER IS JUDY MARTIN.
BACK AGAIN. I AM SPEAKING ABOUT VIJOA AND RICARDO.
I'VE KNOWN VISHWA SINCE SHE WAS ABOUT 16.
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.
HAVING THE TWO BARNS AS AN ASSET, BECAUSE WHILE LAS TRAMPAS STRUGGLES, SHE WILL 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 GOING TO HANDLE THE UPKEEP OF LAS TRAMPAS.
THE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE THERE.
I SAW 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 IT NEEDS TO BE AND IT'S JUST THE TRUTH.
THE OTHER, THE OTHER BENEFIT OF VIJOA AND RICARDO IS HOW WELL THEY INTERFACE WITH THE PARK DISTRICT.
THEY HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB TALKING TO BUSINESS SERVICES.
WE KEEP EACH OTHER INFORMED ABOUT HAY 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 GOING TO DO ABOUT THAT? BECAUSE THE BOARD HADN'T APPROVED FEE INCREASES ON DECEMBER 1ST? ANY QUESTIONS? FEEL FREE TO COME TALK TO ME.
I DON'T KNOW IF THIS RON, RAMONE OR DAMON OR DEMONN COAKLEY.
MY NAME IS JUDEA KIMBERLY AND I AM THE TENTATIVE ON SITE TRAINER AT LAS TRAMPAS 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 WANT TO GET A BIT OF A BACKGROUND ON WHY I BECAME A TRAINER.
[01:35:09]
HOMETOWN. I BELIEVE THAT EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN IN ON THIS SPORT.MY DEEPEST FRIENDSHIPS 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 LOSS AT LAS TRAMPAS. THE IMPACT THAT HORSES HAVE ON PEOPLE IS POWERFUL AND LIFE CHANGING.
ONE OF MY CLIENTS AT 50 YEARS OLD, GOT 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.
VIJOA 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.
KEYSTONE TAKES INCREDIBLE CARE OF MY BELOVED HORSE, CUSCO, WHO'S QUICKLY BECOME A FAVORITE.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, THEY PLAN TO INCREASE EDUCATIONAL AND COMMUNITY OPPORTUNITIES.
JUST LIKE WHEN I STARTED, MANY OF MY STUDENTS WOULD NOT OTHERWISE HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO RIDE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS PETER KRANTZ.
YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. THANK YOU TO THE BOARD.
THEY DO NOT SEE UNDER THE PREVIOUS CONCESSIONAIRE.
NUMBER TWO, THE STANDARD OF CARE FOR THE HORSES AT THE FACILITY.
ALL OF THE KEYSTONE STAFF HAVE A VERY 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 ARE INSTANTLY RESOLVED WITH THEIR OWNERS OR VETERINARIANS, ETC.
THREE UNDER THE CURRENT CONCESSIONAIRE, WE NOW HAVE A BORDER INPUT POLICY WHERE THERE ARE MONTHLY MEETINGS, THERE IS AN INPUT PROCESS, AND I'VE SEEN ALL OF THE CONCERNS ADDRESSED IN A WAY THAT THERE'S ACTUALLY CHANGES AT THE FACILITIES, FOR INSTANCE, THE RAINY DAY RIDING SCHEDULE AND NUMBER FOUR, I'VE SEEN CONDITIONS IMPROVE AS THE FACILITY UNDER THE MANAGEMENT AS WELL.
SOME EXAMPLES OF THAT ARE THE NEW FOOTING IN THE UPPER ARENA, REPAIRS TO RETAINING WALLS NEW LIGHTING THAT WE HAVE THINGS OF THAT HAVE ALL BEEN BENEFITS TO US AS USERS OF THE FACILITY.
THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER IS KELLY BARNETT.
OUR INDIVIDUAL 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 LAS TRAMPAS, THE BEFORE TIMES AND THE NOW, AND I CAN SAY 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.
I REPRESENT 30% OF THE BOARDERS RIGHT NOW AT LAS TRAMPAS, SO I SPEAK.
THEIR FOOD, THEIR WATER, THEIR CONSISTENCY AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT TIM, IN HIS NONVERBAL, HARD WORKING WAY, SHANNON AND HER BUBBLY PERSONALITY, AND ANTHONY WITH HIS VOICE AND GRAVITAS, AND VIJOA AND HER VIJOA IN HER EXPERTISE, WE ARE IN GOOD
[01:40:04]
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.
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 TRAMPAS.
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 WE'RE RIDING AND THERE WAS A LITTLE GIRL WHO WANTED TO PET HER, AND I KNOW MY TIME IS UP.
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 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 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 PREMIER EQUESTRIAN CENTER OF THE EAST BAY AND WITH THAT, ALL BOATS WILL RISE.
WE CAN ALL GO. WE CAN ALL GET IN IT TOGETHER.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS TRACEY BERNARD MARX.
HI. GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS TRACEY BERNARD MARX.
I AM A RESIDENT OF SAN LEANDRO AND AN AVID USER AND ENJOYER OF ALL OF OUR BEAUTIFUL EAST BAY PARKS.
I'M HERE TO EXPRESS MY ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORT FOR KEYSTONE MANAGEMENT AND ANTHONY, SPECIFICALLY IN THEIR APPLICATION TO SERVE AS CONCESSIONAIRE OVER LAS TRAMPAS TRAMWAY STABLES.
HAVING KNOWN VIJOA AND JOHN ANTHONY FOR SEVERAL YEARS, I CAN CONFIDENTLY ATTEST TO THEIR EXCEPTIONAL SKILLS AS BARN MANAGERS AND THEIR UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO THE WELL-BEING OF THE HORSES UNDER THEIR CARE.
VIGEOIS 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, LEASED AND CURRENTLY TAKE LESSONS.
SO IN CONCLUSION, I WHOLEHEARTEDLY RECOMMEND AND ENDORSE THEM AS CONCESSIONAIRES FOR LAS TRAMPAS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS STEPHANIE WU.
I'M STEPHANIE, AND I USED TO BE A BOARDER AT ACEC.
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 BOARDERS 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 ANTHONY, WHO HAVE NOT BEEN BULLIED BY HIM.
[01:45:06]
TOSSED OFF TO THE SIDE.REQUESTS JUST COMPLETELY IGNORED FOR TWO MONTHS.
PROMISE 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 MR. MERCURIO 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.
I BELIEVE IT WAS YOU THAT SAID IT.
AT ANY RATE. THERE ARE OTHER CONCESSIONAIRE OPTIONS IF YOU HAVE THIS MANY COMPLAINTS WITH.
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 WANT TO PUT GUARDRAILS SO THAT THIS KIND OF THING DOESN'T PROGRESS AT THE NEXT LAS TRAMPAS BARN THAT THEY COULD POTENTIALLY MANAGE.
SO IF THEY NEED TO PUT GUARDRAILS UP, THEY KNOW THAT THERE ARE PROBLEMS. EXISTING ALREADY.
THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER IS LESLIE WU.
HI THERE. BOARD MEMBERS THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO ALL OF US SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE.
OKAY. THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBERS, FOR LISTENING TO ALL OF US.
I'M ACTUALLY SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF KATHY DUNN, WHO WAS NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT HERE.
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.
BECAUSE OF THESE EXPERIENCES, I HAVE A UNIQUE VIEW ON THE HORSE COMMUNITY AT LARGE, AND I HAVE SEEN VARIOUS DEGREES OF COMPETENCE IN 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 LAS TRAMPAS, PROVIDING HORSE OWNERS WITH TRAINING AND LESSON PROGRAMS THAT ARE WELCOMING AND INCLUSIVE, ALSO ENCOURAGES PEOPLE FROM OTHER AREAS TO APPRECIATE THE BEAUTIFUL TRAILS IN LAS TRAMPAS 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 QUALIFIED CONCESSIONAIRE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, KATHY DUNN.
THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KAREN LUCIDO OR LUCIDO? HI. GOOD AFTERNOON.
[01:50:01]
FOR, I GUESS, ABOUT EIGHT YEARS AND ENJOY USING THE PARKS AND I JUST WANTED TO SHARE HOW HELPFUL OVERALL. VIJOA IN PARTICULAR AND ANTHONY TOO HAVE BEEN IN MY HORSE JOURNEY.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 FROM WHAT I KNOW OF THEM, THEY WOULD MAKE GREAT STEWARDS FOR LAS TRAMPAS.
BOARD MEMBERS. GOOD AFTERNOON.
THANK YOU FOR HEARING ME TODAY.
I CURRENTLY WORK FOR KEYSTONE MANAGEMENT AS A CARETAKER AT THE ANTHONY CHABOT EQUESTRIAN CENTER.
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 HAVE NO DOUBT THAT LAS TRAMPAS WILL THRIVE ONCE AGAIN, AND I HAVE 41 SECONDS LEFT.
ROUND BARN IS LIKE 100 YEARS OLD.
IT'S NOT PERFECT AND A LOT OF WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE.
BUT VIJOA AND ANTHONY HAVE JUST TAKEN OVER IN THE LAST THREE YEARS.
OVER AT KEYSTONE, WE ALL WORK HARD AND WE DREAM BIG TO SEE IT FULLY REVITALIZED ONE DAY.
THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS NÉLIDA 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.
EQUESTRIAN. MY NAME IS NÉLIDA 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 VIJOA 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.
AS A MOTHER, SEEING, ANTHONY AND VIJOA SACRIFICE THEIR TIME.
[01:55:02]
THEIR ENERGY AND RESOURCES FOR THE BETTERMENT OF OUR PARKS FILLS ME WITH IMMENSE PRIDE AND ADMIRATION.HIS COMMITMENT SERVES AS A BEACON OF HOPE.
I URGE THE BOARD TO CONTINUE SUPPORTING INITIATIVES THAT FOSTER ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP, PROMOTE INCLUSIVENESS, AND PRESERVE OUR NATURAL RESOURCES FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
IN CLOSING, I AM, I IMPLORE 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 TRAMPAS STABLES TO KEYSTONE MANAGEMENT UNDER VIJOA ANTHONY, WE CAN ENSURE THAT THIS CHERISHED 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.
THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ELLEN MICHAEL.
GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS ELLEN MICHAEL.
BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF, YOU'VE RECEIVED MANY COMMENTS EXPRESSING DISSATISFACTION AND ANGER OVER KEYSTONE MANAGEMENT COMPANIES BEHAVIOR AND POOR PERFORMANCE AT BOTH ANTHONY CHABOT EQUESTRIAN CENTER AND LAS TRAMPAS 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, BOARDERS, 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 ACEC AND LAS TRAMPAS, ABOUT UNSAFE CONDITIONS AT ACEC AND ABOUT MAINTENANCE THAT IS NOT BEING PERFORMED, AND MORE.
KEYSTONE IS NOW ALMOST THREE YEARS INTO THE ACEC 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 ACEC 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 BOARDERS? 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 ACEC TODAY THAN MOST THE MOST SENIOR BOARDERS 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 ARE ALSO COSTLY.
NOW YOU'RE ON THE CUSP OF AWARDING ANOTHER CONCESSION TO KEYSTONE FOR LAS TRAMPAS 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 LAS TRAMPAS RATHER THAN DOUBLE DOWN ON ONE. WITH SO MANY NEGATIVES, THIS WOULD BE A BEST CASE SCENARIO.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JOYCE SMITH.
ALL RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
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, WRITING SO MANY WONDERFUL HORSES UNDER THE EXCELLENT INSTRUCTION OF VIJOA.
[02:00:04]
MY EXPERIENCE OVER THIS TIME HAS BEEN FUN, INSIGHTFUL, REWARDING IN TERMS OF MY GROWTH, NOT JUST AS A WRITER, BUT AS A HUMAN BEING.I HAVE CONSISTENTLY WITNESSED IN ANTHONY AND VIJOA UNWAVERING PROFESSIONALISM, COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE AND DEDICATION TO THE HORSES, TO THE STUDENTS, TO THE BORDERS, TO CREATING AN INCLUSIVE, RICH ENVIRONMENT THAT REDOUNDS TO THE BENEFIT OF ALL OF US.
SO I'M DELIGHTED TO SHARE WITH YOU AND OH MY GOSH, 48 SECONDS MY EXPERIENCE IN OBSERVATION WITH ANTHONY CHABOT EQUESTRIAN CENTER.
UNDER THE CARE, LEADERSHIP AND STEWARDSHIP OF VIJOA AND ANTHONY, THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT THERE WERE UNPRECEDENTED CHALLENGES, PANDEMIC FIRES, ALL KINDS OF ISSUES IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS THE NAME OF THAT? STRANGLES. THANK YOU.
AND THEY APPROACHED ALL OF THESE CHALLENGES WITH CALM GRACE, FAIRNESS, PRAGMATISM.
THEY EACH, TO MY MIND, 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 VIJOA AND ANTHONY.
THE UPGRADES, THE ENVIRONMENT THAT THEY CREATED IN TERMS OF INCLUSION.
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 VIJOA, BECAUSE OF ANTHONY, I HAVE A SENSE OF WELL-BEING.
OH, OKAY. MAYOR ALLEN, MAYOR?.
HI. GOOD AFTERNOON, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND EVER NE ELSE.
I SPENT A LOT OF TIME INDOORS WITH MY RESEARCH AND MY TEACHING.
THEY HAVE BEEN SUPPORTIVE, COMPASSIONATE.
THEY HAVE TAKEN A VESTED INTEREST IN MY TRAINING AND MY EXPERIENCE, AND I FEEL HURT.
THEY'VE ALWAYS BEEN PROFESSIONAL, GOOD NATURED, PATIENT, AND THEY CARE.
I'VE NEVER SEEN ANTHONY PRIORITIZE ANYTHING OVER THE 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 LAS TRAMPAS WILL BE IN THE BEST CARE UNDER THEIR MANAGEMENT.
[02:05:02]
CONCESSIONAIRE POSITION AT LAS TRAMPAS.I'LL START WITH 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.
DENYING EMPLOYEES RELIGIOUS FREEDOMS. DENYING EMPLOYEES TO ATTEND CHURCH.
VIOLATING EMPLOYEE RIGHTS TO PRIVACY WITHOUT CONSENT.
CREATING HOSTILE WORK ENVIRONMENTS.
ILLEGAL HOUSING STANDARDS DUE TO MOLD RATS AND NONFUNCTIONING.
NEGLIGENT CARE FOR THEIR HORSES AND BOARDER HORSES.
NOT ADDRESSING SAFETY HAZARDS AROUND THE BARN THAT HAVE ACTUALLY LED TO HORSES DEATHS.
DENYING PUBLIC ACCESS AND LIMITING PUBLIC FREEDOMS. THEY ALSO HAVE AN EXPIRED AND SUSPENDED STATE REGISTRY, AND THEY HAVE NOT REGISTERED SINCE 2014 AND THEY WERE ACTUALLY CONTACTED ABOUT THIS LAST WEEK AND ANTHONY HUNG UP ON THEM. THEY ALSO FORCED VOLUNTEER HOURS ON PAYING CLIENTS, AND THEY ALSO DO NOT FOLLOW QUARANTINE GUIDELINES.
FOR INSTANCE, CASPIAN WAS THE HORSE THAT BROUGHT IN THE ENTIRE STRANGLES THING.
MOST OF THE PEOPLE HERE IN SUPPORT TODAY ARE NOT PART OF CHABOT DAY TO DAY.
THEY ARE PASSER BUYERS ONLY WITNESSING THE PARTS OF VIJOA AND ANTHONY CHOOSE TO SHOW.
ITS WHAT INITIALLY LED ME TO ACCEPT THEIR JOB OFFER.
I THOUGHT I WAS WORKING UNDER KIND AND RESPECTFUL PEOPLE.
THAT VIJOA ANTHONY, DO CHOOSE TO TARGET AND HARASS ON MANY OCCASIONS.
VIJOA AND ANTHONY HAVE SCREAMED AND CURSED AT EMPLOYEES.
VIJOA AND ANTHONY BOTH STRUGGLE TO MASK THEIR RAGE IN A PLACE OF POWER.
THEY DO NOT PRACTICE THE VALUE OF SAFETY, COMMUNITY, AND CARE.
THEIR RELATIONSHIPS OF 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.
I'M AFRAID THINGS WILL ONLY GET WORSE IF THEY ARE GIVEN THE EXTENDED PRIVILEGE OF MANAGING LAS TRAMPAS, AND I'M SPEAKING OUT IN HOPES THAT YOU WILL RECONSIDER PLACING THAT FACILITY INTO THEIR HANDS.
I COULD MISPRONOUNCE YOUR FIRST NAME.
I AM VICE PRESIDENT OF KEYSTONE MANAGEMENT.
I AM THE MANAGER AT LAS TRAMPAS.
IF THIS GOES THROUGH I'VE BEEN WITH REGIONAL PARK WITH DIFFERENT CONCESSIONAIRES SINCE 2012.
FOR ME, I WAS A RANCH HAND THERE.
TRAIL GUIDE. WE TRAIL GUIDE OUT SEASONAL, SO I HAVE A LOT OF BACKGROUND THERE.
HORSES WERE IN DIRE NEED OF RANCH HANDS AND PEOPLE THAT WOULD GIVE THEIR ALL TO THOSE ANIMALS.
WHEN YOU STEP INTO A INDUSTRY LIKE THIS, IT'S NOT A 9 TO 5 JOB.
WE ARE IN IT FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES.
WE HAVE HORSES THAT ARE GOING TO BE WITH US FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES.
STEPPING INTO ANTHONY CHABOT, I WORKED FOR SORRY, MONA.
SORRY. I WORKED FOR MONA AND SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT ANTHONY AND VIJOA 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 LOS TRAMPAS.
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 ECHOLS 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 BOARDER AND OWNER AT ANTHONY CHABOT EQUESTRIAN CENTER.
FIRST, I WANT TO 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.
THE FACT REMAINS THAT IN ORDER FOR YOU TO MAKE THE TOUGH DECISIONS ON HOW TO MAINTAIN THE FISCAL SUSTAINABILITY AND THE PROGRAMING.
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 LAS TRAMPAS.
YOU HAVE A LOCAL HOMEGROWN TEAM WHO KNOWS THEIR STUFF.
THERE ARE HAPPY CUSTOMERS LIKE MYSELF WHO ARE AMAZED AT THE TRANSFORMATION OF ACEC 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 ACEC 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 THEIR HANDS AND STAND.
STARTS WITH THE W. OKAY, WESLEY.
THANK YOU SIR. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE BOARD. I THINK YOU'VE MADE A WISE DECISION IN KEEPING KEYSTONE AS A MANAGEMENT OF BOTH FACILITIES.
I'LL WATCH THIS YOUNG WOMAN GROW UP.
YOU WILL 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.
THE PLACE IS WELCOMING AND IN THE PAST I'VE COME THROUGH, IT HAS NOT BEEN SO.
SO PLEASE CONTINUE WITH YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH ANTHONY AND VIJOA.
I THINK YOU'VE MADE A GREAT DECISION.
THAT'S THE LAST SPEAKER IN THE ROOM.
WE HAVE TWO THAT HAVE COME ON ZOOM.
I'M GOING TO ATTEMPT TO MOVE THEM INTO THE ROOM SO THEY CAN.
I GOT EVERYBODY THAT WHO HAD A SPEAKER'S CARD.
SO. OH IS THERE SOMEBODY THAT I MISSED? ALL RIGHT.
YOU DIDN'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY.
OH, YOU DIDN'T WANT TO FILL OUT A CARD? OKAY. ALIGHTY, JUST GIVE ME A SECOND.
IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT FOR THEM TO COME INTO THE ROOM.
OKAY, I JUST HAVE A PHONE NUMBER OF (510) 774-0970.
[02:15:03]
YES. OKAY. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES, SIR.HI. MY NAME IS ABELINO ESPINOSA.
I KNOW THEM FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
WHEN THEY FIRST GOT ANTHONY CHABOT EQUESTRIAN 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.
CHEERS REGARDLESS AND WE'RE NOT HERE TO.
I WAS LIKE, HOLD ON, LET ME GO BACK.
PEOPLE FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ALWAYS TALK ABOUT SAFETY.
NOTHING CHANGE OVERNIGHT AND THOSE EQUESTRIAN CENTERS ARE ALL FACILITIES AND ANOTHER THING IS NOT ON THEIR HANDS IF IT WAS ON THEIR HANDS TO FIX EVERYTHING.
THINK ABOUT THIS. IT'S NOT THEIR FACILITIES.
BUT SINCE THEY GOT THE FACILITY, SINCE THEY STARTED RUNNING THE FACILITIES.
I'VE BEING COMING THERE AND IT'S BEEN A BIG CHANGE.
IT'S BEEN A LOT OF MORE CLEAN, MORE SAFE.
I'M TELLING YOU, FROM A BUSINESS OWNER AND I RUN FACILITIES.
HIM AND I, WE HAD A GOOD RELATION.
HE CALL ME. I GOT A QUESTION, I CALL HIM.
I WORKED WITH HIM SEVERAL TIMES.
YOU GUYS KNOW HIM? I THINK YOU GUYS DON'T GOT A BETTER GUY THAN ANTHONY AND VIJOA TO RUN THOSE CENTERS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SIMPLY JUST SAYS ANONYMOUS.
HELLO. MY NAME IS KIRA FULTON.
COULD YOU LET ME KNOW THAT YOU CAN HEAR ME BEFORE I PROCEED? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU. AWESOME.
I WAS A BOARDER AT ANTHONY CHABOT EQUESTRIAN CENTER FOR ABOUT ONE YEAR.
DURING THAT TIME, I DEFINITELY FELT THE BULLYING TACTICS USED BY BOTH VIJOA AND ANTHONY.
I FEEL THAT THEY ARE WILDLY UNPROFESSIONAL IN MANY OF THEIR AFFAIRS.
I WOULD LIKE TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO A FEW THINGS THAT WORRY ME ABOUT THEIR CONTINUATION.
BOTH. ANTHONY CHABOT CHRISTIAN CENTER AND LAS TRAMPAS STABLES.
THEIR PROJECTED PLAN TO RAISE REVENUE AT LAS TRAMPAS IS VIA LESSONS AND VIA BOARD, MOSTLY.
HOWEVER, THEY HAVE LOST MANY BOARDERS TO ANTHONY CHABOT EQUESTRIAN CENTER, MYSELF INCLUDED, AND THEY HAVE DONE A VERY BELOW PAR JOB OF BEING SAFE AND ENJOYABLE LESSONS.
I AM VERY FAMILIAR WITH ALMA AND HER ROLE AT ANTHONY CHABOT EQUESTRIAN CENTER AS AN ASSISTANT TRAINER, AND I KNOW THAT THE HORSES SHE WAS REQUIRED TO GIVE LESSONS ON AT ANTHONY CHABOT WERE VERY UNSUITABLE FOR SUCH.
THEY THREW OFF MANY RIDERS AND ARE VERY UNSUITABLE FOR USE AS BEGINNER LESSON HORSES.
THEIR NEEDS WERE ALSO OFTEN OVERLOOKED BY ANTHONY AND VIJOA, AND OFTENTIMES ALMA SPOKE TO ME ABOUT BRINGING THE HORSE'S NEEDS AND THE RIDERS NEEDS TO THE ATTENTION OF ANTHONY AND VIJOA, TO WHICH THEY WERE ALWAYS NEGLIGENT.
IF THEY CANNOT GIVE SAFE AND ENJOYABLE LESSONS WITH SUITABLE HORSES, AND THEY CANNOT KEEP BOARDERS, HOW ARE THEY? HOW DO THEY INTEND TO RAISE REVENUE AT LAS TRAMPAS STABLES? HOW DO THEY INTEND TO BRING THOSE STABLES BACK TO LIFE? I HAVE NOT BEEN THERE MYSELF, BUT FROM WHAT I HAVE HEARD, IT IS A MASSIVE PROJECT WHICH WILL REQUIRE A LOT OF REVENUE AND A LOT OF FUNDS AND IF THEIR TWO MAIN TACTICS FOR RAISING REVENUE ARE NOT 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 SPEAKING TODAY, AND I HOPE THAT YOU WILL HEAR EVERYONE'S CONCERNS AND TAKE EVERYONE'S CONCERNS AND POINT OF VIEWS INTO DEEP CONSIDERATION.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME.
PRESIDENT ECHOLS, ONE MORE PERSON HAS COME IN.
YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO SPEAK NOW.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. MY NAME IS ANNIKA ODELL SMEDLEY.
I'VE BEEN A STUDENT, WRITER AND VOLUNTEER AT ANTHONY CHABOT FOR 19 YEARS.
I HAVE EXPERIENCED THREE DIFFERENT CONCESSIONAIRES.
AND I HAVE BEEN A STUDENT OF MULTIPLE TRAINERS AT THE STABLE.
I WORKED FOR VIJOA AND ANTHONY AT KEYSTONE MANAGEMENT FOR ABOUT SIX YEARS.
I'M 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 BOARDERS 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 BOARDERS OR STUDENTS TO MAKE ANY GRIEVANCES OR EVEN TO PRESENT IDEAS AND HOPE TO HAVE THEM ACTED UPON.
VIJOA 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 A OR FEEL THAT THEIR OPINIONS SHOULD BE VALUED OVER THE GREATER COMMUNITY'S AND I THINK THAT KEYSTONE HAS RESPONDED APPROPRIATELY.
I SUPPORT THEM FOR THE CONCESSIONAIRE POSITION AT LAS TRAMPAS.
DO WE HAVE MORE THAN ONE SPEAKER LEFT? JACQUELINE BLAIR.
OKAY. HELLO BOARD I MY NAME IS JACQUELINE BLAY 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 CREARY RAN IT, AND ALSO WHEN SKIP AND LIZ LEAHY BOTH RAN LAS TRAMPAS.
SO I'VE SEEN WHAT CAN BE DONE WITH LAS TRAMPAS AND THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE SUCCESSFUL.
THEY WERE THAT BARN WAS MY SORT OF 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.
I'VE WORKED UP IN GERMANY AND CANADA.
I'VE BEEN ALL OVER THE PLACE, AND ANTHONY AND VIJOA 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 THINK IS VERY CLEAR IN THIS MEETING IS THAT MANY BUSINESS OWNERS SUPPORT ANTHONY AND VIJOA 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 BEGAN THEIR FIRST RIDING SCHOOL THERE AT ANTHONY CHABOT EQUESTRIAN CENTER.
THANK YOU. PRESIDENT ECHOLS WE HAVE ONE MORE PERSON.
DO WE? IF WE HAVE ANYBODY IN THE ZOOM ROOM, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND NOW.
YES. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES, MA'AM.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY I WAS ANTHONY CHABOT 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 WELL-BEING. I HAVE MOVED BACK TO COLORADO, BUT I WOULD GO TO ANY BARN THAT ANTHONY AND VIJOA WOULD RUN. THEIR SENSE OF COMMUNITY, THEIR SENSE OF JUST THEIR EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE WHEN IT COMES TO PEOPLE AND WHEN IT
[02:25:10]
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 BOARDERS THERE.
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 SPECIAL AND I'M GLAD THAT I GOT TO BE A PART OF IT FOR TWO YEARS AND FULLY SUPPORT THEM.
TAKING ON ANOTHER BARN, KNOWING THAT IT WILL ONLY BE SUCCESSFUL.
YOU HAVE TWO. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES, SIR.
THAT'S ALL I NEED. I'VE BEEN HERE 32 YEARS.
LAS TRAMPAS, EQUESTRIAN CENTER, PIEDMONT STABLES, HIS STABLE.
I'VE SEEN IMPROVEMENTS WITH EMPTY STABLES FROM THE TIME THEY GOT THERE.
I GO, OH, MAN, I'M ON VACATION.
HOW DID YOU GET MY NUMBER? I SAID, BUT I'LL GET RIGHT ON IT AND I CALLED AND I HAD ONE OF MY COWORKERS GET OVER THERE.
RIGHT. WHAT HAPPENS SOMETIMES IS THE TOILETS SOMETIMES RUN AND IT FILLS UP OUR HOLDING TANKS.
DENNIS KNOWS, BUT THESE PEOPLE ARE THE FIRST PEOPLE.
THEY COMMUNICATED WITH ME AND I SAW IMPROVEMENTS.
AT THIS AT ANTHONY CHABOT NOT I DON'T KNOW ABOUT TRAMPAS 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 FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN.
THEY CALL ME AND THEY NEEDED SOME SERVICE AND THAT'S THE FIRST TIME ANYBODY.
THE MINUTE HE FOUND OUT HE DIDN'T GO TO STANFORD, NOTHING.
HE CALLED ME AND I RESPONDED AND GOT IT TAKEN CARE OF.
SO I JUST WANT THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. [INAUDIBLE] . HI EVERYBODY.
MY NAME IS JASMINE AND I LIKE WITNESS AT ANTHONY CHABOT.
I SAW A HORSE TIED 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 THERE TO SEE IT.
BUT I SAW IT WHEN I WAS ON MY HORSE AND THAT 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.
OKAY. SO I THINK WE ARE READY FOR A VOTE.
UNLESS ANYONE HAS ANYTHING FURTHER TO SAY AND IF THERE.
[02:30:01]
I KNOW A COUPLE OF THE BOARD HAS ASKED FOR TO TAKE 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? I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I'M NOT NEW TO RELATIONSHIPS AND STABLES.
I MEAN, I REMEMBER LIZ AND SKIP AND I REALLY MISS THEIR TRAIL RIDES.
SINCE THAT TIME LOSS DROPS, I MADE THIS.
I MADE THIS COMMENT IN THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE THAT CHANGE IS HARD.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, LAS TRAMPAS STABLES HAS NOT SINCE LIZ AND SKIP HAVE LEFT THAT STABLE HAS BEEN STRUGGLING EVER SINCE AND THAT AND IF VIJOA 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 SUPPORTING THAT FACILITY AND IF THEY CAN'T SHOW, IF THEY CAN'T SHOW IT WITH NEW MANAGEMENT, THEN IT'S TIME FOR THE DISTRICT TO LOOK ON TO LOOK FORWARD.
SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'D HATE TO SEE.
BUT WHEN WE HAVE THESE INTERNAL FIGHTS BETWEEN BORDERS.
IT'S TOUGH. IT'S TOUGH FOR THE PARK DISTRICT.
IT'S PARK, IT'S TOUGH FOR THE CONCESSIONAIRE AND I'VE SEEN THAT AND JUDY REMEMBERS AND WHEN LLOYD LEFT AND WAS TUMULTUOUS. A COUPLE OF YEARS AFTER UNTIL JUDY TOOK OVER.
CHANGE IS HARD, CULTURE IS HARD, AND WE JUST HAVE TO HAVE PATIENCE AND THERE ARE AND I REALLY EVERYONE HERE THAT CAME TODAY IS COURAGEOUS. I REALLY APPLAUD YOUR COURAGE IN COMING AND SPEAKING TODAY, EITHER FOR OR AGAINST AND IT'S NOT EASY.
FOLLOW THEIR NATURAL ROUTE AND WHAT WE CAN DEAL WITH IT AS THAT, AS THOSE COME ABOUT.
NO IN MY VIEW, I SEE NO REASON WHY NOT TO CONTINUE TO AND LET KEYSTONE TAKE OVER LAS TRAMPAS AND THEN BECAUSE I THINK THEY HAVE THEY HAVE A GOOD RECORD.
THE FACILITY AT ACEC AT ANTHONY'S EQUESTRIAN CENTER IS IT HAS SHOWN IMPROVEMENT.
IT'S IN GOOD CARE AND SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY IS THAT WE NEED LAS TRAMPAS NEEDS TO IMPROVE NO MATTER WHO TAKES OVER.
IF IT DOESN'T, WE'VE BEEN POURING A LOT OF RESOURCES INTO THIS FACILITY WITH NOTHING TO SHOW FOR IT.
I HOPE IT'S AND I THINK IT'S ONE THAT WE DID REVIEW AT THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE IN REGARDS TO THE RECOMMENDATION, 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 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 WOULD BE ADMINISTRATIVE, CORRECT? OKAY. WE'RE SEEKING AUTHORITY FOR THAT EXTENSION IN ADDITION TO THAT FIRST TERM.
YOU'RE WELCOME. SO I JUST HAVE A FEW COMMENTS AND I'LL TRY TO KEEP IT CONCISE.
AGAIN, I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYBODY WHO SPOKE TODAY AND AT THE PREVIOUS OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, AS WELL AS SENDING IN COMMENTS THROUGH OUR PUBLIC COMMENT OPTION WITH OUR CLERK'S OFFICE, AS WELL AS THE EMAILS THAT WE'VE RECEIVED.
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 PARTICULARLY FROM SOME OF THE FOLKS WHO HAVE SUBMITTED COMMENTS IN AN ANONYMOUS MANNER AND I THINK THAT THOSE ARE REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO RECOGNIZE.
[02:35:04]
AND I APPRECIATE DIRECTOR ROSARIO'S COMMENTS ABOUT HOW, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE INVESTIGATIONS HAPPENING OUTSIDE THE OF THE PURVIEW OF OUR PARK DISTRICT. I DO THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT POINT, AND IT DOES GIVE ME SOME PAUSE IN REGARDS TO MAKING THE MY DECISION TODAY IN TERMS OF THE VOTE AND I'LL BE PERFECTLY HONEST, BECAUSE OF THE RANGE OF COMMENTS, 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 GIVE I GUESS, THAT EXTRA PERCENTAGE FOR ME TO MAKE A CHOICE REALLY TO THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION AND, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE THAT, YOU KNOW, MY VOTE IN 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 AND HAS WORKED REALLY HARD TO PUT THIS TOGETHER TODAY. SO I WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS.OKAY. DIRECTOR CORBETT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND I APPRECIATE ALL OF THOSE OF YOU WHO CAME TO SPEAK TODAY AND WHO CAME TO THE COMMITTEE MEETING NOT THAT LONG AGO AND OBVIOUSLY EVERYBODY ISN'T TOTALLY HAPPY ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT WAS SAID.
BUT I DO WANT TO SAY THAT I'M WILLING TO TAKE A LOOK AND SEE HOW THINGS GO IN THE FUTURE.
THESE ARE TWO GREAT FACILITIES.
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 WORK THERE.
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 IS 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.
THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE WORKED HARD ON BOTH SIDES OF THIS, BECAUSE IT IS VERY IMPORTANT.
WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE HERE 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. YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO KEEP MY EYES OPEN AND, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO HEAR FROM FOLKS IF WE'RE HAVING CONCERNS, I WANT TO 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.
WE'VE HEARD FROM SO MANY OF YOU AND 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 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 AN EASY JOB 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 THANK YOU FOR ALL THE TIME YOU'VE ALL PUT IN.
THANK YOU. DIRECTOR COFFEY. OKAY, I WILL.
I'M STRONGLY SUPPORT THE CONCESSION AS RECOMMENDED BY STAFF.
THE TIPPING POINTS FOR ME ARE TWOFOLD.
[02:40:08]
I FOUND THEM CREDIBLE.I FOUND THEM AUTHENTIC AND FIRSTHAND IN TERMS OF BORDER EXPERIENCE.
THE OTHER TIPPING POINT IS I RESPECT THE THE CRITICISMS. I MITIGATE THOSE IN MY OWN MIND, ESPECIALLY THE ANONYMOUS ONES.
UNLIKE WHAT'S SUGGESTED IN MANY OF THESE CRITICISMS, THERE IS REDRESS, AND AS DIRECTOR MERCURIO 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, I KNOW 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 THAT'S INCONCEIVABLE.
THAT JUST DOESN'T HAPPEN WITH OUR PEOPLE.
THEY'RE HIGHLY EXPERIENCED WITH 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 INTERCESSION AND FAITH IN THE OVERSIGHT THAT THIS STAFF GIVES IT.
YEAH. DIRECTOR COFFEY MAKES COMMENTS THAT I AGREE WITH AS WELL.
THERE'S A VARIETY OF OPINIONS THAT HAVE BEEN EXPRESSED IN THE COMMUNICATIONS THAT WE'VE RECEIVED.
BUT AS DIRECTOR COFFEY JUST SAID, THE OVERWHELMING TREND IS THAT THEY'RE POSITIVE.
HOWEVER, I HAVE CONCERNS THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SURE WHAT TO DO ABOUT 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 WHAT THEY DECIDED AND AT LEAST THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES TO US AND WE WELCOME ANY COMMENTS WHETHER IT WAS A NAME ASSOCIATED WITH THEM OR NOT. 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 TRAMPAS. I GUESS THERE'S NOWHERE TO GO BUT UP FROM HERE.
IF YOU WANT TO TALK LATER, THAT'S A DIFFERENT THING.
YEAH 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 AND THOSE ARE TWO DIFFERENT ISSUES AND WHEN YOU'VE GOT THIS MANY FOLKS THAT ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT AND I KNOW THAT THIS COMMUNITY IS OBVIOUSLY AND THAT'S A GOOD THING THAT THESE DISAGREEMENTS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN.
SO ANYWAY THAT'S NOT ENOUGH CONCERN FOR ME TO STAND IN THE WAY OF RECOGNIZING THAT WE IN KEYSTONE WOULD BE THE BEST CHOICE FOR US TO TO GO AHEAD WITH.
OH, DIRECTOR WAESPI, GO AHEAD.
THANK YOU. YEAH. I TOO WILL VOTE FOR KEYSTONE IN THIS CASE.
I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS, THOUGH.
THIS CAN POTENTIALLY BE A TEN YEAR CONTRACT AND I'M WONDERING, DO WE STILL HAVE THAT? I KNOW IN SOME OF THE CONTRACTS WE WRITE WITH SOME CONCESSIONAIRES, YOU COULD LEAVE AT ANY TIME WITH 30 DAYS NOTICE.
IS THAT THE CASE IN THIS AGREEMENT ALSO? I CAN'T HEAR YOU.
[02:45:01]
IT'S 180 DAYS BY EITHER PARTY ON THIS CONCESSION AGREEMENT.PLUS, IF THERE'S A DEFAULT 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.
OKAY, GOOD. WELL, THAT'S A GOOD.
THAT'S THE ANSWER I WAS LOOKING FOR BECAUSE WE I, LIKE I SAID, I'LL VOTE FOR THIS.
I THINK WE HAVE THERE'S LOTS OF POTENTIAL HERE.
THERE'S LOTS OF OPINIONS TODAY, BUT I THINK THE PROOF WILL BE IN THE PUDDING.
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 FILLED RIGHT NOW? I KNOW WE HEARD COMMENTS ABOUT THERE BEING ONLY THREE, BUT THIS IS FRESH OFF THE PRESSES.
CURRENTLY TEN STALLS ARE SPOKEN FOR.
SO AND THEY'RE ENROLLING 16 STUDENTS FOR LESSONS AS WELL.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU ALL, I THINK THIS IS NOTHING BUT A CHANCE FOR POTENTIAL BECAUSE LET'S FACE IT, IF YOU DON'T LIKE WHAT'S GOING ON THERE, YOU HAVE THE CHOICE TO LEAVE, AND WE'LL SEE HOW SUCCESSFUL THEY'LL BE AND I WISH THEM ALL THE BEST.
BUT THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE THE WRITING.
OKAY. WELL, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO BE HERE TODAY.
I REALLY APPRECIATE HEARING YOUR OWN EXPERIENCES, AND IT DOES TAKE COURAGE TO COME HERE AND SAY WHAT YOU WANT TO SAY, 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 SIMILAR THEMES, MAYBE, BUT VERY DIFFERENT WIDE RANGE OF INFORMATION.
SO I JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK YOU FOR THAT AND IT PARTICULARLY TAKES COURAGE TO SPEAK OUT ABOUT SENSITIVE TOPICS LIKE SOME OF THE ISSUES, SOME OF THE ALLEGATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED AND SO I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S CERTAINLY IMPORTANT TO HEAR A COMPLAINT AND AS OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HAVE MENTIONED 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 PARK DISTRICT HAS OPENED IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, OUR ROLE AND THEN WE WILL SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT IS UPHELD THROUGH THESE INVESTIGATIONS AND YOU KNOW, IF WE DO FIND ANY SERIOUS ISSUES WE HAVE, WE WILL HAVE SOME RECOURSE.
SO I GUESS WITH THAT AND KNOWING THAT OUR WHAT THE WORK THAT OUR STAFF HAS DONE AND YOU KNOW, THE CERTAINLY MANY OF THE VERY POSITIVE COMMENTS HERE IN THE ROOM, I AM ALSO COMFORTABLE VOTING IN FAVOR OF THE OF KEYSTONE MANAGEMENT EXPANDING TO LAS TRAMPAS.
AND SO WITH THAT, DO I HAVE A MOTION? OKAY. DIRECTOR MERCURIO, AND WHY DON'T YOU, JUST FOR CLARITY, JUST STATE WHAT YOUR MOTION IS.
THE MOTION IS TO? WHAT? SHOULD I READ IT HERE OR.
SO OKAY, SO WE HAVE A MOTION BY DIRECTOR MERCURIO AND A SECOND BY DIRECTOR COFFEY.
ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? ABSTENTIONS. OKAY, THE MOTION PASSES.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND WE WILL TAKE A TEN MINUTE, TEN MINUTES OR FIVE. THANK YOU.
[GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS]
ITEM THAT WAS PULLED REGARDING THE APPOINTMENT OF A NEW AGM OVER FINANCE.[02:50:11]
OKAY AND OUR GENERAL MANAGER IS GOING TO DO A BRIEF PRESENTATION ON THIS ITEM TO START OUT.THANK YOU AND I'LL BE BRIEF AND HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.
SO AS WE INDICATED IN THE REPORT, WE LAUNCHED A NATIONWIDE RECRUITMENT FOR OUR ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER OF FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES.
RECEIVED 55 APPLICANTS THAT CAME IN THE DOOR, HAD NARROWED THAT DOWN TO SIX FINALISTS WHO WERE INTERVIEWED BY BOTH AN INTERNAL PANEL AND THEN WE HAD AN EXTERNAL PANEL OF EXPERTS IN THE FIELD FROM AROUND THE REGION AND ULTIMATELY, THERE WAS A RECOMMENDATION OF 3 FINALISTS THAT CAME TO ME AND SELECTED OUR CURRENT AFO, DEB SPAULDING, AS THE PERSON THAT IS IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY AS A RECOMMENDATION TO APPOINT OR CONSENT TO THE HIRING AS OUR NEW AGM OF FINANCE.
DEB, AS I THINK YOU GUYS ARE ALL PRETTY FAMILIAR WITH BRINGS THE TECHNICAL EXPERTISE AND 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 AND HAS A PROVEN TRACK RECORD IN THIS FIELD.
SO VERY EXCITED TO RECOMMEND HER TO THE POSITION.
I THINK I SENT HER RESUME WITH SOME ADDITIONAL DETAILS LAST NIGHT.
THERE IS A IN THE RESOLUTION, THE FIRST OR SECOND RESOLVED THAT TALKS ABOUT THE FUTURE ENGAGEMENT OF AN AGM OF FINANCE SHALL FOLLOW THE SAME PROCESS AS THE OTHER AGM 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 AND THIS IS KIND OF TRYING TO SOLVE PROBABLY TWO ISSUES AT THE SAME TIME, WHICH WE DON'T NEED TO DO.
BUT THIS GOES BACK TO JUST REMINDING SOME OF YOU OUR CONVERSATION TWO PLUS YEARS AGO AROUND THE BOARD OPERATING GUIDELINES AND THE CONVERSATION THAT OCCURRED ON THIS OUT.
SO SOMEWHAT OUTDATED OR INCONSISTENT LANGUAGE IN YOUR BOARD OPERATING GUIDELINES.
SO THAT'S WHY IT WAS PUT IN THERE.
CERTAINLY THERE IS NO URGENCY TO DO THAT TODAY.
WE'RE FOLLOWING THAT PROCESS HERE AS IT CURRENTLY IS DICTATED IN THE BOARD OPERATING GUIDELINES AND 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 TO THE BOARD EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE FOR SOME FUTURE CONVERSATION.
BECAUSE IT IS 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.
SO HAPPY TO HAVE THAT REMOVED.
I DO KNOW THAT JUST IN LIGHT OF THE TECHNICAL NEED FOR JUST TODAY, THERE IS SOME I BELIEVE, LANGUAGE THAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT WE ADD THAT JASON HAS AND HE CAN READ INTO THE RECORD.
SO WITH THAT, I AM VERY EXCITED TO RECOMMEND DEB AS OUR.
NEW ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER OF FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT, SLASH CFO SLASH CONTROLLER AND HAPPY TO REMOVE THAT WEAR OR THAT RESOLVED PROVISION.
[02:55:09]
SURE. THANK YOU.SO AS GENERAL MANAGER LANDRETH MENTIONED, THE SECOND RESOLVED 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 AGM OF FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES SLASH CFO AS THE DISTRICT CONTROLLER.
SO THE ADOPTED RESOLUTION WOULD HAVE THE LANGUAGE THAT I READ INTO THE RECORD.
OKAY. COULD YOU JUST READ ONE MORE TIME? SURE. MY PLEASURE.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS APPOINTS THE AGM 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.
OKAY. QUESTIONS? COMMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS DIRECTOR COFFEY.
I DO HAVE A QUESTION OF THE GENERAL MANAGER, BUT I DO WANT TO COMMENT FIRST.
THAT CIRCULATION OF DEBORAH'S RESUME IS VERY MUCH APPRECIATED AND.
FOR THE RECORD, I GUESS HAVE IT PART OF THE RECORD.
THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY IMPRESSIVE RESUME IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, THE PUBLIC FINANCE BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCE AND RANGE OF EXPERIENCE AND EXPERIENCE WITH SPECIFIC OPERATIONAL.
PROGRAMS AND ASPECTS OF THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
I WASN'T FAMILIAR WITH DEBORAH'S BIO OR RESUME BEFORE, AND 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.
BUT NONETHELESS, THE ENTIRETY OF THIS RESUME IS INCREDIBLY IMPRESSIVE.
MY ONE QUESTION OF THE GENERAL MANAGER IS THIS DID PRESENT AN OPPORTUNITY FOR REVIEWING CANDIDATES OUTSIDE THE ORGANIZATION.
IN FACT, I UNDERSTAND IT WAS A NATIONAL SEARCH AND YOU DID.
ACTUALLY, YOU AND YOUR TEAM HAD THE ABILITY TO INTERVIEW SOME FINALISTS FROM OUTSIDE THE ORGANIZATION, AND WERE PRESENTED THAT OPPORTUNITY.
WHAT WAS IT? OR CUMULATIVELY? [INAUDIBLE] SAY THE WORD WAS THE FACTORS THAT BROUGHT YOU TO LAND WITH 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 ISN'T A STRONG INTERNAL CANDIDATE, BECAUSE IT CONTINUES TO LEND A LOT OF LEGITIMACY AND CREDIBILITY TO THE SELECTION AND SO, YES, IT WAS A VERY ROBUST PROCESS.
I'D LIKE TO TELL PEOPLE, I DON'T KNOW FISH BIOLOGY, BUT THERE IS ONE AREA THAT I DO HAVE SOME EXPERTISE IN AND THAT IS ON MUNICIPAL AND LOCAL PUBLIC FINANCE AND SO I FEEL REALLY SOLID IN EVALUATING THESE CANDIDATES AND SO FOR DEB, IT COMES DOWN TO REALLY LOOKING AT HER TECHNICAL SKILLS SPECIFIC TO CALIFORNIA AND SPECIFIC TO A SPECIAL DISTRICT IN CALIFORNIA.
IT'S UNIQUE AND THEN SHE ALSO BRINGS HER ALL OF HER MANY YEARS OF WORKING WITHIN OUR PARK DISTRICT.
[03:00:07]
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 PSEUDO ACTING ROLE IN A LARGER CAPACITY HAS TO HAS HAD TO REPORT DIRECTLY TO ME.
I'M SORRY, 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 REALLY HOW SHE LEADS WITH HER VALUES AND HER DECISION MAKING AND HER MANAGEMENT STYLE AND HER OPENNESS FOR CONTINUED GROWTH AND FOR REVISITING THE WAY THAT WE DO SOME OF OUR CURRENT PRACTICES.
SO FOR ME, SHE CLICKED ALL OF THOSE BOXES.
THAT'S GOOD AND I WOULD NOTE, THERE SEEMS TO BE NOW A CAMARADERIE OF GSPP INFLUENCE AMONG SENIOR MANAGEMENT HERE.
OUR GOLDMAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC POLICY AT BERKELEY.
GO, BEARS! I FEEL LIKE I NEED TO JUST SPEAK UP REAL QUICK.
I DID SEE POMONA AS WELL, AND I, YOU KNOW.
YES, I'M FROM THE EAST BAY, BUT 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 CANDIDATE'S RESUME.
CAL STATE EAST BAY HAS A WONDERFUL MPA PROGRAM.
OKAY. EVEN BACK WHEN IT WAS CAL STATE HAYWARD.
ANYWAY, CAN I MAKE ANOTHER COMMENT HERE? WELCOME. DEBORAH SPAULDING TO YOUR NEW POSITION.
DEBORAH IS NOT NEW TO ME BECAUSE YOU KNOW, 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.
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 IT'S VERY IMPRESSIVE.
I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING EVEN MORE WITH YOU IN THE FUTURE.
OKAY. ANYONE ELSE? OKAY, WELL, I WILL JUST ALSO SAY I WAS ABSOLUTELY THRILLED WHEN I LEARNED THE RECOMMENDATION, SO THANK YOU.
THANK YOU AND WITH THAT, WOULD SOMEONE LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION? OH GO AHEAD OKAY.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. OKAY.
WE HAVE A MOTION BY DIRECTOR CORBETT AND A SECOND BY DIRECTOR ROSARIO.
ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. REAL QUICK, THIS IS THE REVISED.
WE DELETED THE ONE RESOLVED, AND WE ADDED ANOTHER, AS AMENDED.
THANK YOU FOR. YES, THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING.
WE ARE. THIS IS A MOTION DIRECTOR CORBETT ON THE REVISED VERSION AS JASON READ INTO THE RECORD.
ALL IN FAVOR? WE'LL DO IT AGAIN.
AYE. OPPOSED? ABSTENTIONS? OKAY. MOTION PASSES.
GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, EVERYBODY.
I FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD BREAK OUT A CAKE AND IF I MAY JUST ALSO SAY AND CONGRATULATIONS TO DEB.
WE ALSO, THROUGH THIS PROCESS, WERE ABLE TO ONE OF THE THREE FINALISTS THAT I DID INTERVIEW.
BUT NOT NOT QUITE UP THERE AT THE EXECUTIVE LEVEL YET, BUT WE OFFERED HER THE ASSISTANT FINANCE OFFICER JOB, AND SHE HAS ALSO ACCEPTED. SO YOU'LL SEE AN ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN ABSOLUTE POWERHOUSE TEAM IN THE FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT.
SO YOU HAD A TWO FER IN RECRUITMENT, CORRECT.
YOU'RE GOING TO BE AWESOME. THRILLED.
SO ARE THERE ANY GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS?
[03:05:03]
NO, NOTHING FURTHER.OKAY. ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM CLOSED SESSION?
[ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM CLOSED SESSION]
YEAH. SOMETHING TO REPORT FROM A PRIOR CLOSED SESSION ON DECEMBER 5TH, 2023, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AUTHORIZED A SETTLEMENT WITH [INAUDIBLE] LOCAL 2428 TO RESOLVE A DISPUTE REGARDING A TENTATIVE AGREEMENT ENTERED INTO 2021 RELATED TO DEFERRED COMPENSATION MATCHING.THE BOARD AGREED TO PAY [INAUDIBLE] 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 TOTAL COST FOR UNREPRESENTED EMPLOYEES IS $216,000.
OKAY, THAT TAKES US TO BOARD COMMENTS.
[BOARD COMMENTS]
I WILL START.DIRECTOR MERCURIO, ARE YOU READY? YEAH. SO ON FEBRUARY 6TH, I WAS HERE AT THE BOARD MEETING, AND THE NEXT DAY 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 MEETING WAS CALLED THE ADVISORY COUNCIL FOCUS GROUP FOR 2026 STATEWIDE COMPREHENSIVE OUTDOOR RECREATION PLAN AND ACTUALLY I PARTICIPATED IN THE PRIOR ONE, TOO AND SO I GUESS AS I WAS ON THEIR LIST, THEY INVITED ME TO TRY IT AGAIN.
VERY INTERESTING PEOPLE FROM ALL AROUND.
MOSTLY AROUND SACRAMENTO AREA.
I WENT TO THE SACRAMENTO MEETING AND THEY ARE WORKING ON A PLAN.
THAT REMINDS ME A LOT OF KIND OF WHAT WE'RE AFTER HERE IN OUR PROCESSES OF REALLY MAKING IT SOMETHING THAT REACHES OUT TO SO MANY DIFFERENT DIVERSITY GROUPS AND SUCH. SO LOTS OF GOOD STUFF IN THE WORKS WITH THE STATE.
ON FEBRUARY 9TH I MET WITH SABRINA FOR OUR ONE ON ONE MEETING AND THEN ON THE 11TH OF FEBRUARY 11TH WE HAD THE AT THURGOOD MARSHALL REGIONAL PARK, HOME OF THE PORT CHICAGO 50.
WE HAD A 90TH ANNIVERSARY BLACK HISTORY MONTH WALK THERE AT THE SOUTH OF BAILEY ROAD PARK PROPERTY AND WE GOT SOME SOMEWHERE AROUND 100 PEOPLE THERE, PLUS THE REST OF US FROM THE DISTRICT.
VERY INTERESTING AND LEARNED A LOT.
ON. THE 13TH, I MET WITH KEN ESAKI AND BRIAN HOLT TO TALK ABOUT SOME ISSUES WITH THAT PROPERTY THAT I JUST MENTIONED GETTING MAYBE IMPROVING THE PEDESTRIAN AND THE BICYCLE ACCESS INTO THAT PARK.
NOTHING EARTH SHATTERING, THE DECIDED, BUT WE DECIDED TO KEEP KEEP LOOKING AT IT AND THEN ON FEBRUARY 16TH, I WAS IN A ZOOM MEETING FOR THE EAST BAY LEADERSHIP COUNCIL MONTHLY MEETING, OF WHICH I SIT ON THAT BOARD.
OKAY. DIRECTOR? YES. FEBRUARY 7TH, I HAD A SHORT MEETING WITH OUR LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS TEAM IN REGARDS TO SOME UPCOMING PROJECTS, INCLUDING THE APRIL WORKSHOP.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ON FEBRUARY 9TH, I HAD A MEETING WITH THE NEIGHBORS AT DEL VALLE.
SO THE RANCHERS WHO WHO LIVE NEXT TO DEL VALLE PARK AND ACCESS THEIR PROPERTIES THROUGH THE KIOSK, AND I BELIEVE I MENTIONED THIS AT OUR PREVIOUS BOARD MEETING. I DO BELIEVE WITH THE UPCOMING LEASE RENEWAL IN 2025, AND JUST BASED ON SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS I'M HAVING WITH DIFFERENT MEMBERS OF OUR OF THE WATER AGENCIES THAT ARE STAKEHOLDERS AT DEL VALLE, I DO THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO PROBABLY BE HEARING A LOT OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS IN REGARDS TO THIS.
IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT LEASE RENEWAL AND A I BELIEVE THAT SOME OF THESE NEIGHBORS MAY ALSO BE STARTING TO MOBILIZE IN TERMS OF REACHING OUT TO US HERE ON THE BOARD AND SO 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'M SURPRISED YOU DIDN'T MENTION THIS.
WE HAD AN IMPORTANT MEETING, JOHN AND I.
[03:10:01]
IT'S OKAY. I'LL MENTION IT.BUT I ALSO WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, TAKE MY COLLEAGUE WHO SHARES THE IRON HORSE TRAIL WITH ME TO THE SPOT WHERE ALAMEDA COUNTY AND CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MEET, WHERE YOU KNOW, DUBLIN AND SAN RAMON MEET AND IT'S VERY INTERESTING BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE, YOU KNOW, THE PAVEMENT CHANGES ON THE COUNTY LINE AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE CREEK NEXT TO 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 RIPRAP.
SO IT HAS MORE OF THIS NATURAL LOOKING ESTHETIC.
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 THE IRON HORSE TRAIL BRIDGE OVER DUBLIN BOULEVARD WILL OPEN WHICH IS GOING TO BE SUCH A GREAT WAY TO CONNECT TO THE DUBLIN PLEASANTON BART STATION.
BUT I DO KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF EFFORTS TO EXTEND THE IRON HORSE TRAIL INTO 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 DIFFICULTY WITH MURRAY TOWNSHIP DESIGNATION AND 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 HAVING PREVIOUSLY SERVED ON THE ZONE SEVEN BOARD OF DIRECTORS, YOU KNOW, I WAS A PART OF THE APPROVAL TO WORK ON SOME OF THE IRON HORSE TRAIL IN LIVERMORE AND PART OF THAT VISION.
UNFORTUNATELY, I LEARNED THAT THE FLU SHOT WILL OCCASIONALLY MISS SOME STRAINS.
SO I WAS OUT OF COMMISSION FOR A BIG CHUNK OF THE LAST TWO WEEKS.
BUT BEFORE THAT HAPPENED, I DID ATTEND THE THURGOOD MARSHALL PROGRAM CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH AND OUR 90TH ANNIVERSARY AND I JUST WANTED TO EXTEND MY APPRECIATION TO THE NATURALIST STAFF AT BLACK DIAMOND FOR PUTTING ON A TREMENDOUS PROGRAM.
FOLKS WERE VISIBLY MOVED BY THE STORIES THAT OUR NATURALISTS STAFF TOLD AND HAD PARTICIPANTS TELL.
IT WAS A REALLY WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE WHERE WE WERE DIVIDED INTO GROUPS AND WERE GIVEN THE THE BIOGRAPHIES OF SOME OF THE PORT CHICAGO 50 AND WERE ABLE TO SHARE THE STORIES AND, APPRECIATE THE HISTORY THAT WE WERE TELLING.
SO AGAIN, IT WAS A VERY SUCCESSFUL EVENT AND WE ALL APPRECIATE WHAT THE BLACK DIAMOND CREW DID FOR IT. THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
I DON'T HAVE MY CALENDAR WITH ME, BUT I WILL PASS IT IN LATER.
BUT OF COURSE IT'S BEEN GREAT.
CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT OUR NATURALISTS.
THERE'S SOME ANNOUNCEMENTS OF IMPORT.
THEY'RE ALL GOING TO PARTICIPATE TOGETHER AND THEN ABAG AND MTC, THEY'RE GOING TO VOTE THIS SPRING ON PUTTING A HOUSING, BOND IN NOVEMBER TO THIS YEAR AND THEN MTC IS GOING TO BE PROPOSING ANOTHER TRANSPORTATION BOND IN 2006.
SO KEEP THOSE IN MIND FOR WHEN WE WANT TO DO SOMETHING TO AND THEN I'M HERE, AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT ON I KNOW JUDY MARTIN WAS HERE FOR PIEDMONT STABLES, AND I JUST WANTED TO SECOND HER.
WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DONE BACK IN 2013.
[03:15:03]
THAT PAINT JOB HAS BEEN SITTING THERE SINCE SINCE THEN, AND THE SHAVINGS BARN HAS NOW BEEN TAKEN UP, SO I KNOW WE'VE TRIED.WE HAD A CONTRACTOR THIS YEAR THAT WAS GOING TO DO THE SHAVINGS BARN, BUT HE DEFAULTED.
IT JUST TAKES WAY TOO LONG FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS AND I'M REALLY HAPPY THAT OUR ASD DEPARTMENTS CAN TAKE CARE OF IT. NOW, BEFORE IT WAS SITTING IN AN OUTLYING.
WHATEVER WASN'T HELPING, WASN'T BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
SO LET'S I'M HOPING WE CAN MOVE ON THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT.
RUNNING A STABLES. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET RICH RUNNING A STABLE.
THANK YOU AND I CAN FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AFTERWARDS.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY BUDGET TO DO THE PAINT, SO WE'RE WORKING ON TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO, TO COVER IT AND THEN, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT OF THE SURETY ISSUES WITH THE SHAVINGS BARN, BUT YEAH, WE'LL KEEP PRESSING HARD.
YEAH. THAT ORIGINAL PAINT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE MITIGATE THE EXISTING LEAD PAINT THAT WAS ON THERE AND APPARENTLY IT DIDN'T WORK. SO THERE YOU GO.
SO LET'S. YEAH, LET'S SEE IF WE CAN GET THAT DONE.
THANK YOU. OKAY, DIRECTOR WAESPI.
I THINK THAT WILL END SOON, AS I JUST GOT MY SECOND NEGATIVE RESULT DURING THE BREAK.
SO I HOPE TO BE BACK WITH YOU SHORTLY.
ON THE SEVENTH, I ATTENDED THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING VIA ZOOM.
ON FEBRUARY 8TH, I ATTENDED A MEETING VIA ZOOM, AND ALSO THE ALAMEDA COUNTY FIRE ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING ON FEBRUARY 15TH AND I'VE TAKEN A LOT OF WONDERFUL SOLITARY HIKES IN THE PARK.
IT'S BEAUTIFUL THIS TIME OF YEAR.
EVERYTHING'S GREEN AND EVERYTHING'S WET, AND WATER IS RUNNING EVERYWHERE.
SO THAT WAS A PLEASURABLE PART OF THIS EXPERIENCE AND I GUESS THE VIEW FROM THIS ZOOM WINDOW IS JUST A VIEW, FOLKS. I CAN'T SEE THE AUDIENCE.
I HAD NO IDEA THAT DEB SPALDING WAS THERE DURING HER FORMAL PROMOTION.
I DON'T KNOW IF SHE'S STILL HERE, BUT I JUST WAS WOULD HAVE SAID CONGRATULATIONS.
I'VE KNOWN HER FOR A REALLY LONG TIME.
OBVIOUSLY, AS LONG AS SHE'S BEEN HERE AND, BOY, I WILL TRULY MISS.
I'M VERY HAPPY FOR HER, BUT I WILL TRULY MISS SOME OF THE WITTY, BITING, CHARMING DRY HUMOR EMAILS THAT SHE USED TO SEND AND AS SHE'S RISEN IN THE RANKS, THEY'VE DWINDLED.
BUT IT'S A GREAT PROMOTION FOR HER.
AFTER OUR LAST BOARD MEETING ON THE SIXTH, I MET WITH ASKED ME 2428.
ON THE SEVENTH, I ATTENDED THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING.
ON OUR SHARED GOALS ON THE 11TH, AS YOU HEARD, A NUMBER OF US WERE OUT THERE CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH AND THE PARK DISTRICT'S 90TH ANNIVERSARY AT THURGOOD MARSHALL REGIONAL PARK, HOME OF THE CHICAGO 50.
YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY DID THEY WAS IT VERY WELCOMING, BUT THEY WERE ABLE TO BRING THE AND BRING THE PEOPLE BACK TO LIFE IN THE SENSE THAT HEARING THEIR STORIES AND SHARING THEIR STORIES AND REALLY TALKING ABOUT IT WAS REALLY QUITE INCREDIBLE.
THEY HAD JUST A GROUP OF PEOPLE, AS YOU HEARD FROM COLIN, BOTH PEOPLE WHO WERE WORKING AT PORT CHICAGO AT THE TIME OF THE EXPLOSION, PEOPLE WHO WERE THERE SHORTLY THEREAFTER, AND PEOPLE WHO ARE STILL ADVOCATING FOR EXONERATION OF THESE PEOPLE.
SO ALL OF THAT WAS IT REALLY BROUGHT THE WHOLE THING TO LIFE.
[03:20:02]
IT WAS VERY POWERFUL AND THE NATURALISTS DID AN INCREDIBLE JOB.SO I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR THAT.
SO BUT IT WAS A GREAT PROGRAM AND THEN LET'S SEE ON THE 14TH HAD A ONE ON ONE WITH OUR GENERAL COUNSEL, LYNNE BOURGAULT AND THEN I THINK THAT BRINGS ME UP TO PRESENT.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ECHO WHA DEE SAID ABOUT THE PIEDMONT STABLES AND I KNOW THAT IT IS A MONEY ISSUE AND, YOU KNOW, WE NEED A CONTRACT OR TWO TO DO THE WORK.
BUT I WAS VERY SURPRISED TO HEAR THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S LEAD PAINT AROUND AND, YOU KNOW, THEY THEY AT LEAST USED TO HAVE KIDS THERE AND IT'S REALLY SOMETHING THAT WE'VE GOT TO GET A SOLUTION TO QUICKLY.
OKAY, SO I GUESS ON THAT NOTE, YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING AT ME.
WE ARE ADJOURNED AT 4:54 P.M..
TAKE CARE, EVERYBODY.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.