[00:00:05]
[Roll Call]
WELCOME TO THE FEBRUARY 26TH MEETING OF THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARKS PARKS ADVISORY COMMITTEE COMMITTEE MEETING.I'LL CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER AT EXACTLY 4 P.M..
OUR FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS THE ROLL CALL.
GREAT TO HAVE YOU HERE [APPLAUSE].
AND SO IF WE COULD DO THE ROLL CALL THE SAME AS LAST TIME AROUND WHEN EACH PERSON IS CALLED ON, IF YOU COULD STATE YOUR APPOINTING AUTHORITY AND CITY OF RESIDENCE. THAT WILL HELP ORIENT ALL OF US AND OUR NEW MEMBER TO WHO EVERYBODY IS.
AND SO, MADAM SECRETARY, COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? ALL RIGHT. PAC MEMBER JAMES CHANG.
AND MY APPOINTING AUTHORITY IS DENNIS WAESPI.
GOOD AFTERNOON, CASEY FARMER HERE.
AND I'M APPOINTED BY THE ALAMEDA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
BRUCE HENRY, HERE APPOINTED BY DIRECTOR OLIVIA SANWONG, AND I LIVE IN PLEASANTON.
MY APPOINTING AUTHORITY IS DENNIS WAESPI AND I LIVE IN CASTRO VALLEY, WHICH IS UNINCORPORATED AT THE MOMENT. DANISHA MARSH.
WE BELIEVE MIGHT BE ATTENDING REMOTELY, SO WE'LL GET TO THAT.
PRESENT. MY APPOINTING AUTHORITY IS JOHN MERCURIO, AND I LIVE IN SAN RAMON.
MY PRESENT, MY APPOINTING AUTHORITY IS DEE ROSARIO AND I LIVE IN MONTCLAIR.
MY APPOINTING AUTHORITY IS DIRECTOR MERCURIO AND I LIVE IN WALNUT CREEK.
IGOR SHAHDOV PRESENT AND I LIVE IN MARTINEZ.
AND HERE ON BEHALF OF THE CONTRA COSTA RESORT.
NO, THE OTHER ONE. SPECIAL DISTRICTS ASSOCIATION.
PRESENT. I'M APPOINTED BY THE CONTRA COSTA BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, AND I LIVE IN EL CERRITO.
EDGAR VALENZUELA HERE, I WAS APPOINTED BY COLIN COFFEY, AND I LIVE IN BRENTWOOD.
ROLAND WILLIAMS. ALL RIGHT. AND DO WE HAVE ANY MEMBERS WHO ARE JOINING REMOTELY? I WONDER IF WE COULD GET A CHECK TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE QUORUM.
SO THIS TODAY'S MEETING IS HELD PURSUANT TO THE BROWN ACT.
THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT OR PARK DISTRICT INTENDS TO HOLD MEETINGS THROUGH A HYBRID PLATFORM OF IN-PERSON AND REMOTE ATTENDANCE TO ALLOW MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO PARTICIPATE VIA REMOTE ATTENDANCE THROUGH THE PARK DISTRICT'S VIRTUAL PLATFORM, ZOOM.
THE PARK ADVISORY MEMBERS AND DESIGNATED STAFF WILL, WITH LIMITED EXCEPTIONS, PARTICIPATE IN PERSON AT THE PARK DISTRICT HEADQUARTERS, 2950 PERALTA OAKS COURT, OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA. OCCASIONALLY, MEMBERS OF THE PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE MAY ATTEND REMOTELY PURSUANT TO THE BROWN ACT, AS AMENDED BY AB 2449.
WE ARE PROVIDING LIVE AUDIO AND VIDEO STREAMING.
THIS INFORMATION IS NOTED ON THE AGENDA.
IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MEETING PROCEDURES, WE WILL BEGIN.
[00:05:04]
GREAT. AND SO FOR OUR NEXT ITEM OF BUSINESS, I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE VICE CHAIR ESPANA TO READ OUR LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT.WE HUMBLY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE ARE ON THE UNCEDED LANDS OF THE OHLONE PEOPLE, AND THAT THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT'S HEADQUARTERS IS LOCATED WITHIN THE HUCHIUN TERRITORY, WHICH IS THEIR TRADITIONAL, ANCESTRAL AND SHARED HOME SINCE TIME IMMEMORIAL.
THE OHLONE PEOPLE HAVE AND CONTINUE TO LIVE IN RECIPROCITY WITH NATURE, UNDERSTANDING THE SEASONS AND CYCLES OF THE NATURAL WORLD, MANAGING RESOURCES FUNDAMENTAL FOR SURVIVAL, AND IMPORTANT TO CULTURAL PRACTICES, ALL WHILE PASSING DOWN THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE.
WE HONOR WITH GRATITUDE THE LAND ITSELF, THE WILDLIFE LIVING IN THESE LANDS, AND THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE STEWARDED IT SINCE TIME IMMEMORIAL AND WHO CONTINUE TO REMAIN DEEPLY CONNECTED TO IT TODAY.
I NOTE THAT MEMBER MENDOZA HAS ARRIVED.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND STATE YOUR APPOINTING AUTHORITY AND CITY RESIDENTS? HI, I'M FRANCIS MENDOZA.
I AM IN FREMONT, CALIFORNIA, AND I'M APPOINTED BY THE LABOR COUNCIL.
OKAY, ON TO APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
[Approval of Minutes]
THE MINUTES WERE ATTACHED TO OUR AGENDA PACKAGE.ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS OR CHANGES TO THE MINUTES? SEEING NONE. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE MINUTES.
ALL RIGHT. MOVED BY MEMBER PEOPLES.
MADAM SECRETARY, COULD YOU CALL THE ROLL AGAIN, PLEASE? CALL] GREAT.
NEXT WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR ITEMS THAT ARE NOT ON THE AGENDA.
[Public Comments on Items Not on the Agenda]
I NOTE THAT WE DID RECEIVE ONE PUBLIC COMMENT THAT WAS CIRCULATED TO MEMBERS BY EMAIL REGARDING CATTLE GRAZING AND CONTRA LOMA, I BELIEVE.DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS OR ANY SPEAKER CARDS FOR ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA OR COMMENTS REMOTELY? NOT AT THIS TIME.
LET'S SEE. SO I SEE THAT WE HAVE NO ACTION ITEMS, NO COMMENTS.
SO WE MOVE NEXT TO I BELIEVE IT IS INFORMATIONAL ITEMS.
[Informational Items]
ARE THERE ANY INFORMATIONAL ITEMS AT THE MOMENT? NO. ALL RIGHT.THAT'S FUNNY BECAUSE I HAVE INFORMATION ON.
OKAY. SOMEBODY PASSED OUT THIS FLYER.
IS IT, IS IT ONLY AT BIG BREAK OR OTHER VISITOR CENTERS? JUST. OKAY.
EXCUSE ME, IS THIS THE TIME FOR US TO MAKE ANNOUNCEMENTS? YEAH. YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'LL COME BACK TO THAT, I THINK.
SO THIS AGENDA I HAVE IS A LITTLE BIT OUT OF ORDER.
SO I THINK AFTER PUBLIC COMMENTS, WE MOVED TO BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS.
AND SO WE HAVE SCHEDULED HAD SCHEDULED BOARD MEMBER CORBETT TO GIVE COMMENTS.
BUT WE HAVE A SURPRISE GUEST VISITOR TODAY MEMBER DENNIS WAESPI.
AND SO I WILL TURN THE FLOOR OVER TO YOU.
THANK YOU, NEIL, AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO BE HERE.
DIRECTOR CORBETT SENDS HER REGRETS.
SHE HAD SOMETHING TO COME UP UNEXPECTEDLY.
SHE LOVES BEING HERE ALSO, AS DO ALL ALL OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS.
IT'S GREAT TO MEET WITH YOU AND COMMUNICATE WITH YOU FOLKS.
[00:10:03]
THAT EXCITE ME ABOUT THE PARK DISTRICT.SO FIRST OFF, I WAS JUST GOING TO POINT OUT, DOES EVERYBODY KNOW ABOUT THE TRAILS CHALLENGE? I HOPE YOU ALL DO GOOD.
I HOPE EVERYBODY PARTICIPATES IN IT.
IF YOU ALL KNOW ABOUT IT, I WON'T SAY ANYMORE.
BUT WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT DO THAT HAVE BEEN DOING IT FOR 31 YEARS, AND IT'S JUST A REALLY GREAT WAY TO GET INTO THE PARK AND GET A FREE T SHIRT AND WALK AROUND SAYING, YOU DID THE TRAILS CHALLENGE.
I'LL MOVE TO ANOTHER FUN THING THAT WE DID AS A BOARD AND, AS STAFF.
THE LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY GROUP HOSTED OR ORGANIZED A STATE ADVOCACY CONFERENCE.
ALL THE BOARD GOT TOGETHER WITH SABRINA LANDRETH AND SOME OTHER KEY STAFF MEMBERS AND THE BOARD.
WE ALL WENT TO SACRAMENTO, SPENT TWO DAYS UP THERE, TWO INTENSE DAYS.
I'M JUST GOING TO TALK ABOUT IT FROM A BOARD PERSPECTIVE.
I'M NOT A PERSON THAT WOULD LIKE TO LIKES TO GO UP AND LOBBY PEOPLE AND, YOU KNOW, ESSENTIALLY BEG THEM FOR MONEY, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE DOING, AND LETTING THEM KNOW THE GREAT THINGS WE DO IN THE PARK DISTRICT.
IT WENT SO SMOOTHLY AND IT'S SO HARD.
WE HAD A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO GET WITH LEGISLATORS.
THEY ALL KNOW US. IT'S AS NANCY SKINNER, WHO WE MET WITH AND ALWAYS QUOTES.
YOU ALWAYS WANT TO MEET WITH PARK PEOPLE.
THEY WERE THE GOOD PEOPLE, WERE THE FUN PEOPLE.
SO WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD SUCCESS RATE WITH MEETING WITH LEGISLATORS.
WE HAVE MANY KEY PRIORITIES THAT OUR ADVOCACY GROUP LINED OUT FOR US WITH A BIG BOOKLET.
THEY LOVE OUR PROGRAMS. THEY LOVE TO HELP US OUT.
OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW ABOUT THE STATE BUDGET.
FINALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT A GREAT IDEA BY OUR LIFEGUARD SERVICES GROUP.
THEY PRODUCED THEIR THEIR ANNUAL REPORT, AND IT'S A GLOSSY BROCHURE THAT SOMEONE WITH SOME TECHNOLOGY IN THAT DEPARTMENT GOT THE JUMP ON EVERYBODY ELSE IN THE PARK DISTRICT.
SO THEY'RE POLICE, FIRE AND LIFEGUARD SERVICES AND LIFEGUARD SERVICES REALLY JUMPED OUT ON IT.
THEY TELL ABOUT THE THINGS THEY DO, I HOPE I MEAN, I KNOW THIS GROUP KNOWS THAT THESE AREN'T JUST A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT GET IN BATHING SUITS AND SIT ON THE BEACH AND WITH SUNTAN OIL AND WATCH PEOPLE.
SO THAT'S A TREMENDOUS RECORD.
JUST SOMETHING THAT IS A SOURCE OF PRIDE.
AND OBVIOUSLY, FOR OBVIOUS REASONS, A DEATH IN THE PARKS IS A TRAGEDY.
SO THEY'VE GONE 14 YEARS WITHOUT THAT.
THEY ALSO DO TREMENDOUS OTHER THINGS.
THEY'RE MEETING WITH THE COMMUNITIES.
THEY'RE GOING OUT INTO COMMUNITIES AND OFFERING SWIM LESSONS, NOT JUST LIFEGUARDING.
IT'S ALL KINDS OF SWIM LESSONS.
AQUATIC ADVENTURE CAMPS, LEARNING NOT TO DROWN CAMPS CAMPS THAT TEACH YOU HOW TO BE A LIFEGUARD, JUNIOR LIFEGUARD PROGRAMS, CADET PROGRAMS. THEY'RE DOING EVERYTHING.
AND THEY'RE REACHING OUT INTO COMMUNITIES LIKE ANTIOCH.
I THINK WE'RE MOVING INTO THE ASHLAND COMMUNITY THIS YEAR, WHERE IT DOESN'T MATTER.
SO WE'RE SUPPLEMENTING THEIR STAFFS DOING GREAT, GREAT WORK.
SO JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT IF YOU'D LIKE TO LOOK AT THIS, I'LL PASS IT AROUND.
THEY OBVIOUSLY FAIRLY EXPENSIVE TO PUBLISH SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
IT IS ON THE WEBSITE, AND THERE'S A LINK TO IT ON EBPARKS.ORG.
THAT'S IT FOR ME. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO TRY TO ANSWER THEM IF YOU'D LIKE.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE PAC? NO. WELL, THANK YOU, DIRECTOR WAESPI.
YEAH. IT'S GREAT TO SEE THAT EXCELLENT TRACK RECORD OF OUR OF OUR LIFE SAVING STAFF.
[00:15:02]
IT'S YOU KNOW, ALLOWS EVERYBODY TO SORT OF USE THESE RESOURCES WITH PEACE OF MIND.AND AS BOARD MEMBER WAESPI SAID, WE'LL BE HEARING A LOT MORE ABOUT THAT IN A FEW MINUTES.
SO WE HAVE TWO BIG INFORMATIONAL ITEMS TONIGHT.
AND THEN WE'LL HEAR ABOUT THE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM.
AND SO MOVING ON TO THE FEE STUDY, I THINK WE HAVE A PRESENTATION ABOUT THAT ANALYSIS.
AND AS THE PRESENTATION IS GETTING GOING, I JUST HAD ONE REALLY QUICK QUESTION FOR FOR YOU.
SO I THINK I CAN HELP WITH YOUR PIPELINE.
IF YOU WANT TO BECOME A LIFEGUARD IN THE PARK DISTRICT, THERE'S AN INTERVIEW PROCESS.
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS PASS THE SWIM TEST, WHICH IS IT'S NOT HARD TO LEARN, AND WE PAY.
SO THEY PROVIDE LIFEGUARD SERVICES, BUT THEY ALSO PROVIDE HEALTH SERVICES.
THEY I MEAN, THEY'RE RESCUE PEOPLE, FIRST AID, LOTS OF STUFF LIKE THAT.
WE'RE JUST FIXING TECHNICAL ISSUES.
IT'S ALWAYS SOME UNFORESEEN TECHNICAL ISSUE.
I'M RUBY TUMBER. I'M THE ACTING BUSINESS SERVICES MANAGER.
THANKS FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY.
I RARELY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO THE PAC, SO IT'S A REAL HONOR TO BE HERE.
FOR MY PRESENTATION TODAY, I'LL PROVIDE A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY.
SOME OF OUR KEY OBJECTIVES AS A DISTRICT IN PERFORMING THIS STUDY, THE METHODOLOGY THAT WE EMPLOYED, OUR FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS, AS WELL AS THE NEXT STEPS. FOR A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND.
THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS, WE WERE ALLOCATED $50,000 IN OUR BUDGET FOR THIS ENDEAVOR.
THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO JOIN US TODAY, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO SING THEIR ACCOLADES.
[00:20:01]
MATRIX HAS BEEN IN THIS ARENA FOR 20 OR SO YEARS WITH PROVIDING CONSULTING FOR ALL FACETS OF PUBLIC SECTOR WORK EVERYTHING FROM PUBLIC SAFETY, PARKS AND RECREATION, FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION.SPECIFICALLY, THEY HAVE PERFORMED OVER 250 STUDIES SIMILAR TO THIS ONE FOR OTHER PUBLIC AGENCIES, AND THEY CAME HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR THIS PROJECT. WE WORKED WITH THEIR TEAM, THEIR VICE PRESIDENT COURTNEY RAMOS, AS WELL AS THEIR SENIOR MANAGER, KHUSHBOO INGLE.
AND THEN ON THE DISTRICT SIDE, IT WAS A MULTI PERSON TEAM CONSISTING OF MYSELF, OUR AFO DEBORAH SPAULDING, OUR AA2 RENEE PATTERSON, AS WELL AS CROSS DIVISIONAL INPUT FROM EVERYONE FROM THE GM DOWN.
SO UNTIL TODAY, YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN FAMILIAR WITH THE FEE STUDY.
MAYBE YOU WERE, BUT YOU MIGHT BE WONDERING WHAT A FEE STUDY IS AND WHAT IS A COST ALLOCATION PLAN.
FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE STUDY, WE LOOKED AT ALL OF THE FEES IN OUR FEE SCHEDULE.
THIS INCLUDES EVERYTHING FROM SWIMMING FEES, CAMPING FEES, PARK FEES, VARIOUS DIFFERENT USER FEES.
A COST ALLOCATION PLAN IS A FACET OF A FEE STUDY.
ULTIMATELY, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IS HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO DO THE WORK THAT WE DO, AND HOW DOES THAT RELATE TO THE FEES THAT WE CHARGE TO THE PUBLIC? AND ONE THING OF NOTE HERE IS A FEE STUDY ITSELF IS AN ANALYSIS.
IT DOES NOT PRESCRIBE METHODS OF WHAT TO CHARGE OR HOW TO CHARGE FEES, OR HOW TO CHANGE FEES.
ULTIMATELY, THAT'S UP TO OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
THERE ARE MANY LENSES IN WHICH IN WHICH YOU WOULD LEVY A FEE.
AND IT'S NOT ALWAYS PURELY ABOUT REVENUE AND RECOVERY.
FOR EXAMPLE, IT CAN BE MEANS OF CROWD MANAGEMENT.
IT CAN ALSO BE A MEANS TO MITIGATE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT.
YOU SEE THAT IN VARIOUS FRESHWATER LAKES THAT ARE UTILIZED AS DRINKING WATER RESERVOIRS.
GENERALLY THOSE HAVE A COST OF ENTRY OPPOSED TO OTHER PUBLIC LAKES.
OUR OBJECTIVES FOR THIS STUDY WERE TO REVIEW OUR FEE STRUCTURE, DETERMINE COST COMPONENTS, CALCULATE FULL COSTS, REVIEW AND REVISE FEES, DEVELOP A REVISED FEE SCHEDULE, AND ULTIMATELY PROVIDE OUR FINDINGS TO THE BOARD.
WE HAVE NOT YET DONE A DEEP DIVE ON OTHER FEES.
THIS IS PURELY THE ITEMS ON OUR FEE SCHEDULE.
I THINK THAT QUESTION MAY COME UP, SO I WANTED TO ADDRESS IT.
WE'VE NEVER DONE A FEE STUDY LIKE THIS BEFORE IN THE 90 YEARS OF OUR EXISTENCE.
SO THIS IS JUST A STARTING POINT, OUR FIRST PHASE BEFORE WE EMBARK ON OTHER ANALYZES.
FOR THE METHODOLOGY MATRIX LOOKED AT A MYRIAD OF COSTS.
IN UNDERSTANDING YOUR FEES THEY LOOKED AT STAFF COSTS.
THIS IS OUR FULLY BURDENED RATE, WHICH IS THE SALARY AND BENEFITS OF THE DIFFERENT STAFF MEMBERS HERE AT THE DISTRICT, AS WELL AS PARK USE OVERHEAD, AND THAT'S COMPRISED OF INDIRECT AND DIRECT COSTS.
DIRECT COSTS WOULD BE THINGS SUCH AS PUBLIC SAFETY PATROLS.
THE LIFEGUARDS DIRECTOR WAESPI, ALLUDED TO EARLIER, OUR MASS DEPARTMENT, WHO MAY GO OUT AND FIX A PLAYGROUND OR A PAVED ROAD IN ORDER TO DIRECTLY BENEFIT THE PUBLIC.
THOSE ARE THINGS SUCH AS IT, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY PROVIDING THE WI-FI IN YOUR PARK OFFICE, YOUR HR COSTS, THE COST FOR THE GENERAL MANAGER TO APPROVE AND LOOK AT PERMITS, THE COSTS OF OUR AGM ADMINISTRATION TEAMS TO REVIEW VARIOUS DIFFERENT THINGS.
SO THOSE ARE THE INDIRECT COSTS THAT THAT WERE ANALYZED.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, MATRIX ALSO LOOKED AT MATERIAL AND LAND COSTS.
AND THESE WERE EVERY EXPENDITURE UNDER THE SUN.
SO THAT'S THINGS LIKE PAPER COSTS, THE COST OF FISH THAT WE USE TO STOCK OUR LAKES, MATERIAL COSTS.
DID I SAY REAMS OF PAPER ALREADY?
[00:25:02]
I THINK I DID BASICALLY ALL OF OUR EXPENDITURES.SO THAT WOULD BE FISCAL YEAR 2022, WHICH FOR THE DISTRICT IS A JANUARY THROUGH DECEMBER CALENDAR.
WE ALSO LOOKED AT THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH OUR FACILITY SPACES AS WELL AS OVERTIME RATES.
SO REST ASSURED, IT WAS A VERY COMPREHENSIVE LOOK AT ALL OF THE DISTRICT COSTS.
AND I WILL DO A VERY COMPREHENSIVE MACRO LEVEL SUMMARY OF THOSE FINDINGS.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE WERE RECOVERING OUR FEES 100%, MEANING WE WOULD CHARGE FEES TO COMPLETELY COVER THE COST OF CHARGING THOSE FEES, THAT WOULD BE 100%. 36% IS OBVIOUSLY LOWER THAN THAT.
HOWEVER, AS A COMPARISON TO HOW WE DO TO OTHER AGENCIES, MOST OTHER AGENCIES IN OUR REALM OF WORK FALL BETWEEN 20 AND 50% FOR COST RECOVERY.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE ARE NOT A FOR PROFIT ENTITY.
THE STUDY ALSO FOUND THAT WE NEED TO UPDATE OUR FEES WITH REGULARITY.
THOSE ARE RECOMMENDED TO US BY CONCESSIONAIRES.
SO THEY'RE ACTUALLY NOT A PART OF THIS STUDY.
SO THEIR SUGGESTION WAS TO UPDATE THINGS MORE FREQUENTLY.
AND THEY ALSO SUGGESTED DOING A COMPREHENSIVE FEE UPDATE SUCH AS THIS ONE EVERY 5 TO 7 YEARS.
AND ALSO LOOKING AT COMPARISONS OF OTHER AGENCIES AND MARKET COMPARISONS, AND TO SEE HOW WE DO BASED ON THE LOCAL MARKET, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT WE DO DO WHEN WE BRING OUR FEES TO THE BOARD OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.
THIS INDICATES THEIR OVERALL RECOVERY LEVEL.
AND THAT'S HOW WE GET THAT 36% NUMBER.
THE INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENT BREAKDOWN BY FEES IN THE REPORT.
AND IT'S SUMMARIZED IN FURTHER DETAIL THERE.
SO WHAT DOES THIS INFORMATION ULTIMATELY MEAN? THE COST RECOVERY PYRAMID IS SOMETHING THAT IS OUTLINED IN THE STUDY, AND IT'S A MODEL IN WHICH WE CAN UNDERSTAND THE DISTRIBUTION BETWEEN BENEFIT AND COST RECOVERY.
THIS GRAPHIC IS AN EXAMPLE OF THAT.
TOWARDS THE BOTTOM OF THE PYRAMID, WHICH HAS THE MOST AMOUNT OF SPACE, THE MOST SURFACE AREA.
WE GENERALLY WANT TO FOCUS ON A LOWER COST AND A HIGHER LEVEL OF SUBSIDIZATION.
AS YOU GET TO THE TOP OF THE PYRAMID, THINGS WITH A HIGHLY INDIVIDUAL BENEFIT.
WE WANT TO AIM TO HAVE A HIGHER COST RECOVERY THERE AND THEREFORE LESS OR NO SUBSIDIZATION.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? WE CAN GET INTO IT MORE LATER.
AND WE CAME UP WITH TEN, AND THESE ARE THE ONES THAT STAFF DEVISED.
THE FIRST BEING PUBLIC BENEFIT.
THIS IS KIND OF OUTLINED IN THE MODEL THAT I JUST DESCRIBED.
[00:30:03]
WIDEST COMMUNITY BENEFIT ARE THE MOST SUBSIDIZED, WHILE THOSE WITH THE MOST INDIVIDUAL BENEFIT ARE THE LEAST SUBSIDIZED.OF COURSE, WE ALSO WANT TO LOOK AT COST RECOVERY.
FEES SHOULD AIM TO RECOVER SOME COST OF PROVIDING THE SERVICE OR REGULATING THE ACTIVITY, AND WE NEED TO CONDUCT COST ASSESSMENTS TO DETERMINE THE APPROPRIATE FEE LEVELS. AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY.
IT'S ONE PART OF THAT PROCESS.
WE ALSO WANT TO LOOK AT EQUITY AND FAIRNESS.
WE THERE'S ALSO THE NOT SO FUN KIND OF BORING ASPECTS SUCH AS LEGAL COMPLIANCE AND TRANSPARENCY.
THEY ARE NOT DONE IN SORT OF A BACKROOM DECISION.
THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS ALLOWED TO BE A PART OF THAT PROCESS.
WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE EMPLOY STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE EFFICIENT IN THE PROCESSES INVOLVED WITH THEM, MEANING WE'RE NOT GOING TO ACCEPT CHECKS MAY BE AS MUCH ANYMORE. WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE WITH THE TIMES, MAYBE DEVELOP METHODS AND PARKS TO USE OTHER FORMS OF PAYMENT.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE'RE GOING TO REGULARLY REPORT OUR FINDINGS TO OUR OVERSIGHT BODIES.
AND THEN WE ALSO WANT TO BE SENSITIVE TO ECONOMIC CONDITIONS.
SO ALL OF THESE THINGS TOGETHER ARE CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE AGENCY WHEN IT COMES TO SETTING OUR FEES.
FOR THE NEXT STEPS OF THE STUDY.
WE'RE BRINGING THIS TO THE PAC, WHICH IS TODAY, AND WE WOULD LOVE TO GARNER YOUR INPUT.
THAT MAY GO BACK TO THE BOC, BUT WILL DEFINITELY GO BACK TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
WE'LL WORK WITH OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT TO WORK ON THOSE PROPOSED FEE CHANGES AND UNDERSTAND WHAT CHANGES THAT WILL HAVE ON OUR REVENUE SCHEDULE, AND THEN COME BACK WITH THE FINALIZED FEE SCHEDULE IN THE FALL OF THIS YEAR TO BE ADOPTED FOR 2025.
AND I DON'T THINK WE'LL DO EVERY SINGLE CHANGE ALL AT ONCE.
I WANT TO SAY THIS WILL BE AN ITERATIVE PROCESS OVER TIME, AND IT WILL BE ONGOING.
REALIZING THAT IS A LOT OF INFORMATION.
I WILL SAY I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.
GREAT. THANK YOU FOR THAT INFORMATIVE, INTERESTING PRESENTATION.
I HAVE ONE QUESTION TO GET US STARTED.
AND THAT IS SO I'M REALLY HAPPY TO SEE THE YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY PYRAMID WHERE YOU TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE USERS AND, AND SCALE THE FEES ACCORDINGLY.
AND I WAS WONDERING, HOW IS THE HOW IS THE WHAT'S THE METRIC FOR IDENTIFYING HOW MANY USERS ARE USING A PARTICULAR RESOURCE? IS IT NUMBER OF INDIVIDUAL USERS, OR IS THERE SOME WAY OF ASSESSING A USER HOURS OR SOME EQUIVALENT LIKE THAT? AND HOW DO WE GET THOSE DATA? WELL, FOR EVERY CHARGE THAT THE DISTRICT EVERY FEE THAT THE DISTRICT LEVIES, WE HAVE A TABULATION OF THAT IN OUR REVENUE SCHEDULE.
SO WE KNOW EXACTLY HOW MANY SWIM CHARGES WE HAD LAST YEAR, BECAUSE WE HAVE THE TOTAL AND WE KNOW HOW MUCH WE CHARGE, SO WE CAN GET A PRETTY GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF HOW MANY INDIVIDUAL CHARGES WERE BASED ON THAT FEE.
WE TRACK IN VARIOUS DIFFERENT WAYS BECAUSE THESE FEES ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE.
SO ENCROACHMENT FEES, THOSE ARE TRACKED BY THE MASS DEPARTMENT.
THEY LOOK AT THEY USE A SYSTEM CALLED CLARITY, AND THEY CAN LOOK AT HOW MANY DIFFERENT PERMIT FEES WERE EITHER APPROVED OR DENIED OR APPLIED TO ALTOGETHER WITHIN A SINGULAR YEAR.
OUR RESERVATIONS DEPARTMENT KNOWS HOW MANY RESERVATIONS WERE MADE FOR OUR VARIOUS FACILITIES.
THEY ALSO KNOW THE TOTAL NUMBER OF CAMPING RESERVATIONS THAT WERE MADE IN A SINGULAR YEAR.
BASICALLY ALL THOSE GENERAL RESERVATIONS THAT YOU USE ACTIVE NET FOR.
SO. THERE'S NO SIMPLE ANSWER HERE.
THERE'S A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN UNDERSTAND THAT ORDER OF MAGNITUDE.
AND I MEAN, IT DEPENDS ON WHAT THE FEES ARE.
YOU CAN SEE THE TOTAL NUMBER OF DAYS AN INDIVIDUAL BOOKED A CAMPGROUND, FOR EXAMPLE.
[00:35:03]
HOW OFTEN AN INDIVIDUAL USER BOOKS A PICNIC SITE, WE CAN GET PRETTY GRANULAR.I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE DO THAT ON THE REGULAR, BUT THERE THERE IS THE ABILITY TO DO THAT.
ARE THERE OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE PAC? YEAH. MEMBER OBRINGER, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I HAD IT, SO I THINK IT'S GREAT.
SO BUT MY QUESTION WAS WHAT LAWS APPLY TO THE THE SETTING OF THE FEES, MEANING SO, FOR EXAMPLE, I KNOW WITH CITY GOVERNMENT OUR CHARGES HAVE TO BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE AMOUNT OF STAFF TIME.
SO WE CAN'T CHARGE IN EXCESS OF HOW MUCH IT COSTS FOR STAFF TO BASICALLY PROVIDE THE SERVICE, WHATEVER THAT MIGHT BE.
SO DO THOSE SAME LAWS APPLY TO THE PARK DISTRICT OPERATIONS? WE HAVE TO FOLLOW GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY STANDARDS.
I THINK THE ACRONYM HAS CHANGED.
IT WAS FORMERLY GASB, BUT THERE IS REGULATORY STANDARDS THAT WE CAN'T ESSENTIALLY LEVY FEES THAT ARE SPEAKERS]. SO WITH THAT SAID, THEN HOW DOES THAT I MEAN, DOESN'T THAT KIND OF DETERMINE THE, THE CEILING FOR WHAT YOU CAN CHARGE FOR DIFFERENT SERVICES.
AND SO IS THAT IS THE QUESTION IS THE QUESTION IS THE PARK DISTRICT GOING TO, YOU KNOW, JUST JUST PASS ALONG THOSE COSTS THROUGH THE FEES? WHENEVER YOU RESET THE FEE SCHEDULE OR, YOU KNOW, ARE YOU TRYING TO DECIDE BASED ON EQUITY PRINCIPLES IF YOU'RE EVEN GOING TO CHARGE WHAT IT COSTS TO PROVIDE THE SERVICE IN OTHER WORDS, RIGHT.
IT'S DIFFICULT TO KIND OF HAVE THAT BROAD BRUSH STROKE APPROACH BECAUSE OUR FEES ARE SO DISPARATE AND THE THE PERCENTAGE OF RECOVERY ON ALL OF THEM IS SO DIFFERENT.
AND COULD YOU REPEAT THE SECOND PART OF YOUR QUESTION, PLEASE? YEAH, I WAS JUST I WAS JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND.
I MEAN, IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WITH US, SO.
BUT I MEAN, I GUESS WHAT I'M SAYING IS, AT LEAST IN MY CITY COUNCIL EXPERIENCE, WE IN MANY CASES WE CHARGE WHATEVER THE COST IS FOR A PERMIT, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH STAFF TIME, THAT'S WHAT WE CHARGE.
HOWEVER WITH OUR WITH OUR PRESCHOOL PROGRAM THE CITY ACTUALLY SUBSIDIZES THAT PROGRAM.
AND WE WANT IT TO BE AFFORDABLE.
SO I GUESS THAT'S MY QUESTION, IS, ARE YOU GOING TO PROVIDE THE BOARD WITH WHAT THE ACTUAL COST IS TO PROVIDE A SERVICE AND THEN HAVE THE BOARD DETERMINE WHICH SERVICES WOULD BE PROVIDED AT COST AND WHICH ONES WOULD POTENTIALLY BE SUBSIDIZED BY THE PARK DISTRICT.
POTENTIALLY. I DON'T HAVE A PERFECT ANSWER FOR THAT RIGHT NOW.
THE THE STUDY ITSELF IS JUST AN EVALUATION OF HOW MUCH WE'RE RECOVERING.
AND AS I SAID EARLIER, IT'S IT'S LOOKING AT THINGS THROUGH A PURELY FINANCIAL LENS, DEPENDING ON WHAT THE FEE IS, THERE ARE A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT CONSIDERATIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE, SUCH AS AS YOU SAID, FOR DAY CARE SERVICES OR DAY CAMPS FOR US OR WHATEVER THE SERVICES, WE MIGHT WANT TO LEAN IN MORE INTO AN EQUITY LENS.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT'S I'M NOT ANNOUNCING ANYTHING HERE.
THAT'S THAT'S JUST A CONSIDERATION.
SO IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE INDIVIDUAL FEE AND KIND OF WHAT THE BOARD ULTIMATELY WANTS.
WHAT SORT OF SUBSIDIZATION DECISION THAT THE BOARD WANTS TO MAKE ON THAT FEE.
SO THIS IS STARTING THAT CONVERSATION.
THIS IS STARTING THAT CONVERSATION.
MEMBER PEOPLES, AND I THINK WE'LL JUST GO AROUND THIS WAY.
AGAIN, I WANT TO ADD MY THANKS FOR PRESENTING THIS.
I THINK YOU CAN SEE THE EXPERIENCE THAT THE CONSULTANT HAD SHOWING UP IN THIS IN TERMS OF THE SCOPE THAT THEY LOOKED AT IT, YOU KNOW, IT IDENTIFIES KEY ISSUES AND ACTIONS FOR THE DISTRICT TO CONSIDER, YOU KNOW, AS WELL AS ASSESSING REVENUE AND COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH EACH
[00:40:01]
FEE. THE APPENDIX TWO, WHICH COMPILES ALL OF THESE, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PAGES IT IS, 7 OR 8 PAGES LISTING OF ALL THE DIFFERENT FEES THAT YOU LOOK AT, I THINK IS USEFUL.YOU CAN SEE WHERE THEY COME FROM, THE DISCUSSION IN THE REPORT EXPLAINING HOW THESE SOME OF THESE COSTS WERE ESTABLISHED IS VERY USEFUL.
AND IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO ADD TO THE APPENDIX TWO, A COLUMN WHICH SHOWS THE BASIS FOR SETTING FEES, WHETHER IT'S MARKET BASED, WHETHER IT'S RECREATION FEES, WHICH HAVE LIMITS ON HOW MUCH CAN BE CHARGED OR WHETHER IT'S ENTRY AND USE OR RENTAL FEES, WHICH CAN BE MARKET BASED AND SO FORTH.
THAT WAY YOU CAN SEE WHAT'S BEING DONE.
AND THAT LIST ALSO PROVIDES A BASIS FOR ASSESSING ASSESSING WHAT KINDS OF DISCOUNTS AND WAIVERS MIGHT BE NEEDED BY THE MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE DISTRICT TO UNDERTAKE.
THE ONE OTHER THING THAT I JUST BECAME AWARE OF TODAY, AN ALERT FROM THE CALIFORNIA SPECIAL DISTRICTS ASSOCIATION IS THAT AN INITIATIVE 1935, WHICH HAS BEEN APPROVED FOR A INCLUDING ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT, AND IT'S GOING TO RESTRICT SPECIAL DISTRICT, WHICH INCLUDES THE PARK DISTRICT REVENUES RETROACTIVE TO SOMETIME ANY INCREASES IN FEES UNTIL RETROACTIVE TO 2022. AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD REALLY HAVE A GREAT IMPACT ON THE DISTRICT.
AND THE DISTRICT, I THINK MIGHT WANT TO GET AHEAD OF IT IN TERMS OF ADVOCATING LEGISLATIVELY OR THROUGH PUBLIC RELATIONS TO PERHAPS EITHER MODIFY OR OPPOSE THAT INITIATIVE.
BUT IT IS A WOULD BE A REALLY THREAT TO THE WHOLE FEE STRUCTURE.
THANK YOU. I'M SURE OUR LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS TEAM IS AWARE OF THIS.
GREAT. THANK YOU. OTHER QUESTIONS.
SO THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I WAS REALLY IMPRESSED WITH THE DETAIL YOU WENT INTO.
AND I ALSO LIKE THE THE PYRAMID AND THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES I THINK WERE REALLY ON TRACK.
SO A COUPLE QUESTIONS IN LIGHT OF THE STATE BEING IN REALLY DIRE FINANCIAL STRAITS, IS REVENUE RECOVERY BECOMING MORE IMPORTANT? IS IT MORE OF A CRITICAL COMPONENT FOR THE DISTRICT? IT'S HARD TO SAY AS BUSINESS SERVICES MANAGER, AND I THINK I'D WANT THE NFO HERE TO GIVE, I THINK THE DISTRICT'S OFFICIAL STATEMENT THERE.
OUR AGENCY IS IN A SPECIAL SORT OF CIRCUMSTANCE IN WHICH OUR GENERAL FUND IS LARGELY FUNDED BY TAX REVENUE RATHER THAN FEE REVENUE, AND OPPOSED TO AN AGENCY SUCH AS BART, WHICH RELIES HEAVILY ON ON FEES THAT THEY CHARGE FOR THEIR SERVICES.
BUT I DON'T THINK I'M THE ONE THAT CAN MAKE THAT OFFICIAL STATEMENT.
YEAH. OKAY, SO KIND OF TO THAT END, DOES IT MAKE SENSE TO HAVE OBJECTIVES IN TERMS OF LIKE HOW MUCH REVENUE DO YOU WANT TO GET BECAUSE YOU HAVE WHAT WHAT WE'RE GETTING TODAY. AND THEN YOU HAVE RECOVERY RATES BY EVERYTHING.
SO DOES IT MAKE SENSE TO HAVE AN OBJECTIVE FOR HOW MUCH REVENUE WE NEED TO ALSO KIND OF FILL THAT INTO THE GENERAL BUDGET AND EVEN A TOTAL NUMBER OR EVEN A RECOVERY PERCENTAGE VERSUS WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY.
WOULD THAT MAKE SENSE TO PUT IN THERE? IT WOULD BE THE BOARD'S DECISION.
SO CURRENTLY, AT LEAST BASED ON THE 2022 BUDGET, IN THE 2023 ANALYSIS, WE FOUND THAT IT WAS 36%.
AND IT WASN'T ANYTHING THAT WAS OF CONCERN OR ALARM BECAUSE IT FELL WITHIN THE MEDIAN RANGE OF OTHER AGENCIES THAT DO SIMILAR WORK. WHEN IT COMES TO PARKS AND RECREATION OR PUBLIC SERVICES, SUBSIDIZATION IS A VERY COMMON COMPONENT OF THE WORK THAT WE DO, AND IT'S REALLY ABOUT SERVICE DELIVERY RATHER THAN COST RECOVERY.
[00:45:03]
COST RECOVERY IS JUST ONE ASPECT OF THAT WHOLE CONVERSATION.SO MAYBE IT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO IDENTIFY IF YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE NEED.
YEAH, THERE'S THERE'S MODELS THAT WE CAN RUN THAT CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION AND COME UP WITH RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THAT, BECAUSE I'M NOT LOOKING FOR AN ANSWER ON THIS, BUT I GUESS IT WOULD, IT WOULD BE LIKE, WELL, WHY 36? WHY NOT 42 OR WHY NOT 27? LIKE IT JUST SEEMS LIKE A RANDOM NUMBER.
AND I, I WOULD JUST KIND OF SUGGEST THERE'S MORE JUST GO DEEPER ON THAT.
AND THEN THE LAST THING AT THE LAST LAST PAC MEETING, THINGS THAT PEOPLE WANT TO SEE IN THE PLAN KIND OF CONSISTENTLY INCLUSIVENESS CAME UP A LOT. AND THEN ALSO ENVIRONMENT.
SO YOU HAVE YOU HAVE THAT PIECE AROUND INCLUSIVENESS.
AND YOU TALKED ABOUT IT. YOU TALKED ABOUT CROWD MANAGEMENT.
IT'S NOT JUST RECOVERING REVENUE.
AND THEN AGAIN, I WOULD JUST REALLY ENCOURAGE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN TO REALLY MEASURE IT.
OKAY. BUT AGAIN, QUANTIFIABLE.
QUANTIFIABLE. YEAH. BUT THANK YOU FOR THE INFORMATION.
I'LL WAIT TILL THE END, OKAY? EAGER. WELL, I'D LIKE TO ECHO, FIRST OF ALL, WHAT ALL THE OTHER SPEAKERS HAVE SAID IS HOW IMPRESSIVE A PIECE OF WORK THIS IS AND HOW USEFUL IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE.
AND WHAT IT DOES, IT KIND OF LEADS YOU TO THE ABILITY TO DO A LOT OF THE THINGS, LIKE THE OTHER PREVIOUS FOLKS HAVE SAID IS TO MANAGE THE COSTS IN A MINDFUL WAY. SOME THINGS MAYBE WE'RE SORT OF TRADITIONALLY RECOVERED LESS FROM.
AND OTHERS, WE TRIED TO GET THEM TO PAY FOR THEMSELVES, BUT THIS HELPS TO PROVIDE IT IN A WAY THAT YOU CAN DO IT INTENTIONALLY AND NOT JUST SORT OF HAVE IT HAPPEN THAT WAY.
IT SAYS IN HERE THAT THE ENTITY SHOULD ADOPT FORMAL POLICIES REGARDING CHARGES AND FEES, WHICH INCLUDE THE JURISDICTION'S INTENTION TO RECOVER THE FULL COSTS OR PARTIAL COSTS AND AND SO ON.
I DON'T KNOW WHETHER WHETHER YOU ALREADY HAVE THIS OR THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S A WORK IN PROGRESS.
I JUST KIND OF WOULD WONDER IF YOU MIGHT COMMENT ON WHERE WE STAND IN THAT RESPECT TO HAVING POLICIES THAT WOULD GUIDE APPLICATION OF THIS KIND OF KNOWLEDGE. WELL, I MEAN, YES, THIS THIS IS ONGOING.
I MEAN, THIS IS OUR FIRST BIG STUDY.
BUT EVERY YEAR WE STUDY RAISING THE RATES ON, SAY, A GOLF COURSE.
AND WE DO, YOU KNOW, IT'S WELL, IT IS A SCIENTIFIC STUDY.
WE GO AND CHECK OUT WHAT IS WHAT IS WHAT ARE OTHER GOLF COURSES CHARGE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD? IF THEIR RATES ARE GOING UP AT A CERTAIN RATE, WE TEND TO BE MINIMAL, BUT WE RAISE THEM AT THAT RATE.
THERE ARE THERE ARE GOING RATES FOR THINGS.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS A BIGGER STUDY, A BETTER ONE.
YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T MAYBE WE DIDN'T DO THIS FOR 90 YEARS.
BUT WHY ARE WE CHARGING FEES FOR ANYBODY? YOU PAY TAXES LIKE CRAZY TO HAVE PARKS.
I DON'T BELIEVE IN CHARGING PEOPLE FEES.
I KNOW WE DO IT FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS AND THERE'S A VERY MANY REASONS.
I CAN EVEN UNDERSTAND AT THE OTHER END OF THE SPECTRUM, BECAUSE THAT WAS ONE OF THE INDIVIDUAL DEALS, EVEN AT THE BASIC ONE, WHERE EVERYBODY'S AFFECTED, SAY, A PARKING FEE. WELL, YOU KNOW, THE PARKING FEE DOES DO A NUMBER OF THINGS FOR FOR MY PERSPECTIVE IS WE HIRE A POSITION CALLED A EITHER A GATE ATTENDANT OR IT'S PROBABLY GOT A BETTER NAME NOW, IT'S YOUR FIRST POINT OF CONTACT.
[00:50:03]
I GUESS WE COULD PUT THOSE PEOPLE OUT THERE FOR FREE AND SAY, HI, WELCOME TO THE PARK.COME ON IN AND I'LL ANSWER ALL YOUR QUESTIONS.
BUT WHEN WE CHARGE, WE PAY THAT PERSON'S SALARY.
THAT'S A GREAT ENTRY LEVEL POSITION IN THE PARK DISTRICT, BY THE WAY.
AT THIS POINT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ITERATIONS OF THAT JOB, BUT IT'S A POINT OF FOR US, WE BENEFIT.
WE GET TO HAVE SOMEONE IN A UNIFORM SAY, WELCOME TO REDWOOD PARK.
BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH.
HERE'S YOUR FEE. WOULD YOU LIKE A MAP? YOU KNOW, KIND OF LIKE WHEN YOU GO TO YOSEMITE.
WE DO THE SAME THING AT A DIFFERENT LEVEL.
YOU KNOW, I WOULD BE A MINIMALIST.
I DON'T WANT TO RAISE THE RATES.
WELL, I CAN SEE WHERE THE PHILOSOPHICAL DEAL WOULD HAVE TO UNDERLIE THE PRACTICAL NUTS AND BOLTS OF WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, AND I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING UP HERE.
WE CAN MISTAKENLY SAY WE WANT TO BE WELCOMING.
WE WANT EVERYBODY TO COME TO THE PARK DISTRICT.
WELL. I GUESS THERE ARE SOME FEES, AND I KNOW THAT.
AND IS THAT A QUALITY EXPERIENCE? BUT THEN AGAIN, HOW DO WE DO? WE KNOW DO WE KNOW THAT JUST A FRIENDLY REMINDER TO PLEASE MOVE YOUR MICROPHONES CLOSER SO THE MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE CAN HEAR YOU? THANK YOU. OKAY.
BE RECORDED. SO I GUESS I GUESS THIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS.
IT'S A CONTINUING, FLUID PHILOSOPHICAL EFFORT BY THE ON THE PART OF THE BOARD.
THANKS. YEAH. I MEAN, I THINK THIS IS JUST LIKE A BIG FIRST STEP, RIGHT? AND SO THERE'S LOTS THAT'LL FLOW FROM THIS IN THE FUTURE.
YEAH. I WASN'T SURE IF YOU WERE.
I'M A LITTLE UNCERTAIN AFTER THE LAST SET OF REMARKS.
BUT I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD ANYWAY.
I SAT ON THE CITY COUNCIL IN WALNUT CREEK FOR ABOUT EIGHT YEARS, AND WE WENT THROUGH IN THE BEGINNING OF THE RECESSION, THE LAST RECESSION, WE WENT THROUGH A COST RECOVERY ANALYSIS VERY SIMILAR TO THIS.
AND WE WENT THROUGH THE WHOLE ANALYSIS OF, DO WE CHARGE, WHAT SHOULD WE BE CHARGING FOR? AND WE OPTED TO DO 100%.
AND THERE ARE PARKS AND RECREATIONS INCLUDED IN THAT.
THERE'S A SWIMMING POOL, THERE'S OPEN SPACE AND A NUMBER OF OTHER FACTORS INCLUDED IN THAT.
UMM THAT'S JUST BY WAY OF INFORMATION.
BUT A QUESTION FOR YOU IS IT SOUNDED LIKE.
I HEARD A RECOMMENDATION OF WHERE YOU SHOULD BE, WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO RECOMMEND TO THE BOARD THAT IT BE IN TERMS OF AN OVERALL PERCENTAGE OF RECOVERY. I HEARD THE RANGE.
HE SORT OF SAID, BE WITHIN THE RANGE.
MAYBE THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I HEARD FROM, BUT I DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING SPECIFIC.
DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING TO COME OUT WITH A MORE DEFINITIVE NUMBER, OR ARE YOU JUST GOING TO HAVE IT AS IS? IT IS OUR HOPE TO BRING A MORE REFINED GROUP OF RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE BOARD AND THE BOARD OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, POTENTIALLY. AS I STATED, THIS IS JUST THE FIRST STEP, AND WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO DO AN ACTIVITY AFTER THIS, WHICH IS A SURVEY, AND WE'D LOVE TO GET EVERYONE'S INPUT ON WHAT ARE YOUR DIFFERENT, WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT AT LEAST THE PAC VALUES? IS IT EQUITY? IS IT ABOUT SUBSIDIZING THE PUBLIC? IS IT ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT ALL OF OUR FACILITIES ARE UP TO SCRATCH? MEANING, WE PROBABLY NEED TO CHARGE A LITTLE BIT MORE TO ACCESS THEM.
OUR PARKS OVERRUN WITH PEOPLE THAT IT HAS A DETRIMENTAL IMPACT ON OUR TRAILS AND OUR ENVIRONMENT.
PERHAPS WE NEED TO CHARGE MORE THERE.
SO THIS AS I, AS I SAID, IS PHASE ONE.
WE WANT TO INCORPORATE THAT FEEDBACK IN ORDER TO GIVE A BETTER RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD.
[00:55:04]
IT COULD BE. YEAH, I WAS TRYING TO WAIT.SO THIS IS I'M LISA GOORJIAN ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER OF OPERATIONS.
AND I JUST REALLY WANT TO REITERATE, THIS IS [INAUDIBLE] WE'VE PRESENTED THIS PRESENTATION TO THE BOARD OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, AND THEN THE NEXT RECOMMENDATION WAS TO BRING IT TO THIS COMMITTEE.
SO WHAT RUBY PRESENTED ON IS OUR EXISTING CONDITIONS.
WE DON'T HAVE A RECOMMENDATION AT THIS TIME.
WE DON'T HAVE A RECOMMENDATIONS.
WE MAY WANT TO RECOMMENDATIONS TO REMOVE SOME FEES.
THERE MAY BE SOME, SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE OF THERE SO THAT YOU'RE REALLY OUR FIRST STEP AFTER GIVING THIS PRESENTATION TO THE BOARD AND I KNOW, RUBY'S GOT SOME ACTIVITY, BUT I'LL, I'LL DEFER BACK TO THE PAC.
I JUST REALLY WANTED TO [INAUDIBLE].
SO IT'S A GOOD BABY STEP OKAY.
YES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INFORMATION ON THE COST COVERAGE FOR THE 36%.
IS THAT TRENDING UP FROM THE LAST 10 YEARS, 20 YEARS, OR IS IT OR DO WE EVEN KNOW THAT? I CAN'T ANSWER THAT QUESTION SINCE THE STUDY HAS ONLY BEEN DONE OKAY.
THE ONE TIME. I WAS JUST WONDERING IF WE IN 5 TO 7 YEARS TO LET YOU KNOW THAT.
YEAH, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO KNOW IF WE'RE TRENDING UP OR IF WE'VE BEEN STAGNANT FOR 20 YEARS.
WE WOULD BE ABLE TO TELL WHEN WE DO THE STUDY AGAIN.
VICE CHAIR ESPANA. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR A WELL WRITTEN REPORT THAT DEFINITELY BROKE DOWN HOW YOU CAME AT ALL OF THE DIFFERENT FACTORS USED. SO THAT WAS REALLY NICE.
SO YOU COULD MOVE TOWARD THROUGH THE DIFFERENT REPORT AND REALLY UNDERSTAND THE NUMBERS.
SO AS PEOPLES HAD MENTIONED EARLIER, DEFINITELY WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME TYPE OF LEGAL COLUMNS.
SO THAT WAY LIKE WHEN I LOOK AT THIS, I KNOW IF THERE'S ACTUALLY AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CHANGE OF A FEE, LIKE IS THAT FEE SET BASED ON A DIFFERENT LAW, OR IS IT SOMETHING WE CAN SET AT A MARKET VALUE BASED BASED ON WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE.
SO, SO THAT WOULD JUST BE HELPFUL TO KNOW WHERE THE TRUE OPPORTUNITY IS.
AND THEN AS FAR AS PAC MEMBER SIMMONS SAID ABOUT THE GOAL RATE OF RECOVERY, I'D LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING THAT'S EVEN MORE DETAILED THAN AN OVERALL FEE, BUT REALLY BREAKING IT DOWN BECAUSE MAYBE SOME ITEMS, THERE'S A HIGHER RATE OF RECOVERY.
AND THEN KNOWING THAT OVERALL GOAL THAT WE ARE REACHING TOWARDS AS A PARK, BECAUSE MAYBE THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE CAN RECOVER AT A HIGHER RATE LATER ON WHEN WE START LOOKING AT VALUES.
AND THEN THERE'S OTHER THINGS BASED ON THAT PYRAMID WE DECIDE TO SUBSIDIZE.
SO KIND OF KNOWING WHERE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES ARE.
ALSO, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE APPENDIX, I THINK SOMETIMES THERE'S ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WITHIN THE SUMMARY SECTIONS THAT COULD BE BETTER EXPRESSED IN A CHART.
SO AS FAR AS LEARNING ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE DIFFERENT PARKS, IT WOULD BE NICE TO JUST EVEN I UNDERSTAND WE MIGHT NOT HAVE ALL THE DIFFERENT FEES, BUT IF THERE'S DIFFERENT PROGRAMS. SO WE COULD EASILY SEE THAT THIS, THIS DIFFERENT DISTRICT OR THAT DIFFERENT DISTRICT CHARGES THIS FOR SPECIAL PROGRAMING. SO THEN WE'D HAVE AN IDEA LIKE, VISUALLY HOW ARE WE COMPARING WITH OUR DIFFERENT COMPETITORS? AND THEN JUST AS FAR AS STAFF COSTS, I THINK THIS IDENTIFIES WHERE THERE MIGHT BE INEFFICIENCIES.
SO I THINK AS FAR AS WHERE THERE ARE HIGHER STAFF COSTS, MAYBE THAT'S, YOU KNOW, A FOLLOW UP REPORT LIKE IS IT PROPERLY STAFFED? IS THERE SYSTEMS IN PLACE? SO WHAT IS OR MAYBE IT'S JUST THAT LONG OF A PROCESS.
SO MAYBE UNDERSTANDING MORE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING BEHIND SOME OF THOSE HIGHER STAFF COSTS.
[01:00:01]
SO WHAT ARE SOME OF I KNOW THAT'S KIND OF OUTSIDE OF THIS, BUT WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE IMPACTS OF PROGRAMS THAT ARE VALUED HAVING ON THIS? BUT THIS WAS AWESOME.LIKE I WOULD SAY BEFORE READING THIS I VERSUS AFTER READING THIS, I COULD GO TO DIFFERENT SECTIONS AND NOW TALK ABOUT LIKE HOW FEES ARE DEVELOPED.
AND I THINK THOSE ARE JUST SOME VISUAL THINGS, BECAUSE I JUST DON'T WANT TO CONFLATE THAT DATA SECTION OF IT WITH THAT OVERALL VALUES, BECAUSE I THINK THE VALUES AND WHAT SHOULD BE DONE AND WHAT WE VALUE WILL CHANGE THOSE NUMBERS, BUT JUST KIND OF GETTING AN IDEA OF THE DATA FIRST AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
SO I GUESS MY QUESTION MIGHT GO BACK TO SOMETHING THAT WAS ALREADY ASKED.
BUT ESSENTIALLY, AS THE BOARD IS CREATING THEIR BUDGET FOR THE NEXT YEAR HOW MUCH ARE THEY ANTICIPATING IN FEE RECOVERY? IS THAT IS THAT AMOUNT DETAILED IN THIS REPORT? IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE, EXCUSE ME, 36%, BUT IS THAT BROKEN INTO SPECIFIC CATEGORIES IN A DIFFERENT FASHION THAN THAN THIS IS LAID OUT? SO IS YOUR QUESTION HOW WILL 2025 FEE RECOVERY COMPARE TO THIS? NO, IT'S JUST THAT THROUGH AN ANNUAL BUDGET PROCESS THAT THE BOARD UNDERTAKES, THEY ARE ANTICIPATING REVENUE.
SO HOW IS THAT FACTORED INTO THE BUDGET CURRENTLY? OH, JUST IN TERMS OF PROCESS, YES.
EVERY YEAR BUSINESS SERVICES ACTUALLY WORKS WITH THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
IN DOING A SUMMARY OF THE PRIOR YEAR'S RECOVERY.
WE'RE ALWAYS A YEAR, YEAR AND A HALF BEHIND BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE INFORMATION IN REAL TIME.
WE DEVELOP OUR NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET IN AUGUST, SO THERE'S STILL ABOUT SIX MONTHS OF THE YEAR THAT WE HAVE TO GUESS ON, AND WE'RE BASING IT ALL ON THE YEAR BEFORE, WHICH IS THE LAST COMPLETE YEAR.
SO WE COME UP WITH A REVENUE MODEL BASED ON THE PREVIOUS YEAR AND WHAT WE GOT FOR DIFFERENT FEES.
AND THEN WE TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION BASICALLY WHATEVER IS ON THE HORIZON THAT WE UNDERSTAND.
THERE COULD BE A NEW PARK OPENING, PERHAPS A GIANT POOL IN THE OAKLAND HILLS IS OPENING IN THE FUTURE, AND THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF REVENUE COMING FROM THAT AND THE FEES ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
SO IT'S MORE ART THAN SCIENCE, ALMOST.
WE WE START OFF WITH THE FOUNDATION OF ONE YEAR'S REVENUE, AND THEN WE USE OUR BEST GUESS BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE ON HAND TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S ON THE HORIZON, TO EXTRAPOLATE FROM THAT.
OKAY. AND ONE OTHER QUESTION IS IS THERE A SEPARATE FUNDING SOURCE FOR THE TRUDEAU TRAINING CENTER? I'M WONDERING WHY IT HAS A ZERO REVENUE AND A ZERO ANNUAL COST.
I CAN FOLLOW UP ON THAT SPECIFIC THING.
IF I HAD TO GUESS, IT'S BECAUSE IT'S NOT A PUBLIC RESERVABLE FACILITY IN THE SAME WAY THAT BRAZILIAN ROOM, SHORELINE ROOM, FERN COTTAGE, AND THE TEMESCAL BEACH HOUSE ARE. IT'S AN INTERNAL PUBLIC USE SPACE.
I THINK THAT ANSWERS MY QUESTION.
I GUESS ONE REFLECTION I HAVE IS I HAVE SEEN THE IRREGULARITY OF FEE COLLECTION AS JUST A PARTICIPANT, A USER OF MANY PARKS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT, MOST REGULARLY AT LAKE TEMESCAL.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST I'VE HAD A MY CHILDREN'S BIRTHDAY PARTIES THERE ALL THREE YEARS, AND WE ALWAYS INVITE OUR GUESTS TO BRING THEIR $5 AND REMIND THEM OF THAT.
AND I DON'T THINK WE'VE THEY'VE BEEN COLLECTED OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS.
THERE'S ONE ANECDOTE OF HOW ARE THE FEES BEING COLLECTED? I KNOW AT CERTAIN PARKS, THEY'RE REGULARLY THERE'S A GATE ATTENDANT.
I DO AGREE THAT THAT'S QUITE A GOOD WELCOME.
BUT I DON'T SEE THAT DONE REGULARLY THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT.
AND I'M WONDERING IF THERE'S POLICY REASONS FOR THAT OR REVENUE REASONS FOR THAT.
I WILL SAY, AS A MEMBER OF THE OPERATIONS TEAM AND IN THE TALKS, IN THE EVALUATION AND THE CREATION OF THIS REPORT, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ALL AGREED UPON.
THE FEES THAT WE CHARGE AND WHERE WE CHARGE THEM AND IN WHAT REGULARITY THERE IS CONFUSION THERE.
[01:05:03]
OF REGULARITY OR PROCESS OR POLICY BEHIND BEHIND THAT.GREAT. THANK YOU. MEMBER MAHADEVAN.
THANK YOU FOR A NICE PRESENTATION.
I CONCUR WITH WHAT WAS SAID EARLIER.
THIS MINE IS MORE A COMMENT TO CONSIDER.
I THINK MEMBER SIMMONS MENTIONED THAT THE CITY COUNCIL UNDER DISTRESS HAD TO RAISE.
[INAUDIBLE] BUT MY EXPERIENCE, WHEN YOU HAVE A FEE AND YOU SAY YOU'RE GOING TO CHARGE A FEE AND IT'S CUSTOMARY, BETTER TO DO IT REGULARLY, WHATEVER REGULARITY MEANS IN SMALL PERCENTAGES THAN TO SUDDENLY WAKE UP AND HIT SOMEBODY WITH A 300% INCREASE.
PUBLIC DOESN'T RECEIVE IT WELL.
SO IF YOU'RE GOING TO CHARGE A FEE AND YOU THINK THIS IS THE MIDDLE, TRY AND STAY IN THE MIDDLE.
SO MAYBE EVERY THREE YEARS, SOMETHING TO CONSIDER.
THANK YOU. MEMBER PEOPLES, DID YOU HAVE ANOTHER COMMENT? YEAH, I THE ISSUE OF WHETHER OR NOT THERE SHOULD BE FEES AT ALL, I THINK IS SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, THE BOARD WILL HAVE TO ADDRESS, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO THINK OF THE FEES, UNDERSTAND THAT THEY SERVE SEVERAL DIFFERENT PURPOSES, YOU KNOW, IN ADDITION TO OFFSETTING COSTS OF OPERATING THE FACILITIES. BUT, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN HAVE A MAJOR ROLE IN CONTROLLING THE CROWDING AND THE USE OF AN AREA, YOU KNOW, SO YOU DON'T GET OVERUSE AND OVERCROWDING AND SO FORTH. BUT THEY CAN ALSO BE HELPED TO REDUCE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS.
YOU KNOW, ONE BIG AREA I KNOW, WHICH HASN'T BEEN ADDRESSED IN THIS STUDY IS GRAZING FEES, YOU KNOW, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR HELPING TO REDUCE FIRE RISK, WILDFIRE RISKS ON PARK LANDS.
AND THERE ARE OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS FROM FROM TOO MANY PEOPLE USING TRAILS AND SO FORTH, WHICH CAN BE CONTROLLED TO SOME EXTENT, YOU KNOW, BY THE FEES THAT ARE CHARGED FOR THE USE OF THAT.
AND IT ALSO CAN HAVE A CAN BE USED, YOU KNOW, IN, IN THE CONTEXT OF DISCOUNTS AND WAIVERS TO HELP DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES AND PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITIES.
AND IT'S IT'S NOT SIMPLE, IT'S NOT STRAIGHTFORWARD.
AND IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME TO WORK OUT.
I AGREE WITH [INAUDIBLE] YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO LOOK AT IN DETAIL AT THESE AT THESE EACH OF THESE FEES.
AND THERE MAY BE SOME DIFFERENCE.
AND AND I JUST WANT TO REITERATE OR HIGHLIGHT ONE OF THE POINTS THAT YOU MADE IN YOUR PRESENTATION THAT THESE FEES PROBABLY ARE NOT GOING TO BE IMPOSED ALL AT ONCE. THERE'S GOING TO BE A IT'S GOING TO BE A ROLLED OUT OVER A PERIOD OF TIME.
GREAT. THANK YOU. MEMBER [INAUDIBLE].
THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE A SECOND SHOT AT THIS.
AS I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO THE VARIOUS COMMENTS AND PRESENTATIONS IT TROUBLES ME A LITTLE BIT TO HEAR FEES AS BEING A [INAUDIBLE] A MEANS OF, OF USAGE THAT, YOU KNOW, IF A PLACE IS BEING OVERUSED, LET'S CHARGE MORE MONEY FOR IT SO IT'LL BE NOT AS USED AS MUCH.
IT BOTHERS ME THAT THAT APPROACH FOR ONE THING, IT'S NOT THE ONLY APPROACH, BUT IT IS.
OKAY. BUT STILL, I THINK RELIANCE ON RELIANCE ON SUCH MEANS IS THAT IS [INAUDIBLE] IS CLASSIFYING THE KIND OF ACCESS PEOPLE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO THE PARKS? THOSE WHO HAVE MORE MONEY AND THOSE WHO HAVE LESS.
AND I THINK THAT'S AN UNFORTUNATE MEANS OF SCREENING WHO'S WHO YOUR USERS ARE.
AND I WOULD REALLY HOPE THAT THAT'S NOT CONSIDERED TO BE THE MAJOR WAY OF CONTROLLING ACCESS.
[01:10:25]
HOW IMPORTANT THEY'VE BECOME AND DURING THE PANDEMIC, WHAT A WHAT A ACTUALLY A PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE THEY WERE PROVIDING.AND I THINK RATHER THAN TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO RESTRICT OUR PARTICIPATION IN THE USE OF THE PARKS BY THE PUBLIC, WE FIND WAYS TO ALLOW MORE PARTICIPATION WITH THE APPROPRIATE SAFEGUARDS THAT WE ALL WANT TO HAVE.
WELL, ANYWAY, I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO A DEBATE, BUT I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT IDEA OUT THERE THAT IT KIND OF GOES COUNTER TO ONE OF OUR BASIC FUNDAMENTAL IDEAS IS ALL PARKS FOR ALL PEOPLE AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
SO I WOULD HOPE THAT RATHER THAN RELYING ON CHARGING AS A WAY OF LIMITING ACCESS, WE WOULD FIND SOME OTHER WAY TO DO THAT.
ALL RIGHT. WELL, THANK YOU FOR THOSE PERSPECTIVES.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THE BOARD WILL HAVE TO TUSSLE WITH.
SO ANY MORE COMMENTS [INAUDIBLE] GO AHEAD.
WELL, I'D LIKE TO CONCUR THAT.
I HOPE THAT IT'S A THEME WE CAN SHARE WITH THE BOARD THAT EQUITY IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
HOW DO WE CHARGE FEES EQUITABLY OR ENSURE THAT OUR FEES ARE NOT A DETERRENT TO USAGE BY MORE DIVERSE COMMUNITIES? SO I THINK IT'S JUST A I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWERS TO THAT NOW, BUT I THINK IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT COMPONENT TO FOR THE FOR THE FURTHER CONVERSATION.
AND I'M WONDERING IF YOU COULD CLARIFY WHAT THE INDIVIDUAL DOG PERMIT IS.
WHAT DOES THAT PROVIDE YOU? SORRY TO GET INTO THE WEEDS HERE, BUT IT WAS A ONE THAT I WAS NOT SURE WHAT WHAT YOU'RE PAYING FOR.
YES. THERE'S THERE'S TWO PERMIT FEES THAT THE DISTRICT CHARGES FOR DOGS.
ONE IS FOR A COMMERCIAL DOG WALKER, WHICH IS FOR A BUSINESS ENTERPRISE.
AND THEN YOU ARE ONLY ALLOWED TO HAVE, I BELIEVE, THREE DOGS THAT YOU CAN WALK IN THE PARK.
AND IF IT'S OVER, THAT YOU CAN GET A PERMIT TO WALK ALL OF YOUR DOGS THAT EXCEED THAT NUMBER.
SO YOU, AS A PRIVATE CITIZEN CAN SEEK OUT THAT PERMIT IN ORDER TO DO SO.
SO AN INDIVIDUAL WITH MORE THAN THREE DOGS SHOULD SHOULD PURCHASE THIS PERMIT.
AND SO I THINK YOU HAVE AN ACTIVITY THAT YOU WANTED TO MOVE TO AS WELL.
YES. AND I THINK IT'S A REALLY GOOD SEGUE INTO THE NEXT PART, THE DIFFERENT COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE, REALLY HIGHLIGHT ALL OF THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO RECONCILE HERE. SO WE WOULD LOVE TO GET THIS COMMITTEE'S INPUT INPUT AS THE FIRST STEP IN BETTER INFORMING OUR OWN BOARD FOR THE NEXT STEPS IN MAKING A DECISION IN THIS PROCESS.
SO THERE'S TWO THINGS YOU CAN IF YOU HAVE YOUR IF YOU HAVE A CELL PHONE ON YOU, YOU CAN POINT YOUR CAMERA TO THE QR CODE AND YOU WILL BE ABLE TO PULL UP THE SURVEY IMMEDIATELY.
IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A PHONE OR DEVICE ON YOU.
I ALSO HAVE A WRITTEN SURVEY AS WELL, AND IF YOU HAVE ANY ISSUES, I'M HAPPY TO HELP.
I'LL COME OVER OR IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE QUESTIONS, YOU'LL TAKE A PAPER.
[01:15:14]
WE WILL NOT BE REVIEWING THE RESULTS TODAY, BUT WE'LL BE USING THOSE RESULTS TO INFORM OUR BOARD.AND WILL WE SEE THE RESULTS IN SOME FUTURE MEETING? IT WILL BE INCORPORATED AS PART OF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT COME EITHER TO BOC BOARD OPERATIONS COMMITTEE OR THE BOARD IN WHICH WE, I IMAGINE WILL SAY THE PAC THOUGHT THIS AND THE PAC'S ULTIMATE FINDINGS WERE THIS WHICHEVER WAY YOU LEAN, I'D HAVE TO LOOK AT THE DATA TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S IF IF IT'S MEANINGFUL, I KNOW IT IS.
BUT YOU KNOW JUST WHAT THE THE DATA ULTIMATELY TELLS US.
DO PEOPLE STILL NEED A COUPLE MORE MINUTES? I SEE PEOPLE LOOKING AT THEIR PHONES.
ARE WE CHECKING EMAIL NOW OR ARE WE STILL WORKING? AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO IT RIGHT NOW.
YOU CAN ABSOLUTELY DO IT LATER.
JUST I ASK THAT YOU DO COMPLETE THE SURVEY.
YEAH. OKAY, SO LET'S MOVE TOWARDS WRAPPING UP THIS ITEM.
OKAY. WELL, THANKS, EVERYONE, FOR YOUR INPUT AND FOR PARTICIPATING IN THAT.
THAT WAS REALLY INFORMATIVE AND INTERESTING.
SO THANK YO [APPLAUSE]. OKAY, NEXT UP WE HAVE OUR PARK DISTRICTS LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM.
I THINK WE'RE GOING TO WAIT A MOMENT FOR THE PRESENTATION TO LOAD.
[01:20:05]
GOOD EVENING ERICH PFUEHLER, CHIEF OF GOVERNMENT AND LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS FOR THE PARK DISTRICT.APPRECIATE DIRECTOR WAESPI'S COMMENTS ABOUT THE SACRAMENTO CONFERENCE.
IT WAS A VERY SUCCESSFUL TWO DAYS.
WE DID HAVE SOME GREAT DISCUSSIONS ABOUT A POSSIBLE CLIMATE BOND, THE CALIFORNIA CONSERVATION CORPS POTENTIALLY HAVING A COUPLE OF CREWS IN THE EAST BAY, AND SOME SPECIFIC ITEMS FOR EACH MEMBER THAT WE MET WITH IN TERMS OF EITHER POLICY OR LEGISLATIVE ASK.
AND WE ALSO ASKED THEM ALL ABOUT POTENTIAL CEQA REFORM FOR PERMITTING OF RESTORATION PROJECTS, AND ALSO FOR SOME SPECIFIC EXAMPLES FOR PROJECTS THAT THE PARK DISTRICT IS PURSUING.
REALLY TOOK THE LEAD IN SETTING OUT THE TWO DAYS.
AND THEN LAUREN BLANCHARD WAS OUR LEAD IN TERMS OF SCHEDULING THE MEETINGS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT.
AND THEN IN TERMS OF OUR LEGISLATIVE OVERVIEW.
IN TERMS OF OUR LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM, JUST TO GIVE SOME CONTEXT, IN 2021 OUR NEW GENERAL MANAGER, SABRINA LANDRETH, REQUESTED LISA AND I TO MEET WITH ALL OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS TO DISCUSS PRIORITIES FOR A LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM MOVING FORWARD.
[INAUDIBLE] WE HAD NOT HAD AN OFFICIAL STATED PROGRAM.
WE HAD PRIORITIES EACH YEAR, BUT IT WASN'T SORT OF GROUNDED IN POLICY ADVOCACY GOALS.
AND IT NOW IS AND THEN I'LL GO TO THE FIRST SLIDE.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A SECOND TO READ THOSE.
THEY ARE EQUITABLE SERVICE DELIVERY, ADVANCING CLIMATE RESILIENCY, ADAPTATION AND MITIGATION, GUIDING WORK WITH AN ENVIRONMENTAL ETHIC, SUPPORTING INCLUSIVE INTERPRETATION AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, INCREASING CONSERVATION THROUGH LAND ACQUISITION, AND ENSURING THE FISCAL HEALTH OF THE PARK DISTRICT.
SO THOSE OVERARCHING PRINCIPLES UNDERLIE EACH OF THESE SEVEN ADVOCACY GOALS.
WE'LL BE GOING THROUGH THE GOALS ONE BY ONE.
SO EACH EACH ONE OF THEM HAS ITS OWN SLIDE.
IN TERMS OF WHAT WAS ACCOMPLISHED IN 2023.
THESE ARE JUST SOME HIGHLIGHTS, BUT YOU CAN SORT OF SEE THE SUCCESSFUL OPPORTUNITIES IN TERMS OF THE BILLS THAT WE SUPPORTED, THAT THE STATE LEVEL AND THEN THE ONES THAT WERE NO LONGER FEASIBLE.
IN TERMS OF JUST SOME HIGHLIGHTS.
SO WE'LL SEE HOW HOW SUCCESSFUL WE ARE.
BUT WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON IT.
AND THEN OUR POLICY GOALS WERE SOME LEGISLATIVE LANGUAGE AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
AND WE WERE SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING SOME LANGUAGE INTO THE NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BILL.
BUT IT DID NOT MAKE THE FINAL BILL AS IT WAS AGREED TO BY BOTH THE HOUSE AND SENATE.
AND THESE THREE HIGHLIGHTS REALLY UNDERGROUND.
AND THAT IS TO REALLY BE FOCUSED ON FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES, TO FOCUS ON POLICY OPPORTUNITIES AND THEN TO DEVELOP WORKING RELATIONS WITH OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS.
SO THE METHODOLOGY FOR ACHIEVING OUR OBJECTIVES, WE WE TRIED TO MAKE IT ACHIEVABLE AND ALSO TO TRY TO MAKE SOME GOALS THAT REALLY RESONATE WITH OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND ALSO MEET SOME IDENTIFIED NEED.
JUST AS A HIGHLIGHT OF HOW THIS SORT OF CIRCLE OF OF OF WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY WORKS A FEW YEARS BACK IN 2021 OUR VEGETATION MANAGEMENT TEAM NOTICED AN INCREASING AMOUNT OF DEAD AND DYING
[01:25:03]
TREES IN IN THE EAST BAY HILLS.WE REALLY WERE ABLE TO TAKE THAT INFORMATION AND REALLY AS A DROUGHT IN PUBLIC SAFETY EMERGENCY.
AND HAVE CONVERSATION WITH CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR ELECTED LEADERS.
SO WE HAD THE NEED IDENTIFIED THE SOLUTION WAS REMOVING THE TREES.
WHICH WAS GOING TO COST A LOT OF MONEY.
AND THEN BY HIGHLIGHTING THIS PUBLIC SAFETY AND DROUGHT EMERGENCY WITH OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS.
THEY WERE THEY WERE DEFINITELY IN SUPPORT OF OF THE PARK DISTRICT'S EFFORTS AND WERE ABLE TO SECURE SOME DIRECT ALLOCATION IN THE STATE BUDGET. FULFILLING THAT WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE.
SO WE'LL BEGIN WITH THE SLIDES ON EACH OF THE OBJECTIVES.
AND LISA WILL BE GOING THROUGH MOST OF THEM.
BUT I'LL JUST START IT OFF THE THE CLIMATE FRIENDLY TRANSPORTATION OBJECTIVES FOR 2024 AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, REALLY TO FOCUS ON MTC'S ACTIVITY AROUND A POTENTIAL BALLOT MEASURE IN 2026 THAT WOULD REQUIRE LEGISLATION TO TO APPROVE A NINE COUNTY ELECTION.
SO WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OUR TRANSPORTATION LEADERS TO ENSURE THAT ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION AND PARTNERSHIPS WITH TRANSIT, FOR OUR GETTING FOLKS TO OUR PARKS ARE CONSIDERED AS PART OF WHATEVER BALLOT PROPOSAL THEY DEVELOP.
THEN, WITH REGARD TO THE STATE WITH REGARD TO STATE LEGISLATIVE ASK, WE'RE ASKING FOR $7 MILLION FOR THE RICHMOND BAY TRAIL GAP CLOSURE. THIS IS A GAP BETWEEN SORT OF THE PINNACLE POINT BUSINESS CENTER, WHERE THERE'S A BUNCH OF DISTRIBUTION CENTERS FOR AMAZON UPS AND OTHERS THROUGH A WETLAND AND NEAR A RAILROAD TRACK TO THE OTHER SIDE, WHERE CONTINUES ON TO HERCULES AND THE HERCULES INTERMODAL CENTER, AND THEN ALSO TO THE BIO-RAD LABORATORIES.
SO IT REALLY WOULD BE A LINK IN FOR COMMUTERS.
SO COMPLETING THAT WOULD BE A KEY ACHIEVEMENT.
I CAN'T REMEMBER THE ACRONYM FOR RES OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD RIGHT NOW, BUT IT IS THE FEDERAL GRANT DISCRETIONARY GRANT PROGRAM ADMINISTERED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. IT'S BEEN GOING NOW FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
IN 2010, WE WERE ABLE TO SECURE $10.2 MILLION THROUGH THAT PROGRAM THEN CALLED TIGER TWO.
SO WE HAVE THE APPLICATION PREPARED AND WE'LL BE SUBMITTING THAT, HOPEFULLY HAVING A SUCCESSFUL OUTCOME BETWEEN THE TWO EFFORTS AT THE STATE LEVEL AND THE FEDERAL LEVEL TO FULLY FUND THAT PROJECT.
AND THEN AN EXAMPLE OF AN ACCOMPLISHMENT IN 2023 WAS SECURING $900,000 FOR THE MARTINEZ BAY TRAIL GAP FROM A COMMUNITY BENEFIT PROJECT REQUEST FROM REPRESENTATIVE JOHN GARAMENDI.
AND WITH THAT, I WILL ASK LISA TO COME UP.
ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING, LISA BALDINGER, LEGISLATIVE AND POLICY MANAGEMENT ANALYST.
JUST TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT, WE MENTIONED OUR STATE ADVOCACY CONFERENCE IN MAY, WILL BE GOING TO DC WITH OUR FULL BOARD AND OUR GENERAL MANAGER AND DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER FOR OUR FEDERAL ADVOCACY CONFERENCE.
AND THESE ARE TWO MEANS OF ACTIVATING THESE PRIORITIES AND THESE OBJECTIVES THROUGH FACE TO FACE INTERACTIONS WITH OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AT A LOCAL LEVEL, WE ENGAGE THROUGH SITE VISITS, EVENTS, AS WELL AS FORMAL MEETINGS WHERE WE HAVE AN AGENDA, PERHAPS SITTING DOWN WITH A MAYOR OR A COUNTY SUPERVISOR, OUR BOARD OF DIRECTOR FROM THAT RELEVANT AREA AND TALKING THROUGH THAT LOCAL PRIORITY.
SO I JUST WANT TO GIVE SOME CONTEXT ON HOW WE FORMALLY ACTIVATE THESE OBJECTIVES.
EXCUSE ME, I HAVE AN ALARM GOING OFF.
WE ARE ADVANCING A PIECE OF LEGISLATION WITH ASSEMBLY MEMBER TIM GRAYSON.
WHAT THIS BILL IS PROPOSING IS TO ALLOW FOR OPEN SPACE AGENCIES WHEN WE'RE ACQUIRING NEW PROPERTIES THAT HAD FORMER IMPACTS SUCH AS ROADS, TRAILS AND PATHWAYS THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN USED IN ITS PREVIOUS USE.
[01:30:08]
THIS WOULD REALLY EXPEDITE PUBLIC ACCESS TO OPEN SPACE AND CREATE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY, ESPECIALLY AS WE'RE ACQUIRING THOSE LAST BITS AND PIECES CONTIGUOUS TO EXISTING PARKLANDS THAT HAVE STAGING AREAS, RESTROOMS AND OTHER FACILITIES AND DON'T NECESSARILY REQUIRE IMMEDIATE CAPITAL INVESTMENT.AND THEN ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND COALITION.
WE CONTINUE TO ENGAGE ON THIS PROGRAM.
SO THE LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND IS A FEDERAL LEVEL COMMITMENT TO TAKE ROYALTIES FROM OIL AND OTHER EXTRACTION PROCESSES AND INVEST THEM INTO PROTECTING OUR RESOURCES THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES.
THERE ARE SOME THREATS TO THAT.
SO WE'RE EXCITED TO SEE WHAT THAT MAY LOOK LIKE.
UNFORTUNATELY, OUR NEXT ONE IS A LITTLE BIT STALLED OUT, BUT WE ARE HOPING TO INTRODUCE A TRAILER BILL, BUT IT'S IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE PATHWAYS TO 30 BY 30 PROGRAM ENGAGING ON THE STATUTORY EXEMPTION FOR RESTORATION PROJECTS, WHICH WAS A CEQA EXEMPTION THAT MOVED FORWARD IN 2021.
AND SO WE ARE SUPPORTING THAT BILL, WHICH REMOVES THE 2025 SUNSET OF THAT PROVISION.
HOWEVER, WE DID HAVE SOME INTEREST IN SOME ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE REFINEMENT, ESPECIALLY AROUND EXPANDING CURRENTLY ALLOWS FOR PROJECTS, AND WE'D LIKE TO SEE IT ALSO ALLOW FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND PROGRAMS THAT ALLOW FOR RESTORATION AND HEALTH OF HABITAT, THOSE ONGOING STEWARDSHIP NEEDS THROUGH THIS PROGRAM.
SO SORT OF REROUTING FROM A PROPOSED BILL TO A TO A TRAILER BILL.
AND THEN ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL, AS I'M SURE YOU ALL ARE WELL ATTUNED TO, WE'RE CONTINUING OUR WORK ON THE 2021 AND UNFORTUNATELY, THE 2017 ATMOSPHERIC RIVER STORM DAMAGE IN OUR PARKS.
WE HAVE CLOSE TO 400 PROJECTS TOTAL FROM BOTH STORMS. AND SO WORKING WITH THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, NOT ONLY JUST TO ENSURE THAT OUR GRANTS TEAM HAS ALL THE SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED TO SWIFTLY IMPLEMENT THOSE GRANTS, AND OUR PROJECTS TEAM HAVE WHAT THEY NEED TO IMPLEMENT THE PROJECTS, BUT ALSO LEARNING THROUGH THIS PROCESS ON HOW WE CAN IMPROVE IN THE FUTURE, AS WELL AS HOW WE CAN WORK PROACTIVELY TO ENSURE THAT OUR SPACES ARE AS RESILIENT AS POSSIBLE.
AND A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THAT IS IN THE MOST RECENT ATMOSPHERIC RIVERS.
THE PARKS ACTUALLY DIDN'T HAVE ANY DAMAGE OR CLOSURES BECAUSE WE PREPARED FOR THEM APTLY.
SO, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO BE RESPONSIVE TO THE CHANGES IN OUR ENVIRONMENT.
OUR NEXT PRIORITY IS GREEN JOBS.
AND SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING OVER THE PAST YEAR TO REALLY ENGAGE WITH OUR DIFFERENT PARTNERS.
AND SO WORKING TO ELEVATE WHAT THOSE PARTNERSHIPS LOOK LIKE.
AND SO THEY ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE TO WORK WITH THE PARK DISTRICT, TO HAVE PERMANENT FACILITIES THAT HAVE AN EDUCATION CENTER THAT HAVE A COMMUNITY CENTER AND THAT CREATE THOSE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES.
[01:35:02]
CIVICORPS OR THE LOCAL CORPS.THERE'S REALLY A STRONG INTEREST IN INVESTMENTS IN CLIMATE CORPS.
AND OUR ASK THERE IS PLEASE INVEST IN WHAT'S WORKING WELL.
AND SO DIRECTING THE FEDERAL DOLLARS TOWARDS CIVICORPS AND CALIFORNIA CONSERVATION CORPS, EXISTING CORES THAT CAN HELP TO ACHIEVE THE GOALS OF THEIR PROGRAM WITHOUT NEEDING TO START FROM SCRATCH AND CREATE NEW PROGRAMS. AND SO WHEN WE GO TO DC LATER THIS YEAR, WE'LL BE TALKING WITH OUR DELEGATION ABOUT THAT AS A PRIORITY.
ON SEA LEVEL RISE PREPAREDNESS LOCAL AND STATE PROGRAMS THAT ARE OF GREAT INTEREST TO THE PARK DISTRICT ARE THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY RESTORATION AUTHORITY GRANT FUNDING, AS WELL AS THE STATE COASTAL CONSERVANCY GRANT FUNDING.
AND SO REALLY PLAYING DEFENSE OF THOSE LOCAL PROGRAMS AT THE STATE LEVEL, AS FUNDING MAYBE IS BEING SHIFTED AROUND IN THE BUDGET AND JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ELEVATING THE ROLE THAT THEY PLAY IN THE SMOOTH OPERATIONS OF OUR ORGANIZATION.
AND SO WE DID HAVE SOME CONVERSATIONS IN SACRAMENTO WITH SENATOR SKINNER'S OFFICE, AS WELL AS ASSEMBLY MEMBER BONTA'S OFFICE ON OUR TIDEWATER PROJECT, WHICH IS OUT AT MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR REGIONAL SHORELINE.
THIS IS AN EXCITING PROJECT BECAUSE IT TAKES A HARDENED GRAY AREA AND TURNS IT INTO AN AREA FOR RECREATION, FOR JOY, FOR TIME OUTSIDE PLAY, AS WELL AS SOME NATIVE HABITAT ENHANCEMENTS AND OVERALL SOME ECOSYSTEM SERVICES FOR DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITY HERE IN THE OAKLAND AREA.
AND THEN ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL, WE'RE PAYING ATTENTION TO DIFFERENT FEDERAL BILL PACKAGES TO SEE HOW THERE MIGHT BE NEW FUNDING INTRODUCED THROUGH THE EPA AND OTHERS FOR THOSE CLIMATE INVESTMENTS.
ALL RIGHT. WE'RE WELCOMING VISITOR USE FACILITIES.
THE TIDEWATER PROJECT CONNECTS ON A LOCAL LEVEL.
FOR THOSE FAMILIAR AND THOSE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE SITE, OYSTER BAY IS A FORMER LANDFILL THAT THE PARK DISTRICT HAS BEEN DOING THE DUE DILIGENCE OF BRINGING IN FILL, WHICH HAS BEEN SETTLING OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.
WE'RE AT THE EXCITING POINT IN TIME WHERE WE CAN FINALLY CONSTRUCT ON THAT PROPERTY.
AND SO WE ARE SEEKING FUNDING FOR THAT PROJECT.
THERE IS 14 ACRES OF UPLAND PROPERTY THAT THE MULTIPLE AGENCIES INVOLVED HAVE AGREED ON THE CLEANUP LEVEL, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S ATTACHED TO A WATER AREA PROPERTY THAT THE LEVEL OF CLEANUP HAS NOT BEEN AGREED ON.
IF YOU LOOK ON THE MAP OF THE PROPERTY, WE HAVE OUR OBSERVATION DECK DOWN AT THE VERY END OF IT.
AND SO GETTING IT OPEN AND PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE IS OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE.
AND OUR LAST BUT ABSOLUTELY NOT LEAST GOAL WILL GO OVER TODAY IS WILDFIRE RESILIENCE.
SO AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, CONTINUING TO COLLABORATE AND ELEVATE THE ROLE THAT THE CALIFORNIA VEGETATION TREATMENT PROGRAM HAS PLAYED IN HELPING US AS A PARK AGENCY, EXPEDITE OUR WILDFIRE RESILIENCE EFFORTS AT THE STATE LEVEL DUE TO THE BUDGET SHORTFALLS.
WE'RE REALLY PLAYING DEFENSE HERE AND MAKING SURE THAT THE PROGRAMS AND THE GRANT OPPORTUNITIES THAT INVEST IN OUR WILDFIRE MITIGATION WORK CONTINUE TO HAVE A GOOD AMOUNT OF FUNDING, BECAUSE IF WE SLOW DOWN OR STOP THAT WORK, IT HAS GREATER IMPLICATIONS LONGER TERM.
AND THEN ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL, WE'RE FOCUSING IN AND EXPANDING OUR EFFORTS ON GRASSLAND MITIGATION.
SO OFTEN WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WILDFIRE, PEOPLE PICTURES, FOREST AND TREES, AND SO REALLY ELEVATING THE ROLE THAT GRASSLANDS PLAY AND THE NEED TO MITIGATE ON GRASSLANDS, WHICH TAKE UP ABOUT 80,000 ACRES OF PARK DISTRICT PROPERTY.
AND SO THAT CONCLUDES AN OVERVIEW OF OUR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES FOR 2024.
THIS YEAR IS A ONE YEAR PROGRAM.
IT'S BEEN VERY BENEFICIAL TO HELP US ORGANIZE.
GOING FORWARD WE DO PLAN TO DO TWO YEAR PROGRAMS IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
SO WE'RE CURRENTLY IN THE SECOND YEAR OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
AND SO NEXT YEAR WE'LL BE BRINGING FORWARD A 25-26 PROGRAM.
BUT WITH THAT, WE'RE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
WE KNOW THAT WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
AND SO THERE'S A LOT GOING ON UNDER THE SURFACE BEYOND JUST THIS.
[01:40:08]
YOU KNOW, EVERY YEAR, MORE AND MORE HOW SERIOUS IT IS.IT'S NICE TO SEE THAT THAT'S ALSO REFLECTED IN, IN THE ACTIVITIES OF THE PARK DISTRICT.
YES. MEMBER VALENZUELA, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? YES. THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT INFORMATION.
I LIKE THE WAY THAT YOU ADDED IN BOXES AROUND THE SIDE, THE SURVEY ATTACHED TO THE DIFFERENT SLIDES AND ANY OTHER INFORMATION THAT WAS ON THOSE SLIDES KIND OF TIED IN EVERYTHING FOR ME.
ALSO, THE WALK AND TALKS, ARE THOSE ALREADY SCHEDULED OR? WE ARE IN THE SEASON OF SCHEDULING.
SO ONCE WE GET THEM SCHEDULED, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO SHARE THEM WITH THE PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
MEMBER SIMMONS, I HESITATE TO ASK THIS QUESTION, BUT IT'S THE POLITICAL SEASON.
HOW IS THIS GOING TO CHANGE IF THERE'S A CHANGE IN FEDERAL ADMINISTRATIONS? GOOD MOVE LISA.
WELL, THAT'S ACTUALLY ONE OF THE REASONS WE ARE LOOKING AT A TWO YEAR LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM IN THE FUTURE, BECAUSE OUR WORK PLAN LITERALLY CHANGES AFTER EVERY ELECTION.
AND SO SHOULD SOMETHING CHANGE IN WASHINGTON, WE WOULD PROBABLY BE LOOKING TO DEFEND THINGS LIKE THE LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND THAT WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW. THERE IS AN EFFORT TO RESCIND $100 MILLION OUT OF THE $9 MILLION IN THAT PROGRAM.
AND SO WE ARE WORKING WITH THE COALITION TO TRY TO PREVENT THAT.
THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT COULD WHAT COULD OCCUR IN 2025 IF THINGS CHANGE.
WE ALSO SEE CHANGES AT THE STATE LEVEL EVERY TWO YEARS.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, I DID WANT TO JUST MENTION, AND I DON'T KNOW, I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION, BOB, BUT I DID WANT TO MENTION WITH NEIL NEIL'S QUESTION OR COMMENT ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE, WE'RE REALLY SEEING THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON OUR PARKS WITH THE EXTREME WEATHER.
I USE THE EXAMPLE OF TREE MORTALITY AND DROUGHT, BUT WE ALSO HAVE THE FLOODING ISSUE.
AND LISA MENTIONED OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH FEMA, BUT WE'RE HAVING A LOT OF IMPACT IN TERMS OF HAVING TO EITHER CLOSE, PARK OR CLOSE TRAILS, SOMETIMES CLOSE PARKS IF THERE'S A LOT OF SMOKE OR FIRE, AND THEN HOW MUCH IT COSTS TO REPAIR AND HOW MUCH TIME IT TAKES TO GET APPROVALS THROUGH AGENCIES LIKE FEMA TO REPAIR THOSE TRAILS.
SO WE'RE REALLY SEEING THE IMPACTS ALSO HAVING AN HAVING AN EFFECT ON THE PARK DISTRICT AND OUR STAFFING NEEDS, IN ADDITION TO THE ROLE WE CAN PLAY FOR MITIGATION AND RESILIENCY. AND THAT THOSE THOSE TWO, THOSE TWO EFFORTS ARE REALLY WHAT'S PROMPTING SOME OF OUR WORK ON CEQA, BECAUSE IF WE ARE TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION TO SOME OF THE CHALLENGES, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO DO THE WORK IN AN EXPEDITED WAY BECAUSE THINGS ARE HAPPENING IN AN EXPEDITED MANNER IN THAT SPACE. YES.
SO I WAS INTERESTED IN MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE GREEN JOBS OBJECTIVES.
I KNOW YOU TALKED ABOUT YOU KNOW, THE CONSERVATION CORPS, AND I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND ARE THESE ARE THESE ENTRY LEVEL POSITIONS AND HOW DOES THAT WORK? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT THIS GREEN EMPOWERMENT ZONE INITIATIVE.
EVERYBODY'S TALKING GREEN JOBS, HIGH ROAD JOBS.
SO WHAT IS THE QUESTION, KARLYN? THE QUESTION IS IS THERE A WAY, IS THERE A WAY TO EVEN HAVE IT.
WHAT KIND OF INVENTORY IN TERMS OF WHAT KIND OF JOBS AND THE NEED IS GOING TO BE AVAILABLE? AND HOW DOES THAT IF YOU GET ALL THESE PEOPLE INTO THE CONSERVATION CORPS, DOES THAT CREATE THE PIPELINE THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, OR IS THAT ACTUALLY TOO MANY PEOPLE OR WHAT? WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? THANK YOU. THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
I REALLY FOCUSED ON THE HARD END FACILITIES.
SO FOR THE CALIFORNIA CONSERVATION CORPS PARTNERSHIP, ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING THINGS AND ONE OF THE REASONS OUR DELEGATION IS REALLY BEHIND US ON THIS ONE IS THE CAREER LADDER THAT IT WOULD CREATE.
SO WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE IS THAT IT WOULD BE TWO FOREST CREWS OUT AT LAS TRAMPAS.
SO THAT'S ABOUT 14 MEMBERS PER CREW.
SO WE HAVE ABOUT 28 YOUTH WHO CAN HAVE A POSITION AT ANY ONE TIME.
[01:45:03]
FIREFIGHTER AS WELL AS PARK RANGER.AND THEY'D ALSO LEARN ABOUT OTHER OPPORTUNITIES LIKE NATURALIST, ETC..
AND SO WHEN THEY'RE OUT THERE, THEY'D BE DOING TRAINING WITH OUR FORESTRY CREW.
SO EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT ENTRY LEVEL EMPLOYEES, NO EXPERIENCE REQUIRED.
WE HAVE OUR OWN FORESTRY CREW.
SO THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE'RE SO EXCITED ABOUT IT.
AND THEN ALSO CIVICORP WILL HAVE A HUB OUT AT THE SAME SITE.
AND SO CIVIL CORPS, CALIFORNIA CONSERVATION CORPS AND PARK DISTRICT STAFF WOULD ALL TRAIN TOGETHER TO GAIN THE NECESSARY CERTIFICATIONS TO THEN ADVANCE IN THEIR CAREER. [INAUDIBLE] HI.
DOVETAILING ON THAT QUESTION CARLYN BROUGHT UP.
AND IN PLACE CIVICORP HAS TAKEN OVER.
I WONDER IF CIVICORP HAS THE ABILITY TO HAVE THEIR EMPLOYEES BE UNDER UNION JURISDICTION IF THAT'S A PART OF IT. AND THEN GOING WITH THE WALK AND TALKS AS WELL.
JUST WONDERING, HAVE HAVE YOU ALL EVER CONSIDERED HAVING ONE OF THE POLITICAL FOLKS THAT DO THE WONDERFUL WALK AND TALKS THAT YOU DO WITH THE NATURALIST STAFF BE FROM A SOVEREIGN NATION LIKE THE MUWEKMA OHLONE TRIBE.
CHAIRMAN CHARLENE [INAUDIBLE] OR FROM THE SAGUARO LAND LAND TRUST WITH KARINA GOULD.
THAT MIGHT BE A REALLY GOOD WAY TO HAVE INDIGENOUS REPRESENTATION BE A PART OF THAT.
SO IF YOU'D BE WILLING TO HELP MAKE AN INTRODUCTION FOR US, WE WOULD BE HONORED.
ALSO, ONE OF MY FAVORITE WALK AND TALKS WAS WITH FRANCIS OUT AT COYOTE HILLS.
HE HAD ASSEMBLY MEMBER CORK WITH HIM AND ASSEMBLY MEMBER CORK BARELY SPOKE THE WHOLE TIME.
HE WAS ABSOLUTELY CAPTIVATED BY THE STORIES FRANCIS WAS SHARING.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? YES. MEMBER LOPEZ.
WE SAT DOWN WITH THEM AND THEY SHARED SORT OF THE OVERVIEW OF THEIR PROGRAM.
AND AND ALONG THOSE LINES, THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THEY'RE SO INVESTED IN GETTING A PERMANENT FACILITY HERE IN THE EAST BAY, BECAUSE IT'S A GAP IN ONE OF THE MOST, IF NOT THE MOST DIVERSE AREA OF CALIFORNIA.
AND SO IN TERMS OF WHAT THE CTC IS, IS DOING THEMSELVES, WE'D BE HAPPY TO SHARE INFORMATION.
BUT I WASN'T PREPARED TO PRESENT ON THAT TODAY.
IN RELATION TO WILDFIRE RESILIENCE, CAN YOU TALK MORE ABOUT THE FEDERAL LEGISLATION THAT YOU'RE SEEKING TO INTRODUCE OR SUPPORT? ARE YOU REFERRING TO THE GRASSLAND EFFORT? YES. SO, AS ALICIA SHARED, WE HAVE 80,000 ACRES OF GRASSLAND.
AND OUR MAIN METHOD OF REDUCING WILDFIRE RISK IS GRAZING CATTLE, SHEEP, GOATS.
AND THEN THERE'S ALSO FENCING AND GATES.
SO IT IS A EXPENSE TO THE PARK DISTRICT AND TO OUR GRAZERS.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THIS LEGISLATION OR THIS EFFORT, INITIATIVE, EFFORT MIGHT DO OR COULD DO IS PROVIDE ADDITIONAL FUNDING THROUGH A GRANT PROGRAM FOR THOSE TYPES OF INFRASTRUCTURE THAT ARE NEEDED FOR GRAZING.
THERE'S ALSO AN ISSUE IN TERMS OF WHAT'S KNOWN AS PRESCRIBED GRAZING.
THAT IS, THERE IS LEGISLATION PENDING AT THE STATE LEGISLATURE THAT IS ASKING FOR THAT.
THAT'S NOT HAS NOT BEEN PART OF THE FEDERAL PORTFOLIO YET.
[01:50:03]
SO WE'RE WORKING ON THAT AS PART OF THIS LEGISLATION.WE HEARD RECENTLY THAT THERE MIGHT BE AN EFFORT TO REINTRODUCE A BILL THAT WAS INTRODUCED THREE YEARS AGO, I THINK, OR TWO YEARS AGO FROM SENATOR RON WIDEN THAT LAYS OUT SOME OF THESE ISSUES. VERY GOOD, VERY WELL.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE WAYS THAT IT CAME TO OUR ATTENTION THAT THERE MIGHT BE AN INTEREST AT THE AT THE GOVERNMENTAL LEVEL TO PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR, FOR GRAZING AND FOR FOR GRASSLAND PROTECTION.
AND I BELIEVE THERE'S ALSO AN ANNIVERSARY, A NATIONAL ANNIVERSARY OF GRASSLANDS THAT'S CREATED SOME MOMENTUM FROM SOME NONPROFIT GROUPS AND OTHERS TO TO PUSH FORWARD SOME LEGISLATION AND RAISE AWARENESS SO.
IN TERMS OF GRASSLAND AND WORKING ON THE PARKLANDS, THERE IS CURRENT GRANT PROGRAMS AVAILABLE.
I KNOW THAT THAT THEY'RE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THROUGH NCRS WHERE THEY PAY FOR CREATING WATER SYSTEMS. YOU KNOW, THERE THE INTENTION IS TO TRY TO GET THE CATTLE UP TO HIGHER ELEVATIONS AWAY FROM THE RIPARIAN AREAS.
IF THAT COULD BE EXPANDED THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES TO DO MORE OF THAT.
YEAH. THANKS FOR ASKING THE QUESTION.
IT'S ACTUALLY THE RANCHERS THEMSELVES, WHICH IS GREAT, BUT WE DO HAVE OUR OWN COSTS.
I MENTIONED PONDS FOR FOR FOR WATER, FOR THE ANIMALS.
THOSE PONDS NEED TO BE RESTORED FROM TIME TO TIME.
AND THERE'S NO REAL EXISTING FUNDING TO DO THAT WORK ON A, ON A REGULAR, ONGOING BASIS.
SO THAT'S SOME OF THE MOTIVATION.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE? DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON.
GREAT. THANK YOU. WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING ALL THE SUCCESSFUL FRUITS OF YOUR LABORS.
OKAY. AND SO AS WE START WINDING DOWN, WE OUR NEXT ITEM ARE PAC MEMBER COMMENTS.
AND I WILL STEAL THE STAGE INITIALLY AND SAY THAT REMIND YOU ALL WHO ARE INTERESTED IN TILDEN PARK THAT THERE'S THE SECOND COMMUNITY MEETING COMING UP DAY AFTER TOMORROW AT 6:30 P.M., REMOTELY ON ZOOM TO DISCUSS THE REBUILD, REALLY, OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER AT TILDEN PARK, SO THAT THE FIRST COMMUNITY MEETING WAS HELD ON MAYBE THE LAST DAY OF JANUARY AND WAS INTERESTING AND WELL ATTENDED.
INTERESTING TO HEAR ABOUT THE PLANS GOING FORWARD.
AND SO THE SECOND ONE WILL BE ON WEDNESDAY, AND THEN THERE WILL BE A THIRD ONE LATER ON.
SO I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL WHO ARE INTERESTED IN TILDEN PARK TO ATTEND THAT.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM YES.
SO THERE IS GOING TO BE THE CONCORD WATERSHED DAY THAT IS HAPPENING ON MARCH 2ND.
AND THAT'S ORGANIZED BY THE FRIENDS OF CONCORD CREEKS.
THAT'S GOING TO BE HAPPENING IN WALNUT CREEK, THOUGH AT IGNACIO VALLEY LIBRARY FROM 2 TO 4 P.M..
MAY I SUPPLEMENT THAT? BECAUSE I'M ALSO FAMILIAR WITH OF COURSE.
AND THANK YOU FOR RAISING THAT CARLYN, THE IT'S IT'S WE'VE DONE THE WALNUT CREEK WATERSHED COUNCIL.
IT'S GOT NINE CITIES AND TOWNS IN IT.
SO IT'S THE BIGGEST WATERSHED IN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY HAS HAD TWO LARGE MEETINGS, PUBLIC MEETINGS WITH THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT AND THE RESOURCE CONSERVATION DISTRICT, WHERE WE TALK ABOUT THE WORK THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO AND TRYING TO CREATE A WALNUT CREEK WATERSHED RESTORATION PLAN.
AND WE ARE IN THE PROCESS NOW OF IDENTIFYING SITES.
BUT WE'RE ALSO IN THE PROCESS OF THE OUTREACH.
AND THE FIRST TWO LARGE PUBLIC MEETINGS.
ONE WAS THE LIBRARY WEBINAR, AND YOU CAN IT WAS TWO HOURS LONG.
AND YOU CAN YOU CAN JUST GO TO THE CONTRA COSTA LIBRARY AND YOU CAN WATCH IT IF YOU WANT.
BUT THE THE NEXT SET OF MEETINGS ARE JUST LIKE CARLYN IDENTIFIED.
AND WHAT'S NICE, PARTICULARLY NICE ABOUT THIS, THIS ONE AT IGNACIO VALLEY LIBRARY IS THAT ABOUT AN HOUR IS REALLY GOING TO BE SPENT ON KIDS ACTIVITIES RELATED TO CREEKS, AND THEN AN HOUR TALKING ABOUT TO THE ADULTS ABOUT OTHER THINGS.
[01:55:05]
ADJACENT TO THE [INAUDIBLE] LIBRARY, ARE FROM CONCORD.SO IT'S IT'S A HEAVILY USED ONE BY THE PEOPLE FROM CONCORD AS WELL.
GREAT. THANK YOU. SOUNDS LIKE A WONDERFUL EVENT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR ANNOUNCEMENTS? YES. MEMBER VALENZUELA.
YES, I WOULD LIKE TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE ON MARCH 26TH BIG BREAK REGIONAL PARK IS HAVING THEIR FIRST ALL ABILITIES DAY OF THE YEAR.
WE HAVE THEM TWICE, TWICE A YEAR.
WE HAVE PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE TWO COUNTIES SHOW SHOW UP HERE AND THEY IT IT IS A VERY FUN PROGRAM, VERY FUN DAY.
THE SMILES THAT ARE, THAT ARE HERE ON THIS DAY REALLY STICK WITH YOU THE AMOUNT OF EFFORT THAT GOES INTO IT FROM ALL OVER THE THE PARK SERVICE. WE HAVE PEOPLE FROM, FROM THE, THE WHOLE PARK SERVICE COME, COME OUT AND HELP BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE FOR, FOR, FOR THIS SPECIAL DAY THEY REALLY ENJOY THE DAY.
THEY'VE TOLD US WHAT THEY NEED, WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN OUR PROGRAM.
WE ADJUST THE THESE DAYS FROM YEAR TO YEAR, FROM PROGRAM TO PROGRAM.
AND I'VE BEEN HERE SINCE WE STARTED THIS PROGRAM AND IT HAS CHANGED.
MARCH 26TH ON A TUESDAY, 10:00 TO 1:00.
VERY NICE. MARK YOUR CALENDARS.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR ANNOUNCEMENTS? YES, FRANCIS.
THE WATER AND LAND JUSTICE MANAGER.
AND YOU ALL MIGHT HAVE HEARD THE KLAMATH RIVER DAMS ARE DOWN AND THEY'RE COMING DOWN, SO WE'RE JUST DOCUMENTING THAT AND ALSO WORKING WITH THE INDIGENOUS TRIBES ALL UP AND DOWN THE STATE TO ENSURE THAT THEIR CONVEYANCE, BUT ALSO THEIR CONSULTATION FROM THE BEGINNING IS, IS IS MEANINGFUL AND A PART OF A SOVEREIGN TRIBAL NATION.
SO I HAVE A NEWSLETTER HERE IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO PICK THEM UP, FEEL FREE TO.
SO I'D JUST LIKE TO SHOUT THAT OUT.
VERY COOL. ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR ANNOUNCEMENTS? SEEING NONE.
AND SO I THINK THAT BRINGS US TO THE END OF OUR PROGRAM.
I'LL ADJOURN THIS MEETING AT 5:56 P.M..
THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.