[00:00:02]
[Roll Call]
GREAT. THANK YOU.WELCOME, EVERYONE. NICE TO SEE YOU ALL AGAIN.
MADAM SECRETARY, COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? ABSOLUTELY. MEMBER CHANG? CHANG ABSENT.
MEMBER MARSH. MEMBER MARSH ABSENT.
PRESENT. MEMBER PEOPLES PRESENT.
SIMMONS ABSENT. MEMBER SKAREDOFF.
MEMBER WILLIAMS. WILLIAMS ABSENT.
I CAN NOW SHARE FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT TODAY'S MEETING.
IT IS HELD PURSUANT TO THE BROWN ACT.
THE EAST BAY REGIONAL 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 LOCATED AT 2950 PERALTA OAKS COURT IN OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.
THE PARK DISTRICT IS PROVIDING LIVE AUDIO AND VIDEO STREAMING.
THE INFORMATION IS NOTED ON THE AGENDA.
THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS ABOUT MEETING PROCEDURE.
GREAT. THANK YOU, AND I'D LIKE TO NOW CALL UPON VICE CHAIR ESPANA FOR THE LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT.
DO WE NEED TO SEE IF ANYBODY'S ATTENDING REMOTELY? THAT'S NEXT ON THE AGENDA. OH, SORRY.
ALL RIGHT. WE HUMBLY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE ARE ON THE UNSEATED LANDS OF THE OHLONE PEOPLE, AND THAT THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT'S HEADQUARTERS IS LOCATED WITHIN THE HUICHIN TERRITORY, WHICH IS THEIR TRADITIONAL, ANCESTRAL, ANCESTRAL AND SHARED HOMELAND.
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 SINCE TIME IMMEMORIAL AND WHO CONTINUE TO REMAIN DEEPLY CONNECTED TO IT TODAY.
THANK YOU, AND I'LL NOTE FOR THE RECORD THAT MEMBER SKAREDOFF IS NOW PRESENT.
WELCOME. ARE THERE ANY MEMBERS WHO ARE PARTICIPATING VIRTUALLY DUE TO AN EMERGENCY WHO WISH TO REQUEST THE BODY'S APPROVAL TO PARTICIPATE REMOTELY? I BELIEVE WE HAVE ONE MEMBER WHO IS JOINING VIRTUALLY.
THIS IS A PARKS ADVISORY COMMISSIONER, LINDA DESCHAMBEALT.
COULD YOU PLEASE BRIEFLY DESCRIBE THE NATURE OF THE EMERGENCY? AND THEN I WILL REQUEST A MOTION FROM THE BODY TO VOTE TO APPROVE REMOTE PARTICIPATION.
THERE'S BEEN SOME BACK AND FORTH COMMUNICATION ON THIS, SO I WASN'T QUITE PREPARED IF I WAS ACTUALLY ATTENDING REMOTELY, BUT THE NATURE IS THAT I HAVE AN ELDERLY FRIEND WHO NEEDED ASSISTANCE WITH GETTING HER VEHICLE TRANSPORTED, AND I NEEDED TO TAKE CARE OF THAT AND BE OUT OF THE AREA AND WOULD LOVE TO JOIN YOU THIS EVENING OTHERWISE.
[00:05:02]
THANK YOU.SO WE NEED TO VOTE ON THE PARTICIPATION OF MEMBER DESCHAMBAULT VIRTUALLY.
SO I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THAT.
MADAM SECRETARY, COULD YOU TAKE THE ROLL, PLEASE? ABSOLUTELY.
GREAT. THANK YOU. THE MOTION PASSES.
MEMBER DESCHAMBAULT. COULD YOU PLEASE LET US KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER INDIVIDUALS 18 YEARS OF OLDER WHO ARE PRESENT IN THE ROOM AT YOUR LOCATION? NO, THERE ARE NOT.
SO NOW WE CAN MOVE ON TO APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
[Approval of Minutes]
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY CORRECTIONS OR OTHER CHANGES TO THE MINUTES FROM THE LAST TIME? IF NOT, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.MOVED BY VALENZUELA WAS THE SECOND.
THANK YOU. MADAM SECRETARY, COULD YOU TAKE THE ROLL CALL? VOTE, PLEASE? ABSOLUTELY.
GREAT. THANK YOU EVERYONE, AND NOW WE MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA.
IS THERE ANYONE PRESENT FROM THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT? SEEING NO ONE PRESENT.
IS THERE ANYONE JOINING US VIRTUALLY WHO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA? NO, THERE'S NOT CHAIR.
SO NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ACTION ITEMS, AND WE HAVE NO ACTION ITEMS TODAY.
I THINK ON OUR NEXT AGENDA WE WILL PROBABLY HAVE A DIFFERENT A DIFFERENT ORDER OF ACTIONS SO THAT ACTION ITEMS WILL COME AFTER BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS BUT HAVING NO ACTION ITEMS TODAY WE DO MOVE TO BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS, SO I'M HAPPY TO WELCOME BOARD MEMBER DEE ROSARIO TO LET US KNOW WHAT HE'S BEEN THINKING ABOUT AND THINGS
[Informational Items]
THAT ARE HAPPENING. THANK YOU.FIRST, I JUST WANTED TO WELCOME ALL THE NEW AND RETURNING PAC MEMBERS.
THIS IS, I ALWAYS CONSIDER THIS AS A GREAT MIND TRUST HERE THAT AUGMENTS WHAT WE DO ON THE BOARD, AND SO I VALUE ALL OF YOUR COMMENTS AND YOUR PARTICIPATION.
SO I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU, AND CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NEW OFFICERS, TOO; YOU RUN A GOOD MEETING, BUT I JUST WANTED TO START OFF WITH WE JUST HEARD THAT CAROL WILLIAMS, WHO WAS OUR FIRST BLACK MEMBER OF THE BOARD PASSED JUST RECENTLY PASSED AWAY.
HE WAS ON THE BOARD JUST FOR ONE YEAR.
HE WAS HE TOOK THE PLACE OF MARY JEFFORDS WHEN SHE CAME OFF THE BOARD, AND HE DIDN'T WIN IN THE NEXT ELECTION, BUT HE WAS A UC BERKELEY PROFESSOR OF FORESTRY, AND I KNEW HIM PERSONALLY AS A MEMBER OF THE REGIONAL PARKS ASSOCIATION.
[00:10:07]
BRILLIANT MAN, AND AN AMAZING AN AMAZING FAMILY MAN AS WELL, AND I REALLY HATED TO SEE THAT, I WAS SAD TO SEE THAT HE HAD HE PASSED AWAY, AND THEN SO I'LL JUST BRING YOU UP TO DATE.WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH I REPRESENT WARD TWO, WHICH IS NORTH AND WEST OAKLAND, PIEDMONT, LAFAYETTE, MORAGA, ORINDA AND GREEN VALLEY, AND A LITTLE BIT OF WALNUT CREEK, AND SO I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU SOME HIGHLIGHTS.
ON APRIL 27TH, WE'LL BE HAVING THE GRAND OPENING OF ROBERTS POOL.
WE HAD A SOFT OPENING LAST YEAR, WHERE I TOOK A QUICK DIP IN THE POOL JUST TO TEST THE WATER, BUT EVERYTHING WORKS NOW, SO IT'LL BE HEATED, AND SO HOPEFULLY YOU GUYS CAN CAN ALL ATTEND THAT, AND THEN ALSO ON THE MAY 23RD, WE WILL BE HAVING THE GRAND OPENING OF THE MCCOSKER RANCH.
I THINK WE'RE GOING TO OPEN IT.
THERE'S GOING TO BE A SOFT OPENING WHERE PEOPLE WILL ACTUALLY BE ALLOWED, SOMETIME MID-APRIL, BUT I THINK LISA CAN CORRECT ME, BUT I THINK PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE ALLOWED TO GO IN THERE.
BEGINNING OF APRIL. YEAH, SO THAT'D BE GREAT.
SO AND THEN WE'LL HAVE A BIG CEREMONY ON MAY 23RD, AND THEN I JUST WANTED TO WELCOME SOME NEW STAFF MEMBERS WHO YOU'VE PROBABLY ALREADY HEARD, BUT WE HAVE A NEW CHIEF OF POLICE ROBERTO FILICE FROM SALINAS.
OUTSTANDING RESUME, AND PERSONALLY, HE SEEMS LIKE A REALLY GREAT GUY.
VERY EASY TO TALK TO AND LOOKING TO GREAT THINGS FROM HIM, AND THEN ALSO WANTED TO WELCOME OUR NEW CHIEF OF ACQUISITION BECKY BREMER. SHE HAILS FROM SHE WAS THE DIRECTOR OF LAND PROTECTION WITH THE SAVE THE REDWOODS LEAGUE AND 17 YEARS WITH TRUST OF PUBLIC LANDS.
SO WE FEEL LIKE WE HAVE A VERY HIGH-END QUALITY PERSON HERE IN CHARGE OF ACQUISITION, AND THEN JUST SOME UPDATES ON A COUPLE OF PARKS.
YOU KNOW, THE LAFAYETTE RIDGE TRAIL, THE LAFAYETTE RIDGE STAGING AREA IS CLOSED THERE.
WE'RE PUTTING A NEW RESTROOM, WATER FACILITIES.
IT SHOULD BE OPEN BY THE HOPEFULLY BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
WE'RE ALSO THERE'S A TRAIL CLOSURE ON THE LAFAYETTE MORAGA TRAIL RIGHT AROUND 2ND STREET, AND I'M GOING TO BE DOING A PRESENTATION TO THE LAFAYETTE CREEKS COMMISSION COMING UP PRETTY SOON AND GIVE THEM AN UPDATE ON THAT PROJECT.
SHOULD BE WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING A TEMPORARY REPAIR STARTING SOMETIME IN APRIL, AND THEN FOLLOW UP WITH A PERMANENT FIX BY THE END OF THE YEAR, AND THEN THE OTHER END OF LAFAYETTE MORAGA TRAIL, RIGHT WHERE CANYON IS, WHERE THE BRIDGE IS, WE'RE JUST WAITING TO HEAR FROM EAST BAY MUD.
I THINK IT WILL. THAT WAS A PRETTY AMAZING PRODUCTION THERE AND THEN AND I JUST WANTED TO CONGRATULATE LISA AND ERICH.
WE JUST GOT HEARD THAT WE JUST WON A 1.38 MILLION WILDFIRE GRANT, WILDFIRE MITIGATION GRANT, FROM, AND THANK YOU TO THE OFFICES OF ERIC SWALWELL.
SO THAT JUST CAME WITH THE RECENT NEGOTIATIONS IN CONGRESS.
SO WITH THAT, I THINK I'M DONE.
DIRECTOR ROSARIO FOR THAT, AND WE'LL MISS YOU, BUT I'M SURE WE'LL SEE YOU.
OKAY, SO ON TO OUR INFORMATIONAL ITEMS, AND SO SO WE HAVE, AS YOU PROBABLY NOTICED, A RATHER SHORT PROGRAM TODAY, AND I THINK DID YOU WANT TO SAY A COUPLE SENTENCES ERICH, ABOUT--SURE.
[00:15:03]
ERICH. PFUEHLER, CHIEF OF GOVERNMENT AND LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS.JUST WANTED TO UPDATE THE PAC THAT WE WERE CONSIDERING HAVING THE GENERAL MANAGER AND A YEAR IN REVIEW REPORT THIS EVENING.
THAT WILL LIKELY COME IN IN APRIL, BUT IT WILL BE MORE OF A LOOK FORWARD.
SO THAT WILL BE HOPEFULLY IN APRIL, BUT IT'LL BE UPCOMING.
GREAT, AND YEAH, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE SURFACED LAST YEAR, AND IF YOU THOSE OF YOU WITH US LAST YEAR, REMEMBER THAT THERE WAS SORT OF A GRASSROOTS SERIES OF COMMENTS AT ONE OF OUR PAC MEETINGS WITH CONCERNS ABOUT THE JUNIOR RANGERS PROGRAM AND ITS POTENTIAL FATE, AND SO STAFF TOOK IT BACK AND PUT TOGETHER THE PRESENTATION THAT WE'RE GOING TO HEAR TONIGHT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHAIR TSUTUI.
I'M ONE OF THE TWO REGIONAL INTERPRETIVE AND RECREATION SERVICES MANAGERS.
MY AREA IS THE NORTHWEST REGION, WHICH INCLUDES TILDEN NATURE AREA, WHICH IS WHERE THE JUNIOR RANGERS ARE BASED, AND SARA FETTERLY, SUPERVISING NATURALIST FOR TILDEN NATURE AREA, WILL BE JOINING ME IN JUST A MINUTE HERE.
SHE'LL GIVE A PRESENTATION ON VERY INTERESTING SURVEY.
YOU MAY RECALL THOSE OF YOU FOLKS WHO WERE HERE BACK IN SEPTEMBER.
THESE ARE THE DIFFERENT ONES AND THE ONE OFF PROGRAMMING.
THEY MIGHT HAVE A SCHOOL PROGRAM COME IN OR A PUBLIC PROGRAM OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THESE ARE ONES WHERE WE'RE ENGAGING WITH THE SAME PEOPLE FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME AS AN ONGOING PROGRAM AND THE CENTERPIECE, THE BIG STAR OF THAT MODEL IS THE JUNIOR RANGER PROGRAM.
IT'S BEEN GOING ON SINCE 1947, HARD TO BELIEVE.
IT'S BEEN AN INCREDIBLY SUCCESSFUL, INCREDIBLY POPULAR PROGRAM, REALLY GRATIFYING THING.
IT'S DONE A LOT OF WONDERFUL THINGS FOR THE PARK DISTRICT AND FOR THE JUNIOR RANGERS AND THEIR FAMILIES, AND WHILE WE WERE CONDUCTING ASSESSMENTS, AS WE ALWAYS DO FOR OUR PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE BEST USING OUR RESOURCES, THE MOST EQUITABLE WAY TO MEET OUR MISSION AS A PARK DISTRICT, AND OUR MISSION IN INTERPRETIVE RECREATION SERVICES, TO TRY TO REACH AND TOUCH EVERY CHILD, EVERY PERSON IN THE EAST BAY.
WE ARE GENEROUSLY ENDOWED WITH WONDERFUL RESOURCES, BUT THE PUBLIC IS LARGE AND GETTING LARGER, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COULD USE THOSE RESOURCES IN THE BEST WAY TO REACH AS MANY PEOPLE IN A VALUABLE AND CONSTRUCTIVE AND CONNECTIVE WAY AS POSSIBLE.
JRS--YOU'LL HEAR THAT ACRONYM A LOT; THAT'S JUNIOR RANGERS--HAS DONE THAT VERY WELL OVER THE YEARS.
IT IS A RESOURCE INTENSIVE PROGRAM, AS WE MENTIONED BACK IN SEPTEMBER, AND YOU MAY RECALL THAT WE TOOK OUR LONGITUDINAL PROGRAMING MODEL AND OUR DEEP ENGAGEMENT MODEL AND REALLY TOOK A DEEPER DIVE ON JUNIOR RANGERS AS IT WAS OUR LEGACY MODEL, AND WE BUILT OTHER PROGRAMS UPON THAT.
THOSE WERE DONE UNDER A DIFFERENT MODEL WITH A NEWER LOOK AT HOW WE'RE USING OUR RESOURCES.
SO WE WANTED TO COMPARE TO SEE HOW WERE THESE THINGS MEETING THE GOALS OF OUR PROGRAMMING AND OUR DEEP ENGAGEMENT AND HOW MIGHT WE USE OUR RESOURCES IN THE BEST WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE RESOURCES ARE SPENT MOST EQUITABLY? SO WE HAVE WE HAD A LOT OF FEEDBACK FROM OUR FRIENDS AT THE JUNIOR RANGERS, AS WE DID PRESENT THAT IT WAS A VERY RESOURCE INTENSIVE PROGRAM.
INCREDIBLY SUCCESSFUL HAS BEEN ALL ALONG THE WAY, BUT IS IT REALLY THE BEST WAY FOR US TO USE OUR RESOURCES? AND WE WANTED TO FIND OUT IS A QUESTION WE ASKED AND WE WANTED TO ASSESS, AND WE HAD GONE THROUGH SOME ASSESSMENT, SOME INFORMATION THAT WE ALREADY HAD, BUT, NOT A MISSING PIECE, BUT SOMETHING THAT WE WANTED TO FORMALIZE SOME MORE WAS TO ACTUALLY GET THE POINT OF VIEW AND ASSESS FROM THE FAMILIES AND THE JUNIOR RANGERS THEMSELVES, WHAT DO THEY FIND MOST USEFUL? WHAT IS REALLY THE KEY? WHAT ARE THE KEY COMPONENTS OF THESE PROGRAMS FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL, AND ARE THERE WAYS THAT WE CAN MAINTAIN THAT, THAT WE CAN ACHIEVE THOSE GOALS BY USING RESOURCES DIFFERENTLY? SO THIS YEAR, BACK IN JANUARY, SARA FETTERLY PUT TOGETHER A VERY INSIGHTFUL SURVEY FOR THE JUNIOR RANGER FAMILIES TO
[00:20:04]
FILL OUT AND I THINK WE SENT OUT 51 AND WE GOT 40 RESPONSES.SO THIS IS A VERY INVOLVED GROUP.
IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY MAKES IT SUCH A SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM IS THAT REALLY DEEP CONNECTION THAT WE STRIVE FOR AND EVERYTHING THAT WE DO IN THE PARK DISTRICT, IT IS REALLY SYMBOLIZED IN WHAT HAPPENS IN JUNIOR RANGERS.
SO WE WANT TO KEEP THOSE VALUES, BUT IS THERE ANOTHER WAY THAT WE COULD DO IT WHILE USING OUR RESOURCES OTHERWISE? SO WE'LL KEEP KIND OF POUNDING ON THAT.
HOW DO WE MAINTAIN THE VALUE OF THE PROGRAM WHILE MEETING THE DEMANDS THAT WE HAVE CONSTANTLY GROWING THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT? IT WAS VERY INSIGHTFUL.
SURVEY. WE HAD A MEETING FOLLOWING THE SURVEY AFTER IT WAS CLOSED SO FAMILIES CAN GET TOGETHER ON FEBRUARY 4TH OVER AT TILDEN NATURE AREA AT THE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER, AND WE HAD A REALLY LIVELY, VERY HONEST DISCUSSION, WHICH WAS REALLY PRODUCTIVE.
WE FEEL PRETTY STRONGLY THAT IT RESTORED A LOT OF GOOD FAITH.
PEOPLE FELT LIKE THEY WERE A LITTLE TAKEN ABACK AND DIDN'T KNOW A LOT OF WHAT WAS GOING ON, AND WE EXPLAINED OUR METHODS AND HOW WE HAD TO GO THROUGH THINGS INTERNALLY BEFORE WE CAN BRING THEM OUT FOR FOLKS AND PEOPLE WERE VERY RECEPTIVE.
I THINK PEOPLE JUST WANT INFORMATION AND THAT IS WHAT SPURRED THAT NEED FOR INFORMATION, AND WE WANT TO CONNECT WITH FOLKS, IS WHAT REALLY SPURRED THIS WHOLE IDEA OF GETTING A SURVEY OUT TO SEE, WE CAN MAKE OUR ASSUMPTIONS.
WE THINK WE'RE PROBABLY PRETTY GOOD AT MAKING THOSE ASSUMPTIONS, BUT IT DOESN'T REPLACE WHAT THE FAMILIES AND THE GUESTS, THE KIDS THEMSELVES, THE JRS ARE SAYING THEMSELVES, AND SO THIS IS A REALLY GREAT OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE WE CONSIDER PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS REALLY THE LIAISON WITH THE COMMUNITY, AND ALTHOUGH WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT CONNECTIONS WITH STAFF AND OUR DIRECTORS AND SUCH, YOU FOLKS ARE THE ONES WHO ARE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY AND REPRESENTING THEM.
SO THIS SEEMS LIKE THE PERFECT PLACE TO PRESENT THE RESULTS OF THIS SURVEY.
AS WE GO THROUGH THIS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS.
THIS ONE'S NEAR AND DEAR TO ME, SO I'M GOING TO GO A LITTLE OFF SCRIPT.
IT'S BEEN GOING ON. IT STARTED OUT THERE WITH TWO EMPLOYEES NICOLE GAINES AND RACHEL, WHY AM I SPACING ON RACHEL'S LAST NAME? DIRECTOR OR. PARDON ME? PULIZZI. THANK YOU, PULIZZI.
YEAH. THEY STARTED IT BECAUSE WE HAD A LOT OF FOLKS THAT WERE COMING INTO THE VISITOR CENTER, PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT ABILITIES, AND WE WANTED TO GET SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE FORMAL, AND IT HAS JUST SKYROCKETED SINCE THEN.
WE'RE ANTICIPATING A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE.
GENERAL MANAGER WILL BE OUT THERE COMMEMORATING THE 90TH ANNIVERSARY WITH THIS GROUP.
SO IF YOU'VE GOT NOTHING ELSE GOING ON TOMORROW, BIG BRAKES, BIG BRAKES, ALWAYS A WONDERFUL PLACE TO BE, BUT TOMORROW ESPECIALLY SO, I DIGRESS, BUT IT WAS A GOOD DIGRESSION. I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE SUPERVISING NATURALIST, SARA FETTERLY FROM THE TILDEN NATURE AREA, AND SHE'LL DISCUSS A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON THE SURVEY THAT WAS TAKEN AND HOW THE METHODOLOGY WENT AND THE RESULTS.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANKS, SARA, I'M GOING TO SEND IT UP TO YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR INVITING US TO PARTICIPATE ON YOUR MEETING TODAY AND TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE JUNIOR RANGER SURVEY THAT WE CONDUCTED. I'M GOING TO TRY TO LOAD UP THIS POWERPOINT HERE.
SO AS MIKE SAID EARLIER THIS YEAR, WE SURVEYED THE JUNIOR RANGER COMMUNITY, THE PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS SPECIFICALLY, AND WE HELD A MEETING WITH THE PARENTS ON FEBRUARY 4TH TO REVIEW THE RESULTS OF THIS SURVEY, AND AT THAT TIME, WE WERE ASKING FOR ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT THEY WANTED TO GIVE US REGARDING THE PROGRAM, THINGS THEY THOUGHT THAT WE SHOULD KNOW THAT WEREN'T COVERED IN THE SURVEY.
ABOUT 40 PEOPLE ATTENDED THE MEETING AND WE RECEIVED 51 RESPONSES TO THE SURVEY.
SO WE BEGAN THE SURVEY WITH INTRODUCTIONS AND JUST AN APPRECIATION FOR THE PARENTS FOR ATTENDING AND FOR THEIR DEEP SUPPORT OF THE PROGRAM AND THEIR CHILDREN, BECAUSE DRIVING THEIR KIDS UP TO OUR PARK EVERY SATURDAY IS A BIG DEAL, AND THEN WE DOVE RIGHT INTO WHY WE ARE REVIEWING OUR PROGRAMS, AND WE'RE REVIEWING OUR PROGRAMS TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE MEETING THE MISSION OF
[00:25:05]
BOTH THE DISTRICT AND THE INTERPRETIVE AND RECREATION SERVICES DEPARTMENT, THAT WE ARE USING OUR RESOURCES WISELY, BOTH OUR STAFF TIME AND OUR FINANCIAL RESOURCES, AND THAT WE'RE PROVIDING EQUITABLE SERVICE TO ALL OF OUR CONSTITUENTS THROUGHOUT OUR SECTOR THAT WE SERVE.WE STARTED OUT BY PROVIDING OUR INNER MISSION STATEMENT AND VISION STATEMENTS, AND WE USE THIS AS A FRAMEWORK TO REALLY GAUGE HOW OUR PROGRAMS ARE FULFILLING OUR MISSION.
RIGHT, AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE VISION STATEMENT TO REACH EVERY RESIDENT IN THE COMMUNITY, AND SO THAT WAS OUR OVERARCHING GOAL IS TO MAKE ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT FIT THESE GOALS.
SO THE NEXT IS WHO ARE WE SERVING? WE HAVE DONE SURVEYS THROUGHOUT OUR DEPARTMENT.
THE PROGRAMS THAT WE ARE HAVE BEEN REVIEWED ALREADY ARE OUR SCHOOL AND EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH PROGRAMS, ADVENTURE SCHOOL, ADVENTURE CREW PROGRAMS, RECREATION PROGRAMS, AND NOW OUR JUNIOR RANGER PROGRAM.
WHILE OTHER PROGRAMS HAVE THESE BUILT IN ASSESSMENTS.
WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY RECORD OF THE JUNIOR RANGERS EVER HAVING BEEN EVALUATED AS A PROGRAM IN THE PAST.
OUTSIDE OF ANECDOTAL ASSESSMENTS, AND SO THAT'S THE MAIN REASON WHY WE WANTED TO GET A FORMAL SURVEY DONE. SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND JUMP RIGHT INTO THE SURVEY THAT WE DID WITH THIS GROUP, AND THE FIRST THING THAT WE WANTED TO LOOK AT WAS DEMOGRAPHICS.
SO FOR THE FIRST QUESTION WE ASKED, HOW LONG WAS YOUR CHILD? HOW LONG HAS YOUR CHILD PARTICIPATED IN THE JUNIOR RANGER'S JUNIOR RANGER AIDE PROGRAM? AND FROM THIS YOU CAN SEE THAT KIDS STAY IN THE PROGRAM A VERY LONG TIME.
45% OF THESE KIDS HAVE BEEN IN THE PROGRAM FOUR OR MORE YEARS.
THE MAJORITY OF THEM STAY TILL AGE 18, ALL WITHIN THIS SAME PROGRAM.
YES. PICKING UP ON THAT YOU HAD THE MAJORITY WERE THE OLDER ONES.
DO THEY SHOW UP AT DIFFERENT STAGES AND THAT'S HOW THAT COMES NO. YOUNGER ONES ARE COMING LESS FREQUENTLY? IT'S NOT IF YOU ACTUALLY LOOK AT THE CATEGORIES, WE HAVE TWO YEAR INCREMENTS AND THEN THE OVER 14 IS ACTUALLY A FOUR YEAR INCREMENT.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S HIGHER NUMBERS BUT WE DO HAVE SO WHAT HAPPENS IS YOU CAN JUST STAY IN ONCE YOU'RE IN AS A JUNIOR RANGER YOU CAN STAY IN THROUGH OUT THE AIDE UNTIL YOU'RE 18.
SO IN GENERAL THE NUMBERS SHOULD BE ABOUT.
EQUAL WITH JUNIOR RANGERS AND JUNIOR RANGER AIDES.
COVID THREW A LITTLE MONKEY WRENCH IN THERE BECAUSE WE DIDN'T ACCEPT NEW JUNIOR RANGERS FOR A YEAR, AND SO IT MIGHT BE SLIGHTLY TILTED TOWARD THE TEENS AT THIS AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME, BUT IT'LL EVEN OUT EVENTUALLY.
YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT GETS AT SOME OF THOSE ISSUES YOU'RE RAISING.
THE NEXT QUESTION WE ASKED IS WHAT CITY DOES YOUR FAMILY RESIDE IN? WE WERE TRYING TO SEE WHERE THE PEOPLE ARE COMING FROM.
RIGHT, AND THIS SHOWS THAT THE PROGRAM PULLS FROM THE COMMUNITIES RIGHT AROUND THE PARK, WITH BERKELEY HAVING THE BIGGEST REPRESENTATION, THEN ALBANY AND EL CERRITO AND OTHER LOCAL COMMUNITIES ALAMEDA, OAKLAND, RICHMOND, MORAGA, KENSINGTON ARE ALSO REPRESENTED.
THEN WE ASKED, HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE JUNIOR RANGER PROGRAM?
[00:30:04]
THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE HEARD WORD OF MOUTH.MANY HEARD FROM FAMILY MEMBERS.
THIS PROGRAM IS AN INTERESTING PROGRAM BECAUSE IT SOMETIMES IS A GENERATIONAL PROGRAM WITH THE PARENTS HAVING BEEN JUNIOR RANGERS THEMSELVES, AND THEN THEIR CHILDREN ARE IN IT, AND SO THEY'RE LOOKING FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THEIR KIDS ONCE THEIR KIDS COME OF AGE.
WE HAVE A SMALL AMOUNT THAT SEE PEOPLE IN A BIG GROUP GATHERING AROUND AND THEY ASK THE NATURALISTS OR THE PARK STAFF, WHAT'S THAT PROGRAM, AND THEY HEAR ABOUT IT THROUGH THE PARK STAFF IN THAT WAY, AND THEN THE OTHER COMMENTS THAT WERE IN HERE WERE PRIMARILY PEOPLE SAYING THAT IT WAS THEIR PARENTS HAD BEEN JUNIOR RANGERS AND HAD TOLD THEM ABOUT THE PROGRAM.
ALL RIGHT, SO THE NEXT THING WE WANTED TO GET AT.
I'M SORRY. DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? I THINK THERE WAS A QUESTION HERE. YES.
JUST GOING BACK, WAS THERE ANY CONSIDERATION OF DOING A RANGER PROGRAM IN THE OTHER COUNTY AS WELL, SO THAT THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR, YOU KNOW, MORE REACH FOR FOR CHILDREN? YEAH, AND MAYBE EVEN IN SOUTH COUNTY, YOU KNOW, FREMONT, IT IS QUITE A WAYS TO GO FROM FREMONT TO BERKELEY, AND SO I'M WONDERING IF THERE'S BEEN SOME DISCUSSION AT ALL ABOUT, YOU KNOW, REPLICATING THE SUCCESS OF THE PROGRAM IN OTHER PLACES IN THE DISTRICT AREA.
YEAH. THANKS FOR THAT QUESTION.
MEMBER LOPEZ, WE ARE, AS I MENTIONED, WE HAVE WE'RE ON GROUP NUMBER THREE RIGHT NOW.
SO JUNIOR RANGERS WAS OUR FIRST ONE IN 1947.
BUILT UPON THE SUCCESS OF THAT, WE HAVE RICHMOND RANGERS, WHICH I DID NOT MENTION BEFORE, ALSO BASED OUT OF TILDEN NATURE AREA, AND THAT'S WITH A COMMUNITY PARTNER, YES, NATURE NEIGHBORHOODS, AND THAT'S BEEN AN ONGOING STRONG PROGRAM.
WE THEN HAD ANOTHER ONE START UP IN OAKLAND, WHAT WE CALLED OAKLAND NATURALS.
THE PARTNERSHIP WAS WITH PERALTA HACIENDA, AND THROUGH COVID AND OTHER ISSUES THAT WE FACED THERE, WE'RE REVAMPING THAT, BUT WE'RE MAKING NEW CONNECTIONS WITH THAT VERY SAME GROUP, AND IT'S BEEN VERY HELPFUL, AND SO THE MODEL IS THE SAME.
SO THOSE ARE OUR THREE EXISTING ONES.
WE'RE WORKING ON ANOTHER ONE OVER IN EASTERN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY.
THERE'S A GROUP CALLED PEOPLE WHO CARE, AND WE ARE IN THE DEVELOPMENT STAGE OF A RELATIONSHIP.
PROGRAMS LIKE THIS, THERE REALLY HAS TO BE A REALLY STRONG RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN NOT JUST THE COMMUNITY PARTNER, BUT WITH FAMILY MEMBERS, PARENTS, CARETAKERS AND KIDS AND SUCH, BECAUSE FOR A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE, IT'S NOT A STANDARD PART OF THEIR LIFE TO BE OUT IN PARKS.
PEOPLE ARE WORRIED ABOUT HAVING THEIR KIDS OUT WITH STRANGERS AND THINGS THEY DON'T KNOW.
WE'RE REALLY LOOKING; WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR PARTNERS, BUT RIGHT NOW WE'RE DEVELOPING THE FOUR THAT I TALKED ABOUT, AND THEN ONCE WE GET THOSE ESTABLISHED, WE'LL SEE HOW OUR RESOURCES ALLOW US TO SERVE OTHER AREAS, TOO.
I HAVE A SECOND QUESTION ON PAGE 16 ON OTHER AND CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT SOME OF THE OTHER WAYS OTHER PEOPLE HEAR, AND WOULD THAT INCLUDE SOCIAL MEDIA, ANY KIND OF OUTREACH, OTHER DISTRICT IN AN INSTAGRAM AND SOME OF THE OTHER FORMS THAT YOUNG PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, FREQUENT? IS THAT ON A PREVIOUS QUESTION? IT SAYS HERE ON PAGE 16, QUESTION FIVE IS HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE JUNIOR RANGER PROGRAM? HOW DID PEOPLE HEAR ABOUT THE PROGRAM? THEY SO FOR THAT SPECIFIC QUESTION, IT WAS REGARDING THE HOW DID THOSE FAMILIES HEAR ABOUT IT? NOW, THIS PROGRAM IS NOT PUBLICLY ADVERTISED.
OH, OKAY. IT'S WE ONLY CAN ALLOW ABOUT FIVE KIDS EVERY YEAR INTO THE PROGRAM BECAUSE IT'S A LONGITUDINAL PROGRAM, AND SO WE NEED TO HAVE THE, YOU KNOW, A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF KIDS GRADUATE OUT.
WE WANT TO KEEP THAT NUMBER AT ABOUT 50 PEOPLE TOTAL PEOPLE IN THE JUNIOR RANGER PROGRAM.
SO WE HAVE A FEW COMING IN AND A FEW COMING OUT.
SO WHILE WE ADVERTISE IT BY WORD OF MOUTH IN THE VISITOR CENTER TELLING PEOPLE ABOUT IT, IT DOES NOT GET ADVERTISED THROUGH OUR [INAUDIBLE] THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT POTENTIALLY DOING IN THE FUTURE.
[00:35:03]
SO THIS IS ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME UP IN OUR SURVEY.YES. YOU MENTIONED PEOPLE WHO CARE.
IS THAT BASED ON ONE CITY OR IS IT THROUGHOUT EAST CONTRA COSTA? MEMBER VALENZUELA, I CAN'T SAY THEY'RE BASED IN PITTSBURGH, I BELIEVE, AND WHERE THEY DRAW THEIR MEMBERS FROM.
WE CAN GET THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU, THOUGH, IF YOU'D LIKE.
SURE. I MIGHT OFFER A POSSIBLE CONTRIBUTION TO ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE.
THE RESOURCE CONSERVATION DISTRICT IS WORKING WITH SOME YOUTH GROUPS AND COMMUNITY GARDEN TYPE FOLKS IN PITTSBURG ANTIOCH AREA AS WELL, AND THAT MAY BE AN IN TO ACCESSING SOME OF THE FOLKS THAT ARE OUT THERE.
THERE'S ALSO A GROUP HERE IN EAST BAY CALLED URBAN TILTH.
ALL RIGHT. SO WE REALLY WANTED TO LOOK AT THE CORE VALUES OF THE PROGRAM, AND SO WE ASKED PARENTS, WHAT ARE YOUR MAIN GOALS FOR YOUR CHILDREN PARTICIPATING IN THE JUNIOR RANGER PROGRAM? WE ALREADY KNEW GOING INTO THIS THAT THE PARENTS SEE THIS AS A PHENOMENAL PROGRAM.
IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM FOR THEIR KIDS, BUT WE WANTED TO ASK WHAT THE PARENTS' MAIN GOAL FOR THEIR CHILDREN IN THE PROGRAM WAS, AND OF ALL THE ANSWERS, THESE EIGHT THINGS WERE WHAT REALLY RESONATED WITH PEOPLE.
BUILDING COMMUNITY OUTDOORS AND CAMPING SKILLS, FOSTERING A LOVE OF THE ENVIRONMENT, EXERCISE, HAVING FUN IN NATURE, MAKING FRIENDS LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, AND ASSISTING IN PROJECTS THAT BENEFIT THE PARKS.
SO ALL OF THOSE ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO THE PARENTS TO HAVE THEIR CHILDREN EXPERIENCE, AND FOR THE NEXT QUESTION, WE ALSO WANTED TO ASK WHAT IS THE BIGGEST BENEFIT OF REGULARLY ATTENDING THE MEETINGS? AND OVERWHELMINGLY, COMMUNITY BUILDING WAS THE NUMBER ONE THING WITH DEEP FRIENDSHIPS AS A CLOSE SECOND.
THEY ALSO MENTIONED INCREASED COMFORT IN NATURE, OUTDOOR SKILLS AND EXERCISE.
EXCUSE ME. YES? YOU KNOW THAT QUESTION TEN THERE, SEEMS TO ME THERE'S A FLIP SIDE OF IT IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS TO THE PARK DISTRICT AND TO THE COMMUNITY OF HAVING THESE PROGRAMS? I PRESUME THAT WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD GET INTO WHEN YOU'RE JUST SURVEYING THE PEOPLE THAT ARE INVOLVED IN IT.
WE DO HAVE SOME, YOU KNOW, PROS AND CONS OPPORTUNITIES OF HOW WE COULD CHANGE, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF THAT WAS OUTREACHING MORE TO THE COMMUNITY AND DOING MORE PROGRAMS LIKE THIS, BECAUSE OF THAT DEEP APPRECIATION THAT PEOPLE GET FOR THE LAND, FOR THE PARKS AND THE STEWARDSHIP ETHIC THAT IS BEING DEVELOPED WITHIN THESE CHILDREN.
SO THAT DEFINITELY RESONATED THROUGH THE CONVERSATION THAT WE HAD AT THE END OF OUR PROGRAM, AND WE HAVE BEEN TOLD WE HAVE SO MANY, SO MANY DOCUMENTATIONS OF PEOPLE WRITING TO US AND JUST SAYING HOW THIS PROGRAM SHAPED THEIR KIDS AND HOW IT CHANGED THEIR LIVES AND HOW IT CHANGED THEIR FAMILIES.
IT'S A VERY DEEPLY BELOVED AND APPRECIATED PROGRAM FOR SO MANY REASONS, FOR PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, BUILDING PEOPLE THAT ARE INTERESTED IN BECOMING EMPLOYEES FOR THE PARK DISTRICT, FOR EXAMPLE, OR WORKING IN ENVIRONMENTAL FIELDS AND OR JUST HAVING AN APPRECIATION.
YEAH, WELL, THAT'S ONE OF THE OTHER THOUGHTS THAT OCCURRED TO ME LOOKING AT THIS, PARTICULARLY SINCE THE SURVEY ENDED WITH A NEWS ARTICLE ABOUT SEASONAL EMPLOYMENT, AND I JUST WONDERED TO WHAT EXTENT THE JR PROGRAMS AND SOME OF THESE OTHER PROGRAMS ARE FEEDING INTO THOSE SEASONAL EMPLOYEE ARE THEY FEEDING SEASONAL EMPLOYEES INTO THE PARK SYSTEM? THEY ARE. I HAVE ONE RIGHT NOW THAT WORKS FOR ME.
SO HAVE ANY SENSE AS TO HOW MANY OUT OF ALL THE OLDER KIDS, YOU KNOW, ARE--YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW.
[00:40:07]
A LOT, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE KIDS, THEY GO THROUGH THIS PROGRAM AND THEN THEY GO OFF TO COLLEGE AND NOT NECESSARILY IN THIS LOCATION, AND SO I THINK WE LOSE A LOT OF PEOPLE TO THAT YOU KNOW, TO GOING AWAY TO COLLEGES, SOME STAY AND OUR INTERPRETIVE STUDENT AIDES. SO WE'VE HAD SEVERAL THAT HAVE BEEN INTERPRETIVE STUDENT AIDES.THAT REALLY BUILDS A DEEP APPRECIATION FOR THIS PARK DISTRICT AND FOR OTHER PARKS.
I'M SORRY, I CAN'T SEE EVERYBODY'S NAME TAGS.
NO PROBLEM. CASEY FARMER, I WAS WONDERING JUST TO PLANT THE IDEA.
I WONDER IF THAT COULD BE TO THE GREAT IDEA ABOUT KIND OF TRACKING THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT COME FROM OUR STATE WITHIN OUR SYSTEM AFTER GOING THROUGH THE JUNIOR RANGER PROGRAM, IF WE COULD ADD THAT TO AN HR APPLICATION, AS YOUNG PEOPLE ARE APPLYING TO THE SEASONAL PROGRAMS OR FOR FULL TIME JOBS AS WELL.
I WAS WONDERING WHAT YOU MIGHT DO IN A SITUATION WHEN YOU GET MORE THAN THE FIVE SEATS AVAILABLE.
DO YOU HAVE A WAIT LIST? HOW DO YOU DETERMINE WHO GETS IN AND WHO DOESN'T? THAT'S ONE OF THE DIFFICULTIES OF THIS PROGRAM, IS THAT WE HAVE EXTREMELY HIGH DEMAND FOR THOSE SPOTS, AND SO WE DO AN INTERVIEW AND WE HAVE AN APPLICATION AND AN INTERVIEW PROCESS, AND SO WE BRING THE KIDS IN AND JUST REALLY JUDGE, TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHETHER THEY'RE READY TO TAKE ON THIS LEVEL OF COMMITMENT TRYING TO YOU KNOW, SEE IF THEY'RE COMFORTABLE IN NATURE, IF THEY ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY OR IF IT'S SOMETHING THEIR KIDS, THEIR PARENTS ARE FORCING THEM TO DO.
WE JUST DON'T HAVE ENOUGH SPOTS.
WHAT'S THE LEVEL OF DIVERSITY IN THIS GROUP? YOU KNOW, WE HAVE DIVERSITY COMES IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT FORMS. I WOULD SAY THAT IT'S A FAIRLY DIVERSE GROUP.
YOU KNOW, THERE IS A MIXTURE OF RACIAL DIVERSITY, BUT WHERE IT REALLY EXCELS IS THIS IS A VERY OPEN GROUP WITH LIKE GENDER DIVERSITY.
SO A LOT OF THEY, THEM PEOPLE THAT IDENTIFY AS THEY/THEM, TRANS OR IT JUST SEEMS TO BE AN ACCEPTING COMMUNITY FOR THAT, THAT GROUP IN PARTICULAR. HI.
HI. I JUST HAD SOME OVERALL KIND OF JUST COMMENTS ABOUT THE DEMOGRAPHICS AND FOR JUST STARTING WITH THAT IS KIND OF WHO IS THIS PROGRAM REALLY BENEFITING AND I FEEL LIKE WITH THE DEMOGRAPHICS THAT ARE PRESENTED, IT'S DIFFICULT FOR ME TO JUDGE IF IT IS TRULY DIVERSE.
YOU HAVE THE DIFFERENT CITIES, THE CITIES AREN'T REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DIFFERENT WARDS, SO THEY'RE VERY FOCUSED AS FAR AS WITH THE DIFFERENT CITIES THAT ARE AROUND TILDEN PARK, BUT WITHIN IT, I CAN'T TELL BECAUSE IT'S NOT BROKEN DOWN TO THE ZIP CODE.
IF THERE'S TRULY ECONOMIC DIVERSITY, RACIAL CULTURAL DIVERSITY, AND THEN JUST AS FAR AS PEOPLE GETTING INTO THIS PROGRAM, IT'S CONCERNING THAT THE TOP DEMOGRAPHIC IS BY WORD OF MOUTH AND IT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE AN OPEN TYPE OF PROCESS BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT ADVERTISING SO THAT YOU'RE ALREADY KIND OF ON THE PARK SIDE.
THERE COULD BE BIASES JUST IN WHO YOU TELL, WHO YOU'RE INTERACTING, SELF-SELECTION WITH PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY COME UP TO TILDEN PARK. SO JUST AS FAR AS HOW DO YOU REALLY PROVIDE A KIND OF EQUAL ACCESS TO A PROGRAM WHEN IT'S SPREAD WORD THROUGH MOUTH?
[00:45:03]
OTHER ALSO, JUST AS FAR AS LIKE LOOKING AT THESE DEMOGRAPHICS AND KIND OF MENTIONING THOSE KIND OF ELEMENTS THAT I DON'T SEE IS BASICALLY LOOKING AT HOW WE PROVIDE THESE DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES TO THE CHILDREN THAT REPRESENT THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE.SO LESS OF A QUESTION IF THE CHILDREN IN IT ARE HAVING A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE, BUT HOW DO WE KIND OF HAVE A PROGRAM WHERE THERE'S MORE CHILDREN PARTICIPATING THROUGHOUT THE WARDS AND THEN ALSO THE AMOUNT OF YEARS THE CHILDREN ARE IN THE PROGRAM, I THINK CAN BE SEEN AS SUCCESSFUL AND ALSO CONTRARY AS NOT SUCCESSFUL IN THE FACT THAT THERE'S A LIMITED OPPORTUNITY TO ACCESS THIS PROGRAM.
SO THERE'S A CERTAIN GROUP THAT IS BEING ABLE TO BENEFIT THROUGH THIS.
SO THAT I MEAN, IT'S KIND OF THAT DOUBLE EDGE WHERE, YES, IT'S GREAT THEY STAY, BUT AT THE SAME TIME THERE'S LIMITED ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY, AND JUST HOW HOW DO WE PROVIDE MORE OPPORTUNITIES.
SO LOOKING KIND OF AT THAT METRIC AND I THINK SOMEONE HAD MENTIONED IT BEFORE, HOW MANY YEARS THE KIDS ARE KIND OF IN THE PROGRAM, AND THEN AS FAR AS, IS THAT CONNECTED TO A CAREER PATHWAY? BECAUSE IF YOU'RE SPENDING THAT MUCH TIME AND RESOURCES, WHAT TYPE OF CAREER PATHWAYS ARE BUILT INTO THIS PROGRAM AND HOW IS THAT CONNECTED UP WITH THE FUTURE JOB OPPORTUNITIES? SO I THINK THIS IS GREAT THAT YOU THAT THIS STUDY WAS CONDUCTED.
SO I WANT TO KIND OF COMMEND YOU GUYS ON THAT, AND WHAT'S FURTHER IS IT REALLY SHOWS THAT, YOU KNOW, AS A PAC, WHEN PEOPLE COME TO US AND THEY VOICE DIFFERENT CONCERNS THAT WE'RE LISTENING AS A GROUP AND THEN AS A PARK DISTRICT, AND THAT YOU'VE DONE THIS FIRST STUDY.
I THINK IT'S GREAT, AND I THINK AS FAR AS WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS KIND OF MORE ABOUT THAT EVALUATION PROCESS, WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT MEASURES FOR SUCCESS AND HOW ARE WE EVALUATING SUCCESS, BUT THIS IS A GREAT LIKE FIRST STEP AND EVERYTHING.
JUST A COUPLE PEOPLE KIND OF SAID IT, BUT THANK YOU FOR THE INFORMATION.
IT'S OBVIOUSLY A REALLY SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM.
MY ONE CONCERN ON IT WOULD BE IT COULD BE AND I'M NOT SAYING IT IS, BUT IT COULD BE SORT OF A LEGACY PROGRAM, AND SO IS IT REALLY OPEN TO EVERYONE OR EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE VERY YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED PEOPLE ARE OPEN TO DIFFERENT GROUPS, BUT IF SOMEBODY'S NOT IF SOMEBODY'S REALLY DIFFERENT FROM WHO'S ALREADY IN IT, ARE THEY OPEN TO THAT TOO? THAT'S IT. SO THAT WOULD BE MY CONCERN IS IT'S KIND OF A LEGACY PROGRAM, OR IT COULD BE A LEGACY PROGRAM AND REALLY HARD TO GET INTO, BUT IT'S OBVIOUSLY VERY SUCCESSFUL IF THERE'S A WAY TO REPLICATE IT.
MEMBER, I THINK MEMBER LOPEZ WAS NEXT.
THANK YOU. YOU KNOW, JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON THE WORD OF MOUTH AND KIND OF IT BEING AN INSIDER TYPE GROUP WHEN YOU HAVE THE INFORMATION DISPLAYED AND THERE'S THE PUBLIC COMES AND SAYS, WHAT IS THAT PROGRAM ABOUT WHEN YOU HAVE THAT PROGRAM DISPLAYED ANYWHERE ON SITE? IS THAT INFORMATION IN A MULTIPLICITY OF LANGUAGES OR IS IT IN ENGLISH ONLY? I WOULD SAY IT'S WE DON'T HAVE WRITTEN BROCHURES OR SOMETHING THAT WE GIVE OUT.
SO IT'S LITERALLY AT WORD OF MOUTH.
WE DO HAVE SPANISH SPEAKERS AT OUR SITE.
WE'RE BLESSED WITH HAVING TWO OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS AS FLUID SPANISH SPEAKERS.
SO IF A PERSON COMES, DRIVES UP AND SAYS, WHAT'S THAT PROGRAM ABOUT, THERE REALLY ISN'T ANYTHING THAT SAYS THAT THERE'S A PROGRAM? YOU MEAN THERE'S NO BROCHURE? THERE'S NO SIGNAGE SAYING, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE A CHILD WHO WOULD, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THIS PROGRAM OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? WE DON'T.
WE DON'T. SO HOW IS THE APPLICATION PROCESS? IS IT A COMPETITIVE PROCESS OR IT'S JUST YOU'RE IN BECAUSE YOU KNOW SOMEBODY? I'M NOT SURE HOW. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THAT WORKS.
YEAH. THANKS FOR THAT QUESTION, MEMBER LOPEZ, THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE GETTING AT.
A LOT OF THESE THINGS HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE WAY IT'S BEEN DONE SINCE 1947.
[00:50:03]
WE AND BECAUSE THE WORD OF MOUTH HAS BEEN THE WAY IT'S BEEN DOING, THE LAST THING WE WANT TO DO IS ADVERTISE THE PROGRAM OR TELL FOLKS IT'S AVAILABLE WHEN IT'S NOT.SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FOLKS TO PARTICIPATE.
THAT'S WHY WE SET UP THINGS LIKE RICHMOND RANGERS AND OAKLAND NATURALISTS, AND WHILE WE'RE EXPLORING OTHER OPPORTUNITIES BECAUSE WE SEE THE SUCCESSES THERE, BUT WE'RE ALSO SEEING SOME OF THE DRAWBACKS, SOME LIMITATIONS THAT YOU SPOKE OF, VICE CHAIR ESPANA, A LOT OF GREAT SUCCESS, BUT THAT NECESSARILY EXCLUDES SOME OF THE POTENTIAL SUCCESSES THAT WE CAN'T HAVE BECAUSE OF THE STRUCTURE OF THE PROGRAM.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE GOING THROUGH THIS WHOLE PROCESS, AND IT JUST IT WOULD BE DISINGENUOUS TO GIVE FOLKS A BROCHURE ABOUT BECOMING A TILDEN JUNIOR RANGER, WHEN WE KNOW THERE MIGHT ONLY BE, YOU KNOW, ONE SPOT LEFT OR DURING THE PANDEMIC, THERE WERE NO SPOTS AVAILABLE BECAUSE WE WEREN'T BRINGING IN NEW PEOPLE.
SO YOU ARE, BY YOUR QUESTIONS, YOU ARE UNDERSTANDING EXACTLY THE KIND OF EXPLORATION WE'RE GOING THROUGH TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT AND ADDRESS THESE VERY ISSUES, BECAUSE THE EQUITABLE USE OF OUR RESOURCES FOR ALL FOLKS IN THE EAST BAY AND BEYOND IS REALLY OUR MAJOR GOAL HERE.
HOW DO WE GO ABOUT DOING THAT WHILE MAINTAINING THE VALUE OF THE PROGRAM? THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH.
THANK YOU. DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION, MEMBER PEOPLES, OR? WELL, I THINK IT'S MORE OF A COMMENT.
I MEAN, WE'RE ASKING A LOT OF DIFFICULT QUESTIONS THAT ARISE FROM THE SURVEY, BUT I THINK, I HAVE A SENSE ANYWAYS, AND I CAN BE CORRECTED, BUT THE, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE GROUP IS VERY SUPPORTIVE OF DOING THESE SORTS OF THINGS, BUT THEY NEED TO LOOK AT THE BIGGER PICTURE OF ACCESSIBILITY TO, TO ALL PEOPLE AND, AND SO FORTH.
I, I SUSPECT AS MUCH AS YOU NEED GROUPS TO ESTABLISH SOME OF THESE NEW NEW GROUPS, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE RICHMOND RANGERS AND THE OAKLAND NATURALISTS AND SO FORTH, AND NOW IN EAST CONTRA COSTA.
THE DOWNSIDE OF THAT IS THAT MEMBERS OF THOSE GROUPS ARE GOING TO WANT TO HAVE THEIR CHILDREN PARTICIPATE IN THIS AND, AND MAY HAVE AN EDGE OVER OTHER PEOPLE JOINING IT. SO, I MEAN, IT'S A TWO-EDGED SWORD IN THAT INSTANCE.
WELL, I THINK LET'S TRY AND FINISH THE PRESENTATION, AND THEN WE CAN TAKE QUESTIONS FROM ALL MEMBERS OF THE PAC, AND THEN AND I FEEL LIKE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THERE ARE QUESTIONS ABOUT NOW MAY BE ANSWERED IN THE REMAINDER OF THE PRESENTATION.
ALL RIGHT, SO FOR QUESTION TEN WE ASKED WHAT'S THE BIGGEST BENEFIT OF REGULARLY ATTENDING THE MEETINGS AND I BELIEVE I SAID ALREADY COMMUNITY BUILDING AND DEEP FRIENDSHIPS ARE WERE THE TWO THINGS THAT WERE MOST IMPORTANT FOR THEIR FOR THEIR KIDS TO ESTABLISH W ITH REGULAR ATTENDANCE.
FOR QUESTION NINE, WE ASKED WHAT THE BARRIERS TO ATTENDANCE WERE.
SO JUST AS A HEADS UP WITH OUR AIDE PROGRAM, WE DON'T ALLOW THE AIDES TO COME EVERY MONTH THEY ARE ON ABOUT AND EVERY OTHER MONTH SCHEDULE TO KEEP OUR NUMBERS DOWN.
SO WHILE THE JUNIOR RANGERS UP TO AGE 12 CAN COME EVERY SATURDAY, THE AIDES ARE ASSIGNED A MONTH WHERE THEN THEY ARE ASSIGNED TO COME AND THEY ARE HELPERS FOR THE PROGRAM AND THEY HELP LEAD THAT PROGRAM FOR US.
SO ON ANY GIVEN SATURDAY, WE CAN HAVE UP TO ABOUT 40 PEOPLE, BUT WE AVERAGE 23, AND ALTHOUGH MOST STATED THAT THERE ARE NO BARRIERS AT ALL TO ATTENDANCE SOME DID STATE THAT TRANSPORTATION ILLNESS AND CONFLICTS WITH SCHOOL OR SPORTS ACTIVITIES WERE BARRIERS, AND THEN IN THIS PINK SECTION, THE COMMENTS THAT WERE EXPRESSED, THERE WERE MOSTLY EXPRESSING FRUSTRATIONS THAT THE JUNIOR RANGER AIDES CAN ONLY ATTEND DESIGNATED MONTHS AND NOT EVERY MONTH.
[00:55:05]
AND FAMILY, AS WELL AS SOME CONCERN ABOUT THE PHYSICAL HIKES THEMSELVES OR ABOUT SLEEPING AWAY.AGAIN, IT'S THERE EVERY OTHER MONTH OR SO.
LAST YEAR WE AVERAGED 21 PEOPLE PER CAMPOUT, WHICH REQUIRED FOUR STAFF MEMBERS TO MANAGE PER OUR AMERICAN CAMPING ASSOCIATION RECOMMENDATIONS, WHICH WE'RE FOLLOWING FOR DETERMINING HOW MUCH STAFFING TO HAVE ON THESE TRIPS.
WE THEN ASKED ABOUT OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES AND WHAT THEIR FAMILIES ARE ENJOYING OUTSIDE OF JUNIOR RANGERS, AND FOR THE MOST PART, THESE ARE ACTIVE FAMILIES.
WE DID HAVE ONE PERSON EXPRESSED THAT THEY DID NOT DO ANY OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES AS A FAMILY.
IN ALL OF THE ACTIVITY THAT THEIR CHILD WAS GETTING WAS THROUGH THE JUNIOR RANGER PROGRAM.
SO I'M PARTICULARLY HAPPY TO BE SERVING THAT CHILD.
ALL RIGHT. NEXT WE LOOKED AT THE SCHEDULE AND WE WANTED TO SEE IF THE CURRENT SCHEDULE IS WORKING BEST FOR EVERYONE AND SEE IF THERE ARE ANY OPPORTUNITIES TO CHANGE THE SCHEDULE IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE OTHER GROUPS OR DISTRICT INITIATIVES.
SO QUESTION SEVEN WONDERED HOW CHANGING THE MEETING LENGTH WOULD AFFECT FAMILIES, AND ALTHOUGH 90% SAID THAT THEY LIKED THE SCHEDULE AS IT WAS, ROUGHLY HALF SAID THAT MEETINGS TWO TIMES PER MONTH WOULD WORK GREAT OR OKAY.
HOWEVER, THAT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE A VIABLE OPTION FOR THE OTHER 80%.
THAT SAID THAT IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT.
WE ALSO WANTED TO ASK WHAT IS BEST ABOUT THE JUNIOR RANGER JUNIOR RANGER AIDES PROGRAM? AND THIS IS JUST ONE QUOTE THAT CAME OUT OF MANY, MANY THAT WERE SAID IN THIS SURVEY, BUT IT'S AN AMAZING PROGRAM THAT BRINGS KIDS TOGETHER TO LEARN ABOUT THEIR LOCAL ENVIRONMENT AND BECOME FUTURE LEADERS, AND I REALLY AGREE.
I THINK IT'S THAT'S WHAT THIS PROGRAM DOES.
OTHER THINGS THAT PEOPLE SAID THAT THEY REALLY APPRECIATED ABOUT THE PROGRAM IS THAT IT'S INCLUSIVE, NON-GENDERED AND SUPPORTIVE REGULAR OUTDOORS ACTIVITY.
IT HELPS KIDS BUILD AN APPRECIATION FOR NATURE.
THEN WE ALSO ASKED ABOUT WHAT THEY WOULD CHANGE ABOUT THE PROGRAM.
WHAT ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT.
YOU KNOW, THAT WE COULD USE IN ORDER TO MODIFY THE PROGRAM OR ADAPT THE PROGRAM TO BETTER SERVE THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY, AND IF YOU SEE I'VE HIGHLIGHTED OUTREACH MORE AND EXPAND 17.
THE NUMBERS ON THE SIDE ARE THE ACTUAL AMOUNT OF NUMBERS OF PEOPLE THAT DID THE SURVEY THAT ANSWERED THAT IN THAT WAY. SO 17 PEOPLE OF THE IN THE SURVEYS SAID THAT OUTREACH MORE AND EXPAND THE PROGRAM IS YOU KNOW, VERY IMPORTANT ALLOWING AIDES TO ATTEND EACH MONTH WAS ANOTHER BIG ONE, MORE STRUCTURED EDUCATION WITHIN THE PROGRAM AND MORE MENTORING OF AIDES. THOSE WERE SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS, AND FINALLY
[01:00:07]
WE ENDED WITH A DISCUSSION WITH THE FAMILIES, AND WE ASKED IF THERE WAS ANY OTHER INFORMATION THEY WANTED TO SHARE WITH US, AND IT LED TO SOME REALLY GREAT CONVERSATIONS.HIGHLIGHTS OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS WERE THAT THE FAMILIES STRONGLY VOICED THE DESIRE TO HAVE BETTER COMMUNICATION AND TRANSPARENCY IN THE PROCESS OF ANY CHANGES TO THE PROGRAM.
PEOPLE APPRECIATED AND UNDERSTOOD OUR EXPLANATION AND APOLOGY FOR THE DIFFICULT COMMUNICATIONS THAT WE HAD HAD, BECAUSE WE HAD HAD SOME MISCOMMUNICATIONS OR LACK OF COMMUNICATION.
MANY ENTHUSIASTICALLY EXPRESSED WILLINGNESS TO HELP WITH THE PROGRAM IN THE FORM OF VOLUNTEERING, BEING A DOCENT, FUNDRAISING, DOING WHATEVER THEY COULD.
THEY EXPRESSED THE IMPORTANCE TO BE INVOLVED IN PLANNING FOR ANY PROGRAM CHANGES OR ADAPTATIONS, AND SHARED MANY GOOD IDEAS OF HOW WE COULD DO THAT. PEOPLE UNDERSTOOD THE PROGRAM TO THAT THE PROGRAM IS IMMENSELY RESOURCE INTENSIVE AND EXPRESSED WILLINGNESS TO ASSIST WITH FUNDRAISING.
WE EMPHASIZE THAT FUNDRAISING IS NOT THE SOLE CONCERN, BUT ALSO ITS STAFF TIME AND MISSED SERVICE TO THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY, AND YEAH, AND THEN ALSO BEING ABLE TO STRIVE TO ACHIEVE THE DISTRICT I&R MISSION AND GOALS.
PEOPLE UNDERSTOOD AND EXPRESSED APPRECIATION FOR INCREASED STAFF ON THE OVERNIGHTS.
WE'VE ALSO INCREASED OUR REQUIREMENTS FOR FIRST AIDE TRAINING FOR STAFF THAT ARE GOING ON THESE OVERNIGHT TRIPS. PEOPLE EXPRESSED A DESIRE FOR EXPANDING THIS TYPE OF PROGRAM TO THE BROADER COMMUNITY.
SO WITH ALL THAT SAID, WE ENDED THE WE ENDED THE PROGRAM, THANKED EVERYBODY FOR COMING AND LET THEM KNOW THAT WE'D BE USING THE SURVEY RESULTS TO DETERMINE WHAT THE CORE VALUES OF THE PROGRAM WERE AND SO THAT WE CAN MAINTAIN THOSE CORE VALUES IN ANY ITERATION OF THE PROGRAM GOING FORWARD, RIGHT? WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO LOSE THE ESSENCE OF THE JUNIOR RANGER PROGRAM.
GREAT. THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
IT'S CLEARLY A BELOVED PROGRAM, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A NICE SORT OF CASE STUDY THAT ILLUSTRATES THIS DIFFICULT TRADE OFF BETWEEN HAVING SOMETHING THAT IS, YOU KNOW, SO WONDERFUL AS A PRODUCT OF THE TIME AND THE RESOURCES THAT GO INTO IT, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, DIFFICULT BECAUSE HOW DO WE EXTEND THAT TO A LARGER USER GROUP? AND SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS FROM THE PAC, YOU KNOW, HAVE BEEN AROUND THAT ISSUE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE NOW OPEN THE DOORS TO MORE THAN JUST FIVE KIDS A YEAR, RIGHT, FOR THESE PROGRAMS? AND SO I'M REALLY GLAD TO HEAR THAT THERE ARE THESE OTHER PROGRAMS THAT ARE OPENING IN DIFFERENT PLACES, AND HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, WE'LL HEAR A REPORT IN THE FUTURE ABOUT HOW THOSE ARE GOING AND THAT THEY'RE GOING WONDERFULLY, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE ADDING MORE OF THEM IN OTHER PLACES AND SO LET'S TURN BACK TO QUESTIONS FROM THE PAC, AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I HEARD I THINK MEMBER DESCHAMBAULT WAS TRYING TO GET IN.
SO DO YOU MEMBER DESCHAMBAULT, ARE YOU STILL THERE? DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? YES, I AM STILL HERE.
THANK YOU. I'M KIND OF GLAD WE HAD A SHORT AGENDA AND TIME TO TALK ABOUT THIS.
I HAVE A COMMENT AND A QUESTION, BUT I COMMEND STAFF.
FOR ME, EDUCATION IS NUMBER ONE, AND SO TIME TO TALK ABOUT THIS.
WE WILL LOVE WHAT WE UNDERSTAND, AND WE WILL UNDERSTAND ONLY WHAT WE ARE TAUGHT.
SO MY QUESTION IS, I DIDN'T SEE SCIENCE AS ONE OF THE REASONS OR BENEFITS OR CORE VALUES TO GO ALONG WITH YOU KNOW, FOSTERING LOVE AND COMMUNITY AND A SAFE PLACE OUTDOOR SKILLS AND ALL OF THAT.
SO I'M, I HAVE A QUESTION BECAUSE I I'LL SHARE QUICKLY A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.
[01:05:01]
IT WAS AN EIGHTH GRADE OUTING TEACHING EXPERIENCE THAT GOT ME TO WHERE I AM TODAY, AND AFTER 38 YEARS WORKING AT THE USEPA AND IN SCIENCE, I FEEL PRETTY STRONGLY ABOUT THAT.SO I WONDER HOW--THAT'S ONE QUESTION--HOW THAT'S WOVEN IN, PARTICULARLY CLIMATE SCIENCE, AND I DO COMMEND ALL THE COMMENTS ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY, DIVERSITY, SPANISH SPEAKERS, BUT I ALSO WAS KIND OF WONDERING A BIT MORE ABOUT HOW YOU COORDINATE WITH OTHER GROUPS.
I DO OUTINGS FOR THE SIERRA CLUB, FOR INSTANCE WITH IT USED TO BE CALLED INNER CITY OUTINGS, BUT ARE YOU COORDINATING IN ANY WAY THERE'S OTHER OPPORTUNITY TO EITHER USE THEIR, YOU KNOW, THEIR CURRICULUM OR THEIR IDEAS OR THEIR OUTREACH AVENUES.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS INTERESTING TOPIC AND HAPPY TO COME, DOCENT SOMETIME.
WE DO DO A GREAT DEAL OF EDUCATION.
THIS PAST SATURDAY, FOR EXAMPLE, IT WAS ALL ABOUT TICKS ARE ARACHNIDS TOO.
SO WE, YOU KNOW, WE WORK IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION, THE STEWARDSHIP OF THE LAND WHICH PLAYS INTO CLIMATE CHANGE AND SUSTAINING OUR ENVIRONMENT FOR FOREVER, AND IT'S.
I THINK THAT JUST IN THE NATURE OF BEING OUT, ASKING QUESTIONS, BEING CURIOUS AND EXPLORING, YOU GET A LOT OF SCIENCE IN THAT MODEL.
SO WE DON'T HAVE NECESSARILY SET CURRICULUM THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING, BUT WE ARE DEFINITELY TEACHING BIRDING AS WE GO. WE'RE DIVING INTO THE CREEKS AND PONDS AND EXPLORING THINGS UNDER MICROSCOPES, AND WE'RE YOU KNOW, THERE'S A HEAVY, HEAVY SCIENCE PARCEL OF THIS PROGRAM.
THANK YOU, AND I GUESS YOU KIND OF ANSWERED WITH THE CURRICULUM.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. MEMBER DIETER.
YES, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE SAID TODAY WERE ALSO BROUGHT UP AT THE LAST PRESENTATION.
WE ALL HAD THE SAME OBSERVATIONS, AND NOW THAT YOU'VE DONE THE QUESTIONNAIRE WITH THE ACTUAL PARTICIPANTS, I'M WONDERING WHAT YOUR NEXT STEP IS.
OKAY. THAT'S THE BIG QUESTION, AND WE'RE TAKING WE'RE STILL FINISHING UP OUR DATA GATHERING RIGHT NOW AND WE ARE MULLING ALL THAT OVER.
SO ALL THAT GETS TOSSED INTO THE TILL TO FORMULATE ANY CHANGES IF AND WHEN WE WANT TO CONDUCT THOSE CHANGES WORKING WITH THE FAMILIES TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE GREAT COMMUNICATION WITH THEM.
SO OUR NEXT STEPS ARE TO TAKE A LITTLE MORE ASSESSMENT TIME, COME UP WITH DIFFERENT IDEAS IN HOUSE, FIGURE OUT WHAT, IF ANYTHING, WE DO WANT TO PROPOSE AND THEN GO TO NOT JUST IN STAFF, BUT GO TO RICHMOND RANGER FAMILIES IN RICHMOND.
I'M SORRY, THE JUNIOR RANGER FAMILIES AND DISCUSS THE BEST WAYS TO DO THAT.
RIGHT. I THINK SPECIFICALLY I WAS CURIOUS BECAUSE SINCE A LOT OF US ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THOSE WHO ARE NOT PART OF THE INSIDE CROWD DO YOU HAVE ANY GOALS IN WHICH TO COMBAT THAT ISSUE, OR IS IT IS THERE ANYTHING THAT STANDS OUT FOR YOU THAT YOU WANT TO PUT AT THE FOREFRONT WHEN YOU GO TO THE BOARD, PERHAPS.
RIGHT, SO THE MAJOR THING FOR US THROUGHOUT I&R IS, I DON'T WANT TO BELABOR THIS, BUT THE IDEA IS THAT WE WANT TO REACH AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE AND SO WE LOOK AT A PLACE LIKE JUNIOR RANGERS, WE WANT TO KEEP THE VALUES OF THAT PROGRAM.
SO INSTEAD OF GOING THAT ROUTE, WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO IS OPEN UP THAT TYPE OF A PROGRAM AROUND THE COMMUNITY, AS WE HAVE DONE WITH RICHMOND RANGERS AND THE ONE AND PEOPLE WHO CARE AND OAKLAND NATURALISTS AND DEVISING THAT.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO.
WHERE DO WE GET THE RESOURCES TO DO THAT? SO WE HAVE TO LOOK NOT ONLY AT WHAT WE MIGHT GET IN THE FUTURE TO EXPAND OUR RESOURCES, BUT ALSO WHAT'S THE BETTER WAY TO USE OUR PRESENT RESOURCES.
NOW, DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? KIND OF. KIND OF.
I JUST DIDN'T KNOW AT FIRST BLUSH WHAT YOU'VE COME UP WITH TO BE THE TOP, IS IT TO TRY TO GET MORE RESOURCES? I MEAN, DO YOU HAVE ANY ANALYSIS OF WHAT DIRECTION YOU'RE GOING? WE DO AND WE ARE TAKING WE'RE THAT ANALYSIS, THAT GUIDANCE TO FIGURE OUT, OKAY, WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO TO ACTUALLY MAKE THIS WORK?
[01:10:08]
AND AS WE LEARNED AT THE MEETING ON FEBRUARY 4TH, THERE WERE A LOT OF NEW RESOURCES THAT WE DIDN'T KNOW EXISTED AT THAT TIME FROM THE JUNIOR RANGER FAMILIES THEMSELVES, AND SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR THOSE RESOURCES NOT JUST TO COME FROM THE PARK DISTRICT AND THE GENEROSITY OF THE TAXPAYERS, BUT WHAT HOW CAN WE LEVERAGE THESE DIFFERENT COMMUNITY GROUPS AND PEOPLE WHO ALREADY HAVE BUY IN TO THE PROGRAM THAT MAY KEEP THE JR PROGRAM AS VALUABLE AS IT IS, MAYBE NOT IN THE SAME FORM, BUT KEEP THOSE VALUES WHILE IT ALLOWS US TO ATTRACT OR CONNECT WITH OTHER RESOURCES.ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT STARTING OFF WITH ESTABLISHED GROUPS IS THAT THEY ALREADY HAVE RELATIONSHIPS ESTABLISHED WITH THEIR COMMUNITY, AND SO WE CAN COME IN AND INSTEAD OF BESTOWING UPON THEM, THIS IS A CARBON COPY OF JUNIOR RANGERS OR A RICHMOND RANGERS.
ARE YOU IN OR ARE YOU OUT? THEY KNOW WHAT THEIR COMMUNITY IS GOING TO WANT TO DO, AND SO WE'RE MUCH MORE ADAPTABLE WITH THE PROGRAM AND THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE STAFF PEOPLE THAT RUN THAT.
THAT'S ANOTHER RESOURCE THAT WE CAN COUNT ON THEM TO RUN PART OF THE PROGRAM.
YEAH, AGAIN I'M BUILDING ON WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THERE.
IT STRIKES ME THAT THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY HERE.
THE DISTRICT HAS LIMITED RESOURCES TO DO TO DO ANYTHING, AND WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO LOOK AT IS HOW YOU CAN BEST LEVERAGE THOSE RESOURCES TO INCREASE THE SCOPE AND THE GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF THESE BUT THERE ARE ALSO A LOT OF OTHER GROUPS OUT THERE THAT HAVE BEEN MENTIONED, NOT NOT MENTIONED AS THE GIRL AND BOY SCOUTS, AND PERHAPS THE DISTRICT HAS A LAND BASE OF NATURAL AREAS THAT COULD BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THESE FOLKS, BUT ALSO YOU KNOW, INVITE THEM TO CREATE PROGRAMS MIMICKING THE CORE VALUES THAT YOU HAVE IN THE JUNIOR RANGERS, AND PROVIDE THEM WITH IDEAS ON CURRICULUM AND ACTIVITIES THAT THEY CAN UNDERTAKE, AND IT MIGHT BE A WAY TO LEVERAGE THE LIMITED RESOURCES, STAFF, RESOURCES YOU HAVE, BUT BRING TOGETHER A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE AND HAVE THIS OCCUR THROUGHOUT THE EAST BAY.
MEMBER SKAREDOFF, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? IT STRIKES ME THAT YOU'RE KIND OF A VICTIM OF YOUR SUCCESS HERE.
IT'S THAT YOU'RE A VERY GREAT PROGRAM, AND WE WANT TO MAKE IT MORE EQUITABLE, AND WE WANT TO MAKE IT MORE OF A WIDESPREAD EFFECT, AND YET, PROBABLY ONE OF THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO IT BEING SUCH A BELOVED PROGRAM IS YOUR PROCESS YOU GO THROUGH ON WHO YOU BRING IN.
YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU'D HAVE AN INTERVIEW PROCESS WITH THE PROSPECTIVE RANGERS.
I WAS WONDERING CAN YOU GIVE US A SENSE OF WHAT KIND OF EXPLORATION I GUESS YOU DO WITH WITH THE APPLICANT TO MAKE A DECISION WHETHER YOU'RE GOING TO ACCEPT THEM OR NOT.
YEAH. SO IT'S REALLY WE WANT TO MAKE THE KIDS.
THESE ARE YOUNG KIDS, RIGHT? SO YOU YOU CAN'T, YOU KNOW, ASK SO MANY DIFFICULT QUESTIONS.
IT'S REALLY JUST CHATTING WITH THE KIDS, AND SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY, YOU ONLY GET FIVE KIDS A YEAR.
WELL, OBVIOUSLY, YOU'RE GOING TO TELL SOME OF THEM.
HOW DO YOU DECIDE? WE HAVE TO WE TURN AWAY FAR MORE THAN WE DO, AND JUST FOR THE RECORD FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, BEFORE I WAS YOU KNOW, RUNNING THE PROGRAM, THEY HAD DONE OPEN RECRUITMENT FOR THIS PROGRAM AND RECEIVED HUNDREDS OF APPLICANTS THAT THEN THEY HAD TO TURN ALL OF THOSE HUNDREDS AWAY, AND SO THAT IS THE REASON THAT WE'RE NOT DOING IT IN THAT FORM RIGHT NOW.
HOWEVER YEAH, IT'S A CONUNDRUM BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO GIVE PREFERENCE TO THE SIBLINGS WHO KNOW THE PROGRAM AND MAY KNOW HOW TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BETTER THAN OTHER KIDS.
RIGHT. SO WE REALLY TRY TO BE OPEN ABOUT IT AND, YOU KNOW, ASK, YOU KNOW, DO YOU LIKE TO GO FOR A WALK IN THE WOODS?
[01:15:02]
WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO WITH YOUR TIME? ARE YOU HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT THIS PROGRAM? YOU KNOW, IF WE TELL YOU ABOUT IT, DOES THAT SOUND FUN TO YOU OR DOES IT NOT SOUND FUN TO YOU? WHAT IF A KID TELLS YOU HE LIKES TO KILL ZOMBIES,? [CHUCKLING] THAT'S PROBABLY NOT A POINT IN THEIR FAVOR.WE WOULD ASK THEM, IS IT ON TV? [CHUCKLING] YOU KNOW SO, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S ALSO WE DON'T WANT JUST THE KIDS THAT ARE ALREADY EXPOSED TO CAMPING AND HIKING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR THOSE KIDS THAT WE CAN BRING IN TO THAT EXPERIENCE.
RIGHT, AND THERE ISN'T ANY HARD, FAST RULE OF HOW WE CONNECT WITH INDIVIDUALS AND ACCEPT THEM INTO THE PROGRAM, BUT WE REALLY WE TRY TO OUTREACH, WE TRY TO ENGAGE THOSE THAT WE PARTICULARLY FEEL LIKE COULD USE A LITTLE ENGAGEMENT.
WE HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT ARE ON THE SPECTRUM.
WE FEEL LIKE IT'S A HEALTHY YOU KNOW, EXPERIENCE FOR THEM TO BE IN A LITTLE BIT MORE OPEN SETTING.
OUR STAFF IS VERY ACCOMMODATING TO ALL KINDS OF SPECIAL NEEDS, AND I WOULD SAY IT'S A VERY DIVERSE PROGRAM OVERALL AS FAR AS DIFFERENT TYPES OF CHILDREN IN THE PROGRAM, AND WE LOOK FOR THAT.
WE ALSO PICK CERTAIN AGES, TO BE HONEST.
SO LIKE IF WE HAVE A 11 YEAR OLD THAT LEFT THE PROGRAM, WE'RE GOING TO LOOK TO REPLACE THAT CHILD WITH ANOTHER 11 YEAR OLD RATHER THAN AN EIGHT YEAR OLD, JUST TO KEEP OUR BALANCE OF TEENS TO YOUNGER PEOPLE IN A SOMEWHAT GOOD RATIO.
IT DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK THAT WAY, BUT WE DO CONSIDER THAT.
YOU HAVE A LOT OF CRITERIA RIGHT. I GUESS CAN YOU USE THE MICROPHONE, PLEASE? HOW ARE YOU GOING TO KEEP THAT BALANCE? BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO SPEND AS MUCH INDIVIDUAL.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO SPEND AS MUCH INDIVIDUAL TIME IF IT IS MORE KIDS.
HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN THIS QUALITY THAT YOU'RE STRIVING FOR? I DON'T SEE GROWING THE PROGRAM IN THE FORM THAT IT IS IN.
I JUST DON'T HAVE ENOUGH STAFF TO ACCOMMODATE THAT MANY CHILDREN IN A BACKPACKING OUTDOOR SETTING.
SO THE OTHER OPTION THEN IS TO DO THESE ADVENTURE CREW PROGRAMS LIKE WE STARTED IN RICHMOND.
SO WE WORKED WITH THE COMMUNITY AND STARTED A PROGRAM THAT IS VERY SIMILAR THAT OFFERS THAT EXPERIENCE TO THAT COMMUNITY, AND THAT MODEL IS A VERY GOOD MODEL, I THINK, BECAUSE IT BRINGS IN A PARTNER, AND THAT PARTNER PROVIDES STAFFING FOR THE TRIPS AND ACTIVITIES.
SO WHERE, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN WE DO A CAMPING TRIP, WE REQUIRE FOUR EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK STAFF TO DO A CAMPING TRIP FOR OUR JUNIOR RANGERS.
SO IT'S A WAY THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, LEVERAGE, SERVE MORE WITH WITH LESS DISTRICT RESOURCE.
YEAH. I'M SORRY. VICE CHAIR ESPANA.
YES, SO I HAVE A COMMENT AND A QUESTION.
SO AS FAR AS I UNDERSTAND, YOU'RE MENTIONING DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT ALL USE THE WORD RANGERS, BUT THEY'RE NOT ALL RANGER PROGRAMS. SO AS FAR AS THE RICHMOND RANGERS ARE PROVIDING THIS MORE ACTION ADVENTURE OUT, IF IT'S NOT PROVIDING ACCESS TO DIFFERENT CAREER PATHWAYS IN A SIMILAR WAY THAT THE JUNIOR RANGERS IS, THEY'RE NOT EQUAL.
SO, I MEAN, YES, EXPOSURE MEETING THAT NEED IS GREAT, BUT IF WE'RE NOT BUILDING OUT CAREER PATHWAYS TO. SO THIS DIFFERENT TARGETED COMMUNITY IS GETTING ACCESS, THAT'S STILL AN ISSUE.
[01:20:04]
I MENTIONED DIFFERENT RACIAL, ECONOMIC ABILITIES, ALL OF THAT.SO THAT DATA IS NOT HERE, AND ANECDOTALLY YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT IT'S DIVERSE, BUT I THINK OUR DEFINITIONS OF WHAT IS DIVERSE WHEN YOU WALK IN A ROOM IS PROBABLY DIFFERENT.
SO WHAT STEPS ARE YOU GOING TO TAKE TO GET THAT INFORMATION, SO YOU CAN MAKE AN ACCURATE JUDGMENT ABOUT HOW DIVERSE THIS IS AND WHAT POPULATIONS WE'RE SERVING? BECAUSE THAT'S AND THEN FROM THAT, THAT WOULD GIVE A LITTLE EVEN MORE INSIGHT ON WHY YOU MIGHT BE TARGETING OTHER COMMUNITIES, AND EVEN THAT SAME NOT JUST THIS PROGRAM, BUT I MEAN, ALL THE PROGRAMS SHOULD HAVE THAT DIVERSITY TYPE DATA.
SO HOW ARE WE GOING TO POOL THAT? YEAH, I'M GOING TO STEP IN.
GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS LISA GOORJIAN.
I'M THE ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER OF OPERATIONS.
SO THEY ARE HELPING US EVALUATE THE PROGRAM INFORMATION.
SO UNDERSTANDING A DEEPER DIVE IN THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THIS PROGRAM AND THEN THE OTHER PROGRAMS THAT HAVE BEEN SHARED WILL WILL BE PART OF THAT, AND SO WE'LL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING THAT LATER ON THIS YEAR.
SO SO CERTAINLY THAT'S A GREAT I'M GLAD YOU'RE FLAGGING THAT.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE DOING THE I THINK THE I JUST WANTED TO AGAIN ZOOM OUT AND I THINK PAC MEMBER IRENE DIETER MENTIONED ABOUT GOING TO THE BOARD, AND SO I DID WANT TO JUST MENTION THIS IS ONE OF OUR PROGRAMS IN OUR RECREATION, INTERPRETATION AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, AND UNLIKE WHEN YOU'RE BUILDING SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE GO TO THE BOARD FOR APPROVAL.
THESE ARE REALLY, YOU KNOW, OUR PROGRAMS ARE REALLY MORE DONE AT AN ADMINISTRATIVE LEVEL.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING WHERE, YOU KNOW, STAFF, THE YOU KNOW, WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR GENERAL MANAGER.
WE'RE WORKING THROUGH OUR BOARD, THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS TO, YOU KNOW, FOR STAFFING PURPOSES OR SUPPLY PURPOSES, BUT REALLY UNDERSTANDING THE PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE DELIVERING TO MEET THE COMMUNITY NEEDS, THOSE THOSE COME TO US IN SORT OF DIFFERENT WAYS AND ONE OF THE I'M GOING TO NOW SORT OF TIE IT, YOU GUYS GOT A PRESENTATION ABOUT THE SECOND CENTURY PLAN, AND THAT'S REALLY, I THINK, AN OPPORTUNITY WE WANT TO TAKE TO REALLY SOLICIT FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT WHAT PROGRAMMING NEEDS REALLY ARE RESONATING AND WHAT PEOPLE WANT, AND SO THAT CAN GIVE US A GOOD SENSE OF MOVING FORWARD.
YOU KNOW, THE CHALLENGE WITH THIS PROGRAM IS, AS YOU'VE HEARD MANY TIMES, IT'S A LEGACY PROGRAM AND, AND IT'S KIND OF OUT OF ALIGNMENT WITH HOW WE DELIVER ALL OF OUR OTHER PROGRAMS, AND SO EVEN AS WE TRY TO MOVE SLOWLY TO ALIGN IT WITH OTHER PROGRAMS. YOU HEARD LAST SUMMER A LOT OF CONCERN FROM THE FROM THE FOLKS WHO ARE CURRENT PARTICIPANTS, THOSE FAMILIES, AND SO WE REALLY TRIED TO TAKE A STEP BACK HAVE A MORE PROCESS-BASED JOURNEY TO ASSESS WHAT THAT WHAT OUR SITUATION WITH ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS ARE FOR THESE DEEP ENGAGEMENT AND LONGITUDINAL PROGRAMS, AND SO THAT WE'RE ON THAT WE'RE ON THAT TRAJECTORY RIGHT NOW.
AGAIN, YOU SAID WHAT'S THE NEXT STEPS? AND I THINK THE NEXT STEPS RIGHT NOW ARE FOR US TO COMPILE THE INFORMATION WE'VE RECEIVED, ALIGN IT WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING. THERE MAY BE REACHING BACK OUT TO THE FAMILIES WHO ARE PARTICIPATING TO TRY TO, YOU KNOW, SHARE WITH THEM WHAT WE'VE LEARNED AND THEN WORK WITH OUR LEADERSHIP, PROBABLY WORK WITH OUR GENERAL MANAGER AND THE BOARD.
JUST BECAUSE THIS, THIS THIS PROGRAM IS A LEGACY.
SO IT IT IT GETS TREATED A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY, WHICH IS I'M JUST BEING VERY CANDID.
[01:25:04]
FROM THE BOARD FOR A SECOND CENTURY PLAN TO REALLY GUIDE US AND PROVIDE SOME PARAMETERS ABOUT WHAT KIND OF OUTDOOR EDUCATION AND RECREATION THAT IS, WE WANT TO PROVIDE TO THE COMMUNITY THAT'S IN RESPONSE TO THE COMMUNITY.I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE THE COMMENTS WE'VE HEARD TODAY ARE REALLY HELPFUL BECAUSE I THINK THEY'RE REALLY RESPONDING TO THE INFORMATION THAT WE'VE LEARNED, AND SO IT'S REALLY GOOD FOR US BECAUSE THAT'S WHY WE WANTED TO COME TO YOU TODAY.
ALSO, YOU ASKED US TO, BUT YOU KNOW, IT IS; IT'S REALLY, YOU KNOW, KIND OF PART OF THIS.
I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE LEARNED IS THAT PROCESS IS VERY IMPORTANT, AND WE WANTED TO HAVE A VERY TRANSPARENT PROCESS ESPECIALLY AS WE'RE CONSIDERING THESE PROGRAMS. SO, YEAH, IF I MAY.
WHAT ARE THE NEXT POSSIBLE STEPS USING AN ENVIRONMENTAL A PARK AVENUE AND THAT ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF WORKING WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS IS THAT WE KNOW THAT SOME OF THESE PARTNERS ALREADY HAVE THESE KINDS OF PROGRAMS GOING ON IN THEIR OWN OPERATION.
WE AUGMENT THOSE WITH PRESENTATIONS BY DIFFERENT STAFF MEMBERS, WORK DOING PROJECTS WITH DIFFERENT STAFF MEMBERS, AND ALSO WE HAVE I'M NOT SURE IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH OUR YOUTH JOB FAIR, AND WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF KIDS FROM YES, JRS FROM OAKLAND NATURALISTS, ETC, AND THEY COME IN AND DO THAT JOB FAIR.
WE ALSO HAVE A TEEN ECO PROGRAM WHERE IT'S A VERY INTENSIVE FIVE DAY PROGRAM THE KIDS DO IN THE SUMMERTIME, AND THEY LEARN A LOT ABOUT CAREER DEVELOPMENT, EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, ANYTHING FROM LEARNING TO WRITE A RESUME.
THEY ALSO GET A STIPEND FOR IT SO THEY CAN LEARN THAT ACTUALLY DOING THINGS OUT IN PARKS IS A LEGITIMATE AND ATTAINABLE WAY OF MAKING MONEY NOW AND A LIVING LATER WHILE DOING GOOD.
IT DOESN'T ALWAYS SHOW UP IN ONE PARTICULAR PROGRAM, BUT DISTRICT WIDE.
IT'S ONE OF OUR BIGGEST INITIATIVES.
THANK YOU, AND THIS LARGER CONTEXT AND HISTORY IS, I THINK, REALLY HELPFUL FOR ALL OF US IN UNDERSTANDING THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM, AND SO I SEE MEMBER REID MIGHT HAVE A QUESTION, BUT THEN I'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE TIME TO TURN IT OVER TO THE PUBLIC FOR ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS.
THERE MIGHT BE PEOPLE WAITING ONLINE TO MAKE COMMENTS AND SO I FEEL LIKE THIS HAS BEEN A PRETTY ROBUST DISCUSSION.
THE THING THAT STRUCK ME MOST ABOUT THIS PRESENTATION WAS YOU SEEM TO HAVE IDENTIFIED A HIGH LEVEL OF UNMET NEED, CHILDREN WHO WANT TO BE IN THIS PROGRAM, WHO CAN'T ENTER THE WHO WOULD LIKE TO TAKE AVAILABILITY OF SOME SORT OF PROGRAM.
SO I JUST WANTED TO NOTE THAT I WOULD WANT TO SAY THAT A LOT OF THE FAMILIES EXPRESSED THAT THEIR KIDS AREN'T THE TRADITIONAL SPORTS TEAM GROUP ACTIVITY CHILDREN, AND SO THEY FIND A SPECIAL HOME AT THE JUNIOR RANGERS THAT THEY DON'T FIND IN OTHER MORE TRADITIONAL ACTIVITIES.
YEAH, I DON'T DOUBT THE VALUE OF HAVING A GROUP FOR THOSE KIDS.
IT'S THAT IF YOU ADVERTISED THE AVAILABILITY OF A PROGRAM, YOU WOULD HAVE SO MANY APPLICANTS THAT IT WOULD NOT BE FEASIBLE TO ADDRESS THEM ALL.
SURE. I JUST WANTED TO PUT A PLUG IN.
WHEN YOU DO YOUR LONG RANGE PLANNING AND TRYING TO STRETCH OPPORTUNITIES.
I'M FROM FREMONT, AND NOTHING'S HAPPENING IN FREMONT, NEWARK, UNION CITY.
WELL, WE APPRECIATE THAT WE HAVE REPRESENTATION, AS WE MENTIONED EARLIER ON ABOUT LIAISONING AND I DO WANT TO MENTION THAT WE DO HAVE A PROGRAM OUT OF COYOTE HILLS THAT'S WORKING WITH A GROUP OUT OF UNION CITY.
THE PERSON WHO WAS SPEARHEADING THAT PROGRAM HAS LEFT THEIR POSITION AT COYOTE HILLS, JOINED SARA'S CREW, AND SO WE'RE WAITING TO FILL THAT VACANCY TO KICK THAT PROGRAM BACK INTO HIGH GEAR. JUST GRABBING THEM ALL.
SO THANKS VERY MUCH FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
[01:30:02]
OKAY. THANK YOU EVERYONE.MADAM SECRETARY IS THERE ANYONE? IS THERE ANYBODY? I'M NOT SURE IF THERE'S A QUEUE, BUT THIS IS FRANCIS MENDOZA.
SORRY. AM I GETTING FEEDBACK? FRANCIS, SO SINCE YOU'RE A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
IF I'M GIVING FEEDBACK ON MY CAR, I'M IN TRANSIT RIGHT NOW.
JUST LET ME KNOW, AND I CAN MAYBE ADJUST, BUT THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK.
WHAT A WONDERFUL PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU, SARA, MIKE, LISA FOR FOLLOWING UP ON THIS THIS REALLY IMPORTANT LEGACY PROGRAM.
TO FOLLOW UP ON SUSIE'S, YOU KNOW, REQUEST, I AGREE THAT FREMONT, UNION CITY, NEWARK AND HAYWARD NOW THAT THE HAYWARD AREA RECREATION DISTRICT HAS MADE THE INTERPRETIVE PROGRAM AT THE HAYWARD SHORELINE WHERE I WORKED FOR MANY YEARS DEFUNCT.
IT'S A PLACE THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN UNDERSERVED, UNDER RESOURCED AND, YOU KNOW, NOT TO MENTION BAY POINT, PITTSBURG, BYRON, THERE'S A LOT OF FOLKS FARMERS AND RANCHERS AND FRIENDS THAT ACTUALLY WORK IN THE DISTRICT IN BYRON, THAT HAS BEEN WANTING PROGRAMS FOR THEM AS WELL.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO NOT ONLY LOOK AT THE LOW HANGING FRUIT OF ETHNICITY AND CULTURE, RELIGION, BUT ALSO ACCESSIBILITY AS WE JUST HAD THE ALL ABILITIES DAY IN BIG BREAK, AND HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS.
AS WELL AS INDIGENOUS FOLKS, THERE ARE SO MANY INDIGENOUS FOLKS HERE IN THE BAY AREA, BUT OFTENTIMES THEY'RE DOING PROGRAMS WITHIN THEIR SPECIFIC TRIBE OR THE INTERTRIBAL FRIENDSHIP HOUSE.
IT'S SUCH A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO AT ONE OF THOSE EVENTS FOR OAKLAND NATURALISTS AND RICHMOND RANGERS AND JUNIOR RANGERS IN BERKELEY HAVE THEM ALL MEET UP SO THAT THEY CAN DRAW ON THE STRENGTHS OF THEIR DIFFERENT CULTURES AND SHARE THAT WITH EACH OTHER.
SO I JUST WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, PUT THOSE THINGS OUT THERE AS REALLY GREAT PRACTICES.
WELL, LAST THING I KNOW, I ONLY HAVE A 10 SECONDS OR SO, BUT I JUST DID A TRAINING WITH SOME FOLKS FROM DANVILLE AN ECOLOGICAL CONSULTING CREW YOUNG MAN NAMED ALEX CAME UP TO ME AND SAID HE KNOWS [INAUDIBLE] YOU KNOW, JAMES WILSON.
OH I AM AT THE KLAMATH RIVER RIGHT NOW, SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY, WHEW, IT'S BEEN A BIG DAY TAKING THE DAMS DOWN, BUT I'M SORRY, I APOLOGIZE NOT BEING WITH YOU ALL IN PERSON, BUT GLAD TO BE IN ZOOM.
GREAT. THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS.
OH, THERE HE IS. [CHUCKLING] [WAVING] YEAH.
OKAY. ARE THERE OTHER COMMENTS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC? NO, JUST ONE.
OKAY, SO BACK TO THE PAC, I THINK MEMBER FARMER.
THANK YOU. I REALLY APPRECIATED SOME OTHER COMMENTS FROM COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABOUT HOW A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION WOULD BE HELPFUL KIND OF DESCRIPTIONS OF WHAT THE PARTNERSHIP LOOKS LIKE WITH THOSE EXTERNAL PROGRAMS. I'M CURIOUS, AS A FORMER TEACHER, KIND OF WHAT THE OBJECTIVES AND MASTERY OF SKILLS ARE THAT YOU'RE EXPECTING AND THAT YOU, YOU GO THROUGH DURING THE PROGRAM, MAYBE EVEN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE ANNUAL CALENDAR OF THE PROGRAM, AND I WANTED TO REITERATE THAT I THINK BRINGING THE SAN FRANCISCO STATE EVALUATION OF DIVERSITY BACK TO OUR COMMITTEE WOULD BE REALLY, REALLY VALUABLE AND I'D LOVE TO KNOW I LOOK FORWARD TO LOOKING INTO THAT DATA, BUT I THINK THERE WAS A QUESTION THERE ABOUT THE, THE CURRICULUM AND THE ANNUAL SCHEDULE.
IS THAT RIGHT? SO I THINK YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
ONE, THE JUNIOR RANGERS THEMSELVES AND ONE THE OTHER ADVENTURE CREW PROGRAMS. THEY HAVE DIFFERENT MODELS.
[01:35:02]
THE JUNIOR RANGERS SCHEDULE IS FOLLOWS THE SCHOOL YEAR, AND THE KIDS MEET EVERY SATURDAY, AND THEN ONCE A MONTH, THEY GO ON AN OVERNIGHT BACKPACKING OR CAMPING EXPERIENCE.SO WE'RE EXPECTING THEM TO IMPROVE THEIR FITNESS.
WE DO TRAINING HIKES AND THINGS GET THEM USED TO CARRYING BACKPACKS, AND SO WE'LL START WITH A ONE NIGHT OVERNIGHT LATER IN THE SEASON, WE'LL DO A TWO NIGHT OVERNIGHT, AND THEN AT THE END OF THE YEAR IN JUNE WE DO A THREE NIGHT BACKPACKING TRIP, AND SO BY THAT OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR YOU KNOW, PHYSICAL FITNESS IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE LOOKING INTO AS FAR AS SKILLS, AS FAR AS OUTDOOR SKILLS, WE TEACH LEAVE NO TRACE.
SO WE GO THROUGH, YOU KNOW, ALL OF HOW TO BE A GOOD STEWARD OF THE LAND LEAVE NO TRACE AND LEAVE THE ENVIRONMENT BETTER THAN THAN THE WAY WE FOUND IT.
ON ALL OF OUR CAMPING TRIPS WE OFTEN TRY TO DO SOME KIND OF A STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM IN THE PARK THAT WE GO TO OR IN OUR OWN PARK BEFORE WE GO PULLING BROOM OR INVASIVES OR DOING TRAIL MAINTENANCE OR OTHER THINGS TO GIVE BACK TO THE PARKS AND THAT PROGRESSES OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, AND ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS WITH THE JUNIOR RANGER PROGRAM IS THE AIDES.
SO THEY'LL BE LEARNING THESE SKILLS AS A YOUNGSTER, AND THEN THEY WILL LEARN TO BE LEADERS IN TEACHING THESE SKILLS TO THE YOUNGER KIDS AS THEY PROGRESS INTO THE TEENAGE YEARS.
SO THAT'S OUR JUNIOR RANGER MODEL.
THE RICHMOND RANGER MODEL IS EVERY OTHER SATURDAY BUT FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME ON THOSE SATURDAYS, AND WHILE THEY DON'T HAVE A HOST PARK LIKE OUR JUNIOR RANGERS COME TO TILDEN, THEY GO TO THEIR PARTNER OFFICE IN RICHMOND.
YES, AND WE'LL PUT THEM ON BUSSES AND THEY'LL GO TO DIFFERENT PARKS THROUGHOUT THE PARK DISTRICT.
VERY SIMILAR MODEL OF THE THEY DO CAMPING TRIPS NOT QUITE AS FREQUENTLY, BUT THEY DO CAMPING TRIPS. THEY CULMINATE IN A LARGER CAMPING TRIP.
THEY LEARN THE PHYSICAL FITNESS AND TRAIN FOR THE PHYSICAL FITNESS, AND THEY LEARN THE OUTDOOR SKILLS, LEAVE NO TRACE HOW TO BUILD A FIRE SAFELY, HOW TO PUT UP A TENT, HOW TO STAY ON THE TRAILS, HOW TO RESPECT WILDLIFE, HOW TO UNDERSTAND YOU KNOW, WHAT POISON OAK IS, OR WHAT ARE EDIBLE PLANTS VERSUS NON EDIBLE PLANTS, THINGS ALONG THOSE LINES.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF EDUCATION THAT GOES INTO BOTH OF THE PROGRAMS. VERY SIMILAR MODELS.
JUST AGAIN THE STRUCTURE IS DIFFERENT, AND WHILE THE RICHMOND RANGER PROGRAM IS A THREE YEAR PROGRAM, THE THREE YEAR PROGRAM IS PART OF A LARGER YES PROGRAM WHERE THEY BRING THE KIDS IN AT A YOUNGER AGE AND THEY'RE DOING SUMMER CAMPS WITH THOSE KIDS.
THEN THEY GO INTO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AGE, WHICH IS A THREE YEAR PROGRAM FOR THE RICHMOND RANGERS, AND THEN THEY GRADUATE OUT OF THAT INTO ANOTHER PROGRAM WHERE ALSO THEY'RE MENTORING AND LEARNING SKILLS, AND THEY MIGHT BECOME CITS FOR CAMPS OR MOVE INTO OTHER CAREERS, AND SO BOTH ARE VERY LONGITUDINAL PROGRAMS WITH SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT MODELS.
GREAT. THANK YOU, AND YEAH, THANK YOU FOR THIS EXCELLENT PRESENTATION.
THANKS VERY MUCH. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
OKAY, SO OUR NEXT ITEM OF BUSINESS IS PAC MEMBER COMMENTS.
ARE THERE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS OR COMMENTS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PAC? YES, MEMBER VALENZUELA.
FIRST OF ALL, MIKE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT ALL ABILITIES DAY.
IT STARTED UNDER HIS WATCH WHEN HE WAS THERE VERY SMALL BEGINNINGS, AND IT GREW TO REALIZING THAT THIS WAS A PART OF THE POPULATION THAT WE WERE NOT SERVICING VERY WELL, AND SO THIS IS LIKE I SAID, A VERY FUN DAY.
[01:40:05]
IT'S TOMORROW, AND SO WE FEEL THAT WE'RE READY TOMORROW.SO BUT YEAH, WE HAVE A FUN DAY PLANNED.
THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO MENTION WAS I'M FROM BRENTWOOD ON APRIL 27TH.
THEY ARE HAVING A THEIR FIRST DAY OF SERVICE.
THEY ARE ASKING FOR PEOPLE TO SIGN UP AND BE PART OF MAKING THE TOWN BETTER, AND THEY HAVE LOTS OF DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES.
YOU SIGN UP AND YOU SAY WHAT YOU WANT TO HELP WITH.
THEY HAVE A LIST OF LIKE TEN POSSIBLE THINGS FROM GARDENING TO BRINGING FOOD TO PEOPLE TO SENDING LETTERS TO PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THE SERVICE JUST A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE A VERY NICE DAY.
I DON'T HAVE ANY MORE INFORMATION OTHER THAN THAT, BUT IT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, FOR ME, I FEEL LIKE GIVING BACK TO YOU WHERE YOU LIVE IS A HUGE THING, AND THIS IS A START OF TRYING TO DEVELOP THAT IN THE CITY OF BRENTWOOD.
SO IT'D BE NICE IF OTHER CITIES WOULD TRY TO DO STUFF LIKE THIS AND GET PEOPLE INVOLVED, AND, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY THIS TAKES OFF AND WE DO IT EVERY SINGLE YEAR, BUT YEAH, SOUNDS NEAT.
THANK YOU. OTHER PAC MEMBERS? YES. YES, I HAVE ONE EVENT, AND THEN JUST KIND OF ONE ISSUE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE PEOPLE AWARE OF. SO THE ONE EVENT SOME PEOPLE KNOW THAT I SIT ON THE BOARD OF THE BAY AREA RIDGE TRAIL, AND WE'RE HAVING OUR RIDGE TO BRIDGE ON APRIL 13TH, AND THOSE ARE DIFFERENT HIKES, BIKES, AND YOU CAN BRING YOUR HORSE AND RIDE ON PARTS OF THE BAY AREA RIDGE TRAIL, AND WE HAVE EVERYTHING FROM 20 MILE BIKE RIDE, AN 18 MILE HIKE TO AN EIGHT MILE EQUESTRIAN RIDE.
THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES TO VOLUNTEER, AND THERE ARE ALSO YOU CAN REGISTER TO BE PART OF THE EVENT.
WE DO HAVE OTHER EVENTS IN THE RIDGE TRAIL THAT ARE FREE.
MY FAMILY IS FROM WEST OAKLAND, AND A FEW YEARS BACK THE OAKLAND MUSEUM DID AN ALL POWER TO THE PEOPLE EXHIBIT, WHICH WAS BLACK PANTHERS AT 50, AND IT REALLY GAVE THE COMMUNITY AN IDEA THAT THIS IS A HISTORY THAT NEEDS TO BE PRESERVED AND A STORY THAT NEEDS TO BE TOLD.
SO THE DOCTOR, HUEY NEWTON FOUNDATION, THEY'RE WORKING TO ESTABLISH A BLACK PANTHER PARTY NATIONAL PARK SERVICE PARK FOR THE INTERPRETATION OF BLACK PANTHER PARTY HISTORY FROM ITS BIRTH IN OAKLAND TO ITS 65 SURVIVAL PROGRAM.
SO CONGRESSWOMAN BARBARA LEE SUPPORTING THE EFFORTS, AND SHE'S REQUESTED THAT THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE AND THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR COMPLETE A RECONNAISSANCE SURVEY THAT REQUIRES THE NATIONAL PARK TO REVIEW THE FEASIBILITY OF THE PARK'S ESTABLISHMENT, WHICH IS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY AND SHE ALSO INTRODUCED A LEGISLATION, H.R.
5719, TO CONGRESS IN SEPTEMBER 2023.
SO I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARKS FOR PASSING A RESOLUTION TO SUPPORT THIS, AND ALSO, THE BAY AREA RIDGE TRAIL IS SENDING A LETTER OF SUPPORT. I HAVE INFORMATION IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE IT, AND IT HAS FREDERICA NEWTON'S REQUEST FOR SUPPORT.
IT HAS WHY WE SHOULD SUPPORT THIS PARK, AND THEN IT HAS A SAMPLE, A SUPPORT LETTER THAT YOU CAN SEND TO LAURIE EARP, OR ASK HER FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS OR FREDERICA NEWTON.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PARKS PEOPLE AND WHOSE HISTORY IS REPRESENTED THERE AREN'T MANY PARKS THAT REPRESENT. THE DIFFERENT STRUGGLES OF AN AFRICAN AMERICAN EXPERIENCE, WHICH IS AN AMERICAN EXPERIENCE, WHICH IS ALL OF OUR HISTORY, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS REALLY IMPACTED OUR AREA AND HAVE THE STORY TOLD AND TO BE PRESERVED WITHIN THE PARK SERVICE AS WE'VE PRESERVED THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT DOWN IN THE SOUTH AS THEY HAVE A WHOLE KIND OF DIFFERENT PARKS THROUGHOUT THAT
[01:45:03]
CAPTURE THAT HISTORY OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.SO, YES, JUST ASKING PEOPLE TO CONSIDER AND TO REVIEW, AND THEN IF YOU OR ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU WORK WITH WOULD WANT TO WRITE A LETTER OF SUPPORT, THAT WOULD BE AMAZING.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT TO US.
WOULD YOU SEND THAT TO US? I CAN SEND YOU AN EMAIL, BUT I CAN GIVE YOU THIS, TOO.
OKAY. OTHER COMMENTS FROM OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PAC? YES, MEMBER LOPEZ. THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR ESPANA, FOR THAT INFORMATION, AND THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT WORK.
I SIT ON THE BOARD FOR THE GREAT OLD BROADS FOR WILDERNESS, AND I AM THE CHAIR OF THE DEIJB COMMITTEE, WHICH IS A NATIONAL COMMITTEE, AND I DEFINITELY WOULD LIKE TO CONNECT [INAUDIBLE] OUR ORGANIZATION CAN SUPPORT THIS EFFORT.
WE HAVE A LOT OF MEMBERS IN THE AREA.
IN FACT, OUR GROUP AND I JUST CAME BACK FROM A CAMPING TRIP.
SO I JUST GOT BACK FROM AVIKWAME, WHICH IS ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY.
SO THE ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THAT AUGMENTATION OF THE PUBLIC LANDS FOR THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM, AND A LOT OF FOLKS HERE IN THE IN THIS AREA, OAKLAND, SAN LEANDRO, BERKELEY SOME FOLKS OUT OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY WERE VERY WE WORKED REALLY HARD TO ESTABLISH THIS AUGMENTATION OF PUBLIC LAND SPACE. SO I THINK A LOT OF FOLKS THAT ARE CARE ABOUT PARKS HERE, CARE ABOUT PARKS EVERYWHERE, AND, AND ALSO RESPECTING THAT WHEN THOSE PARKS ARE ESTABLISHED, THAT THEY ARE TRUE TO THE HISTORY OF THE AREA IN THIS CASE FOR TRIBAL GROUPS IN AN AREA THAT HAS A CREATIONIST ORIGINS VALUE SYSTEM.
SO I THINK IT'S REALLY EXCITING TO SEE A LOT OF FOLKS REALLY UNDERSTANDING LAND IS LIKE THE SONG THAT WE SANG AT OUR OVER AT CAMPFIRE IS, YOU KNOW, THIS LAND IS MY LAND.
IT'S ALL OF OUR LAND, AND THAT'S A GOOD ETHOS TO HAVE.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.
THANK YOU. YES, MEMBER SKAREDOFF.
I BELIEVE THAT'S APRIL 22ND, AND IT'S GOING TO BE AT THE JOHN MUIR NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE, RIGHT WHERE ALHAMBRA AVENUE DIVES UNDER HIGHWAY FOUR. IT'S THE JOHN MUIR NATIONAL PARKWAY FREEWAY, NAMED AFTER JOHN MUIR, BUT ANYWAY, IRONY IS ALWAYS WITH US.
YOU JUST TAKE IT IN GOOD, GOOD SPIRIT, AND WE PLANT SOME TREES.
THERE'S ALSO A MURAL THAT WAS ONLY MADE JUST ABOUT A MONTH AGO NOW, AND ANOTHER UNDERPASS UNDER HIGHWAY FOUR ALHAMBRA LANE, ALHAMBRA WAY, RATHER THAN ALHAMBRA AVENUE.
THEY BOTH CROSS UNDER HIGHWAY FOUR, AND THEY BOTH HAVE MURALS NOW.
SO COME AND ENJOY THE MURALS AND ENJOY THE JOHN MUIR CELEBRATION.
EAST BAY REGIONAL PARKS, THERE'S ALWAYS A BIG PRESENCE THERE AND A LOT OF TIMES THEY BRING THIS BIG TRACTOR TRAILER, WHICH IS AN AQUARIUM, AND IT HAS ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF NATIVE FISH IN IT.
I'LL STOP NOW. [CHUCKLING] GREAT.
COMMENTS FROM--YES, MEMBER CLAXTON.
I WAS WONDERING IF THE BOARD SITE TOUR SCHEDULE HAS BEEN MADE, AND I WAS TRYING TO FIND IT ONLINE.
THE DATES ARE THERE BUT IT NOT FILLED OUT YET.
YEAH, I THINK THE DATES HAVE BEEN SCHEDULED, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THE LOCATIONS HAVE BEEN.
WHAT ARE THE DATES? I DON'T HAVE THEM WITH ME RIGHT NOW.
WE CAN GET THOSE TO YOU, BUT THEY WILL BE ON THE WEBSITE.
SO STARTING IN APRIL, MAYBE NOT ONE THIS MONTH.
MARCH. YEAH, I'M TRYING TO THINK WHEN THE FIRST ONE IS.
THEY'RE USUALLY ON THE LAST FRIDAY OF THE MONTH.
I BELIEVE THE FIRST ONE IS APRIL 19TH.
IF I MAY AS WELL, I KNOW THAT BOARD SITE VISITS YOU YOU CAN SEND THEM AN EMAIL, BUT I ALSO WANTED TO ADD THEY HAVE THE PAC'S EMAILS AVAILABLE.
SO YOU ALL WILL BE NOTIFIED WHEN THAT, WHEN THAT COMES UP.
[01:50:02]
SO. OKAY.ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT. YES, DIRECTOR ROSARIO.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE DIALOG TODAY.
I THINK DEI HAS BEEN REALLY ONE OF OUR MAJOR FOCUSES, ESPECIALLY WITH OUR NEW GENERAL MANAGERS, THAT SHE'S COME ON BOARD AND I WAS REMISS IN SAYING THAT WE EXTENDED HER CONTRACT FOR FOR ANOTHER FIVE YEARS.
I'M REALLY, REALLY, VERY, EXTREMELY HAPPY ABOUT THAT.
HAVING A WOMAN RUN THIS ORGANIZATION HAS MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE, I THINK, AND ALSO ALSO WANT TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH ASFCME 2428.
FIRST TIME EVER THAT WE'VE HAD A CONTRACT BEFORE EXPIRATION OF THE CONTRACT.
SO THAT GOES TO SHOW THE WORK THAT BOTH STAFF AND UNION LEADERSHIP ARE WORKING TOGETHER.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT ANNOUNCEMENT.
SO HAPPY THAT WE'RE AT THIS STAGE AND ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT IT.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR INPUT.
IT'S REALLY, REALLY WELL TAKEN.
OKAY, SO I THINK THE NEXT ITEM IS REPORT FROM THE CHAIR.
I DON'T HAVE A REPORT TO GIVE.
AFTER THAT, WE HAVE ANNOUNCEMENTS.
[Announcements]
ARE THERE ANY FURTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS, ERICH? NO FURTHER ANNOUNCEMENT, BUT THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THIS COULD BE DIRECTOR ROSARIO'S LAST PAC MEETING.SO JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT.
I'M SIGNED UP FOR ONE MORE. YOU ARE? OKAY. OKAY, GREAT, AND THE HOLIDAY EVENT? WE'LL NEED TO GET A GROUP PICTURE [CHUCKLING] AND BRING A CAKE.
WELL, THANKS EVERYONE FOR COMING.
IT'S SO NICE TO SEE YOU ALL, AND I WILL ADJOURN THIS MEETING AT.
SEE YOU NEXT MONTH.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.