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THIS IS THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS STUDY SESSION BEING HELD AT THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT ON FRIDAY, MAY 2ND, 2024, BEGINNING AT 11:10 A.M.. DIRECTOR SANWONG WILL BE APPEARING REMOTELY TODAY.
DIRECTOR SANWONG, I NEED TO ASK, ARE THERE ANY INDIVIDUALS 18 YEARS OF AGE THAT ARE PRESENT OR WILL BE PRESENT AT YOUR LOCATION TODAY OTHER THAN YOU? NO.
[ROLL CALL]
MADAM CLERK, CAN YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? YES. PRESIDENT ECHOLS.HERE. GENERAL MANAGER LANDRETH.
HERE. ACTING GENERAL COUNSEL MACKENZIE, ELIZABETH MACKENZIE.
OKAY. MADAM CLERK, CAN YOU PLEASE DESCRIBE HOW ANYONE CAN MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY? YES. PRESIDENT ECHOLS, TODAY'S MEETING IS HELD PURSUANT TO THE BROWN ACT.
THIS MEETING IS HELD IN A STUDY SESSION FORMAT TO ENCOURAGE BOARD MEMBER COMMENT AND DISCUSSION.
HOWEVER, PER THE REQUIREMENT OF THE BROWN ACT, NO FORMAL ACTIONS MAY BE TAKEN AT THIS STUDY SESSION.
WE ARE PROVIDING LIVE AUDIO AND VIDEO STREAMING.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT CAN DO SO LIVE VIA THE ZOOM BY SUBMITTING AN EMAIL, COMING IN PERSON TO OUR OFFICE, OR TO THE BOARD ROOM, OR BY LEAVING A VOICEMAIL.
AND THIS INFORMATION HAS BEEN NOTED ON THE AGENDA, IF THERE ARE ANY.
IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS REGARDING THE MEETING PROCEDURE, WE CAN BEGIN.
WELL, I DON'T SEE ANY QUESTIONS.
CAN I GET A MOTION TO APPROVE TODAY'S AGENDA? OKAY. DIRECTOR ROSARIO.
SECOND. SECONDED BY DIRECTOR CORBETT.
ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? OKAY. IT'S UNANIMOUS.
MADAM CLERK, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS NOT ON THE AGENDA FOR TODAY? NO. PRESIDENT ECHOLS.
GREAT. OKAY, SO WITH THAT, THEN WE WILL PROCEED TO THE AGENDA. GREAT.
I THINK I WILL KICK US OFF THEN.
[DIVISION PRESENTATIONS]
SO THANK YOU, EVERYBODY, FOR BEING HERE.I KNOW IT'S BEEN A BUSY WEEK FOR OUR DIRECTORS, AND CERTAINLY I KNOW ALL OF THE STAFF, SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT HERE ON A BEAUTIFUL FRIDAY, WHEN I'M SURE WE'D LOVE TO BE ABLE TO JUST OPEN THE WINDOWS AND BE SITTING OUTSIDE.
BUT WE CAN LOOK OUTSIDE AND THINK ABOUT THIS IMPORTANT WORK.
SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO TODAY IS SIMILAR TO WHAT WE HAVE TWEAKED IN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS.
AND SO WE WILL BE RUNNING THROUGH THOSE.
SO THE AGM'S HAVE BEEN TOLD TO TRY TO KEEP IT A LITTLE BIT MORE BRIEF.
SO THEY ARE GOING TO PROBABLY RUN THROUGH QUITE A BIT OF CONTENT IN THEIR ACTUAL PRESENTATIONS.
AND WE SAID, WELL, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION, THERE SHOULD BE A REPORT OUT.
AND SO WE WORKED ON THAT FIRST YEAR AND THEN TWEAKED IT AGAIN LAST YEAR WITH CLAIRE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE REALLY ARE GIVING YOU ALL ANALYSIS OF THE ITEMS THAT YOU BRING FORWARD AS YOUR PRIORITIES AND THEN ALSO UPDATES.
SO WE INCLUDED THAT IN THE PACKET.
AMANDA DID A FABULOUS JOB FOR HER FIRST ROUND HERE, AND HOPEFULLY THOSE ARE CLEAR.
WE CAN ALSO FOLLOW UP WITH HER OFFLINE IF THERE'S MORE INFORMATION YOU WANT ON EACH OF THOSE.
BUT THE IDEA HERE AGAIN, TO SET THE CONTEXT IS THAT YOU WILL HAVE YOUR SESSION COMING UP.
I DON'T HAVE THE DATE OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
JUNE SOMETHING, WHICH [INAUDIBLE].
[00:05:10]
BRING FORWARD AS YOUR PRIORITIES, WHICH MIGHT STILL BE THE SAME ONES THAT ARE ALREADY ON THERE.AND YOU'LL HEAR FROM THE AGM'S, THEY HAVE VERY LARGE WORK PLANS RIGHT NOW AND PLUGGING AWAY, SO THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE IN ALIGNMENT WITH WHAT THIS BOARD WANTS THEM TO BE DOING.
SO WITH THAT, I THINK THAT I AM GOING TO GO AHEAD AND HAND IT OFF TO OUR FIRST PRESENTER.
THEY ALL DUKED OUT WHO WAS GOING IN WHAT ORDER.
SO THIS IS NO EDITORIAL ON MY PART.
THE AGM'S WORKED THIS OUT AMONGST THEMSELVES.
AND SO SUSAN SHIU FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS IS GOING TO KICK US OFF HERE.
THANK YOU, GENERAL MANAGER LANDRETH, PRESIDENT ECHOLS, AND DIRECTORS.
SUSAN SHIU, ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS.
AND TO KICK IT OFF, I GUESS I WON THE TOSS.
I'M GOING TO HAVE WE'RE GOING TO PULL UP OUR POWERPOINT.
AND YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO JUST TO CLICK THROUGH.
LET ME JUST CLICK THROUGH THIS.
THAT LOVELY 90TH ANNIVERSARY LOGO.
I AM JUST OVER A YEAR AND A HALF IN MY TENURE HERE.
WE ARE SMALL BUT HIGHLY NIMBLE, VERY PASSIONATE, AS ARE MANY OF OUR PARK DISTRICT STAFF MEMBERS.
THE MISSION WE'RE ALL MISSION DRIVEN AND I HAVE A MIGHTY, A SMALL BUT MIGHTY TEAM.
OH, I'M TRYING TO SEE MY OWN SLIDE HERE.
SO, AS YOU KNOW, PUBLIC AFFAIRS, WE LEAD A STRATEGIC, COLLABORATIVE AND A VERY RESULTS ORIENTED APPROACH I LOOK FORWARD TO AS PUBLIC AFFAIRS I ALWAYS HAVE SHOW AND TELL, SO I'LL DO THAT AT THE VERY END.
AND CERTAINLY, ACCESS TO ALL IS A KEY COMPONENT OF THE FOUNDATION'S EFFORTS.
AS YOU MAY KNOW, THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS DIVISION HAS A COMMUNICATIONS TEAM.
APART FROM THE FOUNDATION, OUR STAFF TOTALS 20 AND A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, BECAUSE THE PARK DISTRICT STAFF FROM I&R TO OPERATIONS DOES THEY DO AMAZING WORK.
AND SO OUR JOB IS TO TELL THEIR STORY AND REALLY CONVEY THAT AND CONTINUE WHAT IS ALWAYS AN ONGOING EFFORT TO MARKET AND PROMOTE THE DISTRICT AND INCREASE OUR BRAND AWARENESS, ESPECIALLY DURING THIS INCREDIBLE YEAR.
SO I WOULD SHARE THAT OUR STAFF MEMBERS AND THE COMMUNICATIONS AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS UNIT TOTALS SIX INCLUDING REALLY TWO PUBLIC INFORMATION A SUPERVISOR AND A REPRESENTATIVE.
SO, AGAIN, A SMALL BUT MIGHTY TEAM.
WE HAVE TWO STAFF IN THE ARCHIVES UNIT EIGHT STAFF MEMBERS IN THE CREATIVE DESIGN GROUP.
REALLY A SMALL TEAM OF 20 TO MEET EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS GOALS AND OBJECTIVES AND TO REALLY LEND OUR EXPERTISE ACROSS THE BOARD WITH MY COLLEAGUES. THE FOUNDATION ITSELF HAS SEVEN STAFF MEMBERS TO SUPPORT THE FUNDRAISING EFFORT.
I'M GOING TO STEP THROUGH THIS.
IN TERMS OF OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND PROGRESS TO DATE IN THIS YEAR ALONE CERTAINLY, AS YOU KNOW, OVERALL AGENCY WIDE COMMUNICATIONS AND PROMOTION OF OUR PROGRAMS, PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES AND THE 90TH ANNIVERSARY, THERE WAS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK THAT OCCURRED BEFORE THE YEAR KICKED OFF TO LAUNCH OUR LOGO ON THE WEBSITE WITHOUT BREAKING ANYTHING.
AND TO MAKE SURE IT LOOKED GOOD ON EVERY POSSIBLE DEVICE TO OUR MONTHLY ENHANCED 90TH ANNIVERSARY PROGRAMING THAT MANY OF THE DIRECTORS HAVE PROVIDED COMMENTS FOR, FOR THOSE PRESENTATIONS OUR PARK EXPLORER E-NEWSLETTER THAT REACHES OVER 57,000 SUBSCRIBERS ARE REGIONAL IN NATURE EVERY TWO MONTHS, BOTH IN PRINT AND OUR PUSH TO REALLY DRIVE EYEBALLS TO THE DIGITAL EDITION ON THE WEBSITE.
THAT'S A HUGE EFFORT FOR US, RIGHT? A LOT OF WORK FOR THE REN, BUT LET'S GET MORE EYEBALLS ON IT.
AND DIGITAL AND SMART DEVICES ARE THE WAY TO GO.
OUR PARK HAPPENINGS, MONTHLY NEWS RELEASE, AS YOU KNOW, AND VARIOUS PRESS RELEASES, INCLUDING THE MOST RECENT OUR ADVISORY ON SNAKES TO REALLY EDUCATE THE PUBLIC AND KEEP THEM SAFE ON OUR TRAILS.
INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS EMPLOYEE NEWSLETTER.
AS YOU KNOW THAT KICKED OFF LAST YEAR.
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COMMUNICATIONS ON MAJOR EFFORTS, INCLUDING THE TILDEN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER, A REPLACEMENT PROJECT.AS YOU KNOW THE PARK DISTRICT CAN DO MANY THINGS, BUT COMMUNICATIONS, WE'RE IN THE CENTER OF MANY THINGS, BECAUSE WITHOUT THE COMMUNICATIONS, IT'S LIKE BUILDING THE BALLPARK.
YOU CAN BUILD IT AND SAY THEY WILL COME, BUT IF YOU DON'T COMMUNICATE IT, NO ONE WILL KNOW.
RIGHT? SO WE ARE A VERY KEY PLAYER ACROSS THE BOARD.
SO CERTAINLY THE TILDEN EEC EFFORT INCLUDING OTHER PUBLIC INFORMATION CAMPAIGNS, THE ONGOING WELLNESS PILOT PROJECT UPDATES ON THE WEBSITE TRAILS FOR EVERYONE SO THAT WE ENCOURAGE REALLY CORDIAL SHARING OF TRAILS WHY PARKS ARE GRAZED AND WILDLIFE PROTECTION EFFORTS.
SO AGAIN, 90TH ANNIVERSARY BRANDING A FULL PACKAGE ACROSS THE BOARD.
WE HAVE PROMOTIONS AND ADVERTISING IN THIS FINAL BLITZ AHEAD OF THE EVENT ON ALL PLATFORMS, FROM PRINT AD AND SF CHRONICLE TO DIGITAL ADS AND SOCIAL MEDIA BOOSTS TO RADIO.
WE HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH KQED, BERKELEYSIDE, THE OAKLANDSIDE TO TELEVISION.
WE'RE RUNNING YOU MAY HAVE SEEN IT, A 15 SECOND PROMO FOR THE EVENT THROUGH COMCAST.
SO IT'S REALLY ON ALL PLATFORMS. SO WE HOPE THIS EVENT IS ALSO NOT ONLY BRINGS THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER AND REMIND PEOPLE WE ARE HERE AND TO CONNECT THAT PARK AND OUR PARKS TO THE PARK DISTRICT, OUR BRAND.
THE EVENT ITSELF IS A VEHICLE, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, FOR BRAND AWARENESS.
WE HAD FIVE BOARD MEMBERS THERE, THE GM LEADERSHIP AND THE SUTTER FAMILY WAS PRESENT.
AND IT WAS VERY EXCITING TO SHOW THAT OFF.
RIGHT. IT'S ALWAYS A TEAM APPROACH.
AND CERTAINLY MCCOSKER CREEK GRAND OPENING.
THE TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING ON IT FOR SOME TIME ALREADY.
ARCHIVES, WE CARE VERY MUCH ABOUT OUR HISTORY AND WHAT BROUGHT US FROM 1934 TO TODAY.
SO PROJECTS FROM THANK YOU TO MY ARCHIVES UNIT, FROM PHOTO COLLECTIONS TO A STORY MAP ON TILDEN THAT'S CURRENTLY ON THE WEBSITE TO WHAT WILL BE AN IN-PERSON EXHIBIT THAT WILL BE UNVEILED AT PARKFEST ON MAY 11TH.
OUR AMBASSADORS PROGRAM THAT REALLY IS ON THE UPSWING.
THE TEAM GETS LOTS OF INVITATIONS.
I LIKE TO SHARE WITH ALL OF YOU WHEN THOSE ARE CONFIRMED.
AND I KNOW RECENTLY, A COUPLE OF WEEKENDS AGO, WE HAD MANY OF YOU, MANY OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AT EVENTS IN THE COMMUNITY SO THAT WE ARE NOT ONLY PUSHING THINGS OUT, BUT WE ARE WORKING IN THE COMMUNITY AND REALLY ALLOWING YOU AND OUR STAFF TO MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS IN PERSON, WHICH I THINK IN TODAY'S WORLD IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US. AND THAT WILL CONTINUE TO GROW AS WE RECRUIT AND PROVIDE ADDITIONAL TRAINING AND REALLY ENGAGE ON THAT FRONT.
AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, POST-PANDEMIC, IT'S A GROWTH OPPORTUNITY FOR US.
IN TERMS OF SOME OF OUR KEY WORK, AGAIN, MEDIA, PUBLIC INFORMATION, IT IS EVER IT'S ALWAYS ONGOING.
WE DO REAL TIME WEBSITE UPDATES AND ALERTS.
SO YOU CAN IMAGINE AHEAD OF FIRE SEASON OR STORMS OR WEATHER OR ANYTHING ELSE, ANY CHANGES IN OUR PARKS AND TRAILS THAT INFORMATION GETS UPDATED ON THE WEBSITE AND AS REAL TIME AS POSSIBLE.
WE ARE ALWAYS READY FOR EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS.
WE WERE TESTED IN JANUARY OF LAST YEAR.
[00:15:10]
IT DOESN'T GO ANYWHERE.SO WE, THE TEAM CONTINUES TO DO THAT WORK.
AS YOU KNOW, THE CREATIVE DESIGN GROUP CDG WORKS ON INTERPRETIVE PANELS AND SIGNAGE.
THEY ARE VERY BUSY BOTH ON THE WORK AND VISITOR CENTERS.
THE ONGOING ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION AND PRIORITIZATION OF ANY SIGNAGE, REPAIRS OR NEEDS FOR OUR, YOU KNOW, NUMEROUS PARKS THAT'S PART OF THE EFFORT.
BUT THIS IS ALL IN CONJUNCTION WITH OPERATIONS AND OTHER STAFF.
THANK YOU GM LANDRETH AND BOARD MEMBERS FOR THE SUPPORT FOR THIS DIVISION TO REALLY HAVE A CHIEF LEVEL POSITION SO THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A PLAYER WHO CAN DO MANY THINGS, BUT ALSO STRATEGIC SUPPORT.
SO SHE'S, JORDAN HAS DIVED IN VERY QUICKLY AROUND OUR MAY 11TH EVENT.
PREVIOUSLY I HAD A SUPERVISOR REPORTING TO ME FOR PUBLIC INFORMATION.
AND REALLY, WHAT WE DID NOT VERY LONG AGO WAS REALLY PUT THE PUBLIC INFORMATION SUPERVISOR AND A PUBLIC INFORMATION REPRESENTATIVE UNDER THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS MANAGER SO THAT THEY ARE WORKING MUCH MORE CLOSELY WITH THE WEBSITE DESIGNER AND PUBLICATIONS COORDINATOR. AND IT MADE A LOT OF SENSE FOR MY TEAM ON THE FOURTH FLOOR HERE TO ACTUALLY BE ONE TEAM IN, YOU KNOW, ON PAPER AS WELL AS HOW THEY WORK TOGETHER.
SO THAT HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL AS WE CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR EFFICIENCIES.
DUE TO THEIR SUCCESS THEIR OFFICE IS FULLY SUPPORTED BY THE PARK DISTRICT WITH FURNISHINGS, DECOR, A NEW AV SYSTEM THAT'S GOING TO BE IN PLACE SOON AND ONGOING LEASE AND OPERATING COSTS.
THAT FOUNDATION ITSELF WITH ITS VOLUNTEER BOARD.
AND I'M VERY GRATEFUL TO THAT BOARD FOR THEIR ENGAGEMENT.
THEY'VE STREAMLINED THEIR MEETINGS FOR EFFICIENCY.
WE ACTUALLY HAD A BOARD MEETING.
AND THANK YOU, PRESIDENT ECHOLS, FOR ATTENDING LAST NIGHT.
THERE WAS BUSINESS THAT WAS TAKEN CARE OF BUT AT THE SAME TIME THANKS TO PRESIDENT ECHOLS WE WERE REALLY CONTINUING TO MAINTAIN A VERY CLOSE PARTNERSHIP, WHICH IS ONE OF THE BOARD'S OBJECTIVES. RIGHT? THAT CLOSE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION.
SO THANK YOU. THE FOUNDATION CONTINUES TO RECRUIT AND ENGAGE ITS BOARD MEMBERS.
IN FACT, LAST NIGHT, THEY VOTED IN TWO NEW BOARD MEMBERS TO THE BOARD, INCLUDING A BOARD MEMBER WHO WAS THE PAST EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HACK THE HOOD IN OAKLAND.
SO FULFILLING THE FOUNDATION BOARD'S OBJECTIVES AND WHO THEY SELECT AND VOTE IN AS BOARD MEMBERS.
THEIR FUNDRAISING GOAL IS 2.16 MILLION FOR THE YEAR.
AND WE HAD A RECENT SUCCESS OF THE FOUNDATION HAD A GRANT SUCCESS OF $100,000 FOR WILDFIRE MITIGATION, YET ANOTHER BOARD PRIORITY. AND AS YOU ALREADY KNOW, ON JULY 20TH, THE FOUNDATION WILL BE HOLDING A FUNDRAISER LAKESIDE LAPS AT LAKE CHABOT. THERE WILL BE A HALF MARATHON, A 10K AND A 5K, SO IF YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE THAT LINK TO SIGN UP, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
DOES NOT CAPTURE EVERYTHING THE TEAM IS DOING.
BUT CERTAINLY, AS WE LOOK AT THE MID-YEAR AND INTO 2025 THE 90TH ANNIVERSARY PARKFEST EVENT, OUR PROGRAMS, OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND CONTINUED BRAND AWARENESS REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION IS CELEBRATING ITS 55TH ANNIVERSARY.
SO INCREDIBLE FUNDRAISING OPPORTUNITIES AND OUR CLOSE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PARK DISTRICT.
SO ANYTHING WE ALL DO AS STAFF MEMBERS OR BOARD MEMBERS TO CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT US, TO CONTINUE TO CONNECT ONE SPECIFIC PARK TO THE OVERALL PARK DISTRICT AND ALL THAT WE DO, AND DRIVE TRAFFIC TO THE WEBSITE THOSE ARE ALL EFFORTS THAT SEEM SMALL, BUT THEY ARE NOT.
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YOU MULTIPLY THAT BY A THOUSAND PLUS EMPLOYEES, AND IT'S LIKE THE HAIR COMMERCIAL.YOU TELL ONE FRIEND AND YOU TELL ANOTHER, RIGHT? IT REALLY DOES HAVE A POWERFUL IMPACT.
WE HAVE SIGNATURE GRAND OPENING EVENTS, AS YOU KNOW, AND EVENTS ALWAYS TAKE A LOT OF WORK.
SO AGAIN, WE LOOK FORWARD TO MCCOSKER CREEK OPENING LATER IN MAY.
THE CREATIVE DESIGN GROUP PROJECTS AND ARDENWOOD, SUNOL AND DEL VALLE VISITOR CENTERS AND WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH INTERPRETATION AND REC AND MASS AND OPERATIONS. THEY ARE WORKING ON A SYSTEM FOR ASSESSING, PRIORITIZING AND DESIGNING PARK SIGNAGE AND SIGNAGE UPGRADES AS I MENTIONED.
ONGOING WORK IT'S REALLY BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE THAT DID NOT EXIST BEFORE.
SO I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW WE'RE WORKING ON THESE WAYS TO IMPROVE.
IT'S JUST CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT AS YOU CAN IMAGINE.
THE ARCHIVES TEAM IS WORKING ON ITS SEARCHABLE ARCHIVES DATABASE AND EXHIBITS AND WAYS TO MAKE OUR WORK AND OUR ORAL HISTORIES ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC AND ARCHIVES IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US.
AS YOU KNOW, THERE'S A WELCOME BANNER HERE.
IT IS MULTILINGUAL, AS WE KNOW FROM THE COMMUNITY SURVEYS AND BOARD PRIORITIES.
AND SO THIS WELCOME BANNER IS OUT IN PARKS AND CONTINUES TO ROLL OUT AS THE WEATHER GETS BETTER.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE THAT THE OHLONE GREETING IS ALSO IN THIS BANNER.
QUICK STATS AGAIN, A SMALL TEAM OF 20 PEOPLE JUST ON THE COMMUNICATIONS.
I'M NOT SURE WHY THE TEAM NEEDED TO KNOW THAT, BUT THE DETAILS THAT IT'S FASCINATING.
I THINK THAT'S WHY THEY WANT IT IN THERE.
AND REALLY IN A TYPICAL YEAR, 11,000 TOTAL SIGNS ARE PRODUCED.
GRAPHIC DESIGN SO FAR, JUST IN FIVE MONTHS, 59 PROJECTS IN A TYPICAL YEAR, 140.
I HAVE ONLY ONE SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER FOR THE DISTRICT.
EXHIBIT DESIGN EXHIBIT REQUEST FOR VISITOR CENTERS AND WAYSIDE INTERPRETIVE PANELS.
51 SO FAR AND 40 SELF-IDENTIFIED FOR MAINTENANCE.
IN A TYPICAL YEAR, WE MAY HAVE TEN VISITOR CENTER DESIGN AND REDESIGN PROJECTS.
PUBLIC INFORMATION SO FAR IN LESS THAN FOUR MONTHS, 664 PUBLIC INQUIRIES, 70 PLUS MEDIA INQUIRIES TO DATE WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT BOARD AND STAFF MEMBERS WITH ONE ON ONE MEDIA TRAINING AND GROUP TRAINING AND ALSO CUSTOMIZED PRESENTATIONS AND EVENTS.
WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE EVENTS MULTIPLE AMBASSADOR EVENTS, VOLUNTEER EVENTS IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND AS A FINAL THING, AS YOU KNOW, THERE IS THE OUR 90TH ANNIVERSARY PIECE.
I JUST REALLY WANT TO FAN OUT ON TOP OF ALL THAT WE DO, WE DO HAVE A PUBLICATIONS COORDINATOR.
THESE ARE THE VARIOUS BROCHURES IN THE COMMUNITY.
SURVEY BROCHURES ARE REALLY IMPORTANT.
EVERYTHING FROM OUR NEW BRANDED GENERAL BROCHURE TO ROBERTS REGIONAL RECREATION AREA, CROWN BEACH, TEMESCAL, ANTHONY CHABOT LIVING WITH SKUNKS, LIVING WITH SQUIRRELS, DOMESTIC CATS, RAPTORS, MONARCH BUTTERFLIES.
DOCENT VOLUNTEERING, COMMON SONGBIRDS.
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JUST A WEALTH, YOU KNOW TO OUR TRAILS CHALLENGE GUIDE.RIGHT. TO OUR RECENT AD IN BAY NATURE.
IF YOU OPEN IT UP WE HAVE A HUGE AD HERE ON THE FRONT THAT SAYS EXPLORE, DISCOVER AND CELEBRATE TO OUR RECENT TEAR SHEET THAT WAS IN THE SF CHRONICLE TO THE AD WE LAUNCHED IN JANUARY FOR YOUTH JOB FAIRS.
I CAN'T THANK MY TEAM ENOUGH FOR ALL THAT THEY DO.
AND AGAIN, WITH INCREDIBLE PASSION.
THANK YOU. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME.
I MEAN, THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT YOUR LITTLE DEPARTMENT DOES, AND I THINK IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT YOU SHOULD THAT THE ENTIRE ALL THE EMPLOYEES KNOW THAT WHAT YOU GUYS DO AND I THINK MAYBE SOME DO, SOME DON'T.
I KNOW AS A PARK SUPERVISOR, IT WAS ALWAYS WHERE'S MY SIGNS? SO BUT I THINK THAT WOULD HELP.
THE MULTICULTURAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND THE WELLNESS WALKS.
SO AS YOU KNOW, WE HAD SOME STAFF RETIREMENTS.
I'VE ALSO HAD SOME STAFF LEAVE FOR WONDERFUL PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES.
BECAUSE WE VALUE PROGRAMS SUCH AS THE MULTICULTURAL WALKS AND THE UN INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE.
WHAT OPERATIONS AGM AND I DID IN CONVERSATIONS BECAUSE WE WANTED TO CONTINUE THOSE IMPORTANT PROGRAMS. WE FELT THAT I WAS ALSO HAD A VACANCY IN ORDER TO CONTINUE THEM.
IT WAS IMPORTANT TO THINK ABOUT WHERE WE CAN PUT THOSE PROGRAMS AND ACTUALLY STILL DELIVER ON THE PROGRAMS AND ALSO WHERE THEY MAY BELONG MORE HOLISTICALLY.
SO BECAUSE IT'S PROGRAMS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS IS REALLY ABOUT COMMUNICATIONS WE FELT THAT I&R WAS BEST, THE BEST FIT TO REALLY LOOK AT THAT AND DELIVER ON THOSE PROGRAMS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, TO ALLOW I&R TO HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE LOOK AT ALL OF ITS PROGRAMS. SO IT IS THERE AND WILL TAKE PLACE IN SOME FASHION.
GREAT. I MEAN, TO ME THAT WAS A NATURAL.
I MEAN, TO ME IT SEEMS NATURAL THAT I&R WOULD BECAUSE THEY WERE HEAVILY INVOLVED IN THOSE WELLNESS WALKS AND THOSE TWO PROGRAMS. GREAT. THANK YOU.
DIRECTOR WAESPI. THANK YOU SUSAN, AND THANKS TO YOUR GROUP FOR ALL THE GREAT WORK THEY DO.
I WAS FASCINATED BY A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT YOU MENTIONED.
HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE IN THE SPEAKERS BUREAU, OR WHAT IS THE SPEAKERS BUREAU AND HOW MANY EVENTS HAVE THEY DONE, LIKE, SAY, THIS YEAR? SO BY SPEAKERS BUREAU, I MEAN EVERY ENGAGEMENTS, OPPORTUNITIES TO SPEAK IN THE COMMUNITY WHEN BOARD MEMBERS GET REQUESTS TO SPEAK.
SO IT'S NOT AS FULLY DEFINED AS I WOULD LIKE.
SO IT'S CALLED A SPEAKERS BUREAU BECAUSE WE WANT TO HAVE A MORE COORDINATED EFFORT.
AND YOU MENTIONED YOU'RE TRACKING IT.
HAVE WE DONE ANY OF THIS HERE AT ALL? YES. WE'VE HAD SEVERAL BOARD MEMBERS DO PRESENTATIONS.
GREAT. AND I THINK THE AMBASSADORS PROGRAM IS GREAT.
IT WAS INCREDIBLE A GREAT SALES PERSON FOR THE DISTRICT.
ANYWAY, SO YOU TALK ABOUT A STAFF OF 20, HOW MANY ACTUAL HOW MANY VACANCIES DO YOU HAVE IN YOUR DEPARTMENT? I CURRENTLY HAVE, I WANT TO SAY.
FORGIVE ME. WE HAVE A LOT OF ACTORS.
WE HAVE A LOT OF STAFF WHO ARE CURRENTLY HAPPY AND REALLY EAGER TO WORK WITH US.
SO I HAVE A LOT OF ACTORS CURRENTLY, BUT I WANT TO SAY I HAVE THREE VACANCIES.
AND THE WELLNESS WALKS, I AGREE WITH DIRECTOR ROSARIO I THINK ARE VERY, VERY VALUABLE AND AS THE UN DAY OF PEACE AND I CAN UNDERSTAND HOW I&R CAN TAKE OVER THE WELLNESS WALKS, BUT ARE WE GOING TO HAVE A UN DAY OF PEACE CELEBRATION AT LAKE CHABOT ON OR
[00:30:10]
AROUND THE 21ST OF SEPTEMBER.AS WE'VE TRANSITIONED THAT TO OPERATIONS IN I&R I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR THEM, BUT I'M, I THINK WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS BEFORE AND I THINK WE'RE LIKELY TO HOLD THAT.
BUT AGAIN, DON'T HOLD ME TO IT.
I WANT TO ALLOW THEM TO FOLLOW UP AND WE CAN FOLLOW UP AND CIRCLE BACK ON THAT.
WELL, OKAY. I'D LIKE TO KNOW IT'S YOU KNOW, SEPTEMBER IS A LONG WAYS AWAY.
I'M SURE I CAN GET AN ANSWER TO YOU BEFORE THE DAY IS OVER.
I SHARE YOUR ENTHUSIASM FOR THE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM AND WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO RESURRECT IT AND ENGAGE THE FOLKS AND GET NEW FOLKS AND MAKE SURE IT'S A ROBUST PART OF OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR DEVELOPMENT OF THESE WELCOMING BANNERS.
I KNOW THIS IS A SHARED THOUGHT AMONG MANY OF US, BUT WE ARE ACUTELY AWARE THAT WHEN WE GO TO OUR PARKS, WE ARE CONFRONTED WITH KIOSKS AND SIGNS AND POSTERS THAT TELL US NOT TO DO THIS AND NOT TO DO THAT.
BE AWARE OF THIS, BE AWARE OF THAT.
AND I THINK THE ADDITION OF SOMETHING JUST THAT'S VERY WELCOMING TO OUR PARKS AND THE MULTILINGUAL APPROACH AND THE GRAPHICS OF THESE BANNERS, I'D LIKE TO SEE THEM EVERYWHERE AT THESE PARKS SO THAT INDEED PEOPLE YOU KNOW, SEE, SEE OUR DISCLAIMERS THAT THEY CONFRONT WHEN THEY COME TO OUR PARKS, BUT SEE, AS A WELCOMING SIGN AND BANNER LIKE THAT, THAT'S THAT'S A GREAT THING TO DO.
THE FOUNDATION'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN 2024.
I AGREE THAT GREAT WORK HAS BEEN DONE AND THAT BOTH DISTRICT LEADERSHIP AND FOUNDATION LEADERSHIP HAS TAKEN THE FOUNDATION THROUGH A BIT OF A DIFFICULT TRANSITIONARY PERIOD.
AND THAT'S BEEN DONE SUCCESSFULLY.
AND I'M VERY PLEASED WITH THIS.
I REFLECT LAUREN ISN'T HERE, SO I'LL JUST RUN IT BY YOU.
I PERIODICALLY ASK FOR AN UPDATE AS TO WHETHER THE REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION IS INTENDING TO EMBARK ON A CAMPAIGN TO RAISE MONEY FOR THE EEC, THE TILDEN REPLACEMENT PROJECT.
AND I'M ALWAYS GOING BACK TO MY EARLY DAYS WHEN I GOT ON THE BOARD AND MANAGEMENT PRESENTED AND AND CAROL JOHNSON PRESENTED ON BEHALF OF THE FOUNDATION, A FOUNDATION CAMPAIGN TO RAISE MONEY, ONE OF THESE FORMAL CAMPAIGNS THAT WE ALL ENVISIONED HIRING, YOU KNOW, FUNDRAISERS AND DOING A VERY ACTIVE AND OUTREACH PROGRAM FOR FUNDING TO RAISE THE MANY DOLLARS THAT ARE NEEDED FOR THE TILDEN PROJECT.
AND THE BOARD VOTED TO APPROVE THAT CAMPAIGN.
AND IN FACT, IT WAS DONE WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT WE WERE PUTTING TILDEN AND THAT VISITOR CENTER AND ITS PROJECT ON THE PRIORITY LIST UP AND ABOVE, FOR INSTANCE, A VISITOR CENTER AT POINT PINOLE.
THAT WAS MY INTRODUCTION TO THAT IT WAS BACK IN 2018, AND THEREFORE IT REMAINS WITH ME AN ISSUE AS TO HOW WE'VE PRIORITIZED OUR APPROACH TO EITHER RENOVATIONS OR NEW VISITOR CENTERS.
AND PART OF THAT WAS A DIRECTION WE TOOK BACK IN 2018.
AND I'M JUST WONDERING IF THAT'S HAPPENING OR WILL HAPPEN.
DO YOU KNOW? IN TERMS OF THE REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION AND WHAT WE EXPECT TO BE A CAPITAL CAMPAIGN FOR TILDEN EEC IT'S REALLY A TIMING, A MATTER OF TIMING TYPICALLY WITH A CAPITAL CAMPAIGN, WHEN YOU'RE FUNDRAISING FROM A NONPROFIT YOU USUALLY AREN'T FUNDRAISING UNTIL YOU HAVE DESIGNS AND MORE TO SHOW.
SO I THINK IT'S REALLY THE FOUNDATION BOARD AND STAFF ARE REALLY WE'RE COORDINATING AND WORKING CLOSELY TOGETHER BECAUSE IT'S ABOUT TIMING AND ITS OWN PLAN.
[00:35:07]
AND THAT BOARD'S CAPACITY BUILDING AND STAFF'S CAPACITY BUILDING.SO IT IS VERY MUCH STILL ON THE PLATE.
BUT AGAIN, IT'S A SENSE OF TIMING.
YOU CAN'T START A CAPITAL CAMPAIGN TOO EARLY WITHOUT SOMETHING TO SHOW POTENTIAL DONORS.
OKAY. THANK YOU. THAT'S CONSISTENT WITH WHAT I'VE HEARD IN THE PAST.
AND I GUESS WE WOULD JUST CHARACTERIZE IT AS IN PROGRESS.
IT'S AN INTENT THAT'S STILL THERE.
DIRECTOR ROSARIO. WELL, ACTUALLY, LET'S LET DIRECTOR MERCURIO GO FIRST.
THANK YOU. SO IT'S IMPRESSIVE, YOU KNOW, THAT WHAT YOU'VE PRESENTED TO US A LOT OF NUMBERS HERE.
BUT I KNOW THERE'S MORE THAN JUST NUMBERS.
THERE'S ALL THAT OTHER STUFF BEHIND IT.
ALL THIS TOIL AND BRAIN WORK AND ALL THAT STUFF THAT GOES ON.
AND WE, YOU KNOW, APPRECIATE WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND I JUST LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT.
OH MY GOSH. YOU KNOW, I MAY HAVE TO COME BACK.
I KNOW, WELL, I WANTED TO BE SURE THAT I STARTED OFF WITH THANKING YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT WAS.
ALSO DIRECTOR WAESPI AND I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TO TABLE A EARTH DAY EVENT, AND, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO STAND OUT THERE ALL DAY, YOU KNOW? BUT NUMBER ONE, YOU GET TO MEET A LOT OF NICE PEOPLE.
BUT NUMBER TWO, YOUR PROCESS MADE IT VERY EASY FOR US.
AND YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO DO IT AGAIN WITH ANY OF THE DIRECTORS.
MAYBE IT'S SOMETHING ABOUT THE 90TH, MAYBE IT'S SOMETHING ABOUT OUR NEW PLAN COMING UP.
IT'S ALWAYS GREAT. ESPECIALLY IF YOU DO IT IN WARD SIX.
[LAUGHTER] ANYWAY, ANYWHERE IS GOOD, BUT THANKS FOR DOING THAT TOO.
THAT'S ONE THING THAT A RECENT THING THAT I EXPERIENCED THAT WAS VERY HELPFUL.
I'LL LET THE TEAM KNOW. GREAT.
DIRECTOR CORBETT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I'M VERY IMPRESSED WITH EVERYTHING I'VE SEEN TOO, AND I'M JUST ASKING IF YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS TOWARDS PLANNING THINGS NEAR THE IN ALAMEDA, WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE EXPANDING SOME OF OUR YOU KNOW, WORK OUT BY THE ISLAND, BY THE AREA. IT'S NOT OPENED YET, BUT IT'S THE AREA.
I CAN'T THINK OF THE NAME RIGHT NOW, BUT IT'S OUT BY THE BAY WHERE WE HAVE THE WALKWAY THAT EVENTUALLY WE'RE GOING TO BE DEVELOPING THAT AREA AND WHETHER YOU'LL BE WORKING ON ANYTHING THERE.
I'M TALKING ABOUT AT THE EDGE OF THE FOR MORE OF WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING THERE.
IT'S JUST TO SORT OF REALLY SHOWCASE WHAT WE DO.
SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH AGM ASD.
YEAH, WE SHOULD BE WORKING ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR THE FUTURE BECAUSE IT WON'T BE THAT MUCH LONGER THAT HOPEFULLY THAT THAT PASSAGE AREA AND THAT WALKING AREA WILL BE OPENING FOR THE PUBLIC TO GO IN THAT AREA AND SEE THE HISTORICAL PARTS OF THE PATHWAY.
SO AND SO I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT THAT'S AN AREA WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT. FOR FUTURE PLANNING.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, RIGHT? OKAY. THANK YOU.
YEAH, LOTS OF CONVERSATIONS HAPPENED AMONG STAFF MONTHS AND WELL, IN ADVANCE OF EVERYTHING.
IT'S THE SWEAT BEHIND THE SHEEN.
SO. YEAH. DO YOU KNOW IF THERE'S SOME PLANNING GOING ON? I'M GOING TO ALLOW AGM OF ASD TO SPEAK TO ANY SPECIFIC PLANS.
IF IT'S OKAY, WE CAN HAVE KEN ADDRESS IT IN HIS PRESENTATION.
I THINK YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ALAMEDA POINT.
SO I POINT YOU KNOW HE CAN TO BE DONE THERE.
AND THERE'S A LOT TO BE PLANNED IN ADVANCE THAT WE HAVEN'T DONE AS MUCH OF.
YEAH. YEAH. SO KEN'S TAKING NOTE.
OKAY. DIRECTOR SANWONG, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANTED TO JUMP IN ON? YOU'RE GOOD. OKAY, OKAY.
WELL, BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE PODIUM, SUSAN, I WANTED TO SAY REALLY HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE YOUR TEAM.
[00:40:01]
AND I ESPECIALLY THE SUPPORT FOR SPEAKING AND PRESS OPPORTUNITIES AND HOW RESPONSIVE AND THOROUGH YOU ALL ARE, I ALWAYS FEEL VERY WELL PREPARED, AND THAT'S HARD TO DO, ESPECIALLY ON SOME OF THESE PRESS THINGS AND EVEN SPEAKING OPPORTUNITIES THAT COME UP AT THE LAST MINUTE.SO I THINK YOU GUYS DO A GREAT JOB.
AND I DO WANT TO QUICKLY ECHO WHAT SOME OF THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HAVE SAID.
WELL, FIRST OF ALL, ON THE WELCOME BANNERS, JUST REALLY SO IMPORTANT.
I THINK IT'S GREAT TO WELCOME PEOPLE TO THE PARK.
WE'RE GLAD YOU'RE HERE. WELCOME.
AND ESPECIALLY IN ALL OF THOSE LANGUAGES, THAT IS FANTASTIC.
SO I'M JUST EXCITED THAT THOSE ARE CONTINUING TO ROLL OUT TO THE VARIOUS PARKS.
AND THEN FOR THE REGIONAL PARK FOUNDATION, I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE AMAZING FUNDRAISING THAT THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING AND GROWING THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PARK DISTRICT BECAUSE THE FOUNDATION BOARD IS IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT FUNDRAISING.
I MEAN, THESE ARE JUST AMAZING PEOPLE WHO ARE VERY STRATEGIC AND THINKING ABOUT DIFFERENT WAYS TO BRING PEOPLE IN AND, AND OUR DEI ISSUES, AND, YOU KNOW, HOW TO ADDRESS REALLY MAKING OUR PARKS AVAILABLE AND ACCESSIBLE AND WELCOMING TO ALL.
IT'S A GREAT GROUP OF PEOPLE AND REALLY APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT.
AND I THINK I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT.
THANK YOU. OH, QUICKLY, I HAD FORGOTTEN.
AND THE CREATIVE DESIGN, THOSE GUYS ARE NUTS.
AND I SAY THAT IN THE BEST WAY.
AND I'VE BEEN TO TWO IN THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS, THE APPRECIATION BREAKFAST WE HAD AT SHADOW CLIFFS AND THE ROBERT'S OPENING, THE GRAPHICS ARE INSANE.
THEY'RE SO GOOD. AND, I DON'T KNOW, COLIN OR JOHN, IF YOU WENT TO THE OR ELLEN, IF YOU WENT TO THERE WERE LOTS OF BOOTHS THERE OF PEOPLE THAT WERE SELLING STUFF AND TRYING TO GET YOU TO DO STUFF THAT WAS TRAILS RELATED, THE TRAILS CONFERENCE.
THEY HAD A GUY THAT WAS DOING SIGNAGE AND IT WAS HILARIOUS.
EVERYBODY WAS GOING, OOH WHOA, THESE ARE THE COOLEST SIGNS IN THE WORLD.
I SAID HE SAID, WHERE DO YOU WORK? AND I SAID, EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK.
AND HE JUST KIND OF SHOOK HIS HEAD AND WENT, GEESH.
AND HE KNEW AND I SAID, YEAH, I KNOW YOU SHOULD BE WORKING.
WE SHOULD BE SELLING YOU STUFF BECAUSE OUR STUFF IS SO GREAT.
AND HE ADMITTED IT. HE SAID, I DON'T WANT TO, I DON'T.
I GOT NO PITCH FOR YOU BECAUSE YOU'RE TOO GOOD.
THE GRAPHICS THAT WE DO ARE AMAZING.
SO AND THOSE GUYS ARE ALL SETTING UP STUFF TOO.
THEY PEOPLE GOT TO BRING SANDBAGS OUT THERE TO HOLD THOSE THINGS IN THE GROUND.
THEY'RE ALL JUST BEHIND THE SCENES DOING GREAT WORK.
WELL, WELL THANK YOU. I'LL LET THE TEAM KNOW.
AND CERTAINLY WITH YOUR SUPPORT WE'LL KEEP DELIVERING SOME MAGIC.
AND I HOPE YOU DON'T LET HILLARY SLIP OUT THE DOOR WITHOUT YOU GOT TO BRING HER TO A BOARD MEETING BECAUSE SHE WAS SO SHE'S DONE SO MUCH STUFF FOR THE DISTRICT THAT'S PERMANENT. SOME OF HER DESIGNS ARE WITH US ALWAYS.
JUST ONE LAST THING WAS THAT FOR DIRECTOR COFFEY, JUST IN MY CONVERSATIONS WITH LAUREN AND THE REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION, THIS IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO START EXERCISING THAT FUNDRAISING CAPABILITY AND THAT THE POTENTIAL THAT SUSAN WAS TALKING ABOUT.
AND SO I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO BE IN GOOD HANDS.
SO THEY'RE STARTING SMALL AND THEN DOING A LOT AND THEN GEARING UP FOR THE BIG ONES.
SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR ROSARIO.
OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH, SUSAN.
ALL RIGHT. I THINK CHIEF FILICE IS UP NEXT, RIGHT? YEAH. HERE HE COMES.
[00:45:22]
MADAM PRESIDENT AND DIRECTORS.GOOD MORNING, ROBERTO FILICE, YOUR AGM OF PUBLIC SAFETY.
I WANT TO KEEP A VERY SHORT AND IN THE INTEREST OF TIME.
SO THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS? YEAH. YEAH.
YOUR HONEYMOON PERIOD ENDED ALREADY YESTERDAY.
OH IS THAT WHAT IT WAS. OH [LAUGHTER] YOU HAVE TO GIVE THE PRESENTATION THIS TIME.
ACTUALLY, IN PUBLIC SAFETY, WE TRULY ARE DOING VERY WELL.
I WANT TO THANK MY TEAM BECAUSE THEY'RE WORKING VERY HARD.
THEY'VE BEEN ADJUSTING TO A NEW BOSS.
SO, LIKE ALL OF US, THERE IS AN ADJUSTMENT PROCESS, BUT THEY'VE REALLY BEEN VERY REACTIVE.
STRATEGICALLY, I'M GOING TO TALK MORE ABOUT 2024 THAN 2023 BECAUSE I WASN'T HERE IN 2023.
BUT I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A QUICK RECAP OF SOME OF THE STUFF THAT WAS ACCOMPLISHED IN 2023.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE HR.
SO THANK YOU, ALLYSON, FOR THE SUPPORT.
IN STRUCTURING A GREAT WELLNESS PROGRAM.
IT IS SOMETHING THAT'S VERY CLOSE TO MY HEART JUST BECAUSE OF PERSONAL EXPERIENCES IN LOSING AN OFFICER AND THE NEEDED, THE NEEDED OF JUST THERE'S A HUGE NEED FOR SUPPORT FOR STORM PERSONNEL FROM A WELLNESS PERSPECTIVE.
SO WE'VE BEEN, PRETTY ACTIVE ON IT.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE DO NOT WANT TO FORGET ABOUT OUR LIFE AND OUR SPACES AND OUR PARKS.
SO WE WANT TO KEEP OUR CRIME MITIGATION PROGRESS GOING, AND WE WANT TO FOCUS ON QUALITY OF LIFE.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE'RE GOING TO BE FOCUSING ON TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY, BECAUSE IT'S GREAT THAT WE DO WHAT WE DO, BUT WE NEED TO HAVE THE PEOPLE BELIEVE IN US, AND THEY NEED TO KNOW EVERYTHING THAT WE DO SO THAT THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE AND WHY WE DO CERTAIN THINGS.
AS YOU KNOW, IT'S A CHALLENGE NATIONWIDE TO HIRE POLICE OFFICERS IN PARTICULAR.
AND NOW IT'S BECOMING A CHALLENGE ALSO FOR FIREFIGHTERS.
THE YOUTH IS LOOKING ELSEWHERE.
THEY ALL WANT TO BE YOUTUBERS.
AND THAT'S WHERE THEY WANT TO MAKE THEIR MONEY, WHICH IS GREAT FOR THEM.
BUT WE'RE PUBLIC SERVANTS AND WE LOVE WHAT WE DO.
SO WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO HIRE IN 2023, 15 NEW PEOPLE.
SO THANKS TO THE BOARD FOR RECOGNIZING OUR CAPTAIN THAT RETIRED AFTER 25 YEARS.
AND THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE AMOUNT OF HOURS THAT OUR FIELD TRAINING OFFICERS AND COMMUNICATION TRAINING OFFICERS SPEND EVERY YEAR PREPARING OUR NEW EMPLOYEES.
WE ALSO FOCUSING ON A NEW CANINE PROGRAM.
IT'S NOW CANINE IN THE SENSE OF APPREHENSION DOGS.
BUT IT'S ACTUALLY A CANINE IN A FORM OF A THERAPY DOG.
I HAVE A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH THAT.
AND I TELL IT'S VERY BENEFICIAL TO HAVE.
SO I WANT TO THANK MY GM FOR THE SUPPORT.
WHEN I PRESENTED THE IDEA TO HER, SHE EMBRACED IT AND TOLD ME TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND IT'S VERY BENEFICIAL, ESPECIALLY WHEN DEALING WITH VICTIMS AND ESPECIALLY YOUNG VICTIMS. IT'S GREAT TO HAVE A THERAPY DOG, BUT EVEN THE BURLY COPS THAT YOU SEE OUT THERE, THEY WORK OUT EVERY DAY.
THEY USUALLY MELT WHEN THEY GOT THEIR LITTLE PUPPY COMING UP.
[LAUGHTER] SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE FOCUSING ON.
WE HAVE ALSO A VERY STRONG PEER SUPPORT TRAINING AND PROGRAM THAT WE ARE AUGMENTING WITH ADDITIONAL RESOURCES. AND WE HAVE EXTENDED OUR CONCERN EAP PACKAGE TO NON-SWORN PROFESSIONALS.
[00:50:01]
THIS IS GOING TO BE OUR NEW PUBLIC SAFETY HEADQUARTER.AND ALSO WE'VE BEEN TALKING TO YOU ABOUT REPLACING, EXCUSE ME MOVING THE HELICOPTER HANGAR TO A DIFFERENT LOCATION TO BE MORE ACCESSIBLE AND OBVIOUSLY FOR BETTER DEPLOYMENT.
I'M WORKING WITH MY TEAM ON DEPLOYMENT POINTS.
THIS IS SOME OF THE ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON 2024.
WE'RE NOT FORGETTING ABOUT OUR CRIME REDUCTION AND MITIGATION.
WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED NEW TECHNOLOGIES, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY.
I'M GOING TO BE COMING TO YOU HOPEFULLY BY THE END OF THE SUMMER TO REQUEST ADDITIONAL CAMERAS.
WE HAVE SOLVED MANY CASES THANKS TO THE NEW TECHNOLOGY.
I HAVE A QUARTERLY MEETING WITH LISA.
THANK YOU, LISA, FOR ALWAYS BEING AVAILABLE.
AND WE STRATEGIZE ON HOW WE CAN BETTER SERVE THE COMMUNITY OUT THERE.
OUR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM IS KICKING OFF TOMORROW.
WE HAVE OUR CONFERENCE AS A KICKOFF CONFERENCE AND JUST A QUICK NUMBER.
LAST YEAR OUR VOLUNTEERS SERVED 17,000 HOURS OF VOLUNTEERING, SO WHICH IS PHENOMENAL.
DEFINITELY WANT TO BE VERY THANKFUL TO THEM.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I'M INSTITUTING A HEAT TEAM.
IT'S ANOTHER IDEA THAT I HAD THAT I SHARED WITH THE GM AND SHE SUPPORTED IT.
THE HEAT STANDS FOR HIGH ENFORCEMENT APPREHENSION TEAM.
AND LIKEWISE WHEN WE HAVE MAJOR CRIMES HAPPENING IN THE PARKS, I WANT TO HAVE A TEAM AVAILABLE THAT'S GOING TO PURSUE THE SUSPECT AND OR SUSPECTS UNTIL THEY'RE APPREHENDED. SO THAT'S ONE OF THE TEAMS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE KICKING OFF PROBABLY BY OCTOBER.
I'M HOPING TO HAVE IT IN FULL SERVICE.
OUR DETECTIVES ARE DOING A FANTASTIC WORK.
WITH NEW TECHNOLOGY AVAILABLE, WE'RE GOING TO START REVISITING COLD CASES AND UTILIZE DNA TECHNOLOGY TO SEE IF WE CAN AGAIN BRING CLOSURE TO FAMILIES, THAT LOST LOVED ONE OR SUFFER SOME THEY WERE THE VICTIMS OF SOME MAJOR CRIMES.
AND WE HAVE CLOSED A HOMICIDE CASE.
BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE LOOK AT SEXUAL PREDATORS THAT COME TO OUR PARK AND OR OTHER MAJOR FELONIES THAT MIGHT TAKE IN OUR PARK. NOW, DON'T LET I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO BE SCARED BY WHAT THEY SEE UP THERE.
OUR PARKS ARE VERY SAFE, AND OUR COPS DO A PHENOMENAL JOB OF KEEPING THE PARKS SAFE.
AS A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, WE HAVE HOSTED OUR NATIONAL NIGHT OUT, WHICH WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL.
WE WILL DO THE SAME THIS YEAR.
WE ARE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH SUSAN AND HER TEAM ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA AND MEDIA RELATIONS.
WE WANT TO BE AS AVAILABLE AS POSSIBLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
AND AGAIN, THE OBJECTIVE IS TO KEEP THE COMMUNITY INFORMED AND ENGAGED WITH EVERYTHING THAT WE DO.
AND WE'VE ALSO PARTICIPATED IN THE LAW ENFORCEMENT TORCH RUN, WHICH IS FOR SPECIAL OLYMPICS.
OUR COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT AND RECORDS AND EVIDENCE HAVE BEEN WORKING VERY HARD.
THEY'VE COMPLETED THE LOW BAND MICROWAVE UPGRADE.
IT'S AIMED TO INCREASE OUR TRANSPARENCY.
[00:55:09]
UPGRADE. I JUST WAS VOTED AS A BOARD MEMBER ON OUR EAST BAY COMMUNICATION BOARD, SO I'M GOING TO BE ACTIVELY WORKING ON THESE PROJECTS. WE WILL BE EXPANDING OUR LOW BAND COVERAGE FOR ANTENNAS AND REPLACEMENTS AS NEEDED.IN 2023 DOJ MANDATED WE UPGRADE NOT JUST WE AS THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK, BUT LAW ENFORCEMENT IN CALIFORNIA, UPDATES TO ELECTRONIC CITATION SYSTEM.
SO WE'VE BEEN ACTIVELY WORKING ON THAT.
WE ARE GETTING VERY CLOSE TO RELEASE ALSO CHP 180, WHICH IS WHEN WE TOW VEHICLES THERE IS A SPECIAL FORM THAT NEEDS TO BE FILLED OUT THAT WILL BE DONE ELECTRONICALLY.
ALL OF THIS IS DESIGNED TO INCREASE OUR EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS.
AND IN 2024, AGAIN, WE WILL WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO COMPLETE ALL OF THESE AND HAVE OUR OFFICERS OPERATIONAL WITH TECHNOLOGY, WE ALSO IMPLEMENTED A QUALITY AND ASSURANCE PROGRAM.
IN 2024 WE ALSO WORKING ON AN ENCRYPTION PROGRAM DESIGNED FOR TWOFOLD.
ONE IS FOR OFFICER SAFETY AND MAINLY TO BE IN LINE WITH MANDATED BY DOJ, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE TO BE ENCRYPTED ALONG WITH THE OTHER AGENCIES. WE ALSO WORKING ON A CELLULAR RADIO OVER INTERNET PROTOCOL EXPANSION.
SO PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO JUST LIKE THEY DO NOW.
THEY'LL BE ABLE TO TEXT US, TEXT OUR DISPATCH TO REPORT CRIMES.
ALL OF THAT IS DONE WITH TECHNOLOGY UPDATES.
AND AS I STATED BEFORE, WE WILL CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY.
AXON IS OUR PROVIDER FOR CAMERAS, BODY WORN CAMERAS.
BUT WE ALSO USE FOR OUR TRAINING.
WE HAVE VIRTUAL TRAINING THAT WILL BE BRINGING TO OUR DISTRICT.
AS I SHARE WITH YOU ABOUT CITIZEN RIMS, WHICH IS THE REPORTING SYSTEM.
YOU KNOW, OUR CAD COMPUTER AIDED DISPATCHING SYSTEM.
THAT WILL ALSO MAKE US MORE EFFICIENT.
THE OTHER DAY, WE HAD 82 YEAR OLD THAT WAS OUT HIKING OUR PARKS.
SHE BECAME DISORIENTED AND IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE.
SHE REALLY WASN'T ABLE TO TELL US EXACTLY WHAT SHE WAS.
SHE'S SAFE. SHE'S A GOOD AND THE END OF THE STORY IS GOOD.
BUT IT TOOK US A WHILE TO GET POLICE AND FIRE OUT THERE BECAUSE WE ARE REALLY SEARCHING FOR HER.
WE WANTED TO CONTINUE TO BE TRANSPARENT AND BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR WHAT WE DO.
THAT BUILDS LEGITIMACY WITHIN LAW ENFORCEMENT.
AND I THINK IT'S NEXT WEEK I'M GOING TO BE COMING TO THE BOARD WITH THE AB 481.
ADDITIONALLY, I'LL BE PRESENTING TO YOU PRETTY SOON OUR ANNUAL REPORT.
AND IT'S ALSO TO BE FAIR TO OUR OFFICERS AND PROFESSIONAL STAFF, THEY WORK HARD.
AND ALSO WE HAVE INCREASED OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE.
AND AGAIN, ALL OF THAT IN THE IT'S DONE AS A DESIGN FOR ADDITIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY.
OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, AS YOU KNOW, HAS BEEN VERY ACTIVE 2023.
WE COMPLETED A DISTRICT WIDE, ONE WARM COAT AND FOOD DRIVE, WHICH RESULTED IN ONE OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS BEING RECOGNIZED BY THE FOUNDATION. WE ALSO THERE IS A WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED A BASELINE MEDICAL EXAM FOR ALL ON CALL FIREFIGHTERS.
WE ARE PARTICIPATING IN 18 DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES OUTREACH PROGRAMS AND EVENTS.
WE'RE WORKING ON RETENTION AND SUCCESSION PLANNING.
[01:00:08]
WE ARE COMPLETING OUR FIRST ANNUAL REPORT, WHICH I'LL BE PRESENTING TO YOU PRETTY SOON, AND WE HAVE AN ADVANCEMENT CERTIFICATION FOR PRESCRIBED FIRES IN PROGRESS, IN PROGRESS.AS YOU CAN SEE UP THERE, WE HAVE A DEVELOPMENT FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.
SO WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT THEY WANT TO ACCOMPLISH.
AND WE ARE TRYING TO HELP THEM GET THERE.
WE ARE REVIEWING SOME OF OUR POLICIES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH STATE REGULATIONS.
AND WE ARE EFFICIENT IN WHAT WE DO.
AND WE ALSO ARE DEVELOPING A MASTER PROGRAM THAT'S DEPARTMENT WIDE, OUR FUEL MANAGEMENT AND WILDFIRE MITIGATION EFFORTS, WHICH ARE NOW VERY CLOSE TO OUR HEART AND TO YOUR HEART.
WE HAVE RECEIVED FUNDING IN 2023, AND WE INVESTED IN COMPREHENSIVE FUEL MANAGEMENT AND THREE DAYS OF MITIGATIONS IN SEVERAL PARTS. AND IF YOU VISIT SOME OF OUR PARKS, YOU SEE THE HARD WORK OF OUR FUEL MANAGEMENT TEAM.
WE HAVE TREATED 1331 ACRES WHICH ALL OF THIS IS DESIGNED TO OBVIOUSLY NOT JUST MITIGATE THE WILDFIRE, BUT ALSO FOR THE YEARS TO COME TO HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM TO MITIGATE FUTURE CHALLENGES.
EVERYBODY HAS HEARD OF THE CARBONATOR NOW, WE CALL CARBONIZER.
AND WE HAVE ACTUALLY HAVE HOSTED SEVERAL TOURS OF PEOPLE THAT ARE INTERESTED IN OTHER AGENCIES AND ACTUALLY EVEN A STATE LEVEL CAME TO VISIT WHAT WE DO AND LEARN ABOUT IT.
WE HAVE RECEIVED FUNDING FOR IT.
AND NOW WE'RE WORKING ON THE ANTHONY CHABOT FUEL MANAGEMENT WHICH IS A $7.5 MILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENT. AND DEFINITELY THE STRATEGIC IMPACT TO THAT IS, LIKE I SAID, IS FOR THE YEARS TO COME AND KEEP US SAFE, HOPEFULLY BE ABLE TO KEEP, IF ANYTHING ELSE, MITIGATE THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE HAVE A VERY SUCCESSFUL LIFEGUARD SERVICES.
AND AS YOU KNOW, IN 2023, 240,000 VISITORS PARTICIPATED IN THE DIFFERENT FACILITIES, 16 FACILITIES.
WE HAD ADMINISTERED OVER 17,000 SWIM TESTS AND LOANED OVER 17,000 LIFE JACKETS.
WE PARTNER WITH THE AMBROSE RECREATION AND PARK DISTRICT TO PROVIDE SWIM ACCESS TO THE BAY POINT COMMUNITY, AND WE ALSO PILOTING A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ANTIOCH UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT TO PROVIDE A SWIMMING ALTERNATIVES TO COMMUNITY AT ANTIOCH AND DEER VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL.
SO, PETE DEQUINCY HAS BEEN VERY ACTIVE IN PURSUING THOSE PARTNERSHIPS.
AND WE WANT TO PROVIDE APPROXIMATELY A THOUSAND FREE DAILY SWIM LESSONS.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE WANT TO WORK WITH THE WATER SAFETY PROGRAM, WITH THE ALAMEDA AND CONTRA COSTA COUNTIES TO SERVE THE UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES OF THOSE COUNTIES.
AND THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
I'M SURE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME BOARD QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS.
YEAH. THANK YOU AND WELCOME, CHIEF.
THANK YOU. YES, YOUR FOLKS DO A LOT OF WORK.
I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE CAMERAS? YES. ARE THEY, IS THE INFORMATION GATHERED IS IT REAL TIME? I MEAN, I FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD FROM THE CITY OF PIEDMONT, WHEN A VEHICLE WITH A STOLEN LICENSE PLATE ENTERS THEIR ZONE OR IT GETS CAUGHT IN A CAMERA.
THEY ALMOST RESPOND ALMOST IMMEDIATELY.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT? THAT IS CORRECT. WHAT IT DOES, IT'S A IF A LICENSE PLATE ENTERS OUR SYSTEM AND IT IS RECOGNIZED AS A STOLEN VEHICLE OUR DISPATCH GETS ALERTED AND THEN OBVIOUSLY UNITS GET DISPATCHED TO WHATEVER LOCATION THE VEHICLE IS AT.
EXCELLENT. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE NECESSARILY JUST A STOLEN VEHICLE.
AND THEN REGARDING COMMUNICATIONS, THE LOW BAND RADIOS.
[01:05:03]
I KNOW A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WE WERE BECAUSE THE LOW BAND WAS KIND OF IFFY.WE WERE BUYING, WE WERE TRYING TO BUY EVERY MOTOROLA WE COULD FIND THAT WAS LOW BAND.
AND IS THAT LOW BAND MARKET MORE STABILIZED OR ARE THE RADIOS MORE ACCESSIBLE? IT IS. IT'S A COMBINATION OF BOTH.
SO THE TECHNOLOGY HAS IMPROVED.
OBVIOUSLY MOTOROLA HAS IMPROVED THEIR TECHNOLOGY AND ALSO LOW BAND HAS BEEN STABILIZED.
SO THAT MAKES US AGAIN MORE EFFICIENT.
AND THAT'S WHERE THIS PROGRAM IS BECOMING VERY FOR US OBVIOUSLY A NECESSITY. YEAH, THAT'S GOOD TO HEAR BECAUSE I MEAN, I THINK, I THINK WE'RE LOOKING ON EBAY FOR ANY MOTOROLA WE COULD FIND.
YES. [LAUGHTER] AND THEN ON DISPATCH HOW MANY VACANCIES DO WE HAVE THERE? SO, DISPATCH, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE FOUR VACANCIES.
BUT WE HAVE WHICH I'M VERY PLEASED.
WE'VE HIRED THREE NEW DISPATCHERS.
SO WE'RE DEFINITELY ON AN UPWARD MOMENTUM.
IS OUR I KNOW I'M NOT SURE IF OUR CURRENT COMMUNICATION CENTER IS ADA, BUT I KNOW IN THE FUTURE BECAUSE I WAS THINKING THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A POPULATION OUT THERE THAT ARE PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED.
SO I'M HOPING THAT WE CAN MAKE OUR COMMUNICATION CENTER AVAILABLE SO THAT, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE IN A WHEELCHAIR OR, OR WHATEVER CAN CAN APPLY FOR THOSE JOBS. ABSOLUTELY, ABSOLUTELY.
GREAT. AND THEN LASTLY, OH, NOT LASTLY, THERE'S ONE MORE REGARDING YOUR HEAT TEAM IS THAT GOING TO BE AN ADDITIONAL TEAM? BESIDES THE SEU? OR ARE YOU JUST GOING TO RENAME THE SEU HEAT? IT'S GOING TO BE A COMBINATION.
SO FOR RIGHT NOW UNTIL LIKE I SAID, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A CHALLENGE WITH VACANCIES.
SO UNTIL WE GET THOSE VACANCIES FILLED IT'S GOING TO BE A COMBINATION OF BOTH.
SO THE SEU, THE SPECIAL ENFORCEMENT UNIT IS GOING TO REMAIN THE SPECIAL ENFORCEMENT UNIT.
THE HEAT TEAM IS GOING TO BE IN ADDITION TO THAT.
BUT THE HEAT TEAM IS GOING TO FOCUS EXACTLY ON SPECIFIC CRIMES THAT THE DETECTIVES OR PATROL NEED HELP WITH OR SPECIALTY ASSIGNMENTS, SPECIALTY THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN OUR PARKS.
THAT'S WHAT THE HEAT TEAM IS GOING TO BE INCLUDING AND ONE THING THAT WE DON'T REALLY TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION, BUT WE NEED TO HAVE A DIGNITARY PROTECTION PROGRAM, WHICH CURRENTLY WE DON'T HAVE.
SO WE NEED TO BE NOT THAT SHE'S UNSAFE WHERE SHE GOES, BUT IT IS MY JOB TO TAKE CARE OF MY BOSS.
SO THE HEAT TEAM WILL ALSO BE DESIGNED FOR TEAMS LIKE THAT.
AND WE SEE THE PROTESTS GOING ON EVERY DAY AROUND THE COUNTRY.
SO WE NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF THINGS LIKE THAT, ESPECIALLY WHEN PEOPLE COME TO VISIT US DIGNITARIES.
OH I THINK IT WAS THE LAST ONE.
JUST KIDDING. [LAUGHTER] NO, I KNOW, I KEEP THINKING AND THEN REGARDING DENNIS AND I CALL THEM DIRECTOR WAESPI, AND I CALL THEM SUBSTATIONS.
AND I THINK CHIEF CIABURRO CALLED THEM SOMETHING ELSE.
BUT WE'RE INTERESTED IN CREATING PLACES WHERE OUR OFFICERS CAN REPORT TO SO THAT THEY SPEND LESS TIME DRIVING TO AND FROM HEADQUARTERS AND BEING ABLE TO SERVICE THEIR AREAS.
THAT IS CORRECT. THAT'S WHAT I WAS REFERRING TO AS DEPLOYMENT POINTS.
OKAY. I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT WITH MY GM, YOU KNOW, WITH MY BOSS.
AND WE ARE EVALUATING I'M RIGHT NOW, I'M COLLECTING THE DATA TO MAKE INTELLIGENT DECISIONS SO THAT WE CAN HAVE MORE EFFICIENT DEPLOYMENT POINTS SO THAT OUR OFFICERS DON'T HAVE TO DRIVE ALL OVER, BUT THEY ACTUALLY STRATEGICALLY LOCATED TO BETTER SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.
GREAT. AND THEN THERE WAS ONE THING ON FIRE.
THEY'RE DOING GREAT. THANK YOU.
FIRE DEPARTMENT AS WELL. SO YES.
THANK YOU. I THINK THAT'S ALL MY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU DIRECTOR MERCURIO.
[01:10:01]
I SEE A PATTERN DEVELOPING HERE THIS MORNING.DON'T HURRY. JUST KEEP TELLING US ALL THIS STUFF.
BUT I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION AND YOU'VE PARTIALLY ANSWERED IT, BUT I REALLY AM CURIOUS ABOUT IT.
I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA, THIS HEAT TEAM CONCEPT.
CAN YOU GIVE A FEW MORE EXAMPLES OF HOW THEY MIGHT BE DEPLOYED, WHAT THEY MIGHT BE GOING AFTER? ABSOLUTELY. IT'S YOU KNOW, THE TEAM IS GOING TO BE VERY FLUID.
SO IT'S REALLY GOING TO BE BASED ON PRIORITIES THAT WE HAVE.
FOR INSTANCE, WHEN I COME TO THE BOARD MEETINGS, I OFTEN HEAR ABOUT COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC OR FROM YOU ABOUT ISSUES THAT HAPPEN IN OUR PARKS, FROM BIKES TO OTHER SITUATIONS.
SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON, BECAUSE A PATROL OFFICER MIGHT NOT NECESSARILY HAVE THE TIME TO INVEST IN THAT, EVEN THOUGH WE MAKE THEM PATROL PRIORITIES AND THEY DO GO.
THAT'S WHAT THE HEAT TEAM IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO.
SO WE WILL FOCUS FROM HIGH ENFORCEMENT TO EVEN THE LOWEST QUALITY OF LIFE, NOT LOWEST.
IT'S LESS LESS IMPORTANT JUST MAYBE DOESN'T REQUIRE SO MUCH ENFORCEMENT.
BUT THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE FOCUSING ON.
SO SO THE WAY IT IS NOW, IT MIGHT BE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE MORE REGULAR STANDARD OFFICER GOES TO A PLACE BECAUSE THERE'S SOMETHING GOING ON, BUT THEN THEY GET CALLED AWAY TO SOMETHING LIKE AN EMERGENCY.
AND THEN WE'VE LOST THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THE THING THAT THEY WANTED TO DO THAT DAY.
THE HEAT TEAM CAN JUST WON'T, BE DIVERTED OFF.
CORRECT. THE HEAT TEAM IS ACTUALLY WOULD BE SEPARATED FROM PATROL.
OKAY. I FEEL LIKE I'M GOING TO BE TALKING TO YOU ABOUT THIS MAYBE IN THE FUTURE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU'RE WELCOME.
DIRECTOR CORBETT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
I WAS JUST WONDERING TO ASK YOU JUST SORT OF A GENERAL QUESTION.
IS THERE ANY PARTICULAR PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE THAT WE SHOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT OR WORRIED ABOUT, OR THINGS THAT ARE THERE'S MORE OF THEM HAPPENING THAN OTHER TYPES? WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS OUR HIGHEST CONCERN? NO, ACTUALLY, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
IT'S A GREAT QUESTION. I WANT TO SAY WHAT I SAID A FEW MINUTES AGO.
SO I WANT OUR PEOPLE TO CONTINUE TO GO TO OUR PARKS AND ENJOY THEM.
AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE HAD OTHER JURISDICTIONS ASK US ABOUT EVEN MONITORING THEIR PARKS.
AND I'VE BEEN TALKING TO MY BOSS ABOUT IT.
OFTENTIMES, WE CAN PREVENT PEOPLE FROM BECOMING VICTIMS JUST BY GIVING THEM SIMPLE TIPS.
SO THAT'S WHERE BEING ABLE TO WORK WITH SUSAN AND HER TEAM IN DELIVERING MESSAGES.
THAT'S WHAT WE'LL BE FOCUSING ON.
DO WE HAVE ANY SORT OF, I THINK MAYBE WE HAVE IN THE PAST ANY SORT OF PROGRAMS, PROJECTS WHERE WE INDICATE TO PEOPLE THE SORT OF THINGS THEY SHOULD BE LOOKING OUT FOR TO KEEP THEMSELVES SAFE, THINGS THEY CAN BE DOING WITH REGARD TO, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY BRING WITH THEM IN THEIR CARS AND THINGS LIKE THAT WHEN THEY'RE TRAVELING AND LEAVING THEIR CARS PARKED.
WE THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANTED TO IMPLEMENT IS MORE OF AN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM.
SO WHEN YOU GO HIKING IN THE PARKS OR JUST ENJOY OUR PARKS, SOME OF THE THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR.
AGAIN, YOU DON'T NEED TO BE A VICTIM.
YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T NEED TO BECOME A VICTIM TO KNOW, OOPS, I MADE A MISTAKE.
AND JUST SOME SUGGESTIONS AND ALSO BY BEING MORE VISIBLE.
SO FOR US I'M HOPING OUR RECRUITMENT TEAM IS DOING VERY WELL IN RECRUITING NEW PEOPLE.
IT'S USUALLY ONE OBVIOUSLY PREVENTS CRIMES FROM HAPPENING.
BUT NUMBER TWO, WHICH IS PROBABLY THE BEST PART FOR ME.
[01:15:06]
THEIR VEHICLES OR WHEN THEY'RE ON A HIKE.LIKEWISE WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS WHAT I SAID THE OTHER DAY.
THE LADY THAT WENT HIKING HAD NO WATER WITH HER.
YOU KNOW, LET US EDUCATE THE PEOPLE, AND WE CAN ONLY DO THAT IF WE DON'T, IF WE'RE NOT RESPONDING FROM CALL TO CALL TO CALL, BUT WE ACTUALLY HAVE THE TIME TO JUST GET OUT OF OUR CAR AND JUST WALK THE PARK.
HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT OF HAVING ANY SORT OF A CLASS ON IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A CLASS, BUT PROGRAMS WHERE WE'RE EXPLAINING TO PEOPLE THE SORT OF WAY THEY SHOULD BE TAKING CARE OF THEIR PROPERTY WHEN THEY'RE OFF USING THE PARKS.
YES. IT'S IN THE FUTURE WE WILL BE LOOKING AT SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND NOW IT'S THE CHALLENGE IS THE PERSONNEL.
BUT WE'RE HOPING THAT BETWEEN THE VOLUNTEERS AND OUR PERSONNEL, SWORN PERSONNEL, WE WILL BE ABLE TO START OFFERING THOSE TYPE OF CLASSES NOT ONLY TO WHAT TO DO AND WHAT NOT TO DO OR BUT ALSO TO BE EDUCATED ABOUT LAW ENFORCEMENT AS A WHOLE.
SO PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW WHEN THEY SEE US DO CERTAIN THINGS, WHY WE DO CERTAIN THINGS.
AND A WELL-EDUCATED PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS WHAT LAW ENFORCEMENT DOES.
AND WE HOPEFULLY TRY TO AVOID THE CONFRONTATIONAL ITEMS THAT WE FACE QUITE OFTEN.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
YOU'RE WELCOME. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT STUFF TO TEACH EVERYONE OURSELVES.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR NEW LEADERSHIP THAT YOU'VE BROUGHT TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY DIVISION.
AND I WANTED TO MENTION, CHIEF, THAT I HAVE THOROUGHLY ENJOYED VISITING WITH YOUR OFFICERS.
WHEN I'M OUT WALKING IN WARD SEVEN, PARKS AND I RUN INTO ONE OF OUR OFFICERS.
AND ALWAYS TOWARD NUMBER ONE ON THE LIST IS FEELING SAFE IN OUR PARKS.
AND I APPRECIATE THE DEGREE TO WHICH YOUR OFFICERS ARE ENGAGING PEOPLE, GETTING OUT AND BEING SEEN.
AND THAT'S THE KEY TO BEING HAVING THAT FEELING OF SAFETY IN OUR PARKS IS SEEING YOUR OFFICERS AND SEEING OUR RANGERS, AND JUST KNOWING THAT THERE ARE FOLKS AROUND THAT CAN HELP THEM OUT.
AND I'M ALWAYS WALKING AWAY FROM CONVERSATIONS WITH YOUR OFFICERS, STRUCK BY THE DEGREE TO WHICH THEY EMBRACE THE FACT THAT THEY'RE NOT JUST PROTECTING PEOPLE AND THEY'RE NOT JUST PROTECTING PROPERTY.
THEY EMBRACE THEIR STEWARDSHIP ROLES.
THEY'RE PROTECTING NATURE, THEY'RE PROTECTING HABITAT, THEY'RE PROTECTING WILDLIFE.
AND I JUST GET SUCH A KICK AND PLEASURE OUT OF HOW MUCH OUR OFFICERS EMBRACE THAT ROLE AND ENGAGE OUR PUBLIC AND MAKE THEM FEEL BETTER. THE OTHER THING I'M STRUCK WITH, IT'S BEEN FOUR YEARS SINCE THIS MONTH, SINCE GEORGE FLOYD WAS KILLED.
AND OUR DEPARTMENT AND OUR OFFICERS AND I OBSERVE IT HAVE FULLY EMBRACED PROGRESSIVE POLICING AND IMPLEMENTED PROGRESSIVE POLICING AND UP TO AND INCLUDING TODAY USING DOGS AS SUPPORT INSTRUMENTS RATHER THAN THREATS.
AND AGAIN, OUR OFFICERS EMBRACE IT AND EMBRACE THAT ROLE, EMBRACE THE DIVERSITY IN OUR PARKS AND OUR COMFORTABLE WORKING WITH OUR DIVERSITY AND PROMOTING IT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU AND YOUR LEADERSHIP AND THE ROLE OUR OFFICERS PLAY IN THOSE CONCEPTS.
THANK YOU. DIRECTOR WAESPI. THANKS.
WELL, WELCOME, CHIEF. IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE.
THANK YOU SIR. TO WORK WITH YOU AND MEET YOU.
I GUESS MY FIRST QUESTION WOULD BE, WHAT IS YOUR VACANCY RATE? I MEAN, WE'VE ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT THE LACK OF OFFICERS.
HOW ARE YOU DOING? SO WE HAVE 11 VACANCIES RIGHT NOW.
IN SWORN? IN SWORN AND TWO IN THE PA AND FOUR IN DISPATCH.
I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT.
BUT THE GOOD THING IS WE HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE IN BACKGROUND.
SO WE'RE GOING TO BE ATTRACTING LATERALS AND OR ENTRY LEVEL.
SO WE HAVE FIVE PEOPLE IN BACKGROUNDS RIGHT NOW THAT LOOK VERY PROMISING.
[01:20:03]
SO. GREAT.THAT'S GOOD TO HEAR. AND SECONDLY, ON YOUR CRIME DASHBOARD, I JUST SAW THAT ON ONE OF THE SLIDES.
AND DO YOU PRODUCE THOSE EVERY MONTHLY.
AND DO YOU PRODUCE A YEAR END REPORT OF THE TYPES OF CRIMES AND WHERE THEY'RE COMMITTED IN THE REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT? WE DO, IN THE INTEREST OF TRANSPARENCY.
I'M GOING TO HAVE A YEARLY REPORT, WHICH I'M GOING TO BE PRESENTING TO YOU PRETTY SOON, AND NOT ONLY JUST FOR THE CRIME DASH THAT YOU SEE IN HERE, BUT ALSO WHEN IT COMES TO INTERNAL AFFAIRS INVESTIGATIONS TO HAVE A, YOU KNOW, TO BE COMPLETE TRANSPARENT ON EVERYTHING THAT'S, IT'S GOING ON WITHIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, IT WILL BE MADE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE TO OUR SOCIAL MEDIA.
WE USED TO HAVE THEM IN THE DISTRICT.
AND JUST ANECDOTALLY, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT YOU'RE DOING STUDIES AND TRYING TO FIND FACT FINDING WITHIN YOUR TEAM HOW THAT THE DEPLOYMENT WOULD WORK.
PLEASE CONSIDER, IF YOU WOULD, SOME OF THE PARK STAFFS THAT ARE INVOLVED WITH THIS BECAUSE, I MEAN I THINK ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF SUBSTATIONS OR DEPLOYMENT POINTS, IF YOU SEND NOT ONLY SAY, GAS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT THE IDEA OF A POLICE OFFICER REPORTING TO WORK AT, SAY, LIKE DEL VALLE, WHICH USED TO BE A SUBSTATION A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO.
I REMEMBER A SATURDAY WORKING UP THERE AS AN ON CALL FIREFIGHTER.
SO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT PEOPLE SHOW UP, THE PARK OPERATIONS PEOPLE SHOW UP AND THE POLICE OFFICERS SHOW UP AT THE SAME POINT, DRINKING THE SAME OR NOT THE SAME CUP OF COFFEE, BUT OUT OF THE SAME POT AND DISCUSS WHAT'S GOING ON TODAY.
THE PARK STAFF KNOWS THE POINTS THAT ARE THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO HAPPEN, SAY ON THE 4TH OF JULY IN THEIR SPECIFIC PARK, AND YOU CAN SHARE THAT TYPE OF INFORMATION AND STRATEGICALLY FIGURE OUT HOW YOU'RE GOING TO DO YOUR DAY WITH ALL THREE OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS.
AND I THINK THAT'S KEY AND VERY IMPORTANT.
ALSO WELL, DO YOU HAVE ANY INSIGHT ON THE ON CALL FIRE DEPARTMENT STAFF? I MEAN, WE WERE ENTERING FIRE SEASON, I THINK YESTERDAY IT WAS TRADITIONALLY THE OPENING OF FIRE SEASON.
AND WE'RE SHORT A NUMBER OF ON CALL FIREFIGHTERS.
WE'RE SHORT, BUT NOT FOR ANY REASON OTHER THAN IT'S A CHALLENGE FOR ALL OF US.
BUT I WANT THE PUBLIC TO BE REST ASSURED THAT WE'RE READY TO GO.
WE'RE READY TO PROVIDE SERVICES THAT ARE NEEDED.
AND WE ARE ADDRESSING SEVERAL ISSUES WITHIN THE PROGRAM ITSELF.
SO STILL PROCEEDING ALONG IN THE EVENT THAT WE NEED TO DEPLOY THEM IN THIS SEASON.
THEY'RE AVAILABLE JUST AS THEY ALWAYS HAVE BEEN.
SO THEY'RE WORKING AWAY FURIOUSLY AS RECENTLY AS YESTERDAY, BUT THERE ARE NO CHANGES TO THE PROGRAM.
OKAY. WHY CARBONIZER INSTEAD OF CARBONATOR.
PICTURE OF ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER.
IT COMES UP THE FIRST RESULTS THAT YOU GET IS HOW TO GET CARBONIZE WATER.
SO THEY WANTED TO CHANGE IT TO CARBONIZER JUST BECAUSE OF FOR EASIER TO SEARCH ONLINE.
FIGURED IT WAS SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND FINALLY I THINK I'M VERY HAPPY TO HEAR YOU'RE GOING TO DO NATIONAL NIGHT OUT AGAIN.
I THINK THAT WAS ONE OF THE BEST IN MY CAREER HERE.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE BEST PERFORMANCE IS NOT THE WORD I WANT TO USE, BUT THE BEST.
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT SHOWN THAT NIGHT WITH ALL OF THE VOLUNTEER TRAILS PROGRAM.
DISPATCHERS WERE OUT THERE, EVERYBODY WAS OUT THERE AND IT WAS A GREAT COMMUNITY EVENT.
SO I COMPLEMENT YOU. THANK YOU. YEAH, WE WILL DO IT.
I'M GLAD WE'RE DOING IT AGAIN.
[01:25:02]
AND PRESIDENT ECHOLS, I JUST REMEMBERED ONE THING I DID WANT TO MENTION RELATED TO THE CRIME REPORTS.WE ARE RELOOKING AT THE WAY THAT WE ARE REPORTING OUT.
I DO WANT TO LET THEM KNOW ANYONE CAN SIGN UP FOR THIS.
AND I BELIEVE THAT OUR CRIME DATA IS IT HAPPENS ALMOST REAL TIME.
YES. I BELIEVE, OF IT BEING ENTERED INTO THE SYSTEM THAT YOU CAN ACCESS IT.
SO I KNOW WE'VE SHARED THAT WITH ALL OF YOU.
I RECOMMEND IF YOU EVER HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT SOMETHING HAPPENING IN YOUR WARD WE HAVE ALL OF THAT.
SO IF THOSE ARE HELPFUL, GREAT.
WE'RE HAPPY TO SHARE THEM WITH.
AND THEN LASTLY, WE ARE SCHEDULING AS PART OF THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE I'VE MENTIONED THIS, I THINK, TO EACH OF YOU WORKING WITH THE CHIEF AND WITH LISA, SO THAT WE WOULD HAVE THIS BE MORE OF A ROUTINE PUBLIC REPORT THAT THEY'D BE GIVING AS PART OF THE COMMITTEE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF TRANSPARENCY OUT THERE, MORE THAN WE'VE EVER HAD AND REALLY TRYING TO PACKAGE THIS UP FOR THE PUBLIC AND ALSO FOR YOU ALL, AS YOU CAN SEE, WHAT'S GOING ON IN YOUR WARD.
SO WE WELCOME ANY AND ALL FEEDBACK.
WELL, THANK YOU, CHIEF, SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AND I ALSO WANTED TO JUST SAY HOW MUCH HOW GLAD I AM OF YOUR GOAL TO HAVE ENOUGH OFFICERS OUT THERE TO BE OUT AND ABOUT AND VISIBLE AND ABLE TO TALK TO PARK VISITORS AND EDUCATE THEM, BUT ALSO JUST TO, YOU KNOW, JUST TO BE OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY OF OUR PARKS SO THAT I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AND THAT WILL DEFINITELY HELP MAKE OUR PARKS EVEN SAFER.
AND I ALSO WANTED TO YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS FOR TRANSPARENCY.
I THINK THAT'S ALSO VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE AB 481 ANNUAL REPORT TO GET THAT OUT THERE.
I WAS VERY EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT THE GOAL OF A THOUSAND FREE DAILY SWIM LESSONS.
IS THAT YEAR ROUND OR IS THAT AN AVERAGE YEAR ROUND OR IS THAT JUST DURING THE SWIM SEASON? IT'S GOING TO BE AN AVERAGE YEAR ROUND, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE DURING THE SEASON THAT'S WHERE MOST OF IT'S GOING TO TAKE PLACE.
WELL YOU WILL VERY LIKELY SAVE LIVES.
I YOU KNOW THAT IS REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND THEN I ALSO WANTED TO EXPRESS MY ONGOING APPRECIATION FOR CHIEF THEILE AND HER TEAM IN TERMS OF THE LEADERSHIP ON FIRE PREVENTION AND MITIGATION. AND I THINK I SKIPPED OVER DIRECTOR SANWONG.
DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANTED TO JUMP IN ON? I'LL KEEP IT VERY BRIEF.
IN REGARDS TO THE DEPLOYMENT POINTS IN YOUR ANALYSIS, ONE RECOMMENDATION I HAVE, OR IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO HEAR ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES TO PART [INAUDIBLE] LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES.
FOR EXAMPLE, I KNOW THAT THERE IS ONE SUBSTATION THAT'S A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN CITY OF PLEASANTON AND BART POLICE THAT ACTUALLY WORKDAY BUILT FOR BOTH AGENCIES.
BUT I ALSO THINK IT WAS A REALLY GOOD IDEA TO HAVE THAT COMBINED SO THERE COULD BE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THAT TYPE OF PARTNERSHIP POTENTIALLY IN THIS ANALYSIS. SO JUST TO HAVE THAT INCLUDED IN YOUR RESEARCH, I THINK COULD BE INTERESTING.
I JUST WANT TO ADD THANK YOU FOR EXTENDING THE EAP TO NON-SWORN.
I MEAN, I'VE TOLD THE STORY BEFORE, BUT WE HAD AN INCIDENT BACK IN THE 80S WHERE TWO TWINS, TWO TWIN BROTHERS WERE RUNNING ON ALONG A DOCK IN CONTRA LOMA.
AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEY REALIZED ONE OF THEM WAS MISSING.
AND OUR DIVERS EVENTUALLY FOUND THE SECOND, THE MISSING TWIN UNDERNEATH ONE OF OUR DOCKS AND JUST THE DISCUSSION WE HAD A CRITICAL INCIDENT MEETING RIGHT IMMEDIATELY AFTER AND IT WAS JUST TO ME IT WAS AMAZING HOW IT AFFECTED EVERYBODY FROM THE GUARDS TO THE TWO DIVERS.
[01:30:03]
DAN MCCORMICK AND I THINK PETE DEQUINCY WAS THE OTHER DRIVER.SO I THINK IT'S CRITICAL THAT YOU DID THAT.
GOOD POLICE WORK THERE AND COOPERATION WITH THE CITY.
AND ALSO I NOTICED THAT WE WERE WE HAD A WE WORKED WITH THE US MARSHALS.
ABSOLUTELY. I KNOW I HAVE MY COUSIN SHE RETIRED NOW US MARSHAL.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY, CHIEF.
THANK YOU. APPRECIATE ALL YOUR WORK.
THANK YOU. OKAY, NEXT UP WE HAVE AGM WYSOCKI.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO SAY.
THAT ITEM THAT WE WERE GOING TO TAKE THE BREAK AFTER WAS ACTUALLY THIS ONE, NOT ITEM D.
SO WE COULD ACTUALLY DO THAT NOW BECAUSE IT IS 12:40.
IF THAT'S OKAY WITH YOU FOR THE LUNCH.
BOARD CAN WE DO ONE MORE OR? I THINK WE'RE GAME TO DO ONE MORE.
SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO GO AHEAD AGM WYSOCKI.
I ALWAYS LIKE DOING THIS RIGHT BEFORE LUNCH.
I'M THE ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER, AND I'M RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ACQUISITION, STEWARDSHIP, PLANNING, TRAILS AND GIS AND DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION, ALSO KNOWN AS ASD DIVISION.
FIRST, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE ASD TEAM.
AND I APPRECIATE ALL THAT THEY DO FOR THE DISTRICT.
SO WHAT IS IT WE DO AT ASD? AND I WANT, I'M NOT GOING TO READ THIS WHOLE PARAGRAPH HERE, BUT JUST FOCUSING ON THE TWO WORDS IN THIS, THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
AT ASD WE COLLABORATE, WE PLAN, AND IMPLEMENT NOW AND INTO THE FUTURE.
I HAVE FOUR DEPARTMENTS WITH 92 HIGHLY SKILLED STAFF.
THE STAFF IS VERY BUSY WITH THE HEAVY LIFTING FOR MANY OF OUR PROJECTS, AS WELL AS THE PREP WORK FOR VARIOUS BOARD AND COMMITTEE MEETINGS, EXTERNAL MEETINGS AND WORKSHOPS, AND INCLUDING OUR MONITORING ACTIVITIES AND COMPLETING VARIOUS REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.
RIGHT HERE IS A BUDGET BOOK THAT YOU GUYS APPROVED THIS LAST YEAR.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF PROJECTS IN HERE WHICH ARE VERY ACTIVE OR ARE PENDING.
I DID A ROUGH COUNT OF OUR CURRENT PROJECTS THAT THE TEAM IS WORKING ON.
AND THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT KEEPS ME UP AT NIGHT.
IT DRIVES THE NEED FOR TO FOCUS ON HOW WE PRIORITIZE OUR WORK, WHICH WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON.
AND TRUST ME WHEN I SAY NO ONE IS SITTING AROUND DOING NOTHING.
WE HAVE A LOT OF PROJECTS, MONITORING AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS, THEN RESOURCES TO MANAGE THEM.
I KNOW WE MET INDIVIDUALLY WITH EACH BOARD MEMBER.
DIRECTOR WAESPI WE WILL BE MEETING WITH YOU LATER THIS MONTH.
[01:35:05]
AND I'D LIKE TO CONTINUE THAT.THAT WAS VERY HELPFUL FOR YOU.
THERE WE GO. SO PLANNING TRAILS AND GIS DEPARTMENT.
SO WHAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED SO FAR, SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTED ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
WE HIRED A NEW PRINCIPAL PLANNER POSITION FOR OUR NEW CULTURAL RESOURCES UNIT.
ANNAMARIE GUERRERO IS THE NEW PRINCIPAL PLANNER.
WE RECEIVED CPU APPROVAL FOR THE NEW AT GRADE CROSSING AT THE NILES CANYON RAILROAD.
AND WE APPROVED THE COMMUNITY FACILITIES DISTRICT FOR MAGEE PRESERVE TRAIL SYSTEM.
YOU KNOW, HIRING A CONSULTANT, DOING INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL WORKSHOPS AND OUTREACH.
WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK ON THE BRIONES PILOT PROJECT WHICH GOES UNTIL 2025.
AND ALSO CONSTRUCTING THE POINT MOLATE BAY TRAIL AND OPEN A NEW TRAILS AT SYCAMORE VALLEY.
AND DIRECTOR CORBETT, YOU ASKED ABOUT ALAMEDA POINT.
I'M JUST GOING TO TAKE THIS MOMENT.
SO WE'RE WORKING ON THAT RIGHT NOW.
AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE WAITING FOR THE VA.
STEWARDSHIP, WE'RE WORKING ON OUR PERMITS FOR OUR MAINTENANCE AND RESTORATION WORK, WHICH WITH OUR RESPECTABLE AGENCIES TO INCLUDE WAYS WE CAN STREAMLINE PERMITTING.
SO FAR, CUTTING THE GREEN TAPE.
23 PERMITS REQUIRED, EIGHT FOR MAINTENANCE AND 15 FOR RESTORATION.
WE'RE DOING ONGOING WORK WITH OUR 20 WITH OUR 21 ACRE OAK RESTORATION.
YOU SAW THAT AT THE LAST BOARD TOUR THAT WE HAD.
SEVEN POND RESTORATIONS AND 18 HABITAT RESTORATION AREAS TO INCLUDE THE FERRY POINT PIER REMOVAL.
SOME OF THE EFFORTS WE'RE WORKING ON IS WORKING ON SOME SOLUTIONS AND PROGRAMS FOR OUR NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT IN OUR LAKES AND RESERVOIRS NUTRIENT CONTROL. THEY STARTED A WORKING ON DYE TREATMENT AND INVASIVE WEED TREATMENT.
WE'RE GOING TO COMPLETE OUR FINE SCALE VEGETATION MAPPING FOR BOTH COUNTIES AND PROVIDE REGULATORY COORDINATION AND REMEDIATION FOR OUR FORMER ANTHONY CHABOT MARKSMANSHIP RANGE AND POINT ISABEL.
SO WE'VE HIRED AS YOU GUYS EVERYBODY HAS MET.
WE HIRED OUR NEW CHIEF OF LAND ACQUISITION WHO JUST CAME IN AND AND TOOK THE BALL AND RAN WITH IT.
I THINK SHE'S DOING GREAT WORK.
WE'RE WORKING ON SEVERAL POTENTIAL ACQUISITIONS, THE BENSON AND FRESCHI PROPERTIES, WHICH IS IN WARD SEVEN POINT MOLATE AND A STAGING AREA AT DOOLAN CANYON REGIONAL PRESERVE.
WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON ADVANCING TRAIL EASEMENTS FOR THE CALAVERAS RIDGE TRAIL AND IRON HORSE TRAIL, AND SECURING POSSIBLE LEASE FOR THE SERVICE YARD AT LAKE TEMESCAL AND A LEASE FOR OUR AIR SUPPORT UNIT.
AS YOU'VE ALL ATTENDED, WE HAD THE OPENING OF THE ROBERTS POOL PROJECT.
AND THE PERALTA OAKS FACILITY WE'RE GOING TO BE STARTING CONSTRUCTION IN THE FALL TIME FRAME.
SOME OF THE EFFORTS WE'RE WORKING ON IS PROJECT PRIORITIZATION.
[01:40:05]
LOTS OF PROJECTS, AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED, MINIMUM STAFF.SO WE WANT TO REALLY PRIORITIZE AND DO THIS WORK AND PUT THE BEST EFFORT FORWARD.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU TODAY.
ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS ARE DEFINITELY WELCOME.
IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE DIRECTORS TO REALLY ASK IN-DEPTH QUESTIONS ABOUT PARTICULAR PROJECTS.
SO I THINK IT'S I THINK OUR NEW CHIEF SPOKE SAID SOMETHING THAT REALLY STUCK TO ME.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK AND THE PROFESSIONALISM.
SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I APPRECIATE THAT WE WORK VERY CLOSELY TOGETHER WITH ALL THE OTHER DIVISIONS.
WE CAN'T DO THIS ALONE WITHOUT EVERYBODY ELSE, BUT ALSO WITHOUT YOUR INPUT AS WELL, BECAUSE YOU SPEAK FOR THE PUBLIC YOU REPRESENT THE PARK DISTRICT, BUT YOU ALSO REPRESENT THE PUBLIC. AND WE LIKE TO HEAR THE VOICES.
OKAY. ANYBODY ELSE? OKAY. BUT I HAVE NOTHING.
THANKS. I APPRECIATE THE ONE ON ONES AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT ONE.
I APPRECIATE THAT, AND IF THERE'S AT ANY TIME YOU WANT ADDITIONAL CONVERSATIONS, WE'RE ALWAYS THERE.
OUR DOOR'S OPEN. YOU KNOW HOW TO GET AHOLD OF US.
WELL, YOU WEREN'T KIDDING ABOUT MAKING THIS A TEN MINUTE PRESENTATION.
I FOLLOW DIRECTIONS VERY WELL.
YEAH. [LAUGHTER] I DO, I HATE TO BREAK THE TREND HERE, BUT I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION.
I'M JUST INTERESTED IN THE GOAL OF EXPANDING THE PROGRAMS FOR NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT AND WHETHER YOU HAD ANYTHING SPECIFIC IN MIND FOR LAKE ANZA IN PARTICULAR, I THINK.
MATT, WOULD YOU LIKE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT? I KNOW HE TALKED ABOUT A FEW OPTIONS FOR LAKE ANZA, BUT HE CAN TALK MORE IN DEPTH ABOUT THAT.
YEAH. MATT GRAUL, CHIEF OF STEWARDSHIP.
THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION, DIRECTOR ECHOLS.
WELL, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AT BOTH OF OUR LAKES, LAKE TEMESCAL AND ANZA, WHERE WE'VE SEEN WHERE WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO A LOT MORE ACTIVE NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT, YOU KNOW, AT LAKE ANZA, WE DID PUT IN THE OXYGENATION SYSTEM A FEW YEARS AGO, AND THAT'S BEEN WORKING AND REALLY IMPROVING THE NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE MONITORING DATA THERE AND TRYING TO DETERMINE WHAT'S THE APPROPRIATE TIME TO POTENTIALLY DO ADDITIVE TREATMENTS TO DO FURTHER REDUCTION OF NUTRIENTS.
WHERE WE'VE REALLY EXPANDED THAT WORK IS LAKE TEMESCAL BECAUSE LAKE TEMESCAL IN THE PAST, WE'VE BEEN DOING ONE TREATMENT AT THE END OF THE RAINY SEASON, AND THAT WORKED FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
BUT RECENTLY WE DECIDED THAT IT WOULD BE BETTER TO TREAT DURING THE RAINY SEASON AT THE VERY END OF THE RAINY SEASON AND THEN FOLLOW UP WITH SUCCESSIVE TREATMENTS DURING THE SWIM SEASON. SO WE'RE PILOTING THAT AT TEMESCAL THIS YEAR.
ALSO, WE'RE PILOTING A NEW THING AT TEMESCAL THIS YEAR BY PUTTING DYE IN THE LAKE.
IS IT GOING TO CHANGE THE ABILITY TO SEE.
AND WE'RE LOOKING AT POTENTIALLY IMPLEMENTING THAT.
THOSE SAME TECHNOLOGIES AT ANZA, DEPENDING ON HOW IT WORKS AT TEMESCAL.
SO WE'VE ALREADY HAD SOME WEED TREATMENTS EARLIER THIS SEASON, AND WE'RE GOING TO INCREASE THE FREQUENCY OF THAT BECAUSE WE'VE HAD, YOU KNOW, CHALLENGES WITH AZOLLA AT TIMES OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
AZOLLA HAS ACTUALLY BEEN A GOOD THING FOR THAT ALGAE FORMATION.
BUT AT THE END OF THE SWIM SEASON LAST YEAR, IT BECAME A REAL PROBLEM HAVING THAT AZOLLA GETTING INTO THE SWIM LANES AND THE SWIM AREAS WHEN AT THE TIME WE DIDN'T WANT IT TO BE THERE. SO WE'RE TAKING A MORE PROACTIVE APPROACH THIS YEAR TO THE WEED MANAGEMENT OF LAKE ANZA.
SO THOSE ARE SOME THINGS WE'RE DOING TO KIND OF STEP UP OUR GREAT. WELL THANK YOU. I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT UPDATE.
DO YOU THINK THAT LAKE ANZA WILL OPEN THIS YEAR FOR SWIMMING?
[01:45:02]
USUALLY I THINK IT OPENS THE END OF MAY.I BELIEVE SO I WILL LOOK SPECIFICALLY AT THE DATA AND I'LL GET BACK TO YOU DURING THE BREAK.
OKAY. WONDERFUL. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
AND AGM WYSOCKI I DID ALSO WANT TO MENTION I ALSO APPRECIATED THE REALLY IN-DEPTH OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN WITH YOUR TEAM AND ZOOM ALL THE WAY AROUND MY WARD ELECTRONICALLY.
I LOVE THE SITE VISITS THAT WE DO IN PERSON, OUT IN THE FIELD AS WELL, BUT THAT WAS INCREDIBLY EFFICIENT, AND IT WAS GREAT TO HAVE YOUR WHOLE TEAM THERE TO GET A WHOLE LOT OF QUESTIONS ANSWERED IN 1 RELATIVELY SHORT PERIOD.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT NEW INNOVATION IN HOW TO GET THE INFORMATION TO US.
THANK YOU. I THOUGHT IT WAS VERY HELPFUL.
SO IF WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE, I THINK WE'RE.
SO AT THIS POINT, WE WILL BREAK FOR LUNCH.
SO LET'S GET BACK TOGETHER AT 1:30 PROMPT.
AND NEXT UP IS FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES DEBORAH SPAULDING.
GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. CAN YOU HEAR ME? OKAY. ALL RIGHT.
I'M DEBORAH SPAULDING, ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER OF FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES.
THIS IS MY FIRST TIME DOING THIS PRESENTATION TO YOU.
I'VE BEEN IN MY ROLE FOR ABOUT TWO AND A HALF MONTHS NOW.
SO THIS IS THE THIS PICTURE IS THE FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES TEAM.
THEY'RE OUT AT BLACK DIAMOND MINES DOING A SITE VISIT FIELD TRIP.
AND HERE'S ANOTHER DEPICTION OF THE FMS TEAM A LITTLE BIT MORE BOXY.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE OUR LARGEST DEPARTMENT IS FINANCE.
IN TOTAL WE HAVE ABOUT 56 FTE.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE QUITE A FEW VACANCIES RIGHT NOW.
SO WE HAVE ABOUT A 20% VACANCY RATE.
NOTHING SO EXCITING AS LIKE NEW TRAILS, NEW PARKLANDS, BUT TRYING TO FOCUS ON LIKE THE CORE CUSTOMER SERVICE, SUPPORTING DECISION MAKING, MAKING PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS TO MAKE THINGS MORE EFFICIENT AND THEN BOTTOM LINE, MAKING THIS A GREAT PLACE TO WORK, BOTH FOR THE FMS STAFF AND THEN FOR EVERYBODY WHO HAS TO INTERACT WITH US SO THAT THEY CAN GET THEIR JOBS DONE MORE EASILY.
SO WE WANT TO KEEP I FEEL LIKE FMS IS LIKE THE ENGINE OF THE PARK DISTRICT.
AND I'LL GET INTO SOME MORE SPECIFICS ON MY NEXT SLIDE.
SO CUSTOMER SERVICE, SOME EXAMPLES OF WORK WE'RE DOING THERE.
WE JUST COMPLETED OUR ANNUAL SURVEY WHERE WE EMAIL ALL THE PARK DISTRICT STAFF SAYING, HOW ARE WE DOING? WHAT CAN WE IMPROVE ON? WE GET FEEDBACK AND THEN WE TRY TO WORK ON THOSE TASKS.
PEOPLE TELL US LOTS OF IDEAS IN THE SURVEY BECAUSE IT'S ANONYMOUS.
AND SO WE CAN TAKE THOSE IDEAS AND IMPLEMENT THEM.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE BEEN HEARING LOUD AND CLEAR IS WE NEED MORE TRAINING FOR STAFF.
SO WE'RE ROLLING OUT A LOT MORE TRAINING IN THE COMING YEAR ON REALLY BASIC STUFF TO US SEEMS BASIC, BUT WE HAVE SO MANY NEW STAFF LIKE HOW DO I DO A PURCHASE ORDER? HOW DO I COMPLETE MY TIME CARD? WE'VE ALSO CENTRALIZED BUDGETS FOR UTILITIES, SOME CONTRACTS THAT ARE DISTRICT WIDE LIKE BAY ALARM AND THEN CENTRALIZING FUNDING FOR COMPUTER PROCUREMENT.
ON THE SUPPORTING DECISION MAKING.
SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO, IS FLIP THE FOCUS OF OUR DIVISION SO THAT INSTEAD OF BEING REACTIVE AND TRANSACTIONAL IN OUR WORK, THAT WE'RE REALLY THINKING AHEAD, LIKE WHAT DECISIONS ARE COMING, WHAT INFORMATION IS NEEDED, WHAT REPORTS CAN WE GET FOR PEOPLE? ONE AREA YOU'LL SEE THIS IN THE COMING YEAR IS IN CAPITAL PROJECTS WHERE WE'RE AND YOU HEARD A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS FROM ASD, WHERE WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO DO MORE WORK, PRIORITIZING OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS, FIGURING OUT WHAT'S THE TOTAL COST, AND THEN PUTTING THAT INTO THE THE BUDGET BOOK SO THAT IT'S CLEAR TO EVERYBODY.
[01:50:02]
IMPROVED EFFICIENCY.SO WE'VE MADE A FEW CHANGES RECENTLY AND A FEW MORE TO COME.
SO WE INCREASED THE PURCHASE ORDER THRESHOLD FROM $2,000 TO $5,000.
THAT WAS A VERY, VERY OLD CONTROL, AT LEAST 20 YEARS OLD FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD.
AND WITH INFLATION, WE NO LONGER NEEDED THAT LOW OF A CONTROL LEVEL.
SO THIS HELPS AGAIN HELPS TRANSACTIONS MOVE MORE QUICKLY THROUGH THE SYSTEM.
SO YOU NO LONGER NEED TO IF YOU WANT TO DO THE PER DIEM, IT'S OPTIONAL.
YOU CAN, INSTEAD OF KEEPING YOUR RECEIPTS AND THEN GETTING REIMBURSED TO THE PENNY.
INSTEAD, YOU'LL JUST GET A FLAT DOLLAR AMOUNT.
IF YOU SAY, LIKE I HAD LUNCH, YOU'LL GET THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT REIMBURSED TO YOU.
AND WE HAVE A REVISED OUR OR WE HAVE IMPROVED OUR TIME CARD REVISION PROCESS.
SO WE'RE ROLLING THAT OUT ON NEXT PAY PERIOD.
AND THEN FOR GREAT PLACE TO WORK.
WE ARE REALLY WORKING ON MAKING THIS MORE INTERACTIVE, MORE ENJOYABLE BY DOING MORE FACE TIME ACTIVITIES, HAVING MORE OF OUR MEETINGS IN PERSON RATHER THAN ZOOM AND TEAMS, WHICH IS GREAT WHEN YOU NEED TO, BUT IT'S JUST MORE INTERESTING WHEN YOU'RE IN PERSON.
REALLY TRYING TO ENCOURAGE STAFF, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE ALL VERY, VERY BUSY TO GET OUT TO THE FIELD TO CONNECT WITH THE PARKS AND SO THAT THEY CAN SEE THE DAY TO DAY STUFF THEY'RE DOING IS REALLY MEANINGFUL, AND THAT HELPS THEM FIND MORE JOY IN THEIR DAY TO DAY WORK.
AND THEN LASTLY, WE HAVE A FUN COMMITTEE.
AND ABOUT ONCE A MONTH WE DO DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES LIKE CELEBRATE BIRTHDAYS.
JUST LAST WEEK WE WENT OVER TO DUNSMUIR OR JUST THIS WEEK, SORRY, WENT TO DUNSMUIR AND DID A SCAVENGER HUNT JUST BRIEFLY JUST TO GET OUT AND AND BE TOGETHER AND DO SOMETHING THAT'S DIFFERENT FROM PROCESSING TRANSACTIONS.
SO NOW LOOKING AT EACH DEPARTMENT A LITTLE BIT MORE IN DEPTH.
SO WE HAVE CERTAIN TASKS WE DO IN FINANCE THAT ARE PRETTY REGULAR.
ONE THING WE DID THAT WAS A SOMEWHAT SIGNIFICANT THIS YEAR WAS THE FUND BALANCE REVIEW.
SO LOOKING AT OUR FUND BALANCE AND SEEING WHAT'S WHAT'S NEEDED.
COMING UP IN THIS YEAR, UPGRADING OUR FINANCE SOFTWARE, DOING MORE STRATEGIC PLANNING FOR OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS, LOOKING FOR WAYS TO DO PROCUREMENT AND CONTRACTING MORE EFFICIENTLY, AND LONG TERM PLANNING FOR PARK OPERATIONS AS WELL.
AND THEN THE EVEN HARDER WORK OF GETTING REIMBURSED FOR THOSE GRANTS.
SO THEY'RE DOING A LOT OF WORK WITH FEMA RIGHT NOW.
SO THEY'RE GETTING SOME TRAININGS READY, SOME FORMS READY, SO THAT WHEN THE NEXT DISASTER HAPPENS, WE CAN HIT THE GROUND RUNNING AND NOT SPEND SO MUCH TIME TRYING TO FIND DOCUMENTATION AND JUST MAKE IT QUICKER TO GET REIMBURSED FROM FEMA.
THEY'VE TAKEN ON THAT LION'S SHARE OF ALL THE CENTRALIZED UTILITIES THAT I TALKED ABOUT CENTRALIZED BAY ALARM CONTRACT AND THE XEROX COPIER CONTRACT, THEY'RE DOING A LOT OF WORK ON GREEN PURCHASING.
CENTRAL STORES IS REALLY COMMITTED TO THIS WORK.
AND JUANCHO AND HIS TEAM DID A LOT OF WORK HERE AT PERALTA OAKS TO PUT IN THE SOLAR PANELS.
WE'RE LIKE BURSTING AT THE SEAMS. AND SO A LOT OF SHIFTING IS HAPPENING, A LOT OF PEOPLE MOVING AROUND.
IT'S JUST GOING TO KEEP HAPPENING FOR ANOTHER COUPLE OF YEARS UNTIL WE GET THAT NEW BUILDING.
I'VE GOT DAVID RUSTING IN THE AUDIENCE, BUT THEY'VE BEEN DOING A TON OF WORK.
AND AGAIN, THEY'RE PRETTY SHORT STAFFED.
SO THEIR TEAMS ARE WORKING VERY HARD.
THEY IMPLEMENTED THE FULL WI-FI COVERAGE FOR PERALTA OAKS.
UPGRADED OUR FIREWALLS TO IMPROVE CYBER SECURITY AND OF COURSE IMPLEMENTED THE VIDEO STREAMING HERE.
[01:55:01]
IMPROVING THE CONNECTIVITY FOR RURAL SITES IS A BIG PRIORITY FOR THE PARK OPS FOLKS.AND THEN LASTLY, JUST LEVERAGING THE SOFTWARE THAT WE HAVE MORE EFFECTIVELY.
SO IN CONCLUSION, WE'RE SPENDING A LOT OF TIME AND ENERGY RIGHT NOW BUILDING RESILIENCY IN THE FMS TEAM, STRENGTHENING OUR FOUNDATION, MAKING SHORT TERM IMPROVEMENTS WHILE TRYING TO GEAR UP FOR LONG TERM STRUCTURAL CHANGES AND JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THE BOARD'S SUPPORT.
THAT'S IT. WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I'M GOING TO GO RIGHT TO IT, A FUN COMMITTEE SOUNDS FUN.
[LAUGHTER] AND FIELD VISITS ARE A COMBINATION OF FUN AND EDUCATIONAL, I WOULD THINK.
RIGHT. I MEAN, IT'S KIND OF TOO BAD WHEN IT WOULD SEEM TO ME THAT IF I WORKED HERE AND I WORKED IN A REAL TECHNICAL FIELD, LIKE YOU RUN THAT I WOULD KIND OF FEEL DISAPPOINTED BECAUSE THIS ALL THIS COOL STUFF GOING ON, I'M NOT PART OF IT.
RIGHT. BUT NOW IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE TRYING TO GET THAT GOING.
YOU BET YES. IT'S ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW WHEN YOU HAVE ALL THOSE VACANCIES, BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT PEOPLE DOING TWO JOBS OR ONE AND A HALF OR WHATEVER, AND IT CAN GO DOWNHILL REALLY FAST AND IT CAN BE A SPIRAL.
AND I THINK YOU MAYBE HAVE DONE SOMETHING THAT COULD ARREST THAT CYCLE.
TRYING. AND BUILD US INTO A BETTER STABLE TYPE OF ORGANIZATION.
BUT I DO WANT TO ASK YOU YOU HAD ALSO MENTIONED ABOUT STRATEGIC PLANNING FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS.
AND IS THAT RELATED TO THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN OR IS IT SOMETHING BEYOND THAT? YES. WELL, IT'S BOTH.
SO YOU'LL SEE IT MANIFESTED IN THE CAPITAL PROJECTS BUDGET, WHICH WE'VE NEVER PREVIOUSLY CALLED A CIP, BECAUSE IT'S NEVER HAD ALL THE INFORMATION IN ORDER TO BE A TRUE CIP.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE AIMING FOR.
THAT'S WHAT I'M AIMING FOR. AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET THERE IN TIME TO HAVE IT FOR THE BUDGET BOOK.
I THINK MAYBE IT'LL BE LIKE, YOU KNOW, 90% OF WHAT WE WANT THIS YEAR AND WE CAN JUST KEEP REFINING AND IMPROVING IN THE FUTURE, BUT WE ARE TRYING TO GET THE INFORMATION WE NEED SO THAT WE HAVE THE FULL PICTURE OF WHAT OUR TRUE COSTS ARE OF THE PROJECTS THAT ARE HERE TODAY THAT ARE IN PROGRESS, AND THE PROJECTS THAT WE WANT TO DO IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
ARE YOU MAKING ANY ATTEMPT TO ESTIMATE THE TIME REQUIREMENTS AMONG THE STAFF THAT ARE WORKING ON THESE PROJECTS IN ORDER TO SEE IF WE'RE OVER COMMITTING OURSELVES IN THE FUTURE.
YOU KNOW, LIKE WE MIGHT SCHEDULE A BUNCH OF PROJECTS.
WE CAN WE HAVE THE DOLLAR VALUE TO PAY THE CONTRACTS.
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE FORCE ACCOUNT HOURS, YOU KNOW, THAT WE NEED.
ARE WE LOOKING AT THAT YET OR.
YEAH. AND I GUESS I'LL SAY THAT IS SOMETHING WE'RE WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ASD ON.
THEY'RE ALSO OBVIOUSLY FULLY AWARE OF THAT ISSUE.
AND SO TRYING TO FIGURE OUT TOGETHER LIKE OKAY, WHAT IS THE REAL CAPACITY.
YEAH. AND LIKE YEAH, IT'S YOU SORT OF HAVE TO LIKE NAIL DOWN ONE THING TO NAIL DOWN THE NEXT.
SO LIKE WHO'S GOING TO GO FIRST WITH THE NAIL.
YEAH. YEAH I KNOW FROM MY PAST EXPERIENCE THAT YOU CAN REALLY GET YOURSELF INTO A PICKLE IF YOU KNOW, SAY, WELL, WE HAVE ENOUGH FUNDING FOR THIS, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THE PEOPLE TO DO THE WORK.
I APPRECIATE YOU MAKING THAT EFFORT AND PUTTING THAT INTO THE PROCESS.
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THAT 20% VACANCY RATE.
WAS IT LAST YEAR OR TWO YEARS AGO WHERE WE WERE HAVING TROUBLE KEEPING UP WITH PAYING OUR BILLS? THAT WAS LAST YEAR? YEAH, YEAH.
SO I'M JUST CONCERNED THAT WE'RE ACTIVELY GOT THAT PART OF IT COVERED.
YEAH. AND ALSO THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M SURE H.R.
HAS BEEN VERY, VERY SUPPORTIVE.
YEAH. SO THE INVOICE PAYMENTS GOT PRETTY BEHIND LAST YEAR.
WE'RE NOT QUITE TO WHERE WE WANT TO BE, BUT A COMBINATION OF WE GOT BACK SOME STAFF WHO'D BEEN ON PARENTAL LEAVE AND ALSO PUTTING SOME OF THESE NEW EFFICIENCIES IN PLACE HAS HELPED.
SO YEAH, I HOPE YOU WON'T BE HEARING THE STORIES THAT YOU WERE HEARING LAST YEAR.
ME TOO. AND THEN REGARDING THE NEW TRAVEL GUIDELINES AND PER DIEM YOU OUTLINED THE ONE FOR MEALS.
[02:00:04]
IS THERE GOING TO BE ONE FOR TRAVEL? IS THERE GOING TO BE? WE TALKED ABOUT THAT.WE THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE TOO BIG LIFT FOR US.
I MEAN, THAT'D BE A REALLY BIG CHANGE FOR US.
SO WE'RE STARTING WITH THE MEALS. OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO SEE HOW IT GOES.
AND IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT SET FOREVER.
SO IT'S KIND OF TIME CONSUMING.
SO YOU WOULD JUST GET A FLAT DOLLAR AMOUNT EVERY MONTH AND NOT HAVE TO DO THIS TIME INTENSIVE MAPS AND BACK AND FORTH, WHICH I RECENTLY BECAME AWARE THAT YOU ALL WERE DOING THAT AND I THINK LOST MY MIND.
SO WE HAVE A PROPOSAL I THINK THAT SHE'S GOING TO BE BRINGING FORWARD TO YOU VERY, VERY SOON.
UNLESS YOU WANT TO KEEP DOING THAT.
NO. THANK YOU, AND THEN I JUST NOTICED UNDER OFFICE PROJECTS.
I'M HOPING THAT FINANCE IS OUT OF THE CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS.
WE ARE OUT OF THE CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS.
YES. IT WAS ALWAYS AN ODD THING, HAVING THAT PART IN FINANCE.
YEAH, SOME OF THOSE PARTS BECAME PROBLEMATIC AND DIDN'T BELONG IN YOUR DEPARTMENT.
SO I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT'S OUT.
DIRECTOR CORBETT. I JUST WANTED TO SAY I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THIS COMMITTEE IN THE PAST, AND I JUST WANT TO ONCE AGAIN APPRECIATE YOUR WORK IN PUTTING THIS ALL TOGETHER, WORKING WITH YOUR FELLOW STAFFERS AND DOING A GREAT JOB OF PUTTING THIS TOGETHER, BECAUSE IT CAN BE KIND OF TOUGH SOMETIMES WHEN NUMBERS ARE JUST POPPING OUT THERE, BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THE ONLY QUESTION I WOULD HAVE IS THE ONE I ALWAYS HAVE IS WHEN ARE WE GOING TO GET AN ENVIRONMENTALLY PREFERRED PURCHASING POLICY? WE HAVE ONE NOW.
WE HAVE IT. SO YEAH, WE HAVE OKAY.
WE HAVE IT WHERE WE ARE THIS IS OUR FIRST YEAR THAT WE'VE HAD IT.
LIKE, HOW ARE WE DOING? ARE WE PERFECT YET? DEFINITELY NOT, BUT IT'S GOT THE INCENTIVES IN PLACE THAT I THINK YOU'VE BEEN WANTING.
SO WE'RE GETTING, WE'RE GETTING CLOSER.
I'M GOING TO JUMP IN AND ASK A FOLLOW UP BECAUSE SO ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE GREEN PURCHASING EFFORTS AT CENTRAL STORE? ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT A BROADER--IT'S A POLICY.
THE BOARD ADOPTED IT LAST YEAR, AND SO THIS IS THE FIRST FULL YEAR AND A LOT OF THE WORK IS BEING WE'RE TRYING TO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO DO THEIR PURCHASING THROUGH CENTRAL STORES SO THAT THEY CAN KNOW THEY'RE GETTING THE RIGHT PRODUCTS IF THEY GO THROUGH CENTRAL STORES, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT HE'S GOING TO KEEP IN STOCK.
IS THAT A HAPPY SMILE OR? NO, NO, I'M THINKING I'LL BE HAPPY TO HOST A BURNING ALL THESE PAPER PLATES AND PAPER CUPS WE HAVE OUT IN THE FIELD TONIGHT.
YEAH, WE WERE SUPPOSED TO GET ALL RIGHT, SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS WE HAVE MORE WORK TO DO.
OKAY. WELL, AND ALSO I THINK AND I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE HOW CENTRAL STORES WORK, BUT THE BROADER GREEN PURCHASING, LIKE, YOU KNOW, VEHICLES AND OTHER THINGS, AND, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY WE'RE LOOKING AT MAKING THE NEW BUILDING, I BELIEVE LEED GOLD.
SO NOT QUITE THE TIPPY TOP, BUT SOLID AND SO I THINK WAS THAT SOLID GOLD OKAY.
OKAY. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR MERCURIO, BUT YEAH ANYWAY, SO, SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, BEYOND THE PURCHASING THAT GOES ON THROUGH CENTRAL STORES, IT'D BE GREAT TO CONTINUE FOCUSING ON A BROADER GREEN PURCHASING.
YEAH, I THINK WE'RE BRINGING, WE'RE BRINGING AN UPDATE.
IT DOES HAVE SOME OVERARCHING LANGUAGE IN THERE ABOUT ALL OF OUR GREEN PURCHASING.
SO WE CAN RESEND THAT, JUST TO REMIND YOU ALL OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN IMPLEMENTING.
[02:05:01]
WELL WOULD BE WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.I KNOW THAT'S SUPPOSED TO COME TO FINANCE COMMITTEE OKAY SOMETIME IN 2024.
ALL RIGHT. DID YOU HAVE MORE? NO. OKAY. DIRECTOR COFFEY? DEBORAH, YOU KNOW, ONE OF MY FAVORITE TOPICS IS HOW WE'RE DOING WITH OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY, AND THE FIGURE OF THAT YOU PRESENTED IS WONDERFUL INVOICE AND RECEIVED 26.9 MILLION IN GRANT PAYMENTS.
THAT'S VERY GOOD, AND MY CURIOSITY IS THE BREAKDOWN BETWEEN 23 AND 24.
SO IS THIS FIGURE OF 26.9, IS THAT MOSTLY 23 GRANTS THAT WE'VE ACTUALLY NOW GOT THE CHECKS AND WE HAVE OR IS IT A MIX, AND WE STILL HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE HOW WE DID IN 2023.
THAT'S MY QUESTION. YEAH SO I CAN GET YOU MORE DETAILS.
SO WE'RE GETTING REIMBURSED FOR GRANTS THAT HAVE BEEN RECEIVED FOR, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY GOING BACK FIVE OR MORE YEARS, AND SO THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IN THE REIMBURSEMENT IS LIKE WE WERE AWARDED THIS FIVE YEARS AGO.
SO I CAN GET YOU MORE DETAILS ABOUT HOW I THINK WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THERE'S THE WHAT'S AWARDED EACH YEAR AND THEN WHAT'S RECEIVED IN REIMBURSEMENTS EACH YEAR, AND YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO COMPARE THE YEAR TO YEAR.
IS THAT RIGHT? YEAH, I'D LIKE TO SEE YEAR TO YEAR HOW WE'RE DOING WITH OPM.
YEAH, AND IT'S JUST A GOOD INDICATOR OF HOW EFFECTIVE OUR FUNDING APPROACH IS FOR ANY GIVEN YEAR OR PERIOD OF YEARS, AND I TEND TO LOOK AT IT AS IN TERMS OF CYCLE, AND IT FOLLOWS, FOR INSTANCE, CLOSELY OR TRACKS CLOSELY WITH WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND STATE GOVERNMENT IS DOING IN TERMS OF FUNDING LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND PARKS AND OPEN SPACE. SO I UNDERSTAND THAT KIND OF CYCLICAL EFFECT OF IT, BUT IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT I LIKE TO SEE, AND IT'S ALWAYS A STRUGGLE BECAUSE OF THAT LAG TIME WHERE WE GET A GRANT AND THEN IT DOESN'T COME, AND I'M ALWAYS INTERESTED IN HOW MUCH OF A GIVEN PROJECT WAS DONE WITH OPM, AND SOMETIMES WE'RE NOT REALLY CLEAR.
SO I'M JUST ACKNOWLEDGING ALL OF THAT AND ASKING THAT SOME KIND OF BREAKDOWN OVER TIME BE PROVIDED US, I GUESS, YOU KNOW, I SEE IN THE BUDGETS NOW, I THINK WE'VE ACTUALLY INCORPORATED IN THE ANNUAL BUDGET--TRYING TO BREAK THAT DOWN BETTER, YEAH--A PIECE OF THE REVENUE PIE IS ALLOCATED NOW FOR MONEY RECEIVED AND BEING SPENT, AND THAT'S HELPFUL.
OKAY. YEAH, WE CAN GET YOU THAT INFORMATION.
SO, FIRST OF ALL, CONGRATULATIONS ON THE GRANT SUCCESS.
I MEAN, REALLY TO SEE 58 GRANT APPLICATIONS AND 28 AWARDED, THAT IS REALLY PHENOMENAL.
I MEAN, I DON'T, I, YOU KNOW, DON'T KNOW WHAT ALL AGENCIES HAVE, BUT I GOT TO BELIEVE JUST BASED ON MY LIMITED EXPERIENCE, THAT IS REALLY A HUGE PERCENTAGE TO BE ACTUALLY GETTING GETTING FUNDED FROM MORE THAN HALF OF THE GRANTS THAT WE'VE APPLIED FOR IS A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS RECORD.
SO THAT WAS REALLY GREAT TO SEE.
I'M ALSO REALLY HAPPY TO SEE THAT YOU ALL ARE TAKING A MORE PROACTIVE APPROACH TO WORKING WITH FEMA AND STORM DAMAGE AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, BECAUSE AS WE KNOW, THESE STORMS ARE JUST GOING TO KEEP COMING.
WE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF A BREAK THIS YEAR, BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT GOING TO STAY THAT WAY, AND THEN AND THEN WE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THE GREEN PURCHASING. SO YEAH THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK AND FOR STEPPING INTO THIS ROLE, AND I APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU'RE DOING TO AS YOU SAID, TO STABILIZE AND BUILD THE ORGANIZATION. THAT'S NEVER AN EASY PLACE TO BE, BUT WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR WORK.
ALL RIGHT. NEXT WE HAVE OUR HUMAN RESOURCES TEAM AGM ALLYSON COOK AND A FEW OTHERS.
[02:10:29]
GOOD AFTERNOON, PRESIDENT ECHOLS.MEMBERS OF THE BOARD ALLYSON COOK, ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER OF HR.
SO HERE'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN UP TO IN HUMAN RESOURCES ADMINISTRATION, WHICH IS ONE OF OUR UNITS.
WE'RE VERY PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON AN EQUITY STATEMENT FOR HUMAN RESOURCES.
THANK YOU, JANELLE, FOR TAKING LEAD ON THIS.
THIS IS REALLY A GROUP EFFORT.
SO THE PUBLIC CAN SEE IT, THOSE THAT ARE APPLYING CAN SEE IT, AND WE'RE ALMOST FINAL.
IT'S ALMOST FINALIZED. I THINK IT'S WITH ME, AND THEN ONE MORE TIME TO THE STAFF.
SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
WE'RE ALSO CREATING STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR ALL UNITS IN HUMAN RESOURCES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE FOLLOWING PROCESS FOLLOWING THE MOU AND FOLLOWING THE LAW. CONSISTENCY IS REALLY IMPORTANT IN HUMAN RESOURCES, AND WE'RE HOPING THESE SOPS WILL HELP STAFF, AND IT ALSO HELPS WITH SUCCESSION PLANNING.
SO NEW PEOPLE WHO COME ON DON'T HAVE TO RELEARN EVERYTHING.
IT'S RIGHT THERE. SO THAT'S A HUGE UNDERTAKING FOR OUR STAFF, BUT SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE EXCITED ABOUT DOING ALSO WE ARE NOW HANDLING HR 18 INVESTIGATIONS IN-HOUSE.
THOSE ARE THE ANTI-DISCRIMINATION AND HARASSMENT INVESTIGATIONS.
WE STILL HAVE TO USE OUTSIDE INVESTIGATORS ON SOME OF THE LARGER ONES, BUT THROUGH THE 2023 BUDGET PROCESS, THE BOARD WAS GRACIOUS ENOUGH TO GIVE US A SENIOR AIR ANALYST WHO IS VERY WELL TRAINED ON HANDLING INVESTIGATIONS, AND HE'S BEEN DOING THOSE IN-HOUSE.
WE HAD 21 INVESTIGATIONS IN 2023 THAT INVOLVED HR 18 AND ALL OF THOSE IF THEY WERE SUSTAINED.
WE WORKED WITH THE DIVISIONS ON CORRECTIVE ACTION.
I'M GOING TO HAND IT OFF TO JANELLE.
ALL RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
I'M JANELLE RODRIGUES, CHIEF OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, AND I WANT TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING TO RECRUIT, DEVELOP AND RETAIN OUR EMPLOYEES OF THE PARK DISTR ICT. SO, AS YOU GUYS KNOW, WE HAVE 978 BUDGETED FULL TIME EQUIVALENT POSITIONS.
THAT'S FTES DIFFERENT THAN HEAD COUNT.
IF WE WERE TALKING HEAD COUNT BECAUSE OF SEASONAL AND PART TIME STATUS, WELL OVER A THOUSAND EMPLOYEES AT THE PARK DISTRICT, AND I JUST WANT TO SAY OUR RECRUITMENT AND BENEFITS TEAMS HAVE DONE AN EXTRAORDINARY JOB IN THE LAST YEAR.
THE NUMBERS I THINK THEY REALLY SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.
TOTAL OF 322 EMPLOYEES HAVE BEEN HIRED IN THE LAST YEAR.
122 OF THOSE ARE REGULAR EMPLOYEES AND 210 ARE SEASONAL.
ACTUALLY JUST GOT AN UPDATED NUMBER YESTERDAY.
SO, WELL, CLOSE TO 350 NEW PEOPLE THAT WE'VE BROUGHT ON BOARD TO THE PARK DISTRICT JUST IN THE LAST YEAR, AND THAT'S RESULTED IN AN 8.4% VACANCY RATE, AND I WANT TO PAUSE THERE BECAUSE ANYTHING BELOW DOUBLE DIGITS IS EXTRAORDINARY.
IT SHOULDN'T BE THE NORMAL, BUT IT HAPPENS TO BE 20%, SOME WELL OVER 25% VACANCY RATES.
SO ANYTHING UNDER A DOUBLE DIGITS IS ABSOLUTELY EXTRAORDINARY.
LAST YEAR WAS 12.6 WHEN WE REPORTED THIS NUMBER TO YOU.
SO I MEAN, WE JUST CONTINUE TO IMPROVE.
AGAIN, I HAVE GOT TO SHOUT OUT TO OUR RECRUITMENT TEAM AND OUR BENEFITS TEAM.
THEY HAVE BEEN JUST CRUSHING IT ON THIS, AND OF COURSE, WE HAVE AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT IN AREAS WHERE WE NEED TO FOCUS AND HELP OUR PARK DISTRICT PARTNERS FILL THOSE VACANCIES THAT THEY NEED, BUT ABSOLUTELY EXTRAORDINARY NUMBER THERE.
THERE WE GO, BUT ONCE WE GET OUR EMPLOYEES THROUGH THE DOOR, HOW DO WE DEVELOP OUR WORKFORCE?
[02:15:05]
EVERY NEW EMPLOYEE GOES NEW, REGULAR EMPLOYEE GOES THROUGH NEW EMPLOYEE ORIENTATION, WHICH WE STARTED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO IN WHICH WE CONTINUE.WE NOW HAVE OUR INAUGURAL EQUITY OFFICER DOING A DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION PORTION IN THAT NEW EMPLOYEE ORIENTATION, AND LAST YEAR WE HAD OVER 100 ATTENDEES TO NEO.
WE'VE ALSO BEGUN TO DIGITIZE AND AUTOMATE OUR PERFORMANCE REVIEW PROCESSES.
LAST YEAR WE ROLLED IT OUT TO MANAGEMENT AND CONFIDENTIALS.
THIS YEAR WE'RE ROLLING IT OUT OR INTENDING TO ROLL IT OUT TO ALL PARK DISTRICT EMPLOYEES TO GET BETTER COMPLIANCE WITH OUR PERFORMANCE REVIEWS AND GET THEM TO HAPPEN AND IMPROVE OUR NUMBERS THERE AND THEN FINALLY, ON DEVELOPMENT, WE CONTINUE TO DO LEAF, WHAT WE CALL LEAF, OUR LEADER ESSENTIAL ACADEMY FOR ANY PARK DISTRICT LEADER, WHICH IS CHIEF MANAGER OR SUPERVISOR.
LAST YEAR IT WAS A TEN SESSION ACADEMY OF AND WE HAD 40 GRADUATES.
THIS YEAR WE'RE TRYING TO DOUBLE THOSE NUMBERS AND GET GET TO MORE PARK DISTRICT LEADERS.
WE'RE NOW INCLUDING A DEI AND EFFECTIVE COACHING SESSIONS, AND LASTLY, WE'VE RECRUITED, WE'VE DEVELOPED, BUT HOW ARE WE RETAINING OUR EMPLOYEES? WE DO THAT THROUGH RECOGNITION AND BELONGING, EFFORTS.
OUR SERVICE AWARDS ARE WHERE WE RECOGNIZE EMPLOYEES FOR VARIOUS MILESTONES.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE IMAGE, I WANT TO THANK PUBLIC AFFAIRS.
THEY REALLY DID SOME AMAZING WORK ON SOME OF OUR RECOGNITION, I GUESS, PRIZES, TROPHIES.
REALLY COOL TRAIL MARKER THERE.
WE JUST DID SHADOW CLIFFS, AND WE HOPE YOU'LL JOIN US AT ROBERTS AND KENNEDY GROVE, AND FINALLY, HOW DO WE CREATE INCLUSION AND BELONGING? WE HAVE THE EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION COMMITTEE, WHICH IS BY EMPLOYEES AND FOR EMPLOYEES.
LAST YEAR, 11 EVENTS AND 1100 PEOPLE PARTICIPATED.
THIS YEAR, EVEN MORE, AND I'M GOING TO SHOUT OUT SPECIFICALLY WANDA BOLDEN ROSS, WHO HAS PUT HER HEART AND SOUL INTO THE EAC TO REALLY CREATE A LOT OF INCLUSION AND BELONGING HERE AT THE PARK DISTRICT.
GREAT. SO EMPLOYEE AND LABOR RELATIONS, I LOVE LABOR.
I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT I DO.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK AFSCME FOR COMING TO THE TABLE AND AMICABLY REACHING RESOLUTION PRIOR TO THE EXPIRATION, WHICH WAS HISTORIC, IN MY OPINION.
SO BY SETTLING THAT CONTRACT, IT ALLOWS ALL OF US AND I MEAN THE ENTIRE PARK DISTRICT, FOCUS ON THE OTHER IMPORTANT WORK THAT WE HAVE TO DO, BECAUSE LABOR NEGOTIATIONS CAN TAKE A LOT, NOT ONLY FROM HUMAN RESOURCES, BUT EVERY DIVISION THAT IT TOUCHES, WHICH IS EVERYONE.
WE ARE ALSO WORKING ON POLICIES.
WE ARE WORKING, WE HAVE UPDATED OUR ANTI-DISCRIMINATION AND HARASSMENT POLICY TO CONFORM TO THE LAW.
WE HAVE A CODE OF CONDUCT POLICY.
ALL OF THESE WILL BE NOTICED TO OUR UNION.
SO IT MAY TAKE A LITTLE BIT TO GET THEM THROUGH MEET AND CONFER, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THEIR FEEDBACK ON THESE POLICIES, AND THIS YEAR WE IMPLEMENTED THE MILITARY LEAVE POLICY.
IT LETS OUR EMPLOYEES KNOW ABOUT THEIR RIGHTS IF THEY ARE A RESERVIST OR IN THE MILITARY.
WE ALSO HAVE OUR FMLA CFRA POLICY.
THERE WERE A LOT OF CHANGES TO THE LAW.
WE'RE ALMOST DONE WITH MEET AND CONFER.
WE HAVE ONE MORE MEETING, I THINK, AND WE'RE DONE, AND THEN HR POLICY NUMBER 16, BACKGROUND CHECKS.
JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE NOT OVER BACKGROUNDING PEOPLE OR NOT UNDER BACKGROUNDING PEOPLE.
SO MEETING THAT IN THE MIDDLE.
BENEFITS. BENEFITS IS ALSO VERY, VERY BUSY.
WE HAVE THE NEW CONCERN EAP AVERAGE OF 27 EMPLOYEES PER MONTH CONTACT EAP.
IT SHOWS THAT PEOPLE TRUST EAP.
WE'VE ALSO USED CONCERN FOR FIVE CRITICAL INCIDENT SUPPORT SERVICES THAT HAPPENED IN OUR PARKS, AND SO THAT'S ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR OUR STAFF, AND WE ADDED ON WITH PUBLIC SAFETY THE SWORN COMPONENT THAT THE BOARD AUTHORIZED A COUPLE MONTHS AGO NEW YORK LIFE THE BOARD AUTHORIZED
[02:20:08]
THAT THEY HANDLE OUR LEAVES, OR OUR PROTECTED LEAVES EMPLOYEES CAN NOW GO ONLINE TO FILL OUT RATHER THAN BE PAPER AND SUBMITTING PAPER THROUGH INTEROFFICE MAIL. IT'S ALL AUTOMATED AND ALL ONLINE.THEY'VE MANAGED 31 NEW LEAVE REQUESTS JUST IN THE SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME WE'VE HAD THEM HERE, AND E-FORMS, WE ARE REALLY COMMITTED TO DIGITIZING THE WORK THAT WE DO TO MAKE IT MORE EFFICIENT.
BECAUSE WE ARE VERY PAPER INTENSIVE AND WE'VE GOT TO GET OUT OF THAT MIND FRAME.
SO THAT'S IT. I'M GOING TO PASS IT OFF TO ALMA FOR RISK.
THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, DIRECTOR ECHOLS.
PRESIDENT ECHOLS MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
SO I'M JUST GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT RISK MANAGEMENT.
IN 2024, WE HAD THE SAFETY ACADEMY, WHICH WAS OUR 20TH ANNUAL ONE.
WE HAD THREE REGIONAL SESSIONS THAT WERE OFFERED HERE AT PERALTA OAKS, AND THERE'S SOME OF OUR STAFF IN THE FIELD THAT CAME AND ENJOYED OUR OUTDOOR PATIO DURING LUNCH BIG BREAK AS WELL AS HAYWARD SHORELINE, AND WE DID ALSO HAVE ONE VIRTUAL OPTION.
WE FOCUSED ON THOSE TWO THINGS BECAUSE WE ARE SEEING MORE OF THE REPETITIVE MOTION INJURIES THAT ARE HAPPENING OUT IN THE FIELD, AND IT'S A WAY TO COMBAT WHAT INJURIES WE'RE SEEING AND ALIGNING SOME OF OUR EFFORTS IN TERMS OF REDUCING OUR WORKER'S COMPENSATION CLAIMS AND COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, AND THEN ALSO DEFENSIVE DRIVING.
WE'VE SEEN A LITTLE BIT OF AN UPTICK IN TERMS OF OUR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS AND WANTED TO GET IN FRONT OF THAT AND FIND A WAY TO REDUCE SOME OF THOSE EXPOSURES AND LOSSES BY PROVIDING DEFENSIVE TRAINING TO ALL OF THESE FOLKS.
SO THAT WAS ONE OF OUR FOCUSES BACK IN 2023 TO ROLL FORWARD INTO 2024 AND REALLY FOCUS ON THAT.
ANOTHER EFFORT IS THE INJURY AND ILLNESS PREVENTION PROGRAM.
SO 25 YEARS AGO WE HAD THE SAFETY MANUAL, AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING REALLY, REALLY HARD WITH OUR LABOR PARTNERS TO TAKE A VERY THOUGHTFUL APPROACH TO HOW THIS SHOULD LOOK IN TERMS OF SETTING THE FOUNDATION FOR SAFETY AT THE PARK DISTRICT, AND SO IT'S BEEN A VERY, VERY PRODUCTIVE MEET AND CONFER PROCESS, AND WE'RE HOPING TO RESOLVE EVERYTHING AND HOPEFULLY IMPLEMENT SOON.
CHAINSAW OPERATIONS AND SAFETY TRAINING.
WE HAVE A LOT OF EMPLOYEES WHO ENGAGE IN TREE WORK.
IT'S THE NATURE OF THE BUSINESS, BUT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE COMPLIANT WITH THOSE STANDARDS, AND THIS HAS REALLY BEEN A GROUP EFFORT BETWEEN HR AND RISK OPERATIONS, PUBLIC SAFETY, OUR FIREFIGHTERS AND AS WELL AS OUR LIFEGUARD SERVICES STAFF WHO DELIVERED THE FIRST AID AND CPR COMPONENT THAT IS REQUIRED UNDER THE TREE WORK STANDARD.
A LOT OF OUR FIRE STAFF AND OUR OPERATIONS STAFF ARE TRAINED AT THE S212 LEVEL.
IT'S THE FIRE INDUSTRY LEVEL, AND THEY HAVE REALLY TAKEN IT UPON THEMSELVES TO BE LEADS IN TERMS OF THE INSTRUCTORS TO TEACH OTHER PARK DISTRICT EMPLOYEES ON CHAINSAW OPERATIONS AND SAFETY.
WE ARE WORKING ON A WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PREVENTION PLAN.
THIS IS COMING OUT OF SB 553, WHICH ESTABLISHES A NEW LABOR CODE THAT'S EFFECTIVE JULY 1ST AND SO ALL CALIFORNIA EMPLOYERS ARE GOING THROUGH THE SAME THING RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS IMPLEMENTING THIS NEW PLAN BY JULY.
FIRST PART OF THAT CODE IS TO HAVE TRAINING PRECEDE THE IMPLEMENTATION DATE.
CURRENTLY, WE ARE HOLDING FOCUS GROUPS WITH ALL STAFF AT AT DIFFERENT LEVELS.
WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THIS IS NOT JUST SOMETHING THAT HUMAN RESOURCES TAKES LEAD ON, BUT WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HEAR FROM STAFF WHO ARE EITHER HERE IN PERALTA OAKS OR STAFFING PUBLIC MEETINGS OR OUT IN THE FIELD STAFFING OUR PARKS OR OUR TRAILS, THAT WE CAN COME ACROSS WORKPLACE VIOLENCE IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT WAYS, AND THAT WE'RE BEING THOUGHTFUL ON HOW WE IDENTIFY HAZARDS AND HOW WE MESSAGE TO OUR STAFF WHAT WHAT CORRECTIVE ACTIONS CAN BE PUT IN PLACE TO MITIGATE SOME OF THOSE RISKS, AND THEN ALSO WE HAVE OTHER SAFETY PROGRAM UPDATES THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
THERE'S A NEW SILICA EXPOSURE STANDARD THAT WENT INTO EFFECT AT THE END OF LAST YEAR.
WE'VE BEEN BUSY WORKING WITH BLACK DIAMOND MINES ON THAT REFRESHING OUR CONFINED SPACE PROGRAM.
WE'RE CONTINUING TO FOCUS ON DRIVER SAFETY, NOT JUST FOR PARK DISTRICT EMPLOYEES, BUT ALSO FOCUSING ON OUR COMMERCIAL DRIVERS AS WELL, AND THEN LASTLY, THE ANNUAL HEALTH AND SAFETY FAIR WILL BE BACK AT CASTLE ROCK IN OCTOBER.
[02:25:07]
OF OUR PARK DISTRICT SAWYERS.THEY ARE A CADRE WHO TRAINS OTHER STAFF IN SAFETY OPERATIONS, AND THEY WERE PRESENTED WITH AWARDS LAST YEAR FOR ALL THE GREAT WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE FOR OUR STAFF, AND THAT'S IT, AND THERE IS AIR.
SO EVERYTHING WE TALKED ABOUT IS DONE BY ALL OF THESE EMPLOYEES, AND WE'RE ALMOST FULLY STAFFED.
WELL THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ALL OF YOU.
ALLYSON, JANELLE AND ALMA, REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
I'M LOOKING TO SEE IF ANYONE HAS COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, AND ALMA, ESPECIALLY, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING AND ENHANCING THESE SAFETY PROGRAMS. I THINK THEY'RE INCREDIBLY VALUABLE, ESPECIALLY THE SLIDE WHERE YOU SHOWED OF EMPLOYEES, YOU KNOW, TRAINING THE TRAINER OR, YEAH, TRAINING THE TRAINER TO BECOME, YOU KNOW, TRAIN OUR OWN EMPLOYEES.
I THINK IT'S GREAT TO HIRE A CONSULTANT FROM SOME CHAINSAW COMPANY TO TEACH US, BUT TO HAVE ACTUAL MEMBERS OF EMPLOYEE GROUPS BEING ABLE TO TRAIN PEOPLE, I THINK THAT'S A IT'S A VALUE FOR EVERYONE, AND I APPRECIATE YOU CONTINUING THAT.
I ALSO FOR JANELLE I'M INTERESTED.
SO CAN I INTERPRET THE PERFORMANCE REVIEW AUTOMATION THROUGH SUMMIT? I'M READING THAT 51% HAVE COMPLETED DOING PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS, AND WE'RE HOPING TO START SOMETHING IN AT THE END OF THIS YEAR OR SUMMER OF THIS YEAR.
ARE WE EVER GOING TO GET PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS AROUND HERE ANYMORE? SURE. I CAN EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT.
SO WHAT WE DID IS TRADITIONALLY YOU DO THE PAPER PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS AND THEY'RE SUBMITTED TO HR.
LAST YEAR WE ADDED ON TO SUMMIT.
SO THEY'RE NOW ALL ON THE COMPUTER, AND WE ROLLED IT OUT FOR MANAGERS AND CONFIDENTIALS, AND THAT LAST YEAR WAS THE FIRST YEAR THAT MANAGERS AND CONFIDENTIALS GOT TO DO IT. PRIOR TO THAT, WE HAD A 13% PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL RETURN RATE, WHICH IS ABYSMAL.
SO WE HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED MANAGEMENT MANAGER AND CONFIDENTIAL PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL RATES, AND NOW WE PLAN ON ROLLING THAT OUT TO OUR REPRESENTED EMPLOYEES, BUT WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH, MEET AND CONFER FOR THAT.
YEAH. DOUBLE DOWN ON DIRECTOR WAESPI'S CONCERN.
WE WERE BOTH SUPERVISORS, AND WE ALWAYS DID OURS, SO YES, THEY'RE DIFFICULT SOMETIMES, BUT EVEN IF YOU HAVE A GOOD CREW, IT'S DIFFICULT BECAUSE IT'S HARD TO COME UP WITH ACCOLADES EVERY YEAR.
WHAT DID I HAVE? OH I JUST WANTED TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON TRYING TO BUILD SUCCESSION INTO THE INTO THE DEPARTMENT, BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WAS LACKING FROM PREVIOUS AND I APPLAUD YOU ON THAT AND ALSO HANDLING THE HR 18 IN-HOUSE.
IT'S DISCONCERTING THAT WE STILL HAVE THAT MANY, BUT IT'S NICE TO KNOW THAT WE CAN DEAL WITH THOSE IN HOUSE, AND THEN ALSO...
OH I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THE COVID LEAVES? GONE. [CHUCKLING] I THINK YOU'RE REFERRING TO THE SUPPLEMENTAL SICK LEAVE; THAT WENT AWAY WITH THE LAW ABOUT TWO A YEAR AND A HALF.
THANK YOU. ALMA KNOWS DECEMBER 31ST, 2022.
GREAT. THANK YOU, AND THEN THAT'S IT.
OTHER THAN IT'S GRATIFYING TO SEE THE CHAINSAW TRAINING TAKING OFF.
I USED TO BE JUST A ONE MAN SHOW FOR THE ENTIRE DISTRICT, SO IT'S REALLY GRATIFYING TO SEE THAT.
I'VE A VERY ABSTRACT COMMENT, AND THAT IS TO MY COLLEAGUES.
[02:30:10]
JUST IN THE ABSTRACT, THAT'S NOTABLE, AND I WANT TO PAT OURSELVES A LITTLE ON THE BACK AND CERTAINLY THE GENERAL MANAGER, BECAUSE IN IT WAS, I THINK, AT THE POINT WHERE WE WERE TRANSITIONING AND BRINGING IN A NEW GENERAL MANAGER, AND WE LOOKED AT HR AND ASKED YOU KNOW, WHAT WERE THE PROBLEMS THAT WE WERE GETTING AT CONSTANTLY AND IT HAD TO DO WITH HR WAS SIGNIFICANTLY UNDERSTAFFED AND YOU HAD A BOARD OF DIRECTORS THAT EVEN WENT BEYOND MANAGEMENT, RECOMMENDATIONS PRIOR TO SABRINA, YOU KNOW, NO, WE WANT MORE PEOPLE IN HR AND SPECIFICALLY IN LABOR RELATIONS AND SUCH AND GOT YOUR STAFFING UP, AND SO WE GET A PAT THE GENERAL MANAGER AND CERTAINLY ALLYSON AND HER STAFF FOR THE MOST PART, BECAUSE THIS IS REALLY INCREDIBLY SMOOTH FEEDBACK WE'RE GETTING.WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU, AND THERE IS A LOT TO PRAISE AND WHY I'M MAKING THESE REMARKS, LOOKING BACK, BUT A LOT OF YOUR REPORT IS RETROSPECTIVE AND CURRENT AND LOOKING AT CURRENT PLANS, AND LET ME LAUNCH FROM THAT JUST TO GET MAYBE YOUR THOUGHTS THAT MAYBE NEED TO DEVELOP MORE, BUT WHAT ARE YOUR PRIORITIES LOOKING AHEAD TO FOR THIS DEPARTMENT? ONE YEAR, TWO YEAR, THREE YEARS, TEN YEARS, YOU KNOW, LOOKING VERY FORWARD LIKE WE ARE DOING AS PART OF THIS BOARD PRIORITIZATION PROCESS. DO YOU FEEL LIKE THERE ARE ADDITIONAL STAFFING NEEDS, FOR INSTANCE? THAT'S JUST ONE AREA THAT WE HAVE REPEATEDLY BEEN DEALING WITH GOING BACK MY EIGHT YEARS HERE, AND SO I'M GOING TO THROW THAT AT YOU.
SO I'M ALWAYS WILLING TO TAKE ON MORE STAFF.
THERE'S NEVER ENOUGH STAFF FOR THE WORK WE WANT TO DO HERE.
I COULDN'T ACCOMPLISH THIS LIST OR THE LIST FROM LAST YEAR WITHOUT ALL OF THE STAFF, AND YOU HELPED MAKE THAT POSSIBLE BY ADDING TO IT, AND THE GENERAL MANAGER HELPED BY ALLOWING US TO BE A DIVISION, AND SO IT EMPOWERED US TO WORK WITH OUR COLLEAGUES.
SO MY GOAL IS REALLY TO RETAIN THE HR STAFF WE HAVE THEY ARE PHENOMENAL.
I HOPE THEY'RE HAPPY WITH WHAT THEY DO, AND SO JANELLE, ALMA AND ME AND MY MANAGERS REALLY FOCUS ON KEEPING THEM HAPPY BECAUSE THEY DO A LOT OF HARD WORK, AND BECAUSE WE'RE INTERNAL SERVICE PROVIDERS, IT'S NOT ALWAYS SEEN THAT WAY, BUT AS THE PARK DISTRICT GROWS, INTERNAL SERVICE PROVIDERS LIKE FINANCE AND HR AND IT IS ALSO NEED TO GROW.
SO I THINK WE HAVE A GOOD NUMBER OF STAFF TO GET THE WORK WE WANT DONE NOW.
OKAY. MAY I ASK ONE MORE? GO AHEAD. WILL WE EVER GET APPRENTICES? YES YOU WILL.
CAN I ASK A DATE? SUMMER. SO I DO HAVE AN UPDATE.
WE THE FINAL STEP IS TO GET IT APPROVED BY THE STATE.
THEY JUST HAVE TO BLESS THE PROGRAM MANUAL, AND WE'VE IDENTIFIED THE HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATOR, THE PAINTER, MECHANIC, AS THE FIRST POSITIONS WE'RE GOING TO DO.
WE'VE WORKED REALLY WELL WITH THE AFSCME COMMITTEE, AND SO WE'RE GOING TO MEET WITH THEM ONE MORE TIME TO UPDATE THEM AND HAVE THEM BLESS THE FINAL DOCUMENT, BUT I WOULD SAY BY THIS SUMMER WE SHOULD HAVE OUR FIRST POSITION ADVERTISED AS PART OF THE APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM.
SO I HEAR YOU, DIRECTOR WAESPI.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE REPORT.
I'M LOSING MY VOICE. ALMA AND JANELLE AS WELL.
[02:35:05]
THEREBY GROW AND STRENGTHEN THE ENTIRE PARK DISTRICT ORGANIZATION, AND IT'S SUCH IMPORTANT WORK, AND REALLY YOU KNOW, HIRING CLOSE TO 350 NEW PEOPLE.THAT'S EXTRAORDINARY. I MEAN, YOU HAVE A GOOD TEAM, BUT IT'S NOT A GIANT TEAM.
SO IT'S STILL A RELATIVELY SMALL TEAM.
SO I KNOW EVERYBODY IS WORKING HARD AND, YOU KNOW, IT SHOWS AND WE APPRECIATE YOU.
WE STAND FOR EQUITY, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU'RE PUTTING INTO THAT AS WELL.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
OKAY. NEXT UP WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OUR AGM FOR OPERATIONS LISA GOORJIAN.
OKAY. WELL I THINK LAST TIME I CHECKED, I'M THE LAST ONE TO GO, SO YAY.
SO AGAIN, MY NAME IS LISA GOORJIAN.
I'M THE ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER OF OPERATIONS.
DIRECT PRESIDENT ECHOLS, DIRECTORS AND GM.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY THIS AFTERNOON.
TO PRESENT, AND I DO WANT TO AS ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER, WYSOCKI SAID, I DO WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES AND I REALLY WANT TO THANK THE STAFF WHO HELPED PUT THIS PRESENTATION TOGETHER BECAUSE LITERALLY THE ONES WHO HELPED PUT IT TOGETHER, BUT THEN ALSO ALL OF THE WORK THAT YOU'LL SEE THIS AFTERNOON IN THESE SLIDES, BECAUSE IT'S REALLY THEIR WORK, THE WORK THEY DO EVERY DAY THAT THIS WHICH IS WHAT THIS PRESENTATION IS ABOUT.
SO I JUST WANT TO MENTION WE HAVE FIVE DEPARTMENTS IN THE OPERATIONS DIVISION.
WE HAVE 551 FULL TIME EQUIVALENT POSITIONS, AND WE HAVE A $121.3 MILLION OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGET. SO I THINK WE'RE THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM TODAY.
SO WE HAVE AS OF MARCH, WE HAD 28 VACANCIES, WHICH WAS A 5% VACANCY RATE.
I WANT TO JUST GO OVER SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS YEAR, AND AS I GO THROUGH MY PRESENTATION, I THINK HOPEFULLY YOU'LL SOME OF THE TOPICS WILL SOUND FAMILIAR BECAUSE THEY'LL HAVE BEEN COVERED BY MY COLLEAGUES.
SO BUT NOT THIS, NOT THESE FIRST TWO.
SO THE FIRST THING I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT IS A RESOURCE ALLOCATION STUDY.
SO HOW MANY HOURS DO WE HAVE WITH THE STAFF THAT WE HAVE.
WHAT'S THE WORK AND HOW MUCH HOURS DOES THAT WORK TAKE AND WHAT'S THE DELTA? WHAT WHAT DO WE ACTUALLY, HOW MANY HOURS DO WE NEED TO DO IT? SO WE KNOW HOW MANY STAFF WE HAVE, HOW MANY HOURS WE HAVE.
WE KNOW WHAT THE WORK IS AND REALLY FIND OUT.
DO WE HAVE ENOUGH HOURS TO DO THAT WORK? SO WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO COMING BACK TO YOU WITH SOME DATA ON THAT.
WE'RE ALSO VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE BOARD SUPPORTING THIS NUISANCE ABATEMENT PROCEDURE.
SO THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE CAN ADDRESS UNPERMITTED ENCROACHMENTS.
SO HOT TUBS SHEDS OTHER STUFF.
SO THAT WAS THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ROLLING OUT THIS YEAR.
WE'RE ALSO APPRECIATIVE OF THE BOARD SUPPORTING NEW FTES AS PART OF OUR BUDGET, AND SO WE'RE BRINGING WE'RE THAT'S PART OF THE WORK THIS YEAR IS BRINGING THOSE ON.
[02:40:02]
THERE'S SOME OF OUR VACANCIES, BRINGING THOSE ON AND THEN INTEGRATING THEM BECAUSE AS WE BRING ON NEW FTE, SOMETIMES THINGS SHIFT AROUND.WE CONTINUE TO ALSO WORK WITH NEW EQUIPMENT.
MATT GRAUL TALKED ABOUT THE [INAUDIBLE] AT LAKE ANZA.
SO WE HAVE THIS AQUATIC WEED HARVESTER.
WE'RE STILL LEARNING HOW TO USE THAT.
SO AND THEN AS YOU HEARD FROM HR AND FINANCE TRAINING, SO REALLY TRYING TO STREAMLINE OUR TRAINING, HAVE STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.
SO A SUMMIT PLAYLIST SO THAT WHETHER YOU'RE IN I&R OR YOU'RE IN PARK OPERATIONS OR YOU'RE IN MAST WHEN YOU'RE A NEW EMPLOYEE, WHEN YOU COME TO THOSE DEPARTMENTS, WE HAVE AN ASSIGNED SET OF TRAININGS TO GROUND YOU IN THAT DEPARTMENT.
SO THERE'S SOME SOME CONSISTENCY.
SO THIS IS ABOUT DEPLOYING BOOMS TO CONTAIN THAT.
SO THEMES THAT ALSO ARE INFORMING OUR WORK THIS YEAR IS REALLY LOOKING AT OUR AGING INFRASTRUCTURE EVALUATING IT AND HELPING TO PRIORITIZE IT.
SO YOU HEARD, I THINK, FROM SEVERAL OF MY OTHER COLLEAGUES ABOUT HOW CAN WE LEVERAGE DEPLOYMENT.
MAYBE THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY INSTEAD OF HAVING A BUILDING FOR I&R, A BUILDING FOR PARK OPS, A BUILDING FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, MAYBE THERE'S ONE BUILDING AND THEN THEY'RE ALL DEPLOYING THERE.
THEY'RE ALL TOUCHING BASE THERE AND LANDING THERE.
SO THAT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING IT'S PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE EVERYWHERE, BUT CERTAINLY AS WE'RE LOOKING AT NEW STAFFING OFFICES FOR STAFF OR RENOVATIONS, THAT'S THE LENS WE WANT TO LOOK AT.
THE MINIMAL STAFFING MODEL, THAT'S A CHALLENGE FOR US.
SO THUS THE RESOURCE ALLOCATION STUDY, REGULATORY CONSTRAINTS.
THAT'S ALSO SOMETHING THAT IS A CHALLENGE, BUT WE'RE WORKING REALLY CLOSELY WITH OUR ASD COLLEAGUES TO TRY TO GIVE CLEAR DIRECTION TO OUR STAFF ABOUT WHAT THEY CAN DO AND WHAT THEY CAN'T DO.
WE WANT TO REMOVE BARRIERS SO OUR STAFF CAN GET OUT THERE AND DO THE WORK.
IF IT'S WORK THAT REQUIRES PERMITS, CERTAINLY WE WANT TO GO THROUGH A PROCESS, BUT WE WANT MORE CLARITY, AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE WORKING CLOSELY WITH STEWARDSHIP ON WITH ASD.
CLIMATE PREPAREDNESS IS ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT'S A LENS THAT WE LOOK AT THE WORK WE DO AND JUST THE LAST TWO DEMAND MANAGEMENT AND INTERNAL PROCESSES AND COMMUNICATION.
SO DEMAND MANAGEMENT REALLY WHAT THAT MEANS IS WE'RE LOVE TO DEATH RIGHT.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO ADDRESS.
ALSO, JUST WITH RETURN TO WITH ADDRESSING THE INTERNAL PROCESSES AND COMMUNICATION.
YOU HEARD, I THINK FROM PRETTY MUCH ALL MY COLLEAGUES; THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE ALL LOOKING AT.
OKAY. SO NOW I'M GOING TO QUICKLY TALK ABOUT EACH OF THE DEPARTMENTS.
ON MONDAY, WE'LL BE LAUNCHING THE REORGANIZATION OF PARK OPERATIONS.
SO THIS IS A MAP OF THE NEW UNITS AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
SO THAT'S BEEN A BIG EFFORT, AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE A BIG EFFORT FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR.
SO I JUST WANT TO FLAG THAT FOR YOU BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN SPEAKING TO THE GM ABOUT.
IT HAS WORKER SAFETY IMPACTS, AND SO IT'S ON MY MIND TO TRY TO ADDRESS.
[02:45:05]
THOSE ARE WE'RE WORKING ACROSS THE DIVISIONS TO MAKE SOME IMPROVEMENTS THERE.WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHTSIZING THE EQUIPMENT BOTH STAFFING, BUT THEN ALSO WITH EQUIPMENT.
YOU CAN SEE THIS LITTLE ELECTRICAL ATV ALL TERRAIN VEHICLE.
WE'RE STARTING TO EMPLOY THOSE MORE AND MORE, AND THOSE HAVE BEEN FABULOUS.
SO THAT'S BEEN GREAT, AND THEN YOU HEARD ALSO FROM BOTH PUBLIC SAFETY FROM THE CHIEF AND DEB, ABOUT DEB SPAULDING, ABOUT COMMUNICATION.
SO WE'VE BEEN HAVING MEETINGS RECOGNIZING, I THINK DIRECTOR ROSARIO, YOU BROUGHT UP EIGHT YEARS AGO, WE MADE FOUR YEARS AGO WE MADE IMPROVEMENTS, RECOGNIZING THAT WE HAD ABOUT EIGHT YEARS.
SO WE'RE LIKE HALFWAY THROUGH.
SO WE RECOGNIZE THAT, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO ADDRESS, AND SO WE'LL BE LOOKING WORKING WITH WITH THE COLLEAGUE, MY COLLEAGUES TO TRY TO I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO BE WORKING ON A PILOT BECAUSE OF OUR REMOTE SITES.
OKAY IN OUR MAINTENANCE AND SKILLED TRADES.
WE'RE DOING SO MUCH WORK HERE WITH A LOT OF GROWTH IN THIS DEPARTMENT, A BIG EFFORT HAS TO DO WITH DEVELOPING AN ASSET MANAGEMENT AND WORK ORDER SYSTEM.
SO THAT'S REALLY CONSOLIDATING THE INFORMATION INTO GIS, BUT THEN ALSO HELPING WITH PRIORITIZING AND GETTING THE WORK DONE AND TRACKING IT. WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT AS WE'RE MAKING IMPROVEMENTS AND RENOVATIONS TO OUR STRUCTURES FROM AN ENVELOPE PERSPECTIVE, ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT JUST TO SAY IS WE'RE ALSO REALLY LOOKING AT HOW IS THE EXPERIENCE FOR THE STAFF.
SO REALLY AGAIN, MAKING SURE LIKE IT'S, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE WE WANT AIR QUALITY.
WE WANT A ROOF THAT DOESN'T LEAK, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S A GOOD PLACE FOR THEM TO BE DOING THEIR WORK, AND THEN IF THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES TO LEVERAGE WITH SOME OF OUR OTHER COLLEAGUES, EITHER IN PUBLIC SAFETY OR WITHIN I&R AND OPERATIONS SHARING, THAT'S ANOTHER THING WE'RE LOOKING AT, AND WE CONTINUE, AND ONE THING I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT IS WITH THE TRAIL, CREEK AND POND (TCP) PERMITTED PROJECTS.
THIS YEAR OPERATIONS HAS TAKEN MORE OF A LEAD ROLE TO HAVE IT BE A MORE STREAMLINED PROCESS, AND NOT ONLY WITH PRIORITIZING WHAT'S GOING TO BE WHAT PROJECTS WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING ON, BUT HAVING A INTAKE PROCESS THAT IS ALSO TRACKED IN GIS SO THAT WE KNOW GEOSPATIALLY WHERE THE WORK IS, AND THEN WE'RE ABLE TO ATTACH PHOTOS AND, AND IT'S ACCESSIBLE TO ALL THE STAFF SO THEY CAN SEE A DASHBOARD OF WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON, AND THEN FINALLY JUST GREENING OUR FLEET.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF PURCHASE WINDOWS OR NUMBER OF AVAILABLE VEHICLES, AND SO IT DOES IT.
SO WE HAVE SOME IDEAS ON HOW TO ADDRESS THIS, THAT WE'LL BE COMING BACK TO YOU WITH.
OKAY IN OUR INTERPRETATION AND RECREATION SERVICES DEPARTMENT, WHICH ALSO INCLUDES VOLUNTEER SERVICES AND PARK PARK EXPRESS TRANSPORTATION. WE'VE DONE A LOT OF PROGRAMS. SO THOSE ARE THE NUMBERS.
I THINK THE THREE THINGS THAT I WANT TO POINT OUT AT THE BOTTOM ARE CONTINUING WORK ON THE DEMOGRAPHIC STUDY, AND WHAT THAT WORK IS, IS TO DETERMINE HOW TO THE BEST PRACTICE FOR COLLECTING DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION, AND THEN A PLAN TO THEN IMPLEMENT THAT.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT OVERALL TRAINING ACROSS OUR INTERPRETATION AND RECREATION.
I MENTIONED THIS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PLAYLIST, BUT JUST REALLY STANDARDIZING AND BRINGING SOME OF THE PROGRAM PRACTICES UP TO DATE. I DON'T WANT TO SAY UP TO DATE, BUT SORT OF MORE IN LINE WITH, WITH BEST PRACTICES ACROSS FOLKS WHO DO THIS WORK, AND THEN LOOKING AT OUR VERY TINY BUT MIGHTY RECREATION SERVICES TEAM.
THEY'RE THE FOLKS WHO DO OUTDOOR RECREATION PROGRAMMING, AND I THINK IT'S SAFE TO SAY, FOR ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS, BUT ESPECIALLY FOR OUTDOOR RECREATION, THE DEMAND FAR EXCEEDS OUR ABILITY, OUR AVAILABILITY OF STAFF TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES.
[02:50:08]
BUT VOLUNTEER SERVICES, JUST RECOGNIZING THAT'S AN AREA THAT GOES ACROSS THE DISTRICT.SO LOTS OF DIVISIONS WORK WITH VOLUNTEERS, AND WE THINK THERE'S PROBABLY A CROSS-DIVISIONAL EFFORT THAT WE'D LIKE TO LEAD TO LEVERAGE ALL OF OUR DIVISIONAL EFFORTS AND MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE ROBUST.
THESE ARE KIND OF THEY'RE KIND OF THE ULTIMATE BACK OF THE HOUSE DEPARTMENT THAT WE HAVE.
THIS YEAR IN PARTICULAR, WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT AN ASSESSMENT OF ALL OF OUR CONCESSIONAIRES TO GET A LITTLE BIT MORE DATA ABOUT THE CONDITION AND, YOU KNOW, JUST KIND OF TAKING A CLOSER LOOK AT THEM.
WE'LL BE BRINGING THAT AS WELL AS A STATUS UPDATE ON THE AGRICULTURAL LEASES.
SO THOSE ARE SORT OF TWO AREAS WHERE WE TEND TO PRESENT INFORMATION SORT OF ON AN AS NEEDED BASIS, AND I THINK WE'RE FINDING THAT WE NEED TO ZOOM OUT AND SORT OF TAKE A HOLISTIC LOOK, AND THE FEE STUDY, WE PRESENTED A FEE STUDY THAT JUST LAST YEAR THAT GAVE US EXISTING CONDITIONS OF OUR FEES AND SO NOW WE'RE WORKING ON RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON THAT INFORMATION THAT WILL BRING BACK TO THE BOARD OPERATING COMMITTEE LATER THIS YEAR.
SO WE'RE TAKING WHAT WE HEARD AND LEARNED AND TRYING TO MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS, AND JUST WITH REGARD TO SPECIAL EVENTS AND RESERVATIONS, WE'RE VERY BUSY.
WE ALSO ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH OUR COLLEAGUES IN FINANCE AND IS ON NEW SYSTEMS TO HELP MANAGE CUSTOMER SERVICE RELATIONS. SO THAT'S A CROSS DISTRICT ISSUE, BUT IT DOES AFFECT US IN RESERVATIONS AND PROGRAMMING AND VOLUNTEERING. SO ALL THOSE WAYS THAT WE INTERACT WITH THE COMMUNITY.
I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
WE ARE A BIG DIVISION, AND I FEEL LIKE WE REALLY HAVE BENEFITED FROM YOUR SUPPORT, JUST ACROSS ON ALL OF OUR INITIATIVES, WHETHER IT'S WITH THE BUDGET OR VARIOUS CHANGES THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS OR THINGS WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
I SHOULD FLIP THE ROOM NEXT TIME.
SO GLAD YOU'RE OUR CHIEF, OR AGM OF OPERATIONS, AND I'M REALLY HAPPY TO SEE THAT YOU'RE REALLY TAKING A REALLY OVERVIEW LOOK AT OR REALLY LOOKING FOR PUTTING FRESH EYES ON OUR, ON THE OPERATIONS BECAUSE IT DEFINITELY NEEDED.
I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT YOUR RESOURCE ALLOCATION STUDY.
I THINK I KNOW THAT'S GOING TO IT'S GOING TO COME OUT.
YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH HOURS, BUT IT'S GOOD THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT, AND THEN ALSO THAT IT'S DEFINITELY GOING TO AFFECT YOUR MINIMUM STAFFING STANDARD, AND I JUST CONGRATULATE YOU ON BRINGING THOSE LOOKS INTO THE OPERATIONS AND ALSO APPRECIATE YOU, EVERYONE GOING BACK TO THE REORG AS FAR AS GOING BACK TO GEOGRAPHIC UNITS.
IT MAKES IT A LOT MORE SENSE, AND I THINK I KNOW DENNIS AND I BOTH GREW UP UNDER THAT, AND YOU'LL FIND IT A LOT MORE BENEFICIAL, I THINK.
YEAH, I DON'T REALLY HAVE A QUESTION.
I WANT TO SEE THE OUTCOME OF THE OF THE STUDY, AND I AGREE WITH THE ILLEGAL DUMPING THAT IT'S REALLY I MEAN, EVEN IN MY WARD, WE HAVE A PROBLEM OVER THERE AT RADIO BEACH.
YEAH, SO YEAH, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THE RESULTS OF THE STUDY AND THE REORG. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BRINGING THOSE FRESH, FRESH EYES TO EVERYTHING.
[02:55:01]
DIRECTOR MERCURIO SO I GET TO GO AFTER DIRECTOR ROSARIO AND I CAN SAY DITTO ON EVERYTHING YOU SAID.I TOTALLY AGREE ON EVERYTHING HE SAID, AND I TOO APPRECIATE THE FRESH EYE ASPECT THAT WAS JUST MENTIONED, AND YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO LIKE TAKE, TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT THE WAY THINGS NOT JUST, WELL, WE'VE ALWAYS DONE IT THAT WAY, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A BAD TRAP TO FALL INTO AND IT FEELS LIKE WE'RE IN IT, AND I ALSO YOU KNOW, I'VE ONLY BEEN ON THIS BOARD FOR A LITTLE OVER A YEAR, BUT I'VE NOT EVEN BOTHERED TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW THAT USED TO BE ARRANGED.
IT'S JUST LIKE I HAVE NO, THAT'S, THAT'S WHY I MY ORG CHARTS ARE CLOSE BY ALWAYS, AND SO ANYWAY I APPRECIATE THAT CHANGE THAT I ASSUME IS BEING MADE LIKE VERY SOON.
MONDAY. YEAH. YEAH THAT'S VERY SOON.
SO THAT'S GREAT, AND THEN THE OTHER THING WAS I ZEROED IN ON A NUMBER, THE 36,000 RESERVATIONS.
IS THAT I PRESUME THAT'S LIKE EACH INDIVIDUAL PERSON THAT SIGNED UP FOR A TOUR OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, OR ANY EVENT, PLUS ALL THE ALL THE PICNIC TABLE RESERVATIONS AND ALL KIND OF ADDED UP EQUALS 36,000.
I DON'T, I THINK THAT I ACTUALLY I THINK I'M LOOKING FOR RUBY.
SHE HAS A THOUGHT. SHE'S LOOKING CAN IS IT OKAY IF I BRING RUBY UP.
OH YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. YEAH, AND IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE RIGHT NOW EITHER.
SO I THINK THE WAY THE NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE ARE, ARE PROBABLY UNDER-REPRESENTING.
THE OTHER THING ABOUT THAT IS WHEN WE MAKE A PRESENTATION TO A GROUP, WHETHER IT'S A CITY COUNCIL OR A ROTARY CLUB OR SOMETHING, I GET OVERWHELMED BY ALL THE POSSIBLE NUMBERS THAT YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, THROW OUT THERE IN FRONT OF THEM, AND SO I KIND OF ZERO IN LIKE MAYBE FIVE.
I PICK FIVE THINGS THAT ARE REALLY IMPRESSIVE ABOUT THE DISTRICT, AND EVEN THAT'S KIND OF HARD, BUT I THINK I'D LIKE TO THROW WHATEVER THAT NUMBER IS OUT THERE JUST TO SHOW HOW MUCH ACTIVITY THERE IS AND HOW MANY OPPORTUNITIES THERE ARE, AND HOW MANY FOLKS OUT THERE ARE GETTING IN AND DOING STUFF, YOU KNOW, WITH US, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE FOCUS ON THE CRITTERS AND THE, YOU KNOW, THE TRAIL FACILITIES, BUT THAT'S A PEOPLE NUMBER, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK THAT WOULD MEAN SOMETHING.
YEAH, AND I MEAN, LIKE I SAID BUSINESS SERVICES SORT OF BACK OF THE HOUSE BUT YEAH, BUT IF YOU WALK BY AND YOU HEAR THE RESERVATIONS FOLKS, THEY TALK ALL DAY LONG AND ANSWER QUESTIONS AND, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE REALLY SORT OF THE HEART OF, OF THEY REALLY CONNECT EVERYBODY, RIGHT? BECAUSE THEY KNOW WHAT PICNIC AREAS ARE RENTED, WHO'S HAVING A 500 PERSON RACE WHO'S HAVING THEIR WEDDING? IS THERE A SPECIAL TRAINING THAT PARK OPS IS HAVING, LIKE THEIR SORT OF RESERVATIONS REALLY IS THE SPOKE.
THEY KNOW EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON.
SO ANYWAY, IT'S GOOD THAT YOU WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT.
GOOD TO KNOW THAT OPERATORS ARE STANDING BY AT THE DISTRICT.
ALL RIGHT, WHO WANTS TO GO AFTER THAT? ANYBODY? SURE.
THANKS. I APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION, AND I, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE ON THE FOREFRONT.
YOU'RE RIGHT THERE, AND EVERYBODY [INAUDIBLE] YOU DO, AND I'M THINKING OF WE JUST HAD A LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE MEETING OR A FULL BOARD MEETING WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT RESULTS OF A OF OUR SURVEYS, AND THEY ALWAYS SAY THINGS LIKE, OH, WE WANT TO DO IS FEEL SAFE IN THE PARK, AND ALL WE WANT TO DO IS HAVE A NICE RESTROOM.
SO, YOU KNOW, IF I, YOU KNOW, I WOULD REALLY PROMOTE THE CXTS.
I KNOW WE CAN ONLY DO A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF YEAR, BUT I PUT THEM IN EVERYWHERE.
THERE'S NOTHING GOOD ABOUT A CHEMICAL TOILET EVER.
SO, AND ALSO, I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF YOUR HIGHLIGHTS AND KEY ISSUES ARE ILLEGAL DUMPING, AND I JUST HAPPEN TO THAT'S IT'S GETTING WORSE AND WORSE AND WORSE, AND COINCIDENTALLY, NATE MILEY IS HOLDING HIS FOURTH ANNUAL STATEWIDE ILLEGAL DUMPING CONFERENCE RIGHT NOW.
WOW. STATEWIDE CONFERENCE ON ILLEGAL DUMPING.
HE'S HOLDING IT DOWN ON 12TH STREET IN OAKLAND.
IT'S HAPPENING. IT HAPPENED YESTERDAY, AND IT'LL BE OVER IN ABOUT A HALF AN HOUR BUT I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND IF YOU WANT TO GET INTO THIS.
NATE'S TOTALLY INTO IT; 'HAS BEEN FOR YEARS.
HE GETS EXPERTS TO DEAL WITH ISSUES LIKE THAT.
[03:00:03]
THERE'S ALSO LOTS OF FUNDING THAT I'M ONLY PERIPHERALLY AWARE OF THAT, AND IT'S LIKE SPECIFICALLY RURAL DUMPING.THERE ARE LOTS OF FARMERS THAT BROUGHT THIS UP IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY.
IT'S A STATEWIDE LAW, AND THEN PEOPLE WOULD YOU KNOW, JUST DRIVE OUT TO SOMEBODY'S FARM, AND BECAUSE NOBODY'S AROUND AND NOBODY CAN CATCH YOU JUST DUMP GARBAGE ALL THE TIME, SORT OF LIKE LAKE CHABOT, OLD LAKE CHABOT ROAD, AND SOME OF OUR OTHER RURAL ROADS.
WE HAVE PARKS WHERE EVERYBODY JUST DUMPS ALL THEIR STUFF.
I REALLY ENJOY THE GEOGRAPHICAL UNITS OR ZONES OR WHATEVER THEY'RE BEING CALLED NOW, BUT I THINK YOU'LL FIND SUCCESS IN THAT, AND THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO.
YEAH. YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU.
DIRECTOR COFFEY. I'M JUST GOING TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK IN THE PRESENTATION, AND I FIND, AS I THINK ABOUT OPERATIONS, THAT MOST OF WHAT I'M DOING IS THUMBING THROUGH THE BOARD PRIORITY STATUS LIST, AND I SEE HOW MANY COME UNDER YOUR DIVISION AND IN TERMS OF MY PRIORITIES ARE ON HOLD, ARE NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN, DIRECTOR.
SO I THINK I NEED TO HOLD UP ON UNTIL WE'RE INTO BOARD PRIORITIES TO GO IN A LOT OF IT AND I'M JOKING A BIT ABOUT THE STATUS, BUT YOU'RE IN THE FOREFRONT OF ALL THE BOARD PRIORITIES ALONG WITH ASD, AND SO I'M JUST FORESEEING THAT AS WE, THE SEVEN OF US, COME UP WITH OUR REVISED PRIORITY LISTS TO CONSIDER THIS YEAR THAT WILL HAVE I'LL HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS AND GET INTO ISSUES LIKE THE STATUS OF REPLACING CHEMICAL TOILETS, MAYBE IN MORE DETAIL.
THE DECISION MADE ON MIDDLE HARBOR, FOR INSTANCE, IS SOMETHING THAT INTERESTS ME, AND I'M INTERESTED IN DIRECTOR ROSARIO'S FEEDBACK ON THAT, BUT I DON'T WANT TO TAKE UP TIME TODAY ON THAT.
I THINK IT'S REALLY SOMETHING WE'LL FOCUS ON.
SO THAT'S KIND OF LIKE JUST A HEADS UP.
THANK YOU. THIS LIST COMING UP.
I DON'T HAVE REALLY ANYTHING TO ADD.
I COULD REPEAT WHAT SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID, BUT IT'S JUST A GREAT AFTERNOON TO TAKE A LOOK AT DIFFERENT ISSUES THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING SOMETHING ABOUT AND THAT YOU ARE FOCUSING TOWARDS.
THANK YOU. I AGREE WITH WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN SAYING.
OKAY. WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH, LISA.
I'M SO GLAD YOU'RE IN THIS JOB.
IT'S A HUGE DIVISION, AND IT'S SO GREAT TO HAVE NOT JUST A, YOU KNOW, FRESH SET OF EYES, BUT ONE THAT BRINGS, YOU KNOW, PASSION AND PROFESSIONALISM TO THE WORK, AND YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE THINGS YOU'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, IT'S JUST IT'S REALLY AMAZING JUST THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, THE RESOURCE ALLOCATION STUDY, WHICH IS SO IMPORTANT, AND THEN LOOKING AT THESE OTHER EFFICIENCIES THAT YOU'RE BUILDING INTO HOW YOU OPERATE, WHICH WILL MAKE IT BETTER FOR EVERYONE AND I LOVE THE EXAMPLE YOU GAVE ALSO ABOUT THE CROSS DIVISIONAL EFFICIENCIES AND THE VOLUNTEERS IS OF COURSE A GREAT EXAMPLE OF HOW, YOU KNOW, WE CAN PUT TWO PLUS TWO AND HOPEFULLY COME UP WITH SOMETHING BIGGER THAN FOUR, YOU KNOW, BY FINDING THOSE SYNERGIES, AND THEN, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, YOUR FOCUS ON THE STAFF AND MAKING THIS A GOOD PLACE TO WORK AND MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE APPRECIATED AND HEARD.
SO NOW FOR THE MORE NITTY GRITTY STUFF THE ILLEGAL DUMPING.
I'M SO HAPPY THAT YOU BROUGHT THAT UP.
IT'S JUST FUNNY BECAUSE THAT IS LIKE THE BIG THING MY TEN YEAR OLD IS ALWAYS COMPLAINING ABOUT NOW, AND SO YOU'RE BRINGING IT UP SAVED ME FROM HAVING TO BRING IT UP BECAUSE I PROMISED HER I WOULD.
SO BUT ALSO YEAH, THE RESERVATIONS PEOPLE, I JUST WANT TO SAY, I MEAN, THEY ARE AMAZING.
THEY'RE NOT ONLY DO THEY HAVE THEIR FINGER ON THE PULSE OF EVERYTHING, BUT THEY ARE SOME OF THE MOST KINDEST, COMPASSIONATE, HELPFUL PEOPLE I'VE EVER MET, WHICH IS HARD TO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S HARD IN THAT JOB.
THEY HAVE A HARD JOB. SO TO BE PATIENT AND HELPFUL ALL DAY LONG, IT'S VERY IMPRESSIVE.
[03:05:06]
SO PROACTIVE AND THOUGHTFUL AND RESPONSIVE AND WITH THE SIZE OF YOUR DIVISION, IT'S PARTICULARLY IMPRESSIVE THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO DO ALL THAT.THANK YOU, AND I WILL PASS ALONG ALL THIS TO THE STAFF.
I MEAN, I THINK PROBABLY PEOPLE ARE WATCHING, BUT I KNOW THEY REALLY APPRECIATE THE RECOGNITION.
WELL WE APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU.
OKAY. NOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE GM'S OFFICE, AND OUR DEPUTY GM ANA ALVAREZ IS GOING TO KICK US OFF. YES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. DIRECTOR ECHOLS, BOARD MEMBERS, GENERAL MANAGER LANDRETH AND THE EXECUTIVE TEAM.
IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE WITH YOU TODAY.
I, WE ACTUALLY WERE COMING IN AT THE END.
IN MANY WAYS, THE GENERAL MANAGER'S OFFICE IS WHAT I LIKE TO SAY, THE CONNECTIVE TISSUE THAT'S HERE TO SUPPORT AND LEAD, CHEER AND BLOCK FOR ALL OF THE DIFFERENT DIVISIONS THROUGHOUT THE PARK DISTRICT FOR THAT DELIVER THE MISSION OF THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS.
I'M SIMPLY THE VOICE OF THE WORK OF MANY PEOPLE.
I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE AND I WAS ASKED TO DO THE PRESENTATION, AND WE'RE DOING IT IN COLLABORATION WITH ERICH PFUEHLER, THE CHIEF OF GOVERNMENT AND LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS, AS WELL AS YOLANDE BARIAL KNIGHT, WHO IS OUR CLERK OF THE BOARD, BECAUSE THEY CARRY VERY DISTINCT AND VERY IMPORTANT PIECES THAT WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH YOU, OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, THE GM'S OFFICE AND ALL OF THE DIVISIONS AND ALL OF THE AGMS. WE ALSO HAVE AMANDA GALLO HERE WITH US.
AMANDA JUST RECENTLY JOINED THE PARK DISTRICT.
NOT TOO LONG AGO, LESS THAN A YEAR AGO.
IN 2023, AMANDA SERVES AS THE ASSISTANT TO THE GENERAL MANAGER, WHO'S TAKING ON VERY KEY PIECES ALSO IN SUPPORT OF YOUR GOVERNANCE, IN SUPPORT OF THE GENERAL MANAGER AND THE EXECUTIVE TEAM IN GETTING ALL THESE PIECES TOGETHER FOR IMPROVEMENTS.
IN TERMS OF THE SIZE OF THE UNIT.
I HEARD WE'RE A SMALL AND MIGHTY TEAM.
IT'S ACTUALLY GIVEN THE SIZE OF THE ORGANIZATION, GIVEN THE BUDGET, THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE MISSION AND THE CHARGE, THE MISSION ITSELF AND THE VISION. WE'RE ONLY 16 PEOPLE AND WE CURRENTLY CARRY TWO VACANCIES BETWEEN 2023 AND 2024 WITH YOUR SUPPORT AND THE SUPPORT OF HUMAN RESOURCES, WE WERE ABLE TO GROW THE TEAM BY A LITTLE, ALMOST 10%, BY ADDING TWO NEW POSITIONS, VERY CRITICAL POSITIONS FOR THE DISTRICT IN SUPPORT OF THE MISSION, IN SUPPORT OF YOUR POLICY DIRECTION, WHICH IS THE EQUITY OFFICER, AS WELL AS AMANDA GALLO AS THE ASSISTANT TO THE GM.
I DO WANT TO SHARE SOME VERY BRIEF ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
I DON'T WANT TO STAY HERE MORE THAN WE HAVE TO.
IT'S BEEN A LOT OF INFORMATION COMING AT YOU, BUT WE DID WANT TO HIGHLIGHT SOME PIECES IN TERMS OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE FOCUSED ON AND HOW DO WE MAXIMIZE THE IMPACT IN TERMS OF YOUR GOVERNANCE, IN TERMS OF THE MISSION FOR THE DISTRICT AND WE REALLY FOCUSED ON INCREASING THE BOARD MEMBERS ENGAGEMENT AND AWARENESS.
THERE WERE FOUR KEY PIECES THAT YOU SAW.
THIS IS ONE OF THEM THAT WE'RE ILLUSTRATING TODAY.
SO LAST YEAR WE HOSTED SIX SESSIONS AND WE ALSO HOSTED A BOARD RETREAT, AND INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, INCLUSIVE OF TWO STUDY SESSIONS THAT FOCUSES EXCLUSIVELY ON BOARD PRIORITIES.
YOU'VE ALL HAD A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY MEET WITH OUR GENERAL MANAGER MORE THAN ONCE ANNUALLY, WHICH IS TO AMPLIFY THE CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATIONS IN TERMS OF UNDERSTANDING YOUR PRIORITIES AND WHAT NEEDS TO BE DELIVERED.
WE ALSO INSTITUTED FOR THE FIRST TIME, STRUCTURED WORK SITE VISITS.
[03:10:06]
RECEIVE PROJECT UPDATES WITH STAFF FROM ACROSS ALL DIVISIONS SPECIFIC TO YOUR WARDS.SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WAS BROUGHT IN, IN 2023, AND WE ALSO CONTINUED TO PROVIDE AND EXTEND THE BOARD SITE TOURS, WHICH ARE VERY POPULAR IN THE PAST, BUT WITH THE NEXUS AND CONNECTING THE DOTS IN TERMS OF THE PRIORITIES THAT YOU HAD COMMUNICATED FOR THAT YEAR, I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO MENTION THAT WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO IMPLEMENT FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE BOARD CONSTITUENTS INQUIRY RESPONSE PROCESS, WHICH UTILIZES, IT WAS A NEW PROCESS THAT WAS BROUGHT IN IN 2023 TO RESPOND, JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME NUMBERS TO 82 BOARD REQUESTS, WHICH NOW WE HAVE IMPROVED CLOSURE AND TRACKING.
SO WE'RE ABLE TO MAP WE'RE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE AND REPORT OUT TO SHOW THE RESPONSIVENESS OF THE DIFFERENT DIVISIONS AND ENTITIES TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO YOUR INQUIRIES, INTEREST AND ASPIRATIONS.
I SHOULD ALSO WHAT WE WERE REMISS TO HAVE INCLUDED IN THAT SLIDE, AND THIS THIS PROCESS IS REALLY LED BY THE GENERAL MANAGER THROUGH AMANDA GALLO AND I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND YOU THAT IF YOU CONTINUE TO HAVE TO CONTINUE TO PASS THOSE PIECES TO HER BECAUSE IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE ABLE TO TRACK AND MAP THEM, BUT AMANDA ALSO INSTITUTED IN 2023 THE NEWLY APPROVED POLICY FOR EVENT SPONSORSHIPS THAT WAS ALSO APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS IN 2023, AND AMANDA CAME IN AND QUICKLY IMPLEMENTED THIS NEW POLICY TO BE ABLE TO STREAMLINE THE S PONSORSHIP OF THE PARK DISTRICT FOR MULTIPLE EVENTS, AND WE CONTINUE ON THAT STRATEGIC FOCUS ON GOVERNMENT AND LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS, PARTNERSHIPS AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES. THIS IS ANOTHER KEY AREA IN 2023, BECAUSE THE ONLY WAY TO AMPLIFY THE MISSION AND THE GOOD WORK OF THE MANY PEOPLE BEHIND THE MISSION OF THE PARK DISTRICT IS THROUGH OUR PARTNERSHIPS AND THROUGH OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL AGENCIES REGIONALLY, STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL, AND ALSO THROUGH PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT.
SO IT'S ALL THOSE ARE THE THEMES THAT I WANTED TO SUMMARIZE WHAT HAPPENED IN 2023, I MENTIONED BRIEFLY THE ONBOARDING AND THE ADDITION OF OUR EQUITY OFFICER. SO JOSE GONZALEZ JOINED THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT LATE 2023 TO ADVANCE RACIAL EQUITY AND MISSION DELIVERY AND INCREASE WORKFORCE DIVERSITY AND BUILD A SENSE OF BELONGING, AND YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD FROM SOME OF THE DIVISIONS, THE WORK THAT HE'S INTEGRATING HIMSELF INTO. I LIKE TO SAY THAT HE DOESN'T HAVE A MAGIC WAND, AND IT'S NOT THE WORK OF ONE PERSON, BUT RATHER HE'S THERE TO SUPPORT THE GOOD WORK THAT IS BEING LED THROUGH THE MANY DIFFERENT DIVISIONS AND THE AND THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE MISSION.
YOU THANK YOU SO MUCH BECAUSE YOU REALLY FELT AND YOU FELT FIRSTHAND SOME OF THOSE TRANSITIONS, SOME OF THOSE WRINKLES AS WE BROUGHT IN THE ADOPTION OF A BOARD MASTER CALENDAR, AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT WE'VE BEEN MAPPING.
WHAT WAS THE POINT OF THAT EXERCISE? WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACTUALLY GROUND ALL THAT MOVEMENT.
WE'VE HAD VERY GOOD STATISTICS THIS YEAR WITH THAT ADOPTION AND THOSE RULES AND GUIDELINES THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DELIVER ON THE PUBLIC MEETINGS THAT WE COMMIT TO ON OUR WEBSITE AND DELIVER THEM TO THE PUBLIC.
ALSO, HOW WE CONDUCT OUR PUBLIC MEETINGS IN TERMS OF AGENDA PLANNING AND THE CREATING GREATER ACCESS FOR THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND THE GOVERNANCE THAT'S TAKING PLACE THROUGH YOUR PUBLIC MEETINGS WITH THE INSTITUTIONALIZING NEW TECHNOLOGY AND MODERNIZING WHAT WE HAVE AT THE DISTRICT, WHICH WAS NOT A SMALL FEAT HERE, AND IT WAS NOT SOLELY THE GENERAL MANAGER'S OFFICE, BUT IT WAS RATHER A VERY LARGE EFFORT WITH THE PARTICIPATION OF IS AS WELL AS FACILITIES OF FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES HAD A BIG PART, AND THE GENERAL MANAGER'S OFFICE AND ALL OF THE AGMS AND THE SENIOR MANAGEMENT STAFF THAT COMPILE ALL THE ALL THE AGENDAS AND ALL THE BUSINESS ITEMS THAT COME IN FRONT OF YOU, YOU FELT FIRSTHAND WHAT IT MEANS TO TRANSITION AND MODERNIZE THIS PROCESS.
AS WE SAW THAT NOW WE HAVE A HYBRID APPROACH TO YOUR PUBLIC MEETINGS WHERE WE'RE DOING LIVE STREAMING AND WHERE THE PUBLIC CAN ACTUALLY FOLLOW OUR MEETINGS ON OUR WEBSITE, NOT THE YOUTUBE PLATFORM, BUT ON OUR WEBSITE, AND WE HAVE WHAT IS CALLED A SMART
[03:15:04]
AGENDA THAT'S ALSO ON OUR WEBSITE, WHERE WE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE A TRANSCRIPT, A VIDEO WHERE YOU CAN CLICK ON ANY GIVEN WORD ON THAT TRANSCRIPT, AND IT WILL TAKE YOU DIRECTLY TO THE VIDEO, AND I'D LIKE TO WHEN WE WERE BRINGING ALL THAT TECHNOLOGY FORWARD, WHAT I SHARED WITH DIRECTOR WAESPI WHEN HE WAS THE BOARD PRESIDENT, WHEN ALL THAT WAS BEING SHEPHERDED, IT'S LIKE HAVING A HOLOGRAM OF YOUR COMMENTS AND YOUR RESPONSES TO SPECIFIC ITEMS ON THE AGENDA THAT THE PUBLIC CAN SEE BY GOING THROUGH OUR WEBSITE AND CLICKING ON THOSE FEATURES.SO WE ACTUALLY OPEN AND INVITED PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE AND CONTRIBUTE WHERE IN THE PAST THEY HAD NOT.
SO WE DID AWAY A LITTLE BIT WITH THE ORGANIZATIONAL HIERARCHY STRUCTURE TO SAY IF YOU HAVE AN IDEA, IF YOU HAVE AN INTEREST, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE, YOU CAN JOIN, AND WE DID THAT WITH PARTICIPATION AND COLLABORATION WITH THE DIFFERENT DIVISIONS AND YOU ALREADY HEARD A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE LEAF.
YOU ALREADY HEARD A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION COMMITTEE.
YOU HEARD A LOT ABOUT THE 90TH ANNIVERSARY AND THE WORK THAT WAS DONE WITH CIVICORPS, WITH OPERATIONS, BUT ALL OF THAT WAS VERY INTENTIONAL TO AMPLIFY THE ENGAGEMENT OF OUR EMPLOYEES, AND WHAT THE GENERAL MANAGER OFFICE ALSO DID WAS WE DELIVERED SPECIFICALLY TO STAFF WORKSHOPS THAT WERE RELATIVELY NEW, INAUGURALLY.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO UNDERSTAND THE PRIORITIES OF THE BOARD MEMBERS ON OUR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES? HOW DO WE MAKE IT RAIN HERE? COME AND JOIN US, AND WE WERE IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIMENT.
WE WERE THINKING, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO JOIN? WE WERE SOLD OUT.
THERE WAS STANDING ROOM ONLY IN THAT ROOM, AND THAT JUST SHOWS YOU THAT PEOPLE ARE EMPLOYEES.
THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE MISSION OF THE PARK DISTRICT WHO PARTNERS WITH YOU.
THEY REALLY, REALLY CARE, AND THEY REALLY UNDERSTAND THE MISSION AND SHARE THAT CONSTANT VALUE OF PUBLIC RECREATION AND THE PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT, AND WE ALSO DID A VERY ENGAGING 30 BY 30 STAFF WORKSHOP WHERE WE BROUGHT NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED SPEAKERS TO SHARE AND HOW WE CAN FIT INTO THE BIGGER STRATEGY OF THE CONSERVATION INITIATIVE BY THE STATE LEVEL.
OKAY. SOME KEY PRIORITIES FOR 2024.
FOLLOWING THE THEME WE'RE HERE TO LEAD, SUPPORT, BLOCK AND CHEER.
SO OUT OF THE GENERAL MANAGER'S OFFICE, OUR GENERAL MANAGER IS DOING ALL OF THAT TO ADVANCE THE SECOND CENTURY DISTRICT PLAN TO SHEPHERD THE PARK DISTRICT INTO THE SECOND CENTURY, WITH A PLANNING PROCESS THAT FOCUSES ON DISTRICT WIDE EMPLOYEE AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
SO HOW DO WE CREATE A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE FEEL THAT THEY CAN CONTRIBUTE IN THE FORMULATION OF WHAT THE PARK DISTRICT WOULD LOOK LIKE, NOT ONLY TODAY, BUT 50 YEARS FROM TODAY, 25 YEARS FROM TODAY, WE CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE WITH THE STATE AND FEDERAL PARTNERS ON BEHALF OF KEY PARK DISTRICT PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES, AND THIS IS DONE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH YOU AS WE WILL BE GOING TO WE JUST CAME FROM SACRAMENTO AND WE'RE GOING TO WASHINGTON, DC.
THIS IS, AGAIN, A BODY OF WORK THAT IS LED, SUPPORTED, CHEERED AND PROTECTED BY THE GENERAL MANAGER'S OFFICE IN COLLABORATION WITH THE DIVISIONS.
WE ALSO HAVE A VERY INTENTIONAL FOCUS TO CONTINUE TO ADVANCE RESOURCES TO SCALE UP FUEL.
YOU HEARD A LOT ABOUT THE CARBONATOR OR THE CARBONIZER, AND AGAIN, THE GENERAL MANAGER'S OFFICE PLAYS A SUPPORTING ROLE IN HOW DO WE MAKE [INAUDIBLE] SO THAT WE CAN SCALE UP THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE, AND IN 2024, WE'RE GOING TO BE SPENDING SOME TIME IN GETTING READY TO ONBOARD A NEW BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR 2025.
SINCE THIS YEAR IS A GENERAL ELECTION, AND WE ARE GOING TO SEE AND WE DO HAVE ON THE BALLOT THREE OF OUR WARDS, WARD NUMBER ONE, NUMBER TWO AND NUMBER FOUR. SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING READY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE THERE TO SUPPORT, AND WE'RE READY TO TAKE ON A NEW BOARD AND CONTINUE IN 2025, AND ALSO, WE WILL BE FOCUSING THIS YEAR TO CONTINUE OUR EFFORTS TO IMPROVE PUBLIC MEETING, MANAGEMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS, AND YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT DIRECTLY FROM YOLANDE AS TO WHAT YOU CAN ANTICIPATE IN THE REMAINING OF THIS YEAR.
[03:20:03]
YOU AND THE GENERAL MANAGER AND MAKING IT RAIN IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.THANK YOU, ANA. ERICH PFUEHLER, CHIEF OF GOVERNMENT AND LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS.
PLEASURE TO BE WITH YOU THIS AFTERNOON.
I WANT TO THANK THE BOARD AND GENERAL MANAGER AND DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER FOR SUPPORT, NOT ONLY FOR THIS YEAR, BUT THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE TEAM THAT I WORK WITH.
REALLY ENABLES US TO BE NIMBLE, AND OUR VERY FIRST GOAL HERE IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT, WHERE WE STATE WE'RE REQUESTING $7 MILLION FROM THE STATE.
THAT IS NOT LIKELY TO HAPPEN THIS YEAR GIVEN THE BUDGET SITUATION, BUT WE ARE PURSUING FEDERAL FUNDS, $6.4 MILLION REQUEST THROUGH THE RAISE PROGRAM AT THE FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, AND THEN WE LEARNED VERY RECENTLY THAT REPRESENTATIVE GARY GARAMENDI IS GOING TO BE CARRYING A $1.5 MILLION COMMUNITY BENEFIT PROJECT REQUEST FOR THE RICHMOND BAY TRAIL GAP, OR AS OTHERWISE KNOWN AS POINT WILSON POINT PINOLE TO WILSON POINT ON OUR SECOND ADVOCACY GOAL.
COMMUNITY HEALTH, I'M PLEASED TO STATE THAT AB 2091, OUR LEGISLATION TO EXPAND ACCESS FOR EXISTING ROADS, IS MOVING THROUGH THE ASSEMBLY. RECENTLY PASSING THE APPROPRIATIONS BILL AND SHOULD BE ON THE ASSEMBLY FLOOR BEFORE TOO LONG.
WITH REGARD TO ECOSYSTEM STEWARDSHIP.
THE GOVERNOR HAS PLEDGED TO EXTEND THAT PROGRAM.
SO THAT IS GOING TO BE MOVING FORWARD.
WITH REGARD TO GREEN JOBS, AGAIN, A LITTLE BIT OF A PIVOT.
THE $2 MILLION REQUEST FOR PLANNING.
NOT LIKELY TO BE GRANTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE, BUT WE ARE WORKING WITH THE LOCAL CIVICORPS AS WELL AS CALIFORNIA CONSERVATION CORPS, TO INCLUDE LANGUAGE IN A POTENTIAL CLIMATE BOND THAT WOULD SUPPORT OUR CONSERVATION CORPS WORK, AND ALSO WORKING WITH THE AMERICORPS NATIONAL SERVICE PROGRAM ON THEIR CLIMATE CORPS FUNDING THAT WILL BE PASSED, BE BEING PASSED DOWN TO STATES AND LOCAL CORPS.
VERY PLEASED TO SAY THAT WE RECENTLY, DESPITE HAVING DIFFICULTIES FINDING MONEY FOR THE TIDEWATER PUBLIC ACCESS PROJECT, WE WERE ABLE TO SECURE $3 MILLION FROM THE COASTAL CONSERVANCY RECENTLY.
DO WANT TO MENTION THAT WAS SHORTLY AFTER WE HAD A SITE VISIT THERE WITH THE COASTAL CONSERVANCY.
SO VERY PLEASED TO SEE THAT MOVE FORWARD, AND THERE IS A HISTORY OF FUNDING FROM COASTAL CONSERVANCY FOR THAT PARTICULAR PROPERTY WITH REGARDING THE BOAT CENTER AND JUST THE ACCESS ITSELF.
WE ALSO RECENTLY LEARNED THAT REPRESENTATIVE LEE WILL BE ADVANCING A $2 MILLION COMMUNITY PROJECT BENEFIT PROJECT REQUEST FOR TIDEWATER PUBLIC ACCESS ON EXPANDING OYSTER BAY ACCESS PROJECT WITH WELCOMING VISITOR USE FACILITIES. THAT PARTICULAR ONE PROBABLY WILL NOT BE MOVING FORWARD IN TERMS OF A STATE BUDGET ASK, BUT WE WILL BE CONTINUING TO PURSUE GRANT OPPORTUNITIES AND WORKING WITH ASSEMBLY MEMBER ORTEGA'S OFFICE AS SHE EXPRESSED VERY SIGNIFICANT SUPPORT FOR THAT PROJECT, AND WITH REGARD TO WILDFIRE RESILIENCE A NUMBER OF OPPORTUNITIES THERE IN TERMS OF ADVOCACY, BUT ONE IN PARTICULAR WITH REGARD TO SORT OF PERMITTING AND HOW THE PARK DISTRICT SOMETIMES IS DELAYED NOT JUST IN FIRE, BUT ALSO STEWARDSHIP AND PLANNING THROUGH PERMITTING PROCESSES.
WE'RE TAKING A LOOK AT OVERALL PUBLIC RESOURCES CODE 5500 POSSIBLE MODIFICATIONS THAT COULD SET A MORE CLEAR LINE IN TERMS OF THE WORK THAT WE DO AS A PUBLIC LAND MANAGEMENT AGENCY AND NOT AS A BUILT INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPER.
[03:25:04]
SO THAT CONCLUDES MY SECTION.YES, WE'LL TAKE QUESTIONS AT THE END.
WE'RE ALMOST DONE. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
NOW, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO INTRODUCE YOLANDE BARIAL KNIGHT, WHO'S NOT NEW TO YOU, BUT MAYBE PERHAPS YOU DON'T KNOW THAT SHE'S BEEN WITH THE PARK DISTRICT FOR 32 YEARS, AND SHE'S BEEN IN THE ROLE OF THE CLERK OF THE BOARD FOR ABOUT EIGHT YEARS IN HER TENURE.
YOLANDE. DID I HEAR SOMEBODY CLAPPING? [CHUCKLING] NO, JUST TEASING.
FIRST OF ALL, I'M GOING TO TAKE JUST A FEW EXTRA MINUTES WITH YOUR INDULGENCE, THE CLERK OF THE BOARD VERY SELDOM HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT AND I JUST WANTED TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THE TEAM AND THE WORK THAT WE DO PRIOR TO US GOING INTO OUR 2024 SPOTLIGHT, AND SO I'M GOING TO START OVER AS IF I'M BEGINNING THIS PRESENTATION.
GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD OF DIRECTORS, GENERAL MANAGER LANDRETH, DISTRICT COUNSEL MACKENZIE, DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER ALVAREZ, THE EXECUTIVE TEAM AND STAFF.
MY NAME IS YOLANDE BARIAL KNIGHT AND I AM YOUR CLERK OF THE BOARD.
THE COMMITTED, DEDICATED TEAM THAT I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH DAILY INCLUDE DEBORAH FULLER, WHO IS THE ASSISTANT CLERK OF THE BOARD, YULIE PADMORE, THE EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT, AND ON MAY THE 6TH, WE WILL HAVE OUR NEWEST STAFF MEMBER.
I THANK THE BOARD AND THE GENERAL MANAGER FOR THAT, ANA [INAUDIBLE].
SHE WILL BE JOINING US AS AN EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT.
WE ARE AT THE VERY END OF OUR PRESENTATION, AND I KNOW THAT YOU ARE ALL REALLY TIRED, AND SO I'M GOING TO ASK YOU, IF YOU BEAR WITH ME JUST TO DO A VERY SIMPLE THING, AND SO IF EVERYONE COULD JUST CLOSE THEIR EYES.
HOW DO YOU FEEL? IF YOU ARE HERE AND BREATHING WITHOUT ANY IMPEDIMENT, YOUR LUNGS ARE WORKING.
IF YOU HAVE A HARD TIME BREATHING, SOMETHING HAS HAPPENED.
IN THIS SCENARIO AND APPLYING IT TO THE DISTRICT.
WE ARE ALL ONE BODY AND EACH PART OF THE BODY FUNCTIONS WHEN IT WORKS TO ACHIEVE THE DESIRED GOAL.
LIFE, SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY, EXERCISING OUR ENVIRONMENTAL ETHIC.
DIRECTOR WAESPI, YOU CAN OPEN YOUR EYES.
[CHUCKLING]. I WAS HAVING TOO MUCH FUN; I'M SORRY.
THINK YOU WOULD WENT TO SLEEP ON ME.
[CHUCKLING] FINANCE PAYROLL IS, FINANCE AND PAYROLL ARE THE DISTRICT'S HEART, ACCORDING TO THE GENERAL MANAGER AND THE CLERK'S OFFICE ARE THE LUNGS AND THE REMAINING DIVISIONS/DEPARTMENTS ARE THE BODY.
WITHOUT EITHER FINANCE OR CLERK, NOBODY IN THIS BUILDING WOULD GET PAID.
THE CLERK'S OFFICE CERTIFIES THE RESOLUTIONS THAT THE BOARD HAS APPROVED FOR PAYMENT AND FINANCE ACTS TO PAY PEOPLE IN 2023 WITH THE HELP OF YULIE PADMORE.
YULIE GATHERED THIS INFORMATION AND SAID THE CLERK'S OFFICE SUPPORTED STAFF AND OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH THE BOARD APPROVAL PROCESS, CERTIFYING APPROXIMATELY $120 MILLION PLUS IN FUNDS.
THE CLERK'S OFFICE LUNGS MANAGED TO WORK WITHIN THE BODY TO ENSURE LIFE.
WHEN WE BREATHE, WE DO NOT NOTICE OUR LUNGS.
THE LUNGS ARE NOT NOTICED UNTIL SOMETHING GOES WRONG.
THE COMMITTEE AGENDA HAS A MISTAKE.
THERE'S A MISPLACED COMMA, JOHN MERCURIO AND ETC.
THE CLERK'S DUTIES ARE VARIED AND MANY ARE THE CUSTODIAN.
EXCUSE ME. THE CLERK'S DUTIES ARE VARIED AND MANY AS THE CUSTODIAN OF RECORDS FOR THE DISTRICT AND AS ASSISTANT TO THE SEVEN ELECTED BOARD OF DIRECTORS, EACH WITH SPECIFIC NEEDS.
THAT REQUIRES ONE OF US TO BE AVAILABLE WHEN AND WHERE NEEDED.
THE CLERK HAS RELATIONSHIPS WITH ALL DEPARTMENTS AND WITH THE COMMUNITY.
I AM THE FACE THAT MANY PEOPLE SEE.
[03:30:03]
THE CLERK'S OFFICE KNOWS THAT THEY WILL HAVE SOMEONE IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE WHO CAN ALWAYS ASSIST THEM, OR AT LEAST GET THEM TO THE RIGHT PLACE.WE CONTINUE TO ACCEPT NEW CHALLENGES AND EVERY TIME WITH A FEW HICCUPS AS WE ARE NAVIGATING IN REAL TIME CHALLENGES AND PERSONALITIES, AND ONE OF THE POEMS THAT I LIKE SO MUCH AND MAYA ANGELOU'S POEM, THERE'S A STANZA, IT'S CALLED STILL I RISE AND IT JUST SAYS, JUST LIKE THE MOONS AND LIKE SUNS, WITH THE CERTAINTY OF TIDES, JUST LIKE HOPES SPRINGING HIGH, THE CLERK'S OFFICE STILL RISES.
MALU JULIA, MARIA SABINOS WHO PROVIDES US ALL THIS DELICIOUS FOOD AND EVERYONE ELSE THAT HAS IMPACTED THE CLERK'S OFFICE. THE CLERK'S OFFICE HAS REALLY BEEN QUITE BUSY SINCE THE PANDEMIC, AND WE ARE THE WE ARE THE OFFICE THAT CONTINUES TO POWER THROUGH DAILY IN THE OFFICE. OFTENTIMES WHEN OTHERS ARE WORKING FROM HOME, WE ARE HERE.
WE ARE ALL WORKS IN PROCESS, AND AS SUCH, WE NEED TO GIVE EACH OTHER TIME AND SPACE TO GET BETTER.
NOW ON TO THE 2024 SPOTLIGHT FOR THE CLERK OF THE BOARD'S OFFICE.
FOR 2025, 2024, WE HAVE GONE FROM 26 MEETINGS, IT SAYS 25, BUT I BELIEVE IT'S 26 MEETINGS AND 2023 TO 78 MEETINGS IN 2024, AND AS SUCH WE HAVE HAD TO INCREASE OUR STAFF CAPACITY WITH A NEW FULL TIME EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT POSITION WE HAVE AND ALSO WE'VE INCREASED CAPACITY THROUGH FIVE CONTRACTUAL SERVICES, AND WE'VE IMPLEMENTED AN IMPLEMENTED AN AGENDA PLANNING PROCESS, IMPROVEMENTS TO MIRROR THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETINGS.
THE CONTRACTUAL SERVICES THAT WE HAVE ARE PRIMEGOV, SWAGIT, ZOOM WEBINAR, MINUTES AND IS SUPPORT WHEN WE'RE WORKING WITH PRIMEGOV, PRIMEGOV IS THE PARK DISTRICT WORK WITH PRIMEGOV SOLUTIONS TO IMPLEMENT AGENDA MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE TO STREAMLINE THE AGENDA, PACKET DEVELOPMENT AND REVIEW PROCESS, ENHANCING EFFICIENCY AND TRANSPARENCY FOR THOSE WHO WRITE, REVIEW AND COORDINATE THE DEVELOPMENT OF AGENDA MATERIALS, AND I WANT TO THANK DEPUTY GENERAL MANA GER DOCTOR ANA ALVAREZ AND CLAIRE GRIFFIN, MANAGEMENT ANALYST, FOR STEWARDING THIS PROCESS.
IN WORKING WITH SWAGIT, WE MOVED FROM A REGULAR YOUTUBE PLATFORM TO A ZOOM WEBINAR PLATFORM WHERE WE LIVE STREAM THE MEETINGS WITH THE ADDITION OF THE FOUR ADDITIONAL CAMERAS THAT YOU SEE IN THE BOARDROOM, AND WE CONTRACT ALSO NOW WITH AN OUTSIDE VENDOR CALLED MINUTE BY MINUTE TO TRANSCRIBE. NOW ALL 78 TO HELP US TO GET THESE MINUTES DONE IN A TIMELY ORDER UNTIL WE GET OUR STAFF RIGHTSIZED.
WE ALSO HAVE ADDITIONAL IS SUPPORT WITH THE ADDITION OF AMIR AZIZ, WHO WE COULDN'T DO A MEETING WITHOUT, AND I WANT TO TAKE THANK DAVID RUSTING FOR ACTUALLY HELPING US TO GET THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
AS WE CONTINUE TO PRODUCE WHAT I CALL MOVIES AT LEAST SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK, WE ALSO HAVE GRANICUS, WHICH ALSO HELPS US WITH OUR STREAMING HYBRID MEETINGS.
SO ALL IN ALL, I WOULD SAY THAT THE CLERK OF THE BOARD BOARD'S OFFICE IS VERY, VERY BUSY, BUT I WOULD ALSO SAY WE ARE SO EXCITED ABOUT THE CHALLENGE.
SOME DAYS IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT, BUT I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE ALL LOVE YOU VERY MUCH, AND WITHOUT EACH ONE OF THE MEMBERS THAT WE WORK WITH IN THE STAFF, THERE'S NO WAY THAT WE COULD GET THESE MEETINGS DONE.
WE TRY TO BE ACCOMMODATING AT ALL TIMES TO LAST MINUTE HICCUPS, AND WE HAVE STAFF THAT ACTUALLY WORKS WITH US TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN DO OUR MEETINGS AND IN A PROFESSIONAL MANNER, AND THAT WE CAN BE AVAILABLE TO EACH ONE OF YOU AT ANY TIME.
[03:35:16]
ANY QUESTIONS? YES.ALL RIGHT. BOARD OF DIRECTORS, ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? DIRECTOR ROSARIO.
TO BOTH GOVERNMENT AND LEGISLATIVE AND THE CLERK OF THE OFFICE, YOUR WORK HAS NOT GONE UNNOTICED, AND WITHOUT YOUR DUE DILIGENCE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS AND LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS, YOU HELP US GIVE PURPOSE TO OUR BOARD CHIPS HERE GIVING US AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY WORK AND ADVOCATE FOR THE PARK DISTRICT AND TO OUR STAFF AND CLERK OF THE BOARD, W E COULDN'T DO ANYTHING WITHOUT YOU GUYS, AND I WANT TO I REMEMBER WHEN THE WE FIRST STARTED GOING TO ZOOM, THE CHAOS THAT WAS IN HERE IN THE FIRST.
IF YOU HAD TO BE HERE AN HOUR BEFORE, IT WAS LIKE THERE WAS PEOPLE RUNNING ALL OVER EVERYWHERE, AND NOW IT'S, YOU'VE GOT IT DOWN AND IT'S RELATIVELY PEACEFUL, AND IT'S JUST AMAZING TO SEE HOW YOU'VE TRANSFORMED AND ABLE TO BE RESILIENT AND RESPOND TO THE CHALLENGES, AND WE ARE BETTER FOR IT.
I THINK THE FACT THAT COVID HAPPENED AND WE ARE NOW BASICALLY LIVE IN FRONT OF THE PUBLIC AT ALL OUR MEETINGS, I THINK IT HELPS TREMENDOUSLY AND IT'S INCREDIBLE TO ME FOR ME AS A BOARD MEMBER, THAT I CAN GO BACK TO ANOTHER MEETING THAT I MISSED OR WANTED TO WATCH AGAIN AND BE ABLE TO CONFIRM OR NOT CONFIRM.
DID I DO THAT? SO IT REALLY IS, IT REALLY IS A STEP FORWARD AS FAR AS TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE AND YOU WILL CONTINUE TO DO TO MAKE THIS BOARD AND THIS ADMINISTRATION AND THE PARK DISTRICT STRONGER IN THE FUTURE, AND TO BE A LEADER IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL FIELD.
IF THERE'S ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO MAKE YOUR JOBS EASIER, PLEASE LET US KNOW, TOO.
DIRECTOR MERCURIO. YEAH, THIS IS THE END OF A VERY ENLIGHTENING DAY.
MUCH OF IT WASN'T, BUT IT'S ALL BEEN BROUGHT TOGETHER IN ONE PLACE, AND THAT'S GOOD, AND THAT'S BAD BECAUSE IT'S A LOT COMING IN, AND I WAS STRUGGLING TO KIND OF INTEGRATE IT INTO MYSELF, BUT, YOLANDE, YOU DID IT BECAUSE YOU MADE ME FEEL LIKE IT'S ALL A BODY, RIGHT, AND AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S I DON'T KNOW WHAT ORGAN WE ARE, BUT, YOU KNOW IT'S ALL KIND OF WORKING TOGETHER, AND THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES TO REALLY MAKE AN ORGANIZATION THAT SERVES SO MANY YOU KNOW, ALMOST 3 MILLION PEOPLE AND A LOT OF OTHER STUFF.
SO THANKS TO YOLANDE, A GREAT WAY FOR KIND OF TYING IT ALL TOGETHER AT THE END.
DIRECTOR CORBETT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I APPRECIATE THESE COMMENTS, TOO.
IT'S NOT EVERY DAY WE HEAR ALL OF THE HARD EFFORTS YOU'RE INVOLVED IN TO KEEP THINGS TOGETHER AND CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THAT, AND ALSO GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE OUR THOUGHTS AND COMMENTS ABOUT HOW THINGS GO, BUT OVERALL WE KNOW YOU ARE VERY INTERESTED IN THIS PARK DISTRICT AND THIS ORGANIZATION, AND YOU CARE.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT INTEREST.
THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT THAT HAPPEN EVERY DAY, AND THAT'S JUST SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE AS BOARD MEMBERS GET INVOLVED WITH, BUT THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER THINGS THAT GO ON DURING A DAY THAT THE BOARD MEMBERS NOT IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT AT THAT TIME, AND IT'S JUST REALLY A BUSY ORGANIZATION WITH SO MANY THOUGHTFUL THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE DONE, BUT THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THIS TIME TODAY TO THINK ABOUT THIS, AND WE'LL BE THINKING SOME MORE AFTER HAVING THIS CONVERSATION, AND I'M THINKING ABOUT THINGS RIGHT NOW, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CARING ABOUT THIS PLACE.
[03:40:09]
THAT'S WHAT WHAT REALLY COUNTS.THANKS VERY MUCH. THIS IS GREAT.
VERY INFORMATIVE. THE EXECUTIVE TEAM DOES AN INCREDIBLE JOB, OBVIOUSLY.
I'M GREATLY APPRECIATIVE OF YOLANDE SPEAKING TO US.
I TEND TO, UNFORTUNATELY FORGET THE PEOPLE I'M CLOSEST TO, DO SO MUCH WORK AND ALL THE BACKGROUND STUFF YOU DO, AND THEN, AS DEE SAID, YOU KNOW, IT WAS CHAOS A FEW YEARS AGO, AND NOW I JUST COME IN HERE AND EVERYTHING'S FINE, AND SO I HOPE YOU DON'T THINK THAT WE TAKE IT FOR GRANTED.
IT'S WELL APPRECIATED, AND IT'S SOME GREAT WORDS TODAY.
ALL RIGHT. WELL THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION; 'REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
YOLANDE IT IS SUCH A PLEASURE TO HEAR FROM YOU.
WE DON'T GET TO SEE YOU UP ON THE PODIUM VERY OFTEN, AND IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO GET YOUR PERSPECTIVE, AND I REALLY ENJOYED YOUR REMARKS, AND I THINK IT'S A GREAT WAY TO LOOK AT THINGS.
SO THANK YOU, AND ERICH OF COURSE, WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR WORK AND ADVOCACY.
WE COULDN'T DO WHAT WE DO WITHOUT THE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS TEAM, AND ANA, OF COURSE, YOU AS THE HEAD OF THESE FOLKS, WE REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU DO AS WELL.
I DO WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT ALSO TO AMANDA GALLO FOR HER WORK IN THIS.
PULLING ALL THIS TOGETHER AND ALSO FOR HER, YOU KNOW, STEPPING INTO THESE ROLES OF TRYING TO FACILITATE SOME OF THE BOARD COMMUNICATIONS IN A MORE STREAMLINED WAY.
I THINK IT'S SO CRITICAL FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HEAR BACK FROM US AND IT'S GOOD TO HAVE THAT TRACKING AND THAT CONSISTENCY.
IT REALLY HELPS TO BOTH MAKE US YOU KNOW, MORE RESPONSIVE TO OUR CONSTITUENTS, BUT ALSO MORE, MORE PROFESSIONAL, AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR WORK THERE, AND, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY YOUR WORK IN PULLING ALL OF THIS TOGETHER AND, YOU KNOW, PUTTING THE PACKET TOGETHER AND THE YOU KNOW, THE REPORT TOGETHER AND EVERYTHING ELSE YOU DO.
SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT, AND OF COURSE, I DON'T KNOW IF JOSE'S HERE, BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT WE'VE GOT NOW JOSE GONZALEZ ON BOARD AS WELL AS EQUITY OFFICER.
I THINK THAT'S A HUGE, HUGE STEP FORWARD.
YOU KNOW, I SEE THAT THE NEXT THING ON THE AGENDA IS RECAP, REVIEW AND WRAP UP.
[RECAP, REVIEW AND WRAP-UP]
I'M NOT SURE IF WE'RE DOING THAT NOW.WE KIND OF ARE. SO YEAH I'LL SEE IF ANYONE HAS ANYTHING.
I JUST WANT TO THANK, WHILE I HAVE THE FLOOR, THANK THE ALL OF THE EXECUTIVE TEAM FOR BEING HERE AND GIVING US THESE PRESENTATIONS, AND REALLY, IT'S I KNOW ANY ONE OF YOU COULD STAND UP HERE FOR THE WHOLE DAY.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU TRYING TO KEEP IT CONCISE.
I THINK WE DID PRETTY WELL ON THAT, AND YEAH, IT'S A GREAT, GREAT TEAM.
YEAH. SO THANK YOU, PRESIDENT ECHOLS.
I'LL JUST WRAP US UP QUICKLY HERE.
SO YES, FIRST OFF, THANK YOU TO THE WHOLE TEAM ON THE PRESENTATIONS.
HOPEFULLY YOU FOUND THIS HELPFUL.
OBVIOUSLY THERE'S SOME THEMES THAT I WILL JUST SHARE.
THIS WAS JUST LIKE THE LAST TWO YEARS.
I DID NOT PROVIDE ANY REALLY SPECIFIC DIRECTION TO THEM ON WHAT TO INCLUDE, AND IT'S FEELS GOOD TO KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF ALIGNMENT AND THEMES THAT CAME OUT OF THEIR PRESENTATIONS.
IT MEANS THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY ALL STARTING TO SWIM IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TOGETHER.
SO THAT WAS ON PURPOSE TO JUST KIND OF LET THEM GO, AND IT'S VERY REALLY SPEAKS TO THE CALIBER OF THE TEAM THAT WE HAVE HERE, BECAUSE THAT'S HOW THEY'RE MANAGING AS WELL WITHIN THEIR TEAM. SO YOU KNOW, THEMES AROUND THAT THERE'S I WOULD JUST BOIL IT DOWN TO THERE'S A LOT OF WORK, NOT ENOUGH HOURS, NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE, AND WE'RE DOING A LOT BEHIND THE SCENES AND TRYING TO BRING TO YOU SOME STRUCTURE AROUND PRIORITIZATION BEING ABLE TO INFUSE EQUITY AND OUR COLLECTIVE VALUES AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT INTO THOSE DECISIONS.
SO REALLY EXCITED TO HEAR FROM YOU NEXT MONTH.
HOPEFULLY THIS WAS INFORMATIVE.
[03:45:10]
WE'LL PROBABLY BE ADDRESSING SOME OF THOSE IN THAT MEETING AS WELL, IF YOU WANT US TO, AND WITH THAT, I THINK, OH, AND THEN JUST REALLY REMINDING EVERYONE HERE, THIS IS ALL MOVING US CLOSER TO THE UPDATE OF OUR DISTRICT PLAN WHICH WE HAVE RECEIVED THAT WE'RE WORKING RIGHT NOW ON THE RESPONSE TO THE RFP FROM THE MASTER, THE MAIN CONSULTANT, AND WE'LL BE BRINGING MORE AND MORE INFORMATION TO YOU ON THAT. ALL OF THIS IS DATA THAT'S HELPING TO INFORM US.SO THANK YOU TO THE WHOLE TEAM THAT WAS HERE, BUT REALLY NOT LAST BUT DEFINITELY NOT LEAST TO THE 1100 EMPLOYEES THAT WORK HERE, AND REALLY BUST THEIR BUTTS EVERY DAY TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS AMAZING WORK.
SO WITH THAT, I THINK THAT WAS A PRODUCTIVE DAY.
SABRINA, WHAT WILL WE NEED TO DO TO PREPARE FOR OUR SESSION WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE HISTORICALLY PRESENTING OUR WISH LIST, OUR PRIORITIZATIONS, OUR GOALS, AND SINCE THINGS HAVE BEEN CHANGED UP A BIT POSITIVELY IN THE WAY WE'VE DONE THIS FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
I'M JUST CURIOUS AS TO WHAT YOU WILL BE ASKING FROM US OR STAFF AND DOCTOR ALVAREZ OR AND WHAT WE WILL BE PROVIDED IN ORDER TO PREPARE FOR THAT SESSION.
YEAH. I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY.
IF THERE IS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT YOU WANT AHEAD OF THAT, LET US KNOW, BUT WE I THINK WE'RE JUST PLANNING ON FOLLOWING THE SAME BASIC PROCESS WE HAD LAST YEAR, WHICH IS EACH OF YOU INDIVIDUALLY WENT THROUGH, I THINK, AND CLAIRE IS NOT HERE.
SO I KNOW SHE WORKED BEHIND THE SCENES ON THIS, AND SO I'M LOOKING TO AMANDA.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF SHE'S OPENED UP THE FOLDER YET BECAUSE SHE WAS FOCUSED ON TODAY, BUT I THINK LAST TIME MAYBE YOU ALL PROVIDED SOME WRITTEN LIST AHEAD OF TIME, OR AM I MISREMEMBERING THAT? I DON'T KNOW. WE DON'T NEED TO.
I MEAN, WE REALLY IT'S ABOUT, YOU KNOW, YOU IT'S MEANT TO BE MORE INTERACTIVE.
EACH OF YOU WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK, GO THROUGH YOUR LIST.
I MEAN, HEY, IF YOUR LIST IS THE SAME LIST AS WHAT YOU HAD BEFORE, JUST TELL US THAT YOU KNOW, THAT'S FINE, OR IF IT'S THAT PLUS OR IF IT'S HEY, THANKS FOR THIS UPDATE. I DON'T AGREE WITH THIS.
SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY UP TO YOU ALL, AND PRESIDENT ECHOLS ON WHAT FORMAT WORKS BEST FOR YOU, BUT WE WERE PLANNING ON IT BEING BASICALLY KIND OF THE SAME THING THAT WE DID LAST YEAR, UNLESS WE HEAR OTHERWISE.
WELL, FOR ME, I AM IT'S A WORD DOCUMENT AND IT EVOLVES EVERY YEAR, RIGHT, IN TERMS OF HOW EVENTS AFFECT MY PRIORITIZATION, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HELPS AND INFORMS IT IS GETTING BACK FROM CLAIRE OR I UNDERSTAND THIS YEAR IT WAS AMANDA WHAT THE STATUS IS OF ITEMS THAT WE ARTICULATED AT THAT MEETING LAST YEAR ARE CHARACTERIZED TODAY THAT INFORMS IT, YOU KNOW, AND IT MAKES ME ASK MYSELF QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT DO I WANT TO HOW DO I WANT TO CHANGE MY WORD DOCUMENT ABOUT IT? DO I WANT TO CONTINUE TO ASSERT PRIORITIZATION ON THINGS THAT ARE ON HOLD OR NOT ON A WORK PLAN? DO I WANT TO FOCUS ON ITEMS THAT PERHAPS ARE MORE IMMEDIATE AND MORE BUDGET ORIENTED AND YOU KNOW, AS MUNDANE AS THE TIMBER PROJECT AT BLACK DIAMOND, WHICH IS HERE, PRESENT NOW AND A BUDGET ISSUE ON HOLD, AS OPPOSED TO CONTINUALLY YEAR IN AND YEAR OUT TALKING ABOUT A VISITOR CENTER POINT PINOLE.
THESE ARE THE KIND OF DECISIONS EACH OF US HAVE TO MAKE, AND THE STATUS REPORT THAT WE GET IS VERY HELPFUL IN THAT, BUT--IF I MAY INTERJECT, DIRECTOR COFFEY, I THINK THAT ACTUALLY MY RESPONSE TO THAT, AS YOU'RE KIND OF THINKING OUT LOUD A LITTLE BIT WOULD BE VERY MUCH, YOU KNOW, I THINK HEARING FROM YOU BOTH THOSE IMMEDIATE, YOU KNOW, PRIORITIES AND THEN, YOU KNOW, LONGER TERM, MAYBE MORE THEMATIC, BIGGER POLICY, YOU KNOW, ITEMS BOTH BOTH OF THOSE ARE VERY HELPFUL FOR US TO HEAR.
[03:50:03]
SO I WOULDN'T I GUESS, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I KNOW EACH OF YOU COULD PROBABLY TAKE FOUR HOURS AND GIVE US A LIST AS WELL.SO YOU'RE TRYING TO ALSO HONE THAT DOWN.
SO YEAH, AND I'M HAPPY TO KIND OF WORK THROUGH IT OFFLINE BEFOREHAND, IF THAT'S HELPFUL, AND I MENTIONED AND I MENTIONED TO YOU BEFORE AND WE'LL THROW IT AGAIN, I AM IN THIS PROCESS AS IT EVOLVES THROUGH THE YEAR.
I AM MISSING HAVING THAT WORKSHOP ON THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.
IN OTHER WORDS, ONCE AGAIN, HAVING REN UP HERE TALKING ABOUT THE PROJECTS FOR OVER THAT ARE PLANNED OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, AND HAVING FINANCE TALK ABOUT THE CHALLENGES OF FUNDING THEM, AND THOSE HAVE THAT WORKSHOP HISTORICALLY HELPED AGAIN INFORM AND SHAPE MY OWN PRIORITIZATIONS, BECAUSE THOSE WERE HERE AND NOW LET'S LOOK FORWARD FIVE YEARS AT INFRASTRUCTURE PLANS AND WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT WORKSHOP.
SO I'M A LITTLE, THERE'S A PIECE OF THE PROCESS THAT I FEEL WE'RE MISSING, AND I JUST THROW THAT OUT THERE FOR MY COLLEAGUES AND FOR FOR MANAGEMENT TO THINK ABOUT WHAT WHAT CAN BE DONE, MAYBE TO FIX THAT OR FILL IT IN GIVE US BACKGROUND OR LET IT GO.
IT'S A WORKSHOP THAT WE HAD APPROVED AND PLANNED AND IT WAS CANCELED, AND I THINK THERE'S A BIT OF A LOSS IN THE PROCESS FOR US IN THAT HAPPENING, BUT I JUST THROW THAT OUT THERE FOR OUR OWN CONSIDERATIONS.
YEAH, AND I'M HAPPY TO TALK TO YOU MORE OFFLINE ABOUT THAT, BUT KIND OF WHAT I MENTIONED AT THE I DON'T KNOW WHAT STUDY SESSION THAT WAS, MAYBE IT WAS A BOARD MEETING, BUT THAT THERE WERE TWO, TWO WORKSHOPS THAT YOU MENTIONED.
ONE WAS ON CAPITAL FINANCING, WHICH WAS REALLY A REPORT OUT ON STATUS OF BOND FUNDS AND OTHER MEASURES, WHICH WE'VE NOW INCORPORATED INTO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, THAT'S A REPORT THAT REGULARLY COMES THERE.
SO THAT WE STOPPED MAYBE THREE YEARS AGO, DEB, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO THAT ONE WAS MUCH MORE OF A IN FEELING THAT DIDN'T NECESSARILY WARRANT A STUDY SESSION WASN'T REALLY VERY INTERACTIVE, BUT IF THAT INFORMATION ISN'T GETTING TO YOU GUYS, WE CAN DO THAT. THE OTHER ONE WAS REALLY NOT NECESSARILY AS KEN AND LISA AND DEB KIND OF ARE ALLUDING TO.
WE'RE WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES ON ALL OF THE CAPITAL PROJECTS RIGHT NOW THAT ARE ON A LIST, QUOTE UNQUOTE, THAT HAVE BEEN MANY HAVE BEEN SITTING ON A LIST FOR 20 YEARS AND SOME ARE, YOU KNOW, ON THE LIST BECAUSE OF A BALLOT MEASURE, SOME ARE JUST ON A LIST BECAUSE IT WAS A PRIORITY OF A FORMER BOARD MEMBER.
SO WE ARE RIGHT NOW REAL TIME GOING THROUGH.
WE HAVE A NEW ASSISTANT FINANCE OFFICER.
WHO HAS BACKGROUND IN DOING CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT PLAN, A TRUE CIP, AND WE HAVE AN INTER-DIVISIONAL WORKING GROUP RIGHT NOW TRYING TO RECONCILE THESE LISTS.
AS DIRECTOR ROSARIO MENTIONED, WE HAD SOMEONE IN FINANCE DOING CAPITAL PROJECTS, AND SO JUST GETTING AN INVENTORY THEN LOOKING AT WHAT ARE WHAT IS REALLY MOVING, WHAT IS NOT.
WHAT'S THE STATUS OF EACH OF THOSE, AND THEN ULTIMATELY TRYING TO MATCH UP THE FUNDING THAT'S AVAILABLE AND THEN REALLY TRYING TO GET A REALISTIC ESTIMATE OF THE COST OF THOSE PROJECTS AS DEB MENTIONED, THE PRACTICE HERE HAS BEEN AND MAYBE IT WORKED FOR A WHILE WE WERE SMALLER, BUT IT REALLY IS NOT SUSTAINABLE.
THE PRACTICE HAD BEEN THAT THE CAPITAL PROJECTS WERE NOT COMING AS PART OF THE BUDGET, AND SO THEY WOULD JUST COME IN HERE KIND OF THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, BUT THERE WASN'T FUNDING THAT WAS ACTUALLY APPROPRIATED BY THE BOARD AS PART OF AN ANNUAL PROCESS, WHICH IS REALLY PRETTY UPSIDE DOWN FOR AN AGENCY, CERTAINLY AN AGENCY OF OUR SIZE.
SO WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO INCREMENTALLY WORK TOWARDS THAT.
AS SHE ALLUDED TO, SHE'S TRYING TO GET SO WE'RE TRYING TO GET THAT FIVE YEAR CIP TOGETHER.
YOU KNOW I THINK YOU SAID MAYBE IT MIGHT BE 90% READY IN THE FALL.
OUR HOPE IS THAT IN I THINK DEB AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT TENTATIVELY, A SEPTEMBER TIME FRAME TO COME AND DO MORE OF A STUDY SESSION WITH YOU AROUND THE CIP. THE REALITY IS TO HAVE DONE IT LAST FRIDAY, WE WOULDN'T HAVE HAD THE INFORMATION READY FOR YOU.
SO THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, IT WORKED TO SLIDE IN THE COMMUNITY SURVEY WORKSHOP INTO THAT DAY.
SO I WE'RE REALLY HAPPY TO DO THAT.
SO THAT'S THE REALITY OF WHERE THIS TEAM IS.
[03:55:03]
THEY'RE ALL NODDING THEIR HEADS RIGHT NOW.SO WE'RE KIND OF DOING IT ALL AT THE SAME TIME.
YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING INITIALLY THE, THE FORMER OF WHAT YOU WERE ASKING WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT.
I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THAT.
THE FINANCING, WE TALKED A BIT ABOUT THAT WHEN WE WERE ALLOCATING THE $20 MILLION FROM SURPLUS SOURCES AND USES AND STUFF, BUT THAT WASN'T WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT.
I GUESS I JUST I'M FEELING IT'S OUT OF SEQUENCE, AND YOU AND I HAVE HAD FREQUENT DISCUSSIONS AND IT'S JUST I HAVE A DIFFERENT VIEW OF THE BOARD'S PRIORITIZATION PROCESS, TO ME, IS NOT DESIGNED TO FOR ME TO INFORM BUDGET, YOU KNOW, IT'S AND AGAIN, WE'VE HAD THAT DISCUSSION TO ME, IT'S...
WHAT'S THE TERM? IT'S VISIONARY.
IT'S NOT LOOKING AT THE NEXT BUDGET, AND THAT'S WHY I KIND OF STRUGGLE AGAIN WITH THIS ISSUE OF SHOULD I BE PRIORITIZING BUDGET ORIENTED THINGS AS OPPOSED TO LONG TERM CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT HAPPEN? THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS STUDY SESSION THAT I THOUGHT WAS VERY HELPFUL AND VERY INFORMATIVE WAS HELD MAY 12TH OF LAST YEAR.
HOW DO YOU FUND THE FIVE YEAR CAPITAL PLAN? JEFF HAD THAT PIECE OF THAT WORKSHOP, AND, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE PACKET OF THAT INVENTORY OF CAPITAL FINANCE BOARD, WORKSHOP, INVENTORY OF PROJECTS AND STUFF.
SO IT WAS A SUBSTANTIAL PIECE OF WHAT THE BOARD WORKED WITH IN THE PAST.
IF IT'S GOING TO COME IN SEPTEMBER, THAT'S GREAT.
I'M JUST I JUST FEEL A LITTLE OUT OF SEQUENCE WITH IT.
YEAH WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THAT TIMING MORE GOING FORWARD.
IT SEEMS TO ME THAT SINCE YOU ALL ARE SORT OF WORKING ON THAT LIST NOW AND TRYING TO MERGE DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT PLACES WHERE PARTS OF THAT LIST MIGHT LIVE OR WHATEVER IT SEEMS LIKE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE STRONG VIEWS ON ANYTHING THAT WAS ON A PRIOR LIST, IT NOW WOULD BE THE TIME, OR AT THIS NEXT SESSION WOULD BE THE TIME TO LET STAFF KNOW THAT SO IT CAN SHOW UP ON THE REVISED LIST, AND THEN WHEN WE LOOK AT IT IN SEPTEMBER YOU KNOW, YOU CAN MAKE YOUR VIEWS KNOWN AGAIN.
HAVING INPUT FROM US INTO THE LIST COULD ALSO BE HELPFUL.
YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING? OKAY. ALL RIGHT. GOOD.
ALL RIGHT. SO SO YEAH, THAT WOULD JUST BE MY SUGGESTION, BUT I DO THINK IT WILL BE HELPFUL.
YEAH, I DO AGREE WITH YOU IN TERMS OF WANTING TO HAVE THAT SESSION, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR STAFF TO BE READY AND TO MAKE THAT SESSION AS EFFECTIVE AS POSSIBLE.
SO YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S YES, AND WE CAN DO BOTH.
SO I THINK BECAUSE THE WAY OUR BUDGET STRUCTURED, IT'S ANNUAL VERSUS YEAH, FISCAL THAN, YOU KNOW, AS LONG AS WE GET IT BEFORE WE APPROVE OUR BUDGET, WE WILL WE WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE COMMENTS FOR THE BUDGET.
YEAH, AND JUST MY OWN TWO CENTS ABOUT THE QUESTION OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THE PRIORITIES WE WANT TO PUT FORWARD FOR THIS NEXT JUNE MEETING, I DEFINITELY THINK WE CAN WE CAN LOOK AT BOTH THE SORT OF SHORT TERM CAPITAL ISSUES AND THE LONGER TERM VISIONARY ISSUES, BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR BOARD FOR SETTING BOARD PRIORITIES IS THE LONGER TERM STUFF, LIKE WHERE DO WE WANT TO GO AND OF COURSE SOME OF THAT WILL BE CAPTURED HOPEFULLY IN THE NEXT CENTURY PLAN AS WELL.
[04:00:01]
SO I LIKE TO BE ABLE TO GIVE MY PRIORITIES FOR THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO BE IN THIS NEXT BUDGET YEAR BUT THEN, OF COURSE, ABSOLUTELY.DIRECTOR CORBETT. I HOPE I'M NOT OFF THE ROAD ON THIS ONE, BUT THERE'S THIS ITEM, OF COURSE, THAT WE ALL RECEIVED THE UPDATE ON BOARD INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBER INTERESTS.
ARE THESE THE 81 ITEMS WE ARE TO DISCUSS AT THE NEXT MEETING, OR IS THERE AN ADDITIONAL LIST? AND IF THERE'S THINGS MISSING ON THIS THAT WE JUST DON'T SEE ANYTHING, MAYBE IT SHOULD BE ON THEM.
WHAT DO WE DO WITH THAT? I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, IS THIS FOR THE NEXT.
WELL, THIS IS THE UPDATE ON OUR INTERESTS.
SO YOU CAN USE THAT AS A BUILDING BLOCK IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU WANT TO BRING UP AS YOUR PRIORITIES FOR THE NEXT SESSION AND I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW IT YET, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THIS IS BASED ON THE PRIORITIES THAT WE PUT OUT THERE LAST YEAR, AND AMANDA HAS TAKEN THE TIME TO POOL IT ALL TOGETHER AND GIVE US A STATUS REPORT ON, ON WHERE WE ARE ON THOSE PRIORITIES, BUT IS THIS THE LIST WE'RE LOOKING AT AT THE NEXT MEETING, OUR LIST OF ISSUES? YES. WE EXPECT TO HAVE ANOTHER LIST.
SO THIS IS THE LIST IF YOU HAVE WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT THE NEXT MEETING IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT IT OR CONCERNS ABOUT THE STATUS OF THEM, BUT IF YOU ALSO HAVE ADDITIONAL ITEMS THAT YOU WOULD WANT, YOU KNOW, ADDED FOR THE KIND OF LOOKING FORWARD FOR THE NEXT LIST, YOU WOULD PUT THOSE ON THE RECORD AT THE NEXT MEETING. YES, BUT THIS IS FOR THIS YEAR'S.
IF WE SEE THINGS ARE MISSING, WHAT DO WE SAY OR DO ABOUT THAT? SO WITH THEM AT THE NEXT MEETING, YOU COULD STATE THOSE.
YOU COULD EITHER GIVE THEM TO US IN WRITING OR YOU COULD JUST WE'LL TAKE TURNS.
EACH OF YOU CAN TAKE A TURN AT THE NEXT MEETING AND STATE ANY ADDITIONAL ITEMS THAT YOU HAVE, BUT THIS SHOULD BE THE LIST FOR THIS NEXT MEETING, EVEN IF WE SEE THINGS ARE MISSING, I MEAN, WELL, LET ME--YEAH, IT'LL HELP INFORM.
IT'LL HELP INFORM AS A STARTING POINT FOR THE NEXT MEETING, YES, AND WE CAN TALK OFFLINE.
EVEN THOUGH THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN SOME THINGS THAT WERE MISSING AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON THIS.
YEAH, IF WE'VE MISSED SOMETHING, CERTAINLY TALK TO ME AND AMANDA.
SO WHEN WOULD MIGHT BE MY OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THIS LIST BEFORE THEN, SINCE THERE MIGHT BE SOME TIME I HAVE TO--WELL WE'LL BE IN DC TOGETHER FOR FIVE DAYS. YEAH, THAT'S TRUE, BUT YOU WOULD HAVE TIME TO SPEND SOME TIME ON IT? SURE. OKAY. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, EVERYBODY, FOR A REALLY VERY PRODUCTIVE AND INFORMATIVE DAY.
GREAT WORK, AND WE ARE NOW ADJOURNED AT 3:52 P.M..
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.