[00:00:01]
THIS IS THE CLOSED SESSION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT ON JUNE 4TH, 2024, BEGINNING AT 12:26 P.M.. NO.
I KNOW THIS IS THE OPEN PORTION OF THE CLOSED SESSION.
[ROLL CALL]
SO MADAM CLERK, CAN YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? DIRECTOR COFFEY.HERE. GENERAL COUNSEL BOURGAULT.
HERE. MADAM CLERK, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? NOT. NOT FOR CLOSED SESSION ITEMS. GREAT. OKAY, SO IN THAT CASE, WE WILL ADJOURN AND SO THAT WE CAN ADDRESS OUR
[CLOSED SESSION ITEMS]
CLOSED SESSION ITEMS. THANK YOU. OKAY.GOOD AFTERNOON. THIS IS THE REGULAR BOARD MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT ON JUNE 4TH, 2024, BEGINNING AT 1:20 P.M., AND WE DO APOLOGIZE FOR THE DELAYED START.
[ROLL CALL]
MADAM CLERK, CAN YOU PLEASE TAKE THE ROLL? DIRECTOR COFFEY.HERE. GENERAL MANAGER LANDRETH.
SHE'LL BE JOINING US IN A FEW MINUTES.
THANK YOU, GENERAL COUNSEL BOURGAULT.
I'M GOING TO CALL ON DIRECTOR MERCURIO TO RECITE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, PLEASE.
[LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT]
OKAY. DIRECTOR ROSARIO, CAN YOU PLEASE READ OUR LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT? YES. THANK YOU.WE HUMBLY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE ARE ON THE UNCEDED LANDS OF THE OHLONE PEOPLE, AND THAT THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT HEADQUARTERS IS LOCATED WITHIN HUICHIN TERRITORY, WHICH IS THEIR TRADITIONAL, ANCESTRAL AND SHARED HOME.
SINCE TIME IMMEMORIAL, THE OHLONE PEOPLE HAVE AND CONTINUE TO LIVE IN RECIPROCITY WITH NATURE, UNDERSTANDING THE SEASONS AND CYCLES OF THE NATURAL WORLD, MANAGING RESOURCES FUNDAMENTAL FOR SURVIVAL, AND IMPORTANT TO CULTURAL PRACTICES, ALL WHILE PASSING DOWN OUR KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE.
SO FIRST OF ALL, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS NOT ON THE AGENDA.
WE DO. WE HAVE TWO COMMENTS NOT ON THE AGENDA.
OKAY. WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO CALL THEM? NOT YET. I THINK WE'LL GO AHEAD AND APPROVE THE AGENDA AND DO OUR SPECIAL PRESENTATION FIRST.
I JUST WANTED TO CHECK SO WE COULD PLAN OUT THE MEETING.
[APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
CAN I GET A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA, PLEASE? OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR? OH, I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T GET A SECOND.THANK YOU. I WAS THINKING I WAS.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION BY DIRECTOR ROSARIO AND A SECOND BY DIRECTOR MERCURIO.
ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.
WE HAVE A SPECIAL PRESENTATION.
[SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS]
WE HAVE A RESOLUTION PROCLAIMING JUNE 2024 AS EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT MOUNTAIN BIKING MONTH, AND THIS IS A RESOLUTION THAT WAS REQUESTED BY THE BICYCLE TRAILS COUNCIL OF THE EAST BAY.STUDENTS AND PARENTS FROM THE MOUNTAIN BIKING COMMUNITY HAVE SUBMITTED PUBLIC COMMENT IN SUPPORT OF THE RESOLUTION, AND OTHERS MAY MAY ALSO JOIN IN TO SHOW SUPPORT.
[00:05:03]
SO AT THIS POINT, I KNOW WE HAVE WITH US SCOTT BARTLEBAUGH, ADVOCACY DIRECTOR AT BICYCLE TRAILS COUNCIL OF THE EAST BAY, AND HE WOULD LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS.I'M SCOTT BARTLEBAUGH AS PRESIDENT ECHOLS SAID ADVOCACY DIRECTOR FOR BICYCLE TRAILS COUNCIL OF THE EAST BAY, COMMENTING ON BEHALF OF OUR MEMBERS AND THE BROADER MOUNTAIN BIKE COMMUNITY, I'M EXCITED AND THANKFUL FOR THE PARK DISTRICT RESOLUTION PROCLAIMING JUNE 2024 AS EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT MOUNTAIN BIKING MONTH.
THE RESOLUTION REFLECTS THE MANY POSITIVE BENEFITS THAT MOUNTAIN BIKING BRINGS TO PEOPLE OF ALL AGES, INCLUDING IMPROVED PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH, A GREATER CONNECTION AND RESPECT TO OUR NATURAL OPEN SPACES, STEWARDSHIP AND A BROADER SENSE OF COMMUNITY.
THESE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE PARK STEWARDS OF THE FUTURE.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO MORE OF THESE VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES ACROSS THE DISTRICT TO HELP ADDRESS BACKLOG MAINTENANCE FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL TRAIL USERS, AND WE HAVE SOME MEMBERS FROM THE OAKLAND PROGRAM HERE, AND I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS IN A FEW MOMENTS.
THIS TECHNOLOGY AND ACCESS ENABLES EVEN MORE PEOPLE TO RESPECTFULLY ENJOY OUR NATURAL OPEN SPACES.
YESTERDAY, I HAD THE HONOR TO ATTEND THE CALIFORNIA STATE ASSEMBLY SESSION AS A MEMBER OF THE CALIFORNIA MOUNTAIN BIKING COALITION, WHO WERE GUESTS OF ASSEMBLY MEMBER DAMON CONNOLLY, WHO BROUGHT ASSEMBLY CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 152, THE CALIFORNIA STATE MOUNTAIN BIKE MONTH, TO THE ASSEMBLY FLOOR.
THE RESOLUTION IS BOTH BICAMERAL AND BIPARTISAN.
I'M EVEN MORE EXCITED TO BE HERE TODAY AND HAVE THIS HAPPENING LOCALLY.
THE MOUNTAIN BIKE COMMUNITY REMAINS READY TO BUILD AN EVEN MORE CONSTRUCTIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PARK DISTRICT, THE TRAILS COMMUNITY AND ALL STAKEHOLDERS REGARDING OUR PUBLIC OPEN SPACES.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, YOUR SUPPORT AND THIS RESOLUTION.
OKAY. DO WE HAVE SOME COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS BY BOARD MEMBERS? DIRECTOR ROSARIO.
YEAH. THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS RESOLUTION TO THE BOARD.
I WAS WONDERING IF THERE WAS A POSSIBILITY OF ADDING SOMEWHERE, EITHER AS A IN ONE OF THE WHEREASES OR IN THE RESOLVE, OR MAYBE A SEPARATE WHEREAS THAT WE INCLUDE THE LANGUAGE SAFE AND LEGAL TRAIL USE.
FOR THAT AS A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT, IS THERE? IS THERE A. YEAH.
SO I THINK THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD SUGGESTION.
ARE THERE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS WHO HAVE.
WELL, ACTUALLY, LET'S START WITH THIS.
ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT DEE'S SUGGESTION? WELL, FIRST WE'RE GOING TO TAKE I THINK FIRST WE'LL JUST TALK ABOUT THE RECOMMENDATION TO ADD THE LANGUAGE AND THEN WE'LL TAKE GENERAL COMMENTS.
IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WE FIND IMPORTANT HERE.
I PERSONALLY FIND IT IMPORTANT AND USEFUL.
SO. I THINK IT'S AN EXCELLENT IDEA.
JUST NEED TO FIND A SPOT. OKAY.
YES. DOES IT DOES EITHER STAFF OR SCOTT HAVE A RECOMMENDATION ON WHERE THAT LANGUAGE WOULD MAKE SENSE TO ADD BE ADDED? WE CAN, YOU KNOW, WHY DON'T WE LET STAFF TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND YOU CAN CONFER WITH THEM, IF YOU LIKE, AND THEN WE CAN GO AHEAD AND ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS IN THE MEANTIME.
SCOTT, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING THOSE WORDS.
IT'S NICE TO ALSO SEE YOU HERE IN THE BOARDROOM.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO, AND PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CORRECT ME.
[00:10:02]
I'M JUST LOOKING THROUGH THIS, YOU KNOW, AS I'VE YOU KNOW, STUDIED MOUNTAIN BIKING AS A WHOLE.YOU KNOW, THE OTHER THING THAT I THINK IS REALLY INTERESTING THAT WE MAY I DON'T KNOW IF WE WANT TO ADD IT IN HERE OR NOT, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT IS AN OLYMPIC SPORT, WHICH I ALSO THINK IS IMPORTANT TO MENTION.
THAT IS IN THE STATE RESOLUTION.
I BELIEVE THAT LANGUAGE WAS THERE, BUT THE DETAILS OF THE LANGUAGE, IT IS THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT RESOLUTION AND YOUR DISCRETION ON WHAT IS IN IT AND WHAT'S NOT IN IT, BUT YEAH, I THINK IT'S WONDERFUL THAT IT'S PART OF THE OLYMPICS, BUT THERE'S A BROAD SPECTRUM OF MOUNTAIN BIKING EXPERIENCES, BOTH COMPETITIVE AND NONCOMPETITIVE.
I'M JUST THINKING I HAVE A LOT OF PRIDE.
THE FACT THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE OLYMPICS HERE IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA IN FOUR YEARS.
I'D BE PERFECTLY FINE WITH THAT.
OKAY. DO ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HAVE COMMENTS SPECIFICALLY ON DIRECTOR SANWONG'S SUGGESTION? OKAY. OKAY.
SO DOES ANYONE ELSE BEFORE WE VOTE ON IT, DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE COMMENTS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO MAKE? OKAY, ONE PUBLIC COMMENT.
ANYONE ELSE IN THE BOARD LEVEL? YEAH. GO AHEAD. YEAH.
SO I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION FOR SCOTT, YOUR GROUP AND YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THAT GROUP AND THE REFRESHING APPROACH THAT YOU'VE TAKEN IN THE LAST FEW YEARS TO ESTABLISHING A SOLID RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PARK DISTRICT AND WITH THE PUBLIC, AND SO THAT HAS HAS TO BE HONEST, IT'S ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, KIND OF SHIFTED MY IMPRESSIONS OVER A LITTLE BIT.
BECAUSE IT HASN'T BECOME AN ADVERSARIAL RELATIONSHIP THAT IT WAS BEFORE, AND, YOU KNOW, I HAD THE BENEFIT OF SERVING ON A STATEWIDE COMMITTEE, THE TRAILS COMMITTEE, AND WE WENT AROUND THE STATE AND HAD MEETINGS, AND WE WERE HEARING THIS ALL THE TIME ABOUT IT WAS VERY NEGATIVE, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S KIND OF WHERE I STARTED FROM, BUT NOW, I MEAN, I CAN SEE THE BIGGER PICTURE, AND, YOU KNOW, THE WORLD HAS CHANGED ALSO AS WELL, AND SO YOU'RE SORT OF HELPING YOUR GROUP KIND OF NAVIGATE THROUGH THIS KIND OF CHANGING SITUATION, AND I THINK, I THINK THE PARK DISTRICT IS RESPONDING TO IT IN AN APPROPRIATE WAY, BALANCING RECREATION, AND RESOURCE PROTECTION, AND I KNOW YOU'RE VERY INTERESTED IN THAT.
THE OTHER THING I JUST WANTED TO MENTION, KIND OF SLIGHTLY AWAY FROM THIS IS THAT I HAVE THE BENEFIT OF KNOWING SOME OF THE FOUNDERS OF THE IMBA INTERNATIONAL MOUNTAIN BIKING ASSOCIATION.
THEY'RE STILL AROUND AFTER SINCE THE 1980S, I GUESS IS WHEN IT STARTED AND I'M PRETTY SURE THAT MICHAEL KELLY STILL LIVES IN BERKELEY, SO OR? HE'S IN MARIN NOW.
WE SERVED TOGETHER ON EAST BAY AREA TRAILS COUNCIL MANY YEARS AGO, AND HE'S A GREAT GUY AND A GOOD AMBASSADOR FOR THE SPORT.
SO ANYWAY, I JUST WANTED TO RECOGNIZE HIM AND THE OTHER PIONEERS THAT KIND OF PUT THIS OUT IN FRONT OF THE WORLD, AND I KNOW IT'S TAKEN A LONG TIME, BUT I HOPE YOU'RE SATISFIED WITH THE PROGRESS THAT'S MADE SO FAR.
I KNOW YOU DON'T THINK WE'VE GOTTEN TO WHERE YOU THINK WE SHOULD GO, BUT THAT'S ANOTHER STORY.
WE'RE AT A GOOD PACE, AND WE APPRECIATE THE COOPERATIVE WORKING RELATIONSHIP THAT WE HAVE.
I THINK THERE'S MORE WORK TO BE DONE, BUT WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER, AND I THINK THINGS ARE GETTING BETTER, AND THE MOUNTAIN BIKE COMMUNITY IS VERY INTERESTED IN STEWARDSHIP OF HABITAT, NATURAL RESOURCES, THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO US AS WELL, AND I THINK SOMETIMES THAT POINT IS MISSED BY SOME MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, BUT WE TRULY ARE INTERESTED IN THAT, AND WE HAVE MORE THINGS IN COMMON WITH OTHER PARK USERS THAN THE DIFFERENCES THAT WE HAVE.
YEAH. ALL RIGHT, AND THANK YOU.
[00:15:03]
I WOULD INSERT THE WORD SAFE AND LEGAL.MOUNTAIN BIKING IS OFTEN AN IMPORTANT COMMUNITY ACTIVITY.
I THINK IT FITS PERFECTLY THERE.
THAT SOUNDS GOOD. WHAT DO YOU THINK, SCOTT? I'M TRYING TO FIND THE SEVEN, WHEREAS.
SORRY. SEVENTH, WHEREAS AND START OFF WITH SAFE AND LEGAL MOUNTAIN BIKING ACTIVITIES.
GREAT. DO I GET A SECOND? I THINK WE'RE NOT GOING TO VOTE ON IT JUST YET.
WE'RE STILL TAKING COMMENTS, BUT THANK YOU.
WE ALSO WE ALMOST ALWAYS GET TO SEE YOU AT MOST MEETINGS ONLINE.
SO IT'S APPRECIATE YOU MAKING THE TRIP AND APPRECIATE YOU ALWAYS BEING ACTIVELY INVOLVED AND YOUR LEADERSHIP, AND NOW THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SAFE DRIVING SAFE RIDING.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP AND ENCOURAGEMENT OF OTHER BIKERS TO BE SAFE OUT THERE AND TO RESPECT THE RULES OF THE ROAD AND ALSO THE, YOU KNOW, THE REAL SPIRIT OF VOLUNTEERISM.
I KNOW YOUR GROUP HAS HAS CONSTANTLY BEEN WELL DOING VOLUNTEER, BUT ALSO OFFERING TO VOLUNTEER IN OTHER AREAS AND REALLY, APPRECIATE THAT AS WELL, BECAUSE IT IS HELPFUL TO HAVE THAT WORK ON THE TRAILS.
THANK YOU, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE WE HAVE SOME PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS ISSUE.
THIS INFORMATION IS NOTED ON THE AGENDA.
ANY EMAILS THAT COME IN AFTER THIS DATE WILL BE PROVIDED TO THE BOARD AFTER THIS MEETING.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT OUT OF ORDER GIVEN THAT IT'S A SPECIAL PRESENTATION, AND THEN AFTER WE WRAP UP THIS ISSUE, WE WILL HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA. SO I THINK YOU DID SAY WE HAD SOME SPECIFIC COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM.
SO WE HAVE ONE PERSON HERE CHRIS CAMPBELL.
AND AS GO AHEAD, PROCEED UP, AND AS HE PRECEDES UP, I WOULD ASK THAT I SEE A HAND RAISED IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER HANDS RAISED IN THE ZOOM WEBINAR OR ANYBODY ELSE WANTING TO MAKE A COMMENT, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS AND WE WILL, WE'LL GET TO YOU.
I'M A LIFELONG EAST BAY RESIDENT, AND I'VE BEEN RIDING MOUNTAIN BIKES IN THE EAST BAY SINCE I WAS A KID, AND NOW I REPRESENT ALMOST 100 YOUTH AS A COACH, A VOLUNTEER COACH FOR MY HIGH SCHOOL TEAM.
MY DAUGHTER'S HERE AS WELL, AND MY SON, WHO'S A MIDDLE SCHOOLER, AND WE SPEND AT LEAST FOUR DAYS A WEEK RIDING IN THE EAST BAY HILLS AND TRAVELING TO OTHER PARKS ALL OVER THE DISTRICT, AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY, I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS MEASURE AND HOPE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO GROW ACCESS FOR OUR YOUTH.
IT GIVES THEM OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE THEIR PHYSICAL FITNESS AND APPRECIATION FOR NATURE AND RESPECT FOR THE TRAILS AND OTHER USERS, AND WE DO OUR BEST TO EDUCATE AND HELP THEM ENJOY THE PARKS.
WELL, THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
OKAY, SO IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER.
WE HAVE ONE PERSON WITH THEIR HAND RAISED.
IF YOU CAN OPEN UP UNMUTE YOURSELF AND OPEN UP YOUR CAMERA.
HEY GOOD AFTERNOON DIRECTORS AND SCOTT.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUBLIC COMMENT, AND THANK YOU TO SCOTT FOR BRINGING THIS UP FOR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, AND I WANTED TO KNOW SCOTT, YOU SAID IT SO BRIEFLY THAT THERE WAS SOME SORT OF STATE OR ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION.
[00:20:02]
I WAS WONDERING IF I COULD GET THE NUMBER OF THAT, AND ALSO, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I SUPPORT DIRECTOR ROSARIO'S ADDITION IN THE SEVENTH WHEREAS I THINK THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT ONE, AND, SCOTT, I ALSO APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING UP THE TOPIC OF STEWARDSHIP AND WONDERED IF THERE MIGHT BE ANOTHER WHEREAS WHERE WE MIGHT INSERT SOMETHING ALONG THOSE WAYS AS WELL.SOMETHING SHORT AND SIMPLE ABOUT SUPPORTING YOU KNOW, STEWARDSHIP AND REPAIR OF HUMAN IMPACTS IN OUR PARKS, AND JUST IN GENERAL, I LIKE THIS IDEA.
I HAVEN'T ACTUALLY EVER SEEN WHERE THE PUBLIC STARTS THE RESOLUTION PROCESS, AND THEN IT'S AMENDED AND VOTED ON, AND I'D LOVE TO SEE THIS FOR ALSO FOR WALKERS, HIKERS, EQUESTRIANS, YOUTH, DIVERSITY WALKERS, HIKERS, ALL OF THAT.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITY.
YES, YES, I THINK IT WOULD BE IN BETWEEN 10 AND 11.
BECAUSE IN TEN WE TALK ABOUT 1 MILLION CALIFORNIANS, AND SO THEN I WOULD SAY SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES OF, WHEREAS SINCE 1996, AT THE ATLANTA GAMES, MOUNTAIN BIKING BECAME AN OFFICIAL OLYMPIC EVENT, AND YOU KNOW, THE SUMMER GAMES WILL BE RETURNING TO THE US IN 2028, IN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.
OKAY. DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT? YEAH, I'M JUST TRYING TO KEEP TRACK OF THE LANGUAGE.
JUST TRYING TO. THAT WAS. YES.
THANK YOU FOR KEEPING US ON TRACK.
I THOUGHT WE WOULD JUST DO ONE VOTE, SINCE THESE ARE FRIENDLY AMENDMENTS, THAT WE COULD HAVE A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT WITH DIRECTOR ROSARIO LANGUAGE AND DIRECTOR SANWONG'S LANGUAGE TOGETHER, AND THEN WE CAN JUST VOTE ON IT AS ONE WHOLE RATHER THAN VOTE ON BOTH AMENDMENTS, AND THEN THE RESOLUTION. THAT'S NOT CONTROVERSIAL.
OKAY? EVERYONE IS IN AGREEMENT WITH ADDING BOTH OF THEM.
I THINK THERE'S A GOOD PLACE FOR IT IN THE THIRD, WHEREAS.
WHEREAS MOUNTAIN BIKING CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR COMMUNITIES WITH LARGE NUMBER OF VOLUNTEER HOURS, TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, AND MANUAL LABOR TO WE COULD USE THE WORD TO RESTORE OR LET'S SEE, I THINK WE COULD USE STEWARDSHIP THERE SOMEHOW.
INSTEAD OF STEWARD AND MAINTAIN, WE COULD SAY, STEWARDSHIP OF OUR PARKS.
HOW ABOUT THAT? MY OWN OPINION IS IF IT ALREADY SAYS STEWARD, THEN I THINK WE DON'T HAVE TO SWITCH IT TO STEWARDSHIP UNLESS SOMEONE UNLESS OTHERS FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT IT.
I'M OPEN. I DON'T HAVE A STRONG VIEW ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
I THINK IT'S I THINK THE SENTIMENT IS THERE.
EXCUSE ME, BUT COULD YOU PULL THE MIC CLOSE TO YOU AND RESTATE WHAT YOU WERE SAYING? YEAH, I WAS ADVOCATING FOR PLACING REPLACING IN THE THIRD, WHEREAS WHERE IT STARTS OFF MANUAL LABOR TO STEWARD AND MAINTAIN OUR PARKS, MAYBE USE THE WORD MANUAL LABOR FOR STEWARDSHIP OF OUR PARKS.
JUST TO KIND OF CAPTURE THE SENTIMENT ADVOCATED BY LINDA THE WORD STEWARD IS THERE, SO I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT.
OKAY. DID EVERYONE CATCH THAT? DEFINITELY. OKAY.
WELL, NOW WE HAVE THREE FRIENDLY AMENDMENTS, SO IT'S GETTING MORE COMPLICATED, BUT.
WHAT? JUST PHILOSOPHICALLY SUGGEST THAT WHAT WE NEED TO DO IF WE'RE GOING TO AMEND ON THE DAY OF APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION, WE SHOULD BRING AMENDMENTS TO THE MEETING OR HAVE THEM PREPARED BY STAFF FOR PRESENTATION AT THE MEETING, BECAUSE IT STARTS OFF
[00:25:06]
JUST AS A PRACTICAL MATTER, WHERE I'M NOT TAKING NOTES BECAUSE IT DOESN'T SEEM SIGNIFICANT, AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER, AND SO AT SOME POINT, YES, TO ME, I THINK YOU EITHER DECIDE TO BRING THESE IN ADVANCE AND HAVE THEM BEFORE THE BOARD AND BEFORE THE PUBLIC ALTOGETHER, OR YOU ADD STUFF AND BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD.I AGREE. THIS HAS BEEN AN UNUSUAL PROCESS.
SO I'M JUST TRYING TO BE FLEXIBLE AND TO ACCOMMODATE OUR BOARD DIRECTORS COMMENTS INTO THIS, AND TO DIRECTOR ROSARIO'S CREDIT, HE ACTUALLY DID ASK ABOUT HIS ORIGINAL LANGUAGE IN THE BEGINNING, AND STAFF LOOKED AT THAT AND THOUGHT IT WAS FINE.
I WOULDN'T WANT TO HAVE A RULE THAT SAYS WE COULD NEVER AMEND THINGS ON THE DAIS, BECAUSE THERE ARE PLENTY OF TIMES IN THE PAST WHERE THERE HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, SIGNIFICANT ACTION ITEMS THAT WE HAVE NEEDED TO AMEND AND NOT ALWAYS JUST SEND BACK TO STAFF.
SO I AGREE THIS HAS BEEN A LITTLE BIT UNUSUAL, BUT LET'S JUST HANG TIGHT AND I'LL ASK FOR A MOTION FOR ALL THREE CHANGES AND WE'LL GET THIS DONE AND MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM, BECAUSE IT IS ALSO MORE TIME CONSUMING IF WE DO THIS ON THE DAIS, WHICH IS AN ISSUE BECAUSE WE HAVE A PACKED AGENDA TODAY, BUT WE ARE.
SO WITH THAT I DON'T KNOW IF HAS THE GENERAL COUNSEL ANYONE ELSE BEEN KEEPING TRACK OF ALL THREE OF THE COMMENTS? I BELIEVE THE CLERK HAS.
THE CLERK HAS OKAY, AND WE ALSO HAVE THE TAPE OF THE MEETING.
WELL, I JUST WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON.
SO IF SO DEE, WHY DON'T WE START WITH YOURS? IF YOU CAN RESTATE BOTH OF THE AMENDMENTS THAT YOU'RE SUGGESTING.
OKAY. FRIENDLY AMENDMENT WAS TO ADD STEWARDSHIP IN THE THIRD WAR AS TO REPLACE STEWARD AND MAINTAIN AND PUT MANUAL LABOR FOR STEWARDSHIP IN OUR PARKS, AND THEN IN THE SEVENTH, WHEREAS ADD ONE, TWO.
MAKE SURE I'M IN THE RIGHT PLACE 1, 2, 3.
WHEREAS SAFE AND LEGAL MOUNTAIN BIKING IS OFTEN AN IMPORTANT COMMUNITY ACTIVITY.
THAT'S WHERE WE INSERT THAT, AND THEN OLIVIA HAD HERS AS A SEPARATE.
SO MY RECOMMENDATIONS BETWEEN WHEREAS NUMBER TEN AND WHEREAS NUMBER 11.
SO AFTER THE PART WHERE IT SAYS OVER 1 MILLION CALIFORNIANS.
WHEREAS MOUNTAIN BIKING BECAME AN OFFICIAL OLYMPIC EVENT AT THE ATLANTA GAMES IN 1996, AND THE SUMMER GAMES WILL BE RETURNING TO THE US IN 2028, IN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.
OKAY, SO DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THIS RESOLUTION, AS AMENDED? OKAY. MOVED BY DIRECTOR ROSARIO.
I'LL MAKE THE SECOND. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR SANWONG.
ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? OKAY. MOTION PASSES.
FIRST, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ASK THE CLERK, DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS NOT ON THE REGULAR AGENDA.
[PUBLIC COMMENT]
IF THERE'S ANYBODY IN THE ZOOM ROOM, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU HAVE A COMMENT NOT ON THE AGENDA.WITH THAT SAID, WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE HERE.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
[00:30:07]
USE OF THE PARK.ON JUNE 1ST, THE VETERANS IN CASTRO VALLEY DID A CHARITY GOLF TOURNAMENT TO HELP VETERANS.
THE GOLF COURSE NEVER LOOKED BETTER.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SELECTING TOUCHSTONE, AND THE FOOD WAS ALSO PRETTY DOGGONE GOOD, TOO.
THE BREAKFAST BURRITO WAS ROUNDLY ENJOYED BY EVERYBODY, AS WAS THE LUNCH, WHICH HAD TRI-TIP AND CHICKEN AND OTHER GOOD SALADS, AND IT WAS A PERFECT DAY FOR GOLF.
THE SECOND EVENT WAS ON JUNE 2ND, THE LAKE CHABOT TRAIL CHALLENGE.
NOW, YOU MAY NOT HAVE REALIZED IT, BUT THE CHALLENGE HAS BEEN SELECTED AS A 2024 ROAD RUNNERS CLUB OF AMERICA CALIFORNIA STATE TRAIL HALF MARATHON CHAMPIONSHIP.
THIS WAS A CHAMPION EVENT, A CHAMPIONSHIP EVENT 401 PARTICIPANTS RANGING IN AGE FROM 8 TO 82.
THERE WAS A COUPLE OF SPRINTERS.
OH MY LORD, THEY SCARED THE DAYLIGHTS OUT OF YOU.
I ALSO WANT TO COMMEND YOUR STAFF.
RANGER SANDRA KIND OF WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND BECAUSE AS WE'RE GETTING READY TO START, THE TRAIL IS BEING CHECKED, AND WHAT DO YOU THINK? A TREE HAS FALLEN ACROSS IT, AND SO WITH THE HELP OF THE RANGER AND SCOUT TROOP TWO, SEVEN, EIGHT, NINE AND SEVEN, EIGHT, NINE, THE PATH WAS CLEARED ENOUGH FOR EVERYBODY TO HAVE A GOOD TIME.
SO WE WANT TO DO A SHOUT OUT TO RANGER SANDRA, TO THE SCOUTS THAT HELPED PARTICIPATE, AND THEN JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU GUYS KNOW HOW MUCH YOU'RE APPRECIATED, I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU EACH YOUR OWN VFW CHIP, AND THAT'S FOR THE FIRST, AND THEN LOOKY HERE A TRAIL CHALLENGE BAG.
SO THAT'S OUR WAY OF SAYING THANK YOU FOR HELPING US TO HELP THE COMMUNITY.
IT'S A GOOD PARTNERSHIP AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU ALL.
NOW, IF I CAN, I'LL JUST COME BY REAL QUICK.
PUT IT UP. CAN I SAY SOMETHING? COUPLE BAGS.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD AND STAFF.
AND WE TRULY APPRECIATE IT, AND BY THE WAY, AS A BIT OF TRIVIA FOR YOU.
BECAUSE SOUTHWEST GOLF COURSE IS FOUNDATION. GUESS WHERE THEY'RE CHOOSING? REDWOOD CANYON. THANK YOU SO MUCH AGAIN.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME TAKE UP YOUR TIME.
GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD MEMBERS.
HERE TO REMIND YOU OF THE FILING THAT AFSCME FILED ON AUGUST 26TH, 2022.
IT'S AN UNFAIR PRACTICE CHARGE WITH PERBS, WHICH IS THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA PUBLIC EMPLOYEE BOARD, AND THE CHARGE IS FOR BAD FAITH BARGAINING, INTERFERENCE, DIRECT DEALING AND UNILATERAL IMPLEMENTATION, AND I WAS HOPING I WOULDN'T HAVE TO BE HERE BECAUSE I HEARD A REALLY GOOD, GOOD, GOOD RUMOR THAT THERE WAS A SCHEDULED, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S CALLED COURT CASE, I DON'T KNOW, MEDIATION, WHATEVER, AND IT GOT CANCELED.
SO NOW WE'RE LIKE, IN A HOLDING PATTERN WAITING FOR IT TO GET UNCANCELED.
[00:35:02]
BE. THANK YOU.OKAY, SO WE ARE NOW MOVING ON TO THE BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD.
FIRST OF ALL, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR?
[CONSENT CALENDAR]
SO MOVED. SECOND.THAT'S FINE. SO FIRST WE'LL OKAY.
WE'RE GOING TO APPROVE IT, AND YOU CAN STILL PULL IT.
YEAH. OR VOTE. ARE YOU GOING TO PULL IT OR YOU JUST WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT.
I WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT, BUT I DID WANT TO MAKE AN EDIT TO 11, SO I THINK I MAY HAVE TO OKAY. ALL RIGHT.
OKAY. WELL, LET'S GO AHEAD AND.
SO WE'RE GOING TO THEN WE'LL PULL ITEM 11, AND IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT ANYONE WANTS TO PULL.
I JUST HAD A QUESTION ON 13 AND THAT WAS IT.
13 AND THEN 14 AND 15, BUT JUST COMMENTS.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE AN EDIT.
A MOTION BY DIRECTOR MERCURIO AND SECOND BY DIRECTOR ROSARIO.
THANK YOU. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? AND WE WILL GO AHEAD AND.
SO WE'LL GO AHEAD, AND WHY DON'T WE GO AHEAD AND DEAL WITH ITEM 11? WHAT IS THE EDIT THAT YOU WANTED TO MAKE? YES. REPRESENTATIVE SWALWELL IS MENTIONED AS SENATOR SWALWELL, AND SO THE EDIT I WOULD RECOMMEND IS TO SAY REPRESENTATIVE.
OKAY, AND THERE'S TWO THERE'S A FEW PLACES.
FAIR ENOUGH. [LAUGHTER] IN THE ANALYSIS SECTION, AND THEN ALSO IN THE RESOLUTION.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT, WELL, LET'S VOTE.
I MEAN, DO WE NEED TO VOTE ON THAT CHANGE? I GUESS WE DO SINCE WE PULLED IT.
WONDER WHO WOULD OPPOSE THAT. WE HAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT ON NUMBER FOUR.
OKAY. I'M STILL ON I'M ON NUMBER 11 RIGHT NOW.
SO SO OKAY SHOULD I THEN VOTE ON THIS SEPARATELY, OR CAN WE JUST MAKE THOSE.
IF YOU PULLED IT FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR, WE NEED TO OKAY.
YOU NEED TO VOTE ON THAT ITEM ANYWAY.
OKAY. SO ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER 11 WITH THE RECOMMENDED EDITS. YES.
OKAY. SO WE HAVE WE HAVE APPROVED THE FULL CONSENT CALENDAR.
WHY DON'T WE GO AHEAD AND ASK? I KNOW SEVERAL OF YOU SAID YOU HAD QUESTIONS ON SOME OF THE ITEMS. SO DO YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD, DIRECTOR WAESPI? SURE. MY QUESTION WOULD BE ON ITEM 13 OR MY COMMENT ON ITEM 13, WHICH IS THE AUTHORIZATION TO PURCHASE BEARSAVER THREE-STREAM TRASH RECEPTACLES FOR ALMOST $140,000.
WE'RE GOING TO BUY 60 OF THOSE.
WELL, I SUPPORT THIS FULLY, AND I LOVE THE DESCRIPTION OF WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BUY.
I ALSO KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD A PILOT PROGRAM WITH THEM IN THE PARK DISTRICT.
I'M WONDERING IF THERE ARE ANY RESULTS.
I MEAN, DID WE GET ANY FINDINGS? HOW DID WE FIGURE OUT THAT THESE WERE SUCCESSFUL? WAS THERE A DIVERSION NUMBER WHICH WE ALWAYS LOOK FOR, IN OTHER WORDS, TAKING WASTE OUT OF THE WASTE STREAM AND PUTTING IT IN THE RECYCLING STREAM OR THE COMPOSTING STREAM IN THE CASE OF THESE RECYCLERS.
ROBERT KENNEDY, ACTING AGM OF OPERATIONS.
[00:40:01]
ENTERING OUR WASTE STREAMS AND CREATING AN ISSUE WITHIN OUR PARKS BECAUSE THERE'S PREDATORY ISSUES AND PRESSURES RELATED TO THAT SPREAD OF DISEASE.AND SO WE HAVE SEEN IMPROVEMENTS RELATED TO OVERALL HEALTH AND QUALITY OF OUR PARKS AS A RESULT OF USING THESE THREE STREAM CONTAINERS AND HAVING ALL OF OUR WASTE COLLECTION OPERATIONS COVERED AND NOT BEING ABLE TO GET DAMAGED OR ENTERED BY OUR FURRY FRIENDS IN THE EVENING.
I HAVE NO IDEA, BUT I'M VERY INTERESTED IN WHAT A OFF ROAD RESCUE UTILITY POLARIS VEHICLE IS, AND THE ONLY REASON I BRING THIS UP, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO BUY TWO, WHICH IS PRETTY NEW AND PRETTY EXCITING HYBRID POLICE PURSUIT VEHICLES IN THE PAST BECAUSE I'M VISUAL I IT WAS IN THE REPORT WHICH ARE ALWAYS VERY THOROUGH.
IF YOU COULD SHOW US A PICTURE, I'D LOVE TO SEE WHAT A POLARIS RESCUE VEHICLE LOOKS LIKE.
YES, I CAN GET THAT INFORMATION AND PICTURES AND PROVIDE.
I KNOW JASON DOES IT ALL THE TIME WHEN WE BUY SOME EXOTIC REMOTE MOWER.
HE DOES A GREAT JOB OF DOING THAT, AND I WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF.
WE CAN ADD PICTURES FOR ALL OF OUR ITEMS MOVING FORWARD.
OKAY, SO JUST TO ADD, BECAUSE I ASKED A SIMILAR QUESTION TO YOU, I JUST WANTED TO LET THE ANSWER KNOW, LET EVERYBODY KNOW WHAT THE ANSWERS WERE BECAUSE I HAD ASKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT'S A SHORT BED AND THEY'RE PROMOTING IT AS A TRANSPORT FOR PATIENTS.
AND APPARENTLY THEY HAVE A SLIP ON THAT GOES ON THERE THAT WILL ACCOMMODATE A STRETCHER.
SO. OH, PROBABLY BECAUSE IT'S.
DID YOU GET AN ANSWER? YEAH. THEY'RE GOING TO GET IT LATER.
ALL RIGHT. WERE THERE OTHER OTHER QUESTIONS? DIRECTOR SANWONG. GO AHEAD.
I GUESS THERE'S ONE QUESTION AND ONE COMMENT.
SO THESE ARE ITEMS FOUR AND FIVE, AND THE ONLY REASON I SAY BOTH FOUR AND FIVE.
SO I SEE ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS ABOUT THE CALIFORNIA STATE ASSEMBLY, AND THEN FIVE IS FEDERAL LEGISLATION, AND I NOTICE THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, BILL 7462 ON WILDFIRE INSURANCE COVERAGE ACT.
IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO THE CALIFORNIA SENATE BILL 1060, WHICH I KNOW AT THE MOST RECENT FINANCE COMMITTEE WE HAD DISCUSSED BRIEFLY, AND I ALSO HAD BROUGHT IT UP AT THE PAC MEETING IN APRIL OF 2024.
I'M JUST CURIOUS, DID WE DO WE KNOW IF WE APPROVED SUPPORT OF SENATE BILL 1060 IN THE CALIFORNIA SENATE? THAT'S MY QUESTION. THEN I ALSO HAVE A COMMENT.
ERICH PFUEHLER, CHIEF OF GOVERNMENT AND LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS.
I KNOW HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE IN CALIFORNIA, SPECIFICALLY IN REGARDS TO WILDFIRE RISK, IS A REALLY YOU KNOW, TOP OF MIND CONCERN, AND I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE AS WE SEE THESE DIFFERENT BILLS, WHETHER IT'S IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
OR SACRAMENTO OR BOTH, TO REVIEW WHAT'S HAPPENING TO HELP YOU KNOW, HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE IN CALIFORNIA, AND JUST TO FOLLOW CLOSELY I GUESS NOW WE'VE APPROVED THE H.R.
7462, AND THEN MAYBE WE'LL SEE SENATE BILL 1060 IN THE FUTURE, BUT I DO THINK THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE'RE DOING REALLY GOOD WORK IN REGARDS TO WILDFIRE RISK, AND I THINK THAT THESE BILLS IN SACRAMENTO AND WASHINGTON, D.C., HELP IN REGARDS TO ADDRESSING WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE AND PROPERTY INSURANCE MARKET IN CALIFORNIA, AND THEN JUST ANOTHER COMMENT, AND I KNOW THIS IS IT'S A LITTLE BIT RELATED, BUT NOT EXACTLY THE SAME AS HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE, BUT IN TERMS OF LOCAL ITEMS THAT MIGHT BE ON THE BALLOT.
DO WE EVER REVIEW ANY OF THIS? BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT THINGS COMING UP IN, THE NOVEMBER 2024 ELECTION THAT MIGHT WE MAY WANT TO REVIEW AT SOME POINT.
FROM TIME TO TIME, TAKE POSITION ON LOCAL BALLOT MEASURES THAT AREN'T OUR OWN.
[00:45:03]
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR? I THINK WE'RE GOOD.ALL RIGHT, SO NOW WE CAN MOVE ON TO OUR FIRST.
OKAY, GREAT, AND IF THERE'S ANYBODY ON THE WEBINAR AND IF THEY COULD RAISE THEIR HAND, PLEASE.
SCOTT BARTLEBAUGH, ADVOCACY DIRECTOR OF BICYCLE TRUST COUNCIL AT EAST BAY, COMMENTING ON AB 3147, WHICH SEEKS TO ESTABLISH A CALIFORNIA TRAILS CONSERVANCY. SO I'M VERY GLAD TO SEE THE PARK DISTRICT SUPPORTING THAT.
I THINK IT HAS SEVERAL ELEMENTS THAT ARE VERY RELEVANT TO THE PARK DISTRICT.
ONE TRAILS ARE THE MOST WANTED AMENITY THAT THE PARK DISTRICT OFFERS.
SO I THINK A TRAILS CONSERVANCY WOULD HELP ELEVATE THE PRIORITY AND STATE LEVEL SUPPORT FOR TRAILS.
WHICH I'M SURE THE PARK DISTRICT WOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT AVAILABILITY OF ADDITIONAL SUPPORT.
ADDITIONAL ITEM IS IT TALKS ABOUT NATURAL SURFACE TRAILS WHICH ARE OF PARTICULAR INTEREST TO BICYCLE TRAILS, COUNCIL OF THE EAST BAY AND OUR MEMBERSHIP, AND WITH THAT IT MAY PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL FUNDING MECHANISM FOR THAT ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION TRAIL PROJECTS ARE GENERALLY MORE FUNDED OR THERE'S FUNDING IS MORE READILY AVAILABLE FOR THOSE.
HOPEFULLY THIS WOULD BE A ROUTE TO PROVIDE MORE FUNDING FOR TRAILS THAT HAVE LESS OF AN ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION ASPECT TO THEM, AND MAYBE A LITTLE MORE RECREATIONAL ASPECT TO THEM, OR SIMPLY AN ACCESS ASPECT TO THEM.
ADDITIONALLY, IT HAS LANGUAGE THAT ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THE LACK OF TRAIL ACCESS IS A FACTOR IN ROGUE TRAIL CREATION, AND ELEVATING THE PRIORITY ON CREATING ACCESS IS A WAY TO PROVIDE BETTER STEWARDSHIP OF OUR NATURAL RESOURCES.
THE ACCESS THAT PARTICULARLY MOUNTAIN BIKERS HAVE AT CROCKETT AND WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN THE BRIONES PILOT PROJECT ARE SHOWING SOME POSITIVE RESPONSE TO MINIMIZING IMPACT OF ROGUE TRAIL CREATION WHEN ACCESS IS AVAILABLE.
SO WHILE THOSE ARE ONLY TWO CASES SEEING IT IN THE LANGUAGE FOR AB 3147 PROVIDES ANOTHER REFERENCE WHERE OTHERS ARE SEEING THAT TYPE OF RELATIONSHIP.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF AB 3147.
[ACQUISITION, STEWARDSHIP AND DEVELOPMENT DIVISION]
AREA. WELCOME, REN BATES.GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD MEMBERS.
I'M REN BATES CHIEF OF DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION.
I'M HERE JUST TO INTRODUCE THIS ITEM.
I'LL TURN IT OVER TO JIM DEVLIN AND MIKE MORAN, AND YOU'LL BE IN GOOD HANDS WITH THEM.
THIS IS OUR FINAL PRESENTATION TO YOU ALL FOR SCHEMATIC DESIGN.
WE'VE BEEN HERE A FEW TIMES IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS TO GET TO A FINAL DESIGN.
SO THERE WILL BE SOME RENDERINGS TO SHARE WITH YOU TODAY.
I THINK AT THIS POINT, JUST FOR CLARITY, WE'VE GOTTEN TO THIS POINT.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR INPUT OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS.
WE ARE SORT OF AT A POINT WHERE OUR BUDGET IS TAPPED OUT IN TERMS OF MOVING THE PROJECT FORWARD.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO JIM AND MIKE AND WE'LL GO FROM THERE.
THANKS. GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
LET'S SEE, I'M HERE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE TILDEN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER REPLACEMENT PROJECT, AND WE'RE REN MENTIONED WE'VE WRAPPED UP THE SCHEMATIC DESIGN PHASE.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF SLIDES THAT I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH RELATIVELY QUICKLY BECAUSE I PRESENTED THEM TO YOU MULTIPLE TIMES BEFORE, AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, FEEL FREE TO ASK ME TO COME BACK TO THOSE SLIDES.
THESE ARE JUST THE PROJECT GOALS THAT I'VE GONE OVER NUMEROUS TIMES.
THIS SLIDE JUST REFLECTS THE BUILDING THAT'S GOING TO BE REPLACED, AND ALSO JUST ALWAYS WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THE TILDEN LITTLE FARM WILL NOT BE PART OF THIS PROJECT AND WILL NOT BE RENOVATED AS PART OF THIS PROJECT.
THIS IS JUST GIVING YOU AN IDEA OF THE LOCATION OF THE PROJECT.
I'M SORRY, OF KENSINGTON AND BERKELEY.
TO DATE, WE'VE COMPLETED QUITE A BIT OF TASKS.
BASICALLY, WE'VE COMPLETED SCHEMATIC DESIGN.
[00:50:01]
I THINK SOME OF THE IMPORTANT MILESTONES IN THAT WAS WE HAD THREE PUBLIC MEETINGS.WE ALSO HAD THREE ON SITE EXHIBITS AT THE TILDEN NATURE AREA AND THE TILDEN EEC.
WE HAD EXHIBITS DISPLAYING THE DIFFERENT PHASES OF THE SCHEMATIC DESIGN PROJECTS.
AS I SAID, WE'VE COMPLETED THE SCHEMATIC DESIGN PHASE RIGHT NOW.
WE DO HAVE REMAINING FUNDS IN THE PROJECT THAT WE WILL BE USING TO HIRE A CEQA CONSULTANT.
NOW THAT THE SCHEMATIC DESIGN PHASE WE'VE DEFINED THE PROJECT, WE CAN COMMENCE WITH THAT PROCESS.
WELL, IN THE CENTER OF THE SHEET IS THE EXISTING FACILITY.
JUST TO THE LEFT IS THE SECURITY RESIDENCE AND LITTLE FARM IS TO THE RIGHT.
TO THE SOUTH OF THIS PLAN IS THE WILDCAT CREEK CORRIDOR, AND TO THE TOP OF THE SHEET IS THE WOODLANDS AREA LEADING UP TO THE WILDCAT PEAK.
I THINK THE MAIN COMPONENTS OF IT IS THERE'S AN EAST WEST ACCESS AND A NORTH SOUTH ACCESS.
ONE WOULD ENTER THE BUILDING THERE, AND AS YOU PROCEED ON THAT AXIS TO YOUR RIGHT WOULD BE THE RESTROOM WING, OUR BUILDING. THEN CONTINUING ON, YOU'D COME TO THE RECEPTION DESK STRAIGHT AHEAD OF YOU, BEHIND THE RECEPTION DESK CONTINUING ON THAT AXIS IS THE ADMINISTRATION PORTION.
THAT'S WHERE STAFF WOULD BE LOCATED.
THIS IS THE EAST WEST AXIS, AND ON THIS AXIS IS WHERE THE EXHIBITS TAKE PLACE.
THERE'LL BE EXHIBITS THROUGHOUT THE EXHIBIT AREA.
THE BUILDING IS DESIGNED WITH THE LARGE WINDOWS AT THE END OF THE NORTH SIDE OF THE NORTH SOUTH.
THIS IS THE EAST WINDOW AND THE WEST LOOKING OUT TOWARDS THE SURROUNDING LANDSCAPE THAT THE EXHIBITS ARE INTERPRETING.
I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR WITH EVERYONE.
THE SCHEMATIC DESIGN PHASE IS A VERY EARLY PHASE OF THE PROJECT.
THERE'S QUITE A BIT OF DEVELOPMENT TO TAKE PLACE AS FAR AS MATERIALS, COLORS.
ALSO, THERE'LL BE SOME VALUE ENGINEERING AS FAR AS WE DEVELOP MORE INVOLVED IN THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROJECT, HELPING US TO DECIDE WHAT MATERIALS, BUT CURRENTLY THE IDEA IS THE ROOF IS A METAL METAL ROOF.
THE WALLS ARE A COMBINATION OF METAL ROOFS COMING DOWN AND COVERING THE WALL AREA, BUT HERE AT THIS PUBLIC ENTRY AREA WHERE THIS IMAGE IS, THE MATERIALS ARE WOOD SIDING, AND SOME MIGHT HAVE THE QUESTION LIKE WOOD SIDING IN A FIRE PRONE AREA.
WELL, THE STATE IS VERY CLEAR WITH BUILDING CODE REGULATIONS IN BUILDING AND WIRE IN A FIRE PRONE AREA, SUCH AS THE TILDEN NATURE AREA, AND THERE ARE WAYS OF CONSTRUCTION WHERE YOU PUT IN A ONE HOUR FIRE MEMBRANE IN THE WALL MEMBRANE, AND THEN YOU CAN APPLY OVER THAT ON THE EXTERIOR A MATERIALS SUCH AS WOOD SIDING.
THIS VIEW YOU'RE LOOKING AT, [INAUDIBLE] YOU.
YOU'RE STANDING IN THE TILDEN NATURE.
SORRY. THE TILDEN LITTLE FARM PLAZA, JUST TO YOUR RIGHT.
YOU CAN SEE IN THE CORNER THERE THE COW BARN, BUT JUST SORT OF GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF SOMEONE COMING TO LITTLE FARM WHEN THEY TURNED AROUND AND STARTED HEADING HOME THEY WOULD BE GREETED BY THIS FACILITY.
[00:55:06]
WHICH IS THE CLASSROOM AND MULTI-PURPOSE BUILDINGS.I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT ONE OF OUR PREVIOUS MEETINGS WHEN WE HAD A FLAT ROOF.
THERE WAS A NUMBER OF BOARD MEMBERS THAT COMMENTED THAT THEY DIDN'T THINK THAT MAYBE WAS THE BEST, AND SO WE TOOK THAT TO, AND NOW THOSE ARE ACTUALLY HAVE THE SLOPED ROOFS ON THEM, BUT THE IDEA IS TO KEEP THOSE MASSES OF THE CLASSROOM AND THE MULTI-PURPOSE TO BE A LOWER SCALE SO THAT THE MAIN ENTRY BECOMES THE FOCUS OF SORT OF THE COMPOSITION.
THESE HERE ARE SOME IMAGES OF THE INTERIOR.
ONCE AGAIN, THESE ARE STUDY IMAGES.
SO YOU MAY BE WONDERING WHY THIS DRAMATIC SPACE WE HAVE JUST WHITE WALLS? WELL, IN ACTUALITY, THE WALLS PROBABLY WILL NOT BE ALL WHITE.
THAT WILL BE DETERMINED BY THE EXHIBIT DESIGN.
IT WILL COME IN WITH A COLORS, MATERIALS AND MAYBE PHOTO MURALS THAT ARE PUT ON THE WALL.
SO THIS IS JUST FOR US TO GET AN IDEA TO UNDERSTAND THE SPATIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE VISITORS OF THE EXHIBIT AREA. SO THE IMAGE ON THE LEFT IS YOU'RE STANDING AT THE RECEPTION DESK LOOKING BACK AT THE MAIN ENTRY.
SO YOU COME THROUGH. YOU'D BE COMING THROUGH THAT CORRIDOR FROM TILDEN LITTLE FARM INTO THE FACILITY YOU'LL SEE UP IN THE THERE ARE SKYLIGHTS UP ON THE TO THE LEFT THAT COME DOWN AND SHED LIGHT INTO IT.
SO I THINK IT SHOULD BE A PRETTY DRAMATIC EXPERIENCE COMING IN WHEN YOU ARRIVE AT THE VISITORS.
THAT'S THE IMAGE TO YOUR RIGHT, THERE'S THAT EAST WEST AXIS THAT I DESCRIBED THAT HAD THE EXHIBITS AND SO ON THIS IMAGE, YOU'RE STANDING IN THE WATERSHED PORTION OF THE EXHIBIT, AND YOU'RE LOOKING BACK TOWARDS THE WOODLAND EXHIBIT AND OUT THE WINDOW OUT TO THE WOODLANDS, AND THIS JUST SORT OF GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT IT WOULD FEEL LIKE IN THERE INSIDE THE BUILDING.
THIS HERE IS AN IMAGE FROM, I HATE TO SAY THE REAR, BECAUSE THERE'S REALLY NO REAR TO THE BUILDING BECAUSE IT'S YOU EXPERIENCE IT FROM ALL DIRECTIONS, BUT GIVE YOU SOME CONTEXT. IF YOU WERE GOING TO THE EXISTING FACILITY AND YOU WENT THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR, WALKED THROUGH THE ROTUNDA, OUT THE BACK DOOR, YOU WOULD BE ON A DECK LOOKING AT A GREEN SLOPING LAWN UP TO THE WOODLANDS AREA.
WELL, THOSE CHILDREN STANDING ON THAT YOU SEE IN THIS IMAGE ARE AT THE TOP OF THAT GREEN GRASS AREA.
THEY'RE LOOKING DOWN, SORT OF LOOKING DOWN FROM THE TOP OF THAT GRASS AREA TO THE, THE NEW FACILITY.
SO ONCE AGAIN, HAVE THAT SORT OF SLOPED LAWN AREA THAT CREATES A ALMOST AN AMPHITHEATER EFFECT AND WILL STILL HAVE THAT DECK AT THE BOTTOM ADJACENT TO THE BUILDING, BECAUSE AND THAT'S OFTEN USED BY THE RANGERS FOR DIFFERENT PROGRAMS. SO WE WANTED TO RECREATE THAT.
WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MIKE MORAN TO DISCUSS THE EXHIBITS.
I'M ONE OF THE INTERPRETIVE RECREATION SERVICES REGIONAL MANAGERS.
I'M THE NORTHWEST REGION, AND I'M LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE THIS PROJECT IN MY TEAM.
WE ARE LIKE JIM JUST SAID, WE'RE GOING TO REVIEW SOME OF THE SLIDES YOU FOLKS HAVE SEEN A NUMBER OF TIMES, BUT THE ONES FOR THE INTERPRETIVE PLANNING ARE REALLY IMPORTANT, BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE WE TURNED OUR IDEAS AND OUR THOUGHTS AND OUR BRAINSTORMS INTO SOMETHING THAT WAS A LITTLE MORE COHESIVE, THAT THEN ALDRICHPEARS ASSOCIATES OUR CONSULTANTS CAN TAKE AND GIVE US AN IDEA OF HOW THOSE THINGS MIGHT BE APPLIED IN EXHIBITS.
SO, AS JIM MENTIONED ABOUT THE BUILDING, WE DON'T HAVE FINAL DECISIONS REGARDING EXHIBITS.
WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE TODAY ARE SAMPLES OR EXAMPLES OF HOW THOSE CONCEPTS, HOW THOSE THEMES CAN BE PUT INTO AN EXHIBIT TO BRING THE PLACE TO SUCCESS.
[01:00:01]
NOW, UNDER THESE OVERARCHING THEMES, THERE ARE OTHER STORIES TO TELL THAT CONNECT TO THAT, AND THOSE ARE THOSE SUB THEMES THAT I'LL BUZZ THROUGH REALLY QUICKLY HERE THROUGH TIME. THE WATERSHED HAS BEEN A HOMELAND, A SOURCE OF SUSTENANCE, A COMMERCIAL WATER SUPPLY, GRAZING LAND, A EUCALYPTUS PLANTATION, A FLOOD HAZARD, AND A PLACE OF REFUGE AND RECREATION.PLANTS AND ANIMALS REVEAL THEIR ROLES AND RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN OUR CHANGING ECOSYSTEM.
WILDCAT CREEK CARVES AND SHAPES THE LAND PROVIDES RICH AND VARIED HABITAT FOR MANY PLANT AND ANIMAL SPECIES, AND PEOPLE HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY IN THE HEALTH OF THIS ECOSYSTEM, FROM PERSONAL TO POLICY LEVELS.
LET'S SEE IF THIS IS THE RIGHT WAY.
LOOK AT THAT, AND THIS ONE, THE AVOCADO SLICED EGG.
HOWEVER YOU WANT TO LOOK AT IT.
SO WE'RE KEEPING SOME OF THESE THREADS, REGARDLESS OF WHERE WE ARE IN THE WATERSHED, AND WITH TILDEN REALLY BEING SURROUNDED OR BEING CENTERED ON WILDCAT CREEK AND THE WATER THERE, THAT WE MOVE ON UP TO LAKE ANZA, YOU HAVE JEWEL LAKE, THE CREEK ABOVE AND BELOW.
WE STARTED WITH THAT WATER AND THAT EDDY, THAT STILL PART OF A CREEK WHERE WE HAVE SOME OF OUR REAL SIGNATURE FEATURES OF THE FROGS AND THE TURTLES, THE NUTRIENTS THAT REALLY SUPPLY THE ENTIRE WATERSHED AND THE WATERSHED SUPPLIES DOWN TO THE BAY.
MOVING OUT A STEP FROM THAT WATER WE'RE IN THE NATURE AREA.
THE 600 PLUS ACRES OF THE NATURE AREA, AND THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE, AGAIN, SOME OF THOSE SIGNATURE SPECIES AND SOME OF OUR SIGNATURE PROGRAMS LIKE JUNIOR RANGERS, THE LITTLE FARM, WOODRATS AND TREES.
THIS IS WHAT PEOPLE ARE REALLY EXPERIENCING WHEN THEY GO TO THE NATURE AREA.
MOVE OUT A FURTHER STEP THOUGH, AND WE'RE UP IN THE WATERSHED, AND THE IDEA IS THAT ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE CONNECTED AND UP INTO THE WATERSHED WRIT LARGE UP TO FROM THE PEAKS OF THE EAST BAY HILLS ON DOWN TO THE WATERFRONT AT THE BAY.
SO ALL THESE THINGS TIE TOGETHER THROUGH THAT WATERSHED VIEW.
AND THEN A REALLY IMPORTANT FEATURE BEING SUCH A FLAGSHIP PARK, BEING SUCH A PART OF OUR EARLY HISTORY AND CONTINUING HISTORY IN THE PARK DISTRICT AND GOING FORWARD IS THE PARK DISTRICT AND LAND USE, SO THAT WE'RE USING THIS PROJECT TO INFORM FOLKS AND INTERPRET TO THEM HOW IT IS THAT THE TILDEN FITS INTO NOT ONLY THEIR LIVES, BUT INTO THE ENTIRE PARK DISTRICT AND HOW WE GO ABOUT MANAGING OUR LANDS.
THIS IS MY PERSONAL FAVORITE ONE HERE.
THIS IS. IT'S A CONCEPTUAL DRAWING.
IF YOU LOOK RIGHT IN THE CENTER, THAT'S INTERPRETATION.
JUST IMAGINE THAT BEING THE VISITOR CENTER.
THAT'S THE BREAD AND BUTTER OF WHAT WE DO AT TILDEN, BUT AS FAR AS THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE GOES, WE REALLY WANT TO FIGURE OUT HOW IT IS THE VISITOR IS GOING TO EXPERIENCE TILDEN NATURE AREA WHEN THEY GET THERE FROM THE TIME THEY GET INTO THE PARK ON THE WAY UNTIL THEY'RE OUT EXPLORING THE PARK ITSELF, AND THERE'S THE ARRIVAL, JUST GETTING THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE. WHAT IS IT THE FOLKS ARE GOING TO BE GREETED WITH WHEN THEY GET TO THE PARK? AND THEN THE DECOMPRESSION, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
YOU PACKED UP THE KIDS, YOU PACKED UP ALL THE STUFF.
YOU'VE REALIZED WHAT YOU'VE FORGOTTEN.
IT'S TIME TO JUST DECOMPRESS AND GET INTO THE PARK AND REALIZE YOU'VE GOT WHAT YOU'VE GOT.
HOW ARE WE BEING RECEIVED? WHAT'S THE RECEPTION THAT FOLKS ARE EXPERIENCING WHEN THEY GET THERE? AND THAT LEADS INTO ORIENTATION, AND THAT'S WHERE THEY'RE REALLY MEETING STAFF.
THEY'RE LEARNING ALL THE DIFFERENT RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM, AND ONCE YOU'RE INSIDE THE VISITOR CENTER, WE HAVE SOME OF THEMES THAT JIM HAD MENTIONED THE WATERSHED ITSELF, THE QUIET CONTEMPLATION AREA.
THERE'S A LOT OF ACTIVITY ALLOWED EXPECTED AND GOING TO PARKS, BUT FOLKS WHO GO INTO PARKS AND VERY OFTEN REFLECT ON THE EXPERIENCE THAT'S HAPPENING AT THE MOMENT, THEY'LL REFLECT BEFORE THEY GET THERE AND AFTER.
WE WANT TO PROVIDE FOR THOSE OPPORTUNITIES EXPLORING, GETTING IN AND GETTING OUT.
[01:05:05]
NORMALCIES THAT BROADEN, THAT HAVE A VERY BROAD SPECTRUM, AND SO WE HAVE ANIMALS HEADING OUT TO THE LITTLE FARM.THE WATERSHED, LIKE NATIVE PLANTS AND FUNGI AND STUFF, AND THEN THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN ALDRICHPEARS AND ASSOCIATES PUT THOSE CONCEPTS AND IDEAS INTO THE BUILDING THAT EHDD PUT TOGETHER, YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE'S THE WILDCAT CREEK AREA.
AS YOU MOVE UP INTO THE FRONT DOOR THE RECEPTION AREA WHERE YOU'LL MEET STAFF AND SUCH, AND THEN THERE'S ALSO A REFLECTION AREA KIND OF TUCKED OFF TO THE SIDE VERY PURPOSELY SO FOLKS HAVE A QUIETER RETREAT AREA TO GO THROUGH REFLECTION, AND THEN THE WOODLANDS AREA UP TO THE TOP, RIGHT IN THE DIAGONAL AND ALSO THE PARKLANDS AND PARKLANDS IS REALLY WHERE WE HIT ON THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARKS, NOT JUST TILDEN ITSELF, BUT OUR PARK HISTORY.
WHAT IS WHAT THE PARKLANDS DO FOR FOLKS HERE AT TILDEN, THROUGHOUT THE EAST BAY AND BEYOND? AND WE'LL GO THROUGH SOME OF THESE A LITTLE BIT MORE IN DETAIL AS WE MOVE ALONG HERE, BUT I DO WANT TO EXPRESS AGAIN THAT WHAT ALDRICHPEARS & ASSOCIATES, THE CONSULTANT, DID REALLY WELL HERE WAS TO GIVE US AN IDEA OF WHAT OUR CONCEPTS, WHAT OUR THOUGHTS AND BRAINSTORMS WOULD LOOK LIKE AS EFFECTIVE EXHIBITS, AND SO JUST TELL US, NUMBER ONE, THAT IT'S POSSIBLE, AND ALSO THAT IT'S POSSIBLE IN A REALLY DYNAMIC, INTERACTIVE WAY THAT MEETS A LOT OF THE NEEDS OF A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO COME IN FOR DIFFERENT REASONS.
SO WE MAY NOT SEE EVERY FEATURE HERE, BUT THESE ARE SAMPLES OF, HEY, WE COULD DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO ADDRESS THIS PART OF THAT PARTICULAR THEME, AND THEY REALLY NAILED IT HERE.
SO THE ORIENTATION AS YOU LOOK AT THE BOTTOM IN THE CENTER THERE.
THIS IS A STRONG THEME YOU WANT TO MAINTAIN THROUGHOUT ALL THE EXHIBITS IS TO CENTER THAT OHLONE VIEWPOINT AND THAT OHLONE VOICE, NOT JUST HISTORICALLY, BUT PRESENTLY AND GOING FORWARD, AND I'M GOING TO READ THIS LITTLE SECTION HERE, BECAUSE I THINK THAT ALDRICHPEARS ASSOCIATES REALLY PUT IT NICELY.
OTHERS MAY STOP IN FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THE TILDEN TRAILS.
THEY PICK UP TAKEAWAY MAPS AND CHECK A CHANGEABLE DISPLAY THAT FEATURES A WEATHER FORECAST OR MAYBE SCHEDULED EVENTS OF THE DAY, SEASONAL INFORMATION AND UPDATES ON BIRDS, OTHER SPECIES THEY MIGHT ENCOUNTER THAT DAY IN THE PARK.
VISITORS CLUSTERED AROUND IT WITH DEEP INTEREST.
START THINKING ABOUT THEIR NEXT VISIT.
AND THIS IS WHERE WE REALLY HAVE OUR GREAT EXPERIENCE OF HAVING A VISITOR CENTER.
WE MOVE UP TO THE RECEPTION AREA, AND YOU CAN SEE THE WELCOME DESK IN THE UPPER CENTER RIGHT THERE.
THAT'S RIGHT. NOW, THE TILDEN EEC THAT REALLY IS THE CENTRAL POINT WHERE FOLKS COME IN AND THOROUGHLY ENJOY THAT INTERACTION WITH PARK STAFF, INTRODUCING THEM TO SOME OF THE AMBASSADOR OF THE ANIMALS THAT MIGHT BE THERE.
SOME INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITIES LEARN ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE PARK AND SUCH, AND YOU CAN SEE RIGHT IN THE CENTER THAT THING THAT HAS TENDRILS COMING OUT OF IT, AN AMBASSADOR ANIMAL HABITAT, SOMETHING YOU CAN SEE.
WHAT ARE THE SUCCESSES THAT WE WANT TO BUILD ON? WHAT ARE THE NEW THINGS WE WANT TO ADD TO THE EXPERIENCE?
[01:10:01]
AND THE FAMOUS AND FAVORITE MOUNTAIN LION IS DEFINITELY GOING TO BE PART OF OUR CENTRAL EXHIBIT RIGHT THERE.OKAY. CONTINUE WITH RECEPTION YOU CAN SEE THIS HABITAT AREA AGAIN, I'LL MENTION THAT IT'S KIND OF AN EXPANSION AND ELABORATION, A WHOLE NEW STEP UP IN INTRODUCING PEOPLE TO TILDEN AND WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THAT GREETING DESK IN THE FIRST PLACE.
I HAVE, AS I MENTIONED, AMBASSADOR ANIMALS, SAMPLE HABITATS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THERE'S A CENTRAL FOCUS THAT BRINGS YOU RIGHT DOWN THAT HALL, AND AS SOON AS YOU'RE THERE, YOU'RE IN RECEPTION, YOU'RE IN CONTACT WITH THE NATURALIST, WITH THE INTERPRETIVE STUDENT AIDS, WITH OUR NATURALIST AID AND STAFF, VOLUNTEERS AND SUCH.
SO IT REALLY IS A GREAT DRAWING POINT, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT APA HAS DONE HERE WITH THIS ARCHITECTURE TO CONSOLIDATE ALL THAT WILDCAT CREEK, THAT'S THE MAIN THEME WE HAVE HERE, RIGHT? SO THIS IS GOING TO BE ONE OF OUR BIGGEST AREAS, AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO FIND HERE IS TO HAVE PEOPLE PROVIDE THEM WITH EXHIBITS.
HOW DOES IT WORK? IT CAN BE KIND OF A NOT NECESSARILY A FOREIGN CONCEPT, BUT MAYBE AN UNCLEAR CONCEPT, AND HOW MANY DIFFERENT WAYS CAN WE PRESENT THE WATERSHED? IT'S SUCH A KEY PART OF THE TILDEN NATURE AREA EXPERIENCE.
HOW MANY WAYS CAN WE PRESENT THAT PEOPLE SO THEY CAN APPRECIATE IT WITH THEIR OWN STYLE? THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL RENDERING SHOWING A MODEL IN THE MIDDLE, A VERY TACTILE AREA.
YOU CAN SEE THAT WE HAVE TACTILE AND YOU COULD SEE ANOTHER ONE.
WE HAVE AN AUDIOSCAPE AND WE HAVE SOME VISUAL AREAS.
SO VERY DIFFERENT WAYS FOR FOLKS TO LEARN AND UNDERSTAND CONNECT TO THIS PLACE, AND LET'S SEE.
SO VERY TILDEN SPECIFIC, BUT ALSO HAVING A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN ABOUT WATERSHEDS IN GENERAL AND THE IMPORTANCE OF WATERSHEDS, BECAUSE NOT EVERYBODY LIVES IN WILDCAT CREEK WATERSHED, BUT THE LESSONS LEARNED THERE, CONNECTIONS MADE THERE CAN BE TAKEN HOME, AND WHAT IT'S ALDRICHPEARS ASSOCIATES IS MIXED TOGETHER DIFFERENT TYPES, AS I MENTIONED THIS, BUT YOU CAN SEE THE NEWT EGG SAC RIGHT ON TOP.
BESIDES, WE MIGHT HAVE SOME OF THAT AS WELL, BUT DIFFERENT WAYS TO DISCOVER DIFFERENT WAYS TO LOOK LIVE, ANIMALS TO BE DETERMINED, IF NOT DIFFERENT DIORAMAS AND SUCH. SO AGAIN, USING AS MANY DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE CAN TO EXPRESS THE IMPORTANCE AND THE DRAW THE CONNECTION OF THE WATERSHED.
THIS I FOUND TO BE REALLY INTERESTING AS WELL.
CONTINUING THAT OHLONE THEME THROUGH, HOW IS IT THAT WE DON'T JUST GIVE THE OBLIGATORY CONCESSION AND OF LIKE, HEY, YOU'RE IN OHLONE TERRITORY, WE'VE PASSED THAT EXHIBIT AND NOW WE'RE ON TO SOMETHING ELSE.
HOW IS IT THAT WE CAN CONNECT ALL THOSE DIFFERENT THEMES THROUGH THOSE CONSTANT THREADS THAT WERE IN THAT AVOCADO OR SLICED EGG GRAPHIC? AND ONE OF THE IDEAS WAS TO PUT UP A LARGE SCULPTURE, OVERSIZE SCULPTURE, THIS ONE, AN EXAMPLE HERE MIGHT BE AN OHLONE FISH TRAP OR A WEIR BASKET THAT CATCHES FISH.
IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A WAY THAT FOLKS HAVE USED THE WATERSHED FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS, AND BRINGS RESPECT AND RECOGNITION THAT THIS IS NOT JUST IT'S NOT JUST WATER, IT'S HUMANS AND WATER, ANIMALS AND WATER, ALL THE CONNECTIONS AND INTERACTIONS HERE.
THERE'S A SECTION THERE CALLED THE NATURE OF CHANGE, AND ONE OF OUR DISCUSSION POINTS THROUGHOUT THIS WHOLE PROCESS WAS THAT THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARKS IN A LARGE SCALE, AND TILDEN REALLY SHOWS THE CHANGING NATURE OF THE EAST BAY AND THE NATURE OF CHANGE IN THE EAST BAY, ESPECIALLY SINCE YOU ARE RIGHT ON THE EDGE, RIGHT ON THE URBAN EDGE. SO HOW WILL FOLKS INTERACT WITH THAT? AND THEN THE EBRPD HISTORY WALLS GET DOWN TO THIS NEXT ONE.
A HISTORIC PERSPECTIVE ON THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT INTERPRETATION OFFERS VISITORS AVENUES TO UNDERSTAND THE DEEPER CONTEXT BEHIND THE CREATION OF TILDEN NATURE AREA AND THE LARGER NETWORK OF PARKLANDS IN THE DISTRICT.
AS IN SURVEYS, POLLS ENGAGE VISITORS PERSONALLY, FOR EXAMPLE BY ASKING WHAT CHOICES THEY MIGHT HAVE MADE AT DIFFERENT TIMES AND WHAT THEY SEE AS THE FUTURE OF THE PARKS IN THE REGION. THEY WILL SEE THE CHANGING SOCIETAL VALUES SHAPE THE NATURE OF LAND USE, EVEN WITHIN A SINGLE PARK ACROSS TIME.
[01:15:07]
ATOP THIS MAP, SIMPLE PROJECTIONS SHOW VISITORS WHICH AREAS ARE NOW PARKLANDS AND SPUR THEM TO CONSIDER HOW THEIR LIVES WOULD BE DIFFERENT IF VOTERS IN THE PAST HAD HAD DIFFERENT PRIORITIES.VISITORS TAKE ON DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES, SUCH AS DEVELOPERS, RANCHER, CONSERVATIONIST, OR POLITICIAN BY PLACING CUBES WITH A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE ON EACH SIDE ATOP A TABLETOP DISPLAY, VISITORS COLLECTIVELY DECIDE HOW TO MANAGE THE LAND.
THAT LAST PARAGRAPH IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT SEEMS VERY SPECIFIC, LIKE, OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS WITH THIS PARTICULAR TECHNOLOGY AND THIS SPECIFIC THING, BUT THE IDEA IS THAT OUR APPROACH OF CONNECTING PEOPLE AND HAVING THEM BE REALLY INVOLVED IN THE HISTORY, THE MANAGEMENT, THE FUTURE OF THE PARK DISTRICT CAN BE DONE IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS, AND THIS IS JUST ONE IDEA OF THAT.
WOODLANDS MUCH THE SAME THING.
WE HAVE LOGS TO CRAWL THROUGH THE INTERACTIVE.
WE HAVE NATURAL SITTING IN THE AREA, MAKING CONTACT WITH PEOPLE.
WE HEAR IN MANY DIFFERENT YEAR, MANY DIFFERENT ACADEMIC PAPERS AND SUCH THAT FOR A LOT OF FOLKS, THE BIGGEST PART OF BEING IN THE PARK IS TO TALK TO THE EMPLOYEES, TALK TO THE RANGER AND SUCH.
SO WE HAVE A NATURALIST STATION RIGHT THERE.
IF WE TAKE A LOOK HERE, WE CAN SEE MAYBE A NURSE LOG WHERE A COAST LIVE OAK HAS FALLEN.
IF FOLKS CAN CRAWL THROUGH IT INTERPRETING FOOD WEBS AND CHANGING SEASONS USING AGAIN LIKE SMELL STATIONS, TOUCH STATIONS, CLIMBING AREAS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. LIKE THIS ONE BIG WOODRAT NEST THAT WAS PROPOSED FOR AGAINST THE WALL, WHERE KIDS CAN CLIMB AROUND INSIDE AND BE THAT WOODRAT AND SEE WHAT LIFE WOULD BE LIKE AS A WOODRAT.
ALL RIGHTY, AND THEN AGAIN, IT SAYS WE SHOWED WITH THE FISHING WEIR BASKET.
SO KEEPING THAT THEME VERY CONSISTENT.
THE REFLECTION AREA, AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE, IS A QUIETER PLACE WHERE FOLKS CAN DO SOME REFLECTION, SOME READING, THE LITTLE LIBRARY AREA WHERE GRANDMA AND PAPA CAN SIT DOWN WITH THEIR GRANDCHILD AND JUST CHILL FOR A LITTLE BIT WHERE PEOPLE CAN FEED THEIR CHILDREN, WHERE PEOPLE CAN DRAW OR REFLECT OR JOURNAL AND JUST RELAX AND LOOK AT THE SCENERY GOING BY.
VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THE PARK EXPERIENCE.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PROVIDE A DEDICATED AREA FOR THAT FOR PEOPLE, AND I WON'T GO ABOUT READING THIS JUST FOR SAKE OF TIME, BUT THIS IDEA OF REFLECTION, IF I MAY INDULGE OUR OWN MY OWN HISTORY OVER AT BIG BREAK IS THAT WE HAVE A LITTLE SEATING AREA WHEN THAT VISITOR CENTER WAS DESIGNED AND IT WAS DESIGNED IN SUCH A WAY THAT PEOPLE COULD SIT AND SEE THE ENTIRE VISITOR AREA.
SO AS THEIR KIDS ARE RUNNING AROUND AND EXPLORING AND SUCH, THEY CAN SEE THAT, AND IT WAS REMARKABLE HOW WE ENDED UP PUTTING IN TWO CHAIRS AND THAT GREW TO NOW, WYATT MOORE, THE SUPERVISING NATURALIST OUT THERE, HAS ADDED SEATING, HAS ADDED PADDED FLOOR AREA BECAUSE THAT NEED THAT USE OF THE VISITOR CENTER HAS EXPANDED SO DRAMATICALLY. WE WANTED TO CAPTURE THAT LEARNING FROM BIG BREAK OVER TIME AND APPLY IT HERE, AND ALDRICHPEARS AND ASSOCIATES HAVE DONE JUST AN AMAZING JOB IN DOING THIS.
SO AGAIN, REALLY WANT TO REITERATE THAT WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE MAY NOT BE WHAT WE END UP FINALLY SEEING, BUT IT SHOWS US REALLY EXCITING POSSIBILITIES WHEN WE HAVE GREAT DESIGNERS LIKE ALDRICHPEARS AND THE GREAT INNOVATIVE MINDS OF THE TILDEN STAFF, WE COULD PUT TOGETHER SOME REALLY EXCITING, INTERACTIVE TOP TIER EXHIBITS THAT COULD REALLY ENHANCE AND CONNECT FOLKS TO THE TILDEN NATURE AREA AND THE NEW VISITOR CENTER, AND I'LL TURN THIS BACK OVER TO JIM AS HE'LL TALK HERE, THAT THOSE INTERPRETIVE EXPERIENCES ARE NOT LIMITED TO INSIDE, BUT OUTSIDE AS WELL.
THANKS, JIM. SO THIS IMAGE IS OBVIOUSLY A SITE PLAN OF THE ENTIRE FACILITY.
UP IN YOUR UPPER RIGHT HAND CORNER IS THE TRAFFIC CIRCLE THAT EXISTS AT THE END OF THE PARKING AREA, AND THIS SCHEME HERE SHOWS A BRIDGE BEING A NEW BRIDGE BEING BUILT, LEADING DIRECTLY TO THE ENTRY.
THE FOLLOWING SLIDES. I'LL SHOW YOU A SORT OF A COMPARISON OF THE ROUTE ONE WOULD HAVE TO TAKE IF WE DID NOT HAVE THE BRIDGE, AND WE HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE APPROACH. BUT AS YOU CROSS THAT BRIDGE, YOU COME TO A CROSSROADS, THE ROAD THAT LEADS UP TO THE
[01:20:07]
LITTLE FARM, SO ONE CAN ACTUALLY TURN RIGHT AND GO ON UP TO LITTLE FARM, OR THEY CAN CONTINUE ON AND PASS THROUGH THE LAWN AREA.THIS IS ONE OF THE LARGE LAWN AREAS THAT WE'RE PRESERVING IN THIS PROJECT.
YOU'LL NOTE BACK BEHIND THE BUILDING IN THAT AREA THAT I DESCRIBED, THAT IN THAT IMAGE I SHOWED EARLIER.
SO THOSE ARE SORT OF THE TWO MAIN AREAS THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE THE LARGE GRASS AREAS.
THE REST OF IT WILL SORT OF BE RESTORED WITH NATIVE PLANTING.
SO THIS HERE IS THE ROUTE THAT ONE WOULD TAKE.
IF THEY'RE COMING FROM THE PARKING TO THE VISITOR CENTER AND THEN ONTO LITTLE FARM.
THIS IS A FULLY ACCESSIBLE ROUTE.
I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SLOPES AND RAMPS.
SLOPES IS JUST A GRADUAL INCLINE THAT DOES NOT REQUIRE ANY HANDRAILS OR SPECIAL LANDINGS.
AS SOON AS IT BECOMES A RAMP, THAT'S WHEN YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE HANDRAILS ON THE SIDE AND ALSO CERTAIN LANDINGS, THAT IS EVERY 30 INCH RISE, AND THE HANDRAILS THERE CAN BE A LITTLE OBTRUSIVE AND KIDS START PLAYING ON THEM.
SO WE TRY TO MINIMIZE THOSE, MINIMIZE THOSE IN THE PARK.
SO THIS ROUTE IS A ROUTE TO THE MAIN FACILITY IN LITTLE FARM WITH THE BRIDGE.
IT WOULD BE PROBABLY HAVE TO BE MODIFIED SLIGHTLY TO MAKE THE GRADES WORK, BUT ONCE YOU CROSS THE CREEK, YOU WOULD THEN TAKE THIS LITTLE BIT OF A SWITCHBACK ROUTE UP TO THE MAIN ENTRY, AND THEN ALSO THE SAME PATH FROM THE MAIN ENTRY ONTO THE LITTLE FARM.
SO THAT JUST TRYING TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF THE TWO OPTIONS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT FOR THE FACILITY.
THIS IS A BLOW UP OF THE BRIDGE OPTION.
WE DON'T HAVE A I DON'T HAVE A BLOW UP OF THE NON BRIDGE OPTION.
ONCE AGAIN IT'D BE VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT EXISTS TODAY.
THIS HERE IS SHOWING THE PATH FROM THE BRIDGE CUTTING THROUGH THE LAWN AREAS TO THE PLAZA.
YOU'LL NOTICE THERE'S A NUMBER OF OUTDOOR CLASSROOMS DISPERSED THROUGHOUT THE SITE.
THESE ARE FOR WHEN THE BUSLOADS OF CHILDREN COME TO THE FACILITY.
THEY HAVE TO BREAK THEM INTO SMALLER GROUPS AND THESE SORT OF OUTDOOR CLASSROOMS ARE AREAS THEY CAN BREAK THEM UP INTO, AND THEN THEY CAN SORT OF ROTATE THROUGH THE PARK AT DIFFERENT STATIONS.
IN EACH OF THOSE, OUTDOOR CLASSROOMS WOULD HAVE SORT OF INTERPRETIVE ELEMENTS SPECIFIC TO THAT AREA.
THIS HERE IS DOWN IN THE LOWER CORNER YOU CAN SEE THE EXISTING RESIDENCE AND ITS PRESERVED YARD AREA, BUT MORE IMPORTANT HERE IS A STORMWATER TREATMENT AREA, AND SO JUST OUTSIDE OF THE WATERSHED EXHIBIT PORTION OF THE EXHIBIT, YOU CAN EXIT THROUGH SOME DOORS, COME THROUGH A WALKWAY AND WALK DOWN A BOARDWALK THAT WOULD LEAD YOU DOWN TO THE STORMWATER TREATMENT AREA, AND THERE WOULD BE AN OUTDOOR CLASSROOM THERE WHERE ONE COULD BE EDUCATED ON THE WATERSHED EXPERIENCE.
THIS IS IN THE UPPER PORTION OF THE PROJECT.
THERE'S A MULTIPLE OUTDOOR CLASSROOMS IN THIS AREA, AND THIS IS A PLANTING. JUST THE INTENT FOR THE PLANTING IS TO MAINTAIN THE EXISTING NATURAL RESOURCES AND SORT OF EXTEND THEM INTO THE EXHIBIT CENTER AREA.
SO THERE'S THE REDWOOD GROVE THAT ALONG WILDCAT CREEK TRAIL WOULD REMAIN AND BE SORT OF RE-EMPHASIZED UP ON THE UP BY THE WOODLANDS.
THE WOODLANDS WOULD BE SORT OF COME DOWN TOWARDS THE BUILDING AND AT THE MAIN ENTRY AREA TOWARDS THE FRONT, WE WOULD HAVE OUR SORT OF NECTAR GARDEN THAT AND POLLINATORS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH AGRICULTURE ADJACENT TO THE LITTLE FARM.
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WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF PULLING TOGETHER THOSE ESTIMATES, BUT THE INITIAL ESTIMATES ARE SUGGESTING, EXCUSE ME, IT WOULD BE IN THE $40 MILLION RANGE.NOW I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS HOW THAT BREAKS DOWN THE CONSTRUCTION COST.
THE ACTUAL WHAT WE WOULD PAY A CONTRACTOR TO BUILD THIS FACILITY IS, WOULD BE 20, APPROXIMATELY $23 MILLION FOR THE EXHIBITS.
IT WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY $4 MILLION.
THE REMAINING THAT BRINGS MONEY THAT GOES TOWARDS DESIGN CONSULTANTS PERMITS AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT FEES, AND ALSO INCLUDES A CONTINGENCY FOR DURING CONSTRUCTION OF OUR STANDARD 15% CONSTRUCTION CONTINGENCY. WE'RE IN A PHASE NOW WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT WAYS THAT ARE THE WAYS THAT WE CAN MAKE THIS BUILDING MORE AFFORDABLE.
ARE THERE PLACES WHERE IT CAN BE ADJUSTED? SOME OF THE DESIGN, BUT WE'RE WE CALL IT SORT OF THE VALUE ENGINEERING PHASE, WHERE WE WILL START TO LOOK AT THAT MUCH CLOSER NOW THAT WE HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT THE PROJECT IS, WE CAN THEN SORT OF ZERO IN AND START LOOKING AT, FOR INSTANCE, MATERIALS AND THAT COULD BE AN IN HOW ELABORATE THE SITE WORK WANTS TO BE.
THE BRIDGE, IF YOU'RE CURIOUS, IS ABOUT A $750,000 ITEM.
SO THAT MIGHT BE ONE THAT WE WOULD LOOK AT VERY CLOSELY, BUT WITH THAT, I OPEN IT UP TO QUESTIONS.
SO WHO WOULD LIKE TO GO FIRST? DIRECTORS. DIRECTOR SANWONG.
THANK YOU. THIS IS GREAT TO HAVE THIS OVERVIEW.
I HAVE JUST MORE OF A COMMENT AND SUGGESTION FOR WHEN WE REVIEW THIS NEXT, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO YOU KNOW, KIND OF PAIR THE NEXT STEPS WITH SOME OF THE VISITOR DATA JUST TO LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, NUMBER OF SCHOOL GROUPS MAYBE OVER THE LAST 5 TO 10 YEARS, WHATEVER DATA WE HAVE, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, VISITORS ON THE WEEKEND, HIKERS VERSUS SOME OF THE DIFFERENT FACILITIES.
SO WHATEVER YOU'RE ABLE TO DO, I KNOW WE MAY OR MAY NOT ALWAYS HAVE THE DATA.
SO EVEN IF IT'S ESTIMATED THAT I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO SEE.
WELL, JIM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS.
I WELL, I'M INCREDIBLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
IT'S GOING TO BE ONE OF THE FINEST PROJECTS I THINK WE BUILD IN THE PARK DISTRICT.
I CAN'T GET OVER THESE DRAWINGS.
GO, GO BUILD THAT SHED, AND SOMETIMES WE'VE GOT SOPHISTICATED AND MAYBE WE'D GET A BLUEPRINT, AND BEING ON OTHER BOARDS AND OTHER AREAS, SOMETIMES WE'D GET GREAT LANDSCAPE DESIGNERS AND ARCHITECTS TO COME IN AND SHOW US CONCEPTS AND BUBBLE DIAGRAMS OF PARKS WE WERE GOING TO BUILD.
THIS IS NUTS. THIS IT'S AMAZING, AND THEN THE IDEA OF ALLOWING AND I'M SAYING THIS SORT OF JOKINGLY LETTING THE NATURALISTS GET INVOLVED WITH BUBBLE DIAGRAMS WHICH FEATURE WOODRATS AND NEWTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, I THINK IS JUST AMAZINGLY GREAT.
AND I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE AN EXCELLENT FACILITY.
I'M THINKING I HOPE AT SOME POINT BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE LEED GOLD, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
RIGHT? CORRECT, AND WE'VE ALSO TALKING ABOUT FIRESCAPE AND YOU KIND OF YOU KNOW, BUILDING BUILDINGS WITH WHAT'S IT CALLED, FIRE READY OR FIRESCAPES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
YOU WANT TO HARDEN YOUR BUILDING, BUT YOUR CONCEPT DRAWINGS SHOW THAT, YOU KNOW, LET'S HAVE SOME ART HERE, AND YOU CAN COMBINE BOTH OF THEM, IN MY OPINION, AND I THINK IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO INTERPRET THAT.
SO I HOPE THERE'S SOME INTERPRETIVE AND I WOULDN'T PUT IT INDOORS BECAUSE I THINK INDOORS IS JUST SO PERFECT, BUT LIKE OUTDOORS, AS YOU ENTER THE BUILDING, MAYBE OUTDOORS, THERE COULD BE SOME INTERPRETIVE PANELS TO DESCRIBE WHAT WE'RE DOING AS FAR AS MAKING SHOWING HOW TO BUILD FIRE RESISTANT BUILDINGS.
SO HOW TO DO ENERGY EFFICIENT BUILDINGS, AND IT'S BEEN DONE A MILLION TIMES BEFORE, BUT I HOPE WE CONTINUE TO DO THAT BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE EVERYBODY'S LOSING THEIR INSURANCE THAT LIVES ALONG THE WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE, AND THIS COULD BE A GREAT INTERPRETIVE TOOL FOR THAT.
[01:30:04]
ALSO, WE WERE IN, PARDON ME, WE WERE IN WASHINGTON, DC AND TALKED TO SOME FOLKS FROM I THINK THOSE WERE FOREST SERVICE FOLKS WHO WE WERE TALKING TO AND ABOUT, SPECIFICALLY BIOCHAR AND THINGS LIKE THAT.AND THERE'S A FOREST PRODUCTS INSTITUTE.
SOMEBODY HELP ME OUT. WAS THAT IT? AND I THINK IT'S IN MINNESOTA, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, AND THEY'RE INCORPORATING BIOCHAR INTO INSULATING MATERIALS FOR BUILDING MATERIALS.
THEY'RE EVEN MAKING BIOCHAR ROOF TILES, WHICH I THINK WOULD BE A VERY, VERY INTERESTING THING.
ALSO, WHEN WE'RE GOING SO MUCH INTO BIOCHAR.
SO ANYWAY, IN CONCLUSION, I LOOK FORWARD TO THIS.
I LOOK FORWARD TO I THINK IT'S A GREAT CONCEPT.
I THINK IT'S JUST INCREDIBLE THAT WE'VE MOVED FROM KOMODO DRAGONS TO NEWTS AND WOODRATS, AND I LOVE THAT, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING THAT HAVING THAT FORESIGHT. [LAUGHTER] GREAT.
THANK YOU. WELL WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT COMMUNITY INPUT SESSIONS.
THE APRIL 10TH COMMUNITY INPUT SESSION.
WAS THERE GOING TO BE A PRESENTATION? THE ONE THAT WAS HELD ON APRIL 10TH.
IF NOT, THEN I'LL GO RIGHT TO THE ONE QUESTION I HAD IS ON THE BACK OF THE BUILDING, FOR LACK OF A BETTER DESCRIPTION OF THAT AREA OF THE BUILDING.
IT'S THE LANDSCAPE DESIGN SUGGEST AN AMPHITHEATER TYPE SLOPE GRASS AREA THAT WOULD SEEMINGLY REPLACE WHAT'S BACK THERE NOW, WHICH IS A MORE EVEN GRADE AREA WHERE THE PARK DISTRICT OVER TIME HAS HELD EVENTS IN THE AREA, AND I'M WONDERING IF ANY CONSIDERATION HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO HOW POPULAR THAT AREA HAS BEEN FOR AN EVENT AREA WITH LOTS OF PEOPLE AS OPPOSED TO AN AMPHITHEATER SHAPED, I GUESS.
I'M SORRY. MAYBE IT'S MY THE TERMS I USE MAY BE CONFUSING.
IT WILL REMAIN THE SAME, ACTUALLY, WHEN YOU STEP OUT THERE NOW, THERE'S A SLIGHT INCLINE.
SO YOU CAN DO ACTIVITIES THAT REQUIRE A FLAT AREA, BUT THERE'S ENOUGH OF AN INCLINE THAT IF SOMEONE IS PRESENTING DOWN ON THE DECK, PEOPLE ARE SORT OF THERE'S A SLIGHT ENOUGH GRADE LOOKING DOWN AT IT.
SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION IS THE INTENT IS THAT REAR AREA WILL BE SIMILAR TO THE SITUATION THAT EXISTS OUT THERE NOW.
OKAY. ANYBODY ELSE? OKAY. DIRECTOR MERCURIO.
NOT REALLY RELATED TO THIS PROJECT NECESSARILY, BUT WHAT IS THE TILDEN NATURE AREA? WHAT DEFINES THE TILDEN NATURE AREA? I'LL ADMIT, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE EVER SEEN A BOUNDARY ON A MAP.
SO IT SUGGESTS SOME KIND OF CERTAIN.
MAYBE I DON'T KNOW, PROGRAMING OR SOMETHING.
IT IS 740 ACRES OF AN AREA THAT IS SANDWICHED BETWEEN TILDEN PARK AND WILDCAT CANYON PARK.
IT HAS A BIT OF A SPECIAL STATUS, AND SO THE RULES ARE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT, BECAUSE THE INTENT OF THIS PARKLAND AREA IS TO BE A NATURE STUDY AREA, AND SO FOR THAT REASON, WE LIMIT BIKE ACCESS, WE LIMIT DOGS IN THE AREA, AND WE
[01:35:05]
ENCOURAGE SCIENCE EXPLORATION FOR FAMILIES AND FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN.SO WE HAVE BOARDWALKS AND BEACHES AROUND OUR PONDS AND THINGS LIKE THAT WHICH ALLOW FOR IN-DEPTH NATURE STUDY IN THAT AREA, AND I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION.
I THINK YOU'RE THE RIGHT PERSON FOR IT.
SO IN THE ONE OF THE SLIDES THERE WAS SHOWING THE PLANTING DESIGN, AND WITH THE DIFFERENT COLORS ALL AROUND, IS THAT GOING TO BE TIED IN WITH PROGRAMS THAT ARE IN THE EDUCATION CENTER GOING OUT INTO THERE AND USING THOSE AS EXAMPLES AS AN EDUCATIONAL TOOL.
ABSOLUTELY. AN EXAMPLE OF THAT IS WITH OUR NATIVE AMERICAN PROGRAMING THAT WE DO, WE REALLY WANTED TO PLANT PLANTS THAT WOULD SUPPLEMENT THAT PROGRAM.
SAME THING WITH THE REDWOOD FOREST AREA.
SO IT'S NOT TO SAY THAT WE'RE ALWAYS GOING TO DO THESE SAME PROGRAMS HERE, BUT WATERSHED PROGRAMS ARE NATIVE AMERICAN LIFEWAYS PROGRAMS, OUR NATURE RAMBLE AND SENSORY PROGRAMS, ALL OF THESE HAVE DIFFERENT PLANT COMMUNITIES THAT REALLY WILL THAT WE TAP INTO FOR THOSE THINGS, AND WE WANT TO HAVE THAT ACCESSIBLE, AND WE'VE ACTUALLY MADE PATHWAYS THAT WILL GO TO THESE OUTDOOR CLASSROOM AREAS, AND THE PLANTINGS WILL SUPPORT THOSE SPECIFIC PROGRAMS. I THINK THAT'S EXCELLENT.
I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW APPRECIATIVE I AM OF THAT APPROACH AND HOW THOUGHTFUL THAT IS TO LIKE, JUST STEP BACK AND TAKE A LOOK AT EVERYTHING AND HOW WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT TO THE MAXIMUM LEVEL AS AN EDUCATIONAL TOOL.
SO EVEN FOR WHERE THE CLASSROOM IS IN THE VISITOR CENTER.
I APPRECIATE YOUR WORK ON THAT.
OKAY. DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING? I THINK IT LOOKS BEAUTIFUL.
WELL, ACTUALLY, ALL THREE OF YOU SO MUCH.
JIM FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR THE PEAKED ROOFS.
I THINK DEE AND I BOTH WERE COMMENTING ON THAT, BOTH IN TERMS OF FUNCTIONALITY AND IT LOOKS A LOT BETTER, AND YOU KNOW, I WAS JUST CURIOUS WITH THE ROOFS, YOU SAID THEY'RE GOING TO BE METAL ROOFS, SO I ASSUME THERE'S SOME TYPE OF INSULATION OR WHATEVER TO HELP WITH THE HEAT AND THE COLD AND THE HOW DOES THAT WORK? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. THE BETWEEN THE WHEN YOU LOOK UP AT THE ROOF, WHEN YOU'RE INSIDE, YOU'LL SEE THE RAFTERS, AND I MENTIONED BEFORE, THOSE ARE RAFTERS THAT WILL BE TAKEN FROM THE EXISTING EEC FACILITY AND REUSED, BUT YOU'LL THEN SEE THE ROOF DECK, AND THEN ABOVE THAT IS ABOUT SIX INCHES OF WHAT WE CALL RIGID INSULATION.
THEN THE METAL ROOFING IS ON TOP OF THAT.
MAY I MAKE ONE MORE COMMENT? WELL, LET ME FINISH MINE.
OH, I'M SORRY, I THOUGHT, YOU WERE DONE.
SO MIKE, I AND SARAH, I AM SO VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE EXHIBITS, AND YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
VERY EXCITING INTERACTIVE EXHIBITS.
I LOVE HOW WELL INTEGRATED THEY ARE.
I LOVE THAT WHEN YOU FIRST ENTER THE VISITOR CENTER THAT YOU HAVE A FOCUS ON THE OHLONE PEOPLE, AND THEN YOU HAVE THESE IN THE OTHER EXHIBITS. YOU HAVE THAT SORT OF TIE TO THE OHLONE PEOPLE AS WELL.
I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AND REALLY GREAT, AND SO ARE YOU CONSULTING WITH THE OHLONE PEOPLE AND THE OTHER GROUPS AROUND THOSE EXHIBITS.
WHEN WE GET INTO THAT PORTION OF THE PROGRAM, WE WILL BE HAVING A MORE FORMAL CONSULTATION.
[01:40:03]
WE'VE BEEN LUCKY ENOUGH THROUGH OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH NATIVE FOLKS THROUGHOUT THE EAST BAY TO ALREADY KIND OF HAVE A HEAD START OF WHAT IS GOING TO BE REQUIRED.WHAT ARE SOME OF THE IMPORTANT THEMES THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE CONVEY HERE? AND SO WE USE THAT PRE GATHERED KNOWLEDGE TO INFORM THIS.
ONCE WE GET INTO SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT MORE SPECIFIC, OUR PLAN IS TO BRING ON FOLKS FOR MORE FORMALIZED PROCESS, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE INTEGRATION OF THESE THEMES IS THROUGH THE EYES AND VOICES OF OHLONE FOLKS.
SO THAT WILL BE THE PRIMARY DRIVER FOR THAT.
THANK YOU. THAT SOUNDS REALLY GOOD, AND ALSO WANTED TO I REALLY APPRECIATE DIRECTOR WAESPI'S COMMENTS AS WELL ON THE USING THE STRUCTURE AND THE GROUNDS AS WELL AS A POTENTIAL FIRE RESISTANT INTERPRETIVE TOOL.
SO IT WOULDN'T HAVE TO BE THE MOST CUTTING EDGE WAY OF USING THE BIOCHAR, BUT IF THERE'S WAYS TO USE IT, I THINK THAT'S SUCH A GREAT PROJECT THAT WE'RE DOING, AND REALLY, YOU KNOW, LEADING THE STATE IN THAT AREA, AND IT WOULD BE IF IT FITS WITH THE BROADER WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT THERE, TOO.
GREAT. WELL I'M EXCITED, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
YES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
AND THEN ACTUALLY AFTER THAT, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A QUICK BREAK AND COME BACK.
OKAY. THANK YOU. SO A COMMENT REALLY WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT THE RENDERINGS, I WAS REALLY IMPRESSED WITH THE USE OF COLOR AND THE MATERIALS THAT WERE USED, AND SO WHEN YOU SAID YOU KNOW, OH, THESE ARE JUST, YOU KNOW, AN IDEA, AND I WAS LIKE, OH, MAN.
BECAUSE I THINK THEY'RE REALLY GREAT, AND I LIKE THE WAY THEY BLEND IN.
THOSE ARE THE SORT OF COLORS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD BE USING ON EVERYTHING THAT WE BUILD IN THAT KIND OF A LANDSCAPE, YOU KNOW, THE COLOR THAT WE PAINT THINGS AND ALL THAT, THOSE, IT LOOKS VERY HARMONIOUS, AND SO ANYWAY, I'D JUST LIKE TO THROW MY BIT OUT THERE FOR THE WAY IT IS RIGHT NOW.
SO, GENERAL MANAGER, WHEN CAN WE BUILD THIS? SO MOVED.
YEAH. WE HAVE TO RAISE SOME MONEY FIRST.
YEAH, YEAH. SO A LITTLE BIT OF TIME AND.
OKAY. THANKS SO MUCH, AND I THINK WE'VE FINISHED WITH THIS.
AS I MENTIONED, IT'S AN INFORMATIONAL ITEM, SO WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE.
OH, ACTUALLY, SORRY, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A TEN MINUTE BREAK FIRST.
SOME PEOPLE ARE DUE FOR A BREAK, SO LET'S DO THAT.
WE'LL CONVENE BACK HERE AT 3:15.
SO JUST A LITTLE OVER TEN MINUTES.
WE ARE NOW MOVING TO THE APPROVAL OF THE AMENDED AND RESTATED HAYWARD AREA SHORELINE PLANNING AGENCY HASPA JOINT EXERCISE OF POWERS AGREEMENT.
GOOD AFTERNOON, PRESIDENT ECHOLS AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I'M DEVAN REIFF, PRINCIPAL PLANNER HERE AT THE PARK DISTRICT.
PLEASED TO PRESENT TODAY AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PARK DISTRICT TO ENTER INTO A NEW JOINT POWERS AUTHORITY AGREEMENT IN THE HAYWARD AREA SHORELINE PLANNING AGENCY, OR HASPA. AS DIRECTOR WAESPI KNOWS, THE HAYWARD SHORELINE IS A UNIQUE ENVIRONMENT AT THE EDGE OF THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY.
HERE'S AN IMAGE OF THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY TRAIL AS IT TRAVELS THROUGH THE SHORELINE.
THE SHORELINE IS HOME TO ENDANGERED BIRDS, WHICH THE PARK DISTRICT IS ACTIVELY ENCOURAGING TO NEST AND TO FLOURISH THROUGH THE WORK OF DAVE "DOC QUACK" RIENSCHE, SEEN HERE, AND HIS VOLUNTEERS AT WHAT'S CALLED TERN TOWN, WHICH IS AN ISLAND IN THE HAYWARD MARSH, WHICH IS A BREEDING GROUND FOR LEAST TERNS AND OTHER ENDANGERED BIRDS.
[01:45:05]
SO THE HAYWARD AREA SHORELINE PLANNING AGENCY, HASPA IS A 54 YEAR OLD JOINT POWERS AUTHORITY ORIGINALLY FORMED BY THE PARK DISTRICT, THE CITY OF HAYWARD AND THE HAYWARD AREA REC AND PARK DISTRICT, OR HARD STAFF, HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD FOR THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF TO CREATE A STRONGER ORGANIZATION, AND ONE THAT INCLUDES NEW AGENCIES.BUT NOW, WITH CLIMATE CHANGE AND IMPACTS FROM SEA LEVEL RISE, WHICH ALREADY CAUSED TEMPORARY DAMAGE TO OUR FACILITIES, HASPA NEEDS AN UPDATED LEGAL DOCUMENT AND IT NEEDS MORE MEMBERS TO START BUILDING THE ADAPTATION PROJECTS AT THE SHORELINE, WHICH KEEP IT FOR HABITAT AND RECREATION, AND TODAY'S ACTION FOR YOU IS TO AGREE TO JOIN THE NEW AGENCY AND THE NEW LEGAL AGREEMENT.
SO FOR THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF, WE'VE INCLUDED TWO POTENTIAL TRUSTEE AGENCIES IN MEETINGS AND DISCUSSIONS ABOUT EXPANDING HASPA INTO A FIVE MEMBER AGENCY, AND THAT'S THE ALAMEDA COUNTY MOSQUITO ABATEMENT DISTRICT AND THE OR LOMA SANITARY DISTRICT.
SO JUST TO ORIENT YOU, IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR, HERE'S THE HAYWARD SHORELINE, THE BOUNDARIES, THE SERVICE BOUNDARIES OF HASPA, BASICALLY THE NORTH, WHICH IS THE BOUNDARY WITH SAN LORENZO, AND THE SOUTH THERE WITH THE HAYWARD, SAN MATEO BRIDGE AND SEVERAL MILES OF THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY SHORELINE.
I WON'T GO INTO THIS TOO MUCH JUST TO SAY THAT THESE ARE THE PUBLIC LAND OWNERS OF THE SHORELINE.
IT'S VERY COMPLEX ARRANGEMENTS OUT THERE OF DIFFERENT OWNERSHIP.
ALAMEDA COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL AND OTHER PUBLIC AGENCIES.
THE THREE MEMBER HASPA BOARD IN 2021 ADOPTED THE HAYWARD REGIONAL SHORELINE ADAPTATION MASTER PLAN, WHICH IS AN AMBITIOUS PLAN TO PROTECT THE HABITAT AND RECREATION FACILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE FROM SEA LEVEL RISE.
THERE'S 20 DIFFERENT PROJECTS IN THIS PLAN.
IT'S A MULTI-DECADE TIMELINE, AND THE COST THREE YEARS AGO WHEN IT CAME OUT WAS $1 BILLION FOR ALL THE PROJECTS, AND AS DIRECTOR WAESPI HAS TOLD US, THAT COST HAS SURELY RISEN TODAY.
ONE OF THE GAPS IN THIS PLAN, AS COMPREHENSIVE AS IT WAS, IS IMPLEMENTATION.
SO YOUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM TODAY IS A GRANT AWARD FROM THE SAN FRANCISCO ESTUARY PROJECT AND EPA TO ALLOW HASPA TO STUDY THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS MASTER PLAN, AND YOU'LL HEAR THAT FROM KATY SHORTLY.
JUST TO GIVE A QUICK IMAGE OF WHAT WE'RE UP AGAINST HERE.
HERE'S IMAGES OF SEA LEVEL RISE PROJECTED ON THE HAYWARD SHORELINE WITH TWO FEET OF SHORELINE.
EXCUSE ME. OKAY, HERE'S THE MOST RADICAL SCENARIO OF TWO FEET OF SEA LEVEL RISE WITH A 100 YEAR STORM SURGE, WHERE YOU CAN SEE THAT IN BLUE AND DARK BLUE, MOST OF THE SHORELINE IS INUNDATED, AND AS I SAY, MOST OF IT'S UNDERWATER, INCLUDING LAND WHERE THE HAYWARD SAN MATEO BRIDGE TOUCHES DOWN.
SO THE JOINT POWERS AUTHORITY AGREEMENT, THAT'S THE LEGAL DOCUMENT THAT'S IN YOUR PACKET.
HASPA CAN BE WHAT'S CALLED A SUBREGIONAL AGENCY FOR CLIMATE ADAPTATION, WHICH FITS IN WITH NEW STATE LAW THAT THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION IS IMPLEMENTING, WHICH IS A LAW CALLED SB 272.
SO UNDER THIS NEW JPA, IF THE PARK DISTRICT JOINS, THAT WILL ALLOW HASPA TO APPLY FOR GRANTS, PURSUE FUNDING AND COMPLETION OF THE ADAPTATION PROJECTS IN THE MASTER PLAN, AND EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT PUBLIC HEALTH IMPACTS FROM SEA LEVEL RISE AND THE VITALITY OF MAINTAINING THE INFRASTRUCTURE THERE.
IT WILL ALLOW THE PARK DISTRICT TO DIRECTLY PARTICIPATE IN THE FUTURE PROTECTION OF CRITICAL MARSH HABITAT FOR ENDANGERED SPECIES, LIKE THE SALT MARSH HARVEST MOUSE AND THE LEAST TERN. SO JUST A QUICK DETAIL OR TWO ABOUT THE AGREEMENT ITSELF, THE ENTIRE AGREEMENTS IN YOUR PACKET.
I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT TWO FEATURES OF THE MANY SECTIONS THIS SLIDE SHOWS.
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ORGANIZATION. WE'RE LOOKING AT A SCENARIO WITH FOUR AGENCIES HERE AND THE ANNUAL DUES IN YEAR ONE, WHICH IS BASICALLY ABOUT $32,000.IT'S POSSIBLE THAT IN THE NEAR FUTURE, WITH OTHER AGENCIES JOINING THAT, THIS TABLE MAY GET REVISED.
SO WITH THAT, I WILL PAUSE AND SEE IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TODAY.
YEAH, NO QUESTIONS, BUT JUST A COMMENT.
JUST I JUST ATTENDED THE SAN FRANCISCO ESTUARY INSTITUTE'S CONFERENCE, AND I SAW DEVAN THERE, AND JUST HOW IMPORTANT THESE PROJECTS, AND IN THIS ON THESE JPAS ARE IN, WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME, AND THE SOONER WE GET THESE PROJECTS MOVING ALONG THE BETTER, BUT, I MEAN, $1 BILLION WE LOOKED AT A PROJECT AT THE CONFERENCE FOR HIGHWAY 37 TO ELEVATE HIGHWAY 37.
$11 BILLION AND EIGHT PROJECTS.
SO HAYWARD SHORELINE IT'S DOABLE, I THINK I THINK THE MONEY WILL BE THERE, BUT IT'S JUST A MATTER OF KEEPING OURSELVES TOGETHER AND BEING TO POSITION OURSELVES IN AND KEEPING OURSELVES IN THE RIGHT PLACE SO THAT WE CAN ACCEPT THOSE FUNDS AND PUT THAT MONEY TO WORK.
BECAUSE, LIKE EVERYONE SAID AT THAT CONFERENCE IS WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF TIME.
SO I APPRECIATE ALL YOUR WORK, AND I, ESPECIALLY DIRECTOR WAESPI AND HIS LEADERSHIP THERE ON HASPA.
I'M ACTUALLY TRYING TO FIGURE THIS OUT.
I WISH I COULD GO RUN AND GET THE ALAMEDA CREEK MAPS THAT WE HAVE IN THE WELL, BUT REAL QUICK, THIS AREA OF HASPA, DOES IT OVERLAP WITH THE HISTORIC ALAMEDA CREEK WATERSHED TRIBUTARIES OR IS THAT JUST SOUTH OF THIS AREA? IT'S JUST SOUTH OF ALAMEDA CREEK.
ALTHOUGH THERE'S BEEN ENCOURAGEMENT THAT WE WOULD CONTINUE OUR EFFORTS TO BRING IN SAN LEANDRO AND OTHER UNINCORPORATED PARTS OF THE COUNTY AND PERHAPS CHANGE THE GEOGRAPHY OF HASPA, AND THAT COULD BECOME SOMETHING IN THE FUTURE THAT WE DO.
OH, I MEANT THE SOUTHERN PORTION.
IT'S ACTUALLY NORTH OF THAT IN YOU KNOW, I THINK SAN LORENZO HAYWARD AREA, AND I JUST CAN'T TELL ON THIS MAP IF THAT'S BELOW 92 OR IF THAT MIGHT BE PART OF THIS AREA.
I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S PART OF THIS AREA, BUT LET ME GET BACK TO YOU.
OKAY. YEAH, AND I'M JUST SAYING, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST IN THAT HISTORIC I GUESS TRIBUTARY VERSUS THE CURRENT FLOOD CONTROL CHANNEL IN TERMS OF INCREASING, YOU KNOW, STAKEHOLDERS AND INTERESTS.
I KNOW ON THE ALAMEDA CREEK WATERSHED SIDE, THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST IN THAT.
IS IT BECAUSE HIGHWAY 92 RUNS THROUGH THERE AND THERE'S IMPACTS ON THE STATE'S FREEWAY? WHY IS IT WHY IS IT A CALTRANS GRANT? WELL, THE GRANT THAT YOU MAY BE REFERRING TO IS A CALTRANS GRANT THAT PAID FOR THE MASTER PLAN SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
CURRENTLY, THE GRANT THAT KATY IS PRESENTING IS AN EPA GRANT THAT CALTRANS IS STARTING TO DO.
SO THAT IS WHY THEY HAVE A STAKE IN IT.
DIRECTOR CORBETT. THIS IS A QUESTION I RAISE EVERY TIME WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE LAND IN THIS AREA, AND THAT IS LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S GOING ON IN THAT AREA.
WHAT ABOUT THE SAN LEANDRO LAND THAT'S RIGHT NEXT DOOR? YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THIS MAP, FOR EXAMPLE, AND YOU SEE THAT THERE IS LAND RIGHT NEXT TO THIS SPOT.
WHAT CAN WE DO TO SUPPORT THAT SAN LEANDRO AREA THAT HAS THIS ISSUE AS WELL WITH YOU KNOW, A PLACE WHERE THE WHERE THERE IS PROPERTY AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOING TO BE HIT BY SAN LEANDRO LAND THAT WILL ALSO HAVE SOME IMPACTS BECAUSE OF THIS, YOU KNOW, LAND USE.
[01:55:10]
YES. THANK YOU FOR THAT.YES. SAN LEANDRO, DID YOU HAVE A.
WELL, GO AHEAD IF YOU NEED HELP.
I'VE GOT AN ANSWER, BUT GO AHEAD.
I WAS JUST I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY YES.
WE'VE SPOKEN WITH THE SUSTAINABILITY OF SAN LEANDRO AND THEY'VE JUST MOVED ON TO A DIFFERENT JOB.
SO WE ARE IN DISCUSSIONS OR WILL BE IN DISCUSSIONS WITH SAN LEANDRO TO SEE TO GAUGE THEIR INTEREST.
DO THEY WANT TO JOIN HASPA OR DO THEY WANT TO JOIN A DIFFERENT SUBREGIONAL ADAPTATION ORGANIZATION, WHICH IS IN OAKLAND CURRENTLY? OH, BECAUSE THAT LAND RIGHT ALONG RIGHT ALONG THE BAY THERE IS IMPACTED BY THE SAME, YOU KNOW BUILDING OF WHATEVER AS A RESULT OF, YOU KNOW, THE WATER, THE WATER USE, THE WATER, THE BUILDING OF THE WATER ALONG THAT THE BAY, AND THEY HAVE TAKEN CARE OF THEIR PROPERTY IN A CERTAIN WAY, BUT IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE TAKEN A LOOK AT JUST AS IT, AS THIS HAYWARD AREA IS, BECAUSE THAT LAND IS GOING TO.
IT'S GOING TO GET HIT BY THE BUILDING OF THAT WATER SHED.
YES. SO WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT THAT? WHAT? WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT DIRECTOR WAESPI? I WOULD LIKE TO REPLY.
WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS WE'RE GOING TO DO GOOD WORK.
NOT TOO MANY PEOPLE HAVE MASTER PLANS.
THERE ARE 535 MILES OF BAY SHORELINE.
EVERYBODY'S GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT AT SOME POINT.
IT'S NOT LIKE WATER IS ONLY GOING TO RISE ON THE HAYWARD SHORELINE.
IT'S GOING TO RISE EVERYWHERE.
EQUALLY, SOME CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES HAVE DECIDED TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE.
WE HAVE. SAN LEO CAN JOIN US ANYTIME.
WE'LL CALL IT THE WHAT IS HSL SLAPA WE'LL CALL IT SLAPA IF YOU WANT.
WE'RE ON THE BOTTOM FLOOR DOING THIS THING.
WE'RE DOING WE'VE GOT AN EXCELLENT MASTER PLAN.
WE'VE GOT SOME PROJECTS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE BASED ON OUR STAFF WITH RESTORATION PROJECTS.
WE'VE ALSO ARE LUCKY IN THAT, YOU KNOW, THE HAYWARD SHORELINE IS NOT DEVELOPED.
THAT MEANS JACQUELINE AND SQUARE WON'T BE THERE.
WE'LL BE THE LEADER, I HOPE, AND I THINK WE'LL CONTINUE TO BE THE LEADER.
YEAH. SO HOPEFULLY PEOPLE WILL JOIN US WHEN WE PROVIDE THE EXAMPLE OF DOING GOOD WORK.
OH THERE'S NO QUESTION AND IT HAS BEEN WATCHED AND TAKEN CARE OF, AND BUT WHETHER IT'S PART OF THIS, WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AS THINGS GO ON, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT REALLY HAS TO BE ADDRESSED BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO IMPACT ANYTHING GOING ON IN SAN LEANDRO, AND WHEN ARE WE GOING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT? WHEN CAN WE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT? THAT'S MY QUESTION.
WHEN DO WE. SAN LEANDRO IS WHEN PEOPLE RECOGNIZE THE PROBLEM.
YEAH, YEAH, AND SAN LEANDRO, RIGHT? RIGHT. CAN I JUST ADD SOMETHING REAL QUICK? GO AHEAD. I THINK THIS GOES BACK TO DEE'S INITIAL POINT, TOO, ABOUT THE SAN FRANCISCO ESTUARY INSTITUTE.
I KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GET TO SOUTHERN ALAMEDA COUNTY, CERTAINLY US FISH AND WILDLIFE WITH DON EDWARDS IS A MAJOR STAKEHOLDER, AS AN EXAMPLE, AND SO I THINK THAT WE CAN LOOK AT SAN FRANCISCO ESTUARY INSTITUTE TO HELP BRING TOGETHER ALL THE DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS AND CONSTITUENTS.
I THINK IT'S ALSO A VERY IMPORTANT PART THAT WE AS THE NEIGHBORS NEXT TO SAN LEANDRO, WE'RE PART OF, YOU KNOW, WE'RE PART OF THE WHOLE AREA, RIGHT? WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT RECOGNIZING THE IMPACT OF THE BAY ALONG THE SAN FRANCISCO.
EXCUSE ME, ALONG THE SAN LEANDRO AREA.
WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT, AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT FOR YEARS, AND WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A SPECIFIC REACTION TO THAT TO THE SAN LEANDRO LAND. ANYBODY SOME OF YOU OUT THERE WALKING AROUND ARE SMILING.
WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH THIS? HOW DO WE CONNECT IT WITH THE SAN LEANDRO LAND? YEAH, BRIAN'S JUST REMINDING ME THERE IS AN OAKLAND ALAMEDA ADAPTATION COMMITTEE THAT HAS FORMED UNDER THE GUIDANCE UNDER THE
[02:00:08]
LEADERSHIP OF THE CITY OF ALAMEDA, AND IT LOOKS AT ALL OF SAN LEANDRO BAY, BASICALLY, AND IT'S GOT THE PLANNING THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IN IT, AND IT'S JUST BASICALLY BEEN WORKING FOR THE LAST YEAR OR SO.WE'RE ON THE STEERING COMMITTEE AT THE PARK DISTRICT.
SO SAN LEANDRO IS BEING ADDRESSED IN THAT FORM AS WELL.
YEAH, BUT IT HAS TO BE ATTACHED TO WHAT GOES ON IN, IN HAYWARD TOO.
YEAH. I WAS JUST GOING TO ADD BRIAN HOLT, CHIEF PLANNING TRAILS, GIS.
EACH CITY IS AT AS DIRECTOR WAESPI MENTIONED, SORT OF AT A DIFFERENT PHASE IN THE SHORELINE PLANNING, AND WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS THAT SOME OF THE CITIES IN SAN LEANDRO IS ONE OF THEM. THEY'VE RECENTLY RECEIVED A GRANT, SO THEY'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH THEIR OWN SHORELINE ADAPTATION PLAN.
WE'LL SEE WHAT THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THAT PLAN COMES OUT.
IT MAY BE THAT ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS IS TO JOIN HASPA AND CONTINUE TO WORK ON THAT.
MORE OF THAT REGIONAL EFFORT WITH US.
IT'S UNCLEAR RIGHT NOW WHAT THE PARK DISTRICT'S ROLE AND THAT WOULD BE AND LIKE I SAY, WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS AT, YOU KNOW, BERKELEY, EMERYVILLE, RICHMOND, YOU KNOW, EACH OF THE CITIES, AND THAT'S KIND OF THE SAME QUESTION WE'RE ASKING IS SORT OF, YOU KNOW, WHERE IS THE CITY AT AND WHAT'S THE PARK DISTRICT'S ROLE? SO WE'RE VERY ATTUNED TO WHERE AND DIALED IN WITH WHAT THE CITY OF SAN LEANDRO HAS BEEN DOING.
I KNOW DEVAN'S BEEN MEETING WITH THEIR STAFF, AND WE HAVE AND WHEN, YOU KNOW, AS THEY CONTINUE TO MEET THEIR PLANNING OBLIGATIONS AND DETERMINE WHAT THE RIGHT FIT IS FOR THEIR CITY, CERTAINLY WE'LL BE READY TO PARTICIPATE.
SO I APPRECIATE THE CONCERN THERE, AND I'VE HEARD THESE COMMENTS AND I JUST WANT TO SEE MORE OF YOU KNOW, SOME CONNECTION WITH WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE LAND THERE ALONG THE SAN LEANDRO AREA.
THEY DO HAVE THEIR OWN THINGS THAT THEY HAVE DONE TO PROTECT THE LAND THERE AS WELL, BUT THERE'S MORE THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, AND I WOULD JUST REALLY LIKE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SOME SORT OF, YOU KNOW, CONVERSATION SPECIFICALLY WITH THE SAN LEANDRO FOLKS ON THIS LAND.
WHEN ARE WE GOING TO DO THAT SOMETIME SOON? WE ARE ACTIVELY DOING THAT.
SO THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE ONGOING, AND LIKE I SAY, THE CITIES, YOU KNOW, IN A DIFFERENT PHASE AND THE LAND OWNERSHIP IS DIFFERENT, BUT BUT THOSE ACTIVE CONVERSATIONS ARE HAPPENING ALONG THE SHORELINE.
I'D LIKE TO BE PART OF THAT CONVERSATION NEXT TIME YOU HAVE IT.
ABSOLUTELY, AND THAT'S SOMETHING I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH, AND THE LAND THE LAND THAT THIS, THAT SAN LEANDRO HAS WELL, THAT TAKES CARE OF LAND THAT HAS THE SAME KIND OF, YOU KNOW, ISSUES.
SO COULD WE JUST MAKE SURE WE HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND PLEASE, YOU KNOW, ASK ME TO BE PART OF THAT NEXT TIME YOU HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH CITY OF SAN LEANDRO? ABSOLUTELY. I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
I KNOW ASKED ABOUT IT BEFORE, BUT I HAVEN'T SEEN A SPECIFIC DISCUSSION AND MAYBE I'M OFF, BUT IT'S GOT TO IT'S GOT TO BE DONE BECAUSE IT'S ALL GOING TO BE CONNECTED.
WE'LL BE SURE TO INCLUDE YOU AS THAT MOVES FORWARD, AND WHEN WILL WE DO THAT? AS YOU KNOW, GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS IS MOVING FORWARD WITH SOME OF THEIR LOCAL ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES, AND I THINK THIS WOULD CERTAINLY BE A RIPE TOPIC I'LL DISCUSS WITH ERICH PFUEHLER, OUR CHIEF OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS.
OKAY, SO YOU WOULD INCLUDE ME IN THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS.
ABSOLUTELY. THAT'S A MEETING INTENDED FOR YOU.
YES. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
YOU KNOW, THE WAY HASPA USED TO WORK OR WORKS CURRENTLY, AND HOPEFULLY WHEN WE SIGN THIS JPA, WE'LL GET SOME ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF, BUT WE ROTATE THE ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES OF THIS, AND SINCE 2022, THE REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT HAS BEEN IN CHARGE OF THIS.
SO SHOUT OUT TO DEVAN WHO'S DONE EXCELLENT WORK, MOVED THIS WHOLE THING FORWARD THROUGH SOME OF THE MOST TRYING WEIRD THINGS THAT WENT ON IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
YOU'VE DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB, EDDIE WILLIS.
EVEN GOING TO STREET FAIRS AND HAYWARD PROMOTING HASPA.
AMANDA SANDERS, WHO WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND AS THE RUNNING THE ZOOM MEETINGS, AND SOME OF YOU ALL KNOW WHAT SHE WENT THROUGH AT WITH HER MEETINGS SHE WAS A TROOPER IN THIS.
[02:05:07]
REALLY A TESTAMENT TO THE GOOD WORK WE'RE DOING, AND IT'S ALL OR NOT ALL BASED, BUT HASPA IS THE VEHICLE THROUGH WHICH WE CAN DO THIS.SO IT WORKS REALLY WELL FOR THE PARK DISTRICT.
SO I SUPPORT THIS AND OH PARDON ME.
FURTHER DISCUSSION. ANYONE ELSE BEFORE WE CALL FOR A MOTION? SORRY? PUBLIC COMMENT.
NO PUBLIC COMMENT. OKAY, GREAT.
SECOND, IS THERE A SECOND? DIRECTOR ROSARIO.
ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? GREAT MOTION CARRIES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION.
[FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES DIVISION]
FOR THE HAYWARD AREA SHORELINE PLANNING AGENCY, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS HASPA.PRESIDENT ECHOLS, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
MY NAME IS KATY HORNBECK, GRANTS MANAGER IN THE FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES DIVISION, AND TODAY, I'LL BE REQUESTING AUTHORIZATION TO ENTER INTO A FUNDING AGREEMENT WITH SAN FRANCISCO ESTUARY PARTNERSHIP.
SO IN 2003, SAN FRANCISCO ESTUARY PARTNERSHIP, OR SFEP, SUBMITTED A GRANT APPLICATION TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY'S SAN FRANCISCO BAY WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENT FUND PROGRAM.
WE WERE EQUALLY SUCCESSFUL IN RECEIVING THAT FUNDING.
SO SFEP JUST AS A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND, THEY ARE A COLLABORATIVE REGIONAL PROGRAM OF RESOURCE AGENCIES, NONPROFITS, CITIZENS AND SCIENTISTS WORKING TO PROTECT AND ENHANCE AND RESTORE THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY DELTA ESTUARY.
SO THE APPLICATION THAT THEY SUBMITTED INCLUDED THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY FOR THE HASPA SHORELINE ADAPTATION MASTER PLAN, AND FOR STRENGTHENING HASPA'S CAPACITY FOR GOVERNANCE OF THESE PROJECTS IN THE MASTER PLAN.
THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF A REPEAT FROM DEVAN'S PRESENTATION, SO I'LL MAKE IT QUICK.
THE MASTER PLAN WAS ADOPTED BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES IN 2021.
IT DETAILS A SERIES OF NATURE BASED ADAPTATION STRATEGIES TO PROTECT THE HAYWARD SHORELINE, AND AS OF RIGHT NOW, THERE'S NO PRIORITIZATION OF THOSE INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS IN TERMS OF THEIR FEASIBILITY, COST EFFECTIVENESS, OR ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFIT.
SO THE PARK DISTRICT HAS BEEN THE ADMINISTRATIVE LEAD FOR HOSPICE SINCE 2022.
THEY ASKED IF THE PARK DISTRICT WOULD AGREE TO LEAD THE IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY FOR HASPA, AND IN DOING SO, WE WOULD BE A SUB AWARDEE TO SFEP IF THEY WERE AWARDED THOSE GRANT FUNDS.
SO THE SCOPE OF WORK THAT WAS ULTIMATELY APPROVED AND AWARDED IN THE EPA APPLICATION IS TWOFOLD.
SO THE ADMINISTRATION OF HASPA AND THAT WILL INCLUDE THE SELECTION OF A CONSULTANT TEAM AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND THEN IDENTIFYING DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS AND TECHNICAL STUDIES TO INFORM DECISIONS ON PRIORITIZING THE PLAN, AND THEN THE SECOND PART IS HASPA JPA GOVERNANCE.
SO AS I NOTED, SFEP, THEY WERE THE APPLICANT.
SO THEY ARE THE LEAD AGENCY AND THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING THAT EPA GRANT.
THE TOTAL COST OF THOSE TWO TASKS, OR THAT IMPLEMENTATION PROJECT IS $550,000.
THE EPA GRANT COVERS THAT ENTIRE COST.
OUR STAFF TIME WILL BE TRACKED AND USED AS IN-KIND MATCH FOR THE GRANT.
SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND READ OUR STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
AUTHORIZATION TO ENTER INTO A FUNDING AGREEMENT WITH SAN FRANCISCO ESTUARY PARTNERSHIP TO ACCEPT FUNDS FOR THE HAYWARD AREA SHORELINE PLANNING AGENCY SHORELINE MASTER PLAN IMPLEMENTATION PROJECT IN THE AMOUNT OF 550,000, AND THE LAST NOTE IS I DID PRESENT THIS ITEM TO THE BOARD EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE IN APRIL, AND THEY DID FORWARD THIS TO THE FULL
[02:10:08]
BOARD FOR RECOMMENDATION, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.OKAY. ANY COMMENTS? JUST THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO GET THESE GRANTS, KATY, APPRECIATE IT, AND YOUR STAFF.
OKAY, I THINK WE ALL AGREE WITH THAT SENTIMENT.
WE APPRECIATE YOU GETTING THESE GRANTS, AND I WOULD LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ACCEPT IT.
OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION BY DIRECTOR WAESPI AND A SECOND BY DIRECTOR CORBETT.
ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? OH, YEAH. OPPOSED? NONE OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES.
OKAY, WE HAVE DEBORAH SPAULDING, WHO WILL PROVIDE AN INTRODUCTION TO THE INFORMATION REPORT ON 457 PLAN TRANSITION.
SO THANK YOU, PRESIDENT ECHOLS.
I THINK I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND KICK US OFF HERE WHILE DEBORAH GETS HER PRESENTATION UP.
SO THIS REPORT IS AN INFORMATIONAL UPDATE THAT THE BOARD REQUESTED LAST MONTH, I BELIEVE.
THESE ARE NEVER EASY. I'VE BEEN THROUGH MANY OF THESE BEFORE, BUT SPECIFICALLY TO DEB AND HER STAFF IN FINANCE AND ALSO TO OUR HR STAFF THAT I KNOW HAS BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD TO TRY TO MAKE THIS AS SEAMLESS AS POSSIBLE.
WE CAN DO THINGS A LITTLE BIT BETTER IN RETROSPECT.
THERE ARE BUT I WILL JUST SAY, HAVING IMPLEMENTED MANY OF THESE TRANSITIONS, A LOT OF WHAT WE'VE DONE HERE IS REALLY JUST STANDARD PRACTICE, HAVING A THIRD PARTY THAT'S BEEN SELECTED THROUGH AN RFP PROCESS, AND JUST LIKE OTHER AGENCIES AND REALLY, I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE DEB AND THE REST OF THE STAFF FOR BEING SO PATIENT IN TRYING TO ANSWER SO MANY OF THE QUESTIONS AS WE GO THROUGH IT, BUT REALLY, IT IS NOW UP TO OUR EMPOWER, WHO IS OUR THIRD PARTY PROVIDER, THAT THE BOARD HAD AUTHORIZED US TO TRANSITION OVER FROM MISSION SQUARE.
THAT WAS THE RECOMMENDATION FROM OUR PANEL AFTER WE ISSUED THE RFP.
IT'S REALLY UP TO THE THIRD PARTY TO BE THE LEAD ON ANSWERING QUESTIONS AND TO WORKING WITH THE PARTICIPANTS ON THEIR OWN INDIVIDUAL PLANS.
AS WE HAVE NOW MOVED OUT OF THAT TRANSITIONAL PERIOD, THE MAIN TRANSITIONAL PERIOD, THE QUESTION HAS COME UP FROM A COUPLE OF BOARD MEMBERS, AND I DO WANT TO SAY IT PUBLICLY HERE BECAUSE WE HAVE DEFINITELY CONFIRMED THE PROCESS.
THERE IS NO OBLIGATION PEOPLE THAT HAVE OR HAD ACCOUNTS WITH MISSION SQUARE AND TRANSITIONED THOSE OVER TO EMPOWER, AND IF IT IS NOT SERVING THEIR INDIVIDUAL NEEDS, THERE IS A MECHANISM FOR INDIVIDUALS TO TAKE THEIR DOLLARS OUT OF THOSE ACCOUNTS AND TO TRANSITION THEM OVER TO OTHER INVESTMENT VEHICLES AND STILL MAINTAIN A LOT OF THE SAME TAX BENEFITS, AND SO WE HAVE DEFINITELY EMPOWER HAS A LOT OF INFORMATION ON THAT AND CAN HELP TO FACILITATE THAT.
SO I KNOW THAT QUESTION HAS COME UP WITH A COUPLE OF BOARD MEMBERS TO ME AND TO DEB, AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT PUBLICLY, THAT THERE'S NO OBLIGATION FOR PEOPLE TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THEIR ACCOUNTS WITH EMPOWER BECAUSE JUST BECAUSE THEY WERE WITH MISSION SQUARE BEFORE, THERE ARE MANY, MANY OTHER OPTIONS THAT ARE OUT THERE, AND EMPOWER CAN LAY OUT THAT PROCESS.
IT SOUNDS ACTUALLY FAIRLY STRAIGHTFORWARD TO MY UNDERSTANDING.
THANK YOU. DEBORAH SPAULDING ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER OF FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES.
SO THIS IS AN INFORMATIONAL UPDATE ON OUR 457 PLAN TRANSITION.
SO I'M GOING TO START OUT BY GIVING YOU SOME BACKGROUND ON OUR 457 DEFERRED COMP PLAN.
[02:15:05]
TALK TO YOU ABOUT OUR RFP PROPOSAL REVIEW PROCESS.TALK TO YOU ABOUT EMPOWER'S FEES VERSUS MISSION SQUARE'S FEES.
SO THE PARK DISTRICT HAS HAD A DEFERRED COMP PLAN SINCE 1981, SO OVER 40 YEARS.
WE RECEIVED PROPOSALS FROM FOUR FIRMS AND CONVENED A TEAM OF FIVE PARK DISTRICT EMPLOYEES WITH SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE TO REVIEW THOSE PROPOSALS THE CFO, ASSISTANT FINANCE OFFICER, HR BENEFITS MANAGER, ASSISTANT GENERAL COUNSEL AND A MEMBER OF OUR DEFERRED COMP ADVISORY COMMITTEE SPECIFICALLY THE POLICE ASSOCIATION MEMBER. SORRY.
WE REVIEWED THE PROPOSALS AND SCORED THEM BASED ON EIGHT FACTORS SO FIRM STRENGTH, EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS, RECORD KEEPING, CYBERSECURITY AND CUSTODY, PARTICIPANT STATEMENTS, COMMUNICATION AND EDUCATION AND THEN FOR THE PLAN SPONSOR REPORTING STATEMENTS, SYSTEM TECHNOLOGY AND FUNCTIONS, PLAN SPONSOR SERVICES, INVESTMENT FLEXIBILITY, FEES AND EXPENSES AND THEN OTHER RELEVANT FACTORS.
BASED ON THOSE CRITERIA, THE PANEL UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDED EMPOWER.
THEY ARE THE SECOND LARGEST RETIREMENT PLAN PROVIDER IN THE US.
THEY WERE PREVIOUSLY KNOWN AS GREAT WEST.
THEY HAVE A 99% CLIENT RETENTION RATE.
THEY PROVIDE TRANSPARENT ACCOUNT STATEMENTS WITH CLEAR REPRESENTATIONS OF FEES.
THEY HAVE A USER FRIENDLY AND INFORMATIVE ONLINE PORTAL WITH AN ABILITY TO INCORPORATE YOUR CALPERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL DATA SO THAT YOU CAN GET A COMPLETE PICTURE OF YOUR RETIREMENT SITUATION.
THEY ALSO HAD THE LOWEST FEES AND WERE STRONG ON CYBERSECURITY INVESTMENT OPTIONS AND SERVICES.
SO UP AT THE TOP YOU CAN SEE THE BASIS POINT FEES THAT WERE PROPOSED BY MISSION SQUARE VERSUS EMPOWER BASED ON AN OPEN ARCHITECTURE OR BASED ON PROPRIETARY FUNDS, AND THEN DOWN BELOW YOU SEE THE PROPOSED FUND LINEUP AND THE AVERAGE BASIS POINTS THAT WOULD BE CHARGED BASED ON THE MISSION SQUARE PLANS AND THEN EMPOWER'S PLANS AND SO YOU CAN SEE THAT IS THE AREA WHERE THERE'S THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE IS THE PROPOSED FUND LINEUP, AND THEN JUST LOOKING AT THE RANGE OF FEES OF THE INVESTMENTS THAT ARE OFFERED. SO MISSION SQUARE'S RANGE FROM 19 TO 167 BASIS POINTS VERSUS EMPOWER'S THAT RANGE FROM 4 TO 84.
EMPOWER DOES CHARGE INDIVIDUAL SERVICE FEES.
THEY'RE MORE TRANSPARENT THAN THE FEES THAT WERE CHARGED BY MISSION SQUARE, AND THEY'RE DESIGNED TO CREATE EFFICIENCIES, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN A CONCERN THAT PEOPLE HAVE RAISED.
UNDER MISSION SQUARE'S FEE STRUCTURE, ALL PARTICIPANTS WERE PAYING THOSE HIGHER FEES THROUGH THE FUND LINEUP, BUT THOSE SERVICES WERE ONLY USED BY SOME, SO THERE WAS NO INCENTIVE FOR PEOPLE TO BE EFFICIENT.
SO EMPOWER SERVICE FEES ARE OVERALL LESS THAN THE FEES THAT WERE CHARGED BY MISSION SQUARE.
OVERALL, $200,000 PER YEAR THROUGH THE INVESTMENT FUND LINEUP CHANGE ALONE, AND SO HERE'S AN ATTEMPT TO SHOW AN EXAMPLE EMPLOYEE.
SO WE HAVE TWO SAMPLE EMPLOYEES HERE.
WE HAVE ONE WITH A LIKE A TYPICAL EMPLOYEE AT THE PARK DISTRICT STILL EMPLOYED, AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE FEES THROUGH THE ADMINISTRATIVE JUST THE ADMINISTRATIVE FEE ALONE, THAT DIFFERENCE IS VERY MINIMAL BETWEEN MISSION SQUARE AND EMPOWER.
IT'S THE FUND LINEUP WHERE YOU SEE THE DIFFERENCE, AND SO THE FUND LINEUP OFFERED BY MISSION SQUARE, ON AVERAGE 50 BASIS POINTS AS THE $250 OR FOR SOMEONE WITH A HIGHER BALANCE, LIKE A RETIREE WITH $500,000, THAT ADDS UP TO $2,500.
[02:20:06]
SO THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE TWO BETWEEN EMPOWER AND MISSION SQUARE, THE SAVINGS FOR SOMEONE WITH A HIGHER BALANCE IS ALMOST $900, WHICH MORE THAN OFFSETS THOSE INDIVIDUAL LUMP SUM FEES FOR DISTRIBUTIONS.SO MISSION SQUARE, DURING THE INTERVIEW PROCESS EXPLAINED THAT EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD PROVIDED THAT FEE AS AN OPTION FOR US TO CONSIDER, THAT THEY WOULD NOT SUPPORT THAT, THAT THEY ONLY SUPPORTED THEIR STANDARD FUND LINEUP.
SO WE WOULD HAVE HAD TO HAVE GOTTEN AN OUTSIDE ADVISER TO HELP US SELECT AND MANAGE THE FUND LINEUP.
SO FOR THAT REASON, IT DID NOT COMPARE FAVORABLY.
I ALSO WANT TO TALK ABOUT MANAGED ACCOUNTS AND INVESTMENT ADVISORY SERVICES.
SO THIS HAS COME UP AS AN ISSUE AS WELL.
SO BOTH EMPOWER AND MISSION SQUARE OFFER ONE ON ONE INVESTMENT ADVISORY ASSISTANCE FOR NO COST.
EMPOWER AND MISSION SQUARE ALSO OFFER MANAGED ACCOUNT SERVICES, AND THE.
SO THE TABLE ON THE BOTTOM IS SHOWING THE DIFFERENCE IN COSTS BETWEEN THE MISSION SQUARE MANAGED ACCOUNTS AND THE EMPOWER MANAGED ACCOUNTS, AND SO YOU CAN SEE, THE MORE MONEY YOU HAVE IN THE PLAN, THE MORE THAT YOU WOULD SAVE WITHIN POWER.
A QUESTION HAS COME UP. WELL, HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE THESE MANAGED ACCOUNTS? IT'S 13% OF PLAN PARTICIPANTS HAVE THEM.
EMPOWER DOES OFFER ACCESS TO A CFP, BUT IT DOES REQUIRE AN ADDITIONAL FEE.
MISSION SQUARE DID OFFER CFPS WITHOUT AN ADDITIONAL FEE.
THE STANDARD FOR SERVICE FOR EMPOWER IS FOR 80% OF CALLS TO BE OFFERED TO BE ANSWERED IN 20S.
THEIR CURRENT RATE IS FOR 92% OF CALLS TO BE ANSWERED IN 20S, SO THEY'RE IN MUCH BETTER SHAPE NOW.
HOWEVER, WAIT TIMES CAN BE LONGER ON SATURDAY THAN ON THE WEEKDAYS.
SO YOU'VE GOT YOUR MORNING STAR RATINGS.
YOU HAVE HISTORICAL INVESTMENT RETURNS YOU CAN LOOK AT, YOU CAN TOGGLE DIFFERENT EXPENSE RATIOS AND GET A MENU OF OPTIONS PROVIDED TO YOU.
SO AGAIN, THIS WAS A LEARNING EXPERIENCE.
IT WAS OUR FIRST TIME DOING AN RFP FOR OUR DEFERRED COMP PLAN IN OVER 40 YEARS AND THERE WERE DEFINITELY LESSONS LEARNED.
TRANSITIONS INVOLVING FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS ARE TRICKY AND RARELY GO PERFECTLY.
WE'RE NOW THREE MONTHS FROM TRANSITION.
SO NEXT STEPS, EMPOWER IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO COMMUNICATE WITH PARTICIPANTS.
EMPOWER IS GOING TO PROVIDE SPECIALIZED INFORMATION SESSIONS.
THEY'LL DO UP TO EIGHT PER YEAR ON TOPICS THAT WE FEEL ARE USEFUL FOR OUR PARTICIPANTS, AND THE DEFERRED COMP ADVISORY COMMITTEE WILL CONTINUE IN ITS ROLE REPRESENTING PLAN PARTICIPANTS AND MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE BOARD.
I WOULD BE HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS.
OKAY. DIRECTORS? QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? SURE.
THANK YOU. SO I WAS WONDERING HOW MANY TOTAL PARTICIPANTS ARE THERE IN THESE PROGRAMS? AND I ASSUME THERE ARE EMPLOYEES, FORMER EMPLOYEES AND RETIREES, RIGHT? YEAH, APPROXIMATELY 1055 CURRENTLY.
CAN YOU TELL ME HOW MANY WERE OUR EMPLOYEES BREAK IT DOWN INTO THREE CATEGORIES.
YEAH, I DIDN'T BRING MY NOTES WITH ME, BUT I THINK 668, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
668 EMPLOYEES? SOMETHING LIKE THAT. YES, AND HOW MANY RETIREES? THE REMAINDER WOULD BE EITHER RETIREES OR TERMINATED AND HAVE MOVED TO ANOTHER AGENCY.
WE CAN GUESS BASED ON THEIR AGE, BUT WE DON'T KNOW FOR SURE, BUT WE KNOW HOW MANY RETIREES ARE MEMBERS, RIGHT? I GUESS I COULDN'T RUN A REPORT ON THAT.
IF I COMPARE IT AGAINST A LIST OF PARK DISTRICT FORMER EMPLOYEES, I COULD FIGURE THAT OUT.
[02:25:02]
YES, I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT NUMBER BECAUSE, I MEAN, SO WHAT I'M WONDERING IS, Y OU KNOW, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY SOME FOLKS THAT ARE DISSATISFIED WITH THIS THE WHOLE PROCESS, AND THEY WERE VERY SATISFIED WITH MISSION SQUARE.I'M INTERESTED IN HOW THESE THINGS WORK AND THE THOUGHT OF AND I'VE RECEIVED LETTERS, AND EVERY BOARD MEMBER HAS RECEIVED LETTERS SUGGESTING THAT THEY'RE GOING TO LEAVE EMPOWER.
I ASSUME EMPOWER GIVES US RATES BASED ON HOW MUCH PARTICIPANTS WE HAVE.
I ALSO ASSUME THAT A PERSON THAT'S BEEN IN THE PARK DISTRICT, ONE OF THE 668, WE COULD BREAK THAT DOWN, AND I BET A LOT OF EMPLOYEES ARE NEW AROUND HERE IF THEY'RE PUTTING IN, YOU KNOW, 2000 A YEAR.
SO I'M INTERESTED IF THE THAT OCCURRED THAT A NUMBER OF RETIREES WITH MOST OF THE MONEY LEFT.
WHAT WOULD THAT DO TO THE THAT $200,000 SAVINGS OR WOULD IT.
SO THE SAVINGS ARE BASED ON WHAT WHAT YOU'RE INVESTED IN.
SO YOU COULD BE INVESTED IN A HIGH COST FUND OR A LOW COST FUND IF YOU PULLED YOUR IF YOU LEFT.
THE PARK DISTRICT'S PLAN AT EMPOWER, AND YOU ARE NOT IN A HIGH COST FUND.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? SURE, BUT IF YOU WERE IN A LOW COST FUND, THEN WE WOULDN'T BE.
IF YOU HAD BEEN IN A LOW COST FUND WITH MISSION SQUARE, THEN WE WOULDN'T HAVE AS MUCH SAVINGS.
SO THE SAVINGS ARE BASED ON WHEN YOU MAP ACROSS THE MISSION SQUARE FUNDS TO THE NEW EMPOWER FUNDS.
SO BASED ON THE FUND LINEUP THAT PEOPLE HAD WHATEVER THEY WERE INVESTED IN WITH MISSION SQUARE, MAP IT OVER TO EMPOWER THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT EACH EACH YEAR WE WOULD SAVE 200,000--PARTICIPANTS WOULD SAVE $200,000, SO JUST ON THAT FUND LINEUP ALONE.
IS THAT MAKING SENSE? I WELL, FOR ME IT'S A HARD SELL, BUT YEAH OR HARD EDUCATION PROJECT, BUT YEAH, I SORT OF GET IT SO AND OKAY, SO AND RETIREES HAVE NO OBLIGATION TO STAY WITH WITH EMPOWER YOU CAN GO BACK TO MISSION SQUARE, BUT I MEAN, SO WE'VE GOT A GROUP OF 1055 EMPLOYEES.
CAN YOU WOULD I ASSUME THAT, AS I AM A MEMBER, BY THE WAY, IF I LEFT AND WENT BACK TO MISSION SQUARE, WOULD MY FEES BE THE SAME AS IF I STUCK HERE WITH EMPOWER? DEPENDING ON WHAT INVESTMENT YOU CHOSE WITH MISSION SQUARE, THEY COULD BE HIGHER OR LOWER.
SO IT REALLY DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU'RE INVESTING IN.
WILL WE HAVE ONE OTHER TIME TO GO AROUND ONCE ALL THE COMMENTS ARE OKAY? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THEN I'LL STOP FOR NOW.
YEAH. SO I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY SO WHETHER WE STAY WITH THE MISSION SQUARE OR WE'RE NOT WITH EMPOWER, RETIREES HAVE THE OPTION, NO MATTER WHAT, TO TAKE THEIR MONEY OUT AND ROLL THEIR FUNDS OUT, YEAH.
OKAY, AND THEN AND THEN AS FAR AS FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND IS THAT THE FEES THAT SOME PEOPLE ARE THAT IMPART, IS ASKING PEOPLE TO PAY WAS ACTUALLY EMBEDDED IN HOW MISSION SQUARE CHARGED OR CHARGED FOR THEIR BASE POINTS.
RIGHT. YEAH. LIKE I THINK THE BEST.
I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS THE BEST, BUT ONE EXAMPLE IS LIKE, YOU THINK WHEN YOU'RE SHOPPING ONLINE AND YOU, LIKE, GET TO A CERTAIN DOLLAR AMOUNT AND IT'S LIKE, OH, NOW YOU'VE QUALIFIED FOR FREE SHIPPING.
YEAH. I MEAN, I MEAN, I GET IT BECAUSE I WAS IN I'M IN THAT RMD PART NOW, BUT SO SOME OF THE SOME OF THE COMPLAINTS I HAD WAS THAT PEOPLE WEREN'T DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO CONSIDER WHAT TO DO WITH THEIR MONEY, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I MEAN, WHAT I'M TRYING TO WRAP MY HEAD AROUND IS.
[02:30:04]
EMPOWER PRETTY MUCH TRIED TO MATCH WHAT YOUR WHAT YOUR INVESTMENTS WERE IN MISSION SQUARE WITH WHAT THEY HAD IN EMPOWER, AND I PRETTY MUCH CAN AT LEAST WITH MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.THAT WAS TRUE, AND THEN AND THE PAPERWORK AS FOR THE RMD, I'M ONLY SPEAKING TO THE RMD IS BECAUSE I WAS DOING BOTH.
I WAS DOING MISSION SQUARE, AND THEN I HAD TO DO IT AGAIN WITH EMPOWER.
CORRECT. THE ONLY THING THAT CHANGES IS THE LETTERHEAD, AND THE HARDEST PART FOR ME WAS JUST THE IRS FORMS, WHICH EVERYBODY HAS TO DO.
SO SOME OF THE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE FORMS IS LIKE.
IT WAS NEITHER HERE OR THERE BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL THE SAME.
THEY'RE ASKING THE SAME INFORMATION.
THEY'RE ASKING AND THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THE IRS FORMS WHERE YOU HAD TO CHANGE YOUR WITHHOLDING.
SO I GUESS I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION, JUST THAT I'M TRYING TO JUST GOING THROUGH MY OWN EXPERIENCE.
I MEAN, I DEFINITELY LIKE WHAT EMPOWER AS FAR AS THEIR PHONE TREE, THEY'RE ON PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, WHEREAS MISSION SQUARE WAS ON EASTERN STANDARD TIME, WHICH I REALLY APPRECIATED AND BUT SO YEAH, I MEAN.
I DO AGREE THAT I'M REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE THE EXPERTISE AS FAR USING THE COMPUTERS TO, TO DEAL WITH THE CHANGE, BUT MISSION SQUARE WAS DEALING WITH THOSE SAME PEOPLE, SO I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY WERE DOING IT.
HOW THEY WERE DEALING WITH PEOPLE WHO WERE NOT ABLE TO USE THE COMPUTER AS WELL.
SO I JUST HAD SOME I'M JUST KIND OF RAMBLING.
SORRY, BUT I'M TRYING TO GO THROUGH MY EXPERIENCES VERSUS WHAT I'M HEARING AS COMPLAINTS, AND YEAH.
DIRECTOR ROSARIO, YOU REMINDED ME OF SOMETHING I WANTED TO MENTION THAT THERE'S SOMEONE HAS THOUGHT THAT THERE IS A $2 FEE TO HAVE MAILED STATEMENTS, AND THAT IS, THERE IS NO FEE FOR MAILED STATEMENTS.
SO YOU CAN IF YOU'RE SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T LIKE COMPUTERS, YOU CAN.
YEAH, YOU CAN GET YOUR STATEMENT MAILED TO YOU, AND THERE'S NOT A FEE FOR THAT.
YEAH, I GOT MY FIRST CHECK JUST LAST MONTH.
SO AND THEN I'VE SINCE CHANGED TO ELECTRONIC WHICH IS NO FEES AS WELL.
SO YEAH, I'M JUST ALL EARS RIGHT NOW.
SOMETHING ELSE WILL POP UP. OKAY.
ANY OTHER DIRECTORS BEFORE I KICK IT BACK TO DIRECTOR WAESPI? OH. MORE QUESTIONS.
WELL, I'M NOT GOING TO LET IT GO.
RIGHT BACK TO DENNIS THAT QUICKLY.
[CHUCKLING] YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
MY DEFERRED COMP WITH MY OLD, OLD LAW FIRM TRANSITIONED TO EMPOWER A HANDFUL OF YEARS AGO, AND MY OWN EXPERIENCE REFLECTED WHAT DEBORAH DESCRIBED AS THE EXPERIENCE WITH THIS ORGANIZATION.
EMPOWER WAS MUCH BETTER ON MANY LEVELS THAN THE PRIOR SERVICE PROVIDER THAT I ADMINISTRATOR THAT MY FUNDS WERE HANDLED BY AND BOTH IN FEES AND RESPONSIVENESS AND IN TERMS OF ALL THE INSTITUTIONAL ORGANIZATIONAL ISSUES.
THEY WERE VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT'S BEEN DESCRIBED HERE AND WHAT I'VE HEARD, BUT ALL IN ALL, I'VE BEEN VERY PLEASED WITH EMPOWER, AND IN CONTEMPLATING ACTUALLY TRANSITIONING FROM EMPOWER TO ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT WOULD BASICALLY ALLOW ME, YOU KNOW, I'M RETIRED NOW.
I HAVE TOTAL ABILITY TO TRADE IF I WANT TO AND TO SPEND A LOT, A LOT OF TIME ON IT INSTEAD OF HAVING A THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATOR. SO I'M ACTUALLY IN THE PROCESS OF PERHAPS DOING THAT, AND EMPOWER IS MAKING IT VERY EASY AND VERY BEING VERY COOPERATIVE.
SO I'M HAPPY WITH THE COMPANY.
[02:35:05]
I CAN JUST, YOU KNOW, REFLECT ON MY OWN EXPERIENCE WITH THE COMPANY.YES. SO I GUESS I JUST ALSO WANT TO CONFIRM THE FOLLOWING.
I MEAN, WE'VE MADE THIS DECISION.
WE'VE MADE THIS MOVE IN A WAY.
THE TRAIN HAS SORT OF LEFT THE STATION.
LIKE WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO BACK.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
IT'D BE VERY DIFFICULT TO GO BACK.
YEAH. WE HAVE A FIVE YEAR CONTRACT WITH THEM AND WE HAVE A FIVE YEAR CONTRACT.
THANK YOU FOR CONFIRMING THAT.
YES. SO I'LL ALSO JUST SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT I GUESS, MY OWN DECISION MAKING DURING THIS PROCESS.
YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING IN YOUR SLIDES, YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED, I GUESS, SECOND LARGEST RETIREMENT PLAN PROVIDER IN THE US BECAUSE I KNOW I GUESS IT'S ALMOST 20 YEARS AGO, MY ONE OF MY TOP CLIENTS, WHILE I WAS, YOU KNOW, WORKING WITH FIDELITY, WHICH I BELIEVE IS THE NUMBER ONE PROVIDER, AND WITH THEM I WORKED A LOT ON WEBSITE STRATEGY AND COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS, AND I'LL SHARE, YOU KNOW, MISSION SQUARE WASN'T EVEN PART OF THAT COMPETITIVE SET, BUT REGARDLESS OF THAT YOU KNOW, A LOT OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, I WOULD PROVIDE COMPARISONS FOR FIDELITY ACROSS ALL THESE DIFFERENT ATTRIBUTES.
SO IT IS INTERESTING NOW, 20 YEARS LATER, TO BE LOOKING AT THIS IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, FEES AND SERVICES AND ALSO THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WEBSITE ACCESS AND AVAILABILITY, AND I THINK THAT THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE SOME SORT OF VARIABILITY ACROSS EACH OF THE DIFFERENT PROVIDERS AND I FEEL VERY CONFIDENT IN YOU KNOW, THE ANALYSIS WE RECEIVED FROM STAFF BACK IN THE FALL OF 2023 WHEN WE WERE REVIEWING THIS IN REGARDS TO YOU KNOW, THE FEES AND THE ANTICIPATED COSTS AND MAKING THE DECISION TO MOVE TO EMPOWER.
WE MADE THIS DECISION. THE OTHER ONE IS THE 401(A) PLAN, AND SO THAT ALSO WAS A PART OF THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS, AND I THINK THAT EARLIER TODAY, YOU KNOW, WE HAD THE FIDUCIARY TRAINING, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS REALLY GOOD AND HELPFUL, AND I THINK IT CONNECTS WITH THIS TOPIC IN REGARDS TO THE RESPONSIBILITIES WE HAVE HERE ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, AND I DO BELIEVE THAT ALSO WAS A PART OF THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS IN REGARDS TO THESE TWO PLANS AND MOVING TO EMPOWER.
SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT POINT IN REGARDS TO MY PERSONAL DECISION MAKING PROCESS.
HOWEVER, I DO THINK IT'S HELPFUL.
I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE WHO I ANTICIPATE WILL BE SHARING PUBLIC COMMENT, AND I REALLY DO WANT TO HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY, AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN FIGURE OUT SOMETHING TO HELP YOU YOU KNOW, FEEL MORE SATISFIED WITH THIS TRANSITION.
SO BUT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF ALL THIS INFORMATION.
ABSOLUTELY. DIRECTOR WAESPI, GO AHEAD.
WELL, YOU KNOW, I WAS HOPING THAT I WOULD BE ABLE TO HEAR FROM.
I WAS ASKING FOR A SECOND ROUND AFTER MY FELLOW RETIREES SPOKE AND MAYBE SUM UP SOME THINGS.
OKAY. CAN I ASK A POINT OF ORDER OR CLARIFICATION? IS THAT OKAY BEFORE IT HAS TO BE.
I'M SORRY, BUT WE'RE--IT HAS TO DO WITH OUR COMMENTS.
I JUST HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE PROCESS.
WELL, ACTUALLY, WE'RE ABOUT TO GO TO YOUR COMMENTS.
MY QUESTION IS YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO ASK.
OKAY, SO I BELIEVE IT'S TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
SO DO YOU WANT US TO BEGIN CALLING PEOPLE UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS? THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
I'LL GO AHEAD AND WITHDRAW. WITHDRAW? OKAY. THANK YOU.
ONE, DISTRICT COUNCIL SAID STAFF COULD NOT PROVIDE DOCUMENTS CONCERNING FEES AND SERVICES THAT WERE UTILIZED IN ANALYZING THE CHOICE TO MOVE TO EMPOWER, BECAUSE STAFF DIDN'T USE ANY.
[02:40:01]
THE OTHER STATEMENT IS THAT THE AGM OF FINANCE TOLD THE BOARD BACK IN OCTOBER 2023 THAT THERE WAS NO DIRECT IMPACT TO THE BOARD BECAUSE ALL FEES CHARGED BY EMPOWER ALL TO BE BORNE BY THE PLAN PARTICIPANTS TO CORRECT STATEMENTS.STAFF DIDN'T ANALYZE SEPARATE FROM NOT ADHERING TO STANDARD DISTRICT PROCEDURES, STATE LAW, POOR COMMUNICATION STAFF RECOGNIZED THAT ITS EMPLOYEES AND THE RETIREES ON FIXED INCOMES ARE THE ONES THAT WOULD PAY.
FORMER EMPLOYEES HAVE PRODUCED RECORDS SHOWING THE REDUCTION IN SERVICES AND THE INCREASED FEES.
IDEAS HAVE BEEN PUT FORWARD FOR BOARD CONSIDERATION TO ADDRESS THE WRONG THAT HAS BEEN DONE.
YOU HAVE FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY AND SHOULD TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION.
IT'S TRUE THAT WE CAN TAKE OUR MONEY AND GO TO ANOTHER PLAN.
I REALLY THINK IT'S UNACCEPTABLE.
THIS WAS A DECISION THAT WAS MADE BY THIS GROUP, AND IT CONCERNS OUR MONEY AND TO JUST SAY, WELL, WE'VE DONE IT AND FOUGHT THIS ALL ALONG THE WAY, AND THEN TO SAY, WELL, YOU CAN TAKE YOUR MONEY AND GO TO SOME OTHER PLACE IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT.
REALLY TO ME IS NOT REALLY A VERY NICE RESPONSE.
I'VE ASKED BASIC QUESTIONS AND I'VE BEEN STONEWALLED BY STAFF.
SO IF I RUN OVER A LITTLE BIT, I HOPE I'M ALLOWED A LITTLE GRACE IN THIS PROCESS.
THIS MORNING YOU HAD A SESSION WITH AN ATTORNEY AND SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT HE HAD FOR YOU.
YOU DIDN'T FOLLOW ENGAGE IN A PUBLIC, WELL-DOCUMENTED PROCESS DEMONSTRATING DUE DILIGENCE, TRANSPARENCY, AND INDEPENDENT JUDGMENT. YOU DIDN'T USE A CONSULTANT.
SHE KEPT TELLING THEM THE FINANCE COMMITTEE IS GOING TO REVIEW IT.
THERE'S GOING TO BE A PUBLIC REVIEW.
I TAKE SERIOUSLY PUBLIC RECORDS, REQUESTS, RESPONSIVENESS.
I HAVEN'T. IT HASN'T BEEN DEMONSTRATED.
YOU DIDN'T EVEN LET US KNOW UNTIL DAYS BEFORE IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.
NOW YOU CAN SAY TODAY, WELL, WE HAVE A CONTRACT.
YOUR ATTORNEY THIS MORNING TOLD YOU OBTAIN EXPERT ADVICE.
MISS SPAULDING'S COMMENT THAT THE INVESTMENT FEES, THE INVESTMENT FEES GO TO THE INVESTMENT FUNDS.
THEY DON'T GO TO MISSION SQUARE.
EXCEPT IN THOSE CASES WHERE THEY OWN OR MANAGE THE FUNDS.
EMPOWER, THE LIST YOU APPROVED HAS SEVERAL EMPOWER FUNDS IN IT, AND IT WAS RECOMMENDED BY EMPOWER, NOT A THIRD PARTY, BECAUSE STAFF BELIEVES THAT HAVING AN INDEPENDENT INVESTMENT ADVISOR WOULD SOMEHOW BE CONTRARY TO THE PROCESS.
IF YOU'RE INTENDING TO BE FIDUCIARIES RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PLAN ADOPTION.
YOU DIDN'T OBTAIN EXPERT ADVICE FOR THOSE THINGS.
WE'LL JUST WING IT AND DO THIS RFP ON OUR OWN.
AS SUSAN SAID, WE ASKED THE QUESTION.
I STILL HAVE PENDING REQUESTS OUT THERE THAT HAVEN'T BEEN ANSWERED.
[02:45:09]
PEOPLE BADMOUTHING THEIR EXPERIENCE AND LAYING ALL YOUR DIRTY LAUNDRY OUT THERE FOR PEOPLE TO SEE, BUT THAT'S WHAT YOU'VE DONE. IT'S TIME WE'VE SENT YOU SEVERAL DOCUMENTS DURING THE PAST WEEK.I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THAT THOSE ARE PART OF THE RECORD BECAUSE THEY SHOULD BE, AND THEY DOCUMENT FLAWS BOTH IN THE PHILOSOPHY PRESENTED IN THE CALCULATION OF A $200,000 SAVINGS, WHICH, FRANKLY, DOESN'T EXIST.
I APPRECIATE THE ADDITIONAL MOMENTS OF TIME, AND I APPRECIATE SOME ACTION.
I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED BY THE DISTRICT ABOUT THIS CHANGE.
WHEN EMPOWER NOTIFIED ME ONLY FIVE BUSINESS DAYS PRIOR TO THE BLACKOUT DATE, IT WAS TOO LATE FOR ME TO MOVE MY FUNDS ELSEWHERE OR TO INVESTIGATE EMPOWER'S FINANCIAL TRACK RECORD.
THIS INADEQUATE NOTICE IS SORELY LACKING IN YOUR FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY TO ACT IN EVERY PLAN PARTICIPANTS BEST INTEREST. TO DATE, I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY OFFICIAL INFORMATION FROM THE DISTRICT ABOUT THE CHANGE IN PLAN PROVIDERS.
I HAVE NOT BEEN PROVIDED WITH AN OUTLINE OF PERTINENT CHANGES TO THE PLAN, AND I HAVE NOT BEEN GIVEN ANY INFORMATION ABOUT FEES CHANGES IN THE PLAN. MOST IMPORTANTLY, I HAVE NOT BEEN PROVIDED WITH THE INFORMATION ABOUT WHY THE DISTRICT FELT IT WAS NECESSARY TO MAKE THIS CHANGE IN THE FIRST PLACE. THE COMMITTEE DECIDED TO USE THE RETIREES ASSOCIATION EMAIL LIST TO NOTIFY RETIREES ABOUT THE PLAN CHANGE.
THE RETIREES ASSOCIATION IS A STRICTLY VOLUNTEER GROUP TO JOIN WHEN AN EMPLOYEE RETIRES.
IT DOES NOT INCLUDE EVERY RETIREE.
THE COMMITTEE WAS ADVISED OF THIS FACT, BUT THEY CHOSE TO USE THIS INADEQUATE FORM OF NOTIFICATION TO ADVISE SOME OF THE RETIREES ABOUT THE PROVIDER CHANGE.
I AM SURE THAT YOU CAN UNDERSTAND THAT.
PLEASE REFERENCE THE COMPARISON OF FEES AND SERVICES DOCUMENT PROVIDED TO YOU ON MAY 20TH.
NOT ONLY ARE THERE A SUBSTANTIAL LOSS OF BENEFITS THAT WERE PROVIDED AT NO COST, THERE ARE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FEES CHARGED BY EMPOWER. IF THERE TRULY IS A $200,000 SAVINGS, AS THE DISTRICT AND COMMITTEE INSISTS THERE IS, I AM FORMALLY REQUESTING PROOF OF THE PLAN. SAVINGS.
THIS IS WHY A FIDUCIARY IS IS REQUIRED TO EXPOSE THEIR STEP BY STEP PROCESS FOR MAJOR PLAN CHANGES IN THE DAYLIGHT, NOT BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.
LASTLY, I WILL BRIEFLY TOUCH ON MY EXPERIENCE WITH EMPOWER TO DATE.
EVERY TIME I CALL, IT IS AT LEAST A 30 MINUTE HOLD TIME.
I PERSONALLY KNOW MANY RETIREES WHO DO NOT HAVE OR ARE UNABLE TO USE A COMPUTER FOR VIRTUAL MEETINGS, WHICH PLACES AN UNFAIR BURDEN ON RETIREES. LET'S NOT FORGET THAT MANY OF THESE RETIREES HAVE GIVEN THE DISTRICT DECADES OF SERVICE PRIOR TO RETIRING.
DO THE RIGHT THING BY TAKING AN ACTIVE ROLE IN THESE IMPORTANT DECISIONS.
AT THE VERY LEAST, WE DESERVE THAT MUCH.
[02:50:02]
PETER VOLIN.EXCUSE ME. MANAGERS JUNE 4TH REPORT TO YOU DOES NOT ADDRESS OUR MAJOR ISSUES IN ANY MEANINGFUL WAY.
THE REPORT DOES NOT DENY OUR ALLEGATION THAT THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE $200,000 SAVINGS THAT THE DISTRICT USED TO CONVINCE THE BOARD TO MAKE THE TRANSITION TO EMPOWER, COMPARED THE CONTRACT PROPOSED BY EMPOWER TO THE DISTRICT IN ITS 2023 RFP TO THE PREVIOUS CONTRACT WITH THE MISSION SQUARE, RATHER THAN TO THE CONTRACT PROPOSED BY MISSION SQUARE IN 2003.
THIS REPORT ADMITS TO THE BOARD FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THIS PROCESS THAT MISSION SQUARE'S PREVIOUS CONTRACT WITH THE DISTRICT INCLUDED A REBATE OF ABOUT $101,000.
TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THE DISTRICT MANAGERS STILL HAVE NOT PROVIDED THE BOARD OR THE DCAC WITH THE TWO RFPS FROM EMPOWER AND MISSION SQUARE, WHICH IS WITHOUT A DOUBT THE ONLY WAY ANYONE CAN COMPARE THE TWO PROPOSALS, EVEN THOUGH DIRECTOR WAESPI SPECIFICALLY ASKED FOR THEM AT THE MAY 7TH BOARD MEETING.
THE MANAGER'S JUNE 4TH REPORT GIVES THE REASON FOR THE TRANSFER, AND I QUOTE THESE REASONS INCLUDED SIZE AND LENGTH OF EXPERIENCE AND EASY TO USE WEBSITE FIDUCIARY SERVICES, LOWER FEES AND INVESTMENT FLEXIBILITY.
WE WOULD SAY THAT THE SIZE OF EMPOWER IS A DISADVANTAGE, THAT THE FIDUCIARY SERVICES OF THE TWO FIRMS TO THE DISTRICT AND THE PLAN MEMBERS ARE IDENTICAL, THAT THE DIFFERENCE IN COST TO PLAN MEMBERS IS NEGLIGIBLE, AND THAT THE FEES CHARGED BY PLAN PARTICIPANTS TO PLAN PARTICIPANTS BY EMPOWER ARE MUCH HIGHER, AND INVESTMENT INVESTMENT FLEXIBILITY IN THE TWO RFPS IS ALSO SIMILAR, IF NOT IDENTICAL BUT WHAT I'D LIKE TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO IS THAT THE QUALITY OF SERVICE PROVIDED BY THE TWO FIRMS WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS LIST OF REASONS.
REST ASSURED THAT THE QUALITY OF SERVICE IS BY FAR THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE TO PLAN MEMBERS, ESPECIALLY TO RETIRED PLAN MEMBERS.
DIRECTORS WAESPI AND ROSARIO CAN VERIFY THAT THERE WAS ONE MISSION SQUARE PERSON WHO WAS WITH US FOR 35 YEARS, WITH WHOM WE COULD MEET IN PERSON, BY ZOOM, OR BY PHONE, WHO COULD HANDLE ANY ISSUE THAT CAME UP, INCLUDING RMDS.
IN ORDER TO DEAL WITH AN ISSUE WITH EMPOWER, YOU HAVE TO CALL THEM PUNCH IN YOUR ENTIRE SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER TO EVEN ACCESS THE SYSTEM, AND BE BOUNCED AROUND FOR HOURS ON THE PHONE.
THE RETIREES ASSOCIATION IS ASKING YOU TO DO WHAT WAS SUGGESTED BY THE BOARD AT THE MAY 7TH MEETING.
THE BOARD HAS A LEGAL AND MORAL RESPONSIBILITY TO DO THE FOLLOWING.
HIRE AN INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT TO ONE.
REVIEW THE RFP PROCESS AND DETERMINE THE ACTUAL AMOUNT OF SAVINGS TO PLAN.
CAN I HAVE, LIKE, 15 MORE SECONDS? OKAY. 15 MORE SECONDS, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE WHO NEED TO SPEAK.
SO FROM NOW ON, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO KEEP PEOPLE AT THREE MINUTES.
OKAY. ONE REVIEW THE RFP PROCESS TO DETERMINE THE AMOUNT OF SAVINGS TO PLAN PARTICIPANTS, FACTORING IN THE QUALITY AND EXPENSE OF THE SERVICES PROVIDED TO THE TO THE PLAN PARTICIPANTS TO DETERMINE WHAT THE DISTRICT'S OPTIONS ARE.
TO ALLOW RETIRED PLAN PARTICIPANTS THE OPTION OF STAYING WITH MISSION SQUARE.
IF IT COSTS MONEY, WE MAY BE WILLING TO PAY FOR IT.
ALL RIGHT. WELL THEN IN THAT CASE, I KNOW.
DON'T WORRY. I WOULD LIKE TO YOU KNOW, THESE PEOPLE HAVE SAT HERE FOR OVER 3.5 HOURS PATIENTLY WHILE WE'VE DONE OUR MINUTIA, AND THEY'RE VERY PASSIONATE. CAN WE EXTEND I MEAN, PETER, WERE YOU DONE?
[02:55:02]
I MEAN, 3.5 HOURS WE'VE WAITED.CAN WE GIVE HIM ANOTHER COUPLE MINUTES TO FINISH HIS STATEMENT? I MEAN, YEAH, I WE'VE DONE IT BEFORE A MILLION TIMES.
I JUST WANT TO CAUTION YOU THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE THESE GUIDELINES AND YOU HOLD A LOT OF PEOPLE TO THEM, AND SO IT'S VERY DIFFICULT WHEN YOU MAKE KIND OF PICK AND CHOOSE LIKE WHO YOU'RE GOING TO EXTEND.
WE GIVE PEOPLE OVER ALL THE TIME.
I DID IT WHEN I WAS PRESIDENT LAST YEAR.
IF SOMEBODY CAME AND PRAISED US, WE LET THEM GO ON FOREVER.
I IT MAY BE I KNOW SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE IN THE LAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS, YOU REALLY HAVE BEEN HOLDING PEOPLE TO IT AND YOU HAVE I'M JUST GIVING YOU THE LEGITIMATE REASON FOR WHY YOU REALLY WANT TO JUST KIND OF HAVE A TIME LIMIT AND NOT PICK AND CHOOSE WHO YOU LET GO OVER.
WE ARE TRYING TO KEEP A TIGHT MEETING, AND WE DO HAVE TIMES WHEN THERE'S LIKE LITERALLY 30 PEOPLE HERE WHO ARE PASSIONATE, AND SO WE CAN'T, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T ALWAYS LET FOLKS GO ON, BUT IN THIS CASE, WE WILL.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
IT WAS ALREADY OVER, SO I JUST STOPPED.
YEAH. I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND YOU THAT ALL OF THIS INFORMATION HAS BEEN PUT IN THE RECORD ALREADY.
VIOLATIONS OF THE BROWN ACT ARE ALL IN THE RECORD.
AS LONG AS YOU SUBMITTED THE INFORMATION, IT WILL BE, IT IS IN THE RECORD.
WELL, I CAN DOUBLE CHECK WITH OUR CLERK, BUT ALL OF THAT SHOULD BE IN THE RECORD.
YES, DIRECTOR COFFEY? FOR THE RECORD, I GOT AND THE REST OF YOU GOT 21 EMAILS FROM MR. RANKIN WITHIN THE COURSE OF LAST THREE MONTHS OR SO.
IT CAME OUT TO INFORMATION FROM MR. RANKIN OF 77 PAGES.
OKAY. MANY RETIREES HAVE NO COMPUTER ACCESS AND LITTLE OR NO COMPUTER SKILLS.
THIS TRANSFER HAS BEEN THE CAUSE OF ANGUISH FOR A GREAT MANY RETIREES.
I POINTED OUT TO THE DISTRICT, AND TO EMPOWER THAT MANY OF THE RETIREES WILL BE UNABLE TO COMPLETE THE COMPLEX COMPUTER FORMS AND PROCESS NEEDED TO BEGIN OR CONTINUE THE RMDS THE DISTRICT AND EMPOWER'S.
COMMON SENSE WOULD SUGGEST THAT THERE ARE FAR MORE THAN 31 RETIRED PLAN MEMBERS AGE 73 OR OVER, BUT EVEN IF WE ACCEPT THAT NUMBER, IT INFURIATES ME AS THE PERSON WHO ADMINISTERED THE DISTRICT'S BENEFITS PROGRAM FOR 20 YEARS IS THE IMPLICATION THAT THE WELFARE OF 31 RETIREES IS OF LITTLE OR NO SIGNIFICANCE TO THEM? THE JUNE 4TH REPORT DOES NOT DISPUTE THAT.
EXCUSE ME, THE JUNE 4TH REPORT HAS AN ATTACHMENT ADDED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THIS PROCESS.
SHOWS MOST OF THE FEES CHARGED BY EMPOWER TO PLAN MEMBERS.
IT NEGLECTS TO COMPARE THESE CHARGES WITH THE ONES CHARGED BY MISSION SQUARE.
THE REASON FOR THIS IS THAT THE MAJORITY OF THOSE FEES WERE NOT CHARGED AT ALL BY MISSION SQUARE.
I APPRECIATE ALL THE COMMENTS.
YOU KNOW, I THINK WE ARE TIED TO A FIVE YEAR CONTRACT.
I CAN'T FIGURE OUT ALL THIS STUFF.
I'M A MEMBER. I HAVE MY FREE WILL.
I CAN GO IN ANY DIRECTION I WANT.
I THINK YOU FOLKS DO. ALSO, EVERYBODY I PERSONALLY WOULD LIKE TO YOU KNOW, I'D KIND OF LIKE TO GO BACK TO THE LESSONS LEARNED, BECAUSE WHAT WERE THE LESSONS LEARNED? I MEAN, SOMETHING WENT WRONG HERE, AND I'LL REFER TO OUR THE CLASS WE WENT TO TODAY.
[03:00:01]
PROCESS WAS ALWAYS THE PROCESS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THIS DEAL.SO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE DIDN'T MEET ON THIS.
I DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT I THINK IT WAS IMPORTANT, AND I THINK IT SHOULD HAVE WENT TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, THE AT THE BOARD MEETING WHEN WE DID THIS, IT WAS A CONSENT CALENDAR ITEM. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A PUBLIC PROCESS.
I MEAN PROCESS AND DOCUMENTATION.
WE HEARD THAT A HUNDRED TIMES THIS MORNING, NOT 100 TIMES, TEN TIMES THIS MORNING.
THIS IS THE I'LL MAKE A DECISION.
I GUESS I MADE A DECISION I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE MORE INFORMATION, BUT I THINK I WOULD HAVE WENT IN THE SAME DIRECTION BASED ON I DON'T KNOW WHAT, BUT THE STUFF I'VE HEARD LATE YOU KNOW, I'M REALLY, REALLY, REALLY CONCERNED.
SO THE INFORMATION THAT WASN'T OUT YET.
ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW THE COMPARISONS WASN'T OUT YET, AND I WATCHED THE MEETING AND THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ASKED FOR THE COMPARISONS THAT HAD THE REPRESENTED FOR THE RETIREES ASKED FOR THE COMPARISONS, AND THEY WERE TOLD, YOU CAN FILE A PUBLIC PUBLIC.
WHAT IS THAT CALLED, A PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST.
COME ON. THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT REPRESENT US AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE EMPLOYEES.
I THINK THAT'S A LESSON LEARNED.
I DON'T WANT TO HARP ON IT, BUT I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE LESSONS WE REALLY NEED TO LEARN.
I MEAN, EVIDENCE IS SHOWING PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS.
DIRECTOR WAESPI, I'D BE HAPPY TO RESPOND TO THAT.
WE HAVE ONE PUBLIC RECORDS ACT REQUEST.
THAT WAS A DAY LATE THAT WENT TO MR. RANKIN. I DID WRITE HIM AN EMAIL TO APOLOGIZE.
WE GET PUBLIC RECORDS ACT REQUESTS FROM THE WHOLE DISTRICT.
WE'RE NOT ONLY DEALING WITH PUBLIC RECORDS ACT REQUESTS BASED ON DEFERRED COMPENSATION, AND WE ONLY HAVE SO MUCH STAFF IN THE LEGAL OFFICE, BUT WE HAVE PROCESSED THAT JUST THE SAME WAY AS ANYTHING, AND AT THE DEFERRED COMPENSATION COMMITTEE, NO ONE WAS TOLD THAT THEY NEEDED TO MAKE A PUBLIC RECORDS ACT.
THAT WAS THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ASKING FOR THE EMPOWERER.
SHE MADE A COMMENT ABOUT HOW SHE WAS TOLD TO DO THAT.
SHE WASKING FOR THE EMPOWER CONTRACT SO SHE COULD ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT IT, AND I BELIEVE THAT ASSISTANT MANAGER SPAULDING WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE FACT THAT SOMEBODY WHO HAS NO CONNECTION TO THAT CONTRACT WOULD BE ANSWERING QUESTIONS TO THE PUBLIC ABOUT IT.
YOU'VE SEEN THE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION GOING THROUGH.
STAFF ISN'T DOING ANYTHING, TRYING TO HIDE ANYTHING, BUT AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, THE CHAIR OF THE DEFERRED COMPENSATION COMMITTEE ASKED FOR ALL THE PROPOSALS. SHE ALREADY HAD THEM.
SHE WAS GIVEN THOSE PROPOSALS, SO THEY WERE ALREADY IN HER POSSESSION.
I'M JUST SUGGESTING THAT'S WHAT I SAW FROM THE COMMITTEE MEETING.
MAYBE I'M WRONG, BUT THE DEAL IS PEOPLE AREN'T GETTING IT.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE TILL 4 OR 5:00 TONIGHT.
I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE AND LESSONS LEARNED I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE A MORE OF A PUBLIC PROCESS.
MY PERCEPTION WAS THEY ASKED FOR THIS DOCUMENTATION.
PETER ASKED FOR THE COMPARISONS AND IT WASN'T GIVEN.
SO I COULD BE WRONG, BUT ONCE AGAIN, I THINK THESE COULD BE LESSONS LEARNED BECAUSE WE WERE TOLD MAKE IT A PROCESS AND DOCUMENTATION AND MAKE IT PUBLIC.
MAKE IT WELL DOCUMENTED AND TRANSPARENT.
THAT'S THE QUOTES FROM OUR GUIDE THIS MORNING, AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED.
THE ITEM WAS ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR, BUT IT WAS PULLED FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
THERE WAS A PRESENTATION GIVEN ABOUT THE CONTRACT TO EMPOWER, AND WHILE HE SAID THERE IS A PUBLIC PROCESS, THE PUBLIC PROCESS IS BRINGING THE CONTRACT. WHAT HAPPENS WITHIN THE RFP PANEL IS NOT A PUBLIC PROCESS.
NO RFP PANEL IS CONDUCTED PUBLICLY.
SO I JUST WANT TO TRY TO DEFEND STAFF A LITTLE BIT.
I THINK THAT THEY'VE WORKED REALLY HARD ON THIS.
[03:05:04]
WORK HERE WHO ACTUALLY ARE HAPPY AND FIND THAT WE HAVE AN APP ON OUR PHONE THAT WORKS, AND A GREAT WEBSITE AND LOTS OF INFORMATION AND LOWER FEES. SO I, YOU KNOW, OKAY, I MAYBE MY PERCEPTIONS ARE INCORRECT, BUT I WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE LESSONS LEARNED WERE THEN, BECAUSE YOU SEE THERE'S A BARRIER TO EVERYTHING I'VE SAID OR ANYTHING.THESE FOLKS HAVE SAID THAT IT WAS ALL QUOTE, GOOD AND RIGHT.
SO WHAT WERE THE LESSONS LEARNED? THE LESSONS THAT ARE LEARNED HAVE TO DO WITH WHEN YOU DO AN RFP AND WHEN YOU DO A TRANSITION.
I THINK THERE WERE SOME LESSONS LEARNED.
THE DISTRICT DOESN'T HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PARTICIPANTS.
THAT INFORMATION IS HELD BY THE THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATOR.
SO THE IDEA TO REACH OUT THROUGH THE RETIREES ASSOCIATION WAS KIND OF A BONUS.
THAT'S PRETTY PAR FOR THE COURSE.
THEY ARE THEREFORE FREE TO TAKE THEIR MONEY AND GO SOMEWHERE ELSE.
THAT IS ACTUALLY THE THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATOR'S JOB TO AND THAT'S WHAT'S IN THE CONTRACT.
THAT'S FOR THEM TO DO, AND IT'S I THINK THAT DEB AND MONICA TRIED TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND BY TRYING TO REACH OUT THROUGH THE RETIREES ASSOCIATION AND BY POSTING THINGS ON THE WEBSITE, BUT I THINK THERE WERE SOME LESSONS LEARNED ABOUT THE TRANSITION PERIOD, WHICH WE'RE NOW THROUGH, AND NOW WE'RE IN THE PART WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO JUST EXPERIENCE, AND I THINK THAT WE SHOULD FOCUS ON WHETHER THE PLAN IS WORKING NOT AS A TRANSITIONAL THING, BUT WHERE WE ARE NOW.
IS IT WORKING FOR PEOPLE OR ISN'T IT? I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT BOTH THAT WE SHOULD LOOK AT WHAT WENT WRONG, BECAUSE THERE COULD BE ANALOGOUS SITUATIONS IN THE FUTURE.
SO WE SHOULD TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
SO IF IT WAS A RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PLAN ADMINISTRATOR, YOU KNOW, WHAT WHAT HAPPENED THERE AND WHAT CAN WE DO TO MAKE SURE IF THIS EVER HAPPENS AGAIN, THAT IF THERE EVER IS A TRANSITION IN THE FUTURE, THAT THERE'S A TIMELINE BY WHICH THEY MUST SEND OUT THE NOTIFICATION AND THAT PEOPLE HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO MAKE ANY TRANSITION THEY CHOOSE TO MAKE.
SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK AND THAT'S JUST SORT OF ONE OF SEVERAL THINGS THAT I THINK THAT WE CAN LOOK AT FOR BEST PRACTICES IN THE FUTURE, AND THEN AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO DETERMINE WHETHER, YOU KNOW, WHETHER THIS PLAN IS WORKING FOR PEOPLE OR NOT, AND IF NOT, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT IT? SO THOSE ARE.
YEAH, SOME POINTS CAME UP DURING THE COMMENTS, BUT I JUST WANTED TO CONFIRM THAT I KNOW.
IN SEPTEMBER OF LAST YEAR, I WATCHED THAT.
I WATCHED THAT LAST DEFERRED COMP MEETING AND THE COMMITTEE KNEW THAT THERE WAS A POSSIBILITY THAT THIS WAS GOING BEFORE THE BOARD IN SEPTEMBER, AND IF I RECALL PETER HAD SAID SOMETHING THAT IF IT GOES BEFORE THE BOARD AND GETS PASSED, THAT THE JANUARY TURNOVER TRANSITION WAS TOO SOON AND YOU HAD SAID THAT YOU YOU AGREED AND I THINK IT GOT MOVED TO LATER.
SO, AND THEN I REMEMBER MONICA SELLES, ALVAREZ.
IT HAD SPECIFICALLY ASKED PETER FOR HELP IN CONTACTING THE RETIREES.
SO MY QUESTION IS, THE PARK DISTRICT DOESN'T KEEP TRACK OF ALL THE RETIREES.
SO WE'RE DEPENDENT ON MISSION SQUARE? YES. YEAH.
SO THE PARK DISTRICT HAS WE KNOW WHO OUR RETIREES ARE.
WITH EMPOWER, WE HAVE MUCH BETTER DATA.
THE INFORMATION IS MORE UPDATED.
THERE ARE THERE ARE SOMETIMES THINGS THAT ARE THAT ARE GAPS, AND SO WE WOULDN'T NECESSARILY KNOW WHO WAS COMPUTER LITERATE AND WHO WASN'T.
[03:10:01]
RIGHT. WOULD MISSION SQUARE KNOW THAT? I MEAN, I GUESS I WOULDN'T THINK SO, BUT I DON'T KNOW.THAT'S I MEAN, YEAH, I MEAN BECAUSE MISSION SQUARE WAS DEFINITELY GOING MORE TOWARDS VIRTUAL, AND THEIR WEBSITE, TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH, WASN'T VERY GOOD IN MY OPINION, BUT AND THEN AT THE LAST, AT THE LAST MEETING OF THE DEFERRED COMP, I BELIEVE MISSION SQUARE SAID THEY WERE GIVING THEY'RE GOING TO PROVIDE A REPRESENTATIVE A PERSON FOR THE RETIREES.
IS THAT CORRECT? YES, SO CURRENTLY WE HAVE, I BELIEVE, FIVE ADVISERS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO MEET WITH PARTICIPANTS.
THEY'RE GOING TO NARROW IT DOWN AND SELECT ONE AND THEY'LL HAVE THAT.
THEN AS FAR AS THE SAVINGS WE REALLY COULDN'T COMPARE.
COULD YOU JUST GO OVER THAT SECTION AGAIN ABOUT HOW MISSION SQUARE COMPARES WITH EMPOWER REGARDING THE CHARGES? YEAH. SO THE FUND LINEUP OFFERED BY EMPOWER HAS.
MANY. THE MAJORITY OF THEIR FUNDS ARE LOWER FEE THAN THE FUNDS PROVIDED BY MISSION SQUARE.
SO THERE WERE THERE WAS FEE SHARING GOING ON WITH MISSION SQUARE AS PART OF THOSE INVESTMENTS.
SO DEPENDING ON WHAT INVESTMENT YOU HAD WITH MISSION SQUARE, YOU MAP OVER TO A NEW AS YOU EXPERIENCED TO A NEW FUND WITH EMPOWER, AND IN MANY CASES, IT'S A LOWER COST INVESTMENT VEHICLE IN THE MAJORITY OF CASES.
DID THAT ANSWER IT? SO THE $200,000 SAVINGS IS WHERE YOU LOOK AT A POINT IN TIME.
I BELIEVE IT WAS DECEMBER 31ST.
WHAT INVESTMENTS PEOPLE HAD IN ALL OF THE FUND LINEUP THAT MISSION SQUARE HAD, AND THEN YOU MAP THAT OVER TO THE NEW EMPOWER FUND LINEUP, AND YOU SEE WHAT THE FEES ARE FROM THE TWO AND THE SAVINGS IS $200,000, AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION IS IF THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE RFP PROCESS, WOULDN'T WE BE HEARING FROM MISSION SQUARE? I WOULD THINK SO. WELL, WITH EVERY RFP PROCESS.
ALL OF THE PROPOSERS HAVE A TIMELINE DURING WHICH THEY CAN PROTEST THE AWARD OF A CONTRACT TO A DIFFERENT PROVIDER, AND THERE'S A WHOLE PROCESS THAT YOU GO THROUGH WHERE THEY CAN THEY CAN COMPLAIN AND EVEN GO TO THEY HAVE A JUDICIAL REMEDY IF THEY DON'T AGREE.
YEAH. OH, AND FINAL QUESTION, OH, SHOOT, I JUST LOST IT.
OH. HOW LONG? WHEN DID HOW LONG WAS THE RFP ON THE WEBSITE? I'M GOING TO SAY MAYBE SIX WEEKS, 4 TO 6 WEEKS.
I COULD GO BACK AND LOOK, AND THEN IS THERE ANY WAY TO TELL IF IF ANYBODY ACCESSED THOSE RFPS, IF THERE'S ANY HITS, IS THERE ANY WAY TO TRACK HOW MANY PEOPLE LOOKED AT THE ROPES? I CAN FIND OUT FROM OUR WEB PEOPLE WHO LOOKED AT THE RFP, AND THEN AND FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND ALSO IS THAT EMPOWER HAS PROVIDED AT LEAST THREE WEBINARS TO HELP EXPLAIN THE TRANSITION.
DO WE KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE PARTICIPATED? I BELIEVE IT WAS 143 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO I KNOW WE GOT A PRESENTATION FROM YOU AT A BOARD MEETING.
SO BECAUSE I REMEMBER THAT PART ANYWAY, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[03:15:10]
DIRECTOR SANWONG. SO I DO HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS.I GUESS THEY'RE KIND OF IN THREE BUCKETS.
THE FIRST BUCKET, I WANT TO ASK ABOUT THE PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST PROCESS.
SO WHEN WE RECEIVE THAT, IS THAT TYPICALLY RECEIVED VIA EMAIL? IS THERE AN OPTION FOR A TELEPHONE CALL OR A LETTER AS PART OF THE PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST, OR IS THAT ALL EMAIL BASED NOW? WE HAVE A MAILBOX FOR PUBLIC RECORDS, BUT IF PEOPLE SEND IN INFORMATION REQUESTS, YOU KNOW, BY EMAILING A STAFF MEMBER, THOSE GET FUNNELED THROUGH PUBLIC RECORDS, TOO, AND TYPICALLY, MOST PEOPLE ASK FOR US TO RESPOND BY GIVING THEM BY EMAILING THEM THE DOCUMENTS, AND THAT'S WHAT WE DO, BUT IF THEY WANT US TO MAIL THEM, WE HAVE A FEE THAT WE CAN CHARGE TO COPY AND MAIL RECORDS.
OKAY, AND IT'S AN EMAIL OUTLOOK ACCOUNT.
WE HAVE A WAS IT PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST AT EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK OR EASTBAYPARKS.ORG? YEAH. I DON'T WANT TO GET IT WRONG.
IT'S OKAY. YEAH. SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES, AND THEN WITH THAT, DO WE HAVE SOME BACK END DATABASE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO REFERENCE TO SEE WHAT THOSE REQUESTS ARE? AND THEN MAYBE IF THERE'S A WAY I'VE SEEN DATABASES IN OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WHERE WHEN THE EMAIL IS SENT THAT, THAT, THAT CAN ATTACH TO THAT SPECIFIC REQUEST SO THAT THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THIS CENTRALIZED SOURCE WHERE YOU CAN GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE HISTORY.
DO WE HAVE THINGS ORGANIZED THAT WAY, OR IS IT MOSTLY WITHIN OUTLOOK AND WITHIN THAT ACCOUNTS OUTLOOK INSTANCE? THE REQUESTS THAT WE GET ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPLICATED THAN LIKE IF YOU IF YOU HAD A CERTAIN SET OF DOCUMENTS, STANDARD DOCUMENTS, I THINK YOU COULD HAVE A SYSTEM LIKE THAT, BUT WE GET A LOT OF REQUESTS THAT HAVE TO KIND OF BE ANALYZED AND FIGURE OUT WHAT ARE THEY ACTUALLY ASKING FOR, AND SO WE GO TO DISTRICT STAFF TO SAY, THIS IS THE REQUEST.
WHAT DO YOU HAVE? WE REVIEW IT.
WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE RECORDS TO FIND TO MAKE SURE THERE'S NO INFORMATION THAT HAS TO BE REDACTED OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT BECAUSE YOU CAN'T GIVE OUT, YOU KNOW, FINANCIAL INFORMATION, AND BELIEVE ME, WE GET ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT REQUESTS FOR ALL KINDS OF THINGS.
SO THE ANSWER IS, IS THAT MOST OF THIS IS DONE MANUALLY, BUT WE DO KEEP TRACK OF THINGS SO THAT IF SOMEBODY ASKED FOR SOMETHING AND THEY ASK AGAIN, WE COULD BE LIKE, WE ALREADY GAVE THAT TO YOU.
OKAY THAT HOPEFULLY THAT ANSWERS.
THAT'S HELPFUL, AND I KNOW WE KEEP ON TALKING ABOUT THE INFORMATION SERVICES STRATEGIC PLAN AND THAT'S COMING FORWARD AT SOME POINT IN THE NEAR FUTURE, AND WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS CURRENTLY INCLUDED IN THAT, I WOULD JUST PUT A BOOKMARK ON THIS TOPIC BECAUSE I DO THINK THIS COULD POTENTIALLY BE ONE PART OF THAT OVERALL INFORMATION SERVICES STRATEGIC PLAN AND I'LL JUST LEAVE THAT AS A COMMENT.
I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT PARTICULAR ASPECT OF THINGS.
THE SECOND BUCKET I HAVE IS IN REGARDS TO THE DEFERRED COMPENSATION COMMITTEE DO WE HAVE A REGULAR LIKE CADENCE FOR WHEN THESE MEETINGS HAPPEN? BECAUSE I'M LOOKING YOU KNOW, AT THE 2023 AND THE 2024 SCHEDULE, IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S ONE MEETING IN 2023, IN NOVEMBER OF 2023, BUT THEN IN 2024, WE'VE HAD THREE MEETINGS.
SO IS IT MORE AD HOC OR IS THERE SOME REQUIRED SCHEDULE FOR THE DEFERRED COMP? YEAH SO THE DEFERRED COMP ADVISORY COMMITTEE WAS MEETING QUARTERLY AT FIRST, AND THEN WE MOVED IT UP TO BE BI-MONTHLY.
IT MIGHT BE THE MOVE TO SWAGIT, ACTUALLY, I THINK COULD BE, YEAH, MAYBE I NEED TO GO TO A DIFFERENT PART OF THE WEBSITE, SO THAT MIGHT BE PART OF IT, BUT I THINK IN TERMS OF THE DEFERRED COMPENSATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING, I DO THINK THERE'S SOME REALLY GOOD POINTS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION OF THIS ITEM. I THINK THE ONE THAT I'LL MENTION, THIS WILL BE MY THIRD BUCKET, AND THEN I'LL BE DONE WITH MY COMMENTS.
THE, YOU KNOW, THE COMMENT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO GO BACK TO MISSION SQUARE AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT IS POSSIBLE ON YOUR OWN, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT WOULD BE MAYBE HELPFUL TO REVIEW THAT POSSIBILITY IF SOMEONE FROM YOUR GROUP COULD CONTACT MISSION SQUARE AND FIND OUT WHAT THAT, YOU KNOW, STEPS WOULD BE.
[03:20:07]
THAT PROCESS, AND I WOULD BE I WOULD LIKE TO BE INFORMED ON, YOU KNOW, WHEN THAT DOES GET DISCUSSED AND OR BROUGHT UP, BUT THAT MIGHT BE ONE SOLUTION, BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT THERE COULD BE SOME ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN HERE, AND IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO FIGURE OUT KIND OF WHERE THAT MIDDLE GROUND IS IN REGARDS TO WORKING WITH THE DEFERRED COMPENSATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING, AND I THINK IF I LOOK AT THIS, I THINK I SAW THAT AT LEAST PETE WAS IS A PART OF THAT COMMITTEE.IS THAT CORRECT? OKAY. SO IS THAT AN OPTION FOR THE-- WELL, I WOULD SAY THAT IF YOU LOOK AT THE RESOLUTION THAT CREATED THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO IS KEEP AN EYE ON MAKING SURE THAT THE FEES ARE LOW AND ALSO THAT YOU THEY'RE TRYING TO GET MORE PARTICIPATION, NOT LESS.
SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT THEY I MEAN, THEY CAN DO WITH WHATEVER THEY WANT REALLY, BUT THE BOARD SET THEM UP SO THAT THEY COULD HELP PARTICIPANTS UNDERSTAND THE BENEFITS OF BEING IN IN THE SYSTEM, NOT HOW TO LEAVE IT.
SO IT WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT UNUSUAL IN MISSION SQUARE IS IS NOT OUR PROVIDER ANYMORE.
SO THE EMPOWER IS THE ONE THAT THEY'RE WORKING WITH RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S FAIR. YES. I'M JUST NOT SURE WHAT WE CAN DO THEN AS A NEXT ACTION ITEM.
SO IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION, AND I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO SOLVE IT RIGHT NOW IN THIS MEETING.
SO I WILL JUST MENTION THAT AS A STATEMENT.
ONE THING THAT MONICA ALVAREZ-SELLES AND I HAVE WANTED TO DO IS GO TO THE RETIREE LUNCHEON.
I KNOW THAT DOESN'T GET THE ENTIRE GROUP, BUT THAT IT WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK WITH SOME PEOPLE AND SHARE INFORMATION AND HEAR THEIR QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS SO THAT IS ONE THING THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT WOULD BE ACTUALLY OFFERED TO DO EARLIER, BUT I THINK THE TIMING WAS NOT THE RETIREE GROUP HAD SOME OTHER AGENDA THAT THEY WANTED TO TAKE CARE OF FIRST.
WELL, I REALLY WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND FOR LETTING US KNOW YOUR CONCERNS AND I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS BY THE BOARD AS WELL.
SO AS I SAID EARLIER, I DO THINK IT'S WORTH TAKING ACCOUNT OF WHAT WENT WRONG AND ALSO MAKING SURE THAT THIS PROGRAM IS WORKING FOR PEOPLE AND IF NOT, FIGURE OUT WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT IT.
THIS IS AN INFORMATIONAL ITEM, SO WE DON'T HAVE ANY ACTION AT THIS POINT, BUT AGAIN, I REALLY THANK EVERYBODY FOR FOR COMING AND SITTING THROUGH THIS LONG MEETING AND MAKING MAKING YOUR CONCERNS KNOWN TO US.
[PUBLIC SAFETY DIVISION]
GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT ECHOLS AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHO WE SERVE AS PART OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
[03:25:08]
THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS THAT WE HAVE WITHIN THE DISTRICT.IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE MINDFUL OF THE IMPACT IN OUR REACH AS WELL.
WE MAKE SURE THAT WE DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR RESIDENTS, OUR PARTNER AGENCIES AND OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES AS WELL TOURISTS, EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, ENVIRONMENT AND CONSERVATION STEWARDS, OUR PARK VISITORS, OF COURSE, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS.
AS YOU ALL CAN SEE, LAST YEAR WAS VERY BUSY FOR US.
OUR DISPATCHERS TOOK IN OVER 52,000 CALLS.
OUR OFFICERS RESPONDED TO OVER 21,000 INCIDENTS.
10,000 OF THOSE WERE OFFICER INITIATED.
OUR OFFICERS AND PUBLIC SAFETY TECHNICIANS ISSUED A TOTAL OF 4884 CITATIONS.
WE MADE A TOTAL OF 209 ARRESTS, 71 OF THOSE BEING FELONIOUS IN NATURE, AND OUR PROPERTY AND EVIDENCE UNIT PROCESSED OVER 5000 PIECES OF PROPERTY. IN 2023, OUR AIR SUPPORT UNIT RECORDED 417 FLIGHTS AND FLEW FOR OVER 468 HOURS, RESPONDED TO 185 CALLS, AND ADDRESSED 168 PATROL VIOLATIONS.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, THERE WERE ZERO AVIATION OR GROUND ACCIDENTS.
SO WHAT SETS US APART FROM OTHER POLICE DEPARTMENTS OTHER THAN PATROLLING 73 BEAUTIFUL PARKS, 55 MILES OF SHORELINE AND OVER 1300 MILES OF TRAILS IS THAT WE INVESTIGATE EVERY THEFT AND BURGLARY.
WE HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN SOLVING MANY OF THEM AS WELL, AND OUR INVESTIGATORS HAVE ARRESTED SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS ASSOCIATED WITH THEFT AND BURGLARY RINGS, AS WELL AS WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS IN OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND AGENCIES.
HERE ARE A FEW EXAMPLES OF CASES THAT HIGHLIGHTED OUR DEPARTMENT IN 2023.
WE ARRESTED A SEXUAL PREDATOR.
ONE OF OUR OFFICERS SAW SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY OCCURRING INSIDE OF A PARKED VEHICLE WITHIN THE LOT.
THE MALE WAS ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH MULTIPLE FELONY SEX CRIMES.
WE THANK OUR OFFICERS AND INVESTIGATORS FOR DOING A FANTASTIC JOB ON THAT CASE.
ANOTHER CASE THAT HIGHLIGHTS 2023 WAS A HOMICIDE THAT WE SOLVED IN NINE DAYS.
WITNESSES GAVE A SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION OF THE SUSPECT VEHICLE AND WITH THE USE OF ALPR CAMERAS, THE VEHICLE WAS LOCATED AND THE SUSPECT WAS IDENTIFIED WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE US MARSHALS SERVICE AND THE SUSPECT WAS LATER TAKEN INTO CUSTODY, AND OUR THIRD CASE WAS A BURGLARY THAT WE SOLVED WITHIN OUR JURISDICTION.
OUR NEXT SLIDE REPRESENTS THE MAKEUP OF OUR CURRENT STAFFING.
WE HAVE 29 PROFESSIONAL AND CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES, SEVEN WHICH ARE MALE AND 22 ARE FEMALE.
I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT WE HAVE HIRED MORE FEMALE SWORN OFFICERS IN 2023 THAN IN 2022.
THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT HELPS DIVERSIFY OUR WORKFORCE AND MIRROR THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE.
OUR PUBLIC SAFETY STUDENT AIDES PROGRAM CONTINUES TO BE A SUCCESS FOR OUR DEPARTMENT.
[03:30:01]
WE CURRENTLY HAVE 14 STAFF MEMBERS AND ONE RECRUIT WHO STARTED AS PUBLIC SAFETY STUDENT AIDES IN OUR DEPARTMENT AND HAVE SINCE GRADUATED GRADUATED INTO FULL TIME EMPLOYMENT.AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, WE WERE ALL REALLY EXCITED AS WELL.
OUR NEXT SLIDE LISTS OUR TOP THREE ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR 2023.
IT WAS A BIG TECHNOLOGY YEAR FOR US.
WE STARTED OUR DRONE PROGRAM JOURNEY, GOT APPROVAL TO START OUR FLOCK CAMERA PROGRAM, AND LAUNCHED CITIZEN REMS. WE ALSO ISSUED UPDATED BODY WORN CAMERAS TO OUR SWORN STAFF AND SOME OF OUR PROFESSIONAL STAFF AS WELL.
WE HAD OUR FIRST EVER NATIONAL NIGHT OUT AND IT WAS A HUGE HIT.
THANKS TO ALL OF OUR PARTNERS IN THE DISTRICT FOR MAKING THAT POSSIBLE.
WE ARE LOOKING TO REPLICATE ITS SUCCESS COME THIS AUGUST.
OUR AIR SUPPORT UNIT STARTED THE PROCESS TO GET APPROVAL TO MOVE TO LIVERMORE, AS YOU ALL KNOW, AND OUR PILOTS AND STAFF HAVE COMPLETED THE MOVE AND ARE SETTLING INTO THEIR NEW WORKSPACE. ALSO WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE GENERAL MANAGER AS WELL AS THE POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION.
COMMAND STAFF HAS BEEN CONDUCTING A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF DEPLOYMENT POINTS DUE TO TRAFFIC TRENDS IN THE DISTRICT, EASTWARD EXPANSION, AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, AND LAND BANK DEVELOPMENTS.
WE ALSO SEE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THE EFFICACY OF OUR CURRENT OPERATIONAL MODEL.
NEXT IS FOCUSING ON WELLNESS, PEER SUPPORT AND INCLUSIVITY.
WE'RE DOING A FANTASTIC JOB AT STARTING, AT MOVING WITH POSITIVE MOMENTUM WITH OUR NEW PEER SUPPORT PROGRAM, AS WELL AS OUR CHAPLAINCY PROGRAM AND PROVIDING TRAINING TO OUR PEER SUPPORT MEMBERS, AND THIRD IS TRANSPARENCY.
WE'RE WORKING WITH A REPUTABLE SOCIAL MEDIA AGENCY THAT HASSISTED US WITH DOUBLING OUR FOLLOWERS ON MAJOR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS, AND WE HAVE SEEN OUR ENGAGEMENT WITHIN THOSE PLATFORMS DRAMATICALLY INCREASE.
LASTLY, I WANT TO THANK THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, GENERAL MANAGER, THE ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGERS FOR THE CONTINUED SUPPORT OF OUR PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT AND CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SAFETY AS A WHOLE.
THE ENTIRE 60 PAGE REPORT WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TODAY ONCE THE PRESENTATION IS COMPLETE ON OUR WEBSITE FOR EVERYONE TO REVIEW AT THEIR LEISURE AND CHIEF RELEASE, AND ARE AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS.
THANKS VERY MUCH FOR THE REPORT AND CONGRATULATIONS ON A REALLY GREAT YEAR.
DIRECTORS, DO WE--DIRECTOR ROSARIO, GO AHEAD.
THANK YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
WAS IT SKYLINE BOULEVARD, I THINK, AND OR GRIZZLY PEAK AND ALSO RECENTLY, ASSISTING THE CITY OF OAKLAND IN APPREHENDING PARTICIPANTS IN THAT SHOOTING AT OAKLAND HIGH SCHOOL JUST RECENTLY. SO I REALLY THANK THE OFFICERS FOR RESPONDING TO THAT AND BEING ABLE TO ASSIST.
JUST GOING BACK TO YOUR CHART ON EMPLOYEES, IT SAYS FULL TIME EMPLOYEES, 158.
DOES THAT INCLUDE THE FIREFIGHTERS? THAT DOES NOT. THAT IS STRICTLY SWORN PERSONNEL.
OKAY, SO FIREFIGHTERS AREN'T AREN'T INCLUDED.
LIKE, THE PERMANENT FIREFIGHTERS AREN'T INCLUDED IN THE CHART? CORRECT. OH, OKAY.
SO HOW MANY FIREFIGHTERS DO WE HAVE? PERMANENT FIREFIGHTERS DO WE HAVE? I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBER OF THE PERMANENT FIREFIGHTERS THAT WE HAVE.
OUR ANNUAL REPORT COVERED? MOSTLY SWORN PERSONNEL AND THE POLICE SIDE OF THE HOUSE? OKAY. YEAH. I JUST I WAS CURIOUS BECAUSE YOU INCLUDED THE ON CALL FIREFIGHTERS, BUT NOT THE PERMANENT 158 FIREFIGHTERS IS WHAT WE HAVE.
158 THAT WAS SHOWN ON THE PIE INCLUDES FIREFIGHTERS.
[03:35:01]
OKAY, GREAT.THANK YOU. I WAS TRYING TO WHISPER SWEET THINGS TO HIM.
GREAT, AND THEN CAN YOU JUST OUTLINE FOR ME? HOW MANY SHIFTS YOU HAVE AND HOW MANY OFFICERS ARE IN EACH SHIFT? SURE. SO CURRENTLY, WE HAVE SIX PATROL SHIFTS TWO DAY SHIFTS, TWO SWING SHIFTS AND TWO GRAVEYARD SHIFTS, AND IT REALLY DEPENDS ON IF WE'RE WORKING ON OUR WINTER STAFFING SCHEDULE OR OUR SUMMER STAFFING MODEL.
CURRENTLY, I BELIEVE NEXT MONDAY, OUR OFFICERS ARE GOING TO BE PICKING FOR THE NEXT YEAR'S SHIFTS.
SO IT REALLY DEPENDS ON WHAT OUR NUMBERS ARE, AND WE TRY TO BALANCE OUT EVERY TEAM EVENLY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE APPROPRIATE RESPONSE POSSIBLE FOR THE SUMMER NEEDS, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WE'RE A LOT BUSIER IN THE SUMMER COMPARED TO OUR WINTER NEEDS.
OKAY. SO TYPICALLY, LET'S SAY DAY SHIFT.
WHAT FOUR OFFICERS AND A SERGEANT OR BEST CASE SCENARIO IS USUALLY A SERGEANT AND FOUR OFFICERS.
WE'RE SPREAD OUT KIND OF THIN.
YES, WE DO OUR BEST WITH WHAT WE HAVE.
ALL RIGHT, WELL, I APPRECIATE ALL THE EFFORTS OUT THERE.
OKAY, OTHER DIRECTORS? DIRECTOR WAESPI. GREAT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU, AND YOU'RE RIGHT, I TRULY APPRECIATE YOUR NATIONAL NIGHT OUT.
THAT WAS A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS.
I'M GLAD TO HEAR YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT AGAIN.
I READ ABOUT IT, AND I SAY, HEY, OUR GUYS ARE DOING GREAT WORK OUT THERE.
IT'S REALLY A PLEASURE TO HEAR THAT.
I UNDERSTAND OR I DON'T UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE RELATIONSHIPS.
I KNOW THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT CONTRACTING WITH CAL FIRE, AND I'M WONDERING HOW THAT'S GOING.
MORE LIFT FROM OUR ENGINES, BUT I SUPPORT THAT, AND IS THERE ANY INROADS TO THAT? I MEAN, IS CAL FIRE WILLING TO CONTRACT WITH US? MAKES TOTAL SENSE, IN MY OPINION, BECAUSE WE'RE HERE AND WE'RE AVAILABLE, BUT DO WE HAVE A WHAT DO YOU CALL THOSE AUTOMATIC AID AGREEMENTS LIKE WE DO IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND YES, SO WE HAVE AN MOU WITH CAL FIRE, AND WHEN CAL FIRE CALLS US OUT THEY AFTER TWO HOURS WE BILL THEM ABOUT $148 OR SO FOR EVERY TWO HOURS.
THESE LAST TWO YEARS, OBVIOUSLY, FIRE ACTIVITY WAS PRETTY LOW COMPARED TO YEARS BEFORE THAT.
KNOCK ON WOOD. HOPEFULLY IT CONTINUES THIS YEAR.
SO WE AVERAGED ABOUT MAYBE FIVE CALL OUTS FOR 23 AND 22.
21 AND 20 WERE VERY BUSY FOR US.
WE HAD MAYBE ABOUT 20 CALL OUTS IN ORDER TO DEAL WITH FIRE SUPPRESSION.
GREAT. WELL, I HOPE WE CAN CONTINUE THAT RELATIONSHIP BECAUSE I THINK IT MAKES PERFECT SENSE, AND THEN JUST FINALLY, I'M LOOKING AT ALL YOUR STATS, AND I LOVE THE STATS, AND SO I'M, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT DEPLOYMENT ACTIVITIES.
IT WOULD SEEM TO ME THAT IF THERE'S 4884 CITATIONS AND 3848 OF THEM ARE IN PARKING AND CAR THEFTS, MOTOR VEHICLE THEFTS AND OTHER THEFTS ARE THE BIGGEST DEAL, WHY DON'T YOU JUST PUT COPS IN PARKING LOTS? IT SOUNDS LIKE ALL OUR CRIMES TAKING PLACE IN PARKING LOTS.
IF WE HAD ENOUGH, IF WE HAD MORE OFFICERS, WE DEFINITELY DO THAT, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE HANDING STEWARDSHIP VIOLATIONS, WHICH OCCUR IN THE INTERIOR OF THE PARKS. SO WE ENCOURAGE OUR OFFICERS TO GET OUT OF THEIR CARS, GO OUT ON THE TRAILS LOOK FOR QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES IN ADDITION TO, YOU KNOW, CRIMES THAT FALL UNDER THE PENAL CODE AND VEHICLE CODE.
YOU'RE VERY WELCOME. DIRECTOR, SANWONG.
IT IS. WELL, CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF US.
I MEAN, THIS IS GREAT. I THINK IT'S A GOOD FIRST START.
I'M REALLY GLAD THAT WE'RE DOING THIS.
I DO SEE THAT IT IS FOCUSED MOSTLY WITHIN YOU KNOW, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
HOWEVER, I GUESS I HAD SOME QUESTIONS.
SO IF THERE'S, LIKE A MEDICAL SITUATION OR A RESCUE OR A SITUATION WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO LOCATE A HIKER WHO MIGHT BE MISSING OR OFF TRAIL, IS THAT INCLUDED AS PART OF THIS INCIDENT NUMBER, OR IS THAT SEPARATE? YES. THAT'S ALL. THAT'S ALL INCIDENTS.
THAT'S ALL. THAT'S ALL INCLUDED IN INCIDENTS.
[03:40:01]
OKAY, AND THEN IN TERMS OF MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT, I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THAT DEFINITION.IS THAT FOR THE ENTIRE MOTOR VEHICLE BEING STOLEN OR IS THAT FOR ITEMS WITHIN THE MOTOR VEHICLE.
YES. SO MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT IS ACTUAL VEHICLE BEING BEING STOLEN.
SO SOMEONE LEFT A LAPTOP AND THE LAPTOP WAS STOLEN.
THAT WOULD BE UNDER LARCENY OR THEFT.
I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAVE.
I MEAN, THIS IS LIKE I SAID, THIS IS GREAT, AND YOU SAID THIS IS ALL UP ON THE WEBSITE.
SO PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO ACCESS THIS FULL REPORT THAT WE HAVE NICELY PRINTED IN FRONT OF US.
WELL, THANKS SO MUCH FOR SHARING.
IF I JUST MAY ADD THAT WHAT YOU SEE IN FRONT OF YOU, IT IS COMPREHENSIVE WITH JUST POLICE WORK BECAUSE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS COMPLETING THEIR OWN ANNUAL REPORT, AND THE LIFEGUARD HAS ALREADY PRESENTED THEIR.
SO YEAH, AND I GUESS MAYBE AT SOME POINT DOWN THE ROAD TO KIND OF UNDERSTAND, BECAUSE THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF A OVERLAP, RIGHT, WHEN THERE'S A RESCUE HAPPENING OR WILDFIRE SUPPRESSION WITH THE HELICOPTERS.
SO I LIKE THE IDEA OF THE SEPARATE REPORTS.
I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION. HOW DO WE KEEP TRACK OF THE YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THAT WE USED TO CALL IT REPORT INCIDENTS DIRECTLY, BUT I THINK IT'S CALLED SOMETHING ELSE NOW, BUT, YOU KNOW, WHERE THE PUBLIC CAN FILL OUT CARDS AND BE AN EMAIL OR WHATEVER, AND HOW DO WE KEEP TRACK OF THOSE? SO ARE YOU ASKING IF WE KEEP TRACK OF WHEN THE PUBLIC IS ASKING FOR STATISTICS OR? NO, WHEN THEY ACTUALLY BECAUSE ON OUR WEBSITE, WE HAVE A WHAT'S IT CALLED? IT USED TO BE CALLED REPORT INCIDENTS DIRECTLY.
I THINK IT'S CALLED SOMETHING ELSE.
NOW BUT I'M JUST CURIOUS HOW DO WE TRACK THOSE? SO IF WE'RE I'M TRYING TO THINK OF HOW TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION HERE.
SO WHEN WE REPORT, WHEN WE HAVE THE STATISTICS OUT FOR THE DIFFERENT CALLS AND INCIDENTS, WE HAVE CITIZEN REMS AVAILABLE, WHICH IS THE FORWARD FACING PRODUCT THAT ALL OF US CAN LOOK AT IN ORDER TO SEE CALLS FOR THE DAY BEFORE AND THE TYPES OF CALLS WE HAD ALSO ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA, ONCE A MONTH, USUALLY AROUND THE 16TH OF THE MONTH, WE POST THE STATISTICS FROM THE MONTH BEFORE IN ORDER TO THAT, PROMOTE THAT TRANSPARENCY, TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WHAT IT IS THAT WE DO EACH MONTH AND THE TYPE OF SERVICE THEY'RE GETTING FROM OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
GREAT. THANKS. PARK WATCH? PARK WATCH, YEAH, THAT'S WHAT IT IS.
PARK WATCH. DIRECTOR MERCURIO.
SO AGAIN, REFLECTING ON THE OTHER DIRECTORS HERE.
THANK YOU FOR DOING THE REPORT.
SO I ASSUME YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT EVERY YEAR NOW, RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY. OKAY, GOOD, AND, YOU KNOW, JUST I'M IT'S REALLY GRATIFYING TO ME TO BE PART OF AN ORGANIZATION THAT HAS THIS OTHER ORGANIZATION IN IT VIS A VIS YOUR FOURTH AND THE FIREFIGHTERS AS WELL.
DID YOU KNOW THAT WE HAVE OUR OWN FIRE? YOU KNOW, AND BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH GOOD THAT COMES OUT OF THAT.
NOT A LOT. SOME AND I'VE SEEN SOME.
VEHICLES ON IT THAT SHOULDN'T BE THERE, YOU KNOW? NOT NECESSARILY DOING ANYTHING DANGEROUS, BUT THAT KIND OF AND I KNOW YOU HAVE THE SPECIAL ENFORCEMENT, SO.
SO SOMETIME I THINK I JUST WANT TO SAY, I THINK I'D LIKE TO GET TOGETHER AND MAYBE JUST KIND OF KICK AROUND HOW WE MIGHT DEPLOY THAT TO ADDRESS PLACES WHERE I'VE HEARD PEOPLE ARE UPSET.
BECAUSE I KNOW I THINK WE NEED TO BEEF UP EVERYTHING THAT'S NOT IN A PARKING LOT.
[03:45:04]
DISTRICT. I HOPE EVERYBODY KNOWS ANDY WHITE, ONE OF OUR, YOU MUST HAVE BEEN THE THIRD HELICOPTER PILOT IN THE DISTRICT, RIGHT? OKAY. THIRD CHIEF PILOT.DIRECTOR CORBETT. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TOO.
WHAT A GREAT YOU KNOW, EXAMPLE OF THE THINGS YOU ARE DOING EVERY DAY AND HOW MUCH IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE TO, YOU KNOW, ALL THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, YOU KNOW, JUST CARING SO MUCH ABOUT THIS DEPARTMENT.
IT'S NOT LIKE THE MOST GIGANTIC DEPARTMENT IN THE WORLD, BUT YOU REALLY CARE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW WE CARE FOR THE NEIGHBORS ALL THROUGHOUT THE PARK DISTRICT, AND IT'S REALLY IMPRESSIVE.
I LEFT THIS BOOK WITH ALL THESE PICTURES OF YOU GUYS DOING THINGS ALL OVER THE PLACE.
DIRECTOR COFFEY I SHARE DIRECTOR MERCURIO'S ENTHUSIASM FOR OUR AS GOVERNING BOARD MEMBERS ABILITY TO RESPOND TO FOLKS THAT YES, WE HAVE A POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND WHEN THEY COME TO US AND AS FREQUENTLY HAPPENS AND IS NOT A CRITICISM WHEN THEY FREQUENTLY COME TO US AND COMPLAIN ABOUT SPEEDING BICYCLISTS ON THE TRAILS, WE ARE ABLE TO NOT PUSH THEM AWAY AND TELL THEM TO GO SPEAK TO THE CITY DEPARTMENT.
WE CAN, YOU KNOW, SPEAK TO OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THEY ACTUALLY TAKE REPORTS AND THEY COME OUT AND CHECK WHEN THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT VOLUMES OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT A SPECIFIC TRAIL, AND WE'RE ABLE TO RESPOND AND PEOPLE REALLY APPRECIATE IT, AND THEY'RE NOT ALL THAT AWARE RIGHT OFF THE TOP THAT WE HAVE THAT SERVICE, AND SO IT IS DISTINCTLY AN ADVANTAGE THAT WE ALL HAVE AS ELECTED OFFICIALS.
I GOT TWO COMPLIMENTS TOWARD OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
MY WIFE AND I WERE TABLING ON SUNDAY AT THE HERCULES CULTURAL FESTIVAL.
THAT'S AN ANNUAL EVENT THAT TREKS OVER THE EAST BAY 3 TO 5000 PEOPLE.
THE MOUNTED PATROL ARM, MOUNTED PATROL WAS THERE SUNDAY AND GREETED WITH A LOT OF ENTHUSIASM BY THE MANY HUNDREDS OF KIDS AND TWO, TWO COUPLES CAME UP AND SAID HOW HAPPY THEY WERE THAT WHEN THEY VISITED OUR PARKS, THEY OFTEN SAW POLICE AT THE PARK IN THE PARKING LOT OR EVEN OUT ON THE TRAILS. SO IT'S AGAIN AN ADVANTAGE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT SERVICE AND HAVE PEOPLE COMPLIMENT US ON IT, AND I JUST WANTED TO REPEAT WHAT I SAID.
PRIORITIZATIONS, AND YOU WERE REPORTING ON ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND VISIONS FOR THE DEPARTMENT.
IN THE YEAR TO COME, I MENTIONED, AND I REMAIN VERY HAPPY AND PLEASED AND PROUD OF A POLICE FORCE THAT HAS ADOPTED PROGRESSIVE POLICING, AT LEAST IN MY OPINION, IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS, AND WITH ENTHUSIASM, AND TO HAVE AN OFFICER, A GROUP OF OFFICERS WHO REALLY DEEPLY APPRECIATE THEIR ROLE AS STEWARDS OF PARKS AND TAKE TO IT WHOLEHEARTEDLY.
I REALLY ADMIRE THAT OF YOUR FORCE, CHIEF.
THANK YOU. WELL, NOW IT'S MY TURN, BUT EVERYTHING'S BEEN SAID, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR YOUR SERVICE, AND THIS REPORT IS IS REALLY WONDERFUL.
IT'S REALLY GREAT TO HAVE ALL OF THE INFORMATION ABOUT OR AT LEAST THE HIGHLIGHTS OF WHAT YOU'RE DOING IN SUCH A BEAUTIFULLY PRESENTED REPORT AND I APPRECIATE THE GREAT JOB ON THE PRESENTATION AS WELL.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING. THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
THANKS FOR WAITING THROUGH THIS LONG MEETING, AND WE APPRECIATE YOU.
THANKS. ALL RIGHT, SO I THINK WE ARE CLOSING IN ON THE END HERE.
[03:50:06]
I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY GENERAL MANAGER COMMENTS TODAY, SO, AND ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM CLOSED SESSION.GREAT. SO THEN WE WILL TURN TO THE BOARD COMMENTS.
[BOARD COMMENTS]
WHO WOULD LIKE TO START? DIRECTOR ROSARIO ALWAYS READY.ON 5/22, I ATTENDED THE FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING, AND THEN ON THE 23RD, I ATTENDED THE LEATHERWOOD AND ALDER CREEK RESTORATION RIBBON CUTTING, AND THAT WAS A WONDERFUL EVENT.
GOOD TO SEE YOU, ANDY, AND JOHN, THANK YOU BOTH FOR COMING.
HAVE A GREAT STORY ABOUT ANDY, AND THEN AND THEN ON THE 28TH TO THE 29TH, I ATTENDED THE SAN FRANCISCO STATE STATE OF THE ESTUARY CONFERENCE AT THE SCOTTISH RITE TEMPLE.
ONE OF THE SESSIONS. I IT WAS A WONDERFUL CONFERENCE, BY THE WAY.
IT'S PROBABLY OUT OF ALL MY ALL THE CONFERENCES I ATTEND, I THINK THIS IS MY FAVORITE, BUT AMY HOETZEL I WAS SHE WAS PART OF THE PANEL FOR FUNDRAISING AND HOW TO FUND ALL THESE BIG PROJECTS, AND SHE STRESSED OVER AND OVER AGAIN, DO NOT FORGET ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS.
SO DO NOT FORGET THEM, AND THEN PLUS THEY'RE ALL ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS DOING A 180 WHEN IT COMES TO THEY'RE ALL GOING TOWARDS MORE NATURE BASED SOLUTIONS, WHICH IS GREAT, AND THEN ON 5/29 I ATTENDED THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT WE'VE GOT A GREAT REPORT ON OUR SWIM CENTERS.
DON CASTRO, CULL CANYON, CONTRA LOMA AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IS GOING TO HAVE TO GO INTO THOSE INTO THOSE, THOSE SWIM FACILITIES IS GOING TO BE HUGE.
IT'S GOING TO BE ON THE MAGNITUDE OF PROBABLY WHAT ROBERTS DID.
SO ALL THOSE OLD FACILITIES ARE COMING, ARE COMING HOME OR NEED ATTENTION, AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO REALLY PAY ATTENTION AND MAKE SURE THAT WE FUND FUND THESE IF WE WANT TO KEEP THEM, AND THEN ON THE 30TH.
I ATTENDED BLACK BIRDERS WEEK AT LAKE TEMESCAL.
THANK YOU TO FELICIA WALKER AND MIKE MORAN.
THEY HAD OVER I THINK WE HAD 55 BIRDERS.
IT'S WONDERFUL, AND THEN AND ALSO YULIE WAS THERE FROM THE BLACK EMPLOYEES COLLECTIVE, AND THEN ON THE ON THE FIRST I ATTENDED THE BLACK BIRDERS WEEK AT THURGOOD MARSHALL REGIONAL PARK, AND THE HOME OF THE PORT CHICAGO 50, AND AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK FELICIA WALKER AND HER STAFF THERE AND THEN ON ALSO ON THE FIRST ATTENDED THE.
THIS IS THE GROUP THAT WE PARTNER WITH FOR FOR OUR RICHMOND RANGER PROGRAM DIRECTOR.
WHAT A GREAT EVENT, AND WHAT A SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM THAT HAS TURNED OUT TO BE.
THAT WAS A GREAT CELEBRATION, AND THEN ON THE SECOND ATTENDED THE OUR GAY PRIDE EVENT AT TILDEN EEC WITH DIRECTOR ECHOLS. GREAT FUN, GREAT FUN.
LOVED THE PARADE WITH THE GOATS, AND THEN, AND THEN WE'RE HERE TODAY.
THANK YOU. GREAT DIRECTOR MERCURIO.
YES. HAVING SPENT TEN DAYS IN MAINE, I DIDN'T REALLY HAVE TOO MUCH GOING ON, BUT I DID MANAGE TO GO TO THE BOARD MEETING LAST TIME AND THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, AND THAT IS MY REPORT. THANK YOU.
I JUST HAVE ONE ITEM TO SPEAK OF AND THAT IS LAST SATURDAY.
IT WAS THE CITY OF SAN LEANDRO WAS HAVING ITS HAVING ITS WHAT CAN I CALL IT?
[03:55:01]
IT'S CHERRY FESTIVAL.YES. THANK YOU. YES, I KNOW IT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH CHERRIES.
THE CHERRY FESTIVAL, AND IT'S AN ANNUAL EVENT THAT SAN LEANDRO HAS.
IT'S A DISCUSSION OF THE HISTORY OF THE CITY WHERE MANY YEARS BACK THERE WERE PARADES AND THE GIVE OUT OF CHERRIES TO EVERYBODY WHO'S THERE AT THE PARK, AND THE VARIOUS DIFFERENT WHAT CAN I SAY, THE VARIOUS DIFFERENT WHAT'S THE WORD I'M LOOKING FOR? THE PEOPLE WHO PUT TOGETHER THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE SIT IN HE PARADE, THE FLOATS FOR THE CHERRY FESTIVAL PARADE TO CELEBRATE THE CHERRIES BEING GROWN IN THE SAN LEANDRO AREA.
SO HISTORICALLY, THIS LAST SATURDAY WAS WAS THE HISTORY OF THAT, AND ALTHOUGH WE'RE NOT A PLACE WHERE ALL THE CHERRIES ARE GROWN IN THE AREA BOXES AND BOXES OF CHERRIES ARE FOR SALE DURING THAT, THAT DAY, AND SO MANY PEOPLE COME BACK AND TALK ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE CITY OF SAN LEANDRO, AND IT WAS REALLY A FABULOUS DAY, AND THAT WAS LAST SATURDAY, AND THAT'S THE ONLY ITEM I WILL BE TALKING ABOUT.
THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, DIRECTOR WAESPI.
LOTS OF GREAT LEARNING SESSIONS, LOTS OF GREAT PEOPLE TO NETWORK WITH.
SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS WERE OUR REGIONAL PARKS.
SO WE CERTIFIED OUR LIFEGUARD STAFF.
THREE OF OUR LIFEGUARDS WENT UP THERE AND TRAINED SOME OLD FOLKS LIKE ME WHO HAVE TAKEN CPR ALL THEIR LIVES AND THEN FOUND OUT, HEY, I HAVEN'T DONE IT IN EIGHT YEARS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO WE ALL GOT RECERTIFIED AND LEARNED A LOT AND GOT CERTIFICATIONS, AND IT WAS A GREAT EVENT.
MADAM PRESIDENT, I'LL PRESENT THIS TO YOU, AND YOU CAN PUT THIS ON YOUR WALL FOR ONE YEAR, AND THEN YOU GOT TO PASS IT TO ELLEN, AND PROBABLY, WELL, NOT MORE IMPORTANTLY, BUT AS IMPORTANTLY, WE WERE ABLE TO HONOR A WOMAN NAMED PRISCILLA O'MEARA, AND PRISCILLA HAS WORKED FOR THE PARK DISTRICT FOR 30 YEARS, AND SHE'S WORKS WITH THE VOLUNTEER.
SHE WAS PRESENTED AS VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR.
THEY DO A REAL NICE BIOGRAPHY OF HER AND HONOR HER AT A DINNER, AND SHE'S VOLUNTEERED FOR 35 YEARS AS A HORSE PATROL PERSON TRAINING OTHER.
I ATTENDED ON MAY 28TH, THE ASD ONE ON ONE.
THANKS, KEN AND YOUR STAFF FOR ALL THE GREAT INFORMATION.
YESTERDAY I TOOK MY ONE ON ONE.
I JUST NOTICED TODAY THAT IT WAS ON SOCIAL MEDIA FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
GREAT. THANK YOU. YEAH, I'M GOING TO KEEP IT SHORT TODAY.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVD THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MAY 29TH.
DEE ALREADY GAVE A PRETTY GOOD SUMMARY, AND I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT FOR TODAY.
I TOO ATTENDED THE CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REC AND PARK DISTRICTS ON MAY 22ND THROUGH THE 24TH.
I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO ADD TO THE HIGHLIGHTS THAT DIRECTOR WAESPI MENTIONED.
THERE WAS A PRESENTATION BY PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS ASSOCIATED WITH LOCAL PARKS UP THERE HAVING TO DO WITH ACTIVE CRIME SITUATIONS, INCLUDING ACTIVE SHOOTER SITUATIONS.
[04:00:04]
THERE WAS A PRESENTATION ON RISK MANAGEMENT FROM THE GOVERNANCE PERSPECTIVE ON HOW TO APPROACH RISK MANAGEMENT ISSUES THAT GET TO THE BOARD LEVEL, AND THERE WAS A PRESENTATION DURING ONE OF THE LUNCHEONS ON THE CURRENT LEGISLATIVE AGENDA OF THE OF CARPET AND THE SPECIAL DISTRICTS GENERALLY IN SACRAMENTO, AND AN EVENING RECEPTION WITH ASSEMBLYMEMBER LORI WILSON, WHOSE DISTRICT OVERLAPS A BIT WITH MINE UP IN OAKLEY.SO I APPRECIATED THAT PRESENTATION AS AN OBSERVER.
ON THE 31ST, I ATTENDED THE CONTRA COSTA BAR ASSOCIATION'S PORT CHICAGO TASK FORCE.
ON THE FIRST WITH THE DIRECTOR OSARIO.
YES NEIGHBORS TO NEIGHBORHOODS THEIR 25TH ANNIVERSARY DOWN AT SAN PABLO HARBOR NEXT DOOR TO POINT MOLATE, AND I SHOULD ALSO MENTION DEE THAT THE PARK DISTRICT WAS AWARDED AN AWARD AS THEIR LONG TERM PARTNER FOR THE RICHMOND RANGERS ADVENTURE CREW PROGRAM.
SO A BUNCH OF US GOT TO GET UP AND ACCEPT THAT AWARD ON BEHALF OF THE PARK DISTRICT IN PARTICULAR IT WAS ACCEPTED BY MELISSA FOWLKES OF OUR TILDEN NATURALISTS FOR HER LEADERSHIP ON THE RICHMOND RANGERS PROGRAM, AND AS I MENTIONED EARLIER ON THIS PAST SUNDAY MEAL AND I SPENT THE WHOLE DAY AS PARK AMBASSADORS TABLING AT THE HERCULES CULTURAL FESTIVAL, WHICH, AGAIN, HAS BECOME SOMETHING THAT WAS ORIGINALLY A CELEBRATION OF MY HOMETOWN'S, MY SMALL HOMETOWN'S CULTURAL DIVERSITY THAT HAS MUSHROOMED REALLY INTO A TRULY EAST BAY EVENT GETTING UP TO 5000 PEOPLE A YEAR NOW AT THE ANNUAL EVENT, AND VERY MUCH ENJOYED THE OPPORTUNITY TO REPRESENT THE PARK DISTRICT AT THIS TABLE AND TALK TO LITERALLY, PROBABLY 150 OR SO PEOPLE ON, ON THE PARK DISTRICT.
SO ON THE 23RD I ALSO ATTENDED THE ALDER AND LEATHERWOOD CREEK RESTORATION AND EASTPORT STAGING AREA, RIBBON CUTTING.
VERY GREAT TO OPEN THAT PROPERTY OFFICIALLY AND AS ALL OF YOU KNOW, EVERYONE WHO'S STILL HERE, IT IS A BEAUTIFUL SPOT AND REALLY, REALLY GREAT TO SEE IT FULLY RESTORED AND NOW OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. ON THE 2ND OF JUNE, I PARTICIPATED IN PRIDE IN THE PARK, AND THAT WAS ALSO A VERY JOYOUS, FUN EVENT AND REALLY GREAT THAT WE COULD HOST THAT AGAIN THIS YEAR AND ALSO THIS YEAR CELEBRATE BOTH PRIDE AND OUR 90TH ANNIVERSARY.
YESTERDAY ATTENDED THE PRE BOARD MEETING, AND THEN IN WRAPPING UP I WANT TO THANK DENNIS FOR THE ROBERTS POOL COMPLEX AWARD OF DISTINCTION WHICH I WILL PUT IT ON MY WALL FOR A YEAR AND THEN PASS IT ON TO THE NEXT.
MY DAUGHTER ACTUALLY LOVES THE ROBERTS POOL COMPLEX AS SHE ASKS ME ALL THE TIME.
WHEN CAN WE GO BACK THERE? YEAH, SHE'S ANXIOUS TO GO SWIMMING, SO YEAH, AND FINALLY AND REALLY, SADLY AS DENNIS ALREADY MENTIONED, THAT TODAY MARKS THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF OUR TWO FALLEN OFFICERS WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN A HELICOPTER ACCIDENT ON JUNE 4TH, 1974.
OFFICER KENNETH SCOTTY MCGREGOR AND OFFICER PAUL GEORGE WERE KILLED WHEN THEIR HELICOPTER CRASHED INTO THE CARQUINEZ STRAIT NEAR CROCKETT, CALIFORNIA. THE OFFICERS WERE OUT ON ROUTINE PATROL AND WERE HEADING TOWARDS POINT PINOLE REGIONAL PARK WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED.
[04:05:05]
DAY. SO WE WILL ADJOURN THIS EVENING IN THEIR HONOR, AND WITH THAT, I WILL SAY THAT THE MEETING OF JUNE 4TH, 2024 IS NOW ADJOURNED AT 5:42 P.M..OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR JUNE 18TH, 2024.
THANKS, EVERYBODY.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.