[00:00:01]
YES. YES.[CLOSED SESSION]
THIS IS THE CLOSED SESSION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT ON OCTOBER 1ST, BEGINNING AT 11:02 A.M..[ROLL CALL]
MADAM CLERK, CAN YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? YES. GOOD MORNING, DIRECTOR COFFEY.HERE. GENERAL MANAGER LANDRETH.
HERE, AND GENERAL COUNSEL BOURGAULT.
MADAM CLERK, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THE CLOSED SESSION AGENDA ITEMS TODAY?
[PUBLIC COMMENT ON CLOSED SESSION AGENDA ITEMS]
NO, WE DO NOT PRESIDENT ECHOLS.GREAT. WELL, IN THAT CASE, IF THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS OR ANNOUNCEMENTS, WE CAN MOVE TO CLOSED
[CLOSED SESSION ITEMS]
SESSION. THANK YOU.OKAY. WELL GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE, AND WE APOLOGIZE FOR THE DELAYED START.
SOMEBODY'S MIC IS OPEN OTHER THAN MINE.
[ROLL CALL]
MADAM CLERK, CAN YOU PLEASE TAKE THE ROLL? YES, PRESIDENT ECHOLS.HERE. GENERAL MANAGER LANDRETH.
HERE. GENERAL COUNSEL BOURGAULT.
WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE? PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL, AND
[LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT]
, DIRECTOR ROSARIO, CAN YOU LEAD US IN THE LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT, PLEASE.SHE REVISED OUR LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT INDIGENOUS CULTURE IS NOT THE SAME ACROSS LANDS AND ECOSYSTEMS. EACH IS AS UNIQUE AS THE LAND ITSELF.
SINCE TIME IMMEMORIAL, THE OHLONE PEOPLES HAVE AND DO LIVE IN RECIPROCITY AND RELATIONSHIP WITH NATURE UNDERSTANDING THE SEASONS AND CYCLES OF THE NATURAL WORLD. MANAGING RESOURCES FUNDAMENTAL FOR SURVIVAL, AND IMPORTANT TO CULTURAL PRACTICES, ALL WHILE PASSING DOWN THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE OF READING AND TENDING TO THE NATURAL WORLD.
PLEASE STAND WITH ME IN EXTENDING GRATITUDE TO THE ANCESTORS, ELDERS AND RELATIVES OF THE LOCAL CHOCHENYO SPEAKING OHLONE PEOPLES, AS WELL AS ALL THE INDEPENDENT FIRST NATIONS PEOPLES.
WE HONOR WITH GRATITUDE THE LAND ITSELF, THE WILDLIFE LIVING WITH WITHIN THIS LAND, AND THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE STEWARDED IT SINCE TIME IMMEMORIAL AND WHO CONTINUE TO REMAIN DEEPLY CONNECTED TO IT TODAY.
BEFORE I ASK FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA, I'M GOING TO SUGGEST THAT WE MOVE THE PUBLIC
[APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
COMMENTS OF ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA BEFORE THE SPECIAL PRESENTATION, BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND WE ONLY HAVE TWO SUCH COMMENTS.MOVED BY DIRECTOR ROSARIO AND SECONDED BY.
[LAUGHTER] I JUST HEARD COMING FROM OVER THERE.
YEAH. OKAY, SO MOTION MADE BY DIRECTOR MERCURIO AND SECONDED BY DIRECTOR WAESPI.
WAS THAT DIRECTOR WAESPI? OKAY, GOOD.
MADAM CLERK, CAN YOU PLEASE TAKE THE ROLL? YES, PRESIDENT ECHOLS DIRECTOR COFFEY.
[00:05:01]
AYE. DIRECTOR MERCURIO.OKAY, SO BEFORE WE OPEN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA.
[PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA]
MADAM CLERK, CAN YOU PLEASE EXPLAIN TO EVERYONE HOW TO SUBMIT PUBLIC COMMENTS? YES. PRESIDENT ECHOLS, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT CAN DO SO BY SUBMITTING AN EMAIL, LEAVING A VOICEMAIL, OR COMMENTING IN PERSON AT THE PODIUM.ANY EMAILS THAT HAVE COME IN AFTER THIS DATE WILL WILL BE PROVIDED TO THE BOARD AFTER THE MEETING.
AND WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT IN THE ROOM.
RENEE PATTERSON, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES, MA'AM.
THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD MEMBERS.
I'M HERE. MY NAME IS RENEE PATTERSON.
I'M AN ADMIN ANALYST TWO IN THE OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT FOR BUSINESS SERVICES, AND I'M HERE TODAY TO REMIND YOU THAT WE HAVE A PERBS FILING OUT THERE.
AFSCME FILED AN UNFAIR PRACTICE CHARGE ON AUGUST 26TH, 2022, AND THE CHARGE WAS FOR BAD FAITH BARGAINING, INTERFERENCE, DIRECT DEALING, AND UNILATERAL IMPLEMENTATION.
SO THIS FILING IS WITH THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA PUBLIC EMPLOYEE BOARD, WHICH APPARENTLY TAKES A LONG, LONG, LONG TIME TO GO THROUGH THEIR FILINGS OR TO HAVE ANY JUDGMENT.
SO I'M JUST GOING TO KEEP COMING AND REMINDING YOU, COMING TO THE BOARD MEETINGS AND REMINDING YOU THAT WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR SOMETHING, SOME HINT THAT SOMETHING IS HAPPENING WITH THIS.
OKAY. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ACTUALLY ON ZOOM, SO JUST GIVE ME A SECOND TO PULL HIM OVER.
MR. DYSON, YOU NEED TO ACCEPT THAT PANELIST.
THERE YOU GO. SIR, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, AND CAN YOU SEE ME? I CAN SEE THE BOARD.
OKAY. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES AND.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD DIRECTLY.
I SPOKE TO YOU LAST LAST YEAR, AND JUST TO RECAP WHAT I'M HERE ABOUT WAS ON JULY 12, 2023 AN EMPLOYEE WENT INTO THE CAMPGROUND, TOOK MY TENT, THREW IT IN THE BACK OF A TRUCK, DROVE IT TO THE SERVICES CENTER, WENT THROUGH MY TENT, THREW IT BACK IN THE TRUCK, THREW IT BACK IN MY CAMPGROUND AND DROVE AWAY.
I ARRIVED BACK AT MY CAMPSITE NEAR DUSK AND MY TENT WAS IN A PILE.
POLES WERE BENT AND BROKEN LINES WERE CUT.
I THOUGHT, WELL, WE HAD A BIG WINDSTORM.
THE NEXT. SO THAT WAS LATE AT NIGHT.
SO THEN THE NEXT MORNING I WENT AROUND AND ASKED ABOUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED, AND OTHER CAMPERS TOLD ME, YOU KNOW, THAT THE PARK STAFF HAD TAKEN MY TENT AND THEN RETURNED IT. SO I WENT TO THE OFFICE, AND THAT PRETTY MUCH KICKED OFF THIS PROCESS.
SO JUST TO BE QUICK IN 2023, I SENT YOU ALL 26 EMAILS AND APPEARED ONCE OR TWICE, AND THEN IN 2024.
SO FAR, I'VE SENT YOU 22 EMAILS, EACH TIME ASKING FOR PAYMENT.
ONLY RECENTLY WAS ANY PROGRESS MADE WITH REGARDS TO THAT.
[00:10:06]
AND I DIDN'T IF I WAS GOING TO GO DOWN THAT DOWN THAT PATH, I WOULD WANT TO INVOKE LEGAL COUNSEL, AND SINCE EAST BAY WAS, YOU KNOW, PUTTING ME IN THAT POSITION, I THOUGHT THAT THEY SHOULD COMPENSATE ME FOR THAT, AS WELL AS ALL THE OTHER INCONVENIENCES THEY CAUSED ME. ANYWAYS THE BREAKING POINT THAT RECENTLY OCCURRED WAS I POINTED OUT THE TOPIC OF ECONOMIC DURESS, AND THIS IS THE PRACTICE OF WITHHOLDING PAYMENT TO COMPEL THE SIGNING OF RELEASE FORMS RAISES SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS.SPECIFICALLY, IT CAN BE CHARACTERIZED AS ECONOMIC DURESS, A FORM OF COERCION WHERE THE PARTY IS PRESSURED TO AGREE TO TERMS UNDER THREAT OF FINANCIAL. YOU HAVE 30 SECONDS, SIR.
23. SO ANYWAYS, I JUST WANTED TO BE SURE THAT THE BOARD WAS AWARE OF THIS PRACTICE.
I WOULD SUGGEST THAT THIS NOT, YOU KNOW, FOR OTHERS WHO COME AFTER ME WHO ARE UNFORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE THE EXPERIENCE I'VE HAD, THAT THIS PRACTICE OF ECONOMIC DURESS AKA RELEASE FORM NOT BE PRACTICED, AND I WILL BE FOLLOWING UP THIS WITH A LETTER TO THE BOARD SUMMARIZING WHERE I AM TODAY.
THAT'S YOUR TIME, MR. DYSON. I DON'T HAVE ANY INTENTION OF CASHING YOUR CHECK AT THIS TIME.
WE DO NOT HAVE ANY MORE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
[SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS]
REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE CALIFORNIA STATE HORSEMEN ASSOCIATION, REGION FIVE, AND OTHERS WHO ARE HERE TODAY.AND I UNDERSTAND THE ASSOCIATION LED A COMMUNITY DRIVEN EFFORT TO RECOGNIZE EQUESTRIAN TRAIL RIDING ON PUBLIC LANDS OKAY. OH.
SOMEONE ELSE IS TALKING. OKAY.
YEAH. SO THEY LED A COMMUNITY DRIVEN EFFORT TO RECOGNIZE EQUESTRIAN TRAIL RIDING ON PUBLIC LANDS AND ACKNOWLEDGE THE HISTORICAL PRESENCE OF THE EQUESTRIAN COMMUNITY THRIVING WITHIN THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT.
THIS EFFORT IS ILLUSTRATED IN A PETITION SIGNED BY 162 REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE EQUESTRIAN COMMUNITY WHO STEWARD AND ENJOY EAST BAY'S BRIDLE TRAILS. I'D LIKE TO EXTEND APPRECIATION IN PARTICULAR TO AMELIA MARSHALL, WHO LED THIS EFFORT, AND AT THIS TIME, BRENDA MONTANO IS GOING TO COME UP.
THANK YOU, PRESIDENT ECHOLS AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I'M GOING TO TRY TO BE AS BRIEF AS POSSIBLE.
I DID PRACTICE AND WAS A LITTLE CONCERNED FOR THE TIME, BUT WE'LL SEE HOW WE GO HERE.
JUST SETTING UP THE PRESENTATION.
AND I REALLY DID THINK A LOT ABOUT ALL OF THEM THAT I SEE EVEN DAILY.
I WORK OUT AT THE TRUDEAU CENTER.
SO REINHARDT REDWOOD IS MY FRONT YARD, AND I ENJOY SEEING THE HORSES THAT I DO GET TO SEE NEAR PIEDMONT STABLES AND SKYLINE RANCH.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE VOLUNTEERS THAT ARE AT THE ARCHIVES DEPARTMENT, AND SOME OF YOU KNOW WHO THEY ARE, BUT I DID WANT TO RECOGNIZE AMELIA MARSHALL ONCE AGAIN FOR ALL OF HER RESEARCH THAT SHE'S CONDUCTED, AS WELL AS A WEEKLY COMING TO OUR VOLUNTEER WORKDAYS AND HELPING WITH THE FILES, AND IN MOST PARTICULARLY, MAKING SURE THAT THE EQUESTRIAN HISTORY IS THERE IN OUR ARCHIVES RECORDS.
[00:15:02]
RICHARD LANG'S ALSO TOO, PROVIDED A LOT OF INFORMATION FOR ME.HE IS A VOLUNTEER AT THE ARCHIVES, AND BOTH OF THEM HAVE WRITTEN BOOKS ABOUT THE HISTORY, AND THEY WERE THEIR INFORMATION WAS VERY HELPFUL.
SO SINCE OUR 90TH ANNIVERSARY, I WANTED TO START OUT WITH THE PARK DISTRICT'S GRAND OPENING DAY, WHICH WAS OCTOBER 18, 1936, AND WE HAD IT AT THE REDWOOD BOWL.
SO IT WAS GREAT TO GO OUT TO THE REDWOOD, REVEAL TO SEE THE BOWL AGAIN, AND ACTUALLY SEE A PICTURE LIKE THIS AND THE REDWOOD BOWL, AND HOW MUCH WORK THEY MUST HAVE DONE TO CONVERT THE BOWL INTO THIS CELEBRATION, BUT TO POINT OUT THAT THE SECOND IN THE AGENDA THERE WAS THE EAST BAY RIDING CLUB'S AT THAT TIME, THERE WERE ABOUT NINE RIDING ACADEMIES VERY INTERESTED IN SEEING THE PARKS OPEN.
SO THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE INTERESTED IN EQUESTRIAN ACCESS TO THE PARK DISTRICT.
IN 1940 ALBERT VAIL, WHO WAS THE GENERAL MANAGER AT THE TIME, HE WORKED ON A MASTER PLAN FOR THE PARK DISTRICT, AND THEY WERE DOING SOME SURVEYS, AND THEY REALIZED THAT THEY REALLY NEEDED TO DEVELOP MULTI-USE TRAILS.
THEY ACTUALLY CONSIDERED A 4 TO 1 RATIO OF MULTI-USE TRAILS, AND THAT WAS TO REALLY ACCOMMODATE EQUESTRIAN RIDERS. SO DURING THIS TIME AS WELL, IT WAS STILL KIND OF RURAL UP IN THE HILLS AND THERE WERE MULTIPLE STABLES THAT WERE SPOTTED AROUND REDWOOD ROAD AND OTHER AREAS IN BERKELEY, BUT THOSE RANCHERS AND AND PEOPLE WHO WERE RIDING HORSES AT THE TIME REALLY GOT INVOLVED WITH SUPPORTING THE PARK DISTRICT.
THERE'S A PICTURE OF HIM AT THE DEDICATION OF HIS TRAIL.
SO HE WAS A GROCER, BUT HE WAS DEFINITELY SOMEBODY WHO LOVED HORSES AND TRAIL RIDING.
HE BUILT THE PIEDMONT STABLES THAT'S IN REINHARDT REDWOOD, AND ALSO TOO, THERE'S ON THE LEFT IS PARK DISTRICT GENERAL MANAGER RICHARD WALPOLE HAS ON THE HORSES THERE ON THE OTHER PHOTO THE LEFT THERE AND THE PARK DISTRICT STAFF, AS WELL AS BOARD MEMBERS, THERE'S JOHN MACDONALD ON THE FAR RIGHT IN THAT PHOTO.
DEFINITELY WERE USED HORSES TO SURVEY THE LAND, AND SO IT DEFINITELY WAS SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE WERE INVOLVED IN.
NEXT ONE, AND SO CLAUD BRANDON HE OWNS SKYLINE RANCH, AND HE WAS JUST A PRETTY WELL LOVED PERSON.
HE HAS A TRAIL NAMED AFTER HIM IN ANTHONY CHABOT REGIONAL PARK.
BACK THEN, IT WAS CALLED GRASS VALLEY.
YOU'LL SEE THE PICTURE ON THE LEFT.
THAT WAS THE OPENING DAY IN 1952.
I WOULD SAY, I MEAN, WE DIDN'T HAVE VERY MANY DEDICATIONS BACK IN THE EARLY 40S AND 50S, BUT WE DEFINITELY INVITED THE EQUESTRIAN COMMUNITY TO BRING THEIR HORSES FOR THOSE EVENTS.
CLAUD BRANDON WAS A REGULAR USER OF THE TRAILS, AND WHEN THEY DEDICATED GRASS VALLEY, THEY DID DEDICATE A TRAIL NAMED AFTER HIM, AND IT WAS A TRAIL THAT HE ACTUALLY USED EVERY DAY BETWEEN SKYLINE RANCH AND GETTING OVER TO GRASS VALLEY.
[00:20:01]
I ALSO WANTED TO INCLUDE WOMEN RIDERS.THERE WERE ACTUALLY ACADEMIES AND RIDING SCHOOLS LED BY WOMEN EQUESTRIANS, AND TWO OF THEM HERE, BEATRICE GRAHAM, WHO RAN THE MISS BEATRICE GRAHAM'S RIDING ACADEMY, DID BRING A WAS VERY INTERESTED IN SUPPORTING THE TRAILS DEVELOPMENT IN TILDEN PARK AND LATER MOVED TO REINHARDT REDWOOD.
AND THAT BECAME THE SKYLINE RANCH OR PIEDMONT STABLES AND THEN MRS. JOHN CAPRIOLA ALSO ANOTHER VERY EARLY SHE'S ON THE RIGHT HAND PHOTO AND RIDING THE HORSE ON THE RIGHT THERE. SHE ALSO HAD A RIDING CLUB AND A LOT OF THESE EARLY EQUESTRIANS I ALSO FOUND THEIR NAMES IN THE LIST OF A THOUSAND WHICH WAS THE OLMSTED HALL REPORT, THE FIRST PLAN FOR THE PROPOSING OF THE PARK DISTRICT, AND SO SOME OF THEIR NAMES ARE IN THAT LIST OF 1000.
SO THEY WERE DEFINITELY ALSO ADVOCATING FOR A PARK DISTRICT AT THE TIME, AND THEN WE'LL GO INTO OUR EARLY CONCESSIONS.
ONE THAT WAS STAYED FOR A VERY LONG TIME WAS THE PONY RIDE AT TILDEN PARK.
IT WAS THERE FROM 1948 TO 2005.
IN THE 1970S, THERE WAS A CONCESSIONAIRE REPORT THAT SAID IT WAS OVER 700,000 RIDERS THAT YEAR WHICH I THINK IS PRETTY INCREDIBLE FOR THAT TIME AND THE INTEREST IN CHILDREN'S INTEREST IN RIDING HORSES, AND I WILL SAY, I WAS VERY OBSESSED WITH PONY RIDES AS WELL WHEN I WAS A KID.
SO AND OF COURSE, THERE WAS A PONY RIDE AT ROBERTS.
THERE WAS A BIG TRANSITION IN ROBERTS IN THE 60S.
THEY WANTED TO MOVE OUT A LOT OF THE CONCESSIONS AND OTHER DEVELOPMENTS, BUT WE DID START OUT WITH A PONY RIDE AT ROBERTS.
AND THEN IN THE 1970S THE PARK DISTRICT ENDEAVORED INTO BUILDING ITS FIRST STABLE AND EQUESTRIAN CENTER, WHICH WAS THE ANTHONY CHABOT EQUESTRIAN CENTER, AND THE PHOTO ON THE LEFT IS WILLIAM PENN MOTT JR.
HE'S THE ONE TOWARDS THE LEFT.
LEFT? HE WAS THE STATE PARKS DIRECTOR AT THE TIME CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS, BUT HE WAS ALSO THE FORMER GENERAL MANAGER OF THE PARK DISTRICT, AND THEN THERE'S RICHARD TRUDEAU AND CHARLIE WHITE WHO'S STANDING NEXT TO THEM, AND IT WAS A PARTNERSHIP.
IT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE EQUESTRIANS TO BUILD SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE FOR THE EQUESTRIAN COMMUNITY IN THE PARK DISTRICT.
SO THAT WAS A SIGNIFICANT PLACE, AND AN INTERESTING NOTE IS THAT THE BUILDING WAS DESIGNED BY IRWIN LUCKMAN WHO ALSO DESIGNED THE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER AT TILDEN, AND THEN THE PHOTO THE RIGHT IS JUST A FUN HISTORICAL PHOTO.
THIS IS IN ONE OF AMELIA MARSHALL'S BOOKS.
THIS IS THE SKYLINE RANCH, AND IN BEHIND IS THE LORIMER'S RIDING ACADEMY, AND THIS WOULD BE JUST OFF THE INTERSECTION OF SKYLINE BOULEVARD AND REDWOOD ROAD, AND NOW IT'S STILL SKYLINE RANCH THERE.
I BELIEVE THAT AREA AS AN EQUESTRIAN CENTER HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE 1928.
SO IT'S BEEN THERE FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
OKAY. I WOULD BE REMISS WITHOUT MENTIONING GEORGE CARDINET AND HULET HORNBECK.
BOTH OF THEM WERE SIGNIFICANT ADVOCATES FOR TRAILS AND DEVELOPING TRAILS IN THE REGIONAL PARKS.
GEORGE CARDINET MET HULET HORNBECK IN THE 1960S, AND THEIR PARTNERSHIP, THEIR ADVOCACY FIRST GOT THEM STATE ATTENTION BUT THEN GREW TO A NATIONAL LEVEL.
GEORGE CARDINET WAS SOMEONE WHO WAS ADVOCATING FOR TRAILS SINCE THE 1940S.
[00:25:01]
I THOUGHT IT WAS FUN TO FIND OUT THAT HE WAS BORN IN 1909 AND GREW UP IN OAKLAND RUNNING A CANDY STORE BUT IT WASN'T UNTIL HIS ADULT LIFE THAT HE STARTED GETTING INTO EQUESTRIAN RIDING AND THE TRAILS.SO HULET HORNBECK, GEORGE CARDINET AND A WOMAN NAMED VEE O'BYRNE GOT TOGETHER IN THE 60S AND THE 70S TO CREATE THE NATIONAL TRAILS COUNCIL.
IT'S NOW CALLED THE AMERICAN TRAILS, BUT THROUGH THAT COUNCIL AND THEIR ADVOCACY THEY WERE ABLE TO DEVELOP MULTIPLE TRAILS ACROSS ALAMEDA AND CONTRA COSTA COUNTY.
SO SOME OF THOSE TRAILS ARE THE CALIFORNIA HIKING AND RIDING TRAIL IN CARQUINEZ STRAIT THE CONTRA COSTA CANAL TRAIL, THE LAFAYETTE-MORAGA TRAIL, THE SKYLINE NATIONAL TRAIL, AND THE DE ANZA NATIONAL TRAIL.
THERE WERE ALSO SOME REGIONAL TRAILS LIKE BRIONES TO MOUNT DIABLO THAT THEY WERE ALSO.
GEORGE CARDINET WAS VERY INVOLVED WITH, AND I SHOULD SAY THAT HE WAS A VERY EARLY MEMBER OF THE CALIFORNIA HORSEMAN'S ASSOCIATION, AND I SHOULD MENTION, IF NOBODY KNOWS WHO HULET HORNBECK WAS, HE WORKED IN OUR LAND ACQUISITION DEPARTMENT.
HE WAS THE LAND CHIEF FROM 1965 TO 1985, AND HE'S ON A HORSE, WHICH IS ONE OF OUR ONLY PICTURES OF HIM ON A HORSE, WHICH I THINK WAS PRETTY COOL.
AND ANOTHER NOTABLE EQUESTRIAN THAT HAS SOMETHING NAMED AFTER THEM IN OUR PARKS IS ES ANDERSON, AND THERE'S THE ES ANDERSON EQUESTRIAN GROUP CAMP IN TILDEN.
THAT WAS NAMED IN THE YEAR 2000.
IT IS THAT CAMP LOCATION IN TILDEN.
THERE WERE A FEW OTHER CAMP LOCATIONS, BUT TILDEN WAS A VERY POPULAR PLACE FOR AN OVERNIGHT CAMPING FOR EQUESTRIANS, AND IT REALLY SUPPORTED A BENEFIT RIDE THAT EQUESTRIANS DID EVERY YEAR, AND THAT WAS TO RAISE FUNDS FOR THE BAY AREA RIDGE TRAIL.
ES ANDERSON WAS A VOLUNTEER THAT PARTICIPATED IN THAT FOR YEARS, AND SHE WAS ALSO SHE ALSO VOLUNTEERED AT THE REGIONAL PARKS BOTANIC GARDEN.
I SHOULD ALSO MENTION SHE HELPED ESTABLISH THE EAST BAY AREA TRAILS COUNCIL.
OKAY. SO WE ALSO WANTED TO MENTION, AND THIS IS I'M ACTUALLY COPYING A LOT OF WHAT AMELIA MARSHALL HAS PRESENTED TO LIKE THE VOLUNTEER TRAIL SAFETY PATROL AND OTHER HISTORIC ORGANIZATIONS, BUT THIS IS KIND OF FUN.
THESE WERE THESE PICTURES ARE TWO OF THE FIRST VOLUNTEER PATROL RANGERS AT THE PARK DISTRICT.
THE PARK DISTRICT DID NOT HAVE A PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT.
IT DID NOT HAVE POLICE, BUT WHAT THEY HAD WERE VOLUNTEER PEOPLE WHO HAD HORSES WHO WOULD THEY ASKED TO HELP PATROL THE PARKS.
THEY WERE DEPUTIZED BY THE ALAMEDA COUNTY SHERIFFS.
AND NOTABLE HERE IS LLOYD GRAHAM WHO PARTICIPATED IN THAT? HE RECALLS HAVING A BADGE AND A PAIR OF HANDCUFFS AND A PISTOL TO HELP PATROL THE PARKS.
SO THE PARK DISTRICT DID NOT HAVE THEIR OWN HORSES, WHICH WAS PART OF WHY THEY WANTED THOSE RESOURCES, AND THE OTHER THING TOO IS IN THE ARCHIVES, IT'S REALLY NEAT THAT WE HAVE, LIKE, STUFF LIKE THE BADGE, THE RANGER BADGE, AND THAT WAS SIDNEY CHOWN'S.
HE WAS ALSO A VOLUNTEER RANGER, AND WE HAVE OTHER ITEMS LIKE THE PATCHES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THOSE ARE VERY COOL, AND SO IN 1970 WE BELIEVE IT WAS AROUND 1970 THAT THE PARK DISTRICT HIRED ITS FIRST PATROL RANGER.
I MEAN, HE EVENTUALLY BECAME OFFICER.
THERE WAS A BIG TRANSITION WHEN THEY FIRST STARTED HAVING A PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT.
[00:30:04]
POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT BECAME OFFICERS.WAS THE GENERAL MANAGER AT THE TIME AND REALLY WANTED TO ELEVATE THE PARK DISTRICT AND IN A NUMBER OF WAYS, AND HE BROUGHT IN NOT ONLY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT OTHER OTHER DEPARTMENTS AS WELL, THAT THE DISTRICT WAS STILL NOT HAVING OR THAT ALL THE RANGERS WERE DOING DIFFERENT THINGS. SO THAT WAS BRINGING IN A NATURALIST DEPARTMENT AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THEY HIRED THIS PERSON IN THE PICTURES HERE.
HARRY BRIZEE. HARRY BRIZEE WAS A POLICE OFFICER IN BERKELEY, POLICE OFFICER FOR ABOUT EIGHT YEARS BEFORE HE STARTED AT THE PARK DISTRICT . HE HAD HIS OWN HORSES AND HE KEPT THEM AT THE SKYLINE RANCH AND LATER AT THE ANTHONY CHABOT EQUESTRIAN CENTER, AND HE REALLY LIKED TO DRESS THE PART OF THE PATROL RANGER, AND HE WOULD WEAR THE CHAPS AND THE LASSO.
HE HAD A LASSO, BUT HE ALSO CARRIED A PISTOL AND A BADGE, BUT HE WAS DEFINITELY SOMEBODY WHO WAS VERY MUCH INTO THE PUBLIC RELATIONS OF MOUNTED PATROLS.
SO HE WAS SOMEBODY WHO SAW THAT HIS ROLE WAS NOT JUST TO BE OUT THERE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT, BUT HE REALLY FELT THAT HE WAS SOMEBODY THAT COULD BE SOMEBODY TO GIVE OUTREACH TO.
SO THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT THE PHOTO IS OF SOME UNION CITY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.
SO, THIS PICTURE IS IN HERE, AND WE DON'T KNOW THE NAMES OF THESE GENTLEMEN, BUT THEY WERE PATROL RANGERS, I BELIEVE THEY PROBABLY WERE IN THE RESERVE, WHICH MEANT THEY WERE SEASONAL AND MAYBE CAME IN DURING LIKE THE BUSY TIMES OF THE PARK DISTRICT, BUT DEFINITELY MORE EXAMPLES OF OF MOUNTED PATROL AT THE PARK DISTRICT, AND NOW MOVING INTO THE VOLUNTEER TRAIL SAFETY PATROLS, VOLUNTEER MOUNTED PATROL.
THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS THE FIRST VOLUNTEER PROGRAM FOR THE VOLUNTEER TRAIL SAFE PATROL WAS THE MOUNTED PATROL. THEIR ROLE WAS TO PATROL THE PARKS.
I'M NOT QUITE SURE HOW MUCH TRAINING THEY HAD INITIALLY, BUT I KNOW THAT I'VE SEEN VIDEOS RECENTLY OF THE AMOUNT OF TRAINING AND TESTING THAT THESE RIDERS AND THEIR HORSES HAVE TO PERFORM IN ORDER TO BE PART OF THE VOLUNTEER TRAIL SAFETY PATROL.
SO HERE'S SOME FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN IN THE VOLUNTEER TRAIL SAFETY PATROL, AND THAT'S THEOTIS BROWN.
HE WAS QUITE A CHARACTER AND HELPED EVERY YEAR WITH THE MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR MULTICULTURAL RALLY, AND THAT WAS WHEN THEY HAD A PARADE.
THE VOLUNTEER TRAIL SAFETY PATROL WAS A PROMINENT FEATURE OF THAT, AND THEN KATHY BALDWIN, ALSO, TOO, WAS AN EARLY VOLUNTEER TRAIL SAFETY PATROL MOUNTED PATROL PERSON, AND THEN JAMES MENDOZA, WHO'S IN THE MOUNTED PATROL NOW, AND I RECENTLY MET HIM AT THE GARIN APPLE FESTIVAL AGAIN.
IT'S JUST THE CENTER OF ATTENTION.
THEY LOVE SEEING THE HORSES AND HE HAS A UNIQUE RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS HORSES.
THEY DO KNOW HOW TO DO TRICKS, LAY DOWN AND KNEEL, AND IT'S JUST FUN TO SEE, AND THERE'S ABOUT 21 MOUNTED PATROL VOLUNTEERS CURRENTLY, AND THEN I'M GOING TO JUST TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT A COUPLE OF ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN THE THAT HAVE BEEN A PART OF THE PARK DISTRICT OR CONTINUE TO BE THESE ARE PHOTOGRAPHS OF AN EVENT THAT USED TO BE CALLED LOS CHARROS, AND THIS WAS THE ASSOCIATION DE CHARROS. IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF MY SPANGLISH THERE, BUT ASOCIACION DE CHARROS AND THE LEADER OF THAT IS SOMEBODY THAT I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN IN DEVELOPING MORE HISTORY OF BECAUSE HE HAD A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PARK DISTRICT VERY EARLY ON IN THE 70S.
AND HIS NAME WAS ABRAHAM AMADOR, AND WE HAVE PICTURES OF HIM IN THE ARCHIVES.
[00:35:05]
COMMUNITY. THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE 60S AND 70S.HE WAS ALSO KNOWN TO BE IN THE COMPANY OF CESAR CHAVEZ.
HE WAS HIGHLY RECOGNIZED AND RECEIVED NUMEROUS AWARDS, INCLUDING, UPON NEWS OF HIS PASSING IN 2000, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A HUMANITARIAN AWARD IN HIS NAME BY THE CITY OF OAKLEY.
ABRAHAM AMADOR APPROACHED THE PARK DISTRICT IN THE 70S TO TRY TO FIND A WAY TO BRING THE A PLACE FOR THE MEXICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY TO BE TOGETHER AND TO SHOWCASE THEIR HORSEMANSHIP IS MOST PARTICULARLY THE FARM WORKERS ASSOCIATION, AND SO THEY GATHERED AT THIS EVENT HAPPENED IN CONTRA LOMA.
THERE'S ACTUALLY A TRAIL IN CONTRA LOMA NAMED AFTER LOS CHARROS, AND SO A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT'S REFERRING TO. THEY THE LOS CHARROS ACTUALLY BUILT THE YOU'LL SEE THAT PICTURE THERE.
THERE WOULD BE DEMONSTRATIONS AND ROPING TECHNIQUES THERE VERY SIMILAR TO LIKE, A RODEO, AND THEY DID THAT ANNUALLY UNTIL THE YEAR 2000.
IT DID THE HORSE EVENT KIND OF DIED OFF AND THERE WAS MORE OF A FIESTA DAYS THAT THEY HAD, BUT THEY DID TRY TO KEEP IT ALIVE ANNUALLY.
IT IS SOMETHING THAT THE ARCHIVES DEPARTMENT IS VERY INTERESTED IN DEVELOPING MORE STORIES AROUND LOS CHARROS, BECAUSE SOME OF THE DESCENDANTS AND THE PEOPLE WHO WERE INVOLVED WITH THIS ARE STILL ALIVE, AND WE FEEL LIKE IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO DEVELOP MORE HISTORY AROUND ABRAHAM AMADOR AND HIS HIS ASSOCIATION WITH THE PARK DISTRICT, AND THERE'S ALSO THE OAKLAND BLACK COWBOY ASSOCIATION, AND THERE'S OTHER THERE'S DEFINITELY SO MANY OTHER COWBOY ASSOCIATIONS AND HORSEMEN'S ASSOCIATIONS INVOLVED WITH THE DISTRICT AND USE THE PARK DISTRICT LANDS, BUT THE BLACK COWBOY ASSOCIATION THEY WERE VERY INVOLVED WITH THE VOLUNTEER TRAIL SAFETY PATROL AND THE MOUNTED PATROL, AND THIS IS JUST A FEW PEOPLE.
BENNIE THEUS, STEVE KIDD AND DUKE MOUTON THAT'S A PICTURE OF HIM THERE.
NEXT IS WHAT'S GOING ON CURRENTLY? AND I KNOW JUDY MARTIN IS HERE.
AND WE DID WANT TO RECOGNIZE ONE OF THE PROGRAMS THAT'S GOING ON CURRENTLY.
THIS IS AT THE SKYLINE RANCH PIEDMONT AND PIEDMONT STABLES.
THESE ARE PHOTOGRAPHS OF A PROGRAM CALLED THE REDWOOD HILLS PONY CLUB, AND IT IS A GREAT PROGRAM THAT OFFERS OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHILDREN OF ALL COLOR TO PARTICIPATE IN, IN EQUESTRIAN RIDING AND TAKING CARE OF THE HORSES.
THIS PROGRAM IS ONGOING AND IT CURRENTLY IS PRETTY WELL ATTENDED.
SO CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT, AND THEN TODAY OUR PUBLIC SAFETY MOUNTED PATROL, I JUST HAD TO JUST INCLUDE PICTURES OF THE MOUNTED PATROL WITH CHILDREN AROUND BECAUSE AND FAMILIES AND AND EVENTS BECAUSE, I MEAN, THAT'S HOW WELL LOVED THEY ARE.
EVERY TIME THEY SHOW UP, EITHER AT EVENTS AND I'M SURE IT MUST BE PRETTY IMPRESSIVE TO RUN ACROSS THEM ON THE TRAILS, INCLUDING THE VOLUNTEER MOUNTED PATROL, AND THIS IS THE MOUNTED PATROL THAT THE PARK DISTRICT HAS IS THE ONLY MOUNTED UNIT IN ALAMEDA AND CONTRA
[00:40:01]
COSTA COUNTIES.WHAT'S REALLY COOL IS THE PARK DISTRICT HAS THEIR OWN HORSES, AND WHAT I REALLY, REALLY LOVE IS THAT POLICE OFFICERS OR PEOPLE WHO COME TO WORK AT THE PARK DISTRICT, THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN TO RIDE HORSES AS MOUNTED POLICE OFFICERS, AND I THINK THAT'S A REALLY AWESOME THING.
I WHEN I TALK TO ANY OF THE MOUNTED PATROL OFFICERS, I JUST THINK THEY JUST LOVE IT.
THEY LOVE THE EXPERIENCE, AND I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT THE PARK DISTRICT OFFERS THAT.
THAT'S THE END OF MY PRESENTATION, BUT I GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE AMELIA MARSHALL.
AMELIA MARSHALL, OF COURSE, IS NOT ONLY IS SHE A BIG REPRESENTATIVE OF THE EQUESTRIAN COMMUNITY HERE IN THE EAST BAY, BUT I'VE ALSO KNOWN HER, I'M GOING TO SAY ALMOST 20 YEARS, AND I MET HER WHEN SHE WAS WRITING A BOOK ON THE EQUESTRIANS IN THE EAST BAY, AND SHE STAYED EVER SINCE THEN BECAUSE SHE CAME TO THE ARCHIVES AND HAS BEEN CONTRIBUTING TO THE ARCHIVES SINCE THEN.
BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR BRENDA MONTANO, THE HARDEST WORKING PERSON AND THE MOST KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THE 90 YEARS OF THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT.
[APPLAUSE] MAYBE, EXCEPT FOR JERRY KENT.
FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS AMELIA MARSHALL.
BRENDA HAS DONE SUCH A GREAT JOB COVERING THE HISTORY.
I PRIMARILY WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE DIRECTORS, TO THE MANAGEMENT AND TO THE STAFF OF THE PARK DISTRICT FOR THIS RECOGNITION OF EQUESTRIANS AND EQUESTRIAN TRAIL RIDING AND SPORTS.
SO DIRECTORS MERCURIO AND COFFEY AND DEE ROSARIO WERE THE FIRST TO ENDORSE THIS REQUEST FROM THE EQUESTRIANS TO HAVE A MONTH DEDICATED TO TRAIL RIDING AND THEN DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER ANA ALVAREZ TOOK THE BIT IN HER TEETH AND RAN WITH IT.
[LAUGHTER] WE'VE GOT LET'S SEE POLICE CHIEF ROBERTO FILICE AND THE WONDERFUL OFFICERS, THE MOUNTED OFFICERS OF THE SPECIAL ENFORCEMENT UNIT TO THANK.
WE'RE SO GLAD TO SEE THOSE HORSES ON THE TRAIL, AND I THINK IT WOULD BE A GREAT IDEA TO DOUBLE OR TRIPLE THE NUMBER OF SEU OFFICERS SO THAT WE COULD HAVE EVEN MORE MOUNTED POLICE ON THE TRAILS TO KEEP THINGS IN ORDER.
I'D LIKE TO SHOUT OUT TO OUR LEADERS OF CSHA FIVE, OUR STATEWIDE CHAIR, JIM HENDRICKSON, AND CAROLYN HENDRICKSON, THE PRESIDENT OF REGION FIVE ITSELF.
NOW, I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF CHALLENGES FOR THE PARK DISTRICT HERE.
ONE IS THAT THERE IS A VERY LARGE COMMUNITY OF LATINO AND BLACK RIDERS, RIDERS OF COLOR WHO ARE OUT THERE AND THEY DON'T SHOW UP AT PUBLIC MEETINGS TYPICALLY.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE PARK DISTRICT MEET THOSE FOLKS WHERE THEY ARE.
WE COULD HAVE A RECRUITING BOOTH AT THE PLEASANTON RACETRACK, THE HISTORIC RACETRACK WHERE THE DISPLACED WORKERS FROM GOLDEN GATE FIELDS ARE NOW ENGAGED IN HORSEBACK RIDING AND AND TRAINING, AND WE COULD HAVE A RECRUITING BOOTH FOR THE MOUNTED PATROL OR OTHER PARK DISTRICT ACTIVITIES AT THE ROWELL RANCH RODEO, AND ESPECIALLY THE BILL PICKETT RODEO, WHICH OCCURS EVERY JULY, AND THAT IS ESPECIALLY FOR BLACK HORSEMEN AND BLACK HORSEWOMEN.
OH, YEAH. MY SECOND CHALLENGE.
IT WOULD NOT SURPRISE ANYONE IF IN A FEW YEARS, THE 75TH REGIONAL PARK WOULD BECOME WOULD BE THE GOLDEN GATE FIELD SITE, AND THERE'S A HUGE OPEN SPACE ILL SUITED TO HOUSING, BECAUSE IT'S RIGHT ON THE BAY WHERE SEA LEVEL RISE WILL INUNDATE A GREAT DEAL OF THE TRACK, BUT IF THAT BECOMES A PARK, IT WOULD BE A GREAT PLACE TO REINSTATE PONY RIDES SO THAT THE CHILDREN OF THE EAST BAY
[00:45:08]
WOULD ONCE AGAIN HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENJOY HORSES.THEY WOULDN'T BE SOMETHING THAT THEY'D NEVER SEEN BEFORE, WHICH ALL OF THESE TRAIL RIDERS HAVE HAD THE EXPERIENCE, ESPECIALLY IN OAKLAND, OF SEEING CHILDREN ON THE TRAIL WHO'VE NEVER SEEN A HORSE BEFORE, WHICH IS CRIMINAL.
ALSO, WE COULD INTERPRET THE CULTURAL HISTORY OF GOLDEN GATE FIELDS, THE VIBRANT LATINO COMMUNITY THAT'S BEEN THERE FOR 90 YEARS AROUND THE EQUESTRIAN SCENE AND THE JOBS THAT HAVE BEEN LOST FOR FOLKS AS PONY RIDERS, AS TRAINERS IN ALL THOSE CAPACITIES.
LUCY WILLIAMS, THE PRESIDENT OF THE TRI CITIES HORSEMEN, WHO HAVE THE ARENA THAT THEY STEWARD IN MARTINEZ, AND A FELLOW MEMBER OF THE CSHA FIVE AND ANDREW TURNBULL.
HE CAME FROM SUNOL FROM FIRST CSHA FIVE, AND WE'VE GOT VALERIE STERLING AND LARRY STERLING FROM CONCORD AND FROM CLAYTON, AND THEY'LL TELL YOU WHEN THEY SPEAK WHAT THEIR MANY AFFILIATIONS ARE, INCLUDING THE MOUNT DIABLO TRAIL RIDERS ASSOCIATION AND THE CLAYTON CANYON PONY CLUB, AND WE'VE GOT ELIZABETH HUDSON LONGTIME MEMBER OF THE VOLUNTEER MOUNTED PATROL, PRESIDENT OF SAN RAMON VALLEY HORSEMEN, AND A MAINSTAY IN THE EAST BAY TRAILS BENEFIT RIDE AND HIKE THAT CAMPS AT ES ANDERSON EQUESTRIAN AREA IN TILDEN AND IN PORT MEADOW AT ANTHONY CHABOT.
JAHEED BICKHAM WHO I FIRST MET WHEN HE WAS A LITTLE KID WITH THE REDWOOD HILLS PONY CLUB, AND NOW HE'S ONE OF THEIR OUTSTANDING ALUMNI WHO IS HIMSELF A TRAINER CONDUCTING CLINICS.
GOT MIA HOLTZ FROM PIEDMONT STABLES, A TRAIL RIDER, AND JEFFREY CARTER, WHO HAS THE RANCH RIGHT AT THE CLYDE WOOLRIDGE STAGING AREA, WHERE THE PUBLIC GET TO OGLE HIS LOVELY HORSES, AND HE GETS TO HAVE AN EYEFUL AND AN EARFUL OF THE E-BIKES AND THE LITHIUM ION EXPLODING SKATEBOARDS AND SCOOTERS THAT SCARE THE HORSES, AND IT'S NEVER A DULL MOMENT THERE AT THAT STAGING AREA.
WE'VE GOT WENDY CLARKE, DRESSAGE RIDER FROM SKYLINE WITH THE METROPOLITAN HORSEMAN'S ASSOCIATION OF OAKLAND, AND WHO AM I MISSING? RAISE YOUR HAND IF I HAVEN'T INTRODUCED YOU.
WE'VE GOT SOME FOLKS COMING IN.
OH, JUDY MARTIN, OF COURSE, JUDY MARTIN, WHO HAS DONE SO MANY WONDERFUL THINGS FOR A DIVERSE COMMUNITY OF YOUTH AND PROVIDED A WELL KEPT TIGHT SHIP UP THERE.
SHE MAKES SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS NEAT AND CLEAN.
HER EMPLOYEES STICK AROUND BECAUSE THEY HAVE A GREAT SITUATION UP THERE AND ARE RESPECTED AND HAVE GREAT OPPORTUNITIES, AND SHE RUNS HER BUSINESS IN THE BLACK, WHICH THE ACCOUNTANTS FOR THE PARK DISTRICT LIKE A WHOLE LOT TOO.
SO WHAT ELSE AM I MISSING HERE? WE GOT SOME FOLKS COMING IN ON ZOOM.
WE'VE GOT STEVE DIERS, WHO WAS A RANGER FOR 38 YEARS AT SUNOL AND AT CALAVERAS RESERVOIR.
15 OF HIS YEARS WERE WITH THE PARK DISTRICT, AND HE'S A HORSEMAN, AND I THINK WE'LL ALSO GET JANE VANDERWERF, WHO'S GOING TO ZOOM IN FROM HER RESPONSIBLE CORPORATE JOB FROM THE EQUESTRIAN CENTER OF WALNUT CREEK.
[00:50:07]
WHEREAS THE EQUESTRIAN COMMUNITY OF THE EAST BAY HAS BEEN ACTIVELY PRESENT AND HAVE PARTNERED WITH THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT FOR 90 YEARS SINCE 1934 TO TODAY, AND I CAN EITHER.OH, IT'S UP ON THE SCREEN NOW.
OKAY, AND WHEREAS EQUESTRIAN RIDER, SOME LOCAL STABLES AND CATTLE RANCHES IN THE EAST BAY VOLUNTEERED TO CLEAN AND BUILD MANY OF THE REGIONAL TRAILS THAT PARK VISITORS ENJOY TODAY, AND WHEREAS THE FIRST FORM OF PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICIALS IN THE PARK DISTRICT WERE MOUNTED RANGERS VOLUNTARILY DEPUTIZED, WHO SERVED FOR 30 YEARS, CONTRIBUTING TO THE SAFETY AND WELFARE OF THE PUBLIC, VISITING PUBLIC PARK LANDS AND OPEN SPACE.
I HAD TO PUT ON MY READING GLASSES.
WHEREAS SINCE FORMER PARK DISTRICT GENERAL MANAGER WILLIAM PENN MOTT, JR.
COMMISSIONED A SWORN POLICE FORCE IN 1964, MOUNTED OFFICERS AND MEMBERS OF THE VOLUNTEER MOUNTED PATROL HAVE CONTINUED TO SERVE THE PUBLIC ON TRAILS FOR 60 YEARS, AND.
WHEREAS THE PRESENCE OF HORSES, ESPECIALLY THE PARK DISTRICT'S MOUNTED PATROL HORSES ON REGIONAL TRAILS AND PARKS, IS A SOURCE OF DELIGHT TO OTHER PARK VISITORS, PARTICULARLY CHILDREN WHO HAVE NEVER ENCOUNTERED A HORSE BEFORE, AND WHEREAS THE PARK DISTRICT PROVIDES EQUESTRIAN CENTERS IN SEVERAL PUBLIC PARKS, INCLUDING ANTHONY CHABOT REGIONAL PARK, LAS TRAMPAS WILDERNESS REGIONAL PRESERVE, PIEDMONT STABLES, AND SKYLINE RANCH, PLUS FACILITIES SUCH AS THE TRI-CITIES HORSEMEN'S ARENA AT TED AND KATHY RADKE MARTINEZ REGIONAL SHORELINE, AS WELL AS POPULAR TRAILS IN CASTLE ROCK REGIONAL RECREATION AREA, DIABLO FOOTHILLS REGIONAL PARK, MORGAN TERRITORY REGIONAL PRESERVE, OHLONE WILDERNESS REGIONAL PRESERVE, ROUND VALLEY REGIONAL PRESERVE, SUNOL WILDERNESS REGIONAL PRESERVE, TILDEN REGIONAL PARK, WILDCAT CANYON REGIONAL PARK AND OTHER PUBLIC LANDS, AND, AND I ASKED TO DO THIS BECAUSE IT'S MY FAVORITE PART.
WHEREAS EQUESTRIAN EVENTS HAVE BEEN PART OF THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC GAMES SINCE 1912, AND SINCE THE GAMES OF THE XV OLYMPIAD IN HELSINKI IN 1952, WOMEN HAVE COMPETED WITH MEN IN EQUESTRIAN MIXED EVENTS AND WILL DO SO IN THE 2028 SUMMER OLYMPICS IN LOS ANGELES, AND SO BACK TO ELIZABETH.
GREAT, WHEREAS DESIGNATING THE MONTH OF OCTOBER IN 2024 AS EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT EQUESTRIAN TRAIL RIDING MONTH WILL PROMOTE EQUESTRIAN TRAIL RIDING AND SPORTS AS A FORM OF HEALTHFUL OUTDOOR RECREATION IN ALAMEDA AND CONTRA COSTA COUNTIES.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT HEREBY PROCLAIM THE MONTH OF OCTOBER 2024 AS EQUESTRIAN TRAIL RIDING MONTH AS PRESENTED TO THE BOARD ON OCTOBER 1, 2024 AND.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE GENERAL MANAGER IS HEREBY AUTHORIZED AND DIRECTED ON BEHALF OF THE PARK DISTRICT AND IN ITS NAME, TO EXECUTE AND DELIVER SUCH DOCUMENTS, AND TO DO SUCH ACTS AS MAY BE DEEMED NECESSARY OR APPROPRIATE TO ACCOMPLISH THE INTENTIONS OF THIS RESOLUTION.
WELL, SO AT THIS POINT, I'M GOING TO OPEN UP FOR COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD.
SURE. SO THIS HAS BEEN A VERY LONG TIME COMING, AND I THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
THE TO RECOGNIZE THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE EQUESTRIANS FROM THE START OF THE PARK DISTRICT AND EVEN BEFORE, AND SORRY IT'S TAKEN SO LONG, BUT, HEY, IT'S BETTER LATE THAN NEVER, AND I REALLY THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE EQUESTRIAN COMMUNITY CAN'T BE WE CAN'T SAY ENOUGH.
I MEAN, THEY REALLY HAD THE FORMATION OF THE PARK DISTRICT FROM THE BEGINNING AS PART OF THAT MISSION AND HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THAT AND CONTINUED TO CONTRIBUTE. SO I REALLY MISS THOSE THOSE RIDES THAT USED TO GO THROUGH REDWOOD AND CHABOT.
MAYBE SOMEBODY CAN START THOSE BACK UP, BUT I REALLY I THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK AND YOUR ASSOCIATIONS AND PLEASE KEEP IT UP.
THANK YOU. WELL, THANK YOU, AMELIA AND ALL OF YOUR COHORTS FOR BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION.
[00:55:05]
DIDN'T MAYBE THREE NANOSECONDS OF THOUGHT, YOU KNOW? AND THEN HERE WE ARE, YOU KNOW.SO I THINK WE TURNED THIS AROUND PRETTY QUICKLY, AND I'M VERY HAPPY TO BE RECOGNIZING THIS.
YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY JUST THE FOLKS THAT ARE AROUND TODAY, BUT LOOKING BACK, YOU KNOW, WE HAD OUR.
THANK YOU, BRENDA, TOO, FOR THE HISTORIC PERSPECTIVE THERE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IT GOES BACK EVEN FURTHER THAN THE HISTORY OF OUR DISTRICT, BECAUSE WE GET INTO THE ERA WHEN THE HORSES WERE THE VEHICLES, THE HORSES WERE THE TRACTORS, YOU KNOW, ALL THAT STUFF.
IT JUST KIND OF DEVELOPED AND CONTINUED TO THE POINT WHERE IT BECAME A RECREATIONAL PURSUIT, A HEALTH PURSUIT, AND THE MODERN TRAIL SYSTEM, WHICH IS PRETTY MUCH YOU CAN PRETTY MUCH DATE IT AFTER WORLD WAR TWO CAME ABOUT BECAUSE THERE WAS LEISURE TIME AVAILABLE AND THE EQUESTRIAN COMMUNITY STEPPED UP AND BUILT TRAILS.
IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE THEY WERE BUILDING THEM ON PRIVATE PROPERTY.
I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE TRAIL COMMUNITY AS A VOLUNTEER FOR AT LEAST 35 YEARS, AND I LEARNED EARLY ON THAT THE EQUESTRIANS, ESPECIALLY WAY BACK THEN, WERE SO INTEGRAL TOWARD PRESERVING THE TRAIL SYSTEM THAT EXISTED AND BUILDING AND MAINTAINING THE TRAILS, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, TRANSITIONING INTO KIND OF PASSING IT OFF AND SHARING WITH THE OTHER USER GROUPS NOW, YOU KNOW, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND I JUST WANT TO CLOSE, MY CLAIM TO FAME REALLY, IS THAT I LIVE LIKE MAYBE A HALF A MILE FROM WHERE GEORGE CARDINET USED TO LIVE FOR LIKE THE LAST 30 YEARS.
SO RIGHT OFF PINE HOLLOW ROAD, THAT WAS HIS AREA, AND I KNOW SO MANY OF THE TRAILS IN THAT AREA, SPECIFICALLY CALIFORNIA RIDING AND HIKING TRAIL ARE ATTRIBUTED DIRECTLY TO HIM. SO YOU KNOW, WE THANK ALL THOSE FOLKS, HULET AND GEORGE FOR, YOU KNOW, KEEPING THE BALL ROLLING ON TRAILS. I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT I'M GLAD HAPPY TO CELEBRATE WITH YOU ALL HERE TODAY, AND IT'S A GREAT OCCASION. I WANT TO THANK BRENDA AND AMELIA FOR ALL YOUR RESEARCH AND ALL YOUR GREAT, GREAT HISTORICAL STUFF.
YOU KNOW, I'M SO GLAD THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO THIS TODAY AND TO RECOGNIZE HOW IMPORTANT THE EQUESTRIAN COMMUNITY IS TO OUR SHARED HISTORY HERE AT EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT, AND IT WAS REALLY NICE TO HAVE THE PRESENTATION.
SO THANK YOU, BRENDA, FOR PUTTING THAT TOGETHER AND SHARING THAT TODAY.
IT'S ALWAYS NICE TO EAR THOSE COMMENTS.
YOU KNOW I CAN SHARE THERE'S A LOT OF EXCITEMENT BY MANY MEMBERS OF THE ALAMEDA COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS AND PLEASANTON COMMUNITY IN REGARDS TO THE FACT THAT I THINK STARTING THIS MONTH, THE RACES THAT WOULD HAVE TAKEN PLACE AT GOLDEN GATE FIELDS WILL NOW BE TAKING PLACE AT IN PLEASANTON AT THE ALAMEDA COUNTY HORSE RACE TRACK, WHICH IS THE OLDEST ONE MILE RACETRACK IN THE WORLD.
AND, YOU KNOW, I EVEN REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, BACK IN THE EARLY 1990S, YOU COULD STILL RIDE A HORSE DOWN MAIN STREET IN PLEASANTON AND TIE UP THE HORSE IN FRONT OF THE BUILDINGS ON MAIN STREET, PLEASANTON.
SO CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, THE EQUESTRIAN LIFESTYLE IS A BIG PART OF THE HISTORY OF SO MANY DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE EAST BAY REGION, AND I THINK THAT THIS IS SOMETHING REALLY SPECIAL TO DO TODAY TO RECOGNIZE THAT.
SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING THE RESOLUTION HAVING SUGGESTED IT, AND I JUST THINK IT'S A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR THE BOARD AND THE DISTRICT TO RECOGNIZE OUR EQUESTRIAN COMMUNITY.
I'M JUST WONDERING WHETHER IT WOULD BE OKAY FOR US TO HAVE THE 21 MOUNTED PATROL VOLUNTEERS CARRY HANDCUFFS AGAIN, MAYBE.
I THINK WE NEED HELP WITH ENFORCEMENT, BUT I DON'T KNOW.
WELL, I REALLY WANT TO THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR BEING HERE.
THIS HAS BEEN REALLY A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR SHARED HISTORY AND REALLY ALL OF YOUR MANY CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE PARK AND WHAT YOU'RE STILL DOING, AND, AMELIA, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND MAKING THIS EVENT HAPPEN FOR PUTTING TOGETHER THE RESOLUTION AND THE PETITION AND GETTING ALL THESE FOLKS HERE TO PARTICIPATE.
[01:00:02]
IT'S REALLY QUITE INCREDIBLE.I KNOW FROM MY OWN, YOU KNOW, YEARS GROWING UP, I CERTAINLY ENJOYED THE TILDEN PONY RIDES, AND ALSO TOOK LESSONS OVER THERE AT GRIZZLY PEAK STABLES AND WENT ON RIDES AND TRAIL RIDES OUT THERE OUT IN THAT AREA AS WELL.
SO YEAH, I'LL HAVE TO GET BACK ON THE HORSE, I GUESS, YOU KNOW, DEFINITELY HAVE FOND MEMORIES.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR COMING, AND AT THIS POINT, WE'RE GOING TO OPEN IT UP.
PRESIDENT ECHOLS CAN WE JUST START WITH THE ONE PERSON THAT'S IN THE ZOOM ROOM RIGHT NOW? OH, SURE. LINDA DESHAMBO GOING TO MOVE HER.
MR. WAS IT DIERS OR DEAVERS THAT YOU THOUGHT WAS ON THE ZOOM ROOM? I'M HAVING TROUBLE HEARING YOU.
THE GENTLEMAN THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT WAS IN THE ZOOM ROOM.
I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT.
OKAY, LINDA, I'M GOING TO ELEVATE YOU TO OKAY.
THERE YOU GO, AND YOU KNOW HOW IT WORKS.
LINDA, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
HONORABLE DIRECTORS, I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO YOUR COMMUNITY, BUT TODAY, ESPECIALLY FOR THIS REALLY FABULOUS PRESENTATION, I THINK IT'S A GREAT ADDITION TO THE 90TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION.
I'M A 37 YEAR ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST, RETIRED FROM THE EPA.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, I'M ALSO RUNNING FOR DEE'S SEAT IN NOVEMBER, BUT TODAY I JUST AM SPEAKING TO YOU AS AN INDIVIDUAL AND SOME OF YOU MAY NOT KNOW I'M AN AVID EQUESTRIAN. I THANK YOU FOR THIS RECOGNITION, THIS HISTORY OF THE EQUESTRIANS IN OUR PARK.
THIS PETITION WAS ACTUALLY TRIGGERED BY A PROCLAMATION A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, WHEN THIS BOARD DID A LENGTHY BACK AND FORTH PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION RECOGNIZING THE RECENT HISTORY OF DOWNHILL MOUNTAIN BIKERS, AND SO THE EQUESTRIAN CITIZENS PETITION WAS PUT TOGETHER AND ASKED FOR A BALANCE, FOR EQUAL OPPORTUNITY, FOR RECOGNITION OF ALL USERS IN THE PARK, WHICH IS GOING TO BE A REALLY BIG PART GOING FORWARD.
I JUST WANT TO SHARE THAT I WAS ABUSED AS A CHILD.
I CAME FROM AN ABUSIVE HOUSEHOLD AND I WAS HOMELESS AT 15, AND I NOT ONLY FOUND MY HEALING AND MY MENTAL WELLNESS IN NATURE, BUT WE HAD A HORSE PARK AT THE END OF MY STREET AND I WOULD GO DOWN THERE, AND THAT'S WHERE I REALLY COULD CONNECT AND VISIT WITH THE HORSES, AND THERE'S A REAL THING.
THERE'S A WHOLE SCIENCE BEHIND THE HEALING OF HORSES.
I VOLUNTEERED FOR A WHILE AT ORINDA XENOPHON, WHICH DOES EQUINE THERAPY PROGRAM.
I JUST COULDN'T HELP BUT PIPING IN AS WE GO FORWARD WITH THE SECOND CENTURY PLAN, I'D BE HONORED TO BE ELECTED AND BE PART OF THAT, BUT WHAT A WONDERFUL PRESENTATION AND RECOGNITION THIS IS OF THE IMPORTANT MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS THAT THESE BEAUTIFUL BEASTS GAVE TO US, AND I JUST WANT TO ASK FOR ONE THING IN CLOSING ON THIS CAMPAIGN TRAIL, I HAVE TO BE HONEST, I'VE BEEN ASKED THREE TIMES BY FOLKS, WHY DO DOGS AND HIKERS NEED TO YIELD TO HORSES? THAT'S JUST SO WRONG.
THERE'S MORE OF US AND THIS AND THAT.
WELL, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE A RIDER, EVER BEEN AROUND A HORSE IT'S VERY CLEAR WHY IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE AND SPOOKING HORSES AND ALL OF THAT. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THIS PROCLAMATION YOU'VE MADE FOR THE MONTH, I THINK, IS ALSO AN EDUCATION OPPORTUNITY THAT MAYBE WE COULD SHARE THIS PRESENTATION MORE WIDELY AND CLEARLY.
WE NEED TO DO SOME MORE EDUCATION AND OUTREACH AND SIGNAGE ON THE SAFETY ISSUES AND WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO SHARE THE TRAIL AND YIELD THE TRAIL AND WHY WE HAVE SUCH A HISTORY IN THIS GROUP.
IS IS SO IMPORTANT TO THE HISTORY AND THE USE OF OUR NATURAL RESOURCES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
TO AMELIA, TO BRENDA, AND TO THE BOARD FOR HAVING THIS.
[01:05:02]
THE NEXT PERSON THAT I'M GOING TO PROMOTE WILL BE SUSAN HOWELL.I'M GOING TO PROMOTE YOU, MA'AM, IF YOU COULD ACCEPT THAT LINK.
YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO TURN YOUR VIDEO ON NOW.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK AMELIA AND BRENDA FOR PUTTING THIS ALL TOGETHER, AND FOR ALL OF YOU FOR ACCEPTING IT AND RECOGNIZING THE HISTORY THAT THE HORSE COMMUNITY HAS AN THE REASON WE HAVE ALL THESE TRAILS.
I'M OLD ENOUGH TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO RIDE WITH GEORGE CARDINET AND BRUCE LEE IN THEIR TRAIL BUILDING YEARS LATER YEARS ON MOUNT DIABLO.
I MOVED UP HERE IN 77, AND I LIVE IN CLAYTON AT THE BASE OF MOUNT DIABLO, AND I USUALLY COME TO OAKLAND HILLS, EAST BAY REGIONAL PARKS IN THE SUMMER BECAUSE IT'S JUST GORGEOUS THERE, AND I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF RIDING THOSE GORGEOUS TRAILS.
I AM NOW RIDING THEM WITH MY GRANDDAUGHTER.
I WOULD LIKE TO COMMEND EAST BAY REGIONAL PARKS FOR BEING PROACTIVE WITH THEIR SIGNAGE AND THEIR WEBSITE, SINCE I DEAL WITH THE STATE PARK WHO HAS BASICALLY DONE NOTHING REGARDING THE BIKES.
EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK AT LEAST IS ON THE RIGHT TRACK.
IT'S BROUGHT A WHOLE NEW DYNAMIC TO TRAIL RIDING.
MANY OF THE USERS ARE NEW BIKE USERS ARE NOT NEW AND NOT EDUCATED IN TRAIL ETIQUETTE AND SAFETY, WHICH WAS MENTIONED EARLIER. YOUR WEBSITE AT LEAST POSTS RULES AND REGULATIONS AND THE FACT THAT YOU ACTUALLY PATROL, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT WHAT WE WOULD HOPE TO GET WHERE YOU ARE STARTING TO DO THAT AND THE CONSEQUENCES YOU ARE, YOU ARE ISSUING CITATIONS.
SO THE CONSEQUENCES ARE BEING FELT, WHICH IS KEY TO GETTING THE NEW USERS TO FOLLOW THE RULES AND I IT'S JUST HUGE FOR SAFETY. SO I WOULD LIKE TO COMMEND YOU FOR THE PATH THAT YOU ARE ON FOR THAT AND ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE THE EDUCATION PROCESS.
AND MY BIG MANTRA IS THE EQUESTRIAN COMMUNITY IS WHO BUILT THESE TRAILS? AND WE CAN BE PUSHED OUT OR MADE UNSAFE, AND SO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THAT ON.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK.
OUR NEXT SPEAKERS ARE IN THE ROOM AND WE ARE GOING TO GO.
WE'RE GOING TO START WITH LUCY WILLIAMS, AND YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES, MA'AM.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY.
I AM LUCY WILLIAMS. I AM PRESIDENT OF TRI-CITIES HORSEMEN'S ASSOCIATION, BASED IN MARTINEZ.
I HAVE BEEN BASED IN BRIONES REGIONAL PARK FOR THE LAST 23 YEARS.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE FEEL THAT WE ARE BEING HEARD.
IN THE PAST, THOSE PEOPLE THAT HAVE SPOKEN THE LOUDEST HAVE COME IN OUR PERCEPTION, HAVE HAD THE GREATEST REGARD IN RELATION TO PLANNING TRAIL POLICY, AND WITH SOMETHING LIKE THIS WE FEEL THAT WE ARE HEARD NOT FOR THE FIRST TIME, BUT SIGNIFICANTLY.
IT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE TO US.
IN MY PRESENTATIONS TO EAST BAY REGIONAL PARKS AND I'VE SENT MANY EMAILS AND WRITTEN MANY REPORTS, I HAVE ALWAYS MAINTAINED THAT ALL THE PARK USERS SHOULD BE TREATED EQUALLY.
I FEEL THAT ALL GROUPS SHOULD BE EQUALLY TREATED.
[01:10:08]
18% BIKES AND 2% HORSES.I CHALLENGE THE POSITION OF THE POLLS THAT MONITOR THAT, THAT GAVE YOU THAT INFORMATION.
THEY DID NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT SEVERAL OF THE SIGNIFICANT TRAILS THAT ARE USED BY EQUESTRIANS THAT'S A BY POINT, BUT I ALSO WANT THE BOARD TO KNOW THAT WHEN I RIDE IN THE PARK, USUALLY FOUR TIMES A WEEK WE HAVE A POLICY AMONGST THE EQUESTRIANS OF BEING EXTREMELY NICE TO ALL OF OUR FELLOW PARK USERS.
WE RECOGNIZE THEIR RIGHT TO THE TRAILS ALONG WITH OURS.
WE GREET THEM, WE ARE PLEASANT, WE HAVE A SMILE ON OUR FACES, AND THAT HAS BEEN HUGELY SUCCESSFUL IN THE LAST FEW YEARS IN THAT PEOPLE NOW STOP AND TALK TO US AND WHAT THEY SAY IS HOW WONDERFUL THIS ENVIRONMENT IS, HOW PRIVILEGED WE ARE TO BE HERE.
I WISH YOU COULD HEAR ALL THESE COMMENTS BECAUSE THESE RELATE TO THE WORK THAT YOU DO, AND SO I WANT TO GIVE MY GRATITUDE TO YOU ON BEHALF OF ALL THE TRAIL RIDERS IN BRIONES PARK, FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO IN PRESERVING OUR ENVIRONMENT, FOR RECOGNIZING US AS TRAIL USERS FOR GIVING US THIS WONDERFUL LIFE THAT WE HAVE WITH OUR FABULOUS HORSES.
IT'S SO EXCITING TO BE HERE TODAY.
THE ADRENALINE IN THE ROOM FOR THE PRESENTATION.
IT WAS FABULOUS. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[APPLAUSE] OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ANDREW TURNBULL.
GREETINGS MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, STAFF, THOSE PRESENT HERE AND THOSE REMOTE.
I'M ANDREW TURNBULL, I'M AN EQUINE ADVOCATE IN SUNOL, ALAMEDA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
THE INTERNATIONAL HORSEMANSHIP FOUNDATION ENRICHES THE LIVES OF HUMANS AND HORSES THROUGH RELATIONSHIP BASED HORSEMANSHIP, EDUCATION, COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY. WE'VE AWARDED OVER $1 MILLION IN GRANTS AND SCHOLARSHIPS ACROSS NORTH AMERICA TO HELP EQUINE ASSISTED THERAPY ORGANIZATIONS, HORSE RESCUES, CAREER SCHOLARSHIPS, AND YOUTH SCHOLARSHIPS.
INDEED, HORSES HELP HUMANS AND THE STORIES WE HAVE HEARD FROM OUR GRANT AND SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS ARE OFTEN HEARTWARMING AND FREQUENTLY AMAZING.
RECENTLY, A MILITARY VETERAN SUFFERING FROM PTSD HAD TO BE TALKED INTO SHOWING UP FOR HIS REGULAR EQUINE THERAPY SESSION THAT HE DIDN'T INTEND TO ATTEND.
SCIENTISTS ARE NOW RELEASING STUDY RESULTS THAT PROVE WHAT WE HORSE OWNERS ALREADY KNOW THAT THIS SPECTACULAR HALF TON BUNNY RABBIT ON A STRING PREY ANIMAL HAS UNIQUE QUALITIES TO HELP HUMANS.
THERE ARE MORE HORSE OWNERS IN THE GOLDEN STATE THAN ANY OTHER STATE IN THE UNION.
THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE HORSE INDUSTRY IN CALIFORNIA IS PERHAPS THE LARGEST INDUSTRY HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT IN 2023, OUR INDUSTRY CONTRIBUTED $11.6 BILLION TO THE CALIFORNIA ECONOMY, WITH A DIRECT CONTRIBUTION OF $6.5 BILLION TO THE STATE'S GDP.
IN 2023 THE HORSE INDUSTRY SUPPORTED 123 OR 132,000 JOBS ACROSS THE STATE, WITH NEARLY 100,000 DIRECT EMPLOYEES. AS A GROUP OF HORSE ENTHUSIASTS AND EQUINE ADVOCATES.
WE MUST STAND TOGETHER TO PROTECT EVERY INCH OF EQUESTRIAN ACCESS AND INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE GREAT STATE OF CALIFORNIA AND THE WESTERN UNITED STATES.
IT IS WITH GREAT APPRECIATION THAT I STAND BEFORE YOU IN CELEBRATION OF EQUESTRIAN TRAIL RIDING MONTH AND CELEBRATING THE HORSE IN THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARKS.
[LAUGHTER] OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS VALERIE STERLING.
[01:15:01]
YES I KNOW. HELLO, I'M VALERIE STERLING, AND THAT'S A HARD ACT TO FOLLOW. SO I'VE BEEN A MEMBER OF CONCORD MOUNT DIABLO TRAIL RIDE ASSOCIATION SINCE 1972 AND TRAIL RIDE BEEN TRAIL RIDING ALL MY LIFE.I REALLY WANT TO APPRECIATE HOW THE PARKS HAVE GROWN OVER THOSE YEARS.
SO MANY MORE PARKS TO RIDE IN.
IT'S WONDERFUL, AND MY ONLY REAL CLAIM TO FAME IS THAT I TOO, GREW UP ON PINE HOLLOW ROAD, AND GEORGE CARDINET WAS A VERY STRONG MEMBER OF CONCORD MOUNT DIABLO TRAIL RIDE ASSOCIATION.
HE WAS PAST PRESIDENT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.
I GREW UP AS A TEENAGER UNDER HIS TUTELAGE AND LEARNED FROM HIM THE VALUE OF TRAILS.
SO I'M STILL A MEMBER THERE WITH MY HUSBAND, LARRY STERLING, WHO'S HERE IN THE ROOM, AND WE CONCURRENTLY RUN OUT OF CONCORD MOUNT DIABLO TRAIL RIDE ASSOCIATION, OUR LOCAL CHAPTER OF UNITED STATES PONY CLUB, WHICH IS CLAYTON CANYON PONY CLUB, AND LIKE JUDY MARTIN WITH HER PROGRAM, THIS IS A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED PROGRAM WITH A CURRICULUM, AND IT'S JUST WONDERFUL TO BE PASSING ALONG THE EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT OF EQUESTRIAN LIFE TO THESE KIDS, AND NOW ADULTS ARE WELCOME INTO THE PROGRAM ALSO.
WE RUN THAT PROGRAM, AND WE ALSO ARE PART OF A NONPROFIT CALLED DIABLO EQUESTRIAN HERITAGE ASSOCIATION, AND WE ARE HELPING TO PROMOTE THE EQUESTRIAN KNOWLEDGE AND APPRECIATION IN THE WHOLE BAY AREA, AND NOW WE'VE EXPANDED TO OTHER OTHER COMMUNITIES SUCH AS SOLANO COUNTY AND ALAMEDA COUNTY.
SO I, TOO, WANT TO APPRECIATE BEING ABLE TO RIDE IN SUCH WONDERFUL PARKS, AND I WANT TO ALSO SAY THAT WE ARE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT AND EDUCATION TO THE OTHER USERS OF THE PARKS.
WHEREAS GROWING UP, GROWING UP THAT MANY DECADES ON THE TRAILS, IT'S REALLY ONLY THE LAST COUPLE OF DECADES THAT WE'RE RUNNING INTO ISSUES WITH MULTI-USE, I.E.
SO WE APPRECIATE YOUR HELP IN IN SUPPORTING SUPERVISION OF THAT AND EDUCATION OF THEM SO THAT WE CAN ALL GET ALONG ON THE TRAILS.
THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] OUR NEXT WE HAVE TWO MORE SPEAKERS THAT HAVE COME IN ON ZOOM.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ELIZABETH HUDSON, FOLLOWED BY MISS FOLLOWED BY TWO MORE PEOPLE.
SO WE'LL START WITH ELIZABETH HUDSON.
OKAY. WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE, AND A LOT OF WHAT HAS BEEN SAID I KIND OF HAD IN MY NOTES HERE, SO I'M NOT GOING TO REPEAT THAT, BUT IT IS A HUGE THANK YOU TO EVERYONE.
I'M ELIZABETH. IS THAT BETTER? OKAY. OKAY.
ALL RIGHT. I'M ELIZABETH HUDSON.
I AM PRESIDENT OF THE SAN RAMON VALLEY HORSEMAN'S ASSOCIATION, AND THIS IS THE PRESENTATION ON THE HISTORY OF THE HORSE HAS BEEN WONDERFUL. I WOULD LIKE YOU TO ALL TO KNOW THAT WE ARE NOT ALL ABOUT HISTORY.
OUR MEMBERSHIP HAS INCREASED FROM 45 MEMBERS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
AS COVID HAS GOTTEN BEHIND US, WE FIND THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WANT TO GET BACK OUT THERE WHO WANT TO GO CAMPING, AND SO WE THANK YOU FOR MAKING THE TRAILS AVAILABLE, THE CAMPSITES AVAILABLE.
WE'VE I'VE BEEN TO ES ANDERSON PORT MEADOW.
ALL OF THESE OPPORTUNITIES ARE WONDERFUL.
THE USE OF THE HORSE HAS CHANGED THROUGHOUT HISTORY, BUT IT STILL CONTINUES TO BE THIS AMAZING ANIMAL THAT IS UNIQUELY BENEFICIAL TO HUMANS, AND I THINK SOME OF THE EARLIER SPEAKERS HAVE ALLUDED TO THAT.
[01:20:04]
THERE WAS AN EVENT WHERE WE WERE RIDING AND WE SAW TWO RATTLESNAKES FIGHTING IN THE TALL GRASS.THE BIKERS COULDN'T SEE THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE DOWN LOWER, BUT WHEN WE SAID, LOOK WHAT'S HAPPENING DOWN HERE, WE HAD THIS HUGE CROWD BECAUSE THEY FOUGHT FOR 15 MINUTES AND WE HAD THIS HUGE CROWD OF MULTI-USERS ALL AROUND ENJOYING THIS SPECTACULAR [INAUDIBLE].
HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE SEEN A RATTLESNAKE FIGHT IN PERSON? RARE EVENT, AND IT WAS JUST BECAUSE WE WERE UP HIGHER AND COULD SEE INTO THE GRASS.
IT WASN'T SERIOUS, BUT HE WAS INCONSOLABLE.
HIS PARENTS WERE HAVING A HARD TIME GETTING HIM TO KIND OF CALM DOWN, BUT THE HORSE CAME ALONG AND I TOLD HIM IT WAS A MAGIC HORSE BECAUSE IT IS A MAGIC HORSE, AND I TOLD HIM THAT IF HE TOUCHED THE HORSE'S NOSE, HIS KNEE WOULD FEEL BETTER.
SO HE REACHED OUT AND HE TOUCHED THE HORSE'S NOSE AND HE SAID, IT FEELS BETTER.
SO? SO THOSE ARE THE KIND OF PERSONAL STORIES THAT WE AS EQUESTRIANS CAN COLLECT IN THERE.
THE FACT THAT YOU ARE WILLING TO DO ENFORCEMENT AND ISSUE CITATIONS DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] OUR NEXT.
THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS IN THE ZOOM ROOM.
VANDERWERF I'M GOING TO PROMOTE YOU TO PANELISTS.
THERE YOU GO. ALL RIGHT, MA'AM, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
MY NAME IS JANE VANDERWERF, AND I'M HERE TO REPRESENT THE EQUESTRIAN CENTER OF WALNUT CREEK.
I'M CURRENTLY THE SOCIAL MEDIA CHAIR, AND I'D LIKE TO TELL EVERYBODY ABOUT THESE GOOD WORKS DONE BY FOLKS LIKE YOU TO SUPPORT THE EQUESTRIAN COMMUNITY, AND I'M ALSO A CERTIFIED EQUINE SPECIALIST FOR EQUINE THERAPY.
WE WERE FOUNDED IN 1968, SO WE HAVE QUITE A BIT OF HISTORY.
WOULD LOVE TO INCLUDE SOME OF OUR PICTURES IN FUTURE PRESENTATIONS, BUT WE ARE A NONPROFIT MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZATION RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING TWO RIDING ARENAS AND THE SUPPORTING FACILITIES IN HEATHER FARM PARK.
IT'S INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT WE WERE THE VERY FIRST AMENITY BUILT IN THAT PARK OVER 50 YEARS AGO.
THEY'RE LOCATED RIGHT OFF YGNACIO VALLEY ROAD NEAR JOHN MUIR HOSPITAL AND ARE ADJACENT TO THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK BRIONES TO MOUNT DIABLO TRAIL, AND WE HAVE SUPPORTED SEVERAL NATIONAL DAY OF THE HORSE TRAIL RIDES, WHICH, BY THE WAY, TAKES PLACE IN DECEMBER TO OUR FACILITY, TO OUR RIDING ARENAS ALONG THAT TRAIL.
FOR 2024, I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE BACKGROUND ON ON EVENTS THAT WE'RE HAVING AT THE EQUESTRIAN CENTER AND I'LL EXPLAIN WHY, BUT WE'VE HOSTED OVER 800 YOUTH AT THE ADVENTURE DAY CAMP HORSEBACK RIDING LESSONS AT THE ARENAS THIS PAST SUMMER. WE ALSO HAVE HAD AN ADDITIONAL 25 OTHER EVENTS FOR HUNDREDS OF YOUTH AND ADULT PARTICIPANTS, INCLUDING CSHA REGION FIVE GYMKHANAS EQUINE THERAPY.
WE HAD ONE I PARTICIPATED IN ACTUALLY LAST SATURDAY FOR OUR CONTRA COSTA VETERANS.
WE'VE HAD JUMPING EVENTS, CSHA ENGLISH WESTERN HORSE SHOWS, AND WE'VE HOSTED BOTH 4H, INCLUDING OUR FRIEND THERE, VALERIE STERLING, AND HER PONY CLUB MEMBERS AND THE 4H.
[01:25:01]
I MENTIONED THESE EVENTS BECAUSE I THINK SOME OF YOU MAY NOT SEE OR BE AWARE OF ALL OF THE RIDING THAT IS TAKING PLACE IN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY AND ALAMEDA COUNTY, AND IN THE EAST BAY IN GENERAL? AND, YOU KNOW, AS WE COMMONLY SAY, YOU NEED TO WALK BEFORE YOU RUN.SO THE EQUESTRIAN CENTER IS WORKING HARD TO PROVIDE A SAFE PLACE FOR RIDERS TO GET THEIR START AND CONTINUE TO BUILD A COMMUNITY THAT SUPPORTS FUTURE EQUESTRIAN TRAIL RIDERS.
I THINK YOU'VE SEEN TODAY, YOU'VE HEARD FROM FOLKS TODAY.
I'M A TRAIL RIDER AND I CAN CERTAINLY CLAIM THIS TO BE TRUE.
WE CAN ALL APPRECIATE THERE ARE UNIQUE MENTAL, PHYSICAL, AND EMOTIONAL BENEFITS TO BE GAINED FROM THE BACK OF A HORSE ON A TRAIL IN THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARKS.
SO ON BEHALF OF THE EQUESTRIAN CENTER OF WALNUT CREEK OFFICERS, BOARD AND MEMBERSHIP I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR PROCLAIMING OCTOBER AS EQUESTRIAN TRAIL RIDING MONTH, AND FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF EQUESTRIANS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. VANDERWERF. [APPLAUSE] THE LAST SPEAKER ACTUALLY IS STEVE, AND HE WAS ABLE TO GET IN ON THE PHONE.
MY NAME IS SLIM, AKA STEVE DIERS.
I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE A RANGER AT EAST BAY REGIONAL PARKS SUNOL OHLONE WILDERNESS FOR 14 YEARS, AND I LIVED AT REMOTE CAMP OHLONE AND THE SECURITY RESIDENTS FOR 13 YEARS.
ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING THINGS I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO DO WAS TO BE THE WRANGLER ON THE NATURALIST GUIDED RIDES, ONE OF THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK WILDERNESS NATURALIST ALICE TETLOW NOYES PITCHED THE IDEA TO SUPERVISOR NATURALIST PAUL FERREIRA ABOUT THESE RIDES, AND HE APPROVED IT, AND SO WE ACQUIRED A DONATED HORSES, AND I ARRANGED FOR TRAINING FOR THE STAFF AND THE SHOEING AND ANY VETERINARY CARE FOR THE HORSES.
I DID THE WORMING AND GIVING THE SHOTS.
SO I USED THE HORSES, OF COURSE, ON THE, ON THE RIDES.
I ALSO USED THE HORSES TO PATROL THE PICNIC AREA AND THE CAMPGROUND.
WELL, WITH THE THREE QUARTER TON TRUCKS WE HAD DRIVING OVER THAT MADE SUCH A NOISE THAT IT GAVE FOREWARNING TO THE VISITORS THAT WERE CONSUMING ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES.
WHEN I USED THE HORSE, I WOULD COME UPON PEOPLE AND I WOULD SEE THEM DRINKING THE BEER.
THEY WOULD PUT THE BEER BEHIND THEIR BACK AND I WOULD SAY, DO YOU REALIZE WE DO NOT ALLOW BEER, WINE OR ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES IN THE PARK? AND THEY WOULD SAY NO.
AND THEN I WOULD SAY, WELL, WHY ARE YOU HIDING IT? THE OTHER THING IS, DURING THE WINTER STORMS, ALAMEDA CREEK WAS A MAJOR FORCE.
I'VE SEEN HUGE TREES COMING DOWN AT CAMP OHLONE AND AT SUNOL, AND WHAT HAPPENED WAS THE BARBED WIRE FENCES ACROSS THE CREEK TO KEEP THE CATTLE LEASES CATTLE OUT OF SUNOL WILDERNESS, GOT INTO THE PICNIC AREA AND THE CAMPGROUND, AND SO WHAT I WOULD USE THE HORSES FOR IS TO DRIVE THE CATTLE OUT, AND THAT WAS PRETTY EFFECTIVE.
THE OTHER THING I WOULD USE THEM FOR IS I MADE A DEAL WITH SOME OF THE VOLUNTEER EQUESTRIAN PATROL TO HELP ME WORK ON INSTALLING ONE OF THE GATES FOR THE OHLONE WILDERNESS FROM THE SUNOL BACKPACK AREA, AND SO WE CARRIED. I MADE SOME PACK BOXES.
WE CARRIED THE GATE IN ON THE PACK BOXES, AND THEN WE MOVED THE OTHER ITEMS IN.
BOB COOPER FROM SAN RAMON COUNTY, SAN RAMON VALLEY HORSEMAN'S ASSOCIATION.
THANK YOU. I REALLY APPRECIATE AMIR YOU GETTING AND BRENDA WORKING ON THAT.
I THINK THAT'S ALL OF OUR SPEAKERS.
[01:30:02]
OKAY. YEP.SO AT THIS POINT WOULD SOMEONE LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION? I'D LIKE TO MOVE APPROVAL.
SECOND. OKAY, SO WE HAVE DIRECTOR MERCURIO MOVING THE MOTION, AND DIRECTOR ROSARIO SECONDED.
ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND THANKS AGAIN TO ALL OF YOU.
THIS HAS BEEN WONDERFUL HEARING ALL ABOUT THE HISTORY.
SPECIAL THANKS TO AMELIA AND BRENDA, AND REALLY, I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU COMING AND TAKING THE TIME TODAY, AND I ALSO REALLY ENJOYED IT, HEARING ABOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT ROLES THAT ALL OF YOU PLAY IT REALLY, IT REALLY IS IMPORTANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS, HOW YOU WORK TOGETHER AND HOW AND YOUR CONTRIBUTION TO THE PARK AND YOUR BEAUTIFUL USE OF THE PARK AS WELL.
SO A REQUEST FOR A TEN MINUTE BREAK.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A TEN MINUTE BREAK AND ACTUALLY I'LL MAKE IT EIGHT.
SO WE'LL ADJOURN AT I MEAN SORRY RESTART AT 03:10.
WONDERFUL. WELL WELCOME BACK EVERYBODY.
NOW AT THIS POINT WE ARE GOING TO START THE REST OF THE MEETING.
SO I BELIEVE WE DON'T HAVE ANY SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS TODAY.
SO, MADAM CLERK, HAVE YOU RECEIVED ANY REQUESTS FOR COMMENTS ON OPEN SESSION? OH, NO. SORRY.
YEAH. WE DID HAVE A COUPLE OF BOARD MEMBERS, HAVE WE? NO, WE DON'T HAVE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE ASKING ME? YES. YEAH.
[CONSENT CALENDAR]
IS? NO.THEN I WILL ASK FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
SO MOVED BY DIRECTOR ROSARIO AND SECONDED BY DIRECTOR WAESPI.
ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. OPPOSED.
SO AT THIS POINT, WE CAN MOVE DIRECTLY TO AUTHORIZATION TO EXECUTE PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENT
[ACQUISITION, STEWARDSHIP AND DEVELOPMENT DIVISION]
FOR PROPERTY. 82 ACRES AT POINT MOLATE.I THINK BECKY'S GOING TO JUST GO AHEAD AND DO THE PRESENTATION.
I'M GOING TO NEED SOME HELP PULLING UP THE PRESENTATION.
SO I'M GOING TO TRY TO MAKE THIS BRIEF.
IT'S ABOUT 82 ACRES FROM POINT MOLATE FUTURES AND APPROPRIATE FUNDING FOR THIS ACQUISITION.
LET'S SEE. I'M GOING TO JUST QUICKLY TOUCH ON A COUPLE OF THESE BACKGROUND POINTS ON THIS SLIDE.
[01:35:04]
SO JUST KIND OF POINTING OUT A FEW OF THE HIGHLIGHTS.IN 2003 IS WHEN THE NAVY TRANSFERRED A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE PROPERTY TO THE CITY OF RICHMOND, AND THEN MOVING THROUGH THIS TIMELINE TO 2010 IS WHEN THE NAVY TRANSFERRED THE REMAINING OF THE PROPERTY TO THE CITY OF RICHMOND.
SO THAT'S WHEN THE CITY OF RICHMOND OWNED THE PROPERTY IN WHOLE.
IN 2020, I THINK IS ANOTHER PRETTY SIGNIFICANT POINT WHERE THE CITY OF RICHMOND CITY COUNCIL APPROVES THE POINT MOLATE MIXED USE PROPERTY PROJECT, AND THIS IS WHEN THE LOTS STARTED SPLITTING UP INTO THE CONFIGURATION THAT WE KNOW NOW.
SO IN 2022, YOU'LL SEE LOTS 1 THROUGH 44, WHICH I'LL SHOW IN THE NEXT MAP IN THE NEXT SLIDE.
THOSE TRANSFERRED FROM THE CITY TO THE GUIDIVILLE RANCHERIA OF CALIFORNIA, WHICH IS ALSO POINT MOLATE FUTURES, LLC, AND THEN THIS PAST SUMMER, IN JULY, YOU'LL ALL REMEMBER THAT YOU GAVE US THE AUTHORIZATION TO SIGN A LETTER OF INTENT, AND THAT WAS A THREE PARTY LETTER OF INTENT BETWEEN THE PARK DISTRICT POINT MOLATE FUTURES AND THE CITY OF RICHMOND.
SO SINCE THE SUMMER, WE'VE BEEN MOVING FORWARD.
WELL, LET ME GO TO THIS NEXT SLIDE.
SO THIS IS THE PROPERTY THAT SHOWS THE CURRENT CONFIGURATION, AND WHAT WE'RE HERE TO ASK AUTHORIZATION FOR TODAY IS TO SIGN THE PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENT FOR THOSE LOTS 1 THROUGH 44, WHICH ARE DEPICTED IN THE ORANGE.
WHAT'S IN YELLOW AND BLUE WILL REMAIN WITH THE CITY OF RICHMOND.
SO SINCE SIGNING THE LETTER OF INTENT IN JULY.
THE KEY TERMS THAT I THINK ARE IMPORTANT TO SHARE.
SO IT INCLUDES THE PURCHASE PRICE, WHICH IS 40 MILLION IN ADDITION TO AN ADDITIONAL COST ASSOCIATED WITH CLOSING AND CONSULTANT FEES, WE'RE MAKING A DEPOSIT OF $1 MILLION, WHICH WILL BE CREDITABLE TO THE PURCHASE PRICE.
THE CONTRACT ALSO HAS A 120 DAY DUE DILIGENCE PERIOD IN WHICH WE'LL SECURE WORK TO SECURE THE STATE FUNDING FROM THE STATE COASTAL CONSERVANCY, WORK OUT OUR OPERATIONS AND MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT FOR THE FIRST YEAR OF OWNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF RICHMOND, AND ALL THE OTHER PROPERTY RELATED INVESTIGATIONS THAT ARE CURRENTLY UNDERWAY AND WILL CONTINUE.
WE ARE AIMING TO HAVE A CLOSING EARLY NEXT YEAR IN JANUARY OF 2025.
SO ANOTHER PART OF THIS REQUEST TODAY IS ALSO TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FROM MEASURE WW AND AA.
YOU CAN KIND OF SEE THE BREAKDOWN OF WHERE WE'RE PLANNING ON HAVING THIS COME FROM.
SO THE MAJORITY OF THE FUNDING AGAIN, IS FROM THE STATE.
IT'S BEING ADMINISTERED BY THE STATE COASTAL CONSERVANCY, AND AS PART OF YOUR CONSENT, YOU APPROVED THE GRANTING US THE AUTHORITY TO RECEIVE THAT GRANT AND EXECUTE THAT GRANT AGREEMENT, SHOULD IT BE APPROVED IN NOVEMBER BY THE STATE COASTAL CONSERVANCY.
SO AGAIN, HERE'S THE REQUEST AND RECOMMENDATION THAT'S BEFORE YOU TODAY.
SO IT'S TO EXECUTE THE PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENT WITH THE SELLERS, AND FOR THE 82 ACRES, WHICH ARE LOTS 1 THROUGH 44 AND ALSO TO APPROPRIATE THE FUNDS FROM MEASURE AA AND WW.
SO WE'RE HAPPY THE TEAM IS ALL HERE.
SO WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL HAVE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION AND ALL YOUR HARD WORK ON THIS.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? DIRECTOR SANWONG. OKAY, WELL, YOU WERE JUST NODDING.
I WAS ACTUALLY GOING TO PULL THE APPLICATION OR THE AUTHORITY TO APPLY FOR THE COASTAL CONSERVANCY, 36 MILLION FROM OUR CONSENT CALENDAR, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S A REALLY BIG DEAL, BUT IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, I THOUGHT I'D JUST COMMENT.
AT THIS POINT. I HAVE THOROUGHLY COMMENTED ON THE WORK OF EVERYBODY INVOLVED IN GETTING THIS TRANSACTION TO THE FINISH LINE, ESPECIALLY THAT OF THE WORK OF THE GENERAL MANAGER, WHICH IS JUST ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE WORK.
ALONG WITH THE WHOLE TEAM THAT SHE HAD WORKING ON THIS.
THE REMARKABLE THING ABOUT WHAT THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DID IS THAT WE SHOULD PAUSE AND THINK ABOUT THE STATE ALLOCATED TO THIS PARK DISTRICT $36 MILLION.
[01:40:02]
THIS REPRESENTED A VOTE OF CONFIDENCE BY ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA LEADERSHIP.IT REPRESENTED A VOTE OF CONFIDENCE FROM STATE PARKS, THE STATE PARKS DIRECTOR, THE NATURAL RESOURCES SECRETARY, SECRETARY CROWFOOT, AND ULTIMATELY GOVERNOR NEWSOM, ALL OF WHOM WERE CONSULTED BY SENATOR SKINNER ON WHETHER THIS FUTURE INCREDIBLE, MAJESTIC, WORLD CLASS, LARGE REGIONAL PARK OUGHT TO BE A STATE PARK, AND ALL OF THEM, APPARENTLY, WHAT WE ARE TOLD BY THE SENATOR CAME BACK AND SAID, NO, THAT SHOULD BE EAST BAY PARKS AND EAST BAY PARKS SHOULD UNDERTAKE THAT.
AND THEY HAD THE CONFIDENCE IN THIS ORGANIZATION TO ALLOCATE $36 MILLION.
KNOWING ONE, WE WERE THERE TO DO IT.
TWO, WE WOULD GET THE DEAL DONE AND THREE, WE WOULD DEVELOP A WORLD CLASS PARK, AND FOUR, WE WOULD OPERATE IT AS A REGIONAL PARK WITH PUBLIC ACCESS THAT THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA WOULD NEVER, EVER REGRET ESTABLISHING AS AN ACREAGE OF THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO PAUSE AND AGAIN CONTEMPLATE WHAT IT MEANT FOR THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO HAVE THAT VOTE OF CONFIDENCE IN THIS PARK DISTRICT AND ITS MANAGEMENT AND THIS BOARD.
DIRECTOR COFFEY, ALL THAT GREAT WORK THAT WAS DONE, AND WE KNOW IT WAS HARD.
IT COULD BE FRUSTRATING AT TIMES.
LET'S JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S PRETTY MUCH DONE NOW AND WE'RE REALLY HAPPY ABOUT IT, BUT THE ONE THING THAT I THINK IS SORT OF STILL OUT THERE IS YOU LOOK AT THAT MAP AND WE'RE GOING TO BUY WHAT WE CALL LOTS ONE THROUGH 44, BUT THERE'S SOME OTHER LAND AROUND THAT 'S OWNED THAT'S RETAINED BY THE CITY OF RICHMOND.
SO WHAT DO WE KNOW WHAT THE DISPOSITION OF THAT'S GOING TO BE? ARE THERE PLANS FOR THAT? I CAN START TRYING TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
TALKING ABOUT HOW THAT PROPERTY IS MANAGED HOLISTICALLY AND IN PARTNERSHIP.
YOU KNOW, IT'S THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE HAS TO HAPPEN, BUT THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO JUST SAY IS THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE A BIG PROCESS TO NOT EVEN THINKING ABOUT OPENING IT, BUT JUST PLANNING IT WILL BE A BIG PROCESS INVOLVING MANY DIFFERENT PARTIES AND LOTS OF INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY, BECAUSE THERE'S SOME STRUCTURES THERE THAT BEG TO BE REUSED INTO SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, AND I'VE SEEN IT AND IT'S PRETTY AMAZING.
SO AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE BAY TRAIL.
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE ISOLATED AT THE BAY TRAIL'S GOING TO RUN RIGHT THROUGH THERE, AND SO THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF GREAT ACCESS THAT I ENVISION IT TO BE A DESTINATION IN ITSELF, AND THEN WHEN YOU THROW IN, THERE'S THIS BRIDGE THAT GOES ACROSS THE BAY FROM MARIN COUNTY THAT ALLOWS BICYCLE ACCESS.
YOU KNOW, THE WHAT WOULD YOU CALL ACTIVITY SHED THAT IT SERVES IS HUGE.
YOU KNOW THAT ALL KIND OF FEEDING INTO THERE.
SO IT'S UPON US TO DO SOMETHING REALLY GREAT THERE, AND I THINK WE WILL, BUT YEAH, THERE'S A LOT OF A LEFT TO DO, BUT THE THING IS IT'S NOW GOING TO BE PRESERVED, AND CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYBODY WHO WAS INVOLVED WITH IT.
I THINK IT REALLY DOES ALIGN WITH A LOT OF OUR ORGANIZATIONS, YOU KNOW, MISSION AND ESPECIALLY IN REGARDS TO, YOU KNOW, PROTECTING NATURAL RESOURCES AND EXPANDING PUBLIC ACCESS TO THE SHORELINE.
[01:45:02]
VERY TOPIC, AND IT'S A VERY POSITIVE ARTICLE ABOUT ALL THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE, AND I JUST WANT TO SHARE A FEW HIGHLIGHTED PORTIONS OF IT.POINT MOLATE SHORELINE WILL BECOME A NEW REGIONAL PARK, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS A REALLY EXCITING OPENING, AND THEN HE DOES ALSO SAY SOME POSITIVE THINGS ABOUT OUR GENERAL MANAGER, HE SAYS.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S REALLY GREAT TO SEE THIS PUBLISHED IN THE SIERRA CLUB'S PUBLICATION.
MY QUESTIONS ARE SO I, YOU KNOW, WE'RE STILL FINALIZING THIS DEAL.
IT'S NOT COMPLETELY A DONE DEAL, AS WE HAVE THE NOVEMBER MEETING WITH THE STATE COASTAL CONSERVANCY, AND NOW WE'RE CALLING THIS THE 120 DAY DUE DILIGENCE, AND WE HAVE A JANUARY 15, 2025 DEADLINE FOR EVERYTHING TO GET FINALIZED, AND SO THEN, I BELIEVE ONCE THIS IS FINALIZED, THEN THIS PARK WILL TURN INTO WHAT WE CONSIDER A LAND BANK STATUS.
IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH, THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.
YEAH. SO JUST NOT AT THE PRESENT MOMENT, BUT ONCE IT TURNS INTO LAND BANK STATUS AND AND THEN I KNOW WE HAVE A PRETTY IMPORTANT WORKSHOP THIS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4TH, OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS WORKSHOP, WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE DIFFERENT THERE'S A NUMBER OF THINGS WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT, AND ONE OF THE ITEMS WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT IS SOME OF OUR LAND BANK PROPERTIES AND HOW WE PRIORITIZE WORKING ON THOSE, AND I JUST WANT TO CONFIRM THAT THIS WORKSHOP IS HAPPENING FRIDAY IN CASE SOMEONE'S WATCHING THIS, AND IF THEY WANTED TO PARTICIPATE, BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN WE'RE GOING TO BE HAVING THAT CONVERSATION IS ON FRIDAY.
IS THAT CORRECT? YEP. THAT'S EXACTLY CORRECT.
YES, AND IT'S JUST IMPORTANT BECAUSE YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I GET A POINT IN TODAY WHILE, YOU KNOW, I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS AND I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD CELEBRATE, YOU KNOW, AS THIS ACQUISITION MOVES TO LAND BANK STATUS AFTER EVERYTHING CLOSES.
YOU KNOW, I DO THINK THAT WE NEED TO BE MINDFUL THAT WE HAVE MADE PROMISES AND WE HAVE COMMUNICATED THESE PROMISES TO OTHER PARTS OF THE PARK DISTRICT, AND I DO THINK THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS THIS, AND I BELIEVE WE'LL HAVE A MUCH MORE ROBUST CONVERSATION ON FRIDAY AT THE WORKSHOP, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I GET THAT POINT IN TODAY THAT YOU KNOW, AS POINT MOLATE MOVES INTO LAND BANK STATUS, WE WILL NEED TO REALLY THINK ABOUT HOW WE'RE MANAGING ALL OF OUR LAND BANK STATUS PROPERTIES. THANK YOU.
THIS, IN MY OPINION, IS ONE OF THE LAST GREAT PUZZLES IN THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY, AND AS DIRECTOR MERCURIO SAID, IT'S GOING TO BE A LONG PROCESS, LOTS OF PLANNING IN THE FUTURE.
NOTHING COULD BE AS WHAT'S THE NICE WORD AS STRANGE AND AS MUCH OF AN ADVENTURE AS IT HAS BEEN.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO FOR ALL THE HARD WORK.
THIS WAS VERY CONVOLUTED NEGOTIATIONS.
VERY DIFFICULT, AND AND STILL THERE STILL IN THAT, BUT LIKE DIRECTOR WAESPI SAYS YEAH, THE EASY PART IS GOING TO BE THE FUN PART IS GOING TO BE HAPPENING IS HOW WHAT WE DO WITH THE LAND AND WHAT A GREAT WHAT A GREAT BOOKEND TO OUR 90TH SO, AND THE BEGINNING OF OUR 91ST. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WELL, I ALSO WANT TO EXTEND MY GRATITUDE TO EVERYONE WHO HAS WORKED ON THIS AND ESPECIALLY OUR ROCK STAR TEAM, BECAUSE I KNOW IT HASN'T BEEN EASY AND NO ONE EVER THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE EASY, BUT I THINK WE MAY NOT HAVE REALIZED JUST HOW HARD IT WAS GOING TO BE, AND BUT NOW WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GETTING THERE.
SO I REALLY WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE HOURS AND EXTRA HOURS YOU ALL HAVE PUT IN ON THIS.
YOU KNOW, FOR ME, THIS REALLY IS A ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY.
I MEAN, WHEN DO YOU GET TO BUY 82 ACRES OF BEAUTIFUL BAY FRONT PROPERTY WITH REALLY A RICH CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY, AS WELL AS OPENING UP A NEW PARK NEAR SOME OF OUR MOST LOW INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT THIS IS GOING TO BE REALLY A REGIONAL TREASURE. AND SO IT'S THERE FOR EVERYONE, AND, YOU KNOW, VERY, VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT, AND I'M NOT GOING TO GO ON AND ON BECAUSE I'VE SAID ALL THESE SORTS OF THINGS
[01:50:01]
BEFORE, BUT I REALLY DID JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU.OH, I THINK I'LL MAKE THE MOTION.
I WAS GOING TO ASK FOR A MOTION, BUT I THINK I'LL MAKE THIS ONE.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION TO AUTHORIZE PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENT TO ACQUIRE FEE TITLE TO 82 ACRES OF PROPERTY FROM POINT MOLATE FUTURES.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? OKAY. THANK YOU DIRECTOR COFFEY FOR THE SECOND.
ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU.
GO AHEAD WHEN YOU'RE READY. KATY.
[FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES DIVISION]
KATY HORNBECK, GRANTS MANAGER WITHIN FINANCE MANAGEMENT SERVICES.TODAY, I'M HERE TO REQUEST AUTHORIZATION TO ENTER INTO A FUNDING AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF PITTSBURG TO DISTRIBUTE REDEVELOPMENT FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $582,406. I AM JOINED VIA ZOOM BY SAVON REESE.
HE'S AN ENGINEER WITH THE CITY OF PITTSBURG.
TODAY. SO TODAY I'LL BE PROVIDING A VERY BRIEF BACKGROUND ON THE REDEVELOPMENT FUNDS.
SO IN 1993, THE PARK DISTRICT AND FORMER REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURG ENTERED INTO A FISCAL AGREEMENT. THERE'S I'LL BE TALKING ABOUT A COUPLE OF AGREEMENTS.
SO THIS IS THE FIRST ONE, THE FISCAL AGREEMENT, AND IN THIS, THE REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY AGREED TO PROVIDE THE PARK DISTRICT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IN THE AMOUNT OF $500,000, AND THIS AMOUNT WOULD BE SPECIFICALLY FOR IMPROVEMENTS FOR REGIONAL FACILITIES IN PITTSBURG OR WITHIN THE VICINITY OF PITTSBURG.
THIS FISCAL AGREEMENT ALSO REQUIRED THAT THE PARK DISTRICT AND THE AGENCY ENTER INTO A SEPARATE AGREEMENT THAT WOULD SPECIFICALLY OUTLINE WHAT THOSE IMPROVEMENTS WOULD BE, A LIST OF PROJECTS.
IT ALSO STATED THAT IF THAT AGREEMENT WASN'T EXECUTED BY 2004, THE REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY WOULD DEPOSIT THE $500,000 IN AN ACCOUNT WHERE IT WOULD ACCRUE INTEREST UNTIL THAT AGREEMENT HAD BEEN EXECUTED.
IN 2012, THE ALL CALIFORNIA REDEVELOPMENT AGENCIES WERE DISSOLVED AND A SUCCESSOR AGENCY WAS PUT IN PLACE, AND THEY STEPPED IN TO NEGOTIATE THIS SEPARATE SECOND FUNDING AGREEMENT.
A FEW MORE YEARS PASSED IN 20.
IN THAT TIME, EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT AND THE SUCCESSOR AGENCY WERE DISCUSSING WHAT THESE IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS WOULD BE WITHIN THE CITY OF PITTSBURG AND CAME TO AN AGREEMENT ON THREE PROJECTS WHICH ARE LISTED HERE.
SAFETY LIGHTING AT FOUR INTERSECTIONS ALONG THE DELTA DE ANZA TRAIL.
PAVEMENT REHABILITATION AND TRAIL MAINTENANCE ALONG THE DELTA DE ANZA TRAIL WITHIN THE CITY OF PITTSBURG, AND THEN BLACK DIAMOND MINES, OR AT BLACK DIAMOND MINES THE SKY TRAIL RANCH DEVELOPMENT AND IMPROVEMENTS.
SO THAT LIST WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2019 AND PRESENTED TO, ALONG WITH A DRAFT OF THE FUNDING AGREEMENT AND THIS WAS APPROVED BY THE CONTRA COSTA COUNTY COUNTYWIDE OVERSIGHT BOARD.
WITH THEIR APPROVAL, THE DEPARTMENT, THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE, THEN APPROVED THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE FUNDS, AND AT THIS POINT THAT $500,000 HAD GROWN TO 500, JUST A LITTLE OVER $582,000, AND THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE CUT THAT CHECK AN THE PARK DISTRICT RECEIVED IT AT THE END OF 2019.
[01:55:02]
IN THE BEGINNING OF 2020, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AUTHORIZED THE ACCEPTANCE OF THOSE FUNDS FOR THOSE THREE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE LISTED HERE, WITH THE POSSIBILITY THAT THOSE FUNDS MAY BE DISTRIBUTED BACK TO THE CITY OR NOT BACK TO, BUT WOULD BE DISTRIBUTED TO CITY OF PITTSBURG TO COMPLETE ONE OR MORE OF THOSE PROJECTS, IF THAT'S WHAT WE HAD DECIDED WOULD BE APPROPRIATE.SO BETWEEN THAT APPROVAL IN 2020 AND THEN LAST YEAR IN 2023, THE CITY OF PITTSBURG HAD SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION, A GRANT APPLICATION FOR THEIR DELTA DE ANZA MULTIMODAL SAFETY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.
THEY WERE AWARDED $4.4 MILLION FOR THIS PROJECT, BUT THERE STILL WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A FUNDING GAP, AND SO THEY CAME TO US ASKING IF THAT $582,000 COULD BE DISTRIBUTED TOWARDS THAT PROJECT.
SO I HAVE A VERY BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THAT PROJECT SCOPE, BUT ESSENTIALLY IT'S CROSSING AND TRAIL IMPROVEMENTS ALONG THE DELTA DE ANZA TRAIL, AND THAT INCLUDES THE LIGHTING, THE TRAIL, PAVEMENT FENCING, SIGNAGE, ETC..
THE PARK DISTRICT HAS BEEN AWARE OF THE DELTA DE ANZA PROJECT SINCE THE BEGINNING AND HAS BEEN INVOLVED AT DIFFERENT STAGES AND STILL CONTINUES TO BE, AND AGREES THAT PROJECT DOES MEET THE INTENT OF THE TWO OF THE THREE PROJECTS THAT WERE LISTED IN THE FUNDING AGREEMENT THE SAFETY LIGHTING AND THE PAVING, AND THEN THAT THIRD PROJECT, THE SKY RANCH TRAIL DEVELOPMENT IN TALKING WITH STAFF, WAS NO LONGER FEASIBLE DUE TO, I BELIEVE IT WAS PERMITTING ISSUES, AND SO THAT COUPLED WITH THE 582 NOT BEING ABLE TO FULLY FUND ONE, LET ALONE ALL THREE OF THOSE PROJECTS, IT MADE SENSE AND WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO BOTH AGENCIES TO DISTRIBUTE THAT 582 TO THE CITY OF PITTSBURG FOR THEIR DELTA DE ANZA PROJECT.
THE CITY OF PITTSBURG FUNDING AGREEMENT.
WE ARE MUTUALLY DESIRED TO COOPERATE IN HAVING THAT PROJECT COMPLETED, AND ONCE WITH YOUR APPROVAL, THEN WE'LL GO AHEAD AND WORK OUT THOSE DETAILS.
OH, AND THE LAST THING I'LL ADD IS IN TALKING WITH OUR GENERAL COUNSEL I HAD REACHED OUT OR THE CITY OF PITTSBURG HAD REACHED OUT TO THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE TO MAKE SURE THAT ANY OBLIGATIONS THAT HAD BEEN ON THE PARK DISTRICT, BASED OFF OF OUR PREVIOUS AGREEMENTS, HAD BEEN SATISFIED THAT IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE AND ALLOWABLE TO DISTRIBUTE THOSE FUNDS TO THE CITY OF PITTSBURG FOR THAT PROJECT, AND THEY DID GIVE THAT APPROVAL.
SO WITH THAT, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION AGAIN, AUTHORIZATION TO ENTER INTO A FUNDING AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF PITTSBURG TO DISTRIBUTE REDEVELOPMENT FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $582,406, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
DIRECTOR SANWONG. YEAH, JUST AS PART OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE THANKS SO MUCH FOR BRINGING THIS TO US TO REVIEW AND TO RECEIVE A UNANIMOUS RECOMMENDATION THAT THIS COME FORWARD IN THIS CAPACITY TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
TO ME, IT SEEMS VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD, AND I THINK IT MAKES SENSE TO APPROVE THIS, AND I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT THERE'S SOMEONE FROM CITY OF PITTSBURG ON THE PHONE, ON THE ZOOM IN THE ZOOM ROOM.
I DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS FOR THAT PERSON.
HOWEVER, I DO RECALL WHEN WE HAD OUR FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING, I DID MAKE A COMMENT JUST THAT, YOU KNOW, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, CITY OF PITTSBURG IS SUPPORTIVE OF, AND THEN ALSO ENSURING THAT THERE ISN'T AN EXPECTATION THAT THE THREE PROJECTS THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED HERE ON PAGE 159 IN OUR PACKET, I THINK IT'S LIKE THE THIRD SLIDE OR FOURTH SLIDE IN THE DECK.
THAT THERE ISN'T THIS EXPECTATION THAT ALL THESE PROJECTS HAVE TO BE COMPLETED BY EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT, WHICH I BELIEVE AT THE FINANCE COMMITTEE YOU ANSWERED THAT IT IS OUR BELIEF THAT THIS IS NOT THE EXPECTATION WITHIN THE COMMUNITY OF PITTSBURG.
YEAH, AND THAT'S REALLY THE ONLY MAIN QUESTION THAT I HAD.
ALL RIGHT. WELL THEN IN THAT CASE, DO I HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED. SECOND.
[02:00:02]
SO WE'VE GOT, WE'VE GOT WAESPI AND THEN COFFEY, AND ALL IN FAVOR AYE.AYE. OPPOSED? OKAY. MOTION CARRIES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, MR. REESE. OKAY.
ALL RIGHT. SO WELL, THOSE TWO ITEMS WENT BY FASTER THAN I THOUGHT, BECAUSE I WAS THINKING WE MIGHT WANT TO POSTPONE AT LEAST ONE OF THE ITEMS FROM THE GENERAL MANAGER'S OFFICE TO NEXT MEETING.
I WOULD RECOMMEND POSTPONING THE UPDATE ON THE INDIVIDUAL BOARD PRIORITIES, BECAUSE THAT IS GOING TO BE A MEATY CONVERSATION, AND I'D HATE TO TAKE IT UP WHEN PEOPLE AREN'T FRESH AND CAN GET THE FULL BENEFIT OF ALL THE GOOD WORK THAT AMANDA HAS PUT INTO THAT.
DO FOLKS WANT TO GO AHEAD AND TAKE UP THE ADOPTION OF THE 2025 BOARD CALENDAR?
[GENERAL MANAGER'S OFFICE]
WE CAN PROBABLY KNOCK THAT ONE OFF, DO YOU THINK? YEAH. OKAY, GOOD.ALL RIGHT. LET'S GO AHEAD AND TAKE THAT ONE OFF.
YOU WANT TO TAKE IT UP? TAKE IT UP. TAKE IT UP.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. DIRECTOR ECHOLS.
BOARD MEMBERS, GENERAL MANAGER.
DOCTOR ANA ALVAREZ DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER.
THE ITEM BEFORE YOU IS THE ADOPTION OF THE BOARD CALENDAR FOR 2025, AND I JUST WANT TO SPEND BRIEFLY, A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND IN HOW WE ARRIVED TO THE PROPOSED CALENDAR THAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU, AND IT REALLY SPEAKS TO TRYING TO STRIVE TOWARDS THE HALLMARKS OF GOOD GOVERNMENT, AND JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF PERSPECTIVE.
THE CALENDAR REALLY FRAMES THE PARK DISTRICT'S LEGISLATIVE PROCESS THAT ALIGNS THE AGENDA PLANNING FOR NECESSARY POLICY ACTIONS BY THE ELECTED BODY OF THE PARK DISTRICT TO ADVANCE THE MISSION DELIVERY.
SO IN MANY WAYS, THIS IS THE FRAMING OF OUR LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM, THE.
IN 2023, AS PART OF THE BOARD RETREAT, THERE WAS A DISCUSSION THAT ADDRESSED BY THE BOARD MEMBERS ADDRESSING LEGACY ISSUES, QUESTIONS AND INTERESTS THAT HAD BEEN DISCUSSED AT VARIOUS POINTS GOING BACK TO MULTIPLE YEARS.
AND THERE WAS ALSO A DISCUSSION TO BE ABLE TO LOOK FORWARD IN TERMS OF UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE CURRENT NEEDS OF THE CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS AND ANTICIPATING THE ALIGNMENT OF THIS AGENDA PLANNING FRAMEWORK TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE ADVANCING THE MISSION OF THE DISTRICT.
AS A RESULT OF THAT DISCUSSION, THERE WAS WE EMBARKED ON A PROCESS IN 2023 TO ADOPT THE INAUGURAL PARK DISTRICT BOARD CALENDAR IN 2024.
WE HOPE TO DO THAT AGAIN THIS YEAR, AND THEN AT SOME POINT, THE INTENT AND THE STRATEGY IS TO STABILIZE BECAUSE MOST PUBLIC AGENCIES DON'T ADOPT A CALENDAR EVERY YEAR. IN FACT, MOST PUBLIC AGENCIES HAVE A SET CALENDAR.
THAT IS THE FOUNDATIONAL CORNERSTONE STONE OF THE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM.
I DID DO A HISTOGRAM GOING BACK TO, I BELIEVE, 12 YEARS, AND ONE THING THAT HAS REMAINED CONSISTENT HAS BEEN THAT THE REGULAR BOARD MEETINGS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS TAKES PLACE ON A TUESDAYS IN THE DAY STARTING AT 11:00 AND 1:00 WITH OPEN SESSION, AND I WAS REMINDED WHEN I WAS PRESENTING THAT DATA POINT BY ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS THAT'S AN INTERESTING POINT, BUT IN REALITY, WE NEED TO BE LOOKING FORWARD AND TO SEE HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO BE RELEVANT IN AN ALIGNMENT OF THE INTERESTS OF THE COMMUNITY, AND WITH THAT SENTIMENT, WE EMBARKED YET IN ANOTHER PROCESS FOR 2025 THAT TWEAKED THE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE CAN SOLICIT INFORMATION IN DIFFERENT WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN CONSULT WITH OUR BOARD MEMBERS, AS WELL AS CONSULT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE EXECUTIVE TEAM TO CONTINUE TO EXPLORE THOSE LEGACY ISSUES AND CONTINUE TO AND BEGIN TO PROMPT SOME QUESTIONS TO REIMAGINE WHAT THE PROCESS, WHAT THE CALENDAR CAN LOOK LIKE IF WE WERE TO START THIS WHOLE PIECE FROM THE BEGINNING.
[02:05:01]
IDENTIFIED THE SHARED GOALS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, THERE WAS A VERY SPECIFIC COLLECTIVE DECISION MAKING PROCESS THAT NOT ONLY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ENGAGEMENT, BUT ALSO THAT WE CAN LOOK BACK AND SEE THE DECISIONS THAT WERE MADE IN FORMULATING THE CALENDAR, THAT THEY WERE ATTRIBUTED TO A COLLECTIVE WHOLE RATHER THAN INDIVIDUAL SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS, AND I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SHARE WITH YOU THAT SOME OF THE PATHWAYS THAT WE DID THIS YEAR FOR MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENT INCLUDED FOUR CONSULTATION CHANNELS, THAT CONSULTATION CHANNELS THAT INCLUDED CERTAINLY THE BOARD, THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD DIRECTORS, OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, BUT IT ALSO INCLUDED THE EXECUTIVE TEAM AS WELL AS MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SINCE WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING THE FORMULATION OF CALENDAR AT VARIOUS BOARD STANDING COMMITTEE MEETINGS, AND TODAY IN OUR PUBLIC MEETINGS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.THE CALENDAR THAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU.
HERE'S THE PICTURE AT A GLANCE, IT'S A VERY INCLUSIVE CALENDAR, AND IT'S A VERY ROBUST CALENDAR.
THERE'S 86 PUBLIC MEETINGS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS THAT INCLUDE THE REGULAR MEETINGS, THE STANDING BOARD COMMITTEE MEETINGS, AS WELL AS THE VARIOUS SPECIAL MEETINGS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
SO IN LOOKING AT IT FROM THE BIGGER PICTURE, YOU'RE LOOKING AT ALREADY COMMITTING ABOUT 40% OF THE ENTIRE BUSINESS CALENDAR YEAR IN 2025, AND THIS CALENDAR DOES PRIORITIZE AND RESOLVE FOR SOME SCHEDULING CONFLICTS.
IT ALSO INCORPORATES THE OBSERVED HOLIDAYS BY THE PARK DISTRICT, AND INCORPORATES A SUMMER RECESS THAT HAS BEEN TRADITIONALLY TAKEN BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE MONTH OF JULY.
THIS PICTURE IS A VISUAL AID TO SHARE WITH YOU THAT THERE IS A CASCADING EFFECT WHEN WE START MOVING AND NEGOTIATING EACH OF THOSE BLOCKS, BUT WE DID START WITH A BUILDING BLOCK TOO, AND THE INTENT IS TO CREATE A FOUNDATIONAL BUILDING BLOCK THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO BUILD FROM AS WE CONTINUE IN 2025. SO THIS IS THE BASE AND THE SECOND TIER WOULD BE IF YOU ADOPT THIS CALENDAR, THE NEXT COURSE OF ACTION IS TO DEVELOP THE SECOND TIER OF MEETINGS, WHICH CONSISTS OF AN ADDITIONAL 74 PARK DISTRICT MEETINGS.
THAT INCLUDES THE PARTICIPATION OF THE ELECTED OFFICIALS, AND THAT AS WELL AS SOME EVENTS, SPECIAL EVENTS SPONSORED BY THE PARK DISTRICT THAT WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO ATTEND.
THOSE ADDITIONAL 74 MEETINGS THAT HAVE YET TO BE BUILT HERE INCLUDES THE 14 WARD SITE VISITS WITH INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS, WHICH IS A RELATIVELY NEW FEATURE THAT WAS BROUGHT IN BY OUR GENERAL MANAGER TO ENGAGE YOU IN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT'S HAPPENING IN YOUR RESPECTIVE WARDS.
WE ALSO HAVE A NEED FOR TEN INTERAGENCY MEETINGS WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT ARE PROPOSED FOR 2025 THAT HAVE YET TO BE SCHEDULED, AND THE 15 MEETINGS FROM THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROGRAM THAT REQUIRES THE PARTICIPATION OF UP TO TWO BOARD MEMBERS OF THE TWO BOARD MEMBERS, AND THESE ARE 15 MEETINGS THAT ARE ANTICIPATED IN 2025 WITH OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, WHICH INCLUDES THE COUNTIES AS WELL AS MUNICIPALITIES AND OTHER ENTITIES.
SO IN LOOKING AT 2025 SPECIFICALLY FOR THE REGULAR MEETINGS OF THE FULL BOARD OF DIRECTORS, I WANT TO TAKE A FEW SECONDS TO WALK YOU THROUGH WHAT DOES THE YEAR LOOK LIKE? AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT ONE OF THE CONSULTATION CHANNELS THAT WE ENGAGE IN, IN FORMULATING WHAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU, WAS A SURVEY, AND SO WE CONDUCTED AN ONLINE SURVEY SOLICITING AVAILABILITY OF THE BOARD MEMBERS FOR SPECIAL MEETINGS AND OTHER MEETINGS, LIKE THE STUDY SESSIONS.
WE ALSO WANTED TO EXPLORE LEGACY INTERESTS, AND ALSO WE WANTED TO EXPLORE NEW PATHWAYS TO OUR SHARED GOALS AND BE ABLE TO PROMPT LIKE I MENTIONED, A WAY TO REIMAGINE THE BOARD STANDING COMMITTEE SCHEDULES AND ALSO TO BE ABLE TO RESOLVE ON SOME PINCH POINTS.
SO HERE FOR THE REGULAR MEETINGS OF THE FULL BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
WE HAVE A PROPOSED CALENDAR THAT'S PRETTY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST.
THERE'S 22 MEETINGS BEING PROPOSED.
IT'S ONE MORE MEETING THAT WE HAVE IN THE PAST.
THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL MEETING, IF YOU NOTICE, ON THE MONTH OF JUNE FOR JUNE 24TH, AND THAT WAS AT THE REQUEST OF THE BOARD EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE THAT SAYS THERE'S TOO MUCH OF A SPACE OR GAP BETWEEN THE LAST TIME WE MET IN JUNE AND THE RECESS IN JULY.
[02:10:02]
SO THE MEETING OF THE 24TH FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE IS A PLACEHOLDER.SO IF THERE IS A NEED TO BRING A BUSINESS FORWARD FOR POLICY ACTION FOR THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, STAFF CAN CERTAINLY AVAIL THEMSELVES OF THAT HOLDING DATE.
WE HAVE ONE MEETING IN THE MONTH OF JANUARY AS WE HAVE DONE THIS.
THIS TIME WE'RE PROPOSING TO MEET ON JANUARY THE 14TH.
WE ALSO HAVE OUR TRADITIONAL MEETING IN EAST CONTRA COSTA COUNTY IN THE MONTH OF JUNE AT BIG BREAK VISITOR CENTER, AND AGAIN RESPONSIVE TO THE SURVEY WE'RE SHIFTING THE BOARD SUMMER RECESS, WHICH TRADITIONALLY HAS TAKEN PLACE IN AUGUST.
WE'RE SHIFTING IT TO THE MONTH OF JULY AND RESPONSIVE TO THE SURVEY WE'RE KEEPING THE MEETINGS FOR THE ADOPTION OF THE PARK DISTRICT'S BUDGET ON DECEMBER THE 2ND AT 6:00 AT NIGHT.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE STANDING BOARD COMMITTEE MEETINGS, I CAN'T BRING IT UP.
THE STANDARD BOARD COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
IT'S RESPONSIVE TO THE SURVEY IN THE SENSE THAT WE ARE KEEPING THE STANDING SCHEDULE AS FAVORED BY THE BOARD, AND WE'RE ALSO BEING RESPONSIVE IN THE PROPOSED CALENDAR BY SWAPPING THE BOARD EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE STANDING SCHEDULED WITH THE BOARD FINANCE COMMITTEE.
THAT WOULD ALLOW A LITTLE BIT OF BREATHING ROOM TO CONDUCT THE BOARD FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING NOT IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE I'M SORRY, THE BOARD EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING, NOT IMMEDIATELY AFTER A REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
THANK YOU, AND ALSO, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE REQUEST OF THE BOARD EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, AND IN UNDERSTANDING THE FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED THROUGH THE SURVEY, WE ARE PROPOSING TO SHIFT THE STANDING STARTING TIMES FOR THE BOARD STANDING COMMITTEES FROM 10:30 IN THE MORNING TO 11:00 IN THE MORNING, AND THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE BOARD MEMBERS WHO ARE TRAVELING FROM BACK EAST AND FARTHER APART, FARTHER AWAY, TO BE ABLE TO JOIN US AND NOT BE RUSHED AND NOT BE DEALING WITH THE MORNING TRAFFIC, AND ALSO, AGAIN, WE'RE SHOWING A REFLECTING THE SUMMER RECESS IN JULY.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO RESOLVE FOR ALL THE PARK DISTRICT OBSERVED HOLIDAYS.
MOVING ON TO THE SPECIAL MEETINGS OF THE FULL, THE SPECIAL MEETINGS FOR THE FULL BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
THOSE REALLY SPEAK TO THE STUDY SESSIONS.
THAT'S OKAY. AS WELL AS THE BOARD SITE TOURS.
THOSE ARE THE SPECIAL MEETINGS THAT WE CONDUCT HERE, AND WE HAVE IDENTIFIED, AND HERE'S THE CALENDAR BEING PROPOSED THAT INCLUDES THE ANNUAL BOARD RETREAT FOR JANUARY THE 24TH, PLUS FIVE ADDITIONAL BOARD STUDY SESSIONS.
THE CALENDAR HERE IS CONSISTENT AND IN ADHERENCE WITH THE BOARD OPERATING GUIDELINES.
IT'S ALSO RESPONSIVE TO THE SURVEY AS IT CONFIRMS THE MEETINGS.
SINCE WE WERE ABLE TO RESOLVE SOME OF THE CONFLICT AND WE WERE ABLE TO SET OUT A SECOND SET, IF NOT A THIRD SET OF OPTIONS TO ENSURE THE FULL PARTICIPATION OF THE BOARD MEMBERS FOR THESE SPECIAL MEETINGS.
THE RETREAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED, LIKE I SAID, FOR JANUARY THE 24TH.
WE HAVE FIVE BOARD STUDY SESSIONS ON LAND ACQUISITION TRAILS, CAPITAL PROJECTS AND BOARD PRIORITIES, WHICH ALIGNS WITH THE PARK DISTRICT'S BUDGET PLANNING PROCESS AND AT THE DISCUSSION WITH THE BOARD EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE IN THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER, WE ARE PROPOSING TO CONDUCT NOT ONLY THE BOARD RETREAT, BUT ALSO THE THREE STUDY SESSIONS LED BY ASD ACQUISITION, STEWARDSHIP AND DEVELOPMENT DIVISION FOR THOSE STUDY SESSIONS TO TAKE PLACE OFF SITE, OUT IN THE FIELD, AWAY FROM THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING, AND I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK AGM WYSOCKI FOR HIS FLEXIBILITY AND WILLINGNESS TO WORK IN CREATING THAT OFF SITE FEELING IN CONDUCTING THE STUDY SESSIONS.
WE'RE ALSO CONDUCTING FIVE BOARD SITE VISITS, ALSO KNOWN AS BOARD TOURS, STARTING WITH THE MONTH OF MAY, AND IT WILL RUN THROUGH THE MONTH OF OCTOBER, AND THIS PROPOSED CALENDAR RESULTS FOR THE PARK DISTRICT HOLIDAYS.
THE PARKS ADVISORY COMMITTEE CALENDAR IS HERE AS WELL.
THIS MAINTAINS THE STANDING SCHEDULE AS WE DID THIS YEAR AND THE YEAR PRIOR TO THAT.
IT ADHERES TO THE BOARD OPERATING GUIDELINES.
[02:15:06]
ASSIGNMENT BASED ON YOUR AVAILABILITY.SO YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING, WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO COME FOR YOU TO COME AND MEET WITH THE PAC AND MAKE YOURSELF AVAILABLE AND ENGAGE WITH THEM IN THEIR DISCUSSIONS, AND ALSO, AGAIN, YOU SEE THE SUMMER RECESS IN THE MONTH OF JULY.
THE PROPOSED CALENDAR ALSO CALLS OUT SPECIFICALLY THE PARK DISTRICT'S ANNUAL ADVOCACY EVENTS.
THESE ARE THE DATES THEY ALIGN.
THEY HAVE BEEN PRIORITIZED IN THE PARK DISTRICT CALENDAR.
WE PROACTIVELY INTEGRATE THE ADVOCACY CONFERENCES IN WASHINGTON, DC, AS WELL AS OUR STATE CAPITAL, SACRAMENTO, IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS, AND PROACTIVELY RESOLVES FOR SCHEDULING CONFLICTS WITH THE REGULAR BOARD MEETINGS AND THE STANDING MEETINGS, AS WELL AS THE PAC AND OTHER SPECIAL MEETINGS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
THE QUESTION HAS BEEN, AND ONE OF THE GOALS HAS BEEN, HOW DO WE RESOLVE FOR THE SCHEDULING CONFLICTS AND THOSE SCHEDULING CONFLICTS WILL OCCUR. WE'VE DONE AS MUCH AS WE CAN, BUT THE GREATEST FLEXIBILITY IN REALLY LOOKING VERY CLOSELY AT ALL THAT MOVING BUILDING BLOCKS IS THAT THE FLEXIBILITY EXISTS.
THE GREATEST FLEXIBILITY EXISTS WITHIN EACH INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS CHOICES, AND BY ALSO LEANING IN OR OPERATIONALIZING THE GUIDELINES IN THE BOARD OPERATING GUIDELINES IN RESOLVING SUCH CONFLICTS, BUT WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS, AS WE THINK OF 2025 AND IN ANTICIPATION OF THE INCOMING BOARD PRESIDENT, YOU WILL BE ASKED TO IDENTIFY THE BOARD STANDING COMMITTEE MEETINGS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN AND THAT WILL BE CONSIDERED BY THE INCOMING BOARD PRESIDENT.
YOU HAVE THE CALENDAR NOW IN FRONT OF YOU.
YOU KNOW, WHEN THOSE BOARDS STANDING COMMITTEE MEETINGS WILL TAKE PLACE AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO MAKE YOUR CHOICES IN TERMS OF WHAT ARE THE COMMITMENTS, THE TIME COMMITMENTS THAT YOU'RE TRYING THAT YOU ARE WILLING TO MAKE.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, IN THE BOARD OPERATING GUIDELINES, THINGS DO HAPPEN, AND EVEN IF AFTER YOU MAKE THE COMMITMENT, THINGS WILL COME UP IN YOUR DAILY LIFE THAT MAY PRECLUDE YOU FROM ATTENDING THAT SPECIFIC MEETING.
WHAT WE'RE GOING TO LEAN ON THE GUIDELINES PERTAINING TO SPEAK TO QUORUM.
SO IN THIS EXAMPLE, THE BOARD STANDING COMMITTEE MEETINGS REQUIRES REALLY TWO BOARD MEMBERS TO BE PRESENT TO CONTINUE TO CARRY ON THE MEETING, AND IN ADDITION, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEAN ON CALLING ON THE ALTERNATE.
SO EACH BOARD STANDING COMMITTEE DOES HAVE AN ALTERNATE ASSIGNED BY THE BOARD PRESIDENT PRECISELY TO BE ABLE TO HELP US IN RESOLVING FOR THOSE CONFLICTS WHEN THEY DO OCCUR. WE ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT PER THE BOARD OPERATING GUIDELINES, THEY ARE WE ENCOURAGE BOARD MEMBERS.
OUR MEMBERS ARE ELECTED OFFICIALS TO PARTICIPATE IN INDUSTRY EVENTS AT YOUR DISCRETION IN SUPPORT OF YOUR ROLE AS PART OF THE PARK DISTRICT LEGISLATIVE BODY, AND THERE'S 11 PROFESSIONAL INDUSTRY EVENTS THAT ARE NOT SPONSORED BY THE PARK DISTRICT THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED EITHER BY INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS THROUGH THE SURVEY OR THAT WE, THE BOARD MEMBERS, HAVE TRADITIONALLY PARTICIPATED THROUGHOUT YOUR TENURE HERE WITH THE PARK DISTRICT.
THESE EVENTS ARE CONSIDERED OPTIONAL IN CONTEXT OF THE BOARD'S PRIMARY AND OVERALL RESPONSIBILITY TO CONDUCT THE PUBLIC'S BUSINESS FOR MISSION DELIVERY THROUGH THE PUBLIC MEETINGS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO GO, AND WE'RE DISCOURAGING YOU TO GO.
IT'S JUST WE'RE PRIORITIZING THE BUSINESS OF THE PARK DISTRICT.
THE PUBLIC MEETINGS, SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE ADVANCING THE BUSINESS TO PERMISSION DELIVERY.
AND YOU WILL SEE THAT ALREADY THERE'S ABOUT 50% OF THOSE EVENTS HAVE THEY HAVE CONFLICTS.
WE DON'T CONTROL THOSE STATES.
THESE ARE EVENTS THAT ARE DONE BY A THIRD PARTY AND THEY'RE CONTROLLED BY OTHER INTERESTS IN TERMS OF WHEN DO THEY TAKE PLACE, BUT THE GOOD NEWS THAT I'M HERE TO SHARE WITH YOU IS THAT THERE ARE TWO POPULAR EVENTS THAT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF INTEREST FROM THE BOARD MEMBERS IN PAST YEARS WHERE WE CURRENTLY DON'T HAVE WE DON'T HAVE A CONFLICT WITH, AND THAT IS THE SPECIAL PART DISTRICTS FORUMS, AS WELL AS THE CALIFORNIA TRAILS AND GREENWAYS, WHICH IS TAKING PLACE IN 2025, IN POMONA.
[02:20:03]
EVENTS. SO IN CONCLUSION, HERE'S THE PROPOSED PARK DISTRICT CALENDAR FOR 2025.IT DOES ADHERE TO THE BOARD OPERATING GUIDELINES, SPECIFICALLY THE STRUCTURE.
SECTION TWO THE STRUCTURE, AND SECTION THREE THE BOARD RESPONSIBILITIES.
IT DOES PRIORITIZE THE PRIOR DISTRICTS ADVOCACY ANNUAL CONFERENCES TO ADVANCE OUR ADVOCACY BOTH IN WASHINGTON AND SACRAMENTO, AND IT'S IN CONSULTATION AND I HAVE TO SAY, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE EXECUTIVE TEAM, BUT ALSO WITH THE BOARD DIRECTORS AND IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BOARD PRESIDENT ELIZABETH ECHOLS, WHO MET WITH ME MANY TIMES TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT ALL THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS AS WE WERE UNDERSTANDING THE FEEDBACK THAT WE WERE RECEIVING.
I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO GIVE A THANK YOU TO THE EXECUTIVE TEAM MEMBERS WHO ARE HERE, WHO ALSO HAD A LOT TO SAY ABOUT THE PROPOSAL THAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU AT THE REGULAR MEETINGS OF THE GENERAL MANAGERS, EXECUTIVE TEAM MEETINGS.
SO WITH THAT, THE RECOMMENDATION IN FRONT OF YOU IS THE GENERAL MANAGER RECOMMENDS THE ADOPTION OF THE 2025 BOARD CALENDAR TO FRAME THE PARK DISTRICTS LEGISLATIVE PROCESS AND ALIGN THE AGENDA PLANNING NECESSARY FOR NECESSARY POLICY ACTIONS BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR MISSION DELIVERY.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND ALL OF THE WORK YOU PUT INTO THIS.
IT'S NOT AS EASY AS IT LOOKS WHEN SHE COMES AND PRESENTS THE FINAL, FINAL RESULT, BUT YEAH, I THINK I DON'T HAVE ANY COMMENTS, BUT LOOKS LIKE DIRECTOR WAESPI.
DO YOU WANT TO START? FIRST OFF, I DISAGREE WITH THE PRESIDENT.
I WAS INVOLVED IN THIS WHEN WE STARTED THIS.
IT'S ONE OF THE HARDEST TASKS IN THE WORLD.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE WORK BECAUSE IT WAS JUST PULL ONE EVERYTHING CHANGED.
I JUST ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO RUN BY MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS, AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS, IF WE DO TAKE THE MONTH OF JULY AS THE RECESS MONTH OR TAKE IT OFF, I OUR LAST MEETING SCHEDULED MEETING WOULD BE JUNE 17TH.
I KNOW WE CALLED THE 24TH A PLACEHOLDER.
WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO THE NEXT WEEK? AND ONE WEEK NOTHING WOULD HAPPEN, BUT TO HAVE THAT WOULD GIVE US 49 DAYS WITHOUT A MEETING IF THAT WAS THE CASE, AND I THINK THAT'S WAY TOO LONG A STRETCH.
I WOULD PROPOSE AND I HAD PROPOSED A MEETING TO KIND OF SPLIT THAT UP ON JULY 1ST, WHICH IS A TUESDAY, AND OUR SCHEDULED BOARD MEETING, IT'S THE 1ST OF JULY.
IT DOESN'T REALLY AFFECT THE HOLIDAY EXCEPT FOR ONE DAY OR THE RECESS.
FORTUNATELY, I REMEMBER DURING AN EXECUTIVE MEETING, THE ARGUMENT WAS, WELL, IT'S THE 4TH OF JULY WEEK, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE TAKE THAT OFF, AND I THOUGHT ABOUT IT FOR A LONG TIME, AND I DON'T REMEMBER I WASN'T ALLOWED TO TAKE OFF THE 4TH OF JULY AND NEITHER WAS DEE.
THAT'S THE ALL HANDS ON DECK WEEK IN THIS PARK DISTRICT, IN MY OPINION, ESPECIALLY THE WAY IT FALLS.
THIS YOU KNOW, THIS IS A SCARY 4TH OF JULY.
IT'S FRIDAY, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, AND THAT'S GOING TO BE ONE DAY OR ONE PARTY.
SO I THINK I WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHAT MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS THINK ABOUT THAT ONE.
I'M NOT GOING TO BE HERE, BUT I WOULD AGREE.
SO YEAH, I WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF THAT, BUT MAY I ASK ANOTHER QUESTION OR.
REGARDING THE QUORUM FOR THE SUBCOMMITTEES, SHOULD WE ENGAGE THE ALTERNATE WHEN WE FALL DOWN TO TWO, OR SHOULD WE ONLY ENGAGE THE ALTERNATE WHEN WE HAVE ONE STANDING MEMBER? WELL, THE BOARD OPERATING GUIDELINES DOES NOT SPEAK TO THAT SPECIFICALLY, BUT OUR PRACTICE HAS BEEN THAT WHEN THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ONE BOARD MEMBER NOT SHOWING UP, WE CALL THE ALTERNATE, BUT WE CAN STILL DO I MEAN, IF WE HAVE THE MINIMUM OF TWO WE CAN STILL DO BUSINESS.
[02:25:05]
YES. OKAY. YEAH.I THINK IF WE KNOW SOMEONE CAN'T BE THERE, IT'S WISE TO CALL ON THE ALTERNATE.
BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN DAY OF.
SO YEAH, TWO IS A MINIMUM, BUT BETTER TO HAVE THREE.
I HAD A QUESTION, AND I ASK THIS BECAUSE I KNOW THESE RULES HAVE BEEN CHANGING ABOUT ZOOM MEETINGS.
WHEN CAN YOU DO THEM? HOW DO YOU DO THEM? ALL THIS STUFF? SO IS IT STILL ALLOWED FOR US TO PARTICIPATE VIA ZOOM? IF WE'RE AT A CONFERENCE AND THERE'S A BOARD MEETING GOING ON THAT SAME DAY? I WILL DEFER TO DISTRICT COUNSEL.
I THINK OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, YES.
WHEN YOU'RE AT A CONFERENCE FOR WORK, AT A WORK CONFERENCE.
YEAH. I THINK YOU CAN, BUT I WOULD NEED TO CHECK.
OKAY. I HAVEN'T LOOKED AT THAT PARTICULAR SITUATION.
THAT'D BE GOOD TO KNOW, AND I UNDERSTAND ALL THAT STUFF ABOUT NOTICING AND ALL THAT.
IT'S NOT AN EASY THING TO DO, BUT TO ME IT'S BETTER THAN MISSING A MEETING.
SO IT'S POSSIBLE TO DO THAT, AND IT'D BE GOOD FOR US, FOR US TO KNOW THAT.
SO IT JUST KIND OF OPENS UP THINGS A LITTLE BIT MORE.
IF YOU'RE CONSIDERING GOING TO A VALUABLE CONFERENCE.
THE OTHER THING THAT I KNOW I ASKED FOR IN MY SURVEY AND WE'VE GOTTEN A COMMENT FROM ACTUALLY ONE OF OUR PAC MEMBERS ABOUT A SUGGESTION THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE MORE REMOTE MEETINGS BESIDES JUST THAT ONE AT BIG BREAK.
AND IT WAS MY HOPE THAT WE COULD DO QUARTERLY ONE MEETING IN SOME PLACE OTHER THAN THIS LOCALE.
SO I'M WONDERING IF THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING AND, YOU KNOW, IF WE KEPT IT DURING THE DAY, WE COULD PROBABLY GET A COUNCIL CHAMBERS SOMEWHERE THAT HAS VIDEO CAPABILITY.
SO WE COULD STILL WE WOULDN'T LOSE THAT ABILITY.
JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT, BUT I REALLY THINK THAT'S A GOOD POINT TO BRING UP THAT AS LONG AS WE'RE PLANNING THE CALENDAR AND WE KNOW IN ADVANCE THAT JUST TO GO, YOU KNOW, IN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, FOR INSTANCE, IT'D BE NICE TO HAVE MORE MEETINGS OUT THERE FOR THE FOLKS THAT LIVE OUT THERE.
I JUST WANT TO CONFIRM. SO 2024 WAS THE FIRST TIME WE MEMORIALIZED THIS CALENDAR, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. WE NEVER DONE THAT BEFORE.
BECAUSE I HAVE THE BOARD OPERATING GUIDELINES IN FRONT OF ME, AND, YOU KNOW, ALL THAT WE SAY IN THE BOARD OPERATING GUIDELINES IS THAT YOU KNOW, MEETINGS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS SHALL BE HELD AT THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION BUILDING, 2950 PERALTA OAKS COURT, OAKLAND, UNLESS THE BOARD DETERMINES THAT THE MEETING SHALL BE HELD ELSEWHERE.
FROM TIME TO TIME, AS WARRANTED BY AGENDA ITEMS THE BOARD SHALL HOLD MEETINGS AT VARIOUS OTHER LOCATIONS WITHIN THE DISTRICT, SO I INTERPRET THIS AS IT GIVES US SOME FLEXIBILITY TO HAVE IT IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.
I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO MEMORIALIZE IT IN THIS AGENDA ITEM, AND THEN ALSO IN TERMS OF DAY AND TIME, THERE IS SOME FLEXIBILITY BECAUSE IT JUST SAYS NORMALLY BEGINS.
IS THAT A DECENT INTERPRETATION OF THE BOARD OPERATING GUIDELINES THAT WE DO HAVE SOME FLEXIBILITY IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, MEETING DAY, MEETING TIMES, MEETING LOCATIONS, AND THEN I'LL READ ON THE FOLLOW UP, IT SAYS REGULAR MEETINGS ARE NORMALLY HELD ON THE FIRST AND THIRD TUESDAY OF EACH MONTH.
IT SPEAKS TO TOURS AND SITE VISITS.
THE NEXT SECTION IS STUDY IS SPECIAL MEETINGS.
YOU KNOW, WE SCHEDULE BOARD MEETINGS ON TUESDAYS, THE FIRST AND THIRD TUESDAY OF THE MONTH, AND THEN WE HAVE TWO COMMITTEES, OPERATIONS COMMITTEE AND FINANCE COMMITTEE, THAT ARE GOING TO BE THE FIRST AND THIRD WEDNESDAYS OF THE MONTH.
SO WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT THE BOARD MEMBERS THAT ARE ON THOSE COMMITTEES WILL BE COMING HERE TWO DAYS IN A ROW THAT WEEK, AND THAT'S QUITE A BIT OF AN ASK ON TWO REALLY PRIME WORKING DAYS DURING PRIME WORKING HOURS FOR BOARD MEMBERS, AND I KNOW WE ALSO WILL HAVE TWO NEW BOARD MEMBERS IN THE NEW YEAR, AND WE DON'T KNOW WHO THOSE TWO NEW BOARD
[02:30:03]
MEMBERS ARE, AND IN MEMORIALIZING THIS TODAY, IT DOESN'T REALLY GIVE US A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY TO MAKE CHANGES ONCE THE NEW YEAR STARTS, BECAUSE IN FEBRUARY OF 2024, I HAD IDENTIFIED THAT WAS A LITTLE BIT OF AN ISSUE TO HAVE THOSE TWO MEETINGS TWO DAYS IN A ROW, TUESDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS DURING THE DAY, AND I WAS IT WAS SHARED WITH ME THAT IT'D BE REALLY DIFFICULT TO CHANGE THE SCHEDULING THAT WE WERE LOCKED INTO THE SCHEDULING AS IT IS, AND I THINK THAT PUTS US AT A DISADVANTAGE, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE HERE AT THE PARK DISTRICT, AND I THINK THAT IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE MORE FLEXIBILITY IN REGARDS TO WHEN WE SCHEDULE OUR COMMITTEE MEETINGS, AND I REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, I'VE SERVED PREVIOUSLY ON AN ELECTED BOARD, AND I REMEMBER WHEN I FIRST STARTED AT THAT ELECTED BOARD, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE FIRST QUESTIONS THEY ASKED WAS ABOUT MY SCHEDULE, AND I MENTIONED THAT IT'D BE REALLY TOUGH FOR ME TO MAKE IT TO DAYTIME COMMITTEE MEETINGS, AND THEY WERE COMPLETELY RESPECTFUL OF THAT SCHEDULE AND SAID, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE'LL SPLIT THE COMMITTEE MEETING SO THAT HALF THE COMMITTEES WILL MEET DURING THE DAY, AND THE OTHER HALF WILL MEET IN THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING, AND THEN YOU'LL JUST AUTOMATICALLY BE PUT ON THE COMMITTEES THAT MEET IN THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS, AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS VERY NICE TO DO.SINCE I'VE JOINED THIS BOARD, I'VE TRIED TO BE A REALLY GOOD TEAM PLAYER IN TERMS OF OUR MEETING TIMES, AND YOU KNOW, NOW THAT I'M AT THIS MIDPOINT, I'M A LITTLE BIT DISAPPOINTED THAT WE'RE STILL GOING TO CONTINUE WITH THIS SAME SCHEDULE THAT I DON'T THINK REALLY WORKS, AND I ALSO WILL SHARE IN TERMS OF INCLUSIVITY.
YOU KNOW, I SORT OF DISAGREE WITH THAT COMMENT.
I'VE ACTUALLY DONE QUITE A BIT OF THINKING IN REGARDS TO THIS, AND I HAVE A FEW PREPARED REMARKS THAT I WANT TO SHARE ABOUT OUR DAYTIME HOURS, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THAT WE DID A GOOD JOB OF ENGAGING THE PUBLIC.
YES, THIS IS A PUBLIC MEETING.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE ABLE TO WEIGH IN, AND I DON'T THINK ANYTHING YOU KNOW, INTENTIONAL HAPPENED HERE, BUT I ALSO THINK WE COULD HAVE DONE MORE TO REACH OUT, MAYBE TO OUR PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO GET FEEDBACK ABOUT OUR MEETINGS.
AND I KNOW THAT MEMBER, HE ACTUALLY WENT THROUGH AND RESEARCHED ALL OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS IN TERMS OF LOOKING AT THEIR START TIMES, THOSE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS IN ALAMEDA AND CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT RESEARCH, AND THAT WASN'T SOMETHING THAT I HAD EVEN MENTIONED WHEN HE AND I HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS, BUT I THOUGHT THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO SHARE.
ANYWAY, SCHEDULING A PUBLIC MEETING DURING DAYTIME HOURS CAN BE SEEN AS A POTENTIAL OVERSIGHT AND CONSIDERING PUBLIC AVAILABILITY, ESPECIALLY FOR WORKING INDIVIDUALS, PARENTS, AND OTHERS WITH DAYTIME OBLIGATIONS.
OR ALSO, YOU KNOW, AS LONG AS WE PROVIDE CLEAR COMMUNICATION TO THE PUBLIC.
YOU KNOW, ONE THING I'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE US MAYBE CONSIDER TRANSITIONING TO IS STARTING TO THINK ABOUT OUR BOARD MEETINGS, MAYBE BEING SPLIT WITH SOME DAYTIME START TIME, SOME EVENING START TIMES.
I DO THINK THAT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO THINK ABOUT THIS BROADER COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND YES, I KNOW, I KNOW, I'M PERSONALLY I GUESS DEALING WITH THE SITUATION IN REGARDS TO THE COMMUNITY THAT I REPRESENT HERE ON EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT, AND I'VE CERTAINLY HEARD FROM MEMBERS IN THIS COMMUNITY, EVEN PRIOR TO ME JOINING THIS BOARD, BECAUSE I WAS REACHED OUT TO BY A GROUP OF MEMBERS OF THE MOUNTAIN BIKING COMMUNITY WHO WERE RECEIVING CITATIONS FROM OUR PARK DISTRICT WHO WERE VERY NOT HAPPY THAT THESE MEETINGS WERE TAKING PLACE DURING THE DAY HERE IN OAKLAND, AND THAT THEY THEY VIEWED THAT AS A WAY FOR YOU KNOW, THE PARK DISTRICT TO NOT BE INCLUSIVE OF ALL DIFFERENT PEOPLE, AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS THAT THEY HAD SHARED WITH ME WHEN I, WHEN I DID DECIDE TO PURSUE THIS OFFICE, WAS TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MAKE AN EFFORT TO HAVE MEETINGS THAT ARE HELD AT A TIME WHEN MORE PEOPLE CAN ATTEND, MORE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, AND I THINK THAT HELPS TO BUILD TRANSPARENCY AND TRUST WITH THE PUBLIC, AND I THINK THAT WE SHOULD NOT MEMORIALIZE THIS CALENDAR TODAY.
I THINK WE CAN USE IT AS A GUIDING SCHEDULE.
BUT I THINK THAT ACTUALLY I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT 2025 WE START TO USE THAT AS A YEAR, AS A PILOT YEAR, TO START EXPERIMENTING WITH SOME DIFFERENT OPTIONS, AND IF WE MEMORIALIZE THIS TODAY, WE'LL RUN INTO THE SAME ISSUE IDENTIFIED IN FEBRUARY OF 2024, WHERE WE HAD NO FLEXIBILITY AS A BOARD TO MAKE ANY CHANGES TO THE CALENDAR.
ONCE WE VOTE ON THIS, IT'S GOING TO BE LOCKED IN, AND AND I THINK THAT REALLY WILL MAKE THINGS DIFFICULT FOR US IF WE WANT TO MAKE ANY SORT OF CHANGES, AND I ALSO DID REVIEW SOME OF THE MEETINGS THAT HAD BEEN COUNSELED IN THIS YEAR 2024.
[02:35:02]
SO WE HAD THREE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETINGS CANCELED.WE HAD TWO FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETINGS CANCELED, BUT PART OF THAT WAS A RESCHEDULE BECAUSE WE DID NEED TO WAIT FOR YOU KNOW, A CONSULTANT THE, THE PERSON THAT WE WERE WORKING WITH ON A PARTICULAR TOPIC, BUT AND THEN WITH THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE, WE CANCELED THREE OF THOSE AND ONE WAS RESCHEDULED, I THINK, TO YESTERDAY BECAUSE OF THAT, AND THEN THE NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE, WE HAD TWO CANCELED, BUT THEN ONE WAS RESCHEDULED, AND SO THIS ALSO SPEAKS TO, YOU KNOW, WE CAN MEMORIALIZE THIS TODAY, BUT I THINK WE'RE GOING TO ENCOUNTER THE SAME SITUATION IN 2025 WHERE THERE DOES NEED TO BE THIS RESCHEDULING.
BUT WE AS A BOARD, IF WE MEMORIALIZE, SAY, WE WILL BE LIMITED IN PROPOSING ANY SORT OF RESCHEDULE, AND IT REALLY, I THINK, COULD BE VERY LIMITING TO US, AND ALSO WHEN I BELIEVE THAT ONE OF OUR TOP GOALS IN 2025 SHOULD BE TO START THINKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN INCREASE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND ENGAGEMENT AND BUILDING TRANSPARENCY AND TRUST IN OUR ORGANIZATION, BECAUSE I THINK THAT WE ARE LACKING A LITTLE BIT IN, IN, IN YOU KNOW, MAKING THIS A PRIORITY, AND THERE'S SOME DIFFERENT IDEAS THAT WE COULD CONSIDER IMPLEMENTING.
FOR EXAMPLE, I KNOW SOME OF THE PUBLIC AGENCIES, INCLUDING THE PREVIOUS PUBLIC AGENCY THAT I SERVED ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR, WE MAINTAINED AN EMAIL LIST OF ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WERE INTERESTED IN OUR BOARD MEETINGS, AND ONCE THE AGENDA WAS READY FOR THE BOARD MEETINGS, WE WOULD SEND OUT AN EMAIL TO THAT ENTIRE EMAIL LIST NOTIFYING, HEY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING NEXT WEEK.
HERE'S THE AGENDA, AND GIVING PEOPLE THAT HEADS UP, THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T EVEN DO THAT.
WE JUST EXPECT PEOPLE TO GO TO OUR WEBSITE AND BE FAMILIAR WITH OUR PROCESS, TO GO AND LOOK AND SEE WHEN WE HAVE A MEETING SCHEDULED, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE SMALL THINGS WE CAN DO TO REALLY HELP IMPROVE OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
SO I DON'T SUPPORT MEMORIALIZING THIS.
AND I THINK I WANT US TO BE TO HAVE MORE FLEXIBILITY TO BE ABLE TO MODIFY IT, ESPECIALLY WITH TWO NEW DIRECTORS COMING ON BOARD, AND AND I THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE THESE CHANGES HAPPEN. SO I DON'T KNOW WHY WE'D WANT TO RESTRICT OURSELVES IN REGARDS TO OUR OVERALL CALENDAR BY VOTING ON THIS TODAY.
OKAY. ANYBODY ELSE? OH, DEE. YEAH.
THANK YOU OLIVIA. I AGREE WITH OLIVIA ON I THINK THERE'S A THIS IS THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAYBE EXPERIMENT WITH SOME SOME EVENING MEETINGS, BUT ALSO I WAS JUST LOOKING AT HAVING.
FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING RIGHT AFTER A BOARD MEETING IS A HEAVY, HEAVY LIFT.
FINANCE. FINANCE PACKETS ARE HUGE, AND THERE'S A LOT OF DATA, AND TO HAVE THAT RIGHT AFTER RIGHT AFTER A BOARD MEETING. IT'S CRAZY.
MY EYES GO, MY EYES GO BLURRY LOOKING.
I MEAN, HAVING TO READ ALL BOTH THOSE PACKETS IN ONE, YOU KNOW, ONE RIGHT AFTER THE OTHER, AND USUALLY IT'LL TAKE ME THE WHOLE WEEKEND TO GO TO SEE BOTH THOSE, TO READ BOTH THOSE PACKETS.
BECAUSE YOU WANT YOUR DIRECTORS TO BE ENGAGED, ESPECIALLY IN THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
SO I WOULD RECOMMEND SWAPPING.
IT'S POSSIBLE THE LEGISLATIVE WITH FINANCE TO MAKE.
THEN YOU HAVE A YOU'D HAVE A LOT MORE DAYS TO DIGEST THE FINANCE DATA PACKETS.
IS THAT RIGHT? LIKE I'M LOOKING AT, SAY, FEBRUARY IS THE FIFTH LEGISLATIVE.
OH, NO. LEGISLATIVE. THAT'S THE HOLIDAY.
LET'S GO TO MARCH. MORE INDICATIVE.
SO WE HAVE A BOARD MEETING ON THE FOURTH.
THE FIFTH IS A FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING, BUT THE 12TH WOULD BE BETTER IF THERE IS A POSSIBILITY WE COULD MOVE LEGISLATIVE TO WEDNESDAY THE FIFTH.
THEN THE PEOPLE ON THE BOARD MEMBERS ON THE ON THE THAT FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING HAVE MORE TIME TO SPEND ON THAT ON THAT PACKET BECAUSE THAT IT IS A WOULDN'T YOU AGREE. IT'S A HEAVY PACKET.
I MEAN ACTUALLY LAST YEAR I HAD SUGGESTED THAT THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE MEETING COME ON THE MEETING AFTER THE BOARD MEETING, AS OPPOSED TO HAVING THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE FOLLOW DIRECTLY AFTER THE BOARD MEETING, WHICH IS ALSO PROBLEMATIC, BUT YEAH.
SO BY DEFAULT I AM IN SUPPORT OF YOUR SUGGESTION.
[02:40:08]
THAT BASED ON WHAT DEE JUST SAID, I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU GET A LOT OF STUFF OUT OF THE WAY IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE YOU GUT IT OUT AND THEN YOU'RE YOU'RE FREE FOR A WHILE, BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE MORE IMPORTANT THING IS THAT MAYBE WE'RE NOT AS AS YOU KNOW, ABLE TO ABLE TO FUNCTION AS HIGH AS WE NEED TO BE.
YOUR IDEA ABOUT SENDING STUFF OUT VIA VIA EMAILS.
I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THAT FOR SO LONG, AND I KIND OF FORGOT ABOUT IT FOR A WHILE, BUT, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S EASY FOR ME TO SAY, BUT, I MEAN, IT SOUNDS LIKE A FAIRLY STRAIGHTFORWARD THING THAT WE COULD DO.
YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT THEY DON'T THINK OF IT.
SO IF WE COULD DO THAT I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GIANT WAY TO EMBRACE MORE INTEREST IN TERMS OF, OF DOING ANYTHING DIFFERENT THAN WHAT'S BEEN CAPTURED HERE.
I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF IT BECAUSE A LOT OF WORK HAS GONE INTO THIS, AND WE WERE ALL QUERIED.
WE WERE ALL WE WERE ALL FILLED OUT QUESTIONNAIRES AND YOU, YOU INCORPORATED ALL THAT AND AND SO SO IT RECOGNIZES OUR PREFERENCES AS IT IS RIGHT NOW.
SO, YOU KNOW, I WOULDN'T I WOULDN'T WANT TO DO THAT, BUT AGAIN, I WANT TO I'LL REPEAT MYSELF AGAIN, IN ORDER TO REACH OUT AND AND INCLUDE MORE FOLKS, WE NEED TO HAVE MEETINGS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY MORE THAN WE HAVE NOW.
THAT'S I THINK THAT'S THE ONE WAY THAT WE CAN TRANSITION INTO HAVING A MORE INCLUSIVE SCHEDULE.
YEAH, I GUESS WE ALL HAVE OUR OWN LIVES AND AND BOARD EXPERIENCES WITH THESE ISSUES, AND I ACTUALLY, MY OWN EXPERIENCE LEADS ME TO REALLY, REALLY, REALLY LIKE THE IDEA OF LOCKING THIS IN, WHICH IS PROBLEMATIC FOR YOU, I UNDERSTAND, AND IT GOES BACK TO PRIOR TO THIS YEAR, WHICH IS THE FIRST YEAR WE ACTUALLY MADE AN ATTEMPT TO DEVELOP A MASTER CALENDAR FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR BEFORE THAT, AND I GUESS I'M EIGHT GOING ON NINE YEARS.
WE HAD WHAT MY COLLEAGUES, SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES, PEOPLE JUST THOUGHT WERE FLEXIBLE CALENDARS, AND IF COMMITTEE DIDN'T WORK THAT NEXT WEEK, YOU KNOW, HEY EVERYONE, LET'S CALL UP EVERYONE AND TRY TO FORGET IT.
WHAT IT WAS WAS A HORRENDOUS BURDEN ON STAFF, BECAUSE THERE WAS THIS CULTURE WHERE IT WAS JUST OKAY TO SWITCH DATES ON FAIRLY SHORT NOTICE, OR AT LEAST ASK THAT WE DO AND PULL THE BOARD.
WE DON'T HAVE THIS IN, AND AS TIME WENT ON, IT GOT TO THE POINT WHERE I WAS NOT ABLE TO PLAN MY FREAKING YEAR THAT WAS COMING UP, AND THAT, I THINK, WAS A COMMON EXPERIENCE, AND ALL OF US WHO HAVE THIS IS THE BUSIEST FACET NOW OF MY LIFE, BUT THERE IS OTHER STUFF GOING ON.
SO IT WAS HELPFUL TO BE ABLE TO PROGRAM IN BETWEEN JANUARY AND DECEMBER.
WHAT WHAT EXPECTATIONS WERE OF OUR TIME, AND I FOUND THAT A HUGE ADVANTAGE TO 2024.
I SENSED THAT IT WAS A HUGE ADVANTAGE TO LIFTING A BURDEN ON STAFF.
THE PROBLEMS THAT AROSE WERE A NUMBER OF COMMITTEES THAT SESSIONS THAT CONFLICTED WITH CONFERENCES, AND WE DEALT WITH THAT, BUT BECAUSE OF THAT EXPERIENCE, WE'RE MAKING A CONCERTED EFFORT TO AVOID THAT IN THIS MASTER CALENDAR, AND SO TO IN TERMS OF MY OWN EXPERIENCES HERE, BOY, I WANT THIS LOCKED IN.
[02:45:02]
I WANT IT SEVERELY LOCKED IN.I WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE DATES ARE, WHERE I'M EXPECTED TO BE AVAILABLE DURING THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, AND I DON'T WANT TO BURDEN ANYBODY WITH THE IDEA OF SWITCHING UP DATES.
STAFF PUTS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK INTO PREPARING FOR THESE MEETINGS, AND IT WASN'T A FAIR.
IT WASN'T FAIR WHEN WE WERE THAT FLEXIBLE, AND I DON'T WANT TO RETURN TO THOSE DAYS.
SO I LIKE THE IDEA OF LOCKING IN.
I'M OPEN TO FLIPPING COMMITTEE DATES AROUND, AS SUGGESTED BY DIRECTOR ROSARIO.
WELL, I HAVE SOMEONE WHO ACTUALLY READS MY PACKET FOR ME AND TAGS THINGS AND.
OKAY BUT SO I'M LOST, BUT THAT'S THE ADVANTAGE OF LOCKING IN.
ALSO, THERE'S A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK THAT HAS GONE INTO THIS.
I'M. MY POSITION ON NIGHTTIME HAS BEEN ARTICULATED FOR EIGHT YEARS, SO I WON'T REPEAT THAT.
SO I'M FOR THIS AND AND AND WANT TO LOCK IT IN.
OLIVIA, AND THEN I'LL ADD MY $0.02.
GO AHEAD. YEAH, I KNOW MY FIRST YEAR ON THIS BOARD, 2023.
WE DID HAVE SOME COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
I BELIEVE THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE THAT I WAS A PART OF.
WE MET ON FRIDAYS, AND I'M JUST CURIOUS WHY WE MOVED ALL THE COMMITTEE MEETINGS AWAY FROM FRIDAYS.
FRIDAYS DO TEND TO BE A BIT MORE FLEXIBLE FOR, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WITH JOB COMMITMENTS, WHETHER IT'S MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC OR MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, AND I'M JUST CURIOUS WHY WE MOVED AWAY FROM FRIDAYS TO WEDNESDAYS.
DIRECTOR SANWONG. THAT WAS DONE FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS.
ONE IS THAT WE WERE TRYING TO CREATE MORE FLEXIBILITY TO BE ABLE TO FIT IN THE BOARD SITE VISITS.
ALSO, THE SPECIAL MEETINGS OF THE BOARD DIRECTORS TRADITIONALLY FALL ON FRIDAYS.
SO THEY'LL START THE STUDY SESSIONS, THE RETREAT, AND THE SITE VISITS.
THOSE TYPICALLY TEND TO COVER FRIDAYS.
THEY USUALLY GO WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY AND FRIDAY.
SO WE SAW A LOT OF CONFLICTS WITH THAT, AND THE THIRD REASON, AND THAT WAS REALLY ONE OF THE MAIN DRIVERS AS WELL, A DISCUSSION AND AN INTEREST BY STAFF TO BE ABLE TO RESOLVE WHAT YOU IDENTIFIED EARLIER TODAY, HAVING BOARD MEMBERS HAVING TO DRIVE MULTIPLE TIMES DURING THE WEEK TO ATTEND A MEETING, WE WANTED TO CONSOLIDATE THE WEEK BECAUSE WE IN 2023 AND 2022, THE BOARD STANDING COMMITTEE MEETINGS SPREAD FROM TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. I MEAN, WE WERE COVERING THE WHOLE WEEK.
WE HAD BOARD MEMBERS DRIVING EVERY SINGLE DAY WITH THE EXCEPTION OF MONDAYS.
WE FELT A LITTLE BIT SHORT OF OUR GOAL, AND OUR ORIGINAL INTENTION WAS TO CONSOLIDATE THE MEETINGS TO ONE DAY, AND ON OUR FIRST ATTEMPT, WE WERE ABLE TO CONSOLIDATE THE FOUR STANDING COMMITTEE MEETINGS TO TWO DAYS, AND THAT'S WHY THAT'S ONE OF THE QUESTIONS IN THE SURVEY, AND AND IT WAS A SPLIT VOTE BETWEEN THE EXECUTIVE TEAM AND THE BOARD MEMBERS.
CAN WE CONSOLIDATE ALL OF YOUR BOARD STANDING COMMITTEE MEETINGS ON ONE DAY ON TUESDAYS, HAVING TWO BOARD STANDING STANDING COMMITTEE MEETINGS, ONE IN THE MORNING AND ONE IN THE AFTERNOON. AND WHILE THERE'S EFFICIENCIES TO BE GAINED FROM THE STAFFS PERSPECTIVE, WE ALSO SAW THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE BOARD WAS NOT INTERESTED IN THAT BECAUSE YOU LOST A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY AND YOU HAD YOU WERE CONTENDING WITH OTHER PRESSURE POINTS THAT WERE COMPETING WITH OUR STAFF INTEREST. SO WE KEPT THEM TO THOSE DAYS, TO TUESDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS.
YEAH. IT'S JUST TOUGH, YOU KNOW, TO HAVE THESE BACK TO BACK, YOU KNOW, BEING HERE ALL DAY TODAY, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT REALLY ABLE TO BE IN FRONT OF MY EMAIL OR GETTING ANYTHING DONE, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, HAVING TO BE HERE.
THEN THE NEXT DAY AT 10:30 A.M., THERE'S LIKE NO TIME TO SCHEDULE ANY SORT OF MEETING OR JUST TIME TO FOLLOW UP ON THE EMAILS THAT I NEED TO FOLLOW UP ON IN THE MORNING, AND IT'S JUST REALLY CHALLENGING, AND I THINK ACTUALLY IT WOULD HAVE BEEN MY PREFERENCE TO HAVE HAD FRIDAYS CONSIDERED FOR COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
ANYWAYS, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT SCHEDULES, AND I ALSO DO THINK ABOUT MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
I DON'T THINK THAT WE ARE CONSIDERING, YOU KNOW, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHEN, WHEN PUTTING TOGETHER THIS SCHEDULE, AND SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING TO WORK TOWARDS. I THINK MAYBE HAVING MEETINGS IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS, AS JOHN MENTIONED, OR EVEN JUST STARTING TO MAINTAIN AN EMAIL LIST TO SEND OUT NOTIFICATIONS ABOUT WHEN THE
[02:50:07]
MEETINGS ARE HAPPENING, I THINK THOSE ARE TWO REALLY GOOD STEPS SEPARATE FROM MEMORIALIZING THIS CALENDAR TO CONSIDER.YOU KNOW, WE WILL HAVE TWO NEW BOARD MEMBERS IN THE NEW YEAR, AND, YOU KNOW, I DO.
I REALLY APPRECIATED THE COURTESY THAT MY PREVIOUS AGENCY HAD EXTENDED TO ME IN REGARDS TO, YOU KNOW, MY SCHEDULE AND, AND ORGANIZING THE COMMITTEE MEETINGS, AND I WOULD YOU KNOW, I HAVE A PROPOSAL MAYBE THAT BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW ALL.
I MEAN, I GUESS SOME PEOPLE KNOW WHAT COMMITTEES ARE GOING TO BE ON.
SOME MAY NOT KNOW WHAT COMMITTEES ARE GOING TO BE ON, AND, YOU KNOW, I MAY LOOK A LOT CLOSER AT THE SCHEDULE NEXT YEAR THAN I HAVE IN THE PAST TWO YEARS TO SHARE WHAT COMMITTEES THAT I'LL BE AVAILABLE AND NOT AVAILABLE FOR FOR NEXT YEAR.
I WONDER IF WE CAN SAY MAYBE, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST QUARTER OF 20, 25, WE'LL TRY THIS SCHEDULE, BUT THEN GIVE OURSELVES SOME FLEXIBILITY TO REVIEW IT DURING THOSE FIRST THREE MONTHS OF 2025 FOR THE COMMITTEE SPECIFICALLY, BECAUSE BY THEN WE'LL KNOW WHAT COMMITTEES WE'RE ON, AND THAT GIVES US SOME FLEXIBILITY TO MAYBE MAKE SOME CHANGES, WHETHER IT'S FRIDAYS. ALSO, I'VE NOTICED THAT SOMETIMES THE AGENDAS CAN BE A LITTLE BIT LIGHT AT THESE COMMITTEE MEETINGS, AND MAYBE WE DON'T EVEN NEED TO HAVE A MEETING AND I'D LIKE TO SEE US HAVE SOME FLEXIBILITY ON THAT REGARDS, TOO.
I THINK THAT IF THERE ISN'T CONTENT TO HAVE A MEETING, IT'S NOT REALLY YOU KNOW, THE BEST USE OF OUR TIME TO COME HERE FOR 30 MINUTES AND NOT REALLY, YOU KNOW, GET ANYTHING SUBSTANTIAL DONE.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT ALSO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS I THINK I MADE A COMMENT IN THE SURVEY ABOUT THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S TOUGH TO DO THIS WHOLE CALENDAR FOR THE NEXT 12 MONTHS WITHOUT ALSO THINKING ABOUT THAT AGENDA SETTING PROCESS AND THE COMMITTEE LEVEL SPECIFICALLY, IF THERE'S A MEETING THAT'S A LITTLE BIT LIGHT, I'D RATHER SEE THAT MEETING GET CANCELED THAN HAVE US MEET HERE JUST TO FILL UP TIME.
WELL, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL YOUR WORK AND APPRECIATE ALL THE COMMENTS HERE ON THE DAIS.
I, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF THINGS FROM MY PERSPECTIVE.
ONE OF THE THINGS IS, YOU KNOW, I DO.
SO I'M JUST THINKING OF MAYBE ONE WAY WE COULD DO THIS IS LOCK IN THE DATES, BUT MAYBE THINK ABOUT HAVING TRYING TO HAVE SOME OF THE COMMITTEE MEETINGS LATER IN THE DAY.
LIKE NOT NECESSARILY NIGHT, BUT LIKE 4:00 IN THE AFTERNOON OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
MAYBE NOT ALL OF THEM, BUT YEAH, ANYWAY, SO WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST IS LET'S, YOU KNOW, LET'S APPROVE THIS, BUT NOT, YOU KNOW, LOCK IT INTO STONE, BUT I DO, BUT I DO, TO COLIN'S POINT ABOUT THE DATES, I DO FEEL LIKE WE PROBABLY WANT TO KEEP THE DATES SET FOR PEOPLE'S PLANNING, BUT MAYBE WE CAN SHIFT THE TIME OF SOME OF THE COMMITTEE MEETINGS JUST AS A TRIAL TO SEE.
SO, THAT'S WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST.
I ALSO FULLY SUPPORT NOTIFYING PEOPLE IF WE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LIST ALREADY.
I THINK IT'S GREAT. IT'S EXTRA EMAIL.
IT'S GOOD PUBLICITY FOR US, YOU KNOW, TO SEND OUT.
THIS IS OUR AGENDA COMING UP, ESPECIALLY FOR THE FULL BOARD MEETINGS, AND THEN THE OTHER THING IS I THINK THAT LET'S SEE ONE MORE THING HERE, BUT I DIDN'T WRITE IT DOWN.
WELL, I DIDN'T I THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO HAVE A JULY 1ST MEETING.
OH, RIGHT. NONE OF US, NONE OF US BID ON IT.
I LIKE THE IDEA. I FIGURED THAT.
I WOULD LOOK TO YOU TO TALK TO THE GM AND SEE IF THAT IDEA OF JULY 1ST CAUSES ANY STAFF PROBLEMS. YEAH. I MEAN, I THINK THAT I THINK IT WAS ME WHO SAID, WELL, THAT'S A TRICKY WEEK AND IT'S NOT.
SO BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT YOU CERTAINLY PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE PARKS AREN'T TAKING THAT WEEK OFF BECAUSE IT'S A BUSY, BUSY WEEK, BUT SOME PEOPLE HERE ARE TAKING IT OFF AND SOME BOARD MEMBERS MIGHT BE GOING PLACES OR WHATEVER.
WHO KNOWS WHAT WE'RE DOING PARADES.
OH, OKAY, NOT ON JULY 1ST, THOUGH.
ANYWAY, OKAY, WE'RE GETTING SILLY HERE.
SO LET'S SO I THINK THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO SAY AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN LOOK INTO FOR NEXT YEAR, NOT FOR 2025, BUT MAYBE HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I PUT INTO THE SURVEY IS IT WOULD BE REALLY GREAT TO MAYBE ONCE A QUARTER, GO SOMEWHERE ELSE AND BE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, AND
[02:55:07]
NOT JUST NOT JUST LEAVE IT WITH THE DAY BREAK.YEAH. ANYWAY, SO THAT WAS, THAT'S MY TWO CENTS.
SO I GUESS I WOULD ASK FOR A MOTION THEN TO PASS THIS WITH THE, YOU KNOW, WITH FLEXIBILITY.
WELL, FIRST OF ALL, WITH SWITCHING, YOU KNOW, LEGISLATIVE AND OF COURSE, LEGISLATIVE TAKES WORK TOO, BUT IT'S NOT AS INTENSE AND IT'S NOT GOING TO BE AS HARD ON THE OFFICERS ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, THE PRESIDENT.
I MEAN, IT IS HARD TO CHAIR THIS MEETING ALL DAY, GO HOME, READ THE PACKET FOR THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND THEN COME BACK THE NEXT MORNING, AND I KNOW IT'S I KNOW WE GET THEM ON SATURDAY, BUT IF YOU HAVE BUSY WEEKENDS WITH KIDS OR FAMILY AND OTHER COMMITMENTS, THEN YOU CAN'T ALWAYS READ TWO PACKETS.
SO THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL, I THINK.
ALL RIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? I OPPOSE. OKAY.
DID YOU GET ALL THAT, YOLANDE? OKAY. VERY GOOD.
THIS IS JUST PROOF OF HOW HARD IT IS, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, YOU GOT IT ALL NICE AND PRETTY FOR US, AND WE STILL THANK YOU.
SO, ANY COMMENTS FROM THE GENERAL MANAGER'S OFFICE? NO. OKAY.
ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM CLOSED SESSION? NO THANK YOU.
OKAY. SO OH, WE HAVE OUR NEW ITEM FOR PROPOSING FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS.
[PROPOSED FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO PROPOSE FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? ANYONE ELSE? YOU CAN GO AHEAD.YOU DON'T WE DON'T NEED EVERYBODY TO PROPOSE.
I'M NOT GOING TO DO THE ONE THAT YOU.
OKAY, I'M GOING TO DO TWO DIFFERENT ONES.
SO ONE YOU KNOW GIVEN OUR EARLIER AGENDA ITEM IN REGARDS TO POINT MOLATE, I'VE BEEN THINKING A LOT ABOUT SOME OF OUR LAND BANKED PROPERTIES AND ALSO, AS I'LL SHARE LATER WHEN I GIVE MY BOARD COMMENTS.
YOU KNOW, I DID HAVE A MEETING WITH SOME OFFICIALS FROM CITY OF PLEASANTON SPECIFICALLY IN REGARDS TO A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING THAT WAS SIGNED BY THIS PARK DISTRICT AND CITY OF PLEASANTON IN 2016, IN REGARDS TO GARMS WHERE WE PROMISED PLEASANTON THAT GARMS WOULD BE COMPLETED BY 2020, AND THEN WE ALSO RECEIVED A LETTER IN SEPTEMBER OF 2022 THAT WE HAVEN'T YET REVIEWED.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE GARMS BE AGENDIZED AT SOME TIME IN THE FUTURE FOR US AS A BOARD TO REVIEW, BECAUSE WE ARE NOW TWO YEARS SINCE THE CITY OF PLEASANTON SENT US A LETTER IN REGARDS TO THIS LAND BANKED PROPERTY.
SO THAT'S ITEM ONE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE FOR A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM.
ITEM TWO, I ACTUALLY PREPARED TO MENTION AND THEN AFTER OUR EQUESTRIAN PRESENTATION, SOME OF THE WORK THAT I PREPARED ACTUALLY TIES INTO SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT WE HEARD DURING PUBLIC COMMENT IN REGARDS TO OUR CELEBRATION OF OCTOBER 2024.
AS YOU KNOW, TO CELEBRATE THE EQUESTRIAN COMMUNITY AND ITEM NUMBER TWO, I'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE ON OUR 2025 WORK PLAN SOME SORT OF COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY AND AND ALSO ADDRESS COMMUNITY EVENTS, AND TIED INTO THAT WOULD BE THINKING ABOUT OUR WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA INTERACTIONS AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE EDUCATION OF TRAIL ETIQUETTE AND PROGRAMS LIKE THAT.
SO I'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE US THINK ABOUT COMMUNICATION STRATEGY AND COMMUNITY EVENTS IN 2025.
SO THOSE ARE MY TWO ITEMS. SO OKAY, SO AND THE COMMUNICATION STRATEGY.
YEP. OKAY. CAN I WEIGH IN ON I CAN'T BEGIN TO TELL YOU HOW MUCH IN FAVOR OF THE GARMS THING I AM, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN THERE AND I FEEL I FEEL A RESPONSIBILITY TO, TO ADDRESS THAT AFTER SO MUCH TIME.
SO IF IT TAKES TWO OF US TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN, I WANT TO BE THE OTHER ONE.
ANYONE ELSE ON THAT ITEM? WELL, YEAH, I DON'T KNOW.
I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS THE RIGHT FORUM, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US EITHER REINSTITUTE OR GET A COMMITTEE OR A CLOSED SESSION OR AN OPEN SESSION, WHATEVER IT IS TO DO SOME ADVANCED PLANNING ON HOW WE WOULD PLAN
[03:00:06]
SET DATES FOR THE CRITERIA AND SORT OF THE FORMAT OF THE EVALUATIONS WE DO AS A BOARD BECAUSE WE SEEM TO WELL, I WON'T EDITORIALIZE.I JUST THINK SOME ADVANCED PLANNING WOULD BE WELL ADVISED.
POSSIBLE AD HOC COMMITTEE TO SET UP BOARD MEMBER EVALUATIONS OF OUR DIRECT REPORTS. OKAY.
COMMENT THAT WOULD FACILITATE OUR TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE ACTUALLY TRIED TO DO THIS YEAR.
OKAY. SO ANYONE ELSE YOU KNOW WE CAN THERE.
YOU HAVE OTHER WAYS TO ALSO ADD ITEMS TO THE AGENDA.
ALL RIGHT. THAT LOOKS LIKE THAT'S IT FOR NOW.
[BOARD COMMENTS]
JOHN TO FINISH IT UP, BUT I'M GOING TO LET YOU GUYS GO AHEAD AND START YOUR COMMENTS.WE'LL START WE'LL START DOWN AT THIS END.
GREAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OH, OKAY.
I'M GOING TO GO BACKWARDS STARTING FROM TODAY.
REBECCA BAUER-KAHAN'S OFFICE AND YEAH, ABOUT JUST TO TALK ABOUT THE CALIFORNIA SHAKESPEARE THEATER.
APPARENTLY, IT'S NOT DOING WELL.
SO WE HAD A DISCUSSION, AND DON'T WORRY, WE'RE NOT TAKING IT OVER, AND THEN ON THE 29TH, HAD THE PLEASURE TO ATTEND THE CELEBRATION OF LIFE FOR JAN SOUTHWORTH AND NATURALIST HERE AT COYOTE HILLS.
VERY WELL ATTENDED, AND JUST NORM KIDDER, HER HUSBAND, DID A FABULOUS JOB OF DISPLAYING HER WORK AND HER LIFE THROUGHOUT THE HOUSE AND IN THEIR BACKYARD AND IT WAS JUST A PLEASURE TO SEE HOW CREATIVE SHE WAS, NOT JUST AT WORK, BUT ALSO AT HOME.
SO SHE WILL BE MISSED, AND THEN AND THEN ON THE 28TH, I ATTENDED THE REDWOOD REVEAL AT THE REDWOOD BOWL.
IT WAS IT WAS NICELY ORGANIZED.
I WISH THERE WERE MORE PEOPLE THAT WERE THERE, BUT IT WAS IT WAS VERY WELL DONE, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE EFFORT THERE, AND AND I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY AND THAT WAS I THINK THAT WAS WELL RECEIVED, BUT AND THEN ON THE 27TH ATTENDED THE UN DAY OF PEACE AGAIN, VERY WELL ORGANIZED, BUT KIND OF LACKING IN ATTENDANCE, BUT IT WAS VERY WELL DONE.
I THINK THERE'S SOME LESSONS LEARNED THERE.
WHO KNOWS? BUT IT COULD BE BECAUSE IT'S A FRIDAY.
HARD TO GET TO ON A FRIDAY AFTERNOON.
WAS IT LAKE CHABOT? YEAH, IT WAS LAKE CHABOT? YEAH. OKAY, AND REAL QUICK, DEE WON AN AWARD ALSO.
OH, RIGHT. SO CONGRATULATIONS, DEE.
I WAS GOING TO BRING IT, BUT IT'S HUGE.
YEAH. IT'S A THINKING MAN, BUT, AND THEN THERE WAS THE MISSPELLING ON THE LABEL THERE.
I'LL HAVE TO SEND IT BACK TO HIM.
OR MAYBE I'LL JUST KEEP IT AS [CHUCKLING] BUT IT WAS VERY NICE.
I THOUGHT THE ENTERTAINMENT AND THE FOOD AND THE SPEAKERS.
I MEAN, IT WAS JUST IT WAS JUST IT WAS JUST IT WAS WELL DONE.
HOPEFULLY WE CAN WORK OUT WHERE WE CAN GET MORE PEOPLE THERE.
I THINK IT MIGHT BE, I THINK MAYBE SATURDAYS.
I THINK A WEEKEND DAY WOULD BE DIDN'T WE USED TO JUST DO IT ON SATURDAYS? ALWAYS ON THE 20TH. YEAH.
[03:05:02]
THE SATURDAY CLOSEST TO THE 21ST.YEAH. YEAH, BUT I THINK I THINK THE, THE KNOWLEDGE IS THERE AND I THINK THE WILL IS THERE TO CONTINUE AND MAKE THAT BETTER, AND ALSO THAT MORNING WE WENT TO OR AFTERNOON WE WENT TO SACRAMENTO FOR THE LEGISLATIVE LUNCHEON.
THAT WAS I THOUGHT THAT WAS WELL DONE.
WE HAD TO DOUBLE BACK, AND THEN BUT THANK YOU.
THAT WAS, I THOUGHT I THOUGHT MEETING WITH ALL THOSE FOLKS AND OUR LOBBYISTS.
IT'S ALWAYS GOOD, AND THEN "DOO-DOO, DOO-DOO," ON THE 25TH, THE 10TH OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING, AND AND THEN ON THE 24TH, I WAS ASKED TO ATTEND THE CONTRA COSTA BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING, WHERE THEY PRESENTED ME WITH A PROCLAMATION, WHICH I BROUGHT WITH ME. I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
I THINK IT'S BECAUSE OF OUR 90TH, BUT YEAH, IT WAS VERY NICE, AND JUST SO YOU KNOW, THAT I WAS THERE AT THEIR MEETING STARTED AT 9:00.
THEY HAD 176 ITEMS ON THEIR CONSENT CALENDAR.
WOW, AND THEIR CLOSED SESSION WAS ONLY HALF AN HOUR, AND I GO, THERE'S NO WAY.
HOW DO THEY DO THAT? SO? BUT THERE MUST HAVE BEEN 100 PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE AT NINE IN THE MORNING.
SO AND THEN LET'S SEE, WHERE AM I? SEPTEMBER.
OH, I MET WITH I HAD A MEETING WITH PUBLIC RELATIONS FOR THE NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY, WHICH IS NOW MILLS COLLEGE.
SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE SOME GOOD COLLABORATIONS OUT OF THAT UNIVERSITY, AND THEN ON THE 21ST ATTENDED THE SERVICE FOR ELLEN CORBETT.
THAT WAS VERY, VERY, VERY BITTERSWEET, AND I HAD A CHANCE TO TALK WITH THE FAMILY AND YEAH, SAD ALL THE WAY AROUND, BUT I WAS HAPPY THAT SO MANY PEOPLE CAME AND VERY, SOME VERY HIGH PROFILE PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO SPEAK, AND THEN ON THE 18TH, I ATTENDED THE ALAMEDA COUNTY SPECIAL DISTRICTS ASSOCIATION MEETING IN CASTRO VALLEY.
I'M GOING TO FORWARD THE INFORMATION TO MATT GRAUL ABOUT THE RECENT BLOOM LAST, WAS IT LAST YEAR OR THE YEAR BEFORE THAT KILLED A LOT OF FISH IN THE BAY AND ALSO AT LAKE MERRITT.
THEY DID A STUDY THAT WHERE THE POINT SOURCE OR THE, THE MAIN CULPRIT WAS EXCESS NITROGEN AND THE SOURCE POINTS ARE SEWAGE PLANTS 40 THROUGHOUT THE THROUGHOUT THE BAY.
IT'S GOING TO COST ABOUT $11 BILLION TO REMEDY, BUT THEY HAVE TO DO IT.
SO YEAH, VERY SOBERING, BUT I WAS GOING TO SEND THAT TO MATT SEE IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO MAYBE THAT'S RELEVANT FOR OUR LAKES AS WELL, AND THEN.
OH, ALSO THAT MORNING ATTENDED THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING, AND THEN WHAT IS THIS ONE? OH, THAT LATER THAT EVENING, I WENT TO THE GRAND OPENING OF THE OVERLOOK RESTAURANT AT TILDEN, THE TILDEN GOLF COURSE.
GOOD TO SEE LISA GOORJIAN AND OF HER STAFF THERE AND THEN.
THANK YOU. I THINK, JOHN, IF IT'S OKAY WITH YOU, I'M GOING TO GO QUICKLY.
SINCE I APOLOGIZE, I HAVE TO I HAVE TO LEAVE IN FIVE MINUTES NOW, BUT, AND THEN I WILL TURN IT OVER TO YOU, AND YOU CAN CLOSE OUT THE MEETING AND ALSO DO YOUR YOUR COMMENTS. ALL RIGHT.
SO ON THE AND I HAVE TO COVER TWO MEETINGS SINCE I WAS OUT SICK THE WEEK OF THE 16TH.
[03:10:09]
SO DIDN'T GET TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE, BUT I WILL GO FAST.OKAY, SO ON THE 4TH OF SEPTEMBER I ATTENDED THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
ALSO THE SAME DAY, MET WITH OUR CONSULTANT, PAMELA MILLER FROM MCG CONSULTING TO PREPARE FOR THE GENERAL COUNSEL'S EVALUATION ON THE 5TH OF SEPTEMBER MET WITH HOLLY POTTER, CHAIR OF THE REGIONAL PARK FOUNDATION BOARD.
ON THE 12TH ATTENDED THE REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION BOARD MEETING ON THE 13TH OF SEPTEMBER.
WE HAD THE BOARD SITE VISIT, WHICH WAS REALLY IT WAS REALLY FUN, VERY INTERESTING TO BE THERE AT THE TILDEN EEC, AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE REALLY EVERYONE WHO WAS THERE AND WAS GLAD TO HAVE SO MANY MEMBERS OF THE REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION PRESENT AS WELL, AND OF COURSE, WE ALSO VISITED THE TILDEN COURTYARD AND TEMESCAL RECREATION AREA.
REALLY, REALLY WONDERFUL TO HEAR DIFFERENT PEOPLE TALK ABOUT DIFFERENT PARTS OF HER LIFE, AND JUST A LOT OF GREAT PEOPLE WERE THERE TO CELEBRATE HER LIFE.
ON THE 25TH, I WENT TO AN EVENT FOR THE BERKELEY ROTARY PEACE GROVE.
THEY WERE DOING THEIR ANNUAL CEREMONY WHERE THEY GIVE AN AWARD TO A PEACEMAKER IN THE WORLD.
THIS YEAR THEY THEY CHOSE THE UKRAINIAN CENTER FOR CIVIL LIBERTIES AND THE CONSULATE FROM THE UKRAINE WAS THERE, AND IT WAS IT WAS REALLY QUITE LOVELY AND REALLY AN EXCELLENT CHOICE FOR MAKING PEACE IN THE WORLD.
ON THE 28TH I THINK I CAN SAY THIS WENT TO AN EVENT FOR KAMALA HARRIS IN SAN FRANCISCO AND THEN HAD A WONDERFUL 93RD BIRTHDAY FOR MY MOM LATER THAT DAY, AND THEN ON SUNDAY THE 29TH AS YOU HEARD FROM COLIN, WE HAD AN APPRECIATION EVENT FOR SENATOR NANCY SKINNER, AND IT WAS REALLY TONS OF PEOPLE THERE FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF HER CAREER, AND IT WAS REALLY WONDERFUL TO CELEBRATE HER AND HER LEGACY, AND SHE'S NOT DONE YET.
SO IT WAS, BUT IT WAS GOOD TO CELEBRATE WHAT SHE HAS DONE SO FAR, WHICH IS REALLY QUITE, QUITE SIGNIFICANT, AND THEN YESTERDAY WE HAD THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE AND ALSO AGAIN MET WITH OUR CONSULTANT FROM MDC CONSULTING REGARDING THE EVALUATION. SO THAT'S RECORD TIME.
YES, PLEASE. I FOLLOWED DEE AROUND THE STATE AND HE RECEIVED NOTHING BUT AWARDS.
SO ANYWAY ON THE 21ST, I ATTENDED ELLEN'S SERVICE.
OF COURSE, OBVIOUSLY IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL THING AND A GREAT SENDOFF FOR OUR DEAR COLLEAGUE.
ON THE 27TH, I ATTENDED THE LEGISLATIVE APPRECIATION LUNCHEON WITH DEE, AND WE WENT UP THERE.
I THINK IT WAS AN EXCELLENT, BEAUTIFUL DAY ON THE PARK OR JUST OUTSIDE THE CAPITOL.
GREAT. NETWORKING WITH WITH SOME OF OUR LEGISLATORS AND GIVING THANKS TO THEM AND CREATING THOSE.
WE CAME BACK DOWN AND WENT TO THE UN DAY OF PEACE.
YOU KNOW, IT WAS IT'S A TRANSITION YEAR.
IT'S GOT A FOLLOWING, IT'S CHANGED, BUT IT CAN BE BETTER.
THEY WERE THROWN OR NOT THROWN INTO THIS, BUT THEY WERE.
IT WASN'T IN THEIR WHEELHOUSE IN THE PAST.
SO THEY DID A GOOD JOB THIS YEAR.
[03:15:04]
STATUE THAT I SAID, LET ME TOUCH THAT.IT'S GOT TO BE PLASTIC, BUT NO, IT WAS SOLID SOMETHING OR OTHER, AND IT WAS BEAUTIFUL.
ON THE 28TH, I ATTENDED THE ROBERTS REDWOOD REVEAL EVENT.
EXCELLENT. AGAIN? YEAH. TENANTS. EVERYBODY'S DOING THINGS, BUT IT WAS AGAIN THE DIRECTOR ROSARIO WAS WAS ENSHRINED AND SPOKE ELOQUENTLY.
THE HISTORY OF ROBERTS AND REDWOOD AND HIS HISTORY THERE AND EVERYBODY WAS IN AWE OF HIS WORK.
ON THE 29TH, I ATTENDED JAN SOUTHWORTH'S MEMORIAL.
WHAT AN INCREDIBLE EMPLOYEE I WISHED YOU HAD OF ALL KNOWN HER.
I ATTENDED THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE MEETING YESTERDAY AND WE TALKED ABOUT A NUMBER OF THINGS, BUT WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT PROPOSITION FOUR, WHICH LOOKS LIKE IT'S DOING REALLY WELL IN THE POLLING AND LOOKS LIKE THAT'LL BE SOME GOOD THINGS FOR US IF IT WORKS.
AS I ALWAYS DO, THANK GOODNESS.
I'D LIKE TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE LIFEGUARD SERVICES AGAIN HAS DONE THEIR 15TH YEAR OF NO DROWNINGS, WHICH, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE AN ACTUARIAL PERSON, THAT'S A BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL THING, AND THEY DO SUCH GREAT WORK, AND TO CONCLUDE, TOMORROW IS THE SAFETY FAIR.
IF YOU'VE NEVER BEEN TO THE SAFETY FAIR, IT'S GREAT.
YOU DON'T WANT TO GO? NO, I NEVER GOT THE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT.
I DON'T THINK THAT WAS SENT TO THE BOARD.
LET ME TURN ON THE MICROPHONE.
YEAH. SO SEPTEMBER 8TH WE HAD AN OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING, AND THEN SEPTEMBER 20TH IS WHEN I MET WITH SOME CITY OF PLEASANTON OFFICIALS TO SPEAK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT GARMS. AS I REFERENCED EARLIER SEPTEMBER 21ST WAS OUR WAS ELLEN'S MEMORIAL, ELLEN CORBETT OUR COLLEAGUE'S MEMORIAL, AND I'M REALLY GLAD THAT WE WERE ALL ABLE TO MAKE IT.
ON THE 25TH OF SEPTEMBER WAS OUR FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING, AND THEN ON THE 26TH OF SEPTEMBER, I HAD A MEETING WITH A MEMBER OF THE ZONE SEVEN BOARD OF DIRECTORS, AND THERE WAS A COUPLE OF INTERESTING THINGS.
SO FIRST, I'LL ALSO MENTION TODAY IS OCTOBER 1ST.
IT'S THE START OF THE NEW CALIFORNIA WATER YEAR.
SO WHEN YOU FOLLOW CALIFORNIA WATER INFORMATION, THE YEAR GOES FROM OCTOBER 1ST TO SEPTEMBER 30TH, AND SO THAT'S HOW HERE IN CALIFORNIA WE MEASURE, YOU KNOW, OUR RAINFALL AND HOW MUCH WATER WE HAVE OR DON'T HAVE EACH YEAR.
SO TODAY HAPPY NEW WATER YEAR.
WHEN I MET WITH A MEMBER OF THE ZONE SEVEN BOARD OF DIRECTORS, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY ONE OF THE BIG TOPICS WE DISCUSSED AND THIS IS IN THE NEWS IS THE LOS VAQUEROS EXPANSION PROJECT, WHICH I BELIEVE HAD BEEN DESCRIBED IN A NEWSPAPER AS HAVING GONE "BELLY UP," AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S A PRETTY BIG DEVELOPMENT IN THIS PROJECT.
THERE'S A FEW THINGS I WANT TO MENTION THAT'S RELEVANT TO US HERE AT EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT IN REGARDS TO THIS PROJECT, AND, AND THERE MAY BE A FEW OTHER THINGS WE COULD DISCUSS, BUT IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, TWO THINGS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S STILL INTEREST IN CONTINUING THE BETHANY TRANSFER PIPELINE, WHICH IS IMPORTANT INTERTIE IN REGARDS TO ALL OF OUR EAST BAY WATER AGENCIES, AND, YOU KNOW, SHOULD THAT PORTION OF THIS PROJECT CONTINUE? I KNOW DIRECTOR MERCURIO AND I, WE WERE OUT AT AN ASD SITE TOUR AT VASCO CAVES AND BRUSHY PEAK, AND WHILE THERE WE TALKED ABOUT THE BYRON VERNAL POOLS, WHICH IS ALSO ONE OF OUR LAND BANK PROPERTIES HERE AT EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT, AND THAT THE PROPOSED BETHANY TRANSFER PIPELINE PROJECT COULD POTENTIALLY GO THROUGH THAT PART OF EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT, AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, AS THE WATER AGENCIES AND THE PARTNERS WITHIN THE WATER AGENCIES ARE LOOKING AT THAT BETHANY TRANSFER PIPELINE PROJECT THAT MIGHT STILL POTENTIALLY MOVE FORWARD.
[03:20:06]
WHAT TO DO IN RESPONSE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS LOS VAQUEROS EXPANSION PROJECT AND ONE OF THE PROJECTS THAT MAY START TO GET REPRIORITIZED IS THE CHAIN OF LAKES PIPELINE AT ZONE SEVEN.THAT'S THE PIPELINE THAT'S GOING TO GO FROM LAKE DEL VALLE TO THE CHAIN OF LAKES, WHICH IS ALL OF THE LEGACY MINING LAKES THAT YOU SEE NEXT TO SHADOW CLIFFS, OF WHICH SHADOW CLIFFS IS A PART OF, AND THAT PIPELINE, I BELIEVE THERE WAS A BOARD SITE TOUR WHERE JIM O'CONNOR HAD PRESENTED AN AGENDA ITEM THAT I WAS A PART OF WHEN I WAS ON THE ZONE SEVEN BOARD OF DIRECTORS IN REGARDS TO THIS PIPELINE AND HOW THAT PIPELINE FROM DEL VALLE TO THE CHAIN OF LAKES WILL LIKELY GO THROUGH SHADOW CLIFFS, AND THE POTENTIAL AND THE INTEREST OF EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT TO POTENTIALLY HAVE A TURNOUT FROM THAT PIPELINE INTO SHADOW CLIFFS LAKE, AND ALSO MAYBE MAKING SHADOW CLIFFS LAKE A PART OF THIS CHAIN OF LAKES SYSTEM THAT ZONE SEVEN USES TO REPLENISH THE GROUNDWATER BASIN.
SO THAT'S THE DEEPEST PART OF THE LIVERMORE AMADOR VALLEY GROUNDWATER BASIN IS RIGHT THERE WHERE SHADOW CLIFFS IS LOCATED, AND THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT PLACE FOR LOCAL STORAGE IN THE LIVERMORE, AMADOR VALLEY REGION, AND SO IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS IS GOING TO START TO GET PRIORITIZED POTENTIALLY.
SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING FOR US TO KEEP AN EYE ON HERE AT EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, HAVING A RELIABLE WATER SUPPLY FOR SHADOW CLIFFS LAKE IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO US HERE.
OKAY. SEPTEMBER 27TH I HAD TWO THINGS THAT I WANTED TO SHARE.
SO I, OF COURSE, RESPONDED, SINCE THERE HAVE BEEN SOME OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST, I THINK, AT THE BACK OF OUR AGENDA PACKET TODAY IN REGARDS TO ARTICLES PUBLISHED BY THE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER, AND I MOSTLY SHARED WHAT WE HAD FROM OUR MAY 7TH BOARD MEETING IN REGARDS TO MOVING OUR AIR SUPPORT UNIT, OUR HELICOPTERS, TO THE LIVERMORE AIRPORT, AND THAT SHOULD GET PUBLISHED TOMORROW NIGHT, WEDNESDAY NIGHT.
TO ME, YOU KNOW, HAVING THE PEACE POLE AT LAKE CHABOT, IT'S ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT WE HAVE HERE IN THE PARK DISTRICT, AND SOMETHING THAT I CONSIDER TO BE VERY NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART, AND I JUST THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THIS TIME WE LIVE IN RIGHT NOW WITH INCREASING GEOPOLITICAL TENSIONS, AND I THINK IT'S SO GREAT THAT WE HAVE THIS CELEBRATION OF PEACE, AND I'M SO GLAD I WAS ABLE TO GO THERE, AND IT WAS REALLY NICE TO SPEND THE EVENING WITH DENNIS AND DEE THERE AS WELL.
SO I'M REALLY GLAD THAT WE DO THAT, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT, AND, YOU KNOW, IT ALSO MAKES ME THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ONE REASON I ALWAYS LIKE TO SEE US MENTIONING, YOU KNOW, MOUNTAIN BIKING AND EQUESTRIAN ACTIVITIES IN THE OLYMPICS IS I ALSO SEE THE OLYMPICS AS ANOTHER GREAT WAY TO PROMOTE PEACE AND DIPLOMACY AND ALL THE DIFFERENT COUNTRIES BEING ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER, AND AGAIN, I JUST FEEL LIKE WE LIVE IN AN ERA OF INCREASING GEOPOLITICAL TENSIONS, AND SO IT'S REALLY NICE TO BE ABLE TO CELEBRATE SOME OF THESE OTHER AREAS, SUCH AS THE UNITED NATIONS OR THE OLYMPICS, AND THEN FINALLY, YOU KNOW, ON SATURDAY THE 28TH, I ENDED UP GOING TO THIS FILM FESTIVAL WITH THE PENINSULA OPEN SPACE TRUST.
ONE OF MY FRIENDS, SHE REALLY WANTED TO GO, AND IT WAS IN SAN CARLOS, AND I DON'T NORMALLY GO TO THESE THINGS, BUT I'M REALLY GLAD I WENT BECAUSE IT WAS A THERE'S A GROUP THAT PUTS OUT THE WILD AND SCENIC FILM FESTIVAL, AND AT THIS FILM FESTIVAL THAT WE WENT TO IN SAN CARLOS ON SATURDAY, THEMES INCLUDED RECREATION, ACTIVISM, COMMUNITY, INDIGENOUS CULTURE, FINDING, BELONGING AND MORE, AND IT WAS ACTUALLY REALLY WELL DONE, AND THEY HAD PARTNERS, INCLUDING THE BAY AREA RIDGE TRAIL, AND WHEN I SPOKE TO THE PERSON FROM THE BAY AREA RIDGE TRAIL, MENTIONED HOW I WAS ON OUR EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT BOARD.
THE PERSON ACTUALLY LIVES IN OAKLAND, AND IT WAS A REALLY NICE CONVERSATION.
I, TOO MISSED THE 9/17 MEETING BECAUSE OF ILLNESS.
I WON'T GO BACK OVER STUFF I DIDN'T COVER FOR THAT MEETING.
EXCEPT THAT THE ONE LEGAL REQUIREMENT IS THAT WE REPORT ON CONFERENCES.
SO I DID ATTEND IN MID SEPTEMBER, THE CSDA CONFERENCE IN INDIAN WELLS, AND I WANT TO MENTION THAT ON, ON ON THE 16TH, I ATTENDED THE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS ARRANGED MEETING WITH THE CITY OF PITTSBURG.
THE CITY MANAGER AND MAYOR OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURG.
WITH KEN WYSOCKI, AND IT WENT VERY WELL.
[03:25:04]
I'VE HAD TWO OF THOSE NOW, AND THE RECEPTION TO THOSE MEETINGS AND THEIR INTENT WITH THE CITY MANAGERS IN BOTH NOW BRENTWOOD AND PITTSBURG WAS VERY HIGH.VERY WELL RECEIVED. IN OTHER WORDS, VERY GLAD WE'RE DOING THAT.
ON THE 18TH, I ATTENDED THE BOARD OPS MEETING BY ZOOM, AND ON THE 19TH I WAS WELL ENOUGH TO GET UP AND GO OUT TO BIG TRUCKS DAY IN ANTIOCH, WHICH WAS EXCITING AS ALWAYS. WE HAD OUR BIG TRUCKS OUT THERE, AND OUR BIG TRUCKS ARE VERY POPULAR.
WE SHOULD ALL KNOW THAT THE 24TH, I ATTENDED THE MONTHLY MARSH CREEK WATERSHED COUNCIL ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING ON THE 25TH, I ATTENDED A AN ANNUAL EVENT FOR SUPERVISOR KEN CARLSON'S BIRTHDAY ON THE 26TH WITH DIRECTOR MERCURIO.
I ATTENDED THE ANNUAL CONTRA COSTA COUNTY FISH AND WILDLIFE FORUM WHICH IS ALWAYS A GREAT EVENT WITH A BARBECUE OVERSEEN BY DANNY PELLEGRINI, AND ON THE 29TH AS ELIZABETH MENTIONED, I ATTENDED NANCY SKINNER'S QUASI GOING AWAY BASH, WHERE IT'S PRETTY CLEAR SHE'S NOT EXACTLY GOING AWAY, WHICH IS A GOOD THING, AND ON THE 30TH, I ATTENDED THE LEDGE COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU, AND AND LAST SO ON THE 17TH, I ATTENDED THE BOARD MEETING LATER THAT EVENING.
I ATTENDED A COMMUNITY MEETING IN CONCORD PUT ON BY BROOKFIELD DEVELOPMENT TO GET TO SOLICIT IDEAS FROM THE PUBLIC ABOUT ANYTHING RELATED TO DO WITH PARKS AND OPEN SPACE AT THE NEW CONCORD NAVAL WEAPONS STATION DEVELOPMENT, AND WE HAD A TABLE THERE, SAVE MOUNT DIABLO HAD A TABLE THERE, AND THERE WAS A PRETTY GOOD TURNOUT THERE, AND THEY HAD, YOU KNOW, PUT THE DOTS ON THE DEAL AND THE STICKERS AND THE POST-ITS AND ALL THAT STUFF. SO THEY HAVE THE UNENVIABLE JOB NOW OF ASSIMILATING ALL THAT INPUT FROM ALL THOSE PEOPLE AND PUTTING OUT SOME PRODUCT.
SO WHEN I GET IT BACK, I'LL SHARE IT WITH YOU.
THE NEXT DAY ON THE 18TH, I ATTENDED THE WHAT'S CALLED THE STEWARDSHIP WORKFORCE CONFERENCE.
IT'S HARD TO EXPLAIN IT, BUT I GUESS WHAT IT IS, IS AGENCIES AND NONPROFITS WHO PROTECT OUR LANDS AND WATERSHEDS OR WATERWAYS GET TOGETHER. THEY DON'T CALL IT A CONFERENCE.
I FORGET WHAT THEY CALLED IT, SOMETHING ELSE.
IT WAS KIND OF A CREATIVE NAME.
IT WAS MAINLY INTENDED FOR STAFF PEOPLE, BUT I GOT TO KIND OF LISTEN IN ON THEIR CONCERNS AND NETWORK WITH SOME FOLKS, AND SO THAT WAS IN BERKELEY.
IT WAS IT WAS VERY INTERESTING.
THE GOOD THING ABOUT THAT WAS I GOT TO GO OVER TO THE RESTAURANT OPENING THERE, THE OUTLOOK AND SEE THE WONDERFUL WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE THERE TO MAKE THAT A STILL A HAPPENING PLACE, AND I WANT TO GO BACK THE NEXT DAY I WAS WITH SABRINA AND ACTUALLY DIRECTOR LANE TO MEET WITH WELL, HE'S ON THE DANVILLE CITY COUNCIL, NEWELL ARNERICH, BUT HE WAS WEARING THE HAT OF A MUSEUM OF THE SAN RAMON VALLEY BOARD MEMBER.
COOPERATE WITH US, TO PARTNER WITH US ON SOMETHING ON BURRELL, AND THAT'S REALLY I DON'T WANT TO GO INTO ALL THE DETAILS OF THAT AT THIS POINT, BUT IT'S SOMETHING WORTH CONSIDERING. DEFINITELY.
THEN AND THEN RIGHT AFTER THAT, WE HAD THE GENERAL MANAGER AND I HAD OUR ONE ON ONE.
WE ALL ATTENDED ELLEN'S CORBETT SERVICE, WHICH WAS IT WAS BASICALLY EVERYTHING I HOPED IT WOULD BE.
IT WAS A COMMEMORATION, A RECOGNITION, AND I ALWAYS, THE GREAT THING ABOUT THOSE FOR THE REST OF US, AND MAYBE THEY WERE NOT PART OF THE FAMILY, BUT WE GET TO LEARN ABOUT THAT PERSON.
MUCH MORE THAN WE PROBABLY ESPECIALLY FOR ME, BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW HER THAT LONG.
[03:30:03]
IT WAS GOOD TO GOOD TO HEAR FROM FOLKS ABOUT ALL OF HER ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND SUCH.THEN ON THE 23RD, I HAD MY LOCAL GOVERNMENT MEETING WITH THE CITY OF CONCORD, WITH THE MAYOR AND THE CITY MANAGER.
AGAIN, EAST BAY LEADERSHIP COUNCIL HAD A AN EVENT WITH ASSEMBLYMEMBER GRAYSON.
IT WAS KIND OF A Q&A TALK KIND OF THING, AND I GOT TO THANK HIM VERY FRESHLY FOR HIS RECENT SUCCESS WITH OUR LEGISLATION.
SO WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.
THEN ON THE 25TH, WE HAD THE FINANCE COMMITTEE ON THE 26TH.
I ALSO ATTENDED THE CONTRA COSTA COUNTY FISH AND WILDLIFE FALL FORUM.
EVERYTHING COLIN SAID WAS TRUE.
I'LL ADD ONE MORE THING, THOUGH.
WE HAD OUR THERE'S GAME WARDENS THERE, YOU KNOW, AND BUT WE HAD OUR POLICE CHIEF AND CAPTAIN COTCHER WERE THERE, AND SOME OTHER OFFICERS WERE THERE, AND SO IT'S KIND OF LIKE THIS IS HOW WE PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT.
YOU KNOW, THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO DO IT, YOU KNOW, AND THERE WAS A PRESENTATION ON NATIVE PLANTS.
HOW YOU CAN USE NATIVE PLANTS IN YOUR YARD TO ATTRACT INSECTS AND BIRDS.
ON THE 27TH, I ALSO WENT TO SACRAMENTO.
STOOD AROUND IN THE CAPITAL PARK, HAD SOME GREAT FOOD, AND TALKED TO SOME GREAT PEOPLE WHO STAFFED OUR LEGISLATORS, AND THEN THE NEXT.
I WENT TO MY FIRST PRE BOARD MEETING, SO THAT WAS WHAT WAS GOING ON.
SO I THINK I THINK WE'VE DONE ENOUGH DAMAGE HERE TODAY.
WHY DON'T WE CALL IT A DAY WITH THESE REMINDERS AGAIN.
THE HEALTH AND SAFETY FAIR IS TOMORROW, AND THE BOARD WILL HAVE ITS CAPITAL STUDY SESSION THIS FRIDAY AT 11 A.M., AND OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER 15TH, AND YOU WANT TO HAVE ONE MORE? YES. SO SUNDAY IS A REALLY IMPORTANT EVENT.
IT'S A GATHERING OF THE OHLONE PEOPLES AT COYOTE HILLS.
THANK YOU FOR THAT. I FORGOT TO MENTION.
SURE. NATIVE INDIGENOUS DAY IS OCTOBER 14TH.
OKAY. COULD YOU SAY THAT AGAIN? OH, YEAH.
NATIVE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY IS ON OCTOBER 14TH, AND SO I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT AND THEN ALSO I RECEIVED THIS IN THE MAIL. THIS SHOULD GO TO THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT.
IT'S A CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION FROM TO THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT IN RECOGNITION FOR SUPPORT OF THE OAKLAND FUKUOKA SISTER CITY ASSOCIATION'S, 2024 SUMMER HIGH SCHOOL EXCHANGE AND 60TH ANNIVERSARY.
OH, WOW. SO WE CAN GIVE THAT TO THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS.
ALL RIGHT. HEARING NO OTHER BUSINESS, THE MEETING OF OCTOBER 1ST, 2024 IS NOW ADJOURNED AT 5:18.
THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.