[00:00:04]
WELCOME TO THE REGULAR PARKS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING OF THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT.
I'M CALLING THIS MEETING TO ORDER AT 4:05 P.M.
MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL?
[Roll Call]
THANK YOU. GREAT.THANK YOU, AND A BIG WELCOME TO OUR NEW CLERK.
I SHOULD HAVE SAID AT THE TOP. ELSA GRANDVOINET.
IS THAT HOW YOU SAY IT? WELCOME.
SO GREAT TO HAVE YOU WITH US, AND WE HAVE SEVERAL MEMBERS JOINING REMOTELY, AND SO WE WILL SOON GET TO THE PART WHERE WE OFFICIALLY ADD YOU TO THE ROLL, BUT BEFORE THAT, I WILL READ OUR STANDARD TEXT.
SO TODAY'S MEETING IS HELD PURSUANT TO THE BROWN ACT.
THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT OR PARK DISTRICT INTENDS TO HOLD MEETINGS THROUGH A HYBRID PLATFORM OF IN-PERSON AND REMOTE ATTENDANCE TO ALLOW MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO PARTICIPATE VIA REMOTE ATTENDANCE THROUGH THE PARK DISTRICT'S VIRTUAL PLATFORM, ZOOM.
OCCASIONALLY, MEMBERS OF THE PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE MAY ATTEND REMOTELY PURSUANT TO THE BROWN ACT, AS AMENDED BY AB 2449 PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54.953, SUBDIVISION B.
PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBER DENNISHA MARSH WILL PARTICIPATE FROM 352 SHORELINE DRIVE, PITTSBURG, CALIFORNIA, AND PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBER CARLYN OBRINGER WILL PARTICIPATE FROM THE CITY OF CONCORD PERMIT CENTER CONFERENCE ROOM, 1950 PARKSIDE DRIVE, CONCORD, CALIFORNIA.
THIS NOTICE AND AGENDA WILL BE POSTED AT THE TELECONFERENCE LOCATIONS.
WE ARE PROVIDING LIVE AUDIO AND VIDEO STREAMING.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT CAN DO SO IN PERSON OR LIVE VIA ZOOM BY SUBMITTING AN EMAIL TO PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE AT EBPARKS.ORG OR LEAVING A VOICEMAIL AT 510-544-2036.
THIS INFORMATION IS NOTED ON THE AGENDA.
IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MEETING PROCEDURES, WE WILL BEGIN.
SO I WILL TURN IT OVER TO VICE CHAIR ESPAÑA FOR THE LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT.
WE HUMBLY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE ARE ON THE UNCEDED LANDS OF THE OHLONE PEOPLE, AND THAT THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT IS LOCATED WITHIN THE HUCHIUN TERRITORY, WHICH IS THEIR TRADITIONAL, ANCESTRAL AND SHARED HOME.
SINCE TIME IMMEMORIAL, THE OHLONE PEOPLE HAVE AND CONTINUE TO LIVE IN RECIPROCITY WITH NATURE, UNDERSTANDING THE SEASONS AND CYCLES OF THE NATURAL WORLD, MANAGING RESOURCES FUNDAMENTAL FOR SURVIVAL, AND IMPORTANT TO THE CULTURAL PRACTICES, ALL WHILE PASSING DOWN THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE.
WE HONOR WITH GRATITUDE THE LAND ITSELF, THE WILDLIFE LIVING IN THESE LANDS, AND THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE STEWARDED IT SINCE TIME IMMEMORIAL AND WHO CONTINUE TO REMAIN DEEPLY CONNECTED TO IT TODAY.
[00:05:02]
THANK YOU. GREAT.SO WE HAVE FOUR MEMBERS PARTICIPATING VIRTUALLY.
SO FIRST MEMBER SKAREDOFF, I THINK I'M SUPPOSED TO BRIEFLY ASK YOU TO BRIEFLY DESCRIBE THE NATURE OF YOUR EMERGENCY OR ABSENCE, AND THEN SEEK A VOTE FROM THE COMMITTEE TO APPROVE YOUR REMOTE ATTENDANCE.
OKAY, I HAD EYE SURGERY LAST WEEK, AND IT'S TAKING LONGER THAN EXPECTED TO RECOVER FROM IT, SO I COULDN'T MAKE IT TO THE MEETING IN PERSON.
GREAT. THANK YOU. I HOPE YOUR EYE HEALS QUICKLY.
SO IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE MEMBER SKAREDOFF'S REMOTE ATTENDANCE? I MOVE. I SECOND.
EXCUSED. SO MOVED BY LOPEZ AND SECONDED BY WILLIAMS. MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE TAKE THE ROLL CALL? VOTE? YES.
THANK YOU, AND I THINK MEMBER OBRINGER WAS ON BEFORE.
IS SHE NOT PRESENT NOW? MAYBE SHE'LL JOIN US AGAIN IN A MOMENT.
OKAY. SO, REMOTE ATTENDANCE APPROVED FOR MEMBER SKAREDOFF.
MEMBER CLAXTON, COULD YOU JUST VERY BRIEFLY STATE THE REASON FOR YOUR REMOTE ATTENDANCE, AND THEN WE'LL TAKE A VOTE? IT LOOKS LIKE MAYBE MEMBER CLAXTON HAS.
OH. WAIT. CAN YOU HEAR ME, MR. CLAXTON? LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE FROZEN UP FOR A MOMENT.
JUST CAUSE I'M UNDER THE WEATHER FROM MY COVID AND FLU VACCINES, I COULDN'T MAKE IT UP THERE.
GREAT. THANK YOU, AND SO I'LL TAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE MEMBER CLAXTON'S REMOTE ATTENDANCE.
SO MOVED BY HENRY AND SECONDED BY MAHADEVAN.
MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE TAKE THE ROLL CALL VOTE? THANK YOU. GREAT.
THANK YOU. YOUR ATTENDANCE IS APPROVED.
ACTUALLY, I NEED TO ASK YOU, AND I SHOULD HAVE ASKED MEMBER SKAREDOFF.
IS THERE ANY ADULT 18 OR OVER ON AT YOUR REMOTE LOCATION? MEMBER FIRST.
IS THAT A PROBLEM? I THINK DO THEY JUST NEED TO IDENTIFY THEMSELVES OR.
OH, WELL, SHE'S NOT IN THE ROOM.
OKAY, SO NOW WE'LL TURN TO THE PRE-APPROVED MEMBERS.
SO, MEMBER MARSH IS APPEARING REMOTELY.
PAC MEMBER MARSH, ARE THERE ANY OTHER INDIVIDUALS 18 YEARS OR OLDER WHO ARE PRESENT IN THE ROOM AT YOUR LOCATION? NO. GREAT.
THANK YOU, AND MEMBER OBRINGER, I THINK IS NOT WITH US AT THE MOMENT.
OKAY. SO NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
[Approval of Minutes]
[00:10:03]
SO THE MINUTES FROM OUR LAST MEETING WERE INCLUDED IN THE AGENDA PACKET.DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CORRECTIONS TO THE MINUTES? IF NOT, I'LL TAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THOSE MINUTES.
MOVED BY PEOPLES. SECOND BY FARMER.
MADAM CLERK, AGAIN, COULD YOU PLEASE TAKE THE ROLL CALL VOTE? YES.
THANK YOU. THOSE MINUTES ARE APPROVED.
SO NEXT UP WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR ITEMS THAT ARE NOT ON THE AGENDA.
ARE THERE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC PRESENT OR ANY CARDS THAT HAVE BEEN TURNED IN OR ANYBODY JOINING REMOTELY? MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO HAVE COMMENTS FOR ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA.
THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, AND SO I THINK WE MOVE ON NOW TO THE FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS.
[Action Items]
SO WE DO HAVE AN ACTION ITEM.SO GIVE ME A SECOND WHILE I PULL THIS UP AND GET THE SLIDE SHOW GOING. ALL RIGHT.
ALL RIGHT, SO THIS IS OUR 2023 ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT, AND BEFORE I BEGIN, I WANT TO THANK THE KEY CONTRIBUTORS FROM OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT STAFF WHO HELPED PULL THIS BOOK TOGETHER.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT IT, BUT IT'S A GIANT UNDERTAKING TO GET THIS DONE.
CONNIE SWISHER, WHO'S OUR WAS OUR EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT WHO DOES ALL THE DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT, AND THEN MICHELLE STRAWSON O'HARA HELPING TO DO THE FINAL PROOFREADING AND GETTING THE DOCUMENT PUT TOGETHER.
SO THIS WAS PRESENTED TO OUR FINANCE COMMITTEE ON OCTOBER 23RD, AND IT'S GOING TO GO TO OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS ON NOVEMBER 19TH AT THE FINANCE COMMITTEE . WE ALSO HAD OUR AUDIT PARTNER, LINDSEY ZIMMERMAN FROM BROWN ARMSTRONG PRESENTING.
SO SHE'S NOT HERE TODAY, BUT SHE DID PRESENT TO OUR FINANCE COMMITTEE LAST WEDNESDAY.
SO THIS IS PAGE 13 OF THE ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT, ALSO KNOWN AS THE ACFR, AND YOU CAN SEE IT, IT'S THE FIRST SENTENCE OF THE SECOND PARAGRAPH WHERE IT SAYS, IN OUR OPINION, THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS REFERRED TO ABOVE PRESENT FAIRLY IN ALL MATERIAL RESPECTS, THE RESPECTIVE FINANCIAL POSITION OF THE GOVERNMENT ACTIVITIES.
ET CETERA, ET CETERA. ET CETERA.
SO THAT'S A CLEAN AUDIT SENTENCE.
WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT AN AUDIT, YOU WANT TO SEE THAT, AND THEN THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO BRING YOUR ATTENTION TO IS OUR CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE GFOA. I GOT UP HERE A PICTURE OF OUR 2022 CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT.
WE HAVE APPLIED TO RECEIVE IT FOR 2023.
[00:15:05]
SO NOW I'M GOING TO TALK YOU THROUGH A FEW OF THE SLIDES AND GRAPHS HERE.SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE TALKED ABOUT A LITTLE BIT IN OUR PRE MEETING OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, THE PAC FINANCE COMMITTEE THE DISTRICT WIDE NET POSITION AND YOU CAN SEE SO THAT'S THE TOP LINE IS THE NET POSITION.
YOU CAN SEE THIS IS A TEN YEAR HISTORY THAT IT'S SLOWLY BEEN CLIMBING UP.
SO WE HAVE NOW A TOTAL NET POSITION OF $1,065M FOR THE DISTRICT WIDE NET POSITION, AND THE LINE BELOW THAT IS SHOWING OUR NET INVESTMENT IN CAPITAL ASSETS, AND SOMETHING I WANTED TO POINT OUT TO YOU.
YOU CAN SEE AT THE VERY END OF THE CHART THE CHANGE BETWEEN 2022 AND 2023, WHERE IT DECREASES AND THAT'S ACTUALLY AN AUDIT, SORRY, AN ACCOUNTING CHANGE HERE WHERE WE NEEDED TO REFLECT THE CHANGE IN LIABILITIES OR SORRY.
LET ME GET MY NOTES HERE. SORRY.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE'VE ACQUIRED SOME LAND USING MEASURE WW FUNDS, BUT WE STILL OWE DEBT SERVICE ON THOSE BONDS, WE NEED TO REFLECT THAT SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE FULL VALUE IN OUR CAPITAL ASSETS.
SO THAT'S WHAT THAT DECREASE IS.
IT'S A ONE TIME ACCOUNTING CHANGE, BASICALLY.
SO IN FUTURE YEARS YOU'LL SEE IT GOING UP AGAIN.
YOU HAVE TO BE INCLUDING THIS DEPRECIATION AND OUTSTANDING DEBT, SO YOU WON'T SEE THAT IN FUTURE YEARS, AND IT'S NOT A REFLECTION THAT WE HAD LESS OF AN INVESTMENT IN OUR CAPITAL ASSETS, JUST AN ACCOUNTING CHANGE AND SO HERE IS JUST SHOWING YOU THE TWO YEARS OF THE STATEMENT OF NET POSITION, AND S ORRY MY PAGES ARE A LITTLE OUT OF ORDER HERE.
ALL RIGHT. SO YOU CAN SEE THE...
LET ME GET THIS OUT OF THE WAY.
THE DECREASE IN OUR LONG TERM LIABILITIES.
SO THIS IS US PAYING DOWN OUR MEASURE WW DEBT SERVICE.
SO EACH YEAR THAT WE'RE PAYING OFF THOSE BONDS, YOU CAN SEE A DECREASE IN THE LONG TERM LIABILITY THAT THE DISTRICT HAS, AND THEN YOU CAN SEE AN INCREASE IN OUR CAPITAL ASSETS, AND THAT'S RELATED TO US.
SO THERE ARE TWO EXAMPLES OF CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT TOOK PLACE IN 2023, AND THAT WAS ON PAGE 20 OF YOUR ACFR IF YOU'RE TRYING TO FOLLOW ALONG.
THANK YOU. A COUPLE OF THINGS TO POINT OUT HERE.
SO THIS IS PRESENTING OUR REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES MORE IN THE WAY THAT YOU GUYS ARE USED TO SEEING IT, WHERE YOU'RE SEEING FUNCTIONALLY AT THE TOP OF THE REVENUES THAT WE RECEIVE AND THE EXPENDITURES THAT WE HAVE.
SO WE'VE DONE SOMETHING TO RECEIVE THOSE REVENUES, AND YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A DECREASE IN CHARGES FOR SERVICES THERE FROM COMPARING 2023 TO 2022, AND THAT IS A TREND THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO SEE IN 2024 AND PROBABLY IN 2025 AS WELL.
RELATED TO LIKE CLOSURES OF LAKES, WE DON'T HAVE AS MANY PEOPLE COMING TO SWIM.
WE ALSO HAD SOME STORM DAMAGE AT THE BEGINNING OF 2023.
SO WE HAD SOME FACILITY CLOSURES RIGHT IN THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
CAPITAL GRANTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS IS INCREASING.
SO THAT'S A THAT'S A GOOD NEWS STORY, AND THEN WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR GENERAL REVENUES, THOSE ARE REVENUES WE RECEIVE WHERE WE DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING ACTIVE; THEY'RE JUST PASSIVELY BEING RECEIVED BY THE DISTRICT.
SO SOME INCREASES IN OUR PROPERTY TAX, INCREASE IN OUR GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND, PROPERTY TAX.
SO THAT'S THE AMOUNT THAT WE NEED TO COLLECT IN ORDER TO PAY FOR THE FOR THE BONDS THAT WE'VE ISSUED, AND THEN THE LAST NUMBER I WANTED TO POINT OUT IN THE GENERAL REVENUES IS OUR INVESTMENT EARNINGS.
[00:20:05]
NOT ACTUALLY SELLING THOSE ASSETS.IT'S JUST WHAT IT WOULD BE IF WE SOLD THEM.
SO WE ARE EARNING A LITTLE BIT OF INVESTMENT INCOME, BUT THAT'S WHAT IT WOULD BE IF WE IF WE SOLD ALL OF OUR INVESTMENTS ALL AT ONCE, AND THEN ON THE EXPENSE SIDE, THIS IS AGAIN, MORE HOW YOU'RE USED TO SEEING BUDGET TO ACTUAL FUNCTIONALLY, AND YOU CAN SEE A COUPLE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES HERE WHERE IT LOOKS LIKE OUR EXEC' AND LEG' DIVISION DECREASED FROM THE PRIOR YEAR.
THAT'S ACTUALLY WHERE OUR HUMAN RESOURCES DIVISION WAS BROKEN OUT AND BECAME ITS OWN UNIT.
SO YOU CAN SEE THEM LIKE FOUR LINES DOWN SEPARATELY BROKEN OUT.
SO IT'S NOT ACTUALLY A DECREASE IN THE EXEC' AND LEG'.
SO SOME OF IT IS STAFFING, AND I LOOKED INTO IT A LITTLE BIT MORE.
SO IT'S NOW BEING CHARGED OUT TO OPERATIONS MUCH MORE SIGNIFICANTLY.
SO A BIG PART OF THAT INCREASE, 12 MILLION IS RELATED TO INTERNAL SERVICE FUND CHARGES, AND THE LAST CHANGE I WANTED TO POINT OUT HERE IS THE INCREASE IN PUBLIC SAFETY, AND THAT'S OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT DOING A LOT OF FUELS MANAGEMENT WORK IN 2023.
THIS IS OUR GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS BALANCE SHEET.
WHEN YOU GO TO THE NEXT SHEET, CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION? CAN YOU GO BACK AND EXPLAIN THE GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND TAX A LITTLE BIT IN DETAIL WHAT DOES WHERE DOES THAT WHO'S BEING TAXED? SURE.
SO WE HAVE THE PARK DISTRICT ISSUED MEASURE WW BONDS THAT WERE PASSED BY VOTERS BACK IN 2008, AND APPROXIMATELY EVERY THREE YEARS WE'VE BEEN ISSUING ANOTHER SERIES OF THOSE BONDS.
SO THE TOTAL AMOUNT WE'RE AUTHORIZED TO ISSUE IS $500 MILLION, AND WE'VE BEEN DOING IT IN LIKE $80 MILLION CHUNKS, AND EVERY TIME WE ISSUE BONDS, THEN WE HAVE TO PAY THEM BACK, AND IT'S DONE BY. THAT'S WHAT THE VOTERS VOTED ON.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? YEAH. IT YES AND NO, BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE BONDS ON OUR PROPERTY TAXES, BUT YOU'RE SAYING THAT YOU'RE PAYING INTO SO DOES THE PARK DISTRICT PAY BACK ON THIS BOND, OR IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, THAT YOU GUYS ARE PAYING BACK INTO THE BOND ITSELF, OR YOU'RE PAYING BACK PROPERTY OWNERS FOR THIS BOND BECAUSE IT SAYS IT SOUNDED LIKE YOU'RE SAYING YOU'RE PAYING BACK INTO IT AFTER YOU TAKE SOME MONEY OFF OF THE BOND.
RIGHT. SO WE ARE COLLECTING THAT MONEY FROM ALL THE PROPERTY, ALL THE PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE EAST BAY IN THE TWO COUNTIES, AND WE'RE USING THAT REVENUE TO PAY OFF THE MONEY THAT WE'VE BORROWED IN ORDER TO DO THESE PROJECTS.
DOES THAT EXPLAIN IT BETTER? OKAY, SO WE HAVE A BOND.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH THE BOND IS ON OUR PROPERTY TAX, LET'S SAY $20 EVERY YEAR OR WHATEVER, AND SO YOU'RE TAXING US THE SECOND TIME TO HELP PAY BACK THE BOND? YEAH. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? YES. SO BACK IN 2008, THE PARK DISTRICT WENT TO THE VOTERS AND SAID, WE WOULD LIKE TO DO THESE PROJECTS, AND WE HAD A LIST OF HUNDREDS OF PROJECTS, REALLY, THAT WE SAID WE WERE GOING TO ACCOMPLISH AND THAT WE WANTED TO ISSUE $500 MILLION IN BONDS, BASICALLY DEBT, IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THESE PROJECTS.
SO EACH, EVERY THREE YEARS, ROUGHLY, WE'VE BEEN ISSUING A SERIES OF THOSE BONDS.
SO LIKE $80 MILLION AT A TIME AND CHIPPING AWAY AT THAT PROJECT LIST AND THEN PAYING BACK THE DEBT BY COLLECTING THE REVENUES FROM THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE TWO COUNTIES WHO VOTED.
[00:25:08]
VALUATION. SO IT IS NOT A BIG AMOUNT THAT YOU SEE ON YOUR PROPERTY TAX BILL COMPARED TO SOME OF THE BONDS THAT YOU MIGHT SEE, BUT YEAH, IT IS THERE AND IT'S YOU CAN SEE IT ON YOUR PROPERTY TAX BILL.TYPICALLY AT THE BOTTOM LEFT SIDE I GUESS IS WHERE I'M PICTURING IT.
SO I'M STILL CONFUSED BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE WE HAVE THE GENERAL PROPERTY TAX.
THEN WE HAVE THE BOND TAX, AND THEN ARE YOU TAXING US A THIRD TIME TO PAY BACK THE BOND? THAT'S WHAT I'M REALLY ASKING.
OR WE JUST HAVE THE GENERAL PROPERTY TAX AND THE BOND.
YES. WE JUST HAVE. YEAH. EXACTLY.
YEP. BECAUSE THE WAY YOU SAID IT WAS LIKE, AND THEN WE'RE TAKING MONEY, THAT OBLIGATION.
WE'RE TAXING YOU TO PAY BACK THE BOND, AND THEN I'M LIKE, WAIT, WE'RE ALREADY PAYING FOR THE BOND.
ALL RIGHT. SORRY FOR ANY CONFUSION.
I HAVE A QUESTION. ANOTHER QUESTION.
JUST ON PAGE TEN OF THE PACKET.
ON THE LIABILITIES, THE PENSION LIABILITIES AND OPEB LIABILITIES.
YEAH. CAN YOU EXPAND A LITTLE BIT ON THAT? YEAH. I WILL BE GETTING TO THAT IN A MINUTE.
OKAY. SO WE'RE BACK ON OUR GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS BALANCE SHEET, AND THIS IS SHOWING YOU AT THE MOST ROLLED UP LEVEL POSSIBLE, REALLY, OUR ASSETS, OUR LIABILITIES AND THE CHANGE FROM 2023 TO 2022, AND THEN SHOWING THE FUND BALANCE, AND AGAIN, THIS IS ALL OF OUR FUNDS YOU MOST OFTEN HEAR ABOUT LIKE INDIVIDUAL FUND BALANCES IN THE GENERAL FUND, BUT THIS IS ALL FUNDS ROLLED UP TOGETHER.
SO JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS I'LL POINT OUT HERE IN THE FUND BALANCE CATEGORY IS THE REDUCTION IN OUR RESTRICTED FUND BALANCE, AND SO THAT IS A REDUCTION IN THE DEBT THAT WE OWE FOR OUR MEASURE WW BONDS, AND THEN YOU SEE AN INCREASE IN THE COMMITTED FUND BALANCE.
SO THAT'S US TAKING THAT THOSE DEBT PROCEEDS AND USING THEM AND COMMITTING THEM TO PROJECTS.
SO THAT'S THE COMMITTED FUND BALANCE WHEN IT'S BEEN SET ASIDE FOR A SPECIFIC PURPOSE.
SO THOSE ARE THE TWO THINGS I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT ON THAT PAGE, AND NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS REVENUE AND EXPENDITURES.
THIS IS SIMILAR TO ONE OF THE SLIDES WE SHOWED EARLIER, BUT THERE'S A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL.
YOU CAN SEE PROPERTY TAXES CHARGES FOR SERVICES INTEREST EARNINGS AGAIN INTERAGENCY AGREEMENTS AND GLANCE AT GRANTS AND MISCELLANEOUS REVENUES, AND THEN AGAIN, ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE YOU CAN SEE THE BREAKDOWN BY DIVISION AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THE DEBT SERVICE AND THE CAPITAL OUTLAY AT THE BOTTOM, AND IT'S JUST COMPARING 2023 TO 2022.
SO SIMILAR TO THE SLIDE I SHOWED EARLIER, YOU CAN SEE THE HUMAN RESOURCES DIVISION BROKEN OUT THERE AS A NEW DIVISION, AND THE INCREASES IN REVENUE. THIS IS A PAGE IN OUR RSI REQUIRED SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION AND I HAVE THE PAGE WRITTEN DOWN PAGE 101 OF YOUR ACFR IF YOU WANT TO PLAY ALONG.
SO A COUPLE VARIANCES I WANTED TO POINT OUT HERE.
ON THE REVENUE SIDE, YOU CAN SEE THE INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAXES AND INTEREST EARNINGS.
ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, YOU CAN SEE WHERE IT'S A POSITIVE NUMBER AND THE VARIANCE.
SO THAT'S ACTUALLY WHERE WE DIDN'T SPEND OUR FULL BUDGET.
SO WE HAVE SALARY SAVINGS THAT CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THAT.
WE ALSO HAVE SOMETIMES FUNDS THAT ARE ENCUMBERED FOR PROJECTS THAT ARE UNDERWAY BUT AREN'T YET COMPLETED BY THE END OF THE YEAR, AND SO THAT WILL GET CARRIED FORWARD, BUT IT'S NOT REFLECTED AS AN ACTUAL EXPENSE.
SO THAT CAN CONTRIBUTE TO UNDERSPENDING AND YES, GO AHEAD.
IS IT OKAY IF I ASK A QUESTION NOW? I THINK SO. SURE GO AHEAD.
OKAY. THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO ASK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE UNDERSPENDING.
I THINK CUMULATIVELY, $8.5 MILLION SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF SERVICES NOT RENDERED TO THE PUBLIC.
CAN YOU BUT IT MAY BE SPREAD OVER A NUMBER OF DEPARTMENTS, SO IT'S HARDER TO UNDERSTAND.
IS THERE A WAY FOR YOU TO QUANTIFY THE NUMBER OF VACANCIES IN TOTAL THAT REPRESENTS?
[00:30:03]
I DON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER.OFFHAND, BUT YEAH, WE HAVE A PRETTY HIGH VACANCY RATE AT THE DISTRICT.
I DO THINK THAT'S I'M NOTICING MYSELF THAT'S CHANGING WHERE WE'RE I THINK PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO BE MORE INTERESTED IN WORKING FOR GOVERNMENT, BUT A LOT OF THAT IS JUST HAVING DIFFICULTY FILLING VACANT POSITIONS, AND.
ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT, NOW ON TO THE PENSION LIABILITY QUESTION.
CAN I ASK A FOLLOW UP QUESTION TO THAT? YEAH. NO. NO.
GOOD. SO FIRST AND FOREMOST, THANK YOU, AND MY I PERKED UP BECAUSE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT STAFFING.
MY QUESTION GOES BACK TO PAC MEMBER FARMER'S QUESTION.
SO IF WE WERE FULLY STAFFED, DOES THAT MEAN THAT IS SOMETHING IN FUTURE BUDGETS THAT WE SHOULD BE CONSIDERING IN REGARDS TO FUTURE BUDGETS NOT BEING ABLE TO FUND IF WE WERE A FULLY STAFFED ORGANIZATION? YEAH. IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE THINK ABOUT A LOT AS WE'RE BUILDING OUR BUDGET, AND WE ACTUALLY BUILD IN A 4% VACANCY RATE INTO OUR BUDGET, AND AGAIN, A LOT OF GOVERNMENTS DO THAT WHERE YOU HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING THAT LIKE YOU JUST NO AGENCY CAN KEEP ALL THEIR POSITIONS FILLED ALL THE TIME.
YOU'VE GOT PEOPLE RETIRING, YOU GET NEW POSITIONS ADDED, AND SO AS WE'RE BUILDING OUR BUDGET, WE'RE TRYING TO THINK AHEAD, LIKE WHAT'S OUR VACANCY RATE EXPECTED TO BE? SO WE YEP DOES THAT ANSWER IT? YEAH. I MEAN, 4% IS CONSIDERED HEALTHY, SO.
SO MOVING ON TO OUR PENSION AND OUR OPEB LIABILITIES.
OPEB STANDS FOR OTHER PENSION WAIT, OTHER POST-EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS.
SORRY. SO IT'S EVERYTHING EXCEPT YOUR PENSION.
SO AT THE TOP HERE, YOU CAN SEE THE EBRPD PLAN.
SO THIS IS OUR CLOSED PLAN BEFORE WE MOVE TO CALPERS, WE HAD OUR OWN RETIREMENT PLAN IN.
SO WE HAVE ENOUGH ASSETS ON HAND TO PAY FOR THAT LIABILITY RIGHT NOW AND THAT'S FOR OUR GENERAL AND GENERAL EMPLOYEES.
SO IT'S A CLOSED PLAN, NO NEW MEMBERS BEING ADDED, AND WE'RE WORKING ON TAKING CARE OF THOSE LIABILITIES, MAKING SURE THAT THOSE RETIREES ARE TAKEN CARE OF AND THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH FUNDS TO PAY FOR THEIR FOR THEIR PENSION COSTS.
THE SAFETY PLAN IS THE $0.3 MILLION.
SO WE STILL HAVE A LIABILITY THERE, BUT IT'S QUITE SMALL AND DECREASING EACH YEAR.
SO THOSE ARE OUR LIABILITIES FOR THE FOR THE GENERAL PLAN, THE MISCELLANEOUS WHICH IS EVERYBODY EXCEPT THE SWORN EMPLOYEES, 128.4 MILLION FOR THE SWORN 32.3 MILLION. THAT'S YOU'LL SEE ANOTHER SLIDE WHERE YOU CAN SEE THE TREND OVER TIME.
WE'VE REALLY NOT MADE GREAT PROGRESS IN ATTACKING THOSE THOSE LIABILITIES, ALTHOUGH WE ARE CONTINUING TO FUND THOSE AS OUR ACTUARY RECOMMENDS, BUT THERE ARE MANY, MANY FACTORS AT PLAY THAT MAKES IT HARD FOR US TO GET AHEAD ON THAT LIABILITY, AND THEN LASTLY, OUR OPEB LIABILITY.
SO WE HAVE ACTUALLY WELL FUNDED OUR OPEB LIABILITY.
AND WHEN YOU ADD EVERYTHING UP TOGETHER YOU CAN SEE WE DID HAVE AN INCREASE IN OUR TOTAL PENSION AND OPEB LIABILITIES, AND YOU CAN SEE IT I THINK MORE CLEARLY MAYBE ON THIS SLIDE.
SO OH SHOOT. THIS IS NOT THE UPDATED.
ALL RIGHT. WELL, SO AT THE TOP WE HAVE OUR THIS THIS CALPERS SAFETY NUMBER IS NOT I'M SORRY.
WE HAD TWO VERSIONS OF THIS POWERPOINT, AND CLEARLY I'VE SENT YOU THE WRONG ONE.
SO THIS ACTUALLY THIS CALPERS SAFETY LIABILITY IS NOT SHOWN CORRECTLY HERE.
SO PLEASE IGNORE THAT, BUT YOU CAN SEE THE OPEB LIABILITY OVER 100%.
THE EBRPD GENERAL AND THE EBRPD SAFETY LIABILITY.
[00:35:04]
OVER 100% FUNDED OR CLOSE TO IT, AND THEN THE CALPERS MISCELLANEOUS AND THE CALPERS SAFETY SHOULD ALSO BE DOWN HERE IN THE APPROXIMATELY LIKE 70% FUNDED RANGE, AND IT'S JUST BEEN BOUNCING AROUND RELATED TO CHANGES IN HOW CALPERS CALCULATES THAT LIABILITY.AS WE ADD NEW STAFF, WE HAVE INCREASED FUNDS OWED TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE STAFF RETIREMENT FUNDS.
DID I SEE A POP UP THERE WITH A QUESTION FROM MEMBER OBRINGER? YES, I DO HAVE A QUESTION.
THANK YOU, AND I'M VERY SYMPATHETIC.
I UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGES OF TRYING TO KEEP YOUR ALL OF THESE RETIREMENT SYSTEMS FUNDED.
SO I JUST WAS WONDERING, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE'S OFTEN A LAG BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, WHAT OUR CALCULATIONS ARE AS JURISDICTIONS, AND THEN WHENEVER CALPERS COMES ALONG AND SAYS, OH, BY THE WAY WE DIDN'T GET THE RETURN WE ANTICIPATED, ETC.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THERE'S A 6.1% INCREASE THAT'S COMING ALONG FOR AGENCIES, INCLUDING MY OWN CITY.
SO IS THAT INCLUDED IN YOUR CALCULATIONS OR WILL THAT BE IN FUTURE UPDATES REFLECTING BECAUSE BECAUSE WHAT WE DO IS WE LOOK AT LIKE HOW THINGS ARE TODAY, AND THEN WE LOOK AT THE FACT THAT DUE TO THE 6.1% INCREASE THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE UP THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY LESS FUNDED THAN WE WOULD LIKE TO BE BECAUSE WE'VE TAKEN STEPS BACKWARDS.
IN OTHER WORDS, BECAUSE OF THE, THE CALPERS.
SO IS THAT REFLECTED IN THIS? AM I MAKING ANY SENSE? YOU TOTALLY ARE. YEAH.
SO EVERY YEAR WE HAVE A NEW ACTUARIAL REPORT FROM CALPERS AS YOU MENTIONED.
SO IF THEY HAVE BIG INVESTMENT LOSSES THAT THEN IS ADDED TO THE AMOUNT THAT WE OWE AND WE HAVE TO PAY IT OFF IN FUTURE YEARS, AND SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OUTSIDE OF THE DISTRICT'S CONTROL.
SO THAT'S DOWN AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SLIDE THERE, AND SO THAT'S FUNDS THAT WE'VE SET ASIDE IN PRIOR YEARS WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO PAY OFF SOME OF OUR MISCELLANEOUS CALPERS PENSION LIABILITY, BUT IT'S DIFFICULT BECAUSE IT'S REALLY IT'S CALPERS IS IN CONTROL, AND WE JUST EVERY YEAR WE'RE WAITING FOR THE ACTUARIAL REPORT TO SEE LIKE, WELL WHAT WHAT HAPPENED WHAT CHANGES DID THEY MAKE THIS YEAR.
SO IT'S SOMETHING SO YOU'RE TRYING TO HAVE A CONTINGENCY IT LOOKS LIKE.
THANK YOU. THAT ANSWER MY QUESTION.
OKAY. GREAT. I THINK MEMBER LOPEZ HAD A QUESTION.
WHERE WOULD YOU SAY THE POSITION IS ON A PERCENTAGE BASIS? ON. ON THE PENSION LIABILITY AND OPEB LIABILITY SEPARATELY AS BEING FULLY FUNDED? LIKE WOULD IT BE 70? 60? WHAT NUMBER IS IT? YEAH. YOU CAN KIND OF SEE IT HERE.
IT'S HARD TO READ ACROSS, BUT.
SO THE OPEB PLAN IS OVER 100% FUNDED.
OKAY. OUR EBRPD GENERAL PLAN IS OVER 100% FUNDED.
OUR SAFETY PLAN IS CLOSE, SO IT'S AROUND, LIKE, 95%.
OKAY. OKAY, AND THEN FOR THAT, WHAT'S THE BOARD DOING IN TERMS OF WHAT'S THE PLAN.
YEAH, I WAS I WAS JUST LIKE TO, TO TAKE CARE OF OUR CALPERS LIABILITIES.
OKAY. IS THAT IS THAT WHAT YOU WERE ASKING? WELL, YOU KNOW, JUST GENERALLY SPEAKING, I THINK, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT CITIES HAVE DIFFERENT APPROACHES.
YOU KNOW, THE DISCOUNT RATE, OBVIOUSLY, AS YOU SAID, IS BEYOND THE DISTRICT'S CONTROL, BUT YOUR ASSETS AND YOUR LIQUID ASSETS ARE IN CONTROL IN TERMS OF HOW THEY'RE MANAGED, AND SO JUST WONDERING, IS THE DISTRICT ACTIVELY MANAGING ITS LIQUID ASSETS TO GET A RETURN TO TRY TO HELP FUND THIS OR WHAT'S LIKE WHAT APPROACH IS THE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, BASICALLY THE QUESTION I'M REALLY ASKING IS WHEN YOU'RE PAYING OFF YOUR UNFUNDED LIABILITIES, THAT TAKES AWAY FROM PRESENT OPERATIONS, RIGHT? BECAUSE THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH MONEY THAT YOU HAVE IN THE BUDGET IN A YEAR, AND SO DOING SOMETHING FOR THE FUTURE KIND OF TAKES AWAY FROM THE PRESENT AND SERVICES THAT WOULD GO OUT TO PARK USERS, AND YOU KNOW, LIKE CURRENT SALARIES EVEN, I MEAN, JUST GENERAL OPERATIONS, AND SO IT'S ALWAYS A TRADE OFF, AND SO JUST WONDERING LIKE HOW THE BOARD IS APPROACHING THAT, LIKE, IS THERE A POLICY OR, YOU KNOW, SOME SORT OF STATEMENT THAT THE BOARD HAS PUT OUT ABOUT HOW IT'S TRYING TO BALANCE SOME, YOU KNOW, VERY IMPORTANT NEEDS THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH THE WITH THE FINITE PIE.
WE HAVE TAKEN ACTION IN THE PAST TO SET UP THIS PENSION TRUST.
[00:40:04]
SO I TURNED BACK TO THE SLIDE AGAIN.SO WE HAVE THIS SUPPLEMENTAL PENSION TRUST.
SO THESE ARE FUNDS THAT WERE PUT ASIDE IN PRIOR YEARS, AND THEY'RE MANAGED BY A DIFFERENT ENTITY, NOT CALPERS, AND SO THE IDEA WAS IN PAST YEARS WHEN WE HAD SOME SURPLUSES, WE PUT THOSE FUNDS ASIDE AND THEY ACTUALLY HAVE GROWN IN VALUE.
SO WE'RE ABLE TO EARN SOME INTEREST EARNINGS AND THEN USING THOSE TO PAY DOWN THE LIABILITY, BUT YEAH, WE DO MAKE OUR, OUR REQUIRED ACTUARIAL PAYMENTS EVERY YEAR. WE ALSO I DON'T KNOW HOW FAMILIAR YOU ARE WITH CALPERS.
THEN YOU ALSO CAN GET SOME SAVINGS FROM CALPERS.
SO WE DO THAT. THAT'S PART OF OUR PRACTICE.
SO WE DO WHAT WE CAN, AND WE HAVE A COUPLE OTHER IDEAS THAT WE'RE THINKING OF PUTTING INTO PLACE ACTUALLY RELATIVELY SOON TO TRY TO ATTACK THIS BECAUSE IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE AWARE OF, AND WE'RE IN BETTER PLACE THAN MANY AGENCIES, BUT WE'RE STILL NOT WHERE WE WANT TO BE.
THANK YOU. YES, INDEED, YOU ARE IN A BETTER POSITION THAN A LOT OF AGENCIES, SO THAT'S GREAT.
THERE'S THE AUDITOR'S COMMUNICATION WITH THOSE CHARGED WITH GOVERNANCE.
THERE'S AGAIN, APPROPRIATIONS LIMIT THAT OUR AUDITORS ALSO REVIEW, AND THEN OUR SINGLE AUDIT REPORT, WHICH IS THEIR REVIEW OF THE ALL OF OUR FEDERAL GRANTS, AND SO OUR AUDITORS AUDITED THOSE AND ALSO PROVIDED LETTERS SAYING THAT THEY WERE IN COMPLIANCE.
GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT REPORT AND PRESENTATION, AND BEFORE WE GO ANY FURTHER, BEFORE I FORGET, NOW THAT MEMBER OBRINGER IS WITH US AGAIN, I WANT TO MAKE SURE TO ASK IF THERE IS ANY ADULT 18 OR OLDER IN THE ROOM WITH YOU.
THERE IS NOT. I'M HERE AT CITY HALL, BUT NOBODY CHOSE TO JOIN ME TODAY.
OKAY, AND SO PRIOR TO THIS PAC MEETING, WE HAD A MEETING OF THE PACK FINANCE COMMITTEE, AND SO I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO THE CHAIR OF THAT BODY, MEMBER HENRY, FOR FEEDBACK ON THE REVIEW OF THE FINANCIAL REPORT.
THANK YOU, AND THANKS AGAIN TO STAFF FOR ALL THE GREAT INFORMATION YOU PUT TOGETHER FOR US, THE PURPOSE OF THE PAC FINANCE COMMITTEE, BY THE WAY, BECAUSE THAT CAME UP, WE ONLY MEET ONCE OR TWICE A YEAR, AND SO IT'S NOT TO GO THROUGH THIS AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS OR SUGGESTIONS ON HOW THE PARK DISTRICT COULD IMPROVE SPENDING OR LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, CONCERNS THAT WAY. IT'S REALLY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE INFORMATION PRESENTED TO US IS ACCURATE, AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE DID PRIOR TO US LOOKING AT THIS.
THE BOARD FINANCE COMMITTEE REVIEWED THIS LAST WEEK.
THEY HAD A FEW QUESTIONS FROM THE MEMBERS AND MADE SOME UPDATES AND THEN WITHIN THE PAC FINANCE COMMITTEE, WE MET RIGHT BEFORE THIS MEETING.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PAC, EITHER IN PERSON OR REMOTELY? YES. MEMBER FARMER.
MY QUESTION IS RELATED TO BOND RATINGS, WHICH I KNOW WE DIDN'T DISCUSS HERE TONIGHT, BUT I'M WONDERING IF YOU CAN TALK ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE DISTRICT'S WILDFIRE MITIGATION EFFORTS AND THOSE BOND RATINGS, AND IF THERE'S ANY CORRELATION.
SO WE ISSUED PROMISSORY NOTES THIS YEAR, FOR EXAMPLE, AND IT WAS A QUESTION THAT THE RATING AGENCIES AND WHEN YOU ISSUE BONDS YOU DO, AND IF YOU WANT THOSE BONDS TO BE RATED, YOU GO TO THE RATING AGENCIES AND YOU MAKE A PRESENTATION TO THEM TO EXPLAIN, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOUR BONDS ARE FOR AND WHAT THE DISTRICT IS ALL ABOUT, AND THEY ASKED US ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE YOU GUYS DOING ABOUT FUELS MANAGEMENT? BECAUSE THAT'S OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING THAT'S A BIG RISK TO THE DISTRICT, AND SO THEY WERE VERY I DON'T KNOW IF PLEASED IS THE RIGHT, BUT THEY THEY WERE GLAD TO HEAR THAT WE DO HAVE A VERY STRONG FUELS MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT AND A AND A PLAN THAT WE ARE ACTIVELY WORKING ON, AND SO THAT CONTRIBUTED TO OUR TRIPLE-A RATING.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PAC? OKAY. ANY QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, EITHER IN PERSON OR REMOTELY? OKAY. SEEING NONE, I'LL ENTERTAIN MOTIONS TO RECOMMEND THAT THE REPORT BE APPROVED AND SENT TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
[00:45:08]
I SO MOVE APPROVAL.MOVED BY OBRINGER. SECOND BY VALENZUELA.
MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE TAKE THE ROLL CALL VOTE? CALL VOTE] THANK YOU.
THANK YOU ALL, AND A BIG THANKS AGAIN.
I KNOW THIS IS A LOT OF WORK AND A LOT OF EFFORT, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
[Informational Items]
SOME COMMENTS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.THANK YOU, NEIL, AND SINCE WE JUST HAD THE FINANCE REPORT, THE FINANCE COMMITTEE'S REPORT, I HAVE TO SAY THAT I BELIEVE THE ENTIRE TIME I WAS ON THE ON THIS GROUP, I WAS ON THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, TOO, BECAUSE I HAD A BUDGET BACKGROUND AND I FELT GUILTY IF I DIDN'T GO ON THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, BUT IT WAS IT WAS I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF DRYNESS TO IT, BUT THERE'S A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF AWESOMENESS TO IT, THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING, YOU KNOW, THE AMOUNT OF ACTIVITY THAT'S GOING ON AND THE TREMENDOUS AS YOU GET TO, AS YOU GET TO UNDERSTAND IT, YOU REALIZE THE SOLID FINANCIAL POSITION THAT THIS AGENCY IS IN, WHICH IS THE ENVY OF MANY OTHERS, BUT IT'S BECAUSE OF THE WISE, YOU KNOW, POLICIES AND THE AND THE CONSERVATIVE APPROACH THAT WE TAKE TO WHAT WE DO WITH THE MONEY BUT ANYWAY, SO AND SO ALSO, I GUESS ALONG THOSE LINES, TOO, THE BOARD, CERTAINLY AS A WHOLE, IS VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THE WORK THAT THIS GROUP DOES, BUT, YOU KNOW, AND BUT THE SUBGROUP BEING THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, YOU KNOW, I'M ON THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
AGAIN, I KIND OF FEEL LIKE I HAVE TO, BUT I'M ON THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, AND, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER SET OF EYES IN THERE IS ALWAYS A GREAT THING, AND I KNOW BRUCE AND THE OTHER GROUP WHO WAS ON THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, BY THE WAY, IF YOU'RE IN THE ROOM HERE, THAT'S A GOOD THAT'S A GOOD NUMBER.
SO IT'S NOT ALL JUST BRUCE I'M ON IT TOO.
I'M NOT IN THE ROOM, BUT I AM ON THE COMMITTEE.
OKAY, GOOD, CARLYN, THANK YOU.
SO ANYWAY, APPRECIATE ALL THAT.
I THOUGHT I WOULD, YOU KNOW, FOR THE REST OF MY TIME, I'M GOING TO TAKE ANOTHER HOUR AND A HALF PROBABLY HERE, BUT--NO, I'M JUST KIDDING--TO JUST GIVE A LITTLE KIND OF UPDATE ON WARD SIX, WHICH IS MY WARD.
WARD SIX IS I'M LOOKING AT THAT MAP OVER THERE.
IT'S THE CENTRAL PART OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY.
THE SOUTHERN PART OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY AND THE SOUTHEAST CORNER GOING OUT TO DISCOVERY BAY.
SO I HAVE ALL THAT AREA AND I HAVE A NUMBER OF REALLY GREAT PARKS.
THERE IS A BIT OF ACTIVITY GOING ON THERE, AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I'D LIKE TO TELL YOU ABOUT TODAY IS THE WHAT WHAT'S HAPPENING, WHAT THE ACTIVITY IS, AND THE FIRST ONE I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS WHAT WE CALL THE BOREL PROPERTY.
THE BOREL PROPERTY IS AT THE DANVILLE SAN RAMON BORDER, RIGHT NEXT TO I-680, AND IT'S A PROPERTY THAT WAS GIFTED TO US BY A WALNUT GROWER.
SO THERE'S A REMNANT WALNUT ORCHARD THERE, AND WE ARE IN THE PROCESS NOW OF ACTUALLY DESIGNING WHAT THAT PARK IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO OPEN IT AND OPERATE IT.
IT WAS THE WISH OF THE ARMOND BOREL THAT THIS BE DEDICATED TO EXPLAINING AND INTERPRETING THE WHOLE PROCESS OF WALNUT GROWING IN THE SAN RAMON VALLEY AND, YOU KNOW, ELSEWHERE AROUND CALIFORNIA BECAUSE IT WAS A VERY IMPORTANT ECONOMIC DRIVER AT ONE TIME IN THE AREA AND SO, IN FACT, YOU KNOW, WHERE I GREW UP IN CONCORD, AND I REMEMBER WHEN WE FIRST MOVED TO CONCORD IN THE VERY, VERY EARLY 60S, THERE WERE STILL A LOT OF WALNUT ORCHARDS THERE,
[00:50:06]
AND YOU KNOW, THE HOUSES THAT WERE BUILT, OUR HOUSE HAD, I DON'T KNOW, THREE, THREE REMNANT WALNUT TREES IN THE YARD LEFT OVER FROM THE ORCHARDS.SO IT'S SPECIAL FOR ME, AND I KNOW THAT THE FOLKS IN TOWN OF DANVILLE, BOTH THE CITIZENS AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE TOWN OF DANVILLE, ARE VERY MUCH INTERESTED IN US OPENING UP THAT PROPERTY.
WE HAVE A GOOD FUNDING SOURCE TO MAKE THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT NEED TO BE MADE BECAUSE WE SOLD OFF THE TOP SEVEN ACRES, THE NORTHERN SEVEN ACRES OF IT, AND THERE'S A PROJECT THAT'S GOING TO GET STARTED PRETTY SOON TO BUILD SOME CONDOMINIUMS THERE AGAIN.
SO ANOTHER ONE IS CLAYTON RANCH.
NOW, I ALWAYS TELL HIM, YOU HAVE THE PARK, I HAVE THE VISITORS, BECAUSE THEY'RE JUST GOING TO GO RIGHT OVER THE OVER THE LINE INTO THERE BECAUSE THEY'RE VERY, VERY CLOSE TO CLAYTON. IT BORDERS ON ON THE CLAYTON BOUNDARY.
I KNOW WE'RE MAKING GOOD PROGRESS ON OPENING THAT PARK UP IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME MONEY BUDGETED FOR SOME MINOR IMPROVEMENTS THAT STILL NEED TO BE MADE TO MAKE THAT, AND ALSO, BY THE WAY, I MET ALONG WITH WITH SOME ERICH STAFF.
I MET WITH THE MAYOR OF CLAYTON AND THE CITY MANAGER AND THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER LAST WEEK, JUST AS A KIND OF A GET TO KNOW YOU KIND OF MEET AND GREET THING, BUT IN THE BACK OF MY MIND, THERE'S THIS WHOLE ISSUE OF HOW CAN WE HOW CAN THE CITY OF CLAYTON BE A PARTNER WITH US TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR US TO OPEN UP THAT PARK TO THE PUBLIC AND THE WAY WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO DO IT? GOT TO WORK OUT THE DETAILS, BUT THERE'S A PARK CALLED CLAYTON COMMUNITY PARK THAT IS RIGHT NEXT TO THIS CLAYTON RANCH PROPERTY.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE CALLING IT RIGHT NOW, AND IF WE COULD SHARE THE PARKING LOT, WE CAN GET THAT PARK OPEN MUCH SOONER THAN IF WE HAVE TO DEVELOP A STAGING AREA DOWN THE ROAD DOWN MARSH CREEK ROAD SOMEWHERE.
SO THEY'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
THEY REALLY LIKE THE IDEA OF HAVING A THOUSAND, AN ACRE, THOUSANDS OF ACRES OF PARKLAND ALL OF A SUDDEN OPEN UP AND BE AVAILABLE TO THEIR FOLKS. NOW, I KNOW THAT IT'S HABITAT CONSERVANCY MONEY THAT BOUGHT THAT LAND, OR MUCH OF IT OR MOST OF IT.
SO THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME RESTRICTIONS ON USE BUT THE IDEA IS THAT WHEN WE OPEN THE PARK, THERE'S AN EDUCATION COMPONENT TO THE USERS AS THEY GO INTO THAT PARK AT THE VERY BEGINNING TO EXPLAIN TO THEM, YOU KNOW, HOW THIS IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN SOME OF THE OTHER PARKS THEY'VE BEEN IN, THE BIGGEST ONE BEING THE RESTRICTIONS ON DOGS.
THERE WILL BE DOGS ALLOWED, BUT THEY DON'T GET TO, YOU KNOW, JUST RUN AROUND LIKE THEY USUALLY DO.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.
THERE'S ANOTHER PARCEL OF LAND THAT WAS ADDED IN LAST YEAR TO WARD SIX.
THAT'S THE FINLEY ROAD PROPERTY DIRECTLY EAST OF OF DANVILLE.
EAST OF BLACKHAWK, AND I HAVEN'T HEARD TOO MUCH ABOUT YOU KNOW, WHERE WE ARE IN OPENING THAT, BUT LET'S JUST SAY WHO KNOWS? YOU KNOW, IT'S OUT THERE.
IT BORDERS ON MOUNT DIABLO STATE PARK IN MORGAN TERRITORY.
A NEW STAGING AREA IS GOING TO BE BUILT THERE OFF OF FINLEY ROAD, AND IT'S I CAN JUST TELL YOU IT'S GOING TO BE A LOT BETTER THAN WHAT PEOPLE ARE DOING NOW PARKING ALL ALONG FINLEY ROAD AND WALKING ON THE ROAD JUST TO GET TO THE TRAIL.
THURGOOD MARSHALL IS IN MY HOMETOWN IN CONCORD.
THURGOOD MARSHALL REGIONAL PARK, HOME OF THE PORT CHICAGO 50 IS A PORTION OF THAT.
THE SOUTH OF BAILEY PORTION IS CURRENTLY IN DESIGN TO OPEN THAT UP, AND LET'S JUST SAY A FEW YEARS AND IT WILL BE ACCESSED OFF BAILEY ROAD, AND THERE WILL BE SEVERAL HUNDRED ACRES OF LAND TO RECREATE IN AND ALSO SOME, SOME IMPROVEMENTS LIKE PICNIC AREAS AND THAT SORT OF THING.
ONE IS IN MY WARD AND ONE ISN'T.
[00:55:05]
A BRIDGE OVER DUBLIN BOULEVARD AND ANOTHER ONE OVER BOLLINGER CANYON ROAD, WHICH ARE GOING TO I JUST I JUST I'M JUST IN AWE OF THOSE SORTS OF PROJECTS.THOSE ARE PROJECTS THAT MAKE IT MAKE USAGE OF A BIG REGIONAL TRAIL LIKE THE IRONHORSE TRAIL.
SO MUCH SAFER AND SO MUCH MORE ENJOYABLE IF YOU ELIMINATE THE NEED TO CROSS.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW MANY LANES THERE ARE ON BOLLINGER COUNTY.
THERE'S PROBABLY EIGHT LANES OF, YEAH, A LOT OF LANES.
THE CITY OF DUBLIN, BOTH OF THOSE BRIDGES, I BELIEVE, ARE GOING TO BE.
WELL, THE ONE IN DUBLIN IS ACTUALLY JUST ABOUT FINISHED.
IT'S GOING TO HAVE A DEDICATION NEXT MONTH.
ARCHITECTURAL STATEMENTS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S KIND OF WHAT THEY DO NOWADAYS WITH THESE BRIDGES.
SO I'M KIND OF EXCITED ABOUT THAT, AND I THINK THERE'S ANOTHER ONE, ISN'T THERE, BOB, A PLAN FOR CROW CANYON ROAD, TOO, IN SAN RAMON? YEAH. SO BIG LONG STRETCH OF REGIONAL TRAIL WITHOUT REALLY ANY MAJOR STREET CROSSINGS, AND THAT'S KIND OF THE GOAL, BECAUSE THAT IS NOT ONLY SAFE AND ENJOYABLE, BUT I THINK IT ALSO ENCOURAGES USING THE TRAIL AS TRANSPORTATION.
YOU KNOW, WITH E-BIKES AND REGULAR BIKES BEING ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, USE THAT TRAIL IN A CONFIDENT WAY WITHOUT HAVING TO DEAL WITH, WITH THE CARS AND ALL THAT ENTAILS.
I THINK THAT'S FOR THE MOST PART, THAT'S IT, BUT I ENCOURAGE ANY OF YOU, ALL OF YOU, TO CONTACT ME IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT WARD SIX OR ANYTHING ELSE, AND ALSO, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO, YOU KNOW, ATTEND ANY, YOU KNOW, LOCAL GATHERINGS AND MEETINGS WHERE YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, YOU ALL HAVE BADGES, RIGHT? DO YOU HAVE BADGES? JUST THAT. OKAY. WELL, ANYWAY, GO, GO AND TALK TO THE LOCALS IN YOUR AREA.
THAT'S WHAT I DO. I REALLY ENJOY IT.
THAT'S ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT BEING ON THE BOARD, IS THAT YOU GET INVITED TO A LOT OF STUFF, AND IF YOU HAVE TIME LIKE I DO, I GO TO ALL OF THEM AND I GET TO MEET A LOT OF PEOPLE AND I REALLY, REALLY ENJOY IT A LOT AND THEN, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, MY EMAIL IS PUBLISHED IN THE WEBSITE AND SO BRING THEM ON.
YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF QUESTIONS OUT THERE, AND I REALLY GET A LOT OF SATISFACTION OUT OF USUALLY I CAN ONLY GIVE A SURFACE ANSWER TO THE QUESTIONS THAT THEY HAVE, BUT THERE'S GUYS LIKE MATT GRAUL BACK THERE WHO IS AN EXPERT, AND HE GETS TO, HE GETS TO, HE GETS TO FIELD THE PUNT, YOU KNOW, AND YOU KNOW, ANSWER IT OR GET WHOEVER THERE IS AROUND WHO'S THE EXPERT TO ANSWER IT.
SO ANYWAY, I ENJOY THIS A LOT.
I'LL JUST KIND OF CLOSE ON MY DISTINGUISHED COLLEAGUE COLIN COFFEY.
AGAIN, HE HAS A THE WARD BORDERING MINE.
HE SAYS SOMETHING ON A REGULAR BASIS AND I AGREE WITH IT.
HE SAYS BEING ON THE BOARD OF THE PARK DISTRICT IS THE BEST ELECTED POSITION IN THE KNOWN WORLD.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW ABOUT ANYTHING? HAPPY TO. YES.
I GUESS I GOT TO TALK INTO THIS BECAUSE I'M SITTING RIGHT NEXT TO YOU.
THAT'S RIGHT. GO FOR IT. WELL, WE'RE OLD BUDDIES FROM THE PAC GOING BACK MANY, MANY, MANY YEARS.
YEAH. I HAD ONE QUESTION ON ON THE IRON HORSE TRAIL.
IS THERE A PLAN FOR A BRIDGE TO GO OVER DOHERTY? BECAUSE THAT'S A WHEN YOU COME OVER.
SO THE BRIDGE THEY'VE DONE TO GO OVER DUBLIN BOULEVARD AND THEN YOU GO DOWN AND THEN THERE'S A VERY ODD KIND OF IT'S A YOU GO ACROSS ON AN ANGLE AND DOHERTY HAS BECOME A RACETRACK COMING OUT OF WHATEVER, LIKE WINDERMERE OR WHATEVER THAT IS.
SO IT'S TOUGH TO GET ACROSS THAT STREET.
THAT'S JUST SOMETHING TO TALK TO THE CITIES ABOUT.
THEY ALL SHOULD HAVE SOME PLAN TO GO OVER THEM OR UNDER THEM OR WHATEVER.
YES. HI. I HAVE A STRANGE QUESTION THAT CAME TO ME.
ACTUALLY, YESTERDAY I WAS TALKING TO SOMEONE, I THINK, OF THESE OVERPASSES, AND I PICTURE THEM A VERY URBAN, RIGHT? THESE ARE LIKE BIKE TRAILS SAFETY KEEP YOU OFF OUR PASSING ROADS, BUT A WOMAN CAME UP TO ME AND ASKED ME SHE WAS A RETIRED LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT, ABOUT ANY OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE HAVING GREEN SPACE FOR ACTUAL ANIMALS TO CROSS CORRIDORS.
IT NEVER EVEN OCCURRED TO ME BECAUSE I THINK OF THEM AS A VERY URBAN.
[01:00:03]
MAYBE OUR NEXT PRESENTATION ON DIVERSITY IN ANIMALS COULD TELL ME IF THAT WOULD EVEN BE ANYTHING WE WOULD EVER USE, BUT IS ANYTHING LIKE THAT COME UP? I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.THERE IS ONE, AND IT'S FOR ROUND VALLEY DOWN FOR ROUND VALLEY REGIONAL PRESERVE.
THAT'S IN MY WARD, TOO, BUT THAT'S BESIDE THE POINT.
SO WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF CREATING AN EXTENSION OF THE MARSH CREEK TRAIL ALL THE WAY IN FROM BRENTWOOD INTO ROUND VALLEY, AND IT HAS TO CROSS IT HAS TO CROSS MARSH CREEK ROAD, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, CAN BE A VERY BUSY ROAD, AND THE CROSSING OF THAT IS GOING TO BE DESIGNED SO THAT IT INCLUDES WILDLIFE TO ACCOMMODATE, ACCOMMODATES THEM, AND SO THE AREA WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WITH THE IRON HORSE AND THE MULTIPLE BRIDGES, IT'S URBAN RIGHT.
THERE'S NOT GREENWAY THERE, OPTIONS FOR GREENWAY? I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THAT THOUGHT.
AS FAR AS IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT WHERE SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS AT, I CAN CONNECT YOU WITH THEIR DEPUTY TRAIL MANAGER, BUT TRAIL AGENCIES DO EXPLORE THAT WITH THEIR DIFFERENT PARTNERS.
I THINK MEMBER MARSH WAS NEXT.
GOOD AFTERNOON, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPORT; I APPRECIATE IT.
I AM PART OF THE PORT CHICAGO TASK FORCE, SO I'M REALLY ANXIOUS FOR THE THURGOOD MARSHALL CHICAGO, HOME OF THE HOME OF THE PORT CHICAGO 50 PARK TO BE OPENED. SO MY QUESTION TO YOU IS WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT SOUTH OF BAILEY ROAD, THAT AREA, THE WORK TO BE DONE, YOU'RE SAYING, OH, A COUPLE OF YEARS.
DO YOU HAVE SPECIFICS AND WHAT WORK IS ACTUALLY GOING TO BE DONE? IS IT GOING TO OPEN UP THAT ROAD FOR CARS? YEAH. JUST DETAILS PLEASE.
SO WHAT I KNOW IS THAT IT IS NOT REALLY.
THAT'S POSSIBLE TO BE SET RIGHT NOW FOR WHEN THAT'S GOING TO BE OPEN.
THE SOUTH OF BAILEY ENTRANCE OFF OF OFF OF BAILEY ROAD WILL BE USING AN EXISTING ROAD AND I PRESUME IMPROVED SOMEWHAT TO ACCESS THE PARK, AND YOU WANTED TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO BE IN THERE? THERE'S GOING TO BE TRAILS.
THERE'S GOING TO BE PARKING, RESTROOMS, ROOMS. NO, I KNOW ABOUT THAT.
I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THE ROAD ITSELF.
IS IT GOING? I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THE ROAD.
YEAH. THE ENTRANCE BEYOND THE SCOPE OF THE PARK DISTRICT.
OKAY. WELL, I'M JUST THINKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH WHOEVER IS DOING THE WORK, AND SINCE IT'S YOUR DISTRICT, YOU WERE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF IN THE KNOW.
THAT WOULD PROBABLY INVOLVE THE CITY OF CONCORD AND BAILEY ROAD.
IT CROSSES MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS, SO IT IS COMPLICATED, BUT I APPRECIATE YOUR QUESTION BECAUSE I HAD SIMILAR ONES, AND MAY I JUST SINCE I'M TALKING, I APOLOGIZE.
I WENT OUT OF TURN, BUT I JUST WANTED TO COMMEND DIRECTOR MERCURIO.
YOU KNOW, IT TRULY IS EXACTLY AS HE SAID.
HE DOES ENCOUNTER A LOT OF PEOPLE, AND IN FACT, I SEND THEM HIS WAY, AND I JUST WANT TO THANK HIM.
I MET A WOMAN WHEN I WAS WALKING AND KNOCKING ON DOORS ON SATURDAY.
SHE LIVES IN NORTH CONCORD, AND SHE WANTED TO KNOW WHAT WAS BEING DONE FOR MIGRATORY BIRDS AND WHO THE CANDIDATES WERE, WHO CARED ABOUT THAT, AND I SAID, WELL, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE CARE ABOUT IT, BUT THE JURISDICTIONS THAT SHOULD BE INTERESTED, I THINK, WOULD BE THE PARK DISTRICT, AND JOHN RESPONDED RIGHT AWAY AND ALSO POINTED HER TO THE JOHN MUIR LAND TRUST AND SOME INTERNAL RESOURCES AS WELL.
SO I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU, DIRECTOR MERCURIO, FOR, YOU KNOW, BEING VERY RESPONSIVE AND HELPING PEOPLE GET CONNECTED TO THE PARK DISTRICT, BECAUSE I THINK A LOT OF TIMES THEY DON'T KNOW WHO TO ASK ABOUT THESE KINDS OF ISSUES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO THEM.
[01:05:10]
COUNCIL BECAUSE YOU CAN ACT LIKE AN INTERMEDIARY AND YOU CAN FIND ENCOUNTER FOLKS THAT HAVE QUESTIONS AND YOU KNOW WHO TO ASK. SO THANK YOU.YOU TALKED ABOUT THE EXTENDING THE MARSH CREEK TRAIL, AND SO THERE'S A BIG GAP IN IT TRYING TO GET THROUGH THE MARSH CREEK STATE PARK.
SO WE THOUGHT ABOUT MAYBE SIPHONING OFF PART OF THAT PROJECT AND HAVING A PATHWAY THAT'S EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK, THEN TO WAIT FOR THE MARSH CREEK STATE PARK TO BE ACTIVE BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT'S CLOSED.
IT'S GOING TO BE CLOSED FOR A WHILE.
NOT TOO SURE HOW MUCH IT DEPENDS ON HAVING THAT PARK.
IF THERE'S A WAY FOR THAT TRAIL TO GET BUILT, YOU KNOW, BEFORE THE STATE OPENS THE PARK.
YEAH BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THERE'S NOT QUITE FUNDING YET.
YEAH BECAUSE THAT'S A BIG CHUNK, AND, AND EVEN IF WE'RE GOING TO ROUND VALLEY TO MORGAN TERRITORY, NOBODY CAN GET TO IT UNLESS YOU DRIVE TO ROUND VALLEY AND SKIP THAT WHOLE PART BECAUSE IT GOES THROUGH THE STATE PARK, WHICH IS, I GUESS, GOING TO INCLUDE THE RESERVOIR.
THAT'S RIGHT THERE. ALSO THE MARSH CREEK RESERVOIR.
I'M NOT AS WELL VERSED ON THAT BECAUSE IT'S NOT IN MY IT'S NOT IN MY WARD, AND IT'S STUFF THAT'S BEEN GOING ON SINCE BEFORE I WAS ON THE BOARD, I APOLOGIZE FOR SIDESTEPPING THAT, BUT I JUST CAN'T REALLY ANSWER THAT, THAT QUESTION.
I WAS AT THE MARSH CREEK STATE PARK OPEN HOUSE THIS PAST WEEKEND, AND A LOT OF QUESTIONS WERE ASKED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF THAT TRAIL GOING THROUGH, BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE WANT THAT TRAIL TO GO THROUGH.
YOU PROBABLY KNOW MORE THAN I DO IF YOU WENT TO THAT.
I HADN'T NOTICED THAT MEMBER LOPEZ HAD HER SIGN UP.
DID YOU WANT TO ASK A QUICK QUESTION? I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK YOU ABOUT THAT PROJECT WITH THE WALNUT.
IS THAT LITTLE PARCEL THAT'S RIGHT BY THE COSTCO? IS THAT JUST SOUTH OF IT? IT IS. I WONDERED ABOUT THAT.
DOES THE DISTRICT EMBARK? I MEAN, APART FROM GETTING, YOU KNOW, LAND SO FORTH, DOES IT DO YOU LIKE MOUS AND SO FORTH WITH LOCAL JURISDICTIONS, CITY JURISDICTIONS WHEN KIND OF REINVENTING HOW A SPACE IS USED AND SO FORTH, AND LIKE, IS IT LIKE A LITTLE POCKET PARK REALLY IN THE MIDDLE OF AN URBAN AREA SMALL.
HOW DOES THE DISTRICT APPROACH THAT? OR HOW WERE THE WHERE ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES LIKE, AND SO I REPRESENT THE MAYOR'S CONFERENCE ALL THE CITIES.
SO I'VE BEEN ENCOURAGING THE FOLKS THAT DO THE PLANNING OF THESE THINGS, OF THESE PARKS TO HOWEVER THAT ENDS UP THAT IT HAS TO HAVE IT HAS TO BE KIND OF AN ELEMENT OF A LOCAL PARK.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE ARE A REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT, BUT IT'S WHERE LOTS OF FOLKS LIVE AND SHOP AND, AND WORK, YOU KNOW, AND SO THAT I WOULD LIKE IT TO BE SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD DROP INTO.
YOU KNOW, THAT IT'S NOT CLOSED AND THEN OPEN WHEN THERE'S A PROGRAM OR SOMETHING.
I REALLY DON'T THINK IT SHOULD BE THAT WAY.
SO THAT'S LOCATED IN THE TOWN OF DANVILLE.
THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW, AND I CAN'T BE ANY MORE SPECIFIC THAN THAT, THAT INVOLVE COOPERATING WITH WITH THE TOWN OF DANVILLE FOR THAT.
ANYBODY ELSE? GREAT. WELL, THANK YOU, DIRECTOR MERCURIO.
THAT'S SO MUCH GREAT INFORMATION.
YES. THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
OKAY. SO WE HAVE TWO OTHER INFORMATIONAL ITEMS.
[01:10:01]
FIRST UP IS A PRESENTATION ON THE EAST BAY'S BIODIVERSITY.CONSERVATION IS RECREATION A UNIFIED VISION FOR AN EQUITABLE AND THRIVING SECOND CENTURY.
I'LL BE SPEAKING FIRST AND THEN HAND IT OVER TO NATALIE REEDER TO CONCLUDE.
THE DISTRICT PRESERVES A RICH HERITAGE OF NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES AND PROVIDES OPEN SPACE, PARKS, TRAILS, SAFE AND HEALTHFUL RECREATION, AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION.
AN ENVIRONMENTAL ETHIC GUIDES THE DISTRICT IN ALL OF ITS ACTIVITIES, BUT WHEN DISCUSSING PRIORITIES, RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES SOMETIMES TAKE PRECEDENCE OVER NATURAL RESOURCE PROTECTIONS WHEN, AS WRITTEN, IT'S ONE UNIFIED MISSION.
TODAY, WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IS THE SUPPORT AND ADVOCACY FOR A CULTURE SHIFT THAT CONSERVATION AND EQUITABLE ECOSYSTEMS SHOULD ALSO BE PRIORITIZED, THAT OUR STAFF DO A BETTER JOB RETURNING TO THE MISSION STATEMENT AND BE GUIDED BY THAT ENVIRONMENTAL ETHIC IN ALL OF OUR ACTIVITIES, SO THAT OUR CONSTITUENTS CAN KEEP THAT RICH HERITAGE OF NATURAL RESOURCES THAT THEY'RE ENTITLED TO.
OVER 150 PLANT SPECIES HAVE GONE EXTINCT OR BEEN EXTIRPATED FROM OUR AREA.
WE'VE LOST GRIZZLY BEARS, WESTERN BUMBLEBEES, AND A SPECIES OF KANGAROO RAT NAMED AFTER BERKELEY SPOTTED SKUNKS ARE EXCEEDINGLY RARE WHERE THEY WERE ONCE COMMON, AND UP TO 98% OF BAY MARSHLANDS HAVE BEEN LOST.
THE REGULATORY AND ECOLOGICAL CONTEXTS WE WORK IN IS DEFINED BY LOSS AND DECLINE.
THIS GRAPH SHOWS THE LISTING OF SPECIES SINCE THE FEDERAL ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT WAS PASSED IN 1967.
YEARS ARE SHOWN ON THE X AXIS DOWN BELOW, AND THE NUMBER OF SPECIES IS SHOWN ON THE Y AXIS.
THE BLUE BARS ARE THE INDIVIDUAL SPECIES LISTINGS PER YEAR, AND THAT GREEN DOTTED LINE IS THE CUMULATIVE NUMBER OF SPECIES LISTED AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THE LISTING OF THESE SPECIES ONLY CONTINUES TO CREEP UPWARDS.
NOTE VERY FEW SPECIES HAVE BEEN DELISTED.
ALL OF THESE SPECIES OCCUR IN THE EAST BAY.
THE STATE HAS LISTED THE CROTCH'S BUMBLEBEE, FOOTHILL YELLOW LEGGED FROGS, WESTERN BURROWING OWLS, AND MOUNTAIN LIONS, FOLLOWED BY THE FEDERAL LISTING OF WESTERN POND TURTLES AND A LIKELY LISTING FOR THE WESTERN SPADEFOOT TOAD.
THESE ARE SPECIES THAT HAVE BEEN PROPOSED FOR LISTING JUST IN THE PAST FEW YEARS.
SO FAR, THE WORLD I'VE DESCRIBED AS A STATUS QUO IS A WORLD TRANSFORMED BY PEOPLE.
THAT HABITAT IS LOST AS PEOPLE BUILD WITH WILDLIFE AND PLANTS AND OPEN SPACE RELEGATED TO STANDALONE PRESERVES WHERE RECREATION IS IN CONFLICT WITH THE PRESERVATION OF WHAT'S LEFT OF OUR RICH HERITAGE OF NATURAL RESOURCES, AND MUCH OF MY OWN CAREER HAS BEEN BUILT ALONG THIS BINARY WORLDVIEW THAT, AS A WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST, WILDLIFE WERE THOSE ANIMALS THAT LIVED IN THE WILDERNESS, AND YOU ACTUALLY WENT SOMEWHERE ELSE TO GO STUDY.
THE ANIMALS THAT SHARED OUR CITIES WITH US WERE PESTS OR VERMIN, NOT REGARDED AS CHARISMATIC MEGAFAUNA DESERVING OF THE STUDY OF CHEETAHS AND WOLVES, BUT IN REALITY, THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT IS WILD.
WILDLIFE DOESN'T SEE OUR WORLD AS TWO DISTINCT SIDES OF A COIN.
AS THE COVID LOCKDOWN SHOWED US WHEN PEOPLE WENT INSIDE, WILDLIFE EMERGED.
BIRDS ACTUALLY MIGRATE RIGHT THROUGH OUR CITIES.
COYOTES RAISE PUPS IN CITY PARKS AND DEER CROSS BRIDGES.
FROM THE CENTER OF A BUSTLING CITY TO THE TREE LINED STREETS OF A SUBURB, TO A BUSY REGIONAL PARK, AND THEN TO A QUIET RESERVE, BIODIVERSITY HAS ITS PLACE IN EACH.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR HOW WE DISCUSS THAT PRESERVATION OF OUR RICH HERITAGE OF NATURAL RESOURCES?
[01:15:05]
IT'S ACTUALLY HOPEFUL AND PERSONALLY, PERSONALLY FULFILLING AS A KOREAN-AMERICAN CITY DWELLER RAISED IN DALY CITY.I'VE ALWAYS FELT LIKE AN OUTSIDER IN THE WILDEST OF WILD PLACES, BUT THE RISE OF URBAN ECOLOGY AS AN EXCITING SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINE HAS VALIDATED NOT ONLY THE STUDY OF WILDLIFE IN OUR URBAN AREAS, BUT ALSO GIVEN PEOPLE LIKE ME A PLACE IN WILDLIFE BIOLOGY.
NOT ONLY THAT, BUT RATHER THAN SEEING THESE URBAN LANDSCAPES AS HABITAT LOST, WE CAN ACTUALLY RETURN OUR VIEW OF URBAN LANDSCAPES AS PART OF AN EQUALLY IMPORTANT TO THE REGENERATION OF BIODIVERSE LANDSCAPES.
PLACES LIKE ARROWHEAD MARSH AT MLK JUNIOR REGIONAL PARK, SHOWN HERE, ARE PART OF A LANDSCAPE OF HABITATS FOR ENDANGERED SPECIES LIKE THE SALT MARSH HARVEST MOUSE SHOWN HERE, AND RIDGWAY'S RAILS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF A MAJOR CITY BUT THESE PLACES NEED MORE CARE AND MORE RESOURCES THAN SOME OF OUR OTHER OPEN SPACES.
WHAT WE ARE ASKING FOR IS THE SUPPORT FOR PUTTING MORE OF THESE RESOURCES AND EFFORT INTO THESE AREAS, BECAUSE NOT ONLY ARE THEY CRITICALLY IMPORTANT FOR OUR WILDLIFE, BUT THESE URBAN PARKS ARE WHERE US CITY FOLK CAN ACCESS THE WILDLIFE AND HABITATS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY OUR RICH HERITAGE OF NATURAL RESOURCES, AND NOTE THE SMALL BOX IN THE CORNER WILL BE USING THAT TO TRACK WHERE WE ARE ON THE CONTINUUM.
SO HOW IS THIS AN EQUITY ISSUE? WELL, IT TURNS OUT WHAT'S GOOD FOR WILDLIFE IS ACTUALLY ALSO GOOD FOR PEOPLE.
IN A PARADIGM SHIFTING PAPER, DR.
SCHELL AT UC BERKELEY LOOKED AT EXISTING RESEARCH TO RESOLVE THESE PATTERNS IN CITIES AND SUBURBS.
MEASURES OF BIODIVERSITY IN THESE PLACES, SUCH AS SPECIES RICHNESS, ARE HIGHER, AND THE ECOSYSTEM SHOWN IN THIS FOOD WEB ARE MORE INTACT AND FUNCTIONAL, AS IN, THERE ARE MORE SPECIES IN THAT ECOSYSTEM AND THEY'RE INTERACTING WITH EACH OTHER IN MORE COMPLEX WAYS IN A LESS EQUITABLE CITY.
SHOWN ON THE RIGHT. GREEN SPACES ARE CONCENTRATED MOSTLY IN AFFLUENT NEIGHBORHOODS, WHEREAS LOWER INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS, OFTEN THE LEGACY OF REDLINING AND OTHER RACIST POLICIES, HAVE LITTLE GREEN SPACE.
THIS RESULTS IN UNEQUAL DISTRIBUTION OF SPECIES AND DEGRADED AND LESS FUNCTIONAL ECOSYSTEMS FOR ALL.
SO MOST OF OUR CITIES IN THE BAY AREA HAVE A STRONG AND LASTING SIGNATURE OF SYSTEMIC RACISM AND REDLINING, BUT IN THIS IS ACTUALLY OPPORTUNITY BY PUTTING RESOURCES INTO OUR CITY ADJACENT PARKS TO MAKE THEM MORE BIODIVERSE AND BY INCREASING ACCESS, WE PROVIDE NOT JUST HABITAT, BUT CREATE A NEW GENERATION OF ADVOCATES AND COMMUNITY SCIENTISTS.
NATALIE WILL TAKE YOU THROUGH THE REST OF THE CONTINUUM.
HELLO EVERYONE. MY NAME IS NATALIE REEDER.
I'M ALSO A WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST IN THE STEWARDSHIP DEPARTMENT HERE AT THE DISTRICT.
SO PICKING UP WHERE TAMMY LEFT OFF, AS WE'RE KIND OF PROGRESSING INTO OUR MORE WILDLAND PARKS THERE REALLY IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO DIRECT OUR RESOURCES PROACTIVELY AND HOLISTICALLY, THINKING OF OUR EAST BAY ECOSYSTEM AS A WHOLE.
WE CAN DIRECT OUR RESOURCES TO THE PARKS THAT REALLY NEED IT, ESPECIALLY IN OUR MORE URBAN LANDSCAPES WHERE WE HAVE REALLY DEGRADED STREAMS, NON-NATIVE AND INVASIVE SPECIES IN MANY PLACES, AND ISSUES WITH SOIL AND HISTORIC USE OF THE LAND.
THESE PHOTOS SHOW THE REMNANTS OR THE AFTERMATH OF THE SCENIC FIRE THAT ALMOST CONSUMED THE SMALL COMMUNITY OF PORT COSTA IN 2022, AND YOU CAN SEE IN THE PICTURE ON THE LEFT OF THE IMMEDIATELY POST-FIRE CONDITION, THERE WERE A LOT OF EUCALYPTUS TREES THAT ARE VERY FLAMMABLE AND EXACERBATE WILDFIRE, AND THEN THEY ARE ALSO A NON-NATIVE SPECIES AND INVASIVE.
SO NOT ONLY DID WE TACKLE THIS POST-FIRE CONDITION TO RESTORE THE PARK TO ITS PRE-FIRE CONDITION, BUT WE IMPROVED IT BY ACCESSING FUNDING TO ALLOW US TO PLANT NATIVE SPECIES AND REALLY RESTORE IT TO EVEN WELL BEFORE THE INTRODUCTION OF EUCALYPTUS TO A NATIVE LANDSCAPE, AND THERE'S AN EXCELLENT QUOTE HERE FROM A MEMBER OF THAT COMMUNITY, DESCRIBING HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS TO THEM THAT THE PARK DISTRICT WAS THINKING ABOUT THESE THINGS AND NOT JUST PROVIDING PEOPLE WITH ACCESS TO NATURE, PERIOD, BUT PROVIDING THEM TO EQUITABLE ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY NATURE. WE ALSO HAVE LOST SPECIES FROM MANY OF THESE MORE URBAN PARKS, INCLUDING RED LEGGED FROGS THAT WERE ONCE PRESENT IN POINT PINOLE AND TILDEN.
[01:20:05]
REALLY RESTORE THEM TO ECOLOGICAL FUNCTION AND AS TAMMY WAS SAYING ABOUT THAT, THOSE, YOU KNOW, EXTREME RESOURCES THAT ARE NEEDED IN OUR MORE INTENSIVELY USED PARKS.IF WE INTELLIGENTLY DIRECT OUR FOCUS AND LIMITED RESOURCES TO THOSE AREAS FURTHER ALONG THE CONTINUUM, WE CAN SORT OF SAVE THOSE RESOURCE SPENDINGS TO CONSERVE CORE CONSERVATION AREAS THAT ARE REALLY NEEDED BY WILDLIFE AS A REFUGIA FROM HUMAN ACTIVITY. THERE'S LAST REFUGES AS YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT CUTTING OFF CORRIDORS.
THERE WERE SOME MENTIONS ABOUT WILDLIFE CROSSINGS AND WILDLIFE ARE WILDLIFE HABITAT IS REALLY CHOPPED UP INTO SMALLER AND SMALLER PIECES AS DEVELOPMENT OCCURS, AND WE HAVE SOME OF THE LAST REMAINING INTACT AND UNDISTURBED.
SO AGAIN, FROM THE OUTWARD APPEARANCES, YOU HAVE A GREEN SPACE WITH A RELATIVELY TO A HIGHWAY LOW IMPACT FROM A HIKING TRAIL, BUT THERE ARE LOTS OF SPECIES THAT ARE VERY SENSITIVE TO THE PRESENCE OF HUMANS.
SO YOU CAN SEE THIS MAP OF WILDCAT AND TILDEN.
THE AREAS IN PINK ARE RECREATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE, TRAILS, STAGING AREAS, ETC, AND THEY'RE CLUSTERED, BUT THEY'RE PRETTY WELL DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THE AREA.
THERE ARE SOME SPOTS THAT DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE INFRASTRUCTURE, AND WE'RE PROPOSING THAT WE COULD LOOK AT THE PARKS AGAIN HOLISTICALLY AND IDENTIFY THOSE AREAS THAT WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE INFRASTRUCTURE, AND WHERE WE COULD CONTINUE TO NOT HAVE INFRASTRUCTURE TO PRESERVE THOSE AREAS FOR WILDLIFE, AND EVEN MORE WILD PARKS LIKE GUERIN AND PLEASANTON RIDGE.
SIMILARLY, IN THIS MAP, THERE'S BLUE LINES ARE HEAT MAPS FOR WHERE THERE IS RECREATIONAL ACTIVITY.
PRIMARILY OUR OFFICIAL TRAILS, BUT THIS ALSO INCLUDES BOOTLEG TRAILS THAT PEOPLE HAVE CREATED OUTSIDE OF THE OFFICIAL TRAILS, AND THERE ARE LAND BANKED AREAS IN LIGHT GREEN AND THEN ALSO AREAS JUST WITHOUT TRAIL INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE DARKER GREEN, AND SO WE'RE SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE REALLY VALUABLE AREAS THAT WE NEED TO PRIORITIZE AND THINK ABOUT AS THEIR POTENTIAL FOR MAINTAINING CONNECTIVITY THAT IS CONSTANTLY UNDER THREAT, FOR MAINTAINING SANCTUARY, FOR SPECIES THAT ARE SENSITIVE TO HUMAN IMPACTS, AND FOR INSURANCE FOR THOSE SPECIES IF THEY'RE IMPACTED FROM CLIMATE CHANGE OR A DISEASE OR ONGOING DEVELOPMENT, THAT THERE ARE STILL PLACES FOR THEM WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES.
MOUNTAIN LIONS, AS AN EXAMPLE, ARE KNOWN TO BREED IN PLEASANTON RIDGE.
THERE WAS RECENTLY A PRETTY POPULAR VIDEO THAT WAS CIRCULATING ON SOCIAL MEDIA OF FOUR MOUNTAIN LION CUBS IN PLEASANTON RIDGE, AND WE DON'T KNOW THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO BREED THERE IF THERE WERE MORE TRAILS IN THESE AREAS THAT ARE CURRENTLY SHOWN HERE TO NOT HAVE TRAIL INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE COULD ALSO LOOK AT SOME ALTERNATIVE MODELS FOR MAINTAINING PUBLIC ACCESS WHILE ALSO PRIORITIZING CONSERVATION, SUCH AS NOT, YOU KNOW, NOT OPENING UP THE AREAS ENTIRELY, BUT FOLLOWING A MODEL LIKE VASCO CAVES WHERE PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS, BUT IT'S MORE CONTROLLED, POTENTIALLY THROUGH THINGS LIKE DOCENT LED TOURS.
WE HAVE TO PROTECT WHAT IS LEFT TO PRESERVE THE REST.
THESE PRESERVED AREAS ACT AS A SOURCE FOR WILDLIFE DIVERSITY FOR EVERYWHERE ELSE AND WE NEED TO MAINTAIN THAT HIGH QUALITY NATURE AND HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT FOR EVERYBODY TO ENJOY.
IT'S ALSO CRITICAL TO MAINTAIN, TO AVOID FURTHER IMPACTING THE ONGOING CONNECTION OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE TO THEIR LANDS AND KEEP THE SACRED PLACES SACRED AS THERE AREN'T MANY LEFT.
SO AGAIN, GIVING PEOPLE ACCESS TO NOT ONLY NATURE BUT HIGH QUALITY NATURE, AND SO HOW DO WE GET THERE? WE HAVE BEEN WORKING TO DEVELOP PARTNERSHIPS THAT WILL SUPPORT US.
THE EAST BAY STEWARDSHIP NETWORK.
SORRY, I LOST MY PLACE FOR A SECOND.
[01:25:06]
OUR LANDS TOGETHER.WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR ALAMEDA AND CONTRA COSTA COUNTY RESOURCE CONSERVATION DISTRICTS ON POND RESTORATIONS THAT NOT ONLY SUPPORT CONSERVATION GRAZING, BUT ALSO MYRIAD RARE, THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES THAT RELY ON THOSE PONDS, AND WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH UNIVERSITIES, ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS AND ZOOS TO CONDUCT PRIMARY RESEARCH ON OUR LANDS THAT INFORM OUR EFFORTS AND CAN HELP US DO BETTER CONSERVATION IN THE FUTURE.
WE ALSO NEED TO START THINKING ABOUT RECREATION IN MORE EXPANSIVE TERMS. WE TEND TO GET A LOT OF VOCAL SUPPORT FOR RECREATION INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT THERE ARE ALSO A LOT OF CONSTITUENTS WHO REALLY VALUE NATURAL RESOURCES IN AND OF ITSELF.
THERE ARE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN OUR PARKS USING THESE PLATFORMS TO RECORD OBSERVATIONS OF ANIMALS, PLANTS AND BIRDS THAT THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, CLEARLY VALUING BECAUSE THEY'RE TAKING THE TIME TO TAKE PHOTOS OF THOSE ANIMALS AND POST THEM TO THESE PLATFORMS. WE HAVE OVER A MILLION OBSERVATIONS ON INATURALIST AND OVER 6 MILLION OBSERVATIONS ON EBIRD, AND THOSE NUMBERS JUST KEEP CLIMBING AS MORE PEOPLE ARE CONNECTED TO THESE COMMUNITY SCIENCE RESOURCES.
WE'RE ALSO DOING A LOT OF SCIENCE BASED MANAGEMENT.
WE TRY TO ORIENT ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS AROUND SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE FOR THEIR EFFECTIVENESS.
ONE MAJOR EFFORT WITHIN THE STEWARDSHIP DEPARTMENT IS NATURE CHECK, WHICH IS AN ECOLOGICAL HEALTH ASSESSMENT THAT WE DID IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR EAST BAY STEWARDSHIP NETWORK MEMBERS, AND IT FOCUSED ON TARGET SPECIES INDICATOR SPECIES THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO GIVE US AN IDEA OF THE HEALTH OF THE ECOLOGY AS A WHOLE.
SO THIS WHEEL SHOWS SHOWS THOSE SPECIES, AND THE OUTER RING IS.
SO THE INNER RING IS THE HEALTH OF THE SPECIES OVERALL KIND OF AVERAGED OVER THE PARK DISTRICT, AND THE OUTER RING HAS THE HEALTH OF THAT, THAT SPECIES OR GROUP OF SPECIES BROKEN DOWN BY SUBREGION, AND SO YOU CAN SEE THAT IF YOU LOOK AT JUST THE INNER RING, EVEN THAT DOESN'T LOOK GREAT.
WE HAVE A FEW GROUPS OF SPECIES THAT ARE IN THE GREEN, SO WE'RE CONSIDERING THEM GOOD, BUT OVER HALF ARE IN THE CAUTION CONDITION, AND THEN WHEN YOU BREAK IT DOWN BY SUBREGION, THEN THERE ARE CERTAIN SUBREGIONS THAT HAVE SPECIES AND GROUPS OF SPECIES IN A SIGNIFICANT CONCERN.
SO AGAIN THIS GOES TO SHOW THAT WE HAVE THESE INCREDIBLE OPEN SPACES THAT WE HAVE BEEN PROTECTING FOR ALMOST 100 YEARS, BUT THERE IS MORE TO BE DONE TO INCREASE THE QUALITY OF THOSE AREAS AND TO BRING BACK SPECIES AND MAKE SURE THAT THE SPECIES WE HAVE NOW CONTINUED TO PERSIST.
CAUTION. SO EVEN GROUND SQUIRRELS, WE HAVE AREAS WHERE WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR WELL-BEING.
WE'RE ALSO, YOU KNOW, WANTING TO WORK WITH PEOPLE TO ACHIEVE THESE GOALS.
WE ARE USING COMMUNITY SCIENCE TO FILL IN SOME OF THOSE DATA GAPS.
SO WE DO WE HAVE FOCUSED RESEARCH PROGRAMS ON MANY SPECIES, BUT WE CAN'T COVER THEM ALL.
WE'VE ESPECIALLY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT WE'RE MISSING A LOT OF INFORMATION ABOUT OUR INVERTEBRATE ANIMALS, AND WE'RE STARTING TO COLLECT MORE DATA ON BEES AND BUTTERFLIES, BUT WE NEED ALL OF THEM.
SO WE'RE USING COMMUNITY SCIENCE FOR THAT INATURALIST IS A HUGE HELP TO US IN OUR WORK.
WE ARE ALSO INTERESTED IN IMPROVING THE ENVIRONMENTAL ETHIC THAT OUR PARK PARK USERS ARE TAUGHT.
WHEN THEY COME TO THE PARK DISTRICT, YOU WILL START TO SEE THESE THREE STREAM GARBAGE CANS OUT IN THE PARKS WITH REALLY GREAT INFORMATIONAL SIGNS ABOUT HOW TO PROPERLY DISPOSE OF AND SORT GARBAGE, RECYCLING AND COMPOST.
WE THINK IF WE PUSH THAT, YOU KNOW, ALMOST MORE OF LIKE A NATIONAL PARK ETHIC OF HOW PEOPLE ARE ENGAGING IN THEIR PARKS, IT WILL CREATE A LANDSLIDE EFFECT AND PEOPLE WILL TAKE BETTER CARE OF THE PARKS OVERALL, AND THEN SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED, LIKE THE POST-FIRE RESTORATION, THERE ARE THINGS THAT PEOPLE REALLY WANT IN THEIR LOCAL PARKS IN THEIR COMMUNITY, AND THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF PROJECTS WE SHOULD REALLY BE
[01:30:08]
FOCUSING ON AND DIRECTING OUR RESOURCES, AND AGAIN, WE CAN MAYBE USE RESOURCE SAVINGS FROM PROTECTING AND SETTING ASIDE CORE CONSERVATION AREAS TO REFOCUS OURSELVES ON THINGS THAT REALLY MATTER TO OUR CONSTITUENTS, AND OVERALL, WE JUST WANT TO ADVOCATE FOR THE REINVIGORATION OF OUR ENVIRONMENTAL ETHIC WITHIN OUR ORGANIZATION, INCLUDING OUR DECISION MAKERS, OUR URBAN AREAS.WE NEED TO PLAN FOR RECREATION IN A WAY THAT KEEPS OUR ENVIRONMENTAL ETHIC FRONT OF MIND.
WE CAN DESIGN RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK IN HARMONY WITH RESTORED HABITATS, REDUCE IMPACTS, AND WE CAN SET ASIDE CORE AREAS OF NO OR MINIMAL IMPACT TO CONSERVE WHAT IS LEFT AND TO CREATE THE BEST POSSIBLE NATURE, EXPERIENCE AND HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT FOR PARK USERS NOW, THE NEXT 100 YEARS, AND BEYOND.
SO THANK YOU AND WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
I THINK IT'S LIKE SUCH AN IMPORTANT TOPIC, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE YOU KNOW, SEE A LOT COME THROUGH THIS COMMITTEE ABOUT DEVELOPING RESOURCES, DEVELOPING INFRASTRUCTURE, AND AND, YOU KNOW, OFTEN WE DON'T WE FORGET THAT THESE ECOSYSTEMS AND SPECIES DON'T HAVE VOICES.
THEY DON'T HAVE MONEY, THEY DON'T HAVE VOTES.
RIGHT, AND SO IT'S HARD TO MAINTAIN THIS BALANCE THAT'S AT THE CENTER OF THE PARK DISTR ICT MISSION BETWEEN RECREATION AND CONSERVATION, AND SO I'M SO GLAD THAT WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION, AND IT'S A YOU KNOW, I HOPE IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE KEEP IN MIND AS WE GO FORWARD AND START TO DEVELOP THE SECOND CENTURY PLAN THAT, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THESE ECOSYSTEMS AND SPECIES, ONCE THEY'RE GONE FROM THESE LANDS, THEY'RE GONE, RIGHT? THEY'RE NOT COMING BACK, AND SO WE NEED TO MAKE AN INTENTIONAL EFFORT TO BE SETTING ASIDE SPACES FOR THEM.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN, VICE CHAIR ESPAÑA.
YEAH. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT VERY INFORMATIVE REPORT, AND SO OUT OF ALL THE DIFFERENT IDEAS THAT WERE MENTIONED IN THE REPORT, THE AREA THAT JUST KIND OF STRUCK ME THE MOST WAS THE CORE CONSERVATION AREAS BECAUSE WITHIN YOUR REPORT, THERE'S A REAL ARGUMENT ABOUT HOW THERE'S A VIEW THAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON RECREATION WITHIN THE PARK AND NOT ELEVATING THESE KIND OF CORE CONSERVATION AREAS.
SO WHEN WE HAVE NEW PARKLANDS, THERE'S ALREADY DIFFERENT MANDATED PROCESSES, BUT WHERE AND WHAT PROCESS OR WHAT TYPE OF CRITERIA WOULD WE HAVE TO DEVELOP SO THAT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT PROJECTS WE BRING IN THIS IDEA OF CORE CONSERVATION AREA BECAUSE THERE'S OTHER CONCEPTS THAT WE'RE BRINGING INTO THE PARK NOW, THE 30 BY 30. SO HOW DO WE ELEVATE THIS? BECAUSE SOME OF THE WORK THAT YOU MENTIONED, WHERE IT'S STEWARDSHIP, I FEEL IT'S ALREADY INTERWOVEN IN OTHER PARTS, BUT I THINK THE REAL PART IS THAT CORE CONSERVATION AREA, AND HOW DO WE BRING THAT CONCEPT, AND ALSO HOW DO WE BEGIN TO THINK LIKE THAT AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT PACK MEMBERS? YEAH. WELL, WE HAVE BEEN DEVELOPING SOME TOOLS TO SUPPORT OUR DECISION MAKERS, ONE THAT IS CALLED THE DECISION SUPPORT TOOL.
SO WE REALLY WANT TO CREATE AN EASY OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE NATURAL RESOURCES INFORMATION THAT'S HOUSED BASICALLY IN STEWARDSHIP AND PLANNING THAT IS MORE FOCUSED ON ON BUILDING TRAILS AND MAINTAINING OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO THE DECISION SUPPORT TOOL IS A KIND OF AN EASY CLEARINGHOUSE FOR WILDLIFE AND HABITAT DATA.
SO WE'RE MAPPING AND MAINTAINING DATABASES FOR ALL OF THE ORGANISMS ORGANISMS FOR WHICH WE HAVE INFORMATION, AND THEN WHEN A PROJECT IS BEING PLANNED THEY CAN GO INTO THAT AND SEE FOR THE PROPOSED PROJECT SITE WHAT SENSITIVE SPECIES ARE NEARBY. ARE THERE SENSITIVE PLANT COMMUNITIES? ARE THERE GOLDEN EAGLE NESTS? AND THEN WE CAN START TO LOOK AT A PICTURE OF, YOU KNOW, ARE THERE PLACES THAT CLEARLY SHOULD NOT BE IMPACTED? AND CAN WE CONSTRAIN RECREATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE IN CERTAIN AREAS SO THAT IT AVOIDS THOSE IMPACTS? AND I THINK WE COULD ALSO DO THAT EFFORT MORE PROACTIVELY ON A LARGER SCALE, RATHER THAN JUST TACKLING IT PROJECT BY PROJECT.
[01:35:07]
IDENTIFY AREAS THAT WE MAYBE DON'T NEED A LOT OF RECREATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE BECAUSE THEY ARE FAR AWAY FROM POPULATED AREAS AND DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE TO ACCESS EQUITABLY, BUT ALSO THAT ARE ECOLOGICALLY IMPORTANT, AND IT MIGHT BE MORE VALUABLE FOR THE PARK DISTRICT AS A WHOLE TO MAINTAIN THOSE IN A LOW OR NO INFRASTRUCTURE STATE SO THAT YOU KNOW, THE ANIMALS AND PLANTS THAT LIVE THERE CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO POPULATE THE REST OF THE PARK DISTRICT.THANK YOU FOR FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I'M A VERY STRONG BELIEVER IN TRYING TO RETAIN SOME OF THESE NATURAL AREAS, AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE WORK YOU'RE DOING SHOULD LEAD INTO THE MASTER PLAN.
THE NEW MASTER PLAN OUGHT TO IDENTIFY AREAS THAT YOU KNOW SHOULD REMAIN AS NATURAL AREAS, AND I APPRECIATE THE HOW NICE IT IS TO BE ABLE TO SHOW THAT THERE IS EXISTING CRITTERS IN AN AREA AND SO FORTH AND USING THAT, BUT I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO REALIZE THAT, YOU KNOW, IF WE CREATE A NATURAL AREA, AN OPEN AREA WITH FEW DISTURBANCES FROM PEOPLE, THE POPULATIONS WILL GROW THERE, YOU KNOW, SO WE DON'T JUST LOOK AT WHERE THEY'RE CURRENTLY EXISTING, BUT WHERE THEY HAVE THE POTENTIAL, AND IN DEVELOPING THESE IN THE MASTER PLAN, I THINK WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE NON DISTRICT OWNED LANDS THAT ARE ADJACENT TO THIS BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL PART OF THE CRITTERS DON'T RECOGNIZE THESE PROPERTY BOUNDARIES BETWEEN PEOPLE, AND WE NEED TO, TO LOOK AT THOSE AS PART OF THE BIGGER PICTURE, RATHER THAN JUST LOOKING AT JUST THE LANDS THAT THE DISTRICT OWNS.
SO IT'S THE MASTER PLANNING PROCESS, IT SEEMS TO ME, ALLOWS YOU TO DO ALL OF THOSE THINGS, AND I WOULD STRONGLY URGE THAT THE DISTRICT INCORPORATE THOSE IDEAS.
MEMBER LOPEZ AND THEN MEMBER SKAREDOFF.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND JUST I WANTED TO SAY THAT I'M SO HAPPY TO HAVE PEOPLE LIKE YOURSELVES WORKING IN THE DISTRICT AND LISTENING TO YOU, AND I WAS VERY MOVED BY A LOT OF THE ISSUES THAT WERE BROUGHT UP AND REALLY BALANCING LOTS OF FACTORS THAT COULD COMPETE WITH ONE ANOTHER AND HOW YOU'RE CONTENDING WITH THAT, BUT ALSO ABOUT PRESERVING, YOU KNOW, WILDLANDS AND WILD AND NATURE IN GENERAL, AND THE ANIMALS THAT INHABIT IT INHABIT THAT SPACE AND HOW IT'S STRESSFUL EVEN TO HAVE HIKERS YOU KNOW, AND THAT MAKES ME PAUSE AND THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, MY OWN IMPACTS THAT I'VE HAD ON NATURE, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS WELL INTENTIONED THAT PERHAPS I WAS NEGATIVELY IMPACTING SPACE.
SO IT'S GOOD. IT'S GOOD SELF-AWARENESS, I THINK THE QUESTION I HAVE, AND IT'S COMPLICATED BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE ARE LAND USE AGREEMENTS OR THERE ARE CERTAIN MOUS OR WHATEVER.
HAVE YOU WHERE CATTLE ARE ALLOWED TO GRAZE OR CAN GRAZE? BUT THEN ALSO MY UNDERSTANDING THERE'S, THERE'S AREAS WHERE THE MOUS DON'T EXIST, BUT THEY'RE ALSO ALLOWED TO GRAZE, AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S CORRECT, AND THEN THE QUESTION WOULD BE WHY? WHY HAVE CATTLE PUBLIC CATTLE GRAZING IN AREAS WHEN THERE'S A DESIRE TO PRESERVE CORE CONSERVATION AREAS BECAUSE THE CATTLE, THEY DO EAT ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING INDISCRIMINATELY BALANCED WITH, AND I'M LOOKING AT MY MENTOR, THE LATE DIRECTOR CORBETT'S GOAL OF NUMBER SIX GRAZING ISSUES, GRAZING YOUR TRAILS CAN CAUSE A NEGATIVE IMPACTS, AND TO ENSURE SHE WANTED TO ENSURE TRAIL SAFETY.
SO THERE'S ALSO WHERE THE CATTLE CAN ALSO IMPACT HUMAN BEINGS AND SAFETY.
I THINK IT'S HAPPENED YOU KNOW, WHERE PEOPLE GO MAYBE FAIRMONT RIDGE OR AND WHAT HAVE YOU AND COME FACE TO FACE WITH CATTLE AND IT'S IT COULD BE INTERESTING.
SO IDEALLY AND I DON'T MEAN TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A VERY COMPLICATED AND TRICKY QUESTION, POLITICAL AND CHARGED, BUT IDEALLY WHAT WOULD HAPPEN WITH CATTLE GRAZING IN THE DISTRICT, YOU KNOW, AND HOW COULD HOW COULD THAT BE LAID OUT WITH THE NEXT PLAN MASTER PLAN FOR THE PARK DISTRICT?
[01:40:05]
WELL, UNFORTUNATELY, THERE ARE SOME BATTLES THAT WE HAVE ALREADY LOST, AND ONE OF THOSE IS TO INVASIVE, NON-NATIVE PERENNIAL GRASSES.SO WE ARE CERTAINLY ADVOCATING FOR LOOKING BACKWARD AND TRYING TO FIND OPPORTUNITIES TO BRING THINGS BACK THAT HAVE BEEN LOST, BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE CONDITIONS AS THEY CURRENTLY ARE, AND PERENNIAL GRASSES KIND OF RUN AMOK IN THE HILLSIDE, AND WE DON'T HAVE OUR NATIVE GRAZERS PRESENT TO MANAGE THOSE.
SO CATTLE ARE A STAND IN FOR OUR NATIVE GRAZERS, AND WITHOUT CATTLE, IT WOULD BE NEAR IMPOSSIBLE FOR OUR PARK STAFF TO SORT OF PERFORM THAT SERVICE OF KEEPING THE VEGETATION DOWN.
THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF RESEARCH SHOWING THAT GRAZED GRASSLANDS DO ACTUALLY HAVE A HIGHER DIVERSITY OF NATIVE PLANTS THAN UNGRAZED, BECAUSE THE CATTLE KNOCK DOWN THOSE PERENNIAL GRASSES THAT OVERGROW AND GIVE CHANCE, ANY CHANCE FOR THE NATIVE PLANTS TO GROW THROUGH, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A LOT OF THE WETLANDS THAT EXISTED IN THE EAST BAY ARE GONE.
THE NATURAL WETLANDS, CERTAINLY IN THE LOWLANDS WHERE THEY'VE BEEN FILLED AND DEVELOPED OVER, AND SO THE LAST AREAS WHERE WETLAND DEPENDENT SPECIES FRESHWATER, WETLAND DEPENDENT SPECIES CAN LIVE ARE CATTLE PONDS, AND THOSE PONDS WERE CREATED TO SUPPORT CATTLE GRAZING, AND THEY'RE CURRENTLY STILL NEEDED TO SUPPORT CATTLE GRAZING, AND WE GET FUNDING TO MAINTAIN THOSE PONDS THROUGH CATTLE GRAZING PROGRAMS. SO THERE'S A LOT OF COMPLEX RELATIONSHIPS THERE AND CERTAINLY LOTS OF TRADE OFFS AND, YOU KNOW, CONTROVERSY, BUT OVERALL WE NEED THE WE NEED GRAZERS CURRENTLY TO MANAGE GRASSES.
WE DON'T HAVE OUR NATIVE GRAZERS.
WE HAVE NON-NATIVE PLANTS THAT EVEN OUR NATIVE GRAZERS DID NOT EVOLVE TO GRAZE ON, AND THEN COWS HAVE THESE BENEFITS FOR OUR NATIVE AMPHIBIANS AND WESTERN POND TURTLES THAT LIVE IN THEIR PONDS, AND FOR NATIVE PLANTS THAT ARE ABLE TO SURVIVE IN THE GRASSLANDS WHEN THEY'VE BEEN IMPACTED OR CONTROLLED BY COWS.
SO EITHER BECAUSE OF THE GRAZING, THE CONSERVATION GRAZING THAT WE'RE DOING AND THE CONDITIONS THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO PROMOTE IN OUR PARKS, WE ACTUALLY DO HAVE A FAIRLY NATIVE GRASSLAND COMPOSITION AND A LOT OF OUR PARKS, WHICH IS KIND OF AMAZING, AND CATTLE ARE POSITIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH EVERYTHING FROM GROUND SQUIRRELS ALL THE WAY TO CALIFORNIA TIGER SALAMANDERS, WESTERN BURROWING OWLS.
INTERESTING. SO MUCH SO THAT THERE'S ACTUALLY AN EXEMPTION FOR RANCHING UNDER THE U.S.
FISH AND WILDLIFE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT.
SO THEY'RE ACTUALLY PRETTY IMPORTANT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. THAT'S REALLY ILLUMINATING.
I THINK THAT IT KIND OF RAISES A DIFFERENT QUESTION, ACTUALLY.
IT WAS SORT OF A SEPARATE QUESTION, BUT IN SOME WAYS IT'S RELATED, AND THAT'S JUST WHAT THE DISTRICT IS DOING IN THESE CORE AREAS IN TERMS OF NOT ONLY LIKE PRESERVATION, BUT IS THERE ANY REINTRODUCTION OF WILDLIFE INTO THESE AREAS THAT WERE LOST OR HAVE BECOME MAYBE ENDANGERED AND SO FORTH FROM OTHER AREAS? I'LL JUST GIVE THE EXAMPLE, LIKE OAKLAND ZOO HAS A PROGRAM WHERE THEY THEY HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH THE AN INDIGENOUS TRIBE WHERE THEY HAVE SOME OF THE BISON GO BACK BACK TO THAT AREA.
DOES THE PARK DISTRICT HAVE A PROGRAM WITH ANY INSTITUTIONS OR ANYTHING TO REINTRODUCE, AND DO YOU PUT WILDLIFE BACK INTO THESE AREAS? WE HAVE NOT YET DONE ANY RELOCATIONS OR TRANSLOCATIONS, BUT THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE'D LIKE TO DO, AND TO BE CLEAR, WE DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE CORE CONSERVATION AREAS. THAT'S A TOOL THAT WE PROPOSE THAT WE'D REALLY LIKE TO ESTABLISH IN THE FUTURE, BECAUSE WE FEEL LIKE IT'S SO CRUCIAL TO HAVE CORE CONSERVATION AREAS, AND REALLY, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TRANSLOCATION, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT SOME OF THOSE SHORELINE PARKS.
NOT ONLY SHOULD PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES HAVE ACCESS TO OUR PARKS, BUT THAT THEIR EXPERIENCE SHOULD BE EQUITABLE, AND SO THAT'S REALLY KIND OF CHANGED THE WAY I LOOK AT THINGS. SO PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING CLOSE TO CITIES SHOULDN'T JUST HAVE ACCESS TO A OPEN SPACE, THAT OPEN SPACE SHOULD BE ECOLOGICALLY EQUITABLE TO THE
[01:45:01]
STUFF THAT YOU CAN GET IN, LIKE THE OHLONE WILDERNESS.MAYBE WE WON'T GET QUITE THERE, BUT TO WHAT WE CAN, WE SHOULD BE PUTTING OUR RESOURCES SO THAT WE CAN GIVE OUR CITY PEOPLE ACCESS TO DIVERSE, YOU KNOW, ECOSYSTEMS THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO TRAVEL TWO HOURS TO GET TO.
SO WHEN I'M LOOKING AT THESE KINDS OF IDEAS, I'M ALMOST LOOKING MORE TOWARDS OUR URBAN PARKS.
CAN WE BRING RED LEGGED FROGS BACK TO TILDEN? I THINK THAT'D BE REALLY GREAT, AND I JUST WANT TO ADD ALSO THAT TAMMY DISCOVERED A DIE OFF OF WESTERN POND TURTLES DURING THE DROUGHT THAT WAS LIKELY CAUSED BY A LACK OF WATER, AND THE TURTLES WERE STARVING AND DYING, AND BECAUSE OF THE COLLABORATIONS THAT SHE DEVELOPED WITH SAN FRANCISCO ZOO, WE WERE ABLE TO CAPTURE A BUNCH OF THOSE TURTLES, TAKE THEM TO THE ZOO.
THE ZOO REHABBED A LOT OF THEM AND BROUGHT THEM BACK.
SO WHILE THAT'S NOT A REINTRODUCTION OF SPECIES THAT WERE LOST, IT'S CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, CONTRIBUTED TO THEM REMAINING IN THE ENVIRONMENT AND WE HAVE STARTED SIMILAR COLLABORATIONS WITH OAKLAND ZOO TO SET UP A PARTNERSHIP SO THAT WHEN THINGS LIKE THAT DO HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE, THE ZOOS CAN SUPPORT US, THEY CAN HOUSE AND REHAB ANIMALS, AND THEY MIGHT ALSO BE ABLE TO CAPTIVE, BREED AND REINTRODUCE ANIMALS IN THE FUTURE.
AS SF ZOOS AND OAKLAND ZOO ARE ALREADY DOING FOR THE SIERRA PARKS.
SO I SEE WE HAVE TWO HANDS UP REMOTELY.
DID MEMBER VALENZUELA DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION ALSO? OKAY. SO WE'LL TAKE MEMBER SKAREDOFF, MEMBER OBRINGER, AND THEN AND THEN MAYBE CLOSE THE DISCUSSION THERE.
MEMBER SKAREDOFF. WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
I MUST SAY, I FEEL A WARMNESS IN MY HEART WHEN I HEAR ABOUT WHAT THESE TWO FOLKS ARE DOING AND THEY AND THEIR COLLEAGUES, AND I JUST HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT HOW IS THIS PENETRATING INTO THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE PARK ITSELF. THAT, YOU KNOW, THE HUMAN INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN THIS COMMITTEE TALKING ABOUT MANAGING BICYCLES AND HORSES AND PEDESTRIANS IN OUR PARKS, AND ABSENT FROM ALL THAT WAS PRETTY MUCH ABSENT ENTIRELY WAS THE IMPACT ON WILDLIFE.
WE HAD A LOT OF CONCERNS ABOUT HOW HORSES CAN HURT PEDESTRIANS OR WHATEVER, AND WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME AND ENERGY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A PLAN TO GET ALL THOSE TO COEXIST WITHOUT DAMAGING EACH OTHER.
I WAS WONDERING, AT WHICH POINT DO WE HAVE TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO INTERJECT THE INTERESTS OF WILDLIFE SUCH AS YOU? YOU REPRESENT? IS THAT PART OF THE PROCESS NOW? I THINK THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE HERE ASKING FOR.
I THINK A LOT OF TIMES THE CONVERSATIONS DO SEEM TO BE FOCUSED ON THOSE SOMETIMES COMPETING FORMS OF RECREATION, AND WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE VOICE IS ADDED TO THOSE OF HOW CAN WE, YOU KNOW, CREATE THIS TRAIL SO THAT IT SERVES HORSEBACK RIDERS, HIKERS, BIKERS, BUT THEN ALSO, HOW CAN WE DO IT IN A WAY THAT DOESN'T NEGATIVELY IMPACT WILDLIFE OR THAT CAN EVEN BENEFIT WILDLIFE IN, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY WE COULD MOVE RECREATION TO AN AREA THAT'S LESS IMPACTFUL.
SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE ASKING, IS THAT IN ALL OF YOUR CONVERSATIONS? IN ALL OF OUR CONVERSATIONS, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT VOICE IS THERE.
LIKE YOU SAID, THE ANIMALS AND PLANTS CAN'T SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.
I'M HOPING THAT KIND OF AN APPROACH GETS BUILT IN TO THE PROCEDURES THAT WE ALL ENGAGE IN, BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE NOW THAT'S ALMOST AN AFTERTHOUGHT, OR YOU HAVE TO SORT OF DRAG IN THE INTERESTS OF WILDLIFE TO SAY, OH, HERE'S ANOTHER NEW THING WE'VE GOT TO PAY ATTENTION TO.
HOW DO YOU SEE THAT PROGRESSING? I MEAN, I THINK SOME OF IT IS.
WELL, THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS.
IT'S ABOUT 40 YEARS OLD, BUT IT WAS KIND OF NEW TO ME.
SO I THINK PART OF IT IS INFORMING OUR OTHER THE OTHER DISTRICT EMPLOYEES TO REALLY LOOK INTO THAT LITERATURE, DISCUSS IT, AND SEE IF MAYBE WE HAVE TO MAKE SOME HARD DECISIONS ON NOT PUTTING THAT TRAIL THERE AND THEN PUTTING THOSE RESOURCES TOWARDS MAKING.
[01:50:02]
I MEAN, I LOVE BOARDWALKS, SO LIKE PUTTING A BOARDWALK IN A, IN A PARK THAT'S MORE COMMONLY USED AND PUTTING MORE OF THOSE RESOURCES INTO SOME OF THOSE PARKS THAT ARE CLOSER TO MORE PEOPLE, AND THEN MAYBE KEEPING SOME AREAS, LIKE CORE CONSERVATION AREAS FREE OF PEOPLE, OR LIMITING THEIR USE SO THAT THEY'RE LED BY DOCENTS, AND SO THERE'S LIMITED USE BECAUSE THERE ARE ANIMALS THAT ARE VERY, VERY SENSITIVE.THERE'S A LOT OF EMERGING DISEASES.
PEOPLE TRANSPORT PATHOGENS AND INVASIVE SEEDS.
SO I THINK WE'RE AT A PLACE WHERE WE DO HAVE TO HAVE SOME HARD CONVERSATIONS, AND WE'RE GOING TO DEVELOP THOSE TOOLS, LIKE THE DECISION SUPPORT TOOL, TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE DECISIONS ARE BASED ON SCIENCE AND NOT BY THE WHIMS OF PEOPLE LIKE ME AND NATALIE.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR GOOD WORK.
JUST HEARING THIS CONVERSATION MADE ME THINK ABOUT THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE FORMER CONCORD NAVAL WEAPONS STATION AND HOW, YOU KNOW, WE ARE PARTNERING WITH THE PARK DISTRICT, RIGHT, AND SOME OF THE PROPERTY IS GOING TO BE OR HAS BEEN DESIGNATED AS, YOU KNOW, ACTIVE PROPERTY LIKE SOUTH OF BAILEY ROAD, SOME OF IT AND THEN OTHER PROPERTY IS GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW YOU KNOW, CONSERVATION SPECIFIC, AND SO I'M JUST WONDERING, I MEAN, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY.
YOU'RE DEVELOPING A BRAND NEW PARK, SO IS THAT BEING TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT? YOU KNOW, THIS NEW APPROACH THAT YOU'RE SHARING WITH US TONIGHT, YOU KNOW, IS ARE WE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN SINCE, I MEAN, THERE'S 13,000 HOMES AND GOD KNOWS HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO END UP RIGHT NEXT TO THIS URBAN PARK.
SO IS THIS APPROACH THAT YOU'RE SHARING WITH US? IS THAT BEING TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT AS YOU PLAN FOR BOTH THE ACTIVE RECREATION PORTION OF THE THURGOOD MARSHALL REGIONAL PARK, AS WELL AS THE CONSERVATION PROPERTY? THAT I DON'T KNOW.
SO YEAH. MATT GRAUL CHIEF OF STEWARDSHIP.
THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. A LOT OF THAT HAS BEEN CONSIDERED, I THINK, BECAUSE I MEAN, ONE THING ABOUT THAT PROPERTY, THE CONSERVATION PART OF IT IS SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, IN ORDER TO GET THE WE'VE ALREADY DEVELOPED SOMEWHAT OF A LAND USE PLAN FOR THAT, AND THAT WAS ALREADY DEVELOPED WITH BECAUSE MOST OF THE CONSERVATION LAND, MOST OF THE LANDS ARE CONSIDERED CONSERVATION LANDS IN CONCORD OR THE THURGOOD MARSHALL REGIONAL PARK AREA BECAUSE THE WILDLIFE AGENCIES HAD TO SIGN OFF ON THAT.
SO MANY OF THE AREAS ARE ALREADY, LIKE, PRESERVED, AND WE WON'T BE ABLE TO DEVELOP IT.
MOST OF THE RECREATIONAL ACCESS IS GOING TO BE CONFINED TO EXISTING ROADS OR THE RAIL LINES.
SO I THINK A LOT OF THE RESTORATION AND ESTABLISHMENT OF USES ON THE SITE IS GOING TO INVOLVE KIND OF RESTORING THOSE RAIL LINES AND HAVING A LOT OF THE ACCESS GO ALONG THOSE RAIL LINES OR MOVING THE RAILS IN A WAY THAT WE CAN THEN HAVE MORE SPECIES MOVEMENT FROM ONE AREA TO THE OTHER AS WE RESTORE THOSE RAIL LINES.
SO MUCH OF THAT AREA, THAT'S KIND OF ALREADY BEEN CONSIDERED, I GUESS, BECAUSE DEVELOPMENT OF THAT SITE IS ALREADY REALLY LIMITED BY A LOT OF THE CONSERVATION LANDS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN DESIGNATED BY US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE AND CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE IN THE OVERALL DEVELOPMENT OF THE AREA.
OKAY, SO IT SOUNDS LIKE THE ANSWER IS, YES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
YES. I DO KNOW THAT SOME MEMBERS OF THE STEWARDSHIP DEPARTMENT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE CONSERVATION LANDS NETWORK EXPLICITLY IN MEETINGS AND PLANNING, AND THEN ALSO FOR NATURE CHECK THAT ECOLOGICAL HEALTH ASSESSMENT.
WE DID. WE USED THE CONSERVATION LANDS REGIONS TO MAP A LOT OF OUR ANALYSIS.
SO WE ARE AWARE OF THAT PROGRAM.
YEAH. YEAH, AND WE WERE INVOLVED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THAT, AND I KNOW THEY'RE ALSO GOING TO DO IT.
I THINK THEY'RE GETTING READY TO REDO THAT.
I THINK IT'S I KNOW WE'VE BEEN APPROACHED TO BE ALSO INVOLVED IN THAT ONGOING EFFORT.
I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN SAID HERE TODAY.
IT'S REALLY OF ALL THE YEARS I'VE BEEN ON THE PAC, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT IT'S COME BEFORE US AND I JUST REALLY I WANT TO REITERATE THAT IT SHOULD BE PART OF THE MASTER PLAN AS THAT MOVES FORWARD, AND WE REALLY AND NO MATTER WHAT DECISIONS THAT THE PARK DISTRICT MAKES IN OUR PARKS, THIS SHOULD BE AN ADDED FEATURE TO DISCUSS
[01:55:03]
THAT. SO I JUST THANK YOU SO MUCH.IN OUR LAST ITEM FOR THE EVENING IS WE HAVE AN ACTIVITY.
LISA BALDINGER LEGISLATIVE POLICY MANAGEMENT ANALYST AND I'M HONORED TO BE JOINED TODAY BY AMANDA GALLO, ASSISTANT TO THE GENERAL MANAGER, WILL BE CO-PRESENTING FOUNDATIONAL PRESENTATION JUST TO KIND OF SET THE STAGE, AND THEN THE MAJORITY OF OUR TIME WILL BE YIELDED TO AN INTERACTIVE EXERCISE THAT WE'LL ENJOY WITH YOU ALL.
THEN AMANDA IS GOING TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE BOARD MEMBER PRIORITIES, AND THAT'S A NEW LAYER TO THIS YEAR'S DISCUSSION, BUT REALLY BEING THAT THE PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS A BODY TO SUPPORT OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS IN THEIR DECISION MAKING PROCESSES, UNDERSTANDING THEIR PRIORITIES AS THE FOUNDATION AS WE SET NEXT YEAR'S OBJECTIVES IS A NICE PATH FORWARD AND THEN WE'LL GO INTO THE INTERACTIVE EXERCISE, WHICH WILL HELP TO PLAN FOR OUR 2025 OBJECTIVES.
WE WILL NOT BE SETTING 2025 OBJECTIVES TODAY, BUT RATHER MAKING A RECOMMENDATION THAT THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE CAN MOVE FORWARD TO OUR GENERAL MANA GER, AND THEN WE'LL BE COMING BACK IN NOVEMBER TO VOTE ON THEM, FOR THEM TO THEN GO BEFORE THE FULL BOARD FOR RESOLUTION.
SO STARTING WITH A REVIEW OF 2024 OBJECTIVES, AND THERE'S A DEEPER DIVE IN YOUR MEETING PACKET, BUT GOING INTO THIS YEAR, THE PAC SET SIX OBJECTIVES, REALLY SORT OF A CROSS CROSS OVERVIEW OF DIFFERENT WORK HAPPENING AT THE PARK DISTRICT, WHICH INCLUDED ENGAGING ON THE SECOND CENTURY DISTRICT PLAN, WHICH WE'RE ABLE TO, BUT I WILL JUST COMMIT THAT NEXT YEAR IS GOING TO HAVE EVEN MORE AS WE BEGIN TO PLAN AND GO OUT INTO COMMUNITIES.
WE ALSO WANTED TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE WORK OF THE PARK DISTRICT AS IT RELATES TO CAPITAL PROJECTS AND STEWARDSHIP AS WE DID TODAY, AND A VARIETY OF OTHER ITEMS, INCLUDING CONTINUING THE ROLE OF THE PAC AS OVERSIGHT ON POLICY AND FINANCIAL DECISION MAKING PROCESSES, WHICH WE DID TODAY WITH THE ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCE REPORT, AND WE WILL NEXT MEETING WITH THE BUDGET.
SO I KIND OF BROKE, FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE PRESENTATION, OUR WORK INTO TWO BUCKETS.
SO ONE IS EDUCATION AND AWARENESS.
SO YOU ALL ARE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITIES, AND WE'RE SO PLEASED AND HONORED THAT YOU SPENT TIME WITH US HERE ONCE A MONTH ON A MONDAY EVENING, AND SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DO IS PROVIDE UPDATES ON THE WORK OF THE PARK DISTRICT THROUGH THAT EDUCATION AND AWARENESS.
SO WE HAD A NUMBER OF PRESENTATIONS LIKE THE JUNIOR RANGER PROGRAM, CAPITAL PROJECTS, AND TRAILS, WHICH ARE TOPICS THAT WE KNOW COME UP REGULARLY AND WE WANT YOU TO STAY APPRIZED OF WHAT THE HAPPENINGS ARE.
THIS INCLUDED ON OUR PARK DISTRICT FEE STUDY SECOND CENTURY DISTRICT PLAN.
OUR LEGISLATIVE AND GRANTS PROGRAMS, BALLOT MEASURES, AS WELL AS NEXT MONTH.
YOU WILL BE HOLDING THAT POSITION ON OUR 2025 BUDGET.
SO WITH THAT, I'M NOW GOING TO HAND THE PRESENTATION OVER TO AMANDA.
I'VE BEEN WITH THE I'M THE ASSISTANT TO THE GENERAL MANAGER.
I HAVE A BACKGROUND IN OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
I CAME FROM THE CITY OF FREMONT AND WORKED FOR THE COUNTY OF SANTA CLARA BEFORE THAT.
SO KIND OF AN ARRAY AND A DIFFERENT SUBSETS OF POLICY, BUT I'M EXCITED TO BE HERE AT THE PARK DISTRICT AND CONTINUING THE MISSION AND NOW WORKING WITH YOU ALL. SO A LITTLE OVERVIEW AS WE GET INTO THE SLIDES.
[02:00:02]
GETTING MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT AS IT MOVES FORWARD, AND ALSO NOT ONLY INFLUENCES THE BUDGET, BUT ALSO SOME OF STAFF'S ACTION, REALLY WANT TO LOOK TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTOR'S INTEREST.SO EARLIER THIS YEAR PRIOR TO THE BOARD SETTING THEIR INDIVIDUAL PRIORITIES, THEY HEARD FROM OUR ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGERS OF OUR DIVISIONS ABOUT WHAT THEIR PRIORITIES MIGHT LOOK LIKE FOR 2025 TO SET THE STAGE, AND THEN WE HEARD FROM THE ACTUAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
SO THIS SLIDE SHOWS A SNAPSHOT OF HOW THOSE PRIORITIES KIND OF WERE BROKEN UP THIS YEAR.
THERE WERE 71 INDIVIDUAL PRIORITIES CAPTURED ACROSS THE FULL DIRECTORS OF THE BOARD.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE LARGEST KIND OF PART OF OUR ANALYSIS IS PROJECTS, AND THESE ARE DISCRETE ONE TIME PROJECTS THAT THE AMOUNT IS OVER 100,000.
SO REALLY ONGOING PROGRAMS. THINK OF OUR INTERPRETIVE AND RECREATION PROGRAMS THAT WE ADMINISTER WITH A LOT OF OUR CONSTITUENTS.
FOLLOWED BY KIND OF ACROSS THE BOARD, OUR POLICY BUDGET ITEMS AND LAND ACQUISITION.
WE ALSO TOOK OH, AND I FAILED TO MENTION THE 71 PRIORITIES OF MENTIONED FOR 2025.
ABOUT A QUARTER OF THOSE WERE NEW IN 2025, AND THE REST OF THE THREE FOURTHS ARE 75% OF THOSE WERE CARRYOVER FROM 2023, AND IN THE GENERAL MANAGER'S OFFICE WE'RE SEEING THAT BE THIS SHOW THAT THIS PROCESS IS WORKING WELL AS STAFF IS WORKING TOWARDS THE POLICIES THAT ARE CARRYING YEAR OVER YEAR.
SO THIS SLIDE KIND OF SHOWS THAT YOU'LL SEE THAT 86% OF THE BOARD PRIORITIES MENTIONED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, THEY'RE IN PROGRESS OR THEY'RE ONGOING.
SO THEY'RE ON STAFF'S WORK PLAN.
WE'RE WORKING TO COMPLETE THOSE.
SO IT KIND OF SHOWS THAT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS IS ALIGNED WITH STAFF'S MISSIONS AS WELL.
SO THAT'S A GOOD SIGN ABOUT THIS BOARD SETTING PROCESS, AND THEN YOU'LL SEE THAT THE OTHER 14% ARE NOT ON A WORK PLAN OR THEY'RE ON HOLD, WHICH IS DUE TO THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN STARTED, BUT THEY'RE ON HOLD DUE TO ELEMENTS THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF THE PARK DISTR ICT'S CONTROL, WHICH USUALLY IS WORKING WITH A DIFFERENT JURISDICTION.
SO THIS SLIDE SHOWS AN ANALYSIS OF THE THEMES THAT CAME OUT OF THE 71 PRIORITIES THIS YEAR.
SO YOU'LL SEE THE TOP THEME IS WELCOMING FACILITIES AT 31%, AND THAT REALLY SPEAKS TO THE BOARD INTEREST IN ENSURING THAT OUR PARKS REMAIN WELCOMING ACROSS DIVISION OR EXCUSE ME, ACROSS CONSTITUENTS THAT WE SERVE.
SO THAT'S THOSE ARE THINGS LIKE INCREASING ACCESS FIXING INFRASTRUCTURE, ROUTINE MAINTENANCE NEW CONNECTIONS, NEW TRAILS AND THEN FOLLOWING THAT IS TRAILS.
THOSE ARE SOME OF OUR BIGGEST INTERESTS.
SO THOSE ARE AGAIN MAINTENANCE OF TRAILS, NEW TRAILS ITEMS THAT HAVE TO DO WITH MAYBE THERE'S DUAL USES OF TRAILS, WHICH WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, BIKERS, HIKERS OUR EQUESTRIANS.
SO LOOKING AT THOSE PROJECTS, ACCESS IS THE NEXT THEME THAT HAS COME OUT, AND THAT'S REALLY HOW DO WE INCREASE THOSE COMING TO OUR PARKS.
SO WHETHER THAT'S NEW SIGNAGE, TRANSLATION, CREATING, YOU KNOW, MORE STAGING AREAS OR DIFFERENT WAYS FOR PEOPLE TO GET TO THE PARKS FOLLOWED BY CLIMATE RESILIENCE AND STEWARDSHIP.
SO REALLY LOOKING AT OUR INTERNAL POLICIES AS WE SOME OF WHAT YOU JUST HEARD HOW DO WE ADDRESS SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT ARE GOING ON IN THE ENVIRONMENT, WHETHER THROUGH POLICY OR PROJECTS, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE SEA LEVEL RISE, CLIMATE CHANGE THOSE THEMES FOLLOWED BY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT REALLY LOOKING TO CONTINUE TO DIVERSIFY THE PARK DISTRICT'S WORKFORCE, IMPLEMENT PROGRAMS LIKE APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS, MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE REALLY OUT THERE RECRUITING ACROSS CONTRA COSTA AND ALAMEDA COUNTY.
[02:05:04]
GOVERNANCE AND INTERNAL POLICY.THOSE REFER TO THINGS SUCH AS OUR DEI, DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION PROGRAM.
YOU MIGHT KNOW THAT WE HAVE A NEW EQUITY OFFICE HERE AT THE PARK DISTRICT.
SO HOW DO WE IMPLEMENT THOSE POLICIES AND CONTINUE FOR THOSE TO BE MOVING FORWARD? AND SO WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THAT FROM OUR DIRECTORS.
OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT, WHICH WILL CONTINUE TO BE BIG NEXT YEAR AS WE DO EMBARK ON THIS HUGE OUTREACH PROCESS OF THE DISTRICT'S PLAN. SO WE HEARD FROM OUR BOARD, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO DO MORE OUTREACH, CONTINUE TO TRANSLATE OUR DOCUMENTS.
HOW DO WE INCREASE THOSE AND TRACK THOSE THAT ARE FREQUENTLY FREQUENTING THE PARK DISTR ICTS, MECHANISMS FOR OUTREACH? AND LASTLY, FUNDING AND PARTNERSHIPS.
THE PARK DISTRICT HAS PRETTY BEEN PRETTY SUCCESSFUL IN GOING OUT FOR GRANTS AND RECEIVING FUNDING THAT WAY, AS WELL AS OUR LOCAL I MEAN, OUR GOVERNMENT AND LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM, WORKING WITH OUR LOCAL AND STATE AND FEDERAL ELECTED OFFICIALS TO USE THOSE MECHANISMS TO TRY TO GET FUNDING HERE FOR THE PARK DISTRICT AND THEIR PROJECTS. SO THE BOARD IS KEEN ON CONTINUING THAT WORK, AS WELL AS CONTINUING TO STRENGTHEN OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH VARIOUS COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS LOCAL JURISDICTIONS AND AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
SO THE BOARD THESE ARE PUBLIC DOCUMENTS.
THE BOARD HAS BEEN BRIEFED ON THIS AS WELL AS WE'VE SHARED IT AT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING.
SO THIS REALLY INFLUENCES OUR WORK, BUT IT'S NOT THE ONLY DOCUMENTS.
AS YOU GUYS KNOW, WE WILL BE EMBARKING ON THE MASTER OR EXCUSE ME, THE DISTRICT PLAN IN 2025.
SO SOME OF THESE PRIORITIES, IF THEY'RE NOT INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET, THEY WILL DEFINITELY BE CARRYING OVER AS WE PRIORITIZE THE ITEMS OF THAT PLAN AND OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROCESS AS WE CONTINUE THAT YEAR BY YEAR.
SO I THINK THAT'S THE END OF MY PRESENTATION.
YEAH, I CAN TAKE QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT IF ANYONE HAS ANY ABOUT THE BOARD'S PROCESS.
ON THAT ON THAT LAST GRAPH YOU HAD UP THERE SHOWING THE TASKS, THE KEY THEMES, WHAT JUMPS OUT TO ME IS THAT THERE'S NO REFERENCE THERE TO PROTECTING ADDITIONAL OPEN SPACE AND THAT SORT OF THING AND I THINK THAT IS PART OF ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE BOARD HAS SUGGESTED WE DO, BUT I DON'T SEE IT REFLECTED IN THIS ANALYSIS.
YEAH, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD POINT.
I THINK SOME OF THAT WORK IS FOLDED INTO THE ACCESS AND TRAILS, BUT I DO. THAT IS A GOOD POINT.
SO I WILL MAKE SURE TO MAKE A NOTE OF THAT, BUT SOME OF THE ACCESS THEMES THAT I KIND OF PULLED OUT IN THE ANALYSIS WAS REALLY WORKING. WE HAVE A LARGE CONSERVANCY LAND BANK, AND SO HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THOSE LANDS, BUT THEN ALSO AT THE SAME TIME MAKING SURE WE'RE OPENING THEM UP TO PUBLIC ACCESS.
OH, DO YOU WANT TO FACILITATE WHO GOES.
YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND CALL ON WHO YOU WANT.
YES. SO THE OTHER THING I DIDN'T SEE COME UP, IT SAID LAND ACQUISITION WAS 6% OR SOMETHING.
I GUESS WHAT SURPRISES ME IS THERE WAS A BOARD WORKSHOP, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE JUNE OR SOMETHING, AND IT WAS GOING THROUGH THE SURVEY, AND DIRECTOR COFFEY MADE A REALLY STRONG POINT AROUND ACQUISITION.
I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR HIM, BUT MY RECOLLECTION.
SO THIS IS NOT A COMPREHENSIVE DOCUMENT THAT EMBODIES EVERYTHING THE PARK DISTRICT STANDS FOR.
MISSION, ALL THE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE GOING ON.
THESE WERE JUST INDIVIDUAL PRIORITIES SHARED THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
[02:10:02]
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PART DOESN'T GET LOST.YEAH. AS WE BUILD THE PLAN, THAT COULD BE A REASON.
YOU KNOW, SOME SOME OF THOSE THINGS TAKE A LONG TIME.
SO THEY ARE CONTINUOUSLY THINGS THAT STAFF IS WORKING TOWARDS, AND THAT MIGHT NOT BE MENTIONED DURING THIS PROCESS, BUT I WILL SAY IT IS STILL A PRIORITY OF THE DISTRICT. LINDA, SORRY, I CAN'T SEE YOUR NAME TAG.
WHICH ONE CAN YOU GO BACK TO? THANKS FOR REMINDING US THAT THESE ARE JUST THE INDIVIDUAL.
YES, WE HAVE TWO POSITIONS UP FOR ELECTION ALSO.
SO THAT COULD CHANGE, RIGHT? YEAH. CAN WE GO BACK TO WHERE DID EQUITY FALL IN? I WAS JUST SURPRISED THAT IT DIDN'T GET ITS OWN, DOES IT? YOU SAID IT FIT INTO ONE OF THE SO ARE YOU LOOKING AT THIS SLIDE I WOULD SAY.
SO IN THIS SLIDE I WOULD SAY EQUITY FALLS INTO THE POLICY BUCKET THE BAR CHART.
THAT ONE. YEAH, I'M SURPRISED I DON'T SEE.
WELL I THINK FOR INTERNAL POLICIES EQUITY FALLS IN GOVERNANCE AND INTERNAL POLICY, BUT REALLY, AS THE DISTRICT CONTINUES TO BUILD OUT OUR EQUITY OFFICE PROGRAM, OR I THINK IT COULD FALL INTO WELCOMING FACILITIES YOU KNOW, WE'RE REALLY UPDATING SOME OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE TO BE YOU KNOW, MODERN.
ALSO FALLS INTO OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT.
AS I KIND OF MENTIONED, WE'RE DOING A LOT MORE SIGNAGE, TRANSLATING A LOT OF OUR.
SO I THINK IT'S EMBEDDED IN EVERYTHING WE DO.
YES. I'M HAPPY TO SEE CLIMATE RESILIENCE AND STEWARDSHIP SEPARATED.
I LOVED THE BIODIVERSITY WE JUST HAD, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE EQUITY COULD BE ITS OWN BAR CHART BECAUSE IT COVERS BOTH WORKFORCE AND MIRRORING THE COMMUNITY WE SERVE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND SO MANY OTHER AREAS.
LIKE YOU SAID, IT WEAVES EVERYWHERE.
YES. ANYWAY, JUST JUST A COMMENT THAT SEEMED TO BE MISSING.
OKAY, AND I THINK WE HAVE A CHANCE NOW TO WEIGH IN OURSELVES ON SOME OF THESE THINGS.
ALL RIGHT, SO OUR NEXT PHASE IS.
SO IN YOUR PACKET YOU ALSO RECEIVED SOME DEEPER INFORMATION FROM AMANDA, DIVING REALLY INTO THE DETAILS OF THE VARIOUS BOARD PRIORITIES, AS WELL AS A WORKSHEET WHICH I HAVE COPIES TO HAND OUT TO YOU ALL AS WELL.
MEMBER CHANG, IF YOU DON'T MIND PASSING THOSE DOWN.
HERE, AND IF WE NEED EXTRA, EXTRA.
SO WHAT I'M HANDING OUT IS OUR INDIVIDUAL BRAINSTORMING PROMPT DOCUMENT.
I THINK I'M GOING TO THROW A FEW MORE IN YOUR DIRECTION.
ON ONE SIDE, AND THIS IS INTENDED TO HELP THINK THROUGH SOME FOUNDATIONAL OBJECTIVES FOR THIS BODY.
ON THE FIRST SIDE IS A PROMPT FOR COMMUNITY SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES.
SO WE WELCOME YOU TO REALLY THINK IN MY COMMUNITY WHAT OUR OBJECTIVES THAT COULD HELP SUPPORT THE PARK DISTRICT MISSION, VISION AND VALUE, AS WELL AS THE BOARD PRIORITIES, AND THEN ON THE SECOND SIDE OF THE DOCUMENT, WE WANT TO PROMPT YOU TO THINK DISTRICT WIDE.
SO WHEN WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT AS A REGIONAL AGENCY SERVING TWO COUNTIES, 33 CITIES AND OVER 3 MILLION MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OBJECTIVES THAT THE PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE WOULD WANT TO SUPPORT IN 2025? FOR EACH OBJECTIVE, WE'RE ASKING FOR A DESCRIPTION, YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE IMPORTANCE AND THE IMPACT OF THAT OBJECTIVE, AS WELL AS THINKING THROUGH THE ALIGNMENT WITH THE PARK DISTRICT MISSION AND BOARD PRIORITIES.
SO THIS IS OUR INDIVIDUAL BRAINSTORMING THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE BUILDING OFF OF WHAT YOU LEARNED TODAY BUT REALLY, WHAT YOU'VE BEEN LEARNING ALL YEAR FROM OUR COLLEAGUES AND OUR LEADERSHIP HERE AT THE PARK DISTRICT.
I'LL PUT ON A TIMER, I THINK, FOR ABOUT TEN MINUTES.
WE'LL GIVE FOLKS TIME TO FILL OUT THIS DOCUMENT.
WE HAVE A COUPLE FOLKS ON THE VIDEO CALL FOR YOU ALL.
YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED THE WORKSHEET VIA EMAIL, AND IF YOU COULD EMAIL IT BACK, UNFORTUNATELY, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO GROUP YOU INTO A GROUP HERE AT PERALTA OAKS, BUT WE DO HOPE TO SHARE THE FINAL STAGE OF THIS EXERCISE WITH YOU ALL.
SO DURING GROUP SHARING AND CATEGORIZATION, WE'LL HAVE FOUR GROUPS.
WE HAVE SOME STICKY NOTES. WE HAVE SOME PENS FOR YOU ALL, AND YOU'LL TALK THROUGH WHAT WERE THE OBJECTIVES THAT YOU HAVE ON YOUR INDIVIDUAL WORKSHEET, AND IDENTIFY SOME SHARED PROPOSALS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO PUT ON YOUR POSTER BOARD, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO DO A SORT OF PRIORITIZATION TOGETHER.
SO EACH OF YOU WILL RECEIVE SIX STICKERS.
[02:15:07]
JUST SO WE SEE SORT OF WHERE THE WEIGHT IS IN TERMS OF PRIORITIZATION OF THE PARK ADV ISORY COMMITTEE.SO THAT'S SORT OF THE HIGH OVERVIEW.
I'LL WALK US THROUGH EVERY STEP OF THE WAY, AND THEN AT THE END WE'LL COME BACK TOGETHER.
WE'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU ALL.
IF ANYTHING STOOD OUT, ANY SORT OF HIGH PRIORITY OBJECTIVES YOU REALLY WANT TO SHARE WITH THE WHOLE GROUP, AND THEN I'LL WALK US THROUGH WHERE WHERE DO ALL YOUR DOT STICKERS, POST-IT NOTES, PAPERS GO FROM THERE.
SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GIVE ABOUT TEN MINUTES NOW.
[02:24:39]
OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO START SHIFTING TO GROUPS.IF YOU'RE STILL WRITING, PLEASE FEEL WELCOME TO CONTINUE.
YOU ALSO KNOW WHERE TO FIND US IF YOU DON'T GET ALL YOUR THOUGHTS OUT TODAY.
SO WE'RE GOING TO SHIFT INTO FOUR GROUPS.
[02:25:01]
CHAIR TSUTSUI.FOR BLUE WE HAVE MEMBER DIETER, MEMBER ESPAÑA, MEMBER FARMER AND MEMBER LOPEZ, AND I PUT IT RIGHT NEXT TO MEMBER DIETER, AND WE DID THESE GROUPS BASED OFF OF SORT OF GEOGRAPHIC SIMILARITIES FOR GREEN.
SO OVER HERE BY MEMBER MAHADEVAN, WE HAVE MEMBER WILLIAMS AND MEMBER VENEZUELA WILL BE JOINING DOWN HERE, AND THEN GROUP FOUR IS OUR ORANGE KIND OF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TABLE OVER HERE WE HAVE MEMBER HENRY, MEMBER PEOPLES AND THERE WE GO.
THOSE ARE ALL OF OUR MEMBERS WHO ARE HERE IN THE ROOM TODAY.
SO IF YOU COULD FIND YOUR GROUP AND WHAT YOU'LL BE DOING IS SHARING SOME OF YOUR IDEAS WITH EACH OTHER, CHATTING THROUGH, FINDING COMMONALITIES, AND THEN PUTTING MAYBE 4 TO 5 PROPOSED OBJECTIVES USING EITHER FORMAT OF THE POST-IT NOTES ON YOUR DOCUMENT.
AGAIN, THE COLOR HAS NO MEANING.
SO THANK YOU, AND WE'LL TAKE ABOUT, I THINK, TEN MINUTES, 1015 FOR THIS PORTION.
SO THE COMMUNITY SPECIFIC AND THE DISTRICT WIDE OBJECTIVES ARE JUST SORT OF TREATED EQUALLY? CORRECT. YEAH.
ON YOUR POSTER BOARD, IT'S BOTH DISTRICT WIDE.
WE PAIRED YOU UP WITH FOLKS WITH SIMILAR COMMUNITY GEOGRAPHICS.
YEAH. 4 TO 5, AND THEN WE'LL BE USING THE POSTER BOARD TO DO A DOT STICKER EXERCISE.
WE'LL BE GOING UNTIL ABOUT 6:45.
[02:35:21]
ALL RIGHT. THIS IS JUST A FIVE MINUTE HEADS UP.[02:39:10]
ALL RIGHT. SO GO AHEAD AND WRITE DOWN YOUR NEXT FEW, AND I DID HAND OUT DOT STICKERS, BUT WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND SKIP THAT FOR THE SAKE OF TIME, BUT IF YOU WANT TO PUT DOTS ON SOMETHING YOU'RE WELCOME TO.OKAY, AND WE'RE GOING TO SKIP THE DOTS FOR THE SAKE OF TIME.
WE'LL USE ANALYSIS TO FIND CONSENSUS.
[02:40:01]
YOU JUST NEED YOUR MEMORY.ALL RIGHT. SO WHAT WE'LL DO JUST IN TERMS OF NEXT STEPS OF WHERE WE GO FROM HERE, ALL OF WHAT YOU WROTE ON YOUR WORKSHEET, AS WELL AS WHAT YOU AND YOUR GROUP WROTE ON THE POSTER BOARD TODAY, ELSA AND I ARE GOING TO PULL INTO JUST A DRAFT REPORT HIGHLIGHTING SOME OF THE SHARED THOUGHTS BECAUSE WE'RE GOING AHEAD AND NOT DOING THE DOT STICKER EXERCISE.
WE'RE GOING TO USE KIND OF AN ANALYSIS LAYER, SEEING WHERE WE'RE SEEING COMMONALITIES AND TRENDS, AND JUST IN TERMS OF GOOD USE OF TIME, WE THOUGHT WE WOULD NOW KIND OF COME BACK TOGETHER AS A GROUP HERE.
I WONDER IF WE COULD GO AHEAD AND TAKE THAT NOW, JUST IN CASE THAT PERSON WANTS TO GO, IS THERE? SO REALLY SORRY, I DON'T SEE THE PERSON ON THERE, BUT I'M REALLY SORRY TO HAVE MISSED THE YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT.
I'M REFERRING BACK TO THE CATEGORIZATION PIE CHART, WHERE PROJECTS ARE THE BIGGEST SLICE IN THE PIE CHART THAT WAS PUT TOGETHER BY AT THE BOARD WORKSHOP, BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, AND THE ANNUAL BUDGET FOR THE PARK DISTRICT SHOULD NOT ONLY SERVE TO ALLOCATE RESOURCES RESOURCES, BUT ALSO SERVES AS A MECHANISM FOR PROJECT TRACKING, AND THE BUDGET SHOULD DESIGNATE FUNDING AND STAFFING FOR SPECIFIC PROGRAMS AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
THE PROJECT BUDGETS OUGHT TO BE REPORTED YEAR BY YEAR, THE EXPENDITURES TO CREATE ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES FOR PROJECT COMPLETION, AND TO TRACK CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRESS.
THIS WOULD PROVIDE TRANSPARENCY FOR BOARD DIRECTORS, STAKEHOLDERS, AND TAXPAYERS.
SO THE BUDGET ESSENTIALLY OUGHT TO FUNCTION BOTH AS A PLANNING TOOL, WHICH IT DOES, AND AN ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM, WHICH IT'S PRETTY MUCH LACKING AND THAT WOULD HELP THE PARK DISTRICT TO MANAGE ITS RESOURCES SOURCES EFFECTIVELY WHILE TRACKING PROGRESS TOWARDS STATED OBJECTIVES.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE WE'RE FLYING BLIND.
OKAY, AND AS WE COME BACK TOGETHER AS A GROUP I SEE MEMBER SKAREDOFF'S HAND IS UP, AND IF THERE'S ANY OTHER COMMENTS THAT FOLKS WANT TO SHARE, THE NEXT STEP FOR THIS, LIKE I SAID, IS AN ANALYSIS, A PROPOSAL TO THE GENERAL MANAGER AND WILL BE RETURNING HERE IN NOVEMBER.
SO DO YOU WANT US TO REPORT OUT OR JUST THIS IS JUST AN OPPORTUNITY.
IF PEOPLE HAVE SOMETHING ADDITIONAL THAT THEY FEEL THAT THEY NEED TO SAY THE SECOND ONE.
SO THIS ISN'T YOUR LAST SORT OF CHANCE TO VOICE YOUR OPINION.
I GUESS I HAVE ONE COMMENT THAT I WOULD JUST MAKE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE AGENDA IS FOR THE NEXT MEETING, I WOULD.
I WOULD DEFINITELY LIKE FOR US TO GIVE IT THE TIME THAT IT DESERVES.
SO I DON'T IF YOU CAN READ MY HANDWRITING AND DO ALL THAT, I'M.
GOD BLESS YOU, BUT I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO GIVE THIS SOME TIME TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, IT'S A COALESCENCE OF A BUNCH OF BRAINS INTO TRYING TO DISTILL IT DOWN, WHICH I KNOW, YOU KNOW, IS KIND OF CHALLENGING.
ABSOLUTELY, SO AT THE NEXT MEETING, WE CAN DEFINITELY MAKE AMENDMENTS TO THE PROPOSAL, AND IF THERE'S ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS THAT WANT TO BE SHARED WITH US VIA EMAIL BETWEEN THOSE TWO MEETINGS, WE WELCOME THOSE AS WELL, AND OF COURSE, TO ALL OF OUR VIRTUAL ATTENDEES.
YOU HAVE THIS WORKSHEET IN THE PACKET, AND I BELIEVE ELSA EMAILED IT TO YOU TODAY.
IF YOU COULD GET THAT OVER TO US AT PARKADVISORY@EBPARKS.ORG.
WE WOULD WELCOME THAT VERY MUCH.
OKAY, AND SO WE SHOULD LEAVE OUR WORKSHEETS WITH OUR POST-ITS AS WELL.
[02:45:08]
SO NEXT UP WE HAVE REPORT FROM THE CHAIR, AND I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS.ONE VERY IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT IS A BIG THANK YOU TO LINDA DESCHAMBAULT.
THIS IS HER LAST PAC MEETING AFTER SIX YEARS ON THE PAC.
SO HUGE THANKS TO LINDA FOR ALL THOSE YEARS OF TIME AND EFFORT, AND RELATED TO THAT, AT OUR NEXT MEETING, WE WILL BE HAVING AN APPRECIATION FOR PAC MEMBERS WHO ARE LEAVING OR TERMED OUT, AND OF COURSE, YOU'RE WELCOME TO COME BACK FOR THAT AND SO THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WILL BE ON OUR AGENDA NEXT TIME AROUND.
A REMINDER THAT WE HAVE THE FIELD TRIP ON NOVEMBER 16TH, AND THIS IS GOING TO BE A FUN ONE BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE COMBINED WITH SEVERAL OTHER GROUPS AS WELL THAT SHARE COMMON INTERESTS, AND SO IT'S A NICE CHANCE TO MIX AND MINGLE WITH SOME OTHER LIKE MINDED FOLKS, AND THEN ALSO NEXT MONTH WE HAVE OUR ELECTION OF NEW CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR, AND SO I'VE HEARD FROM A COUPLE PEOPLE AND HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH A COUPLE OF PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED.
IF YOU WANT TO THROW YOUR HAT IN THE RING, FEEL FREE TO SEND ME AN EMAIL, BUT I'M FEELING PRETTY GOOD ABOUT HOW THINGS LOOK, AND SO YEAH. SO BE PREPARED FOR FOR THAT VOTE NEXT TIME AROUND, AND I THINK THAT'S IT FOR ME.
[Announcements]
IF ANYBODY HAS ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE FROM THE GENERAL MEMBERSHIP.YEAH. GO AHEAD. I'M PRETTY SURE IT'S NOVEMBER 14TH.
A LOT OF FOLKS MIGHT NOT KNOW THAT THE WASHOE TRIBE, WHO I WORKED WITH FOR ACTUALLY A DECADE UP IN THEIR HOMELAND, IS IN SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, BUT THEY ACTUALLY HAVE A TRIBAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM HERE IN OAKLAND, AND THEY JUST MOVED TO A NEW FACILITY IN ALAMEDA, AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY DOING AN OPEN HOUSE ON NOVEMBER 14TH, AND I'VE BEEN TRYING TO WORK WITH STAFF HERE TO SEE IF THEY COULD GET THE PORTABLE FISH TANK TO.
THE WASHOE TRIBE IS OPENING THEIR OFFICE IN ALAMEDA.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT STANDS FOR RIGHT NOW.
IT'S LATE, BUT IT'S PART OF THEIR NATIVE HEALTH SUPPORT SYSTEM.
THERE IS A NATIVE HEALTH HERE ORGANIZATION.
THERE IS A NEW APARTMENT BUILDING IN OAKLAND CALLED SEVEN GENERATIONS, AND IT'S ALL PART OF THAT.
IT'D BE GOOD FOR US TO ATTEND ANYBODY TO ATTEND THAT NOVEMBER 14TH.
AT THEIR NEW OFFICE IN ALAMEDA, I WILL SEND IT TO NEIL AND TO LISA.
ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? NEIL, I WAS JUST GOING TO MENTION THAT THE PAC, THE 90TH ANNIVERSARY HOLIDAY SOCIAL, WILL BE IN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY THIS YEAR. WE DON'T HAVE THE LOCATION EXACTLY NAILED DOWN, BUT IT WILL BE IN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY DECEMBER 9TH.
GREAT. WELL, THANK YOU ALL FOR A LATE, LATE NIGHT AND FOR ALL YOUR ENERGY.
THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.