[00:00:01] GREAT. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. OH, THERE IT IS. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. WE WILL NOW START OUR MEETING. THIS IS THE BOARD OPERATIONS COMMITTEE OF THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16TH, BEGINNING AT 11:04 A.M.. COULD THE RECORDING CLERK, PADMORE, PLEASE [Roll Call] TAKE THE ROLL? YES. CHAIR ECHOLS PRESENT. DIRECTOR WAESPI HERE. DIRECTOR ESPAÑA PRESENT. PARK DISTRICT. STAFF COORDINATORS IN THIS MEETING INCLUDE ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER LISA GOORJIAN HERE. ASSISTANT GENERAL COUNSEL ELIZABETH MACKENZIE HERE. TODAY'S MEETING IS BEING HELD PURSUANT TO THE BROWN ACT. STAFF IS PROVIDING LIVE AUDIO AND VIDEO STREAMING. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT MAY DO SO BY SUBMITTING AN EMAIL. LEAVING A VOICEMAIL OR JOINING LIVE VIA ZOOM WITH THE LINK PROVIDED ON THE AGENDA LOCATED ON THE DISTRICT WEBSITE. IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MEETING PROCEDURES, WE WILL BEGIN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO OUR FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS THE APPROVAL OF LAST MEETING'S MINUTES. [Approval of Minutes] COULD I GET A MOTION TO APPROVE THOSE MINUTES FROM JANUARY 15TH, 2025? SO MOVED. THANK YOU. SECOND. THANK YOU. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON ITEMS? NOT ON THE AGENDA? CHAIR, THERE ARE NO PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU. OKAY, SO WE WILL PROCEED. WE HAVE TWO INFORMATIONAL ITEMS TODAY. [Informational Items] THE FIRST ONE, HIDDEN HISTORIES, INTERPRETIVE PROGRAMS. UNCOVERING UNTOLD STORIES. WELCOME. HERE WE GO. GOOD MORNING. DIRECTORS. MY NAME IS SANDY FUNK. I'M THE DIVISION LEAD FOR INTERPRETIVE AND RECREATION SERVICES. AND I THANK YOU TODAY TO THANK YOU FOR LEARNING A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT OUR PROGRAMS IN INR, AS WE LIKE TO CALL OURSELVES. I WANTED TO JUST TAKE A MINUTE TO INTRODUCE AND REINTRODUCE KEVIN. I KNOW THAT THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE BEEN ON THE BOARD ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH KEVIN, BUT I KNOW WE HAVE A NEW DIRECTOR, SO KEVIN IS ONE OF OUR TWO REGIONAL MANAGERS. HE MANAGES SIX OF OUR 11 WORK GROUPS. KEVIN IS AN INTERPRETIVE TRAINER AND COACH, AND HE'S GOING TO BE ROUNDING 15 YEARS WITH THE DISTRICT THIS YEAR AND WILL BE HONORED ABOUT THAT AT ONE OF OUR ANNIVERSARY SERVICE AWARDS THANK YOU MEETINGS. HE HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED NATIONALLY FOR HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR FIELD. AND SO KEVIN HAS A PARTICULAR INTEREST IN THE PORTFOLIO OF PROGRAMS THAT HE'S GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT TODAY. AND HE HAS CHAMPIONED AND SUPPORTED MANY, IF NOT ALL OF THEIR CREATION AND DELIVERY. SO I'M VERY EXCITED TO HAVE KEVIN SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT A CERTAIN SET OF PROGRAMS THAT WE ARE HAPPY TO DELIVER TO THE COMMUNITY. GOOD. MORNING. BOARD MEMBERS. AS SANDY MENTIONED, MY NAME IS KEVIN DAMSTRA. I AM THE. THANK YOU. I AM THE REGIONAL INTERPRETIVE AND RECREATION SERVICES MANAGER FOR THE SOUTHEAST INTERPRETIVE CENTER. TODAY I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF SHARING WITH YOU EXAMPLES OF HOW OUR STAFF HAVE WOVEN STORIES THAT ARE TRADITIONALLY UNTOLD WITHIN OUR PROGRAMS AND FIELD TRIPS INTO ALL THAT WE DO. WE'LL HAVE A CHANCE TO LOOK AT PUBLIC PROGRAMS, FIELD TRIPS, AND COMMUNITY PROGRAMS AT THURGOOD MARSHALL REGIONAL PARK, HOME OF THE PORT CHICAGO 50 BLACK DIAMOND MINES REGIONAL PRESERVE, ARDENWOOD HISTORIC FARM, AS WELL AS OTHER PROGRAMS THAT SPAN ACROSS THE ENTIRE PARK DISTRICT. IN 2024, THE INTERPRETIVE AND RECREATION SERVICES DEPARTMENT PROVIDED OVER 1800 PUBLIC PROGRAMS, SERVING OVER 80 ALMOST 84,000 PEOPLE. OUR SCHOOL FIELD TRIPS, WE SERVED OVER 1800 CLASSES AND COMMUNITY PROGRAMS AND EVENTS. WE HAD OVER 289 PROGRAMS IN THAT CATEGORY. [00:05:08] PUBLIC PROGRAMS ARE GENERAL PROGRAMS OR EXCUSE ME, ARE PLANNED PROGRAMS FOR A GENERAL AUDIENCE WITH GOALS THAT ARE DEFINED BY PARK DISTRICT STAFF AND NATURALISTS. THOSE FIELD TRIP PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED TO MEET STATE CURRICULUM STANDARDS AND ARE PART OF A REQUIRED CLASSROOM LEARNING COMPONENT. AND OUR COMMUNITY PROGRAMS AND EVENTS ARE PROGRAMS THAT ARE DESIGNED FOR A PARTICULAR SEGMENT OF THE COMMUNITY TO MEET SPECIFIC GOALS, SUCH AS INCREASING ACCESS TO THE PARKS. THESE GOALS ARE OFTEN CREATED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH A COMMUNITY, WITH THE COMMUNITY IN QUESTION, WITH ONE OF OUR PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS, OR WITH OTHER PEOPLE WITHIN THAT COMMUNITY. THE FIRST OF THESE PROGRAMS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT TAKES PLACE AT THURGOOD MARSHALL REGIONAL PARK, HOME OF THE PORT CHICAGO 50. AND FROM INJUSTICE TO RESILIENCE AND AND RECONCILIATION, THURGOOD MARSHALL REGIONAL PARK OFFERS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMUNITY TO COME TOGETHER, LEARN AND CONNECT WITH EACH OTHER, OUR HISTORY AND NATURE. MANY OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE OFFER IN THIS STILL CLOSED PARK HIGHLIGHT THIS GOAL. FOR EXAMPLE, WITHIN THE PUBLIC ACCESS TOURS THAT WE OFFER TO THE PUBLIC, THE BLACK HISTORY MONTH PROGRAMS AND JUNETEENTH PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED TO FACILITATE CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN PARTICIPANTS THROUGH THE LENS OF DIVERSE EXPERIENCES AND PERSPECTIVES. THESE PROGRAMS DRAW UP TO 50 PEOPLE PER HIKE AND INVOLVE MULTIPLE STAFF FROM BLACK DIAMOND MINES TO FACILITATE. THEY ENCOURAGE CRITICAL THINKING OF THE. OF OUR HISTORY AND HOW IT IMPACTS PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES TODAY. THESE PROGRAMS ARE DONE IN THE FORMAT OF A SHORT WALK THAT HAS MANY BREAKS TO STOP AND HAVE GUIDED QUESTIONS FACILITATED BY OUR NATURALISTS. THESE QUESTIONS USE TOOLS LIKE IN THIS PHOTO, WHERE WE HAVE PEOPLE READING QUOTES FROM SOME OF THE MEN THAT WERE IMPACTED BY THE EXPLOSION THAT HAPPENED AT THE BASE DURING WORLD WAR TWO, AND THEY HAVE TIME FOR THE PARTICIPANTS TO SHARE AND LISTEN TO EACH OTHER. THIS ALLOWS PEOPLE TO HAVE A STRONGER CONNECTION FROM THEIR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE TO THE EXPERIENCE OF OTHERS THAT MIGHT BE FROM A COMMUNITY DIFFERENT THAN THEIR OWN. THIS GOAL CONTINUES AS WE LOOK AT SOME OF OUR FIELD TRIP PROGRAMS. THE UNCOVERING LOCAL HISTORY FIELD TRIP IS A CURRICULUM BASED PROGRAM GEARED TOWARDS HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, HELPING THEM TO UNDERSTAND THE HISTORY OF CIVIL RIGHTS AND SOCIAL INJUSTICE THAT HAPPENED ON AND AROUND THE FORMER MILITARY BASE IN CONCORD. THIS PROGRAM BEGAN IN 2023 AS A SPECIAL PROGRAM OFFERING CONNECTED TO A REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION GRANT, BUT IT HAS BECOME A STANDARD A STANDARD PROGRAM THAT WE OFFER AT THURGOOD MARSHALL AS A HIGH SCHOOL FIELD TRIP. IT IS NOT ONE OF THE MOST COMMON ONES THAT WE DO, BECAUSE LOGISTICALLY, IT IS DIFFICULT TO GET HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS OUT OF THE CLASSROOM FOR FIELD TRIPS. BUT IT IS A VERY IMPORTANT ONE, SHOWING A VERY STRONG CONNECTION TO MANY OF THEIR STANDARDS IN THEIR CLASSES. THURGOOD MARSHALL ALSO HOSTS A NUMBER OF COMMUNITY PROGRAMS. ONE EXAMPLE OF THIS IS THE THURGOOD MARSHALL YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. THIS IS A PARTNERSHIP WITH PEOPLE WHO CARE, WHICH IS A LOCAL NONPROFIT WHO BEGAN PARTNERING WITH THE BLACK DIAMOND MINES IN 2023. THE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM IS A CO-DESIGNED CO-DESIGN PROGRAM TO PROVIDE DEEP ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN A SMALL GROUP OF PARTICIPANTS AND THE PARK. EACH YEAR, THIS PROGRAM IS MODIFIED AND REDESIGNED TO MEET MUTUALLY AGREED UPON LOGISTICS AND GOALS, WHILE KEEPING THE CORE GOAL TO CONNECT YOUTH WITH THE PARKS THROUGH THAT LENS OF CIVIL RIGHTS AND SOCIAL JUSTICE. YOUTH WORK BOTH TOGETHER AND INDEPENDENTLY TO CREATE SOMETHING THAT CAN BE SHARED WITH THE PUBLIC. THIS HAS INCLUDED SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS HIGHLIGHTING THEIR EXPERIENCE IN THE PARKS, THEIR CONNECTION TO THE HISTORY THEY LEARNED, AND HELPING TO EDUCATE THEIR PEERS. IN 2025, THIS WEEK IS ALREADY BEING PLANNED, AND WE HAVE MORE STUDENTS THAT HAVE REQUESTED TO BE A PART OF THIS PROGRAM THAN WE HAVE SPACES FOR THEM TO JOIN. THIS. THIS PARTNERSHIP HAS CONTINUED TO GROW WITH PEOPLE WHO CARE. AND AT THE END OF THE FIRST YEAR, THEY SHARED WITH US THE FOLLOWING QUOTE. WE HAD THE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE THE PARK, LEARN ABOUT ITS HISTORY AND STORIES, AND UNDERSTAND ITS CONNECTION TO SOCIAL JUSTICE. THIS EXPERIENCE HAS NOT ONLY BROADENED OUR KNOWLEDGE, BUT ALSO INSPIRED US TO CREATE MEANINGFUL SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT THAT CONNECTS LOCAL [00:10:06] COMMUNITIES TO THESE VALUABLE NATURAL RESOURCES. ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF A PUBLIC PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE GIVEN AND CONTINUE TO GIVE IS BLACK BIRDERS WEEK. BLACKBIRDERSWEEK IS A PUBLIC PROGRAM SERIES THAT CONNECTS TO A NATIONWIDE EFFORT WHICH STARTED AFTER A RACIAL INCIDENT IN CENTRAL PARK INVOLVING. CHRISTIAN COOPER, AN AVID BLACK BIRDER. THAT HAPPENED IN 2020. THE PROGRAMS ARE JOINTLY COORDINATED BETWEEN OUR STAFF AT CRAB COVE AND BLACK DIAMOND MINES, AND THEY ARE SUPPORTED BY STAFF FROM ACROSS THE PARK DISTRICT, BOTH WITHIN INR AND PARK OPERATIONS. THE PARK LOCATIONS CHANGE BASED UPON THE INTEREST AND AVAILABILITY OF OUR STAFF. IN 2025, THERE WILL BE AT THURGOOD MARSHALL, BIG BREAK, COYOTE HILLS, TEMESCAL, SUNOL, TILDEN, AND MARTIN LUTHER KING SHORELINE, TRULY COVERING THE SCOPE OF THE PARK DISTRICT. THIS PROGRAM STRIVES TO ENSURE THAT PARKS ARE A SAFE AND WELCOMING PLACE FOR ALL. BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THIS HAS NOT ALWAYS BEEN THE CASE. MANY OF THE STORIES THAT WE HAVE HISTORICALLY NOT BEEN TELLING WERE LOST. WHETHER DELIBERATELY OR INADVERTENTLY, BECAUSE OF PREJUDICE, HATRED, BIAS, AND RACISM. EVEN WHEN THOSE STORIES THEMSELVES WERE POSITIVE AND SHOWED HOPE, THE LENS OF HISTORY TOO OFTEN LOOKED AWAY. IN TWO OF OUR PARKS, WE HAVE UNCOVERED STORIES OF CHINESE IMMIGRANTS THAT WERE LOST, DOWNPLAYED OR ERASED. TODAY, THEY ARE A PART OF OUR STANDARD PROGRAMING. THE STORY OF THE CHINESE MINERS AT BLACK DIAMOND MINES IS A GOOD EXAMPLE. THE HISTORY WAS DOWNPLAYED FOR DECADES, TO THE POINT THAT MANY STAFF BELIEVED THERE WAS NOTHING TO LEARN AND LITTLE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE CHINESE AND THE HISTORY THAT WE WERE TOLD. THIS BEGAN TO CHANGE DURING THE PANDEMIC AND HAS NOW ADJUSTED ALL OF OUR PROGRAMING AT THE SITE. SANDY MENTIONED AT THE BEGINNING THAT I'VE BEEN WITH THE PARK DISTRICT FOR 15 YEARS. BLACK DIAMOND MINES WAS THE PARK THAT I WAS FIRST HIRED AT AS A NATURALIST. WHEN I ARRIVED THERE, IT WAS A STANDARD PART OF OUR FIELD TRIP PROGRAMS THAT WE WOULD TALK ABOUT THE NEIGHBORS, AND THESE ARE SMALL CHILDREN BETWEEN THE AGES OF SEVEN AND 12 YEARS OLD THAT WORKED IN THE MINES, AND WE'D HAVE KIDS GET DOWN ON THEIR HANDS AND KNEES AND CRAWL AROUND TO FEEL WHAT IT WAS LIKE KIND OF PUSHING, PUSHING THE COAL DOWN, THE DIGGING AREAS, THE STOPES. THE PART OF THE STORY THAT WASN'T TOLD TO ME, THAT WASN'T UNCOVERED OR ARE KNOWN FOR MANY, MANY YEARS WAS THAT THOSE CHILDREN WHO WERE WORKING IN THE MINES WERE DOING SO AFTER A STRIKE THAT OCCURRED ON SEPTEMBER 7TH, 1877, WHERE THE MINERS THREATENED TO NO LONGER GO INTO WORK UNLESS ALL CHINESE EMPLOYEES IN THE BLACK DIAMOND COAL MINE WERE DISMISSED. THE COMPANY ACQUIESCED, DISMISSED ALL THE CHINESE COAL MINERS AND THOSE FAMILIES THEN HIRED, OR THAT COMPANY THEN HIRED THE CHILDREN OF THE MINERS WHO HAD STRIKED TO WORK IN THE COAL MINES IN PLACE OF THE CHINESE. TODAY, THAT STORY IS SHARED ON PUBLIC PROGRAMS AND ON FIELD TRIPS IN A MUCH MORE COMPLETE WAY. SIMILARLY, ON FIELD TRIPS AT ARDENWOOD HISTORIC FARM, WE HAVE RESEARCHED SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE UNCOVERED THROUGH CENSUS DATA AND IN JOURNALS. THIS LED TO A COMPLETE OVERHAUL OF THE WHEAT HARVEST PROGRAM TO FOCUS ON THE WORKERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD WHO HARVEST THE WHEAT FOR THE PATERSON FAMILY. THIS CHANGE BRINGS A PERSONAL CONNECTION TO THE SCHOOL PROGRAMS THAT THE STUDENTS CAN SEE THEMSELVES AND THEIR ANCESTORS IN THE STORIES THAT WE TELL. MAKING CULTURAL CONNECTIONS TO THIS MISSING PAST. THE WORK IS ALWAYS EVOLVING, INCLUDING MORE PARKS, STORIES, AND PEOPLE. THE PARK DISTRICT HAS A LONG HISTORY OF WORKING WITH AND INTERPRETING LOCAL INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES. THIS HISTORY IS A STRONG STARTING POINT AND A STRONG STARTING PLACE. AN INTERPRETIVE AND RECREATION SERVICES IS WORKING WITH OTHER DISTRICT STAFF TO SUPPORT MOVING OUR PROGRAMS, PARTNERSHIPS AND RELATIONSHIPS FORWARD IN THE FUTURE. THE WORK TO SHARE THE HISTORY, CULTURES AND COMMUNITY OF THIS DIVERSE AREA WE LIVE IN IS ONGOING AND SOMETHING THAT WE ARE COMMITTED TO CONTINUE. I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THIS ASPECT OF THE WORK THAT WE DO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. KEVIN. IT'S REALLY A WONDERFUL PRESENTATION. SO BOARD DIRECTORS, DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? [00:15:03] I'LL TAKE BOTH. YES. I HAVE A QUESTION JUST AS FAR AS HOW WE'RE MAINTAINING THOSE TRUTHFUL STORIES. AT THURGOOD MARSHALL, HOME OF THE PORT CHICAGO 50. WHEN AND OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE NATIONAL PARKS, WHERE AS FAR AS IT'S BEEN REPORTED IN THE NEWS THAT THERE'S BEEN CASES OF RETELLING THE HISTORY OF SLAVERY OR TAKING DOWN CERTAIN PICTURES. SO HOW, AS A PARK DISTRICT, CAN WE CONTINUE TO TELL THE TRUTH OF WHAT HAPPENED AT THAT AREA? AND HOW ARE IS OUR LIKE, FUTURE LIKE PROGRAMING IMPACTED WITH THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE IN THIS KIND OF TIME PERIOD? THE, THE WAY THAT WE INTERPRET THE STORY OF PORT CHICAGO AND THE STORY, THE STORIES THAT WE TELL AT THURGOOD MARSHALL WE HAVE DEVELOPED IN COLLABORATION WITH THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE. BUT THEY ARE OURS TO TELL. AND WE TELL THOSE THE WAY THAT THAT WE NEED TO AND THAT WE WE MAINTAIN THEM. THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE RIGHT NOW IS DOING AN AMAZING JOB FIGURING OUT HOW TO CONTINUE TO TELL STORIES AS WELL. AND THEY ARE CERTAINLY NOT BACKING AWAY FROM CERTAIN THINGS. BUT THAT'S WHAT THEY DO. AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO OURS. THAT STORY OF THE PORT CHICAGO 50 IS ONE EXAMPLE OF THE HISTORY OF CIVIL RIGHTS AND SOCIAL JUSTICE AND INJUSTICE THAT OCCURRED AT THE BASE. AND WE INTERPRET MANY OTHERS OUT THERE AS WELL. THANK YOU. I JUST SAY THANKS FOR ALL YOUR WORK, KEVIN. I KNOW YOU'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS AND YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB, AND I APPRECIATE IT. SPECIFICALLY, THOUGH, TELL ME AGAIN, SLOWER. I KNOW IT'S GOING TO GET PUBLICIZED, BUT IT'S COMING UP, AND I NEED TO PUT IT ON MY CALENDAR. WHEN? WHEN ARE THE BLACK BIRDER EVENTS? ARE YOU. YOU MENTIONED A BUNCH OF PARKS REALLY QUICKLY. YES. BLACKBIRDERSWEEK. THIS YEAR IS IS COMING UP IN MAY 25TH THROUGH 29TH. YES. MAY 25TH THROUGH 29TH. AND THE PARKS THAT WE WILL BE VISITING WILL BE STARTING WITH THURGOOD MARSHALL REGIONAL PARK AND THEN BIG BREAK, COYOTE HILLS. TEMESCAL, SUNOL, TILDEN, AND MARTIN LUTHER KING SHORELINE. GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND WE'LL OBVIOUSLY THIS WILL BE PUBLICIZED AND EVERYTHING AND BUT I'M GLAD I GOT IT AND PUT IT ON MY CALENDAR. YES, IT WILL BE PUBLICIZED. WE WILL BE SEEING IT IN THE ACTIVITY GUIDE COMING OUT, AND WE'LL BE SENDING OUT INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS TO TO PEOPLE AS WELL. GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OH, IF IT WAS A SNAKE, IT WOULD HAVE BIT ME. THANK YOU. THIS IS GREAT. WONDERFUL. THAT CAME FROM. I'LL GIVE IT BACK. NO, SHE WANTS IT BACK. YEAH. IS THIS ONLINE? THIS IS A GREAT LITTLE LEAFLET. YES, I BELIEVE THAT IS. OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU. OKAY. WELL, I YES. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, BOTH OF YOU, FOR THE INCREDIBLE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING. IT'S IT'S VERY IMPRESSIVE AND AND VERY IMPORTANT. YOU KNOW, THE BOARD, MOST OF US HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TO DO THOSE LISTEN TO THOSE STORIES AND PARTICIPATE OUT AT THURGOOD MARSHALL. AND IT WAS REALLY POWERFUL THE WAY YOU YOU KNOW, IT WAS THIS IMMERSION IN WHAT, WHAT HAPPENED AND REALLY TRYING TO IMAGINE, YOU KNOW, HOW IT FELT AND PUT OURSELVES IN THE SHOES OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO WHO WERE HARMED BY THE EXPLOSION? WELL, NOT JUST BY THE EXPLOSION, BUT BY EVERYTHING ELSE AS WELL. SO I JUST, I THINK IT'S REALLY GREAT. AND I'M REALLY HAPPY THAT YOU'RE DOING IT FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH AND JUNETEENTH. I'M JUST WONDERING, ARE THERE ANY PLANS TO MAKE THAT BROADER, LIKE MAKE IT AS A POSSIBLE SCHOOL FIELD TRIP EDUCATIONAL THING OR, YOU KNOW, HAVE IT HAVE IT OFFERED MORE THAN AT BLACK HISTORY MONTH AND JUNETEENTH BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A IT WAS SUCH A POWERFUL I MEAN, I KNOW IT'S TIME INTENSIVE AND PERSONNEL INTENSIVE, BUT IT WAS REALLY VERY I THOUGHT, A VERY EFFECTIVE PROGRAMING. YES. THE FIELD TRIP PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE AT THURGOOD MARSHALL UNCOVERING LOCAL HISTORIES, IS DESIGNED IN A VERY SIMILAR FASHION TO THE PUBLIC ACCESS COMMUNITY PROGRAMS THAT WE GIVE. THE REASON FOR THAT IS IT'S ONE THE BEST WAY TO MAKE PEOPLE CONNECT IN AND FEEL A PART OF IT. [00:20:04] BUT ALSO THAT STYLE AND THAT CONTENT MORE DIRECTLY ALIGNS WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL CURRICULUM STANDARDS THAT ARE NEEDED. I SEE SO WE'VE STARTED OUR FOCUS THERE AS THE PARK GETS DEVELOPED AND OPENS MORE ON A REGULAR BASIS, WE WILL BE ABLE TO ADJUST SOME OF THAT CURRICULUM TO BE MORE APPROPRIATE FOR YOUNGER AGE GROUPS. BUT THAT'S DONE IN A MORE NUANCED WAY. PERFECT. OKAY. AND HOW DO YOU HOW DO YOU NOTIFY THE SCHOOLS OF THE. I MEAN, I'M SURE YOU'RE PROBABLY OVERSUBSCRIBED JUST BASED ON WORD OF MOUTH, BUT HOW ARE YOU MAKING SURE THAT YOU REACH EVERYBODY IN TERMS OF THE SCHOOLS, KNOWING THAT THEY HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY AVAILABLE TO THEM? TODAY IS JUST THE BEST DAY TO ASK THAT QUESTION. WE HAVE BEEN PARTNERING WITH PUBLIC AFFAIRS, AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE A NEW WEB PAGE FOR TEACHERS THAT LAUNCHED, I THINK, THIS MORNING. WE'RE ALSO DOING OUR FIRST TEACHER, E-BLAST. SO ANY TEACHER THAT'S EVER SIGNED UP FOR ANYTHING IS GOING TO BE GETTING AN EMAIL FROM US DIRECTLY COMING OUT TO THEM, AND THEN WE HAVE SOME MORE THINGS ON THE WORKS TO REACH TEACHERS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN OUT HERE. SO WE REALLY HAVE A BIG CAMPAIGN GOING RIGHT NOW TO REACH OUT TO TEACHERS. GREAT. THANK YOU. WONDERFUL. OKAY. ANY ANYBODY? NOTHING FURTHER? OKAY. ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS? ITEM. CHARMING TO BE HOME. NOT THAT I HAVE ANY MORE. WE HAVE NO PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM. THANK YOU. OKAY. WELL, THANKS AGAIN FOR THE GREAT WORK. REALLY APPRECIATE IT. AND FOR THE REPORT. THANK YOU. OKAY. NEXT UP WE HAVE AN INFORMATIONAL UPDATE ON THE RESOURCE ALLOCATION STUDY. INR IS ALWAYS A TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW BUT I'M GOING TO TRY. ALL RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON. BOARD OPERATIONS COMMITTEE I'M RUBY TUMBER MANAGEMENT ANALYST FOR THE OPERATIONS DIVISION. I'M HERE TODAY TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE FOR THE OPERATIONS RESOURCE ALLOCATION STUDY. FOR A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND, THE PURPOSE OF THE STUDY WAS TO LOOK AT THE RESOURCES AND THE OPERATIONS DIVISION AND SEE HOW THEY RECONCILE WITH OUR SERVICE DELIVERY. WE WANTED TO LOOK AT ALL OF OUR RESOURCES. THIS IS STAFFING, BUDGET, EQUIPMENT, TECHNOLOGY AND UNDERSTAND OUR BETTER, BETTER UNDERSTAND OUR LEVEL OF SERVICE IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND EFFICIENCY AND DELIVERY. ULTIMATELY, WE WANTED TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN OPTIMIZE THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE IN A MORE STRATEGIC WAY, EITHER FOR EFFICIENCY OR OUTPUT, SUSTAINABILITY OR EFFECTIVITY. THE GOALS AND APPROACH FOR THIS PROGRAM WERE TWOFOLD. FIRST, WE WANTED TO DETERMINE IF THE OPERATIONS DIVISION IS RIGHT SIZED TO PERFORM THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING, AND WE DIVIDED THAT UP INTO TWO PHASES, THE FIRST OF WHICH IS NEARING ITS COMPLETION NOW. IT WAS TO IDENTIFY THE EXISTING STAFF ALLOCATIONS AND BASELINE CONDITIONS IN ORDER TO EXPLORE FURTHER AREAS OF ANALYSIS. IN THE SECOND PHASE OF THE STUDY, WHICH IS WHERE WE WILL DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS FOR STAFFING AND RESOURCES TO IMPROVE WORKFLOWS, OPTIMIZE AND ORGANIZE OUR RESOURCES. FOR THIS STUDY, WE ENGAGED THE ASSISTANCE OF MATRIX CONSULTING GROUP, WHICH IS A BAY AREA CONSULTING FIRM, AND THEY WERE AWARDED A CONTRACT LAST YEAR THROUGH A COMPETITIVE BID PROCESS. AND WE KICKED OFF THIS WORK IN JUNE OF 2024. FOR THE FIRST PHASE OF THE STUDY, MATRIX WORKED WITH THE MULTIDIVISIONAL STEERING TEAM, WHICH WAS COMPRISED WITH INDIVIDUALS FROM OPERATIONS, OF COURSE, BUT ALSO FROM HUMAN RESOURCES. OUR OFFICE OF EQUITY AND OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS AN INTERNAL ADVISORY TEAM MADE UP OF THE OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT TEAM. THEY MET WITH STAFF OVER ZOOM AND IN PERSON, AND THEY ALSO SURVEYED ALL OPERATIONS STAFF. AND FOR THE SURVEY THAT SURVEYED EVERYONE, WE GOT A 54% RESPONSE RATE, WHICH IS CONSIDERED A HIGH RESPONSE RATE, WHICH I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT BECAUSE I WANTED TO SHOW THAT EVERYONE IN OUR DIVISION WAS INVOLVED AND THEIR VOICES WERE HEARD AND CONSIDERED IN IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS ANALYSIS. MATRIX ALSO CAME OUT AND DID A SITE VISIT. [00:25:03] SO SOME OF THE INTERVIEWS THAT I MENTIONED WERE DONE IN PERSON, AND THEY ALSO VISITED VARIOUS SMATTERING OF LOCATIONS HERE AT EAST BAY REGIONAL PARKS, INCLUDING PACHECO COURTYARD, CROWN BEACH, LAKE CHABOT, TILDEN, SHADOW CLIFFS TO REALLY GET A SIZE OF SCOPE, SCALE OF THE PARK DISTRICT. AND I THINK THEY REALLY UNDERSTOOD THAT WHEN THEY TRIED TO GO FROM CROWN BEACH TO BLACK DIAMOND MINES AT 4 P.M. ON A WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. FROM THE STUDY, THEY HAD THREE PRIMARY DELIVERABLES A PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS, A DRAFT FINAL REPORT AND A FINAL REPORT. AND WE ARE 98% DONE WITH OUR FINAL REPORT. IT'S STILL IN DRAFT FORM AND IN REVIEW. AND LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER, HAVING PARTICIPATION FROM THE OPERATIONS DIVISION WAS REALLY CRITICAL THAT BUY IN WAS IMPORTANT TO US. AND WE INTERFACED WITH OUR STAFF IN A VARIETY OF WAYS. LIKE I SAID, WE DID INTERVIEWS. WE DID SURVEYS. THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF A LEAFLET THAT WENT OUT TO THE DIVISION. AS YOU KNOW, THE STUDY IS PRETTY COMPLEX AND IT FEELS KIND OF COMPLICATED. AND WE WANTED TO BOIL IT DOWN IN A DECIPHERABLE WAY THAT WE HOPE EVERYONE COULD UNDERSTAND. SO THIS WAS ONE OF THE PAMPHLETS THAT WAS DISPERSED TO OUR DIVISION. AND WE ALSO LAST PROVIDED AN UPDATE TO OUR OPS FORUM, WHICH IS ALL SUPERVISORS AND UP IN THE OPERATIONS DIVISION. EARLIER THIS YEAR IN FEBRUARY AND WE ARE HOPING TO DO ANOTHER COMMUNICATION BLAST IN OUR OPS COMMUNICATION HUB, WHICH IS OUR INTERNAL SHAREPOINT SITE FOR EVERYONE IN OUR DIVISION. JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THAT INPUT AND INFORMATION SHARING IS IMPORTANT PART OF THIS STUDY. SO WITH THAT ALL SAID, ALL OF THAT BACKGROUND AS WE CONCLUDE THE FIRST PHASE OF THE STUDY MATRIX PROVIDES US A CURRENT ASSESSMENT OF OUR EXISTING CONDITIONS. AND THESE CONDITIONS ARE OR FINDINGS RATHER ARE DIVIDED INTO THREE SEPARATE CATEGORIES OPERATIONAL, STAFFING AND ORGANIZATIONAL. AND IT'S LISTED HERE AS RECOMMENDATIONS. AND I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT THESE AREN'T PRESCRIPTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENTS. THESE RATHER ARE DEFICIENCIES, OR I'D LIKE TO REFRAME THEM AS OPPORTUNITIES OF AREAS THAT WE. THEY RECOMMEND WE EXPLORE FURTHER IN THE SECOND PHASE. SO AS I GO THROUGH ALL. OF THESE, THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT THEY LOOKED AT AND THE EXISTING CONDITIONS AND ARE. CONSIDERING THAT OR RECOMMENDING THAT, WE EXPLORE FURTHER IN THE SECOND PHASE OF THE PROJECT, AND I'LL GET MORE ON THAT. SO WITH THAT SAID, FOR THE OPERATIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS, THEY LOOKED AT ANALYZING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MANAGING PERFORMANCE IN THE DIVISION. SO THAT'S WHAT MOST OF THIS CATEGORY IS CENTERED AROUND. ONE THING THAT THEY HEARD FREQUENTLY FROM OUR STAFF PRETTY MUCH ROSE TO THE TOP WAS REGARDING STAFFING FACILITIES AND THE INTERNAL SERVICE REQUESTS THAT STEM FROM THE STAFFING FACILITIES. MANY PEOPLE FOUND THAT COURTYARDS, STAFF OFFICES THROUGHOUT ALL OF OUR DIFFERENT PARKS ARE NOT CONSISTENT. AND THEY EXPRESSED THAT THIS NEEDED TO BE LOOKED AT FURTHER, SO EVERYONE HAD KIND OF A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD. ANOTHER DEFICIENCY THAT WAS NOTED WAS COMMUNICATION. THEY THOUGHT THAT MATRIX NOTICED THAT COMMUNICATION CAN SOMETIMES BE INCONSISTENT AND MESSAGING CAN BE IMPROVED IN THE DIVISION. ANOTHER AREA WAS STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. WE HAVE A PARK OPERATING GUIDELINE DOCUMENT. IT HASN'T BEEN UPDATED SINCE 2003. THE WORLD HAS CHANGED QUITE A BIT IN THAT IN THAT PERIOD OF TIME. SO THEY THOUGHT THAT THESE PROCEDURES SHOULD WOULD BENEFIT FROM BEING UPDATED. ANOTHER AREA THAT THEY RECOMMENDED FOR FURTHER EXPLORATION WAS ASSET MANAGEMENT AND UNDERSTANDING BETTER ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE OVERSEE. VFA IS A TOOL THAT WE USE TO CATALOG ALL OF OUR MAJOR ASSETS, BUT IT ISN'T ALL OF THEM. SO THIS IS ANOTHER AREA THAT WE CAN DELVE INTO FURTHER. ADDITIONALLY, THEY NOTICE THAT WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A COORDINATED USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN THE FOUR DEPARTMENTS OF OPERATIONS. WE USE MYRIAD OF TOOLS, WE USE FAMOUS, WE USE CLARITY, WE USE ACTIVE NET, WE USE RESERVE AMERICA, WE USE MANY MORE THAN EVEN THOSE THAT I LISTED. AND THEY ALL KIND OF LIVE IN THEIR OWN SILOS. SO THEY WOULD REALLY BENEFIT FROM STREAMLINING AND KIND OF CROSS COORDINATION ACROSS OUR DEPARTMENTS RATHER THAN LIVING ON THESE DIFFERENT ISLANDS. ADDITIONAL OPERATIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THEY NOTED WERE INCLUDED LOOKING AT OUR PURCHASING. [00:30:02] SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT ISN'T LOCAL JUST TO THE OPERATIONS DIVISION. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS AGENCY WIDE, IS WE DON'T HAVE A CENTRALIZED PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT AT EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK. SO BECAUSE OF THIS DECENTRALIZED PROCESS, EVERYONE IN THE AGENCY RUNNING A CONTRACT IS KIND OF DOING IT ON THEIR OWN. THE PROCUREMENT, THE SOLICITATION, THE WRITING OF THE RFP, THE EXECUTION OF THE CONTRACT. BECAUSE OF THAT, IT TAKES QUITE A BIT OF STAFF TIME AND CAN LEND ITSELF TO DEFICIENCY. SO THIS IS AN AREA OF IMPROVEMENT THAT THEY THEY SUGGESTED WE EXPLORE. THEY ALSO NOTED THAT FLEET NEEDS AND MAINTENANCE FOR THOSE CAN SOMETIMES OR LIKELY WILL BE DEFICIENT, ESPECIALLY AS WE GROW, AS WE BUY MORE VEHICLES, AS WE BUY MORE EQUIPMENT, WE NEED MORE MECHANICS TO MAINTAIN THAT EQUIPMENT. MORE MECHANICS MEANS MORE CORPORATION YARDS TO HOUSE THOSE MECHANICS AND TO DO THAT WORK, AND WE'RE RATHER LIMITED IN THAT ARENA. ANOTHER AREA THEY RECOMMENDED WE EXPLORE IS INCONSISTENT SCHEDULING. SO IF YOU ASK ANYONE IN THE OPERATIONS DIVISION, WHAT'S YOUR SCHEDULE? YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS. YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR NINE, 84, TEN, EIGHT HOURS, 7.5 HOURS. SO YOU KNOW, NOT MAKING ANY STATEMENT THERE ON WHAT IT SHOULD BE, BUT THEY THOUGHT THAT FOR EFFICIENCY OR IMPROVEMENT, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN LOOK AT DEEPER. ADDITIONAL AREAS INCLUDE ACCESS MANAGEMENT. WE LACK A A DISTRICT WIDE ACCESS CONTROL SYSTEM AND IMPROVING OUR EMERGENCY PROTOCOLS. I WILL SAY AS AS WE'VE DONE THIS ANALYSIS, WE BEGAN IN JUNE OF LAST YEAR. THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON IMPROVING, REGARDLESS OF THE STUDY. EMERGENCY PROTOCOLS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON INTERNALLY IN THE DIVISION, AND WE'VE BEEN IMPROVING OUR CONTRACTING PROCESSES VIA THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT AS WELL. SO JUST BECAUSE THEY NOTED THESE THINGS DOESN'T MEAN WE'RE STOPPING AND WAITING UNTIL THEY TELL US MORE IF THINGS WERE IN FLOW. WE CONTINUE TO WORK AND WE CONTINUE TO IMPROVE WHERE WE CAN. MATRIX ALSO DID AN ANALYSIS ON STAFFING, AND IN THE STAFFING ANALYSIS, THEY LOOKED AT WAYS ON HOW WE CAN UTILIZE AND DEPLOY OUR EXISTING STAFF TO BETTER MEET REGULATIONS, SERVICE LEVELS AND WORKLOAD. ONE AREA THAT HAS A BIG IMPACT ON STAFFING IS WHEN WE DO PROPERTY PURCHASES. SO THIS DISTRICT HAS HAD A LONG HISTORY OF PROCURING LARGE AMOUNTS OF LAND THAT LIVE IN LAND BANK STATUS. AND GENERALLY THE PRACTICE HAS BEEN TO NOT HIRE STAFF UNTIL THE PARK IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. THAT'S THAT'S BEEN KIND OF A HISTORIC PROCESS. BUT AS WE KNOW, ACREAGES OF LAND REQUIRE OVERSIGHT, THEY REQUIRE MANAGEMENT, THEY REQUIRE MAINTENANCE. SO WE BRING ON ALL OF THIS ACREAGE WITH THE EXISTING STAFF LEVELS THAT WE HAVE, WHICH UNDERSTANDABLY HAS AN IMPACT ON THAT STAFF. ANOTHER AREA THEY SUGGESTED WE EXPLORE FURTHER IS SUPERVISORY PROGRESSION. SO WE HAVE FOUR DIFFERENT CLASSIFICATIONS FOR PARK SUPERVISORS, BUT THEY DON'T REALLY HAVE STANDARDIZATION. SO THAT IS SOMETHING THEY WANT US TO EXPLORE FURTHER. AND BASED ON THE FEEDBACK FROM STAFF THEMSELVES, MOST OF THE RESPONDENTS IN THE SURVEY SAID THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO COMPLETE THAT THE WORK THAT THEY NEEDED TO DO. SO THAT IS ALL WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF STAFFING ANALYSIS. WITH THAT SAME LINE OF THOUGHT, ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT WAS ANOTHER THING THAT WAS LACKING. WE HAVE A LOT OF FRONTLINE STAFF TO DO THE EXECUTION OF OUR WORK. BUT WHEN IT COMES TO THE DESK WORK, THE ADMINISTRATIVE WORK WHICH GROWS AS OUR AGENCY GROWS, WE NEED ASSISTANCE WITH COORDINATION AND TRACKING AND BASIC DATA ANALYSIS. AND ANOTHER AREA WAS INCONSISTENCIES AND AN OVERSIGHT OF OUR FACILITIES. THE FINAL CATEGORY WAS ORGANIZATIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS. THIS IS AN OVERALL EVALUATION OF OUR STRUCTURE AND UNDERSTANDING GAPS, OR ANY SORT OF OVERLAPS IN FUNCTION, OR ANY SORT OF DEFICIENCIES IN ORGANIZATION. ONE THING THEY NOTED THAT SUCCESSION PLANNING IS SOMETHING THAT COULD BE IMPROVED FURTHER. WE'VE WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF GROWTH IN THIS AGENCY, A LOT OF FOLKS RETIRING, YOU KNOW, MOVING ON TO GREENER PASTURES AND CREATING PROCESSES. THIS KIND OF GOES BACK TO THE OPERATIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS. [00:35:01] WE WE NEED TO HAVE BETTER SUCCESSION PLANNING. OTHER AREAS WAS ANOTHER AREA WAS SPAN OF CONTROL AND LOOKING AT HOW MANY PEOPLE SUPERVISORS MANAGE OR OVERSEE AND TRY TO RECONCILE THEM WITH MARKET OR INDUSTRY STANDARDS. AND JUST KIND OF THE PHYSICAL PLACEMENT, WE WE MANAGE SO MUCH LAND IN TWO COUNTIES OF THE EAST BAY, AND WE COULD POTENTIALLY IMPROVE HOW WE DEPLOY OUR STAFF BECAUSE WE ONLY HAVE A FEW DIFFERENT CORPORATION YARDS WHERE OUR TRADES CREWS ARE PLACED OR WHERE OUR MAINTENANCE YARDS ARE, AND THOSE CAN BE EXAMINED FURTHER FOR EFFICIENCY. SO THOSE ARE THE THE BULK RECOMMENDATIONS THAT CAME OUT OUT OF THE OUT OF THE CURRENT CONDITION ASSESSMENT. WE ARE WE ALMOST ARE DONE WITH THE THE FINAL REPORT. IT'S STILL IN DRAFT FORM. HAVE A FEW LITTLE BIT MORE FEEDBACK THAT WE NEED TO INCORPORATE. AND WE'RE HERE TODAY, AS A TIMELINE INDICATES, TO PROVIDE YOU AN UPDATE TO CONTINUE WITH THE SECOND PHASE OF THE STUDY WE WILL BE SEEKING BOARD AUTHORIZATION BECAUSE OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE EXISTING CONTRACT WITH MATRIX, AND PENDING THAT APPROVAL, WE WILL BEGIN WORK FOR THE SECOND PHASE IN THE SUMMER. THIS SUMMER, SUMMER OF 2025, AND CONCLUDE IN APPROXIMATELY THE SAME TIME NEXT YEAR. AS WE FINALIZE THE SCOPE FOR THE SECOND PHASE, WE NOTICE THAT THERE IS A GOOD AMOUNT OF WORK FOR US TO LOOK AT AND ONLY A FINITE AMOUNT OF MONEY. THAT'S KIND OF ALWAYS THE ISSUE, BUT THE TWO AREAS THAT WE AS A DIVISION WANT TO FOCUS ON ARE PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS AND STAFFING ANALYSIS. THE REASON BEING, THOSE ARE THE TWO THINGS THAT ARE KIND OF UMBRELLA TOUCHES ALL PARTS OF OUR DIVISION, BUT THEY'RE ALSO LOCALIZED WITHIN THE DIVISION. AS I MENTIONED, THERE ARE THINGS THAT WERE NOTED IN THE STUDY THAT WERE CRITICAL AND IMPORTANT, SUCH AS LOOKING AT ARE LOOKING AT OUR STAFF SPACE NEEDS, BUT THAT IS AN AGENCY WIDE CONCERN THAT GOES FAR BEYOND THE OPERATIONS DIVISION, AND IT'S BEING WORKED ON AT A HIGHER LEVEL. AND SAME GOES WITH THINGS SUCH AS OUR PROCUREMENT PROCESS, WHICH IS AN AGENCY WIDE THING. SO ALL THAT TO SAY, WE REALLY WANTED TO FOCUS ON THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE CONTROL OVER THAT ARE LOCALIZED WITHIN OUR DIVISION. BECAUSE OF THAT, WE WANT TO LOOK AT PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS, OUR SERVICE DELIVERY AND HOW WE CAN IMPROVE THAT, AS WELL AS OUR STAFFING ANALYSIS FOR OUR FTES WITHIN THE OPERATIONS DIVISION. SO THOSE WILL BE THE FOCUS OF THE SECOND PHASE, AND YOU WILL GET A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ON THAT. WHEN WE BRING THE CONTRACT AUTHORIZATION TO YOU AT THE END OF MAY. THAT CONCLUDES MY UPDATE. I REALIZE THAT IS PROBABLY A LOT OF STUFF, SO I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANSWER QUESTIONS. OKAY. LISA DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU WANTED TO ADD? YES. THANK YOU, I APOLOGIZE, I IT OCCURRED TO ME I SHOULD HAVE SAID THIS AT THE VERY BEGINNING. AND SO AGAIN, I JUST WANTED TO THANK RUBY FOR THIS, BUT I DID WANT TO FRAME THIS, THAT RUBY GAVE A PRESENTATION ABOUT OUR INTRODUCTION TO THIS PROJECT IN OCTOBER TO THE BOARD OPERATIONS COMMITTEE. SO WE APPRECIATED THE BOARD AUTHORIZING FUNDING IN 2020 FOR, FOR, FOR THIS FIRST PART OF IT. AND THAT WAS REALLY THE ASSESSMENT OF OUR EXISTING CONDITIONS. AND SO AND SO THAT'S AN EXISTING CONDITION ASSESSMENT. AND SO THAT'S WHAT RUBY IS, HAS GIVEN YOU THIS SORT OF SUMMARY. NOW, AS WE'RE WRAPPING UP THAT FIRST PHASE OF JUST SORT OF WHAT OUR EXISTING CONDITIONS AND, AND THE HIGHLIGHTS FROM THEM, AND THEN WE'RE REALLY APPRECIATIVE TO THE BOARD FOR AUTHORIZING MORE FUNDING FOR THIS IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET. AND SO THAT IS WHAT WE WILL BE COMING TO THE BOARD IN MAY IS TO WE NEED TO AMEND THEIR CONTRACT, BUT WE WILL NOT BE ASKING FOR FUNDING BECAUSE YOU'VE YOU'VE GIVEN US THAT. SO THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. THAT'S HELPFUL. DIRECTOR ESPAÑA. YES, I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS. THE FIRST QUESTION IS, IS THIS THE FIRST RESOURCE ALLOCATION STUDY THAT OPERATIONS HAS CONDUCTED, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, YES. I CAN SAY PRETTY CONFIDENTLY, YES, IT IS THE FIRST ONE. OKAY. AND THEN LIKE TWO, IS IT POSSIBLE TO SEE THE FIRST, THE DRAFT REPORT. YEAH. SO WE IT'S WITH SABRINA RIGHT NOW. AND SO IT'S, AND IT'S ALSO WITH OUR CONSULTANTS. [00:40:04] SO WE'VE MADE, WE'RE WAITING FOR THEM TO GIVE US THE UPDATED DID REFLECT OUR COMMENTS THAT WE'VE MADE, AND WE, OF COURSE, WANT SABRINA TO OUR GENERAL MANAGER TO HAVE SORT OF A FINAL FINAL BEFORE WE FINALIZE THAT FIRST PHASE. AND SO THEN OUR INTENT IS TO, YOU KNOW, WE CAN TALK TO SABRINA ABOUT THAT, BUT WE THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO BE REALLY TRANSPARENT WITH THAT INFORMATION. OKAY. YES. I DEFINITELY THINK THIS IS A GREAT UNDERTAKING. AND THEN KUDOS THAT YOUR DIVISION HAS DECIDED TO DO THIS. AS WE'RE LOOKING AT AS FAR AS AN UPDATE OF THE MASTER PLAN. SO THE LAST THING I KIND OF WANTED TO ASK IS HOW HOW DOES THIS COMPLETING THIS REPORT TRACK WITH INFORMING THE MASTER PLAN? I DO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE'S A FOCUS ON WHAT YOU CAN CONTROL. SO STAFFING, SERVICE DELIVERIES. BUT HOW DO WE TAKE THIS AND DEFINITELY USE IT SINCE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'RE DOING IT TO INFORM THAT MASTER PLAN. YEAH. THAT'S VERY ASTUTE. THANK YOU FOR NOTICING THE NEXUS BETWEEN THOSE TWO THINGS FROM THE BEGINNING. AS I MENTIONED, WE HAVE A STEERING TEAM, SO BRIAN HOLT AS WELL AS NAOMI LAVAL FROM THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT ARE A PART OF THIS PROCESS. SO AS WE DEVELOP FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS, IT WILL FEED IN TO HOW THEY DEVELOP THE DISTRICT. I KNOW IT'S NOT CALLED THE MASTER PLAN, BUT THE SECOND CENTURY PLAN. THANK YOU. THE DISTRICT PLAN. SO, YEAH, THEY ARE WORKING IN TANDEM WITH US. SO AS THESE UPDATES GET MADE, THEY ARE BEING FUNNELED OVER TO THEIR GROUP AND THEIR CONSULTANT TO INCORPORATE KIND OF THE, THE DEVELOPMENT OF, OF THE SECOND CENTURY PLAN. AND I'LL JUST ADD, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WE ACTUALLY HAVEN'T FINALIZED ANYTHING. SO WE HAVEN'T GIVEN ANYTHING OVER TO THAT THOSE CONSULTANTS YET. BUT AS PART OF OUR SCOPE, WE SHARED OUR SCOPE WITH BRIAN AND THEIR TEAM SO THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR SCOPE OF WORK IS. AND SO THEY'RE ANTICIPATING US PROVIDING THAT INFORMATION ONCE WE'RE, WE'RE FINALIZING IT. AND WE'RE, WE'VE ALSO AS PART OF SOME OF THE WORK AS PART OF OUR SCOPING, HAVE HELPED TO INFORM SOME OF THE STAFF ENGAGEMENT THAT THE DISTRICT PLAN HAS BEEN DOING. I THINK YOU HEARD BRIAN SAY HE'S GOT 33. WELL, MAYBE WE HAVE 33 CITIES, OVER 30 MEETINGS WITH STAFF TO ENGAGE IN. SOME OF THE QUESTIONS ARE REALLY WERE INFORMED BY SOME OF OUR PRELIMINARY AS WE RECEIVED RECEIVED SORT OF OUR FIRST DRAFT. THERE WERE SOME PRELIMINARY INFORMATION. AND SO WE THOUGHT, OH, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEVERAGE THAT. AND IT'S BEEN INCORPORATED IN THE QUESTIONS THAT THE SECOND THE DISTRICT PLAN ENGAGEMENT HAS BEEN INCLUDING. SO WE RECOGNIZE THAT THEY'RE VERY THEY'RE CONNECTED AND I THINK THEY'LL BECOME MORE CONNECTED AS WE ADVANCE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU. YEAH. THANK YOU. RUBY. JUST A FEW QUESTIONS. SO MATRIX CONSULTING, THEY CAME IN, AND THEY. SO THEY DID INTERVIEWS. RIGHT? AND THEN A COUPLE ON SITE VISITS, AND IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, 50, 54% OF THE OPERATIONS DIVISION WOULD BE 270 PEOPLE IN MY CALCULATIONS. AND IS THAT THAT'S JUST FIELD WORKERS, OR DOES I KNOW THAT THE OPERATIONS DIVISION'S DIVISION HAS PROBABLY GOT 100 PEOPLE IN OPERATIONS, HAS OVER 530. OKAY. AND SO YEAH. AND RUBY, THE REASON WHY WE KEEP WANTING TO TALK ABOUT THAT NUMBER IS OUR SURVEYORS MATRIX WAS PRETTY BLOWN AWAY BY OUR RESPONSE. AND DO YOU REMEMBER RUBY, WHAT THEY SAID THE AVERAGE RESPONSE IS IT CAN BE AS LOW AS A QUARTER, LIKE 25% TO LIKE, 35% RESPONSE RATE IS WHAT THEY TYPICALLY RESPONSE RATE TO, TO WHAT? FOR A COMPARABLE STUDY IN ANOTHER AGENCY SURVEY IF THEY DO A SURVEY, I KNOW. SO IF WE DO A IF WE IF, IF WE SEND OUR POLLSTER OUT TO DO LIKELY VOTERS OR THINGS LIKE THAT, I CAN SEE WHERE PEOPLE AREN'T GOING TO GO. I'M NOT INTERESTED IN THAT. I'M NOT GOING TO RESPOND. I GET 50, 54% OF PEOPLE. WHEN YOU WALK INTO A PARK OFFICE AND SAY YOU'RE BEING PAID, YOU'VE GOT A COMPUTER, WE'RE GOING TO LET YOU SIT HERE AND TAKE A SURVEY, AND IT'S ABOUT YOUR JOB AND HOW YOUR FUTURE JOB IS GOING TO GO. [00:45:03] AND ONLY 50, 46% OF THEM SAID, WELL, I'M NOT BEING CRITICAL. I'M JUST KIND OF LAUGHING. I'M THINKING OF MY EXPERIENCE. AND YOU HAD MADE THE STATEMENT THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE FIRST FORMAL DEAL WE'VE DONE. I CAN TELL YOU OF 37 YEARS BEING IN OPERATIONS INFORMALLY. WE CRITIQUED EVERYTHING THAT WENT ON EVERY DAY. IT WAS AWFUL. BUT I'M REALLY SURPRISED NOT AT ANY OF THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE HERE, JUST THAT WORKERS WHO ALWAYS HAVE OPINIONS, IN MY OPINION, OR AT LEAST MY EXPERIENCE HERE, ONLY 54% OF THEM DECIDED TO PARTICIPATE IN A SURVEY THAT, YOU KNOW, AND THESE ARE THINGS LIKE, DO YOU NEED MORE STAFF? DO YOU DO YOU LIKE HAVING TO DRIVE TO ALL KINDS OF DISTANCES ALL OVER THE DISTRICTS? AND SOME OF THE INEFFICIENCIES THAT COULD EASILY BE POINTED OUT? AND ONLY 54% DECIDED TO. WELL, I THINK DENNIS THAT DIRECTOR, THAT IS REALLY GOOD FEEDBACK FOR US. WE DID TWO SURVEYS. ONE WAS TO EVERYBODY, AND THEN THERE WAS A SUBSEQUENT SURVEY FOR AREAS FOR THE WORK GROUPS WHERE WE HEARD WHERE IT BECAME CLEAR MORE INFORMATION WAS NEEDED. AND SO AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK AT AS PART OF THIS NEXT PHASE, IF THERE'S MORE ENGAGEMENT THAT WE CAN DO WITH INTERNAL ENGAGEMENT, I THINK WE THIS IS GREAT FEEDBACK FOR US. SO UNLIKE THE DISTRICT PLAN THAT HAS QUITE A LARGE WORKING GROUP ON THAT. WE HAVE A WE'RE A LITTLE BIT THINNER. AND SO WE MAY NEED TO LOOK AT SORT OF INTERNALLY HOW WE CAN LEVERAGE TO BOLSTER THAT ENGAGEMENT. SO THAT'S REALLY GOOD FEEDBACK. THANK YOU. YEAH. IT'S NOT BEING CRITICAL. IT'S JUST I'M KIND OF THINKING OF HOW MY EXPERIENCE AND I'M THINKING, SO WE'RE ASKING EMPLOYEES WHAT THEY THINK THE INEFFICIENCIES ARE OR THE THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT OF THEIR WORK EXPERIENCE YET. I WOULD THINK THAT SOME TYPE OF CONSULTANT, I KNOW A CONSULTANT WOULDN'T DO IT, BUT A CONSULTANT OR SOMEBODY TO SAY FOLLOW SOMEBODY, SOMEBODY WHO HAS NO IMPRESSION OF WHAT GOES ON HERE, JUST SAY, HEY, CAN I TRAIL YOU? WHAT'S YOUR JOB LOOK LIKE? IS IT REALLY TRUE THAT YOU GO TO. YOU DRIVE ALL THE WAY TO SOUTH COUNTY CORPORATION YARD, PICK UP YOUR VEHICLE AND DRIVE IT, THEN TO DEL VALLE. HOW MUCH? HOW MUCH SENSE DOES THAT MAKE? I MEAN, WE DO IT ALL THE TIME. I DID IT FOR 30 YEARS AND NEVER QUESTIONED IT OR DID QUESTION IT, BUT NEVER SAID IT'S NO BIG DEAL. I'LL DO IT. BUT SOMEBODY FROM WITH A WITH A 30,000 FOOT VIEW MIGHT SAY, WOW, THAT'S AN INCONSISTENCY. THAT AND I'M NOT SUGGESTING THERE ARE INCONSISTENCIES BECAUSE FOR YEARS THAT I KIBITZED OVER IT. I COULD NEVER FIGURE IT OUT. DOES IT MAKE MORE SENSE TO DRIVE TO DEL, OR HOW DO YOU GET YOUR VEHICLE WITH ALL YOUR TOOLS TO DELVE OUT? DO YOU DO YOU TAKE YOUR TRUCK HOME AND THEN GET EVERYTHING STOLEN OUT OF YOUR TOOLBOXES? THOSE ARE LOTS OF BIG QUESTIONS, BUT TO ASK THE GROUP THAT DOES IT EVERY DAY. I WOULD THINK A SECOND SET OF EYES MIGHT OR A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE MIGHT MIGHT HELP. AND I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT WORKS. HOW MUCH DID WE. WE APPROVED THE FIRST PHASE ONE IN OCTOBER, AND NONE OF US WERE HERE OR NONE OF THIS COMMITTEE WERE HERE. HOW MUCH? HOW MUCH WAS THAT? THE FIRST PHASE WAS APPROVED IN THE ADOPTION OF THE 2024 BUDGET. BACK IN 2023. FOR $50,000. HOW MUCH? 50 FOR THE FIRST PHASE AND ADDITIONAL 70 WAS APPROVED IN THE SAME PROJECT. ADDITIONAL IN THE PROJECT BUDGET IN THE ADOPTION OF THE 2025 BUDGET. SO THAT WOULD BE FOR THE SECOND PHASE, CORRECT? OKAY. PRICE SOUNDS RIGHT, BUT AND SOME OF THE THINGS THERE'S SOME REALLY BASIC THINGS IN MY OPINION, AND IT'S PARK OPERATING GUIDELINES. I JUST I NEVER COULD UNDERSTAND WHY WE NEVER LOOKED AT THOSE. I MEAN, IT WASN'T THAT IN 2003 THEY WERE BAD DOCUMENT. IN FACT, THEY MIGHT BE GOOD. STILL, I KNOW EVERYTHING CHANGED, BUT NOBODY WANTED TO DO ANYTHING AND NOBODY LOOKED AT THEM. AND IF YOU LOOK AT SOMEBODY AND SAY, HEY, FOR ONE THING, WE'VE GOT SO MANY DIFFERENT PARKS. THEY'RE ALL DIFFERENT. EVERY PARK OPERATES DIFFERENTLY. AND IF IN FACT, THERE WAS SOME DISASTER, WHICH WE TALK ABOUT ALL THE TIME AS A HYPOTHETICAL AND MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON THAT OR JUST REGULAR IN KIND, SOMEBODY'S GOING SOMEWHERE. WE NEED ANOTHER PARK RANGER WHO YOU'D THINK WOULD. YOU COULD BE A PARK RANGER IN DEL VALLE, AND YOU COULD BE A PARK RANGER AT TEMESCAL, BUT YOU REALLY CAN'T UNLESS YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. AND IF THERE'S A BOOK THAT SAYS, AND I EXPERIENCED IT WHEN I INADVERTENTLY LIVED IN A PARK, AND IT WAS TWO DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS AND THE PIPES BROKE IN MY CEILING AND WATER WAS CASCADING EVERYWHERE, AND EVERYBODY WAS ON VACATION AND INCLUDING MYSELF. I DIDN'T KNOW WHERE THE WATER TURNOFF WAS, SO IT JUST KEPT FLOWING AND FLOWING AND FLOWING. IF THERE WERE A PARK OPERATING GUIDE, YOU WOULD SAY PROBABLY ON THE FIRST PAGE. ELECTRICAL SHUT OFF IS HERE. [00:50:01] AND JUST SIMPLE THINGS. I DON'T THINK IT HAS TO BE REALLY ESOTERIC, BUT REALLY MAKE SOME GUIDELINES OF HOW A PARK DISTRICT OPERATES. AND YOU CAN EVEN DO SOME STAFFING STUFF WITH THAT TOO, BECAUSE IF YOU SUGGEST THAT EVERY MORNING YOU GO TO WORK, GET YOUR TRUCK, GO OUT, CHECK THE PARK TO SEE IF IT'S HAS BEEN BURNED DOWN, BROKEN DOWN, VANDALIZED OR ANYTHING. LITTER IS PICKED UP. ALL THAT OTHER STUFF. JUST OBSERVE AND RANGE LIKE RANGERS DO AND THEN COME BACK AND DO YOUR PROJECT WORK. YOU CAN REALLY DEFINE THAT KIND OF STUFF, AND I DON'T KNOW IF FOLKS DO THAT. NOWADAYS. THE POG, AS WE FONDLY REFER IT TO THE PARK OPERATING MANUAL, IS KIND OF THE MOTHER DOCUMENT, THE OVERARCHING DOCUMENT WHICH, YES, NEEDS TO BE UPDATED. PARKS AT THE INDIVIDUAL LEVEL ALSO HAVE PARK ADMINISTRATIVE MANUALS ON SITE FOR MORE SITE SPECIFIC THINGS, SUCH AS SHUT OFFS AND LOCATIONS OF SPECIFIC THINGS IN THE CASE OF THE EMERGENCY. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE EMERGENCY ACTION PLANS AS WELL THAT ARE PARK SPECIFIC, AND WE ARE MAKING IMPROVEMENTS IN THAT REGARD ON BOTH AN EXECUTIVE LEVEL AND TO BE INCORPORATED INTO THE EMERGENCY ACTION PLANS CURRENTLY. SO WE RECOGNIZE, LIKE I SAID EARLIER, THERE ARE THINGS THAT SUPERSEDE THIS STUDY THAT WE HAVE IN FLOW THAT WE ARE GOING TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD. BUT THEN WHEN THERE'S OPPORTUNITY TO USE THE LIFT AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM MATRIX, WE WILL DO SO ACCORDINGLY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. AND I KNOW ONE OF THE TOPICS WAS EMERGENCY PROTOCOLS. I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY'S TAKING INPUT, BUT IF YOU'RE GOING TO SURVEY EMERGENCY PROTOCOLS AND WHAT GOES ON IN DIFFERENT PARKS AND HOW THINGS ARE HANDLED, THE FACT THAT IN OH, GEEZ, I CAN'T REMEMBER. THERE'S PROBABLY EIGHT PARKS WITH FIRE ENGINES THERE. THE RIGHT STAFFING WE CAN TALK ABOUT, RIGHT? STAFFING ALL THE TIME. MAYBE A RIGHT STAFFING THING WOULD BE AN INDUSTRIAL FIREFIGHTER. AND, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, MAKING PEOPLE WORK HERE OR HAVING REQUIREMENTS THERE, I UNDERSTAND, POSSIBLY HIGHER PAY SCALES, BUT THE IDEA OF PROVIDING SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC, IF WE HAVE A FIRE TRUCK SITTING IN A, IN A PARK AND THERE ARE NO FIREFIGHTERS THERE, IT DOESN'T MAKE A WHOLE LOT OF SENSE. AND WE CAN I THINK WE COULD IMPROVE OUR SERVICE LEVEL BY, BY DOING THINGS LIKE THAT. AND THAT'S IT. ALTHOUGH I HAVE A BUNCH OF IDEAS. I MEAN, ARE YOU DOES A SURVEYOR LOOK AT OTHER THINGS? I ALWAYS THOUGHT ABOUT A PARK SABBATICAL AND NOT SABBATICALS, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GOING TO PAY ANYBODY NOT TO COME TO WORK AT THAT LEVEL ANYWAY. SO, I MEAN, I ALWAYS WANTED TO GO TO DIFFERENT PARKS WHEN I, WHEN I WAS A PARK RANGER. IS THERE EVER A THOUGHT OF A PROGRAM? WOULD THAT BE EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION TO SUGGEST I'M GOING TO WORK SIX MONTHS, HAVE A SIX MONTH SABBATICAL AND GO WORK AT LAKE DEL VALLE JUST TO SEE WHAT CRAZINESS IS, AND THEN MAYBE HAVE A SIX MONTH SABBATICAL TO GO TO PLEASANTON RIDGE AND SEE WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE A FARMER UP IN THE HILLS OR A COWBOY UP IN THE HILLS. I THINK ALL CONSIDERATIONS ARE CONSIDERATION FOR THE SECOND PHASE. SO THEY WILL BE EXPLORING STAFFING AND LOOKING AT COMPARABLE AGENCIES, OTHER SPECIAL DISTRICTS, OTHER PARK DISTRICTS. NOT ONLY DID WE PROVIDE THEM A LIST OF COMPARABLES, THEY WILL LOOK AT AGENCIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND THEIR OWN CATALOG OF WORK THAT THEY HAVE PERFORMED. AND AS THEY INTERVIEW EVERYONE, I THINK THEY WILL HEAR A SMATTERING OF CONSIDERATIONS AND EVALUATE THEM ALL IN ORDER TO COME UP WITH A RECOMMENDATION. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. GREAT. WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE REPORT AND I'M REALLY HAPPY YOU ARE DOING THIS. IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. AND GOOD, GOOD TO DO IT. SO IN RESPONSE TO DENNIS'S COMMENTS ABOUT THE, THE THE LOW RESPONSE RATE. SO FIRST OF ALL, I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT IT'S THAT IT'S HIGHER THAN WHAT PEOPLE USUALLY GET ON THESE. BUT I AGREE WITH DENNIS THAT THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IMPACTS PEOPLE'S FUTURE. SO IT'S SURPRISING THEY DON'T HAVE MORE BETTER RESPONSE. SO HOW I WAS THINKING ABOUT IT IS, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE OBVIOUSLY ALREADY OVERSTRETCHED AND CAN'T MEET THEIR DEADLINES AND CAN'T MEET THE, YOU KNOW, MEET ALL OF THE WORKLOAD THAT IS ON THEIR PLATE. SO IT'S PRETTY EASY TO OVERLOOK, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING LIKE A SURVEY THAT THEY MAY NOT REALIZE HAS A LOT OF IMPACT ON THEIR FUTURE. AND SO, SO MAYBE YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT JUST NEEDS TO BE MARKETED BETTER OR I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU'RE GOING TO GO BACK OUT AND YOU'RE NOT GOING TO DO THIS SAME SURVEY. BUT IF THERE'S OTHER QUESTIONS THAT YOU'RE ASKING IN ROUND TWO THAT YOU YOU CAN EITHER, WELL, PROBABLY ACTUALLY THE SUPERVISORS OR MANAGEMENT OR WHOEVER SHOULD JUST SAY, YOU KNOW, JUST REALLY LET PEOPLE KNOW, LIKE, HEY, THIS IS THIS IS IMPORTANT. AND HERE ARE [00:55:03] THE KINDS OF ISSUES THAT THAT ARE GOING TO BE THAT YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE AN INPUT INTO. AND THEN MAYBE PEOPLE WOULD PRIORITIZE IT MORE BECAUSE IT'S BECAUSE I, YOU KNOW, I HAVE NO IDEA. MAYBE THE CONSULTANTS DID ALL THAT ALREADY. BUT BUT IF BUT IF THERE'S, YOU KNOW, IF YOU JUST GET LIKE AN EMAIL ABOUT A SURVEY AND YOU DON'T REALLY KNOW, YOU DON'T REALLY HAVE THE CONTEXT, THEN I CAN TOTALLY I CAN TOTALLY SEE PEOPLE WOULD JUST BE LIKE, OH, I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THAT. OR THEY MIGHT MEAN TO GET BACK TO IT. AND THEN JUST WITH THE PRESSURES OF EVERYDAY WORK, MAY NOT GET BACK TO IT. SO, YOU KNOW, THERE MAY BE THERE MAY JUST NEED TO BE MORE MARKETING OF THE SURVEYS ITSELF TO THE EMPLOYEES AND ALSO PERHAPS MORE FOLLOW UP AND REALLY ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO, TO CIRCLE BACK AND AND DO THE SURVEY. JUST MY $0.02. 100% AGREE WITH THAT. AND I DO WANT TO ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT MORE THERE. THE SURVEY WAS JUST ONE ASPECT OF TOUCHES WITH STAFF. THERE WERE MULTIPLE. SO THERE WAS A SURVEY THAT WENT TO ALL OPERATIONS STAFF. AN ADDITIONAL SURVEY THAT WENT TO SUPERVISORS WITHIN INR AND PARK OPERATIONS. IN ADDITION TO THAT, THERE WAS A DEEP ANALYSIS IN THE DATA THAT WAS AVAILABLE. SO THAT PROVIDED US TWO THINGS AN UNDERSTANDING OF ALL THE DATA THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE, WHICH IS QUITE A LOT. AND THEN THE DATA THAT WE DID HAVE, WHICH IS WORK ORDERS, PROGRAM NUMBERS, YOU KNOW, CHILDREN THAT WE SERVED CLASSES. SO LOOKING AT KIND OF THE NUMBERS AND ANALYTICS. SO THAT WAS ONE LOOK. AND THEN AS I SAID THE THE INTERVIEWS, THE THE DEEP DIVES, NOT ONLY WERE THEY WITH MANAGEMENT, THEY WERE ALSO WITH AN ASSORTMENT OF DEPARTMENT OF SUPERVISORS AS WELL. SO SUPERVISORS ARE IN THAT UNIQUE CATEGORY WHERE THEY ARE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE BOTH UP AND DOWN. SO THEY WERE ABLE TO GIVE THAT PERSPECTIVE OF THESE ARE THE DEFICIENCIES THAT I NOTICED, AND THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT I CAN IMPROVE UPON. THESE ARE MY STAFFING CONDITIONS, THAT KIND OF THING. SO I, I DEFINITELY WANT TO BOLSTER THAT POINT. THERE WERE MULTIPLE TOUCHES WITH STAFF IN ADDITION TO THE SURVEYS. AND AS WE CONTINUE INTO THE SECOND PHASE, WE WILL ECHO THAT MESSAGE DIRECTOR ECHOLS OF HOW CRITICAL THIS IS AND KIND OF KEEP REITERATING THAT MESSAGE. AND WE HAVE A FORUM COMING UP. IT WILL BE MENTIONED THEN IT'S GOING ON IN OUR OPERATIONS COMMUNICATIONS HUB BLAST, WHICH IS INTERNAL COMMUNICATION TOOL THAT WE USE. AND I WILL PROBABLY SOUND LIKE A BROKEN RECORD, BUT THEY'RE GOING TO KEEP HEARING IT FROM ME. YEAH. WELL, YEAH. AND I THINK THE POINT IS THIS IS YEAH, IT'S CRITICAL. BUT ALSO IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THEM AS AN INDIVIDUAL BECAUSE IT MIGHT IT WILL IMPACT THEIR WORKING ENVIRONMENT GOING FORWARD. SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY SHOULD WANT TO HAVE SOME SAY IN. SO YOU KNOW THAT'S. YEAH, BUT GOOD. IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'VE GOT IT COVERED. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. I WAS ALSO CURIOUS ABOUT THE YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED THE THE FOUR PLUS DIFFERENT TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS IN, IN IN OPERATIONS AND, AND SO I WAS WONDERING, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOOD THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT HOW TO COORDINATE USE OF THAT. IS THERE. HOW DOES THAT CONNECT UP WITH THE BIGGER SORT OF STUDY THAT'S BEING DONE ON IT AND, AND MORE, MORE GLOBALLY ACROSS THE DISTRICT. IS THAT RIGHT? WELL, I'LL JUST I'LL JUMP IN BECAUSE THIS IS TO DO MORE WITH WORKING WITH IS SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE OVER 18 PROGRAMS IN OPERATIONS AND RECOGNIZING THAT WE WORKED WITH AS PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS LAST YEAR, WE ASKED FOR A POSITION IN IS THAT WOULD SUPPORT OPERATIONS. AND I THINK IN FACT, IT WOULD PROBABLY BE SPLIT BETWEEN OPERATIONS AND PUBLIC SAFETY. I THINK MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IS IN PROCESS WITH IS TO RECRUIT AND HIRE THAT POSITION. BUT IT, IT DOES I THINK ALIGN WITH THE LARGER IS STRATEGIC PLAN AND JUST SORT OF RECOGNIZING THERE'S A MORE TECHNOLOGY THAT WE NEED TO MANAGE AND NOT VERY MANY STAFF. AND SO THAT THAT WAS SORT OF OUR WAY TO HELP THEM WAS INSTEAD OF US ASKING, IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. WE DON'T DO IS BUT WE'RE USERS BUT WE'RE NOT SORT OF OPERATORS. AND SO WE SAID INSTEAD OF US ASKING FOR A STAFF, WE'D REALLY LIKE YOU GUYS TO HAVE A STAFF. SO WE ARE THAT'S SORT OF A ROUNDABOUT WAY OF WE ARE AT WHEN POSSIBLE, COORDINATING WITH THEM. WELL, GOOD THAT THAT THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT FIRST START. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. YEAH. ANYTHING ELSE? YEAH. I HAVE A FOLLOW UP. SO IN A PRIOR LIFETIME, I USED TO WORK WITH DIFFERENT SERVICE TECHNICIANS. AND WE ACTUALLY HAD TO MANAGE EVERYTHING FROM ORDERING OF UNIFORMS, ORDERING OF CELL PHONES. [01:00:07] SO FOR THE SURVEY NO SURVEY IS ANONYMOUS. DESPITE WHEN THEY SAY A SURVEY IS ANONYMOUS AND YOU'RE ABLE TO SET UP DIFFERENT TRACKERS. SO JUST AS FAR AS GETTING COMPLIANCE, IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN BE EASILY DONE BY SENDING IT OUT TO THE DIFFERENT PARK EMAILS, TRACKING WHO'S OPENED IT, TRACKING HAS IT BEEN COMPLETED, AND THEN MAKING IT, ASSUMING THAT THE DIFFERENT YARDS HAVE TAILGATE MEETINGS. HAVING THIS AS PART OF A TAILGATE MEETING AND A REQUIREMENT FOR SUPERVISORS TO FINISH. SO IT WOULD BE EASILY ABLE TO POOL THE NUMBERS IF THE SURVEY IS SET UP IN THE WAY WHERE IT'S ABLE TO TRACK BACK, AND THEN YOU COULD MANAGE TO 100% EFFICIENCY. THANK YOU. SO THAT WAS JUST A SUGGESTION THERE. BUT WHEN LOOKING OVER ALL THE DIFFERENT STAFFING ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATIONS AND I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WAS MENTIONED JUST BY DIRECTOR ECHOLS IS A LOT OF THESE IT'S JUST NOT YOUR DEPARTMENT, BUT THEIR LARGER AGENCY KIND OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF MAYBE NOT REFORMS, BUT IMPROVEMENTS AND ENHANCEMENTS. SO EVERYTHING FROM YOU KNOW, PURCHASING THE DIFFERENT COMPUTER SYSTEMS. SO IT SEEMS LIKE SOME OF THESE DIFFERENT TYPES OR FLEET SOME OF THESE JUST AREN'T WITHIN THIS DEPARTMENT, BUT IT'S ALSO KIND OF OTHER DEPARTMENTS TOO. SO IS IT NECESSARY FOR SOME OF THE OTHER OPERATIONS TO BE GOING THROUGH A SIMILAR PROCESS THAT THIS DEPARTMENT IS? BECAUSE IF OPERATIONS IS DOING THIS BASELINE STUDY AND YOU'RE IDENTIFYING THESE DIFFERENT AREAS FOR ENHANCEMENT, BUT HOW DO WE GO AND THEN LIKE CHANGE THE WAY WE DO PURCHASING OR CAPITAL OR IT WHEN WE MIGHT NOT HAVE UNDERSTANDING WHAT OUR OTHER DEPARTMENTS NEED. SO THEN WE LIKE DISTRICTWIDE SELECT, YOU KNOW, THE BEST NEW SYSTEM THAT'S GOING TO HAVE THE MOST BENEFIT FOR THE ENTIRE DISTRICT. SO YEAH THANK YOU FOR THAT. SO WE SHARED THIS PRESENTATION AS RUBY SAID WITH OUR OPS FORUM AND ALSO WITH OUR THE EXEC TEAM. SO THEY ARE AWARE OF THAT. THEY ALSO HELPED GIVE INPUT ON FRANKLY, THE NEXT PHASES, RECOGNIZING THAT WE WANTED TO FOCUS ON THINGS THAT WERE REALLY LOCAL TO THE OPERATIONS DIVISION. SO WE ARE NOT LOOKING AT PROCUREMENT, WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT OFFICE SPACE, WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS, BECAUSE WE DO RECOGNIZE THEY ARE A DISTRICT WIDE ISSUE, AND THEY REALLY NEED TO BE SORT OF TACKLED AT, AT THAT LEVEL. WE DON'T WANT TO GET AHEAD OF THAT EFFORT. SO I JUST REALLY WANT TO ASSURE YOU THAT WE SEE THAT THESE ARE MANY OF THE. ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN FLAGGED OR THAT WE'RE LEARNING ABOUT. WE WE KNOW THAT THAT WE'RE REALLY SORT OF A SYMPTOM OF A LARGER SORT OF DISTRICT SITUATION. SO WE WANT TO WE, YOU KNOW, SO THEY'LL BE ADDRESSED IN THAT WAY. SO I HOPE THAT IS AN APPROPRIATE RESPONSE. OH, NO. NO, THAT THAT'S A GREAT RESPONSE. I'M JUST WHAT I WAS JUST RECOGNIZING IS YOU'RE DOING A FIRST, WHICH IS GREAT. AND YOU'RE DOING THE DIFFERENT ANALYSIS. BUT THROUGH THIS ANALYSIS, IT'S ALSO SHOWING THAT THERE ARE DISTRICT WIDE SYSTEMS. AND THEN MY QUESTION WAS JUST HOW DO WE NOW HAVE THAT BEST DISTRICT WIDE SYSTEM WHERE NOT EVERYONE HAS DONE THAT BASELINE WORK? SO NOW WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY AT AN EVEN PLAYING FIELD, AN EVEN PLAYING FIELD ABOUT LIKE THE INFORMATION WE HAVE FOR EACH OF THE DIFFERENT DIVISIONS. BUT WHAT WE DO HAVE IS WE HAVE FROM THIS DEPARTMENT KIND OF A BLUEPRINT AND LEARNING FROM THIS WHOLE PROCESS TO SEE HOW WE MIGHT TACKLE OTHER THINGS. BUT I THINK IT'S REALLY SMART AND STUFF HOW AND YOU MENTIONED IT THE FIRST TIME ABOUT HOW YOU'RE LOOKING AT THOSE THINGS THAT EVEN THOUGH WE'RE GETTING ALL THIS GREAT ANALYSIS, WHAT CAN WE ACTUALLY CONTROL WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT AND LOOKING AT THOSE SERVICE [01:05:05] OPERATIONS AND FTE. SO I'VE DEFINITELY GOTTEN A VERY FULL PICTURE AND GREAT WORK. AND I'M, I'M EXCITED TO READ THE REPORT AND LEARN MORE. AND I DIDN'T KNOW THERE WAS ALL THESE DIFFERENT OPERATIONAL GUIDELINES. SO IS THAT SOMETHING OF BENEFIT THAT OUR TEAM SHOULD BE AS LOOKING AT? SORRY, I'VE GOT MY GLASSES BACK ON. WHERE WAS IT? THE DIFFERENT I THINK PARK OPERATING GUIDELINES. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT, OR IS THAT GOING TO BE A PROCESS THAT AFTER THIS WHERE IT STARTS TO GET REVISED? YEAH, I THINK THAT THAT WILL BE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN TALK TO SABRINA ABOUT JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE MORE SORT OF JUST PROCEDURAL, LESS POLICY. OKAY. I WILL POINT OUT THAT IS ONE OF THE EXISTING CONDITIONS OF THE PARK OPERATIONS GUIDELINE IS IT HAS A LOT OF POLICY IN IT. AND AND THOSE HAVE BEEN UPDATED. AND SO WE THEY PROBABLY SHOULDN'T BE IN A, A PROCEDURAL PLACE. THEY SHOULD BE MORE IN A POLICY PLACE. SO WE'RE TRYING TO BUT THE THE EXISTING PARK OPERATIONS GUIDELINES FOR WHEN IT I THINK HAD TO FIRST COME OUT IS WONDERFUL. IT REALLY IS A GREAT TOOL FOR EMPLOYEES TO FIND OUT THE INFORMATION. AND SO I THINK WE WE DO WANT TO LOOK AT THAT. SO I WILL DEFER BACK TO SABRINA JUST TO SORT OF ABOUT ROLES. BUT I THINK AS RUBY SAID, WE'RE REALLY LOOKING SOME OF THE SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS, I THINK WE INTUITIVELY KNEW THAT WE NEEDED TO WORK ON. AND IT'S REALLY NICE TO SORT OF HAVE THIS THIRD PARTY HIGHLIGHT AND PRIORITIZE. AND SO IT'S A IT'S A REALLY IT'S REALLY NICE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, IN NEXT YEAR'S WORK PLAN, WE ARE GOING TO START TACKLING THIS, AS POINTED OUT BY, BY THIS REPORT. SO AND THEN AS WE DO THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'LL WORK WITH SABRINA ABOUT WHAT MAKES SENSE TO BRING BACK TO THIS GROUP. GREAT. GOOD COMMENTS. I THINK THIS WILL BE VERY VALUABLE, NOT JUST FOR FOLKS I KNOW THE RESULTS ARE GOING TO BE WE NEED MORE STAFF, BUT IF WE CAN QUANTIFY IT, AND IDENTIFY IT. IDENTIFY PARKS THAT WE PLAN ON OPENING AND DO THAT. THEN WE CAN GIVE A A DOCUMENT TO THE PUBLIC AND SAY, THIS IS WHY WE NEED A PARCEL TAX. I MEAN, I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE OUR FUTURE. I COULD BE WRONG, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE GENERAL FUND IS GOING TO INCREASE. IT'S BEEN AMAZING. IT INCREASES. I DON'T KNOW WHY PEOPLE KEEP BUYING HOUSES IN ALAMEDA AND CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, BUT WE KEEP GETTING UP 5 TO 6 TO 7% MORE EVERY YEAR. AND IT'S AMAZING THAT TRADITIONALLY DOESN'T LAST ALL THE TIME. IT DROPS AND COMES BACK UP, BUT IT DOES DROP AND WE HAVE TO RECONSIDER WHAT WE'RE DOING. BUT IT'S ONLY GENERAL FUND MONEY THAT WE PAY FOR SALARIES TO SUGGEST, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT PLENTY OF MONEY. WE'VE STILL GOT, WHAT, 270 MILLION IN THE MEASURE WW FUND. WE'VE GOT LOTS OF MONEY FOR LOTS OF STUFF. BUT IF WE CONTINUE TO INCREASE OUR STAFF, WHICH WE ALL WANT TO DO, WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO FUND IT. IT'S NOT AS EASY AS AS, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T GET GRANTS FOR, FOR FOR STAFF. YOU DON'T GET AND PEOPLE DON'T DONATE STUFF TO THE PARK DISTRICT FOR STAFF. THEY USUALLY GIVE LAND TO US TO MAKE PARKS, AND THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE TO STAFF IT. SO I THINK THIS WILL BE A GREAT DOCUMENT THAT WILL PROVIDE A LITTLE EVIDENCE FOR OUR CASE IN THE FUTURE. I HOPE SO TOO. THANK YOU. WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, RUBY, AND THANK THANK YOU, LISA, AS WELL FOR THIS IS THIS IS REALLY GLAD YOU'RE DOING IT. AND GOOD REPORT. GOOD. GOOD DISCUSSION. SO ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? CHAIR ECHOLS, WE HAVE NO PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM. THANK YOU. OKAY. AND ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? OKAY, SO IN THAT CASE WE CAN ADJOURN, AND THE TIME IS 1214. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.