[Roll Call]
[00:00:05]
ALL RIGHT. COOL. ALL RIGHT, LET'S LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED, EVERYONE.
ALL RIGHT. GOOD MORNING. I CALL THIS ORDER OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT FOR FEBRUARY 18TH, 2026. WE ARE CALLING THIS MEETING TO ORDER AT 10:33 A.M.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND DO ROLL CALL. THANK YOU. DIRECTOR COFFEY.
HERE. DIRECTOR MERCURIO. HERE. CHAIR SANWONG.
[Approval of Minutes]
AND THE MINUTES CAN BE APPROVED IN ONE MOTION, LIKE A CONSENT CALENDAR.YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A FEW, AND I WISH I'D GOTTEN TO THIS.
THERE ARE A FEW MISSPELLINGS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO I CAN SUBMIT THOSE LATER, IF THAT'S OKAY. YES.PERFECT. YEAH, WE'LL JUST MAKE THOSE. THOSE ARE CONSIDERED. OTHERWISE. HEARING THAT, I WOULD MOVE, THAT WE ACCEPT THE MINUTES. ALL 3? ALL 3? YES.
YES, ABSOLUTELY. DO YOU WANT A SECOND? SECOND? I'M SORRY. OKAY, COOL. ALL RIGHT. LET'S. IT'S ALL GOOD.
ALL RIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANYONE OPPOSED? NO. NO. ABSTENTIONS. OKAY, GREAT. ALL THREE OF OUR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES HAVE BEEN APPROVED.
ALL RIGHT, SO THEN WE NOW MOVE ON TO THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM, WHICH IS PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEMS, NOT ON THE AGENDA. WE HAVE NO PUBLIC COMMENT.
OKAY. SO THEN WE MOVE ON TO THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM, AND THAT IS OUR WELL, WE HAVE NO ACTION ITEMS.
[Informational Items]
SO THEN WE MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM 5, OUR INFORMATIONAL ITEMS, AND WE'LL START WITH THE REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION PRESENTATION.WELL, I CAN GIVE A QUICK INTRO. WHILE HOLLY'S GETTING READY.
I JUST AM SUPER EXCITED TO HAVE THIS COME TO YOUR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE TODAY.
YOU KNOW, SINCE I STARTED WORKING HERE AS A DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER, I WAS REALLY GRATEFUL THAT ONE OF MY ASSIGNMENTS WAS TO GET TO WORK WITH LAUREN AND THE TEAM AT THE REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION AND GET TO WORK WITH HOLLY AND BRUCE AND THE BOARD AT THE REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION.
AND IT'S REALLY BEEN A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH THEM.
COLIN'S GOT SOME. MY. I'M NOT IN THE MEETING.
OH. SO I'M GOING TO NEED. HE'S NOT ON. NOT ON THE ZOOM OR WHATEVER.
I JUST NEED SOME TECH HELP. YEP. ASSISTANCE. ANYWAY, I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE WORK THAT THE TEAM AT THE PARKS FOUNDATION HAS BEEN WORKING ON, AND I'M EXCITED TO SHARE IT WITH YOU ALL.
THANK YOU. MAX. I'M HOLLY POTTER, I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD FOR THE REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION, AND I'M JOINED HERE WITH LAUREN BERNSTEIN, OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AND BRUCE KERN, OUR TREASURER.
AND OF COURSE, DIRECTOR COFFEY, WE'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF WORKING WITH YOU AS WELL.
SO I KNOW ALL OF YOU ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE WORK OF THE FOUNDATION.
WE'RE HOPING TO GO A LITTLE DEEPER TODAY, AND WE WELCOME YOUR QUESTIONS ALONG THE WAY.
SO EVERY YEAR WE COME BEFORE THE BOARD AS PART OF ACTUALLY A FINANCIAL PROCEDURE OF THE DISTRICT TO GO OVER OUR YEAR IN REVIEW AND OUR DONATIONS. AND SO THE BOARD WILL BE YOUR BOARD WILL BE ASKED TO ACCEPT OUR DONATIONS FROM 2025.
BUT WE'LL ALSO GO OVER THAT BECAUSE THAT'S PART OF THE PROCEDURES.
SO JUST TO GO OVER 2025 FIRST, WE'RE REALLY EXCITED THAT WE EXCEEDED OUR REVENUE GOAL BY 13%.
[00:05:05]
PARTNERSHIP MODEL. AND SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE WORKING WITH MAX AND THE GENERAL MANAGER'S OFFICE AND ALL OF YOU IN GETTING THAT DONE.AND ALLOWED US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING. WE BUILT THIS IS MORE OF THE BORING STUFF, BUT I JUST IT'S A LOT OF WORK. AND SO I LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IT.
WE BUILT FUNDRAISING DASHBOARDS AND IMPROVED OUR INSIGHT AND REPORTING.
WE FINALIZED OUR DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT JOB DESCRIPTION AND STARTED OUR RECRUITMENT PROCESS.
AND THAT'S POSTED ON OUR LINKEDIN. SO IF YOU KNOW ANYONE THAT MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN THE POSITION, WE'RE IN ACTIVE RECRUITMENT FOR THAT. AND WE LAUNCHED A STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS WITH OUR BOARD AND POTRERO GROUP.
AND THEN WE SOLIDIFIED ALL OF OUR POLICIES, PROCEDURES AND SOPS FOR THE ORGANIZATION.
AND THEN WE DEPLOYED $2.3 MILLION IN SUPPORT TO THE DISTRICT.
261,000 FROM GRANTS AND CORPORATE AND $241,000 FROM BEQUESTS AND PLAN GIVING.
WE RAISED ABOUT $2.5 MILLION. AND THIS EXCLUDES OUR THIS IS OUR FUNDRAISING REPORTING.
IT EXCLUDES THE FRIENDS OF THE BOTANIC GARDEN AND THE ECCHC.
SO OUR REVENUE IS HIGHER. BUT WE COUNT THIS AS OUR ACTIVE FUNDRAISING.
SO IT WAS 13% OVER OUR GOAL. JUST TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF VOLUME, WE HAD 17,300 GIFTS, WHICH IS ABOUT 1300 MORE THAN LAST YEAR. SO AGAIN, THAT SHOWS THAT INCREASED FUNDRAISING AND MORE GIFTS AND MORE DONORS AND OVER 13,000 DONORS.
SO IT'S A BIG VOLUME AND IT'S JUST SHOWING SO MUCH SUPPORT FOR THE PARK DISTRICT WE SEND OUT OUR MAILED APPEALS, THEY DO REALLY, REALLY WELL. SO THIS IS JUST GIVING YOU A SENSE THAT WE HAVE A STRONG BASE OF SUPPORT AND A LOT OF ANNUAL FUND DONORS AND OUR MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM. WE HAVE 12,000 MEMBERS AND 574 OF OUR MEMBERS GIVE ABOVE AND BEYOND THE ANNUAL PARKING PASS COST.
SO WE HAVE A STRONG BASE OF FOLKS THAT ARE ALREADY KIND OF VIEWING THEIR MEMBERSHIP AS A PHILANTHROPIC OPPORTUNITY TO BE PART OF THE PARK DISTRICT, TO TO FEEL THAT THEY'RE A MEMBER OF THE PARKS AND THAT THEY WANT TO GIVE BACK.
AND WE DO HAVE A GIFT OF MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM WHERE AND IT WENT UP 200% THIS YEAR.
SO YOU CAN BUY A GIFT OF MEMBERSHIP FOR SOMEONE.
AND SO WE DID A LITTLE WORK ON THAT. AND WE HAVE AN 85% RENEWAL RATE BECAUSE PEOPLE LOVE THEIR PARKS, AS YOU ALL KNOW. AND I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE COME HERE AND AND GIVE PUBLIC COMMENT.
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF OUR CORPORATE PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM.
WE'RE REALLY LOOKING TO GROW THIS, BUT WE HAVE A COUPLE OF NEW CORPORATE PARTNERS THIS YEAR.
GOOGLE SPROUTS. AVA COMMUNITY ENERGY, UNION PACIFIC TJ.MAXX.
SO IT'S BEEN INTERESTING TO SEE THE DIFFERENT CORPORATIONS THAT ARE COMING THROUGH.
WE GET A LOT OF INQUIRIES ABOUT THIS PEOPLE WALKING THESE PARKS EVERY DAY, ESPECIALLY IN RETIREMENT.
AND THEY'RE REALLY WHEN WHEN THEY ARE DOING THEIR ESTATE PLANS, THEY'RE REALLY LOOKING TO LEAVE THINGS TO THE PARK DISTRICT BECAUSE IT HAD SUCH A BIG IMPACT ON THEIR LIVES. AND WE ALSO, I LIKE TO THINK OF THIS PROGRAM AS ALSO A PUBLIC SERVICE BECAUSE WE ALSO GIVE FREE ESTATE PLANNING EDUCATION SEMINARS TO THE PUBLIC, OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FOR FREE. AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE JUST DO AS A PUBLIC SERVICE.
YEAH. CAN YOU JUST GIVE LIKE A QUICK VOICEOVER ABOUT THE ENDOWMENT FUND? I KNOW I THINK I ASKED THE SAME QUESTION LAST YEAR, BUT IT'S ALWAYS HELPFUL TO HEAR IT. YEAH.
SO IT'S BASICALLY MONEY THAT'S PUT IN EVERY YEAR THAT'S SUPPOSED TO GROW OVER THE COURSE.
SO IT'S JUST THIS, THIS OPERATING FUND OPPORTUNITY.
[00:10:02]
THE HCP WAS ORIGINALLY SORT OF PROJECTED TO RUN THROUGH.AND SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH ABBY ON YOU KNOW, EXTENSION OF THAT TIME PERIOD.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS NOT TO GO INTO TOO MUCH DETAIL RIGHT NOW, BUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE HCP WAS 1ST STARTED, THERE WERE LIKE A WHOLE BUNCH OF DEVELOPMENTS THAT GOT APPROVED RIGHT BEFOREHAND WHERE THEY DIDN'T NEED TO.
THEY WERE EXEMPT. THEY DIDN'T NEED TO PAY INTO THE HCP IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THE DEVELOPMENT.
WE WE'RE JUST NOW GETTING TO THE PLACE WHERE THOSE ARE BEING BUILT OUT.
AND SO GOING FORWARD, NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN THAT AREA WILL HAVE TO PAY INTO THE HCP.
I MEAN, THE OTHER THING THAT'S JUST AFFECTED IT IS THE HIGH INTEREST RATES HAVE MEANT THAT DEVELOPMENTS JUST BEEN A LITTLE BIT SLOWER THAN WAS EXPECTED, AMONG OTHER FACTORS. SO YEAH, JUST TO GIVE SORT OF A SENSE OF WHY THAT'S BEEN A LITTLE SLOWER THAN WE THOUGHT, THAT'S HELPFUL. AND THE OTHER JUST THE OTHER NOTE IS THAT THE REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION APPLIED FOR THE BID.
WE HAVE AN UNRESTRICTED GRANT THAT WE DO EVERY YEAR.
A SPECIAL PROJECT SUPPORT, WHICH COULD BE CAPITAL PROJECTS OR OTHER THINGS.
ANNUAL GRANT SUPPORTS ARE THE PROGRAMS THAT YOU'VE BEEN HEARING ABOUT FOR SO MANY YEARS THAT I HEAR YOU BRING UP AT, AT AT MEETINGS LIKE THE PARKS PRESCRIPTION PROGRAM AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND THEN WE GIVE SCHOLARSHIPS TO OUTDOOR EDUCATION AT CAMP ARROYO.
AND IF YOU HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO GO VISIT ONE OF THEIR PROGRAMS, IT'S REALLY FUN.
THIS IS JUST TO REMIND EVERYONE, BECAUSE I KNOW WE TALK ABOUT THESE PROGRAMS A LOT.
IT'S THE ALL ABILITIES DAYS, THE ADVENTURE CRUISE.
WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF THE AQUATIC PROGRAM HERE THAT WE SUPPORT.
SO GETTING A LOT OF KIDS WITH BASIC WATER COMPETENCY.
AND SO I THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE HELPFUL JUST TO SEE A LIST.
AND I GUESS 1 IMPORTANT POINT IS THAT WE FUNDED 62 PILOT PROGRAMS. AND SO EVERY YEAR WE REALLY TRY TO FOCUS ON NEW PROGRAMS THAT WE CAN HELP THE DISTRICT START AND TEST OUT.
I'LL JUST SAY REAL QUICK, THIS IS SUCH A GREAT LIST. THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THIS ON HERE. AND I JUST SAW THE EAST BAY STEWARDSHIP NETWORK WEBSITES ON HERE. AND I KNOW WE JUST TALKED ABOUT THAT YESTERDAY AT THE BOARD MEETING. SO THAT'S REALLY NICE TO SEE THAT SUPPORT FROM THE FOUNDATION.
AND THEN THERE'S THE OTHER ONE, YOU KNOW VICE PRESIDENT COFFEY AND I ARE ON THE NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE, AND LAST YEAR WE HAD A VERY I THINK EVERY YEAR WE THAT COMMITTEE RECEIVES THE DOMESTIC CAT PROGRAM REPORT.
SO THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE ON THIS LIST. BUT SO THIS IS NOT A COMPREHENSIVE LIST.
IT'S ONLY OF OUR ANNUAL PROGRAMS. WE ALSO FUND OUTSIDE OF IT.
SO AND THAT'S ANOTHER THING THAT PARK PARTNER IS GREAT FOR, IS TO KIND OF HELP START SOMETHING, TEST IT OUT, AND THEN THE PARK DISTRICT CAN TAKE IT ON IF IT MAKES SENSE.
SO I, I BUT THAT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ON THIS LIST.
BUT I THINK 2025 WAS THE 3RD YEAR, THE 3RD AND FINAL YEAR, I'D ADD TO, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO IS BRING LAUREN CLOSER INTO OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM SO THAT WE'RE BEING STRATEGIC.
AND SO AS WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT ARE ALL THE PIECES TO FUND THESE THINGS, LAUREN IS IN THE ROOM AND WE KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHEN THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER WITH THE FOUNDATION THAT CAN GET PLUGGED IN.
AND IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S IT'S MORE SEAMLESS THAN IF SHE WASN'T THERE.
SO IT'S BEEN REALLY HELPFUL. YEAH. AND THERE WILL IT WILL COME TO YOUR BOARD EVERY SWINGLE THING THAT WE FUNDED WHEN THAT COMES, I THINK IT'S ACTUALLY IN MAY NOW. BUT WHEN THAT DOES COME TO THE BOARD, IT'S THIS LIST AND IT'S GOING TO BE ALL THE OTHER THE EXACT LIST OF EVERY PIECE OF FUNDING TOO. SO IT'S VERY TRANSPARENT. OKAY. ONE THING I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT IS THE TRAILS CHALLENGE.
PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS HAS BEEN REALLY HELPFUL IN HAVING ALL OF THESE IDEAS.
[00:15:07]
THE GUIDEBOOKS. AND THEN INR HAS BEEN PASSING THEM OUT TO CERTAIN COMMUNITY CENTERS AND COMMUNITIES.SO THAT'S BEEN REALLY EXCITING. 2025 WAS THE 1ST YEAR OF THAT, AND THEN WE DID IT AGAIN IN 2026, AND THEN WE GOT ALL TRAILS AS A AS A SPONSOR.
AND SO THEY'VE BEEN PROVIDING PROVIDING IN-KIND PRIZES.
AND SO JUST TO AMPLIFY THE PROGRAM, START TALKING ABOUT IT ALL YEAR LONG.
MOST PARK DISTRICTS DO HAVE A SORT OF TRAILS CHALLENGE.
AND SO WE REALLY WANTED TO MAKE IT THE, THE FRONT FACING PROGRAM OF THE DISTRICT.
SO MONTHLY PRIZE DRAWINGS, THEY'RE DOING MONTHLY POP UPS IN THE PARKS.
SO WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE REACHING NEW AND BROADER AUDIENCES.
BUT I THINK A LOT MORE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, ARE PART OF THE TRAILS CHALLENGE.
REALLY IT'S 22,000 MILES AROUND. I THINK IT'S 22,000 MILES.
YEAH, I'LL TAKE THE FIRST. I'LL TAKE THE 1ST LEG.
WE ARE STILL JUST TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF WHAT WE'RE HELPING PUBLISH, WE HAVE OUR COMPASS MAGAZINE, WHICH COMES OUT AND FEATURES PARK DISTRICT PROJECTS.
WE SEND THE RIN. I KNOW THIS BOARD TALKS ABOUT THE RIN A LOT.
SO IT'S BEING DISTRIBUTED THE NORMAL WAY. PLUS IT GETS IN THE MAILBOXES OF OUR MEMBERS.
WE HAVE THE SPANISH AND ENGLISH TRAILS CHALLENGE GUIDE, AND THEN WE PUBLISH AN IMPACT REPORT.
HAVE YOU BEEN HERE THE WHOLE TIME? I DIDN'T SAY I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE HERE. SO I HAVE TO SAY, ALL THE DAVE MASON WAS A HUGE PROPONENT OF HELPING BUILD OUT THE TRAILS, CHALLENGE PROGRAMS AND SO MANY.
ALL THESE IDEAS ARE MOSTLY DAVE'S. AND SO I JUST WANT TO GIVE DAVE CREDIT FOR THAT.
I DIDN'T SEE YOU. SO WE LOVE OUR BOARD. AND NOW THAT IS THE END OF THE YEAR IN REVIEW.
AND SO THIS IS KIND OF A FORWARD LOOKING WE'VE BEEN TALKING A LOT ABOUT WHERE WE'RE GOING, AND WE'RE JUST EVERY TIME WE COME TO YOU, WE'RE JUST A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO FEELING LIKE GETTING THAT SOLIDIFIED.
BUT WE'RE WE'RE KIND OF MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION.
THAT WAS ME. PREVIOUSLY THE AGM AND THE EDITOR SHARED THE ROLE.
AND SO THE FOUNDATION IS NOW GETTING 100% DEDICATED TIME.
AND THEN IN 2024, WE IDENTIFIED NATIONAL EXPERTS TO WALK US THROUGH A PROCESS BECAUSE OUR BOARD AND YOUR BOARD WERE LOOKING FOR MORE IMPACT FROM THE FOUNDATION, WANTED TO DO MORE. ESPECIALLY WITH SO MUCH OF THE WORLD CHANGING AS IT HAS.
AND WE DID INTERVIEWS AND WORKSHOPS WITH YOUR BOARD.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL WERE THERE, BUT WE DID AT THE BRAZILIAN ROOM, IF YOU'RE REMEMBERING THAT.
AND EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM, WE HAD A GROUP OF ABOUT 50 THERE TO WORK ON THIS.
AND THEN LAST YEAR WE FOCUSED ON OUR STRATEGIC AND BUSINESS MODEL PLANNING.
HOLLY MET WITH MANY OF YOU OVER THE SUMMER AND MAX TO TALK ABOUT WHERE WE'RE GOING.
AND THEN THIS YEAR, WE'RE COMPLETING OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
WE'RE IMPLEMENTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OUR GROUP HIRING FUNDRAISING STAFF.
AND AS MAX SAID, IDENTIFYING KEY PARTNERSHIP PROJECTS WITH THE DISTRICT.
SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO BUILD ON THE LEGACY SINCE 1969.
THIS ISN'T A NEW ORGANIZATION, BUT IT'S THE NEW EVOLUTION OF WHERE WE'RE GOING AND TIMES ARE CHANGING, AND WE NEED TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEMS THAT ARE COMING UP AND BE A REAL PARTNER TO THE DISTRICT.
SO WE TALKED ABOUT THIS. THIS IS JUST GOING OVER AGAIN.
AND SO AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT WHERE THE FOUNDATION IS HEADING.
SO THIS IS COMING FROM LIKE A DEEP BASE IN WHAT'S ALREADY HAPPENING.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF RESEARCH DONE ON THAT. WE I WANTED TO POINT OUT A COUPLE.
MAX WAS IS REALLY FAMILIAR WITH ONE TAM. AND THAT'S BEEN REALLY HELPFUL FOR US AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
[00:20:06]
I ALWAYS LIKE TO SAY THAT WE'RE REALLY LOOKING TO BE THE GOLDEN GATE NATIONAL PARKS CONSERVANCY OF THE EAST BAY, THAT THE EAST BAY DESERVES THAT TYPE OF ORGANIZATION.AND JOSE IS ON THE BOARD OF OR WAS ON THE BOARD OF PARKS CALIFORNIA.
WE'RE PLANNING TO BE A SOPHISTICATED NON PROFIT PARTNER THAT IS FINANCIALLY SELF-SUFFICIENT, CAPABLE OF MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGNS AND A POWERFUL CONVENER AND CONSTITUENCY BUILDER FOR EAST BAY REGIONAL PARKS.
SO YOU CAN SEE THESE ARE REALLY BIG VISION STATEMENTS.
SOME EXAMPLES THAT I JUST WANTED TO GIVE THAT.
SO YOU COULD KIND OF SEE EXACTLY HOW THIS IS GOING TO LOOK MOVING FORWARD.
SO THIS IS THESE I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU 3 EXAMPLES OF BIGGER OF WAYS THAT WE CAN HAVE BIGGER IMPACT.
SO ONE IS THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT GRANT PILOT PROGRAM THAT YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD.
AND SO THE REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION IS ABLE TO MATCH THE DISTRICT IN THAT.
AND WE RECEIVED, I THINK, 115 APPLICATIONS FOR $150,000.
AND SO IN PROVIDING THAT MATCH, WE'RE ABLE TO DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE'RE GIVING TO. AND THEN WE ALSO WERE ABLE TO SECURE FUNDING FOR THE PROGRAM FROM A PRIVATE FUNDER. AND SO IT'S JUST A REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE OF HOW WE CAN LEVERAGE PUBLIC FUNDING FOR PRIVATE PHILANTHROPY AND VICE VERSA.
AND SO WE'RE REALLY AND THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING OF THIS PROGRAM.
SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED. ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS THE COMMITMENT TO PROVIDE ALMOST $3 MILLION IN CAPITAL FUNDING TO THE TIDEWATER PROJECT. WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE CAPSTONE FUNDING TO GET THAT PROJECT KIND OF OVER THE HUMP AND BUILT.
AND SO THAT'S A REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE OF A WAY THAT THE FOUNDATION CAN BE USED.
BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE ARE REALLY LOOKING TO WORK ON COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND MAKE SURE WE'RE FULFILLING THE PROMISE OF TIDEWATER, OF SERVING THE COMMUNITIES IN THE LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND SO WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME GRANTS OR WE'RE NOT EXACTLY SURE HOW THE PROGRAM WILL LOOK, BUT WE'RE WANTING TO JUST NOT PROVIDE CAPITAL FUNDING BUT PROVIDES SOME SORT OF FUNDING OR PROGRAMMATIC SUPPORT SO THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT THE FOLKS WHO WE HAD COME TO OUR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT MEETINGS CAN ACTUALLY USE THE PARK THAT WE BUILT AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO GET THERE. AND THEN ANOTHER EXAMPLE, AS PRESIDENT SANWONG MENTIONED, IS THE EAST BAY STEWARDSHIP NETWORK, PROVIDING LANDSCAPE LEVEL STEWARDSHIP, SUPPORT, COORDINATION TO THE DISTRICT, BUT ALSO ON A BROADER LANDSCAPE, REGIONAL LEVEL TOO.
SO WE'VE BEEN REALLY THOUGHTFUL AND DELIBERATE ABOUT THE GROWTH, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR BOARD'S QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN AND WHAT'S HAPPENING. AND SO WE'RE FOCUSED ON OUR OPERATIONAL INDEPENDENCE FOR THE 1ST COUPLE YEARS, AND THEN FOCUSING ON FINANCIAL STABILITY AND GROWING OUR FUNDRAISING, AND THEN ON OUR AMPLIFYING OUR IMPACT AND MISSION DELIVERY.
SO WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON LIKE MID-LEVEL PROJECTS FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS.
I LIKE TO BRING THIS UP BECAUSE IT'S BEEN REALLY INTERESTING.
IT'S A TRUE LIKE PEER LEVEL PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DISTRICT.
AND THAT'S THE WAY THAT PARK PARTNERS AND ALL THE RESEARCH WE DID ARE REALLY ABLE TO BE EFFECTIVE.
AND IT IS LOOKING DIFFERENT OPERATIONALLY THAN IT HAS IN THE PAST IN A GOOD WAY.
AND SO I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS. AND I REALLY LIKE THIS EXAMPLE TOO, FROM PARKS CALIFORNIA, WHERE THEY TALK ABOUT THE CULTURE OF PARTNERSHIP, EMBRACING THOSE SUCCESS FACTORS.
WE'RE GOING TO EXPERIMENT AND TEST THE BOUNDARIES AND CAPABILITIES OF THE PARTNERSHIP.
WE'RE GOING TO SERVE AS AN EXTENSION OF THE AGENCY, AND THEN WE WILL THE FOCUS PART IS REALLY PICKING SOME INSTEAD OF SPREADING OURSELVES REALLY THINLY. WE'RE GOING TO PICK A COUPLE OF REALLY KEY PROJECTS TO SUPPORT SO WE CAN SHOW SUCCESS TO OUR DONORS.
SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO HOLLY OR TO BRUCE TO GIVE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS.
[00:25:06]
WELL, GOOD MORNING, AND IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO BE BEFORE THE BOARD.I WANT TO JUST TO PUT A COUPLE OF THINGS IN YOU KNOW, IN A, IN A CONTEXT, IN TERMS OF A TIME, BECAUSE 2026 IS, IS REALLY A TRANSITIONAL YEAR FOR US AS AS LAUREN REFERENCED.
I THINK THAT WHAT'S IT'S REALLY THE THE PERIOD OF TIME WE'RE GOING TO BUILD OUR FUNDRAISING CAPACITY, ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY ON A BROADER SCALE. AND SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE AS WE, AS WE MOVE INTO THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS, THE NEXT 3 MONTHS, IT'S PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE WILL BE FINALIZING OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, FINALIZING OUR BUSINESS MODEL OR OUR, OUR BUSINESS PLAN.
WE'VE DEVELOPED A 5 YEAR PROJECTION THROUGH 2030.
AND WE'VE ALSO DEVELOPED THE METRICS THAT WE WILL BE MEASURING OURSELVES AS WE MONITOR OURSELVES AS WE MEET OVER THOSE YEARS, THOSE PARTICULAR TARGETS. AND SO THAT WE HOPE THE BOARD WILL BE REVIEWING THAT ACTUALLY, THIS MONTH, THESE DOCUMENTS WE HOPE TO BRING IT BACK TO THE DISTRICT IN EARLY MARCH, SO WE'D LIKE YOUR INPUT, BUT OUR PLAN IS TO FINALIZE THE BUSINESS MODEL, THE STRATEGIC PLAN, THE 5 YEAR PROJECTIONS ALL BY APRIL.
AND THEN THEN WE'RE KIND OF ON OUR WAY. AND I THINK THAT'S THAT'S REALLY A CRITICAL PERIOD OF TIME TO KIND OF KEEP THAT TIMEFRAME IN MIND AS WE MOVE FORWARD. AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE PARTNERSHIP.
I THINK IT'S REALLY BEEN AN EXCITING PROCESS.
THANK YOU. OKAY. YES. AND I GUESS I'D WRAP US UP BY KIND OF REAFFIRMING THAT WHEN WE STARTED IN 2022, 2023 TO EVALUATE WHERE THE REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION COULD GO, IT REALLY HAS BEEN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DISTRICT COMPLETELY.
AND SO REALLY THINKING ABOUT, AS LAUREN DESCRIBED, HOW WE COULD ELEVATE THE IMPACT THAT WE'RE DELIVERING AS A PARK PARTNER AND HOW WE CAN STRENGTHEN, HOW WE REACH OUT TO THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE ALL SERVE.
WONDERFUL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THIS IS A GREAT PRESENTATION AND GOOD OVERVIEW.
AND ALSO THANK YOU FOR LAYING OUT THE GOALS OF WHAT WE WANT TO FINALIZE BY APRIL.
I THINK THAT'S HELPFUL TO HEAR. SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS OPEN UP TO THE COMMITTEE FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS IN REGARDS TO THE PRESENTATION AND THE FOUNDATION AND OUR NEAR-TERM PLANS. YEAH. GO AHEAD. YEAH. SO AGAIN EVERY EVERY TIME WE HEAR THIS, EVERY TIME I HEAR THE STORY OF, OF ANYTHING TO DO WITH WHAT THE PARK WITH THE PARKS FOUNDATION IS DOING, IT ALWAYS GIVES ME GREAT HOPE AND ANTICIPATION, LIKE, WHAT'S THE NEXT THING GOING TO BE? AND THEN THAT'S WHAT YOU GUYS ARE THINKING TOO, IS LIKE, YOU KNOW, THAT YOU HAVE POTENTIAL. AND YOU'RE I DON'T KNOW, ARE YOU MAYBE SECOND GEAR RIGHT NOW OUT OF A FIVE SPEED, I DON'T KNOW, SOMEWHERE LIKE THAT, YOU'RE YOU'RE YOU'RE GOING FOR IT. AND THAT'S REALLY GREAT.
SO. I KNOW FUNDRAISING IS GOING TO BE A BIG THING.
YOU'RE GOING TO HIRE SOMEBODY. LOOKS LIKE TO KIND OF LIKE, GET IT INTO 3RD GEAR.
TO ME, IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S POSSIBLY SOME POTENTIAL THERE THAT YOU HAVEN'T REALLY TAPPED YET? DO YOU HAVE AN IDEA ABOUT THAT, ABOUT HOW THE CORPORATE WORLD IS GOING TO BE PARTICIPATING MAYBE MORE? YEAH, WE AGREE COMPLETELY. AND I THINK LAUREN CAN SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE IN SPECIFICS.
ALL RIGHT. YEAH, I THINK THAT'S AN AREA. AND, YOU KNOW, THE ORGANIZATION HAS GONE THROUGH MANY ITERATIONS, AND I ACTUALLY THINK IT'S AN AREA THAT THE FOUNDATION HAS BEEN STRONGER IN THE PAST.
AND SO WE REALLY WANT TO BUILD THAT BACK UP, ENGAGE CORPORATE PARTNERS.
[00:30:04]
THIS, BUT JUST BRAINSTORMING ABOUT THINGS THAT I WOULD WANT TO DO ARE LIKE HAVING A CORPORATE MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM BEING KIND OF THE LEAD ON CORPORATE VOLUNTEERS COMING THROUGH US. AND WE'VE TESTED THIS WITH THE VOLUNTEER DEPARTMENT, BUT WE HAVEN'T MADE LIKE A FORMAL PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT.AND THEN HAVING A WAY FOR, AGAIN, JUST A COMPLETE THIS IS JUST ME BRAINSTORMING.
SOMETHING LIKE THAT I THINK WOULD BE REALLY USEFUL.
AND WHAT CORPORATIONS REALLY WANT IS WAYS FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES TO ENGAGE.
AND WE HAVE THE BEST POSSIBLE WAY FOR EMPLOYEES TO ENGAGE AND COME VOLUNTEER IN OUR PARKS.
AND THEN THERE'S ALSO THE THREE VOLUNTEER DAYS, WHICH I THINK COULD ALSO HAVE SPONSORSHIPS, AS WELL AS SOME FREE PARK DAYS. YEAH. YOU KNOW, I WAS JUST JUST TRYING TO REMEMBER WHAT WAS ON THAT WITH THE LOGOS WERE ON THERE.
BUT I SAW UNION PACIFIC AND I SAW WESTERN STATES PETROLEUM.
YEAH. BUT THEN AND THEN THERE WAS LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS TO CORPORATIONS, BUT THERE'S SO MANY LARGE COMPANIES THAT ARE HEADQUARTERED IN THE EAST BAY OR VERY CLOSE TO THE EAST BAY, CLOSE ENOUGH SO THAT THEIR, THEIR USERS, YOU KNOW, THEIR EMPLOYEES AND THEIR CORPORATE LEADERSHIP KNOW ABOUT US.
SO I WOULD ASSUME THAT THAT'S A THAT'S A BIG CALL TO I MEAN, WOULDN'T IT BE GREAT TO HAVE ANOTHER DOZEN, YOU KNOW, INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN COMPANIES BE PART OF OUR OUR FAMILY HERE? ABSOLUTELY. YEAH. YEAH. I WOULD ALSO ADD FOR EXACTLY THAT REASON A GREAT ASSET IS OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS. YEAH. AND SO KIND OF THINKING ABOUT KIND OF WHERE WE ARE IN OUR DAY TO DAY WORK AND HOW WE CAN ACTIVATE NOT ONLY OUR OWN ORGANIZATIONS, BUT PEER ORGANIZATIONS TO ENGAGE.
AND ONE OF OUR MEMBERS, YOU SAW THE GOOGLE LOGO UP THERE.
HE IS AN EMPLOYEE WITH GOOGLE AND IS THINKING CREATIVELY ABOUT HOW TO ENGAGE NOT ONLY KIND OF THE SPONSORSHIP AT THE CORPORATE LEVEL, BUT EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT AS WELL. I THINK YOU IF YOU WERE, IF YOU WERE TO TALK TO ALL THE BOARD, THIS BOARD, ALL THE MEMBERS ON THIS BOARD ABOUT HOW WHAT OUR EXPERIENCE IS ON HOW PEOPLE FEEL ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE.
IT'S IT'S REALLY POSITIVE. YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE THEY THEY START GOING INTO ALL THESE LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS A CHILD, I DID THIS AND MY PARENTS DID BROUGHT ME TO TILT, YOU KNOW, AND ALL THESE DIFFERENT PARKS THAT THEY GO TO.
SO THERE'S, THERE'S ALL THIS, YOU KNOW, GENERAL GOODWILL OUT THERE THAT YOU HAVEN'T EVEN TAPPED YET.
SO THAT GETS ME VERY ENCOURAGED. IT'S EXCITING.
YEAH. IT IS. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. GREAT. THANK YOU.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO? SURE. I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT WE COULD DO CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP OFFERINGS LIKE MOBILE VISITOR CENTER TO THE WORK WORKPLACE. NATURAL LED PROGRAMING IN PARKS FOR EMPLOYEES.
ANYWAY, THAT'S A GREAT IDEA OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
THE ONLY QUESTION I HAVE IS HOW IS THE TRANSITIONING GOING FOR EMPLOYEES, EMPLOYEES THAT ARE GOING TO END UP BACK AT THE DISTRICT AND EMPLOYEES THAT ARE BEING RECRUITED? IS THAT I'M FOCUSED ON THE TIMING OF THAT.
AT ONE POINT. THAT WAS A CONCERN. YEAH. I'M GOING TO LET I THINK WE'RE TRYING TO IN THIS NEW MODEL WHERE WE'RE DISTRICT EMPLOYEES, FOUNDATION EMPLOYEES, WILL BE FOUNDATION EMPLOYEES. I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO PASS THAT TO MAX TO ANSWER ABOUT THE DISTRICT EMPLOYEES WHO ARE STAYING.
DISTRICT EMPLOYEES. I'D SAY ON THE YOU KNOW, LAUREN'S GOING TO BE PERSON NUMBER 1 IN SOME WAYS.
WE DID HAVE 1 EMPLOYEE FROM THE FOUNDATION TRANSFER TO BE A RANGER EARLIER.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I ACTUALLY THINK IT'S KIND OF EXCITING. 1 OF THE THINGS WE DID WAS WE SAT DOWN ACTUALLY, WHILE LAUREN WAS ON MATERNITY LEAVE WITH EACH OF THE EMPLOYEES, ALONG WITH THE UNION REPRESENTATIVE, AND KIND OF LIKE THE FIRST CONVERSATION WAS, YOU KNOW, HEY, WE WANT TO TELL YOU EARLY ON ABOUT THIS POTENTIAL TRANSITION.
WE WANT TO KNOW, LIKE, WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF ROLES YOU'RE INTERESTED IN? AND THEN WE TOOK THAT INFORMATION AND SORT OF THE BUSINESS NEEDS OF THE DISTRICT GOING THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS, AND CAME UP WITH SOME PLACES AND THEN SAT DOWN WITH THOSE EMPLOYEES AGAIN TO SAY, HEY, HERE'S SOME PLACES WE WE FOUND OUT THAT THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES THAT KIND OF MATCH WITH YOUR INTERESTS. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS REALLY COOL ABOUT THAT IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAD SOME REALLY PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS,
[00:35:02]
AND I THINK WE FOUND PLACES THAT, LIKE, ALL THOSE EMPLOYEES ARE INTERESTED IN GOING AND WHICH IS GREAT.AND SO, YOU KNOW, IN SOME WAYS THEY'RE LIKE, OKAY, NOW WE'RE EXCITED AND READY TO GO.
LIKE NOW, ALTHOUGH THEY ALL CARE SO DEEPLY ABOUT THE FOUNDATION AND THEIR WORK AND LOVE THEIR WORK, AND SO THEY ALSO DON'T WANT TO LEAVE THE FOUNDATION HIGH AND DRY.
SO LAUREN'S BEEN REALLY GREAT ABOUT CREATING A LONG ENOUGH PROCESS THAT WE CAN TRANSITION IN A WAY THAT KEEPS THE FOUNDATION'S REVENUE STREAM AND THE MEMBERSHIP SUPPORT AND ALL THOSE THINGS FUNCTIONAL, WHERE SHE'S SLOWLY ADDING STAFF MEMBERS, AND THEN WE'RE SLOWLY MOVING STAFF MEMBERS TO THE DISTRICT.
SO LAUREN WILL BE THE FIRST PERSON MOVING THIS YEAR.
I THINK THERE'S 2 OTHER STAFF MEMBERS WHO WILL MOVE, I THINK, OVER TO MAINTENANCE AND SKILLED TRADES LATER THIS YEAR AND THEN NEXT YEAR, I THINK THERE'S LIKE 2 OR 3, I GUESS TWO OTHERS.
AND THEN THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE FOLLOWING YEAR, THERE'S ONE LAST PERSON.
SO IT'S GOING TO BE KIND OF LIKE A PHASED TRANSITION BECAUSE WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S LIKE WE HIRE A PERSON FOR THE FOUNDATION, TAKE ON SOME ROLES, MOVE THE FOLKS FROM THE OVER TO THE DISTRICT.
THEN WE DO A LITTLE MORE, DO A LITTLE MORE, AND HOPEFULLY THAT ALLOWS IT TO BE SUSTAINABLE.
YEAH. GREAT. I'M CURIOUS ABOUT I GUESS, OUTREACH SPECIFICALLY WITH STAKEHOLDERS. SO MAYBE, YOU KNOW, PREVIOUS EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS OF THE FOUNDATION AND YOU KNOW, LONG TIME DONORS AND WHAT THEIR FEEDBACK IS AND HOW THEY'VE BEEN INCORPORATED OR MAYBE NOT INCORPORATED IN THE PROCESS.
I KNOW THAT DURING OUR EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT BUDGETING PROCESS AT THE END OF 2025, WE DID RECEIVE 2 LETTERS IN REGARDS TO THE FOUNDATION TRANSITION PLAN FROM THE PREVIOUS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE FOUNDATION, CAROL JOHNSON, AND THEN ALSO THE CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER FOR THE FOUNDATION, JULIANNA SHURMUR.
AND I'M JUST CURIOUS HOW THEY AND MAYBE SOME OF THE OTHER LONGTIME STAKEHOLDERS HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS, OR MAYBE IF THERE MAY BE SOME ADDITIONAL OUTREACH BETWEEN NOW AND APRIL WITH THOSE FOLKS.
I HAD AFTER THAT MEETING, I HAD REACHED OUT AGAIN TO TRY TO BECAUSE BECAUSE I GUESS WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT THE RISKS THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME TEAM AND WE ALL HAVE THE SAME CONCERN, WHICH IS LIKE THE FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY AND SUCCESS OF THE FOUNDATION, WHICH I THINK THE ACTING GENERAL MANAGER SHARES AND YOU SHARE AND OUR BOARD SHARES.
SO I ACTUALLY THINK A LOT OF THOSE CONCERNS ARE REALLY VALID.
AND THAT'S WHAT KEEPS ME UP AT NIGHT. RIGHT. LIKE THAT'S WHAT I'M THINKING ABOUT. SO I REALLY SHARE THAT AND I WOULD REALLY WELCOME INPUT AND HELP IN AND SUPPORT IN BEING ABLE TO BRING THOSE FOLKS INTO THE PROCESS BECAUSE AGAIN, LIKE, WE CAN ALL JUST SIT DOWN AROUND A TABLE AND SAY WE ALL SHARE THESE RISKS.
BUT THERE WAS ALSO THIS, THESE OTHER ISSUES WHEN THE STRUCTURE CHANGED BECAUSE AGAIN, FUNDAMENTALLY, WHEN YOU HIRE A FULL TIME EDITOR FOR THE FOUNDATION, THAT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, AN AGM OF THE DISTRICT.
IT JUST IT JUST CHANGED THE STRUCTURE JUST FROM THE HIRING WITHOUT ANYONE HAVING DONE ANYTHING.
AND SO, YEAH, I REALLY WOULD WELCOME THAT. I CAN DO ADDITIONAL OUTREACH IN CASE THEY DIDN'T RECEIVE IT, MY EMAILS. BUT YEAH, I REALLY WOULD WELCOME THAT BECAUSE THE, THE WORK THAT WAS DONE WITH THE FOUNDATION BEFORE I GOT HERE.
AGAIN, WE'RE BUILDING ON A LEGACY THAT I'M SO LUCKY TO STAND HERE AND BE A PART OF.
AND WE ALL ARE. THIS IS THIS FOUNDATION IS GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE OF ALL THE WORK THAT WAS PUT INTO IT IN THE PREVIOUS LEADERSHIP OF THE FOUNDATION DID AN INCREDIBLE JOB GETTING IT TO WHERE IT IS TODAY. AND WE'RE LOOKING TO GROW TO THIS NEXT LEVEL.
I'LL JUST ADD, NOT TO PUT TOO FINE A POINT ON IT, BUT LIKE WE'VE BEEN, WE REALLY WANT THIS PROCESS TO BE OPEN AND INCLUSIVE OF ALL THE FOLKS THAT CARE ABOUT THE FOUNDATION. AND LAUREN HAS REACHED OUT TO A BUNCH OF INDIVIDUALS AND OF COURSE MET WITH MANY.
BUT THERE ARE A COUPLE WHO WERE NOT RESPONSIVE.
AND SO I'M GOING TO TRY TO CONNECT THOSE FOLKS IN WITH THE TEAM, BUT ALSO IF I'M NOT RESPONSIVE, IF YOUR BOARD WAS HELPFUL IN CONNECTING THOSE INDIVIDUALS BECAUSE I, LIKE LAUREN, SAID, WE REALLY WANT THIS TO BE INCLUSIVE AND HAVE A LOT OF, I THINK, SHARED GOALS. YEAH, I'M WILLING TO, TO HELP WITH THAT PROCESS BECAUSE I CAN IMAGINE A SCENARIO WHERE IF
[00:40:04]
WE DON'T TRY TO FACILITATE A CONVERSATION, WHEN WE DO GET TO THE POINT OF THE MOU BEING REVIEWED, THEN MAYBE THAT COULD BE, YOU KNOW, THERE MIGHT BE SOME DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES THAT WE HADN'T HEARD FROM.SO MANY OF US HAVE BEEN ON THE BOARD FOR A LONG TIME LOOKING AT BRUCE.
AND I THINK WE KIND OF BRING PERSPECTIVE IN TERMS OF WHERE THE FOUNDATION WAS AND THE THE BOARD REALLY HAD A DELIBERATE CONVERSATION FOR WHAT'S WORKING, WHAT'S NOT, WHERE REALLY ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES IN THE FUTURE, WHICH IS WHAT REALLY DROVE THE CHANGE THAT WE'RE LOOKING TOWARD.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT AS A BOARD IS ACTUALLY BRINGING THE ALUMNI OF OUR BOARD BACK TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS WAS OUR PROCESS, AND THIS IS WHERE WE'RE GOING, AND WE WELCOME YOUR ENGAGEMENT AND WHERE WE'RE GOING AS WELL.
I THINK THAT'S GREAT. AND I GUESS THE FINAL QUESTION I HAVE, AS WE THINK ABOUT THE SO, SO WITH WITH THE 4 ITEMS THAT BRUCE OUTLINED, THE STRATEGIC PLAN, THE BUSINESS PLAN, THE FIVE YEAR PROJECTION TO 2030 AND DEVELOPING METRICS TO MEASURE AND MONITOR.
IS THE MOU A 5TH ITEM OR IS THAT. YEAH. I THINK AFTER OUR LAST DO YOU WANT TO DO YOU WANT TO GIVE YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON THAT? I WOULD SAY MY PERSPECTIVE IS AFTER OUR LAST FOUNDATION BOARD MEETING, IN OUR CONVERSATION, I WOULD ACTUALLY PUT THAT BACK ON THE LIST. OKAY.
YEP. THAT WOULD BE GOOD. OKAY. SO THAT WOULD BE THAT'LL BE.
AND THEN THE HIRING IS ON THAT LIST TOO OF OUR DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT IS PUBLIC MEETING RIGHT.
DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT. YES. POSTED. WHEN I THINK OF THE MOU, THE 1 MAJOR QUESTION I HAVE, AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S THE PRIMARY REASON THE FOUNDATION WAS FORMED.
AND ALSO, I SUPPOSE, YOU KNOW, SHADOW CLIFFS IS THE PARK THAT I DO IN MY LIFE HAVE SPENT THE MOST TIME AT, WHETHER AS A CHILD OR NOW AS AN ADULT. AND, YOU KNOW, THE REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION WAS FORMED SO THAT EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT COULD ACCEPT THE DONATION FROM HENRY J. KAISER OF WHAT WE NOW CALL SHADOW CLIFFS TODAY.
KAISER WANTING TO DONATE LAND THAT BECOMES SHADOW CLIFFS REGIONAL PARK.
AND SO THAT WOULD BE MY BIG QUESTION. AND WE DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER THAT TODAY. BUT I THINK WHEN WE GET TO THE MOU CONVERSATION, YEAH, I CAN I CAN SHARE THE MOU DOESN'T CONSTRAIN WHAT THE FOUNDATION'S OPPORTUNITIES ARE ACCEPTING LAND AND TRANSFERRING LAND TO THE DISTRICT.
SO I DON'T THINK IT DOESN'T ADD ANY LIMITATIONS.
YEAH. THE OTHER THING THAT I WOULD SAY IN TERMS OF HOW WE'VE BEEN SCOPING THE MOU IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR BOARD AND IN CONSULTATION WITH MAX, IS NOT ONLY NOT LIMITING, BUT ALSO CREATING PARAMETERS FOR WHEN THE SHADOW CLIFFS OPPORTUNITY ARISES. ACTUALLY PUTTING A PROCESS IN PLACE THAT SAYS, WE'RE GOING TO SIT DOWN AND TALK ABOUT THE PARAMETERS OF HOW THIS IS ACTUALLY GOING TO HAPPEN. SO WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT KIND OF CODIFYING A PROJECT PLAN PROCESS WHERE IT'S NOT JUST ASSUMED WE KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WHEN SOMEONE OFFERS US SHADOW CLIFFS, BUT THERE'S ACTUALLY A DESIGNATED PROCESS FOR US TO SIT DOWN AND SAY, WHEN WE DO THIS, THIS IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS THE FOUNDATION, AND THIS IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY AS THE DISTRICT AND ACTUALLY CODIFYING THAT AS A CONTRACT BETWEEN US. I THINK THAT'S GREAT, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT AND SEEING THAT AND HAVING THAT CONVERSATION.
BUT I'M GLAD WE'RE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, KIND OF GET A PREVIEW OF THAT DISCUSSION TODAY.
SO THANKS AGAIN. WE GOT AN EMAIL ABOUT IT THIS MORNING.
NOT THAT NOT SHOUT OUT, BUT YOU KNOW, THINGS WE GET WE GET INQUIRIES ALL THE TIME.
I WILL SAY I HOPE YOU NOTICED DURING THIS CONVERSATION, EVEN JUST THE CLARITY OF ROLES LIKE, OKAY, I'M GOING TO DEFER TO THE GENERAL MANAGER WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DISTRICT STAFF, OR I'M GOING TO DEFER TO MY BOARD WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE MOU, BECAUSE THE MOU IS BETWEEN MY BOARD AND YOUR BOARD.
AND SO, YEAH, JUST THIS, THIS CLARITY OF ROLES, AND THEN THE IDEA THAT THE REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION BOARD IS KIND OF STEPPING IN TO THE GOVERNANCE OF THE ORGANIZATION MORE. AND SO I'LL BE AN EMPLOYEE REPORTING TO MY BOARD OF DIRECTORS AT THE REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION.
[00:45:08]
AND SO JUST LIKE REALLY CLARIFYING THAT GOVERNANCE IN THIS NEW MODEL, NOT THAT IT DIDN'T WORK BEFORE.IT WAS AMAZING BEFORE. AND THIS NEW MODEL WHERE WE CAN GROW AND BE MORE LIKE OUR PEERS JUST REQUIRES A NEW CLARITY OF ROLES AND REGIONAL PARKS, FOUNDATION BOARD GOVERNANCE. OKAY, GREAT.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS SEE IF WE HAVE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT.
WE HAVE NO PUBLIC COMMENT. ALL RIGHT, THEN WE'LL OPEN AND CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT. BRING IT BACK. THIS IS AN INFORMATIONAL ITEM SO WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO VOTE ON IN TERMS OF TAKING ACTION. BUT WE DO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY JUST TO MAKE ANY FINAL COMMENTS.
NO. OKAY. WELL I THINK THIS IS REALLY A GREAT DISCUSSION AND CONVERSATION.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND PREPARING FOR ALL OF THIS.
AND I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONTINUED CONVERSATION.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY. SO NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO INFORMATION ITEM 5.B.
A DISCUSSION TO AMEND THE BOARD OPERATING GUIDELINES.
GOOD MORNING. I JUST WANTED TO INTRODUCE MYSELF KELLY CLANCY, CLERK OF THE BOARD.
IT IS UNDER COMMITTEE STRUCTURE. WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP.
SO PRESIDENT SANWONG HAS ASKED THAT THERE BE 2 ALTERNATE MEMBERS TO BE ADDED TO ANY COMMITTEE.
THERE CURRENTLY IS 1 ALTERNATE AND OCCASIONALLY A REGULAR COMMITTEE MEMBER IS OUT AND AN ALTERNATE IS OUT AND YOU CAN HAVE A MEETING STILL, BECAUSE THE QUORUM IS TWO, BUT THERE HAS BEEN MENTION OF HAVING A 2ND ALTERNATE.
SO I WANTED TO JUST BRING THIS UP SO YOU GUYS COULD START THAT DISCUSSION.
THE 1 THING I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT IS THAT I DID TALK TO GENERAL COUNCIL BOURGAULT.
AND THE LAST SENTENCE SAYS THE BOARD PRESIDENT MAY APPOINT AN ALTERNATE MEMBER TO ANY COMMITTEE TO ATTEND COMMITTEE MEETINGS ONLY IN THE ABSENCE OF ONE REGULAR COMMITTEE MEMBER. SO THE LAST PART OF THAT SENTENCE, WE WOULD LIKE TO KEEP THE ABSENCE OF 1 REGULAR COMMITTEE MEMBER.
SO IF 2 COMMITTEE MEMBERS ARE ABSENT, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE BOTH ALTERNATES ATTEND.
WE WOULD STILL JUST HAVE ONE ALTERNATE TO REPLACE 1 COMMITTEE MEMBER AND THAT IS IT.
SO I LEAVE IT UP TO THE BOARD FOR DISCUSSION.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT INTRODUCTION. YES. YEAH.
THIS IS OUR OPPORTUNITY. I KNOW THAT SOMETIMES WE'VE HAD DIFFERENT SCHEDULING SITUATIONS, AND I ALWAYS FELT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE OPTIONS IN TERMS OF WHO CAN ATTEND COMMITTEE MEETINGS SPECIFICALLY AND AND HAVING TWO ALTERNATES COULD POTENTIALLY HELP US WITH THAT SITUATION. AND AND I THINK IN THIS SCENARIO WHERE SO WE HAVE 3 COMMITTEE MEMBERS ASSIGNED, LET'S SAY 2 OF THE 3 ARE UNABLE TO ATTEND A MEETING AND THEN THE 1ST ALTERNATES UNABLE TO ATTEND A MEETING, THEN THE SECOND ALTERNATE, IF AVAILABLE, CAN ATTEND THE MEETING.
AND THEN WE WOULD STILL HAVE THE MEETING WITH TWO PEOPLE BECAUSE THAT'S STILL A QUORUM.
THAT IS CORRECT. THAT WOULD CREATE A QUORUM. SO THEN WE COULD HAVE THE MEETING. OKAY.
YES. SO THEN INSTEAD OF HAVING TO CANCEL A MEETING AT THE LAST MINUTE DUE TO ILLNESS OR SOMETHING, YOU WOULD STILL BE ABLE TO HAVE THE MEETING AND THEN CHAIR COMMITTEE, BUSINESS BOARD BUSINESS COULD STILL TAKE PLACE.
OKAY. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT THIS FROM COMMITTEE MEMBERS? GO AHEAD. I JUST WANT TO JUST MENTION THAT THIS ISN'T SOME CONCEPTUAL THING THAT WE'RE KIND OF THINKING ABOUT THAT MIGHT HAPPEN.
IT HAS HAPPENED. AND SO WE DON'T WANT IT TO HAPPEN AGAIN.
BECAUSE NUMBER 1, ACTUALLY, MAYBE THERE'S WELL, THERE'S SEVERAL REASONS WHY WE WOULD DO THIS.
AND NUMBER 2 IS IF, IF WE TRY TO RESCHEDULE IT, IT'S A NIGHTMARE NOT ONLY FOR US, BUT MORE SO FOR STAFF. SO WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
SO THE IMPACTS HAVE BEEN IN THE PAST NOTICEABLE AND, AND SIGNIFICANT.
AND I KNOW WHAT, WHAT SEEMS TO HAPPEN MOST OFTEN IS WE'RE OFF ON OFFICIAL BUSINESS.
WE'RE DOING A CONFERENCE SOMEWHERE, AND WE CAN'T HAVE WE LAST YEAR THAT HAPPENED A COUPLE OF TIMES, I THINK. SO THERE'S A REAL REASON FOR DOING THIS, AND I APPRECIATE PRESIDENT SANWONG SUGGESTION THAT WE ADDRESS IT BY HAVING
[00:50:02]
A SECOND ALTERNATE. AND I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA.THANK YOU. DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? I, I AGREE. OKAY. FOR THE REASONS STATED. I GUESS MY QUESTION IS SO SO IT SOUNDS LIKE WE HAVE SOME PRETTY GOOD SUPPORT HERE AMONGST THE COMMITTEE.
WHAT WOULD BE THE NEXT STEPS? SO THE NEXT STEPS WOULD BE THAT WE TAKE IT TO A BOARD MEETING.
I GUESS WE ACTUALLY ALSO HAVE TO OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT. DO WE HAVE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC? WE DO NOT. OKAY. SO WE'LL OPEN AND CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT. AND IF THERE AREN'T ANY MAJOR POINTS OR OPPOSITION, I THINK THEN THAT GIVES.
JUST 1 MORE COMMENT AND THAT IS THAT THIS THIS DOESN'T I, I DON'T EXPECT THIS ENDS OUR WORK ON THE BOARD OPERATING GUIDELINES FOR THE YEAR. NO, IT DOES NOT.
HOWEVER, GRAND PICTURE IS GOING THROUGH THE BOARD OPERATING GUIDELINES.
AGAIN. AGAIN. GOOD. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WONDERFUL.
SO THEN THAT ENDS THIS ITEM. THANK YOU AGAIN, KELLY.
SO NOW WE MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 6. ANNOUNCEMENTS.
DO WE HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS TO MAKE AT THIS TIME FOR THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE? OKAY. WE DO NOT HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS. SO THEN WE ARE NOW ADJOURNED AT 11:24.
THANK YOU EVERYONE. THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.