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[Roll Call]
WELCOME EVERYONE.THIS IS A REGULAR PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING OF THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT ON FEBRUARY TWENTY THIRD TWENTY TWENTY SIX BEGINNING AT FOUR P.M.
MADAM CLERK IF YOU COULD PLEASE TAKE ROLL.
MEMBER MARSH? I SEE MEMBER MARSH IS ONLINE AND SHE'S JOINING RIGHT NOW.
AND MEMBER WILLIAMS? NOT HERE.
I WILL NOW READ A NOTE ON THE BROWN ACT AND MEETING PROCEDURES.
TODAY'S MEETING IS HELD PURSUANT TO THE BROWN ACT.
THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT, OR PARK DISTRICT, INTENDS TO HOLD MEETINGS THROUGH A HYBRID PLATFORM OF IN-PERSON AND REMOTE ATTENDANCE TO ALLOW MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO PARTICIPATE VIA REMOTE ATTENDANCE THROUGH THE PARK DISTRICT'S VIRTUAL PLATFORM OF ZOOM.
THE PARK ADVISORY MEMBERS AND DESIGNATED STAFF WILL, WITH LIMITED EXCEPTIONS, PARTICIPATE IN PERSON AT THE PARK DISTRICT HEADQUARTERS AT 2950 PERALTA OAKS COURT IN OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.
OCCASIONALLY, MEMBERS OF THE PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE MAY ATTEND REMOTELY PURSUANT TO THE BROWN ACT AS AMENDED BY AB 2449.
PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54953, SUBDIVISION B, PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBER KARLYN OBRINGER WILL PARTICIPATE FROM 1950 PARKSIDE DRIVE IN CONCORD, CALIFORNIA, AND PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBER DENISHA MARSH WILL PARTICIPATE FROM 352 SHORELINE DRIVE IN PITTSBURGH, CALIFORNIA.
THIS NOTICE AND AGENDA WILL BE POSTED AT THE TELECONFERENCE LOCATIONS, ACCESSIBILITY TO AND PUBLIC COMMENT FROM THESE ADDRESSES WILL BE PROVIDED AS REQUIRED BY GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54953B3.
WE ARE PROVIDING LIVE AUDIO AND VIDEO STREAMING.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT CAN DO SO EITHER IN PERSON OR LIVE VIA ZOOM OR BY SUBMITTING AN EMAIL TO PARKADVISORYCOMMITTEE AT UBPARKS.ORG OR LEAVING A VOICEMAIL AT 510-544-2036.
THIS INFORMATION IS NOTED ON THE AGENDA AND IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MEETING PROCEDURES WE WILL BEGIN.
THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR GETTING RID OF THE ELEVATOR MUSIC TOO, APPRECIATE THAT.
VICE-CHAIR MENDOZA, IF YOU COULD PLEASE READ THE LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
AS WE GATHER HERE TODAY ON BEHALF OF THE PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT ALL OF THE LANDS WITHIN THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT ARE THE ANCESTRAL LANDS OF THE EAST BAY OHLONE, BAY MIWOK, AND NORTHERN VALLEY YOKUT WHO ARE POLITICALLY ORGANIZED AND REPRESENTED BY A NUMBER OF TRIBES TODAY.
WE MAKE THIS RECOGNITION AS A WAY TO RESPECT AND HONOR THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES WHO FIRST CULTIVATED AND INHABITED THIS LAND.
THE PARK DISTRICT IS COMMITTED TO IDENTIFYING WAYS TO WORK AND CONSULT WITH EAST BAY TRIBES AS WE RECOGNIZE THAT THESE TRIBAL CITIZENS REMAIN CONNECTED TO THEIR LAND AND CULTURE.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE VILLAGE OF HUCHUN ON CHOCHENYO OHLONE LAND.
THANK YOU, VICE-CHAIR MENDOZA.
ARE THERE ANY MEMBERS PARTICIPATING VIRTUALLY DUE TO AN EMERGENCY THAT WISH TO REQUEST THE BODY'S APPROVAL TO PARTICIPATE REMOTELY? NOPE.
FOR MEMBERS WHO PREVIOUSLY NOTED THEIR REMOTE PARTICIPATION PRIOR TO THIS MEETING, WE WILL NOW CONFIRM IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER INDIVIDUALS PRESENT AT YOUR MEETING LOCATION.
MEMBER MARSH IS APPEARING REMOTELY.
PAC MEMBER MARSH, ARE THERE ANY OTHER INDIVIDUALS 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER THAT ARE, OR TO YOUR KNOWLEDGE, PLAN TO BE PRESENT IN THE ROOM AT YOUR LOCATION? NO, THERE ISN'T.
[Approval of Minutes]
ON TO APPROVAL OF THE JANUARY 26TH, 2026 MINUTES.DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE?
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SO MOVED.MEMBER DUTCHENS, SECONDED BY CLAXTON.
MADAM CLERK, IF YOU COULD PLEASE TAKE A ROLL CALL.
IF YOU COULD PLEASE EXPLAIN HOW TO SUBMIT PUBLIC COMMENTS.
PUBLIC COMMENTS MAY BE SUBMITTED ONE OF THREE WAYS.
ONE, VIA EMAIL TO PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE AT EBPARKS.ORG.
TWO, VIA VOICEMAIL AT 510-544-2036 AND LEAVING A MESSAGE WHICH WILL BE TRANSCRIBED AND GIVEN TO THE COMMITTEE AND MADE A PART OF THE PUBLIC RECORD OR THREE BY JOINING THE MEETING VIA THE ZOOM LINK WHICH IS LISTED ON THE AGENDA POSTED ON THE DISTRICT'S WEBSITE. THE SUBMISSION OF PUBLIC COMMENTS WAS NOTICED ON THE AGENDA AND IN THE PARK ADVISORY PACKET POSTED ON THE DISTRICT'S WEBSITE. ALL EMAILS RECEIVED PRIOR TO THE DEADLINE ON FRIDAY OF LAST WEEK ARE DISTRIBUTED TO THE PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS. ANY EMAILS THAT HAVE COME IN AFTER THIS DATE WILL BE ORGANIZED AND GIVEN TO THE COMMITTEE AFTER THIS MEETING. THANK YOU.
IF YOU'RE HERE TO PROVIDE A COMMENT REGARDING AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA WE WILL CALL ON INDIVIDUALS DURING PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THAT SPECIFIC ITEM. HAS THE CLERK RECEIVED ANY EMAILS OR SPEAKERS CARDS FROM THE PUBLIC FOR ANY ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA? NO WE HAVE NOT.
THANK YOU. AGAIN WE WILL PROVIDE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ABOUT ITEMS ON THE AGENDA AT THE END OF EACH ITEM. SO WE HAVE A PRETTY FULL MEETING TONIGHT.
WE'VE GOT ONE ACTION ITEM, WE HAVE TWO INFORMATIONAL ITEM PRESENTATIONS, AND THEN WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE JOINED BY A FORMER PAC MEMBER AND CURRENT DIRECTOR DECHAMBEAU. I ALSO WANT TO REMIND PEOPLE WE DID A SLIGHT CHANGE IN OUR FORMAT LAST TIME AND ACTUALLY MIS-EXPLAINED THAT MYSELF. SO I'M GOING TO RE-EXPLAIN THAT AGAIN.
PRESENTATION AND THEN THEY'RE CLARIFYING QUESTIONS ONLY. SO PLEASE AFTER THE PRESENTATION CLARIFYING QUESTIONS ONLY, PUBLIC COMMENT, THEN PAC DISCUSSION, COMMENTS, AND FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS. OKAY SO I MISSPOKE LAST TIME AND SAID QUESTIONS ONLY IN THE FIRST PART. THAT'S NOT CORRECT BUT JUST PLEASE REMEMBER CLARIFYING QUESTIONS FIRST AND THEN HOLD YOUR COMMENTS UNTIL AFTER THAT AND THEN DISCUSSION AND VOTE.
OKAY I ALSO WANT TO, BEFORE WE START ON OUR FIRST ITEM, I WANT TO WELCOME AND INTRODUCE A NEW MEMBER JOINING US TONIGHT.
STEVEN DEPASCHALE. WELCOME AND IF YOU COULD JUST TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF PLEASE. THANK YOU. SO YEAH MY NAME IS STEVEN DEPASCHALE AND I, JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF MY BACKGROUND, I GRADUATED FROM UC DAVIS WITH AN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE DEGREE A FEW YEARS AGO. GO AGGIES. AND IN MY TIME THERE I WORE A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT HATS. I WORKED AT THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE AS A PARK RANGER SEASONALLY. I DID RESEARCH AT ONE OF OUR FORESTRY LABS. AFTER GRADUATING I WORKED BRIEFLY AT ALAMEDA COUNTY WATER DISTRICT AND NOW I'M CURRENTLY WORKING AT SAVE MOUNT DIABLO.
WE ARE A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION BASED OUT OF THE EAST BAY THAT DOES LAND PRESERVATION AND CONSERVATION THROUGHOUT MOUNT DIABLO STATE PARK AND ITS SURROUNDING LANDS. AND THEN ALSO THE 200-MILE DIABLO RANGE THAT EXTENDS SOUTHWARD. SO I'M OUR LAND-USE ADVOCATE AND ESSENTIALLY MY JOB IS TO LOOK AT THREATS AND OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE DIABLO RANGE AND FIND WAYS TO RESPOND TO THEM.
SO VERY EXCITED TO BE A PART OF THE PARKS ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING ME HERE. WELL WELCOME ONCE AGAIN IT'S GREAT TO HAVE YOU HERE AND ALSO MEMBER DEPASCHALE WAS APPOINTED BY DIRECTOR DECHAMBEAU. ALL
[Action Items]
RIGHT SO ON TO OUR FIRST WHICH IS AN ACTION ITEM AND THAT IS A RECOMMENDATION TO ADOPT TELECONFERENCING AND WE HAVE A PRESENTATION ON THAT. NO WE DON'T HAVE A PRESENTATION.OKAY SO WHAT THIS IS IT'S AND IF I MISS EXPLAIN THIS I KNOW YOU'RE GONNA YOU'RE GONNA HOLD ME TO IT. SO WE DO NOW HAVE THE AUTHORITY UNDER THE BROWN ACT OR SENATE BILL 707 FOR THE PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO MEET REMOTELY.
SO IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE AN EMERGENCY PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS CAN MEET REMOTELY IF WE AGREE TO DO THAT. SO THE BOARD HAS
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ALREADY GIVEN US THE THE AUTHORITY TO DO THAT SO IT'S UP TO US IF WE WANT TO DO THAT.ONE THING TO BE AWARE OF ACTUALLY TWO THINGS SO THE LEGAL AUTHORITY WILL BE TO START IN MARCH SO STARTING NEXT MONTH AND THEN I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT WE STILL DO WANT TO HAVE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN TO HAVE WORKSHOPS IN PERSON.
THAT'S FOR A COUPLE REASONS LOGISTICALLY IT'S JUST HARD TO HAVE BREAKOUTS WHEN THEY'RE REMOTE AND THEN ALSO THERE WAS A CONCERN BROUGHT UP BY STAFF AROUND THE BROWN ACT BECAUSE THE PUBLIC CAN'T OBSERVE SOMEBODY WHEN THEY'RE REMOTELY WHEN THEY'RE INTERACTING. SO AGAIN THIS WILL BE AN UP-AND-DOWN VOTE IF WE DO APPROVE REMOTE ATTENDANCE SO IT WOULDN'T BE AN EMERGENCY JUST HEY YOU DON'T WANT TO DRIVE IN OR WHATEVER COMING UP YOU CAN YOU CAN ATTEND REMOTELY IF WE APPROVE THAT WE STILL WOULD LIKE PEOPLE TO APPEAR IN PERSON IF THEY COULD. WE STILL NEED A QUORUM OKAY SO NOTHING CHANGES OF THAT WE NEED A QUORUM BETWEEN WHO IS HERE AND WHO IS REMOTE AND THEN THERE ALSO HAS TO BE A PHYSICAL LOCATION FOR THE MEETING AS WELL. SO ANY CLARIFYING QUESTIONS ON THAT? YES MEMBER PEOPLES.
YEAH I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THE STAFF REPORT SAYS THEY'RE ASKING FOR AN APPROVAL TO THIS BUT MY UNDERSTANDING FROM THE LAW YOU KNOW OF THE SECTION IN THERE IS THAT THERE ARE THREE FINDINGS THAT HAVE TO BE MADE AND IN EFFECT ARE WE MAKING THOSE FINDINGS TODAY INDIVIDUALLY? WE HAVE YOU HAVE SIX MONTHS TO RE-EXAMINE AND PRODUCE THE FINDINGS SO WE'RE NOT DOING FINDINGS AT THIS MEETING.
ANYTHING ELSE? OKAY MEMBER DIETER. THANKS I WAS JUST CURIOUS IT SOUNDS LIKE AGENCIES NO LONGER HAVE TO ALLOW REMOTE TELECONFERENCING IT'S UP TO EACH AGENCY IS THAT WHAT'S HAPPENING? THE PART OF THE LEGISLATION THAT WE'RE USING FOR THE PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE DEALS WITH ADVISORY OR EXTERNAL COMMITTEES APPOINTED BY THE BOARD SO THAT'S ANY AGENCY THAT MIGHT HAVE AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE THAT THEY THAT THE ELECTED BOARD APPOINTS SO IT'S UP TO EACH INDIVIDUAL AGENCY WHETHER OR NOT TO ALLOW TO ENABLE THEIR VOLUNTEER COMMITTEES TO MEET REMOTELY. OKAY SO THE ACTUAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS DO THEY HAVE TO ALLOW TELECONFERENCING BY STATE LAW? THEY HAVE TO VOTE TO ALLOW THEIR ACCESSORY BODY OR ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO RIGHT TO DO IT REMOTELY AND THEY DID PASS A RESOLUTION IN JANUARY. RIGHT I UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE THEY'RE ALLOWING US TO DECIDE IF THIS BODY WANTS TO ALLOW TELECONFERENCING BUT MY QUESTION IS WHAT ABOUT FOR THEMSELVES? ARE THEY REQUIRED TO HAVE TELECONFERENCING AT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS LEVEL? THEY'RE NOT REQUIRED NO.
SO EVERY AGENCY IN CALIFORNIA NO LONGER IS REQUIRED TO HAVE THAT LIKE THEY WERE THROUGH COVID? NO MAYBE I MISUNDERSTOOD THE QUESTION.
MAX DO YOU WANT TO? MAYBE WE'RE DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN FOR THE PUBLIC AND FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE BODY BECAUSE I THINK FOR THE PUBLIC WE HAVE PUBLIC TELECONFERENCING AVAILABLE FOR ALL OF THE REGULAR BOARD MEETINGS BUT FOR THIS IS REGARD RIGHT FOR THE PAC THIS IS REGARDING MEMBERS OF THE ACTUAL BODY OR IS THIS ERIC IS THIS FOR? I MISSED THE QUESTION. THIS IS REGARDING FOR THE TELECONFERENCING FOR MEMBERS OF THE PAC CORRECT? CORRECT.
SO THERE'S JUST THIS IS JUST DIFFERENT THAN FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC FOR LIKE ALL THE REGULAR SCHEDULED BOARD MEETINGS THERE HAS TO BE TELECONFERENCING AVAILABLE FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND THEN YOU KNOW WE WOULD DO THE SAME BUT THE THIS IS FOR YOUR ACTUAL PAC MEMBERS.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YES. OKAY. THAT DISTINCTION SO I ASSUME THAT EVEN THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS HAS TO APPROVE TELECONFERENCING AMONGST THEMSELVES. FOR THE MEMBERS.
YEP YES BUT I THINK THEIR ROLES MAYBE ARE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT I COULD BE WRONG. OKAY.
JUST MY RECOLLECTION IT WHEN THAT CAME UP AT THE BOARD MEETING I DON'T REMEMBER WHO REPLIED FROM STAFF BUT MY RECOLLECTION WAS THEY SAID THAT THE BOARD WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO MEET REMOTELY. CORRECT I THINK THAT IS RIGHT YEAH I THINK KELLY OUR BOARD CLERK.
MEMBER SIMMONS. IS IT POSSIBLE UNDER THIS AUTHORITY FOR THE ENTIRE MEETING TO BE VIRTUAL? SO THERE HAS TO BE A PHYSICAL LOCATION WHERE PEOPLE CAN MEET AS WELL SO AS I UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION NO.
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OKAY. BUT IT HAS TO BE A DISTRICT EMPLOYEE AT THAT SITE. RIGHT. BUT THE THE ENTIRE BOARD COULD BE REMOTE. THE ENTIRE COMMITTEE COULD BE REMOTE. YEAH THE ENTIRE PAC COULD BE REMOTE BUT THERE HAS TO BE A PHYSICAL SPOT WHERE PEOPLE COULD MEET IF THEY CHOOSE TO AN EMPLOYEE PRESIDENT.YES. MEMBER CHANG. I MEAN BUT TO BE TO BE CLEAR LIKE UNLESS IT'S A MEDICAL EMERGENCY IF YOU'RE CHOOSING NOT TO BE HERE IN PERSON THE PLACE THAT YOU'RE MEETING ACTUALLY HAS TO BE OPEN ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC. SO IT'S NOT JUST LIKE OH I'M GONNA MEET AT IN MY OFFICE I MEAN OBVIOUSLY THERE'S MEDICAL EMERGENCIES I BELIEVE THERE ARE PROVISIONS BUT LIKE IF YOU'RE JUST LIKE OH I CAN'T SHOW UP I'M STUCK AT WORK LIKE YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO HAVE A SPACE IN WHICH YOU CAN ALLOW THE PUBLIC WHICH THE ADDRESS NEEDS TO BE POSTED AND THE PUBLIC CAN COME TO WATCH YOU AT THAT LOCATION. CORRECT IT WOULD HAVE TO BE JUST LIKE WHEN PEOPLE ARE ARE ATTENDING FOR EMERGENCIES THEN YES. OKAY WE HAVE A THERE'S A REMOTE IS THAT MEMBER MARSH? YEAH.
SO THAT WAS THE QUESTION THAT I HAD MAKING SURE THAT IT HAD TO BE NOTICED IN ADVANCE OF BEING REMOTE BECAUSE I'M ON A DIFFERENT BOARD AND YOU CAN BE REMOTE OR WHATEVER AND IT'S HARD GETTING QUORUM BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW WHO'S COMING AND WHO'S NOT COMING AND WHATNOT BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE TO SAY THAT THEY'RE WORKING FROM WHAT ADDRESS OR WHATEVER SO THAT WAS MY ONLY CONCERN TO MAKE SURE THAT IT HAS TO BE POSTED IN ADVANCE THAT THEY'RE WORKING FROM A REMOTE LOCATION.
YES THANK YOU AND AGAIN IF WE HAD ISSUES THEN I MEAN WE CAN ALSO RESCIND THIS IF WE'RE FINDING LOGISTICAL PROBLEMS WITH IT CORRECT? MAX. MEMBER DIETER. JUST FOR CLARIFICATION THERE ARE CHANGES TO THE TELECONFERENCING RULES I BELIEVE WITHIN THE NEW BROWN ACT. THE BROWN ACT WAS CHANGED A LITTLE BIT AS OF JANUARY AND IT SOUNDS LIKE TODAY WE'RE NOT GOING TO HEAR ABOUT WHAT CHANGES WERE MADE BUT WE'RE JUST DISCUSSING TELECONFERENCING.
BEFORE WE APPROVE HAVING THIS COMMITTEE DO IT ARE WE GOING TO HEAR ABOUT WHAT CHANGES ARE TAKING PLACE WITHIN THAT RULE BECAUSE I THOUGHT I HAD READ SOMEWHERE THAT YOU CAN ONLY DO TELECONFERENCING TWICE A YEAR.
I DON'T I'M NOT PREPARED TO LIKE PRESENT ON ALL THE CHANGES TO BROWN ACT RELATED TO TELECONFERENCING. I CAN TELL YOU FOR SURE THAT FOR THE COMMUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TELECONFERENCING AVAILABLE YOU KNOW FOR ALL OF OUR BOARD MEETINGS AND FOR THE MEMBERS YOU CAN DO MORE THAN TWO MEETINGS A YEAR I BELIEVE I THINK THIS ALLOWS YOU TO RIGHT? YEAH IT DOES I MEAN HONESTLY GUYS I AM SURPRISED BY THE QUESTIONS I DON'T WANT TO CUT IT OFF BECAUSE ALL IT MY INTERPRETATION IT'S PRETTY SIMPLE IT'S IT'S SIMPLY TO APPROVE THE ABILITY FOR REMOTE PARTICIPATION THAT'S IT SO IF WE FIND ISSUES WITH THIS IF WE'RE GETTING BOGGED DOWN WE CAN WORK WITH THE CLERK AND STAFF ON DEVELOPING GUIDELINES TO ANSWER ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS IF WE'RE HAVING ISSUES GETTING QUORUM IF WE'RE HAVING ISSUES WITH PEOPLE NOT POSTING THEIR LOCATION ALL GREAT QUESTIONS THAT CAME UP CHALLENGES OF PEOPLE DOING WHATEVER NOT GETTING QUORUM WE CAN ADDRESS THAT ALL THIS IS TODAY IS TO APPROVE YES OR NO THAT WE'RE AUTHORIZING REMOTE ATTENDANCE FOR PEOPLE BUT IF PEOPLE HAVE QUESTIONS PLEASE KEEP ASKING I'LL JUST ADD I THINK PART OF THIS IS WE KNOW Y'ALL SOME OF YOU DRIVE FROM A LONG DISTANCE TO BE HERE AND WE WANT TO MAKE IT AS EASY AS POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO PARTICIPATE SO THAT'S THAT WAS ONE OF OUR GOALS FOR THIS I'LL EVEN ADD AND THANK YOU FOR THAT I HAVE HEARD NOT DIRECTLY FROM PEOPLE BUT I'VE HEARD FROM BOARD MEMBERS THAT SOMETIMES IT IS DIFFICULT GETTING PEOPLE TO AGREE TO SERVE ON PAC BECAUSE OF THE TIME WE MEET AND BECAUSE OF THE DISTANCE AND THEN YOU KNOW YOU'LL SEE THERE IN SOME WAYS IT'S NOT A DIVERSE GROUP IN TERMS OF AGE PROBABLY THAT MAY BE ONE OF THE REASONS RIGHT SO THIS IS A WAY TO TRY TO GET MORE PARTICIPATION I THINK AND AND NOT HAVE PEOPLE SAY I CAN'T SERVE ON THAT BODY BECAUSE OF MY JOB RIGHT BUT AGAIN I DON'T WANT TO I THOUGHT IT'D BE QUICK BUT IF THERE'S QUESTIONS PLEASE KEEP COMING REMEMBER PEOPLE'S NOPE OKAY I DO IF WE DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS IF NOT PUBLIC COMMENT HOLD ON I JUST GOT A STICK SO CLARIFYING QUESTIONS OVER ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS MADAM CLERK NO NOT AT THIS TIME I DO APPRECIATE YOU TRYING TO EXPEDITE I JUST GOT TO MAKE SURE WE CHECK EVERYTHING OFF HERE ESPECIALLY SINCE I WAS NEGLIGENT LAST TIME
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SO PAC DO WE HAVE ANY PAC MEMBER DISCUSSIONS COMMENTS OR FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS ON ANYTHING BEFORE WE ENTERTAIN A MOTION NUMBER PEOPLES YEAH WHAT'S BEING AUTHORIZED HERE BY THESE CHANGES IN THE LAW AND I READ QUICKLY YOU KNOW THE LAW BUT IT SEEMS LIKE WHAT WE ALREADY DO CURRENTLY WE HAVE BROADCAST THIS ON ZOOM AND PEOPLE CAN MAKE COMMENTS AND SO FORTH SO THAT'S NOT NEW WHAT IS REALLY NEW HERE IS THE ABILITY FOR COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO ATTEND REMOTELY CORRECT AND THEY COULD I MEAN I'M SORRY TO CUT YOU YEAH THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT'S I THINK THAT'S ONLY THING IS CHANGING SO YOU DON'T NEED IT YOU DON'T NEED A A REASON A HARDSHIP OR WHATEVER YOU COULD ATTEND REMOTELY A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE TIME IF YOU WANTED TO AND EVEN THE ENTIRE PACK IN THEORY COULD ATTEND REMOTELY A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE TIME AS LONG AS WE HAVE QUORUM AND SOMEONE'S HERE THAT THAT'S ALL IT IS BUT YES OKAY ANYTHING ELSE I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION THEN I STILL HAVE A COMMENT OKAY NUMBER DIETER I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT IN I THINK IT WOULD BE ADVANTAGEOUS FOR THIS COMMISSION TO HEAR ABOUT THE CHANGES THAT WE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THAT AFFECT US IN THE BROWN ACT I WOULD APPRECIATE A PRESENTATION ON THAT SO THAT WE'RE ALL AWARE AND THAT EVERYBODY OF COURSE GET A COPY OF THE BROWN ACT AGREED MEMBER SIMMONS HI YES THANK YOU CHAIR I WOULD BE MORE COMFORTABLE AT FIRST OF ALL I LIKE THE CONCEPT I LIKE THE IDEA BUT I'D BE MORE COMFORTABLE WITH IT IF THERE WERE GUIDELINES THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT SO WE KNEW HOW IT WAS GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTED RATHER THAN JUST APPROVING THE CONCEPT AND NOT KNOWING HOW IT'S GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTED I'M ACTUALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT OKAY SO I THINK TWO OPTIONS WOULD BE THE SIMPLEST WAY WOULD JUST BE TO VOTE NO ON THIS MOTION OR ALTERNATIVELY YOU COULD SAY I'M APPROVING IT CONDITIONALLY BUT THEN IT GETS A LITTLE WONKY BUT OR SUGGESTIONS YOU HAVE OR IF IT WAS CLEAR THAT STAFF WAS GOING TO COME BACK TO US AT THE NEXT MEETING WITH THE GUIDELINES AND WE HAD THE AUTHORITY TO APPROVE OR DISAPPROVE OR MODIFY THE GUIDELINES SO YOU IF I HEAR YOU CORRECTLY DO YOU WANT TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE MOVE IT TO THE NEXT MEETING WITH THOSE CONDITIONS BECAUSE I THINK I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR YOU BUT THAT WOULD BE ANOTHER OPTION TO SAY WELL I'M PROPOSING WE MOVE IT TO THE NEXT MEETING FOR APPROVAL AND I'M ASKING FOR XYZ THAT WOULD BE ANOTHER NOT AGAIN NOT TO PUT WORDS IN YOUR MOUTH BUT THAT WOULD BE A WAY TO DO IT TOO AND I JUST WANT TO REITERATE I LIKE THE CONCEPT I THINK IT'S A FLEXIBILITY THAT NEEDS TO BE PROVIDED UNDER THE LAW JUST YEP ANY OTHER MOTION I WOULD SECOND IT OKAY SO HOLD HOLD ON ONE SEC SO ANY OTHER COMMENTS QUESTIONS AGAIN DON'T HAVE TO BE CLARIFYING MEMBER LOPEZ THANK YOU I APOLOGIZE FOR BEING LATE CAN YOU RESTATE THE MOTION SO I KNOW WHAT I'M VOTING ON THANK YOU YES SO THE MOTION IS TO AUTHORIZE REMOTE ATTENDANCE FOR PAC MEMBERS BECAUSE OF THE SENATE BILL THAT RECENTLY PASSED AND SO UNDER THIS YOU WOULDN'T NEED THERE'S NO REASON THAT HAS TO BE PROVIDED A MEMBER COULD ATTEND REMOTELY A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE TIME IF THEY WANTED TO AND THEN THERE SIMPLY HAS TO BE A PHYSICAL LOCATION FOR A MEETING TO TAKE PLACE AND CLERK HAS TO BE HERE STAFF HAS TO BE HERE BUT THE ENTIRE PACK COULD ATTEND REMOTELY IF THEY WANTED TO IT DOESN'T CHANGE QUORUM REQUIREMENTS AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON THANK YOU THAT'S NOT THE MOTION ON THAT THERE'S NO BUT THERE'S NOT NOT TO CUT YOU OFF MEMORY THERE'S NO MOTION YET OKAY OKAY SO THERE IS A MOVER OF THE MOTION STATE THE MOTION YEAH THERE IS NO AND THERE IS NO MOTION OKAY WHAT I'M SORRY WHAT I WAS EXPLAINING WAS WHAT WE WOULD IN THEORY BE VOTED AROUND YEAH OKAY SO I WILL NOW ENTERTAIN MOTIONS FROM FOLKS I MOVE THAT WE RELUCTANTLY I SHOULDN'T SAY THAT I MOVE THAT WE POSTPONE THE ITEM TO THE NEXT MEETING WITH A REQUEST THAT STAFF PROVIDE GUIDELINES ON HOW THIS WILL BE IMPLEMENTED SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A FULL UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT'S EXPLANATION THAT'S THE MOTION I'LL STOP THANK YOU DO I HAVE A SECOND ON THAT I SECOND THAT SECONDED BY DIETER OKAY ARE THERE ANY ACTUALLY WE WOULD VOTE ON THAT CAN I ASK WHAT ARE THE WHAT ARE THE GUIDELINES THAT ARE LIKE WHAT ARE WHAT KIND OF GUIDELINES ARE YOU LOOKING FOR OR I GUESS WE CAN TALK OFFLINE IF THAT I'M READING IF I MAY YEAH SURE THE STAFF REPORT SAYS THE IMPLEMENTATION REQUIRES STAFF TO DEVELOP PROCEDURES REGARDING VARIOUS THINGS AND AT SOME STAGE I THINK AT THE NEXT MEETING I'D LIKE I ALSO LIKE A DISCUSSION[00:25:01]
I'M NOT I'M NOT SURE I I'LL PUT IT THIS WAY I DON'T THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA FOR SOMEBODY TO BE REMOTE A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE TIME AND BECAUSE I TO ME THERE'S A REAL VALUE WITH GETTING PEOPLE HERE HAVING SOME CONVERSATION HAVING THE INTERACTION BUT I UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF HAVING THAT AUTHORITY AND IMPLEMENTING IT I JUST LIKE TO SEE THE SEE THIS WHICH IS WHAT THE REPORTS HIS STAFF IS GOING TO DO THANK YOU MEMBER SIMMONS ALSO BEFORE IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL SO IS IS ANY OTHER MEMBER GOING TO PROPOSE ANOTHER TYPE OF MOTION JUST THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW BEFORE THEY VOTE YES OR NO ON THIS MEMBER DETCHINS ASSUMING THAT THE MOTION ON THE TABLE DOES NOT PASS I WILL MOVE SUBSEQUENTLY THAT WE APPROVE AS WRITTEN PERFECT THANK YOU MEMBER DETCHINS MEMBER CHANG THIS QUESTION IS UM IF WE DON'T PASS SOMETHING CAN OUR WHAT DOES THE ATTENDANCE OF OUR CURRENT REMOTE MEMBERS STILL COUNT LIKE WE'RE APPROVING SOMETHING IN WHICH IT'S REGARDING ATTENDANCE AND WE CURRENTLY HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE REMOTE SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY REGARDLESS OF WHAT WE MOVE VOTE ON TONIGHT THAT THEIR PARTICIPATION IS FULLY COUNTED IN ABSOLUTELY OKAY NO YOU'RE YOU'RE ALL IF YOU'RE IF YOU ARE PARTICIPATING WHETHER YOU'RE IN PERSON REMOTELY EVEN TODAY RIGHT THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS IT'S NOT THERE HOW YOU DON'T HAVE TO PROVIDE A REASON FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO ATTEND RIGHT YEAH THAT'S NOTHING ELSE CHANGES IF YOU'RE IF YOU'RE REMOTE TODAY OR IF YOU'RE MOTOR TO THIS YOU ARE A FULLY PARTICIPATING VOTING EVERYTHING YES BUT YOU STILL HAVE TO PROVIDE ALL THE LIKE I'M GONNA BE AT THIS LOCATION OKAY OKAY SO ARE PEOPLE CLEAR ON THE MOTION STATED BY MEMBER SIMMONS OR DOES SOMEBODY WANT MEMBER SIMMONS TO RESTATE IT RESTATE MEMBER SIMMONS IF YOU PLEASE RESTATE YOUR MOTION THIS THIS IS THE TIME WHERE YOU WANT TO ASK THE CLERK TO DO YOU WERE YOU WERE AN ATTORNEY MEMBER SIMMONS SO I WOULDN'T YOU KNOW RETIRED FOR 20 YEARS THAT THE BRAIN CELLS ARE CHANGING I MOVE THAT WE DEFER THE ITEM TO THE NEXT MEETING WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT STAFF WILL DEVELOP THE PROCEDURES IDENTIFIED IN THE STAFF REPORT FOR US TO CONSIDER THE ITEM AS A COMPLETE ITEM THANK YOU DO I HAVE A SECOND SECOND SO A MOTION BY MEMBER SIMMONS SECONDED BY MEMBER DIETER MADAM CLERK IF YOU COULD PLEASE TAKE A VOTE YES MEMBER BARTLEBACH NO MEMBER CHANG NO MEMBER CLAXTON NO MEMBER DEPAUW-SHAWLEES YES MEMBER DUTCHINS NO MEMBER DIETER YES MEMBER HENRY NO MEMBER LOPEZ NO MEMBER MAHADEVAN NO MEMBER MARSH NO MEMBER MENDOZA NO MEMBER OBRINGER NO THANK YOU MEMBER PEOPLES YES MEMBER SIMMONS YES MEMBER SMITH YES MEMBER VILLANUEVA NO NO THANK YOU THE MOTION DOES NOT PASS THANK YOU DO I HAVE ANY OTHER MOTIONS I WOULD MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE ITEM AS WRITTEN AND AS PRESENTED IN THE STAFF REPORT WITH THE CAVEAT THAT WE DO RECEIVE ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE COMING UP AS TO IF THERE'S ANY SPECIFIC INTERPRETATION THAT WE SHOULD BE AWARE OF THANK YOU DO WE HAVE A SECOND I'LL SECOND SECOND BY LOPEZ MADAM CLERK IF YOU PLEASE DO A ROLL CALL VOTE SO WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM MEMBER PEOPLES YEAH I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ON THOSE GUIDANCE THAT WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THEM AND DISCUSS THEM AND POTENTIALLY MODIFY THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL IN AGREEMENT WITH WE DO IN FACT THAT I MEAN WE COULD RESCIND APPROVAL TOO SO JUST TO RESTATE WE CAN WE CAN PROVIDE DIRECTIONS GUIDELINES RECOMMENDATIONS AFTER WE DO THIS AND WE COULD EVEN RESCIND APPROVAL ALTOGETHER YES JUST CLARIFY YEP ABSOLUTELY MAX AND STAFF WILL COME BACK WITH THE PROCEDURES THANK YOU VERY MUCH OKAY MADAM CLERK IF WE COULD PLEASE HAVE A ROLL CALL ON THE SECOND MOTION MEMBER BARTLEBACH ALL RIGHT MEMBER CHANG HAS MEMBER CLAXTON YES MEMBER DEPECHALES YES YES MEMBER DUTTON'S I REMEMBER DIETER I REMEMBER HENRY YES[00:30:02]
MEMBER LOPEZ I REMEMBER MAHADEVAN I REMEMBER MARSH I REMEMBER MENDOZA YES MEMBER OBRINGER YES MEMBER PEOPLES I REMEMBER SIMMONS MEMBER SMITH YES MEMBER VALENZUELA THANK YOU THE MOTION PASSES OKAY THANK YOU EVERYONE AND JUST A REMINDER TIME CHECK YOU GUYS KNOW I AM ON THAT THE GOAL IS TO END OUR MEETINGS BY 6 THAT'S NOT ALWAYS POSSIBLE WE DON'T WANT TO PRECLUDE ANYONE FROM MAKING ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS WHATEVER BUT I JUST WANT TO REMIND FOLKS THAT WE'RE NOT GETTING OUT OF HERE AT 6 TONIGHT BUT JUST PLEASE BE MINDFUL ON TO AND AND LET ME BE CLEAR ON THAT THAT'S NOT A MESSAGE ANYBODY LIKE DON'T SAY ANYTHING JUST I WOULD ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO TO HEADLINE THINGS AND IF YOU HEAR OTHER MEMBERS SAY THE SAME THING YOU KNOW HEY I ECHO WHAT THEY SAID BUT AS MUCH AS WE CAN HEADLINE PLEASE SO DON'T INTERPRET THAT AS HEY DON'T SAY ANYTHING NOW BUT WE'RE GONNA RUN A LITTLE BIT OVER TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE[Informational Items]
SO THE FIRST INFORMATIONAL ITEM WE ARE VERY PRIVILEGED TO BE JOINED BY A FORMER PAC MEMBER SO WELCOME BACK AND CURRENT DIRECTOR SHAME ON ME WARD TO OKAY LINDA DE CHAMBEAU WELCOME AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE I DID IT LAST TIME I WAS HERE TO DO SOMETHING TO LOOK AT AND SEND TO YOU AFTERWARDS I'M EXCITED ABOUT WHAT YOU GUYS VOTED ON WE DON'T WE'RE MUCH MORE RESTRICTIVE AT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS SO I'M GLAD YOU'LL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY SO LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF EMPTY SEATS SO MAYBE WE HAVE MORE PARTICIPATION MORE PEOPLE SO I THINK IT'S EXCITING I'M EXCITED STEVEN'S JOINED US AND SO I GOT EXCUSE ME I CAN'T HEAR I'VE GOT MY TWO PAC POSITIONS FILLED NOW I'M EXCITED AND EXCITED TO BE HERE AND I'M EXCITED THAT THE BOARD APPROVED THAT YOU WOULD SPEND THE FIRST SIX MONTHS ON THIS TOPIC OF ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION AND PROTECTION I'M NOT GOING TO TALK REALLY FAST AND GET THROUGH IT AND JUST INTRODUCE THE TOPIC AND I THINK I'M EXCITED ABOUT IT BECAUSE OUR MISSION STATEMENT ENDS WITH THIS AN ENVIRONMENTAL ETHIC GUIDES THE DISTRICT AND ALL THOSE ACTIVITIES NOT ONLY AM I AN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST BUT I'M REALLY EXCITED THAT WE'RE GOING TO REALLY MAKE THIS FRONT AND CENTER AT THE PAC FOR THE NEXT SIX MONTHS LAST TIME I WAS HERE I JUST WANT TO REMIND YOU HAVE THREE POLICIES THAT I'M EXCITED ABOUT MAYBE OUTDATED BUT THAT SHOULD GUIDE THAT PROCESS FOR YOU GUYS THE 2009 OF THE BOARD PASSED A SUSTAINABILITY POLICY IN 2014 AND ENERGY PLAN IN 2023 OUR PURCHASING POLICY NOT GOING TO GET INTO THAT ALL THE NATURAL RESOURCES WEBSITE MATERIALS ARE ON THAT WEBSITE THERE WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE COMING UP IS THE SIX MONTHS REVIEW AND IT'S EXCITING BECAUSE I THINK IT FEEDS REALLY WELL INTO THE DISTRICT PLAN THAT WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF WORKING ON AS WELL AND FOR ME CLIMATE RESILIENCY GUIDES ALL OF OUR DECISIONS WITH THE KING TIDES RECENTLY WE HAD A LOT OF FLOODING A LOT OF PROCESS GOING ON WHERE HABITAT AND SPECIES ARE BEING LOST AT ALARMING RATES SHORELINES AND MARSH EROSION WE'VE GOT A LOT OF ISSUES CREEK BEDS PONDS LAKES ARE BEING IMPACTED I DON'T REALLY NEED TO GO THROUGH THIS LIST YOU CAN READ THEM EVERYTHING FROM CYANOBACTERIA AND SEDIMENT AND NUTRIENTS I THINK THE BIG THING IN THE FOCUS TONIGHT IS ON THE WILDFIRE RISKS BECAUSE OF THE DROUGHT THE DISEASE THIS IS CLEARLY A RESULT OF CLIMATE IMPACT EXTREME WEATHER WE'VE ALREADY OUR PARKS BY THEMSELVES THEY STORE CARBON SO WE'RE ALREADY A CARBON PROGRAM IN OUR GRASSLANDS AND FORESTS AND WE ALREADY HAVE A GREAT STEWARDSHIP TEAM OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ON IT GOES ENERGY EFFICIENCY SO ALL THESE THINGS AS YOU FOCUS ON THIS TOPIC FOR THE NEXT SIX MONTHS ARE EXCITING TO ME AND TO YOU I HOPE AND TODAY'S FOCUS ON THE WILDLAND VEGETATION MANAGEMENT YOU KNOW THAT'S FRONT AND CENTER FOR EVERYBODY RIGHT NOW AND NO MATTER WHAT WE THINK ABOUT WITH CLIMATE RESILIENCY WE HAVE AN ISSUE AND IT'S A HUGE ISSUE IF YOU HAVEN'T CHECKED IT OUT I WANTED TO TELL YOU TO GO TO THE OAKLAND MUSEUM THEY HAVE A REALLY GOOD SHOW RIGHT NOW IT'S CALLED GOOD FIRE AND ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT FIRE HAS BEEN HISTORICALLY AND REDUCING FIRE INTENSITY AT THE SAME TIME TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO READ OUT REDUCE OUR FUELS AND NOT TO LEAVE THE LAND DENUDED WHEN WE'RE DONE BUT TO PROTECTION OF ECOLOGICAL RESOURCES AND BIODIVERSITY AND MAKING SURE THAT WE INCORPORATE WILDLIFE HABITAT MANAGEMENT WHEN WE'RE WHEN WE'RE DONE AND MATT GROWLS TEAM WITH RESTORATION AND STEWARDSHIP IS EXCITING THEY'RE ENGAGED IN THAT PROCESS AS WE GO ALONG AND I JUST ON THE JUST EVERYTHING I THINK YOU DO IN THE SIX MONTHS ARE GOING TO HELP WITH THE ECOSYSTEM AND[00:35:01]
PROTECTION IN THE DISTRICT PLAN I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW IF YOU DON'T ALL ALREADY KNOW ROUND ONE WAS COMPLETED WE HAD ABOUT 5,800 PEOPLE TOOK THE SURVEY ROUND TWO IS UNDERWAY LET YOUR PEOPLE KNOW THERE'S A REALLY NICE BULKY LIST OF MEETINGS COMING UP AND IT'S LINKED TO ALL OF THE ORGANIZATIONS IN ALL OF OUR WARDS I THINK STAFF'S DONE A REALLY NICE JOB THE ONLINE QUESTIONNAIRE IS BACK UP AGAIN AND IT ACTUALLY INCLUDES OPPORTUNITY AT THESE MEETINGS TO REMIND PEOPLE THESE THINGS COST US MONEY SO WE CAN'T JUST KEEP THROWING OUT THERE WE WANT THIS WE WANT THIS WE WANT THIS BUT A LOT OF THEM HAVE ASSOCIATED WITH THEM A LOT OF COSTS PARTICULARLY FOR OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE SO IT'S GONNA BE AN INTERESTING YEAR AND THEN ULTIMATELY ROUND THREE IS THE GOAL STAFF IS TO HAVE THE DRAFT DISTRICT PLAN WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT WE HAVE AT LEAST THIS IS WHAT WAS PUT TOGETHER BUT WE CERTAINLY HAVE 15 ENDANGERED SPECIES 17 THREATENED SPECIES AND 27 FULLY PROTECTED SPECIES HANGING OUT IN OUR WONDERFUL PARK LANDS AND WE HAVE A WEBSITE FOR BIODIVERSITY TO REMIND US OF THOSE ALL THESE RESOURCES I JUST WANTED YOU TO HAVE AS YOU KICK OFF THESE NEXT SIX MONTHS I'LL SEND YOU THIS PRESENTATION ONE THINGS I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT IS FUTURE GENERATIONS HOW WE INVOLVE YOUNGER PEOPLE STEVEN RIGHT HERE MY NEW PAC APPOINTEE BRINGS A FRESH LOOK BUT I WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY TO WE'RE ACTUALLY THE LARGEST EMPLOYER OF YOUTH IN THE BAY AREA I FOUND OUT THAT WE HAVE OVER 400 THAT WE HIRE INTO SEASONAL AND STUDENT ROLES THE LIFEGUARDS PROGRAMS ALL OF THESE ARE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE YOUNG PEOPLE MORE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT NOT JUST WATER SAFETY BUT ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT AND WHAT YOU'RE PARTICIPATING IN IN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS LET'S USE THESE LET'S FIND OUT HOW WE CAN INCORPORATE YOUTH CIVIC CORPS SOME OF YOU MIGHT KNOW ABOUT THAT'S A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR FOR YOUTH TO GET INVOLVED IN YOUTH STORAGE SHOULD BE ON THEIR RIGHT HAND IN CENTER WITH THE TRAILS REDUCTION TEAM AND HOW DO WE USE THE ALL OF THESE YOUTH AND CONNECT THEM AND SO THAT THEY KNOW AND TOUCH THE NATURE THAT WE'RE PRESERVING I LOVE THIS QUOTE IN THE END WILL ONLY CONSERVE WHAT WE LOVE WE CAN ONLY LOVE WHAT WE UNDERSTAND AND WE WILL ONLY UNDERSTAND WHAT WE ARE TAUGHT SO GREAT OPPORTUNITY AS YOU LOOK FORWARD I ALSO WANT TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF UPDATE ON WARD 2 WHERE'S WHERE'S MY SLIDE GUYS WHAT DID I DO HERE A COUPLE THINGS ON WHAT'S GOING ON IN MY WARD TO CLAREMONT CANYON IS A WONDERFUL PLACE UP BEHIND ME THE CLAREMONT HOTEL THERE AND COORDINATION WITH THEY HAVE A VERY LARGE GROUP OF THE LOCAL CLAREMONT CONSERVANCY AND DOING A LOT OF GOOD WORK AND TRYING TO COORDINATE THAT TOGETHER I WANTED TO REMIND FOLKS TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE NAMES OF SOME OF OUR PARKS AND THEIR NAME FOR A REASON SO IT'S CALLED CLAREMONT CANYON REGIONAL PRESERVE IT'S CALLED HUCKLEBERRY BOTANIC REGIONAL PRESERVE LEONA CANYON OPEN SPACE REGIONAL PRESERVE AND THEN WE HAVE DIFFERENT PARKS BUT SO AS YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE ECOSYSTEMS REMEMBER TO GO BACK TO YOUR DISTRICT PLAN AND WHY SOME OF THESE PARKS HAVE THESE DIFFERENT NAMES AND THE RESTORATION OPPORTUNITIES THERE ROBERTS I SOME OF YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW WE HAVE A FABULOUS POOL IT'S SO WELL LOVED AND SO USED BUT IT ALSO IS GOING TO NEED MONEY TO GET THE SEPTIC CONNECTED UP THERE THAT'S IN MY WARD TOO IN REINHART REDWOOD THERE'S A REALLY COOL BRIDGE IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN UP TO IT THERE'S A PICTURE IN THE RIGHT-HAND CORNER WHERE STAFF TOOK A FABULOUS OPPORTUNITY OF A TREE THAT JUST HAPPENED TO FALL ACROSS THE STREAM AND TURN IT INTO A FABULOUS BRIDGE HAVE YOU RUN ACROSS IT STEPHEN STEPHEN'S A LONG-DISTANCE RUNNER IN OUR PARK SO I TOOK A LONG HIKE OUT THERE IT'S GORGEOUS AND I THERE'S SOME THINGS COMING YOU GUYS ON HOW DO WE GET THE HEALTH OF OUR REDWOOD TREES AND WORKING WITH THE SAVE THE REDWOOD LEAGUE THAT YOU'LL BE HEARING ABOUT AT SOME POINT BUT WE REALLY NEED TO MAKE SURE WE KEEP THAT PARK HEALTHY SIMPLY VOLCANIC REGIONAL PARK THAT WE DID SOME GREAT DAYLIGHTING RESTORATION THERE'S A GROUP CAMPSITE THAT'S BEING PLANNED AND LOOKED AT SOME MEADOW RESTORATION SOME OF IT'S ALREADY BEEN DONE JUST A LOT OF GOOD WORK OUT THERE AT AT SIBLEY INCLUDING LOOKING AT THE VISITOR CENTER TEMESCAL IS A BIG ONE I'M EXCITED WE GOT THE YOU AS THE WW OVERSIGHT PROBABLY RECALL OR SAW THAT TEMESCAL HAS A $800,000 EARMARK IN IT THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME MEETINGS COMING UP SOON THERE WAS A DREDGING PLAN THAT WAS FROM 2019 THAT REALLY NEEDS TO BE REFRESHED AND LOOKED AT WE HAVE ALL THOSE WATER QUALITY ISSUES SOME OF YOU ARE PROBABLY VERY FAMILIAR WITH IT BEING CLOSED FOR CYANOBACTERIA AND SO I'M EXCITED THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE IN THE 2026 BUDGETING GOING FORWARD TO GET THAT STARTED AND ONE OTHER THING I WANT TO TELL YOU ABOUT THAT'S SORT OF OUT THERE AND FAR AWAY BUT VERY INTERESTING IT'S IT'S GOT SOME MONEY BEHIND IT ALREADY OUT AT JOHN SUTTER REGIONAL SHORELINE SO THAT'S THE OLD PIECE OF THE BAY BRIDGE THEY LEFT FOUR OF THE PILLARS OUT THERE AND IT'S A PIER AND THAT'S OUR URBAN PARK OUR URBAN PIER OUT THERE AT JOHN SUTTER THERE'S BEEN A PLAN FOR QUITE A WHILE AND IT PICKED UP SOME SPEED RECENTLY WITH SOME FUNDING FROM THE THE TOLL BRIDGE OUT THERE THE BAY AREA THE BAY BRIDGE TOLL BOOTH IS DESTINED TO BE UNDERWATER SO THEY HAVE[00:40:02]
TO DO SOMETHING THEMSELVES AND THEY'RE LOOKING AT THAT AND TRYING TO RELOOK AT HOW TOLLS ARE DONE IN AREAS OUT THERE BUT IN OAKLAND FROM THE 9TH 9TH STREET STATION THEY'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT AN OAKLAND SKYWAY THAT WOULD TAKE PEOPLE STRAIGHT FROM OAKLAND OVER THE TOP OF THE OAKLAND PORT AND THEN BRING BICYCLISTS AND PEDESTRIANS DOWN INTO JOHN SUTTER AND THEN ALLOW YOU TO CROSS THE BAY BRIDGE BECAUSE THE NEW BAY BRIDGE WAS SET UP WITH A BIKE IN PEDESTRIAN LANE SO IT'S KIND OF EXCITING IT'S KIND OF OUT THERE IT'S MAYBE A LITTLE LIKE TEMESCAL MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OUT BUT IT'S GOOD TO KEEP DREAMING AND AS WE ALL KEEP LOOKING AT WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE FOR PARKS AND RESTORATION I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THAT'S WHAT'S GOING ON IN MY WARD TOO SO I APPRECIATE THE PAC FOCUS THIS YEAR ON THIS TOPIC I'M EXCITED TO ABOUT VEGETATION MANAGEMENT AND I'LL SEND YOU THIS BECAUSE IT'S GOT A BUNCH OF LINKS AND SITES SO OUR WEBSITE HAS ALL OF THESE MATERIALS ON IT SO YOU CAN GET COPIES OF THE SUSTAINABILITY POLICY THE STRATEGIC PLAN THE EPP SO I HOPE THAT'LL HELP YOU WITH YOUR RESOURCES TO GUIDE YOU IN YOUR WORK GOING FORWARD ALL RIGHT THANK YOU SO MUCH DIRECTOR DECHAMBEAU DO WE HAVE ANY CLARIFYING QUESTIONS FIRST CLARIFYING NO ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS NO NO PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE THERE ANY PAC MEMBER COMMENTS OR FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS OKAY THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING AS WELL STICK AROUND FOR A WHILE BUT I MIGHT SNEAK OFF ON YOU GUYS SO OUR FIRST PRESENTATION IS FROM INTERPRETIVE AND RECREATION SERVICES DEPARTMENT A VOLUNTEER PROGRAM UPDATE THIS IS AN INFORMATIONAL ITEM ABSOLUTELY ABSOLUTELY THANK YOU VERY MUCH THANK YOU PAC AND BOARD I HAVE TO USE THE STEP BECAUSE I'M SHORT SHORT BECAUSE I HAVE TO USE THE STEP MY NAME IS SANDY FUNKY AND I'M THE DIVISION LEAD FOR INTERPRETIVE AND RECREATION SERVICES AND BEFORE I GET STARTED YES THAT IS MY DEPARTMENT BUT THERE'S QUITE A FEW OF US HERE REPRESENTING THIS ITEM I WANT TO FIRST OF ALL INTRODUCE JESS SLOAN AND YOU'RE GOING TO BE HEARING A LOT ABOUT HER TODAY SHE'S OUR VOLUNTEER SERVICES SUPERVISOR AND IN OUR WORKING GROUP WE HAVE ALLISON DIBLEY COUNSEL WE HAVE SEAN DUGAN WHERE'D YOU GO SEAN BACK THERE WITH PLANNING PART OF OUR GROUP AND WE ALSO HAVE JOSE GONZALEZ FROM THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND I THINK THAT'S IT AND MIRIAM IS THE DOCENT COORDINATOR AND SHE'S HERE I THINK IS A UNION OBSERVER BUT WE'RE SUPER HAPPY TO HAVE HER HERE TODAY AND MANY OF YOU RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU'RE A VOLUNTEER IN OUR PARKS EXCELLENT I LOVE THAT WELL QUITE A FEW OF YOU ARE SO WE'RE SO HAPPY TO PRESENT TODAY SO I HAVE A INFORMATIONAL UPDATE AND THERE WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FEEDBACK ON ONE PARTICULAR PART AND A LET YOU KNOW WHEN THAT IS SO YOU CAN GET READY I DON'T NEED THE GLASSES ALL RIGHT SO A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON VOLUNTEERING IN THE DISTRICT I'M CERTAIN THAT PROBABLY VOLUNTEERING IN THE DISTRICT WAS GOING ON THE MINUTE THAT THE DISTRICT WAS FORMED BUT WHAT WE KNOW KIND OF FROM THE HISTORY IS THAT IN 1976 THIS VERY BODY ADOPTED RECOMMENDED MADE RECOMMENDATIONS ON VOLUNTEERS AND THOSE WERE ADOPTED BY THE BOARD THEN IN 1990 WE ADOPTED VOLUNTEER POLICY BY THE BOARD SUBSEQUENTLY THERE WAS APPROVAL OF A VOLUNTEER MANUAL AND THEN A VERY IMPORTANT MILESTONE HAPPENED IN 2025 JUST SLOAN WHO IS OUR FULL-TIME VOLUNTEER SUPERVISOR WAS ABLE TO START DOING HER JOB FULL-TIME SO THIS IS AN IMPORTANT MILESTONE UP TILL THAT POINT SHE ALSO SUPERVISED OUR BUS TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM SO IT WAS REALLY TWO DIFFERENT WORK GROUPS THAT SHE WAS WORKING WITH SO AT THAT POINT WE REALLY TOOK A STEP BACK AND SAID OKAY THIS IS REALLY EXCITING WE REALLY WANT TO LOOK AT WHAT WE CAN DO WITH THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM AND HOW WE CAN SUPPORT VOLUNTEERS BUT WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO THAT AND HOW CAN WE SUPPORT THIS GROWTH SO AT THAT POINT WE FORMED OUR CROSS-DIVISIONAL VOLUNTEER POLICY WORKING GROUP SO IN ADDITION TO THE INDIVIDUALS HERE IN THE ROOM THAT ARE ON THAT GROUP WE HAVE REPRESENTATION FROM HR WE HAVE REPRESENTATION FROM PARK OPERATIONS I THINK THAT'S IT STEWARDSHIP THANK YOU STEWARDSHIP DO YOU KNOW SO WE REALLY HAVE EVERY DIVISION REPRESENTED IN THIS GROUP BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT VOLUNTEERS GO ACROSS THE DISTRICT AND DO ALL KINDS OF WORK SO THE PURPOSE OF THIS GROUP WAS TO ASSESS THE CURRENT STATE OF VOLUNTEER EFFORTS IN THE DISTRICT AND DEVELOP BACKBONE POLICY TO INFORM WHAT JESSICA IS GOING TO BE DOING GOING FORWARD REVISITING MANUALS AND REVISITING PROCEDURES TO REALLY SHORE THINGS UP AND THAT'S WHAT[00:45:02]
WE CAN REALLY GROW THE PROGRAM SO OUR OUTCOMES OF OUR WORKING GROUP ARE THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE UPDATED AND ADOPTED VOLUNTEER PROTOCOLS POLICY REALLY FROM THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE RECOMMENDED STAFF TRAININGS AND POSSIBLY VOLUNTEER TRAININGS AND UPDATED GOALS FOR JESS AND HER NEWLY RESOURCED GROUP SO JUST TAKE A STEP BACK WE HAVE STAFF SUPPORT FOR VOLUNTEERS SO JESS IS OUR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM SUPERVISOR SHE ALSO HAS TWO RECREATION ASSISTANTS CAMERON AND NATALIE AND THOSE TWO RECREATION ASSISTANTS LAST YEAR OVERSAW 76 DIFFERENT PROJECTS SO PRETTY IMPRESSIVE SHE ALSO HAS THE SUPPORT OF A SENIOR ADMIN AND THEN IN PUBLIC SAFETY WE ALSO HAVE A VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR HEATHER AND SHE WORKS WITH THE VOLUNTEER TRAIL SAFETY PATROL WHICH I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WE ALSO HAVE DOCENT COORDINATORS MIRIAM'S ONE OF THEM AND THEY ARE ACTUALLY NATURALISTS BUT THEY RECEIVE A 6% PREMIUM IN THEIR PAY TO COORDINATE OUR DOCENT SUCH AS ED WHO IS HERE AND PROVIDE THEM WITH SCHEDULES AND OVERSIGHT AND TRAINING AND ENRICHMENT SO IN ADDITION TO THESE DEDICATED STAFF THAT REALLY OVERSEE THE PROGRAM STRATEGICALLY IN SCHEDULING AND PROVIDE THAT BACKBONE BACKBONE WE ALSO HAVE JUST GENERAL STAFF THAT DROP IN AND HELP ON BIG EVENT DAYS SO PICTURED HERE WE HAVE TWO STAFF KELSEY AND ELAINE THEY NORMALLY WORK IN OTHER WORK GROUPS BUT IN THIS PICTURE THEY WERE OUT HELPING ON ONE OF OUR BIG WORK DAYS WHICH IS MLK DAY OF SERVICE SO WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN IT MEANS WE HAVE A LOT OF VOLUNTEERS GETTING A LOT DONE SO LAST YEAR 2025 WE HAD OVER 02,200 ACTIVE VOLUNTEERS NOW ABOUT 1,600 OF THOSE WE WOULD CALL COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS THOSE ARE FOLKS COMING FOR ONE OR TWO TIMES A YEAR MY SON FALLS IN THAT CATEGORY HE COMES OUT HE LIKES TO DO A CLEANUP OR TWO A YEAR.AND THEN WE HAVE OUR SPECIALIZED VOLUNTEERS, WHICH I'LL BE SHARING A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT. WE HAD OVER 550 EVENTS AND WORKDAYS LAST YEAR WITH 40,000 HOURS CONTRIBUTED.
THAT'S A LOT. SO JUST A FEW FUN PICTURES OF OUR VOLUNTEERS.
THIS IS A FAMILY OUT AT MLK DAY OF SERVICE. OFTEN OUR EVENTS ARE ATTENDED BY FAMILIES JUST LOOKING FOR DIFFERENT WAYS TO HAVE AN EXPERIENCE IN THE PARKS. HERE WE HAVE, THIS IS A PARK IMPROVEMENT PROJECT. THIS IS THE HABITAT RESTORATION GROUP THAT MEETS MONTHLY AT WILDCAT CANYON. AND HERE THEY'VE REMOVED A LARGE SWATH OF NON-NATIVE IVY AND USED BURLAP TO HELP WITH EROSION CONTROL. AND THEY'VE BEEN PLANTING AND MAINTAINING NEW NATIVE PLANTS.
AND THEY ARE PRIMARILY SUPPORTED BY RANGER JULIA KERNITZ. AND THERE'S A STRONG COLLABORATION WITH THIS TYPE OF PROJECT AND STEWARDSHIP.
HERE WE HAVE A SCOUT TROOP. WE LOVE A BROOM POLE. SO GREAT TO SEE THAT BROOM COMING OUT.
INVASIVE PLANT. THIS IS A GOOD PLACE TO TALK ABOUT SERVICE PROPOSALS. SO A GROUP LIKE THIS, THEY WOULD APPROACH THE DISTRICT AND PUT IN A PROPOSAL TO DO A PROJECT. AND PARK STAFF, JUSTICE STAFF, WORK TO GET THEM A PROJECT THEY'RE INTERESTED IN. SO LAST YEAR WE HAD 39 OF THESE COMPLETED THAT SERVED OVER 900 VOLUNTEERS AND CONTRIBUTED 3,000 HOURS TO THE DISTRICT. SO BACK TO OUR SPECIALIZED VOLUNTEERS.
SO ED IS ONE OF THESE. AND SUSIE, THERE YOU ARE, RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE. SO WE HAVE OUR SPECIALIZED VOLUNTEERS. I WOULD CALL, BASICALLY THEY'RE PEOPLE THAT COME BACK TIME AFTER TIME. AND THEY'RE SPECIALIZED IN THAT THEY RECEIVE SPECIAL TRAINING AND FULFILL MORE SOPHISTICATED ROLES. SO OUR AMBASSADORS WHO WORK WITH PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND GO OUT AND DO TABLING. OUR ARCHIVE SPECIALISTS THAT WORK WITH BRENDA. MANY OF THOSE ARE ACTUALLY RETIRED DISTRICT STAFF. OUR INTERP AND REC DOCENTS LIKE SUSIE AND ED, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. FARM VOLUNTEERS. THE TILDEN BOTANIC GARDEN VOLUNTEERS. AND THE VOLUNTEER TRAIL SAFETY PATROL, WHICH INCLUDES MOUNTED PATROL, CANINE PATROL, HIKING, BIKING, AND SEARCH-AND-RESCUE. AND OUR WILDLIFE INSIGHTS GROUP, WHICH IS A REALLY INTERESTING CATEGORY OF FOLKS THAT ARE LOOKING AT DATA FROM OUR WILDLIFE CAMS. SO THAT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR FOLKS THAT MAYBE CAN'T GET OUT IN THE PARKS. SO HERE'S ANOTHER PICTURE OF SOME OF OUR WONDERFUL INR DOCENTS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
IN THIS CASE THEY WERE OUT AT A LIBRARY PROGRAM IN LIVERMORE TEACHING PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE AT DELVAL. SO BACK TO OUR WORKING GROUP. SO WHERE ARE WE AT AND WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO DO? SO IN LATE 2024 WE KICKED OFF THIS CROSS-DIVISIONAL WORKING GROUP.
[00:50:01]
AND THEN WE STARTED WITH LISTENING SESSIONS. SO WHAT ARE OUR VOLUNTEERS SAYING AND WHAT ARE THE STAFF SAYING THAT WORK WITH THE VOLUNTEERS? I'LL BE SHARING SOME DATA FROM THAT IN MY NEXT SLIDE.FROM THAT WE'RE DEVELOPING OVERARCHING PRINCIPLES THAT WILL THEN INFORM A BOARD RESOLUTION THAT WE BRING TO THE BOARD. AND FROM THAT WE WILL BE DEVELOPING ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY THAT CAN THEN BE ADOPTED WITH OUR LABOR PARTNERS AND WE CAN IMPLEMENT THEN HELPING SET THE FRAMEWORK AND SET THE BACKBONE FOR ENHANCED MANUALS, PROCEDURES, AND A GROWING PROGRAM. SO WE HAD FIVE REALLY GREAT LISTENING SESSIONS. THEY WERE VERY INTERACTIVE I WOULD SAY. THERE WAS LOTS OF FEEDBACK. THREE WERE WITH VOLUNTEERS, TWO WITH STAFF. WE HAD APPROXIMATELY 75 FOLKS ATTEND THOSE. SO THE ONE THING I WANT TO SAY OVERARCHING, NOBODY SAID VOLUNTEERS ARE BAD.
THAT DID NOT COME OUT AT ALL BY ANY COMMENT IN ANY VOLUNTEER LISTENING SESSION. EVERYONE THOUGHT VOLUNTEERS ARE A GOOD THING IN THE PARKS AND WE WERE REALLY HAPPY TO HEAR THAT. SO OVERALL SOME THINGS FOLKS SAID ABOUT WHY VOLUNTEERS ARE GOOD IS THAT THEY AUGMENT STAFF EFFORTS AND CAN MAKE BIG IMPACTS. THAT YOUR COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS, THAT VOLUNTEERS ARE THAT YOU KNOW BRIDGE BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND THE DISTRICT AND THEY PROVIDE REALLY IMPORTANT INSIGHTS TO DISTRICT STAFF ABOUT WHAT THE COMMUNITY IS THINKING AND FEELING. FOLKS ALSO TALKED ABOUT STAFF AND IT WAS APPRECIATED THAT STAFF SUPPORT AND MENTOR VOLUNTEERS. THE DOCENT ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES WERE BROUGHT UP SPECIFICALLY AS SOMETHING PEOPLE REALLY LIKED AND PEOPLE APPRECIATED THAT STAFF ARE APPRECIATING THE VOLUNTEERS. NOW AS FAR AS CONSIDERATIONS, VOLUNTEERS WANT TO DO MORE.
THIS CAME OUT VERY VERY STRONGLY. THEY WANT TO WORK WITH A HIGHER LEVEL OF INDEPENDENCE. THEY WANT TO WORK WITH MORE TOOLS, DIFFERENT TYPES OF TOOLS AND THERE'S A DESIRE TO CREATE A CATEGORY OF SPECIALIZED VOLUNTEERS THAT ARE DOING RESTORATION WORK AND MORE WORK ON THE TRAILS AND IN THE HABITATS.
ANOTHER CONSIDERATION ARE ROGUE VOLUNTEERS. SO WE DO HAVE VOLUNTEERS BUT ROGUE VOLUNTEERS THAT GO OUT AND DO THINGS WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE DISTRICT AND IT CAN BE HARMFUL TO OUR HABITATS. SO WE REALLY DON'T WANT THAT AND THEN SOMETIMES VOLUNTEERS BEHAVE BADLY SO WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THAT TOO. WE ALSO HAVE SOME COMPLAINTS ABOUT OUR SOFTWARE, JUST DIFFICULTIES ONBOARDING.
FOLKS DO WANT MORE ONGOING COMMUNICATION, ESPECIALLY COMMUNICATION WITH PROJECTS IN THE PARKS AND THEY WANT DEFINED GUIDELINES, EXPECTATIONS AND TRAINING WHICH IS MUSIC TO MY EARS BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT WE ARE WORKING TOWARDS WITH OUR NEW POLICY THAT WE WANT TO LAND ON. SO BEFORE I MOVE ON TO THE SLIDE WHERE I'M, I WENT THERE ALREADY, TAKE IT BACK. BEFORE I MOVE ON TO WHERE I'M LOOKING FOR FEEDBACK, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS SO FAR? MEMBER VALENZUELA. SO WHAT HAS BEEN THE GROWTH IN THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM SINCE YOU STARTED THIS WHOLE PROCESS? WE HAVE NOT GROWN THE PROGRAM.
WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IS WORKING ON THE BACKBONE SO WE CAN GROW THE PROGRAM STRONGLY AND HEALTHILY AND THAT IS EXACTLY GOING TO BE ON THE NEXT SLIDE. SO I'M SO GLAD YOU ASKED THAT ED.
MEMBER DUTCHENS, JUST A QUESTION, DO YOU TRACK THE RETENTION OF YOUR VOLUNTEERS? LIKE HOW MANY ARE RETURNING AND MORE SPECIFICALLY, DO YOU TRACK HOW MANY OF YOUR NON-SPECIALIZED VOLUNTEERS PROMOTE UP INTO BEING A SPECIALIZED VOLUNTEER AS PART OF RETENTION? THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.
THANK YOU. HI EVERYONE, I'M JESS SLOAN. VERY GOOD TO MEET YOU ALL TODAY. WE DO TRACK A LOT OF THINGS IN VOLUNTEERS BUT THE WAY WE TRACK THINGS DEPENDS A LITTLE BIT ON THE PROGRAM THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. SO WE DO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE HAVING RETENTION WITHIN OUR TRAINED VOLUNTEER POSITIONS AND WE DO TALK ABOUT COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS AS IF THEY'RE ONE THING. MANY OF OUR COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS COME WEEK AFTER WEEK, MONTH AFTER MONTH, OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. WE DO TRY TO RECOGNIZE THAT. WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN TO THE POINT WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO, AT MY LEVEL I DON'T SEE IT AS QUICKLY OR AS EASILY AS THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING IN THE FIELD AND I SUPPORT THE PEOPLE WORKING IN THE FIELD BY TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE WHAT THEY NEED, WHETHER THAT'S THEIR OCCASIONAL VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION, SMALL EVENT, SOME SPECIALIZED DISTRICT SWAG.
WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO RECOGNIZE THOSE PEOPLE IN SPECIAL WAYS BUT IT DOESN'T ALWAYS QUITE MAKE IT UP TO MY LEVEL. IT'S MORE ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS AND THAT'S PART OF WHY SOME OF THE BEST
[00:55:01]
FEEDBACK THAT WE GOT WAS THAT PEOPLE ARE HAPPIEST WHEN THEY HAVE A PARK STAFF THAT'S KIND OF ASSIGNED TO THEM BECAUSE THEIR WORK IS BEING RECOGNIZED.MEMBER LOPEZ. AND SPEAKING OF THAT, ON RETENTION AND RECOGNITION THAT'S ACTUALLY A SEGUE INTO MY QUESTION AND THAT IS ABOUT RECOGNITION AND FOR FOLKS THAT HAVE DONE, YOU KNOW, FIVE YEARS OF SERVICE OR TEN YEARS OF SERVICE OR DID AN EXTRAORDINARY AMOUNT, LIKE IN ONE YEAR, LIKE THEY WERE AN OUTLIER OR OR EVEN FOLKS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, YOUNG AND THIS IS LIKE THEIR FIRST VOLUNTEER THING OR MAYBE THE FIRST VOLUNTEER THING EVER THAT THEY'VE DONE IN THEIR LIVES.
LIKE HOW DO YOU, HOW DO YOU, YOU KNOW. THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION. THOSE ARE SOME OF MY FAVORITE MOMENTS WHEN YOU GET TO INTERACT WITH SOMEONE WHO'S VOLUNTEERING FOR THE FIRST TIME. IT IS A REALLY SPECIAL OCCURRENCE. I THINK THAT PART OF WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE WITH THE POLICY IS TO TRY TO BETTER ESTABLISH HOW WE'RE WORKING WITH VOLUNTEERS IN THE DISTRICT TO BE MORE CONSISTENT. WE HAVE NOTICED THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT THAT THERE ARE SOME OF OUR VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS THAT ARE BETTER AT RECOGNIZING PEOPLE THAN OTHERS AND SO THIS IS A WAY FOR US TO TRY TO REALLY MAKE CONSISTENCY THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING ALL OF THOSE THINGS RECORDED SO THAT WE CAN HONOR THOSE ACHIEVEMENTS.
MEMBER BARTLEBAUGH. THANK YOU.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I HAVE A QUESTION ONLINE.
WELL, ONE MOMENT MEMBER OBRINGER, MEMBER BARTLEBAUGH, AND THEN MEMBER OBRINGER.
THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATE ON THE WORKING GROUP. I REALLY ENJOYED THE LISTENING SESSION THAT I WAS ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN AND GLAD TO SEE THAT THIS IS MOVING FORWARD. I'M REALLY EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT THE THE DOCENT ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES AND I'M WONDERING IF THERE'S BEEN SOME CONSIDERATION ON KIND OF BRINGING THAT OVER TO THE THE TRAIL MAINTENANCE SIDE AND DOING KIND OF A PARALLEL TYPE PROCESS. SO I THINK THAT, I THINK THAT COULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY. I THINK THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE SOMETHING IN THE BUDGET. SO THOSE DOCENT ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES ARE PROVIDED BY OUR DOCENT COORDINATORS SUCH AS MIRIAM AND IT IS PART OF OUR AGREEMENT IN THE MOU THAT SHE GETS TO SPEND PART OF HER TIME AT WORK TO BE ABLE TO DEVELOP THOSE. SO IT WOULD HAVE TO BE SOMETHING IN THE BUDGET AND THEN APPROVED BY THE BOARD. SO THIS POLICY IS BEING WRITTEN SUCH THAT IF THAT HAPPENED THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
IF IT DOESN'T HAPPEN THAT'S OKAY TOO. THANK YOU. MEMBER OBRINGER.
THANK YOU. I JUST, SO I THINK THIS IS REALLY GREAT. I JUST WANTED TO KNOW TWO THINGS GIVEN SOME OF THE VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCES THAT I'VE HAD IN MY CITY. SO ARE THERE PARKS WHERE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S AN OVERABUNDANCE OF VOLUNTEERS VERSUS PARKS WHERE THERE AREN'T ENOUGH VOLUNTEERS? AND THE SECOND PART OF MY QUESTION IS, DO YOU HAVE TASKS THAT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL TO HAVE VOLUNTEERS TAKE ON BUT THEY'RE JUST NOT WILLING FOR A PARTICULAR REASON? BECAUSE I'VE HAD THAT WITH LIKE OUR VOLUNTEERS AND POLICE SERVICE FOR EXAMPLE. I THINK I THINK BOTH ARE PROBABLY TRUE. I THINK THERE'S SOME THINGS WHERE THERE'S MORE VOLUNTEERS AND SOME THINGS WHERE THERE'S LESS VOLUNTEERS.
BUT OVERWHELMINGLY I WOULD SAY FROM THE LISTENING SESSIONS AND WHAT I'VE SEEN AND WHAT JESS HAS SEEN, WE TEND TO HAVE A LOT OF VOLUNTEERS.
WE HAVE A LOT, A LOT OF ENTHUSIASM AND IF WE DON'T HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS I'LL MOVE ON TO THE PRINCIPLES BECAUSE I THINK IT TIES IN TO YOUR QUESTION VERY WELL.
GREAT. OKAY, THANK YOU. AND THIS IS WHERE I WOULD LOVE SOME FEEDBACK. SO THESE ARE SOME PRINCIPLES WE WOULD LIKE TO BRING TO THE BOARD TO GET ADOPTED. THERE'S SIX GUIDING PRINCIPLES THAT WOULD THEN INFORM OUR POLICY CREATION OR ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY CREATION AS WELL AS GOALS THAT JESS WILL BE CREATING FOR HER NEW AND IMPROVED WORKING GROUP.
SO I'LL KIND OF GO THROUGH EACH ONE. STEWARDSHIP IS AT THE TOP. WE HAVE BASICALLY WE'RE CONNECTING VOLUNTEERS WITH THE PARKS IN A WAY THAT INSPIRES A SENSE OF CARING AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR PARK RESOURCES AND THE LAND. SO REALLY WE SEE THE VOLUNTEERS AS CENTRAL. THE WORK THEY'RE GETTING DONE IS WONDERFUL BUT IT'S SECONDARY TO WHAT THE CHANGE IS WE WANT TO SEE IN THE PEOPLE DOING THE WORK.
AND COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS IS TIED TO THAT AS WELL.
VOLUNTEERS ADD ENERGY AND ENTHUSIASM AND SUPPORT THE PARK DISTRICT'S MISSION BENEFITING OUR WORK AS AN ORGANIZATION AT THE GROUND LEVEL. WE SUPPORT COMMUNITY MEMBERS MAKING MEANINGFUL CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR PARKS AND CONNECTING WITH ONE ANOTHER. SAFETY IS IN THE MIDDLE BECAUSE SAFETY NEEDS TO BE IN THE MIDDLE. IT'S ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL. WE VALUE THE SAFETY OF OUR VOLUNTEERS, STAFF, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND ACT ACCORDINGLY. WE SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT OF CLEAR EXPECTATIONS, GUIDELINES, POLICY, AND PROCEDURES. INCLUSIVITY, WE WANT TO STRIVE TO ENSURE OUR VOLUNTEERS REFLECT THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE EAST BAY.
[01:00:02]
TRAINING SUPPORT, IT'S DOWN THERE HOLDING UP THE WHOLE TREE. WE RECOGNIZE THAT THE PARTICIPATION OF VOLUNTEERS REQUIRES AN INVESTMENT OF TIME AND EFFORT BY THE DISTRICT AND STAFF.STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS TO KNOW ALL ABOUT THE PARK THEY MANAGE BUT WHEN THAT TEAM MEMBER WOULD LEAVE WE WOULD LOSE THAT KNOWLEDGE AND AND FOR OUR LEADERS IN THE ORGANIZATION THEY HAD NO WAY OF KNOWING IF WE WERE DOING ALL THE THINGS THAT OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS EXPECTED THEM TO.
AND WE WERE GETTING NOTICES LIKE ROBERT SAID WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE MANAGING OVER A THOUSAND ACRES FOR DEFENSIBLE SPACE. WE'RE GETTING NOTICES FROM OUR PARTNER FIRE DEPARTMENTS THAT WE'RE OUT OF COMPLIANCE BECAUSE WE'RE ONLY MANAGED RIGHT NOW WE'RE ONLY MAINTAINING 30% OF OUR REQUIRED DEFENSIBLE SPACE REQUIREMENTS. SO WE KNOW THERE'S A CHALLENGE AND WE WANT TO BE PROACTIVE ABOUT STAYING ON TOP OF IT AND PRIORITIZING THE HIGHEST MOST IMPORTANT WORK. SO THAT THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT AND THAT KIND OF FEEDBACK IS JUST WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR. MEMBER AMOLA.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. DOING THE VAN, IT SEEMS LIKE A REALLY BIG THING TO DO, THIS VEGETATION MANAGEMENT STRATEGY FOR TWO COUNTIES AND ALL THAT, AND I'M CURIOUS ABOUT HOW, IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF IT, YOU'RE INTEGRATING OTHER MUNICIPALITIES SINCE FIRES DON'T JUST STAY WITHIN BORDERS, AND SO STATE PARKS, OTHER DISTRICTS, AND CITIES. HOW ARE YOU MANAGING TO HAVE ALL THAT KIND OF INPUT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. I MEAN, I THINK, AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HERE TO BE PARTNERS WITH Y'ALL, AND IF ONE OF THE THINGS THAT COMES OUT OF IT IS, HEY, WE NEED TO TALK MORE WITH CITIES, WE'RE INTERESTED TO HEAR THAT. WE'RE PART OF THE EAST BAY STEWARDSHIP NETWORK, WHICH IS STATE PARKS, NATIONAL PARKS, ALL THE RESOURCE CONSERVATION DISTRICTS AND THE WATER DISTRICTS, AND WE ALL ARE AGENCIES THAT TAKE CARE OF LAND IN THE EAST BAY. AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE DOING WITH THAT GROUP IS KIND OF SIMILAR TO THIS GROUP, IS WE'RE WORKING ON, YOU KNOW, WHAT SORT OF STRATEGIES AROUND VEGETATION MANAGEMENT THAT WE CAN SORT OF WORK ON TOGETHER AT A LANDSCAPE, YOU KNOW, LEVEL BECAUSE THE AGENT OF FUNDING AGENCIES, I MEAN, FOR ONE, THEY WANT US TO WORK TOGETHER AS ONE AGENCY TO HAVE A SET OF PRIORITIES, BUT THEY ALSO WANT US TO WORK TOGETHER AS A SET OF AGENCIES IN THE EAST BAY TO HAVE SOME SHARED PRIORITIES.
AND SO WE'RE REALLY DOING BOTH THINGS. THIS IS LIKE OUR INTERNAL VERSION OF IT, RIGHT, AND THAT INTERNAL VERSION HELPS US BE MORE ORGANIZED WHEN WE HAVE THOSE EXTERNAL CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
MEMBER PEOPLES. I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF, I THINK THEY'RE CLARIFYING QUESTIONS. ONE IS WHAT EFFORTS WILL THE DISTRICT TAKE WHILE EACH OF THE PAC MEMBERS IS REACHING OUT TO ITS COMMUNITY TO SOLICIT INPUT OR, YOU KNOW, RESPONSE TO THESE QUESTIONS, THAT WILL IT BE SOMETHING? AND I THINK IT WOULD BE USEFUL TO KNOW THAT SO THAT WE CAN COORDINATE OUR EFFORTS WITH WHATEVER THE DISTRICT HAS.
AND THEN THE SECOND QUESTION IS IF YOU CAN DEFINE DEFENSIBLE SPACE. I MEAN, AS I UNDERSTAND DEFENSIBLE SPACE, IT'S CLEARING AN AREA AROUND A BUILDING, AND IS THAT WHAT YOU MEAN WHEN YOU SAY THAT WE'RE ONLY DOING 30% OF IT? SO THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN CREATING THE SHELTERED FUEL BREAKS THAT THE PART OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS DOING SO. THEY CAN BE THE SAME THING. SO THE STATE FIRE CODE, AND WHICH IS ALSO PART OF ALL THE LOCAL FIRE CODES THAT LOCAL FIRE CODES HAVE AT LEAST THE STATE FIRE CODE, AND SOME OF THEM GO BEYOND WHAT'S REQUIRED. THOSE FIRE CODES SAY THAT WITHIN A HUNDRED FEET OF STRUCTURES YOU'RE REQUIRED TO DO SOME VEGETATION MANAGEMENT, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S MORE AND MORE INTENSITY OF THAT MANAGEMENT UP RIGHT TO THE STRUCTURE. WHAT WE DID IS WE MAPPED OUT. THIS WOULD BE ON PARK DISTRICT LAND, YEAH.
WHAT WE MAPPED OUT IS WE TOOK A BUFFER A HUNDRED FEET FROM ANY STRUCTURE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE DISTRICT AND WHERE IT TOUCHED DISTRICT LAND, AND THEN WE OVERLAID ALL THEWE MAPPED OUT ALL THE PLACES WE DO REGULAR MOWING, GRAZING, ALL THE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE THERE'S LIKE 1,200 ACRES, IS THAT THERE'S ABOUT 1,200 ACRES THAT'S THE ENTIRE BUFFER, AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE DOING ABOUT 30% OF THAT. THAT'S WHAT THAT IS. MEMBER DIETER. OH, SORRY, MAX. I WAS GONNA SAY WE'RE NOT PLANNING ON DOING ADDITIONALI MEAN, WE'RE ALWAYS DOING OUTREACH.
WE'RE DOING A LOT OF OUTREACH AROUND THE DISTRICT PLAN. I KIND OF SEE THIS AS LIKE POTENTIALLY PART OF THE DISTRICT PLAN. WE'RE HAVING A LOT OF COMMUNITY MEETINGS, AND THIS TOPIC, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, COMES UP A LOT, SO WE'RE HAVING A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THAT.
BUT THIS, WE'RE REALLY LOOKING TO PARTNER WITH YOU ALL ON THIS, THIS COMPONENT OF THE OUTREACH,
[01:05:02]
AND THERE COULD ALSO, I'M SURE, BE MORE OUTREACH IN THE FUTURE. YEAH, THAT WAS A COMMENT I WAS GOING TO HAVE, IS THIS, THIS IS REALLY GOING TO BE INTEGRAL TO THE DISTRICT PLAN, YEAH, AND WE'LL MODIFY WHAT'S IN THE PLAN. MEMBER DIETER.THANK YOU. I HAVE MORE OF A QUESTION ABOUT A DEFINITION OF TERMS. EVERYTHING IS PRETTY CLEAR. I'M WONDERING, UNDER THE ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AND RESILIENCE, YOU HAVE PROTECT AND RESTORE BIODIVERSITY. I'M WONDERING WHAT THE PARK DISTRICT MEANS WHEN THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT RESTORE. IS THAT BACK TO BEFORE EUROPEAN SETTLERS CAME OR BEFORE CATTLE WAS BROUGHT IN? I MEAN, WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY RESTORE? I'LL TRY MY BEST, AND THEN MATT OR DINA, I'M SURE, COULD CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.
I MEAN, I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT TRYING TO RECREATE SOMETHING NECESSARILY THAT HAPPENED BEFORE. I THINK WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO IS SUPPORT THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THE ECOSYSTEMS, THE NATIVE ECOSYSTEMS THAT ARE IN THE LANDS THAT WE MANAGE.
AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE CALL THAT RESTORATION, BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN LIKE THINGS ARE GOING TO GO BACK TO EXACTLY WHAT THEY WERE AT SOME OTHER TIME. THAT'S HOW I'D SAY IT. YEAH, I'D SAYMATT GROHL, DIVISION LEAD FOR STEWARDSHIPYEAH, I'D SAY, I MEAN, THE END GOAL AT EACH SITE IS GOING TO BE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT, AND IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE AMOUNT OF, OFTEN, HUMAN INFLUENCE THAT'S HAPPENED IN THESE AREAS. A LOT OF TIMES THE VEGETATION THAT IS GROWING THERE ISN'T SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD EXPECT TO BE SEEING THERE AT SOME TIME, SO, OR THERE MAY BE EXOTIC PLANTS THAT ARE NON-NATIVE THAT PROLIFERATE EXTENSIVELY IF WE JUST CUT THEM AT ALL. SO WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT AND SAY, OH WAIT, IS THIS SPECIES SUPPOSED TO EVEN BE HERE? AND THEN WHAT IS GOING TO CREATE A MANAGEABLE SITUATION? AND WHEN WE DO THAT, CAN WE DO IT IN A WAY THAT ENHANCES THE HABITAT? IT MAKES IT A MORE STABLE THING SO WE DON'T HAVE TO KEEP COMING IN HERE AND CUTTING EVERYTHING DOWN. MAYBE IT'S JUST BY SLIGHTLY REMOVING THE UNDERSTORY, OR MAYBE IT'S WE RETURN IT TO A GRASSLAND AND THEN WE CAN MOW IT EVERY YEAR, AND THAT'S A GOOD MANAGEMENT, BECAUSE WHATEVER WAS THERE BEFORE, THAT AREA MAY NOT BE WHAT WE WANTED TO SEE TO BEGIN WITH.
SO WE JUST HAVE EACH SITE IS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF COMMONALITIES. WE START LOOKING OVER THOSE WHOLE AREAS AND LOOKING AT THE SPECIFIC CONDITIONS. SO DO YOU MEAN LIKE YOU'RE RESTORING IT TO SOMETHING THAT IS WHAT WORKS TODAY? THAT'S WHAT I WOULD SAY, YEAH, AN ECOLOGICAL CONDITION THAT WOULD WORK TODAY THAT SUPPORTS THE ECOLOGY AND ALSO DOESN'T TAKE OVER, ISN'T MANAGEMENT HEAVY BECAUSE IT'S GOT A SPECIES THAT JUST KEEPS PROLIFERATING AND GROWING THERE AND EXPANDING IF IT SHOULDN'T BE IN THAT LOCATION. WONDERFUL PRESENTATION, Y'ALL. THANK YOU.
TO WHAT EXTENT ARE PRESCRIBED BURNS A PART OF THE REGIME? I'VE HAD THE BENEFIT OF MAKING HUNDREDS OF FIRES AT COYOTE HILLS AS A NATURALIST AND, YOU KNOW, JUST FOR DEMONSTRATION TO SHOW HOW SACRED FIRE IS TO NATIVE PEOPLES, BUT ALSO TO SHOW THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN HEAL THE LAND. SO WHEN WE DO THESE PRESCRIBED BURNS, OFTENTIMES THE WORD PRESCRIBED IS USED, AND IT'S A PRESCRIPTION TO A PART OF HAVING GOOD MEDICINE TO THE LAND. WITH THE INFLUX OF LAND BACK MOVEMENTS HERE IN OAKLAND JUST THIS PAST WEEK AT SAUSAL CREEK WATERSHED, SOGOREA TE' LAND TRUST GETTING LAND BACK, AS WELL AS ALL OVER UP AND DOWN THE STATE, THERE'S JUST SUCH A TRAUMA I THINK THAT ALL OF US HAVE FELT WITH FIRE BEING PERVASIVE IN OUR LIVES, AND OUR IMMEDIATE RESPONSE IS TO SUPPRESS IT COMPLETELY WITHOUT ANY KIND OF INDIGENOUS PERSPECTIVE. SO I JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T MEAN TO BE A BROKEN RECORD, AS I OFTENTIMES BRING THIS UP, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF WONDERFUL THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE DISTRICT. FOR EXAMPLE, ONE THING THAT WASN'T REALLY MENTIONED IN THE PRESENTATION WAS THAT THERE'S SO MUCH MOVEMENT OF WORKERS AND BECOMING PARK RANGERS. MY FRIEND AKEEM, WHO'S A RANGER AT LAKE TEMESCAL NOW, WAS IN THE FIRE FUELS.
BEFORE THAT HE WAS IN RECREATION. SO I THINK THAT THIS IS A WAY, YOU KNOW, TO REALLY INVOLVE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES FROM THE COSTANOAN AND RUMSEN CARMEL TRIBE, WHO ARE DOING IT RIGHT NOW IN MONTEREY IN THEIR HOMELAND, AND ALSO FOLKS IN SONOMA, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, TERA ECO RESTORATION, REDBUD RESOURCE GROUP. I THINK WE HAVE A LOST OPPORTUNITY HERE TO ENGAGE NATIVE INTERTRIBAL GROUPS.
YEAH, I FEEL LIKE I DIDN'T MENTION THAT ENOUGH IN THE PRESENTATION, BUT THAT'S DEFINITELY SORT OF ONE OF THE PIECES THAT WE WANT TO CAPTURE AS WELL. AND I THINK, AGAIN, THROUGH THIS OUTREACH, THAT CAN BE ANOTHER PIECE TO HIGHLIGHT. THANK YOU.
[01:10:01]
FOR THE PRESENTATION, VERY GOOD, INFORMATIONAL. IT DEFINITELY LOOKS LIKE THERE'S A SHORTFALL ON NEEDS ALREADY. IS PART OF THE PROCESS TO TRY AND DEFINE THE RESOURCE LEVEL THAT WOULD BE NEEDED TO HIT A MINIMUM LEVEL AND THEN PERHAPS A DESIRED PUBLIC LEVEL? AND I KIND OF BRING THAT UPI THINK THERE'S CLEAR PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES THAT I THINK THE PUBLIC WANTS AT A HIGHER LEVEL THAN ACCESS ISSUES SUCH AS OVERGROWN TRAILS, AND MOST PEOPLE WOULD LOOK AT IT THAT WAY. WE'RE STILL FRUSTRATEDTRAIL ACCESS AND OTHER VEGETATION-RELATED THINGS OR PROBLEMS. WILL THIS LOOK INTO THOSE ISSUES? I MEAN, THIS IS ALLWE'RE TRYING TO HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE LOOK AT VEGETATION MANAGEMENT OVERALL, AND I THINK ALL OF THOSE ARE IMPORTANT. AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE NOTICED AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS ISSUE IS THAT ALL THOSE PIECES WORK TOGETHER. AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT SO MUCH LIKE ONE AGAINST THE OTHER.IT'S REALLY HOW CAN WE DO MULTIPLE-BENEFIT WORK AT ONCE? AND I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR THAT. AND THEN IN TERMS OF THE RESOURCES, I MEAN, I THINK PART OF OUR THINKING AROUND THIS IS THE POTENTIAL OF HAVING A BALLOT MEASURE IN THE FUTURE FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING. AND PART OF THAT IS LIKE I SEE THIS AS LIKE A COMPONENT OF OUR DISTRICT PLAN PROCESS, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE GET THROUGH THAT PROCESS IS SHOWING WHERE DO WE HAVE SOME DEFICIENCIES AND NEEDS FOR ADDITIONAL CAPACITY, AND THEN THAT HELPS US MAKE THE ASK TO THE COMMUNITY FOR ADDITIONAL SUPPORT, POTENTIALLY. FIRE-HARDENED TRAILS CAN BE A MULTI-BENEFIT OPTION TO CONSIDER IN THE PALETTE OF CHOICES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION. AND MAX, I JUST WANTED TO EXPRESS APPRECIATION FOR THE REST OF THE GROUP. I THINK THAT YOUR PRESENCE HERE IS VERY MUCH APPRECIATED, AS WELL AS HAVING THE APPROPRIATE STAFF. I DO HAVE A CLARIFYING QUESTION. AS A GEOSPATIAL MAPPING GEEK, I AM WISHING I COULD PEEK IN ON THE SHARED DASHBOARD, AND IS THERE ANY PLANS TO MAKE THAT AVAILABLE, MAYBE TO PAC MEMBERS? AND IS THERE ANY POTENTIAL FOR MAPPING SUPPORT THAT WE COULD ASK FOR, A GRAPHIC OR SOMETHING THAT WE COULD USE AS WE REACH OUT TO OUR RESPECTIVE COMMUNITIES? YEAH, I THINK THAT'S AWESOME.
WE'D LOVE TO LIKE WALK YOU ALL THROUGH THE MAPPING TOOL. I'LL DEFER TO OURWE CAN FOLLOW UP WITH OUR TEAM AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE THAT AVAILABLE AND SUPPORT TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN SUPPORT YOU WITH IT. BUT YES, PLEASE.
YEAH, I'M ALSO A DORK ABOUT IT, SO I LOVE IT, YEAH.
MEMBER SIMMONS. THANK YOU, AND I SHARE THE COMMENTS ABOUT WHAT A GOOD PRESENTATION IT WAS, HOW THOROUGH IT WAS. I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS. THE FIRST ONE I DON'T REALLY EXPECT AN ANSWER TO TODAY BECAUSE I THINK YOU MAY NEED TO THINK ABOUT IT, BUT I AM CURIOUS AS TO HOW YOU ARE GOING TO DEFINE SUCCESS AND WHAT METRICS YOU'RE GOING TO USE. AND I CAN GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, WHICH IS YOUR DEFENSIBLE SPACE OF 1,200 ACRES. ARE YOU PLANNING TO GET TO 100% BY 2030? AND THAT'S JUSTTHAT'S A RHETORICAL QUESTION. SO I JUST, YOU KNOWBUT I THINK THE PUBLIC IS GOING TO WANT TO SEE SOMETHING THAT SAYS THIS IS WHAT SUCCESS IS. I'LL JUST SAY I AGREE. YOU KNOW, TO ME, SOMETIMES IT'S REALLY HARD TO HAVE MEASURES OF OUR SUCCESS AND ABILITY TO DO WORK. YOU KNOW, WITH PUBLIC WORKS AND ROAD PAVING, YOU'VE GOT LIKE THE PAVEMENT CONDITION INDEX, WHICH IS KIND OF LIKE YOUR MEASURE OF SUCCESS FOR CARING FOR ROADS. AND SO TO ME, ACTUALLY, THIS PERCENTAGE IS ACTUALLY A GOOD MEASURE OF OUR SUCCESS AROUND FUELS REDUCTION. THAT DOESN'T COVER ALL THE OTHER THINGS WE'RE TRYING TO DO, BUT AT LEAST IT DOES HELP TO MEASURE ONE. SO MY SECOND QUESTION IS MORE GENERAL. I DON'T THINK I SAW A REFERENCE TO WATERSHEDS IN ANYTHING, AND IN ONE OF THE AREAS THAT, YOU KNOW, IS THERE AN EFFORT, IS THERE THINKING GOING ON IN THIS WHOLE PROCESS OF TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING RELATES TO IMPROVING WATERSHED HEALTH? I WOULD SAY THAT THERE ISN'T A PIECE OF LAND IN THE DISTRICT THAT'S NOT PART OF A WATERSHED, AND WHERE THIS PART OF THIS IS THE HEALTH OF THE LANDS. SO WE ARE TALKING ABOUT WATERSHEDS. WE JUST MADE THE MISTAKE OF NOT SAYING THE WORD, SO THANK YOU. MEMBER SMITH.
YEAH, THANK YOU SO MUCH, EVERYBODY, FOR GREAT PRESENTATIONS, AND MAX, IT IS SO GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE. DOES SOMEBODY HAVE THE WORDING OF THE ACTION ITEM THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE WORKING ON FOR THE YEAR? BECAUSE I KNOW BIODIVERSITY WAS IN THERE.
[01:15:01]
DOES ANYBODY? I THOUGHT I HAD IT, BUT I DON'T.IN TERMS OFYOU CAN LOOK AT WHAT WAS APPROVED FOR WORK. WE'RE FOCUSED TOPICS, BUT THEY'RE PRETTY BROAD AT THIS POINT, YEAH. AND SO WHAT WE'VE DISCUSSED BEFORE, THIS ISN'TWE'RE GONNA HAVE MULTIPLE CUTS AT THIS THING, AND SO WE'LL PROBABLY WORDSMITH IT AS WE GO ALONG.
BUT THEY WERE KIND OF BY DESIGN WHEN THE BOARD APPROVED THEM, YEAH. SO THERE'S NO SPECIFIC LANGUAGE AT THIS POINT OTHER THAN THE BROAD STATEMENT.
OKAY, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT BIODIVERSITY WAS PART OF THAT, AND VEGETATION MANAGEMENT IS JUST LIKE ONE SMALL PART OF PROTECTING BIODIVERSITY. SO DOES THIS MEAN THAT FOR THE WHOLE YEAR WE'RE JUST WORKING ON FUELS MANAGEMENT? AND THEN SO WHERE DOES BIODIVERSITY COME IN? BECAUSE I HAVE FELT IN THE DISTRICT PLAN, THE FIRST DRAFTING THAT WE GOT, I JUST FEEL THAT BIODIVERSITY IS NOT NAMED IN THE SAME WAY THAT WATERSHEDS ARE NOT NAMED, AND I THINK WE NEED TO START MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE NAMED AND NOT JUST ASSUMED. I HEAR THAT, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU SAID, BIODIVERSITY IS A HUGE TOPIC.
EVEN THIS VEGETATION MANAGEMENT IS A HUGE TOPIC, AND WE'RE TRYING TO PROVIDE A CONNECTION BETWEEN THE TOPIC THAT THE PAC HAD CHOSEN AND SOMETHING THAT WE WERE ALREADY KIND OF WORKING ON, COULD USE YOUR HELP ON THAT, CONNECTED WITH THAT TOPIC. SO THAT'S WHY WE SORT OF PROPOSED THIS AS SOMETHING TO DIG INTO. BUT FOR SURE, WE'RE NOT EXHAUSTING EVEN THIS TOPIC OR BIODIVERSITY AS A WHOLE. AND I THINK, TO ME, THIS YEAR WE'RE TRYING OUT THIS WAY OF WORKING ON A FEW DIFFERENT TOPICS TOGETHER, AND MY HOPE IS WE CAN LEARN FROM THAT EXPERIENCE. AND, YOU KNOW, THIS WON'T BE THE ONLY TOPIC FOR THE YEAR. I THINK THERE'S SEVERAL OTHERS, OR AT LEAST ANOTHER, AND THEN AS WE LOOK TO THE FOLLOWING YEAR, WE CAN SELECT SOME MORE. AND MAYBE BIODIVERSITY IS ANOTHER ONE, AND WE LOOK AT ANOTHER ASPECT OF IT. SO I HOPE THAT'S HELPFUL. YEAH, I WOULD JUST KIND OF ADD TO THAT IT'S REALLY AIT'S NOT CALLED A PILOT PROGRAMBUT PAC HASN'T REALLY DONE THIS BEFORE, AT LEAST IN THE PAST FOUR YEARS, AND SO WE'RE GONNA KIND OF LEARN AS WE GO, TOO, FOR GOOD AND BAD. MEMBER DEPASHLEY. YES, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. I JUST WANTED TO ASK, I SAW THAT THERE WAS SOME INFORMATION GIVEN IN REGARDS TO FUNDING. A LOT OF IT IS GRANT FUNDED THROUGH FEDERAL SOURCES, STATE SOURCES, ETCETERA, AND YOU SORT OF ANSWERED THE QUESTION IN TERMS OF THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH BALLOT MEASURES TO OBTAIN MORE FUNDING. I WAS JUST CURIOUS, IN MAYBE YEARS OR PERIODS WHERE FUNDING SORT OF DRIES UP, HOW EXACTLY ARE PRIORITY AREAS ADDRESSED IN TERMS OF MANAGING VEGETATION OR FIRE? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. I THINK THIS WILL HELP US AS WELL. SO, A BIG CHUNK OF OUR WORK IS FUNDED THROUGH THE WORK OF OUR EMPLOYEES, JUST THE REGULAR ANNUAL WORK, AND THAT'S FUNDED THROUGH THE PROPERTY TAXES THAT SUPPORT THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT. WE'VE BEEN REALLY FORTUNATE THAT'S BEEN A FAIRLY STABLE SOURCE OF FUNDING, IN ADDITION TO SOME OTHER FAIRLY STABLE SOURCES OF FUNDING. THE BIGGER PROJECTS, LIKE THE WORK THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S DONE IN TILDEN AND ANTHONY CHABOT AND SOME OF OUR PARKS, THOSE ARE REALLY FUNDED BY GRANT FUNDS FROM THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, BUT ESPECIALLY FROM THE STATE GOVERNMENT. AND WE REALLY RELY ON STATE PARK AND WATERSHED WATER BOND MEASURES THAT HAVE FUNDED THAT WORK. SO, YOU KNOW, THAT CAN BE A LITTLE BIT MORE CYCLICAL AS WE RELY ON THOSE THINGS.
BUT THIS WORK, SORT OF HAVING A BETTER STRATEGY FOR WHAT WE DO, WILL HELP BOTH WITH THAT ONGOING MAINTENANCE PIECE OF WHAT WE DO AND WHEN THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUTSIDE FUNDING. AND THEN I'LL JUST SAY, YOU KNOW, THAT THE POTENTIAL FOR A BALLOT MEASURE IS TO INCREASE OUR CAPACITY FOR THAT JUST ONGOING MAINTENANCE WORK. MEMBER PEOPLESAND THEN WE SHOULD PROBABLY MOVE ON TO COMMENTS. YEAH, I LOOK AT THIS IN THE REQUESTING PUBLIC COMMENT ON IT, AND I CAN ALMOST GUARANTEE THAT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO HEAR IS I'M CONCERNED ABOUT WILDFIRE RISK ANDHEY, BOB, I'M SORRY, I'M GONNAIT SOUNDS LIKE MORE OF A COMMENT. IS THERE A CLARIFYING QUESTION? OTHERWISE, I THOUGHT WE WERE INTO COMMENTS. WE'RE NOT AT COMMENT YET. WE'RE STILL IN
[01:20:02]
CLARIFYING QUESTIONS. I'M SORRY. OKAY, SO DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER CLARIFYING QUESTIONS? YEP. IS YOUR MAPPING TOOL GOING TO INCLUDE, WHEN YOU GET INTO CITY PARKS, CITY LANDI MEAN, BECAUSE WE'REEVEN PRIVATE PROPERTY? I CAN SEE PEOPLE'S PRIVATE PROPERTY BEINGWELL, THEY HAVE TO HAVE THEIR OWN DEFENSIBLE SPACE. I CAN'T JUST SAY THAT WHAT ENCROACHES, YOU KNOW, FROM THE EAST BAY PARKS. BUT LIKE CITIES, FOR EXAMPLE? GREAT QUESTION. SO, WHEN WE DID THE FINE-SCALE VEG MAP, IT'S FOR THE ENTIRE TWO-COUNTY EAST BAY. THE MAPPING THAT WE CREATE IS JUST FOR EAST BAY REGIONAL PARKS BECAUSE WE'RE JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, FOR THEM, THE LANDS THAT WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR. WHAT ARE WE DOING, WHAT SHOULD WE BE DOING, AND HOW SHOULD WE PRIORITIZE IT? YOU, OKAY? ANY OTHER CLARIFYING QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT. IT FEELS LIKE WE'VE HAD SOME COMMENTS, BUT WE ARE GOING TO MOVE ON TOACTUALLY, I'M SORRYPUBLIC COMMENTS.MADAM CLERK, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS? WE HAVE NO PUBLIC COMMENTS.
OKAY, SO WE'RE MOVING ON TO COMMENTS. MEMBER PEOPLES, I KNOW YOU HAVE ONE, BUT I WOULD JUST PLEASE HEADLINE, FOLKS, WE'RE RUNNING LATE, AND AGAIN, I KNOW WE HAVE OTHER THINGS BASED ON ANNOUNCEMENTS THAT ARE PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE SOME DISCUSSION. SO, MEMBER PEOPLES, COMMENTS.
YEAH, AGAIN, IN TERMS OF REACHING OUT TO PEOPLE AND GETTING COMMENTS ON THIS, I THINK THE OVERWHELMING RESPONSE IS GOING TO BE THE CONCERN ABOUT WILDFIRE RISK, PARTICULARLY IF YOU LIVE SOMEWHERE NEAR OPEN SPACE OR DISTRICT LANDS. THERE'LL BE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT TRAILS, YOU KNOW, KEEPING THEM OPEN.
MY GUESS IS THERE'LL BE VERY LITTLE ABOUT THE MANAGEMENT OF THE BIODIVERSITY, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO MAINTAIN THE ECOSYSTEM VIABILITY AND THAT.
AND I JUST WONDER, FROM A PERSPECTIVE IN TERMS OF US GOING OUT AND ASKING PEOPLE, I THINK IT WOULD BE MUCH MORE PRODUCTIVE IF WE HAD SOMETHING TO SUGGEST TO PEOPLE. THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE IN MIND, AND WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS PROPOSAL, AND USE THAT TO BEGIN THE DISCUSSION. AND THEN IT MAY BE COVERED IN THE NEXT MEETING OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE GOALS AND THE WAY THEY'RE STATED, THE WORDS THAT ARE USED ON THIS IN TERMS OF COMMUNICATING IT TO PEOPLE, AND IN TERMS OF GOALS AND GETTING TO THE QUESTION ABOUT WHAT DO WE MEAN BY RESTORE AND WHATNOT. I THINK WE CAN BUILD ON THAT FINE-SCALE VEGETATION MAPPING THAT'S BEEN DONE TO BEGIN TO LOOK, TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE ECOLOGISTS CALL THE CLIMAX VEGETATION, AND THAT'S GOING TO BE THE VEGETATION, PARTICULARLY IF WE CAN FACTOR IN CLIMATE CHANGE, WHERE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE MOST RESILIENT VEGETATION FOR THE CLIMATE WE HAVE AROUND HERE, INCLUDING FIRE.
BUT IT'S ALSO GOING TO BE SELF-MAINTAINING, WHICH I THINK IS SOMETHING WE NEED IN TERMS OF THE COST OF THIS.
WE NEED TO THINK TOWARDS HOW CAN WE DEVELOP VEGETATION THAT'S NOT GOING TO REQUIRE MANAGEMENT, IT'S GOING TO BE SELF-MAINTAINING, OTHER THAN PERHAPS WITH CONTROLLED BURNS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT PERIODICALLY, BUT HAVING TO AVOID MASSIVE HAND CLEARING OF VEGETATION OVER A LARGE-SCALE AREA. SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN DISCUSS THAT IN MORE DETAIL IN THE FUTURE.
MEMBER LOPEZ. THANK YOU, AND I'LL BE QUICK. I'M JUST HOPING THAT BECAUSE WE'RE SO LATE IN THE HOUR AND WE HAVEN'T GONE TO COMMENTS AND IT WAS A VERY EXTENSIVE PRESENTATION AND IT IS OUR WORK PLAN, IF WE COULD JUST CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION IN A FUTURE MEETING, BECAUSE THAT WAY WE CAN HAVE THAT ROBUST CONVERSATION. IT ALSO WOULD GIVE ME PERSONALLY SOME TIME TO THINK ABOUT IT, BUT I THINK THAT WOULD BE THE BEST AND MOST AUTHENTIC WAY TO APPROACH THIS, GIVEN OUR TIME CONSTRAINTS.
THANK YOU. MEMBER BARTLEBAUGH.
I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT BRIEFLY. I LIVE IN CROCKETT, IN THE CROCKETT-PORT COSTA AREA. THE COMMUNITY THERE IS VERY THANKFUL FOR THE RESPONSE TO THE SCENIC FIRE, SO I HEAR COMMENTS ABOUT THAT ALL THE TIME, AND THEY'RE VERY GLAD TO SEE THE POST-FIRE CLEANUP WORK AND THE RESTORATION WORK THAT'S GOING ON. SO, I HEAR A LOT OF POSITIVE COMMENTS ABOUT THAT. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU FOR THAT FANTASTIC PRESENTATION, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING MORE ABOUT IT TOO.
SO BRIEFLY, A REPORT FROM THE CHAIR BEFORE YOU GO.
[01:25:01]
ACTING DIRECTOR MAX CORTON, JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN FOR ATTENDING. THAT'S TWO MEETINGS IN A ROW, AND WE KNOW YOU CAN'T BE HERE ALL THE TIME, BUT WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE HAVING YOU HERE, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING. ALSO, REAL QUICKLY, JUST ANOTHER REMINDER, IF YOU CAN WEAR YOUR NAME TAG, IT PREVENTS A DISPOSABLE ITEM, ONE USE, BEING PRINTED AND THROWN INTO THE LANDFILL. SO PLEASE, IF YOU CAN REMEMBER TO DO THAT. AN ITEM THAT PROBABLY WILL HAVE A LITTLE QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION: STAFF HAS REQUESTED THAT WE MOVE OUR MEETING OF APRIL 27TH. NOW, THIS IS A LARGE GROUP AND EVERYBODY IN HERE IS BUSY, SO IF WE CAN'T MOVE IT, WE CAN'T MOVE IT, BUT THEY HAVE SOME CONFLICTS.SO, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS THREE WAYS. ONE, THINK ABOUT THIS FOR A SECOND. NOW YOU GOT TO LOOK AT YOUR CALENDARS. I'M GOING TO SEE, LIKE, SHOW OF HANDS, HOW MANY PEOPLE WOULD BE ABLE AND WILLING TO MOVE FROM APRIL 27TH. IF WE CAN'T, THAT'S OKAY, WE'LL KEEP THAT MEETING. AND THEN THE ALTERNATIVES WOULD BE APRIL 13TH OR APRIL 20TH. SO, I'M GOING TO GIVE EVERYONE JUST A SECOND TO LOOK AT THEIR CALENDARS, AND THEN I'LL JUST DO A SHOW OF HANDS. AND IF YOU CAN'T DO IT, YOU CAN'T DO IT. SO, FIRST ONE, SHOW OF HANDS: ARE PEOPLE ABLE AND WILLING TO MOVE FROM APRIL 27TH TO THE 13TH OR 20TH? OKAY, SO IT LOOKS LIKE MOST OF THE PEOPLE. ANYBODY WHO CANNOT? OKAY, FANTASTIC, THANK YOU. SO, 13TH OR 20TH, WE'LL SAY 4 O'CLOCK. HOW MANY PEOPLE WOULD PREFER THE 13TH? OKAY. HOW MANY PEOPLE CANNOT DO THE 13TH? ONE, TWO. HOW MANY PEOPLE CANNOT DO THE 20TH? THREE, FOUR. OKAY, SO ARE WE OKAY THEN? I APOLOGIZE SOME PEOPLE CAN'T DO THE 13TH. IT LOOKS LIKE, SHOW OF HANDS, 13TH DOES WORK FOR PEOPLE, YES? OKAY, AND I'M SORRY, IT'S HARD WITH A LARGE GROUP.
SO, THE MEETING DETAILS WILL COME OUT FROM THE CLERK. OUR MEETING OF THE 27TH IS MOVED TO THE 13TH. AND THEN, ERIC, ONE QUALIFYING COMMENT IS WE DO NEED TO MAKE SUREWE DIDN'T RUN THAT BY CLAIRE, SO WE WILL NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WORKS FOR THEM. OKAY. SO THAT IS IT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR FLEXIBILITY. AGAIN, I KNOW IT'S HARD WITH A BIG GROUP, AND I APOLOGIZE IF THAT DIDN'T WORK, AND WE'LL GET FINAL DETAILS.
SO, ANNOUNCEMENTS. I BELIEVE WE HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT FROM MADAM CLERK, CORRECT? HI.
OKAY, SO WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH OUR FINANCE TEAM AND OUR CHAIR OF THE FINANCE SUBCOMMITTEE TO IDENTIFY DATES FOR THE FOUR MEETINGS THAT WE'LL BE SETTING UP FOR THE FINANCE SUBCOMMITTEE THIS YEAR. THOSE DATESI ALREADY SENT AROUND AN EMAIL WITH THE SCHEDULE TODAY, SO YOU SHOULD HAVE THAT IN YOUR INBOX ALREADY. THE FIRST MEETING IS ON MARCH 20TH.
THAT WILL BE FOCUSED ON THE OVERSIGHT ROLE AND TAX MEASURES. THE SECOND ONE WILL BE ON JUNE 25TH TO REVIEW THE TAX MEASURE ALLOCATIONS AND BUDGET. THE THIRD WILL BE ON AUGUST 28TH. THIS WILL BE A REVIEW OF THE ACFR, WHICH IS THE ANNUAL AUDIT, AND AN INTRO TO THE 2027 BUDGET. AND THEN OUR LAST ONE OF THE YEAR, THE FOURTH ONE, WILL BE NOVEMBER 17TH, AND THAT WILL GO INTO MORE DETAIL ON THE 2027 BUDGET. OKAY. IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT THE FOLKS YOU REPORT TO ARE NEVER HERE WHEN WE SAY THIS, BUT I DO WANT TO THANK STAFF ONCE AGAIN.
THIS CAME AS A DIRECT RESULT OF FEEDBACK THAT WAS PROVIDED REALLY FROM THE ENTIRE BODY AROUND IF WE'RE THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE FOR BONDS, THEN WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT THIS IN GREATER DETAIL.
THERE WAS A COMMENT BEFORE, HEY, CFP WAS OUR NUMBER ONE.
SO AGAIN, EVEN IF IT'S NOT EVERYTHING YOU'D HOPE FOR, THIS REALLY IS GREAT PROGRESS.
AT LEAST IT'S NOT HERE BUT THANK YOU BOTH FOR EVERYTHING YOU DID ON THIS.
I APPRECIATE IT. I KNOW OTHER FOLKS HERE APPRECIATE IT TOO, SO THANK YOU. YES, QUESTION, MEMBER LOPEZ. TALK TO ME OFFLINE. ANYBODY, IF
[01:30:01]
YOU'RE NOT ON THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, YOU CAN CERTAINLY LOOK AT IT VIA ZOOM TOO, CORRECT? EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT ON THE FINANCE SUBCOMMITTEE, YOU CAN OBSERVE THE MEETING, CORRECT? YES. OKAY.ANNOUNCEMENTS. MEMBER SIMMONS.
YES, THANK YOU, CHAIR. AND ELSA, COULD YOU PUT SOMETHING UP ON THE SCREEN? SO, WHEN I SAW THAT WE HAD TRAILS AS ONE OF OUR TWO MAIN TOPICS, AND THEN ABOUT THE SAME TIME THE PARK DISTRICT CAME OUT WITH ITS CHAIR TRAIL CHALLENGE, I LIKE TO HIKE, AND I DECIDED I WAS GOING TO HIKE ON ONE OF THE TRAILS IN EACH OF THE SEVEN WARDS.
AND THEN I THOUGHT, WELL, IT MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA JUST TO LET THE PAC MEMBERS KNOW ABOUT IT, AND IF YOU WANT TO JOIN ME, I'D LOVE TO SEE YOU THERE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO MEMORIZE THE LOCATIONS OR THE DATES BECAUSE I'LL SEND A LETTER TO ELSA, WHO WILL SEND IT OUT. ALL OF THEM WILL BE AT 10 O'CLOCK, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF APRIL 17TH, WHICH WILL BE AT 1, AND THEY'RE ALL ON FRIDAYS. THAT'S BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO DO IT ON WEEKENDS WHEN THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER USERS IN THE PARKS.
AND I KNOW SOME PEOPLE WORK AND CAN'T DO IT. YOU KNOW, YOU'RE WELCOME TO HIKE ON YOUR OWN. I'D BE GLAD TO SEE ANYBODY. I WILL ACTUALLY PRE-HIKE ALL OF THEM, SO I DON'T GET LOST WHEN I HAVE OTHER PEOPLE WITH ME, OR AT LEAST NOT LOST TOO OFTEN.
WE WILL HIKE THE TRAIL THAT'S IDENTIFIED IN THE TRAIL CHALLENGE. YOU MAY LIVE IN THE AREA AND SAY, WELL, THIS ONE IS MUCH BETTER, MIGHT BE MUCH BETTER, BUT WE'RE GOING TO DO THE TRAIL CHALLENGE. AND I JUST THINK THAT MIGHT HELP US TO THINK MORE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO WE WANT TO SEE AND HOW WE WANT TO COMMENT ON THE TRAILS WHEN WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT. I HAD A COUPLE DISCUSSIONS WITH STAFF AND THE CHAIR AS I DEVELOPED THIS TO TRY AND MAKE SURE THIS IS NOT A DISTRICT ACTIVITY, THIS IS NOT A PAC-SPONSORED ACTIVITY. THIS IS ME GOING OUT ON THE TRAIL, AND IF YOU WANT TO MEET ME AT 10 O'CLOCK ON THESE TRAILS AND WALK WITH MEFOR MOST OF THEM ABOUT FIVE MILESI'D BE GLAD TO SEE ANYBODY OUT THERE. SO, I THINK IT'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO JUST EXPLORE OTHER PARKS THAT WE MIGHT NOT GO TO AND SEE WHAT'S OUT THERE.
AND I TRIED TO DO MOST OF THEM WHEN YOU CAN STILL SEE SOME WILDFLOWERS BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME. SO, IT'LL GO OUT IN ABOUT A WEEK TO ALL OF YOU, AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO SEND ME AN EMAIL SAYING I'M GOING TO BE THERE OR NOT. YOU JUST SORT OF SHOW UP. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND AGAIN, THESE ARE NOT OFFICIALLY SANCTIONED ACTIVITIES. WE'LL REMIND PEOPLE WHEN THEY SHOW UP, JUST LIKE BOB WAS HAVING A COCKTAIL PARTY.
IF THERE IS A QUORUM, THEN WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO NOT DISCUSS ANYTHING REGARDING BUSINESS, BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE A BROWN
ACT, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT AN OFFICIAL MEETING. SO JUST WANT FULL DISCLOSURE, THIS IS NOT AN OFFICIAL MEETING, SANCTIONED, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH. IF WE HAVE A QUORUM, THEN WE GOT TO BE CAREFUL. IF NOT, YOU KNOW, BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MEMBER SIMMONS, FOR DOING THIS. MEMBER DETCHINS. QUORUM IS 50% PLUS ONE. YES. ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? ANY REMOTE? OKAY. THE MEETING OF FEBRUARY 23RD, 2026 IS NOW ADJOURNED AT 6.33 P.M. THE NEXT REGULAR PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING WILL TAKE PLACE ON MARCH 23RD, 2026 AT 4 P.M. THANK YOU, EVERYBODY. HAVE A GREAT EVENING.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.