Mar 03, 2026 Board of Directors Meeting

[00:00:05]

GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. I CALL TO ORDER THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT FOR MARCH 3RD,

[CALL TO ORDER]

LET'S GO AHEAD AND TAKE ROLL CALL. THANK YOU.

DIRECTOR ECHOLS. PRESENT. DIRECTOR DESCHAMBAULT.

HERE. DIRECTOR ESPAÑA. PRESENT. DIRECTOR MERCURIO.

HERE. DIRECTOR WAESPI. HERE. VICE PRESIDENT COFFEY.

HERE. PRESIDENT SANWONG. HERE. ALL MEMBERS ARE PRESENT.

GREAT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. DIRECTOR ECHOLS IS GOING TO LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.

ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

SOMEDAY. OKAY. DIRECTOR WAESPI WILL NOW READ THE LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT.

THANK YOU. AS WE GATHER HERE TODAY, WE, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT ALL OF THE LANDS WITHIN EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT ARE THE ANCESTRAL LANDS OF THE EAST BAY, OHLONE, BAY MIWOK AND THE NORTHERN VALLEY YAKUT, 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, 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.

GREAT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. SO NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO MODIFICATION OF THE AGENDA.

DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY MODIFICATIONS THEY'D LIKE TO MAKE TO THE AGENDA TODAY? I DON'T SEE ANYONE THAT WANTS TO MAKE ANY CHANGES TO THE AGENDA.

SO WE WILL NOW MOVE ON. SO THE NEXT ITEM IS SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS.

WE DON'T HAVE ANY SCHEDULED. AND SO NOW WE MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM D PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA.

[PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA]

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC MAY PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT EITHER IN PERSON OR VIA ZOOM.

THOSE ATTENDING IN PERSON SHALL SUBMIT A SPEAKER CARD TO THE CLERK, STAFF OR OTHERWISE INDICATE THEIR DESIRE TO SPEAK ON A NON AGENDA ITEM.

THOSE ATTENDING VIA ZOOM MAY USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE.

SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED WHEN IT IS THEIR TURN TO SPEAK.

EACH SPEAKER WILL BE PROVIDED UP TO THREE MINUTES TO ADDRESS THE BOARD.

A COUNTDOWN TIMER WILL BE DISPLAYED FOR THE SPEAKER'S CONVENIENCE.

WE HAVE TEN SPEAKER CARDS AND WE HAVE ONE HAND UP ONLINE.

I WILL START WITH SEAN CONNOLLY.

GOOD AFTERNOON. TURN IT ON FIRST. GOOD AFTERNOON.

PRESIDENT SANWONG, BOARD MEMBERS, ACTING GENERAL MANAGER, KORTEN AND GENERAL COUNSEL AND CLERK.

MY NAME IS SEAN CONLEY. I'M A DISTRICT EMPLOYEE AND I WANTED TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO THANK YOU.

ACTING GENERAL MANAGER COURTNEY AND OTHERS INVOLVED IN THE NEGOTIATIONS FOR THE UNION AND UPCOMING WORKING WITH THE UNION AND COMING TO AN AGREEMENT TO REINSTATE THE TELEWORK POLICY. FROM MY PERSON. FOR ME PERSONALLY, THIS HELPS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE THE COMMUTE TIME ALONG WITH THE ASSOCIATED STRESS AND HEALTH IMPACTS, ALLOWING ME MORE TIME WITH MY FAMILY AND A GENERAL IMPROVEMENT OF MY QUALITY OF LIFE. THIS ACT OF GOOD FAITH HAS ALREADY SHOWN A DRAMATIC UPSWING IN MORALE WITH THE OTHER, WITH OTHER EMPLOYEES I'VE SPOKEN WITH EXPRESSING A SENSE OF RELIEF AND REFRESHED EXCITEMENT FOR WORKING AT THE PARK DISTRICT.

I THINK TIME WILL SHOW PARK DISTRICT STAFF PROVE THEMSELVES MORE EAGER TO WORK AND BE JUST AS PRODUCTIVE, WHILE LESS INCLINED TO LOOK ELSEWHERE FOR EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, ALL OF WHICH WILL HELP ENSURE THE PARK DISTRICT HAS A KNOWLEDGEABLE AND EFFECTIVE WORKFORCE TO SERVE THE EAST BAY. SO THANK YOU.

IT'S TRULY APPRECIATED. THANK YOU. ROBBIE BERRY.

ROBBIE PERRY. SORRY. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS ROBBIE PERRY.

I'M AN EMPLOYEE LIVING IN THE DISTRICT HOUSING WITH THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT. I'M HERE TO REQUEST CLARITY REGARDING THE RECENT TAX NOTICE THAT WAS SENT TO DISTRICT RESIDENTS TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THE 2026 NEW YEAR.

SPECIFICALLY, WE WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE DISTRICT DETERMINED THAT WE DID NOT MEET THE CRITERIA FOR EXEMPTION, WHAT ANALYSIS WAS CONDUCTED, AND WHAT SPECIFIC STANDARDS WERE APPLIED.

WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST A CLEAR EXPLANATION OF HOW THE DETERMINATION WAS MADE.

ADDITIONALLY, WE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHETHER THE DISTRICT EXERCISED DUE DILIGENCE BY CONSULTING WITH THE CPA OR QUALIFIED TAX PROFESSIONAL TO VERIFY OUR EXEMPTION STATUS UNDER IRS GUIDELINES BEFORE ISSUING THIS NOTICE. WE ARE ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT HOW THE FAIR MARKET VALUE WAS CALCULATED.

TO OUR KNOWLEDGE, THE APPRAISER DID NOT PHYSICALLY INSPECT OUR INDIVIDUAL UNITS OR CONSULT WITH RESIDENTS.

WITHOUT AN ON SITE EVALUATION, HOW CAN THE ASSIGNMENT VALUE ACCURATELY REFLECT THE TRUE CONDITION,

[00:05:04]

MANY RESIDENTS HAVE REACHED OUT TO COMPARABLE AGENCIES AND HAVE LEARNED THAT EMPLOYEES LIVING IN DISTRICT HOUSING WITH THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, MIDPENINSULA, REGIONAL OPEN SPACE AND SAN FRANCISCO WATERSHED ARE TREATED AS EXEMPT.

THIS RAISES THE IMPORTANT QUESTION ABOUT CONSISTENCY AND INTERPRETATION.

WE ALSO FEEL THAT THE INFORMATION WE PROVIDE REGARDING COMPARABLE AGENCIES THAT EXEMPT THEIR RESIDENT EMPLOYEES FROM THIS TAX HAS NOT BEEN THOROUGHLY EXPLORED.

WE WERE TOLD THOSE AGENCIES WERE NOT COMPARABLE.

YET TO OUR KNOWLEDGE, THEY WERE NOT FORMALLY CONTACTED BY THE DISTRICT HOUSING PROGRAM OR OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT.

AS RESIDENTS, WE RESPECTFULLY ASK HOW CAN THEY BE DEEMED NOT COMPARABLE IF NO DISTRICT OUTREACH OR VERIFICATION OCCURRED? WE ARE CONCERNED THAT NOT EVERY AVAILABLE OPTION HAS BEEN FULLY EXPLORED BEFORE IMPLEMENTING THIS DECISION.

WHEN THIS NOTICE FIRST WAS SENT, IT APPEARED THAT THERE WAS NO CLEAR IMPLEMENTATION PLAN IN PLACE.

RESIDENTS WERE LEFT SCRAMBLING TO BUDGET FOR AN UNKNOWN AMOUNT TO BE COLLECTED WITHIN A THREE MONTH PERIOD, FOLLOWED BY ONGOING DEDUCTIONS FROM OUR PAYCHECK FOR THE DURATION OF OUR LEASE.

THAT UNCERTAINTY HAS PLACED REAL FINANCIAL STRAIN ON WORKING EMPLOYEES.

IN ADDITION TO THE FINANCIAL CONCERNS, MANY OF US FELT A LACK OF COMMUNICATION AND TRANSPARENCY THROUGH THIS PROCESS.

EMAILS HAVE GONE UNANSWERED AND KEY DETAILS HAVE NOT BEEN PROVIDED DESPITE REPEATED REQUESTS.

THIS HAS CREATED A FEELING THAT DECISIONS ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED WITHOUT MEANINGFUL DIALOG OR PLANNING.

WE WANT TO BE COLLABORATIVE PARTNERS IN RESOLVING THIS ISSUE, BUT THAT REQUIRES OPEN COMMUNICATION.

WE ALSO SAY THIS CANDIDLY THAT SOME EMPLOYEES FEEL HESITANT SPEAKING PUBLICLY ABOUT THIS MATTER DUE TO THE CONCERNS ABOUT POTENTIAL RETALIATION.

WE TRUST THIS BOARD SUPPORTS OPEN DIALOG AND WILL ASSURE THAT EMPLOYEES CAN RAISE LEGITIMATE CONCERNS WITHOUT FEAR OF REPRISAL.

AT THE SAME TIME, I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT WE ARE DEEPLY GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE AND WORK IN SUCH BEAUTIFUL AND MEANINGFUL SPACES.

WE CARE ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION AND THE PARKS WE SERVE.

WE ARE SIMPLY ASKING FOR TRANSPARENCY, DOCUMENTATION, AND TIMELY RESPONSE SO THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND OUR OBLIGATIONS AND PLAN ACCORDINGLY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GRANT BOYSEN.

GOOD AFTERNOON, PRESIDENT AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. MY NAME IS GRANT BOYSEN, AND I'M A POLICE OFFICER HERE AT THE PARK DISTRICT AND HAVE BEEN FOR SEVEN YEARS. I'M A CURRENT SECURITY RESIDENT FOR THE DISTRICT FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS. I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY ANGRY, NOT JUST AS AN EMPLOYEE, BUT AS A STEWARD OF THE DISTRICT AND AS SOMEONE WHO HAS DEDICATED MY CAREER TO PROTECTING THESE PARKS AND THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WE SERVE.

IN DECEMBER OF 2025, THE ADMINISTRATION ISSUED A NEW TAXATION PLAN TO ALL SECURITY RESIDENTS, CLAIMING THAT WE ARE OUT OF COMPLIANCE WITH IRS REGULATIONS AND WE NOW OWE TAXES ON A SUPPOSED FAIR MARKET VALUE DIFFERENCE ABOVE THE RENT WE ALREADY PAY, IN SOME CASES NEARLY $15,000 A YEAR IN EXCESS NEW TAXATION PER RESIDENT.

LET ME BE CLEAR. THIS DETERMINATION CAME FROM WITHIN THE DISTRICT ITSELF.

THE IRS DID NOT CONTACT THE DISTRICT. THERE WAS NO AUDIT.

THERE WAS NO CITATION, NO MANDATES. YET AFTER NEARLY 90 YEARS OF THIS PROGRAM OPERATING WITHOUT ISSUE, WE ARE TOLD WE ARE SUDDENLY NON-COMPLIANT. THE IRS CODE, SECTION 15-B, SETS THREE STRAIGHTFORWARD CRITERIA FOR TAX EXEMPTIONS.

THE LODGING MUST BE ON THE EMPLOYER'S PREMISES.

THE LODGING MUST BE PROVIDED FOR THE EMPLOYER'S CONVENIENCE, AND THE EMPLOYEES ARE REQUIRED TO ACCEPT THE LODGING AS A CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT.

OUR PROGRAM ALREADY MEETS THESE THREE CRITERIA.

WE LIVE ON DISTRICT PROPERTY. IT IS FOR THE DISTRICT'S CONVENIENCE AND THE OVERALL PUBLIC BENEFIT AND THE DISTRICT'S.

AND WE ARE ASSIGNED TO LIVE ON SITE AS SECURITY RESIDENTS.

COMPARABLE AGENCIES AS A PRIOR MEMBER JUST MENTIONED ARE MID-PENINSULA, EAST BAY MUD, AND EVEN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

ALL OF THESE AGENCIES OPERATE EERILY SIMILAR HOUSING PROGRAMS THAT FALL WITHIN THESE GUIDELINES, AND THEIR EMPLOYEES ARE NOT TAXED ON ANY FAIR MARKET VALUE DIFFERENCES.

WHEN RESIDENTS HAVE RAISED THESE COMPARISONS, COMPARISON AGENCIES TO STAFF.

WE WERE TOLD THAT IT MAY NOT BE APPLES TO APPLES AND THE PROGRAMS MAY DIFFER.

WELL, IF THAT'S TRULY THE CASE, WHY NOT BRING OUR PROGRAM INTO ALIGNMENT WITH THE STATE AGENCIES AND LOCAL PARTNERS? WHY PLACE A FINANCIAL BURDEN ON THE EMPLOYEES INSTEAD? WHY, AFTER NEARLY A CENTURY, IS THIS SUDDENLY AN ISSUE? THIS FEELS LIKE TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION, WITHOUT DISCOURSE, AND WITHOUT ANY COLLABORATION.

I NOW FIRMLY BELIEVE THIS NEW TAXATION IS INTENTIONAL, A DELIBERATE AND MALICIOUS POLICY WHICH HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO FORCE SECURITY RESIDENTS TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES. WE WILL LIKELY HAVE TO ABANDON OUR POSTS TO PROTECT THAT PROTECT DISTRICT LANDS DUE TO A SELF-IMPOSED HOLLOW HEARTED FINANCIAL BURDEN.

IF THE DISTRICT GOAL IS TO END THE SECURITY RESIDENT PROGRAM, SO BE IT.

BUT THAT CONVERSATION SHOULD HAPPEN OPENLY, NOT UNDER THE GUISE OF SUDDEN REINTERPRETATION OF A FEDERAL CODE.

[00:10:02]

THERE IS A REASON THIS PROGRAM HAS EXISTED FOR NEARLY 90 YEARS.

I URGE THIS BOARD TO PAUSE THE TAXATION PLAN TO CONDUCT TRANSPARENT, INDEPENDENT LEGAL REVIEW OF THIS PROCESS AND STAND WITH THE SECURITY RESIDENTS WHO HAVE STOOD WATCH OVER THE DISTRICT, THIS DISTRICT, FOR GENERATIONS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. EUGENE KANG.

GOOD AFTERNOON. BOARD. MY NAME IS EUGENE KANG.

I'M A PARK RANGER WITH EAST BAY REGIONAL PARKS AND ALSO A PARK RESIDENT.

I'M HERE DESPITE FEAR OF RETALIATION AND DESPITE FEAR OF ENDANGERING THE BELOVED PARK RESIDENT PROGRAM TO SPEAK ABOUT THE TAXATION FOR PARK RESIDENTS.

THIS WOULD BE IN ADDITION TO THE POSSESSORY TAX THAT WE ALREADY PAY.

I'M CONCERNED NOT ONLY ABOUT THIS NEW TAXATION POLICY, BUT THE HANDLING OF THE COMMUNICATION AND THE ROLLOUT OF SAID POLICY IN RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR A SHIFT IN APPROACH. ON DECEMBER 15TH, 2025, RESIDENTS WERE NOTIFIED VIA EMAIL THAT STARTING IN THE NEW YEAR, THE DISTRICT WAS IMPLEMENTING A NEW POLICY THAT WOULD AFFECT OUR TAXABLE WAGES.

THIS DECISION WAS MADE INTERNALLY BY THE DISTRICT, NOT AS A DIRECTIVE FROM THE IRS.

WE WERE INFORMED THAT THIS DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FAIR MARKET VALUE AND THE RATE WE WE PAY MONTHLY WOULD NOW BE TREATED AS TAXABLE WAGES.

THIS WAS QUITE ALARMING, CONFUSING AND STRESSFUL AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE, AS THIS WAS THE FIRST TAXATION OF ITS KIND FOR THE PARK RESIDENCE PROGRAM IN ITS 90 YEARS OF EXISTENCE. IT SUDDENLY CREATED A TAX BURDEN WITH SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL IMPACT AND LEAVING FOLKS FEELING BLINDSIDED.

FOR ME, THAT WOULD MEAN MY TAXABLE INCOME WOULD INCREASE BY OVER $14,000 FOR THE YEAR.

THIS AMOUNT WOULD BE AUTOMATICALLY ADDED TO MY TAXABLE EARNINGS EACH PAY PERIOD AND THE TAX AUTOMATICALLY DEDUCTED.

THAT'S AN ADDITIONAL $14,000 IN TAXABLE EARNINGS THAT WILL NOT EVER SEE, BUT WILL HAVE TO PAY TAXES ON.

AND OF THE RESIDENTS, MINE IS ONLY AN AVERAGE EXAMPLE.

THIS TAX TREATMENT FEELS UNNECESSARY AND INACCURATE FOR SEVERAL REASONS.

FIRST OF ALL, IN DETERMINING FAIR MARKET VALUE, THESE RESIDENCES ARE ON PUBLIC LAND AND DWELLINGS THAT ARE NOT AVAILABLE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. THEY HAVE NUMEROUS AND SIGNIFICANT NUISANCES, REQUIRE AROUND THE CLOCK SAFETY AND SECURITY DUTIES, AND ENTAIL CONSIDERABLE CONSIDERABLE INTERACTION WITH THE PUBLIC.

THESE ARE NOT NORMAL RENTAL SITUATIONS, SO COMPARING THEM TO THE RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE RENTAL MARKET IS AN INACCURATE AND UNFAIR VALUATION.

SECONDLY, OTHER SIMILAR AGENCIES LIKE CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS, MID-PEN AND EBMUD HAVE SIMILAR PROGRAMS AND THEIR RESIDENTS ARE NOT SUBJECT TO THE TAX.

AND THIRDLY, I REFER TO THE IRS EMPLOYER'S TAX GUIDE TO FRINGE BENEFITS TAX PUBLICATION 15 B REGARDING LODGING ON YOUR BUSINESS PREMISES.

WE MEET THE CRITERIA FOR TAX EXEMPTION AS DESCRIBED IN THAT PUBLICATION, WHICH ARE.

THE LODGING IS LOCATED ON THE EMPLOYER'S BUSINESS PREMISES, WHICH THEY ARE.

THE LODGING IS FURNISHED FOR THE EMPLOYER'S CONVENIENCE.

WE ARE A BUILT IN, ON SITE STAFF PERSON THAT MAY NEED TO RESPOND TO EMERGENCIES AT ANY HOUR, AND THE AND THE EMPLOYEE MUST ACCEPT IT AS A CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT, WHICH WOULD BE IN THIS CASE, THE OBLIGATORY DUTIES OF BEING A PARK RESIDENT.

TO ELABORATE, THE PUBLICATION STATES LODGING MEETS THE CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT IF YOU REQUIRE YOUR EMPLOYEES TO ACCEPT THE LODGING BECAUSE THEY NEED TO LIVE ON YOUR BUSINESS PREMISES TO BE ABLE TO PROPERLY PERFORM THEIR DUTIES.

EXAMPLES INCLUDE EMPLOYEES WHO MUST BE AVAILABLE AT ALL TIMES, AND EMPLOYEES WHO COULDN'T PERFORM THEIR REQUIRED DUTIES WITHOUT THE FURNISHED LODGING.

BRETT WHITMER. HELLO MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. MY NAME IS BRETT WHITMER.

I'M ALSO A PARK RESIDENT. I'M GOING TO FINISH THE PREVIOUSLY STARTED STATEMENT.

THIS ABSOLUTELY APPLIES TO PARK RESIDENTS. WE'RE NOT ONLY REQUIRED TO CARRY OUT SAFETY AND SECURITY DUTIES AS A CONDITION OF RESIDENCE, BUT IN ORDER TO CARRY OUT THOSE DUTIES, IT IS NECESSARY TO RESIDE ON THE PREMISES.

WE HAVE CONSOLIDATED THREE SEPARATE CPAS, AND THEY ALL HAVE LEGITIMIZED THIS INTERPRETATION OF THE TAX LAW AND AGREE THAT WE ARE IN FACT TAX EXEMPT. WHEN NOTIFIED OF THIS NEW TAXATION, WE WERE LEFT CONFUSED AND SCRAMBLING ON OUR OWN TO FIND ANSWERS TO MANY OF THE QUESTIONS THAT CAME UP. THIS PROCESS HAS FELT INCREDIBLY OPAQUE AND UNSUPPORTED, WHICH HAS MADE NAVIGATING THIS PROCESS EXTREMELY CHALLENGING.

MANY OF US HAVE REACHED OUT TO THE FINANCE AND BUSINESS SERVICES ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, AND WE STILL HAVE NOT RECEIVED CLEAR ANSWERS TO SOME OF THE KEY QUESTIONS LIKE THESE.

WHO MADE THE DETERMINATION AND WHY SPECIFICALLY IS IT BEING IMPLEMENTED DESPITE THE DIFFERENT PRACTICES OF SIMILAR AGENCIES? WHAT FOLLOW UP HAS BEEN MADE WITH THESE VARIOUS RESOURCES AND CONTACTS THAT WE HAVE PROVIDED REGARDING OUR TAX EXEMPTION?

[00:15:04]

WE, THE PARK RESIDENTS, ALL DEEPLY VALUE AND APPRECIATE BEING PART OF THE PARK DISTRICT RESIDENTS PROGRAM, AND WE CHERISH THE UNIQUE PRIVILEGE OF RESIDING WITHIN OUR PARKS TO BETTER SERVE THE PUBLIC AND TO HELP PRESERVE AND PROTECT THE AMAZING NATURAL RESOURCES OF THE DISTRICT IN SUCH A SPECIAL WAY. THE HOPE IS THAT WE CAN MOVE TOWARDS A MORE SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION THAT IS WELL INFORMED AND FAIR, AND THAT WE ARE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE AND WORK TOGETHER IN WAYS THAT ARE TRULY FORTHCOMING, COLLABORATIVE, COMPASSIONATE AND IN GOOD FAITH, SO THAT THE RESIDENTS PROGRAM AND AS WELL AS ITS RESIDENTS CAN CONTINUE TO THRIVE FOR MANY MORE YEARS TO COME.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ADRI VAN DRIEL.

GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD MEMBERS. MY NAME IS ADRIAN VAN DRIEL.

I'M A PARK RANGER AND A RECENT SECURITY RESIDENCE.

SINCE APRIL OF 2025. I'M HERE TODAY NOT TO ARGUE THE FEDERAL TAX LAW.

I AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUES AND BELIEVE THAT THIS EXEMPTION SHOULD APPLY.

OTHERS HAVE SPOKEN MORE DIRECTLY TO THAT. MY FOCUS IS ON HOW THIS HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED, IMPLEMENTED AND HOW IT AFFECTS EMPLOYEES.

IN MID-DECEMBER, JUST BEFORE THE HOLIDAY. SECURITY RESIDENTS WERE NOTIFIED THAT THE FAIR MARKET VALUE OF OUR RESIDENCE WOULD BE TREATED AS TAXABLE INCOME, EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1ST. THAT'S ROUGHLY TWO WEEKS LATER FROM THE NOTICE.

AT THE TIME OF THE NOTICE, NO ONE COULD TELL US WHAT THE TAXABLE VALUE WOULD ACTUALLY BE.

WE WERE TOLD WE WOULD OWE ADDITIONAL PAYROLL TAXES RETROACTIVE TO JANUARY 1ST, BUT WE WERE NOT GIVEN THE NUMBERS NEEDED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANT FINANCIALLY.

AND TO THIS DAY, WE STILL DO NOT KNOW INDIVIDUALLY WHAT WE WILL OWE.

WHEN I ASKED FINANCE HOW TO ESTIMATE THE IMPACT, I WAS DIRECTED TO A PAYROLL CALCULATOR.

IT CAME WITH NO INSTRUCTIONS. IT WAS NOT INTUITIVE AND UNSURE IF IT EVEN WORKS.

I STRUGGLED TO DETERMINE WHAT I MIGHT OWE. WHEN I ASKED FOR HELP UNDERSTANDING THE ESTIMATE, I WAS ADVISED TO USE THE EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE ASSISTANT PROGRAM TO HIRE A FINANCIAL CONSULTANT.

WITH RESPECT, THAT DOES NOT FEEL LIKE MEANINGFUL ASSISTANCE.

EMPLOYEES SHOULD NOT HAVE TO HIRE OUTSIDE ADVISERS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE EMPLOYER IS CHARGING THEM.

MEANWHILE, THE CHARGES ARE ACCUMULATING RETROACTIVELY.

I STILL DO NOT KNOW WHETHER I WILL OWE 200, 500 OR POTENTIALLY OVER 1000 PER MONTH, AND THIS IS NOT A MINOR ADJUSTMENT.

THAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STABILITY AND NOT KNOWING WHETHER YOU CAN AFFORD TO STAY.

IT IS EXTREMELY STRESSFUL TO PLAN YOUR LIFE WHEN YOU ARE TOLD YOU OWE MONEY, BUT NO ONE CAN TELL YOU HOW MUCH.

THE APPRAISAL PROCESS ALSO RAISES CONCERN. THE NEW VALUATIONS ARE BEING COMPLETED WITHOUT AN IN-PERSON SITE VISITS WITH AND WITHOUT RESIDENT INPUT.

AT MY RESIDENCE, THERE IS NON-POTABLE WATER. THERE IS NO GARBAGE SERVICE AT THIS, AND I HAVE A SUB PUMP BENEATH MY BEDROOM THAT RUNS LOUDLY AT NIGHT DURING RAINSTORMS. I ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THE ELECTRIC ELECTRICITY METER SERVING MY RESIDENTS POWERS THE SYSTEM THAT TREATS IN PUMPS WATER.

THIS WATER IS ALSO USED OUTSIDE OF MY RESIDENCE FOR PARK PURPOSES.

THAT IS NOT SOMETHING I AGREED TO WHEN I MOVED IN.

THESE CONDITIONS MATERIALLY AFFECT VALUE AND YET THOSE NUMBERS WILL DIRECTLY DETERMINE MY TAXABLE INCOME.

ALSO, AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE LEARNED THAT THE OTHER PUBLIC PARK AGENCIES IN OUR REGIONS, INCLUDING CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS AND MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE AND SAN FRANCISCO WATERSHED, DO NOT STRUCTURE THEIR RESIDENCE PROGRAMS THIS WAY.

I UNDERSTAND EVERY AGENCY IS DIFFERENT, BUT IT RAISES THE QUESTION WAS THIS IMPLEMENTATION IMPLEMENTATION THE ONLY POSSIBLE PATH, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THAT THIS IS NOT TRIGGERED BY THE NEW IRS DIRECTIVE AND IS AN INTERNAL DISTRICT DECISION.

THANK YOU. STEPHEN RICHARDS.

HELLO. I'M JUST HERE TO BECAUSE I HAVE HAD ISSUES ABOUT THE MAINTENANCE OF CRAB COVE PARK AND CROWN BEACH AS WELL IN ALAMEDA. ORIGINALLY OVER A YEAR AGO, I HAD ISSUES AND SO I ADDRESSED THE SUPERVISOR, DAVE MACKEY, AND THEN I HAD TO GO HIRE TO HIS SUPERVISOR, JEFF MANLY, AND THEY BOTH GAVE ME THE EXACT SAME RESPONSE OF STAFFING AND PRIORITIES, AND NEITHER DID MUCH OF ANYTHING ABOUT THE REAL PROBLEMS I WAS HAVING.

SO THAT'S HOW I END UP HERE. IT LED ME TO THE BOARD MEETING TODAY.

[00:20:02]

AS I FORWARDED IMAGES OF AREAS OF THE PARK THAT PUDDLE UP WITH WATER, AND OTHER AREAS THAT ARE BLEAK AND DRY, LARGE AREAS. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, I REALIZE THAT THERE IS A VEIN OF GOLD UNDER THE GROUND AND ACTUAL IRRIGATION SYSTEM.

BOTH AREAS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE EQUALLY FED WITH WATER, BUT BECAUSE THE LINES ARE BROKEN AND IN NEED OF REPAIR, THE WATER IS PUDDLING ONLY IN CERTAIN AREAS. ON A WALK THROUGH THE PARK WITH ROBERT KENNEDY, I SHOWED HIM THE PROBLEM WITH THE IRRIGATION.

THIS WAS HALF A YEAR AGO OR MORE. I LIVED NEAR THE PARK AND I HAVE SEEN NO SIGNS OF ANY OF THE PARK MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL TRYING TO FIX THIS SYSTEM.

IT WOULD BE A REAL WASTE OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS IF THE THE PARK DISTRICT WERE TO CONTRACT OUT THE REPAIRS.

SUPERVISORS OF RECREATIONAL PARKS ELEVATE TO SUPERVISION BY SHOWING MASTERY AND MAINTENANCE OF OF NEEDS OF A PARK.

SO SUPERVISORS DAVE, BECKY, JEFF MANLEY AND ULTIMATELY ROBERT KENNEDY ALL ARE CAPABLE OF REPAIRING AND MAINTAINING IRRIGATION SYSTEMS. THEY NEED TO TRAIN THE MAINTENANCE STAFF AND PROBABLY INCENTIVIZE THE MAINTENANCE CREW TO WORK AT THIS LABOR INTENSIVE JOB.

PARK MAINTENANCE AT CRAB COVE IS A READILY VIEWABLE ACTIVITY.

THERE ARE NO BUILDINGS, JUST GRASSLANDS. AS I STROLL THROUGH THE THE EXTENT OF CRAB COVE CROWN BEACH, I RARELY SEE ANY ACTIVITY PERFORMED BY ANY OF THE CREW.

THIS IS WHY I'M HERE. IT'S A FAIRNESS ISSUE. I WOULD HATE TO SEE OUR MONEY SPENT ON CONTRACTORS WHILE THE PAID MAINTENANCE STAFF REMAINS HIDDEN.

I WILL BE IT WILL BE GREAT TO ULTIMATELY SEE PEOPLE BACK PLAYING SOCCER AGAIN.

PLEASE ENCOURAGE ROBERT KENNEDY TO ENCOURAGE MAINTENANCE STAFF TO DO THEIR JOB AND REPAIR.

MAINTAIN THE IRRIGATION SYSTEM AT CRAB COVE. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. RANDALL ARNOLD. GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND PARK MANAGEMENT.

I'LL BE COMMENTING TODAY ON THE PROPOSED NEW BIKE TRAIL AT WILDCAT CANYON.

I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE BOARD TO ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS CONCERNING THIS PROJECT.

YOU ARE FAR MORE LIKELY TO GET ANSWERS THAN THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

THE PARK DISTRICT STAFF HAS A POWERFUL POSITIVE BIAS FOR THIS PROJECT.

TO TALK ABOUT THIS BIAS IN THREE MINUTES IS CHALLENGING AND A LITTLE PAINFUL.

THE PARK STAFF HAVE EITHER MINIMIZED OR ELIMINATED NEGATIVE INFORMATION, AND HAVE FOUND WAYS OF LIMITING PUBLIC INPUT DURING THEIR PUBLIC MEETINGS AND ZOOMS. MY SHORT TALK WILL INCLUDE SEVERAL QUESTIONS OUR BOARD COULD ASK OF THE PARK DISTRICT STAFF.

THEY POINT TO A SLIGHT INCREASE IN BIKERS WITH THE COMPLETION OF THIS NEW BIKE TRAIL, WHY WOULD THE PARK DISTRICT STAFF BE SPENDING SO MUCH TIME AND MONEY ON THIS PROJECT IF IT WOULD ONLY SLIGHTLY INCREASE USAGE? ALSO, WHY WOULD THE RICH DONORS GIVE $1 MILLION FOR A SLIGHT INCREASE IN USAGE? HAVE THEY BEEN TOLD? SOUNDS LIKE A LOW RETURN ON INVESTMENT.

THERE HAS BEEN VERY LITTLE DISCLOSURE ON THE CONDITIONS OF THIS DONATION.

DID THE RICH DONOR SELECT THE LOCATION OF THE TRAIL? WILL THE TRAIL BE NAMED FOR THEM? THE MOST OBTRUSIVE PART OF THE TRAIL IS THE FENCE.

THE ARTIST'S RENDERING, STRANGELY, DON'T INCLUDE THE UGLY HIGH FENCE.

IT WILL BE FLAT AND BARBED WIRE AND WILL BE LOCATED TEN FEET FROM THE TRAIL FOR SAFETY.

DO YOU THINK THAT AN OUT OF CONTROL BIKER WILL BE ABLE TO STOP IN TEN FEET? I WOULD THINK THAT HITTING A FENCE WITH BARBED WIRE IS A BAD IDEA ANY DAY.

HOW MANY BIKE BIKER INJURIES OCCUR IN WILDCAT CANYON CURRENTLY, AND WHAT ARE THE PROJECTIONS AFTER THE NEW BIKE TRAIL IS COMPLETED, THE REMOTE LOCATION OF THIS NEW BIKE TRAIL MAKE EVACUATING THE INJURED EXTREMELY DIFFICULT.

THE PARK DISTRICT STAFF HAVE RIDICULOUSLY INDICATED THE NEW TRAIL WILL IMPROVE SAFETY.

WHAT PART OF HIGH SPEED BIKE TRAIL SAYS SAFETY? THE PARK DISTRICT STAFF INDICATE THAT THE TRAIL WILL DECREASE THE FORMATION OF ILLEGAL TRAILS BY BIKERS.

I WOULD STRONGLY SUGGEST THE OPPOSITE. WITH MORE BIKERS, MORE ILLEGAL TRAILS WILL BE ESTABLISHED.

THE PARK DISTRICT HAS A LOT OF EXPERIENCE TO CONFIRM THIS POINT.

THE PARK DISTRICT STATE THAT THE ALVARADO STAGING AREA AND INSPIRATION POINT ARE THE TWO FEEDER LOCATIONS FOR THE BIKE TRAIL.

UNFORTUNATELY, THE RIFLE RANGE ROAD TRAILHEAD IS THE CLOSEST TO THE NEW BIKE TRAIL.

[00:25:02]

THE FENCE AND PLASTIC HAVE BEEN THERE FOR A VERY, VERY LONG TIME.

ARE THERE PLANS TO REPAIR THIS TRAIL? THE PARK DISTRICT HAS A TERRIBLE RECORD OF MAINTAINING TRAILS.

ISN'T IT IRONIC THAT THEY ARE PREPARED TO SPEND $1 MILLION ON A NEW TRAIL, WHILE IGNORING THE BACKLOG OF TRAIL MAINTENANCE THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT? THANK YOU. ELLEN THOMPSON. MY NAME IS ELLEN THOMPSON. I OWN REDWOOD VALLEY RAILWAY COMPANY, THE STEAM TRAIN IN TILDEN.

WE'VE BEEN THERE FOR 74 YEARS. WE GET NO MONEY FROM THE DISTRICT, NO GRANTS, NO DONATIONS.

EVERYTHING THERE IS BUILT AND MAINTAINED WITH PRIVATE FUNDS.

IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING THE TRAINS, THE TRACK AND THE BUILDINGS, WE MAINTAIN THE MAJOR DRAINAGE AND EROSION CONTROL PROVIDE THE LANDSCAPING, INCLUDING THE REDWOOD TREES. WE DO FIRE HAZARD ABATEMENT, INVASIVE PLANT SPECIES REMOVAL, AND RARE SPECIES PROTECTION, ALL AT PRIVATE EXPENSE.

WE'RE TRYING TO ENSURE THAT THE STEAM TRAIN CAN OPERATE FOR MANY MORE YEARS INTO THE FUTURE, AND MEET THE HUGELY INCREASING ATTENDANCE BY PARK PATRONS.

AND TO DO THAT, WE HAVE TO MAKE MANY CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS WHICH REQUIRE PERMITTING FROM THE COUNTY.

BUT WE CAN'T DO THAT WITHOUT OUR DISTRICT LEASE.

BUT NOW WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO RENEW OUR LEASE WITH THE DISTRICT FOR SEVEN AND A HALF YEARS, WITH ONLY LIMITED SUCCESS. IN THAT TIME, THE STAFF PEOPLE WE TRY TO WORK WITH HAVE CHANGED 12 TIMES IN SEVEN AND A HALF YEARS.

A GOOD WORKING DRAFT WAS CREATED SEVEN AND A HALF YEARS AGO, BUT NOW THE STAFF WANT TO IGNORE IT.

IN RECENT WEEKS, THERE HAS BEEN A FLURRY OF EFFORT BY STAFF, BUT IT'LL JUST REQUIRE US TO PUT MORE MONEY INTO THE FACILITY WITH NO GUARANTEE OF ANY LEASE IN THE FUTURE. NOW WE'RE BEING ASKED TO ABANDON THE LEASE DOCUMENT THAT'S BEEN POLISHED AND PERFECTED FOR 74 YEARS IN FAVOR OF A NEW ONE THAT'S WRITTEN WITH NO EXPERIENCE OF OUR SITUATION.

NEGOTIATIONS ARE DIFFICULT WHEN YOU KNOW THAT EVEN EXISTING, WRITTEN, SIGNED DOCUMENTS MAY NOT BE RESPECTED.

EVERY DRAFT CONTAINS REVERSALS OF ISSUES THAT WERE SETTLED DECADES AGO.

FACTS ARE LOST IN TRANSLATION BECAUSE WE CAN'T HAVE FACE TO FACE MEETINGS WITH ALL THE INTERESTED PARTIES.

THE STAFF IS DEMANDING SIGNATURES ON UNFINISHED DOCUMENTS AS A CONDITION OF MOVING FORWARD.

THAT'S NOT LEGAL. IN PAST, CONCESSIONAIRES HAVE BEEN FORCED OUT OF THE PARK, SOMETIMES BY ILLEGAL MEANS.

WE'VE ALREADY LOST HALF A DOZEN ATTRACTIONS THAT USED TO BE IN TILDEN.

I HOPED IT WOULDN'T HAPPEN TO US, BUT HERE WE ARE.

RECENTLY, THE BOARD HAS STATED THAT IT'S A PRIORITY FOR THEM TO PRESERVE CULTURAL AND NATURAL ASSETS.

AFTER 74 YEARS, I HOPE THAT THE TRAINS ARE THE CULTURAL ASSET THAT THE PUBLIC SEEM TO THINK THEY ARE.

WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR MONEY, BUT THE ONLY THE ABILITY TO KEEP SERVING THE PUBLIC.

WITH NO LEGAL PROTECTION WE WOULD HAVE TO PICK UP EVERYTHING AND LEAVE.

I NEED TO KNOW IF THE PRESENT SITUATION HAS BEEN SOME KIND OF LONG TERM DISTRICT POLICY TO ELIMINATE THE REMAINING ATTRACTIONS IN TILDEN.

IS IT PERSONAL AGENDA OR JUST NEGLIGENCE? WHEN YOU HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THIS FOR FREE, WHY WOULD YOU THROW IT AWAY? THANK YOU. THANK YOU. JEFFREY BERNAFORD.

I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE MY THOUGHTS WITH ALL OF YOU THIS AFTERNOON.

I AM JEFFREY BERNAFORD AND RESIDE ON CENTRAL AVENUE AT MACKAY AND WATCH THE ACTIVITY AT CRAB COVE.

LOTS OF PRETTY NEW GREEN VEHICLES. THE AQUARIUM TANK, POLICE VEHICLES AND NUMEROUS BUSLOADS OF CHILDREN.

A VERY LIVELY PLACE. MOST RECENTLY, THE PLACING OF LARGE ROCKS TO HELP PROTECT THE SHORE AFTER THE RECENT STORM.

TODAY I HAVE SHARED WITH EACH OF YOU A COPY OF A 37 SECOND DITTY THAT FOCUSES ON AN ASSIGNMENT THAT HAS BEEN IN YOUR INBOXES FOR SEVEN YEARS NOW.

AT ZERO AND ONE, IT REFERS TO WHAT WE CALLED THE BLACK TRAIN.

WE AS A GROWING FAMILY ENJOYED THE BLACK TRAIN OFTEN ON OUR SUNDAY ROUTINE CHURCH LUNCH AT BURGER KING, AND THEN OFF TO TILDEN VIA FISH RANCH ROAD AND GRIZZLY PEAK BOULEVARD.

ELLEN'S MOTHER, ADELE, SHOPPED AT OUR STORE AND GENEROUSLY KEPT US SUPPLIED WITH COMPLIMENTARY TICKETS.

[00:30:03]

TWO AND THREE ARE WHERE THE FOUR AND FIVE ARE WHEN FOR 73 YEARS RIDES HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE.

SOUNDS LIKE AN INSTITUTION AS MENTIONED AT EIGHT AND NINE.

NOT ALL THE INSTITUTIONS DESERVE TO BE TAKEN CARE OF.

THIS ONE DOES DESERVE A LEASE, NUMBER TEN AND 11, TO OPERATE AS IT NAVIGATES THE CHALLENGES OF KEEPING ANY DECENT OPERATION VIABLE. YOUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT IS MENTIONED 12 FOLLOWED BY ITS AUTHORITY, 13 AND THEN THE PLEA TO ACCOMPLISH THE TASK.

ARE THEY NOT SUCCESSFUL? 16,17,18,19 SUGGEST OTHERWISE.

THE WEATHER 22 IS ALWAYS A TOSS UP. WITH THE LEASE, WE'LL BE ABLE TO RIDE 34 AND THE TRAIN FOREVER.

THEN 35 37 AND NOW THE DITTY, 4, 3,2,1. THE REDWOOD VALLEY RAILROAD RUNS IN TILDEN PARK. IN 52 IT OPENED WITH TRAINS TO THE PARK.

IT IS AN INSTITUTION, THEY DESERVE A LEASE. LEGAL HAS THE POWER, GET THE JOB DONE, PLEASE.

THE CARS ARE FULL, THE FOLKS ARE IN LINE. THEY'RE WAITING IN THE REDWOODS BECAUSE THE WEATHER IS FINE.

WE WILL RIDE THE TRAIN THEN. WITH THE LEASE WILL BE ABLE TO RIDE THE TRAIN FOREVER THEN.

THANK YOU. THERE IS NO MORE PUBLIC COMMENT IN PERSON, SO WE WILL GO ONLINE.

SALLY TOBIN, YOU MAY UNMUTE YOURSELF. THANK YOU.

CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES WE CAN. OKAY. I'M SALLY TOBIN.

I'M A RICHMOND RESIDENT AND PRESIDENT OF FRIENDS OF WILDCAT CANYON PARK.

BOBCATS, LIKE MOST TOP PREDATORS, ARE A KEYSTONE SPECIES, WHICH MEANS THAT THEY HAVE AN OUTSIZED IMPACT ON ECOSYSTEM HEALTH.

BOBCATS CONTROL POPULATIONS OF RABBITS AND RODENTS AND MAINTAIN BIODIVERSITY.

THEY ARE CHALLENGING TO STUDY BECAUSE THEY PREFER DENSE BRUSH COVER, ARE VERY SHY, AND ARE MORE ACTIVE AT NIGHT WHEN THEY HUNT IN THE GRASSLANDS.

THE WILDCAT CANYON ECOSYSTEM HAS BOBCATS. IT WILL BE CHALLENGING TO EVALUATE BOBCATS AND OTHER PREDATORS IN WILDCAT CANYON WITHOUT MAKING AN IMPACT ON INDIVIDUALS OR POPULATIONS OR ECOSYSTEMS, BUT THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE PIONEERED A NONINVASIVE STATEWIDE STUDY OF BOBCATS GATHERING DATA IN 2021 AND 2022.

THEY DEFINED 48 STUDY AREAS, EACH 15MI². UNFORTUNATELY, NONE WERE IN WILDCAT CANYON.

CDFW CARRIED OUT SCAT MONITORING, COLLECTING DNA FROM FECES IN ORDER TO ESTIMATE POPULATION SIZE THROUGH SEQUENCE DIVERSITY OR KINSHIP ANALYSIS. THEY ALSO USED 500 MOTION ACTIVATED HIGH RESOLUTION CAMERAS OVER SIX WEEKS TO IDENTIFY INDIVIDUAL BOBCATS BY THEIR UNIQUE SPOTTING PATTERNS.

THE DESIGN IS AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF A NON-INTERVENTIONAL STUDY.

CDFW HAS NOT YET POSTED THEIR REPORT. STUDIES OF ALL KEYSTONE PREDATORS MUST BE NONINVASIVE BECAUSE OF THE DANGER OF DAMAGING AN ECOSYSTEM FINELY TUNED SYSTEM OF INTERACTIONS.

GREAT HORNED OWL STUDIES WILL REQUIRE SIMILAR SAFEGUARDS BECAUSE THE PROJECT PROPOSES FENCING AND SOME SO-CALLED WILDLIFE FRIENDLY FENCES USED BARBED WIRE. CURRENTLY, THERE ARE REPORTS OF CYCLISTS RIDING THE WILDCAT CANYON TRAILS AT NIGHT.

THIS IS DAMAGING TO NIGHTTIME PREDATORS LIKE OWLS AND BOBCATS, AND THEREFORE DAMAGING TO ECOSYSTEMS. THERE MAY BE ONLY A FEW ROGUE CYCLISTS, BUT THE PROPOSED TRAIL WILL ONLY INCREASE THEIR NUMBERS AS WELL AS FRAGMENT THE ENVIRONMENT.

HOW WILL THE PARK DISTRICT PROTECT WHAT IS LEFT WHEN WHAT AMOUNTS TO SYSTEMATIC VANDALISM IS ALREADY GOING ON? EFFECTIVE MITIGATIONS MUST BE INCLUDED IN THE EIR.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE HAVE NO MORE PUBLIC COMMENT.

OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR JOINING US AND PROVIDING PUBLIC COMMENT.

WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM. AGENDA ITEM E.

[GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS]

MAX COURT AND GENERAL MANAGER, EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT.

[00:35:03]

AND YOU KNOW, OUR TEAM IS DEDICATED TO WORKING WITH THEM IN A THOUGHTFUL WAY AND LISTENING TO CONCERNS AND BEING RESPONSIVE.

AND WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON LOOKING AT REDOING THE APPRAISALS FOR THOSE HOUSING LOCATIONS, KNOWING THAT SOME OF THEM, OUR TEAM SEEMED MAYBE LIKE THEY WERE INACCURATE.

AND SO WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE THAT THAT'S ACTUALLY COMPLETED.

AND WE'RE HOPING TO FOLLOW UP WITH THE TEAM MEMBERS WHO LIVE IN STAFF HOUSING IN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO.

AND ALSO CAN BE DISCUSSING OTHER MODELS AS WELL.

WE ALSO CONTINUE WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS FROM THE STEAM TRAIN TOWARDS AN AGREEMENT.

I, YOU KNOW, I JUST CHECKED IN WITH TIFFANY AND OUR TEAM THAT'S WORKING ON THAT THIS LAST WEEK AND FEEL VERY POSITIVE ABOUT OUR ABILITY TO CONTINUE TO WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP TO ACCOMPLISH OUR SHARED GOALS THERE.

TODAY IS AN EXCITING DAY. IT'S ALL ABILITIES DAY THAT WE HOST AT BIG BREAK.

AND SO THIS IS A REALLY COOL COMMUNITY EVENT THAT INVITES INDIVIDUALS OF ALL ABILITIES TO COME OUT AND EXPLORE NATURE AT THEIR OWN PACE AND IN THEIR OWN WAY.

COMMUNITY MEMBERS VISIT STATIONS TO TOUCH FUR, TO TRY OUR VIRTUAL REALITY HEADSET, TO MEET ANIMALS FROM THE LINDSAY WILDLIFE EXPERIENCE, TO SAY HI TO HORSES FROM OUR MOUNTED SAFETY PATROL, TO LISTEN TO BIRDS, TO DRAW WILDLIFE, TO CREATE ART. TOGETHER WE HAVE AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE AND SPANISH INTERPRETERS ON SITE, AND THE EVENT IS WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE.

IT'S STILL UNDERWAY TODAY, BUT WE EXPECT OVER 500 PARTICIPANTS.

I ALSO WANTED TO APPRECIATE BRENDA, YULI AND LAUREN, WHO HELPED TO PUT ON OUR BLACK HISTORY MONTH CELEBRATION.

IT WAS REALLY A COOL EVENT [APPLAUSE]. AND THANK YOU, DIRECTOR ESPAÑA, FOR BEING THERE.

AND ALSO APPRECIATION TO THE DUNN FAMILY WHO CAME OUT THERE TO RECOGNIZE THE COURAGE AND HISTORY IN THE PARK OF TWO FAMILY MEMBERS FROM THAT FAMILY.

AND AND THEN I WANTED TO ALSO SHARE ANOTHER EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT.

WE WERE AWARDED A GRANT FROM THE WILDLIFE CONSERVATION BOARD OF OVER $1.5 MILLION FOR RODDY RANCH.

THIS IS REALLY EXCITING. NOT JUST BECAUSE IT'LL HELP US ACCOMPLISH THAT PROJECT, BUT BECAUSE IT MEANS THAT MUCH OF THE WW FUNDS THAT WERE ALLOCATED IN THE BUDGET TOWARDS THAT PROJECT WILL NOW CAN BE RETURNED AS PART OF THAT PROJECT FOR POTENTIAL ACQUISITIONS IN THE FUTURE.

WE CONTINUE FUNDRAISING FOR THIS PROJECT AND THE OTHERS THAT WERE FUNDED AS PART OF THE BUDGET.

AND I FEEL VERY OPTIMISTIC THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF THAT WW MONEY THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO BRING BACK TO THE ACQUISITION FUND.

SO THAT'S VERY EXCITING. AND APPRECIATION TO KATIE FOR HER LEADERSHIP AND WORK ON THAT.

WE HAD A REALLY EXCELLENT MEETING WITH THE PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON MONDAY.

IT'S THE KICKOFF FOR OUR SORT OF NEW APPROACH ON SORT OF DIGGING DEEPER INTO ISSUES AND HAVING THEM WORK SIDE BY SIDE WITH OUR TEAM.

THIS TIME, IT WAS AROUND OUR VEGETATION MANAGEMENT STRATEGY.

THAT'S BEEN A REALLY NEAT, INTER-DEPARTMENTAL EFFORT AMONGST OUR DIFFERENT TEAMS TO HAVE A SORT OF STRATEGIC APPROACH TO VEGETATION MANAGEMENT ACROSS THE DISTRICT, AND WE'RE ASKING THE PSC MEMBERS TO HELP US GO OUT INTO THEIR COMMUNITIES TO GET FEEDBACK ON OUR APPROACH AND FIND OUT IS THERE ANYTHING WE'RE MISSING? IS THERE YOU KNOW, ARE WE ON THE RIGHT TRACK IN TERMS OF OUR GOALS AND PRIORITIES? AND THEN THAT WILL COME TO THE NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE AND THEN TO YOUR FULL BOARD, AND HOPEFULLY IN THE FUTURE WILL BECOME SORT OF PART OF OUR DISTRICT PLAN AND THE WORK THAT WE DO IN GENERAL. A COUPLE SORT OF EXCITING MAINTENANCE MAINTENANCE AND SKILLED TRADES TEAM PROJECTS.

ONE IS THAT RIGHT NOW OUR TEAM'S WORKING ON RECITING AND REPAINTING THE BARN AT GARIN.

AND THEN ALSO WORKING ON REPLACING THE FLOOR AT THE TEMESCAL BEACH HOUSE.

AND THEN THE LAST THING I GOT ON MY LIST IS THAT WE ARE HOSTING A CELEBRATION AT THE PATERSON PROPERTY AT COYOTE HILLS THIS WEEKEND AT 10 A.M.

ON SATURDAY THE SEVENTH, SO PLEASE COME OUT AND JOIN US.

THAT'S ALL I GOT. GREAT. THANK YOU FOR THE COMMENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS.

ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL ANNOUNCEMENTS? AGENDA ITEM F, BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM G? I DON'T SEE ANY ADDITIONAL ANNOUNCEMENTS. SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM G, THE CONSENT CALENDAR.

[CONSENT CALENDAR]

[00:40:03]

SO FIRST, IF ANY DIRECTOR WOULD LIKE TO REMOVE AN ITEM ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR FOR DISCUSSION AND A SEPARATE VOTE, THAT'S AN OPTION. OTHERWISE, DIRECTORS DO HAVE THE ABILITY TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT ITEMS WITHOUT HAVING TO PULL THE ITEM.

SO AT THIS POINT, I JUST WANT TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY AGENDA CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS THAT DIRECTORS WOULD LIKE TO PULL FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR.

OKAY. DON'T SEE ANY REQUESTS TO DO SO. YES. OKAY.

DIRECTOR DESCHAMBAULT. I'D LIKE TO PULL ITEM FOUR, PLEASE.

OKAY. ITEM FOUR WILL BE PULLED. ANY OTHER REQUESTS TO PULL ITEMS? OTHERWISE, WE WILL MOVE FORWARD NOW WITH ITEMS ONE, TWO, THREE, FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT.

AND THIS IS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS AND PROVIDE COMMENT.

AND THERE WILL ALSO BE PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THOSE ITEMS. SO DO ANY DIRECTORS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON ONE, TWO, THREE, FIVE, SIX, SEVEN OR EIGHT? OKAY. I DON'T SEE ANY. SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENTS IF THERE'S ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. THERE IS NO PUBLIC COMMENT.

SO WE WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT, BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD FOR ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS.

OTHERWISE, I'M LOOKING FOR A MOTION ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR FOR ITEMS ONE, TWO, THREE, FIVE, SIX, SEVEN AND EIGHT. I THINK DIRECTOR, I HAVE A COMMENT PLEASE.

YES, GO FOR IT. ON ITEM SEVEN, A SIMILAR PROBLEM TO IN THE PAST.

IT'S, THERE'S SOMETHING NOT RIGHT. IT SAYS THAT I SECONDED THE MOTION, BUT THEN LATER ABSTAINED.

SO THERE'S A PERSON SWITCHEROO ON THE, IT'S ON PAGE 37.

THIS IS ITEM SEVEN FOR THE BOARD MEETING FOR FEBRUARY 3RD.

SO IT'S SOMETHING'S ODD THERE. WE COULD JUST CHECK INTO THAT BEFORE WE APPROVE THAT.

OR I THINK YOU CAN DO IT AND WE CAN APPROVE IT WITH THAT FIXED.

AND THEN I HAD A QUESTION OR COMMENT ON ITEM ONE AS WELL.

THIS REALLY EXCITING OPPORTUNITY. I LOVE WHEN MITIGATION MONEY FOR FOLKS WHO HAVE HARMED THE ENVIRONMENT CAN RESULT IN OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO GET GRANTS AND FUNDING. AND THIS IS THE CASE ON ITEM ONE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR US TO ACCEPT SOME FUNDS FOR CONSERVING THE GOLDEN EAGLES BECAUSE OF SOME VERY EGREGIOUS PROBLEMS IN THE PAST WITH THE WIND ENERGY GENERATION PROJECTS.

AND SO I, I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING TO COMMENT OTHER THAN I WAS SURPRISED AND PLEASED IN THE STAFF REPORT THAT WE HAD BEEN DOING SOME OF THIS WORK SINCE 2010.

SO I'M JUST HOPING, AND I GUESS I CAN MENTION IT LATER UNDER FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. BUT EXCITING OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GET A REPORT, A DELIVERABLE.

AND I'D LOVE TO KNOW WHICH OF OUR OUR PARKS. I HAD A GOLDEN EAGLE IN MY BACKYARD, WHICH IS NOT TOO FAR FROM REDWOOD REGIONAL PARK.

AND JUST ANYWAY, JUST A NOTE THANKING STAFF FOR DOING THAT KIND OF MITIGATION WORK AND FINDING THAT FOR US.

AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE REPORT AND WAS EXCITED TO SEE SOME OF THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE AS FAR BACK AS 2010.

SO THAT MUST BE A GREAT DATA SET. SO NO OTHER COMMENTS.

AND IF NO ONE ELSE HAS ANY, I GUESS I WOULD APPROVE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEM WITHOUT ITEM FOUR.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE A SECOND FOR THAT MOTION? SECOND. THANK YOU. DIRECTOR WAESPI. SO THAT'S A MOTION MADE BY DIRECTOR DESCHAMBAUL.

AND A SECOND, MADE BY DIRECTOR WAESPI. I BELIEVE WE HAVE TO DO A ROLL CALL VOTE.

YES, THAT IS CORRECT. DIRECTOR COFFEY. YES. DIRECTOR DESCHAMBAULT.

YES. DIRECTOR ECHOLS. AYE. DIRECTOR ESPAÑA. AYE.

DIRECTOR MERCURIO. AYE. DIRECTOR WAESPI. AYE.

PRESIDENT SANWONG. YES. MOTION PASSES SEVEN ZERO.

OKAY, GREAT. AND NOW WE'LL MOVE TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR ITEM FOUR.

[4. Adoption of a Mitigated Negative Declaration and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program for the Point Isabel Restore and Stabilize Cap Project and Approval of the Project: Point Isabel Regional Shoreline, McLaughlin Eastshore State Park]

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A BRIEF STAFF COMMENT ON IT, OR DID YOU WANT TO YOU KNOW, ASK SOME QUESTIONS OR MAKE SOME STATEMENTS ON THIS? I GUESS I'M LOOKING FOR YOU TO KIND OF KICK OFF THIS THIS CONVERSATION FOR CONSENT AGENDA ITEM FOUR.

IT MIGHT BE ABLE TO GO FORWARD WITHOUT ME. OR I JUST WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT ON I'M A BIT UNCOMFORTABLE.

I DIDN'T HAVE TIME. HONESTLY, I DIDN'T SEE ALL THE COMMENTS.

THERE WERE 67 OR 76 DIFFERENT COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE THAT I APOLOGIZE I DIDN'T GET UNTIL RECENTLY.

BUT ALSO JUST IN GENERAL, THE AND I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM EVEN WITH THE MITIGATED DECK, THE WAY IT'S LAID OUT AND THE RESPONSES, BUT I JUST FELT THERE WAS A TRANSPARENCY WITH THIS PROJECT THAT FOR SOMEONE LIKE MYSELF WHO'S BEEN INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY RIGHT TO KNOW FOR A WHILE I

[00:45:05]

THE PROJECT IS ACTUALLY TO REPAIR A CAP, AND THERE HAS BEEN SOME DETECTED LEVELS OF CHEMICALS.

THIS IS A THIS IS A STATE SUPERFUND SITE WHERE THERE HAD BEEN SOME HEAVY METALS.

AND THE REASON FOR THE ACTION IS TO TO CORRECT THAT.

AND I'M EXCITED WE'RE DOING THAT AND DOING IT IN CONJUNCTION WITH ALSO RESTORING THE LAND AND RESTORING THE CAP.

BUT I JUST DIDN'T SEE ENOUGH TRANSPARENCY FOR MYSELF AND HOW WE WOULD PROTECT HUMAN HEALTH AND THE ECOSYSTEM GOING FORWARD TO PRESENT PREVENT FUTURE ORDERS. SO SO THE ISABEL CAP NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED.

AND I DIDN'T HAVE A FULL UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE MONITORING WILL GO FORWARD TO ENSURE THAT THAT CAP DOES WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO DO.

AND HOW LONG WILL IT LAST? IT'S UNCLEAR. MY EXPERIENCE IS SOME CAPS CAN LAST, YOU KNOW, 30 YEARS, A 30 YEAR REVIEW. BUT IN WHAT TYPE OF MONITORING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE LEAD THAT WE'RE DETECTING OUT THERE IN THE IN THE WATER, IN THE PONDING AT THE EDGES OF THE THE NEW CAP THAT WE'RE PUTTING IN? AND I'M EXCITED THAT WE'VE GOT MATCHING MONEY FOR THAT.

I'M EXCITED, YOU KNOW, AND I'M SUPPORTING THE GROUP DECISION TO PUT WW MONEY TO SUPPORT THAT.

BUT I JUST DON'T HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION, I THINK, TO VOTE.

I THINK I SAW REN HEADED TO THE PODIUM TO ANSWER SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS FOR ME.

I DON'T WANT TO SPEND A TON OF TIME UNLESS SOMEONE WANTED TO PUT THIS ON A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM.

FEEL FREE TO COMMENT ON IT AND YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND TAKE A VOTE.

WELL, I JUST SAY WE HAVE BOTH MATT AND REN HERE AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE INFORMATION.

AND I GUESS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BOTH SORT OF MONITORING.

THAT'S THERE'S A MONITORING REPORT THAT'S PART OF THE DOCUMENT.

AND THEN THERE'S ALSO JUST ONGOING MONITORING OF THE SITE ANYWAY SO WE CAN SPEAK TO THAT.

I THINK THE MONITORING REPORT I SEE AND IT'S RELATED TO CEQA AND I'M QUITE HAPPY WITH THAT.

THERE'S REPEATED ONGOING FOR BIOLOGICAL I MEAN STEPH DID A FANTASTIC JOB ON THAT, ON THERE'S GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.

THERE'S BURROWING OWLS. THERE'S BIOLOGICAL REVIEW DURING AND AFTER.

WHAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THAT'S NOT IN THERE IS THE TOXICITY.

I DON'T KNOW HOW DEEP THAT CAP IS AND WHAT THERE'S NO MONITORING FOR PROTECTING WORKERS WHEN THEY'RE WHEN THEY'RE OUT THERE AND JUST LONG TERM MONITORING, BUT I THINK THE REST LOOKS REALLY GREAT. IT REALLY DOES.

AND I THINK THAT'S JUST BECAUSE THIS IS JUST THE CEQA DOCUMENT SO SOME OF THAT STUFF MIGHT JUST NOT IS IS ONGOING BUT MAYBE NOT CEQA RELATED.

SO I DON'T REN, DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK? SURE. I'LL TAKE IT FIRST.

GOOD AFTERNOON. REN BATES, DIVISION LEAD OF DESIGN CONSTRUCTION TO DIRECT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.

DIRECTOR DESCHAMBAULT. IT'S BEING DESIGNED AS A THIRD YEAR CAP.

ALWAYS IS, THERE'S MAINTENANCE REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN A CAP, AND SO WE'LL HAVE TO DO THAT.

SO IN TERMS OF THE ENGINEERING OF THAT CAP, WHICH IS A REPAIR TO YOUR POINT ABOUT WHAT THIS PROJECT IS, IT'S TO REPAIR THAT BASED ON A LETTER WE RECEIVED FROM THE WATER BOARD.

SO IN TERMS OF THAT, WHAT THIS PROJECT AND WHAT THE CEQA IS DOING IS PROVIDING US COVERAGE FOR THE CAP.

SO IN OTHER WORDS, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE DIGGING INTO ANY OF THOSE EXISTING SUBSTANCES THAT YOU MENTIONED.

SO WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY DIGGING OR GOING DOWN INTO THAT.

WHAT WE'RE DOING IS CAPPING THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN NOTED WHERE THERE'S BEEN SOME THE CAP IS, IS INSUFFICIENT. AND SO IN TERMS OF THAT, I THINK PART OF THAT IS THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE WATER BOARD IN TERMS OF THAT, TO RESOLVE THE ISSUES THAT WE RECEIVED AS A DISTRICT, AS PART OF THAT LETTER. AND THEN THE REPORTING AND MONITORING BASED ON THAT GOES BACK TO THE CLOSURE ORDER THAT WAS ISSUED WHEN IT WAS CLOSED.

AND SO MATT CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.

I'LL DEFER TO HIM IN TERMS OF THAT MOVING FORWARD.

I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS REPAIR THE CAP FIRST, AND THEN I BELIEVE THE MONITORING WILL STAY THE SAME.

THAT'S GOING TO BE AN ISSUE THAT WE HAVE TO DISCUSS WITH THE WATER BOARD IN TERMS OF THAT, AND IN TERMS OF JUST EDIFICATION FOR THE BOARD.

WE HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE WATER BOARD.

THEY REVIEWED OUR 30% PLANS AND THEY WE ACTUALLY GAVE THEM OUR DESIGN ALTERNATIVES AS WELL.

AND SO THEY'RE ON BOARD WITH OUR REPAIR AND WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING.

SO THEY ARE INTO THAT. WHERE WE ARE NOW IS WE'RE AT ABOUT 60% AND THE REASON THAT WE'RE HERE NOW FOR THE BOARD TO ADOPT THE CEQA IS THAT IT'S A REQUIREMENT FOR THE GRANT MONEY THAT WE'RE RECEIVING AS PARTNERS, TO WHICH DIRECTOR DESCHAMBAULT SPOKE OF.

SO THIS IS A CRITICAL PATH SO THAT WE CAN GET THAT FUNDING AND MOVE FORWARD AND MAKE THESE REPAIRS TO THE CAP.

AND SO THOSE ARE OUR NEXT STEP WILL BE TO SHARE 60% WITH THE WATER BOARD AND MOVE FORWARD.

ONCE THEY HAVE AGREED TO THAT, THAT WE CAN THEN GO TO COMPLETE PLANS, FINALIZE OUR PERMITTING AND GO OUT TO BID.

SO THAT'S IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'RE BUILDING AND THE COMMUNICATION.

I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MATT IN TERMS OF MONITORING.

YEAH, YEAH. MATT GRALL, DIVISION LEAD FOR STEWARDSHIP.

YEAH. RYAN DID A GOOD JOB JUST GIVING THE OVERALL FRAMEWORK AND OUTLINING THAT 98 ORDER IS WHAT GOVERNS THIS SITE.

[00:50:01]

AND THAT'S REALLY HOW WE GOT HERE. THOSE ANNUAL INSPECTIONS NOTICED SOME INSUFFICIENCY OF CERTAIN AREAS OF THE CAP, THOSE AREAS JUST FOR TRANSPARENCY. THOSE AREAS WERE FENCED OFF AND COVER WAS BROUGHT IN AND TO, TO COVER THOSE AREAS TEMPORARILY UNTIL WE COULD GET TO THIS POINT WHERE WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO NOW DO CEQA AND DEVELOP A DESIGN TO REPAIR THE CAP.

SO THOSE INSPECTIONS ARE ONGOING. WE WERE JUST OUT A FEW MONTHS AGO FOR THIS YEAR'S ANNUAL INSPECTION WITH THE WATER BOARD.

THEY COME OUT OFTEN WITH OUR CONSULTANTS DURING THAT INSPECTION, AND THOSE WILL CONTINUE.

AND SO WE WILL CONTINUE DOING THOSE ANNUALLY.

AND AS WE DO THOSE IN THE FUTURE, THEY'LL, THEY'LL IDENTIFY DEFICIENCIES IN THE CAP OR IF THERE'S EROSION IN THE FUTURE, SOMETHING THAT WAS UNINTENDED FOR THIS DESIGN THAT WILL BE IDENTIFIED THERE AND THEN WOULD THOSE AREAS WOULD BE THEN REPAIRED SO THAT THAT'S THE ONGOING MONITORING PIECE.

AND IT'S IT'S GOVERNED BY THE 98 ORDER. THE WATER BOARD HAS SAID ONCE THIS PROJECT IS DONE, THEY MAY REISSUE THAT ORDER, BUT WE JUST HAVEN'T GOTTEN THERE NOW.

AND WHETHER THAT WILL BE A PRIORITY FOR THEM IS UNKNOWN, BECAUSE THEY HAVE MANY PERMITS THAT NEED TO BE UPDATED. AND OFTEN WHEN THEY LOOK AT THESE OLD ONES, IF THEY FIND THE REPORTING AND MONITORING TO BE ADEQUATE FOR PROTECTING PUBLIC HEALTH, THEY MAY NOT UPDATE THE ORDER. BUT THAT'S SOMETHING WE'LL HAVE TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT AS WE FINISH THE PROJECT, IF THEY DO WANT TO MAKE THAT UPDATE. GREAT. THANK YOU.

WELL, I REALLY I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. I JUST WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, AND CEQA DOESN'T ALLOW YOU TO PIECEMEAL THINGS, AND THIS ONE'S QUITE COMPLICATED. IT'S NOT EVEN A PIECEMEAL OF CEQA, BUT IT SPECIFICALLY SAYS UNDER THE MITIGATED DECK, UNDER THE APPROVAL SECTION, THAT THERE IS NO WATER BOARD APPROVAL AT THIS TIME.

AND AS YOU JUST MENTIONED THERE'S OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO COME BACK.

AND WHAT IT SAYS IS, QUOTE, THE DESIGN OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT IS ANTICIPATED TO BE ACCEPTABLE TO THE WATER BOARD, AND IT'S A HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY. I KNOW YOU HEARD ABOUT ME THROUGH THIS ON THE THE CIP PROJECT, SO I JUST WOULD NOT BE PERSONALLY COMFORTABLE MOVING FORWARD TO THOSE PIECES ARE FINALIZED AND PUT IN PLACE, AND I'D LIKE TO SEE SOME SIGNAGE OUT THERE. I DON'T KNOW WHY WE AREN'T BEING A LITTLE MORE HONEST AND DIRECT COMMUNITY RIGHT TO KNOW AND PUT UP SOME SIGNS THAT THERE IS SOME LEAD AND ZINC EXPOSURE OUT THERE. I APPRECIATE THE FENCES, APPRECIATE THE [INAUDIBLE] SUPER HAPPY, THIS IS GOING TO BE FIXED AND GOING FORWARD. BUT I'LL LET THE REST OF THE BOARD MAKE THEIR THEIR CHOICES ON THAT ITEM.

I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU. I JUST ADD, SO THE CEQA PROCESS TYPICALLY HAPPENS WHEN WE HAVE SORT OF ABOUT 30% DESIGN.

ALL IT DOES IS SORT OF IT PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUR BOARD TO MAKE A DECISION ON WHETHER TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PROJECT.

THE PERMITTING PROCESS WITH THE AGENCIES PRETTY MUCH ALWAYS HAPPENS AFTER THAT POINT.

SO YOUR BOARD MAKES THIS DECISION. THEN WE GO TO THE AGENCIES TO PERMIT THE PROJECTS.

AND AND SO LIKE I GUESS JUST TO BE CLEAR, THAT'S THAT'S TYPICALLY ALWAYS THE STEPS IS THAT PERMITTING HAPPENS AFTER CEQA.

BUT WE DON'T WE DON'T HAVE THAT MANY GEO TRACKER DTSC SUPERFUND SITES ON OUR PROCESSES EITHER.

OKAY. THANK YOU. IF THERE ARE THERE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE BOARD? IF NOT, I'D LIKE TO OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WE'VE DONE THAT YET FOR THIS ITEM. THERE IS NO PUBLIC COMMENT. AND THEN WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT.

ONE FINAL CHANCE TO SAY ANYTHING. OTHERWISE, I'M LOOKING FOR A MOTION. IF SOMEONE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION FOR THE ADOPTION OF THIS MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION, THAT'S THAT'S AN OPTION WE CAN CONSIDER RIGHT NOW.

MOTION TO APPROVE. OKAY. MOTION MADE BY DIRECTOR ESPAÑA, SECONDED BY DIRECTOR ECHOLS.

WE HAVE TO DO A ROLL CALL VOTE. DIRECTOR COFFEY.

AYE. DIRECTOR ECHOLS. AYE. DIRECTOR DESCHAMBAULT.

ABSTAIN. DIRECTOR ESPAÑA. AYE. DIRECTOR WAESPI.

AYE. PRESIDENT SANWONG. YES. DIRECTOR MERCURIO.

AYE. MOTION PASSES 6-0-1. GREAT. THANK YOU EVERYONE.

MAYBE WE CAN TAKE A SHORT BREAK. LET'S COME BACK IN ABOUT SEVEN MINUTES, IF POSSIBLE.

THANK YOU. 2:37. AND YOU CAN BE HEARD. ALRIGHT.

WELCOME BACK, EVERYONE. LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED WITH OUR ACTION ITEMS.

[ACTION ITEMS]

SO WE HAVE OUR FIRST AGENDA ITEM I.1 THE AUTHORIZATION TO AMEND A CONTRACT FOR SERVICES WITH WSP USA. GOOD AFTERNOON. SEAN DOUGAN, TRAILS PROGRAM MANAGER I DON'T HAVE A PRESENTATION FOR YOU TODAY, BUT I THOUGHT I'D COME INTRODUCE THE ITEM, GIVE A LITTLE OVERVIEW, AND THEN I'M HERE FOR QUESTIONS IF YOU'D LIKE.

[00:55:01]

THE AMOUNT THAT THIS AMENDMENT WILL BE INCREASED IS $886,954 FROM THE PREVIOUS AMOUNT OF 730,277, FOR A TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT FOR CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT SERVICES, NOT TO EXCEED $1,617,231.

WE ARE CURRENTLY IN WEEK 20 OF CONSTRUCTION OF THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY TRAIL POINT MOLATE, AND IT IS MOVING AT THE PACE THAT WE EXPECTED.

THAT'S ABOUT, FOR REFERENCE, WE HAVE ABOUT 13 MONTHS PROPOSED ESTIMATED FOR THE CONSTRUCTION TIMELINE.

SO WE'RE IN THE FIFTH WEEK AND I'M SORRY, FIFTH MONTH.

AND THAT THAT'S THAT'S PRETTY GOOD. SO WE'RE LOOK, WE'RE ON TRACK.

A LITTLE BACKGROUND. WHEN THIS CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT FIRM WAS HIRED IN 2021 AT THAT TIME, IT WAS NOT KNOWN TO THE PARK DISTRICT THAT WE WOULD BE COMPLETING THE ENTIRE TWO AND A HALF MILES OF OF BAY TRAIL.

THIS, THEY WERE HIRED TO MANAGE THE CONSTRUCTION OF JUST OUR PORTION.

AND OF COURSE, IN THE PACKET I OUTLINED IN DETAIL, THERE WERE SOME DELAYS.

THERE WERE SOME CHANGES IN DESIGN. WE DID BID THE PROJECT, IF YOU RECALL.

WE REBID THE PROJECT THAT ADDED TO THE AMOUNT THAT THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT FIRM NEEDED TO OF THEIR SCOPE AND INCREASED THEIR SCOPE.

SO THIS IS ABOUT IT'S UP TO ABOUT 18% OF THE CONSTRUCTION COSTS.

WE USUALLY TRY TO SHOOT FOR ABOUT 15%. SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE, BUT IT'S NOT CATASTROPHIC.

BASICALLY, THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS IN THE LAST TEN YEARS, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO REALLY FLESH OUT A LOT OF THE DESIGN DETAILS.

SO THERE AREN'T A LOT OF QUESTIONS COMING TO US FROM THE CONTRACTOR, AND THEY'RE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THIS PROJECT A LITTLE BIT MORE SMOOTHLY, IT FEELS LIKE. SO THERE IS CURRENTLY $1,806,235 LEFT IN OUR PROJECT ACCOUNT FOR THIS AMENDMENT.

AND KEEP IN MIND THAT RICHMOND IS GOING TO REIMBURSE US FOR THEIR CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT COSTS AND THEIR CONTRACT, CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT AND TRIBAL MONITORING, ETC..

SO WE'VE WE'VE WORKED THAT OUT TO BE ABOUT 46% OF THE PROJECT COSTS WILL BE COVERED BY RICHMOND AND 54 WILL BE COVERED BY THE PARK DISTRICT. AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME ON THIS ITEM, BUT THAT'S REALLY ALL I HAVE FOR YOU.

GREAT. THANK YOU. SO LET'S SEE IF ANY BOARD MEMBERS HAVE QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM.

I, I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS, BUT I'LL WAIT TO SEE IF OTHERS DO.

OKAY. I HAVE YOU KNOW, WHEN WE PREVIOUSLY REVIEWED THIS, THIS PROJECT WAS JUNE 17TH, 2025 WHEN WE WERE AT BIG BREAK.

AND SO I'M JUST TRYING TO COMPARE SOME OF THE, THE COSTS HERE FROM WHEN WE FIRST APPROVED THIS PROJECT.

AND SO I SAW THAT WE HAD A CONTINGENCY, A CONSTRUCTION CONTINGENCY OF 1.1 MILLION.

AND SO WITH THIS INCREASE, IS IT AN INCREASE ON TOP OF THAT CONTINGENCY? IS IT USING SOME OF THAT CONTINGENCY? SO THE 886 AND WE GO TO 1.6 MILLION.

SO THAT LOOKS LIKE THAT'S WHAT A DIFFERENCE OF ABOUT 5 MILLION FROM THE CONTINGENCY THAT WAS REPORTED IN JUNE OF 2025.

THE CONTINGENCY YOU'RE REFERRING TO IS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT AND ONLY FOR THE CONTRACT WITH CARONE AND COMPANY, WHO IS OUR CONTRACTOR. THE MONEY FOR CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT IS COMING OUT OF SOME GRANT FUNDING AND SOME PARK DISTRICT FUNDING COBBLED TOGETHER WITHIN THE PROJECT ACCOUNT, SO IT'S NOT AFFECTING THE CONTINGENCY AMOUNT, WHICH WAS 15% IN OUR CASE, OF THE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT COST.

SO THEN THIS CITY OF RICHMOND AMENDMENT, PENDING THE 1.6 MILLION THAT'S LISTED ON PAGE 43, THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN THE 849 FROM THE CONSTRUCTION THAT WE HAD APPROVED BACK IN JUNE.

849,683 I'M SORRY, I DON'T HAVE THAT IN FRONT OF ME.

WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT THERE. THAT'S IN THE REPORT THERE.

GRAB THAT. YEAH, I CAN JUST SHOW YOU. I THINK I MIGHT BE MIXING UP THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT AND THE YEAH, THE THE, THE PREVIOUS CONTRACT AMOUNT WAS FOR 730,277.

AND THAT, THAT THAT WAS THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT COST.

AND THAT WAS PRIOR TO CONSTRUCTION, A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT BEING AWARDED.

AS THERE IS WORK TO BE DONE BEFORE THE CONTRACT IS PUT OUT TO BID AND DURING BIDDING THAT WE NEED A CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT FIRM TO HELP US WITH.

YEAH. SO I THINK THE CONFUSION HERE IS LIKE THE THERE'S BOTH, WE'RE BOTH PROVIDING INFORMATION ABOUT THE OVERALL CONSTRUCTION PROJECT COSTS AND THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT COST, IS THAT RIGHT?

[01:00:04]

AND THEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE AMENDMENT, THE 1.6 MILLION.

I THINK THAT'S FUNDING FROM THE CITY OF RICHMOND TOWARDS THE PROJECT AS A WHOLE.

RIGHT. THE I THINK THERE IS A SO WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO DESCRIBE HERE IS THAT WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH RICHMOND COOPERATIVE FUNDING AGREEMENT TO SHARE THE COST OF THIS PROJECT, GIVEN THAT RICHMOND'S PORTION OF THE PROJECT WAS LESS EXPENSIVE THAN OUR PART, WE WANTED TO COME UP WITH A RATIO OF HOW WE WOULD ASSIGN CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT COSTS TO FOR REIMBURSEMENT FROM RICHMOND.

RIGHT. AND SO SOME ITEMS THAT WILL COME TO US THAT REQUIRE CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT COSTS WILL BE FOR THE ENTIRE PROJECT, AND THOSE WILL BE SPLIT HALF AND HALF, BUT SOME ITEMS WILL BE JUST FOR.

I'M SORRY. LET ME BACK UP A LITTLE BIT. I'M TRYING TO EXPLAIN THIS AND IT IS CONFUSING.

THE ITEMS THAT COME TO US THAT ARE ASSIGNED TO THE ENTIRE PROJECT WILL BE SPLIT 46% AND 54%, BECAUSE OUR COSTS ARE HIGHER FOR OUR. WE HAVE A BOARDWALK.

WE HAVE EXTRA THINGS ON OUR SIDE THAT ARE MORE EXPENSIVE ITEMS THAT ARE DIRECTLY RELATED TO RICHMOND'S COSTS FOR CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT.

MONITORING WILL BE PAID DIRECTLY BY RICHMOND AND IN FULL BY RICHMOND, AND THEN VICE VERSA FOR US ON OUR SIDE.

SO I WAS TRYING TO EXPLAIN THAT THE WAY THE WAY THAT WE CALCULATED THAT WAS WE TOOK THE THE ENTIRE CONSTRUCTION COST AND WHAT THE ENTIRE CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT COST AND WHAT THE COST RATIO WAS OF BOTH SEGMENT A AND B, AND WE CALCULATED THAT TO BE 46% AND 54%.

IS THAT WHAT IS CONFUSING IN THIS? A LITTLE BIT BUT THEN ALSO I'M REFERRING TO THE THE JUNE 2025 ITEM AGENDA ITEM. WAS 8.C-1 WHERE WE. I THINK IT WAS THE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT TO CARONE.

SO I'M LOOKING AT THE CARONE DATA OR CARONE DATA WHERE WE ALSO HAVE A CITY OF RICHMOND ADDITIONAL FUNDING LINE ITEM THAT SAYS 849,630. SO I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IF THE 1.6 MILLION THAT WE'RE SEEING TODAY ON PAGE 143 INCLUDES THAT, OR IS THAT GOING TO BE AN ADDITION TO THE 8.9? ARE WE LOOKING FOR RICHMOND EVENTUALLY TO PAY BACK TO EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT THROUGH THIS COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT? 2.4 MILLION OR 1.6 MILLION. ONE. SO THE ENTIRE.

WELL, I GUESS I WOULD ALSO SAY SOME OF THE LIKE I DON'T WE DON'T I DON'T KNOW THAT BOTH SEAN AND I HAVE TODAY'S BOARD LETTER IN FRONT OF US, NOT NECESSARILY THE ONE FROM JUNE. THAT WAS NOT FOR THE, CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT.

YEAH, I THINK I'M MIXING THE TWO. THAT WAS FOR THE CONTRACTOR. AND THEN SOME OF THE COMPONENTS, LIKE RICHMOND'S FUNDING US, AND WE'RE FUNDING THE PROJECT AND SOME OF IT RICHMOND IS FUNDING IT DIRECTLY.

SO THEY'RE NOT LIKE REIMBURSING THE DISTRICT OR PROVIDING FUNDING THROUGH US.

SO I GUESS WHAT I'D SAY IS LIKE THE COSTS TODAY ARE JUST THE US CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT.

AND THE COSTS IN JUNE WERE JUST THE CONSTRUCTION, JUST THE CONTRACT FOR CONSTRUCTION, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.

OKAY. BECAUSE IT IS ALL UNDER THE SAME PROJECT NUMBER.

SO THAT'S WHY I THINK I'M GETTING A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED. IT IS. BUT THEN I GUESS I DO HAVE A QUESTION. SO THIS LEADS TO MY ULTIMATE QUESTION ABOUT THE COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT AND HOW THAT WORKS WITH CITY OF RICHMOND. AND IS THIS THE TYPE OF AGREEMENT THAT NOW THAT IT'S BEEN APPROVED, THIS FUNDING, DOES IT ALSO HAVE TO GO BEFORE RICHMOND CITY COUNCIL? IS THERE A RISK THAT THEY MAY NOT APPROVE THIS FUNDING, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE THE COOPERATIVE OF AGREEMENT.

THEY'VE THEY'VE SHOWN US IN THEIR BUDGET THAT THEY DO HAVE THIS MONEY AND THAT AND WE ARE AMENDING THE AGREEMENT WITH THEM AND THAT WILL BE GOING TO THEIR CITY COUNCIL SOON. BUT REALLY, THE THE ORIGINAL AGREEMENT WITH THEM, IT SAYS VERY CLEARLY THAT THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION COSTS AND ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT COSTS. WE'RE JUST TRYING TO GIVE THEM AN IDEA FOR BUDGETING ON, ON ON WHAT THAT AMOUNT MIGHT BE.

SO WE'VE UPDATED THAT, BUT ALSO THIS REIMBURSEMENT RATIO THAT I'M REFERRING TO, 46%, 54%.

WE ALSO NEED THEM TO AGREE TO THAT APPROACH. AND THEY HAVE AGREED TO THAT AT A STAFF LEVEL, BUT IT STILL NEEDS TO GO TO THE CITY COUNCIL.

I DO NOT FEEL THAT THERE IS A RISK HERE AT ALL, AND THEIR CITY COUNCIL HAS ALREADY APPROVED IT IN THEIR BUDGET.

SO IT'S JUST JUST LIKE WE DO, THEY BUDGET FOR THE PROJECTS FOR THE COMING YEAR LIKE YOUR BOARD DOES, THEIR COUNCIL DOES. SO THEY'VE ALREADY APPROVED IT IN THEIR BUDGET. AND THEN IT'LL COME TO THEM JUST LIKE THIS DOES TO YOU AS AN EXPENDITURE.

BUT IT'S IT'S NOT INCREASING THE BUDGET. IT'S SPENDING EXISTING BUDGET.

[01:05:01]

SORRY, I WAS CONFUSED. NO, NO IT'S OKAY, I JUST YEAH, IT'S ALL THE SAME PROJECT NUMBER BUT DIFFERENT PORTIONS OF THAT PROJECT.

IF THERE AREN'T ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM BOARD MEMBERS, WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS OPEN FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.

DIRECTOR. OKAY. THANK YOU. PERFECT. DIRECTOR DESCHAMBAULT, DID YOU WANT TO SPEAK? YOUR HAND IS UP. OH, YEAH. I HAD A QUESTION, TOO, ON THIS.

WE HAD A SECTION THAT THERE WAS SOME CONCERN OF HOW WE WERE GOING TO GET THE TRAIL THROUGH WITH RIPRAP OR NATURAL SOLUTION OR SOME POTENTIAL JUST TAKING STILL LOOKING AT HISTORIC AND CULTURAL ISSUES.

IS THAT ANTICIPATED? IS THAT IN THE SAME AREA, IS THAT ANTICIPATED? WOULD WE EXPECT SOME MORE EXPENSE FROM THAT, OR IS THERE AN UPDATE ON THAT SECTION? I BELIEVE IT WAS UP TO THE CITY OF RICHMOND TO TO FIX THAT FOR US TO DO THE EASEMENT THROUGH THAT SECTION.

I'M JUST CURIOUS IF THAT'S RELATED IN ANY WAY OR IF THERE'S ANY UPDATE ON THAT PORTION IN THAT POSSIBLE EXPENSE.

I CAN GIVE A QUICK UPDATE AND THEN SEAN CAN KIND OF ACTUALLY SEAN WILL GIVE THE UPDATE. I'LL GIVE A QUICK OVERVIEW. SO THAT SECTION IS NOT WITHIN OUR PROJECT OR OUR RESPONSIBILITY. SO BASICALLY WHEN WE DEVELOP THIS PROJECT, IT'S A IT'S A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN US AND THE CITY.

BUT WE EXCLUDED THAT SHORT SECTION BECAUSE WE, WE KNEW THAT THE CITY NEEDED TO DO SOME MORE WORK AND CONVERSATIONS WITH THE COMMUNITY ABOUT IT. SO THERE'S WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY PORTION OF THAT, THAT SECTION THAT THAT THE CITY IS, IS DOING AND PLANNING. SO THIS DOESN'T REALLY CONNECT WITH THAT, THAT THAT WAS MY ANSWER AS WELL.

YEAH. HOPEFULLY THAT HELPS. THEY'RE STILL PLANNING IT, RIGHT? YEAH, THEY'RE STILL WORKING ON IT. THEY'RE CLOSER THAN THEY WERE BEFORE. WE'RE REALLY HOPING THAT WE CAN GET THAT, HAVE THAT THEY CAN RESOLVE WHAT THEY NEED TO RESOLVE TO GET THAT OFF THE GROUND AND BUILT SO THAT WHEN WE OPEN THIS TO THE PUBLIC, THAT THERE ISN'T A GAP THERE. BUT WE CAN'T GUARANTEE THAT AT THIS POINT IT'S SHORT, SO HOPEFULLY IT WON'T TAKE TOO LONG TO ACTUALLY DO IT.

YEAH, BUT THEY ARE MAKING PROGRESS. SOUNDS LIKE THEY'RE CLOSE.

THANK YOU FOR THAT UPDATE. ANY OTHER BOARD QUESTIONS? WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY. OKAY. GO AHEAD. JUST A QUESTION SEAN. SO I'M GETTING CONFUSED HERE.

SO WE'RE GOING TO GET 2.5 MILES OF TRAIL SHARED HALF AND HALF WITH RICHMOND AND US, WHAT DO YOU ANTICIPATE THE TOTAL COST WILL BE AT THIS POINT? TOTAL COST OF THE PROJECT ALTOGETHER WITH SOFT COSTS, CEQA COST, DESIGN COSTS, ETC.

IS WHAT YOU'RE ASKING? YEAH, IT'S IT'S IT'S ROUGHLY ABOUT 13.5 MILLION AT THIS POINT IS WHAT WE'RE SHOWING.

AND I CAN GET YOU THE EXACT NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE AT A LATER DATE.

JUST GREAT. AND SPLIT 56 OR 54. 46. OKAY. AND WELL, I SHOULD ADD THAT WE'VE ALREADY SPENT AS A PARK DISTRICT HAS SPENT ROUGHLY ABOUT 1.3 OR $4 MILLION GETTING TO THE PROJECT TO THIS POINT, AND WE WILL NOT BE REIMBURSED FOR THAT. THAT WAS THAT'S THAT'S COST THAT WE PUT IN TO GET THE PROJECT DESIGNED AND PERMITTED AND ENVIRONMENTALLY CLEARED UNDER CEQA.

AND WE ARE GOING FULL STEAM AHEAD IN SPITE OF THE GAP.

AND WHEN DO WE ANTICIPATE THAT TO BE COMPLETED? WELL, WE'RE OUR CONTRACTOR REALLY THINKS THEY CAN FINISH FASTER THAN THEY CAN, BUT WE REALLY THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE DONE BY THE END OF THIS YEAR.

GREAT. YEAH, GREAT. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER BOARD QUESTIONS? WE WILL HAVE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY AFTER PUBLIC COMMENT.

BUT IF YOU DO YOU'RE WELCOME TO GO NOW TOO. JOHN.

DID YOU KNOW? OKAY. ALL RIGHT, LET'S OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT.

DO WE HAVE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO. THERE IS NO PUBLIC COMMENT. ALL RIGHT, THEN WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT. AND RIGHT NOW IS THE FINAL OPPORTUNITY FOR BOARD MEMBERS TO SHARE ANY COMMENTS OR ASK ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE FORGOTTEN EARLIER.

IF NOT, WE CAN ALSO CONSIDER MAKING A MOTION.

GO AHEAD, DIRECTOR ECHOLS. WELL, I SEAN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE UPDATE.

IT'S VERY HELPFUL AND JUST REALLY WANT TO SAY HOW HAPPY I AM THAT THIS TRAIL IS CONTINUING TO MOVE FORWARD.

IT HASN'T BEEN EASY. THESE THINGS NEVER ARE. BUT I APPRECIATE HOW YOU AND YOUR TEAM AND OTHERS HERE AT THE DISTRICT ARE WORKING WITH CITY OF RICHMOND AND ALL OF THE OTHER STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED TO CONTINUE TO MOVE THINGS FORWARD AND ADDRESS THE CONCERNS THAT THAT THAT HAVE COME UP.

AND SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT. OH, AND YES, AND WITH THAT, I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO AUTHORIZE, AUTHORIZE AN AMENDMENT TO THE CONTRACT FOR SERVICES WITH WSP USA, IN THE AMOUNT OF 886,954 FOR CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT.

GREAT. SO THAT'S A MOTION MADE BY DIRECTOR ECHOLS.

[01:10:01]

THANK YOU. AND SO WITH THAT, IF THERE AREN'T ANY FURTHER DISCUSSIONS, WE CAN DO A ROLL CALL VOTE.

OKAY. THANK YOU. DIRECTOR COFFEY. AYE. DIRECTOR DESCHAMBAULT.

AYE. DIRECTOR ECHOLS. AYE. DIRECTOR ESPAÑA. AYE.

DIRECTOR MERCURIO. AYE. DIRECTOR WAESPI. AYE.

PRESIDENT SANWONG. YES. MOTION PASSES SEVEN ZERO.

GREAT. THANK YOU EVERYONE. ALL RIGHT, SO WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT ACTION ITEM.

AND THAT I BELIEVE, IS ITEM I.2, THE FIVE YEAR CONTRACT TO WASTE MANAGEMENT.

NOW IT'S GREEN. THERE YOU GO. HI, EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS ANDREW GREEN.

I AM THE, A SANITATION RECYCLING COORDINATOR.

WORK UP AT SOUTH COUNTY. AND I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT TO YOU TODAY AN OPPORTUNITY TO DECREASE THE COST OF RECYCLING, COMPOST AND WASTE COLLECTION WHILE IMPROVING SERVICES AND REDUCING WASTE.

TYPICALLY, OUR DISTRICT FACILITIES USE THE LOCAL JURISDICTIONS FOR FRANCHISE COLLECTION SERVICE PROVIDER, WHICH OPERATES WHERE THE FACILITY IS LOCATED AND TYPICALLY PAYS THE FRANCHISE RATES.

FOR EXAMPLE, WASTE MANAGEMENT IS OPERATING HERE IN OAKLAND AND SERVICING OUR OAKLAND PARKS AND THIS OFFICE.

AS A SPECIAL DISTRICT, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REQUEST OTHER COMPETITIVE SERVICES.

WE HAVE PREVIOUSLY CONDUCTED COMPETITIVE PROCUREMENT PROCESSES FOR COLLECTION SERVICES AT TILDEN PARK IN 2016 AND ANTHONY CHABOT IN 2020. IN ORDER TO CONSIDER SERVICE OPTIONS FOR OTHER DISTRICT FACILITIES, STAFF WORKING WITH THE CONSULTANT DEVELOPED A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR RECYCLING, COMPOST AND TRASH COLLECTION, PROCESSING, COLLECTION AND PROCESSING SERVICES FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE DISTRICT.

THE RFP WAS RELEASED LAST MARCH. SIX SERVICE PROPOSALS WERE RECEIVED.

OUR EVALUATION TEAM CONSIDERED ALL OF THE SUBMISSIONS, AND THE PROPOSAL FROM WASTE MANAGEMENT FOR THE WESTERN ALAMEDA COUNTY REGION WAS DEEMED THE MOST RESPONSIBLE, RESPONSIVE BIDDER FOR TEN OF OUR SERVICE LOCATIONS.

WE DID RECEIVE PROPOSALS FOR ALL OF OUR 44 SERVICE LOCATIONS, BUT THE OTHER PROPOSALS WERE NOT CONSIDERED COST BENEFICIAL AT THIS TIME.

WE PROPOSE A FIVE YEAR CONTRACT WITH WASTE MANAGEMENT OF ALAMEDA COUNTY, INCORPORATED FOR TEN FACILITIES.

LAST YEAR'S COST OF RECYCLING, COMPOST AND TRASH COLLECTION AT THESE TEN LOCATIONS WAS $343,000.

WITH THIS PROPOSED CONTRACT, AND ASSUMING THAT THESE TEN LOCATIONS CONTINUE SIMILAR SERVICE SCHEDULES AND VOLUMES, WE ESTIMATE THAT THE ANNUAL COST FOR THESE SERVICES WILL BE APPROXIMATELY $240,000, A SAVINGS OF OVER $100,000 PER YEAR.

THIS DOES INCLUDE SOME CONTINGENCY FUNDING TO COVER FUTURE CPI INCREASES, AS WELL AS EXTRA SERVICE WHICH MAY BE REQUIRED.

I'LL GO WITH THIS PROJECT IS TO DECREASE COLLECTION COSTS, IMPROVE SERVICE AND REDUCE WASTE.

THE PROPOSED SERVICE LOCATIONS FOR THIS PROJECT ARE REINHARDT REDWOOD, JUDGE JOHN SUTTER, MLK, THE PERALTA OAKS OFFICES, TRUDEAU CENTER, ROBERTS, TEMESCAL, TIDEWATER, AND CROWN BEACH. ONE THROUGH NINE ARE CURRENTLY BEING SERVICED BY WASTE MANAGEMENT, SO NO EQUIPMENT CHANGE OR SERVICE CHANGE IN THOSE LOCATIONS.

HOWEVER, CROWN BEACH IS NOT CURRENTLY SERVICED BY WASTE MANAGEMENT SERVICED BY ACI, SO THAT WOULD BE A VENDOR CHANGE.

AND HALF OF THESE LOCATIONS WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE THEIR RECYCLING SERVICE BY CIVICORP, WHICH IS ONE OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS.

[01:15:08]

THANK YOU. GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALL RIGHT.

SO WE WILL NOW OPEN IT UP FOR BOARD MEMBER QUESTIONS.

DO ANY BOARD MEMBERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS THEY'D LIKE TO ASK? OKAY. YES. PLEASE GO AHEAD. SO I DO HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE REDUCTION IN COST AND HOW THE ANNUAL SAVINGS WERE ACHIEVED. BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE NINE OF THESE WERE PREVIOUSLY CONTRACTED WITH THE SAME CONTRACTOR, WASTE MANAGEMENT. THERE IS THE ADDITION CROWN BEACH.

SO JUST AS FAR AS WAS IT THE LENGTH OF THE CONTRACT OR JUST HOW WERE THOSE DIFFERENT SAVING REDUCTIONS ACHIEVED? SO WE AS I MENTIONED, WE DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE A CONTRACT FOR MANY OF OUR SITES.

WE DO FOR TILDEN AND ANTHONY CHABOT, AND WE DO CONTRACT WITH CIVICORP FOR MANY OF OUR SITES, BUT WE'RE PAYING THE UNCONTRACTED OR FULL FRANCHISE RATE FOR THE, FOR NINE OUT OF THE FOR ALL OF THESE LOCATIONS.

AND WE WERE ABLE AND WITH THE RFP WE WERE ABLE TO REQUEST COMPETITIVE BIDS.

AND WE CALCULATE BASED ON THE SERVICE LAST YEAR THAT THE IF THEY CONTINUE THAT SERVICE, IT'S GOING TO BE QUITE A SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS.

SO GOING FROM FULL CHARGE TO PREFERRED CONTRACTED RATES IS HOW WE CAME UP WITH THE SAVINGS.

OKAY. THANK YOU. YEAH BECAUSE I JUST WAS WONDERING HOW THAT HAPPENED.

BUT THAT'S A GREAT EXPLANATION. AND CONGRATULATIONS ON THE COST REDUCTION.

IT'S QUITE SIGNIFICANT. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER.

YES. GO AHEAD. YEAH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPORT, ANDREW.

SO THAT SOUNDS GREAT. SO HOW DID THOSE GUYS KNOCK OFF 25%.

HOW'D THEY DO IT? WHAT ARE THEY DOING? THEY'RE NOT.

I KEEP GOING UP. GAS KEEPS GOING UP. DIESEL KEEPS GOING UP.

IT'S BUNDLING. THE POWER OF BUNDLING. OKAY IN THAT CASE, ARE YOU GOING TO BUNDLE ALL OF THE REST OF THE DISTRICT? BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT DEAL. AND WHY DON'T YOU? WHEN I LOOK AT THIS AND LOOK AT THE GREAT WORK YOU GUYS HAVE DONE, I BET YOU YOU'RE THE EQUIVALENT OF A SMALL CITY AT THIS POINT.

SO WHY DON'T YOU GO TEN YEAR CONTRACTS LIKE CITIES DO? AND REALLY GET A GREAT DEAL AND MAKE THEM PAY FOR THE.

I WAS ADVISED BY THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT THAT WE DON'T DO TEN YEAR CONTRACTS.

OKAY. FIVE YEAR CONTRACT, MAX. OKAY. WORKING WITH OUR CONSULTANT, ABBY AND ASSOCIATES.

ABBY AND ASSOCIATES. THEY DESCRIBED SOMETHING CALLED A FRANCHISE FEE, AND I DIDN'T GET INTO THE SPECIFICS WITH MY CONTACT AT WASTE MANAGEMENT, BUT I HAVE A FEELING THAT THAT IS A CHARGE THAT MOST CUSTOMERS PAY.

BUT MAYBE IT'S SOMETHING THAT WITH A SPECIAL AGENCY SUCH AS OURS, THEY CAN REMOVE THAT FRANCHISE FEE, WHICH WOULD RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT COST. OKAY.

THANK YOU. AND MATT HAS A COMMENT. MATT NORTON, MAINTENANCE SUPERINTENDENT, I JUST WANTED TO ADD ONE MORE POINT OF THE COST SAVINGS.

MOST FRANCHISES, WITH THEIR AGREEMENT, THEY BUNDLE THE RESIDENTS WITH THE COMMERCIAL.

SO THEY ALWAYS HIDE THE RESIDENTS COST INTO THE COMMERCIAL COST.

BECAUSE WE'RE SEPARATING AWAY FROM THE FRANCHISE, WE GET THE ACTUAL TRUE COMMERCIAL COST.

GREAT. GOOD. EXCELLENT IDEA. SO WHAT? AND SO IS THERE ANY ASSURANCE ON THE OTHER END? I KNOW YOU CAN DO ANYTHING YOU WANT IN AN AGREEMENT LIKE THIS.

CAN YOU. WHERE ARE THEY GOING TO SEND THE COMPOST? I THINK I REMEMBER THERE USED TO BE COMPOST FACILITIES THAT WILL TAKE JUNK OR THERE ARE LIKE ORGANIC COMPOST FACILITIES THAT HAVE REALLY PURE STUFF AND HIGHER STANDARDS, COSTS MORE OBVIOUSLY. SO AS I MENTIONED, NINE OF THESE LOCATIONS IN THE GROUP OF TEN ARE CURRENTLY USING WASTE MANAGEMENT FOR COLLECTION, INCLUDING COMPOST. AND THE COMPOST GOES DOWN TO IS COLLECTED SEPARATELY.

ORGANIC WASTE SUCH AS PLANTS AND FOOD, AND COMPOSTABLE PAPER COLLECTED IN A SEPARATE CONTAINER COLLECTED IN A SEPARATE TRUCK

[01:20:09]

I BELIEVE THEY'RE COMPOSTING SOME MATERIAL ON SITE AT DAVIS STREET IN AN URBAN FACILITY, AND WASTE MANAGEMENT DOES ALSO OPERATE A COMPOST FACILITY IN LIVERMORE AT ALTAMONT LANDFILL.

I THINK YOU ASKED A QUESTION ABOUT THE REST OF THE DISTRICT AND LONGER TERM CONTRACT, AND I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.

I WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT. THAT'S OUR GOAL. BUT THE RESULT OF THIS REALLY KNEELING DOWN HERE, MAYBE I DON'T NEED TO BE THAT CLOSE TO THE MIC. IT'S MORE COMFORTABLE.

OUR GOAL IS TO INDEED HAVE ALL OF OUR LOCATIONS CODIFIED UNDER COLLECTION CONTRACT, LIKE, LIKE THIS. BUT THIS FIRST ROUND, AS I MENTIONED, THE PROPOSALS THAT CAME IN JUST WERE NOT COST COMPETITIVE.

AND IT WOULD BE BETTER JUST TO CONTINUE WITH THE THE GOOD DEALS THAT WE HAVE ALREADY IN THESE OTHER LOCATIONS.

AND IS THERE ANY ASSURANCE THAT THE RECYCLABLES ARE RECYCLED? I GUESS WASTE MANAGEMENT DOES THAT, RIGHT. THEY'VE GOT A PRETTY GOOD RECORD, RIGHT. WELL, WE'RE USING CIVICORP FOR MANY OF THESE SITES.

A COMMUNITY PARTNER AND THEY BRING THEIR MATERIAL.

I THINK THEY WERE BRINGING THE MATERIAL TO CALIFORNIA WASTE SOLUTIONS HERE, HERE IN OAKLAND.

AND YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION BECAUSE THINGS ARE CHANGING ALL THE TIME.

THERE'S DIFFERENT TECHNOLOGIES TO CONVERT WASTE MATERIAL INTO NEW PRODUCTS.

AND SOMETIMES MARKETS CHANGE AND SOMETIMES MARKET CONDITIONS CHANGE.

SO WE'RE WE'RE GOING TO GO WITH THE THE RECYCLING PROGRAMS IN THOSE AREAS.

FREMONT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN OAKLAND'S, A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN SAN RAMON.

THEY ACCEPT DIFFERENT THINGS. SO IT COULD CHANGE WITH TIME.

BUT WE'RE HOPING THAT THE THINGS THAT GO INTO THE RECYCLING BIN ARE ACTUALLY GETTING RECYCLING RECYCLED.

AND FINALLY, THE LAST PARDON ME, THE LAST QUESTION.

I LOVE THIS STUFF. THE LAST QUESTION WOULD BE IN ON THE COMPOSTING.

IS THERE IS THERE A WAY OR DID ANYBODY THINK OF A WAY OR IS THERE A NEED? I LIKE THE IDEA OF INTERPRETIVE ABILITIES TO SUGGEST THAT WHEN PEOPLE COME TO OUR PARKS, BRING STUFF IN, EAT IT, TOSS IT OUT, AND IT'S ORGANIC, THAT IN SOME CASES WE COULD CIRCLE THE CIRCLE THERE AND PURCHASE BACK OR GET I KNOW SOME FRANCHISES COME WITH AND THE FRANCHISE AGREEMENT.

PART OF THE COSTS ARE WE'LL BRING YOU BACK ALL OF THE COMPOST YOU NEED.

HUNDREDS OF YARDS OF COMPOST ARE AVAILABLE IN SPECIAL NEEDS.

THEY GIVE YOU ANY OF THAT CAFETERIA MENU THAT YOU CAN DO AND DO.

I DON'T KNOW IF THE DISTRICT HAS A NEED FOR THAT MUCH COMPOST, I DON'T THINK COMPOST GIVING BACK IS IS PART OF THE CONTRACT, BUT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WITH THE INCREASE OF PARTICIPATION IN THESE PROGRAMS, THAT THERE IS A LOT OF MATERIAL AVAILABLE AND COMMUNITIES ARE REALLY DESPERATE, MAYBE NOT DESPERATE, BUT REALLY EAGER TO FIND PLACES TO PUT IT AND WITH ALL OF THE RANGELAND THAT THE PARK DISTRICT HAS, I THINK IT WOULD BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE SOME OF THAT COMPOST.

SO I'D BE HAPPY TO TO LOOK INTO THAT FURTHER AND SEE IF WE CAN IF WE HAVE A PLACE TO PUT IT, WE'LL BE SURE AND TRY TO GET SOME MORE COMPOST FOR YOU.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. OKAY. AND ALSO. YOU SPOKE ABOUT PEOPLE COMING TO THE PARK WITH THEIR COMPOSTABLE STUFF, AND I WANT TO MENTION SORT OF A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE INTERPRETIVE AND INTERPRETIVE DEPARTMENT BRINGS A LOT OF KIDS INTO THE VISITOR CENTERS. RIGHT. AND THERE THERE'S A DOCUMENT.

I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S IF IT'S STILL AVAILABLE, BUT I SAW IT A FEW YEARS AGO THAT GOES OUT FROM THE PARK DISTRICT TO THE PARENTS OF THE KIDS COMING TO THE PARKS FOR A FIELD TRIP, DESCRIBING HOW TO PACK A ZERO WASTE LUNCH WITH A REUSABLE CONTAINER AND A REUSABLE THERMOS RATHER THAN LUNCHABLE PLASTIC DISPOSABLE STUFF.

AND WE ARE, AS WE'VE PRESENTED TO THIS BOARD, WORKING ON INSTALLING MORE THREE STREAM SYSTEMS OUT INTO THE PARKS FOR OUR VISITORS TO USE, SO THAT WHEN THOSE KIDS COME TO THE PARK, IF THEY DO HAVE AN APPLE CORE TO COMPOST, WE WANT TO HAVE A PLACE FOR THEM TO PUT IT AND ALL OF OUR PICNICKERS.

[01:25:04]

THANKS. GREAT. THANK YOU. GO AHEAD. OKAY. WELL, AND THANK YOU FOR SPEAKING TO THE THREE STREAM DISPOSAL BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.

I THINK THAT'LL HELP A LOT WITH CLEAR INSTRUCTIONS FOR PEOPLE.

SO, SO. AND CONGRATULATIONS ON THE REDUCTION OF THE LONG TERM COSTS.

MY QUESTION REALLY IS AROUND THE THE THIRD GOAL, WHICH I ALSO WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT, WHICH IS TO TO SUPPORT OUR DISTRICT WASTE REDUCTION GOALS. SO I WAS CURIOUS HOW THIS CONTRACT HELPS TO FURTHER THAT GOAL.

I THOUGHT ABOUT THAT THIRD GOAL AND I THOUGHT THAT MIGHT, I THOUGHT ABOUT WAY A WAY TO EXPLAIN THAT HERE AT THE PODIUM TODAY.

AND I THINK THAT IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY GOAL AND WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE OF THE BOARD AND MANAGEMENT TO INCREASE PARTICIPATION IN THESE WASTE REDUCTION AND DIVERSION PROGRAMS. AND I THINK THE WAY THIS CONTRACT IS GOING TO HELP IS JUST TO CODIFY THE AVAILABILITY OF INCREASING AVAILABILITY OF THE RECYCLING AND COMPOST EQUIPMENT, THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF BINS THAT THE TRUCKS ARE AVAILABLE AND THE PROCESSING, THAT PROCESSING THAT DIRECTOR WAESPI WAS, WAS ASKING ABOUT.

AND WITH THE INCREASED DIVERSION IN THESE OTHER CONTAINERS, WE WANT TO REDUCE SOME OF OUR GARBAGE CAPACITY AND COLLECTION. SO I THINK THAT WE ARE DOING THAT AND WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS THAT.

AND THIS CONTRACT IS GOING TO CONTINUE THAT. DIRECTOR DESCHAMBAULT.

YES. THANK YOU. IT'S ALWAYS NICE TO SAVE MONEY WITHOUT DOING A WHOLE LOT OF EFFORT.

NICE JOB. OKAY I THINK DENNIS ASKED EARLIER, WE DIDN'T GET AN ANSWER TO.

ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAVE IS. WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER 44? LIKE, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. I WASN'T CLEAR TO ME IF THE OTHER 44 MAYBE DIDN'T HAVE THE THREE STREAMS, OR MAYBE HAD DIFFERENT, BUT YOU KNOW WHERE THE PARK, THE NATION'S LEADING PARK DISTRICT HERE IN SIZE.

IT'D BE GREAT TO KEEP THIS GOING WITH THE OTHER 44 LOCATIONS.

I WAS A LITTLE CURIOUS, TOO, ABOUT THAT NUMBER, SINCE WE HAVE 75 PARKS.

YOU KNOW HOW THE NUMBERS ALL ADD UP THERE? AND WHAT CAN WE KEEP DOING TO KEEP THIS GOING FORWARD? AND THE SECOND QUESTION I HAD IS WE HAD A PRESENTATION A WHILE BACK THAT SOME OF THE BINS WERE ATTRACTIVE NUISANCES, AND THE CONTRACTOR WE HAVE WASN'T ABLE TO PROVIDE US COVERED BINS, AND WE WERE GETTING A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH CRITTERS GETTING IN, AND JUST THAT WAS PART OF THE CONTRACT AND WONDERING IF THIS NEW CONTRACT WOULD ALLOW US TO SOLVE THAT, THAT PROBLEM. SO FOR THE FIRST QUESTION, THE 44 SITES IS BASED ON WE HAVE 44 COLLECTION SITES, 75 PARKS, BUT A LOT OF PARKS WILL USE THE SAME SITE FOR GARBAGE COLLECTION.

WE ARE PLANNING TO EXPAND. THIS IS KIND OF AN INITIAL PILOT.

IT WAS KIND OF THE LOW HANGING FRUIT TO WHERE WE CAN HAVE THE BIGGEST COST SAVINGS, THE EASIEST PUSH AND THEN AFTER THIS WE'RE GOING TO SEE HOW IT GOES AND TRY TO EXPAND IT DISTRICT WIDE. I CAN ADDRESS THE COVER QUESTION.

OKAY. THANK YOU FOR BRINGING UP THE COVERED DUMPSTER QUESTION.

IT IS I DON'T KNOW. I GET THAT QUESTION A LOT.

AND THIS CONTRACT DOES REQUIRE WHENEVER A PARK WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A COVERED DUMPSTER THAT WOULD BE PROVIDED.

IT'S NOT REQUIRED. NOT SAYING THAT EVERY PARK HAS TO HAVE A COVER ON EVERYTHING IF IT DOESN'T WORK FOR THEIR OPERATIONS, BUT THEY ARE GOING TO BE AVAILABLE AND THEY ARE GREAT FOR KEEPING STORMWATER OUT OF THE MATERIAL, KEEPING THE STORMWATER CLEAN, AND ALSO KEEPING THE THE CRITTERS OUT.

IN FACT, I'D LIKE TO SHARE THAT JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, WE AFTER A QUITE A A STRUGGLE, WE WERE ABLE TO GET A COVERED TRASH DUMPSTER AT GARIN PARK, WHICH IS ALSO SERVICED BY WASTE MANAGEMENT.

SO THAT RELATIONSHIP IS SORT OF ALREADY PAYING OFF EVEN BEFORE WE SIGNED THE CONTRACT.

WAS THAT ALL? THANK YOU. YEAH, I HAVE ONE MORE TOO.

[01:30:02]

THERE WAS, I BELIEVE, SOME DISPUTE WITH THE DIFFERENT HAULERS THAT THEY WEREN'T ACTUALLY COMPOSTING THE MATERIAL, BUT THEY WERE USING IT FOR ADC, WHICH IS THE ALTERNATIVE DAILY COVER.

SO THEY WERE ACTUALLY JUST LAYING IT IN THE LANDFILL WITH THE WASTE AND NOT REALLY COMPOSTING IT OFF TO THE SIDE WHERE YOU WOULD GET SOME NICE, YOU KNOW, DARK ORGANIC COMPOST MATERIAL BACK.

AND I BELIEVE THERE WAS SOME DEBATE IN THE CHOOSING OF THE CONTRACTOR BASED ON THAT.

SO I'M CURIOUS IF THAT CAME UP AT ALL OR MAYBE SOMETHING COULD BE LOOKED AT DOWN THE ROAD TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR MATERIALS REALLY ARE BEING COMPOSTED AND NOT SORT OF GREENWASHING IN THE REQUIRED ALTERNATIVE DAILY COVER THAT LANDFILLS REQUIRE.

THAT'S MY LAST QUESTION, AND MAYBE YOU DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER FOR THAT.

JUST SO NOTED IN KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR THAT. BUT IT'D BE GREAT TO TO KNOW THAT.

AND ALSO GREAT TO GET THIS INTO ALL OF OUR PARKS THAT YEAH.

THANK YOU. I CAN MAYBE JUMP IN ON THAT. I THINK, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T REMEMBER HOW MANY YEARS AGO, BUT THERE WAS A STATE LAW AB, DO YOU GUYS REMEMBER WHAT THIS WAS? THAT? NO. THAT MADE IT SO THAT LANDFILLS COULD NO LONGER, HAULERS COULD NO LONGER JUST USE COMPOST AS ALTERNATIVE DAILY COVER.

AND SO AND ALSO THERE WAS A WHOLE BUNCH OF COMPONENTS TO IT MANDATING THREE STREAM.

AND THEN ALSO, I THINK ANOTHER THING THAT WAS BROUGHT UP WAS LIKE THE USE OF COMPOST MATERIALS AND WOOD CHIPS.

AND SO FOR A LOT OF MUNICIPALITIES, THEY WERE REQUIRED THROUGH THAT LAW TO BUY, TO PURCHASE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF WOOD CHIPS AND COMPOST TO BASICALLY CREATE A MARKET FOR THE WHAT WAS THE STATE MANDATE.

SO I AM I'M PRETTY SURE THAT THROUGH THAT LAW THAT'S NO LONGER A PRACTICE, THAT THAT THIS COMPOSTABLE MATERIAL ACTUALLY DOES GET COMPOSTED AND THEN HAS APPLICATIONS AROUND STATE. THANK YOU FOR THAT.

I KIND OF REMEMBERED SOMETHING GOING AROUND FOR LIKE THAT, SO I'M GLAD YOU'RE ON TOP OF THAT.

THANK YOU MAX. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS.

SO I BELIEVE THIS IS THE, YOU KNOW, BIG WASTE MANAGEMENT COMPANY HEADQUARTERED IN HOUSTON AND PUBLICLY TRADED.

AND THEN THEY HAVE A LOCALIZED OFFICE OF WASTE MANAGEMENT OF ALAMEDA COUNTY.

IT'S NOT SOME SEPARATE COMPANY FROM THE HOUSTON BASED PUBLICLY TRADED COMPANY.

RIGHT. AND MAYBE YOU DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT, BUT I BELIEVE THAT THAT'S THE CASE.

SO THAT CAN ALSO BE A STATEMENT. I WANT TO ARGUE WITH THAT.

WHAT? I WON'T ARGUE WITH THAT. OKAY. I WAS JUST CURIOUS ABOUT THAT BECAUSE I THINK ALSO AS A BIG COMPANY, THERE MIGHT BE IN TERMS OF NEGOTIATING, RIGHT, THIS BUNDLED PACKAGE, THEY MIGHT BE USED TO THAT.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WHILE THEY MIGHT BE THIS LARGE COMPANY THAT I BELIEVE IS PUBLICLY TRADED AND HEADQUARTERED IN HOUSTON, TEXAS THEY DON'T SERVICE THE ENTIRE D OF ALAMEDA COUNTY.

AND YOU KNOW, ONE THING LIKE THE PARKS THAT ARE LISTED HERE ARE LOCATED NEAR EACH OTHER AND ARE CLUSTERED TOGETHER AND ARE NEAR THE TRANSFER STATION WHERE THE GARBAGE WOULD BE SENT TO AND PROCESSED. BUT IN OTHER PARTS OF EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT, WASTE MANAGEMENT DOESN'T SERVE AS THOSE AREAS. AND I THINK OF A PARK LIKE SHADOW CLIFFS, WHICH IS ACTUALLY LOCATED VERY CLOSE TO THE PLEASANTON TRANSFER STATION. AND THAT'S MANAGED BY PLEASANTON GARBAGE SERVICE, WHICH IS NOT AFFILIATED.

IT'S A IT'S A PRIVATE COMPANY, NOT PART OF THIS LARGE WASTE MANAGEMENT.

BUT THEN ALSO THERE'S A CARBON EMISSIONS COMPONENT. SO IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WASTE MANAGEMENT ACROSS THE ENTIRE PARK DISTRICT PORTFOLIO THERE MAY BE CARBON EMISSIONS THAT WE'D HAVE TO CONSIDER, SO THERE'S SOME TRADE OFFS IN THAT CALCULUS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

I KNOW YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS AS A PILOT PROJECT, BUT IT MAY NOT BE APPLICABLE POTENTIALLY ACROSS THE ENTIRE DISTRICT FOR SOME OF THESE DIFFERENT REASONS. AND SO THAT'S THAT'S MORE OF A COMMENT THAN A QUESTION.

BUT I GUESS TO TURN THAT INTO A QUESTION YOU KNOW, AS YOU'RE LOOKING AT THIS DISTRICT WIDE DO YOU HAVE A TIMELINE WHEN YOU MIGHT START TO LOOK AT SOME OF THE OTHER PARKS AND THINKING ABOUT CLUSTERING THEM FOR CONTRACTS SIMILAR TO THIS ONE THAT'S BEFORE US TODAY? WHAT'S NICE ABOUT THIS PROPOSAL IS INDEED THE THESE ARE URBAN PARKS CLOSE TO URBAN AREAS.

WASTE MANAGEMENT IS ALREADY SERVICING THEM, THEY'RE THEY'RE SERVING THAT THAT AREA AND WE'RE NOT ASKING THEM TO DRIVE TOO FAR, ALTHOUGH WE ARE ASKING THEM TO GO THROUGH THE TUNNEL TO PICK UP TO START PICKING UP CROWN BEACH,

[01:35:04]

AND THERE IS A CONSIDERATION OF THE CARBON EMISSIONS TO DRIVE SO FAR OUT.

YOU'RE SENDING A BIG DIESEL TRUCK OUT TO DEL VALLE OR VASCO CAVES.

VASCO HILLS. TO GET A LITTLE BIT OF COMPOST OR WHATEVER AMOUNT OF COMPOST IT IS, IT DOES THAT OFFSET THE EMISSIONS TO TO DRIVE OUT THERE. THAT'S I DON'T KNOW.

SO WE DO HAVE THE THESE PROPOSALS FROM OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS.

THEY WERE NOT COST COMPETITIVE AT THIS TIME. WE DO HAVE EXPIRING CONTRACTS IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS AT TILDEN AND ANTHONY CHABOT. I'M GOING TO TACKLE THOSE NEXT. AND THEN AFTER THAT, I THINK WE SHOULD TALK TO MY SUPERINTENDENT ABOUT GIVING IT ANOTHER TRY. I'LL JUST ADD THE WAY THAT WE LOOKED AT IT WAS KIND OF ZONING THE, THE DISTRICT AS A WHOLE. SO MOST LIKELY WHAT WE'LL DO, WE STILL HAVE TO DO A LITTLE BIT MORE INVESTIGATION IS PICK ANOTHER ZONE.

THAT MAKES SENSE. BAY CITIES IS ANOTHER COMPANY THAT WE CONTRACT WITH.

THAT'S FOR THE ANTHONY CHABOT AND TILDEN. SO IT'S A DIFFERENT COMPANY.

AND THIS IS KIND OF A PILOT FOR CROWN BEACH BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO GO TO ONLY ONE PARK.

SO WE'RE GOING TO KIND OF HEAR THE FEEDBACK AND RELAY THAT DURING THE NEXT RFP PROCESS AND POTENTIALLY GET SOME BETTER PROPOSALS.

GREAT. AND THAT'LL BE IT FOR QUESTIONS. I HAVE A FEW MORE COMMENTS, BUT I'LL WAIT TO SEE IF WE HAVE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.

THERE IS NO PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THIS ITEM. OKAY.

SO WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AND I'LL JUST MAKE A FEW QUICK COMMENTS, BUT THEN ALSO GIVE THE BOARD MEMBERS AN OPPORTUNITY.

I REALLY LIKED YOUR OPENING, BY THE WAY. I THINK IT'S SUCH A GREAT MESSAGE, YOU KNOW, OPPORTUNITY TO DECREASE COSTS WHILE IMPROVING SERVICES AND REDUCING WASTE. SO I DEFINITELY ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE TO SHARE THAT MESSAGE ABOUT THIS WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING, BECAUSE THAT RESONATES VERY STRONGLY WITH ME TO HEAR THAT IN THE OPENING.

AND I THINK IT'S A GREAT MESSAGE ALSO FOR US TO SHARE WITH THE PUBLIC IN REGARDS TO WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE WITH, WITH THIS INITIATIVE. AND THEN I DID WANT TO FOLLOW UP ALSO ON DOCTOR DESCHAMBAULT'S COMMENT ABOUT COVERING THE BINS AND THE STUDY, I BELIEVE THAT CAME FORWARD THROUGH THE NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE, SO I'M NOT SURE IF EVERY MEMBER OF THE BOARD HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THAT PRESENTATION.

IT WAS VERY YOU KNOW, EYE OPENING, AND I HADN'T REALLY PUT THE PIECES TOGETHER HOW AN OPEN BIN MIGHT ATTRACT RATS AND MICE, WHICH THEN IN TURN ATTRACT OWLS. AND SO CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, AS AN AGENCY THAT'S VERY DEDICATED TO, YOU KNOW, PROTECTING HABITAT AND THINKING ABOUT OWLS, FOR EXAMPLE, COVERING BINS CAN REALLY HELP US WITH THE WITH PROTECTING OWLS.

AND I THINK THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT MESSAGE TO SHARE HERE AT THE BOARD MEETING, BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT THAT WAS AT A COMMITTEE MEETING WHEN THAT WAS DISCUSSED. SO THOSE ARE MY TWO COMMENTS. WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MY COLLEAGUES TO PROVIDE COMMENT.

AND THEN I'M ALSO LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO MAKE A MOTION OF APPROVAL FOR THIS ACTION ITEM.

GOOD WORK. WELL DONE. GOOD PRESENTATION. THANK YOU.

I'D JUST LIKE TO KEEP YOU GUYS UP HERE TALKING. SO ALONG WITH THE INTERPRETIVE GOOD THINGS AND ALL THE GREAT STORIES YOU'RE TELLING TODAY, DOES DO ALL OF THE WASTE MANAGEMENT SERVICE VEHICLES THAT COME TO OUR PARKS AND FOR THAT MATTER, ACI AND EVERYBODY ELSE, DO THEY ALL USE THAT THE SCRUB METHANE FROM THE LANDFILL, THAT BIG GAS STATION OUT THERE? COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS OR WHATEVER IT'S CALLED. YOU KNOW, THEY I THINK WASTE MANAGEMENT IS USING THAT.

THAT'S A GREAT STORY. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING'S POWERED BY THE GARBAGE YOU RUN OUT THERE.

THEY DEFINITELY USE IT, BUT WE WEREN'T REQUIRING IT IN THE CONTRACT.

SO IF THEY PLAN ON CONTINUING TO USE IT JUST BECAUSE THEY HAVE THOSE VEHICLES SERVICING THESE AREAS, AND THAT'S A GREAT THING. BUT WE CAN LOOK INTO FUTURE CONTRACTS OF ADDING SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

WHAT THE COST WOULD BE. I THINK IT'S A GREAT STORY, AND I'M PRETTY SURE THEY DO IT BECAUSE WHEN IT WAS BRAND NEW, EVERY AGENCY, EVERY CITY WAS GOING TO GO, OH, WE WANT WE WANT TO GO NATURAL GAS BECAUSE IT'S COOL.

AND THEY WOULD CHARGE EXTRA AS A FRANCHISE FEE, AND NOW THEY PRODUCE THEIR OWN.

[01:40:03]

BUT I DON'T KNOW IF ACI OR THE OTHER FOLKS DO KNOW, BUT YOU'RE RIGHT, WASTE MANAGEMENT DEFINITELY DOES.

I KNOW THEY DO IT OUT THERE AT THE LANDFILL. ALTAMONT.

NOTHING. YEAH, YEAH, THAT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO TO HEAR IF THEY'RE DOING THAT AS JUST PART OF THEIR OWN INITIATIVES.

I KNOW THAT THEY HAVE THEIR OWN CORPORATE SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES.

I'VE ACTUALLY ANALYZED THE COMPANY IN THE PAST, SO I'D JUST BE CURIOUS.

SO IF YOU DO FIND OUT, LET US KNOW. OKAY. THANK YOU.

I'LL LOOK INTO THAT. ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS? AND ALSO IF NOT WE ARE LOOKING FOR A MOTION. MOTION TO APPROVE.

SECOND OKAY. MOTION MADE BY DIRECTOR ESPAÑA, SECONDED BY DIRECTOR WAESPI.

WE HAVE TO DO A ROLL CALL VOTE. DIRECTOR COFFEY.

YES. DIRECTOR DESCHAMBAULT. YES. DIRECTOR ECHOLS.

YES. DIRECTOR ESPAÑA. AYE. DIRECTOR MERCURIO.

AYE. DIRECTOR WAESPI. AYE. PRESIDENT SANWONG.

YES. MOTION PASSES SEVEN ZERO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S NOW MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM, I.3 AUTHORIZATION TO AWARD AND EXECUTE THREE 4 YEAR GOAT GRAZING CONTRACTS.

AND FOR FOUR YEAR ON CALL.

GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND PRESIDENT SANWONG.

I'M KHARI HELAE, ASSISTANT FIRE CHIEF, EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT FIRE DEPARTMENT.

TODAY, WE'RE HERE TO SEEK AUTHORIZATION TO EXECUTE THREE FOUR YEAR GOAT GRAZING CONTRACTS AND FOUR FOUR YEAR ON CALL GOAT CONTRACTS FOR FIRE HAZARD MITIGATION PURPOSES DISTRICT WIDE, FOR A COMBINED MAXIMUM OF $4,738,628 AND A COMBINED MAXIMUM OF $5,923,285 OVER A POTENTIAL FIVE YEAR PERIOD.

PARK DISTRICT HAS BEEN DOING GOAT GRAZING FOR SINCE 1983.

IT'S IN OUR LAND USE PLANS. IT'S IN OUR WILDFIRE HAZARD REDUCTION AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN.

IT'S A WAY THAT WE LEVERAGE TO DO FUELS MANAGEMENT WORK DISTRICT WIDE.

IT'S COST EFFECTIVE, FOR EXAMPLE, ON AVERAGE ABOUT $810 PER ACRE.

SOME OF OUR CONTRACTS ARE AS MUCH AS 24,000 PER ACRE.

GO GRAZING IS EFFECTIVE IN WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE AREAS.

IMAGINE AREAS WHERE YOU HAVE MILES AND MILES OF HOMES ADJACENT TO PARK DISTRICT LAND ON STEEP SLOPES.

THOSE ARE EFFECTIVE IN THOSE AREAS WHERE PEOPLE AND CREWS AND MACHINERY ARE NOT.

IT REDUCES THE FLAME LENGTH OF GRASS OR THE LENGTH OF GRASS, WHICH REDUCES FIRE, FLAME LENGTH, WHICH ALLOWS US TO KEEP FIRES SMALL. AND IT'S BENEFICIAL TO OUR ECOLOGICAL RESOURCES IN THE AREAS THAT ARE BEING GRAZED. SO IN SELECTING OUR CONTRACTORS, WE HAD 100 POINT SCORING MATRIX.

FOUR CATEGORIES. FIRST CATEGORY 25 POINTS FOR TEAM QUALIFICATION AND EXPERIENCE OF TEAM MEMBERS.

WE HAD ANOTHER 25 FOR PROPOSER'S CAPABILITIES.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE ABILITY TO STAY ON SCHEDULE IS A KEY POINT.

IF YOU START IN MAY AND WE NEED YOU TO FINISH IN AUGUST, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU DON'T FINISH IN OCTOBER, BECAUSE THAT MEANS THAT WE HAVE NEIGHBORS THAT HAVE HIGH GRASS IN THOSE AREAS.

WE ALSO HAVE A CATEGORY OF YOUR REFERENCES AND PAST PERFORMANCE AND QUALITY OF WORK.

A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT IS ARE YOUR GRAZERS OVERGRAZING AREAS? AND FOR US THAT'S PROBLEMATIC FOR MANY REASONS BESIDES EROSION ISSUES.

AND THE LAST CATEGORY HAD WAS 25 POINTS FOR HOW YOU DESIGNED THE PROJECT.

AND WAS IT IN A WAY THAT WAS COST EFFECTIVE AND MADE SENSE.

BASED OFF THAT WE WERE ABLE TO SELECT THREE CONTRACTORS.

AND THIS IS FOR TASK ONE. TASK ONE IS OUR STANDARD GOAT GRAZING CONTRACT, THE ONES THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING SINCE 1983.

AND TASK TWO, I'LL TALK ABOUT SHORTLY. HERE IS A ADDITION TO OUR STANDARD GRAZING CONTRACT.

SO WE ARE WE'RE SEEKING TO AWARD CALIFORNIA GRAZING COMPANY 229 ACRES.

[01:45:05]

SOME OF THE AREAS ARE LIKE ANTHONY CHABOT, GARIN GRAZING UNIT GOATS R US HAS 349.47 ACRES.

THEY'RE DOING AREAS LIKE LAKE CHABOT, CULL CANYON, LAS TRAMPAS, CAMP ARROYO, ALVARADO GRAZING UNIT, PORT COSTA AND ANTHONY CHABOT CAMPGROUND. AND STAR CREEK HAS AREAS FOR 389.91 ACRES FOR AREAS LIKE REDWOOD GRAZING UNIT, CASTRO RANCH, MILLER, KNOX, SIBLEY AND TILDEN.

NOW THIS, LIKE I SAID EARLIER, IS OUR STANDARD GOAT GRAZING CONTRACT ONCE WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR DECADES, BUT I AM EXCITED THAT WE FINALLY WERE ABLE TO PUT TOGETHER A ADDITION, WHICH IS TASK TWO, WHICH IS AN ON CALL PORTION FOR OUR GOAT GRAZING CONTRACT.

NOW, I KNOW OUR BOARD HAS APPROVED A DIFFERENT ON CALL PORTIONS YOU DID FOR OUR FUELS REDUCTION CONTRACT, AND I KNOW YOU'VE DONE IT FOR OTHER DEPARTMENTS. FIRST, I'LL GO INTO THE NUMBERS OF THIS.

WE HAVE FOUR COMPANIES. CALIFORNIA GRAZING FOR 100,000 CAPRA FOR 100,000, AND GOATS R US FOR 100,000 AND STAR CREEK LAND STEWARDS FOR 100,000.

THE TOTAL FOR AN ANNUAL WOULD BE 400,000, 1.6 MILLION FOR A FOUR YEAR AND 2 MILLION FOR FIVE YEAR IF WE WERE TO USE ANY OF THESE SERVICES.

THERE'S NO CONTRACT MINIMUM. SO IF WE USE THEM, WE CALL THEM.

THESE ARE THE POTENTIAL THAT WE COULD SPEND. AND IF WE DON'T CALL THEM AT ALL, THERE IS NO COMMITMENT TO THESE CONTRACTORS.

THE BENEFIT AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE AN ON CALL PORTION.

WHAT IS CONSISTENT IS EVERY TIME WE WRAP THIS UP, WE HAVE NEW AREAS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED.

NEW LAND THAT'S ACQUIRED, JUST CHALLENGES WITHIN THE DISTRICT THAT FOR WHATEVER REASON, THE NORMAL WAYS OF DOING THAT WORK IS NO LONGER THERE AND GRAZING IS A VIABLE OPTION FOR IT. SO THIS GIVES US THE ABILITY TO BE FLEXIBLE, ADAPTABLE AND HANDLE THOSE SITUATIONS THAT ARISE.

AND IT JUST REALLY GIVES US THE CAPACITY TO TO ACCOMMODATE THAT.

WHY FOUR CONTRACTORS? WELL, THE MORE CONTRACTORS WE HAVE, IT GIVES US THE ABILITY TO HAVE OPTIONS.

JUST BECAUSE WE CALL ONE OF THESE CONTRACTORS DOES NOT MEAN THAT THEY'LL BE AVAILABLE FOR THE WORK.

IT ALL DEPENDS ON THE TIME THAT WE CALL THEM AND WHAT THEY HAVE DURING THEIR WORK LOAD.

SO HAVING FOUR CONTRACTORS GIVES US THE ABILITY TO HAVE AT LEAST ONE OF THESE CONTRACTORS HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THIS WORK.

THE. YES. SO, AS I TAKE US HOME AND CLOSE, I'M SEEKING AUTHORIZATION TO EXECUTE THREE FOUR YEAR GOAT GRAZING CONTRACTS AND FOUR FOUR YEAR ON CALL GOAT GRAZING CONTRACTS FOR FIRE HAZARD MITIGATION PURPOSES DISTRICT WIDE, FOR COMBINED MAXIMUM OF $4,738,628 AND A COMBINED MAXIMUM OF $5,923,285 OVER A POTENTIAL OF FIVE YEAR PERIOD.

THANK YOU, AND I'D LOVE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. BOARD MEMBERS, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? DOES LYNDA HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO. HER HAND IS NOT UP.

OH I JUST HAVE A QUESTION. SO I THINK MAYBE, MAYBE THIS WAS MEANT TO BE BROUGHT TO THE BOARD AT ANOTHER DATE, BUT I JUST NOTICED ON THE TOP OF PAGE 60, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT YOUR POTENTIAL FIVE YEAR PERIOD IS PRESENTED TO THE BOARD ON MARCH 17TH, 2026. IS THAT SUPPOSED TO BE MARCH 3RD? OH, YEAH. THAT'S WE'RE AND I APOLOGIZE FOR IS PROBABLY MY FAULT AS MUCH AS ANYTHING.

WE'RE. KELLY AND I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO WE HAD A LOT OF ITEMS FOR MARCH 17TH, AND SO WE ASKED SOME OF THEM TO GET MOVED.

[01:50:03]

AND WE MISSED THAT ONE. YEAH. OH NO WORRIES, I'M NOT TRYING TO STIR THE POT HERE.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE IT WAS ACCURATE SO THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE TO CORRECT IT LATER.

BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AS ALWAYS.

IT'S VERY COMPELLING AND I VERY MUCH SUPPORT THIS.

YEAH, I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS, AND I THINK YOU SORT OF ANSWERED ONE DURING THE PRESENTATION.

SO I MIGHT BE ASKING YOU TO REPEAT SOMETHING, BUT YOU SAID SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES OF, YOU KNOW, WE WANT THE WORK TO FINISH IN AUGUST, NOT IN OCTOBER. AND IF YOU COULD JUST SPEAK A LITTLE BIT, MAYBE CARRY THAT FORWARD A LITTLE BIT TO TALK ABOUT THE SEASONALITY AND AVAILABILITY OF GOATS. YOU KNOW, THERE'S CERTAINLY PEAK DEMAND PERIODS OF WHEN WE WANT THE GOAT HERDING TO HAPPEN.

AND THEN THERE'S, YOU KNOW, OTHER TIMES OF THE YEAR IN TERMS OF SEASONALITY, WHEN I THINK WE COULD GET FREE GOAT HERDING BECAUSE IT'S DURING THE WINTER TIME.

SO IF YOU COULD JUST MAYBE ADD SOME COLOR TO THAT, THAT'D BE HELPFUL.

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. YEAH. SO AS YOU MENTIONED, THERE'S WINTER GRAZING THAT HAPPENS IN MANY AREAS.

AND THAT HELPS KEEP THE FUEL LOW SO THAT WHEN WE TYPICALLY IT CHANGES IN DIFFERENT REGIONS DEPENDING ON THE MICROCLIMATE.

BUT IN GENERAL IN MAY, AND WHAT I LIKE TO SAY IS WHEN FIRE SEASON STARTS IS IN YOUR AREA, WHEN YOU SEE THE GRASS BROWN UP, THEN THAT'S WHEN FIRE SEASON IS OCCURRING FOR YOU.

LIVERMORE, THAT WILL START EARLIER. ROUGHLY ABOUT OR I SHOULD SAY EAST COUNTY, A MONTH PRIOR TO WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN OAKLAND, BERKELEY AREA, FOR EXAMPLE. SO STARTING IN MAY, THAT'S WHEN WE WANT TO START TO KEEP THE DRY GRASS LOW.

BUT WE HAVE A LARGE AREA AS YOU SEE, THAT WE'RE WE'RE DOING AND WE'RE DEALING WITH MULTIPLE CONTRACTORS.

AND WE'RE IT'S EXTREMELY COMPLEX IS THESE THESE GRAZERS HAVE THEIR STRATEGY OF WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO START AND WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO MIGRATE THE, THE, THE HERDS TO SO THAT THEY CAN DO THE LARGE AREAS THAT WE'RE REQUIRING OF THEM AND WHERE IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THEY STAY ON, ON TIME, IS THE CHALLENGE THAT I HAVE WHEN SPEAKING TO COMMUNITY GROUPS IS EVERYBODY WANTS THEIR GRAZING IN MAY, BUT SOMEONE'S GOING TO BE ON THE TAIL END OF THAT, OF THAT SCHEDULE.

SO SOMEBODY UNFORTUNATELY IS RECEIVING GOATS IN IN AUGUST AND THAT'S THAT'S EVERYBODY CAN'T BE FIRST.

THAT'S JUST HOW IT WORKS. AND SO WHAT WE DO IS TRY TO STRATEGIZE ON WHAT I SAID EARLIER ABOUT THE MICROCLIMATES AND HAVING GRAZING OCCUR IN AREAS WHERE WE KNOW THE GRASS IS DRYING OUT SOONER, IN AREAS THAT WE KNOW ARE IT'S NOT GOING TO BE THE CASE.

WE CAN HAVE THAT BE ON THE TAIL END OF THE SCHEDULE, JUST A LITTLE SAMPLE OF OF THE COMPLEXITY OF THE GRAZING SCHEDULES.

YEAH, THAT'S REALLY HELPFUL. THANK YOU. AND MY SECOND QUESTION IS ABOUT OUR VEGETATION MANAGEMENT STRATEGY.

MOSTLY I THINK FOR OUR ACTING GENERAL MANAGER MAX, I KNOW THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE COMING FORWARD.

AND I ANTICIPATE WHEN WE DISCUSS THAT WE'LL TALK ABOUT GOAT GRAZING, CATTLE GRAZING, SHEEP GRAZING.

AND IT'S GOING TO BE DISCUSSED. AND WE'LL LOOK AT IT FROM A MUCH MORE COMPREHENSIVE OVERVIEW.

YEAH. I MEAN, I THINK ESSENTIALLY IT'S JUST HAVING AN ALIGNMENT OF OUR PRIORITIES AND GOALS ACROSS THE DISTRICT.

AND THEN WHAT THAT'S DONE IS SORT OF MAPPED OUT.

WHAT ARE ALL THE AREAS THAT WE SHOULD, YOU KNOW, ARE ARE PART OF OUR REQUIREMENTS FROM THE STATE AND LOCAL FIRE CODES? WHAT ARE THE AREAS THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING? GOAT GRAZING FUELS, YOU KNOW, MECHANICAL FUELS REDUCTION, MOWING ALL TAKING ALL THAT TOGETHER, OUR TRAIL MOWING.

AND THEN WHAT ARE OUR SORT OF RESTORATION AREAS, YOU KNOW.

AND THEN IT'S ALL WE'RE DOING. WE'RE USING SORT OF GIS TO LOOK AT ALL OF THAT AND THEN LOOK AT LIKE, ARE THE GOALS FOR TAKING CARE OF ECOSYSTEMS, PROTECTING COMMUNITIES FROM FIRE, HAVING OPERATIONAL SUSTAINABILITY AND, AND, AND UNDERSTANDING WHICH AREAS HAVE THE HIGHEST PRIORITY AND WHICH HAVE THE LOWEST PRIORITY.

AND THEN ADDITIONALLY, WHAT ARE THE EASIEST TO ACCOMPLISH HARDEST TO ACCOMPLISH.

AND SO THAT WILL HELP DRIVE BOTH WHAT OUR TEAMS DO ALL THE TIME AND OPERATIONS.

AND FOR FIRE LIKE THIS ANNUAL GOAT GRAZING KIND OF WORK, AND THEN IT WILL ALSO DRIVE.

WHAT ARE THE PROJECTS THAT WE DEVELOP IN THE FUTURE? GREAT. THANK YOU. WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS SEE IF WE HAVE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM.

THERE IS NO PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT DIRECTOR DESCHAMBAULT HAS HER HAND UP. ALL RIGHT, WELL, LET'S CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT. SOMEBODY JUST PUT THEIR HAND UP ONLINE. WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU, LINDA. OKAY. JIM HANSON, YOU MAY UNMUTE YOURSELF.

HELLO. HELLO. BOARD MEMBERS JIM HANSON, CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY.

YEAH. THANK YOU. I ACTUALLY JUST NOTICED THIS ITEM TODAY, AND I USUALLY TRY TO REACH OUT TO STAFF, IN THIS CASE, CHIEF HELAE JUST TO ASK SOME QUESTIONS, BUT WE'LL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS OPPORTUNITY.

[01:55:06]

AND AS THE CHIEF MENTIONED, IT'S IMPORTANT TO OVERSEE IT.

AND CERTAINLY A LOT OF LOCATIONS THAT HAVE TO BE MANAGED.

I JUST WANT TO CHECK IN TO SEE IF THE CONTRACTS LINK DIRECTLY TO THE WILDLIFE HAZARD PLAN IN THAT IT MENTIONS SOME SPECIFICATIONS, LIKE GRAZING TO 4 TO 6IN.

AND THE REASON THAT'S IMPORTANT IS IT'S HAVING HAVING WORKED AS A CONTRACT MANAGER VERY USEFUL IF IN GETTING A CONTRACTOR WHO'S GOT A LOT ON THEIR HANDS TO FOLLOW THAT PERFORMANCE STANDARD.

AND ALSO, THERE'S OTHER THINGS LIKE ABILITY TO STOP WORK AND OTHER KINDS OF THINGS IN CONTRACTS THAT CAN HELP WITH THAT.

SO I WOULD JUST ASK, IF IT'S NOT REFERENCED YET IN THE CONTRACT, THAT THE, THAT THOSE CONTRACTS BE AMENDED SO THAT THE DISTRICT AND THE PUBLIC HAS OPPORTUNITIES TO KEEP PERFORMANCE ALONG THE LINES OF YOUR ACCEPTED PLANS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THERE IS NO MORE PUBLIC COMMENT.

ALL RIGHT, WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT. AND THEN. DIRECTOR DESCHAMBAULT, WHY DON'T YOU GO AHEAD NEXT? YEAH, I JUST I WAS CURIOUS. I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE GOATS IN OUR ENVIRONMENTAL PREFERENTIAL PURCHASING POLICY, BUT I WOULD IMAGINE I WAS THINKING ALONG THE LINES OF WHAT WE JUST HEARD, THE IMPORTANCE OF THE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT AND THE STEWARDSHIP, HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO INCLUDE SUSTAINABILITY IMPACT AT THE IN THE CONTRACT ITSELF AS WELL AS I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT THE FISCAL IMPACT.

IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS SINCE 1983, WHICH WAS FABULOUS TO HEAR.

YOU KNOW, IT'S A LOT TO MANAGE. AND WE'VE GOT THESE GIANT AREAS AND HOW DO YOU BALANCE WHEN TO TELL THE GOAT TO STOP CHEWING OR TO MOVE THEM ON, OR TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T LEAVE THE LANDS DENUDED? AND IN, IN GENERAL HOW DOES THESE COSTS? I MEAN, THIS IS A LARGE NUMBER, LIKE SO MANY OF THE THINGS WE HAVE COMING BEFORE US, TRYING TO BE FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE AND TIGHTEN OUR BELTS.

HOW DOES THIS COMPARE? I EXPECT IT WITH EVERYTHING, WITH FIRE AND FUEL MANAGEMENT TO BE TO BE GOING UP.

BUT I JUST WOULD BE CURIOUS. AND MAYBE IT'S NOT AVAILABLE FOR TONIGHT.

BUT HOW HOW ARE THESE NUMBERS GOING UP OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS? AND. YEAH, HOW DO WE KEEP THIS AS A ENVIRONMENTAL PREFERENTIAL PURCHASE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CONTRACTORS UNDERSTAND WE'RE NOT JUST AND, YOU KNOW, THE NEIGHBORS YOU KNOW, PAINTED ROCK AND MORAGA JUST TRYING TO KEEP FIRE DOWN BUT WE ARE ALSO TRYING TO MANAGE THE NATURAL RESOURCES.

WELL, MAYBE I CAN JUMP IN ON THE FIRST PART AND THEN HAND IT OFF TO CARRIE.

FOR IN TERMS OF HOW THESE PRICES HAVE CHANGED OVER TIME, YOU KNOW, I'D SAY OVERALL PART OF THE GOAL OF OUR STRATEGY IS HAVING MULTIPLE BENEFIT PROJECTS. AND SO THIS WORK IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF, YOU KNOW, HOW OUR FIRE TEAM AND OPERATIONS AND STEWARDSHIP WORKS TOGETHER TO COME UP WITH THE PRESCRIPTIONS FOR THESE AREAS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, HELP TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE, BUT ALSO ENHANCE THE NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS THAT ARE IN OUR PARKS.

AND WE KNOW THAT OUR PARKS DEVELOPED WITH DISTURBANCE, WITH NATURAL FIRE.

AND THE AREAS WHERE WE DO THIS WORK, WHICH IS THE WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE, RIGHT BETWEEN NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE PARK ITSELF, ARE PLACES THAT ARE UNLIKELY FOR US TO BE ABLE TO BURN WITH PRESCRIBED FIRE.

AND SO USING GOATS IS A REALLY GREAT WAY TO SORT OF REPLICATE THAT NATURAL DISTURBANCE.

AND IT HELPS TO KEEP DOWN INVASIVE SPECIES AND AND PROMOTE NATIVE SPECIES.

THE OTHER THING THAT KHARI MENTIONED IN THE BEGINNING OF THIS IS THAT THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE WAYS TO DO THIS WORK FOR US.

AND THE NICE THING ABOUT NUTRIENT CYCLING IS THAT THOSE GOATS ARE ARE REDUCING THE, THE THE FUELS, AND THEY'RE DEPOSITING THOSE RESOURCES RIGHT INTO THE GROUND WHERE THEY CAN BE UTILIZED AS COMPOST, ESSENTIALLY FERTILIZER. SO I MEAN, TO ME, LIKE, YOU COULDN'T PICTURE A MORE SORT OF SUSTAINABLE APPROACH THAN THIS AND ONE THAT'S COST EFFECTIVE. I JUST SAY THAT THE OTHER PIECE IS WITH THE STATE AND LOCAL FIRE CODE.

THIS ISN'T REALLY A CHOICE FOR US. EVERY TIME WE ACQUIRE LAND THAT'S ADJACENT TO A COMMUNITY, WE ARE REQUIRED BY THE STATE AND LOCAL FIRE CODE TO REDUCE FUELS ON THOSE LANDS.

AND SO WHILE WE DO THIS, WORK PROACTIVELY TO, TO BECAUSE WE VALUE THAT AS WELL, THIS IS ALSO A REQUIREMENT THAT WE

[02:00:04]

HOW HAVE PRICES CHANGED FOR GOAT HERDING? YEAH, I DON'T HAVE THE LAST CONTRACT NUMBERS, BUT I DO KNOW ON AVERAGE THE NUMBERS. AND I KNOW THAT IT WAS, YOU KNOW, AROUND.

I KNOW THE NUMBERS HAVEN'T FLUCTUATED MORE THAN WHAT WE'VE BEEN PAYING FROM THE PREVIOUS TIME.

SO I ACTUALLY THINK OUT OF ALL OF OUR CONTRACTORS, THOSE COSTS HAVE STAYED STEADY.

WHEN I GAVE YOU THE AVERAGE OF $810, SOME OF THE CONTRACTORS HAD BIDS AROUND $780 PER ACRE, AND SOME WERE LIKE 910. SO I GAVE YOU THE AVERAGE OF THE TWO.

AND THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE COMPLEXITY OF THE AREAS THAT ARE BEING GRAZED AND HOW MANY FENCING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT THOSE NUMBERS I CAN, JUST BECAUSE I'M A NUMBERS PERSON, I AM KIND OF CURIOUS MYSELF THE DIFFERENCE, BUT I'M PRETTY SURE IT STAYED STEADY. BUT WHAT HAS CHANGED DRASTICALLY BECAUSE OF JUST THE COST OF EVERYTHING IS OUR OUR OTHER CONTRACTS.

YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS OUR TREE CONTRACTS, THOSE PRICES HAVE, HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY GONE UP OVER THE YEARS, UNLIKE OUR GRAZING CONTRACTS. AND TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ABOUT HOW DO WE MANAGE THOSE AREAS? BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY BECAUSE IT IS A CHALLENGE.

AND WE HAVE FUEL INJECTION COORDINATORS. WE HAVE CAPTAINS WHO CHECK ON THESE CONTRACTORS, BECAUSE THE THING THAT HAPPENS WHEN WE DON'T OR WE PROVIDE OVERSIGHT TO MAKE SURE THE AREAS ARE NOT OVERGRAZED AND EVEN OUR CONTRACTORS ARE GOOD, AND THAT'S HOW WE SCORE THEM.

THERE WAS A CATEGORY UNDER QUALITY OF WORK. YOU STILL HAVE TO PROVIDE OVERSIGHT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE THE CASE AND MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE DOING WHAT YOU EXPECT THEM TO DO. AND SO THAT'S PART OF IT IS THE CAPTAINS, THE FIELD DIRECTION COORDINATORS, CHECK THOSE SITES, CHECK IN WITH THE GRAZERS TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS OCCURRING AS WE EXPECT.

TO BUILD UPON THAT, I DO HAVE A QUICK QUESTION ABOUT OUR BUDGET.

OUR ANNUAL BUDGET. DEB, THIS MIGHT BE FOR YOU.

SO I DO SEE THAT WE WE LIST SOME EXAMPLES OF, YOU KNOW, THE PARKS, YOU KNOW, GO TO GOATS R US MIGHT HAVE 81.37 ACRES AT LAKE CHABOT, CULL CANYON, DOES THIS IN OUR BUDGET BOOK.

DOES THIS THEN GO BACK? YOU KNOW, THERE'S THAT SECTION IN THE BUDGET BOOK WHERE WE BREAK OUT THE OPERATIONS COSTS BY PARK.

DOES IT GO THERE OR IS THIS A WHOLE SEPARATE PART OF OUR BUDGET BOOK? HI. DEB SPAULDING, AGM OF FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES, I BELIEVE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IN THE BACK OF OUR BOOK, WE BREAK DOWN THE BUDGET BY DEPARTMENT AND YOU CAN EVEN SEE THE DETAIL LIKE BY PARK.

SO WHAT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BUDGET.

SO IT'S NOT IN THAT OPERATIONS SECTION. SO YOU CAN'T SEE THAT DETAIL THAT I THINK YOU'RE WANTING TO SEE IN THAT WAY.

GREAT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. YOU'RE WELCOME. ALL RIGHT.

ANY OTHER BOARD COMMENTS? OTHERWISE WE'RE LOOKING FOR A MOTION ON THIS ACTION ITEM.

YES. GO AHEAD. I WILL MAKE A MOTION. AND BUT I WOULD LIKE A FINAL COMMENT.

KHARI, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE GREAT WORK YOU DO. I THINK THIS IS A GREAT ENHANCEMENT.

I KNOW WHEN THE GOATS COME INTO MY NEIGHBORHOOD, EVERYBODY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD COMES OUT TO LOOK AT THEM AND THEY LOVE THEM. IT'S A GREAT PUBLIC RELATIONS TOOL FOR THE PARK DISTRICT. WE'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING. IT'S IT'S ALL GOOD.

I ONLY REFER TO MY COLLEAGUE WHO EVERY YEAR GETS BEATEN DOWN WHEN HE SAYS, WHY DON'T WE DO IT ON OUR OWN? AND NOW THAT WE'RE UP OVER 5 MILLION AND WE'VE GOT LOTS OF LAND AND WE'VE GOT A NEW LEADERSHIP TOO.

I KNOW EILEEN NEVER LIKED WOULDN'T BE A GOAT HERDER.

BUT IF YOU'RE OPEN TO IT, LET'S LET'S WE SHOULD CONSIDER IT AT SOME POINT.

VOLUNTEER SHEPHERD. YEAH, YEAH. ALWAYS OPEN TO IDEAS.

YOU KNOW, I THINK OBVIOUSLY ONE OF THE CHALLENGES IS, LIKE KHARI SAID, THIS WORK TIP MOST OF IT NEEDS TO HAPPEN WHEN THE GRASS IS AT ITS HIGHEST. YOU KNOW THIS WELL IN MAY OR JUNE. AND SO WE'VE GOT LITERALLY MANY HERDS WORKING AT THE SAME TIME BETWEEN MAY AND AUGUST TO LIKE, EAT ALL THE GRASS SO WE CAN HAVE GOATS OUT AT OTHER TIMES.

BUT LIKE WE NEED LOTS OF LOTS OF HERDS FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

SO IT'S IT IT'S UNLIKELY WE COULD DO ALL THAT IN-HOUSE, BUT LIKE, I'M OPEN TO CREATIVE IDEAS AND LOVE THINKING ABOUT THEM, SO. YEAH, I APPRECIATE IT. YEAH. THANKS. DO YOU WANT TO MAKE A MOTION? YES, I WOULD MOVE THAT THE ITEM. SECOND. ALL RIGHT, SO THE MOTION MADE TO APPROVE THE ITEM IS MADE BY DIRECTOR WAESPI, SECONDED BY DIRECTOR ECHOLS. LET'S DO A ROLL CALL VOTE.

THANK YOU. DIRECTOR COFFEY. AYE. DIRECTOR DESCHAMBAULT.

YES. DIRECTOR ECHOLS. AYE. DIRECTOR ESPAÑA. AYE.

[02:05:05]

PRESIDENT SANWONG. YES. THANK YOU, MOTION PASSES SEVEN ZERO.

OKAY, GREAT. THANKS SO MUCH. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

WE'RE MOVING RIGHT ALONG TO OUR PRESENTATIONS. AND THIS IS AGENDA ITEM J.1 FROM THE, FROM GOVERNMENT AND LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS.

[PRESENTATIONS]

AND I BELIEVE OUR CONSULTANT, LISA KOUNTOUPES IS ON THE SCREEN.

I KNOW SHE HAS AN EVENT. YEAH. IT'S FINE. IT'S GOOD TO GET TO SO I THOUGHT SHE MIGHT WANT TO SPEAK FIRST, BUT IF YOU IF YOU WANT ME TO DO THE POWERPOINT FIRST, THEN THAT'S COOL.

WHATEVER'S BEST FOR YOU, ERICH. FINE. OKAY.

OKAY. I JUST WANTED TO BOTH ACKNOWLEDGE LISA KOUNTOUPES AND THANK JESS COUSER AND LISA BALDINGER FOR HELPING PULL EVERYTHING TOGETHER FOR WHAT WE HOPE TO BE A PRODUCTIVE SERIES OF MEETINGS IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

COMING UP. THE DATES ARE MARCH 24TH THROUGH MARCH 27TH.

THAT DOES INCLUDE THE FLY IN AND FLY OUT DATES.

AND WE KNOW SOME OF YOU ARE COMING IN A DAY LATER.

SOME OF YOU ARE LEAVING A NIGHT EARLIER. WE'VE ACCOMMODATED THAT WITH THE HOTEL.

THE HOTEL HAS EVERYONE'S NAMES AND WHEN WE EXPECT YOU TO BE THERE SO IT SHOULD BE A SMOOTH CHECK IN IF THERE ARE ANY, ANY MEMBERS OF THE BOARD THAT WOULD LIKE TO EITHER COME EARLIER OR STAY LATER, YOU NEED TO SPEAK WITH THE THE HOTEL DIRECTLY.

WE'RE ACTUALLY AT THE WASHINGTON PLAZA THIS YEAR.

FOR THOSE WHO ARE USED TO A DIFFERENT PLACE. BUT IT'S RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM WHERE WE HAVE NORMALLY STAYED.

ON OUR AGENDA, WE HAVE THIS BASICALLY THE SAME AGENDA FOR EACH OFFICE.

GIVEN THE SORT OF UNPREDICTABILITY OF, OF WASHINGTON AT THE MOMENT, WE WANTED TO HAVE SOME SORT OF LONG TERM THINKING ISSUES THAT WE ADVOCATED FOR. SO YOU SEE THEM ON THE SCREEN HERE, I HAVE A SLIDE FOR EACH ONE.

BUT WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP THIS ALL THREE OF THESE ITEMS ON OUR DELEGATION'S RADAR.

FOR THE LAND AND CONSERVATION LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND, THE ADMINISTRATION DID ATTEMPT TO DIVERT SOME OF THE FUNDING IN THEIR BUDGET.

CONGRESS ACTUALLY RESTORED THE FULL 900,000 AUTHORIZATION IN THE APPROPRIATIONS PROCESS.

SO THE FULL FUNDING WAS REALIZED AS A PREVIOUS LEGISLATION HAD DICTATED.

AND BUT THE OTHER ISSUE IS THERE WAS A SECRETARIAL ORDER ON THE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND LEGACY PROGRAM, WHICH IS A PROGRAM THE PARK DISTRICT TESTIFIED IN DC IN SUPPORT OF IN 2014.

WE HAVE RECEIVED $1 MILLION OF THOSE FUNDS FOR FOR THE TIDEWATER PROJECT.

BUT THAT PROGRAM HAS BEEN SUSPENDED UNDER SECRETARY ORDER AND HAS BEEN THEY'VE ASKED TO REDO CRITERIA IN AS OF TODAY.

WE STILL HAVEN'T SEEN NEW CRITERIA FOR THAT PROGRAM.

SO IT IS NOT ACTIVE AT THE MOMENT. SO WE WANT TO EXPRESS OUR SUPPORT FOR BOTH PROGRAMS AND FULL FUNDING.

FOR THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE IN THURGOOD MARSHALL REGIONAL PARK, WE WILL BE MAKING AN APPROPRIATIONS REQUEST WITH REPRESENTATIVE DASANI FOR THE SOUTH OF BAILEY ROAD PROJECT. THAT SAID, WE REALLY DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THIS LONG TERM PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE.

THEIR STAFF HAS HAD A ROUGH YEAR, AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR DELEGATION KNOWS THAT WE DO INTEND TO HAVE THAT LONG TERM COMMITMENT WITH THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE OVER TIME HOPEFULLY DEVELOPING A HERITAGE INTERPRETATIVE INTERPRETATIVE CENTER ON THE REST OF THE PROPERTY.

BUT REALLY TRYING TO FOCUS ON GETTING FUNDING FOR SOUTH OF BAILEY ROAD FIRST.

THEN ON THE ISSUE OF RAIL BANKING, THIS IS A FEDERALLY AUTHORIZED PROCESS WHICH ALLOWS RAIL CORRIDORS TO STAY WHOLE ONCE A RAILROAD ABANDONS THE LINE. THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR TWO THINGS, ONE IS THAT IT ENABLES A TRAIL, TRAIL SPONSOR TO USE THE CORRIDOR FOR EITHER A PAVED OR NATURAL SURFACE TRAIL, AND THEN THE THE CORRIDOR STILL IS PRESERVED SHOULD THE RAIL RAILROAD EVER WANT TO REACTIVATE IT.

THIS THIS PROCESS HAS BEEN AROUND FOR ABOUT 35 YEARS, 36, 33 YEARS.

[02:10:07]

THAT COST CURRENTLY IS COVERED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION THROUGH THE FEDERAL THE EXISTING FEDERAL LEGISLATION.

SO THE BILL THAT'S BEEN PROPOSED IS SPONSORED BY AN INDIVIDUAL NAMED SAM GRAVES, WHO IS ACTUALLY THE CHAIR OF THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE, WHERE THIS PROGRAM WOULD POTENTIALLY BE REEXAMINED.

AND THE SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BILL IS ELIGIBLE FOR REAUTHORIZATION AT THE MOMENT.

AND SO WE WANT TO BRING THIS TO OUR OUR SUPPORT FOR THE USE OF RAIL BANKING.

WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY, PERHAPS WITH THE BAY TRAIL IN RICHMOND TO USE THAT THAT PROCESS TO EXTEND THE BAY TRAIL THERE.

AND SO WE WANT TO EXPRESS THAT SUPPORT AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR DELEGATION IS AWARE.

AND THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE HAVE TWO HOUSE MEMBERS ON THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE, FAIRLY SENIOR MEMBERS IN REPRESENTATIVES DESAULNIER AND GARAMENDI.

AND THEN BOTH OF OUR SENATORS ARE ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE, AND THAT'S RARE THAT BOTH SENATORS FROM THE SAME STATE WOULD BE ON THAT COMMITTEE, AND THAT THEY ALSO HAVE JURISDICTION OVER THE TRANSPORTATION BILL.

SO THOSE ARE OUR ISSUES. THIS IS OUR DELEGATION.

I THINK MANY OF YOU HAVE MET THESE FOLKS BEFORE.

THE PERSON THAT'S NEW TO US WILL BE LATEEFAH SIMON, WHO HAS RECENTLY ADVANCED SOME FUNDING FOR THE TIDEWATER DAY USE PROJECT.

SO WE'RE PLEASED TO HAVE A WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THAT OFFICE.

AND THEN THE OTHERS WILL HOPE TO GET MEETINGS WITH.

WE ARE FOCUSING ON REPRESENTATIVES GARAMENDI, DESAULNIER AND SIMON FOR THURSDAY WHEN I BELIEVE EVERY BOARD MEMBER WILL BE IN TOWN SO THAT WE CAN AT LEAST HAVE THE APPROPRIATE PEOPLE IN THOSE MEETINGS.

SO THAT'S OUR DELEGATION. AND THEN JUST BRIEFLY WE'LL START THE DAY ON THURSDAY OR I'M SORRY ON WEDNESDAY AT KDCR'S OFFICES THAT ARE OUR CONSULTANTS AND THEIR.

IT'S ABOUT A TEN MINUTE WALK FROM THE HOTEL. PROBABLY START AROUND 8:45, 09:00.

HAVE A BRIEFING, MAYBE A MORE LENGTHY DISCUSSION OF WHAT WE PRESENTED TODAY.

AND THEN ALSO, WE'RE HAVING A GUEST FROM THE RAILS TO TRAILS CONSERVANCY TO COME SPEAK WITH US MORE EXPANSIVELY ABOUT RAIL BANKING AND THEIR ONGOING EFFORTS THERE. THEY'RE THE LEAD OPPOSITION TO THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION.

AND THEN IN THAT AFTERNOON, WE'LL BE GOING UP TO THE HILL WITH SOME MEETINGS.

AND THEN AGAIN, THURSDAY WILL BE A FULL DAY OF CAPITOL HILL MEETINGS WITH A PLANNED GROUP DINNER WHERE KDCR WILL BE JOINING US.

THURSDAY EVENING. SO THAT IS THE, IN A NUTSHELL, THE PROPOSED AGENDA AND OUTLINE FOR THE CONFERENCE AND THE ISSUES.

HAPPY TO HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. BUT I THINK JUST IN TERMS OF ACKNOWLEDGING LISA TIME, IT'D BE GREAT IF SHE HAS ANYTHING TO ADD, WHICH I BELIEVE SHE DOES. HAVE HER MAKE THOSE REMARKS NOW AND THEN.

WE CAN TAKE QUESTIONS IF THAT'S OKAY. THANKS, ERICH.

I THINK YOU HAD ASKED ME TO MAYBE GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT OF WHAT THE BOARD MEMBERS AND OTHER FOLKS TRAVELING IN TWO WEEKS WOULD SEE ONCE WE ONCE YOU ALL GET TO DC. I THINK IN GENERAL, IT'S NOT SURPRISING THAT I THINK YOU'LL FIND THE MEMBERS THE SITUATION'S VERY FRAUGHT. I THINK A LOT OF THE MEMBERS, EVEN THOUGH IT'S ONLY THE BEGINNING OF MARCH, ARE PRETTY EXHAUSTED.

THINGS ARE MOVING FAST, AND THERE SEEMS TO BE A NEW HUGE SORT OF INITIATIVE COMING OUT OF THE WHITE HOUSE EVERY DAY.

SO EVERYONE'S A LITTLE BACK ON THEIR HEELS. THERE'S A LOT OF PARTISAN FIGHTING, WHICH I'M SURE FOLKS HAVE PICKED UP FROM NEWS REPORTS, I THINK CERTAINLY THE WAR POWERS VOTES ARE GOING TO HAPPEN IN CONGRESS THIS WEEK IN THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE.

THAT TRADE POLICY CONTINUES TO BE VERY A HUGE FOCAL POINT WITH A LOT OF ECONOMIC ANXIETY ATTACHED TO IT AND FRUSTRATION ABOUT EXECUTIVE BRANCH AUTHORITY.

SURVEILLANCE HAS NOW KIND OF GOTTEN INTO THE MIX.

[02:15:05]

AND CERTAINLY THERE'S ICE AND HOMELAND SECURITY SPENDING TO NAME A FEW.

I DO THINK YOU WILL ALSO FIND A REAL INTEREST IN KIND OF AFFORDABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY, AND THAT RUNS THE GAMUT FROM FOOD TO ELECTRICITY PRICES TO RECREATING AND HOME PRICES AND HOUSING PRICES.

SO I THINK THAT THAT'S SORT OF THE, THE BROAD BRUSH.

I THINK THAT THERE WILL BE SOME POTENTIAL OPTIMISM FROM THE MEMBERS OF THE DELEGATION WHO REPRESENT THE AREAS THAT YOU ALL REPRESENT IN TERMS OF LOOKING FORWARD TO NOVEMBER FOR THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS.

IT IS STATISTICALLY LIKELY THAT THE HOUSE WOULD FLIP IF THE PRESIDENT'S APPROVAL RATINGS KIND OF STAY WHERE THEY ARE THERE WOULD, THERE, HISTORICALLY, SINCE THE 70S, HAS BEEN LIKE A 30 SEAT CHANGE.

SO GIVEN HOW CLOSE THE MAJORITY AND MINORITY PARTIES ARE RIGHT NOW, PARTICULARLY IN THE HOUSE THAT IS CERTAINLY A FOCAL POINT FOR LAWMAKERS FROM BOTH SIDES. I THINK SPECIFICALLY ON FUNDING, WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT WE MAY SEE THE ADMINISTRATION, THE PRESIDENT'S BUDGET FOR FY 27, THAT IS NOT OUT YET, BUT WE'RE HOPING IT MIGHT BE OUT BY THE TIME YOU ALL MAKE YOUR TRIP, WHICH WILL HAVE SOME INSTRUCTIVE INFORMATION FOR US, PARTICULARLY ON HOW THEY WANT TO HANDLE THE LAND WATER CONSERVATION FUND PROGRAM.

AS ERICH MENTIONED AND WILL GIVE US AN IDEA OF SORT OF HOW AUSTERE THEY ARE PRESENTING THE FEDERAL BUDGET TO CONGRESS, I THINK WE WILL HAVE ADDITIONAL PRESSURE, LIKE WE SAW THIS YEAR WITH RESPECT TO PURSUING OUR PROJECT FUNDING AND OVERALL PROGRAMMATIC FUNDING, JUST BUDGET PRESSURES. AND I THINK THAT THE COLLAPSE OF THE TARIFF WITH THE IEEPA CASE AT THE SUPREME COURT, THAT WAS SOMETHING THE PRESIDENT PROMISED TO A NUMBER OF BUDGET CONSCIOUS REPUBLICANS WAS GOING TO HELP BRING IN REVENUE TO THE US, WHICH IT HAS DONE. BUT I THINK THAT NOW THAT THAT'S A LITTLE BIT UNCLEAR, IF PARTIES ASK FOR MONEY BACK, THERE WILL BE A LOT MORE BUDGET ANXIETY. I THINK IN THE CONGRESS, PARTICULARLY ON THE SIDE OF THE MAJORITY, WHO'S GOING TO BE MAKING A LOT OF DECISIONS ABOUT THE OVERALL SPENDING LEVELS FOR APPROPRIATIONS.

SO I THINK WE'LL STILL HAVE A, YOU KNOW, PRETTY PITCHED BATTLE ON THE PROJECT FUNDING.

YOU ALL DID HAVE YOUR TEAM HAS DONE TREMENDOUS WORK, I THINK, LAST YEAR AND SOME REALLY UNREASONABLE CIRCUMSTANCES OF GETTING FUNDING FOR THREE KEY PROJECTS, NOT ALL OF THEM AT THE LEVEL THAT WE WANTED.

BUT I THINK GOING INTO NEXT YEAR THE POPULARITY OF THE PROJECT WORK HAS BEEN REFLECTED IN THE GUIDANCE THAT THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE HAS GIVEN TO MEMBERS. THEY CAN ALL ASK FOR MORE SPECIFIC PROJECTS THIS YEAR.

SO HOPEFULLY WE WILL THAT WILL ALLOW US SOME ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES IN THAT SPACE.

I WOULD PREPARE FOR POTENTIALLY A CONTINUING RESOLUTION FOR THE FY 27, AT LEAST AT THE BEGINNING.

GIVEN THAT THEY WILL YOU KNOW, THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR IS VERY CLOSE TO THE ELECTION, AND WE'RE ALREADY SEEING, I THINK FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE KIND OF SHIFT IN FOCUS FROM LEGISLATING TO MESSAGING ABOUT WHAT THEY WANT THE VOTERS TO EVALUATE THEM ON IN NOVEMBER.

SO HOPE FOR THE BEST, PREPARE FOR THE WORST. I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE WILL BE PROBABLY LOOKING AT A CR FROM SEPTEMBER TO DECEMBER, AND I DO THINK IT WILL BE A VERY ROBUST, LAME DUCK CONGRESS JUST GIVEN THAT FOLKS WILL WANT TO ADJOURN THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS AS QUICKLY AS THEY CAN IN OCTOBER TO GET HOME TO CAMPAIGN, NOT NOT LIKE THIS, BUT THAT THAT IS A DYNAMIC THAT IS VERY INTENSE IN ELECTION YEARS. SO I DO THINK, YOU KNOW, WE WILL BE TRACKING THROUGH THE END OF THE CONGRESS, THE SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BILL, AS ERICH MENTIONED. I THINK THAT'LL BE REALLY IMPORTANT WORK.

AND THE BRIEFING WILL BE REALLY HELPFUL TO YOU ALL, AND WE CAN BRING THAT FORWARD TO OUR MEMBERSHIP AS WELL AS FIX OUR FORESTS.

AND POTENTIALLY SOME PERMITTING REFORM MEASURES, BUT I'M HAPPY, ALSO ERICH TO TAKE QUESTIONS IF ANYBODY HAS ANY OR I WILL SAY I THINK IT WON'T BE SNOWING BY THE TIME YOU GET HERE. WE DID GET SOME SNOW YESTERDAY, BUT I'M VERY HOPEFUL THAT WE WILL BE DONE BY THE TIME YOU ALL ARE HERE.

OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND OVERVIEW OF THE UPCOMING FEDERAL ADVOCACY WEEK IN WASHINGTON, DC. ANY BOARD MEMBERS WITH QUESTIONS? NOW'S A GOOD TIME TO ASK QUESTIONS.

[02:20:05]

I MEAN, THIS IS OUR FIRST TIME WITH ADAM SCHIFF BEING A SENATOR, SO WE'LL SEE IF THERE'S, YOU KNOW, WE WE HOLD OUT THAT POSSIBILITY. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. WE'RE TRYING VERY HARD TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, MULTIPLE MULTITUDE MORE REQUESTS ON THEIR TIME, GIVEN THE HUGE GEOGRAPHY THAT THEY REPRESENT.

SO IT'S ALWAYS A LITTLE BIT MORE CHALLENGING.

BUT WE HAVE A GOOD PLAN OF ACTION THERE AND ARE HOPEFUL.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMENTS IN A MOMENT.

LET'S JUST SEE IF WE HAVE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. THERE IS NO PUBLIC COMMENT. OKAY. SO WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT. ANY FINAL COMMENTS? THIS IS NOT AN ACTION ITEM. SO IF THERE AREN'T ANY FINAL COMMENTS OKAY.

GO AHEAD. YEAH. SO I GOT SOMETHING IN THE MAIL THE OTHER DAY.

AND I WAS VERY PLEASED TO GET IT. IT WAS A CERTIFICATE FROM RAILS TO TRAILS CONSERVANCY CONGRATULATING ME ON BEING A CHARTER MEMBER.

AND THAT WAS WHAT, 4 YEARS AGO? SO I'M PROBABLY GOING TO FRAME THAT.

SO I'VE BEEN FOLLOWING RAILS TO TRAILS CONSERVANCY FOR FOREVER.

IT'S JUST SUCH A GREAT IDEA. I LOVE RAILROADS, I LOVE TRAILS.

WHAT MORE COULD YOU ASK FOR? BUT I'VE ALSO BEEN FOLLOWING THAT RAIL BANKING ISSUE EVER SINCE IT STARTED.

AND I HAVE NOTICED BECAUSE NOW AND THEN IT GETS IT GETS NEWS COVERAGE BECAUSE OF CERTAIN FOLKS LIKE, LIKE NOW THAT ARE OPPOSED TO THESE TRAILS COMING THROUGH THEIR LAND.

YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T WANT THESE PEOPLE COMING THROUGH THEIR LAND. BUT WHAT WHAT HAS CHANGED OVER THE LAST 40 YEARS, THOUGH, IS THAT NOW WE KNOW THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS DERIVED FROM TOURISM IN AGRICULTURAL AREAS.

IN OTHER WORDS, I'M THINKING ABOUT IOWA. I'M THINKING ABOUT MISSOURI.

THESE PLACES WHERE THERE USED TO BE A LOT OF RAILROADS, AND A GOOD NUMBER OF THEM HAVE BEEN TURNED INTO TRAILS, AND THEY ARE ECONOMIC DRIVERS. YOU HAVE SOME YOU HAVE THE KATY TRAIL IN MISSOURI.

THAT'S LIKE 270 MILES LONG. WELL, THAT'S A DRAW.

YOU KNOW, I MEAN, YOU'RE NOT JUST GOING OUT FOR A ONE DAY RUN.

YOU'RE GOING OUT FOR A ONE WEEK BIKE RIDE, YOU KNOW? SO I JUST HOPE THAT THAT THAT'S WHY THIS IS A COMMENT.

I JUST HOPE THAT THAT THAT PART OF THE STORY IS TOLD THAT SOME OF THESE FARMERS ARE MAKING MONEY OFF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING NEXT TO OR ACROSS THEIR LAND ON THESE RAILROAD RIGHTS OF WAY.

SO THAT'S JUST SOMETHING I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE DRIVEN HOME.

IT'S NOT NECESSARILY I THINK THEY LOOK THE OPPONENTS LOOK UPON IT AS SOMETHING THAT'S BEING TAKEN AWAY FROM THEM, BUT REALLY, IT HAS JUST AS MUCH OF AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE GIVEN SOMETHING GIVEN TO THEM.

THANK YOU FOR THAT COMMENT. ANY OTHER FINAL THOUGHTS COMMENTS BEFORE WE CLOSE THIS ITEM? ALL RIGHT. WELL THANK YOU SO MUCH. THAT WAS REALLY INFORMATIVE AND I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. LISA, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ALL.

OKAY, GREAT. AND SO WITH THAT, WE WILL THEN MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM OF OUR AGENDA, WHICH IS ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM CLOSED SESSION.

DO WE HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM CLOSED SESSION? WE HAVE JUST ONE ANNOUNCEMENT AND THAT IS THAT THE BOARD VOTED UNANIMOUSLY EARLIER TODAY TO APPOINT CHARLES

[ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM CLOSED SESSION]

OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU. AND THEN WITH THAT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM.

PROPOSED FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. DO WE HAVE ANY PROPOSED FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS FROM MEMBERS OF THE BOARD?

[PROPOSED FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]

THANK YOU MAX FOR YOUR REPLY AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPLY ABOUT THAT.

WE WOULD BE DEALING WITH IT IN JULY AT THE OPERATIONS LEVEL AND THEN PROBABLY AUGUST AT BOARD LEVEL.

I MEAN, THESE PEOPLE ARE REALLY CONCERNED. THESE ARE OUR PEOPLE. THEY'RE GETTING HAMMERED PRETTY HARD HERE, AND I HAVE NO IDEA IF THEY'RE ALLEGATIONS OR SUGGESTIONS THAT WE COULD PROBABLY WORK AN EXEMPTION OR CORRECT OR NOT.

BUT I THINK WE SHOULD AT LEAST BECAUSE THERE ARE PEOPLE.

GIVE THEM AN ANSWER. I'M HERE TO MAKE THIS A LITTLE QUICKER IF WE CAN AT SOME POINT.

I MEAN, I THINK IT WOULD BE A WELL, I DON'T KNOW WHAT I THINK, BUT I JUST THINK WE SHOULD HELP THESE FOLKS OUT.

[02:25:02]

AND THEN I GUESS I'D JUST SAY WE'RE WE'RE WORKING ON IT.

I HAVE A MEETING COMING UP WITH KATIE AND OUR TEAM TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE CAN DO AND WHAT OUR NEXT STEPS ARE, AND HAPPY TO KEEP YOU ALL IN THE LOOP. AND I THINK AND HAPPY TO YOU KNOW, I THINK WE HAVE A PLANNED ITEM FOR YOUR BOARD, BUT, LIKE, WE CAN KEEP WORKING AND FIGURE OUT IF THERE'S MORE THAT WE CAN DO.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. YEAH, AND I'LL WORK WITH YOU.

MAYBE. MAYBE, IF IT MAKES SENSE TO BRING IT FORWARD A LITTLE BIT BEFORE JULY.

SURE. YEAH. HAPPY TO TALK ABOUT IT. OKAY. GREAT.

AND IS THAT IS THAT ALL? BECAUSE I SEE DIRECTOR DESCHAMBAULT ALSO HAS HER HAND UP.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. GO AHEAD. I JUST WANT TO RAISE AGAIN THE EARLIER DISCUSSION AND AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO TAKE A DEEP DIVE AND REALLY LOOK AT WHAT SITES WE HAVE THAT HAVE TOXIC WASTES ON THEM FOR WORRYING ABOUT HUMAN HEALTH EXPOSURE AND ECOLOGICAL EXPOSURE.

AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN PUT THAT ON AN AGENDA AND GET A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF WHAT WE HAVE, WHAT WE OWN, AND MAYBE A POLICY OR PLAN FOR GOING FORWARD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T BEAR THE COST OF THAT.

AND ALSO, I JUST WANT TO NOTE, AND I STILL THINK THAT WE HAVE SOME OPPORTUNITY WITH STAFF REPORTS.

I NOTICED I DIDN'T RAISE IT EARLIER JUST TO PROVE THEM, BUT OUR STAFF REPORTS NOW ARE MENTIONING PEOPLE BY ONLY THEIR FIRST NAMES, AND I KNOW THEY FILL OUT SPEAKER CARDS. SO RATHER THAN JUST SAY KELLY SAID THIS IT WOULD BE GREAT FOR HISTORICAL REFERENCE AND A GREAT FUTURE AGENDA ITEM TO NORMALIZE WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH OUR OUR MINUTES. SORRY, I THINK I SAID STAFF REPORTS, BUT IN OUR MINUTES AND WHICH ORGANIZATION THEY SERVE, IT HELPS ME. I GO BACK AND RELOOK AT THEM. SOME SIMILAR TO WHAT DIRECTOR SANWONG DID OUT AT BIG BREAK.

TOOK WENT BACK AND TOOK A LOOK. SO IT'S REALLY HELPFUL TO I'D LIKE TO HAVE AN AGENDA ITEM ON ON CLARIFYING HOW OUR MINUTES AND EVEN SOMETHING LIKE TONIGHT WE SEEM TO BE BACK TO IT JUST SAYS IN RESPONSE TO VARIOUS COMMENTS, STAFF SAYS THIS AND IT JUST GIVES OUR MINUTES REALLY JUST HAVE THE PERSPECTIVE ONLY OF OF THE STAFF AND NOT THE ELECTED OFFICIALS. SO WHEN SOMETHING LIKE AN ABSTENTION IS DONE, IT'S NOT REALLY THE RECORDS NOT SHOWING.

I KNOW WE CAN GO BACK AND WATCH ALL THE REPORTS, BUT CERTAINLY I JUST WOULD LOVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN AS A GROUP AND WORK TOGETHER, ROLL UP OUR SLEEVES AND SO WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB AT, AT DOING OUR MINUTES AND ALSO OUR STAFF REPORTS.

THANKS. SO JUST TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND THAT AND WE CAN FOLLOW UP.

WE'RE WORKING ON A PROCESS TO BETTER SORT OF PROVIDE SOME TRANSPARENCY AND CONNECTION WITH EACH OF YOU ABOUT HOW WE'RE PLANNING FUTURE AGENDAS AND INCORPORATING IDEAS. DIRECTOR DESCHAMBAULT.

I HEARD THE SECOND IDEA WAS ABOUT OR WELL, THE FIRST IDEA WAS ABOUT IT SOUNDED LIKE AN INFORMATIONAL ITEM TO DESCRIBE ALL OF THE SITES IN THE DISTRICT THAT HAVE CONTAMINATION OR TOXIC SUBSTANCES PRESENT.

IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH. I'D LOVE A KIND OF AN INVENTORY AND UNDERSTANDING AND WHAT THEY'RE COSTING US.

THERE ARE SOME ON A 30 YEAR CAP OR SOME ON A FIVE YEAR REVIEW OR SOME UNDER, YOU KNOW, A MONITORED ATTENUATION OR SOME ON DETERMINING EXTENT IN NATURE.

HAVE THEY GOT SIGNS UP AT THEM TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC? JUST AN OVERVIEW, BIG PICTURE THAT I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE THAT FOR ENSURING PROTECTING THE COMMUNITY.

OKAY. AND WE CAN FOLLOW UP. BUT MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD BRING TO THE NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCE COMMITTEE. OKAY. GREAT.

ANY OTHER FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? ALL RIGHT. I DON'T SEE ANY.

SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, WHICH IS BOARD REPORTS ON MEETINGS ATTENDED.

AGENDA ITEM M. I'LL GO FIRST. I'M GOING TO I'LL GO FIRST BECAUSE I'M GOING TO PASS.

[BOARD REPORTS ON MEETINGS ATTENDED]

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WHO WOULD LIKE TO GO SECOND? I GUESS WE'LL START WITH ELIZABETH. OKAY, SO SINCE I WAS NOT AT OUR LAST BOARD MEETING, I'M JUST GOING TO GO BACK TO FEBRUARY 3RD AFTER OUR LAST BOARD MEETING. SO, NO.

EXCUSE ME, I AM GOING BACK TO FEBRUARY 3RD BECAUSE I WAS NOT HERE AT THE 17TH BOARD MEETING.

SO ANYWAY, SO ON THE 10TH OF FEBRUARY I ATTENDED THE WILDCAT BIKE TRAIL CEQA SCOPING MEETING.

ON THE 11TH OF FEBRUARY I ATTENDED BOTH THE FINANCE COMMITTEE AND THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.

ON THE 25TH, I ATTENDED THE MEETING WITH SAN PABLO, SAN PABLO MAYOR AND CITY MANAGER, ALONG WITH OUR ACTING

[02:30:03]

AND THIS PAST SUNDAY, MARCH 1ST, I ATTENDED THE CELEBRATION OF LIFE FOR BETTY REID SOSKIN, WHICH WAS REALLY A BEAUTIFUL PROGRAM FOR AN EXTRAORDINARY PERSON, A TRUE NATIONAL TREASURE, CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER, SINGER SONGWRITER, AND OF COURSE SHE'S WELL KNOWN FOR HER MORE RECENT WORK AT THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, ENSURING THAT THE STORIES OF ALL ALL PEOPLE, BLACK PEOPLE AND OTHER PEOPLE OF COLOR, IN ADDITION TO OTHERS THAT THEIR STORIES WERE ALSO TOLD AND THEIR EXPERIENCE DURING WORLD WAR TWO AND ARE PART OF OUR COLLECTIVE HISTORY.

AND I WOULD ASK NOW, YOU MAY HAVE ALREADY DONE THIS BECAUSE I'VE MISSED, I THINK, TWO BOARD MEETINGS THIS YEAR, BUT IF WE HAVE NOT YET ADJOURNED IN HER HONOR, I WOULD REALLY LOVE TO DO SO.

I BELIEVE WE DID. YOU DID IN THE JANUARY 1ST.

YEAH. OKAY. PERFECT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

DENNIS. THANK YOU. YEAH. ON FEBRUARY 18TH, I ATTENDED THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE MEETING, AND ON FEBRUARY 23RD, I MET WITH VALERIE ARKIN. AND VALERIE IS A FIELD REP FOR NATE MILEY.

ALAMEDA COUNTY IS IS FORMING A, WELL, THEY'VE GOT A STREETS AND BICYCLES SOMETHING BUT THEY WANT TO FORM A TURN IT INTO A REAL COMMISSION.

AND SHE CALLED ME JUST OUT OF THE BLUE AND SAID, HEY, WE'RE DOING THIS. BUT GEEZ, WE THOUGHT OF INCLUDING TRAILS, AND YOUR PARKS HAVE LOTS OF TRAILS IN THEM THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, INTEGRAL TO THE COUNTY TRAIL SYSTEMS AND STREET SYSTEMS AND BICYCLE PLACES.

SO I SAID, YOU KNOW, THAT'S VERY INTERESTING.

WE MIGHT CONSIDER THAT AND I WOULD HOPE TO THINK ABOUT IT AND CONSIDER IT FOR LATER ON.

OH, AND ALSO CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF RECREATION AND PARK DISTRICTS IS HAVING THEIR ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON MAY 27TH THROUGH THE 30TH IN MONTEREY.

HOPE YOU CAN ALL ATTEND. AND THAT'S IT. THANK YOU.

OKAY. THANK YOU. ON THE 18TH, I ATTENDED THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING AND THE LODGE COMMITTEE MEETING.

ON THE 24TH, I ATTENDED THE MARSH CREEK WATERSHED COUNCIL MEETING, AND I ATTENDED A WEBINAR FROM THE BY THE CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS TRAILS DIVISION DISCUSSING THEIR LONG TERM PLANNING FOR STATE TRAILS.

ON THE 25TH, I ATTENDED NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE, AND I ALSO ATTENDED THAT EVENING, THE DISTRICT PLAN ENGAGEMENT SESSION. IN THIS CASE, IT WAS WITH A [INAUDIBLE] IN WARD SIX AND INCLUDED SAVE MOUNT DIABLO. OH, ON THE 26TH, I MET WITH OUR SALES TEAM TO DISCUSS THE WILDCAT BIKE TRAIL. ON THE 27TH, I ATTENDED WITH MADAM PRESIDENT, THE BOARD PREP MEETING, AND SATURDAY I AS A MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

THIS IS AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO THE DELTA PROTECTION COMMISSION.

I ATTENDED WHAT THEY CALLED THEIR PASSPORT LAUNCH CEREMONY, AND THIS IS AN EXTENSION OF THE NATIONAL PARKS PASSPORT PROGRAM, WHERE YOU GET YOUR PASSPORT, NATIONAL PARKS PASSPORT STAMPED WHEN YOU VISIT A PARK.

THEY'RE EXTENDING THAT TO THE HERITAGE AREA. FOR INSTANCE, THERE WILL BE A STAMP AT BIG BREAK FOR YOUR PASSPORT THAT WAS ATTENDED BY CONGRESSMAN GARAMENDI IN RIO VISTA. AND THEN SUNDAY, I WENT TO A BIRTHDAY PARTY FOR CONGRESSMAN DESAULNIER.

SO IN LIEU OF GOING TO DC, I DID MY CONGRESSIONAL WEEKEND THIS PAST WEEKEND WITH MY TWO REPRESENTATIVES.

THAT'S IT. OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU. DIRECTOR ESPAÑA.

YES. ON 2/18, I ATTENDED THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE.

2/22, THIS WAS NOT A PARK EVENT, BUT I SAW MANY PARK STAFF AS I MARCHED IN THE BLACK JOY PARADE.

AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN HAVE A PRESENCE THERE NEXT YEAR.

ON 2/23 WENT TO THE OAKLAND ROOTS WITH LISA BALDINGER.

AND WE WERE PART OF THE OAKLAND CULTURE AND RECREATION DISCUSSION WITH THE WITH FOOTBALL AUSTRALIA.

ON 2/27, I WENT TO ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING PRESENTATIONS AND REPRESENTATION OF A NEW STORY THAT I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT HERE AT THE PARK, AND THAT WAS A BLACK HISTORY AND HERITAGE GATHERING.

[02:35:06]

BRENDA. WHAT'S BRENDA'S LAST NAME AGAIN? BRENDA MONTANO.

AND HER TEAM FROM THE ARCHIVES. AND THEY BROUGHT THEY BROUGHT TO LIFE JUST AS FAR AS THE HISTORICAL STORY OF THE DONE TRAIL AND AS FAR AS HIS FAMILY WAS THERE AND JUST AS FAR AS IT WAS A REALLY BEAUTIFUL GATHERING.

AND I HOPE WE HAVE MORE KIND OF HERITAGE CELEBRATING CELEBRATIONS LIKE THIS, BECAUSE THERE'S SUCH A RICH CULTURAL HERITAGE IN THIS PARK OF ALL, MANY PEOPLE AND MANY CULTURES.

AND BEING ABLE TO SHARE THAT AND GET THAT OUT THERE, IT CAN MAKE US ALL PROUD OF OUR PARKS.

IN THE MORNING. THIS WASN'T A PARK EVENT, BUT I RAN THE FREEDOM RUN.

AND THEN AFTER THAT RAN, I WENT RUN, I WENT DIRECTLY OVER TO LAKE CHABOT, WHICH WAS A PARK EVENT, AND PARTICIPATED IN THE BLACK CONSERVATIONIST IN THE PARK.

AND THIS IS WHERE OUR NATURALIST [INAUDIBLE] PUTS ON ALL THESE AMAZING ACTIVITIES.

EVERYTHING FROM DISSECTING A FISH TO SEEING THE FISH IN REAL LIFE, MEASURING THEM STORYBOOKS AND REALLY HAVING JUST AN IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE. AS FAR AS THE ROLE OF BLACK CONSERVATIONISTS WITHIN THE ENVIRONMENTAL SPACE AND WITHIN THE PARKS THEN ATTENDED AS FAR AS THE BETTY REID SOSKIN CELEBRATION OF LIFE. BOB REID IS ONE OF OUR PAC MEMBERS, AND HIS MOTHER HAS TRANSITIONED AND WE WERE ABLE, AS ELIZABETH MENTIONED, AS FAR AS TO BE ABLE TO CELEBRATE HER LIFE AND LEGACY.

AND THEN ON 3/3 WHICH WAS THIS MORNING REVIEWED VOLUNTEER POLICY AND PROCEDURES PROJECT BRIEFING WITH LISA GOORJIAN AND SANDY FUNKE, WHO ARE DOING A REALLY AWESOME PROJECT LOOKING AT HOW CAN WE SERVE VOLUNTEERS ACROSS OUR PARK AND WHAT TYPE OF POLICY AND DIRECTION CAN WE HAVE. NOT JUST NOW, BUT IN THE FUTURE.

SO THAT'S GOOD. BUSY. ON FEBRUARY 17TH, I ATTENDED THE BOARD MEETING ON THE, ON THE FOLLOWING DAY, THE 18TH, I ATTENDED THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, AND FOLLOWING THAT, ON THE SAME DAY, I HAD A CHICKEN MEETING WITH THE ACTING GENERAL MANAGER, MAX KORTEN.

FEBRUARY 20TH I ATTENDED EAST BAY LEADERSHIP COUNCIL BOARD MEETING REMOTELY ON THE 22ND.

I WENT TO A REAL FUN EVENT, THE AMERICAN LONG DISTANCE HIKING ASSOCIATION WEST HAS A GATHERING EVERY YEAR, AND THEY HAVE IT IN THE EAST BAY, USUALLY THIS ONE THEY HAD IN DANVILLE.

AND IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO INTERFACE WITH A LOT OF LONG DISTANCE HIKERS AND THIS ASPIRATIONAL LONG DISTANCE HIKERS.

AND INCIDENTALLY, IN MY ROLE WITH THE AMERICAN DISCOVERY TRAIL, WE HAD A TABLE AND WE TOLD THE FOLKS ALL ABOUT THE AMERICAN DISCOVERY TRAIL.

AND IT'S AMAZING HOW MANY PEOPLE WHO KNOW ABOUT ALL THE OTHER TRAILS DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE LONGEST TRAIL, WHICH COMES THROUGH THE PARK DISTRICT. ON THE FEBRUARY 24TH I ATTENDED A TOUR OF THE ANTIOCH DESALINATION PLANT, WHICH IS FAIRLY NEW THERE THAT THE CITY IS OPERATING AS NEEDED.

ON THE, ALSO ON THE 24TH. I WAS ALSO ON THAT WEBINAR WITH DIRECTOR COFFEY PUT ON BY CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS LOOKING AT A KIND OF AN INFORMATIONAL MEETING ABOUT THE TRAIL SURVEY THAT'S BEING DONE FOR THE ENTIRE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

AND ON THE 25TH I ATTENDED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT PINNING CEREMONY, WHICH IS WHERE NEW FIREFIGHTERS THAT ARE COMING ON, COMING INTO THE DISTRICT AND STARTING THEIR SERVICE AS FIREFIGHTERS, THEY MAY HAVE BEEN OTHER EMPLOYEES, BUT IT'S SPECIAL.

WHEN YOU'RE A FIREFIGHTER, YOU GET A PIN, YOU GET PINNED, SO YOUR BADGE GETS PUT ON BY A FAMILY MEMBER USUALLY.

AND IT WAS A REALLY COOL CEREMONY THERE. AND IT WAS A PACKED ROOM.

VERY IMPRESSIVE ON AND THEN HAD TO RUSH OFF FROM THERE TO WALNUT CREEK TO ATTEND THE WALNUT CREEK STATE OF THE CITY LUNCHEON WHICH WAS BASICALLY HOSTED BY VISIT WALNUT CREEK WITH A KIND OF A FIRESIDE CHAT FORMAT OF THE, OF THE MAYOR. SO ANSWERING A LOT OF QUESTIONS, HE DID A GREAT JOB.

KEVIN WILK. AND THEN ON THE 27TH, I CAME HERE TO MEET WITH A NUMBER OF CITY OR DISTRICT STAFF

[02:40:11]

SO THAT WAS A THAT WAS A VERY, VERY USEFUL. AND I FEEL REALLY UP TO DATE NOW.

WHAT'S GOING ON? OKAY. GREAT. I'M CHOOSING TO SKIP MY REPORT TODAY.

AND SO WITH THAT WE'LL MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM N, PUBLIC HEARING FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK PREVIOUSLY, DO WE HAVE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC? THERE'S NO PUBLIC COMMENT, SO WE WILL CLOSE THAT.

AND WITH THAT WE MOVE ON TO ADJOURNMENT. THANK YOU EVERYONE.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.