May 05, 2026 Board of Directors Meeting

[00:00:01]

OKAY, GREAT.

GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.

[CALL TO ORDER]

I CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER AT 13:01 P.M.

AND BEFORE WE BEGIN WITH ROLL CALL, I DO HAVE TO ASK ONE OF OUR BOARD DIRECTORS A QUESTION.

DIRECTOR MERCURIO IS APPEARING REMOTELY.

DIRECTOR MERCURIO, CAN YOU PLEASE CONFIRM THAT NO OTHER INDIVIDUALS...

18 YEARS OR OLDER WILL BE PRESENT IN THE ROOM WITH YOU AT YOUR REMOTE LOCATION? THAT IS CORRECT.

OKAY, AND PLEASE REMEMBER TO LEAVE YOUR VIDEO ON WHILE THE BOARD IS IN SESSION.

AND BECAUSE WE NOW HAVE SOMEONE ATTENDING REMOTELY TODAY, WE WILL HAVE TO DO ALL VOTES BY ROLL CALL TODAY.

ALL RIGHT, SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND DO ROLL CALL.

DIRECTOR ECHOLS.

DIRECTOR DESCHAMBAULT.

HERE.

DIRECTOR ESPAÑA.

HERE.

DIRECTOR MERCURIO.

HERE.

DIRECTOR WAESPI.

HERE.

DIRECTOR COFFEY? HERE.

PRESIDENT SANWONG? HERE.

GREAT.

OKAY.

LET'S NOW DO 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.

OKAY, AND I WILL READ THE LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.

AS WE GATHER HERE TODAY, WE, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT ALL THE LANDS WITHIN THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT ARE THE ANCESTRAL LANDS OF EAST BAY OHLONE, BAY MIWOK, AND THE NORTHERN VALLEY YOKUTS, WHO ARE POLITICALLY ORGANIZED AND REPRESENTED BY A NUMBER OF TRIBES TODAY.

WE MAKE THIS RECOGNITION AS A WAY TO RESPECT AND HONOR THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES WHO FIRST CULTIVATED AND INHABITED THE 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.

OKAY, SO NOW WE WILL MOVE

[MODIFICATION OF AGENDA]

SO, IF ANYONE IS HERE FOR A PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THAT ITEM, PLEASE BE PREPARED FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA, AS THAT IS NO LONGER ON THE AGENDA, ALTHOUGH FIRST WE NEED TO VOTE AS A BOARD TO REMOVE THIS. SO, I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO REMOVE ITEM J3 FROM THE AGENDA. DO I HAVE A SECOND? ALL RIGHT, DIRECTOR ECHOLS HAS SECONDED. WE'RE GOING TO DO A ROLL CALL VOTE.

DIRECTOR COFFEY? YES.

DIRECTOR DESCHAMBAULT? YES.

DIRECTOR ECHOLS? YES.

DIRECTOR ESPAÑA? YES.

DIRECTOR MERCURIO? AYE.

DIRECTOR WAESPI? AYE.

DIRECTOR SANWONG? YES.

OKAY, GREAT. SO THEN, AS I MENTIONED, IF YOU HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE COMMENT DURING OUR PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA, WHICH WE'RE GOING TO GET TO VERY SHORTLY. SO NEXT WE GO TO AGENDA ITEM C, SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS, AND THERE'S NO SPECIAL PRESENTATION SCHEDULED THIS AFTERNOON. SO NOW WE MOVE

[PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA]

AND MADAM CLERK, PLEASE READ THE PUBLIC COMMENT ANNOUNCEMENT.

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'S 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.

AND WE HAVE A NUMBER OF SPEAKER CARDS, AND WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE WITH THEIR HANDS UP. SO WE'LL BEGIN WITH THE SPEAKER CARDS.

WILLIAM HUFF.

GOOD MORNING, PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD, BOARD MEMBERS, GENERAL MANAGER CORTON, GENERAL COUNSEL. MY NAME IS WILLIAM DANIEL HUFF. I'M PRESIDENT OF AFSCME LOCAL 2428, RESIDENT OF BERKELEY, AND A FIREFIGHTER. PRECIOUS AND I ARE BOTH GOING TO SPEAK ON THE SAME TOPIC, BUT DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF IT.

IT REVOLVES AROUND OUR PAY STUBS, OVERPAYMENTS AND UNDERPAYMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN OCCURRING OVER THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF PLUS.

OH, BEFORE WE DO THAT...

ON A POSITIVE NOTE, WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT THE DISTRICT-WIDE VOLUNTEER PRINCIPLES WERE PULLED, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH AND DISCUSSING THOSE MOVING FORWARD IN OUR ARTICLE 19 COMMITTEE.

FOR THE PAST YEAR,

[00:05:02]

PRECIOUS WILL GO MORE INTO DESCRIPTION ABOUT THE OVERPAYMENTS AND THE ISSUES AROUND THAT AND THE UNDERPAYMENTS.

THIS HAS BECOME SO SYSTEMIC THAT THE UNION HAS HAD TO HOST Q&A SESSIONS TO GO OVER WITH PEOPLE HOW TO READ THEIR PAY STUBS IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE GETTING THE PROPER PAYMENT GIVEN TO THEM. I AM ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT WAS REACHED OUT TO WITH AN OVERPAYMENT. I HAD TO PAY BACK SEVERAL THINGS THAT WERE OUTSIDE OF MY CONTROL BECAUSE MY TIME CARD HAD BEEN MISCODED ON THE OTHER END, SO THERE WAS A LINE THAT PAID ME MORE THAN I WAS DUE. I WAS ALSO OVERPAID MY UNION, OR SORRY, MY UNIFORM ALLOWANCE. I BRING THOSE TWO THINGS UP BECAUSE WHEN I RECEIVED THIS TRANCHE OF OVERPAYMENTS, WHILE LOOKING THROUGH THEM, I REALIZED THAT MY OVERTIME HAD BEEN CALCULATED INCORRECTLY, AND I REALIZED JUST TWO WEEKS AGO, AND BROUGHT IT UP, THAT MY CALPERS WAS BEING DEDUCTED INCORRECTLY.

ALONG WITH SEVERAL OTHER FIREFIGHTERS, I HAD NOT BEEN PUT INTO A PUBLIC SAFETY PENSION.

THIS GOES BACK TO WHEN I STARTED IN 2022.

THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER FIREFIGHTERS THAT ARE IN THE SAME SITUATION THAT I AM IN.

WE ALSO RECENTLY LEARNED THAT ONE OF OUR MEMBERS WAS TOLD THAT THE STATE, THAT THEIR SDI WAS NOT BEING CONTRIBUTED, BUT IT WAS BEING DEDUCTED OFF OF THEIR TIME CARD. SO THESE TO US ARE VERY BIG ISSUES. ONE OF THE FIREFIGHTERS, HE HAS BEEN WORKING HERE FOR A VERY, VERY LONG TIME.

IT IS OUR JOB TO MAKE OUR MEMBERS WHOLE. AND WE'RE DOING OUR PART, BUT IT'S PART OF THE SOCIAL CONTRACT BETWEEN THE EMPLOYER, AND THE BARGAINING UNIT, AND THE EMPLOYEE THAT THE EMPLOYER PROVIDES THE CORRECT PAY AND BENEFITS.

SO ONE OF THE REASONS TO WORK FOR A GOVERNMENT AGENCY IS STABILITY, AND THAT FEELING OF STABILITY GETS UNDERCUT WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW IF THE PENSION THAT YOU WERE PROMISED WILL BE THERE WHEN YOU RETIRE, OR IF YOU'RE WORRIED THAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET HIT RANDOMLY WITH A MULTIPLE THOUSAND DOLLAR OVERPAYMENT BILL FOR SOMETHING THAT WAS OUTSIDE OF YOUR CONTROL. SO WE BRING THAT UP BECAUSE WE WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST AN AUDIT OF ALL THE PAY STUBS FOR OUR MEMBERS, OR WE WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE BOARD TO REQUEST THAT.

PRECIOUS, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE IT HOME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

JEFFREY BERNAFORD.

GOOD AFTERNOON. I HAVE SELECTED FIVE TERMS TODAY. GOAL, PRIORITY, DIS, INEPT, AND REBUKE.

A GOAL IS BEST DESCRIBED AS A SPECIFIC, MEASURABLE, AND TIME-BOUND ACCOMPLISHMENT OR TARGET THAT AN ORGANIZATION ACTIVELY WORKS TO ACHIEVE.

PRIORITY CAN BE THE FACT OR CONDITION OF BEING REGARDED OR TREATED AS MORE IMPORTANT.

DIS, TO DISCUSS.

TO DISS SOMEONE IS TO TREAT THEM WITH DISRESPECT, SHOW CONTEMPT, OR INSULT. REMEMBER BACK IN THE SIXTH GRADE AND WHEN DEVELOPING TWO SIDES FOR A KICKBALL GAME, SOMEONE WAS CHOSEN LAST? VERY SUBTLE, BUT DEFINITELY DEMORALIZING.

INEPT CAN BE PUT SIMPLY, HAVING OR SHOWING NO SKILL, CLUMSY. REBUKE, TO EXPRESS SHARP DISAPPROVAL OR CRITICISM OF SOMEONE BECAUSE OF THEIR BEHAVIOR OR ACTIONS.

MORE PRECISELY, INACTIONS.

THE MONTHS THAT I'VE BEEN ATTENDING THESE PUBLIC MEETINGS HAVE BEEN EYE-OPENING INDEED.

IT WAS GOOD TO SEE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BEING RECOGNIZED FOR PROGRAMS THAT THEY TACKLE SUCCESSFULLY. THE HAYWARD SHORELINE PROJECT WAS ALSO INFORMATIVE, AND ALTHOUGH EXPENSIVE, SEEMED WORTHY OF CONSIDERATION. CLEARLY, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH A BOATLOAD OF ENTITIES TO COORDINATE AND ACCOMPLISH SOME GOOD. THE EDGE OF THE BAY IS WORTHY OF EXPERIENCING ITS BEAUTY.

THE DIRT BROKER BROUGHT A SMILE TO MY FACE. THERE IS ACTUALLY A DIRT BROKER? LASTLY, RECOGNIZING THE SON OF THE RANGER WOMAN WHO ACTUALLY, THE ACTUAL ROSIE THE RIVETER WHO DIED RECENTLY.

PREVIOUSLY, I SHARED THAT YOU AND MANAGEMENT HAVE OODLES OF ISSUES, RED HOT IRONS, TO PRIORITIZE FOR THEIR ULTIMATE IMPLEMENTATION. THE WILD CAT CANYON BICYCLE PROJECT IS DEFINITELY A HOT BUTTON ISSUE. AT EVERY BOARD MEETING PREVIOUSLY, MANY FOLKS HAVE SPOKEN WITH STRONG OPPOSITION, FEARING UNREALIZED WHAT-IFS, AND I TOLD YOU SO. BUT TODAY, I'M HERE ABOUT THE STEAM TRAIN, THE REDWOOD VALLEY RAILROAD. ARE THEY A GOAL

[00:10:01]

FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, THE TRAIN HAS BEEN AROUND LONGER THAN MANY OF YOU HERE TODAY HAVE BEEN ALIVE. I'M OUT OF GAS AND WORDS ON THIS RIGHT NOW, BUT I WILL CONTINUE TO ATTEND THESE MEETINGS AND RAISE MY EYEBROWS WITH HEARTFELT HOPES OF YOUR FINALIZATION OF THIS IMPORTANT ITEM. I SINCERELY APPRECIATE THIS TIME TODAY.

THANK YOU, BUT I'LL SEE YOU IN TWO WEEKS.

NORM LAFORSE.

GOOD AFTERNOON. I SPEAK TODAY FOR SPALDEF AND MYSELF. I SPEAK TODAY AS AN ADVOCATE FOR THE PARK DISTRICT, ITS MISSION, AND ITS FUTURE EXPANSION AND OPERATION. I SPEAK TODAY AS A LEADER IN THE PAST PARK DISTRICT BOND MEASURES AA AND WW, TAX MEASURES K, CC, AND FF.

I TRUST THAT THAT IS UNDERSTOOD BECAUSE OTHERWISE WHAT I SAY TODAY WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED IN THE SPIRIT IT IS INTENDED.

THE PARK DISTRICT IS GOING DOWN A PATH THAT WILL COST IT ITS CREDIBILITY WITH THE VOTERS FOR ANY FUTURE BOND OR TAX MEASURE.

THE LOSS OF ITS CREDIBILITY IS DUE TO TWO ISSUES.

I WILL ADDRESS ONE ISSUE NOW.

THE OTHER ISSUE IS RELATED TO A MATTER ON THE AGENDA.

THE FIRST ISSUE IS THE POSITION THAT THE PARK DISTRICT HAS APPARENTLY TAKEN REGARDING ITS MASTER PLAN AND LAND USE PLANS, BOTH BY STAFF AT BOARD MEETINGS AND IN THE PARK DISTRICT'S OPPOSITION BRIEF IN THE BARONE'S LAWSUIT.

IN THAT BRIEF, THE PARK DISTRICT STATES, AND I QUOTE, MASTER PLANS AND LAND USE PLANS DO NOT CREATE BINDING PLANNING PROCESSES THAT THE PARK DISTRICT IS REQUIRED TO FOLLOW.

FURTHER, QUOTE, NOR DOES THE MASTER PLAN ESTABLISH BINDING PLANNING PROCEDURES, END QUOTE.

MOREOVER, QUOTE, MASTER PLAN DOES NOT HAVE ANY LEGAL BINDING EFFECT, END QUOTE.

IF THAT IS THE POSITION OF THIS BOARD, THEN I WANT TO KNOW WHEN THE BOARD OR ANY PRIOR BOARD HAD AGENDIZED ITS POLICY AND POSITION AND VOTED IN PUBLIC TO TAKE THAT POSITION.

IF WHAT I QUOTED IS THE POSITION OF THE BOARD, THEN THIS PARK DISTRICT IS GOING DOWN A PATH OF LOSING VOTER SUPPORT FOR ANY FUTURE TAX MEASURES.

ANY OPPONENT WILL POINT OUT THAT THE VOTERS CANNOT TRUST THE PARK DISTRICT TO FOLLOW ITS OWN PLANS FOR PARKS.

TAX DOLLARS CAN BE SPENT ON ANYTHING THE PARK DISTRICT WANTS TO DO, NO MATTER WHAT IS STATED IN THE BALLOT MEASURE AS TO HOW THE MONEY WILL BE SPENT.

ESSENTIALLY, THIS ARGUMENT WAS MADE IN 1998, WHEN THE PARK DISTRICT SOUGHT APPROVAL OF A TAX MEASURE FOR OPERATIONS.

THIS WAS MEASURE W.

THAT MEASURE DID NOT IDENTIFY HOW ANY OF THAT MONEY WOULD BE SPENT.

TAX DOLLARS SIMPLY WENT INTO THE GENERAL FUND.

FOR WHATEVER THE BOARD WANTED TO SPEND IT ON.

I AND OTHERS TOLD THE PARK DISTRICT AT THAT TIME THAT THE VOTERS WOULD NOT SUPPORT THIS TAX, AND IT WAS IGNORED, AND IT LOST.

SO WINNING A TAX MEASURE IS ALREADY VERY HARD WITH A TWO-THIRDS VOTE.

MAINTAINING THE POSITION THAT YOUR MASTER PLAN AND LUPS ARE NOT BEHIND THE PARK DISTRICT HANDS OPPONENTS OF ANY TAX AN EASY ARGUMENT TO VOTE NO. IT'S CLEAR THE BOARD NEEDS TO AGENDIZE THIS MATTER, AND DISCUSS IN A TRANSPARENT PUBLIC PROCESS AND REAFFIRM THAT ITS MASTER PLAN AND LAND USE PLANS AND PLANNING PROCESSES ARE REALLY LEGALLY BINDING IF IT DOES NOT WANT THIS MEASURE, THIS ISSUE TO BE FRONT AND CENTER IN ANY OPPOSITION TO ANY FUTURE TAX.

MARILYN LANGLOIS. GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M MARILYN LANGLOIS, FREQUENT HIKER THROUGHOUT THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT, A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE RICHMOND BICYCLE PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND FORMER CHAIR OF THE RICHMOND PLANNING COMMISSION.

THE SO-CALLED BIKE TRAIL FOR WILDCAT CANYON THAT IS PROPOSED IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FROM OTHER TRAILS IN THE DISTRICT THAT ALLOW FOR BICYCLE USE. I'VE ENCOUNTERED CYCLISTS ON BIKE AND MULTI-USE TRAILS IN MANY PARKS. THEY'RE ALL OPEN DIRT TRAILS WITH NO SPECIALLY CONSTRUCTED FEATURES AND ARE MINIMALLY IMPACTFUL ON THE TERRAIN. THEIR PROPOSED FLOW TRAIL IS MORE LIKE A MANUFACTURED HIGH THRILL, HIGH SKILL BIKE PARK.

ACCORDING TO THE DISTRICT'S OWN CONSULTANTS, MUCH OF IT WOULD BE FENCED ON BOTH SIDES, AND ITS FEATURES FOR INTERMEDIATE TO EXPERT BIKERS COULD INCLUDE GAP JUMPS,

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PLACING SUCH AN INTENSE RECREATIONAL FACILITY IN A PROTECTED NATURAL AREA LIKE WILDCAT CANYON PARK IS UTTERLY INAPPROPRIATE AND WOULD VIOLATE THE DISTRICT'S OWN LAND USE PLAN. I CAN'T UNDERSTAND HOW DISTRICT STAFF AND MANY OF YOU DIRECTORS, FOR WHOM I OTHERWISE HAVE THE UTMOST RESPECT AND ADMIRATION, WOULD EVER CONSIDER DOING SO.

IF THERE IS A DESIRE FOR MANY IN THE COMMUNITY TO HAVE A SPECIAL FEATURE BIKE FACILITY LIKE THIS WITHIN THE PARK DISTRICT, THEN SURELY A MORE SUITABLE LOCATION CAN BE SOUGHT WITHIN OR ADJACENT TO AN AREA THAT IS ALREADY MORE DEVELOPED AND DESIGNATED FOR ACTIVE RECREATION WITH AMENITIES LIKE RESTROOMS, PLAYGROUNDS, PICNIC SITES, BALL FIELDS, ETC.

THE SITE SEARCH SHOULD BE CONDUCTED WITH AMPLE PUBLIC INPUT. ONE POTENTIAL ALTERNATE SITE, FOR EXAMPLE, COULD BE THE HILLSIDE BEHIND THE RICHMOND RAMBLERS CLUBHOUSE AT MILLER/KNOX PARK. IT HAS ALREADY BEEN HEAVILY IMPACTED IN THE PAST AND IS RIGHT NEXT TO MULTIPLE RECREATIONAL AMENITIES. IT IS ALSO EASILY ACCESSIBLE FOR KIDS FROM DISADVANTAGED NEIGHBORHOODS.

OTHER SITES SHOULD ALSO BE CONSIDERED AS WELL.

UNFORTUNATELY, YOU'VE ALREADY COMMITTED $300,000 OF OUR TAX DOLLARS TO DO AN EIR FOR THE WILDCAT CANYON SITE. PLEASE PUT THE BRAKES ON THIS ILL-CONCEIVED PLAN BEFORE MORE DAMAGE IS DONE AND RESTART THE PROCESS IN A MORE RESPONSIBLE WAY.

THANK YOU.

CARLA DIN. GOOD AFTERNOON PRESIDENT SANWONG, VICE PRESIDENT COFFEY, AND DIRECTORS. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS CARLA DIN AND I'M A MEMBER OF THE FRIENDS OF REGIONAL PARKS BOTANIC GARDEN AS WELL AS A FORMER MEMBER OF THE GRIZZLY PEAK CYCLISTS. I THINK THAT MANY OF YOU WILL AGREE THAT THE PROCESS FOR SELECTING WILDCAT CANYON AS THE SITE FOR A FLOW TRAIL HAS BEEN LESS THAN IDEAL. IT'S LACKED TRANSPARENCY, IT'S LACKED AN EQUAL PLAYING FIELD, AND AS YOU JUST HEARD, IT'S LACKED ADHERENCE TO THE PARK DISTRICT'S OWN LAND USE PLAN AND OFFICIAL NATURAL AREA DESIGNATION.

BUT FORTUNATELY, THE BOARD HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND CONSIDER A SET OF OBJECTIVE SITING CRITERIA TO HELP ASSESS POTENTIAL LOCATIONS FOR A FLOW TRAIL, RATHER THAN STARTING WITH A LOCATION AND WORKING BACKWARDS IN SPITE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS THAT IT MAY HAVE. THIS APPROACH, AS YOU'VE SEEN, HAS BEEN UNNECESSARILY DIVISIVE AND CONTENTIOUS. BUT TODAY, I'M PLEASED TO PRESENT TO YOU A SET OF BEST PRACTICES SITING CRITERIA FOR INTENSIVE RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS FLOW TRAILS, ENDORSED BY THE FRIENDS OF WILDCAT CANYON. I DID EMAIL THEM TODAY, AND I DID BRING SOME HARD COPIES FOR YOUR REVIEW.

THE POLICY COVERS NECESSARY CONDITIONS SUCH AS LAND USE POLICY COMPLIANCE PROCESS, TAKING A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH, AND WILDCAT CANYON SPECIFIC CONSIDERATIONS SUCH AS AVOIDING EROSION PRONE LOCATIONS. THE PURPOSE OF THE CRITERIA IS TO AVOID NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON ALL PARK USERS, FLORA AND FAUNA, AS WELL AS THE UNDERLYING GEOLOGICAL FABRIC.

AND THE POLICY WILL ALSO HELP THE BOARD AND THE STAFF APPLY A CONSISTENT STANDARD OF REVIEW OF PROPOSED PROJECTS IN AN OBJECTIVE, METHODICAL, TRANSPARENT, AND PREDICTABLE FASHION, WHICH I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE IS A GOOD APPROACH FOR IT.

A CITING CRITERIA IN LAND USE PLANNING IS STANDARD PRACTICE.

SOME OF THE PARK DISTRICTS THAT UTILIZE THIS INCLUDE SANTA CLARA COUNTY PARKS, SAN DIEGO PARKS DISTRICT, AND THE CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS, WHICH HAS A MODEL TRAILS HANDBOOK THAT CONTAINS A COMPREHENSIVE SET OF STANDARDS.

IN FACT, IN A...

IMPORTANT TRAILS WORKSHOP BACK IN 2019, THEN GENERAL MANAGER BOB DOYLE REFERENCED HEAVILY THIS DOCUMENT, INCLUDING THEIR DEFINITION FOR SUSTAINABLE TRAILS DESIGN.

AND I ALSO EMAILED THAT TO YOU FOR REFERENCE.

I ENCOURAGE THE BOARD AND STAFF TO CONSIDER THE PROPOSED FRIENDS OF WILDCAT CANYON SITING CRITERIA AND BEGIN BY CONSIDERING ITS APPLICATION FOR SITES LIKE WILDCAT CANYON TO TRULY DETERMINE WHETHER IT'S AN APPROPRIATE LOCATION.

I BELIEVE THE CRITERIA WILL GO FAR IN CREATING AN ORDERLY VERSUS A CONTROVERSIAL PROCESS.

[00:20:02]

PRECIOUS SHELTON.

GOOD AFTERNOON, PRESIDENT SANWONG, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, ACTING GENERAL MANAGER, AND DISTRICT COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS PRECIOUS SHELTON.

I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF AFSCME LOCAL 2428 MEMBERS.

I WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT MATTERS DEEPLY, LIKE PRESIDENT WILLIAM HUFF SAID, THE OVERPAYMENT.

ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS PEOPLE CHOOSE GOVERNMENT WORK IS STABILITY.

THEY WANT TO KNOW THAT IF THEY SHOW UP TO DO THEIR JOB, THEY'RE GOING TO GET PAID CORRECTLY AND ON TIME.

THAT'S A BASIC EXPECTATION, AND RIGHT NOW THE EXPECTATION IS NOT BEING MET.

OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, WE'VE SEEN REAL INCREASE IN DISTRICT GOING BACK AND COLLECTING OVERPAYMENTS FOR EMPLOYEES.

OVERPAYMENTS THAT WERE NOT THE EMPLOYEE'S FAULT.

WE GET MISTAKES HAPPEN, BUT THIS HAS GONE ON OCCASIONALLY, AND THE FEELING IS IT'S JUST GONE FAR TOO LONG.

AND WHEN THE DISTRICT GOES BACK TO LOOK FOR OVERPAYMENTS, THEY GO BACK THREE YEARS AND DO A WIDE SEARCH.

BUT HERE'S THE PROBLEM.

THE SAME ENERGY IS NOT BEING APPLIED THE OTHER WAY.

OUR MEMBERS ARE DEALING WITH MESSED-UP STEP INCREASES, WRONG ACTING PAY, OVERTIME THAT ISN'T CALCULATED CORRECTLY, ERRORS ON PENSION CONTRIBUTIONS.

PROBLEMS WITH DEFERRED COMPENSATION ENROLLMENT.

THEY GET HANDLED ONE AT A TIME, SLOWLY, OFTEN, OFTEN ONLY WHEN AN EMPLOYEE CATCHES IT THEMSELVES.

I MYSELF HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT I WAS UNDERPAID, LIKE MY ACCRUALS WAS INCORRECT RECENTLY WHILE BEING ON LWOP, OR LEAVE WITHOUT PAY.

ONE OF OUR MEMBERS CONTACTED US ABOUT AN OVERPAYMENT, A MISTAKE MADE BY THE DISTRICT DURING TIME CARD PROCESSING.

WHILE DEALING WITH THAT, THEY WENT BACK AND LOOKED AT THEIR OWN TIME CARD, REALIZED THAT THEY HADN'T BEEN RECEIVING STEP INCREASES FOR YEARS.

THE DISTRICT OWED THEM OVER $13,000.

$13,000.

THE MONEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON THEIR PAYCHECKS A LONG TIME AGO.

THIS TELLS YOU EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WHERE THE ATTENTION HAS BEEN GOING AND GETS MORE SERIOUS WHEN YOU LOOK AT THINGS LIKE SERVICE TIME, SENIORITY, VACATION ACCRUALS.

SOME OF THESE ERRORS GO BACK MORE THAN THREE YEARS.

WRONG SENIORITY DATE, MISSING SERVICE TIME ISN'T JUST A MATH PROBLEM.

IT AFFECTS THEIR VACATION ACCRUALS, THEIR RIGHTS TO RETIREMENT.

THOSE THINGS NEED TO BE CORRECTED AT THE POINT THE MISTAKE HAPPENED, NOT FROM WHEN ARBITRARILY CUT OFF DATE THAT HAPPENS TO BE CONVENIENT.

OUR MEMBERS DESERVE BETTER THAN THIS.

ERRORS SHOULD BE RARE.

WHEN THEY HAPPEN, THEY SHOULD BE CAUGHT FAST, FIXED RIGHT AWAY, AND CHECKED.

TO MAKE SURE IT'S NOT HAPPENING TO OTHERS.

OUR ASK TODAY IS TO CONDUCT A REAL INVESTIGATION ON HOW TO, EXCUSE ME, CONDUCT A REAL INVESTIGATION INTO HOW WIDESPREAD THESE PAYROLL ISSUES ARE AND HOW FAR BACK THEY GO.

HAVE MANAGEMENT PUT TOGETHER A CONCRETE PLAN TO MAKE EMPLOYEES AS WHOLE AS POSSIBLE. PUT TOGETHER REGULAR PAYROLL AUDITS IN PLACE GOING FORWARD, SO EMPLOYEES CAN ACTUALLY HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT THEIR COMPENSATION IS BEING HANDLED CORRECTLY, SO WE'RE NOT AGAIN HAVING THIS DISCUSSION. UM, THANK YOU. WE HAVE PEOPLE ON ZOOM. LESLIE GOLDSTEIN? LESLIE, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.

YOU WANT TO TURN ON YOUR SOUND? UNMUTE? OKAY, I THINK I JOINED INCORRECTLY. SORRY ABOUT THAT. GOOD AFTERNOON.

LIKE MANY NEIGHBORS TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE WILDCAT CANYON BIKE TRAIL PROPOSAL, I WENT TO THE PARK'S PROJECT PAGE AND READ THE FAQS. I WANT TO SHARE WHY I DON'T TRUST THEM.

THE FAQS STATE THAT THIS PROJECT WAS NOT INITIATED BY PRIVATE FUNDING. THE PUBLIC RECORDS RELEASED THROUGH A 2024 PUBLIC RECORDS ACT REQUEST TELL A DIFFERENT STORY.

BEGINNING IN LATE 2020, BEFORE ANY PUBLIC PROCESS, BEFORE ANY BOARD AUTHORIZATION, AND BEFORE ANY CONSULTATION WITH OTHER USER GROUPS, THE DISTRICT'S TRAILS PROGRAM MANAGER, SEAN DUGAN, BEGAN MEETING PRIVATELY WITH MOUNTAIN BIKE ADVOCATES.

HE SIMULTANEOUSLY CONVENED THE TRAIL USERS WORKING GROUP, WHICH WAS SUPPOSED TO BRING ALL TRAIL USER GROUPS TOGETHER.

THE FLOW TRAIL WAS NEVER DISCLOSED TO THAT WORKING GROUP. THE TUWG WAS ALLOWED TO CONCLUDE IN FEBRUARY 2022 WITHOUT EVER LEARNING THAT STAFF HAD SPENT THE ENTIRETY OF ITS EXISTENCE PRIVATELY ADVANCING A MAJOR NEW PROJECT WITH ONE USER GROUP.

IN DUGAN'S OWN WRITTEN WORDS, HE REFERRED TO, QUOTE, GAINING SUPPORT FROM THE TUWG AS A STEP IN HIS SALES PITCH TO THE GENERAL MANAGER. THE SAME DOCUMENTARY RECORD SHOWS DUGAN SHARING PRE-DECISIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS, PLANT SURVEYS, BIOLOGICAL RESULTS

[00:25:01]

THAT SAME INFORMATION WAS SIMULTANEOUSLY WITHHELD FROM THE SIERRA CLUB, THE CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY, AND THE GOLDEN GATE AUDUBON SOCIETY ON THE GROUNDS THAT, QUOTE, COULD NOT BE MADE PUBLIC, UNQUOTE.

ON APRIL 21, 2022, DUGAN PROVIDED PRE-DECISIONAL FINDINGS TO CORDES COOPER AND BARBARA SMITH, WHO WOULD LATER PLEDGE $1 MILLION CONDITIONAL ON THIS PROJECT BEING APPROVED AT THIS SITE, INCLUDING INFORMATION ANOTHER STAFF MEMBER, ECOLOGICAL SERVICES MANAGER BECKY TUDIN, HAD EXPLICITLY SAID WAS NOT TO BE DISCLOSED OUTSIDE OF STAFF. DUGAN THEN WROTE TO THE DONORS IN HIS OWN WORDS, QUOTE, IF YOU DON'T MIND, PLEASE KEEP THIS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION BETWEEN YOU AND I, UNQUOTE.

ON NOVEMBER 30, 2022, THE SAME STAFF MEMBER DIRECTED THOSE ADVOCATES TOWARD A SPECIFIC MEMBER OF THIS BOARD, QUOTE, HAVING A LARGE CROWD IS OVERWHELMING FOR OUR BOARD, SPECIFICALLY DIRECTOR COFFEY, UNQUOTE, AND COORDINATED THE ADVOCATES' ATTENDANCE AT A STUDY SESSION. THESE ARE NOT ALLEGATIONS. THESE ARE PUBLIC RECORDS IN THE SCOPING COMMENT RECORD AND DOCUMENTED BY NEIGHBOR CRAIG NOBLE IN HIS MARCH 2026 FILING.

I ASKED THIS BOARD TO DO THREE THINGS. ONE, DIRECT STAFF TO PUBLICLY RESPOND IN WRITING TO SPRAWLDEV'S FORMAL LAND USE PLAN AMENDMENT REQUEST BEFORE THE DRAFT EIR IS RELEASED. TWO, ORDER AN INDEPENDENT REVIEW OF STAFF CONDUCT FROM 2020 THROUGH 2024 RELATED TO THIS PROJECT. THREE, DISCLOSE BEFORE ANY CERTIFICATION VOTE THE FULL RECORD OF COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE PARK DISTRICT STAFF, THE FOUNDATION, AND THE DONORS. AN FAQ ON A WEBSITE CANNOT STAND AGAINST A PUBLIC RECORDS TRAIL.

TRUST IS BUILT ON PROCESS.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. ISAAC MENESHI? SALLY TOBIN, PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.

THANK YOU. SALLY TOBIN, FRIENDS OF WILDCAT CANYON PARK. THE EARLIEST KEY DOCUMENT IN THE SIERRA CLUB'S PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST IS DATED DECEMBER 2020. I'M ADDRESSING THE TIME BETWEEN THAT DATE AND THE BOARD MEETING OF AUGUST 5TH, 2025, WHICH WAS THE FIRST ACTUAL BOARD VOTE ON THE BIKE TRAIL AS A STANDALONE AGENDIZED ITEM. SO, WHAT WENT ON BETWEEN 2020 AND 2025? I ONLY HAVE THREE MINUTES, SO LET'S HIT A SELECTION OF STAFF ACTIONS ALL CARRIED OUT UNDER THE PREVIOUS MANAGER.

NUMBER ONE, CLAIMING THAT THE PROPOSED TRAIL HAD ITS GENESIS IN THE TRAIL USERS WORKING GROUP WHEN IT WAS NEVER PRESENTED.

ADVISING TRAIL ADVOCATES ON THEIR PETITION, THEIR ATTENDANCE, AND EVEN ON THEIR GROUP PHOTOS.

CAUTIONING THEM TO KEEP INFORMATION SECRET.

INFORMING TRAIL ADVOCATES OF INFORMATION THAT HAD NOT YET BEEN RELEASED TO THE BOARD MEMBERS.

PASSING ALONG RESULTS OF PLANT AND BIOLOGICAL SURVEYS THAT COST HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, AND ALL WHILE TELLING THE PUBLIC THAT INFORMATION WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE AT A LATER DATE AND FAILING TO INVOLVE NATIVE AMERICAN VOICES IN THE FORMATIVE STEPS OF THE PROPOSAL.

THE PROBLEM WITH POLITICAL SECRECY IS THAT IT INVOLVES TAKING SIDES.

STAFF BECAME COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH A GROUP THAT HAS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST, THAT IS, THE DESIRE TO CONSTRUCT A CHALLENGING RECREATIONAL FACILITY ROUGHLY COMPARABLE TO A SKI RUN BUT WITHOUT THE LIFTS OR THE SKI PATROL.

SECRECY ISOLATED STAFF IN AN ECHO CHAMBER WHEN THEY NEEDED TO BE OPEN TO LEARNING ABOUT ECOLOGY, PREDATOR-PREY RELATIONSHIPS, KEYSTONE SPECIES, OR THE WEB OF LIFE FROM SOIL BIOTA TO ANIMALS TO PLANTS TO GEOLOGY TO HYDROLOGY.

AS A RESULT, THE PUBLIC AND THE BOARD WERE NOT GIVEN ACCURATE INFORMATION.

AND IN MY OPINION, PUBLIC DOLLARS ARE BEING WASTED IN ADDITION TO STAFF TIME.

WILDCAT CANYON IS A FRAGILE AREA WITH ITS VIBRANT AND FUNCTIONAL ECOSYSTEM UNDER SIEGE, AND IT IS IN NEED OF CAREFUL RESTORATION.

THE PARK DISTRICT IS NOT LIVING UP TO ITS MISSION STATEMENT, WHICH CALLS FOR PROTECTION OF ITS NATURAL FEATURES.

YOU JUST HEARD ABOUT THE SITING CRITERIA RECOMMENDED BY FRIENDS OF WILDCAT CANYON PARK.

IF THOSE CRITERIA OR SOMETHING SIMILAR HAD BEEN FOLLOWED, WE WOULD BE INVOLVED IN A COURTEOUS PUBLIC DIALOGUE ABOUT AN APPROPRIATE LOCATION FOR THE FLOW THRILL TRAIL.

LET'S ALL TAKE A FEW STEPS BACK AND START OVER IN PUBLIC.

THANKS VERY MUCH.

[00:30:01]

ISAAC MENESHE.

HELLO, HELLO.

CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, PLEASE.

HI, THANKS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ISAAC MENASCHE, RESIDENT OF BERKELEY.

I'M HERE FIRST AS A LOVER OF THE PARKS AND APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU DO TO STEWARD THEM.

I'M HERE TO SHARE A PUBLIC COMMENT FROM MY DAUGHTER, WHO IS IN THE FOURTH YEAR OF THE JR PROGRAM.

SHE'S A STUDENT AT LONGFELLOW MIDDLE SCHOOL IN BERKELEY AND IS NOT ABLE TO BE HERE BECAUSE THIS PUBLIC COMMENT OCCURS WHILE SHE'S IN SCHOOL.

MY NAME IS MAYA AND I'M AT THE FOURTH YEAR OF MY IN MY FOURTH YEAR OF JUNIOR RANGERS.

THIS PROGRAM HAS MEANT A LOT TO ME OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS OF MY LIFE.

I WENT FROM HAVING NO FRIENDS IN THE PROGRAM TO KNOWING A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE I WOULDN'T HAVE MET OTHERWISE.

I HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH ABOUT NATURE, BUT ALSO ABOUT MYSELF THROUGH THIS PROGRAM.

THIS PROGRAM IS FULFILLING PART OF THE DISTRICT MISSION TO CREATE PROGRAMS THAT WILL FOSTER LEADERSHIP AMONG CHILDREN THAT COULD BE THE FUTURE TO THE PARK DISTRICT.

SO WHY CUT THE PROGRAM WHEN IT'S FULFILLING THE MISSION OF THE PARK? I'M WRITING THIS LETTER BECAUSE I'M CURRENTLY IN SCHOOL.

AND CANNOT MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THE PUBLIC MEETING.

WHEN YOU FIRST MADE PROGRAM CUTS ABOUT A YEAR AGO, I THOUGHT, OH BUMMER, I GUESS IT'S JUST A LITTLE LESS JRS.

THEY NEVER REALLY GAVE ANY CLEAR EXPLANATION FOR THE PROGRAM CUTS.

LOTS OF PEOPLE WERE MAD, ANGRY, AND CONFUSED.

I DIDN'T THINK OF IT AS SUCH A BIG DEAL.

BUT NOW THAT I CAN NO LONGER DO WEEKLY HIKES OR OVERNIGHTS, I REALIZE HOW MUCH I'M LOSING OUT.

THIS PAST YEAR, JUNIOR RANGERS HAS BECOME AN EVEN BIGGER PART OF MY LIFE THAT VERY HONESTLY I WANT TO HOLD ON TO FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE.

YET, A WEEK AGO, ANOTHER EMAIL WENT OUT STATING THERE WERE EVEN MORE PROGRAM CUTS NEXT YEAR, CUTTING THE PROGRAM SO THAT FOR THE KIDS WHO ARE AIDS, WE FEEL AS THOUGH THE PROGRAM IS BEING CUT DOWN TO ALMOST NOTHING.

YET AGAIN, THERE WAS REALLY NO CLEAR EXPLANATION.

THIS TIME WHEN THEY MAKE THE CUTS, IT REALLY AFFECTS ME AND MY FRIENDS BECAUSE THIS PROGRAM IS SUPPOSED TO BE ABOUT LEARNING HOW TO FOSTER LEADERSHIP.

NOW, BECAUSE OF THE PROGRAM CUTS, I WILL ONLY BE IN THE PROGRAM UNTIL THE END OF MY SOPHOMORE YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL INSTEAD OF SENIOR YEAR.

HOW CAN I FOSTER LEADERSHIP THAT SHOULD GO THROUGHOUT HIGH SCHOOL WHEN IT WILL END IN SOPHOMORE YEAR? EVERY YEAR THE COMMUNITY AND THE PEOPLE IN OUR CITIES SIGN MORE AND MORE BALLOT INITIATIVES THAT WOULD CREATE MORE FUNDING FOR PROGRAMS IN OUR PARK DISTRICT.

I ASK WHY WE ARE SIGNING OFF FOR MORE FUNDING EVERY YEAR WHEN OUR VERY OWN PROGRAMS, PROGRAMS THAT MEAN SO MUCH TO US THAT ARE A LOT MORE THAN JUST AN EXTRACURRICULAR, ARE BEING CUT.

RIGHT NOW, I'M NOT VERY EXCITED TO OFFER ANY MORE SUPPORT TO FUNDING PARK DISTRICT PROGRAMS. AGAIN, THAT'S FROM MY DAUGHTER, MAYA. I'LL JUST RELAY AS A PARENT. WE LOVE THE JR PROGRAM. IT'S BEEN A FANTASTIC PART OF THE COMMUNITY IN THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARKS, AND TILDEN PARK, AND THE SURROUNDING AREA. IT'S HELPED MAYA AND OTHER KIDS HER AGE GET TO KNOW THE PARKS AND LEARN TO LOVE AND APPRECIATE THEM.

SO, IT WAS REALLY SAD TO HEAR THAT, AGAIN, THE PROGRAM IS BEING CUT BACK EVEN FURTHER, DESPITE A PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL CUT LAST YEAR, AND WOULD ASK THE BOARD MEMBERS TO COME AND SPEAK TO THE YOUTH AND EXPLAIN TO THE YOUTH WHY THOSE DECISIONS HAVE BEEN MADE.

YOUR TIME'S UP. THANK YOU.

ELEANOR BLAKE? OKAY. I'LL TRY ONE MORE TIME, ELEANOR. HELLO? I CAN HEAR YOU, ELEANOR. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.

I'M A FREQUENT USER OF WILDCAT CANYON PARK, AS WELL AS OTHER PARKS IN THE DISTRICT.

I'M A LONGTIME MEMBER OF THE PARKS, FRIENDS OF THE PARK BOTANIC GARDEN, AND FOR MANY YEARS I'VE BEEN A DOCENT AT THE GARDEN THERE, AND TOTALLY IN SUPPORT OF THE PARKS AND ALL THE PARKS MEASURES. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SECOND THE COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE BY MR. MCCLURE, AND MS. BLANWELL, THEN MISS GOLDSTEIN, AND MISS TOBIN, AND I'D LIKE TO NOTE THE CONSIDERABLE, CONSIDERABLE RATHER, EXPERTISE AND ADVOCACY EACH OF THOSE PEOPLE BRING TO THE ISSUES THAT THEY SPOKE ABOUT AND HOW FORTUNATE IT IS THAT THEY ARE WILLING TO PUT THE TIME THAT THEY DO INTO THESE ISSUES BEFORE THE BOARD, AND I HOPE THAT THE BOARD MEMBERS, WITH REGARD

[00:35:01]

THANK YOU. SO, THAT'S ALL PUBLIC COMMENT. ALL RIGHT.

[GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS]

THANK YOU SO MUCH. MAX GORDON, ACTING GENERAL MANAGER. AND JUST WANT TO START WITH FOLLOWING UP ON A COUPLE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE PAYCHECKS FOR OUR TEAM ARE REALLY IMPORTANT, AND GETTING IT RIGHT IS REALLY IMPORTANT. AND SO, I JUST WANT TO APPRECIATE KATIE DIGNAN AND HER TEAM, AND JESSICA ROMY AND HER TEAM AS WELL, WHO I'VE BEEN LOOKING INTO AND WORKING ON ADDRESSING SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN ISSUES FOR SEVERAL YEARS, SO BUT THAT WE TAKE THAT VERY SERIOUSLY.

ADDITIONALLY, I ALSO WANT TO SAY I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY CUTS TO THE JUNIOR RANGER PROGRAM, AND LISA ALSO TEXTED ME, SHE'S NOT AWARE OF ANY EITHER. SO, WE'LL LOOK INTO IT, AND FOR THE COMMENTER, PLEASE FOLLOW UP WITH ME, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THAT RIGHT.

I HAVE, THERE'S A COUPLE OF SLIDES, SO I WANTED TO SHARE SOME UPDATES ABOUT PROJECTS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.

SO, LET'S SEE IF WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE HERE.

THANKS, ADRIAN. OKAY, SO THIS IS OUT AT BLACK DIAMOND MINES. SO, THIS IS A VIEW OF A SHADE STRUCTURE THAT OUR MASS TEAM HAS BEEN BUILDING TO PROVIDE SHADE FOR FOLKS THAT ARE PICNICKING AND ENJOYING BLACK DIAMOND MINES. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. THIS IS OUT AT COYOTE HILLS. SO, OUR TEAM HAS BEEN REPAVING A TRAIL OUT HERE AT COYOTE HILLS, LOOKING REALLY NICE AND WANTED TO SHARE THAT. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. NEXT SLIDE. SO, WE HOSTED A NUMBER OF EVENTS FOR EARTH DAY. WE HAD MANY VOLUNTEERS ACROSS MANY PARK SITES. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. THIS IS OUT AT CROWN BEACH. WE HAD FOLKS PICKING UP LITTER ALONG THE BEACH. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. AND THEN HERE'S AT QUARRY LAKES AND ALAMEDA CREEK, AND AGAIN, YEAH, OVER 500 COMMUNITY MEMBERS VOLUNTEERED EVEN THOUGH WE HAD SORT OF CHILLY WEATHER, AND SO I JUST WANT TO APPRECIATE ALL OF THE OUTPOURING OF SUPPORT FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS. REALLY COOL TO SEE FOLKS GETTING INVOLVED.

AND I THINK THAT'S THE END OF THE SLIDESHOW. YEAH. JUST WANTED TO OFFER A COUPLE OTHER HIGHLIGHTS. WE'RE GETTING READY FOR OUR SUMMER SEASON. IT'S A HUGE LIFT FOR ALL OF OUR TEAMS, ESPECIALLY IN OPERATIONS.

AND SO, WE'RE GOING TO BRING A PRESENTATION TO THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE ON MAY 13TH TO KIND OF DESCRIBE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE TO YOUR BOARD. THEN ADDITIONALLY, THERE ARE BIDS THAT ARE IN DEVELOPMENT FOR TIDEWATER DAY USE AREA THAT'S OPEN THIS WEEK. SO, WE WILL KEEP YOUR BOARD UPDATED. WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO GET THAT PROJECT GOING.

IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY BENEFICIAL FOR THE COMMUNITY.

AND THEN, A COUPLE OF EVENTS TO MAKE FOLKS AWARE OF. WE ARE PREPARING A WILDFIRE PREPAREDNESS WEBINAR FOR MAY 27TH FOR THE COMMUNITY. WE WANT TO TELL THE STORY, AS THE BEGINNING OF WILDFIRE SEASON KICKS OFF, OF THE CROSS-DIVISIONAL WORK THAT WE'RE DOING BOTH TO KEEP COMMUNITIES SAFE AND TO STEWARD NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENHANCE THE ENVIRONMENT IN OUR PARKS. AND SO, WE'LL SEND MORE UPDATES ABOUT THAT, BUT EXPECT THAT ON MAY 27TH.

AND THEN, WE ARE KICKING OFF THE FIRST OF OUR DISTRICT PLAN COMMUNITY RESOURCE FAIRS ON MAY 9TH AT CIVIC CORPS' CAMPUS IN OAKLAND. THAT'S ALL I GOT. THANK YOU.

GREAT, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THOSE UPDATES. AND I THINK THAT ALSO INCLUDED SOME OF THE ANNOUNCEMENTS. BUT JUST

[CONSENT CALENDAR]

GO AHEAD, DIRECTOR DESCHAMBAULT. THANK YOU. I ALWAYS, WE GET THESE THINGS COMING IN ON CONSENT, BUT SOMETIMES I JUST CAN'T HELP BUT SAY THANK YOU. BECAUSE WE GET SO MANY THINGS ON HERE, BUT ON CONSENT CALENDAR ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, THIS IS A GREAT COOPERATION THAT JOSE AND THE DEPARTMENT OFFICE OF EQUITY

[00:40:01]

BUT, YOU KNOW, IT JUST SHOWS THERE'S A GREAT NEED OUT THERE, AND IT SHOWS THAT WE'RE FILLING THAT NEED AS BEST WE CAN, AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO THOSE GROUPS AND TO THE PARK FOUNDATION FOR MAKING THAT HAPPEN.

GREAT, THANK YOU. ANY OTHER BOARD QUESTIONS? WELL, WE HAVE TO DO PUBLIC COMMENT FIRST. SO LET'S GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT NEXT. NO PUBLIC COMMENT. ALL RIGHT, SO WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT, AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK TO THE BOARD FOR ANY FINAL THOUGHTS AND OR A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.

MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR. ALL RIGHT, DIRECTOR DESCHAMBAULT MAKES A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR.

WHO WOULD LIKE TO SECOND? ALL RIGHT, DIRECTOR ECHOLS HAS SECONDED. WE'RE GOING TO DO A ROLL CALL VOTE.

DIRECTOR COFFEY, AYE.

DIRECTOR DESCHAMBAULT, AYE.

DIRECTOR ECHOLS, AYE.

DIRECTOR ESPAÑA, AYE.

DIRECTOR MERCURIO, AYE.

DIRECTOR WAESPI, AYE.

DIRECTOR SANWONG, YES. OKAY, GREAT.

SO NOW WE'RE MOVING RIGHT ALONG TO OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM, WHICH IS AGENDA ITEM H, PUBLIC HEARING. THERE ARE NO ITEMS SCHEDULED. SO NOW WE MOVE TO AGENDA ITEM I,

[ACTION ITEMS]

AND IT'S BEEN REALLY COOL, YOU KNOW, WITH THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE POTENTIAL ACQUISITION OF GOLDEN GATE FIELDS. THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF INTEREST IN FUNDRAISING THAT THE FOUNDATION HAS BEEN ABLE TO CONNECT TO.

AND I FEEL LIKE EVERY MAJOR PROJECT THAT WE'RE WORKING ON, THERE'S A REALLY GREAT NEXUS WITH THE FOUNDATION. SO REALLY EXCITED. AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO KATIE, TOO, WHO'S ON OUR DISTRICT AND IS LEADING THAT EFFORT. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.

GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD OF DIRECTORS. MY NAME IS KATIE HORNBECK, GRANTS MANAGER IN THE FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES DIVISION. I'M JOINED HERE TODAY WITH LAUREN BERNSTEIN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION, AND HER PRESIDENT BOARD, HOLLY POTTER. I'LL BE TURNING IT OVER TO HER IN A MOMENT FOR THE ACTUAL PRESENTATION.

JUST WANTED TO QUICKLY PROVIDE A LITTLE CONTEXT ON WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY. SO ONE OF OUR FINANCE PROCEDURES, 5.4A, OUTLINES HOW WE ACCEPT DONATIONS FROM THE FOUNDATION.

THERE'S BASICALLY TWO PATHS OF TRAVEL. ONE IS THAT IF A DONATION IS UNDER $50,000, OUR CFO HAS THE AUTHORIZATION AND THE AUTHORITY TO AMEND THE BUDGET. IF IT'S $50,000 OR MORE, WE COME TO THE BOARD FOR A SEPARATE AUTHORIZATION OR RESOLUTION TO AMEND THE BUDGET. YOU JUST DID THAT A FEW MINUTES AGO FOR THE $150,000 FOR THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT GRANT PILOT. PART OF THAT PROCEDURE ALSO STATES THAT ANNUALLY WE COME TO THE BOARD TO PROVIDE THE FULL LIST OF DONATIONS FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR. WE ACTUALLY DO THAT TWICE. WE COME TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE FIRST.

WE DID THAT IN MARCH AND PROVIDE THAT REPORT AND ASK FOR THE RECOMMENDATION TO MOVE THE REPORT TO THE FULL BOARD, AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE HERE TODAY.

IN YOUR REPORT OR IN THE STAFF REPORT, I THINK IT'S PAGES 113 TO 115 IN YOUR PACKET, PROVIDES THE TABLES OF THE FULL LIST OF DONATIONS FROM 2025, AND LAUREN'S PRESENTATION TODAY IS GOING TO BE MORE ABOUT A YEAR IN REVIEW AND THE IMPACT OF THE DONATIONS IN THEIR SUPPORT TO THE PARK DISTRICT. SO WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO LAUREN.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, KATIE. HELLO, DIRECTORS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY.

THANK YOU TO ACTING GENERAL MANAGER COURTNEY FOR THE PARTNERSHIP. SO WE'LL JUST JUMP RIGHT IN, THANKING DIRECTOR MERCURIO FOR HIS WORK ON OUR BOARD LAST YEAR. WE'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF STRATEGIC PLANNING, AND SO WE'RE REALLY APPRECIATING THAT.

AND THEN THE PRESIDENT OF YOUR BOARD JOINS WITH OUR BOARD FOR THE YEAR.

AND SO, YEAH, SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE PRESIDENT SANWONG FOR JOINING OUR WORK THIS YEAR.

WE KNOW IT'S EXTRA, AND WE APPRECIATE IT, AND YOUR INPUT IS SO VALUABLE FOR US.

SO LET'S TALK ABOUT OUR WINS.

VERY EXCITED FOR 2025. WE EXCEEDED OUR REVENUE GOAL. WE

[00:45:04]

JUST TO GIVE YOU A SNAPSHOT OF HOW OUR FUNDRAISING BREAKS DOWN, WE RAISED OVER $1.1 MILLION IN MEMBERSHIP, $260,000 IN GRANTS AND CORPORATE DONATIONS.

$241,000 IN BEQUESTS AND THEN I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT OUR INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS HAVE BEEN GROWING EXPONENTIALLY AND SO WE HAVE A 33% INCREASE FROM 2024 AND THE REASON I'M LISTING THAT NUMBER IS JUST BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN I STARTED.

SO, AND I THINK THAT IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT ME, IT'S ABOUT THE FOUNDATION HIRING A FULL-TIME DEDICATED EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ME OR ANYONE.

I THINK THAT'S REALLY HELPFUL FOR THE FUNDRAISING, JUST TO HAVE SOMEONE 100% WORKING ON THAT.

OVERALL, WE RAISED $2.5 MILLION IN FUNDRAISING.

IF YOU WERE TO LOOK AT OUR 990 OR OUR BUDGETS, WE HAVE A LOT MORE REVENUE THAN THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE OTHER REVENUE SOURCES.

BUT JUST...

OUR FUNDRAISING ALONE WAS $2.5 MILLION.

IT WAS 13% OF OUR GOAL.

JUST THE VOLUME IS ASTOUNDING.

WE HAD OVER 17,000 GIFTS COME IN LAST YEAR FROM OVER 13,000 DONORS.

SO, WE HAVE A REALLY BROAD BASE OF SUPPORT, AND WE REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE THE COMMUNITY FOR ALL OF YOU WATCHING THIS PUBLIC MEETING, WHICH THERE ARE PROBABLY NOT 13,000 OF YOU WATCHING THIS.

WE DO DIRECT MAIL APPEALS AND THEY DO TREMENDOUSLY WELL, WHICH IS JUST ANOTHER SIGNAL AND BELLWETHER THAT WE HAVE A WIDE, WIDE BASE OF SUPPORT ACROSS THE EAST BAY.

I'VE ACTUALLY NEVER SEEN FROM A LOCAL ORGANIZATION $171,000 RAISED FROM A DIRECT MAIL APPEAL.

SO, IT'S JUST REALLY INCREDIBLE THE SUPPORT THAT WE GET.

WE HAVE OUR MEMBER PROGRAM, AND THEN WE HAVE OVER 12,000 MEMBERS, WHICH I THINK IS A GOOD NUMBER FOR EVERYONE TO KNOW.

AND THEN 574 OF THOSE MEMBERS PAY ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT A PARKING PASS WOULD COST.

SO, WE HAVE ALSO A BROAD BASE OF PEOPLE WHO ARE LOOKING FOR THAT PHILANTHROPIC DONATION.

THEY WANT TO SUPPORT OUR PARKS MORE ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT THEY GET FOR THEIR MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS.

AND AN 84% RENEWAL RATE, WHICH IS REALLY GOOD.

SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

IT'S VERY HIGH.

OUR MEMBERS ARE PROBABLY THE BIGGEST PARK USERS AND MOST FREQUENT PARK USERS AS WELL.

OUR GRANT HIGHLIGHTS, WE HAVE A LOT OF CORPORATE SUPPORT.

KAISER, THANK YOU TO KAISER, THANK YOU TO REI, WESTERN STATES PETROLEUM.

AND YOU CAN SEE HERE THE SUPPORT IS GROWING AND IT LOOKS A LOT DIFFERENT THAN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, SO WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SECURE NEW SPONSORS.

BEQUESTS ARE ALWAYS REALLY IMPORTANT, AND IN ADDITION TO RECEIVING THOSE, WE ALSO RUN PUBLIC SEMINARS FOR PEOPLE TO LEARN MORE AND GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HOW THEY CAN LEAVE THE REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION IN THEIR TRUST OR WILL.

AND WE ALSO MANAGE THE EAST CONTRA COSTA HABITAT CONSERVANCY ENDOWMENT FUND. I THINK, AS EVERYONE HERE KNOWS, THERE WAS A 17% INCREASE IN THEIR FUND BALANCE FROM LAST YEAR, AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK ON THAT PARTNERSHIP. AND I THINK THAT THEY PRESENT TO YOU ALL SEPARATELY, BUT THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION AND THE ECCCHC IS THAT WE MANAGE THE ENDOWMENT FROM THE, THE DEVELOPERS WHO WANT TO DEVELOP ON THE LAND HAVE TO PAY A FEE TO DO THAT. AND SO THEN WE MANAGE THE ENDOWMENT FOR THAT FEE TO SO THAT THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT CAN HAVE FUNDS TO MANAGE THE LAND INTO THE FUTURE, AND I'M SURE THERE'LL BE MORE ON THAT AT SOME POINT.

SO OUR IMPACT, THAT WAS OUR REVENUE. NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT OUR IMPACT, THE AMOUNT OF FUNDS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DISPERSE TO THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT AND PARTNERS. AND SO THE WAY THAT WE THINK ABOUT IT IS WE HAVE A GENERAL SUPPORT GRANT. WE HAVE ANNUAL GRANTS, WHICH GET APPLIED FOR IN THE SUMMER, AND THEN THE DISTRICT ADDS IT TO THEIR BUDGET. AND SO THOSE ARE THE PROGRAMS THAT YOU HEAR ABOUT A LOT, THE AQUATIC PROGRAMS, THE CAMPERSHIPS, AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE FLEXIBLE AD HOC FUNDING THAT WE ARE ABLE TO DO ALMOST $500,000 IN SUPPORT. AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE DISTRICT, TOO, TO BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OPPORTUNITIES THAT COME ALONG THAT WEREN'T NECESSARILY BUDGETED. AND THE SPECIAL PROJECT SUPPORT IS FOR THE SHOALS TRAIL. AND THEN THIS JUST GIVES YOU A BREAKDOWN

[00:50:01]

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, A HUNDRED THOUSAND, AND OF COURSE ALWAYS SUPPORTING YOUTH DEVELOPMENT.

THIS IS THE LIST THAT'S IN YOUR STAFF PACKET OR YOUR STAFF REPORT THAT YOU HAVE, BUT I THOUGHT I WOULD JUST PUT IT UP HERE JUST TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT THE PROGRAMS THAT YOU'RE HEARING ABOUT ARE BACKED BY THE REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION. AND I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO SEE ALSO THAT WE FUND A LOT OF CONTINUED PROGRAMS EVERY YEAR, BUT WE ALSO FUNDED SIX BRAND-NEW PROGRAMS THIS YEAR OR LAST YEAR. AND SO THAT INCLUDES THE EAST BAY STEWARDSHIP NETWORK DESIGN, INATURALIST WORKING GROUP, THE MAC SHOWED ONE OF THE SHELTERS AT BLACK DIAMOND THAT WAS FUNDED BY THE REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION, AND SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO FUND NEW THINGS AS WELL.

AND OF COURSE THE TRAILS CHALLENGE, I THINK THAT THAT.

I'M SO IMPRESSED BY THE TRAILS CHALLENGE, AND I THINK THAT THAT'S A REALLY REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF OUR PUBLIC OUTREACH AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. IT'S ATTRACTING A LOT OF FIRST-TIME USERS TO THE PARK AND PROVIDES A LOT OF INFORMATION FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE THEIR FIRST HIKE OR THEIR FIRST WALK. AND SO WE'VE INVESTED A LOT IN THE TRAILS CHALLENGE. THANK YOU TO KAISER. AND THEN WE HAVE A NEW SPONSOR, ALLTRAILS. AND SO WE DID A SPANISH LANGUAGE GUIDEBOOK, WHICH WAS REALLY EXCITING, AND THEN JUST SOME FUN FACTS ABOUT FINISHERS. 829 FINISHERS LAST YEAR WITH 28,000 TOTAL MILES HIKED. AND I BELIEVE THERE WAS A 14% INCREASE IN NEW FINISHERS. SO THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT STATISTIC THAT HOPEFULLY WILL CONTINUE TO GROW.

SO MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS, WE PUBLISH THE COMPASS MAGAZINE. WE HAVE THE REGIONAL IN NATURE. WE DON'T PUBLISH THAT, BUT WE HAVE A LITTLE BLURB IN THAT. AND THE IMPORTANT THING ABOUT THAT IS THAT IT GETS MAILED OUT TO THE 12,000 MEMBERS. SO A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GETTING IT DIRECTLY IN THEIR INBOX OR IN THEIR MAIL. I GUESS WE'LL CALL IT A MAILBOX.

AND... I JUST REALLY WANT TO THANK OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS. LAST YEAR WAS A BIG WORKING YEAR FOR OUR BOARD, AND SO WE HAVE OUR BOARD PRESIDENT, HOLLY, HERE TODAY, AND I'LL GIVE HER A CHANCE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS. BUT OUR WHOLE BOARD IS INCREDIBLE, AND I JUST WANT TO THANK THEM SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING THAT THEY DO FOR US. I WANT TO JUST SPEND A LITTLE BIT OF.

THAT WAS ALL FOR 2025. I WANT TO SPEND A LITTLE BIT TALKING.

I KEEP MENTIONING ALL THE WORK WE WERE DOING LAST YEAR, AND SO I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHERE WE LANDED WITH THAT. WE ARE REALLY LOOKING TO GROW OUR IMPACT IN OUR PARTNERSHIP, ESPECIALLY AS PARK DISTRICT REVENUE, PROPERTY TAX REVENUES DECLINE AND INFLATION IS RISING. AND I THINK THERE'S A LOT.

I KNOW YOUR BOARD IS WORKING ON ALL THESE DIFFERENT, KIND OF TRYING TO PRIORITIZE ALL THESE PROJECTS.

AND I THINK THAT THIS IS A REALLY GOOD PLACE FOR THE FOUNDATION TO FIT IN.

I FEEL LIKE I THINK OUR BOARD AND THE FOUNDATION FEELS LIKE WE CAN AND NEED TO STEP UP.

TO SUPPORT THE DISTRICT IN THIS TIME WHERE MORE FUNDING IS NEEDED.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR NEXT EVOLUTION.

THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF TIMELINE.

WE TALKED ABOUT THE FIRST DEDICATED ED BEING HIRED IN 2023, AND WE ALSO DID A MEMBERSHIP STUDY.

WHO ARE OUR MEMBERS AND WHAT DO THEY CARE ABOUT? AND THEN IN 2024, WE IDENTIFIED NATIONAL EXPERTS, PORTRAY OUR GROUP TO WALK US THROUGH A PROCESS, AND WE DID INTERVIEWS WITH YOUR BOARD AND OUR MEMBERS AND EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP.

AND THEN IN 2025, WE DRAFTED AND WORKED ON THE STRATEGIC AND BUSINESS MODEL PLANNING.

SO THE PLAN, THE STRATEGY, AND ALSO FINANCIAL FEASIBILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY AND A MODEL FOR HOW WE CAN FOLLOW THE RECOMMENDATIONS WE GOT FROM POTRERO GROUP.

AND THEN HERE IN 2026, WE COMPLETED OUR FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN, AND WE'RE GOING TO BRING IT TO YOU IN AUGUST AND DO A PRESENTATION.

AND WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR...

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT, HIRING FUNDRAISING STAFF, AND IDENTIFYING KEY PARTNERSHIP PROJECTS, WHICH IS SO INTERESTING.

EVEN SINCE THESE MATERIALS WERE DUE, THOSE PARTNERSHIP PROJECTS HAVE COME UP, LIKE GOLDEN GATE FIELDS.

THERE'S BEEN SO MANY FOLKS WHO HAVE LED THE FOUNDATION TO THIS POINT, ALL OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS THAT CAME BEFORE ME AND ALL OF THE STAFF AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS STUFF, AND GENERAL MANAGERS THAT HAVE INVESTED SINCE 1969 IN THIS PARTNERSHIP. THIS IS AN ODE TO ALL OF THE SUCCESS. WE WOULDN'T BE WHERE WE ARE OR BE ABLE TO RAMP UP OUR FUNDRAISING WITHOUT EVERYTHING THAT EVERYONE DID TO GET US HERE TODAY. SO WE ARE SO APPRECIATIVE, AND WE STAND ON THE SHOULDERS OF ALL THE WORK DONE BEFORE US.

WE TALKED ABOUT POTRERO GROUP.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE THE POINT THAT WE COMPARED OURSELVES TO A LOT OF DIFFERENT NATIONAL MODELS ON PARK PARTNERSHIPS, AND LOOKED AT THE LOCAL AND

[00:55:04]

OUR NEW MODEL WILL ALLOW US TO MAKE INVESTMENTS IN EAST BAY REGIONAL PARKS THAT ARE TRULY TRANSFORMATIONAL. BY 2030, THE REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION WILL BE A SOPHISTICATED NONPROFIT PARTNER THAT'S FINANCIALLY SELF-SUFFICIENT, CAPABLE OF MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGNS, AND A POWERFUL CONVENER AND CONSTITUENCY BUILDER FOR EAST BAY REGIONAL PARKS. SO HERE'S OUR APPROACH IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN WHEN WE BUILD FUNDRAISING CAPACITY, HIRING SPECIFIC FUNDRAISERS AND BUILDING OUR SYSTEMS, WHEN WE ACTIVATE OUR COMMUNITY AND WE, WE DEEPEN OUR IMPACT, WE BUILD STRONG COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR EAST BAY REGIONAL PARKS FOR THE ENJOYMENT OF ALL FOREVER. AND SO THAT'S JUST A LITTLE PREVIEW OF WHAT OUR BOARD AND POTRERO GROUP AND ALL OF YOU AND THE STAFF HERE KIND OF ENVISION FOR THE FUTURE OF THE FOUNDATION.

SO A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES OF WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE, BECAUSE SOMETIMES IT'S HARD TO ENVISION EXACTLY WHAT WE LIKE FROM FUNDING CAMPERSHIPS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, WHICH WE DON'T PLAN TO STOP DOING, BUT JUST TO COMPARE TO THESE LARGER PROJECTS LIKE THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT GRANT PILOT PROGRAM THAT, THAT YOU ALL APPROVED TO ACCEPT OUR DONATION TODAY.

THANK YOU, DIRECTOR DESCHAMBAULT. IT DID ALLOW US TO GIVE OUT DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF GRANTS THAT WE WOULD HAVE, AND WITH 1.7 MILLION DOLLARS IN REQUESTS, I'M REALLY GLAD THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT.

AND WE ARE ALSO ABLE TO LEVERAGE THE PUBLIC FUNDING THAT YOU ALL HAD FOR PRIVATE PHILANTHROPY. SO WE WERE ABLE TO SECURE A DONOR TO ACTUALLY FUND THAT. AND SO WHEN THE PARK DISTRICT AND THE FOUNDATION CAN WORK TOGETHER TO IDENTIFY REALLY COMPELLING OPPORTUNITIES, I THINK PRIVATE PHILANTHROPY WILL STEP UP.

WE ALSO ARE CONTRIBUTING $2.86 MILLION IN CAPITAL FUNDING TO TIDEWATER, AND THEN WE ALSO ARE LOOKING TO BE INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND MAKING SURE THAT, IN A HISTORICALLY REDLINED AREA, THAT WE'RE ABLE TO ENSURE THAT THE LOCAL COMMUNITY GETS TO USE THE SITE. AND SO WE'RE WORKING WITH THE DISTRICT TO PARTNER ON THOSE INITIATIVES ONCE THE SITE GETS BUILT. AND THEN THE EAST BAY STEWARDSHIP NETWORK, HAVE YOU HAD A PRESENTATION ON THAT? I THINK IT'S COMING.

YEAH. SO I'LL JUST SAY WE'RE WORKING. THE IDEA IS FOR THE FOUNDATION, HEARING FROM OUR DONORS, THAT THEY REALLY CARED ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.

WE'RE LOOKING TO STEP UP ON A LANDSCAPE LEVEL AND REGIONAL LEVEL TO BE INVOLVED AND PEERS IN THAT SORT OF WORK. AND SO THE EAST BAY STEWARDSHIP NETWORK, WE FUNDED THEIR WEBSITE, BUT WE'RE ALSO ON THE STEERING COMMITTEE FOR THAT, AND IT'S ALLOWING US TO BE MORE INVOLVED IN THAT WORK ACROSS THE REGION.

THE GROWTH THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOR OUR ORGANIZATION WILL BE THOUGHTFUL AND DELIBERATE.

WE'VE BEEN THINKING, THE BOARD HAS BEEN THINKING ABOUT THIS FOR TWO YEARS, AND I THINK HOLLY WILL COMMENT ON THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE.

WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING THE NEXT TWO YEARS ON TRANSITIONING TO OPERATIONAL INDEPENDENCE AND THEN INCREASING OUR FUNDRAISING FOR THE FOLLOWING TWO YEARS SO WE'RE THRIVING. AND THEN AFTER 2030, WE'RE REALLY LOOKING ON THESE BIG PARTNERSHIP PROJECTS AND SUPPORTING YOU ALL IN YOUR PRIORITIES.

BRIAN O'NEILL WAS THE FORMER NATIONAL PARK SERVICE SUPERINTENDENT AND CREATED THESE PARTNERSHIP SUCCESS FACTORS. AND I REALLY APPRECIATE MAX EMBODYING THESE AND ALMOST TEACHING ME ABOUT HOW THIS SHOULD LOOK FROM HIS EXPERIENCE WITH ONETAM. AND I WOULDN'T READ ALL OF THEM, BUT I JUST THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT PARTNERSHIP IS A CULTURE. AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD HERE. AND IT'S VERY CLEAR THAT WE'RE MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION. AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY HOW THE FOUNDATION CAN BEST BE LEVERAGED.

AND THEN, I ALSO REALLY LIKE THIS EXAMPLE THAT JOSE SHOWED ME FROM PARKS, CALIFORNIA, WHERE WE TALK ABOUT CREATING THE CULTURE OF PARTNERSHIP WITH THOSE SUCCESS FACTORS. WE ARE CAPABLE OF DOING EXPERIMENTATION AND TESTING BOUNDARIES, EMPOWERING US AS AN EXTENSION OF THE AGENCY. RESOURCES ARE ALWAYS SCARCE, AND SO HOW CAN THE FOUNDATION BE LEVERAGED? AND THEN FOCUSING, SO PICKING THOSE, LIKE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, PICKING THOSE KEY PROJECTS THAT THE FOUNDATION CAN FOCUS ON SO WE'RE NOT SPREAD THIN AND WE CAN REALLY CREATE IMPACT IN SEVERAL AREAS. AND SO WITH THAT, THE EAST BAY DESERVES AN EFFECTIVE AND HIGHLY CAPABLE PARK PARTNER TO ENSURE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO OUR REGIONAL PARKS FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.

AND I WOULD LOVE TO INVITE UP OUR BOARD PRESIDENT, HOLLY, TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT OR JUST MAYBE ADD SOME COMMENTS.

[01:00:05]

IT'S BEEN A LONG SLOG TO GET HERE AND TWO YEARS OF HARD WORK TO REACH THE POINT WHERE WE CAN SEE WHAT THE FUTURE MIGHT HOLD.

BUT NOW THE REAL WORK BEGINS.

WE'RE REALLY AT THE STARTING LINE AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT THIS PARTNERSHIP CAN BRING TO THE PARKS THAT WE ALL LOVE.

SO, KATIE, DO YOU WANT TO DO QUESTIONS OR DO YOU WANT TO DO THE ACTION ITEM? IT'S QUICK. I'LL JUST STATE IT AND THEN WE CAN MOVE FORWARD.

SO THE STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS REVIEW AND ACCEPT THE 2025 DONATIONS BY THE REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION.

OKAY, GREAT, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND SEE IF ANY BOARD MEMBERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS TO ASK ABOUT THIS ACTION ITEM. GO AHEAD, DIRECTOR COFFEY.

WHAT EXACTLY IS THE STATUS OF THE MOU? MAYBE I CAN SHARE THAT. I'M GLAD IT'S FUNNY. WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON DRAFTS AND WITH COUNCIL TO REVIEW DRAFTS, AND ANTICIPATE BRINGING THAT TO YOUR BOARD IN THE NOT-TOO-DISTANT FUTURE.

SO WE'RE JUST FINALIZING AN UPDATE TO THE MOU.

CAN I MAKE A RECOMMENDATION THAT IT NOT COME TO THE BOARD FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A BOARD PACKET, THAT WE GET A CHANCE TO INDIVIDUALLY REVIEW IT AND SHARE ANY COMMENTS BEFORE IT GETS TO US AS A DONE DEAL TO APPROVE? SOUNDS GOOD.

IT JUST DOESN'T MATTER A PROCESS. I WANTED TO TELL YOU HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE ALL THE PROGRAMS, BUT THE ONES THAT REALLY HAVE HELPED IN MY WARD ARE THE YOUTH AQUATICS PROGRAMS THAT PETE HAS BEEN DOING.

THEY'VE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL AND VERY WELL RECEIVED. EAST CONTRA COSTA, I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR THAT, AND DOING A LOT OF TABLING FOR THE PARK DISTRICT. THE NUMBER ONE ITEM AT OUR TABLES THAT ARE NUMBER ONE IN DEMAND ARE THE TRAILS CHALLENGE BOOKLETS. PEOPLE REALLY ENJOY THEM, THEY LOOK FORWARD TO THEM, AND I DON'T THINK WE CAN MAKE ENOUGH OF THEM. SO, I APPRECIATE THAT WORK TOO.

GREAT, THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? JOHN, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.

SO WE'LL THEN OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. MARILYN LANGLOIS. MARILYN, PUBLIC COMMENT.

SORRY, THANK YOU.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MARILYN LANGLOIS.

IN ADDITION TO BEING A FREQUENT USER OF EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT FACILITIES, I'M A MEMBER OF AND DONOR TO THE REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION AND AN ANNUAL PARTICIPANT IN THE TRAILS CHALLENGE.

IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM.

SO THANK YOU TO THE DISTRICT AND TO THE FOUNDATION FOR YOUR FRUITFUL COLLABORATION.

AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THE REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION SOLICITS AND ACCEPTS DONATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC TO SUPPORT THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT AS A WHOLE.

AS MENTIONED IN THE AGENDA PACKET FOR THIS ITEM, THE PARK DISTRICT THEN DIRECTS FUNDING REQUESTS FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES TO THE PARKS FOUNDATION, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND.

HOW THEN CAN IT BE THAT TWO WEALTHY INDIVIDUALS COULD MAKE A BACKROOM DEAL, EVEN A TENTATIVE ONE, WHEREBY THE DISTRICT, VIA THE FOUNDATION, WOULD ACCEPT A $1 MILLION DONATION FROM THEM FOR A SPECIFIC PROJECT AT A SPECIFIC SITE IF THE PARK DISTRICT PAYS FOR THE EIR, APPROVES THE PROJECT, AND COMMITS TO CONSTRUCTING IT? ISN'T THAT COMPLETELY BACKWARDS AND ANTI-DEMOCRATIC? WE IN THE GENERAL PUBLIC DEPEND ON YOU, OUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES, TO ACT RESPONSIBLY IN HAVING AN OPEN AND TRANSPARENT PROCESS TO CONSIDER WHETHER TO IMPLEMENT SUCH A PROJECT, AND IF SO, TO DETERMINE THE MOST APPROPRIATE SITE FOR IT BEFORE COMMITTING SIGNIFICANT

[01:05:03]

THE PRESENTATION WE JUST SAW INCLUDED A LIST OF STRATEGIES FOR EFFECTIVE PARTNERSHIPS, AND ONE WAS MAINTAIN AN ENVIRONMENT OF TRUST.

HENCE, I HOPE YOU WILL RESTART THE PROCESS ON THE BIKE FLOW TRAIL ISSUE AND GET IT RIGHT THIS TIME. THANK YOU, NORM LAFORSE.

NORMAN LAFORSE, I SPEAK ON BEHALF OF SPRAWLDEF AND MYSELF IN REGARD TO THE SECOND ISSUE OF CREDIBILITY THAT DEALS WITH THESE DONATIONS. THE SECOND ISSUE IS WHAT HAS BEEN REVEALED IN THE INTERNAL EMAILS AND REPORTED IN BERKELEYSIDE AND THE EAST BAY EXPRESS ABOUT TWO WEALTHY DONORS OFFERING THE PARK DISTRICT 1 MILLION DOLLARS FOR CONSTRUCTING THE WILDCAT FLOW TRAIL IN THE NATURAL AREA OF WILDCAT PARK. THIS DONATION WAS CONTINGENT ON THE PARK DISTRICT CONSTRUCTING THE TRAIL, WHICH REQUIRED APPROVAL OF THE TRAIL AND CERTIFICATION OF THE EIR.

THE PROPOSED DONOR AGREEMENT IN 2021 SPECIFICALLY STATED, QUOTE, NO PAYMENT SHALL BE MADE UNTIL THE PARK DISTRICT APPROVES THE PROJECT AND ANY REQUIRED ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCESS HAS BEEN CONCLUDED AND APPROVED. IN 2023, SIERRA CLUB, GOLDEN GATE BIRD ALLIANCE, CNPS, AND SPRAWLDEF SENT A LETTER TO THE PARK DISTRICT ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT IT. WE NEVER RECEIVED ANY FORMAL RESPONSE FROM THE PARK DISTRICT. THE CORRESPONDENCE WENT INTO A BLACK HOLE.

NOW, HOWEVER, IN THE FAQ ABOUT THIS DONATION AT THE PARK DISTRICT WEBSITE, THE PARK DISTRICT CLAIMS THAT, QUOTE, NO AGREEMENT HAS BEEN FINALIZED AND NO FUNDING HAS BEEN ACCEPTED. THE WORD "FINALIZED" IS KEY SINCE IT IMPLIES THERE IS A TENTATIVE AGREEMENT. SO, WHAT CONDITIONS HAVE BEEN MADE? WHAT ARE THE ONES THAT ARE PROPOSED IN THE AGREEMENT? WHAT DISCUSSIONS HAVE GONE ON SINCE THEN? THE PUBLIC DESERVES ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DONATION.

ABSENT A FULL AND COMPLETE DISCLOSURE OF THESE DISCUSSIONS AND PROPOSED AGREEMENTS, WHAT APPEARS TO THE PUBLIC IS THAT TWO WEALTHY DONORS ARE BUYING ACCESS TO PUBLIC PARKLAND IN THE NATURAL AREA OF WILDCAT FOR THEIR SPECIAL PROJECT, AND THE PARK DISTRICT IS SPENDING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR THEM. THE CREDIBILITY OF THE PARK DISTRICT IS AT STAKE, AND THE PARK DISTRICT WILL LOSE WHAT REMAINS OF TRUST THE VOTERS HAVE IN IT TO DO THE RIGHT THING IF IT GOES FORWARD WITH THIS PROJECT.

TO REMEDY THIS SITUATION, THE PARK DISTRICT REALLY SHOULD ANNOUNCE THAT IT WILL NOT GO FORWARD WITH THIS FLOW TRAIL IN THE LOCATION OF THE NATURAL AREA WILDCAT PARK, BUT WORK WITH ALL INTERESTED PARTIES IN AN OPEN, TRANSPARENT PROCESS ON FINDING AN APPROPRIATE LOCATION. I'M COMMITTED TO DOING THAT.

BUT GOING FORWARD WITH THIS PROJECT IN WILDCAT CANYON PARK IS A PRESCRIPTION FOR DISASTER FOR THE PARK DISTRICT'S CREDIBILITY IN ANY FUTURE TAX MEASURE BECAUSE WHAT THE PUBLIC WILL SEE ARE WEALTHY DONORS BUYING SPECIAL ACCESS TO OUR PUBLIC PARKS.

SALLY TOBIN, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.

THANK YOU. SALLY TOBIN, FRIENDS OF WILDCAT CANYON PARK, AND I'M ALSO SPEAKING AS A BIOETHICIST PRIOR TO MY RETIREMENT. AND SO IT SEEMS TO ME THAT ONE THING THAT THE DISTRICT HAS NOT BEEN TOTALLY ALERT TO IS THE POSSIBLE CONFLICT OF INTEREST INVOLVED IN THIS 1 MILLION DOLLAR DONATION. THE DONATION WOULD BENEFIT ONE SPECIFIC USER GROUP, WHICH IS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST. THE DONATION MENTIONS A SPECIFIC LOCATION THAT MUST BE UTILIZED, APPARENTLY, IN ORDER FOR THE DONATION TO BE RECEIVED, AND THE DONATION IS CONDITIONAL ON ENVIRONMENTAL APPROVAL.

AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND THOSE KINDS OF SPECIFIC LIMITATIONS ON THE USE OF A DONATION TO THE PARKS FOUNDATION, AND THAT THAT SHOULD TRIGGER SOME KIND OF INVESTIGATION INTO THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST.

AND THIS IS REALLY WHAT I TAUGHT AT STANFORD IN THE RESEARCH COURSE THAT WAS REQUIRED. MEDICAL STUDENTS AND GRADUATE STUDENTS WAS

[01:10:02]

SO, ALL PUBLIC COMMENT? GREAT. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO PROVIDED PUBLIC COMMENT. WE WILL NOW BRING THIS BACK TO THE BOARD FOR ANY FINAL COMMENTS. WE'RE ALSO LOOKING TO TAKE ACTION AND TO CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION THAT YOU'LL FIND ON PAGE 116 IN THE AGENDA PACKET. ANY COMMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? GO AHEAD, DIRECTOR DESCHAMBAULT, THEN DIRECTOR ESPAÑA.

I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR WORKING WITH DONORS TO SECURE THE 2.86 MILLION DOLLARS CAPITAL FUNDING FOR THE TIDEWATER DAY USE AREA AT MLK JUNIOR REGIONAL SHORELINE. THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO CLOSING A SIGNIFICANT GAP TO MAKE THIS POSSIBLE, BUT I THINK WHAT'S GREATER THAN THAT FUNDING, THERE'S ALSO THAT COMMITMENT FROM THE FOUNDATION TO WORK WITH THE PARK AND TO PROVIDE MEANINGFUL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TO INCREASE ACCESS FOR A COMMUNITY THAT HAS BEEN HISTORICALLY REDLINED, AND AS FAR AS OPENING UP THAT AREA TO THE COMMUNITY IN A WAY THAT IS SIGNIFICANT AND THAT IS GOING TO INCREASE THAT ACCESS FOR ALL. SO, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR TEAM'S WORK ON THIS.

I HAVE A COMMENT. DO YOU HAVE A COMMENT ALSO, DIRECTOR DESCHAMBAULT? YES. OKAY.

SO DIRECTOR DESCHAMBAULT, GO AHEAD WITH YOUR COMMENT AND THEN DIRECTOR ECHOLS.

YEAH, JUST I DEFINITELY DITTO ON TIDEWATER AND SO MANY OTHER PROJECTS.

I'M INTERESTED IN THE EAST BAY STEWARDSHIP NETWORK.

I HEARD A LOT OF PEOPLE REALLY ENJOYED THAT 2025 SPEAKER SERIES.

SO I GUESS THAT'S A QUESTION.

AND THEN THE SECOND QUESTION, LET'S SEE, I'M REALLY HAPPY THAT IT WAS IN SPANISH FOR OUR TRAILS CHALLENGE THIS YEAR.

CAN WE GET IT MAYBE IN MANDARIN? ALSO, I REPRESENT A VERY LARGE COMMUNITY IN OAKLAND, AND I KNOW WE KEEP TRYING TO REACH OUT TO THAT GROUP.

SO THOSE ARE MY TWO QUESTIONS.

SO THE SECOND QUESTION, THAT'S A GREAT SUGGESTION, AND I'LL BRING IT FORWARD AND FIND OUT MORE.

I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT THAT POSSIBILITY, BUT IT SEEMS POSSIBLE.

THE FIRST QUESTION, CAN YOU REMIND ME, PLEASE? SPEAKER SERIES.

OH, YES.

OKAY, SO WE DID A WILD WITHIN REACH STEWARDSHIP SPEAKER SERIES.

AGAIN, COMING FROM THIS STUDY THAT WE DID FOR OUR MEMBERS, FINDING OUT THAT THEY CARED.

SO WE WERE REALLY FOCUSED ON YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, AND WE FOUND OUT OUR MEMBERS REALLY ALSO CARED ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.

AND SO WE DID A WILD WITHIN REACH FOUR WEEKS IN A ROW. WE HAD DIFFERENT SPEAKERS, SOME FROM IN THE DISTRICT STEWARDSHIP DEPARTMENT AND OUTSIDE THE DISTRICT, HAD DIFFERENT TOPICS LIKE COYOTES OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, AND IT WAS REALLY WELL ATTENDED. SO, AND IT ALSO GOES WITH THE FOUNDATION'S NEW PLAN OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND HAVING MORE CAPACITY TO DO THAT SORT OF THING. SO, I ALSO THINK THAT'S A REALLY GOOD REMINDER OF RUNNING THAT SERIES AGAIN THIS YEAR, YEAH. SO, THANK YOU. GREAT, AND THEN, UM, DIRECTOR ECHOLS, YEAH.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE REPORT. I LOVE IT WHEN YOU COME TO REPORT BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS, AT LEAST SO FAR, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN GOOD NEWS.

AND I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING ABOUT THE TRANSFORMATION.

AND, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE COME SO FAR SINCE WHEN I WAS WORKING WITH YOU IN 2024, BUT NOW IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY CLOSE TO BEING REALIZED. AND THIS IS REALLY NO SMALL THING TO GO TO, BECOME FINANCIALLY SELF-SUFFICIENT AND TO BE CAPABLE OF THE MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR FUNDRAISING THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. AND I PARTICULARLY LOVE THE GOAL OF BECOMING A POWERFUL CONVENER AND CONSTITUENCY BUILDER BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S IMPORTANT AS WELL. AND

[01:15:02]

I WOULD LOVE TO JUST TAKE A QUICK OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND TO THAT AND SAY, LIKE THE GOLDEN GATE FIELDS EXAMPLE AND THE DISTRICT AND THE FOUNDATION WORKING ON THAT WITH TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND, IS REALLY EXCITING, AND SO THAT WORK IS ALREADY UNDERWAY. SO AN EXAMPLE HERE IS THAT THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND IS LOOKING FOR BIG DOLLARS FOR THE ACQUISITION, AND THEN IS, WE'RE ABLE TO ADD VALUE TO THE PROCESS BY BEING ABLE TO COLLECT OR SUPPORT COMMUNITY DONATIONS TO THE PROJECT, AND SO IT'S A WAY FOR EVERYONE TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN SOMETHING THEY'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT. AND THE FOUNDATION SPECIALIZES IN LIKE A BROAD BASE AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. AND SO WE'RE ABLE TO SUPPORT TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND AS WELL, WHERE THEY'RE ONLY ABLE TO TAKE LARGE DONATIONS. THE FOUNDATION IS NOW PARTICIPATING IN GOLDEN GATE FIELDS AND ABLE TO TAKE SMALLER DONATIONS. SO WE'RE EXCITED.

GO FOR IT.

THIS MIGHT BE MORE APPROPRIATE FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, BUT SPEAKING OF THE NEED FOR WEALTHY DONORS, I'LL, WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO TO GET THE EEC PROJECT TO THE POINT WHERE IT CAN BE SUBJECT TO PHILANTHROPY? AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ALWAYS, INCLUDING SPECIFIC GROUPS OF WEALTHY DONORS THAT WE'VE HAD IN MIND FOR THAT PROJECT. I JUST, I HAVEN'T SEEN WHAT PROGRESS EXISTS TO DO THAT.

ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WITH THAT PROJECT IS THAT INITIALLY, I WASN'T HERE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE, THERE WAS A PROMISE THAT WAS MADE THAT THE FOUNDATION COULD RAISE LIKE ALL THE MONEY. AND I THINK WHEN I STARTED, MY ROLE STARTED BEING WORKING WITH LAUREN ON... THE, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE DIFFERENT THINGS WERE THAT THE FOUNDATION WAS WORKING ON. WE REALIZED THAT THIS WAS A REALLY BIG PROJECT AND THAT, AT LEAST IN ITS CURRENT STATE, THE FOUNDATION WAS NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO RAISE $30 MILLION FROM A CAMPAIGN BECAUSE THE FOUNDATION DIDN'T HAVE EXPERIENCE RAISING THAT KIND OF MONEY FOR A CAPITAL PROJECT, AND THAT WE NEEDED TO BUILD THAT MUSCLE OVER TIME. AND THAT'S THE WORK THAT LAUREN AND HOLLY AND THE WHOLE TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING ON IS MOVING THE FOUNDATION TO A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN TAKE ON THAT REALLY BIG LIFT. IT'S JUST RIGHT NOW, IF WE HAD SOME WAY TO MATCH FUNDS, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO START FUNDRAISING FOR LIKE A PORTION OF THE EEC, BUT RIGHT NOW WE DON'T HAVE, THERE, WE HAVEN'T IDENTIFIED ANY SOURCE. OTHER SOURCE OF POTENTIAL MATCHING FUNDS, BESIDES LIKE REALLOCATING MEASURE WW OR SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO AT THE DISTRICT, THERE'S NOT A GRANT PROGRAM FOR VISITOR CENTERS, FOR EXAMPLE. AND SO THAT'S BEEN A REAL CHALLENGE TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN MOVE THAT PROJECT FORWARD IN THE NEAR TERM.

IN THE LONG TERM, THIS WORK IS WHAT WILL BUILD OUR ABILITY TO MAKE THAT KIND OF LIFT IN THE FUTURE STRATEGICALLY.

ALL RIGHT, AND SO WE CAN CONTINUE THAT DISCUSSION. YOU KNOW, THE HOSPITALS I USED TO WORK FOR WOULD HIRE PROFESSIONAL FUNDRAISERS.

RIGHT, AND THAT'S WHAT LAUREN'S DOING RIGHT NOW. SO SHE JUST HIRED THE FIRST DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR IN THE HISTORY OF THE FOUNDATION, A PROFESSIONAL FUNDRAISER. AND SO THAT PERSON IS GOING TO HELP LIFT THIS WORK.

BUT UNTIL, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW WHEN HE STARTS.

THERE'S BEEN DIRECTORS OF DEVELOPMENT IN THE PAST BUT, AGAIN, FOCUSING ON AN ANNUAL FUND, COMMUNITY TYPE GIVING. SO YEAH, WE HAVEN'T, I MEAN I THINK THIS BOARD KNOWS WE HAVEN'T DONE A LARGE CAPITAL CAMPAIGN.

AND THEN SOMETHING THAT, THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT WILL BE REALLY IMPORTANT WHEN WE DO CAPITAL PROJECTS IS TO REDUCE THE TIMELINE OF THE PLANNING. BECAUSE LIKE FOR THE EEC, WHEN IT WAS ORIGINALLY CONCEIVED, IT WAS, IT WAS LIKE A FOURTH OF THE COST, I THINK, TOO, AND WHERE IT WAS KIND OF FEASIBLE. AND THEN THE LONGER IT TAKES TO DO THE STEPS OF THE PROJECT, THE MORE THAT THE CONSTRUCTION COSTS GO UP, AND THEN THAT WILL CREATE A LOT OF CHALLENGES. I THINK THAT ALREADY CREATES JUST GENERAL FUNDING CHALLENGES, BUT IT WILL CREATE CHALLENGES FOR THE FOUNDATION TOO. SO WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO SAY WE CAN RAISE THIS MUCH AND THEN GET THE PROJECT BUILT. SO I THINK THAT WILL BE SOMETHING TO WORK REALLY CLOSELY ON.

AND JUST ONE OTHER THING TO ADD, KIND OF THE BOARD'S

[01:20:03]

IN EXAMINING THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE CAPACITY OF THE FOUNDATION AS IT WAS, ONE OF THE GAPS WE SAW WAS A LACK OF CAPACITY TO BE ABLE TO DO THE KIND OF CAPITAL CAMPAIGNS THAT WE KNOW THE DISTRICT NEEDS NOW AND INTO THE FUTURE, AND THAT REALLY IS PART OF THAT TRANSFORMATION PROCESS.

SO THAT IS ONE OF OUR GOALS, TO BE ABLE TO BE YOUR CAPITAL CAMPAIGN PARTNER OVER TIME.

THANK YOU.

I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT WE'RE HIRING THE FIRST DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT EVER.

YES, WE HAVE HAD A DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT.

SORRY, MY BAD.

BEFORE MY TIME, YEAH.

IT'S HARD TO SAY OVER 56 YEARS ALL THE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED.

ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS? ANY INTEREST IN MAKING A MOTION? WE NEED A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE REPORT.

IT IS AN ACTION ITEM, YES.

AND THE RESOLUTION IS ON PAGE 116.

WHAT PAGE IS IT? 116.

AND IT'S...

I'LL MOVE APPROVAL OF THE...

SO, I'LL MOVE APPROVAL AND ACCEPTANCE OF THE 2025 DONATIONS BY THE REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION. DO YOU WANT A SECOND, COLIN? YES, SIR.

OKAY, SO THE MOTION TO REVIEW AND ACCEPT THE DONATIONS FROM THE REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION WAS MADE BY DIRECTOR DESCHAMBAULT AND SECONDED BY VICE PRESIDENT COFFEY. LET'S DO A ROLL CALL VOTE. DIRECTOR COFFEY, DIRECTOR DESCHAMBAULT, DIRECTOR ECHOLS, YES.

DIRECTOR ESPAÑA, AYE.

DIRECTOR MERCURIO, AYE.

DIRECTOR WAESPI, ALL RIGHT.

DIRECTOR SANWONG, YES. OKAY, AND SO THEN THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU SO MUCH, EVERYONE.

I'D LIKE TO PROPOSE A SHORT 10-MINUTE BREAK UNTIL 1433.

THANK YOU.

BEFORE WE GET STARTED, JOHN, WE WERE SPECULATING WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE BEEN DOING ON SCREEN WHEN WE SAW YOU OFF TO THE SIDE. I JUST THOUGHT I'D SHARE THAT WITH YOU, JOHN. I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT HAVE BEEN EATING. SOMEONE THOUGHT YOU MIGHT HAVE BEEN PETTING A DOG.

I THOUGHT IT WAS EAGLE BABIES, OR EAGLES. THEN WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT EAGLES. ALL RIGHT, SO THERE IS A CAT PRESENT HERE. A CAT? THAT'S PRETTY CLOSE TO THE DOG. VERY NICE KITTY CAT, HARD TO RESIST.

BEFORE WE GET STARTED, JOHN, WHAT'S THE CAT'S NAME? HOLLY.

HOLLY? YES. THAT'S AWESOME.

NO, WE'RE STARTING NOW, RIGHT? WE'RE NOT RECORDED YET.

OH, WE ARE RECORDING. SORRY, JOHN. I THOUGHT WE WEREN'T RECORDING. THIS WILL BE SAFE FOREVER. NOTHING TO BE ASHAMED OF. ALL RIGHT, GREAT.

OKAY, LET'S COME BACK. WE WILL NOW RESTART AFTER OUR BREAK AT 14:34, AND WE'RE NOW MOVING ON TO OUR NEXT ACTION ITEM J2.

WELL, MAYBE I'LL INTRODUCE THIS AND I'LL DAVID AND KATIE, BUT I'LL JUST SAY TO START WITH, YOU KNOW, THIS IS AN ITEM TO TALK ABOUT AND GET YOUR APPROVAL FOR KEY TECHNOLOGICAL INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S NEEDED FOR THE FACILITY ACROSS THE STREET. AND, YOU KNOW, I'LL SAY THAT AS WE ARE TAKING THE FINAL STEPS TO GET OUR TEAM READY TO MOVE IN THERE, WE'RE REALLY BEING CONSCIENTIOUS OF COST. I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THAT THIS HAS BEEN AN EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE PROJECT, AND WE REALLY WANT TO LIMIT ANY ADDITIONAL EXPENSES BECAUSE WE'RE IN A REALLY TIGHT FISCAL SITUATION GENERALLY FOR THE DISTRICT.

WE ASKED OUR REN AND HIS DECO TEAM, AND ALSO WORKING WITH DAVID AND OUR IS TEAM, TO TAKE A HARD LOOK AT WHAT WAS NEEDED HERE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE ONLY FUNDING THE NEED-TO-HAVE ITEMS TO MAKE THIS FACILITY OPERATIONAL AND NOT ANYTHING BEYOND THAT. AND SO I JUST WANT TO APPRECIATE DAVID AND HIS TEAM AND KATIE AND REN AS WELL AND HIS TEAM FOR TAKING A REALLY HARD LOOK AT THIS. AND THEN ALSO JUST SAY AS WELL, LIKE, YOU KNOW, THIS DOES REQUIRE PULLING FROM SOME FUNDS THAT WOULD BE KEPT FOR OTHER ITEMS LIKE THE HELICOPTER REPLACEMENT AND, YOU KNOW, OTHER POTENTIAL PROJECTS THAT COULD BE NEEDED.

AND SO, JUST APPRECIATE THAT WE'RE TRYING

[01:25:01]

HEY, GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD PRESIDENT SANWONG AND THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. DAVID RUSTING, CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER FOR THE PARK DISTRICT, AND I'M HERE TO PRESENT TODAY ON A AUTHORIZATION TO EXECUTE A SEPARATE CONTRACTS IN THE AMOUNT OF 2.5 MILLION DOLLARS WITH MULTIPLE VENDORS FOR TELECOMMUNICATION INFRASTRUCTURE, HARDWARE, SOFTWARE SERVICES AND SUPPORT, AND REALLOCATE FUNDS TO THE TELECOMMUNICATION INFRASTRUCTURE FOR PERALTA OAKS NORTH PROJECT.

SO, SOME BACKGROUND ON THIS. I THINK YOU'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH THE PERALTA OAKS NORTH BUILDING, ALSO KNOWN AS IPON.

THIS IS AROUND THE TELECOMMUNICATION INFRASTRUCTURE TO BASICALLY BRING THAT BUILDING ONLINE AND ACTIVE AND USABLE. SO, THIS INCLUDES TELECOMMUNICATION HARDWARE, SOFTWARE, AND IMPLEMENTATION SERVICES TO SUPPORT THE 1,300 CONNECTIONS, 90 WIRELESS ACCESS POINTS, AND 25 SERVERS THAT WILL BE HOUSED IN THAT FACILITY. THE FOOTPRINT OF PERALTA OAKS NORTH IS ABOUT 230% LARGER THAN THE CURRENT PUBLIC SAFETY SITE IN CASTRO VALLEY, AND IT'S ABOUT 130% LARGER THAN THIS BUILDING HERE IN PERALTA OAKS. SO, IT ALSO HAS A VERY COMPLEX DESIGN AND REQUIRES DIFFERENT, EXTRA ENGINEERING FOR THE HARDWARE THAT GOES IN THERE FOR THE RESILIENCE FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY OPERATIONS THAT RUN 24-7. THE PARK DISTRICT CURRENTLY HAS CONTRACTS WITH ESTABLISHED VENDORS THAT PROVIDE TELECOMMUNICATION INFRASTRUCTURE TO US.

MGT, HELIUM TECHNOLOGIES, SHI, AND NWN.

WE HAVE PREVIOUSLY PRESENTED THESE TO THE BOARD, AND WE USE THIS AS WE DO PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT FOR CONNECTIVITY AND OTHER IT SERVICES.

WE WANT TO ESTABLISH SEPARATE AGREEMENTS SPECIFIC TO IPON PROJECT, SO WE CAN HAVE CLEAR TRACKING OF THESE CAPITAL COSTS.

THAT THE DISTRICT IS USING AND KIND OF SEPARATING THAT FROM THE ONGOING OPERATING EXPENSES THAT WE HAVE WITH VENDORS.

SO EACH YEAR I COME TO THE BOARD AND I PRESENT TO EXPAND THE CONTRACT ALLOWANCE WITH THESE VENDORS SPECIFIC TO THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING EACH AND EVERY YEAR.

THIS IS A SPECIFIC SET OF CONTRACTS THAT'S DIRECTLY SPECIFIC FOR THE I-PON PROJECT.

ALL THESE VENDORS PROVIDE THEIR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES THROUGH COMPETITIVELY BID COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.

SO I KNOW IT'S A LITTLE SMALL ON THE SCREEN THERE, BUT THE BREAKDOWN OF THESE CATEGORIES FROM THE VENDORS, OF THE FOUR OF THEM FOR MGT, WHICH IS PRIMARILY NETWORKING INFRASTRUCTURE, IS ABOUT $1.75 MILLION IN HARDWARE AND LICENSES AND ABOUT $200,000 IN IMPLEMENTATION SERVICES.

FOR HELIANT TECHNOLOGIES, THIS IS PRIMARILY AROUND SERVERS.

IT'S $225,000 IN HARDWARE AND LICENSING AND $25,000 IN IMPLEMENTATION SERVICES.

FOR SHI.

ABOUT $200,000, WE ESTIMATE THAT TO BE $150,000 IN HARDWARE AND ABOUT $50,000 IN SOFTWARE.

AND FOR NWN, WHICH IS A RESELLER SIMILAR TO SHI, $75,000 IN HARDWARE AND $25,000 IN TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES.

SO THE TOTAL CONTRACT VALUE WOULD BE $2.5 MILLION.

THERE WOULD BE FOUR SEPARATE CONTRACTS EXECUTED, ONE WITH EACH VENDOR.

WE'RE USING MULTIPLE VENDORS AND COMPETITIVE CONTRACTS.

THIS WAY, THE PARK DISTRICT CAN OPTIMIZE THE PRODUCT SOURCING AND IMPLEMENTATION SERVICES FOR THE PROJECT BASED ON BOTH FINANCIAL AND EXECUTION CRITERIA.

SO WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET THINGS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, AS WELL AS ALSO GET THEM PUT IN PROPERLY AND EFFECTIVELY.

SO THE RECOMMENDATION AND REQUEST IS THAT WE TRANSFER FUNDS OF $900 MILLION.

$89,139 OF MAJOR EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT FUND FROM THE REPLACE EAGLE 7 WITH EAGLE 9 PROJECT, $999,400 FROM THE GENERAL FUND FROM THE COMPUTER NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT, AND $511,461 OF THE GENERAL FUND TO BE TRANSFERRED FROM THE REPLACE VOIP OR VOICE OVER IP TELEPHONY PROJECT TO THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE FOR PERALTA OAKS NORTH PROJECT.

WE'RE RECOMMENDING TO AWARD AND EXECUTE UP TO FOUR ONE-YEAR GENERAL SERVICES CONTRACTS WITH MGT IN THE AMOUNT OF $1.95 MILLION, HELIUM TECHNOLOGIES IN THE AMOUNT OF $250,000, SHI IN THE AMOUNT OF $200,000, AND NWN IN THE AMOUNT OF $100,000.

THE GENERAL MANAGER RECOMMENDING THAT TO FURTHER EXECUTE FUTURE CONTRACT AMENDMENTS WITH MGT, HELIUM, SHI, AND NWN.

PROVIDED THE NET AGGREGATE AMENDMENTS DOES NOT EXCEED 15% OF THE TOTAL CONTRACT PRICE WITH EACH.

[01:30:04]

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ALL RIGHT, BOARD MEMBERS, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM? NOW IS A GOOD TIME TO ASK THE QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD.

I HAVE A QUESTION I'LL START OFF WITH.

SO I'M LOOKING AT...

IT'S PAGE 157 IN OUR PACKET.

IT WAS THE SLIDE, I THINK THE SECOND TO LAST SLIDE. SO, IF WE JUST GO BACK ONE SLIDE WHERE YOU TALK ABOUT THE TRANSFER OF FUNDS. AND I'M LOOKING SPECIFICALLY AT THE COMPUTER NETWORK FUND, THE $999,000, AND THEN THE $511,000 FROM THE REPLACE VOIP PROJECT. SO, THESE ARE FUNDS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN APPROVED BY THE BOARD IN PREVIOUS BUDGETS. AND IN THEORY, I GUESS THIS IS MORE OF A THEORETICAL QUESTION, IN THEORY THESE FUNDS WOULD HAVE COVERED THIS TYPE OF PROJECT, AND WHAT WE'RE BEING ASKED TO DO TODAY IS KIND OF CREATE A SEPARATE PROJECT FOR TRACKING PURPOSES.

AFTERNOON, DIRECTORS. KATIE DIGNAN IS ACTING CFO.

TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, DIRECTOR SANWONG, SO THOSE TWO PROJECTS ARE SET UP AS BASE BUDGET PROJECTS, AND ANNUALLY WE HAVE APPROPRIATIONS THAT GO TO SUPPORT REPLACING OUR COMPUTER INFRASTRUCTURE AND OUR VOICE OVER IP PHONE NETWORK.

AND SO WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING, BECAUSE WE'RE IN THIS BUDGET SITUATION WE ARE, IS TAKING THE FUNDS OUT OF THOSE, YOU KNOW, REGULARLY FUNDED PROJECTS, MOVING IT TO FUND IPON. SO THAT'S JUST KIND OF, YOU KNOW, MOVING IT FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER.

WE'RE STILL GOING TO, AS NEEDS PROGRESS, WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO ADD FUNDING TO THOSE PROJECTS. BUT THOSE FUNDS COULD HAVE BEEN USED FOR IPON, BUT IT WAS. NOW WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS WE'RE TRYING TO PUT ALL OF THE FUNDING AND ALL OF THE CONTRACTS ASSOCIATED WITH IPON INTO ONE PROJECT. SO WHEN YOU ASK FOR REPORTS ON HOW MUCH WE SPENT ON IPON, WE CAN GIVE YOU ACCURATE NUMBERS AND DATA AND BY WHICH CATEGORIES THOSE FUNDS WERE SPENT.

THAT'S HELPFUL. MY NEXT QUESTION IS, WE HAVE SOME PERCENTAGE OF FUNDING FOR THE CURRENT PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING IN CASTRO VALLEY. DO WE HAVE A SENSE OF WHAT, LIKE, THOSE COSTS ARE PART OF THESE, YOU KNOW, COMPILED OR AGGREGATE COSTS HERE? SO, DO WE HAVE ANY OF THOSE COSTS SEPARATED OUT, IF THAT MAKES SENSE? SO, LIKE, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT $2.5 MILLION FOR ONE YEAR, IS THAT WHAT I SAW? YOU KNOW, A PERCENTAGE OF THAT WOULD BE WHAT WE ALREADY ARE PAYING EACH YEAR AT CASTRO VALLEY.

SO, THESE ARE ONE-TIME CAPITAL EXPENSES. SO, THIS IS FOR NEW SOFTWARE AND SERVICES AND HARDWARE. AND DAVID CAN GO INTO MORE DETAILS ON THAT BECAUSE THAT'S MORE OF THE IT SIDE. SO, THAT'S THAT'S IN A DIFFERENT, THAT'S IN THE OPERATING BUDGET. WHAT YOU'RE THINKING OF, LIKE WHAT'S SUPPORTING THE NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE AND OUR SOFTWARE AND JUST REGULAR IT SERVICES THAT WE HAVE GOING ON IN CASTRO VALLEY, THAT'S PART OF THE OPERATING BUDGET RIGHT NOW, NOT THE PROJECT BUDGET. THE PROJECT BUDGET IS ESTABLISHED JUST FOR NEW THINGS THAT WE'RE NEEDING TO REPAIR, REPLACE, OR ADD.

BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE GOING TO BE DISCONTINUING SOME OF THE HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE AND SERVICES AT CASTRO VALLEY ONCE WE MOVE TO PERALTA OAKS NORTH. SO, THERE MUST BE SOME COST SAVINGS TO THAT DISCONTINUATION OF WHAT WE HAVE AT THE CASTRO VALLEY FACILITY.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE LOOKED AT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THERE'S AN IDEA, CAN WE MOVE SOME OF THOSE THINGS OVER? AND DAVID CAN SPEAK TO IT MUCH MORE ELOQUENTLY THAN I CAN. BUT THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE INVESTIGATED. YOU KNOW, I THINK ONE OF OUR INTENTIONS AROUND THE CASTRO VALLEY FACILITY IS THAT IT CAN BE REUSED BY STAFF IN ANOTHER WAY. SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT FACILITY ALSO IS POTENTIALLY USABLE FOR STAFF.

AND I THINK THERE'S MONEY THAT WAS ALLOCATED THROUGH THE BUDGET OR ANOTHER ACTION TO PLAN, YOU KNOW, HOW WE COULD UTILIZE THAT FOR MAST OR OTHER STAFF TO HAVE BETTER WORKSPACE.

THAT'S CORRECT. THERE'S A SEPARATE PROJECT FOR REPURPOSING THE PUBLIC SAFETY HEADQUARTERS FOR FUTURE USE. I BELIEVE THERE'S $200,000 THAT WAS ALLOCATED IN THE PAST FOR THAT PROJECT. SO, WE'RE UNDERGOING PLANNING EFFORTS AT THIS STAGE.

AND I KNOW YOU WEREN'T HERE, I THINK, IN 2024 WHEN WE APPROVED PERALTA OAKS NORTH. IS THAT CORRECT? I WAS HERE.

OH, YOU WERE HERE. OKAY. SO, DO YOU REMEMBER IF THESE CAPITAL COSTS WERE BEING DISCUSSED AS PART OF THAT PROJECT, YOU KNOW, FOR TECHNOLOGY AND INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE TECHNOLOGY? BECAUSE I KNOW I FEEL LIKE I HAD ASKED A QUESTION

[01:35:01]

WHILE I WAS HERE, I WASN'T PRESENTING ON THAT ITEM, AND SO I'M NOT SURE, BUT I... DAVID WAS HERE AS WELL, AND SO I THINK HE CAN SPEAK TO. I THINK A LOT OF THIS IS THERE WERE SOME ASSUMPTIONS THAT WERE MADE ON WHAT WE COULD MOVE FROM THE OTHER BUILDING INTO THIS BUILDING, AND THEN ALSO, LIKE, WHAT THE NEEDS ARE. AND AFTER WE'VE DONE A MUCH DEEPER DIVE INTO WHAT'S REQUIRED, THAT'S HOW WE'VE NOW COME INTO THIS NUMBER. AND I THINK ANOTHER THING TO APPRECIATE IS WITH THE INCREASES, THE ISSUES IN THE ECONOMY, LIKE, WE'RE JUST SEEING THINGS ARE A HIGHER PRICE THAN WHAT WE HAD ORIGINALLY ANTICIPATED. AND SO, SOME OF THE, LIKE, WIRELESS CONNECTIONS, DAVID CAN SPEAK TO THIS, WAS PUT IN THE CONSTRUCTION BID, BUT, LIKE, WHAT WAS SPEC'D OUT IS NOT WHAT WE NEED.

WE NEED SOMETHING OF MUCH HIGHER CAPACITY AND QUALITY.

AND SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE HAVING TO ADD THESE ADDITIONAL ITEMS. OKAY, GREAT.

THANK YOU.

THOSE ARE MY QUESTIONS.

ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBER QUESTIONS? I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBER QUESTIONS.

SO WE'LL DO A MOMENT TO OPEN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.

LET'S SEE IF WE HAVE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.

NO PUBLIC COMMENT.

OKAY, SO THEN WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD FOR COMMENTS AND OR CONSIDERATION OF A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION THAT'S ON PAGE 152 IN OUR PACKETS.

WELL, I DEFINITELY WANT TO THANK STAFF FOR THE TIGHTENING OF THE BELTS, THE TRADEOFF.

THIS HAS BEEN A PAINFUL, SLOW PROCESS WITH SURPRISES AND THINGS ALONG THE WAY.

SOME OF THIS IS NEW TO ME BECAUSE IT'S HAPPENED BEFORE THE TIME.

SOME OF IT I'M QUITE HONESTLY CONFUSED.

WE'VE APPROVED OTHER THINGS FROM A HELICOPTER FUND BEFORE IN TRADE-OFFS, AND YOU KNOW HOW THIS IS STILL WITHIN THE BUDGET.

WE HAD THE ISSUE WITH TOWERS WE WEREN'T EXPECTING AND SOFTWARE AND DISPATCH. AND SO, I MEAN, AT SOME POINT I REALLY FEEL MAYBE IT WILL COME IN THE OPERATIONS, BUT I DON'T HAVE IN FRONT OF ME A CHART THAT I REALLY FEEL I UNDERSTAND AND ALL THE BUCKETS AND THE PROJECT AND WHAT DID THIS BILLION, YOU KNOW, 100 MILLION DOLLAR BUILDING COME FROM AND WHICH BUDGETS? AND I'M NOT GOING TO VOTE NO TODAY. I MEAN, WE'VE GOT TO GET THIS BUILDING GOING.

IT'S ONE OF THESE THINGS WHERE THE HORSE HAS LEFT THE BARN AND, YOU KNOW, WE GOT TO, WE GOT TO GET IT RUNNING.

OTHERWISE WE'RE LOSING MONEY EVERY DAY, SO IT HAS TO GO FORWARD. BUT UM, I DON'T KNOW, IT'S SORT OF A CONDITIONAL YES FOR ME. I JUST DON'T KNOW WHEN WE'RE GOING TO GET A REAL OVERVIEW OR CHART OF THE PROJECT. IT'S KIND OF, MAYBE, TO MAX, NOT, BUT A REAL UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WE'VE APPROVED AND WHAT THIS ENDED UP COSTING US.

AND WHAT I'M CONFUSED, TOO, IS THE O&M GOING FORWARD. THAT WAS THE FIRST I ACTUALLY HEARD ABOUT CASTRO VALLEY WOULD BE CONTINUING AS AN OPERATING FACILITY, SO SOME OF THAT, TOO, I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE TRADEOFFS. AND IN THE SAME TIME, SOME THINGS HAVE CHANGED.

WE'RE NOW ALLOWING EMPLOYEES TO TELEWORK. ARE PEOPLE REALLY GOING TO USE SOME OF THESE SPACES? AND PERALTA NORTH, IS IT WHAT THEY ENVISIONED IT TO BE? I DON'T KNOW, I JUST, I REALLY APPRECIATE, I MEAN, I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THIS. I SUPPORT STAFF. WE'RE ALL IN A TOUGH BIND. YOU KNOW, I HEAR WHAT STAFF IS WILLING TO DO. IT SAYS, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THINGS ARE GOING TO BE PUT ON HOLD. THE URGENT BREAK-FIX WORK MAY BE DELAYED.

STAFF RESOURCES ARE ANTICIPATED TO NOT HAVE THE SAME BANDWIDTH.

I MEAN, IT SOUNDS LIKE I REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT THIS IS IN FRONT OF US. I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE THE AMOUNT OF TIME AND EFFORT IT TOOK YOU TO TRY TO MAKE THIS WORK, SQUISH IT IN.

SO I KNOW THAT'S JUST A GENERAL COMMENT AND MAYBE A REQUEST FOR SOME KIND OF WRAP-UP AT SOME POINT SO I CAN GET MY HANDS AROUND WHAT WE, WHAT WE HAVE, AND THE O&M OF IT IS IMPORTANT TO ME. HOW ARE WE GOING TO MAINTAIN THIS LIKE THE NEXT FIVE YEARS? THESE EXPENSES, THESE AREN'T SMALL DOLLARS THAT WE'RE APPROVING, 2.5 MILLION HERE AND 3.5 MILLION THERE, AND IT'S BEEN COMING AT US FOR A FEW MONTHS, SO. I TRUST STAFF. I TRUST WE NEED THIS. I WANT THIS NEW BUILDING AS MUCH AS ANYBODY TO GET UP AND RUNNING SO WE CAN PUT THIS BEHIND US.

I THINK THIS ITEM IS, LIKE, I THINK PART OF HOW WE'RE CONSTRUCTING THIS, WE'RE TRYING TO BE VERY HONEST, RIGHT, OF SORT OF THOSE TRADEOFFS.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS I KNOW THAT KATIE IS TRYING TO DO IS SHOW ALL OF THE FUNDS THAT ARE GOING INTO THE BUILDING AND THE PROJECT IN A REALLY TRANSPARENT WAY, RIGHT, TO SAY, HEY, ALL OF THESE ARE ADDITIONAL COSTS.

AND SO ONE THING THAT WE CAN, I HEAR, AND WE CAN DO IS SORT OF TAKE A LITTLE BIT, AS WE'RE GETTING NEAR THE END OF THIS PROJECT, HOPEFULLY SOON, WE CAN TAKE A LOOK BACK AND KIND OF HAVE AN AFTER-ACTION DEBRIEF MAYBE WITH YOUR BOARD OF SORT OF

[01:40:01]

I'LL SAY WITH THE OVERALL STAFFING AND, YOU KNOW, FOR SURE IT'S HAVING STAFF BE ABLE TO WORK REMOTELY HAS HELPED WITH OUR PARKING SITUATION HERE AND OTHER THINGS THAT WERE CHALLENGING, AND I THINK IT'S GOOD FOR OUR STAFF OVERALL. YOU KNOW, ONE THING THAT KATIE HAS WORKED ON IS TRYING TO ASSESS ALL OF OUR FACILITIES ACROSS STAFF FACILITIES ACROSS THE DISTRICT. AND I'LL JUST SAY THAT, LIKE, YOU KNOW, THIS BUILDING IS WONDERFUL. I LOVE IT. THIS BUILDING ACROSS THE STREET IS BEAUTIFUL. I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE OUTSTANDING. THERE ARE LIKE SHEDS THAT TURN INTO GARAGES THAT NOW HAVE A COUPLE OF DESKS IN THEM THAT PEOPLE ARE OPERATING OUT OF. AND IF WE CAN GIVE OUR TEAM BETTER FACILITIES TO OPERATE OUT OF, THAT WOULD BE A HUGE BENEFIT.

AND THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR TEAMS ARE, THEY'RE RANGERS, THEY'RE PARK SERVICE WORKERS, THEY'RE USED TO MAKE AND DO WITH TOUGH SITUATIONS, BUT WE WANT TO TREAT THEM AS WELL AS WE CAN. SO THAT'S, WE'RE JUST ASSESSING, RIGHT NOW WE'RE JUST ASSESSING THAT SITE TO FIGURE OUT WHO WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO POTENTIALLY MOVE IN THERE IF IT MAKES SENSE. I THINK WE WANT TO LIKE HOLISTICALLY TAKE CARE OF OUR TEAM AS MUCH AS WE CAN.

YEAH, AND JUST TO ADD ON THE OPERATING BUDGET SIDE, AND I THINK AS WE GO INTO THE BOARD STUDY SESSIONS, WE'LL HAVE MORE DETAILS ON JUST THE COST. SO THIS YEAR'S BUDGET DID INCLUDE, LIKE, THE FOURTH QUARTER ESTIMATED EXPENSES FOR JANITORIAL SERVICES, FOR EXAMPLE, AND INCREASED IN UTILITIES. BUT LIKE, IT WAS JUST A PORTION OF THAT. SO THAT'S A COST THAT'S GOING TO BE NEEDED IN 2027. SO WE HAVE THOSE PROJECTIONS AND WE CAN SHARE THAT WITH THE BOARD. SO YOU DO GET A FULL PICTURE OF WHAT IT'S GOING TO COST TO OPERATE THAT BUILDING.

BALANCED OVERVIEW. I'M SURE IT'S, I FORGET IF IT'S GOLD LEED, THERE'LL BE MAYBE SOME ENERGY SAVINGS, THERE'LL BE SOME OPPORTUNITY HERE OR THERE TO REALLY LOOK AT THE ONGOING OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE.

BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK IN THESE DIFFICULT DECISION MAKING PROCESS. OH, ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS? UM, I'LL, I'LL JUST SHARE, YOU KNOW, I, I, YOU KNOW, THE, THE COMMENT WAS THAT THE, THE, THE HORSE OR THE CART LEFT THE BARN. I REMEMBER THAT WAS, THAT WAS A COMMENT THAT WAS MADE BACK IN SUMMER OF 2024 WHEN WE WERE APPROVING THIS PROJECT, AND, AND, AND I FELT SIMILARLY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, AT THE TIME THAT WE WERE BEING ASKED TO APPROVE THE FUNDING FOR THIS, I HAD NOT EVEN RECEIVED A PRESENTATION ABOUT THE PROJECT OR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS. AND MY POINT IN THAT REQUEST THAT I HAD TO MAKE THAT SUMMER WAS THAT, YOU KNOW, IF I HAVEN'T, THEN MAYBE, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT ALSO MIGHT HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS.

I JUST HAVE CONCERNS, YOU KNOW, IT FEELS LIKE THIS IS A REALLY, YOU KNOW, SIGNIFICANT PROJECT THAT HAS COST A LOT OF MONEY FOR THIS PARK DISTRICT.

AND I RECOGNIZE, YOU KNOW, AS AN ECONOMIST, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A THOUGHT OF, YOU KNOW, SUNK COSTS AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, WE GOT TO KEEP ON MOVING FORWARD WITH THE PROJECT.

BUT OUT OF PRINCIPLE, I'LL BE VOTING NO ON THIS TODAY JUST BECAUSE I HAVE CONSISTENTLY VOTED NO RELATED TO THIS PROJECT.

BUT I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE AND I APPRECIATE THE TRANSPARENCY AND I APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO CREATE THIS, YOU KNOW, SEPARATE TRACKING SO THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, BE ABLE TO DO A REVIEW OF THE PROJECT OVERALL AND BE ABLE TO COME TOGETHER AND LOOK AT THAT.

AND I JUST WANT TO SHARE THAT I NOTICED THAT AND I RECOGNIZE THAT.

AND WE ARE LOOKING FOR A MOTION FOR THE PROPOSED RESOLUTION ON PAGE 152.

WE DID, I THOUGHT WE JUST DID PUBLIC COMMENT.

NO PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT WE DID.

I'LL MOVE APPROVAL.

OKAY, VICE PRESIDENT COFFEY HAS MADE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.

DIRECTOR MERCURIO IS SECONDING.

ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO DO A ROLL CALL VOTE.

DIRECTOR COFFEY? AYE.

DIRECTOR DESCHAMBAULT? YES.

DIRECTOR ECHOLS? YES.

DIRECTOR ESPAÑA? AYE.

DIRECTOR MERCURIO? AYE.

DIRECTOR WAESPI? AYE.

DIRECTOR SANWONG? NO.

OKAY, IT PASSES 6-1.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT, WE WILL NOW MOVE ON IN OUR AGENDA.

WE NOW ARE ON AGENDA ITEM K,

[PROPOSED FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]

DO WE HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM CLOSED SESSION? WE DO NOT.

OKAY, SO NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM L, PROPOSED FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. DO YOU WANT TO SAY YOURS? YES.

[01:45:05]

TO A FUTURE AGENDA FOR BOARD MEMBERS.

SORRY, FOR BOARD MEMBERS.

GREAT, THANK YOU.

I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT FUTURE.

WE WERE GETTING ANOTHER HALF DOZEN COMMENTS ON WILD CAT.

WHEN IS, IS THAT, CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND THE FUTURE AGENDA? SO WE DID THE NOSA PREPARATION, WE HAD THAT, AND THAT'S COMING BACK TO US NEXT AS EIR? YES, SO IT WOULD COME TO YOUR BOARD FOR APPROVAL AT THE END OF THE CEQA PROCESS.

SO WE WON'T SEE IT BETWEEN NOW AND THE FINAL CEQA PROCESS? CORRECT.

THERE'S NO DECISION-MAKING NEXUS FOR YOUR BOARD.

I MEAN, HAPPY TO KEEP YOU UPDATED.

YES, THAT'S MY QUESTION.

I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A FUTURE AGENDA, BUT SOMEHOW UPDATE US ON THAT BEFORE THE FINAL PIECE.

SURE.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

YEAH.

ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBER REQUESTS

[BOARD REPORTS ON MEETINGS ATTENDED]

SO WE'LL MOVE ON NOW TO OUR BOARD REPORTS ON MEETINGS ATTENDED, AGENDA ITEM M.

WHO WOULD LIKE TO START? JOHN, DIRECTOR MERCURIO, YOU GET TO GO FIRST.

I'LL START BECAUSE I HAVE TO GET OFF VERY SOON.

SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND DO MINE, AND THEN I'LL BE SIGNING OFF.

SO FOR...

APRIL 21ST WAS THE BOARD MEETING.

APRIL 22ND, I ATTENDED OUR VERY OWN FIRE DEPARTMENT ANNUAL MEETING AND LUNCH OVER IN THE BRAZILIAN ROOM, AND THAT WAS GREAT TO GET TOGETHER WITH THEM.

ON THE 23RD, I HAD A ZOOM MEETING WITH ANNA MARIE GUERRERO TO TALK ABOUT TRIBAL CULTURAL RESOURCES UPDATE, AND I GUESS WITH AN EMPHASIS ON MY WARD.

AWARD SIX, ON THE 24TH, IN THE MORNING, I GUESS IT WAS, I HAD A MEETING WITH MEGAN FLUKE, OUR FACILITATOR FOR THE BOARD STUDY SESSION.

ALSO ON THE 24TH IN THE AFTERNOON, THE EAST BAY LEADERSHIP COUNCIL, OF WHICH I SERVE ON THE BOARD, AS PART OF THEIR LECTURE SERIES, HAD A WONDERFUL PRESENTATION ABOUT AI WITH ASSEMBLYMEMBER BAUER CAHAN.

OVER IN SAN RAMON ON THE 25TH.

IT WAS REALLY GREAT BECAUSE EARTH DAY GOT SPREAD OVER TWO DIFFERENT WEEKENDS THIS YEAR, WHICH IS GREAT FOR ME BECAUSE I COULD BASICALLY BE TWO PLACES AT ONCE.

SO ON THIS PARTICULAR WEEKEND, I WENT TO POINT PINOLE FOR EARTH DAY AND HELPED OUT WITH REMOVING INVASIVE SPECIES FROM THE SHORELINE.

WE HAD VARIOUS PARK DISTRICT...

EMPLOYEES HELPING US AND ALSO PARK DISTRICT EMPLOYEES VOLUNTEERING.

I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT.

THAT WAS REALLY GREAT TO SEE.

AND WE ALL GOT TO LEARN ABOUT SOME INVASIVE SPECIES PLANTS THAT GROW RIGHT AT THE SHORELINE THAT WE DIDN'T KNOW, PROBABLY DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT BEFORE.

ON APRIL 28TH, I WAS IN SACRAMENTO WITH THE BOARD FOR THE BOARD ADVOCACY MEETINGS, MEETING WITH OUR LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION.

AND ON MAY 1ST, I ATTENDED RIGHT THERE WHERE YOU ARE RIGHT NOW, THE BOARD STUDY SESSION ON CAPITAL PROJECTS.

THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN UP TO.

THANKS.

AND I WILL SEE YOU ALL NEXT TIME.

THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU, JOHN.

FEEL BETTER.

YES.

THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT.

WHO WOULD LIKE TO GO NEXT? MAYBE DIRECTOR DESCHAMBAULT.

ARE YOU READY? LET'S SEE.

ON 420.

IN AN INTERVIEW, I WORKED WITH MEGAN FLUKE ON OUR PRIORITIES PLANNING.

ON THE SAME DAY, I DID THE ONE-ON-ONE ACTING GENERAL MANAGER.

ON THE 21ST WAS OUR BOARD SESSION.

I, TOO, ATTENDED THE APRIL 22ND, THE FIREMAN ANNUAL LUNCHEON AT THE BRAZIL ROOM.

IT WAS SO INFORMATIVE.

IT WAS GREAT TO DO THAT.

I ALSO, ON THE 23RD, WE MET THE ACTING GENERAL MANAGER, AND I MET WITH THE FRIENDS OF LAKE TEMESCAL.

WE HAD SOME REPRESENTATIVES HERE, ELECTED FROM THE CITY OF OAKLAND AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.

THAT WAS GREAT.

ON APRIL 23RD, I MET AND HAD A TRIBAL AND CULTURAL BRIEFING WITH ANN MARIE GUERRERO.

GREAT OUTING ON THE 24TH WITH THE ADA BIRD WATCHERS IN RED RIVER REGIONAL PARK, AND I TOOK THAT OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH MY TWO PAC APPOINTEES.

ON THE 25TH, I ATTENDED THE ALL-DAY ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE VOLUNTEER TRAIL SAFETY PATROL.

I WAS UP ON THE 27TH AND THE 28TH, ALSO ADVOCACY MEETING WITH OUR MOVERS AND SHAKERS UP

[01:50:02]

AND THEN ON THE 29TH, THE NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE.

AND ON MAY 1ST, ALSO THE FIRST VERY INTERESTING AND I THOUGHT ONE OF OUR MOST PRODUCTIVE MEETINGS WAS THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT FIRST ROUND.

I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE OTHER TWO.

ARE YOU JOINING THE TRAIL PATROL? I WAS TOLD I CAN'T.

THAT'S ANOTHER DISCUSSION.

BUT YEAH, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE WE FIT IN, AND WHAT WE CAN DO, AND WHEN WE CAN VOLUNTEER AS AMBASSADORS, AND WHEN WE CAN'T VOLUNTEER AS VOLUNTEER TOURIST SAFETY PATROL, BUT THAT WAS MY WISH OR GOAL.

BUT APPARENTLY, WE TALKED ABOUT IT IN NAME ONLY. WE'LL SEE. I DON'T KNOW IF ACTUALLY HE WAS ABOUT TO SAY SOMETHING, BUT I'M WORKING ON IT, OR SOME VERSION THEREOF. SORRY I ASKED.

GREAT, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO NEXT? SURE, AND I APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE, THIS IS A LITTLE LONGER BECAUSE I MISSED THE LAST MEETING, SO I NEED TO GO BACK TO APRIL 9.

WHEN I ATTENDED WITH DIRECTOR WAESPI THE ECOLOGY COMMITTEE, ON THE 11TH, I ATTENDED THE DE ANZA SYMPOSIUM AT LOS MEDANOS COLLEGE THAT THE PARK DISTRICT HELPED SPONSOR AND PARTICIPATED IN. ON THE 13TH, I ATTENDED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD THE PAC MEETING.

ON THE 14TH TO 16TH OF APRIL, I ATTENDED THE TRAILS AND GREENWAY CONFERENCE IN SAN RAMON. ON THE 17TH, I MET WITH MEGAN, OUR FACILITATOR, TO TALK ABOUT THE PLANNING PROCESS.

AND I HAD A CONFERENCE WITH DIRECTOR SANWONG AND OUR GENERAL MANAGER FOR MEETING PREPARATION.

ON THE 18TH, MY WIFE AND I SPENT THE DAY AT THE JOHN MUIR EARTH DAY BIRTHDAY TABLING ON BEHALF OF THE PARK DISTRICT. THAT WAS IN MARTINEZ AT JOHN MUIR'S HOME.

AND ON THE 19TH, MY WIFE AND I ATTENDED THE BLACK DIAMOND OPEN HOUSE AND ON THE 23RD, OH I'M SORRY, I MEANT OPEN HOUSE OF THE HAZEL ATLAS MINE OR ACTUALLY THE COAL MINE EXPERIENCE, I'VE GOT TO GET THAT STRAIGHT.

ON THE 23RD, I WAS A SPEAKER BEFORE THE RODEO MAC, THE MUNICIPAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO SUPERVISOR SCALES PRESTON.

ON THE 24TH, I MET ONE-ON-ONE WITH THE GENERAL MANAGER.

ON THE 28TH, I ATTENDED THE ALL-DAY SACRAMENTO ADVOCACY.

ON THE 29TH, THE NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE.

ON THE 30TH, I HAD A MEETING WITH THE CONTRA COSTA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE BUILDING TRADES, WHICH IS VERY INTERESTING.

THEY ARE VERY INTERESTED IN ALL OUR PROJECTS, INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH.

THE 1ST, I ALSO ATTENDED THE CAPITAL PROJECTS WORKSHOP. I THOUGHT IT WENT VERY WELL AS WELL. AND DIRECTOR SANWONG AND I MET WITH MAX FOR MEETING PREPARATION.

YESTERDAY, ALLISON AND I ATTENDED A PICNIC PUT TOGETHER BY THE STAFF OF CONGRESSMAN MARK DESAULNIER AT BRIONI'S.

AND THEY WERE KIND ENOUGH TO INVITE US. AND WE GOT TO MEET EVERYONE IN D.C. AND IN HIS LOCAL OFFICE THAT ATTENDED THIS PICNIC. SO, WE HAD A GOOD TIME, AND GOT TO MEET THESE PEOPLE, AND TALK TO THE CONGRESSMAN AT LENGTH ABOUT VARIOUS ISSUES. SO THAT'S MY REPORT.

GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH, DIRECTOR WAESPI.

GREAT, THANK YOU. SO, YEAH, ON APRIL 8TH, I ATTENDED THE FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING. AND ON THE 9TH, THE ECOLOGY COMMITTEE MEETING. APRIL 14TH THROUGH THE 17TH, I ATTENDED THE TRAILS AND GREENWAYS CONFERENCE, AND JUST A SHOUT OUT TO STAFF. I TRY TO GO TO ALL THE SESSIONS THAT ARE DONE BY OUR STAFF MEMBERS. THEY DO AN INCREDIBLE JOB, AND EVERYBODY SEEMS TO BE DRAWN TO WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WHAT WE HAVE TO SAY. AND IT'S A PLEASURE TO SEE THAT.

ON THE 21ST, THERE WAS A BOARD MEETING.

ON THE 24TH, THE HAYWARD AREA RECREATION AND PARK DISTRICT HAD A CELEBRATE TRAILS SEMINAR.

IT WAS A VERY LOW-KEY DEAL.

THEY JUST STARTED OFF. THEY DID A WALK. THEY TALKED ABOUT THE TRAILS WITHIN THE HAYWARD AREA RECREATION AND PARK DISTRICT AND THEIR PLANS, WHICH INCLUDE THE SAN LORENZO CREEK TRAIL, WHICH, AS THEY PROUDLY SAY, WILL GO.

IT'S AN EAST-WEST TRAIL WHICH BISECTS LOTS AND LOTS OF HUMAN BEINGS AND PEOPLE AND PEOPLE WE WANT ON TRAILS ROUTES TO PARKS, AND THEY MENTIONED THAT IT WOULD GO FROM HAYWARD SHORELINE TO DON CASTRO.

[01:55:02]

THE 27TH I ATTENDED THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT AND LARPD LIAISON COMMITTEE MEETING.

IT WAS A GREAT MEETING, JUST GREAT TALKING WITH THESE PEOPLE, DEALING WITH THESE FOLKS.

I THINK WE ALL HAVE A LOT MORE IN COMMON THAN WE HAVE NOT IN COMMON, AND IT WAS A GREAT MEETING.

ON THE 28TH I WENT UP TO SACRAMENTO TO LOBBY WITH THEIR GOVERNMENT AND LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS, DID A GOOD JOB GUIDING US THROUGH THE PROCESS.

WE MET SOME REALLY GOOD PEOPLE AND HOPEFULLY WE GOT SOME OF OUR CONCERNS AIRED TO OUR LEGISLATORS ON, WHEN WAS EARTH DAY? 25TH.

YEAH, LAKE CHABOT CELEBRATED EARTH DAY IN COLLABORATION WITH THE CASTRO-LAY SANITARY DISTRICT LAST SATURDAY, I GUESS IT WAS, AND I WENT AND PARTICIPATED.

A LITTLE BIT, THE STAFF LAUGHED AT ME BECAUSE I WENT DOWN AND PLANTED THREE TREES, WHICH TOOK ABOUT 15 MINUTES, BUT THAT'S ALL THEY LET ME DO.

BUT IT WAS A GREAT EVENT, LOTS OF PEOPLE ATTENDED, AND THEY DID A REALLY NICE JOB AND CELEBRATED EARTH THAT DAY.

I ATTENDED THE CAPITAL PROJECTS WORKSHOP LAST FRIDAY, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THIS FRIDAY EVENING.

CASTRO VALLEY CELEBRATES.

A LOT OF THINGS, BUT ESPECIALLY THEY CELEBRATE THE ROWAN RANCH RODEO WEEK.

AND THAT STARTS THIS WEEKEND, AND THEY'RE HOSTING AT ROWAN RANCH RODEO GROUNDS A BARBECUE, AXE, AND BREW CELEBRATION.

SO OF THOSE THREE THINGS, I PICKED THE THING THAT I'M LEAST COMPETENT AT.

THAT'S THROWING AXES.

SO I'LL BE REPRESENTING THE PARK DISTRICT IN THE AXE THROWING COMPETITION.

AND AS POOR AS I AM, I...

MY TEAM TOOK THIRD PLACE LAST YEAR, SO WE HOPE TO DO BETTER THIS YEAR.

THE PARK DISTRICT WILL BE REPRESENTED.

I THINK THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WILL BE THERE, AND ALSO AMBASSADORS FROM OUR EXTERNAL AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT.

SO LOOK FORWARD TO THAT.

I HOPE YOU CAN ALL MAKE IT.

IT'S A FREE EVENT, AND IT'S A LOT OF FUN.

THANKS.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, THANK YOU.

SO, YEAH, IF WE GO BACK TO THE LAST MEETING, I GUESS.

ON THE 8TH, I ATTENDED THE FINANCE COMMITTEE AND THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.

ON THE 22ND OF APRIL, I PRESENTED AT THE BERKELEY ROTARY CLUB ON OUR FIRE MITIGATION AND SUPPRESSION WORK, AND IT WAS WELL-RECEIVED.

SO, BIG THANK YOU TO ALLISON BROOKS AND DAVE MASON FOR ALL YOUR HELP AND SUPPORT ON THAT.

ON THE 24TH, I MET WITH MEGAN FLUKE IN PREPARATION FOR THE THREE BOARD STUDY SESSIONS ON BOARD PRIORITIES.

ON THE 25TH, I ATTENDED THE CELEBRATION OF LIFE FOR GUY SAPERSTEIN, AND I AM GOING TO REQUEST THAT WE ADJOURN IN HIS MEMORY TONIGHT.

HE WAS AN EXTRAORDINARY PERSON WHO LIVED LIFE TO THE FULLEST AND MADE A TREMENDOUS IMPACT ON MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE.

HE WAS A PROMINENT CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY, AN ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVIST, AND A PHILANTHROPIST.

HE WAS PRESIDENT OF THE SIERRA CLUB FOUNDATION AND WROTE SEVERAL BOOKS, INCLUDING ONE ON HIKING THE JOHN MUIR TRAIL.

JUST YEAH, AN INCREDIBLE PERSON ALL THE WAY AROUND.

OKAY, I HAVE TO GO BACK TO MY THINGS.

MY 28TH, I ATTENDED, BRIEFLY ATTENDED OUR SACRAMENTO ADVOCACY MEETINGS AND THEN WAS CALLED BACK DUE TO A FAMILY EMERGENCY.

ON THE 29TH, I MET WITH ANNA MARIE GUERRO AND NEOMA LAVAL AT A TRIBAL CULTURAL RESOURCES MEETING, WHICH WAS VERY HELPFUL AND VERY INFORMATIVE.

I LIKE THE ADDITION OF HAVING THOSE BRIEFINGS.

ON THE 30TH, I MET WITH OUR ACTING GM, MAX CORTON, FOR MY ONE-ON-ONE, AND LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE, ON THE 1ST OF MAY, I ATTENDED OUR FIRST STUDY SESSION ON BOARD PRIORITIES ON CAPITAL PROJECTS, FIRST OF THREE.

GREAT.

THANKS, EVERYONE.

I'LL TRY TO BE BRIEF.

I THINK WE MIGHT HAVE SKIPPED THIS AGENDA ITEM AT OUR LAST BOARD MEETING, SO I'LL JUST QUICKLY MENTION ON APRIL 10TH, I GOT TO TAKE MAX ON MY STARBUCKS TO SHADOW CLIFFS TOUR, WHICH YOU'RE ALL WELCOME TO JOIN AT ANY POINT IN TIME IF YOU WANT TO GO ON THE STARBUCKS TO SHADOW CLIFFS TOUR.

I THINK IT'S VERY INTERESTING BECAUSE I KNOW ONE OF OUR NATURALISTS, OUR LEAD NATURALIST AT SUNOL VISITOR CENTER, ALSO HAS DEVELOPED A VERY SIMILAR TOUR IN PARALLEL AND WITHOUT ANY COORDINATION BETWEEN THE TWO OF US.

SO I THINK THAT THAT'S A FUN FACT.

AND THEN...

THE 14TH, 15TH, 16TH WAS THE CALIFORNIA TRAIL AND GREENWAY CONFERENCE, AND I KNOW SOME OF US GOT TO ENJOY THE IRON HORSE TRAIL TOGETHER ON BIKE, AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS REALLY A NICE THING TO DO AS A PART

[02:00:01]

ALSO ON THE 16TH, I HAD MY ANNUAL PLEASANTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BUS TOUR, WHERE WE WENT TO BOTH PLEASANTON RIDGE AND SHADOW CLIFFS. AND ON THAT TOUR, I HAD THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGER FOR THE CITY OF PLEASANTON, AS WELL AS THE CHIEF OF POLICE FOR THE CITY OF PLEASANTON, AS WELL AS THE LEAD TRAINER FOR A LIVERMORE PLEASANTON FIRE DEPARTMENT, WHO WORKS VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT HERE AT EAST BAY PARKS, SO IT'S A REALLY GREAT GROUP TO BE ABLE TO SHOWCASE OUR REGIONAL PARKS IN THAT CITY.

I'VE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH MEGAN TO HELP PREPARE FOR OUR SERIES OF THREE BOARD WORKSHOPS THIS MONTH OF MAY, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYONE ON THE BOARD MAKING TIME FOR THE LISTENING SESSIONS WITH MEGAN AND THEN ALSO COMING TO THE STUDY SESSIONS AND BEING OPEN TO, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE ITERATIONS AND SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT WE'RE MAKING TO THE PROCESS, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO OUR NEXT TWO STUDY SESSIONS AS A PART OF THAT SERIES.

THE OTHER THING I DO WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO REPORT ON IS, YES, ON MONDAY, APRIL 27TH, DIRECTOR WAESPI AND I ATTENDED THE LARPD LIAISON MEETING IN LIVERMORE, AND IT WAS A REALLY GREAT CONVERSATION. DIRECTOR WAESPI HAS ALSO REQUESTED SPONSORSHIP OF THE LARPD FOUNDATION FUNDRAISER IN JUNE, AND I APPROVED THAT REQUEST, AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE SOME TICKETS TO THAT EVENT AVAILABLE IF ANYONE'S INTERESTED IN GOING TO SUPPORT THE LARPD, THE LIVERMORE AREA RECREATION AND PARK DISTRICT FOUNDATION FUNDRAISER IN JUNE.

28TH, I WAS IN SACRAMENTO FOR OUR PARK DISTRICT ADVOCACY DAY. THE 29TH, WE HAD OUR NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE MEETING, AND I THOUGHT IT WAS A VERY INSIGHTFUL CONVERSATION WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT CULTURAL BURNS AND SOME OF THE, THE TRIBAL HISTORY OF THESE CULTURAL BURNS TO HELP MANAGE VEGETATION. WE FOLLOW THAT UP WITH SOME OTHER RELATED CONVERSATIONS AROUND VEGETATION MANAGEMENT, AND THEN WE ALSO REVIEWED THE IPM, THE INTEGRATIVE PEST MANAGEMENT, WHICH WILL BE UP ON THE WEBSITE SHORTLY IF IT ISN'T ALREADY. AND SO THAT WAS A REALLY GOOD CONVERSATION, AND IT'S RECORDED FOR ANYONE WHO WOULD WANT TO WATCH IT.

AND THEN, YES, MAY 1ST WAS OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS STUDY SESSION, WHICH WE WILL HAVE ANOTHER ROUND OF CONVERSATION ABOUT CAPITAL PROJECTS ON MAY 19TH. SO THAT'S THE THIRD PART OF OUR WORKSHOP SERIES. THOSE ARE THE MAIN THINGS THAT I WANTED TO MENTION.

AND I BELIEVE DIRECTOR ECHOLS WOULD LIKE TO ADJOURN IN MEMORY. SO I'M GOING TO NOW PASS IT OVER TO DIRECTOR ECHOLS TO ADJOURN OUR MEETING. OH, WAIT, REAL QUICK. WE DO HAVE OUR SECOND PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION, WHICH I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO HAVE.

LET'S JUST DOUBLE CHECK AND SEE IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. NO PUBLIC COMMENT. OKAY, SO THEN WE'LL NOW MOVE TO DIRECTOR ECHOLS, WHO WILL ADJOURN OUR MEETING FOR US.

WELL, I'VE ALREADY MADE THE COMMENTS, I THINK, ON WHY I THINK WE SHOULD ADJOURN IN HIS HONOR AND IN HIS MEMORY. AN EXTRAORDINARY PERSON WHO MADE A LOT OF IMPORTANT CHANGES OVER THE COURSE OF HIS LIFE AND LIVED LIFE TO THE FULLEST. AND SO, WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO ADJOURN OUR MEETING IN HONOR AND MEMORY.

GREAT. THANK YOU, EVERYONE. 3:15.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.