[00:00:02] ALL RIGHT, GOOD AFTERNOON. WELCOME, EVERYONE. THIS IS A REGULAR PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING OF THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT ON MAY 26TH, [Roll Call] 2026, BEGINNING AT 4:11 P.M. MADAM CLERK, IF YOU COULD PLEASE DO A ROLL CALL. SCOTT BARTLEBAUGH? PRESENT. JAMES CHANG? SUSIE CLAXTON? HERE. STEVEN DEPASCHALIS. PAUL DETJENS. PRESENT. IRENE DIETER? HERE. BRUCE HENRY? HERE. CORINA LOPEZ. DEE MAHADEVAN. HERE. THANK YOU. DENNISHA MARSH? FRANCIS MENDOZA? HERE. CARLYN OBRINGER? THOMAS OMOLO? BOB PEOPLES? PRESENT. BOB SIMMONS. PRESENT. JUDITH SMITH? ED. VENEZUELA? CHAIR. VALENZUELA, EXCUSE ME. ANA VASUDEO? VASUDEV. ROLAND. WILLIAMS. 123456789. THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK. 123456789. I'M ONLY SHOWING NINE HERE. WE WERE MISSING. I DIDN'T CATCH SOMEBODY. 89. 8 PLUS 2 ONLINE. 10. SO WE HAVE MEMBER PEOPLES. MEMBER MAHADEVAN. MEMBER SIMMONS. MEMBER. WE HAVE BARTLEBAUGH? SO MEMBER BARTLEBAUGH. ONLINE. OKAY, SO I'M GOING TO GO ON THE PEOPLE THAT I DID NOT. JAMES CHANG. NO. STEVEN DEPASCHALIS. NO. CORINA LOPEZ. NOPE. DENNISHA MARSH. NOPE. THOMAS O'MALLEY. NOPE. CAROLYN OBRINGER. NOPE. ED VENEZUELA. YES. OH, I'M SORRY. JUDITH SMITH. NOPE. ANA VASUDEO. NOPE. ROLAND WILLIAMS. NOPE. 123456789. TEN GOT IT. TEN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK. VICE CHAIR MENDOZA, IF YOU COULD PLEASE READ THE LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT. AS WE GATHER HERE TODAY, AND IN BEHALF OF THE PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT ALL OF THE LANDS WITHIN THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT ARE THE ANCESTRAL LANDS OF EAST BAY OHLONE, BAY MIWOK AND NORTHERN VALLEY YOKUT, WHO ARE POLITICALLY ORGANIZED AND REPRESENTED BY A NUMBER OF TRIBES TODAY. WE MAKE THIS RECOGNITION AS A WAY TO RESPECT AND HONOR THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES WHO FIRST CULTIVATED AND INHABITED THIS LAND. THE PARK DISTRICT IS COMMITTED TO IDENTIFYING WAYS TO WORK AND CONSULT WITH EAST BAY TRIBES, AS WE RECOGNIZE THAT THESE TRIBAL CITIZENS REMAIN CONNECTED TO THEIR LAND AND CULTURE. I'D ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE VILLAGE OF HUICHIN ON CHOCHENYO OHLONE LAND. THANK YOU. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES. DO WE HAVE APPROVAL OF THE APRIL 13TH, 2026 MINUTES. [Approval of Minutes] DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED. BY MEMBER PEOPLES. SECONDED BY MEMBER MAHADEVAN. SECOND. MADAM CLERK, IF YOU COULD PLEASE DO A ROLL CALL ON THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES. SCOTT. SCOTT BARTLEBAUGH? ABSTAIN. ABSTAIN. JAMES CHANG? SUSIE CLAXTON? APPROVE. STEPHEN DEPASCHALIS. PAUL. DETJENS. AYE. DIETER. IRENE. IRENE DIETER? YES. BRUCE HENRY? YES. CORINA LOPEZ. DEV MAHADEVAN? YES. YES. YES. THANK YOU. DENNISHA MARSH? FRANCIS MENDOZA? ABSTAIN. CAROLYN OBRINGER? THOMAS OMOLO? BOB PEOPLES? AYE. BOB SMITH? SIMMONS. YES. JUDITH SIMMONS SMITH, EXCUSE ME. ED VALENZUELA? YES. ANA VESUDEO? [00:05:09] ROLAND WILLIAM? THANK YOU. IF THE CLERK COULD PLEASE EXPLAIN HOW TO SUBMIT PUBLIC COMMENTS. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT CAN DO SO IN PERSON OR VIA ZOOM. IF ATTENDING IN PERSON THEY MAY SUBMIT A SPEAKER CARD TO THE CLERK'S STAFF OR OTHERWISE INDICATE THEY WISH TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT ON A NON AGENDA ITEM. IF ATTENDING VIA ZOOM, THEY MAY RAISE THEIR HAND TO INDICATE DESIRE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT. THEIR NAME WILL BE CALLED WHEN IT IS TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, SPEAKERS WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SHARE THEIR COMMENTS. THANK YOU. IF YOU'RE HERE TO PROVIDE A COMMENT REGARDING AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA, WE WILL CALL ON INDIVIDUALS DURING PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THAT SPECIFIC ITEM. IS THE CLERK RECEIVED ANY EMAILS OR SPEAKERS CARDS FROM THE PUBLIC FOR ANY ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA? NO EMAILS TO MY KNOWLEDGE NOR SPEAKER CARDS. THANK YOU. AGAIN, WE WILL PROVIDE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ABOUT ITEMS ON THE AGENDA AT THE END OF EACH ITEM. SO TONIGHT WE HAVE ONE ACTION ITEM AND WE HAVE TWO INFORMATIONAL ITEMS, INCLUDING, WE ARE PLEASED TO HAVE DIRECTOR ELIZABETH ECHOLS [Board Member Comments] FROM WARD 1 JOIN US THIS EVENING, AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU, DIRECTOR ECHOLS. WELL, THANK YOU EVERYONE, AND THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN YOU HERE TODAY. I'M JUST GOING TO GIVE A VERY QUICK UPDATE BECAUSE YOU HAVE A FULL AGENDA. AND I'M REALLY EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING ON ECOSYSTEM PROTECTION AND RESTORATION. AND, BUT I'LL JUST START BY GIVING A QUICK INTRO. I THINK AS YOU KNOW, I'VE JUST BEEN INTRODUCED AS ELIZABETH ECHOLS. AND I AM THE BOARD MEMBER FOR WARD 1, WHICH EXTENDS FROM EMERYVILLE THROUGH BERKELEY, ALBANY, KENSINGTON, EL CERRITO, SAN PABLO, EL SOBRANTE AND PINOLE. AND I'M ALSO FORTUNATE TO HAVE MANY, MANY BEAUTIFUL PARKS IN MY DISTRICT. THERE ARE BEAUTIFUL PARKS ALL OVER THE DISTRICT. AND SO I'M GOING TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW OF THE THINGS, BIG THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN MY DISTRICT, AND ALSO A FEW THINGS TO KEEP AN EYE ON GOING FORWARD. BUT BEFORE I DO THAT, I ALSO WANTED TO MENTION SOME OF THE WORK THAT'S GOING ON IN MY DISTRICT AROUND A FIRE PREVENTION AND MITIGATION, IN PARTICULAR IN TERMS OF FUELS REDUCTION. AND OF COURSE, THANKS TO OUR WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL TEAM HERE AT THE EAST BAY PARKS WE ARE LEADERS IN THIS WORK. AND WAIT, LET ME SEE. I GET DISTRACTED AND I DON'T EVEN. OKAY. SO AS YOU KNOW, THIS IS A YEAR ROUND EFFORT AND REALLY THE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A HUGE, HUGE TERRITORY TO COVER. AND I'M SO PROUD OF THE WAY OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE FUELS TEAMS WORK ON FUEL REDUCTION. AND THEN COUPLE THAT WITH THE QUICK SUPPRESSION. AND THAT SEEMS TO BE A VERY EFFECTIVE STRATEGY. I'LL GIVE JUST A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES, LIKE BACK IN 2004. JULY OF 2004, WHEN WE HAD THOSE REALLY THOSE VERY DANGEROUS EXTREME WEATHER DAYS. AND THERE WERE SEVERAL FIRES SET UP AROUND GRIZZLY PEAK. BUT THANKS TO THE PREPAREDNESS THAT OUR TEAM HAD ALREADY DONE AND THE QUICK SUPPRESSION, WE WERE ABLE TO KEEP THOSE FIRES SMALL AND REALLY PREVENT WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN A CATASTROPHE. I ALSO WANT TO MENTION THAT THERE WILL BE, YOU MIGHT KNOW ABOUT THIS ALREADY, BUT A MAY 27TH, THERE WILL BE A WILDFIRE RESILIENCE WEBINAR THAT'S OPEN TO EVERYONE. SO THERE'S A LOT GOING ON IN TILDEN PARK AND SOME OF THE OTHER PARKS IN MY DISTRICT. WE, THERE'S A 232 ACRE FUEL BREAK THAT THAT WORK IS ONGOING. AND THAT IS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN HILLS EMERGENCY FORUM MEMBERS, WHICH INCLUDES US, UC BERKELEY, EAST BAY MUD, CITY OF BERKELEY AND IS FUNDED BY CAL FIRE, HAVE A NUMBER OF OTHER PROJECTS GOING ON. AS YOU CAN SEE LARGE SCALE 26 ACRES NEAR TILDEN NATURE AREA, ANOTHER TWO ACRES ALONG WILDCAT CANYON, AND ROADSIDE MAINTENANCE ALONG SKYLINE AND GRIZZLY PEAK BOULEVARD. AND WE ARE ALSO THANKS TO CIVIC CORE THINNING EUCALYPTUS ALONG NIMITZ WAY. [00:10:02] I'VE BEEN ADMIRING THAT WORK AS I WALK UP THERE REGULARLY. AND ALSO FIVE ACRES SOUTH OF THE GOLF COURSE AND THE FUEL BREAK WORK AT CLAREMONT CANYON. SO JUST A LOT. AND WE ARE GOING TO BE DOING MORE AND MORE ACROSS THE DISTRICT. SO NOW I DID WANT TO MENTION, I KNOW YOU ALL HAVE HEARD ABOUT THIS, BUT I AS A BIG, BIG DEAL GOING ON IN MY DISTRICT, I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THIS AS WELL. SO AS YOU ALL WELL KNOW THAT JUST WELL, EARLIER THIS YEAR WE ANNOUNCED A PARTNERSHIP WITH TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND TO PURCHASE GOLDEN GATE FIELDS, AND TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND HAS BEEN RAISING MONEY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH US. YOU AND I KNOW YOU HEARD ABOUT THE GOVERNOR'S REALLY BIG ANNOUNCEMENT THAT HE IS PROPOSING 125 MILLION FOR THIS ACQUISITION IN HIS 2026-27 BUDGET. WE WILL ALSO BE PUTTING IN $20 MILLION FROM MEASURE WW, WHICH WE PUT IN BACK IN 2008. AND I, ALONG WITH OTHERS, HAVE BEEN GUARDING THAT CAREFULLY UNTIL THIS MOMENT. SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED THAT WE'LL BE THAT WE, THAT WE'VE GOT THAT MONEY. IT PUTS US IN A GREAT PLACE. WE STILL HAVE ANOTHER $30 MILLION TO RAISE. BUT PEOPLE ARE, YOU KNOW, CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC. I'LL SAY THAT WE'LL GET THAT MONEY BY THE END OF THE YEAR AND CAN CLOSE THE DEAL. AND ONCE THAT ONCE THE PROPERTY IS TRANSFERRED TO US WE WILL ENGAGE IN A VERY ROBUST PLANNING PROCESS, PUBLIC PLANNING PROCESS, BRINGING IN FOLKS FROM THE COMMUNITY. WE'RE ALREADY TALKING WITH SOME OF THE STAKEHOLDERS AND COMMUNITY GROUPS THAT HAVE BEEN ACTIVE IN THIS, ALONG WITH THE CITIES OF ALBANY AND BERKELEY. BUT THAT WORK WILL CONTINUE, AND WE WILL TRY TO BRING IN MORE PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND REALLY WHAT THEY WANT THERE ON THAT LAND. AND OF COURSE, POINT, I CAN'T NOT COME AND DO AN UPDATE WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT POINT MOLATE. SO AS YOU KNOW, WE ACQUIRED IN FEE THE 82 ACRES OUT AT POINT MOLATE IN 2025. AND THIS PROPERTY IS JUST INCREDIBLE BECAUSE IT'S NOT ONLY BEAUTIFUL, BUT IT HAS DEEP CULTURAL HISTORY AND INCLUDES A NUMBER OF SACRED NATIVE AMERICAN SITES, AS WELL AS A HISTORIC CHINESE FISHING VILLAGE. AND OF COURSE, WINEHAVEN, WHICH WAS ONCE KNOWN AS THE WORLD'S LARGEST WINERY. WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON THE EXTENSION OF THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY TRAIL ALONG THE SHORELINE. AND THAT WILL ALLOW THAT TO CONNECT TO THE POINT MELODY BEACH PARK WITH THE WELL, I'M SORRY, WITH THE RICHMOND CENTER. SO THAT MEANS WE'LL HAVE RICHMOND-SAN RAFAEL BRIDGE TO POINT MOLOTE BEACH PARK AND THEN ALONG THE TRAIL. SO THAT WE'RE HOPING COULD OPEN THE FIRST SEGMENT WE'RE HOPING COULD POSSIBLY OPEN AS EARLY AS THIS FALL. AND WITH. OKAY, SO AND LOOKING AHEAD I JUST, I, YOU PROBABLY KNOW THAT THE BOARD HAS BEEN WORKING VERY HARD ON PRIORITIES AND THE BUDGET AND REALLY TAKING A HARD LOOK ON WHAT WE CAN AFFORD AND WHAT WE CAN'T. AND SO WE'VE HAD THREE LONG BOARD PRIORITY SESSIONS AND SO THAT WORK WILL BE ONGOING. AND, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR. IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE SKY IS FALLING, BUT WE DO NEED TO REALLY FOCUS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BEING SMART ABOUT WHERE WE PUT OUR MONEY SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE SHORTFALLS GOING INTO THE FUTURE. I ALREADY MENTIONED THE WILDFIRE RESILIENCE WEBINAR, AND I ALSO WANTED TO MENTION TILDEN PRIDE IN THE PARKS ON JUNE 6TH. IT IS A GREAT EVENT IF YOU'VE NEVER BEEN THERE. IT'S REALLY FUN. AND IF YOU HAVE KIDS, THEY, THEY HAVE A GREAT STORYTELLING AND OTHER THINGS GOING ON. I'VE BEEN THERE. I THINK I'VE GONE EVERY SINGLE YEAR. SO I WILL BE THERE AGAIN. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE THE UPCOMING PARKS AND COMMUNITY RESOURCE FAIR. AND THAT IS IT FOR ME, BUT I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANY. YES, GO AHEAD. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR ECHOLS. PARDON MY APPEARANCE. I HAVE AN EYE INJURY, SO THAT'S WHY I'M SORRY. OH. NO WORRIES. SO I HAD THE PLEASURE OF GOING TO A COUPLE OF WEEKS BACK WITH THE SHINE PROGRAM THAT THE BENIOFF CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL HAS BEEN DOING WITH THE PARK DISTRICT FOR THE PAST DECADE NOW. IT WAS WONDERFUL. YOU KNOW, FOR FOLKS WHO ARE NOT ACQUAINTED WITH IT, IT'S BRINGING BLACK AND BROWN FAMILIES FROM EAST OAKLAND, WEST OAKLAND, RICHMOND OUT TO THE PARKS ON A MONTHLY BASIS. [00:15:04] SO SHINE STANDS FOR STAY HEALTHY IN NATURE EVERY DAY. SO WE WENT TO POINT PINOLE. WE HAD A WONDERFUL TIME HIKING, GOING TO THE SHORELINE, YOU KNOW, THROWING ROCKS IN THE WATER AND LOOKING FOR LITTLE CRITTERS AND EVERYTHING. BUT WE ALSO HEARD IN THE BACKGROUND QUITE, QUITE A FEW GUNSHOTS GO OFF BECAUSE WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT THERE WAS A SHOOTING RANGE NEARBY AND SORT OF TYING THIS WITH THE REGIONAL PARK FOUNDATION'S PRESENTATION LATER WITH THE REMEDIATION THEY'RE DOING AT THE CHABOT GUN CLUB. IS THERE ANY CONNECTION WITH THE GUN RANGE OVER IN NEAR POINT PINOLE WHERE WE CAN POSSIBLY ASK THEM IF THEY WOULD NOT BE OPEN DURING SATURDAY, DURING THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY, WHEN THERE'S A LOT OF FAMILIES NEARBY WHO HAVE GUN TRAUMA IN THEIR HISTORY. AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, AN EFFECT THAT COULD BE DELETERIOUS TO THEIR OVERALL HEALTH. YEAH, THAT'S REALLY A GREAT QUESTION. THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. I WAS JUST ACTUALLY JUST OVER AT POINT PINOLE RECENTLY, WHICH IS ANOTHER ONE OF MY FAVORITE PARKS. AND THERE IS A GUN RANGE NEAR THERE TOO. AND IT IS, IT'S VERY JARRING. AND PARTICULARLY, AS YOU SAY, FOR FOLKS WHO'VE HAD A HISTORY OF EXPOSURE TO GUN VIOLENCE. AND SO I WILL ABSOLUTELY TAKE THAT UP AND LOOK INTO WHAT WE CAN DO AND WHAT'S POSSIBLE THERE. BECAUSE IT WOULD BE A REAL SHAME FOR FOLKS TO MAKE THE TRIP OUT THERE. AND WE WANT PEOPLE TO COME TO OUR PARKS BECAUSE IT IS SO GOOD FOR OUR PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH AND THEN TO, YOU KNOW, BE TRIGGERED IN SOME WAY THAT THAT WOULD BE REALLY UNFORTUNATE. SO THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION TODAY. I'M WONDERING IF YOU HAVE AN UPDATE ON ANY NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE TILDEN STEAM TRAIN THAT HAS BEEN BELOVED BY MY FAMILY FOR GENERATIONS. AND I HAVEN'T HEARD ANY RECENT NEWS, BUT I'M WONDERING IF THERE'S ANY UPDATE THAT YOU CAN PROVIDE. YEAH. AND THANK YOU FOR THAT. I WILL ASSURE YOU, I, ALONG WITH EVERYONE ELSE HERE, LOVES THE STEAM TRAINS. I ACTUALLY GREW UP RIDING ON THE STEAM TRAINS MYSELF AND TOOK MY NIECES AND MY DAUGHTER AND EVERYBODY ELSE ON THOSE TRAINS FOR GENERATIONS. AND IN TERMS OF, AND WE ARE, YOU KNOW, WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE FOLKS OVER THERE TO CLOSE THE DEAL. I DON'T HAVE ANY SPECIFIC UPDATE, BUT IT IS, YOU KNOW, WE ARE GETTING CLOSER AND CLOSER AND I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT WE HAVE A VERY CLEAR COMMITMENT TO THE LONG-TERM VIABILITY OF THE STEAM TRAINS. AND REALLY HOPE TO GET A DEAL, GET WELL, WE WERE GOING TO GET A DEAL DONE, BUT HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET A DEAL DONE SOON AND BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU SOME MORE INFORMATION ON THAT. I'M JUST, OH, MAX IS HERE. YOU WANT TO DO WOULD YOU LIKE TO? I'M GOING TO JUST LET YOU. I THOUGHT I SAW YOU OUT OF THE CORNER OF MY EYE AND I WAS LIKE, OKAY, MAYBE HE KNOWS SOMETHING THAT I, THAT I DON'T THAT I THAT YOU COULD ANNOUNCE. BUT. YEAH. BUT I DON'T WANT YOU TO BE ALARMED BY WHAT YOU MIGHT HEAR IN THE PUBLIC COMMENT REGULARLY BECAUSE WE DO CARE AND WE ARE VERY, VERY, VERY SERIOUS. AND PART OF THE NEGOTIATIONS IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN ENSURE THE LONG TERM VIABILITY SO THAT THERE'S PROVISIONS FOR CONTINUITY OR. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO US IS HAVING THE RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL. IF, IF THE CURRENT OWNER DECIDES TO RETIRE OR DO SOMETHING ELSE. SO WE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE VERY COMMITTED TO, TO THE STEAM TRAIN. SO THAT'S, THAT'S I GUESS UNLESS MAX HAS SOMETHING TO ADD. WELL, YOU GOT IT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. OKAY. SO DIRECTOR COFFEY AT THE LAST MEETING PROVIDED AN UPDATE ON THE GENERAL MANAGER SEARCH. CAN YOU PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THAT AS WELL? I'M NOT SURE. I'M ACTUALLY NOT SURE WHAT WE CAN SAY PUBLICLY. I'M GOING TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYONE. OBVIOUSLY NOT CANDIDATES AND STUFF, BUT ANYTHING ON TIMING OR ANYTHING. ON TIMING, WELL YES, YOU CAN, IT WILL BE ON OUR AGENDA AGAIN IN JUNE. THE GM SEARCH OR RATHER THE TOPIC. AND I DON'T KNOW, MAX. I KNOW YOU'RE THE WRONG PERSON TO ASK. I. I'M JUST TRYING. I'M LOOKING AROUND FOR AN HR PERSON. I DON'T SEE ONE, SO I THINK I MIGHT JUST HAVE TO. I, YOU KNOW, I THINK I BETTER NOT COMMENT SPECIFICALLY ON WHAT WE'LL BE DISCUSSING AT THAT MEETING. BUT I, YOU KNOW, WE ARE CERTAINLY HOPING TO FINISH THAT PROCESS SOON AND BE ABLE TO MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT BEFORE TOO LONG. GREAT. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? OKAY. DIRECTOR ECHOLS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. AND HOPEFULLY YOU CAN STAY FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE MEETING. BUT ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO HAVE BOARD MEMBERS HERE. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WELL THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING [00:20:03] ME. [APPLAUSE]. SO ON TO OUR ACTION ITEM REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATION OF FINDINGS ON FOCUS TOPIC NO. [Action Items] 01: ECOSYSTEM PROTECTION AND RESTORATION. HI, GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M CLAIRE GRIFFING. I'M A MANAGEMENT ANALYST IN THE GENERAL MANAGER'S OFFICE, AND I'VE BEEN HELPING TO COORDINATE OUR DISTRICT WIDE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT STRATEGY. AND THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THAT WE'RE COMING TO YOU TO TALK ABOUT VEGETATION MANAGEMENT. AND I PROMISE IT'S THE LAST TIME. WE, I'M GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WE'VE GOTTEN TO THIS PLACE NOW AND THEN TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE HEARD FROM YOU AND HOPEFULLY GET A RECOMMENDATION FROM YOU TODAY, POSSIBLY IF YOU HAVE ANY EDITS OR SUGGESTIONS. AND THEN AND THEN WE WILL INCORPORATE YOUR FEEDBACK INTO OUR STRATEGY THAT WE'RE DEVELOPING. SO JUST A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND, WE FOCUS ON VEGETATION MANAGEMENT FOR A VARIETY OF VERY IMPORTANT REASONS, INCLUDING WILDFIRE RISK, ECOSYSTEM AND ECOSYSTEM HEALTH AND ACCESS TO PARKS. AND THAT WORK IS GETTING INCREASINGLY CHALLENGING AND COMPLEX AS WE ACQUIRE NEW PROPERTY AND AS WILDFIRE RISK BECOMES MORE AND MORE OF AN ISSUE IN OUR COMMUNITIES. AND IT'S CHALLENGING BECAUSE WE HAVE TO BALANCE MULTIPLE GOALS LIKE SAFETY ACCESS AND HABITAT PROTECTION. AND ALSO ALL WITH LIMITED RESOURCES FOR STAFFING EQUIPMENT, ETC. TO DO THAT WORK. SO IN ORDER TO, WE CAN'T REALLY DO IT ALL, WE HAVE 127,000 ACRES TO MANAGE AND WE CAN'T DO EVERYTHING WE WANT TO DO. AND SO WE NEED TO BE REALLY STRATEGIC AND PRIORITIZE THE WORK. AND SO WE'RE CREATING THIS DISTRICT WIDE STRATEGY. WE'VE BEEN COORDINATING DISTRICT WIDE BECAUSE WE HAVE LOTS OF DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS THAT DO THIS WORK. AND JUST AS A REMINDER, I KNOW I'VE SHARED THIS BEFORE, BUT WE ARE GOING TO BE TAKING THE GOALS AND PRIORITIES THAT WE'VE SHARED. AND THEN THROUGH AN ITERATIVE PROCESS, TAKING YOUR FEEDBACK, WHATEVER THAT FINAL LIST OF PRIORITIES IS GOING TO GO INTO A PRIORITIZATION FRAMEWORK WITH DATA LIKE WILDFIRE RISK AND SENSITIVE HABITAT AREAS TO HELP US CREATE THIS FRAMEWORK FOR DECISION MAKING THAT'S HOPEFULLY GOING TO HELP US IMPROVE COORDINATION, TRANSPARENCY, AND COMMUNICATION WITH THE PUBLIC AND ALSO PRIORITIZE RESILIENT PROJECTS WHERE WE HAVE TO DO LESS ONGOING MAINTENANCE. THAT'S THE GOAL. AND SO WE HEARD FROM YOU IN FEBRUARY, WE CAME TO YOU IN FEBRUARY. YOU WENT OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND ASKED THEM FOR FEEDBACK ON WHAT THEY, WHAT THEIR CONCERNS WERE RELATED TO VEGETATION MANAGEMENT. AND ON APRIL 27TH, WE HAD A GREAT WORKSHOP. THANK YOU ALL FOR WHO, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO TALKED TO YOUR COMMUNITY. AND THEN WHAT WE DID WAS ANALYZE THE FEEDBACK WE HEARD FROM YOU AND SHARED THAT ATTACHED TO IT'S IN YOUR PACKET. AND THEN TODAY WE'RE SEEKING A RECOMMENDATION FROM YOU. SO WHAT WE HEARD FROM YOU JUST REALLY HIGH LEVEL WE HEARD FIRE RISK REDUCTION AND PUBLIC SAFETY IS A HUGE PRIORITY FOR THE COMMUNITY. IT IS FOR US AS WELL. BUT WE HEAR TIME AND TIME AGAIN THAT THAT'S OFTEN THE HIGHEST PRIORITY FOR PEOPLE. WE ALSO HEARD ECOSYSTEM HEALTH, BIODIVERSITY AND HABITAT ARE IMPORTANT, WHICH IS ALSO BREAD AND BUTTER FOR US. SO GLAD TO HEAR THAT. TRAIL ACCESS AND RECREATIONAL USE WERE IMPORTANT TO A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, AND THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO KEEP IN MIND AS WE'RE DOING THIS WORK. AND THEN ALSO, WHAT WE HEARD FROM YOU WAS COMMUNICATION, TRANSPARENCY AND PUBLIC AWARENESS ARE KEY. WE HEARD THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT WORK THAT WE DO, OR THEY DON'T KNOW THAT CATTLE ARE PART OF THAT WORK. AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO COMMUNICATE. AND DIRECTOR ECHOLS JUST MENTIONED THE WILDFIRE WEBINAR THAT'S HAPPENING TOMORROW. THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF THE KIND OF EFFORTS WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE PUBLIC ABOUT THIS WORK. WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING A LOT ABOUT VEGETATION MANAGEMENT WORK AT THAT WEBINAR, ENCOURAGE YOU TO SHARE WITH EVERYONE SO THEY CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT THE WORK THAT WE DO. SO THAT'S WHAT WE HEARD FROM YOU. AND WE TOOK OUR SORT OF DRAFT GOALS AND ADJUSTED THEM A BIT ACTUALLY TO ALIGN WITH WHAT WE HEARD. THESE ARE STILL IN DRAFT FORM. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE EVERYTHING WE HEARD FROM YOU AND FROM STAFF. AND WE'RE GOING TO FINALIZE THAT INTO OUR, OUR STRATEGY. BUT THESE ARE THE FOUR GOALS OUR FOR KIND OF WORKING DRAFT GOALS REDUCE WILDFIRE RISK AND PROTECT COMMUNITIES, PROTECT AND RESTORE HEALTHY ECOSYSTEMS, MAINTAIN SAFE AND ACCESSIBLE PARKS AND TRAILS, AND MANAGE RESOURCES RESPONSIBLY AND SUSTAINABLY. WITHIN THAT WE, WITHIN THAT FOURTH ONE IS SORT OF A BIG BUCKET FOR THINGS RELATED TO RESPONSIBLE GOVERNANCE. AND ONE OF THAT IS THE COMMUNICATIONS PIECE THAT WE HEARD FROM YOU. SO THESE ARE OUR DRAFT WORKING GOALS THAT WE WILL EVENTUALLY BRING TO OUR BOARD FOR DISCUSSION. [00:25:08] SO JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT NEXT STEPS, WE'RE GOING TO ANALYZE, INCORPORATE STAFF FEEDBACK IN JUNE. IN THE SUMMER, WE'RE GOING TO FINALIZE THOSE GOALS AND DEVELOP A STRATEGY THAT WILL BRING TO FIRST, TO NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE AND THEN TO OUR FULL BOARD IN THE FALL. AND THEN WE'LL START TO FINALIZE THAT PRIORITIZATION FRAMEWORK AND ACTUALLY START IMPLEMENTING. SO THAT'S THE PLAN. AND OUR RECOMMENDATION TO YOU IS TO CONFIRM THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FINDINGS REPORT THAT'S ATTACHED TO YOUR PACKET AND ACCURATELY, CONFIRM THAT IT ACCURATELY, ACCURATELY REFLECTS INPUT FROM BOTH THE COMMITTEE AND THE BROADER COMMUNITY AND RECOMMEND ITS USE IN DEVELOPING THE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT STRATEGY. SO LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING IF YOU HAVE ANY FEEDBACK OR EDITS ON THAT, OR IF YOU WANT US TO TAKE IT AS IS AND INCORPORATE IT AS WE'RE DRAFTING THE STRATEGY. SO THANKS SO MUCH. LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. SO JUST TO CLARIFY, AGAIN, REMIND PEOPLE ON PSC. THE FIRST PART IS FOR CLARIFYING QUESTIONS ONLY. THEN WE'LL SEE IF WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENTS AND THEN ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS YOU GUYS HAVE. SO ARE THERE ANY CLARIFYING QUESTIONS? MEMBER DIETER. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. I'M JUST WONDERING THIS IS AN ONGOING PROCESS. IF MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WERE NOT ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN WHAT WENT INTO THIS REPORT, BUT THEY DO. SURE, IF MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WERE NOT ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CONTENTS OF THIS REPORT, BUT NOW THEY HAVE SOME IDEAS TO ADD TO THAT. IS THERE A PROCESS IN WHICH THEY CAN CONTINUE TO ADD FEEDBACK ON THE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT? YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. I THINK WE'RE ALWAYS OPEN TO FEEDBACK. I THINK THE, THERE'S SOME, THERE'S A COUPLE KEY TOUCH POINTS WITH FOR PUBLIC MEETINGS. SO WE'RE GOING TO THE NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE, I THINK IT'S JUNE 24TH AND THEN AGAIN IN AUGUST. AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO GO TO OUR BOARD THIS FALL THAT, THAT DATE HASN'T BEEN SET YET. BUT SO THOSE ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO COME AND PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT OR TO SHARE, YOU KNOW, CHAIR PUBLIC COMMENT BEFORE THE MEETING WITH THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS OR THE FULL BOARD. DOES THAT SOUND GOOD? ANY OTHER CLARIFYING QUESTIONS? MEMBERS SIMMONS. I'M GOING TO TRY TO PHRASE THIS AS A QUESTION AND DO THE BEST I CAN, BUT AT THE PRIOR MEETING I MADE A COMMENT OR AN OBSERVATION THAT I THOUGHT A STUDY OF THIS NATURE, A PROGRAM OF THIS NATURE WOULD SPEAK IN TERMS OF WATERSHEDS AND WATERSHEDS HEALTH. AND AT THAT POINT, THE INTERIM GENERAL MANAGER GOT UP AND SAID, WATERSHED IS ABOUT EVERYTHING WE DO. BUT HOW IN YOUR MIND DOES THE REFERENCE TO ECOSYSTEM HEALTH REALLY CONVEY THE NOTION OF TALKING ABOUT HOW YOU'RE APPROACHING THIS FROM A WATERSHED STANDPOINT. I TRY NOT TO REPEAT MYSELF FROM BEFORE, BUT YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK, YOU KNOW, IF YOU THINK ABOUT WATER IS JUST THIS UNIFYING THEME AROUND HOW THE NATURAL SYSTEMS FUNCTION IN THE LANDS THAT WE MANAGE. VEGETATION PLAYS A REALLY IMPORTANT ROLE IN THAT. AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WE HAVE ALL THESE WATER AGENCIES THAT ARE PARTNERS THAT DON'T JUST AREN'T JUST RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR RESERVOIRS, THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE WHOLE WATERSHED BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT HEALTHY ECOSYSTEMS ARE, DON'T HAVE EROSION OR OTHER ISSUES ARE BENEFICIAL FOR THOSE WATERSHEDS, RIGHT. AND SO I THINK THAT'S, WHEN WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THESE MULTIPLE BENEFITS. YOU KNOW, ONE IS PROTECTING COMMUNITIES FROM FIRE. ANOTHER ONE IS, IS ENHANCING NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS. ANOTHER ONE IS THESE RECREATIONAL COMPONENTS. I THINK THAT THAT NATURAL ECOSYSTEM COMPONENT, IT CONNECTS WITH WATERSHEDS. I ALSO THINK PROTECTING COMMUNITIES FROM FIRE ALSO DOES BECAUSE WHEN YOU HAVE THESE REALLY EXTREME FIRE EVENTS, YOU END UP YOU SAW SEEN IN LIKE SANTA BARBARA AND MONTECITO OR OTHER PLACES WHERE THEY HAVE THESE HUGE, CATASTROPHIC MUDFLOW, YOU KNOW, EVENTS FROM STORMS. SO TO ME, LIKE ALL OF THOSE FACTORS ARE CONNECTED WITH WATERSHEDS AND WATER. I DON'T KNOW, DOES THAT GET TO YOUR QUESTION? I. IT WAS, I MAY MAKE A COMMENT LATER, BUT THAT WAS THE QUESTION. I WANTED TO PHRASE THAT AS A QUESTION FIRST. SO THANK YOU. [00:30:04] ALL RIGHT, FAIR ENOUGH, YEAH. ANY OTHER CLARIFYING QUESTIONS? OKAY, MADAM CLERK, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? WE HAVE NO PUBLIC COMMENTS. THANK YOU. OKAY, SO OPEN FOR PAC MEMBER COMMENTS AND ANY QUESTIONS? MEMBER VALENZUELA, THEN MEMBER PEOPLES. YES, THIS PAST WEEKEND OVER AT BIG BREAK, WE HAD A PHOTO WALK ON SUNDAY, AND THEN WE HAD THAT OUR STOP ON THE BLACK BIRDERS WEEK ON MONDAY. AND WE HAVE GOATS ALL ALONG ONE WHOLE SIDE OF THE PROPERTY RIGHT NOW AND TONS OF QUESTIONS ABOUT, WHY ARE THE GOATS THERE. WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY ABOUT THIS WHOLE QUESTION. AND, YOU KNOW, GOT TO TALK ABOUT FIRE SAFETY, VEGETATION MANAGEMENT, ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE DO. AND MOSTLY THE MAIN OBSERVATION AFTER WE TALKED ABOUT THAT, THEY GO, THOSE GOATS LOOK REALLY HEALTHY. [LAUGHTER]. BECAUSE THEY EAT A LOT, I SAY. BECAUSE JUST WATCHING THEM EAT, BECAUSE YOU CAN WALK UP TO THEM AND THEY WERE EATING RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU. AND IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE ALL OF THIS. MEMBER PEOPLES. YEAH, I APPRECIATE THE DISTRICT ESTABLISHING THIS PROGRAM. I THINK THERE IS A LOT OF EXISTING PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE DOING THAT DEAL WITH VEGETATIVE MANAGEMENT. I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO BRING IT TOGETHER, THE. AND I HAVE A BACKGROUND IN VEGETATIVE MANAGEMENT AND UNDERSTAND THESE KIND OF PLANNING EFFORTS. I REALLY WISH WE'D HAD THE OPPORTUNITY IN MARCH TO FOLLOW UP ON THE PRESENTATION IN FEBRUARY AND TALK ABOUT IT. AS I SAID IN FEBRUARY, IT SEEMS TO ME THEY NEED TO PAY MORE ATTENTION TO TO THE GOALS AND THE PURPOSE OF THIS. I THINK IN TERMS OF MAKING THIS RELEVANT TO THE COMMUNITY, I THINK IT WOULD BE USEFUL TO THINK OF THE PURPOSE OF THIS. I'M A, I'M AN ECOLOGIST AND I THINK IN NATURE SYSTEMS, BUT I THINK IN TERMS OF REACHING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY, IT WOULD BE USEFUL TO THINK TO STATE THE PURPOSE OF THIS AS MINIMIZING THE LONG-TERM COSTS OF MANAGING THE VEGETATION. THAT'S KIND OF AN OVERRIDING PURPOSE THAT WE'RE DOING HERE, AND WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT IN AN ECOLOGICALLY SOUND AND CONSTRUCTIVE MANNER. BUT IT'S A VERY LONG TERM GOAL. AND I MEAN, DECADES, 40, 50 YEARS OR MORE. YOU HAVE TO THINK IN THOSE TERMS TO ACHIEVE THAT. AND IN TERMS OF GOALS, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT THERE PERHAPS A THREE GOALS. ONE OF THEM, THE FIRST ONE, PERHAPS IT WOULD BE TO CREATE AND MAINTAIN A SELF-SUSTAINING VEGETATION. IN OTHER WORDS, TO MINIMIZE COSTS, WE WANT VEGETATION THAT WILL MAINTAIN ITSELF, AND THAT'S GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION POTENTIAL CLIMATE CHANGE AND SO FORTH. AND THERE ARE WAYS TO ADDRESS THAT. A SECOND OBJECTIVE AGAIN, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT, I THINK, IN THE COMMUNITY, WHICH IS TO MINIMIZE WILDFIRE RISKS, BUT BEYOND THAT, ALSO MANAGE THIS VEGETATION SO THAT THE IMPACTS OF WILDFIRES, WHICH ARE GOING TO OCCUR, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE WILDFIRE DEPENDENT ECOSYSTEMS THAT WE'RE IN. AND SO YOU MINIMIZE WILDFIRE RISK TO THE COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO ADVERSE IMPACTS FROM FIRES TO THE NATURAL SYSTEMS AS WELL AS TO THE COMMUNITY. AND THEN THIRD, AND THIS GETS TO YOUR COMMENT, BOB IS, I THINK, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE CAN LOOK TOWARDS ON THIS IS, AGAIN, IN THE CONTEXT OF CLIMATE CHANGE, IS ENHANCING WATER YIELD AND QUALITY OF WATER COMING OFF OF THESE WATERSHEDS, NOT ONLY THE ONES, THE WATERSHEDS THAT ARE CONTROLLED BY THE WATER UTILITIES, BUT ANY OF OUR LAND, WE CAN INCREASE THE WATER YIELD. AND ONE OF THE KEY THINGS IN THIS, AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT PERHAPS RELATED TO SOME OTHER ASPECTS OF THE DOCUMENT WE'RE LOOKING AT. BUT SOMEHOW OR OTHER, WE NEED TO LOOK AT THIS AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THE VEGETATION WE HAVE THERE IS NOW. BUT WE ALSO LOOK AT IT FROM AN ECOLOGICAL POINT OF VIEW IN TERMS OF TRYING TO DEFINE WHAT APPEARS TO BE THE CLIMAX VEGETATION THERE. THAT'S THE VEGETATION THAT WILL BE SELF-SUSTAINING, AND IT'S GOING TO BE LESS DENSE VEGETATION BY AND LARGE, [00:35:06] THAN WE HAVE CURRENTLY. AND THAT IS WHAT'S GOING TO GENERATE ADDITIONAL WATER YIELD FROM THESE LANDS. SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO RAISE THE LEVEL OF THE OBJECTIVES AND THE PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVE HERE AND THINK VERY LONG TERM. AND THOSE ARE SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR DOING THAT. AND THEN I HAVE SOME SPECIFIC COMMENTS ON THE ACTUAL DOCUMENT ITSELF. MEMBER BARTLEBAUGH. THANK YOU. IN THE SUMMARY OF THE COMMENTS AND THE CONCLUSIONS, I DIDN'T SEE ANY ITEM IN THERE ABOUT CONSIDERING VOLUNTEERS ASSISTING WITH VEGETATION MANAGEMENT. I DID SEE A RECOMMENDATION TO EXPLORE EXPANDED WORKFORCE PARTNERSHIPS WITH CONSERVATION CAUSE. BUT I THINK THEY'RE ALSO LIMITED. I THINK VOLUNTEERS FROM COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE IN FEBRUARY AND THEN IN THE LISTENING SESSIONS FOR THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM I THINK BOTH FROM A TRAIL STEWARDSHIP POINT OF VIEW AND A CONSERVATION OR HABITAT IMPROVEMENT PERSPECTIVE. THERE WERE VOLUNTEERS FROM BOTH THOSE FACETS THAT WOULD LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE MORE. I UNDERSTAND THERE ARE UNION WORKFORCE ISSUES THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE WORKED THROUGH, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD TO CONSIDER THAT AS AN OPPORTUNITY PARTICULARLY SINCE COMMENTS MADE AGAIN BY STAFF TONIGHT THAT THE VOLUME OF THE WORK EXCEEDS THE CAPACITY OF ALL THE AVAILABLE RESOURCES. I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD TO CONSIDER VOLUNTEERS AS WELL. THANK YOU. MEMBER CLAXTON. I JUST WANT TO ECHO WHAT BOB SIMMONS WAS SAYING. I WAS REVIEWING THE DOCUMENT AGAIN AND THE WORD WATERSHED IS OR WATER IS NOWHERE IN IT IN THIS REPORT. SO MAYBE REVIEWING IT AND SEEING WHERE JUST CALLING THAT OUT AS AN IMPORTANT FEATURE OF PARTICULARLY THE BIODIVERSITY ASPECT OF WATERSHED SUPPORTING BIODIVERSITY. YOU KNOW, SOME OTHER THINGS ARE MENTIONED LIKE HABITAT. THE WORD HABITAT IS IN THERE. BUT ANYWAY, SO I THINK THE WORD WATER IS IMPORTANT AND WATERSHED. THANK YOU. MEMBER DIETER. I WANTED TO THANK STAFF FOR CAPTURING A LOT OF THE COMMENTS IN A REALLY WELL PUT TOGETHER DOCUMENT. BECAUSE REALLY WHAT CAME, BECAME CLEAR FROM PUBLIC COMMENT IS THAT MOST PEOPLE WERE ONLY FAMILIAR WITH FIRE ISSUES BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE PUBLICIZE AND THAT'S WHAT GETS MOST OF THE ATTENTION. BUT READING THIS REPORT, I REALIZED THAT THE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT MIGHT BE CALLED THE ECOLOGICALLY BASED VEGETATION MANAGEMENT, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT EVEN AFTER WILDFIRES. SO JUST CONSIDER MAYBE ADDING THAT TO THE TITLE OF THE DOCUMENT. ONE THING THAT GOT MISSED THAT I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT WAS PROBABLY UNDER THE STRATEGY GOALS WAS TO INCREASE PLANT SPECIES. THERE'S NOWHERE IN THERE. I HAD TALKED ABOUT EXPANDING ACREAGE OF VEGETATION TYPES TO ATTRACT WILDLIFE SPECIES, AND ADD PLANT COMMUNITIES THAT ARE GOOD FOR BREEDING AND FEEDING SUCH AS TREES, SHRUBS AND GRASSES. SO ANYWAY, IT'S ALL PART OF THE LIFE CYCLE OF, OF THE PARK SYSTEM. SO WE ALWAYS HAVE TO TALK ABOUT ADDING MORE WHERE WE CAN. AND SO I STILL WOULD LIKE THAT ADDED TO THIS. AND THE OTHER THING THAT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION WAS USING THE WORD RECREATION. IT DIDN'T SEEM RECREATIONAL USE, IT DIDN'T SEEM LIKE IT REALLY BELONGED IN THIS REPORT. SO LIKE WHAT SAYS TRAIL ACCESS AND RECREATIONAL USE AS A TITLE. AND I THINK WHAT IT REALLY IS TRAIL ACCESS AND MAINTENANCE. [00:40:06] BECAUSE OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, IT HAS TO DO WITH PEOPLE WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR TRAILS ARE MAINTAINED. SO IT JUST SEEMED WEIRD IN A VEGETATION MANAGEMENT TO BRING THAT UP. SO I WOULD JUST THINK IF, WHETHER OR NOT YOU REALLY WANT TO INCLUDE THAT. I ALSO THOUGHT SOMEWHERE ELSE IN HERE, WHERE WAS THAT? I JUST THINK TRAIL CONDITIONS, MAYBE THAT'S WHAT YOU, YOU CAN USE. BECAUSE THEN THAT BRINGS UP VEGETATION. SO THOSE ARE MY FEEDBACKS. MAINLY FOR THE REPORT. THANK YOU. MEMBER SIMMONS. THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS REPORT FORWARD AND THE PROGRAM FORWARD. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO DO THAT. I DO HAVE A COUPLE COMMENTS THOUGH. AND I WANT TO PUT IT IN THE CONTEXT THAT FIRST OF ALL, I THINK ECOSYSTEM HEALTH ECOSYSTEM IS A REALLY BROAD, ALMOST AMORPHOUS CONCEPT, ONE THAT YOU JUST CAN'T PUT YOUR HANDS AROUND OR GRASP IN TERMS OF ANY TYPE OF DETAIL, OR YOU LOOK OUT AND SAY, WELL, THAT'S THE ECOSYSTEM. I THINK WATERSHED DOES CONVEY SOMETHING THAT'S VERY FINITE DIFFERENT ORDERS OF WATERSHEDS. BUT THEY ALL KIND OF FUNCTION SIMILARLY FOR THE MOST PART, MOST OF MANY OF EAST BAY PARK'S FACILITIES OR PROPERTIES, OR THE PARKS, RATHER IN THE UPLAND AREAS, AS OPPOSED TO WHERE THE CREEKS FLOW INTO THE BAY. WHETHER IT'S SUSAN BAY OR SAN PABLO BAY OR SOME OTHER BAY. IN PERHAPS MORE IMPORTANT, I THINK BY CHOOSING ECOSYSTEM RATHER THAN WATERSHED, I THINK YOU'RE MISSING AN OPPORTUNITY IN A REALLY BIG WAY. YOU HAVE A LOT OF. NOT, YOU HAVE. THERE ARE A LOT OF CREEK GROUPS, FROM ALAMEDA CREEK TO PINOLE CREEK TO WILDCAT CREEK TO ALHAMBRA CREEK, WHERE YOU HAVE A NICE SIGN UP IN BRIONES ABOUT THE ALHAMBRA CREEK WATERSHED. AND THEN FINALLY, THE ONE I AM WORKING WITH, WHICH IS THE WALNUT CREEK WATERSHED. AND, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE GROUPS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN WATERSHED HEALTH, AND VEGETATION MANAGEMENT IS A PART OF THAT. AND I JUST I JUST FEEL THAT THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE THOSE GROUPS IN A WAY THAT TALKING ABOUT ECOSYSTEM HEALTH SIMPLY DOESN'T MAKE IT. AND WHEN YOU FOCUS ON A CREEK LIKE YOU DID WITH MCCOSKER CREEK YOU HAVE A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS. AND THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT ALL OF THE WATERSHEDS WHERE EAST BAY PARKS HAVE LANDS THAT HAVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESTORATION THAT WILL ACTUALLY BENEFIT, NOT JUST BENEFIT THE HABITAT, THE WILDLIFE HABITAT. BUT I THINK WE'LL HAVE A BENEFIT, JUST LIKE I THINK PICOSA CREEK DID IN REDUCING FIRE RISK BECAUSE YOU'RE REINTRODUCING WATER INTO THE ENVIRONMENT IN A PLACE WHERE PREVIOUSLY IT WAS JUST NON NATIVE GRASSLAND. AND SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE DISTRICT TO GIVE SOME THOUGHT TO CHANGING THE NAME FROM ECOSYSTEM HEALTH TO WATERSHED HEALTH, AND MODIFYING SOME OF THE LANGUAGE ACCORDINGLY TO FOCUS MORE ON SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT TO ME, PEOPLE LIKE ME CAN, CAN UNDERSTAND AND CAN GRASP AND CAN DEAL WITH. SO THAT'S IT. IF I COULD, I WOULD JUST NOTE THAT WITH GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS TODAY, YOU CAN HAVE BOTH ECOSYSTEMS AND WATERSHEDS. YOU CAN WORK WITH BOTH. AND THEY'RE ALMOST INTERCHANGEABLE. I'M SORRY? IF YOU'RE HIGHLY TRAINED. NO, I MEAN, IN TERMS OF COMMUNICATING WITH THE WITH THE COMMUNITY AND SO FORTH. MEMBER OMOLO. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. I WAS LOOKING AT THE ON COMMUNITY COMMUNICATION ON COMMUNITY COMMUNICATION PORTION. AND I WAS JUST WONDERING IF MAYBE SOME MORE INSIGHT OR BUILDING OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE THE PROACTIVE OUTREACH PLAN. HOW DO WE JUDGE SUCCESS? IS THERE KIND OF AN ITERATIVE PROCESS TO SEE WHAT THE BEST WAYS OF COMMUNICATING WITH A COMMUNITY IS? I KNOW THAT IT SAYS SOCIAL MEDIA AND TRAILHEAD, BUT SOCIAL MEDIA IS JUST WIDE AND KIND OF, WE AREN'T SURE. I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW HOW YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT, OH, MAYBE THESE KINDS OF POSTS GET MORE FOLKS OR LESS FOLKS, AND HOW DO WE JUST GET THAT INFORMATION OUT? BECAUSE IT SEEMED FROM SOME OF THE NOTES PEOPLE SAID THEY WEREN'T REALLY AWARE OF AS MUCH ABOUT WHAT THIS IS FOR. [00:45:09] AND I THINK IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR LESSONS. BUT REALLY, I THINK PUBLIC AGENCIES STRUGGLE WITH GETTING INFORMATION OUT TO THE COMMUNITY, SO HAVING AN ITERATIVE PROCESS OR A WAY OF DOUBLE CHECKING HOW WELL WE'RE DOING ON THOSE ITEMS WOULD BE GOOD TO KIND OF THINK THROUGH. THANK YOU. MEMBER DIETER. AND FOLKS, I KNOW THERE'S A LOT, BUT WE'RE ALREADY RUNNING LATE AND WE HAVE TWO MORE ITEMS TO GET TO. SO I WOULD JUST SAY IF SOMETHING'S BURNING, THEN PLEASE GO AHEAD, BUT. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO BRING IT UP BECAUSE THIS IS THE TIME. SO I HEARD TO ADD TO MINIMIZE COSTS AS PART OF THE PURPOSE OVERALL COSTS. AND TO INCLUDE WATERSHED. AND TO INCLUDE ECOLOGICALLY BASED VEGETATION MANAGEMENT STRATEGY. BUT I ALSO THOUGHT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT MAKING IT EASY FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND AND GRASP FOR WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. THERE IS SOMEONE JUST SENT ME THE 2001 EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT WILDLIFE WILDLAND VEGETATION POLICIES AND GUIDELINES. AND IT IS SO GOOD AND COMPREHENSIVE, AND I THINK THAT I HOPE THAT THE PARK DISTRICT UTILIZES THAT AS A BASELINE. AND I THINK THAT THE PAC SHOULD ALSO GET A COPY OF THAT AND LOOK AT IT, BECAUSE I THINK IT EXPLAINS THE WHOLE SUBCATEGORIES OF VEGETATION MANAGEMENT TO CONSIDER. AND I KIND OF WISH I HAD SEEN THAT BEFORE WE STARTED THIS ENTIRE PROCESS, BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE SHED A LITTLE BIT MORE FOCUS ON DETAILS. WHEN I WAS TALKING TO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, BUT SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT HAVING EASILY UNDERSTOOD LANGUAGE IS IMPORTANT. SO THANK YOU. MEMBER CHANG. MY COMMENTS ARE PRETTY BRIEF. I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS THE COMMENT SECTION, BUT I WOULD BE CURIOUS IF STAFF WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY WE ARE BEING ASKED TO TAKE ACTION ON THIS. SO I AM CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT THEY SAY PARTICULARLY WHAT OMOLO BROUGHT UP, WHICH IS LIKE, HOW DO WE JUDGE SUCCESS? HOW DO WE HAVE PROACTIVE OUTREACH? AND OF COURSE, OTHER PEOPLE'S COMMENTS ARE VERY IMPORTANT AS WELL. BUT THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM STAFF. THANK YOU, MEMBER CHANG TO, AND FOR EVERYBODY, THIS IS ALSO COMMENTS. AND THEN ANY QUESTION YOU HAVE RIGHT NOW IS APPROPRIATE TOO. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MEMBER CHANG. THERE'S SOMEONE FROM STAFF ADDRESS MEMBER CHANG'S QUESTION. YOUR QUESTION IS TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT WERE HERE TODAY. WAS THERE A SPECIFIC QUESTION AS WELL, OR JUST TO OVERALL ADDRESS. ANYTHING ADDRESSED FROM MY OTHER COMMITTEE MEMBERS, BUT PARTICULARLY I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE OUTREACH PART AND OF COURSE, HOW WE MEASURE SUCCESS. SURE. SO THE OUTREACH FOR THE STRATEGY ITSELF OR JUST OUR VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PROGRAM. ON THE, AS PART OF THE PROGRAM AND THE COMMUNITY COMMUNICATION PORTION. YEAH, I THINK SO. I'LL HAVE TO DEFER TO SOMEONE FROM EXTERNAL AFFAIRS, WHICH WE DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE WHO CAN SPEAK TO THAT TONIGHT, BUT I WILL SHARE THAT. IN TERMS OF PROCESS, OUR STRATEGY WILL BE DEVELOPED BY LATE SUMMER IMPLEMENT STARTING TO IMPLEMENT IN THE FALL. WE, IN THE STRATEGY, WE IDENTIFY GOALS AND ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES. AND WE ALREADY HAVE A DRAFT OF EXACTLY WHAT OUR EXTERNAL AFFAIRS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS. AND ALSO OUR INTERP AND REC DEPARTMENT THAT FOCUSES ON EDUCATION, THEY EACH HAVE A ROLE IN GETTING THIS WORD OUT TO THE COMMUNITY. AND SO THROUGH THAT, THEY'LL DEVELOP WORK PLANS IN EACH DEPARTMENT ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR. I CAN'T SPEAK TO SPECIFICALLY WHAT WOULD BE IN THOSE WORK PLANS YET, BUT THAT IS DEFINITELY PART OF THE PROCESS. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT HELPS. NO, I THINK IT DOES. THANK YOU. BUT YES, THANK YOU. DID YOU WANT ME TO SHARE FROM ABOUT OTHER COMMENTS OR WAS THAT DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? OKAY. GREAT. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? OKAY, I DID WANT TO ADD ONE THING, JUST KIND OF. MEMBER DIETER YOU EXPRESSED A CONCERN AROUND RECREATION, NOT BELONGING. AND SO I GUESS I JUST WANT TO ADD TO THAT COMMUNITY FEEDBACK I GOT FROM BOTH HIKERS AND BIKERS. AND THAT WAS SHARED AT OUR TABLE WAS THAT THERE WAS CONCERN FROM BOTH THOSE GROUPS THAT WHEN TRAILS ARE NOT ADEQUATELY EASY FOR ME TO SAY, MAINTAIN, THEY ACTUALLY CAN'T ACCESS THE TRAIL. AND SO I THINK THAT'S WHY RECREATION CAME UP BECAUSE THEY SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED, HEY, I CAN'T DO MY RECREATIONAL ACTIVITY. [00:50:07] SO I GET YOUR CONCERN ON WHY WOULD RECREATION BE, AND YOU KNOW, VEGETATIVE MANAGEMENT, BUT JUST COMMUNITY INPUT I GOT WHEN I ASKED PEOPLE, THAT'S WHAT I GOT BACK. SO I JUST WANT TO ADD THAT. AND THEN MADAM CLERK, I UNDERSTAND WE DO HAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT. THAT'S CORRECT. JIM HANSEN I BELIEVE YOU'VE HAD YOUR HAND UP. I MIGHT HAVE TO PROMOTE YOU TO PANELIST. ALL RIGHT. MR. HANSEN, WHEN YOU'RE READY. I THINK I SENT YOU A JOIN US PANELIST. THERE YOU GO. JIM. JIM, CAN YOU OPEN YOUR CAMERA? OH, GREAT. THERE WE GO. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE. MY NAME IS JIM HANSEN. I'M A VOLUNTEER WITH THE CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY, AND I WORK ON CONSERVATION OF NATIVE FLORA AND DIVERSE NATIVE PLANT COMMUNITIES. AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE IN-DEPTH DISCUSSIONS AND CONCERNS AND QUESTIONS THAT THAT YOU'RE ALL RAISING. I'LL JUST BE BRIEF BECAUSE I THINK YOU'VE COVERED COVERED A NUMBER OF INTERESTING, I THINK, CONCERNS WE HAVE. I TOOK SOME TIME OVER THE WEEKEND TO REVIEW THE PAC MEETING IN FEBRUARY THAT FIRST DESCRIBED THE PLAN AND THAT WILL BE INCLUDING YOUR INPUT. AND I ADMIT IT WAS STILL A BIT CHALLENGING TO NAIL DOWN THE SCOPE AND SPECIFIC OUTCOMES FROM THIS PLANNING PROCESS. BUT THERE I RECALL THE QUESTIONS ABOUT WEEDS ON THE TRAILS, WATERSHEDS, PRESCRIBED FIRE. AND TODAY I REACHED OUT TO STAFF AND TAME A COPY OF THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS. I DID FIND IT HELPFUL IN SUMMARY, BECAUSE IT DOES TALK ABOUT A DATA SYNTHESIS. THERE'S APPARENTLY A LOT OF DATA SETS THAT COULD HELP PLAN AND WORK. AND IT SEEMS LIKE, PARTICULARLY IN THE PARK BOUNDARY AND DEFENSIBLE SPACE AREAS WHERE, AS YOU KNOW, IF YOU'VE WALKED THE BERKELEY OR SHADOW HILLS OR WHEREVER, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF WORK YET THE WAY OF A TERM I THINK YOU'RE PROBABLY ALL FAMILIAR WITH. AND THERE'S A NUMBER OF NEW, FRANKLY, VEGETATION MAINTENANCE RESPONSIBILITIES THAT ARE THAT ARE FOLLOWING THOSE TREATMENTS. SO TO DO IT IN A VERY COMPREHENSIVE WAY THAT INCLUDES ECOLOGICALLY BASED IS, IS REALLY, I THINK, A VERY PROACTIVE THING TO DO. I AGREE WITH THE SUGGESTION TO MAKE IT MORE INTENTIONAL AS ECOLOGICALLY BASED VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PLAN. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IT REPRESENTS THE, I THINK THE AGENDA TITLE AND A LOT OF THE INTERESTS THAT, THAT YOU'VE ALL SHARED. THE, I HAVE READ THE WILDFIRE VEGETATION POLICIES AND THE GUIDELINES FROM 2001, AND THEY DO HAVE REAL STAYING POWER. I THINK IT'S A VERY WORTHWHILE DOCUMENT. AND OTHER THAN THAT, I WOULD JUST SAY WE HOPE TO FOLLOW THIS. WE APPRECIATE YOUR WORK ON IT AND I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MEMBER PEOPLES. I HAVE ONE SPECIFIC COMMENT ON THE DOCUMENT AND IT'S IN THE CONCLUSIONS. AND I UNDERSTAND THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST, PARTICULARLY WITHIN THIS COMMITTEE, ABOUT REACHING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY IN COMMUNICATIONS AND WHATNOT, BUT I, I HOPE WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO THAT, FIND A WAY TO FOCUS ON STUFF THAT'S, THAT PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN BUT NOT LET THAT DOMINATE THE PROCESS. IT'S MUCH MORE SUBSTANTIVE THAN THAT. IN TERMS OF DEVELOPING A PROGRAM AND THIS LONG-TERM PERSPECTIVE AND THE GOALS AND, YOU KNOW, SETTING PRIORITIES AND THAT SORT OF THING. AND THAT NEEDS TO BE THE FOCUS AND, BUT KEEP AWARE THAT WE WANT TO KEEP THE COMMUNITY AWARE OF THIS, INFORM THE COMMUNITY, EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING, BUT NOT LET IT BE THE DOMINANT FEATURE THE WAY IT KIND OF READS IN THE STATEMENT. THE CONCLUSION STATEMENT THERE. OKAY. SO STAFF HAS ASKED US TO VOTE ON A RECOMMENDATION. IF YOU COULD PLEASE PUT THAT SLIDE BACK UP SO WE ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON. AND THEN I KIND OF HESITATE TO SAY THIS BECAUSE, I DON'T LIKE TO WEIGH IN, BUT GIVEN THAT I HEARD MULTIPLE PEOPLE EXPRESS CONCERNS OR COMMENTS THAT THE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK THEY HAD DISCUSSED WAS NOT INCLUDED, THEN I DON'T WANT TO REWRITE THE WHOLE [00:55:02] THING, BUT YOU MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER IF THERE'S SOMETHING, AGAIN, THAT WAS IN YOUR COMMUNITY FEEDBACK THAT WASN'T IN HERE, THEN IT MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE IF YOU MAKE A MOTION TO ADD THAT SPECIFIC THING. BUT AGAIN, I WOULDN'T SUGGEST WE TRY TO REWRITE THIS ENTIRE DOCUMENT BECAUSE THAT'S JUST NOT VERY PRACTICAL, OR YOU COULD, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE COULD SAY, YEAH, I AGREE. NO, I DON'T AGREE. SO THAT'S JUST MY THOUGHT. IF YOU FEEL LIKE SOMETHING'S REALLY MISSING FROM THAT. AND WITH THAT, I WILL ENTERTAIN MOTIONS ON THIS TO. MEMBER DIETER. I MOVE THAT THE PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE CONFIRMED THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FINDINGS REPORT WITH THE ADDITIONS OF SENTIMENTS EXPRESSED TODAY TO REFLECT INPUT FROM BOTH THE COMMITTEE AND THE BROADER COMMUNITY AND RECOMMEND ITS USE IN DEVELOPING THE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT STRATEGY. I'M HAPPY TO SECOND HER MOTION. OKAY, SO DO YOU KNOW THEN SO MEMBER DIETER AND MEMBER CHANG SECONDED THAT THE CONCERNS BROUGHT UP. I, I CAPTURED, I THINK FIVE OF THEM. DO YOU DO YOU KNOW WHAT THEY ARE? I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL THEN IF YOU READ TO PAC WHAT THOSE ARE SO THAT IT'S CONSISTENT WITH MEMBERS DIETER AND MEMBERS CHANG WISHES ON THE MOTION. I'M NOT SURE IF I HAVE SYNTHESIZED THIS INTO MAIN THEMES. I HAVE SPECIFIC NOTES. DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING IN MIND? I WAS. I DON'T WANT TO ADD THIS TO THEIR MOTION. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT SINCE THEY SAID BROADLY THAT THE ITEMS. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THOSE ITEMS ARE CAPTURED TO THEIR SATISFACTION IN THEIR MOTION. THANK YOU. OKAY, I HAVE CREATE AND MAINTAIN SELF-SUSTAINING VEGETATION, MINIMIZE WILDFIRE RISK, AND MANAGE VEGETATION, SO THAT WILDFIRE HAS LESS ADVERSE IMPACTS ON COMMUNITY AND EXISTING VEGETATION. FOCUS ON ENHANCING WATER YIELD AND QUALITY OF WATERSHEDS. INCLUDE VOLUNTEERS AND EXPANDED WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM PARTNERSHIPS. ANOTHER COMMENT ABOUT ADDING WATER AND WATERSHED INTO THE REPORT. USING THE TERM ECOLOGICALLY BASED VEGETATION MANAGEMENT. EXPANDING THE STRATEGY GOALS TO INCLUDE ADDITIONAL VEGETATION, ADDING, VEGETATION TYPES OR PLANT TYPES. CONCERNS ABOUT USING THE WORD RECREATION. I HEARD KIND OF BOTH SIDES OF THAT CONVERSATION. SO THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. LET'S SEE. ECOSYSTEM HEALTH AS A TERM IS TOO BROAD. USE WATERSHED MANAGEMENT DIFFERENT WAYS. MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY THAT WE UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY AND THE PUBLIC. I THINK. AND THEN DON'T LET THE COMMUNICATIONS PIECE DOMINATE THE DISCUSSION. WHAT AM I MISSING? MEMBER DIETER. YOU FORGOT TO ADD INCREASE PLANT SPECIES. OH YEAH, I SAID VEGETATION TYPES, BUT I THINK THAT'S WHAT I HAD TAKEN. INCREASE. INCREASE. INCREASE. YEAH. YEAH. I SAID EXPAND VEGETATION TYPES. INCREASE PLANT SPECIES IS THE PREFERRED TERM. RIGHT, AND SOMEBODY HAD EXPRESSED IN TERMS OF THE PURPOSE IS TO MINIMIZE OVERALL COSTS. OKAY. AND TO INCLUDE THE WORD WATERSHED. I THINK BOB COULD PROBABLY PUT THAT IN A PHRASE. AND I'M NOT GOING TO DIE ON THE HILL INCLUDING THE RECREATION USE. I JUST THINK TRAIL CONDITIONS WERE ON THE TOP OF THE MIND IS GOOD ENOUGH. YOU DON'T NEED TO SAY TRAIL CONDITIONS FOR RECREATIONAL USE, I JUST THINK IT'S, IT'S A GIVEN. SO I WOULDN'T GIVE IT ITS OWN THING. SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU AGREE THAT TRAIL CONDITIONS IS FINE. YEAH. I'M, I JUST DON'T WANT TO PULL THE RECREATION PIECE OUT BECAUSE AGAIN, I GOT A TON OF FEEDBACK FROM MY COMMUNITY. AND FOR WHAT? EVERYTHING THAT COMES AFTER THAT ALL HAS TO DO WITH RECREATION. YEAH, IT EXPLAINS IT. I WOULD JUST SAY FOR ME, IT NEEDS TO BE RECREATION IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO ACCESS TRAILS. AND THEN FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH EVERYTHING I HAD WRITTEN DOWN AND I MISSED SHE TOUCHED ON TOO. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE BEFORE WE PUT IT OUT TO PEOPLE. MEMBER DIETER, AND THEN MEMBER CHANG, YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH WHAT'S OUT THERE? YEAH, I MEAN, I'M PERSONALLY COMFORTABLE WITH IT. THE LAST PART ABOUT THE COMMUNITY, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT GETTING THE WORK DONE COMES FIRST. BUT I DO THINK THAT ON THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH PART, IT REALLY IS MORE SO TO ME JUST WHO TRADITIONALLY HAVE, [01:00:07] WHO TRADITIONALLY DO NOT ENGAGE WITH PARKS, AT LEAST KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING, OR AT LEAST ARE ENGAGED ON THIS. BUT I DON'T THINK THAT'S OPPOSED TO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. YOU'RE JUST SAYING LET'S FOCUS ON THE WORK. LET'S NOT FORGET TO FOCUS ON THE WORK OVER THERE. I HAVE NO TROUBLE WITH, YOU KNOW, SAYING EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION, BUT JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT. YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT SAYING IT'S MOST IMMEDIATE CONCERNS. YOU KNOW, I THINK I HAVE NO TROUBLE WITH COMMUNICATIONS. I REALIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT. BUT IT SHOULD NOT. IT KIND OF COMES ACROSS AS AN OVERRIDING CONCERN. AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE CASE. YEAH, AND I'M ASSUMING WHAT YOU MEAN IS YOU WANT THE WORK. THE WORK COMES BEFORE THE COMMUNICATION. SO YEAH, I THINK WE'RE IN ALIGNMENT. AND THEN OF COURSE, THE PART THAT I WAS INITIALLY GOING TO PROPOSE IS JUST THAT WE REMOVE THE WORD ACCURATELY BECAUSE IT'S NOT THAT IT'S NOT INACCURATE, BUT IT'S JUST WE DON'T NEED TO ADD THAT. IT'S JUST WE AND THEN REFLECTS INPUT DOT, DOT, DOT IS ALL FINE. OKAY, AND THEN ONE, ONE REMINDER TO, TO EVERYBODY. SO EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN SAID IN HERE CAPTURED ON VIDEO AND THEN CAPTURED IN MINUTES. IF IT'S NOT IN THE MINUTES, THEN OF COURSE YOU CAN BRING IT UP NEXT TIME AND SAY, HEY, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE I VOTE ON THE ON THE MINUTES, I NEED TO MAKE SURE THIS ADDED OKAY. AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE ANOTHER COMMENT FROM MEMBER SIMMONS. IT IS JUST THAT I HAD MADE A VERY SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATION TO ENCOURAGE STAFF TO CHANGE ECOSYSTEM HEALTH TO WATERSHED HEALTH. AND I DIDN'T QUITE HEAR THAT IN YOUR COMMENTS. AND IT'S JUST, IT'S IN THE CONTEXT OF THE MOTION THAT WAS DRAFTED. DOES IT SAY MAKE THE CHANGE? IT JUST SAYS, CONSIDER THE COMMENTS THAT YOU HEARD TODAY IN ADDITION TO THE OTHER COMMENTS THAT YOU RECEIVED THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS. I DON'T WANT TO QUIBBLE OVER SEMANTICS ON THIS, BUT ECOSYSTEMS ARE THE RELATIONSHIP OF ALL THESE ORGANISMS OUT THERE. WATERSHEDS ARE A GEOGRAPHIC AREA AND THEY'RE NOT REALLY IN CONFLICT. I MEAN, IF YOU WANTED TO SAY ECOSYSTEM AND WATERSHED HEALTH, I MEAN, I WOULD SUPPORT THAT. OKAY, MEMBERS DIETER. IF YOU COULD PLEASE REREAD YOUR MOTION. BEFORE WE VOTE OR PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE COMFORTABLE? OKAY, SO WE HAVE A MOTION. WE HAVE IT SECONDED. MADAM CLERK, IF YOU PLEASE, DO A ROLL CALL. OKAY. MEMBER BARTLEBAUGH? AYE. MEMBER CLAXTON? AYE. MEMBER CHANG? AYE. MEMBER DETJENS? AYE. MEMBER DIETER? AYE. SORRY, I'M GOING TO COME BACK TO THE CHAIR. OKAY. MEMBER MAHADEVAN? AYE. MEMBER MENDOZA? AYE. SORRY, VICE CHAIR MENDOZA, MY APOLOGIES. MEMBER OMOLO? YES. I APOLOGIZE. HOPE I DIDN'T BUTCHER YOUR NAME. OKAY. MEMBER PEOPLES? AYE. MEMBER SIMMONS? AYE. MEMBER VALENZUELA? YES. AND WE'LL CLOSE THAT WITH CHAIR HENRY. YES. IT LOOKS LIKE IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY WITH THE PRESENT MEMBERS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU TO STAFF FOR THE PRESENTATION TOO. OKAY, SO MOVING ON. WE HAVE TWO INFORMATIONAL ITEMS, AND YOU GUYS WON'T BE SURPRISED TO HEAR ME SAY THIS. [Informational Items] SO OUR TARGET IS 6 P.M. WE'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE 6 P.M., BUT, YOU KNOW, I DO GET A LOT OF FEEDBACK THAT PEOPLE APPRECIATE THE TIGHT MEETINGS. AND I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE SPEAKS, SO DON'T MISINTERPRET. WE'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE SIX, BUT THAT IS THE TARGET. SO I WOULD JUST PLEASE KEEP THAT IN MIND AS WE'RE MAKING COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, ETC. THANK YOU. SO WITH THAT, INFORMATIONAL PRESENTATION ON THE REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION STRATEGIC PLAN, PLEASE WELCOME BACK FORMER PAC MEMBER FOR EIGHT YEARS AND FORMER PAC CHAIR, BRUCE KERN. THANK YOU. I WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT. I'M HERE WITH LAUREN BERNSTEIN, WHO IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION. FOR THOSE THAT MAY NOT BE, BUT I THINK EVERYONE IS FAMILIAR, THE REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION WAS ESTABLISHED IN [01:05:05] 1969, ACTUALLY FIVE YEARS AFTER THE PAC WAS, TO REALLY BE THE PHILANTHROPIC ARM OF THE FOUNDATION. WE HAVE A SEPARATE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. IT IS NOT APPOINTED. IT'S ONLY APPOINTED BY ITSELF BY THE BOARD. AND ORGANIZATIONALLY, IT HAS BEEN A CONDUIT. IN FACT, IT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1969 BY THE NEED TO MOVE PROPERTY THAT WAS DONATED BY HENRY J. KAISER TO THE PARK DISTRICT. AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE A VEHICLE AT THE TIME. AND THEY ESTABLISHED THE FOUNDATION AS THAT VEHICLE. AND THAT AREA IS NOW THE SHADOW CLIFFS REGIONAL PARK. SO THE FOUNDATION HAS PLAYED A LONG HISTORY AND LAUREN IS GOING TO GIVE YOU A BETTER AND MORE DEEPER EXPLANATION OF ITS ROLE AND WHAT HAS MADE ITS CONTRIBUTION. BUT TODAY WE ARE REALLY PRESENTING AND WE THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, AND MEMBERS OF THE PAC FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT A PROCESS THAT HAS REALLY BEEN THREE YEARS IN DEVELOPMENT. AND THAT'S REALLY OUR BOTH OUR STRATEGIC AND OUR BUSINESS PLAN. THE PROCESS WAS INITIATED BY THE BOARD BECAUSE WE WERE BEGINNING TO BE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT OUR ABILITY TO RESPOND TO THE ONGOING NEEDS OF THE DISTRICT, BOTH IN TERMS OF PROGRAM FUNDING. CURRENTLY, WE PROVIDE ABOUT $1.6 BILLION FOR PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS WE MAKE AND PROVIDE AND HOLD DEDICATED PROGRAM RESOURCES FOR FUTURE PROJECTS THAT OUR DONORS HAVE CONTRIBUTED TOWARDS. BUT WE REALIZE THAT WE'RE NOT ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH THAT. AND IN PARTICULAR, THE FOUNDATION BOARD WAS BEING ASKED OR INQUIRED BY THE PARK DISTRICT BOARD AND STAFF TO RUN MAJOR CAMPAIGNS, CAPITAL CAMPAIGNS, AND I THINK ANYONE IN THIS ROOM KNOWS THAT IS A VERY AMBITIOUS PROCESS, AND WE, THE BOARD, REALLY FELT THAT IT REALLY REQUIRED A DEEP DIVE AND A LOOK AT THE BUSINESS PLAN THAT WOULD BEST CARRY OUT THAT VISION, AS WELL AS WHAT KIND OF SKILL SETS THAT WE WOULD NEED TO BE ABLE TO FULFILL THAT OBLIGATION ON A ROLL TO THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT. BEFORE YOU, LAUREN IS GOING TO PRESENT THAT PLAN AND OUR VISION, AND HOPEFULLY YOU WILL BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, SUPPORT THAT BOTH AS A PAC AS WELL AS INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS. I LOOK AROUND THE MEMBERS, YOU EACH HAVE NETWORKS AND COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS, AND WE MAY BE LOOKING TO YOU FOR YOUR HELP TO CARRY OUT A VISION SO THAT WE CAN REALLY INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF THE FOUNDATION AND REALLY PROVIDE THE SERVICES NEEDED IN EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK TO RESPOND TO THE PRESSING NEEDS OF OUR EMERGING ISSUES THAT WE FACE. SO WITH THAT, LET ME ASK LAUREN BERNSTEIN TO SPEAK AND PRESENT THE PLAN THAT THE BOARD HAS ADOPTED, WHICH IS VERY EXCITING. I HOPE YOU SHARE IT. THANK YOU. AND THANKS TO BRUCE FOR HIS SERVICE ON OUR BOARD SEVEN YEARS, ON THE REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION BOARD. SO WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL. HE'S OUR TREASURER AND WE COULDN'T DO THIS WITHOUT HIM. SO THANK YOU. IT'S REALLY NICE TO BE HERE. I ACTUALLY HAVEN'T BEEN TO A PAC MEETING YET. THIS IS MY FIRST ONE. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME. I KNOW I'VE SEEN A LOT OF YOU AT DISTRICT TOURS AND DIFFERENT EVENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE THE TIME THAT YOU'RE GIVING US ON THE AGENDA TODAY. WE'RE REALLY, REALLY EXCITED. AS BRUCE MENTIONED, YOU'RE THE FIRST GROUP TO SEE THIS PLAN, WHICH MAKES SENSE BECAUSE THIS IS ALL ABOUT THE COMMUNITY AND GETTING THE COMMUNITY OUT TO OUR PARKS. AND SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO PRESENT THIS TO YOU AND HOPEFULLY GET YOUR HELP IN SPREADING THE WORD ON WHERE THE DIRECTION THAT WE'RE HEADED. SO BRUCE MENTIONED A LOT OF THESE, BUT IT IS A STRATEGIC IMPERATIVE RIGHT NOW WHERE THE DISTRICT IS TO BE ABLE TO STEP UP AND SUPPORT. AND SO WE ALL KNOW THAT THE REVENUE SOURCES ARE STABILIZING, COSTS ARE RISING, THAT THE DISTRICT NEEDS MORE FUNDING SOURCES FOR DIFFERENT PROJECTS. AND SO OUR BOARD REALLY WANTED TO STEP UP AND DO THAT. AND IT'S REALLY IMPRESSIVE THAT THEY'VE STEPPED INTO THAT ROLE. AND THEN ALSO, THE FOUNDATION HAS OUTGROWN THE CURRENT MODEL. SO BASICALLY, WE. AND I'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THIS, BUT BASED ON THE MODEL AND THE STRUCTURE AND THE BUSINESS PLAN, WE'RE KIND OF CONSTRAINED TO RAISING A CERTAIN AMOUNT EVERY YEAR. AND THE ABILITY TO GROW IS CONSTRAINED BY OUR STAFFING MODEL. AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT HERE TODAY. IT'S NOT ABOUT CHANGING OUR STAFFING MODEL, BUT IT'S MORE ABOUT BEING ABLE TO SUPPORT THE DISTRICT FOR LARGER CAPITAL CAMPAIGNS AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO GET THERE. STAFFING IS ONE PART OF IT. ALSO, WE DO A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS ALL ACROSS THE DISTRICT. [01:10:03] YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN REGIONAL PARK FOUNDATION SIGNS EVERYWHERE. AND OVER THE YEARS THAT YOU'VE ALL BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE DISTRICT, WE'VE BEEN HERE AND HERE AND HERE, AND IT DOESN'T ALLOW US TO FOCUS ON THE BIG THINGS THAT THE DISTRICT NEEDS. AND THEN YOUR NONPROFIT PARK PARTNER IS SUPPOSED TO BE YOUR MOST FLEXIBLE PARTNER, THE ONE THAT'S ABLE TO RESPOND QUICKLY AND BE NIMBLE. AND BECAUSE OF OUR STRUCTURE, WE ARE IN THE SAME MODEL AS EBRPD. AND SO WE'RE NOT ABLE TO STEP OUT AND PROVIDE THAT TO THE DISTRICT. AND THEN ALSO, JUST THERE'S SO MUCH UNMET POTENTIAL. THIS IS WHAT I'M MOST EXCITED ABOUT. THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING FORWARD THAT WANT TO DO THINGS. PEOPLE LOVE OUR PARKS. I THINK YOU ALL KNOW THAT MORE THAN ANYONE. AND THEY WANT TO HELP AND THEY WANT TO DO THINGS, AND WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO HARNESS ALL THAT ENERGY TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN. OKAY. BRUCE RUINED MY POP QUIZ, BUT I'M GOING TO ASK ANYWAYS. DOES ANYONE REMEMBER WHAT YEAR THE REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION WAS FOUNDED? YES, 1969. SO WE WERE FOUNDED AND THE AGM OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS WAS THE ED OF THE FOUNDATION. I'M NOT SURE HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT. AND THAT WAS A REALLY GREAT MODEL. WE SHARED OUR STAFF WITH PUBLIC AFFAIRS UP UNTIL VERY RECENTLY. STILL VERY, VERY RECENTLY. LIKE WE'RE STILL TRANSITIONING OUT OF THAT MODEL. AND IN THE 90S, WE ACTUALLY ESTABLISHED THE MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM, WHICH IS WHERE THE REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW THIS, RUNS THE ANNUAL PARKING SWIMMING PASS FOR THE DISTRICT, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR ACCESSIBILITY. PEOPLE REALLY NEED THAT ANNUAL PARKING PASS MODEL. IF SOMEONE HAD TO PAY $5, $7, $10 EVERY TIME THEY ENTERED THE PARK ALL YEAR, THAT WOULD BE A LOT. SO THE ANNUAL PARKING PASS IS REALLY IMPORTANT. AND IT ALSO WAS GREAT FOR THE FOUNDATION. WE GOT TO JUST KIND OF AMASS A LIST AND A GROUP OF PEOPLE. WE HAVE 12,000 MEMBERS THAT REALLY CARE ABOUT THE DISTRICT AND ABOUT OUR PARKS. AND THEN RECENTLY, THE BOARD ADVOCATED FOR A FULL TIME ED. AND SO THEN I WAS THE FIRST DEDICATED ED THAT WAS HIRED. AND THEN WE IDENTIFIED POTRERO GROUP TO WALK US THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP MODEL, MADE THIS STRATEGIC BUSINESS PLAN. AND THEN WE HAVE COMPLETED THAT. AND HERE WE ARE SHARING IT WITH YOU. AND SO THE FOUNDATION HAS BEEN A SUCCESS. WE STAND ON THE SHOULDERS OF EVERYONE WHO CAME BEFORE US. AND WE'RE ONLY ABLE TO DO THIS AND TO HAVE THIS GROWTH TODAY BECAUSE OF ALL THE SUCCESS THAT CAME BEFORE. AND SO OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, I THINK BRUCE MENTIONED A LOT OF THIS. WE DID INTERVIEWS, SURVEYS, FOCUS GROUPS WITH THE DISTRICT AND OUR MEMBERS. ENVIRONMENTAL SCANNING AND BENCHMARKING AGAINST PEER ORGANIZATIONS. SO WE LOOKED. I'LL SHOW YOU A LIST OF THOSE, BUT WE LOOKED AT A BUNCH OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE NONPROFIT PARK PARTNERS. WE DID STRATEGIC PLANNING WORKING GROUPS, A MIX OF OUR BOARD AND DISTRICT STAFF AND LEADERSHIP. WE HAD STRATEGIC PLANNING RETREATS AND THEN ADDITIONAL BUSINESS MODEL PLANNING TO ENSURE OUR MODEL COULD BE SUCCESSFUL. AND SO THESE ARE SOME OF THE. I MENTIONED I WAS GOING TO SHOW YOU SOME RESEARCH THAT WE DID AND THAT POTRERO GROUP GUIDED US THROUGH. AND SO WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT GOLDEN GATE NATIONAL PARKS CONSERVANCY PARKS, CALIFORNIA AND ONE TAM, OREGON, PORTLAND, SEATTLE, LA, SAN DIEGO, ALL THESE PLACES, ATLANTA. AND SO WE LOOKED AT ALL OF THESE MODELS TO DEVELOP OUR MODEL. AND ALL IS TO SAY THAT THIS WAS NOT JUST ON A WHIM, RIGHT? OUR BOARD SPENT TWO YEARS GOING THROUGH A PROCESS WITH POTRERO GROUP AND LOOKING AT WHAT WOULD BE THE BEST SERVING OUR EAST BAY RESIDENTS AND THE DISTRICT. AND SO WE ALSO FOUND IN OUR RESEARCH THAT THERE WAS COMMON PARK PARTNER ROLES. FUNDRAISING AND REVENUE GENERATION IS, OF COURSE, ONE OF THEM. BUT WHAT WE FOUND WAS THERE'S SO MUCH MORE THAT A PARK PARTNER CAN OFFER, INCLUDING CAPITAL PROJECTS AND PLANNING, INCREASE ACCESS AND BUILDING NEW AUDIENCES, WHICH I THINK THAT THIS GROUP WOULD BE REALLY INTERESTING TO PARTNER WITH ON. BRANDING AND MARKETING. AND THEN THERE'S SOME BUSINESS PARTNERSHIPS AND PRIVATE INVESTMENT. ALSO SEIZING TIMELY OPPORTUNITIES LIKE SAVE MOUNT DIABLO SEIZES TIMELY ACQUISITIONS. THERE'S THINGS THAT THE REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION CAN DO. AND THEN SUPPORTING SYSTEM RESILIENCE IN TIMES OF CRISIS. I THINK THE BIGGEST EXAMPLE THAT WE SAW OF THAT WAS THAT PARKS CALIFORNIA HELPED THE STATE PARK SYSTEM REBUILD BIG BASIN WHEN IT BURNED DOWN. AND IT WAS OPEN IN TWO YEARS. AND THEY COULDN'T HAVE DONE THAT WITHOUT THEIR PARK PARTNER. SO 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 MULTIMILLION DOLLAR FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGNS, AND A POWERFUL CONVENER AND CONSTITUENCY BUILDER FOR EAST BAY REGIONAL PARKS. SO I HOPE THIS IS INSPIRING. THROUGH OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, WE CREATED VALUES THAT WE ACCESS FOR ALL WILL ALWAYS BE AT THE TOP. IT'S WHAT WE CARE ABOUT. IT'S ALWAYS BEEN OUR MISSION, WILL CONTINUE TO BE OUR MISSION. WE BUILD TRUSTED RELATIONSHIPS. WE PUT NATURE FIRST AND WE STAY FLEXIBLE AND CREATIVE. AND I THINK THAT THESE VALUES ARE SHARED WITH THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT, BUT ALSO DISTINCT TO THE FOUNDATION. [01:15:04] IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO KIND OF MAKE OUR OWN WAY HERE AND HAVE A SUPPORTING PARTNERSHIP TO THE DISTRICT THAT'S NOT EXACTLY THE SAME. OUR MISSION, WE BUILD STRONG COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR EAST BAY REGIONAL PARKS FOR THE ENJOYMENT OF ALL FOREVER. ACTUALLY, THE MISSION STAYS EXACTLY THE SAME AS IT WAS, BUT WE DID CHANGE THE WORDING TO REALLY REPRESENT THAT COMMUNITY SUPPORT. AND AGAIN, I THINK THAT'S WHERE THIS GROUP AND THE REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION WILL BE PARTNERING A LOT MORE INTO THE FUTURE, BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY ASPECT OF WHAT WE DO IS GOING TO BECOME MORE PROMINENT IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN. SO IT'S PRETTY SIMPLE AND STRAIGHTFORWARD. WHAT WE DO, WE BUILD PHILANTHROPIC CAPACITY. WE ACTIVATE A BROAD BASE OF SUPPORTERS AND WE INVEST IN VISIBLE, HIGH PRIORITY PROJECT AND PROGRAMS. AND THAT'S PROBABLY AN AREA YOU'LL SEE DIFFERENTIATE US. WE'LL START LOOKING FOR HIGHER, LIKE SOMETHING LIKE A GOLDEN GATE FIELDS OR SOME OF THE BIGGER PROJECTS THE DISTRICT IS DOING, YOU'LL SEE REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION INVOLVED. AND THEN WE CAN BE A HIGHLY EFFECTIVE STRATEGIC PARTNER. SO OUR PILLARS ARE BUILDING OUR FUNDRAISING CAPACITY AND THAT'S OUR OPERATIONAL INDEPENDENCE. WE ALREADY ARE OPERATIONALLY INDEPENDENT IN TERMS OF OUR FINANCES. EVERYTHING IS SEPARATE ALREADY, BUT OUR STAFFING IS SIMILAR, AND SO. IT'S NOT SIMILAR. OUR STAFFING IS MERGED. AND SO IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH OUR BIGGER GOALS IN HIRING FUNDRAISING STAFF, WE'RE LOOKING AT OPERATIONAL INDEPENDENCE IN TERMS OF STAFFING AND INVESTING IN OUR FUNDRAISING CAPABILITIES. AND THAT INCLUDES LOOKING AT OUR MEMBERSHIP MODEL TOO. AND SO WE HAVEN'T STARTED THAT PROCESS REALLY. BUT THAT WILL REQUIRE A LOT OF COMMUNITY INPUT AND SUPPORT THAT WE'LL NEED YOUR HELP WITH TOO. WE HAVE A LOT OF MEMBERS, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR MEMBERS ARE GETTING WHAT THEY NEED, WHILE ALSO ALLEVIATING THE REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION TOO IN FREEING US UP TO FUNDRAISE FOR IMPORTANT PROJECTS. ACTIVATING OUR COMMUNITY IS KIND OF A NEW AREA FOR US. AND SO WE'LL BE LOOKING TO PARTNER WITH YOU ON THAT. AND THAT INCLUDES A NEW AND IMPROVED MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM AND JUST INCREASING OUR COMMUNITY PRESENCE AND AWARENESS. AND THEN WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO EXPLORE MERCHANDISE BECAUSE I'M SURE YOU ALL HEARD THAT PEOPLE WANT PARK MERCH. AND SO WE'RE GOING TO BE THE PARTNER THAT'S GOING TO DELIVER THAT TO THE EAST BAY. AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY EXCITING. AND WE'LL DEFINITELY WANT YOUR HELP WITH THAT. AND THEN DEEPENING OUR IMPACT. SO WE'VE ALWAYS DONE A LOT FOR THE PARK DISTRICT. WELL BEFORE I GOT HERE, FUNDING ALL THE PROGRAMS THAT BRUCE MENTIONED, A LOT OF THE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, CAMPUS SHIPS, THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT THIS WILL REALLY ALLOW US TO BE MORE STRATEGIC AND HAVE OUR OWN IMPACT AREAS AND THEN BE MEASURING AND EVALUATING AND MAKING SURE. AND I HEARD SOME COMMENTS EARLIER OF THIS GROUP REALLY WANTING TO, LIKE SEE THE COMMUNITY INPUT BEING IMPLEMENTED. AND AS A NIMBLE NONPROFIT PARTNER, THAT IS WHERE WE CAN COME IN TO HELP. AND SO HOPEFULLY YOU'LL THINK OF US AS YOU GUYS ARE GOING THROUGH THESE PROCESSES. AND MAYBE SOME OF THE QUESTIONS YOU'RE ASKING IS LIKE, I WONDER HOW THE FOUNDATION COULD HELP WITH THAT. SO OUR PARTNERSHIP AREAS ARE GOING TO BE CAPITAL PROJECTS, STEWARDSHIP AND ALWAYS PARK ACCESS AND CONTINUATION OF THAT. AND OUR GOAL IS THAT WE ARE HAVING TO MAKE SOME INVESTMENTS IN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE TO BE ABLE TO GROW JUST LIKE ANY BUSINESS. AND WE'RE HOPING THAT JUST A SMALL INVESTMENT IN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE WILL LEAD TO HUGE OUTPUT IN IMPACT AND SUPPORT FOR REGIONAL PARKS IN GENERAL. LOVE THAT. IT'S ESSENTIAL THAT WE HAVE OUR NONPROFIT BOARD COMMITMENT AND LEADERSHIP, WHICH WE DO, AND WE WOULDN'T BE HERE WITHOUT OUR BOARD. STAFF EXCELLENCE, WHICH HAS TO DO WITH US STAFFING UP. THE FOUNDATION WILL BE HIRING STAFF FOR THE FIRST TIME. STRATEGIC DISCIPLINE, I THINK THERE'S LIKE A LOT. IT'S HARD WHEN YOU'RE A LEGACY ORGANIZATION AND YOU'RE ALREADY DOING THINGS. AND I'M SURE YOU GUYS TALK ABOUT STRATEGY AND LOOK AT STRATEGIC PLANS FOR DIFFERENT AREAS ALL THE TIME. AND IT'S A LITTLE BIT HARD TO CHANGE COURSE OR GET NARROW WHEN YOU'RE ALREADY DOING THINGS. SO THE DISCIPLINE IS GOING TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT. OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DISTRICT IS KEY AND IT'S ACTUALLY GROWING STRONGER. I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. OUR DONOR STEWARDSHIP, FLEXIBILITY AND LEARNING AND OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE. AND SO OUR TRANSITION IS THOUGHTFUL AND DELIBERATE. MAX APOLOGIZES THAT HE COULDN'T STAY, BUT HE HAS BEEN REALLY SUPPORTIVE AND ALL THE GM'S, SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, HAVE BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS TRANSITION AND ARE COMMITTED TO THE FOUNDATION'S SUCCESS. I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR THEM, BUT ERICH IS HERE AND KNOWS THAT. AND SO OUR TRANSITION WILL BE THOUGHTFUL. WE'RE NOT BEING CUT OFF OR THERE'S NO KIND OF LIKE CUTTING THE CORD OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. THIS IS A 2 TO 3 YEAR PROCESS THAT WE'LL BE GOING THROUGH. WE'VE BEEN TOGETHER FOR 56 YEARS, SO. AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO BE TOGETHER AND BE IN A STRONG PARTNERSHIP. AND THE FOUNDATION WILL HAVE A LOT OF TIME TO STAFF UP AND GAIN ITS RESOURCES AND MAXIMIZE OUR FUNDRAISING CAPACITY BEFORE [01:20:10] WE WOULD LIKE LOSE ANY RESOURCES FROM THE DISTRICT. SO I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO ASSURE FOLKS. SO OUR FIRST PHASE IS THE STAFFING TRANSITION AND THE MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM AND REVAMPING THE MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM. THE SECOND STAGE IS GROWING FUNDRAISING CAPACITY, KIND OF TRYING TO GET TOWARDS THAT $10 MILLION THAT WE'RE TRYING TO RAISE AND DISTRIBUTE. AND THEN THE PARK MERCHANDISE. AND THEN THE THIRD IS THAT IMPACT AND MISSION DELIVERY, WE'RE GOING TO BE BUILDING OUT ACTUAL PROGRAM STAFF TO DEEPEN OUR IMPACT, TO MEASURE IT, TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING OUT AND HAVING HOPEFULLY MORE RESOURCES FOR THIS GROUP TO GET OUT IN THE COMMUNITY. SO TO YOU, ALL YOUR LEADERSHIP AND NETWORKS ARE ESSENTIAL. WE ASK YOU TO CHAMPION THESE PARKS, OPEN DOORS AND MAKE INTRODUCTIONS FOR THE FOUNDATION. WE ASK THAT YOU PARTNER WITH US TO ENSURE THAT THE REGIONAL PARKS REMAIN ACCESSIBLE AND VIBRANT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. THESE PARKS CANNOT DEPEND ON PUBLIC FUNDING ALONE. THEY NEED PHILANTHROPIC PARTNERS WILLING TO INVEST IN THEIR FUTURE TO FUND IMPROVEMENTS AND INNOVATIONS THAT GO BEYOND WHAT TAX REVENUES CAN PROVIDE, TO BUILD BROAD PUBLIC CONSTITUENCIES THAT CHAMPION THEM, AND TO ENSURE THEY REMAIN ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL. THE REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION EXISTS TO BE THAT PARTNER. THIS STRATEGIC PLAN PROVIDES THE ROADMAP. NOW BEGINS THE HARD WORK OF BRINGING IT TO LIFE. I REALIZE THAT AFTER. I WAS LIKE KIND OF TAKING A DEEP BREATH AFTER THE STRATEGIC PLAN WAS DONE, THINKING LIKE, OOF. AND THEN I WAS LIKE, OH NO, THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING. THE JOURNEY AHEAD WILL BE CHALLENGING, BUT THE DESTINATION IS WORTH EVERY EFFORT. BY 2030, WE WILL HAVE BUILT AN INSTITUTION CAPABLE OF ENSURING THAT EAST BAY REGIONAL PARKS THRIVE FOR ALL FOREVER. AND SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND I ALSO WANTED TO CALL OUT DIRECTOR ECHOLS, WHO EVERY YEAR, THE PRESIDENT OF THE ELECTED BOARD JOINS ALL THE REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION BOARD MEETINGS. AND SO THE ELECTED BOARD HAS BEEN PART OF THIS PROCESS THE WHOLE TIME. AND SO I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR BEING PART OF THAT, ONE OF THESE YEARS WHERE A LOT WAS MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GREAT. DO WE HAVE ANY CLARIFYING QUESTIONS? MEMBER MAHADEVAN. THANK YOU. GREAT PRESENTATION. IS THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARKS? THAT'S ALL YOU SAY ACROSS THE DISTRICTS LEFT OUT. THAT'S OKAY. I ASSUME THIS IS THE ORGANIZATION. IS THE FOUNDATION. THE BYLAWS SPECIFIED THAT THE MONEY SHALL ONLY GO TO THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARKS. THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. THE BYLAWS. THE BYLAWS. OUR BOARD BYLAWS DO NOT SPECIFY THAT. BUT OUR ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION SPECIFY THAT WE SUPPORT THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT. I THINK FOR PARK PARTNERS, WHAT THAT CAN MEAN CAN BE REALLY BROAD BECAUSE AGAIN, AS A FLEXIBLE PARTNER, WHAT ENDS UP HAPPENING IS THE DISTRICT COMES TO US SAYING, CAN YOU DO THIS THING THAT WE CAN'T REALLY DO? LIKE ONE EXAMPLE IS SCHOLARSHIPS. THE DISTRICT, A GOVERNMENT AGENCY, CAN'T DO SCHOLARSHIPS. AND SO IT'S SUPPORTING THE DISTRICT KIND OF INDIRECTLY BY GIVING SCHOLARSHIPS TO FOLKS WHO WANT TO USE THE PARK. SO I THINK WHAT THIS COMMITTEE WILL REALLY ENJOY IS THAT OUR MISSION STAYS EXACTLY THE SAME TO SUPPORT THE REGIONAL PARKS. BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT, LIKE WHERE AN ATM OR THAT MONEY HAS TO FLOW IN A SPECIFIC WAY, IT MEANS THAT WE WOULD ENGAGE IN PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTS FOR PROJECTS THAT LIKE A CAMPUS OR A SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM, THAT'S MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL TO BOTH ORGANIZATIONS. WE'RE PROBABLY. LIKE OUR BOARD ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THIS. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE SUPPORTING LIKE A CITY OF OAKLAND PARK. I SHOULDN'T HAVE SAID CALLED OUT A SPECIFIC CITY, PROBABLY. MEMBER DETJENS. THANK YOU. AND I THINK YOU'VE GOT A REALLY COOL JOB BECAUSE THE REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION IS LIKE THE FUN SIDE OF THINGS AND GET TO DO WHAT GOVERNMENT CAN'T. I DO HAVE A QUESTION WHICH IS, I NOTICED THAT YOU HAVE CAPITAL PROJECTS AS PART OF YOUR NEW OBJECTIVES. COULD YOU EXPAND A LITTLE BIT ON HOW THAT WOULD WORK? AND DOES IT DOVETAIL INTO THE PARK DISTRICT'S CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN? AND ARE THERE CERTAIN PROJECTS THAT THEY CLEAVE OFF AND TOSS YOUR WAY? AND THEN SPECIFICALLY, IF THE PARK DISTRICT GETS A GRANT FUNDING FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS, WHICH IS VERY COMMON, HOW WOULD THAT WORK? WOULD MONEY PASS TO THE FOUNDATION AS AN IMPLEMENTER, OR IS IT JUST FUNDING PARTS OF A CAPITAL PROGRAM? SO IF YOU COULD CLARIFY THAT A LITTLE BIT, THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL. YEAH. SO RIGHT NOW, WE ACTUALLY TALKED ABOUT THAT AS PART OF THAT PROCESS. YOU CAN BE A CONSERVANCY, WHICH ACTUALLY IS WHAT WOULD DO THE IMPLEMENTATION. AND OUR BOARD AND THE STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. [01:25:01] THIS IS A FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN. IS REMAINING A PHILANTHROPIC PARTNER IN WHICH WE WOULDN'T DO IMPLEMENTATION RIGHT NOW. WE WOULD BE PART OF THE CAPITAL STACK OF FUNDING THAT COMES THROUGH. THAT IS A REALLY GREAT FLEXIBLE WAY TO USE YOUR NONPROFIT PARK PARTNER, BUT IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE HAVE CAPACITY TO DO IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. YEAH, BUT IT'S NOT IMPOSSIBLE IN THE FUTURE. YEAH. I THINK IN THE LONG RUN THE BOARD TALKED ABOUT THAT AS A POSSIBILITY. YEAH. BUT WE WERE CLEAR ON THIS SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. MEMBER PEOPLES. YEAH. I THINK THIS IS A REALLY WELL THOUGHT OUT PROPOSAL AND, YOU KNOW, VERY DESIRABLE ADAPTATION FOR TODAY AND INTO THE FUTURE. THE ONE QUESTION THAT I HAVE IS UNDERSTANDING THE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN THE FOUNDATION AND THE DISTRICT IN THE FUTURE. AND I KNOW THERE'S GOING TO BE GOOD RELATIONSHIPS. AND I GUESS I'M JUST RAISING THE WORST CASE SCENARIO WHERE THERE IS A CONFLICT. AND, YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU PROPOSE OR HOW DO YOU ASSUME OR HOPE THAT IT WOULD WORK OUT? I MEAN, IT COULD COME OVER RELATED TO A CAPITAL PROJECT OR A POSITION OF POLICY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, WHERE THERE IS A DIFFERENCE THERE. AND THAT'S THE ONE LITTLE CLOUD, IF YOU WILL, ON THIS WHOLE ISSUE FROM MY PERSPECTIVE. I THINK, YOU KNOW, MY OBSERVATION IS A DISTRICT INVOLVED. THE BOARD WITH THE DISTRICT IS THAT THEY INVOLVE US EARLY ON IN THE PROCESS OF THESE PROJECTS. AND I BELIEVE THAT WILL CONTINUE AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO BRING IF THAT ISSUE COMES UP, I THINK WE'LL BE ABLE TO WORK THROUGH IT. SO THERE IS AN ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIP AND WORKING PROCESS FOR ADDRESS CONFLICT ISSUES. YEAH. CONTINUING TO TALK TO EACH OTHER IS REALLY ESSENTIAL. THERE'S A GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE THAT WE'RE PUTTING IN PLACE FOR THAT, WHICH IS REVISING OUR MOU BASED ON THIS PLAN THAT SUPPORTS THIS PLAN. AND THEN THE SPECIFIC STRUCTURE WAS THAT THE MOU WAS REALLY ABOUT THE VALUES AND VISION OF THE PARTNERSHIP. AND THEN IT WOULD ACTUALLY BE MORE CLEAR THAN IT IS NOW BECAUSE EVERY PROJECT WE DO TOGETHER, WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO HAVE A WRITTEN PROJECT AGREEMENT. I DON'T KNOW IF IT COMES TO THIS BOARD, BUT I THINK PROJECT AGREEMENTS HAVE TO GO TO THE ELECTED BOARD. AND SO I'M ACTUALLY EXCITED. I THINK WE'LL BE MORE CLEAR. WELL, THAT'LL TAKE CARE OF PROJECTS, BUT I'M THINKING ALSO OF POLICY KINDS OF ISSUES. YEAH. LUCKILY AS A 501 C3, THAT'S NOT A LOBBYING, YOU KNOW, ENTITY. THERE'S VERY LIMITED THINGS THAT WE CAN DO IN TERMS OF TAKING POSITIONS. AND I THINK WE NEED TO AGREE TO. I MEAN, I WORKED WITH LEDGE AFFAIRS ON THAT, BUT I THINK IT'S A GOOD POINT, I MEAN, TO BE ALIGNED ON THAT. AND I DIDN'T SAY IN THIS WHOLE THING, THAT ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF THIS PLAN AND WHAT WE CAN DO IN THE FUTURE, AND WHAT THE REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION HAS DONE IN THE PAST IS HELP WITH AND SUPPORT ANY SORT OF BALLOT MEASURE AND PUBLIC SUPPORT THAT WE WANT TO DO. SO IN SOME WAYS IT'S GOOD. AND THEN YEAH, THERE IS, WE DO HAVE A LIMIT FOR WHAT WE CAN SUPPORT. YEAH. I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THAT UP. I MEAN, ALL THESE THINGS ARE SOMETHING THAT. LIKE, I'M GOING TO FILE THAT AS SOMETHING THAT WE TALK MORE ABOUT AND THINK MORE ABOUT. YEAH, AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS, BUT OUR PROJECT AGREEMENTS ARE REALLY DEALING WITH A LOT OF THE KIND OF SOMETIMES MISMATCHING. WE RAISED THE FUNDS. WE HAVE DONORS THAT HAVE EXPECTATIONS FOR IMPLEMENTING THAT, BUT WE DON'T CONTROL OR WE DON'T HAVE A SAY IN THE DELIVERY. THE PROJECT AGREEMENT GIVES US A MORE OF A AT THE TABLE RELATIONSHIP. AND I THINK IT'S STRONGER. BUT YOUR POINT IS WELL TAKEN. IT'S JUST SOMETHING TO WATCH OUT FOR. YES. YEAH. MEMBER VALENZUELA. YES. AS YOU'RE INCREASING STAFFING, ARE THE OPEN SPOTS, ARE THEY GOING TO BE AVAILABLE TO STAFF THAT'S ALREADY WITH THE PARK DISTRICT. AND WHEN THEY MOVE OVER, ARE THEY NO LONGER A PARK EMPLOYEE OR ARE THEY STILL A PARK EMPLOYEE WORKING FOR THE FOUNDATION? YEAH. SO THE FOUNDATION IS GOING TO BE HIRING THEIR OWN STAFF. AND SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE HIRED ONE PERSON AND HAVE ANOTHER POSITION OPEN WE'RE PLANNING ON DOING FOUR, INCLUDING ME BY THE END OF THE YEAR. SO I WILL BE TRANSFERRING MY EMPLOYMENT FROM THE DISTRICT TO THE FOUNDATION. AND THE OTHER EMPLOYEES WENT THROUGH A WHOLE PROCESS WITH THE EBRPD LEADERSHIP AND THE UNION BEFORE THIS ALL STARTED. [01:30:01] IT WAS A REALLY WELL DONE PROCESS AND HAVE DECIDED TO STAY WITH THE DISTRICT FOR THEIR, YOU KNOW. THE CONVERSATION STOPPED REALLY QUICKLY OF WHETHER OUR STAFF WOULD MOVE TO THE FOUNDATION BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO STAY WITH THE DISTRICT, WHICH IS FAIR. RIGHT. SO ARE THEY ABLE TO MOVE BACK AND FORTH STILL? SO LET'S SAY THAT THEY WORK FOR THE FOUNDATION FOR THREE YEARS, DECIDE TO GO BACK TO THE PARK DISTRICT. IS THAT. NO. WELL, THEY'D HAVE TO REAPPLY FOR THEIR POSITIONS. SO RIGHT NOW. WELL, NOT NECESSARILY THEIR POSITION, BUT ARE THEY STILL A PARK EMPLOYEE THAT CAN BID FOR JOBS THAT ARE IN THE PARK DISTRICT? THEY'RE REALLY OUT OF THE DISTRICTS. THEY'RE OUT OF CALPERS. THEY'RE OUT OF THEIR WHOLE BENEFIT SYSTEM. THE NEW EMPLOYEES. YEAH. THE NEW. AND SO. YOU'RE SAYING A NEW ONE? NO, JUST LET'S SAY A PERSON IN THE PARK DISTRICT GOES TO WORK FOR YOU. IN THREE YEARS, THEY WANT TO GO BACK TO THE PARK DISTRICT TO BID FOR A JOB THAT'S OPEN. IS THAT AVENUE OR THEY'RE JUST NOW A FOUNDATION EMPLOYEE? YEAH, THEY'RE NOW A FOUNDATION EMPLOYEE. THERE'S NOT. BUT THAT'S ALSO AN INTERESTING QUESTION. IT IS. I MEAN, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE. I DON'T KNOW, IN SOME SORT OF WORLD. MAX IS NOT HERE. AND I'M JUST TALKING LIKE, IT'S AN INTERESTING TYPE OF THING WHERE WE'RE A CLOSE PARTNER AND THERE COULD BE SOME SORT OF AGREEMENT. IT SOUNDS LIKE A DIFFICULT AGREEMENT TO MAKE WITH HR, BUT. I MEAN, I WAS JUST WONDERING, WE HAVE A VAST AMOUNT OF QUALIFIED PEOPLE. I WAS JUST WONDERING IF THAT PATH IS OPEN BACK. RIGHT NOW, IT'S JUST THE ISSUE IS CALPERS. SO PEOPLE WANT THEIR DEFINED PLAN AND THERE'S DEFINITELY LIMITATIONS ON THAT SIDE THAT CANNOT BE APPLIED TO THE FOUNDATION. RIGHT. THANK YOU. I THINK I WANT TO GO ON RECORD TO SAY THAT THE DISTRICT HAS BEEN UNBELIEVABLE IN WORKING WITH THE FOUNDATION AND REALLY SUPPORTING US THROUGH THESE DIFFICULT POSITIONS IN MEETING EARLY AND WORKING WITH OUR STAFF AND OUR CONTINUAL COACHING AND SUPPORTING STAFF. SO WE'RE SENSITIVE TO THOSE ISSUES. SO WE APPRECIATE IT. ALL RIGHT. THANKS. MEMBERS SIMMONS. THANK YOU, CHAIR, AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND BRINGING THE PROGRAM FORWARD. I APPRECIATE THAT. I DON'T KNOW WHEN IT STARTED, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS, FOR MANY YEARS, THE FOUNDATION HAS MAINTAINED THE IVAN DIXON MEMORIAL TRAIL FUND. AND SO ONE QUESTION IS, IS THAT GOING TO CONTINUE? MY HIKING CLUB, BY THE WAY, HAS CONTRIBUTED WHEN IT CAN, TO THAT FUND TO SUPPORT TRAIL MAINTENANCE. WHEN I HEARD YOU TALK CAPITAL PROJECTS, I DIDN'T HEAR MAINTENANCE IN THAT. BUT MY OTHER QUESTION IS, IS THE INTENT THAT SOME OF THE FUNDING THAT YOU WILL BE RAISING WILL BE DIRECTED TO THAT FUND? YES. SO SOME OF OUR. YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT JUST STARTING A NEW ORGANIZATION AND WE'RE CONTINUING ON, THAT PROGRAM SPECIFICALLY AND OTHER PROGRAMS LIKE THE PARK FUNDS, WHERE IF SOMEONE WANTS TO DONATE TO A SPECIFIC PARK IS STILL AVAILABLE. I'M EXCITED TO COME BACK HERE WITH MORE UPDATES ON THAT. I WOULD SAY BIGGER, BETTER FOR THAT PROGRAM. SO I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT OUR PLANS ARE FOR THAT AREA. SO STAY TUNED. AND YES, WE CAN CONTINUE TO ACCEPT IVAN DIXON TRAIL MAINTENANCE FUNDS, AND IT'LL BE AN EVEN MORE EXCITING PROGRAM SOON. VICE CHAIR MENDOZA. AND THANKS FOR THOSE QUESTIONS, MEMBER SIMMONS AND MEMBER VALENZUELA. AND SPECIFICALLY IN REGARDS TO THINGS THAT I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE DISTRICT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS. ONE QUESTION IN PARTICULAR WAS UNION INVOLVEMENT, IF THOSE NEW POSITIONS ARE, YOU KNOW, A PART OF THE NEGOTIATIONS. AND THEN ANOTHER QUESTION. WELL, I'LL LET YOU ALL ANSWER THAT. AND THEN I HAVE A SUBSET IF THAT'S OKAY. SO, NO. AS A STANDALONE, WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN A 501 C3. BUT AS THIS OPERATIONALLY INDEPENDENT STANDALONE 501 C3 WHERE WE'RE HIRING OUR OWN STAFF, THEY'RE NOT PART OF THE. COLLECTIVE BARGAINING. COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AT ALL. YEAH. THEY'RE NOT. THANK YOU. JUST, YOU KNOW, WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT QUESTION IS ANSWERED FOR ALL THE PAC, SO WE HAVE FULL TRANSPARENCY. BUT ALSO, IVAN DIXON IS ONE LEGACY THING. YOU ALL HAVE ALSO BEEN DOING ESTATE PLANNING AS WELL AS LAND ACQUISITION AND, YOU KNOW, GETTING DONATIONS OF LAND. SO APPRECIATE THAT. IS THAT GOING TO CONTINUE AS WELL AS WELL? HERE'S MY MOST EXCITING QUESTION, IS THAT WHEN I WAS A NATURALIST FOR A LONG TIME EVERYONE WOULD ASK ME, WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR MERCH? AND THIS IS A PART OF THAT. I THINK YOU ALREADY HAVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH OAKLANDISH MAYBE BEST OAKLAND, OTHER, YOU KNOW, PARKS, PRESS AS WELL. SO GETTING A GOOD REVENUE STREAM FROM THAT, BUT ALSO BEING MINDFUL OF, YOU KNOW, THE BRANDING IS SO IMPORTANT. LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, I WOULDN'T WANT TO SEE SOMETHING THAT YOU SEE AT ZION, [01:35:07] FOR EXAMPLE, A SHIRT THERE ALSO BEING ASSURED IN EAST BAY PARKS NOT KNOWING THE, YOU KNOW, TERRAIN AND THE BIOMES ARE DIFFERENT COMPLETELY. BUT ALSO THERE WAS AN INCIDENT WITH ONE OF THE TRAILS CHALLENGE SHIRTS. I'M NOT SURE WHAT YEAR IT WAS. MIGHT HAVE BEEN 2019, WHERE A SHIRT WAS FASHIONED IN THE FORM OF THE NEW MEXICO LOGO FOR DIRECTIONS, WHICH, YOU KNOW, TO MANY OF US SEEMS WONDERFUL IN THAT WE'RE REACHING OUT TO NATIVE AMERICAN GROUPS, BUT IT'S ALSO A MISSTEP IN THAT THERE WAS NO PROTOCOL DONE WITH TRIBAL CONSULTATION, LOCAL TRIBES. SO I JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE KINDS OF THINGS ARE TAKEN CARE OF WITH HAVING NEW STAFF, BUT ALSO BEING ABLE TO LOOK INTO THE HISTORICAL LEGACY OF WHAT WE'VE DONE BEFORE IN THE PAST. EXCELLENT POINT. REALLY. THANK YOU. YEAH. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER. YEAH. MEMBER BARTLEBAUGH. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. THIS IS EXCITING. ESPECIALLY THE INCREASED CAPACITY OF FUNDRAISING. I THOUGHT I HEARD $1.6 MILLION FOR PROGRAMS. TYPICALLY TODAY IS THE TYPICAL FUNDRAISING. AND THEN THERE'S DEDICATED RESOURCES BY CERTAIN DONORS FOR SPECIFIC THINGS AFTER THAT. AND THEN I HEARD A COMMENT ABOUT DONORS WITH PARTICULAR EXPECTATIONS AND MANAGEMENT OF THAT. COULD YOU SPEAK TO MANAGING DONOR EXPECTATIONS AND HOW THAT WORKS? YEAH. SO WE HAVE RECENTLY, I MEAN, IT IS VERY EXCITING WHEN FOLKS COME TO US AND WANT TO DONATE FOR A PROJECT AND GIVE TO SOMETHING THAT THEY CARE ABOUT AND ALL OF THE PHILANTHROPY THAT HAPPENS. I THINK THIS WAS ALSO A QUESTION TOO, LIKE WITH THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS IS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DISTRICT'S HIGHEST PRIORITIES. AND SO THE FOUNDATION DOESN'T DRIVE PROJECTS AND DONORS DON'T DRIVE PROJECTS. WE HAVE PROJECTS THAT WE WANT TO FUND AND WE GO OUT AND SOLICIT DONATIONS FOR THEM AND PARTNER WITH PHILANTHROPISTS AND DONORS. BUT IT HAS TO BE A PROJECT THAT'S ALREADY BEING DONE BY THE DISTRICT AND THAT WE'VE AGREED THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO WITH THE DISTRICT. SO THAT IS AN EXPECTATION THAT DONORS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT IS, THIS IS A GOVERNMENT AGENCY AND THERE'S A PUBLIC PROCESS. AND PHILANTHROPY CAN PLAY AN AWESOME ROLE IN THAT, BUT IT DOESN'T DRIVE THAT PROCESS. AND WE DID ESTABLISH TO HELP WITH SOME OF THESE ISSUES, A GIFT ACCEPTANCE POLICY AND A GIFT ACCEPTANCE COMMITTEE ON OUR BOARD. SO THINGS ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE CLEAR NOW TOO. THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER CLARIFYING QUESTIONS? OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY. SO DISCUSSION, COMMENTS AND FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS FROM PAC MEMBERS. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO AND THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT PRESENTATION. WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU COMING HERE TONIGHT. THANK YOU. GOOD SEEING YOU. [APPLAUSE]. OKAY. NEXT ITEM UPDATE ON ACTIVITIES OF HAYWARD AREA SHORELINE PLANNING AGENCY AND SEA LEVEL RISE ADAPTATION PROJECTS AT THE HAYWARD SHORELINE. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M DEVAN REIFF, PRINCIPAL PLANNER WITH THE PARK DISTRICT. AND. I WANT TO RESPECT YOUR COMMITTEE'S TIME. IF YOU'D LIKE TO RESCHEDULE THIS ITEM, THERE'S NOTHING PRESSING. THIS IS ALL JUST INFORMATIONAL. WE COULD EASILY DO THAT. SO I APPRECIATE THE COMMENT. I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO DO THAT. AND I APPRECIATE YOUR RESPECT FOR THE TIME. BUT IT'S AN IMPORTANT TOPIC, SO PLEASE PROCEED. THANK YOU. OKAY, GREAT. WELL, THANK YOU FOR MAKING TIME FOR US AGAIN. I'M DEVAN REIFF, PRINCIPAL PLANNER WITH THE PARK DISTRICT. I'M JOINED BY EDDIE WILLIS, WHO'S A PLANNER. AND WE HAVE AN UPDATE TO YOU AND THE PUBLIC ON THE CLIMATE ADAPTATION PROJECTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY UNDERWAY AT THE HAYWARD SHORELINE. JUST ONE PROCEDURAL NOTE. OUR STAFF REPORT AND MAP DID NOT GET INTO THE PRINTED PACKET. SO WHEN YOU HAVE A CHANCE AT HOME OR ANYONE WATCHING AT HOME, IT IS IN THE PDF, THE ELECTRONIC VERSION, BUT NOT YOUR PRINTED PACKET. SO AS YOU KNOW, IF YOU'VE BEEN THERE, THE HAYWARD SHORELINE IS A SPECIAL PLACE ON THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL DECADES OF ACQUISITION BY THE PARK DISTRICT AND OTHER PUBLIC AGENCIES, AND LAND USE PROTECTIONS PUT INTO PLACE TO PREVENT INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT ON THE SHORELINE. AND THERE'S ALSO BEEN DECADES OF HABITAT RESTORATION TO PROTECT ENDANGERED SPECIES LIKE THE SALT MARSH, HARVEST MOUSE AND THE LEAST TERN. ALSO, IT IS A SIGNIFICANT TRANSPORTATION CORRIDOR BECAUSE THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY TRAIL IS ROUTED THROUGH THE WHOLE SHORELINE, [01:40:10] AS IS SHOWN HERE. THERE IS A LONG STANDING PUBLIC AGENCY THAT COORDINATES AND ADVISES ON PROJECTS ON THE HAYWARD SHORELINE, AND THAT'S CALLED THE HAYWARD AREA SHORELINE PLANNING AGENCY, OR HSPA, HAS SINCE 1970, WHEN IT WAS CREATED AS A JOINT POWERS AUTHORITY, WHICH IS A LEGAL PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE PARK DISTRICT, CITY OF HAYWARD, HAYWARD AREA REC AND PARK DISTRICT, OR HARPD. AND NOW THE ALAMEDA COUNTY MOSQUITO ABATEMENT DISTRICT. HASPA IS A PUBLIC AGENCY THAT MEETS QUARTERLY IN A PUBLIC FORMAT, HYBRID FORMAT, AND A FEW YEARS AGO, HASPA WAS REAUTHORIZED ITSELF AS A CLIMATE ADAPTATION AND SEA LEVEL RISE PROTECTION AGENCY. THIS WAS INITIATED WITH THE ADOPTION OF SOMETHING CALLED THE SHORELINE MASTER PLAN IN 2021, WHICH I'LL TALK ABOUT IN A MOMENT. THAT PLAN ITSELF IS NOW CURRENTLY BEING UPDATED AND EVALUATED FOR IMPLEMENTATION AND A NEW GOVERNANCE STRATEGY. SO HERE'S THE MISSION OF HASPA. HASPA ADVANCES COLLABORATIVE CLIMATE ADAPTATION PLANNING TO PROTECT PEOPLE, PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE, THE ENVIRONMENT, AND SHORELINE ACCESS ALONG THE HAYWARD AREA SHORELINE. THE VARIOUS TRUSTEE AGENCIES FROM THE FOUR AGENCIES THAT MAKE UP THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, EXCUSE ME, INCLUDING THE PARK DISTRICT, ARE ACTIVELY BALANCING THESE DIFFERENT PRIORITIES. SO HERE'S AN IMAGE OF THE COVER OF THE 2021 SHORELINE MASTER PLAN, WHICH I JUST MENTIONED. THIS WAS FUNDED BY A GRANT FROM CALTRANS AT THE TIME. THIS IS AN INTERAGENCY PLANNING DOCUMENT THAT LOOKS AT SEA LEVEL RISE PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE NEEDED. AND IN FACT, THE PLAN ITSELF HAD 20 DIFFERENT CAPITAL PROJECTS IN IT. LOOKING AT A TIMELINE OF ABOUT 30 YEARS. AS IT HAPPENS, 5 OF THESE 20 PROJECTS ARE NOW MOVING FORWARD IN SOME LEVEL OF DESIGN, AND EDDIE WILL BE SHARING SOME OF THOSE WITH YOU. HOWEVER, THIS PLAN WAS ALWAYS INTENDED TO BE CONCEPTUAL AND HAD NO IMPLEMENTATION PATHWAY. SO TODAY, THE PLANNING TEAM HERE AT THE PARK DISTRICT AND OUR PARTNERS ON THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR HASPA ARE LEADING A CONSULTANT TEAM TO WORK WITH THE STAFFS OF THE TRUSTEE AGENCIES TO EVALUATE AND UPDATE THIS SHORELINE PLAN, WHICH, EVEN THOUGH IT'S ONLY FIVE YEARS OLD, SO MUCH HAS CHANGED WITH SEA LEVEL RISE PROJECTIONS WITH ENDANGERED SPECIES, HABITAT PROJECTS AND OTHER KIND OF CONDITIONS HAPPENING AT THE SHORELINE, THAT IT'S TIME TO UPDATE THOSE DATA POINTS, AND ALSO TO PROVIDE A GOVERNANCE STRATEGY FOR HASPA IN THE FUTURE. SO THE CONSULTANT HIRED TO PREPARE THE HAYWARD SHORELINE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN AND GOVERNANCE STRATEGY IS A FIRM CALLED SCAPE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE. THEY ARE ACTUALLY THE SAME TEAM THAT PREPARED THE SHORELINE MASTER PLAN BACK IN 2021. SO IT'S A LITTLE HARD TO SEE ON THE SCREEN HERE, BUT THIS IS A GRAPHIC FROM THE SHORELINE PLAN, WHICH ILLUSTRATES A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS WHICH ARE INTENDED TO FIGHT THE EFFECTS OF SEA LEVEL RISE ON THE HAYWARD SHORELINE. SPECIFICALLY, THIS MAP SHOWS A CONCEPTUAL FLOOD PROTECTION LEVEE, WHICH IS SHOWN IN DARK RED, WHICH WOULD BE PARTLY BUILT OUT BY THE CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT ARE UNDERWAY. BUT SOME OF THE AREAS SHOWN ON THIS MAP WILL NEED TO BE BUILT IN THE FUTURE, IN A CAPITAL PROJECT THAT SO FAR HAS NO SPONSOR AND NO CHAMPION. SO THAT'S THE WORK OF HARBOR TO COME IS AFTER THESE CAPITAL PROJECTS GET BUILT, OTHER PROJECTS NEED TO BE IDENTIFIED, FUNDED, DESIGNED, PERMITTED AND BUILT. SO NOW EDDIE WILL TAKE YOU THROUGH THE FIVE DIFFERENT CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN DESIGN OR UNDERWAY, OR ABOUT TO BE CONSTRUCTED IN THE HAYWARD SHORELINE. EDDIE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, DEVAN, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING ME. EDDIE WILLIS, PLANNER FOR EAST BAY REGIONAL PARKS. AND I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH DEVAN THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS TO HELP MANAGE THE HASPA JOINT POWERS AUTHORITY. SO IT'S BEEN A GREAT EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS IN THE HAYWARD AREA AND THE EDEN SHORELINE AREA. AND SO I'LL GO THROUGH THESE FIVE PROJECTS VERY QUICKLY TO BE RESPECTFUL OF YOUR TIME. BUT REAL QUICK, THIS MAP SHOWS AN OVERVIEW OF THE LOCATIONS OF THESE PROJECTS. SO I'LL START WITH THE NORTH END OF THE HARBOR PLANNING AREA WITH THE FIRST MILE HORIZONTAL LEVEE SORT OF MOVING SOUTH TOWARD THE HAYWARD SAN MATEO BRIDGE, AND THEN BACK UP THE COAST TO THE WEST. SO WE'LL GO KIND OF COUNTERCLOCKWISE, I SUPPOSE. SO THE FIRST PROJECT IS THE FIRST MILE HORIZONTAL LEVEE, WHICH IS BEING DESIGNED BY THE EAST BAY DISCHARGERS AUTHORITY, OR EBDA. THEY MANAGE WASTEWATER FROM SEVERAL LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES, AND THEY ARE CONSIDERING A HORIZONTAL LEVEE AT [01:45:06] THE EDGE OF THE AURA LOMA MARSH, WHICH IS A PARK DISTRICT PROPERTY AND RESTORED WETLAND AREA. AND SO THIS HORIZONTAL LEVEE, RATHER THAN BEING LIKE A TRADITIONAL LEVEE, WHICH HAS VERY STEEP SIDES, THIS WOULD HAVE A GENTLE SLOPE MOVING OUT TOWARD THE MARSH AND WOULD ALLOW HABITAT TO MIGRATE UP THE SLOPE AS SEA LEVEL RISES. THIS PROJECT WOULD ALSO INCLUDE A PIPELINE UNDERNEATH THE LEVEE AREA TO HELP WITH FINAL INFILTRATION OF TREATED WASTEWATER AS A NATURE BASED SOLUTION TO PERCOLATE INTO THE SOIL. AND THEY ARE CURRENTLY IN THE 60% DESIGN PHASE, MOVING TOWARD 100% DESIGNS, THAT WILL BE COMPLETED OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS. AND THE TOP OF THE LEVEE MAY POTENTIALLY HAVE THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY TRAIL ALIGNMENT, WHICH IS CURRENTLY OUT TOWARD THE BAY. BUT WITH SEA LEVEL RISE AND EROSION, IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO MOVE INLAND AT SOME POINT. THESE ARE A COUPLE OF CONCEPTUAL ILLUSTRATIONS, ONE CLOSER TO GROUND LEVEL ON THE LEFT, LOOKING SOUTH ALONG THE PROPOSED LEVEE. SO YOU'VE GOT ORA LOMA MARSH ON YOUR RIGHT. AND THEN THE SAN LORENZO COMMUNITY PARK OPERATED BY HARD OVER ON THE LEFT AND THE TRAIN TRACKS IN BETWEEN. SO THIS MAY BE A GREAT AMENITY FOR FOLKS TO EXPERIENCE NATURE NEARBY, SEE A HORIZONTAL LEVEE IN ACTION AND IT'S JUST REALLY A MULTI-BENEFIT PROJECT. AND THEN ON THE RIGHT IS AN AERIAL VIEW LOOKING OUT TOWARD THE BAY, SHOWING THE SIDE OF THE PROJECT. NEXT IS THE HAYWARD NATURE BASED SOLUTIONS PROJECT, WHICH IS BEING HEADED UP BY THE CITY OF HAYWARD, ONE OF OUR HASPA PARTNERS. IT'S CONVERTING A FORMER OXIDATION POND INTO TREATMENT WETLANDS TO REDUCE NUTRIENTS GOING INTO THE BAY. THIS MAY ALSO INCLUDE PART OF THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY TRAIL OVER THE TOP OF THEIR LEVY. AND AGAIN, WOULD BE A HORIZONTAL STYLE LEVY. AND THIS PHOTO IS LOOKING FROM THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT WEST TOWARDS SAN FRANCISCO BAY WITH PARK DISTRICT PROPERTY IN THE MIDDLE GROUND. THAT SORT OF OPEN OR PAST THAT OPEN WATER RATHER. ALL RIGHT. ONE OF OUR INTERNAL PROJECTS IS THE RESTORE HAYWARD MARSH THAT'S BEING HEADED UP BY OUR RESTORATION PROJECTS GROUP. THEY HAVE RECENTLY COMPLETED 100% DESIGNS. AND JUST LATER THIS WEEK, THEY'RE GOING TO GO OUT TO BID TO HIRE A CONSTRUCTION IMPLEMENTATION COMPANY TO BUILD AN ACCESS ROAD AND FUTURE LEVEE INTO THE SITE, TO TRANSPORT SOIL, TO BUILD UP NEW HABITAT. SO IT'S RESTORING AN OLD SALT POND AREA INTO A RESILIENT WETLAND, WHICH WILL BE ADAPTED TO SEA LEVEL RISE. SO AS SEA LEVELS RISE, HABITATS CAN MOVE FURTHER AND FURTHER INLAND AND UPSLOPE. SO ANOTHER BIG PROJECT IS BEING HEADED UP BY CALTRANS. AND THAT'S THE EASTERN APPROACH OF THE HAYWARD BRIDGE. SO IN THIS IMAGE, THAT WOULD BE AT THE TOP RIGHT OF THE PHOTO. SO THIS IS FOSTER CITY, I BELIEVE IN THE FOREGROUND KIND OF LOOKING EAST TOWARD HAYWARD. SO THE PROBLEM CURRENTLY IS THE APPROACH IS TOO LOW THAT WILL EVENTUALLY FLOOD FROM SEA LEVEL RISE. AND SO CALTRANS HAS BEEN WORKING ON THIS, CONSIDERING DIFFERENT DESIGNS OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS. EARLY ON, THEY CONTEMPLATED BUILDING A CAUSEWAY, PERHAPS, BUT THE LATEST THINKING IS THAT A COUPLE OF LEVEES WILL GO ALONG EITHER SIDE OF THE APPROACH. ONE OF THEM WILL BE JUST SOUTH OF THE HAYWARD SHORELINE INTERPRETIVE CENTER. AND SO DESIGNS ARE BEING WORKED OUT WITH THAT. AND CONVERSATIONS ARE BEING HAD WITH HARD AND WITH THE CITY OF HAYWARD TO DETERMINE WHAT THAT WILL LOOK LIKE, BUT THAT MAY BENEFIT THE SHORELINE WITH ANOTHER AREA OR LINE OF PROTECTION. AND THEN FINALLY, THE REGIONALLY ADVANCING LIVING SHORELINES PROJECT IS HAPPENING. THROUGHOUT SAN FRANCISCO BAY, THERE ARE TEN SITES IN SAN FRANCISCO AND MARIN COUNTIES, PLUS FOUR SITES OR INCLUDING FOUR SITES IN THE EAST BAY, ONE OF THEM BEING IN HAYWARD. SO THIS CONTEMPLATES BUILDING A NUMBER OF ARTIFICIAL ISLANDS JUST OFFSHORE TO HELP SLOW DOWN WAVE ACTION COMING FROM, YOU KNOW, KING TIDE EVENTS AND BIG STORMS, AND ALSO PROVIDE HABITAT THAT CAN MIGRATE UP THE ISLANDS AND DOWN THE [01:50:02] ISLANDS, DEPENDING ON THE TIDES. AND SO THAT'S BEING LED BY THE STATE COASTAL CONSERVANCY AND THE SAN FRANCISCO ESTUARY INSTITUTE. ALL RIGHT. AND I BELIEVE THAT BRINGS US TO QUESTIONS. WE'RE HAPPY TO GO OVER ANY OF THE PROJECTS OR ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. OKAY. SO REMINDER, CLARIFYING QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT. NO COMMENTS OR MISCELLANEOUS QUESTIONS PLEASE. I'VE DETJENS. AND THEN VICE CHAIR AND THEN MEMBER DIETER. I HAVE A CLARIFYING COMMENT AND I HOPE IT PASSES MUSTER FOR OUR CHAIR. AND THAT IS, I NOTED THAT THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY RESTORATION AUTHORITY HAS RECOMMENDED FUNDING FOR SOME PROJECTS AT HAYWARD MARSH. I'M EXCITED TO HEAR WHICH OF THESE FIVE PROJECTS, WHICH IS THE ONE THAT WAS PUT IN FOR MEASURE A FUNDING AND IS NOW RECOMMENDED FOR FUNDING OF THE FIVE YOU TALKED ABOUT. THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. I DON'T ACTUALLY KNOW THE ANSWER, BUT LET ME GET BACK TO YOU AND MAYBE THROUGH THE CHAIR, WE'LL GET AN ANSWER TO THAT. I THINK A LOT OF THESE SPONSORING AGENCIES ARE APPLYING FOR VARIOUS FUNDING, SOMETIMES THE SAME POT OF MONEY. AND SO WE'LL GET AN ANSWER TO WHAT THE RECENT AWARD HAS BEEN. THERE'S ALSO STATE MONEY, AS WELL AS THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY RESTORATION AUTHORITY FUNDS. VICE CHAIR MENDOZA. VERY EXCITED FOR THIS. THANK YOU, DEVAN AND EDDIE, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. CLARIFYING QUESTION IN THAT I KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. MAYBE YOU CAN SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ON THE, YOU KNOW, LISTENING SESSIONS, HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE GONE TO YOUR PARTNERSHIPS? AND THEN ALSO MANY OF US KNOW ABOUT DAVE RANCHES PROJECT THAT'S BEEN GOING ON LEE STERN ISLAND OVER THERE IN THE HAYWARD MARSH. IS THAT PART OF THE LIVING SHORELINE PLAN TO ENSURE THAT STAYS AS A SPACE FOR NESTING EVERY YEAR? OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU, FRANCIS. THERE ARE TWO QUESTIONS IN THERE. ONE ABOUT TERN TOWN, WHICH IS A PROJECT OF MANY VOLUNTEERS AND DAVE WRENCH HERE AT THE PARK DISTRICT FOR MANY YEARS. EDDIE, MAYBE YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE DETAILS OF TURNOUT. I KNOW THAT IT'S PART OF THE HAYWARD MARSH RESTORATION, SO IT'S NOT SO MUCH PART OF THAT REGIONALLY ADVANCING LIVING SHORELINES, BUT IT IS INCLUDED IN SOME OF THE PHASES OF THE HAYWARD MARSH RESTORATION. BUT EDDIE, DO YOU KNOW MORE? I CAN SAY IT'S ACCOUNTED FOR IN THE HAYWARD MARSH RESTORATION PROJECT. AND I APOLOGIZE JUST FOR THE SAKE OF BREVITY. I KIND OF SKIPPED OVER THAT BULLET POINT, WHICH WAS IN MY NOTES. BUT TURN TOWN WILL BE KEPT. BUT WITH SEA LEVEL RISE, IT MAY MOVE FURTHER INLAND AT SOME POINT. AND FOR FOLKS WHO AREN'T AWARE, IT'S A SPECIALLY PROTECTED ISLAND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HAYWARD MARSH FOR ENDANGERED LEAST TERNS. AND SO WE HAVE BIOLOGISTS THAT GO OUT THERE AND REGULARLY MONITOR IT. WE HAVE SPECIAL SCREENING UP TO KEEP YOU KNOW, FOXES AND COYOTES FROM SWIMMING OUT THERE OR CATS FROM GETTING ON SITE. SO THAT'S ALL PART OF THAT HAYWARD RESTORATION PROJECT. AND THEN THE SECOND QUESTION? YEAH. AND THE FIRST QUESTION IS ABOUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. THERE'S BEEN A REALLY AMAZING KIND OF COLLABORATION BETWEEN ALL THESE PARTNERS AND ALL THESE DIFFERENT CONSULTANT TEAMS. AND ONE OF THE PROJECTS HAS BEEN AROUND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. SO A GROUP CALLED OUT OF CHABOT COLLEGE CALLED TEACH EARTH ACTION, HAS BEEN ENGAGED TO GET STUDENTS TO GO INTO SAN LORENZO AND HAYWARD TO TALK TO THEIR NEIGHBORS. THERE WAS A BIG COMMUNITY MEETING UP IN EDEN AREA BACK IN NOVEMBER. THERE'LL BE ANOTHER ONE, AN ALL COMMUNITY MEETING ON JUNE 27TH FOR ANYONE INTERESTED. THAT'LL BE AT THE SAN LORENZO COMMUNITY CENTER FROM 2 TO 4:00. ANYONE INTERESTED IN WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE SHORELINE IS INVITED TO COME THERE OR CONTACT ME. WE'LL GET YOU ON THE MAILING LIST. ALSO, THERE'S BEEN A SEPARATE, VERY ROBUST NATIVE AMERICAN ENGAGEMENT EFFORT TOURS, WALKING TOURS, SEVERAL DIFFERENT WALKING SITE VISITS BECAUSE THIS IS, YOU KNOW, SACRED LAND FOR SO MANY NATIVE PEOPLE IN THE EAST BAY AND BEYOND. SO THAT'S ON ITS OWN SEPARATE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TRACK. SO I FEEL LIKE THIS HAS BEEN REALLY A GOOD EXAMPLE OF HOW TO INVOLVE COMMUNITIES THAT MAY NOT GET TO COME TO THE SHORELINE VERY OFTEN, OR FOR WHOM SEA LEVEL RISE IS VERY REAL TO THEM. THANK YOU, MEMBER DIETER. THANKS FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. EXCUSE MY IGNORANCE ON THIS, BUT YOU SAID ALL OF THIS IS BEING FUNDED FROM A CALTRANS GRANT. OH, NO. LET ME CLARIFY. ONE OF THE FIVE PROJECTS, THE ONE ABOUT THE HAYWARD SAN MATEO BRIDGE IS BEING FUNDED BY CALTRANS, THE SHORELINE MASTER PLAN BACK IN 2020, 2021, THAT WAS FUNDED BY CALTRANS UNDER A SEPARATE GRANT. [01:55:05] SO THE PLAN ITSELF WAS CREATED AND THAT GRANT WAS FULFILLED. OKAY. THANKS FOR CLARIFYING THAT. YEAH. IT'S CONFUSING. CALTRANS HAS BEEN A VERY ACTIVE SPONSOR IN THIS AREA. ANY OTHER CLARIFYING QUESTIONS? NOT COMMENTS YET. CLARIFYING QUESTIONS. MEMBER MAHADEVAN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. I ATTENDED A MEETING AT THE SPECIAL DISTRICTS AT THE OR LOMA SANITARY DISTRICT WAY BACK. GOT TO BE TEN YEARS AGO OR MORE. THEY HAD A HORIZONTAL LEVY, IF YOU WILL. AT THE TIME. IS THAT PART OF THIS? YEAH. YOU'RE REFERRING TO THE EXPERIMENTAL HORIZONTAL LEVY AT OR LOMA SANITARY DISTRICT, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE SANITARY DISTRICT AND UC BERKELEY, SPECIFICALLY AROUND TESTING DIFFERENT VEGETATION ON THE SLOPES OF THESE HORIZONTAL LEVEES TO SEE WHAT FILTERS WASTEWATER THE BEST. AND IT'S AN ONGOING PROJECT THAT I RECOMMEND ANYONE INTERESTED IN THE KIND OF TECHNOLOGY OF WASTEWATER TREATMENT THROUGH NATURAL, NATURE BASED SOLUTIONS LOOK INTO. I THINK THEY DO OFFER TOURS OF IT. SO THAT'S SORT OF A PILOT PROJECT THAT IS DEFINITELY INFORMING SOME OF THE DESIGNS AT THESE OTHER HORIZONTAL LEVEES. THANK YOU. MEMBER PEOPLES. YEAH. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS, BUT TO WHAT EXTENT DO THE NATURAL MARSHES. THE SALT MARSHES THEY HAVE HERE. YOU KNOW, THE MARSHES, PICKLEWEED MARSHES. ARE THEY ABLE TO MOVE UP WITH SEDIMENTATION OCCURRING ON THEM? I KNOW ON THE EAST COAST. I MEAN, THAT'S THE WAY THE MARSHES DEVELOP, IS THAT THEY HAVE SEDIMENTATION FLOW OVER THEM, AND THEY RISE UP WITH THE SEA LEVEL RISE. AND I JUST WONDERED IF THAT OCCURS HERE, YOU KNOW, WITH THE PICKLEWEED MARSHES THAT I THINK WE'RE MOSTLY TALKING ABOUT HERE, BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE A LONG TERM SOLUTION TOO. OTHERWISE, AT SOME POINT IN TIME, THE WAVES ARE GOING TO BE BREAKING AGAINST THOSE NATURAL LEVEES. BUT IF THE MARSH ITSELF COULD RISE WITH THAT AND, YOU KNOW, AND PRESUMABLY YOU COULD HAVE A SEDIMENT SOURCE OF, YOU KNOW, FROM THE DREDGING IN THE BAY, YOU KNOW, WHICH THEY DO IN THE EAST COAST, THEY'LL FLOW IT OVER IT THERE VERY SLOWLY, YOU KNOW, TO RISE IT UP. BUT IF THE WETLANDS THEMSELVES ARE ABLE TO GROW UP THROUGH THAT AND RISE UP WITH THE SEA LEVEL RISE, I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE A REALLY STRONG ELEMENT, AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT FOR THE LONG TERM VIABILITY OF THESE MARSHES. YEAH. THANK YOU FOR THAT COMMENT. YEAH. MARSH MIGRATION IS DEFINITELY PART OF WHAT THE CONSULTANT TEAMS AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERS ARE LOOKING AT. ON THIS MAP, YOU CAN SEE WE'RE SORT OF CONSTRAINED, UNFORTUNATELY, BY THE PROXIMITY OF BOTH THE RAILROAD AND INDUSTRIAL LAND, WHICH DOESN'T LEAVE A LOT OF ROOM NECESSARILY FOR THE MARSH MIGRATION. THAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED NATURALLY. BUT I THINK THERE ARE OTHER AREAS THAT WERE FORMER SALT PONDS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN RESTORED, AND THOSE AREAS MIGHT FORM THE AREAS OF RETREAT THAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO. I'M ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT WHETHER ARE EXISTING RESTORED WETLANDS, AND MAINTAINING THOSE OVER TIME, RATHER THAN HAVING THEM RETREAT TOWARDS THE LEVEES. THAT PROVIDES THE BUFFER FOR THE LEVEES TO KEEP THEM FROM BEING ERODED BY WAVE ACTION. I THINK THE STEWARDSHIP DEPARTMENT IS LOOKING AT THAT FOR ARROWHEAD MARSH ACTUALLY ADDING SEDIMENT TO ARROWHEAD MARSH, AS IN MLK SHORELINE, AS A WAY TO DO EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. PREPARE THE MARSH FOR FUTURE SEA LEVEL RISE. MEMBER PEOPLES, IF I MAY I AM VERY WELL VERSED IN THE EXACT TOPIC THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. AND WHILE I DON'T HAVE TIME TO TALK ABOUT IT TODAY, I ACTUALLY AM LATE FOR LEAVING. BUT I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO ENGAGE WITH YOU ON A DIFFERENT. AND SHARE MY KNOWLEDGE PERSONALLY ON THAT. GOOD. THANK YOU. DESIGNED MARSHES TO DO EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT AND CONVERSANT ON SEDIMENT NEEDS AND SEDIMENT YIELDS THROUGHOUT THE BAY. YEAH. SO I'M HAPPY TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION A DIFFERENT TIME. WELL, IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE THERE, I THINK THAT MAINTAINS THE EXISTING MARSHES. AND WITH ALL THE BENEFITS, THEY PROVIDE THE ECOLOGICAL BENEFITS, BUT ALSO PROVIDES THAT PROTECTION FROM WAVE ACTION FOR THE LIVING LEVEES. ANY OTHER CLARIFYING QUESTIONS? MADAM CLERK, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS TOPIC? WE HAVE NO PUBLIC COMMENTS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANY DISCUSSIONS, COMMENTS OR FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS FROM PAC MEMBERS? [02:00:06] MEMBER DETJENS. I HAVE A COMMENT FOR THE PAC AS WELL AS THE SPEAKER AND THE PAC KNOWS THAT I GET EXCITED ABOUT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLANS. THAT IS PALED IN EXCITEMENT AS TO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SEA LEVEL RISE AND MARSHES. AND SO THIS IS A TOPIC THAT'S VERY NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART, AND I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING IT TO THIS GROUP. AND IT'S A TOPIC THAT I'VE WORKED IN FOR A LONG TIME. AND THIS IS OF HIGH IMPORTANCE AND EXCITEMENT TO ME TO SEE THAT. SO THANK YOU FOR BEING INVOLVED IN THIS GROUP AND LEADING THAT. I DID WANT TO POINT OUT THAT I WAS ABLE TO FIND THE RECOMMENDATION FOR THE $2 MILLION SAN FRANCISCO BAY RESTORATION AUTHORITY GRANT IS FOR THE RESTORE HAYWARD MARSH. THE PROJECT THAT IS READY TO BID AND THE APPLICANT FOR THE GRANT WAS EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT. EXCELLENT. THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT. AND EVERYONE TO PARTICIPATE IN HASPA. THE MEETINGS HAPPEN QUARTERLY. I BELIEVE THE NEXT ONE WILL BE JUNE 11TH. THEY HAPPEN TYPICALLY IN HAYWARD, BUT THEY ARE VIRTUAL. SO YOU'RE WELCOME TO EITHER WATCH THEM IN AS THEY'RE HAPPENING LIVE AND PARTICIPATE LIVE, OR WE KEEP ALL THE RECORDINGS ON THE PARK DISTRICT'S WEBSITE. ANYONE ELSE? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT GREAT PRESENTATION, AND THANKS FOR TAKING TIME TO JOIN US TONIGHT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. [APPLAUSE]. OKAY. REPORT FROM CHAIR. THERE IS NONE. ANNOUNCEMENTS, ANYONE? VICE CHAIR MENDOZA. [Announcements] I JUST WANTED TO SHOUT OUT JULIE AND HER INVOLVEMENT WITH BLACK BIRDERS WEEK THIS WEEK. IT'S BEEN GOING REALLY WELL, I HEAR. AND MAYBE YOU WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT, JULIE? I DO. OKAY. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE HERE FOR THE INCREDIBLE WORK THAT YOU DO AS VOLUNTEERING AFTER HOURS. BLACK BIRDERS WEEK WAS A HUGE SUCCESS. BIG BREAK WAS GORGEOUS. THERE'S STILL PROGRAMS HAPPENING THROUGHOUT THE WEEK, SO CHECK OUT YOUR WARD AND SEE IF IT'S GOING ON THERE. I'M GOING TO THROW IN A COUPLE OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS. TOMORROW WE HAVE OUR WILDFIRE WEBINAR THAT IS GOING TO BE TAKING PLACE ONLINE. SO IF YOU WANT TO JOIN THAT, I'LL SEND YOU ALL AN EMAIL. WE ALSO HAVE AANHPI HERITAGE THAT'S TAKING PLACE AT TEMESCAL BEACH HOUSE. SO IF YOU'RE AVAILABLE THURSDAY, MAY 28TH FROM 5 TO 7, WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOU THERE. AND TO REPRESENT THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO SAY, WHICH IS NOT. WELL, IT IS KIND OF PARK DISTRICT RELATED, IS PORT CHICAGO WEEKEND IS COMING AROUND. AND SO PLEASE CHECK OUT PORTCHICAGOWEEKEND.ORG. MARK YOUR CALENDARS. THIS YEAR WE'RE GOING TO BE KICKING OFF THE WEEKEND AT TREASURE ISLAND PANORAMA PARK WITH A SUNSET SALUTE TO THE SAILORS. SO REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. JULY 11TH IS THE OAKLAND MUSEUM SHOWING OF THE MOVIE MUTINY, PRODUCED BY MORGAN FREEMAN. SO MARK YOUR CALENDARS. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU BACK HERE AGAIN. THANKS FOR HELPING US HAVE OUR MEETING RUN SMOOTHLY. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. THANKS FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO, JULIE. [APPLAUSE]. ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? MR. PEOPLES. YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO REMIND EVERYBODY, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY RESIDENTS TO VOTE YES ON MEASURE A, WHICH WILL EXTEND THE COUNTY'S URBAN LIMIT LINE, THROUGH 2050. ONE VERY IMPORTANT MEASURE FOR PROTECTING OPEN SPACE. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? OKAY. THE MEETING OF MAY 26TH, 2026 IS NOW ADJOURNED AT 6:15 P.M. THE NEXT REGULAR PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING WILL TAKE PLACE ON MONDAY, JUNE 22ND, 2026 AT 4 P.M. THANK YOU AND GOOD NIGHT. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.