Aug 24, 2026 Park Advisory Committee

[Roll Call]

[00:00:04]

GOOD EVENING. WELCOME, EVERYONE. THIS IS A REGULAR PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING OF THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT ON AUGUST 24TH, 2026, BEGINNING AT 4:00 P.M. MADAM CLERK, IF YOU COULD PLEASE DO A ROLL CALL.

YES, I CAN. MEMBER BARTLEBAUGH. PRESENT. THANK YOU.

MEMBER CHANG I'M NOT SEEING YET.

MEMBER DEPASCHALIS. PRESENT. THANK YOU. MEMBER DETJENS.

HERE. THANK YOU. MEMBER DIETER. HERE. THANK YOU.

MEMBER HENRY. HERE. THANK YOU. MEMBER LOPEZ NOT SEEING.

MEMBER MAHADEVAN. HERE. THANK YOU. MEMBER MARSH.

PRESENT. THANK YOU. MEMBER MENDOZA IS NOT HERE YET.

MEMBER OBRINGER. NOT HERE. MEMBER OMOLO.

MEMBER PEOPLES. PRESENT. THANK YOU. MEMBER SIMMONS.

PRESENT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. MEMBER SMITH. HERE.

THANK YOU, MEMBER SMITH. MEMBER VALENZUELA. HERE.

THANK YOU. MEMBER VASUDEO IS NOT HERE. AND MEMBER WILLIAMS IS NOT HERE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MEMBER VALENZUELA. IF YOU COULD PLEASE READ THE LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT.

AS WE GATHER HERE TODAY ON BEHALF OF THE PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT ALL THE LANDS WITHIN THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT ARE THE ANCESTRAL LANDS OF THE EAST BAY, OHLONE BAY MIWOK AND THE NORTHERN VALLEY YOKUT, WHO ARE POLITICALLY ORGANIZED AND REPRESENTED BY A NUMBER OF TRIBES TODAY.

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

THE PARK DISTRICT IS COMMITTED TO IDENTIFYING WAYS TO WORK, CONSULT WITH EAST BAY TRIBES AS WE RECOGNIZE THESE TRIBAL CITIZENS REMAIN CONNECTED TO THEIR LAND AND CULTURE. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE VILLAGE KNOWN AS HUICHIN ON THE CHOCHENYO OHLONE LAND.

THANK YOU MEMBER VALENZUELA. ON TO APPROVAL OF THE JUNE 22ND.

[Approval of Minutes]

I. THEY DON'T INCLUDE COMMENTS THAT I MADE AT THE LAST MEETING REGARDING THE E-BIKES AND OTHER MICROMOBILITY DEVICES. YOU KNOW, AND I HAD POINTED OUT THAT AUTOMOBILE AUTOMOBILES 125 YEARS THAT WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH AUTOMOBILES, I THINK, PROVIDE A LOT OF INSIGHT ABOUT HOW YOU DEAL WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF POWERED VEHICLES INTO A SYSTEM, AND WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT, BUT PARTICULARLY THE RESEARCH UNDERGIRDING THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY SAFETY ACT ENACTED IN THE 1960S.

AND I'D LIKE TO HAVE THAT INCLUDED IN THE MINUTES.

OKAY. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE, AS AMENDED BY MEMBER PEOPLES.

SO MOVED. SO MOVED. MEMBER BARTLEBAUGH. SECOND.

MEMBER DETJENS. MADAM CLERK, IF YOU PLEASE TAKE A ROLL CALL VOTE.

YES. MEMBER BARTLEBAUGH. AYE. MEMBER DEPASCHALIS.

YES. MEMBER DETJENS. AYE. MEMBER DIETER. AYE.

MEMBER HENRY. YES. MEMBER LOPEZ. YES MEMBER MAHADEVAN. ABSTAIN. THANK YOU. MEMBER MARSH.

ABSTAIN. MEMBER PEOPLES. AYE. MEMBER SIMMONS.

ABSTAIN. MEMBER SMITH. AYE. THANK YOU. MEMBER VALENZUELA.

YES. THANK YOU. THE MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU.

PUBLIC COMMENTS. THE CLERK CAN 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 ME OR OTHERWISE INDICATE THEIR DESIRE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT ON A NON-AGENDA ITEM.

IF ATTENDING VIA ZOOM, THEY MAY RAISE THEIR HAND TO INDICATE THEIR DESIRE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT.

THEIR NAME WILL BE CALLED WHEN IT IS TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AND ALL SPEAKERS WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES.

THANK YOU. IF YOU'RE HERE TO PROVIDE A COMMENT REGARDING AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA, WE WILL CALL ON INDIVIDUALS DURING PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THAT SPECIFIC ITEM.

HAS THE CLERK RECEIVED ANY EMAILS OR SPEAKERS CARDS FROM THE PUBLIC FOR ANY ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA?

[00:05:03]

[Board Member Comments]

DIRECTOR WAESPI. WELL THANK YOU. IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO BE HERE.

EXCUSE ME. SORRY TO INTERRUPT. WE DO HAVE ONE PUBLIC COMMENT THAT WOULD LIKE TO GO NOW.

AND AGAIN, YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES.

GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M KELLY ABREU. I'VE BEEN COMING TO THESE MEETINGS FOR A GREAT MANY YEARS.

AND I'VE WATCHED HOW THE COMMITTEE IS OPERATES AND THIS COMMITTEE IS NOW GOING OFF TRACK HAS LOST SIGHT OF ITS MISSION, OBVIOUSLY.

AND NOW YOU KNOW BECOMING INSTEAD OF A PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE, IT'S A POLITICAL ADVOCACY COMMISSION.

AND THE, THE POLITICAL NATURE OF THE COMMITTEE IS AS OVERWHELMING ITS ABILITY TO DO, DO REAL WORK.

LAST TIME I SAW THIS HAPPEN, I HAD ONE OF YOUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS GET UP FROM THEIR CHAIR, COME AND STAND RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME IN MY FACE AND STICK A PAPER IN MY FACE AND ACCUSE ME OF SOME CRIME, WHICH WAS [LAUGHTER] NOT A CRIME, BUT THE BEHAVIOR OF THAT COMMITTEE MEMBER WAS IT WAS OUTRAGEOUS. AND OF COURSE, WE HAD TWO POLICE SITTING UP THERE AND THEY DID NOTHING ABOUT IT.

AND NOBODY. THE GUY SERVED OUT HIS TERM. THIS COMMITTEE NEEDS TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT WHAT YOU'RE WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING.

AND START DOING THAT. THIS IS NOT A DEN OF LET'S SAY UNDER THE TABLE ACTIVITIES. IT IS YOU KNOW, SUPPOSED TO BE DOING WHAT IT'S WHAT PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEES HAVE DONE FOR, FOR YOU KNOW, YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS.

AND IT'S AMAZING TO ME THAT THE COMMITTEE COULD GET THIS FAR OFF TRACK.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THERE ARE NO MORE PUBLIC COMMENTS.

DIRECTOR WAESPI. THANK YOU AGAIN. IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE.

AS I SAID BEFORE ALWAYS GREAT TO SEE YOU FOLKS.

AND SOME OF THE NEW FOLKS THAT I HAVEN'T MET BEFORE. I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TONIGHT.

I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A TRIBUTE TONIGHT. AND I WOULD LIKE TO DO A TRIBUTE TO JERRY KENT, WHO WORKED FOR THE PARK DISTRICT FOR 41 YEARS AND WAS AN INTEGRAL PART OF EVERYTHING THAT'S, IN MY OPINION, GOOD ABOUT THIS DISTRICT.

IF I CAN DO A LITTLE INTERACTIVE GAME, HOW MANY PEOPLE KNEW JERRY KENT OR KNEW? OKAY, THERE'S A FEW PEOPLE. ANYWAY, I'LL TELL YOU A STORY.

JERRY KENT BEGIN WORKING FOR THE PARK DISTRICT AS A PARK GROUNDSMAN OR A PARK RANGER, AS WE CALL THEM NOW IN 1962.

HE WENT ON TO SERVE AS A PARK SUPERVISOR, FIREFIGHTER, MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR AND WOUND UP AS THE ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER.

DURING HIS CAREER, THE PARK DISTRICT GREW FROM 6000 ACRES AND SIX PARKS TO 93,000 ACRES AND 63 PARKS, SO JERRY SERVED AS THE SOLE ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER.

I KNOW NOW WE HAVE 8 OR 9 ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGERS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT.

IN THE OLD DAYS, IN THOSE DAYS YOU HAD A GENERAL MANAGER.

GENERALLY THAT PERSON, IF YOU'VE BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME, WAS A POLITICIAN, DICK TRUDEAU.

PAT O'BRIEN. I'M GOING TO LEAVE ONE OUT. [LAUGHTER] AND BOB DOYLE, THOSE WERE YOU KNOW, BOB WORKED HIS WAY THROUGH THE ORGANIZATION AND SO DID PAT.

BUT THEY TOOK CARE OF THE POLITICAL ANGLE OF THE DEAL.

JERRY TOOK CARE OF EVERYTHING ELSE, EVERYTHING ELSE.

HE WAS THE PARK PERSON, KNEW EVERYTHING, KNEW EVERYBODY.

THAT WAS ONE OF HIS GREATEST TALENTS. OBVIOUSLY, HE DIDN'T HAVE A THOUSAND EMPLOYEES WORKING AT THE PARK DISTRICT LIKE WE DO NOW.

BUT IT WAS GETTING CLOSE AND HE KNEW EVERYBODY, AND HE GREETED EVERYBODY AND HAD A GREAT WORD TO SAY ABOUT EVERYBODY.

SO SERVING AS THE LONE GENERAL MANAGER, THE SOLE GENERAL MANAGER, JERRY HELPED OVERSEE PARK OPERATIONS, PUBLIC SAFETY, INTERPRETIVE SERVICES, PLANNING AND DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION, AND THOSE SOME OF THOSE PROGRAMS WERE IN THEIR INFANCY WHEN HE STARTED THESE.

AND HE WAS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THIS WHOLE THING.

HE HELPED GUIDE THE PARK DISTRICT THROUGH PERIODS OF TREMENDOUS GROWTH AND CHANGE, INCLUDING REALLY BIG THINGS LIKE PROP 13.

THAT WAS A REAL THREAT TO THIS PARK DISTRICT.

ERAF WAS A CHALLENGE. WE EVEN HAD LABOR CHALLENGES WITH A STRIKE IN 1975 AND MAJOR BOND MEASURES.

[00:10:08]

I HAD THE GREAT I HAD A GREAT FRIENDSHIP WITH JERRY.

AND HE, THE LAST. ONE OF THE LAST TIMES I TALKED TO HIM, HE WAS TALKING TO MY WIFE AND MY WIFE WORKED FOR THE PARK DISTRICT TOO.

AND HE WAS REFERRING TO A PARK THAT THEY HAD ESTABLISHED WHILE SHE WAS THERE.

SHE WAS THE FIRST GARDENER THERE. AND HE JUST LOOKED AT HER AND SAID, GEE, SUSAN, YOU KNOW, I'M REALLY, REALLY SORRY I BLEW THAT ONE. I REALLY MADE A MISTAKE DOWN THERE.

I SHOULD HAVE WE SHOULD HAVE HAD MORE SUPPORT, WE SHOULD HAVE MORE BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, EVERYTHING ELSE. BUT HE ADMITTED THIS AND THAT WAS JERRY. JERRY ADMITTED A MISTAKE. HOW MANY POWERFUL PEOPLE DO YOU KNOW THAT EVER ADMIT A MISTAKE? EVER? BUT HE WAS HE WAS WILLING TO DO THAT, I THINK, SIMPLY BECAUSE HE MADE 100 GOOD DECISIONS AND ONE BAD ONE.

AND I THINK THAT THAT WAS A TESTAMENT TO HIM.

ANYWAY YOU KNOW, HE WAS ALSO YOU KNOW, HE WAS THERE WHEN EVERYTHING HAPPENED IN 1991 WHERE HE WAS AN ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER IN 1991. HE WAS A BIG SHOT. THERE WAS NO REASON FOR HIM TO BE AT THE OAKLAND FIRE, BUT HE WAS HE AND MARK RAGATZ, WHO WAS A FIREFIGHTER AT THE TIME, WERE WORKING THE OAKLAND HILLS.

IT WAS CHAOS IN THE MORNING. NOBODY KNEW WHERE ANYBODY WAS GOING.

PEOPLE WERE JUST TRYING TO GET PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR HOMES, SAVE THEIR PROPERTY OR NOT SAVE THEIR PROPERTIES, BUT MAKE SURE EVERYBODY WAS EVACUATED AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON.

JERRY FELL THROUGH A DECK IN SOMEBODY'S BACKYARD AND BROKE HIS, I THINK, SOME PART OF HIS HAND HE HAD A BIG CAST ON, BUT I THINK HE WAS PROUD OF THAT. HE LOVED BEING PART OF THAT.

HE SERVED TWICE AS THE ACTING GENERAL MANAGER AND WAS ASKED BOTH TIMES, I'M FAIRLY CERTAIN.

HEY, THE BOARD SAID PLEASE BE OUR NEXT GENERAL MANAGER.

JERRY SAID, NO, NO, I DON'T DO THAT. I'M NOT.

I'M NOT A POLITICIAN. I WANT TO DO THE INNER WORKINGS OF THE PARK DISTRICT AS THE LONE ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER.

SO. BUT DURING THAT TIME, HE LED THE FIRST THE.

LED US THROUGH THE PASSAGE OF MEASURE AA, WHICH AT THAT TIME WAS THE LARGEST LOCAL BOND MEASURE OF ITS TIME.

IT WAS STUNNINGLY NEW AND A GREAT THING FOR THE PARK DISTRICT JUST TOOK US AWAY.

I MEAN, FROM SOME OF YOU NEW FOLKS, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT MEASURE WW, WE'VE GOT LOTS OF MONEY FOR ACQUISITION, THINGS LIKE THAT. IN THE OLD DAYS BEFORE 1988 AND PROP AA, WHICH WAS A $250 MILLION BOND MEASURE, YOU HAD TO, IF YOU WANTED TO BUY LAND, YOU HAD TO TAKE YOUR GENERAL FUND, WHICH WAS PAYING SALARIES, GETTING SUPPLIES AND SERVICES, ALL OF THE THINGS TO RUN A DISTRICT.

AND THEN WE SAID, WELL, IF WE GOT A FEW NICKELS LEFT, WE'LL BUY SOME LAND.

WELL, MEASURE AA JUST OPEN THE BALL FIELD. AND THAT'S WHAT THE GREAT EXPANSION WAS.

AND JERRY WAS A VERY, VERY BIG PART OF THAT. WHAT ELSE? HE WAS AN INVALUABLE ADVISOR, A MENTOR TO MANY PEOPLE AND A FRIEND TO JUST ABOUT EVERYBODY HE MET.

HE, HE JUST, JUST, IN MY OPINION, BUILT THIS PARK DISTRICT.

YOU KNOW, HE RETIRED IN 2003. AND THE BEST PART OF JERRY WAS WHEN HE RETIRED IN 2003.

AND HE TOLD ME, YOU KNOW, I WANTED TO COME TO A BOARD MEETING. I WANTED TO TELL HERE'S HOW YOU SHOULD RUN YOUR YOUR MEETINGS AND HERE'S HOW YOU SHOULD RUN THIS DISTRICT. BUT HE NEVER DID. BUT HE ALWAYS PARTICIPATED. HE WORKED ON MEASURE WW HE STARTED BECOMING AFTER HIS 1991 EXPERIENCE IN THE OAKLAND HILLS FIRE, HE BECAME A FIRE AND FUELS MANAGEMENT EXPERT.

HE RESEARCHED EVERYTHING, WROTE DOCUMENTS, GOT IN THE FIRE SAFE COUNCILS ALL OVER THE PLACE.

HE WAS AN ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCATE. HE JOINED THE EAST BAY PUBLIC LANDS COMMITTEE OF THE SIERRA CLUB AND, YOU KNOW, FOUGHT FOR THE PRESERVATION OF PARK DISTRICT HISTORY.

THAT WAS PROBABLY HIS BIGGEST THING. HE WAS IN MANY OF MEMBER OF SO MANY ORGANIZATIONS.

ONCE HE RETIRED, HE WAS IN THE SIERRA CLUB, THE REGIONAL PARKS ASSOCIATION, THE HILLS EMERGENCY FORUM, WHICH WAS WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT IN FIRE, FIRE PREVENTION.

AND HE WAS ALSO THE HEART AND SOUL OF THE RETIREES ASSOCIATION, RETIREES ASSOCIATION.

I GO TO THESE MEETINGS. THEY'RE GREAT. IT'S JUST A BUNCH OF OLD FOLKS THAT WORKED HERE.

AND JERRY REMEMBERED EVERYTHING. WE WOULD TELL STORIES THAT WERE DRUMMED UP.

I'M SURE WE WANTED TO THINK THEY WERE TRUE OR [LAUGHTER] OUR BEST RECOLLECTIONS.

JERRY HAD IT ALL DOWN. HE NEVER FORGOT ANYTHING.

BUT HIS LATEST EFFORT. IN 2005, HE LED THE VOLUNTEER EFFORT THAT BECAME THE FOUNDATIONS.

OF TODAY'S PARK DISTRICT ARCHIVES. SO HE. HE HELPED FOUND THE ARCHIVES, BRINGING TOGETHER RETIREES AND COMMUNITY HISTORIANS TO RESTORE, ORGANIZE AND INTERPRET TENS OF THOUSANDS OF HISTORIC RECORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHS.

[00:15:03]

HE WAS A WONDERFUL, GREAT MAN. AND I WAS HONORED TO KNOW HIM.

SO THAT'S THE STORY OF JERRY. THAT'S PRETTY MUCH ALL I HAVE.

I THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]. OH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

DIRECTOR WAESPI. ANY QUESTIONS FOR DIRECTOR WAESPI. MEMBER DIETER. I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HONORING JERRY TONIGHT.

IT MAKES ME EMOTIONAL BECAUSE HE WAS SUCH A WONDERFUL MAN.

A WALKING ENCYCLOPEDIA FOR ALL THINGS PARK DISTRICT.

AND WHEN YOU LEFT HIS PRESENT. PRESENCE, YOU FELT BETTER ABOUT YOURSELF, ABOUT THE PARK DISTRICT, ABOUT THE WORLD. HE JUST HAD AN AURA ABOUT HIM THAT JUST MADE YOU FEEL GOOD.

AND HE WAS SO KNOWLEDGEABLE SINCE HE PASSED AWAY.

I'VE ACTUALLY MISSED HIM ALREADY. I WISH HE WAS AROUND FOR ME TO ASK HIM A QUESTION.

AND I THINK HE WILL BE DEEPLY MISSED. AND I HOPE THAT AT SOME POINT THE PARK DISTRICT GETS TO DO SOMETHING REALLY SPECIAL FOR HIM.

SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR DOING THAT.

THANK YOU. IF I CAN ADD ONE THING, I FORGOT THIS JERRY.

EVERYBODY WANTS TO DO A MOUNT RUSHMORE FOR JERRY.

HE WAS SO. WHAT'S THE WORD? MODEST IN HIS. WHEN HE WAS HERE, IT WAS GREAT.

WE WANTED TO DO STUFF FOR HIM. THE RANK AND THE RANK AND FILE LOVED HIM.

HE. SO WHAT WE GOT TO DO OR NOT, WE. I WAS A LITTLE PART OF IT.

MY COLLEAGUES DID IT. ANN SHARON AND JEFF WILSON, IF YOU REMEMBER THEM, THEY CHANGED THE LOCKS IN THE PARK DISTRICT, AN INSTITUTION. THE LOCKS IN THE PARK DISTRICT.

THERE'S MILLIONS OF LOCKS IN THE PARK DISTRICT. BUT THE NUMBER ONE LOCK IN THE PARK DISTRICT WAS A 2319.

IT WAS JUST A REGULAR OLD PADLOCK, BUT IT WOULD GET YOU IN ALL THE GATES.

AND THAT WAS THE DEAL. IT WAS A 2319. THEY DECIDED TO GET RID OF THAT BECAUSE IT WAS SUCH A COMMON KEY AND LOCK THAT EVERY SINGLE PERSON, I'M SURE YOU ALL HAVE 2319 EVERYBODY ELSE DID.

SO THEY WANTED TO GET A LITTLE MORE SECURITY. SO THEY NEEDED A NEW LOCK, AND THEY CALLED IT THE 038 KEY AND THE 038 LOCK.

08 OR 0838 PARDON ME. 0838 AUGUST 1938. THAT WAS JERRY'S BIRTHDAY.

SO THAT'S THE WAY WE HONORED HIM. AND HE COULDN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THAT.

RIGHT. IT COULDN'T BE MODEST.

HE HAD WISHED THAT THE PARK DISTRICT HAD GOTTEN A HOLD OF TRIANGLE PARK, THAT THEY STUCK WITH IT TO ACQUIRE THAT.

SO ANYWAY, MORE THAN ONE MISTAKE, BUT HE ALWAYS ADMITTED IT.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR DIRECTOR WAESPI? MEMBER OBRINGER.

THANK YOU. SO I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T KNOW JERRY.

I WISH I WOULD HAVE AFTER HEARING ABOUT HIM, IS THERE SOME KIND OF MEMORIAL OR CELEBRATION OF LIFE OR SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BE HAPPENING? FOR THOSE WHO DID KNOW HIM, WHO WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND? MAX WILL HELP ME ON THAT ONE. THANK YOU MAX. THANKS, DIRECTOR WAESPI.

YEAH. WE'RE BRENDA MONTANO, WHO MANAGES OUR ARCHIVES, WHO WORK CLOSELY WITH JERRY AND MYSELF, ARE GOING TO GO MEET WITH HIS WIFE IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS AND TALK THROUGH PLANS, BUT I THINK THE IDEA SHE'S EXPRESSED INTEREST IN IS SOME KIND OF EVENT IN OUR PARKS, PROBABLY NOT FOR A FEW MONTHS BECAUSE THE FAMILY IS STILL SORT OF SORTING OUT AFFAIRS.

AND THEN ONCE THEY'RE READY FOR IT, THEN WE WOULD LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THEM TO CELEBRATE JERRY'S LIFE AND WORKING WITH OUR BOARD TO THINK ABOUT OTHER WAYS THAT WE CAN YEAH CELEBRATE HIS LEGACY IN THE DISTRICT. SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR DIRECTOR WAESPI? MEMBER LOPEZ. ALSO, I DIDN'T KNOW HIM, BUT WHAT A WONDERFUL WAY OF, YOU KNOW, BRINGING HIS MEMORY HERE AND TO ALL OF US AND TO MEMORIALIZE THAT HERE. THANK YOU SO MUCH, DIRECTOR.

AND, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE VALUE SYSTEMS, I THINK, OF A LOT OF PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE WORLD IS WHEN YOU REMEMBER SOMEBODY WHEN YOU SAY THEIR NAME ALOUD, THEY'RE NOT REALLY DEAD. THEY'RE NOT REALLY GONE EVER.

SO I HOPE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO SAY JERRY'S NAME IN PERPETUITY.

THE OTHER THING TOO, IS, YOU KNOW, JUST FROM AN EXISTENTIAL AND SPIRITUAL PERSPECTIVE, I THINK WHEN YOU SAY SOMEONE'S NAME THAT THEY

[00:20:02]

AND I BELIEVE THAT. THAT YOU'VE MADE THAT HAPPEN TODAY.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR DIRECTOR WAESPI? OKAY. SEEING NONE ONTO OUR AGENDA ITEMS. SO ACTION ITEMS. NONE. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS. WORKSHOP ON TRAIL STEWARDSHIP AND SAFETY FOCUS TOPIC.

[Informational Items]

THE FIRST ONE WAS FUELS OR VEGETATION MANAGEMENT AND NOW LISA BALDINGER.

THANK YOU. HELLO. GOOD EVENING. LISA BALDINGER LEGISLATIVE AND POLICY MANAGEMENT ANALYST I'LL BE INTRODUCING THE ITEM, BUT I'M HOPING YOU ALL WILL DO MOST OF THE TALKING FOR ME TODAY AS THIS IS OUR WORKSHOP, WE DO TWO A YEAR BY WAY OF REMINDER ON DEEP DIVE INTO DIFFERENT ISSUES.

SO I'M GOING TO GIVE US JUST A QUICK OVERVIEW FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE ROOM, BUT ALSO THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TUNING IN TONIGHT ON KIND OF WHAT WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT. WE'RE THEN GOING TO WORK THROUGH THE THREE QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL PONDERED OVER THE LAST TWO MONTHS.

AS PART OF THESE BREAKOUT TABLES, MEMBERS OF OUR TEAM WILL COME AND SIT WITH EACH TABLE TO CAPTURE THE NOTES.

AND THEN FOLLOWING, WE'LL TURN IT INTO A RECOMMENDATIONS REPORT FOR OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

SO I'M GOING TO WALK US THROUGH ALL OF THAT. BUT JUST TO KIND OF START AT THE BEGINNING TONIGHT, WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT TRAIL STEWARDSHIP AND SAFETY.

SO AS WE DISCUSSED AT OUR MEETING TWO MONTHS AGO IN JUNE, AS THE EAST BAY POPULATION GROWS, SO DOES TRAIL USE. AND WE'RE ALSO SEEING THE INTRODUCTION OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES.

THIS INCLUDES E-BIKES, BUT WE'RE ALSO SEEING SOME LEGAL E-MOTO AND FASTER BIKE USE ON OUR PARKS AND TRAILS.

SO AT THE REQUEST OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, THIS BODY WAS ASKED TO LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE TO RESEARCH.

WHAT ARE YOU HEARING AROUND THE REGION, AROUND THE STATE, AROUND THE COUNTRY, AND ANSWER A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS THAT WE'LL TALK THROUGH TODAY TO LAY THE FOUNDATION FOR THIS DISCUSSION. WE ALSO HAD A PRESENTATION AT THE JUNE MEETING FROM MULTIPLE TEAMS HERE AT THE PARK DISTRICT, JUST TO CATCH EVERYONE UP TO SPEED ON WHAT WE'RE ALREADY DOING SO WE CAN BUILD OFF OF THAT PLATFORM.

SO WE HEARD FROM OUR PARK OPERATIONS ABOUT HOW THEY'RE WORKING TO MAINTAIN SAFE TRAILS, PUTTING OUT SPEED SIGNAGE, HELPING TO MAINTAIN SAFE FACILITIES, DOING SOME VEGETATION MANAGEMENT, ETC.

AND REALLY MAKING SURE THAT THESE ARE WELCOMING PLACES.

WE HEARD FROM OUR PUBLIC SAFETY TEAM, WHO'S REALLY KIND OF COLLECTING A GOOD AMOUNT OF DATA ON THIS ISSUE ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE SEEING ON THE TRAILS AND DIFFERENT TRENDS AND HOW THEY ARE RESPONDING TO INCIDENCES. IN PARTICULAR, THERE WERE SOME QUESTIONS THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO ANSWER AROUND.

IF A MINOR WERE TO CAUSE A GO TOO FAST, HOW DOES THE PARENT WHAT'S THEIR ROLE IN RESPONDING TO THAT INCIDENT? AND SO THAT WAS A GREAT DISCUSSION WE HAD WITH THEM.

OUR PUBLIC AFFAIRS TEAM, I THINK SOME OF YOU GRABBED SOME TODAY.

WE TALKED ABOUT THEIR SLOW YOUR ROLL CAMPAIGN, WHICH IS MEMBER MENDOZA POINTED OUT HAS A NICE ANIME GRAPHIC.

WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO CAPTURE KIND OF THE YOUTH, BUT ALSO THE PARENTS OF YOUTH IN HELPING KIND OF CREATE A SHARED CULTURE AROUND GOING SLOWLY ON THESE TRAILS. AND THEN WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT OTHER EXAMPLES AROUND THE REGION JUST TO KIND OF PREP YOU ALL.

SO WE TALKED ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN MARIN, DUBLIN AND OTHER AREAS.

AND THEN FINALLY, WE GAVE A QUICK OVERVIEW OF SOME BILLS MOVING FORWARD AT THE STATE LEVEL AROUND E-BIKES AS A REGIONAL AGENCY WHO INTERACTS WITH MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS.

IT'S ALSO VERY HELPFUL FOR US WHEN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA IS ABLE TO SAY, THIS IS THE RULE WE'RE ALL GOING TO ABIDE BY, BECAUSE THEN WE'RE NOT HAVING TO ENFORCE AND RESPOND TO DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONAL BOUNDARY RULES, ETC. WE ARE ABLE TO SET SOME OF OUR OWN RULES THROUGH OUR ORDINANCE 38.

AND SO AS YOU ALL WERE MADE AWARE AT THAT LAST MEETING, CLASS 1 AND CLASS 2 ARE ALLOWED ON ANY PAVED TRAIL ACROSS THE DISTRICT AND CLASS 1 OR EXCUSE ME, CLASS 2 IS ONLY ALLOWED ON REGIONAL PAVED TRAILS.

SO WE GAVE THAT CONTEXT AS WELL. AND SO TO SUPPORT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS QUESTION EXCUSE ME, THIS IS MY LAST WEEK BEFORE MY PARENTAL LEAVE.

SO MY LUNGS ARE A LITTLE SMALLER THAN USUAL. [LAUGHTER] BUT THE PAC WAS SEEN AS BEING IN A GREAT POSITION TO HELP ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS AND SUPPORT BETTER UNDERSTANDING E-BIKE USE ON TRAILS. AND SO KIND OF ACTIVATING THE UPDATED ROLE STATEMENT OF PROVIDING THE PERSPECTIVES OF THE COMMUNITY TO STAFF AND THE BOARD. WE ASKED YOU ALL TO GO OUT AND ANSWER THREE QUESTIONS.

SO I'LL GO OVER THEM AT A HIGH LEVEL AND THEN WE'LL DO OUR WORKSHOP.

SO OUR FIRST QUESTION WAS WHAT TRAIL SAFETY PROGRAMS, EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGNS OR INITIATIVES OR OTHER AGENCIES IMPLEMENTING.

SO WE HOPE YOU ALL BROUGHT SOME EXAMPLES OF THOSE TODAY.

WE ASKED HOW EFFECTIVE HAVE THESE EFFORTS BEEN AND HOW ARE OUTCOMES BEING MEASURED?

[00:25:06]

WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS SIMILAR TO OUR LAST WORKSHOP WHERE WE HAVE DISCUSSIONS FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES ON EACH QUESTION.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A MEMBER OF STAFF JOIN EACH OF YOUR TABLES.

IF I COULD ASK THIS TABLE OF FIVE, IF THERE'S A VOLUNTEER TO JOIN WOULD YOU ACTUALLY MIND POPPING OVER TO OUR TABLE OF TWO CARLYN.

SO THAT WAY WE HAVE AT LEAST THREE MEMBERS AT EACH TABLE.

AND THEN JOINING YOU ALL, I'M EXCITED TO INTRODUCE.

WELL, YOU ALL KNOW ELSA VERY WELL. SHE'S GOING TO JOIN A TABLE FOR NOTE TAKING.

AND THEN WE HAVE OUR ACTING LEGISLATIVE ASSISTANT, JESS COUSER, WHO'S GOING TO BE ACTUALLY CLERKING THIS COMMITTEE COME SEPTEMBER.

SO SHE'LL BE JOINING IN A TABLE. I'LL JOIN A TABLE.

AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, EDDIE, WHO IS OUR ACTING LEGISLATIVE AND POLICY MANAGEMENT ANALYST.

WHILE I'M GONE, YOU ALL GET TO KNOW HIM QUITE A BIT. WHILE I'M OUT, WE'LL BE JOINING A TABLE AS WELL.

SO THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE HIM AS WELL. SO WITH THAT, IF YOU ALL COULD POP TO THE TABLES.

WE'LL GET STARTED ON THE FIRST QUESTION. AND THEN JUST FOR A REMINDER FOR THOSE WHO ARE VIRTUAL, UNFORTUNATELY, WE'RE UNABLE TO PUT YOU INTO BREAKOUT ROOMS, BUT WHAT WE ASK IS DURING THE DISCUSSION PERIOD, IF YOU CAN THINK ON EACH QUESTION, TAKE SOME NOTES AND SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS DURING THE REPORT OUT SESSION. IT LOOKS LIKE MEMBER DIETER HAS A QUESTION TOO.

YES. OH. I'M SORRY. YES. HI. I JUST HAVE A I HAVE A CLARIFYING QUESTION. THIS AT THE LAST MEETING, WE WERE TOLD THAT IT WAS GOING TO MIGHT BE LIMITED TO PAVED TRAILS. SO I BELIEVE THE AGENDA DIDN'T SPECIFY.

SO IT'S OPEN TO BOTH. CORRECT? SO OUR MAIN FOCUS IS PAVED TRAILS.

BUT WE WOULDN'T WANT TO KIND OF EXCLUDE ANY GOOD IDEAS OR THINGS THAT YOU FOUND FROM THE CONVERSATION.

OKAY. AND ARE E-SCOOTERS A PART OF THIS? WE'RE FOCUSED ON BIKES.

BUT AGAIN, THIS IS REALLY KIND OF AN INFORMATION GATHERING. SO IF THERE WAS A WAY THAT E-SCOOTERS ARE BEING MONITORED OR KIND OF CONDUCTED, WE'D WELCOME THEM. OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY, GREAT OKAY. SO FOR OUR FIRST QUESTION, AND WE'LL HAVE UNTIL, I THINK, 4:45 ON THIS ONE.

WHAT TRAIL SAFETY PROGRAMS, EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGNS OR INITIATIVES OR OTHER AGENCIES IMPLEMENTING? I THINK WE'RE MUTED UNTIL THEY FINISH ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS.

BUT THE QUESTIONS WERE EMAILED TO US. RIGHT. SO.

[00:30:04]

GOOD TO SEE YOU. YOU ALSO. HOW ARE YOU DOING? OH, WELL. MEMBER SMITH, AND MEMBER MARSH. I APOLOGIZE, WE CAN HEAR YOUR CONVERSATION, SO I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW.

WE APPRECIATE YOU ANSWERING THE QUESTION. ALL RIGHT.

[00:42:55]

[00:43:01]

[00:58:37]

[01:16:27]

[01:16:29]

[01:17:38]

[01:17:41]

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[01:17:49]

BUT IF YOU DIDN'T, WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING ACROSS THE TRENDS ACROSS THE TABLE.

SO PLEASE KNOW THERE'S SO MANY PERSPECTIVES ON THIS AND THEY'RE ALL VALUED.

BUT WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO NOW IS JUST I'LL ACTUALLY GO AHEAD AND PULL DOWN MY SCREEN.

WE'D LOVE TO HAVE OUR FOLKS ONLINE BE A PART OF THIS CONVERSATION AS WELL.

BUT JUST TO HEAR BACK FROM THE DISCUSSION FROM YOUR RESEARCH, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH THE BROADER GROUP? AS I SAID, STAFF IS GOING TO BRING BACK A REPORT ON KIND OF WHERE THE CONSENSUS AND THEMES WERE FOUND.

BUT JUST TO KIND OF CLOSE OUT TODAY'S DISCUSSION, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT SOMEBODY WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT OR MEMBER MARSH AND MEMBER SMITH, IF EITHER OF YOU WOULD LIKE TO, TO SHARE SOME OF YOUR REFLECTIONS AND NOTES, WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU.

OH. YEAH. MEMBER MARSH. SO DO WE ALREADY HAVE AN AGE ORDINANCE ON THE BIKES? NO KIDS UNDER 16 ON THOSE TYPE OF BIKES OR WHATEVER? YEAH. SO WE WOULD FOLLOW THE SAME AS THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA POLICIES ON THAT.

SO I KNOW THAT QUOTE UNQUOTE, WE, WE ARE SUPPOSED TO, BUT WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES FOR THOSE KIDS YOU FIND IN THE PARK UNDERAGE STUFF LIKE THAT? IS IT STILL THE SAME AS THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, WHERE IT'S A FINE TO THE PARENT OR IF THEY GET HURT, IT COULD BE CHARGED WITH A FELONY? IS IT THAT SAME WHEN YOU FIND THE KIDS UNDERAGE IN THE PARK ON MOTORIZED? YEAH. THAT'S CORRECT. SO WHEN OUR PUBLIC SAFETY TEAM JOINED US IN JUNE, AND I THINK SOME OF THIS IS CAPTURED IN THE MINUTES THEY SHARED THAT WHEN IT IS A YOUTH, WHEN IT IS A MINOR, IT IS THE PARENTS WHO ARE LIABLE FOR THE IMPACT.

THEY DO OFTEN DO VERBAL WARNINGS AND ALSO WILL CALL THE PARENTS DOWN TO LET THEM KNOW OF THE INFRINGEMENT.

SO THAT IS ONE PATHWAY THAT WE DO USE CURRENTLY.

[01:20:04]

I WE HAD A, I THINK A VERY GOOD DISCUSSION HERE AT OUR TABLE, A NUMBER OF THINGS.

I THINK TO BEGIN WITH, WE AGREED THAT THERE ARE NO SILVER BULLETS AVAILABLE AND LIKELY TO OCCUR TO DEAL WITH THIS ISSUE.

IT'S REALLY A VERY BROAD ISSUE. THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE DONE.

WHEN WE IDENTIFIED A LOT OF THOSE, WE NEED TO THINK IN TERMS OF BEHAVIOR CHANGES.

BUT ALSO STRUCTURAL CHANGES ON THE TRAILS, PERHAPS.

AND ENFORCEMENT. AND THERE'S JUST A WEALTH OF THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN DONE.

BUT ANYTHING THAT COMES OUT, ANY STEPS THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED, WE NEED TO THINK NOT ONLY WHAT THAT ACTION IS, BUT WE NEED TO THINK WHETHER IT'S ENFORCEABLE AND YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH ENFORCEMENT IS APPLIED TO IT.

IN TERMS OF EVALUATING, YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT IT IN THE CONTEXT OF TO DETERMINE HOW EFFECTIVE IT WAS.

YOU NEED TO DEAL WITH IT. WE TALKED ABOUT THE LACK OF DATA IN ORDER TO MAKE THOSE KINDS OF ASSESSMENTS THAT, THAT ARE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE. AND AS I SAID, THERE'S A, THERE'S A WHOLE RANGE OF ACTIONS THAT CAN BE TAKEN ON THIS, INCLUDING ADVOCATING FOR LEGISLATION, SUPPORTING EXISTING LEGISLATION, ADVOCATING FOR ADDITIONAL LEGISLATION.

WE TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT IN SOME RESPECTS, TRAILS AS ARE KIND OF LIKE SIDEWALKS IN CITIES.

YOU KNOW, THAT EVERYBODY USES THEM EXCEPT THAT IN CITIES THEY HAVE THE OPTION OF MOVING BIKES AND WHATNOT AND OTHER [INAUDIBLE] OFF THE TRAIL OR OFF THE SIDEWALK ONTO THE STREET. BUT ON TRAILS, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO EVERYBODY HAS A RIGHT TO BE THERE.

AND YOU HAVE TO SOME FIND SOME WAY TO MANAGE THAT.

THE FUNDAMENTAL ISSUE IS TO MANAGE THOSE, ALL THOSE PEOPLE USING IT AT THE SAME TIME.

THE AND ONE INTERESTING THOUGHT THAT CAME UP ON THIS IS THAT IT'S KIND OF LIKE USING PROJECT MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE.

YOU HAVE A WHOLE BUNCH OF THINGS THAT YOU NEED TO ACCOMPLISH AND, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SCHEDULE THEM OUT OVER TIME AND THEN YOU CAN TRACK PROGRESS ON THEM.

BUT YOU KNOW, AS I SAY, IT INVOLVES LEGISLATION.

IT INVOLVES DEVELOPING ADDITIONAL DATA AS WELL AS IDENTIFYING SPECIFIC ACTIONS THAT CAN BE TAKEN AND SO FORTH.

SO IT'S A BIGGER, MUCH BROADER TASK, A MUCH LONGER RANGE.

IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN OVERNIGHT. SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO HAVE TO WORK ON FOR A LONG TIME. YES AND ONE ADDITIONAL COMPONENT THAT WE DISCUSSED WAS, YOU KNOW, THE PARK DISTRICT CANNOT DO THIS ALONE.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, PART OF MY RESEARCH HAD BEEN CONTACTING SOME ELECTED OFFICIALS IN CONTRA COSTA WHO HAVE BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF THIS ISSUE JUST DUE TO THE PREVALENCE OF E-BIKES IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.

AND SO WE SAW THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, THE TOWN OF DANVILLE HAS PARTNERED WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WITH THEIR POLICE DEPARTMENT. AND ALSO I KNOW THEY'RE IN CONTACT WITH THE PARK DISTRICT AS WELL.

AND SO THE THOUGHT WAS, YOU KNOW, CAN WE ZOOM OUT A LITTLE BIT AND TAKE A LOOK AT MAYBE THE LEAGUE OF CITIES EAST BAY DIVISION, WHICH DOES INCLUDE CONTRA COSTA AND ALAMEDA COUNTIES.

ARE THERE OTHER CITIES WITHIN THE TWO COUNTIES WHO ARE FACING A SIMILAR ISSUE? CAN WE PARTNER TOGETHER ON ADVOCACY? YOU KNOW, AND ARE THERE ALSO, YOU KNOW, WOULD LAW ENFORCEMENT LIKE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SOME MORE AUTHORITY TO HELP ADDRESS SOME OF THESE CONCERNS? SO THEN FIGURING OUT WHO THE LEGISLATORS ARE, WHO WE COULD ADVOCATE TOGETHER TOWARD.

SO, SO JUST KIND OF TAKING A BIGGER PICTURE BEYOND JUST THE PARK DISTRICT, TRYING TO FIGURE THIS OUT AND FIGURING OUT WHO THE ALLIES ARE, WHO WE COULD PARTNER TOGETHER TO, TO GET SOME MORE HOLISTIC LEGISLATION, I GUESS IS WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY.

GREAT. ARE THERE ANY OTHER FOLKS WHO WANT TO SHARE KIND OF REFLECTIONS OR FINDINGS WITH THE, WITH THE GROUP? AS I SAID, EVERYTHING WAS CAPTURED IN THE NOTES. AND SO WE'LL HAVE A BIT MORE OF A DISCUSSION IN SEPTEMBER AS WELL.

OKAY.

YOU KNOW, IN THE IN THE STAFF REPORT IT OR THE, THE SLIDES IT TALKED ABOUT

[01:25:02]

BUT THEN WHEN IT TALKS ABOUT THE ROLE OF THE PAC TALKS ABOUT HAVING A DISCUSSION, A DRAFT REPORT THAT THE PAC WOULD LOOK AT IN SEPTEMBER AND THERE'D BE FORWARD. SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, HALF THE TIME, MY OWN PERSONAL SENSE IS THAT IT WOULD BE USEFUL TO DEVOTE MORE THAN JUST ONE ADDITIONAL MEETING TO DISCUSS THIS.

SO BY WAY OF REMINDER, THIS IS OUR SECOND FOCUS TOPIC ON OUR FOUR MONTH SERIES.

SO WE RECEIVED OUR FIRST PRESENTATION IN JUNE.

IN JULY, YOU ALL DID YOUR RESEARCH. SO THIS IS OUR THIRD MONTH ON THIS TOPIC.

WE'RE WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION AND THEN WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO SEPTEMBER, WHICH IS OUR FOURTH MONTH FOR THAT RECOMMENDATIONS REPORT FROM THE CONVERSATION TODAY.

SO THIS IS THE SAME PROCESS THAT WE FOLLOWED FOR OUR WILDFIRE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT STRATEGY.

AND SO WE WILL HAVE A CONVERSATION AT THE SEPTEMBER MEETING ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND FINDINGS FROM TODAY'S DISCUSSION.

WHILE STAFF IS PUTTING THAT REPORT TOGETHER FROM YOUR CONVERSATIONS TODAY, IT IS YOUR REPORT.

AND SO WE'LL BE LOOKING FOR AN ACTION FROM YOU ALL TO MOVE IT FORWARD TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, BUT WE'LL ALSO BE LOOKING FOR EDITS AND ADDITIONS.

DID WE CAPTURE WHAT YOU SAID, FOUND, SAW AND SPOKE TO ACCURATELY? AND SO THAT'LL OCCUR IN SEPTEMBER. WE'LL THEN PULL TOGETHER THAT FINAL REPORT, WHICH WILL GO BEFORE THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

AND THEN COME YOUR OCTOBER MEETING, YOU'RE ACTUALLY STARTING THE CYCLE FOR 2027 TO BEGIN DISCUSSING WHAT WILL BE YOUR FOCUS TOPICS IN THE FOLLOWING FOLLOWING CALENDAR YEAR, TO GIVE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD ON WHERE THE PAC WOULD LIKE TO SPEND ITS ENERGY.

AND I'LL SAY WE STARTED THOSE KIND OF DISCUSSIONS INTERNALLY AND THERE'S SOME EXCITING POTENTIAL TOPICS FOR YOU ALL TO FOCUS ON NEXT YEAR.

SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING THAT CONVERSATION WITH YOU ALL IN OCTOBER AND VOTING IN NOVEMBER.

SO IT IS SORT OF EVERY SUBJECT IS A FOUR-MONTH CYCLE.

AND THEN ONE OF THE FOUR-MONTH CYCLE OF THE YEAR IS YOU ALL PICKING OUT YOUR TOPICS AS WELL WITH YEAH. AGAIN, IF, IF WE GET SOMETHING WRITTEN, WE HAVE A CHANCE TO REVIEW IT.

BUT IF THERE'S MAJOR CONCERNS ABOUT IT, WE CAN STILL TAKE ANOTHER MONTH TO FINALIZE IT.

RIGHT? WELL, THAT WOULD BE THE VOTE OF THE THAT WOULD BE THE CONSENSUS OF THE COMMITTEE.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO VOTE AGAINST ADVANCING IT WITH RECOMMENDED.

RECOMMENDED EDITS AND HAVE STAFF BRING BACK AN UPDATED VERSION OCTOBER TO TAKE AN ACTION.

SO THAT WOULD BE FOR OUR CHAIR TO FACILITATE.

THANK YOU. MEMBER CHANG. YEAH I ACTUALLY WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON WHAT MEMBER PEOPLES QUESTION WAS, WHICH IS. WELL, FIRST I WANT TO THANK MEMBER BARTLEBAUGH.

DID I SAY CORRECTLY? THAT WORKS THANK YOU. ENGLISH IS MY SECOND LANGUAGE, SO THANK YOU.

OKAY. SO MEMBER BARTLEBAUGH BROUGHT UP MANY GOOD EXAMPLES.

AND ONE OF THE EXAMPLES THAT HE BROUGHT WAS REALLY AFFIRMING BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO, I FELT LIKE I WAS, I SOUNDED CRAZY WHEN I SAID LIKE, MAYBE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD WAIT FOR THE STATE TO DICTATE ON US.

AND I THINK MAYBE WE'RE DOING TOO MUCH. AND THEN OF COURSE I DO HAVE TO GIVE CREDIT TO YOU, MEMBER LOPEZ, BECAUSE I THINK MEMBER LOPEZ BROUGHT UP A REALLY, REALLY GOOD POINT, WHICH IS LIKE, WELL, IF WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON THIS, THEN MAYBE LIKE WE SHOULD LIKE, MAYBE DO SOMETHING LIKE MAYBE PUT OUT AN ACTUAL POSITION OF THE PAC LIKE ACTUALLY BE DIRECTIVE TOWARDS OUR BOARD MEMBERS WHICH I KNOW MIGHT BE UNTRADITIONAL.

I'M SORRY. UNCONVENTIONAL. SO GOING BACK TO WHAT MEMBER PEOPLES WAS SAYING, LIKE, LIKE, WHAT IS THE SCOPE OF WHICH WE CAN ACTUALLY, LIKE, MOVE FORWARD? AND I GUESS IS IT, IS IT JUST THAT THE FUNCTION OF THIS COMMITTEE IS REALLY JUST US MEETING TALKING STAFF REPORTS, STAFF COMBINES REPORTS, AND THEN WE JUST KIND OF AGREE ON WHAT COMES OUT? OR IS THERE A SPACE FOR LIKE MEMBERS WHO ARE MAYBE A LITTLE MORE PASSIONATE TO BE DIRECTIVE TO BE A LITTLE MORE DIRECTIVE WHETHER THAT'S THEM WRITING LEGISLATION THEMSELVES, ETC.

AND THEN OF COURSE, ANYTHING HERE OBVIOUSLY NEEDS THE CONSENSUS OF THIS COMMITTEE, BUT YOU KNOW, THAT IS BASICALLY MY QUESTION. YEAH. GREAT. SO PER YOUR NAME, YOU ARE AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

SO ANYTHING THAT COMES OUT OF THIS COMMITTEE IS ADVICE TO OUR BOARD, RECOMMENDATIONS TO OUR BOARD.

OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS IS THE POLICY SETTERS WHO ARE VOTED ON BY OUR PUBLIC TO SET THOSE POLICIES.

SO THEY'RE REALLY THE DECISION MAKERS ON HOW THIS AGENCY FUNCTIONS.

HOWEVER, THIS IS AN EXPANSIVE ISSUE, AND YOU AS INDIVIDUALS HOLD SO MUCH POWER TO GET ENGAGED.

SO ON THE POINT OF CAN YOU PARTICIPATE IN LEGISLATION AT THE STATE LEVEL? ABSOLUTELY. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU AS AN INDIVIDUAL CAN STILL GET INVOLVED IN, BUT YOU CANNOT SAY, HELLO, DIRECTOR WAESPI, I WOULD LIKE YOU TO GO AND DO THIS.

SO YOU CAN'T GIVE DIRECTIVES IN THE ROLE THAT YOU HAVE.

[01:30:03]

AND THEN I WOULD ALSO NOTE THAT THIS IS THE START OF THE CONVERSATION ON E-BIKES AND THAT THERE WILL BE FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE AS WELL.

SO THIS IS JUST AN INITIAL BITE AT THE APPLE.

EXAMPLE, IT'S LIKE IF I THINK THAT THE BOARD SHOULD BE TAKING A POSITION AND I THINK THIS IS HOW THE POSITION SHOULD BE TAKEN SPECIFICALLY IN A SPECIFIC LEGISLATIVE FORM, LIKE, CAN WE ACTUALLY PASS THAT? OBVIOUSLY IN THE FORM OF A RECOMMENDATION, BUT NONETHELESS A WRITTEN OUT RECOMMENDATION FOR THEM TO APPROVE AND PASS AS IS OBVIOUSLY, OR AS OR AS IS AMENDED BECAUSE THEY ARE THE DECISION MAKER.

BUT THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO FIND OUT, BECAUSE THIS IS NOT AN ATTACK ON THE COMMITTEE.

I'M JUST LEGITIMATELY CURIOUS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN ON THIS BOARD FOR SIX, SIX YEARS AND THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF IMPROVEMENT IN TERMS OF ENGAGEMENT AND MORE ENGAGEMENT. AND, BUT LIKE, IT'S JUST, IT JUST STILL FEELS LIKE IT JUST STILL FEELS LIKE WE'RE SIGNING OFF.

AND OFTENTIMES WE'RE JUST ASSIGNED TO DO SOMETHING FOR THE SAKE OF DOING IT.

RIGHT SO I AM NOT A PARK. I'M NOT A PARK ENTHUSIAST. I AM NOT A SCIENTIST.

I AM NOT AN ENVIRONMENTALIST. SO FOR SOMEONE LIKE ME, IT'S A BLESSING TO BE ON THIS COMMITTEE BECAUSE I AM ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS AND LEARN ALL THIS. SO IT'S A BLESSING. BUT I JUST FEEL LIKE TO THE SCIENTISTS IN THIS ROOM, TO THE ENVIRONMENTALISTS, LIKE, YOU KNOW, LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, I'M JUST CURIOUS, LIKE, WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE? YEAH. I THINK THROUGH THIS PROCESS, IF THERE WAS A PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT REALLY STOOD OUT TO THE PAC AS SOMETHING THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SEE THE PARK DISTRICT GET BEHIND, THAT CAN BE A RECOMMENDATION AS PART OF THE REPORT TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO TAKE A SUPPORT POSITION AND ENGAGE IN THAT WAY.

I WILL SHARE THAT WHEN WE COME BACK TO YOU ALL IN LATE SEPTEMBER, THE BILLS ARE GOING TO BE ON THE GOVERNOR'S DESK.

SO IT IS SORT OF NOT A MOST OPPORTUNE TIME TO ENGAGE.

HOWEVER, IT'S LIKELY THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE LEGISLATION IN FUTURE YEARS AND FUTURE CYCLES.

AND SO THE INPUT FROM THE PAC ON BEHALF OF THE COMMUNITY WILL DEFINITELY INFLUENCE OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS DECISION MAKING AS PART OF THE POLICY PROCESS.

YES. THANK YOU. BUT IT WOULD BE FAIR TO SAY THAT ALL OF THE INPUT THAT EACH PERSON CONTRIBUTED TODAY WILL BE FORWARDED ON TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS? THAT IS CORRECT.

SO EVERYBODY AS INDIVIDUAL INPUT, THEY WILL SEE ALL THE INPUT, EVEN IF THE PARK IF THE PAC DOES NOT TAKE A POSITION THAT WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU DO THREE OUT OF THIS LIST OF TEN [LAUGHTER].

THEN THAT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT BALL GAME FOR THIS COMMITTEE TO REACH A CONSENSUS.

SO YOU'RE JUST TAKING ALL THE IDEAS. THAT'S CORRECT.

OKAY. COOL. AND WE CAN KEEP HAVING THIS DISCUSSION.

IT'LL BE ITERATIVE. I KNOW THE ROLE. IT DID CHANGE.

THE ROLE STATEMENT CHANGED, WHICH IS WHY WE UPDATED OUR FORMAT TO REFLECT THAT, TO BE ABLE TO HAVE ACTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TAKEN BY THIS COMMITTEE.

SO WE REALLY ARE TRYING TO STRENGTHEN AND AMPLIFY YOUR VOICES.

THAT IS OUR INTENTION BEHIND THIS. AND SO WE APPRECIATE THE FEEDBACK AND COMMUNICATION ON IT.

AND WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO CONCLUDE MY ITEM. AND ALSO JUST THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME. I WON'T SEE YOU AGAIN UNTIL MARCH OF 2027.

SO THIS IS MY LAST MEETING. SO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.

[APPLAUSE] AND I'M GOING TO PASS IT BACK TO BRUCE TO CLOSE US OUT TONIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO DEEP ON A FOCUSED TOPIC. EVERYONE APPRECIATES THAT. I DO NEED TO ASK, DO WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? NO, WE DO NOT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. I THINK WE HAD I DO HAVE TO ASK FOR FORMALITY.

I THINK WE HAD DISCUSSION. ARE THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION AND FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS? OH I'M VERY SORRY.

I FORGOT THAT WE RECEIVED A SPEAKER CARD. WE DO HAVE ONE PUBLIC COMMENT.

THANK YOU. AGAIN. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES. OKAY.

SO THERE'S ONE STUDY PUBLISHED ON THIS THIS YEAR.

ONE OF THE AUTHORS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO, LA JOLLA, ANOTHER ONE OF THE AUTHORS, DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY, MARIN HEALTH MEDICAL CENTER, GREENBRAE, UCSF, CHINESE, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, THE RADY CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, SAN DIEGO AND SO ON.

THEY REPORT HIGH, HIGH VOLUME OF INJURIES AND IN E-BIKES FOR CHILDREN YOUNGER THAN 14.

AND THEY ALSO REPORT. THAT RAPID INCREASE IN E-BIKE INJURIES.

SO THIS COMMITTEE AND THIS PARK DISTRICT, THEY HAVE THIS HABIT OF, OH, OUR PROBLEM IS SPECIAL.

AND WE HAVE TO MAKE OUR OWN SPECIAL RULES. AND THE RESULT OF THAT IS ORDINANCE 38.

IF ANYBODY'S EVER LOOKED AT ORDINANCE 38, I HAVE.

I COUNTED THE WORDS IT'S LONGER THAN THE US CONSTITUTION.

SUBSTANTIALLY LONGER. AND WHEN, WHEN THEY RIGHT PUT UP A SIGN, IT SAYS ORDINANCE 38.

[01:35:07]

THEY'RE VERY NONSPECIFIC IN, IN THEIR LEGAL FOUNDATIONS AND LEGAL SPECIFICITY IN BECAUSE NOBODY'S.

ONCE THEY, ONCE YOU DIRECT THEM TO ORDINANCE 38, THEY'RE GOING TO BE LOST.

ANY, ANY RATIONAL HUMAN BEING WILL NEVER FIGURE OUT WHAT THE, WHAT THE LAW IS.

BUT ON E-BIKES, THEN IT BECOMES IF YOU, IF YOU DRIVE AROUND, ESPECIALLY IN NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE THERE ARE, LET'S SAY BELOW MEDIAN INCOME AND, AND LOTS OF CHILDREN YOU WILL SEE AND IT'S OUTRAGEOUS KIDS WEARING WHATEVER BLACK CLOTHES AT NIGHT GOING WITH NO, NO HELMET AND GOING AT VERY HIGH SPEEDS ON WHAT THEY CALL E-BIKES, BUT ARE PROBABLY VEHICLES OF, YOU KNOW THE LAWS RELYING ON THE STATE LAW THAT, OH, YOU CAN ONLY HAVE THIS MUCH POWER, THIS MUCH SPEED, THIS MUCH, WHATEVER THOSE LAWS ARE BEING BROKEN EVERYWHERE, ALL THE TIME.

THESE THE, WHAT, THE, THE EQUIPMENT THAT'S OUT THERE ON THE STREETS DRIVEN BY THE 13-YEAR-OLDS OR 19-YEAR-OLDS IS OUTRAGEOUSLY FAST AND OUTRAGEOUSLY OVERPOWERED AND OUTRAGEOUSLY HEAVY AND DANGEROUS.

AND IF YOU TALK TO AND I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN TO A MEETING ONCE WHERE A LOCAL TRAUMA CENTER HOSPITAL IN THE, IN THE EAST BAY SAID THAT THEY WERE GETTING A LOT OF HEAD INJURIES FROM THOSE, THOSE THINGS, THOSE E-BIKES. SO THAT IS, THAT'S THE PROBLEM.

NOT, OH, I DON'T LIKE THEM. NO, THEY'RE WHATEVER.

JUST LIKE DOGS, JUST LIKE ALL THE OTHER PROBLEMS THAT COME UP IN, IN THE PARK DISTRICT.

THIS IS NOT JUST A, OH, IT'S, IT'S BAD AND I DON'T LIKE IT OR IT'S UGLY OR I FEEL SCARED.

IT'S THE INJURIES. AND SO TO ADDRESS THAT, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT YOU JUST PUT IN A SPEED LIMIT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THE EQUIPMENT IS AND ALSO ENFORCE THE HELMET LAWS, WHICH ARE BELOW THE SORT OF.

BELOW THE AGE OF 16 REQUIRE HELMETS OR WHATEVER THE STATE IS ALREADY DOING, JUST ENFORCE THAT AND, YOU KNOW, PUT IN. AND IF YOU CAN TRACK THE SPEED OF BASEBALLS IN A BASEBALL GAME, YOU CAN TRACK THE SPEED OF E-BIKES.

ALL RIGHT. SO NO PUBLIC COMMENTS. ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM PAC MEMBERS BEFORE ANNOUNCEMENTS? OKAY, ONE QUICK ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE CHAIR. I JUST WANT TO COMMEND STAFF FOR THE COMMUNITY RESOURCES FAIR.

REALLY INTERESTING. ELSA SENT AN EMAIL RECENTLY THIS MONTH THERE ARE THREE MORE UPCOMING NEWARK, RICHMOND AND ANTIOCH. IF YOU GET A CHANCE, I WOULD HIGHLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO ATTEND THEM.

REALLY INTERESTING PRESENTATIONS FROM DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE PARK DISTRICT AND ALSO SOME AMAZING FOOD.

THANK YOU ELSA. SO PLEASE CHECK THOSE OUT. IF YOU THEN PLEASE CHECK WITH HER ANY MEMBER ANNOUNCEMENTS BEFORE WE ADJOURN?

[Announcements]

I DIDN'T SEE YOUR HAND. THAT'S OKAY. SO THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT IS LOOKING FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO HELP WITH A SUBCOMMITTEE FOR THE CONTRA LOMA TO REBUILD CONTRA LOMA. SO WE NEED LIKE TEN MORE PEOPLE.

SO IF YOU HAVE ANY FRIENDS OR ANYBODY IN LIKE THE ANTIOCH AREA WHO WOULD BE A GOOD MEMBER TO JOIN THAT SUBCOMMITTEE TO HELP SUPPORT THE REBUILD OR GIVE INFORMATION ON HOW THEY WANT THAT PARK BUILT.

THEY'RE TAKING APPLICATIONS NOW. THANK YOU MEMBER MARSH.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I THINK ALONG THE LINES OF WHAT YOU MENTIONED.

CHAIR. HENRY. I ACTUALLY HAD THE CHANCE TO ATTEND NOT ONE, BUT TWO OF THE COMMUNITY RESOURCE FAIRS.

AND SO ONE WAS IN CONCORD AND THEN I ALSO WENT TO SAN LORENZO AND SO VERY DIFFERENT COUNTIES AND BUT IT WAS BOTH WERE WELL ATTENDED. AND, AND IT GAVE ME AN APPRECIATION, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IN CONCORD THERE WERE THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT ARE WORKING WITH CONCORD COMMUNITY. AND THEN THERE WAS A GOOD PARTNERSHIP IN SAN LORENZO WITH THE HAYWARD AREA RECREATION DISTRICT BOARD THAT WAS ALSO THERE.

SO I JUST WANT TO SAY IT WAS REALLY WELL DONE.

SO I'M. THANK YOU FOR INVITING US TO ALL OF THEM, I GUESS IS MY POINT TOO.

SO WE CAN GET OUT AND, AND SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OTHER AREAS OF THE PARK DISTRICT.

THANK YOU MEMBER OBRINGER ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS?

[01:40:02]

IN THE MEMORY OF THE LATE FORMER ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER JERRY KENT, THE NEXT REGULAR PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING WILL TAKE PLACE ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 28TH, 2026 AT 4:00 P.M. THANK YOU AND HAVE A GOOD EVENING.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.