Sep 15, 2026 Board of Directors Meeting

[00:00:03]

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. I CALL

[CALL TO ORDER]

THE MEETING IS HEREBY CALLED TO ORDER AT 1:01 PM. LET'S GO AHEAD AND TAKE ROLL CALL.

THANK YOU.

DIRECTOR ECHOLS? HERE.

DIRECTOR DESCHAMBAULT? HERE.

DIRECTOR ESPAÑA? PRESIDENT.

DIRECTOR MERCURIO? HERE.

DIRECTOR WAESPIIS ABSENT.

VICE PRESIDENT COFFEY? HERE.

AND PRESIDENT SANWONG? HERE.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

OKAY, GREAT. LET'S DO THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. IT'S GOING TO BE LED BY DIRECTOR MERCURIO.

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

AMEN. ALL RIGHT, AND DIRECTOR ECCLES WILL READ THE LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TODAY.

AS WE GATHER HERE TODAY, WE, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, 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 THE 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.

GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH, DIRECTOR ECHOLS. ALL RIGHT.

SO WE NOW MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM B, MODIFICATION OF THE AGENDA.

DO WE HAVE ANY AMENDMENTS TO THE AGENDA? I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY, BUT THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MENTION SUCH. OTHERWISE, IF THERE ARE NONE, THEN WE MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM C, SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS, WHICH WE HAVE NONE.

[PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA]

OUR CLERK WILL LET YOU KNOW WHEN. THANK YOU.

WE HAVE 2 COMMENTS IN PERSON AND WE HAVE 1 ONLINE. WE WILL START WITH ELLEN THOMPSON. HELLO, MY NAME IS ELLEN THOMPSON.

I OWN REDWOOD VALLEY RAILWAY COMPANY, THE STEAM TRAIN IN TILDEN. WE'VE BEEN THERE FOR GOING ON 75 YEARS.

WE GET NO MONEY FROM THE DISTRICT, NO GRANTS, NO DONATIONS.

EVERYTHING THERE IS BUILT AND MAINTAINED WITH PRIVATE FUNDS.

IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING THE TRAINS, THE TRACK, AND THE BUILDINGS, WE MAINTAIN THE MAJOR DRAINAGE AND EROSION CONTROL.

PROVIDING THE LANDSCAPING, INCLUDING PLANTING ALL THE REDWOOD TREES.

WE DO FIRE HAZARD ABATEMENT, INVASIVE PLANT SPECIES REMOVAL, AND RARE SPECIES PROTECTION, ALL AT PRIVATE EXPENSE. WE'RE TRYING TO ENSURE THAT THE STEAM TRAIN CAN OPERATE FOR MANY MORE YEARS INTO THE FUTURE AND MEET THE HUGELY INCREASING ATTENDANCE BY PARK PATRONS. AND TO DO THAT, WE HAVE TO MAKE MANY CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS WHICH REQUIRE PERMITTING FROM THE COUNTY.

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

BUT NOW WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO RENEW OUR LEASE WITH THE DISTRICT FOR 8 YEARS WITH ONLY LIMITED SUCCESS.

IN THAT TIME, THE STAFF PEOPLE WE TRY TO WORK WITH HAVE CHANGED 15 TIMES IN 8 YEARS.

A GOOD WORKING DRAFT WAS CREATED IN THOSE 8 YEARS, BUT NOW THE STAFF WANT TO IGNORE IT.

IN RECENT WEEKS, THERE HAS BEEN A FLURRY OF EFFORT BY STAFF TO ADDRESS THE SITUATION, AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK GENERAL MANAGER HORTON AND THE LEGAL TEAM FOR MAKING TIME TO FIND A NEW WAY FORWARD.

ALSO, SEVERAL BOARD MEMBERS HAVE MADE STATEMENTS IN SUPPORT OF THE STEAM TRAINS, WHICH ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED.

BUT UNFORTUNATELY, AT THE SAME TIME, THERE HAVE BEEN STATEMENTS MADE TRYING TO REVERSE DECISIONS THAT WERE SETTLED YEARS AGO AND WHICH WOULD VIRTUALLY ENSURE THAT THE TRAINS WOULD HAVE TO LEAVE TILDEN. THIS IS EMBLEMATIC OF THE CHALLENGES WE HAVE FACED IN TRYING TO COLLABORATE WITH THE DISTRICT ON ANY MATTERS THAT HAVE COME UP IN THE LAST 75 YEARS. THE RIGHT HAND AND THE LEFT HAND ARE COMPLETELY AT ODDS WITH ONE ANOTHER.

THE PROCESS HAS LOST ALL TRANSPARENCY. THE STAFF ARE NOW TRYING TO RATIFY ELEMENTS OF AN AGREEMENT, THE TEXT OF WHICH THEY WILL NOT SHOW ME DESPITE YEARS OF REQUESTS.

DISTRICT BEHAVIOR TOWARD CONCESSIONAIRES HAS SOMETIMES BEEN ILLEGAL.

IS THIS MORE OF THAT? SOME DISTRICT STAFF MEMBERS HAVE BEEN FOND OF SAYING THAT THE DISTRICT, AS A PUBLIC AGENCY, DOES NOT HAVE TO ABIDE BY THE LAW. THAT'S NOT ENTIRELY TRUE. WE HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE NEW DRAFT READY FOR REVIEW.

IS ANYONE REALLY READY TO READ IT? WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR MONEY, BUT ONLY THE ABILITY TO KEEP SERVING THE PUBLIC.

WITH NO LEGAL PROTECTION, WE WOULD HAVE TO PICK UP EVERYTHING AND LEAVE. WHEN YOU HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THIS FOR FREE, WHY WOULD YOU THROW IT AWAY? THANK YOU.

[00:05:01]

HELLO, MY NAME IS LOUIS ANDRADE, AND I JUST CAME OFF ONE OF YOUR NATURE WALKS THIS MORNING AT THE BAY TRAIL.

I'M A BOARD MEMBER OF THE HAYWARD AREA RECREATION AND PARK DISTRICT, AND I ALSO SERVE ON THE HASPA BOARD, BUT I'M SPEAKING TODAY AS A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL. BUT ONE THING THAT IT DOES INVOLVE THE SHORELINE, AND THAT'S THE SHORELINE TRAIL, THE NEW TRAIL THAT'S WHAT EAST BAY REGIONAL IS DOING AND AS WELL AS THE FIRST-MILE LEVEE THAT THEY'RE DOING FURTHER DOWN. IN ANY EVENT, THE TRAIL I JUST WANTED TO ASK OR I WANT TO PLANT A SEED FOR YOU TO THINK ABOUT.

THE TRAIL IS BEING DESIGNED, IT SEEMS TO ME, AS A CONVEYANCE AND A LEVEE-TYPE SYSTEM. IT'S BEING ENGINEERED IN THAT REGARD. BUT I THINK IT WOULD SERVE THE PUBLIC REALLY WELL IF IT HAD A FEW LOOKOUT POINTS OR PULLOUTS SO THAT WHEN YOU DO PROGRAMMING OUT THERE, YOU CAN GET OFF THE TRAIL, LET THE BICYCLES GO BY, AND ACTUALLY VIEW THE WILDLIFE OUT THERE, WHICH IS STUNNING.

AND THIS WOULD BE THIS COULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR, YOU KNOW, INTERPRETIVE SIGNAGE.

YOU COULD HAVE DRIFTWOOD BENCHES. YOU COULD DO ALL SORTS OF THINGS OUT THERE.

AS WELL AS IT WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR GRANTS. I THINK THERE WOULD BE A LOT OF CORPORATIONS THAT WOULD PROBABLY SPONSOR IT. YOU COULD NAME IT PULVER VIEWPOINT OR, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

YOU KNOW, TURN WHATEVER AFTER THE ANIMALS, WHATEVER. IT WOULD ALSO PROVIDE DESTINATIONS FOR WALKERS AND BICYCLE RIDERS.

AND IT WOULD BE I THINK IT WOULD BE REALLY WELL-LOVED AND USED A LOT BECAUSE YOU'RE GETTING TRAIL PEOPLE THERE.

BUT I THINK HAVING THESE KIND OF EVENTS ALONG A TRAIL LIKE THAT, ESPECIALLY A LONG FLAT TRAIL, KIND OF CREATES DESTINATIONS AND WOULD ATTRACT EVEN MORE USERS. SO I KNOW IT'S ALREADY BEEN DESIGNED, BUT I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULDN'T COST A LOT OR INCUR A LOT OF ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW. IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD PUSH OUT.

IT DEPENDS HOW MODEST OR HOW ELABORATE IT WOULD HAVE TO BE. SO I JUST WANT TO PLANT THAT IN YOUR MIND, AND BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO BE A MULTI-YEAR PROJECT, AND I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS WELL WORTH CONSIDERING. SO THAT'S WHAT I HAVE TO SAY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE WILL NOW GO ONLINE.

JANET FLINT. JANET, YOU MAY UNMUTE YOURSELF. JANET FLINT, YOU MAY UNMUTE YOURSELF.

CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YES, WE CAN. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS JANET FLINT.

I LIVE IN RICHMOND, AND I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE FLOW TRAIL, THE UPCOMING EIR RELEASE, AND THE LACK OF PUBLIC OUTREACH SO FAR.

FRIENDS OF WILDCAT CANYON PARK HAVE BEEN TALKING TO PEOPLE AT THE TRAILHEAD, FESTIVALS, AND COMMUNITY MEETINGS SINCE EARLY THIS YEAR. WE'VE TALKED TO OVER 600 PARK USERS, AND A GLARING STATISTIC IS THAT OVER 85%, EVEN AFTER ALL THESE MONTHS, AN ASTONISHING MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE WE MEET HAVE NOT HEARD ABOUT THE FLOW TRAIL.

YOUR CONSTITUENTS WILL BE SHOCKED IF THEY LEARN THAT AN EIR CAME AND WENT, AND IF THIS BOARD DECIDES TO BREAK GROUND ON THE PROJECT, THAT A NEW EXPENSIVE FACILITY IS GOING INTO THEIR COMMUNITY, THEIR WILD AND NATURAL AREA, AND THAT THEY WEREN'T INFORMED. WE ASKED STAFF, PARK STAFF, AT THE PUBLIC MEETING IN SAN PABLO, HOW COME YOU HAVEN'T DONE A MAILING TO ALL THE RESIDENTS SURROUNDING WILDCAT? AND YOUR DIVISION LEAD OF PLANNING, TRAILS, AND GIS THREW UP HIS HANDS AND SAID HE DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO REACH ALL THE PEOPLE IN THE DISTRICT. OUR HOUSE GETS A LOT OF MAIL ADDRESSED TO CURRENT RESIDENTS.

THERE ARE ABOUT 150 HOUSEHOLDS IN CITIES SURROUNDING WILDCAT CANYON. AT A RATE OF 26 CENTS PER PIECE, A MAILING COULD BE DONE FOR ABOUT $39,000, AND YOU COULD BE MORE PUBLIC ABOUT IT AND INCLUDE OAKLAND, LA MIRINDA, AND MARTINEZ FOR ANOTHER $53,000. THE WAY THE DISTRICT HAS BEEN HANDLING ITS OUTREACH ABOUT THIS PROJECT, IT SEEMS LIKE YOU DON'T WANT THE PUBLIC TO KNOW ABOUT IT UNTIL IT'S ALL DECIDED.

REMEMBER, THIS ISN'T JUST A DIRT TRAIL THAT SAYS BIKES ONLY ONE WAY. IT'S A PROJECT ITS OWN PROJECT DESCRIPTION SHOWS A HIGH-INTENSITY BIKE FACILITY LOADED WITH ROLLERS, BERMS, AND JUMPS. IT'S A MOUNTAIN BIKE THEME PARK, AND IT'LL ATTRACT A LOT OF CYCLISTS.

PARK STAFF HAVE TOLD US THAT THEY ARE ONLY PLANNING FOR BIKE THE BIKE PARK TO SERVE CURRENT USER LEVELS.

SO WHY SPEND HUNDREDS

[00:10:02]

PLEASE GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO SIGN UP FOR UPDATES SO THAT THEY CAN RECEIVE THE EIR AS SOON AS IT'S RELEASED.

WHY WOULD YOUR CONSTITUENTS WANT TO GET THIS NEWS FROM RICHMOND SIDE OR EAST BAY TIMES? MOST PEOPLE WE TALKED TO TELL US, WHY HASN'T MY PARK DISTRICT LET ME KNOW ABOUT THIS DIRECTLY? SIGNS POSTED AT THE TRAILHEAD ARE IN SMALL FONT AND THEY'RE NOT GETTING THE JOB DONE.

NEITHER ARE A HANDFUL OF PUBLIC MEETINGS WITH 100 OR SO ATTENDING. PLEASE DIRECT STAFF TO SEND A MAILED ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT THE UPCOMING EIR USING OCCUPANT ADDRESSING AND REACH EVERY HOUSEHOLD HOMEOWNERS, RENTERS, EVERYONE.

WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ASK THAT THE TIMING OF THE EIR RELEASE DOES NOT SET THE RESPONSE PERIOD OVER THE HOLIDAYS. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

HANNAH, YOU MAY UNMUTE YOURSELF. HI, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN. OKAY, HI, MY NAME IS HANNAH ODINIETZ, UM, AND I HAVE 4 CHILDREN WHO ARE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL, AND I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE OF MY 4 KIDS.

ALL 4 OF THEM HAVE BEEN BLESSED TO BE A PART OF A MIDDLE SCHOOL BIKING TEAM, WHICH IS WHY I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR THE WILDCAT FLOW TRAIL. MY KIDS HAVE ALWAYS LOVED THE OUTDOORS.

AS A BACKPACKER MYSELF, I RAISED THEM TO FEEL AT HOME IN THE WOODS.

SORRY, I'M A TEACHER AND AT SCHOOL. MOST OF THEM WENT ON THEIR FIRST BACKPACKING TRIP BEFORE THEY COULD WALK, AND ALL 4 OF THEM CARRIED THEIR OWN PACKS BY THE TIME THEY WERE 4 OR 5. THEY CAN RECITE THE LEAVE NO TRACE PRINCIPLES, HANG A BEAR BAG, FILTER WATER, AND SET UP TENTS IN THE DARK.

BUT EVEN WITH THAT BACKGROUND, BEING A PART OF THE MOUNTAIN BIKING COMMUNITY HAS COMPLETELY TRANSFORMED THEIR LIVES. THEY'VE GAINED CONFIDENCE, BOTH PHYSICAL AND MENTAL, IN THEIR TIME ON THE TEAM.

THEY LEARNED HOW TO FALL AND GET BACK UP, HOW TO PUSH THROUGH HARDSHIP AND PAIN, AND EQUALLY IMPORTANTLY, HOW TO FORGE FRIENDSHIPS AROUND SHARED INTERESTS AND SHARED EXPERIENCES.

IT'S BECAUSE OF WATCHING THIS GROWTH IN MY OWN FAMILY THAT I SUPPORT THE WILDCAT FLOW TRAIL. MY CHILDREN HAVE BEEN WORKING FOR THE LAST 4 YEARS TO MAKE THIS TRAIL A REALITY, AND AS A MOTHER AND, LIKE I SAID, A TEACHER, I WANT TO SUPPORT THE PASSIONS OF OUR YOUTH. A FLOW TRAIL WOULD BRING JOY TO THE BIKING COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY THE YOUNG RIDERS WHO PRACTICE IN TILDEN MULTIPLE TIMES A WEEK.

IT WOULD PROVIDE A FUN AND SAFE TRAIL THAT WOULD GET RIDERS OFF OF CROWDED, DANGEROUS FIRE ROADS, AND SIMULTANEOUSLY IT WOULD MAKE ALL THE TRAILS SAFER BY REMOVING BIKERS FROM SOME OF THE BUSIER TRAILS THAT HIKERS USE. OUR PARK SYSTEM IS ALREADY AN AMAZING RESOURCE IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND I FEEL LUCKY THAT MY CHILDREN SPEND SO MUCH TIME IN IT. WHEN THEY'RE LATE TO DINNER, I KNOW IT'S BECAUSE THEY'RE SOMEWHERE IN TILDEN SPENDING TIME IN NATURE, AND I KNOW THAT EVERYONE HERE WANTS TO NURTURE THAT RESOURCE AND HELP IT FLOURISH.

I BELIEVE THAT A FLOW TRAIL WILL DO JUST THAT WHILE HELPING OUR CHILDREN PROSPER AT THE SAME TIME. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME THIS AFTERNOON AND FOR EVERYONE'S TIRELESS WORK INTO MAKING OUR PARKS SO FANTASTIC. I AM REALLY GRATEFUL FOR YOU.

THANK YOU. RACHEL GORHAM, YOU MAY UNMUTE YOURSELF. HI, CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN.

GREAT. SO THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. MY NAME IS RACHEL GORHAM.

I'M A CHILD PSYCHOLOGIST AND THE PARENT OF A 14-YEAR-OLD BOY WHO WAS ON THE MOUNTAIN BIKING TEAM IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND WILL BE ON THE HIGH SCHOOL TEAM. SO I'M HERE TO SPEAK BOTH AS A PROFESSIONAL WHO'S WORKED WITH CHILDREN FOR OVER 20 YEARS AND AS A PARENT TO SUPPORT THE FLOW TRAIL.

I'M GOING TO START AS A PARENT.

MY SON STARTED RIDING WITH THE TEAM AFTER HE HAD MAJOR BACK SURGERY THE SUMMER BEFORE 7TH GRADE. HIS HEALING PROCESS WAS REALLY LONG, VERY DIFFICULT EXCUSE ME VERY DIFFICULT, LED TO A LOT OF DIFFICULTY FOR HIM SOCIALLY. MIDDLE SCHOOL WAS TOUGH.

HE FOUND SOMETHING IN THE BIKING TEAM AND WORLD THAT HE COULD NOT FIND AT SCHOOL OR IN OTHER SPORTS. HE FELT LIKE HE BELONGED. HE GOT TO GO OUTSIDE AND EXERCISE, AND HE FELT REALLY PROUD AT THE END OF EVERY RIDE.

OFTEN I WOULD DROP HIM OFF AT PRACTICE AND HE WOULD BE SO GRUMPY ABOUT THE DAY, OR SAD, OR ANGRY, AND INEVITABLY I WOULD PICK HIM UP, HE WAS BEAMING WITH A SMILE ON HIS FACE. THERE ARE SO MANY SPORTS THAT INVOLVE WORKING TOGETHER AS A TEAM, AND THOSE SPORTS DON'T WORK FOR ALL KIDS. MOUNTAIN BIKING IS A SPORT WHERE YOU CAN BE PART OF A TEAM IN A GROUP BUT IT'S STILL INDIVIDUAL.

HE DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT BEING CUT FROM THE TEAM, BENCHED AT GAMES, OR BEING FRUSTRATED BECAUSE THE BALL WASN'T PASSED TO HIM. IT'S JUST HIM OUT THERE AND HIS TEAM EXCUSE ME, TEAMMATES CHEERING HIM ON. I'VE BEEN AROUND A LOT OF SPORTS AND TEAMS AND THERE'S NOTHING LIKE THE CAMARADERIE OF BIKING THAT I'VE SEEN.

I WAS A TEACHER BEFORE I WAS A PSYCHOLOGIST.

THERE'S AN ADAGE IN EDUCATION, WHEN YOU MAKE AN ACCOMMODATION FOR ONE CHILD, IT OFTEN ENDS UP BENEFITING EVERYONE. I ONCE HAD A BLIND STUDENT IN MY CLASS, AND TO INCLUDE HIM, THE WHOLE CLASS LEARNED BRAILLE TOGETHER.

IT WASN'T A BURDEN, BECAME ONE OF THE MOST MEANINGFUL THINGS WE DID ALL YEAR. THIS TRAIL ISN'T ABOUT TAKING SOMETHING AWAY FROM HIKERS OR FAMILIES OR ANYONE ELSE WHO LOVES TILDEN. IT'S ABOUT ADDING AN OPPORTUNITY THAT DOESN'T EXIST YET FOR KIDS

[00:15:01]

TRUTHFULLY, IT MIGHT EVEN MAKE HIKING TRAILS SAFER BY GIVING THE BIKERS A BIKE-ONLY TRAIL. I'M ASKING YOU TO APPROVE THIS FLOW TRAIL, NOT BECAUSE IT TAKES ANYTHING FROM ANYONE, BUT BECAUSE OF EVERYTHING IT CAN GIVE BACK.

I LOVE TILDEN AND ALL THE PARKS IN THE AREA.

I THINK THE ADDITION OF A FLOW TRAIL WOULD ONLY MAKE THEM BETTER. THANK YOU FOR THANK YOU FOR THE TIME.

THANK YOU.

WE HAVE NO MORE PUBLIC COMMENT. OKAY, THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR PARTICIPATING.

REALLY GREAT TO SEE FOLKS HERE IN PERSON AND ONLINE.

SO THANK YOU. WHAT I'D

[GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS]

THANK YOU. THANKS, CHRIS.

THANK YOU, MAX KORTEN, GENERAL MANAGER.

AND I JUST HAVE A FEW THINGS TO SHARE HERE AS UPDATES.

LET'S SEE. THERE WE GO.

OKAY. FIRST OF ALL, I WANTED TO WELCOME KIRSTEN HOLDER BACK THERE, WHO'S OUR NEW ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER FOR ACQUISITION, STEWARDSHIP, AND PLANNING.

AND KIRSTEN COMES TO US AFTER 15 YEARS WITH THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, MOST RECENTLY LEADING THEIR PLANNING ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES TEAM AT GOLDEN GATE NATIONAL RECREATION AREA.

SO WELCOME, KIRSTEN. NEXT, I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT OUR PUBLIC SAFETY TEAM. THEY THERE'S JUST A FEW THINGS IN THIS LAST COUPLE WEEKS I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT.

ONE WAS OUR TEAM WAS ABLE TO HELP, HELP OUT THE CITY OF RICHMOND WHEN THEY HAD A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT EVENT WHERE THERE WAS SOMEBODY, AN INDIVIDUAL BARRICADED IN A BUILDING FIRING SHOTS AT OFFICERS, AND OUR TEAM WAS ABLE TO COME AND ASSIST WITH AN ARMORED VEHICLE THAT HELPED RESOLVE THE SITUATION, AND THE PERSON WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY WITHOUT ANY HARM DONE. SO REALLY APPRECIATION TO OUR TEAM FOR THAT WORK.

IT WAS CHALLENGING, AND I KNOW APPRECIATED BY OUR PARTNERS.

THIS IS ANOTHER PUBLIC SAFETY INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED RECENTLY. A HIKER WAS INJURED IN A REMOTE PART OF MOUNT DIABLO, AND OUR HELICOPTER TEAM WAS ABLE TO TRANSPORT THEM SAFELY.

AND THEN THE LAST ONE FROM PUBLIC SAFETY, JUST HIGHLIGHTING WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH OUR PARTNER AGENCIES ON THE IRON HORSE TRAIL ON ENFORCEMENT, ESPECIALLY AROUND E-MOTOS ON THE TRAIL.

AND IT REALLY TAKES THESE PARTNERSHIPS TO MAKE PROGRESS ON THIS ISSUE. I THINK IT'S BEEN SUPER HELPFUL. WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE THIS WORK AND WE'RE LOOKING TO ALSO MIRROR THIS APPROACH ON OTHER TRAILS THE BAY TRAIL AND LAFAYETTE MORAGA TRAIL, AMONG OTHERS.

SO THANK YOU, CHIEF.

HIGHLIGHT SOME FUN THINGS AT OPERATIONS. THIS IS THE FISH FEST AT CROWN BEACH.

I THINK WE HAD 1,700 PARTICIPANTS ATTEND THIS REALLY COOL EVENT. AND A REALLY IMPORTANT WAY TO HIGHLIGHT THE ROLE OF FISH IN OUR ECOSYSTEM.

AND THEN THE GUERIN APPLE FESTIVAL.

YOU KNOW, I THINK ONE OF THE REALLY NEAT THINGS IN OUR PARKS IS HIGHLIGHTING THE HISTORY OF AGRICULTURE IN THE EAST BAY. AND SO IT'S JUST ANOTHER REALLY COOL EVENT. WE HAD 1,800 VISITORS, SO SURPASSING OUR ATTENDANCE LAST YEAR.

AND I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT SOMETHING I JUST RAN ACROSS PERSONALLY. I WAS OUT FOR A RUN IN TILDEN NEAR MY HOUSE AND RAN ACROSS THESE BEAUTIFUL BOX STEPS ON THE MEMORY TRAIL THAT OUR TRAIL CREW BUILT RECENTLY.

AND I TOOK THIS PICTURE AND THEN POPPED IN TO ASK CHRIS ABOUT IT.

SO IT'S JUST THE WORK THAT OUR TEAM DOES IS REALLY INCREDIBLE. AND YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT IS JUST THE CRAFTS CRAFTSPERSONSHIP. THE, YOU KNOW, IN A LOT OF PLACES YOU SEE A SINGLE TIMBER THAT FOR STEPS THAT HAS 2 PIECES OF REBAR STUCK IN IT.

AND, YOU KNOW, WORK LIKE THIS WHERE IT'S A SOLID BOX STEP AND IT'S THE PIECES OF WOOD ARE FIT TOGETHER, IT JUST LASTS LONGER. IT'S BEAUTIFUL AND SUSTAINABLE.

AND SO JUST APPRECIATION TO THE CRAFTS CRAFTSPERSONSHIP ON OUR TEAM.

AND I THINK THAT'S THE END OF WHAT I GOT. GREAT, THANK

[ANNOUNCEMENTS]

[00:20:01]

[CONSENT CALENDAR]

SO NOW WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE'LL LOOK AT THE CONSENT CALENDAR. IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, NOW'S A GOOD TIME. AND WE WILL ALSO HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THE CONSENT CALENDAR.

SO DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I HAVE A QUESTION ON THE FIRST ONE, OUR LIFEGUARD PROGRAM. I JUST AM CURIOUS. I'M NOT THAT FAMILIAR WITH IT.

BUT THESE 5 GROUPS THAT ARE WE ADDING THEM OR ARE WE ADDING CAPACITY FOR THE 5-YEAR AGREEMENT? I WASN'T QUITE CLEAR READING THE STAFF REPORT. AND ALSO, ARE THEY IN OUR PARKS OR AT THESE 5 SCHOOLS, LIKE THEIR POOLS? JUST A LITTLE BIT, JUST CURIOUS. YEAH, I CAN ANSWER THAT.

PETE DEQUINCY, LIFEGUARD SERVICE MANAGER. GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD, PRESIDENT, DIRECTOR DESCHAMBAULT. SO CURRENTLY, OF THOSE 5, ONE OF THEM SPECIFICALLY IS A LONG-TERM PARTNER WITH US, WHICH IS FORESTRY AND FIRE.

WE PROVIDE SERVICE AND TRAINING OF EXCHANGE OF SERVICES OR INSTRUCTORS AND THEIR SITE. SO THAT'S CURRENTLY WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING HISTORICALLY, AND NOW IT'S MERE EXTENSION, LIKE, HEY, GUESS WHAT, OUR MOU EXPIRED, WE LIKE WORKING WITH YOU AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO GO DO THAT.

AND SO THAT'S WHY IT'S BROUGHT FORTH SPECIFICALLY FOR THAT PARTNER.

THE OTHER 4, WHICH IS BRENTWOOD UNION, SUNOL, KNIGHTSON, AND EDEN ROP, ARE NEW PARTNERS, BUT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING WORK AT THEIR THEIR SITES, SPECIFICALLY IF IT'S AN EXCHANGE OF EQUIPMENT OR TRAINING OF INSTRUCTORS AND SO FORTH.

AND CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW, WHAT WE DO WITH THEM AND WHAT WE'RE HOPING TO CONTINUE TO DO IS THIS IDEA OF DEVELOPING STUDENTS AT THOSE SITES THAT BECOME INSTRUCTORS AND THEN TRAIN STUDENTS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, ADMIN, AND TEACHERS AT THEIR SITES.

AT THE SAME TIME, WHAT WE'RE HOPING TO DO IS INTRODUCE THEM TO THE REGIONAL PARKS WHEN IT COMES TO ACCESS, SPECIFICALLY LIKE, HEY, HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT THE REGIONAL PARKS? HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THEM? WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO VISIT THEM? AND WHAT WE SEE IS THAT THERE IS INTEREST IN JUST GETTING TO THE PARKS, CAMPING RESERVATIONS, ALL SORTS OF THINGS THAT THEY JUST WEREN'T AWARE OF.

AND SO WE TRY TO PROVIDE THAT. AND SO THE MEM THESE MOUS ARE NEW ONES, BUT AGAIN, IT'S REALLY IN REGARDS TO MINIMIZING OF WHAT WE CAN DO BUT ALSO MAXIMIZING WHAT WE CAN DO.

SO MINIMUM ON STAFF, ON RESOURCES.

BUT HEY, GUESS WHAT? PARTNERS CAN BRING LOTS OF THINGS. SOUNDS GREAT. ARE YOU ACTUALLY IN POOLS OR IN THE CLASSROOM? JUST AND I'M ASSUMING THEY'RE IN OUR REGION, IN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY AND ALAMEDA.

SOME OF THEM BY NAME BRENTWOOD CLEARLY IS IN BRENTWOOD. YEAH. BUT YEAH.

SO KNIGHTSON IS IN THE FAR REACHES OF EAST CONTRA COSTA COUNTY ALONG WITH AND SUNOL IS DOWN IN ALAMEDA COUNTY IN BETWEEN FREMONT, AND PLEASANTON. WE'RE CURRENTLY AT THE SCHOOLS RIGHT NOW IN SUNOL, AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD WITH WHAT KNIGHTSON HAS TO BRING. EDEN ROP IS OVER BY CHABOT COLLEGE, AND WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY WANT, BUT THEY'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT JUST THE EXPERTISE THAT WE HAVE.

AND SO AGAIN, IT'S KIND OF LIKE IN THE PAST WE HAVE HISTORICALLY SAID, HEY, GUESS WHAT, WE HAVE ALL THESE RESOURCES, COME TO US. WE'RE GOING TO THEM NOW AND SAYING, WHAT DO YOU NEED? AND WHAT, WHAT CAN WE DO TO SERVE YOU? AND SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE'RE DOING.

THANKS.

YOU GUYS SEEM TO BE GOT YOUR FINGERS IN A LOT OF POTS, SO I APPRECIATE THAT. YEAH, WE DO. AND AGAIN, THERE'S, THERE'S 4 MILLION MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC OUT THERE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO SERVE.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YEAH, JUST A COMMENT AS I CONTINUE TO BE EXTRAORDINARILY HAPPY ABOUT THE AQUATICS PROGRAMS THAT YOU'RE DOING IN EAST CONTRA COSTA. ADDING BRENTWOOD IS MARVELOUS.

ADDING KNIGHTSON IS MARVELOUS. THESE ARE ALL COMMUNITIES IMPACTED BY THE CLOSURE OF THE CONTRALUMA LAGOON. AND IT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO TELL THESE COMMUNITIES ESPECIALLY ANTIOCH, THAT WE'RE DOING A WHOLE BUNCH OF AQUATIC PROGRAMS INCLUDING SWIMMING LESSONS AND AQUATIC PARK I'M SORRY, AQUATIC CAMPS AND ALL THE CPR WORK.

AND SEEING IT EXTENDED TO

[00:25:02]

DIRECTOR COFFEY. I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. GREAT, THANK YOU.

I'M A JURIST DOCTOR. I DO HAVE MAYBE A QUESTION/COMMENT FOR ITEM 3, THE GRANT AGREEMENT WITH THE WILDLIFE CONSERVATION BOARD AND TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND. I THINK IT MIGHT JUST BE GOOD TO HAVE A QUICK, YOU KNOW, OVERVIEW ABOUT THIS AGREEMENT WITH THE WILDLIFE CONSERVATION BOARD AS IT RELATES TO THE GOLDEN GATE FIELDS ACQUISITION.

I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF POSITIVE GOODWILL RIGHT NOW IN REGARDS TO THINKING ABOUT GOLDEN GATE FIELDS. I KNOW I SHARED AT SOME POINT WITH A FEW OF YOU I DID HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THE ALAMEDA COUNTY MAYORS CONFERENCE LAST WEEK, AND I GOT TO SIT NEXT TO THE MAYOR OF ALBANY, AND WE HAD A REALLY POSITIVE AND INFORMATIVE CONVERSATION ABOUT GOLDEN GATE FIELDS.

AND I WAS ALSO ABLE TO RELATE IT TO MY PERSONAL LABOR DAY ACTIVITY WHEN I WENT TO COYOTE HILLS AND DON EDWARDS AND WHILE I WAS THERE, IT STRUCK ME THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT WETLANDS RESTORATION AT GOLDEN GATE FIELDS, IT WILL LIKELY BE VERY SIMILAR TO THE EXPERIENCE AT COYOTE HILLS AND DON EDWARDS.

AND THAT'S REALLY EXCITING.

SO IT MIGHT JUST BE HELPFUL TO JUST KIND OF GIVE A FEW WORDS ABOUT THIS ITEM ON OUR CONSENT CALENDAR.

SURE.

SO THANK YOU, DIRECTOR SANWONG. THIS ITEM IS A IS FOR A GRANT TO RECEIVE POTENTIALLY UP TO $53 MILLION FROM THE WILDLIFE CONSERVATION BOARD TOWARDS THE ACQUISITION OF GOLDEN GATE FIELDS. WE'RE ANTICIPATING THAT THE ACTUAL AGREEMENT WITH THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND FOR THE PURCHASE WILL COME TO YOUR BOARD AT YOUR NEXT MEETING ON OCTOBER 6TH.

BUT THIS IS AN IMPORTANT STEP TOWARDS SECURING FUNDING FOR THAT POTENTIAL ACQUISITION.

YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU KNOW, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN A PRIORITY FOR YOUR BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY FOR MANY YEARS. YOUR BOARD PUT $20 MILLION TOWARDS THIS ACQUISITION BACK IN 2008 WHEN THE FORMULA FOR WW WAS PUT TOGETHER.

AND SO THAT MONEY HAS BEEN THERE READY TO BE A KEY PART AND A LEVERAGE TOWARDS THIS POTENTIAL ACQUISITION. AND SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS IS REALLY AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE GOOD ON THIS VISION FROM THE COMMUNITY AND YOUR BOARD. WONDERFUL.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR? OTHERWISE, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AND WE'LL STILL HAVE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY IF ANY BOARD MEMBERS HAVE. WE HAVE ONE HAND UP ONLINE.

OKAY, PERFECT. SORRY, IT'S A PROCESS. OKAY.

SCOTT, YOU MAY UNMUTE YOURSELF. HELLO, PRESIDENT SAND WONG, DIRECTORS, GENERAL MANAGER COURTEN, AND STAFF. I'M SCOTT BARTLEBAUGH, COMMENTING TODAY ON BEHALF OF THE BICYCLE TRAILS COUNCIL OF THE EAST BAY.

WE FULLY SUPPORT AND ARE GLAD TO SEE A GRANT APPLICATION FOR THE OYSTER BAY BIKE SKILLS AREA PROJECT. THIS BIKE PARK LOCATED ALONG THE URBAN SHORELINE WILL PROVIDE A VALUED OUTDOOR OPPORTUNITY TO THE IMMEDIATE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS A REGIONAL DRAW. IT IS GOOD TO SEE THIS PROJECT GETTING CLOSER TO BEING A REALITY AFTER BEING ACTIVE FOR OVER 13 YEARS.

WE ASK THAT THE BOARD SUPPORT THIS GRANT APPLICATION, KEEP THIS PROJECT MOVING FORWARD, AND ULTIMATELY REACH FULL FUNDING AND COMPLETION.

PROJECTS ON THIS SCALE ENABLE THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT TO NOT ONLY BE THE NATION'S LARGEST PARK DISTRICT, BUT ALSO TO BE BEST IN CLASS. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT TODAY AND ALL YOU DO.

THANK YOU. THERE IS NO MORE PUBLIC COMMENT. OKAY, SO NOW THE BOARD HAS AN OPPORTUNITY IF YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS.

OTHERWISE, I'LL BE LOOKING FOR A MOTION. TO IMPROVE TO APPROVE THE ENTIRE CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS 1 THROUGH 10.

GO FOR IT.

JUST A SHOUT OUT TO STAFF FOR AN AGGRESSIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE CCTA COORDINATED CALL FOR PROJECTS IN AN AMOUNT OF UP TO $12 MILLION. AND MY SHOUT OUT AS I CONTINUE TO APPRECIATE STAFF'S EMPHASIS PRIORITIZING AND FOCUSING ON THE MARTINEZ BAY TRAIL GAP AND THE POINT WILSON TO POINT PINAL TRAIL GAP, WHICH AS YOU KNOW HAS BEEN ON MY PRIORITIES LIST FOREVER. AND THE FACT THAT WE'RE ON TOP OF BOTH THIS FUNDING SOURCE AND FOCUSING ON THOSE PROJECTS IS VERY, VERY APPROPRIATE.

AND JUST CONGRATULATIONS

[00:30:01]

DIRECTOR ECHOLS HAS MADE THE MOTION.

A SECOND? SECOND FROM DIRECTOR COFFEY. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.

AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY, 6-0. GREAT. THANK YOU,

[PRESENTATIONS]

SO NOW WE MOVE ON TO OUR PRESENTATIONS. I-1 ON CONTRA LOMA COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. THANK YOU, DIRECTORS.

I'LL GIVE A QUICK INTRO AND I'LL HAVE EDDIE SHARE A PRESENTATION PUT TOGETHER.

THIS IS IN RESPONSE TO A REQUEST FROM DIRECTOR COFFEY AND DIRECTOR MERCURIO AT THE LAST MEETING FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO BOTH HEAR AN UPDATE AND PROVIDE DIRECTION TO STAFF AROUND THE PLANNING PROCESS AT CONTRALOMA. I'LL JUST SAY, I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALREADY BEEN HELPFUL TO HEAR FROM YOUR BOARD.

AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, CONDUCTING THIS PROCESS AND DOING PLANNING THAT'S IN ALIGNMENT WITH YOUR BOARD'S DIRECTION.

SO WE'VE ALREADY UPDATED, LIKE, OUR WEBSITE AND SURVEY AND SOME OF THE COMPONENTS OF IT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE REALLY EMPHASIZING THE AQUATIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR PLANNING HERE.

BUT WE'VE HAD A PUBLIC MEETING IN ANTIOCH, AND WE HAVE ANOTHER ONE COMING UP ON SEPTEMBER 22ND.

AND SO EDDIE'S GOING TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SORT OF PLANNING PROCESS SO FAR, WHAT WE'VE HEARD AT OUR FIRST PUBLIC MEETING, AND SORT OF WHAT THE PROCESS LOOKS LIKE FROM HERE. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU, GENERAL MANAGER COURTEN.

EDDIE WILLIS, PLANNER AND ACTING LEGISLATIVE AND POLICY MANAGEMENT ANALYST. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE, PRESIDENT SAN WONG, BOARD MEMBERS, STAFF, AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH, AS MAX SAID, AND PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT TO DATE AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO FOR NEXT STEPS AND HOW THE PUBLIC WILL BE INVOLVED WITH ADDRESSING RECREATIONAL AND AQUATIC NEEDS AT CONTRALOMA REGIONAL PARK.

OKAY. SO JUST A QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE PARK'S LOCATION.

LOCATED IN THE NORTHEAST QUADRANT OF THE PARK DISTRICT, IT SERVES MOST DIRECTLY THE COMMUNITIES OF ANTIOCH AND PITTSBURGH.

BUT AS A REGIONAL PARK, IT DRAWS FOLKS FROM THROUGHOUT THE REGION.

CONTRA LOMA THE AREA OF FOCUS PRIMARILY IS THE SWIM LAGOON AREA, WHICH IS AT THE SOUTHWEST PART OF THE CONTRA LOMA RESERVOIR. THAT IS A RESERVOIR WHICH IS MANAGED BY CONTRA COSTA WATER DISTRICT, AN AGENCY WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH AND HAVE PROVIDED UPDATES TO ON THIS PROJECT SO FAR.

HERE'S A BIRD'S-EYE VIEW OF THE RESERVOIR.

WITH THE SWIM LAGOON TOWARD THE FOREGROUND, THAT BRIGHT BLUE SPOT. THAT WAS BUILT IN AROUND 2002 BY CONTRA COSTA WATER DISTRICT AFTER OPEN WATER SWIMMING WAS NO LONGER ALLOWED AT THE RESERVOIR.

IT'S BUILT ON THE SITE OF THE FORMER SWIMMING BEACH THAT WAS ENJOYED BY MANY GENERATIONS OF EAST COUNTY RESIDENTS. AND THAT IS THE AREA OF PRIMARY FOCUS FOR THIS PROJECT. THESE ARE SOME QUICK STATS ABOUT CONTRA LOMA REGIONAL PARK.

IT'S ROUGHLY 780 ACRES IN SIZE, WHICH INCLUDES THE 80-ACRE RESERVOIR MANAGED BY CONTRA COSTA WATER DISTRICT. THE LAND ITSELF IS ACTUALLY OWNED BY THE BUREAU OF RECLAMATION. IT'S A FEDERAL AGENCY.

THEY ARE WORKING WITH CONTRA COSTA WATER DISTRICT FOR POTENTIAL LAND TRANSFER IN THE FUTURE, BUT CURRENTLY OWNED BY THE THE BUREAU. THE PARK OPENED IN 1968, AND I HAVE LISTED HERE SOME OF THE MOST POPULAR RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES ENJOYED AT CONTRALOMA, INCLUDING FISHING, BOATING, PICNICKING, JOGGING, HIKING, BIRDING.

AND WE HAD 2 PERIODS OF SWIMMING AT THE PARK.

ONE FROM THE LATE '60S THROUGH THE LATE '90S WAS OPEN WATER SWIMMING. AND ONCE BODILY CONTACT IN THE DRINKING WATER SUPPLY WAS NO LONGER ALLOWED, IT SWITCHED OVER TO SWIM LAGOON SWIMMING FROM THE EARLY 2000S THROUGH 2022. FOCUSING IN ON THE PROJECT, IT IS LISTED IN OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT LIST AS CONTRALOMA SWIM FACILITY PLANNING.

WE'VE GONE THROUGH A COUPLE OF NAME CHANGES WITH THAT AS WE GO PUBLIC WITH THE PROJECT. AND I'LL GO INTO MORE DETAIL ON THAT SOON. AGAIN, SWIM LAGOON OPENED IN 2002.

YOU KNOW, ROUGHLY 60,000 SWIMMERS ANNUALLY BASED ON TICKET SALES AND OTHER DATA

[00:35:02]

STAFF NOTICED ISSUES WITH THE SWIM LAGOON OVER TIME.

THE SWIM LAGOON IS ACTUALLY NEARLY AN ACRE IN SIZE. SO THINK OF LIKE A FOOTBALL FIELD SIZE OPEN BODY OF WATER. BUILT AT THE EDGE OF ANOTHER OPEN BODY OF WATER.

BY 2020, STAFF IDENTIFIED A NUMBER OF ISSUES MECHANICAL, STRUCTURAL, WATER QUALITY ISSUES RELATED TO THE SAND WITHIN THE SWIMMING FACILITY.

AND WE IDENTIFIED A NUMBER OF ADA, OR AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, UPGRADES THAT WERE NEEDED. SO THAT ASSESSMENT WAS DONE IN 2020 BY A AQUATIC DESIGN GROUP.

WE BROUGHT THEM BACK IN 2024 TO COME UP WITH SOME DESIGN ALTERNATIVES. WHAT WOULD IT TAKE TO REPAIR THE SWIM LAGOON AND DO THE NEEDED UPGRADES? AND THAT PRICE TAG CAME IN AT ROUGHLY BETWEEN $11 TO $14 MILLION TO DO ALL THE NECESSARY REPAIRS AND UPGRADES. SO TAKING A STEP BACK FROM THAT, WE HAVE BROUGHT WHAT WAS A DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION PROJECT BACK INTO THE PLANNING PHASE BECAUSE WE WANT TO REASSESS WHAT NEEDS ARE OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WE'RE NOT MEETING AND WHAT IS IT THAT THE COMMUNITY AND LOCAL OFFICIALS DESIRE FOR THE SITE.

SO THAT BRINGS US TO TODAY WITH THE PLANNING PROCESS.

AND WE DO RECOGNIZE THERE IS A CONCERN IN THE COMMUNITY ABOUT A LOSS OF OPEN WATER SWIMMING RECREATION. THIS THESE ARE THE COUPLE OF THE DESIGN ALTERNATIVES, THE 2 MAIN DESIGN ALTERNATIVES THAT WERE DEVELOPED IN 2024 WITH THE UP TO $14 MILLION PRICE TAG.

THERE ARE SOME SUBTLE DIFFERENCES IN THEM WITH PATHWAYS LEADING TO THE SWIM LAGOON AND THE AMOUNT OF OPEN GRASS AREA AND SOME RESTROOM RECONFIGURATIONS.

BUT THIS, THIS WAS PRESENTED TO THE BOARD EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. AND THAT WAS THE LAST MAJOR SORT OF TOUCHPOINT WITH THE PROJECT BEFORE IT TURNED INTO THE PLANNING PROJECT THAT WE HAVE TODAY.

BY 20 EARLY 2025, STAFF HAD DRAINED THE SWIM LAGOON, REMOVED THE SAND. AND SO IF YOU GO TO CONTRALOMA TODAY, THIS IS WHAT YOU SEE. YOU SEE A FENCED-OFF AREA.

AROUND THE SWIM LAGOON ITSELF FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. ONE THING STAFF HAS DONE IS MOVE THE FENCE LINE TO ALLOW MORE OPEN GRASS AREA TO BE ACCESSIBLE WHILE THE PARK DISTRICT DETERMINES THE NEXT STEPS FOR THE SWIM LAGOON SITE. I DO WANT TO NOTE THAT ONE OF THE NAMES WE HAVE FOR THE PROJECT WAS REIMAGINING CONTRALOMA RECREATION, BUT WE'VE JUST RECENTLY REWORDED THAT TO BE CONTRALOMA AQUATIC AND RECREATION PLANNING.

WE THOUGHT THAT WAS A MORE SPECIFIC SOUNDING PROJECT NAME, REALLY SPEAKING TO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO AT THE SITE. AND THAT'S LOOKING AT BOTH AQUATIC AND GENERAL RECREATIONAL FACILITIES. THESE ARE THE GOALS OF THE PROJECT.

WE WANT TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC. WE WANT TO ENGAGE PARK USERS TO INFORM OUR PROCESS. WE WANT TO EVALUATE THE SWIM LAGOON IN THE CONTEXT OF OTHER LOCAL SWIMMING OPPORTUNITIES.

AND EXISTING PARK DISTRICT RECREATION, UNDERSTAND USER TRENDS, DEMOGRAPHICS, AND DESIRED RECREATIONAL USES. A VERY KEY DELIVERABLE WILL BE DEVELOPING FEASIBLE ALTERNATIVES TO THE CURRENT SWIM LAGOON FACILITY AND ALSO PROVIDE CAPACITY BUILDING ACTIVITIES WITH A DEDICATED COMMUNITY ADVISORY GROUP, WHICH I'LL GO INTO DETAIL ON SHORTLY. THESE ARE THE 4 MAIN DELIVERABLES.

WE HIRED MIG AS OUR LEAD CONSULTANT ON THIS PROJECT.

THIS WAS A CONTRACT THAT THE BOARD APPROVED LATE LAST YEAR, AND WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM SINCE THE SPRING. A LOT OF IT'S BEEN BEHIND THE SCENES, BUT WE DO HAVE A PUBLIC WORKSHOP COMING UP NEXT TUESDAY FROM 6:00 TO 8:00 PM AT THE ANTIOCH COMMUNITY CENTER.

SO, SO FAR THEY HAVE DEVELOPED A STAFF-LEVEL PUBLIC OUTREACH AND PARTICIPATION PLAN, WHICH IS A ROADMAP FOR FUTURE ENGAGEMENT. WE'VE ASSEMBLED A COMMUNITY ADVISORY GROUP. WE CURRENTLY HAVE 14 MEMBERS ON THE ROSTER.

WE HAVE SEVERAL COMMUNITY EVENTS PLANNED, INCLUDING PUBLIC MEETINGS AND POP-UP EVENTS. AND THEIR MAIN DELIVERABLE WILL BE IN LATE WINTER, EARLY SPRING. THAT'S A FINAL REPORT.

WITH A LIST OF RECREATIONAL ALTERNATIVES AND ROUGH ORDER OF MAGNITUDE COST ESTIMATES.

OUR FIRST COMMUNITY ADVISORY GROUP MEETING, WHICH IS A SEPARATE ENTITY FROM THE REGULAR PUBLIC MEETINGS THAT WE'LL BE

[00:40:01]

THIS IS SOME OF THE VERBATIM NOTES THAT OUR STAFF, MIG, TOOK AT THE MEETING. SOME FOLKS MENTIONED WANTING AN EXPERIENCE SIMILAR TO GOLDEN GATE PARK THAT YOU FIND IN SAN FRANCISCO, MEANING A LITTLE BIT OF SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY.

OTHER FOLKS MENTIONED BIRDWATCHING, PICNICKING, SPECIAL GATHERING SPACES, SKATING, SWIM SWIM LESSONS.

THIS IS A SUMMARY OF WHAT WE HEARD FROM THAT FIRST COMMUNITY ADVISORY GROUP MEETING THAT WE THAT WE MAY CONSIDER A NEW AQUATIC FACILITY THAT COULD INCLUDE A LAGOON, A POOL, A SPLASH PAD, OR OTHER FEATURE, COMFORTABLE SPACES FOR FOLKS OF ALL AGES AND ALL ABILITIES, SHADED SPOTS, BOAT RENTALS, KAYAKING, BIRDWATCHING, ETC. AND SO OUR COMMUNITY ADVISORY GROUP THE INTENT WAS TO BRING TOGETHER FOLKS FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT WE MAY NOT NORMALLY HEAR FROM IN OUR TRADITIONAL PLANNING PROCESSES AT PUBLIC MEETINGS OR PUBLIC COMMENT. SO WE DID OUTREACH TO VARIOUS COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS IN THE AREA TO ASSEMBLE THE GROUP.

AND IT CUTS ACROSS MANY DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THE COMMUNITY. IT'S MULTIGENERATIONAL, MULTICULTURAL, MULTI-ABILITY, MULTI-INTEREST REPRESENTED WITH THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY GROUP. SO ANYWAY, A SUMMARY OF THE RECREATIONAL OPTIONS THAT WERE CONSIDERED AT THAT FIRST MEETING, THE FIRST OF 4 MEETINGS THAT WE'LL HAVE WITH THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY GROUP.

THIS GRAPHIC, IT MAY BE A LITTLE HARD TO SEE ON THE SCREEN, BUT IT'S A SCHEMATIC OF THE GENERAL PLANNING PROCESS.

WE'VE WE'RE FINISHING UP OUR NEEDS AND OPPORTUNITY PHASE OF THE PROJECT. AND WE HAVE OUR FIRST COMMUNITY MEETING NEXT WEEK.

WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC AT LARGE.

HOPEFULLY, THEY'LL SHARE SOME GREAT IDEAS AND STORIES AND MEMORIES OF THEIR TIME AT CONTRALOMA. AND THAT'LL INFORM THE PROCESS.

SO WE HAVE 3 COMMUNITY ADVISORY GROUP MEETINGS BETWEEN NOW AND OR I'M SORRY, 4 COMMUNITY ADVISORY GROUP MEETINGS BETWEEN NOW AND JANUARY, 3 PUBLIC MEETINGS BETWEEN NOW AND JANUARY, FEBRUARY, AND A FINAL REPORT THAT WE'LL BRING TO THE BOARD FOR CONSIDERATION AND ADOPTION, WE ESTIMATE BY MARCH OF 2027. ALL RIGHT, SO THE IMMEDIATE OR THE NEXT STEPS IN THE PROCESS WE CAN CHECK OFF THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY GROUP MEETING NUMBER 1 THAT TOOK PLACE A COUPLE WEEKS AGO. WE ARE WORKING WITH EXECUTIVE STAFF ON DEVELOPING A SURVEY TOOL THAT WILL BE LAUNCHED TO THE PUBLIC SO THAT THEY CAN PROVIDE DETAILED INPUT ON THE PROJECT.

OUR FIRST COMMUNITY MEETING, AS I MENTIONED, FOR THE PUBLIC AT LARGE WILL BE NEXT TUESDAY FROM 6:00 TO 8:00 P.M. AT THE ANTIOCH COMMUNITY CENTER. MIG, OUR CONSULTANT, IS ALSO GOING TO BE WORKING WITH STAFF AT VARIOUS TABLING AND PUBLIC EVENTS.

AND WE'LL BE PROMOTING THIS ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND OTHER OUTLETS. ALL RIGHT. SO WE'RE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.

I'LL DO MY BEST TO ANSWER.

IF IT'S A SUPER TOUGH QUESTION, I'LL PROBABLY TURN TO A COLLEAGUE TO HELP OUT WITH THAT OR TO MAX. AND I'LL SHARE TOO YEAH, THIS WAS PUT ON THE AGENDA AT THE REQUEST OF YOUR BOARD TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME DIRECTION TO STAFF AND FEEDBACK.

SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT. I'LL JUST SAY TOO, WE'RE GOING TO WE HAVE A BOARD SITE TOUR ON FRIDAY, AND THE FIRST STOP IS CONTRA LOMA. SO I'M EXCITED THAT YOUR BOARD WILL GET A CHANCE TO VISIT AND SEE SOME OF THIS STUFF IN REAL LIFE AS WELL.

SO YEAH, THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU, EDDIE. GREAT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. LET'S GO AHEAD AND BRING IT TO THE BOARD FOR QUESTIONS. I BELIEVE YOU'RE READY TO GO WITH YOUR QUESTIONS.

SO WHY DON'T YOU GO AHEAD AND GO FIRST? SO A LEGAL QUESTION HERE. YOU'RE ASKING FOR BOARD DIRECTION. THIS IS AGENDED AS AN INFORMATION ITEM AS FAR AS I CAN TELL.

JOHN AND I, IN THE REQUEST FOR THE AGENDA ITEM, SPECIFICALLY WANTED AN ACTION ITEM. SO LYNN, IS AM I RIGHT, THIS IS NOT AN ACTION ITEM? THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY, SO THAT'S ITEM 1 FOR MY LIST, IS WE REALLY WANTED AN ACTION ITEM.

I CAN SHARE THAT THE LEGAL ADVICE THAT WE GOT WAS THAT HAVING AN ACTION AT THIS TIME IN THE PLANNING PROCESS COULD BE PROBLEMATIC FOR OUR CEQA PROCESS, AND THAT THE RECOMMENDATION WAS

[00:45:01]

AND THAT IS, THIS PLANNING PROCESS IS ABOUT GOING OUT TO THAT COMMUNITY AND SAYING, WE HAVE 3 VERSIONS OF A SWIM FACILITY TO PRESENT TO YOU. WE DID TO THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE A AND B. WHAT WAS IT, 2 YEARS AGO, THE GM AND I AND WREN BATES TALKED ABOUT VERSION C BEING A POOL.

I'VE TALKED TO PETE DEQUINCY ABOUT THE ADVANTAGES THAT A POOL WOULD HAVE FOR PROGRAMMING OUT THERE.

SO THIS WHOLE REIMAGINING CONTRALOMA TO INCLUDE SOMETHING POSSIBLY NOT A SWIM FACILITY IS DEAD ON ARRIVAL. THE MAYOR OF ANTIOCH, MY COLLEAGUES, CALLED ME ON LABOR DAY.

AND HE SAID, COLIN, I'M REALLY SORRY BOTHERING YOU ON LABOR DAY.

BUT I CAN'T HELP BUT SIT HERE ON LABOR DAY AND THINK ABOUT ALL THE KIDS THAT WOULD BE OUT AT CONTRALOMA LAGOON. SWIMMING TODAY.

AND IT'S CLOSED, AND IT'S BEEN CLOSED FOR YEARS. AND HIS FIRST THOUGHT WAS, IS THERE ANY WAY WE COULD JUST PATCH UP WHAT'S THERE AND PUT SOME WATER IN IT AND GET PEOPLE SWIMMING WHILE YOU FOLKS ARE DOING YOUR PUBLIC WORKS PLANNING FOR THE LONG TERM? AND I SAID, MAYOR, I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE DIFFICULT, BUT I CAN REFER IT TO OUR, OUR STAFF. SO CONSIDER IT REFERRED.

THE OTHER THING IS I DISCUSSED WITH HIM THIS PROCESS AND I TOLD HIM ABOUT THE MEETING ON THE 22ND. UNFORTUNATELY, THEY HAVE A CITY COUNCIL MEETING, BUT HE THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT IDEA THAT WE'RE HAVING A MEETING AND HE MENTIONED IT AND MADE SURE THE PUBLIC KNEW THAT IT WAS OCCURRING, THE PUBLIC THAT WAS IN HIS AUDIENCE AT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING. BUT I ALSO TOLD HIM WHAT THIS REIMAGINING CONTRALOMA WAS ABOUT.

AND HE KIND OF CHUCKLED AND SAID, NO, THAT'S NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN. IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A SPLASH PAD. THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE A YOU KNOW, NO ONE'S GOING TO BE INTERESTED IN A SPLASH PAD ALTERNATIVE.

THIS IS GOING TO BE A SWIM FACILITY BECAUSE ANTIOCH NEEDS A NEW SWIM FACILITY. OUR WATER PARK IS CLOSED. WE CAN'T OPEN IT.

WE, YOU KNOW, IT'S GONNA BE A NEW SWIM FACILITY, COLIN. AND I SAID, I AGREE WITH YOU, MAYOR. AND THEN HE ASKED FOR OUR GENERAL MANAGER'S EMAIL.

SO I SAID, HERE IT IS. CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE TOLD ME THE SAME THING. SO MY IMAGE OF WHAT AND HAS BEEN, SO I'M KIND OF DISAPPOINTED IN WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS AGAIN FOR A COUPLE YEARS.

WHAT WE GO TO THE COMMUNITY ABOUT IS, DO YOU WANT LAGOON A OR B THAT WAS PRESENTED TO OUR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, OR DO YOU WANT SOMETHING ELSE? AND, YOU KNOW, YOU GIVE THE COMMUNITY THE ROLE OF SAYING MAYBE THERE'S A POOL, MAYBE THAT'S A BETTER IDEA.

YOU KNOW, I REALLY DOUBT AND SOMEONE TELL ME IF WE'RE WRONG WHEN WE REPLACED THE ROBERTS POOL BECAUSE IT WAS OLD AND INADEQUATE, DID WE GO TO THE COMMUNITY AND SUGGEST, WELL, MAYBE WE'LL PUT A SPLASH PAD THERE INSTEAD? NO, I DON'T THINK SO. I THINK IT WAS ALWAYS GOING TO BE A SWIM FACILITY.

AND THE FACT THAT WE'RE NOT DOING THAT AT CONTRA LOMA JUST BLOWS ME AWAY. SO I'M FRANKLY, IF YOU WANT GUIDANCE JUST FOR ME, THAT THIS REALLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN GOING TO THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE OUT THERE. AND, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITIES, BY THE WAY, ARE LOW-INCOME, MOSTLY HISPANIC.

AND IT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE'S BACKYARD. THAT'S WHY CONTRALOMAS GOT GREAT LAWNS, BARBECUES, FISHING FACILITIES. ALONG WITH THE GREAT TRAILS AROUND THE LAKE AND THE FISHING.

AND THERE WAS A SWIM FACILITY. THAT'S WHAT THIS GREAT BACKYARD FOR THAT COMMUNITY HAS BEEN.

SO TO ME, THIS CONCEPT IS ALL

[00:50:01]

I THINK WE'RE GOING TO GET FEEDBACK FROM THE POLITICAL LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP THAT ULTIMATELY THIS IS GOING TO BE A SWIM FACILITY THAT YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO DO. THE CITY OF ANTIOCH AND CONTRA COSTA WATER DISTRICT OFFICIALS THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED IT WITH JOHN AND I MET WITH THEM LAST YEAR, I THINK, AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS WILL ALL GO HAND IN HAND WITH GRANT APPLICATIONS. SO IT'LL BE US, IT'LL BE THE CITY OF ANTIOCH, AND IT'LL BE CONTRA COSTA WATER DISTRICT ALL IN ON GRANT APPLICATIONS AND SUPPORT THEREOF. THEY'VE ALREADY MADE THOSE COMMITMENTS TO US.

SO THAT'S WHERE I'M AT. I ENVISION REIMAGINE THIS AS PRESENTING DIFFERENT SWIM FACILITIES TO THE COMMUNITY AND HAVING THEM HAVE AN IMPACT ON WHAT THOSE SWIM FACILITIES LOOK LIKE. I LOVE THE IDEA OF INCORPORATING THE BATHROOMS AND SHOWERS INTO THE SWIM FACILITY RATHER THAN HAVE PEOPLE GO THROUGH GATES TO VISIT THEM.

THAT WAS ONE OF THE PLANS, A OR B.

BUT I REALLY AM INTRIGUED BY C BEING A POOL. AND I KNOW THIS IS A LOT OF MONEY, AND I KNOW WHAT STAFF HAS BEEN DOING FOR MORE THAN A YEAR IS KIND OF TIPTOEING AROUND A COMMITMENT TO AN EXPENSIVE SWIMMING FACILITY.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT WE DO. WE, WE RESPOND TO TO WHAT THE COMMUNITY NEEDS AND WANTS AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO RAISE MONEY FOR IT. AND THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING HERE.

SO THAT'S MY PROBLEM WITH THIS WHOLE APPROACH.

THANK YOU FOR THAT, DIRECTOR. I CAN SHARE.

I MEAN, I THINK IF WE'RE MISALIGNED WITH THE BOARD ON THIS PROCESS, THAT'S MY FAULT.

TO BE HONEST, I WASN'T AWARE OF SOME OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS. THAT YOU HAD WITH THE PREVIOUS GM.

AND LIKE THE, YOU KNOW, AS WE STARTED THINKING ABOUT THIS PROCESS, TALKING TO THE OPERATIONS STAFF OUT THERE, IT SOUNDED LIKE THERE WAS A LOT OF INTEREST IN A VARIETY OF RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES FROM THE COMMUNITY. AND SO HAVING AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO FOLKS ABOUT THAT VARIETY SEEMED LIKE IT COULD BE HELPFUL.

BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE WERE DISCUSSIONS PRIOR TO THAT THAT WITH THE EXECUTIVE TEAM AND YOUR BOARD ABOUT SORT OF A MORE SPECIFIC RANGE OF ALTERNATIVES.

I MEAN, IF YOUR BOARD GIVES DIRECTION SAYING, HEY, WE REALLY DON'T WANT YOU TO ASK ABOUT OTHER ALTERNATIVES, WE WANT YOU TO REALLY FOCUS ON JUST SHOULD THIS BE A POOL OR A LAGOON, WE CAN REALLY FOCUS OUR CONVERSATIONS AROUND THAT. YOU KNOW, I THINK THE OTHER THING IS LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW FOR RIGHT NOW THERE'S THE POTENTIAL $14 MILLION PRICE TAG ON IT. WE DON'T HAVE MONEY IDENTIFIED FOR THAT.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T PROMISE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT UNTIL THAT MONEY'S POTENTIALLY ALLOCATED AT SOME POINT. BUT WE CAN FOCUS OUR PLANNING EFFORTS AROUND A SMALLER RANGE OF ALTERNATIVES. I THINK OUR GOAL WOULD BE TO, IN THE END OF THIS PROCESS, BRING YOUR BOARD A RANGE OF ALTERNATIVES FOR YOUR FEEDBACK ON TO HELP US SORT OF UNDERSTAND WHAT TO DESIGN INTO THE FUTURE.

YOU KNOW, I'M ALL FOR LOOKING AT A GRAND DESIGN FOR CONTRA LOMA AS A PARK. I KNOW KEVIN DAMSTER HAS SOME IDEAS ABOUT CREATING A RECREATION HUB OUT THERE. AND ANY KIND OF IDEAS ABOUT ADDITIONAL RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES OUT THERE.

I KNOW BRIAN HAS SAID THAT THERE ARE THAT THE LAND USE PLAN ENVISIONS A POSSIBLE DISC GOLF. IT'D BE GREAT FOR A DEDICATED BIKE TRAIL OUT THERE AS WELL. SO THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT SHOULD BE IMAGINED FOR IMPROVING THAT PARK AND GROWING IT AND EVOLVING IT OVER TIME, AS LONG AS IT ALL REVOLVES AROUND A SWIM FACILITY.

BUT THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING.

THANK YOU. GO AHEAD, DIRECTOR MERCURIO.

YEAH, I WANT TO EXPAND UPON, ADD TO WHAT DIRECTOR COFFEY HAS SAID. I, YOU KNOW, THESE SWIM I THINK ALL OF OUR SWIM FACILITIES, BUT THIS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF ONE THAT YOU KNOW, IT YOU KNOW, YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT HOW CITY OF ANTIOCH IS VERY AND ANTICIPATES SOMETHING OUT THERE AGAIN REPLACING WHAT WAS THERE BEFORE. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, PITTSBURGH, OAKLEY.

BUT THESE THINGS ARE REGIONAL DRAWS. AND SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, FOR MY WARD, WHICH IS JUST OVER THE HILL, THEY'D BE ALL OVER THIS THING, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT WOULD IF IT WAS A LAGOON, IT PRESENTS IT'S SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE

[00:55:01]

THE TRAIL SYSTEM CONNECTS.

AND SO IMAGINE STARTING OFF EARLY IN THE DAY, AND IT WARMS UP AS YOU'RE RIDING THERE. AND YOU GET THERE, AND YOU COOL OFF, SPEND THE DAY, AND THEN RIDE BACK WHEN THE DAY IS COOL.

BUT YOU GOT TO HAVE THE SWIM IN BETWEEN. SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I'M THINKING. THE OTHER THING IS I'LL JUST HAVE TO THROW THIS IN THE AMERICAN DISCOVERY TRAIL, A COAST-TO-COAST MULTI-USE TRAIL, PASSES RIGHT NEXT TO THE LAKE.

SO IT'S ON A NATIONAL TRAIL.

AND THEN FINALLY, DIRECTOR COFFEY, YOU MENTIONED CONTRA COSTA WATER DISTRICT BEING A PARTNER POTENTIALLY AND PROBABLY MAYBE MORE LIKELY IN WHATEVER WE DO OUT THERE. AND I JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, MENTION THAT THEY DO HAVE A CLEAR AND DISTINCT RECREATION MANDATE TO PROVIDE TO THEIR RATEPAYERS.

AND THEY DO IT THEY DO IT IN DIFFERENT WAYS. THEY DO IT OUT AT LOS VAQUEROS WITH A GIGANTIC TRAIL SYSTEM IN THE WATERSHED. BUT THEY ALSO DO IT BECAUSE THEY ALLOW US TO PUT A TRAIL NEXT TO THEIR CANAL.

WHICH IS VERY HEAVILY USED.

SO I CAN ENVISION, REALLY, THAT THEY WOULD BE A PARTNER IN THIS ALONG WITH THE LOCAL CITIES THERE.

SO I WOULD SAY, JUST TO SUM UP, WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR I THINK IT REALLY NEEDS TO BE A MAJOR THING LIKE A LAGOON.

BUT I DON'T THINK THAT WOULD NECESSARILY REPLACE IT MIGHT ALSO INCLUDE A SPLASH PAD.

THOSE ARE FACILITIES AND WE HAVE ONE WHERE I LIVE IN THE CITY OF CONCORD IN MEADOWHOMES PARK. AND IT GETS A LOT OF USE.

AND THAT'S JUST ANOTHER WAY FOR PEOPLE TO COOL OFF AND TO BE INVOLVED IN THE WATER WITHOUT GOING IN THE WATER BECAUSE NOT EVERYBODY WANTS TO GO IN THE WATER LIKE THAT. SO I HOPE WE COULD DO BOTH. YEAH.

YEAH, THANK YOU. YEAH, AND THAT ACTUALLY SEGUES INTO SOME OF MY QUESTIONS.

I'LL GO REAL QUICK, BUT CERTAINLY OTHER DIRECTORS WILL HAVE A CHANCE.

BECAUSE ONE THING THAT I'M ALWAYS CONCERNED ABOUT IS HEAT RELIEF AND BEING ABLE TO COOL OFF. AND FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, ANTIOCH IS SIMILAR TO A LOT OF THE OTHER EASTERN PORTIONS OF BOTH COUNTIES THAT GETS VERY HIGH TEMPERATURES, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE HAVE A HEAT WAVE, EVEN HOTTER. I KNOW I THINK ABOUT THIS A LOT WITH SOME OF OUR OTHER SWIM FACILITIES IN EASTERN ALAMEDA COUNTY.

LIKE DEL VALLE, SHADOW CLIFFS, AND QUARRY LAKES.

IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO HAVE THESE HEAT TO PROVIDE THESE HEAT RELIEF OPPORTUNITIES, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF, YOU KNOW, MORE EXTREME WEATHER AND MORE HEAT WAVES.

I THINK WE'VE BEEN RELATIVELY LUCKY THIS SUMMER OF 2026, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S TOUGH TO PREDICT THE FUTURE AND WHAT THE SUMMER OF 2027 OR 2028 HAVE IN STORE.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT I WOULD WANT TO UNDERSCORE IN REGARDS TO THIS. AND THEN I DID HAVE ONE OTHER QUESTION ABOUT LAND OWNERSHIP. IF I'M LOOKING AT THE MAP THAT'S IN OUR PACKET, I THINK IT MIGHT HAVE ALSO BEEN HIGHLIGHTED ON THE SLIDE DECK ON THE FIRST SLIDE.

CAN YOU GO OVER, LIKE, WHAT PORTIONS DOES EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT OWN, IF ANY, OR IS IT ALL BUREAU OF RECLAMATION AND CCWD? MY UNDERSTANDING IS ALL THE LAND IS OWNED BY THE BUREAU. AND CCWD MANAGES THE RESERVOIR WATER. AND WE ARE THE MANAGERS OF THE LAND AROUND THE RESERVOIR.

SO IT'S A 3-PARTY SYSTEM. SO THE LANDOWNER OF EVERYTHING IS THE BUREAU. WATER, CCWD.

OTHER LAND, RECREATION, EAST BAY REGIONAL PARKS. SO WE DON'T OWN ANY LAND AT THE NOT RIGHT THERE. I MEAN, IT'S NOT FAR FROM BLACK DIAMOND MINES, RIGHT? SO IT'S WE DO OWN LAND NEARBY, BUT THAT AREA JUST IMMEDIATELY AROUND THE RESERVOIR IS ALL BUREAU OF RECLAMATION.

IT'S ALL FEDERAL. ALL RIGHT.

GREAT.

THANK YOU. AND THEN I THINK YOU ANSWERED THIS EARLIER, MAX, BUT I KNOW WHEN WE HAD OUR PRE-MEETING AND I ASKED ABOUT THE ABILITY TO TAKE ACTION, I WROTE DOWN THE PHRASE DOCTRINE OF PRE-COMMITMENT. AND SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M UNDERSTANDING THAT THE COMMENT YOU MADE ABOUT CEQA AND BEING AHEAD OF CEQA, IS THAT PART OF THIS DOCTRINE OF PRE-COMMITMENT THAT I WROTE DOWN FROM OUR PRE-BOARD MEETING? OR LYNN QUESTION.

I'M NOT A LAWYER, SO I DO YOU WANT TO HAVE BRIAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION? YEAH, I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND BECAUSE I DID WRITE IT DOWN AND I DON'T KNOW IF I FULLY UNDERSTAND IT. I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE HEARD OF THE DOCTRINE OF PRE-COMMITMENT. SO IT MIGHT BE GOOD TO UNDERSTAND.

YEAH, GOOD AFTERNOON. BRIAN HOLT, DIVISION LEAD PLANNING TRAILS GIS. AS THIS PROJECT HAD MOVED FORWARD BEFORE, THERE WERE SOME AND WE WILL DISCUSS THIS A BIT MORE AT THE BOARD SITE TOUR ON FRIDAY THERE WERE SOME

[01:00:02]

SO IT WASN'T MERELY A MAINTENANCE PROJECT OR SORT OF AN OPERATIONS FIX-UP OF THE EXISTING LAGOON. YOU MIGHT RECALL THAT WE HAD TRIED TO IMPLEMENT SOME OF THOSE MAINTENANCE PROJECTS AT THE TIME. SO IT WAS IDENTIFIED THAT ESSENTIALLY A NEW PROJECT WAS NEEDED.

THIS WAS GOING TO BE A NEW PROJECT. SO THE AS YOU SPEAK TO, WE TO DEFINE WHAT THE PROJECT IS SORT OF OUTSIDE OF THE CEQA PROCESS WOULD SORT OF BE WOULD BEGIN THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE, SO TO SPEAK. SO AS WE'RE KIND OF GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS, THAT WAS TO SORT OF IDENTIFY WHAT THE PROJECT IS, FULLY RECOGNIZING THAT IT WOULD YOU KNOW, THERE WOULD BE SOME POTENTIAL FOR A SWIM FACILITY IN THERE.

BUT THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT.

AND I MEAN, I'LL JUST SAY YOUR GENERAL YOUR FEEDBACK IS REALLY HELPFUL. I MEAN, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUR BOARD TO PROVIDE DIRECTION TO STAFF.

AND SO I THINK LIKE AS WE HEAR FROM YOUR BOARD, THIS HELPS US DEFINE WHAT WE'RE DOING.

AND AGAIN, LIKE TO ME, I FEEL LIKE THIS IS MY RESPONSIBILITY OF SORT OF NOT MAYBE HAVING SOME OF THE BACKGROUND FROM BEFORE WHEN I WAS HERE OF, YOU KNOW, HOW YOUR BOARD HAD BEEN ENGAGED WITH THIS. AND SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY.

IT'S ALWAYS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN AND JUST CONTINUE TO ADAPT. SO YEAH, I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY. I DO JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, MENTION DIRECTOR GENERAL MANAGER HAD MENTIONED THAT THERE'S NOT CURRENTLY FUNDING FOR THIS PROJECT.

RECOGNIZE THAT THERE MAY BE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT WAYS TO OBTAIN THAT FUNDING.

BUT I WANT TO GIVE SOME CREDIT TO THE STAFF, OUR DECO STAFF AND OTHERS WHO HAVE WORKED ON THIS FOR YEARS, WHO'VE TRIED TO ADVANCE THE PROJECT FORWARD SORT OF ABSENT THE FUNDING AVAILABLE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. SO THAT'S REALLY KIND OF THE QUANDARY THAT WE'RE IN.

IS RECOGNIZING THE NEED, RECOGNIZING THE DEMAND FOR WATER-BASED RECREATION OUT IN THAT AREA. WE'VE EXPLORED WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH CCWD ABOUT OPEN WATER SWIMMING.

YOU KNOW, WE'VE TRIED TO SORT OF EXPLORE THIS FROM EVERY ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT ANGLES.

BUT LACKING THE SORT OF, YOU KNOW, THE PROJECT FUNDING AVAILABLE TO MOVE SOMETHING FORWARD, WE'RE KIND OF AT A POINT WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW, TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE PROJECT IS AND WHAT WE WANT TO DELIVER OUT THERE. WE SORT OF RECOGNIZE THE NEEDS, BUT, YOU KNOW, CURRENTLY DON'T HAVE THE MEANS TO DELIVER THAT.

YEAH, THAT'S FAIR.

YOU KNOW, AND I BELIEVE WE HAD THIS CONVERSATION DURING OUR WORKSHOP SERIES WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT CAPITAL PROJECT PRIORITIZATION AND FUNDING.

AND WITHOUT GETTING INTO THAT TOO MUCH, IT CONFUSES ME ABOUT WHY SOME PROJECTS GET PRIORITIZED THAN OTHERS AND GET FUNDING ATTACHED TO IT WHERE WE HAVE PROPOSALS AND WE VOTE ON THE FUNDING FOR THOSE PROJECTS AND NOT A PROJECT LIKE THIS. BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS OVER THE PAST 4 YEARS AND WE HAVE REVIEWED AT THE COMMITTEE LEVEL THE, THE, THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS.

AND I THINK THAT THERE MIGHT HAVE ALSO BEEN AN OVERVIEW OF ALL OF OUR SWIM FACILITIES IN ONE OF THE 2 YEARS THAT I WAS ON OUR OPERATIONS COMMITTEE IN THE CALENDAR YEARS OF 2023-2024. SO THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE PRESENTATIONS OVER THE PAST 4 YEARS ABOUT CONTRA LOMA SPECIFICALLY.

AND SO I DON'T KNOW WHY THAT HASN'T BEEN PRIORITIZED OR WE HAVEN'T REVIEWED FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES OR HOW TO BUILD PARTNERSHIPS WITH SOMEONE LIKE CONTRA COSTA WATER DISTRICT.

AND THAT'S OKAY. WE'RE AT THIS POINT NOW. SO LET'S FOCUS ON NOW AND GOING FORWARD.

BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT POINT THAT I KNOW THAT THIS HAS BEEN DISCUSSED MULTIPLE TIMES. AND I GUESS TO SHARE YOUR WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH YOUR BOARD ON HOW TO BETTER INTEGRATE AND INCLUDE YOUR BOARD IN SORT OF PRIORITIZING MOVING FORWARD CAPITAL PROJECTS. YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE TAKE A VERY LONG TIME.

AND AS LISA JUST SHARED WITH ME, THAT ROBERTS POOL, FOR EXAMPLE, WAS SPECIFICALLY CALLED OUT IN MEASURE WW BECAUSE WE KNEW THAT IT NEEDED TO GET REBUILT. SO I THINK I MEAN, SOMETIMES YOUR BOARD IS IDENTIFYING PRIORITIES, BUILDING FUNDING FOR THE FUTURE, AND THEN THAT MAY TAKE SOME TIME WHEN WE HAVE THESE REALLY BIG LIFTS.

BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE'RE COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE WORKING IN ALIGNMENT WITH YOUR BOARD'S PRIORITIES TO, YOU KNOW, DELIVER TO THE COMMUNITY WHAT THEY'RE EXPECTING.

ANY OTHER BOARD QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? AND WE'LL OPEN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. GO AHEAD, DIRECTOR DESCHAMBAULT. I GUESS WE'RE STILL ON QUESTIONS MORE THAN ANYTHING.

IS THERE ACTUALLY A WEBSITE? I WAS LOOKING ONLINE. WHAT I FIND REALLY HELPFUL IS REFERRAL TO THE 2024 PROPOSALS, THE $14 MILLION THAT WAS ESTIMATED. THIS MEETINGS THAT'S BEEN HAD.

IT'D BE HELPFUL FOR ME AND

[01:05:02]

SO MAYBE WE COULD MAKE THAT A LITTLE MORE WE CAN CERTAINLY TAKE A LOOK, MAKE SURE THAT'S VISIBLE.

THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS, DOES THIS PROJECT HAVE, I GUESS, WHAT WE'VE BEEN CALLING SORT OF A IT'S A CPP SCORE FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.

BUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS ABSENT FUNDING, IT'S NEVER STOPPED US BEFORE TO HAVE VISIONING.

BUT AS FAR AS PRIORITY, OR HAS SOME RANKING BEEN DONE? I'M SORRY, I'M A LITTLE NEW TO THE PROJECT.

I MEAN, I'M QUITE AWARE OF THE ISSUE, BUT WHERE IT FALLS, IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S BEEN AROUND FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. THERE WAS SOME FEASIBILITY A NUMBER OF YEARS, NOT MUCH FOR A COUPLE YEARS. SO WHAT I CAN SHARE IS THIS LIKE, WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR FUNDING, OR, YOU KNOW, LIKE, THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT'S COMPETING FOR FUNDING AT THIS TIME FOR A CAPITAL PROJECT.

SO WE HAVE SOME EXISTING FUNDING RELATED TO THIS ITEM, AND THAT'S WHAT'S FUNDING THIS PLANNING PROCESS, IF THAT MAKES SENSE. IT MAKES SENSE. I THINK THAT MIGHT LIMIT IT THOUGH.

I MEAN, TO I MEAN, NOT MAKE IT A HIGHER PRIORITY? I MEAN, IF THAT'S LIMITING IT.

SORRY, I'M NOT FOLLOWING.

WELL, IF I COULD.

SURE. THE PROJECT DID THE SWIM LAGOON REPLACEMENT PROJECT, WHICH I GUESS I WOULD REFER TO AS, LIKE, THE SORT OF ALTERNATIVES PROJECT, THAT DID GO THROUGH THE CPP SCORING PROCESS. IT RANKED AROUND A 75 OR SO.

I DON'T HAVE ALL THE DETAILS IN FRONT OF ME, BUT JUST FROM WHAT I KNOW FROM THE CONVERSATIONS AT THE TIME, THE REASON WHY IT RANKED VERY HIGH ON COMMUNITY NEED, RANKED VERY HIGH ON A LOT OF THOSE THINGS, BUT PROBABLY GOT DING POINTS ON ITS ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO BE OPERATED AND MAINTAINED BECAUSE WHAT WE FOUND WAS THE EXISTING LAGOON HAS A LOT OF REAL OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH IT. SO WHATEVER NEW PROJECT IS, IF IT IS A SEPARATE STANDALONE SWIMMING FACILITY, IF IT'S SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES, THAT HASN'T BEEN SCORED YET BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T NECESSARILY DEFINED THAT PROJECT. WHICH BRINGS US BACK TO THE PROCESS WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW, WORKING TO DEFINE WHAT THAT PROJECT IS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE MEETING THE COMMUNITY NEEDS.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE CERTAINLY HEAR THE BOARD'S INTEREST IN, YOU KNOW, SOME WATER-BASED AQUATIC RECREATION SORT OF FACILITY THERE. AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY WE'LL BE HAVING WE'LL BE OUT ON THE SITE AND I KNOW SOME OF OUR DECO STAFF WILL BE JOINING AND OTHERS AND WE CAN SORT OF TALK ABOUT WHAT JUST THE SORT OF OPERATIONAL AND SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGES ARE WITH THE EXISTING DESIGN.

WHOLLY DIFFERENT THAN ROBERTS POOL, WHICH WAS BASICALLY AN IN-KIND REPLACEMENT OF AN EXISTING POOL.

IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WE REPLACED IT, IMPROVED IT, EXPANDED IT. THIS IS ONE WHERE WE HAVE DETERMINED THAT WE CAN'T JUST REPLACE THE LAGOON AS IS.

IT'S SOMETHING WHOLLY DIFFERENT. THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE, BUT STILL SORT OF PRIORITIZING HELPING US TO LOOK AT THAT. WE WOULD NEVER HAVE CONSIDERED BACK TO DIRECTOR COFFEY'S COMMENT LAKE TEMESCAL WITHOUT LAKE TEMESCAL IN THERE.

LIKE, WE IT IS THE FEATURE OF THE PARK. AND I GUESS I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE GET IT TO BE A PROJECT. AND I HEARD THAT THE RENAMING I WAS MORE COMFORTABLE WITH THE REIMAGINING THE AQUATIC CENTER RATHER THAN JUST REIMAGINING CONTRA LOMA.

BUT I ALSO WOULD LIKE A LITTLE MORE UNDERSTANDING. I WOULD LIKE THAT REALLY LIKE THE OUTREACH. IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S A LITTLE ALONG THE LINES OF WHAT WE DID AT NORTH BASIN.

WE MODELED IT VERY MUCH LIKE THAT. YEAH. SO I REALLY LIKE THAT.

AND ESPECIALLY WITH THE WEBSITE AND SOME PUBLIC TRANSPARENCY, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF INTEREST IN THIS OUT THERE. AND I LOVE THE MINI GANTT CHART, BY THE WAY, THAT LAYS OUT HOW WE CAN TELL WHERE WE'RE HEADED AND WHAT THE DELIVERABLES ARE. BUT CAN WE GO BACK A LITTLE BIT AND TELL ME JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE WHY THE SWIM LAGOON IS NOT A GIVEN? MORE ON THE SOIL REMOVAL.

I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND THE SCIENCE I MEAN, WAS IT BACTERIA? WHAT CLOSED IT? LIKE, WHAT WHAT ARE YOU WHAT IS STAFF FACING TO NOT JUST I MIGHT LOOK TO OUR AGM, LISA GORGIAN, WHO THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OUT OF HER WORLD, BUT I KNOW SHE TOUCHED THIS QUITE A BIT WHEN SHE WAS FORMERLY IN DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION. I'D APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE KIND OF LIKE TEMESCAL, LIKE, I'VE WE'VE HEARD IT SO MANY TIMES, WE GET IT NOW, WHAT THE PROBLEM WITH SILTING AND THE NUTRIENTS. WE'RE ALL BECOMING SCIENTISTS.

BUT WHY WHY IS THIS SO CHALLENGING? WHAT AM I SORT OF MISSING. YEAH. HI, GOOD AFTERNOON.

LISA GORGIAN, ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER OF OPERATIONS. THANK YOU FOR THOSE QUESTIONS. SO I THINK AS BRIAN SAID, WE'RE GOING TO BE OUT IN THE FIELD ON FRIDAY, AND SO WE WILL I THINK THAT WILL BE PART OF THE DISCUSSION IS SOME OF THE CHALLENGES OF THIS PARTICULAR FACILITY AND HOW IT WAS BUILT.

[01:10:01]

AND IT'S OVER AN ACRE. IT'S HUGE. SO THE WAY IT WAS CONSTRUCTED HAD JOINTS IN IT, WHICH TYPICAL POOLS DON'T HAVE.

AND SO WITH THE PRESSURE FROM THE WATER BELOW PUSHING ON THOSE JOINTS, THAT MADE IT REALLY UNSUSTAINABLE TO STAY INTACT BECAUSE THE SEAMS WERE CONSTANTLY EXPANDING AND CONTRACTING. AND THEN JUST OVER THE YEARS, THE MATERIAL THAT WAS USED INITIALLY ISN'T AVAILABLE ANYMORE. SO THAT WAS PART OF THE CHALLENGE WHEN WE DID THE RENOVATION WAS THE ORIGINAL MATERIAL THAT WE HAD USED.

IT'S ENVIRONMENTALLY UNACCEPTABLE. WE JUST WE CAN'T PURCHASE IT ANYMORE.

SO IT'S A PRETTY UNUSUAL IT'S NOT UNUSUAL TO HAVE A LAGOON, BUT HAVE A WATER FEATURE BUILT ON TOP OF A WATER FEATURE IS PRETTY UNUSUAL.

SO WE HAD A VERY CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH CONTRA COSTA WATER DISTRICT WHERE ANYTIME WE NEEDED TO DO ANYTHING IN LAGOON, THEY HAD TO LOWER THE WATER. SO THAT THE WHOLE THING WOULDN'T POP OUT FROM HYDROSTATIC PRESSURE, I THINK IS WHAT IT'S CALLED.

SO IT'S VERY EXCITING.

BUT, YOU KNOW, ANYWAY, I THINK THERE ARE YOU KNOW, THEN THERE'S DIFFERENT REGULATIONS FOR THE WATER CLARITY OF HOW THAT POOL IS REGULATED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. SO, LIKE, WE'VE GOT LAGOONS THAT ARE IN ALAMEDA, THOUGH I SHOULDN'T EVEN BRING THIS UP.

BUT ANYWAY, THERE'S JUST A LOT OF RULES ASSOCIATED WITH LAGOONS THEMSELVES BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT POOLS THAT ARE PRETTY MUCH MORE STANDARD OPERATED IN A STANDARD FASHION.

SO THAT'S INTERESTING. SO THIS INTERACTION SO IT WAS CLOSED. I DON'T KNOW WHO THE AGENCY SOMEONE HAS CLOSED IT.

I MEAN, IF WE COULD REBUILD IT IN A WAY THAT IT COULD BE OPENED. SO THAT'S THIS YES, YOU'RE DESCRIBING THE BACKGROUND OF HOW WE GOT TO THIS PLANNING PROCESS.

RIGHT IS THAT WE THE POOL WAS CLOSED BECAUSE OF THESE CHALLENGES.

WE CAME UP WITH AN ESTIMATE OF $14 MILLION TO FIX IT.

WE IT DIDN'T GET BUDGETED THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS.

WE HAVE I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT MILLION DOLLARS OR SOMETHING IN THIS PROJECT FUND.

AND SO WE TOOK A PORTION OF THAT TO DO THIS PROCESS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE COMMUNITY WAS INTERESTED IN A SWIM FEATURE, KNOWING THAT THE FUTURE FEATURE YOU KNOW, $14 MILLION IS THE SAME. WE COULD BUILD A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS FOR $14 MILLION. SO IT SEEMS LIKE IT'D BE GOOD TO KIND OF ASK PEOPLE WHAT THEY'RE INTERESTED IN.

YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS I MISSED WAS THAT THERE HAD BEEN SOME OF THIS PROCESS DEFINING OPTIONS BEFORE THIS STARTED. SO, YOU KNOW, OUR OUR PROCESS PROBABLY STARTED AT A PLACE THAT WAS BROADER THAN MAYBE IT NEEDED TO BE. I APPRECIATE THAT AND THE BACKGROUND.

I THINK THE THING I WANTED TO GET TO IS, IS THERE ANYTHING OUT THERE FOR WATER QUALITY THAT WOULD PREVENT US LIKE, ARE WE MISSING SOMETHING THAT STAFF REALLY LIKE, THIS WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO MAINTAIN BECAUSE WHATEVER BACTERIA IS GROWING OR THERE'S THIS, YOU KNOW, YEAH. I THINK THAT THERE'S SOME PRETTY BIG ISSUES ON THE KEEPING IT SWIMMABLE.

YEAH.

THE EXISTING FACILITY, THE WAY IT WAS CONSTRUCTED, IS EXTREMELY CHALLENGING. SO I THINK OUR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER COMES OUT IS PROBABLY BETTER FOR IT TO BE SOMETHING THAT'S FAIRLY DIFFERENT, EVEN IF IT LOOKS HAS A SIMILAR LOOK AND USE.

BUT MAYBE IT WOULDN'T BE OVER THE WATER.

YOU KNOW, IT MIGHT HAVE SOME KEY DIFFERENCES THAT WE'VE LEARNED DURING THIS. THAT ALL MAKES SENSE. JUST SO SO IT SOUNDS LIKE I MEAN, THANK YOU FOR THAT SUMMARY.

I CAN PICTURE THE HYDROSTATIC PRESSURE OR WHATEVER.

BUT ARE THERE OTHER CHEMICALS OF CONCERN OUT THERE? HAS THIS HAD ARE THERE HEALTH ISSUES OUT THERE WITH CHEMICALS OR CYANOBACTERIA OR ANY OTHER HEALTH ISSUES OUT THERE THAT WE CAN'T OVERCOME? YEAH, I THINK WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ARE IN THE LAGOON ITSELF NOT IN THE LAGOON I'M SORRY, THE LAKE? THE SWIMMING AREA.

IS THERE AN INTERACTION THERE THAT MAKES IT ON HUMAN HEALTH? NO, NO, IT'S A CHLORINATED POOL WITH SAND.

OKAY. YES. THANK YOU.

YEAH. SO I WANTED TO I HAVE A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION. SO, SO THE $11 TO $14 MILLION WAS TO REPAIR AND UPGRADE THE LAGOON.

BUT THEN WHAT I JUST THINK I JUST HEARD FROM LISA IS THAT

[01:15:02]

TO REPAIR IT.

SO YOU COULD START OVER AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT THE INITIAL THAT REVISED ESTIMATE. YEAH, TO, LIKE, DIRECTOR COFFEY'S POINT, I THINK FROM THE MAYOR WAS SAYING, HEY, COULD YOU JUST PATCH IT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? OKAY. THAT'S THE THING WE FIGURED OUT.

GOT IT. SO WE CAN'T PATCH IT, BUT WE COULD CONCEIVABLY START OVER, BUT IT WOULD BE A VERY COMPLICATED, DIFFICULT PROCESS. SO I THINK I THINK THAT'S PART OF WHERE WE'RE AT, IS IF WE WERE TO START OVER, IS THERE A FACILITY THAT WE COULD PROVIDE THAT IS PERHAPS BETTER, LIKE A BETTER ADDRESS OF SOME OF THE OPERATIONAL CHALLENGES, PERHAPS BETTER ADDRESSES SOME OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY CHALLENGES AROUND THAT THE LIFEGUARDS MAY EXPERIENCE, SOME OF THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.

AND ARE THERE, YOU KNOW, IS IT DO PEOPLE WANT TO HAVE A LAP POOL OR DO THEY WANT TO HAVE MORE OF A WADING POOL? WHAT TYPE OF WATER-BASED SORT OF RECREATION DO THEY HAVE? AND ARE THERE OTHER THINGS THAT FOLKS WANT THAT RIGHT. NO, I UNDERSTAND THAT.

WHAT I'M NOT CLEAR ON, ARE YOU ALSO EVALUATING REDOING THE THE LAGOON, OR IS THAT THE SWIM PART OF THE LAGOON, OR IS THAT OFF THE TABLE? ARE WE LOOKING AT JUST A SEPARATE SWIM FACILITY AND POSSIBLY PLUS A SPLASH PAD? I THINK IT COULD BE IT COULD BE THAT A LAGOON IS WHAT COMES OUT OF IT.

I THINK THIS IS MORE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE COMMUNITY'S INTEREST IS.

THEN, LIKE, IF THEY'RE IF PEOPLE ARE LIKE, HEY, IT'S WE THINK IT SHOULD BE A LAGOON, WE TALKED TO YOUR BOARD, LIKE, WE'RE LOOKING AT A LAGOON, THEN THERE'S ALSO A ENGINEERING STANDPOINT OF LIKE, IS IT EASIER TO BUILD A LAGOON IN THE SAME PLACE OR WOULD IT BE BETTER TO RESITE IT IN A DIFFERENT PLACE TODAY? YEAH. SO FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I, YOU KNOW, I CERTAINLY SUPPORT HAVING SOME TYPE OF SWIMMING FACILITY OUT THERE.

YOU KNOW WHAT COLIN AND JOHN AND OTHERS HAVE SAID, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE HEAT. I MEAN, I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE FACILITIES LIKE THAT WHERE WE CAN AND TO HAVE HAD SOMETHING IN THE PAST AND THEN NOT HAVE IT NOW. LIKE, WHATEVER IT IS, IF IT'S A IF IT'S A POOL, IF IT'S I MEAN, A NICE POOL, OR IF IT'S YOU KNOW, IT DOES IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE COULD BE ISSUES WITH TRYING TO REBUILD THE THING THAT WAS THERE BEFORE.

AND I AGREE, MAYBE THAT'S NOT THE BEST ROUTE, BUT TO HAVE SOME TYPE OF SWIM FACILITY OUT THERE FOR KIDS AND OTHERS WHO NEED TO COOL OFF IN THE IN THE SUMMER AND THE EXTREME HEAT.

AND ALSO AND ALSO SWIM LESSONS FOR THAT MATTER TOO. SO, SO YEAH, I WOULD DEFINITELY SUPPORT SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

AND IT FEELS LIKE WE'RE STILL FAIRLY EARLY IN THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH IF WE'VE ONLY WE HAVEN'T EVEN HAD THE FIRST SORT OF BIGGER MEETING. SO, YOU KNOW, THESE WE MIGHT BE HEARING THAT FROM THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE I CERTAINLY WANT TO HEAR WHAT THE COMMUNITY SAYS. I KNOW YOU'RE HEARING FROM THE ELECTED LEADERS AND THEY ARE PROBABLY A PRETTY GOOD INDICATION OF WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS, IT WOULD ALSO BE GOOD TO HEAR FROM, YOU KNOW, THE FOLKS ON THE GROUND.

SO YEAH, I THINK HONESTLY THIS IS A PERFECT TIME TO GET THIS DIRECTION BECAUSE I THINK WE'RE STILL SO EARLY.

THIS REALLY HELPS US REFINE OUR PROCESS. AND YEAH, I APPRECIATE IT.

SO DEFINITELY SUPPORT SOME TYPE OF SWIM FACILITY. BUT AS FAR AS WE'RE JUST STARTING THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW AND THIS IS A PHASE WHERE WE ARE HEARING ALL OF THE DIFFERENT WANTS FROM THE COMMUNITY AND AS FAR AS WHAT DIFFERENT LEVELS OF THE COMMUNITY WANT. SO ELECTIVES, DAY-TO-DAY PEOPLE USING THE FACILITIES, AND IF THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD SOMETHING MORE THAN A SWIMMING POOL THAT ADDRESSES DIFFERENT NEEDS AND WE ARE GOING TO SPEND A CERTAIN TYPE OF SUM OR OR A LAGOON.

AND WE'RE EXPLORING IT. AND THEN WITH THE CEQA PROCESS, AS FAR AS WE'RE YOU KNOW, YOU WANT SOMETHING THAT'S ROBUST SO THAT ONCE WE DO DECIDE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO PUT THERE, THAT THOSE DIFFERENT OPTIONS, WE ALREADY HAVE THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCESS FOR IT. SO WHAT I DO APPRECIATE IS THAT WE'RE MOVING IT FORWARD.

WE'RE GOING TO THAT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS. AND WE'VE ONLY HAD THE FIRST MEETING.

SO AND, YOU KNOW, ONCE WE MOVE THROUGH, YOU KNOW, CEQA PROCESS, GET A PROJECT, YOU KNOW, FURTHER INTO THE DIFFERENT DESIGN PROCESS, I MEAN, THAT'S WHEN WE'RE REALLY GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET OUTSIDE FUNDING TO BUILD SOMETHING.

SO DEFINITELY THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATE ON THE PROCESS AND LOOK FORWARD TO A GREAT COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROCESS, ESPECIALLY SINCE IT IS MODELED ON SUCCESSFUL AWARD-WINNING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS THAT INVOLVED COMMUNITY

[01:20:03]

YEAH, AND JUST REAL QUICK, AS I WENT BACK, I DID FIND IT WAS THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MAY 29TH, 2024, WHEN WE DID DISCUSS CONTRALOMA.

AND IT DOES MENTION THE EXPANSION JOINTS EXPOSED AND SOME OF THE LEAKING. AND IT DOES MENTION HOW WE TRIED TO RESEAL THE PLASTER FLOOR OF THE LAGOON IN 2020, BUT THAT BEGAN TO FAIL AND PEEL WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR OF THE WORK, WHICH LED TO THE CLOSURES. BUT IT ALSO DOES SAY THAT WE WERE WORKING ON AND I THINK THIS WAS MENTIONED IN THE PRESENTATION WORKING WITH A CONSULTANT TEAM TO PREPARE PROJECT PACKAGES TO PRESENT TO THE BOARD ON PROPOSALS FOR UPGRADES AND CURRENT NEEDS FOR THE SWIM FACILITY.

SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE TODAY.

SO I SHARE THIS JUST BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT AND AND WE'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED THAT POINT, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO KEEP THAT IN MIND THAT THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. AND SO WHILE I REALLY LIKE THE PROCESS AS PROPOSED AND THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH, THERE'S ALSO THE SENSE THAT WHAT HAVE WE BEEN DOING IN THE PAST 2 YEARS SINCE THIS WAS PREVIOUSLY PRESENTED? SO WE'LL HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, KIND OF WORK WITH BOTH AT THE SAME TIME.

SO WHAT THE BOARD NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH MATERIALS FOR INSTANCE, OUR WEBSITE IS COMPLETELY AGNOSTIC ON WHETHER THERE WOULD BE A NEW SWIM FACILITY. THE WEBSITE FOR THIS COMMUNITY OUTREACH DOES NOT INCLUDE, IN FACT, THE 2 OPTIONS FOR NEW LAGOONS, OPTION A OR OPTION B. IT'S JUST NOT ON THE WEBSITE.

OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH MATERIALS THAT ARE PLANNING TO GO TO THIS GROUP ON TUESDAY ARE COMPLETELY AGNOSTIC ON WHETHER WE WOULD BE BUILDING A NEW SWIM FACILITY. AND THAT'S WHAT TRIGGERS ME TO COME AND GET THIS ON THE AGENDA, BECAUSE I WANTED TO MAKE A MOTION THAT THIS PRESENTATION TO THE PUBLIC WILL INCLUDE THE IDEA THAT THE PARK DISTRICT WILL REPLACE CONTRALOMA LAGOON WITH A NEW SWIM FACILITY.

THAT IS SIMPLY NOT IN THE MATERIALS THAT WE PREPARED TO DATE.

AND SO MY INTENT WAS TO MAKE A MOTION TO DIRECT STAFF TO BASICALLY FOCUS THIS COMMUNITY OUTREACH OVER REPLACING THE CONTRALOMA LAGOON WITH A NEW SWIM FACILITY, OPTION A, OPTION B. AND I WOULD HOPE AT LEAST SOME POINT AN OPTION C, OR IF NOT, LET'S JUST GO WITH A AND B.

THE POINT IS THAT MY MOTION WAS TO DIRECT STAFF TO GO OUT TO THE PUBLIC IN THIS COMMUNITY OUTREACH WITH THE PRIMARY IDEA PRESENTED TO THE PUBLIC WAS THAT THE PARK DISTRICT WILL REPLACE THIS LAGOON WITH A SWIM FACILITY.

END OF STORY. NOT THIS TIPTOEING AROUND THERE. AND USE THE WORD SWIM AND PRESENT THIS TO THE PUBLIC AS A NEW SWIM FACILITY AND HAVE AND WE WANT THE PUBLIC INPUT ON WHAT THAT SWIM FACILITY SHOULD LOOK LIKE.

OH, AND BY THE WAY, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE CAN DO AROUND IT AND ADD TO IT AND IMPROVE IT WOULD BE PART OF THE PROCESS. BUT THAT WAS THE MOTION I WAS HOPING TO MAKE. AND IT WASN'T PUT ON AS AN ACTION ITEM.

CAN I SHARE? I JUST SHARED IT. WHENEVER WE'RE GOING IN THE PLANNING PROCESS BEFORE CEQA FOR ANY PROJECT, OUR APPROACH IS ALWAYS AGNOSTIC ABOUT THE PROJECT HAPPENING.

BECAUSE YOUR APPROVAL OF THE PROJECT, WHEN YOUR BOARD SAYS THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO, THAT'S WHEN YOU APPROVE THE CEQA FOR THE PROJECT.

SO EVEN IF IT'S A PRETTY SIMPLE PROJECT THAT DOESN'T HAVE A WIDE RANGE OF ALTERNATIVES, WE WOULD TYPICALLY SAY WE'RE PLANNING A POTENTIAL, YOU KNOW, BRIDGE REPAIR OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. IT'S TYPICALLY HOW FOR ME, AND LIKE HOW I WAS TRAINED TO TALK ABOUT THAT WORK.

BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO PRESUPPOSE THAT THERE'S A DECISION THAT'S BEEN MADE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PROJECT.

WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT 5 YEARS ABOUT A WILDCAT BIKE TRAIL. IT'S BEEN A WILDCAT BIKE TRAIL. AND I'LL JUST SHARE FROM OUR TEAM, WE DON'T SUPPOSE THAT YOUR BOARD HAS APPROVED THAT.

IN FACT, WE'RE PLANNING THAT IN AN AGNOSTIC WAY SO THAT WE'RE INVESTING THAT'S AGNOSTIC? YES, IT'S GOING TO BE A BIKE TRAIL. IT'S

[01:25:03]

SO WHY ISN'T THIS PROCESS PROCESS PRESENTED AND REVIEWED AND STUDIED AND GETTING COMMUNITY INPUT AS A SWIM FACILITY. YES. NO, I THINK THAT'S REALLY GOOD.

AND I'VE HEARD THAT FEEDBACK, I THINK, FROM YOUR ENTIRE BOARD IS WE COULD IT WOULD BE IDEAL TO ALIGN OUR PLANNING AROUND A SWIM FACILITY AT THIS LOCATION. THAT MAY WE'VE BEEN TOO BROAD. WHAT I THINK THOUGH WE WOULDN'T TYPICALLY DO IS SAY WE WILL BUILD THIS EXACT THING BECAUSE THAT'S PRE-DECISIONAL.

OH, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT.

AND THAT'S TRUE OF WILDCAT.

I'M JUST SUGGESTING THAT THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH SAYING WE'RE THIS IS A PROPOSED PROJECT, RIGHT? AND IT'S GOING TO GO THROUGH THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY INPUT PROCESS AND THE CEQA PROCESS AND SOMEDAY BE APPROVED.

MOVED ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. I THINK I HEAR THAT. WE'RE NOT DOING THAT HERE.

WELL, AND I THINK TO BE FAIR, WE ARE LIKE WE EVEN JUST YESTERDAY WE WERE WORKING ON UPDATING OUR WEBPAGE TO BETTER REFLECT THE SWIMMING OPPORTUNITIES. AND I THINK WE HAVEN'T WE'RE LISTENING TODAY. AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, OUR NEXT STEPS FOR OUR TEAM IS SITTING DOWN RIGHT AWAY TO UNDERSTAND FOR THIS UPCOMING COMMUNITY MEETING AND FOR OUR WEB PAGE AND SURVEY, HOW DO WE REFLECT THE DIRECTION THAT WE'RE GETTING FROM YOUR BOARD? SO YEAH.

MY QUESTION IS, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS EIR, BUT IS THERE ACTUALLY AN EIR ALREADY UNDERWAY OR YOU JUST WANT TO NO. THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT.

I'M JUST CLARIFYING BECAUSE IT SOUNDS THE WAY SOME PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT IT.

IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE IS AN EIR. AND MY NEXT QUESTION IS, WHAT IS IN THE EIR? WHAT IS THE PROJECT PROPOSED IN THE EIR? YEAH, TYPICALLY WE WOULD THIS IS AN EARLY STAGE OF PLANNING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PROJECT IS.

BUT WE'RE AGAIN TRYING YEAH, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO GET WE, IN THIS PART OF THE PROCESS, UNTIL WE COMPLETE CEQA, WE WOULDN'T SAY THAT WE WILL DO A SPECIFIC THING.

RIGHT, RIGHT. NO, THAT IS WHAT YEAH, WELL, THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO CLARIFY, BECAUSE YES, ABSOLUTELY, WE'RE NOT GOING TO SAY THE BOARD WILL DO THIS WHEN WE HAVEN'T SEEN THE EIR AND WE HAVEN'T VOTED ON IT.

BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE WASN'T ALREADY SOME PROJECT UNDERWAY THAT YOU WERE WORRIED ABOUT US TALKING ABOUT.

OKAY. I THINK WE'VE GOT IT CLEAR. OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. I THINK I THINK FOR US IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, IT'S REALLY KIND OF GETTING TO A POINT THAT WE HAVE A PROJECT DEFINED AND THEN WE WOULD COME BACK TO THE BOARD AND SAY, IS THIS A PROJECT THAT YOU WANT US TO MOVE FORWARD IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCESS.

THAT'S THE SAME THING THAT WE DID FOR THE TRAIL PROJECT THAT WAS MENTIONED. WE BROUGHT THAT BACK TO THE BOARD AND SAID, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT TO CONTINUE TO ANALYZE? AND SO RIGHT NOW, WE AND PLANNING WE HAVEN'T YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN LIKE I SAY, WE'VE STRUGGLED UP AGAINST, LIKE, YOU KNOW, IT'S YOU KNOW, WE'VE HEARD THE CHALLENGES WITH REPLACING IN-KIND. IS IT SOMETHING NEW? SO TRYING TO GET TO THE POINT THAT WE KIND OF DEFINE A PROJECT AND THEN SORT OF COME BACK AND SAYING, IS THIS A PROJECT THAT WE ACTUALLY WANT TO MOVE FORWARD? AND THEN THERE'S THE WHOLE FUNDING QUESTIONS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

THAT ALL MAKES SENSE, AND THAT IS MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROCESS. I JUST WANTED TO CHECK BECAUSE THE CONVERSATION WAS GETTING CONFUSING, SO JUST WANTED TO CONFIRM. OKAY.

ALL RIGHT, WELL, LET'S GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT AND SEE IF WE HAVE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISH TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT.

THANK YOU. WE HAVE 2 HANDS UP ONLINE AND WE HAVE NO PUBLIC COMMENT IN PERSON.

PERSON. SO I'M GOING TO SHARE MY SCREEN AND THEN I WILL CALL ON COMMENTERS. OH, WE HAVE 3 HANDS UP NOW.

SCOTT, YOU MAY UNMUTE YOURSELF. HELLO, SCOTT BARTLEBAUGH. I WAS A 30-YEAR ANTIOCH RESIDENT, LIVED THERE FROM '85 TO 2015.

AND I WOULD SAY THAT THE COMMUNITY DEFINITELY VALUED THE SWIMMING OPPORTUNITIES AT CONTRA LOMA. IT PROVIDES A GREAT RESPITE FROM THE HEAT. MY SWIMMING EXPERIENCES THERE WERE ALL PRE-LAGOON.

AND EVERY TIME I SWAM THERE, IT INVOLVED A DOSE OF KAOPECTATE AFTERWARDS. SO I THINK THE SWIM LAGOON WAS AN IMPROVEMENT, ALTHOUGH I DIDN'T PARTAKE IN IT VERY MUCH. SO WHEN I SAW THE, THE REIMAGINING WEBSITE THERE, YEAH, IT APPEARED TO BE PRETTY WIDE OPEN AND

[01:30:01]

AND I WAS WONDERING IF THE DISTRICT WAS LOOKING TO PURSUE MORE COORDINATION WITH OTHER EXISTING SWIM FACILITIES IN THE ANTIOCH AREA IN EAST COUNTY. AND THAT SEEMS TO BE SOMETHING TO TAKE A LOOK AT IN THE REALM. THERE ARE SOME OTHER SWIM FACILITIES.

THEY'RE NOT THE SAME AS OPEN WATER SWIMMING OR THE LAGOON, BUT THAT SEEMS TO BE AN OPTION TO TAKE A LOOK AT. AS DIRECTOR COFFEY NOTED, THERE IS INTEREST IN A VARIETY OF RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES THAN THERE HAS BEEN. AND THERE ARE OTHER UNMET NEEDS.

MOUNTAIN BIKING TRAILS HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP BY DIRECTOR COFFEY FOR OVER 5 YEARS.

THAT PROJECT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE MOVING MUCH AT ALL. IT IS PART OF THE LAND USE PLAN.

AND EAST COUNTY IS A SINGLE-TRACK DESERT. AND IT'S A BIKE ACCESS DESERT. AND THE HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN SIGNIFICANTLY LIMITS FUTURE SINGLE-TRACK TRAILS.

CONTRALOMA ENVIRONMENTALLY PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY WITH MINIMAL HABITAT FRAGMENTATION IMPACTS IN THAT IT'S ON THE EDGE OF THE LARGER OPEN SPACE OF BLACK DIAMOND MINES REGIONAL PRESERVE. AND IT DOES HAVE TOPOGRAPHY THAT WOULD LEND ITSELF TO A NICE COMPACT DESIGN THAT COULD BE VERY, VERY SATISFYING. NOT UNLIKE OYSTER BAY, IT'S HIGHLY ACCESSIBLE TO UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES IN ANTIOCH, PITTSBURGH, AND EAST CONTRA COSTA COUNTY.

SO OVER 10 YEARS AGO, A DISC GOLF COURSE DESIGN WAS SUBMITTED BY LEONARD MUSE FOR CONTRA LOMA. HE WAS THE DESIGNER AT OYSTER BAY. SO THERE HAS BEEN INTEREST FOR OVER A DECADE FOR THAT AMENITY OUT THERE AS WELL.

SO I THINK THOSE ARE 2 THINGS TO CONSIDER IN THAT BROADER REIMAGINING.

THANK YOU FOR THE DISCUSSION, AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT. THANK YOU.

MISHA, YOU MAY UNMUTE YOURSELF. MISHA, I DON'T THINK YOUR MICROPHONE IS WORKING. YEAH, CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? OH, WE CAN HEAR YOU NOW.

THANK YOU. SO I'M REPRESENTING A GROUP OF HIKERS WHO HIKE MISSION PEAK EVERY WEEK IN THE EVENINGS. SO WE TYPICALLY RETURN AFTER DARK.

AND SOME OF YOU PROBABLY HAVE ALREADY HEARD ME 2 WEEKS AGO WHEN WE PARTICIPATED IN THE MEETING. SO WE ASKED SOME QUESTIONS AT THAT TIME. MISHA, I'M JUST GOING TO INTERRUPT YOU.

THIS COMMENT IS ON CONTRALOMA. SO DOES YOUR COMMENT HAVE TO DO WITH CONTRALOMA, OR IS IT HAVING TO DO WITH MISSION PEAK? IT HAS TO DO WITH MISSION PEAK. OKAY, SO WE CLOSED THE GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT WE CAN DO IT.

WE HAVE A GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE END OF THE MEETING. SO IF YOU STAY ON, WE WILL OPEN GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT AGAIN AT THE END OF THE MEETING.

OH, OKAY, NO PROBLEM.

OKAY, THANK YOU. PAULA, YOU MAY UNMUTE YOURSELF. HI, MY NAME IS PAULA.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS CAN HEAR ME WELL. YES, WE CAN. PERFECT.

HI. SO BASICALLY, MY QUESTION IS ABOUT CONTRALOMA. I DO HAVE QUESTIONS REGARDING THE CONSERVATION.

HAVE THERE BEEN ANY STUDIES, OR LIKE, IS THERE ANY REAL PLAN TO REALLY STUDY WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE PLANTS, THE NATURAL BIODIVERSITY, HOW THIS WILL BE AFFECTING, HOW WE CAN CONSERVE ANY OF LIKE THESE HABITATS? AND BASICALLY LIKE ANY OF THE NATIVE PLANTS AND SPECIES THAT LIVE THERE. IS THIS SOMETHING THAT IS ALSO BEING TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT WHILE WE'RE WHILE YOU GUYS ARE THINKING ABOUT BASICALLY BEAUTIFYING THIS PLACE AND REOPENING IT TO THE PUBLIC? THAT WOULD BE AMAZING, OF COURSE, BUT I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY NEED TO THINK ABOUT IS CONSERVATION, ESPECIALLY SINCE A LOT OF LIKE A LOT OF NATURAL HABITATS ARE BEING DWINDLED DOWN AND MORE AND MORE OF LIKE THE NATURAL ANIMALS THAT LIVE THERE. THEY'RE KIND OF LIKE JUST HAVE NOWHERE ELSE TO GO.

AND OF COURSE CONSERVATION IS REALLY IMPORTANT. SO THAT'S BASICALLY MY MAIN CONCERN OR MY MAIN QUESTION. WHAT'S BEING STUDIED? WHERE CAN WE FIND THESE STUDIES OR WHERE IS IT BEING POSTED? AND HOW CAN WE, HOW CAN AS A PUBLIC, AS A, YOU KNOW, PERSON THAT WE LIVE HERE AND THAT WE ARE VERY INTERESTED IN NATURE AND CONSERVING,

[01:35:01]

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

ALL RIGHT, SO WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD FOR ANY FINAL COMMENTS.

THIS IS A PRESENTATION, IF THERE IS AN INTEREST IN TAKING ACTION, DIRECTOR COFFEY, I'D LIKE TO KNOW IF THAT'S A POSSIBILITY FOR A FUTURE BOARD MEETING. I KNOW WE KIND OF TALKED IN CIRCLES ABOUT THIS EARLIER, BUT IT'S STILL SOMETHING WORTH CONSIDERING.

I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM YOU, BUT ON WHETHER YOU'RE SUPPORTING A SWIM FACILITY.

BUT I THINK EVERYONE ON THE BOARD HAS MADE IT CLEAR THAT THEY WOULD LIKE THIS. YEAH, I'M SORRY, IT SHOULD BE CLOSER TO ME.

I'M JUST TRYING TO SOUND OUT WHETHER WE NEED ANOTHER MEETING. I'VE HEARD FROM EVERY MEMBER OF THE BOARD SO FAR THAT THE BOARD, IN TERMS OF THE DIRECTION THAT THE GM SOUGHT, WOULD LIKE THIS OUTREACH PROGRAM TO INCLUDE THE IDEA THAT WE WILL REPLACE THE EXISTING LAGOON WITH A SWIM FACILITY. I THINK I'VE HEARD THAT FROM EVERY MEMBER.

I I DON'T THINK YOU'VE CHIMED IN ON THAT. YEAH, MY APOLOGIES IF I WASN'T CLEAR EARLIER. I DO BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE REALLY HOT TEMPERATURES SOMETIMES DURING HEAT WAVES IN THE EASTERN PARTS OF EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT, AND I ALWAYS SUPPORT SWIM FACILITIES AND HEAT RELIEF IN THE AREAS THAT GET HOTTER TEMPERATURES.

SO I'M JUST IN THE INTEREST OF MAYBE AVOIDING I WANT TO CLARIFY THAT I SAID THEY SHOULD EXPLORE SWIMMING AS PART OF THE PROCESS. SAYS THAT WE'RE NOT PREDETERMINING THAT THIS PROJECT SHOULD BE A SWIMMING POOL. AND THEN WE'VE ALSO HAD LEGAL ADVICE THAT AS A BOARD MEMBER I WOULD LIKE TO FOLLOW THAT SAYS THAT THIS CAN IMPACT OUR CEQA PROCESS, WHICH IN TURN, IF IT IS DECIDED TO BE A SWIMMING POOL, WOULD JEOPARDIZE THAT EVENTUAL SWIMMING POOL.

SO I THINK AS FAR AS I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY. I JUST DON'T THINK THAT IS THE TACK WE'RE ON. I DON'T THINK WE HAVE A CEQA PROCESS UNDERWAY.

WE DON'T HAVE A PROJECT. SO WE HAVE THE ABILITY OF AS A BOARD TO DETERMINE THAT THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND OUR STUDY OF REPLACING THIS LAGOON SHOULD INCLUDE THE IDEA THAT WE WILL REPLACE IF THAT'S THE DECISION ULTIMATELY THE SWIMMING LAGOON WITH A SWIM FACILITY. SO WHAT I'M HEARING IS THAT WE DO NOT WANT THIS COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROJECT PROGRAM TO BE AGNOSTIC ON WHETHER A SWIM FACILITY WILL BE REPLACING THE LAGOON.

THAT THAT BE I MEAN, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE MY IMAGE IS WE GO TO THE COMMUNITY WITH LAGOON A, LAGOON B, AND AN OPTION C, IF THERE IS AN OPTION C. I'M JUST COMING UP WITH IT BECAUSE OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS I'VE BEEN TOLD THERE'S WOULD PROBABLY BE AN OPTION C, AND THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE A SWIM POOL. SO NO MATTER I JUST DON'T WANT US GOING TO THE COMMUNITY WITHOUT BEING UPFRONT IN THE IN OUR WILLINGNESS, IF THIS IS WHAT WE DECIDE TO DO AND WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS, TO REPLACE THE LAGOON WITH A SWIM FACILITY.

IT'S JUST AS SIMPLE AS THAT.

AND, YOU KNOW, IF I'VE GOT THAT WRONG, THAT YOU ALL DON'T AGREE WITH THAT, YES, LET ME, YOU KNOW, LET US KNOW.

BUT IF THAT IS CORRECT, THEN I DON'T THINK WE NEED ANOTHER MEETING SO THAT I CAN MAKE THAT MOTION.

I'D SAY I FEEL LIKE WE'VE HEARD THAT. I HEAR THAT FEEDBACK FROM YOUR BOARD, AND I THINK WE HAVE I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE HELPFUL FOR OUR TEAM AND WE CAN GO BACK AND, AND MOVE THAT FORWARD.

AGAIN, YOUR BOARD'S GOING TO GO OUT THERE ON FRIDAY, SO IT'S ANOTHER CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT THIS.

AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE COMMUNITY MEETING

[01:40:01]

BUT IF WE'RE, IF, IF WE'RE NOT, IF IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE WE'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK, THEN WE CAN CHECK BACK IN.

BUT I THINK I HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR WHAT YOUR BOARD'S LOOKING FOR. I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, NO ONE I THINK YOU'RE HEARING WE DON'T WANT TO BE AGNOSTIC, BUT I THINK I'M ALSO ONE THAT DOESN'T WANT TO BE TOO PREDETERMINED.

SO I'M TRUSTING STAFF TO LOOK INTO THIS AND ADD THIS TO THE LIST. I THINK WHAT MIGHT HAVE HELPED ME TODAY IS KIND OF WHAT WE DID WITH DOOLIN CANYON, IS IF STAFF WOULD REALLY LAY OUT OPTION 1, 2, AND 3, OR 1A, 2A, OR COMBINATION SO THAT WE COULD HAVE A BETTER ENGAGEMENT. I THINK WHAT YOU'RE HEARING AGAIN, YOU HEAR OFTEN FROM US, IS THAT WE WANT TO BE A LITTLE MORE INVOLVED, BUT WE NEED TO BALANCE THAT, OF COURSE, WITH YOUR CONCERN OF PICKING A TOPIC.

BUT THERE MUST BE A WAY THAT WE CAN WEIGH IN A LITTLE BIT MORE CLEARLY AND HELP US FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT MEANS, BECAUSE I CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO PREDETERMINE A POOL OR A LAGOON THAT'S NOT FEASIBLE EITHER HYDRAULICALLY OR SOUNDLY. SO ANYWAY, I JUST WANT TO CLEAR ON THAT, THAT I'M SUPPORTING WHAT COLIN'S SAYING AND STAFF IS SAYING. I JUST WANT TO SAY IT LOOKS LIKE THE WHOLE REPORT IS I MEAN, THE WHOLE AREA IS 780 ACRES.

SO I'M INTERESTED IN THE POTENTIAL FOR THE REST OF THE PROPERTY. SO NOT BEING AGNOSTIC, NOT BEING PREDETERMINED, AND DON'T JUST FOCUS I LIKE WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE NORTH BASIN APPROACH, AND I REALLY THANK STAFF FOR, FOR DOING THAT. I THINK THERE'S SOME EXCITING OPPORTUNITIES THAT WILL COME TO US EVENTUALLY.

THAT'S, THAT'S VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT I WAS ABOUT TO SAY AS WELL, THAT THIS NORTH BASIN PROCESS IS REALLY A FABULOUS PROCESS, AND IT HAS AT LEAST NORTH BASIN BROUGHT IN A WHOLE LOT OF VOICES AND AS WELL AS LONGSTANDING COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS TO REALLY TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY WANTED AND HEAR EACH OTHER. AND AT THE END OF THE PROCESS, EVEN THOUGH EVERYONE DIDN'T GET ALL OF WHAT THEY WANTED THEY NEVER DO BUT THE OTHER SIDES, THE 2 DIVERGENT SIDES, EXTREME SIDES, BOTH ALL OF THEM SUPPORTED THE RESULT BECAUSE THEY HEARD AND UNDERSTOOD AT EACH OTHER. AND IT WAS REALLY AN INCREDIBLE THING.

AND SO I DO WANT TO SEE THAT PROCESS PLAY OUT, YOU KNOW. AND I THINK AND AT THE SAME TIME, YOU HAVE HEARD THAT WE CERTAINLY THINK THAT SOME TYPE OF WATER FACILITY IS A GOOD IDEA.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I AGREE THAT I DON'T WANT TO DICTATE THAT BECAUSE THEN THAT IS PREDETERMINING THE ULTIMATELY FUTURE PROJECT.

BUT I THINK, I THINK WE CAN I THINK I TRUST STAFF TO NAVIGATE THAT. ALL RIGHT.

I THINK THEN WE ARE GOOD TO MOVE ON FROM THIS ITEM.

I GUESS JUST ONE FINAL POINT, THOUGH. I THINK WITH CONTRA COSTA WATER DISTRICT, I KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN HAVING REGULAR MEETINGS WITH THEM ABOUT THE TOPIC, BUT MAYBE IT ALSO MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO TRY TO SCHEDULE ANOTHER ONE OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT 4 TO 6 MONTHS ABOUT THIS.

SOUNDS GOOD.

OKAY, GREAT. ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO AHEAD AND SAY THAT ITEMS FINISHED. DID YOU WANT TO SAY I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU OUT THERE ON FRIDAY.

GREAT, THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. YES, THANK YOU.

SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO PROPOSE IS LET'S TAKE A BREAK. LET'S RECONVENE AT 2:55.

ALL RIGHT, WONDERFUL.

WELCOME BACK, EVERYONE. WE

[ACTION ITEMS]

GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD. SANDY FUNKE, DIVISION LEAD OF INTERPRETIVE AND RECREATION SERVICES. TODAY I'LL BE PRESENTING ABOUT OUR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM AND LOOKING FOR ADOPTION OF OUR VOLUNTEER PRINCIPLES AND RESCISSION OF PREVIOUS BOARD RESOLUTIONS.

I ALSO HAVE JESSICA SLOAN PRESENTING WITH ME TODAY, VOLUNTEER PROGRAM SUPERVISOR. SO FOLKS HAVE LIKELY BEEN VOLUNTEERING AT THE DISTRICT SINCE PROBABLY SINCE THE DISTRICT WAS FORMED. WE KNOW THAT IN 1976, THE BOARD ADOPTED PAC RECOMMENDATIONS ON VOLUNTEERS, AND THEN IN 1990, THE BOARD ADOPTED A VERY DETAILED VOLUNTEER POLICY.

BOTH OF THESE RESOLUTIONS WERE INCLUDED IN YOUR BOARD PACKET. IN 2005, WE HIT A VERY IMPORTANT MILESTONE. THANKS TO THE BOARD'S ADOPTION OF THE BUDGET, JESSICA'S POSITION BECAME ENTIRELY FOCUSED ON MANAGING VOLUNTEER PROGRAMMING THROUGHOUT THE

[01:45:01]

SO I WANT TO TAKE A STEP BACK. WHY WOULD WE PURSUE DEVELOPING OVERARCHING VOLUNTEER PRINCIPLES THAT WILL LEAD TO AN UPDATED CONTEMPORARY ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY? WELL, HAVING THESE MEASURES IN PLACE WILL ENSURE CONSISTENCY FOR OUR VOLUNTEERS AND OPERATIONAL SAFETY. OVERALL, VOLUNTEERS TRADITIONALLY AT THE DISTRICT, ESPECIALLY BEFORE JESSICA'S POSITION, MANAGEMENT OF THEM HAS BEEN RATHER DECENTRALIZED, LEADING TO FRAGMENTED VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCES, AT TIMES RISKY PRACTICES, AND EVEN OCCASIONALLY ROGUE VOLUNTEERS, FOLKS DOING PROJECTS IN THE PARKS THAT WE DO NOT SUPERVISE AND SOMETIMES DON'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT.

SO TO ADDRESS THIS, WE FORMED A CROSS-DIVISIONAL WORKING GROUP. AND SOME MEMBERS OF THE WORKING GROUP, THEY WERE HERE EARLIER AND THEY LEFT, BUT WE HAVE A FEW FOLKS HERE STILL. WE HAVE ASHLEY AND ALLISON AND KEVIN.

DINA WAS HERE EARLIER AND JOSE. SO THE WORKING GROUP IS REPRESENTED FROM INTERP AND REC, PARK OPERATIONS, HR, LEGAL, STEWARDSHIP, THE OFFICE OF EQUITY, THE FOUNDATION, PLANNING, AND PUBLIC SAFETY. AND SO THE GOAL OF THIS GROUP WAS TO ASSESS THE CURRENT STATE OF VOLUNTEER EFFORTS IN THE DISTRICT.

AND FROM THAT ASSESS WHAT WE COULD DO TO SET A COURSE FOR MORE CONSISTENCY ACROSS THE DISTRICT. SO HOW DO WE HOW DO STAFF SUPPORT VOLUNTEERS? FULL-TIME STAFF LIKE JESS ARE VERY INVOLVED IN VERY DETAILED DAY-TO-DAY LOGISTICS WITH THE VOLUNTEERS. SO JESS IS A SUPERVISOR.

OF OUR VOLUNTEER SERVICES GROUP. SHE HAS 2 RECREATION ASSISTANTS, CAMERON AND NATALIE, WHO WORK FOR HER, AND A SENIOR ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIALIST. IN PUBLIC SAFETY, HEATHER GILFILLAN IS THE VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR.

AND ADDITIONALLY, IN INR, WE HAVE 8 DOCENT COORDINATORS WHO ARE ALSO NATURALISTS.

IN ADDITION, STAFF LIKE THE FOLKS PICTURED HERE FROM THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT PITCH IN FOR LARGE EVENTS SUCH AS OUR UPCOMING COASTAL CLEANUP DAY AND MLK DAY OF SERVICE. HI THERE, EVERYONE.

THANKS FOR HAVING US TODAY.

AGAIN, I'M JESSICA SLOAN, THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM SUPERVISOR, AND I WAS GOING TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT VOLUNTEER SERVICES DOES HERE IN THE DISTRICT. SO WE HAVE SOME LOVELY STATISTICS FOR YOU UP ON THE BOARD.

LAST YEAR, AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAD OVER 2,000 REGULAR ACTIVE VOLUNTEERS. THAT IS A WONDERFUL AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE DEDICATED TO OUR PARKS AND GIVING US SUPPORT. YOU'LL SEE THAT WE BREAK THOSE INTO 2 CATEGORIES.

I'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE IN A MOMENT. BUT BASICALLY, OUR SPECIALIZED VOLUNTEERS ARE VOLUNTEERS WHO HAVE TO GO THROUGH FORMAL TRAINING TO DO THEIR VOLUNTEER WORK.

AND OUR COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS, AS DEDICATED AND AS TRAINED AS THEY MIGHT BE, THEY CAN SHOW UP DAY OF WITHOUT NEEDING THAT PRIOR TRAINING.

BUT LAST YEAR, WE HAD OVER 550 EVENTS, WHICH CONTRIBUTED OVER 40,000 HOURS. JUST IMAGINE THE IMPACT OF 40,000 ADDITIONAL STAFF HOURS HERE IN OUR PARKS. YOU CAN IMAGINE THE PROJECTS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO CREATE.

WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO GO INTO A QUICK SNAPSHOT OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE LIKE TO DO HERE IN VOLUNTEER SERVICES. THIS IS A PICTURE FROM OUR MLK DAY OF SERVICE. WE DO HOST 4 BIG EVENTS EVERY YEAR.

THIS IS ONE OF THEM. I REALLY LOVE THIS PICTURE BECAUSE THE MLK DAY OF SERVICE IS A DAY ON, NOT A DAY OFF. OFTEN A DAY OFF FOR MANY PEOPLE, BUT THEY COME OUT TO OUR PARKS AND GIVE US THEIR TIME INSTEAD.

AND THIS IS A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE OF A FAMILY WHO CAME OUT TO SPEND TIME TOGETHER OUTSIDE AND GIVING BACK TO THE PARKS THAT THEY LOVE.

IT'S A REALLY BEAUTIFUL THING. AND AS YOU ALL PROBABLY KNOW ALREADY, OUR NEXT BIG EVENT IS ACTUALLY THIS SATURDAY.

COASTAL CLEANUP IS HAPPENING THROUGHOUT THE PARK IN 10 DIFFERENT LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT.

WE'RE VERY EXCITED. WE ALSO HAVE A PLETHORA OF PARK IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.

THIS CAN BE ANYTHING FROM PARK AND SHORELINE CLEANUPS, INVASIVE PLANT REMOVALS, RESTORATION PROJECTS, AND SOME EVEN SIMPLE TRAIL WORK.

HERE YOU SEE A BUNCH OF VOLUNTEERS THAT VOLUNTEER MONTHLY AT WILDCAT CANYON.

THESE FOLKS HAVE REMOVED A HUGE SWATH OF INVASIVE IVY, WHICH IS A PRETTY BAD FUEL.

WE'RE REMOVING AN INVASIVE PLANT THAT IS ALSO A FUEL.

AND REPLACING IT WITH BURLAP TO HELP WITH THAT EROSION.

WHAT YOU DON'T SEE PICTURED HERE IS THAT THEY'RE ALSO RESTORING SOME OF THE NATIVE PLANTS TO BRING US BACK TO A MORE NATIVE HABITAT.

THESE PEOPLE COME TOGETHER AND LEARN NEW SKILLS AND WORK ALONGSIDE DISTRICT STAFF, AND THEN THEY CONTRIBUTE TO VISIBLE PARK IMPROVEMENTS.

IT'S A REALLY INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO COME TOGETHER AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THEIR PARKS.

WHILE AT THE SAME TIME HELPING US.

THIS PROJECT IN PARTICULAR,

[01:50:01]

SHE'S BEEN LEADING THIS ONE IN CLOSE COLLABORATION WITH OUR STEWARDSHIP TEAM.

ANOTHER BIG THING THAT OUR VOLUNTEER SERVICES TEAM DOES THAT REALLY HIGHLIGHTS THE WHY OF WHAT WE'RE DOING, WE DON'T JUST SUPPORT PARK STAFF WHO WANT TO DO VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS, WE SUPPORT THE PUBLIC AS WELL.

THESE PROJECTS HELP HOST ANYONE WHO COMES TO US, WHETHER THAT'S A CORPORATE GROUP OR IN THIS CASE A SCOUT TROOP, WHO WANT TO DO A SERVICE PROJECT HERE IN THE PARKS. THEY COME TOGETHER AND THEY LEAVE FULFILLED, STRONGER TOGETHER, AND MORE CONNECTED TO US.

VISITORS WHO COME TO THESE PARK PROJECTS OFTEN LEAVE AS STEWARDS OF OUR PARKS.

AS I PROMISED, WE'RE GOING TO TALK JUST A QUICK THING.

IT WOULD BE REMISS NOT TO TALK ABOUT THE SPECIALIZED VOLUNTEERS HERE IN THE PARK. WHAT I WANT YOU TO NOTICE IN THESE GROUPS IS THAT THEY SPAN THE ENTIRE DISTRICT.

OUR AMBASSADOR PROGRAM, THEY GO AND TABLE AT EVENTS SPREADING THE WORD ABOUT THE PARK DISTRICT.

THAT'S RUN BY OUR PUBLIC AFFAIRS TEAM.

OUR ARCHIVE SPECIALISTS HELP WITH ALL OF THE MINUTE DETAILS OF OUR ARCHIVES.

THAT'S WITH OUR ARCHIVE FOLKS. OUR DOCENTS ARE AT ALL 8 OF OUR VISITOR CENTERS. THEY HELP WITH WELCOMING PUBLIC INTO THE PARKS AND TEACHING THEM.

WE HAVE THE TILDEN BOTANIC OH, THE FARM VOLUNTEERS, SORRY, MISSED THAT ONE AT BOTH ARDEN WOOD AND TILDEN. OUR TILDEN BOTANIC GARDEN VOLUNTEERS DO JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING IN THE GARDEN. IT'S PRETTY INCREDIBLE.

THEY HELP WITH THE PLANT SALES, THEY HELP WITH THE PLANTINGS, THEY HELP WITH THEY HAVE THEIR HANDS IN A LOT. OUR INCREDIBLE VOLUNTEER TRAIL SAFETY PATROL, WHICH IS ACTUALLY 5 DIFFERENT PATROLS, IT'S PRETTY INCREDIBLE, THEY ARE OUR EYES AND EARS ON THE TRAIL, AND THEY HELP EDUCATE OUR PUBLIC. AND THEN WE EVEN HAVE OUR WILDLIFE INSIGHTS.

ALL OF THESE PROGRAMS REQUIRE SPECIALIZED TRAINING BEFORE VOLUNTEERS CAN JUST SIGN UP.

AND THAT'S WHAT SETS THEM APART FROM THOSE MORE COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS. WHAT THIS DOES IS IT REALLY ALLOWS OUR VOLUNTEERS TO SHARE THEIR PASSIONS WITH OTHER PEOPLE, AND OFTEN THAT ENDS UP BRINGING US MORE VOLUNTEERS.

AS THEY GET TO REPRESENT THE DISTRICT AND BE PART OF OUR MISSION. AND THIS IS THE BIGGEST REASON OF WHY WE HAVE VOLUNTEERS HERE IN THE DISTRICT. YES, IT'S TRUE THAT WE GET AMAZING WORK DONE WITH THEM.

WE GET A LOT OF OUR PROJECTS THAT WE WOULD NEVER GET DONE OTHERWISE DONE WITH THE HELP OF VOLUNTEERS. BUT WHAT THIS REALLY DOES IS IT CREATES BETTER SPACES FOR PEOPLE AND FOR NATURE. AND THOSE VISITORS THAT SHOW UP AS VISITORS AFTER THEY VOLUNTEERED, THEY'RE STEWARDS.

THEY WALK AWAY WITH A SENSE OF OWNERSHIP AND A SENSE OF CARING ABOUT THE PLACES THAT WE HAVE.

IN VOLUNTEER SERVICES, IT'S A TRUE HONOR TO SERVE THOSE WHO ARE SERVING US, AND WE CONTINUE THAT'S WHY WE ARE ASKING FOR THESE POLICY UPDATES, TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THAT IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE. SO THIS WORK KICKED OFF IN 2024.

AND WE HAVE DEVELOPED THE VOLUNTEER PRINCIPLES WE'RE PRESENTING TODAY INTEGRATING IDEAS FROM MANY SOURCES. WE GARNERED FEEDBACK FROM THE PAC AND WE HAVE ALSO PRESENTED AND LEARNED FROM YOU, THE BOARD, AT THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND THE BOARD OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.

AND WE MADE OURSELVES AVAILABLE FOR INDIVIDUAL DISCUSSIONS WITH YOU, WHICH MANY OF YOU TOOK US UP ON AND GOT MORE IDEAS THERE.

ALL OF THIS INFORMATION HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PRINCIPLES. WE ALSO GAINED VERY VALUABLE INSIGHTS THROUGH LISTENING SESSIONS.

WE HELD 5 LISTENING SESSIONS, 3 WITH OUR VOLUNTEERS, 2 WITH STAFF.

WE HAD APPROXIMATELY 100 FOLKS PARTICIPATE IN THESE.

THE BIGGEST MESSAGE FROM THE LISTENING SESSIONS IS EVERYONE IS GLAD WE HAVE VOLUNTEERS, WHICH IS GOOD.

THEY'RE GRATEFUL FOR THEM.

THEY'RE GLAD WE HAVE THEM.

THEY ALL THEY ADD TO OUR STAFF EFFORTS AND ARE REALLY IMPORTANT AMBASSADORS AND CONDUITS BETWEEN THE DISTRICT AND THE COMMUNITY. ALSO, OUR STAFF WERE RECOGNIZED AS BEING SUPPORTIVE OF THE VOLUNTEERS AND THAT THEY DO REALLY RECOGNIZE AND APPRECIATE THE VOLUNTEERS' WORK.

IT ALSO CAME THROUGH STRONGLY THAT VOLUNTEERS WANT TO DO MORE. SO SETTING UP PRINCIPLES THAT WILL LEAD TO A CONTEMPORARY ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY WILL DEFINITELY SUPPORT THIS. I'M GOING TO HAND THIS SLIDE OVER TO JESS, BUT I WANT TO SAY OUR WORK WITH THE ARTICLE 19 COMMITTEE WAS ANOTHER WAY WE GAINED IMPORTANT INSIGHTS AND FEEDBACK.

THANKS, SANDY. YEAH, THE ARTICLE 19 COMMITTEE IS COMPRISED OF BOTH MANAGERS AND UNION-REPRESENTED STAFF, AND WE'RE ABSOLUTELY THRILLED TO SEE IT BACK IN ACTION.

THE COMMITTEE CAME TOGETHER TO REVIEW AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON THE INFORMATION THAT WE'RE SHARING WITH YOU TODAY.

THE UNION IN PARTICULAR ASKED THOUGHTFUL QUESTIONS AND ADDED VALUABLE ELEMENTS TO THE VOLUNTEER PRINCIPLES WE WILL BE PRESENTING HERE

[01:55:01]

MANAGEMENT AND THE UNION ARE COMMITTED TO CONTINUING THIS WORK TO DEVELOP CLEAR ADMINISTRATIVE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, AND THIS COLLABORATION REPRESENTS REPRESENTS AN IMPORTANT STEP TOWARDS CREATING A MORE CONSISTENT, SUPPORTIVE, AND SUSTAINABLE STRUCTURE FOR VOLUNTEER SERVICES ACROSS THE DISTRICT.

GREAT. SO TODAY WE'RE LOOKING FOR ADOPTION OF A BOARD RESOLUTION CONFIRMING OUR VOLUNTEER PRINCIPLES. I WANT TO REVIEW THESE.

AND I WANT TO SAY OUR FIRST PRINCIPLE WAS REALLY GENERATED THROUGH OUR WORK WITH THE ARTICLE 19 COMMITTEE. SO FIRST, WE'LL START OFF WITH ROLE CLARITY.

VOLUNTEERS PROVIDE VALUABLE SUPPORT TO THE DISTRICT, BUT THEY DO NOT REPLACE OR SERVE AS SUBSTITUTES FOR STAFF.

SUSTAINABLE THERE IS A STRONG DESIRE FROM PARK USERS TO PARTICIPATE AND GROW THE SCOPE OF THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM, BUT THE PROGRAM SHOULD ONLY BE SIZED UP APPROPRIATELY.

TRAINING AND SUPPORT STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS SHOULD HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS NEEDED TO MEANINGFULLY ENGAGE WITH EACH OTHER AND THE DISTRICT AND THE PUBLIC. MANAGING RISK WE MANAGE AND WHEN POSSIBLE REDUCE AND ELIMINATE RISK.

COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS VOLUNTEERS ADD ENERGY AND ENTHUSIASM AND SUPPORT THE DISTRICT'S MISSION WITH SUPPORT COMMUNITY MEMBERS MAKING MEANINGFUL CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR PARKS AND CONNECT WITH ONE ANOTHER.

STEWARDSHIP WE CONNECT VOLUNTEERS TO THE PARKS IN A WAY THAT INSPIRES A SENSE OF CARING AND RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE RESOURCES AND THE LAND.

INCLUSIVITY.

THE DISTRICT STRIVES TO ENSURE OUR VOLUNTEERS REPRESENT THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE EAST BAY AND OFFERS A WIDE VARIETY OF VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE WITH ALL ABILITIES. SAFETY.

WE VALUE THE SAFETY OF OUR VOLUNTEERS AND STAFF AND ACT ACCORDINGLY.

WE SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT OF CLEAR EXPECTATIONS, GUIDELINES, POLICY, AND PROCEDURE. ENGAGEMENT.

WE FOSTER MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN VOLUNTEERS, STAFF, AND THE DISTRICT BY PRIORITIZING CLEAR, CONTINUOUS COMMUNICATION AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR ONGOING LEARNING.

WE'RE ALSO ASKING FOR RESCISSION OF PREVIOUS RESOLUTIONS.

THOUGH THERE ARE DEFINITELY SOME GOOD IDEAS IN THESE RESOLUTIONS, THESE DOCUMENTS, I'M SURE AS YOU'VE REVIEWED, ARE VERY OUTDATED. THE RESOLUTIONS, ESPECIALLY THE 1990 RESOLUTION, SEEMS TO FRAME VOLUNTEERS AS UNPAID STAFF.

WE WANT TO MOVE AWAY FROM THIS AND THAT VOLUNTEERS ARE MUCH MORE AKIN TO PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS. THE 1990 POLICY ALSO TALKS ABOUT OTHER SOURCES OF OUTSIDE LABOR, AND THIS IS OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM. SO IN REVIEW, WE'RE ASKING FOR THE BOARD ACTION THAT ADOPTS THE PRINCIPLES FOR VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS, INCLUDING RESCISSION OF PREVIOUS RESOLUTIONS, AND JESS AND I ARE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.

GREAT, THANKS SO MUCH FOR THIS. I'M NOT SURE IF MY MICROPHONE'S ON. SO, WE'LL NOW BRING IT BACK TO BOARD MEMBERS FOR QUESTIONS.

I KNOW THAT WE PREVIOUSLY HAD THIS ON THE AGENDA, I BELIEVE BACK IN APRIL AND I REQUESTED TO HAVE THIS REMOVED SO THAT WE COULD WORK WITH THE ARTICLE 19 GROUP AND AFME, AND I WAS JUST WONDERING IF YOU COULD SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED BETWEEN APRIL AND TODAY IN REGARDS TO THAT EFFORT. SURE, WE CONFERRED WITH THE ARTICLE 19 GROUP AND WE GOT SOME VALUABLE CONCRETE FEEDBACK, WHICH IS REFLECTED IN A COUPLE I THINK CHANGE OF ONE BULLET POINT AND AN ADDITION OF ANOTHER BULLET POINT IN THE RESOLUTION, AS WELL AS ADDING THE PRINCIPLE THAT I REFERRED TO, WHICH WAS ROLE CLARITY.

THANK YOU.

THANKS. ANY BOARD MEMBER QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM? I HAVE A QUESTION. GO FOR IT.

YOU PROBABLY CONSIDERED THIS.

SO WHY WASN'T EDUCATION ONE OF THE PRINCIPLES? IF YOU LOOK UNDER I BELIEVE EDUCATION IS INCLUDED IN EDUCATION OF OURSELVES AND OUR VOLUNTEERS IS INCLUDED IN TRAINING. SO WE CONSIDER THAT.

EDUCATION. AND THEN COMMUNITY, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ENGAGEMENT, THAT SORT OF TALKS ABOUT EDUCATION AS WELL. I JUST FOR ME, I THINK THAT'S THE GREATEST OPPORTUNITY.

SOME OF MY OWN GODDAUGHTERS, NIECES HAVE ALL TRIED TO VOLUNTEER, AND THE SCHOOLS REQUIRE THAT.

AND EVEN WHAT YOU SAID EARLIER ABOUT ONCE THEY LEARN ABOUT US, SO IT'S JUST SUCH A HIGH POINT. I PERSONALLY WOULD LOVE TO SEE IT BROKEN OUT, BUT I'LL TRUST STAFF IF YOU LIKE I SAID, I ASSUME YOU LOOKED THROUGH IT AND MADE A DECISION NOT TO.

THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS WHAT HAPPENS BETWEEN NOW RESCINDING AND WHEN WE GO IN AGAIN? I MEAN, THEY'RE DISJOINTED. THEY

[02:00:01]

BUT, YOU KNOW, WOULDN'T IT MAKE MORE SENSE, OR DID YOU CONSIDER RESCINDING AT THE TIME WE COME BACK TO THE BOARD AND WHATEVER IT LOOKS LIKE ON THE TIME CHART.

THANK YOU. YES, OF COURSE, THIS IS ALL NEW TO THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABOUT HOW TO DO THIS TYPE OF THING. SO WE'VE BEEN LEARNING ALONG THE WAY.

BUT AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THE RESOLUTION TODAY WOULD GO AHEAD AND ASK OUR GM TO GIVE US DIRECTION TO GO AHEAD AND DEVELOP AN ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY THAT WE WOULD DO IN JOINT COOPERATION WITH THE UNION. SO IT WOULD BE ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY CREATED WITH THE UNION THAT WE COULD THEN UTILIZE WITH OUR STAFF. SO IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE ACTUALLY IN ORDER TO PROCEED, IT NEEDS TO BE RESCINDED, IN ESSENCE.

YES, BECAUSE I THINK THE ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY BEING MODERN AND UP TO DATE WOULD BE IN PROBABLY IN SOME WAYS IN CONFLICT WITH THE PREVIOUS RESOLUTIONS, ESPECIALLY JUST THERE'S A LOT OF THERE'S IF YOU READ THE RESOLUTIONS, THERE'S A LOT OF ERRORS AND MENTIONING ENTIRE DEPARTMENTS AND DIVISIONS THAT DON'T EXIST AND FORMS THAT DON'T THAT ARE JUST, I DON'T KNOW, IN THE RESOLUTION BUT MAYBE NOWHERE ELSE. SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE CAN GO AHEAD TAKING THE GOOD PIECES AND ANYTHING PHILOSOPHICALLY THAT'S USEFUL, BUT START FRESH WITH A MORE MODERN ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY.

AND THIS WILL COME BACK TO US.

LOOKS LIKE AT THE END OF THE YEAR, BEGINNING OF 2027, IT'LL COME BACK TO US FOR APPROVAL? I DON'T BELIEVE THE BOARD USUALLY TAKES UP ADMINISTRATIVE POLICIES.

THAT'S I WONDERED. YEAH, I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S ANOTHER STEP WITH THE BOARD.

I MEAN, I THINK WE CAN THINK ABOUT WHAT NEXT STEPS. I MEAN, IN SOME WAYS WHAT I'M THINKING IS LIKE, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A REGULAR UPDATE ON THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM OVERALL, BUT I THINK AT THE BOARD OPERATING COMMITTEE. I MEAN, WE COULD BRING THAT TO THE ENTIRE BOARD IF, LIKE, BECAUSE I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS IS AS WE MOVE FORWARD, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO GIVE YOUR BOARD FEEDBACK ON HOW THIS IS GOING.

YEAH, 2 THINGS. SO IN BETWEEN NOW WHEN WE RESCIND THE OLD POLICIES AND WHEN WE START THE NEW ONES. SO WILL IT JUST BE SORT OF STATUS QUO, WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE, WE'LL CONTINUE WITH THAT? YES, IT WILL BE STATUS QUO BEFORE WE'RE ABLE TO FINALIZE AND WORK WITH OUR UNION TO CREATE THE NEW ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY.

OKAY, AND THEN HERE IT DOES SAY THAT THE POLICY AND PROCEDURE ADOPTION WILL BE IN THE FALL OF 2026. IS THAT THAT SOUNDS REALLY FAST. SO I WAS JUST WONDERING WHAT YOU THINK.

IDEALLY, IF WE CONSIDER FALL GOES INTO DECEMBER. YEAH, SURE. TECHNICALLY TILL DECEMBER 21ST.

THAT WOULD BE OUR GOAL.

WE'LL SEE. OK, THAT SOUNDS GREAT.

AND I DO I THINK IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO AT LEAST HAVE AN INFORMATION ITEM ON THIS. GOING FORWARD TO, YOU KNOW, I'D LOVE TO I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE THAT, WELL, ALL OF US HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT AND TALKING ABOUT FOR SOME TIME. AND I KNOW WE ALL HAVE VERY ACTIVE VOLUNTEERS AND PEOPLE WHO WANT TO DO EVEN MORE AND FEEL CONSTRAINED BY THE CURRENT STRUCTURE.

SO I'M REALLY VERY INTERESTED TO SEE, YOU KNOW, HOW THESE PRINCIPLES ACTUALLY TURN INTO POLICY AND WHAT ALL THAT LOOKS LIKE. GREAT. ANY OTHER BOARD QUESTIONS? YES, GO AHEAD.

SO MY EARLIER QUESTIONS WERE ACTUALLY DIRECTOR ECCLES ASKED, BUT I DO HAVE BECAUSE THESE POLICIES DEFINITELY NEED TO BE RESCINDED, AND 1990 WAS I THINK HAD A LOT OF VALUES THAT WERE VERY CONFLICTING TO EVEN WHAT STATUS QUO IS TODAY.

BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF WE COULD BRING THIS OVERALL REPORT TO THE FULL BOARD BECAUSE YOU'RE ADDRESSING A LOT OF ISSUES THAT WE I THINK THAT WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH IN OUR DISTRICTS, ESPECIALLY IN MY AREA.

THERE'S A LOT OF ROGUE VOLUNTEERS WHO LOVE TO PICK UP TRASH AT MLK.

SO JUST KIND OF LIKE LOOKING AT WHAT THE NEW POLICIES ARE AND THEN JUST MAYBE SOME OF THOSE ISSUES THAT COME UP TOWARD LIKE HOW THIS NEW POLICY ADDRESSES THEM.

BECAUSE SOMETIMES THERE'S BEEN QUESTIONS ABOUT THERE'S NOT ENOUGH SPOTS OR WHAT ARE SOME OF THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT WE MIGHT BE SUNSETTING AND FOR WHAT REASONS.

BUT JUST KIND OF A NICE OVERVIEW AND THEN KIND OF WHAT THAT GOING FORWARD, AND THEN HOW AS BOARD MEMBERS,

[02:05:02]

THANK YOU. ADMINISTRATIVE GUIDELINES. BUT YES, EXCITED TO SEE THIS MOVE FORWARD.

AND THEN THANK YOU ALSO FOR GIVING US AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE INPUT BECAUSE A LOT OF US STARTED OUT AS VOLUNTEERS EITHER AT OUR COMPANIES. WHEN I WORKED AT AT&T, WE DID THE ERGS. WE ALL PARTNERED WITH EAST BAY PARKS TO DO A CLEANUP OVER NEAR SAN RAMON.

SO I THINK WE'RE ALL INVESTED IN HOW THIS MOVES. THANK YOU.

COLIN, I THINK DID YOU? NO, YOU'RE GOOD.

OKAY. GO AHEAD, JOHN. YEAH, I'M WONDERING IF IS IT THE INTENTION OR THE GOAL TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE AS A RESULT OF THIS OR AS A RESULT OF SOME OTHER POLICY? WE ONE OF OUR PRINCIPLES IS SUSTAINABLE, AND SO CERTAINLY WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE PROGRAMMING EXPAND.

HOWEVER, WE DO ALSO NEED TO STAY WITHIN THE CONSTRAINTS OF THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE. OKAY, THANKS. I FREQUENTLY GET QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW DO I FORM A VOLUNTEER GROUP TO DO X, Y, OR Z.

AND I USUALLY REFER AND TELL ME IF THIS IS CORRECT GO TO EBPARKS.ORG AND THERE'S A VOLUNTEER PAGE AND PEOPLE CAN CLICK AND GET TO THE LOCATION APPROPRIATE.

AND IS THAT WORKING WELL? BECAUSE I REFER PEOPLE TO IT ALL THE TIME, BUT I DON'T HEAR BACK.

IT WORKS OKAY. YEAH, I THINK IT'S WORKING QUITE WELL. WE ALSO HAVE A SHARED VOLUNTEER EMAIL AND A VOLUNTEER, LIKE, PHONE LINE.

SO IF YOU DIRECT PEOPLE TO VOLUNTEERS WITH AN S AT THE END AT PBPARKS.ORG, OUR TEAM WILL BE HAPPY TO HELP THEM. BECAUSE IT'S REALLY COOL ABOUT OUR JOB IS WE GET A LOT OF THAT FEEDBACK.

AND I DO AS AN AMBASSADOR, RIGHT? I'M AT THE TABLES ALL THE TIME AND PEOPLE WANT I HAVE A LITTLE ACTUAL BROCHURE ON VOLUNTEERING THAT I CAN GIVE PEOPLE THERE. THE OTHER THING IS I THINK ALL OF US, WE FREQUENTLY GET QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW I CAN VOLUNTEER OR JOIN A GROUP THAT DOES TRAIL MAINTENANCE. AND THAT ALWAYS TRIGGERS IN MY MIND, WELL, TRAIL MAINTENANCE IS AN ISSUE.

I SPEAK AT LEAST ON AN ANNUAL BASIS WITH SCOTT BARTLEBOUGH OR OTHERS IN TERMS OF WHAT'S GOING ON THE SUGAR CITY TRAIL UP AT CROCKETT HILL. AND HOW THAT GROUP WOULD LOVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO DOWN AND TAKE, TAKE ALL THIS EQUIPMENT AND FIX UP THOSE TRAILS AND DO IT. AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE TOLD NO BECAUSE AT THAT POINT THEY'VE CROSSED THE LINE INTO DOING STAFF WORK.

SO MY RECOMMENDATION IS, AS YOU PROCEED TO DEVELOP THIS NEW POLICY OR THESE PROCEDURES, IS TRY TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT REALLY WELL DEFINES WHAT THAT LINE IS. BECAUSE THAT IN TURN WILL MAKE IT EASIER FOR ME TO SAY, YES, YOU CAN DO THAT, OR NO, YOU CAN'T DO THAT. AND IT'S PROBABLY BEYOND TRAIL MAINTENANCE.

THERE'S PROBABLY OTHER AREAS OF VOLUNTEER WORK THAT POTENTIALLY CROSS THE LINE INTO WHAT OUR STAFF DOES. SO MY SUGGESTION IS SIMPLY, IT'D BE HELPFUL BOTH TO POTENTIAL VOLUNTEERS AND WE AS REFERRALS TO HAVE A PRETTY GOOD DESCRIPTION OF THAT AND EXAMPLES OF IT IN THAT DESCRIPTION SO THAT THE FOLKS CAN EASILY UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE SAYING NO, FOR INSTANCE. THANK YOU.

YEAH, SO WITH THE TIMELINE, SO WE'RE HOPING BY LATE FALL TO HAVE SOME TYPE OF ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY THAT WILL BE DEVELOPED AND DRAFTED. AND THEN I DO AGREE WITH THE RECOMMENDATION TO HAVE THAT COME BACK AS AN INFORMATIONAL ITEM TO THE

[02:10:02]

I KNOW I HAVE SEVERAL EAGER LEADERS IN SOME OF THE DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES IN EASTERN AND SOUTHERN ALAMEDA COUNTY THAT ARE LOOKING TO FORM VOLUNTEER GROUPS, AND I HAVE MENTIONED THAT THIS PROCESS IS UNDERWAY. AND SO I THINK THE TIMING WITH THE TIMELINE IS QUITE GOOD, AND MAYBE 2027, ONCE, YOU KNOW, THE POLICY'S BEEN DEVELOPED AND PRESENTED AS AN INFORMATIONAL ITEM, IT MIGHT ALSO THEN BE HELPFUL TO THINK ABOUT DURING THIS IMPLEMENTATION PERIOD SOME TYPE OF OUTREACH WITH GROUPS. SO I KNOW THAT THERE WAS THE COMMENT ABOUT MAYBE HAVING A POSTCARD ABOUT VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS, AND THAT MIGHT BE FOR SOME OF OUR EXISTING VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS, BUT THEN ALSO THERE IS PENT-UP DEMAND FOR EVEN A ADDITIONAL BEYOND THE EXISTING PROGRAMS. AND SO MAYBE BEING ABLE TO PARTNER WITH THE DIFFERENT BOARD DIRECTORS WHO HAVE KIND OF THAT SENSE OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE THAT PENT-UP DEMAND FOR DEVELOPING SOME ADDITIONAL AND NEW BUT SCALABLE AND SUSTAINABLE VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS, I THINK WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL TO HAVE AS PART OF THE 2027 IMPLEMENTATION PLAN. THANK YOU. OKAY.

WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMENTS AND/OR ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, BUT LET'S GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT NOW.

THANK YOU. WE HAVE ONE PUBLIC COMMENT IN PERSON, JIM HANSEN, AND THEN WE HAVE SEVERAL HANDS UP ONLINE.

AFTERNOON, CHAIR SAN WONG, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. JIM HUDSON, CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY CONSERVATION COMMITTEE CHAIR. AS YOU KNOW, THE THIS CHAPTER HAS BEEN CONTRIBUTING VOLUNTEERS TO DO THE ACTUALLY VERY GRATIFYING WORK OF INVASIVE WEED REMOVAL IN MANY PARKS FOR MANY YEARS.

AND ONE OF OUR COMMITTEE CHAIRS, DIANE LENK, HAS CONTRIBUTED, I WOULD SAY BY NOW, 3 DECADES OF TAKING BOTANICALLY SKILLED VOLUNTEERS OUT INTO THE PARKLANDS AND IDENTIFYING AND THEN LATER MONITORING SOME OF THE KIND OF THE WILDFLOWER THE NATIVE GRASSES, THE HABITAT-SUPPORTING RARE SHRUBS THAT PEOPLE SEE BIRDS IN THAT REALLY GIVE A QUALITY OF LIFE TO OUR EXPERIENCE WHEN WE'RE OUT WALKING, WALKING OR RIDING ON THE TRAILS. WE'RE REALLY GLAD TO SEE THE PROGRESS TOWARDS THE NEW VOLUNTEER POLICY. THE AND I WILL ADD TO THAT THAT WE'RE SEEING AN INCREDIBLE DESIRE BY THE PUBLIC TO HELP TO CONTRIBUTE AND HAVE BEEN WORKING SUCCESSFULLY WITH STAFF AND WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE WORKING SUCCESSFULLY WITH STAFF ON RESTORATION AND RECOVERY PROJECTS IN THE PARKS.

AS YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE A LOT OF LAND TO MANAGE, A LOT OF LANDSCAPES. THERE'S A LOT OF COMPLEXITY OUT THERE. AND WE HAVE BOTH YOUNG PEOPLE, FAMILIES, AND A LOT OF VERY HIGHLY SKILLED RETIRED PROFESSIONALS THAT I SAW THE ON THE SLIDE, THE SPECIALIZED RESTORATION VOLUNTEERS THAT ARE EAGER TO HAVE A WORKING POLICY TO MOVE FORWARD.

I THINK THAT ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS I'M HERE TODAY IS THAT SPRING IS KIND OF AROUND THE CORNER, BUT ACTUALLY THE GROWING SEASON, WHICH WE CONSIDER A LOT OF WEEDS TOO THE STARTHISTLE, THE BROOM, THE STINKWORT THEY'RE STARTING TO COME UP KIND OF LATE WINTER. AND WE'VE GOT AN EL NI O, I GUESS. SO WE'VE GOT A LOT OF WORK AHEAD OF US IN THE YEAR AHEAD.

AND TO REALLY MAKE PROGRESS, IT'S IT'S IMPORTANT TO GET ON THAT EARLY WHEN IT'S EASIER.

AND SO WE'RE GLAD TO HEAR THAT IT'S KIND OF ON BOARD TO KIND OF GET MOVED OUT LATE FALL, READY FOR THE, FOR THE NEW YEAR. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. THERE'S NO MORE PUBLIC COMMENT IN PERSON, SO WE WILL GO ONLINE. I'M GOING TO START WITH MISHA BECAUSE I I JUST WANT TO DOUBLE CHECK.

OKAY, MISHA, YOU MAY UNMUTE

[02:15:03]

IT'S GOING TO BE OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO ANNOUNCE IT AS PUBLIC COMMENTS. SO I'LL CALL ON YOU THEN. AMELIA MARSHALL.

GOOD AFTERNOON. CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? YES, WE CAN. MY NAME IS AMELIA MARSHALL.

I AM A 27-YEAR TRAIL SAFETY VOLUNTEER AND 14-YEAR VOLUNTEER FOR THE ARCHIVES AND HISTORY CENTER. I'M SPEAKING AS AN INDIVIDUAL TODAY. THERE ARE A FEW OF US WHO VOLUNTEER IN DIFFERENT CAPACITIES.

THIS PROVIDES THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THINGS AT THE DISTRICT FROM VARIOUS ANGLES. JERRY KENT USED TO SAY THE PARK DISTRICT MANAGERS THINK THEY CAN DO EVERYTHING IN-HOUSE EXCEPT WHEN THEY LIKE TO APPOINT EXPERTS TO CONSULT. SO IT'S NOT SURPRISING TO ME THAT I'VE NEVER SEEN THE OUTDATED MANUAL FOR VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT THAT THE BOARD IS NOW BEING ASKED TO RESCIND.

IT MUST HAVE BEEN TOP SECRET.

I ATTENDED ONE OF THE ZOOM SESSIONS WHERE VOLUNTEERS WERE INTERVIEWED BY INR STAFF TO GATHER INPUT FOR THE NEW MANUAL. MY BIG TAKEAWAY IS HOW MUCH THE VARIOUS VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS IN THE PARK DISTRICT ARE SILOED.

STAFF IN VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS DON'T KNOW WHAT THE OTHERS ARE DOING WITH VOLUNTEERS.

WE ARE NOW TOO NUMEROUS TO FIT INTO THE PICNIC PAVILION AT COAL CANYON TO EAT BARBECUE PREPARED BY THE MANAGERS ANYMORE. THE BROTHERS AND SISTERS FROM LOCAL 2428 HAVE EXPRESSED REASONABLE CONCERNS THAT VOLUNTEERS MUST NOT DISPLACE STAFF.

THERE ARE FEW PEOPLE WHO ARE BIGGER ADVOCATES FOR UNIONS THAN I AM. OUR FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE BEEN UNION PEOPLE FOR GENERATIONS. MY GRANDFATHER WAS A FOUNDER OF THE HOD CARRIERS UNION IN KANSAS CITY.

I'M A PROUD RETIREE FROM CWA LOCAL 9119 AT UC BERKELEY, SO I'M VERY SYMPATHETIC TO UNION CONCERNS.

BUT THERE ARE PLENTY OF EXAMPLES WHERE VOLUNTEERS CAN BE HELPFUL WITH NO RISK TO UNIONIZED WORKERS. HERE'S AN EXAMPLE.

AT LAKE TEMESCAL, THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS RECENT CASES OF BIRDS GETTING TRAPPED IN DISCARDED FISHING NETS, INCLUDING A GREAT HORNED OWL THAT WAS HANGED FROM A TREE. THE OWL WAS RESCUED BY A GUY WHO HAPPENED TO HAVE A LADDER, A TREE WORKER. THE OWL SURVIVED AFTER A TRIP TO THE WILDLIFE REHAB CENTER AND WAS RE-RELEASED INTO THE WILD.

THERE IS AN AD HOC CITIZENS GROUP THAT PATROLS THE TEMESCAL LAKE SHORE TO PICK UP DISCARDED NETS AND OTHER DETRITUS. JEFF MANKER, OUR GOLDEN GATE BIRD ALLIANCE REPRESENTATIVE TO THE REGIONAL PARKS ASSOCIATION, REPORTS THAT THESE LAKE TEMESCAL NEIGHBORS ARE GETTING CHEWED OUT BY PARK STAFF INSTEAD OF BEING THANKED FOR THEIR HELP PICKING UP THE NETS.

THEY MUST BE CONSIDERED ROGUE VOLUNTEERS.

BUT THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE.

VOLUNTEERS CAN BACKFILL IN SITUATIONS WHERE THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH STAFF TO GO AROUND. THIS IS TRUE BOTH IN HIGHLY ORGANIZED UNITS LIKE THE BTSP AND FOR CASUAL VOLUNTEERS LIKE AT LAKE TEMESCAL.

THANK YOU. IN CONCLUSION, I'D LIKE TO NOTE THAT THE MIC IS THANK YOU, YOUR TIME IS UP.

FUNKY, SO YOU MIGHT WANT TO HAVE A TECHNICAL CHECK.

SCOTT BARTABAUGH, YOU MAY UNMUTE YOURSELF. PRESIDENT SANDLONG, DIRECTORS, GENERAL MANAGER CORTON, AND STAFF, SCOTT BARTABAUGH COMMENTING ON BEHALF OF BICYCLE TRAILS COUNCIL OF THE EAST BAY AND OUR MEMBERSHIP, AND ASK YOU TO APPROVE THE PROPOSED RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE PRINCIPLES FOR THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS, INCLUDING THE RESCISSION OF PREVIOUS VOLUNTEER PROGRAM RESOLUTIONS. WE ASK THAT YOU SUPPORT FURTHER WORK TO DEVELOP DOCUMENTS BASED ON THE PRINCIPLES TO PROVIDE DEFINITION FOR CURRENT WORK AND MOST IMPORTANTLY FOR FUTURE VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES.

BTCEB HAS PARTNERED WITH THE DISTRICT ON VOLUNTEER TRAIL STEWARDSHIP AT CROCKETT HILLS FOR WELL OVER A DECADE AND HAS PARTICIPATED IN LESS REGULAR TRAIL STEWARDSHIP AT A VARIETY OF PARKS INCLUDING PLEASANTON RIDGE, BRIONES, TILDEN WILDCAT, AND LAKE CHABOT. WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE UPDATE OF THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM TO MAKE IT EASIER TO ESTABLISH MORE REGULAR OPPORTUNITIES AT OTHER PARKS SUCH AS WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PARTNER WITH AT CROCKETT HILLS. WE UNDERSTAND VOLUNTEERS REQUIRE RESOURCES TO MANAGE AND TO MAKE THEM A NET PRODUCTIVE EFFORT IN THE DIRECT SENSE.

WE'RE EAGER TO PARTNER TO HELP MAKE USE OF VOLUNTEERS MORE EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE. ESTABLISHING NEW VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES IS CHALLENGING. IN ADDITION TO DIRECT PRODUCTIVITY BENEFITS, VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

[02:20:01]

WE SEE VOLUNTEER TRAIL STEWARDSHIP AS A PARTICULARLY A PARTICULAR OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE THE MOUNTAIN BIKE COMMUNITY.

ENGAGEMENT OF YOUTH MOUNTAIN BIKERS THROUGH THE NUMEROUS MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL TEAMS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD INROADS TO THE LONG-TERM STEWARDS OF THE FUTURE. VEGETATION MANAGEMENT IS A PARTICULARLY CHALLENGING OPPORTUNITY.

WE UNDERSTAND THAT VOLUNTEERS DO NOT REPLACE PAID STAFF.

AT CURRENT STAFFING, THOUGH, IT IS ROUTINE EVERY SEASON FOR TRAILS TO BE OVERGROWN FOR WEEKS AND SOMETIMES MONTHS SUCH THAT USER EXPERIENCE IS SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED. WHEN THIS WORK GETS DONE, IT IS OFTEN ACCOMPLISHED BY A CONSERVATION CREW TYPE RESOURCE AND NOT STAFF.

THE VOLUME OF THIS WORK MAKES IT IMPRACTICAL TO BE ACCOMPLISHED SOLELY BY HAND WITHOUT ANY POWER TOOLS. WE ASK THAT YOU MAKE IT A PRIORITY TO FIND SOLUTIONS, WHETHER THEY INVOLVE VOLUNTEERS, PAID STAFF, CONSERVATION CREWS, OR OTHER MEANS, SUCH THAT SINGLETRACK TRAILS CAN REMAIN OPEN AND USABLE DURING PEAK GROWING SEASON AND BEYOND. THESE ARE OFTEN THE MOST ENJOYABLE TIMES TO BE IN THE OPEN SPACES.

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT. PLEASE REACH OUT AS THIS UPDATE OF THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM CONTINUES, AND WE'RE EAGER TO HELP IN ANY WAY THAT WE CAN.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. WHITNEY, YOU MAY UNMUTE YOURSELF. YES, HI THERE.

MY NAME IS WHITNEY GROVER, AND I'M THE DIRECTOR OF CONSERVATION FOR GOLDEN GATE BIRD ALLIANCE. AND I JUST WANTED TO EXPRESS MY SUPPORT FOR THIS POLICY REVISION.

AND I THINK BOTH THE STAFF PRESENTERS, THE BOARD, AND THE OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS HAVE REALLY DONE A GOOD JOB OF EXPLAINING WHY VOLUNTEERISM IS IMPORTANT.

AND I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT OUR ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT TO MANAGE VOLUNTEERS TO HELP STEWARD PIECES OF THE PARKS FOR BIRD HABITAT AND OTHER WILDLIFE. AND SO I REALLY WANT TO ECHO THAT WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING THE NEW POLICY INCLUDE A PATHWAY FOR PARTNERSHIP WITH ORGANIZATIONS LIKE OURS SO THAT WE CAN NOT REPLACE STAFF BY ANY MEANS, BUT RATHER SUPPORT STAFF.

THERE'S STILL MUCH WORK TO BE DONE, AND, YOU KNOW, THE INVASIVE PLANT SPECIES CONTROL AND SOME OF THESE OTHER ISSUES ARE SORT OF NEVER-ENDING.

AND WE HAVE SO MANY VOLUNTEERS THAT THROUGH THE ANGLE OF BIRDS WANT TO HELP, WANT TO HELP STEWARD THE LAND AND HELP WITH THAT VOLUNTEERISM. AND SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING A PATHWAY TO HELP SUPPORT YOU ALL IN THE WORK THAT YOU DO MANAGING ALL OF THIS INCREDIBLE HABITAT.

SO, YEAH, LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS, AND I HOPE TO SEE THAT SORT OF PATHWAY FOR ORGANIZATION PARTNERSHIP IN THE NEW VOLUNTEER POLICY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COURT COOPER, YOU MAY UNMUTE YOURSELF.

OKAY, THANK YOU. I'M HERE TO APPLAUD YOUR EFFORTS TO IMPROVE YOUR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM AND ASK YOU TO MOVE FORWARD AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE ON IT. I ALSO ASK THAT YOUR WORKING GROUP REACH OUT TO SEVERAL GROUPS THAT HAVE THUS FAR BEEN OVERLOOKED AND CAN OFFER SOME VALUABLE INPUT.

MOST OF YOU, I THINK, ARE PROBABLY AWARE THAT I'M I'M THE HEAD COACH OF THE WILDCAT COMPOSITE MIDDLE SCHOOL TEAM THAT I FOUNDED 14 YEARS AGO. WE HAVE ABOUT 200 YOUTH AND PARENT RIDERS THAT RIDE IN WILDCAT AND TILDEN MULTIPLE TIMES A WEEK, AND THERE ARE ABOUT A TOTAL OF 600 NICA RIDERS IN THE ENTIRE PARK DISTRICT THAT HAVE BEEN LARGELY UNTAPPED SO FAR BY THE DISTRICT IN TERMS OF VOLUNTEER EFFORTS.

FROM THE BEGINNING, MY TEAM HAS REQUIRED ALL OF OUR KIDS TO PARTICIPATE IN ONE TRAIL WORK DAY PER SEASON.

JESSICA AND HER TEAM JUST GAVE YOU DID A GREAT JOB OF SUMMARIZING ALL THE GOOD REASONS WE REQUIRE THIS, SO I WON'T REPEAT THOSE NOW.

FOR A DECADE OR MORE, WE APPROACHED THE DISTRICT TRYING TO VOLUNTEER AT TILDEN AND WILDCAT, WHERE WE DO THE MAJORITY OF OUR RIDING. BUT GOT VERY LITTLE INTEREST.

I GET THAT, YOU KNOW, PARK SUPERVISORS CAN'T FREQUENTLY HOST VOLUNTEERS GIVEN THE PRESENT RULES AND THEIR STAFF CONSTRAINTS. THAT'S WHY WE NEED CHANGE. SO WITHOUT LOCAL OPPORTUNITIES,

[02:25:01]

I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT THE LACK OF VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES HAS GOTTEN SLOWLY BETTER THANKS TO THE EFFORTS BY PARK SUPERVISORS, BY THE RECENT PARK SUPERVISORS, AND BY THE VOLUNTEERS AND JESSICA'S DEPARTMENT. BUT WE COULD DO SO MUCH MORE IF YOU GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY.

IN ADDITION TO THE POOL OF 600 NICA MOUNTAIN BIKERS, THERE'S ALSO ANOTHER MAJOR SOURCE OF UNTAPPED VOLUNTEER THAT YOUR EXISTING STAFF STUDY SEEMS TO HAVE OVERLOOKED, THE 30,000 MEMBERS OF THE SIERRA CLUB IN THE BAY AREA CHAPTER.

AS A MEMBER OF THE EAST BAY PUBLIC LANDS COMMITTEE OF THE SIERRA CLUB, I CO-AUTHORED A LETTER 2 YEARS AGO IN WHICH WE POINTED OUT TO THE BOARD THAT THE PRESENT, THE PRESENT NEED TO INCREASE TRAIL MAINTENANCE, AND WE OFFERED TO HELP. THAT LETTER WAS NEVER ANSWERED. I APPLAUD THE EAST BAY PARKS EFFORTS TO LOOK AT THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM NOW AND IMPROVE IT, BUT I NOTE THAT THEY HAVE NOT REACHED OUT TO GET INPUT FROM THESE MAJOR PLAYERS LIKE OUR LOCAL NICA BIKE TEAMS, THE BICYCLE TRAILS COUNCIL OF THE EAST BAY, OR THE SIERRA CLUB.

I URGE THEM TO DO SO. PLEASE CONTACT SCOTT OR MYSELF FOR FURTHER CONVERSATIONS.

THANKS.

THANK YOU. THERE IS NO MORE PUBLIC COMMENT.

OKAY, WONDERFUL. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT, WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD FOR ANY FINAL COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, AND THEN WE ARE LOOKING TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION, AND THAT RESOLUTION CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE 127 IN OUR PACKETS.

GO AHEAD, DR. JUST AS A FINAL COMMENT, AND SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES ALREADY SAID THIS, AND CERTAINLY THE WE HEARD IT IN THE COMMENTS LOUD AND CLEAR THAT WHEN YOU'RE DEVELOPING THESE FUTURE POLICIES, PLEASE, PLEASE LOOK FOR MORE OPPORTUNITIES AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT CERTAINLY AREN'T GOING TO REPLACE STAFF, BUT, BUT TO SUPPLEMENT THE WORK THAT HOPEFULLY MAKE IT EASIER FOR THEM, OR AT LEAST GET STUFF DONE THAT'S NOT GETTING DONE. YOU KNOW, I KNOW, AS IT ACTUALLY AS COURT WAS JUST SAYING, JUST THE OPPORTUNITY SOME OF THESE YOUTH ARE SO EXCITED TO COME OUT AND WORK ON THE TRAILS ALONG WITH SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE.

SO IT WOULD JUST BE GREAT IF WE COULD MAKE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE. AND I KNOW THAT THEY CAN DO IT BECAUSE UNDER SUSTAINABILITY IS FACILITATING SUSTAINABLE GROWTH IN OUR VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS. UNDER ROLE CLARITY.

SO A LOT OF THE STUFF THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR AS A BOARD, I SEE IT REFLECTED IN WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING TODAY. SO I'M EXCITED TO MOVE THIS FORWARD. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU TOO THAT ARE COMMENTING. THE COMMENT WAS MADE, AND IT'S REALLY ACCURATE, THAT A LOT OF US, OR ALL OF US, WERE VOLUNTEERS AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER.

SO WE UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, THE CHALLENGES TO IT. WE UNDERSTAND THE POSSIBILITIES OF IT AS WELL. AND THOSE DOCENTS AND VOLUNTEERS ARE REALLY ENGAGED, AND THE ONES THAT THE ONES THAT COME BACK FOR SURE.

AND ONE OF THE I WAS A DOCENT AT THE CALIFORNIA STATE RAILROAD MUSEUM FOR 5 YEARS AND I WOULD TELL PEOPLE, I CAN'T BELIEVE THE STUFF THEY LET US DO. YOU KNOW, WITH EMPHASIS ON LET.

IT'S LIKE NOT MAKE, NOT HAVE, LET US DO.

LIKE WE GET TO HANDLE THESE HISTORIC DOCUMENTS OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE. THAT'S THE EXCITEMENT THAT WE HAVE TO KIND OF CAPTURE AND, AND UTILIZE. BUT WE HAVE TO DO IT IN THE RIGHT WAY.

AND I REALLY LIKE TO SEE THE PRINCIPLES ROLE CLARITY BEING ONE REALLY IMPORTANT.

AND THIS ARTICLE 19 COMMITTEE IS REALLY CRITICAL. WE'RE NOT THE ONLY ONES THAT ARE THE ONLY PUBLIC AGENCY THAT USES VOLUNTEERS.

WE'RE NOT THE ONLY ONES THAT FACE THESE CHALLENGES OF HOW DO YOU BALANCE THIS.

WE'RE NOT INTERESTED IN TAKING ANYBODY'S WORK AWAY FROM THEM OR TRYING TO CUT BACK ON THE NUMBER OF STAFF THAT WE HAVE.

BUT THERE'S A WAY THROUGH.

AND SO WE'RE ALL TRUSTING YOU TO COME UP WITH A WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT HAS BUY-IN FROM ALL SIDES, YOU KNOW.

AND THERE IS A WAY TO DO THAT. THERE WAS ANOTHER COMMENT MADE JUST A FEW MINUTES AGO ABOUT I THINK IN A NUTSHELL, YOU KNOW, TRIMMING NARROW GAUGE TRAILS

[02:30:02]

AND I'VE BEEN OUT AND I'VE SEEN WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE IN, SAY, APRIL WHEN NO ATTENTION HAS BEEN DONE AND THERE'S HARDLY ANY TRAIL THERE. AND I KNOW THE REASON THAT THAT'S A PROBLEM IS BECAUSE AT THAT TIME OF THE YEAR THERE'S SO MUCH DEMAND THAT'S PROBABLY THE HIGHEST DEMAND BESIDES DURING ANY GIVEN ATMOSPHERIC RIVER OF OUR STAFF TIME. AND SO IF WE CAN FIGURE OUT A WAY TO LET THE VOLUNTEERS GO OUT THERE WITH BUY-IN FROM EVERYBODY TO WORK ON THE AREAS THAT THEY'RE MOST PASSIONATE ABOUT, THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF JOY OUT THERE.

SO LET'S SEE IF WE CAN IF WE CAN DO THAT. AND THEN, FINALLY, IN SUPPORT OF THE VOLUNTEERS, I JUST WANT TO PROVIDE ONE LITTLE REMINDER THAT THERE IS THIS THING CALLED THE IVAN DIXON FUND, WHICH WAS DONATED IN A WILL BY A VERY AVID HIKER ONE OF OUR HIKERS FROM YEARS AGO HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN A FUND DEDICATED TO SUPPORT VOLUNTEERS WORKING ON TRAILS. SO JUST WANT TO THROW THAT OUT THERE, JUST KIND OF REVIVE THAT IDEA THAT IT'S OUT THERE.

IT'S BEEN USED TO, I KNOW, BUY FOOD FOR THE VOLUNTEERS AND WHATEVER ELSE NEEDS TO BE DONE. SO LET'S NOT FORGET ABOUT THAT. THAT'S JUST A WAY I THINK THE POINT OF THAT IS TO MAKE VOLUNTEERING ON OUR TRAILS THE FULL DEAL.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, YOU DO THE WORK, YOU GET THE REWARD, IT'S ALL THERE. YOU MAKE FRIENDS. YOU GET ENGAGED.

IT'S ALL THERE WITH THE IVAN DIXON FUND. SO, ALL RIGHT, ANY OTHER FINAL COMMENTS? GO AHEAD, COLIN. I'M GONNA SPEAK OFF THE POLICY FOR A MOMENT, BUT THIS ISN'T NEWS TO ANYBODY, ALLISON, THAT MY 21-YEAR EXPERIENCE DOING AMBASSADOR WORK HAS LED ME TO WONDER IN RECENT YEARS WHETHER THAT PROGRAM OUGHT TO BE UNDER THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM AS OPPOSED TO PUBLIC AFFAIRS.

AND THE FEEDBACK I'VE BEEN GETTING IS THAT YOU FOLKS HAVE BEEN STUDYING THIS AND ANALYZING THIS. IS THIS STILL THE CASE, OR HAS A DECISION BEEN MADE? I HAVEN'T HEARD ABOUT IT MOVING OVER TO VOLUNTEERS NECESSARILY, BUT I DO KNOW THAT IT HAS BEEN ACTIVELY MANAGED THROUGH EXTERNAL AFFAIRS CURRENTLY WITH DEDICATED STAFF. SO I KNOW IT HAS BEEN STARTED BACK UP SINCE THE PANDEMIC.

I'D JUST SAY TOO, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS OVERALL AS A DISTRICT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS JUST HAVE ALL OF OUR WORK GROUPS WORKING TOGETHER MORE, AND SO MAKING SURE THAT NOTHING WE DO IS IN A SILO, BUT THAT WE'RE KIND OF SHARING BEST PRACTICES AND HAVING AN ALIGNED APPROACH WHEREVER SOMETHING IS. SO MAYBE THAT'S PART OF WHAT YOU'RE SO I'M NOT SURE WHERE IN MANAGEMENT.

I'VE BEEN HAVING THIS CONVERSATION FOR A LITTLE WHILE.

I KNOW I'VE HAD IT WITH JESS, BUT I CAN TAKE IT UP ELSEWHERE. LET'S SEE, I HAVE A COMMENT, A QUESTION, AND I GUESS A REQUEST. MY COMMENT IS, I REALLY THANK YOU.

WE DIDN'T GET ANY COMMENTS TODAY FROM LABOR, SO CLEARLY SETTING THAT UP WAS SUCCESSFUL, AND I'M EXCITED TO SEE THAT GOING FORWARD.

WE'D HATE FOR THAT TO BE A BLOCK, SO I'M REALLY HAPPY ABOUT THAT. THE QUESTION I HAVE KIND OF MAYBE IS OFF OF DIRECTOR COFFEY'S I THINK WHAT I HEAR FROM PEOPLE EVEN TODAY IS THE POLICY IS NOT THE HINDRANCE, IT'S THE SOMETIMES THE SILOS OR HOW TO VOLUNTEER.

I KNOW I HAD 2 TEENAGERS FROM MY NONPROFIT WHO COULDN'T FIGURE OUT HOW TO VOLUNTEER. THEY HAD A COMMITMENT TO MEET FOR THEIR HIGH SCHOOL SERVICE AWARDS AND JUST WONDERING IF THE PROCESS, THE SILOS, I MYSELF HAVE DONE SOME TRAINING AT .QUACK. I MYSELF HAVE BEEN AT THE PAC.

THERE'S SO MANY PROGRAMS, AMBASSADORS, WORKDAYS. IT IS A LITTLE CONFUSING. SO I GUESS MY QUESTION FOR ALL OF THAT, AS WE WRITE THE POLICY, ARE WE ALSO DOING SOMETHING TO MAKE IT MORE SEAMLESS TO BRING OUR VOLUNTEERS TO US? SO WHEN THEY GO ONLINE, IT'S LIKE WE KNOW WHERE TO GO AND DO OUR WORK.

THANK YOU. I THINK THOSE ARE ITERATIVE ISSUES, BUT AFFECT ONE ANOTHER, BUT THE IDEA OF HAVING ONE ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY, A BIG PIECE OF THAT IS TO BEGIN TO BRING TOGETHER THESE SILOS. AND SO THAT NOT ONLY THE VOLUNTEERS, BUT STAFF AND MANAGEMENT ACROSS THE DISTRICT UNDERSTAND THESE ARE THE RULES WE'RE GOING TO PLAY BY.

[02:35:01]

THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.

AND I THINK MY FINAL REQUEST, BECAUSE I DID A WORD SEARCH, IS IF WE COULD PERHAPS PLEASE INSERT THE WORD EDUCATION SOMEWHERE IN THE RESOLUTION.

AND I'M THINKING IN BULLET NUMBER 1, WE COULD ADD IT WITH A COMMA. I GUESS THAT MIGHT MIGHT BE A MOTION IF EVERYONE ELSE HAS LET ME PULL UP THE RESOLUTION.

SORRY.

PAGE 127. SO ARE YOU SAYING, WHEREAS VOLUNTEERS ADD VALUABLE ENERGY AND ENTHUSIASM TO ADVANCING EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT'S MISSION, PARTICIPATING IN ACTIVITIES THAT BENEFIT BOTH THEM AND THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT AS A WHOLE? EITHER THERE OR IN BULLET 1 UNDER STEWARDSHIP, CONNECTING VOLUNTEERS TO THE PARKS IN A WAY THAT EDUCATES, COMMA, INSPIRES AND INSPIRES CARING AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE LAND. I THINK MY FAVORITE QUOTE WHEN I WAS SWORN IN IS, WE PRESERVE WHAT WE LOVE, WE LOVE WHAT WE KNOW, AND WE KNOW WHAT WE ARE TAUGHT.

SO IT WOULD MEAN A LOT TO ME, AND I THINK IT WOULD ADD BULK TO JUST THROW THE WORD IN EDUCATION, AND THAT'S WHERE I WOULD PROPOSE IT.

CAN YOU REPEAT WHAT IN THE RESOLUTION, THE BULLET, THE 7TH PARAGRAPH, THERE'S THE BULLET STEWARDSHIP. CAN YOU REPEAT STEWARDSHIP? SO JUST UNDER STEWARDSHIP, IT SAYS CONNECTING VOLUNTEERS TO THE PARKS IN A WAY THAT ADDS ADD THE WORDS EDUCATES AND INSPIRES CARING AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE LAND AND THE PARK DISTRICT RESOURCES.

OK. SO THAT IS THAT MOTION WITH THAT EDIT. I DID HAVE A FEW COMMENTS THAT I WANT TO SHARE REAL QUICK BEFORE WE CONSIDER A SECOND.

YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO SAY I THINK IT'S REALLY POETIC THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS THIS YEAR BECAUSE I KNOW BACK IN MAY SOME OF US WERE AT THE CALIFORNIA RECREATION AND PARK DISTRICT'S FORUM WHERE WE GOT TO HONOR SOME OF OUR AMAZING VOLUNTEERS HERE AT EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT, INCLUDING JERRY KENT AND AMELIA MARSHALL AS PART OF OUR ARCHIVE VOLUNTEERS.

THAT WAS REALLY WONDERFUL TO BE ABLE TO SPEND THAT TIME WITH JERRY AT THE CARPE AD CONFERENCE. AND THEN ALSO MAGGIE CLARK FROM THE WILDLIFE TEAM WITH DOC QUACK.

I'VE NOW SEEN HER, AND I BELIEVE SHE GOES TO EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR COMMUNITY WELLNESS FAIRS.

AND SHE EVEN TALKS ABOUT HOW SHE'S GOING TO BE AT THE NEXT ONE IN ANTIOCH.

AND SHE'S SO INFORMATIVE AND SO PASSIONATE ABOUT THE WORK SHE DOES.

AND SO I THINK IT'S REALLY WONDERFUL THAT WE'RE WORKING ON THIS POLICY THE SAME YEAR THAT WE'VE REALLY BEEN ABLE TO HONOR SOME OF OUR MOST DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS. AND THEN I JUST WANT TO REITERATE THIS COMMENT ABOUT SILOS, AND I'M SURE ONCE WE GET THROUGH HAVING THIS POLICY, WE'LL BE ABLE TO LOOK AT SOME OF THOSE SILOS. I'M MOVED BY, YOU KNOW, THE COMMENT ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING AT LAKE TEMESCAL.

I KNOW THAT THERE'S SIMILAR EFFORTS WITH SOME BLUEBIRD BOXES AT PLEASANTON RIDGE THAT IS AFFILIATED WITH A LOCAL UNIVERSITY. I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE THAT IS ON OUR UNDERSTANDING OR OUR LANDSCAPE OF VOLUNTEER WORK.

BUT I WOULD HOPE THAT, YOU KNOW, AS WE MOVE INTO IMPLEMENTATION, WE ALSO, IN ADDITION TO HAVING A POSTCARD SHOWING SOME OF OUR EXISTING VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS, AS THIS IS A TALL ORDER, BY THE WAY, WE ALSO LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, THE PENT-UP DEMAND FOR DIFFERENT VOLUNTEER GROUPS AND DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS.

BUT THEN I GUESS A THIRD ONE IS ALSO UNDERSTANDING ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT SILOS AND THE LANDSCAPE AND ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT GROUPS THAT ALREADY MIGHT BE VOLUNTEERING IN OUR PARKS, BUT WE MAY NOT HAVE FULL AWARENESS OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING. AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO GET THERE. SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS JUST THE FIRST STEP OF THAT PROCESS.

I GUESS TO KEEP THINGS SIMPLE, I'M HAPPY TO SECOND THE MOTION THAT DIRECTOR DECHAMBEAU MADE WITH THE EDITS ON THAT STEWARDSHIP BULLET POINT UNDER PARAGRAPH 7. SO WE DO HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE AND A SECOND.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR ANY OTHER CHANGES FROM OTHER BOARD MEMBERS.

SEEING NONE, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND TAKE THE VOTE THEN.

ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? THAT PASSES 6-0. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THIS IS GREAT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY, SO NOW WE MOVE ON

[PROPOSED FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]

AND THEN WE MOVE ON TO ITEM L, PROPOSED FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. DO WE HAVE ANY PROPOSED FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS TODAY THAT WE WANT TO PROPOSE? I WOULD STILL LIKE TO REPROPOSE, AND I BELIEVE IN THE PAST PERHAPS IT WAS DIRECTOR ECHOLS, THAT WE GET SOME TYPE OF UPDATE ON OUR CONTAMINATED LANDS AND THE DOLLARS, THE AMOUNTS. IT SEEMS TO CONTINUE TO COME UP, AND I'M REALLY EAGER TO UNDERSTAND THAT BETTER.

YEAH, WE'RE WORKING

[02:40:02]

DO WE STILL I'M SORRY, MAYBE WE HAVE A DO WE HAVE A

[BOARD REPORTS ON MEETINGS ATTENDED]

WE HAVE AN ONGOING LIST.

YES, I THINK IT'S ON.

IT MIGHT BE ON THERE. IT'S ON THE SHARE. I'LL CHECK THAT.

THANK YOU. SORRY ABOUT THAT. IT'S ALL GOOD.

OK, THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM M, BOARD REPORTS ON MEETINGS ATTENDED. WHO WOULD LIKE TO START? I THINK JOHN WOULD LIKE TO START. GO AHEAD.

WE'LL DO IT. IT'S SHORT. ON SEPTEMBER 1ST, I ATTENDED THE BOARD MEETING.

ON SEPTEMBER 3RD, I ATTENDED THE MAYOR'S CONFERENCE IN YOUR FAIR CITY OF MORAGA YOUR FAIR TOWN, EXCUSE ME.

ON SEPTEMBER 10TH, I ATTENDED THE FINANCE AND THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, AND LATER IN THAT DAY ATTENDED A DINNER SPONSORED BY THE CENTRAL LABOR COUNCIL OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY.

OKAY, I CAN GO NEXT.

ON SEPTEMBER 1ST, THE CLOSED AND OPEN SESSION OF THE BOARD. ON THE 3RD, AGAIN, I ALSO WAS AT THE MAYOR'S CONFERENCE IN, IN MORAGA.

ON THAT SAME DAY, I ALSO MET WITH MY PAC APPOINTEES TO GET UPDATE.

THEY FINISHED THEIR FIRST 6 MONTHS THAT WE DIRECTED THEM TO DO ON ECOSYSTEM AND BIODIVERSITY, SO I LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING THAT REPORT.

ON THE 5TH, I WAS AT THE MORAGA. THEY'RE WORKING ON A MASTER PLAN OF TRAILS, AND I'VE REACHED OUT AND I'VE ASKED STAFF TO TRY TO COORDINATE WITH THEM.

SOME OF IT DOES INVOLVE THEIR THOUGHTS ON THE LAFAYETTE-MORAGA TRAIL AND MAYBE EVEN AND SOME IDEAS THEY HAVE ABOUT MOVING THAT WE WOULD WANT TO BE AT THE TABLE AT.

ON THE 6TH, I WENT OUT TO BORT MEADOWS, THE BAY AREA RIDGE TRAIL, HAD A CULMINATION DINNER AFTER THEIR WONDERFUL HIKE AND RIDE EVENT. ON THE 10TH, I WAS THE SPEAKER AT THE CITY OF LAFAYETTE ROTARY.

THANKS, DAVE MASON, FOR PUTTING THAT TOGETHER. I THINK FOLKS SHOULD KNOW THAT THERE'S AN ISSUE I'VE GOTTEN ABOUT 12 EMAILS STAFF IS FULLY AWARE OF THIS, BUT I WANT TO SHARE WITH MY BOARD THERE'S AN ISSUE WITH THE SPRING HILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PARKING. I DON'T KNOW IF JOHN EVEN KNOWS ABOUT THAT, BUT INTO BRIONI'S WITH SCHOOL DROP-OFF.

SO STAFF'S ON IT. I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THAT'S BEEN KIND OF A BIG ISSUE, AND I'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF COMMENTS ON THAT, AND STAFF'S TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THEY'RE TRYING TO USE OUR PARKING LOT. IT'S SOMETHING THEY GOT USED TO.

AND NOW WE'RE WORKING ON A BETTER TRAFFIC CIRCULATION.

SO THAT CAME UP A LOT AT LAFAYETTE, AS WELL AS BIKE SAFETY. NOT A SURPRISE AT THE LAFAYETTE MORAGA TRAIL.

AND COULD WE DO WHAT WE'RE DOING AT IRON HORSE? AND I HAVE SPOKEN WITH OUR CHIEF FELICE. THAT IS ON THE AGENDA TO DO SOME SAFETY ON THE LAFAYETTE MORAGA TRAIL. AND FINALLY, ON THE 10TH, I WENT OUT TO THE HASPA MEETING.

THING I JUST WANT TO BRING UP, THEY USE PRETTY CLEARLY EITHER THE BCDC, THE 55-YEAR MARK WHEN THEY DO THEIR SEA LEVEL PROJECTS AND PROJECTIONS FOR DESIGN-BUILDS. AND I THINK A LOT OF TIMES WE USE 30, 35 YEARS, BUT IT WAS INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT THEY WERE DOING.

THEY PLAN OUT TO AT LEAST 2080 OR 2100 WHEN THEY'RE LOOKING AT LEVEES AND PROJECTS.

HI, I ATTENDED THE BOARD MEETING 9/1, 9/2. I HAD A MEETING WITH DAVE MADISON DAVE MASON AS FAR AS FOR THE SEPTEMBER PAC, LOOKING AT MY PRESENTATION.

AND 9/2 ATTENDED BAY AREA RIDGE TRAIL EAST BAY HIKE EAST BAY HILLS HIKE KICKOFF BARBECUE.

REAL QUICK, IF MISHA IS GOING TO BE PROVIDING PUBLIC COMMENT, THAT'LL BE OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM. AND I JUST WANT TO MENTION BECAUSE THERE WERE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT.

AND THEN ALSO, CERTAINLY I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING THE PUBLIC COMMENTS, BUT WE DID HAVE A BRIEF CONVERSATION DURING THE BREAK THAT I JUST WANT TO SHARE, THAT THERE WILL BE SOME OUTREACH AND THERE HAS BEEN SOME OUTREACH TO ONE OF MISHA'S GROUP MEMBERS FROM OUR CHIEF OF POLICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY TEAM.

AND THIS IS A GROUP THAT WE MET AT THE FREMONT LIAISON COMMITTEE, WHICH I ACTUALLY REPORTED OUT AT OUR LAST BOARD MEETING, AS THAT WAS SCHEDULED AT THE END OF AUGUST. GO AHEAD. JUST ONE WEEKEND BEFORE LAST, I ATTENDED THE GUERIN APPLE FESTIVAL, AS I TRY TO EVERY YEAR.

IT'S A WONDERFUL EVENT. WE CONTINUE TO HAVE TRAFFIC PROBLEMS AT THAT EVENT, AND MY CONTINUING RECOMMENDATION TO MANAGEMENT IS BUT IT'S A MAJOR PROBLEM WHEN PEOPLE TURN AROUND AND LEAVE BECAUSE THE TRAFFIC CONGESTION GETTING TOWARD THE PARK AND PLACES AT THE PARK ARE SO HARD. WE MIGHT WANT TO TRY TO FIGURE

[02:45:01]

OKAY, ON SEPTEMBER 1ST, I ATTENDED THE BOARD MEETING.

ON THE 8TH, I HAD MY MONTHLY ONE-ON-ONE WITH OUR GM. ON THE 10TH, I ATTENDED THE FINANCE COMMITTEE AND THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.

AND ON THE 12TH, PARTICIPATED IN THE RICHMOND PARK COMMUNITY RESOURCE MEETING, WHICH WAS FABULOUS. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO ALL THE STAFF THAT WAS INVOLVED IN THAT, AND THANK YOU TO OUR PRESIDENT, OLIVIA SANWONG, FOR COMING. BUT IT WAS A VERY GOOD TURNOUT AND A LOT OF ENGAGED PEOPLE, BOTH NEW PEOPLE AND FOLKS WHO FOLLOW OUR ISSUES REGULARLY.

SO IT WAS GOOD. IT WAS REALLY NICE, AND IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL DAY, AND THE ICE CREAM TRUCK WAS A BIG HIT. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT.

JUST AGAIN, WANT TO GIVE A BIG SHOUT OUT TO ALL THE STAFF THAT HELPED ORGANIZE AND ALSO WERE THERE DOING ALL THE TABLING. AND IT WAS, YEAH, A REALLY GREAT EVENT. AND I DID ALSO WANT TO MENTION, I THINK, ACTUALLY, I THINK A NUMBER OF US ARE BECAUSE YOU GUYS DID SUCH A GREAT JOB ON THE IRON HORSE TRAIL IN TERMS OF REALLY FOCUSING ON THE BIKING ISSUES AND SOME OF THE ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES THAT I HAVE ACTUALLY SEVERAL DIFFERENT PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT PARKS.

ONE IS THE SILBY VOLCANIC REGIONAL RESERVE, AND I THINK LUANA WAS COPIED ON SOME OF THAT, ONE OF THOSE ISSUES. SO DEFINITELY WANT TO PASS THAT ALONG TO CHIEF FELICE AND OUR GENERAL MANAGER, AND ALSO JUST RECENTLY SELBY TRAIL AS WELL. I'LL BE SENDING THAT ALONG

[PUBLIC COMMENTS - For those that have not had an opportunity to speak previously.]

THANKS. YES, WONDERFUL. OK, SO WE WILL THEN MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM N, PUBLIC COMMENTS.

FOR THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO GIVE PUBLIC COMMENT, WE HAVE 2 PUBLIC COMMENTS.

WE HAVE ONE IN PERSON AND ONE HAND UP ONLINE. WE WILL START WITH MATT MCDONALD IN PERSON.

HELLO, MATT MCDONNELL, SECOND VICE PRESIDENT, AFSCME LOCAL 2428. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR PRESIDENT SAN WONG, DIRECTORS, AND GM MAX KORTEN. DIRECTOR DECHAMBEAU, YOU MENTIONED WE HADN'T HEARD FROM LABOR.

ASK AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE.

SO I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS A LITTLE BIT OF THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM.

FIRST OFF, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK JESS SANDY FOR THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE WITH ARTICLE 19 COMMITTEE.

MATT, LYNN, I THINK, HAS A COMMENT. YES. WELL, THIS WAS AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA, SO WHAT THIS COMMENT PERIOD IS FOR ARE ITEMS THAT ARE NOT ON THE AGENDA.

OKAY, SO I STILL CAN'T SPEAK ON THIS? WELL, THE TIME TO DO THAT WAS WHEN THE ITEM WAS BEING TAKEN UP. I THINK YOU WERE HERE. I WAS HERE, BUT I DID NOT HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WAS PRESENTED, AND NOW I CAN ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS.

ALL I CAN SAY IS THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR THAT PARTICULAR ITEM, YOU COULD PUT YOUR COMMENTS IN WRITING AND SEND THEM. I CAN. WHAT DID YOU SAY? PUT THEM IN WRITING AND SEND THEM AROUND TO THE BOARD.

PUT THEM IN WRITING AND SEND THEM AROUND TO THE BOARD. OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU.

WE WILL NOW GO ONLINE TO MEET OR MISHA, YOU MAY UNMUTE YOURSELF. HI, AND I'M GLAD THAT I'M FINALLY HOPEFULLY SPEAKING AT THE RIGHT MOMENT. SO MY FIRST QUESTION IS, YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT POLICE OUTREACH TO OUR GROUP.

COULD YOU PLEASE CLARIFY WHAT YOU MEANT? I JUST WANT TO COMMENT THAT THIS IS NOT A QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD, SO YOU WILL HAVE 3 MINUTES TO GIVE YOUR COMMENT, AND THAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE PUBLIC COMMENTS. IT'S JUST FOR YOU TO GIVE PUBLIC COMMENTS AND NOT FOR STAFF TO ANSWER. AND MISHA, IF YOU WANT TO, WE CAN PROVIDE WE CAN IF YOU CAN, WE'LL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU TO FIND A WAY TO GET CONNECTED AFTERWARDS.

YOU CAN ALWAYS SEND AN EMAIL.

I WOULD LIKE TO REALLY BE A PART OF THAT BECAUSE WE SENT AN OFFICIAL REQUEST TO OLIVIA MORE THAN 2 WEEKS AGO AND WE STILL HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANY RESPONSE. SO I'M GOING TO HAVE YOU SEND AN EMAIL TO CLERK OF THE BOARD.

@EBPARKS.ORG, AND THEN I WILL FORWARD THAT EMAIL APPROPRIATELY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND I EXPECT THAT THIS WILL NOT TAKE AS MUCH TIME AS IT AS 2 WEEKS THAT HAVE ALREADY PASSED SINCE OUR PREVIOUS MEETING.

IT WILL NOT, SO GO AHEAD WITH YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT.

OKAY, MY PUBLIC COMMENT IS ALSO THAT ONCE AGAIN I WOULD LIKE TO REITERATE THAT THERE IS A GROUP OF HIKERS THAT HAGUE'S MISSION PEAK EVERY WEEK IN THE LATE HOURS BECAUSE

[02:50:02]

IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO GET IN THAT AREA EARLIER THAN THAT ON WEEKDAYS.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, RECENTLY WE HAD SOME UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER WITH THE POLICE THAT WE NEVER HAD BEFORE. SO OUR WISH AT THIS TIME AND OUR REQUEST TO EBRPD IS TO EXTEND THE EXIT HOURS FOR THE OHLONE COLLEGE TRAILHEAD TO MISSION PEAK FROM THE CURRENT 10 PM IDEALLY MIDNIGHT, MAYBE 11 PM. THIS EXIT DOES NOT HAVE ANY RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS NEARBY.

THERE IS NOBODY NOBODY EVER COMPLAINED ABOUT HIKERS RETURNING LATE THERE.

IN FACT, WE DO SEE HIKERS LEAVING THIS AREA PAST 10 PM PRETTY FREQUENTLY. SO IT'S UNCLEAR WHY ONLY OUR GROUP SUDDENLY BECAME A VICTIM OF THIS, WHAT LOOKS LIKE SELECTIVE POLICE ENFORCEMENT OF RULES.

AND SO YES, BUT TO AVOID THESE SITUATIONS IN THE FUTURE AND TO AVOID THIS LEGAL COLLISION, WE BELIEVE BEST OPTION IS TO EXTEND THE HOURS FOR THE EXIT HOURS FOR THE ALL-ON COLLEGE EXIT FROM MISSION PEAK. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION. THANK YOU.

WE HAVE NO MORE PUBLIC COMMENT. OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU.

SO WE ARE NOW MOVING ON TO ADJOURNMENT. WE ARE NOW ADJOURNED. THANK YOU, EVERYONE.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.