[Roll Call] [00:00:03] ELIZABETH ECHOLS: GREAT. WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. I'D LIKE TO CALL TO ORDER THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OPERATIONS COMMITTEE OF THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT FOR OCTOBER 14, 2026. THE MEETING IS HEREBY CALLED TO ORDER AT 1:03 PM. MADAM CLERK, CAN YOU PLEASE TAKE THE ROLL. KELLY CLANCY: YES. DIRECTOR DESCHAMBAULT. LYNDA DESCHAMBAULT: HERE. KELLY CLANCY: DIRECTOR MERCURIO. JOHN MERCURIO: HERE. KELLY CLANCY: CHAIR ECHOLS. ELIZABETH ECHOLS: HERE. KELLY CLANCY: ALL MEMBERS ARE PRESENT. [Approval of Minutes] ELIZABETH ECHOLS: SO OUR FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FOR THE BOARD OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 10, 2026. ANY COMMENTS OR CHANGES ON THAT? JOHN MERCURIO: I WOULD MOVE APPROVAL. ELIZABETH ECHOLS: GREAT. DO I HAVE A SECOND? LYNDA DESCHAMBAULT: [INAUDIBLE] ELIZABETH ECHOLS: I THINK YOU'RE STILL ALLOWED TO. LYNDA DESCHAMBAULT: CAN I SECOND? ELIZABETH ECHOLS: YEAH. LYNDA DESCHAMBAULT: OK. SECOND. ELIZABETH ECHOLS: OK. ALL IN FAVOR? JOHN MERCURIO: AYE. LYNDA DESCHAMBAULT: AYE. ELIZABETH ECHOLS: OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT. MOVING RIGHT ALONG. DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA TODAY? KELLY CLANCY: THERE IS NO PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME. ELIZABETH ECHOLS: OK. [Action Items] WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE ACTION ITEMS. AND THE FIRST ONE IS RECOMMENDATION TO AWARD AND AUTHORIZE EXECUTION OF 20 CATERER LICENSES FOR RESERVABLE FACILITIES DISTRICT WIDE. SARAH LAMBOURNE: I'M NOT SURE WHAT GOES ON HERE. SPEAKER 2: IS IT? SARAH LAMBOURNE: YEAH, THAT ONE. YEAH. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS SARAH LAMBOURNE. I'M THE RESERVABLE FACILITIES SUPERVISOR. TODAY, I'M PRESENTING THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION TO AWARD CATERING LICENSES FOR THE APPROVED CATERER LIST SERVING RESERVABLE FACILITIES DISTRICT WIDE. WE'LL START WITH JUST AN OVERVIEW OF THE FACILITIES AND THE OPERATION, THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN FACILITIES TEAM AND THE LICENSED CATERERS, THE SELECTION PROCESS, AND THEN WILL CONCLUDE WITH THE RECOMMENDATION. THE RESERVABLE FACILITIES DEPARTMENT OPERATES FOR EVENT VENUES ACROSS THE DISTRICT. WE'VE GOT FERN COTTAGE AT KENNEDY GROVE, THE SHORELINE CENTER AT THE MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR REGIONAL SHORELINE, THE BEACH HOUSE AT LAKE TEMESCAL, AND THE BRAZILIAN ROOM IN TILDEN PARK. EACH FACILITY OFFERS THE PUBLIC A UNIQUE SETTING FOR PRIVATE EVENTS AND COMMUNITY GATHERINGS, AND THE BRAZILIAN ROOM IS OUR TEAM HEADQUARTERS. IT'S OUR LARGEST AND MOST POPULAR VENUE AND HAS BEEN VOTED BEST OF THE EAST BAY WEDDING VENUE IN THE EAST BAY TIMES MANY TIMES, INCLUDING EACH OF THE LAST FOUR YEARS. ACROSS THE FOUR FACILITIES, WE HOST AN AVERAGE OF 770 EVENTS ANNUALLY, GENERATING AROUND $870,000 IN REVENUE. ROUGHLY, 40% OF THESE EVENTS ARE SUPPORTED BY THE LICENSED CATERERS. YOU'LL NOTICE ON THIS SLIDE, MLK SHORELINE CENTER HAS CONSIDERABLY LESS ACTIVITY THAN THE OTHER VENUES, AND THAT IS BECAUSE IT'S BEEN CLOSED SINCE 2020, WITH A BRIEF REOPENING PERIOD FOR SIX MONTHS IN 2022. SOME OF YOU MAY REMEMBER THE BOARD TOUR THE SPRING OF 2025. WHEN WE WENT TO THE SHORELINE CENTER, ONE OF THE LICENSED CATERERS PROVIDED BREAKFAST, I THINK AVOCADO TOAST. AND WE WERE ON THE DECK OVERLOOKING THIS SHORELINE OF THE SAN LEANDRO BAY, AND DECO KICKED OFF THAT DECKING PROJECT. THAT DECK IS NOW COMPLETE, ALONG WITH VARIOUS OTHER IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE SEWER SYSTEM UPDATES, NEW HVAC SYSTEM, INTERIOR PAINTING AND FLOORING, AND SO ON. WE'RE WORKING ON SOME FINISHING TOUCHES AND SECURING PERMITS, AND WE'RE LOOKING TO REOPEN THE FACILITY IN EARLY 2027. JOHN MERCURIO: CAN I ASK A GOOD QUESTION? ELIZABETH ECHOLS: GO AHEAD, MERCURIO. JOHN MERCURIO: YEAH, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THAT CHART. SARAH LAMBOURNE: OH, SURE. I'M NOT POSITIVE HOW TO GO BACKWARDS. THANK YOU. JOHN MERCURIO: SO IT SAYS THREE-YEAR AVERAGE THERE. AND THEN THERE'S A REVENUE NUMBER OVER TO THE RIGHT. IS THAT REVENUE NUMBER THE YEARLY OR FOR THE WHOLE THREE YEARS? SARAH LAMBOURNE: IS A THREE-YEAR AVERAGE. JOHN MERCURIO: THREE-YEAR AVERAGE. SARAH LAMBOURNE: 2022, 2024. JOHN MERCURIO: SO-- SARAH LAMBOURNE: EACH YEAR, WE AVERAGE THAT AMOUNT. JOHN MERCURIO: $612,000 AT THE BRAZILIAN ROOM? [00:05:04] SARAH LAMBOURNE: THAT'S CORRECT. JOHN MERCURIO: PER YEAR? SARAH LAMBOURNE: YEAH. JOHN MERCURIO: REALLY? OK. THAT IS A HAPPENING THING, ISN'T IT? SARAH LAMBOURNE: IT'S POPULAR. YEAH. JOHN MERCURIO: THANKS. SARAH LAMBOURNE: SURE. FOR ALL OPEN AND AVAILABLE VENUES, THE RESERVATION PROCESS BEGINS WITH THE PUBLIC DISCOVERING OUR VENUES, MOST OFTEN VIA WORD OF MOUTH OR SOCIAL OR DIGITAL MEDIA. AND THEN THEY CONTACT THE RESERVABLE FACILITIES DEPARTMENT TO SCHEDULE A SITE VISIT. ONCE THEY'VE HAD A TOUR AND DECIDE TO BOOK THE VENUE, THEY MUST CALL THE RESERVATIONS DEPARTMENT, WHO MANAGES THE ACTUAL BOOKING, EXECUTING THE CONTRACT. THEY COLLECT THE INSURANCE DOCUMENTS AND PAYMENTS. AND AFTER THE RESERVATION IS CONFIRMED, COMMUNICATION RETURNS TO OUR DEPARTMENT FOR EVENT PLANNING AND COORDINATION. FROM THERE, EACH EVENT FOLLOWS ONE OF TWO PATHS-- CATERED OR NON-CATERED. AN EVENT BOOKED NON-CATERED DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT THERE WON'T BE FOOD AND BEVERAGE AT THE EVENT. IT MEANS NO FOOD AND BEVERAGE PROFESSIONALS WILL BE WORKING ON SITE. FOR NON-CATERED BOOKINGS, OUR TEAM WILL CONDUCT A BUILDING ORIENTATION WITH THE RESERVATION HOLDER AND THEIR VOLUNTEERS TO REVIEW CONTRACT DETAILS, FACILITY OPERATIONS AND AMENITIES, AND PREPARE THEM TO HOST AN EVENT ON THEIR OWN AT ONE OF OUR VENUES. CUSTOMERS AND THEIR VOLUNTEERS WILL PICK UP AND BRING IN PREPARED FOOD. THEY'LL ORGANIZE A POTLUCK, OR THEY WILL COOK ON SITE. CUSTOMERS AND THEIR VOLUNTEERS HANDLE ALL EVENTS SETUP, BREAKDOWN, AND BASIC CLEANUP. FACILITY STAFF WILL PROVIDE OPERATIONAL AND PLANNING SUPPORT, INCLUDING OPENING AND CLOSING THE BUILDING, AND WE WILL REMAIN ON CALL, BUT WE DO NOT REMAIN ON SITE FOR THE DURATION OF THE EVENT. FOOD DELIVERY IS PERMITTED ONLY THROUGH THE APPROVED CATERERS. IF THE CATERER DELIVERS FOOD BUT DOESN'T REMAIN ON SITE TO MANAGE THE EVENT, THE RESERVATION IS CONSIDERED NON CATERED. FOR CATERED EVENTS, CUSTOMERS MUST SELECT AND CONTRACT DIRECTLY WITH A CATERER FROM THE APPROVED CATERER LIST. THE CONTRACTED CATERER SERVES AS THE KEYHOLDER AND THE DISTRICTS ON SITE REPRESENTATIVE, REMAINING AT THE FACILITY FOR THE DURATION OF THE EVENT. THE CATERER PROVIDES SUPPORT BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER THE EVENT, INCLUDING SETUP, EXECUTION OF THE EVENT BREAKDOWN, WASTE MANAGEMENT AND CLEANUP. THEY LOCK UP AND THEY FOLLOW UP. THIS FLOW ESTABLISHES TWO DISTINCT SERVICE MODELS AND ROLE ASSIGNMENTS, AND ALLOWS US TO ELEVATE THE GUEST EXPERIENCE, SUPPORT CONSISTENT FACILITY CARE AND SAFETY, AND MAKE EFFECTIVE USE OF OUR MAINTENANCE STAFF. THE RESERVABLE FACILITIES DEPARTMENT RESPONSIBILITIES ARE DIVIDED ROUGHLY 70/30, WITH 70% OF OUR DUTIES BEING FACILITY MAINTENANCE-RELATED AND THE OTHER 30% RELATED TO CUSTOMER SERVICE, EVENT AND VENDOR MANAGEMENT AND MARKETING. OUR FIELD TEAM INCLUDES PARKER SPECIALISTS, A GARDENER, AND THREE BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS AIDES. WITHIN THEIR CLASSIFICATIONS, THEY MAINTAIN OUR BUILDINGS, GROUNDS, AND GARDENS THROUGH FULL SERVICE CUSTODIAL CARE, PREVENTIVE AND CORRECTIVE MAINTENANCE, AND FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS. THEIR SKILLS CAN SPAN CARPENTRY, MASONRY, PAINTING, ELECTRICAL AND PLUMBING WORK, IRRIGATION AND TURF MANAGEMENT, TREE CARE, AND FULL-SCALE GARDENING. IN ADDITION TO THE BUILDINGS, THE BOUTIQUE GARDENS ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE GUEST EXPERIENCE AND OUR MARKETING PROGRAM. THEY'RE THOUGHTFULLY MAINTAINED TO CREATE BEAUTIFUL, MEMORABLE, PHOTO WORTHY MOMENTS THROUGHOUT EACH PROPERTY. THIS CREW ALSO SUPPORTS VENUE TOURS, BUILDING ORIENTATIONS, OPEN HOUSES, AND MARKETING EVENTS, AND THEY OFFER EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE. I THINK ALL IN, WE DEDICATE ROUGHLY FIVE HOURS OF STAFF TIME FOR EACH NON-CATERED RESERVATION, AND ABOUT THREE HOURS OF STAFF TIME FOR CATERED RESERVATIONS. OUR SENIOR ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIALIST, JOY LYTE, COORDINATES EVENT CALENDARS AND ASSIGNMENTS, ADMINISTERS CONTRACTS, SUPPORTS SCHEDULING AND OVERSIGHT OF THE CATERING PROGRAM. SHE'S THE VOICE OF OUR SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING PROGRAM. SHE FIELDS THE STEADY STREAM OF PUBLIC INQUIRIES AND HELPS PLAN AND DELIVER CUSTOMER EVENTS AND OUR OWN EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING EVENTS. THIS POSITION IS THE BACKBONE THAT CONNECTS ALL THE MOVING PARTS AND KEEPS THE DEPARTMENT FUNCTIONING AS A COORDINATED OPERATION. AND AS LISA GOORJIAN SAID THE OTHER DAY, SHE'S KIND OF A BIG DEAL FOR US FOR SURE. IN ADDITION TO OVERSEEING OUR DISTRICT MAINTENANCE STAFF, WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR TRAINING AND OVERSIGHT OF THE CONTRACTED EVENT WORKFORCE OPERATING AT OUR FACILITIES. OUR APPROVED CATERER LIST TYPICALLY INCLUDES 15 TO 20 CATERERS REPRESENTING APPROXIMATELY 150 EVENT STAFF MEMBERS WORKING ACROSS OUR VENUES, WITH AROUND 50 TO 20 CONTRACTED STAFF MEMBERS ON SITE DAILY. THAT FIGURE DOESN'T INCLUDE THE EXTENDED WORKFORCE OF LOCAL BUSINESSES LIKE DJ'S AND FLORISTS AND PLANNERS, PHOTOGRAPHERS, AND SO ON, WHO ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO AND WORK AT THE EVENTS THAT ARE HOSTED [00:10:01] AT OUR FACILITIES EVERY DAY. THE ROLES OF THE APPROVED CATERERS EXTENDS FAR BEYOND JUST TRADITIONAL FOOD AND BEVERAGE SERVICE. THEY SERVE AS THE KEYHOLDER AND ON-SITE REPRESENTATIVE OF DISTRICT FACILITIES. THEY ARE ENTRUSTED WITH FACILITY ACCESS AND OVERSIGHT THROUGHOUT AN EVENT. OUR CONTRACTED CATERERS ARE TRAINED IN FACILITY OPERATIONS, WASTE MANAGEMENT REDUCTION PRACTICES, RESERVATION CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS, SAFETY PROTOCOLS, AND THEN PARK-SPECIFIC INFORMATION RELEVANT TO EACH VENUE. FOR CATERED EVENTS, THEY ALSO PROVIDE PLANNING, SUPPORT, AND CUSTOMER SERVICE. THEY MANAGE SETUP, EXECUTION, AND BREAKDOWN BASIC CLEANUP, AND THEN THEY ALSO SHOWCASE OUR VENUES IN THEIR OWN INDIVIDUAL MARKETING PLATFORMS. IN ESSENCE, THEY'RE AN EXTENSION OF THE FACILITIES TEAM, HELPING US PROVIDE A POSITIVE PUBLIC EXPERIENCE WHILE SUPPORTING CARE, SAFETY, AND RESPONSIBLE USE OF DISTRICT PROPERTY. THE APPROVED CATERER PROGRAM GENERATES DEDICATED FUNDING TO SUPPORT OUR MAINTENANCE AND MARKETING EFFORTS. CATERERS PAY A FEE BASED ON GROSS FOOD AND BEVERAGE SALES FOR EACH EVENT THAT THEY SERVE AT OUR FACILITIES. OUR TEAM OVERSEES AUDIT AND AUDITS THE PROGRAM, VERIFIES REPORTED SALES AND FEES, AND MANAGES THE ALLOCATION OF FUNDS IN THEIR DESIGNATED PURPOSES. THE FEE STRUCTURE VARIES BY EVENT TYPE. SOCIAL EVENTS CONTRIBUTE 11.5%, AND BUSINESS EVENTS CONTRIBUTE 5.5% OF GROSS FOOD AND BEVERAGE SALES. THE TABLE DEMONSTRATES THE AVERAGE ANNUAL FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION OF THE PROGRAM, AND HOW THE FEE STRUCTURE TRANSLATES INTO RESOURCES THAT SUPPORT FACILITY OPERATIONS, ASSET STEWARDSHIP, PUBLIC FACING MARKETING INITIATIVES. THIS INCLUDES THE EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING EVENTS AND CELEBRATIONS THAT WE HOST IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE SPECIAL INTEREST MONTHS THAT ARE VOTED ON AND APPROVED BY THE BOARD. SOME OF YOU, I THINK, HAVE ATTENDED SOME OF THEM IN THE PAST. AND OUR LAST ONE OF 2026 IS COMING UP NEXT TUESDAY AT THE BRAZILIAN ROOM. IT'S THE HISPANIC AND LATINO HERITAGE CELEBRATION, AND YOU'RE ALL INVITED. AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOU THERE. IT'S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. IT'S FREE, AND IT'S GOING TO BE A GOOD TIME. SO HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE. LET'S SEE, THE SELECTION PROCESS. SO WE CONDUCT A FULL RFP PROCESS FOR OUR APPROVED CATERER LIST EVERY FIVE YEARS, WITH A GOAL OF MAINTAINING THAT 15 TO 20 CATERERS. THIS KEEPS THE PROGRAM MANAGEABLE WHILE OFFERING AN EQUITABLE RANGE OF OPTIONS ACROSS THE PRICE POINTS, SERVICE STYLES, CULTURAL CUISINE, DIETARY NEEDS, AND SO ON, SO WE CAN SERVE THE DIVERSE BAY AREA COMMUNITY. IN JUNE, WE RELEASED THE RFP FOR THE 2027 TO 2032 TIME PERIOD. WE ADVERTISED IT ON THE DISTRICT GENERAL AND BRAZILIAN ROOM WEBSITES AND SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS, AND DIRECTLY EMAILED 93 BUSINESSES THAT HAD EXPRESSED INTEREST. THE PROPOSAL PROCESS REQUIRED A THOROUGH REVIEW OF EACH BUSINESS, INCLUDING FINANCIAL STABILITY AND THEIR PROJECTIONS, WASTE MANAGEMENT AND REDUCTION PRACTICES, FOOD SAFETY AND HEALTH CODE COMPLIANCE, STAFFING MODELS, MENUS, AND CONTRACTS. AND THEN THE INTERVIEWS TOOK A DEEPER DIVE ON SUSTAINABLE EVENT PRACTICES, SITE REPRESENTATION AND EVENT MANAGEMENT, EXPERIENCE MARKETING, AND THEN THE FEE PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION. IN AUGUST, WE CONDUCTED THE MANDATORY SITE VISITS FOR ALL FOUR FACILITIES. WE RECEIVED 27 PROPOSALS, 23 OF THEM QUALIFIED FOR INTERVIEWS, AND 20 WERE SELECTED FOR THE RECOMMENDATION. OF THOSE, 13 OF THEM WOULD BE RETURNING CATERERS, AND 7 WOULD BE NEW TO OUR LIST. AND WE'RE REAL EXCITED ABOUT THE RANGE OF OPTIONS THAT THIS RECOMMENDATION BRINGS FOR THE LIST. IT FEATURES VEGAN AND VEGETARIAN OPTIONS, BUDGET FRIENDLY. WE HAVE A BARBECUE CATERING COMPANY ON THERE THIS TIME AND AN INDIAN CATERER, WHICH WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT. WE'VE BEEN WORKING TO ADD ONE OF THOSE FOR SEVERAL YEARS. SOME OF THEM OPERATE BRICK-AND-MORTAR RESTAURANTS, AND SOME OFFER CONVENIENT DELIVERY SPECIFIC OPTIONS, WHICH IS RELATIVELY NEW. THE LIST INCLUDES WOMEN-OWNED, LGBTQ-PLUS-OWNED, BLACK-OWNED BUSINESSES, AND FULL-SERVICE FARM-TO-FORK GOURMET CATERERS, TOO. SO IT'S PRETTY WELL-ROUNDED, AND TOGETHER, I THINK THEY JUST REALLY OFFER A STRONG MIX OF EXPERIENCE, DIVERSITY AND SERVICE OPTIONS TO SUPPORT OUR FACILITIES AND OUR COMMUNITY. SO WITH THAT, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO AWARD AND AUTHORIZE EXECUTION OF CATERER LICENSES WITH JASMINE CATERING LLC, SMITTY'S BEST BARBECUE AND CATERING LLC, BLUE HERON CATERING INCORPORATED, HOT CORNER LLC, PLATE CRAFT LLC, TWELVE TOP CATERING LLC, NORTH AMERICAN FOOD CATERING, INCORPORATED, DOING BUSINESS AS ACT CATERING AND THE JAZZCAFFE, JENNIFER & TODD'S CAFÉ SOLEIL DBA CAFÉ SOLEIL, HONEY BROWNS LLC, WEST COAST [00:15:02] EVENTS GROUP LLC, MIDSUMMER KITCHEN, CALIFORNIA ROSE CATERING INCORPORATED, SALT AND HONEY LLC, AURORA CATERING, LAJWA LLC, DBA ARLINGTON CATERING, THE TABLE CATERING LLC, CONTEMPORARY FOOD CONCEPTS LLC, DBA HUGH GROMAN CATERING, KANTEEN FOOD AND PRODUCTS LLC, DBA KANTEEN CATERING, LIBERATION FOODS LLC, S+S GASTRO GRUB DBA S+S GASTRO GRUB CATERING, AND CARRIE DOVE CATERING INCORPORATED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? ELIZABETH ECHOLS: QUESTIONS? LYNDA DESCHAMBAULT: DO WE ACTUALLY HAVE A RESOLUTION OR DOLLAR AMOUNT? OR IS LIKE OPEN-ENDED OR? SARAH LAMBOURNE: NO DOLLAR AMOUNT, ASIDE FROM-- LYNDA DESCHAMBAULT: JUST ALLOWING THEM TO BE IN OUR FACILITY. SARAH LAMBOURNE: YEAH, AND THEN THEY ACTUALLY CONTRIBUTE. THERE'S A PLUS SIDE ON THE DOLLAR AMOUNT. THEY CONTRIBUTE MONEY TO THE FUND. SO THERE'S NO COST TO DO BUSINESS. LYNDA DESCHAMBAULT: I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION. YOU GOT ME EXCITED WHEN YOU TOLD ME ALL THE THINGS YOU WERE ADDING UP THERE. I'M GOING TO HAVE TO THROW AN EVENT. SARAH LAMBOURNE: I THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA. LYNDA DESCHAMBAULT: I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR OUTREACH WAS. I'M CURIOUS. I JUST FOUND THIS FABULOUS NEW NATIVE AMERICAN RESTAURANT AT FRUITVALE. IT'S RIGHT NEXT TO THE OTHER NATIVE AMERICAN RESTAURANT. THAT'S WHAT WAHPEPAH IS RIGHT THERE. WELL, THERE'S ANOTHER EMPLOYEE-OWNED PLACE OVER STORY RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET. I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAD ANY OPPORTUNITIES TO HAVE THEM APPLY, OR WHEN WOULD THE NEXT OPPORTUNITY BE TO REACH OUT TO HAVE NATIVE AMERICAN FOOD. SARAH LAMBOURNE: WE GO OUT TO THIS RFP, LIKE THE RFP EVERY FIVE YEARS. SO THAT'S THIS WHOLE BIG ONE. FROM TIME TO TIME, WE SEE CATERERS DROP OFF FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER. OR IF WE SEE A BIG DEMAND FOR SOMETHING, WE'LL GO OUT TO SPECIAL RFP. AND SO, YEAH, MAYBE WE CATCH THAT INFORMATION FROM YOU AND ADD IT TO OUR OUTREACH LIST FOR NEXT TIME. LYNDA DESCHAMBAULT: THANK YOU FOR YOUR GOOD WORK. GOT EXCITED. SARAH LAMBOURNE: ABSOLUTELY. LYNDA DESCHAMBAULT: I'M TRYING TO GO BACK VEGAN. IT'S GETTING EASIER AND EASIER. AND YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE IT EVEN EASIER IF WE HAVE IT IN OUR CATERING. SARAH LAMBOURNE: YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. LYNDA DESCHAMBAULT: THANK YOU. SARAH LAMBOURNE: MY PLEASURE. ELIZABETH ECHOLS: DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING, JOHN? JOHN MERCURIO: NO. ELIZABETH ECHOLS: OK, GREAT. ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS? KELLY CLANCY: THERE IS NO PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM. ELIZABETH ECHOLS: OK, GREAT. WELL, SARAH, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE REPORT. I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT ALL OF THESE NEW OPTIONS. AND JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. AS YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN TO A NUMBER OF THE EVENTS AT THE BRAZILIAN ROOM. GREAT JOB. SARAH LAMBOURNE: THANK YOU. MAYBE WE'LL SEE YOU ON TUESDAY. ELIZABETH ECHOLS: WE HAVE A LONG BOARD MEETING. I WILL ABSOLUTELY BE THERE IF WE GET OUT IN TIME. SARAH LAMBOURNE: PERFECT. ELIZABETH ECHOLS: OK, GREAT. SARAH LAMBOURNE: THANK YOU. ELIZABETH ECHOLS: LOVE TO BE. SO WE NEED TO HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE LIST. LYNDA DESCHAMBAULT: I MOVE TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATION TO AWARD AND EXECUTE THE 20 CATERER LICENSES FOR OUR RESERVABLE FACILITIES, DISTRICT WIDE. ELIZABETH ECHOLS: THANK YOU. JOHN MERCURIO: I SECOND. ELIZABETH ECHOLS: GREAT. SO WE HAVE A MOTION BY DIRECTOR DESCHAMBAULT AND A SECOND BY DIRECTOR MERCURIO. ALL IN FAVOR? LYNDA DESCHAMBAULT: AYE. ELIZABETH ECHOLS: AYE. OPPOSED? OK. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU, SARAH. TIFFANY MARGOLIS: GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD OPERATIONS COMMITTEE. MY NAME IS TIFFANY MARGOLIS. I'M CURRENTLY ACTING AS ASSISTANT FINANCE OFFICER AND ALSO SERVE AS BUSINESS SERVICES MANAGER. AND I'M BRINGING A RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OPERATIONS COMMITTEE TODAY TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH METTA HORSE LLC FOR THE EQUESTRIAN CONCESSION AT PIEDMONT STABLES. AND WE HAVE GUESTS HERE TODAY FROM METTA HORSE LLC, WHO WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE AS PART OF THIS PRESENTATION. SO WE'D LIKE TO START AND END WITH SAYING WHAT OUR RECOMMENDATION IS. AS STAFF RECOMMENDS, THE BOARD OPERATIONS COMMITTEE WOULD BE RECOMMENDING TO THE FULL BOARD AWARD AND AUTHORIZATION TO EXECUTE A CONCESSION AGREEMENT WITH METTA HORSE LLC FOR A TERM OF ONE YEAR, WITH THE OPPORTUNITY FOR UP TO FOUR 1-YEAR TERMS AT THE DISTRICT'S OPTION, AND THEY WOULD BE PROVIDING THE CONCESSION OPERATIONS FOR PIEDMONT STABLES. AND WE BRING ALL THE CONCESSION AGREEMENTS TO THE BOARD OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, AS PER THE BOARD OPERATING GUIDELINES THAT REQUIRE THAT. FOR THE PRESENTATION, THIS IS, I THINK, FAMILIAR TO THE COMMITTEE. AS YOU'LL SEE, I HAD PRESENTED THIS AN OVERVIEW OF THE CONCESSION MOST RECENTLY IN MAY OF THIS YEAR. SO I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A REPEAT THAT I'LL GO THROUGH QUICKLY. [00:20:01] BUT I ALWAYS LIKE TO ORIENT TO WHERE WE ARE. THIS IS ONE OF OUR 20 PARK DISTRICT CONCESSIONS. THEY'RE PUBLICLY OWNED, PRIVATELY OPERATED BUSINESSES. WE HAVE FOUR HORSE EQUESTRIAN BOARDING FACILITIES, AND THIS ONE IS LOCATED IN RINEHART REDWOOD PARK. SO THE TIMELINE, OF COURSE, PIEDMONT STABLES HAS BEEN AROUND MUCH LONGER THAN THIS. BUT THE LAST RFP THAT WE DID WAS IN 2016, AND THAT IS WHEN THE CONCESSION AGREEMENT WAS AWARDED TO SKYLINE RANCH EQUESTRIAN CENTER. AND IN MAY 2026, STAFF HAD RECOMMENDED TO THE BOARD DOING A ONE-YEAR EXTENSION FOR THAT AGREEMENT SO THAT IT WOULD END AT THE SAME TIME AS ANTHONY CHABOT SKYLINE STABLES. AND AFTER WE BROUGHT THAT TO THE COMMITTEE AND TO THE FULL BOARD, SKYLINE RANCH LET US KNOW THAT, IN FACT, HAD THOUGHT ABOUT IT FURTHER AND DIDN'T WANT TO CONTINUE WITH THE ONE-YEAR EXTENSION. WE TOTALLY SUPPORT THAT. SKYLINE RANCH IS GOING TO BE FOCUSING THEIR OPERATIONS AT SKYLINE RANCH EQUESTRIAN CENTER. SO WITH THAT NOTICE, AS STAFF AND BUSINESS SERVICES UNDERTOOK AN RFP IN SEPTEMBER, AND THE CURRENT AGREEMENT IS ENDING IN OCTOBER. SO WE WERE ON A FAIRLY ACCELERATED TIMELINE, AND WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO HAVE FOUND A CONCESSIONAIRE THAT'S VERY CAPABLE THAT WE CAN RECOMMEND. THIS IS JUST THE OVERVIEW OF WHAT IS AT PIEDMONT STABLES. THERE'S 42 STALLS. WE HAD TALKED TO THE BOARD OPERATIONS COMMITTEE PREVIOUSLY THAT WE HAVE HAD SOMEWHAT LOW OCCUPANCY AT PIEDMONT STABLES BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN VERY BUSY COMPLETING A LOT OF NOTABLE PROJECTS OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS THAT WERE VERY NECESSARY, BUT THEY DID SOMEWHAT DISRUPT OPERATIONS. SO WE HAVE THIS ADA RAMP. THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT PAINTING PROJECT THAT WAS UNDERTAKEN. HERE'S MORE PICTURES OF THE PAINTING. THERE'S A NEW SHAVINGS SHED, WHICH IS A VITAL TO BEING ABLE TO HAVE A CONCESSION OPERATION. SO IN TERMS OF WHAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR THIS CONCESSION, WE WERE LOOKING FOR A CONCESSIONAIRE THAT WOULD BRING SOME FISCAL SKILL STABILITY THAT HAD THE ABILITY TO REALLY GET EVERYTHING STARTED UP AND MAINTAIN A BUSINESS. OF COURSE, EXPERIENCE WITH HORSES AND BUILDING AND GROUNDS MAINTENANCE, AND REALLY HAVING A THOUGHTFUL TRANSITION PLAN TO SUPPORT THE CURRENT BORDERS INTO A NEW MANAGEMENT, BECAUSE THE BORDERS AT PIEDMONT STABLE, OF COURSE, ARE VERY ACCUSTOMED TO SKYLINE RANCH, SO WE WANT TO HAVE A SMOOTH TRANSITION FOR THEM. AND, OF COURSE, LAST BUT NOT LEAST, EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE FOR THE BORDERS AND THEN ALSO TEAMWORK WITH THE PARK DISTRICT STAFF. WE SENT THE RFP TO 15 ENTITIES. WE HAD THREE AT THE SITE VISIT AND RECEIVED TWO PROPOSALS. AND SO WE REVIEWED ALL THE PROPOSALS IN RESPONSE TO THE RFP CRITERIA THAT WE TALKED ABOUT AND INTERVIEWED BOTH PROPOSALS AND WERE RECOMMENDING KATIE STEARNS AND DAVE HILDEBRANDT FROM METTA HORSE LLC. THIS IS A PICTURE OF KATIE HERE. SHE'S ALREADY A TRAINER AT PIEDMONT STABLES, AND IS BOARDS, I THINK, BELIEVE, FOUR HORSES THERE AND IS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE COMMUNITY. THEY HAD A REALLY THOUGHTFUL PLAN IN TERMS OF THEIR BUSINESS APPROACH, BEING VERY BUSINESS MINDED. THEY HAVE OVER FOUR DECADES OF CONTINUOUS HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE RUNNING HORSE-RELATED BUSINESSES. THEY'RE READY TO GO NOVEMBER 01, WHICH IS VERY EXCITING. AND THEY HAVE ALSO AGREED TO HAVE NO CHANGES IN BOARDING FEES FOR 2026. I WOULD ALSO I WANT TO ADD THAT THEY HAD EXTENSIVE LETTERS OF SUPPORT AND POSITIVE YELP REVIEWS, SHOWING FIRSTHAND FROM THEIR CUSTOMERS THE POSITIVE EXPERIENCE. AND HERE'S SOME PICTURES FROM KATIE'S TRAINING PROGRAM. PICTURES. WE ALWAYS LIKE TO SHARE WITH OUR CONCESSIONS WHAT IS THE FISCAL IMPACT STRUCTURE. SO THIS JUST SHOWS WHAT THE CONCESSIONAIRE IS PAYING FOR, WHAT THE PARK DISTRICT IS PAYING FOR. THE ESTIMATED PAYMENTS ARE JUST UNDER $7,000 A YEAR IN REVENUE. THIS IS ON THE LOW END FOR PAYMENTS. AND WHAT WE'RE DOING IS BECAUSE OF THE RELATIVELY LOW OCCUPANCY AND THE SHORT TURNAROUND, WE'RE KEEPING IN THE SPIRIT OF WHAT THE BOARD, OPERATIONS COMMITTEE AND BOARD HAD PREVIOUSLY APPROVED AND BRINGING THAT FORWARD TO THIS NEW AGREEMENT. SO WITH THAT, I'LL JUST REITERATE, OUR RECOMMENDATION IS TO, OUR REQUEST IS THAT THE BOARD OPERATIONS COMMITTEE RECOMMEND [00:25:02] TO THE FULL BOARD AUTHORIZATION TO EXECUTE A CONCESSION CONTRACT WITH METTA HORSE LLC. AND I'M AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. AND AT THE COMMITTEE'S DISCRETION, I THINK I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE KATIE TO SAY HELLO AT WHATEVER TIME WORKS BEST FOR YOU. ELIZABETH ECHOLS: IF YOU'D LIKE, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND INTRODUCE KATIE NOW. TIFFANY MARGOLIS: ARE YOU WILLING TO DO THAT? OK. SO I JUST WANT TO INTRODUCE KATIE STEARNS FROM METTA HORSE LLC. KATIE STEARNS: HELLO. IT'S NICE TO MEET EVERYBODY. IT'S NICE TO PUT FACES TO THE NAMES. I'M KATIE. THIS IS MY HUSBAND, DAVE, WHOSE OTHER HALF OF OUR TEAM. AND JUST SUPER EXCITED TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY. WE'RE LONG-TERM MEMBERS OF THE PIEDMONT COMMUNITY AND LOOKING FORWARD TO REHABILITATING AND REVITALIZING IT AND BEING GOOD STEWARDS AND JUST KEEPING IT GOING. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. ELIZABETH ECHOLS: THANK YOU. WOULD DAVE LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING-- [LAUGHTER] DAVE: HI. I'M DAVE, BORN IN THE BAY AREA, BORN IN WALNUT CREEK, HAVE BEEN A REGIONAL PARK USER FOR MY WHOLE LIFE, AND I'M EXCITED AND DELIGHTED TO BE CONSIDERED. THANK YOU. ELIZABETH ECHOLS: WONDERFUL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU BOTH. AND THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY. APPRECIATE IT. SO BOARD MEMBERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? JOHN MERCURIO: COMMENTS, SURE. I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE OF YOU STEPPING UP AND TAKING THIS ON BECAUSE IT'S REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE ACCOMMODATE AND RESPECT AND ENHANCE THE EQUESTRIAN COMMUNITY. I MEAN, IT REALLY, I JUST KNOW, AS A EVERYBODY KNOWS, I'M A TRAIL SUPPORTER AND I KNOW THAT EQUESTRIAN IS GOING BACK MANY, MANY DECADES WERE CUSTODIANS OF THE TRAIL SYSTEMS HERE WHEN HARDLY ANYBODY ELSE WAS USING THE TRAILS. AND NOW EVERYBODY HAS TO SHARE. BUT WE WOULDN'T HAVE THE STATEWIDE SYSTEM OF TRAILS IF IT WASN'T FOR THE EQUESTRIAN COMMUNITY. I REALLY BELIEVE THAT. SO WE REALLY NEED TO KEEP AND ENHANCE AND PROMOTE THE STABLES ALL AROUND OR ALL AROUND THE DISTRICT. AND YOU'RE DOING THAT. SO THANK YOU. ELIZABETH ECHOLS: WHAT JOHN SAID. LYNDA DESCHAMBAULT: I'VE RIDDEN OUT THERE AT PIEDMONT STABLES AND IN THE SMALL ARENA, AND I'VE ALSO WAS OUT THERE WHEN THE OAKLAND HERITAGE ALLIANCE GAVE AN AWARD FOR THE HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE OF THAT BUILDING. AND I UNDERSTAND AS A CLEANUP ABATEMENT SPECIALIST FROM EPA, THE WORK THAT WENT INTO GETTING THE REMEDIATING THE LEAD AND ASBESTOS AND ALL THE LIGHTING, I HEARD THE FIRST LIGHTING WAS TOO LOW AND THE HORSES WERE BUMPING THEIR HEADS ON THE LIGHT. SO THERE WERE MULTIPLE REVISIONS TO GET THAT PLACE TO WHERE IT IS NOW. SO I JUST I'M SO HAPPY TO HEAR IT'S CONTINUING SEAMLESSLY. I'D LOVE TO WORK AND MEET WITH YOU. LISA HAS A LONG LIST OF MINE. IN EARLY 2026, I KIND OF MADE EQUESTRIAN A TOP PRIORITY. AND IS THERE ANYTHING, EVEN JUST THE LITTLE THINGS FROM HOW CAN WE BETTER SUPPORT YOU OUT THERE WITH SOCIAL MEDIA? IS THERE MORE OPPORTUNITIES WE CAN PARTNER? I MEAN, I LOVE THE PARKS BECAUSE OF HORSES. I MEAN, AN EIGHTH GRADE TEACHER AND HORSES REALLY GOT ME INTO NATURE AND SET MY CAREER ON THIS. AND SO I'M VERY HAPPY. I GO BY THERE ON MY WAY HOME. SO ANYTIME, I CAN STOP IN OR SUPPORT OR BE AVAILABLE TO YOU. THIS IS MY WARD. I AM AN EQUESTRIAN. YEAH, JUST VERY HAPPY TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. AND I REALLY HOPE THAT WE CONTINUE TO RESOLVE THE WATER ISSUE OUT THERE AND WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO TO MAKE YOU GUYS WELCOME, COMFORTABLE, AND SUCCESSFUL OUT THERE. THANK YOU. ELIZABETH ECHOLS: WELL, GREAT. WELL, LIKEWISE, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR STEPPING INTO THIS ROLE. AND IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'VE MADE A REALLY GREAT RECOMMENDATION TO US IN TERMS OF WHO SHOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS ORGANIZATION. BUT I APPRECIATE YOUR LONG HISTORY WITH PIEDMONT STABLES, AND YOU ALREADY KNOW THE PLACE. YOU KNOW WHAT'S NEEDED. YOU KNOW THE FACILITY. YOU KNOW THE HORSES. YOU KNOW THE COMMUNITY. SO I THINK THAT'S HUGE. AND IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE REALLY GREAT EXPERIENCE TO TAKE THIS ON. SO IT'S GREAT. SO DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? KELLY CLANCY: THERE IS NO PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM. ELIZABETH ECHOLS: OK. SO DO EITHER OF YOU HAVE ANY MORE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? LISA GOORJIAN: WE'RE GOOD. ELIZABETH ECHOLS: WE'RE GOOD. ALL RIGHT. WELL, THEN COULD I GET A MOTION TO RECOMMEND TO THE BOARD THAT THE BOARD AWARD AND AUTHORIZE TO EXECUTE A CONCESSION AGREEMENT WITH METTA HORSE LLC FOR, WELL, I GUESS I DON'T HAVE TO READ ALL OF THIS, [00:30:01] BUT THE RECOMMENDATION IS HERE IN YOUR SLIDE. SO MOVED. THERE YOU GO. JOHN MERCURIO: SECOND. ELIZABETH ECHOLS: GREAT. ALL IN FAVOR? LYNDA DESCHAMBAULT: AYE. JOHN MERCURIO: AYE. ELIZABETH ECHOLS: AYE. OPPOSED? NONE. OK, PERFECT. THANK YOU BOTH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR COMING. TIFFANY MARGOLIS: THANK YOU. LISA GOORJIAN: THANK YOU. [Informational Items] ELIZABETH ECHOLS: SO MOVING ON. NOW, WE'RE MOVING TO OUR INFORMATIONAL ITEMS, AND WE'RE HAVING AN UPDATE ON THE NORTHWEST REGION FOR INR. AND WE HAVE HERE, KEVIN DAMSTRA. WELCOME, KEVIN. KEVIN DAMSTRA: GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR ECHOLS, ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER GOORJIAN, AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. MY NAME IS KEVIN DAMSTRA. I NEED TO PUT ON MY GLASSES BECAUSE I CANNOT SEE THE WORDS ANYMORE. I AM THE INTERPRETIVE AND RECREATION SERVICES MANAGER FOR THE NORTHWEST INTERPRETIVE SECTOR, WHICH INCLUDES VISITOR CENTERS ALONG THE BAY AND OUR TWO OUTDOOR RECREATIONAL WORK GROUPS. I AM HERE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH AN UPDATE ON OUR OUTDOOR RECREATION WORK GROUPS AND THE FUTURE THAT WE ARE LOOKING TOWARDS FOR RECREATIONAL PROGRAMMING IN OUR PARKS. WE RECOGNIZE THAT OUTDOOR RECREATION IS AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF CONNECTING PEOPLE WITH NATURE, BUILDING COMFORT, EXPERTISE AND AN OUTDOOR ETHIC INTO OUR COMMUNITIES, YOUTH AND OURSELVES. 32 YEARS AGO, GENERAL MANAGER PAT O'BRIEN HAD A VISION TO INCREASE OUTDOOR RECREATION EDUCATION ACROSS THE REGIONAL PARKS. FROM THE EARLY YEARS OF OUR OUTDOOR RECREATION WORK GROUP, THE STAFF AND OPERATION HAVE GROWN AND ADAPTED TO THE TIMES. IN THE EARLY YEARS, MINIMAL STAFF REQUIRED US TO RELY HEAVILY ON CONTRACTORS TO PROVIDE RECREATIONAL INSTRUCTION. HOWEVER, AFTER THOSE FIRST FEW YEARS, STAFF HAD GROWN AND WAS ABLE TO CREATE AND MAINTAIN INTERNAL PROGRAMS, INCLUDING SIGNATURE PROGRAMS LIKE THE PARKING AT DAY CAMP THAT CONTINUES TO THIS DAY. OVER THE PAST 15 YEARS, OUR OUTDOOR RECREATION TEAM HAS EXPANDED INTO NUMEROUS COMMUNITY OUTREACH PARTNERSHIPS, SUCH AS THE CO-OP PROGRAM, WHICH IS A HOW-TO-CAMP PROGRAM RUN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SELECTED COMMUNITY GROUPS FROM ACROSS THE PARK DISTRICT. OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, AS WE'VE EMERGED FROM A GLOBAL PANDEMIC AND WATCHED PEOPLE RECOGNIZE THE CRITICAL IMPORTANCE OF THE OUTDOORS AND OF RECREATION, WE HAVE ALSO SEEN AN INCREASE IN OUTDOOR RECREATION IN OUR PARKS. IN 2026, WE ARE EMBARKING ON A REALIGNMENT OF OUR WORK, FOCUSING ON MEETING THE EMERGING AND GROWING NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING EXPANDING FROM ONE HISTORICAL OUTDOOR RECREATION WORK GROUP INTO TWO, AS OF THIS PAST FEBRUARY. IN ORDER TO PUT OUR WORK INTO CONTEXT, I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO STEP BACK AND LOOK AT THE OVERALL TRENDS OF THE INDUSTRY ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. ACCORDING TO THE OUTDOOR INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION'S 2026 OUTDOOR PARTICIPATION TRENDS REPORT, IN 2025, OUTDOOR RECREATION IN THE UNITED STATES GREW TO A RECORD 183.2 MILLION PARTICIPANTS. THIS IS 59% OF ALL AMERICANS AGED 6 AND OLDER. PARTICIPATION ACROSS THE INDUSTRY HAS ALSO GROWN AN AVERAGE OF 3% IN EACH OF THE PAST THREE YEARS. WHILE THERE IS SOME EVIDENCE OF A SLOWING IN THESE NUMBERS, AS WE DISTANCE OURSELVES FROM THE PANDEMIC, THE GROWTH IS NOT STOPPING. IN FACT, IT IS GROWING ACROSS ETHNIC, AGE, GENDER, INCOME, AND EDUCATION LEVELS. HOWEVER, WE ARE ALSO SEEING THE NUMBER OF OUTINGS PER YEAR THESE PARTICIPANTS ARE TAKING IS DECREASING. THIS MEANS THAT THE AVERAGE PARTICIPANT IS EXPERIENCING FIVE FEWER OUTINGS PER YEAR THAN PARTICIPANTS DID IN 2019. THIS FREQUENCY DROP REPRESENTS A LOSS OF HEALTH BENEFITS FROM OUTDOOR RECREATION IN CONNECTION TO THE NATURAL WORLD, AND THE NEED TO TURN A FIRST TIME EXPERIENCE INTO A LIFELONG HABIT. TO GET MORE SPECIFIC, THREE OF THE FIVE MOST POPULAR OUTDOOR RECREATION ACTIVITIES IN THE INDUSTRY ARE REGULARLY TAUGHT BY OUR STAFF-- HIKING, CAMPING, AND FISHING-- WITH A FOURTH, BIKING, BEING OFFERED OCCASIONALLY AND POISED FOR GROWTH IN THE NEAR FUTURE. ANOTHER LARGE OPPORTUNITY THAT WE OFFER IS KAYAKING, WHICH IS ONE OF THE LARGEST GROWING RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, WITH 34 MILLION PARTICIPANTS NATIONWIDE IN 2025. HOWEVER, 85% OF THESE PEOPLE ARE CASUAL USERS, AGAIN HIGHLIGHTING THE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP CREATE MORE FREQUENT PARTICIPATION IN THIS SPORT. [00:35:01] OUR OUTDOOR RECREATION STAFF SPECIALIZES IN BUILDING LONG LASTING AND MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS BETWEEN PEOPLE AND PARKS THROUGH OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES AND ADVENTURES. THIS INCLUDES SKILLS DEVELOPMENT COURSES AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT GROWTH AND COMFORT IN THE OUTDOORS. OUR PROGRAMMING FALLS INTO THREE LARGE CATEGORIES-- PUBLIC PROGRAMS THAT ARE ADVERTISED ONLINE THROUGH EMAILS, SOCIAL MEDIA, AND IN OUR REGIONAL AND NATURE PUBLICATION, COMMUNITY PARTNER PROGRAMS, WHICH ARE DESIGNED IN COLLABORATION WITH LOCAL COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS-- MANY OF THESE ARE ALSO DONE IN COLLABORATION WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE DISTRICT-- AND SPECIAL EVENTS, WHICH ARE LARGE EVENTS THAT HAPPEN ACROSS THE PARK DISTRICTS AND ARE DESIGNED TO BRING PEOPLE INTO THE PARK TO PROVIDE A FESTIVAL-LIKE FEELING FOR PARTICIPANTS. THESE ARE OFTEN THE EASIEST ENTRY INTO OUR PROGRAMS FOR MANY PARTICIPANTS. SINCE 2021, OUR PUBLIC OUTDOOR RECREATION PROGRAMMING HAS INCREASED OVER 1,200%, WHILE OUR COMMUNITY PROGRAMS HAVE REMAINED RELATIVELY STEADY, AND THE SPECIAL EVENT ATTENDANCE VARIES YEAR TO YEAR BASED UPON THE SEASONAL AND INTERMITTENT STAFF AVAILABILITY TO SUPPORT THESE EVENTS. HOWEVER, RECREATION PROGRAMMING REQUIRES MORE STAFF TO MAINTAIN PARTICIPANT SAFETY LEVELS AND MEET INDUSTRY STANDARDS THAN OTHER PROGRAMMING OFFERED BY THE INTERPRETIVE AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT. THIS MEANS THAT THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF PARTICIPATION IN RECREATION PROGRAMMING REPRESENTS LESS THAN 2% OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT THE ENTIRE INR SERVICES DEPARTMENT SERVES IN 2025. BY EVALUATING THESE THREE PROGRAM AREAS AND THE INDUSTRY TRENDS, WE CAN ADAPT OUR PROGRAMS TO OFFER PROGRAM OFFERINGS TO MEET THE INTEREST OF THE PUBLIC AND TO HELP INCREASE PEOPLE'S COMFORT AND DESIRE TO RECREATE OUTDOORS. THE COMBINATION OF THESE TRENDS IN THE INDUSTRY, COUPLED WITH THE NEED FOR INCREASED FREQUENCY AND OUR INTERNAL SERVICES, HIGHLIGHTS A PATH FORWARD. THE DECISION OF THIS BOARD IN 2026 TO INCREASE THE OUTDOOR RECREATION STAFF HAS SET US ON A PATH TOWARDS FUTURE GROWTH AND PROGRAMS AND PARTICIPATION. IN 2026, THE BOARD ADDED BOTH A SECOND RECREATION ASSISTANT POSITION AND A SECOND RECREATION SUPERVISOR POSITION TO THE EXISTING STAFF OF SIX PERMANENT EMPLOYEES. THIS ALLOWED US TO CREATE THE TWO WORK GROUPS THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER, SPLITTING OUR EXISTING PROGRAMMING AND SETTING THE STAGE FOR FUTURE INNOVATION AND ALIGNMENT WITH PUBLIC INTEREST AND DEMANDS. KARL ROESLER, OUR SECOND RECREATION SUPERVISOR, STARTED IN FEBRUARY 2026, TAKING OVER WHAT WE NOW REFER TO AS OUR RECREATION SOUTH WORK GROUP, BASED AT THE TIDEWATER BOATING CENTER. AT THE SAME TIME, KELSEY GIELEN, OUR PREVIOUS RECREATION SUPERVISOR, MOVED NORTH WITH THE RECREATION NORTH WORK GROUP INTO A RENTED FACILITY AT THE BRICKYARD MARINA IN RICHMOND. THIS HAS BEEN A YEAR OF ADJUSTMENTS AS WE TRANSITION PROGRAMS, EQUIPMENT, AND STAFF BETWEEN THESE TWO WORK GROUPS, AND THE FRUITS OF THESE NEW POSITIONS WILL NOT BE FULLY REALIZED UNTIL 2027 AND BEYOND. SO WHAT COULD THAT LOOK LIKE? IN 2027, WILL BE OUR FIRST FULL YEAR HAVING TWO OUTDOOR RECREATION WORK GROUPS. IN CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR RECREATION SUPERVISORS, WE'VE DECIDED TO FOCUS ON THREE AREAS FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR. WE'LL BE ALIGNING PROGRAMMING WITH INDUSTRY TRENDS AND THE PUBLIC DEMAND. THIS MAY INCLUDE ADJUSTING PUBLIC PROGRAM OFFERINGS AND PILOTING NEW EXPERIENCES ACROSS THE PARK DISTRICT. WE WILL ALSO BE IMPROVING OUR SYSTEMS ACROSS BOTH WORK GROUPS TO MAINTAIN CONSISTENCY IN PROGRAM DESIGN, SAFETY, AND QUALITY. THIS WILL INCLUDE PROGRAM EVALUATIONS AND REGULAR FEEDBACK BETWEEN THE GROWING STAFF. IN ADDITION, RECREATION IS CREATING A TRAINING PLAN TO ENSURE STAFF MAINTAIN AND GROW THEIR SKILLS TO ALIGN WITH BEST PRACTICES ACROSS THE OUTDOOR RECREATION INDUSTRY. OUR THIRD IS WE WILL BE ASSESSING THE VIABILITY OF PROGRAMMATIC EXPANSION INTO PARKS FOR EQUIPMENT STORAGE AND LEARNING SPACES, EFFECTIVELY CREATING LEARNING HUBS THAT WOULD ALLOW STAFF TO SERVE MORE PEOPLE BY DECREASING THE LOGISTICS INVOLVED WITH HAULING GEAR ACROSS THE PARK DISTRICT. WITH THE CLOSURE OF LOCAL OUTDOOR SKILLS EDUCATION PROGRAMS, LIKE REI, THERE'S A GROWING NEED FOR PUBLIC SKILLS-BASED OUTDOOR RECREATION EDUCATION PROGRAMMING. TO ALIGN WITH THIS NEED, IN 2027, WE ARE LAUNCHING A NEW ITERATION OF THE PREVIOUSLY SUCCESSFUL WELLNESS WALKS, OFFERING MULTIPLE LEVELS OF FISHING PROGRAMMING, MORE KAYAK PROGRAMS [00:40:02] AND PEAK BOATING SEASONS, AND PILOTING SUMMER CAMPS IN PARTNERSHIPS WITH LIFEGUARD SERVICES. IN ADDITION, WE WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY PROGRAMS THAT RECREATION RUNS OR HEAVILY SUPPORTS. THIS WILL INCLUDE THE CO-OP PROGRAM THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER, WHICH HAS SERVED 25 PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS, TEACHING THESE ORGANIZATIONS HOW TO CAMP THROUGH SKILLS-BASED LEARNING AND HOW TO NAVIGATE THE DISTRICT'S ADMINISTRATIVE SYSTEMS TO REMOVE BARRIERS TO ENTRY INTO THE CAMPING ACTIVITY. OUR LONG STANDING PARTNERSHIP WITH BORP ALSO OFFERS ADAPTIVE CAMPING AND KAYAKING OPPORTUNITIES TO THIS POPULATION. IN ADDITION, OUR RECREATION DEPARTMENT WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE TEEN ECO ACTION PROGRAM, WHICH IS FOUR ONE-WEEK-LONG INTENSIVE PROGRAMS TO INTRODUCE TEENAGERS TO THE PARK DISTRICT THROUGH RECREATIONAL PROGRAMMING, INTERPRETIVE OPPORTUNITIES, AND SERVICE PROJECTS. THESE FOUR WEEKS ARE SPREAD ACROSS BOTH COUNTIES, ACROSS THE ENTIRE DISTRICT, WORKING WITH MUNICIPALITIES AND CBOS TO SUPPORT THAT PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM. IN ADDITION, OUR ADVENTURE CREW PROGRAMS IN RICHMOND AND PITTSBURGH PROVIDE ACCESS AND EXPERIENCE TO OUR PARKS TO HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES IN THE EARLY TEENAGE YEARS. AFTER 32 YEARS, OUR OUTDOOR RECREATION WORKGROUPS ARE WELL-POSITIONED FOR THE FUTURE. AS TRENDS IN INTEREST CHANGE OVER TIME, OUR WELL-TRAINED AND PROFESSIONAL STAFF ARE DEDICATED TO ADAPTING TO BEST SERVE THE PUBLIC THROUGH RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, GROWING THE NUMBER AND FREQUENCY THAT PEOPLE SEEK TO RECREATE IN OUR PARKS. I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU IN THE FUTURE TO SUPPORT OUR OUTDOOR RECREATION IN THE REGIONAL PARKS. ELIZABETH ECHOLS: WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR REPORT. AND BOARD MEMBERS, DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS? JOHN MERCURIO: EXCUSE ME. DO YOU HAVE ANY RELATIONSHIP OR COOPERATION WITH OUTDOOR AFRO? KEVIN DAMSTRA: THROUGH MANY OF OUR PROGRAMS, BOTH INTERPRETIVE AND RECREATION, WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS OUTDOOR AFRO, INCLUDING OUTDOOR AFRO, FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. YES. JOHN MERCURIO: OK, GOOD. THANK YOU. LYNDA DESCHAMBAULT: I THINK THIS IS GREAT. I DIDN'T KNOW WE HAD DONE THAT GREAT EXPANSION. I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO HOW THAT IMPROVES IN THE FUTURE. I HAD A COUPLE QUESTIONS. WHY THE BIG JUMP IN 2024 ON EVENTS DOUBLED THAT ONE YEAR? I BET YOU HAVE THE ANSWER. KEVIN DAMSTRA: THAT HAD TO DO WITH THE NUMBER OF SEASONAL STAFF THAT WERE AVAILABLE DURING DIFFERENT TIME FRAMES. AND IN 2024, I WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK AND DOUBLE-CHECK EXACTLY THE REASONS, BUT OFTEN, WHEN THERE'S A BIG JUMP IN THAT, LIKE THAT FOR SPECIAL EVENTS. ELIZABETH ECHOLS: YEAH, THAT'S WHAT JOHN AND I WERE EXPECTING TO SAY. LYNDA DESCHAMBAULT: THERE MUST BE SOMETHING. 90TH ANNIVERSARY-- ELIZABETH ECHOLS: MIGHT HAVE HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT ANYWAY. JOHN MERCURIO: YEAH, WHEN YOU HAVE AN EVENT WHERE 6,000 PEOPLE ATTEND IT. LYNDA DESCHAMBAULT: WELL, AND THEY WERE MULTIPLE EVENTS BECAUSE I WENT TO A COUPLE OF THEM. I WENT PALM BEACH, AND I WENT, YEAH. THAT'S FABULOUS. I'M CURIOUS WITH DATA AND STATISTICS AS WE CONTINUE TO BECOME THIS AI COMMUNITY. I EVEN HEARD THAT WE'RE PICKING UP NOW OUR VISITOR NUMBERS OFF OF PEOPLE'S CELL PHONES IN OUR PARKS. AND I'M JUST WONDERING, WITH OUTDOOR RECREATION, LIKE, AT SOME POINT, MAYBE I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS COMING TO THE BOARD. I GUESS IT'S COMMON-- I GUESS IT'S A QUESTION FOR LATER. COULD WE GET MORE STATISTICS ON THE AGE GROUP OR SURVEY AND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE? AND I'M ALWAYS REALLY CURIOUS. I BROUGHT THIS UP BEFORE. WE HAVE SUCH A CHANGING COMMUNITY OF WHO'S RECREATING IN OUR PARKS AND USING IN OUR PARKS. BUT I REALLY WANT TO TALK TO PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY BICYCLISTS. THERE'S A REAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A BICYCLIST AND A MOUNTAIN BICYCLIST. THERE'S A REAL DIFFERENCE FROM A HIKER OR A WALKER OR A BIRD WATCHER VERSUS MY PAC MEMBERS, A LONG-DISTANCE RUNNER. AND LARRY FONG DOES HIS 12 MILES EVERY FRIDAY CLASSES. I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN GET STATISTICS AND BREAK THAT OUT, BECAUSE I'D LIKE TO HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHO'S USING THEM, WHO'S USING THE RECREATION CLASSES, WHO'S USING OUR PARKS? I GUESS, A COMMENT. I DON'T EXPECT YOU TO ANSWER IT, BECAUSE I'M GOING TO PULL IT OUT OF YOUR POCKET AND TELL ME, BUT I THINK THAT WOULD BE A QUESTION FOR IN THE FUTURE. AND THEN DID YOU SAY 2% OF-- KEVIN DAMSTRA: 2% OF OUR OVERALL NUMBERS THAT ARE PROVIDED BY OUR INTERPRETIVE AND RECREATION SERVICES DEPARTMENT. LYNDA DESCHAMBAULT: SO WHAT'S OUR GOAL FOR 2027? DO WE HAVE-- WE DOUBLE THAT? TRIPLE THAT? JUST CURIOUS. YOU MUST HAVE A PLAN. KEVIN DAMSTRA: RIGHT NOW, THE PLAN THAT WE'RE LOOKING ON AND THE GOALS THAT WE'RE WORKING FOR 2027 HAVE MORE TO DO WITH THE NUMBER OF PROGRAM OFFERINGS THAT WE ARE CREATING, BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO CONTROL THE NUMBER OF PROGRAMS THAT WE CAN OFFER. [00:45:03] WE DON'T ALWAYS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTROL HOW MANY PEOPLE ATTEND. SO WHEN WE'RE PILOTING THESE PROGRAMS, WE FOCUS MORE ON WHAT ARE WE OFFERING, HOW OFTEN ARE WE OFFERING IT, AND USE THAT TO DETERMINE ARE PEOPLE ATTENDING, OR HOW IS THAT WORKING TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD AND ASSESS BETTER IN THE FUTURE. LYNDA DESCHAMBAULT: YEAH, THAT MAKES SENSE. AND THEN BACK TO MY QUESTION OR COMMENT ABOUT GETTING BETTER STATISTICS ON WHO THESE PEOPLE ARE AND WHAT WE'RE USING. AND I JUST HAVE ONE LAST QUESTION, OR COMMENT, ON THE, I'M RUNNING INTO THIS RIGHT NOW IN THE TOWN OF MORAGA, WHERE DO WE SEPARATE RECREATION AND OPEN SPACE OR NATURAL AREAS, LIKE GIVING KIDS TIME TO JUST JOURNAL IN NATURE OR GIVING KIDS TIME TO-- I SAW YOU HAD BIRD TOURS AND THINGS, VERSUS THE GRIT THAT WE KEEP HEARING OF THE MOUNTAIN BICYCLISTS AND THE KAYAKING? BUT I IMAGINE WE'LL HAVE SOME OPPORTUNITY TO OFFER SOME OF THAT IN THERE AS WELL. SO YOU'VE GOT THE RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES. I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'D CALL IT. IT WOULD BE LIKE A PASSIVE NATURE EXPERIENCES. WILL THAT BE UNDER THIS UMBRELLA AS WELL? KEVIN DAMSTRA: IT WOULD DEPEND. SO WITHIN THE INTERPRETIVE AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, OUR TWO BRANCHES, INTERPRETATION AND RECREATION, BOTH TOUCH ON ASPECTS OF THAT. SO MANY OF OUR NATURE JOURNALING PROGRAMS THAT WE OFFER ARE RUN THROUGH OUR INTERPRETIVE NATURALISTS LEADING THOSE PROGRAMS. THERE'S SOME VERY SUCCESSFUL ONES DOWN AT SUNOL, AND THOSE ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE EDUCATIONAL OR EXPERIENTIAL, IN SOME WAYS. IN THE RECREATION WORLD, WE FOCUS VERY HEAVILY ON SKILLS DEVELOPMENT FOR CERTAIN TYPES OF RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES. SO MANY OF OUR KAYAKING PROGRAMS OR BIKING PROGRAMS ARE HOW-TOS OR HOW TO CAMP WITH THROUGH CO-OP. AND THEN WHEN THERE ARE AREAS WHERE THEY ARE DOVETAILING INTO THE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION OR THE INTERPRETIVE WORLD, WE PARTNER WITHIN OUR OWN WORK GROUPS SO THAT OUR NATURALISTS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENTS WORK TOGETHER ON MANY PROGRAMS AS WELL, TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE BOTH TYPES OF THOSE EXPERIENCES. LYNDA DESCHAMBAULT: YEAH, I'M ALWAYS CURIOUS HOW WE CAN COMBINE THE TWO. I REMEMBER WE HEARD ABOUT A PUMP TRACK TRAIL SOMETIME BACK, AND WOULD THERE BE A CHANCE FOR KIDS AT THE SAME FACILITY? LIKE, HOW DO WE JOIN THOSE TWO THAT THEY COME OUT FOR A PUMP TRACK TRAIL, BUT MAYBE THEY ALSO HAVE A CHANCE TO ALSO REALIZE AND REMEMBER WHERE THEY ARE IN OUR PARKS AND IN NATURE? AND WHERE DO THE TWO CROSS OVER? LISA'S GOOD. ELIZABETH ECHOLS: YEAH, GO AHEAD. LISA GOORJIAN: THANK YOU, DIRECTOR DESCHAMBAULT. I DID WANT TO JUST ADD TO KEVIN'S RESPONSE THAT MUCH OF WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS BALANCING THE OUTDOOR EDUCATION AND INTERPRETATION WITH THE OUTDOOR RECREATION. SO THE OUT-- SPECIFICALLY THE TEEN ECO PROGRAMS THAT KEVIN MENTIONED DO A REALLY NICE JOB OF THAT. A COUPLE DAYS, THEY DO SOMETHING MORE SKILLS-BASED WITH RECREATION. AND THEN, CERTAINLY, SOME OF THE PRESENTATIONS WE'VE SEEN SHOW, ACTUALLY SHOW THE KIDS DRAWING. AND SO THAT'S PART OF THAT AS WELL. SO I THINK YOU'RE HITTING ON SOMETHING THAT WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO DO MORE OF. AND SO APPRECIATE YOU HIGHLIGHTING THAT. AND THEN, ALSO, WITH REGARD TO HAVING A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHO'S COMING TO OUR PARKS AND PARTICIPATING, THAT'S PART OF, I BELIEVE, THE WORK THAT THE INTERPRETATION AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN DOING FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS TO REALLY LOOK AT THEIR EVALUATION PROGRAM AND HOW THEY'RE HAVING A CONSISTENT WAY TO DO PROGRAM EVALUATIONS IN A CONSISTENT WAY. KEVIN DAMSTRA: WE'VE HEARD ABOUT THAT. LISA GOORJIAN: YEAH, SO I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO BE COMING BACK TO THE BOC WITH AN UPDATE, I THINK LATER THIS YEAR. BUT WE AGREE WITH YOU. WE DO WANT TO TRY TO HAVE A BETTER SENSE OF, ARE WE ALIGNING OUR RESOURCES EQUITABLY AND WHERE THEY'RE MOST NEEDED AND CAN SAY WITH A STRAIGHT FACE WHAT WE'RE DOING? SO WE APPRECIATE YOU ASKING AND YOUR SUPPORT FOR THAT AS WELL. LYNDA DESCHAMBAULT: DEFINITELY, A BIG SUPPORTER OF THAT. SO THANK YOU. I MEAN, THESE ARE THE KEEPERS OF OUR PARKS FOR THE NEXT SEVEN GENERATIONS. SO WE ALSO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRAIN AND MOLD THEM. I WAS HAPPY TO HEAR, TOO, THANKS FOR THE WELLNESS WALKS COMING BACK. I WAS OUT AND SAW, IN REDWOOD, AT QIGONG GROUP OVER THERE A COUPLE DAYS AGO. SO THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET PEOPLE TO DO THAT TYPE OF THING IS JUST WONDERFUL. I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR WORK. THANK YOU. IT'S A GREAT REPORT. I DIDN'T KNOW ALL THIS WAS-- I SORT OF KNEW. SANDY'S DONE A GOOD JOB OF KEEPING US UP TO DATE ON STUFF AS WELL, BUT THANK YOU, KEVIN DAMSTRA: THANK YOU. ELIZABETH ECHOLS: DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? KELLY CLANCY: THERE IS NO PUBLIC COMMENT. ELIZABETH ECHOLS: OK. GREAT. ANY FURTHER COMMENT FROM EITHER OF YOU? OR FROM LISA, IF YOU WANT? [00:50:02] JOHN MERCURIO: I WAS JUST TALKING TO A GROUP OF SCOUTS IN MY CITY LAST NIGHT, AND I MADE SURE TO MENTION ALL THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT THERE ARE, NOT ONLY IN THE VISITOR CENTERS, BUT IN THE OTHER PROGRAMS THAT ARE JUST ALL OVER THE PLACE. AND I SAID, TO THE EXTENT THAT I KNOW YOU'VE GOT A THING GOING ON WITH THE SCOUTS, YOU CAN ALWAYS DO STUFF WITH YOUR FAMILY WHEN YOU'RE NOT WITH THE SCOUTS. AND SO I DID MY BEST SALES JOB, AND THEY WERE PAYING ATTENTION. IT WAS GREAT. SO THANK YOU FOR BEING A BIG PART OF GUIDING THE WHOLE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE FOR GETTING AS MANY PEOPLE INVOLVED AS IS REALLY POSSIBLE. I MEAN, THANK YOU. KEVIN DAMSTRA: THANK YOU. ELIZABETH ECHOLS: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AGAIN, FOR YOUR REPORT. I REALLY ENJOYED THE BROAD OVERVIEW, AND I WASN'T AWARE OF THE HISTORY OF HOW ACTUALLY THE INTERPRETIVE AND THE RECREATIONAL PROGRAMS CAME ABOUT. AND SO THAT WAS REALLY INTERESTING TO KNOW, AND ALSO TO KNOW WHERE IT'S HEADED. SO REALLY EXCELLENT REPORT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY. KEVIN DAMSTRA: THANK YOU. ELIZABETH ECHOLS: OK. SO THAT BRINGS US TO ANNOUNCEMENTS, IF THERE ARE ANY. OK. NO ANNOUNCEMENTS. THEN, IN THAT CASE, WE ARE ADJOURNED, AND THE TIME IS 1:56 PM-- ACTUALLY 1:55 BY THAT CLOCK. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.