LUANA ESPANA: I CALLED TO ORDER THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD
[Roll Call]
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LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE OF THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT FOR OCTOBER 21, 2026.THE MEETING IS HEREBY CALLED TO ORDER AT 1:03 PM.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? CLERK: YES, THANK YOU.
DIRECTOR COFFEY? COLIN COFFEY: HERE.
CLERK: DIRECTOR WAESPI? DENNIS WAESPI: HERE.
CLERK: CHAIR ESPAÑA? LUANA ESPANA: PRESENT.
CLERK: NOTE ALL MEMBERS ARE PRESENT.
[Approval of Minutes]
LUANA ESPANA: TWO, WE'LL MOVE TO THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES.LUANA ESPANA: DO I HAVE A SECOND? COLIN COFFEY: SECOND.
LUANA ESPANA: ALL IN FAVOR? DENNIS WAESPI AND COLIN COFFEY: AYE.
THREE, PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA.
WE WILL NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
THIS IS A TIME WHEN MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC MAY ADDRESS THE COMMITTEE ON MATTERS THAT ARE NOT LISTED ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ THE PUBLIC COMMENT ANNOUNCEMENT? CLERK: YES, THANK YOU.
THERE IS NO PUBLIC COMMENT, SO I WILL SPARE US SOME TIME.
[Informational Items]
LUANA ESPANA: FOUR, INFORMATIONAL ITEMS. END OF THE STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSION RECAP.HERE TO INTRODUCE THE ITEM IS DIVISION LEAD OF GOVERNMENT AND LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS, ERIC PFUEHLER.
ERIC PFUEHLER: ERIC PFUEHLER, DIVISION LEAD FOR GOVERNMENT AND LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS.
PRIMARILY HERE TO INTRODUCE OUR CONSULTANT, REED ADDIS.
BUT JUST AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL, I WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT ABOUT HALF, 50%, OF THE BILLS THAT THE PARK DISTRICT CHOSE TO SUPPORT WERE SIGNED OR CHAPTERED INTO LAW.
AND AMONG THEM WERE ONES THAT WE WORKED A LITTLE MORE ACTIVELY ON, INCLUDING THE COASTAL RESILIENCE PERMITTING WORKING GROUP THAT ASSEMBLY MEMBER BUFFY WICKS LED.
AND I KNOW ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER BROOKS IS GOING TO BE WORKING WITH THE TEAM TO TRY TO HAVE REPRESENTATION ON THAT WORKING GROUP AS IT MOVES FORWARD.
THERE WERE TWO BILLS REGARDING E-BIKES THAT WERE ENACTED.
ONE, BETTER DEFINING WHAT AN E-MOTO IS AND PUTTING MORE MATERIALS IN THE PACKAGING TO FULLY EXPLAIN TO PURCHASERS WHAT THEY'RE BUYING, AS WELL AS ASSEMBLY MEMBER WILSON'S BILL TO ESTABLISH UNIFORM SPEED LIMITS AND SOME OTHER EQUIPMENT IMPROVEMENTS TO E-BIKES.
ALSO, AB 35 PASSED THAT EARLY IN THE YEAR.
THAT WAS THE LEGISLATION THAT ENABLED PROPOSITION 4 FUNDING TO NOT HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES ACT, WHICH WOULD HAVE ADDED DELAYS FOR RELEASING OF THAT FUNDING-- SO SOMETHING VERY PERTINENT TO THE ACTION THAT WAS TAKEN YESTERDAY.
AND THEN THERE WAS SOME LEGISLATION THAT SENATOR TIM GRAYSON PASSED ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF CONCORD THAT ALLOWS THEM TO USE THEIR EXISTING EIR FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FORMER NAVAL WEAPONS STATION PROPERTY.
SO THAT WILL ALLOW THAT PROJECT TO GO ON AS PLANNED, UNLESS IT CHANGES SUBSTANTIALLY, IN WHICH CASE, THEY WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK AND GET CEQA CLEARANCE.
TWO BILLS OF NOTE THAT DID NOT MAKE IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE PROCESS WERE ASSEMBLY MEMBER REBECCA BAUER-KAHAN'S LEGISLATION DEALING WITH REGISTERING E-BIKES, AND THEN ALSO THE LEGISLATION THAT WAS BROUGHT TO US BY OUR INR DEPARTMENT THAT WOULD HAVE PROVIDED AN OUTDOOR LEARNING FRAMEWORK FOR EDUCATORS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
SO THOSE WERE JUST SOME NOTABLE THINGS THAT I KNOW OUR TEAM WORKED ON THIS YEAR.
AND I THINK WE HAD MORE SUCCESS THAN NOT.
AND WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO CALL UP REED ADDIS TO GO THROUGH THE PRESENTATION ON OTHER THINGS THAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR.
ERIC STOLE A LITTLE BIT OF MY THUNDER, BUT I MIGHT REPEAT SOME OF IT.
BUT AS A REMINDER, SINCE I LAST CAME AND TALKED, THE LEGISLATURE HAS CONCLUDED A TWO-YEAR LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
AND I WOULD SAY I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU GUYS ALWAYS MEASURE YOUR METRICS OF SUCCESS.
OVER THOSE TWO YEARS, YOU'VE HAD A RATHER ROBUST SET OF POLICY
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AND BUDGET WINS TO REPORT ON.AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO TAKE STOCK OF THOSE WINS HERE AT THIS TIME, BECAUSE AS THE LEGISLATURE CLOSES OUT THIS TWO YEAR SESSION, WE'RE GOING TO BE STARTING A NEW TWO-YEAR SESSION, OBVIOUSLY, IN DECEMBER.
NEW LEGISLATORS WHO WERE ELECTED AFTER NOVEMBER WILL BE COMING UP FOR AN ORGANIZATIONAL DAY.
AND THEN THEY WILL COME BACK AGAIN IN JANUARY.
JANUARY IS ALSO WHEN THE NEW GOVERNOR WILL BE SWORN IN.
SO THINGS ARE GOING TO RAMP UP VERY QUICKLY AS EARLY AS DECEMBER, BUT DEFINITELY BY JANUARY, WITH A WHOLE NEW SET OF LEGISLATORS, A NEW GOVERNOR, AND A NEW TWO-YEAR SESSION.
OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, AS A REMINDER, YOU HAD SPONSORED LEGISLATION.
LAST YEAR THAT WAS SUCCESSFUL, THE GRAYSON MEASURE THAT SET UP YOUR OWN PRIORITY PROGRAM HERE AT THE FACILITY HERE FOR YOU GUYS, AS WELL AS THE ENABLING LEGISLATION THAT WILSON RAN.
BOTH OF THOSE PIECES OF LEGISLATION, YOU WERE SUCCESSFULLY ABLE TO GET THROUGH IN THE FIRST YEAR.
YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO WORK THROUGH THOSE IN THE SECOND YEAR.
THAT ALLOWED YOU THEN TO FOCUS ON A NUMBER OF POLICIES THIS YEAR, INCLUDING SOME OF THE BILLS THAT ERIC MENTIONED-- ONE RELATED TO PROP 4 FUNDING.
AS A REMINDER, THERE WAS A-- I'LL SAY IT WAS AN ERROR IN THE DRAFTING OF THE PROP 4 THAT DIDN'T ALLOW FOR AN APA EXEMPTION TO OCCUR.
AND THAT CREATED SOME CONFUSION, SOME TIME DELAYS FOR THE VARIOUS AGENCIES WHO WERE TRYING TO ADMINISTER THE PROP 4 FUNDING.
THAT MEASURE, THAT PIECE OF LEGISLATION AB 35, WAS SUPPORTED BY YOU GUYS AND SHEPHERDED THROUGH THE PROCESS EARLY IN THE YEAR AND WAS PASSED AND ULTIMATELY ALLOWED THE VARIOUS AGENCIES TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THEIR PROP 4 FUNDING IN A MORE STREAMLINED AND EFFECTIVE WAY.
SO THAT WAS A VERY SUCCESSFUL AND SUCCESSFUL EARLIER IN THE YEAR.
AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE SESSION, THOUGH, WE ACTUALLY NOT ONLY GOT BILLS OUT OF THE LEGISLATURE, BUT WE HAD BEEN WAITING FOR THE GOVERNOR WHO HAD ABOUT 30 DAYS TO BE ABLE TO SIGN OR VETO MEASURES.
AND SO THAT TIME PERIOD HAS ENDED.
WE NOW CAN RECAP WHAT THOSE BILLS WERE.
ONE AREA, RELATED TO TRAIL SAFETY AND E-BIKES.
THERE WERE TWO MEASURES THAT THE DISTRICT WEIGHED IN ON BILLS.
THAT WAS A WILSON AND BLAKESPEAR BILLS.
BOTH OF THOSE MEASURES NOT ONLY MADE IT OUT OF THE LEGISLATURE, BUT WENT TO THE GOVERNOR, AND THE GOVERNOR SUCCESSFULLY SIGNED THOSE.
IN THE WILDFIRE AND LAND MANAGEMENT SECTION, THERE WAS ASSEMBLY MEMBER PETRIE-NORRIS WHO HAD THE BILL AB 2513 THAT YOU SUPPORTED AND ALLOWED, BASICALLY THE CAL FIRE, TO LOOK AT HOW THEY'RE DOING REGIONAL LANDSCAPE-SCALE GRANTMAKING FROM THE CAL FIRE FUNDING.
THAT MEASURE WAS SUCCESSFUL COMING OUT OF THE LEGISLATURE, BUT WAS ALSO SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR AND WILL BECOME LAW IN JANUARY 1.
TWO OTHER CATEGORIES THAT YOU WEIGHED IN ON-- ONE IS RELATED TO CONSERVATION AND WILDLIFE.
ASSEMBLY MEMBER WICKS HAD A MEASURE-- YOUR OWN DELEGATION MEMBER-- RELATED TO COASTAL RESILIENCY PERMITTING.
THAT BILL NOT ONLY WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT OUT OF THE END OF SESSION, BUT IT DID GO TO THE GOVERNOR, AND THE GOVERNOR SIGNED THAT MEASURE.
IN THE WILDLIFE SPACE, SENATOR CORTESE HAD A BILL THAT BASICALLY PROVIDED A BETTER SYNERGY BETWEEN WILDLIFE CORRIDOR PROJECTS AND CALTRANS AND RELATED TO HOW CALTRANS WAS THINKING ABOUT ITS OWN PROJECTS AND ITS OWN ASSETS AND THINKING ABOUT WILDLIFE CORRIDOR IS RELATED TO THAT.
THAT CORTESE BILL, SB 1250, NOT ONLY GOT OUT OF THE LEGISLATURE, BUT ALSO WAS SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR.
FINALLY, IN WHAT I'LL CALL THE PARKS AND OUTDOOR ACCESS SPACE, THERE WERE TWO MORE MEASURES THAT YOU ENGAGED IN.
ONE WAS RELATED TO ANOTHER DELEGATION MEMBER, ASSEMBLY MEMBER WICKS, AB 2168, RELATED TO ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION PROGRAMMING GUIDELINES.
THAT MEASURE WAS ABLE TO MOVE OUT OF THE LEGISLATURE.
AGAIN, SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR.
AS WELL AS AB 2115 BY RAMOS AND AB 2507.
THESE MEASURES, RELATED TO CALIFORNIA NATIVE AMERICANS, AND BOTH MOVED OUT OF THE LEGISLATURE.
AGAIN, ALSO SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR AT THE END OF HIS PROCESS LAST MONTH.
NOW, THAT WAS POLICY BILLS, RIGHT? SO THOSE ALL MOVED THROUGH.
BUT THERE WERE ALSO BUDGET ACTIONS.
AND CLEARLY, ESPECIALLY AFTER YESTERDAY, YOU'RE WELL AWARE OF GOLDEN GATE FIELDS.
BUT I ALSO WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT SENATOR MCNERNEY WORKED
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DILIGENTLY WITH YOUR TEAM ON AN ADDITIONAL BUDGET ITEM RELATED TO STOCK PONDS.AND THERE WAS FUNDING IN THE FINAL BUDGET THAT WAS PASSED BY THE LEGISLATURE AT THE END OF SESSION THAT WILL BENEFIT YOU OVER THE COURSE OF THIS NEXT YEAR AS THE AGENCIES ROLL OUT THOSE DOLLARS.
IN GENERAL, I WOULD SAY-- AGAIN, NOT KNOWING EXACTLY HOW YOU DO YOUR OWN MEASUREMENT ON RELATED TO SUCCESS.
BUT I WOULD SAY THIS LAST YEAR, OR THESE LAST TWO YEARS, THIS LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION, YOU'VE BEEN VERY ACTIVE IN THE LEGISLATURE, BOTH FROM THE POLICY BILL PERSPECTIVE, BUT ALSO THE BUDGET, AND HAVE BEEN RATHER SUCCESSFUL ON BOTH OF THOSE CASES.
CLEARLY, YOU'RE NOW GOING TO HAVE TO START THINKING ABOUT THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
AND YOUR TEAM WILL BE ABLE TO HELP YOU THINK THROUGH THIS OVER THE COMING MONTHS AND YEARS IS, HOW DO WE DEAL WITH NEW APPOINTEES TO THE VARIOUS AGENCIES THAT THE NEW GOVERNOR WILL BE APPOINTING? HOW DO WE GO ENGAGE THEM, MAKE SURE THAT YOUR PRIORITY PROJECTS AND POLICY INTERESTS ARE ON THEIR RADAR? AND OBVIOUSLY, THERE WILL BE SOME NEW LEGISLATORS, NOT NECESSARILY FROM YOUR OWN DELEGATION BUT ELSEWHERE IN THE STATE.
AND WE'LL HAVE TO GO REMIND THEM WHO YOU ARE, WHAT ARE THE MAIN PROJECTS AND PRIORITIES THAT YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT, AND WHAT ARE THOSE ITEMS ON THE HORIZON THAT ARE GOING TO BE IMPORTANT TO YOU AS THEY START CRAFTING LEGISLATION.
AS A REMINDER, LEGISLATION, AGAIN, CAN BE INTRODUCED AS EARLY AS DECEMBER, BUT PRIMARILY WILL BE INTRODUCED BETWEEN THE JANUARY-FEBRUARY TIME FRAME, WHERE THEN IN FEBRUARY, THERE'S A REAL DEADLINE FOR LEGISLATORS TO HAVE THEIR LEGISLATION INTRODUCED.
AND THEN THAT WILL KICK OFF A WHOLE PROCESS RELATED TO YOUR ENGAGEMENT ON WHAT BILLS WE LIKE, ARE THERE AMENDMENTS WE NEED TO MAKE CHANGES OR MAKE SUGGESTIONS ON, AND YOUR OWN LEGISLATION THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO BE PROMOTING OR SPONSORING.
ONE OTHER DETAIL-- I THINK I MENTIONED THIS IN OUR LAST MEETING, BUT JUST WANT TO REITERATE.
WHEN IT COMES TO THE BUDGET PROCESS, THAT WILL ALSO KICK OFF IN JANUARY.
TECHNICALLY, THAT BUDGET WILL BE A NEWSOM ADMINISTRATION BUDGET.
SO THE NEXT GOVERNOR WILL BE ADOPTING THAT, IF YOU WILL, IN JANUARY.
BUT REALLY, THAT MEANS THE NEXT GOVERNOR IS GOING TO BE WORKING BETWEEN JANUARY, FEBRUARY, MARCH, AND APRIL TO CRAFT A NEW BUDGET.
AND WE MAY START GETTING INDICATIONS OF WHAT THOSE NEW BUDGET PRIORITIES ARE IN MARCH, APRIL.
BUT FOR SURE, BY WHAT'S CALLED THE MAY REVISE, THEY WILL PROBABLY BE ISSUING A NEW UPDATED BUDGET THAT WILL THEN REFLECT THE NEW GOVERNOR'S SET OF PRIORITIES.
SO TYPICALLY, WE CAN ENGAGE EARLY IN THE BUDGET IN THE JANUARY TIME FRAME.
AND WE'LL KNOW WHAT IT MEANS, WHAT THAT GOVERNOR MEANS, AND WHAT THEIR PRIORITIES ARE.
WE WON'T HAVE THAT SAME INDICATION THIS YEAR, AS WE WAIT FOR THE NEXT GOVERNOR TO PUT THEIR THUMBPRINT ON THINGS OVER THE COURSE OF THE FIRST QUARTER OF NEXT YEAR.
THOSE ARE SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS THAT I WANTED TO RAISE FOR YOU.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S QUESTIONS OR ITEMS YOU'D LIKE ME TO COVER.
LUANA ESPANA: ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR REQUESTS FOR CLARIFICATION FROM BOARD MEMBERS? DENNIS WAESPI: GO AHEAD.
COLIN COFFEY: SO WHAT HAPPENED TO THE PROPOSALS TO GET LITTLE KIDS OFF THE MOTORCYCLES? REED ADDIS: THE TWO MEASURES-- THE ONE MEASURE THAT ACTUALLY DID GO THROUGH, I DON'T THINK IT SPEAKS TO THAT BILL.
AND, OF COURSE, YOU'RE ASKING ME A QUESTION WHERE I DON'T THINK I HAVE THAT MEASURE ON MY LIST.
I'M GOING TO LOOK OVER HERE TO MY COLLEAGUES TO SEE-- DOES ANYBODY KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT ONE? DENNIS WAESPI: DIDN'T IT PASS BUT THEY AMENDED-- COLIN COFFEY: THE IDEA IS THESE E-MOTOS ARE ILLEGAL TO START WITH.
AND ADDED TO THAT IS YOU HAVE 12-YEAR-OLDS, 13-YEAR-OLDS, JUST ZOOMING ON OUR TRAILS WITH THESE BIKES.
THERE WAS A BILL THAT I THINK WAS GOING TO REQUIRE DRIVER'S LICENSE TO USE THOSE BIKES.
DENNIS WAESPI: BUT THEY AMENDED, DIDN'T THEY? THEY AMENDED IT TO TAKE THAT PART OUT BECAUSE IT WAS TOO ONEROUS TO-- COLIN COFFEY: NO, I UNDERSTAND THE LICENSING WOULD PROVE ONEROUS, AND DMV WOULDN'T DO IT.
BUT THE IDEA THAT YOU NEED TO HAVE A DRIVER'S LICENSE TO BE ON ONE OF THOSE E-MOTOS, WHATEVER WE'RE CALLING, WAS OUT THERE.
WELL, SO THERE'S TWO SEPARATE PIECES TO THAT.
THE ASSEMBLY MEMBER BAUER-KAHAN'S BILL WAS THE ONE THAT WOULD HAVE INVOKED THE DMV AND HAD AN INFORMAL PROCESS THAT DID NOT PASS.
THE LEGISLATION THAT DID PASS DOES REQUIRE THE REGISTRATION AND THE IDENTIFICATION OF E-MOTOS, AND IT DOES HAVE AN AGE LIMIT ON DRIVING THE E-MOTOS.
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IT DOES NOT SPEAK DIRECTLY TO E-BIKES.BUT IT DOES MAKE IT CLEAR THAT WHEN YOU BUY-- WELL, IT IS DESIGNED TO MAKE IT CLEAR THERE'S LANGUAGE TO ADD INSTRUCTION TO THE PACKAGING AND ALSO TO THE BIKE ITSELF THAT INDICATES IT'S AN E-MOTO AND NOT AN E-BIKE.
COLIN COFFEY: THAT DID PASS AND GET SIGNED.
SO IS THERE AN AGE REQUIREMENT NOW FOR THOSE? ERIC PFUEHLER: 16, YEAH.
ERIC PFUEHLER: BUT THAT'S NOT FOR E-BIKES.
COLIN COFFEY: NO, IT SHOULDN'T BE FOR E-BIKES.
AND MY CONCERN IS THE MOTORCYCLES, THE ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLES, THAT ARE SMALL, AND YOUNG KIDS ARE ZOOMING AROUND ON THEM.
WITH THAT LEGISLATION, IT WILL MAKE IT EASIER, I THINK, FOR POLICE TO STOP THOSE KIDS.
I'M TALKING ABOUT MUNICIPAL POLICE THAT-- AS WELL AS OUR OWN.
BUT IT'S NOT SOMETHING THEY WANT TO CHASE AFTER.
BUT THAT WAY, IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE ON A TRAIL.
IT CAN BE WHEN THEY'RE HANGING OUT AT THE SHOPPING AREAS.
SO IT'S GOING TO MAKE ENFORCEMENT BY POLICE EASIER TO HAVE THAT AGE LIMIT.
LUANA ESPANA: DIRECTOR WAESPI? DENNIS WAESPI: NO, I'M OK.
WE WILL NOW OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM.
CLERK: THERE IS NO PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM.
LUANA ESPANA: ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? DENNIS WAESPI: I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S APPROPRIATE.
REED, DO YOU HANDICAP ELECTIONS? I MEAN, DO YOU KNOW BETTER POLLS THAN WE DO? I'M INTERESTED IN PROP 45, WHICH WAS BECOMING MORE AND MORE CONTROVERSIAL, AND WE DECIDED TO SUPPORT IT.
SOME OF OUR GREATEST ALLIES ARE AGAINST IT.
I WAS WONDERING, DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE POLLING ON THAT ONE? REED ADDIS: I'VE SEEN SOME POLLING, THOUGH I DON'T KNOW IF I'VE SEEN THE BEST POLLING.
SO I DON'T WANT TO SAY-- IT'S THE INSIDER NEWS.
BUT THERE IS DEFINITELY POLLING THAT WOULD SUGGEST IT'S A VERY TIGHT-- ESPECIALLY WITH SOME OF THE LABOR GROUPS FIGHTING IT, THAT IT MAY FAIL.
I'M NOT PART OF ANY OF THE CAMPAIGNS, SO I DON'T THINK I'M SEEING THE INSIDER POLLING THAT MIGHT TELL ME THAT IT'S FOR SURE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
AND AGAIN, SOME OF THE INPUT WE'RE GETTING IS THAT WITH LABOR UNIONS PUTTING AS MUCH ENERGY INTO IT AS THEY ARE, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT IT WILL FAIL.
REED ADDIS: BUT WE WILL ALL KNOW LATER, FOR SURE.
AND YEAH, I GUESS I WILL SAY-- THANKS, ERIC, BECAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT.
ANYTHING THAT IS TIGHT, AS YOU WELL KNOW, THE WAY OUR ELECTION SYSTEM WORKS HERE IN CALIFORNIA, WE MAY NOT KNOW LATE THAT NIGHT IF IT'S REALLY TIGHT.
IT MAY TAKE SEVERAL DAYS TO KNOW WHETHER SOMETHING'S GOING TO WIN OR NOT.
ANYTHING ELSE? ALLISON BROOKS: NO.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S APPROPRIATE, BUT I GOT TO ASK IT.
SO, WELL, WITH OUR GREAT VICTORY IN GOLDEN GATE FIELDS-- AND I UNDERSTAND, AND I'M ALL FOR IT.
BUT THE IDEA OF TAKING PROP 4 MONEY-- A LOT OF IT, A LOT OF IT.
I'VE HEARD SOME RESENTMENTS FROM SOME OF OUR COLLEAGUES AND OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAD-- I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'VE BEEN LED TO BELIEVE THEY WERE GOING TO GET A BIG PORTION OF THAT MONEY.
BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU GUYS TALK UP THERE OR AMONGST PEOPLE.
IS THERE ANY FEELINGS UP THERE ABOUT THAT? I MEAN, I IMAGINE THERE ARE SOME.
WILL WE BE ABLE TO MEND OUR FENCES? AND ARE WE DOING ANYTHING PUBLIC RELATIONS-WISE TO SUGGEST THAT THIS IS A ONE-TIME OPPORTUNITY? WE HAD TO DO IT.
IT WAS THE GOVERNOR WHO DID IT.
IS THERE ANY TALK ABOUT WHAT WENT ON THERE? REED ADDIS: I'M HAPPY TO RESPOND, BUT I'M ACTUALLY WONDERING IF ALLISON OR ERIC-- ONE OF YOU WOULD MORE-- ALLISON BROOKS: I'D LOVE TO HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY.
REED ADDIS: I MEAN, I THINK IT'S ACCURATE THAT THERE ARE SOME FEELINGS FROM PARTIES WHO WERE ALSO LOOKING AT PROP 4 AND LOOKING AT HOW THEY HAD PROJECTS PROBABLY IN THE QUEUE WITH CERTAIN AGENCIES.
AND THERE ARE SOME QUESTIONS NOW ABOUT WHETHER SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS CAN BE FUNDED OR REFUNDED AT THE LEVEL, GIVEN HOW PROP 4 WAS EXPENDED IN THE FINAL BUDGET.
MY GUESS IS, OVER TIME, SOME OF THOSE FEELINGS WILL GO AWAY.
IT ALSO PROBABLY DEPENDS ON THE BEHAVIOR OF THE AGENCIES
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AND WHAT KIND OF PROJECTS THEY FUND OR DON'T FUND.I DO KNOW YOUR TEAM HAS BEEN OUT THERE, COMMUNICATING AS BEST AS POSSIBLE WITH THEIR COLLEAGUES AND OTHER CONSERVATION PARTIES STATEWIDE.
I GUESS THE LAST THING I'LL JUST SAY IS, ULTIMATELY, THERE IS ONLY SO MUCH MONEY IN PROP 4.
AND SO THERE ARE QUESTIONS ABOUT, WHEN CRAFTING THE NEXT BOND, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? HOW DO YOU MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S FUNDS, BOTH FOR WHAT I'LL CALL SPECIAL PROJECTS IN CERTAIN REGIONS, BUT ALSO ENOUGH FUNDING THAT IS-- LOCKED IN IS MAYBE THE WRONG WORD, BUT MORE DEFINED FOR AGENCIES TO USE FOR COMPETITIVE PURPOSES.
SO THIS IS PROBABLY AN ISSUE THAT FOR SOME MONTHS OR SOME TIME, THE DISTRICT MAY WANT TO CONTINUE WITH ITS DISCUSSIONS WITH OTHER GROUPS AND MAKING SURE THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BOTH THE WONDERFUL BENEFITS OF THE PROJECT YOU GOT, BUT TALKING TO YOUR STATEWIDE NETWORK OF COLLEAGUES WHO MIGHT STILL HAVE FEELINGS.
ALLISON BROOKS: YEAH, I WOULD SAY ANY ORGANIZATION THAT WAS IN THE SITUATION PRESENTED WITH THE OPPORTUNITY WE WERE PRESENTED WITH AND SOMETHING THAT WAS IN OUR 2013 MASTER PLAN AND OUR MEASURE WW FUNDING-- THIS WAS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAD TO PURSUE.
AND WE DID, AND I THINK ANY OTHER AGENCY WOULD DO A SIMILAR THING.
BUT THAT SAID, EVERYONE, THERE WERE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WERE COUNTING ON SOME PROP 4 FUNDING.
SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THEM.
AND WE'LL, OF COURSE, SUPPORT ANY FUTURE, HOPEFULLY, FUTURE BOND MEASURE TO SUPPORT SIMILAR TYPES OF INVESTMENTS.
COLIN COFFEY: I'VE HEARD FROM SEVERAL CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS IN MY ORBIT WHO HAVE MADE SNARKY REMARKS ABOUT IT.
I JUST REFER THEM TO THE GOVERNOR.
I SAID, TAKE IT UP WITH NEWSOM.
LUANA ESPANA: THANK YOU, REED.
ERIC PFUEHLER: I JUST WANTED TO-- THERE IS A SLIDE DECK THAT'S IN YOUR PACKET THAT WE DIDN'T GET THROUGH HERE.
BUT IT DOES FEATURE THE BILLS THAT REED SPOKE TO THAT PASSED AND THEN SOME OF THE ONES THAT DIDN'T.
SO IF YOU ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON ANY OF THOSE IN THE FUTURE, JUST PLEASE REFER THEM TO OUR TEAM, AND WE'LL GET BACK TO YOU.
[Action Items]
LUANA ESPANA: OK.WE'RE MOVING ON TO FIVE ACTION ITEMS. SO THIS IS RECOMMENDATIONS TO SUPPORT FEDERAL LEGISLATION.
HERE TO INTRODUCE THE ITEM IS DIVISION LEAD OF GOVERNMENT AND LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS, ERIC PFUEHLER.
ERIC PFUEHLER: ERIC PFUEHLER, GOVERNMENT LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS' DIVISION LEAD.
RELATIVELY, A SHORT NUMBER OF BILLS-- AS REED INDICATED, THE STATE'S NOT IN SESSION.
ALL THOSE BILLS HAVE BEEN EITHER PASSED OR NOT.
BUT WE DO STILL HAVE SOME FEDERAL LEGISLATION TO ASK FOR RECOMMENDATION ON-- THIS FIRST BILL WOULD ESSENTIALLY ALLOW EV CHARGING STATIONS ON FEDERAL LAND, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE LAND, US FOREST SERVICE LAND, WITH THE IDEA OF CONNECTING RECREATIONAL AREAS WITH A FRAMEWORK OF EV CHARGING, TO PROVIDE MORE CLEANER TRANSPORTATION ACCESS TO OUTDOOR RECREATION AREAS.
THE MAIN ELEMENT IN HERE IS IT DOES ALLOW THE TWO AGENCIES, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE AND FOREST SERVICE, TO CHARGE FOR THE CHARGING.
AND THAT ALLOWS THEM TO PAY FOR THE UPKEEP OF THE STATIONS.
SO IT TAKES AN ACT OF CONGRESS TO ACTUALLY ALLOW THOSE AGENCIES TO DO THAT.
NEXT BILL IS, YEAH, THE CIVILIAN CLIMATE CORPS.
THE PARK DISTRICT HAS SUPPORTED EFFORTS SIMILAR TO THIS IN THE PAST, BUT IT ESSENTIALLY ALLOWS THE CLIMATE CORPS TO WORK ON RESILIENT WORK FOR BOTH WILDFIRE AND SEA LEVEL RISE-- A LOT OF RESTORATION TYPE OF PROJECTS.
THE KEY FACTOR HERE IS THAT, IN THIS ADMINISTRATION, THE AMERICORPS PROGRAM HAS BEEN CUT BY $400 MILLION, AND A MAJORITY OF THEIR STAFF HAVE BEEN RELEASED.
SO THIS IS AN ATTEMPT TO RE-KICKSTART THAT EFFORT IN DEVELOPING A CLIMATE CORPS, WHICH SOME OF OUR BOARD WAS ABLE TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT A FEW YEARS BACK WHEN WE WERE IN WASHINGTON, DC, WITH AMERICORPS.
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MAYBE IT'S IN A DIFFERENT ORDER.CONSERVATION COST SHARING-- THIS ESSENTIALLY RAISES THE FEDERAL AMOUNT, OR THE CEILING, THAT-- THE FEDERAL SHARE CAN BE FROM 75% TO 90%.
THAT MEANS THE LOCAL AGENCY ONLY NEEDS TO COME UP WITH 10%.
IT MAKES IT MUCH MORE LIKELY, FOR SOME OF THE MORE MODERATE CORE PROGRAMS, TO BE ABLE TO MEET THAT MATCH AND PROVIDE MORE OF THIS TYPE OF WORK THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
AND THE WILDLIFE READINESS ACT IS ACTUALLY A FAIRLY COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM THAT DEALS WITH BOTH FOREST HEALTH AND VEGETATION MANAGEMENT.
THEN THE COMMUNITY COMPONENT AND HOME HARDENING FUNDING, WHICH I BELIEVE WOULD ALSO APPLY TO SOME OF THE HARDENING WORK THAT WE NEED TO DO WITH OUR FACILITIES.
AND THEN THE LAST PILLAR IS REALLY ABOUT WILDLAND FIREFIGHTERS' MORE EQUITABLE PAY AND MORE SUPPORT SERVICES FOR THE EMPLOYEES AND THEIR FAMILIES.
THIS IS ALSO CO-SPONSORED, OR CO-AUTHORED, BY REPRESENTATIVE JARED HUFFMAN, WHO'S THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE FROM CALIFORNIA.
OK, HERE'S THE STRONG KIDS ACT.
THIS IS LEGISLATION THAT NRPA, NATIONAL RECREATION AND PARK ASSOCIATION, CHAMPIONED.
OUR TEAM SUPPORTED THEIR EFFORTS ON THIS.
AND SOME LOBBYING IN DC ESSENTIALLY CREATES TWO GRANT PROGRAMS THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES TO ALLOW CBOS AND NONPROFITS TO ENCOURAGE AND ACTUALLY ACTIVELY GET CHILDREN OUTSIDE FOR, THEY CALL, YOUTH SPORTS ACTIVITIES.
THEY DO NOT DEFINE YOUTH SPORTS.
SO OUR INTERPRETATION WOULD BE THAT THE PROGRAMMING THAT WE DO WITH KAYAKING, ARCHERY, SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT OUR RECREATION DEPARTMENT DOES, COULD QUALIFY TO PARTNER WITH THE CBO FOR THIS FUNDING.
SO WE DON'T DO A LOT OF INTENSIVE SPORTS, BUT THERE ARE ELEMENTS OF OUR WORK THAT WE THINK IT COULD BENEFIT.
AND THAT'S THE PACKAGE OF FEDERAL LEGISLATION FOR SUPPORT.
LUANA ESPANA: ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR REQUESTS FOR CLARIFICATIONS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? DENNIS WAESPI: I GUESS.
JUST ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE QUESTIONS.
IS THERE ANY LEGISLATION COMING DOWN THE PIPE? OR DOES ANYBODY LOOK AT OR THINK OF-- I MEAN, ALL I'VE BEEN HEARING ABOUT IS THIS SUPER EL NIÑO THAT'S GOING TO COME TO CALIFORNIA.
AND AS I LOOK OUT THE WINDOW, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE HERE PRETTY QUICK.
AND WHEN I PLAY GOLF AT REDWOOD CANYON EVERY WEEK, THEY'VE BEEN LETTING WATER OUT OF SAN LEANDRO RESERVOIR FOR OVER A MONTH NOW.
AND FROM MY FAINT RECOLLECTION, THEY DON'T USUALLY DO THAT.
AND THOSE GUYS ARE THE BEST WEATHER PROGNOSTICATORS AROUND.
BECAUSE IF THEY BLOW IT AND DON'T DECANT SOME WATER OFF OF SAN LEANDRO RESERVOIR, IT'LL FLOOD THE GOLF COURSE, WHICH IS NOT A BIG DEAL TO THOSE FOLKS.
BUT IF LAKE CHABOT OVERFLOWS, THEN THEY FLOOD SAN LEANDRO, WHICH HAPPENED IN 2023, I THINK IT WAS.
SO THEY'RE PLANNING FOR SOMETHING REALLY BIG.
DO OUR REPRESENTATIVES PLAN AHEAD? I MEAN, I ALWAYS HEARD ABOUT PRE-DISASTER MITIGATION IN FEMA, WHICH FIVE YEARS AGO WAS A PRETTY NEW THING.
IS THAT PART OF THE PROCESS NOW, OR DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS OF WHAT'S GOING ON? I DON'T KNOW.
I HAD NOTHING TO ASK ON-- ANY OTHER QUESTIONS YOU GAVE US-- ALLISON BROOKS: THE GOVERNOR HAS DECLARED A STATE OF EMERGENCY.
DENNIS WAESPI: DID HE FUND ANYTHING, OR DID HE-- ALLISON BROOKS: WELL, THAT ALLOWS US TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR OUR FEMA FUNDS.
ALLISON BROOKS: YEAH, SO THAT IT SETS US UP TO GET DISASTER FUND, DISASTER FUNDING.
LUANA ESPANA: DO WE HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS RELATIVE TO THE BILLS IN THE PRESENTATION? OK, THANK YOU.
WE WILL NOW OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM.
LUANA ESPANA: ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS OR ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? OK.
CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATION? COLIN COFFEY: SO MOVED.
WE HAVE B RECOMMENDATIONS TO EXTEND STATE AND FEDERAL ADVOCACY CONTRACTS.
[00:30:02]
HERE TO INTRODUCE THE ITEM IS ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS, ALLISON BROOKS.ALLISON BROOKS: HI, THANK YOU.
SO STAFF PROPOSED, THAT YOUR COMMITTEE RECOMMEND TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, EXTENDING THE EXISTING CONTRACTS WITH OUR STATE ADVOCACY FIRM, ENVIRONMENTAL AND ENERGY CONSULTING, EEC, AND FEDERAL ADVOCACY FIRM, KOUNTOUPES, DENHAM, CARR, AND REED, KDCR, BY AN ADDITIONAL SIX TO NINE MONTHS BEYOND THEIR CONTRACTS THAT WERE BOTH SET TO END AT THE END OF THIS YEAR.
AND WE HAVE SOME REASONS WHY WE THINK IT MAKES SENSE TO GO AT THEIR CURRENT RATE ON A MONTH-TO-MONTH BASIS.
AND PRIMARILY, I THINK YOU'RE AWARE, AT THE STATE LEVEL, WE HAVE A CHANGE IN GOVERNOR.
WE'RE GOING TO LIKELY HAVE NEW AGENCY HEADS.
AND ALSO AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, WE ALSO HAVE AN ELECTION YEAR THAT COULD INTRODUCE SOME CHANGES AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
SO WE THINK OVER THIS PERIOD OF CHANGE THAT IT WOULD BE NICE TO CONTINUE WITH THE EXISTING FIRMS THAT WE HAVE, JUST THROUGH LOOKING AT MAYBE RELEASING RFPS AT THE MIDDLE OF NEXT YEAR IN 2027 TO JUST GET US THROUGH THIS PERIOD OF CHANGE.
SO THAT REALLY IS THE RECOMMENDATION, THE THOUGHT WE PUT BEHIND, STAYING WITH THEM THROUGH THIS PERIOD.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
LUANA ESPANA: ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR REQUESTS FOR CLARIFICATION FROM THE BOARD MEMBERS? COLIN COFFEY: THAT MAKE SENSE.
LUANA ESPANA: I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION ABOUT THE RFP.
BECAUSE YOU HAD MENTIONED YOU'RE LOOKING AT A SIX TO NINE MONTH-TO-MONTH TYPE OF CONTRACT FOR THE ORGANIZATION.
ALLISON BROOKS: THIS IS JUST TO EXTEND THEIR CURRENT CONTRACTS FOR SIX TO NINE MONTHS ON A MONTH-TO-MONTH BASIS.
LUANA ESPANA: YES, I UNDERSTAND THAT.
SO IF YOU'RE RELEASING RFPS IN MAY, WHAT IS THE TIME PERIOD THAT YOU'RE LOOKING TO HAVE? POTENTIALLY THE SAME ORGANIZATIONS OR NEW ORGANIZATIONS ON BOARD FOR THIS? ALLISON BROOKS: YEAH.
WELL, THE DIVISION LEAD-- PFUEHLER CAN STEP UP IN CASE I GET THIS WRONG.
BUT WE HAD A THREE-YEAR CONTRACT WITH EEC FOR THE STATE CONTRACT.
AND THEN IT WAS A TWO YEAR CONTRACT WITH KDCR.
SO I THINK WE WOULD STICK WITH THE SAME TIME PERIODS UNLESS-- LUANA ESPANA: I MEANT TIME PERIODS OF TIMELINE FOR THE RFP, NOT JUST STARTING IT IN MAY.
BUT WHEN ARE YOU LOOKING TO-- AS FAR AS TO GO TO THE BOARD FOR APPROVAL AND THEN JUST AS FAR AS CONTRACT WITH-- ALLISON BROOKS: I'M SORRY.
LUANA ESPANA: --THAT NEW VENDOR? ERIC PFUEHLER: YEAH, WE WOULD PROBABLY BE TARGETING MAY TO JUNE FOR THE TIME PERIOD FOR APPLICATION.
AND THEN THAT WOULD GET INTO THE QUEUE FOR THE BOARD-- SO LIKELY JULY-ISH.
BUT WE DID PUT A SIX TO NINE MONTH LIMIT, JUST IN CASE THERE ARE UNFORESEEN THINGS THAT COME UP IN TERMS OF THE ELECTION OUTCOMES THAT COULD REQUIRE MORE TIME.
AND I ACTUALLY HAD NOT REALIZED WHAT REED MENTIONED ABOUT THE BUDGET, THAT THE NEW GOVERNOR WILL ACTUALLY INHERIT THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION'S BUDGET IN THE BEGINNING.
SO THERE'LL BE A LOT OF SHUFFLING OF THOSE FIRST FIVE MONTHS OF THE YEAR.
SO YOU'RE LOOKING TO ACCOMPLISH THE TASK BEFORE THAT NINE MONTHS.
I JUST HAD A LITTLE CONCERN AT FIRST WHEN YOU SAID YOU WERE LETTING THE RFP.
THE RFP WAS OPEN IN MAY, IF THAT GAVE ENOUGH TIME TO-- AS FAR AS CONTRACT, NEW VENDORS.
ERIC PFUEHLER: WE WOULDN'T ISSUE AN RFP PROBABLY UNTIL MAY AT THE EARLIEST, I WOULD THINK.
DENNIS WAESPI: AND THEN HOW LONG WOULD IT TAKE TO-- ERIC PFUEHLER: ABOUT 30 DAYS.
AND THEN WE TAKE OUT THE MONTH OF JULY OFF, SO THERE'S NO MEETING IN JULY.
SO IT WOULD BE AUGUST, THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE WOULD DEAL WITH IT.
ALLISON BROOKS: WE'D LOOK AT THE FALL '27.
SO ARE THERE ANY MORE QUESTIONS BEFORE I OPEN IT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? COLIN COFFEY: OH, I HAVE A QUESTION.
ON THAT SLIDE YOU STARTED WITH, IT INCLUDED 27 PRIORITIES.
ARE YOU GOING TO ADDRESS THAT AT SOME POINT?
[00:35:03]
ERIC PFUEHLER: FOR OUR NEXT LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE, WE'LL BE BRINGING THE FULL LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM FOR 2027, '28.COLIN COFFEY: I REMEMBER DOING THAT LAST YEAR.
SO WE WILL NOW OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM.
LUANA ESPANA: ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS OR ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FROM BOARD MEMBERS OR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATION? WHAT? COLIN COFFEY: OK.
ALL IN FAVOR? COLIN COFFEY: AYE.
ALL OPPOSED? I MEAN, NONE OPPOSED? OK.
DO WE HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? SO IT LOOKS LIKE THERE ARE NO ANNOUNCEMENTS.
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO ADJOURN THE MEETING.
ALLISON BROOKS: THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.