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I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, CALL TO ORDER THE MEETING OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION FOR THURSDAY, MARCH 21ST, 2024.
MR. DIRECTOR, WOULD YOU TAKE THE ROLE? I CERTAINLY WILL.
GOOD MORNING, CHAIR LIVINGSTON.
COMMISSIONER SCHOEN IS, UH, EXCUSED.
AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY OF THIS COMMISSION, WE WELCOME YOU ARE LONG AWAITED SEVENTH COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER CODY ALLEN HERE.
UH, WOULD YOU ALL PLEASE RISE AND JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF THE FLAG? 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.
ALL RIGHT, WE WILL START WITH, UH, PRESENTATIONS EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH, MR. DIRECTOR.
SO, UM, I WAS GONNA SAY FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NEW, BUT I THINK EVERYONE THAT'S IN THE AUDIENCE IS, UH, REGULAR NOW.
BUT, UH, ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF EACH OF OUR COMMISSION MEETINGS IS ACKNOWLEDGING ONE OF OUR STELLAR EMPLOYEES, UH, THAT'S RECENTLY BEEN SURPRISED AS OUR EMPLOYEE MONTH.
THIS ONE IS, UH, FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY.
SO I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION COMMITTEE CHAIR, JOY WARREN, TO KICK OFF THE PRESENTATION.
HAPPY FIRST WEEK OF SPRING COMMISSIONERS
IT'S ACTUALLY A MONTH OF A LOT OF CELEBRATIONS, RIGHT? YES.
THAT'S THE FIRST WEEK OF SPRING.
IT'S WOMEN'S NATIONAL HISTORY MONTH.
IT'S MONTH BEFORE RAMADAN EASTER ST.
AND TO GO ALONG WITH CELEBRATING SO MANY GREAT THINGS.
WE WANNA CELEBRATE ONE OF OUR OWN SPRING FLOWERS.
SO I'D LIKE TO BRING UP MS. ANN HUDSON.
SHE'S PROBABLY DYING INSIDE, BUT THIS
BRING, UH, GOOD WORK, BRING KUDOS.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO DO AND PROVIDE A LOT OF KUDOS AT THIS TIME.
I'D ACTUALLY LIKE TO INVITE MS. LORI CRAIG TO COME UP AND SPEAK SOME WORDS BECAUSE IT WAS MISS LORI THAT NOMINATED HER.
AND, UM, I, I'LL HAND IT OVER TO HER BECAUSE WHAT SHE SAID REALLY MOVED US AND WE ECHO IT AND WE ARE SO EXCITED TO, I SHOULD HAVE PRINTED IT OUT.
I'M GOOD AT WRITING THINGS DOWN.
UM, SO, UH, I THINK MY MAIN POINT WAS THAT, UM, ANN IS THE KIND OF COLLEAGUE THAT EVERYONE JUST WISHES THEY COULD WORK ALONGSIDE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE COUNTERPARTS IN THE, IN THE PARTNERSHIPS DIVISION.
IT'S THE TWO OF US, UH, AGAINST, YOU KNOW, 200 PLUS CONTRACTS.
AND ANN HAS MORE THAN HALF OF THOSE.
UM, SO MOST OF THE LETTERS THAT YOU SEE SHIRLEY INTRODUCING WRITTEN BY ANN, AND THEN SHE SEES THE CONTRACTS THROUGH.
UM, SO SHE JUST, YOU KNOW, FROM THE MINUTE SHE CAME IN, JESS JUMPED RIGHT IN.
UM, THIS IS WHAT, THREE YEARS AGO ALMOST NOW.
UM, SHE'S JUST LIKE SUCH A TEAM PLAYER.
SHE'S SO ORGANIZED, SHE'S SO THOROUGH AND THOUGHTFUL AND, UM, STRUCTURED.
AND I GOT TO LEAN ON HER HEAVILY WHEN I WAS ACTING PARTNERSHIPS OFFICER.
AND, UM, IT'S JUST SUCH A PLEASURE TO HAVE HER AS MY COUNTERPART BECAUSE WHEN RANDOM QUESTIONS COME IN, SHE'S ALWAYS THERE, UM, READY TO ANSWER IT.
AND IF SHE DOESN'T KNOW, SHE'LL REACH OUT TO OTHER PEOPLE AND FIND THE ANSWER.
AND JUST TO KNOW THAT SHE IS THERE HANDLING, YOU KNOW, THE BULK OF THE WORK, I FEEL LIKE, UM, IS, IS JUST SUCH A PLEASURE FOR ME.
UM, AND YEAH, SO SHE, SHE, I'M NOT SURE IF YOU ALL ARE FAMILIAR, BUT SHE HANDLES THE, UH, LEASE WITH OUR TENNIS AND PICKLEBALL CENTERS.
UM, SHE DOES THE COMMUNITY GARDENS.
SHE DOES ALL THE SCHOOL DISTRICT CONTRACTS, MAKE SURE THAT KIDS GET THEIR AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS AND THEIR SUMMER NUTRITION.
UM, SHE'S JUST ALWAYS ON THE BALL AND YEAH, I JUST CAN'T SAY ENOUGH'S JUST SO GREAT TO HAVE YOU ON THE TEAM.
WELL, I CAN'T DO MY JOB WITHOUT MY TEAM, SO, AND PART OF THE JOY IS IN MY JOB IS WORKING WITH ALL THE BUREAUS, COLLABORATING WITH THEM.
UH, THE SUPPORT I'VE GOTTEN SINCE I'VE COME OVER FROM ANOTHER DEPARTMENT HAS JUST BEEN FABULOUS.
I LOVE WORKING WITH MY PARTNERS, SO IT'S, IT'S JUST BEEN A REAL JOY.
AND I DO HAVE TO SAY I WAS REALLY CAUGHT OFF GUARD, UH, TUESDAY AND SPEAKING OF JOY
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AND THE ERC TEAM, WHICH I JUST JOINED, SO I HAVE NO IDEA.UM, AND I THINK THE ONLY THING THAT COULD HAVE SURPRISED ME MORE IS IF LIKE BRETT DECIDES TO LEAVE THE CITY TO JOIN A PRESIDENTIAL COMMISSION,
SO, UH, JUST, I, I APPRECIATE COMMISSION AND IT DEFINITELY GOES BACK, SO GET USED SOME MORE KUDOS.
AND CURRENT SUPERVISOR, I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE TO WORK WITH HER THIS LAST, I THINK SIX, SEVEN MONTHS THAT I'VE BEEN IN THE ROLE.
AND OUR OFFICES ARE RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER.
SO I'M IN THE OFFICE, WE GET TO GO BACK AND FORTH, BUT SHE HAS PROBABLY THE HUMBLEST, KINDEST PERSON THAT I KNOW AND HAS BEEN SUCH A SUPPORT, NOT JUST ALL THE WORK THAT SHE DOES WITH OUR PARTNERSHIPS, BUT JUST TO OUR TEAM AND EACH OF US.
I KNOW I'VE, SHE'S LINDA THERE MANY TIMES TO ME,
AND SO I JUST CAN'T EXPRESS ENOUGH GRATITUDE FOR ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU DO FOR OUR PARTNERS, FOR EVERYONE WHEN WE NEED TO RESEARCH SOMETHING, IT'S LIKE, QUIT CUTTING IT.
SO IT'S LIKE A GREAT TEAM THAT WE HAVE HERE.
I MEAN, OUR ENTIRE SMALL BUT MIGHTY, UM, PART PLANNING AND PARTNERSHIP BUREAU REALLY WORK TOGETHER AS A GREAT TEAM.
AND ANNA IS ONE OF THOSE REALLY INSTRUMENTAL PARTS THAT KEEP THE POP THE WALLS ROLLING AND REALLY SUPPORTS THIS DEPARTMENT.
IT'S THE BEHIND THE SCENES WORK SOMETIMES THAT PEOPLE DON'T SEE, UM, THAT OUR TEAM DOES.
AND ANN REALLY DOES KEEP EVERYTHING AND ALL OF US ON OUR TOES AND GOING, SO WE REALLY, TRULY DO APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO.
AND I KNOW YOU'RE LIKE, OKAY, I, I WANNA GO BACK AND I CAN JUST ECHO CONGRATULATIONS ON BEHALF OF COMMUNITY RECREATION SERVICES AND, UM, WE ARE THANKFUL FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK.
UM, AS, AS I MENTIONED, BEHIND THE SCENES, A LOT OF THINGS WOULDN'T HAPPEN WITHOUT YOUR HARD WORK AND MAKING THEM, UM, WORKING WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WORKING WITH OUR OUTSIDE VENDORS AND CONTRACTORS OR ALL THE THINGS THAT COME TO YOU.
UM, WE DO KNOW WE DON'T HAVE A, AN ANSWER TO THE QUESTION DIRECTION.
I DO YOU A QUESTION ASKING BUREAU YES.
AND I THINK SHE CAN HELP US OUT.
YOU TRULY GO BEYOND, ABOVE AND BEYOND TO FIND THAT ANSWER AND FIND THAT DIRECTION.
AND I TRULY HOPE THAT YOU SEE YOUR HARD WORK AND YOUR EFFORTS IN THE YOUTH, IN THE TEENS AND IN OUR ADULTS ON ALL OF OUR PROGRAM THAT WE DO SEE WIDE.
SO I HAVE TO ECHO EVERYTHING THAT'S JUST SAID, BUT YOU KNOW, WHEN I MAKE MY ROUNDS IN THE OFFICE, I SOMETIMES WONDER IF SOMEBODY LIKE, DON'T SUPER GLUE ON ANN'S CHAIR BECAUSE SHE'S ALWAYS THERE WORKING MEDICALLY AFTER STATION, BUT SHE DOES SO MUCH WORK.
KIND OF ONE OF THOSE QUIETLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE THAT ADVANCES SO MANY THINGS THAT ARE SO ESSENTIAL AND IMPORTANT.
UM, AND WE'RE, WE'RE ACTUALLY ASSEMBLING FOR OUR TRADITIONAL COMMISSION WITH HONOR.
SO WITH THAT, CONGRATULATIONS ANN.
TAKE ANOTHER AND TAKE A FEW FOR MY PHOTO PEOPLE.
I FORGOT TO MENTION THAT WE STARTED AT 9 0 4, SO I WILL NOTE THAT.
AND THEN WE WILL GO ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE, RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING OF THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15TH, 2024.
CAN I GET A MOTION? SO MOVED TO APPROVE.
UH, WE ALL HAD THOSE IN OUR, UH, PACKET.
ANY COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE? OKAY, WE HAD A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HIA, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER TI SMITH.
ITEM NUMBER TWO, RECOMMENDATION TO CONSIDER APPROVAL OR DENIAL OF THE FEE WAIVER REQUESTS OUTLINED IN ATTACHMENT A IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FEE WAIVER POLICY DIRECTOR.
SO, UM, EACH MONTH WE, AGAIN, I'M SPEAKING TO THE CHOIR HERE, BUT, UM, EACH MONTH WE GET, UH, NUMEROUS REQUESTS FOR THE COMMISSION TO CONSIDER FEE WAIVERS, REALLY TO HELP SUPPORT IMPORTANT COMMUNITY EVENTS.
AND, UM, WE HAD OUR FINANCE AND APPEALS COMMITTEE MEETING LAST THURSDAY, SO THESE WERE REVIEWED.
BUT LAST, KAISER, OUR BUREAU MANAGER FOR COMMUNITY RECREATION SERVICES, UM, EVERY MONTH PRESENTS THOSE.
YOU ALWAYS KNOW WHEN IT'S SUMMERTIME WHEN THIS LIST GETS LONGER AND LONGER AND
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PEOPLE ARE, UH, PLANNING EVENTS TO HAPPEN IN THEIR FACILITIES.SO IF YOU COULD BEAR WITH ME, WE HAVE QUITE A LIST TODAY.
UM, ON BEHALF OF PARTNERS OF PARKS, THE LONG BEACH, UH, THE LONG BEACH GRAY PANTHERS, THEY'RE NOT A NEW GROUP, BUT IT'S NOT A NEW EVENT.
THIS IS A BLANKET REQUEST FOR THEIR GENERALLY MONTHLY MEETINGS FROM JULY, 2024 THROUGH DECEMBER OF 2024 AND TO BE HELD AT THE LONG BEACH SENIOR CENTER AUDITORIUM AND ROOM 2 0 2, UM, $690 IN FACILITY IMPROVEMENT FEES REQUESTED TO BE WAIVED.
THERE ARE ZERO APPLICABLE STAFF CHARGES, UM, ON BEHALF OF CENTRAL CHA.
THIS IS THEIR ANNUAL CESAR CHAVEZ, UH, CELEBRATION ON MARCH 24TH AT THE CESAR CHAVEZ PARK AMPHITHEATER AND SOCIAL HALL.
UM, $890 IN FACILITY AND PERMANENT FEES TO BE WAIVED.
AND THERE ARE $270 IN APPLICABLE STAFF CHARGES, UM, ON BEHALF OF THE N-A-C-C-P.
UM, NOT A NEW GROUP, BUT THIS IS A NEW EVENT FOR THEM.
IT'S READING TO THE COMMUNITY ON, UH, MARCH 24TH.
THEY'RE REQUESTING USE OF THE USE OF THE MACARTHUR PARK OPEN SPACE FOR THEIR COMMUNITY EVENT.
$375 IN FACILITY AND PERMIT FEES REQUESTED TO BE WAIVED.
AND $120 IN STAFF CHARGES ON BEHALF OF CLEVELAND ELEMENTARY, PCA.
NOT A NEW GROUP, BUT A NEW EVENT THEY'D LIKE TO HOST THEIR FIFTH, UM, GRADE PARTY GLOBE.
IT'S A GLOW PARTY ON APRIL 27TH, 2024 HERE IN THE SOCIAL HALL AT EL DORADO PARK WEST.
IT IS A SCHOOL EVENT, $340 IN FACILITY AND PERMIT FEES TO BE WAIVED.
UM, THERE ARE $360 IN APPLICABLE STAFF CHARGES, AGAIN ON BEHALF OF PARTNERS OF PARKS AT THIS TIME.
FRIENDS OF MIRACLE PARK ON FOURTH STREET, NOT A NEW GO, NOT IN THE GRANT, IT'S THEIR MONARCH CELEBRATION ON JULY 20TH, 2024 AT MIRACLE ON FOURTH STREET PARK IN THE OPEN SPACE FOR THEIR COMMUNITY EVENT.
$215 IN FACILITY PERMIT FEES REQUESTED TO BE WAIVED, ZERO APPLICABLE.
STAFF CHARGES AGAIN ON BEHALF OF CENTRO CHA.
THEY'D LIKE TO HOST THEIR CITIZEN RESOURCE, UH, FAIR CITIZENSHIP RESOURCE FAIR AT CESAR CHAVEZ PARK IN THE AMPHITHEATER AND SOCIAL HALL FOR THEIR COMMUNITY EVENT.
$890 IN FACILITY AND FEES REQUESTED TO BE WAIVED.
$200 IN APPLICABLE STAFF CHARGES.
AGAIN, I'M PARTNER PARKS, BUT THIS TIME ON BEHALF OF FRIENDS OF RECREATION MANSELL, THIS IS NOT A GROUP AND NOT A NEW EVENT.
UM, APRIL 20TH AND MAY 19TH, THE 2024.
THEY'RE HOSTING THE FUNDRAISER CONCERTS IN THE PARK AT THE RECREATION BANDSHELL IN OPEN SPACE FOR THEIR COMMUNITY EVENT.
$1,710 IN FACILITY PERMIT FEES REQUESTED TO BE WAIVED.
AN APPLICABLE $660 IN, UM, STAFF CHARGES, UM, ON BEHALF OF, UH, SAMIA, THE ESPERANZA.
UM, THEY ARE NOT A NEW GROUP, NOT AN EVENT.
THIS IS THEIR ANNUAL FESTIVAL THAT DE NINO ON APRIL 27TH, 2024 AT ADMIRAL KID PARK IN THEIR OPEN SPACE FOR THEIR COMMUNITY EVENT.
$275 IN FACILITY AND PERMIT FEES REQUESTED TO BE WAIVED.
$165 IN APPLICABLE STAFF CHARGES.
THEN WE HAVE THE ROSE PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION FOR THEIR ANNUAL PICNIC IN THE PARK ON JUNE 22ND AT ROSE PARK.
OPEN SPACE FOR THEIR COMMUNITY EVENT.
$275 PER FACILITY REQUESTED TO BE WAGED FOR FACILITY AND PERMIT FEES.
ZERO APPLICABLE STAFF CHARGES.
AND AGAIN, ON BEHALF OF ROSE PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, THEY'RE HAVING THEIR ANNUAL BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION ON APRIL 21ST, UM, AGAIN AT ROSE PARK.
AND FOR COMMUNITY EVENT, $275 IN FACILITY PERMIT FEES REQUESTED TO BE WAIVED, ZERO APPLICABLE STAFF CHARGES ONCE MORE ON BEHALF OF PARTNERS OF PARKS.
AND THIS IS THE FRIENDS OF RECREATION HEL FOR VARIOUS STATES.
SO JULY 13TH, 20TH, 27TH, AUGUST 3RD, 10TH AND 17TH AND 24TH FOR ADDITIONAL CONCERTS IN THE PARK AT THE RECREATION HEL AND OPEN SPACE COMMUNITY EVENT.
$7,245, UM, REQUESTED TO BE WAIVED.
AND THEY HAVE $2,520 IN POLITICAL STAFF CHARGES.
AND THE LAST ONE, IF YOU TURN THE PAGE, UM, PARTNERS OF PARKS.
THIS IS THEIR OWN EVENT, UM, REQUESTING, UH, TO USE THE EL DORADO NATURE CENTER FOR THEIR ANNUAL SOWING THE SEEDS EVENT ON APRIL 13TH.
UM, $415 IN FACILITY AND PERMIT FEES REQUESTED TO BE WAIVED.
ZERO APPLICABLE STAFF CHARGES COMMIT.
AND THIS ALSO CREATES A GATE REVENUE, UM, APPLICABLE GATE REVENUE COMMISSIONERS, UM, ON BEHALF OF THEIR COMMUNITY, THEY'RE REQUESTING THIS MONTH, $13,000, $595 FEES TO BE WAIVED FOR THEIR EVENTS.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, DO MY BEST TO THANK YOU.
I FORGOT TO GET A MOTION TO APPROVE BEFORE THE STAFF REPORT.
SO CAN I GET A MOTION? MOTION TO APPROVE? SECOND.
UH, SO, UH, THE, UH, FINANCE AND APPEALS COMMITTEE DID, UH, MEET AND TALK ABOUT ALL THESE, THE, THE ONE QUESTION I THAT WE HAD WHEN WE APPROVE OR WHEN THESE HAPPEN WITH A PERMIT TO GATHER THAT PREVENTS OTHER PEOPLE
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FROM, LIKE AT THE ROSE PARK, IF THEY HAVE RESERVED THAT, WHAT HAPPENS IF JOE PUBLIX SHOWS UP ON THAT DAY? SO ROSE PARK IS IN A UNIQUE SPACE.IT'S A MUCH SMALLER PARK THAN YOU HAVE HERE AT EL DORADO PARK WEST.
UM, SO A PERMIT TO GATHER ALLOWS YOU TO HAVE AN EVENT AT THE PARK, BUT IT'S NOT FOR A SPECIFIC SPACE.
SO THE ROSE PARK ASSOCIATION, I'M, I'M SURE YOU MET THE PRESIDENT, GRETCHEN WATSON.
SHE'S VERY ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY.
THEY ACTUALLY GO OUT EARLY IN THE MORNING AND SECURE THE SPACE.
UM, AND ALSO THE COMMUNICATION THAT THEY HAVE WITH THEIR NEIGHBORS THAT THEY'RE INVITING TO THE, TO THE EVENT.
SO WE'VE NEVER HAD ANY ISSUES RELATED TO THAT, BUT THAT'S WHAT A PERMIT TO GATHER DOES VERSUS RESERVING A SPECIFIC SPACE.
UM, SO WHAT WE NORMALLY DO HERE, WE GO DOWN IN THE ORDER THAT THEY'RE LISTED ON OUR SHEET TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYBODY HERE FROM THE PARTICULAR GROUP THAT WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE EVENT.
SO, UH, FOR PARTNERS OF PARKS WITH THE GRAY PANTHERS, UM, ANYBODY WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT? KAREN? UM, THANK YOU.
UM, WE ARE GROWING AS AN ORGANIZATION.
WE'RE ADDING FIVE TO 10 NEW MEMBERS EVERY MONTH.
SO, AND WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT 'CAUSE WE HAVE THIS SPACE AND WE HAVE ACCESS TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE THANK YOU, UH, FOR SUPPORTING OUR REQUEST.
ANY QUESTIONS OF KAREN? UH, CENTRO CHA.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYBODY HERE FROM N-A-C-C-P.
UH, CLEVELAND ELEMENTARY, PTA, NO, UH, PARTNERS AT PARKS FOR MIRACLE ON FOURTH STREET.
THIS IS THEIR, UM, ANNUAL CELEBRATION OF THE BUTTERFLIES.
YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE THE RUDIMENTARY AND THEY HAVE THE BUTTERFLY STATIONS.
IT'S REALLY LIKE FIVE INCH PEOPLE.
ANY QUESTIONS UP HERE? UH, SO CENTRO CHAGA, PARTNERS OF PARKS FOR THE REC PARK BANDSHELL, TWO REQUESTS THERE.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR OUR RECORD.
THANK YOU STEVE, FOR THE REC PARK BANDSHELL.
UH, THANK YOU GUYS FOR, UH, HAVING US HERE TODAY.
UH, I WAS HERE LAST YEAR FOR A NUMBER OF TIMES.
WE ACTUALLY KIND OF WENT DARK, UH, OVER THE WINTER BREAK BECAUSE, UH, THE WEATHER'S NOT SO BE FOR THE OUTDOOR AMPHITHEATER, BUT WE ARE BACK AND PER RECOMMENDATIONS WITH PARKS AND REC.
WE TRIED TO GET OUR SCHEDULE FOR THIS YEAR RIGHT UP FRONT.
AND I HAVE, UH, WE DID ABOUT SEVEN OR EIGHT EVENTS LAST YEAR.
WE HAVE MAYBE CLOSE TO 20 THIS YEAR.
SO WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO ACTIVATE EGGSHELL THIS YEAR.
AND I WANT TO SPECIFICALLY, UH, UH, THANK, UH, GLADYS'S GROUP.
UH, ESPECIALLY APRIL HAS BEEN WORKING TIRELESSLY WITH US BECAUSE IT IS A LOT OF WORK, A LOT OF EVENTS THAT WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO PUT ON HERE.
UM, SO THE ONES, UH, THE FIRST ONE WE'RE DOING THIS HERE IS ACTUALLY A PERMIT THAT GOT, UH, POSTPONED FROM LAST YEAR, BUT IT IS OUR LONG BEACH BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'RE DOING THIS THIS YEAR.
THIS WILL BE A REALLY COOL EVENT.
THE CALIFORNIA BLUEGRASS ASSOCIATION IS, UH, CO-SPONSORING IT WITH US.
UM, SO WE, WE EXPECT QUITE A, QUITE A CROWD THERE.
UM, THE PERMIT FEES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY, WE ARE, UM, DOING A PRE-GAME DIRT BAGS CONCERT ON APRIL 20TH THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY, UH, WE'RE CO-SPONSORED WITH THE, UH, ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT AT LONG BEACH STATE.
SO IT'S, UH, EVERYBODY COME TO THE CONCERT BEFORE THE GAME.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME GIVEAWAYS THAT PEOPLE GO TO THE GAME FOR.
UH, WE'RE DOING CROSS PROMOTIONAL WITH THE DIRT BAGS, SO THAT'LL BE FUN.
UM, ON APRIL, ON, UH, MAY 19TH, THIS WILL BE OUR SECOND ANNUAL HIGH SCHOOL.
THAT WAS MY FAVORITE EVENT LAST YEAR BECAUSE WE HAD FIVE STUDENT BANDS COME UP AND THEY WERE JUST OVER THE MOON BECAUSE THAT STAGE IS AMAZING.
UH, WE HAVE PRO LEVEL SOUND EQUIPMENT.
THEY'VE NEVER WORKED STUFF LIKE THAT BEFORE.
THEY WERE JUST, SO WE'RE REDOING THAT AGAIN.
UH, I ENCOURAGE ANYBODY WHO KNOWS STUDENT BANDS, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, IT'S HARD TO FIND THE STUDENT BANDS.
SO ANYBODY, UH, I ENCOURAGE ANYBODY WHO KNOWS ANY OF THAT, PLEASE, UH, CONTACT US.
UM, AND AS MENTIONED IN, UH, JULY AND AUGUST, WE ARE DOING WHAT WE'RE CALLING SEVEN SATURDAYS OF SUMMER.
AND SO THAT'S FEATURING ALL LOCAL BANDS.
UM, THOSE SEVEN SATURDAYS, UH, IT'S LIKE TWO BANDS PER PER EVENING.
AND, UH, THAT'S GONNA BE REALLY COOL.
SO IF ANYBODY'S INTERESTED IS OKAY IF I PASS OUT HERE.
AND, UH, LIKE FOUR OR FIVE COPIES OF THOSE.
A BUNCH OF COPIES OF THESE, THESE ARE OUR, OUR BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL THAT'S COMING UP ON MARCH 30TH.
UH, LAST THING I'LL SAY IS THAT OUR PROGRAMMING IS DOING REALLY GREAT THIS YEAR.
UM, BUT WE'RE KIND OF RUNNING AHEAD OF OUR BUDGET, SO
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WE'RE DEFINITELY LOOKING FOR MORE FUNDS LIKE EVERYONE.UM, WE ARE ALSO WORKING ON GETTING SHAKESPEARE BY THE SEA TO COME OVER TO LONG BEACH BRANCH OUT.
YOU MAY HAVE HEARD THAT, BUT, UH, THEY'VE BEEN IN SAN PEDRO FOR 26 YEARS AND THEY WANT TO MOVE TO THE DOWNTOWN.
SO I THINK THAT'D BE A GREAT WIN FOR LONG BEACH.
WE'RE STILL WORKING ON SOME OF THE LOGISTICS AND SUCH, BUT WE'RE HOPING TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
UM, WE ALSO, THIS YEAR, UH, FOR LONG BEACH GIVES, WE ARE GONNA BE THE FOCAL POINT FOR LONG BEACH GIVES FOR AN ON DAY EVENT ON THE SUNDAY BEFORE THAT THURSDAY AND LAST YEAR WE HOSTED THAT WITH ABOUT, UH, WITH THE ARTS AND CULTURE GROUPS FROM LONG BEACH GIVES.
THIS YEAR WE'RE GONNA DO IT WITH THE ENTIRE GROUP.
SO WE'RE GONNA INVITE ALL 400 GROUPS.
IT'S GONNA BE BOOZE VENDORS, SO THAT'S, THAT'S GONNA BE REALLY COOL TOO.
ANY QUESTIONS? YEAH, ANY QUESTIONS? NO.
YOU GUYS ARE DOING A GREAT JOB.
THANK YOU BRETT FOR, FOR ALL YOUR HELP TOO.
UH, HOW ARE YOU DOING THE FUNDRAISING? DO YOU SOLICIT THERE? IS THERE A DATE THAT POST? WELL, IT'S ALL EVENTS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
UM, WE ARE IN A PUBLIC PARK AND, AND THAT'S GOOD.
UM, SO WE HAVE BEEN GETTING SOME MONEY FROM THE COURT FROM, UH, UM, FROM, UH, JANIS HA'S OFFICE, UH, ART COUNCIL.
UM, WE'RE TRYING TO WORK WITH SOME OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS THEY HAVE.
THEY JUST UPPED THEIR, UH, THIS MICRO GRANT FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION FROM 15 TO $5,000.
YOU MAY HAVE HEARD WE CAN'T APPLY DIRECTLY.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO WORK WITH SOME OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS DO THAT.
UM, MY BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT I THINK IS THAT WE HAVEN'T GOT SOME OF THE MONEY, UH, FROM, UH, BUSINESS SPONSORSHIP.
WE'VE BEEN PUSHING ON BUSINESSES, BUT WE HAVEN'T YET GOT THEM ENGAGED.
I THINK WE'RE KIND OF NEW AND I THINK AS WE GET MORE REP REPUTATION THAT THE LOCAL BUSINESSES WILL, YOU KNOW, SEE THE VALUE IN, IN SPONSORING US.
BUT, AND THESE GROUPS THAT PERFORM TODAY, PAY OR NO? UH, SO WE, OUR PHILOSOPHY IS WE ARE TRYING TO FOCUS ON LONG BEACH AND WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO WORK WITH LONG BEACH MUSICIANS.
ALMOST ALL OUR GROUPS ARE FROM LONG BEACH.
WE BELIEVE IN PAYING THE MUSICIANS.
SO A LOT OF THESE GUYS WILL, THEY'LL, THEY'LL PLAY FOR FREE 'CAUSE THESE ONE PLACE TO PLAY, BUT SOME OF THEM ARE ACTUALLY YOU SURPRISE, WE SAY, NO, NO, NO, WE WANT TO PAY YOU SOMETHING.
AND EVEN IF IT'S A HUNDRED BUCKS, YOU KNOW, JAZZ ANGELS PLAYED LAST YEAR.
RIGHT? SO, BECAUSE WE THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, WHATEVER WE PAY THEM, BELIEVE ME, IS A SMALL AMOUNT BECAUSE YOU DON'T SEE ALL THE REHEARSAL TIME AND ALL OF THE EQUIPMENT THEY DO.
SO YEAH, A LOT OF OUR EXPENSES ARE OUR, OUR NUMBER ONE EXPENSE IS PROBABLY BAND FEES.
'CAUSE WE ARE PAYING THE BANDS.
UH, THE SECOND EXPENSE IS, YOU KNOW, CITY STAFF FEES, UH, AND THEN A LITTLE BIT OF ADVERTISING.
BUT ALL THE SOUND EQUIPMENT AND STAGE AND MANAGEMENT, ALL THAT, THAT'S ALL A HUNDRED PERCENT VOLUNTEER.
UH, AND, UH, AND DON OKAY, THANK YOU.
GET THEM TO A, GET THEM TO SHOW UP FOR ONE OF YOUR EVENTS AND THEY'LL START BECOMING INVOLVED.
THE BEST THING WE CAN DO IS GET PEOPLE TO OUR EVENTS AND, AND WE TAKE DONATIONS.
JUST AS A FORMER DJ WHO UNDERSTANDS ALL THAT SET UP CARD, THANK YOU FOR PAYING THEM.
UM, SAMIA, DEZA, ROSE PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
UM, WE DID THE BAND SHELL AND THEN, UH, PARTNERS OF PARK SOWING THE SEEDS.
WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE YOU ALL JOIN US.
THIS ANNUAL FUNDRAISER AT THE NATURE CENTER LAST MARCH, WE HAVE FOUR HONOREES HERE.
I'LL SEND OUT AN EMAIL TO JENNY WITH THE FLYER.
WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU JOIN US.
WE HAVE FOUR HONOREES AND WE'RE EXCITED.
WE HAVE A GOOD SPONSORSHIP LIST AND, UM, A GOOD LIST OF SPONSORS AND SOME GREAT HONOREES AND WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU JOIN US.
THE DIRECTOR HAS TWO LOVELY PAINTINGS THAT WILL BE UP FOR OPTION.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE A LOT OF POTTERY FROM THE LONG BEACH CERAMICS FROM BIXBY PARK PROGRAM.
UM, SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
AND I SAW A REPRESENTATIVE FROM CENTRO CHA.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO TALK ABOUT EITHER OF YOUR REQUESTS? GOOD MORNING.
MY NAME IS ARIANA, COMMUNITY HEALTH JUSTICE MANAGER FROM CENTRO CHA.
WE DID PUT HIS REQUEST ONE FOR THIS WEEKEND.
UM, AT CESA CHAVEZ, WE'RE GONNA BE CELEBRATING CESA CHAVEZ RIGHT IN HONOR OF HIS LEGACY.
AND WE'LL BE HAVING CULTURAL PERFORMANCES, UM, AND ACTUAL PARENT ENGAGEMENT WORK WORKSHOPS FROM CHAVEZ ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, UM, AS WELL AS IT 10 RESOURCES AT THIS TIME.
UNDERSTANDING THAT COMMUNITY MEMBERS AREN'T AWARE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THEIR IT 10 NUMBER, THEIR, UM, AND TO IN ORDER TO FILE TAXES.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING THE EDUCATION ON.
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ALSO DOING A CITIZENSHIP, UM, WORKSHOP WHERE WE'LL BE SUPPORTING COMMUNITY MEMBERS FILE FOR THE CITIZENSHIP, UM, FOR FREE.THE PROCESS FOR FREE, ESPECIALLY, UM, AS OF APRIL 1ST, THE CITIZENSHIP FEE WITH U-S-E-I-S GONNA INCREASE.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO GET AS MANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS GET THEIR APPLICATIONS IN RIGHT NOW WHEN IT'S 725 BEFORE THAT INCREASE.
SO IT'S OUR, ONE OF OUR BIGGEST EVENTS THAT WE HOST EVERY YEAR AT CESA CHAVEZ PARK.
UM, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA REPEAT, YOU KNOW, THE CI CITIZENSHIP FAIR IN APRIL, AND I BELIEVE THOSE ARE THE TWO PERMITS THAT ARE IN REQUEST.
I DO HAVE SOME FLYERS IN CASE.
I'D LIKE TO TAKE SOME, GIVE THEM TO CHRISTINE OR JENNIFER.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER, UH, COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON ANY OF THESE REQUESTS? ANY OTHER QUESTIONS UP HERE? JUST A COMMENT, COMMISSIONER.
I JUST BOUGHT MY TICKET FOR THE PARTNERS OF PARKS OF THAT.
I JUST WANNA SAY LIKE, AFTER, YOU KNOW, HAVING BEEN AT THIS BEYOND THE COMMISSION FOR TWO YEARS, THIS IS ACTUALLY ONE OF MY FAVORITE PARTS OF THIS ENTIRE, OF THESE MEETINGS.
I SEE EVERYTHING THAT IS GOING ON.
SO THANKING TO THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE SHOWN UP, YOU SPOKE ABOUT THESE EVENTS, BUT ALSO THANK YOU TO STAFF FOR PROCESSING ALL THE, ESPECIALLY THIS PRETTY LENGTHY LIST.
SO, UH, DEFINITELY LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THAT ACTIVATION IN OUR PARTS.
AND YOU CAN SEE HOW THICK THE STACK IS IN FRONT OF GLADYS
IF THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS, WE HAD A, UH, MOTION BY COMMISSIONER AARTI SMITH, A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER ALLEN.
OPPOSED? ALRIGHT, THAT PASSES.
WE WILL GO ON TO NUMBER THREE.
RECOMMENDATION TO AUTHORIZE THE SEVENTH AMENDMENT TO PERMIT NUMBER 2 8 2 4 6.
WITH BRIDGE ENTERPRISES INCORPORATED TO EXTEND THE TERM OF THE PERMIT FOR TENNIS INSTRUCTION IN THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS, RECREATION AND MARINE CONTRACT CLASSES UNTIL DECEMBER 31ST, 2024, UNLESS SOONER TERMINATED AT THE DISCRETION OF THE DIRECTOR OF PARKS, RECREATION AND MARINE.
AND BEFORE WE GO TO STAFF REPORT, CAN I GET A MOTION? SO MOVED.
SO, UM, OUR ACTING BUREAU MANAGER FOR PARK PLANNING OF PARTNERSHIPS, SHELY BEATTY WILL PRESENT THIS ITEM.
SO BRIDGE ENTERPRISES HAS PROVIDED TENNIS INSTRUCTION TO THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY FOR OVER 25 YEARS AND TO THE DEPARTMENT FOR OVER 20.
THEY HAVE RECENTLY INTRODUCED PICKLEBALL TO THEIR CENTERS AS WELL.
UM, BRIDGE ENTERPRISES INC ASSUME THE PERMIT TO PROVIDE PUBLIC TO INSTRUCTION DUE TO DEPARTMENT.
UM, OUR CONTRACT PROCESS AFTER THE PRE PREVIOUS OPERATOR RETIRES, THE PERMIT ACTUALLY EXPIRED DECEMBER 31ST, 2023.
SO A NEW REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL IS OUT, I'M SORRY, BUT WE'RE COMING TO GET ANOTHER EXTENSION ON THEIR CONTRACT TO EXTEND THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST, 2024.
AND THERE WILL NOT BE A RENEWAL ON THIS PARTICULAR PERMIT.
SO A NEW REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL IS OUT TO SOLICIT BIDS AND AWARD A NEW CONTRACT.
UM, TODAY'S ACTION WILL JUST EXTEND THE TERM OF THE PERMIT TO ALLOW UNINTERRUPTED SERVICE UNTIL THE RFP PROCESS IS COMPLETED.
SO APPROVAL WILL ENSURE THAT THERE IS NO INTERRUPTION OF ANY OF OUR CONTRACT CLASSES.
AND BRIDGE ENTERPRISE WILL CONTINUE TO PAY THE DEPARTMENT TO FOOD PERMIT FEE OF $750 OR 10% OF THE MONTHLY GROSS RECEIPT, WHICHEVER IS GREATER.
AND AN ADMINISTRATION OF MOTION CARD OF $2 PER REGISTERED STUDENT.
SO THIS IS, THIS IS JUST AN EXTENSION OF THE PERMIT TO TEACH CLASSES.
WE APPROVED PERMITS FOR INSTRUCTION THAT THE DEPARTMENT DOESN'T PROVIDE.
SO THIS IS JUST TO, TO MATCH THE END OF THE, OF THE LEASE.
AND IF, IF, IF THAT HAPPENS BEFORE DECEMBER 31ST, THIS WOULD BE TERMINATED THEN, CORRECT? CORRECT.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO ADD? SURE, YEAH, I JUST WANT TO INTRODUCE MYSELF.
SO I'M WITH BRIDGE ENTERPRISES.
WE OPERATE AS BTG TENNIS, UM, WE MANAGE AND OPERATE EL DORADO PARK TENNIS CENTER.
WE ALSO MANAGE AND OPERATE BILLY JEAN KING TENNIS CENTER, UM, AND HAVE BEEN, UH, OPERATING CONTRACT CLASSES, SO PARKS AND REC TENNIS CLASSES FOR THE CITY SINCE NOVEMBER, 2021.
UM, THAT'S, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT.
UH, WE REALLY LOVE WHAT WE DO.
UM, WE HAVE A GREAT, THIS IS KIND OF OFF TOPIC, BUT WE HAVE A GREAT, UH, NON-PROFIT FREE PLAY DAY FOR THE KIDS THIS SATURDAY AT EL DORADO PARK TENNIS CENTER IF ANYBODY'S AROUND, UM, AGAIN, NOT REALLY RELATED TO, UH, TO CONTRACT CLASSES, BUT, UH, THOSE WERE ALWAYS FUN.
SO THANK YOU YOU, AND IF YOU LOOK IN OUR, UH, WE CREATE COMMUNITY, THERE IS, UH, THE BRIDGE FAMILY DID WIN AN AWARD FROM THE US TENNIS ASSOCIATION, SO CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT.
UH, ANYBODY ELSE FROM THE AUDIENCE WITH ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THIS ONE? ANYBODY
[00:30:01]
HERE? SO, UM, TO BE CLEAR, UM, WHEN, SO FOR EXAMPLE, MY DAUGHTER'S BEEN TAKING CLASSES AT, AT, UM, EL DORADO AND THROUGH PARKS AND REC.SO IS THAT THIS ORGANIZATION? ARE YOU, ARE YOU GUYS, IT'S NOT A PERSONAL LESSON.
SO THAT WOULD BE ONE OF THE CONTRACT CLASSES.
I'M AN ACTIVE USER OF EL DORADO PARK TENNIS AND I WANT TO, UH, THANK YOU FOR GETTING THE INSTRUCTORS TO TURN THEIR RADIOS DOWN.
AND YES, I APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT.
ANYBODY ELSE? OKAY, WE HAD A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CHAVEZ, A SECOND BY VICE CHAIR REDFIELD.
YOU OPPOSED? ALRIGHT, CONGRATULATIONS.
UH, ITEM NUMBER FOUR, RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE NEW CONCEPT SUBMITTED BY HONORING OUR FALLEN, A CALIFORNIA NON-PROFIT CORPORATION TO ADD EIGHT NEW PLAQUES TO THE EXISTING HONOR HONORING OUR FALLEN MEMORIAL WALL AND AUTHORIZED THE DIRECTOR OF PARKS, RECREATION AND MARINE TO EXECUTE A RIGHT OF ENTRY PERMIT AND ANY OTHER DOCUMENTS NECESSARY FOR THE INSTALLATION OF THE EIGHT NEW PLAQUES, MAINTENANCE OF ALL PLAQUES ASSOCIATED WITH THE PREVIOUS PERMITS, AND THE NEW PERMIT, AND THE REPLACEMENT OF THE FALLEN HEROES BANNERS ON FLAGPOLES THROUGHOUT THE PARK WITH HONORING OUR FALLEN FOR A THREE YEAR TERM FROM APRIL 1ST, 2024 THROUGH MARCH 30TH, 2027 WITH ONE THREE YEAR RENEWAL OPTION.
UH, THIS ITEM WILL ALSO BE PRESENTED BY SHER.
SO ALL YOUR SAYING THANK YOU AND HELLO AGAIN.
SO HONORING OUR S SUPPORTS MILITARY FAMILIES AFTER THEY HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED THAT A LOVED ONE IS RETURNING HOME BURIAL, THEY WORK TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN THE MILITARY AND THE FAMILY.
DURING THE DIFFICULT TIME SINCE 2014, HONORING OUR FALLEN HAS MAINTAINED A MEMORIAL WALL AT ROSIE THE RIVER PARK TO HONOR MEMBERS OF THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES WHO HAVE DIED SINCE SEPTEMBER 11TH, 2001.
LAST MEMORIAL DAY, THE NAMES OF MORE THAN 7,000 SERVICE PERSONNEL WERE READ BY ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS, VETERANS, AND THOSE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT WERE ALSO READ.
SO THE PROJECT ROSIE, THE RIVER PARKS LOCATED AT 35 99 PARK AVENUE.
IT'S BETWEEN CONANT STREET AND EAST FOR LOW ROAD.
THE RIGHT OF ENTRY PERMIT WILL ALLOW HONORING OUR FALL TO INSTALL NEW PLAQUES, CONTINUE TO ADD NAMES OF THE FALL INTO THE MEMORIAL WALL AND MAINTAIN THE FLAGS.
AND ALSO WE REPLACE THE POLY HAR BANNERS THAT ARE ON THE FLAG POLES THROUGHOUT THE PARK.
THERE IS NO ANTICIPATED NEGATIVE IMPACT ON PURE M PARK USERS OR THE CITY.
ALL MATERIALS AND INSTALLATION COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROJECT WILL BE PAID FOR BY HONORING OUR COLLIN.
THE TERM AGAIN IS APRIL 1ST, 2024 THROUGH MARCH 31ST, 2027 WITH ONE THREE YEAR OPTION RENEWAL THROUGH MARCH 31ST, 2030.
SO THIS WILL BE HONORING OUR VOLUNTEER RIGHT? FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE MEMORIAL, THE PARTIES.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS UP HERE? UH, JUST COMMISSIONER SMITH, YOU KNOW, I'M, THESE LOOK BEAUTIFUL AND I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE THEM.
I AM JUST CONCERNED THAT SOMEBODY IS GONNA TRY TO STEAL THEM BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IS PEOPLE ARE STEALING, RIGHT? THEY'RE STEALING THESE THINGS.
THEY'RE STEALING PLAQUES AND MEMORIALS.
SO IS THERE ANY WAY THAT WE, ANOTHER LAYER OF PROTECTION TO PROTECT THIS, YOU KNOW, THIS MEMORIAL AT THESE MEMORIALS I, I DON'T WANNA SPEAK TO, BUT THESE ARE GRANITE, WHICH I DON'T THINK HAS BEEN STOLEN.
IT'S BEEN BRASS OR THINGS THAT CAN BE PRIMARILY.
AND THE ONES THAT HAVE BEEN THERE SINCE THIS PERMIT STARTED, I THINK ARE ALL JUST FINE.
WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY, UH, VANDALISM OR THEFT OVER AT ROSIE THE RIVER THAT I'M AWARE OF, UH, SINCE THE PARK WENT UP.
UH, MOST OF THE THEFT AND VANDALISM THAT WE'RE SEEING HERE IN THE PARKS ARE OF BRASS AND BRONZE PLAQUES, AND WE DON'T HAVE THAT OVER THERE.
I JUST WANNA PUT THAT OUT THERE.
UM, I HAVE, UM, TWO COMMENTS I SUPPOSE.
UM, ONE IS, I KNOW THAT LAST MONTH, I BELIEVE IT WAS LAST MONTH, WE HAD A SIMILAR QUESTION ABOUT LIKE THE DESIGNS OF, OF THINGS.
AND SO I KNOW THAT WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY, UH, BEING ASKED TO RECOMMEND HAS TO DO WITH THE RED ENTRY PERMIT AND NOT THE PLAQUES THEMSELVES, RIGHT? IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT.
SO, UM, IF THERE'S SOMEONE WHO'S IN, UH, IN TOUCH WITH THE, WITH THE HONORING OR FALL, I DID WANT TO SAY AS AN ENGLISH TEACHER, THERE WAS LIKE A LITTLE BIT OF A GRAMMATICAL THING, BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGE THEM TO INVESTIGATE, UM, ON THE ONE WITH THE FLAG AT HALF STAFF.
THE, UM, WHOM SHOULD PROBABLY READ THROUGH THERE.
BUT AGAIN, SO SOMETHING THAT THEY, UM, ON A MORE SUBSTANTIVE
[00:35:01]
NOTE, I SUPPOSE, UM, I DO HAVE A, A REAL CONCERN ABOUT THAT THIN BLUE LINE, UM, UH, SYMBOLISM THERE.UM, I 100% SUPPORT HONORING THOSE WHO HAVE FALLEN.
BUT THE BEEN THROUGH LINE, UM, SYMBOLISM HAS BEEN CO-OPTED TO REPRESENT, UM, SOME GROUPS THAT REPRESENT THEMSELVES AS, AS, FOR EXAMPLE, AS OPPOSED TO BLACK LIVES MATTER.
UM, CO-OPTED BY SOME GROUPS THAT I'M, I'M TRYING TO AVOID SAYING RACIST, BUT, UM, MM-HMM,
BUT I, I, I QUESTIONED THE USE OF THAT PARTICULAR IMAGING AND SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WAS BROUGHT UP.
AND I, I, I DON'T THINK LAURA'S HERE THAT ACTUALLY IN LOOKING AT THAT BLUE, I'M NOT SURE HOW THAT WOULD APPEAR ON THE GRANITE IF THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE PAINTED OR AN ATTACHMENT, BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT IT'S JUST ETCHED.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WOULD BECOME BLUE IN THE ACTUAL ONE.
UH, COMMISSIONER ALLEN? UH, THANKS COMMISSIONER HAGER.
I ACTUALLY SHARE THAT SAME CONCERN.
I JUST, I'M, I'M CURIOUS, I KNOW WHEN I WAS HERE LAST TIME, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT ASSOCIATION NAMES AND MAKING SURE WE'RE NOT STEPPING INTO SOMETHING TO POLITICAL OR BRANDING FOR AN ORGANIZATION.
SO I, I WOULD SHARE THAT CONCERN FROM IT, FROM LIKE A POLITICAL STANDPOINT.
LIKE THAT'S BECOME A, A VERY POLITICAL SYMBOL.
UM, AND SO WHETHER OR NOT WE, UH, MOVE THAT INCLUDE THAT WOULD BE, UH, SOMETHING I'D WANT US TO LOOK AT JUST FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE AGAINST, I WOULDN'T WANT US TO INSTALL THIS AND THEN AGAIN, AND UNINTENTIONALLY START OFFENDING OTHER FOLKS BECAUSE THAT CARRIES A NEGATIVE, NEGATIVE SYMBOL, UM, FOR FOLKS.
I, I, I WILL, UH, ANYBODY ELSE? BEFORE I, I WAS ALSO QUESTIONING, I MEAN, I BELIEVE THAT WE USED TO, AT THE CENTENNIAL PLAZA, I HAVE A TRIBUTE TO FALLEN, UM, POLICE AND FIRE FROM LONG BEACH DEPARTMENTS.
I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS JUST TO RECOGNIZE PEOPLE FROM LONG BEACH THAT ARE FIRE OR POLICE, BUT THE ORIGINAL CONCEPT OF THE, OF THE PERMIT AND OF THIS CONCEPT WAS MILITARY.
AND SO I WOULD QUESTION ADDING IN, I MEAN, I, I UNDERSTAND I THINK WHERE LAURA IS COMING FROM, PEOPLE HAVE, PARTICULARLY IF THAT ONE AT CENTENNIAL PLAZA IS GONE OR LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO GO AND MEDITATE OR THINK ABOUT THEIR LOVED ONES THAT HAVE FALLEN.
BUT I WOULD QUESTION ADDING IN SOMETHING THAT ISN'T MILITARY BASED, THAT'S PARAMILITARY.
SO, UM, ANY OTHER COMMENTS UP HERE WHILE WE THINK I, I THINK THOSE ARE VERY REASONABLE, UM, CONCERNS OR, UH, EXPRESSIONS OF YOUR THOUGHTS SO WE CAN RELAY THAT ON TO THE PROPOSAL.
DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE? JUST, SORRY, MR. UM, SO I GUESS IN TERMS OF, SO WHEN, WHEN'S LIKE THE IMPLEMENTATION DATE OF THIS? OR WHEN IS IT, WHEN IS THIS LIKE MOVING FORWARD? 'CAUSE I ALSO, YOU KNOW, AGREE WITH CONCERNS.
I BELIEVE THAT LAURA'S GOAL WOULD BE TO GET THESE MANUFACTURED AND, AND HAVE THEM INSTALLED BY MEMORIAL DAY.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE UP HERE WOULD LIKE TO, UH, CONSIDER AMENDING OUR, THE MOTION OR IF WE WOULD JUST LIKE TO, UH, SEND THIS TO STAFF WITH A RECOMMENDATION OR EVEN TABLE IT.
YEAH, I, I I WILL SAY PERSONALLY I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE APPROVING THIS DESIGN.
I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THAT.
SO WHILE I, WHILE THE REST OF IT SEEMS FINE WHILE ADDING THE NAMES, THE OTHER PLAQUES, UM, ABSOLUTELY I WOULD, I WOULD APPROVE THAT.
I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE VOTING WITH THE, AND HOPEFULLY THEY CHANGE IT.
UM, I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THAT.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT OUR NEXT STEP WOULD BE.
SO OUR NEXT MEETING IS APRIL 18TH, WHICH WOULD GIVE, UM, FIVE WEEKS IF WE WERE TO WAIT TO RECOMMEND THIS, UM, TO ALLOW HONORING OUR FALL INTO, UM, ORDER WHATEVER PLAQUES.
I, I THINK THAT IF WE, IF WE WERE TO TABLE IT OR COME BACK THAT THEY COULD WORK ON THE OTHER ONES AND ORDER THOSE.
UM, OR UH, PERSONALLY MY PREFERENCE WOULD BE THAT WE TABLE THIS AND BRING IT BACK AND HAVE STAFF RELAY OUR CONCERNS TO HONORING OUR FALLEN AND COME BACK IN APRIL.
BUT I WILL DEFER TO, IS THAT ENOUGH TIME FOR THEM TO DO THAT? UH, THAT'S WHAT I'M NOT SURE.
YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PRODUCTION OF THIS
[00:40:02]
TYPE AND QUALITY OF UM, I GUESS MIGHT BE SANDBLAST OR COMPUTER EDGE, UH, STONE WORK PROBABLY HAS A LOT LONG LEAD TIME.SO IT'S POSSIBLE THAT SOME OF THESE MAY BE IN PRODUCTION IF NOT ALREADY CREATED.
I JUST CAN'T SPEAK FOR THE, THEIR PROCESS.
I MEAN REALLY THE PURPOSE OF THIS ITEM WAS TO ALLOW, YOU KNOW, AN ADDITIONAL PERIOD OF TIME FOR THEM TO CONTINUE TO, TO MAKE THESE, AND I'M NOT TELLING YOU WHAT TO DO.
A SUGGESTION MAY BE THAT WITH CONSIDERATION OF WHETHER OR NOT THAT ONE PARTICULAR PANEL IS INCLUDED, THE CONCERN WAS RAISED BY THIS COMMISSION, WE CAN MAYBE NAVIGATE IT THROUGH, UH, BUT THAT WOULDN'T, YOU KNOW, HALT THE PRODUCTION OF ALL THE OTHERS SPECIFIC ON COMMISSIONER ARTIE SMITH.
SO WHEN DID WE START THIS? WHEN DID THEY START THIS PROCESS WITH US? IT'S BEEN FEW MONTHS.
ONLY BECAUSE, I MEAN IT'S, YOU KNOW, AS WE'VE HAD THE EXPERIENCE WITH THE PARK BENCH, I JUST THINK THAT THE SOONER WE CAN GET THIS, I MEAN I'VE BEEN ON THE OTHER END WHEN I NEEDED SOMETHING APPROVED OR VOTED ON AND HAVING TO DO THE LOGISTICS OF IT ALL.
SO I THINK ANYTIME, JUST TO COMMENT THAT ANYTIME THAT WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT MAY ELICIT OTHER THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS ABOUT A PARTICULAR ART PIECE, IT BEHOOVES US TO REALLY GET THAT AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE.
BECAUSE I DON'T WANT THE END USER TO GO, MAN, I'M GONNA HAVE TO SPEND EXTRA MONEY TO DO A, B AND C OR IT'S GONNA CAUSE THIS.
I THINK FROM AN ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE PERSPECTIVE, THE SOONER WE CAN GET THE ARTWORK TO DIGEST AS THE COMMISSION, THE BETTER THAT IT SERVES THE END USER.
AND WE DON'T KNOW IF LIKE FOR THE, THE FIRST RESPONDERS THAT ARE GONNA BE RECOGNIZED IF THEY ARE ONLY LONG BEACH RESIDENTS OR LONG BEACH BASED.
BECAUSE IF, IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EVERY FIRST RESPONDER SINCE SEPTEMBER 11TH, I MEAN WE, WE COULD PUT IT ON THE SIDE OF TRUMP TOWER AND IT WOULDN'T BE ENOUGH.
WELL, IS IT COMMISSIONER HIGGIN? SORRY.
UM, FROM WHAT I, I READ, I WAS A LITTLE BIT UNCLEAR AS TO WHETHER THE INDIVIDUAL NAME PLAQUES WOULD BE FOR EVERYONE WHO HAS PASSED OR WHETHER THE LARGER PLAQUES WERE KIND OF A BLANKET MEMORIAL AND THEN THERE WERE INDIVIDUAL NAME PLAQUES FOR ANOTHER CERTAIN SECTOR.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS EVERY YEAR THEY PUT UP ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE DIED SINCE IN, IN, BY, BY DIVISION.
UP UNTIL THEN, IT WAS JUST THE WAR ON TERROR, I BELIEVE IS WHAT WE CALLED IT SINCE SEPTEMBER 11TH.
AND EVERY PERSON NATIONALLY THAT HAS DIED IN THAT EFFORT.
I BELIEVE IS WHAT GOES UP THERE.
IT'S NOT JUST LONG BEACH BASED INDIVIDUALS.
IT SAYS, UH, UH, REQUESTING A NEW PERMIT TO CONTINUE TO INSTALL AND MAINTAIN THE INDIVIDUAL SOLDIER SLASH VETERAN NAME PLAQUES ON THE MEMORIAL WALL.
AND I BELIEVE BY THAT THEY MEAN A PLAQUE THAT HAS EVERYONE THAT DIED IN A PARTICULAR YEAR.
BUT I HAVEN'T BEEN OUT THERE IN A COUPLE OF YEARS.
SO, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER SUGGESTION MAY BE, 'CAUSE I THINK WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE ONE THAT'S BEEN CALL THAT AND THE DUCK, THE WHOM SHOULD BE WHO? MM-HMM.
I JUST, THERE'S ANOTHER WHOM ALSO TWO CASE I SEE, UM, PROBABLY TO MAYBE APPROVE ALL OF THE OTHERS THAT RELATE MORE TO WAR.
AND I THINK MAYBE THE ORIGINAL INTENT OF THIS WHOLE MEMORIAL CONCEPT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE WITH THE HOLDING OFF ON THE MIL OF THE, UH, NON-MILITARY, WHICH IS MORE ABOUT, UM, OFFICER, SO, WELL, COREY, UM, SO I THINK 'CAUSE THERE'S THE SUICIDE PREVENTION OR THE SUICIDE ONE AS WELL.
SO WOULD WE HOLD ALL THREE OF THOSE? SO IT WOULD BE THE, 'CAUSE I ALSO WOULD, WOULD, I WOULDN'T WANT FROM A PUBLIC, LIKE A PUBLIC SAFETY PERSPECTIVE TO LIKE ONLY HOLD POLICE AND NOT FIRE AND MOVE ONE FORWARD.
RIGHT? SO I THINK IF WE'RE GONNA HOLD ONE, ARE WE HOLDING ALL THREE OF THOSE THAT ARE NON-MILITARY SPECIFIC? BECAUSE THOSE OTHER TWO HAVE JUST A TRADITIONAL AMERICAN FLAG ON THEM.
SO I GUESS IN TERMS OF DESIGN WISE, IT SHOULD BE RELATIVELY SIMPLE OUTSIDE OF ALL THE, WHATEVER ACTUAL PROCESS TO INSTALL THEM IS TO JUST LIKE, I'M FINE WITH THAT IF THAT'S AN AMERICAN FLAG AND NOT THE BLUE LINE.
UM, BUT IT, I MEAN, SO I GUESS DO WE NEED TO HOLD BACK ALL THREE OF THEM AND APPROVE THE REST OR HOLD EVERYTHING UNTIL THEY CHANGE THOSE? MY PREFERENCE WOULD BE TO HOLD BACK WOULD
[00:45:01]
BE TO APPROVE EVERYTHING RELATED TO A SPECIFIC WAR, UM, AND ASK THEM TO COME BACK WITH MORE INFORMATION ON WHAT WOULD BE, IN OUR CASE, THE LAST THREE PLAQUES ON PAGE TWO OF THE, UM, OF THE EXAMPLES.SO AN EVENT THEN, SO INSTEAD OF IN THE RECOMMENDATION IT SAYS TO ADD EIGHT NEW PLAQUES TO THE EXISTING HONORING OUR FALL ON MEMORIAL WALL.
SO, AND THEN THAT'S TO ADD THE EIGHT NEW PLAQUES TO ADD FIVE NEW, SORRY, NOT THE 8, 5 5 NEW PLAQUES.
UM, AND THAT, AND IF WE VOTE ON THAT, THEN THAT WOULD PAUSE THE OTHER THREE, CORRECT? I BELIEVE SO.
SUGGESTIONS, VICE CHAIR, REDFIELD.
AND WOULD THAT, AND THEN ADD, UH, AND REVIEW LATER THE ISSUES OF THE POLICE TO FIRE THE SUICIDE FLAGS? I THINK, I THINK IF THAT WERE OUR MOTION, I THINK THEY WOULD BE MOTIVATED TO COME BACK WITH MORE INFORMATION.
THEY CAN TALK TO SHE, UH, AND, AND YOU KNOW, SEE WHAT OUR CONCERNS WERE.
AND THEN IF THEY, UH, WANT TO ADD THOSE THREE PLAQUES WITH THOSE CONCEPTS, UH, BOTH THE DESIGN AND THE CONCEPT AND DEFINITION.
IS IT JUST LONG BEACH PEOPLE OR IS IT EVERYBODY THAT, THAT COULD COME BACK TO US IN APRIL? AND I'M GONNA CLARIFY THESE NUPLEX, THEY'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT INDIVIDUAL NAMES, IT'S JUST ONE PLAQUE FOR EACH ONE PLAQUE.
SO THEY ONLY, YEAH, THEY'RE NOT ADDING NAMES FOR EACH ONE OF THOSE, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION.
SO THAT WOULD WORK BE MY UNDERSTANDING FROM, IN TALKING TO LAURA IN THE PAST, THESE THREE WOULD BE IF SOMEONE LOST A FIREFIGHTER OR A POLICEMAN OR UH, SOMEONE TO SUICIDE OR, UH, OTHER WOUND HIDDEN WOUNDS, THAT WOULD JUST BE A PLACE FOR THEM TO COME AND MEDITATE.
SO THOSE THREE WOULD JUST BE, UH, MY WORD, GENERIC, NOT LONG BEACH BASED OR NOT LISTING EVERY NAME.
AND, AND CHAIR, JUST TO, JUST TO BE CLEAR BECAUSE I'M NOT SUPER, UM, I, I JUST FOR CLARITY, UM, IF WE SAY FIVE NEW PLAQUES, THEN THE ADDITIONAL THREE WOULD COME BACK TO THE COMMISSION.
THAT WOULD BE UP TO HONORING OUR FALLEN TO BRING THEM BACK IF THEY, BUT IN OTHER WORDS, US, UH, APPROVING A RIGHT OF ENTRY WOULDN'T THEN GIVE THEM A BLANKET APPROVAL TO SUBMIT, TO DO WHATEVER DESIGNS THEY WANT.
THEY WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK IF THEY WANTED TO ADD THOSE OTHER THREE.
YEAH, I BELIEVE THE FIRST PART OF THE RECOMMENDATION IF WE WERE TO AMEND IT, WOULD BE THAT WE ARE APPROVING WHAT WOULD BE THE FIRST FIVE LISTED HERE.
UH, AND THEN THEY WOULD HAVE THE RIGHT OF ENTRY TO DO EVERYTHING THEY WANT TO DO BEGIN COM UH, COMMISSIONING THOSE PLAQUES.
BUT IF THEY WANTED THOSE OTHER THREE, THEY WOULD COME BACK TO US NEXT MONTH WITH MORE INFORMATION.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE THAT AS AN AMENDMENT? YES.
AND CAN WE GET A SECOND? SECOND? OKAY.
IS THERE ANY COMMENTS OR DISCUSSION FROM THE AUDIENCE? WE HAVE ANYTHING UP HERE? OKAY.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO AMEND THE ORIGINAL MOTION THAT THE FIRST, UH, PORTION WOULD BE RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE NEW CONCEPT SUBMITTED BY HONORING OUR FALLEN A CALIFORNIA NONPROFIT CORPORATION TO ADD FIVE NEW PLAQUES TO THE EXISTING HONORING OUR FALLEN MEMORIAL WALL.
NO ADDITIONS TO THE SECOND PART OF THE RECOMMENDED ACTION.
SO NOW WE WILL GO BACK TO THE MAIN MOTION, WHICH IS AMENDED TO BE JUST WHAT IS LISTED AS THE FIRST FIVE PLAQUES ON PAGE TWO.
AND ACTUALLY PAGE ONE, I THINK OF THIS.
SO BE APPROVING THE WORLD WAR I, WORLD WAR II, KOREAN WAR, VIETNAM WAR AND DESERT STORM DESERT SHIELD.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR, UH, COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE OR APPEAR? OKAY.
ANY OPPOSED? OKAY, THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
THAT WAS A VERY GOOD DISCUSSION IN MY OPINION.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
UH, WE WILL NOW GO ON TO ITEM NUMBER FIVE, RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE THE DIRECTOR'S MONTHLY HIGHLIGHTS REPORT.
WE CREATE COMMUNITY AND DIRECTOR'S HIGHLIGHTS FOR MARCH, 2024.
CAN I GET A MOTION? SO WHO SECOND, UH, MR. DIRECTOR? YEAH, I JUST HAVE A FEW ADDITIONAL COMMENTS THAT A LOT OF THINGS HAPPENED FROM DAY TO DAY, BUT ON MONDAY, UM, EARLY AND I WERE JOINED BY SEVERAL OTHER OF OUR PARK MAINTENANCE, UH, STAFF MEMBERS AS CLOSE COLLEAGUES TO JOHNNY SANTOS, WHOSE LIFE WAS TRAGICALLY TAKEN, UM, ABOUT A MONTH AGO.
BUT, UM, GREAT OUTPOURING OF THE COMMUNITY.
I THINK THERE WAS LIKE FIVE OR SIX PEOPLE, UH, THAT SHOWED UP AT THE ALL SAINTS, UM, CATHOLIC MORTUARY, UH, WITH INTERNMENT THERE AT THE CEMETERY.
[00:50:01]
SO IT WAS REAL, REAL MEANINGFUL FOR THE FAMILY TO SEE THE CITY COME FORWARD IN A SUPPORTIVE WAY.AND THEN WE ALSO, UM, JUST SHARED WITH THEM THAT IN NOVEMBER, ACTUALLY IT WILL BE AFTER OUR COMMISSION MEETING THROUGH THURSDAY, WE GATHER OUT, UH, IN FRONT OF THIS BUILDING AT THE GOOD NEIGHBOR PARK TO DO OUR ANNUAL READING OF THE NAMES FOR COWORKERS OR LOVED ONES OF COWORKERS THAT WERE, THAT PASSED DURING YEAR, UH, AT THE MEMORIAL TREE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO, TO UPLIFT THAT, THAT WAS VERY MEANINGFUL TO THE FAMILY AND APPRECIATED.
AND THEN, UM, YOU KNOW, IT WAS GREAT TO HONOR.
AND TODAY, UM, ON TUESDAY NIGHT, THERE'S ALSO A REALLY THERE IMPORTANT TRADITION THAT CITY COUNCIL HAS WHERE THEY WILL HAVE EMPLOYEES OF THE MONTH RECOGNIZING, UH, EACH DEPARTMENT.
SO JUAN RODRIGUEZ, WHO'S ONE OF OUR EXCELLENT GARDENERS ON HURLEY'S TEAM, HE WAS RECOGNIZED ACTUALLY THE FIRST ONE ON TUESDAY NIGHT, AND WE HAD A WHOLE ROW OF OUR, UM, ERC, UH, COMMITTEE MEMBERS, AND SOME OF HIS COLLEAGUES AND HIS FAMILY WERE THERE TO CHEER HIM ON.
SO THAT WAS REALLY A GREAT MOMENT, UH, JUST TO BRING ATTENTION TO THE HARD WORK AND EXCELLENCE THAT, THAT JUAN REPRESENTED, I THOUGHT.
AND THEN OUR ENTIRE BUREAU MANAGEMENT TEAM, UH, OR ALL OUR BUREAU MANAGERS HAVE BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY OVER THE PAST MONTH TO PREPARE.
OUR FISCAL YEAR 25 PROCESS CONTINUES TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND THIS YEAR, UH, EACH DEPARTMENT WAS, UM, REALLY CHALLENGED TO PRIORITIZE YOUR TOP 10, UH, BUDGET ENHANCEMENTS, UH, WHICH, YOU KNOW, WITH THE BIG DEPARTMENT WITH LOTS OF NEEDS TO NARROW IT DOWN TO 10 THINGS, UH, WHICH ALSO HAD TO HAVE AN OFFSET OF A BUDGET OFFSET FOR WHATEVER YOU WERE PROPOSING.
WE SUBMITTED OUR DEPARTMENT'S, UH, PROPOSAL LAST FRIDAY BEFORE THE DEADLINE, SO WE'LL SEE HOW THAT PLAYS OUT.
UH, JUST AS A REMINDER, THE CITY'S PROCESS FOR THE BUDGET DOES INCLUDE EXTENSIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, WHICH IS SCHEDULED THROUGH THE MONTH OF AUGUST.
UH, I KNOW THE MAYOR WILL THEN PRESENT, UM, HIS PROPOSED BUDGET AND THEN THERE'S THAT, I CALL IT THE HYBRIDIZATION OF THE TWO.
UH, AND THEN, UH, BEFORE, UM, THE END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR, UH, WHICH WILL HAPPEN SOMETIME IN SEPTEMBER, UH, COUNCIL WILL, UM, HAVE A COUPLE MEETINGS TO PRESENT THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 25, WHICH STARTS OFFICIALLY ON OCTOBER 1ST.
SO SEPTEMBER 30TH WILL BE OUR END OF THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR.
WE'RE AT MIDYEAR RIGHT NOW AND DOING REALLY WELL WITH MANAGING OUR BUDGET.
THEY'RE USUALLY THINGS THAT ARE UNBUDGETED AND USUALLY FALLS IN THE REALM OF, UH, REPLACEMENT OF THINGS, STOLEN OR VANDALIZED, UM, REPAIRS.
UM, AND JUST THINGS THAT IN THE COURSE OF DEALING WITH LIVING ORGANISMS OF PARKS WITH MOTHER NATURE'S CHEMISTRY, UM, WE JUST DO OUR BEST
BUT IT'S BEEN, IT'S BEEN A GOOD, UH, WINTER.
WE'RE GLAD THAT SPRING'S HERE, GLADYS AND HER TEAM ARE, ARE PREPARED FOR SPRING BREAK WITH THE CAMP ACTIVITY AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, AND THEN AGAIN, IF YOU WATCH THE NEWS, YOU, YOU WERE PROBABLY AWARE THAT THERE WERE SOME APPROVED FEDERAL EARMARKS FOR, UH, IMPORTANT FUNDING PROJECTS HERE IN LONG BEACH.
SO THE ONES THAT WE'RE REALLY HAPPY ABOUT, UM, UH, FOR THREE OF OUR PARKS, SO MARTIN LUTHER KING PARK HAS A EARMARK FOR $500,000, AND THEN BOTH BIG SPEED PARK AND HARTWELL PARK EACH RECEIVED EARMARKS OF $850,000.
SO, UH, LAST NIGHT I WAS THE GUEST SPEAKER AT THE BLUFF PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND THE MEETING WAS HELD AT BIGBY PARK.
SO I GOT THERE A LITTLE EARLY AND WALKED AROUND THE FACILITY, UH, WITH, UH, RICKY AND LILY ON, ON GLADYS'S TEAM, AND THEY UNLOCKED ROOMS THAT I'D NEVER BEEN IN BEFORE
SO THE 854, 800 50,000 FOR, UM, BIXBY IS SUPPOSED TO GO TOWARDS THE COMMUNITY CENTER IMPROVEMENTS, UM, BUT KIND OF ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PARK, THE HISTORIC BANDSHELL, UM, THERE WAS A SIMILAR PATRICK O'DONNELL ARAMARK, UH, TO HELP ENHANCE THE, THE BANDSHELL THERE IN BIXBY.
AND THAT WORK IS TENTATIVELY SUPPOSED TO START IN EARLY SUMMER, BUT, UM, PUBLIC WORKS IS WORKING WITH US AND THE SCHEDULE BECAUSE WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO, UH, KICK THAT CONSTRUCTION WORK OFF, BUT NOT DISRUPT TOO MANY OF THE, THE COMMUNITY'S EVENTS YOU HAVE FARMER'S MARKETS REALLY POPULAR AND A LOT OF OTHER, UH, CELEBRATIONS.
SO, UH, WE'RE JUST TRYING TO NAVIGATE OUR WAY THROUGH THAT.
UH, OTHER THAN THAT, IT'S, UM, AS WAS HIGHLIGHTED, BUSY SEASON AHEAD OF US.
UH, AND MY FINAL COMMENT IS WELCOMING COREY, ALAN TOO.
I, I HAVE A FRIEND NAMED CODY, WHICH I WAS JUST GETTING AN UPDATE ON THE HEALTH OF HIS, OF HIS, UH,
[00:55:01]
MOTHER.AND FOR SOME REASON CODY STUCK IN MY HEAD.
BUT WE'RE REALLY GLAD THAT YOU ARE FILLING THAT SEVENTH SEAT, WHICH HAS BEEN OPEN FOR A COUPLE YEARS.
AND JUST AS A REMINDER, OUR TEAM'S GONNA BE, UH, WORKING WITH YOU TO TRY TO FIND A GREAT SATURDAY, OR HOPEFULLY YOU CAN DEVOTE ABOUT THREE OR FOUR HOURS FOR OUR, UH, RETREAT AND ORIENTATION AND KIND OF BRING YOU UP TO SPEED ON A LOT OF GREAT THINGS HAPPENING IN ALL CORNERS OF THE CITY, UH, WHICH WILL INCLUDE A TOUR.
AND, UH, I THINK IT'LL BE VERY INFORMATIVE AND, UH, EDUCATIONAL, BUT HOPEFULLY WE CAN FIND THAT'S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE IS FINDING A DAY THAT WORKS ALL SEVEN OF YOU.
BUT I, I KNOW OUR TEAM WILL BE AS, UH, FLEXIBLE AND AVAILABLE TO MAKE SURE IT'S A SUCCESSFUL RETREAT.
SO OTHER THAN THAT, I MEAN, I CAN PROBABLY THINK OF A LOT OF OTHER THINGS, JUST REALLY BUSY TIME, BUT IT'S ALWAYS A GOOD BUSY, SO THANK YOU.
IS MOTHER NATURE'S CHEMISTRY AN OFFICIAL LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT PHRASE,
ALRIGHT, ANY QUESTIONS? UH, HERE I NOTICED THAT, UH, WE'RE LOSING TRINKA.
UM, AND I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR INCREDIBLE WORK.
I GUESS YOU'LL BE HERE NEXT MONTH.
OKAY, SO ONE MORE MEETING AFTER TODAY.
ANYBODY ELSE AT, AT COMMISSIONER HIGGIN? UM, I, I GUESS IT'S NOT DIRECTLY RELATED, BUT I DID HAVE A FRIEND WHO LIVES ACROSS STUDEBAKER FROM HERE AND ASKED AND SAID THAT, UH, HE'D SEEN DUCK PONDS, UH, COMING THIS MARCH AND WAS WONDERING IF THERE WAS ANY UPDATE ON THAT SPECIFIC TIME.
WELL, ACTUALLY, HURLEY AND STEVE AND RAUL AND I GOT A, A TOUR OF THE PROJECT LAST WEEK OR RECENTLY TO SAY RECENTLY EVERY DAY SEEMS LIKE.
UM, SO THERE'S A BIG PUNCH LIST OF ITEMS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED BEFORE THAT'S CLOSED OUT, I GUESS.
YEAH, THE, THE INUNDATION OF, OF ALL THE RAIN, I MEAN, WE HAD SUCH A, SUCH A WET, UH, WINTER AND THE, THE SATURATION OF THE SOIL AND THAT DUCK POND BY DESIGN IS LIKE THE LOW POINT IN THE BIG REGION OF THE PARK AND ROADWAYS.
WE DIDN'T HAVE TO PAY A PENNY FOR A WATER FROM THE POTTER DEPARTMENT.
MOTHER NATURE FILLED UP THE POND.
UH, AND I KNOW THERE'S JUST SOME THINGS AROUND THE EDGES WE'RE DEALING WITH, BUT, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC WORKS AND THEIR PROJECT MANAGEMENT TEAM IS ON TOP OF IT.
UM, I DON'T HAVE, WHENEVER, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE ASKS ABOUT DATES THE LAST NIGHT AT THE BOOK PARK, EVERYBODY WANTED TO KNOW EXACTLY WHEN.
IT'S ALWAYS RISKY TO SAY SOMETHING BECAUSE THAT STICKS IN THEIR HEAD.
AND THEN WE GET CRITICIZED FOR, YOU KNOW, NEVER DELIVERING THINGS AS PROMISED.
SO, UM, IT WILL HAPPEN, I KNOW, SAID MARK, BUT HOPEFULLY IT'LL BE IN 2024, MARCH OF 2025.
BUT, YOU KNOW, AT A GLANCE, IF YOU GO OVER TO THE GOLF COURSE AND PARK IN THE CORE OF THE PARKING LOT, YOU CAN WALK UP, THERE'S A SECTION OF THE PERIMETER CONSTRUCTION FENCE WHERE THE, THE LONG BEACH BANNERS ARE NO LONGER PRESENT.
YOU CAN, YOU CAN GET AN IDEA HOW BEAUTIFUL IT IS AND, UH, IT IS A DUCK POND.
THERE'S LOTS OF WILD WATERFALL ENJOYING IT ALREADY.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK THROUGH THE FENCE, YOU'LL SEE THAT THERE'S LITTLE PROTECTIVE CAGES AROUND ALL THE NATIVE AQUATIC PLANTS AROUND THE EDGE BECAUSE THE CONTRACTOR, THE LANDSCAPE CONTRACTOR INSTALLED THEM ORIGINALLY AND CAME BACK THE NEXT DAY AND IT WAS LIKE A BIG SALAD BAR FOR ALL THE NUTS.
THEY BEATEN DOWN EVERYTHING TO LITTLE NUBS.
SO THEY REALIZED AFTER THEY REPLANTED, EACH ONE HAS A BAT PROTECTED CAGE.
HOPEFULLY ONCE IT GETS ESTABLISHED, IT WON'T BE MUCH OF AN ISSUE, BUT IT'S AN IMMENSE PROJECT.
IT TOOK A LOT OF EFFORT, YOU KNOW, WITH GRANT WRITING AND CONVERSATIONS WITH DIFFERENT, UH, FUNDING SOURCES, YOU KNOW, MEASURE W AND THEN A, THE, THE WATER DEPARTMENT HEALTH.
SO THEY FINALLY PULLED, PULLED IT ALL TOGETHER.
UH, SO IT'S BEEN VERY LONG AWAITED.
WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, NEIGHBORS THAT WALK THE PARK AND USED TO WALK AROUND THE DUCK POND EVERY DAY.
SO THEY SEND US QUESTIONS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WILL IT BE REOPENED.
UM, I THINK, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE YEARS AGO THERE WAS A STRONG INTEREST FROM SOME OF THE NEIGHBORS TO ACTUALLY FORM OF FRIENDS OF THE DUCK POND AND, AND YOU KNOW, VOLUNTEER TO LEAD DOCENT TOURS AROUND IT AND, AND KEEP AN EYE ON IT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, HISTORICALLY WHEN WE HAD A PARK RANGER, UM, THERE WAS ALWAYS REPORTS OF PEOPLE FISHING IN IT.
AND YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE FISHING IN THAT PARTICULAR BODY OF WATER.
BUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED OVER TIME WAS PEOPLE DONATED GOLDFISH.
[01:00:01]
UH, AND THEN EASTER, UNFORTUNATELY IS THAT TIME OF THE YEAR WHERE PEOPLE THINK IT'S CUTE TO GET A BUNNY AND THEY'RE DUCKLING IN, UH, A LITTLE CRITTER AND THEN AFTER A WEEK THEY DON'T WANT TO CARE FOR IT.SO THEY FEEL LIKE THE PARKS ARE THE BEST THING TO JUST RELEASE THOSE INVESTIGATED ANIMALS OUT INTO THE WILD.
PEOPLE ARE SO BAD, BUT ANIMAL ANIMAL CARE AND ANIMAL CONTROL IS REAL HELPFUL IN HELPING, YOU KNOW, MANAGE THAT.
I, SORRY I CAN'T ANSWER IT MORE DEFINITIVELY, BUT NO, THAT'S, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WHENEVER THERE'S A CONSTRUCTION BANNER THAT SUGGESTS WHEN THE PROJECT MAY END, IT USUALLY IS A LITTLE FLUID.
IT'S SIMPLY THAT HE KNEW THAT I'M ON THE COMMISSION AND EXPECTED ME TO HAVE AN ANSWER.
SO I CAN, I CAN RELATE THAT BACK AND, UH, BUT THANK YOU.
I THINK ONCE IT'S OPEN, THE COMMUNITY WOULD BE REALLY PROUD OF THE IMPROVEMENT, BUT IT WAS A REALLY A HEAVY LIFT THAT PULLED THIS ONE OFF.
AND IF YOU'VE EVER NAVIGATED THE REGIONAL PARKWAY, OTHER HAVE OTHER BODIES OF WATER THAT HAVE SIMILAR CHALLENGES WITH THEIR EDGES AND KIND OF EARLY DEALS WITH A LOT OF THE AQUATIC MAINTENANCE CHALLENGES.
UM, I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW WHAT EYS WERE.
SO I WENT AROUND THE PARK WITH HURLEY AND FOUND OUT THAT THERE'S SPECIFIC PERMITS TO MANAGE THAT AND SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS ON HOW YOU MAINTAIN IT OR IF YOU ARE ALLOWED TO REMOVE SOME OF IT TO SOME DEGREE FOR MAINTENANCE.
UM, BUT THE REPLACEMENT REQUIREMENTS ARE SO IT'S BIT CHALLENGING, BUT LIFE IN CALIFORNIA, SO IT APPEARS TO ME WHEN I SEE THE DUCK POND FROM THE GOLF COURSE THAT THERE ARE TWO OR THREE GIANT PIMPLES OF THE LINER.
DO WE KNOW WHAT CAUSED THAT OR WHAT THE SOLUTION IS GONNA BE FOR THAT? THEY'RE STUDYING THAT.
SO WHAT HAPPENED WITH, UM, ALL OF THE RAIN AND WITH THE SATURATION OF THE SOIL, THE AQUIFER OR GROUNDWATER TABLE, UM, WAS RISING.
AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, ANY SOIL DOES HAVE AIR IN IT.
AND AS ALL THAT WATER PUSHED UP, THERE WAS AIR THAT CAME BETWEEN THE CLAY BOTTOM AND THEN THE NEW LINER.
SO IT'S ACTUALLY INFLATED AND LIFTED UP THE, THE MANUFACTURED LINER TO CREATE.
IT LOOKS LIKE A HUMPBACK QUAILS READY TO JUMP OUT OF THE LOT, BUT THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW THEY BENT THAT OUT AND RETURN IT BACK TO ITS INTENDED STATE.
SO THAT'S PART OF THE, WITHOUT CAUSING A BIG LEAK, RIGHT? YEAH, IT'S NOT LOCK MASS.
THAT'S WHAT I TOLD HIM TO NAME IT.
WHAT'S INTERESTING IS ANOTHER MAJOR PART OF, IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA THAT HAS EXACTLY THE SAME CHALLENGES, SO PUBLIC WORKS IN SOMOS, IS THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT COMPANY.
UM, THEY'RE TRYING TO LEARN WHAT, HOW THEY ADDRESS THEIRS.
WE LEARNED THAT THEY SPENT SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS WITH WHAT THEY THOUGHT THE SOLUTIONS WERE ONLY TO FIND IT NOT BEING SUCCESSFUL.
SO THEY DON'T WANT TO, YOU KNOW, MOVE FORWARD WITH SOME POSSIBLE SOLUTION AT GREAT COSTS AND FIND OUT THAT IT'S NOT GONNA REALLY ADDRESS IT.
SO YEAH, IT'S A LITTLE TECHNICAL BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANNA TURN IT INTO A LEAK.
YOUR OBSERVATION IS QUITE CORRECT.
IT'S, IT'S ON THAT LONG LIST OF PUNCH LIST ITEMS. SO THAT'S PROBABLY AT THE TOP AND THE MOST EXPENSIVE ONE I'M PREDICTING.
I DIDN'T THINK MILLIONS, BUT I DID THINK SIX FIGURES.
YOU REMEMBER THE THING TO WALK AWAY WITH IS WE DID GET THAT WHOLE POND FILLED FOR FREE 12 YEARS.
WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN THOSE TYPE OF GIFTS.
SO YEAH, I, I ACTUALLY WENT OVER AND LOOKED THROUGH THE DOWNED BANNERS AND IT WAS UP TO THE EDGE OF THE, OF THE WALKWAY.
IT WAS A LOT OF WATER
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS UP HERE? ANYBODY FROM THE AUDIENCE? OKAY.
WE HAD A MOTION TO RECEIVE THE FILE FROM COMMISSIONER CHAVEZ SECOND BY COMMISSIONER HAGA.
THIS IS A CHANCE, AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION ON NON-AG AGENDA ITEMS. EACH SPEAKER IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES TO MAKE THEIR COMMENTS UNLESS EXTENDED BY THE CHAIR AND KAREN HAND GOES UP.
I'LL, I'LL BE BRIEF THIS MORNING.
FIRST OF ALL, ON TUESDAY, THE UM, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS APPROVED A MOTION TO DO A FEASIBILITY STUDY ON THE SENIOR STATE HOME THAT GRAY PANTHERS AND THE SENIOR ADVISORY COMMISSION HAVE BEEN WORKING ON.
AND, UM, THEY'LL HAVE 180 DAYS TO, UH, STUDY THE POSSIBILITY OF DOING A SENIOR SAFE HOME.
THERE'S LOTS OF CITIES THAT WANT THIS, SO WE'RE GONNA LOBBY REAL HARD FOR IT TO BE LOCATED IN LONG BEACH.
[01:05:01]
THE SUPERVISORS ARE IN SUPPORT AND JANIS HAHN WANTS TO BUILD MULTIPLE SENIOR SAFE HOMES.THIS WOULD BE A DEMONSTRATION PROJECT AND LONG BEACH IS BECOMING A LEADER.
UH, IN JANUARY WE HELD, UM, A PUBLIC HEARING FIRST EVER FOR THE OLDER AMERICANS ACT IN LONG BEACH AT THE SENIOR CENTER.
AND WE HAD 42 SENIORS ATTEND, AND WE HAD 42 PEOPLE OUT OF 211 SENIORS THAT CAME THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
SO WE HAD THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE ATTENDING AND THEY WERE VERY VOCAL AND THEY EXPRESSED WHAT THEY WANTED TO SEE FOR SENIORS IN THE OLDER AMERICAN PLAN.
THE EVALUATOR FOR THE LA COUNTY COMMISSION ON AGING WHO WENT TO ALMOST ALL OF THE, UM, HEARINGS, SAID OURS WAS THE BEST HEARING IN ALL OF THE COUNTY.
AND SHE MADE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF AGING THAT THEY USE THE LONG BEACH MODEL FOR ALL OF THEIR HEARINGS GOING FORWARD.
SO THANK YOU BRETT AND YOUR STAFF FOR MAKING THAT HAPPEN, BECAUSE THAT WAS A BIG DEAL.
AND, UH, THERE WERE SIX OTHER CITIES THAT WANTED TO HOST THAT EVENT.
THERE WAS A BIG DISCUSSION AT, UM, THE COMMISSION MEETING ON WHO SHOULD GET IT, SO, AND WE GOT IT.
SO, UM, I THINK WE CAN BE A REAL LEADER IN OLDER ADULT ISSUES AND WE WILL BE WORKING ON THE OLDER AMERICANS ACT WAS SUPPOSED TO.
THE COMMISSION IS SUPPOSED TO GET A DRAFT ON APRIL 1ST.
UM, I JUST WANT TO ANNOUNCE THAT, UH, TINKER AND I WERE YESTERDAY AT, UH, AWARD CEREMONY.
THE BANDSHELL DID RECEIVE A $50,000 GRANT FROM THE LONG BEACH MEMORIAL TRUST, NAVY MEMORIAL TRUST FUND.
UM, AND THAT IS, UH, WE TRIED TO PICK A PROJECT THAT WOULD BE DOABLE WITHOUT OBVIOUSLY THE, THE, THE FRANK PARK BANDSHELL NEEDS QUITE A BIT OF WORK.
UM, BUT WE PICK A PROJECT THAT WOULD FIT WITHIN THAT BUDGET AND NOT AFFECT THE, UH, UH, SOME OF THE HISTORICAL PRESERVATION, UH, ISSUES THERE.
SO WE ARE GOING TO REDO THE STAGE, UM, AND WE DO HAVE ABOUT A YEAR TO SPEND THAT MONEY.
SO I'LL JUST PUT A POINT OUT THAT WE WOULD APPRECIATE WORKING WITH THE CITY TO GET THAT DONE IN THAT PERIOD OF TIME.
WE DON'T WANT TO DO IT BEFORE OUR SUMMER SEASON, BUT COME FALL WE'LL LIKE TO GET THAT WORK DONE.
UM, SO, AND OBVIOUSLY WE'D LIKE TO BE THE NEXT BANDSHELL AFTER BIG SPEED TO GET $850,000.
I'M SURE Y'ALL KNOW THAT THE, UH, REC PARK BENCH COULD, UH, DEFINITELY USE A COMPLETE INNOVATION.
UM, ONE FINAL, UH, COMMENT IS, UH, WE ARE WORKING WITH, UH, BRENT'S OFFICE TO, FOR A RIGHT OF ENTRY FOR THAT BUILDING.
THERE'S AN INSIGHT FOR THAT BUILDING AND, UH, WE'RE DOING SO MANY EVENTS THIS YEAR.
WE REALLY, REALLY NEED THE INSIDER THAT USE THAT INSIDE OUR BUILDING FOR, UH, SOME EQUIPMENT STORAGE AND ALSO OUR PERFORMERS FOR GREEN ROOM, UH, YOU KNOW, SET UP AND THINGS LIKE THAT, COSTUME CHANGES, ET CETERA.
UM, SO WE'RE HOPING TO GET THAT BEFORE THE COMMISSION HERE SOON.
I'M SORRY, WHAT DID YOU SAY BEFORE? WHEN? BEFORE HE WANTS TO JUST BRING IT BEFORE THE COMMISSION IN FRONT OF THE COMMISSION, NOT BEFORE A CERTAIN TIME.
YEAH, JOHN, GOOD MORNING, JOHN.
FROM THE BEEKEEPERS, AS USUAL, I'M ALWAYS LOOKING TO, UH, OBVIOUSLY WORKING WITH THE CITY AND WITH PARKS AND REC.
UM, I AM BRANCHING OFF A LITTLE BIT SEPARATELY FROM LONG BEACH BEEKEEPERS WITH THE BEEKEEPERS OF ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, ALSO WITH UC, RIVERSIDE FOR A SATELLITE FACILITY FOR MONITORING AND KEEPING SOME COASTAL BEES IN RIVERSIDE IN THAT AREA.
THEY DON'T GET A GOOD REPRESENTATION OF HOW OUR BEES ARE DOING HEALTH WISE AND SUSTAINABILITY WISE.
THEN WE'RE POSSIBLY LOOKING FOR A SATELLITE FACILITY TO PUT SOME BEES ON TO MONITOR AND TRACK THAT.
SO WE TRIED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO WORK WITH THE CITY AND TIE THAT IN TO BE A, UH, A SEPARATE UNIVERSITY SATELLITE FACILITY TO PUT, UM, SOME HIVES ON TO MONITOR.
SO KINDA LOOKING ON THE COASTAL PART DOWN, UM, UH, EL, NOT EL DORADO PARK, UM, SECOND STREET, PCH AREA, THE WETLANDS AREA.
OH, OR OFF THE 4 0 5 FREEWAY AND 17TH FREEWAY WHERE THAT BIG WASTELAND OF CATCH BASIN IS AND SUCH LIKE.
SO IT'S WELL AWAY FROM THE PUBLIC.
IT'S FAR ENOUGH AWAY FROM OUR OTHER FACILITY WHERE IT'S NOT GONNA BE IN CONFLICT OF BEES FOR CROSS-CONTAMINATION
[01:10:01]
OR WHAT WE CALL DRIFTING.AND IT'S FAR ENOUGH AWAY FROM BIXBY KNOWLES AND SIGNAL HILL TO WHERE WE CAN HAVE SOME SEPARATION OF, OF, UH, UH, RESEARCH.
SO I'M GONNA START OPENING MYSELF UP TO, IF ANYBODY SAYS, HEY JOHN, COME TALK TO ME.
WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT AND THEN POINT ME IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION ON HELPING FACILITATE THAT.
SO THAT'S WHY I'M HERE AND THEN ALWAYS TO WORK WITH YOU GUYS.
SHOULD HE BE TALKING TO LARRY RIDGE? POSSIBLY? YEAH, WE'RE, WE'VE ALREADY STARTED THAT LINE OF DIALOGUE.
ANYBODY ELSE FROM THE PUBLIC? YES, CONNOR.
UH, MR. LIVINGSTON, I JUST WANTED TO ELABORATE ON THE, WE CREATE COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER.
SO WE DID ACTUALLY INCLUDE OUR FIRST LITTLE BLURRED, UM, WE BEING ETG TENNIS.
UM, WE HAD A LITTLE, UM, SOMETHING IN, IN THIS MONTH'S NEWSLETTER, AND I JUST WANTED TO ELABORATE ON A COUPLE OF THINGS.
UM, SO JUST RECENTLY WE HOSTED WHAT IS CALLED A UTR PROFESSIONAL TENNIS TOUR TOURNAMENT.
WE ACTUALLY DID TWO WEEKS BACK TO BACK, UM, AT EL DORADO PARK TENNIS CENTER.
UM, IN THAT IT WAS AN INTERNATIONAL PROFESSIONAL TENNIS EVENT.
UM, SOMETHING THAT THE, THE PARK HASN'T SEEN IN SEVERAL YEARS, I THINK FIRST SERVE THE FORMER MANAGER, UM, DID HAVE A, A PROFESSIONAL LEVEL EVENT, BUT COOL IN THAT IT WAS LIVE STREAMED ON AMAZON.
UM, AND WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA HOST ANOTHER ONE IN JULY.
UM, SO JUST KIND OF SOME THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON AT THE TENNIS FACILITIES.
UM, CIRCLING BACK AGAIN TO THE FREE PLAY DAY EVENT THAT WE HAVE THIS SATURDAY.
UM, WE'VE RECEIVED A LOT OF SUPPORT FROM DISTRICT FOUR, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, WE'RE GONNA HAVE EIGHT EVENTS THIS YEAR.
THIS IS NUMBER TWO COMING UP THIS SATURDAY.
ESSENTIALLY JUST A FREE TWO HOUR, UM, KIND OF LIKE TENNIS CARNIVAL, SO BASE PAINTING, BALLOON ART, AND THEN OF COURSE, FREE TENNIS INSTRUCTION, PIZZA, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
BUT JUST A REALLY COOL WAY TO GET, GET KIDS INVOLVED.
UM, WE TYPICALLY SEE ABOUT A HUNDRED KIDS, UM, AND OF COURSE IT'S, IT'S ALL FREE AND IT'S KIND OF INTRODUCING, YOU KNOW, THE SPORT OF TENNIS TO KIDS WHO MIGHT NOT GET TO EXPERIENCE IT OTHERWISE.
UM, I THINK THAT'S KIND OF ALL WE HAVE GOING ON.
AND, AND MR. LANGSTON, THANK YOU FOR ACKNOWLEDGING THE FAMILY OF THE YEAR.
UM, THAT WAS THE UNITED STATES TENNIS ASSOCIATION, UH, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FAMILY OF THE YEAR.
SO THAT WAS JUST KIND OF, UH, OUR INVOLVEMENT IN THE TENNIS COMMUNITY.
AND THEN ALSO, UM, A LITTLE BIT OF GIVING BACK, UH, THROUGH OUR FLEET, OUR FREE PLAY DAYS, OUR NON-PROFIT, VIRTUALLY GAP TENNIS.
UM, SO WE WERE REALLY EXCITED TO RECEIVE THAT AWARD.
UM, WE JUST GOT INTERVIEWED BY A BC SEVEN, UH, TO KIND OF DIVE INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER.
AND I THINK THAT AIRS ON APRIL 3RD AT 6:00 PM UM, AND I BELIEVE THE GRON ALSO JUST RELEASED A LITTLE NEWS ARTICLE YESTERDAY, KIND OF, UH, DIVING INTO THAT EVEN FURTHER.
SO JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU.
UM, THIS WAS MY FIRST TIME ATTENDING A BOARD MEETING AND, UH, REALLY ENJOYED IT.
HI, UM, RINKA FROM PARTNERS PARKS.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY WE ARE CONTINUING TO HAVE, UM, VANDALISM ON THE BLUFF FOR BRONZE PLAQUES OF BENCHES.
WE ARE WORKING WITH FAMILIES OF CURRENT BENCHES TO REPLACE 'EM WITH A PLAQUE, A PLASTIC PLAQUE OPTION, UM, THAT WILL FIT THE SPACE FOR THE BENCHES THAT ARE STILL CURRENT.
UM, AND NOTIFYING THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION OF THE VANDALISM SO THAT THEY CAN LET US KNOW IF THEY KNOW THIS BEFORE WE DO OR BEFORE REPORT'S REPORTED TO US.
SO WE ARE WORKING TO REPLACE THOSE FOR THOSE FAMILIES, UM, THAT ARE INTERESTED IN MAINTAINING THAT AND, UM, SOWING THE SEEDS.
SO I WANT Y'ALL TO COME AND CELEBRATE ALL THE GREAT WORK WE'VE DONE.
WE'VE DONE A LOT OF GREAT THINGS, UM, PUT A LOT OF GREAT THINGS IN MOTION.
SUPER HAPPY FOR STEVE AND THE FRIENDS OF RED PARK BANJO.
THAT WAS AN AMAZING EVENT YESTERDAY.
UM, THE NAVY TRUST HAS GIVEN OUT 87 MILLION, SHE SAID SINCE, UH, 4 MILLION.
SO THEY'VE GIVEN OUT 4 MILLION.
THEY ONLY GIVE OUT $200,000 A YEAR, BUT THEY'VE GIVEN OUT 4.7 MILLION AND THEY STILL HAVE 4.7 MILLION IN RESERVE.
UM, THE NAVY TRUST WAS BORN OUT OF THE DECOMMISSIONING OF THE NAVY IN LONG BEACH, AND SO IT'S, WHILE IT HAS A NAVY NAME, IT'S NOT REALLY ABOUT THE NAVY, IT'S MORE ABOUT THE, UM, HISTORICAL PROJECTS IN LONG BEACH.
SO WE GOT TO DO A FUN TOUR OF THE RESTORATION PROJECT OF MY LOS ALTOS YESTERDAY.
UM, AND HAVE A GREAT DONATION FROM THE RANCHERS AS WELL FOR OUR EVENT.
SO LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ALL THERE.
WHAT ELSE, KAREN? UM, TRINKA YOU,
[01:15:01]
WHEN TRINKA STARTED PARTNERS WITH PARKS, HAD $5,000 AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT SHOULD WE FOLD HOW MUCH MONEY.UM, WHEN I CAME IN WE HAD $400,000 IN TOTAL ASSETS AND AT OUR LAST TAXES WE HAD 1.5 MILLION.
UM, THIS YEAR, OBVIOUSLY THAT WAS WITH THE PLAYGROUND, AND SO WE'RE JUST UNDER A MILLION NOW.
UM, WE HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE MONEY AND OPERATING FUNDS NOW THROUGH A LOT OF HARD WORK AND EFFORT FROM EVERYBODY'S SUPPORT INVOLVED AND BROUGHT A LOT OF PARTNERS TO THE TABLE TO ACTIVATE OUR PARKS.
SO IT'S BEEN, IT'S BEEN A GREAT EXPERIENCE.
THANK, SHE'S GONNA BE HARD, VERY HARD TO REPLACE.
SHE'S DONE SUCH AMAZING THINGS FOR OUR PARKS AND FOR THE COMMUNITY HERE, HERE.
UH, ANYBODY ELSE? ALRIGHT, ANNOUNCEMENT STAFF, GLADYS.
AS BRIAN ALLUDED TO, OUR TEAM GETTING READY FOR SUMMER, SO THAT'S CONTINUING SUMMER HIRING AND TRAINING.
UM, BUT JUST SOME, SOME HIGHLIGHTS AS WE CONTINUE OUR EVERYDAY PROGRAMS ABOUT TO KICK OFF SPRING FUN DAYS, UM, WHEN THEY'RE OUTTA SCHOOL AND TEACHERS GET A BREAK, KIDS CAN COME HANG OUT WITH US, UM, AND RECREATE IN A, A POSITIVE ENVIRONMENT.
UM, BUT, UH, FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN CAMP APRIL 13TH, SO IT'S KIND OF LIKE TAX DAY WHEN, YOU KNOW, THAT HAPPENS FOR US.
IT'S ALWAYS THE SECOND SATURDAY IN APRIL THAT WE OPEN OUR REGISTRATION FOR OUR VERY POPULAR CAMPS.
UM, OUR TEAM IS OUT RIGHT NOW AT OUR SITES, UM, HELPING FAMILIES WHO NEED ASSISTANCE WITH OUR FINANCIAL AID PROGRAM, UM, SO WE CAN GET THEM REGISTERED.
SO WE'RE SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
UM, CURRENTLY WE OFFER $55,000 IN SUBSIDY FOR, UM, CAMPERS TO ATTEND OUR, OUR, UM, CAMPS IN THE SUMMER.
UM, SO WITH THAT, OUR TEAM IS VERY BUSY, ENJOYING, UM, NO RAIN HURLEY, NO RAIN.
UM, AND JUST TO HIGHLIGHT, UH, THIS SATURDAY IN PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE LIBRARY AS WELL AS THE DOWNTOWN ASSOCIATION, UM, A SPRING FEST, UM, AT LINCOLN PARK, UM, WILL TAKE PLACE, UM, FOR THE FAMILIES THROUGHOUT LONG BEACH UNCONCENTRATED IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
UM, BUT AGAIN, LOTS GOING ON IN OUR PARKS AND JUST PREPARING FOR OUR EVOLUTION SUMMER.
UM, AND THAT INCLUDES THE MUNICIPAL BAND.
IT'S A HUNDRED 15TH YEAR, I AM NOT MAYBE 16.
UM, BUT, UH, WORKING WITH OUR, OUR CONDUCTOR TO GET OUR, OUR SEASON STARTED.
CAN I ASK A FOLLOW UP QUESTION? COMMISSIONER, VICE CHAIR REDFIELD WAS FIRST.
WHEN DID YOU SAY THE SPRINGFEST IS AT GLEN PARK? UM, IT'S LINCOLN PARK THIS SATURDAY.
SO THE $55,000 IN SUBSIDIES, HOW DO WE, IS THAT JUST FROM OUR BUDGET? UM, THAT IS THROUGH CDBG FUNDS.
AND THEN IF SOMEBODY WANTED FROM THE PUBLIC WANTED TO DONATE TO SUPPORT A CHILD, WOULD WE JUST DONATE IT TO YOU OR HOW WOULD WE DO? UM, ACTUALLY WE WOULD WORK THROUGH PARTNERS PARKS AND MAKE THAT DONATION, UM, AVAILABLE AND DESIGNATED FOR THAT.
AND THEN I'M CURIOUS WITH, WITH PARTNERS OF PARKS, DO WE HAVE A, A SEPARATE FUND TO SUPPORT OUR LOW INCOME YOUTH IN THIS WAY? OR IS IT JUST, UM, SO PARTNERS OF PARKS AND I, I'M SURE CHIEF YOU CAN SPEAK ON BEHALF OF BOTH CURRENTLY, THEY SUPPORT, UM, UM, SCHOLARSHIPS FOR OUR CLASSES, NOT ONLY FOR OUR YOUTH, BUT OUR ADULTS.
AND THEN HOW FAST DO YOU GO THROUGH THAT 55,000? UM, IT IS, IT GOES THROUGH VERY FAST.
SO WE, UM, THERE'S ALWAYS NEED FOR MORE AND ONGOING.
UM, BUT IT DOES ALLOW US TO SERVE MANY FAMILIES.
SO IT'S ON A, A TIERED APPROACH BASED ON INCOME.
UM, BUT IT, IT DOES, WE USE IT EVERY SUMMER.
AND WE ARE GOING TO HAVE, ASSUME YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO CALL THE CLERK TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO OUR AMENDED MOTION
I WOULD BECAUSE I'M NOT SURE THAT IT, IT'S READY FOR THAT.
AND I KNOW I'M PRE A LITTLE PREMATURE, BUT HAPPY EASTER.
I HOPE EVERYONE HAS A WONDERFUL TIME WITH THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILY.
MR. OWENS? YES, THIS IS STEVE ALLUDED TO ALL THE WORK NEEDED OVER AT, UH, REC PARK VAN SHOW.
UH, THIS IS THE TIME OF THE YEAR THAT WE DO, UH, LANDSCAPE UNIFICATION PROJECTS, REC PARK, UH, THE VAN SHOW FRONT PARK WAS ONE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO JUST COMPLETE THIS WEEK, SO HOPEFULLY WE WILL GET SOME MORE WORK DONE OVER THERE.
WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO COMPLETE DURING THIS PAST MONTH'S SOMERSET, AROUND THE TENNIS CENTER, UH, BOTH, UH, LANDSCAPE PROJECT AND THE COMPLETION OF THE SOUND BARRIER AND ALSO LOS CERRITOS SPARK ALSO THAT THE SOUND BARRIERS FOR PICKLEBALL.
THAT'S PART OF PICKLEBALL NOW IS SOUND BARRIERS.
[01:20:01]
DIRECTOR DENNIS, ANYTHING ELSE? DRAMATIC PAUSE.I, I GUESS I, I FEEL LIKE A BROKEN RECORD WHEN EVERY TIME A BASEBALL SOFTBALL SEASON STARTS UP, I JUST COMMENT ABOUT HOW GRATEFUL I AM FOR EL DODO PARK AND LOS SANTOS BASEBALL SOFTBALL, BUT HAS STARTED UP AGAIN AND SO I'M ONCE AGAIN GRATEFUL.
UM, UH, JUST LOVE SPRINGTIME IN LONG BEACH AND VERY GRATEFUL FOR EVERYONE WHO, UH, IS INVOLVED IN MAKING THAT BEAUTIFUL.
AND OBVIOUSLY IS SUMMERTIME COMING UP TOO? I KNOW WITH OUR FEE WAIVERS AND EVERYTHING, THERE'S JUST SO MUCH GOING ON.
I'M JUST VERY GRATEFUL TO BE A SMALL PART.
UM, JUST THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR THE WARM WELCOME AND RINKA.
I WON'T TAKE IT PERSONALLY THAT YOU'RE LEAVING AS SOON AS I CAN.
UM, BUT I'M EXCITED TO, TO JOIN THE TEAM AND AS A FORMER CITY STAFF MEMBER TO NOW BE A PART OF THE DEPARTMENT IN THIS WAY IS REALLY, REALLY EXCITING TO, TO SEE ALL THE NUTS AND BOLTS BEHIND THE SCENES.
WELL, IT FEELS LIKE SPRING HAS SPRUNG, BUT I THINK RAIN IS COMING, WHICH IS FINE.
BUT, UM,
UM, HOPEFULLY IT SAVED US MONEY WITH THE RAIN, BUT JUST WISHING EVERYBODY A GOOD SPRING, YOU KNOW, TAKE CARE OF YOURSELVES WITH SEASONAL ALLERGIES 'CAUSE THAT'S MY LIFE.
UH, JUST REALLY BRIEFLY, I, UH, YOU KNOW, KNOW THE, UH, FRIENDS OF WILLOW SPRINGS PARK GROUP RECENTLY HAD THEIR MEETING.
I THINK YOU'LL BE SNEAKING AT A FUTURE ONE, UH, APRIL, DIRECTLY APRIL MEETING.
SO EVERYBODY'S LOOKING FORWARD AND, UH, REALLY INTERESTED IN HEARING WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY.
I THINK WE MAY HAVE SOME INTERESTING NEWS COMING ON WILLOW SPRINGS PARK TWO, GOING TO SEE COUNCIL SOON.
UH, SO WE'LL HAVE TO SEE HOW THAT UH, GOES.
BUT ULTIMATELY I THINK, UH, YOU KNOW, THE PARK'S DOING WELL AND, UH, CERTAINLY LOOKING FORWARD NOW THAT WE HAVE OUR, UH, SEVENTH COMMISSIONER HOPEFULLY AT SOME POINT BEGIN, UH, DOING MEETINGS AGAIN AT, UH, DIFFERENT PARKS.
UH, I KNOW THAT WAS SETTING UP A PRACTICE THAT WE HAD BEFORE I JOINED THE MISSION A COUPLE YEARS AGO, AND, UH, CERTAINLY, HOPEFULLY ABLE TO CONTINUE THAT AGAIN.
YES, I ALWAYS ACKNOWLEDGE AND UH, UH, BESTOW MY APPRECIATION TO THE STAFF AT THESE MEETINGS.
AND THIS MONTH I'M IN PARTICULAR AWE OF THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING AS SUMMER APPROACHES AND I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK.
UM, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE, UM, OTHER THAN WE'LL HAVE, WE'LL HAVE TO DO SOMETHING FOR YOU.
YOU HAVE DONE TRINKA A PHENOMENAL JOB.
SO WE THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE AND WE'LL SEE YOU AT SOWING THE SEEDS.
WITH THAT, UH, WE WILL ADJOURN AT 10 27.