* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:10] GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. MORNING. GOOD MORNING. IT IS 9:03 AM I'D LIKE TO CALL TO ORDER THE THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21ST, 2025 PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING FOR THE CITY OF LONG BEACH. DIRECTOR. DENNIS, CAN YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLE? I CERTAINLY WILL. GOOD MORNING. THE CHAIR LIFT CHAIR, RED. SORRY, I THE OLD, UM, GOOD MORNING. SO CHAIR REDFIELD, VICE CHAIR SMITH. HERE. COMMISSIONER ALLEN. HERE. COMMISSIONER CHAVEZ. HERE. COMMISSIONER HIA. HERE. COMMISSIONER LIVINGSTON, PRESENT. AND WE DID HAVE, UM, AN EXCUSED ABSENCE FROM COMMISSIONER CHA. THANK YOU. HAVE A QUORUM. THANK YOU. UH, THANK YOU. AT THIS POINT, OH, FIRST I NEED TO MAKE A CLARIFICATION OR A CORRECTION. IT IS THE THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20TH, NOT THE 21ST. I'M MOVING AHEAD A LITTLE TOO FAST, SO I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT. AND NOW WE SHOULD SAY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. IF WE WOULD ALL STAND, I PLEDGE ALL REGIS TO THE FLAG ACT AT THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC, WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE OF LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. THANK YOU, UH, DIRECTOR DENNIS, DO WE HAVE ANY PRESENTATIONS THIS MORNING? YES, WE DO. WE HAVE, UH, ACTUALLY, ONE OF OUR FAVORITE HIGHLIGHTS EVERY MONTH IS OUR EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH RECOGNITION. AND, UH, WE TURN IT OVER TO GLADYS KAISER, WHO'S, UH, LEADING OUR EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION COMMITTEE THIS YEAR. SO, GOOD MORNING, GLADYS. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. UM, AS MOST OF US AGREE, THIS IS THE ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MEETING THAT WE HAVE HERE. UM, THANK YOU. UM, SO THIS WEEK WE GOT TO HONOR ONE OF OUR VERY OWN COMMUNITY RECREATION SERVICES. SO I'D LIKE TO BRING UP JOCELYN FLORES AS SHE IS THE JANUARY, AND I'D JUST LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WHAT WAS WRITTEN ON HER BEHALF. I RESPECTFULLY ASK ERC TO STRONGLY CONSIDER JOCELYN FOREST TO BE THE NEXT EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH. UM, AS A RECREATION ASSISTANT OVERSEEING MULTIPLE AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS WITHIN THE WRAP PROGRAM, JOCELYN CONSISTENTLY DEMONSTRATE EXCELLENT DILIGENCE AND OUTSTANDING WORK ETHIC. MANY MIGHT NOT REALIZE THE AMOUNT OF WORK AND CHALLENGES THAT COME WITH, UH, WHEN FACILITY IN A PROGRAM AT ONE SITE, DESIGNING ACTIVITIES, SCHEDULING STAFF, PURCHASING MATERIALS, AND SO FORTH. SO IMAGINE DOING, UM, SO FOR MULTIPLE SITES WITH EACH SITE AVERAGING 70 PLUS STUDENTS DAILY WITH PRESSURE TO ENROLL MORE AS PART OF A LEADERSHIP TEAM. JOCELYN ALSO, UM, HAS TO ENSURE THAT ONE OF THE SITES INCORPORATES THE ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT, PHYSICAL FITNESS, AND TRADITIONAL RECREATION ACTIVITIES, WHILE ALSO MAKING SURE THAT THE STAFF STUDENT RATIO IS NOT COMPROMISED. THIS OFTEN MEANS TRAVELING TO MULTIPLE SITES AND PROVIDING DIRECT SUPPORT. IN ADDITION TO THE OVERWHELMING AMOUNT OF ADMINISTRATIVE WORK THAT COMES WITH OPERATING A GRANT FUNDED PROGRAM RECENTLY, SHE'S HAD TO STEP INTO THE ROLE OF SITE DIRECTOR AND MANAGES THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS AT THE SITE, WHILE STILL ENSURING HER OTHER SITES ARE OPERATING SMOOTHLY, DESPITE STAFFING SHORTAGES, A FAST-PACED WORK ENVIRONMENT AND OTHER, AND THE SHEER SCALE OF WRAP OPERATION. JOON MAINTAINS A POSITIVE ATTITUDE WHILE WORKING LONG HOURS INTO THE EVENING AND WEEKENDS WHEN NECESSARY. SHE ALSO EXHIBITS GRACE AND EMPATHY WHEN DEALING WITH, UM, CONFLICT AND CUSTOMER SERVICE AND CHALLENGES THAT ARISE EXTERNALLY WITH PARTICIPANTS AND PARENTS AND INTERNALLY WITH STAFF OR DISTRICT PERSONNEL. SHE TAKES THE TIME TO LISTEN AND EMPATHIZE WITH ALL INDIVIDUALS AND CREATES A POSITIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR BOTH HER TEAM AND THE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES WE SERVE. HER ABILITY TO MANAGE THESE CHALLENGES WITH GRACE AND DEDICATION MAKES HER A STANDOUT EMPLOYEE WHO TRULY EXEMPLIFIES THE VALUE OF OUR DEPARTMENT, VALUES OF OUR DEPARTMENT. PLEASE GIVE HER THIS RECOGNITION AS SHE DESERVES. SO, AND THE VOTE OF EMPLOYEE THE MONTH. SO WITH AN A UNANIMOUS VOTE FROM THE, UH, ERC COMMITTEE, WE HONOR JOCELYN FEZ AS EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH. SO CONGRATULATIONS, JOCELYN. SO TUESDAY TODAY, AND AS YOU GUYS KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE, WE CREATE A ROUTE. SO SHE WAS INVITED HERE TO MEET WITH SHELY. WE, WE INVOLVE ALL IN OUR , HAVE A MEETING WITH SHE, UM, AND THEN WAS WELCOMED AND ESCORTED TO THE PATIO FOR WHATEVER REASON. SHE WAS, YOU KNOW, TAKEN BACK TO GET SOMETHING. UM, AND THERE NOT ONLY WERE, UM, HER FELLOW COWORKERS, HER SUPERVISORS, THOSE THAT SHE WORKED WITH, AND FOR, UM, HER FAMILY THERE TO CONGRATULATE HER. IF YOU COULD [00:05:01] HAVE SEEN THE, THE SHOCK OF LIKE, WHY AM I ON DOWN? TRULY PRICELESS. UM, BUT THOSE GRACIOUS AND BEAUTIFUL WORDS TRULY DE UM, DESCRIBE THE DEDICATION THAT JOCELYN, UM, EXHIBITS DAY IN, DAY OUT, AND ALWAYS WITH A BEAUTIFUL SMILE AND ATTITUDE. UM, SHE'S ALWAYS EAGER TO LEARN AND HELP REGARDLESS OF THE WORKLOAD THAT SHE CARRIES. UM, JOCELYN, WE ARE EXTREMELY, EXTREMELY PROUD OF YOU. UM, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE THE GREAT THINGS THAT COME. I'M GONNA ASK, UM, JOY, WHO OVERSEES AS A SUPERINTENDENT, THE RAP PROGRAM. YES. SO MORE ABOUT YOU . UM, UM, VERONICA WOULD'VE BEEN HERE IF SHE HAD A, UH, VERONICA'S HER SUPERVISOR AND SHE'S SICK TODAY, BUT SHE WAS LIKE, SO LIKE, NO, SOMEONE HAS TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT HER, BUT I THINK YOU JUST HEARD JUST A SNIPPET OF WHAT SHE DOES. AND WHAT I LOVE MOST ABOUT OUR BUREAU, OUR DEPARTMENT REALLY IS, UM, EVERY, WE ARE A DEPARTMENT FULL OF PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEIR WORK, RIGHT? YEAH. UM, AND THEN THERE'S WITHIN THAT IS A SPECIAL BRAND OF PEOPLE. THEY KIND OF GET IT, YOU KNOW, AND YOU RECOGNIZE THEM AS SOON AS YOU INTERACT WITH 'EM, THAT THE WORK WE DO IS MORE THAN US, AND IT'S ABOUT REACHING OUT TO PEOPLE WHO NEED US THE MOST. AND YOU CAN TELL RIGHT AWAY, JOCELYN IS THAT BRAND OF PER OF PERSON, RIGHT? IT IS ABOUT LIKE, LET ME, LET ME DO THIS FOR THE PEOPLE WHO NEED US THE MOST. AND THAT'S WHAT DRIVES HER WORK. AND EVERYONE JUST FEELS IT. I MEAN, YOU HEARD IT IS JUST THAT SHE'S GOT SUCH A WORKLOAD ON HER AND SHE DOESN'T THINK ABOUT HERSELF. SHE THINKS ABOUT HERSELF LAST. AND SO THIS IS PROBABLY MAKING HER SPOIL A LOT RIGHT NOW, . BUT WE'RE SO FORTUNATE TO HAVE YOU, AND WE JUST, I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE GONNA DO. AND PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW JOCELYN WILL BE TOUCHED BY THE WORK SHE DOES NOW. SO, AND THEN, AND GOD SAYS A LOT TO YOU, SO CONGRATULATIONS, OUR COMMISSIONER. SO I'LL, I'LL JUST ADD WHILE WE'RE GATHERING FOR THE, UH, PHOTO THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING THAT WAS WRITTEN BY HER COWORKER WAS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL TRIBUTE. AND I THINK, UH, PICTURED ALL OF THE OUTSTANDING QUALITIES THAT JOCELYN, UH, EXUDES AND IT IS CONTAGIOUS. BUT I DO SEE JOCELYN AS BEING, UM, A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF SOME OF OUR UP AND COMING LEADERS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT. SO, CONGRATULATIONS. PUT YOUR FIRST PLEASE. THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK, THANK YOU, DIRECTOR DENNIS. THANK YOU GLADYS KAISER, AND CONGRATULATIONS, JOCELYN. WHAT A WONDERFUL AND IMPORTANT REPRESENTATION FOR OUR PARKS DISTRICT AND FOR THAT PARTICULAR WRAP PROGRAM. UH, NOW WE WILL GET INTO THE REGULAR AGENDA. WE, WE ACTUALLY, OH, PARKS C RECOGNITION PART IN THE PRESENTATION. I APOLOGIZE, WE DID WANT TO PAUSE FOR ANOTHER VERY IMPORTANT MOMENT OF RECOGNITION. I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO GLADYS. SO COMMISSIONERS, EACH MONTH YOU HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF SEEING OUR EMPLOYEE, THE MONTHLY NEW HEARING, ERC. SO WHAT BETTER THAN TO BRING ERC TO YOU? SO WE ASKED OUR CURRENT, UM, ERC MEMBERS, AND SOME OF THEM COULDN'T GET AWAY FROM THE SITES TO BE AT TODAY'S MEETING TO BE RECOGNIZED. SO I'D LIKE THEM ALL TO STAND. SO ERC AS, YOU KNOW, EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION COMMISSION. BUT IT IS TRULY MORE THAN THAT. YOU SEE THE RECOGNITION THAT COMES HERE, BUT IT JOYS IT JOY, UM, EXPLAIN IN JOCELYN'S PRESENTATION ABOUT EMPLOYEES THAT JUST RISE TO THE TOP AND, YOU KNOW, WORK TOGETHER TO SERVE. AND YOU KNOW, THAT INSTANTANEOUSLY. AND THIS IS A GROUP OF EMPLOYEES THAT TRULY DOES THAT. SO THIS GROUP OF EMPLOYEES, ALL PARKS, RECREATION, MARINE AND ANIMAL CARE SERVICES, UM, OUR COMMITTEE REP REPRESENTS ALL OF OUR BUREAUS. SO THERE'S REPRESENTATION, UM, FOR THE DEPARTMENT ON THE COMMITTEE. SO, BUT THE COMMITTEE IS MUCH MORE THAN JUST RECOGNIZING EMPLOYEES. IT'S MAKE, IT'S BUILDING THAT MORALE. UM, IT'S MAKING EMPLOYEES WHETHER NEW OR LONGSTANDING EMPLOYEES FEEL INCLUDED. SO BEYOND, YOU KNOW, WORKING THROUGH AND GETTING EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION. UM, THIS GROUP ENJOYED, CORRECT ME, UM, IF I FORGET SOMETHING. SO THEY LEAD, UM, THEY, UM, PLAN EVENTS. SO THEY'RE IN CHARGE OF THE ANNUAL, UM, EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION PICNIC THAT WE HAVE TYPICALLY IN MAY OR JUNE, WHERE WE, WE TRY TO GET ALL OF OUR [00:10:01] EMPLOYEES THERE TO BE RECOGNIZED AND HAVE A FUN DAY. AND, UM, EVEN THROW DOWN WITH OUR BATTLE OF THE BUREAUS, UM, FOR A FRIENDLY COMPETITION. UM, WE, THEY RAISED FUNDS FOR, UM, ADOPT A FAMILY, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN WORK THROUGH AND UPLIFT FELLOW EMPLOYEES THAT MAY NEED SOME UPLIFTING AT THAT TIME. UM, THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, THEY HAVE EVENTS. UM, THEY, WE'VE HAD GAME NIGHT, DODGE NIGHT, ANGEL NIGHT, UM, TAR . BUT WHAT THAT IS, YOU KNOW, IT SOUNDS LIKE FUN ACTIVITIES, BUT IT BRINGS US TOGETHER. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT BRINGS US TOGETHER ACROSS BUREAUS, UM, TO GO AND HAVE A FRIENDLY, YOU KNOW, GAME NIGHT WHERE IN, YOU KNOW, WE ARE INTERACTING ON A DAILY BASIS. BUT THERE, YOU KNOW, IT'S A CHALLENGE OF, YOU KNOW, MONCHO CONNECT FOUR PICKLEBALL, UM, BUT BRINGING OUR COMM TOGETHER IS TO BE RECOGNIZED. UM, IT'S GREAT TO COME TO WORK AND KNOW THAT YOU HAVE, YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT IT'S ALSO GREAT TO COME TO WORK KNOWING THAT YOU WORK WITH A AMAZING GROUP OF PEOPLE. SO ON TOP OF THEIR WORKLOAD, UM, THEY PUT TOGETHER ALL THESE DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES, UM, AND OPPORTUNITIES TO CELEBRATE EMPLOYEES. SO WE'RE WORKING HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR EMPLOYEES, WHETHER THEY'RE, UM, BRAND NEW AND ONBOARDING, OR HAVE BEEN WITH US FOR 40 PLUS YEARS, FEEL VERY MUCH A PART OF OUR FAMILY. SO I'D LIKE TO THANK THEM. SO, UM, I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF LEADING ERC FOR 2025. UM, BUT JOY HAS HELD THIS. YOU SEE HER IN KEVIN NEXT, YOU KNOW, SHE'S NOT GOING AWAY. SHE'S STILL ON OUR, ON OUR COMMITTEE IS CHAIRING THIS COMMITTEE, UM, FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS. AND THAT COMES WITH WORK BEYOND, YOU KNOW, OUR REGULAR WORKLOAD. UM, BUT SHE, UM, I JUST WANTED HER TO BE RECOGNIZED AND SAY THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF THE DEPARTMENT. JOY, TRULY, IT, IT UNDERSTANDS THE VALUE OF RECOGNIZING AND LEADING A, A COMMITTEE, A GROUP OF PEOPLE TO, YOU KNOW, BE THE FOUNDATION TO SUPPORT OTHERS. UM, SHE'S DONE IT WITH, UH, GRACE AND PERSEVERANCE. UM, SHE TRULY, YOU KNOW, CARRIES THAT PASSION INTO SERVING OTHERS. UM, AND THIS GROUP IS STRONGER AND BETTER. UM, AND MORE, A LITTLE BIT MORE ORGANIZED, UH, FOR THAT IS CREATING THE FOUNDATION OF WHAT WE CAN DO, UM, AND RECOGNIZE EMPLOYEES BEYOND, YOU KNOW, THE BUREAU THAT WE REPRESENT, COMMUNITY RECREATION SERVICES, BUT TO MAKE SURE THOSE EMPLOYEES IN ANIMAL CARE SERVICES, WHETHER THEY'RE IN THE FIELD AND YOU KNOW, IN OUR MARINE BUREAU OR THEY'RE IN OUR MAINTENANCE BUREAU OR INTERNAL SERVICES AND BUSINESS OPS, IS THAT EVERYBODY FEELS A PART OF THE GROUP. SO, JOY, I WANTED JUST TO BRING YOU FORWARD, UM, TO HAVE YOU RECEIVE THE RECOGNITION YOU DESERVE. HI, THANK YOU SO MUCH. APPRECIATE SO IN OUR SMALL BUT MIGHTY GROUP. UM, BUT, UM, WE LOOK FORWARD TO 2025 AND THE THINGS WE'RE GONNA BRING TO OUR COMMUNITY. GOT SI HAVE A COMMENT FROM COMMISSIONER LIVINGSTON. I, I THANK YOU. I GOT TO SERVE ON ERC PROBABLY MY LAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS THAT I WORKED IN THE DEPARTMENT. AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS EVERY DEPARTMENT IS REQUIRED TO HAVE AN ERC. WE ENCOURAGE, OKAY? AND IT'S NOT A PROBLEM. BUT YOU KNOW, FOR US, I KNOW AND, AND EVERY OTHER DEPARTMENT THAT HAS ONE LOOKS TO PARKS AND RECS AS EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION COMMITTEE FOR THE WAY TO DO IT. AND THEY ALSO REACH ACROSS TO OTHER DEPARTMENTS WITH BOO GRAHAMS AND VALENTINE GRAHAMS AND EVERYTHING. SO HAVING WORKED WITH THESE PEOPLE AGAIN, THEY DO IT ALL ABOVE AND BEYOND THEIR, THEIR REGULAR JOB. AND THEY DO AN INCREDIBLE JOB OF MAKING THIS DEPARTMENT WHAT IT IS. SO, THANK YOU ALL AND, AND CONGRATULATIONS ON A GREAT JOB. THANK YOU. THANK YOU JOY, AND THANK YOU JOY. ALRIGHT, NOW WE WILL GO TO THE REGULAR AGENDA. ITEM NUMBER ONE, A RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THE PARKS OF RECREATION COMMISSION MEETINGS OF THURSDAY, JANUARY 16TH, 2025, AND THURSDAY, JANUARY 23RD, 2025. SO MOVED. SECOND. SECOND. UM, ALL IN PAPER, I HAVE ONE CORRECTION ON PAGE TWO OF THE JANUARY 16TH MEETING. IN THE DISCUSSION IN ONE LINE, I GOT PROMOTED TO CHAIR. AH, AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO READ DEMOTE MYSELF BACK TO JUST A COMMISSION MEMBER. CAN'T GET WAS SO NOTED, UH, WITH THAT CHANGE, UH, DO THE, UM, MOTION WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER ALLEN AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER ARDI SMITH. UH, ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? THANK YOU. THE MOTION CARRIES. ITEM NUMBER TWO, RECOMMENDATION TO CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THE FEE WAIVER REQUESTS OUTLINED AT ATTACHMENT A IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FEE WAIVER POLICY. CAN I HAVE A MOTION? SO I'LL SECOND. OKAY, THANK YOU. UH, UH, [00:15:01] DIRECTOR DENNIS. YEP. THANK YOU CHAIR REDFIELD. SO EVERY MONTH, UM, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR INDIVIDUALS OR GROUPS TO COME BEFORE OUR COMMISSION TO REQUEST A FEE WAIVER FOR ANY OF THEIR EVENTS THAT HAPPEN OUT TO ACTIVATE OUR PARKS. AND, UM, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF THEM THIS MORNING. AND OUR COMMUNITY RECREATION SERVICES BUREAU MANAGER, GLADYS KAISER, WILL WALK US THROUGH THAT PRESENTATION. GOOD MORNING AGAIN, GLADYS. GOOD MORNING, SIR. UM, SO THIS IS MY SECOND FAVORITE PART OF THE COMMISSION MEETING, UM, BECAUSE IT TRULY SHOWS THE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE HERE IN THE DEPARTMENT AND WORKING WITH, UM, COMMUNITY GROUPS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. YOU CAN ALWAYS TELL WHEN IT'S GETTING READY FOR SUMMER OR SPRINGS AROUND THE CORNER BECAUSE OUR LIST GETS LONGER AND LONGER AND THAT'S A GOOD THING. SO, UM, I'LL, I'LL START READING OUT ON BEHALF OF THE JAZZ ANGELS, NOT A NEW GROUP, NOT A NEW EVENT, THERE'D BE HOSTING A CONCERT IN THE PARK. IT SAYS SHOP IS PARK, UM, ON MARCH 3RD, 2025, $226 AND 25 CENTS, REQUESTED TO BE, UM, UH, WEIGHED AND A 855 AND APPLICABLE STAFF AND MAINTENANCE CHARGES ON BEHALF OF THE BAJA FOUNDATION. THIS IS THEIR ANNUAL BIKE RACE EVENT AT EL DORADO PARK, UM, EAST IN AREA THREE. THIS IS A BLANKET REQUEST THAT RUNS FROM MARCH 25TH THROUGH AUGUST 26TH, 2025, $26,260 IN FACILITY AND PERMIT FEES REQUESTED TO BE WAIVED. TWO $2,280 IN APPLICABLE STAFF CHARGES. UM, AND THIS WILL CREATE REVENUE, UM, AS IS AT THE REGIONAL PARK ON BEHALF OF DEVELOPING FUTURE LEADERS. THIS IS A NEW GROUP IN NEW EVENT TO US ON MARCH 8TH, SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT AND FOOD PROCUREMENT AT H PARK COMMUNITY CENTER. $315 FOR FACILITY PERMIT FEES REQUESTED TO BE WAIVED. $855 IN APPLICABLE STAFF CHARGES ON BEHALF OF CENTRAL CHA. UM, THEY'RE HOSTING THEIR ANNUAL TAX PREPARATION EVENT ON MARCH 15TH AT SA CHAVA PARK, $465 FACILITY AND PERMIT FEES REQUESTED TO BE WAIVED. AND $1,035 IN STAFF CHARGES ON BEHALF OF THE PASADENA SENIOR CENTER WITH THEIR ANNUAL EVENT THAT THEY HOSTED EL ROAD REGIONAL PARK IN AREA THREE ON JUNE 17TH AND 18TH. UM, THEY'RE REQUESTING $2,812 AND 50 CENTS, UM, FEES TO BE WAIVED. AND THEY HAVE 3040 $2 AND 50 CENTS IN APPLICABLE STAFF CHARGES. AND AGAIN, THIS IS AT THE RED REGIONAL PARK, SO THERE WILL BE GATE REVENUE ON BEHALF OF THE KAMAI CULTURAL HERITAGE. UM, THIS IS NOT A NEW EVENT. THIS IS OUR ANNUAL CAMBODIA AND NEW YEAR'S CELEBRATION AT RECREATION PARK BANVILLE ON APRIL 19TH, $580 IN FACILITY AND PERMIT FEES TO WAIVE AN $850 ON THE SECURITY DEPOSIT AND STAFF FEES ON BEHALF OF THE ROSE PARK ASSOCIATION. THIS IS THEIR ANNUAL EARTH DAY EVENT AT ROSE PARK ON APRIL 13TH, $275 IN PERMIT FEES REQUESTED TO AND ZERO APPLICABLE STAFF CHARGES ON BEHALF OF CENTRAL CHA. IT'S THEIR ANNUAL CITIZENSHIP WORKSHOP AT SPACE SHOP IS PARK ON MARCH 22ND, $465 IN FACILITY PERMIT FEES REQUESTED TO WAIVE AND $1,035 IN SEVEN MAINTENANCE CHARGES. AND LASTLY, ON BEHALF OF CENTRO CHA, IT'S THEIR ANNUAL IMMIGRATION, UM, WORKSHOP AGAIN AT SPACE SHOP IS PARK ON 2 25, UM, $190 IN FACILITY FEES REQUESTED TO BE WAIVED. $705 IN STAFF AND MAINTENANCE CHARGES, UM, TO BE APPLIED. THIS BRINGS A TOTAL OF $31,588 AND 75 CENTS TO BE WAIVED ON BEHALF OF THE COMMUNITY'S REQUEST. SO THE COMMISSIONERS, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, THEN I BELIEVE WE WILL HAVE REPRESENTATION AND THE AUDIENCE FOR SOMEBODY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, SO WE WILL NOW ASK FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AND TYPICALLY WE GO THROUGH THE LIST IN THE ORDER THAT IT IS. SO IS THERE ANYONE HERE FROM JAZZ ANGELS? HELLO? YES. HI. PLEASE STAND AND STATE YOUR NAME. THANK YOU. YEAH, MY NAME'S GARY ER FROM JAZZ ANGELS WERE, UM, UH, YOUTH JAZZ AND HERITAGE BASED, UH, MUSIC AND, UH, PERFORMANCE ORGANIZATION. UH, AND SO EXTREMELY GRATEFUL TO THE OPPORTUNITY AND THE, AND THE, THE, UH, TO, TO BE HERE AND, UH, HOPEFULLY TO GET APPROVED OR FEE WAIVER. UM, JUST REAL QUICK, YOU SAID MARCH 3RD, BUT I THINK YOU MIGHT HAVE MEANT MARCH 8TH. OH, MY APOLOGIES. THE MARCH 8TH ON MY PAGE. OKAY. OKAY. YOU HAVE TWO . BECAUSE, BECAUSE WHAT OUR, WHAT OUR EVENT IS AS, AS WE'RE, UM, GROWING AND TRYING TO STAY ALIVE IN, IN THE CURRENT CLIMATE, UM, WE WE'RE TRYING TO PARTNER WITH, UM, OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND, AND WE THOUGHT, WELL, IF WE COULD WORK THINGS OUT TO PROVIDE SENIORS A PLACE TO GO TO SEE SOME FREE MUSIC, UM, THAT WOULD BE EMPOWERING FOR THEM. AND IT WOULD BE REALLY INSPIRING FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE TO HAVE OTHER PEOPLE THERE. SO THAT'S THE, THE, UH, THE PREMISE OF OUR EVENT. AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET THE PORT OF LONG BEACH TO HELP SPONSOR. I BROUGHT SOME FLYERS, I DON'T THINK COULD GIVE THESE TO YOU, THANK YOU TO, TO HAND OUT TO EVERYBODY. AND, UM, IT'S CALLED JAZZ FOR THE PORT 2.0 'CAUSE WE DID ONE LAST YEAR. UM, AND, UM, JUST REAL QUICK, I KNOW THIS IS THE, THE WRONG TIME, BUT I KNOW Y'ALL [00:20:01] ARE THE RIGHT PEOPLE. , UM, WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO GET THE INFORMATION TO THE SENIOR CENTERS, UM, AND FOR, FOR US, OUR ORGANIZATION PERFORMED A LOT OF SENIOR CENTERS IN DECEMBER. AND SO MANY SENIORS WERE LIKE GOING, I DIDN'T KNOW THIS WAS HAPPENING. I DIDN'T KNOW IF THIS WAS HAPPENING. SO I'M NOT SURE OF OF THE PATH, BUT IF SOMEBODY HAS THE INFORMATION AND YOU COULD LET ME KNOW, UM, I'LL BE IN TOUCH. I'LL SPARE THAT FOR YOU. YES. OKAY. OKAY. AND THEN, UM, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE ETERNALLY GRATEFUL FOR YOU ALL FOR DOING THIS. I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE YOU'RE, SOMETIMES YOU'RE NOT S ON THE GROUND AT THE LOCATIONS. WE'RE, UM, WE'RE ALSO PAYING FOR TWO STAFF AND, AND SOMETIMES THERE'S ONE AND I JUST DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW THAT. UM, AND THEN THE OTHER THING IS, IS WHEN IT'S ABOUT 15 OR 20 MINUTES BEFORE WE'RE SUPPOSED TO END OUR TIME THERE AND WE'RE PACKING EVERYTHING UP, THE STAFF, UM, THEY'RE LIKE SHUSHING US OUT. SHE GOES, JUST GET EVERYTHING OUT OF THE DOOR SO WE COULD LOCK IT AND GET OUT OF HERE. UM, SO I JUST, I JUST DON'T KNOW IF, IF MAYBE, UH, IF IF YOU'RE THE PERSON WE TALKED TO HER, THERE WAS, UH, JAMIE DE RIOS, UM, I, I DON'T KNOW WHO TO I WE'RE, WE'RE GRATEFUL. AND, AND OBVIOUSLY YOU DON'T WANT MAKE A SCENE AT THE EVENT, BUT IT'S LIKE, OKAY. UM, I JUST FEEL YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT, UH, IT'S ON THE GROUND AND THEN IS THERE WHO? YOU'RE THE ONE. OKAY. SO NOT, 'CAUSE JAMIE DEON RIOS SENT ME THE, SHE'S ONE OF MY SUPERVISORS. OH, SHE, OKAY. SO I COULD JUST, YEAH, NOT, NOT TO COMPLAIN. WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL. IT'S A WONDERFUL EVENT. IF YOU GUYS WANT TO COME MARCH, SUNDAY, MARCH 8TH, THIS PARK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, BARRY. THANK YOU. YES. THE, THE BANDS ARE YOUNG, ARE YOUNG PEOPLE. YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. YOUTH BANDS. YES. FIVE. THEY'RE GREAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IS THERE ANYONE HERE FROM BAHATI FOUNDATION? EXCUSE ME? I HAVE ONE QUESTION ON THAT BEFORE WE GO TO THE NEXT ONE. ARE GLADYS, ARE THEY STILL PROVIDING SERVICES AND STUFF IN THE COMMUNITY? YES. UH, UM, THE GROUP, THE CURRENT WHERE WE WORK WITH IN THE LAST FEW YEARS HAS DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB CONNECTING WITH US AND CONNECTING WITH PROVIDING, UM, RESOURCES AS WELL AS EDUCATION WHEN IT COMES TO CYCLING FOR OUR, OUR YOUTH TEAMS AND EVEN OUR SENIORS. AWESOME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE HERE FROM DEVELOPING FUTURE LEADERS? HEARING NONE. WE'LL MOVE ON TO CENTRAL SHAH AND WHY DON'T WE HAVE YOU TALK ABOUT ALL OF YOUR EVENTS AT THE SAME TIME. IS THAT ALRIGHT? YES. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. MY NAME IS MARIA, CAN YOU, I'M SORRY. MARIANA LAGOON, COMMUNITY HEALTH JUSTICE MANAGER AT CENTRAL CHA. AND WE DO HAVE THREE REQUESTS FOR YOU TODAY. UM, OUR FIRST REQUEST IS NEXT WEEK ON FEBRUARY 25TH. IT'S ACTUALLY OUR KNOW YOUR RIGHTS WORKSHOP THAT WE'RE HOSTING. UM, SINCE HAS SEEN A BIG ASK FOR A LOT OF THE UNIVERSITY HOST YOU TO KNOW YOUR RIGHTS WORKSHOPS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY IN OUR COMMUNITY. UM, THIS IS A, THIS WOULD BE OUR THIRD ONE THIS MONTH, UM, IN LONG BEACH. RIGHT. WE ACTUALLY BEEN HOSTING A LOT OF THEM IN WILMINGTON IN PARTNERSHIP ACTUALLY WITH THE CONGRESSWOMAN CONGRESSMAN GARCIA. SO THIS IS A BIG ASK AND WE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHERE WE'RE HOSTING THIS SPACE, UM, AT TRAVIS PARK. IT'S IN THE EVENING TO MAKE SURE MORE COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE ABLE TO ATTEND AFTER WORK HOURS. UM, WE ALSO HAVE THE MARCH 15TH REQUEST, WHICH IS OUR PARTNER, OUR ANNUAL PARTNERSHIP WITH CAL STATE LONG BEACH, UH, WHERE WE, THEY HOST THE VIDA SERVICES RIGHT, FOR OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS. AND WE GET THOSE CALLS AROUND THIS TIME. LIKE, ARE YOU GUYS DOING THE VIDA SERVICES? BECAUSE IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO QUALIFY TO DO THEIR TAXES FOR FREE, RIGHT? WITH THE, UM, VOLUNTEER STUDENTS AT CAL STATE LONG BEACH. UH, AND THAT'S ALSO AT CHA PARK AND IT IS A SATURDAY. AND OUR LAST EVENT FOR THIS, UM, REQUEST, IT IS ON MARCH 22ND. IT IS OUR ANNUAL CITIZENSHIP WORKSHOP. WE USUALLY DO IT AROUND THIS TIME IN MARCH BECAUSE OF CESA CHAVEZ RECOGNITION. UM, BUT IT IS ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO JOIN US. UM, ON A SATURDAY. A LOT OF PEOPLE WORK, RIGHT? AND IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME OUT AND DO THEIR CITIZENSHIP APPLICATIONS. WE HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE IN THAT, UM, IN COMMUNITY MEMBERS TRYING TO GET THEIR CITIZENSHIP. SO THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE MORE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UH, AT THE SITE. UM, WE DO APPRECIATE THE PARTNERSHIP OFTEN, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO ENGAGE MORE COMMUNITY IN THE LARGER SPACE, WHICH IS WHY, YOU KNOW, THE SOCIAL HOT THIS PART IS USUALLY OUR GOING TO. RIGHT. UM, SO WE APPRECIATE THAT AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CHRIS. MAD CHAIR, CHRIS? OH, COURSE, YES. YEAH. UH, JUST VERY BRIEFLY, NOT, NOT A QUESTION, BUT JUST A COMMENT. UH, REALLY WANT TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION FOR CENTRAL CHA AND ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS WORKING WITH IMMIGRANT POPULATIONS RIGHT NOW. OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A VERY, UH, DIFFICULT TIME FOR THEM. UH, AND, UH, YOU MENTIONED THE UNCERTAINTY, UH, YOU KNOW, FEDERAL ACTIONS, THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT CAN BE IMPACTING THOSE POPULATION. SO JUST REALLY, AGAIN, WANTED TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION FOR YOUR WORK AND FOR ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS IN LONG BEACH THAT ARE FOCUSED ON, UH, YOU KNOW, HELPING OUR IMMIGRANT POPULATIONS. THANK YOU. YOU KNOW, UH, OKAY. WE WILL MOVE ON TO, UH, ROSS PARK, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION. IS THERE ANYONE HERE FROM THERE? THANK [00:25:01] YOU. UM, AND I THINK, OH, I'M SORRY. I DID SKIP OVER THE PASADENA SENIOR CENTER. THANK YOU. CAN YOU STATE YOUR NAME PLEASE? YEAH, MY NAME IS, I'M THE PRESIDENT OF HERITAGE AT, UH, WE GOING TO DO THE, THE SHOW AND THE DANCE AND CELEBRATING THE CAMBODIA NEW YEAR. AND WE LIKE TO CELEBRATE ONCE A YEAR ON APRIL. YEAH. AND, UH, AT THE PARK SEVEN VENTURE, WE WENT OUT TO HIDE MUSIC, SHOW DANCE, AND, UH, THEATER. AND, UH, AFTER THAT, THE PARTY AND DANCE, WE, UH, UH, WE WOULD GET, UH, HEAVY MENT OF THE MUSIC INSTRUMENT. AND, UH, WE GOING NOT TO THE WHOLE DAY ON 19 APRIL 19, WE GOING TO SPEND THE WHOLE DAY FROM NINE TO 5:00 PM AND, UH, THAT'S WHY I WOULD LIKE TO JOIN THE IDEA OF, UM, JUST MUSIC BECAUSE, UH, WE PAY TWO STAFF, UH, FOR, FOR FIVE HOUR OF PRESENTATION. AND IT'S, UH, ONE A $60 OR OTHER. AND I EVEN, IT'S FREE. WE DON'T SELL, CAN GET ANYTHING. THE REASON WE HAVE A LOT OF STAFF, YOU KNOW, WORKING FOR US. AND, UH, I REQUEST AND, UH, ALSO, UH, ABOUT, UH, THE, THE STAFF, YOU UNDERSTAND US, UH, WE HAVE ALMOST, WE PLAN WITH THE EVERY, UH, MY ORGANIZATION, UH, JOINED THE CAMBODIAN TOWN ALSO FOR THE PARADE. AND LAST YEAR, I, I, I'M A HISTORIAN, I TRIED TO SHOW THE MY CULTURE ON THE STREET. THAT'S MEAN WE DO TO LAST YEAR ABOUT, UH, THE RETURN OF THE ANKLE WATER TEMPLE BACK TO CAMBODIA. AND WE DO TO THAT SHOWING, UH, CREATURE CREATURE ON THE STREET WITH THE OUTFIT, UH, DURING THIS, UH, PERIOD. MM-HMM . OF THE 9 19 0 8, WHEN THE TEMPLE UNCLE, BACK TEMPLE COME BACK TO CAMBODIA. AND, AND THIS YEAR HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THE, AT LEAST, AT LEAST, UH, UH, 10,000 VIEW SEPTEMBER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. COMMENT. UH, YEAH, UH, I BELIEVE YOU SAID THAT YOU WERE, YOU WOULD LIKE US TO CONSIDER WAIVING THE STAFF CHARGES. WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO DO THAT ACCORDING TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, HOWEVER, HAVE YOU CONTACTED THE, UH, COUNCILWOMAN ROS OR DR. SUAREZ'S OFFICE THAT SHE MIGHT BE ABLE TO, TO DO SOME HELP ON THAT? THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND, UH, WE DID SKIP OVER PASADENA SENIOR CENTER. IS THERE ANYONE HERE? THANK YOU. UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PAST SUPPORT OF THIS PROGRAM. IT'S OUR SENIOR CYCLING TOURNAMENT, DECADES. WE'VE SPENT A LOT, UH, EL DORADO PARK IS A TRULY UNIQUE FACILITY. UH, WE ARE THE ONLY SENIOR GAMES IN CALIFORNIA. THERE ARE SIX SENIOR GAMES THAT ARE ABLE TO DO CYCLING BECAUSE OF THIS ENCLOSED SPACE. VERY IMPORTANT FOR SENIORS, VERY SAFE. UH, HOWEVER, WE TRY TO KEEP OUR COSTS DOWN FOR REGISTRATION. SO FEE WAIVER IS SIGNIFICANT FOR US IN BEING ABLE TO DO THIS. I JUST WANNA MAKE ONE ADDITIONAL COMMENT FOR HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS TO OUR COMMUNITY. UM, WITH THE RECENT EDEN FIRE HUGELY IMPACTED, AND IN FACT, OUR CYCLING COMMISSIONER LOST HER CALL, BUT SHE EMAILED ME BACK WHEN I'M LIKE, ARE YOU OKAY? WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR HOUSE? AND SHE'S LIKE, I LOST MY HOUSE, BUT WE'RE STILL ON FOR CYCLING . OH MY GOSH. SO IT'S JUST SUPER IMPORTANT TO HER AND TO THE COMMUNITY. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR MESSAGE. I DID FORGET, UH, YOUR, COULD YOU STATE YOUR NAME, PLEASE? OH, SORRY. ANNIE LASKEY, DIRECTOR OF EVENTS PASADENA SENIOR CENTER. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. AND JUST TO CLARIFY, THAT IS NOT OPEN JUST TO PASADENA. IT'S, IT IS OPEN TO ALL SENIORS, RIGHT? IT IS OPEN TO ALL SENIORS ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. ACTUALLY A GLOBAL EVENT [00:30:01] HERE. WE'VE HAD A COUPLE PEOPLE WHO QUALIFY UP HERE, AND I THINK LAST BUT NOT LEAST, ROSS PARK, UH, ROSE PARK, SORRY. NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION. IS THERE ANYONE HERE FROM THERE? HEARING NONE. UM, THE, UH, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS? HEARING NONE. WE ADD A MOTION, UH, BY COMMISSIONER CHAVEZ, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER LIVINGSTON. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? OKAY. THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. CONGRATULATIONS. GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR EVENTS. OH, YEAH. UH, AND I SHOULD MENTION THAT, UH, AS MUCH AS WE ENJOY HAVING YOU ALL HERE, IF YOU HAVE OTHER PLACES, IT'S NOT NECESSARY FOR YOU TO STAY, BUT YOU MAY LEAVE. YES. HI, MY NAME IS KEN FAIR THOMPSON. I'M PRESIDENT OF ALAMEDA BEACH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION. UM, I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET ON YOUR AGENDA EVER SINCE, UM, NOVEMBER WHEN OUR, UH, PERMIT, PERMIT WAS DUE FOR THE, UH, PARK. UM, I DON'T KNOW WHY I, WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH, WE'RE PARTNERS WITH PARTNERS OF PARKS, I MEAN PLP. AND WE HAVE NOT BEEN, I'VE BEEN TRYING REALLY HARD AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE KEEP NOT BEING PUT ON THE AGENDA. I WOULD DO, I HAVE PAPERWORK FILLED OUT MYSELF, BUT I'M NOT ALLOWED TO DO IT SINCE PART OF THE PARKS IS OUR FINANCE FINANCIAL, UM, FISCAL AGENT. FISCAL AGENT, THAT'S IT. PERSON. AND SO, UM, WE, WE DO, WE'RE GRANDFATHERED IN, BUT I'M, THE MORE TIME THAT GOES BY, I KEEP BEING PROMISED IT WAS BE ON THE AGENDA. I EVEN MADE SURE ALL THE PAPERWORK. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING. SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. YOU CAN ASK THE STAFF. UM, SHOULD, YES, DIRECTOR DENNIS ASHLEY JONES WAS HERE. I KNOW, I SAW THAT NOW. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. I, WE JUST LOVE TWO OF YOU TO GET TOGETHER AND FIGURE OUT WHY. I MET WITH HER. I MET HER JANUARY 2ND AND WE DISCUSSED IT. I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ON THE AGENDA FOR THE JANUARY AND IT JUST DOESN'T SEEM, I DON'T KNOW. OKAY. WE'LL, WE'LL SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP FACILITATE, BECAUSE I'M REALLY CONCERNED BECAUSE WE, WE'VE BEEN, BEEN THAT FACILITY FOR MAYBE 20 YEARS AND, AND THAT'S WHERE WE MEET AND IT'S, YEAH. MORE TIME GOES BY. OKAY. SMOKE, SEE WHAT WE CAN DO THE, AND WHAT'S THE DATE OF THE YEAR THAT OUR, WE, WE MEET ON THE SECOND THURSDAY OF THE EVEN MONTHS. SO WE'RE, UM, SO LEAVING MONTH, UH, THE SECOND THURSDAY AT BIXBY PARK COMMUNITY CENTER. AND UH, THANK YOU. THERE ARE TWO. I TALKED TO OUR COUNCIL, UH, MIMI MASTER, WHO'S, UM, OUR CITY COUNCIL ASSISTANT. AND SO, UM, SHE ALSO UNDERSTANDS THE PROBLEM, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO, YEAH, I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND. YEAH, I DID HAVE A LONG CONVERSATION WITH SIMI AT CD TWO, SO WE'LL SEE WHAT WE CAN DO FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE TO HELP FACILITATE THAT. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR. OUR APOLOGIES. I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S, I MEAN, I REALLY, I MEAN, IF I COULD TURN IN THE PAPERWORK I WOULD. SO THANK YOU. YOU, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CANDACE ALSO LEADS THE BUTTERFLY GARDEN INITIATIVE. OH YES. I KNEW WE'D SEEN HER BEFORE. LONG RESUME AGREE. POSITIVE VACCINATION OF OUR PARK. SO WE APPRECIATE THAT. YEAH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THE RAIN THAT OUR PARK IS GOOD. AND THANK YOU. WHOEVER PUT THE MULCH THAT PUT MULCH AT, UH, MIRACLE PARK, FOURTH STREET IN, THAT'S ERIC AND HIS CREW. ERIC, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. AND THANK YOU FOR LOCKING THE PARK AT NIGHT. IT MAKES SUCH A DIFFERENCE. THE PARK IS DOING REALLY, PEOPLE USE THAT ALL THE TIME. REALLY GOOD. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU KEVIN. THANK YOU. SO WE SHALL NOW MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE. RECOMMENDATION TO AUTHORIZE THE DIRECTOR OF PARKS RECREATION MARINE, OR HIS OR HER MANAGEMENT DESIGNEE, DESIGNEE TO, UM, EXECUTE THE PERSONAL SERVICES AND INSTRUCTION AGREEMENTS AND AMEND ATTACHMENT A OF THE AGREEMENTS AS NEEDED. DO I HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED. THANK YOU. AND SECOND. THANK YOU. UH, AND DO WE HAVE SOME DISCUSSION? YES. THANK YOU CHAIRMAN. SO AGAIN, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO TRAVIS TO TALK YOU THROUGH THIS AGENDA ITEM. SO COMMISSIONERS, ON BEHALF OF OUR CONTRACT CLASS PROGRAM, WE'RE BRINGING TO YOU A NEW CONTRACTOR, UM, THAT IS GOING TO BE TEACHING AT A FITNESS CLASS FOREST BATHING AKA HIN YOKO YOKU, UM, AT EL DORADO PARK, UM, EAST. AND THE INSTRUCTOR'S NAME IS MEGAN PENEZ. SO WE'RE ALWAYS EXCITED TO BRING ON NEW CLASSES, UM, INTO OUR CONTRACT CLASS, UM, PROGRAM. UM, THIS IS A NEW CLASS TO THE COMMUNITY AND I BELIEVE THERE'S ALREADY DEMAND. AND ALSO WANNA TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE OUR SUPERVISOR, GABRIEL CRUZ, WHO OVERSEES OUR CONTRACT CLASS PROGRAM, UM, AND WORKS WITH, YOU KNOW, OUR CURRENT INSTRUCTORS, UM, AS WELL AS, UH, RESEARCHING AND SEARCHING OUT NEW INSTRUCTORS TO ENHANCE OUR PROGRAM. SO WITH YOUR APPROVAL, [00:35:01] UM, WE WILL, UH, GO INTO CONTRACT WITH, UM, MS. PENA TO, UM, PROVIDE FOREST BATHING CLASSES AT THE REGIONAL PARK. I LOOKED THAT UP AND IT WASN'T WHAT I EXPECTED. COMMISSIONER, I HAVE TO SAY. UM, I HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS FOR GABE AND THEN, UM, I LOOKED IT UP TOO BECAUSE IT EXISTED. UM, 'CAUSE I WASN'T SURE, BUT IT IS VERY MUCH, UM, TAKING OFF, UH, I WANNA SAY, I DON'T WANNA SAY A NEW TREND, BUT A NEW CLASS TO US. AND I WOULD BE CAREFUL OF USING, TAKING OFF YEAH. . BUT WITH YOUR COMMISSIONERS, WE'D LIKE TO BRING ON THIS INSTRUCTOR TO OUR PROGRAM. . THANK YOU. LOVE IT. YES. WE ARE THE MOST FUN COMMISSION LET PLANNING TAKE ON THAT ONE. . CAN'T WAIT FOR THE PROMOTION. ALRIGHT. UH, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS? YES, MA'AM. THAT'S ALL RIGHT. BEING OLD IS, THAT'S ALRIGHT. GOOD. TELL, TAKE YOUR TIME. OKAY. I'M DR. MELANIE CURTIS ANDREWS AND I'M AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE FOURTH STREET, SENIOR CITIZEN CENTER FOR, UM, BETTER PART OF A YEAR NOW. AND I, I'M SORRY, THAT'S NOT PROCEDURE THERE. WE ALRIGHT. YOU WANNA LET HER KNOW THAT IT'S NOT PUBLIC AND I'M SORRY. YOU KNOW WHAT? I'M SORRY. I DID ASK FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS, BUT I MEANT COMMENTS RELATED TO THIS AGENDA ITEM. COULD WE ASK YOU TO, AND NEXT TIME YOU DON'T NEED TO STAND. I WAS READY. I KNOW YOU'RE . I'M SO SORRY. ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS RELATED TO THE NEW, UH, UH, CONTRACT THAT'S AT ISSUE RIGHT NOW? THANK YOU. HEARING NONE. UM, UH, WE HAD A MOTION, UH, PRESENTED BY COMMISSIONER OR D SMITH, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER LIVINGSTON. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. AND NOW WE GO TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR, WHICH IS TO APPROVE AN UPDATED LIST OF MEMBERSHIPS FOR STANDING AND AD HOC COMMITTEES. UH, DO WE HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED. SECOND. THANK YOU. UM, UH, DO WE HAVE SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS? UH, SO THIS WAS BROUGHT FORWARD FROM THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, WHICH HAS NOW BEEN CHANGED TO THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE. AND STAFF ASKED, UM, THE COMMISSIONERS TO DO IT. I BELIEVE THAT WE'VE HAD TWO VOLUNTEERS TO BE ADDED TO THE MAINTENANCE AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE, WHICH WOULD BE COMMISSIONER CHAVEZ AND COMMISSIONER LIVINGSTON. AND IF THERE'S ANYBODY ELSE THAT IS INTERESTED, WE HAVE TO APPOINT YOU AT A COMMISSION MEETING. SO IF YOU HAVE ANY INTEREST IN ONE OF THESE SPEAK NOW OR COME BACK LATER TO HOLD YOUR PIECE. IF I CAN ASK, WHEN DO THESE MEETINGS TAKE PLACE? WE HAVEN'T SET, WELL, THE, THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE IS THE THURSDAY BEFORE THE, UM, COMMISSION. I GUESS I'M MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE TIME. YEAH. THE OTHERS, IT WOULD BASICALLY BE WHEN THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND THE STAFF LIAISON AGREE TO MEET. SO, UH, WE, WE TRY TO DO IT DURING STAFF HOURS, SO THEY'RE NOT GOING OVER TIME. BUT, UH, IT WOULD BE BASICALLY WHEN THE STAFF PERSON LISTED HERE AND THE WHOEVER THE COMMISSIONERS ARE COULD MEET. OKAY. UM, OF COURSE I ASK BECAUSE I'M, I'M DEFINITELY INTERESTED, BUT IT, I CAN'T TAKE MORE TIME OFF OF MY, OF MY SCHOOL DAY. SO I MEAN, MOST OF THEM CAN BE AFTERNOONS. I THINK IF THE AFTERNOONS ARE BETTER AFTER YOUR SCHOOL DAY OR, UM, I'M USUALLY BACK ON THIS SIDE OF TOWN AROUND FOUR 30. SO THAT SEEMS LIKE IT WOULD BE CUTTING IT PRETTY CLOSE WITH STAFF HOURS. OR IS THERE ONE IN PARTICULAR THAT YOU HAVE AN INTEREST IN THAT YOU MIGHT ABLE TO I WASN WAS INTERESTED IN THE JOINT USE, BUT BECAUSE I'M AN LBSD EMPLOYEE, THAT WAS A, THAT WAS DETERMINED TO BE A CON A CONFLICT OF INTEREST. OKAY. UM, WOULD BE INTERESTED IN EITHER OF THE OTHER TWO, BUT AGAIN, IT WOULD BE HIGHLY DEPENDENT ON SCHEDULE, SO. OKAY. UH, COULD YOU MAKE THE, THE, WE'D MEET AT, WELL ACTUALLY SINCE WE'VE GONE TO JUST THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE, INSTEAD OF MEETING AT THREE 30 FOR GLADYS AND FOR STEVE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN SPEAK FOR THEM. COULD THAT BE MOVED TO FOUR OR FOUR 30? I CAN, IT'S UP TO YOU. IT FOR ME AT THE, THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE MEETING. AND I'M USUALLY HERE INTO THE EVENINGS ANYWAY. EVEN IF YOU WOULD AGREE THAT FOUR 30 AS A STARTING POINT WOULD WORK, WE CAN ACCOMMODATE AND YOU AND STEVE COULD PROBABLY WORKS BETTER. IT'S FOUR 30. I MEAN, OUR DATE EXTENDS BEYOND THAT AND STEVE SAID YES. SO IF, IF, IF YOU ARE INTERESTED, COMMISSIONER HIGA, I WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY ON THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE TO HAVE TO HAVE YOU REPLACE ME AS THE NOMINEE FOR THAT. UM, YEAH, I WOULD [00:40:01] DEFINITELY BE INTERESTED. I AGAIN, WOULD BE TRYING TO FIND MY, MY KIDS' BASE ONE SOFTBALL SCHEDULE. . BUT, BUT YES. THAT WOULD THE SECOND THURSDAY. YES. ADD TO YOUR COZY CALENDAR. I KNOW COLOR CODED, I COULD SAY TOO THAT HAVING THAT IMPORTANT, UH, GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE WITH THREE COMMISSIONERS, UM, STEPPING FORWARD, THAT'S REALLY A GOOD THING. YEP. 'CAUSE ON OCCASION, FOR WHATEVER REASON, IF ONE OF YOU HAPPENED TO NOT BE ABLE TO ATTEND, WE COULD STILL DO BUSINESS. YEAH. SO I MEAN, IF YOU WERE ALIGNING WITH ANY OF THEM, THAT WOULD BE A GREAT TO CONSIDER. AND WE CAN CERTAINLY ACCOMMODATE AT FOUR 30 START. YEAH. FOUR 30 IS BETTER FOR ME. SO THE, THE AMENDED APPOINTMENTS WOULD BE, UH, FOR THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE, THE REDFIELD, UKI, SMITH AND HIGA FOR THE MAINTENANCE INFRASTRUCTURE AND PLANNING WOULD BE CHAVEZ AND LIVINGSTON. AND FOR JOINT USE AD HOC WOULD BE ALAN AND LIVINGSTON. AND JUST TO CLARIFY, UH, FOR, UH, THE MAINTENANCE AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE, YOU WOULD BE CHAIR, WE CAN VOTE ON THAT WHEN WE GET TO THAT. UNDERSTOOD. OKAY. UM, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS IN THIS, ON THIS MATTER? THANK YOU. UM, ANY MORE COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS? HEARING NONE. WE HAD A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HIA, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER ORIE SMITH. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? GREAT. THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THAT WAS GREAT TO ACCOMPLISH THAT. YES. AND THANK YOU COMMISSIONER LEVITON FOR LEADING THAT SURE. UH, EFFORT AND FOR MAKING IT CHAIR CHU MADE ME MAKE A COMMENT. I KNOW IT WAS SUGGESTED IN SOME CONVERSATIONS FOR THE NEWLY TITLED MAINTENANCE INFRASTRUCTURE AND PLANNING COMMITTEE. I KNOW IT SAID LOCATION SHOULD BE DETERMINED, BUT THERE WAS A DESIRE ON SOME FREQUENCY TO ACTUALLY MEET OUT IN ONE OF OUR PARKS OR AT ONE OF OUR FACILITIES FOR OBVIOUS REASONS. UH, BUT WE WOULD STILL TREAT IT AS A PUBLIC MEETING JUST SO YOU'RE AWARE OF THAT. BUT OUR PUBLIC NOTIFICATIONS WOULD BE CLEAR AS TO LIKE, IF YOU CHOOSE TO MEET, SAY AT THE DOORSTOP ALBERT COMMUNITY CENTER HOT PARK, THAT NOTICE WOULD GO OUT AND, AND WE WOULD ACCOMMODATE IT SIMILAR TO THIS WITH SUFFICIENT TODD. YEP. YEP. GOOD. AND IF IT'S IN A HOSTING COMMISSIONER'S DISTRICT, WE COULD COME BRING YOU COOKIES MAKE YOU MORE IMPORTANT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GREAT TO ACCOMPLISH THAT. YES. GREAT. ALRIGHT, WE NOW MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER FIVE, RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE THE DIRECTOR'S MONTHLY HIGHLIGHTS REPORT. WE CREATE COMMUNITY AND DIRECTOR'S HIGHLIGHTS FOR FEBRUARY OF 2025. UH, DO I HAVE A MOTION? SECOND. THANK YOU. UH, AND DIRECTOR, DO YOU HAVE COMMENTS? YEAH, SO I DID HAVE A FEW COMMENTS TODAY. SO, UH, WE'RE HAVING, UM, SOME CALENDAR CHALLENGES. I'LL BE POLITE HERE IN WORKING WITH PUBLIC WORKS TO FINALLY, UH, CENTER IN ON CELEBRATORY MOMENTS FOR SO MANY OF OUR PROJECTS THAT ARE COMING UP. IN PARTICULAR, THE SIGNATURE PLAYGROUNDS AND ALSO, UM, THE VERY LONG AWAITED ONE APPAREL SPORTS COURTS PROJECT. SO JUST BE PATIENT WITH US BECAUSE WE'RE ALSO ANXIOUS TO CELEBRATE ALL OF THESE GREAT THINGS. BUT THE RAMONA PARK GROUNDBREAKING, WHICH HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED SEVERAL TIMES, IS STILL TENTATIVE, BUT I THINK THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THE FIRST WEEKEND IN MARCH. BUT THAT'S COMING UP SO QUICKLY. AND I KNOW THEY ALWAYS LIKE TO HAVE MAYOR RICHARDSON AVAILABLE AND HE LIKES TO BE AT ALL OF THEM, BUT HIS SCHEDULE USUALLY IS THE STARTING POINT AND IT'S QUITE COMPLICATED. SO, JUST SO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE DO HAVE THEM, IF IT WORKS ON YOUR SCHEDULES, WE ALWAYS WELCOME YOUR PRESENT, WHO I RECOGNIZE YOU. BUT IT'S ALWAYS A GREAT MOMENT TO BE REMINDED OF ALL THE GREAT THINGS THAT WE'RE BUILDING AND PRESENTING FOR THE COMMUNITY. SO, AND THEN, UM, I DO WANT TO EMBARRASS THE YOUNG LADY IN THE FRONT ROW. I'M THE ONLY PERSON IN OUR GALLERY, . UH, DR. MELANIE, UH, WAS KIND ENOUGH TO GIVE ME A PERSONAL TOUR THROUGH THE VERY WONDERFUL BLACK HISTORY EXHIBITION THAT'S CURRENTLY ON DISPLAY AT THE FOURTH STREET SENIOR CENTER. UM, I KNOW SHE SAYS SHE'S THE NARRATOR, BUT SHE ACTUALLY CURATED A LOT OF IT. BUT I ALSO WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO SHERMAN BEATTY BECAUSE ONE OF THE REALLY BEAUTIFUL COMPONENTS OF THE EXHIBITION ARE THESE VERY EDUCATIONAL, HISTORICALLY APPROPRIATE BARBIE, UM, VALVES THAT ARE IN COLLECTOR CASES. UH, AND MAYBE I'LL DEFER SOME MORE OF MY COMMENTS. IF SHERWIN, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND JUST GIVING THEM A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON YOUR COLLECTION, IF SHE'S BEEN WILLING TO SHARE THAT WITH THE COMMUNITY AT THE FOREST STREET SENIOR CENTER. SO YOU MIND ? UM, YEAH. SO THE COLLECTION HERE REFERS TO ITS PART OF THE BARBIE INSPIRING WOMEN SERIES, [00:45:01] UM, BARBIE DOLLS. AND I'VE HAD 'EM NOW I THINK ABOUT SEVEN YEARS OR SO. SO IT STARTED WITH TWO DOLLS, UM, WHICH WAS CATHERINE JOHNSON. UM, AND ALSO STARTED WITH SALLY RIDE. SO ORIGINALLY STARTED A COLLECTION FROM MY MOM WHO FOUND 'EM FOR MY DAUGHTER. WE WERE LOOKING FOR JUST IMAGES AND FOLKS. I BELIEVE REPRESENTATION IS HUGE. AND YES, SALLY RIDE IS NOT AFRICAN AMERICAN, BUT SHE IS A FEMALE AND A WOMAN. SO WE WERE ALWAYS BIG ON BRINGING THAT TO HER. SO I DELVED IN DEEP AND WAS LIKE, OOH, I DIDN'T KNOW THEY HAD THESE, THIS IS PRETTY COOL. UM, STARTED LOOKING AND THEN DECIDED TO FOCUS MY COLLECTION. 'CAUSE THERE'S ABOUT 20 DOLLS IN THE INSPIRING WOMEN SERIES. BUT FOR ME IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT I FOCUSED IN ON AFRICAN AMERICAN DOLLS AND WOMEN THAT ARE IN THERE. SO THERE'S A TOTAL OF SEVEN ON DISPLAY. IT'S ACTUALLY EIGHT 'CAUSE THERE'S ANOTHER DOLL BARBIE DOLL, UM, THAT IS NOT PART OF THE INSPIRING WOMEN'S COLLECTION, BUT IT IS THERE. UM, SO LET ME SEE IF I CAN REMEMBER ALL OF 'EM. READY? YOU READY? HELP ME OUT. GONNA HELP ME OUT. I'M GONNA TRY TO GO IN ORDER. LET'S SEE, IN THAT COLLECTION WE HAVE, I'M NOT GONNA DO IT IN ARTICLE ALL, ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE BESSY COLEMAN, I MENTIONED KATHLEEN JOHNSON, MAYA ANGELOU, I-I-W-I-W, WELLS, MADAM CJ, WALKER WALKER, ROSA PARK, ROSA PARKS, ROSA PARKS. OH MY GOSH. UH, OH. SINGER, SINGER, SINGER. ELLA FITZGERALD. REMEMBER BECAUSE MY DAUGHTER SPECIFICALLY, SHE HAS A PRETTY PURPLE DRESS ON. BUT MY DAUGHTER LEARNED ABOUT ELLA FITZGERALD AFTER SCHOOL ACTUALLY, AND CAME HOME ALL EXCITED. I'M LIKE, HEY, LOOK WHO WE HAVE . AND THEN NAOMI O THE TENNIS PLAYER IS THE EIGHTH ONE THAT I MENTIONED THAT IS NOT A PART OF THE ASPIRING WOMEN'S COLLECTION, BUT WHEN YOU GO DOWN THERE, ALL THE DOLLS ARE ON DISPLAY. ON THE BACK OF EACH BOX IS KIND OF THE BIOGRAPHY FORM, WHICH I DIDN'T RETYPED AND PUT IT AT THE TOP SO FOLKS CAN GO BY AND READ AND LEARN ABOUT THESE AMAZING WOMEN IN HISTORY. SO IT'S A COLLECTION I USE, UM, NOT JUST WITH MY DAUGHTER, BUT ALSO WITH OUR GIRL SCOUTS THAT I VOLUNTEER WITH AND ANY OTHER YOUTH GROUP. I'M, AGAIN, REPRESENTATION REALLY MATTERS TO ME AND I'VE SEEN IT REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE, UM, IN TERMS OF JUST INSPIRING YOUNG WOMEN AND GIRLS AND WHO THEY CAN BE. YOU CAN SEE SOMEONE IN THAT ROLE, THEN YOU THEN KNOW THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY DO THAT AND ACHIEVE THAT, OR BE THE FIRST IF YOU DON'T, AS MY DAUGHTER AND I OFTEN TALK ABOUT, IF YOU DON'T SEE SOMEONE IN THE ROLE THAT YOU'RE DOING, THEN BE THE ONE TO DO IT. AND SO, VERY NICE. AND, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, AFTER THE VERY INSPIRING NARRATED AND PERSONAL TOUR, UM, WITH, WITH, UH, DR. ANDREW, DR. ANDREWS, UM, I, I SUGGESTED, I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN PULL THIS OFF S BUT MAYBE IF WE COULD WORK WITH LBTV AND, UH, IF THEY'RE FILM CREW COULD COME OUT AND ACTUALLY CAPTURE NARRAT, THERE'S A PLACE TO COME OUT ON THE 25TH. IS THAT WHAT, BECAUSE SHE SAID, I THINK YOU SAID YOU'VE GIVEN 20 TOURS ALREADY, BUT SHE CAN'T BE THERE AS MUCH AS SHE'D LIKE. SHE CAN'T BE THERE PERMANENTLY THROUGHOUT EACH DAY. BUT I THINK JUST HAVING THAT MAYBE ON A CONTINUOUS LOOP IN THE LOBBY, OR MAYBE IT'S A LINK ON OUR WEBSITE, BUT IT'S SO ENRICHING AND INSPIRING AND THANK YOU. AND EDUCATIONAL. UM, I JUST THOUGHT, UM, IT WAS A TREASURE TO SPEND THE TIME WITH YOU. I, I MET FOURTH STREET SENIOR CENTER QUITE OFTEN. UM, BUT THAT WAS PROBABLY THE BEST HOUR THAT I'VE EVER SPENT. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR COMING FOR YOUR CARING NATURE. BUT WHILE I WAS THERE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAD THE WHOLE SPECTRUM OF GOOD TO NEEDS IMPROVEMENT, BUT, UM, WE HAVE SOME CHALLENGES IN THE FACILITIES PROPERTY WITH, UM, LOITERING AND SOME ILLEGAL ACTIVITY, UM, AND ENCAMPMENT CHALLENGES, UH, AND JUST REALLY CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES WHICH ARE, ARE UNDESIRABLE. SO YESTERDAY, UM, TWO LONG BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT OFFICERS, UH, WITH, UH, VANESSA A PD VANESSA, SHE'S A NOTARY. SO THERE IS A FORMAL PROCESS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE NO LOITERING, UM, SIGNAGE POSTED FOR ENFORCEMENT, AND IT REQUIRES AN ANNUAL RENEWAL. SO THAT WAS THE PROCESS YESTERDAY. UH, AND THEY'RE GONNA BE ENFORCING THAT. UM, WHEN I GOT THERE, THERE WERE PROBABLY, ALTHOUGH I ALWAYS ENDANGER MYSELF BY TRYING TO TAKE A PICTURE OF THESE CHARACTERS BECAUSE THEY, YOU KNOW, FOR THEIR REASONS, DON'T LIKE THAT. BUT I DID. AND I THINK THERE WERE AT LEAST 12, MAYBE 15 AT ONE TIME THAT WERE SITTING ON A VERY LOW, UM, UNAPPRECIATED AND VERY ABUSED PLANTER WALL. UM, THAT SHOULD BE A BEAUTIFUL ELEMENT IN THE FRONT OF THE PROPERTY, BUT IT'S, IT'S A, A MAGNET OF TERRIBLE ACTIVITY. SO, UM, STAFF DID CALL, I THINK SEVERAL TIMES PD FINALLY ARRIVED, AND I'M NOT SURE WHERE THEY WENT, BUT BY, BY THE TIME, LIKE AROUND CORNER AROUND, WE JUST WENT AROUND THE CORNER. YEAH. SO IT, IT IS REALLY AN EMBEDDED CHALLENGE, BUT I'M THANKFUL THAT PD HAS IT ON THEIR RADAR [00:50:01] SCREEN TO HELP US. BUT AS I WAS SITTING IN MY CAR GETTING READY TO LEAVE, LOOKING DOWN THE BACK OF THE PROPERTY, WHICH WE'RE ALSO BEING ASKED TO TRY TO FENCE AND SECURE, WE HAVE 30 NEIGHBORS THAT HAVE OVERNIGHT PARKING PERMITS BECAUSE IT'S A PARKING IMPACTED NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH THAT'S KIND OF OUR WAY OF HELPING THE SITUATION. BUT BECAUSE THE LOT IS WIDE OPEN, PEOPLE USE THE BACKSIDE OF THE FACILITY FOR, AGAIN, UNDESIRABLE ACTIVITIES. SO WHILE I WAS THERE GETTING READY TO LEAVE, THERE WERE TWO INDIVIDUALS THAT OBVIOUSLY NOBODY HAS THREE BICYCLES AT ONCE. MM-HMM . UH, AND THERE, SO THERE WAS TWO PEOPLE WITH SIX BIKES UP AGAINST A LITTLE, UH, WALL. AND THEY WERE HANDING THEM OVER TO SOMEBODY ON THE OTHER SIDE. SO I TOOK A SERIES OF PICTURES AND, UM, I, I JUST THINK THERE'S JUST THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN AND AROUND THE FACILITY THAT ARE UNFORTUNATE AND WHETHER THINGS CAN BE, UM, CITED AND PROSECUTED. IT'S THE OTHER END OF THAT STORY. SO WE'RE TRYING TO DO OUR BEST. WE'RE LOOKING AT SOMEHOW, UH, DEVELOPING A, A GATED CONTROLLED ACCESS POINT. SO WHEN OUR PROGRAM'S IN AT EACH DAY, WE MIGHT HAVE TO WORK WITH PARK AMBASSADORS TO SOME EXTENT WHEN THEY MAKE THEIR ROUNDS TO YOU CLEAR AND LOCK UP OUR MINI PARTS AND OTHER PARTS THAT OUT GATE THAT, THAT MAY BE INCLUDED. BUT WE'RE REALLY STRUGGLING. SO IT'S UNFAIR FOR OUR SENIORS AND OUR STAFF TO COME TO THE FACILITY AND HAVE TO BE WORRIED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHO'S SLEEPING ON THE THRESHOLD OR WHO'S ENCAMPMENT IS BLOCKING, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC ACCESS. SO I WANTED TO ELEVATE THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION. IT'S SOMETHING THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HEAR ALMOST DAILY THE CHALLENGES, BUT WE'VE HAD, YOU KNOW, PHYSICAL VIOLENCE AND LOTS OF VERBAL ABUSE AND IT'S JUST VERY COMPLICATED THING. BUT WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH NOW PD AND THE HEALTH DEPARTMENTS HOMELESS SERVICES TEAM AND OUTREACH. UM, BUT YEAH, I JUST WANTED NOT, I'M NOT GONNA END MY COMMENTS ON THAT NOTE, BUT I WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, HIGHLIGHT THE POSITIVE THINGS. GREAT THINGS ARE HAPPENING, YOU KNOW, AT THE CENTER WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO WHEN 1 25 ELM STREET IS THE NEW SENIOR CENTER, UH, BUBBLES UP. WE HAVE HAD SOME UPDATES ON WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE JIMMY ZA CENTER IN SHEVA PARK. I ACTUALLY THOUGHT THAT SOME OF THE REPRESENTATIVES MIGHT COMMENT ON THIS. I WAS ON A LONG PHONE CALL YESTERDAY WITH, UH, A SENIOR CITIZEN THAT LIVES ACROSS THE STREET, AND SHE WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED AT, UM, OUR RELOCATION OF SOME OF OUR SENIOR PROGRAMS DOWN TO THE FOURTH STREET SENIOR CENTER. MOST OF OUR, UH, SENIORS THAT WERE ENJOYING PROGRAMS AT JENNY ZA HAVE GRACIOUSLY ENJOYED THE BIGGER COMMUNITY THERE. UH, WE ONLY HAD, I THINK, THREE TO SIX SENIORS THAT WOULD, YOU KNOW, OCCASIONALLY VISIT. SO IT WAS REALLY, YOU KNOW, MORE OF A ALIGN THE PROGRAM WITH THE AUDIENCE. SO, UM, BUT WE ALSO LEARNED THAT PUBLIC WORKS BECAUSE THERE'S AN IMMENSE AMOUNT OF RENOVATION WORK. UM, THE DESIGN OF THE FACILITY, YOU KNOW, YEARS AND YEARS AGO WAS SUCH THAT WHEN WEATHER'S IN CLEMENT, THE ROOF SYSTEM AND THE DRAINAGE SYSTEMS ARE PROBLEMATIC AND THEY'VE CAUSED A LOT OF, UH, WOOD ROT AND STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY CONCERNS. SO IT'S GONNA BE TAKEN OFFLINE FOR PROBABLY 18 MONTHS TO TWO YEARS FOR A MAJOR RENOVATION OR TO PUBLIC WORKS. WE'LL BE LEADING. BUT IN THE MEANTIME, GLADYS HAS BEEN WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY AND OUR STAFF TO LOOK AT RELOCATING SOME OF OUR YOUTH PARENT PROGRAMMING OVER TO DRAKE PARK. AND AS I MENTIONED, A LOT OF THE SENIOR PROGRAMS, UM, HAVE BEEN REALLY POSITIVE AT THE FOURTH STREET SENIOR CENTER. SO IN CASE YOU HEAR, YOU KNOW, ANY CONCERNS, RUMBLINGS OR ACCOLADES FROM HOW WE'RE TRYING TO MANAGE CHANGE, I JUST WANTED ALL OF YOU TO BE AWARE OF THAT. SO THAT WAS IMPORTANT. UH, SO IS THERE ANY EXPANSION OF THAT BUILDING OR IT'S JUST KIND OF GUTTING AND RIGHT AT THIS TIME? THAT'S THE PLAN. THERE WAS CONVERSATIONS WITH THAT POSSIBLY BEING THE LATINO CULTURAL CENTER. UH, BUT WE NEED TO HAVE A COMMUNITY CENTER FOR THAT COMMUNITY, UM, THAT'S THE MOST HIGHLY DENSELY POPULATED PART OF THE ENTIRE CITY OF LONG BEACH. SO WE WERE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, THE MASTER PLAN FOR THE DRINKS, CHAVE KIND OF BIG CORRIDOR. YEAH. CORRIDOR. UM, AT THE MTA LOT, THERE'S SOME EXISTING FACILITIES THAT WE'VE KIND OF CREATIVELY LOOKING AT. MAYBE ONE OF THEM COULD BE A NEW TEEN CENTER, UH, RIGHT NOW BECAUSE, UH, JANUARY PAYS THE CENTER KIND OF FIRES ON ALL CYLINDERS AND THERE'S SOME SCHEDULING CHALLENGES WITH CERTAIN BLOCKS OF TIME OR FOR SENIORS AND THERE'S AFTER SCHOOL AND THEN THERE'S SUMMER PROGRAMMING AND IT'S TRYING TO MEET ALL NEEDS IN A VERY SMALL FACILITY AS WELL AS HAVING COMMUNITY [00:55:01] MEETING SPACE, ET CETERA. SO, UM, I THINK WE CAN MAKE THE CASE, BUT OF COURSE IT WILL COME WITH SIGNIFICANT FUNDING REQUIREMENTS. BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT WILL BE A VERY COMPELLING PROJECT, I THINK A LOT OF GRANT, UM, GRANTING SOURCES AND STATE FUNDING, IF IT'S STILL THIS, UH, WHETHER FEDERAL FUNDING WILL, YOU KNOW, COME TO LONG BEACH. THAT'S STILL A BIG QUESTION. SO I WANTED TO KIND OF GIVE YOU THAT OVERVIEW. BUT, UM, A LOT OF THINGS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE ARE, ARE HAPPENING, BUT WE'RE ALSO DOING OUR BEST TO MANAGE CHANGE THAT AS YOU KNOW, CAN BE DIFFICULT. BUT, YOU KNOW, THE WEATHER'S REALLY GETTING, UM, UH, MORE INTO THE SPRING MODE AND THE PARKS ARE BUSY. UM, I KNOW THE, THE RAIN EVENTS, WHICH, YOU KNOW, WERE COMPLICATING AREAS WHERE THEY HAD BURNED SCARS IF LA PART OF THE CITY, UH, A LOT OF THE CITY STAFF HAVE BEEN, UM, HELPING OUT MUTUAL AID WISE WITH SOME OF THE COMMUNITIES, YOU KNOW, IN, UM, THE EATON AND PACIFIC, PALISADES AND PASADENA AREA. BUT, UM, THE REASON I SAID THAT IS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A VERY RESILIENT CITY BECAUSE OF THE STAFF, YOU KNOW, OUT ON THE BEACH WHERE I KNOW THAT'S MORE OF THE MARINE ADVISORY COMMITTEE. BUT, UM, OUR MARINE TEAM HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, WE'RE REINFORCING THE BEACHES, THE BURNS FOR PROTECTION. AND THEN, UM, WE DO HAVE A NUMBER OF FACILITIES THAT HAVE BEEN LEAKING WITH HEAVY RAIN. SO ERIC'S TEAM WORKS CLOSELY WITH PUBLIC WORKS TO TRY TO, TO TRY TO ADDRESS THAT. UM, MAYBE ON A HUMOROUS NOTE, GLADYS, UM, HAD QUITE A NUMBER OF CANDIDATES BEING INTERVIEWED ON A VERY RAINY DAY, AND THEY WERE IN OUR SMALL CONFERENCE ROOM AND WE DIDN'T HAVE TO BRING OUT UMBRELLAS, BUT WE HAD A NUMBER OF BUCKETS AND TRASH CANS THAT WERE TRYING TO CATCH THE, THE INTERIOR RAINFALL. BUT WE MADE IT THROUGH, AND I THINK YOU WANTED GIVE 'EM A TRUE DAY IN THE LIFE. IT WOULD'VE BEEN EPISODES FOR PARKS AND RECREATION THAT ONLY WE COULD RIGHT. BETTER. BUT IT, IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, THE OUTLOOK FOR SPRING IS REALLY A POSITIVE ONE. A LOT OF OPENING DAYS FOR LITTLE LEAGUE ARE HAPPENING. UM, AND AGAIN, IT IT'S ALL GOOD STUFF. AND, UM, I I CAN JUST THINK ABOUT 20 MORE THINGS TO SHARE WITH YOU, BUT, UM, IT'S THAT TIME OF THE YEAR, UH, KNOW STEVE'S TEAM, UH, AND AGAIN, HE COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY FOR FAMILY REASONS, BUT, UM, THE HR TEAM IS IN FULL GEAR TRYING TO BRING ONBOARDING A LOT OF PAT'S, UH, SUMMER STAFF AND TEAM. AND THAT'S IMPORTANT. I THINK AT OUR NEXT MEETING WE'LL BE ABLE TO INTRODUCE OUR NEW PARK DEVELOPMENT OFFICER. WE ARE ABLE TO DO THE FINAL INTERVIEWS, MADE AN OFFER TO THAT, UH, VERY PROFESSIONAL YOUNG LADY OF ALL THREE OF THE FINALISTS WHO ARE FEMALE. AND I ALWAYS SAY WOMEN ROLLING IN LONG BEACH RIGHT NOW, BUT WE'LL BE ANXIOUS TO BRING OUR PARTNER DEVELOPMENT OFFICER ONTO OUR TEAM AND SHE'LL BE WORKING CLOSELY WITH, SHE IS OUR PARTNERSHIP OFFICER AND ALSO ALEX, WHO'S OUR NEW GRANTS WRITER. SO THAT TEAM OF THREE WILL REALLY BE FOCUSING ON A LOT OF THE IMPORTANT COMMUNITY NEEDS AND LOOKING FOR, UM, FINALIZING PLANS AND ALL THAT. THERE'S, I CAN THINK OF A WHOLE BUNCH MORE THINGS, BUT AT THIS MOMENT, UM, MY REPORT STANDS UNLESS YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. CAN YOU, CAN YOU, UH, EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENT, OH, I'M SORRY. OH, NO, YEAH, GO AHEAD. OKAY. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A DEVELOPMENT OFFICER AND A GRANTS OFFICER. YEAH. SO THE PARK DEVELOPMENT OFFICER WILL TAKE THE LEAD IN EVERYTHING THAT, UH, IS KIND OF UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF, UH, PARK PLANNING, VISION PLANNING, MASTER PLANNING, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UM, IN TERMS OF, UM, CREATING ROADMAPS THAT ARE HELP DEVELOP OUR PARKS FURTHER. WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF BRAND NEW PARKS, BUT A LOT OF PARK IMPROVEMENTS OR EXPANSION OF OUR EXISTING FACILITIES. THAT PERSON, YOU KNOW, BE VERY WELL-VERSED IN THE PROCESS. YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES QUA IS, YOU KNOW, COMES INTO PLAY LIKE IF WE WANT TO ADD LIGHTS TO AN EXISTING, UM, ATHLETIC AREA THAT WOULD REQUIRE, UH, IMPORTANT STEPS LIKE THAT. SO IT'LL BE, UH, A SKILL SET THAT WE DEFINITELY NEED. UH, AND I'M REALLY THANKFUL THAT WHEN WE REALIGN PARK PLANNING PARTNERSHIPS OVER UNDER BUSINESS OPS, WHERE THEY USED TO BE THAT WE REPOSITIONED THE BUREAU MANAGER AS THE PARK DEVELOPMENT OFFICER. THANK YOU. AND THEN THE, THE GRANTS WRITER REALLY JUST DOES THAT ALWAYS RESEARCHING WHERE THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, NEW OR EXISTING, UM, GRANT OPPORTUNITIES ARE IN LINE WITH SOME OF OUR NEEDS. AND, UH, WE ALSO WORK WITH SA SARAH PATTERSON AT THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE. SHE OVERSEES ALL THE LEGISLATIVE, UH, AVENUES THAT LINK FEDERAL, STATE, COUNTY, AND OTHER REGIONAL RESOURCES TO HELP MATCH UP WITH OUR NEEDS. SO, UM, BUT ALEX WOULD BE KIND OF FOCUSED ON THOSE, EXCUSE ME, THOSE KIND OF GRANTS. THANK YOU. I'M SORRY, COMMISSIONER CHAVEZ. YEAH. TWO QUESTIONS. UH, ONE, I KNOW, UH, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT I BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS RECENTLY AN UPDATE WITH THE BELMONT POOL, [01:00:01] UH OH, A COMMUNITY MEETING. YEAH. SO COULD YOU DO ANYTHING ABOUT, IF, IF YOU OR YOUR STAFF HAVE ANY HIGHLIGHTS FROM THAT OR, YEAH, I CAN DO THAT. I WAS AT THAT MEETING. IT WAS VERY WELL ATTENDED. I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE THAT WERE REALLY INVOLVED EARLY ON, YOU KNOW, THEIR EXPECTATIONS OF WHAT THE BELMONT OR AQUATIC CENTER WERE SUPPOSED TO BE, WERE LIKE THIS BIG. AND BECAUSE TIME HAS CHANGED AND FUNDING HAS BEEN THE MAJOR FACTOR IN SOME VALUE ENGINEERING AND DOWNSIZING. UH, AND THEN ALSO WITH SOME OF THE COASTAL COMMISSION REQUIREMENTS WHERE THERE IS SOME ELEMENT OF DISAPPOINTMENT. BUT I THINK GENERALLY THE COMMUNITY'S EXCITED TO HEAR THAT PUBLIC WORKS HAS SOME PRE-QUALIFIED CONTRACTORS THAT ARE GONNA BE, UM, SUBMITTING BIDS AS THE, THE BID DOCUMENTS ARE FINALIZED. THERE IS ANOTHER STEP AT COASTAL COMMISSION, BUT I KNOW GLASS'S TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING WITH, UM, THE BIGGER CITY TEAM IN TERMS OF, UM, ACCESS FOR EQUITY REASONS. SO WE HAVE TO HAVE A PLAN THAT WE CAN BRING, YOU KNOW, ALL, UM, CORNERS OF THE COMMUNITY SOMEHOW TO DEVELOPMENT POOL, SO THEY HAVE A FAIR AND EQUAL ACCESS TO THAT. UM, ON THE POOL FRONT, IF YOU OBLIGE TO ME, SO WE ALSO, OUR MAJOR RENOVATION WORK WITH MARTIN LUTHER KING POOL. SO A LOT OF THE PROGRAMMING, UH, THAT HAD BEEN SCHEDULED AND, UM, UM, VALUED AT KING, WE TRANSFERRED OVER TO SILVERADO. AND THAT'LL BE ABOUT, PROBABLY MORE THREE AND A HALF MONTHS NOW, BUT IT WAS ABOUT A FOUR MONTH WINDOW. AND THEN THAT'LL BE A HUGE CELEBRATION TO SEE THE VAST IMPROVEMENTS AT MARTIN LUTHER KING PARK. OKAY. AND THE SECOND QUESTION, IF YOU, IF YOU, UH, DON'T MIND THE CHAIR, UH, I KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF, UH, CONTROVERSY RELATING TO, UH, ASBESTOS CONTAMINATION AT, UH, THE COLORADO LAGOON. UH, OBVIOUSLY AT THIS POINT, THAT'S MORE OF A PUBLIC'S WORK, PUBLIC WORKS ISSUE SINCE THEY'RE THE ONES DOING, YOU KNOW, OVERSEEING THE, THE CONSTRUCTION WORK GOING ON. UH, BUT HAS THAT HAD ANY SORT OF, UH, IMPACT OR, UH, ALTERATION OF PLANS, UH, FROM THE PARKS DEPARTMENT'S PERSPECTIVE? UM, WE'RE NOT THAT INVOLVED, AS YOU MENTIONED, THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT'S MANAGING THAT. UM, I DID ATTEND THE COMMUNITY UPDATE MEETING THAT WAS PRESENTED BY COUNCIL DISTRICT THREE AND PUBLIC WORKS AND THEIR CONSULTANT TEAM AT RECREATION PARK AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER. LAST NIGHT, 160 PEOPLE ATTENDED. THEY TRIED TO OFFER STREAMING SERVICES AND THERE WAS SOME DISCONNECTS THERE. THERE WERE OVER, EXCUSE ME, OVER A HUNDRED PEOPLE THAT HAD SIGNED UP TO PARTICIPATE THROUGH STREAMING AND WOW. I'M SURE THEY WERE DISAPPOINTED. UM, IT WAS MANAGED QUITE WELL. THE, THE UPDATE WAS VERY, UM, INFORMATIVE. I THINK MOST PEOPLE STAYED UNTIL THEY HEARD THE SCHEDULE AND THEN THEY LEFT , UH, THE PEOPLE THAT, UH, WANTED TO HAVE QUESTIONS, UM, ANSWERED. THEY, THERE WAS A, LIKE A SPEAKER SLIP AND HE WROTE YOUR QUESTIONS OUT AND THEY, THEY SCREENED THEM AND KIND OF PUT THEM IN CATEGORIES SO THAT IT WAS VERY EFFICIENT. THEY DID, UM, WHY DO I SAY BUILD DOWN MUTE? THEY DIDN'T PASS THE MICROPHONE AROUND THE AUDIENCE TO JUST LET FREE QUESTIONS COME UP. BUT I'LL HAVE TO SAY AT THE END, THERE WAS A CONSTRUCTION WORKER THAT, UM, WAS INVOLVED ON THE PROPERTY WHEN THERE WAS SOME TESTING THAT INDICATED IT COULD BE ASBESTOS IN THE PROPERTY. AND THERE WAS A LOT OF TESTING. AND THAT BECAME KIND OF A HEATED MOMENT BECAUSE THEY WERE ASKING QUESTIONS TO THE PUBLIC WORKS TEAM AND THE CONSULTANTS THAT THEY HAD BEEN ADVISED NOT TO ANSWER BECAUSE THEY WERE STILL DOING TESTING AND INVESTIGATIONS, BUT THE PRESENCE OF ASBESTOS IS A CONCERN. THE GENTLEMAN THAT WAS VERY AGGRESSIVE, UM, SAID THAT THEY WERE DIRECTED AS CONTRACTORS TO BURY THOSE SPOILS ON A HILL. AND SO THAT'S WHY EVERYBODY GOT THE GAG ORDER. THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE ENGAGING OR RESPONDING TO THINGS THAT WERE STILL BEING STUDIED OR INVESTIGATED. BUT AS A PARKS DEPARTMENT, WE'LL CERTAINLY BE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT CONDITION THE PARK THAT WILL BE EXPECTED TO MAINTAIN AND PROGRAMMED WHAT CONDITION IT IS IN. GREAT. SO, BUT YEAH, UM, THAT WAS A VERY TIMELY QUESTION SINCE THAT CAME UP JUST LAST NIGHT. I I, I APPRECIATE THAT THAT RESPONSE. AGAIN, I KNOW IT'S NOT NECESSARILY UNDER OUR PERV, BUT, UH, YOU ARE RIGHT. NOT JUST FROM A PARK VISITOR POINT OF VIEW, BUT ALSO FROM A PARK EMPLOYEE POINT. RIGHT, EXACTLY. YEAH, EXACTLY. THAT'D BE ANOTHER HUGE PROJECT. AND THAT'S ACTUALLY THE BIGGEST, UM, WHAT THEY CALL IT, BUT BIGGEST PUBLIC SPACE PROJECT THAT LONG BEACH HAS, I GUESS, EMBARKED UPON. SO THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER LIVINGSTON? OH, I'M SORRY. ON THE POOL I WENT TO THAT I WOULD CHARACTERIZE IT AS CONTENT, BUT NOT OVERWHELMINGLY EXCITED, [01:05:01] BUT THAT'S A GOOD DESCRIPTION. THANK YOU. ONE THING, ONE THING THAT I NEVER REALLY GOT, IN MY OPINION, A, A CLEAR ANSWER FROM ERIC OR ANYBODY, THERE HAS TO BE MORE FUNDING BEFORE IT CAN START. YES. IS THAT ACCURATE? YEAH. SO I HEARD 8 MILLION, I HEARD 10 MILLION. SO THEY DO HAVE THE ABILITY TO GO TAKE MORE TIDELANDS MONIES, BUT THAT'S ALSO VERY CONTROVERSIAL. 'CAUSE I THINK THE FORECAST THAT IN THE NEXT COUPLE YEARS, THE CITY'S GOING TO INTENTIONALLY START WEANING ITSELF OFF OF THE RELIANCE ON THE OIL BARREL TAX REVENUES THAT FUND TIDE. SO YEAH, THAT, THAT'S THE HONESTY THERE ARE, BUT I THINK GOING TO COASTAL CAN HAPPEN WITHOUT THAT FUNDING, BUT THE PROJECT WITHOUT THE, YEAH, I GUESS LEGALLY THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO START ENTERING INTO A PROJECTS CONTRACT WORK UNTIL THERE'S AN ASSURED THE FUNDING AMOUNT OF MONEY THERE. AND THEN IS THE GRANT WRITER A FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE OR, YES. COOL. THANK YOU. AND YOU KNOW WHAT? WE MAY BRING ALEX WITH OUR, UM, PARK DEVELOPMENT OFFICER TO THE NEXT MEETING. I THINK IT'S GOOD BECAUSE THOSE ARE KEY POSITIONS AND FROM TIME TO TIME THEY BE ASKED TO MAKE A PRESENTATION. SO THE MORE FAMILIAR YOU ARE WITH OUR TEAM, I THINK THE BETTER OFF WE'LL BE. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER ARIAT SMITH. YEAH, I'M CURIOUS, I'M LOOKING AT THE, UM, YOUR LITTLE PACKET HERE FOR THE SUMMER DAY CAMPS. I DON'T SEE ANYTHING FOR DOWNTOWN, ANY SITES FOR DOWNTOWN. SO I'M CURIOUS WHAT'S GONNA GO ON FOR SUMMER, FOR DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH? SO, THAT IS VERY GOOD QUESTION. WE HAVE AWESOME, UM, PROGRAMS THAT ARE GOING ON IN OUR DOWNTOWN AREA. SO RIGHT NOW, THOSE PARKS REFLECT, UH, C CHAVEZ, I MEAN, DEPENDS ON HOW VERY YOU GO DOWN DRAKE PARK. UM, LINCOLN PARK. SO WHAT WE HAVE THERE IS SIMILAR TO DAY CAMP, BUT IT'S A FREE PROGRAM. UM, IT'S CALLED SUMMER FUN DAYS. UM, SO WE DO THOSE, UM, ON THROUGH THE 10 WEEKS OF SUMMER AS WELL AS OTHER PROGRAMS. UM, WE HAVE OUR TEAM PROGRAMS, WE HAVE OUR YOUTH SPORTS PROGRAM, WE HAVE OUR SUMMER FOOD PROGRAM. UM, YOU'LL SEE GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR LIBRARY TO BRING THEIR READING PROGRAMS OUT TO US. IS IT, I I'M JUST CURIOUS WHY WE DON'T HAVE LIKE, ONE OF THESE PROGRAMS. SO WE'VE DONE IT IN THE PAST AND UNFORTUNATELY THE, THE ATTENDANCE THAT WE GET, UM, IS NOT VIABLE TO THE PROGRAM. OKAY. SO FOUR FEET. AND THEN, UM, HOW LONG AGO DID WE DO ONE LIKE THIS? UM, SO WE DID A PILOT PROGRAM. SO WE NOT ONLY AT THE DOWNTOWN AREA, BUT WE ALSO DID IT UP NORTH, UM, LIKE AT HOWTON PARK. UM, AND I APOLOGIZE, THERE WAS ONE OTHER SITE WE DID, AND THEN JUST THE ATTENDANCE, UM, WITH SCHOLARSHIP JUST WASN'T VIABLE. WE DIDN'T, WE DIDN'T, WE LITERALLY GOT LESS THAN A HANDFUL OF OKAY. NO, I WAS JUST CURIOUS WHEN YOU DID IT. YEAH. UM, I HAD TO LOOK AT THOSE DATES OKAY. TO SEE. BUT I KNOW IT'S, IT WAS RIGHT PRIOR TO COVID AND DURING COVID. OKAY. UM, BUT WE, WE DEFINITELY WORK HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR PROGRAMS ARE REFLECTIVE THROUGHOUT THE CITY. UM, AND JUST SOMETIMES THEY JUST ARE, ARE NOT SUCCESSFUL THERE. OKAY. THANK YOU. SO WE DO OFFER, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WE DO OFFER PROGRAMS, JUST NOT THE CUSTODIAL DAY CAMP PROGRAM. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD QUESTION COMMISSIONER. ONE MORE NOTE TO THAT. BUT IT IS REFLECTIVE THAT THE PARTICIPANTS FROM DOWNTOWN DO PARTICIPATE IN OUR OTHER PROGRAMS. OFTEN THEY'RE, UM, SO WE TRACK THAT OFTEN THEIR PARENTS, UM, YOU KNOW, PASS YOU ONE OF THESE FACILITIES ON THE WAY TO WORK. UM, SO IT WORKS OUT REALLY WELL FOR THEM. OKAY. THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW. AND I ASK BECAUSE PEOPLE ASK ME AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I'M REPEATING THE CORRECT INFORMATION BACK TO PEOPLE, AND SO THAT THAT WAY THEY CANNOT JUST AUTOMATICALLY ASSUME IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S NOT AN EQUITY ISSUE. AND THEN I CAN SAY LIKE, HEY, HERE'S THE REALITY. AND SO THAT'S HELPFUL. AND COMMISSIONERS, AND WE'LL WORK THROUGH OUR TEAM HERE IS GETTING YOU GUYS A PACKET OF OUR INFORMATION. SO YOU COULD HAVE READILY AVAILABLE, UM, INFORMATION THAT YOU COULD EITHER LINK THEM TO, OR I'M STILL OLD FASHIONED IN THE HARD COPY . UM, AND HERE IT IS AND CONNECT ONE OF WITH OUR AWESOME TEAM MEMBERS. AND WE COULD, 'CAUSE SOMETIMES IT'S, IT'S NOT ABOUT, UM, A PARENT GETTING A FLYER OR A PARENT GETTING THE LINK THROUGH THE SCHOOL. IT'S ABOUT THAT CONNECTIVITY THAT THEY'LL BE LEAVING THEIR, THEIR CHILDREN, UM, AND THEIR LOVED ONES IN THE CARE OF ONE OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. CAN I JUST ADD TO THAT REAL QUICK? OH, YOU WANNA JUST ON THAT ONE TOPIC. I, I WAS GONNA SAY THAT THE ONLY THING I THINK MAYBE TO ADD TO BEST CONVERSATION IS, UH, 'CAUSE I THINK ON ITS FACE, THE, THE PROMOTION LOOKS LIKE THAT THERE'S AN ABSENCE OF WHICH IS VERY CLEAR THAT IT'S NOT. SO I JUST WONDER IF IN OUR PROMOTIONS THERE'S WAYS TO ALSO SAY, YOU KNOW, QR CODE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES OR PROGRAMS DOWNTOWN. YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT, BECAUSE AGAIN, I, I LOOK AT THE FLYER AND SEE KIND OF THE SAME THING. LIKE, OH WOW, THERE'S PARKS MISSING, BUT THERE'S REALLY NOT. IT'S JUST OBVIOUSLY WE CAN'T PUT EVERYTHING ON ONE FLYER. BUT I WONDER NO, I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THAT, BECAUSE IF WE ALREADY HAVE THEIR ATTENTION, LET'S DRAW IT TO THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE HAVE. YEAH. THAT MIGHT BE FREE OR REDUCED AND AVAILABLE AND, AND FOLKS CAN GET TO. ABSOLUTELY. THANK [01:10:01] YOU, COMMISSIONER. YEAH. UM, SO JUST LOOKING AT OUR, WE CREATE COMMUNITY, UM, I NOTICED, BRENT, THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE, UH, THE CASHLESS PARK ENTRY PAYMENT. ANYTIME WE, ANYTIME SOMETHING GOES CASHLESS, THERE'S ALWAYS KIND OF A QUESTION ABOUT, UM, EQUITY AND ACCESS. SO I'M WONDERING IF THERE'S BEEN ANY REPORTS BACK, IF THAT'S BEEN TRACKED AT ALL, ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S BEEN A BARRIER FOR, UM, FOR ATTENDANCE FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO COME INTO THE PARKS IF THEY DON'T HAVE CASH. YEAH. SO LET ME FIRST START WITH WHY THAT, UM, CHANGE OCCURRED. SO WE HAD AN UNFORTUNATE, UM, ROBBERY BY GUNPOINT FROM ONE OF OUR STAFF AT THE EL DORADO REGIONAL PARK, THE EAST SIDE. AND, UM, THAT TRIGGERED VERY SERIOUS CONSIDERATIONS ABOUT WHAT SHOULD WE DO FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR STAFF PRIMARILY, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, OTHER VISITORS, YOU KNOW, HAVING THAT TYPE OF THING. SO, UM, WE DID TAKE A REPRIEVE. WE BASICALLY JUST ALLOWED PEOPLE TO COME IN FREELY FOR A NUMBER OF DAYS, UH, TO THAT OUR STAFF HAD SOME ES EMPLOYEE ASSISTANT PROGRAM, UM, SUPPORT, UH, FOR THEM. UM, WE DID DISCUSS THIS WITH THE CITY MANAGER. ALMOST EVERY OTHER CITY SERVICE HAS GONE CASHLESS, YOU KNOW, IN THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS. I THINK WE WERE PROBABLY THE ANOMALY, BUT WE DID, UM, CRAFT THE ABILITY AT ALL OF OUR LOCATIONS TO STILL BE ABLE TO TAKE CASHLESS NOT AS DIRECTLY CONVENIENT, BUT PEOPLE, UM, AT BOTH THE TICKET BOOTH FOR THE REGIONAL PARK CAN BE, UM, GUIDED OVER TO EITHER THE NATURE CENTER OR THE, THE FORMER PARK RANGER STATION AND STAFF HAS THE ABILITY TO STILL ACCOMMODATE THAT. BUT IT WAS REALLY AN IMPORTANT CHANGE. I THINK. I HAVE NOT HEARD ANY COMPLAINTS FROM THE PUBLIC. AND I CHECKED IN WITH MEGAN BASICALLY OVERSEES ALL OF THE STAFF THERE AND, AND JOY, AND THEY, THEY'VE SAID THEY, EARLY ON, PEOPLE WERE A BIT SURPRISED MM-HMM . BUT IN GENERAL, PEOPLE GET IT. I THINK OUT IN THE GREATER WORLD, THAT'S KIND OF THE WAY OF THE WORLD. SO WE'RE MAYBE CATCHING UP IN THAT REGARD. BUT YEAH, WE'VE KEPT EQUITY AND ACCESSIBILITY IN MIND. SO WE'VE ALWAYS HAD, AT BOTH THOSE SITES AS WELL AS THE POOLS, IT WAS ALL THREE OF THE POOLS LIKE CASHLESS. UH, BUT I'M GLAD YOU RAISED THAT, 'CAUSE THAT THAT PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN ANOTHER POINT THAT I WAS, YOU KNOW, INCLUDING IN THE UPDATE. WELL, I, I REMEMBER WHEN YOU BROUGHT, WHEN, UH, THE ROBBERY FIRST HAPPENED. YES. AND I THINK YOU MENTIONED THAT THE EMPLOYEE THAT WAS ON DUTY WAS, UH, WAS A YOUNG WOMAN, WAS MM-HMM . SO I, I ALSO WANTED TO CHECK IN AND SEE, IS SHE DOING OKAY, IS THE CITY PROVIDER? YEAH. IT WASN'T BECAUSE OF THE SITUATION, BUT SHE HAS FOUND A POSITION IN ANOTHER AGENCY, WHICH WE'RE HAPPY FOR HER CAREER PATH, BUT YEAH, IT WASN'T AT ALL, AND SHE MADE THAT CLEAR TO US. OKAY. THAT IT WAS JUST A WEIRD COINCIDENCE. BUT YEAH, BECAUSE I, I, I'M SURE THAT WAS A REALLY TRAUMATIC EVENT FOR HER. SO I CAN'T SPEAK ON BEHALF OF HER FEEDBACK. AND THE BROADER TEAM, THEY GREATLY APPRECIATED THE IMMEDIATE, UM, RESPONSE OF SUPERVISION AND THE EAP PROGRAMMING. UH, DEREK LAW WITH, UH, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT CAME IN AND DID AN AMAZING, UM, VERY EMPATHETIC, GOOD LISTENER TYPE, UM, HOUR PLUS TIME WITH THE STAFF. UM, SO I, I THINK, YOU KNOW, GLADYS TOOK A REALLY IMPORTANT LEADERSHIP ROLE WITH HER SUPERVISORS TO JUST STEP IN AND DO EVERYTHING WE NEEDED TO SUPPORT THE SITUATION. SO, THANK YOU. SO WE, WE PROVIDED ONSITE COUNSELING ON EITHER PROVIDED AS IT WAS DONE AS A GROUP, UM, LIKE BRENT MENTIONED THROUGH OUR SAFETY OFFICE CAME IN, UM, TO SPEAK TO THE GROUP. WE BROUGHT IN A COUNSELOR PROVIDED ONE-ON-ONE AS WELL AS GROUP, UM, WORKING WITH PD, UM, TO, UM, PROVIDE STAFF WITH BETTER GUIDANCE, UH, OR STRONGER GUIDANCE ON RECOGNIZING, YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT THEY MIGHT NOT SEE IN TRAINING, UM, AS WELL AS THE DEESCALATION TRAINING. UM, BUT ALTHOUGH, LIKE BRETT SAID, CASHLESS, THERE IS AN OPTION. UM, WE DON'T TURN AWAY ANYONE FROM THE PARK TO GO TO THE, UM, WHAT WE STILL CALL, ALWAYS CALL THE OLD RANGER STATION . UM, I'M THERE AS WELL AS IN THE, UM, IN THE NATURE CENTER. SO, AND THEN THE SAME AT THE POOLS, UM, RIGHT. AND DIRECTLY IN FRONT IS CASHLESS, BUT YOU CAN GO TO THE POOL OFFICE. UM, AND CASH IS ALWAYS AN OPTION. GREAT. OR ENCOURAGED TO BUY PEOPLE TO BUY ANNUAL PASSES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UM, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? AND, UH, WE HAD A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER SHOT WITH CHAVEZ, RIGHT? WAS COMMISSIONER ALLEN CHAVEZ. THANK YOU. SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER HIGA. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THANK YOU. THAT PASSES THE LAST ITEM, ITEM NUMBER SIX, RECOMMENDATION TO DISCUSS POTENTIAL AGENDA ITEMS FOR FUTURE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION MEETINGS. UH, MAY I HAVE A, A THANK YOU COMMISSIONER ALLEN. AND WE NEED A SECOND. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER LIVINGSTON. AND COMMISSIONER LIVINGSTON. COULD YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT, PLEASE? SURE. THANK YOU. SO THIS WAS ANOTHER THING THAT THE FORMER EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, [01:15:01] UH, RECOMMENDED AND ASKED STAFF TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE CLERK AND WITH THE ATTORNEY ON HOW WE AS COMMISSIONERS COULD BRING UP AGENDA ITEMS IN A FORMAL MANNER. SO THIS WILL BE ON EVERY AGENDA AT THE END. IT IS A PLACE FOR US TO BRING QUESTIONS OR PROPOSE OR REQUEST FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. UH, IF SOMETHING COMES UP IN THE PUBLIC THAT WE HANDLE, THAT'S SOMETHING GOOD TO TALK ABOUT. SO I WOULD ASK IF YOU COULD GO BACK TO THE CLERK AND ASK IF THERE'S A WAY IN OUR SYSTEM TO HAVE THIS BE AFTER PUBLIC COMMENT. BECAUSE IF SOMETHING CAME UP IN PUBLIC COMMENT TO THEN WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT MONTH TO BRING IT UP, AND THEN THE FOLLOWING MONTH TO HAVE AN, SO I DON'T KNOW IF THEIR SYSTEM CAN DO THAT, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING, UH, AND THEN WHEN IT HAPPENS, IT WOULDN'T BE DISCUSSION OF THE TOPIC OTHER THAN MAYBE STAFF SAYING, OKAY, WHAT EXACTLY DO YOU WANT THIS ITEM TO ADDRESS OR ASK OR COVER? SO THAT'S JUST KIND OF WHAT THAT IS. SO IF ANYBODY HAS ANYTHING THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE AS A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM, THIS WOULD BE WHERE WE CAN BRING THAT UP IN A PUBLIC PROCESS RATHER THAN JUST CONTACTING BRAD OR, OR SOMEBODY LIKE THAT. GREAT POINT. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANY COMMENT OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT FROM THE PUBLIC? THANK YOU HEARING THAT. YES. ? WELL, I HAVE A COUPLE IDEAS. MAYBE. SO THAT CAN BE REFERRED TO COMMITTEE. UH, FIRST IS, UM, ONE, UH, AT THE STATE LEVEL, YOU'D HAVE THE SMALL OFF-ROAD ENGINE, UH, REGULATION, WHICH IS GOING TO BASICALLY FACILITATE OR REALLY PUSH FOR A TRANSITION TO ZERO EMISSIONS, LAWN CARE EQUIPMENT AND GARDENING EQUIPMENT. I THINK, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTANDING HOW THAT REGULATION, WHICH WILL DISCLOSURE MY EMPLOYER SUPPORTED, UH, , UH, HOW THAT REGULATION, UH, MAY IMPACT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AND WHAT, UH, CAN BE DONE EARLY ON FOR COMPLIANCE. THAT MIGHT BE, UH, SOMETHING TO, TO CONSIDER. UM, I KNOW EARLY ON DISABILITY ACCESS AT, AT, UH, PARK FURNITURE, WHICH I BROUGHT UP. FLOOR PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT, UH, COULD BE, UH, ANOTHER OPTION. . AND, UH, THE LAST ONE, MAYBE I CAN BRING THAT UP. IS HE BRINGING, HE'S BRINGING A TOX. YEP. WHICH IS PESTICIDE USAGE AT PARK, THE PARKS TOO. PESTICIDE, HERBICIDES, THAT SORT OF STUFF. I THINK I CAN SAY THIS. I, TWO OF THOSE SOUND LIKE SOMETHING THAT COULD BE IN OUR NEW SUBCOMMITTEE. AND THEN THAT WOULD ALSO, THE COMMITTEES WOULD ALSO BE A WAY TO BRING SOMETHING UP, THE WHOLE COMMISSION. GREAT. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER. COMMISSIONER ALLEN. YEAH, TWO THINGS THAT, UM, JUST AS IDEAS TO BRING UP. I KNOW I'VE MENTIONED IT BEFORE, BUT, UH, AN UPDATE IN A REPORT ON OUR PARK EQUITY REPORT, UM, AND GETTING A PRESENTATION ON, ON WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THAT AND WHAT THE KIND OF CURRENT STATUS AND UPDATES ARE. UM, AND THEN I KNOW OUR ANIMAL CARE SERVICES DOESN'T HAVE A COMMISSION HOME, BUT MAYBE HAVING A REPORT HERE SO THAT WE, WE HAVE A DEEPER DIVE INTO WORK AND THE WAYS THAT WE CAN BE SUPPORTIVE AND HELPFUL, UM, IN MAYBE ADOPTING THEM WORK FOR, FOR US, OR THINGS THAT WE CAN BE, UH, AWARE OF. CAN THAT BE A SHOW AND TELL TOO, WHERE YOU BRING, I MEAN, I'M HAPPY TO TAKE A TOUR OVER THERE. I MEAN, WE MIGHT ALL WALK OUT WITH NEW, WITH NEW NEW FAMILY MEMBERS, . OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? OKAY. WE'VE HAD A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER ALLEN, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER LIVINGSTON. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? THANK YOU. THAT PASSES. WE NOW HAVE TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, , BUT THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION ON NON AGENDA ITEMS. EACH SPEAKER IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES TO MAKE THEIR COMMENTS, UNLESS EXTENDED BY THE CHAIR. DR. ANDREWS, THANK SO MUCH, UM, THAT I SAID, I'M A CITIZEN OF LONG BEACH. I'VE LIVED HERE 20 YEARS. I'M VERY ACTIVE IN THE SENIOR CENTER. AND I REALIZE BEING THERE OVER LUNCH, WHICH NEEDS A MENU ADJUST, BUT THAT THERE ARE SOME MEN NOMINAL PEOPLE, AND YOU ARE WASTING A RESOURCE, WHICH IS SENIORS OVER 70 LIKE ME, WHO HOLD MULTIPLE DEGREES AND PHENOMENAL LIFE EXPERIENCE. SO THIS PROGRAM CAME OUT FROM LUNCH FROM THOSE SENIORS. IT'S BEEN DESIGNED AND RUN COMPLETELY BY THE MEMBERS OF THE SENIOR COMMUNITY WITH THE COMPLETE SUPPORT OF DANA CLARK AND HER STAFF. AND SO THAT I THINK IS UNIQUE. AND THAT IS A PARADIGM THAT WE LOOK AT. WE HAVE TEACHERS, DOCTORS, NURSES, FORMER JUDGES THAT COME TO THE SENIOR CITIZEN CENTER TO PLAY PICKLEBALL AND HAVE LUNCH. AND WHEN WE GET TOGETHER, THAT'S SUCH A POWERFUL [01:20:01] FORCE THAT NO ONE IS RECOGNIZING AND NO ONE IS USING. SO WE HAD THE NERVE TO PUT TOGETHER THIS PROGRAM. WE HAVE OTHERS COMING. PUT TOGETHER THIS PROGRAM WITH NO FUNDING, ZERO FUNDING. WOW. WE FUNDED IT OURSELVES, WHICH IS KIND OF STUPID FOR PEOPLE ON, WE DO ON, YOU KNOW, INCOME, FIXED INCOME. AND THAT'S OUR BIG PROBLEM WITH THE COMPLETE SUPPORT OF MS. CLARK. I WROTE A PROPOSAL, WHICH IS WHAT I USED TO DO WHEN I WAS DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT OF L-A-U-S-D, SO I KNOW HOW TO WRITE A PROPOSAL. AND WE WENT THROUGH IT. SHE ACCEPTED IT. WE HAD ACTIVITIES EVERY WEEK. WE HAD AFRO-CENTRIC BINGO. WE SAW A MOVIE. WE HAD JUST DOMINO TOURNAMENTS WELL ATTENDED. AND THIS ART SHOW, THE ART SHOW IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE ARTISTS ARE OF A VERY HIGH LEVEL AND THEY COME FROM LONG BEACH AND THEY'RE SEEN ALL OVER THE WORLD, BUT NOT AT HOME. AND SO I, WHAT I WANT FROM YOU IS YOUR TIME. COME TO OUR FINAL PERFORMANCE, WHICH IS ON THE 28TH, WHICH IS PERFORMED BY SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE PROFESSIONAL ACTORS, GRADUATED FROM LONG BEACH STATE IN TELEVISION, IN MOVIES, IN OUR SHAKESPEARE COMPANY THAT ARE GOING TO SHOW, UH, PIECES FROM SHAKESPEARE AND FENCES AND SONGS AND COMEDIES AND ALL THAT STUFF. AND FOR WITH AFRICAN DRUMMERS ON THE 28TH, WE'VE FIGURED OUT HOW TO FEED EVERYBODY AFROCENTRIC FOOD. IT IS NOT TOO WEIRD. IT IS MAC AND CHEESE. DID YOU KNOW THAT WAS AFROCENTRIC AND ICE CREAM? OH MY GOD. BUT ANYWAY, I WANT YOUR TIME AND I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE US. WE ARE NOT JUST A PROBLEM. WE ARE A RESOURCE. WE ARE, YOU ARE STANDING ON OUR SHOULDERS. DON'T OVERLOOK US. DON'T PAT US ON THE HEAD. AND THIS PROGRAM, WHICH WAS WONDERFULLY DONE, UM, I WILL GO SEND YOU THROUGH THE MUSEUM. IT'LL BE THERE FOR TWO MORE WEEKS. YOU JUST HAVE TO GIVE ME SOME TIME. AND YOU'LL FIND, UH, TOOK THE TIME AND CAME, UH, YOUR DIRECTOR, I'M SO HONORED AND WENT THROUGH WITH ARTISTS FROM LONG BEACH STATE. OUR KITCHEN LADY IS A RENOWNED DOLL MAKER. SHE PASSES OUT THE, UM, THE SOUP, BUT HER DOLLS ARE SHOWN AT THE WILLIAM GRANT STEEL CENTER. AND THEY'RE IN OUR, AND THEN OTHER ARTISTS, INCLUDING MY SISTER BATIKS FROM BAKINA FASO. ALL THIS AFRICAN ART IN THIS SMALL SPACE IS THERE. AND I'D LIKE YOU TO LET ME KNOW YOU WANNA COME THROUGH. IT ONLY TAKES A HALF AN HOUR AND IT'S EXCITING AND IT'S FUN. AND IT'S LONG BEACH PEOPLE GENERATED BY SENIORS. OKAY. DON'T PAT US ON THE HEAD. REMEMBER, WE'RE WALKING SLOWER. BUT IF WE STILL HAVE OUR BRAIN, IT IS OF USE. AND A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH, WE'VE ALREADY DONE THAT. MM-HMM . SO I THANK YOU. I THANK YOU. FOR, FOR ME, IT'S BEEN A REALLY HARD TIME. INDIVIDUALLY, I HAD TO RETIRE BECAUSE I HAD HEART SURGERY AND LOST ALMOST ALL OF MY FAMILY TO COVID. SO THE SENIOR CENTER HAS BECOME MY NEW FAMILY, AND WE GO TO LUNCH, WE DO STUFF, AND WE CREATE PROGRAMS LIKE THIS. AND ALL WE'RE ASKING YOU TO DO IS COME, COME AND SEE THE ART SHOW, COME TO THE PERFORMANCE. AND, UH, THAT, THAT'S MY THREE MINUTES. AND I'M PROUD TO SAY I AM THE ONLY PERSON FROM THE CITY OF LONG BEACH THAT HAS RECENTLY RECEIVED AN AWARD FROM THE GETTY FOUNDATION AS PART OF LA COUNTY'S 100, UH, OUTSTANDING ARTISTS. AND MY PICTURES IN THE LA LIBRARY AND ALL THAT. AND THAT'S A MAJOR HONOR FOR ME AS AN AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN OF HUMBLE BACKGROUND. THERE WERE LIKE 5,000 PEOPLE IN THE MIX. THEY PICKED 100. AND I'M ONE OF THOSE. AND I'M IN LONG BEACH. DR. ANDREWS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION. YOU'RE WELCOME. AND THE, UH, FLYER. YES MA'AM. CAN I MAKE A SUGGESTION? IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COME OVER FOR A TOUR, I WILL MAKE MYSELF AVAILABLE ANYTIME YOU WANT TO COME IN. GROUPS OF 1, 2, 3. UM, YOU COULD CHECK WITH YOUR STAFF AND, UH, OUR, OUR STAFF WOULD BE VERY HAPPY TO HAVE YOU, YOU KNOW, IN OUR MIDST. AND THEN YOU CAN ALSO SEE THE OUTSIDE PROBLEM, WHICH SOMETIMES COMES INSIDE. WE'VE HAD [01:25:01] STAFF MEMBERS SPIT ON ATTACKED, LUNCH INTERRUPTED, BECAUSE THESE PEOPLE ARE DRUG ADULT AND THEY'RE NOT REALLY PROBABLY AWARE OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING. BUT IT'S FRIGHTENING. AND WE AS SENIORS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PUT UP WITH THAT AT ALL. EVER. I'M DONE NOW. NOW NOBODY'S GONNA COME. . WELL, CAN WE SHOW ABOUT YOU SMITH, PLEASE? UM, I'M WONDERING, UM, DIRECTOR DENNIS, CAN WE HAVE A MEETING THERE? OOH, SURE CAN REQUEST. YES, SIR. OKAY. PARKING. PARKING WOULD BE A PROBLEM. I WORK WORKED DOWN THERE. THE LONG BEACH SENIOR COMMISSION MEETS THERE. IT'S AN IDEA. MM-HMM . THE MONTH OF MAY IS OLDER AMERICANS MONTH. I MEAN, WE COULD, UM, ORGANIZE THE MEETING AT THE SENIOR CENTER IN MAY. LIKE LADY APPROPRIATE. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND THANK YOU. LET ME, I EXPECT TO SEE SOME OF YOU, SOME OF THESE THINGS. STATE GOVERNMENT, WE LOSE ONE OR TWO EVERY MONTH. YOU KNOW, PEOPLE DON'T LIVE FOREVER. AND YOU ARE ON THAT. THAT'S CHAIR MAY ASK A QUESTION, OUR AUDIENCE . SO, UM, YES SIR. CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR RECOGNIZED RECOGNITION IS ONE OF THE TOP 100 ARTISTS. THANK YOU. COULD YOU SHARE WITH THE COMMISSION THE NEWS ABOUT THE UNITED NATIONS THAT YOU SHARED WITH ME? OH, OKAY. UM, I'M A CITIZEN DIPLOMAT FOR UNITED NATIONS USED FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, UH, COMMISSION. I'VE BEEN DOING THAT FOR 25 YEARS. I GREW UP IN NORTH LONG BEACH COMPTON. MY FATHER WAS MURDERED BY GANGS, UH, BECAUSE OF HIS POLITICAL ACTIVITY. SO AS A RESULT, I HAD A CHOICE. I COULD BE EVEN VINDICTIVE OR SOOTHING. SO I CHOSE TO WORK WITH THE UN. UH, WE ARE EVERY YEAR SPONSOR A YOUTH CONFERENCE AT THE UN, BUT BECAUSE OF SOME PROBLEMS WITH VISAS FROM MUSLIM COUNTRIES, AND WE WON'T GO INTO THAT. A LOT OF OUR DELEGATES WOULD'VE BEEN CHOSEN BY THEIR COUNTRY TO COME TO THE UN. WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO GET AN VISA. SO WE ARE HOLDING AN ALTERNATE CONFERENCE IN JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA IN MARCH. AND I'VE BEEN CHOSEN AS A KEYNOTE SPEAKER. WOW. MY BIGGEST PROBLEM IS I LIVE ON A FIXED INCOME AND I'VE WASTED MONEY ON A BLACK HISTORY SHOW, . SO I AM NOT SURE HOW I WILL FINANCE THIS. THAT UN IS WILLING TO PAY HALF OF IT, OF THE 5,000. AND I PROBABLY NEED A COUPLE THOUSAND MORE. I THINK AS A REAL HONOR, AS A CITIZEN OF LONG BEACH, AS AN AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN TO BE WELCOMED BY THE UNITED NATION AND THE ENTIRE AFRICAN DIASPORA. I'LL STAY, UH, WITH THE KING OF KENYA, WHO'S MY HOMIE. CAN'T BELIEVE THAT . I HAVE PICTURES. AND, UH, I'M REALLY GONNA TRY TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. SO IF ANYBODY HAS ANY IDEAS ON HOW I CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO CONTINUE, NO MATTER BLUE, GREEN, RED, PURPLE, WE'RE ALL HUMANS. AND THE DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS IS WHAT IS GOING TO BE PRESENTED AT THAT CONFERENCE. AND WE SO FAR HAVE ABOUT 400 DELEGATES, WHICH SOUNDS LIKE A LITTLE, BUT WHAT YOU CONSIDER THE POVERTY OF SOME, SOME OF THE COUNTRIES, AND HOW FAR AFRICA IS HUGE. SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP. ANYBODY HAVE ANY IDEAS? LET ME KNOW. I'M REALLY DETERMINED TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. AND I AM. SO I'VE HAD A LOT OF HONORS BESIDES SERVING AS THE CHAIR OF THE BLACK HISTORY AT THE FOUR SENIOR CENTER, WHICH I DO NOT TAKE LIGHTLY. 'CAUSE THOSE SENIORS ARE TOUGH. . THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT WITH US. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, DOCTOR. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. SO WHEN AM I GONNA SEE YOU FOR OH, OKAY. THANK YOU. SO, UM, DO WE HAVE ANY, UH, YES, I'M, UH, STILL THINKING ABOUT SOUTH AFRICA AND WAYS THAT WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN. SO, SORRY, I'M A LITTLE DISTRACTED. UH, DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE STAFF? UH, UM SURE. AS YOU KNOW, AND YOU SEE, AND YOU CONTINUE TO READ AS WE PREPARE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE PRE PLANNING AND, AND BRENT MENTIONED THE ONBOARDING, OUR TEAM. SO WE'VE HAD SOME VERY SUCCESSFUL OUTREACH, UM, IN JOB FAIRS. UM, I BELIEVE MY TEAM INTERVIEWED 79 PEOPLE IN ONE DAY, AND I THINK 71 JOBS WERE OFFERED. UM, SO WE'RE HOPEFUL WE KEEP HALF OF THOSE. UM, [01:30:01] A LOT OF TIMES FOLKS CHANGE THEIR MIND ON THEIR CAREER PATH, UM, AND GO A DIFFERENT WAY. BUT WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT, BUILDING OUR TEAMS TO ENHANCE OUR PROGRAMS. UM, AS IN REGARDS TO OUR OLDER AMERICANS, UM, PROGRAMS, UM, HEIDI AND, UH, DANA AT THE SENIOR CENTER, AS WELL AS OTHER SUPERVISOR, HAVE PROGRAMS IN THERE, UM, MEET COLLABORATIVELY TO ENSURE THAT PROGRAMS ARE PROVIDED CITYWIDE. UM, OUR COMMUNITY RECREATION SERVICES MONTHLY MEETING WILL BE HELD NEXT THURSDAY AT THE SENIOR CENTER. AND IF YOU, WHEN YOU COME THROUGH, YOU CAN GO TO THE, WE COME, WE'RE GOING FOR THAT SPECIFIC REASON, TO CONTINUE TO ENHANCE THE KNOWLEDGE FOR STAFF. AND THEN YOU CAN SPEND 15 MINUTES AFTER THE MEETING TO GO TO THE ART THING. WHAT TIME WILL YOU BE THERE? I'LL CONNECT WITH YOU AFTER TODAY. SURE. OKAY. SO, UM, IS MAKING SURE THAT OUR IRRITATING, BUT I'VE BEEN LIKE THAT IS MAKING SURE THAT OUR, OUR TEAM TOO GETS OUT OF THEIR SHELL, WHETHER IT BE OUT OF ADMIN OR OTHER CENTERS TO, YOU KNOW, RECOGNIZE THE HARD WORK. WE'RE THANKFUL FOR INTERNAL PARTNERSHIPS OF SHARING, YOU KNOW, DOLLS AS WELL AS OUR EXTERNAL PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO HAVE THE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE. SO WE CONTINUE TO LOOK FORWARD TO THOSE, UM, AND BUILDING THOSE. SO A LOT OF EXCITING THINGS TO COME. UM, OUR, OUR TEAM IS WORKING ON JUST BRINGING THAT, THAT KNOWLEDGE AND INFORMATION. UM, I HAD A, A MEETING WITH, UM, ONE OF MY OTHER SUPERINTENDENTS, UM, KAITLYN CRUZ, UM, WHO OVERSEES, UH, AS WELL AS A PARK IS OUR AQUATICS PROGRAM IS, UM, SHE'S WORKING ON A WATER SAFETY DAY EVENT, COMMUNITY EVENT TO BRING AWARENESS TO, UM, WE DON'T WANT TO CALL IT, YOU KNOW, DROWNING PREVENTION 'CAUSE THAT JUST SOUNDS SAD TO BEGIN WITH. BUT THAT'S WHAT IT IS. UM, A WATER SAFETY DAY. AND TO JUST, UM, LET COMMUNITY KNOW THAT WE HAVE PROGRAMS FOR ALL AGES, I BELIEVE SWIM LESSONS START AS YOUNG AS A COUPLE MONTHS OLD, UM, AS INTO OUR OLDER ADULTS AND INVITE 'EM INTO OUR, OUR POOLS. UM, SO OUR, OUR VERY PROUD OF OUR TEAM AS WE WORKED, UM, TO ALWAYS PREPARE FOR SUMMER. YES, MUNICIPAL BAND IS ALREADY ON THE DOCKET AS A CONVERSATION, AND I BELIEVE IT'S THE HUNDRED AND 16TH YEAR. SO I WANNA SHARE WITH YOU IS THIS SUMMER WE'LL BE ABLE TO GO BACK TO MARINE STADIUM. WE'RE VERY, VERY EXCITED TO, UM, BE BACK THERE, UM, AND INVITE THE GUESTS. UM, AND PEOPLE CAN BE VERY, VERY HAPPY THAT WE'RE BACK THERE. RECREATION PARK WAS A GREAT VENUE, UM, BUT WE WENT FROM THOUSANDS TO A COUPLE HUNDRED, SO WE'RE EXCITED TO, TO BRING EVERYBODY BACK. UM, BUT WE LOOK FORWARD TO SHARING ALL THIS INFORMATION WITH YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, JENNY. ALRIGHT, AND I'LL JUMP IN. I'M GONNA ADD ONTO TO A LITTLE BIT OF MY PUT ON THE SPOT. UM, BUT I WANNA SAY YOU, DR. ANDREWS, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO DISPLAY MY DOGS THERE. I MEAN, WHO WOULD'VE THOUGHT MY LITTLE COLLECTION WAS GONNA MAKE, UM, IN PAST. BUT I'VE ALSO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH YOU QUITE A BIT, UM, AND TALK TO YOU AND GET TO KNOW YOU A LITTLE BIT AND YOUR SUPPORT AND JUST THE KNOWLEDGE THAT YOU BRING. I'VE BEEN REALLY ENJOYING AND SOAKING IT UP AND JUST LEARNING. AND AGAIN, REPRESENTATION MATTERS. SO IT'S NICE TO SEE YOU AND LIVE IN IT AND DOING IT AND THINGS THAT I'VE SEEN. AND THE SENIORS LOVE YOUR DOGS. THANK YOU. UM, BUT ON THAT NOTE, I'M ALSO GONNA ADD, UM, I KNOW BRENT KIND OF MENTIONED IT, BUT RAMONA PARK AND SILVERADO PARK, UM, WORK IS GETTING STARTED THERE TO, UM, WITH THEIR PLAYGROUNDS. SO THOSE PROJECTS ARE FINALLY COMING TO FRUITION. AND GROUNDBREAKING WILL BE HAPPENING THERE. ALL OF THE CEREMONIES ARE YET TO BE DETERMINED, BUT WORK FENCES ARE GOING UP AND WORK IS BEGINNING IN THE NEXT WEEK. AND THEN ALONG THE WAY TO, UM, WORK DOWN AT 14TH STREET PARK, IT IS SCHEDULED AND ON TARGET TO BE COMPLETED AT THE BEGINNING OF MARCH. AND WITH THAT, WE WILL HAVE OUR LAST, UM, LBRA MURAL. UM, REMEMBER ALL OF 'EM ARE ALREADY, UM, UP AND COMPLETED, BUT THE LAST MURAL WILL BEEN IN INSTALLED AT THE BASKETBALL COURTS THERE. WHAT THAT, WHERE IS THAT? UH, 14TH AND, UM, AND PACIFIC. OR, AND PACIFIC, RIGHT? YEAH, IT'S ON THE BASKETBALL COURTS. AND THEN ON, THERE'LL BE A MURAL ON THE FULL COURT AND ON THE TWO HALF COURTS. OKAY. THAT'LL BE THE LAST OF THE RLVA. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TODAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, ERIC. I HAVE A FEW ITEMS. UM, OUR FACILITIES, MORE ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. UH, WE REPLACED THE, UH, DAMAGED BASKETBALL AND NETS, UM, AT CO WITH THE COLLEGE STATE PARKS. AND THEN AT SOMERSET PICKLEBALL COURT, WE DID SOME, UM, CRACK FILLING. WE TRIED TO COLOR MATCH AS BEST WE CAN. UM, AND THEN, UM, PARK ROUNDS CREW IS, UH, WE'RE DOING SOME TREE TRIMMING OVER AT RECREATION PARK, THE SEASIDE, UH, LAST WEEK. SO WE STARTED THIS WEEK AT, UH, A RECREATION PARK. AND THEN OUR AMBASSADORS, ONCE AGAIN, THEY'RE DOING A VERY GOOD JOB REPLACING AND INSTALLING, UH, SIGNAGE. UH, ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO KIND OF BE MINDFUL OF IN MY STINT OVER AT, UH, PUBLIC WORKS FOR THAT YEAR, UM, AS THE, UH, SUPERINTENDENT FOR STREET PARKING CONTROL, I WOULD GET CALLS FROM PRA SOMETIME ABOUT LOITERING OR OVERNIGHT STAYING IN THE PARK. AND SO OUR HANDS WERE TIED IN THAT DIVISION OR THAT SECTION OVER THERE BECAUSE OF STRIKING OR FADED OUTSIDE. AND SO, COMING OVER [01:35:01] HERE, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU PUT THAT ON THE FOREFRONT AS FAR AS MAKING SURE WE REPLACE THE SIGNAGE. UM, YOU'LL SEE BEFORE WE GET INTO SPRING, YOU'LL START SEEING SOME STRIPING IN CERTAIN AREAS AND SOME BRIGHT WORK, AS I SAID BEFORE, PAINTING SOME CURTAIN. MAKE IT SO WE CAN, UM, ALLOW THEM TO DO THEIR JOBS AS WELL AS PD. UH, I KNOW A LOT OF TIMES WE LEAN ON THE, UH, PD, BUT WITHOUT THE SIGNING, IT JUST CAN'T USE CERTAIN THINGS. AND SO I WANT US TO BE PROACTIVE AND MAKING SURE THAT WE TAKE CARE OF OUR END THAT WAY. THAT WHEN THEY COME HERE, THERE'S SOME EXCUSES WHY THEY CAN'T FORCE, UH, THOSE THINGS FOR US. AND THEN WE ALSO DOING SOME STRIPPING AND WAXING, UH, SEVERAL FACILITIES AS WELL AS PRESSURE WASHING. PRESSURE WASHING IS ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. I WANT TO BE ABLE TO ESTABLISH A SCHEDULE. WE CAN CREATE A PERMIT MAINTENANCE PROGRAM AS FAR AS KNOWING WHAT MONTH OR WHAT WEEK IN THAT MONTH, OR IS IT EVERY THREE MONTHS, EVERY SIX MONTHS. I'M MORE THE SYSTEMS. AND SO WE'RE DOING A VERY GOOD JOB OF DOING THE WORK, BUT I LIKE TO HAVE SYSTEMS IN PLACE SO I CAN RUN A REPORT AND PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION TO YOU GUYS FROM TIME TO TIME. AND THOSE ARE MY REPORTS AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR DENNIS. OH, I'M GLAD GLADYS MENTIONED THE MARINE STADIUM AND THE, THE MUNICIPAL BAND. SO THANK YOU. GLAD THAT WAS REAL EXCITING. UM, COUNCILWOMAN DUGGAN ANNOUNCED THAT LAST NIGHT AT THE PAC HALL AT RECREATION PARK, AND THAT GOT THE BEST ROUND OF APPLAUSE. YES. VALIDATION. AND IN FACT, TODD LELAND, WHO OVERSEES THE MARINE BUREAU, HE SAID THAT HE WOULD WORK WITH SOME OF THE STAFF AT LEEWAY SAILING CENTER. 'CAUSE ONE OF THE COOL THINGS ABOUT THAT IS A LOT OF PEOPLE, UH, ATTEND THE CONCERT ON THEIR BOATS. MM-HMM . THEY KIND OF PULL UP. IN THE OLD DAYS, THEY USED TO GO AROUND WITH ONE OF THE, UM, I FORGET THE NAME OF THE BOAT, BUT THEY WOULD HAVE A NET, THEY WOULD COLLECT DONATIONS FROM PEOPLE ON THE WATERFRONT. SO I THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE A, A GOOD THING. AND, UH, I, GLADYS SU APPLIED FOR A COURT GRANT 'CAUSE WE'RE ALLOWED TO DO THAT NOW TO HELP SUPPORT THE MUNICIPAL BAN. SO GOOD LUCK ON THAT. IT'S ALL OLDER ADULTS. SLID ONE IN. YAY. AND THEN, UM, NEED TO HEAR, YOU KNOW, IF ASHLEY WOULD'VE STAYED, I WAS GONNA EMBARRASS HER. BUT AT THE COUNCIL MEETING TUESDAY NIGHT WITH A LOT OF THE COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS, UH, ACTUALLY WAS APPOINTED TO THE CI CITIZENS ADVISORY COUNCIL ON DISABILITIES KING COD. SO, YOU KNOW, WITH HER, WHO WAS, I THINK SHE SHARED WITH MANY OF US HER HISTORY WHERE SHE, UM, HAD A REALLY TERRIBLE, UM, HEALTH SITUATION, WHICH SHE WAS BEDRIDDEN FOR SEVERAL YEARS, AND SHE WAS ABLE TO, WITH THERAPY AND FOCUS ON REHABILITATING HER BODY, THAT NOW SHE'S WORLD CLASS DANCER AND SHE'S GIVING BACK IN THAT WAY. SO HAVING HER, I'M SORRY, WHO IS THIS? THANK YOU. KATE ASHLEY JONES. OKAY. THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF PARTNERS OF PARKS. OH, THANK YOU. YEAH. SHE, SHE WAS APPOINTED BY MAYOR RICHARDSON TO BE ON THAT IMPORTANT, UM, COMMISSION. SO I WAS GONNA EMBARRASS HER, BUT I, SHE WOULDN'T HAVE ANNOUNCED IT ANYWAY, . BUT I THOUGHT THAT WAS ACTUALLY A REALLY NICE HONOR. SO OTHER THAN THAT, UM, I WILL BE OUT OF THE OFFICE ALL NEXT WEEK. UH, BUT STEVE SCOTT WILL OVERSEE THINGS IF ANYTHING COMES UP. SO HAPPY SPRINGTIME. THANKS EVERYONE. GREAT. UM, AND COMMERS, MAY WE START WITH COMMISSIONER HIGA? UH, SURE. SO, UH, TWO, TWO QUICK THINGS. UM, FIRST OF ALL, SHERLY, JUST, UH, IN, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT YOUR BARBIE COLLECTION, YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU HAVE A DAUGHTER AND YOU TALKED, YOU MUL, UH, SAID MULTIPLE TIMES ABOUT HOW REPRESENT REPRESENTATION MATTERS. AND IT JUST, THAT CONNECTED WITH ME QUITE A LOT TO BOTH AS A DAUGHTER MYSELF AND HAVING A DAUGHTER. I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS A KID, MY MOM USED TO SEARCH FAR AND WIDE FOR BARBIES THAT LOOKED LIKE, LOOKED LIKE ME. AND, AND THE FACT THAT THEY'RE AVAILABLE NOW ON THE SHELVES OF THAT TARGET IS SUCH A HUGE LEAP FORWARD. BUT I JUST WANTED TO SHARE MY APPRECIATION FOR HOW YOU'RE KEEPING THAT IN MIND AND, AND, YOU KNOW, SHARING WITH THE LARGER COMMUNITY AS WELL. UM, SO JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT. UM, AND THE OTHER THING WAS, UH, JUST OVER THE PAST MONTH, THERE'S BEEN, UM, A LOT OF RHETORIC AROUND, UH, THE, YOU KNOW, GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES AND, AND I KNOW, UM, UH, COMMISSIONER CHAVEZ MENTIONED THE UNCERTAINTY IN OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES. BUT, UM, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT EVERY MONTH THAT I COME HERE, I'M ALWAYS SO IMPRESSED AND SO GRATEFUL ABOUT ALL THAT GOES INTO MAKING OUR CITY WORK, ALL THE PROGRAMS THAT, UM, THAT EXIST IN THE PARKS, BUT ALSO CONNECTING WITH OUR COMMUNITY GROUPS WITH THE FEE WAIVERS AND ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE HOSTED HERE. SO, UM, OBVIOUSLY CITY EMPLOYEES NOT THE SAME AS FEDERAL EMPLOYEES, BUT JUST, IT'S, IT'S JUST ON MY MIND. SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO OUR CITY EMPLOYEES FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU GUYS DO TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY WORK. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER ORI SMITH. SO, UM, COREY AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO THE MURAL UNVEILING, UM, AT CITY HALL. WHAT WAS THAT LAST WEEK? YEAH, TUESDAY. AND IT WAS ON TUESDAY, IT WAS BEFORE COUNCIL. AND HAD A GREAT TIME. GOT TO SEE ALL THE, ALMOST ALL OF THE MURALS, UM, BEING DISPLAYED ON THE BIG DISPLAY AND GOT TO MEET SOME OF THE ARTISTS. SO IT WAS NICE. [01:40:01] UH, IT WAS A NICE CONVERGENCE OF PARKS AND ART, WHICH IS ALWAYS A LOVELY CONVERGENCE. SO WE HAD A GREAT TIME. UM, AND THEN BUILDING OFF WHAT YOU SHARED AND WHAT YOU SHARED, 'CAUSE I THINK I'M YOUNGER THAN YOU TWO. I REMEMBER THE SPANISH, THE SPANISH BARBIE COMING OUT, AND I'M MEXICAN. THAT WAS THE CLOSEST WE COULD GET WHEN I WAS PROBABLY LIKE ABOUT SEVEN OR EIGHT TO A MEXICAN BARBIE. SO YES, IT DEFINITELY RESONATES. UM, IT TOOK, YOU KNOW, I HAD TO PRETEND THAT SHE WAS MEXICAN. WE PRETENDED THAT THE SPANISH BARBIE WAS MEXICAN. UM, YOU KNOW, I TOOK OFF HER LIKE FLAMENCO DRESS AND PUT HER IN SOMETHING ELSE, . BUT NO, IT DEFINITELY RESONATES. UM, AND DON'T FORGET TO FILL OUT YOUR FORM. 400, 700. 700. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. UH, COMMISSIONER CHA. YEAH. UH, ACTUALLY SIMILAR TO, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, HIGA, WHAT SHE SAID IS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S WORKING IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCACY SPACE. THERE ARE FEWER AND FEWER AND FEWER MEETINGS I KNOW WILL LEAD IN A GOOD MOOD ON, AND THIS IS ONE OF THOSE MEETINGS. SO WANTED JUST EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION FOR ALL OF YOU, ALL THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS FOR, FOR THE WORK THAT THEY, THEY DO. UH, AND ALSO, UH, FELLOW COMMISSIONERS WERE REALLY CREATING SUCH A, UH, AN ENJOYABLE SPACE, UH, AND HAVING SUCH ENJOYABLE DISCOURSE. AND KNOW NOT EVERY COMMISSION IS LIKE THAT. I KNOW THIS COMMISSION HAS HAD SOME PERSONALITY CONFLICTS IN THE PAST AS WELL, IF I REMEMBER, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY. BUT, UH, DEFINITELY APPRECIATE, UH, EVERYBODY'S WORK HERE AND, UH, WHAT WE DO FOR THE COMMUNITY. UH, AND, UH, YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. UH, COMMISSIONER ALLEN? YES, THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR. UH, YES, IT WAS GREAT TO BE WITH VICE CHAIR OF E RT SMITH AT THE, UH, UNVEILING OR, OR KIND OF CELEBRATION OF ALL OF THE LVRA MURALS. OBVIOUSLY FROM A WORK PERSPECTIVE, I DO SOME WORK WITH THE ARTS COUNCIL, SO IT WAS GREAT TO BE ON THAT SIDE, BUT THEN ALSO BE AT THIS PUBLIC CELEBRATION TO SEE ALL OF THE ARTISTS WHO WERE SO EXCITED TO, UM, THE BIG MEDIA WALL HAVE THEIR MURALS ON IT. EACH ONE OF THEM HAD THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILY WITH THEM, AND THEY WOULD STAND IN FRONT OF IT AND WAIT UNTIL THEIR MURAL CAME UP. EVERYBODY WAS SNAPPING PHOTOS OF THEM AND THEY'D TAKE CYCLE OUT TO THE NEXT PERSON. SO IT WAS REALLY, REALLY COOL TO SEE. THAT'S BEAUTIFUL. UM, ALL OF THE MURALISTS BE SO EXCITED ABOUT IT. UM, ONE THING THAT CAME UP, UM, THAT WE HEARD FROM A COMMUNITY MEMBER ABOUT, UH, WAS A DA ACCESSIBILITY AND, AND, UH, PHYSICAL, LIKE WALKING PATHWAYS. OH, THAT'S RIGHT. FROM THE STREET AT THE NATURE CENTER. UM, AND SO THIS PERSON WAS SHARING, UM, THEIR STORY THAT THEY LIVE IN LOS ALAMITOS JUST ON THE OTHER SIDE OF SPRING. UM, AND SO THEY WALK ACROSS WITH THEIR KIDS, USUALLY IN A WAGON OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO THE NATURE CENTER. BUT THAT THE ACCESSIBILITY FOR THEM WITH THE WAGON, GETTING AROUND INTO WHERE THE ENTRY POINT IS, WAS A CHALLENGE. SO I OBVIOUSLY HAVEN'T WALKED THAT, SO I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, BUT JUST WANTED TO ELEVATE IT, UM, AS SOMETHING THAT SOMEONE MENTIONED, UM, FOR US TO LOOK AT. AND SO I KNOW WE BOTH SAID, OKAY, COOL. THANKS. WE'LL BRING IT UP. UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO, TO SHARE THAT WITH EVERYBODY. UM, AND THEN ALSO, UH, I WORK IN THE POLITICAL SPACE, SO I NEVER LEAVE A WORK MEETING. HAPPY . UM, SO I ALSO AGREE THAT BEING HERE AND BEING IN THIS COMMUNITY AND HEARING ALL THE INCREDIBLE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING, UM, AND ALL THE INCREDIBLE WORK THAT'S HAPPENING WITHIN OUR, OUR DEPARTMENT IS REALLY, REALLY UPLIFTING AND EXCITING IN A WORLD THAT IS NOT ALWAYS EXCITING RIGHT NOW. SO I APPRECIATE YOU ALL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. OH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT, UM, I DID RECEIVE AN INQUIRY MAYBE A FEW WEEKS AGO REGARDING THE PATHWAYS, THE INACCESSIBILITY FROM SPRING INTO THE EL DORADO PARK AND NATURE CENTER AREA. AND I WAS ADVISED THAT SOMETHING IS IN THE WORKS, AND I BELIEVE IT'S UNDER PUBLIC WORKS. I CAN INQUIRE MORE AND THEN PASS INFORMATION. OKAY. AWESOME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER ALLEN. COMMISSIONER LIVINGSTON. UH, KUDOS TO GLADYS FOR DOING FIELD TRIPS. I KNOW WHEN I WAS IN BUSINESS OPS, JOHN KEISLER WAS OUR BUREAU MANAGER. HE WAS A BIG FAN OF FIELD TRIPS TO ALL OF OUR SITES, SO THAT'S GREAT. UH, WHERE, UM, DOCTOR, AND WHERE IS IS THE, IS YOUR THING ON THAT, ON THE 28TH? IS THAT IN THE BIG, THE BIG, UH, IT'S DOWN. THE 28TH IS IN THE, UH, THE BIG AUDITORIUM DOWNSTAIRS. IT'S A PRETTY POPULAR TICKET. YOU KNOW, YOU BETTER . WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE HAVE DINNER. SO WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMMODATE EVERYBODY. SO IT'S DOWNSTAIRS AND ACROSS THE WAY IS THE ART SHOW. OKAY. SO WE'RE REALLY INVITING ALL STRATEGISTS OF THE COMMUNITY AND PERFORMERS GO FROM HIGH SCHOOL ALL THE WAY UNTIL ADULTS. AND I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY, THAT MIXED AGE KIND OF THING, BECAUSE, UM, YOUNG PEOPLE GIVE YOU [01:45:01] JOY AND YOUNG PEOPLE NEED WISDOM THAT WE NEED TO GIVE THEM. SO IT'S A NICE, YOU BRING ME JOY. I THINK YOU'LL ENJOY IT. IT DOESN'T LAST VERY LONG. IT'S MORE CATHOLIC THAN BAPTIST. AND IF YOU BAPTIST, YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS. SO YOU HAVE, I'M A BAPTIST AND I THINK THE CATHOLICS CAN OUTDO US QUITE A BIT. YOU SURE CAN. HAVING DEALT WITH BOTH , WE HAD SOMETHING TO DO, LIKE GO TO THE PIKE, WE WENT TO CATHOLIC SERVICE 'CAUSE WE WENT TO BAPTIST SERVICE. EVERYTHING WOULD BE CLOSED BY THE NUMBER. I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW, IT'S NOT LONG. IT'S VERY PROFESSIONAL. WE'VE CALLED IN LOTS OF TELEVISION PEOPLE, LONG BEACH STATE GRADUATES, ET CETERA. SO DOWNSTAIRS AND THERE WILL BE DINNER AND MAC AND CHEESE. THANK YOU. UM, IS THAT IT? YEAH. OKAY. I WOULD LIKE TO, I THINK IT'S VERY INTERESTING HOW MANY COMMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE ABOUT YOUR DOLLS. I ALSO HAD A COMMENT, WHICH IS THAT, PARDON ME. I'D BE CURIOUS HOW MATTEL OR WHOEVER OWNS THE BARBIE DOLLS TODAY CHOOSES AND THAT WE MIGHT THINK ABOUT SOMEBODY FROM LONG BEACH WHO COULD BE RECOGNIZED AS A NEW DOLL AT PROACTIVELY SUBMIT A RECOMMENDATION. UM, KING ACTUALLY DOES HAVE A DOLLAR. YEAH. SHE'S, SHE IS ONLY LONG BEACH REPRESENTATIVE RIGHT NOW. IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THERE'S NOT ROOM FOR MORE. I'LL DELVE INTO THAT. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND I JUST THINK IT'S WONDERFUL THAT I, UH, I SPENT MANY YEARS IN CHICAGO WHERE AMERICAN GIRL DOLL WAS FOUNDED AND THEY HAD A HISTORY OF DEVELOPING, UM, UH, REPRESENTATION WITH THEIR DOLLS FOR EXACTLY THE REASON THAT WE'VE HEARD TODAY THAT, UH, UH, GIRLS WERE NOT, UH, RECOGNIZED AND REFLECTED THROUGHOUT, UH, OUR COUNTRY, OUR NATION. SO, SO ANYWAY, THANK YOU FOR THAT. UH, AND I WAS CURIOUS, UH, DIRECTOR KAISER ABOUT, UM, UH, IF YOU FEEL THAT THE NUMBERS ARE THE SAME OR BIGGER OR WHATEVER IN TERMS OF APPLICATIONS FOR THIS SUMMER COMING IN, UM, APPLICATIONS FOR STAFF? NO, I'M SORRY. FOR, UM, PROGRAMS. PROGRAMS, THANK YOU. OH, FOR PROGRAMS MM-HMM . UM, ABSOLUTELY INCREASE, UM, AS YOU SEE, AND YOU, YOU'LL SEE NEW, UM, PEOPLE COME FOR FEE WAIVER. UM, SO WE INCREASE IN THAT WAY AS OUR PARTNERSHIPS, UH, BUILDING OUR INTERNAL PARTNERSHIPS. UM, I'M CONSTANTLY SHARING THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WITH FIRE AND LIBRARIES IS, UM, YOU'RE MOST LIKELY NOT TO GET THE SAME REPRESENTATION AT A COMMUNITY MEETING AND A POLICE BUILDING. UM, BUT YOU WILL GET THAT AT A PARK BUILDING BECAUSE WE'RE CONSIDERED THAT SAFE SPACE TO COME TO. SO BUILDING THOSE INTERNAL PARTNERSHIPS, UM, OUR TEAM IS DOING A, UH, A BETTER JOB ABOUT MARKETING OUR PROGRAMS. UM, SO FOR EXAMPLE, UM, A PRESS RELEASE RELEASE WENT OUT AND I APOLOGIZE, EITHER WENT OUT LAST NIGHT OR THIS MORNING, UM, I READ IT THIS MORNING, UM, ABOUT EVENTS SUCH AS THIS. SO WORKING WITH OUR INTERNAL PARTNERS OUT OF THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE TO GET OUR EVENTS AND INFORMATION OUT TO THE COMMUNITY, UM, AND RECOGNIZING THAT IT NEEDS TO COME OUT IN DIFFERENT SPACES. SO IF I HAND THIS TO, UM, ONE OF OUR TEAMS, THEY'RE GOING TO ASK ME LIKE, AM I WRITING A REPORT? BUT IF I SEND IT OUT ON SOME FORM OF SOCIAL MEDIA, THAT IS THE WAY THEY CONNECT. SO IT IS LEARNING THAT, UM, HITTING ALL MODES OF MARKETING TO GET OUR, OUR MESSAGING OUT THERE. SO I WOULD SAY YES, OUR NUMBERS ARE BACK UP, UM, WHETHER IT BE IN OUR INTERNAL PROGRAMS OR EVEN IN SPORTS. SO I WAS TALKING TO ONE OF OUR LEAGUES AND THEIR INCREASE IN, YOU KNOW, UM, I'M A BASEBALL MOM, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, HAVE, HAVE A SPECIAL INTEREST THERE, UM, BUT ARE INCREASE IN SPORTS. UM, BUT ALSO YOU SEE THE, THE, AN INCREASE IN, UM, OUR DODGER PROGRAM, OUR DODGER PROGRAM, UH, AT ONE TIME, YOU KNOW, WE HAD TO FIGHT TO BE AT THE TABLE 'CAUSE IT WOULD ONLY PARTNER WITH ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS AND YMCAS AND NOT WANNA DEAL WITH MUNICIPALITIES. BUT WHEN THEY SAW WHAT OUR, THE PRODUCT THAT WE PRODUCED, I THINK WE STARTED WITH 500 WHEN WE FIRST BROUGHT THE DOWN DRIP FOUNDATION, AND NOW WE'RE OVER A THOUSAND. SO DEFINITELY THAT, UM, INCREASE. YEAH. THAT IS OUR JOB. AND IF I COULD JUST HIGHLIGHT, YOU KNOW, BOBBY MENTIONED, UM, FIELD TRIPS, UM, CHRISTOPHER, UH, YOU MENTIONED FIELD TRIPS, UM, BUT WE GOT, UH, AN ENHANCEMENT ROLLOVER FUNDS TO PROVIDE, UM, ADDITIONAL FIELD TRIPS FOR OUR OLDER ADULTS. YAY. SO, UM, IT'S, AND WE'VE BEEN WHINING ABOUT, I MEAN, WE'VE BEEN ADVOCATING, SUGGESTING ADVOCATING. YES. SO, UM, FOR OUR OLDER ADULTS. AND SO YOU'LL SEE THAT AND, UM, INVITE YOU TO ATTEND THIS EVENT, BUT IT'S NOT JUST A ONE TIME THING. UM, YOU KNOW, UM, HEIDI, OUR MANAGER WHO OVERSEES DIRECTLY OUR, OUR SENIOR PROGRAMS, WHEN SHE GETS UP TO SPEAK, WE ALL KNOW IT'S ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE INFORMATION THAT'S COMING IN ABOUT OUR OLDER ADULT PROGRAMS. SO WE'LL HAVE A ROBUST, UM, ACTIVITIES CALENDAR FOR MAY. UM, BUT SO MANY THINGS GOING ON, UM, JUST ON A REGULAR [01:50:01] BASIS. AND WHAT STEPHANIE, UM, THAT'S MY ASSISTANT BROUGHT INTO ME IS THAT, UM, THIS IS THE PRESS RELEASE, UM, THAT WENT OUT YESTERDAY. UM, AND BEFORE, YOU KNOW, WE FIGHT TO NOT FIGHT, BUT, YOU KNOW, PRESS RELEASES ARE, YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT LIKE, GO GET SANDBAGS, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT OR GO THIS, BUT WHEN WE ARE ABLE TO, TO GET A PRESS RELEASE THROUGH ABOUT PROGRAMS SUCH AS THIS, THAT'S BIG. WE THINK WE WE'RE, WE'VE MADE IT CITY MANAGERS SIGNING OFF. SO YEAH, YOU KNOW, IT SUPPORTS THE PROGRAM, BUT, BUT TO GET IT OUT IS, IS A BIG ACCOMPLISHMENT. SO WE'RE SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THAT. WOW. CAN I, UH, I ENCOURAGE THE MAYOR TO PUT THIS ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE AT THE BLACK HISTORY PROGRAM AT THE, UH, AT THE PORCH. AND SO HIS TURNAROUNDS PRETTY GOOD, BUT IT WASN'T A HARD SELL. THANK YOU. UM, I, THAT'S INTERESTING. MY FOLLOW UP QUESTION WAS GOING TO BE YOU PROVIDE A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE THAT MANY OF US DON'T HAVE AND, UH, DO YOU THINK THE INCREASES AS A RESULT OF PROACTIVE EFFORTS? BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE THE ANSWER IS YES. UM, WELL, I'VE BEEN, THIS WILL BE MY 25TH SUMMER OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH. WOW. UM, YOU KNOW, I, I FEEL LIKE THE CITY HAS RAISED ME IN, EDUCATED ME IN, IN DIFFERENT WAYS. UM, BUT TO SEE THE GROWTH OF WHAT WE DO IN THE EXPANSION OF OUR PROGRAMS, UM, I THINK COMMISSIONER COULD, YOU KNOW, THE COULD ATTEST, UM, THAT OUR DEPARTMENT, UH, WE WILL FIND A WAY, UM, WE WILL MAKE IT HAPPEN. UM, REGARDLESS OF THE LIMITED RESOURCES, UM, WE JUST FIND A WAY TO GET IT DONE. AND IT'S A CURSE AND A BLESSING ALL AT THE SAME TIME. UM, BUT THAT'S WHO YOU ARE. I MEAN, TODAY YOU SAW A SMALL REPRESENTATION AND THAT WAS HALF THE COMMITTEE OF WHAT WE DO. BUT YOU HAVE SOME AMAZING EMPLOYEES, UM, THAT HAVE, YOU KNOW, WHETHER THEY COME INTO A CAREER HERE OR START AT A VERY YOUNG AGE, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE HAVE, ONE OF MY SUPERVISORS STARTED AS A TEAM VOLUNTEER. MY SUPERVISORS, TEAM VOLUNTEERS AND NOW, YOU KNOW, ARE LEADING THE PATH FOR OUR COMMUNITY. SO YES, WE HAVE INCREASED. WE IMPROVED. THANK YOU. AND THERE'S SO MUCH MORE WORK TO DO. THANK YOU. RIGHT? YES. . WELL, AND I WANNA ECHO. I KNOW I'M, YOU GOT IT. ANYWAY, LONG BEACH PARK DEPARTMENT IS AMAZING. AND BECAUSE I WORK WITH YOU AND I'VE WORKED WITH CONGRESS, I'VE SEEN PARKS ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES. YOU ARE SPECIAL. YOU HAVE A REMARKABLE STAFF. THE STAFF AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER IS LIKE, OKAY, WE'RE GONNA DO THIS. OKAY. AND THEY'RE ON IT. AND YOU SHOULD BE PROUD OF THAT BECAUSE THE LEVEL, THE VARIETY, THE PROFESSIONALISM IS UNIQUE AND SPECIAL. WELL, I THINK WE SHOULD END ON THAT NOTE. DR. ANDREW, THANK YOU SO MUCH. I ADJOURNED THE MEETING AT, UH, 10:55 AM THANK YOU. THANKS EVERYONE. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.