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GO.I'D LIKE TO CALL OUR MEETING TO ORDER.
UM, IF WE CAN START WITH A ROLL CALL.
COMMISSIONER MARTINEZ PRESENT.
LET THE RECORD NOTE THAT COMMISSIONERS LI AND MORTON ARE EXCUSED FOR TONIGHT'S MEETING, AND I CONFIRM QUORUM.
UM, WE'LL START WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
WHO WOULD LIKE TO LEAD THE PLEDGE TODAY? ANYONE? I'D BE HAPPY TO AGREE, PLEASE STAND AND JOIN ME AS WE SALUTE OUR FLAG.
PUT YOUR RIGHT HAND OVER YOUR HEART.
LET BEGIN I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH STANDS, ONE NATION INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
UM, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO OUR REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS. UM, STARTING WITH THE FIRST ONE, THE RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THE COMMISSION IN THE YOUTH AND FAMILIES MEETING ON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20TH, 2024, WHICH IS OUR LAST MEETING.
IF I COULD GET, UM, A MOTION TO APPROVE THOSE MINUTES.
UM, DOES, UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.
SO IT CARRIES, UM, I'M GONNA MOVE ON TO A RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE A REPORT FROM THE OFFICE OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, UH, WHO'S HERE.
FROM THE, THE OFFICE OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, WE HAVE OUR COORDINATOR MEETING.
HOW ARE YOU? ARE YOU READY? DO YOU WANT A COUPLE OF MINUTES OR, OKAY.
I JUST HAVE, UM, I DON'T HAVE TOO MANY UPDATES.
CAN YOU REMIND US THAT FOR YOUR NAME? YES.
I WORK, I'M WITH THE STATE LONG BEACH HEALTH DEPARTMENT, UM, OFFICE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, AND I SERVE AS THE YOUTH SERVICES COORDINATOR.
I MANAGE THE YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL.
AND, UM, THE UPDATE I HAVE IN TERMS OF OUR YOUTH WEEK PLANNING FOR 2025, WE HAVE A DATE SET, UM, TO BE MINDFUL OF.
IT'S GONNA BE MAY 15TH, 16TH AND 17TH.
UM, TAKING PLACE AFTER SCHOOL HOURS ON THE 15TH AND 17TH ON THE 15TH AND SIX, 15TH AND 16TH.
AND THEN THAT SATURDAY, UM, BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 11 AND 3:00 PM SO WE'RE STILL IN THE PLANNING STAGES, BUT WE'VE SOLIDIFIED A DATE, PUT A DATE ON THE CALENDAR AND LOCATIONS.
SO THAT'S OUR BIG UPDATE FROM THE OFFICE OF.
SO IS IT GONNA BE REFERRED TO AS THE YOUTH FESTIVAL OR YOU, UM, YEAH.
AND BE REFERRED TO AS YOUTH WEEK.
IT STARTS ON THE 15TH OF THE 17TH, JUST THE WEEKEND.
SO NOT NECESSARILY A WEEK, BUT THE WEEKEND I GET IT.
IT'S, SORRY, CAN YOU REPEAT THE MONTH? MAY.
WOULD YOU MIND REPEATING THE LOCATION? I APOLOGIZE.
SO, SO IT'S THREE DIFFERENT DAYS.
IT'S GONNA BE THREE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.
UM, FIRST DAY, UM, WILL BE AT RIO.
SECOND DAY WILL TAKE PLACE AT H PARK.
UM, AND THE THIRD DATE WILL BE AT CITY HALL.
UM, ANY OTHER UPDATES? ANY QUESTIONS FROM ANYONE? COMMENTS? NO.
CAN I GET A MOTION TO, UM, FILE THE REPORT FROM THE OFFICE OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, PLEASE? SO, I'LL MOVE, CAN I GET A SECOND? SECOND.
NO OPPOSED? ANY OPPOSED? OKAY.
SO A HEARING, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO, UM, OUR THIRD AGENDA ITEM, A RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE A PRESENTATION ON THE LONG BEACH RECOVERY ACT PROGRAM.
UM, WHO'S HERE TO PRESENT ON THAT? JUST KIDDING.
UM, I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN ACTUALLY AN ITEM ON OUR AGENDA FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS.
WANTED TO GIVE OUR OPPORTUNITY TO ALSO RECOGNIZE SOME OF THE SUPERVISORS THAT, UH, DROVE A LOT OF THE PROGRAM.
SO, UM, I APOLOGIZE FOR TWO THINGS.
UM, WE COULD NOT MAKE THE POWERPOINT WORK.
SO WE HAVE OUR NEXT, UM, OPTION IS OUR VERY HIGH TECH HARD COPY.
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UM, AND THE SECOND THING I WANNA APOLOGIZE FOR IS I'M GOING TO DO MY BEST TO TRY TO GET THROUGH IT WITH MINIMAL COUGHING, BUT I, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AT THE END.UM, SO FIRST SLIDE, UH, JUST AS A QUICK REMINDER, BACK IN MARCH 16TH, 2021, THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPTED THE LONG BEACH RECOVERY ACT PLAN.
AND WE WERE ONE AMONG THE FIRST CITIES TO ACTUALLY DO THIS, IN WHICH, UM, THE CITY USED FEDERAL DOLLARS TO THE TUNE OF LIKE $250 MILLION TO AID IN THE CITY'S RECOVERY FROM THE PANDEMIC.
PRIOR TO THAT, WE ACTUALLY HAD THE CARES ACT MONEY, WHICH WAS TO RESPOND TO THE PANDEMIC.
AND THEN THE CITY EARLY ON RECOGNIZED THAT THAT WAS GONNA CUT IT, THAT WE WOULD NEED TO HAVE THAT BRIDGING PHASE TO GET TO OUR POST PANDEMIC PHASE.
AND SO FROM THAT, THERE WAS LIKE 85, 88 PROGRAMS THAT WAS DEVELOPED BY THE CITY.
12 OF THOSE WERE DEVELOPED BY OUR PROGRAMS, AND, UM, THEY WERE TO BE, UM, IMPLEMENTED IN FISCAL YEARS 22, 23 AND 24.
FOR THE PURPOSE OF TONIGHT'S, UM, PRESENTATION, I'M FOCUSED ON JUST THREE OF THE PROGRAMS, BUT IF YOU TURN TO THE NEXT PAGE, YOU'LL SEE THAT WE HAD 12 OF THEM.
AND I LIST THEM ON THERE, APOLOGIZE THAT, UM, CULTURAL PROGRAMMING IS ON THERE TWICE.
AND SO, AS I MENTIONED, THE, THE FIRST THREE PROGRAMS WAS JUST MOBILE RECESS, VIRTUAL RECREATION AND HUBS IS WHAT I'M GONNA BE FOCUSING ON TONIGHT.
AND I'M GONNA START WITH COMMUNITY LEARNING HUBS.
SO DURING THE CARES, UM, ACT PHASE OF IT, WHEN THE PANDEMIC WAS ACTUALLY HAPPEN HAPPENING, THAT WAS DURING THE TIME WHEN WE HAD DISTANCE LEARNING.
AND SO THE CITY MOVED TO DESIGNATE FOUR SITES IN ITS SPECIFIC AREAS IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH TO OFFER SPACES FOR STUDENTS TO ACTUALLY PARTICIPATE IN DISTANCE LEARNING PROGRAMS. WE ACTUALLY HAD KIDS COMING INTO THE PARK JUST TRYING TO LOG ONTO OUR WIFI JUST TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CLASSROOM.
AND THAT WAS EARLY ON IN THE PANDEMIC.
WHEN THE LIBRARY, LONG BEACH RECOVERY ACT DOLLARS BECAME AVAILABLE, WE INTENDED TO ACTUALLY CONTINUE THAT BECAUSE THE LONG BEACH UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT DID RE RESUME IN-PERSON CLASSROOM, BUT THEY CREATED WHAT WAS CALLED AN INDEPENDENT STUDY PROGRAM.
SO WE, WE THOUGHT, AND WE RECOGNIZED THAT THERE WERE GONNA BE STUDENTS THAT WERE STILL NOT READY TO GO TO THE CLASSROOM.
AND SO WE WANTED TO CONTINUE THAT MODEL EARLY ON IN THE CARES ACT, WHICH WAS AN EIGHT TO THREE PROGRAM, KIDS WOULD THEN COME DO THE CLASSROOM AND THEN PARTICIPATE IN AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMMING.
WE GOT A SIGNIFICANT DROP IN OUR ENROLLMENT, AND SO WE HAD TO SHIFT.
AND THEN WHAT WE DID IS WE MET WITH A TEAM AND WE FOCUS ON THE AFTERSCHOOL PORTION OF IT.
SO WE ALREADY RECOGNIZED, AND WE PROBABLY, IT'S FOR YEARS TO COME, GONNA UNDERSTAND ALL THE LEARNING LOSS THAT CAME FROM, FROM THE DISTANCE LEARNING.
AND SO WHAT WE WANTED TO DO WAS KIND OF AMP UP OUR AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS ON THE FOUR LEARNING HUB SITES AND IN INCORPORATE A LOT OF, UM, ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT LEARNING, AND THEN, UM, ALSO A LOT OF SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING STRATEGIES.
AND SO OUR COMMUNITY LEARNING HUB STAFF WENT THROUGH A SERIES OF TRAINING AND STARTED, UM, INCORPORATING THAT INTO OUR LEARNING HUBS.
AND SO THROUGHOUT THE THREE YEARS AT THE FOUR SITES, WHICH IS ORA HOWTON, PARK, MCBRIDE, AND SOMEONE HELP ME.
UH, OR WERE OUR FOUR LEARNING HUB SITES.
UM, I MENTIONED SOME OF THE LESSONS LEARNED.
UH, I THINK WE NEEDED TO HAVE BETTER COORDINATION WITH THE LONG BEACH UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT.
WE WERE REALLY TRYING TO TAP INTO THE INDEPENDENT STUDY, UM, PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS.
AND WE STARTED OFF MODESTLY, BUT THEN IT STARTED TO PICK UP AND, UM, WE WERE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM.
SO, UM, IF YOU COULD SEE OVER THE COURSE OF THE THREE YEARS, UM, WE ENDED UP HAVING, I THINK, UM, CLOSE TO 33,000 PARTICIPANTS.
AND I HAVE TO, LET ME JUSTIFY, QUALIFY THAT STATEMENT.
IT'S ACTUALLY PARTICIPANT VISITS.
SO IF A PERSON ENROLLED IN OUR PROGRAM, THEY CAME, CAME FIVE DAYS A WEEK, THEY WOULD COUNT AS FIVE VISITS, UM, ABLE TO IMPLEMENT, UM, OVER 200 SEL ACTIVITIES, CLOSE TO 400 ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES.
OUR TRADITIONAL RECREATION AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS WERE, WERE MORE FOCUSED ON RECREATIONAL, UH, PROGRAMS. AND IF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE RAP PROGRAM, WHICH LONG BEACH UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS, WE, THIS WAS OUR, OUR ATTEMPT TO DO KIND OF A WRAP PROGRAM ON A PARK SITE.
UH, WE ALSO HAD 108 COLLABORATIONS WITH EITHER OTHER PROGRAMS OR OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
AND THEN WE HAD CLOSE TO 200 MENTAL HEALTH FOCUSED ACTIVITIES.
AND THAT WAS A RESULT OF OUR SEL STRATEGIES.
ANYONE HERE IS WELCOME TO CHIME IN.
UM, BUT HERE WE WANTED TO IMPLEMENT A QUOTE, UM, WHICH WAS REALLY MORE MOVING ON THE SCREEN, BUT I KNOW OUR, OUR, OUR FAMILIES DID APPRECIATE, UM, THE SPACES THAT WE PROVIDED.
AND THAT WAS OUR LEARNING HUB PROGRAM.
THE SECOND PROGRAM THAT WE WANNA HIGHLIGHT IS OUR VIRTUAL RECREATION PROGRAM.
AND I HAVE TO SAY, I WANT PROBABLY CLOSE TO REALLY ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS
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THAT WE'VE DEVELOPED ANDSO WE, WE STARTED OFF WITH A CERTAIN SCENARIO.
WE TRY TO OFFER THIS TO THE COMMUNITIES, AND THEN THROUGH A LOT OF FEEDBACK, INPUT, BOTH FROM THE PARTICIPANTS AND STAFF, WE CHANGED IT.
VIRTUAL WAS ONE OF THOSE PROGRAMS THAT HAD TO CONSTANTLY CHANGE DURING THE PANDEMIC.
WE WERE IN, UH, PHYSICAL DISTANCE AND SOCIAL, UM, ISOLATION, YOU KNOW, UM, DISTANCING.
WHAT WE WANTED TO DO WAS OFFER A VIRTUAL SPACE FOR OUR, OUR YOUTH TO ENGAGE AND STILL PARTICIPATE IN RECREATION ACTIVITIES.
SO IT STARTED AS A KIND OF A LIVE MEETS ON GOOGLE, UM, DIRECT WITH YOUTH, DIRECTLY WITH THE STAFF, EVOLVED INTO A HYBRID PROGRAM.
AND THEN IT SETTLED INTO THE LBRA VERSION, WHICH WAS DEVELOPING CONTENT ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL.
SO WHEN WE FIRST STARTED, MY, MY PERSONAL OPINION IS IT'S AN UNDERUTILIZED PLATFORM.
I THINK REALLY THE FUTURE OF ENGAGEMENT IS TO INCLUDE THESE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS. A LOT OF PEOPLE GET THEIR INFORMATION FROM, UM, SOCIAL MEDIA, RIGHTLY OR WRONGLY.
AND WE HAVE TO CAPITALIZE THAT ON THAT.
AND WHAT WE LEARNED IS THAT PEOPLE WANTED ACCESS TO THIS CONTACT CONTENT 24 7.
AND SO WE HIRED A COORDINATOR WHO THEN DEVELOPED CONTENT.
AND THE CONTENT INCLUDED COOKING CLASSES, UM, STORYTELLING, UM, DANCE CLASSES.
AND WE ALSO HIGHLIGHTED CULTURALLY, CULTURALLY AFFIRMING ACTIVITIES.
SO WE DID STORY TIME IN SPANISH, KAMAI, TAGALOG, UM, WE GOT LOCAL AUTHORS TO READ THEM.
WE HAD SOME OF OUR, UH, TALENTED STAFF COME AND, UH, DO CULTURALLY AFFIRMING ACTIVITIES.
AND SO, UM, I THINK THE RESULT OF THAT IS WE WENT FROM 30 SUBSCRIBERS TO CLOSE TO 200 BY THE END.
UM, LET'S SEE, COUPLE OF HIGHLIGHTS WITH THAT.
UM, YOU SEE, WE HAD SOME, UM, OVER 7,000 VIEWS, 27 VIDEOS THAT WERE POSTED IN LANGUAGES OTHER THAN ENGLISH.
AND I ALREADY MENTIONED THAT WE HAD AN INCREASE IN SUB SUBSCRIBERS.
WE DID HAVE, UM, INPUT FROM THOSE THAT WERE TAKING, THAT WERE VIEWING OUR VIDEOS.
WE HAD ONE PARTICULAR CLASSROOM ACTUALLY MADE IT PART OF THEIR DAY TO ACCESS OUR YOUTUBE CONTENT.
AND SHE TOOK HER CLASS THROUGH WHATEVER WE WERE POSTING HERE.
AND HERE'S A, UM, COMMENT FROM ONE OF OUR VIEWERS.
SO THAT'S HER VIRTUAL RECREATION PROGRAM.
SOME OF THE LESSONS THAT WE LEARNED, WE HAVE TO CONSTANTLY STAY AHEAD OF THE GAME.
I THINK, UM, ENGAGEMENT, WHATEVER THAT MEANS FOR ANYONE, REALLY.
WE HAVE TO CAPITALIZE ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM.
UM, AND SO WE'RE HOPING, AND WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES TO GET GRANT TO CONTINUE THIS PROGRAM.
SO UNFORTUNATELY WITH ALL OUR LDRA PROGRAMS, THEY SUNSETTED MOST OF 'EM.
THIS THE LAST ONE I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT DIDN'T IN FY 24.
AND SO THEN I'LL FINISH OFF WITH, ACTUALLY I DON'T HAVE IT.
SO I'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS PROGRAM BEFORE.
UH, WE ACTUALLY RESURRECTED IT.
WE USED TO HAVE A MOBILE RECREATION PROGRAM AND IT WAS THE IDEAL PROGRAM TO BRING BACK DURING THE PANDEMIC.
'CAUSE WE WENT DIRECTLY TO WHERE OUR COMMUNITIES NEEDED IT.
I'M SORRY, WAS IT CUT OFF? IS IT NOT IN YOUR
SO, UM, THIS IS THE PROGRAM IN WHICH WE HAVE, UH, TRUCKS THAT GO DIRECTLY TO NEIGHBORHOODS, UM, HAVE RECREATIONAL ELEMENTS, OUR STAFF, AND WE OFFER OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH FIVE TO 14 TO ENGAGE DIRECTLY WITH THE STAFF, UM, PARTICIPATE IN DIFFERENT TYPES OF PLAY.
AND THEN WE ALSO PARTICIPATED IN, UH, NUMEROUS COMMUNITY EVENTS.
UM, WE ALSO HAD LESSONS LEARNED WITH THIS PROGRAM.
THIS EVOLVED INITIALLY WE WERE GOING TO NEIGHBORHOODS AND ACTUALLY CLOSING THE STREETS.
AND WHAT WE RECOGNIZED EARLY ON IS THAT WE WERE GETTING MORE RESPONSE FROM OUR PARK SPACES THAT WEREN'T NECESSARILY ACTIVATED.
SO, UM, IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE PARK SYSTEM, WE HAVE THE, UM, 26 COMMUNITY CENTERS IN WHICH WE HAVE PARK PROGRAMMED ACTIVITIES, BUT WE HAVE CLOSE TO 170 PARKS.
AND SO PARKS THAT ARE OPEN SPACES AND KIDS ARE COMING OUT TO PLAY.
BUT WHAT THEY REALLY WERE LOOKING FOR IS ENGAGEMENT WITH OUR RECREATION SPACE.
SO WE FOCUS ON PARK SPACES LIKE GRACE PARK IN THE NORTH, UM, HUDSON ON THE WEST SIDE.
AND WE FOCUS ON NORTH CENTRAL AND, UH, WEST SIDES OF LONG BEACH, WHICH ARE OUR, OUR NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE THE LEAST ACCESS TO OUR RECREATION PROGRAMS. BROUGHT OUT OUR GAMES.
AND THEN OUR STAFF ENGAGED, UM, OVER THE COURSE OF, UM, I HOPE I HAVE IT HERE.
THE THREE YEARS WE STARTED OFF, WELL, IT ACTUALLY STARTED IN DURING THE CARES ACT.
SO DURING THE PANDEMIC, BUT DURING THE LB RRA YEARS, I THINK WE STARTED WITH CLOSE TO, UM, CLOSE, CLOSE TO 8,000 PARTICIPANTS.
FY 23 WAS A BANNER YEAR FOR US.
FOR US, WE ALMOST HAD 20,000 PARTICIPANTS THERE.
I THINK WE HAD MORE COMMUNITY EVENTS IN THAT YEAR.
AND THEN IN THIS LAST FISCAL YEAR, WE HAD A LITTLE OVER 13,000 PARTICIPANTS.
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UM, WE ALSO DID ABOUT 15 TO 20 COMMUNITY EVENTS.UH, WE WERE GETTING REQUESTS FROM LOCAL ORGANIZERS IN WHICH THEY WANTED OUR MOBILE RECESS TRUCK TO COME OUT, PROVIDE THAT PLAY.
WE WERE AT, UM, THE YOUTH, THE YOUTH DAYS.
UM, SO TO OFFER, AGAIN, THAT ELEMENT FOR OUR YOUTH, BUT ALSO TO BRING VALUABLE RESOURCES DIRECTLY TO RESIDENTS IN TERMS OF DEPARTMENT INFORMATION AND ANY KIND OF RESOURCES THAT THE CITY MIGHT HAVE THAT THEY, THEY MAY NOT GET NECESSARILY.
UM, JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT ACCESSING OUR PROGRAMS OR INFORMATION.
THE GREAT REASON WHY I WANTED TO START, UH, FINISH WITH THIS IS, UM, IT WAS, I THINK THIS BECAME OUR, OUR SORT OF OUR FLAGSHIP PROGRAM.
IT GOES OUT, IT REPRESENTS THE DEPARTMENT.
WE LITERALLY BRING RECREATION TO YOU.
AND SO THE CITY COUNCIL SAW IT AND ACTUALLY FUNDED IT FOR ONE MORE YEAR.
AND SO NOW WE'RE GETTING READY TO LAUNCH MOBILE RECESS AGAIN WITH THE HOPES TO DO IT EVERY YEAR, TILL EVENTUALLY IT'S STRUCTURALLY FUNDED.
AND SO WE WERE FUNDED FOR 200,000 FOR THIS YEAR.
AND THEN, UM, WE'RE GONNA LAUNCH AGAIN IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
SO THAT'S THE MOBILE RECESS PROGRAM.
THIS IS ONLY THREE OF THE 12 THAT WE HAVE.
AND I AM AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS.
HOW, HOW MANY RESOURCE PROGRAMS ARE THERE? ONE AND THEY JUST TRAVEL? IS THAT WHAT, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
WE, UH, WE, WE HAVE TWO TRUCKS, BUT WE ONLY HAVE, WE SEND ONE OUT DURING THE DAY DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR, DURING EXTENDED TIME, WHICH IS WHEN THE SCHOOL'S OFF, WE TRY TO VISIT TWO SITES A DAY.
UM, WE ACTUALLY, THE PATTERN IS MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, TWO SITES A DAY.
AND THEN DURING THE SUMMER, FRIDAY IS LIKE OUR POPUP DAY.
AND THEN WE PICK A PLACE IN THE CITY AND THEN INVITE ALL THE MOBILE RECESS KIDS IF THEY CAN MAKE IT.
AND THEN THEY ACTUALLY TAKE LOCAL FIELD TRIPS.
SO MOBILE RECESS ACTUALLY IS ABLE TO ALSO FACILITATE, UM, FIELD TRIPS.
THAT'S JUST DURING THE SUMMER THOUGH.
AND, UM, DO SCHOOLS APPLY TO GET THE MOBILE RESOURCE, UH, AT THEIR SCHOOL? OR IS IT JUST EVERYONE GETS AN OP OPPORTUNITY? DID
AND WE USE A COUPLE OF RESOURCES.
WE WORK, UH, WITH OUR HEALTHY ACTIVE LONG BEACH PARTNERS WHO ARE VERY IN TUNE WITH CENSUS TRACKS AND NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE EITHER, UM, AT OR BELOW POVERTY LEVEL.
THAT ALSO HAPPENED TO HAVE THE LEAST ACCESS.
IT'S NO COINCIDENCE TO OUR RECREATION PROGRAMS. WE STARTED USING A SECOND SOURCE, WHICH IS PARK SERVE, WHICH IS PUT OUT BY THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND.
AND IT ACTUALLY MAPS OUT AND PLOTS OUT ALL THE NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
AND WE FOCUS ON THOSE AREAS THAT, AGAIN, ARE MORE THAN A 10 MINUTE WALK FROM A, A PARK OR A RECREATION PROGRAM.
AND THEN EVERY QUARTER WE TRY TO ADD A NEW NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, SO THAT EVENTUALLY WE'LL HOPEFULLY HIT ALMOST CORNERS OF LONG BEACH.
UH, WE ALSO GET REQUESTS FROM, UM, LOCAL ORGANIZERS FOR MOBILE RECESS TO PARTICIPATE IN POPUP COMMUNITY EVENTS.
WE'LL GET IT FROM SCHOOLS TOO.
AND WE, WE DO AS BEST AS WE CAN TO, TO SEND OUR MOBILE TRUCK OUT THERE.
SO, JUST TO POINT, IF, FOR CLARIFICATION, 'CAUSE YOU ASKED ABOUT HOW DO YOU PICK SCHOOLS, BUT YOU'RE, THIS IS IN PARK SPACES, THESE ARE AN UNPROGRAMMED PARK SPACES? THAT'S CORRECT.
WE, WE HAVE, UM, WE, WHEN SCHOOLS REACH OUT TO US, TYPICALLY IT'S FOR ONE TIME EVENTS.
NOT TO BE A, A, UM, A SITE VISIT.
WE HAVE NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS THOUGH REACH OUT FOR THE, FOR US TO COME BACK AND BE, UH, A STANDING SPOT FOR THEM.
AND WE TRY TO ROT, ROTATE, ROTATE THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS.
I HAVE A FOLLOW UP QUESTION ABOUT, UM, PARTNERSHIPS WITH LIKE ANY ACADEMIC OR, UM, INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING, IF YOU HAVE ANY KIND OF, UM, PARTNERSHIPS WITH THEM TO, BECAUSE YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB DOCUMENTING, BUT LIKE, HOW ABOUT IF THERE COULD BE, UH, IF IT COULD BE SOME KIND OF STUDY OR, I MEAN, I KNOW THERE'S A RECREATION DEPARTMENT AT, UM, CAL STATE LONG BEACH, UM, THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE INTERESTED, STUDENTS WOULD PROBABLY WANT TO TRACK AND MONITOR LIKE A LONGITUDINAL, LIKE HOW, HOW WELL THIS IS IMPACTING AND CHANGING THAT COMMUNITY BECAUSE YOU WERE THERE.
I I, WE WOULD WELCOME THAT TYPE OF PARTNERSHIP.
IN GENERAL, WE, WE RECOGNIZE THAT OUR REC CAL STATE LONG BEACH HAS A VERY, UM, ROBUST RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
AND I THINK THIS WOULD BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.
AND WE, WE HAVE, WE KNOW SOME FACULTY ON THERE AND, AND WE PROBABLY, NOT TO THE DEGREE WE SHOULD COLLABORATE MORE WITH THEM, BUT I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GREAT THING.
YOU'VE DONE A LOT OF THE WORK.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BARRIERS THAT EXIST BETWEEN LIKE GETTING, UM, KIND OF COLLABORATING WITH EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS LIKE L-B-U-S-D OR LIKE SOME OF THE UNIVERSITIES, COLLEGES AND STUFF LIKE THAT? I NOTICED THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, LIKE HOW CAN WE, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT YOU ALL HAVE EXPERIENCED IN TERMS OF, UM, BUILDING KIND OF COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH SOME OF THE SCHOOLS?
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UM, BECAUSE IT SEEMS THAT PARKS, BECAUSE OF ALL THE INCREDIBLE WORK THAT YOU DO, THERE SHOULD BE LIKE A REALLY TIGHT RELATIONSHIP MM-HMMWITH THE SCHOOLS AND I, I OFTEN, I YEAH.
I CAN ONLY SPEAK FOR EXPERIENCE.
UM, LONG BEACH UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT IN PARTICULAR, THEY'RE A LARGE AGENCY LIKE US, SO THEY HAVE A FULL PORTFOLIO OF THEIR OWN, UM, PROGRAMS. AND SO IT'S HARD TO KIND OF CARVE OUT THE, THE, THE RIGHT PERSONNEL TO FOCUS ON ANY ONE SPECIFIC THING THAT ISN'T CURRENTLY, I DON'T WANNA SAY FUNDED, RIGHT.
BUT, UM, PART OF THEIR REGULAR PROGRAMMING.
UM, BUT WE, THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT DOESN'T OCCUR.
I MEAN, WE HAVE THE RAP AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM, WHICH IS A COLLABORATION WITH THE DISTRICT ACROSS LIKE 60 SOME CAMPUS.
UM, WE ACTUALLY, I I WAS GONNA MENTION IT EARLIER, WE HAVE ANOTHER PROGRAM CALLED PARKS RX, WHICH WE'RE PARTNERING WITH THE LONG BEACH UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT TO, UM, INVOLVE THE MIDDLE SCHOOL WELLNESS CENTERS ON THAT PARTICULAR PROGRAM.
I THINK IT'S JUST A MATTER OF, UM, UNDERSTANDING WHAT, WHAT EACH AGENCY OFFERS, AND THEN FOCUSING ON WHAT WE WANT TO DO COLLABORATIVELY.
AND THEN FINDING A SPACE WHERE WE'RE CONSTANTLY INTERACTING WITH THEM THAT IS NOT NECESSARILY ATTACHED TO THE WRAP AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM OR THIS OTHER PROGRAM THAT'S FOR THE DISTRICT.
AND I'M SURE TON MIGHT HAVE OWN PERSPECTIVE ON THAT.
UM, WITH HIGHER LEARNING INSTITUTIONS, I THINK IT'S ANOTHER THING.
IT'S JUST A MATTER OF LIKE SETTING A, AN OBJECTIVE, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GONNA WANT TO DO.
AND FINDING THAT SPACE WHERE WE'RE IN THAT SPACE TOGETHER.
AND THEN I THINK WE CAN DO THAT WITH EITHER COLLABORATING WITH THE OFFICE OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, WHO HAVE THEIR OWN CONNECTIONS WITH THOSE INSTITUTIONS AS WELL, AS WELL AS YOURSELVES COMMISSIONERS.
NO, I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER S BECAUSE LIKE, JUST MAPPING THE DATA THAT YOU HAVE ACCESS TO IN TERMS OF LIKE, JUST THAT ALONE, I FEEL LIKE IS A WEALTH OF INFORMATION FOR SO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE IN SCHOOLS OF ED OR RESEARCHING PUBLIC POLICY, ALL OF THESE THINGS.
IT'S, IT IS, IT IS LIKE YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE SHARING LIKE YOU, YOUR WORK, YOUR OFFICE IS DOING.
SO TO GATHER THAT DATA MM-HMM
SO I THINK THAT IT'S A NATURAL, IT WOULD BE TOLD TO SHARE HAVE LIKE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, AND WE KNOW OF SPACES WE, THERE'S THE YOUTH SERVICES NETWORK, WHICH UM, I THINK IS OUT OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AND SO THEY, THEY, THEY HAVE THAT SPACE WHERE THERE'S ALL THESE YOUTH SERVING AGENCIES THAT ARE INTERACTING TOGETHER.
AND, AND IT'S JUST A MATTER OF BEING CONSISTENT ABOUT THAT AND THEN FOCUSING ON WHAT WE WANT TO DO COLLABORATIVELY.
BUT I AGREE WITH WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
I, I THINK YOU ALL DO INCREDIBLE WORK.
I JUST, I, I WONDER WHAT SOME OF THE CHALLENGES ARE OVER THE YEARS.
THAT'S WHAT I'VE HEARD IS THAT THERE COULD BE MORE RELATIONSHIPS, THERE COULD BE LIKE, YOU KNOW, MORE HAPPENING, BUT OF COURSE, WE'RE ALL LIKE STRETCHED.
AND I LIKE TO FINISH OFF WITH RECOGNIZING ACTUALLY THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
SO IN THE AUDIENCE TONIGHT, WE HAVE, RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU ARE PART OF LBRA OR YOU GOT A PHONE CALL FROM THIS.
A A COUPLE OF THEM ACTUALLY DID MORE THAN MORE THAN ONE PROGRAM.
THEY WERE EITHER INVOLVED IN THE HUBS, THEY ALSO DID, I DIDN'T TALK ABOUT IT TONIGHT, BUT THAT'S ASHLEY TO DO NEXT TIME, WHICH IS THE TEEN ACADEMY.
UM, AND THEY DID A LOT OF WORK TO DO, WHICH WAS ALSO A FUNDED THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO FOR OUR CITY, FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.
I MEAN, I DON'T THINK IT CAN BE, UH, STATED, YOU KNOW, THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT PARKS PROVIDES FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE REALLY SET THE STAGE FOR THEM TO KIND OF, UM, BECOME MORE SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY MOBILE.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE HARD WORK THAT YOU ALL DO KNOW THAT WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS MEANINGFUL AND UM, MEANINGFUL WORK AND LIKE IT'S PURPOSEFUL WORK.
AND I THINK IN A DAY TO AGE FALL JUST KIND OF ARE LIKE DOING WORK TO GET BY.
LIKE I THINK THE LUCKIEST PEOPLE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO CAN SAY, I'M DOING WORK THAT'S ACTUALLY, UM, MAKING IMPACT WITH OUR YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE FUTURE.
LIKE THE FUTURE OF LONG BEACH.
DOES ANYONE ELSE WANNA SAY ANYTHING? SO NICE.
YEAH, NO, I APPRECIATE ALL OF OUR AGREE.
UM, SO IF I CAN, THANKS JOY, IF I CAN THEN HAVE A MOTION TO FILE THE REPORT.
THANK COMMISSIONER SHA AND TO FILE.
AND THEN CAN I GET A SECOND? SECOND.
SO, UH, ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.
SO CARRIE, THANK YOU SO MUCH JOY.
[00:25:03]
THE NEXT THING THAT WE HAVE ON OUR AGENDA IS, UH, RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE THE, WE CREATE COMMUNITY REPORT FROM NOVEMBER, 2024 AND THE DIRECTOR'S HIGHLIGHT FOR DECEMBER, 2024.I'LL KEEP MY REMARKS VERY, VERY BRIEF 'CAUSE YOU HAVE OUR NEWSLETTER.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF THINGS.
A COUPLE OF THEM I ACTUALLY MIGHT HAVE TALKED ABOUT LAST TIME.
UM, IN PARTICULAR, I BELIEVE I TALKED ABOUT THE DAVENPORT OPENING, WHICH, WHICH IS MENTIONED IN THIS NEW LETTER.
UH, ONE THING OF NOTE, AND THIS IS SOMETHING ACTUALLY I WISH I, WE, I HAD INSISTED ON THOSE INVOLVED IN THE PROGRAM TO COME AND PRESENT TO THE COMMISSION ON YOUTH AND FAMILIES.
BUT OUR MARINE BUREAU, I MENTIONED IT BEFORE, HAS THAT NEW TOOL, WHICH THEY CALL THE ROOMBA OF THE OCEAN.
I SHOULD PROBABLY START REMEMBERING WHAT IT, WHAT THE WINNING NAME IS.
WHAT'S THE NAME? I'M SURE KNOW BRETT MIGHT KNOW.
I'LL HAVE TO PUT HIM ON THE SPOT.
DO YOU REMEMBER THE NAME? UM, I GOTTA GET ROOM OF THE OCEAN.
THEY, PART OF, PART OF THE CONTEST WAS PICKING A NAME AND ALSO AN ART CONTEST THAT HAD THE WRAP ON THERE.
AND THEN THE WINNING YOUTH FROM POLLY HIGH SCHOOL, SHOUT OUT TO POLLY.
I WAS, I WAS TRYING TO INVITE THE COMMISSIONERS TO COME THAT, BUT I, IT WAS VERY SHORT NOTICE 'CAUSE WE HAD A COUPLE THINGS GOING ON.
AND SO, UM, IF THE COMMISSION SO, UH, WOULD WANT, I CAN INVITE AND MAYBE RECOGNIZE THAT YOUTH FROM THE COMMISSION BECAUSE, UM, SHE, SHE, HER SUBMISSION WAS PHENOMENAL.
I THINK WE ALL AGREED, ALL THE SUBMISSIONS WERE PHENOMENAL.
AND SO, UM, HIGHLIGHTING OUR, OUR LOCAL YOUTH IS A GREAT THING.
SO I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT.
WE ALSO HAVE OUR, WE HAVE AN ANNUAL VOLUNTEER BANQUET THAT THE EL DORADO NATURE CENTER DOES.
VERY ROBUST VOLUNTEER PROGRAM OVER 30,000 HOURS JUST IN ONE YEAR THAT OUR VOLUNTEERS DONE TO RUN OUR NATURE CENTER PROGRAMS. UM, AND THEN A COUPLE THINGS THAT ARE NOT ON THERE THAT I WANNA BRIEFLY TALK ABOUT.
UM, NEIGHBOR TO NEIGHBOR GRANT, WHICH IS SOMETHING I'VE TALKED ABOUT WITH THIS COMMISSION BEFORE.
IT IS A GRANT THAT WE ARE COLLABORATING WITH THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY.
UM, AND, UM, THE DEPARTMENT GOT $120,000 TO ENHANCE 12 OF OUR EVENTS.
AND IN THE LAST QUARTER WE DID TWO PHENOMENAL EVENTS.
SUNNY SAN WAS SITTING RIGHT THERE.
WE DID A, A HALLOWEEN NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, FESTIVAL AT SILVERADO PARK.
AND THEN HE FOLLOWED THAT UP WITH A SNOW DAY SNOW EVENT AT SILVERADO PARK, IN WHICH, HOW MANY, HOW MANY SHOWED UP SUNNY, UH, OVER A THOUSAND, OVER A THOUSAND PEOPLE.
AND THE KIDS GOT TO ENJOY SNOW HILL.
AND SO WE'RE DOING THESE QUARTERLY EVENTS THIS NEXT QUARTER.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE ONE IN MARCH.
THAT MOBILE RECESS IS GONNA DO THE EVENT.
THE GRANT FOCUSES ON CENTRAL AND WESTERN PARTS OF LONG BEACH.
AND SO WE WILL GIVE YOU ALL THE INFORMATION FOR THAT ONE FOR THE QUARTER.
AND THEN I'LL FINISH OFF BEFORE I HAND HAND IT OFF TO OUR DIRECTOR IS OUR PARKS RX PROGRAM.
THIS IS ANOTHER COLLABORATION THAT WE HAVE WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN WHICH I MENTIONED IT BEFORE.
WE'RE, UH, WORKING WITH THE LONG BEACH UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT MIDDLE SCHOOLS IN THE CENTRAL NEIGHBORHOODS OF LONG BEACH, IN WHICH THEY WILL IDENTIFY, UH, MIDDLE SCHOOLERS TO TAKE PART IN A PARKS RX PROGRAM.
AND THAT THEY WILL BE PRESCRIBED TIME EITHER IN PROGRAMS OR SPACES IN OUR PARK.
WE ARE ABOUT READY TO LAUNCH A SURVEY WHERE WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO GAUGE THE MIDDLE SCHOOLERS IN THAT AREA, HOW THEY VIEW OUR PARKS, WHAT ACTIVITIES AND PARKS DO, UM, HELP THEM WITH THEIR MENTAL HEALTH, THEIR PHYSICAL, UM, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA USE THAT DATA TO THEN, UM, PUT INCORPORATE INTO THE PARKS RX PROGRAM.
I'VE BEEN INVITED THE, OUR PARTNERS WITH THE HEALTHY ACT, UH, HEALTHY ACT OF LONG BEACH TO COME TO THE MARCH MEETING SO THAT THEY CAN PRESENT MORE ABOUT THE PARKS RX PROGRAM.
AND I'D LIKE TO, UM, YIELD BEFORE OVER TO OUR DIRECTOR OF BRENT DENNIS.
HAPPY NEW YEAR 12 YOU COMMISSIONER AND, UM, SOME OF OUR MORE STELLAR CRS LEADERSHIP RIGHT HERE.
UM, SO I DO WANT TO GIVE JOY A SHOUT OUT.
BESIDES ALL OF HER REGULAR DUTIES, SHE, PAST YEAR HAS DONE A GREAT JOB LEADING OUR EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION COMMITTEE.
AND SHE, UM, I THINK THIS MORNING WAS MAYBE YOUR FINAL ACT.
WE SURPRISED, UM, ROBERTO QUINONE AS OUR EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH FOR DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR, WHICH WAS JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO.
BUT, UM, HE'LL BE IN THIS VERY ROOM TOMORROW MORNING WITH OUR PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION BEING RECOGNIZED.
BUT, UH, JOY LED THAT SURPRISE THIS MORNING.
AND THEN, UH, SHE'S ACTUALLY PASSING A BATON UPWARD TO HER SUPERVISOR, WHICH IS GLADYS KAISER, WHO'S OUR SUP, UM, BUREAU MANAGER FOR COMMUNITY RECREATION SERVICES FOR THE COMING YEAR.
SO SHE HAS A LOT OF GREAT IDEAS IN STORE.
[00:30:01]
SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT.UM, I WON'T ASSUME THAT ALL OF YOU LISTENED TO THE MAYOR'S STATE OF THE CITY LAST NIGHT, BUT HE HAD A DEFINITE FOCUS ON OUR YOUTH, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS REALLY POSITIVE.
IN FACT, THEY FEATURED, UH, FROM THE MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT TEAM, UH, SOME OF OUR STELLAR YOUTH PERFORMERS, THEY PUT ON A REALLY GREAT OPENING ACT.
UH, BUT HE MADE THE POINT THAT, UM, THE CITY'S GONNA BE MUCH MORE INTENTIONAL ABOUT INVESTING IN OUR YOUTH.
SO THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT YOUTH DEVELOPMENT FUND.
I THINK IT'S OVER A MILLION DOLLARS NOW TO HELP WITH GRANTS AND SPECIAL SCHOLARSHIPS.
UM, I DO WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO OUR PARTNERS OF PARKS.
THAT'S KIND OF OUR PARKS FOUNDATION.
THEY CONTINUE TO DO A LOT OF GOOD WORKS WITH UNDERWRITING, UH, ESPECIALLY YOUTH SCHOLARSHIPS FOR OUR, UM, PROGRAMMING.
ALSO, UH, WE HAVE JUST SO MUCH GOING ON, BUT, UM, I THINK, UM, WHAT JOY HIGHLIGHTED WERE SOME REALLY IMPORTANT THINGS, UH, IN TERMS OF YOUTH TO THE COMING YEAR, WE'RE GONNA BE, UM, BUILDING AND THEN EVENTUALLY DEDICATING THREE MAJOR, WE CALL 'EM SIGNATURE PLAYGROUNDS, ONE AT
SO THOSE ARE REALLY EXCITING THINGS FOR US.
WE'VE GOTTEN, UH, A LOT OF OUR, I THINK IT'S THIS WEEKEND WE KICK OFF THE, THE WINTER BASKETBALL LEAGUE OR KICKOFF.
OUR WINTER, OUR BASKETBALL PROGRAM HAS WINTER BASKETBALL PROGRAM OPENING.
SO, UM, ALSO WANNA REMIND YOU THAT THIS WEEKEND, UM, AND WE'RE PREPARING FOR IT, BUT WE HAVE THE MARTIN LUTHER KING CELEBRATION.
SO THE DAY OF SERVICE, UH, IS COORDINATING A LOT OF, UH, GROUPS.
I KNOW LEADERSHIP LONG BEACH IS GONNA FOCUS ON
THEY'RE GONNA ACTUALLY BE INSTALLING SOME, UH, GAR RAISED GARDEN BOXES, I THINK.
SO THE KIDS CAN LEARN ALL ABOUT AMERICA'S NUMBER ONE HOBBY, WHICH IS GARDENING.
AND UH, I CAN JUST GO ON AND ON MM-HMM
BUT, UH, I THINK A LOT OF MY HIGHLIGHTS WERE IN THE, THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT.
UM, DO YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET? OH YEAH, I DID HAVE THAT IN MY NOTEBOOK.
I WAS TRYING NOT TO READ MY NOTES, BUT YEAH.
SO NEXT WEDNESDAY IS THE KICKOFF FOR COMMUNITY INPUT FOR PRIORITIES FOR THE 2026.
I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M SAYING THAT THE 2026 FISCAL YEAR.
THERE'S SIX, THERE'S ACTUALLY THE ADDED ONE, ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY MEETING.
UH, ONE OF THEM IS VIRTUAL, BUT I THINK THE FLYER THAT YOU HAVE HIGHLIGHTS THOSE.
SO IF YOU GET A CHANCE TO PARTICIPATE AT LEAST ONE, YOU GET A SAMPLING OF WHAT, UM, THE CITY'S VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT, UH, BEING GOOD LISTENERS AS TO WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO MY FINGERS ARE CROSSED THAT AS WE LOOK AT FISCAL YEAR 26, WE DON'T INCUR ANY MAJOR CUTBACKS, BUT WE'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS THAT WE'VE STAYED THE COURSE, ACTUALLY SAW SOME IMPORTANT STRUCTURAL BUDGET ENHANCEMENTS TO OUR PARK SYSTEM.
PROBABLY ONE BEST EXAMPLE ONLY 'CAUSE I LOVE TREES IS THAT WE FINALLY GOT BUDGETING TO PROPERLY TRIM AND CARE FOR OUR TREES AND OUR URBAN FOREST IN THE PARKS.
SO THIS WAS PROBABLY OUR HARSHEST WIND STORM, THE SANTA ANA WINDS THE PAST WEEK.
WE HAD NO TREE FAILURE, WHICH IS UNUSUAL.
THEY THINK PUBLIC WORKS OUT IN THE TREE.
BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, UM, THANKFUL THAT THERE WEREN'T ANY SAFETY ISSUES.
UH, ALTHOUGH WE DO PAUSE AND, YOU KNOW, WITH GREAT SYMPATHY THINKING, WE'RE REMINDED OF ALL THE COMMUNITIES IMPACTED BY THE FIRES.
SO OUR CITY'S DOING GOOD THINGS.
I THINK IN THE LAST 48 HOURS THERE'S BEEN AN INITIATIVE CALLED LB TWO LA AND, UH, COMMUNITY'S RAISED OVER HALF A MILLION DOLLARS ALREADY.
AND THEN, FOR EXAMPLE, OUR ANIMAL CARE, WHICH I'M WEARING THAT JACKET TODAY, UH, THEY'VE BEEN HELPING COORDINATE A LOT OF THE DONATIONS FOR, YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY WERE FAMILIES AFFECTED, BUT THE PET, SO FAMILIES WHEN THEY LOST THEIR HOMES.
SO WE'RE HELPING OUT IN TERMS OF ORGANIZING DONATIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO, UM, IT'S OFF TO A GOOD YEAR.
UH, NEXT YEAR, FIFA, THE WORLD SOCCER CUP CHAMPIONSHIPS COME INTO LONG BEACH.
AND THEN TWO YEARS AFTER THAT, THAT INTERNATIONAL THING CALLED THE, UH, THE OLYMPICS SHOWS UP AND WE'RE THE LARGEST, UH, NON LOS ANGELES VENUE CITY HOSTING.
QUITE A FEW, REALLY GREAT AND EXCITING.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE, UH, THE, I WAS HAVE TO PAUSE AND THINK OF THE OTHER, THE, UM, PARALYMPICS.
AND WE HAVE A MAJOR GROUP OF THOSE TOO.
SO MAYOR, UH, RICHARDSON ANNOUNCED A LOT OF ADVISORY GROUPS THAT ARE GONNA BE VERY INVOLVED IN, UH, THE OLYMPICS AND PLANNING, UH, AS WELL AS, UM, HIS FOCUS ON ENTERTAINMENT THAT WOULD BE THE BIGGEST LIVE ENTERTAINMENT CAPITAL
[00:35:01]
ON THE WEST COAST.AND THEY ALSO SHOWED IMAGES OF THE NEW, WHAT THE, WHAT HE CALLS THE LONG BEACH BOWL IS A MAJOR AMPHITHEATER OVER BY THE QUEEN MARY, WHICH ONE THEIR FIRST CONCERTS THIS COMING AUTUMN.
SO A LOT OF EXCITING THINGS THAT WILL KEEP, UH, OUR YOUTH VERY ACTIVE IN THE COMING MONTHS IN HERE.
SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME, I'LL BE GLAD TO ANSWER 'EM.
IF NOT, I ALWAYS LIKE TO CLOSE MY COMMENTS BY THANKING ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR SERVICES COMMISSIONER, I KNOW YOU HAVE A LOT OF THINGS YOU COULD DO WITH YOUR EXTRA TIME IF YOU HAVE ANY, BUT WE APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THAT REGARD.
IT'S ALL ABOUT THE YOUTH, SO HAPPY NEW YEAR.
YOU CAN I ADD A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I JUST REMEMBER NOW, I APOLOGIZE.
UM, AND I ALSO WANNA OFFER ASHLEY THE OPPORTUNITY IF THERE'S ANYTHING FROM HER END THAT SHE WANTS TO ADD TO THE STAFF REPORT, AN EVENT THAT I FORGOT TO MENTION, WHICH IS BIG FOR US AND THAT IF YOU COULD HELP WITH SHARING, IS A JOB FAIR AT HELP PARK ON SATURDAY.
BRETT MENTIONED IT'S OUR OPENING DAY FOR OUR YOUTH SPORTS PROGRAM.
IT'S ALSO MARTIN LUTHER KING PARADE DAY OVER AT KING PARK.
AND THEN JOB FAIR, WHICH WE'RE ACTUALLY DOING ONSITE INTERVIEWS AND, UM, THE COMMUNITY THAT THAT AND ATTENDEES GET TREATED TO ALL OUR DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AND GET A CHANCE TO TALK DIRECTLY WITH OUR, OUR SUPERVISORS AND, AND GETTING HIRED ON.
IS THAT POSTED ON SOCIAL MEDIA? YES.
WE PUT IT OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND THEN WE'LL, WE'LL SHARE IT AGAIN WITH YOU GUYS.
SO I GUESS ONE OF THE WAYS WE COULD HELP WOULD JUST BE TO SHARE IT, RIGHT? YEAH, PLEASE.
DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? UM, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING MUCH MORE IN ADDITION, UM, I'M HAPPY TO DO A TEEN ACADEMY PRESENTATION IN A FUTURE MEETING.
SO ONE THING THAT WE, WE ARE DOING DIFFERENTLY, WE'VE, UM, WITH OUR CITYWIDE YOUTH SPORTS PROGRAM, WE ARE AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH, EACH SEASON WE ARE HOSTING A BIG FAMILY DAY GATHER AT ONE OF OUR PARK SITES WHERE WE'RE DOING TEAM PHOTOS IN AHEAD OF THE SEASON STARTING, UM, WE'LL HAVE A KIDS AREA.
WE HAVE CLINICS, WE'LL HAVE, UM, A FEW OF YOU BACK HERE ARE INVOLVED IN SOME OF THAT.
I KNOW JESSICA'S DOING A BIG PART OF THE, IT'S UM, YEAH, THERE'S A FUN ZONE.
THERE'S GONNA BE BASKETBALL CLINICS, THE PHOTO AREA AND THE UNIFORM DISTRIBUTION.
WE'RE TRYING TO, UM, WE'VE ALSO KIND OF PERSONALIZED OUR, OUR UNIFORM.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE A NEW LOOK.
UM, WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO BRING SOME ADDITIONAL VALUE ADDED KIND OF ELEMENT TO, TO THE PROGRAM.
UM, WE'RE STILL REALLY, REALLY PROUD THAT WE HAVE A FREE YOUTH SPORTS PROGRAM.
WE DO HAVE A, A, A SMALL UNIFORM FEE.
UM, BUT UM, WE'RE ONE OF THE, UH, WE ARE THE ONLY CITY THAT I KNOW OF AND DON'T, I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR.
WE DON'T TURN AWAY ANYONE DECADES.
UM, AND WE DON'T TURN ANY, ANY CHILD AWAY THAT WOULD LOVE TO PARTICIPATE.
UM, AND UM, BUT TO OFFER A PROGRAM FOR FREE YEAR ROUND IS PRETTY PHENOMENAL.
AND SO WE ARE BEGINNING BASKETBALL SEASON, SO KICKOFF IS AT PAN HAM PARK ON SATURDAY, UM, WHICH WILL LEAD INTO OUR INDOOR SOCCER SEASON.
AND THEN WE OFFER THE DODGER DREAM TEAM PROGRAM IN THE SUMMER BASEBALL SOFTBALL PROGRAM, WHICH WE'RE VERY PROUD OF AS WELL.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE IN THE FALL WE'LL BE GETTING, UM, BACK TO OUR, UH, COED VOLLEYBALL VOLLEY, UH, I'M SORRY, FLAG FOOTBALL PROGRAM.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE EXTREMELY PROUD.
IT'S ONE OF OUR, OUR STAPLES, UM, WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT AND IT'S WHERE JOY AND I THINK STARTED WORKING PRETTY MUCH YEAH.
FOR THE CITY 25 YEARS AGO AS COACHES.
SO, UM, BUT IT'S, IT'S, IT'S REALLY EXCITING TO HOST THIS NEW FAMILY DAY FOR THE FIRST TIME.
SO WE, WE WILL, WE'LL HAVE MORE INFORMATION TO SHARE THE NEXT MEETING AND LET YOU KNOW HOW IT WENT.
WELL THANK YOU TO OUR DIRECTOR WHO'S NO LONGER HERE.
UM, IF I CAN, UH, SOMEONE CAN MAKE A MOTION TO KYLE THEN WE CAN COMMUNITY REPORT FROM NEW NOVEMBER AND THE DIRECTOR'S HIGHLIGHTS FROM DECEMBER OF 2024.
UM, ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? ANY DISCUSSION? A QUICK NOTE ABOUT THE NEXT ITEM.
IT'S A HOLDOVER 'CAUSE IT'S THE SAME TEMPLATE AND WE NO LONGER HAVE ANY STANDING COMMITTEES.
ON THE NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING WE'LL REPLACE IT WITH AD HOC.
SO, UM, I THINK THAT'S IT THEN, RIGHT? UM, DID WE HAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT? OH YES, SORRY.
UM, I'LL NEVER GET THROUGH A MEETING FULLY.
BUT, UM, YEAH, ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? WOULD YOU ALL LIKE TO SHARE ANYTHING ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCES? ANYTHING
[00:40:01]
I CAN SHARE.I THINK YOU MENTIONED MOLD REESE, RIGHT? UM, MOLD REESE STARTED IN 1996.
UM, THAT'S WHEN I WAS, UM, I TOOK PART IN IT WHEN THE PROGRAM CAME TO MY COMMUNITY.
KIND OPEN DOORS FOR ME TO KIND OF NOT GO TO THE PARK BECAUSE WAS REALLY IMPACTED AND LET US GO.
UM, I DIDN'T INTRODUCE MYSELF, I'M SORRY.
I'M DAVE DI, THE SUPERVISOR AT, UH, MCBRIDE PARK IN FREEMAN TEEN CENTER.
UM, BUT I GREW UP WITH THE PARK PROGRAM LONG TIME.
UM, BUT PRETTY MUCH SAVED MY LIFE.
IT'S LIKE I'M LIKE A BYPRODUCT OF OUR PROGRAM WITHIN THE CITY.
HAPPY WHERE I'M AT, BEEN DOING THIS FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
BUT YEAH, I WOULD SAY WITHOUT THE PARKS PROGRAM, UM, I'D PROBABLY BE SIX FEET UNDER OR AT THE BIG HOUSE.
SO I THINK, AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, UM, YOU GET THE AWARD FOR I THINK OUR ONLY PUBLIC COMMENT.
I REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
IN MY TENURE, I GOT TO SEE SOMEONE, UM, YEAH, JUST ALSO, I JUST WANNA, UM, SAY I KNOW, PROBABLY KNOW PEOPLE WHO HAVE LOST, UM, WHO PEOPLE WHO HAVE LOST THEIR HOMES, UH, ARE, YOU KNOW, LONG BEACH IS A STRONG COMMUNITY.
WE SAW FOR OVER THE PAST WEEK, SO MANY PEOPLE COMING TOGETHER, OUR COMMUNITY COMING TOGETHER.
JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE, I FELT A LOT OF GRATITUDE THIS WEEK JUST BEING A PART OF OUR COMMUNITY, UM, ALONG WITH THE SADNESS OF LIKE THE SHEER DEVASTATION THAT SO MANY PEOPLE ARE FACING.
UM, BUT YEAH, GRATEFUL FOR YOU ALL.
AND I THINK I'M OFFICIALLY GOING TO GRAB MY GAVEL A QUICK ANNOUNCEMENT.
THIS IS GONNA BE MY LAST OFFICIAL MEETING AS THE STAFF LIAISON FOR BOTH AL AND I.
UH, WE MENTIONED IT LAST TIME.
WE ARE, WE ARE HANDING IT OVER TO ASHLEY GRIS, ALSO RECREATION SUPERINTENDENT AND ERICA MADANO.
ASHLEY IS OUR, UM, OVERSEAS OUR OVERSEE OUR TEEN PROGRAMMING.
SO A LOT OF THE, THE PROGRAMS THAT WE TALK ABOUT THAT ARE, UM, THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO HEAR ABOUT ACTUALLY FALL UNDER HER PURVIEW.
SO IT JUST MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.
I AM, I'VE BEEN, I'M NOT GOING KIND OF, I KNOW JOY.
I'VE BEEN TO A COUPLE MEETINGS.
I, I WASN'T ABLE TO ATTEND LAST.
UM, BUT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS.
UM, I'LL BE LEARNING AS I GO TO A LITTLE BIT, BUT WE'LL, WE'LL BE, I'M EXCITED TO SHARE MORE ABOUT OUR TEEN SHOP.
UM, I INVITED ALL OF OUR TEEN CENTER SUPERVISORS HERE.
THAT'S THE CREW, THAT'S THE LINE, KIND OF THE MIDWAY RACK.
SO WE'LL HAVE THEM, UM, ALSO HAVE SOME REPRESENTATION IN EACH OF THE MEETINGS.
SO I'D LOVE FOR THEM TO SHARE WHAT WE DO.
UM, I WORK ALONGSIDE DAVID WHO OVERSEES, UM, UM, WHO OVERSEES OUR OTHER SHOP KIND OF.
AND, AND I THINK, UM, WE'VE KIND OF TALKED ABOUT AWAY FROM THE MEETING WAYS THAT I'M, I'M HOPEFUL WE'LL BE ABLE TO, UM, SHARE COLLECTIVELY SOME OF WHAT WE DO AND, AND, AND DO THAT A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
SO, UM, WE HAVE SOME, WE HAVE SOME PHENOMENAL PROGRAMS OUT OF OUR TEAM CENTER AND, AND WE'VE GROWN BACK SOME GREAT NUMBERS AFTER THROUGH COVID AND REALLY EXCITED.
WE HAVE, WE ALSO HAVE A COUPLE NEW, UM, STAFF IN NEW PO POSITIONS, UM, AND SEEING GROWTH IN SOME SITES THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD GROWTH IN, IN, IN YEARS.
WE'RE HOPING TO BRING BACK A SUPPER PROGRAM LIKE WE HAD BEFORE COVID, WHERE WE FEED THEM A HOT MEAL EVERY NIGHT.
AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO SOME NEW PROGRAMS THIS SPRING, SO I'M HAPPY TO SHARE THAT KIND OF GOING FORWARD.
AND THEN I HAVE ERICA ALONGSIDE ME, MEDRANO, AND SHE'S MY SUPPORT.
SO SHE'LL BE HERE AND SHE'LL BE CORRESPONDING WITH MANY OF YOU TO KIND OF SET UP THE MEETINGS, UM, ENSURE THAT WE HAVE EVERYTHING READY TO GO.
WE'RE GONNA GET THE FOOD THING FIGURED OUT TOO.
SO, SO YES, WE'RE EXCITED AND, AND HAPPY TO, UM, TO WORK ALONGSIDE YOU.
WE'RE EXCITED TO, I THINK I CAN SPEAK FOR EVERYONE.
WE'RE EXCITED TO WORK ALONGSIDE YOU.
I THINK WE'RE OFFICIALLY ADJOURNED.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN SINCE THERE WAS A COMMISSION ON YOUTH AND CHILDREN? WELL, YEAH.
AND I JUST CAN'T REMEMBER HAVING A MEETING WITHOUT YOU.
WELL, I'M NOT GONNA GO FAR BECAUSE I STILL WANT TO COME AND TALK ABOUT OUR PROGRAM.