[00:00:05]
WE SHOULD, WE SHOULD HAVE, OH, YOU DON'T HAVE, OH, NO, WE HAVE NO G.
WONDERFUL STAFF AND GENERAL FRIENDS.
UM, I AM ABOUT TO CALL TO ORDER THE, UH, PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING OF THURSDAY, AUGUST 21ST, 2025 AT EXACTLY NINE O'CLOCK.
SCOTT, CAN YOU, UM, DO THE ROLL CALL, PLEASE? ABSOLUTELY.
I BELIEVE HE HAS AN EXCUSED ABSENCE.
VICE CHAIR WOULD ACTING SMITH HERE.
CHAIR REDFIELD HERE ON THE QUORUM.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY YOUNG PEOPLE HERE TODAY? I GUESS I'LL DO IT.
UM, WE'RE GOING TO DO THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
ALL RISE AS POSSIBLE, PORTRAY ON OUR HEART AND FOLLOW AFTER ME.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
UM, DIRECTOR, ACTING DIRECTOR.
SCOTT, DO WE HAVE, UH, UH, PRESENTATIONS TODAY? YES, WE DO.
WE HAVE EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH AFTER A COUPLE OF MONTHS OF, UH, ABSENCE.
WE ARE BRINGING IT BACK THIS MONTH.
SO I'M GONNA HAND IT OFF TO GLADYS KAISER, WHO IS THE CHAIR OF OUR EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION COMMITTEE.
UM, THIS MONTH, UM, ON THE AGENDA, IT'S SLATED TO HAVE A RECOGNITION FOR JUNE AND JULY, BUT ALL, AS YOU KNOW, THAT WE'RE VERY BUSY AND STAFF'S BEEN WORKING VERY HARD.
AND IN BETWEEN THERE, THEY SLIP IN A VACATION.
SO OUR JUNE CANDIDATE IS ON VACATION, SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO BRINGING HIM, UM, TO OUR SEPTEMBER MEETING.
BUT TODAY, UM, I'D LIKE, WE'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE OUR JULY EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH.
SO I'D LIKE TO BRING UP MS. BRIANNA.
AND SHE GOES BY BRI AND MELANIE AND EMMA.
SO YESTERDAY IN FRONT OF HER TEAM, THERE YOU GO.
THAT OFFICIAL CERTIFICATE IN FRONT OF HER TEAM, WE WERE ABLE TO SURPRISE AND RECOGNIZE HER FOR HER HARD WORK AND HER DILIGENCE, AND ALL THE EFFORTS THAT SHE PUTS IN AT ANIMAL CARE SERVICES.
SO, BEFORE I HAND IT OVER TO HER MANAGERS WHO HAVE AMAZING WORDS TO SHARE ABOUT HER, I'M GOING TO READ, UM, UM, ON BEHALF OF THE, THE SUBMISSION TO ERC, IT SAYS, PRE STARTED WORKING ALONGSIDE ME DOING ADOPTIONS AT THE LONG, AT THE LONG BEACH ANIMAL SHELTER WITHOUT HAVING MUCH PET EXPERIENCE OTHER THAN OWNING HER OWN PET.
IN JUST A FEW MONTHS, SHE LEARNED ADOPTION PROCESSES AND DOG HANDLING AS IF SHE'D BEEN DOING IT FOR YEARS.
SHE WAS EVEN PROMOTED TO A HIGHER POSITION, EVEN, UM, BEEN WORKING A FULL YEAR.
SHE'S AMAZING AT TALKING TO THE PUBLIC, ANIMAL HANDLING AND PROBLEM SOLVING.
SHE TAKES CHARGE AND IS ABLE TO KEEP A LEVEL HEAD EVEN DURING STRESSFUL MOMENTS.
SHE HAS THE BEST INTEREST OF ANIMALS IN OUR CARE AND ADVOCATES FOR PROPER PLACEMENT SO THAT BOTH PETS AND PEOPLE ARE HAPPY, SAFE, AND HAVE A WONDERFUL ADOPTION EXPERIENCE WITH US.
SHE'S NOT AFRAID TO HANDLE THE NERVOUS OR SCARED ANIMALS AND USES HER TIME TO CREATE A BOND WITH THEM AND EVEN HELP PUPPIES LEARN NEW TRICKS.
SHE DOESN'T MIND STEPPING OUT OF HER DEPARTMENT EITHER, AS SHE'S READY TO HELP CLEAN UP PET KENNELS, HOLD PETS FOR MEDICAL TEAM, OR DIRECT TRAFFIC AT THE FRONT DOOR.
I'VE ENJOYED WORKING ALONGSIDE HER AND WATCHING HER, UM, EXPERIENCE GROW AND HER WORK ETHIC REMAIN STRONG.
I KNOW SHE CONTINUES GOING THIS AMAZING ROUTE.
SHE CAN MOVE UP TO A HIGHER SUPERVISOR POSITION AND MAKE A BIGGER POSITIVE IMPACT TO ANIMAL WELFARE.
TRULY, SHE HAS THE HEART AND MIND OF SOMEONE THAT LOVES ANIMALS AND WANTS TO FIND THE BEST OUTCOMES POSSIBLE FOR THAT.
I WANNA SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT BRIE.
UM, I'VE ONLY BEEN WORKING AT ALBA FOR ABOUT A YEAR.
UH, BRIE HAS BEEN WITH US FOR ABOUT TWO AND A HALF YEARS.
AND THE TIME THAT I'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW HER, I AM INCREDIBLY IMPRESSED AT HER BRILLIANCE.
THIS WOMAN HAS A MIND, LIKE SHE CAN JUST RETAIN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION.
UH, THIS YEAR ALONE, HER AND HER TEAM HAS BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR ADOPTING OUT 1300 ANIMALS THIS YEAR ALONE.
UM, AND THE, THE, JUST THE MAGNITUDE OF THE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION THAT SHE HAS TO RETAIN, SHE GETS, SHE HAS TO KNOW THE STATUS OF EVERY SINGLE ANIMAL AT A SHELTER.
MEDICAL INFORMATION I, WHENEVER I, I'VE BEEN ANIMAL FOR, FOR 20 YEARS.
AND SOMETIMES THE TERMINOLOGY THAT OUR VETERINARY STAFF HAS ON THERE, BECAUSE CLEARLY PART OF THE, PART OF THE THING THAT WE WANNA DO WHEN PEOPLE ARE ADOPTING OUR ANIMALS IS GOING OVER ANY MEDICAL, ANY MEDICAL OR BEHAVIORAL NEEDS THAT WE HAVE WITH THE ANIMALS.
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I THINK SHE'S NOT A VETERINARIAN BY PROXY AT THIS POINT,MARIE, CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT THIS WORD IS? I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW.
SHE KNOWS MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY, BEHAVIORAL TERMINOLOGY.
I'M JUST INCREDIBLY IMPRESSED WITH HOW BRILLIANT SHE IS.
BUT NOT JUST THAT SHE IS, SHE HAS THAT INNATE ABILITY TO JUST KIND OF SEE ALL THE ROUND THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON EVERYWHERE, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, A VERY, VERY UNIQUE SKILL THAT CANNOT BE TAUGHT.
SO I JUST WANNA THANK BRIE FOR ALL HER EFFORTS AND HELPING GET ALL OF OUR ANIMALS OUT.
SHE'S SEES, SHE'S LITERALLY SEES ALL THINGS AT THE SHELTER, UM, BRINGS THINGS TO OUR ATTENTION TOO.
SO THANK YOU BRIE, FOR BEING REALLY JUST A CRITICAL PART, GETTING SO MANY ANIMALS OUT, ADOPTED AND TO FOSTER, AND BEING A REAL SUPPORT TO OUR VOLUNTEER TEAM.
'CAUSE YOU ARE THE GO-TO FOR, FOR A LOT OF OUR VOLUNTEERS.
UM, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL YOUR EFFORTS BEYOND WORDS, ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU DID.
MY APPRECIATION FOR YOU AND ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
I COULDN'T HAVE SAID IT BETTER MYSELF.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE A QUICK PICTURE, BUT BRI YEAH.
CAN YOU SAY A FEW WORDS? UM, SURE.
IT'S NOT JUST ONE DEPARTMENT THAT SENDS THEM HOME.
IT'S EVERY PIECE ALONG THE WAY TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING'S CORRECT.
WE'RE JUST KIND OF PUTTING THE FINISHING TOUCH ON IT.
SO, UM, EVERY DEPARTMENT PLAYS A BIG ROLE AND I AM SUPER APPRECIATIVE AND I'M SUPER, SUPER APPRECIATE BEING RECOGNIZED IN THIS.
COULD YOU TELL US ABOUT THE SURPRISE? WE ALWAYS LOVE TO HEAR HOW IT WORKED.
WE WERE HAVING A MEETING AND IT WAS A PRETTY SERIOUS TONE AS FAR AS MEETING GOES.
UM, AND WE WERE HAVING A DISCUSSION ABOUT OUR ICE MACHINE BECAUSE WE'RE OUTSIDE ALL DAY, AND IT'S SPECIAL TO ME,
SO, UM, SHE SAID, WE'RE, WE'LL SHOW YOU WHERE IT'S GOING NOW.
UH, SO WE WENT INTO THE CONFERENCE ROOM AND THERE WERE ABOUT 34
AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WERE HERE WHEN I ADOPTED MY TWO KITTENS FROM THE SHELTER ABOUT TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO.
AND, UH, SHE BROUGHT THEM INTO THE MEETING AND THEY WERE RUNNING ACROSS THE TABLE HERE, UP
VERY, AND IT WAS VERY, THEY'RE THRIVING.
REMEMBER, IF I CAN'T SPEAK, IF YOU CAN'T SEE ME, I CAN SEE YOU.
WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO THE REGULAR AGENDA.
AND ITEM NUMBER ONE, A RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THE PARTS OF RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING OF THURSDAY, JULY 17TH, 2025.
CAN I HEAR A MOTION? MOVE SECOND.
YOU, UH, UH, DIRECTOR SCOTT, DO WE HAVE A REPORT? OH, I'M SORRY.
UH, WE HAVE A MOTION FROM, WAS THAT COMMISSIONER SHOWN? MM-HMM
AND SECOND BY COMMISSIONER ALLEN.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER TWO.
RECOMMENDATION TO DISCUSS THE FEE WAIVER REQUESTS RECEIVED BETWEEN JULY 10TH, 2025 AND AUGUST 13TH, 2025.
CAN I HAVE A MOTION PLEASE? SO MOVED.
UH, AND NOW DIRECTOR SCOTT, DO WE HAVE ACTING DIRECTORS? SCOTT, DO WE HAVE A MOTION, UH, REPORT? YES.
UH, I'M GONNA HAND IT OFF TO GLADYS KAISER, OUR MANAGER OF COMMUNITY REQUISITION SERVICES FOR THE STAFF REPORT.
UM, THE COMMISSIONERS ON BEHALF OF THE COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE THREE REQUESTS FOR FEE WAIVERS.
UM, I THINK THEY'RE ALL BRIEF THAT YOU MAY RECOGNIZE THAT WE'VE WORKED WITH THEM BEFORE.
UM, THE FIRST IS ON BEHALF OF LATINOS IN ACTION CALIFORNIA.
UM, NOT A NEW GROUP, BUT A NEW EVENT FOR THEM.
ON SEPTEMBER 13TH, THEY'RE WISHING TO USE THE PEACE PARK OPEN SPACE FOR THEIR HISPANIC HERITAGE CELEBRATION.
THIS IS A COMMUNITY EVENT AND RESOURCE FAIR.
THEY'RE REQUESTING THREE $75 IN PERMIT AND SPECIAL, UH, USE FEES TO BE WAIVED.
THEY EXPECT ABOUT 200 AND ATTENDANCE, UM, ON BEHALF OF A OC SEVEN, UM, AND NOT A NEW GROUP.
THIS IS AN ONGOING FROM, UH, SEPTEMBER 7TH THROUGH 10, UM, OCTOBER 26TH.
THIS IS SUNDAYS, IT'S WELLNESS SUNDAYS IN THE PARK AT MACARTHUR
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PARK IN THE OPEN SPACE.AND THEY'LL BE PROVIDING WELLNESS ACTIVITIES.
UM, THEY'RE REQUESTING $1,440 IN PERMIT AND SPECIAL USE USED STREET, UM, WAIVED.
AND THEY EXPECT ANYWHERE FROM 25 TO 50, UH, PER OCCURRENCE.
AND THEN AGAIN, ON BEHALF OF A OC SEVEN, NOT A NEW CO NOT, UM, A NEW EVENT ON OCTOBER 25TH, THEY'RE WISHING TO HOST A HARVEST VEST AND MACARTHUR PARK IN THE OPEN SPACE.
THIS IS A COMMUNITY EVENT AND RESOURCE FAIR.
THEY'RE REQUESTING $215 IN PERMIT AND SPECIAL USE FEES TO BE WAIVED AND EXPECT ABOUT 250 IN ATTENDANCE COMMISSIONERS ON BEHALF OF THE COMMUNITY FOR THIS MONTH'S.
TOTAL CROWN REQUESTING TO BE WAIVED IS $2,030.
AND DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONERS? DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I JUST HAVE A QUICK QUESTION.
WHAT IS AN EXAMPLE OF SOME OF THE WELLNESS ACTIVITIES? UM, SO THE, THE A OC SEVEN IS DOING THEIR VERY BEST TO CONTINUE TO ACTIVATE THE NEWLY RENOVATED, UM, PARK.
SO A VARIETY OF THINGS INCLUDE, UM, THEY HAVE THE WALKING PATH, SO THEY WANT TO ESTABLISH A WALKING GROUP, UM, THAT, UH, MEETS REGULARLY.
AND THEN THEY HAVE THE FITNESS EQUIPMENT, UM, THAT IS ALONG THE WALKING PATH IS PROVIDE INSTRUCTION ON HOW TO USE THEM, UM, AS WELL AS IN BRINGING IN, UM, SOME VOLUNTEERS THAT THEY HAD AND IF THEY HAVE SOME MICRO GRANTS FROM THE PORT TO DO SOUND BATHS, YOGA, COOLER CLASS, AND SOME OF OUR OTHER FUN ACTIVITIES.
SO THEY'RE VERY MUCH EXCITED AND PREPARED TO PROVIDE THAT, THAT WELLNESS ON THOSE SUNDAYS.
UH, AT THIS TIME, WE ALLOW THE, UH, PUBLIC, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A PRESENTATION, UH, DISCUSSION.
UH, AND I GENERALLY GO IN ORDER.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE FROM LATINOS IN ACTION CALIFORNIA INC.
HEARING NONE? IS THERE ANYONE TO HERE FROM A OC SEVEN? HEARING NONE.
UM, I THINK WE CAN HAVE A VOTE, RIGHT? WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER ORTI SMITH, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER CHAVEZ.
AND NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER THREE.
AND BECAUSE OF MY CLOSE WORK WITH THE LIBRARY FOUNDATION OVER THE LAST 25 YEARS, I'M GOING TO RECUSE MYSELF AND AS THE VICE CHAIR RTY SMITH, TAKE OVER.
AND I HAVE TO LEAVE THE ROOM,
WAIT TILL CHAIR REDMOND LEAVES THE ROOM AND SHE SCURRIES OUT.
SO WE'RE ON ITEM NUMBER THREE, AND I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND READ IT.
RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE A SPECIAL EVENT PERMIT, APPLICATION NUMBER 25 DASH 3 3 0 FROM THE LONG BEACH PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION, A CALIFORNIA NONPROFIT CORPORATION TO HOST THE GRAPE EXPECTATIONS GALA AT LINCOLN PARK ON SEPTEMBER 28TH, 2025.
THAT WILL INCLUDE THE CONSUMPTION AND SALE OF ALCOHOL WITH PARAMETERS DETERMINED BY THE OFFICE OF SPECIAL EVENTS AND FILMING, AND THE DEPARTMENTS OF PARK RECREATION AND MARINE, OR DETERMINE THE PROPOSED ACTIVITY DOES NOT PROVIDE SUFFICIENT OVERALL PUBLIC BENEFIT AND DENY SPECIAL EVENT PERMIT.
APPLICATION NUMBER 25 DASH THREE THREE FROM THE LONG BEACH PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION, A CALIFORNIA NONPROFIT CORPORATION TO HOST THE GREAT EXPECTATIONS GALA AT LINCOLN PARK ON SEPTEMBER 28TH, 2025.
CAN I GET A MOTION? MOTION TO APPROVE? SECOND.
I, I HAVE TO REFER TO OUR, UM, INTERIM DIRECTOR, SCOTT
UH, AS JUST READ INTO THE, UH, RECORD.
THIS IS A SPECIAL EVENT PERMIT FOR, UH, THE GREAT EXPECTATIONS FUNDRAISER FOR THE, UH, LIBRARY FOUNDATION.
THIS IS AN EVENT THAT WE'VE, UH, HOSTED, UH, ALONG WITH THEM AT LINCOLN PARK, UM, FOR SOME TIME.
I'M GONNA HAND IT OFF TO, UH, ANN HUDSON FROM OUR PARTNERSHIPS OFFICE.
WE'LL GIVE A SHORT, UH, REPORT ON THE EVENT.
SINCE 1996, THE LONG BEACH PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION HAS FUNDRAISED AND ADVOCATED FOR EQUAL ACCESS TO LITERACY, EDUCATION, TECHNOLOGY, AND ESSENTIAL COMMUNITY RESOURCES FOR THE LONG BEACH PUBLIC LIBRARY.
THE FOUNDATION WILL BE HOLDING THEIR 22ND GREAT EXPECTATIONS GALA IN SEPTEMBER.
FUNDS RAISED FROM THE EVENT WILL BENEFIT THE LONG BEACH PUBLIC LIBRARY AND SUPPORT FREE LITERACY PROGRAMS SUCH AS EARLY OR FREE LIBRARY PROGRAMS, SUCH AS EARLY LITERACY, STEAM WORKSHOPS, AND JOB SEARCH RESOURCES.
[00:15:01]
WILL PRESENT CARLOS GONZALEZ, DIVISION PRESIDENT OF CLARK CLARK CONSTRUCTION WITH THE LIBRARY LEADERSHIP AWARD.AND AM FLORES FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE FOUNDATION WITH THE DURHAM FAMILY AWARD.
ADMIT, ADMITTANCE TO THE GALA IS BY INVITATION ONLY AND WILL INCLUDE LIVE AUCTION SPEAKERS AND A VIDEO PRESENTATION.
ATTENDANCE IS ESTIMATED TO BE AT AROUND 500 GUESTS.
DINNER WILL BE SERVED ON THE TERRACE OVERLOOKING LINCOLN PARK.
THE PROGRAM AND THE STAGE WILL BE ON LINCOLN, ON THE LINCOLN PARK TURF AREA, AND ALCOHOL WILL BE CONSUMED AND SOLD.
UH, THE GALA WILL BE HELD ON SEPTEMBER 28TH FROM FIVE TO 9:00 PM SET UP WILL BEGIN THE DAY BEFORE ON THE 27TH.
AND TEAR DOWN IS SCHEDULED TO BE COMPLETED IN THE EARLY HOURS OF SEPTEMBER 29TH.
UH, THE LONG BEACH LIBRARY FOUNDATION HAS PROVIDED A SECURITY PLAN AND MAP FOR THE PROPOSED EVENT.
THIS EVENT IS EXPECTED TO HAVE LIMITED OR NO IMPACT TO PROGRAMMING AT PARK.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS? UM, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SHARE, UM, I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN TO THIS EVENT.
THIS EVENT RAISES MUCH NEEDED MONEY FOR ACTUAL PROGRAMS THAT THE CITY GIVES TO, UM, YOUNG PEOPLE, TO CHILDREN IN ALL OF THE DISTRICTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE, WHAT IS IT? EIGHT LIBRARIES THAT SERVE ALL OF OUR CHILDREN, UM, REALLY COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAMS THAT I'VE SEEN IN ACTION THROUGH MY YEARS HERE IN THE CITY, UM, THAT I REALLY APPRECIATE.
SO, UM, IT'S A FANTASTIC EVENT.
THE PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION DOES AN AMAZING JOB.
SO, UM, I'VE SEEN IT IN ACTION.
SO, UM, AND NOW I THINK I GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT, CORRECT? CORRECT.
SO NOW WE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE IT TO A COMMENT.
IS THERE ANYBODY HERE FROM THE LONG BEACH TROUBLE LIBRARY FOUNDATION? YES, PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
I AM ON THE EVENT DIRECTION TEAM, SO I'M NOT, YOU KNOW, OFFICIALLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE FOUNDATION.
I HAVE WORKED ON THIS EVENT, THIS WILL BE MY THIRD YEAR.
AND LIKE YOU SAID, IT'S, IT'S AN AMAZING EVENT THAT JUST REALLY, UM, SERVES GLOBAL COMMUNITY.
SO WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME HERE TODAY AND THAT YOU OKAY, THANK YOU.
UM, I'M, UM, I'M AN AVERAGE, WELL, ACTUALLY ABOVE AVERAGE CITIZEN, I GET VERY INVOLVED.
BUT, UM, I THINK THIS IS REALLY AN IMPORTANT TYPE OF, CAN YOU PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF FOR THE RECORD? OH, I'M SORRY.
UH, I'M A JOURNALIST AND, UH, I'M, I'M VERY MUCH AN ACTIVIST HERE IN TOWN.
UM, I, I THINK I, I LOVE THE IDEA OF GIVING TO OUR KIDS BECAUSE THEY'RE OUR FUTURE.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT, I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THIS EVENT.
I HAVEN'T BEEN TO THAT ONE, BUT, UM, BUT I REALLY, UH, TREASURE, UH, OUR CHILDREN AND WHAT, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T GET BETTER THAN THAT.
ANYBODY ELSE? OKAY, SO WE'RE GONNA CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT.
AND SO, UH, NOW I'M GOING TO CALL THE QUESTION, WE HAVE A FIRST FROM COMMISSIONER ALLEN AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER SCHOEN.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE A.
UM, ANY ABSTENTIONS? ANY NAYS? THE MOTION PASSES.
AND CAN SOMEBODY LET CHAIR, UH, THE CHAIR GO AND COME BACK? ALLOWED BACK IN THE ROOM.
AND I WAS MIXING UP THAT OUR, UM, OUR, UM, WE NO LONGER HAVE DENNIS
LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT CHAIR OVER THAT A RETURN.
OKAY, NOW WE MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR, UH, WHICH IS A RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE THE DIRECTOR'S MONTHLY HIGHLIGHTS REPORT.
WE CREATE COMMUNITY AND DIRECTOR'S HIGHLIGHTS FOR AUGUST, 2025.
WHO WAS THAT? SECOND? THANK YOU.
UH, AND, UH, ACTING DIRECTOR SCOTT.
UM, YOU HAVE IN YOUR PACKET, UH, THE DIRECTOR'S HIGHLIGHTS FOR AUGUST, 2025, UM, TO, UH, ADHERE TO OUR FORMER DIRECTOR'S WISHES TO HAVE ONE LAST, UH, DIRECTOR'S REPORT.
[00:20:01]
WE ACTUALLY HAVE THIS PRESENTED FROM BRETT, UM, WHERE HE TALKS ABOUT, UH, A NUMBER OF, UH, THE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN HAPPENING, UH, IN OUR PARKS.UH, YOU KNOW, JUST GOING, UH, THROUGH THIS, UH, MUNICIPAL BAND SEASON WRAPPED UP A FEW WEEKS AGO, I'M GONNA LET, UH, GLADYS TALK ABOUT SOME OF THOSE SUMMER ACTIVITIES AS WE DO THE ROUND TABLE.
UM, WE HAD A COUPLE OF, UH, IMPORTANT RIBBON CUTTINGS.
UH, AT THE END OF, UM, JULY, WE HAD THE DIXIE PARK HISTORIC BAND SHELL IMPROVEMENTS.
WE HAD, UH, SOME IMPROVEMENTS HERE AT EL DORADO PARK.
THE RESTROOMS ALSO RECOGNIZING THE STREET WORK IN EL DORADO REGIONAL PARK.
UM, THE KIND OF THE REPAVING OF THE STREETS AND THE PARKING LOTS IN THE REGIONAL PARK.
AND ONE REALLY IMPORTANT, UM, KIND OF REFRESH WAS MACARTHUR PARK, UH, THAT WAS CLOSE TO AN $11 MILLION INVESTMENT INTO THAT PARK.
UM, AND I KNOW SOME PEOPLE, UH, SOME OF OUR COMMISSIONERS WERE THERE.
IT WAS A WONDERFUL EVENT, AND IT IS A BEAUTIFUL PARK, AND IF YOU GET A CHANCE TO GO SEE IT, PLEASE DO.
THE LANDSCAPING, THE PLAY EQUIPMENT, EVERYTHING IS DONE REALLY WELL.
SOMETHING THAT WE ARE REALLY PROUD TO BE ABLE TO OFFER THE COMMUNITY, UH, IN AND AROUND, UH, UH, THAT PART.
UM, BUDGET, UH, WE ARE REALLY INTO THE, THE THICK OF, UH, BUDGET, UM, COMMUNITY BUDGET, UH, INTERACTION FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2026 BUDGET THAT GOES INTO EFFECT ON OCTOBER 1ST.
LAST NIGHT WAS THIS, UH, FINAL OF SIX COMMUNITY BUDGET MEETINGS, UH, WHERE THE COMMUNITY COULD COME OUT AND SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS ON THE, UH, BUDGET, THEIR INTERESTS, THEIR PRIORITIES.
UM, AND SO, UH, THOSE CONCLUDED LAST NIGHT, BUT THERE IS STILL AN OPPORTUNITY IF YOU WERE UNABLE TO ATTEND ANY OF THOSE SIX EVENTS.
THERE ARE, UM, SOME ONLINE COMMENT CARDS IF YOU'D LIKE TO LEAVE.
UH, ANY THOUGHTS ON THE CITY'S BUDGET ON THERE THAT IS AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC, AND AGAIN, AVAILABLE ON, UH, THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
WE, UH, PARKS, RECREATION AND MARINE WILL BE PRESENTING OUR BUDGET TO THE CITY COUNCIL ON SEPTEMBER 2ND, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2ND.
BE JOINED BY PUBLIC WORKS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
I BELIEVE, UM, I THINK WE WILL BE KIND OF THE FINAL NIGHT OF DEPARTMENTAL PRESENTATIONS.
UH, WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF WEEKS OF DEPARTMENT PRESENTATIONS LEADING UP TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
AND, UM, I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY GONNA COVER IT FOR THE DIRECTOR'S HIGHLIGHTS.
UM, AND, UH, YEAH, I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE.
ON ITEM NUMBER FOUR, WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER, VICE CHAIR ARDI SMITH, AND SECOND BY COMMISSIONER HIGA.
NOW, ITEM NUMBER FIVE, UH, A RECOMMENDATION TO REQUEST POTENTIAL TOPICS FOR FUTURE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION MEETINGS AND OR PARKS OF RECREATION COMMISSION COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION PLEASE? I MOVE.
UH, ARE THERE ANY POTENTIAL TOPICS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS? HEARING NONE.
WELL, I, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE OFFERED A FEW SUGGESTIONS OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF MEETINGS.
I THINK IT MIGHT BE GOOD TO HAVE LIKE A IDEA OR 10 SCHEDULE, ONE OF THOSE THINGS MIGHT BE ADDRESSED.
I KNOW WE HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE THAT'S GONNA BE MEETING ON A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT ISSUES AS WELL, UH, SOON.
UH, UNFORTUNATELY WE HAD TO BE POSTPONED FOR SCHEDULING PURPOSES, BUT CERTAINLY, UH, I, I THINK JUST, I, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE ANYTHING THAT HAD, 'CAUSE WE'VE DISCUSSED AND BROUGHT UP SOME REALLY GOOD ISSUES AND JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THEY DON'T FALL OFF THE TABLE.
UM, I ALSO HAD A, A, WELL, I GUESS KIND OF A QUESTION.
UM, SO I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS ACTUALLY THE APPROPRIATE PLACE TO PUT IT, BUT, WE'LL, WE'LL SEE.
UM, SO I, I READ IN THE LONG BEACH POST YESTERDAY THAT, UM, THERE WAS JUST A, WHAT A LAWSUIT THAT WAS, UM, JUST LEVEL AGAINST THE CITY THAT RESULTED IN A $5 MILLION PAYOUT FOR A DEBT TREE BRANCH THAT INJURED SOMEONE BACK IN 2023.
UM, I KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN GETTING MONTHLY UPDATES ON HOW THE CITY HAS, UH, RESPONDED IN TERMS OF DROUGHT, IN TERMS OF THE INABILITY TO, TO, YOU KNOW, UM, HOW WE'RE DEALING WITH, WITH TREES THAT ARE DYING AND THAT NEED, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT, THAT HURLEY KEPT US UPDATED ON, ON THE CALLING THAT HAD TO GO ON.
SO I WOULD BE INTERESTED TO KNOW AS WE ARE POTENTIALLY ENTERING INTO ANOTHER TIME WHERE BUDGET IS A CONCERN WITH WATERING STUFF AND, AND AS POTENTIALLY DROUGHT IS AROUND THE CORNER AS WELL, HOW WE'RE, UM, ADDRESSING THAT AS A CITY.
[00:25:01]
REGA.SO I CAN, UH, STEP HERE AND ADDRESS A COUPLE OF, UH, THE COMMENTS THAT HAVE COME UP SO FAR.
COMMISSIONER CHAVEZ, YOU ARE CORRECT.
THERE'S BEEN A NUMBER OF ITEMS THAT HAVE COME TO US, UH, OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS.
UM, WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON A FEW OF THOSE.
WE ARE CONTINUING TO WORK, UH, ON THESE, UH, YOU MENTIONED THE MAINTENANCE AND INFRASTRUCTURE AND, UH, PLANNING, UH, COMMITTEE MEETING, UH, FOR NEXT MONTH WHERE WE'LL BE TACKLING A COUPLE OF THE ITEMS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN PRESENTED.
UH, ONE WAS, UH, LIKE OUR READ ABATEMENT EFFORTS, UH, HERE IN THE CITY, UM, AND, AND KIND OF HOW WE ADDRESS OUR WEEDS.
UM, THAT WILL BE ADDRESSED AT THAT MEETING.
WE'LL BE GIVING AN UPDATE ON, UH, THE ELEVATE 28 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.
UH, WE ARE WORKING WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE ON AN UPDATE ON, UH, THE, UH, 28 OLYMPICS, UH, PLANNING EFFORTS BY THE CITY.
SO WE'LL BE LOOKING TO BRING A PRESENTATION TO THE FULL, UH, COMMISSION ON THAT WITHIN THE NEXT, UH, THE NEXT FEW MEETINGS.
UM, JUST TRYING TO SCHEDULE THAT WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
SO YOU ARE CORRECT, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME COMING UP.
WE'RE GONNA ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE AT THE, UH, SEPTEMBER MEETING.
UM, AND THEN THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING UP ANYTHING ELSE, UH, WITH RESPECT TO KIND OF THE, THE, THE IMPACT OF THE DROUGHT ON TREES.
ANOTHER ITEM THAT WAS BROUGHT UP WAS, WHAT ARE WE DOING FOR WATER CONSERVATION EFFORTS? AND SO WE WILL BE LOOKING TO SCHEDULE THAT AS WELL.
OUR MAINTENANCE TEAM IS WORKING ON THAT.
WE'LL BE LOOKING TO SCHEDULE THAT AT PROBABLY THE NEXT INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, MAINTENANCE AND INFRASTRUCTURE AND PLANNING MEETING.
UM, THE ONE FOR SEPTEMBER ALREADY HAS A COUPLE OF MEETING, UH, MEETING ITEMS. AND SO, UH, DON'T WANNA KIND OF THIN OUT, UH, THAT AGENDA BY HAVING TOO MANY TEAMS ON THERE.
SO WE'LL BE LOOKING TO BRING THAT BACK A LITTLE BIT LATER.
SO WE ARE, UH, TAKING, UH, SOME EFFORTS TO ADDRESS THOSE.
OUR, UH, RECREATION TEAM IS, UH, WORKING ON AN UPDATE FOR THAT, UH, WHICH WE SHOULD, UH, SEE, UM, IN THE COMING MONTHS.
SO, UH, DEFINITELY, UH, MAKING PROGRESS ON, UH, A NUMBER OF THOSE ITEMS. UM, AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO DO THAT WITHIN, OBVIOUSLY OUR EXISTING RESOURCES.
THIS IS A VERY BUSY TIME OF YEAR FOR US, UH, AS WE CLOSE OUT THE FISCAL YEAR AND WE PLAN FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR, YOU KNOW, AND ALL OF THAT IS ON TOP OF THE REGULAR DAY-TO-DAY TASKS.
SO, UH, WE ARE WORKING HARD TO DELIVER SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS OR THOSE, UH, UPDATES AND LOOK FORWARD TO OUR SEPTEMBER MEETING, UH, FOR THE MAINTENANCE AND INFRASTRUCTURE WHERE WE CAN ADDRESS, UH, A COUPLE OF THOSE.
I JUST WANNA ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE ARE GOING, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IS GOING THROUGH A LEADERSHIP CHANGE AT THE SAME TIME TOO.
SO CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S A, A VERY BUSY, UH, KIND OF TIME AND VERY, YOU KNOW, STAFF RESOURCES ARE CONSTRAINTS.
I APPRECIATE THAT WE'VE COMPLETELY HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE FROM COMMISSIONER ALLEN TO, UM, DO YOU WANNA PUBLIC COMMENT? OH, ON THIS TOPIC? DO WE HAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT? YES, MA'AM.
UH, ANN RELL, UH, AS YOU REMEMBER, AT THE LAST COMMISSION MEETING, UM, COMMISSIONER LIVINGSTONE MADE THE MOTION THAT, UH, WE ABATE WENT HERBICIDE BE ADDRESSED AT THE NEXT MAINTENANCE MEETING.
AND IT WAS SET FOR, UH, AUGUST 4TH, AND THEN THAT WAS CANCELED.
AND NOW THE NEXT MEETING IS GOING TO BE SEPTEMBER 30.
AS I UNDERSTAND IT, YOU, YOUR COMMISSION CANNOT DISCUSS ANY QUOTE NITTY GRITTY ISSUES UNTIL IT'S GONE TO A COMMITTEE.
UM, THAT MEANS THAT YOU WILL NOT BE DISCUSSING THIS UNTIL OCTOBER AT THE VERY FIRST LATEST, OR EARLIEST RATHER.
UM, I WAS HOPING THAT YOU COULD DO SOMETHING BEFORE THE BUDGET BECAUSE THIS IS CONNECTED WITH BUDGET.
AND, UH, YOU NEED TO ADDRESS THE FACT THAT, UM, YOU'RE SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY TO HAVE SPRAYING DONE IN THE PARKS.
AND THERE ARE OTHER METHODS THAT WE'VE BEEN TOLD, OH NO, THEY'RE TOO EXPENSIVE.
AND THAT'S WHY YOU NEED A, UH, STUDY DONE TO SHOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MULCHING, FOR INSTANCE,
[00:30:01]
OR USING VINEGAR INSTEAD OF EXPENSIVE HERBICIDES.UM, IS THERE ANY WAY, LIKE YOU'RE ASKING FOR ITEMS TO BE PUT ON THE AGENDA? UH, AM I TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE COMMISSION CANNOT DISCUSS ANYTHING UNTIL IT'S GONE TO COMMITTEE? IF SOMEBODY ANSWERED THAT, I'M GONNA HAVE TO ASK DIRECTOR, UH, SCOTT ON THAT.
SO WE USE A COMMITTEE STRUCTURE TO BE ABLE TO BRING SOME OF THESE ITEMS FORWARD TO INFORM, AND IN SOME CASES EDUCATE THE COMMISSION.
AND SO WE ARE USING THE, UH, MAINTENANCE INFRASTRUCTURE AND PLANNING COMMITTEE, UH, TO BRING THIS PRESENTATION FORWARD.
AGAIN, IT IS GOING TO BE, IT IS ALREADY SCHEDULED, UH, FOR NEXT MONTH.
UM, AND SO FROM THERE THEN, IF IT IS DESIRED TO HAVE A FULL DISCUSSION, WE WILL BRING IT FROM COMMITTEE BACK TO THE COMMISSION FOR A COM, UH, FULL DISCUSSION ON, UM, THAT TOPIC.
BUT, UH, COMING BACK TO THE FULL COMMISSION WOULD NOT OCCUR UNTIL THAT COMMITTEE DISCUSSION HAS, UH, OCCURRED, WHICH IS NEXT MONTH.
JUST TO CLARIFY THOUGH, SO THAT IT IS AFTER THE SEPTEMBER IT'S COMMISSION MEETING, OKAY? THAT IS CORRECT.
THE, THE EARLIEST OF THIS WE WOULD HEARING WOULD BE OCTOBER FOR THE FULL COMMISSION.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, ANN? I'M SORRY, WHAT DID YOU SAY? DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? YES, IT DOES NOT, NOT HAPPILY, BUT
ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS? YES.
UM, I, I, UM, I SPENT YESTERDAY, ACTUALLY ALL DAY YESTERDAY DOING A LOT OF READING AND THAT KIND OF THING.
AND I DID LOOK UP THE ARTS AND REC, UH, COMMISSION AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEIR PURVIEW WAS AND WAS TRYING TO GET A GRASP OF WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS.
AND THIS COMMITTEE THING I HAVE HUGE CONCERN ABOUT, BECAUSE IN ESSENCE, I THINK ON THAT COMMITTEE, THERE MIGHT BE THREE, THREE PEOPLE, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THAT MEANS THAT THREE PEOPLE OUTSIDE, YOU KNOW, FROM, FROM THE COMMISSION.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THREE PEOPLE WOULD DECIDE FOR THE COMMISSION WHETHER THEY'RE GONNA HEAR SOMETHING OR NOT.
SOMEHOW THAT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE TO ME, BECAUSE TO ME, THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE HERE FOR, TO BE GUARDIANS, TO BE, UM, CARETAKERS OF OUR PARKS AND OUR, UH, AND, YOU KNOW, ALL THE THINGS THAT GO ON.
SO TO HAVE A COMMITTEE OF THREE PEOPLE THAT ARE TAKING, TAKING FROM HERE, BUT IT, IT'S GIVES THEM A HUGE AMOUNT OF POWER TO SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T FEEL LIKE LISTENING TO THAT.
WE DON'T WANNA DEAL WITH THAT.
WE WANNA JUST LEAVE THINGS AS THEY ARE.
HOWEVER IT IS, THAT'S, THAT'S TAKING POWER AWAY FROM YOU, THE COMMISSIONERS.
I MEAN, THAT'S THE WAY I'M SEEING IT, YOU KNOW, JUST AS A REGULAR CITIZEN, I'M, I'M LOOKING OUT AND SAYING THAT'S A HUGE AMOUNT OF POWER TO GO.
AND I, I THINK I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE THIS COMMISSION DO, YOU KNOW, DO A LITTLE MORE RESEARCH ON THAT.
IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME TO, UH, LEAVE THAT TO JUST, UH, HOW, HOW MANY, HOW MANY, UH, COMMISSIONERS WILL BE ON THAT COMMITTEE? DO YOU HAVE THE NUMBER? I DON'T RECALL OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
TWO, BECAUSE YOU'RE, YOU'RE ON IT.
RIGHT? AND, AND BOB, SO, SO IT'S, IT WOULD BE YOU AND, AND, UM, LIVINGSTON, RIGHT? IS THAT, THAT'S, IS THAT RIGHT? SO, SO, SO THEN, SO REALLY, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS YOUR PURPOSE? IF THEY'RE GONNA MAKE DECISIONS FOR YOU? I, I'M VERY, VERY CONCERNED.
AND I THINK THAT THAT NEEDS TO BE, UH, ADDRESSED.
AND, AND I ALSO SAW THAT ARTICLE THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, WHICH HUGELY CONCERNED, WE'RE TALKING 5 MILLION PLUS DOLLARS, UH, AND THERE'S A LOT OF TREES OUT THERE THAT, YOU KNOW, DO, HAVE BEEN TAGGED TO HAVE SOMETHING DONE WITH IT.
AND YET, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE COULD STOP DOING THIS POISONING OF OUR PARKS AND TAKE THAT MONEY AND ACTUALLY, UH, DEAL WITH THE TREES INSTEAD OF GETTING THESE HUGE LAWSUITS.
SO, UM, I, UH, IS THAT MY TIME UP?
[00:35:02]
AND I, I DO VERY BRIEFLY DO WANNA THANK, UH, CHRISTINE AND, UH, JENNIFER FOR, UH, BEING SO PATIENT WITH ME,BUT I, I'M VERY, VERY CONCERNED, UH, WHERE, YOU KNOW, GIVING THAT MUCH POWER TO THANK YOU THAT, THAT FEW PEOPLE, AND THAT'S JUST TAKING POWER AWAY FROM YOU.
UM, AND, UH, MADAM CHAIR JUST WANTED THAT WE DO ALSO HAVE THE WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENT AS WELL ON THE ITEM.
SO I THOUGHT WE WERE ON ITEM FIVE.
AND THIS HAS BEEN A, UH, DISCUSSION RELATED TO NEW TOPICS FOR FUTURE COMMISSION MEETINGS.
SO WE HAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT ITEM NEXT.
WELL, I THINK WE NEED TO VOTE ON THE MOTION.
SO COMMISSIONER ALLEN, UH, UH, MADE THE MOTION, UH, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER CHAVEZ.
NOW WE GOT A PUBLIC COMMENT AND WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD LOVELY PUBLIC COMMENT.
READY? IS THERE ANY MORE PUBLIC COMMENT? REMEMBER, THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION ON NON AGENDA ITEMS. EACH SPEAKER IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES TO MAKE THEIR COMMENTS UNLESS, UH, EXTENDED BY THE CHAIR.
SO DO WE HAVE ADDITIONAL COMMENTS ON TOP OF WHAT'S ALREADY BEEN ADDRESSED? THAT, AND THANK YOU.
UH, TALKING ABOUT THE SPRAYING AND THE PARKS THAT THESE PICTURES SHOW, UH, EL DORADO CHAVEZ BLOCK PARK AND, UH, RECREATION PARK WITH THE BEAR CIRCLES AROUND NOT ONLY THE TREES, BUT TRASH CANS, LIGHT POLES, SIGNS.
SO, UH, YOU, THE SPRAYING IS NOT JUST FOR CRACKS AROUND FENCES IS I WAS TOLD BY THE PARKS MAINTENANCE PERSON.
IF YOU GO TO ANY PARK IN LONG BEACH, YOU'LL SEE THESE CIRCLES AROUND NEARLY EVERY TREE.
UH, I PREPARED THIS NOTEBOOK BACK WHEN WE WERE FIGHTING ROUND UP, AND WE THOUGHT WHEN THE COMMISSION AND THE COUNCIL BANNED GROUND UP FROM THE PARKS, THAT OUR JOB WAS DONE.
AND NOW WE FIND THAT ROUNDUP HAS BEEN SUBSTITUTED WITH EQUALLY DANGEROUS CHEMICALS.
UM, THERE IS A WAY TO DO WEED MAINTENANCE WITHOUT USING PESTICIDES AND HERBICIDES.
I URGE YOU TO GOOGLE THIS AND SEE HOW IRVINE WAS ABLE TO GET RID OF ALL OF THEIR TOXINS.
UH, IN ADDITION TO THE HERBICIDES, YESTERDAY, I GOT A PUBLIC RECORD REQUEST THAT HAD BEEN MADE BY MAHALIA SALADINO, AND IT SHOWED THE SPRAYING OF PESTICIDES FOR BEADS.
I THOUGHT THE CITY HAD, UM, A, UM, POLICY TO REMOVE BEES.
THERE'S LOTS OF BEES KEEPERS IN LONG BEACH.
IN FACT, WILLOW SPRINGS PARK HAS BEEHIVES INSTEAD.
I ONLY GOT THROUGH SOME OF THE 40, OVER 40 PAGES OF SPRAYING RECORDS.
UM, FROM MAY OF LAST YEAR TO DECEMBER, THERE WERE 19 SPRAYING OF BEE FOR BEES IN PARTS ALL THE WAY FROM BLOCK PARK TO STEARNS, TO HARTWELL, TO EL DORADO.
AND IN EL DORADO, THERE WASN'T A NEST.
THEY WERE JUST SPRAYING THE HARD STATE.
NO WONDER WE DON'T HAVE BEES OR BUTTERFLIES OR OTHER POLLINATORS IN OUR PARKS ANYMORE.
WHY IN THE WORLD WILL WE BE SPRAYING PESTICIDES FOR BE? SO, BOB, I'M, THIS HAS GOT TO BE ADDRESSED AND QUICKLY.
ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT? YES.
DIANE, I KNOW THIS SURPRISES YOU, UH, DIANE
[00:40:01]
I, I GUESS WHAT I'M ASKING IS PERHAPS YOU NEED TO REVIEW WHAT, WHAT IS YOUR PURPOSE HERE? YOU KNOW, ARE YOU, ARE YOU HERE TO BE, UH, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT KIND OF A LEGACY DO YOU WANNA LEAVE? DO YOU WANNA, IF WE DON'T HAVE BES AND THE BUTTERFLIES AND, AND ALL THE WILDLIFE THAT'S DYING? I'VE BEEN COMING TO THESE PARKS FOR ALMOST 40 YEARS NOW, AND I HAVE SEEN MYSELF PERSONALLY, THE DECLINE IN THE NUMBER OF WILDLIFE.AND, AND IS THIS THE KIND OF LEGACY YOU WANNA LEAVE, YOU KNOW, FOR OUR CHILDREN? AND PERSONALLY, I WOULDN'T BRING, I, I'M A GREAT GRANDMOTHER.
I WOULDN'T BRING MY CHILDREN TO THESE PARKS BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH POISON HERE.
AND JUST, JUST AS I'M DRIVING IN, THERE'S A BIG SIGN FUMIGATION, YOU CAN'T SEE IT BECAUSE IT'S THE OPPOSITE WAY OF, YOU'RE, YOU'RE COMING IN SO, SO BIG SIGN, DANGER OF FUMIGATION, AND, BUT PEOPLE ARE DRIVING THIS WAY AND THEY'RE NOT GONNA SEE IT.
SO YOU, YOU SIT THERE AND WONDER, WELL, GEE, WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN HERE? UH, THIS, UH, $5 MILLION LAWSUIT JUST, JUST HAPPENED THIS WEEK.
UM, THE, UH, AND THEN I THINK THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED, AND IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE WHOLE COMMISSION, NOT JUST A COUPLE OF PEOPLE MAKING THIS DECISION.
THE SECOND THING THAT REALLY NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED IS THE RIVER PARK INEQUITY.
NOW, YOUR 10 YEAR PLAN HERE, THIS, THIS COMMISSION, AND YOU'LL SEE MY LETTERS IF YOU READ THEM, UM, WERE MY ARTICLES.
THERE'S, UM, YOU KNOW, FROM, FROM WAY BACK WHEN THE GENERAL PLAN FOR THE COUNCIL AND FOR THIS COMMISSION BOTH SAID, OH, WE, WE WANNA ADDRESS EQUITY.
THERE'S SUCH, SUCH A HISTORICAL, UM, INEQUITY.
AND YET HERE WE HAVE, AND BY THE WAY, 17 ACRES OF PARK LAND HERE TO ONE ACRE ON THE WEST SIDE.
THIS IS THE KIND OF EQUITY THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
AND YET IT STILL CONTINUES, UH, WHEN WE LOST THIS RIVER PARK THING THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED, BUT YET IT WAS, AND YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I'M ASKING WHAT KIND OF LEGACY DO YOU WANT TO LEAVE? WHAT IS, YOU KNOW, I'M ASKING QUESTION, WHAT IS YOUR PURPOSE HERE? I MEAN, I, I UNDERSTAND YOU NEED TO, YOU KNOW, DO SOME OF THE SMALLER JOBS OF, UH, SAYING, HEY, LET'S GO AHEAD AND, UH, WAIVE SOMETHING OR WHATEVER.
BUT IN THE BIGGER PICTURE, UH, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOU ACTUALLY MAKING A HUGE DIFFERENCE.
AND YOU CAN, UH, AND SO I'M, I'M ASKING YOU TO LOOK DEEP IN YOUR HEART AND SAY, WHAT DO YOU WANT? DO YOU WANT, UM, PRISTINE PARKWOOD THAT'S GOT HUGE SWATHS OF, OF POISON AROUND THE TREES AND, YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF THING? OR DO YOU WANNA HAVE WILDLIFE AND OWLS AND HAWS AND THINGS THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE AND, UM, AND FEEL THAT YOUR CHILDREN ARE SAYING? AND THAT, THAT LOOKS LIKE MY TIME.
BUT PLEASE, I WAS ASKING YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT KIND OF A LEGACY YOU WANT.
AND I WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF YOU WOULD READ MY, MY, UH, ARTICLES, LETTERS.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? I NEED TO LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT, UH, DIANA LEGENDS, UH, SUBMITTED, UH, AN EXTENSIVE REPORT, UH, AS A PUBLIC COMMENT.
UH, AND IT IS GOING INTO THE RECORD.
ON THAT NOTE, WE NOW HAVE ANNOUNCEMENTS AND I'D LIKE TO START WITH, UM, OUR WONDERFUL, EXHAUSTED, NO, NOT SO EXHAUSTED STAFF
UH, IF YOU CAN BEAR WITH ME ON OUR LONG LIST.
SO TODAY MARK'S THE SECOND TO LAST DAY OF SUMMER.
BUT OUR PARKS ARE BUSIER THAN EVER.
I KNOW THAT MEANS, UH, DIFFERENT FROM OUR OTHER CUSTODIANS, UM, IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, UM, THAT WE WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH, UM, ON AN ONGOING.
SO, UM, WE HAD A WONDERFUL SUMMER.
IT'S ALMOST, YOU KNOW, BITTERSWEET WHEN IT COMES TO AN END.
UM, BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT, UM, THE IMPACT THAT OUR TEAM MAKES.
SO, UM, JUST REAL QUICKLY, AND I APOLOGIZE TO MY TEAM, IF I FORGETTING GROUPS.
SO WE HAVE OUR FUN DAY PROGRAMS. THAT'S OUR DROP IN.
I'M VERY PLEASED THAT WE'RE ONE OF PROBABLY VERY FEW CITIES THAT CONTINUES TO OFFER FREE DROP IN RECREATION PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE OUR TEEN, OUR 16 CENTERS, AGAIN, ANOTHER FREE, UH, PROGRAM, UM, WITH ENHANCED CITYWIDE ENGAGEMENT.
SO WE PULL ALL OF OUR TEENS TOGETHER TO GO TO A VARIETY OF THINGS, PROVIDE THEM JOB READINESS, UM, EXPOSURE TO, YOU KNOW, COLLEGE OPPORTUNITIES AND A VARIETY OF THINGS LIKE THAT.
NOT TO MENTION, UM, GET THEM READY TO COME INTO OUR, OUR, OUR WORK ENVIRONMENT HERE.
WE HAD 11 B SAFE SITES, THAT'S OUR EXTENDED REC.
UM, AT OUR, OUR PROGRAMS, UM, OUR AQUATICS PROGRAMS ARE BUSTING
[00:45:01]
AT THE SEAMS. UM, OUR THREE POOLS ARE BUSY FROM, YOU KNOW, VERY MORNING, FIVE 30 TO LATE AT NIGHT.UM, WE OFFERED A NEW CLASS THIS YEAR.
UM, IT WAS A SPECIALIZED TEEN SWIM PROGRAM, SO WE'VE ALWAYS OFFERED THE OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR TEENS TO SWIM, UM, AND LEARN TO SWIM.
BUT THIS TIME WE PULLED TOGETHER INSTRUCTORS THAT WERE JUST FOR TEENS.
UM, SO, UM, WE HAD 40 SPOTS AND 38 OF 'EM WERE FILLED.
SO, UM, WE LOOKED TO ENHANCE THAT PROGRAM AS IT WAS A PILOT PROGRAM AND, AND VERY PLEASED THAT THAT WAS FILLED.
UM, OUR NATURE CENTER, UM, WE HAVE PEOPLE WAITING AT THE GATES TO GET IN, UM, BEFORE WE, WE OPEN THOSE.
AND THOSE ARE CONTINUING PROGRAMS. STEVE MENTIONED MUNICIPAL BAND, OUR 23 MUNICIPAL BAND PROGRAMS. UM, I THINK OUR LAST CONCERT HERE AT LDO, UM, WAS ALL THE WAY TO THE STREET.
UM, SO THE INNER PARK ALL THE WAY TO THE, THE STREET IN, UM, STUDEBAKER OVER 5,000 IN ATTENDANCE, UM, MOVIES IN THE PARK.
UM, I DO OFTEN LAUGH WHEN I GO THROUGH OTHER SMALL CITIES AND SEE THAT THEY HAVE THREE, FOUR, MAYBE FIVE.
UM, AND WE ALSO, UM, HEIDI AND HER TEAM DECIDED TO END WITH THE BANG.
WE HAVE FIVE MOVIES THIS WEEK, SO THEY'LL BE FINISHING OFF TOMORROW.
UM, HOMELAND, UM, YOU KNOW, LAST WEEK WE HAD OUR, OUR HOMELAND, WE WERE ABLE TO BRING DANCE BEST BACK AND WE UTILIZED OUR OWN RESOURCES AND THAT WAS PROVIDED AT, UM, CESAR CHAVEZ AMPHITHEATER.
AND THAT'S JUST, UM, THE PURPOSE IS TO ALLOW OUR, OUR PARTICIPANTS WHO TAKE THE CLASSES AND CULTURAL PROGRAMS THERE, UM, AS WELL AS INVITE THOSE WHO MIGHT NOT KNOW THAT THEY'RE BEING OFFERED.
UM, LEEWAY SAILING CENTER, UH, IS JUST ONE OF THOSE TRUE TREASURES THAT WE HAVE HERE WHERE KIDS LEARN TO SAIL AND EXPOSURE TO WATER.
UM, AND IT'S HOST TO OUR CFA REGATTA.
UM, THAT WE HAVE AN ONGOING, OUR MODAL BOAT SHOP, WE HAD OVER A HUNDRED PARTICIPANTS.
UM, AND STEVE AND I, AND AS WELL AS THE OTHER STAFF MEMBERS GOT TO SEE THE KIDS WHO WORKED ALL SUMMER LONG TO BUILD THEIR SAILBOATS, UM, AND THEN RACE THEM.
BUT MY FAVORITE WITH THIS WAS THIS LITTLE YOUNG MAN WHO, HIS BOAT WAS PRISTINE.
YOU DID NOT KNOW THAT A LITTLE 9-YEAR-OLD COULD BE LIKE, BUT HE WOULDN'T PUT IT IN THE WATER
BUT I THINK THAT WITH THE AMOUNT OF WORK HE PUT IN THERE, WE TRULY UNDERSTOOD, UM, A VARIETY OF, UM, UH, RESOURCE OUTREACH EVENTS.
OUR TEAM WAS BUSY, WHETHER IT BE ON, ON THE WEEKENDS OR EXTENDED ON THE WEEKENDS TO BE, UM, A PART OF, OF A VARIETY OF, UM, INTERNAL, UM, OUTREACH EVENTS, EXTERNAL WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS, BUT WITH OUR COMMUNITY WHEN WE COULD.
UM, OUR SENIORS, UM, THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT HAPPY ON MONDAY 'CAUSE IT QUIETS DOWN IN THE MORNING TIME AND THEY SHOULD GET THE FULL SPACE HERE.
UM, BUT THEY'VE BEEN REALLY USING OUR ONE TIME FUNDS TO, UM, ATTEND THE FIELD TRIPS THAT THEY HAD, WHETHER IT BE TO A MUSEUM OR ANOTHER CULTURAL EXPERIENCE.
UM, OUR MOBILE RECESS PROGRAM, NOT, HAS IT ONLY BEEN IN NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WE, UM, AND THIS AGAIN, WAS ONE TIME FUNDED, UM, IN NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE A PART CLOSE TO THEM, BUT THEY REALLY BRIDGED THAT GAP TO THOSE OUTREACH EVENTS.
UM, AND THEN YOU TALK ABOUT, I'M ALMOST, I PROMISE, UM, OUR DODGER DREAM TEAM, WHICH IS A COLLABORATIVE WITH THE, THE LOS ANGELES DODGERS.
WHEN YOU HAVE OVER A THOUSAND PARTICIPANTS IN THAT PROGRAM, RANGING FROM AGE FIVE TO 18.
UM, WE HAVE OUR NINE DAY CAMPSITE, OUR SPECIALTY CAMPS.
AND WHAT ARE THOSE? YOU KNOW, SOME KIDS, UM, HAVE, UH, SPECIALTIES, WHETHER THEY LIKE IT TO BE ARTISTIC MUSIC, LEGO, UM, BUT THOSE ARE VERY, VERY POPULAR.
AT 24 LUNCH SITES, WE SERVED OVER 30,000 LUNCHES.
UM, AND OUR REGISTRATION AND PERMITS OFFICE ISSUE HUNDREDS OF PERMITS.
I KNOW I'LL WALK AWAY GOING, OH, I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE THIS GROUP.
BUT THAT IS JUST A SNAPSHOT OF WHAT SUMMER LOOKS LIKE FOR US.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT SUMMER AND INTENSE, BUT YOU KNOW, OVER THE WEEKEND WE ROLL OVER AND WE GO WHAT'S CALLED FALL PROGRAMMING.
UM, OUR STAFF WILL CONTINUE, A LOT OF 'EM, YOU KNOW, THEY, UM, RETURN TO SCHOOL, WHETHER IT BE, YOU KNOW, HERE LOCAL OR, YOU KNOW, JUMP IN THEIR CAR IN AN AIRPLANE.
AND WE WELCOME 'EM BACK NEXT SUMMER.
BUT OUR TEAM WORKS STRONG COLLABORATIVE WITH OTHER, COLLABORATIVE WITH OUR OTHER BUREAUS TO CONTINUE OFFER THAT WHAT WE DO.
SO, VERY PROUD OF SUMMER 2025.
UM, AGAIN, IT'S BITTERSWEET TO TO HAVE IT END.
BUT WORKING ON A, A DOCUMENT THAT HAS THAT, UM, AND, AND HOPEFUL TO ADD SOME PICTURES THAT SHARE THAT STORY.
SO THANK YOU FOR ASKING WHAT WE ARE WORKING ON THAT.
I MEAN, 30,000 LUNCHES ALONE IS, YOU KNOW, RIGHT.
DATA THAT I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO SHARE WITH PEOPLE.
AND THE OTHER SIDE THAT PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE IS THAT OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH, YOU KNOW, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS THEIR NUTRITION PROGRAM STAYS AFLOAT FOR YEAR ROUND.
UM, 'CAUSE WE PARTNER WITH THEM.
CAN YOU TALK? SHE'S ON THE SUPPORTIVE SIDE OF MAKING ALL THIS HAPPEN.
[00:50:01]
OPERATIONS WAS BUSY HIRING FOR GLADYSUM, BUT THAT'S REALLY, YEAH, WE'RE JUST KEEPING EVERYTHING GOING, SO THANK YOU.
AND NOW ERIC, GOOD MORNING, COMMERS.
AS GLAD STATED BUSY, BUT COMING TO AN END, WE'RE EXCITED.
I'M REALLY PROUD OF THE, THAT AMAZING JOB AND VERY BUSY AND SEVERAL RIBBON CUTTINGS.
THIS, UM, UH, PAST MONTH KEPT US PRETTY BUSY.
UH, BEFORE OUR FACILITIES TEAM.
WE'VE DONE AN, UM, INCREDIBLE JOB COLLABORATIVE EFFORT BETWEEN GROUNDS AND MAINTENANCE.
UM, GETTING EVERYTHING READY FOR THAT TAP JAZZ FESTIVAL.
HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO OUT THERE.
YOU WOULD SEE THE BENCHES AND JUST EVERY LITTLE SMALL DETAIL JUST TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING WAS PERFECT.
UM, WE REPLACED THE RUBBER MATTING AT THE PLAYGROUNDS AT, UM, PARK ROAD PARK, EL DORADO PARK, AND THE GRACE PARK.
AND THEN OUR AMBASSADORS REPLACED, UH, OR INSTALLED, UH, 12 SIGNS.
AND SO WHEN WE SAY REPLACE OUR INSTALLS BECAUSE THEY'RE WOR OR FAINTED, UM, WE'RE REALLY DOING, UM, DOING OUR BEST TO BE PROACTIVE WITH REPLACING THESE SIGNS FOR PEOPLE REQUEST TO HAVE THEM REPLACE.
AND THEN WE PRESSURE WASHED, UH, AT 16 LOCATIONS, YOU KNOW, THE EXTERIOR MARKET FACILITIES, RECREATION CENTERS, AND THEN FOR OUR GROUNDS TEAMS THUS FAR THIS YEAR WE HAVE COMPLETED 2,350 WORK ORDERS.
UH, THAT INCLUDES 399 PARK INSPECTIONS.
WE'VE ALSO TRIMMED 2,619 TREES THIS FISCAL YEAR.
AND THEN WE, UH, PLANTED TREES AT, UH, DRAKE PARK AND SHARE PARK.
AND SO THE GROUND TEAM WAS REALLY, UM, BEEN PROACTIVE IN GETTING THE FRONT AND REALLY PART JOB.
THOSE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT, THANK YOU.
NOW YOUR PREDECESSOR ALWAYS HAD ADDITIONAL COMMENTS.
THAT THE SUMMER IS VERY, VERY BUSY FOR US.
THAT'S NOT JUST THE PROGRAMMATIC TEAM, THAT IS THE MAINTENANCE TEAM.
'CAUSE THEY ARE TAKING CARE OF THE PARKS, THE LOCATIONS, WHEN WE SERVE THOSE 30,000 MEALS, YOU KNOW WHAT, MAKING SURE THAT THAT TRASH IS CLEAN, THE DEBRIS IS GONE.
UM, AND SO THE ENTIRE TEAM REALLY WORKED HARD THIS SUMMER, BUT I, I KIND OF WANT TO JUST REMIND EVERYBODY, THE WORK DOESN'T STOP.
YES, THE SUMMERS ARE EXTREMELY BUSY.
WE HAVE MORE VISITORS, WE HAVE MORE PROGRAMS, BUT THE, THE HEAVY WORKLOAD REALLY CONTINUES.
AND THE MAINTENANCE TEAM AND THE PROGRAMMATIC TEAM AND THE BEHIND THE SCENES TEAMS, UH, THE WORK CONTINUES.
UM, BUT UH, IT'S SOMETHING WE ALL ENJOY.
AND I DID NEGLECT TO MENTION THAT, UH, LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT COMMISSIONER CHAVEZ HAD TO LEAVE AT 9 45 WITH AN EXCUSED ABSENCE.
NOW I'M GONNA ASK THE COMMISSIONERS FOR THEIR COMMENTS AND REPORTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS.
UM, COMMISSIONER HE GETS AS, UH, AS GLAD MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, I'M, MY FIRST DAY OF FULLY BACK AT SCHOOL IS TOMORROW'S, I JUST GOT MY CLASS LIST TODAY.
SO AS ALWAYS, THANK YOU FOR KEEPING OUR KIDS SAFE OVER THE SUMMER.
YOU GOT, UH, WHEN YOU WERE MENTIONING THE, THE PROGRAM FOR TEENS LEARNING TO SWIM, I GOT A LITTLE BIT EMOTIONAL BECAUSE I KNOW THAT'S, IT'S A HUGE DEAL FOR MY STUDENTS.
UM, IT CARRIES A LOT OF EMOTIONAL WEIGHT.
UM, SOME OF THEM, WHEN THEY'RE LEARNING TO SWIM IN PE CLASS, SOME OF THEM ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT, SOME OF THEM CARRY A LOT OF BAGGAGE AND EMOTIONAL PAIN AROUND, UM, SHAME AROUND NOT KNOWING HOW YET OR ALL OF THAT.
SO, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT PILOT PROGRAM.
UM, I WANTED TO, UH, TO MENTION, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS AT THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING LAST WEEK, UM, WHEN WE WERE GETTING THE UPDATE ABOUT REPAIRS, UM, TO THE VARIOUS, YOU KNOW, FACILITIES IN THE PARK.
UM, HOW THE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IN HELPING TO SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE THOSE REPAIRS.
UM, SO WANTED TO COMMEND THE DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY FOR THOSE, UH, INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO, YOU KNOW, THESE, THESE PROBLEMS THAT WE SEE CITYWIDE.
UM, AND LASTLY, UM, WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, EVEN THOUGH HE'S NOT HERE, ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK, UH, BRENT DENNIS FOR, UH, THE WORK THAT HE DID, UM, AS DIRECTOR, UM, CAME INTO THE, THE POSITION WITH A LOT OF, UH, IDEAS AND, AND JUST EVERY COMMISSION MEETING, UM, IT WAS CLEAR HIS PASSION FOR THE WORK THAT HE DID.
SO I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT AND, UM, LOOKING FORWARD TO SEE HOW WE REPLACE IT.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER SEAN? YEAH, SO I ACTUALLY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND ONE OF THE MOVIES IN THE PARKS AND I REALLY BELIEVE THAT IT IS A PROGRAM THAT STANDS OUT LIKE YOU MENTIONED WITH THE NUMBERS.
SO I REALLY COMMEND THE CITY ON ONE, HOSTING THAT PROGRAM, BUT THEN CONTINUOUSLY WORKING WITH DIFFERENT DAYS OF THE WEEK, DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.
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UM, I WILL SAY LILO AND STITCH WAS VERY SUCCESSFULUM, OUTSIDE OF THAT, I DID WANNA COMMEND, I REALLY ENJOYED THE SHIFT IN KIND OF SHARING THE DATA AND THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS.
AND SO I JUST ASK THAT MAYBE THAT EFFORT IS CONTINUED.
'CAUSE ESPECIALLY, RIGHT, WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO ALSO BE AMBASSADORS IN THE COMMUNITY AND SHARE THIS INFORMATION.
SO THE MORE WE'RE GIVEN, WHETHER THAT'S, YOU KNOW, A DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT HIGHLIGHT OR THE WINS OF THE MONTH, I THINK THAT IS JUST, THAT REALLY HELPS AMP US UP INTO, YOU KNOW, REALLY HAVING THAT VOICE.
UM, AND SO THANK YOU, RIGHT, THE CONTINUOUS EFFORTS OF SUMMER.
UM, AND THEN OUTSIDE OF THAT, PLEASE STAY COOL THIS WEEKEND.
I KNOW IT'S GONNA BE HEATING UP AND I KNOW, UM, BECAUSE OF THAT, A LOT OF OUR PARK AREAS ARE UTILIZED EVEN MORE.
I'M GONNA JUMP OVER TO COMMISSIONER ALLEN.
I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO OUR TEAM.
LIKE THIS IS TO HEAR THE STATS, TO HEAR AND SEE THE WORK.
I TRY TO DRIVE AROUND SOME OF THE PARKS AROUND MY HOUSE AND THEY'RE, THEY'VE ALWAYS BEEN BUSY NO MATTER WHAT TIME OF DAY IT IS.
SO I KNOW THAT THAT'S, THAT'S A HUGE LIFT.
AND I JUST WANT TO ECHO THE COMMENTS OF, UM, I LOVE HEARING THOSE STATS.
I'M A STATS GUY, SO ANYTHING THAT WE CAN GET AS THAT KIND OF INFORMATION ON A MORE FREQUENT BASIS SO THAT WE CAN BE THOSE ADVOCATES, UM, WHEN WE'RE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, WHEN WE'RE OUT JUST RANDOMLY SOMEPLACE, UM, TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THOSE, THOSE LITTLE TIDBITS I THINK ARE INCREDIBLE.
UM, SO I JUST WANNA SAY THANKS AND HAPPY END OF SUMMER
I HAVE A LOT TO SAY, WHICH SHOULD NOT SURPRISE ANYONE.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA WELCOME ACTING DIRECTOR SCOTT.
SO ACTING DIRECTOR SCOTT, I AM THRILLED THAT IT'S YOU.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I, UM, WILL ALWAYS TAKE WITH ME DURING MY TIME AT THE CITY AND JUST BEING HERE, LIVING AND BEING ACTIVE IN THE CITY, IS THAT ACTING DIRECTOR SCOTT, IS VERY STEADY AND YOU'RE VERY SURE ABOUT WHO YOU ARE AND YOUR PROFESSIONALISM AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR THE CITY.
SO I WE'RE VERY LUCKY AND WE'RE VERY BLESSED THAT YOU ARE TAKING ON THIS ROLE YET AGAIN.
SO, UM, STEADY LEADERSHIP IS IMPORTANT DURING TRANSITIONS.
I MYSELF HAVE WORKED THROUGH MANY TRANSITIONS AND SO THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR EVERYBODY FOR THE CITY, SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, AND SO I ATTENDED THE MACARTHUR PARK GRAND OPENING.
IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL DAY FOR EQUITY, EQUITY, EQUITY, EQUITY.
TO INVEST $11 MILLION INTO THAT PARK WAS TRULY AMAZING.
THAT WAS TRULY A COMING TOGETHER.
UH, THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, A OC SEVEN FRIENDS OF MACARTHUR PARK, THAT ORGANIZATION SO MUCH WAS PUT IN THAT PARK FROM A NEIGHBORHOOD PERSPECTIVE, A RESIDENT PERSPECTIVE, UM, A CITY PERSPECTIVE, A STRATEGIC PLANNING PERSPECTIVE, ESPECIALLY FROM AN EQUITY PERSPECTIVE.
WALKED INTO THE PARK THAT DAY.
UM, HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE.
BEAUTIFUL PLAYGROUND AND ACCESSIBLE PLAYGROUND.
I THINK IT'S OUR MOST ACCESSIBLE PLAYGROUND RIGHT IN THE WHOLE CITY.
UM, IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN, PLEASE, PLEASE GO THERE.
IT IS GORGEOUS AND IT'S IN A HISTORICALLY BLACK NEIGHBORHOOD, AND SO THAT NEIGHBORHOOD REALLY NEEDS THAT PARK.
UM, MY OTHER COMMENT IS THAT LONG BEACH GIVES IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER.
SO FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW, OUR NONPROFITS ALL ACROSS THIS COUNTRY ARE BEING ATTACKED BY THE PRESIDENTIAL ADMINISTRATION.
AND SO OUR NONPROFITS ARE REALLY THE BACKBONE OF OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, NOT LONG BEACH GIVES IS IN SEPTEMBER.
SO PLEASE CONSIDER SUPPORTING YOUR FAVORITE NONPROFITS HERE IN LONG BEACH.
WHETHER IT'S $10, $25, YOUR SUPPORT REALLY MATTERS.
AND SO EARLY GIVING BULLY, I BELIEVE STARTS SEPTEMBER 11TH.
AND SO YOU'LL HAVE A WHOLE WEEK TO GIVE.
UM, AND THEN IT ENDS SEPTEMBER 18TH.
SO, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE PARTNERS, THE PARKS, YOU HAVE LOTS OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUPPORT YOUTH, CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES.
AND SO, UM, I THINK THAT'S IT.
AND THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY WHO MADE SUMMER GREAT FOR OUR KIDS.
WELL, I COULD ECHO EVERYTHING THAT, UH, WAS SAID HERE AT THE TABLE AND AROUND THE TABLE.
UH, I DO WANNA COMMENT OUR CITY IS NOT PERFECT.
WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR PEOPLE WHO BRING SOME OF THOSE ISSUES TO OUR TABLE.
UM, UH, YOUR COMMENTS, ERIC, ABOUT PROACTIVE ON LOOKING FOR THINGS, IT'S WONDERFUL AND GRATEFUL AND I KNOW YOU APPRECIATE WHEN PEOPLE
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NOTICE PROBLEMS AND BRING THEM TO YOUR ATTENTION.UM, THAT BEING SAID, AS WE LISTEN AROUND THIS TABLE, OOH, MAKING ME TEARY AS WE LISTEN AROUND THIS TABLE TO THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING THAT ARE SO OUTSTANDING AND WE GO TO CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS AND WE HEAR WHAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE DOING THROUGHOUT OUR CITY, WE ARE REALLY BLESSED.
I'M INVOLVED WITH OUR SISTER CITIES OF LONG BEACH.
WE HAVE SEVEN SISTER CITIES, OKAY.
AS THE OLYMPICS IS MOVING FORWARD, COUNTRIES FROM OTHER, FROM AROUND THE WORLD ARE COMING TO LONG BEACH TO LEARN HOW THEY CAN PARTNER WITH US.
AND WITHOUT EXCEPTION, EVERY ONE OF THEM IS ASKING TO BECOME A SISTER CITY WITH LONG BEACH IN FRANCE, GERMANY, DENMARK, TURKEY.
PEOPLE ARE FROM THE WHOLE WORLD, ARE NOTICING LONG BEACH BECAUSE WE'RE DOING THINGS RIGHT.
AND I KNOW THAT MUCH OF THAT IS STARTING RIGHT HERE IN THIS DEPARTMENT.
SO THANK YOU ALL AND, UH, SEE YOU NEXT MONTH.
A WAS THAT OKAY? OH, MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT 10 0 2.
AND I NEED, I NEED TO MEMORIZE ACTING DIRECTOR SCOTT.