* 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. START THE MEETING. YES. [00:00:01] WE'RE GONNA CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER AT SIX 11, UM PM ALRIGHT. UH, ROLL CALL. YES. ROLL. ALRIGHT. UH, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO ROLL CALL. UM, COMMISSIONER ZA. PRESIDENT. COMMISSIONER SNACK HERE. COMMISSIONER, UH, MORTON. HERE. COMMISSIONER LI. HERE. COMMISSIONER, UH, VICE CHAIR MARTINEZ. PRESENT. OH, I'M SORRY. OOPS. COMMISSIONER FRANCO HERE. AND, SORRY. UH, VICE CHAIR LILIANA MARTINEZ. PRESENT. THANK YOU. UH, AND CHAIR SMITH. PRESENT. THANK YOU. LIKE LADIES AND RELATIONS, WE HAVE SIX. OKAY. PLACE TO RANK IT OVER YOUR HEART. READY BEGIN. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE BACK OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC. REPUBLIC, WHICH STANDS, STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY OF JUSTICE SPRAWL. ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU FOR THE PLEASURE ALLEGIANCE. UM, BEFORE WE GO TO THE REGULAR AGENDA ITEM, I'M JUST GONNA, UM, HAVE INTRODUCTIONS BRIEFLY, IF YOU DON'T MIND. WE HAVE A NEW COMMISSIONER. ANGELICA FRANCO IS, SAY CORRECTLY. YES. ANGELICA. ANGELICA ALSO. MAMA CALLS ME ANGELICA. IT'S OKAY. ANGELICA FRANCO, WELCOME TO THE COMMISSION. YOU WANNA INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND JUST ANGELICA FRANCO. UM, I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE. I'M A MOTHER OF FIVE, UM, AGES 28 TO 2210 YEAR OLDS. UM, MY MOST RECENT GRADUATE, UM, WAS FROM HOLLY HIGH SCHOOL, MY MIDDLE DAUGHTER. BUT I DO HOMESCHOOL, MY TWINS AND I WORK WITH FAMILIES THAT DECIDE TO HOMESCHOOL. UM, I'M NOT ANTI-PUBLIC SCHOOL AT ALL. I'M JUST PRO IN AND MAKING IT INCLUSIVE FOR EVERYONE AND I'M JUST REALLY HAPPY TO BE HERE. MY BACKGROUND IS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND I DO A LOT OF WORK WITH, UM, DIFFERENT GROUPS FOR, UM, UH, HOLISTIC WELLNESS AND DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT TO SUPPORT FAMILIES IN DIFFERENT WAYS SO THEY FEEL, UM, UM, THEY HAVE SUPPORT FOR LIKE ANXIETIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT THAT COMES FROM EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE. WELCOME. THANK YOU. WELCOME. THANK YOU. AWESOME. UM, I GUESS WE COULD JUST WHIP AROUND SO ANGELICA GET TO KNOW US REALLY QUICKLY. JUST REALLY BRIEFLY, JUST INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO YOUR NAME, UH, QUICKLY, JUST REAL QUICK. SURE. HI MORTON AND I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD FOR A WHILE AND, UM, I'M THE VP, THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR LCC. EXCELLENT. MY DAUGHTER DAUGHTER'S NOW A STUDENT THERE AS WELL. AWESOME, AWESOME. JONATHAN SCHACK ALSO BEEN ON THE BOARD FOR A WHILE. I AM A, UH, SECOND GRADE TEACHER AND A BC SCHOOL DISTRICT. I GOT THREE SONS, INCLUDING TWINS. OH, TWINS ARE FINE. YEAH. I AM JOHN, I'M SARAZA. I AM A FORMER PROFESSOR OF EDUCATION AND NOW WORKING ON, UM, SOME LIKE INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION PROJECTS. UM, AND I'VE ALSO BEEN ON THE COMMISSION FOR QUITE SOME TIME. I'M THE FORMER CHAIR. THIS IS MY FIRST MEETING WHERE I'M NOT THE CHAIR, SO AT LEAST. SO I'M EXCITED TO, UH, FOR THE PRESSURE TO BE OFF, BUT WELCOME. THANK YOU. GLAD YOU'RE HERE. I'M KIMBERLY LAMB. ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH ANGELICA A K AS WELL? WE KNOW HER AS A COMMUNITY. RIGHT. UM, I GUESS A LITTLE ABOUT ME, UH, WAS PREVIOUSLY ORGANIZER OF ACTION. UM, CURRENTLY A CURRENTLY A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER WITH LONG BEACH FORWARD. UM, BUT THIS EXPERIENCE DOING YOUR PREVIOUS YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL MEMBER BEING M AS YOUTH COALITION. UM, HI, UM, I'M MARTINEZ. I AM NEW TO THE BOARD FOR STARTED COLLEGE SIX MONTHS AGO, I BELIEVE. MAYBE A LITTLE BIT LONGER. AND I'M A FRESHMAN AT CAL STATE LAW. GOOD EVENING. I'M CHARLES E. SMITH. I'M, UH, BEEN ON THE COMMISSION FOR A LONG TIME, UM, AND, UM, I'M EMPLOYED WITH LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT ADMINISTRATOR. SO THANK YOU FOR JOINING OUR BOARD. YEAH, DEFINITELY. ANYTHING ELSE? NO. OKAY. ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA MOVE RIGHT ALONG IN OUR AGENDA. SOUNDS GOOD? YES. UM, ANY COMMUNITY COMMENT? NO. NO, NOT YET. NO. REGULAR AGENDA ITEM ITEM NUMBER ONE. RECOMMENDATIONS TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE COMMISSION ON YOUTH AND FAMILIES MEETING ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19TH. EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE A COPY OF THE MINUTES IN FRONT OF THEM [00:05:01] TO VOTE. GIVE 27 SECONDS TO APPROVE. IT WOULD LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE, UM, THE MINUTES AS POSITION. I'LL MAKE A MOTION. SECOND IMPROPERLY MOVE. AND SECOND. ANY AND READINESS? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. AWESOME. ITEM NUMBER TWO, RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE A REPORT ON WE CREATE COMMUNITIES NEWSLETTER AND THE PARK RECREATION AND MARINE DIRECTORS HIGHLIGHTS FROM APRIL 20TH, 2025 TO AUGUST, 2025. YOU HAVE A COPY OF THE DIRECTOR'S HIGHLIGHTS? YES. UM, THEY'RE NOT BEING PRESENTED TODAY, ARE THEY? YES. OKAY. SO I WOULD LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE AND FILE THE, UH, WE CREATE COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER FROM THE PARK, RECREATION AND MARINE DIRECTORS HIGHLIGHTS. IS THERE A SECOND? YES. IS THERE A MOTION? SURE. I'LL MAKE THE MOTION. IS THERE A SECOND? IS THERE PROPERTY MOVING SECOND? ANY READINESS OR DISCUSSION THERE? A COMMENT? OH, UM, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS. UH, I'M THE STAND. UM, MY NAME IS STEVEN SCOTT. I'M THE ACTING DIRECTOR FOR PARKS, RECREATION AND MARINE. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO'VE BEEN ON THE COMMISSION FOR A WHILE, YOU PROBABLY REMEMBER BRENT. DENNIS, UH, BRENT HAS RETIRED, UH, ENJOYING RETIRED LIFE IN ARIZONA. AND SO I AM IN AN ACTING CAPACITY, UH, WHILE THE CITY DOES A NATIONAL, UH, SEARCH FOR THE POSITION. UM, SO THAT'S WHY YOU GET ME TONIGHT. I'M GONNA SPARE YOU GOING OVER FIVE MONTHS WORTH OF ACTIVITIES AND I'M GONNA PROBABLY JUST SPEAK TO A FEW THINGS THAT ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE CURRENT. THAT'S GOOD. UM, AND, UH, WE'LL TRY TO WRAP THINGS UP SO THAT YOU ALL CAN GET OUTTA HERE BEFORE IT STARTS TO RAIN. UM, BUT, UH, FIRST THINGS FIRST, UM, THANK YOU FOR FOR BEING HERE, UH, AT THIS MEETING. UM, YOU KNOW, THESE COMMISSIONS ARE REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT FOR OUR DEPARTMENT. UM, YOU KNOW, LOVE TO HEAR THE FEEDBACK, BUT ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE INFORMING YOU OF WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE DEPARTMENT. AND SO, UH, GOING OFF SCRIPT A LITTLE BIT, I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW WITH RESPECT TO OUR PROGRAMS. UH, PARTICULARLY PROGRAMS AFFECTING, UH, OUR YOUTH AND TEENS. SO WE JUST COMPLETED 10 WEEKS OF SUMMER, UH, GREAT ACTIVITIES, UH, AT, UH, 23 OF OUR PARKS ACROSS THE CITY. WE HAD THREE, UH, DROP-IN SESSIONS, UH, CALLED FUN DAYS AT THOSE PARKS. WE HAD 10 WEEKS OF BE SAFE PROGRAMMING, UM, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY EXTENDING OUR HOURS AT OUR COMMUNITY CENTERS, UH, INTO THE EVENING SO THAT, UH, KIDS AND FAMILIES HAVE SOMETHING TO DO. UH, WE HAD THAT AT 11 SITES THIS SUMMER. UH, WE HAD DAY CAMPS AT, UH, NINE SITES, INCLUDING OUR AQUATICS CAMPS. UM, WE HAD, AND ASHLEY COULD PROBABLY CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, HOW MANY WEEKS OF, UH, DODGERS DREAM DREAM TEAM? UH, CLOSE TO 10 WEEKS. UM, OUR DODGER DREAM TEAM PROGRAM, WE HAVE 1,350 YOUTH THAT PARTICIPATE IN OUR SUMMER BASEBALL PROGRAM. THAT'S SUPER EXCITING. WE JUST CLOSED THAT PROGRAM OUT. I JUST WAS AT DODGERS STADIUM ON MONDAY WITH THE DODGERS FOUNDATION, UM, CLOSING OUT KIND OF OUR PROGRAM AND DISCUSSING NEXT YEAR'S PROGRAM. SO WE'RE SUPER EXCITED. THAT PROGRAM HAS GROWN TREMENDOUSLY IN THE LAST FEW YEARS. SO IT WAS A BIG HIT THE SUMMER, 110 TEAMS. MM-HMM . HUGE HIT. YES. THAT'S AMAZING. AND, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE FREE PROGRAMS, UH, TO OUR, TO OUR LONG D TWO. SO SOMETHING VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. UM, I KNOW WE HAVE SOME EDUCATORS AROUND THE TABLE. UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO KIDS DO WHEN SCHOOL IS OUT AND THEY DON'T HAVE LIKE THE LUNCH RESOURCES THAT THEY GET AT SCHOOL? WELL, WE WORK WITH LONG BEACH UNIFIED AND WE PROVIDE 10 WEEKS OF SUMMER FOOD, UH, FOR KIDS UP TO, I BELIEVE, 19 YEARS OLD. UM, I THINK WE SERVED CLOSE TO 50,000, UH, MEALS THIS SUMMER TO OUR LOCAL YOUTH. UH, SO, YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT OBVIOUSLY KEEP US VERY BUSY. ACTIVITIES FOR FAMILIES, UH, MOVIES IN THE PARK, CLOSE TO 30 DIFFERENT MOVIES IN THE PARK, UM, EVENINGS, MUNICIPAL BAND CONCERTS, ALL KINDS OF ACTIVITIES, UH, HAPPENING IN OUR PARKS. AND ONE THING THAT WE DON'T TALK A LOT ABOUT, BUT I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO GET THIS MESSAGING OUT THERE, IS WE'RE ALSO A HUGE WORKFORCE ENGINE, PARTICULARLY WITH KIND OF THE YOUNGER, UH, ADULTS, UH, JUST ENTERING THE WORKFORCE. WE HIRE DOZENS UPON DOZENS UPON DOZENS OF LONG BEACH YOUTH AND SURROUNDING AREAS, OF COURSE, [00:10:01] BUT LONG BEACH YOUTH TO WORK IN OUR PARKS. THEY MAY NOT STAY WITH US, UH, IT MAY JUST BE A SUMMER JOB, BUT IT'S THAT FIRST JOB ON THAT RESUME WHERE THEY ARE LEARNING THE IMPORTANT SKILLS OF WHAT IT TAKES TO BE IN THE WORKING WORLD. AND WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF BEING ABLE TO OFFER THAT TO THEM AND BE THAT FIRST BULLET ON THEIR, UH, RESUME AS THEY CONTINUE TO GROW. MANY OF THEM STAY WITH US. UH, IT STILL SHOCKS ME WHEN I GO AROUND THE CITY AND I TALK TO PEOPLE AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WHETHER THEY'RE HIGH UP IN THE CITY OR IN OTHER INDUSTRIES, AND THEY TELL ME MY FIRST JOB WAS AT HALEY PARK, OR MY FIRST JOB WAS AT HAY PARK. UH, THAT'S REALLY, UH, KINDA REFRESHING AND AMAZING, UH, TO HEAR. SO WE HAD A, A FANTASTIC, BUSY, BUSY SUMMER THAT IS OUR BUSIEST TIME OF YEAR WITH ALL OF THE ADDITIONAL, UH, PROGRAMS THAT WE OFFER. AND NOW THAT WE'RE BACK INTO THE SCHOOL YEAR, WE TRANSITION. AND SO WE HAVE AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMMING AT 19 SITES ACROSS THE CITY, UH, IN ADDITION TO SEVEN, UH, LONG BEACH UNIFIED SITES, UH, WHERE WE RUN THE, THE RAP PROGRAM, UH, FOR THEM AT THOSE SITES. AND SO WE NOW TRANSITION TO THE FALL WITH THAT PROGRAMMING. UH, I BELIEVE YOU HAVE SOME, UH, PAMPHLETS ON SOME OF THE OTHER ACTIVITIES. YOUTH SPORTS IS PICKING UP WITH FLAG FOOTBALL AND I THINK VOLLEYBALL SEASON USE VOLLEYBALL THE FALL. AND WE'RE GROWING OUR TEEN SPORTS PROGRAM. WE'RE BRINGING THAT BACK IN A STRONGER WAY TOO. SO, UM, I'VE, YEAH, WE LOVE FLYERS FOR ALL OF OUR, THE MAJORITY OF OUR FALL PROGRAMS. SO A TEEN CENTER FLYER WITH ALL OF OUR TEEN CENTERS NOTED OUR ESPORTS OFFERINGS, OUR AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS. UM, THOSE ARE THE CORE SERVICES DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR THAT WE WE'RE, WE'RE, UM, IMPLEMENTING. NOW THERE'S TWO MORE THINGS THAT I THINK WOULD BE COOL TO KIND OF SHARE THAT HAPPENED OVER THE SUMMER IN PREPARATION FOR THE OLYMPICS. THERE WAS A, AN INTEREST WITH FROM THE MAYOR'S TEAM TO INCORPORATE SOME OPPORTUNITIES WITH OUR YOUTH TO KIND OF, UM, GET ENGAGED WITH THE ACTIVITIES TO COME OUR WAY AND KIND OF SEE YOU GET, GET SOME FEEDBACK FROM OUR YOUNG PEOPLE AS TO WHAT THEY WANT THEIR EXPERIENCE IN LONG BEACH TO BE LIKE WHEN THE OLYMPICS COMES. SO TO PREP FOR THAT, WE SET UP TWO COOL DAYS ONE DAY WITH OUR YOUNGER KIDS, MORE OF OUR DAY CAMP AGE KIDS, AND ONE COOL DAY WITH OUR TEEN KIDS. UM, THE FIRST EVENT TOOK PLACE ON OLYMPIC DAY, WHICH WAS IN JUNE, I BELIEVE IT WAS AT THE CLOSE OF JUNE. UM, AND THAT WAS, UM, THAT TOOK PLACE AT MCBRIDE PARK AND THAT WHERE WE HAD A, A GROUP OF YOUTH GATHER AND THEY MET, WE PARTNERED WITH READY SET GOLD, AND UM, AND THEY BROUGHT OUT SOME OLYMPIANS AND THEY DID SOME REALLY COOL, COOL ACTIVITIES WITH OUR KIDS. ALL THE KIDS GOT LIKE SHOES AND A BUNCH OF FREE LIKE GIVEAWAYS. UM, SPENT THE DAY WITH THESE ATHLETES AND REALLY GOT TO REALLY, UM, HAVE A REALLY INSPIRATIONAL KIND OF AFTERNOON WITH THEM. UM, FOLLOWING THAT WE DID A REALLY COOL DAY WITH THE TEEN CENTERS. AND SO ALL OF THE TEEN CENTERS BUS WE BUST IN TEENS FROM EACH OF THE SIX CENTERS DOWN TO BELMONT POOL AREA BY THE BEACH FRONT. AND WE ALSO WORKED WITH READY SET GOLD AND HAD, UH, FOUR OLYMPIANS. WE HAD A PARAS SAILER, UM, GAL COME DOWN. WE HAD A, UM, A SWIMMER, UM, A UH, PARALYMPIAN WHO IS, UM, UM, LOCAL WHO CAME DOWN TO MEET WITH OUR, OUR YOUTH IN THE POOL. WE HAD A COUPLE OTHER, UM, VOLLEYBALL, UM, ATHLETES. UM, AND THEY CAME DOWN, MET OUR TEENS, DID A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES, UM, ALONG THE BEACH FRONT AND THEN ALSO IN THE POOL AND DID A BUNCH OF GIVEAWAYS. WE HAD A REALLY COOL LUNCH THAT WAS THE, THE WEEK OF THE 4TH OF JULY. AND SO THOSE TWO THINGS WERE REALLY UNIQUELY SPECIAL THIS SUMMER. UM, I ANTICIPATE AHEAD OF THE OLYMPICS WE'RE GOING TO, THOSE TYPES OF OFFERINGS WILL CONTINUE TO GROW, UM, AS WE KIND OF GET DIFFERENT CONNECTIONS THROUGH OUR MAYOR'S OFFICE. SO THAT WAS, THOSE ARE TWO REALLY COOL, KIND OF YOUTH FOCUSED ACTIVITIES THAT HAPPENED IN THE SUMMER THAT I THINK WOULD BE KIND OF COOL TO JUST KIND OF LET YOU GUYS KEEP YOU GUYS INFORMED OF AS WELL. THANK YOU. YEAH, AND WE'RE DEFINITELY GONNA SEE A LOT MORE WITH RESPECT TO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR THE OLYMPICS, WE'RE NOW UNDER THREE YEARS, A LITTLE UNDER THREE YEARS UNTIL 28. WE ARE HOSTING 11, UH, EVENTS, UH, FOR THE OLYMPICS AND I THINK NINE FOR THE PARALYMPICS AFTER. UH, SO LONG BEACH IS GONNA BE, UH, DEFINITELY ON DISPLAY ON THE GLOBAL STAGE AND UH, THAT'S GREAT FOR OUR CITY. BUT WHAT'S ALSO GREAT IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHOWCASE WHAT WE ARE AS A CITY, YOUTH PROGRAMS, UM, YOUTH ACTIVITIES, OLYMPIC EVENTS, UM, YOU KNOW, SPECIAL VIEWING, UH, PARTIES. THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY THAT WE'RE GONNA GET TO HAVE [00:15:01] OVER AND WE'RE GOING TO KIND OF BUILD AND GROW, UH, FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS SO THAT WE ARE READY FOR, UH, THE OLYMPICS IN 28. UM, JUST A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS. I DON'T WANNA TAKE TOO MUCH TIME, BUT YOU KNOW, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ALL THE GREAT THINGS FOR, FOR OUR LOCAL YOUTH, UM, WE GOTTA LOOK UNDER THE HOOD AND UNDER THE HOOD IS OUR BUDGET. AND WE JUST HAD OUR CITY BUDGET ADOPTED LAST WEEK. UH, OUR PARKS, RECREATION AND MARINE BUDGET IS ABOUT $90 MILLION. UH, ABOUT 50 MILLION OF THAT IS FROM THE GENERAL FUND THAT SUPPORTS LIKE THE CORE RECREATION AND MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES. A LOT OF THE OTHER DOLLARS ARE TIDELANDS RELATED, WHICH ARE RESTRICTED TO USES ALONG THE BEACHES AND WATERWAYS. UM, BUT UH, WE JUST HAD THAT, UH, BUDGET ADOPTED. NOT A LOT OF MONEY FOR THE CITY TO KIND OF INVEST IN ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMINGS, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, VERY PLEASED THAT WE DID NOT TAKE CUTS IN OUR DEPARTMENT. UM, SO VERY PLEASED WITH THAT AND WHERE WE COULD, WE WERE ABLE TO SHORE UP SOME AREAS WHERE WE NEEDED A LITTLE BIT OF, UH, FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO KEEP THOSE THINGS RUNNING. YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE YOU ALL SEE ON THE, ON THE SHELVES AS YOU SHOP, THINGS ARE GETTING MORE EXPENSIVE AND THINGS ARE GETTING MORE EXPENSIVE FOR US. YOU KNOW, UH, ALL OF OUR MAINTENANCE NEEDS, THOSE ARE MORE EXPENSIVE, OUR RECREATIONAL NEEDS. IT COSTS MORE RIGHT NOW TO, TO PAY FOR THOSE THINGS. AND, UH, AGAIN, WE WERE PLEASED NOT TO HAVE ANY CUTS AND ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO ADDRESS, UH, SOME OF THOSE, UH, SMALLER NEEDS TO SHORE UP THOSE, UH, PROGRAMMATIC AREAS. UM, SO THAT'S IT FOR THE BUDGET. IT, IT GOES INTO EFFECT ON OCTOBER 1ST OF THIS YEAR, AND THEN THAT'LL TAKE US THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30TH OF NEXT YEAR. UM, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THE FINANCIAL OUTLOOK LOOKING FORWARD LOOKS A LITTLE BLEAK RIGHT NOW. UM, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHERE OUR DEPARTMENT, I THINK DOES A REALLY GOOD JOB. WE'RE WELL POSITIONED 'CAUSE OF OUR PARTNERSHIPS. WE KNOW WE CAN'T BE ALL THINGS TO ALL PEOPLE. UM, BUT WE REACH OUT TO PARTNERS WHO CAN HELP US PROVIDE MAYBE SOME OF THE PROGRAMS, SERVICES THAT WE'RE UNABLE TO PROVIDE, BUT WE HAVE SPACE WE CAN GIVE THEM SPACE, THEY CAN PROVIDE THE PROGRAMS FOR US. UH, SO WE ARE REALLY FORTUNATE TO HAVE A LOT OF REALLY STRONG PARTNERS, UH, IN OUR COMMUNITY. UH, AND THEN JUST, UH, ONE LAST THING. JUST WANTED TO TALK ABOUT A FEW OF, UM, SOME OF THE PARK, UH, PROJECTS THAT HAVE OPENED UP OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS. UM, BECAUSE THESE ARE REALLY, UH, KIND OF GAME CHANGING PROJECTS IN OUR COMMUNITY. UH, JUST THIS PAST FRIDAY, WE OPENED A BRAND NEW SIGNATURE PLAYGROUND, UH, AT SILVERADO PARK ON THE WEST SIDE. UM, AND SO THAT WAS A, A LOCATION THAT WAS IN DIY, UM, UM, A NEW PLAYGROUND THAT WAS A COMMUNITY THAT HEAVILY USES THAT PARK. AND WE WERE VERY HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO OFFER THAT, UH, NEW, UH, NEW AMENITY. UM, MAYBE A MONTH OR SO AGO WE REOPENED MACARTHUR PARK. IT'S GOT A BRAND NEW FACELIFT THAT WAS HUGE. AND WHEN I SAY GAME CHANGER, THAT'S THE TYPE OF, UH, UM, ACTIVITY AND ACTIVATION THAT IS GAME CHANGING. UH, THAT IS A COMPLETE REFRESH OF THAT PARK WITH NEW PICNIC PAVILIONS. IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE PLAYGROUND, IT'S AMAZING. UH, FEATURES, AMENITIES FOR PEOPLE OF ALL, UH, ABILITIES. UM, JUST A FANTASTIC, UH, INVESTMENT IN THAT PARK. AND AGAIN, UH, YOU KNOW, SERVING A COMMUNITY THAT, UH, REALLY NEEDS, UH, THAT PARK SPACE. A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, MULTI-DWELLING UNITS WHERE THIS PARK IS THE BACKYARD FOR MANY PEOPLE. AND IT'S GREAT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO INVEST IN THAT. WE HAD SOME INVESTMENTS HERE IN EL DORADO PARK FOR THE, THE BALL FIELDS AND THE RESTROOMS. UM, SO THERE'S BEEN A NUMBER OF, UH, INVESTMENTS IN OUR PARKS. WE'VE BEEN REALLY FORTUNATE TO HAVE INVESTMENTS THROUGH LIKE MEASURE A, UH, THERE'S ACTUALLY A COUNTY MEASURE A, WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, BUT THAT PROVIDES FUNDING FOR PARK PROJECTS. UM, SO FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MANY, MANY, MANY YEARS, WE ACTUALLY HAVE QUITE A BIT OF OPPORTUNITY FOR INVESTMENT INTO OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS, INCLUDING OUR PARK. SO, UH, I'M GONNA STOP THERE. UH, HOPEFULLY, UH, I CAN GO TOO LONG. BUT, UH, JUST KIND OF A, A QUICK AND DIRTY ON WHAT'S HAPPENING, UH, WITHIN PARKS REC, AND ANIMAL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY QUESTION? ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UM, I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION, BUT I DO HAVE A COMMENT. UM, I'M ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN A LOT OF WELLNESS, UM, SPACES AND A OC SEVEN HAS ADOPTED DOING WELLNESS SUNDAYS AT [00:20:01] CRO PARK. I'M A PART OF THE COMMUNITY THAT BRINGS THAT. UM, AND WE'VE BEEN INVITED TO DIFFERENT PARKS AND DIFFERENT SPACES AND DIFFERENT COMMUNITY GROUPS AND VARIOUS SPACES WHERE I WORK WITH THAT ARE ACTIVATING, UM, WELLNESS SPACES AND SAFE SPACES PER FAMILIES TO COME TOGETHER. UM, WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT PARTNERSHIP THAT YOU GUYS ARE NURTURING WITH US IN THE COMMUNITY WITH THAT. 'CAUSE I REALLY, I COME FROM, UM, THE VENDING COMMUNITY. I WORK A LOT WITH SIDEWALK VENDORS AS WELL. AND FROM WHAT WE'VE SEEN WHEN COMMUNITY IS PRESENT RIGHT, AND WE HAVE A SAFE SPACE TO GATHER TOGETHER, WHETHER IT BE TO BEND OR ALL THE OTHER THINGS, IT REALLY HELPS THE COMMUNITY BE SAFE AND TO ACTIVATE IT IN THOSE SPACE. THE, THE PROJECT AT MON ARTHUR PARK IMPECCABLE, WE WERE VERY HAPPY ABOUT IT BEING OPEN. UM, MY SON ACTUALLY RECEIVES DRUMMING LESSONS FROM, UM, ONE OF THE TEACHERS THERE. UM, THAT'S ONE OF THE FREE RESOURCES THEY OFFER. SO, AND THEN ALSO THE TEEN CENTERS. UM, MY SON PREVIOUSLY, MY DAUGHTER PREVIOUSLY WERE TEENS AT, UM, THAT UTILIZED THE CENTER AT, UM, CHAVEZ PARK. SO AS A PARENT, I REALLY DO APPRECIATE WHEN YOU GUYS REALLY INVEST IN COMMUNITY IN THAT SPACE. AND I WANT US TO ENCOURAGE US TO CONNECT WITH THE COMMUNITY GROUPS MORE SPACES LIKE A OC SEVEN. UM, I BELIEVE THERE'S ANOTHER ONE THAT THAT'S ADOPTED. UM, KING PARK. WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE COMMUNITY GARDEN BEING REOPENED SO WE CAN HAVE ACCESS TO THAT. ALL THOSE THINGS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT AND FROM WHAT I'M HEARING FROM OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, THEY REALLY NEED AND WANT THAT THEY REALLY DO. SO, YEAH. I HAVE A QUESTION. UM, SO CONSIDERING KIND OF THE CURRENT SOCIOPOLITICAL CLIMATE AROUND THE ABDUCTIONS OF SOME OF OUR, UH, NEIGHBORS IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, WITH THE ICE RAID THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN LONG BEACH AS RECENTLY AS YOU KNOW, YESTERDAY, UM, WHAT IS THE PARKS? HOW ARE, HOW IS PARKS AND RECREATION ENSURING THE SAFETY OF OUR NEIGHBORS? UM, AND LIKE, OR CREATING SAFE SPACES, LIKE I GUESS I JUST WANT TO KNOW LIKE, WHERE DO YOU ALL STAND? WHICH I THINK I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU ALL STAND, BUT ARE, BUT HOW, HOW ARE, ARE YOUNG PEOPLE PROTECTED AND THEIR FAMILIES PROTECTED IN, IN THE PARKS FACILITIES? SO, I HAVE TO BE A LITTLE BIT CAREFUL 'CAUSE WE'RE KIND OF OFF OF AGENDA TOPIC AND SO I DON'T WANT TO VIOLATE BROWN ACT RULES, BUT I THINK I WILL MENTION THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR PARKS ARE OPEN FOR EVERYBODY. OUR COMMUNITY CENTERS ARE OPEN FOR EVERYBODY. THERE ARE PROTOCOLS ON HOW TO ADDRESS, UH, SITUATIONS THAT, UM, MAY COME UP, UH, IF THERE ARE ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES GOING ON. WE'VE BEEN FORTUNATE. WE HAVE NOT HAD ANYTHING LIKE THAT. OKAY. UM, BUT AGAIN, OUR, WE WANT OUR PARKS TO BE OPEN, SAFE, WELCOMING, UM, LOCATIONS FOR EVERYBODY IN THIS. I DON'T THINK IT'S OFF, UH, OFF, UH, AGENDA TOPIC, BUT I, I GUESS I WAS WONDERING IF PARKS, UH, HAS MADE ANY STATEMENTS OR IS COMMITTED TO MAKING ANY STATEMENTS TO OUR COMMUNITY. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN FORESEE IN THE FUTURE? AND I UNDERSTAND IT'S A VERY POLITICALLY HEATED AND DANGEROUS CLIMATE FOR PEOPLE TO KIND OF SPEAK WHAT THEY WANT, BUT UNFORTUNATELY I DON'T HAVE THOSE LIMITATIONS WITH MY MOUTH, BUT I JUST WANTED TO KNOW LIKE, WHAT ARE, WHAT, HOW ARE WE, IS THERE ANY KIND OF, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT PARKS IS DOING TO ENSURE, UM, OR TO JUST SHARE WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT IT IS A SAFE SPACE AND THE ICE WILL NOT BE ALLOWED IN THOSE, UM, PARTICULAR SPACES. SO THAT WOULD REALLY BE MESSAGING FROM THE CITY AS A WHOLE, NOT NECESSARILY PARKS, RECREATION AND MARINE SPECIFICALLY. UM, I THINK THE AVAILABILITY OF THE PARKS, THE OPENNESS OF THE PARKS, THE, THE WELCOMING OF THE PARKS I THINK IS KIND OF OUR MESSAGING TO THE, TO THE COMMUNITY. GOT IT. IS THERE ANY WAY ON THIS COMMISSION THAT WE CAN, UM, CREATE SOME KIND OF RECOMMENDATION FOR OUR CITY, UM, TO PUSH FORWARD INTO, UM, SAYING THAT OUR PARKS ARE ACTUALLY EXPLICITLY SAYING THAT OUR PARKS ARE A SAFE SPACE WITHOUT COMPROMISING, SAY, FUNDING? THAT'S LIKE MY WORRY, RIGHT? BECAUSE FUNDING IS TIED TO SO MUCH RIGHT NOW. BUT I ALSO THINK THAT LIKE, IF WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON, ON, YOU KNOW, BEING THIS COMMUNITY THAT CARES FOR CHILDREN, UM, YOU KNOW, IS THERE A WAY THAT WE CAN BRING FORWARD AN, AN AGENDA ITEM THAT WOULD, UM, PROVIDE CERTAIN PROTECTIONS? I KNOW THAT THE HUMAN RELATIONS, UM, AND EQUITY, UH, COMMISSION IS DOING SOMETHING IN THAT VEIN THAT ALSO INCLUDES [00:25:01] GENOCIDE. UM, NOT WORKING WITH ORGANIZATIONS THAT ALIGN THEMSELVES WITH GENOCIDE OCCUPATION, CONSIDERING THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR MIDDLE EASTERN ARAB AND PALESTINIAN COMMUNITY IS ALSO BEING DEEPLY AFFECTED RIGHT NOW. SO I DON'T THINK IT'S OFF TOPIC. I JUST WANNA KNOW HOW OUR PARKS CAN EXPLICITLY SAY THAT THEY'RE A SAFE SPACE WHEN WE HAVE YOUNG PEOPLE WHOSE FAMILIES ARE BEING ABDUCTED. YEAH. SO, YEAH. SO, SO, UM, JUST, UM, IN LIGHT OF THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT, I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU WERE SAYING. THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT IS NOT DIRECTLY RELATED TO DIRECT DIRECTOR'S PARK, BUT I THINK WE SHOULD ADDRESS THAT AFTER WE, UM, UH, ADDRESS THE MOTION THAT'S ON THE FLOOR MM-HMM . IN TERMS OF ACCEPTING YOUR REPORT. UM, AND UM, WITH THAT, IS IT A WAY THAT WE CAN GET THE DIRECTORS HIGHLIGHTS AS A BOARD IN MAYBE AN EMAIL AS THEY'RE HAPPENING MONTHLY OR WEEKLY OR, UM, I'M JUST TRYING TO GET A SYSTEM. I KNOW I, WE APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, SIX MONTHS WORTH OF HIGHLIGHTS AFTER THEY'RE HAPPENING. BUT I KNOW FOR MYSELF, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT'S UPCOMING, WHAT JUST HAPPENED, WHAT, WHAT OCCURRED AND WHAT'S UPCOMING. WHEN PEOPLE ASK ME, I'M NOT LIKE, HEY, OH, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT WAS GOING ON. OR, YOU KNOW, I, IT'S THAT WAY WE CAN BE EFFECTIVE IN JUST BEING, UM, A SPOKESMAN OR A SPOKESWOMAN FOR THE CITY. SO IS THERE A WAY THAT WE CAN GET THIS MAYBE A, A LIKE A NEWS UPDATE, UM, AS AN EMAIL TO US? UM, YOU COULD BLIND COPY ALL OF US JUST SO THAT WE GET INFORMATION AS IT'S HAPPENING, UM, IN A TIMELY MATTER RATHER THAN SIX MONTHS. JUST CURIOUS. SO I'LL, I'LL ADDRESS THAT. UM, SO 'CAUSE YOU RECEIVE IT RIGHT NOW AS PART OF THE REPORT AGENDA. YEAH. I THINK WHAT WE COULD DO IS AS PART OF THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT, WE CAN ADD LOOKING FORWARD. SO INCLUDE THE THINGS THAT ARE UPCOMING, UH, IN TERMS OF EVENTS, ACTIVITIES, PROGRAMS. WE CAN INCLUDE THAT IN THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT. SO IT'S NOT JUST LOOKING BACKWARDS. IT COULD LOOK FORWARD A LITTLE BIT, UH, AS WELL. OKAY. YEAH, I I'M NOT, I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S WHAT I'M NECESSARILY LOOKING FOR, ONLY BECAUSE OF OUR TIME OF OUR MEETINGS. UM, WE HAVEN'T MET SINCE MARCH. SO I JUST THINK LIKE IN A TIMELINESS, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU DO A WEEKLY NEWSLETTER, UM, IF IT COMES OUT, UH, THROUGH YOUR DEPARTMENTS, MAYBE WE COULD BE SENT THAT INFORMATION AS WELL, JUST AS UPDATES OF WHAT'S HAPPENING. SO WE'RE NOT JUST THAT'S WHAT HE'S SAYING. IT'S LIKE IT HAS TO BE PRESENTED AND ACCEPTED. WE'VE ASKED THIS BEFORE. RIGHT. CAN YOU KEEP US ABREAST OF LIKE, THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING? RIGHT. AND IT'S JUST, I DON'T KNOW WHY IT'S, IT'S BEEN, THERE'S . NO, I MEAN, WITHIN THEIR DEPARTMENT. I'M SURE YOU SEND, UH, LIKE A NEWSLETTER OUT TO YOUR DEPARTMENT, RIGHT? WE DO BASICALLY A DIRECTOR'S HIGHLIGHT. WE HAVE A, WE CREATE COMMUNITY WHICH WE PUBLISH, UM, MONTHLY. YEAH. UM, SO CAN WE GET THAT IN THE EMAIL? IS THAT NOT APPROPRIATE? IT'S, WELL, UM, WE CAN LOOK, I MEAN, WE CAN LOOK, I GUESS I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE, THE TIMING ISSUE. 'CAUSE THAT WOULD BE OUR MOST RECENT IF YOU'RE MEETING MONTHLY. MONTHLY, NO, WE MEET EVERY OTHER MONTH. EVERY OTHER MONTH. UM, YEAH, WE COULD PROBABLY GET THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE CURRENT ONE OUT TO YOU SO THAT YOU'RE NOT LEAVING TWO MONTHS. OKAY. ALRIGHT. ANY OTHER I'M READINESS ALL IN FAVOR. ACCEPTING THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT. SAY AYE. AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED NAY. ALL RIGHT. UM, SO THERE IS A QUESTION ON THE, UH, FLOOR IN TERMS OF, UM, WHAT THIS COMMISSION. SO I THINK WE WOULD LIKE TO CHARGE YOU WITH RESEARCHING ON OUR PARAMETERS IN WHICH WE WOULD LIKE TO, UM, COLLECTIVELY CONSIDER MAKING IT A STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF OUR BODY. UM, IS THAT, AM I UNDERSTANDING CORRECT? YES. JOSEPH AND I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO ADD, YOU KNOW, UM, ARE WE HAD MOTION, I'M SORRY, POINT OF ORDER OF ORDER. YES. THIS IS, THIS IS LIKE BEYOND OUR SCOPE. WE'RE APPROACHING BROWN ACT VIOLATIONS RIGHT NOW BECAUSE ALL OF THESE THINGS NEED TO BE DISCUSSED AND PUT ON THE AGENDA BEFOREHAND. SO COMMUNITY MEMBERS WANNA PARTICIPATE IN THIS CONVERSATION ALSO. THEY CAN BE PART OF IT. AWESOME. SO, NOT THAT IT'S NOT AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION TO HAVE, BUT WE'RE, IT HAS . WE DON'T WANT TO VIOLATE BROWN. THANK YOU. SO CAN WE NOT EVEN HAVE THIS CONVERSATION RIGHT NOW? NO. NO. SO HOW CAN WE GET IT PUT ON THE AGENDA? AGENDA? PUT IT AS AN AGENDA ITEM. OKAY. CAN WE IZE THAT FOR NEXT WEEK? SO THE CHAIR WOULD HAVE TO NEXT. WE'LL DO THAT IN ANNOUNCEMENTS. OKAY. UH, PUBLIC COMMENT. ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT? NO OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT. SEE NONE. ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? WOULD YOU HAVE TO ANNOUNCE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS. I, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW IF I, I HAVE A COMMENT, BUT I DON'T KNOW. YEAH, PLEASE. [00:30:01] NO, I THINK IT, IT JUST HEARKENS BACK TO MY ORIGINAL COMMENT, WHICH I WOULD, I AM, WHAT'S THE LEAD, WHAT ARE THE LEAD LEGALITIES OF THIS? I WOULD LIKE US TO CONSIDER AN AGENDA ITEM, UM, THAT WE CAN PUT ON THE TABLE FOR NEXT MEETING. AND I HOPE THAT THESE, IT'S NOT A SUCH A DIRE SITUATION. NEXT MEETING. SO WHERE WE CAN DISCUSS, UM, THE CURRENT STATE OF, UH, SAFETY FOR OUR CHILDREN, WHICH INCLUDES A NUMBER OF IMMIGRATION, YOU KNOW, FOREIGN POLICY, PUBLIC POLICY, AND HOW THAT AFFECTS OUR CURRENT, UM, COMMUNITY OF CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES. YOUTH AND FAMILIES. OKAY. SO IF WE CAN DO THAT, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. OKAY. SURE. ALRIGHT. ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? SEEING NONE. UM, I WOULD LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN OUR, OUR MEETING AT 6 42. DOES THAT HAVE TO BE, WE HAVE TO VOTE ON THAT FOR THAT TO BE IZED FOR, OR NO? OR CAN THE CHAIR, THE CHAIR HAS NO, THE CHAIR CAN, SHOULD BE ABLE TO, YEAH. WE'LL, AND WE'LL BE, BE DISCUSSING THAT AHEAD OF THE MEETING. NEXT MEETING. NOVEMBER. I'M SORRY, WHAT TIME AGAIN? 6 42. 6 42 19TH. SO MOVED. ENTERTAIN THE MOTION. SURE. SECOND THE MOTION. ALL IN FAVOR? MOTION CARRIES. 6 42. MEETING ADJOURNED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AWESOME. * 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.