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IT IS NOW 9:02 AM UM, ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER SEVEN, 16TH.
UH, AND I'D LIKE TO CALL TO ORDER, UH, THE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING FOR THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, ACTING DIRECTOR.
SCOTT, CAN YOU PLEASE DO THE ROLL CALL? ABSOLUTELY.
COMMISSIONER LIVINGSTON PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER SCH, UH, HAS AN EXCUSED ABSENCE.
UM, EXCUSE AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO CALL THE, UH, PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
IF YOU WOULD ALL STAND, REMOVE YOUR PATHS.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE, THE FLAG OF UNITED UNITED STATES AMERICA.
AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR, FOR WHICH IT STANDS.
WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
UM, THIS MORNING WE DO HAVE A PRESENTATION.
UM, WE HAVE EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH FOR AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER, AND I'D LIKE TO HEAD IT OVER TO ACTING DIRECTOR SCOTT.
UH, ONE OF OUR FAVORITE PARTS OF EVERY MEETING IS THE RECOGNITION FOR OUR EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH.
UH, THIS MONTH WE WERE TO HAVE TWO.
ONE OF 'EM, UNFORTUNATELY, COULD NOT MAKE IT.
SO WE'LL HAVE TO ROLL THAT ONE OVER, UH, TO THE NEXT MONTH.
BUT WE DO HAVE OUR AUGUST, 2025, UH, EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH HERE WITH US.
AND SO I'M GONNA HAND IT OFF TO GLADYS KAISER, THE CHAIR OF OUR EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION COMMITTEE.
UH, GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS.
I SAID THIS IS ALWAYS ONE OF THE BEST PARTS OF THE MEETING, UM, IS TO RECOGNIZE SOMEONE WHO GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND, UM, AND TRULY BRINGS ALL THAT THEY CAN TO OUR TEAM.
UM, YOU OFTEN HEAR OF, YOU KNOW, HOW WE SURPRISE THEM OR, OR BRING THEM TO, UM, TOGETHER TO BE RECOGNIZED.
SO OUR EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH THIS MONTH IS MR. RONNIE ROMERO, WHO RETURNED.
SO HIS BUREAU MANAGER AND MANAGERS BROUGHT HIM INTO A MEETING, UM, THAT HE WAS GOING TO HAVE.
AND THE IRONIC PART IS HE SAT RIGHT NEXT TO ME.
UM, SO THEN HE MADE ME NERVOUS THAT I HAD TO GET UP AND SPEAK ABOUT HIM, BUT SAT THERE WITH, YOU KNOW, WHO ARE WE, WHAT ARE WE HERE TODAY? AND HAD ZERO IDEA, LIKE NEGATIVE IDEA THAT HE WAS GOING TO BE GUYS.
BUT AFTER YOU HEAR THE WORDS THAT WE HAVE TO SHARE, THAT YOU'LL UNDERSTAND WHY.
AND THEN ON BEHALF, SO I ACTUALLY WANT TO CALL UP MR. ROMERO AND HIS SUPERVISORS TO COME UP SO THEY CAN SAY A FEW WORDS.
I THOUGHT I SAW MIKE AND STAND AND ERIC.
SO, UM, THIS IS WHAT WAS SUBMITTED ON BEHALF.
MR. ROMERO IS ESSENTIAL TO THE SUCCESS OF OUR OPERATIONS AT THE MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS BUREAU.
HE, HE IS DEDICATED, HARDWORKING, SELFLESS, AND AN EXCELLENT TEAM PLAYER.
HIS UNDERSTANDING OF THE BUDGET AND HIS WILLINGNESS TO EDUCATE OUR TEAM ON FINANCIAL MATTERS HAVE ALLOWED US TO OPERATE EFFICIENTLY BEYOND HIS FINANCIAL EXPERTISE.
RONNIE IS RESPECTED FOR BEING A CALM PRESENCE AND A SOURCE OF STABILITY.
HIS VALUABLE INSIGHT HAVE GREATLY AIDED ME DURING MY TRANSITION INTO MI TAKE GREAT PLEASURE IN WATCHING HIM TEACH THE TEAM AND SHARE HIS KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE BUDGET.
I AM PERSONALLY GRATEFUL THAT HE IS ON TEAM MOCK WOODSON, SO YOU CAN SHARE ON BEHALF OF HIS TEAM.
UM, TEAM, TEAM COMING OUT TODAY IS A REALLY SPECIAL HONOR FOR TO BE HERE FOR RUNNING.
UM, WHEN I WROTE ABOUT HIM, IT JUST REALLY, IT WAS TOUCHING 'CAUSE HE ALLOWED ME TO TRANSITION, YOU KNOW, TO A DIFFERENT LEVEL, DIFFERENT AREA.
AND JUST BEING ABLE TO HAVE THAT COMFORT AND BEING ABLE TO BE AN EXPERT AS HE IS, BUT TO BE ABLE TO PUT THINGS INTO LAYMAN TERMS, FOR ME TO BE ABLE REALLY UNDERSTAND IT, IT MADE IT EASIER FOR ME TO TRANSITION AND I'M, SO, I'M GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE IN, IN LEADERSHIP AND PROFESSIONALISM, UM, AND HE HAS ALL THOSE TRAITS.
YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES LOOK AT LEADERS AS FAR AS A CLASSIFICATIONS OR TITLES, BUT I SEE LEADERS IN ALL TITLES.
NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE FROM A DIRECTOR AND MANAGER TO A MA ONE, THERE'S STILL LEADERSHIP AND THERE'S STILL PROFESSIONALISM.
AND I BELIEVE THAT IRON SHARPENS IRON AND YOU HAVE TRULY, UM, TOUCH ME.
UM, AND JUST BEING ABLE TO HAVE SOMEONE THAT IS, UM, JUST, YOU KNOW, JUST A QUIET, CALM WHEN THINGS GET A LITTLE CRAZY SOMETIMES YOU CAN KIND OF LIKE
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REEL IN.AND I ALWAYS TELL RONNIE, DO NOT LET US GO OVER THE CLIFF FINANCIALLY
AND HE MAKES SURE THAT HE REELS US IN.
AND THEN ONE LAST NOTICE THAT MOST RECENTLY HE CAME UP WITH A PROJECT DETAIL.
THAT WAY WE CAN TRACK OUR VANDALISM COSTS, BE IT LABOR OR MATERIALS, INTERNAL, EXTERNAL, WHICH IS GOING TO BE REALLY HELPFUL FOR US AS WE TELL OUR STORY AND REALLY EXPLAIN WHAT WE GO THROUGH ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS.
AND SO PEOPLE CAN UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DO AMAZING WORK, BUT IT COMES AT A COST OR IT COMES AT LATER HOURS.
AND SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO GET THAT SUPPORT THAT WE NEED.
UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DO HERE AND, UM, I JUST WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS.
LET'S SEE WHAT'S TO SAY ABOUT RONNIE
UM, BUT I'VE HAD A GREAT PLEASURE OF, OF WORKING WITH RONNIE AND GETTING TO KNOW RONNIE, NOT JUST ON A PROFESSIONAL LEVEL, BUT ON A PERSONAL LEVEL.
AND HE'S HONESTLY ONE OF THE BEST PEOPLE I KNOW.
UM, HE'S VERY NICE, VERY KIND.
AND IF YOU EVER NEED SOMETHING, UH, JUST TO BOUNCE SOMETHING OFF OF HIM, WHETHER IT'S PERSONAL OR PROFESSIONAL, HE'S ALWAYS THERE JUST TO LISTEN TO YOU AND, YOU KNOW, JUST A GREAT PERSON TO HAVE IN THE OFFICE.
THANK YOU FOR BEING PART OF THE TEAM.
SO, UH, SIMILAR TO ERIC, I WAS NEW RONNIE.
UM, HE REALLY HELPED ME GET UP TO SPEED WITH THE BUDGET.
I'M PRETTY SURE YOU WERE PROBABLY SICK OF ME COMING IN THERE SO MANY TIMES, BUT IT WAS SO HELPFUL.
SO ON BEHALF OF MOB AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO BEHIND THE SCENES WE'RE ALWAYS IN HIS OFFICE BRAINSTORMING AND HE'S A PART OF JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT GOES ON HERE.
UM, I FEEL LIKE I'M RETIRING FOR SOMETHING
FIRST OFF, THANK YOU TO THE PARKS COMMISSION, THE LEADERSHIP OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS RECREATION, RAIN AND, AND ANIMAL CARE SERVICES, AND THE STAFF AND THE MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS BUREAU.
AS A LONGTIME RESIDENT OF LONG BEACH, UM, I'VE SPENT COUNTLESS DAYS WITH MY FAMILY ENJOYING OUR PARKS ALL OVER THE CITY.
I COACHED MY SON AND MY DAUGHTER IN YOUTH SOCCER AND YOUTH BASEBALL RIGHT HERE AT EL RADO PARK FOR MANY YEARS.
AND I PLAY AS MANY ROUNDS OF GOLF AS I POSSIBLY CAN
ALTHOUGH IF YOU ASK MY WIFE MAYBE A FEW TOO MANY ROUNDS, UM, IT'S TRULY AMAZING TO SEE WHAT A POSITIVE IMPACT OUR PARK SYSTEM AND OPEN SPACES CAN HAVE ON OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, IT'LL BE 20 YEARS IN DECEMBER THAT I'VE WORKED WITH THE CITY AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR MY ROLE AS AN ANALYST AND THE WORK THAT I DO IN THIS DEPARTMENT.
AND I'M VERY PROUD TO BE PART OF THIS MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS TEAM THAT MAINTAINS OUR PARKS AND KEEPS THEM SAFE FOR THE PATRONS.
UM, THANK YOU TO MY WIFE, GINA, FOR ARRANGING HER BUSY SCHEDULE TO BE HERE TODAY.
AND, UH, A SINCERE THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU FOR THIS RECOGNITION.
THEY HAVE A PHOTO SHOOT OUTSIDE FIRST TOO, SO, OKAY.
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THANK YOU.UH, I'D LIKE TO LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT COMMISSIONER ORTI SMITH ARRIVED ABOUT, UH, 10 MINUTES AGO, ABOUT 9:05 AM AND NOW WE'LL MOVE ON.
UM, TO OUR AGENDA ITEMS, WE CERTAINLY HAVE LOST OUR AUDIENCE.
UH, ITEM NUMBER ONE, A RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE PARKS OF RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING OF THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18TH, 19, UH, 2025.
UH, DO I HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED.
DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS? ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS, ANY QUESTIONS, THOUGHTS, SUGGESTIONS? OKAY.
UH, HEARING NONE, WE WILL, UH, GO TO A VOTE.
WE HAVE A, A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER ALLEN SECOND BY COMMISSIONER LIVINGSTON.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER TWO.
UH, RECOMMENDATION TO DISCUSS FEE WAIVER REQUESTS RECEIVED BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 11TH, 2025 AND OCTOBER 8TH, 2025.
DO I HAVE A MOTION? SO THANK YOU.
UM, AND, UH, I CAN DIRECTOR SCOTT.
UH, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE GLADYS KAISER, OUR, UH, COMMUNITY RECREATION SERVICES BUREAU MANAGER, PROVIDE THE STAFFING DATE.
GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS ON BEHALF OF THE COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE TWO REQUESTS FOR TWO EVENTS COMING UP.
UM, ON BEHALF OF A OC SEVEN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, THEY'D LIKE TO USE THE MACARTHUR PARK OPEN SPACE AND THE SOCIAL HALL FOR THEIR ANNUAL TURKEYS GIVEAWAY ON NOVEMBER 15TH.
THEY EXPECT ABOUT 215 TENANTS.
THEY'RE REQUESTING $375 IN PERMIT AND SPECIAL USE FEES TO BE WAIVED.
AND THEN ON BEHALF OF CP EX, MISS CHRISTMAS, I'M SORRY, CP EX MISS CARE PACKAGES OF AND BLANKETS OF LOVE, UM, THEIR ANNUAL CARE PACKAGES GIVEAWAY, UM, AT 14TH STREET PARK IN THE OPEN SPACE.
THIS IS A COMMUNITY EVENT THEY'RE WISHING TO HOLD ON DECEMBER 13TH, $275 IN PERMIT AND SPECIAL USE FEES REQUESTED TO BE WAIVED.
AND THEY EXPECT 200 IN ATTENDANCE COMMISSIONERS ON BEHALF OF THEIR COMMUNITY.
THIS MONTH THERE ARE REQUESTS FOR 650 UH, DOLLARS IN FEES TO BE WAIVED.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS? UH, FROM THE PUBLIC, FROM THE STAFF? HEARING NONE, UH, WILL TAKE A VOTE.
WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER HIGA SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER ORTI SMITH.
AND NOW WE CAN MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER THREE.
A RECOGNIZE, UH, RECOMMENDATION TO AUTHORIZE THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF PARKS, RECREATION AND MARINE TO EXECUTE A RIGHT OF ENTRY PERMIT WITH NORTH LONG BEACH WOLF PACK LITTLE LEAGUE, A CALIFORNIA NON-PROFIT CORPORATION FROM NOVEMBER 1ST, 2025 TO OCTOBER 31ST, 2027, WITH THE OPTION TO RENEW FOR TWO ADDITIONAL ONE YEAR PERIODS.
UH, CAN I HAVE A MOTION PLEASE? I GO AHEAD.
UH, AND DO WE HAVE A DISCUSSION? WE DO.
UM, ANN HUDSON FROM OUR PARTNERSHIPS OFFICE WILL BE PROVIDING THE STAFF REPORT THIS MORNING.
NORTH LONG BEACH WOLF PACK LITTLE LEAGUE IS ONE OF OUR NEWER LEAGUES, AND THEY ARE ONE OF THE ONLY ONES THAT IS UP ON THE NORTHWEST SIDE OF TOWN.
THEY USED FOREST PARK AS THEIR HOME BASE AND THEY HAVE USED THAT FOR THE PAST TWO SEASONS.
THEY ACTUALLY ACCEPTED THAT FIELD AS IS.
SO THEY HAVE ALL THE CHALLENGES OF SOME OF OUR FIELDS THAT HAVE NOT HAD LONG STANDING, UH, MAINTENANCE SUCH AS FLOODING DURING RAIN EVENTS AND BEING NEXT TO THE RIVER, HAVING BIKES AND THINGS RUN OVER THEIR FIELDS.
SO THEY ARE AT A POINT NOW WHERE THEY CAN RAISE FUNDS AND ALSO, UH, GET SOME SPONSORSHIPS.
SO THEY ARE LOOKING TO DO SOME FIELD IMPROVEMENTS, ESPECIALLY IN THE FRONT, TO MAKE THE FIELD SAFER AND ALSO TO MAKE IT UP TO LITTLE LEAGUE STANDARDS.
UH, JUST SO YOU KNOW, THIS LEAGUE DOES OFFER PLAY FOR PLAYERS FROM FOUR TO 12, AND THEY ARE REALLY TRYING TO REVITALIZE BASEBALL IN A COMMUNITY THAT HASN'T HAD IT IN A WHILE.
SO THIS PART RIGHT OF ENTRY PERMIT WILL HELP THEM TO REGRADE THE BASEBALL FIELDS, INSTALL A CONCRETE PAD TO HOLD TWO STORAGE CONTAINERS SO THEY
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CAN STORE THEIR EQUIPMENT THERE, AND ALSO PROVIDE TEMPORARY FENCING, UH, TO PROTECT THE FIELDS AND INSTALL A SCOREBOARD AT H FIELD AND FO BALL HOLES.UH, ALL THE WORK AND IMPROVEMENTS WILL BE FUNDED BY PAC THROUGH DONATIONS AND SPONSORSHIPS.
UH, PAC WILL BE REQUIRED TO COORDINATE ALL WORK WITH THE MANAGER OF MAINTENANCE, AND ANY SIGNAGE WILL NEED TO BE APPROVED BY THE ACTING DIRECTOR.
SO WE DO HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE HERE.
SO WHEN YOU ARE READY, UM, WE WILL BE WILLING OR IS HERE TO INTRODUCE HIMSELF.
SHOULD I INTRODUCE, WOULD YOU, UM, CARE TO SAY A FEW WORDS, PLEASE? OKAY.
I AM THE PRESIDENT OF NORTH LONG BEACH LITTLE LEAGUE.
WE ARE A NEW PROGRAM, AS ANNE STATED.
UH, WE ARE JUST TRYING TO GET THE FIELD WHERE IT'S PLAYABLE AND SAFE FOR THE KIDS THAT WE ARE BRINGING INTO THE LEAGUE.
UM, A LOT OF THE FIELD DAMAGES FROM KIDS RIDING DIRT BIKES, THEY DOING BURNOUTS IN THE INFIELD, SO IT'S ALL LUMPED UP AND UNEVEN.
SO WE'RE JUST TRYING TO GET IT TO WHERE WE CAN BE, HAVE HOME GAMES.
AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE'RE NOT ABLE TO REPRESENT THE NORTH SIDE OF LONG BEACH 'CAUSE WE HAVE TO PLAY ALL OF OUR GAMES AWAY.
SO NOBODY KNOWS HOW GREAT THAT FIELD COULD ACTUALLY BE BECAUSE THEY DON'T GO.
SO WE JUST WANT TO BRING ATTENTION AND AWARENESS THAT NORTH LONG BEACH HAS A BASEBALL TEAM AND NOT JUST A SO COMMUNITY.
SO ANY HELP THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, GET TO GET THESE, UH, GET IT APPROVED WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
WE JUST TRYING TO BRING BASE BACK, BRING BASEBALL BACK TO THE NORTH SIDE.
ANY QUESTIONS? YES, COMMISSIONER LIVINGSTON.
UM, I THINK THIS IS FANTASTIC AND I, I WROTE THESE WHEN I WORKED HERE.
THIS IS VERY INTIMIDATING TO ME, BUT THEY WANT YOU TO SUCCEED.
THIS IS JUST THE CITY BEING THE CITY.
I HOPE YOU ARE REALLY SUCCESSFUL WITH THIS.
COMMISSIONER, ARE YOU ALREADY SMITH? YEAH.
I JUST WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE YOU FOR REALLY CON CONTRIBU CONTRIBUTING GREATLY TO YOUR COMMUNITY.
THAT'S A BIG DEAL, AND I'M REALLY GRATEFUL THAT YOU'RE DOING THIS.
AND COMMISSIONER ALLEN? UH, YEAH, I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS FOR STAFF.
DO WE, I MEAN, I KNOW THAT THEY'RE RAISING MONEY FOR THE SUPPORT ON THE FIELD.
ARE WE DOING ANY ADDITIONAL WORK AT THOSE FIELDS OR AT THAT PARK AROUND THE FIELDS TO KIND OF HELP COMPLIMENT THAT? OR IS THERE ANYTHING IN THE, IN THE PIPELINE FOR THAT? SO ABSOLUTELY, WE PROVIDE REGULAR MAINTENANCE, UH, UP AT THE PARK.
UM, BOTH, YOU KNOW, THE OUTFIELD IN ADDITION TO THE SURROUNDING, UH, PARKING ENVIRONS.
UH, AND THAT IS DONE ON A REGULAR, UH, BASIS.
UH, AND THEN WITH THAT, I KNOW WE SAID THAT THEY'VE BEEN HERE FOR TWO YEARS, I THINK, RIGHT? THIS WILL BE OUR THIRD SEASON.
SO WITH THEIR INVESTMENT IN THIS PARK AS WELL, DOES THAT EXTEND THEIR LIFE OF THEIR PARTNERSHIP WITH US? OR HOW DOES THAT WORK IN TERMS OF, NOW THAT THEY'RE KIND OF BRINGING IN A DIRECT INVESTMENT INTO THIS FIELD, DOES THAT MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE THE HOME TEAM FOR A LONG TIME OR, I DON'T KNOW HOW ANY OF THIS WORKS, SO
THIS PARTNERSHIP IS, IS EXTRAORDINARILY, EXTRAORDINARILY IMPORTANT.
UH, AS, UH, THE REPRESENTATIVE, UH, SAID, NOT ONLY TO BRING BASEBALL, UH, TO NORTH LONG BEACH, UM, BUT REALLY TO ENGAGE THE, THE YOUTH AND THE YOUTH SPORTS ORGANIZATIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE, ARE VERY IMPORTANT.
AND SO, UH, YOU KNOW, TO THE EXTENT THAT WE ARE, UH, ABLE TO, UH, WE WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT, UM, AND THIS DOES WITH THIS, UM, RIGHT OF ENTRY, IT REALLY DOES FORMALIZE, UH, THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE DEPARTMENT.
UH, I LOVE NORTH LONG BEACH, SO IT'S SO GREAT TO SEE, SEE THIS ALL HAPPENING.
COMMISSIONER CHAVEZ? YEAH, SO AS A LONG, LONG RETIRED LITTLE LEAGUER MYSELF, UH, YEAH, I REALLY, UH, WANNA ECHO EVERYBODY ELSE'S APPRECIATION.
BUT ONE THING I DID WANT TO TOUCH UPON IS THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT PEOPLE WERE USING THE BASEBALL FIELD AS A BASICALLY TRAFFIC FOR PI, UH, MOTORCYCLES OR BICYCLES OR, OR CARS, WHATEVER, BASICALLY NOT RESPECTING THE FIELD.
UM, I GUESS FOR MY QUESTION TO PARK STAFF WOULD BE WHAT CAN BE DONE TO MAKE SURE THAT DAMAGE DOES NOT REOCCUR? BECAUSE I HATE TO SEE THE HARD WORK THAT THEY'RE PUTTING IN GETTING RUINS GETTING MESSED UP.
UH, CONVERSELY I DO KNOW THAT ACTIVATING THAT PART OF THE PARK ALSO WOULD HELP DETER THAT SORT OF ACTIVITY AS WELL.
YEAH, SO DEFINITELY ACTIVATION, UH, WOULD HELP TO DETER THAT.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, QUITE HONESTLY, AND UNFORTUNATELY THIS IS SOMETHING WE SEE CITYWIDE, THIS IS NOT SPECIFIC TO THE FOREST PARK.
IF THERE IS OPEN GREEN SPACE OR AN OPEN FIELD, PEOPLE LIKE TO GO OUT THERE PARTICULARLY AFTER RAINSTORMS AND DO THEIR WORST.
FORTUNATELY THOUGH, PART OF THIS RIGHT OF ENTRY, UH,
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IS, UM, PROVIDING SOME FENCING, UH, TO HELP, UH, SECURE, UH, THE AREA.AND, UH, AGAIN, THOUGH ACTIVATION IS KEY, UM, AND REALLY PLEASED ABOUT SOME OF THE OTHER ACTIVITIES THAT ARE OCCURRING AT THE PARK THAT ARE BRINGING PEOPLE, UH, INTO THE PARK.
WE HAVE CAMPFIRE UP THERE, UH, CONSERVATION CORPS.
WE'VE ADDED PICKLEBALL COURTS, UH, WITHIN THE LAST 14 MONTHS OR SO.
AND THAT IS CONSTANTLY BRINGING MORE AND MORE PEOPLE IN ACTIVITY TO THE PARK, WHICH IS A GOOD THING.
MORE EYES AND EARS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT FOR KEEPING THINGS SAFE.
AND OF COURSE, EVERYTHING THAT THE LEAGUE IS DOING, UH, AND THEIR PRESENCE THERE IS EXCEEDINGLY, UH, HELPFUL IN NORTH MARTIN.
I JUST, YOU KNOW, THINKING ABOUT COMING OVER FROM WEST LONG BEACH TODAY, YOU KNOW, THE, THE DISTANCE AND WHATNOT, BUT IT ALSO REMINDS ME WHEN I WAS A KID, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE HAD TO SWITCH FROM SILVERADO PARK TO HARTWELL PARK, I WAS LIKE, WHY THIS IS MUCH FURTHER AWAY FROM HOME.
IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE THAT BURDEN'S EVEN HIGHER FOR, UH, NORTH LONG BEACH.
SO, UH, DEFINITELY SEE THE, THE VALUE IN THIS CHAIR.
UM, SO OF COURSE, UH, AS MIGHT BE ANTICIPATED, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE BATHROOM SITUATION,
UH, SO SINCE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS KIND OF NEWLY ACTIVATED IN TERMS OF THAT MEANS THAT THERE WILL BE MORE FAMILIES THERE FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME, WHAT IS THE BATHROOM SITUATION NEAR THE FIELDS THERE? SO, UH, WE CALL, UH, COMMISSIONERS THAT WE DID HAVE A FREESTANDING RESTROOM, UH, INTO FOREST PARK THAT WAS ESSENTIALLY BURNED BEYOND, UM, USE.
AND SO IT HAS BEEN, UM, KIND OF REMOVED FROM, UM, USE.
WE HAVE PROVIDED, UH, PORTA-POTTIES OUT THERE.
IN ADDITION TO, AND THIS WAS GONNA BE SOMETHING I WAS GONNA TALK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT LATER, A THRONE RESTROOM.
ONE OF THE CITY'S QUESTION, NEW SMART, UH, RESTROOMS. UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY WE'RE TRYING TO, UH, GET OUR BASES COVERED WITH THOSE TWO OPTIONS, BUT THAT IS ALSO THOUGH, IN ADDITION TO WORKING WITH OUR PUBLIC WORKS PARTNERS TO REBUILD THAT FREESTANDING RESTROOM.
UM, SO CERTAINLY THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS ON A FRONT BURNER FOR US, IS TO GET THAT FREESTANDING RESTROOM REBUILT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
BUT GLAD THAT THIS PAST TUESDAY, UH, OUR CITY COUNCIL APPROVED AN AGREEMENT TO, UH, PLACE A THRONE RESTROOM OR TO CONTINUE THE THRONE RESTROOM AT HORSE PARK.
UM, I ALSO HAD, UH, JUST AN ANOTHER THING HERE.
UM, SO I TAUGHT AT JORDAN HIGH SCHOOL FOR SEVEN YEARS.
UM, I TEACH AT LONG AT POLY NOW, BUT DEFINITELY HAVE A LOT OF, UH, HEART UP THERE IN NORTH LONG BEACH.
SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING.
YOU'RE RIGHT, IT'S NOT JUST A SOCCER COMMUNITY, BUT IF THERE'S NO BASEBALL COMMUNITY TO GROW THEM FROM FOUR YEAR OLDS UP TILL HIGH SCHOOL, THEN YOU KNOW, WE DON'T SEE IT AS MUCH.
SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING.
UM, YOU MENTIONED THAT, UH, YOU HAVE SPONSORSHIPS AND FUNDRAISING.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE CONTACTED THE LONG BEACH CENTURY CLUB YET, UM, BUT THAT IS DEFINITELY A PLACE THAT YOU WANT TO LOOK TO.
UM, SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE STICKING AROUND FOR THE ENTIRE MEETING, BUT, UM, MAYBE I CAN GET YOUR EMAIL FROM, FROM STAFF AND I'LL SEND YOU AN EMAIL FOR THAT.
I DID HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE, THE RESTROOMS. UM, THE ONE THAT YOU GUYS HAVE STANDING, WHAT IS IT CALLED? I'M NOT SURE.
THE ONE BY THE PICKLEBALL COURTS.
IS THERE A POSSIBILITY TO GET ANOTHER ONE OVER CLOSER TO THE BASEBALL FIELD? UNFORTUNATELY, WE ONLY HAVE THE ABILITY FOR THAT ONE.
UM, AND AS I MENTIONED THAT PUBLIC WORKS, UH, DESIGN PHASE FOR REPLACEMENT, UH, IS NOW COMPLETE.
SO, UH, HOPEFULLY WE'RE GONNA GET SOMETHING PERMANENT UP THERE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT FUNDRAISING ALSO.
ARE YOU WORKING WITH THE CITY COUNCILWOMAN FROM YOUR DISTRICT? SO, NOT NECESSARILY.
THEY TYPICALLY DON'T REALLY GIVE BACK TO US FOR OUR DISTRICT.
UM, SHE CAME TO OUR OPENING DAY IN IN THE SPRING.
WE SENT EMAILS, BUT WE DON'T REALLY GET ANY FEEDBACK FROM HER.
SO, NO,
THANK YOU, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND I SHOULD ECHO WHAT EVERYONE SAYS.
THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING IN THIS WONDERFUL COMMUNITY.
OKAY, THAT CONCLUDES THE REPORT.
WE HAVE A ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM STAFF, FROM COMMISSIONERS? THANK YOU.
WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER ALLEN, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER LIVINGSTON.
AND WE CAN NOW MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER, AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR, WHICH IS A RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE THE DIRECTOR'S MONTHLY HIGHLIGHTS REPORT.
WE CREATE COMMUNITY AND DIRECTOR'S HIGHLIGHTS FOR OCTOBER, 2025.
UH, DO I HAVE A MOTION? SO SECOND.
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AND, UH, ACTING DIRECTOR SCOTT.UM, SO YES, YOU HAVE TWO DOCUMENTS IN FRONT OF YOU.
THE FIRST IS THE WE CREATE COMMUNITY, UH, NEWSLETTER.
UH, A COUPLE OF REALLY, UH, IMPORTANT AND EXCITING, UH, ANNOUNCEMENTS IN HERE.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, IF YOU ALL HAVE NOT SEEN IT, THE SILVERADO PARK, UH, PLAYGROUND WAS OPEN LAST MONTH.
I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT IT AT LAST MONTH'S MEETING.
WONDERFUL ADDITION TO, UH, UH, WEST LONG BEACH, UH, GREAT DESIGN, VERY POPULAR WITH, UH, KIDS AND FAMILIES OUT THERE.
UH, LITTLE BIT LATER IN SEPTEMBER, WE HOSTED, UH, THE CALIFORNIA COASTAL CLEANUP EVENT ALONG OUR, UH, BEACHES AND WATERWAYS.
GOT CLOSE TO 800, UH, VOLUNTEERS PARTICIPATING AT FIVE DIFFERENT, UH, SITES ALONG THE, UH, ALONG THE COASTLINE, UH, REALLY TO DO, UH, WHAT THEY CAN TO HELP CLEAN UP, UH, THE BEACHES AND KEEP THEM, UH, LOOKING AS TIDY AS POSSIBLE.
I THINK ALL TOLD, UH, CLOSE TO A TON OF DEBRIS AND TRASH WAS REMOVED, UH, ON THAT DAY ALONE.
UM, THE WE CREATE COMMUNITY ALSO SPEAKS TO SOME OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
UH, FEW, TOO MANY TO SUMMARIZE HERE, BUT, UH, A GOOD READ.
UH, ALSO OUR EL DORADO NATURE CENTER WILL BE, UH, HOLDING ITS ANNUAL NATIVE PLANT SALE, UH, BEGINNING IN EARLY NOVEMBER THROUGH THE 25TH, UH, ON TUESDAYS, THURSDAYS, AND SUNDAYS.
A FEW MORE ITEMS IN THE, UH, NEWSLETTER THAT I WILL LET YOU ALL, UM, REVIEW AT, UH, AT YOUR CONVENIENCE.
UH, WANTED TO MOVE OVER TO THE DIRECTOR'S HIGHLIGHTS, AND LET ME BE THE FIRST TO WISH YOU ALL A HAPPY NEW YEAR.
UH, THIS IS ACTUALLY THE FIRST, UH, MONTH OF OUR FISCAL YEAR.
UH, SO HAPPY NEW FISCAL YEAR, MAYBE I SHOULD SAY.
UM, SO WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF CLOSING OUT FISCAL YEAR 25.
THAT'S PROBABLY GONNA TAKE SEVERAL MONTHS, UH, FOR THE CITY TO ACTUALLY CLOSE OUT THE BOOKS FROM LAST YEAR.
BUT, UH, WE ARE ALREADY WORKING HARD, UH, IN GETTING EVERYTHING THAT WE NEED TO GET SET UP FOR THE NEW FISCAL YEAR SET UP.
SO THAT'S PURCHASE ORDERS, AGREEMENTS, PERSONNEL, REQUISITIONS, ALL OF THOSE ADMINISTRATIVE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO EACH AND EVERY YEAR.
AND, UH, THE ENTIRE DEPARTMENT, UH, THAT'S SOMETHING THE ENTIRE DEPARTMENT WORKS, UH, VERY HARD ON.
UH, LED BY JACE AND HER BUSINESS OPERATIONS TEAM.
UH, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF, UH, HOLIDAY EVENTS, HALLOWEEN HOLIDAY EVENTS COMING UP THIS SATURDAY.
WE HAVE ALL OUR HOWELL
UH, GOOD FAMILY, UH, FUN, UH, EVENT.
A LOT OF FESTIVITIES ACTIVITIES, UM, DECORATED TRAILS, SO REAL GOOD TIME, UH, FOR, UH, KIDS AND FAMILIES.
AND THEN ALSO, UH, A PROMOTION OUT OF OUR ANIMAL CARE SERVICES OPERATION.
UH, JUST A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, WE COMPLETED OUR CLEAR THE SHELTERS, UH, ACTIVITIES THROUGH AUGUST, UH, AND NOW WE ARE CONTINUING TO TRY TO GET AS MANY DOGS AND CATS AND ANIMALS INTO FOREVER HOMES.
AND WE'RE USING SOME, UH, PROMOTIONAL PRICING TO TRY TO MAKE THAT EASIER.
AND SO, UH, FOR A PERIOD OF TIME AROUND THE HALLOWEEN HOLIDAY, UH, WE ARE GOING TO BE SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCING OUR ADOPTION FEES, UH, FOR CATS AND DOGS.
REALLY TRY TO MAKE IT AS EASY AS POSSIBLE, UH, FOR THE COMMUNITY, UH, TO COME IN AND HOPEFULLY, UH, ADD ANOTHER MEMBER, UH, TO THEIR FAMILY.
UH, I ALREADY MENTIONED, UH, CALIFORNIA COASTAL CLEANUP.
SO AGAIN, ANOTHER GREAT EVENT, UM, COMING UP IN, UH, NEXT SATURDAY, SO NOT THIS COMING SATURDAY, BUT ON THE 25TH OF OCTOBER WILL BE THE, UH, RIBBON CUTTING FOR THE BRAND NEW SIGNATURE PLAYGROUND AT RAMONA PARK.
UH, SO REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO CELEBRATING THAT WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FROM THE NINTH DISTRICT, UH, THE MAYOR.
AND, UH, HOPEFULLY, UH, ANY OF YOU CAN ATTEND.
THAT WOULD BE GREAT, UH, TO HAVE YOUR REPRESENTATION THERE.
UH, THERE IS ALSO, UH, THE 51ST STREET GREENBELT.
UH, IT'S A PROJECT IN THE EIGHTH DISTRICT ALONG THE LA RIVER, UH, SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR A VERY LONG TIME TO TRY TO IDENTIFY FUNDING, UH, TO TAKE ABOUT A ONE ACRE AREA OF, UM, UNDEVELOPED LAND AND TRY TO DEVELOP THAT INTO SOME ACTIVE, UH, RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES.
SO, TRAIL, UM, SOME HYDRATION STATION BENCHES, UM, RIGHT THERE, UH, KIND OF AT THE BOTTOM AND ALONG, UH, THE DIVORCED, UH, WETLANDS.
UM, GROUNDBREAKING FOR THAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN SOON, PROBABLY SOMETIME IN NOVEMBER.
UH, THIS IS SOMETHING OUR PARTNERS IN PUBLIC WORKS WILL BE SCHEDULING, UM, BUT MAY VERY WELL BE BEFORE OUR NEXT COMMISSION MEETING.
[00:30:01]
WANT TO BRING THAT UP.AND OF COURSE, UH, JENNY AND TEAM WILL, UH, MAKE THE COMMISSION AWARE OF, UH, WHEN THAT WILL BE ONCE IT GETS SCHEDULED.
UH, GLADYS AND HER TEAM ARE WORKING VERY HARD WITH, UH, LONG BEACH UNIFIED NOW THAT WE HAVE A MASTER JOINT USE AGREEMENT, UH, REALLY MAKING SURE WE'RE DOTTING ALL OF OUR, I'S CROSSING OUR T'S, MAKING SURE THAT, UH, WE'RE ALL KIND OF ON THE SAME PAGE WITH HOW WE, UH, UTILIZE EACH OTHER'S, UH, FIELDS FACILITIES.
S UM, AND SO, UH, GLADYS IS SERVING ON A FACILITIES MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM BOTH, UH, PARKS AND MARINE AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SO WORKING, UH, VERY HARD ON THAT.
UM, WE ARE ALSO KIND OF SEPARATELY FROM THE MASTER JOINT USE AGREEMENT WORKING WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ON A SPECIFIC, UH, JOINT USE AGREEMENT FOR THE BASEBALL FIELD AT TON PARK.
AND THIS WOULD BE FOR USE BY, UH, JORDAN HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, AND SO THIS HAS ALSO BEEN IN, UH, DISCUSSIONS FOR A PERIOD OF TIME NOW.
UM, JORDAN IS ONE OF THE FEW, IF NOT THE ONLY HIGH SCHOOL, UH, IN, UH, LONG BEACH THAT DOES NOT HAVE AN ON-CAMPUS BASEBALL FIELD.
HAVING SAID THAT, THIS IS GOING TO BE MORE OF PROBABLY A SHORT TERM, UH, SOLUTION BECAUSE THERE ARE NO PLANS, UH, FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, UH, TO BUILD A, UH, BASEBALL FIELD FOR JORDAN HIGH SCHOOL AT THEIR SATELLITE CAMPUS.
AND I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THE NAME OF THAT CAMPUS IS, BUT, UH, ON LONG BEACH CERTIFIED, UH, PROPERTIES SPECIFICALLY FOR JORDAN HIGH SCHOOL.
UH, BUT HAPPY TO, TO KIND OF WORK OUT ANY DETAILS THAT WE NEED TO, UH, TO MAKE THIS, UH, THEIR TEMPORARY HOME.
UH, JUST A COUPLE OF OTHER RECRUITMENT UPDATES.
WE ALL KNOW THAT THE, UH, PRM DIRECTOR, UH, RECRUITMENT IS ONGOING RIGHT NOW, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE CITY IS WORKING VERY HARD, UH, TO COMPLETE.
UH, THEY HAD TWO, UH, DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR RECRUITMENTS GOING ON.
UH, PUBLIC WORKS WAS THE OTHER.
UH, THAT ONE IS A LITTLE BIT AHEAD OF OURS.
UH, SO THEY'LL BE DOING THEIR INTERVIEWS PROBABLY IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.
AND I THINK, UH, FOR PARKS, REC AND MARINE, IT'LL BE, UH, I THINK MID-NOVEMBER.
SO HOPEFULLY ANNOUNCEMENT, UH, LATE NOVEMBER, EARLY DECEMBER.
AND, UH, UH, NEW DIRECTOR PROBABLY, UH, BY THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR, UH, MAYBE EVEN STARTING FIRST THING, UH, NEXT YEAR.
UH, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE OUR COMMUNITY INFORMATION OFFICER POSITION THAT WAS JANE ATE FOR ALL OF YOU WHO REMEMBER JANE.
UH, VERY, VERY IMPORTANT, UH, POSITION FOR OUR DEPARTMENT.
UH, THIS IS BASICALLY THE OFFICE THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR GETTING THE WORD OUT, GETTING THE WORD OUT ABOUT PROGRAMS, CLASSES, MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES, UH, ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN THINK OF.
THEY ARE THERE TO TELL OUR STORY.
AND, UH, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
AND, UH, WE ARE NEARING THE FINISH LINE OF, UH, GETTING SOMEBODY ON BOARD FOR THAT.
SO, UH, REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
OWN RESTROOMS WE TALKED ABOUT A LITTLE BIT EARLIER.
THERE ARE THREE LOCATIONS THAT, UH, THE CITY COUNCIL JUST APPROVED, UH, FOURTH ROW SMART RESTROOMS. UH, DE FORCE PARK WAS ONE OF 'EM.
HARVEY MILK PROMENADE, UH, WAS THE SECOND.
AND, UM, THE, UH, BELMONT PIER IS THE THIRD, UH, BELMONT PIER, INTERESTINGLY, WAS PROBABLY FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, THE SINGLE HIGHEST USED DRONE RESTROOM IN THE COUNTRY.
UH, I THINK ULTIMATELY OVER THE FOUR MONTH PERIOD AT WILD UP NUMBER TWO BEHIND, I DON'T REMEMBER WHO, BUT, UH, THESE ARE VERY POPULAR.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GETTING CLEANED MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY.
UM, AND, UM, THE FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY, I THINK IT WAS 91% OF, UH, SURVEY RESPONDENTS SAID, UH, THEY WERE GOOD OR GREAT.
UM, AND SO, UH, WE ARE VERY ENCOURAGED BY, UM, THE ADDITION OF THOSE.
AND THE LOCATION IS REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THESE ARE, UH, LOCATIONS THAT DO NOT HAVE FREESTANDING RESTROOMS. WE TALKED ABOUT THE ISSUES AT THE FOREST.
THEY DO NOT HAVE A FREESTANDING RESTROOM.
UH, HARVEY MILK PROMENADE DOES NOT HAVE A RESTROOM.
UH, THE BELMONT PIER HAS SOME, UM, PLUMBING ISSUES WHERE THE ON PEER, UH, RESTROOMS ARE ALSO NOT AVAILABLE.
AND SO, UH, THREE STRATEGIC LOCATIONS TO ROLL OUT THIS REALLY IMPORTANT, UH, TOOL THAT WE NOW HAVE AT OUR DISPOSAL.
UM, AND THEN I WANT TO MAKE SURE I PROVIDE UPDATES ON SOME OF THE PREVIOUS, UH, COMMISSION REQUESTS FOR UPDATES.
AND, UM, A LITTLE BIT LATER ON THE AGENDA, UH, WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT, UH, A COMMITTEE MEETING THAT WAS HELD RECENTLY WHERE THREE OF THOSE ITEMS, UH, WERE HARD, UH, WE'RE HEARD BY THE COMMITTEE.
THOSE WILL ULTIMATELY COME BACK TO THE FULL COMMISSION.
UM, AND, UH, ONE OF THE OTHERS THAT WE ARE, UH, WORKING VERY HARD ON, UH, GLADYS AND HER TEAM ARE LEADING AN EFFORT ON THE PARK EQUITY UPDATE.
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UH, WE HAVE SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, OFFICE OF EQUITY TO KIND OF HELP INFORM, UH, THAT, UH, UPDATE, UH, FOR THE COMMISSION.UM, AND WE HOPE TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT TIMING OF WHEN THAT WILL COME TO COMMISSION ONCE WE'VE HAD THAT CONVERSATION, UH, WITH THE OFFICE OF EQUITY.
UM, BUT THE, THOSE ARE KIND OF THE HIGH LEVEL, UH, UPDATES FOR THE, UM, REQUESTS FROM COMMISSION FOR STAFF UPDATES OR REPORTS.
AND AGAIN, WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE OTHER THREE IN THE NEXT ITEM.
UM, I WAS GONNA MENTION THE GREAT CALIFORNIA SHAKEOUT THAT IS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN IN ABOUT, UH, 56 MINUTES OR 46 MINUTES.
SO, UM, MAYBE WE WILL BE DONE BY THEN.
OTHERWISE WE MIGHT NEED TO TAKE A PAUSE AND, UH, TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, THE CALIFORNIA, UH, OUT LING AND ANTICIPATING.
ANY, UH, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? YES.
UM, SO COMMISSIONER HIGA, I AM REALLY INTERESTED IN THE, UH, WHAT YOU MENTIONED ABOUT HOW TON PARK, THAT'S LIKE SORELY NEEDED.
UM, I KNOW THE JORDAN BASEBALL TEAM HAS REALLY BEEN STRUGGLING THERE, UH, WITH JUST NEEDING TO, YOU KNOW, ARRIVE A DECENT AMOUNT OF TIME BEFORE ANY HOME GAME TO CLEAR, CLEAR OUT ANY ENCAMPMENTS TO CLEAR OUT, YOU KNOW, DEAD ANIMAL BODIES.
LIKE, IT'S JUST REALLY BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE.
SO I'M, I'M GRATEFUL TO HEAR THAT, UH, THAT THERE'S BEEN A CONVERSATION WITH THE PARK ABOUT HOW TO, HOW TO, UH, MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S SAFE AND, AND CLEAN FOR THE STUDENTS THERE.
UM, I THINK, I'M NOT SURE THAT THE, THAT'S JORDAN PLUS IS THE SATELLITE CAMPUS.
IT USED TO BE CALLED BABY JORDAN, AND THAT WAS JORDAN PLUS, AND I DON'T, SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
AND YES, COMMISSIONER, JUST TO COMMENT, I GOT TO GO TO THE SILVERADO OPENING, AND IT WAS A WEEKDAY DURING THE DAY, SO THE ONLY KIDS THAT WERE, WERE THERE WERE THE REAL LITTLE KIDS, AND THAT WAS AWESOME.
ALL THOSE THAT, YOU CAN SEE TWO OF 'EM IN THE PICTURE THERE THAT BARELY THIS HIGH, BUT THEY HAD A GREAT TIME.
I DIDN'T GET TO ASK THIS AT OUR COMMITTEE MEETING, AND THAT MIGHT BE PLACED, BUT WHAT IS $1 MILLION GONNA GET US FOR THE PEER? IS THAT GONNA BE AMENITIES OR IS THAT GONNA BE STRUCTURAL IMPROVEMENTS, DO YOU KNOW? OR IS THAT A PUBLIC WORKS QUESTION? IT'S MORE OF A PUBLIC WORK QUESTION, BUT I KIND OF REMEMBER THE SCOPE OF BEING SOME, UM, IT, IT WILL BE SOME COSMETIC AND IT WILL BE SOME, UM, LIKE ELECTRICAL, UH, UPGRADES, BUT HOPEFULLY MORE TO COME DOWN THE ROAD.
AND, UM, I, THIS QUESTION MAY HAVE BEEN MORE APPROPRIATE DURING THE FEE WAIVER DISCUSSION, BUT SINCE YOU MENTIONED THE NEW FISCAL YEAR, UH, HOW DOES THE, THE COMMUNITY FEE WAIVER AMOUNT THIS YEAR COMPARE TO PRIOR YEARS? BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE, AT LEAST THE LAST FEW MEETINGS I GET, I UNDERSTAND WE'RE OUT OF SUMMER, BUT EVEN IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S BEEN FEWER GROUPS JUST WITHOUT JUST KIND OF GOING THROUGH AND LOOKING YEAR TO YEAR.
IT FEELS LIKE THERE'S FEWER GROUPS THAT YOU REQUESTING WAIVERS.
YOU KNOW, TYPICALLY WE DO HAVE A YEAR OVER YEAR, UM, ANALYSIS ON THE, UH, FORM, BUT SINCE THIS WAS THE FIRST MONTH OF FY 26, UM, I KNOW FOR LAST YEAR IT LOOKS LIKE WE WAIVED ABOUT 188 OR $89,000.
AND THAT SEEMS PRETTY STANDARD THOUGH, FROM WHAT I REMEMBER.
JANICE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE THE, UH, GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE HANDOUTS? UM, I DON'T WITH ME, BUT I CAN FOLLOW UP, YOU KNOW, WE CAN PROVIDE THAT, UH, INFORMATION NEXT MONTH TO SHOW YOU THE YEAR OVER YEAR AND KIND OF THE HISTORICAL, UH, FOR PREVIOUS YEARS.
'CAUSE I, I ALSO UNDERSTAND IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, THEIR BROADER ECONOMIC FACTORS THAT PLAY DO, AND THAT COULD HAVE AN IMPACT ON, YOU KNOW, ORGANIZATIONS BEING ABLE TO FUND EVENTS, DO THINGS.
UH, SO JUST, YEAH, IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO KNOW.
WE CAN BRING THAT BACK TO YOU.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS, FROM THE STAFF, FROM THE MASSIVE PUBLIC
WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HEA, SECTION BY COMMISSIONER ORIE SMITH.
WE CAN NOW MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FIVE, WHICH ARE RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE AN UPDATE FROM THE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION MAINTENANCE INFRASTRUCTURE AND PLANNING COMMITTEE.
AND, UH, DO I HAVE A MOTION? OH, WAIT A MINUTE.
COMMISSIONER ALLEN, I HEARD FIRST TO THEN COMMISSIONER TY SMITH SECOND.
UM, AND DO I HAVE A REPORT? UH, YES.
AND SO, UM, I'M GONNA HAND IT OFF TO, UH, THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS IF THEY WANNA SAY
[00:40:01]
ANYTHING.BUT BACK ON, UH, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30TH, UH, WE DID HOLD A, UH, I ALWAYS FORGET THE NAME, MAINTENANCE INFRASTRUCTURE AND PLANNING COMMITTEE, WHERE WE HEARD, UH, THREE ITEMS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP BY COMMISSION, UH, PREVIOUSLY THAT THEY WANTED TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT.
UM, AND, UH, I CAN SPEAK TO THOSE, UH, UNLESS, UH, REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COMMITTEE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THOSE.
SO IT, IT WAS A, IT WAS, IT WAS ACTUALLY WELL ATTENDED.
WE HAD SEVEN MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WERE THERE, WENT ABOUT TWO HOURS.
UH, THERE WERE THREE PRESENTATIONS, TWO FROM PUBLIC WORKS, ONE ON ELEVATE 28, AND ONE ON THE PLANNING FOR THE DRAKE CHAVEZ, GREENBELT GREENBELT.
AND, AND THAT WHOLE, UM, ENCOURAGING IF WE EVER GET THE FUNDING, UH, PLAN AND THEN ONE ON MAINTENANCE PRACTICES WHERE RAUL GAVE A, A REALLY THOROUGH, UM, PRESENTATION ON, UH, WHAT OUR PARK MAINTENANCE DOES, HOW THEY DO IT, WHY THEY DO IT, WHAT THEIR P THEIR PHILOSOPHIES ARE ON WHAT THEY DO AND WHY THEY DO IT, WHAT THE, THE RESTRICTIONS ARE.
UH, I THOUGHT IT WAS VERY EDUCATIONAL.
UH, WE EVEN GOT INTO WHAT IS OUR POLICY ON BEES WHEN WE HAVE BEES THAT ARE ON A PLAYING FIELD, WHAT WE DO BEFORE WE HAVE TO ELIMINATE THE BEES IF WE HAVE TO, FOR THE SAFETY OF PEOPLE.
BUT THERE WAS SOMEBODY FROM THE BEEKEEPERS THAT WAS THERE.
UH, THERE WAS ABOUT SEVEN MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, ABOUT FIVE OF THEM SPOKE.
UM, SO I THOUGHT IT WAS VERY EDUCATIONAL, AND AS STEVE SAID, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAD JUST THIS NEXT MONTH, RAUL WILL DO THAT SAME PRESENTATION TO THE FULL COMMISSION ON THE MAINTENANCE PRACTICES, WHAT WE DO, WHY WE DO, HOW WE DO WHAT IT COSTS.
UH, AND THEN IN FUTURE MONTHS, BECAUSE THOSE WERE FROM PUBLIC WORKS, WE WILL HAVE PRESENTATIONS TO THE FULL COMMISSION ON ELEVATE 28 AND ANDRE CHAVEZ.
WE DID HAVE FIVE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT SPOKE.
THEY HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT WHAT WE DO, AND THEN SOME SUGGESTIONS ON WHAT THEY THINK WE SHOULD DO.
BUT I, I THOUGHT THAT THE PRESENTATION WAS FANTASTIC, AND I DUNNO IF CHRIS WANTS
UH, NO, I THINK THAT WAS A VERY GOOD, UH, UH, SUMMARY.
UH, I ALSO CONCUR THAT RAUL'S PRESENTATION WAS REALLY GOOD, VERY THOROUGH, UH, VERY GOOD DISCUSSION.
UH, I THINK WE HAD, UH, YOU KNOW, AND, UH, ALSO WANT TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION TO CHRISTINE AND OTHER, THE OTHER STAFF WHO'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO'VE BEEN SITTING IN PUBLIC COMMENTS AND, YOU KNOW, QUESTIONING, WHY ISN'T THIS HAPPENING? WHY ISN'T THIS HAPPENING? UH, IT TAKES A LOT OF DIPLOMACY, A LOT OF, UH, PATIENCE, UH, TO WALK THROUGH, UH, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SOMETIMES.
AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THEIR RIGHT TO VOICE THEIR CONCERNS, OBVIOUSLY, AND, AND, AND BE HEARD.
BUT, UH, JUST WANTED TO, TO ACKNOWLEDGE IN ADDITION TO RAUL'S WORK, THE WORK THAT CHRISTINE AND OTHERS WHO'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THIS PROCESS.
THIS WAS OUR PACKET, BY THE WAY,
AND I, I CAN TELL YOU, I, I, I DON'T, I REALLY HOPE TO NEVER READ THE ANIMAL EXPERIMENTATION REPORTS AGAIN.
AND DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS, COMMENTS FROM THE STAFF? HEARING NONE.
UM, WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER ALLEN, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER TY SMITH.
WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER SIX, WHICH IS A RECOMMENDATION TO DISCUSS POTENTIAL TOPICS FOR FUTURE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION MEETINGS.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER LIVINGSTON.
UM, AND DO WE HAVE A REPORT OR A DISCUSSION? SO, UH, NOT A REPORT.
THIS IS REALLY AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMISSIONERS, UH, TO LET THE CHAIR AND STAFF KNOW OF ANYTHING, UH, THAT THEY MAY BE INTERESTED IN, UH, WITH RESPECT TO THE COMMISSION'S, UH, KIND OF PURVIEW, UM, THAT THEY WOULD LIKE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REPORTS ON AT A, UH, FUTURE, UH, MEETING.
UH, WE'VE DISCUSSED A FEW OF THEM THAT HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY, UH, ASKED FOR.
WE, UM, WE'LL BE BRINGING BACK, UH, PARK EQUITY, UM, SOON.
AND SO, UM, REALLY HERE TO LISTEN, UH, TO THE COMMISSION.
DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS THAT COMMENTS? NOT AT THIS TIME.
COMMISSIONER TY SMITH? UM, NO, NOT AT THIS TIME.
YEAH, ACTUALLY, UH, AN UPDATE ON A SUGGESTION I HAD GIVEN IN THE PAST, WHICH WAS TO ALSO LOOK AT COMPLIANCE WITH A NEW REGULATION.
THE CALIFORNIA RESOURCES BOARD, UH, SMALL OFF-ROAD ENGINES WERE ALSO EFFECTIONATELY KNOWN AS SOAR UH, APPLIANCES, WHICH IS BASICALLY LONG HAIR EQUIPMENT, THINGS LIKE THAT.
UH, SO I, YOU KNOW, LAST NIGHT I WAS AT AN
[00:45:01]
AGENCY HEARING FOR THE SOUTHWEST AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT.UH, AND IN BETWEEN TAKING JABS AND CRITICIZING WHAT THEY DO, UH, OR DON'T DO, UH, I HAD SWITCHED MY CAPACITY INTO PARKS IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE THEY'RE ALSO WORKING A LOT ON ZERO EMISSION, UH, LAWN CARE AND, UH, GARDENING EQUIPMENT, LANDSCAPING EQUIPMENT.
UM, SO THEY ACTUALLY, THEIR STAFF EXPRESSED AN INTEREST IN POTENTIALLY PRESENTING ON LIKE, SOME OF THE, UH, INCENTIVES AND SOME OF THE PROGRAMS. I THINK A LOT OF THOSE PROGRAMS ARE MORE AIMED AT THE CONSUMER AUDIENCE, BUT I THINK THEY MAY ALSO BE ABLE TO BE A RESOURCE TO, UH, THE DEPARTMENT, UH, IN THAT TRANSITION AND COMPLIANCE WITH THAT, UH, THAT STATE REGULATION.
SO HAPPY TO BE A FACILITATOR OR CONDUIT BETWEEN, UH, THE PARKS COMMISSION OR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, I SHOULD SAY.
UM, JUST A QUICK QUESTION ON THE PARK EQUITY.
DO WE HAVE, I, I KNOW YOU SAID THAT IT'S WITHIN THE CITY MANAGERS TEAM RIGHT NOW, BUT DO WE HAVE AN ANTICIPATION OF WHEN THAT MIGHT COME BACK? UH, PROBABLY THE BEGINNING OF THE CALENDAR YEAR.
I'M SORRY, I COULDN'T HEAR THAT.
OH, I ASKED WHEN THE PARK EQUITY REPORT WOULD COME BACK.
NOT RIGHT NOW, BUT I'M GLAD TO SEE THIS BACK.
UM, I HAVE ONE, AND THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE OLYMPICS.
UH, THE CITY IS WORKING AGGRESSIVELY.
THEY HAVE A, A NICE TEAM THAT MEETS REGULARLY ABOUT THE LA 28 OLYMPICS AND THE ROLE THAT LONG BEACH WILL BE PLAYING, WHICH IS RATHER SIGNIFICANT.
AND THE CITY MANAGER HAS JUST BROUGHT ON A NEW PERSON WHO'S CALLED A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PERSON FOR THE OLYMPICS.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO ASK IF WE COULD HAVE SEAN COME AND MAKE A PRESENTATION ABOUT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN TERMS OF THE OUTLYING PARKS WITH REGARD TO THE OLYMPICS.
SO CERTAINLY THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN DO THAT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME.
UM, BECAUSE SEAN IS NEW INTO HIS POSITION, AND AS WE HEARD LAST MONTH, WE'RE KIND OF IN THE INFANCY OF DEVELOPING THOSE KIND OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT PLANS.
AND SO, UH, WHAT I WAS ANTICIPATING IS WE PROBABLY INVITE THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE BACK MAYBE, UH, SOMETIME NEXT YEAR, UM, LATER, NEXT YEAR, UH, WHERE THEY CAN GIVE AN UPDATE, UH, KIND OF FOLLOWING UP ON WHAT WAS PRESENTED LAST WEEK, UH, LAST MONTH, I'M SORRY.
AND THEN, UH, UH, POTENTIALLY ADD, UH, OTHER THINGS, UH, LIKE SEAN, UH, FOR SOME OF THE ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES.
BUT I THINK WE'RE GONNA NEED A LITTLE BIT OF TIME, OR THEY'RE GONNA NEED A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO REALLY BEGIN TO DEVELOP THOSE PLANS.
UM, AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, OUR DEPARTMENT IS ACTUALLY, UH, QUITE INVOLVED IN.
WE WORK WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, AS THEY MENTIONED LAST MONTH.
THERE'S A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT INTERNAL WORKING COMMITTEES AND OUR RECREATION, UH, OUR MARINE BUREAU, UH, TEAMS, OUR MAINTENANCE TEAMS ARE ALL INVOLVED IN, UH, THOSE DISCUSSIONS.
BUT PROBABLY GONNA BE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME BEFORE WE HAVE SOMETHING SUBSTANTIVE TO BRING BACK FOR ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES.
AS YOU MAY REMEMBER, I WAS VISITING MY GRANDDAUGHTER LAST MONTH.
AND I'M JUST NOW SEEING THAT THAT PRESENTATION WAS MADE.
I WONDER IF THERE'S A WAY THAT I CAN FIND A COPY OF THAT ABSOLUTELY.
POWERPOINT AND GET IT UPDATED.
AND I APOLOGIZE FOR MY MISSING THAT EXISTED, AND THERE WILL BE A LITTLE BIT WHEN THEY, WHEN THEY COME ON THE ELEVATE 28, THAT WILL ALSO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS IMPACT OUR PARTY.
AND NOW IT IS TIME FOR, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE HAVE NO PUBLIC, OH, WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE, UH, FOR ITEM NUMBER SIX, UH, MADE BY COMMISSIONER CHAVEZ, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER LIVINGSTON.
AND NOW WE GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT, UH, AND WE HAVE NO PUBLIC HERE TODAY, SO WE, THEY ALL LEFT.
SO WE CAN NOW MOVE ON TO ANNOUNCEMENTS.
UH, ACTUALLY DON'T I WANNA GO AROUND AND ASK THE STAFF WHAT'S GOING ON? OR IS THAT PART OF ANNOUNCEMENTS? I HAVE ONE THING ON THIS THAT WAS GIVEN TO US THIS MORNING.
WELL, I JUST, I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT IT.
UM, SO I KNOW ON CITY COUNCIL AND OTHER THINGS, THERE IS THE LITTLE AIR BUBBLE THING WHERE YOU CAN CLICK AND MAKE COMMENTS.
WE DON'T HAVE THAT FOR OUR COMMISSION.
WE DO NOT, BUT WE'RE WORKING ON THAT.
ALRIGHT, SO NOW WE WILL HAVE ANNOUNCEMENTS.
UH, AND I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM OUR VERY HARDWORKING, WONDERFUL STAFF BEGINNING WITH GLADYS KAISER.
UM, STEVE MENTIONED A FEW EVENTS.
OUR NATURE CENTER SEEMS TO BE VERY BUSY, UM, TOWARDS
[00:50:01]
THE END OF THE YEAR AS THEY JUST FINISHED THE COASTAL CLEANUP, PREPARING FOR THE EVENT ON SATURDAY.AND I TOLD THE STAFF, UM, PLEASE JOIN US ON SATURDAY FOR OUR ANNUAL HALLOWEEN.
THEY GET THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT COME TO THIS AWESOME EVENT.
UM, AND THEN AGAIN, THEIR NATIVE PLANT SALE THAT'S COMING UP.
UM, WE'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND THAT IS OUR TEAMS. UM, USUALLY IT'S COLLABORATION OF ALL THE INFORMATION THAT COMES OUT OF THE DEPARTMENT, INCLUDING JOB RECRUITMENT OR, UM, ANIMAL ADOPTION.
SO, UM, LAST WEEK WE WERE AT THE RED LONG BEACH.
UM, WE HAVE UPCOMING THE FESTIVAL FLIGHT.
THAT WILL BE AT, UM, WE ALSO WILL BE AT THE, UH, THE HISTORICAL EVENT AT THE CEMETERY.
I APOLOGIZE, I DON'T KNOW THE, THE NAME.
UM, AND, UM, OUR STAFF ATTENDED MANY BACK TO SCHOOL EVENTS.
JUST GETTING OUR INFORMATION OUT ABOUT WHAT OUR DEPARTMENT DOES AND WHAT WE HAVE TO, TO OFFER, UM, OUR AFTERSCHOOL TEAM, SENIOR AQUATIC PROGRAMS ARE GOING FANTASTIC.
UM, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, WE'VE ALREADY STARTED CONVERSATIONS REGARDING SUMMER, UM, AND, AND, AND TRAINING THAT RELATES TO OUR STAFF IN SUMMER IS TAKING THIS TIME WHERE, UM, STAFF ARE NOT AS ENGAGED, RUNNING ALL DAY PROGRAMS, UM, BUT BRINGING, UH, TRAINING FOR US.
SO TRAINING THAT OUR STAFF WILL BE WORKING ON, UM, WITH THE, UM, UM, ACCOMMODATIONS AND HOW WE WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY ABOUT SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS.
SO OUR STAFF IS, UH, QUITE BUSY.
UM, AND THEN GETTING READY FOR THE OPENING.
ON A PERSONAL NOTE, I'D LIKE TO ANNOUNCE THAT I FILED FOR, UM, AFTER 33 YEARS OF SERVICE, I HAVE FILED FOR RETIREMENT.
SO SUPER, SUPER EXCITED, BUT YET BITTERSWEET.
UM, AS PARKS REC HAS BEEN A PART OF MY LIFE SINCE I WAS, I DON'T KNOW, TAKING MY BROTHERS TO THE PARK.
UM, AND, BUT AS A PART OF MY CAREER THAT I THINK ME AS, AS AN 18-YEAR-OLD, UM, WHICH HAS ALLOWED ME TO GO, UM, AND TO, UM, RETIRE INTO WHAT THE OTHER SIDE LOOKS LIKE OF THAT.
UM, BUT I'M, I WILL BE WORKING, I HAVE SOME PROJECTS THAT I'LL BE FINISHING UP, UM, TO THE VERY, UM, TO THE VERY END.
BUT MY LAST DAY IN OFFICE WILL BE DECEMBER 18TH.
OH, THERE WILL BE MORE, MORE APPLAUSE.
I DID SAY THAT WITH QUITE CONCERNS,
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT.
I'LL JUST ADD TO A LIST OF EVENTS, UH, IS THERE'S GONNA BE SOME JOB FAIRS THAT ARE TARGETED TOWARDS RECREATION, BUT, UM, LATER IN THE FALL, I THINK IN THE WINTER THERE'LL BE A PRESS RELEASE COMING ABOUT THAT.
I DON'T HAVE NOTHING BESIDES CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN AND YOU'RE GONNA SOLELY BE MISSED.
I'LL START WITH OUR GROUNDS TEAM.
UH, WE'RE STILL MOVING FORWARD, UM, MAKING VERY GOOD PROGRESS, TEAM BUILDING AND, UM, JUST LEARNING EACH OTHER, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALMOST A YEAR FOR ME, SO KIND OF MAKING IT TURN IT FEELS GOOD.
SO, UM, FOR OUR GROUNDS CREW, UM, SO WE, UM, 40 ENCAMPMENTS, UM, THIS MONTH WE COMPLETED, WHICH BRINGS OUR TOTAL TO 586 ENCAMPMENT CLEANUPS FOR OUR FISCAL YEAR, UM, WHICH GIVES US 443 TONS OF DEBRIS.
UM, THEN WE ALSO TRIM 187 TREES LAST 30 DAYS, WHICH GIVES US A TOTAL FOR THE FISCAL YEAR, 3,379 TREES THAT WE TRIM.
UM, JUST WAY TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS.
THEY PROUD OF THE TEAM, UH, PROUD OF MIKE AND ROB AS THEY LEAD THEIR DIVISIONS, OUR TWO SUPERINTENDENTS.
SO, AND THEN FOR, UM, FACILITY SECTION, UM, AS WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER ABOUT VANDALISM.
SO WE REPLACED A PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT AT HUDSON PARK, SLIDES AT HUDSON PARK, UH, LOS CERRITOS PARK, ANOTHER PIECE OF PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT AT WALEY PARK.
AND SO IT'S REALLY AN UPTICK IN THOSE THINGS.
AND SO AS WE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, THESE THINGS ARE BEING DONE IN HOUSE, UM, BY OUR TEAM, WHICH WE SPEAK, WE SPOKE ABOUT GETTING ADDITIONAL SKILLS AND PREPARING THEM TO MOVE FORWARD IN THEIR CAREERS BECAUSE SOME OF THESE, UM, INDIVIDUALS ARE IN A THREES.
AND SO BY THEM LEARNING THESE ADDITIONAL SKILLS OF, TO BE ABLE TO GO OUT THERE AND KIND OF THINK ON THEIR OWN, IT ALLOWS THEM TO KIND OF DISCOVER WHO THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, WHAT TYPE OF TRADE DO THEY WANT TO MOVE INTO.
AND THAT'S WHAT'S EXCITING FOR ME THAT THEY'RE WORKING WITH JOURNEYMEN.
AND SO I ALWAYS TELL OUR TRADESMEN THAT A PERSON MAY NOT KNOW THEY WANT TO BE A PLUMBER UNTIL THEY WORK WITH A PLUMBER.
AND SO THAT'S THE EXCITING THING THAT YOU SEE THE GROWTH, UH, YOU SEE THE EXCITEMENT THAT WHEN WE GIVE THEM AN ASSIGNMENT,
[00:55:01]
THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO PAIR THEM WITH A TRAITS PERSON, THAT THEY CAN DO THAT JOB ON THEIR OWN.AND JUST TO GIVE THEM THAT BELIEF AND THAT EMPOWERMENT, UH, I CAN REALLY FEEL THE CHANGE AND THE ENERGY IN OUR YARD TO SEE PEOPLE TAKING A LOT OF OWNERSHIP AND, AND REALLY TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, REALLY INVEST IN WHAT THEY'RE DOING BEYOND JUST WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR, FOR REALLY ELEVATING WHO THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.
AND THEN FOR OUR PARK, UM, AMBASSADORS, AS ALWAYS, A LOT OF PRESSURE WATCHING
AND SO I WANT TO KIND OF CAPTURE THE FISCAL YEAR AS FAR AS HOW MANY SIGNS WE REPLACED FOR THE PARK AMBASSADORS.
AND SO TO KIND OF CAPTURE THAT, YOU HAVE THEM REPLACING PARK SIGNS, YOU HAVE THEM DOING PRESSURE WASHING, THEN YOU HAVE THEM DOING CUSTODIAL SERVICES.
AND SO JUST TO REALLY SHOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE, THEY'RE MULTI, THEY'RE KIND OF STRETCHED, WHICH IS AT THE SAME TIME ALLOWS THEM TO CONTINUE TO GAIN AND LEARN.
UM, ONE INSTANCE WE PROMOTED, UH, ONE OF OUR AMBASSADORS TO OUR MAINTENANCE FACILITY TEAM IN THE MORNING, UH, BECAUSE THEY GAINED THOSE SKILLS BY WORKING OUT DURING THE EVENING TIME.
UM, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT'S JUST REALLY THANKFUL FOR OUR TEAM THAT'S BUYING IN.
AND THEN WE HAVE OUR OWN INTERNAL EMPLOYEE OF THE QUARTER.
SO EVERY THREE MONTHS, UM, UM, WE NOMINATE SOMEONE'S JUST ONE VER ONE VOTE, ONE PERSON.
AND SO IT'S REALLY WHICH YOUR PEERS GOING IN FOR YOU IN THE YARD.
AND THIS QUARTER FOR OUR THIRD QUARTER WAS, UM, HEIDI SANCHEZ.
AND SO IT'S JUST REALLY NICE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE AWARD CEREMONY AS WELL AS A POTLUCK.
AND WE ALL SIT DOWN AND JUST REALLY, UH, GET TO KNOW ONE ANOTHER AND, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING ABOUT BREAKING BREAD WITH EACH OTHER.
IT ALLOWS YOU TO KIND OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, LOWER DOWN YOUR WALLS AND, AND GET TO KNOW PEOPLE.
UM, HOW BIG IS YOUR TEAM? UH, 60.
UM, AND IS 586 IN CHE AND CLEANUPS HIGH, LOW OR AVERAGE? I THINK FOR OUR STAFFING SIZE, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A LARGE NUMBER.
I MEAN, IT'S ALMOST TWO A DAY.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE GO TWICE A WEEK, SOMETIMES THREE TIMES A WEEK, KNOW WE HAVE OUR, UM, YOU KNOW, SCHEDULE TIMES THAT WE GO.
BUT IF SOMETHING WAS TO POP UP OR KNOW, WE HAVE TO PUT OUT FIRES TIME TO TIME.
AND SO WITH OUR ENCAMPMENT CLEANUPS, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE A CREW THAT'S JUST DEDICATED FOR ENCAMPMENT, CLEANUPS, THAT IS OUR GROUNDS CREW THAT, SO YOU'RE TAKEN FROM SOME OF THE GROUND RESPONSIBILITY TO DO THESE ENCAMPMENTS.
AND SO, UM, YOU HAVE TO FIND THAT, THAT, THAT BALANCE TO BE ABLE TO KEEP PEOPLE, UH, MOTIVATED.
AND SO, AND ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE DO TO KEEP THEM MOTIVATED, MOTIVATED IS BY ALWAYS SAYING THANK WITHIN, YOU KNOW, OUR JUST HAVING POLITICS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
BECAUSE BY ME BEING, UM, COMING FROM THERE, FROM THAT LABOR CREW WHEN I STARTED AS AMA ONE, IT CAN BE TOUGH SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW? AND, UM, I FORGOT WHERE I CAME FROM.
SO I CAN RELATE TO THEM SOMETIMES WHEN I SEE THEIR ENERGY, EVEN JUST THE WAY THEY LOOK, YOU KNOW, IT, IT IS A MENTAL GRIND SOMETIMES BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT PAY IS NOT A WHOLE LOT.
AND SO WE JUST HAVE TO BE CREATIVE AND, UH, ACKNOWLEDGE PEOPLE, UH, LOVE PACK PEOPLE ON THE BACK.
LIKE WE HAVE OUR REPORTS THAT I PROVIDE AND JUST TO SHOW THE SCOPE OF WORK.
WHAT I, WHEN I READ THIS, UM, OUR AGENDA HERE AS FAR AS CAPTURE OUR NUMBERS NOW, I SEND THAT OUT TO EVERYONE SO THEY CAN SEE WHAT EVERYONE IS DOING SO WE CAN APPRECIATE EVERYONE.
AND SO WE'RE ALL, WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.
SO, UM, IF THEY FEEL I FAIL, IF I FAIL, THEY FAIL.
AND THEN WHO'S SINCERE ABOUT THAT PLUS THE BREAKING BREAD PART? OH, YES.
UH, ACTING DIRECTOR, SCOTT, YOU KNOW, I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF, UH, ADDITIONAL ITEMS. UM, I JUST KINDA WANNA FOLLOW UP ON WHAT ERIC WAS SAYING.
UH, HE'S DOING A FANTASTIC JOB, REALLY BUILDING A TEAM ENVIRONMENT IN OUR MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS BUREAU.
AND I THINK WE ALL SAW THAT THIS MORNING WHEN RODDY WAS, UH, RECOGNIZED AS EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH.
A GOOD NUMBER OF STAFF WERE HERE TO SUPPORT THAT STAFF AND THAT, AND, YOU KNOW, THAT REALLY TAKES TIME AND INVESTMENT AND LEADERSHIP.
AND SO, UH, GREAT JOB, UH, TO ERIC.
UH, AND THAT TEAM AND ERIC ALSO MENTIONED, UH, TREE TRAINING.
UH, AND THAT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE AN, YOU KNOW, A LARGE NUMBER OR, YOU KNOW, EXCEEDINGLY IMPORTANT, BUT IT IS, UH, OUR, OUR URBAN CANOPY IS EXTRAORDINARILY IMPORTANT.
UM, AND THIS PAST WEEK WITH OUR FIRST REAL WINTER STORM OF THE YEAR, IN YEARS PAST, BEFORE WE WERE ABLE TO DO ANNUAL TREE TRIMMING, WHEN WE WOULD HAVE A STORM LIKE THAT WITH, WITH WINDS LIKE THAT, WE WOULD SEE SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF DOWN TREES.
UH, THIS YEAR WE DID NOT SEE THAT.
LAST YEAR WE DID NOT SEE THAT.
YES, WE HAD SOME DOWN LIMBS, UH, THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN NO MATTER WHAT, BUT YOU DON'T SEE THE LARGE TREES JUST FALLING OVER LIKE THEY DID EIGHT YEARS PAST.
[01:00:01]
IS BECAUSE OF THE EFFORTS OF THE TREE TRIMMING AND, UM, OUR WATER BUDGET, GETTING MORE WATER TO BE ABLE TO, UH, WATER THE TREES, WHICH WE DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF IN THE 2000 TEENS, UH, PARTICULARLY DURING THOSE REALLY BAD DROUGHT YEARS, THEN YOU WOULD HAVE THAT ONE STORM AND A LOT WOULD JUST TIP OVER.AND SO, UM, SOME REALLY IMPORTANT IMPROVEMENTS, UH, FOR OUR, UH, DEPARTMENT.
UM, ONE OTHER EVENT I DID, UH, FORGET TO MENTION, WAS THIS PAST SUNDAY, UH, THE CITY HOSTED THE READY LONG BEACH, UH, EVENT AT LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE.
THIS WAS BRINGING TOGETHER ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS, UM, AND PARTNER AGENCIES THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR KEEPING THE COMMUNITY SAFE DURING EARTHQUAKE EVENTS, NATURAL, THE OTHER NATURAL DISASTERS.
UH, IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMUNITY TO COME OUT AND LEARN ABOUT WHAT WE DO, UH, AS A COMMUNITY, HOW WE COMMUNICATE, HOW WE RESPOND.
UM, AND OUR TEAM WAS WELL REPRESENTED THERE WITH, UH, GLADYS, UH, RECREATION BUREAU, HAVING A, A TABLE THERE.
OUR ANIMAL CARE SERVICES, UH, TEAM WAS THERE TO TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO YOU DO WITH YOUR PETS WHEN THERE'S AN EARTHQUAKE OR YOU HAVE TO EVACUATE FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER.
UM, SO REALLY IMPORTANT INFORMATION, UH, FROM OUR DEPARTMENT THAT WENT OUT THROUGH THAT EVENT.
UM, AND THEN I'M NOT SURE IF IT WAS MENTIONED, UH, ACTUALLY TONIGHT PUBLIC WORKS IS HOSTING A COMMUNITY MEETING, UH, COMMUNITY INPUT ON THE DRAKE CHAVEZ, UH, CONNECTION AND EXPANSION, UH, PROJECT THAT'S GONNA BE AT, UH, THE GENERAL ZA COMMUNITY CENTER AT CHAVEZ PARK AT SIX 30.
UM, SO I ACTUALLY GOT COMMUNITY FEEDBACK ON THAT, THAT THE NOTICE WAS SENT OUT RATHER LATE.
UM, I GOT TWO PEOPLE WHO ARE DEEPLY INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, ACTUALLY THAT PART OF, IN THE WILMORE WHO GOT FEEDBACK, I GOT FEEDBACK DIRECTLY VIA TEXT AND VIA PHONE CALL, UM, THAT THEY GOT THE NOTICES REALLY LATE.
SO I JUST WANNA SHARE THAT WITH EVERYBODY.
WE'LL MAKE SURE TO SHARE THAT AS WELL.
AND ARE WE DOING THAT OUTREACH INTERNALLY OR IS THAT THROUGH, UM, IS THAT AN EXTERNAL PROVIDER, LIKE AN EXTERNAL CONSULTANT? UH, EXTERNAL.
AND WHO IS THE EXTERNAL CONSULTANT? I DON'T RECALL.
THIS WOULD BE PUBLIC WORKS ENGAGEMENT.
UM, I DON'T RECALL WHO THE, UH, CONSULTANT IS.
CAN YOU, CAN WE FIND THAT OUT? SURE.
NOW WE'RE GONNA ASK COMMISSIONERS FOR THEIR OWN ANNOUNCEMENTS, UH, BEGINNING WITH COMMISSIONER HUGA.
UM, SO A, A QUESTION FOR ERIC.
FIRST OF ALL, ERIC, WHEN YOU WERE GIVING YOUR REPORT, YOU MENTIONED THAT THE PARK AMBASSADORS ARE STRETCHED, AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHETHER THAT WAS KIND OF A TURN OF PHRASE, JUST MEANING THEY, THEY DO A LOT OF WORK OR WHETHER YOU FEEL AS IF THEY'RE STRETCHED TOO THIN.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE BECAUSE IT, IT DOES SOUND AS IF THEY'RE, THEY'RE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO WHAT'S HAPPENING, UM, IN THE PARK.
SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE THE PEOPLE THAT YOU NEED AND THEY'VE GOT EVERYTHING THEY NEED.
UM, UH, THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO MENTION IS, AGAIN, LIKE I KNOW THAT I'M, I TALK ABOUT BATHROOMS A LOT,
UM, AND SO I WANTED TO MENTION MY SON'S ON A, UM, HE'S TRANSITIONED NOW FOR THE FALL TO TRAVEL BALL.
SO HE, UM, HE PLAYED AT WHALEY THIS PAST WEEKEND.
UM, AND IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING BECAUSE WE WERE, WE WERE THERE ALL DAY ON SUNDAY, AND THE WOMEN'S RESTROOMS, UM, BOTH OF THE BATHROOMS WERE, WERE NOT USABLE.
THEY WERE CLOGGED, NOT USABLE.
AND IT WAS INTERESTING TO ME BECAUSE, UM, I HEARD SOME OF THE PEOPLE TALKING COMPLAINING.
PEOPLE WERE LIKE, CONTINUING TO USE THE RESTROOMS, BUT THEY WERE NOT FLUSHING, WHICH WAS INTERESTING.
UM, BUT, UH, BUT I HEARD PEOPLE TALKING.
AND SO THEN I WENT IN AND I CALLED THE NUMBER THAT WAS ON THE SIGN, AND, AND IT'S A, IT WENT TO THE, YOU KNOW, UH, OFF HOURS CITY, YOU KNOW, UH, OPERATOR.
AND THEN I, I SAID THE PROBLEM ABOUT AN HOUR LATER, SOMEONE CAME AND TOOK CARE OF THE RESTROOM AND IT WAS, IT WAS GREAT.
AND THEN THE RESTROOM WAS ABLE TO BE USED AFTER THAT.
AND I THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING THAT, UM, EVEN IN, UH, EAST LONG BEACH, WEALTHIER AREA, NO ONE ELSE HAD THOUGHT TO CALL THE NUMBER BEFORE.
UM, AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THERE WAS A SENSE OF, OH, I DON'T WANNA MAKE WAVES, OR I DON'T WANT TO COMPLAIN, OR WHETHER THERE REALLY WAS A CYNICISM OF NOTHING'S GONNA HAPPEN.
AND SO I CALLED AND SOMETHING HAPPENED, AND I REALLY WANT TO COMMEND, YOU KNOW, THE TEAM FOR COMING OUT AND TAKING CARE OF IT.
OBVIOUSLY, IT'S NOT, PROBABLY NOT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT WAS HAPPENING IN LONG BEACH AT THAT TIME.
SO NO COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE FACT THAT IT TOOK AN HOUR, BUT IT ALSO MADE ME THINK THAT PRETTY GOOD.
AGAIN, WE, WE ARE IN A, A REV, UH, PRIVILEGED PART OF THE CITY WITH LOTS OF PEOPLE WITH,
[01:05:01]
YOU KNOW, CELL PHONES WHO FEEL AS IF THINGS SHOULD BE DROPPED AT, YOU KNOW, AND, AND WE SHOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.IT DID MAKE ME WONDER ABOUT OTHER PARTS OF LONG BEACH AND WHETHER THERE MIGHT BE A CYNICISM OF, WELL, THIS IS BROKEN, BUT IT'S NEVER GONNA GET FIXED.
AND SO MAYBE WHAT WE COULD DO TO, UM, TO MAYBE PUBLICIZE THE FACT THAT THINGS WILL GET FIXED IF YOU ASK FOR THEM TO GET FIXED.
BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS REALLY INTERESTING, AGAIN, THAT I WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO CALLED.
AND THEN ALSO IF THERE'S, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER, MAYBE IT'S 'CAUSE THE SIGN LOOKED KIND OF RUN DOWN OR SOMETHING, BUT IT DIDN'T SEEM AS IF PEOPLE KNEW THAT THERE WAS AN OPTION THAT THAT OPTION EXISTED.
UM, I ALSO JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT, UH, THAT SINCE WE WERE AT WHALEY ALL WEEKEND, UM, WE ARE JUST SO LUCKY TO HAVE THAT COMMUNITY PARK AND JUST THE PLAYGROUNDS AND JUST, NOT JUST WHALEY AROUND THE CITY, BUT, UM, BUT MY DAUGHTER DOES NOT LOVE BASEBALL THE WAY THAT THE REST OF THE FAMILY DOES.
BUT WHEN I TOLD HER THAT WE WERE GOING TO BE SPENDING THE DAY AT WHALEY AND I REMINDED HER OF THE PLAYGROUND THERE, SHE STOPPED COMPLAINING IMMEDIATELY AND SHE JUST HAD THE BEST TIME.
SO I'M JUST REALLY GRATEFUL TO THE BALLPARK STAFF FOR PROVIDING THAT FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, I'M GONNA GO DOWN TO COMMISSIONER S CHAVEZ, IF THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
ALRIGHT, WELL, UH, FIRST OF ALL, CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN, UH, GLADYS, AND, YOU KNOW, REALLY WISHING YOU THE BEST IN YOUR IN FUTURE ENDEAVORS AND RETIREMENT, AND HOPE YOU, YOU THOROUGHLY ENJOY IT.
UH, ALSO ON THE ISSUE OF PARK MAINTENANCE, UH, YOU, I HAD GONE A COUPLE OF, UH, QUESTIONS, COMPLAINTS AS WELL ABOUT SOME OF THE, YOU KNOW, ABOUT VETERANS PARK, SILVERADO PARK.
AND BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO EMAIL STAFF ABOUT THEM, MOSTLY ISSUES ACTUALLY HAD BEEN FIXED.
SO REALLY DO WANT TO, AGAIN, EXPRESS APPRECIATION FOR, FOR, UH, MAINTENANCE AS WELL.
THE ONE ISSUE THAT I THINK STILL PERSISTS AT VETERANS PARK IS THE LIGHTS AT THE PICKLE BALL COURT, TENNIS COURT.
SOMETIMES THEY'RE ON, SOMETIMES THEY'RE OFF.
AND AS WE ARE GETTING INTO DAYLIGHT SAVINGS, I THINK, UH, THAT THERE'S BEEN INCREASING CONCERN ABOUT, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT THOSE LIGHTS ARE FUNCTIONAL.
I KNOW THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF OTHER ISSUES AT PLAY.
YOU KNOW, VANDALISM, COPPER THEFT, UH, YOU KNOW, OR EVEN LIKE AS SIMPLE AS A LITTLE LIGHT SENSOR ON THEM NOT BEING FUNCTIONAL.
BUT OVERALL, DEFINITELY AGREE WITH THE, THE SENTIMENT THAT, UH, THE MAINTENANCE STAFF REALLY DOES.
UH, AN INCREDIBLE JOB, INCREDIBLE WORK.
THE OTHER ISSUE, UH, OR NOT ISSUE, UH, BUT JUST, UH, ANNOUNCED IT IS THAT, UH, THE FRIENDS OF LITTLE SPRINGS PARK JUST HAD THEIR THIRD YEAR ANNIVERSARY.
UH, AND, UH, REALLY I THINK, UH, YOU KNOW, I KNOW I'M VERY MUCH HEAVILY INVOLVED WITH THAT ORGANIZATION, BUT, UH, JUST REALLY WANT TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION FOR PARK STAFF FOR WORKING WITH THEM.
AND, UH, ESPECIALLY WHEN SO MANY GROUPS COME IN WITH A LOT OF THAT CYNICISM AND A LOT OF THAT DISTRUST OF THE CITY.
I THINK THAT THE, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN, UH, THE DIFFERENT FRIENDS GROUPS, NOT JUST WILLOW SPRINGS PARK, BUT, UH, A LOT OF THE DIFFERENT FRIENDS GROUPS IN THE, UH, CITY AND THE PARKS DEPARTMENT HAVE BEEN VERY POSITIVE AND JUST REALLY WANT TORUS MY APPRECIATION FOR BEING ABLE TO WORK WITH THOSE, UH, ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, GLADYS, I CAN THINK OF STOPPING MY EXPRESSION, BUT
UH, GLADYS HAS BEEN A PART OF MY CITY JOURNEY THE ENTIRE TIME THAT I THINK WHERE MY INTERNSHIP THROUGH TODAY.
SO I WILL BE SAD TO NOT SEE YOU HERE EVERY MONTH, BUT, OH, A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS ON TAKING THAT LEAP.
UM, THE ONLY OTHER BIG UPDATE I ALSO WANNA SAY THAT'S INCREDIBLE ON THE MAINTENANCE TEAM, AND I THINK THE WORK YOU'RE DOING IS PHENOMENAL.
UM, AND I, AGAIN, TODAY WAS A TESTAMENT TO THAT, RIGHT? JUST EVEN JUST PHYSICALLY SEEING THAT MANY FOLKS HERE THAT ARE PROBABLY LIKE, WHAT THE HELL IS A COMMISSION, RIGHT? WHAT IS THIS? WHY AM I HERE? BUT BECAUSE OF THE LOVE OF THE TEAM AND THE CAMARADERIE THAT I THINK YOU'RE BUILDING, THAT WAS, THAT WAS REALLY EVIDENT.
UM, THE ONLY OTHER, UH, TO KEEP ON THE BATHROOM THEME,
UM, AND EVEN AT NIGHT, UH, I HAD DONE DINNER ON THE PROMENADE AND WALKING BACK TO MY CAR, THE, THE CLEANLINESS OF THE PARK WAS SOMETHING THAT FOLKS WERE LIKE, OH, WOW, I NORMALLY LIKE, DON'T WANT TO WALK THROUGH HERE BECAUSE THERE MIGHT BE AN ENCAMPMENT, THERE MIGHT BE FOLKS THERE.
UM, AND SO FROM FOLKS, NOT ME, THAT WERE LIKE, OH, OKAY, COOL.
I CAN WALK THROUGH THE PARKING STRUCTURE FROM HERE.
UH, BECAUSE THE, THE PARK EVEN AT NIGHT WAS INVITING THAT RESTROOM WAS THERE AND FOLKS FELT, YOU KNOW, AND SAFE.
AND SO JUST AGAIN, A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYBODY.
'CAUSE I KNOW THAT THAT HAS BEEN A SORE SPOT FOR A LOT OF US FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
UM, AND SO I THINK OBVIOUSLY THE, THE WORK IS, IS REALLY MAKING
[01:10:01]
AN IMPACT.SO JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU, PROFESS LIVINGSTON, TRY TO BEAT THE EARTHQUAKE.
UM, READING
FIRST ASSIGNMENT FOR THE NEW COMMUNITY INFORMATION OFFICER HAS BEEN LODGED.
AND IS IT GIGI OR NANA? CONGRATULATIONS.
WELL, IT CAN'T BE NANA 'CAUSE THAT'S MY MOM.
AND EVERYBODY KNOWS MY MOM'S NANA.
I HAVE NEW GRAND BABIES, TWINS.
UM, THEY'RE ABOUT SEVEN WEEKS OLD.
UM, SO I THINK IT'S STILL LEFT TO BE DECIDED.
GRANDMA'S A HARD PILL TO SWALLOW.
I THINK SHE USED TO FILL WITH MY MOM.
MY MOM WAS DEFINITELY AN AMAZING DONNA.
UM, COMMISSIONER, VICE CHAIR, COMMISSIONER.
SO I'LL SAY GLADYS WAS ONE OF THE MOST FRIENDLY FACES WHEN I WAS THE CHIEF OF STAFF.
AND REALLY, YOU AS THE LATINA SISTER, YOU WERE REALLY ONE OF THE MOST FRIENDLY FACES FOR ME WHEN I WAS AT THE CITY.
SO YOU WILL BE REALLY MISSED, ESPECIALLY FOR ME.
AND SO I KNOW THIS IS NOT OUR LAST MEETING.
UM, SO WE WILL STILL SEE YOU FOR THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS.
UM, BUT YOU WILL BE VERY MISSED FOR LOTS OF REASONS.
AND YOU JUST WERE SUCH A STAR EMPLOYEE FOR THE CITY FOR ALL KINDS OF REASONS.
SO I'M REALLY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, FOR YOUR KINDNESS, FOR YOUR COMPASSION, FOR YOUR LOVE OF OUR CHILDREN, OF ALL OF OUR CHILDREN.
NOT JUST SOME OF OUR CHILDREN, BUT ALL OF OUR CHILDREN.
UM, AND SO WE WILL GET THROUGH THE STRICT CHAVIS THING AND EXTERNAL CONSULTANTS AND HOW THEY BEHAVE OR HOW THEY DON'T BEHAVE.
AND SO THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME, LIVING SPECIFICALLY HYPER LOCAL IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, SO WE WILL GET THROUGH THIS WITH PUBLIC WORKS AND HOW, UM, AND HOW THEY SOMETIMES TREAT PARKS RECREATION.
SO I WILL BE YOUR STEWARD AND YOUR CHAMPION.
AND I, UH, UH, TWO ITEMS. UH, BEFORE I SAY MY OWN COMMENTS ABOUT GLADYS, UH, FIRST DURING PUBLIC COMMENT, I WAS SUPPOSED TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE HAD RECEIVED, UH, AN EMAIL, UH, COMMENT FROM, UM, DIANE LEGGINS.
AND, UH, UH, WE SHOULD JUST PUT THAT IN THE RECORD.
AND ALSO, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT, UH, THAT I HAVE AN, AN ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING OUR MAINTENANCE INFRASTRUCTURE AND PLANNING COMMITTEE.
I'M APPOINTING COMMISSIONER LIVINGSTON, UH, AS THE CHAIR OF THIS COMMITTEE.
AND I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AT, UH, UH, MAKING, UH, THOSE MEETINGS HAPPEN AND, UH, UM, THEY MAKE IT HAPPEN.
I JUST TRY TO CORRAL HERD THOSE CATS.
AND, UM, I DID WANNA COMMENT THAT IT'S BEEN BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION BY A HANDICAPPED FRIEND OF MINE THAT ACCESS TO WILLOW SPRINGS PARK, UH, IS IMPOSSIBLE.
UH, AND, UM, THERE ARE NO SIDEWALKS.
AND, UM, SO I WAS WONDERING WHAT TO DO ABOUT THAT.
I'M LOOKING AT ERIC, WHO JUST GAVE THE FINEST REPORT.
UH,
AND NOW I BRING UP SOMETHING THAT IS A CHALLENGE, BUT, UH, IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION, SO I WANTED TO MENTION THAT.
SO PLEASE, ONE THING I DID WANNA MENTION ALSO IS THAT THIS HAS BEEN A PRIORITY ISSUE FOR THE FRIENDS GROUP.
AGAIN, YOU MAKING SURE I'M NOT OVERSTEPPING MY BOUNDS AS OPPOSED BEING INVOLVED WITH THAT ORGANIZATION, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY'VE IDENTIFIED AS A CONCERN AS WELL.
AND I BELIEVE THEY BROUGHT IT UP TO, TO PARK STAFF, SO, OH, OKAY.
UM, BUT ON A, A BRIGHTER NOTE, I WILL ONLY ECHO WHAT EVERYONE HAS ALSO SAID ABOUT GLADYS WHO WAS THERE FOR ME AS WELL.
AND, UH, UM, JUST HAS MADE OUR LIFE HERE SO MUCH EASIER.
AND, UH, AGAIN, THAT WILL BE MORE TO SAY ABOUT ALL OF THAT AS, UH, NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.
UH, WITH THAT, I THINK WE HAVE JUST BARELY MADE IT BEFORE.
WE HAVE TO JUMP, TELL EVERY, IF ANYBODY ASKS, JUST TELL 'EM.
AND I WILL CLOSE OUT THE MEETING AT 10 16.