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WE HAVE QUITE A CROWD TODAY, AND I'M SO PLEASED TO SEE ALL OF THAT.
I'D LIKE TO CALL TO ORDER THE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING FOR THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20TH, 2025 AT 9:05 AM UH, UH, DIRECTOR, CAN YOU DO THE ROLL CALL, PLEASE? ABSOLUTELY.
UH, AND I HAVE ASKED OUR, UH, GRAY PANTHERS LEADER, MY FRIEND KAREN RUI, TO, UH, START THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND RISE, IF YOU CAN PLEASE STAND TABLE, PLEASE, YOUR HAND AT YOUR HEART.
AND, UM, I PLEDGE TO THE FLAG AT THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND SERVE THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
AND I UNDERSTAND THIS MORNING WE HAVE A PRESENTATION DIRECTOR.
WE DO, UH, WE WILL BE RECOGNIZING, UH, I BELIEVE TWO EMPLOYEES OF THE MONTH OF THIS, UH, THIS MEETING, UH, FOR THE MONTHS OF SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER.
SO I AM GONNA HAND THAT OFF TO LATICE KAISER, WHO IS THE CHAIR OF OUR EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION COMMITTEE.
IT'S ALWAYS EXCITING TO BRING OUR TEAM FORWARD FROM ALL OF OUR BUREAUS AND TO RECOGNIZE ONE OF THEM, UM, ONE OF THEIR EMPLOYEES WHO HAS BEEN NOMINATED BY NOT ONE OF THEIR PEERS.
UM, AND THEN BY THE ERC COMMITTEE TO COME FORTH AND REPRESENT THE DEPARTMENT FOR THE EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH.
SO SOMETIMES WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACKNOWLEDGE SOMEONE IN ADVANCE, BUT DUE TO SCHEDULES, SOMETIMES WE ACKNOWLEDGE THEM RIGHT HERE.
SO THE FIRST ONE IS GOING TO BE A SURPRISE.
SO WITH ME, THIS IS OUR EMPLOYEE MONTH FOR THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER.
THIS CAN, THIS EMPLOYEE IS ALWAYS STEPPING UP AND STEPHANIE IN ANY PROGRAM FOR AREA THREE, NUMBER ONE.
THAT'S AREA THREE AND COMMUNITY RECREATION SERVICES.
SHE GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND FOR RESPONSIBILITIES OF MANAGING A PROGRAM WITH 24 SITES, BUT ALSO ASSISTS, ASSISTS, UM, AT THE CENTER WHEN ORDERING SUPPLIES, PLANNING ACTIVITIES, HANDLING DAILY DEPOSITS, AND SUPPORTING STAFF AT THE SENIOR PROGRAM CITYWIDE, ESPECIALLY DURING OLDER ADULTS.
SO THIS TIME I'M GONNA READ, SHE THOUGHT SO SHE'S, SO SHE CAME IN SUPPORT OF ANOTHER EMPLOYEE AND ACTUALLY WAS, UM, OUT OF TOWN AND CAME IN TO SURPRISE ANOTHER EMPLOYEE.
SO WE, I'M GONNA CONTINUE READING AND SHE'S GONNA CONTINUE TO EMBARRASSED.
SO ARLENE IS ALWAYS STEPPING UP.
SHE'S TAKING INITIATIVE AT THE CASINO NIGHT FOR SENIORS BY CREATING BANNERS AND GAMES AND INSTRUCTION MEAL PREPPING FOR 250 SENIORS STEPPING IN WHEN IS NEEDED.
ARLENE LEADS HER ASSISTANCE TO, LENDS HER ASSISTANCE TO PEERS WITHOUT PROMPTING EVEN WHEN SHE HAS A LOT OF TASKS ON HER PLATE.
SHE ALSO TAKES THE TIME TO LEARN NEW RESPONSIBILITIES AND ASK QUESTIONS WHEN SHE'S UNSURE OF PROCEDURES.
ONCE YOU SHOW ARLENE HOW TO DO SOMETHING, SHE MASTERS IT QUICKLY AND ABLE TO BECOME A PRO ON WHATEVER SHE PUTS HER MIND TO AS.
SO, UM, WHAT I DIDN'T, I WAS HIDING WHO SHE WAS.
ARLENE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SUMMER OF FOOD PROGRAM, UM, AT ALL 24 SITES THIS SUMMER.
SO QUITE A, QUITE A TASK AS SUMMER CAME TO AN END, UM, ARLENE STEPPED IN TO UNDERFILL THE ROLE AS A RECREATION ASSISTANT, DO THE VACANCY AT LEHAM PARK.
WHILE SHE'S STILL ASSISTING AT THE SENIOR CENTER AND WRAPPING UP ALL THE SUMMER FOOD FOR 2025, UM, SHE WILL BE SHE DEDICATED TIME FOR SUPPORTING STAFF PLANNING FOR UPCOMING EVENTS IN THE PARK AND MEETINGS, UM, CITY DEPARTMENTS TO INCREASE SUPPORT IN REGARDS TO THE SAFETY AT LINCOLN PARK.
SHE'S ALREADY ENSURING THAT PARKS AND ALL ACTIVITIES THAT ARE OFFERED THERE ARE THE VERY BEST AND MEET THE DEPARTMENT'S EXPECTATIONS FOR THESE REASONS AND MANY MORE.
ARLENE DESERVES THE RECOGNITION AS EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH, CHARLIE.
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THAT SOMETIMES YOU GUYS WILL BE THE SAME.I'D LIKE TO BRING UP HER SUPERVISOR AND HER SUPERINTENDENT JUST TO SHARE.
AND THANK YOU FOR COMING BACK IN TOWN.
ARLENE
BUT, UM, JUST WANTED TO RECOGNIZE HER.
SHE'S, UM, ONE OF OUR PART-TIME, UM, STAFF MEMBERS WHO GIVES ALL EVERY DAY, EVEN AFTER HOURS.
UM, BUT SHE'S ALWAYS WILLING TO HELP ASSIST.
AND I KNOW THIS LAST YEAR WE NEEDED A TRAINING AT OUR SUMMER, SUMMER TRAINING DURING OUR ALL STAFF TRAINING.
SHE JUMPED IN WITH A BLOOM TRAINING.
UM, SHE JUMPS IN WITH LIKE, WORKING DIFFERENT EVENTS ON THE WEEKENDS.
UM, SHE'S TAKEN ON LINCOLN PARK.
SHE'S A SUMMER FOOD PROGRAM, IS A HUGE PROGRAM THAT SHE, YOU KNOW, GETS A GRANT FOR AND MANAGES ALL 24 SITES DURING THE 10 WEEK PROGRAM SERVING, YOU KNOW, GREAT NUMBER OF FOOD.
SHE'S HELPFUL, HELPFUL, SHE'S JUST A TEAM PLAYER.
AND WITHOUT HER, UM, SOME OF OUR PROGRAMMING WOULDN'T BE AS SUCCESSFUL AS IT IS.
SO I JUST THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO IN THE SPORT YOU LEND ME AND GLAD YOU'RE BACK.
'CAUSE THAT TWO WEEK WAS REALLY ROUGH,
BUT I KNOW, I KNOW ARLENE'S A QUIET PERSON IN NATURE, BUT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU? I WOULD FIRST OFF, THANK YOU GUYS.
UM, I SEE THAT I WORK WITH A BUNCH OF LIARS,
I'M A VERY SHY PERSON, SO BEING UP HERE I'M LIKE, OOH, COMPLETELY OUTTA MY COMFORT ZONE.
BUT I REALLY DO APPRECIATE YOU GUYS, AND YOU KNOW THAT YOU GUYS SEE THE WORK THAT I DO.
UM, I DON'T REALLY ASK FOR LIKE, ANY RECOGNITION OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT VERY APPRECIATED.
SO NOW WE HAVE OCTOBER AND WE SURPRISED THIS CAN THIS EMPLOYEE YESTERDAY, UM, WHEN HE WAS, UM, AT A MEETING WITH HIS PEERS AND HIS MANAGER CAME AND SHARED A FEW WORDS AND, AND, AND GAVE A FEW DIRECTION IN THIS.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE DECIDED TO LET MR. HILTON REYNOLDS COME FORWARD, PLEASE NICE HIM, UM, AS HE WAS NOMINATED FROM HIS PEERS.
SO IF I REREAD, I'M WRITING TO NOMINATE HILTON REYNOLDS FOR EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH.
HILTON IS A GMA WHO CONSISTENTLY GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND BY ALSO ACTING AS A PROJECT MANAGER FOR MAJOR PROJECTS THAT ARE TOO LARGE FOR SOME OF OUR, SOME OF THE STANDARDS HE'S MASTERED, MULTITASKING AND PRIORITIZING HIS WORKLOAD.
MOST NOTABLY, HILTON FOSTER'S EXCEPTIONAL COMMUNICATION BETWEEN ALL PARTIES INVOLVED, THE CLIENTS, THE CITY STAFF, AND THE CONTRACTORS.
HIS FORWARD THINKING AND METICULOUS NATURE ENSURE EVERY ASPECT OF PROJECT IS CONSIDERED PREVENTING PROBLEMS BEFORE THEY ARISE ONTO HIS TECHNICAL SKILLS.
HILTON HAS CONSISTENTLY POSITIVE AND COURTEOUS DEMEANOR.
AND WITHOUT HIS, AND WITHOUT HIS EFFICIENCY AND DRIVE, WE WOULD NOT COMPLETE NEARLY AS MANY PROJECTS AS WE DO.
WE ARE INCREDIBLY FORTUNATE TO HAVE HIM AND A STRONGLY BELIEVE HE'S THE PERFECT CANDIDATE FOR THIS AWARD.
AND SO THAT'S WHY HE WAS SELECTED AS EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH FOR OCTOBER.
UM, HILTON, VERY SPECIAL PERSON.
UM, NOT JUST INSIDE OF WORK, BUT OUTSIDE OF WORK.
UM, HE IS A MASTER AT NETWORKING.
HE'S MADE SOME REALLY GREAT RELATIONSHIPS, INTERDEPARTMENTAL AND OUTSIDE THE DEPARTMENT.
UM, HIS WORK ETHIC IS BAR NONE.
UM, HE'S OUT IN THE FIELD THREE DAYS A WEEK.
HE'S IN PROJECTS TWO DAYS A WEEK.
HE'S LINING UP MEETINGS WHILE HE IS OUT IN THE FIELD FOR THOSE TWO DAYS.
UM, HE'S VERY EFFICIENT IN WHAT HE DOES.
AND, UM, JUST GREAT ASSET TO HAVE ON THE TEAM.
YOU ARE A MENTOR TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.
HE, UH, HAS STEPPED UP ON OCCASIONS AND HE'S LED THE TEAM.
UM, I'M JUST SO GRATEFUL FOR EVERYTHING THAT HE BRINGS TO THE TABLE, THE INDIVIDUAL THAT HE IS, HIS WORK ETHIC, UM, JUST STRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE.
SO WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO CONGRATULATE YOU.
THANK YOU, CHAIR, IF YOU WOULD.
UH, I, I'D BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T SAY I'M NOTHING WITHOUT MY TEAM.
I GET TO WORK WITH A MASTER CARPENTER AND I SIT AT THE FOOT STOOL OF HIS FEET AT HIS FEET AND LEARN FROM HIM ON THE DAY.
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I LEARNED SO MUCH FROM YOUI LEARNED SO MUCH FROM YOU IN THOSE SMALL IMPROMPTU MEETINGS THAT WE GET TO TALK.
AND I, I JUST THANK YOU AND I'M SORRY IF I BUG YOU SOMETIMES,
SO, AS YOU CAN SEE, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE THE MARINE TEAM AND YOU HAVE PART OF THE RECREATION TEAM IS, IT'S TRULY A TEAM EFFORT AND IT'S WITH GREAT PRIVILEGE THAT WE GET TO, UM, RECOGNIZE OUR UNDERSTANDING EMPLOYEES.
BUT, UM, I HAVE TO SAY THAT FOR PARKS, RECREATION, MARINE, ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES ARE PRETTY GREAT.
THAT'S MY FAVORITE THING TODAY,
THAT IS ONE OF THE MOST WONDERFUL PARTS AND I SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE THAT ONE OF THE, UH, MARINE STAFF WAS A FORMER STUDENT OF, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER THAT YOU SEE
UH, SO WE WILL NOW GO ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE, WHICH READS A RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE AN UPDATE REGARDING PARKLAND MANAGEMENT, INCLUDING WEED ABATEMENT AS IT RELATES TO THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS, RECREATION, MARINE, AND DISCUSS THE DEPARTMENT STAFF'S WEED ABATEMENT EFFORTS IN CITY PARKS.
DO I HAVE A MOTION? MOTION TO RECEIVE AND FILE.
[00:15:01]
SECOND.UH, AND, UH, DIRECTOR, DO WE HAVE A REPORT? WE DO.
AND SO, UM, EARLIER THIS YEAR WE RECEIVED A REQUEST FROM THE COMMISSION TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR, ESSENTIALLY OUR GROUNDS MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES, PARTICULARLY AS IT PERTAINS TO WEED MANAGEMENT.
AND SO, UH, BACK IN SEPTEMBER, WE GAVE A PRESENTATION, UH, SIMILAR PRESENTATION TO TODAY, UH, TO OUR MAINTENANCE INFRASTRUCTURE AND PLANNING COMMITTEE OF THE COMMISSION WITH A PROMISE TO BRING THIS ITEM BACK TO THE FULL COUNCIL SO THAT THE FULL COUNCIL CAN LEARN ABOUT OUR ACTIVITIES.
AND SO WE HAVE WITH US TODAY, RAUL MARTINEZ, WHO IS, UH, OUR PARK MAINTENANCE SUPERINTENDENT RESPONSIBLE FOR ESSENTIALLY OUR GROUNDS, UH, LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES.
AND SO RAUL IS GONNA WALK US THROUGH, UH, WHAT OUR ACTIVITIES ARE, SOME OF THE TOOLS THAT WE USE TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE OUR ALL ASSETS GREEN AND GROWTH.
AND SO, UM, GONNA HAND IT OFF TO RAUL TO GIVE, UH, THE PRESENTATION AND, UH, THEN WE CAN, UH, HAVE A DISCUSSION AFTER.
UH, MY NAME IS RAUL MARTINEZ JUNIOR.
UH, IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE IF YOU'RE SENDING ME AN EMAIL.
UH, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MYSELF.
UH, I HAVE A BACHELOR'S DEGREE FROM CAL POLY POMONA AND PLANT SCIENCE WITH A MINOR IN GENERAL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT.
UM, SOME OF MY WORK EXPERIENCE IS, UH, I'VE WORKED ON GOLF COURSES.
I'VE BEEN HERE AT PARKS FOR NINE YEARS, ALMOST NINE YEARS.
UM, BUT I'VE WORKED GOLF COURSES, I'VE WORKED PROFESSIONAL SPORTS FIELDS.
I'VE WORKED ON A FARM AT ONE POINT.
I'VE DONE RESIDENTIAL LANDSCAPE.
I'VE DONE COMMERCIAL LANDSCAPE.
DONE A LOT OF, LOT OF EXPERIENCE, RIGHT? UM, SO WE'LL GO THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT, UM, WHAT IT IS OUR PROGRAM IS AND WHAT IT IS THAT WE DO HERE.
UM, SO WE'LL GO THROUGH THE BACKGROUND AND WHAT THE SCOPE OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH IS.
WE'LL DISCUSS, UM, WHAT THE MANAGEMENT OF AN INSTITUTIONAL LANDSCAPE IS.
UM, THERE ARE DIFFERENT TYPES.
UM, WE'LL GET TO THE EXACT DEFINITION.
UH, ONCE WE GET TO THAT SLIDE, WE'LL GO THROUGH, UM, URBAN AND NATURAL CORRIDORS AND KIND OF HOW WE'RE CHANGING WHAT A PARK IS, UM, THROUGH DESIGN.
UM, BECAUSE IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, UM, IN THE PAST, A PARK IS REALLY JUST AN OPEN FIELD, OPEN SPACE.
AT LEAST THAT'S HOW I GREW UP.
UM, WE'RE GONNA DISCUSS INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT AND HOW THAT PARTICULAR PHILOSOPHY, UM, SHAPES WHAT IT IS THAT WE DO AND WHAT IT IS IN TERMS OF, UH, PEST MANAGEMENT IN GENERAL.
NOT JUST TO WEED ABATEMENT, BUT ALSO TO INSECTS, TO DISEASES, UM, UH, THAT WE CAN CONTROL AND MANAGE AS BEST WE CAN.
SO OUR OVERALL GOAL IS TO PROVIDE A SAFE, CLEAN, AND AESTHETIC COMPLETING PARTS TO, FOR THE PUBLIC THAT COMES WITH ITS SHARE OF CHALLENGES AS ANY INSTITUTIONAL LANDSCAPE, WOOD.
UM, FIRST, THE FIRST, UH, CHALLENGE WE FACE IS FINANCIAL.
IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, RIGHT? UH, INFLATION HAS BEEN PRETTY, PRETTY RAMPANT AND EVERYTHING'S GETTING MORE EXPENSIVE FROM MATERIALS, FERTILIZERS, UH, SPRINKLERS, LABOR ITSELF, IT'S ALL GETTING MORE EXPENSIVE.
AND WE WE'RE TRYING TO STRETCH THAT SAME DOLLAR TO TRY AND, UH, MEET THE NEEDS OF, OF THESE PARTS.
THE OTHER CHALLENGE IS WE'RE IN A FIELD WHERE YOUNG FOLKS AREN'T REALLY COMING UP INTO IT.
IT'S NOT IN, IT'S NOT A VERY ATTRACTIVE FIELD, ESPECIALLY 'CAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF HARD WORK THAT GOES WITH IT.
UM, SO LIKE WHEN I WAS IN SCHOOL, I WAS THE YOUNGEST PERSON IN THAT CLASS BY FAR, AT LEAST 10, 15 YEARS.
MOST OF THEM, MOST OF THE FOLKS THAT WERE IN MY CLASSES ACTUALLY WERE ONTO THEIR SECOND CAREERS.
UM, SO CHALLENGING LABOR MARKET, HARD TO, TO FIND THOSE, THOSE FOLKS, EVEN FOR OUR CONTRACTORS, OURSELVES, IT'S HARD TO FIND THOSE FOLKS THAT DO THOSE JOBS THAT WE NEED DONE.
SOME OF THE THINGS, SOME OF THE WAYS YOU GET AROUND, UM, A CHALLENGING LABOR MARKET IS TECHNOLOGY.
WE WE'RE NOT REALLY THERE YET WITH A LOT OF THE IMPLEMENTATION THAT'S, WE HOPE IS GONNA COME IN THE FUTURE, LIKE AUTONOMOUS MOWERS AND, UM, WHATEVER OTHER TECHNOLOGIES THEY SEEM THEY, THEY CAN COME UP WITH, BUT IT'S NOT THERE YET.
THEY USE IT ON FARMS, IT'S NOT REALLY READY YET FOR A PARK SETTING.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO WAS IMPLEMENT OUR CALEND SYSTEM, WHICH IS OUR IRRIGATION CONTROL SYSTEM.
SO LIKE THE RAIN EVENT WE JUST GOT, WE WERE ABLE TO SHUT OFF OUR IRRIGATION SYSTEM PRIOR TO THE RAIN COMING IN.
SO IT ALLOWS OUR, OUR LABOR THAT WE DO HAVE TO STRETCH IT AND TO BE MORE EFFICIENT WITH IT.
UM, ALONG WITH, ON THAT CALEND SYSTEM, WE DON'T HAVE TO GO
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OUT AND TURN EVERYTHING BACK ON, IT'LL JUST COME ON AUTOMATICALLY, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT'LL PROGRAM TO WHATEVER THE NEED IS BASED ON WEATHER DATA.UM, ON TOP OF THAT, HERE AT THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, WE HAVE A BUSY RESERVATION SCHEDULE.
WE CALL IT A HUNDRED DAYS OF SUMMER, AND IT'S VERY BUSY.
UM, WE HAVE MOVIES IN THE PARK, CONCERT IN THE PARK, THE LUNCH PROGRAMS THAT WERE, UM, MENTIONED BEFORE.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE COMMERCIAL SHOOTS.
WE HAVE PICNICS, WE HAVE PRIVATE EVENTS.
UM, WE HAVE ATHLETIC, UH, THE, ALL THE ATHLETICS THAT TAKE PLACE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
SO IT'S ALWAYS A CHALLENGE TO TRY TO MEET EVERYBODY'S NEEDS, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THERE'S ALWAYS A NEED FOR A DESIRABLE PARK SPACE.
SO THE QUESTION, QUESTION WE HAVE TO ASK OURSELVES IS HOW DO WE MEET THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE RESIDENTS AND THE PARK PATRONS? SO A LITTLE BIT OF THE CITY, WE HAVE 166 PARKS, A LITTLE OVER 3000 ACRES, NINE LAKES, 26,000 TREES.
UM, WE HAD TRIMMED 30 103,192 TREES.
UM, WE DO THE HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT CLEANUPS AS WELL AS PART OF THE GROUNDS DIVISION.
AS OF SEPTEMBER, UH, WE HAD DONE 508 ENCAMPMENT CLEANUPS, 408 TONS OF DEBRIS REMOVED FROM THE PARKS.
SO A LOT OF, LOT OF DEBRIS, A LOT OF TRASH, UM, WHETHER WE WANT IT THERE OR NOT JUST TENDS TO SHOW UP.
UM, WE HAVE 101 ATHLETIC FIELDS, BUT WE ALSO MAINTAIN THE 12 LIBRARIES ACROSS THE CITY.
WE HAVE, WE, UH, MAINTAIN SEVEN POLICE FACILITIES AND FORT HEALTH CENTERS.
SO MANAGEMENT OF AN INSTITUTIONAL LANDSCAPE, AN INSTITUTIONAL LANDSCAPE, INSTITUTIONAL LANDSCAPE.
HORTICULTURE REFERS TO THE DESIGN, INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE OF PLANT FOCUSED ENVIRONMENTS AT PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS SCHOOLS, UNIVERSITIES, TECHNICAL GARDENS, PARKS, AND CORPORATE CAMPUSES.
SO, PARKS FITS THAT DESCRIPTION.
I HAVE THREE DIFFERENT EXAMPLES HERE ON THE SLIDE.
WE HAVE, I'M A LITTLE BIASED, SO I CAP POLY POMONA,
IT'S USED IN A DIFFERENT WAY BY THE PEOPLE THAT USE THAT, THAT SPACE.
BUT IT'S MAINTAINED TO THAT INSTITUTIONAL STANDARD.
THEY HAVE DIFFERENT INPUTS, THEY HAVE DIFFERENT GENERAL REQUIREMENTS BASED ON THE LANDSCAPE TYPE THAT THEY USE, BUT OVERALL, IT'S A LANDSCAPE, IT'S AN INSTITUTIONAL LANDSCAPE.
AS PART OF THAT, THERE'S DIFFERENT GOALS THAT ARE LANDSCAPE SPECIFIC TYPE, RIGHT? SO WE DEAL WITH BIOTIC AND ABIOTIC STRESSES, MEANING LIVING AND NON-LIVING STRESSES.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS WITH AN EXAMPLE THAT WE DO, UH, THAT I'M USUALLY USE IS TREE, OUR TREES.
UM, THE GRID TRIP, THE GRID TREE TRIMMING IS A STRESS AS BENEFICIAL AS IT IS IN THE LONG RUN.
UM, IT'S STILL A STRESS TO THE TREE, BUT WE ALSO HAVE THE BIOTIC STRESS OF, OF PESTS AND, UM, DROUGHT, RIGHT? SO WE'VE BEEN ON DROUGHT FOR THE LAST 10, 15 YEARS.
UM, WE'VE BEEN BLESSED TO HAVE, UM, WET WINNERS IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, BUT IT'S STILL, WE'RE STILL WAY BEHIND THE BAR OF WHERE WE NEED TO BE IN TERMS OF OUR DROUGHT.
UM, THE OTHER THING WE DEAL WITH IS VANDALISM.
SO WE HAVE A, I HAVE A PHOTO UP HERE OF A TREE THAT WAS FOR SOME ODD REASON, I COULDN'T TELL YOU THE, THE ACTUAL MOTIVATION OF IT, BUT SOMEBODY JUST DECIDED TO SHAVE OFF THE PART OF THE TREE.
IT'S NOT BENEFICIAL TO THE TREE.
UM, WHY PEOPLE DO THIS, I CAN, I CAN'T TELL YOU.
UM, THE OTHER, THE OTHER EXAMPLE IS OUR LAKES.
SO WE, WE TRY TO SUPPRESS WEED AND ALGA POPULATIONS IN OUR LAKES.
IT'S THOSE SAME BIOTIC AND ABIOTIC STRESSES PLAY A ROLE INTO THESE LAKES.
SO THE HIGHER TEMPERATURES IS A ABIOTIC STRESS, RIGHT? UM, THAT CAUSES THE WATER TEMPERATURES TO GO UP, WHICH, UM, REMOVES OXYGEN FROM THE SOIL, FROM THE, UH, NOT SO THE WATER.
UM, SO IT CAN LEAD TO FISH KILLS, IT CAN LEAD TO, UM, UH, ALGAL, UH, HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS, IF NOT PROPERLY MANAGED.
THE OTHER CHALLENGE THAT WE DEAL WITH IS OUR BULL RUSH.
UM, AND, UH, THE PLATE, THE PLANT, PLANT TECTONIC ALGAE, SORRY, EXCUSE ME.
UM, IN THAT, THOSE ARE BIO STRESSES.
BULL RUSH CUTS OFF THE, OUR, OUR WATER CIRCULATION.
SO IF, IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN TO EL DORADO, UH, REGIONAL, AND YOU TRY TO GO ACROSS THE WATER DIP, THE REASON IT'S NOT MOVING IS BECAUSE THAT THAT BULL RUSH AND THAT VEGETATION CUTS OFF THAT, THAT STREAM.
SO IT'S DESIGNED TO FLOW, BUT CURRENTLY CAN'T BECAUSE OF THAT
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THICK, THAT, UH, THICK VEGETATION, THE ALGAE FEEDS OFF, RIGHT? THE SUNLIGHT, THE SILENT BACTERIA AND ALL THAT.SO WE'RE ALWAYS, IT'S ALWAYS PRESENT.
IT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TO MANAGE IN ORDER TO PREVENT, UM, A FISH PILL, AN ALGAL BLOOM, TO WHERE IT'S MORE DETRIMENTAL TO THE PUBLIC.
SO THE OTHER THING IS, WE HAVE NOT HAD AN ALGAL BLOOM SINCE 2022.
SO KNOCK ON WOOD, WE DON'T KEEP GOING.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE ATHLETIC FIELDS, UM, OR WE'RE TRYING TO PROMOTE THE TURF GROWTH AND THE SAFETY OF THE FIELDS BECAUSE THEY'RE USED AT ANY GIVEN WEEKEND AT EACH FIELD, CLOSE TO 800 KIDS.
I KNOW EL DORADO RIGHT HERE, LOS ALTOS HAS MORE THAN 800 KIDS ON IN THEIR LEAGUE.
SO MULTIPLY THAT BY, UM, ALL THE LEAGUES THAT ARE, WE HAVE WITHIN OUR PARKS, UH, SYSTEM, AND THAT'S HOW MANY KIDS ARE USING 'EM ON THE WEEKEND.
WE ALSO MAINTAIN THE, THE LIBRARIES, THE POLICE STATIONS, AND THE HISTORIC SITES, WHICH REQUIRE, THEY HAVE MORE HIGH END PLANTINGS, WHICH REQUIRE MORE INPUT.
SO MORE LABOR, MORE MATERIALS, MORE NUTRIENTS, WATER, UM, ET CETERA.
BUT IT REQUIRES THAT INPUT BECAUSE THEY'RE EXPECTING THAT TYPE OF, OF MAINTENANCE.
THE OTHER THING WE HAVE ARE THE NATURALIZED OPEN SPACES, SUCH AS FOREST WETLANDS, UM, ONCE ESTABLISHED.
AND THAT'S KIND OF THE KEY COMPONENT TO IT, IS ONCE ESTABLISHED, ESPECIALLY FOR, UH, DEVELOPING A NEW SITE, IT REQUIRES LESS INPUT.
UM, MEANING WE DON'T HAVE TO MAINTAIN IT AS MUCH.
UM, WE DON'T REQUIRE AS MUCH, UH, NUTRIENTS, UH, PRODUCTS, JUST ANY TYPE OF LOVE THAT WE WANT TO GIVE IT, WE DON'T, DOESN'T REQUIRE AS MUCH BECAUSE IT'LL TAKE CARE OF ITSELF.
SO IN THE PHOTOS, WE HAVE THE TWO DIFFERENT, THE TWO DIFFERENT EXAMPLES OF AN ATHLETIC FIELD AND THE FOREST WETLANDS.
BOTH OF THOSE PARTS, COOLIDGE AND FOREST, ARE ON THE SAME SIDE OF THE CITY.
SO YOU CAN HAVE THAT, THAT DIFFERENCE IN, UH, IN LANDSCAPE THERE.
SO NOW HOW DO WE COMBINE THE, YOU KNOW, THE URBAN AND NATURAL CORRIDORS? UH, THIS REQUIRES DILIGENT OVERSIGHT OF PROGRAMS TO MEET THE GOALS OF ALL USERS OF PARKLANDS.
SO WE HAVE HALF A MILLION RESIDENTS, ENVIRONMENTALLY, ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREAS, AND THERE'S STILL A DESIRE FOR RECREATIONAL SPACE.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE GET TO DO WHATEVER WE WANT.
WE HAVE, WE REPORT TO COWFISH AND WILDLIFE, THE DEPARTMENT OF PESTICIDE REGULATION.
WE, UH, REPORT TO THE REGIONAL WATER QUALITY BOARD JUST TO NAME A FEW AGENCIES THAT WE DEAL WITH.
AN EXAMPLE OF, YOU KNOW, COMBINING THE URBAN AND NATURAL CORRIDOR IS DAVEN THE DAVENPORT EXPANSION PROJECT.
SO FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW, THAT PART WAS BUILT ON TOP OF ATLANTA.
SO IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO ACTUALLY TRY TO, UM, REMEDIATE THAT WITH, WITHOUT GOING THROUGH THE REGULATIONS.
NOW WE'VE COMBINED THE NATURAL URBAN CORRIDORS BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE IN THE PHOTO WE HAVE AN ATHLETIC FIELD.
YOU CAN PLAY FOOTBALL, YOU CAN PLAY SOCCER, POTENTIALLY RUGBY, WHO KNOWS? UM, BUT YOU CAN USE IT FOR ALL OF DIFFERENT PURPOSES.
THEN YOU ALSO HAVE THE WALKING TRAILS.
THERE'S A WALKING PATH ALL THE WAY AROUND WITH, WITH EXERCISE EQUIPMENT.
BUT ALSO PART OF THAT IS THE NATIVE PLANTINGS THAT TOOK PLACE.
SO THOSE TYPES OF, OF, UM, STANDARDS ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED TO DO DESIGNS SO THAT, UH, THERE'S A, UH, A NEED, UH, UH, SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY AT A PARK, WHETHER YOU'RE GOING FOR A WALK, WHETHER YOU WANT TO USE IT FOR A SOCCER GAME, UM, A FOOTBALL GAME, YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE SOMETHING THERE, RIGHT? ESPECIALLY WHEN IN AREAS THAT ARE PART POOR, THIS BECOMES MUCH MORE IMPORTANT.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS MACARTHUR PARK.
SO THE NEW DESIGN IMPLEMENTED AN OPEN SPACE CONCEPT WITH NATIVE PLANT PALETTE.
THE NATIVE PLANT PALETTE ENCOURAGES POLLINATOR ACTIVITY.
AND ONCE THE PLANT MATERIAL IS ESTABLISHED, LESS INPUT IS REQUIRED.
SO, SIMILAR TO WHAT I SAID, LIKE THAT NATURALIZED OPEN SPACE, ONCE THE PLANT IS WELL ESTABLISHED, IT'S, UM, DEVELOPED ROOTS, IT CAN SUSTAIN ITSELF.
IT DOES REQUIRE SOME INPUT, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE GIVE IT AS MUCH INPUT COMPARED TO LIKE, UH, LIKE IF WE'RE CUTTING GRASS.
SO THE TWO PHOTOS THERE, YOU HAVE THE BEFORE AND AFTERS, WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE BEFORE AND WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE AFTER.
SO LIKE I MENTIONED BEFORE, APART IN MOST CASES, AND ESPECIALLY FOR MYSELF, IT WAS AN OPEN SPACE, AN OPEN FIELD, UM, MAYBE SOME SOCCER FIELDS, MAYBE SOME BASEBALL FIELDS, SOME BENCHES, BUT NORTH PART, THAT'S KIND OF WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE.
AND YOU CAN DRIVE ACROSS THE COUNTY AND THEN THEY'LL LOOK ABOUT THE SAME.
WELL, NOW THAT'S THE NEW, THAT'S THE NEW STANDARD THAT WE'RE TRYING TO IMPLEMENT, RIGHT? IMPROVING
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RECREATIONAL SPACES IN PART HORSE AREAS OF THE CITY, BUT ALSO THAT CAN PROMOTE NATIVE, UH, NATIVE PLANTINGS AND REDUCE OUR OVERALL FINANCIAL BURDEN OF MAINTAINING THESE, THESE TYPES OF, UH, LANDSCAPES.SO WE HAVE A PICTURE OF WRIGLEY REBUILD.
WELL, WELL GROWN IN, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO.
THAT'S THE GOAL, BECAUSE IF WE GET TO HERE, IT REDUCES OUR WHEAT POPULATION.
IT REDUCES OUR OVERALL WATER COST AND OUR OVERALL LABOR NEED.
SO THERE'S SOME, LIKE IN THIS PHOTO, THERE'S STILL SOME MAINTENANCE THAT REQUIRE, UH, THAT'S REQUIRED, SUCH AS, UM, KEEPING THE TRAIL CLEAN, MAKING SURE THAT, UH, THE TRAIL IS ACCESSIBLE, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, IT KIND OF TAKES CARE OF ITSELF.
SO THE LANDSCAPE STANDARD AND PEST MANAGEMENT.
OKAY, PEST CONTROL HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN ACCOMPLISHED BY A VARIETY OF METHODS, INCLUDING MECHANICAL, PHYSICAL, AND CHEMICAL.
WEEDS ARE TYPICALLY THE LARGEST PERCENTAGE OF PEST ISSUES IN THE LANDSCAPE WHEN COMPARED TO, UH, INSECTS, DISEASES, NEMATODES, SO ON AND SO FORTH.
THE CURRENT CURRENT INDUSTRY SYSTEM HAS BEEN IN PLACE SINCE THE SEVENTIES, WHICH IS RIGHT AROUND THE TIME WHEN GLYPHOSATE WAS, WAS, UH, REGISTERED, WHICH IS ROUNDUP.
UM, PREVIOUS SYSTEMS USED CHEMICALS THAT WERE VERIFIED TOXICANTS AND HAD TO BE USED IN SUBSTANTIAL QUANTITIES.
SO IN THE PAST WE, IT WAS VERY COMMON TO USE THINGS LIKE TYPES OF CHEMICALS LIKE ORGAN PHOSPHATES, WHICH ARE MUCH MORE TOXIC, UM, NOT JUST OF OURSELVES, BUT THE, THE ENVIRONMENT AS WELL.
AND IT WAS THE MENTALITY OF IF A LITTLE BIT'S GOOD, MORE IS BETTER.
WELL, THAT'S NOT THE CASE ANYMORE, AND THAT'S NOT THE STANDARD.
IT'S ACTUALLY AGAINST THE LAW TO GO AGAINST THE LABEL, AND WE'LL GET THAT, WE'LL GET TO THAT IN A MINUTE.
UM, BUT WEEDS CAN BE INVASIVE AND CAN TAKE OVER LANDSCAPES IF LEFT UNMANAGED.
IT'S JUST A NATURAL PROCESS OF NATURE TO JUST WHAT THEY CALL PRIMARY SUCCESSION.
SECONDARY SUCCESS SUCCESSION, ESPECIALLY AFTER, UM, UH, AREAS ARE ESSENTIALLY DESTROYED.
BUT FOR OURSELVES, WE HAVE NOT USED GLYPHOSATE SINCE 2018.
SO, INTEGRATED PEST MANAGER, THIS IS THE WHOLE PHILOSOPHY ACROSS THE INDUSTRY.
IT'S NOT JUST HERE IN LONG BEACH, BUT ACROSS THE INDUSTRY.
UM, IN TERMS OF HOW WE MANAGE PESTS.
INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT IS A SCIENCE-BASED PROCESS FOR MANAGING PESTS THAT COMBINES BIOLOGICAL, CULTURAL, PHYSICAL, AND CHEMICAL STRATEGIES TO PREVENT OR MINIMIZE DAMAGE, FOCUSING ON LONG-TERM PREVENTION WITH MINIMAL RISK TO HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT.
THE GOAL OF INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT IS REALLY TO REDUCE THE OVERALL NEED TO SPRAY.
NOW, AN IPM PROGRAM, UM, CONSISTS OF THE FOLLOWING, UM, UM, PARTS.
SO YOU MONITOR AND IDENTIFY PESTS.
IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT, YOU CAN'T JUST GO OUT AND APPLY WHATEVER IT IS THAT YOU THINK NEEDS TO BE APPLIED.
IDENTIFYING THE PEST IS, IS THE KEY COMPONENT TO THIS WHOLE PROGRAM, BECAUSE IF YOU'RE NOT, IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT, YOU'RE GOING TO APPLY THE WRONG THING AND POTENTIALLY DO THE, DO THE WRONG SET OF CONTROL AND EXACERBATE THE PROBLEM.
UM, WHAT IT MEANS IS A STANDARD THAT WHICH ACTION IS TAKEN TO CONTROL PEST POPULATIONS, LAYMAN'S TERMS, AT WHAT POINT CAN WE SUSTAIN ECONOMIC DAMAGE AND LEAVE THE PEST ALONE.
SO AT WHAT POINT DO WE TREAT THAT? DEPENDS ON THE LANDSCAPE, AND IT DEPENDS ON, ON YOUR OVERALL SCENARIO.
SO FOR OURSELVES, I MEAN, IF WE GET, LET'S SAY GRUBS IN THE, IN, IN THE, IN THE, IN THE TURF AREAS, IT'S NOT THAT BIG A DEAL.
IT'LL GROW BACK, UM, ON A GOLF COURSE, ON A PROFESSIONAL SOCCER FIELD, THAT'S DETRIMENTAL IN THAT, UM, THERE'S A CERTAIN STANDARD SET IN TERMS OF PLAYABILITY FOR THAT SPORT.
SO IF WE'RE TALKING LIKE A, A PROFESSIONAL SOCCER FIELD, UM, IF YOU START GETTING DEAD PATCHES ACROSS, ACROSS THE STADIUM FIELD, LIKE AT, UH, I DON'T KNOW, COLISEUM OR, OR AT, UH, WHAT'S IT CALLED NOW? DIGNITY HEALTH SPORTS PARK.
UM, IT BECOMES A SAFETY HAZARD FOR, FOR THOSE PLAYERS AND AT A HIGHER LEVEL, RIGHT? THE TEAM HAS MADE THAT INVESTMENT IN THOSE PLAYERS.
SO THEY WANT A PRISTINE PLAYING SURFACE.
SO IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY APPLY AND HOW THEY APPLY, UM, THE, THE THRESHOLD IS VERY MINIMAL.
IT CAN ONLY SUSTAIN SO MUCH DAMAGE BEFORE THEY HAVE TO GO AND, AND APPLY IT.
[00:35:01]
THE DAMAGE IS REALLY HOW MUCH ARE THEY GONNA SPEND TO REPAIR IT.SO THE OTHER PORTION OF IT OF IPM IS PREVENTION.
SO PLANT SELECTIONS AND DESIGNS ARE COMMON METHODS FOR CONTROLLING PESTS.
IF YOU CAN GET TO IT BEFORE IT BECOMES A PROBLEM, EVEN BETTER.
SO IN THE, IN LIKE THE EIGHTIES, IT WAS COMMON OUT HERE TO USE A TURF CALLED KINSKI BLUEGRASS.
IT'S MUCH MORE COMMON IN LIKE THE NORTHERN STATES BECAUSE IT GETS COLD, IT CAN RECOVER.
WE'LL GET, THAT'S A WHOLE OTHER CONVERSATION, BUT IT'S MORE COMMON THERE.
IT'S NOT USED OUT HERE BECAUSE WHAT WE FOUND WAS IT'S MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO PESTS CALLED RUST.
RUST LOOKS QUITE LITERALLY LIKE OXIDATION ON METAL.
UM, IF YOU SEE IT, YOU IF, IF YOU SEE IT ON THE PLANT, YOU KNOW IT'S, IT'S RUST.
UM, BUT IT ALSO REQUIRES A LOT OF WATER.
SO HOW TO PREVENT RUST IS TWO WAYS.
UM, A LOT OF FERTILIZER AND SPRAY, WELL, NOT EVERYBODY AT THEIR, AT THEIR HOME DOES THAT AND REALLY DON'T WANT TO DO THAT.
SO THE SHIFT IN THE PARADIGM WAS, OKAY, LET'S CHANGE TO A DIFFERENT TYPE OF TURF THAT CAN BE MORE SUCCESSFUL OUT HERE WITH LESS INPUT.
SO, SUCH AS WE HAVE TOUGH CUSS OUT HERE, ST AUGUSTINE'S, COCOA GRASS, BERMUDA GRASS, WHATEVER IT IS THAT YOU WANNA PUT AT YOUR HOME OR IN A PARK, THAT'S KIND OF THE, THE, THE MENTALITY THAT WENT THAT WAY.
BUT LIKE I SAID, IF YOU CAN PREVENT IT, THAT'S PROBABLY THE BEST.
NOW, IF YOU CAN'T PREVENT IT AND YOU GET TO THE POINT TO WHERE YOU HAVE TO CONTROL IT, WHAT METHOD ARE YOU GONNA USE? RIGHT? THERE'S BIOLOGICALS WHERE, UM, LIKE, LIKE PRAYING MANTIS AND LADYBUGS THAT MOST COMMONLY USE, THAT MOST PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF, UM, THAT CAN NOT GO OUT AND YOU CAN PUT 'EM OUT AND THEY'LL CONTROL SOME PE, NOT ALL OF 'EM, BUT SOME ARE WE GONNA USE CHEMICAL APPLICATIONS.
AND THEN AT THAT POINT, IT'S HOW DO YOU, HOW DO YOU APPLY 'EM? THERE'S, YOU USE A BACKPACK SPRAYER WHERE YOU SPOT SPRAY.
ARE YOU GONNA BROADCAST? ARE YOU GONNA PUT OUT GRANULARS? I MEAN, WE CAN GET INTO THE NITTY GRITTY OF IT, BUT ESSENTIALLY THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT METHODS IN TERMS OF BROADCAST APPLICATION OF PESTICIDES.
THAT'S ALWAYS THE LAST RESORT.
AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS WE'RE SPRAYING.
IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE GONNA SPRAY BROAD, UH, BROADCAST APPLICATION, YOU'RE SPRAYING WALL TO WALL, YOU'RE SPRAYING EVERYTHING.
IT'S ONE, IT'S, THERE ARE REALLY NO NEED FOR IT.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT CAN BE EASILY DONE ON A, ON A TERM OF A DIME, RIGHT? UM, ONCE THE ACT, THE ONCE THE, THE, UH, CONTROL METHOD HAS BEEN APPLIED, AND, UM, WE GO SOME, SOME TIME WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR.
SO YOU ASSESS, ASSESS, AND YOU KEEP QUESTIONING.
DID THE APPLICATION WORK? ARE METHODS WORKING? SHOULD WE CHANGE ANYTHING? AND IF IT WAS SUCCESSFUL, DO WE NEED TO DO IT AGAIN? IF IT WASN'T SUCCESSFUL, WHERE DID WE FAIL? WHAT CAN WE DO DIFFERENT? UM, WHAT CAN WE CHANGE IN OUR PROGRAM TO MAKE IT MAKE IT BETTER AND MORE EFFECTIVE? NOW, IF WE'RE DOING A CHEMICAL APPLICATION AND CHEMICAL, ALL CHEMICALS USED BY THE CITY AND IN THE PARKS DEPARTMENT ARE REVIEWED BEFORE THEY BECOME OUR I PRO PART OF OUR IPN PROGRAM.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE WE GET, WE WANT TO CONTROL WEEDS, FOR EXAMPLE.
WE DON'T JUST GO OUT AND BUY WHAT'S OFF THE SHELF.
WE DON'T JUST GO AND, UH, PICK SOMETHING WITHOUT REALLY RESEARCHING IT.
UM, IT TAKES A LOT OF THOUGHT, A LOT OF RESEARCH TO DECIDE WHICH METHOD WE'RE GONNA GO WITH.
NOW THERE'S A WHOLE REGULATORY COMPONENT TO, UM, CHEMICAL APPLICATIONS.
CALIFORNIA IS THE INDUSTRY STANDARD FOR PESTICIDE OVERSIGHT.
THE STANDARDS THAT ARE SET BY OTHER STATES, BY OTHER COUNTRIES REALLY STARTED WITH CALIFORNIA BEFORE A PESTICIDE IS REGISTERED IN, IN, IN, IN THE UNITED STATES, RIGHT BEFORE IT'S REGISTERED IN CALIFORNIA, IT'S PROBABLY REGISTERED EVERYWHERE ELSE.
SO WE'RE ALWAYS THE LAST ONE TO REGISTER SOMETHING, AND I'LL SHARE OUR STORY.
WE JUST CAME BACK FROM THE LANDSCAPE EXPO.
THERE WAS A, A VENDOR THERE THAT WAS PROMOTING A BIO HERBICIDE THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE REALLY SAFE, REALLY EFFECTIVE.
SO I ASKED, IS IT REGISTERED? THEY'RE STILL NOT REGISTERED YET, BUT THEY'RE REGISTERED EVERYWHERE ELSE.
SO THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT JUST MEANS I CAN'T USE IT, RIGHT? CAN'T USE IT, NOBODY, I CAN'T USE IT.
THE PUBLIC CAN'T GET, CAN'T HAVE ACCESS TO IT.
NOBODY CAN BUY IT IN CALIFORNIA LEGALLY.
[00:40:01]
SO THAT'S THE TYPE OF OVERSIGHT THAT CALIFORNIA HACKS, IT'S MOST STRINGENT STANDARDS REQUEST THAT REGISTRATION AND USE.AND THERE'S, FOR OUR PARTICULAR INDUSTRY, THERE'S THREE CERTIFICATIONS THAT, THAT REALLY APPLY TO US.
THE FIRST IS A PESTICIDE, A PEST CONTROL ADVISOR, AND WHAT THAT, WHAT THAT PERSON IS, AND THE PERSON WHO HOLDS THAT, THAT CERTIFICATION, ESSENTIALLY IT'S A PLANT DOCTOR.
THEY CAN GO OUT AND WRITE A RECOMMENDATION FOR ANY PARTICULAR PEST, RIGHT? WHETHER IT'S A FUNGUS, BACTERIA, NEMATODES, SO ON AND SO FORTH.
THEN WE HAVE TWO TYPES OF, UH, QUALIFIED APPLICATORS.
THE FIRST IS A QUALIFIED APPLICATOR'S LICENSE, WHICH IS WHAT I HOLD.
UM, IT GIVES ME THE ABILITY TO TRAIN MY STAFF TO OVERSEE PESTICIDE APPLICATIONS AND TO APPLY FOR, UM, UH, RESTRICTED MATERIALS PERMITS IF NEEDED.
THE QUALIFIED APPLICATOR CERTIFICATE, UM, REALLY JUST GIVES THE, THE, THE HOLDER OF THAT CERTIFICATE, THE ABILITY TO GO OUT AND AVOID THE PES HANDLERS TRAINING EVERY YEAR.
SO THAT JUST MEANS THEY'RE QUALIFIED, THEY'RE TRAINED, AND, UH, THEY CAN APPLY THOSE PES, THOSE, THOSE PRODUCTS.
BUT THERE'S ALSO A, THERE CONTINUING EDUCATION PORTION TO IT.
SO IT'S NOT THAT ONCE YOU HAVE THE CERTIFICATE OR THE LICENSE THAT YOU'RE DONE, IT'S OVER WITH.
YOU HAVE TO CONTINUE YOUR EDUCATION, YOU HAVE TO CONTINUE THOSE, THOSE CONTINUING EDUCATION HOURS, AND THEY HAVE TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE STATE.
SO THE OTHER PORTION OF IT, IF YOU DON'T HOLD THOSE, THOSE, UH, CERTIFICATES OR THE LICENSE, AND LET'S SAY Y'ALL WORK FOR ME, UH, YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH, UM, PES PSYCH HANDLERS TRAINING ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
SO LET'S SAY WE HAVE DELIVERY HERE OF PESTICIDES.
PICK YOUR, PICK WHICHEVER ONE YOU WANT.
UM, IF IT WAS RIGHT HERE IN THE ROOM AND YOU HADN'T GONE THROUGH THAT TRAINING, NOBODY COULD TOUCH THAT, THAT PRODUCT.
AND THAT MEANS EVEN IF IT'S IN THE BOX, EVEN IF IT'S SEALED, SARA WRAPPED, NOBODY CAN TOUCH IT, RIGHT? UNTIL YOU HAVE THAT TRAINING, THAT IS AGAINST THE LAW TO TOUCH THAT, TOUCH THAT PRODUCT.
ALL OF MY STAFF GOES THROUGH THAT TRAINING EVERY YEAR, INCLUDING OUR CONTRACT.
THE OTHER, UH, REGULATORY COMPONENT OF IT IS THE LOS ANGELES, UH, AGRICULTURE COMMISSION'S OFFICE OVERSEES THE LOCAL APPLICATIONS.
SO MONTHLY REPORTS ARE SUBMITTED, ANNUAL SITE AND RECORDS INSPECTION IS DONE EVERY YEAR.
AND THEY CAN HAVE, THEY HAVE THE POWER TO DO UNANNOUNCED INSPECTIONS.
SO EVEN AS WE SPEAK RIGHT NOW, THEY CAN GO TO, TO MY OFFICE AND DEMAND THAT THEY SEE THE, THE PES RECORDS AND THE TRAINING RECORDS, AND WHOEVER'S THERE HAS TO OPEN UP THAT BOOK.
WE CAN'T SAY ANYTHING AGAINST IT, IT JUST HAS TO BE PRESENTED.
NOW IN CALIFORNIA, EVERY STATE'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT, BUT IN CALIFORNIA, THE LABEL IS THE LAW, AND THE LAW IS THE LABEL.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? THERE'S NO SPECIFIC LAW THAT SAYS, OKAY, THIS PRODUCT DOES THIS, AND YOU CAN DO THIS WITH IT.
TO DEVIATE FROM THE LABEL IS BREAKING THE LAW.
SO IF THE LABEL SAYS YOU CAN APPLY, UH, WHAT IS IT? UM, THE MIX IS ONE OUNCE PER PER GALLON, AND YOU DECIDE, WELL, I'M GONNA DO FIVE OUNCES PER GALLON.
ON THE EXAMPLE THAT I HAVE HERE ON THE, ON THE SLIDE, IT'S A, IT'S A COMMON, UH, LABEL THAT WE USE FOR PESTICIDE TRAINING.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS AT THE TOP SAYS IT'S A GREENHOUSE AND NURSERY INSECTICIDE, MEANING I CAN'T USE IT IN THE PARK.
IF I WERE TO USE IT IN THE PARK, I'M BREAKING THE LAW.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE DO.
AND THIS IS REGULATED BECAUSE I HAVE TO SUBMIT THAT REPORT.
AND IF I WERE TO BUY IT, THAT REPORT GETS ALSO SENT TO THE COMMISSION OFFICE.
SO THEY KNOW WHERE THESE, WHERE THESE PRODUCTS ARE GOING.
NOW, OUT OF ALL THE HIGHLIGHTED ITEMS THERE, THERE'S A PARTICULAR WORD THAT, UH, I WANNA FOCUS ON, AND THAT IS THAT CAUTION WORD THAT ISN'T CALLED THE SIGNAL WORD, WHICH ALL PESTICIDES HAVE.
SO WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THE SIGNAL WORDS.
THE SIGNAL WORD IS AN INDICATION OF THE TOXICITY OR HARMFULNESS OF THE PESTICIDE.
THERE ARE THREE WORDS, DANGER, WARNING, OR CAUTION.
AND THEY INDICATE IF THE PESTICIDE IS VERY TOXIC, MODERATELY TOXIC, OR SLIGHTLY TOXIC.
THE OTHER PART, PART, THAT'S LIKE DANGER B OR DANGER A, IT'S DANGER, POISON.
AND THAT'S QUITE LITERALLY A POISON.
THAT'S, IT'S A PRODUCT THAT'S BEEN LABELED AS A POISON.
[00:45:02]
SO IF YOU'RE EVER APPLYING A PRODUCT, GONNA DETECT YOUR OWN HOME, YOU KNOW, READ LABELS, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT SO THAT YOU KNOW YOU HAVE THE INFORMATION FOR YOU IN FRONT OF YOU.IF WE ARE DOING THE APPLICATIONS, THE LABEL HAS TO BE PRESENT WITH US.
UM, SO IF THE AD COMMISSIONER COMES OUT AND SAYS, HEY, AND SEE, SEE'S DOING AN APPLICATION, LEMME SEE.
THE LABEL PRESENTS IT RIGHT THERE, AND THEN THERE'S A LOT OF REGULATION THAT GOES WITH IT.
BUT IN TERMS OF THIS, AS YOU GO HIGHER UP, DANGER, WARNING AND DANGER, POISON, YOU KNOW, YOU KIND OF, WHERE YOUR RISK LEVEL IS, AND THAT SIGNAL WORD ACTUALLY WILL TELL YOU HOW MUCH MORE PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT YOU NEED.
SO THE BARE MINIMUM IN CALIFORNIA IS LONG SLEEVES, LONG PANTS, UH, SHOES AND SOCKS, YOUR GLOVES AND EYE PROTECTION.
AND THE EYE PROTECTION IS VERY PARTICULAR, INCLUDING THE GLOVES.
ALSO, THE LABEL WILL TELL YOU WHAT KIND OF GLOVES YOU HAVE TO, YOU NEED, WHETHER IT'S, UH, NITRILE, UH, PVC, VITON, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF GLOVE MATERIALS, BUT THE LABEL WILL TELL YOU.
NOW THE EYE, THE EYE PROTECTION, UM, IS VERY PARTICULAR IN THAT IT HAS TO MEET A CERTAIN STANDARD.
AND THEREFORE LIKE, YEAH, I HAVE GLASSES ON RIGHT NOW.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN I CAN GO AND APPLY PESTICIDE.
AND THE PRIMARY, THE PRIMARY, UM, REQUIREMENT ON THE SAFETY GLASSES IS THE TOP PROTECTION.
SO THAT IF YOU GO ABOVE YOUR HEAD, FIND MOST PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY MIX IN THEIR, THEY'RE READING THE, THE MEASURING CUP, IT'S ABOVE THEIR EYES.
THEY'RE, YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO HAVE IT ABOVE THAT, BUT THEY MAKE THE MISTAKE AND THEY GO ABOVE THEIR EYES.
PROTECTS, PROTECTS, UH, THEIR EYES FROM GOING, UH, THROUGH.
SO THE CURRENT PROGRAM, UH, WE CURRENTLY USE GLUFOSINATE AMMONIA, YET IT SOUNDS LIKE GLYPHOSATE DOESN'T, IT'S NOT GLYPHOSATE ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
THE TWO COMMON PRODUCTS THAT ARE USED ARE CHEETAH PRO AND LIFELINE.
IT'S A NON-SELECTIVE HERBICIDE.
IT HAS NO SYSTEMIC PROPERTIES, MEANING IF I HAVE A BUSH IN FRONT OF ME AND I SPRAY HALF OF IT, ONLY THAT HALF, UM, DIES OFF.
IT DOESN'T HAVE THAT, THAT CAPABILITY TO TRANS TRANSLOCATE THROUGHOUT THE PLANT.
THE PRODUCT OVERALL IS EFFECTIVE, BUT IT REQUIRES MORE APPLICATIONS WHEN COMPARED TO GLYPHOSATE, BECAUSE GLYPHOSATE HAD THAT SYSTEMIC, UM, CAPABILITY.
CURRENTLY, IT IS THE INDUSTRY STANDARD FOR NON-SELECTIVE WEED CONTROL.
THERE ARE OTHER PRODUCTS SIMILAR TO THIS, BUT THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST, THE MOST COMMON OUT THERE RIGHT NOW.
ALTERNATIVES, IF WE WERE TO SWITCH TO ALTERNATIVES, WOULD INCREASE OUR OVERALL COST TO MAINTAIN THE SAME STANDARDS CURRENTLY IN PLACE.
SO MECHANICAL METHODS REQUIRE A LARGE LABOR FORCE, FORCE TO ACHIEVE, WHICH WE DON'T HAVE, AND THEY'RE HARD TO FIND TO GET THAT LABOR FORCE.
SO THE MIDDLE, THE MIDDLE PHOTO HAS, UH, A TEAM OUT THERE QUITE LITERALLY HAND, HAND PULLING WEEDS IN A, IN A, IN A FIELD.
WE TRIED THAT IN A PILOT PROJECT A FEW YEARS AGO.
YOU NEED A THREE, UH, IT'S A THREE WEEK INTERVAL, BUT IT'S VERY LABOR INTENSIVE AND THE, THE EQUIPMENT IS KIND OF BULKY TO LU AROUND.
THE OTHER PART IS PHYSICAL METHODS.
SO LARGE BATCHES OF LAND WOULD NEED TO BE RENOVATED IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THAT WEED CONTROL.
SO IN ORDER, IF WE WERE TO TAKE EL DORADO PARK, FOR EXAMPLE, PORTIONS OF IT AND JUST MULCH IT, WE NEED AT LEAST THREE INCHES OF MULCH.
SO YOU'RE REALLY GOING 4, 5, 6 INCHES.
OUR SPRINKLERS ONLY POP UP ABOUT YAY HIGH, ABOUT THREE, FOUR INCHES.
SO IF WE WERE TO REALLY, UM, TAKE THAT INITIATIVE AND MULCH FULL AREAS, UM, OUR IRRIGATION CAN'T WATER, UH, THOSE, THOSE AREAS BECAUSE THEY WON'T POP UP ABOVE THE MULCH.
SO IT'S A LOT OF THOUGHT AND IMPLEMENTATION TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
OTHER MATERIALS, THERE ARE ORGANIC PRODUCTS OUT THERE, SUCH AS SUPPRESS AND FIREWORKS.
AND THESE ARE THE TWO MOST COMMON RIGHT NOW.
SUPPRESS HAS A WARNING LABEL ON IT, WHICH MEANS IT'S MORE, MORE TOXIC THAN A CAUTION LABEL.
THE FIREWORKS IS A, HAS, IT'S A CAUTION LABEL, BUT EVEN IF IT'S ORGANIC,
[00:50:01]
IT STILL HAS THAT POTENTIAL TOXICITY.NOW, SALT AND VINEGAR IS SOMETHING THAT'S A LITTLE MORE COMMON NOW, BUT IT CAN DAMAGE SOIL.
AND IF YOU KNOW YOUR HISTORY, AND WHEN THE ROMANS CONQUERED CARTHAGE IN THAT C WAR, THE FIRST THING THEY DID AFTER THEY, AFTER THEY DEFEATED 'EM, WAS SALT THE FIELDS BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WANT THAT CIVILIZATION TO COME BACK.
IT IS VERY, IT'S VERY, UM, DETRIMENTAL TO SOIL AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO GET OUT OF IT ONCE IT'S IN THERE.
VINEGAR, UM, IS A DISINFECTANT.
I USE IT MYSELF IN LIKE, FOR MY LAUNDRY.
IT'S KNOWN TO, TO KILL OFF DIFFERENT TYPES OF FUNGUS.
THE WAY SOIL WORKS, ESPECIALLY IN THAT TOP LAYER IN THAT PHOTO, IS THE, THE, THE FUNGUS, THE BENEFICIAL FUNGUS IN THE SOIL IS WHAT RELEASES THE NUTRIENTS TO ALL THE PLANT MATERIAL.
WHETHER IT'S TREES, SHRUBS, TURF.
THEY BREAK DOWN EVERYTHING AND RELEASE IT SO THAT THE PLANTS HAVE IT AVAILABLE.
SO IT'S NOT THAT WE HAVEN'T THOUGHT ABOUT THIS.
SO THE CITY HAS A LARGE AND DIVERSE INSTITUTIONAL LANDSCAPE PORTFOLIO.
ADVANCES IN TECHNOLOGY WILL ASSIST IN MANAGING A LARGE SCOPE OF WORK AS THEY COME ABOUT.
CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE TO DESIGN STANDARDS IN MANY AREAS OF PARK DEVELOPMENT, AND THE CITY STILL, UH, NEEDS TO USE THE TOOLS AVAILABLE TO MAINTAIN THE STANDARDS THAT THE PUBLIC HAS COME TO EXPECT.
I TAKE WHAT WE DO VERY SERIOUSLY.
MY TEAM TAKES IT VERY SERIOUSLY.
I BRING MY KIDS TO THESE PARKS.
HECK, MY SON THINKS THAT RECREATION, THAT, UH, THE DINOSAUR PLAYGROUND IS HIS
SO I CARE VERY MUCH ABOUT WHAT WE DO AND WE TAKE IT VERY SERIOUSLY.
WE WANT TO PRESENT THESE PARKS AS THE BEST IN THE AREA.
I'M VERY COMPETITIVE, SO IF SOMEBODY ELSE IS DOING SOMETHING BETTER, I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT IT.
'CAUSE I WANT TO SEE IF WE CAN IMPLEMENT IT OR EVEN IMPROVE ON IT.
UH, YOU GUYS TAKING THE TIME TO LISTEN TO ME.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
UH, BEFORE WE GET TO ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION FROM THE COMMISSIONER MEMBERS, WE'D LIKE THE PUBLIC TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS, UH, AND, UH, ANYTHING THAT YOU WANNA SAY, UH, AND TALK ABOUT, LET SEE.
PLEASE REMEMBER TO GIVE US YOUR NAME, UH, IF YOU'RE GOING TO SPEAK AND REMEMBER THAT YOU HAVE A MAXIMUM OF THREE MINUTES.
UM, PART OF WHAT THE GRAY PANTHERS DOES IS OUR ENVIRONMENTAL MISSION IS WE DO WORK.
WE'VE DONE WORK ON THE URBAN FOREST AND THE OPEN SPACE PLANS WITH THE OLDER ADULTS.
THE OLDER ADULTS, MOST OF THEM HAVE GRANDCHILDREN.
WE'VE ALSO DONE WORK ON CHEMICALS ALONG THE FREEWAYS AND IN CHILDREN'S CANDY AND FOOD.
UM, WE WORK WITH THE CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY AND THE FOOD AND WATER WATCH ORGANIZATIONS.
THERE ARE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS.
WE ARE OPPOSED, AND AS SOMEONE WHO'S OLD ENOUGH TO REMEMBER DDT, THAT WAS REVEALED BY AN OLDER ANGRY WOMAN.
AND, UH, WE'VE TRIED TO SUPPRESS, THERE ARE SO MUCH ABOUT CHEMICALS THAT ARE BEING DISCOVERED EVERY DAY, AND I THANK YOU FOR THAT VERY THOROUGH AND DETAILED PRESENTATION.
UM, WE DON'T WANT ANY CHEMICALS IN OUR PARKS WHERE CHILDREN OR OLDER ADULTS MIGHT BE.
THEY'RE DETRIMENTAL TO OUR HEALTH.
AND THE UNITED STATES IS WAY BEHIND EUROPE AND THE CHEMICALS THAT WE BANNED, WE SAW THAT IN CHILDREN'S FOOD PRODUCTS, THINGS THAT, UM, THE EUROPEAN UNION BANNED YEARS AGO.
WE STILL HAVE IN OUR FOOD, WHICH WE'RE WORKING WITH ORGANIZATIONS TO GET THOSE CHEMICALS OUT OF OUR FOOD.
SO, UM, NO CHEMICALS, NATURAL MEANS.
AND, UM, WE, I HAVE BEEN THERE WHEN THE TREE BRANCHES HAVE FALLEN OFF AND HIT PEOPLE.
I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO MAINTAIN THE HEALTH OF OUR TREES, BUT IF THERE'S SOME OTHER WAYS THAT WE CAN DO IT, WE'RE OPPOSED TO CHEMICALS.
ANYONE ELSE? YES, BACK THERE WITH A HAND UP CO.
IS THAT DIANA CORUS? WRAP YOUR NAME PLEASE.
I LIVE ABOUT FOUR BLOCKS FROM HERE.
UH, I WAS IN THE MASTER'S PROGRAM IN FORESTRY IN 1975 IN HUMBOLDT.
I WORKED FOR MOUNT IN MOUNT SHASTA FOR THE FOREST SERVICE AS A TIMBER CRUISER, AND I DID 20 YEARS AS A MANAGER IN SATELLITE INDUSTRY
[00:55:01]
HERE IN TOWN.AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE I HAVE MORE THAN A CASUAL INTEREST IN PLANTS.
I THINK, LET'S SEE THE GOAL HERE TODAY.
WHAT I'M GONNA ASK YOU FOR IS A PILOT PROGRAM.
I'D LIKE TO SEE A PILOT PROGRAM WITH ALTERNATIVES TO PESTICIDES, PICK A PARK, ANY PARK, AND JUST GO FORTH AND MAKE A PLAN ON HOW TO DO IT WITHOUT POISONS AND CAPTURE THE COSTS.
UM, THE GOAL THAT I HEARD RAUL HAVE DISTURBS ME.
THE GOAL THAT HE STATED IS TO MEET THE GOALS OF ALL USERS OF PARKLANDS.
I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE WILDLIFE.
THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE YOUR PETS.
THEY ARE NOT LOOKING AT WHAT IS HEALTHIEST FOR MY DOG.
I DON'T BRING MY DOGS HERE BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO GO UNDER THE TREE, LIVE THEIR LIFE.
THEY GOT, UH, THEIR PAWS HAD AN ALLERGIC RESPONSE.
AND WHEN I TALKED TO OTHER PEOPLE ABOUT IT, THEY SAID, THAT'S BECAUSE THEY SPRAY AROUND THE TREES, THEY SPRAY POISONS.
SO I QUIT WALKING MY DOGS HERE.
I WANT ALL OF YOU TO GO AND DO YOUR OWN FIELD TEST.
IF YOU THINK THESE ARE HEALTHY PARTS, WHAT YOU SHOULD BE SEEING ARE BEES, LIZARDS, BUTTERFLIES.
I CHALLENGE YOU TO FIND A BEE, A LIZARD, OR A BUTTERFLY IN THESE PARKS.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE YOU'RE USING POISONS.
SO YOU'RE SAYING IT'S HEALTHY, IT LOOKS PRETTY, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO MOW EVERY WEEK.
YOU CAN MOW EVERY OTHER WEEK AND TAKE THE ALTERNATIVE WEEK AND WORK ON GETTING YOUR POISONS OUT OF HERE AND FINDING ANOTHER METHOD OF MAKING THIS A HEALTHY PARK.
SO I HOPE I HAVEN'T OVERRUN MY, AND I GUESS THE LAST THING I'D LIKE TO SAY IS A WEED.
WHEN I WAS IN FORESTRY, THEY HAD, THEY HAD A DEFINITION OF WEEDS, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS AMUSING.
IT'S A PLAN FOR WHICH MAN HAS YET TO DISCOVER ITS VALUE.
UH, I'D LIKE TO COMMENT THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED A NUMBER OF, UH, OF LETTERS AND CORRESPONDENCE, UH, THAT WILL BE, UM, REFLECTED IN THE RECORD AND ACCEPTED AS DELIVERED.
AND I KNOW YOU OFF ALL VOLUNTEERS, PHIL, ENOUGH STAFF, BUT THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL PRESENTATION.
AND YOUR NAME, PLEASE? OH, MY, UH, JILL BRENNAN, AND I'M A LONG TIME, UH, VOLUNTEER IN THE PARKS AND WAS A FORMER, UH, BOND BEACH, UH, SUSTAINABLE CITIES COMMISSIONER.
SO REALLY LOOKING AT SUSTAINABILITY AS WELL.
THOSE OF THOSE WHO WHO KNOW ME, POOR RAUL, HE HEARS FROM ME NOW.
AND THEN ONE OF MY CONCERNS, AND I WANTED TO KEEP IT LIGHT, BUT YOU KNOW, FOR MANY PEOPLE IN THIS CITY, OUR PARKS ARE OUR, OUR PLAYGROUNDS.
AND I THINK I, I MADE A COMMENT THAT WOULD WE TREAT OUR BACKYARD LIKE WE ARE TREATING OUR PARKS? I KNOW THAT STAFFING IS SHORT, MONEY IS SHORT, BUT AS I VISIT, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK, THE PARKS PICK UP TRASH AND TO LOOK FOR INTO WILDLIFE TO PICK UP FISHING LINES.
UM, I SEE OUR WORKERS WHO I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT WITHOUT PROPER PPE, I DON'T KNOW IF I'VE EVER SEEN A FACE MASK, UM, A FACE SHIELD OR A RESPIRATOR, BUT WHEN I GET OUT OF MY CAR, THEY'RE SPRAY ALL THIS, I'M SPEAKING MAINLY OF EL DORADO, UH, REGIONAL PARK KEYS, BOTH AREA TWO AND AREA THREE.
THEY'RE KILLING GRASS ALL ALONG, RIGHT? WHERE YOU HAVE TO GET OUT OF YOUR CAR, RIGHT? WHERE FROM MY STANDPOINT, GETTING THE GRANDKIDS OUT, GETTING THE DOGS OUT, WE HAVE TO WALK THROUGH THAT AGAIN.
THEY BROUGHT ABOUT DOGS, LOVE TREES, SO DO KIDS.
UM, SO I'M CONCERNED, NUMBER ONE, FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR STAFF.
AND I SEE WE'VE GOT 166 PARKS, BUT I DON'T SEE SAFE APPLICATION AND I RARELY SEE A WEED BEING SPRAYED.
IT IS USUALLY GRASS AND IT'S AROUND THE TREES.
WHAT'S REALLY DISTURBING TO ME IS WHEN IT'S AROUND ALL OF THE PICNIC TABLES THIS WIDE, WE DON'T KNOW WHEN IT WAS SPRAYED.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S STILL IN THE SOIL, AND YET WE'RE ASKING PEOPLE TO PICNIC.
WE'RE ASKING OUR DOGS TO, YOU KNOW, TO WALK OUR DOGS, UM, AROUND THE BATHROOMS. WHEN YOU STEP OUT, YOU'RE STEPPING INTO A A PILE OF PESTICIDES.
DO WE REALLY WANNA DO THAT AND BRING IT INTO OUR CARS, BRING IT INTO OUR HOMES.
BUT I ALSO WANNA SAY, I MEAN, I THINK OUR PARK, WE'RE INCREDIBLY FORTUNATE TO HAVE THE
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NUMBER OF PARKS THAT WE HAVE AND THE CARE THAT IT GETS.BUT JUST TO REALLY LOOK AT WHERE YOU'RE SPRAYING, WHY ARE WE SPRAYING GRASS? I'VE WATCHED THE GUYS DOING THIS.
THEY COULD BE USING A WEED LAMP JUST AS EASILY, UH, THE USE OF MULCH.
UM, I, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A PILOT PROGRAM AVAILABLE, TOTALLY PAID FOR, I THINK CORELESS ADDRESS.
WHY NOT DO IT IN ONE OF OUR PARKS AND THEN HAVE A COMPARISON.
I MEAN, I REALLY WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
I WANT TO THANK FOR, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU DO THAT JOB THOUGH,
WOULD YOU TREAT THE WAY WE'RE TREATING WHERE PEOPLE HAVE TO GET OUT? IT'S THREE MINUTES.
IS, WOULD YOU TREAT THE PARKS LIKE YOU WOULD TREAT YOUR BACKYARD? SO, THANK YOU.
UM, I THINK, UH, SHE WAS FIRST AND THEN I'LL GET YOU.
UM, GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS.
I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT ONE.
I'M HERE TODAY TO ASK FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND CREATING TWO HERBICIDE FREE MAINTENANCE PILOT PROGRAMS IN LONG BEACH.
ONE OF THEM AT MY LOCAL PARK, CES, WHERE CHAVEZ PARK.
SINCE FEBRUARY, 2024, I'VE WITNESSED AND HAVE DOCUMENTED REPEATED SPRAYING OF CHEETAH CROW AND HIGH USED PUBLIC SPACES, WALKING PATHS, PLAY GROUNDS, EVEN BARREN HILLS WITH NO WEEDS.
I'VE RECORDED SPRAYING DIRECTLY NEXT TO STORM DRINKS THAT FLOW TO THE OCEAN.
AND IN THE JOINT YOUTH SCHOOL AREA AT CESAR CHAVEZ PARK, AS EARLY AS 6:30 AM JUST BEFORE CHILDREN ARRIVE AT SCHOOL.
THE CITY'S OWN CONTRACT LANGUAGE STATES THAT CONTRACTORS MUST NOT USE ANYTHING THAT MAY RESULT IN POISONING OR HARMING ORGANISMS, BUT THAT IS NOT WHAT IS HAPPENING ON THE GROUND.
GLUFOSINATE AMMONIUM, THE ACTIVE INGREDIENT IN CHEETAH PRO HAS BEEN LINKED TO THE LONG-TERM NEURODEVELOPMENTAL EFFECTS IN CHILDREN AT LOW DOSE EXPOSURE.
WORKERS ARE APPLYING THEM DAY IN AND DAY OUT, FACE THE HIGHEST RISK OF EXPOSURE.
I WANNA EMPHASIZE THAT I'M NOT HERE TO CRITICIZE STAFF.
I UNDERSTAND THE WORK IS REALLY HARD.
UM, AND I'M HERE BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE THAT WE CAN DO BETTER.
AND BECAUSE SOLUTIONS ALREADY EXIST, ONE OF THOSE SOLUTIONS IS THE SUSTAINABLE PARKS PROGRAM OFFERED BY BEYOND PESTICIDES AND THEIR TECHNICAL CONSULTANTS.
THIS IS A FREE TWO YEAR STRUCTURED PROJECT THAT HELPS CITIES TRANSITION TWO OR THREE PARKS TO ORGANIC LAND CARE.
I ALSO WANNA NOTE THAT YOU HAVE A TWO PAGE DOCUMENT IN FRONT OF YOU SUMMARIZING THE PROGRAM FOR EASY REFERENCE.
BEYOND PESTICIDES IS ALREADY PARTNERING WITH CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, INCLUDING TUCSON.
LOS ANGELES HAS THREE PARTS THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON.
PHILADELPHIA, CHICAGO, BALTIMORE, AMONG MANY OTHERS, DEMONSTRATING THAT SAFE ORGANIC LAND CARE IS BOTH PRACTICAL AND DOABLE.
THE PROGRAM INCLUDES SOIL TESTING, SPECIFIC SITE SPECIFIC ORGANIC MANAGEMENT PLANS, STAFF TRAINING, AND ONGOING TECHNICAL SUPPORT.
IT REALLOCATES THE CITY'S EXISTING MAINTENANCE BUDGET.
NO MAJOR FUNDING IS NEEDED, ASIDE FROM SOIL TEST.
AT ROUGHLY 600 PER SITE STAFF GAINING NEW SKILLS, RESULTS ARE MEASURED AND ORGANIC LAND CARE BECOMES CODIFIED IN CITY POLICY.
THIS IS A SCALABLE EVIDENCE-BASED PATHWAY FOR LONG BEACH TO BEGIN REDUCING SYNTHETIC PESTICIDE USE RESPONSIBLY AND TRANSPARENTLY.
TODAY, I'M RESPECTFULLY ASKING THIS COMMISSION TO MAKE A MOTION RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY OF LONG BEACH LAUNCH TWO HERBICIDE FREIGHT MAINTENANCE PILOT SITES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SUSTAINABLE PARKS PROGRAM.
ONE OF THEM AT CESAR CHAVEZ PARK, EVEN A SMALL PILOT CAN HELP US GATHER DATA, TRAIN STAFF, IMPROVE SOIL HEALTH, AND REDUCE EXPOSURE FOR CHILDREN, WORKERS, PETS, AND WILDLIFE.
AND IMPORTANTLY, IT WOULD ALIGN LONG BEACH WITH BEST PRACTICES ALREADY ADOPTED BY CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
IT SHOULD BE SAFE FOR EVERY PERSON AND EVERY SPECIES THAT RELIES ON THEM.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, AND I WOULD BE HAPPY TO SUPPORT OR PARTICIPATE THIS WORK MOVING FORWARD.
WE HAVE SOMEONE IN THE BACK ALSO.
DO YOU WANT THEM TO GO FIRST? UM, HI, UH, THANK YOU COMMISSION FOR ALLOWING US TO SPEAK ON THIS, UM, AGENDA ITEM.
I'M A RESIDENT OF SIGNAL HILL.
UM, HOWEVER, I FREQUENT THE REGIONAL PARK HERE AT EL DORADO, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, A GREAT ASSET TO ALL THE SURROUNDING CITIES AROUND LONG BEACH.
UM, I HAVE SERIOUS CONCERN ABOUT THESE TYPES OF POISONS BEING USED IN OUR PARKS BECAUSE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE ONLY NEED TO LOOK AT THE HISTORY.
THE HISTORY TELLS US THAT, UM, SOMEBODY IN RAUL'S POSITION IN 2018, POSSIBLY RAUL, I DON'T KNOW, WAS TELLING
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US THAT GLY FATE WAS ALSO SAFE.YOU KNOW, NOW WE KNOW THE, YOU KNOW, THE ACTUAL REALITY BEHIND THOSE PRODUCTS.
UM, THESE PRODUCTS, ALTHOUGH, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE DEEMED TO BE SAFE AS PER THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, THAT'S THE MINIMUM STANDARD IN HERE IN LONG BEACH, WHICH IS A PROGRESSIVE CITY, A DEAL THAT WE NEED TO SET OUR OWN STANDARDS AND OUR OWN STANDARDS MIGHT BE A LITTLE MORE STRINGENT THAN THE STATE, WHICH, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY SHOULD TREAT AS THE MINIMUM, NOT THE MAXIMUM EXTENT OF OUR CARE TOWARDS USING POISON.
UM, I KNOW A LOT OF THIS PRESENTATION, UM, YOU KNOW, TOUCHED OR PART PARTS OF THIS PRESENTATION TOUCHED ON SOME ALTERNATIVE METHODS SUCH AS MULCH, WHICH HAS BEEN EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE, WHERE IT HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED.
YOU KNOW, AND, UH, I UNDERSTAND IRRIGATION MIGHT NEED TO BE MODIFIED, BUT CHANGING A SPRINKLER HEAD IS, IS LIKE, YOU KNOW, FIVE TO 10 MINUTES.
IT'S NOT, UM, A LABOR INTENSIVE PROCESS.
YOU KNOW, THEY SELL RISERS AT DIFFERENT HEIGHTS.
YOU UNSCREW ONE AND POP ANOTHER ONE IN.
IT COULD BE DONE, YOU KNOW, WITHIN MINUTES.
UM, MULCHING LARGE AREAS, UH, IS SUPER EFFECTIVE.
YOU CAN LOOK AT WILLIS SPRINGS PARK, YOU CAN LOOK AT, UM, DOMINGUEZ GAP, THE FOREST PARK.
UM, THE EXPANSION PROJECT YOU TALKED ABOUT IS, YOU KNOW, THE TRAIL GOING ALONG THE EDGE OF THE SPORTS FIELD.
SO REDUCING TURF, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE AGGRESSIVE GRASSES THAT WERE TYPICALLY, YOU KNOW, BROUGHT IN FROM OTHER PLACES AND, AND THEY WANT TO SPREAD, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT GONNA STAY CONTAINED INTO THE SPACE.
SO, YOU KNOW, PUTTING IN THOSE BUFFERS WITH ORGANIC MATERIAL, THEY CAN BREAK DOWN INTO SOIL THAT ISN'T CHEMICAL POISON THAT'S GONNA STAY IN THAT SOIL FOREVER.
YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF METHODS WE NEED TO EXPLORE AND UTILIZE.
THE OTHER SMALL THING REALLY QUICKLY IS WE'RE NOT SEEING, UM, PARTS THAT UTILIZE, UH, YOU KNOW, PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT.
AND MAYBE THAT'S TO NOT SCARE THE PUBLIC, BECAUSE I'VE SEEN, YOU KNOW, IN THE PAST THEY WERE USING LIKE FULL ON T SUITS, BUT PARK STAFF, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE THE STANDARDS, BUT THEY'RE NOT MEETING IT.
AND, AND OBVIOUSLY THE RESIDENTS AREN'T GETTING THAT PPE.
SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU EXPECT PARK STAFF TO BE WEARING PPE, THEN YOU KNOW THEY NEED TO, YOU NEED TO BE NOTIFYING RESIDENTS.
YOU NEED TO BE NOTIFYING, YOU KNOW, CLEAR THE AREA.
SO FOR THE SAME REASONS, PARK STAFF NEEDS TO BE PROTECTED, OUR RESIDENTS, OUR PETS, OUR CHILDREN, ALL THESE THINGS NEED TO BE PROTECTED AS WELL AND THOUGHT OF, YOU KNOW, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
NEXT, UM, MY NAME IS ANNA CHRISTENSON.
I WAS BORN IN LONG BEACH, ANNA, I'M CO-CHAIR OF THE SERIOUS WEAPONS TASK FORCE OF SIERRA CLUB, ALONG WITH DAN CANTRELL, WHO IS ALREADY INDIVIDUALLY SENT YOU COMMENTS AND CAN'T BE HERE TODAY BECAUSE SHE'S NOT WELL, I JUST WANT TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT ANN CANTRELL, WHO IS PROBABLY THE FIRST ACTIVIST ALMOST AS SOON AS EL LADO PARK BEGAN.
JOE BRENNAN, ANOTHER LONG TIME SUPPORTER.
THESE WOMEN HAVE GIVEN MULTIPLE YEARS OF THEIR LIVES COMING TO PEOPLE LIKE YOU, YOUR EMPLOYEES, LIKE YOU, ASKING FOR VERY SIMPLE THINGS, ASKING FOR PROTECTION, BUT NOT ONLY FOR THEMSELVES, BUT FOR ALL THE WILDLIFE, ALL THE BIRDS, ALL THE BEINGS THAT ARE RESIDENTS OF, OF, OF THESE OPEN SPACES.
AND SO, I CAN'T, I CAN'T POSSIBLY BE ANN TRE.
SHE'S BEYOND, UH, MY ABILITIES.
SO I'M GOING TO BE THE OTHER VOICE WHEN JILL SAYS, KEEP IT LIGHT.
I'M GOING TO KEEP IT HEAVY, OKAY? 'CAUSE THIS IS SUPER, IS NOT FUNNY.
CO COP, 13 COP, WHATEVER, 30 IS MEETING NOW.
WE'RE NOT THERE AS A NATION, THIS GREAT SETTLER NATION OF PEOPLE WHO CAME FROM OTHER PLACES, LIKE A LOT OF THESE SO-CALLED WEEDS AND TOOK OVER AND FEELS TOTALLY ENTITLED TO RESHAPE EVERYTHING, EVERY, OUR ENTIRE REALITY, OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM, OUR PARKS, HOW WE SEE NATURE, HOW WE INTERACT WITH NATURE AND OUR FUTURE GENERATIONS.
UH, DOESN'T WANT, DOESN'T WANT TO BE BOTHERED TRYING TO SAVE THE PLANET FROM OUR OWN MAKING, RIGHT? OUR, OUR PESTICIDES, OUR HERBICIDES.
WE CAN'T EVEN STOP A SINGLE FIREWORK SHOW HERE.
SO IT'S PRETTY SERIOUS, YOU KNOW, AND, AND WHAT I THINK IS, WE DON'T NEED, WE DON'T NEED A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE, THAT WE WERE RAISED TO THINK WE NEED.
THEY'RE NOT NEEDS, THEY'RE WANTS, THEY'RE DESIRES.
AND, AND SO LET'S JUST FOCUS ON WHAT IS ABSOLUTELY NEEDED FOR, FOR THE SURVIVAL OF LIFE.
YOU KNOW WHAT WE NEED? WE NEED INSECTS.
AND, AND WHEN, WHEN RA, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT FOR HIS HARD WORK AND SACRIFICE, AND ALL OF YOU TOO, YOUR TIME, WE'RE ALSO VOLUNTEERS WHO WANT TO EDUCATE AND WANT TO LEARN.
YOU KNOW, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, WHEN YOU SPRAY POISON AROUND A TREE, THAT'S ANOTHER HARM HARMFUL THING.
THE INSECT MAY BE A, A HARM, LACK OF WATER MAY BE A HARM, BUT POISONING THINGS, HARMS THEM.
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YOU KNOW? AND, AND WE'RE UP TO OUR EARS IN POISON.I JUST, I JUST GOOGLED THE CHEETAH PROB DOWN FROM AIS VAMO TO PACIFIC PALS.
COMMUNITY MEMBERS LIKE MYSELF ARE COMING IN BEGGING, BEGGING PUBLIC OFFICIALS TO STOP POISONING US AND POISONING OUR NATURE.
IT SHOULD, IT SHOULD BE SO OBVIOUS.
BUT WHEN I GO, WHICH I'M BOYCOTTING HOME DEPOT, I, BUT WHEN I'VE GONE THERE, ROUNDUP IS ALL ON THE SHOW.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT MEANS FOR CALIFORNIA TO BE A LEADER, BUT THEY CERTAINLY HAVEN'T MADE ALL THESE THINGS ARE AVAILABLE.
WE'RE AVAILABLE TO SPEAK OUT FOR THE WILDLIFE AND, AND OUR OLD KIDS AND GRANDKIDS TOO.
THANK YOU, UH, BEN FISHER, FIRST DISTRICT.
UM, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK.
YOU HAVE SUPER CAPABLE STAFF, WHO'S CHRISTINE? YOUR EMAILS ARE AWESOME.
RAUL IS OBVIOUSLY, YOU'RE SUPER CAPABLE, YOU'RE SUPER EDUCATED ON THE TOPIC.
AND I THINK, I HOPE YOU GUYS CAN FEEL THIS IS, I'M TRYING TO LIKE
THE HOPE IS TO COME ALONGSIDE YOU GUYS.
LIKE WE HAVE A NONPROFIT WHO'S WILLING TO HELP WITH PILOT PROJECTS.
SO, YOU KNOW, OUR ASK IS TO DO PILOT PROJECTS IN A COUPLE OF PARKS, INCLUDING CHAVEZ.
MAYBE YOU DECIDE THIS COSTS TOO MUCH EXTRA.
WE CAN'T GO DO THIS SOMEWHERE ELSE.
MAYBE DECIDE, HEY, IT COSTS A LITTLE EXTRA, BUT IT'S WORTH NOT POISONING EVERYTHING.
IT DOESN'T COST ANYTHING, BUT WE DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW? SO TO HAVE THIS DIE HERE WOULD BE A HUGE SHAME.
UM, I AM AN ISA CERTIFIED AIST.
I AM ON THE TREE ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR LONG BEACH.
I'M A TREE RISK ASSESSMENT QUALIFIED.
I'VE TAKEN IPM COURSEWORK AT LBCC TREES.
IF YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT THE TREES.
TREES CARE ABOUT BEING IRRIGATED TOO FREQUENTLY.
YOU CAN DO THINGS ABOUT THAT IN OTHERS.
THIS MAN KNOWS WAY MORE ABOUT ALL THIS THAN I DO, BUT HE HAS HELPED ME TO UNDERSTAND THAT LOTS OF PARTS HAVE DIFFERENT SYSTEMS. SO IT IS NOT NECESSARILY COOKIE COVER.
ONE PLACE IS SPRAYING 60 FEET IN EVERY DIRECTION.
THAT'S REAL COMPLICATED TO CHANGE.
SOME OTHER PLACE MIGHT HAVE POPUPS LIKE YOU WERE SPEAKING TO.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S WAYS THAT WE REALLY WANT TO HELP THE TREES.
I'LL VOLUNTEER MY TIME AS AN ARBORIST TO HELP YOU GUYS.
LIKE I GOT NO PROBLEM WITH THAT PIECE.
BUT THAT IS DISTINCT FROM THIS GRASS.
ATE SOME OF THE MOISTURE AT THE BASE OF THE TREE THAT THEY DON'T WANT.
UM, BUT TREES ARE BEING SPRAYED FOR EQUIPMENT.
LIKE, LET, LET'S BE HONEST HERE.
WE HAVE GIANT PIECES OF EQUIPMENT.
WE'RE TRYING TO COVER A LOT OF LAND.
YOUR CONTRACTS AND STATE REQUIREMENTS MAKE YOU TAKE THE LOWEST BIDDER FOR THESE CONTRACTS.
LIKE, THERE'S A LOT OF CONSTRAINTS ON YOU GUYS THAT ARE PUSHING TO USE LARGE MACHINERY THAT IF IT TOUCHES THE TREE, IT'S GONNA DAMAGE IT.
THAT'S THE, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WE'RE CHOOSING MACHINERY AND EASE OF USE AND LOWER COSTS TO USE THESE CHEMICALS.
I WAS AT AVRIL PARK IN SAN PEDRO, UH, LAST WEEK, AND THEY'RE NOT SPRAYING THEIR TREES.
YOU HAVE PHOTOS OF THE TREES AT THAT PARK.
I SPOKE WITH THE MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR FOR THAT PARK.
HE TOLD ME HE THINKS THEY'RE DOING IT IN OTHER PARKS.
MY RESEARCH, I DIDN'T FIND THAT LA IS DONE IN CATEGORICALLY.
I BET IT'S PIECEMEAL, BUT AVRIL PARK IS NOT DOING SPRAYS AND THEIR TREES LOOK GOOD.
I WAS AT VIRGINIA COUNTRY CLUB LAST WEEK.
SO IN TOWN HERE, WE ALREADY HAVE AN EXAMPLE OF TREES BEING MULCHED.
THAT PARK THAT MULCHES THEIR TREES, THEY DO STILL SPRAY THE EDGE OF THEIR MULCH.
I'M NOT PRETENDING LIKE THEY DON'T DO ANY SPRAYING, BUT THEY ARE UTILIZING MULCH AS ONE OF THEIR TACTICS.
WE HAVE SOME VIDEO FOOTAGE OF CHAVEZ PARK.
I MEAN, AREAS RIGHT NEXT TO THE VEHICLE.
BIG GRASSY AREAS OR THE EDGE OF GRASS TO AVOID USING AN EDGER TO AVOID USING A STRING TRIMMER THAT CAN'T BE THREE MINUTES ALREADY.
REALLY
UH, I JUST WANT YOU TO ADVOCATE.
THIS IS NOT GONNA BE THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY WHERE APPROVED CHEMICALS ARE SAFE.
NOW, THE EU HAS BANNED THIS SPECIFIC CHEMICAL, BUT IF WE GET LOST IN FOCUSING ON THIS CHEMICAL, WE'VE LOST THIS MOMENT.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT THIS CHEMICAL.
IT'S ABOUT HOW WE'RE APPROACHING THE MAINTENANCE.
UH, I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE LONG BEACH BEEKEEPERS, UH, WHICH WE HAVE OVER 200 DUES PAYING MEMBERS AT THE MOMENT.
UM, I LIVE IN WRIGLEY AND I'M DELIGHTED TO HAVE THE GREEN SPACE THAT WE HAVE.
I THINK WE SPOKE BRIEFLY LAST TIME 'CAUSE MY DAUGHTER'S A CAL POLY POMONA ALUM.
UM, THANKS FOR THE GOOD PRESENTATION.
UH, I VERY GENERALLY, I SHARE THE CONCERN ABOUT CHEMICALS WITHOUT WANTING
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TO FOCUS ON THIS PARTICULAR ONE.I THINK RAMA IS, IS EXPRESSING SOME OF MY CONCERN IN THAT.
OFTEN THE WAY THAT WE FIND THE PROBLEMS WITH THESE THINGS IS BY SCALING THEM AND RUNNING INTO UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES AND SEEING WHAT BREAKS.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, YEAH, THAT, THAT INSPIRES A LITTLE BIT OF CAUTION.
AND LET ME GIVE YOU SOME VERY PARTICULAR FUN FACTS FROM WHERE I STAND.
AND, UM, THESE ARE THINGS YOU CAN QUOTE AT A PARTY OR MAYBE, UH, WIN A TRIVIA PRIZE SOMEDAY.
AND OF COURSE, EVERYBODY KNOWS HOW THE, THE BEES ARE HAVING BIG PROBLEMS AND WHAT'S THE CAUSE AND SO ON.
AND I DON'T THINK ANYONE CAN REALLY TELL YOU THAT IT'S, IT'S A, A MYRIAD OF THINGS.
BUT THEY HAVE A FORAGING RADIUS OF UP TO FIVE MILES, AND THEY CONSUME A SURPRISING AMOUNT OF WATER, ESPECIALLY IN WARM WEATHER.
AND A REALLY GREAT SOURCE OF WATER FOR THESE IS SPARKLING DROPLETS ON CUT GRASS.
SO, UM, THAT'S ONE OF THE WAYS WE'VE HEARD ABOUT GRANDCHILDREN.
UM, BUT THAT'S ONE OF THE WAYS THAT THESE THINGS ARE GOING TO CIRCULATE BEYOND THEIR INTENDED SCOPE OF APPLICATION.
SO, JUST SO YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, UH, THE WORLD IS, IS A COMPLEX AND SURPRISING PLACE.
AND, UM, I TOTALLY SECOND EVERYTHING THAT EVERYBODY HAS SAID.
I'M JUST AMAZED AT THE PRESENTATIONS.
UM, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
UH, I, I AM VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE CITY.
I'VE BEEN HERE FOR A LONG TIME.
I WAS THE CHAIR OF THE DISABILITIES COMMISSION AT ONE TIME, AND I, I, UH, HAVE BEEN, I HAVE STOOD BEFORE COUNSEL AND, UH, NUMEROUS TIMES.
UM, MY CONCERN IS, WELL, FIRST OF ALL, HOW MANY OF YOU SEE HAVE SEEN THE MOVIE, UH, UH, AARON BROCKOVICH? THAT'S A QUESTION FOR YOU.
NOW, BOTTOM LINE, AND I WAS THINKING ABOUT DOING THIS, IS ACTUALLY BRINGING A PICTURE OF THE WATER THAT WE HAVE HERE AND OFFERING IT TO YOU FOR DRINKS.
WOULD ANY OF YOU, I WANT YOU TO ASK YOURSELVES, WOULD YOU DRINK IT? WOULD YOU WANNA PARTAKE IN THAT? I DON'T THINK SO.
AND, AND YET THIS IS BASICALLY WHAT YOU'RE ASKING, UH, PATRONS OF THE PARKS TO DO IN, IN MANY WAYS.
SO YOU HAVE A KID THAT PLAYS AROUND A TREE, AND THEN THEY'RE NOT GONNA WASH THEIR HANDS.
THEY'RE GONNA COME AND SAY, OH, MOM, LET'S EAT.
SO WHAT ARE THEY DOING? THEY'RE EATING THIS STUFF.
AND IT'S THE SAME WITH THE DOGS WHERE THE, UH, ALL, ALL THE DIFFERENT PETS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE BASICALLY POISONING.
WE'RE POISONING OUR WHOLE PLANET EXCEPT FOR THE COUNTRIES.
AND BY THE WAY, I HAVE BEEN TO 107 COUNTRIES, AND I SEE OTHER PEOPLE, OTHER PARKS, OTHER COUNTRIES WHO HAVE BANNED THESE POISONS WHO HAVE GRASS GROWING AROUND THE TREES, AND THEY'RE DOING JUST FINE.
SO MAYBE WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE DOING.
SECONDLY, MY, MY HUGE CONCERN ALSO IS TAXPAYER MONEY.
OKAY? THERE ARE JUST TWO RECENT LAWSUITS, UH, REGARDING TREES THAT HAVE NOT BEEN MAINTAINED, THAT HAVE FALLEN ON.
AND I DID SEND SOME PHOTOS, UH, WHO HAVE FALLEN ON CHILDREN AND, AND GARNERED, UH, ONE WAS A $5 MILLION PAYOUT, ANOTHER'S $4 MILLION PAYOUT, IF THAT WERE YOUR GRANDCHILD OR YOUR CHILD, WOULD THAT BE OKAY? WOULD YOU BE ALL RIGHT WITH THAT? WITH THAT WE'RE SPENDING MONEY ON POISONS, POISON OR THE PATRONS.
AND YET, UH, YOU KNOW, HERE WE ARE NOT, I MEAN, I'M NOT SAYING EVERY TREE NEEDS TO MAIN BE MAINTAINED, BUT I WOULD MUCH RATHER SEE THAT MONEY THAT WE'RE POURING INTO POISONS TO GO TOWARDS MAINTAINING TREES.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT, IT, WE, WE JUST HAVE A, A LIMITED AMOUNT OF MONEY, AND WE NEED TO USE THAT MONEY TO THE BETTER.
UM, THERE WAS A STUDY DONE RECENTLY ON AN AGRICULTURAL AREA, AND 70, THEY, THEY GARNERED THE COLLECTED RAINWATER.
70% OF THAT RAIN OF, I I HEAR IT, 70% OF THAT RAIN WATER, UH, HAD POISON IN IT BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN ABSORBED AND WENT INTO IT.
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IS THERE.DON'T WASTE OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS ON SOMETHING THAT'S KILLING US.
WELL, UH, I KNOW WE HAVE COMMISSION COMMENT, BUT MAYBE BEFORE COMMISSION COMMENT, I WOULD JUST, UH, FIRST OF ALL, LIKE TO THANK RAUL, UH, FOR THE PRESENTATION, THANK THE COMMISSION FOR INDULGING US, UH, ON THIS RATHER LENGTHY CONVERSATION.
BUT I THINK VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.
AND OF COURSE, THANK THE COMMUNITY FOR BEING HERE, UH, AND WANTING TO PARTNER AND, UH, YOU KNOW, REALLY APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS THAT WE'RE HEARING TODAY.
UH, DEFINITELY LOVE TO HEAR FROM THE COMMISSION, AND I THINK AT THE END, I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT SOME POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS.
UM, BUT WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM THE COMMISSION FIRST.
AND AGAIN, THANK YOU TO THE COMMUNITY FOR YOUR COMMENTS THIS WEEK.
SO SHALL WE START WITH THE COMMISSION, UH, COMMISSIONER HIGA? OH, SURE.
UM, I WANT TO THANK RAUL FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I THINK IT'S CLEAR THAT IT'S, IT'S REALLY QUITE A BALANCING ACT AS WITH EVERYTHING IN, IN THE CITY OF JUST ALL OF THE DIFFERENT NEEDS.
UM, ALL OF THE DIFFERENT, UM, DESIRES AND THE TENSION SOMETIMES BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT USES OF THE PARK, RIGHT? SO THE, THE USES, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO PLAYABILITY OF A SPORTS FIELD MIGHT BE DIFFERENT, UM, DIFFERENT NEEDS VERSUS, YOU KNOW, ME HAVING MY KIDS JUST WANDER AROUND ON THE GRASS VERSUS, UM, DOGS AND, AND OTHER ANIMALS VERSUS THE WILDLIFE THAT'S, THAT'S, UH, SUPPOSED TO BE HERE, RIGHT? UM, AND I, I, I THINK IT'S A, A VERY DIFFICULT BALANCING ACT, LIKE I SAID, TO BALANCE ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT NEEDS BECAUSE THEY OFTENTIMES COMPETE WITH EACH OTHER, RIGHT? UM, SO I'M, I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR RAUL AND HIS TEAM AND HIS, THE EXPERTISE.
I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF, UM, RAISING ALL OF THE CONCERNS THAT YOU'VE BROUGHT.
UM, I, I WOULD BE VERY INTERESTED TO SEE FEASIBILITY OF PILOT PROJECTS, UM, AND DISCUSSING WHAT OTHER, WHAT OTHER OPTIONS THERE MIGHT BE.
BECAUSE AGAIN, UM, IT'S VERY CLEAR THAT SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE FOR, FOR WEED AND PEST ABATEMENT.
I THINK THAT'S CLEAR, JUST GIVEN ALL OF THE DIFFERENT, UH, USES OF THE PARKS.
UM, BUT WHETHER THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS THAT WOULD BE FEASIBLE FOR A CITY OF THIS SIZE, FEASIBLE FOR ALL OF THE PEOPLE AND THE ANIMALS AND THE, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING THAT, THAT IS USING THESE SPACES, UM, I THINK THAT WOULD A VERY, A VERY VALUABLE USE OF OUR TIME, EXPERTISE, MONEY, ALL OF THAT.
SO, UM, JUST REALLY INTERESTED TO HEAR OUR NEXT STEPS AND, AND WHERE THIS CONVERSATION MIGHT GO.
UM, VERY SIMILAR TO, TO ALL THE COMMENTS MADE TODAY, VERY INTERESTED IN WHAT THOSE NEXT STEPS MIGHT BE.
BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU TO THE COMMUNITY.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT, YOU KNOW, YOUR VOICE IS NOT JUST YOUR OWN.
YOU'RE REPRESENTING YOUR COMMUNITY, YOUR NEIGHBORS, YOUR, YOUR CHILDREN, YOUR GRANDCHILDREN, YOUR PETS.
SO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO BRING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION TODAY AND BEYOND TODAY.
UM, BUT ALSO RAUL, THANK YOU FOR THE EDUCATION PIECE, RIGHT? WE, LIKE SOME HAVE MENTIONED, WE ARE ALL VOLUNTEERS THAT DON'T SPECIALIZE IN THIS.
SO HAVING THAT DEEPER INSIGHT REALLY HELPS IN OUR EDUCATION AND HOW WE CAN ALSO BE THAT VOICE OF THE COMMUNITY.
WHAT ABOUT, LOOK DOWN HERE, MR. I, I HAVE A, A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, BUT AGAIN, ALSO JUST WANT TO, UH, EXPRESS THANKS TO THE COMMUNITY FOR BRINGING THIS UP.
UH, YOU KNOW, I SPENT MAYBE GOOD FIVE, 10 HOURS READING THROUGH DIFFERENT REPORTS, TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE MECHANISM OF FUNCTION, HOW THIS STUFF ACTUALLY WORKS.
UH, I WILL NOT PUT MYSELF OUT THERE AS AN EXPERT BY ANY MEANS.
UH, BUT, UH, THIS IS ACTUALLY, I THINK JUST FROM THE BASIS OF SOMEBODY WHO'S A TOTAL SCIENCE NERD WAS A, A VERY GOOD WAY, YOU KNOW? AND, AND WHO HAS, YOU KNOW, STRONG ENVIRONMENTAL INTEREST, UH, AS, AS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN MORE.
UH, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE IT FROM PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE OF BEING ABLE TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN MORE.
'CAUSE THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT REALLY HAS BEEN ON THIS COMMISSION'S RADAR SCREEN, UH, IN THE, IN THE PAST.
'CAUSE IT IS, IT'S AN OPERATIONAL ISSUE, AND IT'S NOT TO MAKE A PUN IN THE WEEDS.
UM, BUT I DO HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS, UH, MORE THAN A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
UH, SO I KNOW AT THE COMMITTEE MEETING THAT WE FIRST HAD ON THIS ISSUE, UH, I BROUGHT UP THE ISSUE, AND OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE BROUGHT UP THE ISSUE THAT THERE WERE, YOU KNOW, OTHER PARKS HAVE HAD, HAVE ADOPTED, OTHER PARK SYSTEMS HAVE ADOPTED PESTICIDE FREE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS. UM, PARTICULARLY THE CITY OF IRVINE WAS SOMETHING WHERE PARK STAFF COULD REACH OUT TO.
HAVE WE EVER HEARD BACK FROM THE CITY OF IRVINE AND THEIR PARK SYSTEM, UH, ABOUT THEIR PRACTICES.
EVEN JUST HAVING A DISCUSSION ON IT, I STILL HAVE NOT HEARD BACK.
[01:25:01]
BUT I APPRECIATE YOU REACHING OUT TO THEM.I DO KNOW OTHER CITIES HAVE ALSO IMPLEMENTED, UH, SIMILAR SYSTEMS AS WELL TO WHAT IRVINE HAS.
SO PERHAPS, YOU KNOW, IF IRVINE'S NOT RESPONDING, UM, MAYBE ONE OF THOSE OTHER CITIES WOULD BE ABLE TO, TO RESPOND AND BE MORE WILLING TO RESPOND.
UM, SO ONE, ANOTHER QUESTION THAT CAME UP WAS THE ISSUE OF SIGNAGE AND NOTIFYING FOLKS OF WHEN A PESTICIDE HAS BEEN APPLIED.
WHAT IS THE CURRENT PRACTICE, UH, FOR A, I KNOW WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS IN COMMITTEE, BUT MAYBE FOR THE WHOLE COMMISSION, WHAT'S THE CURRENT PRACTICE AND FOR THE PUBLIC
SORRY, I'M JUST MY MOUTH STILL.
UM, THE LABEL IN CA, LIKE I MENTIONED BEFORE, IN CALIFORNIA, THE LABEL IS THE LAW, RIGHT? SO YOU DON'T DEVIATE FROM THE LABEL.
SO ON THE PRODUCTS THAT WE APPLY, UM, FOR THE MOST PART, DON'T REQUIRE THAT THAT LABEL, AND ESPECIALLY BECAUSE WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT DOING A BROADCAST APPLICATION TO WHERE WE'RE APPLYING EVERY SQUARE INCH OF THE PARK, WHERE IT'S, IT'S A LOT MORE LOCALIZED, UM, COMPARED TO THE ACREAGE OF WHAT'S IN THE PARK.
WHAT THE ONLY EXCEPTION IN TERMS OF WHAT WE USE IS OUR GO FOR CONTROL MM-HMM
WHICH IS, UM, UH, ALUMINUM PHOSPHIDE.
IT REQUIRES A NOTIFICATION, UM, SIGNAGE TO BE POSTED, WHICH IS POSTED PRIOR TO, UH, APPLICATION.
SO THAT'S PRETTY MUCH THE ONLY, UH, PESTICIDE THAT WE'RE LIKE, IT WILL BE NOTIFIED OR IT BASICALLY ANYWHERE WHERE IT'S INDICATED ON THE LABELS, WHERE IT WOULD BE INDICATED, WHERE THERE WOULD BE LIKE SIGNS SAYING THAT THERE'S BEEN AN APPLICATION.
RIGHT? THE LABEL WILL TELL YOU, UM, WHAT YOU NEED TO, TO DO IN TERMS OF, LIKE I MENTIONED PPE, BUT ALSO NOTIFICATION, UM, LIKE ALUMINUM PHOSPHIDE.
THERE, THE NOTIFICATION GOES OUT TO, UH, LA COUNTY AG AND SIGNS ARE POSTED AT, UH, THE ENTRANCES.
SO LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, HERE IN EL DORADO, YOU'LL SEE 'EM TYPICALLY, UH, AS YOU DRIVE IN.
AND WOULD GO, WOULD BE GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT'S REQUIRED TO THE LABEL BE A VIOLATION OF THE LABEL, OR WOULD IT, WOULD IT LIKE OPEN UP THE CITY'S POTENTIAL LIABILITY ISSUES? ASK THAT QUESTION ONE MORE TIME.
SO GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND, SO LIKE, LET'S SAY A PESTICIDE DOES NOT REQUIRE A SIGN OUT THERE SAYING THAT IT'S BEEN APPLIED RECENTLY, OR A LITTLE FLAG OR WHATEVER.
WOULD THAT BE IN VIOLATION OF THE LABEL? UM, IF YOU WERE TO POST SIGNAGE, LET'S SAY FOR IF WE'RE GONNA APPLY TO, TO PRO MM-HMM
IF YOU WERE TO POST SIGNAGE, IT'S NOT AGAINST THE LABEL.
UM, YOU CAN GO ABOVE AND BEYOND THE LABEL, OF COURSE YOU CAN.
UM, BUT IN TERMS OF SIGNAGE, RIGHT? 'CAUSE WE GET THE QUESTIONS FROM, FOR THE, UH, THE GOPHER TREATMENT.
UM, AND SOMETIMES THE MISCONCEPTION IS, LIKE FOR GOPHERS, PEOPLE THINK IT'S A, IT'S A LIQUID THAT'S APPLIED, BUT IT'S JUST THE PELLET GOES INSIDE THE GROUND, SO IT'S RIGHT, YOU'RE NOT EXPOSED TO IT.
UM, IT'S THAT, UM, LACK OF EDUCATION THAT PEOPLE DON'T HAVE, RIGHT? UM, NOT EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND IT'S UNDERSTOOD THAT PEOPLE ARE AFRAID, LIKE, I'LL SHARE WITH YOU.
UM, IF I DON'T UNDERSTAND SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, I, I ASK QUESTIONS.
UM, BUT THIS, THE SIGNAGE WOULD JUST, UM, COULD POTENTIALLY LEAD PEOPLE TO, TO THINK THAT WE'RE APPLYING SOMETHING A LOT MORE DANGEROUS THAN IT REALLY IS.
WELL, I, I APPRECIATE THAT, UH, RESPONSE.
SO MAYBE WE CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT IN, IN TERMS OF NEXT STEPS.
SO IT IS, YOU KNOW, THE CHAIR WILL INDULGE ME JUST A TINY BIT LONGER.
UM, SO THERE'S BEEN SOME DISCUSSION, THIS MAY BE SOMETHING MORE FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF TO, TO RESPOND TO, BUT THERE'S BEEN, UH, THERE WAS, SEEMS TO BE A LOT OF INTEREST IN ESTABLISHING A PILOT PROJECT.
UM, WHAT WOULD BE THE PROCESS OF ESTABLISHING SUCH A PILOT PROJECT? AND AS WE HAVE DONE ONE BEFORE WITH STEAM MANAGEMENT TO GIVE STEAM APPLICATION, UM, WOULD THAT BE SOMETHING THAT THIS COMMISSION WOULD DIRECT? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT CAN START ON ITS OWN? WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE? SO WE'RE KIND OF JUMPING AHEAD TO WHAT THE, UH, NEXT STEPS WOULD BE.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD EXPLORE IS A PILOT PROJECT.
AND, AND I'LL JUST CUT TO THE CHASE SOMETHING THAT WE'RE INTERESTED IN EXPLORING.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT IS SOMETHING WE WILL LOOK INTO, BUT IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN COMMIT TO.
WITH RESPECT TO THE INS AND OUTS OF HOW IT IS APPLIED TODAY.
THERE WAS A, UH, UH, A, UH, SUSTAINABLE PARKS, UH, DOCUMENT THAT WAS PROVIDED TO US THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD CERTAINLY WANT TO OUR DUE DILIGENCE ON, BUT COULDN'T COMMIT TO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
TODAY, WE WOULD WANT TO GO AND TRY TO
[01:30:01]
IDENTIFY A PILOT PROGRAM THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE, SOMETHING THAT IS MEASURABLE, UM, SOMETHING THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE CAN REALLY DOCUMENT THE PROGRESS.AND SO WHAT WE WOULD PROBABLY DO IS COME BACK TO THIS COMMISSION WITH SOME, SOME DETAILS OF WHAT THAT PILOT COULD LOOK LIKE.
NOT PREPARED TO DO THAT TODAY.
I THINK WHAT I WANTED TO SAY DURING THE NEXT STEPS THOUGH IS, YOU KNOW, WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE WHAT THE COMMUNITY IS SAYING, AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, WE ARE COMMITTED TO LOOKING INTO, UH, IS EXPLORING A, A PILOT OPPORTUNITY.
AND MAYBE, MAYBE WE CAN, UH, DISCUSS THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE IN THE NEXT STEPS DISCUSSION AS WELL.
AND THIS LAST, LAST QUESTION, UM, SO YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU CONTINUING EDUCATION.
I APPRECIATE THAT, YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD, MY DAD WORKED IN WORKERS' COMP AND, YOU KNOW, CONTINUING EDUCATION IS VERY MUCH A BIG PART OF HIS JOB.
SO I, I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT'S NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, SIGNING UP FOR A SIMPLE COURSE AND THEN, YOU KNOW, CHECK CHECKING THE BOX.
IT'S ACTUALLY PRETTY INTENSIVE.
UH, BUT YOU ALSO MENTIONED LIKE, YOU KNOW, GOING TO EXPOS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
WHAT, ARE THERE ANY FUTURE TRENDS WITHIN LIKE THE NEXT FIVE TO 10 YEARS FOR PEST MANAGEMENT THAT YOU SEE COMING DOWN THE LINE THAT MIGHT HELP IN TERMS OF, UH, REDUCING RELIANCE ON, UH, ON POTENTIALLY TOXIC OR TOXIC CHEMICALS? UH, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, YEAH, FROM A CHEMICAL STANDPOINT, UM, INDUSTRY'S BEEN LOOKING FOR SOMETHING OTHER THAN GLYPHOSATE FOR YEARS.
UM, AND THAT'S STILL AN ONGOING SEARCH OF HOW THAT IS, IS GONNA COME ABOUT.
UM, I MENTIONED THE, LIKE, DIFFERENT TECHNOLOGIES IN TERMS OF HELPING OUR, WITH OUR LABOR SHORTAGE, BECAUSE IF WE WERE TO GO, FOR EXAMPLE, AND STRING TRIM AROUND EVERY SINGLE TREE, IT'S VERY LABOR INTENSIVE, UM, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S 26,000.
UM, SO IT'S FINDING THOSE TYPES OF SYSTEMS AND TECHNOLOGIES THAT CAN HELP US IN THE FUTURE.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE, WE'RE ON THE, YOU KNOW, ON THE BEGINNING TREND OF AI, AND WE'LL SEE HOW THAT, UM, COMES ABOUT AND PLAYS A ROLE INTO WHAT WE DO.
UM, BUT I MEAN, IT'S STILL, IT'S STILL UP IN THE AIR.
AND I KNOW ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU MENTIONED IS THAT, YOU KNOW, MOVING AWAY FROM
UH, AND, UH, I KNOW THAT, THAT THAT EFFECTIVENESS OF, UH, SOME OF THESE CHEMICALS DOES WEAR DOWN AS KINDS EVOLVED AND BECOME A LITTLE BIT MORE ADAPTIVE TO, UH, TO, TO WHAT'S BEING APPLIED TO THEM.
THE, YOU KNOW, CONVERSELY, I KNOW ONE OF THE, THE, THE, WHAT I HEARD, NOT, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, NOT TRYING TO PORTRAY MYSELF AS AN EXPERT BY ANY MEANS, UM, THAT SOME ELEMENTS OF THE MARKET ACTUALLY AFTER THE BAN OF ATE, STARTED SHIFTING BACK TO OLDER, MORE TOXIC, UH, UH, PESTICIDE CONTROL MANAGEMENT STUFF THAT WAS USED IN THE 1940S.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, HAD SOME, SOME CHALLENGES WITH IT AS WELL.
UM, I KNOW THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE CASE HERE, UH, THAT MAY HAVE BEEN SPECIFIC TO THAT PARTICULAR ELEMENT IN THE MARKET, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE ARE OTHER, YOU KNOW, THAT SALSA SITE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, MOVING IN ONE DIRECTION THAT COULD POTENTIALLY RESULT FOR SOMETHING ELSE.
WERE YOU TALKING ABOUT AS FAR AS NOT JUST FOCUSING ON ONE CHEMICAL? THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER ALLEN.
I KNEW I SHOULDN'T HAVE GONE AFTER COMMISSIONER ALLEN
UM, I, I AM NOT A SCIENCE NERD, SO I TOOK A LOT OF NOTES, BUT, UM, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I, I LEARNED A LOT, UM, PROBABLY MORE THAN I LEARNED IN THE SCIENCE CLASS EVER IN MY LIFE, SO THIS WAS GREAT.
AND THEN YOU DID THE COMMUNITY, I TOOK A LOT OF NOTES TOO.
UM, SO OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE LEFT, UM, THAT COMMISSIONER CHAVEZ DIDN'T, DIDN'T TALK ABOUT.
NO, YOU GOT, MOST OF IT WAS GREAT.
SO ONE OF THEM, JUST FROM A PUBLIC COMMENT PERSPECTIVE, WAS THE USE OF PPE FOR THE WORKERS, FOR OUR STAFF, UM, AND THE, THE FACT THAT FOLKS AREN'T SEEING THEM IN THAT, CAN YOU JUST ADDRESS THAT OR TELL US WHAT THAT, SO AGAIN, THE LABEL DICTATES WHAT IT IS, WHAT THE PPE IS.
SO, UH, I THINK SOMEBODY BROUGHT UP A NEED FOR A RESPIRATOR.
NOT EVERY PRODUCT NEEDS A RESPIRATOR.
UM, AND SO IT'S, IT'S NOT REQUIRED.
UM, IF THE PRODUCT NEEDED A RESPIRATOR OR SOME SORT OF MASK OR A TIE DECK SUIT, UM, THEY WOULD BE IN IT, UH, RIGHT.
IN TERMS OF WHAT WE APPLY AND HOW WE APPLY IT, UM, IT DOESN'T REQUIRE THAT, LIKE I MENTIONED, THE, THE BARE MINIMUM IS LONG SLEEVES, PANTS, SHOES, AND SOCKS.
UM, AND THEN YOU, YOU GOT YOUR GLOVES AND YOUR EYE PROTECTION.
UM, THE LABEL'S VERY SPECIFIC, WHAT IT IS THAT YOU NEED.
UM, WE CAN GO ABOVE, ABOVE THAT REQUIREMENT, BUT THAT'S ALSO UP, UP TO THE APPLICATOR THEMSELVES AND, UH, WHAT THEIR COMFORT LEVEL IS.
IF YOU, IF WE'RE REQUIRING THEM TO WEAR A RESPIRATOR, THEN A WHOLE PROGRAM WOULD BE IN PLACE.
[01:35:01]
ANYTHING AT THE MOMENT THAT REQUIRES THAT.DO WE TRAIN OUR TEAM? LIKE TO THE POINT YOU JUST MADE OF LIKE, IF THEY WANTED TO, THEY COULD WEAR MORE? DO WE TRAIN THEM ON THAT? YES.
THAT IS ALL PART OF THE PESTICIDE HANDLERS TRAINING THAT THEY TAKE EVERY YEAR.
UM, AND THEN IN TERMS OF THE IMPACT THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, I THINK IT WAS ON SLIDE THREE, UH, I, I DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING ABOUT WILDLIFE OR KIND OF LIKE ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE FINANCIAL, THE LABOR TECHNOLOGY, DESIRABLE PARK SPACES.
SO CAN YOU MAYBE TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HOW, 'CAUSE I THINK A LOT OF THE COMMUNITY COMMENTATION COMMENTS WERE AROUND THE IMPACTS ON WILDLIFE, THE IMPACTS ON COMMUNITY, IMPACTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT.
CAN YOU MAYBE GO A LITTLE BIT DEEPER INTO THAT AND, AND THE CHALLENGES OR HOW WE WORK TO MANAGE THAT AS WELL? SO, IN TERMS OF THE WILDLIFE, UM, I KNOW ONE OF THE BIG CONCERNS WAS, WAS BEES.
UM, AND I KNOW THE GENTLEMAN BROUGHT UP, UM, HOW WE NEED BEES.
UH, BUT WE DO WORK WITH BEEKEEPERS.
I KNOW, I THINK, UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S NOT OPENLY SHARED.
UM, IT'S PROBABLY JUST A, A, A FAILURE ON OUR END TO MARKET THAT SIDE.
BUT WE DO WORK WITH THE BEEKEEPERS AND, UH, THEY'RE USUALLY MY FIRST CALL, UM, TO GO OUT AND RESCUE SOME OF THE BEES.
UM, IF, IF WE CAN GET TO THEM, THEY CAN'T GET TO ALL OF THEM.
UM, BUT ALSO IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, WILDLIFE, WHAT WE'VE, WHEN WE'RE PRUNING TREES, WE DO THE NESTING SURVEYS WE'RE TAKING, WE'RE TAKING BACK INTO CONSIDERATION.
UM, IF WE KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S A NEST NEARBY, UM, ESPECIALLY, UH, CANADA GEESE LIKE TO NEST AND, UH, ON TOP OF MULCH PILES, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, WE, WE CORD OFF THE AREA.
SO IT'S NOT THAT IF, IF WE KNOW ABOUT IT, WE'RE, WE'RE DOING OUR BEST TO, TO AVOID THE WILDLIFE, UM, UH, SO THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WANT PARKS THAT ARE THRIVING.
WE WANT PARKS THAT ARE, THAT EVERYBODY CAN COME TO AND, AND ENJOY.
UM, AND LASTLY, I'LL JUST SAY, I, I'M ALSO VERY INTERESTED IN THE PILOT PROGRAM IDEA, AND DON'T KNOW, DO WE NEED TO AMEND THE MOTION TO GIVE YOU THAT AUTHORITY TO START EXPLORING THAT OR PUT THAT ON ITEM SIX FOR FUTURE ITEMS TO COME BACK TO US? SO, UM, WE WILL BE COMING BACK.
SO I, I'M SAYING THAT HERE, WE'LL BE COMING BACK WITH SOME FORM OF A PILOT PROJECT.
AGAIN, DON'T HAVE THE SPECIFICS OF WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE TODAY, BUT THAT WOULD BE PART OF THAT CONVERSATION.
UM, WHEN WE BRING THIS ITEM BACK FOR A PILOT, HAVING SAID THAT WE'RE GONNA NEED A LITTLE BIT OF TIME, WE'RE GONNA NEED A TIME TO DEVELOP WHAT WE WANT TO LOOK AT, AGAIN, HOW WE'RE GONNA MEASURE IT, UNRAVEL MAYBE SOME OF WHAT OUR CONTRACTORS DO.
SO WE HAVE SOME OF THOSE NEGOTIATIONS, EVEN DO SOME DUE DILIGENCE LOOKING AT THIS, UH, THIS TWO YEAR PROJECT, UH, AGREEMENT MM-HMM
UM, SO THAT'S GONNA TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME, BUT WE WOULD COME BACK WITH THE, THE KIND OF THE STEPS OF WHAT THE PILOT WOULD LOOK LIKE.
UM, SO WE'LL BE BRINGING THAT BACK TO COMMISSION.
UM, BUT GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF TIME, UH, TO BE ABLE TO REALLY GET OUR ARMS AROUND WHAT THAT PILOT COULD LOOK LIKE.
SO THEN CAN WE ADD THAT, SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE FUTURE ITEMS AND KIND OF WHEN WE GET THE REPORT OUT OF HOW, HOW CLOSE OR HOW FAR WE ARE FROM THINGS, CAN WE ADD THAT TO THAT LIST OF REPORTS? SURE.
WE'RE SIX MONTHS OUT, OR THREE MONTHS OUT, WHATEVER BE, YEAH, SURE.
SO THIS IS THE SECOND TIME, UH, THAT I'VE GOTTEN TO LISTEN TO RAUL'S PRESENTATION.
UM, THE TECHNOLOGICAL EXPERTISE AND THE BREADTH OF KNOWLEDGE IS APPRECIATED.
AND I, I, THE DILIGENCE THAT THE STAFF HAS TAKEN IN COMING UP WITH THE PLAN, AND, AND THIS HAS BEEN ONGOING EVEN BEFORE I THINK 2018, WHEN WE HAD THE, THE, UH, DECISION BY THE COUNCIL TO ELIMINATE GLYPHOSATE, UH, IN RESPONSE TO COMMISSIONER CHAVEZ.
UH, QUESTION ABOUT IRVINE, I ACTUALLY FOUND THE 2022 IRVINE, UM, INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT REPORT.
AND IT IS VERY THOROUGH, BUT IN THEIR SUMMARY, AND THIS IS A, A QUOTE, UH, BUT THEY DID SAY, WELL, IT'S OVERWHELMINGLY SUPPORTED BY THE PUBLIC, THE ABILITY TO OPERATE SOLELY WITH ORGANIC PRODUCTS.
IT HAS NOT BEEN POSSIBLE TO MAINTAIN THE SAME HIGH QUALITY LANDSCAPE AND ATHLETIC FIELDS PRIOR TO THE IMPLEMENTATION.
SO THERE ARE SOME POSITIVES TO IT, BUT IRVINE DOES STILL USE SYNTHETIC, UH, WEED ABATEMENT AND SYNTHETIC CHEMICALS.
SO, UH, TO THINK THAT WE COULD EVER ELIMINATE THAT, I, I DON'T THINK IS, IS REASONABLE.
UM, UM, UH, COMMISSIONER CHAVEZ AND ALLEN ANSWERED TWO OF MY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PPE ONE THING, THOUGH, I KNOW THAT POSTING SIGNS OF WHEN WE'RE SPRAYING THAT HAS SOME DOWNSIDES.
IS THERE FOR THE PEOPLE THAT, THAT ARE
[01:40:01]
PASSIONATE ABOUT NOT WANTING TO GO INTO THE PARKS AFTER THEY'RE SPRAYING, COULD THERE BE AN ONLINE PLACE WHERE PEOPLE COULD GO AND SAY, WE ARE PLANNING TO SPRAY, UH, THIS AREA AT THIS, MAYBE AT LEAST IN THIS WINDOW, SO THAT THERE WOULD BE A WAY FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT KNOWING THAT, THAT WE ARE PLANNING TO SPRAY, OR THAT WE THEY HAD A SPRAY? 'CAUSE I, I GET THAT POSTING WOULD BE TIME CONSUMING AND MAY GET PEOPLE THAT AREN'T REALLY KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THE PROCESS.WHAT, WHAT, WHAT THE HELL IS THAT? I MEAN, IN TERMS OF, IT GOES BACK TO THE NOTIFICATION AND YOU TELL 'EM, YOU TELL 'EM SOMETHING THAT, HEY, WE'RE GONNA APPLY, UH, THIS, THIS PESTICIDE ON AT THIS PARK ON THIS DAY.
IT BECOMES THE SAME, THE SAME, UH, OVERALL SCENARIO OF WHAT IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING, YOU'RE GONNA ASK THE QUESTIONS.
AND I MEAN, I'M NOT AGAINST ASKING THE QUESTION, BUT SOMETIMES IT LEADS TO PANIC.
UM, IN TERMS OF, LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, WE, WE WERE TRYING TO REMOVE A TREE AT, AT BIXBY PARK A FEW YEARS AGO, AND SOME OF THE RESIDENTS CHAIN THEMSELVES TO THE TREE
THE TREE HAPPENED TO BE COMPLETELY DEAD.
UM, WE ENDED UP REMOVING IT YEARS LATER WITH NOTIFICATION, BUT IT, IT CAUSES THAT, THAT THAT STIR.
AND THEN FINALLY, AND I, I, I ALMOST HESITATE TO MENTION THIS, BUT I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE USE OF THE WORD POISON.
I QUIT KEEPING TRACK AT 20 TIMES THAT THE WORD POISON WAS USED IN THIS DISCUSSION.
I MEAN, CLEARLY IN YOUR PRESENTATION, POISON WAS THAT TOP WORD.
AND I JUST HAVE CONCERN ABOUT PEOPLE RANDOMLY THROWING OUT THAT WORD.
THAT'S JUST MY PERSONAL COMMENT.
COMMISSIONER, VICE CHAIR, COMMISSIONER OR SMITH.
SO FIRST OF ALL, RAHUL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I KNOW THAT YOU PUT SO MUCH TIME, EFFORT, AND THOUGHTFULNESS INTO IT.
THERE'S SO MUCH THAT YOU'VE EDUCATED US ON, AND I TRULY, I'M GRATEFUL FOR THAT BECAUSE YES, WE ARE ALL VOLUNTEERS WHO HAVE PROFESSIONAL CAREERS AND OTHER THINGS THAT GO ON IN OUR LIVES.
AND SO I'M GRATEFUL FOR YOUR EDUCATION OF US.
I ACTUALLY READ THROUGH IT BEFORE THIS SESSION.
I, UM, WANNA TAKE THE TIME TO DO THAT.
UM, I AM REALLY GRATEFUL FOR, UM, THE PUBLIC COMING OUT AND SHARING WITH US, BECAUSE IT MEANS A LOT TO ME WHEN PEOPLE PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT BEFORE, WHICH I READ BEFORE COMING IN HERE AND EDUCATING MYSELF ON WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A COMMUNITY MEMBER HERE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH AND ALL THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY, ALL THE DIFFERENT, UM, DISTRICT FOLKS WHO COME TOGETHER TO MAKE UP A COMMUNITY.
UM, EVERYTHING HAS PRETTY MUCH BEEN SAID, UM, AND I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY, OUR COMMISSIONERS SHARING WHAT THEY'VE SAID.
AND SO I DO HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION AT THIS POINT.
WHAT ARE OTHER CITIES OF OUR SIZE AND SCOPE DOING? I MEAN, I'M CURIOUS, AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER THAT RIGHT NOW, 'CAUSE THE'S A BIG QUESTION.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE A CITY OF A HALF A MILLION PEOPLE WITH 166 PARKS.
THAT'S A LOT OF PARKS, RIGHT? AND SO I'M JUST CURIOUS, WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE THE PRACTICES OF OTHER CITIES? SO IRVINE, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, DOES APPLY, UM, PESTICIDES, UM, ACROSS THEIR PARKS AND THEIR MEANS AND THEIR LANDSCAPES.
UM, THEY HAVE NOT GONE AWAY FROM IT.
UM, I KNOW THEY WERE, THEY'VE SPEARHEADED I, UM, THE WHOLE PROGRAM OF ORGANIC, UH, PESTICIDES.
BUT FROM WHAT WE FOUND WHEN WE TRIED IT IN, IN OUR EYELET, UM, THE, OR THE EFFICACY OF THE ORGANIC PRODUCT WAS NOT AS, AS, UH, AS EFFECT AS EFFECTIVE, UH, COMPARED TO LIKE, UH, CHEETAH PRO OR LIFELINE THAT WE USE, UH, WHICH IS WHY WE MADE THAT DECISION.
UM, PLUS THE, THE, THE USE OF SOMETHING THAT'S LABELED WARNING OR OR DANGER WOULD REQUIRE, UM, MUCH MORE OF A NOTIFICATION AS WELL.
UM, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THE PRODUCTS THAT WE DON'T USE ARE NOT ON THE PROP 65 LIST.
UM, AND IF WE, IF, IF WE DID USE SOMETHING LIKE THAT, NOTIFICATION WOULD HAVE TO BE POSTED AS WELL.
UM, NOW I'VE SEEN, UH, I'VE WALKED THROUGH OTHER, OTHER PARK, OTHER CITIES, THEY'RE STILL SPRAYING.
UM, I FLEW OUT SOME DEALERS OUT TO ANAHEIM, FOR EXAMPLE, AND EVEN SOME TO, UH, WHERE I LIVE OVER IN WHITTIER AND LA HABRA MM-HMM
SO I'M WAITING FOR THEIR, THEIR RESPONSES BACK.
[01:45:01]
TO KIND OF, UM, I KNOW THAT THE NOTIFICATION WAS A BIG THING.WHAT WE USE IN THE, IN TERMS OF THE REENTRY INTERVAL IS ONCE IT'S DRY, IT'S SIMILAR TO PAINT, YOU CAN'T GET IT ON YOURSELF.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT IS, THAT'S WHAT'S REQUIRED ON THE LABEL, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT AN AGRICULTURAL SETTING IT ON THE LABEL.
IT'S A NON-AGRICULTURAL, UM, SETTING.
SO ONCE IT'S DRY, PERFECTLY SAFE.
SO IT'D BE GOOD TO HEAR WHEN YOU HEAR ON WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING.
AND THEN I CONCUR WITH, UM, COMMISSIONER ALLEN AND, UM, COMMISSIONER CHAVEZ, SO ON THE PILOT PROGRAM, AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO REPEAT WHAT YOU REPEATED TO THEM,
UH, FIRST OF ALL, I TOO WANNA THANK YOU, RA.
IT WAS A WONDERFUL PRESENTATION.
I TOO LEARNED AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT.
AND AGAIN, I WANNA ECHO MY COLLEAGUES AND THANKING THE PUBLIC FOR, UH, PARTICIPATING, FOR STAYING THIS LONG, UH, FOR CARING ABOUT THIS ISSUE AS MUCH AS WE ALL DO.
AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT THESE ARE EDUCATED PEOPLE THAT DO THE BEST THEY CAN, UH, CONSTANTLY, UH, UPGRADING THEIR EDUCATION.
AND, UM, AND NOBODY HAS ILL WILL OR PROBLEM, YOU KNOW, DOING THINGS JUST TO MAKE IT EASY OR WHATEVER.
SO I JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I HAVE TWO LITTLE QUICK COMMENTS.
FIRST OF ALL, I TOO WILL DO SOME DUE DILIGENCE BECAUSE ON THE, UH, SUSTAINABLE PROGRAM, UH, MY SON GRADUATED FROM CAL POLY.
DO YOU KNOW HIM? OH MY GOODNESS GRACIOUS.
AND HE IS A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT IN KANSAS CITY.
SO I WILL CALL HIM AND MAKE HIM FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE SUSTAINABLE PROGRAM, AND I WILL REPORT BACK NEXT WEEK.
AND WE HAVE, ANYWAY, UH, SECOND, UH, THERE WAS REFERENCE TO FOOD CHEMICALS.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY THAT IN 1970, I WAS LIVING IN CHICAGO AND MET, UH, SOME GENTLEMEN WHO HAD, WERE COUSINS OF MY BEST FRIEND FROM RUSSIA, AND THEY WERE STUDYING FOOD CHEMICALS.
UH, AMERICA WAS THE ABSOLUTE WORST IN TERMS OF CHEMICALS IN FOOD.
AND THEY WERE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN AND MADISON STUDYING HOW POORLY WE DID IT.
AND THEY WERE WAY AHEAD OF US IN TERMS OF CHEMICALS IN PROCESSED FOODS, 19 70, 55 YEARS AGO.
AND WE'RE STILL TALKING ABOUT THE ISSUE.
IT MUST, IT MAKES ME CRAZY, AND I'M SURE I'M NOT ALONE.
BUT ON THAT NOTE, I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYONE AGAIN AND MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM.
I'M NOT GOING TO REPEAT EVERYTHING I SAID EARLIER, BUT CERTAINLY THANK YOU TO, UH, THE COMMUNITY.
UH, WE ARE CERTAINLY, UM, INTERESTED, UH, AT LOOKING AT NEW IDEAS AND NEW OPPORTUNITIES, AND I THINK THIS IS, UH, AN OPPORTUNITY, UM, THAT HAS PRESENTED ITSELF HERE.
SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS WE'RE GONNA GO BACK AND, AND IT COULD BE A PART OF THE MOTION FOR NUMBER SIX, BUT WE'RE GONNA GO BACK AND TAKE A LOOK TO SEE WHAT KIND OF A, A PILOT, UM, COULD MAKE SENSE.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE'LL DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE AT LOOKING AT SOME OF THE, UH, FORMALIZED PROGRAMS OUT THERE.
AND, UM, WE WILL THEN COME BACK TO THE COMMISSION WITH WHAT THAT, UH, WHAT THAT PILOT, UH, CAN LOOK LIKE.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER SHAMAN AND I AT THE BEGINNING OF THE CONVERSATION, WHICH WAS ABOUT HOUR AND A HALF AGO,
BUT THERE WAS ONE POINT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T GET LOST.
THEN THIS, IF I RECALL CORRECTLY, THAT THIS INFORMATION IS ALSO GONNA BE SHARED WITH THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, AT SOME POINT.
WELL, RIGHT NOW WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS, UH, A COMMISSION ITEM.
SO WE WOULD BE BRINGING THIS BACK TO THE COMMISSION.
THIS IS THE ENTITY THAT ASKED FOR THE INFORMATION.
UM, AND SO, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A, THIS WOULD BE A MANAGEMENT DECISION FOR OUR LITTLE PILOT.
AND SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD DO, UM, WITHOUT YOU GOT IT.
I WAS GONNA SAY, BUT I LIKE THE, THE REPORT, THE INFORMATION THAT WAS SHARED WITH US TODAY.
IS THAT GOING TO GET TRANSFERRED TO THE COUNCIL AT SOME POINT? OR MAYBE A MEMO TO THE COUNCIL? SAY, YOU KNOW, WHAT I, WHAT I THINK WE COULD DO WOULD BE AFTER THE PILOT PROGRAM TO, UH, TO PRESENT, UH, MAYBE THROUGH A MEMO, UH, WHAT THE FINDINGS FROM THAT PROGRAM, UH, WORK.
UM, BUT AGAIN, WE WOULD BE BRINGING BACK THE FULL, YOU KNOW, THE FULL PILOT FINDINGS TO DISCUSSION.
THEN MAYBE IT MIGHT BE GOOD FOR ALSO JUST IN BETWEEN THAT, UH, FOR THE PUBLIC WHO ARE HERE TODAY TO ALSO MAYBE SPEAK A PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE CITY COUNCIL AND SAY, HEY, THIS IS AN ISSUE WE BROUGHT UP.
THIS IS AN ISSUE WE WANTED TO DISCUSS.
YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU KNOW HOW, HOWEVER YOU WANT TO FRAME YOUR COMMENTS.
[01:50:01]
BE, IT WOULD BE ALSO GOOD TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COUNCIL'S AWARE OF THAT, WHERE YOU HAVE DISCUSSED THIS AND OR, YOU KNOW, THAT THERE'S A LOT OF MEDIA INTEREST.YOU KNOW, AND CERTAINLY THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO THROUGH OUR INDIVIDUAL CONVERSATIONS WITH THE COUNCIL OFFICES.
LET THEM KNOW THAT WE TRY TO KEEP THEM ABREAST OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE PARKS, WHETHER THEY'RE PROGRAMMATIC OR MAINTENANCE RELATED.
AND SO THIS WOULD BE SOMETHING, UM, PARTICULARLY IF IT IS A COUNCIL OFFICE THAT WOULD BE, UH, A HOST OR A COUNCIL DISTRICT THAT WOULD BE HOST THE ONE OF THE PROGRAM SITES.
UH, ABSOLUTELY SOMETHING BROUGHT FORWARD THROUGH THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
ANYTHING ELSE, DIRECTOR? NOPE.
UH, THAT BEING SAID, MAY WE MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM? HAVE TO VOTE.
OH, WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE, THE TABLE.
A MOTION, UH, MADE BY, UH, COMMISSIONER LIVINGSTON, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER CHAVEZ TO ACCEPT THE, UH, UM, RECEIVE AND ACCEPT THE FILE AS AN UPDATE.
NOW WE CAN MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER TWO.
AND IF YOU, UH, AS THE PUBLIC CARE TO LEAVE AT THIS TIME, YOU'RE WELCOME TO.
YOU ARE CERTAINLY MORE THAN WELCOME TO STAY, AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION.
ITEM NUMBER TWO IS TO REC RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16TH, 2025.
PUBLIC COMMENT? PUBLIC COMMENT.
OH, IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON LAST MONTH'S, UH, UH, MEETING? OKAY.
UM, THEN ON THAT NOTE, NOW WE WILL ASK FOR, WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER OR SMITH SECOND BY WITH COMMISSIONER ALLEN? YES.
NOW WE CAN MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER THREE, THE RECOMMENDATION TO DISCUSS A FEE WAIVER REQUESTS RECEIVED BETWEEN OCTOBER 9TH, 2025 AND NOVEMBER 12TH, 2025.
CAN I HAVE A MOTION? THANK YOU.
UH, AND DO WE HAVE A REPORT DIRECTOR? YES.
UH, GLADYS KAISER WILL BE PROVIDING, UH, THE STAFF REPORT, UH, COMMISS ON BEHALF OF THE COMMUNITY.
UM, WE HAVE A COMPLETE KEY WAIVERS TO PRESENT TO YOU FOR APPROVAL.
UM, IT IS THE CHOSEN FEW MOTORCYCLE CLUB, NOT A NEW GROUP, NOT A NEW EVENT ON THEIR WISHING TO USE THE MARTIN LUTHER KING PARK SOCIAL HALL ON DECEMBER 6TH FOR THEIR CHARITY EVENT.
IT IS A TOY DRIVE, $281 A 50 CENTS FACILITY, AND PERMIT FEES, UM, REQUESTED TO BE WAIVED.
UM, APPLICABLE FEES ARE, UM, $1,257 AND 50 CENTS APPLIED TO SECURITY DEPOSIT STAFF AND MAINTENANCE FEE.
THE NEXT, ON BEHALF OF THE WATERMAN COLLECTIVE, THIS IS A NEW GROUP, A NEW EVENT.
UM, AGAIN, THE USE OF RECREATION PARK SOCIAL HALL FOR A CHARITY EVENT ON, UH, THE SAME DATE IS FOR A TOY DRIVE, $679 IN FACILITY AND PERMIT FEES REQUESTED TO BE WAIVED.
$1,328 APPLIED TO THE SECURITY DEPOSIT STAFF AND MAINTENANCE FEES ON BEHALF OF THE ROSE PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
UH, NOT A NEW GROUP, NOT A NEW EVENT.
THIS IS THEIR ANNUAL, UM, USE OF THE ROSE PARK OPEN SPACE FOR THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD EVENT.
A HOLIDAY PARTY, $229 PER AND SPECIAL USE, UH, FEES REQUESTED TO BE WAIVED.
UM, PARTNERS OF PARKS FOR THE LONG BEACH.
GRAY PANTHERS ON NOT A NEW EVENT.
THIS IS THE FIRST SATURDAY OF THE MONTH, BEGINNING IN DECEMBER, AND GOING THROUGH JUNE OF 2026.
UM, THE USE OF THE, UM, CENTER AUDITORIUM AT THE LONG BEACH SENIOR CENTER FOR THEIR MONTHLY MEETINGS.
IT IS THE OLDER ADULT ASSOCIATION, $662 AND 50 CENTS.
FACILITY FEES REQUESTED TO BE WAIVED AND BEHALF OF ON BEHALF OF A OC SEVEN.
NOT A NEW GROUP, BUT A NEW EVENT.
UM, A FOOD GIVEAWAY AT THE MACARTHUR PARK OPEN SPACE AS A COMMUNITY EVENT ON DECEMBER 6TH.
UM, $229 IN SPECIAL USE FEES AND PERMIT FEES REQUESTED TO BE WAIVED, BRINGING A TOTAL OF 2080 $1 ON BEHALF OF THE COMMUNITY REQUESTED TO BE WAIVED ON FEW WAIVERS.
AND AT THIS TIME WE'LL ASK, UH, IF THERE'S ANYONE REPRESENTING ANY OF THESE GROUPS, AND I'LL GO DOWN THEM IN ORDER IF YOU'D LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS.
UH, THE CHOSEN FEW MOTORCYCLE CLUBS, ANYONE HERE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF.
NEXT WOULD BE THE WATERMAN'S COLLECTIVE.
NEXT WOULD BE THE ROSE PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
AND PARTISAN PARKS FOR LONG BEACH GRAY PANTHERS.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE ON THAT BEHALF?
UM, AND I JUST WANNA ANNOUNCE WE JUST GOT A $10,000 GRANT TO, UM, BUY GIFT GROCERY GIFT CARDS FOR ALL THE SENIORS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY, UH, THROUGH THE SENIOR CENTERS, UH, SO THEY CAN HAVE A HOLIDAY MEAL.
[01:55:01]
UM, I ADDED THAT WE HAVE OVER 1,042 HOURS WITH OUR INTERNS THIS YEAR AND THE AMOUNTS TO $48,000 WORTH OF VOLUNTEER TIME.SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH ON AFTER RUNNING CATCH BUS.
SHE'S ONE OF OUR NEW CO-PRESIDENTS WHO WAS WITH ME EARLIER.
SHE HAD TO LEAVE FOR A MEETING.
AND WE HAVE $800, UM, COMING TO THE THANKSGIVING LUNCH IN THIS AFTERNOON TO GIVE OUT GROCERY GIFT CARDS FOR THANKSGIVING.
UH, IS THERE ANYONE HERE FROM AOC SEVEN? LIKE TO SAY A FEW GROUPS? OKAY.
WE HAVE A, A MOTION ON THE TABLE FROM COMMISSIONER II SMITH, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER ALLEN.
WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE FROM COMMISSIONER SCHONE.
UH, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER LIVINGSTON.
UH, CAN WE HAVE A VOTE? ALL FAVOR? AYE.
NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER.
IF I COULD BRING UP A FOLLOW ITEM OR REQUEST ON BEHALF OF ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS WROTE, UM, FEES WAIVED FROM YEAR TO YEAR, SO I CAN CLOSE OUT THAT ITEM.
SO, UM, THE REQUEST WAS TO, UM, BRING BACK THE, THE AMOUNT OF, UM, FEES WAIVED, UM, IN PREVIOUS YEARS.
SO TO DATE, NOT INCLUDING TODAY'S, UH, FEE, UM, I'M SORRY TO DATE, FOR FISCAL YEAR 25, UM, IT WAS $188,000 THAT WAS WAIVED, UM, FOR THE COMMUNITY IN 2024.
IT WAS $225,000, UM, ON FEES WAIVE TO COMMUNITY.
AND I WENT BACK ONE MORE YEAR IN 2023, AND IT WAS APPROXIMATELY ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT OF 225.
SO THERE'S A $37,000 DIFFERENCE, UM, IN FEE WA FEES WAIVE FROM THIS LAST FISCAL YEAR TO THE PREVIOUS TO SCHOOL YEAR.
SO I ASKED OUR STAFF IN OUR RESERVATION OFFICE, UM, TO GO THROUGH THE PAPERWORK AND SEE WHAT THEY COULD FIND AND WHERE THIS DIFFERENCE WOULD BE.
SO IN 2023 AND 2024, UM, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, MANY, MANY GRANTS WERE GIVEN OUT TO NON-PROFITS AND COMMUNITY GROUPS, UM, THAT WERE USED TO ACTIVATE OUR PARKS THROUGH A VARIETY OF, UH, DIFFERENT EVENTS FOR VIOLENCE PREVENTION.
UM, AND THAT'S WHAT STAFF LENDS TO $37,000 DIFFERENCE, UM, FROM YEAR TO YEAR.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT REPORT.
NOW IT CAN GO ON TO ITEM NUMBER, AGENDA ITEM.
I'M SORRY, CAN I ASK A FOLLOW UP QUESTION? YES.
WERE THOSE THE VIOLENCE PREVENTION GRANTS FROM THE MONEY THAT CAME FROM THE STATE? THAT CAME FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT? I BELIEVE IT WAS, YES.
ITEM NUMBER FOUR, A RECOMMENDATION TO AUTHORIZE THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF PARKS RECREATION MARINE TO APPROVE THE INSTALLATION OF ITS INTERLOCKING MINI PITCH SURFACE AND GOALS LOCATED AT RAMONA PARK.
AND TO ISSUE ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY FOR A RIGHT OF ENTRY PERMIT TO MUSCO SPORTS LIGHTNING, LLC AND IOWA LIMITED LIABILITY C CORPORATION OF SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA, DOING BUSINESS AS CSC DASH LAWYERS.
INCORPORATING SERVICE FOR A ONE YEAR TERM, BEGINNING DECEMBER 1ST, 2025 THROUGH NOVEMBER 30TH, 2026 IN DISTRICT NINE.
UH, NOW DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS, DIRECTOR? YES.
UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE ANN HUDSON, OUR PARTNERSHIPS ANALYST, UH, PRESENT ON THIS RIGHT EVENT PERMIT.
UH, BY THE WAY, FANTASTIC PRESENTATION.
THANK I'M SO GLAD I WAS HERE FOR IT.
UH, THE US SOCCER FOUNDATION RECENTLY SUBMITTED A PROPOSAL TO PARKS, RECREATION AND MARINE TO INSTALL AN INTERLOCKING SOCCER MINI PITCH SURFACE WITH GOALS.
MANY PITCHES ARE CUSTOMIZED HARDCORE, THAT ARE SUITED FOR SPORTS SUCH AS SOCCER HUBS, ENCOURAGE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND PROVIDE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PLAY.
THE PROJECT IS MADE POSSIBLE BY A DONATION FROM THE US SOCCER FOUNDATION BY SEAN THROUGH, THROUGH THE US SOCCER FOUNDATION BY SEAN ARMSTRONG, A LOCAL COMMUNITY MEMBER WHO IS MAKING THE DONATION IN HONOR OF HIS FATHER, DESMOND ARMSTRONG, A PROFESSIONAL SOCCER PLAYER, FORMER PROFESSIONAL SOCCER PLAYER FOR THE DUBLIN SHAMROCK ROVERS IN IRELAND, WHICH ACCORDING TO GOOGLE, IS THE MOST SUCCESSFUL CLUB IN IRELAND.
WITH ADDITION TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO INNOVATIVE PLAY SURFACES TO UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, THE US SOCCER FOUNDATION AIMS TO CREATE 1000 MINI PITCHES ACROSS THE COUNTRY BY 2026.
BECAUSE OF THE SUCCESS OF THE MINI PITCH INSTALLATION AT FOREST PARK AND THE DESIRE OF THE ARMSTRONG, THE FOUNDATION HAS CHOSEN TO RETURN TO LONG BEACH
[02:00:01]
TO BUILD ONE.UH, THE US SOCCER FOUNDATION HAS SELECTED MOOSE COAST SPORTS LIGHTING TO COMPLETE THE INSTALLATION AT NO COST TO THE CITY.
THE COMMISSION IS BEING ASKED TODAY TO AUTHORIZE THE RIGHT OF ENTRY PERMIT TO MOOSE CODE SPORTS LIGHTING TO ALLOW FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE MINI PITCH.
UH, LATER ON IN DECEMBER, THE LONG BEACH CITY COUNCIL WILL BE ASKED TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO ACCEPT THE BRANCH AGREEMENT AS PART OF THIS.
SO, UH, THIS PROJECT IS EXPECTED TO HAVE MINIMAL IMPACT ON PART USERS.
UH, THE SITE WAS ACTUALLY SELECTED WITH COMMUNITY RECREATION SERVICES, UH, INPUT AND ONCE INSTALLED, ALL IMPROVEMENTS BECOME PROPERTY OF THE DEPARTMENT.
UH, IF IMPROVEMENTS ARE DAMAGED OR VANDALIZED, THE DEPARTMENT WOULD BE RESERVE ON THAT.
SO COMMISSIONERS, THIS IS, UH, A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY INVEST, UH, INTO AN UNDERUTILIZED, UH, HARD SPACE COURT, UH, AT LAMODA PARK, AND IT FURTHERS OUR INVESTMENT IN THAT PARK.
NOW, SEVERAL OF YOU WERE AT THE, UH, PLAYGROUND, UH, RIBBON CUTTING A FEW WEEKS AGO, AND SO REALLY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO OFFER THIS ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO THAT NORTH LONG BEACH PARK.
IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS, UH, ITEM? THANK YOU.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE, UH, COMMISSIONERS? YES.
COMMISSIONER LIVINGTON, WHAT DOES INTERLOCKING MEAN? IS THAT, LIKE, I KNOW UP AT DE FOREST WE PUT IN SOME, IS THAT LIKE THE, THE LIKE JIGSAW PUZZLE TYPE THING AND THEN IT BECOMES PERMANENT? UH, IT'S BIG.
AND THEN IT IS GENERATIONS BETTER THOUGH THAN WHAT WE SAW SEVERAL YEARS AGO WHERE WE DO THAT INSTALLATION AT FOREST PARK.
I WANNA SAY THAT WAS AROUND 2014 ISH.
UM, AND, UH, THE TECHNOLOGY FOR THAT IS MUCH BETTER TODAY THAN IT WAS BACK THEN.
MY ONLY OTHER QUESTION IS HOW DOES THIS INTERACT WITH OUR SPONSORSHIP POLICY? I'M LOOKING LIKE THERE COULD BE FOUR LOGOS.
HAS THOSE BEEN PRE-APPROVED? BECAUSE WE GOT IN TROUBLE FOR SOME, SOME MURALS.
WE DID THIS ITEM FOR YOU TONIGHT, OR TODAY IS REALLY TO ADDRESS THE RIGHT OF ENTRY.
COUNSEL WILL ADDRESS THE PROCESS.
IT IS, UH, ALSO MANAGEMENT'S RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE NOT VIOLATING ANY SORT OF EXISTING ADMINISTRATIVE, ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS OR POLICIES.
I THINK THE, THE, THE DIAGRAM OR WHAT YOU HAVE THERE IS REALLY MORE FOR, UM, DEMONSTRATION PURPOSES, BUT NOT THE FILE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS? THANK YOU.
UM, HEARING NONE, UH, WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER LIVINGSTON, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER ALLEN.
AND NOW WE CAN MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER FIVE, WHICH IS A RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE THE DIRECTOR'S MONTHLY HIGHLIGHTS REPORT.
WE CREATE COMMUNITY AND THE DIRECTOR HIGHLIGHTS FOR NOVEMBER, 2025.
BEFORE WE DO THAT, CAN WE NOTE THAT WE NEED TO NOTE THAT CHAR HAD STEPPED OUT? OH, SO, SO SHE HAD STAY IN THE LAST VOTE.
WE DO HAVE AN ABSTENTION 'CAUSE UH, COMMISSIONER, HE HAD STEPPED OUT.
AND NOW ITEM FIVE OF FILING THE, UH, DIRECTOR'S REPORTS.
YOU SECOND, IS THAT COMMISSIONER SHOW? MM-HMM
SO IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, I'M NOT GONNA SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON THE, WE CREATE COMMUNITY OR THE DIRECTOR'S HIGHLIGHTS.
JUST WANNA CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO A FEW ITEMS, A FRONT PAGE OF ABOUT WE CREATE COMMUNITY, UH, WHAT I JUST MENTIONED ABOUT THE, THE RAMONA PARK SIGNATURE PLAYGROUND RIBBON CUTTING.
SO EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT TO THE COMMUNITY.
NEW PLAY STRUCTURE FOR PEOPLE WITH DIFFERING ABILITIES.
UM, IT'S ACCESSIBLE, INCLUSIVE, UH, SOME GREAT, UH, HEAT MITIGATION, MITIGATION, UH, INSTALLATIONS THERE WITH SHADE STRUCTURES AND NEW TREES.
UM, AND IT IS REALLY A DESTINATION.
UH, SOME BEAUTIFUL, UH, BRIGHT BLUE ADIRONDACK CHAIRS.
SO REALLY SOMETHING FOR THE COMMUNITY TO NOT JUST SHOW UP AND SPEND A FEW MINUTES AT, BUT REALLY SPEND A GOOD AMOUNT OF TIME AT AND REALLY ENJOYING THEMSELVES.
UH, THERE'S A NUMBER OF HIGHLIGHTS OF EVENTS THAT HAVE, UH, HAPPENED OVER, UH, THE BEGINNING OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON, WHICH WE LOOK AT AS, UH, HALLOWEEN.
AND SO THERE'S SOME INFORMATION IN THERE WITH RESPECT TO THE DIRECTOR'S HIGHLIGHTS.
JUST WANTED TO COMMENT ON A FEW THINGS.
SO WE ARE IN STORM SEASON RIGHT NOW.
WE ARE EARLY IN STORM SEASON RIGHT NOW.
UM, FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER, WE ALREADY HAVE A LITTLE OVER TWO INCHES OF RAIN.
UH, I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT IT HAS BEEN DECADES
[02:05:01]
SINCE WE'VE HAD THAT AMOUNT OF RAIN FOR THE ENTIRE MONTH OF NOVEMBER.UM, AND SO GREAT JOB BY OUR MAINTENANCE TEAMS, NOT ONLY, UH, ERIC AND HIS MAINTENANCE TEAM, BUT DOWN IN THE
FORTUNATELY FOR OUR DEPARTMENT, WE REALLY DIDN'T HAVE A LOT, UM, AND REALLY ATTRIBUTE SOME OF THAT TO OUR TREE TRIMMING PROGRAM, A PROGRAM THAT WE DID NOT HAVE MANY YEARS AGO, UM, AND JUST IMPLEMENTED A FEW YEARS AGO.
AND, UH, TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THESE TREES ON A REGULAR BASIS REALLY, UH, IMPROVES, UH, THE, THE SAFETY, UM, SO THAT THEY'RE NOT SO TOP HEAVY.
UM, AND WHEN YOU GET HIGH WINDS AND RAIN, UH, THAT COULD BE AN ISSUE.
SO REALLY DID NOT SEE, UH, REALLY TOO MANY, UM, SIGNIFICANT, UH, WIND FAILURES.
WE HAD A FEW AND WE'RE ALWAYS GOING TO, UM, BUT WAS REALLY PROUD OF, UH, HOW OUR PARKS, UH, COULD WITHSTAND UH, THAT, UH, THAT STORM AND WITH MORE RAIN COMING, UH, OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.
UM, JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT ONE ITEM ON OUR, UH, STATUS OF NEW ADDITIONS TO THE PRM FAMILY COMMUNITY INFORMATION OFFICER.
UH, THIS IS, UH, IF YOU ALL REMEMBER, JANE DROVE 80, UH, BEEN WITH OUR DEPARTMENT FOR CLOSE TO 37 YEARS.
THAT OFFICE IS OUR CONNECTION WITH THE COMMUNITY TO TALK ABOUT OUR PROGRAMS, OUR EVENTS, AND, YOU KNOW, GREAT ACTIVITIES THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE PARKS TO HELP TELL OUR STORY.
WELL, WE FILLED THAT POSITION AND I JUST HEARD THAT, UM, PERSON THAT WE OFFERED THE POSITION TO HAS ACCEPTED, AND THAT IS JEN DE PRAY.
SHE IS A CURRENT MEMBER OF THE CITYWIDE, UM, COMMUNITY INFORMATION TEAM IN THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
SO WE REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO ADDING HER TO OUR TEAM AND, UM, UH, REALLY HELPING US TAKE THAT NEXT STEP WITH, UH, OUR ABILITY TO CONNECT WITH THE COMMUNITY AND REACH MAYBE SOME OF THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT WE'VE HAD A DIFFICULT TIME REACHING.
SO, REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
UH, I WILL LET YOU ALL, UH, READ, UH, THE OTHER UPDATES, BUT JUST WANTED TO GIVE A VERY, UH, QUICK HIGH LEVEL UPDATE ON THAT.
MAY I, I JUST ASK A QUICK QUESTION ON JANE DUB PREY.
DOES SHE REPORT TO THE CITY MANAGER OR TO YOU? SO SHE IS CURRENTLY IN THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, AND SO WE ARE STEALING HER FROM THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
SO, SO SHE WILL REPORT, UH, TWO PARKS WHERE I CAN MARINE AND, UH, THAT, UH, POSITION IS IN OUR BUSINESS OPERATIONS AREA.
UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR TWO QUICKIES? I SAW THAT THE MOBILE RECESS WAS RESCHEDULED BECAUSE OF RAIN.
DID THE FISHING DERBY HAPPEN OR WILL THAT BE RESCHEDULED? UM, YES, IT DID HAPPEN.
SO FISHING IS A RAIN OR SHINE EVENT.
UM, AND SO, UM, WE HAD A VERY SUCCESSFUL EVENT BECAUSE OF THE FISHERMEN AND THEIR, OUR WEATHER FROM YOUNG TO, UM, OLDER.
UM, THEY SAY THE FISH ACTUALLY BITE BETTER IN THE RAIN BECAUSE WHEN THE RAIN HITS THE WATER, THE FISH STINK IT'S FOOD AND GO.
SO AT A VERY SUCCESSFUL, THE POURING RAIN.
AND THEN REAL QUICKLY, THE, THE ANIMAL CARE SERVICES PARTNERSHIP, ARE WE PAYING FOR THAT OR IS THAT A, LIKE A PHENOMENAL PROGRAM THAT IS FUNDED THROUGH A GRANT? SO WE ARE NOT, IT'S NOT OUT OF OUR POCKET.
UM, BUT IT IS GRANT SUPPORTED AND SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE EXPANDED, UH, WITH SOME ADDITIONAL GRANTS.
UM, SO WE'RE REALLY, UH, EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO TAKE THESE ANIMALS THAT HAVE BEEN IN OUR SHELTER FOR A VERY LONG PERIOD, ACTUALLY PUT THEM IN A, UM, YOU KNOW, IN A HOUSEHOLD THAT, YOU KNOW, WHERE A PROFESSIONAL TRAINER CAN KIND OF HELP WITH THEIR BEHAVIOR, UH, TO HELP IMPROVE THEIR ADAPTABILITY, UH, OPPORTUNITIES.
SO THIS FIRST ONE WAS A HUGE SUCCESS ADOPTED AFTER OVER 300 DAYS IN THE SHELTER.
AND LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT IT'S ALMOST 11:15 AM AND COMMISSIONER OR SMITH HAD TO LEAVE AND, UH, HOPEFULLY WE CAN, UM, MOVE ALONG.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE ONE COMMENT THAT I NOTICED THAT IT'S, IT'S GONNA TAKE US ABOUT SIX MONTHS TO GET THE NEW DIRECTOR.
IT'S GONNA TAKE US OVER A YEAR TO REPLACE LATTICE.
SO I, I ASKED THAT DECEMBER OF 26, I THINK IS ACTUALLY BY FEBRUARY OF 26.
SO I 26, I WAS LIKE, I THINKS, AND I SAID THAT CAN'T RIGHT? LIKE DECEMBER.
THAT'S INCREDIBLE THAT WE'RE GONNA TAKE THAT MUCH TIME BECAUSE SHE'S THAT GOOD WHEN WE GET A NEW COMMUNICATIONS PERSON,
SO I, ALTHOUGH I MUST COMMENT IT THAT I AGREE WITH YOU COMMISSIONER
[02:10:01]
ALLEN.FIND SOMEONE TO NOBODY CAN REPLACE GLADYS.
UH, WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR FROM COMMISSIONER LIVINGSTON, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER SCHOEN FOR ITEM NUMBER FIVE.
OH, WE DID FORGET PUBLIC COMMENT.
UH, IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT? UH, OR THE, UH, HIGHLIGHTS? ACTUALLY, I THINK I WILL.
JUST ONE THING, UM, I I I JUST HEARD THE GLADS LEAVING.
WELL, THAT'S A VERY SAD THING.
REALLY APPRECIATE HER CONVINCE HER NOT TO
SO CAN WE RESCIND THAT GOOD IDEA? AND THEN SECONDLY, UM, I WOULD REALLY HOPE THAT OUR NEXT DIRECTOR IS SITTING AT THAT TABLE.
SO THAT'S, I'M JUST PUTTING THAT OUT.
I THINK HE'S A FINE PERSON THAT REALLY CARES, SO I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT.
NOW WE WILL TAKE A VOTE, UH, UH, ON THE MOTION PRESENTED BY COMMISSIONER LIVINGSTON AND SECOND BY COMMISSIONER SEAN.
ANY OPPOSED? AND WE HAVE VOTE ABSTENTION FROM COMMISSIONER ROYALTY SMITH.
AND NOW LAST PUBLIC, LAST ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
NUMBER SIX, RECOMMENDATION TO DISCUSS POTENTIAL TOPICS FOR FUTURE PARTS OF RECREATION COMMISSION MEETINGS.
CAN I HAVE A MOTION? ALLEN AND SECOND, MR. CHAVEZ.
UH, UH, COMMENTS? WELL, I THINK IF I MAY, I THINK THE FIRST THING IS PROBABLY PUT UP THERE IS THE EXPIRATION OF THE PILOT PROJECT, UH, RELATING TO PE PESTICIDE FREE PARK MANAGEMENT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FOR THE FUTURE? ANY OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS? YES, COMMISSIONER ALLEN.
UH, I KNOW YOU TALK LIKE, WE HAVEN'T THERE BEEN THE CHAIRS OR THE DIRECTORS REPORT, BUT CAN WE MAYBE FIND A WAY TO DO MORE, UM, ITEMIZED UPDATES AROUND ANIMAL CARE SERVICES? I KNOW THEY DON'T HAVE A HOME OR A COMMISSION IN THE WAY THAT WE AS PARKS AND REC AND MARINE HAVE ONE.
SO MAYBE LIKE EVEN JUST IN INTEGRATING THEM MORE, MORE FORMALLY IN AN UPDATE PROCESS.
OR WE COULD ADD, UH, I'LL ADD MORE TO THE HIGHLIGHTS.
UH, WITH RESPECT TO ANIMAL CARE SERVICES, UNDERSTANDING, IT'S REALLY MORE JUST FOR GENERAL INFORMATION, RIGHT, RIGHT.
UH, BUT NO, CERTAINLY WE CAN ADD MORE.
UM, YOU KNOW, TRY TO JUST KIND OF BALANCE WHAT I PUT IN THAT, UH, DIRECTOR'S HIGHLIGHTS AND SO, UH, PUT A FEW TIDBITS OF INFORMATION IN THERE NOW, BUT WE COULD ADD A FEW MORE.
BECAUSE I, I'D LOVE TO BE LIKE BETTER ADVOCATES OF THEM AS WELL SINCE THEY'RE A PART OF OUR DEPARTMENT AND JUST KIND OF DON'T HAVE A HOME.
UM, MAYBE IN FUTURE, AND MAYBE IT'S MORE IN REPORTING, BUT IN THE TOPIC OF STORM SEASON, I THINK IT'S, UM, MORE INFORMATIVE TO MAYBE LET US KNOW WHAT IS THAT EXTRA WORK THAT IS BEING DONE POST STORM, EITHER DURING OR AFTER.
'CAUSE RIGHT AS QUESTIONS COME UP OR WE CAN BE ADVOCATES.
'CAUSE WE RECOGNIZE IT TAKES MORE TIME AND ENERGY.
TO, TO BRING OUR CITY BACK TO THE BEAUTY AFTER SOME OF THESE REALLY BIG STORMS. OKAY.
ANY OTHER FUTURE? THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.
UH, SO ANY MORE PUBLIC COMMENT? SAY WHAT? PUBLIC COMMENT? OH, ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON FUTURE ISSUES.
UM, I, I'VE BEEN, AS I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO DIFFERENT THINGS, I WAS THINKING ABOUT THIS, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS THE GOOD PLACE ORDER OR THE NEXT ONE, BUT I'LL, I'LL ADDRESS IT NOW.
UH, I'M CONCERNED OR AT LEAST HOPING THAT, UH, THE COMMISSIONERS IN THIS GROUP, AND YOU MAY WANT TO COVER THIS IN SOME WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM OF THE HUGE FINANCIAL, UH, RESPONSIBILITY THAT IS ACTUALLY ON THIS COMMISSION AND IN THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS AND THINGS.
BUT I'M, I'M TALKING ABOUT NUMBERS AND WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, THE ROUNDUP $16 BILLION, UH, PAYOUT AND ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS ARE VERY, UH, INCLUDING THE, UH, THE ROUNDUP AND ALL THESE OTHER THINGS DO CREATE A HUGE FINANCIAL CONCERN FOR THE CITY.
SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT YOU ALL CAN ACTUALLY HELP THAT SITUATION OR YOU CAN ACTUALLY, UH, GO THE OTHER WAY AND ACTUALLY ADD TO IT.
IN OTHER WORDS, WHAT THESE, THE CHILDREN THAT WERE KILLED BY THE, UH, FALLING TREES OR THE, THE POISONS OR, I, I AM JUST SAYING IT OVERALL.
I'M NOT ADDRESSING JUST THE POISONS, BUT I, I THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA FOR,
[02:15:01]
UH, SOMEHOW THE COMMISSIONERS TO HAVE AN ITEM EXPLAINING OR MAKING IT CLEAR HOW HUGE THEIR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO THE CITY AND FOR POTENTIAL LAWSUITS AND THAT KIND OF THING.DOES ANYBODY HAVE A QUESTION FOR DIANA ABOUT THIS COMMENT? ARE WE ABLE TO, WE'RE NOT ABLE TO SAY WHAT? WE'RE NOT ABLE TO.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I, I JUST WANTED TO BE CLEAR.
I JUST, YOU KNOW, AS I'M SEEING DOLLAR SIGNS.
AND THIS ITEM IS ABOUT BRINGING UP FUTURE TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION AT FUTURE MEETINGS.
UH, WE WILL HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT AFTER THIS.
THAT, BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT THANK YOU.
A GOOD TOPIC WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, EXPLAIN SOMEHOW SOMEONE EXPLAINING TO THIS COMMISSION HOW THE, WHAT WHATEVER DECISIONS THAT THEY MAKE CAN HAVE A HUGE IMPACT PHYSICALLY.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHY I SAID I WASN'T SURE WHICH PLACE TO PUT IT, BUT I THROW THREW IT IN THERE.
CHRISTINE, YOU GOT THAT? THANK YOU.
AND FUTURE TOPICS, RIGHT? FUTURE TOPICS, YES.
SO WE DON'T USUALLY COME TO THIS COMMISSION BECAUSE THERE ISN'T ALSO A MARINE ADVISORY COMMISSION WHEN WE TALK ABOUT FIREWORKS AND THE BIG BANG ON THE BAY EVENT.
UM, BUT THIS IS ONE OF THE POSTERS WE'VE BROUGHT THEIR ATTENTION.
AND THERE IS, HAS BEEN SOME PROGRESS THAT REMAINS TO BE SEEN, WHETHER THE COASTAL COMMISSION AND THE PROJECT APPLICANT WILL COMPLY WITH THEIR PROMISE NOT TO HAVE ANY MORE FIREWORKS THAT HOW FAR IT'S NOW THAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN LAST YEAR.
BUT WHAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT, WHICH I THINK SHOULD BE ON YOUR AGENDA, IS UP, IS A MOTION BY A SECOND DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBER CITY ALLEN CO-SPONSORED BY FIRST DISTRICT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, MARY SANDIA, TO BRING BACK FIREWORKS ALL OVER THE CITY TO HAVE FIREWORKS SALES AND USE OF SO-CALLED SAFE AND INSANE, WHICH IS A, OF COURSE, MARKETING DESCRIPTION BY THE FIREWORKS INDUSTRY.
THEY'RE ALL ALL PRETTY INSANE.
BUT ANYWAY, SO THIS HAS COME BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL.
IT HASN'T BEEN PASSED YET, BUT WE THINK YOU SHOULD PUT IT ON YOUR AGENDA WHETHER OR NOT IT PASSED.
WELL, IF IT DOESN'T, IF IT FAILS, FINE.
BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHEN IT'S COMING BACK FOR VOTE.
BUT THIS WILL HAPPEN IN AND AROUND THE PARKS, BECAUSE I REMEMBER, AS MANY OF YOU DO, BEFORE WE, WE STOPPED ALLOWING ANY FIREWORKS TO BE SOLD DOWN THE BEACH FROM MY HOUSE DOWN FROM MY HOUSE ON THE BEACH.
AND WHAT, WHAT WE ARE RESEARCHING WITHIN SIERRA CLUB IS, IS VERY ALARMING.
I MEAN, THERE'S ONLY ONE STATE IN THE UNITED STATES THAT DOESN'T ALLOW GENERAL PUBLIC USE OF FIREWORKS, AND THAT'S MASSACHUSETTS.
AND THEIR INJURY RATE IS, IS ONE FIFTH OF THAT, OF THE NATION AS A WHOLE.
THIS NATION LOVES ITSELF IN FIREWORKS.
AND IT, AND THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ARE INJURED EVERY YEAR.
1700 PEOPLE WERE INJURED JUST BY SPARK.
I MEAN, WE'RE TALKING INJURIES THAT REQUIRE HOSPITAL VISITS, NOT JUST, OH MOM, YOU KNOW, MY HANDS HOT.
AND IN TERMS OF PETS, WHAT WE'VE FOUND IN, IN OUR WORK, TRYING TO GET PETITIONS TO STOP THE ONE LITTLE SMALL FIREWORK SHOW, WHAT, THAT'S ALL REALLY.
BUT, UH, AND WE DID IT MAINLY 'CAUSE THIS IS A COASTAL
WHEN THEY DIE, THEY FALL INTO THE WATER.
THEY'RE, THEY, THEY'RE, THEY BECOME WEAKER.
I MEAN, THEY, YOU TALK, WE TALKED ABOUT PESTICIDES IN THE PARKS, FIREWORKS AT DISNEYLAND, WHICH HAVE BEEN GOING ON SINCE THE 1950S.
AND THE COMMUNITY CANNOT STOP IT.
THE RESIDENTS CAN'T STOP IT BECAUSE THEY HAVE A, THEY HAVE A COMPLETE BOND WITH, WITH THEIR CITY, THE CITY WHICH MAKES MONEY.
AND THE, AND THE SOUTH COAST AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT DON'T EXPECT HELP FROM THEM.
SO I THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO THIS FOR OURSELVES.
YOU KNOW, IF WE WANT TO PROTECT, YOU KNOW, OUR HEALTH, WHETHER IT'S IN OUR PARKS OR ON OUR STREETS, OR IN OUR OWN BACKYARDS, WE'RE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO IT BY LEARNING LIKE WE DID TODAY, YOU KNOW, FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE IN CHARGE AND FROM THE PUBLIC.
SO I JUST REALLY WOULD APPRECIATE YOU PUTTING THIS ON THE AGENDA TO DISCUSS THE IMPACT OF FIREWORKS, LEGAL, OR NOT ON.
ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS? OKAY.
UM, SO ON ITEM SIX FOR THE FUTURE, UH, WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER ALLEN, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER CHAVEZ.
OPPOSED ABSTAINED FROM COMMISSIONER
[02:20:01]
TY SMITH.UH, AND WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT.
ARE THERE ANY THIS 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 EXTENDED BY THE CHAIR.
UH, AND THESE WOULD BE ADDITIONAL ITEMS THAT WE'VE NOT ALREADY DISCUSSED.
ANY COMMENTS? ADDITION, HEARING NONE.
I WAS JUST, I WAS TRYING TO FIND, ANYWAY.
OKAY, SO I'M GONNA, UM, I DID SEND THIS KIND OF IN THE COMMENTS, BUT I WANTED TO BE SURE IT WAS, UH, NOTICED.
SO, UH, I'M GOING TO JUST READ IT VERY, AND IT'S VERY SHORT.
AND, UH, I HOPE YOU APPRECIATE IT.
PEOPLE GO FISHING LINES GET TANGLED THEN.
SO DO THE BIRDS POISONS, ABOUND CRITTERS AND TREES DIE PRO FILMERS DISTURB, NESTING AND HABITAT, WILDLIFE FLEAS IN A CITY THAT IS SO LARGE WITH SO MANY PARKS AND AN EXTENSIVE COASTLINE, WHY CAN'T JUST ONE OF THOSE PARKS LIKE EL DORADO BE THEIR SANCTUARY? NOT DEVOIDED PEOPLE, BUT WHERE LIVE WILDLIFE IS RESPECTED AND CAN THRIVE, WHERE PEOPLE CAN GET THAT THEIR THOUGHTLESS ACTIONS HAVE FAR REACHING CONSEQUENCES.
THAT FEEDING SQUIRRELS IS DANGEROUS, AND FEEDING BIRDS RED CAN KILL THEM.
THAT PAVING OVER AND BUILDING ON EVERY SQUARE INCH OF LAND ONLY HASTENS THE DEMISE OF THIS PLANET AS WE KNOW IT.
PERHAPS HUMANS NEED TO LEARN AND HEATH THAT THE WORLD WITHOUT CRITTERS WILL SOON BE A WORLD WITHOUT HUMANS.
AND THAT PRETTY MUCH APPLIES TO EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN SAID TODAY.
SO THAT, THAT'S IT, UH, IN A NUTSHELL.
AND I HOPE YOU APPRECIATE IT AND I HOPE YOU, UM, TAKE IT SERIOUSLY.
YES, ANNA, I HAVEN'T BEEN HERE IN A WHILE, SO I'LL WEAR OUT MY WELCOME ONE VISIT BLESS WHEN WE, WHEN WE WERE HERE.
DID DIANA HEAR WHEN WE WERE CALLED ABOUT A, A PHOTO SHOOT IN, IN EL DORADO PARK, A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, UH, ARRANGED BY THE CITY OF LONG BEACH SPECIAL EVENTS, UH, OFFICE.
UH, WE CAME OUT TO FIND THAT THEY WERE DOING A PHOTOSHOP FOR PHOTO SHOOT.
WHAT CLOTHING COMPANY WAS THAT? OH, OH, UH, OLD NAVY.
UH, IT STARTED WITH BRINGING IN EQUIPMENT BEFORE DAWN AND LOTS OF EQUIPMENT, HEAVY THINGS LIKE GIANT, GIANT CRANES THAT HAD BRIGHT LIGHTS ON THEM.
AND IT WAS AROUND THE LITTLE, THE LITTLE PAWN UP HERE.
IT, IT HAS A LITTLE PENINSULA THAT STICKS OUT, AND THAT'S THE SITE THAT THE ADVERTISERS HAD ARRANGED TO USE.
THERE WERE FOUR ACTIVE HAIR, GREAT BLUE HAIR NEST THERE.
AND WE HAD TRIED TO STOP THE SHOOT AND FAILED.
SO WE CAME OUT THERE, WE HAD SOME SIGNS, WE MADE SOME TROUBLE.
AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, THE BIRDS WERE DISTURBED.
THEY, AT THE LAST MINUTE, THE CITY CALLED A BIOLOGIST HAMILTON, WHO CAME OUT AND COMPLAINED THAT HE WASN'T SURE HE WAS GONNA GET PAID.
AND, AND IN THE DARK SAID THERE WERE NO BIRDS AROUND, WHICH YOU COULDN'T SEE.
WE MADE A LOT OF ALLIES WITH THE FILM CREW.
UH, AND OUR PARK BIOLOGISTS, OR OUR PARK, NOT BI WILDLIFE SPECIALISTS HAD, HAD TRIED, YOU KNOW, TO DISSUADE FROM USING THE SITE AND FAILED.
SO SUBSEQUENT TO THAT, WE, WE HAD A MEETING DIANE HELPED ARRANGE WITH SPECIAL VINCE'S OFFICE AND, AND THE HEAD OF PARKS AND REC AT THE TIME.
AND WE, WE HAD A LIST OF DEMANDS INCLUDING BETTER COMMUNICATION, BECAUSE ESPECIALLY EVENTS USED TO BE UNDER PARKS AND REC, BUT THEY'RE A BIG BUSINESS NOW.
THEY'RE A BIG MONEY MAKER FOR THE CITY.
MAYBE YOU'VE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE MOVIE STARS WALK ON YOUR BLOCK AND GET THEIR, YOU KNOW, AND OR IN YOUR APARTMENT COMPLEX.
EVEN TOM CRUISE WAS HERE APPARENT.
NO, NOT TOM CRUISE, SO I CAN'T REMEMBER.
ANYWAY, IT WAS OVER TO MARINA PACIFICA.
BUT, YOU KNOW, AND, AND THIS IS A REVENUE THING AND THAT'S FINE.
BUT WHAT HAPPENS, ESPECIALLY VINCE DOESN'T UNDERSTAND OR CARE, IS TO OUR, OUR HUMBLE OPINION ABOUT, ABOUT EITHER THE, WHAT HAPPENS TO THE PUBLIC OR WHAT HAPPENS TO, YOU KNOW, OUR WILDLIFE.
AND THEY DON'T, AND THEY DON'T APPARENTLY HAVE TO BECAUSE THEY'RE DIRECTLY UNDER, YOU KNOW, THE, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO GET PERMISSION.
BUT THE PARKS DOES HAVE A SOMEWHAT OF A RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM, AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET A VERY SMALL STEP FORWARD WITH IT.
THEY DO ACTUALLY HAVE TO MAYBE LISTEN IN EL DORADO PARK ALONG, BUT WE WANT SOMETHING MORE.
[02:25:01]
WOULD SAY IS YOU HAVE POWER AND JUST USE YOUR POWER.AND TO HAVE SOME KIND OF A BALANCE, BECAUSE ESPECIALLY VINCENT AND LONG BEACH ARE, ARE HUGE.
AND THEY TAKE UP PUBLIC SPACE, THEY RESTRICT PUBLIC SPACE TO, TO FOR MONEY.
AND, AND SOMETIMES THEY HARM PUBLIC SPACE.
SO WHETHER IT'S A GIANT, UH, THESE CONCERTS DOWN IN FRONT OF THE, THE DOWNTOWN OR WHETHER IT'S A A COMMERCIAL SHOE, IT'S STILL OUR CITY.
OKAY, NOW WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE STAFF TO SAY A FEW WORDS.
UM, AS THIS IS MY SECOND TO LAST MEETING, UM, ALL HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO IN THE NEXT ONE.
UM, JUST, UH, WANTED TO ADD, THANK YOU FOR ASKING ABOUT THE FISHING DERBY.
AS IT WAS ONE OF MY ANNOUNCEMENTS, IT'S ALWAYS, UM, FUN TO BRING OUT THE COMMUNITY AND INTRODUCING THEM TO THE SPORT.
UM, ALSO, UM, THIS PAST MONTH WE HAD OUR FIRST JOB FAIR, UM, IS HIGHLIGHTING ALL THE JOBS WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT.
IT WAS AT ORBA AND WE HAD 60 PLUS, UM, PEOPLE COME TO IT.
UM, THOSE WERE ALSO, THERE WAS A JOB FAIR THAT WAS HOSTED BY THE, UH, MAYOR.
AND THEN WE HAD THE FOLKS FROM THERE COME TO OUR JOB FAIR, CONTINUING TO BE INTERESTED IN OUR JOBS.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
UM, AS YOU HEAR THE CHATTER, AND IT WAS KIND OF LOUD TODAY ON THE, THE, THE ACTIVITIES ON THE OTHER SIDE, UM, AS STEVE ALLUDED TO, AS WE KIND OF START WITH THE HALLOWEEN KICKS OFF LIKE THE HOLIDAY SEASON ON MANY THINGS GOING ON TO OUR, OUR PARKS, WHETHER THEY OLDER ADULTS OR BEING THIRTEENS, UM, THE FRIENDSGIVING BRINGING TOGETHER.
UM, SO WORKING WITH THE, THE COMMUNITY, UM, COUNCIL DISTRICT SIX WITH THEIR ANNUAL FEEDING EVENT, UH, LOCAL FOOD DRIVES THAT YOU GUYS PERMITTED TO, UM, AND TOY DRIVES.
UM, BUT OUR, OUR STAFF IS DOING THE SAME THING.
AND, AND YOU HEAR THE FRIENDSGIVING, UM, I BELIEVE THAT'S WHERE KAREN WAS OFF TO, TO CATCH AS WE'RE HOSTING THE FRIENDSGIVING, UM, SPONSORED BY THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, UM, AT THE SENIOR CENTER.
IT'S ALWAYS A FUN SEASON AS THE HOLIDAYS ALLOW US PROGRAMMING.
UM, AND YES, THAT, THAT WORD SUMMER HAS ALREADY APPEARED.
UM, IN OUR PLANNING FOR THAT SAYS, WE TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY, UM, TO PROVIDE TRAINING AND WORK WITH OUR, OUR FELLOW BUREAUS, UH, TO CONTINUE PROVIDE TRAINING FOR THEIR STAFF SO THEY'RE NOT ONLY PREPARED TO BE AROUND, BUT ESPECIALLY FOR SUMMER.
COMMENTS FROM YOU? JANICE? NOTHING NEW FOR ME.
OKAY, JENNIFER, I JUST WANTED TO WISH EVERYONE A HAPPY THANKSGIVING OR HAPPY HOLIDAY WITH YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS.
I HOPE YOU ENJOY YOUR TIME OFF.
FELLOW COMMISSION, FIRST OF ALL, HAPPY GIVEN TO YOU ALL.
A COUPLE OF UPDATES, UM, FOR THE FACILITY SECTION.
WE, UH, OUR TEAM REMODELED THE, UH, COMMUNITY INFORMATION OFFICER OFFICE.
COULD YOU SPEAK UP, PLEASE? I CAN'T, I CAN'T.
I SAID FOR THE, FOR THE FACILITY SECTION OF OUR OPERATION, WE, WE REMODELED THE, UH, COMMUNITY OFFICER'S OFFICE, UH, TENDER, DONE A NICE JOB.
IT WAS ALL DONE IN HOUSE, UH, REPLACED SEVERAL SIGNS.
ALSO, WE, UM, FOR OUR GROUND SECTION, WE COMPLETED 52 ENCAMPMENT, UH, CLEANUPS.
AND, UM, FOR THIS, THIS OUR FISCAL YEAR REPORTS, OUR NUMBERS ARE NEW AND WE HAVE 64 TONS OF DEBRIS ALREADY AT THIS TIME, COMPARED TO 4 508 FOR THE TOTAL FISCAL YEAR.
HAPPY, UH, THANKSGIVING TO EVERYBODY AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR, UH, YOUR ATTENTION TO SOME OF THESE REALLY IMPORTANT DISCUSSIONS TODAY.
THIS WAS A LONG MEETING, BUT DEFINITELY A, A PRODUCTIVE MEETING, SO THANK YOU.
AND LET'S START WITH COMMISSIONER HUGA.
UM, WELL FIRST OF ALL, UH, ACTING DIRECTOR STEVE, UH, YOU DID PROMISE ME THAT I WOULD BE BACK IN TIME FOR MY HALF DAY SUB AND I DON'T THINK IT'S GONNA WORK.
I, I'VE BEEN, I THINK I'VE GOT IT COVERED.
UM, I, I, I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE WORK THAT THAT IS HAPPENING IN THESE, UH, COMMISSION MEETINGS, UM, YOU KNOW, SEASON OF GRATITUDE.
UM, I, I ALSO JUST WANTED TO, UM, TO MENTION, YOU KNOW, I, I'VE TALKED BEFORE AND I KNOW I'VE TALKED WITH GLADYS, UH, INDIVIDUALLY AS WELL, BUT, UM, BUSY KIDS ARE SAFE KIDS.
AND, UM, YOU MAY HAVE SEEN IN THE, UH, IN THE NEWS THAT ONE OF THE POLY STUDENTS RECENTLY GOT SHOT.
THAT WAS ACTUALLY ONE OF MY KIDS.
UM, HE'S GONNA BE OKAY, WHICH IS GOOD, BUT, UM, BUT HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN SCHOOL AND I'VE BEEN TRYING TO KEEP HIM, I'VE BEEN CALLING HOME, WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO KEEP HIM IN SCHOOL AND, UH, AND HE
[02:30:01]
WAS A SHOT WHEN HE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE IN CLASS.SO GRATEFUL TO EVERYTHING THAT GLADYS IS DOING AND THE PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE DOING TO KEEP OUR KIDS.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THAT COMMENT.
UM, I DID ONE HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO EVERYONE IN THIS SEASON AND, UM, BEING ABLE TO HOPEFULLY BE WITH LOVED ONES OR WHATEVER THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
BUT I HAD A QUICK, UM, COMMENT.
I KNOW IT'S A VERY BUSY SEASON WITH GLASSES.
I KNOW SOME OF THE FEES THAT WE WAIVED WERE TOY DRIVES AND KIND OF GIVE BACK.
IF THEY PROVIDED MARKETING, COULD THAT BE SHARED WITH THE COMMISSION SO WE COULD PARTAKE IF, IF POSSIBLE? UM, IT, I THINK ONE OF THE BEAUTIFUL THINGS RIGHT ABOUT OUR CITY IS THE GIVE BACK IN ALL SEASONS, BUT ESPECIALLY IN THIS SEASON.
SO WHEREVER WE CAN CONTINUE TO BE THAT VOICE, UM, WE'D LOVE TO REVIEW THAT.
UM, SO JUST VERY BRIEFLY, I KNOW I LIKE TALKING ABOUT VARIOUS, LIKE DIFFERENT ADVENTURES, BEING ABLE TO SEE NOTES OR OBSERVATIONS I'VE SEEN FROM EITHER, YOU KNOW, OUR PARKS OR OTHER CITIES PARKS.
AND, UH, THIS LAST FRIDAY ACTUALLY, UH, I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE A WORK EVENT, UH, AT, UH, A PARK IN SAN DIEGO CALLED CHICANO PARK, WHICH IS FOCUSED ON, IT WAS A VERY, YOU KNOW, HAD, HAS A LONG HISTORY OF, YOU KNOW, IN THE COMMUNITY OF, UH, BAR LOGAN IN SAN DIEGO, WHICH IS A PREDOMINANTLY LATINO AND HISPANIC COMMUNITY.
AND THE, YOU KNOW, WE ALL HAD TO GO THROUGH THE HISTORY, BUT WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE, I, WE STUDIED, UH, IN ONE OF MY CLASSES AT THIS PARK, UH, BECAUSE OF THE COMMUNITY STRUGGLE TO BASICALLY CARVE OUT THIS LITTLE PIECE OF, OF ARTISTIC AND GREEN SPACE UNDERNEATH THE OVERPASSES OF THE FIVE AND THE CORE BRIDGE INTERCHANGE.
AND THIS IS THE ONLY PARK SPACE THAT THIS COMMUNITY HAD ACCESS TO.
AND I THINK ONE OF THE, THE MOST IMPRESSIVE THINGS I SAW TO SEE THE DEDICATION AND THE COMMUNITY FOCUS AROUND THIS PARK.
AND IT REMINDED ME OF THE DISCUSSION THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING HERE TO HAVE COMMUNITY AND CULTURAL CENTERS, UH, IN OUR PARKS.
AND I JUST, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THE STRUGGLE AND THE, THE STORY OF THAT PARK IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT AND UNIQUE TO, FOR THAT COMMUNITY, BUT SEEING WHAT CULTURAL CENTERS CAN DO FOR OUR COMMUNITIES AS WELL.
I JUST THINK REALLY JUST KIND OF REVALIDATED AND, AND RE-UPPED.
UH, YOU KNOW, MY, MY CONTINUED INTEREST IN SEEING, UH, THE CITY, PUTTING SOME OF THESE CULTURAL CENTERS AND PARKS AND DRAKE CHAUVIN IS GONNA BE HAVING ONE TOWARDS THE LATINO COMMUNITY.
THERE HAVE BEEN SOME DISCUSSIONS OF, OF OTHER PARKS AS WELL.
UH, AND UH, JUST REALLY WOULD ENCOURAGE AND SUPPORT THAT FUTURE CONVERSATION.
COMMISSIONER ALLEN? YEAH, NOT MUCH.
JUST WANTED TO SAY HAPPY THANKSGIVING.
I'M VERY THANKFUL FOR THIS LITTLE FAMILY WE HAVE HERE IN PARKS AND REC AND WE GET TO HANG OUT EVERY MONTH.
THIS HAS BEEN THE LONGEST MEETING I'VE HAD SO FAR, SO THIS HAS BEEN GOOD.
UM, AND I'M, THAT'S WHAT I'M GRATEFUL FOR.
WISH LIVINGS DID NOTHING, I THINK.
AND I WILL, UH, I'D LOVE TO SAY NOTHING, BUT, UM, I TOO WANNA COMMENT ON, UH, HOW GRATEFUL I AM FOR THE TEAM, UH, SITTING AROUND THE TABLE AND IT IS LIKE A FAMILY.
I HAVEN'T THOUGHT OF THAT FISHER ALLEN AND I APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH.
UH, WE HAVE A LOT TO THINK ABOUT.
WE HAVE A LOT TO BE GRATEFUL FOR AND WE HAVE A LOT TO LOOK FORWARD TO IN TERMS OF FOLLOW UP.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING AND I WILL ADJOURN THE MEETING, HEARING NO MORE BUSINESS AT 11 4 37.