[00:00:01]
YEAH, THAT WAS GOOD MORNING.IT IS 9:02 AM AND I'D LIKE TO WELCOME YOU ALL AND CALL, CALL TO ORDER THE MEETING OF THE LONG BEACH PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19TH, 2026.
AND I WOULD BEGIN, OH, DIRECTOR DENNIS.
WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? UH, COMMISSIONER HIGA HERE.
COMMISSIONER LIVINGSTON, PRESENT.
OH, HE HAS AN EXCUSED ABSENCE.
UH, COMMISSIONER TI SMITH HERE.
UM, AND, UH, WOULD YOU ALL PLEASE RISE AND JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLE TO THE FLAG? I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.
SO, UM, DO WE HAVE A PRESENTATION THIS MORNING, DIRECTORS? GOD, YES, WE DO.
WE HAVE TWO EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH PRESENTATIONS FOR THE MONTHS OF DECEMBER, UH, AND JANUARY.
SO WE'RE DOING SOME CATCH UP, UH, TODAY, AND I'M GONNA HAND IT OFF TO, UH, HEIDI, OUR, UH, ERC CHAIR WHO WILL, UH, DO AN INTRODUCTION.
UM, THANKS FOR HAVING US TODAY.
YOU KNOW, OUR ERC IS, UH, AN IMPORTANT EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION, UM, GROUP THAT WE HAVE, SO WE HAVE AN HONOR OF RECOGNIZING TWO EMPLOYEES STATES THAT WE'RE SUPER EXCITED ABOUT.
SO I'M GONNA START WITH OUR DECEMBER EMPLOYEE.
UM, LUCKILY THESE ARE SURPRISES AGAIN, SO THAT'S EXCITING.
UM, SO THIS, UM, MEMBER OF OUR TEAM, UM, IT IS IN OUR MA BUREAU.
UM, THROUGHOUT THEIR TIME, UM, THEY HAVE GROWN INTO A DEPENDABLE AND HIGHLY VALUED MEMBER OF THE STAFF.
UM, MOST RECENTLY THEY HAVE TAKEN ON RESPONSIBILITY SUPPORTING GROUNDS DIVISION DUE TO SOME VACANCIES.
UM, A CHALLENGE THEY'VE BEEN FACED OR EMBRACE WITHOUT HESITATION.
UM, WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE WINSTON WINSTON.
UM, SO GIVE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WINSTON.
WINSTON PROCESSES, INVOICE, REQUISITIONS SERVICE REQUEST, AND YEAR END CLOSEOUTS FOR THE BUREAU.
HE EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE WITH INTERACTING WITH PARK PATRONS AND VENDORS.
WITHOUT HIS SUPPORT, THE BUREAU WOULD STRUGGLE TO MAINTAIN DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS.
HE IS A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH AND CONSISTENTLY STEPS UP AND MEETS ANY CHALLENGES THAT COMES WITH HIM IN HIS WAY.
SO, UM, WITH THAT, WE WANNA RECOGNIZE WINSTON AS, UM, THE MOB, UM, EMPLOYEE MONTH FOR DECEMBER OR ER C'S EMPLOYEE MONTH FOR DECEMBER.
I DON'T KNOW, ERIC, YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT WEDNESDAY?
I'M GONNA ALLOW MIKE, WHICH A SUPERVISOR TO SPEAK.
SO FOR ME, I JUST WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS.
UM, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK AND I, MY SHORT TIME HERE WORKING WITH YOU IN THE OFFICE, I'VE SEEN SUCH TREMENDOUS PROFESSIONAL GROWTH.
AND ONCE AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS.
THANK SO WITH THAT, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANNA TAKE PICTURES AFTER THE SECOND PRESENTATION.
IS THAT SO? SO WINSTON, THANK YOU.
UM, WE ACTUALLY STARTED WORKING TOGETHER IN PUBLIC WORKS.
I CAME OVER TO PRN, CAME OVER AS WELL, BUT HE'S A DEDICATED EMPLOYEE.
HE'S DONE YEAR END CLOSING TWICE.
HE SUPPORTED THIS BUREAU GROUNDS EVERYTHING.
SO I APPRECIATE DEDICATION, I DESERVE THIS.
I'M GONNA HAVE YOU, AND WE'RE GONNA TAKE YOUR PICTURE.
SO I'LL DO THE JANUARY ONE, AND THEN WE CAN INVITE THE COMMISSIONERS TO TAKE A PICTURE OF THESE INDIVIDUAL GROUPS.
SO OUR NEXT ONE IN WINSTON, WE HAVE SOME DONUTS FOR YOU TOO.
[00:05:01]
THIS PERSON.UM, THEY ARE A MEMBER OF ONE OF OUR, UM, CENTERS AND THEY BASICALLY, I'LL JUST GIVE THEIR NAME.
DAISY TORRES, ONE OF OUR PART-TIME STAFF, UM, DAISY, UM, IS WORKS AT THE LONG BEACH SENIOR CENTER.
DAISY HAS CREATED AN ART PROGRAM, HAS TRULY BLOSSOMED UNDER HER LEADERSHIP.
SHE DRAWING, SHE'S VERY ARTISTIC.
SHE DESIGNS A, SHE DESIGNED A CLASS THAT BASICALLY HAS ABOUT 25, I THINK, PEOPLE IN IT WITH A CONSTANT WAIT LIST.
UM, SHE GUIDES PARTICIPANTS THROUGH THE FUNDAMENTALS OF DRAWINGS AND PAINTINGS AND GRADUALLY INTRODUCES THEM TO MORE COMPLEX CONCEPTS SUCH AS LINEAR ART AND FORCED PERCEPTIVE.
UM, HER DEEP AND SUBJECT MATTER KNOWLEDGE AND APPROACHABLE TEACHING STYLE CREATE A WELCOMING AND SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS OF ANY SCHOOL SKILL LEVEL.
SHE ENCOURAGES HER STUDENTS CELEBRATES THEIR PROGRESS AND FOSTERS CONFIDENCE IN THEIR ARTISTIC ABILITIES.
EACH MONTH, DAISY SHOWCASES HER STUDENTS' ARTWORK IN THE HALLS OF THE LONG BEACH SENIOR CENTER, PROVIDING A SCENE SENSE OF PRIDE TO HER STUDENTS NEXT MONTH.
UM, SO IN FEBRUARY, HER CLASS WILL BE FEATURED IN THE LONG BEACH SENIOR CENTER.
WE HAVE A, A ROOM THAT WE DO ARTIST OF THE MONTH.
SO WE ACTUALLY PICKED, UM, THE ART CLASS OF THE STUDENTS THAT COME TO THE SENIOR CENTER, UM, IN THERE, UM, RECOGNIZING THEIR ARTWORK AND THEY'RE HUNG ON THE WALLS.
UM, SO, UM, WITH THAT, UM, WE JUST WANT TO THINK DAILY FOR HER POSITIVITY, HER JUST INITIATIVE AND STARTING THAT CLASS AND DEVELOPING FOR OUR PATRONS.
UM, SHE WAS BROUGHT HERE THINKING SHE WAS GONNA GIVE YOU A PRESENTATION ON THE CLASS
I'M GONNA INVITE, UM, DANA OR TONY, DO ONE OF YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING AS THEIR, AS HER SUPERVISOR.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
UM, WHAT I'D LIKE TO SHARE ABOUT DAISY IS, UM, DAISY AND I ACTUALLY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO MEET YEARS AGO WHEN DAISY WAS A PARTICIPANT.
AND I WAS ASSIGNED AS A SUPERVISOR IN THE SITE AT, UH, MCBRIDE PARK.
AND DAISY HAS ALWAYS BEEN JUST A WONDERFUL PERSON, UH, VERY CONSCIENTIOUS, VERY, UH, HARDWORKING IN THE TIMES THAT WE'VE HAD TO, UH, WORK TOGETHER AND, UH, VERY INTO WHAT HER PARTICIPANTS NEED.
SHE CARES ABOUT HER WORK, SHE CARES ABOUT HER CLASS, SHE CARES ABOUT WHAT, UM, IS TAKING PLACE AND ALWAYS WANTS TO MAKE THINGS, MAKE SURE THINGS ARE GOING WELL FOR HER PARTICIPANTS.
AND HER CLASS IS EXTREMELY POPULAR.
THERE IS A WAIT LIST AND MULTIPLE, MULTIPLE PARTICIPANTS HAVE TOLD ME HOW MUCH THEY APPRECIATE YOU, WHAT YOU DO IN YOUR CLASS, AND WE APPRECIATE YOU AS WELL.
UM, SO WITH THAT, AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR FIFTH PAGE.
SO WE WANT THE COMMISSIONERS COME TAKE A PICTURE OF WINSTON, THEN WE'LL TAKE ONE WITH DAISY.
[00:10:01]
LONG BEACH.IT SHOULD SAY LIKE, LONG BEACH IS UNDERNEATH SO YOU COULD LIKE, SWAP OUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
YEAH, THAT'S ACTUALLY, WE LOST, WE LOST OUR AUDIO.
WE HAVE A SMALL BUT MIGHTY PUBLIC HERE NOW.
UH, AND WE WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN WITH A REGULAR AGENDA.
AND THE AGENDA BEGINS ITEM NUMBER ONE, A RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING OF THURSDAY, JANUARY 15TH, 2026.
CAN I HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? HEARING NONE, UM, AND ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE? SO THERE COMMISSION, HEARING NONE.
I HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER SHOWN AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER ORI SMITH.
WE CAN NOW MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER TWO, A RECOMMENDATION TO CONSIDER APPROVAL FOR THE FEE WAIVER REQUESTS OUTLINED AT DETACHMENT A IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FEE WAIVER POLICY.
UH, CAN I HAVE A MOTION? I'LL SECOND.
UH, HEARING NUN DIRECTOR, DO WE HAVE A REPORT? WE DO.
UH, WE HAVE CAMAN CRUZ, OUR RECREATION SUPERINTENDENT HERE TO PROVIDE THE STAFF REPORT.
SO WE RECEIVED SEVEN FEE WAIVERS FOR THIS MONTH.
UH, THE FIRST ONE IS WITH LATINOS IN ACTION CALIFORNIA.
UM, IT IS A NEW EVENT BEING HELD ON FEBRUARY 21ST, 2026.
UM, AT 14TH STREET OPEN SPACE PARK.
UH, THIS IS A COMMUNITY EVENT FEES WAIVED WOULD BE $394 IN PERMIT AND SPECIAL EVENT FEES.
UM, AND THEY'RE EXPECTING ABOUT 242 IN ATTENDANCE.
NEXT WE HAVE LOCAL HEARTS FOUNDATION.
THIS IS NOT A NEW GROUP OR A NEW EVENT.
UM, THEY'RE HAVING THEIR CHARITABLE GIVEAWAYS AT MACARTHUR PARK UTILIZING THE SOCIAL HALL DANCE ROOM AND OPEN SPACE ON AUGUST 26TH, 2026.
NOVEMBER 21ST, 2026, UH, DECEMBER 19TH, 2026 AND MARCH 27TH, 2027.
UH, THIS IS A COMMUNITY EVENT FEES.
THIS WOULD BE FOR FACILITY PERMIT AND SPECIAL EVENT FEES.
UH, THERE WOULD BE STAFF FEES PAID BY THE PERMIT HOLDER, AND THEY'RE ANTICIPATING, UM, 1500 TO 3000, UH, FOR THEIR EVENTS.
UH, THEN WE HAVE CLIMB CENTRAL LONG BEACH.
THIS WAS, UH, FORMALLY KNOWN AS A OC SEVEN.
UM, BUT THEY DO HAVE SOME NEW EVENTS THAT THEY'RE PUTTING ON THIS YEAR.
UM, ON MAY 16TH, 2026, THEY'RE HAVING A LITERACY, LITERACY FAIR AT MACARTHUR PARK OPEN SPACE, UM, FEES WAIVED ME $394 IN PERMIT AND SPECIAL EVENT FEES.
AND THEY'RE ANTICIPATING 225, UH, PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE.
UM, CLIMB CENTRAL LONG BEACH IS PUTTING ON ANOTHER NEW EVENT ON APRIL 4TH, 2026.
AUGUST 1ST, 2026, SEPTEMBER 5TH, 2026, AND OCTOBER 3RD, 2026 FOR FOOD GIVEAWAYS AT MACARTHUR PARK OPEN SPACE.
ALL EVENTS ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FEES WAIVE ME $1,549 IN PERMIT AND SPECIAL EVENT FEES.
AND THEY'RE ANTICIPATING 170 IN ATTENDANCE.
A CLIMB CENTRAL LONG BEACH IS ALSO PUTTING ON A FINANCIAL LITERACY EVENT AT MACARTHUR PARK SOCIAL HALL.
THE DATES ARE JUNE 16TH, 2026.
JUNE 23RD, 2026, JUNE 30TH, 2026, AUGUST 6TH, 2026, AUGUST 13TH, 2026, AND AUGUST 20TH, 2026.
UH, THESE ARE COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS.
UH, FEES WEIGH TO BE $679 IN FACILITY AND PERMIT FEES.
UM, THEY DO HAVE TO PAY A, UH, SECURITY DEPOSIT OF $400, WHICH IS REFUNDABLE, AND THEY'RE ANTICIPATING 26 PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE.
AND THEN, UM, LAST EVENT WITH THE KLE CENTRAL LONG BEACH WILL BE HELD.
UM, IT'S A COOKING CLASS AT MACARTHUR PARK SOCIAL HALL, AN AN OPEN EVENT TO THE COMMUNITY ON JUNE 18TH, 2026.
JUNE 25TH, 2026, JULY 2ND, 2026, AND JULY 9TH, 2026.
UH, FEES WAIVED BE $467 IN FACILITY AND PERMIT FEES.
THEY DO HAVE A, UH, REFUNDABLE SECURITY DEPOSIT OF $400 THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO PAY, AND THEY ARE ANTICIPATING 26 IN ATTENDANCE.
AND THEN, UM, OUR LAST FEE WAIVER IS THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY BAND.
THIS IS NOT A NEW GROUP NOR A NEW EVENT, AND THEY'RE REQUESTING TO USE THE LONG BEACH SENIOR CENTER BALLROOM FOR THEIR BAND REHEARSALS EVERY THURSDAY, BEGINNING
[00:15:01]
JULY 2ND, 2026 THROUGH JUNE 24TH, 2027.THE, UH, FEES WAIVED BE $22,975 IN FACILITY RENTAL PERMIT AND STAFF FEES.
THIS, UH, THEY'RE ANTICIPATING 65 TO 70 IN ATTENDANCE.
SO FEES WAIVED THUS FAR FOR THIS MONTH WOULD BE $30,627.
UH, FOR, UM, AS OF THIS POINT IN FY 26, WE'VE WAIVED $137,630.
SO, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? YES.
SO I JUST WANNA SHARE WITH EVERYBODY WHAT CLIMB STANDS FOR FOR A OC SEVEN.
UH, I REALLY LOVE THAT THEY CHANGED THEIR NAME.
IT STANDS FOR COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP IMPACT MOVEMENT AND BELONG.
AND SO IT'S REALLY A BIG DEAL THAT THEY'VE CHANGED THE NAME, UM, FROM A OC SEVEN, WHICH USED TO STAND FOR ANAHEIM ORANGE, CHERRY, CHERRY, AND SEVENTH STREET.
SO IT USED TO BE THAT THAT PART OF TOWN COVERED FOUR COUNCIL DISTRICTS.
WELL, SINCE REDISTRICTING THAT HAS CHANGED.
AND SO IT'S REALLY NOW CENTRAL LONG BEACH.
AND SO THE NAME REALLY REFLECTS WHO THEY ARE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT BACKGROUND IN HISTORY.
I DID NOT KNOW IT, BUT I IMAGINE OTHERS MIGHT NOT HAVE AS WELL.
UH, WITH REGARD TO THE FEE WAIVER FOR REQUESTS, DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS? YES, MR. CHA.
UH, I ALWAYS, ONE OF THINGS I, I KNOW MOST OF THIS CAME FROM, UH, CLIENT CENTRAL ALUMNI.
ONE THING I ALWAYS LOVE SEEN AS NEW EVENTS, UH, TAKING PLACE.
SO GLAD TO SEE THAT MAJORITY EVENTS THAT ARE BEING TAKEN OR TAKEN UP TODAY, OR THE BE WAIVERS ARE TAKEN UP TODAY ARE FOR NEW EVENTS.
AND DO WE UNDERSTAND THAT THESE NEW EVENTS ARE PARTLY, UH, AS A RESULT OF ALL OF THE WORK THAT WAS DONE, MACARTHUR PARK AND THE CHANGES IN THE DEVELOPMENT, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF INVESTMENT, UH, INTO THE PARK.
AND, UH, A OC SEVEN FOR YEARS HAS WORKED VERY HARD TO, UM, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE COMMUNITY TO COME TOGETHER, PARTICULARLY THERE AT, UM, MACARTHUR PARK.
AND SO CERTAINLY THIS IS, UH, JUST ADDED BENEFIT TO THE INVESTMENTS AT MACARTHUR PARK.
ALL OF THESE, UH, ACTIVATIONS WILL BE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT MOVING FORWARD.
AND YES, COMMISSIONER LEVI, THE, THE BAND THE BAND THAT'S AFTER HOURS AFTER REGULAR PROGRAMMING, RIGHT? YES, CORRECT.
YEAH, FROM SIX TO 10:00 PM BECAUSE I HAD TO PARK THERE FOR ABOUT A HALF A YEAR.
I KNOW WHAT THAT WOULD BE LIKE IF IT WAS DURING BUSINESS HOURS.
AND DO WE HAVE ANY, UH, REPRESENTATIVES FROM THESE GROUPS? LET ME JUST GO THROUGH THEM FROM THE BEGINNING.
UH, ANYONE HERE FROM LATINOS IN ACTION CALIFORNIA INC.
HOW ABOUT FROM THE LOCAL HEARTS FOUNDATION? HEARING NONE.
AND HOW ABOUT FROM CLIMB? WHOOP, NO, NO REPRESENTATIVE.
AND NOW FROM THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY BAND? YES.
CAN YOU, UH, STAND AND STATE YOUR NAME? HI, MY NAME IS DIANE GOLDEN, AND I'VE BEEN A PART OF THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY BAND FOR ABOUT 25 YEARS NOW.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH.
IT'S OUR 78TH YEAR GOING INTO OUR 79TH YEAR, AND WE TRULY ENJOY PARTNERING WITH THE PARKS, REC AND MARINE.
AND WE LOVE DOING THE, UM, SUMMER CONCERTS IN THE PARK WITH THE MOVIES, ADDING INTO THAT.
AND, UM, WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING SEVERAL OTHER CONCERTS AROUND, UH, LONG BEACH THIS YEAR, AND WE WILL LET YOU KNOW WHAT THOSE ARE.
BUT I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PARTNERING WITH US FOR ALL THESE MANY YEARS.
GLAD WE FOUND A SPOT FOR YOU,
THE SUMMERS WOULD NOT BE THE SAME IN LONG BEACH WITHOUT OUR COMMUNITY BAND.
I ALREADY HAVE QUESTIONS BEING ASKED.
UH, WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CHAVEZ, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER LIVINGSTON.
NOW WE CAN MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER THREE.
UH, AND IF YOU, YOU DON'T NEED TO STAY, IF YOU'D LIKE TO MOVE ON, THAT WOULD BE FINE.
IT'S NOT CONSIDERED A RUDE, RUDE.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU WHEN THE WEATHER WARMS. UM, ITEM NUMBER THREE, RECOMMENDATION TO AUTHORIZE DIRECTOR OF PARKS RECREATION, MARINE, OR MANAGEMENT DESIGNEE TO EXECUTE THE PERSONAL SERVICES AND INSTRUCTION AGREEMENTS AND AMEND AND AMEND ATTACHMENT A OF THE AGREEMENTS AS NEEDED.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED.
UH, DIRECTOR, DO WE HAVE A REPORT? WE DO.
UH, JOY WARD, OUR RECREATION SUPERINTENDENT WILL BE PROVIDING THIS STAFF REPORT THIS MORNING.
UM, AS YOU ARE WELL AWARE, OUR DEPARTMENT PARTNERS WITH CONTRACT INSTRUCTORS AND PROVIDE THE 2000 FEE BASED CLASSES TO THE PUBLIC EACH YEAR.
[00:20:01]
THESE CLASSES ARE INTENDED TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL AND RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO ALL AGES.CLASS INSTRUCTORS ARE SELECTED AS A RESULT OF AN APPLICATION PROCESS BASED ON QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE, COMMUNITY NEEDS, AND DEPARTMENTAL REQUIREMENTS.
WITHOUT SOLICITATION OF QUOTES OR ADVERTISING FOR BIDS, PARKS AND RECREATION IS REQUIRED FOR ALL PERSONAL SERVICES.
AND, AND THIS MORNING WE ARE BRINGING TEENS SEVEN NEW PSAS.
UH, FIRST WE HAVE ABBY ANDERSON FROM PEACHY, KEEN NI N AND THEY'LL BE PROVIDING MEETING CLASSES FOR TEENS, ADULTS, AND OLDER ADULTS AT ORBA PARK.
NEXT WE HAVE JASMINE DIANO FROM SCARLET AND PINE, PROVIDING FIBER ARTS AND CRAFTS FOR YOUTH AND TEENS AT ELDORADO PARK WEST HARWELL PARK, AND COLLEGE OF STATE PARK.
MONICA ROMAN, UM, WILL BE PROVIDING OUTDOOR YOGA FOR ALL AGES, INCLUSIVE AND FOR ALL AGES.
AND ALSO INCLUSIVE OF LABILITY PARTICIPANTS AT EL DORADO PARK EAST.
AND THEN WE HAVE PEDER KKI OF BALLROOM HILLS.
LLC WILL BE PROVIDING BALLROOM DAMS FOR SENIORS, BUT ALL AGES ARE WELCOME AT EL DORADO PARK, WEST HOUGHTON PARK, AND THE LONG BEACH SENIOR CENTER.
ALICIA GRABOWSKI OF HEALTHY U WILL BE PROVIDING FIRST AID C-P-R-A-E-D CERTIFICATION FOR BABYSITTERS 12.
AND UP AT HARTWELL PARK, MLK JUNIOR PARK IN COLLEGE OF ESTATES PARK, OLIVIA SIMONE OF OFF OFF THE BEATEN TRACK PRODUCTIONS WILL BE PROVIDING THEATER, THEATER AND ARTS FOR YOUTH AND TEENS.
AND AS SOON AS THEY'RE ESTABLISHED, WILL BE OPEN TO HOPEFULLY EXPANDING INTO ADULTS LATER.
AND SHE WILL PROVIDE THIS AT EL DORADO PARK, WEST COLLEGE OF STATE PARK, AND COLLEGE OF STATE PARK.
AND THEN FINALLY, WE HAVE MIRIAM FERGUSON OF PORTAL LANGUAGES PROVIDING LANGUAGE CLASSES FOR ALL AGES WITH A FOCUS ON OLDER ADULTS AT CHERRY PARK, CARTWELL PARK, AND EL DORADO PARK WEST.
UM, SO DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS? ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE.
WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HIGA, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER SCHOEN.
OPPOSED? THANK YOU COMMISSION.
WE CAN MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR, WHICH IS THE RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE THE DIRECTOR'S MONTHLY HIGHLIGHTS REPORT.
WE CREATE COMMUNITY AND DIRECTOR'S HIGHLIGHTS FOR FEBRUARY OF 2026.
UH, DO WE HAVE A MOTION THAT MOVED? THANK YOU.
UM, AND THEN HERE AS THE DIRECTOR, DO WE HAVE A RECORD? UH, YES, CHAIR.
UM, SO YEAH, YOU HAVE TWO, UH, HANDOUTS AS PART OF YOUR PACKET THIS MORNING.
THE DIRECTOR'S HIGHLIGHTS AND THAT WE CREATE COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER.
THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF OVERLAP, UH, BETWEEN THE TWO.
UM, SO I'M GONNA KIND OF TOGGLE BETWEEN BOTH OF THEM.
BUT, UH, FIRST I JUST WANNA HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE BLACK HISTORY MONTH, UH, EVENTS THAT, UH, OUR DEPARTMENT IS PRODUCING AND, UH, PUTTING ON AT A NUMBER OF OUR LOCATIONS.
UH, TONIGHT AS PART OF THE BLACK MOSAIC, THERE WILL BE A PERFORMANCE AT, UH, HELTON PARK AT 6:00 PM UM, AND THERE'LL BE A SECOND, UH, PERFORMANCE, UH, THIS COMING MONDAY AT THE SENIOR CENTER AT 6:00 PM.
UH, GREAT PARTNERSHIP, UH, WITH THE COMMUNITY, UH, THE PERFORMING ARTS COMMUNITY, UM, AND A PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR RAP BURBANK LOCATION WHERE A NUMBER OF THE KIDS FROM THAT SCHOOL, UH, WILL BE PARTICIPATING IN THE BLACK PASSAIC PERFORMANCE.
SO, UH, REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
WE ALSO HAVE, UH, ANOTHER EVENT TODAY AT, UH, HILTON PARK.
UM, AND, UH, LET'S SEE, I BELIEVE IT'S AT OR NO LONG BEACH SENIOR CENTER, UM, WITH RESPECT TO, UH, BLACK INVENTORS, PARTICULARLY IN THE CULINARY WORLD.
AND THEN AT TON PARK, WE HAVE OUR, UH, HALL OF HONOR, UM, RECOGNIZING A NUMBER OF, UM, AFRICAN AMERICAN TRAILBLAZERS IN POLITICS, SPORTS, AND, UH, OTHER AVENUES.
SO, UH, A NUMBER OF GREAT ACTIVITIES HAPPENING THROUGHOUT OUR PARKS, UH, THROUGHOUT THIS MONTH.
UM, WE'VE ALREADY HAD A FEW, UH, OCCUR IN THE FIRST WEEK OR TWO OF THE MONTH, AND LOOK FORWARD TO A FEW MORE FOR THE REST OF THE MONTH.
UH, SUMMER 2026 PLANNING, UH, IF YOU CAN BELIEVE IT, WE ARE ALREADY PLANNING FOR SUMMER 2026 PROGRAMMING.
AND, UH, AS YOU ALL KNOW, THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF A YEAR, YOU KNOW, WE HIRE OVER A HUNDRED, UH, SEASONAL EMPLOYEES TO COME AND, AND HELP US WITH OUR PROGRAMS. AND SUMMER MONTHS ARE REALLY OUR, OUR HEAVY MONTHS BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN WE HAVE THE MOST, UH, PROGRAMMING.
AND SO, UH, WE ARE WORKING HARD TO NOT ONLY DEVELOP THE CURRICULUM AND THE PROGRAMS FOR THIS, UH, SUMMER RECREATION PROGRAMMING, BUT WE'RE
[00:25:01]
ALSO HIRING PEOPLE RIGHT NOW.AND, UH, LATE LAST, UH, MONTH, LATE JANUARY, WE HELD A, UH, JOB FAIR.
IT WAS ACTUALLY OUR THIRD, UH, JOB FAIR OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
UH, WE HELD THAT AT HOUGHTON PARK.
HAD, UH, JUST UNDER 200 PARTICIPANTS COME OUT WHO ARE INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT, UH, OUR, UH, RECREATION, UH, JOBS.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO, UH, INTERVIEW 120, UH, DIFFERENT PEOPLE FOR THAT AS WE START TO FILL THOSE POSITIONS RIGHT NOW.
UM, SO SINCE THE LAST TIME WE MET, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF NEWS ABOUT COPPER WIRE THEFTS AND VANDALISM.
AND, UH, YOU MIGHT HEAR ABOUT IT IN THE PARKS, YOU MIGHT HEAR ABOUT IT FOR STREET LIGHTING.
UH, THIS HAS BECOME A REALLY SIGNIFICANT ISSUE FOR CITIES EVERYWHERE.
THE VALUE OF COPPER, UM, HAS REALLY GROWN, UH, PARTICULARLY WITH SOME OF THE TARIFFS, UH, BEING PLACED ON, UH, YOU KNOW, INCOMING COPPER.
THE VALUE OF WHAT WE HAVE LOCALLY, UM, IS VERY HIGH.
AND SO UNFORTUNATELY THERE ARE SOME OPPORTUNISTIC, UH, PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO ARE GONNA COME AND TRY TO GET, UH, SOME OF THAT, UH, COPPER THAT THE CITY USES FOR OUR LIGHTING.
UH, WITHIN OUR PARKS, WE'VE BEEN HIT PRETTY HARD.
WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF PARKS THAT, UH, HAVE HAD JUST THE GENERAL PARK LIGHTING IMPACTED BY STOLEN OR VANDALIZED COPPER, UM, AND SOME OF OUR SPORTS FIELDS.
AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S REALLY SIGNIFICANT RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THE MAJORITY OF OUR LIGHTED SPORTS FIELDS ARE BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL FIELDS.
AND AS, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF BASEBALL IN SOFTBALL SEASON.
AND SO RIGHT WHEN, UH, THE SEASON'S KICKING OFF, WE GOT HIT PRETTY HARD AT A FEW LOCATIONS WHERE PEOPLE CAME IN.
AND FORTUNATELY, I'M GONNA SAY THEY, FORTUNATELY THEY VANDALIZED THE COPPER, WHICH MEANS THEY DID NOT STEAL THE COPPER AT ALL OF THE LOCATIONS.
WE DID HAVE A FEW LIGHT POLES THAT WERE IMPACTED BY COPPER THEFT, BUT FORTUNATELY, UM, THE OTHERS WERE JUST CUT.
UM, DON'T KNOW WHY IT WAS CUT AND NOT REMOVED.
MAYBE SOMETHING SCARED THEM OFF THAT THEY COULDN'T GET TO IT, OR THEY WERE GONNA CUT AND COME BACK, WE SEAL LATER.
UM, I SAY THAT JUST BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THIS VANDALISM IS VERY, VERY TOUGH.
UM, BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN A WHOLE LOT WORSE IF THESE LIGHTS, UH, IF THE COPPER WAS ACTUALLY STOLEN.
SO, UH, THE MAINTENANCE TEAM WAS VERY RESPONSIVE, WAS ABLE TO GO OUT AND, UH, RESTORE THE BASEBALL FIELDS, UH, WITHIN I THINK TWO DAYS, UH, BOTH AT STEARNS AND HARTWELL PARKS.
UM, AND THEN OUR GENERAL, UH, PARK LIGHTING, UH, WHERE WE'VE BEEN IMPACTED, THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO ADDRESS THOSE, UH, RAPIDLY AS WELL.
SO, UM, ERIC AND HIS TEAM ARE DOING A NUMBER OF THINGS TO MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE, UH, TO GO IN AND STEAL, UH, THE COPPER OR CUT THE COPPER.
I, I SAY MORE DIFFICULT BECAUSE WITH ENOUGH TIME PEOPLE ARE GONNA FIGURE OUT ONE WAY OR ANOTHER TO ACCESS THAT COPPER.
BUT WE'RE, WE'RE DOING WHAT WE CAN TO MAKE IT AS DIFFICULT AS POSSIBLE TO ACCESS THAT COPPER.
BUT THAT HAS BEEN A BIG ISSUE FOR THE CITY, UM, AGAIN, PARTICULARLY IN OUR PARKS AND OUR STREET LIGHTING.
IS THERE ANYTHING OTHER THAN COPPER THAT CAN BE USED FOR CONGO THAT, THAT ELECTRICITY OR, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SURE.
UM, NO, I, I WE'RE, I THINK IDEALLY, WHICH IS VERY HIGH AS FAR AS COST, SOLAR RISK, THE WAY TO GO, YES.
OR FIGURE OUT A WAY BECAUSE THEY'RE ENTERING FROM THE, YOU KNOW, GROUND LEVEL THAT WE CAN WORK, FIGURE OUT A WAY TO COME FROM A HIGHER ENTRY POINT.
SO, WORKING WITH PW, HAVING SOME DISCUSSION WITH THEIR, UH, STREET LIGHTNING TEAM, SO TRYING TO GET OUT IN FRONT OF IT, IT IS VERY FRUSTRATING.
UM, 'CAUSE IT PULLS US AWAY FROM JUST BEING ABLE TO DO SOME OF OUR PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE THINGS.
AND, AND SD UH, STATED THAT THEY HIT IT RIGHT BEFORE THE SEASON.
THAT'S A LOT OF PRESSURE ON OUR TEAM, BUT I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR, UH, TEMPERAMENT.
UH, THEY TOOK IT AS A CHALLENGE TO GET THOSE LIGHTS ON BEFORE THE LEAGUES GOT STARTED.
SO IT FEELS GOOD TO HAVE A GROUP THAT THAT'S INVESTED, UM, AND GOING IN THE SAME DIRECTION.
SO, UH, ALL BEING TRYING, I FEEL GOOD.
UH, THE LEADER OF THAT TEAM SEEMED TO BE LIKE ALL INTO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE, UH, TO MAKE THESE PARTS, UM, SPECIALISTS SAFE FOR THOSE WHO RESERVE PARTS.
CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT THE MAINTENANCE TEAM.
UH, I SHARED, YOU KNOW, WITHIN A COUPLE DAYS, UM, WE WERE NOTIFIED ON A SATURDAY OF, UH, THE ISSUE AT STEARNS PARK.
BY MONDAY MID-AFTERNOON, EVERYTHING WAS REPAIRED AND ALL THE KIDS WERE ABLE TO USE THE FIELDS FOR PRACTICE.
[00:30:01]
THE PROBLEM? 'CAUSE I KNOW THE, AT THE PICKLEBALL COURT, VETERANS PARK, I'VE HEARD SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE LIGHTS NOT IN THE PARKING LOT BEING NON-FUNCTIONAL.IS THAT BECAUSE OF OKAY, GOT IT.
YEAH, I, I DO KNOW THAT IS A HUGE ISSUE.
I THINK THE MOST NOTABLE EXAMPLE IN THE MEDIA HAS BEEN THE SIXTH STREET BRIDGE IN DOWNTOWN LA, UH, WHICH HAD A LOT OF LIGHTING TEACHERS THAT NO LONGER WORKED IN THE TOP.
AND, AND, YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT A LONG BEACH ISSUE.
UH, THIS IS AN ISSUE EVERYWHERE.
I ATTENDED A MEETING WITH THE OTHER PARKS DIRECTORS FROM LA COUNTY, AND THIS WAS ISSUE NUMBER ONE AMONGST, UH, THOSE PARKS DIRECTORS.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK SOME OF THE STEPS THAT WE'RE TAKING IS CONSISTENT WITH WHAT OTHERS ARE ATTEMPTING TO DO.
THERE'S REALLY NO KIND OF VANDAL PROOF, UH, SOLUTION, UH, THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED YET.
BUT WE'RE EACH KIND OF TAKING OUR, OUR, YOU KNOW, COMING UP WITH OUR OWN SOLUTIONS SHARING SOLUTIONS, UH, AS ERIC MENTIONED, WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS IN PUBLIC WORKS WHO ARE CONFRONTING THE VERY SAME ISSUE.
SO THAT WAS REALLY MY QUESTION ON THE SAME ISSUE RELATING TO COLLABORATION.
AND I'M, UH, GRATEFUL TO HEAR THAT YOU'VE MET WITH OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT ARE STRUGGLING IN THE SAME WAY.
AND DO YOU SHARE, UH, IDEAS FOR RESOLUTION OR, AND, UH, I MEAN, THERE'S GOTTA BE SOMEBODY FROM KANSAS CITY OR CHICAGO OR WHEREVER THAT SAYS, AHA, WE TRIED THIS AND IT'S WORKING FOR 10 MINUTES, WHATEVER,
AND NO, CERTAINLY THERE IS A LOT OF SHARING OF INFORMATION, YOU KNOW, BOTH THROUGH THE PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS HERE IN CALIFORNIA OR NATIONALLY.
UM, THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT EVERYBODY'S DEALING WITH AND WE'RE, WE'RE DOING WHAT WE CAN.
THANK YOU, UH, TO STAY ON TOP OF IT.
UM, AND SO AGAIN, KUDOS TO ERIC AND HIS TEAM FOR, UH, THEIR RESPONSIVENESS.
UH, IT WAS DEFINITELY RECOGNIZED AND APPRECIATED.
IF I CAN JUST ADD ON AS A MEMBER OF THE YOUTH BASEBALL COMMUNITY, AND JUST ECHO WHAT, WHAT YOU'VE BEEN SAYING, STEVE.
UM, THE PANIC OF THAT FIRST WEEKEND WHEN THE, WHEN THE LIGHTS WENT OUT, AND THEN JUST THE, UH, OVERWHELMING RELIEF AND ALMOST SHOCK AT HOW QUICKLY EVERYTHING GOT, UH, GOT FIXED WAS INCREDIBLE.
UM, GREAT PR AS WELL, BECAUSE THE IDEA OF THINGS CAN ACTUALLY GET FIXED QUICKLY AND, AND THAT THE RESPONSIVENESS, UM, IN, IN RESPONSE, NOT JUST TO THE PROBLEM, BUT TO THE TIMELINE THAT THE LEAGUE NEEDED.
AND I ALWAYS APPRECIATE YOUR POSITIVITY AND HOW MUCH YOU GIVE KUDOS TO YOUR TEAM AND, AND YOU ARE AN INCREDIBLE LEADER AND IT'S, IT SHOWS THE RESPONSIVENESS OF YOUR TEAM.
NOW, I DON'T WANT TO PUT A CLOUD OVER THERE,
IF THE COPPER WIRE IS STOLEN, THAT'S A WHOLE NOTHER PROCESS THAT WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH TO ACTUALLY KIND OF THREAD THOSE LIGHT POLES.
GIVE THE COPPER NEW COPPER WIRE OUT THERE THAT WILL TAKE A LITTLE BIT LONGER.
BUT FORTUNATELY IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, IT WAS REPAIRING, IT WAS ALREADY THERE.
JUST TRY TO SET
DO WE HAVE ANY COPPER WIRE BACKUP HANGING AROUND? WE DO HAVE SOME IN STOCK, BUT THAT'S ALSO THE KEY TOO, AS FAR AS BEING ABLE TO PROCURE.
YEAH, WE ALL KNOW IT'S EVERY CITY, EVERY COUNTY, RIGHT? AND SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WE ALL USE THE SAME NUMBER.
NUMBER FOUR, NUMBER SIX, COPPER WIRE.
SO THAT'S JUST THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, THROUGHOUT IT'S ALL THE SAME STOCK.
AND THAT STOCK IS UNDER LOCK AND KEY, RIGHT?
UM, JUST MOVING ON, UH, QUICKLY.
SO I DON'T BELIEVE, UH, THERE WAS THE VOTE ON THE BELMONT POOL THE LAST TIME.
AND SO, UH, IN ONE OF THE LATER, UH, COUNCIL MEETINGS IN JANUARY, THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT, UH, THAT IS ESSENTIALLY THE NEXT AND KIND OF FINAL STAFF THAT APPROVAL PROCESS, UH, TO GET THAT, UH, NEW BELMONT PLAZA POOL, UH, CONSTRUCTED.
SO IT'S BEEN ABOUT 10 YEARS, 12 YEARS ALMOST, UH, SINCE THE, UM, THE BELMONT POOL WAS RED TAGGED AND THEN EVENTUALLY, UH, RAISED, UM, A LOT OF DESIGN REDESIGN, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
THERE WAS SOME LAWSUITS TO ADDRESS THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS, BUT WE FINALLY GOT TO THAT KIND OF LAST STEP WITH THE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT ON JANUARY 20TH.
SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT, AND WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING A BRAND NEW COMPLEX IN 2028.
I WANNA KEEP THE COMMISSION ABREAST OF A NUMBER OF KIND OF OUR KEY LEADERSHIP POSITIONS
[00:35:01]
THAT WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF RECRUITING FOR.SO, UM, WE HAVE THE COMMUNITY RECREATION SERVICES BUREAU MANAGER POSITION, UH, RECALL THAT WAS THE, THE GLADYS POSITION.
UM, SO SINCE HER RETIREMENT, WE'VE BEEN IN, UH, RECRUITMENT MODE AND, UH, TO THE POINT NOW WHERE WE HAVE INTERVIEWS, UM, THIS WEEK, UH, FOR THAT POSITION.
SO HOPE TO HAVE THAT POSITION FILLED WITHIN, UH, THE NEXT MONTH.
AND THEN ANOTHER KEY LEADERSHIP POSITION IS OUR BUSINESS OPERATIONS BUREAU, UH, MANAGER.
THAT WAS THE POSITION THAT I HELD PREVIOUSLY.
UM, AND WE ARE IN THE RECRUITMENT, UH, STAGE FOR THAT, THAT WILL, THAT RECRUITMENT CLOSED AT THE END OF JANUARY.
AND SO WE ARE NOW WORKING ON, UH, SETTING UP THOSE INTERVIEWS.
SO PROBABLY ABOUT A MONTH AFTER, UH, WHEN WE HAVE THE RECREATION BUREAU MANAGER SELECTED ALONG THAT POSITION AS WELL.
BUT THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE CRITICAL POSITIONS FOR OUR DEPARTMENT, PARTICULARLY AS WE'RE ALREADY PLANNING FOR THE SUMMER, UH, FOR RECREATION.
AND WE ARE ENTERING BUDGET SEASON, UH, FOR THE BUSINESS OPERATIONS, UH, BUREAU MANAGER.
SO, UH, REALLY KEY POSITIONS THAT REPRESENTS ABOUT 40% OF OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM.
SO, UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO FILLING THOSE CONDITIONS.
UH, AND THEN, UH, I HAVE JUST SOME PROJECT UPDATES AND, UH, LAST MONTH WE HEARD, I BELIEVE IT WAS LAST MONTH, UH, AN UPDATE ON THE ELEVATE 28 PLAN.
AND YOU SAW THERE WERE DOZENS UPON, DOZENS UPON DOZENS OF PARKS RELATED PROJECTS.
AND SO, UM, NEVER GONNA BE ABLE TO COME WITH, YOU KNOW, A FULL UPDATE ON ALL OF THOSE PROJECTS.
UM, BUT EACH MONTH I THINK I AM GONNA JUST, UH, PROVIDE A, A FEW UPDATES, UH, IN THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT, UM, JUST TO GIVE YOU KIND OF A TASTE OF WHAT'S, UH, WHAT'S HAPPENING OUT THERE.
UM, THESE PROJECTS COULD BE AT DIFFERING STAGES.
THEY COULD BE AT DESIGN STAGE OR CONSTRUCTION, UH, STAGE.
BUT THERE'S A NUMBER OF, UH, PROJECTS OUT THERE THAT, UH, UH, EACH MONTH I WANNA PROVIDE, UH, SOME UPDATES ON.
SO THE FIRST IS THE DRAKE PARK COMMUNITY CENTER, UH, THAT IS, UH, UNDERGOING SOME INTERNAL COMMUNITY CENTER IMPROVEMENTS, UH, WORKING ON, I THINK FLOORING AND WINDOWS ALREADY ADDRESSED, UH, BATHROOMS, UH, THERE IN THE ROOF PREVIOUSLY.
SO THIS IS ESSENTIALLY THE THIRD OF THREE PHASES, UH, FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO THE DRAKE PARK COMMUNITY CENTER.
UM, AND WE LOOK TO HAVE THAT PROJECT COMPLET BY EARLY 2026.
IT'S BEEN A LOT OF TALK ABOUT DOG PARKS RECENTLY.
AND SO ONE DOG PARK I DO WANNA HIGHLIGHT IS THE, UH, RO BEACH, UH, DOG PARK THAT IS IN KIND OF THE EARLY DESIGN AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT STAGE.
SO THERE WAS A COMMUNITY MEETING, UH, A WEEK OR TWO AGO, UH, THAT WAS LED BY, UH, PUBLIC WORKS TO GET SOME COMMUNITY INPUT ON THE PROPOSED LOCATION, WHICH WOULD BE JUST EAST OF THE, UH, PARKING LOT AND PLAY AREA THERE AT, UH, RO BEACH.
UM, LET'S SEE, HOUGHTON PARK PLAYGROUND, UH, OUR NEXT SIGNATURE PLAYGROUND.
SO WE'VE SEEN SILVERADO REPLACED RECENTLY.
WE'VE SEEN RAMONA REPLACED RECENTLY.
UH, ONE OF OUR NEXT ONES WILL BE THE OULTON PARK, UH, PLAYGROUND.
AND SO, UH, THAT, UH, PROJECT IS OUT TO BID.
I THINK THE BID CLOSES EITHER THIS WEEK OR MAYBE NEXT WEEK.
UM, AND SO WE'LL SOON SEE, UH, SOME CONSTRUCTION UP AT PARK FOR A BRAND NEW PLAYGROUND.
AND THEN MARINA VISTA, UH, PARK PICKLEBALL COURTS, UH, COMING SOON, WE ARE ACTUALLY GONNA START, UH, THE WORK, UH, AT CREATING FOUR DEDICATED PICKLEBALL COURTS AT, UH, MARINA VISTA PARK ON THE TENNIS COURTS.
UH, THERE ARE TWO TENNIS COURTS THERE RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE GONNA USE ONE OF THOSE TENNIS COURTS FOR FOUR DEDICATED PICKLEBALL COURTS.
AND THEN THE OTHER TENNIS COURT WE'RE GONNA KEEP AS A TENNIS COURT, BUT, UH, DO AN OVERLAY OF, UH, PICKLEBALL, UM, LINES AS WELL.
SO REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
WEATHER PERMITTING THAT SHOULD BE, UH, STARTING, UH, WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK.
UM, AND THEN PROBABLY A COUPLE WEEKS OF, OF WORK THERE.
AND SO, ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR FREE PICKLEBALL, UH, IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF ERIC IS GONNA TALK MUCH, IT'S NOT IN, UH, MY UPDATE, BUT STORM RESPONSE.
AND, UH, SO A COUPLE PEOPLE WERE TALKING, UH, STORMS BEFORE, UH, THE MEETING, AND I JUST WANTED TO GIVE AN UPDATE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAD THE HEAVY RAINS TWO INCHES, UH, OVER THE WEEKEND OR MAYBE INTO MONDAY, BUT THEN THE HEAVY WIND, THAT WAS REALLY, UH, THE DIFFICULTY FOR US.
AND, UH, I THINK, UH, OUR COUNTING AS OF YESTERDAY, WE HAD LOST ABOUT FOUR TREES, UH, SEVEN, SEVEN TREES, UH, ACROSS OUR PARK SYSTEM.
UM, AND A NUMBER OF, YOU KNOW, DOWNED LIMBS.
AND IF YOU DRIVE BY PARKS RIGHT NOW, YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF, LIKE, DEBRIS OF LITTLE BRANCHES AND, AND LEAVES.
AND THAT'S GONNA TAKE US A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO CLEAN, UH, PARTICULARLY BECAUSE WE HAVE ANOTHER STORM COMING
[00:40:01]
UP, UH, LATER THIS WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK.SO, YOU KNOW, OUR GROUNDS LANDSCAPE CREW, THEY'RE GONNA KIND OF GO FROM MOWING MODE TO REMOVAL OF DEBRIS MODE AND THEN GET BACK TO THEIR, THEIR CORE, UH, MOWING RESPONSIBILITIES.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THESE WINDS WERE EXTREMELY HIGH.
IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE WE'VE HAD WINDS LIKE THIS.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, BACK IN THE DAY, BACK MAYBE 10 YEARS AGO AT A WEEKEND LIKE THAT, AFTER RAIN WITH HIGH WINDS, WE WOULD'VE EASILY SEEN 15 PLUS TREES DOWN.
AND I JUST BRING THAT UP, YOU KNOW, SEVEN IS, YOU KNOW, STILL TOO MANY.
UM, BUT I, I BRING THAT UP JUST TO HIGHLIGHT THE FACT THAT WE ENTERED INTO A, UH, A TREE TRIMMING CYCLE, UH, AN ANNUAL TREE TRIMMING, UH, PROGRAM ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO WHERE WE GO OUT NOW EVERY SEVEN YEARS, OR WE'LL DO ONE SEVENTH OF ALL OF OUR TREES EVERY YEAR.
AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE DID NOT HAVE BEFORE.
WE DID NOT HAVE A DEDICATED TREE TRIMMING BUDGET IN THE PARK SYSTEM, WHICH IS KIND OF HARD TO BELIEVE WITH CLOSE TO 30,000 TREES.
UH, BUT ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO, THANKS TO THE LEADERSHIP OF THE CITY COUNCIL, WE GOT SOME MONEY ADDED.
AND JUST THAT LITTLE BIT OF WORK, THAT TREE TRIMMING IN ADVANCE REALLY HELPS US, UM, IN THESE NOW STORM EVENTS WHERE WE'RE NOT GOING TO SEE THE SAME LEVEL OF DOWNED TREES.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAD A COUPLE YEARS OF ONETIME FUNDS WHERE WE COULD GO IN AND ACTUALLY REMOVE THE DEN TREES, UH, THE DEN AND DYING TREES.
SO IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO WATCH FOR GIVEN
UM, AND I'M GONNA SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, GENERALLY SPEAKING, FOR EVERYTHING THAT WE DO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO TAKE A HARD LOOK AS, AS WE'VE ALL HEARD ABOUT SOME OF THE BUDGET CHALLENGES THAT ARE ON THE HORIZON.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO TAKE A HARD LOOK AT, UH, YOU KNOW, HOW WE CONDUCT OUR BUSINESS AND IF THERE ARE WAYS TO DO IT MORE EFFICIENTLY, UM, IF WE'RE ABLE TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE WERE PREVIOUSLY ABLE TO DO, UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO TAKE A HARD LOOK AT ALL THOSE THINGS.
BUT CERTAINLY INVESTMENTS LIKE THIS HAVE HELPED SAVE MONEY, UH, IN THE LONG RUN AND, UM, MAKES OUR PARKS SAFER AS WELL.
YEAH, SO THIS WAS A KEY INVESTMENT A COUPLE YEARS AGO, AND ONE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA DO WHAT WE CAN TO PROTECT, I SEEM TO RECALL THERE WAS CONTROVERSY ABOUT REMOVING CERTAIN TREES A COUPLE YEARS AGO.
I WISH WE COULD LET THOSE FOLKS WHO WERE UPSET ABOUT THE TREE REMOVAL REALIZE THE VALUE OF THE TREE REMOVAL, SAFETY, ET CETERA.
YEAH, AND, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY WE DO PUT OUT OUR, OUR COMMUNITY INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WHEN WE'RE REMOVING TREES, PARTICULARLY WHEN WE'RE REMOVING TREES, WE LET THE COMMUNITY KNOW IN ADVANCE.
BUT WE ALSO SHARE KIND OF AN ARBORIST REPORT THAT SHOWS HERE IS THE CONDITION OF THE TREE.
LOOK AT THAT BIG CRACK AT THE VERY BOTTOM THAT IS DANGEROUS.
UM, THAT CERTAINLY HELPS PEOPLE UNDERSTAND, UM, WHAT THE, WHAT THE ISSUES ARE AND THE REASON WE MAKE THESE DECISIONS.
AND IT'S BASED MANY TIMES ON SAFETY.
UM, AND WE PUT THAT UP ON OUR WEBSITE, UH, FOR THE COMMUNITY TO SEE.
DID YOU HAVE A, I I WENT, I THINK IT WAS TWO BUDGET CYCLES AGO TO THE FINAL COUNCIL MEETING.
AND I COMPLIMENTED AND THANK THE CITY COUNCIL FOR THEIR INVESTMENT IN WHAT WE HAVE.
AND I THINK IF ANY OF US GO TO OR PARTICIPATE IN BUDGETING THINGS, REMINDING THEM OF A COMMITMENT TO WHAT WE HAVE, I KNOW THEY LOVE TO DO THE RIBBON CUTTINGS AND NEW THINGS ARE GREAT, AND ELEVATE 28 IS GREAT, BUT FOR YEARS WE DEFERRED THE MAINTENANCE ON WHAT WE HAVE.
AND THAT IS THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS THEY'VE BEEN GREAT ABOUT HELPING US AND, AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS INVEST IN WHAT WE'VE GOT, BUT THAT IS JUST HUGE.
UM, AND THEN JUST LASTLY, I WANTED TO PUT ON, UM, THIS BODY'S RADAR THAT WE WILL BE COMING, UH, PROBABLY IN MARCH WITH A REQUEST TO RENAME THE CENTRAL FACILITIES CENTER.
UM, THERE, IT'S A, A FACILITY IN MLK PARK, UH, PRIMARILY USED ACTUALLY BY OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT, BUT BECAUSE IT IS A PARK, UH, FACILITY, UH, THERE IS A REQUEST THAT THE CITY COUNCIL REFER TO THE, UH, PARKS AND RECOGNITION THIS PAST TUESDAY NIGHT TO RENAME THAT CENTER, THE DE CLINTON, UM, COMMUNITY FACILITY CENTER.
AND SO, UM, AS PART OF OUR PROCESS THAT, UH, NAMING OR RENAMING REQUEST WOULD COME TO THE COMMISSION, UH, PROBABLY NEXT MONTH.
UM, AND THEN OUR, YOU KNOW, IF APPROVED THEN
[00:45:01]
A RECOMMENDATION WOULD GO TO, UH, THE COUNCIL'S, UM, GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS AND EFFICIENCY, UH, COMMITTEE.THAT'S AN MLK, RIGHT? THAT'S AN MLK? CORRECT.
UM, AND THEN, UH, THERE WERE SOME ANIMAL CARE SERVICE UPDATES.
UM, JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE PROMOTIONS THAT, UH, THEY ARE DOING RIGHT NOW TO DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN, UH, TO FIND FOREVER HOMES, UM, OR FOSTER RELATIONSHIPS FOR OUR ANIMALS.
UH, AS WE ENTER HIDDEN SEASON, UH, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE AS MUCH, UH, SHELTER SPACE AS POSSIBLE.
THANK YOU, DIRECTOR SCOTT, WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE FROM, OH, I'M SORRY, PUBLIC COMMENT.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR, UM, QUESTIONS FOR DIRECTOR SCOTT? HEARING NONE.
UH, WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE FROM COMMISSIONER HKA, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER LIVINGSTON.
WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER FIVE, A RECOMMENDATION TO DISCUSS POTENTIAL AGENDA ITEMS FOR FUTURE PARTS OF RECREATION COMMISSION MEETINGS.
UM, CAN I HAVE A MOTION? I MOVE.
UM, DIRECTOR, DO YOU WANNA COMMENT ON THIS? YES.
SO THIS IS A STANDING ITEM THAT WE HAVE ON THE AGENDA FOR THE COMMISSIONERS TO OFFER UP IDEAS ON THINGS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT.
WE HAVE A, A LIST, UM, ALREADY THAT WE'VE RECEIVED OVER, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE LAST NUMBER OF MEETINGS, UH, THAT STILL REQUIRES SOME FOLLOW UP.
I THINK OUR NEXT ONE IS GOING, NEXT ONE WE BRING BACK TO, UH, THE COMMISSION WILL BE, UH, ABOUT THE PILOT, UM, FOR HERBICIDES, WE'LL BE BRINGING BACK THE PARK EQUITY.
UM, SO WE ARE WORKING ON A NUMBER OF THE PREVIOUS REQUESTS, BUT THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY IF THERE IS ANYTHING ELSE.
UM, AND WE HAD TALKED AT A PREVIOUS MEETING ABOUT, UH, COMING FORWARD WITH LIKE A PRIORITIZATION OF THOSE.
AND WE WILL BE, WE WILL BE DOING THAT, UM, AS WELL PROBABLY AT THE NEXT MEETING.
DO YOU HAVE A SENSE OF HOW LONG THE LIST IS DIRECTOR? UH, IT'S ABOUT, I THINK WE STILL HAVE ABOUT SIX ITEMS. SIX COUPLE PATIENTS,
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? COMMISSIONERS? ONE THING, UH, WHEN, WHEN THE THING COMES BACK ON THE NAMING, I READ THE, UH, COMMISSIONER COUNCILWOMAN SORROW'S REPORT.
IT SAYS 20 TO $25,000 FOR NAMING.
WOULD THAT FALL TO US OR, OKAY, GOOD.
'CAUSE THAT WOULD BE PART OF MY MOTION TO APPROVE IT, THAT WE DON'T PAY FOR IT.
UM, AND THAT IS A KIND OF A GENERAL ESTIMATE BECAUSE, UM, YOU KNOW, EVERY FACILITY'S GONNA BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT WHETHER IT'S GONNA BE KIND OF LETTERING ON, UM, THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING OR A SIGN.
AND SO THAT IS A KIND OF A, A GENERAL ESTIMATE, UH, UP TO NUMBER.
BUT, UM, FUNDING WOULD NEED TO BE IDENTIFIED FOR THAT, NOT NECESSARILY FROM OUR BUDGET.
IS THAT A FUNDRAISING OPPORTUNITY? ALWAYS.
YES TO MR. UH, SO A COUPLE QUICK QUESTIONS.
UH, SO ON THE PILOT PROJECT, UH, DO YOU ANTICIPATE IT COMING UP FOR A VOTE NEXT MEETING OR WE ARE SHOOTING FOR THE NEXT MEETING.
UM, THAT IS DEFINITELY OUR GOAL.
UM, BUT UM, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO SEE HOW FAR ALONG WE CAN GET.
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH SOME OUTSIDE ENTITIES THAT, UH, KIND OF, YOU KNOW, REQUIRE THEIR PARTICIPATION AND THEIR AVAILABILITY AS WELL.
BUT THAT IS CERTAINLY OUR GOAL WOULD BE, UH, TO SHOOT FOR THE LUNCH.
AND THEN, UH, AHEAD OF THAT MEETING, IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO, WELL CERTAINLY LET THE FOLKS THAT ARE INTERESTED, YOU KNOW, HAVE THE CONSTITUENTS THAT EXPRESSED INTEREST IN THIS ISSUE KNOW THAT IT'S COMING TO BACK UP.
UM, IS THERE ANY, YOU KNOW, THOUGHT ABOUT POSSIBLY MEETING WITH THEM BEFOREHAND TO, YOU KNOW, TALK OVER THE ITEM OR AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, DISCUSS IT? I KNOW BETWEEN COMMISSION MEMBERS, WE OBVIOUSLY CAN'T DO THE BROWN ACT, BUT, UM, AT LEAST LIKE A PARK STAFF LEVEL, I THINK WHAT WE WOULD DO IS WE WOULD USE THE COMMISSION MEETING FOR THAT PUBLIC MEETING MM-HMM
UM, AND SO THEY WOULD CERTAINLY BE MADE AWARE AND KNOW ABOUT THE MEETING AND THAT WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY, UM, FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANY REQUESTS FOR ADDITIONAL MEETING? OKAY, HEARING NONE.
I KNOW I'VE MENTIONED IT BEFORE.
[00:50:01]
AT THIS POINT YOUR HANDS ARE FULL DISCUSSION ON THE PILOT PROJECT STUFF.UM, BUT JUST YOU WANT TO PUT BACK OR MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T FALL OFF THE RADAR IS, UM, UH, COMPLIANCE WITH THE SMALL OFF ROADS ENGINE, UH, REGULATIONS OF THE AIR RESOURCES BOARD, WHICH CAN AFFECT THE LANDSCAPING EQUIPMENT AND JUST THE GEN, THEIR GENERAL NEED TO, OR, UM, THE TRANSITION TOWARDS ZERO OMISSION LAWN CARE EQUIPMENT OVER TIME.
THAT IS ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT'S ON THE LIST.
ALRIGHT, WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE BY COMMISSIONER LIVINGSTON, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER ORR SMITH.
UH, WE NOW TAKE TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
UH, THIS IS AN 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, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME.
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE LONG BEACH GREAT PANTHERS, AT LEAST TILL DECEMBER OF, UM, THE END OF THE YEAR WHEN OUR NEW CO-PRESIDENTS WILL TAKE OVER DR.
AND I JUST WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT WE WERE ABLE, BUT LONG BEACH GREAT PATHS.
WERE ABLE TO GET A $10,000 GRANT TO BUY GROCERY CARDS FOR THE SENIORS AND, UH, WE GAVE HALF OF THEM OUT FOR THE HOLIDAYS SO THEY WOULD HAVE, UH, SOMETHING TO BUY GROCERIES.
WE GAVE 200 FOR DECEMBER AND WE GAVE 200 OUT IN VALENTINE'S DAY AND WE GAVE THEM OUT AT MCBRIDE AND HOW PARK AS WELL AS THE SENIOR CENTER.
AND WE DIDN'T TELL THE SENIORS THEY WERE GETTING THEM, SO THEY JUST HAD TO SIGN UP FOR VALENTINE'S.
SO THEY WERE THRILLED BECAUSE THERE WAS NO FOOD DELIVERY ON, UM, HOLIDAY MONDAYS.
SO THEY HAD FOOD FOR THE WEEKEND.
AND U-S-C-U-C-L-A PROFESSOR, SHE MOVED IN THE MIDDLE, HAS COME OUT WITH A FOOD INSECURITY STUDY FOR LA COUNTY AND I SENT IT TO, UM, HEIDI AND DANA SO THEY CAN, I SENT IT TO OTHER PEOPLE.
BUT, UM, THERE IS A BIG ISSUE AROUND FOOD INSECURITY IN OLDER ADULTS AND WE'VE ASKED THE, UH, FUNDER THAT DID THE, THEY'RE LOOKING AT WHAT IS THE FOOD INSECURITY LIKE AND HOW THEY CAN HELP.
SO WE HOPE THERE'S GONNA BE A FOOD, UM, FORUM THAT'S, UM, GONNA, THE NONPROFIT PARTNERSHIP IS DOING A SURVEY, SO IT IS A BIG ISSUE WITH THE OLDER ADULTS AND WE'RE DOING A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO HELP ALLEVIATE THAT.
SO IT'S VERY, A VERY CHERRY HOLIDAY AND WE HAVE, UM, 20 INTERNS SO FAR THIS SEMESTER AND THEY'VE BEEN HELPING OUT, UH, WITH THE FOOD DISTRIBUTION AND THEY HELP DELIVER THE HELP DELIVER THE VALENTINE.
WE HAVE ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS? YES, THESE ARE PACKETS FOR YOU.
I DON'T KNOW THE BEST WAY TO DISTRIBUTE THEM, BUT NAME ASHLEY JONES, EXECUTIVE DRUG CARE PARTNERS IN PARKS.
UM, SO I HAVE A LIST FOR YOU OF WHAT'S COMING UP FOR US IN THE SPRING.
SO WE HAVE LIKE A LOT OF NEW THINGS HAPPENING, UM, BECAUSE I THINK THIS COMMISSION IS AWARE, BUT I'M NOT SURE THE PUBLIC IS AWARE THAT WE'RE NOT GIVEN ANYTHING FROM THE CITY.
SO WE ARE SOLELY DEPENDENT ON FUNDRAISING TO FUNCTION.
UM, I BELIEVE ON MET ELLIOT THE FIRST TIME WE'VE HAD A SECONDARY STAFF MEMBER.
UM, AND SO THAT'S GIVEN US SOME SPACE TO KIND OF LIKE RAMP UP OUR ACTIVITIES AND OUR FUNDRAISING.
SO, UM, YOU HAVEN'T SEEN ALL OVER SOCIAL MEDIA.
UM, MY DOG IS IN THE TOP 1% OF DOGS FOR AMERICA'S FAVORITE PET.
UM, I'M OBSESSED WITH THE DOG, IF YOU DON'T KNOW THE BACKSTORY.
HE WAS THE LONGEST RESIDENT LBAS, SO I TOOK HIM RIGHT BEFORE HE HIT TWO YEARS.
UM, AND I TREAT HIM LIKE A SON.
HE WAS REALLY INTO LIKE DRESSING UP.
UM, AND SO I JUST THOUGHT IT WOULD BE FUN TO ENTER HIM AND LIKE MAKE HIM INSTAGRAM AND THEN HE NEVER LEFT FIRST PLACE IN THE INITIAL TWO MONTHS OF THE COMPETITION.
SO HE'S IN, UH, THE NATIONALS AND IF WE WIN, WE'RE GONNA DONATE HALF OF IT BACK TO LBAS.
BUT AS I WAS KIND OF GOING THROUGH THE FUNDRAISER AND ENJOYING THE EVENT, UM, I CAME UP WITH THE IDEA TO RUN THIS FOR THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE A PRESENTATION AT CITY COUNCIL ON THE 10TH.
UM, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE IS ALL IN.
UM, WE'RE GONNA BE RUNNING THE CONTEST FOR NATIONAL PET MONTH IN MAY.
WE WILL HAVE A DOG CATEGORY, A CAT CATEGORY, AND THEN OTHER PETS.
UM, SO I'M EXCITED FOR THIS TO BE A FUNDRAISER FOR L VS.
AND IF HE WINS, GREAT AND IF NOT, LIKE, UM, YOU KNOW, AN INSPIRATION FOR SOMETHING, SOMETHING NEW.
SO I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
UM, THIS IS AALIYAH'S PROJECT.
[00:55:01]
AN EGG HUNT COMING UP, SO WE'RE ACTIVATING SOME PARK SPACES THAT NORMALLY DON'T HAVE EGG HUNTS.SO WE'LL BE AT EL DORADO, ADMIRAL KID AND RAMONA.
UM, WE EXPECT SOME SPONSORSHIP FOR THAT.
WE'RE ALSO GONNA HAVE LIKE ARTS AND CRAFTS AND LIKE OTHER THINGS FROM DIFFERENT COMMUNITY GROUPS.
SO DEPENDING ON THE PARK WE'RE PARTNERING WITH LIKE EXCEPTIONAL DAY OF PLAY, THE ARTS COUNCIL.
SO, UM, THAT SHOULD BE A LOT OF FUN.
UM, WE SECURED EARTH DAY FOR OUR HANDLES ICE CREAM FUNDRAISER, SO THAT'S COMING UP IN APRIL.
WE'D LOVE FOR YOU TO JUST GO BY AND PARTICIPATE.
UM, AND THEN WE'RE HAVING OUR FIRST EVER, EVER PICKLEBALL TOURNAMENT.
UM, THAT WILL BE THE WEEKEND OF MAY 2ND AND THIRD AT THE BILL JEAN KING COURTS.
UM, YEAH, SO A LOT OF NEW THINGS.
AND THEN WE'LL STILL HAVE OUR OLD THINGS LIKE B AT THE NEW BAND CONCERTS, WE'LL HAVE OUR GOLF TOURNAMENTS, SO IN THE SEASON.
UM, BUT YEAH, TRYING TO DO MORE, TRYING TO BETTER OUR PARK SPACES AND, UM, WE LOVE FOR THE COMMISSIONERS TO ATTEND AND PARTICIPATE IN SOMETHING BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT GOING ON.
I'LL SEND THESE TO YOU, UM, DIGITALLY AS WELL.
MAY I ASK A QUICK QUESTION, ASHLEY? YEAH.
UM, WITH REGARD TO GUMBO, HAVE YOU PARTNERED WITH, UH, JUSTIN RUDD AND HIS BROAD BASED, UH, GROUP OF DOG LOVERS? SO WE, UM, WE ARE ACTUALLY DOING A BEACH CLEANUP IN TANDEM, AND I DID GO TO HIS HOT DOG, UM, EVENT OVER THE LAST WEEKEND.
UM, OUR NEIGHBOR ACTUALLY GOT SECOND PLACE IN THE SMALL DOG CATEGORY, UM, BUT THEY HAD LIKE 50 SMALL DOGS JUST IN THAT CATEGORY.
SO WE ANTICIPATE LIKE, EVEN MORE PARTICIPATION IN THAT THAN MAYBE HIS EVENT BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE TO PHYSICALLY TAKE YOUR DOG TO THE BEACH OR, UM, SO HE'S A, HE'S A GOOD PARTNER AND LIKE A GREAT NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY.
UM, BUT HE'S ALSO NOT INTO TECH, SO LIKE DIDN'T HAVE A CELL PHONE UNTIL 2020.
SO LIKE WE'RE INTENTIONALLY TAKING UP THE DIGITAL SPACE BECAUSE THAT'S NOT REALLY HIS.
JUST THE THOUGHT AND, AND I JUST VOTED.
ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS? ALRIGHT, WE WILL NOW TAKE THIS TIME ON, I THINK WE JUST, RIGHT ON.
UM, LET SEE, WE GO ON TO ANNOUNCEMENTS AND UH, JUST MAKE SURE I'M NOT FORGETTING ANYTHING.
I'D LIKE TO, UH, UH, BEGIN WITH THE STAFF.
ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? DENISE? UH, NOTHING FROM BUSINESS OPERATIONS.
A COUPLE OF ITEMS TO NOTE, DESPITE THE WEATHER, SPRING IS IN THE AIR FOR A LOT OF OUR RESIDENTS.
SO WE HAVE, UH, A FULL SEASON OF SCHOOL TOURS BOOKED AT THE NATURE CENTER.
SPEAKING OF THE NATURE CENTER LAST, THIS LAST WEEKEND, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE KNOW THIS, BUT THERE'S A, AN ANNUAL GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNTY.
AND SO OUR NUTRI CENTER TEAM POSTED AN EDUCATIONAL, UH, TABLE ABOUT 70 FOLKS SHOWED UP TO TAKE PART, GET BINOCULARS, COUNTING SHEETS, BIRD BIFA.
UM, AND THEN I DID WANNA TALK ABOUT, UM, WHAT'S HAPPENING IN A MATTER OF WEEKS.
THE CALIFORNIA PARKS AND RECREATION SOCIETY'S ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND EXPO IS RETURNING TO LONG BEACH.
SO, UH, MARCH 10TH OF THE 13TH.
THIS EVENT IS PARTICULARLY MEANINGFUL FOR US BECAUSE THE LAST TIME THEY WERE HERE, THOSE SAME EXACT DATES, MARCH 10TH TO THE 13TH WAS IN 2020 FOR HER.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF FOLKS REMEMBERED, BUT THAT WAS A VERY PIVOTAL MOMENT IN TERMS OF THE ONSET OF, IT'S THE SAME TIME AS THE ID UM, SO THE RETURN KIND OF JUST TAILS JUST KIND OF OUR, OUR, OUR POST PANDEMIC RECOVERY WE'RE VERY EXCITED.
AND IN PARTICULAR, I WANNA HIGHLIGHT SOME, SOME FOLKS WE ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN, UH, SOME OF OUR STAFF OR AMAZING STAFF HAVE BEEN SELECTED TO, TO DO, UH, PRESENT EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS AS PART OF THE EVENT, INCLUDING SUPERINTENDENT HEIDI MASS, UM, WHO'S GONNA BE DOING THE SESSION, SUPERINTENDENT CA, KAITLYN CRUZ, AND THEN AMONG, UM, OTHER STAFF OF OURS THAT ARE GONNA DO THAT.
OH, ONE PARTICULAR THING ABOUT THE EVENT, WE ARE SHOWCASING OUR SPACES, PART OF
COULD YOU GET MORE INFORMATION TO EACH OF US SINCE OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE AFTER THAT EVENT? ABSOLUTELY.
SO THAT, WHERE IT'S GONNA BE TIMING, IS THERE A FEE TO GO, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
I'LL, I'LL PROVIDE THE INFORMATION.
SO WE, WE WILL HAVE ABOUT 2000 PARK AND REC PROFESSIONALS DESCENDING IN LONG BEACH SHOW.
WILL IT BE AT THE CONVENTION CENTER OR IT'S AT THE CONVENTION CENTER IS THE, AND THE, BASICALLY
[01:00:01]
OKAY.THAT'S THE SAME WEEK AS THE IDA, THE INTERNATIONAL DOWNTOWN ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE, SO, YEAH.
OH, IT IS A BIG CONFERENCE, SO IT'LL BE BUSY.
UH, CHARLENE, THE ONLY THING TO ADD IS JUST COMING UP ON COUNCIL AGENDA MARCH 3RD, WE WILL BE, UM, TAKING THE TENNIS AND PICKLE OPERATOR, UM, RFP, THE AWARDING OF THE RFP WILL BE MARCH 3RD, SO UPCOMING.
I HAVE A FEW UPDATES, UM, FOR THE MAINTENANCE FACILITY, MAINTENANCE DIVISION.
UM, THUS FAR THIS
AND WE TOUCHED ON THE ELECTRICAL AS FAR AS MECHANISM.
AND THEN OUR AMBASSADORS INSTALLED 14 SIGNS AS WELL AS PRESSURE WASHING AT 11 DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.
SO WE KIND OF STAYED BUSY WITH THE PRESSURE WASHING.
UM, AND THEN FOR OUR GROUNDS TEAM, UM, WE COMPLETED 859 WORK ORDERS, AND THEN WE, UH, COMPLETED 220 IN CABINET CLEANUPS, WHICH BROUGHT IN 151 TONS OF DEBRIS.
AND THEN WE TRAILED 855 TREES.
AND THEN ALSO WANTED TO ADD FOR, I NORMALLY DON'T BRING THIS, BUT I WANTED TO BRING ANOTHER TALKING POINT.
AS FAR AS GRAFFITI ROOM REMOVAL, WE'VE SEEN AN INCREASE IN THAT.
SO THUS FAR WE HAD 323 REQUESTS FROM BEING REMOVAL.
AND THEN LASTLY, BEYOND THE TREES FROM THE FLOOD, OUR PLAYGROUNDS ARE FLOODED PRETTY BADLY.
SO THE TEAM CAME RIGHT BACK AND THEY STAYED, YOU KNOW, AND GOT OUT THERE.
SO OF OUR PLAYGROUNDS, 30 OF THEM WERE FLOODED OUT.
IT JUST COME FROM THE TERRITORY WITH THAT MUCH WATER THAT WE PROACTIVELY IN THE, UH, REMOVE ALL THE WATER.
SO, SO, UH, THOSE ARE THINGS TIME.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT THAT I REALLY APPRECIATE THESE STATISTICS THAT YOU'VE BEEN PROVIDING AND, UH, THEY REALLY HELP.
LIKE WHEN PEOPLE ASK ME, OH, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE PARK? SO I'M ABLE TO SAY IN ONE OF THE STATISTICS THAT'S OFTEN SAT WITH ME IS THE NUMBER OF HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS THAT YOU WORK ON.
DID YOU MENTION THAT AND I MISSED IT? YES.
SO FOR, UH, THIS MONTH ALONE, WE HAD, UH, 88 CABINET CLEANUPS, BUT FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR IT HAS BEEN 228 IN CABINET CLEANUPS.
AND THAT BROUGHT 151 TONS OF DEBRIS FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR.
THIS MONTH ALONE WITH THOSE 80 CABINET CLEANUPS, THAT WAS 35 TIMES IN THREE.
AND NOW I WILL ASK THE COMMISSIONERS THAT I'LL BEGIN WITH COMMISSIONER RIGA.
UM, SURE, JUST OF COURSE, AS ALWAYS, UM, EXCITED FOR SPRING, UH, SPORTS SEASON.
UH, WE'VE GOT SOFTBALL AND BASEBALL GOING ON.
UH, GETTING OUT TO ALL THE DIFFERENT PARKS IS ALWAYS FUN.
UM, BLACK HISTORY MONTH, OF COURSE, THE BEGINNING OF RAMADAN AND LENT, UM, IN THE JAPANESE AMERICAN COMMUNITY.
TODAY IS ALSO THE DAY OF REMEMBRANCE, UM, FOR THE EXECUTIVE ORDER 9 0 6 6, UH, THAT LED TO THE INCARCERATION OF JAPANESE AND JAPANESE AMERICAN, UH, CITIZENS DURING WORLD WAR II.
SO JUST, I GUESS WHAT'S ON MY MIND RIGHT NOW IS JUST THINKING ABOUT THE POWER OF GOVERNMENT AND GOVERNMENT ENTITIES TO, UH, PROTECT AND, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, SAFEGUARD DIGNITY AND RECREATION AND ALL THINGS.
AND ALSO AS A, A POWER OF, UH, TO DO THE OPPOSITE.
SO I'M GRATEFUL FOR EVERYTHING THAT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IS DOING AND THE CITY LONG BEACH IS DOING TO HOPEFULLY LEAD TO MORE EQUITY, UM, AND JUSTICE.
UM, JUST MANY KUDOS THIS MONTH.
I ACTUALLY HAD BEEN FOLLOWING THE CPRS CONFERENCE, SO I SAW A FEW, UM, 15 YEARS AGO WHEN IT WAS HERE, I RAN THE STUDENT TRACK.
SO SEE, JUST IT CONTINUE TO COME BACK TO THE CITY IS VERY EXCITING.
AND JUST SEEING, YOU KNOW, IT REALLY, I'VE SEEN THE IMPACT OF THOSE VISITING THAT'S COOL.
THAT ATTEND AND REALLY RECOGNIZE OUR PROGRAM.
SO THANK YOU TO ALL THAT ARE GONNA BE PRESENTING.
AND THEN I KNOW THERE'S BEEN MANY TALKS OF MAINTENANCE AND THE GROUNDS TEAM, BUT EVERY TIME THERE'S A STORM AND I STEP OUTSIDE, I THINK OF YOUR TEAM AND THE EXTRA WORK THAT REALLY GOES INTO JUST MAKING IT SAFER OVERALL, IMMEDIATELY AFTER A STORM.
SO VERY EXTRA KUDOS TO THE TEAM.
SO, UM, I WANNA JUST TAKE A MOMENT TO
[01:05:01]
ACKNOWLEDGE, UM, FORMER MAYOR BOB FOSTER.I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO, HE, I WAS, HE WAS THE FIRST PERSON WHO EVER APPOINTED ME TO A COMMISSION AND IT JUST WASN'T THE APPOINTMENT.
HE BECAME A FRIEND AND HE WAS PROBABLY ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE TO GIVE ME REALLY SAGE ADVICE ON HOW TO RUN A NONPROFIT FROM A BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE.
AND SO HE GAVE ME A LOT OF GREAT ADVICE AND HE BECAME A GOOD FRIEND THROUGH THE YEARS.
I SAW HIM SHORTLY BEFORE HIS PASSING.
AND SO FOR ME, UM, IT REALLY HURT WHEN HE PASSED AWAY.
SO I'M REALLY GRATEFUL FOR WHAT HE DID FOR THIS CITY DURING REALLY TOUGH TIMES IN TERMS OF THE BUDGET.
SO AS WE GO FORTH, UH, WITH EVEN TOUGHER TIMES, GIVEN THE STATE OF THIS COUNTRY, I WILL KEEP HIM IN MY HEART AND I WILL THINK OF HIS AGE ADVICE.
SO I WANNA DEDICATE, UM, MY COMMENTS TODAY, UM, TO HIM AND FOR WHAT HE DID FOR OUR CITY TO KEEP US TOGETHER AND REALLY HOPE THAT WE CAN REALLY THINK ABOUT, UM, WHAT HE DID FOR US AS WE GO THROUGH THIS.
UM, BOB WAS THE, UH, MAYOR AT IOWA.
ALWAYS SAID THE RIGHT PERSON AT THE RIGHT TIME.
HE WAS THE RIGHT PERSON TO MAKE SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT HAD TO HAPPEN.
I KNOW HOW MUCH WORK THAT IS TO BE THE HOST CITY.
AND, UH, COMMISSIONER HAGEN COMMENTED ON WHAT I WANTED TO COMMENT ABOUT THAT IT WAS 84 YEARS AGO TODAY, THAT EXECUTIVE ORDER 9 0 6 6, UM, HAPPENED WITHIN, LIKE BEFORE THE END OF SUMMER, 120, OVER 120,000 JAPANESE ANCESTRY PEOPLE, ABOUT TWO THIRDS OF WHO WERE AMERICAN CITIZENS WERE GIVEN TWO TO SIX DAYS TO SELL EVERYTHING, TAKE CARE OF ALL THIS STUFF, GO TO RELOCATION CENTERS AND END UP IN INTERNMENT CAMPS.
AND IT TOOK 40 YEARS FOR US TO START CALLING IT REMEMBRANCE DAY.
BUT IN, I JUST HOPE THAT ON THIS DAY, THAT ALL AMERICANS, SOME MORE THAN OTHERS, UH, WOULD TAKE THE TIME TO REALLY THINK ABOUT SOME OF THE MISTAKES THAT THIS COUNTRY HAS MADE AND QUIT MAKING THOSE SAME DAMN MISTAKES AGAIN.
SO, UM, THERE ARE MOMENTS OF CELEBRATION DESPITE SADNESSES AND DISAPPOINTMENTS.
UM, IT IS VALENTINE'S DAY MONTH, IT'S ALSO LUNAR NEW YEAR, MONTH, HENCE THE, UH, ORANGES.
AND ON SATURDAY, THE SISTER CITIES OF LONG BEACH IS HOSTING A CELEBRATION FOR LUNAR NEW YEAR AT SECOND AND PCH.
IT'S A FREE FAMILY FRIENDLY EVENT WITH, UH, MUSIC, DANCING, FOOD, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
AND I ENCOURAGE ANYBODY WHO'S INTERESTED IN CROSS-CULTURAL EXCHANGE AND RECOGNIZING AND REFLECTING ON THE DIVERSITY THAT WE HAVE IN OUR FINE CITY TO COME AND JOIN US.
AND WITH THAT, I THINK WE CAN CLOSE THE MEETING.