[00:00:03]
GOOD MORNING ON THIS VERY BEAUTIFUL THURSDAY.
UH, I AM, UH, OPENING THE MEETING OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION ON, UH, THURSDAY, APRIL 16TH, 2026 AT 9:04 AM AND, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK US ALL TO STAND AND DO THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE, ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
DIRECTOR, COULD YOU DO THE ROLL CALL, PLEASE? ABSOLUTELY.
UH, COMMISSIONER LIVINGSTON PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER SHANE AND COMMISSIONER HIGA ARE EXCUSED FROM THE, ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS FROM THE COMMISSIONER ON THAT? NO.
SEEING NONE ON VICE CHAIR URI SMITH HERE AND CHAIR REDFIELD HERE, WE HAVE A FORUM.
AND, UH, WE, I DID, I JUMPED AHEAD WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I'M SUPPOSED TO DO IT NOW, BUT WE DON'T NEED TO DO IT AGAIN.
UM, SO DIRECTOR, DO WE HAVE ANY PRESENTATIONS TODAY? WE DO.
WE HAVE ONE PRESENTATION THIS MORNING.
THIS IS FOR OUR EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH, SO I'M GONNA HAND IT OFF TO HEIDI MAZA, OUR COMMUNITY RECREATION SERVICES, UH, RECREATION SUPERINTENDENT AND CHAIR OF OUR ERC.
WELL, GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS AND AUDIENCE.
UM, I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF OUR EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION COMMITTEE, UM, WHICH WE KNOW AS ERC.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, EVERY MONTH WE GET TO, UM, RECOGNIZE ONE OF OUR EMPLOYEES HERE IN PRM, UM, AS THE EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH.
UM, SO I WANT TO KIND OF READ TO YOU OUR, UM, NOMINATION.
UM, THIS PERSON WILL BE SURPRISED TODAY.
UM, BUT, UM, HE, UM, IT'S FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH.
SO, UM, THIS PERSON HAS BEEN A GREAT ADDITION TO OUR PARKS AND REC MAINTENANCE TEAM.
HE CURRENTLY WORKS AT SOME OF OUR SITES IN, UM, DIVISION THREE AND FOUR, AND HAS MADE AN INCREDIBLE DIFFERENCE SO FAR.
HE IS ALWAYS VERY FRIENDLY AND EAGER TO HELP IN ANY WAY POSSIBLE.
HE ALSO GOES THE EXTRA MILE TO MAKE SURE OUR FACILITIES ARE CLEAN AND SAFE BEFORE PROGRAMMING BEGINS.
HE IS AMAZING, AND I APPRECIATE HIS ATTENTION TO DETAIL.
I HOPE TO BRING MORE RECOGNITION TO THE HARD WORK OF OUR MAINTENANCE TEAM, THAT WHAT THEY DO FOR US ON A DAILY BASIS, I SEE SO MUCH GROWTH AND POTENTIAL IN HIM AND CAN'T WAIT FOR HIS SUCCESS IN PRM.
UM, THIS NOMINATION IS KIND OF SPECIAL BECAUSE IT WAS NOMINATED NOT BY A MEMBER OF OUR MAINTENANCE TEAM.
IT WAS NOMINATED BY A MEMBER OF OUR CRS TEAM, WHICH IS OUR COMMUNITY RECREATION SERVICES TEAM.
THEY, UM, THEY'RE AT THE FACILITY AND THEY SEE THIS PERSON IN THE HARD WORK THEY DO, WHICH IS KIND OF NICE BECAUSE SOMETIMES YOU CAN NOMINATE PEOPLE ON YOUR OWN BUREAU, UM, BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT THEY DO.
BUT WHEN ANOTHER BUREAU SEES IT, LIKE, IT'S ALSO JUST REAFFIRMING THAT YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB.
UM, SO WITH THAT, UM, I HAVE THE HONOR OF RECOGNIZING JARRE.
TEO, HERE'S HIS SIGN, HERE'S HIS.
SO WE'RE JUST HONORED TO RECOGNIZE YOU.
UM, I KNOW WE HAVE YOUR SUPERINTENDENT MIKE HERE THAT WANTS TO SAY A FEW THINGS ABOUT YOU.
HE'S ONE OF OUR, UH, NEWEST HIRE.
UM, AND IT MEANS A LOT TO ME, ALL THE HARD WORK YOU DO.
SO OBVIOUSLY YOU'VE MADE A LASTING IMPACT ON PEOPLE WHO NOMINATED YOU FROM CRSI KNOW THEY'RE EXTREMELY HAPPY WITH, WITH WHAT YOU HAVE DONE.
YOUR OUTSTANDING ATTITUDE, YOUR HARD WORK HAS BEEN A LIGHT FOR THIS BUREAU, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
I JUST WANNA SAY, UM, THANK YOU.
IT'S REALLY AN HONOR TO BE NOMINATED AND, UH, I REALLY APPRECIATE, UM, JUST THE, FOR THEM, JUST SEEING THE HARD WORK THAT I REALLY TRY AND PUT IN FOR THE CITY.
UM, I'M DEFINITELY EXCITED AND, UM, WANNA GROW AND, UH, DEFINITELY SEE A FUTURE HERE FOR MYSELF, UH, WORKING WITH A GREAT TEAM OF MINE AND COLLEAGUES, GUYS ARE GREAT.
UM, THEY'RE SHOWING ME THE INS AND OUTS AND I DO APPRECIATE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU GUYS SAY THANK YOU.
TAKE SOME PHOTOS WITH OUR EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH.
YOU KNOW, I WONDER, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE THAT WE TAKE THE PICTURE THIS WAY AND HAVE ALL YOUR COLLEAGUES STAND SINCE THEY MADE SUCH AN EFFORT TO COME THIS
[00:05:01]
MORNING? THREE.I KNOW
SUSAN'S MISSING THIS, THE SECOND AGENDA.
ALRIGHT, WE HAVE CERTAINLY EMPTIED THE ROOM, BUT IT WAS WONDERFUL.
UH, ALL SUPPORT SARAH, COLLEAGUE TED.
UH, WE CAN NOW MOVE INTO THE AGENDA ITEMS. UH, THE REGULAR AGENDA, UH, ITEM NUMBER ONE IS A RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING ON THURSDAY, MARCH 19TH, 2026.
CAN I HAVE A MOTION? THANK YOU.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS, ANY AMENDMENTS OR ANYTHING? OKAY.
WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER ALLEN, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER TY SMITH.
UH, NOW WE CAN MOVE TO ITEM NUMBER TWO, A RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE PRESENTATION REGARDING AN UPDATE ON THE WEED ABATEMENT PILOT PROGRAM AS IT RELATES TO THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS, RECREATION OF MARINE.
CAN I HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED.
UH, I HEARD, UH, COMMISSIONER CHAVEZ FIRST AND I HEARD COMMISSIONER, UH, LIVINGSTON SECOND.
UH, DIRECTOR, DO WE HAVE A REPORT? WE DO, UH, IN JUST A MOMENT, I'M GONNA HAND IT OFF TO RAUL MARTINEZ, UH, ONE OF OUR PARK MAINTENANCE SUPERINTENDENTS, UH, TO GO THROUGH THE PRESENTATION.
BUT JUST A REMINDER, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE COMMISSION ASKED FOR, UH, SOME TIME AGO.
WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF PRESENTATIONS ALREADY, ONE TO THE, UH, MAINTENANCE INFRASTRUCTURE AND PLANNING, UH, COMMITTEE, AND THEN ONE TO THE FULL COMMISSION WHERE IT WAS, UM, REQUESTED TO EXPLORE A PILOT.
AND SO, UM, THE PILOT PROCESS IS GOING TO BE, UH, SOMEWHAT LENGTHY PROCESS.
AND SO WE ARE COMMITTED TO COMING AND PROVIDING UPDATES.
AND THAT'S WHAT TODAY IS GOING TO REFLECT.
IT'S GOING TO REFLECT KIND OF A STATUS UPDATE, UPDATE OF WHERE WE ARE THROUGH THE PROCESS THAT HAS BEEN OUTLINED FOR, UH, A PILOT PROGRAM.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE DOING THIS WELL.
WE ARE ABLE TO EFFECTIVELY EVALUATE, UH, THE DIFFERENT, UH, METHODS OF ALTERNATIVE WEED ABATEMENT THAN WHAT WE CURRENTLY USE.
AND SO IT HAS BEEN A DELIBERATIVE, A DELIBERATE PROCESS TO KIND OF GET US TO THIS POINT.
SO I'M GONNA HAND IT OFF TO RAUL TO WALK, UH, THROUGH THE UPDATE.
UH, THEN TAKE ANY QUESTIONS AT THE END.
UM, MY NAME AGAIN, MY NAME'S LON MARTINEZ, JR.
IF YOU'RE SENDING ME AN EMAIL, IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
UM, I'M THE PARK MAINTENANCE SUPERINTENDENT HERE FOR THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, AND IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE IN FRONT OF YOU AGAIN, UH, TO PROVIDE THE UPDATE FOR OUR RE ABATEMENT, UH, PILOT PROGRAM.
UM, WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND, LIKE STEVE MENTIONED, UM, AND THEN DIVE INTO OUR PILOT PROJECT OF WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WHAT'S TO COME.
AND THEN ALONG WITH NEXT STEPS, SO LIKE STEVE MENTIONED, UM, THE COMMISSION, UH, REQUESTED A STAFF REPORT ON OUR ATE PRACTICES.
UM, ON SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2025, WE PROVIDED A PRESENTATION TO THE MAINTENANCE INFRASTRUCTURE AND PLANNING COMMITTEE.
UM, ON NOVEMBER, ON NOVEMBER 20TH, EXCUSE ME, 2025, WE PROVIDED THAT SAME PRESENTATION TO THE FULL COMMISSION.
UM, AS A RESULT OF THESE PRESENTATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS, UM, A PILOT PROGRAM WAS REQUESTED TO INVESTIGATE ALTERNATIVE MEASURES.
LIKE STEVE MENTIONED, IT'S A LENGTHY PROCESS.
THERE ARE MULTIPLE PHASES ASSOCIATED TO IT BECAUSE IT TAKES TIME TO PLAN, CREATE, AND ESTABLISH THAT PROGRAM.
SO WE NEED A LITTLE BIT OF HELP.
[00:10:01]
ONE OF THE, WE'VE BEEN COLLABORATING WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DIVISION OF AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES.THEY'RE THE BIG BRIDGE LEAD, UH, LEADING EDGE RESEARCH AND CHALLENGES FACING OUR COMMUNITIES THROUGH A ROBUST STATEWIDE SYSTEM.
AT ANY GIVEN TIME, 150 ADVISORS ARE CONDUCTING RESEARCH, OUTREACH, EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES, UM, DIRECTLY SERVING ALL 58 COUNTIES THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA.
THIS IS THE SAME DIVISION THAT RUNS THE UC MASTER GARDENER PROGRAM THAT DOES A LOT OF OUTREACH CLASSES, COMMUNITY GARDENS, SO ON AND SO FORTH.
WHAT'S SPECIAL ABOUT THEM IS THAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO THEM IN EVERY COUNTY, AND IT'S SPECIALIZES TO EVERY COUNTY BASED ON THE LOCAL NEED.
SO IF WE WERE IN CENTRAL VALLEY, PROBABLY MORE FARMING, PEST, CROP YIELD, THAT SORT OF THING OUT HERE, YOU SEE A LOT MORE URBAN AGRICULTURE, LOCAL LANDSCAPE.
AND PRIMARILY THE BIG FOCUS LATELY HAS BEEN ASIAN CITRUSY, WHICH IS A WHOLE OTHER TOPIC.
THE PERSON WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH, HER NAME IS DR. ASHLEY HOOPER, A LOCAL LONG BEACH RESIDENT WHO HAPPENED TO ATTEND OUR LAST PRESENTATION.
UM, AND SHE'S THE URBAN COMMUNITY RESILIENCY ADVISOR.
SHE HOLDS A PHD IN URBAN AND ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING AND POLICY FROM THE, FROM UC, UH, UC, IRV, SHE'S BASICALLY OUR RESEARCH CONSULTANT.
SHE BRINGS THE RESOURCE OF THAT UC SYSTEM WITH HER SO THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS, UM, IN AN EDUCATED WAY SO THAT WE CAN BUILD A STRUCTURE FOR THIS PILOT PROGRAM THAT WORKS.
BECAUSE I TALKED ABOUT PHASES OF THIS PILOT PROGRAM.
WE GO INTO PHASE ONE INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEWS AND LITERATURE REVIEW.
SO WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN LOOKING INTO SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH THAT'S OUT THERE THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY TAKE AND TRY TO APPLY OUT IN THE FIELD FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM.
WE'VE ALSO BEEN LOOKING INTO OTHER AGENCIES.
ONE OF THE AGENCIES WE LOOKED INTO WAS, UH, MARIN COUNTY.
THEY, THEY UPDATED THE, THEIR ORDINANCE IN 20, UH, 2013, UM, MOVING AWAY FROM GLYPHOSATE IN THAT PROCESS WHEN THEY, WHEN THEY UPDATED THEIR, THEIR IPN PROGRAM, THEY ALSO CHANGED THE STANDARD A LITTLE BIT IN THAT, THE WORD WE HEARD WAS, THE RESIDENTS DON'T MIND A SCRUFFY APPEARANCE.
IT DOESN'T MEAN, YOU KNOW, WEED'S 10 FEET TALL, BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT THAT HIGH AND TIGHT CLEAN CUT LOOK.
THEY ALSO HAPPEN TO PASS MEASURE A IN 2022, WHICH IS A SALES TAX INCREASE, UM, TO FUND THEIR INTEGRATED PES MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND FUEL REDUCTION EFFORTS.
THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE, THEY HAVE A LOT MORE OPEN SPACE THAN WE DO.
UM, BUT THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHAT THEIR, THEIR SCOPE REALLY ENTAILS TO.
WE ALSO LOOKED INTO THE CITY OF IRVINE, VERY WELL KNOWN BEFORE THEIR ORGANIC PROGRAM.
THEY ADOPTED THEIR, THEIR PROGRAM IN 2016 WHEN THAT BIG SHIFT THREW ACROSS A LOT OF MUNICIPALITIES TO SHIFT AWAY FROM GLYPHOSATE.
FIRST, THEY DO USE SOME SYNTHETIC PRODUCTS, BUT THAT'S NOT THEIR FIRST OPTION.
THEY ALWAYS TRY TO LOOK FOR THE ALTERNATIVE MEASURE FIRST.
THEY ALSO HAVE A LANDSCAPE LIGHTING AND PARK MAINTENANCE DISTRICT ASSESSMENT OR PROPERTY TAX.
NOW, WHAT A LOT OF MUNICIPALITIES SAW FROM THAT SHIFT OF GLYPHOSATE, BECAUSE GLYPHOSATE WAS SO CHEAP, UM, IN TERMS OF COST, THERE WAS A, THERE WAS AN ADDITIONAL COST IN TERMS OF LABOR AND EFFORT TO KEEP THAT SAME STANDARD.
SO BOTH OF THESE DIFFERENT AGENCIES HAVE EXPERIENCED THAT, THAT INCREASE IN COST.
SO THEY'VE ASSOCIATED, UH, TAX TO IT AS WELL.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE DOING, BUT WE'RE JUST LEARNING WHAT OTHER AGENCIES ARE DOING AS WELL.
PHASE TWO WAS SELECTING THE RESEARCH SITES.
NOW WE HAVE SELECT, WE HAVE TENTATIVELY SELECTED, UM, SITES FOR THE PROJECT WITH CONSIDERATION OF THE FOLLOWING.
ANY RESEARCH BENEFITS, UH, ARE EQUITABLY ACCESSIBLE TO PARK USERS, TO DIVERSE PARK USERS SITES PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR TESTING ALTERNATIVE METHODS IN A VARIETY OF SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTEXTS.
SITES CONSIDER LOGISTICAL, FINANCIAL AND OR OPERATIONAL CONSTRAINTS AND OPPORTUNITIES, MEANING WHEN, WHEN VISITORS FROM LONG BEACH THINK LONG BEACH, THEY HIT THE BEACH, THE PIPE DOWNTOWN, PRETTY MARRIED, SOMEBODY WHO DOESN'T LIVE IN LONG BEACH AND HAS WORKED IN LONG BEACH.
I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT THIS CITY IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM ITS WEATHER, ITS NEIGHBORHOODS, ITS PARKS, ITS PEOPLE.
[00:15:01]
SO WE WANNA SEE WHAT IT, WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO DO THIS.PILOT THE PROGRAM WITH ALL THESE DIFFERENT SCENARIOS.
SOME OF THE POTENTIAL SITES ARE TON PARK, LOS ALTOS PARK, SUNNYSIDE CEMETERY, VETERANS PARK, AND CAESAR CHA PARK.
UM, PHASE THREE, COLLECTING THE BASELINE DATA.
WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THIS PHASE NOW, SO WE NEED A STARTING POINT.
WE WILL CREATE A BASELINE OF CURRENT CONDITIONS PRIOR TO IMPLEMENTING ANY SITE INTERVENTION.
BEFORE WE DO THE INTERVENTIONS OR THE PILOT OR THE THE PHYSICAL TESTING, UM, WE NEED A STARTING POINT.
WHAT ARE WE GONNA MEASURE AGAINST? WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT OUR PARK MAN, UH, PARK MANAGEMENT PRACTICES, USING FIELD OBSERVATIONS, EDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENTS, AND A REVIEW OF PUBLICLY AVAILABLE DATA MANAGED BY THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
WE WILL ASSIST, WE WILL ASSESS CURRENT PARK MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR EACH PROPOSED RESEARCH SITE.
WE WILL ALSO CUR, UH, REVIEW OUR CURRENT STANDARDS AND AESTHETICS.
WE WILL CAPTURE BASELINE DATA FOR PARK STANDARDS AND AESTHETICS USING PHOTOGRAPHY, FIELD OBSERVATIONS AND MEASUREMENTS.
LIKE I SAID, WE NEED A STARTING POINT, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO ASSESS WHAT WE'RE DOING SO THAT WE HAVE THAT STARTING POINT.
WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT FREQUENCY OF TREATMENTS, OUR MOWING PRACTICES, OR ANY CULTURAL PRACTICE THAT WE DO.
TRY TO LOOK AT EVERYTHING FROM A HOLISTIC, UH, POINT OF VIEW.
PHASE FOUR, THIS IS WHEN WE WILL ACTUALLY BE PHYSICALLY DOING THE WORK.
SO BASED ON EDUCATION AND TRAINING NEEDS IDENTIFIED IN PHASE THREE, THE RESEARCH TEAM WILL DEVELOP A TRAINING PROGRAM.
WE CAN DEVELOP THIS NICE BIG PROGRAM.
I'M NOT THE ONE PHYSICALLY OUT THERE DOING ALL THE WORK.
SO I NEED, WE NEED TO TRAIN MY STAFF, AND NOT JUST MY STAFF, BUT THE CONTRACTORS AS WELL, SO THAT WE ARE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE TO ACHIEVE THE SAME GOAL, WHICH IS FIND THE BEST RESULT OUT OF THIS BY THE PROGRAM.
LIKE I MENTIONED, TRIALS WILL BE TAKING PLACE DURING THIS PHASE, SO ACTUAL WILL SEE ACTUAL WORK BEING DONE.
UM, AND WE'LL SEE WHAT THE RESULTS ARE.
SOME OF THE POTENTIAL NEEDS AND METHODS THAT WE'RE GONNA USE IS ONE, OUR CURRENT PRACTICES, BECAUSE WE NEED A CONTROL GROUP COMPARED AGAINST SOMETHING THAT WE DO.
LOOKING TO ORGANIC PRODUCTS, SOME MECHANICAL METHODS AND MULCHING.
NOW, THIS IS JUST TO NAME A FEW.
IT DOESN'T MEAN WE'RE ACTUALLY JUST DOING JUST THIS.
IT COULD BE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S OTHER METHODS SUCH AS TORCHING AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
WE CAN GET INTO THOSE TOPICS, BUT JUST, JUST IN SOME EXAMPLES, WE ANTICIPATE THIS PARTICULAR PHASE LASTING ABOUT A YEAR.
WHY? BECAUSE WE NEED INFORMATION THROUGH ALL THE SEASONS.
EACH SEASON PROVIDES ITS DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTAL, UH, FACTORS, PRESSURES.
SO WE NEED TO MEASURE ALL THOSE, ALL THOSE FACTORS AS WELL.
PHASE FIVE, THE DATA ANALYSIS.
SO WE WILL EVALUATE DIFFERENCES ACROSS SITES AND CONDITIONS.
FIELD CONDITIONS WILL BE DOCUMENTED, QUANTITATIVE MEASURES WILL BE USED.
LABOR HOURS COSTS AND APPLICATION VOLUMES.
SO IN THE PHOTO THAT I HAVE, YOU SEE A FENCE LINE, HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY CAN SEE, UM, THE, THE TALL GRASS THAT'S IN THAT PHOTO.
I WANNA KNOW IF WE'RE USING THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION, UM, HOW LONG IS IT GONNA TAKE TO WEED, WHIP SPRAY, MULCH, SO ON AND SO FORTH.
AND HOW MUCH WE'RE APPLYING, WHETHER IT'S MULCH OR A PESTICIDE, JUST TO KNOW HOW MUCH, HOW MUCH OF THE COST THAT WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA INCUR IF WE USE THAT PARTICULAR METHOD.
SO ONCE WE HAVE ALL THE DATA, WE GO INTO PHASE SIX, THE POLICY AND PRACTICE UPDATES AT THE COMPLETION OF THE PILOT PROGRAM, WE WILL MAKE OPERATIONAL CHANGES AS APPLICABLE.
IPM PRACTICE CHANGES WILL BE BASED ON OUR FINDINGS RELATED TO FEASIBILITY, MEANING ECONOMIC AND LOGISTICAL.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S COST EFFECTIVE, NOT JUST THROW MONEY AT THE PROPERTY.
I ALWAYS LIKE TO SAY, FUND ME LIKE DISNEYLAND.
I CAN GIVE YOU DISNEYLAND, BUT THAT'S NOT A REALITY WE FACE.
SO WE WANNA BE REALISTIC IN OUR, IN OUR EXPECTATIONS WITH THE PRACTICES THAT WE ARE GOING TO RECOMMEND.
NEXT STEPS, OBVIOUSLY COMPLETE THE REMAINING PHASES.
WE'RE CURRENTLY IN PHASE THREE, WE'RE SCHEDULING THE, THE DIFFERENT SITE VISITS AND THEN BUILDING TOWARD A, AN ACTUAL TRIAL.
ONCE OUR, UH, ONCE OUR RESULTS ARE, UH, COLLECTED AND ASSESSED, COME BACK AND PRESENT THOSE RESULTS TO, TO THE COMMISSION.
[00:20:01]
TRAIN OUR STAFF AND CONTRACTORS ON PROPOSED METHODS.SO ONCE THIS IS DONE AND WE HAVE A PATH FORWARD THAT WE WANNA FOLLOW, WE NEED TO TRAIN THEM.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE CONSISTENTLY HEAR IS A STACK'S NOT VERY GOOD.
THAT'S THE FIRST THING WE THINK THAT I THINK OF MY STAFF.
SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ALL LOOKING AT THE SAME PAGE, LOOKING AT THE SAME PROBLEM IN SAFE AND THE SAME MINDSET, SO THAT WAY WE CAN MOVE FORWARD AND TRY TO REACH THAT HIGHER LEVEL OF SERVICE.
SO THAT IS, UH, THE UPDATE OF KIND OF WHERE WE'RE RIGHT NOW.
WE WILL COME BACK PERIODICALLY, UH, TO THE COMMISSION TO JUST PROVIDE SOME OF THOSE MILESTONE, UH, STATUS.
UM, REALLY APPRECIATE, UH, THE MOB TEAM, UH, ERIC RAUL AND TEAM, UH, GOING OUT AND, YOU KNOW, FINDING OUR UC, UH, EXTENSION, UH, RESOURCES AND BEING ABLE TO UTILIZE AND CAPITALIZE ON THAT.
UM, BECAUSE THESE RESOURCES ARE REALLY IMPORTANT FOR GETTING THIS PILOT DONE.
THIS IS NOT SOMETHING WE HAD BUDGETED, UH, TO DO, BUT TO BE ABLE TO GO OUT AND FIND SOME OF THESE RESOURCES THAT CAN HELP US MOVE ALONG THIS VERY IMPORTANT CONVERSATION, UM, UH, IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
SO I WANT TO THANK THE, UH, THE BOB TEAM FOR DOING THAT.
AND SO, UM, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S SOME MORE WORK TO BE DONE.
UM, BUT IT IS ALL IN THE PURSUIT OF ENSURING THAT ONCE WE HAVE OUR FINDINGS, WE KNOW IF WE GO DOWN ROAD A, WHATEVER THAT ALTERNATIVE MODEL MAY BE, WE WILL KNOW THE IMPACTS, THE COST IMPACTS, UH, THE STAFFING IMPACTS, UM, AND THEN ALSO POTENTIALLY THE, UH, RESULTS, UH, AS COMPARED TO THE BASELINE OF WHAT WE ARE RESEARCHING RIGHT NOW.
SO, UM, THANK YOU RAUL, AND, UH, UH, WE'RE READY FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.
AND, UH, DIRECTOR, SHOULD WE START WITH THE PUBLIC OR THE COMMISSIONERS? THAT IS, UM, AT, UH, AT, YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU WANT.
I WOULD LIKE TO THIS TIME START WITH THE COMMISSIONERS.
UM, DO YOU WANNA START? YEAH, MY QUESTIONS ARE REALLY QUICK.
UM, UH, DR. ASHLEY HOOP, I'M SORRY, COMMISSIONER SMITH.
YEAH, I FIGURED YOU WERE, THANK YOU.
UM, WITH DR. ASHLEY HOOP, I MEAN, I, THAT'S AMAZING THAT SHE'S A LOCAL LONG BEACH PRESIDENT.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT HAPPENED OTHER THAN THE UNIVERSE WORKING IN OUR FAVOR,
UM, I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S GREAT.
I MEAN, I'M CURIOUS, REALLY CURIOUS ABOUT, UM, THE, YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE CONNECTION WITH THE, WITH THE EXTENSION PROGRAM AND REALLY THE COST WITH THAT IS THAT, YOU KNOW, AND HOW THEY WORK THAT PROGRAM, SINCE IT IS A STATE RESOURCE IN A LOT OF WAYS, IS THAT A HUGE COST FOR US? LIKE, WHAT IS THAT PRICE TAG? OR IS IT A, IS IT TRULY A RESOURCE? YEAH, IT'S A RESOURCE FOR NOT JUST US, BUT FOR THE PUBLIC.
UM, TO, THE COST TO US IS NOTHING.
AND SO WHAT A, WHAT A INCREDIBLE, AMAZING THING THAT THE DOCTOR IS FROM LONG BEACH.
UM, AND THEN MY NEXT QUESTION IS, BECAUSE WHERE DID I WRITE IT? 'CAUSE I GOTTA WRITE THINGS DOWN.
SO DROUGHTS, WE ARE, WE ARE A DROUGHT EVERY YEAR, A DROUGHT EVERY SEASON, EVEN WHEN WE'RE NOT IN A DROUGHT.
WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS WHEN WE ARE IN A DROUGHT ALL THE TIME AND WE'RE TRACKING THOSE SEASONS BECAUSE WE ARE VERY SEASONLESS, RIGHT? IF YOU WILL.
THAT'S THE MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION.
SO GOD IS THE ONE, THE DROUGHT PLAYS A BIG ROLE IN THAT, YOU KNOW, NO WATER, NO PLANTS, RIGHT? SIM, SIMPLEST VERSION OF IT.
BUT WEEDS ARE A LITTLE DIFFERENT IN THAT THEY LIKE TO NOT BE TAKEN CARE OF.
SO THAT'S WHY I SAY THERE'S DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTAL PRESSURES THAT COME, THAT COME ABOUT WITH THE DIFFERENT SEASONS, THAT EVEN THOUGH THAT'S, IT'S DRY, WE'RE STILL WATERING, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIMITED AS WE CAN, BUT WE'RE STILL WATERING.
UM, SO WE'LL STILL HAVE THOSE, THOSE WEEDS THAT WE STILL HAVE TO ADDRESS.
BUT IT'LL JUST BE, WE JUST WON'T HAVE AS MUCH WATER COMPARED TO OTHER YEARS.
BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, EVEN SEASONALLY, AND WE ARE KIND OF SEASONED LISTS, BUT THERE ARE SOME TIMES OF YEAR, EVEN IN A DROUGHT WHERE KIND OF RELATIVE TO THE REST OF THE DROUGHT YEAR, WE WILL BE GETTING SOME WATER VERSUS NO WATER.
BECAUSE I THINK THAT, LIKE WHEN YOU LOOK AT MARIN COUNTY, WHICH IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN US LA COUNTY, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO REALLY COMPARE OURSELVES TO UCI MORE TO IRVINE MORE, IF YOU WILL.
[00:25:01]
YEAH.I THINK REALLY GOOD PRESENTATION.
REALLY EXCITED TO SEE, UH, WHAT YOU'RE PRESENTING AND PROPOSING OR, UH, HERE, UM, I'M REALLY GLAD THAT YOU LOOKED AT OTHER CITIES AND OTHER, YOU KNOW, OTHER LOCATIONS, UH, BECAUSE I KNOW ONE OF THE FEEDBACK THAT I HEARD FROM, YOU KNOW, UH, CONSTITUENTS WHO WERE ENGAGED IN THIS IS THAT, YOU KNOW, GIVEN THE CITY'S PRIOR EXPERIENCE OF PILOT PROGRAMS, UH, NOT JUST GOING BACK TO WHAT DIDN'T WORK BEFORE, BUT ACTUALLY LOOKING AT WHAT IS WORKING IN OTHER LOCATIONS AND SEEING HOW THAT CAN APPLY HERE, I THINK IT IS GOOD.
I ALSO REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE, UM, THAT IN THE PROPOSED OR TENTATIVE LIST OF PARKS, THAT THERE, THERE DOES APPEAR TO BE SOME, UH, ATTENTION TO EQUITY, UH, IN SOME OF THE PARKS, LIKE VETERANS PARK, UH, CHAVEZ PARK, HOWDEN PARK REPRESENT IMPACT AND COMMUNITIES, AND THAT THOSE ARE GOING TO BE ON THE LIST OF, UH, POTENTIAL SITES TO BE PART OF THIS PILOT PROGRAM, I THINK IS, IS IS REALLY GOOD, UM, YOU KNOW, INTERESTED IN HEARING WHAT THE, THE, THE PUBLIC HAS TO SAY.
'CAUSE THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, HAVE BEEN VERY INTERESTED IN THIS.
I SAW THAT THERE WERE SOME ADDITIONAL PUBLIC COMMENTS THAT CAME IN, UH, THIS MORNING.
UH, SO, UM, REALLY HAPPY TO SEE, UH, THAT THERE'S SO MUCH ATTENTION TO THIS AND REALLY WANT TO THANK THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO HAVE BEEN ENGAGED IN THIS AND REALLY PUSHING FOR THIS.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND REALLY, UH, PASSIONATE ABOUT THE, THE SEEING, THE, THE MOVEMENT TOWARDS THIS, UH, PESTICIDE FREE MANAGEMENT, UH, PROGRAM.
THANK YOU, UH, COMMISSIONER LIVINGSTON.
UH, I WANNA THANK THE STAFF AS THE THIRD OR FOURTH TIME YOU'VE HAD TO DO THIS.
IT'S A GREAT PLAN, BUT I'M GONNA TAKE, UH, AN UNPOPULAR I'M SURE POSITION.
UH, WHAT WE ARE DOING NOW, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, IS CONTROLLED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF PESTICIDE REGULATION, WHICH IS UNDER THE CALIFORNIA EPA.
THEY ARE A GOLD STANDARD IN BOTH THE NATION, AND IN MY OPINION, THE WORLD.
THEY LED THE WORLD IN AUTO EMISSION, AUTO EMISSIONS, AND TOBACCO AND, UH, CLIMATE IMPACTS, CLEANING UP HAZARDOUS WEIGHT SITES.
AND THEY SAY WHAT WE ARE DOING IS SAFE.
I DON'T WANNA PUT WORDS IN YOUR MOUTH, BUT IN NOVEMBER, I ASKED YOU, BECAUSE OF THE CONCERNS OF THE PUBLIC, WOULD IT BE OKAY TO LET PEOPLE KNOW IF THEY WERE CONCERNED THAT WE WERE SPRAYING WHETHER IT WAS A WEBSITE OR SIGNAGE? AND AGAIN, I DON'T WANNA PUT WORDS IN YOUR MOUTH, YOU SAID YOU DIDN'T WANT TO DO THAT, BECAUSE IT MIGHT IMPLY THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING IS NOT SAFE, OR IS NOT WHAT THE LAW SAYS.
RIGHT? SO, SO MY CONCERN HAS ALWAYS BEEN, YOU KNOW, IF, IF THE SIGN, PUTTING THE SIGNAGE OUT TO WHERE IT LEADS PEOPLE DOWN A RABBIT HOLE, I DON'T LIKE DOING THAT.
I WANT TO BE CLEAR WITH, IF WE DO POST CLEAR WITH WHAT IT IS AND, AND PROVIDE THAT, UH, THAT REASSURANCE THAT IT'S SAFE, WHAT WE'RE DOING, RIGHT? AND, AND SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WHAT IS REQUIRED BY LAW AND WHAT THE EPA CALIFORNIA EPA HAS SAID IS SAFE.
I HAVE A REAL PROBLEM IN THIS COUNTRY WITH SMALL GROUPS OF PEOPLE ASKING GOVERNMENT TO SUPPLANT THEIR OPINIONS FOR SCIENCE.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE.
AND WHEN WE LOOK AT ALL THE COSTS, WE'VE GOT TWO, TWO COUNTIES THAT HAD TO DO TAXES.
I EXPECT LATER TODAY THAT THE DIRECTOR WILL TELL US THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT SOME REALLY BAD BUDGETS IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS.
SO I BELIEVE THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING IS SAFE AND THAT WE ARE TAKING TIME FROM STAFF AND POTENTIAL RESOURCES THAT COULD GO INTO PROGRAMMING TO DO THIS.
I THINK THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE GOLD STANDARD NATIONALLY FOR SAFETY.
A GROUP THAT HAS ALWAYS PUT THE SAFETY OF THE PUBLIC FIRST.
AND I THINK THAT THIS IS SOMETHING WE SHOULDN'T BE DOING.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER ALLEN.
I KNEW I SHOULDN'T HAVE GONE AFTER YOU
UM, I WILL SAY I TAKE A DIFFERENT APPROACH.
UM, I THINK THE LEGALITY OF SAFETY SHOULD BE OUR FLOOR, NOT OUR CEILING, FOR THE WORK THAT WE DO HERE.
UM, AND SO I, I AM INTERESTED IN THIS PROGRAM AND SEEING WHERE THIS GOES AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE BEING ASPIRATIONAL IN HOW WE ARE ABLE TO KIND OF CREATE THESE, THESE INTERACTIVE SPACES, RIGHT? WHEN WE TALK ABOUT EQUITY, WHETHER IT'S DOWNTOWN OR THE WEST SIDE, THESE MIGHT BE THE ONLY SPACES PEOPLE HAVE TO, TO HAVE COMMUNITY OR INTERACT WITH FOLKS.
AND SO PART OF THAT, EVEN THOUGH THE BARE MINIMUM MAY BE MET, I THINK WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK THROUGH OUR VALUES AND CREATE NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR NATIVE HABITATS AND ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT I THINK, AGAIN, WE CAN WRAP OUR BUDGETS AROUND OUR VALUES RATHER THAN PUT OUR VALUES INSIDE THE BUDGET ONLY AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE HAVING THAT COLLECTIVE CONVERSATION.
BECAUSE I GET WORRIED WHEN WE START TO SAY, WELL, WE DON'T HAVE THE BUDGET RIGHT NOW, AND SO WE'RE NOT GONNA DO THESE THINGS.
[00:30:01]
HERE.I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO IDENTIFY THE END POINT AND THEN WRAP OURSELVES AROUND THAT AND WORK OURSELVES THERE.
I THINK IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REALLY BEING INTENTIONAL ABOUT THIS, IT MAYBE IT TAKES MORE TIME, RIGHT? ALL THE OPPORTUNITY FOR US, IN MY VIEW ON NOT JUST THIS, BUT ON EVERYTHING, IS THAT IF WE CAN SET THAT END GOAL OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, WHETHER THAT'S MORE NATIVE HABITAT, WHETHER THAT'S THE ANIMALS AND PLANTS AND RESTORATIONS OF WHATEVER IT MAY BE, AND THEN WE WORK THROUGH THAT COLLECTIVELY WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, OKAY, BUDGET WISE, WE CAN DO THIS NOW, THIS HERE AND PHASE THIS IN.
THAT'S WHAT I'LL ALWAYS BE LOOKING FOR, UM, WHEN WE HAVE THESE KIND OF LARGER, MORE COMPLICATED CONVERSATIONS.
UM, A COUPLE THINGS THAT I, AS YOU WERE GOING THROUGH THE PRESENTATION, UM, I DIDN'T FOR THE POTENTIAL SITES, I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER CHAVEZ.
I, I LIKE WHERE WE'RE GOING WITH IT.
I DIDN'T SEE ANY PARKS WEST OF THE RIVER.
SO WE, MAYBE WE COULD LOOK AT EITHER AN ADDITIONAL SITE OR WHETHER IT'S SILVERADO OR OTHER PARKS THAT ARE OUT THERE AS WELL.
'CAUSE I THINK THE, THE CLIMATE OUT THERE AND SOME OF THE IMPACTS OUT THERE MIGHT BE VERY DIFFERENT THAN ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER AS WELL.
UM, SO IF WE COULD MAYBE ADD IN, UH, A WEST SIDE PARK THERE, UM, AS WE'RE COLLECTING BASELINE DATA, I KNOW SOME OF THE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK HAS BEEN AROUND THE NATIVE HABITAT AND THE ANIMAL HABITATS OF WHAT, WHAT UTILIZING THE PRO PROGRAMS THAT WE DO NOW, UM, OR THE CHEMICALS OR MATERIALS THAT WE USE NOW VERSUS WHAT WE COULD BE USING.
AND DOES THAT BRING BACK ANYTHING THAT WE'RE NOT CURRENTLY HAVING? SO I DIDN'T SEE THAT IN THE, IN THE DATA THAT WE'RE COLLECTING.
SO IS THAT SOMETHING WE CAN ADD IN THAT AS WE'RE TESTING OUT DIFFERENT THINGS, HEY, THIS MIGHT INCREASE NATIVE HABITAT IN THIS WAY, OR MAKE THAT PART OF THE DATA COLLECTION SO THAT WE KIND OF GET A FULLER PICTURE OF, HEY, THIS BIRD COMES BACK 'CAUSE WE STOPPED USING THIS, OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE.
THAT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO MEASURE.
FOR AT LEAST WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.
UM, YOU'RE RIGHT NOW IT'S JUST FOR, FOR WHEAT ABATEMENT, I GET LIKE THERE BEING TRY TO INCREASE THE NATIVE HABITAT, BUT, UM, IT WOULD BE DIF DIFFICULT TO MEASURE AND QUANTIFY, UM, FROM OUR, FROM OUR STANDPOINT, WHAT WE KNOW MM-HMM
OF IF THAT COULD BE SUCCESSFUL.
BECAUSE I THINK THE QUESTION THAT'S BEEN POSED TO US, RIGHT, IS THAT THE WEED ABATEMENT THAT WE'RE USING AND THE PRODUCTS THAT WE'RE USING, HAVE A DIRECT IMPACT ON, HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THOSE THINGS, RIGHT? AND SO I THINK THAT MY QUESTION IS, IS THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE PROCESS, RIGHT? LIKE THIS ISN'T A TODAY, LIKE, ANSWER IT, RIGHT? BUT THROUGH THE PROCESS, IF WE START TESTING DIFFERENT THINGS, DO WE SEE A CHANGE? DO WE SEE ALL OF A SUDDEN THE SQUIRREL CAME BACK OR THIS BIRD CAME BACK, OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE? WELL, THAT'S, THAT'S PART OF THE, THE, THE ITEMS WE'D HAVE TO LOOK AT IN THE MEANS AND METHODS, RIGHT? SO IF WE'RE LOOKING AT AN ORGANIC PRODUCT, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT EVERYTHING THAT'S ASSOCIATED ON THAT LABEL.
UM, AND, AND SO THAT WE CAN MAKE THE APPROPRIATE DECISION, UM, BECAUSE IT'S NOT, NOT JUST FOR THE SAFETY OF THE PUBLIC, BUT THE SAFETY OF THE APPLICATOR AS WELL.
UM, IN THAT, IN, YOU KNOW, JUST THE RESEARCH THAT I KNOW OF IS THE ORGANIC PRODUCTS TEND TO HAVE A HIGHER SINGLE WORD THAN THE CONVENTIONAL PRODUCTS.
SO IF IT'S A WARNING OR A DANGER PRODUCT, IT TENDS TO BE MORE DANGEROUS TO THE APPLICATOR AND TO THE PUBLIC.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT AND I, I APPRECIATE ALL OF THIS.
I THINK THIS IS A, FOR ME, IT'S A GREAT START.
I'M, I'M VERY INTERESTED IN SEEING WHERE WE GO WITH THIS AND, AND THE WORK THAT GOES INTO THIS, UM, OVER THE COURSE OF THE PILOT PROGRAM.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT PRESENTATION.
AND I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS.
FIRST, I WANNA ECHO COMMISSIONER CHAVEZ'S, UH, UH, COMMENTS ABOUT YOUR REPORT.
I, AS AN ATTORNEY, I LOVE IT WHEN SOMEBODY SAYS, UH, WE HAVE SIX PARTS TO THIS.
1, 2, 3, WE ARE AT 3, 4, 5 TAKES.
I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUICK QUESTIONS.
UM, WITH REGARD TO COLLECTING THE BASELINE DATA ABOUT HOW MANY STAFF ARE INVOLVED IN THAT, AND TO ALLUDE TO WHAT DIRECTOR SCOTT SAID, ARE THEY BEING PULLED FROM OTHER ASSIGNMENTS OR ARE YOU BRINGING DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN? OR IS THE STATE HELPING WITH THAT? WELL, THAT'S WHERE RIGHT NOW, UM, ASHLEY HOOPER, DR. ASHLEY HOOPER, UH, UM, MY, MY MANAGER ERIC AND, UH, MYSELF, ARE ADDRESSING HOW WE'RE GONNA DO THAT.
UM, I MEAN, BETWEEN THE THREE OF US, IT'S COMPLETELY DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES.
SO IT'LL GIVE US A GOOD, A GOOD VIEW OF HOW TO BUILD THAT SO THAT WE CAN COLLECT THE APPROPRIATE BASELINE.
AND HOW LONG DO YOU THINK THIS BASELINE DATA COLLECTION WILL TAKE? WE ANTICIPATE ABOUT 30 DAYS.
AND THEN, UM, WITH REGARD TO, UH, APPLYING THE PILOT INTERVENTIONS, UH, DO YOU THINK YOU'LL BE NEEDING ADDITIONAL STAFF FOR THAT PROCESS? UM, IF WE INCREASE THE SITES, POTENTIALLY, UM, THIS IS WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, AGAIN, WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW TO ACTUALLY PHYSICALLY
[00:35:01]
DO THIS PROJECT SO THAT WE DON'T, UM, IGNORE OUR CORE RESPONSIBILITIES, BUT AT THE SAME TIME BE SUCCESSFUL IN THIS PROJECT.THAT CONCLUDES MY QUESTION AGAIN, UM, WITH REGARD TO THE PUBLIC, WHICH I WOULD OH, SO IT, THANK YOU.
SO JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY'S CLEAR ON WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON TODAY, THIS IS JUST TO RECEIVE AND FILE THE PRESENTATION.
THIS ISN'T LIKE SITTING A DIRECTIVE TO STAFF TO BEGIN THE PROCESS.
THIS IS A STAFF INITIATIVE THAT IS ALREADY UNDERWAY.
THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION, MR. ONE MORE.
JUST, I, I DON'T WANT IT TO APPEAR THAT MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS THE BUDGET.
THAT IS GONNA BE A BIG PART OF IT.
MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS THAT WE ARE, WE ARE SAYING WE DON'T TRUST THE SCIENCE.
WE'RE SAYING WE DON'T TRUST THE SCIENCE.
UH, WITH REGARD TO THE PUBLIC, I WOULD LIKE, UH, COULD YOU GIVE ME A SHOW OF HANDS? HOW MANY OF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS TOPIC? ONE, TWO, THANK YOU.
DIANE, CAN YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND YES.
GOOD AFTERNOON COMMISSIONERS, RAUL AND STAFF.
MY NAME IS MIKAELA SINO, RESIDENT OF DISTRICT ONE.
THANK YOU FOR TODAY'S PRESENTATION ON THE PILOT PROGRAM.
I'M REALLY ENCOURAGED TO SEE THIS CONVERSATION MOVING FORWARD, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE TIME AND CARE THAT IS BEING PUT INTO IT.
I'D LIKE TO RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT YOU CONTINUE SUPPORTING AND ADVANCING A NON-TOXIC HEALTHY PARKS PILOT PROGRAM.
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY FOR LONG BEACH TO TAKE A MEANINGFUL STEP TOWARDS PROTECTING THE HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT WE ALL SHARE.
SCIENCE AND REGULATORY GUIDANCE CAN EVOLVE OVER TIME, AS WE SAW WITH GLYPHOSATE, WHICH WAS ONCE WIDELY CONSIDERED SAFE, BUT HAS SINCE BEEN THE SUBJECT OF SIGNIFICANT HEALTH CONCERNS AND LEGAL CHALLENGES.
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO TAKE A PRECAUTIONARY APPROACH, ESPECIALLY IN SPACES USED BY CHILDREN.
OUR PARKS AND LIVING SPACES, WHICH SUPPORT CHILDREN, FAMILIES, PETS, POLLINATORS, WILDLIFE, AND THE SOIL AND WATER SYSTEMS THAT SUSTAIN THEM.
WHAT WE USE ON THE LAND DOESN'T JUST STAY IN ONE PLACE.
IT BECOMES PART OF A LARGER, INTERCONNECTED SYSTEM.
THE PILOT PROGRAM IS A THOUGHTFUL AND MANAGEABLE WAY TO MOVE FORWARD.
IT ALLOWS THE CITY TO TEST SAFER, MORE SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES, GATHER DATA AND SUPPORT STAFF THROUGH THE TRANSITION.
EVEN SMALL CHANGES LIKE REDUCING SYNTHETIC HERBICIDE USE IN HIGH USE AREAS CAN HAVE A LONG LASTING EFFECT.
I WOULD ESPECIALLY LOVE TO SEE ONE OF THESE PILOT PROGRAMS TAKE PLACE AT MY LOCAL PARK, FORMERLY KNOWN AS CESAR CHAVEZ PARK IS A SPACE HEAVILY USED BY FAMILIES IN A COMMUNITY WHERE MANY RELY ON PARKS AS HER PRIMARY OUTDOOR SPACE FOR AFTERNOON GATHERINGS, BIRTHDAYS, AND OTHER CELEBRATIONS.
A PILOT PROGRAM THERE WOULD BE INCREDIBLY MEANINGFUL, HELPING TO ENSURE THESE SPACES FEEL SAFE, HEALTHY, AND CARED FOR IN A WAY THAT REFLECTS THE WELLBEING OF THE WHOLE COMMUNITY.
I'M HOPEFUL THAT LONG BEACH CAN CONTINUE TO LEAVE WITH CARE AND INTENTION, AND I'D BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN MOVING A HEALTHY PARKS PILOT PROGRAM FORWARD.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND SERVICE.
NEXT, JOHN WESLEY, A BEEKEEPER.
SOME OF YOU ALREADY KNOW ME IN THE ROOM.
I'M NOT GOING TO WASTE YOUR TIME.
I'M NOT GOING TO SAY THE SAME THINGS TWICE.
UM, REGARDS TO HABITAT RESTORATION, I WOULD REACH OUT TO ONE OF THE GRAD STUDENTS IN THE BIOLOGY DEPARTMENT AT LONG BEACH STATE AS A PROJECT FOR THEM ABOUT IF THAT SQUIRREL'S COMING BACK AND DO WE SEE MORE BUTTERFLIES AND WE DO SEE POLLINATORS AND STUFF, THAT WOULD BE A GREAT GRAD PROJECT FOR ONE OF THEM.
AND IT WOULD BE A COST TO THE CITY AND IT WOULD BE SERVING DUAL PURPOSES.
ANY MORE PUBLIC COMMENT? HEARING NONE, UH, WE DO HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR BY COMMISSIONER CHAVEZ, UH, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER LIVINGSTON.
AND I THANK YOU AGAIN MR. MARTINEZ.
SO NOW WE MOVE ON, UM, TO ITEM NUMBER THREE, WHICH IS A RECOMMENDATION TO CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THE FEE WAIVER REQUESTS CAN OUTLINED IN ATTACHMENT A IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FEE WAIVER POLICY.
UH, DO WE HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED.
COMMISSIONER ORI SMITH AND COMMISSIONER ALLEN.
UH, DIRECTOR, DO WE HAVE A REPORT? WE DO.
UM, WE'RE GONNA HAVE CAITLYN CRUZ, OUR RECREATION SUPERINTENDENT, PROVIDE THE STAFF REPORT.
UH, I DO WANT TO LET THE COMMISSION KNOW THAT TYPICALLY THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE WILL, UH, HEAR THESE DURING THEIR MONTHLY, UH, MEETING.
UH, UNFORTUNATELY, UH, WE HAD A QUORUM,
[00:40:01]
UH, ISSUE.SO THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE HAS NOT HEARD THESE.
AND SO JUST, UH, WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW.
I HAVE SEVEN TWO WAIVERS TO PRESENT TO YOU FOR THIS MONTH.
OUR FIRST ONE IS, UH, THE WOMEN SHELTER OF LONG BEACH.
THIS IS A NEW GROUP THAT'S HOLDING A WELLNESS AND HEALTH RESOURCE FAIR ON JUNE 20TH, 2026 AT MACARTHUR PARK.
UTILIZING THE OPEN SPACE, UH, AMOUNT OF FEES WAIVED BETWEEN $468 IN PERMIT AND SPECIAL EVENT AND BOUNCE HOUSE FEES.
UM, AND THERE'S NO REVENUE OR FEES NECESSARY FOR THIS, AND THEY'RE EXPECTING 300 ESTIMATED IN ATTENDANCE.
WE HAVE THE TED AT CS PERCUSSION SEMINARS.
UH, THIS IS A NEW GROUP THAT'S HOLDING A MUSICAL FESTIVAL AT CHAVEZ PARK AMPHITHEATER ON JUNE 27TH, 2026.
FEE, UH, AMOUNT OF FEES WAIVED WOULD BE $235.
THIS WOULD BE IN RENTAL AND PERMIT FEES.
FEES DUE WOULD BE, UM, $950 IN A SECURITY DEPOSIT STAFF AND OTHER PERMIT FEES.
AND THEY'RE EXPECTING 150 IN ATTENDANCE.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE PROJECT XLB.
THIS IS NOT A NEW GROUP OR A NEW EVENT.
OTHER EVENTS GONNA BE ON MAY 16TH, 2026.
IT'S A WELLNESS AND RESOURCE FAIR UTILIZING SILVERADO PARK OPEN SPACE AMOUNT OF FEES WAIVED WILL BE $229 IN PERMIT AND SPECIAL EVENT FEES.
AND THERE IS NO ADDITIONAL, UH, REVENUE FEES PAID.
AND THEY'RE EXPECTING 50 INDEPENDENCE.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE GP XMI CARE PACKAGES AND BLANKETS OF LOVE.
THIS IS NOT A NEW GROUP NOR A NEW EVENT.
UH, THIS IS THEIR CARE PACKAGE GIVEAWAY AT 14TH STREET PARK OPEN SPACE ON JUNE 13TH, 2026.
FEES WAIVED BE $294 AND PERMIT AND SPECIAL EVENT FEES.
AND THERE ARE NO ADDITIONAL REVENUE OR FEES CAN BE PAID BY THIS GROUP.
AND YOU'RE EXPECTING 25 5 INDEPENDENCE.
THEN WE HAVE THE, UH, KAMAI PARENTS ASSOCIATION.
THIS IS NOT A NEW GROUP NOR A NEW EVENT.
UH, THEIR EVENT IS TO HOLD A SCHOLARSHIP AWARD CELEBRATION ON JUNE 6TH, 2026 AT MC UTILIZING MCBRIDE PARK SOCIAL HALL FEES WAIVED BE $387 AND 50 CENTS IN THEIR RENTAL AND PERMIT FEES.
BUT FEES DUE WOULD BE $976 IN SECURITY DEPOSIT STAFF AND MAINTENANCE FEES.
AND THERE ARE ANTICIPATING A HUNDRED AND A HUNDRED PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE.
AND WE HAVE LIVE, THAT'S A SHELL.
THIS IS NOT A NEW GROUP OR A NEW, A NEW EVENT.
UM, THESE CONCERTS, UH, THAT ARE OPEN TO THE COMMUNITY WOULD BE RUNNING FROM MAY THROUGH SEPTEMBER OF 2026, UTILIZING THE RECREATION PARK VAN SHELL AND OPEN SPACE FEES.
WAIVED BE $10,433 IN RENT FROM PERMIT FEES, REVENUE AND FEES PAID, UM, BY THE PERMITEE WOULD BE 6,411 IN SECURITY DEPOSIT, MAINTENANCE AND STAFF FEES.
AND THEY'RE ANTICIPATING BETWEEN 200 AND 800, UM, IN ATTENDANCE AT THEIR VARIOUS CONCERT DATES.
AND THEN OUR LAST IS THE CAMBODIAN ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA.
THIS IS A NEW GROUP AND A NEW EVENT UTILIZING THE MA MCBRIDE PARK SOCIAL HALL ON MAY 17TH, 2026 FOR A SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT.
BANQUET FEES WAIVED BE $308 AND RENTAL AND PERMIT FEES.
FEES DUE WOULD BE 880 IN SECURITY DEPOSITS, STAFF AND MAINTENANCE FEES.
AND THEY'RE ANTICIPATING 90 IN ATTENDANCE.
SO, FEES WAIVED, UH, FOR THIS MONTH WOULD BE $12,354 AND 50 CENTS.
UM, THUS FAR FOR FY 26, WE WAIVED $186,293 AND 50 CENTS.
UM, BEFORE WE GO TO THE PUBLIC, I HAD A QUICK QUESTION.
ARE WE PRETTY MUCH ON TRACK WHERE WE FINANCIALLY, WHERE WE TYPICALLY ARE AT THIS TIME OF YEAR? UM, REGARDING FEE WAIVERS? YES.
UM, I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A LOT MORE OPEN TO THE COMMUNITY EVENTS THAT HAVE BEEN, UH, COMING FORWARD REQUESTING FEE WAIVERS.
SO, UM, BUT I WOULDN'T HAVE THAT EXACT NUMBER OF WHAT, WHERE WE ARE LAST YEAR TO THIS YEAR.
AND I WAS CURIOUS, BECAUSE WE HAVE THREE NEW GROUPS, WHICH IS, IT FEELS TO ME THAT THAT'S UNUSUAL AND EXCELLENT.
SO THAT WAS SORT OF, WAS COMING FROM AND, AND CHAIR, CAN I, I JUST MAKE A COMMENT.
I, I JUST WANT THE, I JUST WANT EVERYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE TO KNOW THAT WHEN WE SAY NEW GROUP HERE ON OUR PAPERWORK, THAT MEANS A NEW GROUP TO PARKS AND REC.
IT DOESN'T MEAN A NEW GROUP TO THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
JUST WANNA BE REALLY CLEAR ABOUT THAT.
ONE LITTLE CLARIFICATION, IF I MAY, UH, UH, WE'RE WAIVING PERMIT AND SPECIAL EVENT FEES IS THAT WE CAN'T WAIVE FEES FOR THE SPECIAL EVENTS AND FILMING OFFICE.
THAT'S JUST WHAT WE WOULD CALL A FEE THAT WOULD GO WITH A SPECIAL EVENT.
[00:45:01]
WITHIN PRM, WE HAVE A SPECIAL EVENT FEE ON OUR FEE SCHEDULED.AND AT THIS TIME, WE ASK THE, IF THERE'S ANYONE REPRESENTED FROM THESE GROUPS TO SAY A FEW WORDS, WE'LL LIMIT YOUR TIME, BUT NOT OUTRAGEOUSLY.
UM, AND I'M GONNA GO IN ORDER OF THE LIST HERE.
IS THERE ANYONE FROM THE WOMEN'S SHELTER OF LONG BEACH? YES.
UH, WOULD YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND, HI, I AM DIANE FLORES.
I'M THE OUTREACH SPECIALIST FOR WOMEN'S SHELTER OF LONG BEACH.
AND MY NAME IS MARI VE, I'M THE HEALTH AND NUTRITION COORDINATOR FOR WOMEN SHELTER LONG BEACH.
AND THIS IS AN EVENT THAT WE PUT ON, UM, FOR, THIS IS THE FIFTH YEAR NOW.
UM, BUT OUR HOPE IS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO CONNECT WITH MORE, MORE FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO MAYBE DO IT AT A PARK WITH FOLKS OR ACTUALLY OUTRIGHT WITH THEIR KIDDOS, OR AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, OUT FOR A LITTLE, A LITTLE BIT OF FRESH AIR, IF YOU COULD CALL IT.
SO THAT'S WHY WE COME TO YOU WITH, UM, HOPES THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD.
AND, UM, AND A LITTLE BIT ABOUT US.
WE'RE A NON-PROFIT THAT FOCUSES ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND TEEN DATING VIOLENCE.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO WORK WITH OTHER VENDORS THAT ARE NON-PROFIT AS WELL, SO THEY CAN PROVIDE INFORMATION AND THEIR RESOURCES TO THE COMMUNITY.
GREAT LUCK WITH THE EVENT COMMISSIONERS.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY.
NO, JUST A COMMENT THAT YOU ARE AN AMAZING, LONGSTANDING, BELOVED ORGANIZATION HERE IN LONG BEACH, AND WE'RE PROUD TO HAVE YOU HERE.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE FROM THE, UH, TED, UH, SORRY, I CAN'T SEE THAT.
ABCA UH, PERCUSSION SEMINAR GROUP TAPS.
ANYONE HERE FROM PROJECT XLB? OKAY.
OR THE GP XMAS CARE PACKAGES AND BLANKETS OF LOVE GROUP.
THE KAMAI PARENTS ASSOCIATION.
YOU GUYS WANT ME? I'M STEVE THROUGH IT AND I'M GONNA, IF YOU WOULD GET THEM, YOU GUYS, I'LL HAVE A SCHEDULE FOR THIS YEAR.
YEAH, YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO GIVE THEM TO
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THIS IS OUR FOURTH SEASON OF DOING THIS.
UM, SO I, I, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK THE SUPPORT OF OF PRM, UH, UH, JAMIE AT SCHEDULING, UH, CAITLIN'S HELP LIST.
JUST YESTERDAY WE WERE TALKING, UH, STEVE AND SHELY.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON SOME, SOME THINGS AS WELL.
UM, WE DO HAVE A FULL SCHEDULE.
AGAIN, THIS YEAR WE GOT 14, 15 EVENTS.
UH, WE ARE STARTING OFF WITH OUR, OUR YOUTH FOCUSED EVENTS.
WE HAVE, UH, HIGH SCHOOL BATTLE BANDS, AGAIN, OUR FOURTH HIGH SCHOOL BATTLE EVENTS CONTEST, UH, LAST YEAR.
SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE BEEN AT THE, UH,
THEY WANT TO KEEP DOING IT EVERY YEAR.
UM, WE LIKE EVENTS LIKE THIS 'CAUSE THEY'RE VERY PARTICIPATORY.
WE HAD THE WHOLE CROWD SAYING, UM, UH, SO WE'RE GONNA DO THAT AGAIN.
WE HAVE SHAKESPEARE COMING BACK, UH, THIS YEAR, ONLY TWO NIGHTS INSTEAD OF FOUR.
THEY HAVE HAD SOME REAL BUDGET CONSTRAINTS, UH, BUT THEY ARE COMING BACK.
THEY HAVE SHAKESPEARE PARK BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL, OUR THIRD YEAR.
THIS IS OUR MOST POPULAR EVENT.
UH, BLUEGRASS PEOPLE ARE AMAZING AND CRAZY, AND THEY BE THERE ALL DAY PLAYING.
UM, ONE NOTE IS, LAST LAST COUPLE YEARS, WE'VE HAD OUR, UH, OUR SEVEN SATURDAYS OF SUMMER, A SUMMER CONCERT SERIES, AND WE DID THOSE ON SATURDAYS.
WE ARE MOVING THOSE TILL TUESDAYS.
AND THERE'S A COUPLE REASONS FOR THAT.
IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN DOWN AT REC PARK, I'M SURE A LOT OF OTHER PARKS ARE LIKE THIS.
UM, THEY'RE, THEY'RE WELL USED, WHICH IS GREAT, BUT IT'S, IT'S REALLY TOUGH, UH, FOR PARKING AND, AND, UH, ALSO, BANDS COST A LOT MORE ON SATURDAYS.
SO WE GO, TUESDAYS IS THE SECOND PERIOD, BUT SO, WE'LL, WE'RE DOING AN EXPERIMENT.
I THINK IT'S GONNA HELP, UH, I THINK IT'S GOOD FOR THE PARK SYSTEM TO SPREAD OUT THE USAGE, OBVIOUSLY, UH, NO USE FOR US TO CROWD THE PARK WHEN THE CROWDS PARK'S ALREADY CROWDED.
SO I THINK THIS IS GOOD FOR US AND FOR THE, YOU KNOW, USES OF THE PARK AND REVITALIZATION OF THE PARK.
UM, LASTLY, WE ARE GONNA DO, UH, WE ARE GONNA BE THE SITE ALONG BEACH GIBB AGAIN THIS YEAR.
WE SUPPORT ALL THESE CHARITIES, WHICH IS GREAT.
A COUPLE THINGS THAT ARE NOT ON THE SCHEDULE, UM, YOU KNOW, IN FRONT OF YOU, WE ARE GONNA SUPPORT MAKE MUSIC DAY, WHICH IS ALWAYS JUNE 21ST OF THE YEAR.
WE'RE WORKING WITH THE ARTS COUNCIL AND SOME FOLKS DOWN THERE.
AND I HAVE A MEETING LATER, UH, ARTS COUNCILS LOOKING AT DOING THEIR, UH, YEARLY ANNUAL STATE OF THE ARTS, UH, PRESENTATION AT
WE ARE, WE DO HAVE CHALLENGES GOING FORWARD FOR THE ELL.
IT'S GOT MAINTENANCE ISSUES, IT'S GOT, UH, RENOVATION ISSUES.
UM, SHELY AND I ARE WORKING WITH STEVE ON SOME LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS, POTENTIALLY, UH, POTENTIALLY,
[00:50:01]
UH, YOU KNOW, UM, A LEASE TO OF THE BUILDING TO TO LIVE WITH THE SHELVES SO WE CAN ADDRESS SOME OF THESE MORE.WE'RE LOOKING AT OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE LOOKING AT POTENTIAL, YOU KNOW, WAYS TO RENOVATE OR, OR DO MAINTENANCE SIGNS.
ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? THOSE ARE GREAT.
ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU EVERYONE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK, STEVE AND AMY AND
AND THEN LAST, IS THERE ANYONE HERE FROM THE CAMBODIAN ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA? HEARING NONE.
UM, WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR BY COMMISSIONER OR SMITH, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER ALLEN.
AND NOW WE GO ON TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR, WHICH IS A RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE IT FILED MONTHLY DIRECTOR'S HIGHLIGHTS FOR APRIL, 2026.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO RECEIVE FILE.
UH, I'M GONNA JUST JUMP RIGHT INTO THE DIRECTOR'S HIGHLIGHTS.
AND I'M GOING TO SPEAK IN A, IN A MINUTE OR TWO OF WHY YOU DON'T SEE THE WE CREATE COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER, UH, THAT YOU TYPICALLY SEE AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
BUT, UH, IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, I'M NOT GONNA SPEND A LOT OF TIME GOING INTO EACH ONE OF THESE ITEMS. JUST KIND OF A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW.
UM, AND STARTING FIRST AND FOREMOST WITH ONE OF OUR MOST POPULAR BUSIEST DAYS OF THE YEAR, WHICH IS EASTER SUNDAY.
UM, OUR ENTIRE PARK SYSTEM IS HEAVILY IMPACTED REALLY THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND, BUT, BUT PARTICULARLY ON, UH, SUNDAY.
AND, UH, MOST NOTABLY THE REGIONAL PARK, UH, AT EL DORADO, THAT IS ONE OF THE, THE TRUE DESTINATIONS IN OUR PARK SYSTEM.
ON EASTER SUNDAY, WE HAD CLOSE TO 15,000 VISITORS, UH, 3,600 VEHICLE ENTRIES INTO THE PARK.
SO IF YOU CAN IMAGINE JUST THE, THE COORDINATION THAT IS NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO, UM, OPERATE AND SMOOTHLY, UH, MANAGE THE INGRESS AND EGRESS OF ALL OF THOSE, UH, VISITORS.
UH, SO GREAT WORK TO THE TEAM, BUT I, I LIKE TO THINK IT ALSO SHOWS, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT PARK IS A REAL DESTINATION.
IT IS SOMETHING IN SOME PLACE WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO SPEND THE DAY WITH THEIR FAMILY AND FRIENDS.
UH, LAST WEEK WAS LONG BEACH UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICTS SPRING BREAK.
SO, UH, WE HOST, UH, FREE, UH, DROP IN RECREATION PROGRAMMING AT 19 PARKS ACROSS THE CITY FOR THOSE FIVE DAYS OF SPRING BREAK.
UM, AND SO WE HAD CLOSE TO 1100 KIDS, UH, PARTICIPATING IN OUR FUN DAYS PROGRAM.
UH, WE DON'T TALK A LOT ABOUT THIS, BUT WE KNOW WE HAVE, UH, UH, CLOSE TO A DOZEN, UM, DAY CAMPS THAT WE RUN THROUGH THE 10 WEEKS OF SUMMER, UM, AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY WHERE WE HAD OUR REGISTRATION, UH, OCCUR LAST SATURDAY.
AND, UM, VERY, VERY SUCCESSFUL DAY.
WE HAD, UM, I THINK SEVEN OF THE 10 CAMP SITES FILLED COMPLETELY FOR ALL 10 WEEKS, BUT FOUR OF THOSE SITES FILLED WITHIN 10 MINUTES.
SO WE USED TO JOKE, YOU KNOW, IT WAS LIKE, UH, GETTING A, UH, UH, TAYLOR SWIFT OR, OR WHOEVER CONCERT TICKET, YOU KNOW, YOU GOTTA BE QUICK.
AND CERTAINLY, UH, YEAH, THAT WAS THE CASE AGAIN THIS YEAR.
UM, BUT AGAIN, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, REALLY TELLS US THAT OUR PROGRAMS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, YOU KNOW, HOW NOT ONLY IS IT KELSEY LONG BEACH DOESN'T SELL THAT, SELL THAT OUT THAT FAST, NO
IT, UH, IT, IT IT'S REALLY ENCOURAGING TO US THAT PEOPLE REALLY VALUE THESE, THESE PROGRAMS. UM, JUST, UH, LONG BEACH, GRAND CREEK PREPARATIONS.
WE ALL KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING THIS, UH, THIS WEEKEND.
AND SO OUR, UM, MARINE BUREAU IS VERY ACTIVE IN THE PREPARATIONS WITH THE CITY'S, UH, SPECIAL EVENTS AND FILMINGS FILMING TEAM, UM, PRIMARILY ON THE MAINTENANCE SIDE OF THE HOUSE.
AND, UH, PEOPLE KNOW THAT DOLPHIN FOUNTAIN RIGHT THERE BY THE AQUARIUM, THAT IS A, A REAL FOCAL POINT OF A TELECAST, UH, FOR THAT RACE.
AND THAT TEAM DOES A FANTASTIC JOB WITH, UH, THE PRE PRESENTATION OF THE BLACK AND WHITE, UH, FLOWERS.
AND THIS YEAR THERE IS A SPECIAL RECOGNITION, UH, FOR THE PASSING OF THE LEAD, UH, CEO OF THE GRAND PRIX.
TYPICALLY WE WOULD HAVE THE, WE CREATE COMMUNITY HERE, UM, TO PRESENT AND JUST WANTED TO LET THIS TEAM KNOW THAT STARTING THIS MONTH, WE ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO A DIGITAL FORMAT, UH, FOR THAT PUBLICATION.
AND THERE'S REALLY A COUPLE OF REASONS FOR THAT.
ONE IS IT'S ACTUALLY, UH, NEED
[00:55:01]
TO DO IT TO STAY IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE A DA, UH, TITLE TWO.AND SO PDFS THAT ARE ATTACHED TO LIKE THE CITY'S WEBSITE, UM, THOSE ARE DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE TO READ WHO HAVE, WHO ARE VISUALLY IMPAIRED.
UM, AND SO THE CITY AS A WHOLE IS GOING THROUGH A PROCESS RIGHT NOW TO REALLY UPDATE OUR WEBSITE, UM, IN, IN RESPONSE TO THE NEED TO BE COMPLIANT WITH.
UM, BUT THE OTHER THING IT'S GONNA BE FOR US IS IT'S ACTUALLY GONNA SAVE US A LITTLE BIT OF, UH, TIME AND EFFORT.
IT TAKES A LOT OF TIME TO, TO LAY OUT THE NEWSLETTER, THE PHYSICAL NEWSLETTER IN A VIRTUAL WORLD.
IT'S JUST KIND OF THE POSTING OF THE, THE ARTICLES THEMSELVES.
BUT ON, UM, IN AN ACTUAL PHYSICAL NEWSLETTER, WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME LAYING IT OUT.
AND SO, UH, IT WILL SAVE US SOME TIME ON THAT.
BUT ON A GO FORWARD BASIS, THIS WILL BE AVAILABLE, UH, VIA, UH, OUR WEBSITE.
AND WE WILL ALSO BE DOING A CAMPAIGN TO LET PEOPLE KNOW HOW TO REGISTER TO RECEIVE IT, SHOULD THEY WANT TO RECEIVE IT.
UH, JUST MOVING ON VERY QUICKLY, UM, WE TALKED LAST MONTH ABOUT THE CPRS, UM, ANNUAL CONFERENCE THAT WE HELD IN LONG BEACH, UH, A GOOD MONTH AGO.
BUT, UM, WE HAVE SOME MORE CPRS NEWS AND WE HAD A NUMBER OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS FROM OUR RECREATION BUREAU BE RECOGNIZED BY CPRS DISTRICT END FOR THE WORK, UH, THAT THEY ARE DOING IN THE INDUSTRY.
SO A BIG CONGRATULATIONS AND KUDOS TO THOSE STAFF.
UM, REALLY, REALLY PROUD OF EVERYTHING THAT THEY DO.
UH, QUICK UPDATE ON ANIMAL CARE SERVICES.
ALWAYS WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE PROMOTIONAL, UH, ACTIVITIES THAT WE'RE DOING.
THIS IS, WE ARE ENTERING A VERY, VERY BUSY SEASON KITTEN SEASON.
UM, AND SO WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TRY TO, TO TRY TO CLEAR THE SHELTERS TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE.
SO WE DO, UH, PROMOTIONS TO KEEP SOME OF OUR, UM, UH, ADOPTION FEES VERY LOW.
SO THAT COST IS NOT A BARRIER TO A LOVING FAMILY THAT WANTS TO ADOPT THAT.
AND SO RUNNING THOSE, UM, RUNNING THOSE PROMOTIONS, WE'VE ALSO HIRED A NEW FOSTER COORDINATOR, WHICH WILL BE VERY IMPORTANT TO, UM, MAKING CONNECTIONS WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN FOSTERING AND THEN PERHAPS ADOPTING SOME OF OUR ANIMALS.
AND SO THIS IS A CRITICAL POSITION FOR US.
UH, LAST WEEK THE CITY MANAGER PROVIDED A, AN UPDATE ON THE BUDGET TO, UH, THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
UM, I'M NOT GONNA GO INTO ALL THE SPECIFICS.
THAT WAS A, YOU KNOW, A VERY GOOD PRESENTATION.
IT IS AVAILABLE ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE AND IT TALKS A BIT ABOUT WHAT THE, UM, ESTIMATED ISSUE IS GOING TO BE IN TERMS OF, UM, UM, A STRUCTURAL IMBALANCE FOR FISCAL YEAR 27.
SOME OF THE REASONS WHY WE ARE EXPERIENCING THIS STRUCTURAL IMBALANCE, UM, AND SOME OF THE REASONS THAT PEOPLE THINK, UH, ARE AN ISSUE THAT MAYBE AREN'T AN ISSUE.
AND SO I WOULD HIGHLY ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU TO TAKE A QUICK LOOK AT THAT, UH, PRESENTATION.
IT IS EXTREMELY, UH, INFORMATIVE.
IS IT ON THE FRONT PAGE OR THE MANAGER'S PAGE? YOU CAN GET TO IT FROM THE, THE NEWS, UH, NEWS KIND OF SECTION OF THE, OF THAT SITE, THE CITY WEBSITE.
UH, ONE THING THAT'S NOT ON MY LIST, BUT I DID WANNA TALK ABOUT WAS, UM, THE RENAMING OF CHAVEZ PARK.
UM, I THINK OUR MARCH MEETING, WE WERE PROBABLY ONE DAY AFTER THE NEWS, UH, HAD COME OUT AND THAT FOLLOWING TUESDAY AT COUNCIL, THERE WAS AN ITEM THAT WENT FORWARD TO ASK THE CITY MANAGER TO EXPLORE, UH, OPPORTUNITIES, GET INPUT ON, UM, UH, THE POTENTIAL RENAMING OF THAT PARK.
AND SO I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THOSE, UM, ACTIONS ARE OCCURRING.
IT IS BEING LED BY THE CITY'S, UH, OFFICE OF EQUITY, UH, IN THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
THERE WILL BE A REAL DELIBERATE, UH, OPEN PROCESS FOR INPUT FOR COMMUNITY AND STAKEHOLDERS, UM, THAT HAVE AN INTEREST IN, UH, THE NAMING.
BUT, UM, THAT IS GOING TO BE, AGAIN, LED OUT OF THE OFFICE OF EQUITY.
ULTIMATELY THOUGH, THERE WILL BE SOMETHING COMING TO THIS COMMISSION, UH, IF THERE IS A RECOMMENDATION TO RENAME, UH, THE PARK.
UH, RIGHT NOW THERE IS, UH, ALSO A LITTLE BIT OF LIKE INVENTORY OF WHAT ARE ALL OF THE ASSETS THAT WE HAVE OUT THERE.
WE KNOW ABOUT THE PARK, WE KNOW ABOUT THE DAY THERE'S ACTUALLY A MURAL IN ONE OF OUR PARKS.
AND SO, UM, RIGHT NOW, UH, THAT OPERATION IS KIND OF GOING THROUGH AN INVENTORY, UM, KIND OF WHAT WE HAVE.
UM, AND THEN THERE WILL ALSO BE INTERACTION WITH SOME OF OUR PARTNERS, LIKE AT THE
[01:00:02]
JEOPARDY AS WELL.UM, AND THEN I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT ONE OTHER THING.
THAT NEXT SATURDAY, THE 25TH OF, UH, APRIL, UH, THERE IS GOING TO BE A COMMUNITY, UH, MEETING, UH, FOR UPDATE ON THE DRAKE CHAVIN, UM, CONNECTOR AND EXPANSION PROJECT.
AND SO, UH, THAT WILL, UM, WE'LL GET THAT, UH, INFORMATION, WE'LL MAKE SURE TO SEND YOU THAT INFORMATION, BUT THAT WILL BE ON THE 25TH, 25TH OF APRIL, SATURDAY.
AND THEN, HAVING SAID THAT NEXT MONTH AT COMMISSION, WE WILL ACTUALLY BE HAVING THAT PRESENTATION, UH, IN FRONT OF THE COMMISSION.
THAT WAS ONE OF YOUR REQUEST TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT.
SO OUR PARTNERS IN PUBLIC WORKS WILL BE COMING AND PROVIDING THAT UPDATE, UM, IN RESPONSE TO YOUR REQUEST.
UH, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE DIRECTOR? YES, COMMISSIONER, DO WE HAVE AN IDEA.
DO WE HAVE AN IDEA ON THE TIME FOR THE MEETING? FOR THE, UH, WE WILL SEND OUT ALL THE SPECIFICS.
I, I WANNA SAY IT'S LIKE 10 OR 11.
ONLY 'CAUSE THAT'S MY BACKYARD.
HOW ABOUT NINE 30 TO ONE 30? OKAY.
UM, NOW WE NORMALLY TAKE TIME, LEMME JUST CHECK HERE.
ARE WE, I'M SORRY, WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE, UH, BY COMMISSIONER LIVINGSTON, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER OREO SMITH.
ANY, ANY, UH, ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
NOW WE GO ONE, TWO, ITEM NUMBER SIX FIVE, WHICH IS A RECOMMENDATION TO DISCUSS POTENTIAL AGENDA ITEMS FOR FUTURE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION MEETINGS.
YEAH, THIS IS REALLY OPEN FOR, UH, COMMISSION, UH, DISCUSSION.
UM, AS I JUST MENTIONED, WE WILL BE COMING, COMING BACK WITH ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT WAS BROUGHT FORWARD, UH, IN OUR NEXT MAY MEETING, UH, FOLLOWED BY A PARK EQUITY UPDATE PRESENTATION.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE TWO OTHERS.
THERE WAS, UH, WATER, UH, CONSERVATION EFFORTS AND THEN THERE WAS ALSO, UM, THE, UM, I'M TRYING TO THINK OF THE WORD.
YEAH, THE, UH, THE FUEL BASED, UH, EMISSIONS.
SO THOSE WILL BE COMING FORWARD AS WELL.
THERE'S A, A HEALTHY AMOUNT OF WORK THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY ALREADY DOING ON THOSE PROJECTS.
UM, BUT UH, LOOK FORWARD TO BRINGING NOTES BACK TO COMMISSIONER ZU.
FOR THE EQUITY REPORT, IS THAT NEXT MONTH OR THE, THE FOLLOWING OKAY.
NEXT MONTH WILL BE DRAKE THOMAS.
UM, ANY OTHER COMMENTS ABOUT FUTURE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION MEETINGS? HEARING NONE, THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR BY COMMISSIONER ALLEN, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER TY SMITH.
UH, WE NOW MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT, THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE PARKS OF RECREATION COMMISSION ON NON AGENDA ITEMS. EACH SPEAKER IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES TO MAKE THEIR COMMENTS UNLESS EXTENDED BY THE CHAIR.
DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS TODAY? I'M GOING, YES.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF PARTNERS OF PARKS.
I HAVE THESE, SO WE HAVE BEEN BUSY.
UM, WE HAD OUR ACON ON SATURDAY, APRIL 4TH AT THREE DIFFERENT PARKS.
UM, I WAS NOT HERE, BUT COUNCIL
AND, UM, PARTNERED WITH IRVING RESET.
I WAS AN ADMIRAL KID WHERE WE DID HAVE SOME, UM, KIDS WITH DISABILITIES THAT DID JOIN THE A HUNT.
SO I WAS, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS JUST A HANDFUL, I'M EXCITED THAT WE MADE THAT CASE AVAILABLE FOR THEM.
UM, IT IS EARTH DAY NEXT WEDNESDAY.
I'M SURPRISED THAT DIDN'T GET MENTIONED TODAY.
UM, BUT THAT'S WHY WE SELECTED THAT DATE FOR OUR HANDLES ICE CREAM FUNDRAISER.
UM, YOU HAVE TO SHOW THE FLYER, UH, IN ORDER FOR US TO GET CREDIT.
SO YOU CAN EITHER DO THAT DIGITALLY OR TAKE THE HANDLE PAPER.
UM, I BELIEVE CHRISTINE GAVE THOSE TO YOU IN A DIGITAL FORMAT.
I SENT THEM TO HER LIKE PREVIOUSLY IN THE, UM, BUT THAT'S COMING UP THIS WEDNESDAY.
UM, OUR OTHER BIG EVENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING THAT MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, WE HAVE A BRAND NEW PICKLEBALL TOURNAMENT THAT'S
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BEING HELD AT VILLAGE JEAN KING COURTS ON THE SECOND AND MAY 3RD.UM, LIZZIE STREET SUPER POPULAR RIGHT NOW IS GONNA BE THERE.
UM, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'RE DOING IT.
WE'RE TRYING A LOT OF NEW THINGS THIS SPRING, OPENING UP THE AVAILABILITY FROM THE JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION NOT HAPPENING.
UM, AND THEN IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE MANY ARTICLES, UM, REGARDING LONG BEACH'S FAVORITE PET, AND THAT IS STILL HAPPENING.
WE'VE BEEN ALL OVER THE PLACE, UM, PROMOTING, UM, IT'S ONE OF THE FEW LIKE POSITIVE ARTICLES BEING WRITTEN IN THE NEWS.
LIKE IF I SCREENSHOT LIKE EACH OF THE PAPERS, IT'S LIKE, MAN STABBED THIS, THAT, AND THEN THERE'S LIKE ALL THE THINGS ABOUT OUR COMPETITION.
SO, UM, IF YOU HAVEN'T ENTERED YOUR PET OR YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY WITH A PET, PLEASE ENTER.
WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
AND THEN THERE WILL BE A PET PARTY AND AN AWARD CEREMONY.
WE THINK IT'S GONNA BE AT ROCK PARK, UM, AT THE END OF MAY, WHICH IS NATIONAL PET MONTH.
UM, I'VE ALSO GIVEN YOU CARDS FOR A DISABILITY SURVEY THAT'S CITYWIDE.
UM, WE'RE TRYING TO GET AS MANY DISABILITY SURVEYS FILLED OUT AS WE CAN.
SO IF YOU COULD PLEASE SHARE THAT WITH ONE PERSON, THAT WOULD BE SUPER HELPFUL.
ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT? THANK YOU.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? NO, I LIKE TO GO THROUGH EVERYBODY.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS, SIR? ACTUALLY, IS IT BEHIND DARYL? YEAH, MY NAME'S BILL WARD.
UH, EVERY TIME I COME OVER HERE I FIND A MAN SLEEPING OVER HERE BY THE, UH, UH, KINDERGARTEN ROOM.
AND WHY IS HE STILL THERE? WE'RE BRAGGING ABOUT TAKING CARE OF THE HOMELESS IN LONG BEACH.
WHY DON'T YOU FIND HIM A HOME? GO TAKE A LOOK.
ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS? OKAY, UM, I DIDN'T MEAN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM OUR STAFF.
DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS TODAY? THANK YOU.
SO, YOU KNOW, UM, AS STEVE MENTIONED, WE ARE PRETTY BUSY THIS MONTH, UM, JUST GEARING UP FOR WITH OUR SPRING EVENTS, BUT WE'RE ROLLING RIGHT INTO OUR SUMMER EVENTS NEXT MONTH, WHICH I KNOW WE'LL TALK MORE OF.
BUT NEXT MONTH IS OLDER AMERICANS MONTH FOR THE MONTH OF MAY.
SO WE HAVE A VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES PLANNED, UM, FOR OUR OLDER AMERICANS.
UM, ALSO MAY IS ALSO WATER SAFETY MONTH.
SO AQUATICS IS ACTUALLY IN THE PROCESS OF, UM, JUST FINALI FINALIZING DETAILS FOR OUR WATER SAFETY DAY EVENT THAT WILL BE HELD AT OUR, UM, OUR THREE POOLS IN THE CITY.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE ON MAY 1ST IS IT'S ALREADY ROLLING INTO BASEBALL SEASON, SO REGISTRATION FOR OUR DAUGHTER DREAM TEAM SEASON WILL START ON FRIDAY, MAY 1ST.
UM, AND THAT'S JUST A FEW THINGS, UH, THAT ARE COMING UP IN THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS.
UM, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY THAT THE DRAKE CHAVEZ, I LOOKED IT UP MEETING ON SATURDAY, THE 25TH IS 10 TO ONE, BUT THERE'S ALSO A VIRTUAL MEETING, UM, ON THURSDAY THE 30TH FROM NOON TO ONE 30.
KIND OF MENTIONED EARTH DAY IS COMING UP, SO WE WILL ALSO BE BUSY.
UM, PARTNERSHIPS WILL BE OVER SUPPORTING AT THE FOREST PARK SATURDAY.
THEY'RE HAVING A CLEANUP IN THAT AREA WITH THE WETLANDS AND A COMMUNITY ACTIVATION HAPPENING, AS WELL AS DOWN OVER AT THE MLK PEACE GARDEN THAT BE TOGETHER DOING A CLEAN UP AS WELL.
CHARLENE, DO YOU PARTNER WITH JUSTIN RUDD AT ALL WITH THOSE BEACH CLEANUPS? I HAVE NOT.
AND I KNOW MEGAN AND OUR
SO WELL, I JUST THINKING WE DON'T WANNA DO THIS, BUT RIGHT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, JUST COLLABORATING IN SOME WAY OR OTHER GOOD THINGS.
UM, JUST A FEW THINGS BESIDES FROM TEAM MAINTENANCE, UM, YOU KNOW, PRESSURE WASH, REPLACING SIGNS.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE INSTALLED SOME FLAGS OVER PARTS, UM, AS YOU GUYS KNOW, FEW MONTHS, SEVERAL MONTHS BACK, UH, DO THE THING, BLACKS, SOMEONE STOLE THEM.
AND SO WE CAME UP WITH A DIFFERENT, UH, TYPE OF MATERIAL, THIS, UH, STAMP METAL, UH, OVERLAY OVER HDU PHONE CORD AND HOPEFULLY THERE'S NO VALUE TO IT.
AND SO HOPEFULLY THIS WORKS OUT FOR US.
IT'S MUCH DUR, MUCH MORE DURABLE, UM, AND HOPEFULLY BECOMES STANDARD FOR US BECAUSE AS WE KNOW,
SO WE PROVIDE SOME TYPE OF, AND THEN ALSO WE HAVE PROJECT SLEEPY HOLLOW SULLIVAN GROVES WHERE WE UM, WE UH, WE REMOVE THE TREES, SOME TREES AND, AND JUST KIND OF SPRUCE UP THE PLACE, REPLACED SOME WORN OUT PICNIC BENCHES, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
AND I WANT TO JUST REALLY ACKNOWLEDGE FROM, UH, DOING A MATH.
[01:10:01]
THEN ALSO MY ER SUPERINTENDENT, WHICH IS MIKE TIERNEY.UM, THEY'RE DOING A VERY GOOD JOB.
AND, UM, I GOT LIKE THREE SHEETS OF WHAT WE DO AND THE TASKS THAT WE TAKE CARE OF.
AND SO I JUST REALLY WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING AT THIS TIME.
DIRECTOR, YOU HEARD ENOUGH FROM ME ALREADY.
ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, I'M GONNA START WITH LIVINGSTON PLEASE.
NOT THAT IT HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE CITY, BUT MY, UH, KITCHEN REMODEL STARTS TODAY, SO I'M GOING TO HAWAII TO MISS IT.
DO YOU WANNA GO LAST OR NEXT? I CAN GO NEXT.
SO I MADE THE MISTAKE OF GOING TO THE NATURE CENTER ON THE SATURDAY BEFORE EASTER.
UM, BUT I'M SMART AND I GOT THERE RIGHT WHEN IT OPENED, UM, AND I SAW OUR HARDWORKING PARK STAFF WORKING REALLY HARD.
I GOT THERE BEFORE ALL THE CHILDREN GOT THERE
UM, AND JUST SAW HOW HAPPY EVERYBODY WAS TO BE THERE AND SAW THE SACRIFICE THAT OUR EMPLOYEES MAKE.
OUR CITY OF LONG BEACH EMPLOYEES MAKE, UM, SACRIFICING THEIR WEEKEND TO BE THERE.
SO JUST REALLY GRATEFUL FOR ALL THAT YOU ALL DO AND ALL THAT OUR STAFF DO TO MAKE EVERYBODY'S SPRING WEEKEND, NO MATTER HOW THEY CELEBRATE IT, UM, WHETHER THEY PRACTICE RELIGION OR NOT, HOWEVER THEY CELEBRATE SPRING.
SO JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
UH, ONE THING I DID WANNA KNOW IS UNFORTUNATELY I DID SEE SOME, UH, VANDALISM ON THE VERY BEAUTIFUL MURAL AT WILLOW SPRINGS PARK ALONGSIDE THE, UH, THE UH, UH, THE CEMETERY FENCE.
UH, SO IN ACTUALLY IN TWO PLACES, ONE I THINK WAS UNINTENTIONAL, BUT STILL THE EFFECT OF DAMAGES THE MURAL.
SO I JUST WANTED TO NOTE THAT I DID TAKE PICTURE SAUCE AND THAT'S PART STAFF.
UH, THIS WAS OVER THE WEEKEND, SO I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S NECESSARILY BEEN FIXED, UH, BUT, UH, UH, YEAH, VERY, VERY UNFORTUNATE TO SEE AND, UH, YOU CONSIDERING HOW MUCH WORK AND EFFORT AND HOW MUCH THAT MURAL ACTUALLY REPRESENTS TO THE, NOT JUST THE COMMUNITY BUT HONORS THE DATE OF HISTORY THIS AREA.
NOTHING TO ADD EVERYTHING I THINK HAS BEEN SAID, SO I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT.
UH, I WILL ONLY COMMENT, I DID HAVE A CHANCE TO REVIEW, UH, THE IRVINE, UM, ANNUAL REPORT FOR THEIR WEED ABATEMENT, ALL 21 PAGES OF IT.
AND THEN THIS MORNING I SPOKE WITH A PARKS, UH, PERSON.
SHE'S THE DIRECTOR OF, I FORGET HER POSITION, BUT WITH PARKS, UH, WITH THE CITY OF LAKEWOOD.
AND WE TALKED ABOUT WEED ABATEMENT THERE AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
SO I FEEL FAIRLY KNOWLEDGEABLE IF YOU WANT TO QUIZ ME
AND, UH, I WANNA ECHO COMMISSIONER TY'S SMITH'S COMMENTS ABOUT THE STAFF.
WE ARE SO BLESSED HERE AND UH, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT.
AND WITH THAT, I THINK WE CAN, ARE YOU GONNA GIVE ME MORE THINGS TO SAY? OH, CAN I ADD ONE MORE THING? ABSOLUTELY.
UM, AND EXCUSE ME FOR NOT SAYING THIS EARLIER, BUT I DO AGREE THERE NEEDS TO BE A PARK ON THE WEST SIDE FOR THE WEED ABATEMENT PILOT PROGRAM.
IT'S IMPERATIVE GIVEN THE PORT, UM, POLLUTION.
SO JUST WANNA THROW THAT IN THERE.
UM, WITH REGARD TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT, I DO DID NEGLECT TO SAY THAT WE RECEIVED A DOZEN EMAILED PUBLIC COMMENTS REGARDING WEED ABATEMENT AND, UH, THEY HAVE BEEN INCORPORATED INTO THE RECORD.
IS THAT RIGHT? IS THAT WHAT YOU WERE HERE TO REMIND ME? OKAY.
UH, WITH THAT I WILL ADJOURN THE MEETING AT, UH, 10:18 AM YEAH.