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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02.26.24 - Equity and Public Safety Commission Meeting MinutesCity of South San Francisco Minutes of the Commission on Equity and Public Safety Monday, February 26, 2024 City Hall: City Manager Conference Room 6:00 p.m. Commitee Members: Present: Alan Perez, Bianca Bedigian, Krystle Cansino, PaulaClaudine Hobson- Coard, Carol Sanders, Salvador Delgadillo, Steven Yee (arrived at 6:23 p.m.) Absent: Arnel Junio Staff Members: Present: Devin Stenhouse, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer Others: Present: Mike Brown, Sr. Product Engineer, Esri (via Zoom) Jesse Gonzalez, Account Manager, Esri (via Zoom) Diana Gonzalez, Preschool & Early Learning Programs Supervisor Kimberly Morrison, Youth Enrichment Services Supervisor CALL TO ORDER The Mee�ng was called to order at 6:01 p.m. AGENDA REVIEW There are no changes to the agenda. ITEMS FROM STAFF MEMBERS 1. Presenta�on from Esri GIS so�ware provider (Mike Brown, Esri) Engineer Brown gave a brief introduc�on to what Esri is. He presented and demonstrated how the so�ware can be used to help advance equity. He showed how the tools can be used to display demographic data on a map. In one example, the map showed concentrated areas of where seniors who do not speak English well are located. In another example, the map showed where children aged 0 to 4 living below the poverty line resided. Engineer Brown showed samples of graphs from LA County. Ques�ons Vice Chair Perez: Can you analyze in real �me? • Engineer Brown: Yes. It depends on how your metrics are set up. Officer Stenhouse: How user friendly is this so�ware? • Engineer Brown: There is a learning curve for configuring, but there is GIS staff in the City. Esri can help configure if there are no GIS staff. There are templates. • Officer Stenhouse: The City has a GIS analyst (Jus�n Anderson). • Manager Gonzalez: The so�ware is included in the licensing that the City has. Most customers only require Esri to help organize and configure. You can see the results and progress over �me. Commissioner Sanders: Is this available to us? • Officer Stenhouse: This is to show you the capabili�es. If the Commission is interested in specific data, this technology is there. Commissioner Yee: What is the dataset? • Engineer Brown: Data from Esri customers. Demographic data from Census. USGS and Census are Esri customers and make their data public. Commissioner Yee: Any AI driven capabili�es? • Engineer Brown: “Business Analyst Assistant” can curate data. • Manager Gonzalez: Neighboring ci�es are leveraging data from PD also. • Engineer Brown: Our teams manage crime analysis tools and police transparency solu�ons. Officer Stenhouse thanks Esri for the presenta�on. • Engineer Brown: We’d love to stay involved. 2. Presenta�on from SSF Youth Enrichment Services and Early Learning Program Supervisors (Kimberly Morrison, YES Supervisor & Diana Gonzalez, ELP Supervisor) Officer Stenhouse gives an introduc�on to the child care programs. Supervisor Gonzalez hands out preschool brochures and gives an introduc�on to the preschool programs. They are licensed. She explains that the wai�ng list is 3-4 years. There is a huge demand. The programs are for ages 2-5. There is a one-�me fee to be placed on the waitlist for mul�ple sites. Applicants are listed in order as they come in. Low fees and mul�ple schedules (allowing flexibility) explain the high demand. Supervisor Gonzalez talks about the grant-funded program, Litle Steps, which is funded by San Mateo County’s the Big Li�. There is a sliding scale based on income and family size. There are more age and schedule restric�ons with this program. Supervisor Gonzalez has been involved with the preschool program in the City for about 30 years. There are no closures over spring break or summer. The only break is winter break. Currently enrolled preschool families have priority in ge�ng into a�er school programs. Ques�ons Vice Chair Perez: How many staff members are at each site? What are the cer�fica�on requirements? • Supervisor Gonzalez: There are 8 preschool teachers between the 3 sites (Siebecker has 3 full-�me, Westborough has 3 full-�me, and Litle Steps has 2 full-�me) and part �me staff. We are licensed, which means we have to meet the 1:12 ra�o. For qualifica�ons, course studies in early childhood educa�on, 4 core courses. A lot of part-�me staff are qualified. Commissioner Delgadillo: I’m interested in parents’ educa�on. Social services requiring parents to do paren�ng educa�on. Any associa�on with Peninsula Family Services? • Supervisor Gonzalez: No. Parents come to us with comments and concerns. We have daily discussions and lots of informa�on and resources. Commissioner Cansino: Is the wai�ng list public? • Supervisor Gonzalez indicates that the list is not public. She explains her color-coding method. Supervisor Gonzalez goes through the process once an applicant has been selected. There is a virtual orienta�on to review the handbook, policies, and procedures. There is paperwork to be completed. She encourages families to visit the sites, and anyone can schedule tours. Commissioner Cansino: Are there emergency spots? • Supervisor Gonzalez: We have worked with agencies on foster care and adop�ons case by case. Commissioner Cansino: How do you verify people’s income? • Supervisor Gonzalez: San Mateo County does not require us to collect any informa�on from families, but we remind them if the County asks or is audited, families have to provide the paperwork. Commissioner Cansino: Is transporta�on available? • Supervisor Gonzalez: No. Commissioner Cansino: Are there any scholarships? • Supervisor Gonzalez: Case by case. Commissioner Cansino: Fundraising? • Supervisor Gonzalez: We don’t generally do fundraising very o�en. • Officer Stenhouse: Friends of Parks and Recrea�on, a nonprofit group, fundraises for recrea�on programs in general. Preschool and Youth Enrichment Services fall under that umbrella. • Commissioner Cansino: People can donate to the school? • Supervisor Gonzalez: Sure. Commissioner Cansino: Any talks of expanding beyond preschools? • Supervisor Gonzalez: Yes. That’s why the City adopted the Child Care Master Plan. • Officer Stenhouse: The Child Care Master Plan can be a presenta�on by itself. It’s a thick plan. It can be a series of presenta�ons. Commissioner Cansino: If there is a family in crisis, who do you use? • Supervisor Gonzalez: I reach out to San Mateo County for resources. The Big Li�, we have internal people. Star Vista. Commissioner Bedigian: You accept both residents and non-residents. Do you have a rough es�mate of how many residents vs. non-residents you have? • Supervisor Gonzalez: There aren’t many non-residents. • Commissioner Bedigian: And do South City residents have priority? • Supervisor Gonzalez: There is no priority. It’s first come first serve. Commissioner Sanders: How large is the waitlist? • Supervisor Gonzalez: We have roughly 400 students on the waitlist right now, but a lot of them aren’t born yet, aren’t poty trained, or aren’t 2 ½ (minimum age). • Commissioner Yee: What are the viable, actual eligible? • Supervisor Gonzalez: I don’t know the actual number because poty training informa�on is not required for the waitlist. Commissioner Sanders: What is the expansion? • Supervisor Gonzalez: Not sure if the district will expand Transi�onal Kindergarten (TK), which would help provide more space to 4-year-olds. Commissioner Bedigian: If the waitlist is 3-4 years, and many are not born yet, are there 2 ½- year-olds who are poty-trained ge�ng in? • Supervisor Gonzalez: Mostly 3 and up. Commissioner Yee: I think it is important to have informa�on public. We don’t need to have personal informa�on, but it would be helpful for the public to know the scope and the opportunity. Who are we taking care of (resident vs. non-resident)? More details and transparency would be very helpful to garner support. • Supervisor Gonzalez: It is hard to gauge based on the size of the list how many will actually be enrolled. Some may not be poty- trained, some may have moved, and some may not be interested any more. Commissioner Yee voices concern over the lack of priority when it comes to residents vs. non- residents. The cost difference is nominal. He asks, “Is first come first serve fair?” • Supervisor Gonzalez: Only for the Big Li� Program (Litle Steps) we ask for income because it is grant-funded. Residents are based on school district boundaries. • Officer Stenhouse gives examples of a few schools that are part of the South San Francisco Unified School District but located in neighboring ci�es. There are students who are not South San Francisco residents but qualify as residents for the preschool program. Commissioner Delgadillo leaves the mee�ng at 7:01 p.m. Commissioner Sanders: Is there a reason for the designa�on between resident and non- resident? • Supervisor Morrison: Non-resident would be people who don’t fall into that (previously described) category. • Supervisor Gonzalez: O�en �mes, that would be City employees. Full-�me City employees do have a priority. • Commissioner Cansino: That’s so great. Vice Chair Perez: There’s Head Start and other programs for families. Do you see a lot of lower income families going through Head Start or do you s�ll see the demand? • Supervisor Gonzalez: We see the demand. Others have a similar long wai�ng list. It’s a demand across the county. There was a decline in enrollment and atendance here and in other coun�es due to COVID. People who have lost their jobs due to COVID are now at home able to take care of the child. Commissioner Yee: Can you give a sense of revenue to expense? Are you breaking even? • Supervisor Gonzalez: We’re not cost-covering at all. Commissioner Cansino asks about staff speaking other languages. • Supervisor Gonzalez: Yes, we have teachers that speak other languages (Spanish, Cantonese, and Mandarin). • Commissioner Yee: Since demographics are changing, how is that accounted for? • Supervisor Gonzalez: Google Translate helps us a lot, and body language. Parents are open and willing to learn English. Commissioner Bedigian: The waitlist informa�on is in the recrea�on booklet. Is there other outreach done? • Supervisor Gonzalez: The majority of our families are returning families and word-of- mouth families. We also provide informa�on at City-sponsored events. • The group expresses concerns for people who are in need of child care but are unaware of the long wait. Supervisor Morrison introduces herself and the Youth Enrichment Services (YES) program. The program is for TK-5th grade. There are 2 grant-funded programs, free for families, for children struggling academically or socially. Priority goes to ones with teacher recommenda�ons. There are programs for TK to 12-year-olds. There are teen camps for 13- and 14-year-olds. They are recrea�on based programs in a play based environment. The licensing ra�o is 1:14, with the programs aiming for 1:10 for the younger children or 1:12 for the older kids. Qualifica�ons for teachers require units in coursework, but in a broader scope of topics. Students transi�on from the preschool program to the a�er school program. They can volunteer at 15 and become an aide at 16. Supervisor Morrison says they have a lot of staff members who have been through the City’s programs. All our programs are subsidized by the City. The City really makes an effort to provide affordable services. Supervisor Morrison shares that 4C’s offers parent educa�on classes. She says there is a need for collabora�on between agencies. Ques�ons Commissioner Cansino: Since you have older kids, do you have counselors? • Supervisor Morrison: We encourage healthy habits, but we do not have counselors in our program. All the schools have a school psychologist. • Officer Stenhouse clarifies that the coordinators and school district all work together to serve the needs of the children. The a�er school program provides a�er school care, but mental health would fall under the district. Commissioner Bedigian wants to know how many available spots there are in the program compared to how many students are enrolled in school (who are elementary age). • Supervisor Morrison points out that the City is not the only provider for a�er school programs. There is a childcare needs survey the Childcare Partnership Council conducts every 5 years. Commissioner Yee asks if there is a long waitlist similar to preschool. • Morrison explains that it varies from school to school. Some have long waitlists, some are not full. Supervisor Morrison describes the registra�on process. Families enrolled in the a�er school program have priority for summer camp. Students with siblings already in the program also have priority. Commissioner Delgadillo returns to the mee�ng at 7:26 p.m. Commissioner Yee favors the lotery system in conjunc�on with the described priori�es. He asks about cultural awareness/immersion (since there is a change in demographics) and how technology is infused in the a�er school experience (in rela�on to the tech divide). • Supervisor Morrison: We do not do any technology since they are exposed to so much technology at school and at home. We expose them to everything else. We do incorporate educa�on of other cultures from around the world via games, cooking, art, projects, and ac�vi�es. Commissioner Sanders: For those who do not get into these programs, what do the parents do? What are their op�ons? • Supervisor Morrison: We refer them to 4C’s. They keep a database of licensed providers in the County. • Officer Stenhouse: Community Care Licensing can be another resource for licensed care. • Officer Stenhouse explains there is difference between a licensed child care provider and an unlicensed provider. • Supervisor Morrison: 4C’s also offers educa�on to parents on how to choose the right child care provider. Commissioner Sanders: Would you serve homeschooled children? • Supervisor Morrison: Yes. Vice Chair Perez: What does the curriculum look like for 4- and 5-year-olds in the program compared to TK? • Supervisor Gonzalez: I’m not familiar with what they are offering at the district level. • Supervisor Gonzalez gives examples of different educa�onal topics and teaching different skills. Looking at children individually to see what they need. All ac�vi�es are goal oriented. Commissioner Sanders: How do you handle LGBTQ related topics in your curriculum? Have you had any safety issues? • Supervisor Morrison: We do not incorporate any of that in our curriculum. We have not had any issues. It’s case by case if we need to address in the curriculum or have a speaker talk to the kids. Especially with the older kids, we work on conflict resolu�on and social skills all the �me. Commissioner Sanders: Do you ask for pronouns? • Supervisor Gonzalez: There are some instances. Commissioner Cansino: Educa�on ready assessment, is that available to families all year round or only during registra�on? • Supervisor Gonzalez: We provide feedback and updates to families year round. • Commissioner Sanders: Is the informa�on you collect in a database? • Supervisor Gonazalez: The informa�on is submited to the County. They use it for repor�ng purposes. Commissioners express pride in what South San Francisco offers and gra�tude towards the speakers. 3. Update the Commission on the City of South San Francisco’s applica�on for NLC’s Roadshow (Devin Stenhouse, DEI Officer) Officer Stenhouse says he should hear from NLC by Friday. There is no other update. 4. Introduc�on to new commissioner Bianca Bedigian Commissioner Bedigian provides an introduc�on and background on herself. Commissioners take turns introducing themselves and providing brief backgrounds. PUBLIC COMMENT No public comments were made. MATTERS FOR CONSIDERATION 1. Approval of Minutes from January 22, 2024. Commissioner Cansino mo�oned and Commissioner Sanders seconded. The Commission voted to approve the minutes 7-0. 2. Discussion to create a Commission on Equity and Public Safety webpage on the City of South San Francisco’s website. (Devin Stenhouse, DEI Officer) Officer Stenhouse provides a brief summary on a poten�al web page for the Commission. The group agrees to having a web page. Content Commissioner Cansino suggests adding the commission’s bylaws. Officer Stenhouse: Others show longer descrip�on, purpose, mee�ng dates/�mes, headshots and bios, reasons for becoming a commissioner, and ques�ons and answers. Officer Stenhouse points out that people interpret “public safety” in very different ways. Commissioner Sanders: How about what we’ve done as a commission (accomplishments)? Commissioner Yee: Not just looking at other commissions within the city, what do equity commissions in other ci�es have? Commissioner Cansino wants to put official recommenda�ons made by the commission, like the PowerPoint presenta�on presented to Council. Officer Stenhouse reminds everyone that a subcommitee can be created for this mater. 3. Discussion to create sub-commitees for targeted groups (i.e., senior veterans and families with young children). (Devin Stenhouse, DEI Officer) Web Page Commissioner Yee and Commissioner Sanders will form a subcommitee for informing content of the web page. Seniors (including veterans) Commissioner Cansino and Commissioner Hobson-Coard will be part of this subcommitee. Families with Young Children Vice Chair Perez and Commissioner Bedigian will be part of this subcommitee. Officer Stenhouse offers ideas for next steps. ITEMS FROM BOARD MEMBERS, COMMISSIONERS, COMMITTEE MEMBERS Commissioner Delgadillo asks about the appropriate way to engage with families and the public. • Officer Stenhouse suggests wearing name tags and poten�ally providing advanced no�ce to program supervisors. Officer Stenhouse will order commissioner gear. Commissioner Yee asks about results or more informa�on on FlashVote. • Officer Stenhouse will look into it. Commissioner Hobson-Coard invites all to atend her show on March 23rd at Fort McKinley. Officer Stenhouse reminds everyone that the next mee�ng is in 3 weeks. He strongly recommends that the subcommitees meet soon so that items can be added to the next agenda. Vice Chair Perez shares on behalf of Chair Junio that there is a Public Safety Town Hall. • Officer Stenhouse provides more details on the mee�ng and encourages commissioners to atend. ADJOURNMENT Vice Chair Perez adjourned the mee�ng at 8:37pm.