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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07.21.2020 P&R Commission Packet - FINAL Agenda CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO MEETING OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION TELECONFERENCE MEETING NOTICE Tuesday, July 21, 2020 7:00 p.m. Welcome to the Regular Meeting of the Parks and Recreation Commission. If this is your first time, the following is a general outline of our procedures: Please note that due to the COVID-19 outbreak, this meeting is teleconference only, and will be conducted pursuant to the provisions of the Governor’s Executive Order N29-20 issued on March 17, 2020 allowing for deviation of teleconference rules required by the Brown Act and pursuant to the Order of the Health Officer of San Mateo County dated March 31, 2020. The public may view or comment during this meeting from a computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone: https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/461669397 You can also dial in using your phone: United States: +1 (646) 749-3112 Access Code: 461-669-397 The purpose of conducting the meeting as described in this notice is to provide the safest environment for staff and the public while allowing for public participation. Commissioners Aires, Battaglia, DeNardi, Firpo, and Lock, and Vice Chair Uy and Chair Camacho and essential City staff will participate via Teleconference. Members of the public may submit their comments on any agenda item or public comment via email or Parks & Recreation main line. PURSUANT TO RALPH M. BROWN ACT, GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54953, ALL VOTES SHALL BE BY ROLL CALL DUE TO COUNCIL MEMBERS PARTICIPATING BY TELECONFERENCE. In accordance with California Government Code Section 54957.5, any writing or document that is a public record, relates to an open session agenda item, and is distributed less than 72 hours prior to a regular meeting will be made available for public inspection at the Parks and Recreation Department in the Municipal Services Building. If, however, the document or writing is not distributed until the regular meeting to which it relates, then the document or writing will be made available to the public at the location of the meeting, as listed on this agenda. Public Comment: Please note that dialing in will only allow you to listen in on the meeting. To make a public comment during the GoToMeeting session, join the meeting from your computer or mobile device, enter your name, and request to comment through the “Chat” function and a staff person will add you to the queue for comments and unmute your microphone during the comment period. In the alternative, you may also provide email comments received during the meeting will be read into the record. Please be sure to indicate the Agenda item number you wish to address or the topic of your public comment. California law prevents the Commission from taking action on any item not on the Agenda (except in emergency circumstances). Your question or problem may be referred to staff for investigation and/or action where appropriate or the matter may be placed on a future Agenda for more comprehensive action or report. COMMENTS ARE LIMITED TO THREE (3) MINUTES PER SPEAKER. Thank you for your cooperation. Remote Public Comments: Members of the public wishing to participate are encouraged to submit public comments in writing in advance of the meeting. The email and phone line below will be monitored during the meeting and public comments received will be read into the record. The City encourages the submission of comments by 6:00pm on Tuesday, July 21, 2020, to facilitate inclusion in the meeting record. A maximum of 3 minutes per individual comment will be read into the record. Comments that are not in compliance the Commission’s rules of decorum may be summarized for the record rather than read verbatim. Email: [email protected] Electronic Comments received by email will be monitored during the meeting and read into the record. We ask that you limit your electronic comments so that they comply with the 3 minute time limitation for public comment. Parks & Recreation Hotline: (650) 829-3837 Voice messages will be monitored during the meeting, and read into the record. Your voicemail should be limited so that it complies with the 3 minute time limitation for public comment. If you have special questions, please contact the Director of Parks and Recreation. The Director will be pleased to answer your questions when the Commission is not in session. KRISTY CAMACHO CHAIRPERSON ROBERT UY BETTY BATTAGLIA VICE CHAIR COMMISSIONER WILLIAM LOCK MICHAEL AIRES SECRETARY COMMISSIONER RUTH DeNARDI STEPHEN FIRPO COMMISSIONER COMMISSIONER SHARON RANALS ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER/ DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION GREG MEDIATI DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION Agenda CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING Teleconference Meeting Tuesday, July 21, 2020 7:00 p.m. A G E N D A I. Call to Order II. Roll Call III. Pledge of Allegiance IV. Agenda Review V. Approval of Minutes of the June 16, 2020, Meeting VI. Citizen Participation (Citizen comment on items not agendized/informational only) VII. Beautification Committee VIII. Old Business A. Fiscal Year 2020-21 Budget Update B. COVID-19 Programs Update IX. New Business A. 2020-21 Annual Co-Sponsored Group Renewals B. Shared Streets Pilot Program C. Celebrating July as Parks and Recreation Month X. Friends of Parks and Recreation XI. Items from Commission XII. Items from Staff A. Calendar of Events B. Administrative Update XIII. Adjournment Next Meeting: Regular Meeting: Tuesday, August 18, 2020 CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION MINUTES FROM TUESDAY, JUNE 16, 2020 I. CALL TO ORDER: 7:00 p.m. A regular meeting of the Parks and Recreation Commission of the City of South San Francisco was held on Tuesday, June 16, 2020, via teleconference due to the COVID-19 pandemic and local Shelter in Place health orders. II. ROLL CALL: Present: Commissioners Aires, Battaglia, Camacho, Firpo, Lock, and Uy Absent: DeNardi Staff: Sharon Ranals, ACM/Director of Parks and Recreation Greg Mediati, Deputy Director of Parks and Recreation Joshua Richardson, Parks Manager Angela Duldulao, Recreation Manager Kari Jung, Administrative Assistant City Staff in Attendance: Brian Noce, Acting Aquatics Supervisor Laura Armanino, Childcare Supervisor Kimberly Morrison, Childcare Assistant Supervisor Kelli Cullinan, Seniors Supervisor Mike Mulkerrins, Rentals/Sports Supervisor Erin O’Brien, Civic Campus Fundraiser Co-Leader / Recreation Supervisor Devin Stenhouse, Acting Classes Supervisor III. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Skipped IV. AGENDA REVIEW: No changes. V. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF THE May 19, 2020, MEETING: Corrected to add Commissioner Aires as present and approved by motion as written. Motion: Commissioner Battaglia / Seconded: Commissioner Uy. VI. CITIZEN PARTICIPATION: None VII. BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE Deputy Director Mediati reported that there has not been a Beautification Committee meeting since February of this year and there is nothing new to report. VIII. OLD BUSINESS: A. Budget Update and Fiscal Implications Related to COVID-19 Deputy Director Mediati reported updated the Commission on items that were reviewed by Council at the June 9th meeting and subsequent updates including: Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes of the Meeting of June 16, 2020 Page 2 • Revenues show an $8.5 million shortfall • Staff may propose additional budget amendments to Council in October, after first quarter actuals can be reviewed against projections taking into account what restrictions are lifted by the County Health Officer and what programs and services can be restarted. • Staff presented budget savings of $2.1 million dollars to Council for consideration, half from salary savings in the forms of freezing vacant positions and reallocating existing staff dollars out of General Fund and into Common Greens Funds. Additional savings are broken down into COVID related reductions and non-COVID related. o The COVID related cuts are focused on the first quarter (July-September) based on program cancellations or modified offerings, and on County Public Health Orders.  This is subject to change as restrictions are lifted. o The non-COVID related cuts were proposed as cost saving measures. • Two items were added to the budget o $300,000 Innovation Fund, essentially a Flex Fund that staff can utilize to get programs and services up and running as restrictions are lifted or proposals for newly modified offerings are approved. o The proposal to close the Magnolia Senior Center on the weekends was removed, due in large part to the feedback received from the community. Commissioner Uy shared his concerns related to the non-COVID budget reductions including: • Canceling a lot of the open gyms • Postponing the sports program • Middle School Sports Programs • Middle School Dances Commissioner Uy noted that these programs provide very much needed services to our community and kids need a way to actually be able to exercise and be able to work together and work in youth sports. Deputy Mediati expressed that Commissioner Uy’s sentiment is shared by staff. The budget cuts presented were from an exercise related to recession planning, prior to COVID-19 and focused on a 10% expenditure cuts across the board. It actually appears closer to 12%. ACM Ranals shared that as a whole, the City is looking at an $11 million shortfall with two avenues to resolve: cutting expenses or dipping into reserves. The City has reserves and Council is willing to dip into them for a portion of the savings. The only direction given to staff was no full time employee layoffs. A large portion of the department’s budget is for utilities, which cannot be cut. With over 400 part time employees that deliver a large portion of our programs and services, reducing part time employees reduces the programs and services they deliver. Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes of the Meeting of June 16, 2020 Page 3 Chair Camacho thanked Commissioner Uy for his comments and expressed that she values the diverse opinions of the commissioner’s and staff and wants to hear from all sides so that the conversation can continue to evolve. Commissioner Aires inquired about six furloughed employees and how soon it would be before they can be brought back and if it’s due to County imposed limitation or strictly budget related. He additionally inquired if staff is following up with those employees to check on their welfare. ACM Ranals clarified that the six FTEs equate to approximately 102 part-time employees (FTEs are 2080 hours per year x 6 = over 12,000 hours) that are being furloughed as of June 30th. All are being furloughed do to COVID related restrictions resulting in program cuts. As soon as the restrictions are lifted and programs reopened those employees will be recalled to work. Since they are being furloughed and not released, no additional paperwork will need to be completed prior to bringing them back in. ACM Ranals assured the Commission that Parks & Recreation is very much a family and that staff is staying in close contact. Some of our part time staff has been with the City for over 35 years. HR is additionally being proactive with furloughed staff and providing assistance as needed for applying for unemployment. Commissioner Aires inquired about the proposed drive-in movie event, which sounds like a great idea, but appears that the expense for this item is almost twice as much as Summer Movie in the Park would have been. Deputy Mediati provided that the expense amount was an estimate that staff came up with during an exercise in how we would be able to provide this type of event. Vendors have not been requested to quote for services and the true cost is still unknown. Chair Camacho inquired fi the Drive-in Movie event would come from the Innovation Fund or if it is a separate line item. Deputy Mediati confirmed that it is a separate line item. ACM Ranals further explained that this event is a proposal only, that it is not a confirmed event. Staff is open to other community event suggestions that would be allowable under current social distancing restrictions. Commissioner Firpo expressed his sentiment that the Drive-in Movie proposal is a great idea. He shared that he recently took his adult children to one, and they had never experienced a drive-in movie before. It was a great experience. He further expressed is support for Commissioner Uy’s statement that we need to focus activities for the children as we start to open back up. He further inquired about the possibility of fund recover from FEMA. He also inquired if the tennis courts at Terrabay were going to be reopened as they have been at Orange Park as well as creating options for outdoor activities for kids. Deputy Mediati explained that FEMA assisted with the surge expenditures needed to open back up, i.e. sanitizing supplies, face coverings, etc., but not with ongoing program costs or losses. He further explained that the program at Orange Park is a pilot program Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes of the Meeting of June 16, 2020 Page 4 and that staff is waiting to hear additional lifting of restrictions from county to determine if additional courts can be opened without monitoring. Commissioner Lock inquired about programs that are cost recovering, or if they have a small gap – if the commission were to raise funds to cover those gaps, could they be brought back in. ACM Ranals explained that Parks & Recreation revenues go into the General Fund, not into an Enterprise Fund. So closing the gap on the cost recovery with donations is not a simple fix. Additionally, the revenue generated is not guaranteed. If a donation were made to cover the entire cost of the program, that would be something that could be brought forward for consideration. Commissioner Lock inquired about Gardiner Park project being on hold. Deputy Mediati explained that the project was only on hold for about two weeks until the construction restriction was lifted. The construction has resumed and the City is looking towards August for a soft reopening after some additional delays due to unforeseen field conditions. ACM Ranals shared that some sewer lines were actually running underneath the park that the City replaced. The mural is part of the budget, but may be delayed if the contingency doesn’t cover the unforeseen items. Commissioner Battaglia inquired if the Senior Center was still going to be closed on the weekends. ACM Ranals confirmed that that cut had been eliminated. Chair Camacho inquired about the modified operations for Seniors for July through September. ACM Ranals confirmed that as soon as the County allowed for operations at the Senior Center, they would continue. Chair Camacho further inquired about which specific Middle School Sports were affected for the July through September period. Deputy Mediati advised that Angela and her staff would address that in the next topic. She further inquired if staff had back up plans in place to avoid cutting the programs and not need to go back to Council for additional funding as restrictions are lifted. ACM Ranals explained that staff was in the process of developing alternative scenarios for programs, but the purpose of the Flex Funds was to allow for programs to restart as restrictions are lifted. Chair Camacho reiterated for staff that the commission and the public comments received at the June 9th Council Meeting is to prioritize Middle Schools Sports Programs. Commissioner Firpo expressed that classes that can be provided in a virtual setting, like ballet, should not be cut from programs either. And, as though classes proceed, plans for modified in person classes should be ready, as well as plans for having to Shelter In Place are re-introduced. Deputy Mediati explained that would be covered in the next item. Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes of the Meeting of June 16, 2020 Page 5 Chair Camacho expressed that she is aligned with Commissioners Uy and Firpo that staff should focus on kids’ classes first and funding Middle School Sports for the entire 2020-21 Fiscal Year. She further inquired if the Innovation Fund line item was supposed to be for the entire fiscal year or just the interim budget period for the first quarter. ACM Ranals emphasized that the Innovation Fund had originally been proposed at $100,000 and was negotiated up to $300,000 as result of the Budget Study session. The COVID-19 Pandemic and the resulting ramifications are open ended and we cannot predict when restrictions will be lifted. Council did not want to leave the department unable to operate due to budgetary reasons if restrictions are lifted earlier than expected. Chair Camacho requested that the cuts to the Middle School Sports program be removed and emphasized that the program provides a positive outlet in the community for youth. B. COVID-19 Response and Modified Operations Update Manager Duldulao shared a report on the sliding scale timeline created by staff on what can be opened during the different phases of reopening and what modifications need to be addressed as we move through the various stages as well as the budgetary limitations. From the onset of the Shelter in Place orders, all in person have been paused, however our programs have not stopped. Staff has reimagined what can be offered within the limitations and imagined new ways of providing services. The status of each Program in the Recreation Division was shared: Aquatics – this will be one of the first in-person programs reopening as of July 1st with a soft opening of June 29th, the Monday of that week. This program will start with morning lap swim by reservation only from 5:30-11:30 a.m. Staff will assess during that first week looking towards future expansion of services including evening hours and family group swim by reservation, maintaining social distancing practices. Chair Camacho inquired about how staff asked to return is feeling, if there are any safety or family concerns. Manager Duldulao commented that staff throughout the division have provided feedback and she would defer to Acting Supervisor Noce regarding Aquatics staff specifically. Acting Supervisor Noce shared that he has only heard positive feedback from staff returning next week, which is mostly more senior staff. Everyone is excited to return to work and if any concerns to arise, they will be shared for consideration. Chair Camacho expressed her concern that staff may feel compelled to work outside of their comfort zone and if there is any turmoil or trauma at home, staff should made comfortable bringing up any concerns. ACM Ranals shared that there are several avenues for employees to express their reservations and HR has been proactive about dealing with situations on a case by case basis. Childcare services (both Preschool and Summer Camp) opened this past Monday, June 15th and will run through August 7th. We have received positive reports from both staff and families who are excited to see friends again. While Preschool is Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes of the Meeting of June 16, 2020 Page 6 typically a year-round offering, however we have opened up for an 8 week period to give families flexibility in terms of continuing through the summer or not, especially with the limited spots that we can offer, with the lower ratio of kids in order to meet the Public Health requirements. Staff is currently coordinating with the School District staff (upcoming study session) to determine what childcare needs will look like during the upcoming school year. Chair Camacho inquired if pricing for preschool and/or summer camp had been adjusted for the modifications. Manager Duldulao advised that fees remained unchanged, as they are set through the annual budget process and that the Master Fee Schedule had remained unchanged for the upcoming fiscal year, but may be looked at in October for revisions. ACM Ranals concurred that the fee structure will need to be revisited once it is determined what the new school year will look like and how much of a role the City will take with childcare need changes based on those new schedules. She reminded the Commission that the School District also has a childcare program as well as other entities within South San Francisco. Chair Camacho further inquired about how school kids kept in pods of 12 would maintain those pods with childcare. ACM Ranals shared that those questions were in the process of being discussed. Supervisor Cullinan shared on behalf of Supervisor Armanino, who was having audio difficulties, to share that Childcare and the District were working together proactively to determine how to best serve the needs of families. Supervisor Armanino was able to rejoin the discussion and further shared that once a roadmap for the upcoming year is laid out, staff would look at what the hours of operations had been and compare to the proposal to determine the differences to be addressed. Those adjusted prices would be forwarded for consideration in a revision to the Master Fee Schedule. In regards to operations that take social distancing and pods into consideration, the spaces utilized would be reimagined. Multi-purpose rooms would no longer be used for lunches, as students would be eating in their classrooms with their pods, allowing for those larger spaces to be redefined for additional classroom settings. Supervisor Armanino shared that there are many layers of intricacies to consider including Community Care Licensing, Public Health, and School District guidelines. ACM Ranals cautioned that, ultimately, City Council would have to approve any changes that require greater budget expenditures, even if cost covering. Chair Camacho thanked staff for the collaborative work they are doing with the district and emphasized that childcare is a community and public safety issue because if parents can’t find affordable childcare they either can’t work or may be tempted to leave children home unsupervised. ACM Ranals assured the Commission that staff is in agreement, but program offerings would ultimately be constrained by budgetary and Council approvals. Commissioner Uy expressed his concerns that Council be well informed that while there are other childcare providers available, they are not affordable, and it would be a disservice to the community to limit or eliminate the City subsidized programs. He further shared that not only is the childcare provided by the City affordable, it is Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes of the Meeting of June 16, 2020 Page 7 actually a better program than most and creates an atmosphere of trust and respect within the community towards the Department. ACM Ranals thanked Commissioner Uy for his input and reminded the Commission that the subsidy that allows the City’s childcare programs to operate at the affordable pricing is from the City Council’s authorization to offset the actual costs with funds from the City’s General Fund. Commissioner Firpo expressed that childcare is a priority for the Department, the City, and the community. He is confident that staff will do the research and provide Council with the numbers showing what the costs are compared to the affordability of the community and help guide the tough decisions that need to be made. Chair Camacho concurred with the caution that the City’s program is not meant to be for profit, and comparing the City’s program with a for-profit program isn’t comparing similar items. Rather, than price comparison, showing that childcare doesn’t just address individual family needs, but provides a communitywide service and ensures equal access to childcare for the entire community. Classes – Staff has successfully piloted a virtual classes program that takes place on the GoToMeeing platform including Belly Dancing, Hula, Knitting, Ballet, Pre- Kindergarten, Painting, and Drawing with a core group of instructors. Staff will publicly launch the Virtual Rec program in July as part of the “July is Parks and Recreation” month. Additional resources for youth have been added now that summer is here and staff is ramping up social media campaigns to highlight these resources. Both Spring and Summer sessions were impacted as well as the offering of our Fall session which is still to be determined. Chair Camacho inquired if the classes were free during the pilot program and Manager Duldulao confirmed that the classes were free during the pilot program and will be for the “July is Parks and Recreation” month offering. Staff will consider options for free and low cost options going forward, all of which is dependent upon the budget outcomes. Cultural Arts – Staff has been operating virtual resources for artists. Cultural Arts has been impacted by budget reductions moving forward. The next Cultural Arts Commission meeting on June 18th will include discussions regarding future public art plans and what art initiatives will look like in the coming year. The budget for in person art shows has been reduced by 50% in the upcoming fiscal year as well as the frequency of their meetings reduced from monthly to quarterly. Chair Camacho inquired about the art opportunity for Gardiner Park. ACM Ranals shared that the art is incorporated into the project but wouldn’t be finalized until after the construction phase is complete. Chair Camacho inquired if the art aspect could be done as a contest wherein the winner created the art at no cost to the City and the City provided the supplies. ACM Ranals expressed that the idea was interesting and could be discussed. Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes of the Meeting of June 16, 2020 Page 8 Rentals – Staff is excited to report that some rentals have resumed as of June 15th on the tennis courts as Orange Park. The schedule is limited and is being run as a pilot through July 6th. There are 26 permits issued at $6/hour for the pilot period. Commissioner Uy commented that he reserved and used one of the courts today and thought the program was great. Supervisor Mulkerrins shared that staff has posted on social media accounts and several walkups had been accommodated by accessing the site from their phones as well. Commissioner Aires inquired about how many spots are available and if they are filling up. Supervisor Mulkerrins confirmed that there are 5 courts available and that 26 of 33 potential permits had been issued. ACM Ranals added that the short pilot period was set up in advance of expected changes to the orders allowing the courts to be opened without monitoring. Commissioner Aires took a moment to give kudos to staff about the professional quality of social media posts on Facebook and Instagram, especially the videos. The City is highlighting the diverse population as well as the quality of programs provided. Staff acknowledged Veronica Ortiz as the point person responsible for the quality of the social media posts. Manager Duldulao and ACM Ranals reiterated that it is a team effort and everybody brings the information together to make it happen. Chair Camacho inquired if a similar program was being considered for the basketball courts. Manager Duldulao explained that the idea is on the radar, but right now focus is on no to low contact type activities, as allowed by Public Health. Seniors – This is another program area that has been impacted by the Public Health crisis. However, Kelli Jo and her staff should be commended for reaching out to Seniors during this time of isolation, making over 750 welfare and socialization calls during the month of May. Additionally, staff has been supporting the Community Volunteer Corps and the food drives, supplementing the food boxes with activity kits. Commissioner Camacho commended staff, and Kelli Jo in particular, for being innovative and flexible and engaging our seniors. Supervisor Cullinan gave kudos to her staff, whose years of service are 26, 18, and 14, and are doing the bulk of the work. Commissioner Battaglia thanked Kelli for doing the welfare checks. The person to person communications are very well appreciated and seniors are feeling encouraged by this contact. Sports – Manager Duldulao shared that the Sports programs has contributed to the bank of online videos and in partnership with the Junior Giants organization, has offered a virtual version of the program. Postponed for now are Open Gym, Adult Summer Softball, and basketball. Fall activities still to be determined include RAPP basketball, middle schools sports programs and adult softball. Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes of the Meeting of June 16, 2020 Page 9 Commissioner Camacho inquired about which of the Middle School sports are low contact, offering a different grouping of sports, and flipping seasons offered. Manager Duldulao reminded the commission that staff is currently limited by health orders as well as how the school district operates for the upcoming school year and is therefore in a wait and see mode. During this time, discussions have taken place about changing seasons. Manager Mulkerrins shared that swapping Track and Flag Football was considered for moving the low/no contact sport into the Fall and high-contact sport into Spring. However, most track meets are in the late evening in Spring, which works due to longer daylight hours – would pose a problem in the Fall with shorter daylight hours. Special Events – Manager Duldulao reported that all special events have been postponed or cancelled. A proposal for offering a Drive-in Movie is being considered, and staff will consider other ideas the commission may offer for special event ideas. Our larger Fall special events would usually be well into planning stages right now. If the restrictions were suddenly lifted it would be difficult for staff to put on the events in the manner that everyone has become accustomed to. However, staff is creatively thinking about how we can offer programs that bring the community together in new ways that are mindful of social distancing and health orders. Parks – Manager Richardson gave a brief update on the recent operations off Parks staff. At the beginning of the SIP orders, staff had been reduced to 20%, about 5 employees to cover the entire city. About a month ago, all Parks staff were brought back and have been focusing on catching up on the deferred maintenance from early Spring, including weed abatement and general cleanup. Staff have been focused on getting this done prior to July 1st, when higher temperatures and illegal fireworks pose greater risks. We will next focus on turf maintenance, getting everything green back up to the standards we left them in prior to the SIP. Manager Richardson then reported on Irish Town Greens, an area off of Airport Blvd and Linden Avenue. While plans initially called for additional work on trails with Community Development Block Grant funds which have been diverted due to COVID-19, staff was able to have the turf rehabilitated and an accessible pathway installed around the entire turfed area. Staff have witnessed residents out running around the path and utilizing the turf now that the park is open, a soft opening will be planned for July 1st, with a larger ribbon cutting opening at a later time. And finally, Park staff opened the tennis courts and skate park utilizing attendees, provided by rentals staff, to monitor social distancing guidelines. Commissioner Lock commented that Irish Town Greens looked tremendous, noting that people are utilizing the open space and it is a huge improvement over PG&E using it as storage space. Additionally, there is parking around the corner making the parks accessible to the entire community. Chair Camacho inquired about gophers, which Manager Richardson shared that staff had purchased equipment to address gophers at fields throughout the City and staff anticipates that all of the fields will be in better condition this year. Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes of the Meeting of June 16, 2020 Page 10 Commissioner Uy thanked staff for taking steps to make the city more soccer friendly. The community served by Irish Town Greens will utilize the park a lot. Chair Camacho concurred. Commissioner Aires inquired about the status of the bocce ball courts and the dog parks. Manager Richardson shared that dog parks are specifically called out in the county orders to remain closed at this time and that the bocce ball courts remain closed under the shared use of equipment restrictions. Commissioner Aires inquired about the state of the playgrounds; the wind has blown away the caution tape and/or knocked over signage. Manager Richardson shared that staff is continually checking on those items and re-taping is a recurring need. Due to the windy conditions, a semi-permanent solution doesn’t really exist, as any barriers or fencing would be blown over as well, potentially creating additional risk. IX. New Business: Deputy Mediati updated the commission on the Departments Return to Operations Plan (ROOP) that Angela will report on next that includes what programs, based on the state’s roadmap, can be reopened. Staff created a heat map to demonstrate, based on program enrollment, the highest and lowest amounts of participation in our programs in an effort to consider equity of access to our various programs. ACM Ranals thanked Deputy Mediati for the presentation and wanted to highlight the importance of the Rentals program which provides venues for important life events like graduations, quinceañeras, anniversaries, all of which would cost up to three times more in a hotel type rental environment. This program is 100% cost covering and an undervalued offering. Chair Camacho inquired about the noticeable difference on the heat maps for the Seniors programming and whether that is related to where senior housing and/or long term residents reside. Deputy Mediati acknowledged that with this particular demographic comfort level with driving and transportation options may come into consideration for utilization. Deputy Mediati thanked Supervisor O’Brien for coordinating with the other program supervisors and getting the data sorted and translated into these heat maps. Commissioner Aires inquired about what time period the data was collected. Deputy Mediati shared that the time period was a 12 month rolling period. Commissioner Firpo suggested that the heat maps show, from a marketing perspective, where we can do better outreach for our programs. Deputy Mediati concurred and shared that Manager Duldulao has proposed adding a survey to the registration platform to collect more detailed feedback and information after the checkout process to assess from an equity standpoint if we are meeting the Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes of the Meeting of June 16, 2020 Page 11 needs from the community. Chair Camacho suggested that the survey would be optional and can collect information on what types of classes should be added. Manager Duldulao shared a document, in its draft stage, that staff is working on to identify what programs can be accommodated at each stage of reopening and what steps needed to take place to restart a program so that looking forward as restrictions may be eased and/or re-tightened, staff can use the information compiled as a sliding scale to move forward or pull back. X. Friends of Parks and Recreation: Deputy Mediati shared that Genentech is making a $50,000 donation via Friends of Parks and Recreation to offset some of the new costs associated with restarting operations under COVID-19 and to continue to offer new programs. XI. Items from Commission: Commissioner Firpo shared that he attended the webinar for Commissioners and found the discussions about advocacy for the community valuable. Most of the information was covered by Angela when he first joined the commission, but it was really good information and reinforcing the roles and pitfalls associated with serving the public. Commissioner Uy shared that he has been walking the Centennial Trail and notices that residents are doing a great job with the social distancing. However when you get closer to the Tanforan area, there is a lot of trash that needs to be addressed as well as an elaborate encampment. He further expressed his appreciation that the tennis courts are now open. Commissioner Aires inquired if there was any impact to the Parks and Recreation Department during the recent marches from City Hall to the MSB. He further inquired about the protocol for coyote sightings in the neighborhoods. ACM Ranals reported that she was in the EOC during the recent march and there were no incidents reported at all, that the march was peaceful. She further shared that the coyote issue is a complicated issue in that the wildlife was here first and should be left alone. An attempt to remove a dominant male would it would be replaced by another, possibly more aggressive. The SPCA would only respond to a deceased animal in the public right of way. The Humane Society reminds residents that they do not control the wild life population and that it is illegal to kill or trap. The best solution is to be aware, and to communicate with neighbors when sightings do occur. Commissioner Lock wanted to reiterate all the great comments about staff and thank them for their efforts. He shared sad news that the National Parks and Recreation Asssociation just recently announced that they are laying off a substantial portion of their staff because funding is insecure. CPRS is evaluating whether they will hold a conference next year and CAPRCBM is looking into its survival as existing members are communicating they will no longer be able to support membership in the organization. He further acknowledged staff and that it is tough to have colleagues’ furloughed and uncertain future with school and returning to work. Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes of the Meeting of June 16, 2020 Page 12 Commissioner Battaglia shared that she attended the virtual budget subcommittee session. She thanked Judy Barretto for producing the masks and Susan Filereto for taking all the recreation calls from home. She thanked Kelli for all the work with the Seniors and commented on how she has witnessed neighbors and neighborhoods coming together. Chair Camacho echoed the sentiments of fellow commissioners and added that ACM Ranals has done a great job with leading this team for the greater good of the City team and it’s exciting to know that Seniors programming is being put back on the budget and everyone is hopeful for the Sports programming as well. She went on to commend staff and take from all of the community support expressed in letters to council that the services provided are essential to the community. She thanked staff for giving consideration to her questions on equity in light of the Black Lives Matter movement and inquired about whether the department was going to put out a statement. XII. Items from Staff: A. Calendar of Events. Deputy Mediati shared that a lot of events have been cancelled. The June 24th Council meeting would include a proclamation recognizing July as Parks and Recreation month. The pool will open the week of June 29th for reservation lap swim. B. Administrative Updates Manager Duldulao shared that most of the items shared in the Administrative updates were also covered in her report. ACM Ranals added that the Facilities Division was not discussed in detail this evening, but it is important to note that they had $100,000 cut from the Minor Maintenance budget and have two staff vacancies that are being under-filled with part timers, all while staff is being tasked with much more to do related to cleaning and sanitizing. Staff is doing an excellent job keeping the City clean and sanitized through this. Chair Camacho expressed congratulations to Sophia Grandov a former Siebecker preschooler that worked in our afterschool childcare programs has now graduated from South San Francisco High School with honors and will be attending University of San Francisco on an academic scholarship. XIII. Adjournment: 9:51 p.m. Respectfully submitted by Kari Jung, Administrative Assistant II Staff Report DATE: July 21, 2020 TO: Parks and Recreation Commission FROM: Deputy Director of Parks and Recreation SUBJECT: Fiscal Year 2020-21 Budget Update RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the Parks and Recreation Commission receive an update on the adopted Fiscal Year 2020-21 Operating Budget and Innovation Fund planning efforts and provide feedback. BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION As reported to the Commission at the May and June Parks and Recreation Commission Meetings, the City of South San Francisco remains largely fiscally sound due to strong reserves, however, a significant budget deficit is projected as a result of COVID-19 due to decreased sales tax revenue, transient occupancy tax revenue (i.e. hotel tax), and revenues generated from Recreation programs and other City services. As a result, to lessen the strain on the General Fund, City Council has approved operating budget reductions, shifts of funding from the General Fund to eligible alternative funding sources (i.e. Sewer Fund, Common Greens Funds), and made provisions for supplemental funding from the City’s reserve funds. A summary of the adopted budget and budget reductions is included below. Expenditure FY18‐19 Adopted Budget FY19‐20 Adopted Budget FY19‐20 Adjusted Budget* FY20‐21 Planned Budget FY20‐21 Budget Changes FY20‐21 Adopted Budget Payroll $ 12,171,612 $ 13,356,745 $ 12,992,331 $ 12,859,592 F/T: $(1,100,553) P/T: $(331,207) $ 11,332,425 Supplies & Services 3,300,083 3,474,587 3,756,188 3,300,083 O&M: (610,220) Innv. Fd: 300,000 3,085,270 Interdept. Charges 822,814 931,170 931,170 982,306 ‐ 982,306 Total $ 16,294,509 $ 17,762,501 $ 17,679,690 $ 17,141,981 $ (1,741,980) $ 15,400,002 Staff Report To: Parks and Recreation Commission Date: July 21, 2020 Subject: Fiscal Year 2020-21 Budget Update Page: 2 Position Budget The budget submitted to City Council identified $1,741,980 in budget reductions for the Parks and Recreation Department. $1,100,553 of this amount is due to the freezing of vacant positions, and reallocating positions previously charged to the General Fund to the Common Greens Funds. Position Description Positions Vacant Positions Other Action / GF Budget Total Filled Hiring P/T Filled Frozen Notes Savings Full-Time Deputy Director of P&R 1.0 1.0 Program Mgr - Parks 1.0 1.0 Program Mgr - Rec 1.0 1.0 Program Mgr - Facilities 1.0 1.0 Asst. Rec. Supervisor - Childcare 1.0 1.0 Business Services Mgr 1.0 1.0 $206,009 P&R Supervisor - Parks 2.0 1.0 1.0 Vacancy in Common Greens Fund P&R Supervisor - Facilities 1.0 1.0 Rec & Comm Services Coordinator 15.0 13.0 2.0 12.0 Positions Filled 1.0 Position underfilled with 0.75 FTE Comm. Serv. Site Coordinator 2.0 Vacancies back-filled with 1.5 Rec Leader IV $149,325* Rec & Comm Svcs Supervisor 5.0 5.0 Preschool Teacher I/II 8.0 6.0 2.0 2.0 Vacancies back-filled with: 1.0 Hrly PS Teacher I & 1.0 Hrly Rec Leader III $67,069* Tree Trimmer 2.0 2.0 1.0 FTE funded with Common Greens Fund $145,024 Maint. Craft Worker 2.0 2.0 Lead Parks Maint. Worker 2.0 2.0 Sr. Parks Maint. Worker 4.0 4.0 Parks Maint. Worker 12.0 12.0 Arborist Technician 1.0 1.0 $150,437 Staff Report To: Parks and Recreation Commission Date: July 21, 2020 Subject: Fiscal Year 2020-21 Budget Update Page: 3 Position Description Positions Vacant Positions Other Action / GF Budget Total Filled Hiring P/T Filled Frozen Notes Savings Groundsperson 2.0 2.0 1.0 FTE funded w/ Common Greens Fund $137,783 Bldg Maint. Craftsworker 2.0 2.0 Lead Bldg Maint. Custodian 2.0 2.0 Sr. Bldg Maint. Custodian 4.0 4.0 Bldg Maintenance Custodian 5.0 4.0 1.0 $109,729 Administrative Asst I 1.0 1.0 Administrative Asst II 2.0 2.0 1.0 $135,177 Subtotal Full-Time 79.0 70.0 1.0 4.0 4.0 $1,100,553 * Numbers represent F/T vacancy cost less P/T backfill Part-Time (Regular) Community Srvs. Site Coordinator 0.05 0.05 Cultural Arts Specialist 0.50 0.50 Rec Leader II 1.06 1.06 1.06 Vacancy filled w/ 1.0 Rec Leader III Rec Leader III 0.51 0.51 0.51 Vacancy filled w/ 1.0 Rec Leader III Rec Leader IV 0.75 0.75 Subtotal P/T (Regular) 2.87 1.30 1.57 Part-Time (Hourly) Van Driver 1.00 1.00 Building Maint. Custodian 2.46 2.46 Office Assistant 0.50 0 0.38 Furloughed Park Maint. Worker 1.36 1.36 Recreation Instructor 6.63 5.45 0.80 Furloughed Rec Leader I 1.75 1.4 0.35 Furloughed Rec Leader II 12.54 11.27 0.32 Furloughed Rec Leader III 37.91 32.32 0.90 Furloughed Rec Leader IV 4.73 4.41 0.16 Furloughed Subtotal P/T (Hourly) 68.88 59.67 2.91 Total 150.75 130.97 1.0 5.57 6.91 Aside from the $1,100,553 General Fund savings resulting from hiring freezes or cost transfers to other funds as detailed in the prior section, an additional $941,427 of budget reductions exist, making the total reductions for the department $1,741,980 (including the $300,000 innovation fund). The additional budget reductions are organized into two categories: (1) COVID‐related and (2) non‐COVID related. The table below is a summary of the additional budget reductions: Staff Report To: Parks and Recreation Commission Date: July 21, 2020 Subject: Fiscal Year 2020-21 Budget Update Page: 4 Description P/T Hourly Reduction Supp. & Services Reduction Total Reduction COVID Budget Reductions $ 316,192 $ 70,803 $ 386,995 Non-COVID Budget Reductions $ 15,015 $ 539,417 $ 554,432 Total Budget Reductions $ 331,207 $ 610,220 $ 941,427 COVID-Related Budget Reductions The following budget reductions are expected savings from the program reductions and/or closures that are necessary to comply with the various health orders that have been issued. These budget reductions will be revisited in October 2020 as restrictions are lifted and as circumstances change. Description P/T Hourly Reduction Supplies & Services Reduction Aquatics Modified Programs for July – Sep Note: Remaining budget would allow for limited use including swim programs and maintenance. $ 50,869 Sports Modified Programs for July - Sep $ 30,000 Rentals Modified Programs for July - Sep $ 38,000 Classes Modified Programs for July – Sep o Westborough Building AttendantoMagnolia Building Attendant $ 50,030 $ 2,860 $ 3,470 Seniors Modified Programs for July - Sep $ 89,700 Front Desk Modified Support for July - Sep $ 12,300 Cancel Annual Nutcracker Production in December $ 19,080 Cancel Senior Holiday Boutique (November) $ 3,522 $ 650 Cancel Concert in the Park $60,000 Cancel Halloween Extravaganza $ 12,113 $ 7,155 Cancel Summer 2020 Movie Night in the Park Note: The Department typically hosts two events per summer. 2020 events were scheduled for June and August. June costs would have been absorbed into the FY 2019- 2020 budget. This reduction represents the cost for the August event. $ 748 $ 2,698 Eliminate karate tournament & promotions $ 3,500 COVID Reductions $ 316,192 $70,803 Non-COVID Budget Reductions The following are other reductions for Parks and Recreation organized by program, which are largely cost savings measures: Staff Report To: Parks and Recreation Commission Date: July 21, 2020 Subject: Fiscal Year 2020-21 Budget Update Page: 5 Description P/T Hourly Reduction Sup. & Serv. Reduction Recreation & Comm Services Administration (17110) Reduce Office/Operating Supplies by 25% (5020/5021) $ 4,039 Eliminate Books/Travel/Staff Devel. (5022/5032/5033) $ 1,300 Eliminate Public Art Fund (5061 Budget – $ 125,430) $ 50,000 Parks & Recreation Commission (17110) Furlough Beautification Comm. & Awards for 1 year $ 1,000 Recreation Administration (17210) Reduce Office/Operating Supplies by 25% (5020/5021) $ 1,750 Eliminate Books, Publication, Library Materials (5022) $ 377 Sports & Athletics (17240) Cancel one Middle School Dance (5021) $ 1,510 $ 325 Childcare (17275) Eliminate Summer Camp Field Trips for Summer 2021 $ 80,000 Parks Administration (17310) Freeze CPRS/Maint. Management School Training (5033) $ 12,500 Park Maintenance (17320) Reallocate Brightview Landscape Maintenance Contract to Common Reduce Contingency Professional Services by 75% to $10,000 (5005) $ 30,000 Eliminate Parks Overtime for Citywide Cleanup Event $ 8,000 Facilities Maintenance (17420) Eliminate Bldg Maint. Overtime of Citywide Cleanup Event $ 6,000 Minor Parks Improvements (17970) Reduce Contingency Maintenance Fund to $168,185 (5061) $ 81,815 Minor Facilities Repairs/Improvements (17971) Reduce Contingency Bldg Maintenance Fund to $168,185 (5061) $ 81,815 ADD: Drive‐In Movie Night Event $ (1,496) $ (4,504) Budget Reductions $ 15,015 $ 539,417 Staff Report To: Parks and Recreation Commission Date: July 21, 2020 Subject: Budget Update and Fiscal Implications Related to COVID-19 Page: 6 Innovation Fund Recognizing that COVID-19 poses limitations on in-person recreation programs, staff are working to innovate and find alternative ways to continue the Department's mission to provide opportunities for physical, cultural, and social well-being. As noted above, the City Council allocated $300,000 toward this fund, which will essentially serve as a flexible spending fund for new and innovative programs that can be safely held in an online or adapted environment. This fund will cover expenses (both part-time hourly staffing and/or supplies and services expenditures) related to alternative programs and services. It could also be used to restore regular programming if allowed by the public health orders. Planning is still underway for new programs. In the near future, staff is exploring opportunities to launch the following programs: •Maker’s Lab at Home – This would involve pre-recorded STEAM activities and live stream support for participants to make anything from craft projects to robotics. Depending on the activity, participants would have the option to buy a supply kit, or will receive a list of supplies they can purchase on their own or find at home. •Virtual Class Studio – Currently, virtual classes are limited to an instructor’s ability to produce a virtual class from their home. This poses some limitations with regard to whether or not instructors have suitable home environments in which to record their class, as well as an instructor’s technical ability to produce a virtual program. The Department hopes to expand our virtual classes program by creating a simple recording studio in City facilities and provide more support to instructors in creating pre-recorded or live classes. The Innovation Fund would support both an investment in equipment and supplies, as well as some staffing costs. Staff is also considering implementing some in-person programs and services. However, with the State rolling back the public health orders on June 14, 2020 in response to rising cases of COVID- 19, these programs are likely to take more time to put into place and would necessitate further consideration of what is allowed by public health orders and the extent to which the Department could support any required public health protocols and safety practices. Some ideas include: •Pop-up Parks – Staff would rotate to different parks, parking lots or shared streets and host activities or provide equipment for people to play with. Equipment could include soccer balls, hula hoops, an obstacle course, etc., which would be sanitized between uses. •Sports Camp – Following a similar format to the Department’s Summer Camp program in terms of establishing stable groups of campers and other COVID-related safety provisions, staff is considering offering in-person sports camps for youth. Possible areas of interest could include volleyball, soccer, basketball, or fitness. •Transportation Services for Seniors – The premise to this idea would be to help seniors Staff Report To: Parks and Recreation Commission Date: July 21, 2020 Subject: Fiscal Year 2020-21 Budget Update Page: 7 get out of the home and could include trips to the grocery store, non-emergency doctor appointments, shopping, the park, etc. •Senior Walking Programs – This would involve arranging for small groups of seniors to meet at a park for a socially distanced walk, offering an opportunity for fitness and socialization. This could be paired with the transportation services mentioned above. •Senior Technology Support – Building on the idea of the drop-in tech support program that had been offered at Magnolia Center by students from Skyline College, this program could more specifically look at helping seniors access technology (internet, computers, iPads, etc.) and/or assist with teaching them how to access relevant tools and information online, as well as how to use systems like Zoom to connect virtually with family and friends. It should be noted that as part of program planning for youth, staff awaits news from the South San Francisco Unified School District as to the format of the 2020-2021 school year. Separate from childcare considerations, staff anticipates that the format of the new school year will inform decisions about the types of youth program being offered as well as the schedule. Fees Schedule Adjustments Parks and Recreation staff, in coordination with the City Manager’s Department and Finance Department continue to review fees and study potential fee increases. Fee schedules will be discussed at City Council Budget Subcommittee Meeting, tentatively scheduled for July 27 at 3:00 p.m. and will be presented before the Parks and Recreation Commission at the August meeting. Conclusion This report summarizes the adopted Fiscal Year 2020-21 Operating Budget. The City anticipates revisiting the Operating Budget in October 2020 to make further adjustments to recover or further reduce programs, as the City’s financial situation and the health orders – which dictate what programs and operations may resume – evolve. Staff will come before the Commission at that time with additional updates. By: Greg Mediati Deputy Director of Parks and Recreation Staff Report DATE: July 21, 2020 TO: Parks and Recreation Commission FROM: Recreation Manager SUBJECT: COVID-19 Response and Modified Operations Update RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the Parks and Recreation Commission receive an update on the current status of Departmental modified operations in response to COVID-19. BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION This item serves as an update to the COVID-19 Modified Operations Staff Report from the June 2020 Parks and Recreation Commission meeting. Since that meeting, cases of COVID-19 have continued to rise, causing State and County health orders to roll back what had been changes to relax the public health restrictions and reopen more businesses. On Monday, July 13, 2020, Governor Gavin Newsome issued an emergency order closing many indoor businesses such as dine-in restaurants (outdoor dining is still allowed), movie theaters, family entertainment centers, zoos, and museums. While the Parks and Recreation Department had not yet formalized specific plans to reopen its indoor activities to the public, staff has taken the rollback as a sign to slow down the timeline for additional in-person activities beyond what is already being offered. More information about local public health orders is available on the San Mateo County Health Department website at https://www.smchealth.org/coronavirus. Recreation Division Operations The following report outlines the current status of each Recreation Division program area. It should be noted that any area listed as “open” would be opened under a modified program following the most recent public health guidelines. Activities listed as “postponed” or “pending” are subject to change based on amendments to the public health orders. Aquatics •Open as of Monday, June 29, 2020: o Lap Swim by reservation – extended hours beginning Monday, July 13 o Swim Team (co-sponsored program) •Postponed: Staff Report To: Parks and Recreation Commission Date: July 21, 2020 Subject: COVID-19 Response and Modified Operations Update Page: 2 o Family Swim by reservation o Swim lessons for children and adults o Professional Rescuer Lifeguard certification classes o Recreational swim program o Volunteer swim aide/instructor training o Summer Camp pool programs On Monday, June 29, 2020, Orange Pool began offering Lap Swim by reservation. For a $6 fee, swimmers can reserve a lane for up to a 45-minute swim. Initially, reservation times were available Monday – Friday from 5:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m., but given the success of the soft opening, the Department extended the Lap Swim hours beginning on Monday, July 13 to include Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6:45 p.m. – 8:45 p.m. and Saturday from 7:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. The pool has been operating at full capacity every day since re-opening. The new schedule offers a total of 348 reservation slots to swimmers and the program has received a lot of positive feedback. Staff had been preparing to begin adding Family Swim and aquatic fitness classes to the schedule, but has put a temporary pause on those offerings given the recent rollback of the public health orders since these offerings involve more of a group dynamic. In the program update shared with the Commission in June, staff mentioned hoping for some opportunity to offer swim time to the Department’s Summer Camp participants, however, the pool locker rooms are still closed to the public according to the public health order. Given the fact that campers would need to shower and change before and after swimming to attend camp, staff does not believe this function can be accommodated at this time. Childcare • Open as of June 15: o Childcare Summer Program, June 15 – August 7, 2020, for preschool and elementary school-aged children • Postponed: o Full of Fun Camp • Pending: o Preschool after August 7, 2020 o Before and After School Program (Typically begins in mid-August. The format for the school year is still to be determined by the South San Francisco Unified School District.) As of Monday, June 15, 2020, the Department opened the Childcare Summer Program, an 8-week summer program for preschool and elementary school students. Pursuant to the San Mateo County Health Orders, the program was offered in two four-week sessions. The Department is now in the midst of completing Session 2, which will take place from July 13 – August 7. The program has been well received by both staff and participants. On average, the Childcare Summer Program served each week about 50 participants in the Preschool Program and 100 participants in Summer Camp. At the time of drafting this report, the Department is waiting to hear news from the South San Staff Report To: Parks and Recreation Commission Date: July 21, 2020 Subject: COVID-19 Response and Modified Operations Update Page: 3 Francisco Unified School District (District) about what is expected to be a modified schedule for the 2020-2021 school year. The school schedule will have a direct impact on the format of the Department’s Before and After School Program. Based on information available so far, the District is contemplating offering families the option of a 100% virtual learning option or a hybrid model that would include a mix of in-person class time as well as virtual learning. The District is expected to adopt a school schedule at the school board’s July 16 meeting. Staff will verbally report on any updates related to this item at the Commission meeting. Classes • Open o Virtual classes o Virtual Recreation and Resource webpage (www.ssf.net/virtualrec) o Social media campaign • Postponed o In-person recreation classes (drop-in, Spring and Summer session activities) • Pending o In-person recreation (Fall session activities) Since the June report to the Commission, the Classes Program has moved from piloting a few virtual classes with a limited group of participants to launching an entire month’s worth of free virtual class offerings to the public to celebrate Parks and Recreation Month. These free classes are made available thanks to help from a donation by the Friends of Parks and Recreation. More information about the “July is Parks and Rec Month” campaign will be discussed under a separate report. The Department is in the midst of planning a longer-term continuation of virtual classes and adopting them into a more formal Fall session of classes. The Department is also considering opportunities to host outdoor fitness classes, which are currently allowed by the public health order at this time. Cultural Arts • Open o Virtual resources for artists on the Cultural Arts webpage o Art presence on the Virtual Recreation and Resource Center webpage • Postponed o In-person art shows The Department continues to promote the arts through its virtual program, including building upon video and audio tours highlighting the background of art pieces throughout the city. One of the Department’s budget reductions affecting the current fiscal year includes a reduction of $50,000 for public art. Given the loss of public art funding and limitations on the Cultural Arts Commission’s traditionally in-person art shows, much of the discussion at upcoming Cultural Arts Commission meetings is expected to be centered on developing a future public art plan to inform the Commission’s work moving forward. Staff Report To: Parks and Recreation Commission Date: July 21, 2020 Subject: COVID-19 Response and Modified Operations Update Page: 4 Rentals • Open o Tennis courts by reservation • Postponed o Facility rentals o Picnic rentals o Sports field rentals (primarily used by co-sponsored groups) Beginning on June 15, 2020, the Department began offering rentals of the Orange Park tennis courts by reservation on Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., and Saturday – Sunday, 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. What started as a limited term pilot program through July 5, 2020 has since been extended through Sunday, August 2. Based on positive user feedback and an analysis of popular reservation times, the Department has revised the reservation hours to Monday – Sunday, 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. The cost is $6 per hour for tennis court reservations. The Department is considering extending the program beyond August 2 and exploring potential modifications to the schedule and format based on user feedback. It should be noted that the tennis court reservation program is still being offered due to user demand, although the Department has determined all tennis courts can be open without being actively monitored by staff. The Orange Park tennis courts remain free and open to the public during non-reserved times. Senior Services • Open o Information and referral, welfare checks by phone and e-mail o Food/meal deliveries to seniors o Distribution of activity and wellness kits • Postponed o Adult Day Care o Drop-in Recreation programs and amenities (i.e. bingo, mahjong, billiards, wellness room, yoga, etc.) The Senior Services program continues to carry on the vital work of information and referral, welfare checks by phone and e-mail, food delivery, and distribution of activity and wellness kits. Moving forward, staff is working on developing opportunities for increased socialization among seniors. This could include ideas such as establishing a senior walking program, providing senior- focused outdoor fitness classes, or providing technology support to help seniors connect with friends and family on platforms such as Zoom. Sports • Open o Online videos o Junior Giants at Home • Postponed o Open gym at Terrabay (basketball, futsal, badminton) o Summer adult softball and basketball Staff Report To: Parks and Recreation Commission Date: July 21, 2020 Subject: COVID-19 Response and Modified Operations Update Page: 5 • Pending o Fall sports (RAPP basketball for elementary school children, middle school sports, adult softball) The Sports Program continues to operate in a similar manner as reported in June, putting its efforts towards building on the Department’s virtual program. Given that a large part of the program is dedicated to elementary school and middle school-aged participants, staff is paying close attention to the South San Francisco Unified School District’s plans for reopening schools in order to determine the type and format of activities the Department will offer this fall. As of this report, the District’s plan is yet to be determined. Special Events • Open: None • Postponed or Cancelled: All events through December 31, 2020 • Pending: Events beginning January 1, 2021 and later At this time, the Department has not changed its plan to cancel all special events through December 31, 2020 and will continue to re-evaluate this policy over time. Park Amenities On June 19, 2020, the Department added the dog park, basketball courts, and all tennis courts to the list of open park amenities, which already included the skate park. For tennis courts, previously only the Orange Park tennis courts were open strictly by reservation. However, changes to the public health order allowed the Department to more broadly open basketball courts and tennis courts with signage indicating rules mirroring the public health order requiring people to wear masks, maintain social distance, not gather in large groups, not share equipment, etc. Unfortunately, staff repeatedly observed large groups of 15+ people on the basketball courts at several city parks. In response, the Department has closed the basketball courts at Orange Park, Buri Buri Park, and Westborough Park, which were most frequently impacted by large group gatherings. Restoration of Operations Despite the rollback of statewide public health orders bringing back activity restrictions that previously had been allowed to resume, staff continues to develop its plan for resuming in-person programs and learn from the experience of the Childcare and Aquatics Programs that have already begun offering some in-person programming. By: Angela Duldulao Recreation Manger Staff Report DATE: July 21, 2020 TO: Parks and Recreation Commission FROM: Recreation Manager SUBJECT: 2020/21 Annual Co-Sponsorship Renewals RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the Parks and Recreation Commission by motion approve co-sponsorship renewal for the 2020/21 fiscal year for the following groups: South San Francisco Mother’s Club and South San Francisco United Youth Soccer League. BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION Many years ago, the City established a set of guidelines to regulate the use of City facilities by community groups. In order to qualify for reduced cost use of parks amenities and facilities, groups must comply with the City’s Co-Sponsorship Agreement. A copy of the introductory letter to co-sponsored groups and the Co-Sponsorship Agreement is attached for the Commission’s information. The letter explains several changes to the Agreement, as well as acknowledges the impact of COVID-19 on recreational activities and programs. Changes to the Co-Sponsorship Agreement include: • Section 1.B. – This section was amended to clarify the definition of an “officer” to include executive officer positions, board of directors, trustees, agents, or other leadership roles with control or substantial influence over the organization’s policies or operations as may be designated by the organization bylaws. • Section 1.L. – This is a new section that outlines the City’s expectation for co-sponsored groups that provide services or conduct activities involving minors under the age of 18 to enact a fingerprinting policy and procedure. • Section 2.F. – This section previously referenced that the City would provide newspaper publicity upon request. It has been updated to reflect the City’s more common usage of an electronic newsletter and social media accounts to publicize events and activities. Staff Report To: Parks and Recreation Commission Date: July 21, 2020 Subject: 2020/21 Annual Co-Sponsorship Renewals Page: 2 As the Commission is aware, co-sponsored groups are those organizations that are recreational in nature, bring people of like interests together and provide opportunities for social exchange and development. Benefits of co-sponsorship include modest staff support, inclusion of promotional materials in the Activity Guide, ability to participate with Department events, and reduced cost of facility usage as available. Each group is required to have a membership and governing board consisting of no less than 51% South San Francisco residents. In order to maintain the privileges associated with co-sponsored status, groups are required to submit an annual report which includes program, membership, and financial information. Staff reviews the reports and prepares a summary and recommendation to the Parks and Recreation Commission. Impact of COVID-19 Noting that COVID-19 may present various challenges to each co-sponsored group as well as the personal lives of individuals involved, the Department has been flexible in terms of granting an extension of the application deadline to co-sponsored groups. In addition, anticipating that the Department may not be able to offer the full benefit of use of City facilities for the first quarter of the fiscal year and possibly longer, the co-sponsorship fees are being charged at 25% off this year. The Department anticipates presenting applications for the following co-sponsored groups at a future Parks and Recreation Commission meeting: • Italian American Citizens Club • South San Francisco Aquatics Club • AARP Chapter 3156 • Historical Society of South San Francisco, Inc. • South San Francisco Youth Baseball Managers Association • South San Francisco Shetland Pinto Mustang Baseball • Ballet Folklorico of South San Francisco CO-SPONSORED GROUP SUMMARIES As of this report, the following co-sponsored groups have completed their co-sponsorship application, except for the Department awaiting receipt of a signed Co-Sponsorship Agreement from each group. Staff recommends that the Commission approve the co-sponsorship application for both groups on the provision that they submit a signed Co-Sponsorship Agreement to the Department. The Department does not anticipate any issues from either group completing this administrative detail. 1. South San Francisco Mother’s Club President: Nadia Rodriguez Vice President: Nadia Bick Membership: 94 (81% South San Francisco residents) Activities: The South San Francisco Mothers Club is a social and parent support organization Staff Report To: Parks and Recreation Commission Date: July 21, 2020 Subject: 2020/21 Annual Co-Sponsorship Renewals Page: 3 that offers resources, recreation and social opportunities for children, their parents and caregivers. The group organizes family activities and outings, play groups, reading groups, a guest speaker series, and volunteers to support Parks and Recreation events throughout the year. Membership dues are $35 per the year. Board meetings are held quarterly. Beginning Balance: $6,261 Revenue: $2,875 Disbursements: $3,913 Ending Balance: $5,223 2. South San Francisco United Youth Soccer League President: Alma Patty Gomez Vice President: Mario Ayar Membership: 521 (52% South San Francisco residents) Activities: The South San Francisco United Soccer League is a co-ed recreational and competitive soccer program. Games and practices are hosted at Orange Park and Terrabay, and the Department also makes arrangements for the group’s use of school district fields. Membership dues are $120 per year. Board meetings are held quarterly during the months of February, May, August, and November. Beginning Balance: $23,741 Revenue: $67,005 Disbursements: $74,496 Ending Balance: $ 16,250 SUMMARY Staff has reviewed the co-sponsorship applications and finds that the South San Francisco Mothers Club and South San Francisco United Youth Soccer League qualify for renewal on the provision that they submit a signed Co-Sponsorship Agreement to the Department. Staff would like to recognize these groups for their volunteerism and for offering exceptional recreation and enrichment opportunities for South San Francisco residents. Angela Duldulao Recreation Manager Attachments: (1) Letter to Co-Sponsored Groups, (2) Co-Sponsorship Agreement Template RECREATION DIVISION • 33 ARROYO DRIVE MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 711 • SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94083 (650) 829-3800 • FAX (650) 877-5378 June 24, 2020 Dear Co-Sponsored Group: I sincerely hope this letter finds you well as we all manage the challenge of COVID-19 in our personal lives, in addition to navigating its impact on your nonprofit organization. Despite these challenges, the Parks and Recreation Department looks forward to continuing our partnership with your organization and building upon our collective efforts of providing recreational activities and programs, even if it must proceed in a modified form. Attached please find your annual co-sponsorship renewal packet for the upcoming 2020-2021 Fiscal Year. As in past years, please complete the attached Annual Renewal Report and return your completed packet with all required documents for calendar year 2019 no later than Friday, July 10, 2020. Co-Sponsorship Permit Fees Groups are charged an annual Co-Sponsorship Permit Fee, with the rate to be determined by group size. The fee structure is approved by both the Parks and Recreation Commission and the City Council. Anticipating that the Parks and Recreation Department may not be able to offer the full benefit typically offered to co-sponsored groups due to public health restrictions, we are offering 25% off of the co-sponsorship fees. Please see below for the modified fee. Category I: 1 to 99 members $110/year $83/year Category II: 100-199 members $165/year $124/year Category III: 200-299 members $270/year $203/year Category IV: 300 and up $380/year $285/year Permit fees must also be paid by Friday, July 10, 2020. As of the time of drafting this letter, City operations are only taking place by phone or online until further notice. As such, we request that you make payment via one of the following options: Payment Options • Mail in a check o Write out a check made out to the “City of South San Francisco” o Mail your check to the Parks and Recreation Department, P.O. Box 711, South San Francisco, CA, 94080 • Call in a credit card payment CITY COUNCIL 2019 RICHARD GARBARINO, MAYOR MARK ADDIEGO, VICE MAYOR KARYL MATSUMOTO, COUNCILMEMBER MARK NAGALES, COUNCILMEMBER BUENAFLOR NICOLAS, COUNCILMEMBER DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION (650) 829-3800 FAX (650) 877-5378 ATTACHMENT 1 RECREATION DIVISION • 33 ARROYO DRIVE MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 711 • SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94083 (650)829-3800 • FAX (650) 877-5378 o Please contact Susan Filereto, Administrative Assistant, at (650) 829-3800 to make a credit card payment by phone. •Please plan to make payment via one of the options above. If necessary, pleasecontact me or your staff liaison to arrange an in-person payment by cash, check,or credit card. Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting To complete your request to renew your co-sponsorship agreement, it is mandatory that your organization president, or his or her designee, attend the Parks and Recreation Commission meeting on Tuesday, July 21 at 7:00 p.m. This meeting will be held virtually. Staff will contact you next month with instructions to participate by phone and online. Please be prepared to introduce yourself and other officers in attendance, provide an overview of your group activities, and answer questions. Changes to the Co-Sponsorship Agreement Please note the following changes to this year’s Co-Sponsorship Agreement: Section 1.B. – Amended to include the definition of an “officer”. Section 1.L. – This is a new section that outlines the City’s expectation for co-sponsored groups that provide services or conduct activities involving minors under the age of 18 to enact a fingerprinting policy and procedure. Section 2.F. – This section previously referenced that the City would provide newspaper publicity upon request. It has been updated to reflect the City’s more common usage of an electronic newsletter and social media accounts to publicize events and activities. If you have any questions or need any assistance completing your forms, please do not hesitate to call your staff liaison or reach out to me directly at (650) 829-3827 or [email protected]. Sincerely, Angela Duldulao Recreation Manager Parks and Recreation Department ATTACHMENT 1 The City of South San Francisco Co-Sponsorship Agreement 1 CO-SPONSORSHIP AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO AND ___________________________________ This Co-Sponsorship Agreement is between the City of South San Francisco, a municipal corporation (“City”) and ________________________________________________ as of July 1, 2020 (the “Effective Date”). City and Organization are hereinafter collectively referred to as (the “Parties”). In consideration of their mutual covenants, the Parties hereby agree as follows: 1. Organization Obligations. Throughout the term of this Co-Sponsorship Agreement, Organization shall comply with all of the following: A. Retain Organization membership ratio of 51 percent South San Francisco residents, unless otherwise agreed, in writing, by the City. Verify residency of members by providing copies of driver’s licenses or other equivalent proof of address upon request of the Parks and Recreation Department. B. Retain ratio of Organization officers of 51 percent South San Francisco residents, unless otherwise agreed, in writing, by the City. Verify residency of officers by providing copies of driver’s licenses or other equivalent proof of address upon request of the Parks and Recreation Department. For the purposes of this section, an “officer” includes executive officer positions, board of directors, trustees, agents, or other leadership roles with control or substantial influence over the organization’s policies or operations as may be designated by the organization bylaws. C. Register with the State of California as a non-profit organization, and comply with annual filing requirements. D. Request use of park or school facilities through the Parks and Recreation Department each calendar year. City reserves the right to reschedule or cancel Organization’s activity if facility is needed for another use. E. Submit monthly “Attendance Reports” to Parks and Recreation Commission, upon request. F. Prepare and submit “Annual Renewal Report,” to include annual financial and program reports, annual tax return, and roster of Board of Directors. G. Appear before the Parks and Recreation Commission for annual review, upon request. H. Provide a copy of all changes to Organization’s constitution or bylaws to Parks and Recreation Department. I. Include the words “Co-Sponsored by the South San Francisco Parks and Recreation Department” on all publicity materials. J. Give Organization membership priority to South San Francisco residents. K. Provide financial records, including but not limited to cancelled checks, bank statements, and receipts for inventory, upon request of Parks and Recreation Department. ATTACHMENT 2 The City of South San Francisco Co-Sponsorship Agreement 2 L. Fingerprinting requirements: any group that provides services to or conducts activities involving minors under the age of 18 years shall enact a fingerprinting policy and procedure. Any individuals working or interacting with minors in any manner as a part of the group services, events or activities must be fingerprinted for background check purposes. It shall be the group’s responsibility to ensure that all such individuals comply with fingerprinting requirements, and the group shall retain records demonstrating members’ compliance for a period not less than five (5) years and permit the City to inspect such records upon advanced written notice. 2. City Services. Contingent upon Organization’s continued compliance with all terms and conditions of this Co-Sponsorship Agreement, City will provide the following: A. City will schedule Organization use of school or park facilities on an annual basis. Note: City reserves the right to change assignment and schedule at any time. B. City reserves the right to charge fees, based on the number of members or number of activity meetings, to recoup direct costs associated with the Organization’s use of City facilities or services, if required by budget conditions. City agrees to provide not less than thirty (30) days’ notice to Organization and to provide an opportunity for public input prior to adopting new fees. Any fees would be subject to approval of the Parks and Recreation Commission. C. City will include Organization’s information in quarterly Activity Guide. D. City will provide Organization’s information to the public in response to patron inquiries. E. City may design and print flyers, programs, tickets, stationary, and other projects (not including correspondence) upon request. Not to exceed annual limit as specified by Parks and Recreation Department. F. City may provide publicity upon request via the Parks and Recreation Department’s monthly electronic newsletter and social media accounts. 3. Term of Agreement. This Agreement shall commence upon the date indicated above and shall renew automatically on an annual basis, provided that Organization remains in compliance with all applicable requirements, unless terminated in accordance with Section 9, below. 4. No Partnership. The terms of this Agreement shall in no way be construed to create a partnership, joint venture or any other joint relationship between City and Organization. 5. Independent Contractor. It is understood and agreed that this Agreement is not a contract of employment and does not create an employer-employee relationship between the City and Organization. At all times Organization shall be an independent entity and Organization is not authorized to bind the City to any contracts or other obligations without the express written consent of the City. 6. Indemnification. To the fullest extent permitted by law, Organization shall indemnify, defend (with counsel acceptable to the City), and hold harmless the City and its elected and appointed officers, officials, employees, agents, contractors and consultants (collectively, the “City Indemnitees”) from and against any and all liability, loss, damage, claims, expenses and costs (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees and costs of litigation) (collectively, “Liability”) of every nature arising out of or in connection with Organization’s performance under this Agreement, except such Liability caused by the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the City Indemnitees. ATTACHMENT 2 The City of South San Francisco Co-Sponsorship Agreement 3 7. Insurance. Organization (and any subcontractors) shall, at Organization’s (or subcontractor’s) sole cost and expense, furnish the City with certificates of insurance evidencing that Organization has obtained and maintains insurance in the following amounts: A. Workers’ Compensation that satisfies the minimum statutory limits. B. Commercial General Liability and Property Damage Insurance in an amount not less than ONE MILLION DOLLARS ($1,000,000) combined single limit per occurrence, TWO MILLION DOLLARS ($2,000,000) annual aggregate, for bodily injury, property damage, products, completed operations and contractual liability coverage. The policy shall also include coverage for liability arising out of the use and operation of any City-owned or City-furnished equipment used or operated by the Organization, its personnel, agents or subcontractors. The City of South San Francisco, and its elected and appointed officers, officials, employees, agents, contractors and consultants are included as additional insured. All insurance policies shall be written on an occurrence basis and shall name the City Indemnitees as additional insureds. The certificates shall contain a statement of obligation on the part of the carrier to notify City of any material change, cancellation, termination or non-renewal of the coverage at least thirty (30) days in advance of the effective date of any such material change, cancellation, termination or non-renewal. Vendor will not operate a vehicle at any point when providing services pursuant to this Agreement. 8. Nondiscrimination. Organization shall not discriminate in the provision of service or in the employment of persons engaged in the performance of this Agreement on account of race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental disability in violation of any applicable local, state or federal laws or regulations. 9. Termination. City may terminate or suspend this Agreement at any time, for any reason, including, but not limited to, in the best interest of the City or public upon written notification to Organization. Upon receipt of notice of termination or suspension, Organization shall immediately stop all activities under this Agreement. The City's right of termination shall be in addition to all other remedies available under law to the City. Further, the City shall terminate the Agreement and suspend use of facilities and/or support for failure to comply with the terms of this Agreement, disruptive participants, and/or evidence of financial mishandling. The Agreement may also be terminated upon the Organization’s receipt of thirty (30) days written notice. 10. Severability. If any term or portion of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal, or otherwise unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining provisions of this Agreement shall continue in full force and effect. 11. Entire Agreement. This Agreement represents the entire and integrated agreement between the Parties. This Agreement may be modified or amended only by a subsequent written agreement signed by both Parties. 12. Non-Liability of Officials, Employees and Agents. No officer, official, employee or agent of City shall be personally liable to Organization in the event of any default or breach by City pursuant to this Agreement. ATTACHMENT 2 The City of South San Francisco Co-Sponsorship Agreement 4 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have executed this Agreement as of the date written above. CITY: ORGANIZATION: By:__________________________ By:_______________________________ Sharon Ranals Assistant City Manager / Director of Parks and Recreation Print Name:_________________________ Title: ______________________________ APPROVED AS TO FORM: ____________________________ City Attorney 1794096.1 3489546.1 ATTACHMENT 2 Staff Report DATE: July 21, 2020 TO: Parks and Recreation Commission FROM: Deputy Director of Parks and Recreation SUBJECT: Shared Streets Pilot Program RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the Parks and Recreation Commission review a presentation of the Shared Streets Pilot Program and provide feedback. BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION Chris Espiritu, Senior Planner with the Economic and Community Development Department, will present on the Shared Streets Pilot Program and concepts to provide outdoor recreational opportunities for the public in residential neighborhoods by temporarily limiting through traffic from certain streets. This program, as envisioned, would enhance residents’ opportunities for physically distant socialization that complies with social distancing protocols, in addition to walking, jogging, biking, and other recreational uses in neighborhoods throughout the city. By: Greg Mediati Deputy Director of Parks and Recreation Staff Report DATE: July 21, 2020 TO: Parks and Recreation Commission FROM: Recreation and Community Services Supervisor SUBJECT: Celebrating July as National Park and Recreation Month RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the Parks and Recreation Commission be apprised of the Department’s campaign to recognize and celebrate July as National Park and Recreation Month. BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION Since 1985, Americans have celebrated Park and Recreation Month in July to promote the importance parks and recreation has in health and well-being, conservation and social equity, and to recognize the hard working professionals that make it all possible. This year the department honors Park and Recreation Month with virtual engagements for the South San Francisco community as well as recognizing the passionate Park and Recreation professionals providing essential services to the City. For the third year the department has partnered with the South San Francisco Friends of Parks and Recreation to bring the community free classes throughout the month. In addition to promoting health and wellness in the community, these sponsored classes have allowed individuals an opportunity to try new programs or experience a different instructor, free of cost. This year the Friends of Parks and Recreation partnership has also allowed community members to test the virtual class platform, as well as allow for some otherwise furloughed instructors to have an opportunity to continue to share their talents. This year’s free classes vary from fitness and dance to visual arts. As of the publication of this report, over 260 community members have registered in one or more of the nine activities offered. Registration will remain open throughout the month, or until classes meet maximum capacity. July is the perfect time for residents to explore the beautiful and well maintained parks throughout the City. According to the National Recreation and Park Association’s (NRPA) 2019 Engagement with Parks Report, an overwhelming majority of Americans assert that they personally benefit from local parks. In an attempt to further engage the community in safe outdoor activities during the COVID-19 pandemic, the department will also be introducing a series of audio tours. Stay PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT EVENT CALENDAR Month: July 2020 Day Date Event Time Location July is Parks and Recreation Month! TBD Adult Summer Softball League [Postponed - Decision Pending] Wednesday 01 Orange Pool Reopening Orange Pool Thursday 02 Friday 03 Programs Closed Saturday 04 Independence Day Sunday 05 Monday 06 Improving Public Places Committee meeting Junior Giants at Home (Summer Session 2: July 6 – Aug. 1) 5:30 p.m. Corp. Yard conference room or Cancelled (TBD) Online Tuesday 07 Wednesday 08 City Council Meeting 7:00 p.m. MSB Council Chambers or Online (TBD) Thursday 09 Friday 10 CAC Photography Show [Postponed - Decision Pending] Saturday 11 CAC Photography Show [Postponed - Decision Pending] Sunday 12 Monday 13 Tuesday 14 Wednesday 15 Thursday 16 Cultural Arts Commission meeting 6:30 p.m. MSB Betty Weber or Online (TBD) Friday 17 Saturday 18 Sunday 19 Monday 20 Tuesday 21 Parks & Recreation Commission meeting 7:00 p.m. MSB Council Chambers or Online (TBD) Wednesday 22 City Council Meeting 7:00 p.m. MSB Council Chambers or Online (TBD) Thursday 23 Friday 24 Saturday 25 Sunday 26 Monday 27 City Council Budget Subcommittee 3:00 p.m. Online Tuesday 28 Wednesday 29 Thursday 30 Friday 31 PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT EVENT CALENDAR Month: August 2020 Day Date Event Time Location Saturday 01 Sunday 02 Monday 03 Tuesday 04 Wednesday 05 Thursday 06 Friday 07 Final Day of Summer Camp Saturday 08 Sunday 09 Monday 10 Fall Session Registration Begins (Tentative) Tuesday 11 Wednesday 12 SSFUSD School Begins City Council Meeting 7:00 p.m. MSB Council Chambers or online (TBD) Thursday 13 Friday 14 Saturday 15 Sunday 16 Monday 17 Tuesday 18 Parks & Recreation Commission meeting 7:00 p.m. MSB Council Chambers or online (TBD) Wednesday 19 Thursday 20 Cultural Arts Commission meeting 6:30 p.m. MSB Betty Weber or online (TBD) Friday 21 Saturday 22 Sunday 23 Monday 24 Tuesday 25 Wednesday 26 City Council Meeting 7:00 p.m. MSB Council Chambers or online (TBD) Thursday 27 Friday 28 Saturday 29 Sunday 30 Monday 31 PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT EVENT CALENDAR Month: September 2020 Day Date Event Time Location Tuesday 01 Wednesday 02 Thursday 03 Friday 04 Saturday 05 Sunday 06 Monday 07 Labor Day/Programs Closed Tuesday 08 Fall Session Classes Begin (tentative) Wednesday 09 City Council Meeting 7:00 p.m. MSB Council Chambers or online (TBD) Thursday 10 Friday 11 Saturday 12 IPP Planting Event (tentative) TBD Sunday 13 Monday 14 Improving Public Places Committee meeting (tentative) 5:30 p.m. Corp. Yard conference room or online (TBD) Tuesday 15 Parks & Recreation Commission meeting 7:00 p.m. MSB Council Chambers or online (TBD) Wednesday 16 Thursday 17 Cultural Arts Commission meeting 6:30 p.m. MSB Betty Weber or online (TBD) Friday 18 Saturday 19 Coastal Clean Up Day Sunday 20 Monday 21 Tuesday 22 Wednesday 23 City Council Meeting 7:00 p.m. MSB Council Chambers or online (TBD) Thursday 24 Friday 25 Saturday 26 Sunday 27 Monday 28 Tuesday 29 Wednesday 30 CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM DATE: June 18, 2020 TO: Mayor, Vice Mayor and Councilmembers FROM: Greg Mediati, Deputy Director of Parks and Recreation SUBJECT: Bi-Weekly Update Parks Update General Maintenance Update Since returning to work, Parks staff have been focusing on a myriad of maintenance activities. Weed abatement has been the primary focus as we approach the fire season. The Division’s goal is to always have weed abatement in our largest, high risk areas completed before the Fourth of July holiday. Illegal fireworks and the areas hottest months follow the holiday, increasing fire dangers. Our citywide weed abatement push keeps residents safe and limits the chance of fire in the city. Additionally, the Parks Division has been coordinating with Dave Renn with the Police Department, who oversees the annual Summer Youth Work Program. The Summer Youth Work Program’s weed abatement efforts began June 15. This partnership between the Police Department and Parks and Recreation Department is a great collaboration that engages local youth and helps keep the city clean and safe. Park staff have also been focusing on making sure irrigation in all areas is working properly and getting proper coverage to keep our turf green through the dry season. Staff have also been performing annual backflow inspections citywide which is required by law. The inspections also helps the Division keep track of repairs, replacements, and operation status of our various irrigation systems throughout the city. Additionally, ballfield maintenance has resumed now that the Department is catching up on basic maintenance activities. Sign Hill Update Sign Hill is reaching the time of year where many spring flowering plants are starting to go dormant for the dry summer months. The late winter/spring saw staff focusing on invasive seed bank reduction by hand pulling and string trimming, as well as planting native species through volunteer events. Now that summer is right around the corner, staff are moving to monitoring and counting sensitive species on the hill. Part of this work also entails monitoring our planted areas from the spring, and as of June 10th there is a survival rate of 83% of our native plants that were installed. This is an outstanding number as restoration survival rates usually range between 30%- 50%. Restoration staff have also performed weed abatement around all of the letters on Sign Hill, where many sensitive species can be found. Generally, this work had been performed by individuals Bi-Weekly Update June 18, 2020 Page 2 of 2 assigned to the County’s youth probation crews in the past, but this is the first year where knowledgeable staff were able to selectively weed abate to protect sensitive species in the area. Now that the invasive species are being removed and natives retained, the invasive species will be pushed out of the area more than ever. CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM DATE: June 25, 2020 TO: Mayor, Vice Mayor and Councilmembers FROM: Greg Mediati, Deputy Director of Parks and Recreation SUBJECT: Bi-Weekly Update COVID-19 Update Effective Wednesday, June 17, 2020, San Mateo County's new health order limits gatherings to no more than 50 people, outlines social distancing and face covering requirements, allows for social bubbles, and requires businesses to implement a social distancing protocol and written health and safety plans. Staff’s interpretation of this most recent health order is that it is the most expansive so far, allowing the Parks and Recreation Department to open facilities and some programs under modified operations. In response to the new order, staff has opened the dog park, tennis and basketball courts, and the skate park. In addition, the Department is looking forward to a soft opening of Orange Pool beginning on Monday, June 29. Please see Attachment 1 for a copy of the Department’s most recent COVID-19 update electronic newsletter, which provides more information about program openings. This newsletter is also available online at https://conta.cc/3dq8z0C. As has been the case, the Department has been sending periodic COVID-19 program updates via its electronic newsletter with a mailing list of over 16,000 e- mails, posting information at www.ssf.net/rec, and sharing updates via social media. At this point in time, staff is planning to continue offering virtual classes and remote services. The Department has issued a community survey to better understand the types of virtual classes the community would like to see. The survey can be taken online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SSFVirtualClass through June 30. In addition, planning is underway to prepare facilities, staff, policies and procedures, and programs to meet the current public health guidelines to position the Department to be ready to offer more in-person programs. Tennis court reservations continue through July 5 The Orange Memorial Park tennis courts have been open by reservation since Monday, June 15. While the public health orders allow the tennis courts to be open citywide without a reservation system, the Department plans to continue its tennis court reservation pilot program through July 5. During the first week of the program alone, the Department received 56 reservations averaging eight reservations per day. The Orange Memorial Park tennis courts will be staffed through July 5, Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., and Saturday – Sunday, 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. This staff person will help monitor community feedback regarding the reservation system. Reservations can be made at www.ssf.net/rec-catalog. Bi-Weekly Update June 25, 2020 Page 2 of 4 Pool soft opening Monday, June 29 Staff is looking forward to reopening Orange Pool on Monday, June 29. Initially, the pool will only be open in the morning from 5:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., however, staff hopes to extend the operating hours soon after. Similar to the tennis court reservation program, Orange Pool will be piloting a lane reservation system. Lap swimmers will be able to reserve a lane for 45 minutes at a time for $6 per hour. Reservations will be accepted beginning Wednesday, June 24 and can be made at www.ssf.net/rec-catalog. SSF Civic Ballet Graduating Seniors The 2020 South San Francisco Civic Ballet presented Certificates of Appreciation to six graduating seniors in recognition for their outstanding achievement, dedication, and contribution to the ballet program. This has been a long standing tradition for Artistic Director Maria Spremich. The students who were recognized are: Isabella, Kayla, Tiffany, Kennedy, Yelena, and Maddy. Each student received their certificates with a bouquet flowers. Traditionally, the certificates are awarded at the Spring Ballet show, which was cancelled due to COVID-19. Maria still felt the importance of recognizing her beloved students in some way. All six students have successfully participated and completed the virtual ballet classes since the start of the pandemic closures. We wish them all the very best of luck. Ballerinas pose with their Certificate of Appreciation Bi-Weekly Update June 25, 2020 Page 3 of 4 Cultural Arts Update Jack Drago Cultural Arts Commission Youth Art Scholarship The Cultural Arts Commission awarded the $2,000 Jack Drago Cultural Arts Commission Youth Art Scholarship to graduating senior, Helen Wilborn of South San Francisco High School. Her achievement was acknowledged at the June 10 City Council meeting and June 18 Cultural Arts Commission meeting. A virtual gallery page of her art work will be posted online at www.ssf.net/culturalarts. Video Highlight of Alta Loma Ceramic Tile and Interactive Art Project The Children’s Tile Project titled “Joy, Laugh, Fun, Share,” at Alta Loma Park was featured in the first of many planned video presentations featuring South San Francisco Public Art installations. A community art activity was added in conjunction with the video, which invited the public to create their own tile highlighting the theme and sharing it on social media. The video was created through the combined efforts of Ercie Santos, Cultural Arts Specialist, Veronica Ortiz, Recreation Coordinator and Supervisor Erin O’Brien. The video can be found on the Parks and Recreation Department’s YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/hVuRQrzfEaY July is National Park and Recreation Month Since 1985, America has celebrated July as Park and Recreation Month. A program of the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), the goal is to raise awareness of the essential services that park and recreation professionals provide to communities across the United States. Eighty-three percent of adults agree that visiting their local parks, trails and open spaces is essential for their mental and physical well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through these challenging times, the need for quality community services has rarely been greater. The Parks and Recreation Department staff have found creative ways to continue to deliver these essential services to the community during the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout the month of July, we will be highlighting the people who make sure our parks and programs are well-maintained, safe, inclusive and welcoming. In addition, to celebrating the passionate and essential work of parks and recreation professionals who are providing services that are vital to a healthy South San Francisco, we will also be offering a variety of activities for residents of all ages and abilities. Thanks to the South San Francisco Friends of Parks and Recreation, the Department will once again be able to provide an Bi-Weekly Update June 25, 2020 Page 4 of 4 array of free classes for the community, only this year they will be virtual! Remaining Private Rentals on Calendar (July – December 2020) While many permit holders for private rentals of City picnic areas and facilities have voluntarily elected to cancel their events, some have waited for the City’s direction to cancel their event as the City has rolled out facility closures several weeks at a time due to public health orders restricting in-person gatherings. As of this date, 51 facility rentals and five picnic area rentals remain on the calendar between July to December. Cancellation of all remaining events would result in a refund totaling $9,344 going back to customers. This amount primarily represents security deposits required upon initial reservation and does not include the City’s total potential loss of revenue by not hosting these private rentals. It should be noted that the City has not accepted any new private rental reservations since the shelter in place order came into effect in mid-March. CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM DATE: July 2, 2020 TO: Mayor, Vice Mayor and Councilmembers FROM: Greg Mediati, Deputy Director of Parks and Recreation SUBJECT: Bi-Weekly Update Parks Update Parks Legislation Update: Congress Nears Permanent Funding of LWCF (via Recreation Management e-Magazine) Congress is close to enacting a historic measure that will dramatically expand access to parks and public lands. The Senate has voted in an overwhelmingly bipartisan fashion to move forward with the Great American Outdoors Act, which will ensure that $900 million in offshore oil and gas fees are invested in local parks and open space, by fully funding the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). The measure will now go to the House of Representatives, which also is poised to enact this legislation. The White House has already signaled its support. "The Great American Outdoors Act enjoys strong bipartisan support for providing critical resources to local communities for conservation, parks and recreation," said Kristine Stratton, president and CEO of the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA). "Now, we urge the House to pass the Great American Outdoor Act and ensure that LWCF becomes fully funded and therefore can effectively serve communities through parks, outdoor recreation, conservation, and health and wellness." "Equitable access to the outdoors is essential," said Diane Regas, president and CEO of the Trust for Public Land. "Full and permanent funding for LWCF is a huge step forward in providing the resources needed to create outdoor experiences in places they are needed most." Regas continued, "During this pandemic, we have seen that access to nature is more important than ever. But not everyone has a safe and quality place to get outside during this time. The COVID-19 pandemic has made it clear that in far too many communities, parks and accessible natural areas are a privilege, when they should be a right. Nationwide, 100 million people — including 28 million kids — don't have a park within a 10-minute walk of home. Additionally, state governments report needing $27 billion for local parks and recreation projects to expand access. The health benefits that parks, trails and public lands provide will be essential to our recovery from this crisis, and the long-term sustainability of our communities." Bi-Weekly Update July 2, 2020 Page 2 of 4 Irish Town Green Improvements Parks staff have been preparing Irish Town Green for a soft opening on July 1, 2020. A newly installed pedestrian gate now allows for ADA access to the pathway that surrounds the new turf to create a usable space for all. While the entire site is not renovated due to COVID-19, the Parks and Recreation Department felt it is important to give this neighborhood an area to get outside and recreate. Future work will continue at Irish Town Green as funding becomes available to rehabilitate this area for a neighborhood that desperately needs park space. The announcement of the soft opening will be made online and the gates will no longer be locked. An official opening will occur once the site has had additional work completed and health guidelines allow for such events. Circle 3.0 Tree Planting At the June 24 City Council Meeting, Councilmember Matsumoto requested an update on the success of last year’s Circle 3.0 Tree Planting Initiative. As members of the City Council may recall, last year the Parks Division worked with various agencies to plant four-hundred trees city- wide in both private and public property as part of the City’s annual Arbor Day event. Two- hundred of these trees were planted in City owned parks and street tree wells, while the remaining 200 trees were planted on private property. Staff continues to regularly monitor these trees, and found that the vast majority of these trees have survived and are doing quite well with Bi-Weekly Update July 2, 2020 Page 3 of 4 the help of residents watering them. Staff estimates a 90% survival rate for trees planted in the City right-of-way areas. This spring, West Coast Arborists (WCA) contacted staff and offered to provide the City with 25 more trees. WCA and staff are working closely to get these planted as nurseries open back up and are once again stocking the trees that have been specified. These trees will be planted in the downtown area in a continued effort to add trees to our most urban parts of the city. Facilities Update City Hall Parking Lot Stairs Recently, Building Maintenance staff were made aware that the stairs leading from the City Hall parking lot to the City Hall Annex developed a tripping hazard. After investigating the issue, it was determined that one of the steps deteriorated to an unsafe condition. Building Maintenance Craftworkers secured the area and removed the crumbling concrete. Removal of the broken concrete exposed the original paver steps that were covered over many years ago. Building Maintenance staff are now installing forms and pouring a concrete patch. Bi-Weekly Update July 2, 2020 Page 4 of 4 HVAC Preventative Maintenance and Filter Replacement As part of the return to work preparations, Building Maintenance staff and HVAC contractors are performing HVAC preventative maintenance and filter replacements this week. As another COVID-19 preventative measurement, staff will upgrade units with high-efficacy MERV 13 filters, as detailed in the memorandum to City Council on this subject on June 4. CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM DATE: July 9, 2020 TO: Mayor, Vice Mayor and Councilmembers FROM: Greg Mediati, Deputy Director of Parks and Recreation SUBJECT: Bi-Weekly Update Furlough Notices to Part-Time Recreation Staff While July 1 marks the beginning of Parks and Recreation Month, it also marks the beginning of a furlough period for over 300 part-time staff members in the Recreation Division. These furloughs are a result of budget reductions impacting the fiscal year as well as restrictions imposed by the public health orders that limit the Department’s ability to offer in-person programming. Despite this sobering news, it should be noted that the Parks and Recreation leadership team were on the receiving end of many appreciative comments from staff for the City’s commitment to paying staff members through June 30. Many of our colleagues who are affected by the furlough recognize that their counterparts in other cities were impacted by a much more severe loss in pay and jobs much sooner in the COVID-19 pandemic. Our affected colleagues have also expressed a continued commitment to the City and to supporting the Department’s effort to offer modified recreation programs to the community. The table below summarizes the status change communicated to furloughed employees via an Official Notice to Employee as to Change in Relationship form pursuant to Section 1089 of the California Unemployment Insurance Code. It should be noted the employee status represents information as of June 30, 2020. Following City Council’s direction, the Department anticipates resuming or expanding upon Parks and Recreation operations that are allowed by the public health order. As such, the Department intends to return employees to work as the opportunity arises. In addition, the Department has worked on reassigning staff across recreation program areas. This has primarily taken place with staff being reassigned to the Childcare Program. Summary of Official Notice to Employee as to Change in Relationship form pursuant to Section 1089 of the California Unemployment Insurance Code (Status as of June 30, 2020) Status Change Count No scheduled hours until further notice 180 Hours Reduced / Assignment Change* 31 On-Call / Seasonal Only ** 164 Grand Total 375 Bi-Weekly Update July 9, 2020 Page 2 of 3 * While a small proportion of employees will continue to work some hours, most in this category will still lose more than 50% of their regularly assigned hours. ** These employees work seasonally or are on-call. That is, there is no expectation of hours during any given time so their status doesn’t change although they are now less likely to have hours of work available. The notice to employees was attached to a special message from Assistant City Manager/Parks and Recreation Director Sharon Ranals (see Attachment 1) and included an eight page “Resources for Furloughed Employees During COVID-19” packet as well as information about unemployment insurance. July is Parks and Recreation Month Throughout the month of July, the Parks and Recreation Department invites the community to participate in a variety of free virtual classes and follow along with the Parks and Recreation Department's social media accounts as we highlight and celebrate the passionate Parks and Recreation professionals of South San Francisco, who make sure our parks, facilities, and programs are well-maintained, safe, inclusive and welcoming. More information about how to celebrate Parks and Recreation Month is available at https://www.ssf.net/departments/parks-recreation/parks-rec-month. A schedule of free classes is available in Attachment 2 and registration is available at www.ssf.net/rec-catalog. Snapshot of the Parks & Recreation Department’s YouTube page highlighting our newest videos in celebration of Parks and Recreation Month. Recreation COVID-19 Update Since the June 25, 2020 bi-weekly update, the Recreation Division has made the following Bi-Weekly Update July 9, 2020 Page 3 of 3 program modifications: • More virtual classes – the virtual classes we successfully piloted in the spring are now available to the public and launched via the July is Parks and Recreation Month campaign. • OMP tennis court reservation program extended through Sunday, August 2 – Based on positive feedback from participants, the Department is extending the tennis court reservation program at Orange Memorial Park. The cost is $6 per hour and reservations may not exceed two hours. Beginning Monday, July 6, the revised hours for reserving courts is Monday – Sunday from 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. All courts will remain open to the public after 1:00 p.m. Reservation times will be supervised by a staff person and reservations can be made online at www.ssf.net/rec-catalog. • Senior Services Program issues Summer 2020 newsletter (Attachment 3) – A follow up to the well-received Spring edition of the Senior Connections newsletter issued in May, staff has published a Summer edition which is available online and has been mailed to subscribers. The newsletter includes links to useful information and resources, fun puzzles and riddles, and much more. CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM DATE: July 16, 2020 TO: Mayor, Vice Mayor and Councilmembers FROM: Greg Mediati, Deputy Director of Parks and Recreation SUBJECT: Bi-Weekly Update Parks Update Irish Town Green Update At the July 8 City Council Meeting, Councilmember Matsumoto asked that staff provide an update on planned improvements at Irish Town Green, a PG&E property leased to the City of South San Francisco for public access, located at the corner of Linden Avenue and Airport Boulevard. The site has been opened for public access as of July 1 after contractors and City staff installed a new turf field and a granitecrete perimeter pathway. Members of the City Council may recall that additional phased improvements at Irish Town Green were approved for $190,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds earlier in the year. Understandably, these funds were reprioritized to provide small business loans to local organizations affected by COVID-19. These planned improvements included the following: - Installation of accessible pathways from Airport Boulevard and Armour Avenue that connect to the existing pathway that surrounds the field. - Installation of a fence delineating the sports field and repairing the perimeter fence on Airport Boulevard and Armour Avenue. New fencing was also proposed to designate an informal dog run. - Installation of a water fountain. - Installation of bioswale plantings and a split rail fencing around the two drainage basins on the site. This will serve to keep park visitors safe, hide these rather unattractive features, and help capture trash and pollutants before they enter the storm drain. - Planting of native plants throughout the site to create pollinator gardens that benefit native animals and insects, and serve as a habitat corridor between Sign Hill, San Bruno Mountain and other open space areas. Additionally, it is envisioned that some of these planted areas will have an interpretive element to inform users of what plants can be found in the area and the benefits they provide. This work will complement the restoration work that is being performed on Sign Hill. To fund these improvements, staff will apply for future CDBG funding in addition to other grant and funding opportunities. Bi-Weekly Update July 16, 2020 Page 2 of 3 In the short term, staff will continue to perform modest improvements to the site, including gate repairs to improve neighborhood access, application of arbor mulch in the landscape beds, and installation of new trash and recycling receptacles. Circle 3.0 Tree Planting Program Update In April 2019, the Parks and Recreation Department and volunteers planted 200 trees in City right-of-way areas as part of the grant-funded Circle 3.0 tree planting initiative. In June, staff noted that the plantings have largely been successful, and staff continues to regularly monitor tree health. This past week, staff completed another tree health audit and found only 10 trees have failed since April 2019 – a 95% survival rate. This is remarkable as the usual survival rate of newly installed trees in similar urban environments is approximately 60-70%. The success of this program is attributed to dedicated residents who volunteered to water the newly planted trees near their properties as well as the diligent efforts of Park Maintenance staff who have the responsibility of watering approximately forty of these 200 trees. Staff believes that this type of tree planting program could be successfully implemented in other neighborhoods in the future. Staff will consider submitting future funding requests for tree planting initiatives citywide. Ballfield Maintenance Update Ballfield maintenance has resumed normal operations, largely focusing on weed abatement, and ripping infield fines to help keep infields soft and graded properly. Additionally, staff are preparing to begin turf maintenance on all of the City’s sports fields. This work will include aerating, fertilizing, grading, and over-seeding as well as broadleaf applications. This work will continue to improve the quality of our turf field areas. Gopher abatement also continues to be a large focus in the summer months when they are most active. Basketball Court Closures Parks Maintenance staff recently removed the basketball rims at Orange Memorial Park, Westborough Park, and Buri Buri Park after staff continued to observe blatant disregard of the county and state health mandates, verbal notices and posted signage. Court users at these sites were regularly sharing equipment and were not maintaining appropriate physical distancing. Staff will continue to monitor other sports courts and determine if additional closures are required. Building Maintenance Update Miller Parking Garage Elevator On Sunday, July 12, Building Maintenance staff received a call from the Fire Department reporting a passenger was trapped in one of the elevator cabs at the Miller Parking Garage. Building Maintenance staff immediately contacted an elevator contractor for emergency service. The elevator technician was on site within 20 minutes, but was unable to release the trapped passenger. The Fire Department was forced to manually open the elevator doors and extract the passenger. The passenger was not injured during the incident. The elevator cab has been taken out of service and will remain closed until the cause has been identified and repairs have been performed. Maintenance Services Building Lighting Retrofits Bi-Weekly Update July 16, 2020 Page 3 of 3 Prior to the COVID-19 public health crisis and shelter in place order, Building Maintenance staff began upgrading the conventional fluorescent lights at the Maintenance Services Building to high-efficiency LED lights. This past week, Building Maintenance staff was able to continue this project by installing new LED fixtures in the lunch room, hallway and administration office space. Staff is now working in individual office spaces, as time and resources permit. Magnolia Senior Center Floor Repairs Building Maintenance staff completed repairs of the wood floors in the Magnolia Senior Center first floor activity room. The floors were warped and the finish was failing. Staff repaired the buckling floors and applied a new coat of finish.