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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07.21.2020 PR Comm Minutes CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION MINUTES FROM TUESDAY, JULY 21, 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, July 21, 2020, via teleconference due to the COVID-19 pandemic and local Shelter in Place health orders. II. ROLL CALL: Present: Commissioners Aires, Battaglia, Camacho, DeNardi, Firpo, Lock, and Uy Absent: All were present 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 Christopher Espiritu, Senior Planner / Economic & Community Development Kari Jung, Administrative Assistant City Staff in Attendance: Sailesh Mehra, Planning Manager / Economic & Community Development Laura Armanino, Childcare Supervisor Kelli Cullinan, Seniors Supervisor Erin O’Brien, Civic Campus Fundraiser Co-Leader / Recreation Supervisor Austin Navarro, Facilities Coordinator III. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Skipped. IV. AGENDA REVIEW: Review of Co-Sponsored Groups applications was moved to the beginning to allow those members to leave earlier. The Shared Streets Pilot Program presented by the Economic & Community Development Department was moved up to be heard as the second item so those staff members could leaver earlier. V. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF THE JUNE 16, 2020, MEETING: Approved by motion as written. Motion: Commissioner Firpo / Seconded: Commissioner Aires. 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. Fiscal Year 2020-21 Budget Update Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes of the Meeting of July 21, 2020 Page 2 Deputy Mediati updated the commission on the FY 2020-21 Budget adopted by Council in June, reporting that the City remain fiscally sound however in light of the ongoing pandemic and resulting financial impacts, budget reductions were adopted as well as reallocation of available funding sources for both supplies and services and salaries netting to about $1.7 million in reductions as follows: • $1.1 million reduction in full-time staff savings • $330,000 reduction in part-time staff savings • $610,000 reduction for supplies and services • $300,000 additional funding for the creation of an innovation fund Deputy Mediati shared that the following previously discussed potential budget reductions were restored: • $7,000 for Cultural Arts Commission funding • Front counter hourly staff assistance • $25,000 restoration of Open Gym • $2,500 Rentals support for art shows • $15,000 Sunday recreation classes • $15,000 weekend operations at Magnolia Center • $20,000 each for minor maintenance funds for both the Parks and Facilities Divisions • Staff furloughed for budgetary reasons was decreased from 13 FTEs to about three. Additional hourly staff will likely be off due to COVID program closures. Staff continues to study options for utilizing the Innovation Fund and allow the Department to operate differently during COVID and restore programs. Manager Duldulao shared that staff is focused on building out a virtual program, the most viable option at this point given what we know about the public health orders, including Maker Labs, where residents can register for classes that come with supply kits, as well as some different STEAM, coding, and art classes. Staff is also looking into options to support instructors who may not have the technical ability to offer virtual classes at home by building out a virtual studio. Other ideas under consideration include more in-person outdoor programs, pop up parks, senior programs, and virtual or in-person sports camps. Deputy Mediati shared that the Department is working with Finance on direction given to explore increases in program fees and that staff will provide detailed overview in August. Director Ranals shared that fee increases will be discussed by the Budget Subcommittee at their next meeting on Monday, July 27th. She further requested input from the commission about charging fees for virtual programs. Commissioner Firpo shared that the Department needs to recover some costs at a minimum. He is excited about the Makers Lab idea and would like to see a cooking class. He’s glad to see the Drive-In Movie Night is still an option. Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes of the Meeting of July 21, 2020 Page 3 Commissioner Uy shared that the virtual content costs money to produce and therefore has a value. He acknowledged that the current situation looks to be ongoing for an extended period of time and virtual programming will be necessary. He further shared that the Department should charge for the programs to help grow the program. Charges for the programs offered should take into account how effective the content is from a virtual standpoint, is it interactive or pre-recorded. Use the scholarship fund or other sources to offset fees for those financially impacted by the pandemic, opposed to devaluing the program by offering it for free. Commissioner DeNardi suggested that consideration of families with job losses be taken and offer 50% off through outreach as necessary. The virtual programs are great and many are enjoying them. Commissioner Battaglia shared her agreement that costs need to be recovered but that the circumstances of families experiencing loss need to be considered. Chair Camacho concurred that some costs need to be covered and the instructors need to know the value of the service they are providing. She shared that each virtual program needs to be reviewed for effectiveness and fees determined based on cost as well as how specialized it is. All classes should charge a fee, not setting a precedent that classes are free, and then determine if there is a difference in fee for in-person versus virtual classes. Some classes may be pre-recorded and only suggest a $5-$20 donation while other classes are highly specialized and charge a full fee for one-on-one instructions versus 50% for a group class. Commissioner Aires shared that the quality of content and fees related to virtual offering of classes is a hot topic right now, especially at the university level. He shared that not all classes translate well virtually and some should be limited in attendees based on the amount of individual attention necessary to be effective while others can be presented as a seminar. Additionally, self-study or self-paced series can be considered. Chair Camacho shared her support of those options and inquired if the scholarship information is being advertised and presented in other languages. She also raised the issue of promoting on social media doesn’t reach those that are technologically challenged and inquired about programs or services to get technology to those without access. Deputy Mediati agreed that the scholarship information needs to be actively shared so that residents don’t feel turned away if they are unable to afford options at this time. Manager Duldulao shared that the Department is working towards having a Fall Session of classes, however it wouldn’t be possible to create an Activity Guide with the consideration of how quickly Health Orders and reopening guidelines changes are occurring under the pandemic. In lieu of the Activity Guide, staff is considering a post card or short mailer to direct residents to the website. Commissioner Battaglia inquired about a bank of computers that the library has and if the schools are providing students with equipment as well. Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes of the Meeting of July 21, 2020 Page 4 Chair Camacho shared that the Chromebooks and hotspots provided by the schools won’t address other household members that may want to participate in classes as well as those individuals that do not have school-age children. B. COVID-19 Programs Update Manager Duldulao shared a follow up report from the previous meeting highlighting that many of the businesses that were being allowed to reopen in June have since been ordered to close under updated Emergency Orders issued by the Governor. The Department has been able to open the pool for limited lap swim and Childcare for limited groups. We have learned how much planning is required to create procedures for reopening and are incorporating what we’ve learned into advanced planning for future reopening. The status of our programs is as follows: • Aquatics –Lap Swim by reservation has been well received and we have added evening hours on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. We are looking into offering aquatic fitness classes depending upon our ability to continue reopening. • Childcare – Summer Program offering has been going well. We’re still working with the school district to firm up their planning and dates for the upcoming school year before we proceed further with our After School programming. Supervisor Armanino and her team are consulting with principals and the district to brainstorm how to address anticipated childcare needs. • Classes – Our virtual program is now fully launched to the public thanks to a generous donation from the Friends of Parks and Recreation. Staff will be discussing fees for the virtual class offerings and appear to be aligned with the Commission regarding this issue. Other aspects to consider include the Senior discount and the Get Moving grant fees that Kaiser allowed the City to roll over into the new fiscal year. • Cultural Arts – This program is supporting our virtual program offerings. • Rentals – Based on the success of the pilot program, the tennis court reservation program is expanding and continuing through the end of August. Additionally, on a case by case basis, the Rentals program is supporting essential city meetings, blood drives, hosting trainings for census groups. • Seniors – Our engagement with seniors continues remotely by telephone outreach with information and referral services and food delivery. • Sports – Out team has continued to also support our virtual programs, the Junior Giants with approximately half of the usual participation. Chair Camacho inquired how comfortable seniors are with virtual technology. Supervisor Cullinan shared that a large percentage of seniors do not use technology but that staff is keeping track of who may need support in those areas and determining if the Innovation Fund can be utilized to bring more of those types of services and interactions to this population. The ongoing isolation is getting more difficult and staff has been attempting to remotely train on how to Face Time. She further mentioned that staff member John Lau would like to get a Zoom-Bingo game started if enough members can get access to and acclimated with the technology. Deputy Mediati suggested a talent exchange: pairing up someone that is good with technology with someone that is good with baking. Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes of the Meeting of July 21, 2020 Page 5 Chair Camacho shared that many supplemental programs offered by the school district are supported by active PTAs. With limited ability to fundraise coupled with additional educational needs for distance learning, most of these arts and sports programs will be eliminated. Commissioner Uy shared that youth baseball is practicing on the fields and suggests that the Department resume rentals of fields since groups are gathering and utilizing the fields anyway. Manager Duldulao shared that as co-sponsored groups and other groups make requests for facility rentals, they are being directed to state guidelines to reference for their proposals and that all proposals that meet the guidelines will be considered for permit issuance. Director Ranals clarified that one co-sponsored group has applied for and received a permit to operate a sports camp, but not for game play, in accordance with state guidelines. Commissioner DeNardi requested clarification on whether the Department provides the guidelines to co-sponsored groups. Deputy Mediati clarified that the groups are directed to the State’s guideline for creating their proposals and staff reviews the proposals utilizing those guidelines. There is a back-and-forth discussion until each point is addressed. Additionally, rentals are not limited to just co-sponsored groups, but any group that can meet the guidelines in effect such as the Red Cross hosting a blood drive. Commissioner Battaglia inquired if the groups are self-monitoring that they are following the guidelines or if they are being monitored. Manager Duldulao explained that the groups are responsible for self-monitoring, however as behaviors are reported to staff, mitigating action is taken. The basketball courts had been opened up, but has staff received reports and then observed that guidelines were not being followed, the hoops were removed at high use sites. Director Ranals confirmed that staff is spot checking activities as allows and following up on reports of activates from the public. On busy weekends, like July 4th, Park Ambassadors were used to track park attendance, distribute masks, and educate the public on allowed activities. She also shared that the Swim Team is another co-sponsored group that will be allowed to schedule lap swimming. Chair Camacho thanked the Department and commended staff on the great communication letting everyone know what is open and what guidelines are in place. IX. New Business: A. 2020-21 Annual Co-Sponsored Group Renewals Typically, more groups would be present, but the challenges of COVID-19 facing staff on both sides, additional flexibility is being given to groups for presenting for renewal. Manager Duldulao recommended that the Commission approve the co-sponsorship application submitted by the Mother’s Club for approval and introduced Nadia Rodriguez to address the Commission and answer any questions about the Mother’s Club. Nadia Rodriguez shared that the Mother’s Club offers space for South San Francisco mothers and families to come together for means of support. This year, they have had a significant increase in new members as their virtual meetings provide one of the few means for mothers to connect with others as well as providing connections for the kids and families. Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes of the Meeting of July 21, 2020 Page 6 Chair Camacho expressed her support for the group and inquired about the requirements for insurance and permits. Manager Duldulao shared that the City is maintaining the insurance and permit requirements so that the groups are ready to participate as reopening occurs, however the application fee was reduced by 25% in recognition of the financial impacts under the pandemic. Commissioner Firpo thanked Nadia Rodriguez for her presentation. He inquired how many co-sponsored groups generally apply each year. Manger Duldulao clarified that there are currently nine co-sponsor groups and the other eight will be presented in upcoming Commission meetings. The Commission unanimously approved the application for the Mother’s Club (moved by Commissioner Lock and Seconded by Commissioner Firpo), with Chair Camacho abstaining from the vote due to her affiliation with the group. The Commission deferred a vote on the Youth Soccer League until a representative would be present at a future meeting. B. Shared Streets Pilot Program Deputy Mediati introduced Senior Planner Christopher Espiritu from the Economic & Community Development Department to give a presentation on a Shared Streets Pilot Program. Sr. Planner Espiritu gave a presentation highlighting a proposed pilot plan. • Three separate neighborhoods in the downtown areas o 0.4 miles on Randolph Ave from Highland Ave to east of N. Spruce Ave. o 0.4 miles on Cypress Ave o 0.3 miles on Miller Ave from Holly Ave. to Evergreen Dr. • In response to the social distancing requirements due to the pandemic and lack of available open space in an attempt to meet those challenges. • There is a separate effort to address outdoor dining in the economic activity centers like Grand Avenue and Linden in the downtown areas, recognizing that there isn’t a demand to close down those streets, rather a demand to keep them open. • Create shared expanded open space for people to walk around and get exercise, specifically in areas lacking available park and open space. Commissioner Aires inquired about the duration of the pilot program, would it be on Saturdays, Sundays, Wednesdays, or alternating? Would there be staff or volunteers monitoring the entry/exit points? He also recommended reaching out to the City’s BPAC members. Sr. Planner Espiritu shared that the pilot would be to run on all three streets together on a chosen date. They are in discussion with the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition to provide volunteers for the pilot program as well as considering City resources. Commissioner Uy shared his support for the concept and shared his perception of similar programs in San Francisco. He would prefer a program with completely closed streets as demonstrated in other municipalities. Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes of the Meeting of July 21, 2020 Page 7 Commissioner Firpo inquired about notification of residents in the areas as well as what hours were being considered. Commissioner DeNardi shared her support for the concept and suggested reaching out to the neighbors in the areas and getting their input as well. She further inquired if this would just be for the summer or if it would extend into the fall as well. Sr. Planner Espiritu explained that the intention is to capture what is left of summer and continue into the fall into the three neighborhoods selected and any others that may be suggested. Commissioner Battaglia inquired about parking for those wanting to attend as well as how will parking of residents in the street be addressed. Sr. Planner Espiritu shared that this comment is raised as a concern often and as this program is presented as temporary and for a limited time period, parking would not be addressed, though a certain amount of surge parking is to be expected. Commissioner Lock has several parameters which may impact the viability of proposed street closures on Randolph and Cypress. Parking needs to be reviewed thoroughly as the area surrounding both streets do not have unused parking spaces. Creating loops is ideal; however the loops incorporating heavy traffic streets - Sister Cities (for Randolph) and Airport (for Cypress) requires a safety review. Specifically Sister Cities/Randolph will require transitioning into stairs and an incline. For Cypress, an assessment of traffic flow from 101 southbound exit onto Miller is required. Chair Camacho suggested connecting this program with the school district and their schools properties which are sitting near vacant due to the pandemic as a means to further expand available open space. She further inquired about creating a socially distanced street fair type of atmosphere where tables can be setup for dissemination of information and supplies in a safe way. C. Celebrating July as Parks and Recreation Month Supervisor O’Brien gave a presentation on July is Parks and Recreation Month: • Americans have celebrated the month of 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 since 1985. • This year, we have joined with the National Recreation and Park Association in their campaign to celebrate “We are Parks and Recreation,” and thanks to our partnership with the South San Francisco Friends of Parks and Recreation and their generous donation, we've been able to offer virtual classes free at no cost to just under 300 participants. • Keeping with the theme to highlight our dedicated staff members, we launched our social media campaign introducing the public to some of the many faces of our department. We have seen growth in our engagements all across our social media platforms. Looking at the Facebook, for example, we've seen an 80% increase and engagements from this same time period last Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes of the Meeting of July 21, 2020 Page 8 month of June to this month in July, equaled about over 700 new likes or engagements. • Starting next week we will launch of our audio and virtual or audio tour of Orange Memorial Park and in particular, the Sculpture Garden. Chair Camacho inquired if the users can and will be surveyed about the virtual classes and Commissioner DeNardi inquired how many are taking classes for the first time. Supervisor O’Brien shared that staff will be able to survey registered users at the end of the current period. X. Friends of Parks and Recreation: Supervisor Cullinan thanked the Friends as the fiscal agent for donations which has supported Rocko’s donation of fresh produce for seniors. XI. Items from Commission: Commissioner Firpo expressed gratitude to staff for their efforts, including repaired tennis court nets at Terrabay and the robust offerings of virtual classes. Commissioner Aires thanked staff and gave an additional plug for the social media postings. Commissioner DeNardi shared that we are lucky and so fortunate to have such a dedicated group in our city, and we thank you very much. Commissioner Uy expressed his gratitude to staff for recognizing the need for programs during the shelter in place, especially for youth. Commissioner Battaglia thanked staff, specifically Kelli Jo and the Senior Center staff for their outreach. Commissioner Lock shared that Parks and Recreation is essential to everyone and thanked staff for making it all work even during budget cuts. He inquired about the status of Gardiner Park renovation and the fencing around Irish Town looks like a car ran over the curb and hit the fence. Manager Richardson provided an update on the Gardiner Park renovation • Playground equipment and sign were being installed over the previous week • The backboards and posts for basketball hoops are being installed this week • The drinking fountains, light posts, and remaining amenities will be installed in the coming week(s). • Major construction is wrapping up over the next few weeks and should be complete by the beginning of September. Manager Richardson confirmed that the fence around Irish Town was hit by a car and staff has repaired the fence as well. Commissioner Lock further inquired about the use of playground structures. Supervisor Armanino explained that under the current health orders, children are not allowed access to them unless they have exclusive use, like in a private daycare, so that the structures can be sanitized between uses. Chair Camacho thanked staff for assisting her with the mass give away effort with the City Census team and reminded the commission about the ongoing General Plan meetings and Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes of the Meeting of July 21, 2020 Page 9 asked if commissioners would attend as they break out into neighborhood meetings and can't attend all of them and thinks it would be beneficial for other Commissioners to attend and hear what residents are saying. She recently learned of a petition going around to save Cypress Park. XII. Items from Staff: A. Calendar of Events. Deputy Mediati shared that most events have been cancelled or postponed. One item of note on the July calendar is the Budget Subcommittee meeting on Monday, July 27th. August is pending outcomes from the school district scheduling and the Commission is meeting again on August 18th. September 19th is the annual Coastal Cleanup, but that event will be modified to disperse volunteers into the neighborhoods to do neighborhood cleanup, pending approval with the County and State. Chair Camacho raised concern that the Budget Subcommittee is reviewing and may be recommending fee increases without input from the Commission. Deputy Mediati encouraged the commissioners to attend the subcommittee meeting. Any updates received prior will be shared and the commission will review/discuss at the August 18th meeting. Director Ranals reminded that fee increase proposals won’t go to full council until after the next commission meeting. General direction given is that fees should increase by 3% across the board city-wide to account for the 3% increase that full-time staff recently received. B. Administrative Updates Chair Camacho inquired if any Commissioners had any questions related to the previously shared administrative updates. No questions were posed. XIII. Adjournment: 10:06 p.m. Respectfully submitted by Kari Jung, Administrative Assistant II