{"body": "RecreationandParkCommission", "date": "2019-05-09", "page": 1, "text": "ALAMEDA RECREATION AND PARK COMMISSION\nMINUTES FOR REGULAR MEETING\nDATE:\nThursday, May 9, 2019\nTIME:\n7:02 p.m. Called to Order\nPLACE:\nCity Hall Council Chambers\nA video recording of the meeting may be viewed at https:llalameda.legistar.com/Calendar.aspy\nThe following are action minutes in keeping with the Sunshine Ordinance 2-91.17.\nROLL CALL\nPresent: Chair Limoges, Vice Chair Alexander and Commissioner Barnes\nAbsent: Commissioner Chen and Commissioner Robbins\nStaff: Alameda Recreation and Park Department (ARPD) Director Amy Wooldridge\nAPPROVAL OF MINUTES\nChair Limoges moved to accept the minutes of April 11, 2019 Regular Meeting as presented.\nM/S\nVice Chair Alexander / Commissioner Barnes. All in favor with a 3 - 0 vote.\nWRITTEN AND ORAL COMUNICATIONS\nWritten Communication: April 27, 2019 email to Director Amy Wooldridge from Courtney\nShepler, Resident of Alameda Landing, regarding the Estuary Park homeless encampment and\nlegal rights for residents of Alameda Landing. (See Exhibit 1)\nOral Communication: none\nREPORTS FROM THE RECREATION AND PARK DIRECTOR (See Exhibit 2)\nARPD Director Amy Wooldridge gave the report and answered questions regarding the homeless in\nthe parks. Potential solutions such as putting a dog park at Estuary Park if funding is identified to remove\nthe large dirt mound that homeless people are living behind.\nChair Limoges: Commented the homeless problem is ongoing. Requested the Commission be\ninformed about the responses and updates with Courtney Shepard. Inquired about why we\ncannot move the contaminated, class 2 dirt pile since we created it. Answer: It will cost over\n$350,000 to dispose of the dirt and due to the low level contamination, it can't be simply moved\nto another site.\nVice Chair Alexander: Will there still be enough space for a new playground. Answer: Yes, the\noriginal design has a dog park and a playground. This dog park will be temporary. Vice Chair\nrequested to have someone from the Alameda Police Department or Social Services come to\ngive their opinion on the homeless situation.\nCommissioner Barnes: Is there any concern about exposure to the homeless population\nregarding the contaminants in the soil? Answer: No, it is all grassed over. The Department of\nToxic Substance Control highly regulates it and the dirt is not considered a threat.\nREPORTS FROM COMMISSIONERS\nChair Limoges: Attended Earth Day representing the non-profit Alameda Backyard Growers and\n1", "path": "RecreationandParkCommission/2019-05-09.pdf"}
{"body": "RecreationandParkCommission", "date": "2019-05-09", "page": 2, "text": "applauded the ARPD staff for a job well done. Made a few trips to Sweeney Park to watch\nremoval of the granite blocks. Would like to agendize the idea for an Adventure Park. Went to\nEstuary Park to see the homeless encampments and said there is a great deal to discuss about\nthis issue. Also would like to have someone from the new Carnegie Hall Innovation come and\nshare about the project; how do we get a speaker on the agenda? Answer: Provide Director\nWooldridge information so she can agendize it.\nVice Chair Alexander: Thanked Park Manager John Mc Donald for painting Krusi softball\ndiamond #3. Inquired whether the T-ball, t-shirt league banner would be going up soon? Answer:\nWill look into it. Went to Golf Course to have breakfast, course looks great. There are a lot of\npeople waiting to play. Is construction on target? Answer: The North course is about 4 months\nbehind due to all the rain but will be closing another 3 holes soon which will speed up the overall\ncompletion timeline. Suggested having an ongoing article in the Alameda Journal for Recreation\nand Park to talk about what is going on in the parks.\nCommissioner Barnes: Attended Earth Day Celebration and said it was impressive. Asked what\nthe power source was for the bounce houses. Answer: Either generator or electricity from the\nbuilding and will confirm. Her daughter attends Wee Play and was curious how the information\nwas getting out for the Wee Play which changed temporary location. Answer: The building was\nclosed due to a mold issue and signs were posted outside Veterans' Building, social media and\nemail blast were all used to communicate to the public. Has been posting on Facebook and\nsocial media groups to introduce herself as a new commissioner. One feedback issue she\nreceived was regarding the Friends of the Library Alameda Book Sale which the complaint was\nthat no ARPD staff was available to assist in the Library's book set up this year. Shared an idea\nand possibility of having an adventure park where kids can build and play. Reviewed climate\nplan and said there was little information of the impact to parks which could eventually bring\nimplications to parks. Participated in Big Truck events which she enjoyed.\nNEW BUSINESS\n7-A\nReport on the Recreation and Parks Department Requests for Fiscal Year 2019- 2021\nOperating and Capital Improvement Budgets.\nARPD Director Amy Wooldridge gave the report on the 2019-2021 budget which included operating\nbudget for recreation programs and park maintenance and Capitol Improvement Programs: general\npark maintenance replacement, playground replacement and Mastick HVAC replacement. Increase\nincludes city wide wage increase adopted in 2018, MOU mandated staff cost increases and annual 2%\nincreases that was established in 2013. In addition is requesting two additional Gardeners to help\nmaintain additional the 33 park acres plus two more parks being taken over from Public Works.\nSpeaker Misha Chellam, City of Alameda resident: Made suggestion to add a small neighborhood\nplayground at Jackson Park. There are reported 250 interested parents who are excited about the\npossibility. Requesting the Commission to allocate provisional funding for the new playground.\nSpeaker Tara Navarro, City of Alameda Resident who uses the Recreation Services frequently for her\nchildren and said the Jackson Park playground would be a great addition for the community.\n2", "path": "RecreationandParkCommission/2019-05-09.pdf"}
{"body": "RecreationandParkCommission", "date": "2019-05-09", "page": 3, "text": "Commissioner Discussion\nChair Limoges: Agreed that Jackson Park is a Park that seems to be under-utilized. Might be a\ngreat idea if the playground orientation is towards tots. Inquired if there is any training for the\nstaff when they encounter the homeless or any aggressive person. Answer: We discuss the\nissue at staff meetings and staff are encouraged to call the police for any aggressive behaviors\nbut no formal training.\nVice Chair Alexander: Wants to consider the possibility of a playground at Jackson Park.\nHow much would the playground cost? Answer: Approximately $100,000. It would be less\nexpensive if it was a small tot park.\nCommissioner Barnes: Agrees that the playground at Jackson Park is a good idea. Short term\nfix by creating a fence and sandbox to start making use of it. Asked if funds are set aside for the\ncampground area at Alameda Point? Answer: Campground is within Enterprise Park Master\nPlan, which is still open for discussion and there is no funding for it presently.\nVice Chair Alexander made a motion to accept the 2019 - 2021 Operating and Capital Improvement\nBudgets with the recommendation to council to set aside funds for a playground at Jackson Park.\nM/S Vice Chair Alexander / Chair Limoges / All in favor with a 3 - 0 vote.\n7-B\nReview and Recommend List of Park Names Policy for Naming City Facilities\nARPD Director Amy Wooldridge gave report which included the City of Alameda policy for naming city\nfacilities and park naming data from social media.\nCommissioner Discussion\nChair Limoges: Suggested that all Commissioners research and identify a dozen names they\nwould like for a list and revisit the collective lists at the July meeting.\nCommissioner Barnes: Suggested to prioritize honoring people from Alameda such as Neil Tam,\nVickie Smith, Jim Morrison and Larry Schulz, an Alameda minister who also did a lot of work on\nbase replanning. Also consider including names of indigenous historical tribes such as Ohlone.\nAll Commissioners agreed to remove off the list: Donut Park, Pirate Park, Parky McParkface,\nHibbardsvikke, Arizona, Tree Park, Climbers Park, New Peoples Park, Neptune Park, Haight\nPark, Raccoon Park, Snow Cone Park, Popcycle Park, Apology Park, Playful Pup Paddock, Oak\nDell Park, Sporting Green and Circle of Love.\nITEMS FOR NEXT AGENDA:\nClimate Action Plan presentation by PW\nReview and Recommendation on Public Pathways on Fernside and Eastshore\nSET NEXT MEETING DATE: Thursday, June 13, 2019\nADJOURNMENT\nChair Limoges adjourned the meeting at 9:22 PM.\n3", "path": "RecreationandParkCommission/2019-05-09.pdf"}
{"body": "RecreationandParkCommission", "date": "2019-05-09", "page": 4, "text": "Exhibit 1\nWRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS\nEXTERNAL CORRESPONDENCE\nITEM 3-A\nESTUARY PARK HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT\nAND LEGAL RIGHTS FOR RESIDENTS OF\nALAMEDA LANDING\nRECEIVED 4/27/19", "path": "RecreationandParkCommission/2019-05-09.pdf"}
{"body": "RecreationandParkCommission", "date": "2019-05-09", "page": 5, "text": "Written Communication\nFrom: Courtney Shepler [mailto:c shepler@hotmail.com]\nSent: Saturday, April 27, 2019 6:10 PM\nTo: Amy Wooldridge <AWooldridge@alamedaca.gov>\nSubject: Fwd: Questions around Estuary Park homeless encampment/legal rights\nHi Amy,\nCan I ask you to forward this to the Commissioners as well?\nThanks,\nCourtney\nSent from my iPhone\nBegin forwarded message:\nFrom: Courtney Shepler <c shepler@hotmail.com>\nDate: April 27, 2019 at 12:08:04 PM PDT\nTo: \"mroush@alamedacityattorney.org\" <mroush@alamedacityattorney.org>\n\"mezzyashcraft@alamedaca.gov\" <mezzyashcraft@alamedaca.gov>, \"joddie@alamedaca.gov\"\n<joddie@alamedaca.gov>, \"tdaysog@alamedaca.gov\" <tdaysog@alamedaca.gov>,\n\"mvella@alamedaca.gov\" <mvella@alamedaca.gov>, 'jknoxwhite@alamedaca.gov'\n<jknoxwhite@alamedaca.gov>\nCc: Amy Wooldridge <AWooldridge@alamedaca.gov>, \"prolleri@alamedaca.gov\"\n<prolleri@alamedaca.gov>, Darin Tsujimoto <DTsujimo@alamedaca.gov>\nSubject: Questions around Estuary Park homeless encampment/legal rights\nDear Mr. Roush, Mayor, and Council members,\nI am a resident of Alameda Landing. As I trust you are aware, we have a tremendous problem\nwith the growing homeless encampment at Estuary Park. Myself and other community\nmembers have spent a significant amount of time communicating with APD, and we are at a\npoint where APD's hands are tied and we need to explore other options to ensure our\ncommunity remains livable and that we do not suffer undue economic loss from this issue. APD\nhas been a great partner and we clearly sense their frustration about their options for dealing\nwith this problem.\nThese individuals at the encampment are lawless, mentally ill, and drug addicted/abusing. They\nsteal packages from our homes. They defecate-literally- on our front porches. They try our\nfront door handles to see if we left them unlocked. They walk down our streets and sidewalks,\npublic and private, ranting and screaming at all hours, sometimes death threats at our\nresidents. This has prevented residents from being able to sleep at night. We find used\nsyringes in our private parks. They allow their dogs- in particular a Pit Bull- to roam free- the\ndog follows us on private HOA property and public street as we try to walk our own dogs\nlawfully on leash. At our community easter egg hunt, APD had to be called as a homeless", "path": "RecreationandParkCommission/2019-05-09.pdf"}
{"body": "RecreationandParkCommission", "date": "2019-05-09", "page": 6, "text": "Written Communication\nwoman was screaming profanities at the children. Our community is a young community, with\nmany first time home buyers who came to Alameda to start their families. There are nearly 100\nyoung children who live here. These families thought Alameda was safe, and they chose to\nmake one of the biggest investments of their lives in choosing to plant roots here. Instead, our\ncommunity is becoming unlivable and without a change, some residents may face serious\nfinancial harm as their property values plummet. We are trying hard to build a healthy and\nvibrant community but hope is waning. We need help from our city government desperately.\nBy all accounts, APD has indicated that these particular individuals would not go to a shelter\neven if beds were available (though I recognize that is not the case for all homeless). Clearly\nthey have had every offer of support extended to them from Operation Dignity, etc, and they\nhave chosen THIS life.\nI am not a lawyer but I am trying hard to understand the legal angles here. While I understand\nthat the 9th Circuit's ruling is the reason that APD no longer believes they can force these\nhomeless to move off of city property or our parks, I have additional questions.\n1. Are the homeless allowed to select any real estate that appeals to them or does the\nCity have the ability to find more suitable city property for them to camp on? With the\nnumber of parks and parcels of public land in Alameda, I don't think it is fair or\nreasonable to burden one park or neighborhood with all of this blight and terror. My\nrecommendation is that these homeless individuals should rotate to all parts of\nAlameda, equitably and fairly. There are well over a dozen parks in Alameda. What\nprevents us from requiring the homeless encampment to move to a new park or public\nspace each month? That way, the residents nearby will know that they have to bear the\ndisturbances for only a month each year and we can all equally share in this as a\ncommunity. The community has recently demonstrated great compassion for the\nhomeless with the \"Yes\" vote on Measure A, so I am confident that all parts of Alameda\nwould welcome the opportunity to share fairly in this.\n2. What are our rights as law-abiding, tax-paying property owners in Alameda? Can you\nrecommend any particular law sections that we should be exploring to help us\nunderstand our rights? The California constitution and bill of rights are fairly vague on\nthis, so I'm hoping to understand this better. I suppose our HOA or a group of residents\ncould hire our own legal counsel to explore options here, but we certainly would prefer\nthat as a last resort, and we hope that the City government can assist in protecting our\nrights as they do the rights of these individuals. Incidentally, the Alameda Landing\ncommunity pays significantly MORE in taxes than any other community in Alameda due\nto special CFD's for infrastructure AND city services but I know that doesn't give us any\nextra anything, other than sting and disappointment from this problem.\n3.\nBased on what you're hearing, do you expect a Supreme Court challenge to this ruling?\n4. If shelter beds are available and the homeless refuse to go, then what?\n5. Why would a community invest in parks if they can't be used and enjoyed for the\npurposes they were created for? Without resolution on this issue, perhaps the city\nshould consider selling off parks for private development where laws around trespassing", "path": "RecreationandParkCommission/2019-05-09.pdf"}
{"body": "RecreationandParkCommission", "date": "2019-05-09", "page": 7, "text": "Written Communication\non private property could be enforced. It might help the city's budget as well. It's hard\nto believe I am even typing up such an idea because I am such a huge supporter of parks\nand open spaces, as they are intended to be enjoyed.\nPlease let me know of any other recommendations you have for engagement on this issue,\nescalation paths, etc. I look forward to your responses and recommendations.\nBest regards,\nCourtney Shepler\n431 Mosley Avenue\n510-393-0306", "path": "RecreationandParkCommission/2019-05-09.pdf"}
{"body": "RecreationandParkCommission", "date": "2019-05-09", "page": 8, "text": "EXHIBIT 2\n05/09/19 ARPD Director's Report - Presented by Interim Assistant City Manager Amy\nWooldridge\nMastick Senior Center\nMastick's annual Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon thanking 227 volunteers for 27,601 hours\nof service in 2018 took place on April 11.\nIn an effort to ensure that all Alamedans are counted in the 2020 Census, the Mayor has\nestablished the Alameda Complete Count Committee. Ed Kallas, Recreation Supervisor I, will\nserve as Sub-Committee Chair for senior citizens. Over the next 11 months, there will be a\nvariety of events, outreach and incentives to get everyone to participate in the Census.\nOver the next month internet-capable monitors will be mounted on the walls of Mastick senior\ncenter classrooms to support presentations and meetings.\nFrom May 14 - 16, 38 Mastick members will travel to Mendocino and Ft. Bragg in the first\novernight tour since 2013.\nNew Fitness Classes: \"Balance and Mobility\" (BaM) and \"Preventing and Recovering from\nInjuries/Falls through Movement and Exercise\" (PRIME) fitness classes, designed to appeal\nto younger and different members of the senior population.\nParks Maintenance\nWe moved the granite blocks that were next to the slide at Sweeney Park and scattered\nthem throughout the park as seating. Replaced with a poured in place pad and will add a\nclimbing component such as a heavy rope soon. It was moved due to safety reasons.\nThe dock was re-installed at the Encinal Boat Launch Facility after repairs and the annual pull\nout. It is expected that the docks in the new renovation will be able to remain in place all year.\nReplaced rotted wooden picnic tables Shoreline Park with donated cement tables.\nMoved the irrigation clock and wiring at Krusi Park to new pedestal near the tennis courts and\nupgraded with a new clock in anticipation for the new building construction.\nReplaced all pathway lights with new shoe box LED lights at Littlejohn Park. This project was\nmanaged by Public Works.\nPainted all backstops at Krusi Park\nRenovated sports fields at Harrington and Woodstock Parks\nRecreation Services\nAll Tiny Tot sites are hosting Graduations at the end of May\nAlameda Youth Committee is celebrating another successful year with an end of\nyear kayaking trip in May\nHired a new part-time coordinator for the Friends Connect program to begin developing next\nyear's program.\nTeen Summer Volunteer Program is off again to another successful summer with over 70\nteens volunteering in the various ARPD summer programs\nThe 16th season of Alameda Walks kicked off last Saturday with over 45 walkers. Make sure\nto check the schedule for upcoming Walks and hope to see you all out for at least one this\nseason.\nRegister now for Summer Baseball Program for k-2 and 3-5 grades which is FREE and\nsponsored by the ELKS Lodge 1015", "path": "RecreationandParkCommission/2019-05-09.pdf"}
{"body": "RecreationandParkCommission", "date": "2019-05-09", "page": 9, "text": "Free Drop-in Recreation Programs at Bayport, Franklin, Lincoln, Tillman and Washington\nParks from 12pm - 5pm, Monday - Friday.\nDay Camp, Teen Adventure Camp, WOW, Tiny Tot Programs and summer specialty camps\nopen for registration. Register early as many programs will sell out.\nTake the ARPD Scavenger Hunt Challenge and keep play alive in Alameda! The Challenge\nis located on ARPD website. Make sure to send in pictures of your fun experiences at Alameda\nParks.\nAdministration\nEstuary Park homeless encampment\nExisting encampment behind dirt pile with approximately 7 - 9 people.\n\"Boise Decision\" is a federal decision that states that it is unconstitutional and\nconsidered cruel and unusual punishment to criminally penalize people for sleeping\non public property when there is no shelter space available. Alameda only has a\nshelter for women and children escaping domestic violence. Therefore, the City\ncannot move people out of Estuary Park without a shelter bed to move them to.\nDirt pile is contaminated and estimated to cost $350,000 to remove. Looking at options\nfor brownfield grant funding and then activate the park with a dog park.\nEmma Hood Swim Center update\nThe Ad-Hoc Committee, comprised of AUSD Board members, Councilmembers,\ncommunity and staff, is meeting weekly to develop a long-term plan.\nRepair funding request to City Council on May 7 and AUSD Board on May 14. Scope\nof repair work is pending final authorization for the Alameda County Department of\nEnvironmental Health.\nCouncil discussed the new City Aquatic Facility on May 7 and will discuss again on\nMay 21.\nThe Veteran's Building was closed due to mold on the first floor and in one other room. All\nrecreation programs were re-located in addition to the Alameda Library Adult Reading\nprogram and Veterans meetings. Public Works staff is working on having the mold remediated\nand the building re-opened as quickly as possible.\nRecent challenge with resignation of Account Tech during the busiest registration season of\nthe year. This full-time position is now open for qualified candidates.\nUpcoming Events\nTuesday, May 21 at 7:30pm: Alameda Community Band will perform at the Mastick Senior\nCenter Social Hall\nFriday, May 31 at 1:00pm: 7th Annual Play for the Parks. A shotgun golf tournament at\nCorica Park's South Course with proceeds supporting Alameda Parks. Register at\nwww.alamedaparks.org\nSaturday, June 8 from 9:00am-1:00pm: 53rd Annual Sand Castle & Sand Sculpture\nContest at Crown Beach.\nFriday, June 21 at 6:30pm: Starlight Movies in the Park, showing \"Trolls\" at Alameda Point\nMulti-Purpose Field. Sponsored by the Alameda Friends of the Parks Foundation.", "path": "RecreationandParkCommission/2019-05-09.pdf"}