SPR Boardroom: Alright. I'm gonna go to call this meeting before we get started. I'd just like to acknowledge and affirm the indigenous post salish as original caretakers from our water and landscape, and nurtured and shaped today's heartland, we honor their legacy, gratitude, and appreciation. I will save further knowledge of search as enduring treasures from community welfare, cultivate exclusive expressions in nature and migration, and commit to land acknowledgement for each zoom generation
SPR Boardroom: first up, in which we must approve the minutes for February 20, s March fourteenth, as well as the agenda, for today. Do I have a motion on the board? All in favor
SPR Boardroom: any opposed
SPR Boardroom: motion passes. With that, I'm gonna hand it over to David today. Who will be? Or Paul at large.
SPR Boardroom: Hi! I'm Lauren Lannon. I'm dug an age member Stafford May's Commissioner, Seventh District.
SPR Boardroom: Marla Herrera, Commissioner, disagree and kosher apts our superintendent.
SPR Boardroom: You can call it off policy for firms.
SPR Boardroom: David I'm salesforce workers.
SPR Boardroom: Yeah, you are going to be.
SPR Boardroom: Thank you for letting me come. My name is Terry Holm. I've been in this room many, many hours I was on the board of Park Commissioners for 9 years. I was the chair for a year done a few other park things park board arc. I was on that board our Freedom Foundation
SPR Boardroom: Leg question in the build of our task force.
SPR Boardroom: I could list a few others. My current involvement is with Radio Valley, Greenways
SPR Boardroom: and Seattle neighborhood Greenways.
SPR Boardroom: I understand that the Park Board Mission is to be an advisory to the City Council of the mayor.
SPR Boardroom: I haven't asked today.
SPR Boardroom: I like a motion from you to support an initiative that I have given copies. I both have sent you emails.
SPR Boardroom: This is advocacy for permanent vacation. 3 locations between Mount Baker's closure of Lake Washington.
SPR Boardroom: currently, as opposed to the idea, the idea is to put in some gates that are actually effective.
SPR Boardroom: The history of bicycle Sundays started in the 60 s.
SPR Boardroom: The barricades have been there during the closures road. Close, savage words have become much less effective over time.
SPR Boardroom: Number of drivers ignore the signs, drive at high speeds, and my and in my observation, entire staff there's an average of 4 scales per hour. Just in that one mile in the north mile of Lake Washington Boulevard, between Stansted, a spit and Mount Baker Beach.
SPR Boardroom: During the closures who comes walkers, runners, bikers, rollers, disabled people, many small children with families.
SPR Boardroom: The number one complaint during bicycle weekends has been cars on the roadway that shouldn't be there, install the gates or alerts to effectively keep cars away during events and eliminate the current. High risk situation. Thank you for your time and consideration.
SPR Boardroom: Thanks, Gary, next time I have Carlin Router and I do not see you in the queue online. So if you are there and put our different name online. If you could raise your hand great.
SPR Boardroom: And for now we'll move to Alisa bloc. I'm gonna unmute you.
SPR Boardroom: Just yeah.
SPR Boardroom: This one happens.
SPR Boardroom: Hey? We say you're unmuted, and you've got 2 min.
SPR Boardroom: I'm not sure it was. She has to. I'll take action to unmute.
SPR Boardroom: but I think it
SPR Boardroom: it's really hard.
SPR Boardroom: I'm don't use. Nope, that'll work.
Elisa Law: Hi! There! Sorry! Can you hear me now?
SPR Boardroom: Yes, we can hear you.
Elisa Law: Thank you. Sorry about that. Hi! I'm Elisa. Law. I'm the executive director of friends of Magnus and Park, and we just wanted to
Elisa Law: inform the Board of Commissioners that
Elisa Law: this year is an important historic event that will be hosted at Madison Park and at Noah. The it's the centennial of the first world flight. And we have a an appropriation from the State of Washington and a proclamation from the State as well that, recognizing this event, we're partnering with museum of flight and other local organizations to bring in vintage aircraft and
Elisa Law: military organizations. Veterans, organizations to celebrate
Elisa Law: Seattle's role in this
Elisa Law: global, globally relevant aviation event. And so I just wanted to
Elisa Law: bring that to the attention of the Board of Commissioner that this is happening in our park, and
Elisa Law: it will be a city wide event and late September and if you have any questions that, or want to get involved in any way to reach out to us. To me. And there's more information on our website, first World flight, Centennial org.
SPR Boardroom: Great. Thank you. What's that?
SPR Boardroom: Thank you.
SPR Boardroom: Come on.
SPR Boardroom: Hmm.
SPR Boardroom: I'm sure
SPR Boardroom: she wants it.
SPR Boardroom: If you yeah, go over to the panelists, at the top under participants, click on panelists
SPR Boardroom: and then see if you can go the 3 little dots on the right for Lisa. Easier some of them as mouses. Yeah, really, quickly.
SPR Boardroom: There we go.
SPR Boardroom: and then change role to attendee.
SPR Boardroom: There you go, perfect
SPR Boardroom: your area.
SPR Boardroom: Okay?
SPR Boardroom: Sickness me.
SPR Boardroom: Sherlon. I did not see her.
SPR Boardroom: So that's it for public comment.
SPR Boardroom: Wonderful with that. Ap, would you like to give some presenters report? Absolutely. I'm sorry before we do. Can you respond to public comment, or and maybe discuss the public comments that came in in writing, too?
SPR Boardroom: Yes, we have any questions out there. Sure. Do we want to give Ap. Chance. Respond? Or do you have any questions? Okay, sure. Well, first of all, thank you.
SPR Boardroom: So, Eric, for coming. First of all. Thank you again for your numerous years a service as a Part Commissioner and for being so invested in this issue. We talked a little bit before the meeting. But I do have your report, and we'll talk more. See? Commissioners. I had mentioned that.
SPR Boardroom: One thing that may be helpful also. Not a perfect solution is that we do have the ability now for the first time this summer, to use our Park rangers for bicycle Sundays, which before we couldn't use that. So again, that doesn't solve the problem in its entirety. But hopefully, it can be an added layer of protection while we continue to look and maybe see
SPR Boardroom: Some of the restrictions have been from the fire department. They have actually also expressed some concerns, but we want to find out if
SPR Boardroom: those are set in stone, or if there's a way to see if there's other ways to better improve safety. Thank you. So that's not all. There.
SPR Boardroom: if you have questions on weekly events come up. Yeah, we can wait for questions till the end of the 2 things. Work. Okay, yeah.
SPR Boardroom: thanks.
SPR Boardroom: Alright. So here we are in March. And
SPR Boardroom: we'll start with our summer hiring. So even though spring is just started, I'm happy to report that our staff are already gearing up for summer. Very keen on ensuring that we'll be able to do our summer programming, and we are beginning the hiring process, as we explained earlier, for staffing, for summer services, which
SPR Boardroom: are including increased park and facility, maintenance lifeguarding at beaches as well as pools, summer camps, and special events. We are expecting peak use again this summer, and we want to be ready for it. And so as a reminder. Summer is when we do well. Spring is when we start ramping up for summer hiring.
SPR Boardroom: beginning the processing, the finger printing, and all of paperwork so that we can try to have as much staff as possible. Present in the summer when we have the most use of our parks, and that's also where we traditionally do a lot of seasonal hiring. So our ranks will come in during period.
SPR Boardroom: Next one report on the Mlb. All start legacy projects. So if you remember last year one of the things that we talked about when the All Star game was here in Seattle was, in addition to all that excitement, there was a negotiated investment legacy behind Project that was in partnership with our Seattle mariners and the Mlb. And that was to install
SPR Boardroom: 2 new synthetic surf playfields in South Seattle at the Rainier playfields. And they will serve baseball as well as softball, and can also be used for multi use, if not being used for those 2 things. And this past Saturday, we were able to
SPR Boardroom: inaugurate those. That's the picture on the top right there, and what was great is I was able to report to. I never literally probably have hundreds of literally
SPR Boardroom: families and softball families, and girls, leagues and boys, leagues, and just a bunch of families. But what was great about the synthetic fields is that they are all made with
SPR Boardroom: cork as the info. So no more of the old environmentally sort of, you know. Questionable material for health and safety reasons. This is actually cork so it's sustainable, environmentally friendly, and does not have toxic effects. So the families were really excited to hear that and that was exciting. So that part that we're standing on there that's sort of
SPR Boardroom: brownish yellow part is actual pork ground up and then used in the right material. So this will prevent, you know, the the MoD and all of the things by having these play deals the synthetic. And it's just a great public private partnership. Edgar Martinez was there.
SPR Boardroom: Seattle baseball royalty right? So that was exciting as well as just the families. And it was a lot of fun. We also launch our community fund. I remember it past year. Commissioners were very excited about our elevate program and some of the work we've been doing with community. And so, as part of our commitment for commissioners to be on time to meet.
SPR Boardroom: I'm going to talk about.
SPR Boardroom: We are perfect timing. So we just talked about. Well, we just talked about the launch of the Premier fight field in South Seattle, and they are made with core Josh. So there!
SPR Boardroom: And we were just talking about something that interests you as well with your background. The community Fund has just launched so earlier this month we officially launched this as a reminder. This helps advance park equity through community led funding processes that will support capital improvements in Seattle neighborhoods.
SPR Boardroom: As you know, from the board involvement. This new funding source prioritizes frontline communities, particularly those most affected in disadvantaged areas, and will
SPR Boardroom: is a direct result of Metropolitan Park District funding so in the cycle that we're carrying up for there are, up to the total process that was allocated through the mark. The Metropolitan Park district was 1.5 million and the first tier one will start up with $150,000,
SPR Boardroom: and we look forward to working with frontline communities to help prioritize projects in their communities. And the word is now out. And there's information on our website. We've done press releases. We've done community outreach and continue to get this information to the communities to begin working with them on how they might want to enhance our augment projects. So it's called Community Unity Fund, and it is officially launched. So we just wanted
SPR Boardroom: to report that to you. And we're extremely excited about that.
SPR Boardroom: So at this time I get the distinct pleasure of thanking Marlon and Jessica. Picture here, both together on our slides, and
SPR Boardroom: they've been together as partners, as Chairs and Co. Chairs and leaders of this commission. For quite a while. But the entire time that I've been here in Seattle parts reservation, and for me personally. You both were part of my initial onboarding to the city and the department, and I remember with great affection you
SPR Boardroom: before I even knew you being there as part of my announcement with the Mayor. At yes, Terrace and me meeting you for the first time during my introductory week, and breaking bread together, and just
SPR Boardroom: remembering you both there, and I also remember when I was doing my sort of due diligence and research. I was watching when I was back in La watching videos about Seattle parts recreation and press conferences and things. And I believe that was one that I remember that was being announced.
SPR Boardroom: I do the Park Rangers and also Park district funding and seeing you both on that video before I come up here. And then you were both here, and in my short tenure we've just really been able to work closely together, and really have been
SPR Boardroom: really pleased to rely on your insight. These are 2 of the most dedicated people that I've ever met in public service, and that's including my time in Los Angeles. I can just you.
SPR Boardroom: You wear your heart on your sleeves, your passion for our cities and our parks. You have great wisdom and intellect and insight and it's just been such a pleasure to work with you both, and I know that the mayor's office as well as our other city partners, and our department leadership feels
SPR Boardroom: equally the same that I do about both. And so I'm really sad to have to be able to.
SPR Boardroom: Well, say, see you soon. See you soon, and and Jessica is now a colleague in the city of Seattle. So I'm excited about that. So we're gonna present you with 2 certificates on behalf of the board. And then, I think, do we have another sort of
SPR Boardroom: Hello, or just you wanna offer some?
SPR Boardroom: I saw Danielle lofty you're gonna be still online if you are, Danielle.
SPR Boardroom: Thank you. Api, and thank you everyone since recreation.
SPR Boardroom: Thanks for the opportunity. I feel like I got as much out of it.
SPR Boardroom: Yeah, same. Thank you for the opportunity to serve. It's been. It's really been an honor, and I appreciated it. And we learned a ton, and we'll continue to be in touch and work together in a few ways, I'm sure.
SPR Boardroom: Okay, well, I am going to continue here with our report. This is an update in our parks and recreational services
SPR Boardroom: brand, and parks and environment. So we are busy also prepping for the summer and doing our spring cleaning, and mulching. And so I just wanted to highlight, the daily work of our specialized crew, such as our heavy equipment crew, our landscape crew.
SPR Boardroom: our trail screw, and our natural resources unit work together on large projects to restore and stabilize our precious landscape picture. There are 2 examples. Maybe even a few more, but probably 2 there. That one is the shoreline stabilization near the Stan Sayers program.
SPR Boardroom: That's the top photos, and you can see the before and after our natural resources unit crew and trails crew addressed Lake Shore. Stabilization needs at several sites along the Lake Washington shoreline, including near the Stansters boat ramp project, including moving logs, rock gravel, top soil and plant material into place. So really important work, very laborious. But again, another example of how we Stewart
SPR Boardroom: our parkland and literally shore it up and stabilize it. And so just it's a lot of hard work. And then in the bottom, 4 photos are the Ali the Restoration project, where our landscape crews and heavy equipment crew recently teamed up to restore Ali Beach, near the newly installed Rest Group.
SPR Boardroom: This involved placing 12 large folders and 8 driftwood logs into place. Which again helps shore up when the rain comes from and also prepares Al kai, for it's very be busy upcoming
SPR Boardroom: use during summer in Seattle, so excited for that over in continuing our parks and recreational services, for in our parks and recreational Services branch, we also have recreation. And here you can see an example of our Seattle mentors update. We are making progress on engaging with the community and networking with local professionals. The top
SPR Boardroom: photo is program leader, Romal Witherspoon, recently attending the local gala of the Alpha Alpha African American collegiate fraternity, where the Mayor was the keynote speaker. We had,
SPR Boardroom: a QR code available for those wanting to be mentors. And currently, we have about 6 total who are interested. And you know, I just wanna point out like we've been talking about sales program and even me today reporting and saying, we have 6 mentors. I just want you to remember that number, because one day that's gonna be like when we used to talk about the 2 park rangers. And now we're gonna be up to 28 soon. And my goal one day is hopefully 50.
SPR Boardroom: putting that wish out there for the universe. But same thing. You know, we're starting with 6 interested mentors, and we'll we'll be growing that program. But it was an a an opportunity for us to connect also with the office of Civil rights. And their director, Derek Wheeler Smith, is reached out to me.
SPR Boardroom: Who was interested partnering with us on the Seattle mentors program. So we're really excited about that in the bottom photo you can see our Rec in the streets.
SPR Boardroom: Speaking of partnerships we have partnered now with 6 Seattle public library branches to launch after school art at South Park, Del Ridge and Lake City libraries
SPR Boardroom: and a family game time at Rainier and Douglas truth libraries, Greenwork Library. One of the thing first things I did last year, when I came on board was to take a tour of some of our
SPR Boardroom: parks that are adjacent to libraries, and actually the library director had reached out to me saying he wanted to, you know, meet me and do a tour, and I wasn't quite sure at the beginning, being new to Seattle. You know why, what the nexus was, why the library director was so keen on meeting me, and then I realized that I think there's a sort of a magic formula for planning
SPR Boardroom: in the city of Seattle years ago. It's like, let's build a library, a park
SPR Boardroom: and a school kind of all near each other, sometimes adjacent. So we share a lot of parkland with Seattle public schools, and we also share a lot of land with the Public Library, and we have actually talked about, you know.
SPR Boardroom: more partnership opportunities. Yes, I met met his staff, and they met mine. Both community centers and libraries where they exist side by side. Their staff had always talked about. There's always people going into the library and a community center people going in community center for some library program. And so we thought, well, 2 things, why not? Why don't we try to partner more? And then also, could we also bring renovation
SPR Boardroom: in the good months like out into the mutual courtyards and library functions and do things together? So we're beginning those partnerships, and it's very exciting.
SPR Boardroom: And then also the community engagement ambassadors. Over the past month our community engagement team has been busy engaging with community as a reminder, we employ community engagement ambassadors to perform, outreach and engage with under represented communities in Seattle, including immigrants and first generation refugee populations. Often these staff members come from these underserved communities. They speak the language and know the culture of those they serve.
SPR Boardroom: Our ambassadors do in-person language, interpretation, translation of written materials and data collection. They also provide information about sbr programs, projects.
SPR Boardroom: often teaming with our planning and capital development staff at public meetings. Recent community events attended for at Hutchinson's Playground renovation design meeting the Duwamish River Festival. The Little Brook Park renovation public meeting, Swim Seattle scholarship campaign and the 2024 get moving recreation for all meet free. So
SPR Boardroom: an opportunity again of how we can serve. And also this sort of adopted model we have the department of, I know wrong door policy, so that if people are coming to our community centers or asking our park staff about things that are going on in the city. We want to be providing information as much as possible in their languages, or in the way that they can communicate. Rather than just saying, that's not something we do, or just call City Hall
SPR Boardroom: we wanna be committed to providing them the resources for all city services. So and then, just lastly, we put out a public announcement that we're temporarily closing the Vayner Beach Pool from March 20 fifth to April fourteenth, and that is part of annual maintenance. So schedule thing again, getting ready for the summer and making sure all the equipment and chemicals and things are working correctly so.
SPR Boardroom: and over in our facilities. Division we are, you know, our crews don't just work on buildings. They are also out in parks every day, maintaining and improving park infrastructure picture. Here are 2 recent projects. One is the Lake Union Park repairs. Last
SPR Boardroom: late last year our plumbing shop was notified of a major leap at Lake Union Park, near the Museum history industry. A large amount of water was bubbling up of the ground, so our plumbers worked to turn off the water and to kind of troubleshoot, and find that underground pipes were indeed broken.
SPR Boardroom: and work to make the fix as quickly as possible, working as fast and safely as possible. They were able to get the water back on within a few hours, and then started a with our maintenance team, doing the receiving and deciding and getting things back. And so this is just an example. If you go back there now, you can even know this happened. But again, this is one of those things that
SPR Boardroom: could happen. And if we didn't have, you know, a diligent work order process? It's such a highly impacted area. This is something that you know, sometimes could take months to get prepared because of our work order system. We were able to get it
SPR Boardroom: prepared pretty quickly. I just wanna thank them for that. And then we continue to do trail fence repairs. Along many of our trails. Here with our Ravenna part, we completed a fencing project. On a steep embankment. I've also seen recent trail repairs at Car Key
SPR Boardroom: and in other parts of our city. So it's really great that we can do this natural type of fencing, and the community loves it. It just adds some aesthetic beauty, but it also helps people protected highlight there over in our policy and Finance Branch. We did do a city council briefing yesterday, Council Parks, Utility and Technology Committee
SPR Boardroom: on our Parks and Open Space Plan, and a resolution on the plan will be sent to council later this month, and a vote is expected in April. Our pitch and pot contract the request for proposal for the popular Green Lake pitch and concession opens on April second, 2,024 for a New 15 Year
SPR Boardroom: contract. As many of you know. This is a well used and well loved activity
SPR Boardroom: at Green Lake, and that's a picture of a green Lake kitchen pile so that would be opening up to the public.
SPR Boardroom: We have pic picnic lottery success. Our event scheduling unit completed processing of the picnic lottery application received today on March for fourteenth in record time, the team created a total of 535 permits in just 2 weeks this represented
SPR Boardroom: a $31,000 increase in revenue, and 92 more permits that at this point, in 2,023
SPR Boardroom: due to process efficiencies made in late 2023, including technology. We've already collected 2 thirds of the revenue for these picnic permits so
SPR Boardroom: very exciting there and then. The Japanese garden T ceremonies, are now reservable online. More and more reservations and registrations are available online to the public.
SPR Boardroom: One example of reservations for Japanese key garden ceremonies and Japanese garden are now available for the first time online. And this is approved efficiency and overall customer service. So that's kind of a unique Seattle thing. And anybody to utilize that for your Japanese garden, which is really exciting.
SPR Boardroom: So upcoming events and starting March thirtieth. Our 8 hunts at community centers and neighborhood parks will be held. There's a list there on the field, and we're really excited to serve the community with our annual spring day, and then we have a couple of ribbon cutting coming up and ribbon cutting also
SPR Boardroom: signify completed projects, of course, are exciting, but they signify completed projects. So we're really excited on April thirteenth, finally, the Green Lake small craft center will be live. That is very big one. And we'll serve rowing and all kinds of things.
SPR Boardroom: And then on April twentieth the valor comments play area. So when I first came here. One of the very first things I did was cut ribbon for the dollar comments
SPR Boardroom: park reopening, which was huge. And now we're doing
SPR Boardroom: playground or the common area play area. Which is super exciting. And then on June eighth is gonna be our official pathways park. The all accessible playground, and that's super exciting. So we're really excited about that. We, of course, will share this information with you again.
SPR Boardroom: It gives me very good. But as always, questions from customers.
SPR Boardroom: I think I've just had a couple of things kind of mostly related related to the public comment. I appreciate that you're gonna look more closely into what options may be, because obviously, it's
SPR Boardroom: dangerous. Some cars are getting past those pollards or the signs that are there now, yeah, and
SPR Boardroom: and appreciate the fire departments concerns about making sure their vehicles can get through. But yeah, anything that can
SPR Boardroom: work better to stop ours from getting through important. And then I wanted to think you know, Ben was sending us
SPR Boardroom: Other comments that came through in public comment, including some back and forth about the Parks and Open space plan, and just appreciated him getting that all to us.
SPR Boardroom: and seeing kind of the progression of of communications, I think in. In the last email. It looked like
SPR Boardroom: some of the concerns raised in the earlier emails had been addressed and so appreciated, and being thorough and and getting all that over to us.
SPR Boardroom: Then they follow up Lake Washington Boulevard, I mean, that's been a hot topic here for a few years. Now. I am an almost daily user, and I think that eventually does need some safety improvements period for all users on the street. I know that's a dot thing, but if I just like to plan to see if it's too late, I think it's already too late. But it'd be great if that was maybe a levy project.
SPR Boardroom: Just to get some very basic pet by car safety improvements. I've seen some terrible accidents there.
SPR Boardroom: Yeah, but it'd be, I think the action needs to be taken there.
SPR Boardroom: Well, it's not too late for cycling, for sure. Oh, I mean the transportation month. Oh, the transportation! Well, that's yeah. That would be
SPR Boardroom: fantastic. I mean just the fact. There's no sharers. Bike share lot the bike share sides are super small speed bumps traffic calling that we just see in Greenways. Just it feels like a highway sometimes, and not a park ballpark.
SPR Boardroom: I will bring that up actually, with our
SPR Boardroom: we meet about transportation. For other things coming up. And so that's a great idea. And also we can also play to see if there's other potential
SPR Boardroom: abilities are the Park related things. Cycle 3 as well, or of the park regarding the dot. This falls level.
SPR Boardroom: Hey? Everyone's here. The whole thing is bad
SPR Boardroom: baseball season.
SPR Boardroom: I remember, when. Well, yeah, Philip was was there at Engaged commissioner before Philip, too.
SPR Boardroom: yeah, who is that man.
SPR Boardroom: yeah, yeah, we met up for coffee.
SPR Boardroom: Well, maybe it was Phillip we were
SPR Boardroom: any other comments I'm seeing on online.
SPR Boardroom: Alright. Well, I'll move on to the next agenda. Item, Mr. Morgan.
SPR Boardroom: Yes, we're excited to hear about the ramp up of another initiative from the cycle to Seattle Park District plan to standing up a vandalism response team. Many of you were part of the Vprc. When it made recommendations for park district funding. One commitment we made was to increase our response repeating vandalism. And we're excited to have Justin and Shawn tell you more about the current status.
SPR Boardroom: Scots.
SPR Boardroom: It's working at very far left.
SPR Boardroom: Second, it's okay.
SPR Boardroom: okay, sweet. I don't know what that one's about. But
SPR Boardroom: Will you remind me by raising your hand? If you were on the Vprc. During Cycle 2, that whole process of planning and development cycle to awesome. So you will. Remember some of this, and and those of you who are new. I think you care about it, too. But so
SPR Boardroom: my name's Justin. I work in the policy shop. I'm excited to have an employee with us that will introduce you in a minute.
SPR Boardroom: But so as a part of planning and approving cycle to the Park district, right? So kind of renewing and increasing property tax to fund our services.
SPR Boardroom: We we with you all made a bunch of commitments to what would that growth in service and programming look like? And where was it most important to go. And so you know, we talked to you about a month and a half ago about expanding community center operating hours, which is great we're gonna talk to you now about vandalism response. If you're on my performance oversight subcommittee, you can hear about all of our cycle, 2 commitments, and where we're doing on those
SPR Boardroom: in case you're interested. What's up
SPR Boardroom: jumping in here? We start by telling you kind of the, as you may know, we kind of organize for a reporting and planning purposes. We organize our business into kind of lines of business and detail. So the detailed line of business we're talking about today
SPR Boardroom: is facility, maintenance. So everything from the plumbing shop to carpenters, small machines, right? Every runs the gamut of skilled crafts right? That maintains facilities. All the stuff Ap mentioned that happens outside as well.
SPR Boardroom: The budget for that whole chunk of the organization is about 25 million dollars.
SPR Boardroom: They have a variety of performance measures ways. We track them. But the the one most relevant to today
SPR Boardroom: is that they finished 81% of in the calendar year 2023
SPR Boardroom: they finished approximately 81% of graffiti orders within 6 days. There's a city wide goal of 10 days. Right? We as Spr. Our goal was we wanted to get 90% 6 days. And we got in 2023 81%
SPR Boardroom: for reasons Shawn will tell you. We had some vacancies a little hard time hiring painters, so I think that's honestly a pretty good a pretty good finding, right for a brand new investment. So what we, what Cycle 2 did with this work was to create an emphasis team to serve as our first response for key repairs and bandwidth angri.
SPR Boardroom: And so Sean, who was a big part of standing up, this work is to tell you a little bit more about it.
SPR Boardroom: and yeah, and it's my pleasure I am Sean Barker. I'm a facilities maintenance manager parts integration 23 station down in West Bridge. And
SPR Boardroom: this this work happens to be really kind of near and dear to my heart. That kind of part. My vision might work at parks about making parks better.
SPR Boardroom: Sean. So I feel very fortunate to work this morning.
SPR Boardroom: I'm negotiating.
SPR Boardroom: and what is an opportunity?
SPR Boardroom: I can't make that one. No, that's one Seattle. And just to start with. I don't know if I'd say a rough go, but learning to be experts in vandals and graffiti abatement. Is is kind of very much. The path that we're on.
SPR Boardroom: Part of it is understanding the umbrella of being. That isn't that. It's theft of various kinds, damage of all kinds, and also graffiti
SPR Boardroom: that you've all seen has gotten kind of more prolifer.
SPR Boardroom: I'm just more populated.
SPR Boardroom: Awesome.
SPR Boardroom: Nothing short.
SPR Boardroom: yeah, let me step out here.
SPR Boardroom: Yeah. So one is I, I listed out some of the bigger issues. One is wire theft that we dealt with delegates, placings underground wiring, and they'll come open the cut, the vaults open and literally rip the lines out.
SPR Boardroom: that I mentioned about becoming better experts at windows. We've helped to mitigate that. How about putting aluminum lines in
SPR Boardroom: and putting a table on the wall? He says copper, and then put a half an Eco. Walk down the top so so far.
SPR Boardroom: that's one of the measures. That's kind of helping working. Of course, we've had breakings to facilities, breakings to vehicles, lots of theft of equipment, and like
SPR Boardroom: a couple others that are becoming more and more challenging. One is the theft of metals, basically plaque. If it's if it's brass, if it's bronze, if it's aluminum.
SPR Boardroom: you know, things are are taking it. We're endeavoring to get a little smarter and a little crafty in that regard as well what you see in that picture up there is Mlk. Park, and those are. There's a whole series of plaques, and they would pride off, and
SPR Boardroom: the things attempted to smell it, but I think they were too heavy off the property, so we were able to recover these. They were just glued in place and relatively easy prop right off and through the metal shop and the carpenter shop, given the solution, put studs on the back of them, and drill and epoxy them down so very much to kind of cry from there. But
SPR Boardroom: what they're seeing out
SPR Boardroom: I mentioned about
SPR Boardroom: electrical wire being stolen. Another really big.
SPR Boardroom: or, excuse me, that's the copper pipe
SPR Boardroom: from our western alleyways and Westerns themselves inventing brass fittings and fixtures
SPR Boardroom: under damage.
SPR Boardroom: Never
SPR Boardroom: had to be experts in responding really quickly. We've had several restaurant buyers.
SPR Boardroom: We have a new policy to help prevent that.
SPR Boardroom: Honey. Buckets are not placed next to buildings any longer 10 feet away.
SPR Boardroom: So I think we're awesome.
SPR Boardroom: Start by doing something.
SPR Boardroom: Whitman.
SPR Boardroom: that I got on fire.
SPR Boardroom: lots of damage to, you know. Walks and doors, of course, if they're trying to get in done a lot of work to kind of fortify hasp covers and and
SPR Boardroom: use bigger, bigger hardware and thicker metal.
SPR Boardroom: You know, applications depending
SPR Boardroom: few things
SPR Boardroom: handles it. Very.
SPR Boardroom: We can. We can roll on, can see. You can appreciate, I'm sure, but kind of understand that many, many elements and parks are in. In.
SPR Boardroom: Yeah, I mentioned some of the solutions we're coming up with. And I I I think, with the with the new staff. And for us it's really been a new.
SPR Boardroom: a concerted focus on, you know this. It isn't going away diminishing.
SPR Boardroom: It's growing.
SPR Boardroom: And I think in that we've tried to be smarter about it, and part of the meetings that we hold are often about long term solutions to the problems that we're having
SPR Boardroom: don't have to
SPR Boardroom: the the last thing I wanted to speak with you about is the graffiti emphasis with with the new staff that we've received we were able to do kind of concerted north and south effort is is the way we we we first implemented that staff. We now are able to do
SPR Boardroom: have a a crew that is doing unpainted surfaces, painted surfaces so they can focus and just knock those out. They're doing a really good job just in terms of the reporters that smashing the people that's out there
SPR Boardroom: as well. We've been able to be very proactive where it doesn't even take the workload. It's going from part to part where you know.
SPR Boardroom: if you go off and pops up
SPR Boardroom: We are also part of the the larger city has idt the interdepartmental team for future.
SPR Boardroom: And it's been a really good thing they have emphasis areas that we participate in. Recently was in the South and Seattle and West Seattle. You might have seen enough, you know. See what's out there
SPR Boardroom: with the lights rolling, and it's a chance to kind of do a deep cleaning. It's not just parts. Everybody is out for Sd.
SPR Boardroom: And all the other departments are out at the same time.
SPR Boardroom: and
SPR Boardroom: the other the other element as well. With the new staff. We've been able to create a really good cooperation between shops Imw's and District I I was once one that that was my starting parks in downtown parks, and an imw they do a little bit of each trade.
SPR Boardroom: and in this like in this case they would help with windows and response. Maybe go. Put a board up on a window or a cone on the dock was one of my first ones.
SPR Boardroom: and they also do a lot. So it's really a cooperative effort to get not just small team members.
SPR Boardroom: I put city seniors in there. 1 one of the really neat things you'll notice is if you haven't already
SPR Boardroom: this, the Ib team proceeding to recently kind of
SPR Boardroom: throughout the throughout the idea of one pretty color for Seattle they have now adopted. So all of the departments are using wash.
SPR Boardroom: No, it's true. We we we put all there were like 13 hellers properly, and that was the closest to concrete, that everybody had their their preference, and to me it was an amazing kind of working together moment. But
SPR Boardroom: you know, there was people that have been using the same color screen that. But we've all seen kind of the checkerboards and over time.
SPR Boardroom: like or not, Washington or anything. So
SPR Boardroom: Don't know if that's the last slide.
SPR Boardroom: Oh, Chris.
SPR Boardroom: Super, what what I wanted to close with this. Thank you very much for the support.
SPR Boardroom: Having extra staff, not just the staff to do the work as having the extra staff has helped with staff around across. We we in shops are in place.
SPR Boardroom: so thank you very much. I think, as well. It's helped as a manager. Excuse me as a manager, and for other supervisors, it's helped us to tilt compass of the whole of all shops to say, this is really a priority.
SPR Boardroom: Okay, this is just something that we do. It's a problem.
SPR Boardroom: So yeah, thank you very much. And thank you for helping me. Scottish.
SPR Boardroom: thank you.
SPR Boardroom: Questions for sure.
SPR Boardroom: Thank you. Yeah. Almost thank you, for you know this could be disheartening work to see that the theft and the damage, and all of that, and
SPR Boardroom: really appreciate your diligence and and your team, you know, just being so responsive and taking care of things for all of our residents to be able to use these spaces again as quickly as possible.
SPR Boardroom: I did have a question about like how issues are brought to your attention. If it's I'm sure like find it fix it. Reports come to you, if you
SPR Boardroom: like, are are looking at
SPR Boardroom: kind of metrics and distribution across the city. We know some people are more likely to report issues than others. And kind of prioritizing like equity, prioritization, that type of thing
SPR Boardroom: that's really the thing at this point, that that is less of a factor. We're going back to places that we can use our head. We don't. We don't need necessarily what we create a little
SPR Boardroom: Portugal.
SPR Boardroom: We're going back to those areas. Yeah. So
SPR Boardroom: and that's also that equity overlays part of the, it's emphasis. So we've started in areas that
SPR Boardroom: I think I can try 1 s 1 s.
SPR Boardroom: If you have kind of, you know, when when folks are out doing their working parts like, are they connected and able to send in work orders and reports when they see issues. They are. You know, I was talking about tilting campus. It's been a challenge, I think, for a lot of staff that they know through Covid kind of through the rough chop area when when parts were really the team. I think a lot of people
SPR Boardroom: just kinda had have blinders on, and it's been work. I couldn't. You all know, if you've been in meetings with you that I call for that. It's like, Hey, let your staff know. All they need to do is put in. Fix it. They can email or call.
SPR Boardroom: And same with you all. If you know that something's awful, let me have you back to feel free to.
SPR Boardroom: It's the same
SPR Boardroom: that we do. We're we're we're actually 81%. At this point we're we're focused very much focused on the workforce and virtual
SPR Boardroom: 6 weeks or less.
SPR Boardroom: Yes, thanks, Sean. Time of day
SPR Boardroom: and repeat offenders.
SPR Boardroom: Do we have any stats on that? And do we? And if it's in the evening.
SPR Boardroom: can we consider
SPR Boardroom: more light?
SPR Boardroom: Is that when you speaking separate of graffiti. Specifically, yes. And the vandalism, yeah, and burning of the door.
SPR Boardroom: you know. Yeah, that's tough. I'm I'm I am hopeful that with with the the larger number of rangers. We're gonna have more presence out there, and that is no presence at night. So the other the other part that's
SPR Boardroom: That's been heartening is the idt act that you've heard about. This is actively prosecuting the most egregious.
SPR Boardroom: They actually take photos of it. We participate by helping to to come up with estimates. How much that would cost to you know, to to make sure that it's, you know. Is it reaching felony level?
SPR Boardroom: Excuse me. And
SPR Boardroom: they have successfully prosecuted.
SPR Boardroom: You guys interactively. Whatnot. So
SPR Boardroom: I have a few comments. One appreciate standardization, right? You know, place like work. Their system gets so big all these different departments. And all of a sudden you go to your parts area. It's just like, well, we gotta stock a million of these different doorknobs, right? So can really appreciate standardization, especially pain. Right that way. Anyone can go out there paying over. And you know, to the public is taking care.
SPR Boardroom: So I appreciate that. Also appreciate the proactiveness right? You know what we can do to provide resources, but having the
SPR Boardroom: for acting as a strategy to say, How do I deploy the resource center given so definitely kudos on that? That's super important as well. And the last comment I had
SPR Boardroom: trying to go first, because then I forget. Well, I'll bring up another one. I know one of
SPR Boardroom: the incidents that happened recently. We talked about Cctvs and surveillance. I'm wondering if that perhaps could play into some more
SPR Boardroom: deterrence of some of this spend, how we have maybe Ptz things that kind of lock on certain areas that
SPR Boardroom: high band doesn't like that. I I know there's much talk of that, and they're in in certain facilities. They are installing, not my forte. But we do work. I I work with
SPR Boardroom: I'm having. I'm having the same moment. But yeah, I know that it's it's a debate, or I wouldn't say
SPR Boardroom: they. They we have to choose. Why is the right of that goes and where it doesn't, how it's I mean, I know there's issues around that, isn't. It? Isn't as simple as deploying camera as a whole infrastructure, back end and monitoring. But that is part of our it's.
SPR Boardroom: And and luckily for me, my memory is serving it well. But so we're talking about a vandalism, and you know,
SPR Boardroom: and my house. I had a similar thing I had a year old put up and wise. So we came back and put this antique coding, which was pretty expensive, and that's why I didn't put it on in the beginning. But wondering, is that something that we're looking at doing is after we repaint putting on the
SPR Boardroom: anti graffiti cooking. I know it's really expensive that that's interesting. And I would say the applications for that might be more like the specialty exteriors. If it's some grape or sandstone, that kind of thing we we are kind of right in the midst of a big mural project, and it it may be worth excuse me, it may be worth us digging into
SPR Boardroom: the most current anti graffiti codings. I know the shops did a lot of research, maybe about 10 years ago, and didn't find product that it would last long enough. And then, if if you have a a coding failing, then right now, you have to deal with
SPR Boardroom: well, thanks so much for for taking the time to present about this. It's really amazing work I
SPR Boardroom: appreciate knowing about. You know, the Department's efforts to get a quick turnaround on, on graffiti and vandalism with local.
SPR Boardroom: I'm curious, are there certain types? Are there certain situations? Whether that's because of surfaces or the type of vandalism
SPR Boardroom: where it's particularly difficult to get that 6 day turnaround like
SPR Boardroom: what takes long. I'm hybrid you, you you've all seen what graffiti artists are up to these days when 10 years ago was enough just to put a tag on wall. And now they're client projects that require much more planning setup or rent, a big lift.
SPR Boardroom: There's also been pro projects that we've worked cooperatively with other departments on has dot has specialized machines to kind of reach under the bridges and so forth. And we've
SPR Boardroom: so there are. There's certainly more kind of levels to to efforts to
SPR Boardroom: my questions already been answered. But I just wanted to reiterate. Thank you. I live in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, and I take my dog out, and I'm noticing capital and surrounding neighborhoods where I take him. I have seen your employees out working on graffiti. It's I know it is discouraging. When I just come that you know a couple of days later and see things. But it's great to see you like the effort out there.
SPR Boardroom: And great thought about the aluminum.
SPR Boardroom: Well, I just wanna take this opportunity to thank these 2 gentlemen. We'll start with Shawn. First of all, like
SPR Boardroom: you can just tell from his presentation. He really cares and loves the work that he does. And I've seen him in action. He's also in the field all the time working on a variety of projects. So not only fixing things and and remediating things, as he's told us today, but also working on a lot of
SPR Boardroom: proactive projects. Whether there are art installations, these beautiful murals that are coming to a variety of our facilities. And he really just has a love of place and loves the parks, and I've just been so impressed with how you're you're dedicated to that. And you've just demonstrate your love for Parks, and I know you're just also representing many people in the facilities
SPR Boardroom: division who do that work and love it, and I always say our facilities and our grounds maintenance. People are out in the field all the time, every you know, every day, all night long, in the cold, in the snow, in hot sun. And the reason why people love our parts is because they always looks so well and get taken care of. So I wanna just thank you. Everyone here. I also wanna thank Justin, too. Justin is such an amazing part.
SPR Boardroom: The policy team. He's so smart and so dedicated
SPR Boardroom: and organize. It just has great presentation. Presence and manages all of our, you know, complex things, especially with Mpd. Recording and budget, and I know it's just a treasure to Michelle Finnegan and the entire branch, and so I'm just so proud of both of you on our team.
SPR Boardroom: We'll do a lightning round comment I can't remember what meeting you was at. Maybe it was a a year ago or so. We're talking about feeding vandalism, and it must have been someone from your team, but I still remember it the line was, we got more pains.
SPR Boardroom: It it it is. It is really cool to see on a daily basis they all care.
SPR Boardroom: And then the graffiti team being involved with the It team.
SPR Boardroom: They told me it's like we're gonna crush it 150 before and after hours between the 2 of them one day just taking very graffiti. So thanks.
SPR Boardroom: Awesome. Oh, right
SPR Boardroom: great presentation. So you both. It's like we're moving on to the next agenda topic, which is off which area plan.
SPR Boardroom: Okay, yes, thank you. So here we are again for the, I believe, third time, and I see Danielle and David both on the phone. So they're just gonna give a quick recap of where we are. Before the Commission takes a vote tonight on the off leash area. So I know you've done formal presentations and done a whole Powerpoint but if you just want to give
SPR Boardroom: a quick summation of the project for the Commissioners, and then if any of them have questions, we'll certainly take those as well. So turn it over to you.
SPR Boardroom: Chambers, coming.
Danyal Lotfi: Alright! Good evening, commissioners and everybody else in the room. I hope you can hear me and see the shared screen. Okay.
SPR Boardroom: Okay. Great.
Danyal Lotfi: Well, thank you so much for having us. Here again. My name is Danielle Luthi. I'm a community engagement advisor with South recreation.
Danyal Lotfi: I'm joined by my colleague, David Bader, who's a senior landscape architect?
Danyal Lotfi: And I also wanna give a shout out to another colleague, Colin Campbell, who is part of the core team for this office area expansions, baby but he was unfortunately unable to attend tonight due to a prior prior conflict. So
Danyal Lotfi: as Superintendent Diaz mentioned. We are here to give a quick recap of what we
Danyal Lotfi: presented to the Commissioners on the February 20 s meeting of the Commission.
Danyal Lotfi: We heard public comment at the last session, and we are here tonight to seek your review. And approval of our recommendation. So without further ado, let's dive right in
Danyal Lotfi: just as a quick recap this process started last spring with 32 possible sites that we looked at
Danyal Lotfi: throughout the city of Seattle. within the park system. So these were all sites that are on parks property.
Danyal Lotfi: After an initial review we found 9 of those sites to pass the threshold. Criteria that the Department has set
Danyal Lotfi: brothfish areas in the city.
Danyal Lotfi: In June of 2023 we presented before you, which marked the launch of the public Information and Survey Campaign
Danyal Lotfi: and throughout the following couple of months in the summer we attended farmers markets throughout the city as well as an online survey.
Danyal Lotfi: and that we are happy to report garnered more than 4,700 responses
Danyal Lotfi: Ju just to recap again. So the current cycle of the Metropolitan Park district funding provides funding for the design and construction of 2 new office areas.
Danyal Lotfi: and the design and the design of the third site and the Department will need to seek further funding for the construction of that third site in addition to any other office areas.
Danyal Lotfi: So our recommendation, our first recommendation was the West Seattle stadium site, and the funding in the current cycle of the Mpd. Specifically requires that one of the new office area sites be in West Seattle.
Danyal Lotfi: so that will be that our recommendation is the West Seattle stadium
Danyal Lotfi: our second recommendation is a portion of the Othello Park.
Danyal Lotfi: And the third recommendation, which we only have funding for design only will be Ravenna Park.
Danyal Lotfi: This is a quick map, just to show you in the gray bubbles you will see the existing office areas throughout the city. The green identifies where we are recommending to the sites that we are recommending to be prioritized for the existing funding in the current cycle. You also see 3 locations, 3 sites that are marked with dash lines. And those are
Danyal Lotfi: office area projects that were already in the pipeline prior to the launch of the office area expansion study. So those 3 sites are already in the plan planning process and will be going to construction later this year, I believe.
Danyal Lotfi: And as this map shows the the bubble around each site marks a one mile radius
Danyal Lotfi: and, as you can see, one of our main goals with the expansion of the office area system is really to close some of the gaps and service that exist throughout the city. And that's A huge part of why we have recommended the free sites that we are recommending.
Danyal Lotfi: In addition to those 3 sites there are 2 sites that we are also recommending for off leash area construction but in the future. When maybe potentially in the following cycle of the Mpd, the first one is bright Brighton playfield
Danyal Lotfi: and there is the site that we have identified. Currently, has a sand volleyball court that we believe can fairly easily be moved to a different location within the park, so that we can provide both an opportunity for sand volleyball players as well as an office area in the Park
Danyal Lotfi: and secondly, the East Queen at Playfield site, and we also found that to be a suitable site for an office area in the future, however.
Danyal Lotfi: we would. We need some extra time both to have internal conversations as well as
Danyal Lotfi: coordination with the community, to find an alternative location for some of the youth youth sports
Danyal Lotfi: that play at that
Danyal Lotfi: playfield and beyond that, of course, again, one of our central roles was to close as much as possible to focus on the gaps the areas of the city that lack access to off leash areas. And so that's a big reason why these 2 sites were not prioritized for this current cycle.
Danyal Lotfi: There are, there are 4 additional sites that were part of the 9 sites that we studied in this office area expansion study and the the 4 sites that you see on this slide. We are, recommending for them to be removed from consideration for an off leash area for
Danyal Lotfi: for various reasons. Excuse me.
Danyal Lotfi: for discovery. Park. There were some concerns around the environmental impacts on the park, on the surrounding environments
Danyal Lotfi: as well as existing community uses of the site, such as the powwow that is organized by the daybreak center
Danyal Lotfi: Paula Barnett Park. We heard loud and clear from the community that they prefer to maintain that site as
Danyal Lotfi: as a space for gathering for the community which it has been for many years, and so the community really prefer to keep that site for that use
Danyal Lotfi: view. Rich playfields was another site that we had on our list. However, we believe that the potential disruptions to the existing playfield activities would be too much and in addition to that the site had a very low priority, due to the fact that it's very nearby to Magnus and offish area, which
Danyal Lotfi: at a little over 9 acres is the largest office area in our city.
Danyal Lotfi: and finally Lincoln Park. We also heard clearly from the community that they prefer to keep that site at Lincoln Park
Danyal Lotfi: for passive activation
Danyal Lotfi: just to go over some of the next steps. So, as I mentioned, on February twenty-twond. We first presented our recommendations to to you all.
Danyal Lotfi: At the March fourteenth meeting we had public comments where we heard from a few community members.
Danyal Lotfi: Their feedback and input on our recommendations
Danyal Lotfi: tonight, we're here to seek your review and approval of our recommendations and help to answer any questions.
Danyal Lotfi: And once Commissioners approve our recommendations the superintendent will approve those recommendations, and
Danyal Lotfi: that will kind of bring us to
Danyal Lotfi: really, the start of the next phase in this process, which would be for us to engage with the local area and the neighbors around the selected sites. In the summer of 2,024
Danyal Lotfi: and we hope to begin preliminary office area design and review
Danyal Lotfi: for these. For the first 2 sites in the summer or fall of this year. However, funding for the full design and construction of these sites will become available in 2,025 and 2026 respectively
Danyal Lotfi: and finally, as I mentioned, we also have funding for the design of a third site which we are recommending the Ravenna Park site, and we hope to develop, begin developing the design for that site in 2027 and 2028.
Danyal Lotfi: That brings us to the end of our presentation. Again. The February 20. Second presentation was.
Danyal Lotfi: went much more in detail, and we were asked today to just give it a high level recap of of our recommendations.
Danyal Lotfi: Thank you so much for your time. I I don't know. If David, do you have anything to add that I may have missed? Okay.
David Bader: Just yeah available for any questions. If if there are any thanks.
David Bader: right.
SPR Boardroom: Thank you for that very thorough presentation and recap. Appreciate it.
SPR Boardroom: opening the floor up to commissioners.
SPR Boardroom: Any questions?
SPR Boardroom: None. I don't think we had any Commissioner. Someone
SPR Boardroom: I don't like press holes.
SPR Boardroom: I have a question. And and this is more so of an accessibility to these parks and what comes to mind for me specifically, is the one at Westlaw force.
SPR Boardroom: How do we factor in accessibility to the site where the dog parks could potentially be you know, and I'm looking over there at
SPR Boardroom: correct me if I'm wrong. But the what's Seattle? One, if
SPR Boardroom: parking is kind of an issue, and accessibility is kind of an issue there. And so when I drive past that site on my way into work, and I can't imagine folks feeling very safe crossing. If there's, you know, a ton of traffic at that time, so is there any thoughts with potentially parking with S. Dot, or something out on accessibility, or
SPR Boardroom: just throwing that out there for discussion.
David Bader: Yes, there's, I think, 2 answers to that question. The first, I think, for immediate accessibility. I I believe the site we would be considering at least one or 2 accessible parking spaces, one would be Van accessible, so the idea would be at the very least would be served via some accessible parking and then the second partnering with Sd, we
David Bader: we really love that we love to partner with them, and we do it and every opportunity we can. So I think this would be no exception. We work really closely with them all the time, and have heard specifically about that intersection along 30 fifth. So there seems to be momentum something there. Yeah.
SPR Boardroom: Yeah, and and I'll I'll keep harping on it, you know, just again driving past that site. That's right before you get onto the West Hill Bridge, and even folks just trying to get over to bus stops across the street, or even, you know, West Seattle State, and they have quite a hard time again getting over there. And I know if you kind of go in a couple more blocks to the west. That's basically California Avenue, where you know all these
SPR Boardroom: apartments. It's a highly desk area. You got a lot of, you know, public transit hubs right there. And so just making sure that people. And there's a lot of dogs, a lot of dog owners out there. So just making sure that they have safe passage to get to this asset that we potentially need. So again, just something to throw out there.
SPR Boardroom: that's my only comment. But otherwise great work. Thank you very much.
SPR Boardroom: David. One other thing about the West Seattle. So the
SPR Boardroom: Oday High School
SPR Boardroom: and I think Seattle prep. It's their home field. So in the fall.
SPR Boardroom: when they play there.
SPR Boardroom: Are you thinking about the dog park being when you come down and take the left to come down to the stadium? Would the dog park be to
SPR Boardroom: the south side of the stadium, where that kind of open field area is.
David Bader: I'm I don't think so. Necessarily. There's a little space that's kind of currently used as like an overflow parking area. I think you're.
SPR Boardroom: Yeah, that's what I'm that's yeah. That's kind of that's what I'm kind of talking about is right? There. Yeah.
David Bader: Yes, so we have, and Danielle could also speak to this as well. But so there's what we're looking at. There is probably some level of providing some parking to mitigate it, try to hopefully mitigate.
SPR Boardroom: Yeah.
David Bader: Yeah, cause? Yeah, we we have heard how packed it it gets on on these days.
SPR Boardroom: The positive thing is that
SPR Boardroom: one's memorial stadium.
SPR Boardroom: They start reconstructing it. Those teams will move to Memorial stadium, and that's all. The games will be played, so there won't be a hassle with parking traffic
SPR Boardroom: at that time, so.
Danyal Lotfi: Yeah, certainly. And the one thing I wanted to add, you know, as kind of a a high level strategy that we've had with office areas over the past few years. Is that we don't. We do not have the land availability to create office areas that are the size of, you know, magnes and or Westgate kind of those multi acre
Danyal Lotfi: and so and of course, those are great office areas. Very popular. Lots of people like to travel, maybe even across, drive across the city to get to them. But our hope really is to turn more and more towards smaller neighborhood size offfish areas that people can walk to and
Danyal Lotfi: part of our thinking around prioritizing West Seattle stadium was the fact that, as was just mentioned that. It's very nearby to a a very dense area that is becoming increasingly dense. And so and our our hope and our theory of the case is that
Danyal Lotfi: these new office shares that we're designing will be designed to primarily service the neighborhoods surrounding them so that ideally people are walking to them, of course, and a great recommendation, and in terms of working with sot to making, to make sure that
Danyal Lotfi: that the path to get to these office areas from the surrounding neighborhoods is safe.
SPR Boardroom: So we need to make a recommendation. Then, right
SPR Boardroom: moving on to the recommendation. We've had good discussion. Are there any more questions before we go into
SPR Boardroom: looking for a motion at this point.
SPR Boardroom: Do I hear a motion
SPR Boardroom: motion to approve?
SPR Boardroom: I'd like to make a motion to approve the staff's recommendation for the authenticity plan.
SPR Boardroom: The second
SPR Boardroom: motion. Second, all right.
SPR Boardroom: So with that, let's go ahead and move into what poly do you usually lead us in our voting, or do you want me to do alright? All in favor of supporting the recommendation from staff? Say, Hi, raise your hand.
SPR Boardroom: I think that's unanimous. There's no more commissioners online. So passes unannis. Thanks very much.
Danyal Lotfi: Thank you all so much. We are very excited for the opportunity to bring more dog parks to the city, and
Danyal Lotfi: I know there will be many out there who will be happy to hear the news tonight. Thank you so much for your time.
SPR Boardroom: You.
SPR Boardroom: Thank you, David. Thank you, Danielle.
SPR Boardroom: Alright that we are right back on time. So next agenda topic, here we have the capital projects update. Yes. Well, I know that the board and the general public are interested in the progress we are making on our design and construction of capital improvements.
SPR Boardroom: In our neighborhoods and park system throughout the city, and we're very pleased to be able to give that report tonight, and I'm very pleased to introduce Kim Bolton. The Direct is the director of our
SPR Boardroom: Pcd. Or part timing
SPR Boardroom: development team. Which, by the way, David and Colin, who were just on the phone. Are members of, and Don y'all is not. I don't think technically in that division, but works very closely.
SPR Boardroom: With our one team here, so I'm very excited to have Tim with us tonight. So ken please deliver.
SPR Boardroom: Are you self volunteering?
SPR Boardroom: Here we are. Thank you everyone once again. It was good to be here, and I have to share some updates on the my capital project. Work. Move into there we go.
SPR Boardroom: So tonight I'd like to cover a few items. One will talk a little bit about our 2024 key goals, our some of our project stats and information a little bit about the Park Community Fund share some lucid project completion, and some projects under construction.
SPR Boardroom: We kind of have this mantra these days of culture, of conformity. And we also talk about single truth, architecture, and really, the idea behind that is just to collecting all your data and knowledge, and trying to get it into one place which helps you to have all the information available at your fingertips. So just wanted to share that
SPR Boardroom: alright. So first, our key goals for this year. So first and foremost, foremost, is
SPR Boardroom: making the required progress necessary this year to meet all of our commitments with the Mp. Initiatives. Seems like a given. But that's you know, that's that's a drag and force. The Park Community Fund is kind of at an exciting stage. Right now, we're starting engagement, our data collection and moving towards project selections.
SPR Boardroom: We are really focusing on grants. We, our goal is to apply for 20 million dollars in grants. And our our hope is to be 75% successful. So we hope to be awarded 15 million dollars in grants. This year
SPR Boardroom: we hope to reach a spending goal of 120 million, our spending goal where we reached 150 million last year.
SPR Boardroom: We are working on alternative delivery methods and moving that cross process forward with some of our project packages.
SPR Boardroom: And then we have a number of continuous improvement processes that we are working. And I just wanna share a few polling create great report, share information. And we started using it for the park community planning. But it's it's such a great resource. We are
SPR Boardroom: moving a number of our projects to that and using that as another platform to share information.
SPR Boardroom: So that's one of the things that we are working on.
SPR Boardroom: We also are looking at our staff. And the way we engage with communities in different areas. And in an effort to start establishing or to continue, you know.
SPR Boardroom: areas, other projects. So in an effort to provide better service to community and to establish more long term relationships. We have assigned our staff or planners and geographic areas within the city as well.
SPR Boardroom: So just one small improvement.
SPR Boardroom: I'm automating project website, information and Js data, pro straight from procure to update our websites. Procure is our project management, platform
SPR Boardroom: or construction management.
SPR Boardroom: And we are also working on a process for outside project idea. So we get a lot of ideas, great ideas from community for different departments. And we address all of those ideas. And it's it's a significant workload. And so we're working on a process that helps us to have a better flow.
SPR Boardroom: And then crazy ideas from the superintendent
SPR Boardroom: just doing more, doing more and more in that area, or just for staff development.
SPR Boardroom: Alright the next. I'd like to share a little bit about some of our big establishing cycle 2 period.
SPR Boardroom: And we
SPR Boardroom: I just want to kind of share a little bit about the some of the tracking that we're doing and share some of some of the key areas of your
SPR Boardroom: are working on. So, for example, for play areas, our goal at the end of the 6 years, 6 years is complete. 33. And so right now we are at 7, complete, 6 in. Construction, 17, and design. So
SPR Boardroom: this, you know, we can easily see and share this data and information with the restrooms. We have 7 in construction and
SPR Boardroom: tanner design and tenant planning moving towards our goal of 27,
SPR Boardroom: and then the decarbonization of community centers. But with the resolution, we
SPR Boardroom: we're going to decarbonize half of our centers, which is 13 and we are home. That's complete in tune construction. And then we have the hard time reading prepared planning, and then starts in 2025.
SPR Boardroom: So as we move through. You know, this is our second year, we're, you know.
SPR Boardroom: excited to see this progress and to track him, being able to share it
SPR Boardroom: with our synthetic turf targeting or resurfacing or ball fields. Our deal was 6. We completed 5 and have one a design currently.
SPR Boardroom: And then let's racket and paddle cords.
SPR Boardroom: Our goal is 60. We completed 8, and we have 52 pending, and we don't divide that over to, you know, planning design and construction because a lot of times are small methods, so
SPR Boardroom: don't care.
SPR Boardroom: Alright. Then I just wanted to share. So with that our accountability towards meeting these goals, and we have an internal tracker that we utilize and
SPR Boardroom: and it helps us really to kind of see the project information and have everyone else
SPR Boardroom: some of the information that's included is like our projects on schedule, budget on budget. What phases are the end?
SPR Boardroom: And it just helps us to see clearly to highlight projects that we might need to step in and support more. We have a committee called Stage Cape Oversight Committee, and the committee is comprised of management
SPR Boardroom: folks from the superintendent's office. And sometimes we need to make decisions. And then the graph below shows our cumulative spending
SPR Boardroom: from 21 to this year. And you can see, you know, Q. One. How
SPR Boardroom: the dollar must have increased from 21 to 23. And right now, for where we're at in 24, we're at 16 million 16,000,786 which is pretty comparable to where we were in 2023. So
SPR Boardroom: to share that information with you.
SPR Boardroom: So this this graph goes over
SPR Boardroom: task list and the timeframe for alternative delivery methods. So it's kind of a generalized but yet it's some specific to our first decarbonization package. So we are looking at utilizing what Gcc
SPR Boardroom: and from
SPR Boardroom: and we haven't. We haven't previously done that. So so we spent.
SPR Boardroom: We did a lot of due diligence last year talking with other, you know, groups and learning and
SPR Boardroom: determining and understanding what the process is. We have a consultant that we brought on board on a contract and call contract, and they are professionals in this area. Another time of dollars, so they will be supporting us. And we're we're excited about these
SPR Boardroom: trying to do something that we've done for a long time is like we cannot pay. So that's kind of what this is all about. And you know, this year we're moving into that procurement portion of the work
SPR Boardroom: which head
SPR Boardroom: and then, as I kind of mentioned earlier. One of our goals is to submit for 20 million dollars in grants.
SPR Boardroom: So during
SPR Boardroom: general pandemic would be
SPR Boardroom: turn strong focus to grants to kind of make up for some of the
SPR Boardroom: the delays and budget transfers due to essential work. So we recognize the way fill that gap would be through 3 grants. We were able to move the one grants person prior to you, because that trans person we're mostly in capital projects and then add another person
SPR Boardroom: and have a strong focus. So the top section shows some of the
SPR Boardroom: grant that we've been awarded to date. So this is this year.
SPR Boardroom: And then the next section is recently submitted. France, that gives a lot of King County Home grants couple, Dnr, and then the top one is significant, so that one
SPR Boardroom: and then in May May. First of this year the Rco. Grants are are due, and our CEO is just a recreation and conservation office. So State grants, and we
SPR Boardroom: we go for a lot of their masks. We have less success for them, and they're looking to reply to the work that we do. So we have a lot of those different sets up here
SPR Boardroom: applying for coming in first, and then throughout this year we continue work. This is where we are with our list date.
SPR Boardroom: and then just a little bit on the front community fund. So the idea collection phase as we go and everybody's really excited about that
SPR Boardroom: it's going real right? And our, you know, so goes through the end of April, and our staff are going up to community groups and joining, you know, meetings that they have, or events and setting up tables kind of pop up with you guys to go
SPR Boardroom: help people, you know, share this opportunity. And to people
SPR Boardroom: process. And we made it a really simple process. So we're, you know, we're hoping to get a lot of
SPR Boardroom: a lot of takers on this a lot of the
SPR Boardroom: lot of ideas coming our way. So for 2124 to 25, yeah. Small tier is a large tier investments. Small tier is up to 150,000
SPR Boardroom: per project, you know, but
SPR Boardroom: total dollar amount is a million, and here turns up to 1.5 million or $12 amount for that grouping would be more clear.
SPR Boardroom: So frontline communities are working alongside our staff and we're moving through the process of idea collection project development and planning selection
SPR Boardroom: dropped over.
SPR Boardroom: All right. Now, I'm gonna go into reference
SPR Boardroom: photographs. So upon stuff, right? So recent project completions.
SPR Boardroom: So this is a list of the completions
SPR Boardroom: in 2024 so far, and we'll read them all them up. But
SPR Boardroom: a second
SPR Boardroom: pass, through
SPR Boardroom: which one is the picture.
SPR Boardroom: Oh, that is terrible. Yeah.
SPR Boardroom: yes, alright. So this person's Bertram Park. You can see this kind of stage area that works as a gathering space on the right. There's access to the Martin, which is one of the big pushes in my dreams.
SPR Boardroom: provide access to monitor
SPR Boardroom: just couple photos of that completed project.
SPR Boardroom: and then the eye 90 options to some trail weddings plus Junkins Park. And it's in collaboration.
SPR Boardroom: But a number of other entities. And the flag in this really huge safety feature. And so people are excited by.
SPR Boardroom: I can feel safer using this trail. After after dark. It's all that story
SPR Boardroom: and deerborn play area renovation. So lots of fun stuff there for kids to play on and play with and together in space as well.
SPR Boardroom: So we're looking at a seat with the space message into the trees.
SPR Boardroom: Have a special.
SPR Boardroom: And then this is major league baseball. So legacy projects at Rainier play field. So transition these 2, this past weekend with a lot of people and some of the First League games were played on Saturday.
SPR Boardroom: gentlemen.
SPR Boardroom: and then this is urban triangle place structure. So urban triangle has been open for a long time. The place structure was kind of put on hold. Over through Covid. It's a custom structure
SPR Boardroom: kind of based on.
SPR Boardroom: as of some history and stories. But my structure is now available for downtown families to place, to go and play
SPR Boardroom: projects under construction. So this is a good long list. We're excited to have so much underway.
SPR Boardroom: And at the bottom, right? There's a short list of pending projects that have been bid, and we're waiting for official notice to proceed sometime before
SPR Boardroom: can going back really quickly, though a few of those, though, are probably almost near or after completion, right like 3 lake small craft. And so there'll be even more coming off the list. Right?
SPR Boardroom: Yeah, Nafta. They were very
SPR Boardroom: alright. What happens.
SPR Boardroom: Oh.
SPR Boardroom: that's your work. Please click, just click on it. That should that should work alright. Thank you.
SPR Boardroom: Alright. So this is not for your land bank site.
SPR Boardroom: It's it's coming out of the grill construction sometimes with
SPR Boardroom: half of the, you know. Half the time is been kind of under, you know, generally just because
SPR Boardroom: getting on that it looks like not much is happening right? And then all of a sudden, it's like a blower road. Actually, this weekend. And one of the place structures is actually so
SPR Boardroom: moving forward on this new park.
SPR Boardroom: this is down our main boat ramp and some cool photographs
SPR Boardroom: of it under construction. It's basically done as well. And our nice nighttime photo, the march and Frame
SPR Boardroom: Pathways park, a universally accessible place based. It's gonna be really kind of one of our showcase. Amazing parks for accessibility center.
SPR Boardroom: No, this is showing a a demolition. So this is a park property, a majority.
SPR Boardroom: So pull the number of budget types
SPR Boardroom: and looks like on land bank site under construction
SPR Boardroom: and and one of our community colleges. So thank you for giving me the opportunity to share
SPR Boardroom: so much
SPR Boardroom: super exciting work, always nice to see long list of things we're working up into leading and things that are in progress. So appreciate that update that any
SPR Boardroom: comments or questions from commissioners
SPR Boardroom: just one last time. Oh, gosh!
SPR Boardroom: Who was here last time? I don't have charges anymore.
SPR Boardroom: But I remember that you all last quarter. We're meeting your birthright perfectly in the capital program. Oh, you're meeting your burn rate, your actual spending and branch budget perfectly, which means that money being spent, it's good things are moving on progress. How's that doing so far? Now that we're back talking about the topic?
SPR Boardroom: So that one slide showed kind of our burn rate.
SPR Boardroom: I just wanna say it's it's great to see all these projects happening. A lot of them, many, many of them we've heard about along the way there, the need for it, or helping to prioritize them in the participant plan. So it's great to see the lists of everything that's happening, and to see the visualization of where things are out in the pipeline that also really helps to understand
SPR Boardroom: being on track to get things completed in the 6 year cycle. So thanks for sharing all that with us. Yeah, you're welcome.
SPR Boardroom: Did you say the geographic district assignments is a new thing.
SPR Boardroom: We we've had it for for landscape architects for a while for a long time, but for the planners it's a religious thing, the thing.
SPR Boardroom: And then we're trying to figure out. Can we make it work for project managers, too, because
SPR Boardroom: it's a little bit happy with project managers? But we
SPR Boardroom: we like that idea well, for us on gives you a way to jump on something quickly. So
SPR Boardroom: it sounds simple, but it's
SPR Boardroom: It's we're we're making it better, I guess.
SPR Boardroom: No, I I think it's great, 'cause it's
SPR Boardroom: it's a way to sort of like build.
SPR Boardroom: momentum, and sort of passion and energy among the staff for
SPR Boardroom: super targeted areas because they may not live in this neighborhood. But if all of a sudden you're working, spending all your time to this community, you kind of
SPR Boardroom: start to feel like
SPR Boardroom: a de facto community member. And so yeah.
SPR Boardroom: I think that's that's gonna be screw
SPR Boardroom: a couple of just maybe, for my own curiosity, the the capital spending what
SPR Boardroom: like? What's the driver behind? Why, that
SPR Boardroom: it's sort of like
SPR Boardroom: slow burn at the beginning, and then just ramps way up in Q. 4, as opposed to sort of like a
SPR Boardroom: sort of consistent
SPR Boardroom: down across the year, I think, because there's construction is heavier during the warmer.
SPR Boardroom: better. Whether she yeah is part of is a big part of that
SPR Boardroom: part of that, too, is, once you get a project pass kind of procurement and design. When you hit construction, burn, rate exponentially. Well, I I always forget that
SPR Boardroom: fiscal quarter is not the same as calendar year quarter. So 3 and 4, of course, would be the prime summer months for shovels in the ground.
SPR Boardroom: I think that the last one is sort of been in my head. You were talking about grants and all these different things and projects upcoming, and sort of
SPR Boardroom: been on the world. My radar, too, which is the the Feds have been releasing significant amounts of money, but primarily to do dot agencies, and
SPR Boardroom: I guess I wouldn't.
SPR Boardroom: What starts to go through my head is like.
SPR Boardroom: Take, for instance.
SPR Boardroom: think S. That
SPR Boardroom: received it, and I've washed up.
SPR Boardroom: But the State Route 99 project through South Park.
SPR Boardroom: How does the planning and development of whatever that becomes, and no one knows what it becomes
SPR Boardroom: sort of like dovetail into sort of
SPR Boardroom: the design and consideration of the Parks department, because part of that is the design and development
SPR Boardroom: of public open space parks
SPR Boardroom: things like that as one scenario, right as they think, do we remove it. We go underground. What do we do?
SPR Boardroom: Does Price play a role
SPR Boardroom: in any of that?
SPR Boardroom: Or is it sort of like
SPR Boardroom: things get developed? And then.
SPR Boardroom: hey? Guess what we know. We're giving you a new part?
SPR Boardroom: No, that's that's a good question. I think a lot of those conversations have been kind of years ago. Higher levels. Of understanding what you're saying.
SPR Boardroom: Well, so I I mean I I could go into the weeds with you
SPR Boardroom: afterwards for a long time. But, for instance
SPR Boardroom: well, the city is actually looking at. I I don't even know it's it's not specifically S stop. But the city is looking at alternative solutions to Sr. 99 through South Park.
SPR Boardroom: That particular, you know.
SPR Boardroom: 4 scenarios, everybody. I'm just keeping it.
SPR Boardroom: Bridges elevated
SPR Boardroom: new sort of park, like boulevards, basically doing something big and transformational. That is Parkland that is not necessarily like.
SPR Boardroom: was, is that going to be something like, Hey, S, that's going to own, operate and manage. Or is that going to be like.
SPR Boardroom: hey? We built you a brand new part. Congratulations, you know, then have to take on the operation and maintenance of it. Cause if
SPR Boardroom: I think about these things, because the battles happening over in Mercer Island and all that 5 20 Bridge, and like the Feds are releasing a significant amount of money. There's a lot of projects happening in our city
SPR Boardroom: that are parks and open space. And so
SPR Boardroom: it's just.
SPR Boardroom: yeah. I don't expect an answer. I find it fascinating how some stuff works.
SPR Boardroom: Yeah, I think I mean it. It is an interesting sometimes conundrum, because
SPR Boardroom: parks will.
SPR Boardroom: you know, when people don't know what to do with things? Then sometimes they think of
SPR Boardroom: apart, but then they don't think about all the things that go along with that, like, you know, operating maintenance. You know. So we're trying to be really intentional, you know, like a a good example is, you know this sort of as the the waterfront Project right, which is largely dot public right away, also some park spaces. But then, with this extension of this
SPR Boardroom: sort of this gift, this big big gift, the largest gift to the Parks department and to the city for the extension. You know the Elliot Bay park.
SPR Boardroom: that is very exciting. But we even in that gift we were able to sort of push a little bit to say we're excited to accept this huge donation and all the new things that would come there. But
SPR Boardroom: you know we don't necessarily have a budget for a new operating and maintenance. And so we were able to then negotiate that there would be, I believe, up to a 10 year, so that we could then normalize it into our budget. So eventually we'll figure out the way to continue that. But to your point about this sort of 99 project, I think there's lots of
SPR Boardroom: iterations going around, but we have to be mindful to like. We don't want to give up the opportunity to maybe create our plan. But I think it's okay for us to put some parameters on sort of these gifts. You know. And so yeah.
SPR Boardroom: but it. It is interesting how these things sort of get planned out.
SPR Boardroom: Great questions, great discussion
SPR Boardroom: any more. Comments from questions.
SPR Boardroom: Thanks so much. Thank you, Kim Kim, please. Like some of the
SPR Boardroom: greatest and most hardworking people in the department. I love her branch and all of her teammates, because they're just. They want to design and plan and build and construct all these things, and then they go to the public. And then, so this report is just indication of all of that
SPR Boardroom: stuff that's going on. Thank you. Okay, thank you. Everyone. Thank you. Thank you alright. Now, rounding us out to hopefully send us home soon. All the new business will be at the next meeting, so I'll go plug in right now.
SPR Boardroom: Park Community Fund, which is super exciting. I think Justin and Stafford have been through it. Are you okay? Wonderful? Yeah. So it is live. Rachel and Shaquan have shared all the links. There's a series of upcoming community meetings, and I think
SPR Boardroom: you've been all collectively talking about trying to attend some of these I I signed up for the April ninth one
SPR Boardroom: and I think yes, it's that's gonna be super exciting. And then the last thing
SPR Boardroom: I promise is a
SPR Boardroom: since with the weather is turning nice around some of these days, and, like the parks, are getting flooded with users.
SPR Boardroom: I I have noticed some super precarious
SPR Boardroom: sort of maintenance situations especially like Discovery Park, in particular, that the trails and access on the north side, traversing those hillsides
SPR Boardroom: are ending
SPR Boardroom: a a state of disrepair. There's actual trends missing in handrail to
SPR Boardroom: fully come off of the stairs. And so I you know, 2 weekends ago we were out there, people of all ages and types that all of a sudden, themselves sort of in very like eyes, wide open
SPR Boardroom: situations, and so especially this time of year. It's just sort of like
SPR Boardroom: hit the find and fix it. If you all are out and about.
SPR Boardroom: Thank you, Josh, I will ask you about it
SPR Boardroom: any more comments, questions.
SPR Boardroom: time to close out with that we are a jerk. Thank you.