Community Services Commission - Regular Meeting

The Community Services Commission is called to order at 6 o'clock.

Commissioner O'Brien, will you call the roll?

Chairperson Bogwatt?

Here.

Vice Chair Stewart?

Commissioner Detrain? Here. Commissioner Fowler? Here. Commissioner Kolk? Here. Commissioner O'Brien? Here. Commissioner Sachs?

Here.

Thank you. Please stand and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance.

I will now move on to item four, the reference to the fundamental rights of the public. The fundamental rights of each member of the public can be found in municipal code posted on the city's website and on a plaque that is posted at the entrance to this meeting per section 4.04.030 of the city of Benicia's open government ordinance. Moving on to item five, adoption of the agenda. Staff, are there any changes to the agenda? No changes. I need a motion from the commission to accept the agenda.

Motion to accept.

Commissioner O'Brien, can you please take a roll? Chairperson Bogwad?

Yes. Vice Chair Stewart? Commissioner Detrain? Yes. Commissioner Fowler? Yes. Commissioner Kolk?

Yes.

Commissioner O'Brien, yes. Commissioner Sachs?

Yes.

As a quick reminder for fellow commissioners, please turn on your mics, even if you are just saying yes or here. It was noted to us that in the last meeting of this commission, it was very difficult to hear on the microphones in the recording. And speak into your microphone, which I will now model. Moving on to item number six, opportunity for public comment. This portion of the meeting is reserved for persons wishing to address the commission on any matter not on the agenda that is within the subject jurisdiction of the Community Services Commission. State law prohibits the Community Services Commission from responding to or acting upon matters not listed on the agenda. Each speaker has a maximum of three minutes for public comment. If others have already expressed your position, you may simply indicate that you agree with a previous speaker. If applicable, a spokesperson may present the views of your entire group. Speakers may not make personal attacks on commission members, staff, or members of the public, or make comments which are slanderous or which may invade an individual's personal privacy. Is there anyone in the audience who would like to make a public comment on something that's not on the agenda?

Staff, are there any written comments?

No written comments.

Okay, fantastic. Well, we will move on to item seven, information and presentations. And first moving on to item seven, a commissioner introduction. So we are very excited to welcome two new commissioners here to our commission. Director Dunleavy, did you want to say anything about this other than to also welcome them to our commission? um in addition to getting oriented of course this opportunity is a this meeting is an opportunity for us to all get to know each other and so did we want to do a quick round of introductions and the Commission we can do new members but maybe it might be helpful for us all just kind of just do a quick round of introductions and maybe you know share your name what your profession or way you spend your time is and maybe how long you've been on the Commission and Something else we should know about you.

It doesn't have to be that serious.

I can start. Hi, I'm Rachel Boglet. I'm the chair of this commission. I have been on the commission for two years, I believe. Professionally, I work in mental health and substance use public policy on a statewide level, and I own the coworking space in downtown Benicia. And I'm also on the board of one of our grantee organizations. I will pass it to my vice chair, Commissioner Stewart.

Hi, I'm Andre Stewart. In the daytime, I'm an insurance executive, but I have been on this commission, I don't know, Maggie, six, seven, eight, nine, 10, 11 years. So let's go somewhere in there because the community service commission before that, which became this one, I was on that one as well. My family and I have lived here in Benicia for almost 30 years. So man, it's been a long time. So thank you.

Commissioner Sacks, you want to go ahead?

Sure. So I've been here for two years on the commission. I also serve on something called the Benicia Independent Oversight Committee, which was formed in 2024 to look at how the city utilizes revenues from the voter-approved tax measures. By the way, we will be here on the 15th presenting our first report to the city for those of you who are interested. Very exciting. I've been in Benicia since 2004. Moved here when I married my wife, Susan Marcus-Sacks, who's an artist in the Benicia Arsenal. I also serve on the board of We Care Services for Children. I'm a colleague right here who's also works with nonprofits in Contra Costa. And I've been the chair of that board and I'm currently the secretary of that board.

Would you like to go next?

Sure. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Jessica Detrain. I am one of the two new commissioners. I am a prosecutor in Contra Costa County. I'm currently head of our sex trafficking unit. I've been in Benicia now for a little over seven years, so still somewhat relatively new. I'm a board member of two nonprofits in Contra Costa County. One is Community Violence Solutions. It serves survivors of sexual abuse and trauma, and a small nonprofit daycare that my kids go to. Like I said, I live here in the community with my husband and my three-year-old and almost two-year-old, so very excited to get involved in something on this side of the bridge.

Thanks so much, Commissioner Kolk.

Hi, everybody. My name is Maggie Kolk, and I have been on this board for 11 years, a couple years longer than Andre. I have been chair and vice chair of the Human Services Board, which preceded the Community Services Commission. I'm also chair of the board of Sustainable Solano. By day, I'm a semi-retired food scientist, although retirement has been challenging because I just keep on working. Although I do babysit one day a week for my little grand boy. So yeah, that's me.

Commissioner O'Brien.

I am Elizabeth O'Brien. I've been on this board for this commission for two years. I just started as the secretary tonight. I've been in Venetia for about 10 years. And during the day, I'm an architectural historian. And I volunteer at Arts Venetia.

Commissioner Fowler.

Hello, my name is Helena Fowler. I'm a newbie to the commission. By day, I'm a doctor of clinical nutrition with a private practice called Food is Function, but you can also find me at The Connective. I'm also an advisor to early stage startups. I was most recently a board member on the Venetia Ballet Theater. I just resigned on Sunday because I'm also a full-time student becoming a therapist and I start my internship. I believe in really pouring back into our community, which is why I am here. And I'm looking forward to engaging with all of you.

Wonderful. Very impressive group of commissioners, if I do say so ourselves. Very nice to meet the two new folks and very much welcome. With that, moving on to item 7B, the Majestic Theater presentation. We are starting with Majestic, right? I'd like to invite Majestic crew up.

Hello, good evening. My name is Alicia Brewster.

David Batchelor, came here in 1962. Been here a few years.

All right, so thank you for having us. My husband, Brandon, and I just recently purchased the Majestic Theater, so we're here tonight to kind of share our plans for that, what our hopes are in working with the commission, and how we're partnering with Venetia Community Foundation. Okay, so tonight I'll kind of go through our updates, some plans that we have already happening, our next steps, how we're hoping you all can be involved, and what our giving structure is right now between our two different setups. And really what our hope is that the show will go on. We know that the theater has been there for some time without anything happening, so we're just really excited to get it up and running and so Venetians everywhere can have fun and make memories there with their loved ones. So we are dedicated to the preservation of the theater's past by keeping it a community event space We do have a website that I'll share the QR code to at the end. You may have seen we've been starting to make YouTube channel updates and Instagram videos. It's really been a lot of fun. There's a lot to discover. Every day we're in there, it's like a new scavenger hunt. Like, oh, where does this extension cord lead to? And, you know, it's really intriguing. So just so you're aware of what we're doing and working with the city, these are our four major... upcoming milestones that we need to get to before we open. The one that we are currently in is milestone number one. So this is to the HVAC system, all the air filtration. We do have a local Venetia company here working with a local Venetian architect and an engineering company. We've also met with the city building department. So everyone's on the same page with what update needs to happen there. The next biggest one is electrical. The entire electrical panel does need to be updated and moved from the bathroom to a more suitable legal location. Just a heads up.

Back in the day, they had to change the electrical room to an ADA bathroom. And so you have to go into the closet to pull a string to disconnect the circuits.

That string is still there too.

This is some fun stuff.

The pulley system. So that update, we will be on the PG&E timeline for that. So that could take some time. The bathrooms do need to be updated. So we're working on some plans for that. ADA bathroom in the lobby and then two bathrooms upstairs. And then we would like to put in a concessions area in the lobby. That's something that the theater doesn't currently have, but we do wanna be fully functioning. You gotta have that smell of fresh popcorn.

They need popcorn.

Yep. So these are some of the things that we're hoping and kind of working towards building. And that's one of the asks I have for all of you tonight is just those kinds of connections and who you maybe know in the community that would like to be a part of this. It is a single stage, single screen theater. We do have to have movies, film festivals. I have a meeting this weekend with the Finer Films Club here in Benicia for that kind of programming. We would love to have live music, of course, local bands and singer-songwriters, but also what kinds of tours could we bring to Benicia knowing that we have this really charming venue to offer. It's perfect for things like comedians and improv shows, presentations because there's not a fully functioning backstage or green room right now. And then locally, what can we do for showcasing different types of arts and performing arts? I would love to have students through Benicia experience what it's like to have a regional talent show on that kind of stage and lighting. What kinds of fundraising and galas could we hold there? And of course, just to really foster a diverse cultural community of different events that we could have in the space. So currently these four options are on our website. Been really exciting to see those forms. It's just kind of a standard Google form. We have over 130 people who have gone on there and filled it out to be a volunteer. So that's something through your own networks, of course, please do encourage. We're kind of breaking up volunteers into their expertise and what they're interested in. If you have connections to entertainment and networking, what kind of performers would like to get on that stage? We are hoping to work locally as much as we can with all of the vendors to do all of these big projects and renovations. That's another way that people can get involved. And then with our giving, so we'll talk next about that, that we have both private and tax-deductible donations. Right now, Majestic Theater is the LLC. We do have plans to eventually form our own nonprofit. But in the meantime, we are graciously accepting non-tax-deductible monetary gifts that go straight to our building restoration efforts. on our website that's connected directly to our Majestic Theatre LLC PayPal. And then David can explain how we've partnered.

Yeah, we're just, our rule is to accept donations that we can from multiple organizations to get back to the performing arts. And that's all areas of performing arts. So when the funds come in, they go back to the performing arts groups, high schools, other organizations that might need to rent the location or have access to funds in order to perform at that location. The goal is to, as we increase those numbers, we're getting donations today for that now. So The goal is to increase the acknowledgement of what the theater is about, and how do we make that a destination point for the city of Venetia, barring parking? Yes. So on that ask, we're looking for, as our role, is anyone that can introduce us to individuals or organizations that are wanting to contribute to the city of Venetia to help the economic status for the local nonprofits that don't have the sources today, but then we can help them perform it majestic.

So yeah, just a few more details on that, but David gave you the summary of that.

We had a cheat sheet and didn't know it.

So that will be really nice to just see how we can support local groups to be able to utilize. So we do see this as a great opportunity part of our economic vitality downtown. What people can do when they come out to the theater and stay in Benicia, making that a destination. Be able to get dinner, be able to stay, be able to explore all of the downtown businesses. And we really want to preserve this part of history. It's really incredible to just have a building from the 1920s here and restored so that people can really learn from our past and what the theater meant to local Venetians back then. If you've seen in our front windows, we do have some of the original newspapers now printed there, one that was first opening. It's just really exciting to read about Venetian 1920s and what the theater meant. and to be a part of that now moving forward.

And they're looking to sell chairs. We can, you know, put your name on a chair. Mine's already chosen. That's the one I got my first kiss on.

So we have this ask for the commission tonight that we have the conceptual support, your needs input, and identifying local groups that we could partner with. and just collaborating to join in with BCF and Majestic Partnership, the SHAPE program, and help to just continue to build opportunities for Venetia.

And if you would like to use that as the QR code.

Questions? Thank you so much for your presentation.

Really appreciate hearing that update. I've seen your YouTube video, and I love hearing more concrete details as well. Commissioner Sachs?

Yes, so first of all, I have signed up as a volunteer. Thank you. And I do remember seeing, I don't know if anyone knows, most people here are younger than I am, George Winston perform at the theater. George Winston was a great piano player, comes out with no shoes on, great performance. At any rate, I'd love to see more of that. My question is, we've had a presentation and I know we've had some, EVENTS COORDINATING WITH THE BENICIA PERFORMING ARTS FOUNDATION AT THE CLOCK TOWER. WHAT KIND OF CONNECTION HAVE YOU ESTABLISHED WITH BART?

WE'VE WORKED WITH BART. WE BROUGHT BART IN AND HAD A DISCUSSION WHAT WE'RE DOING, MIKE CASE AND OTHER FOLKS TO NETWORK COLLECTIVELY. OUR GOAL, BCF, IS ONLY A TRANSITION GOAL. BUT BECAUSE WE HAVE THE RESOURCES AND THE BYLAWS THAT ALLOW US TO ACCEPT MULTIPLE RESOURCES FROM MULTIPLE ORGANIZATIONS AND PARTNERS, Our goal at this point is to, when they get their 501c3 accomplished, then we'll be transitioning it out over the next couple of years and let their 501c take over so they can be independent from us. We're just a catalyst to get there. And working with BART, the same thing as we're moving forward with things. If activities come in that performing arts needs to be part of it, we're directing them over to BART.

And through the chair, they presented at the Arts and Culture Commission meeting last week. So they gave a great presentation, and Bart was in attendance. Many of the arts and culture organizations were there that night, so a lot of enthusiasm from that commission.

Yeah, he lives across the street from me, and I know he's had his eyes on the theater, so I'm sure he's looking forward to working with you.

He gets the best of all worlds now.

Yeah, absolutely.

Commissioner Cook? I'm sorry, go ahead, David. No, no, no, wait, wait.

So you already answered one of my questions, have you presented to arts and culture? And maybe you mentioned this at the outset, but maybe I missed it. Do you have a timeline goal? I know you showed us a timeline. Do you have, I know you said you were on the PG&E timeline and we know what that's like. But do you have a goal for potentially opening or a soft opening?

I'm really hoping for one year. In my head, I was hoping six months, but I realized that that's not.

I think one year is really.

But I would love to open. Assertive. Halloween, like fall festivities of next year is what I'm visualizing. And that's where like my program planning is starting. I would love that.

Thank you.

Vice Chair Stewart.

And maybe you said it, I missed it. What does it cost to get the building to the level you need it to be?

We are still working on exact facts for that right now. We just have some general quotes. And we are actually still waiting on a few of those to come in. We haven't started looking at yet the detail plan of the concessions or the bathrooms yet. Starting with like HVAC and electrical, it's likely that each of those will be in like the $30,000 to $50,000 range.

Okay, so it's not like a million dollars to get it up to... And our plan is to do it very incrementally.

So one example is we may just start with like the first floor opening and the balcony does need renovations, but we could at least get started with 180 seats on the bottom floor and generate revenue to then upgrade and fix up the balcony. So we might have to do some sections like that.

And we've been introducing contractors that are giving her help with the pricing model that is there and making sure that we keep the price down for them. The other part is we could really use these chairs for the balcony. Just think about it.

They're beautiful. And then some other things like I would love to have like a fully functioning green room and backstage area. So something like that would have to be incremental as well. There's a lot we can do with it, how it is now, but with goals for future expansion.

And have you seen the inside? They put all new chairs in, so it looks pretty nice downstairs.

And what is the total seating capacity between the floor and the balcony as well?

It will most likely be around 290. Okay, it's larger than it looks like from the outside. Interesting. So it's about, what is that, about like half the size of Empress then, I think?

Yeah, I believe so. The balcony surprisingly seats around 90.

Wow, I'm very excited to see the inside. Do the three of you have additional questions or your hands are just not... No worries at all. Commissioners, do we have any recommendations, thoughts about additional community collaborations that they could be doing with Majestic, ways that they could be benefiting nonprofits or community groups within kind of our sphere of knowledge?

Commissioner Kolk?

I just have a comment about potential fundraisers. I know I've worked with Mr. Batchelor in the past on fundraisers, and are you planning a fundraiser?

Yes, we do hope to have a fundraiser. And we do have a board member who would love to have a 1920s themed gala fundraiser in the next year. But haven't done a lot at the fundraising yet. But that is a task of our board. You need a fundraising committee.

Yes, it is in the works. She's the first one. Oh, you say it and then you do it, right?

Yes.

Thank you, Maggie. Appreciate that.

Thank you. Oh, go ahead.

I was just curious if you've connected with Kathy Buck up in St. Helena. She's the owner of Cameo. I'd really recommend contacting her. A lot of the programming ideas that you have in mind are very similar to what they do, and they did a renovation a few years ago.

Thank you. Cameo.

Go ahead, Commissioner.

Looking at the building with 290 seats, It seems like a perfect scenario for teaching scenarios during the day, whether it's the community colleges or whether it's a community center or whether it's corporate. For corporations and larger companies, I have employees in for meetings because it is one of the hardest things to find is space to hold a meeting for a corporation. I'm the only employee here, but my staff is all Midwest, but if they were here, we'd be meeting at my dining room table and it's like, it's a little crowded to try and put 50 people around the table. So I think opening it up to corporate and teaching and Sonata College and places like that, they probably would welcome the opportunity to be able to hold classrooms there. And it doesn't have to be fully checked off before anyone can go in there.

It does have to have the red tag removed. So once the HVAC system is complete, we can at least be downgraded to a yellow tag. But after the electric panel stage, we should have no more tags of any color. So no, we don't have to be completely done to have people there. But we do have to have the next two phases, HVAC and electrical.

I don't think the high school is the perfect place for them to practice their theater.

The high school's auditorium is shut down right now, so we're trying to look to see what we can do to help with that.

Yeah, I mean, it seems like it's just, it's absolutely a perfect situation for them. That means good. Thank you.

And are there any other introductions you might be able to make through the county or the state that we can connect with that might help with grants and such? Because from BCF, we can get certain grants in. And partnering with the new 501C allows them, their 501C has different bylaws. It would allow us to bring money in through our organization and dedicate it back to their 501c3, and then they'd be able to operate with that. So if you have information for county or state introductions, I would... Do any commissioners have thoughts on that?

We'll give it a little noodle. Noodle is good. We like noodling.

I have two comments and thoughts of my own. So the first is I co-sign what the vice chair said about teaching and meetings. And I say that because I do own the co-working space in Benicia. And so I get a lot of inquiries from businesses from further out in the region than you would expect who are looking for meeting space. Often between our space and the Chamber of Commerce, we're able to accommodate, but In the downtown space. There's not really a good meeting space that has you know Can accommodate more than about 25 people right and I have had folks reach out wanting to do a seminar with 60 80 90 people right and I have to say, you know check out the library, which is fantastic space But you know this I you know tend to put them towards city resources Which I think are a really great opportunity but corporate that's not always what they're looking for, right? They're looking for something that feel, you know, has a certain kind of form that they fill out online and has a certain kind of feel. So I do think that especially for daytime when you might not have as much entertainment, it could be an interesting thing. And I'd be happy to talk to you about that more down the line when you're, you know, there. Thank you. Yeah, so that's one, just wanted to plus one that. Second, putting on sort of my nonprofit hat, one of the community groups that I work with has tried in the past to find a venue like a local theater venue to be able to put on a performance that would be a charity fundraiser for the nonprofit, which I think can be a really interesting, you know, sort of different way to raise funds. And I will say that it has been quite difficult to do that because even for nonprofits, I think because typically the organizations that run these theaters are also non-profits right and also at a shoestring budget being able to find a space to do that that doesn't have like a five thousand dollar cost up front you know for the which you know for small David knows the size of the non-profits in this town that's absolutely you know not accessible right and so I would love to think more about ways that once you are up and running what does it look like to make that space accessible for nonprofits who want to use it as a fundraiser without, you know, while still allowing you to do the business that you need to do, but also in a way, you know, that makes it a venue that's possible.

And part of the fundraising that's coming in now will pay for those nonprofits to get access to them. So that will help that cost factor that they're having to cover now for other locations.

Yeah, I'd be really interested to know more about that. I think that'd be a really great resource.

And we're looking for legacy funds, too. We're just, as an example, giving $500,000 to help with the marina. So there's legacy funds coming into our organization now that allows us to help give back to the community.

Did you just say you got $500,000 for the marina?

Yeah.

That's a lot of money.

Yeah, we're putting new fountains in and new trash cans and mural. It's just stuff. So things are happening now.

That's fantastic.

Go ahead, Vice Chair.

Could that venue also be used for weddings?

Yes.

It's like, I mean, you have 190 people. Boy, that's a nice wedding. I mean, I'm married, so I'm not like... I do. I have a son who I'm thinking I want to be married. So, yeah, 190 would be perfect. Yeah, oh, yeah, don't say that.

We do hope to have, like, different of, like, the form that you were mentioning, like, something that's for nonprofits and then something that is for, like, private parties or meeting space presentation. The idea of, like, having some sort of, like, Venetia Talks, like a TED Talk, you know, things like that where we could utilize the space. So part of that will be our updating of all of the lighting and projection system so that we can be very versatile for all these projects. different things, but it's really perfect for a wedding. And I'm really leaving space for a dance floor in front of the stage. So I really do have that in mind.

Thank you.

Yeah.

Yeah.

All the dancers.

Commissioner Fowler.

When you're ready, I would be happy to introduce you to a filmmaker who's very well tied into film festivals as a possible venue, as well as a corporate event company who puts on corporate events as a possible venue. And I'm one of the founders or on the founding team for the Chambers Wellness Alliance. And we put on the Golden Straits run earlier this year and the benefit of the steam. program in partnership with the Lions Club. Rotary, sorry. I think we're going to be doing that again in planning and we will definitely be looking for like who to give those funds to. So that could be something that potentially we could talk about also.

Are there any additional hands that are up because you would still like to speak?

I will take that as a no.

Any last comments from you two?

We have another presentation.

Oh, I'm sorry. Please proceed to your next presentation.

Okay. Did it go someplace?

Can you see it? Okay. So, Rooted in Benicia Created Together, that's a name we chose for the time being, but it's a mural that's currently being done. I think some of us know about those. It went out through the Benicia Unified School District with Chris and sent it out to all the schools. The piece behind this is the hands on the left hand side are about the giving hands of the community. They're nurtured around the children themselves. So children were nurturing those to give the tree of life. And as you go through those flowers that are around it, they have certain meanings also. And then it goes into the lotus flower, which most of you might know what that means. And then as it comes forward, it goes into the tree of life, which at the bottom, basically that will look like lights coming through our lightning and lights of life itself. As it goes up to the trunk, the trunk will represent the community and the strength that we have as a bond between us. The branches go out to our community and our children that we have, and then all the handprints that will be there will be children's handprints. Great idea, and now we have 340-something handprints to put up there in 200 spots. according to the length, size, and palm prints and such. What we're going to do, though, is we're looking to put in palm prints of the oldest and then fingers of the youth, and it allows us to get all the children that have signed up onto the mural. So that's the concept there. As you go down the path, you'll see a pathway of people holding their hands together as community, and then you'll see the community, the Bay Trail leading to the city. The eagle is part of David Harris. He wanted in there to make sure that we were soaring and we're looking at the community as a whole. And then as you go to the right a little further, you see signs, but then you see a globe being held by hands. And that's Phoenicia's gift to society and what we're giving for children and how we're nurturing our children to become more of society. And that's the goal of the, that's the story behind the mural. So I'm not sure there's much you guys can, that you can do as a commission for us other than support what we're doing and, introduces to any people that are interested in helping convey the message. We do have a test that's going on now. We brought in 30 children. Some of them are the police department and fire department's children for 9-11, because that's the date we chose. And we have a bagpipe player coming in and doing a ceremony for 9-11 at 5 o'clock. Somehow, by the way, the British newspaper decided to pick up one of our Facebook posts That was in today's paper on the front page. Unanticipated because that wasn't supposed to go out to the 13th. We might have more people there than we anticipated. But that's the goal. So we're going to have this opening ceremony, put the handprints up, and then finish the mural and let you know what's going on down there. Okay? We hope to develop the park at some point if we can help with that. Any questions?

Thanks so much, David. I just got a call about this earlier today, and so the word is on the street. But what I still do not know is where is this?

At the end of West 2nd Street, across from Simple Court. Oh, okay. There's a 100-foot wall there that was just there. We decided to do something with it. Wonderful.

And I do just want to clarify, it's on private property. I don't know if David mentioned that. So it was not, it didn't go through the Arts and Culture Commission. This is on private property. So they did this privately and it was not involved with the city at all.

Right. This is Binnish Community Foundation doing it. Annette and myself and the Harris are just doing it. Anyway, that's all I got.

Thank you so much. We really appreciate you coming.

Thank you.

Wonderful. Those were great presentations.

Thank you again. Moving on to Item 7C, the Community Services Department Summer Report. I'm very excited for this. I remember the report from last year. I'm always blown away to hear this. And so I'm going to turn it over to Director Dunleavy.

Thank you, Chair. I have the honor of just bragging about this incredible group of people sitting with me here today and everyone that's at home. It's an honor to IT'S SO MUCH FUN TO BE THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY SERVICES. I GET TO INTERACT ON A DAILY BASIS WITH THE MOST AMAZING TEAM MEMBERS, AND SOME OF THEM ARE HERE TONIGHT THAT I INTRODUCED, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IT PUBLICLY. I'VE GOT OUR CITY LIBRARIAN HERE TO MY LEFT, JENNIFER BAKER, AND WITH HER IS OUR SENIOR LIBRARIAN, AMBER KELLY. AND THEN ACROSS THE DIAS OVER HERE IS TWO OF OUR RECREATION MANAGERS, LINDSEY ZARCON AND ELLIOTT PALMER. The chair and I got together to talk about the agenda, and the first thing she said was, like, I would love to have a summer summary of all that the amazing team has accomplished over this past summer. They are busy year-round, so it's sometimes nice to say, oh, it's our busy season, and we're all laughing. All year long is our busy season, and we are serving every age of the public. And I'm going to turn it over to them, but I just can't say they're dedicated. They work so hard. Many of the teamwork, seven days a week. We talk about this often in the community services department, recreation and library. We don't close. So together we're open seven days a week for the public. Benicia Library is a safe place for people to go to get involved in extraordinary things. They're doing amazing things. And the recreation division offers programs, classes, camps happening all throughout our community at your pool, at the senior center, in the ball fields, at the clock tower. So you're going to see a little brief little snippet of time, but I just want to thank them for all their hard work because they They work so hard, and we're so proud of all that they accomplish. So we'll start with the recreation side. So the recreation team will turn it over.

You should just be able to arrow past. Keep going. There you go.

So I'm Lindsay Zarcon. Like Anne introduced me, I'm Recreation Manager. I oversee youth services, the administrative department, division of our department, as well as some of our other various things such as the Memorial Program, as well as the City Cemetery.

And I'm Elliot Palmer and I oversee the Aquatics Facility, James Lima Swim Center, our Senior Center, all of our adult and senior contracted classes, as well as our Community Resource Center. Our summer team, we love the summer. That's when we're at our full staff. Our programs run from 7 in the morning all the way till 8, 9 o'clock at night. And we had 48 lifeguards this summer and 50 rec leaders. We love getting to mentor the next future of employees and enjoy being managers to all of them. We're gonna start looks like with aquatics. So I'll move to the next slide. James, that's an old photo, but a great one. So this is just to give you an idea of kind of daily participation. So in any one day, there's probably more than that with lap swim, but 61. Rec swim, we averaged 90 this summer for the public, 90 ADC campers as well, so that was 180. Group swim lessons, we averaged 243 kids per session, which we had four sessions. 15 private swim lessons, every day. And then swim team was around 170 participants that were there five days a week. And then we have a water polo rec program with 23 kids per day as well. So our first session of swim lessons is always our big one. But this year we did a little bit more than last year. That's our goal is to always do more than the year before. And we did a total of 1300 swim lessons. We're on pace for about, it's a little over 1600. So a little bit more than we did last year.

Okay, Adventure Day Camp is our big summer program at the community center. It's offered this summer. We had 10 weeks of our summer instead of nine. Benicia Unified had one additional week off. We offer a school-age program to any children entering first grade through eighth grade. So this summer we saw about 1,526 school-age children in the community center Monday through Friday. We also have a smaller preschool camp that's housed in our Tiny Tots preschool classroom. And that is six weeks out of the summer this year. And we had 263 campers in our Tiny Tots classroom as well. We have youth drop-in programs that are offered at our city gym. Wiggle Room is a drop-in program for walking infants, or I'm sorry, walking toddlers all the way down to infants so they can drop into the city gym. In the morning time, we had about 285 participants come to our Wiggle Room program this summer.

Youth contract classes. I believe they were all up this year, but we offer quite a different variety. And this all depends on the contractors that we have that are offering the classes. That's who we work with with all of these classes. But we had 266 participants throughout the summer using other rooms and facilities within the community center. And around town. Sports camps. So our sports camps had 407 participants. Another program that went up this year from football, all types of sports. We did dodgeball, baseball, skateboard's a popular one with Coach Chase. Yeah, it was a busy summer with all the contracted sports camps. The sports board. So the sports board is all of our nonprofit sports organizations in town. And this is a big part of them that use all of our baseball, soccer, sports facilities, bocce ball courts, gym, city gym. So this is a big group of them that use those facilities throughout the year. Adult and senior programs. So senior contract, adult and senior contract classes, line dancing has been the popular one. It's on Monday nights. It's definitely, if you're into line dancing, you should come do that with Heidi. Spanish class is just an online class. That enrollment's kind of low right now. We have adult tap that's making a swing right now coming back. Sewing's been busy. Lois' classes are full each session. Tai Chi in the evening. We have yoga, balance training, high cap counseling that's free to our community that sees participants pretty much weekly. This is a big program, senior fitness drop-in. So we have around 23 classes a week in the morning. This is a program dedicated to adults, but mainly our senior population, taught by different contractors. And we had roughly, based on the amount of passes, purchased 3,750 participants just this summer. Now a lot of them are the same participants, but they buy 20 punch passes. They're there. We probably average about 70 a day, depending on which classes we're going on. So very busy program.

Sports drop-in programs either happen at the city gym or the community center. So volleyball, pickleball, badminton, basketball, table tennis. As you can see, pickleball is very popular. We had a total of about 408 drop-in pickleballers this summer. Volleyball's next in line with basketball. Table tennis is a newer program that we started offering last year, and it's growing. That takes place at the community center during the day as well.

It's a senior center. So what you're seeing on there is kind of it's set up each day is a different day. So each crowd that comes is pretty much a different crowd each day. And it's almost set up as clubs. And they have their different groups. But we averaged about 270 a week, a little bit more than that. So our meal program through Innovative Health Solutions has been amazing. That's our congregate meal program. They average about 25 to 30 meals a day. But Mondays is our bingo day. That's a big day. Mondays and Fridays is kind of a duplicate day of bingo. And then on Tuesdays is our duplicate bridge. That's an awesome group. And on Wednesdays is our cafe and game day. And we've grown our Mahjong group thanks to help from seniors from the community teaching others how to play over the last few months. But we do special events down there as well. We just had our ice cream social to celebrate our seniors and had about 60 participants. And our ukulele group that was started by one of our staff played music for about 45 minutes. It was awesome.

Rentals. So there's facilities that we rent out to local nonprofits, residents and non-residents. The Clock Tower is one of our biggest venues. We have outdoor rentals as well. So our parks are busy during the summer. Probably our busiest park is the Benicia Community Park. We also reserve Jack London, the Marina Green and Pavilion, City Park. There's a few parks that we allowed jumpers as a part of the rental. So when you see jumper space, that means that there's some reservations that included jump houses. And then the James Lima Swim Center also includes rentals as well. So we had a total of about 277 rentals at all of our outdoor spaces this summer. Indoor rentals, we reserved the clock tower for, obviously the clock tower is our largest venue. Special events take place there, weddings, quinceaneras. Some businesses do large meetings at the Clock Tower as well. So we reserved residents, non-residents, non-profits. Clock Tower had 13 rentals this summer. City Gym had 38. Community Center had three.

Would you like to take this next part? Go ahead. So moving forward, we just want to give you a glimpse. So some of the things that the team has added this year that we're really excited about is we added online reservations. In the past, it was always walking through the door, standing in line, filling it out on a piece of paper. So we're super excited that we've started with park rentals. So park rentals are going to be online in our next phase. Lindsay will be phasing that in for the indoor rentals. If you come to the community center, Elliott every week would have to spend a great deal of time printing out door signs for the whole week. We now have a digital signage at the community center that's connected to our online reservation, our online registration system. So we have door signs that are modern, easy to read, tell great information for our visitors. We have a new display information board in the lobby of the community center. A great idea that came from one of our employees. We realized that no one travels with cash anymore and we still were very old school in a lot of our admissions at the city gym and at the pool. So we now take Apple Pay and we have little digital, we're able to take all the online Apple payments and things on a payment system there. We reopened the snack bar at the pool for many people that have been here a long time. There used to be a really wonderful snack bar at the James Lima Swim Center that came back in a very small way, but at least we offered something to our visitors there where they can get a small package snack. And that brought in some revenue. We are looking for ways to generate revenue as best we can. And we have a live online facility program calendar. So you can go to the website, know exactly what's going on when, and it's live. And we are working on a new mobile app in our department so that we know that everyone's traveling with their phones. So we want to be right there in their hands to make the sale moving forward. So a lot of exciting things moving forward this next year. We'll take questions at the end. Staff has to go. So if you have any recreation questions, you can ask the recreation team at this time.

Commissioner Sachs?

First of all, I'm always impressed about how much stuff is happening. So it's amazing. So I have a couple of questions. not going to be able to get into the details here, obviously. So you have a lot of great participation numbers and a lot of detail, particularly it started with all the kids programs. So participation numbers are great. I'm wondering what other metrics you might have in terms of the what people are getting from the programs, not just the kids, because obviously the younger kids in particular are not gonna be able to vocalize a whole lot, but whether or not we have metrics around from the parents about what the parents think they're getting from it, what they think their kids are getting from it, what would happen if those programs were not available in the community. Part of what I'm doing is I'm actually looking ahead to when we get to things like what programs are we going to continue to fund in the future. Numbers are great. Stories are better. Impact of programs going away are things that are going to be looked at as the the city begins to look at those kinds of things. I'm just wondering what data you have, and if not, what data you have. If that data doesn't exist, what can we do to start getting it? Because that's going to be really, really, really critical. Numbers are great, but numbers don't tell the whole story, and they're not compelling when it comes down to where are we going to draw the line, and we know the city's going to be doing that. I'm not saying that you have a lot of answers for that, I think that's important for all the programs, all the way from the little kids to the seniors.

Can we pause real quick and see if the staff want to answer that?

Do you have some answers to that or do you want me to keep going?

Keep going.

Okay. I'm really interested in what revenues are coming in and how much of the cost of delivering the programs the revenues are covering. I'm on the same track here. you know, how much revenue is being covered for the expenses of the program. And, you know, how does that match up to what the value people are being able to attribute to the programs beyond just the numbers? And are there things that we can do to, and some of the things you've already mentioned, Ann, are going to help that. So, and then the last thing I'll just mention, again, how you get the word out is obviously critical. I didn't know, for example, there's an ukulele club. I play the ukulele. I didn't know there was an ukulele club. I might go to the ukulele club if I knew there was one. So how do we get word out on all these programs? That's always an issue. It's the same issue with a lot of great programs that happen in the library, too. So I don't know what the quick and easy answer is that for any of this stuff is there's so much good stuff going on here. But we just got to keep looking for ways to get the word out more. I'll stop.

And I do, PBB, the priority-based budgeting that the staff is currently involved with, will show some of the answers you're looking for in terms of cost of programming and how much revenue comes in and how much the city's subsidizing that. I think the metrics and evaluations and input and having people tell their story is very important. And so I'm to take that back to both teams for us to get ahead of that. I think that's really important, great insight. We do have revenue numbers. We didn't want to present that tonight. It's very interesting because we're very proud of our revenue numbers, but we kind of wanted to show the people part of this. So we could definitely bring you revenue numbers at a later date. It's kind of hard for us to show because many people pay. So if we gave you the amount of the revenue, we ran the number and it came out very strange. We're like, that's a really weird revenue number for the summer because people were actually paying for summer in the spring. So people were paying ahead for their summer programs. So the numbers weren't really good data to share with you. We did end the year in the recreation side. We're more revenue driven, where in our library division, with the incredible grant writing that Jennifer does and her team, they're able to offer programs. And their goal is to offer incredible programming at no charge. So you've got two divisions doing incredible work. Recreation did come in at about 1.6. I mean, the audit's not done, but the revenue numbers for recreation was about approximately 1.6 in revenue this year. So it was a really good number.

And again, the timing issues are always difficult, but there's ways to figure that out. I'm not the one to tell you to do that. But there are ways to figure that out. And I will tell you, at least when it comes to fundraising... It may not be the same when it comes to priority-based budgeting, but stories compel people. And if you can get some hard metrics, like if a parent is dropping a kid off to a program, what is that enabling them to go do? So part of it is what questions you ask will then help to drive what answers you get. And then that's what you can be presenting. So thinking about what the benefit to a parent is of having their children in these programs. Think about it from the parent perspective. What would they be wanting? Or ask them what, you know, that kind of thinking is what I think can go into it.

That's really valuable input. I do, and especially for our two new commissioners, I think it's important, and I'm sure Jennifer will express it on the library side also. For all those programs that you just, we shared with you, our total staff that we have in the recreation department is a total of three recreation managers. So you've got Dominguez, who's not here tonight, So there are three full-time recreation managers, and I have one recreation coordinator that offer all of those programs. And that is the only full-time employees we have. We have an amazing front office staff with Debbie Bray. She was really the voice of the department. So some of the things you're talking about, I wish I had management analysts. I wish I had a social media person. We don't. We're a very small team trying to do the best we can, but I think you're giving us some really good ideas moving forward for the next year.

So just a thought. There may be someone who's in school somewhere, whether it's in a public policy program or some other program at a college that needs a project. So there may be a way to reach out, whether it's to the Kent Kennedy School, the Yusef Public Policy Institute, or whatever some of those other schools are, where they need a project and can come and do something as a volunteer.

Thanks, Commissioner. I'll note, too, that this could be a framing issue, too, if you want to talk about the parents, the context of it, and take exactly the same summer program participation numbers and say how many parents, how many households had enriching childcare for their kids this summer at affordable cost, allowing them to continue to contribute to the workforce, right? Like, I mean, I think there are ways to frame this, but say more than just sort of number of kids, right? So I think it's a good point. And we will look forward to your testimonial about your participation in the Ukulele Club as well. So please bring that back to the next commission meeting. All right. I'm not sure who put their hand up next. So we're going to go. Oh, Commissioner Train.

That was an accident. Sorry about that. It was my need.

OK, Commissioner or Vice Chair.

I want to first of all, like I said last year, repeat what you guys are doing is a reason makes me feel so smart that I moved to Benicia. I wanted a community and I wanted my children to have the life I didn't have. And that I wish I had. And you all are building that. And my children participated in everything that they could get their hands on when they were kids. and now to see my granddaughter participating. So I know you may sometimes feel it's thankless. No one appreciates me. You are making a massive difference that you would not believe to these kids. And what I'm also thankful for in the leadership of Irvan is everyone seems happy to work here. You know, I haven't encountered, you know, my wife, no one has said to me, man, those are some grumpy ass people.

You know, this is like going to the DMV.

You know, no, no one has ever said that. You know, and, you know, I'm in the library or whatever, you know, no one has ever. So that's really important. people enjoy their jobs and you know what I don't I don't hear about kids you know being injured I don't hear about crimes you know the insurance risk manager or enemy you know it's like oh man no one's getting hurt you know so that's really important but I have a big question with 18 kids who are taking sewing that is amazing to me that they would even know what that meant sewing sells out

She is only able to take so many students and she is so popular and that is a very, has always been a popular class in our department. For both children and adults, she offers it.

And we're very lucky with the city of Benicia.

We've been able to retain So the two young people across from me, and Dominguez, who is in here, and Karen, all came through the system. So they're former recreation leaders, former lifeguards that went, got their degrees, came back, and it was very competitive. They got the job because they love Benicia, and I think it's really incredible that even our instructors They've been with us forever. Loa has been with the city longer than I've been here. She's taught belly dancing, the belly dancers in the parade. She's very famous and we're very lucky to have her. So wonderful people all around, very lucky. Commissioner Kolk?

Well, I guess I'll follow up on both what Andre and Bob have said. I have taken Loa's sewing class and But my priority really is wanting to know when Wiggle Room is going to be open four days a week instead of two. On behalf of Renee Stewart and myself, who are grandparents, we need Wiggle Room Monday and Wednesday as well. But that's just a... Yeah, I only have them two days a week. Monday and Wednesday. Yeah, Renee is a little bit more... She's closer to her grandbaby. The comment I want to make is, all of our activities are so affordable. I mean, I pay $4.50 per wiggle room. And that's two hours of unrestricted play, a room full of toys, a room full of activities for babies. And it's $4.50. And when our precious Fernanda left and went back to school to look for another avenue to take my grandson to, and I was just shocked at how expensive everything else was in the private sector. So I feel so grateful. And sewing as well, I feel like. Everything that we offer here is so affordable. And to Bob's point, we really do need feedback from the community. to make sure these programs stay affordable, maybe not as affordable as they might be right now. I may have to pay $5.50 for wheel room coming in the future, but that's fine. But they're still so affordable. And our community, I don't think they realize how really good we have it here in terms of recreation, because we really do. And thank you, everyone. I mean, I attend a lot of things at the library as well as at the community center and my husband does as well. So I feel very fortunate to live in Benicia and just be able to experience all these wonderful places and events in our community.

Thanks, Maggie. Well, I have to co-sign everything everybody else said. I'm always incredibly impressed to see the work that your department has been doing over the summer. I only have one comment on my end, just more of a sort of a recommendation. And this is the data analyst in me, is that as we report program results, I would consider that we might want to rethink the way that we're talking about participant numbers, because the way that we're talking about it right now says that there's 1,526 kids in Adventure Day Camp, which I suspect that's not the number of unique children that are participating in Adventure Day Camp. And I think anyone who lives in Benicia would figure that, has been to the community center, probably knows that's true. And so I think that the actual numbers are good, but I wouldn't want anyone to think that we're, like, inflating it or, you know, that it would... it not pass the sniff test and so it might be worth saying something like the participation total is 1526 or technically in data it would be incidences of participation but that's not cute for a slide deck but just kind of thinking about the way we're talking about it to make sure that we're reporting you know that that we're saying what we think that we're saying but either way that the numbers are incredibly impressive I just want to make sure that when the powers that be are looking at these numbers for assessing impact that they know exactly what they're looking at

With that, I think, are we moving on to library?

Thank you, recreation. Now you get to hear from the amazing library team to be wowed by all that's happening over there.

I have to say our presentation is a little more. We just did a lot of photos. So we'll have to come back. We'll have to come back with the pie graphs another time. But the first thing I actually want to talk about because when I think I'm a former children's librarian. And so when I think of summer, I immediately think of summer reading. We do plenty of activities and programs that are not attached to summer reading, but that's what I'm thinking of when I am reporting about it. And I want to talk first about why we do summer reading. Because summer reading is, it is about coming to the library and having fun. It is about a place to blow off steam and maybe find a cool place to sit. but primarily the reason we do summer reading is academic, because there is a ton of evidence that shows that students over the course of their academic life between kindergarten and eighth grade, students who do not participate in summer reading experience something called summer slide, where they cumulatively over the course of that nine years of instruction lose a full year worth of academic prowess if they do not participate in summer reading. And so summer reading, it is about having fun, but it is unstructured. It's done intentionally that way because we want reading to be fun. And we want kids to continue to read. It's not about reading and writing a report or taking a test. It is about picking up the book that you enjoy and really just diving in and having fun. So one of the things that we did this summer, which I'm really pleased about, and we actually have the numbers to show that we did a good job, was we changed the structure of summer reading. We started out in the spring with a brand new team of people. We have a full-time children's librarian now and we have two part-time children's librarians. We also have two what we call library monitors that are primarily just helping with program implementation. And then of course we have Amber who is the supervisor of all of that. And we also have an adult program, but I'm going to talk primarily about the kids and teens. So what we did is we changed the summer reading program to really try to create more engagement opportunities and to get kids to continue to come back to the library and be excited about it. Previously, what we had done when you came in, you signed up for summer reading, you came in, you got a packet of information with some activities and things and then you went away and that was pretty much it. Kids did come back to the library but we weren't tracking that in any way and there was no real incentive to keep moving forward. So what we did this year is we created a reading log that when kids got it, it was specifically designed to keep them engaged every single day. There was no specific, you need to read this much. There was no, you have to do anything specific. Each day, kids got to choose one of three options. They could read that day. It didn't matter if they read for 10 minutes or two hours. You read that day, that was your activity. You came to the library for a program, that was another option. And then the third option was something that was screen free. So that could be anything. Go ride your bike, play in the garden, go to the park with your friends, dig in the dirt, any kind of thing. So each day kids got to choose one of those three options as their activity for that day. And then every time they completed at least five, they got stickers for each day. And every time they completed five, they would get a ticket. And then they could use those tickets to redeem prizes at the library. So it was a great way for us to clean out a bunch of stuff that we had been hoarding for a long time. So, and we also did, where kids who were into delayed gratification, if they'd rather not redeem for the prize right away, they could put their ticket into a drawing, and then we did some big prize drawings at the end. The result was we had a 232% increase in participation in summer reading this year. And so very, very happy about that. This would review some of the fun activities that we did. We had juggling, we had some activities that were more informative but also fun. We had a program about bees, we had a program about bats. We had our ASL story time, which is something now that we're offering quarterly as a part of our pop-in playtime series that we're doing once. Yeah, you got to come to that. It's last Wednesdays of the month and it doesn't cost you $4.50, it's free. So pop-in playtime is just a kind of a structured come in and hang out. And we're going to be doing some... Instructional stuff for parents and caregivers at that same time. So like the ASL programming for how to communicate with your infant and toddler. And then we're doing things on dental hygiene and parenting and all kinds of things. So we're going to be doing a different thing every month. So that was Then we also had our other two, we did two things actually that I think also made a big impact in this. We did a kickoff event for summer reading and we did a closing event for summer reading. At both of those events, we had well over 300 people. So the kickoff was just a come in. We had crafts and things like that. We had a juggler and bubbles and all kinds of fun things outside. And we signed up, I think, over 100 kids that first day. And then the The end of the summer, which I think is my next slide, yes, the foam party. So I had been approached by somebody who is a performer who had a foam machine and said, you know, I can come and do a foam program for you for $1,000. And I was like, wow, that's a lot of money. I could buy a foam machine for $250. So that's what we did. And now we can use it every year. So the foam party was an absolute blast. That same day, we had so much going on that day. We had friends of the library donation day. It was a food is free distribution day. We had two adult programs. We had a sound bath. And we had a gardening workshop. And the 300 kids playing in foam out on the lawn. And we were just open. So... So it was a crazy busy day, which is absolutely my favorite way to spend the day at the library. I would much rather be busy than bored. We're currently surveying, I think that might be your last slide. Oh, this is our staff now taking a well-deserved nap. We're taking the month of September off. There's no programs in September, but they are getting energized. They're ready to come back in October. So you can see there's our number. We had 232% increase in participation. So very pleased with that. And I also want to be certain that we really recognize all of the sponsors that we had that gave us prizes. for the giveaways. We had Giants tickets that anybody that, I think it was the first 250 people that signed up got a free Giants ticket. We had lots of different little prizes and stuff. And then of course the Friends of the Library is our biggest sponsor. They give us every, for the last several years, they give us about $70,000 a year. portion of that, I want to say 45,000 of that goes toward books and materials that we purchase to supplement our book budget. But a big chunk of that goes to paying for performers and activities throughout the year. So they are our largest supporter. We are currently surveying our participants, we did a survey of the staff, which actually came back really positive. We were really excited because we changed so much and it really did require that staff be a lot more involved at all levels, not just our children's staff, but everyone who works with the public was much more involved than in the past. And so we wanted to hear from them, did this work? And did you enjoy it? Did you feel like people who came into the library were having a good time? And we basically gave them on a range of one to five with one being, this was horrible, I hated it, please don't ever make me do this again. I absolutely loved it. And everyone was in the high end of that scale. A third of them said it was the best thing ever, and another third said it was maybe the best thing, almost the best thing ever. And then everybody else just kind of fell in the middle. We asked them, do you think if people actually use the library more? And again, this is just anecdotal. There's no actual science behind this, but we had from our staff, over 75% said that yes, more people use the library this summer because of the program. So we were very pleased with that. We got some really great feedback on things that we can tweak to make it better for both the public and for staff next year. And we're already talking about it. And so we did put a survey out to the public also asking for their input as well, but we only just did that today. So we will not have results for a while yet.

Any questions?

That's fantastic. Any commission members? Go ahead, Maggie.

Jennifer, how did the survey go out?

We distribute it through our email blast, so individuals who, when they sign up for a library card, we collect their email address, and then we're able to, and then we add them automatically to our email distribution. They can opt out at that point, but everybody who gets a library card automatically goes into that.

Okay, thank you.

Commissioner Drain?

Just going to add, I actually just got my survey while I was walking in this evening, so I was so excited to hear more about the programming. But I've had so many community members who have been bringing their children this summer and just really commented on how much they enjoyed the programming over the summer at the library. So I really just wanted to thank you for all your efforts. Kind of want to echo what some of the other commissioners have mentioned. Just so impressed with all of the programming. And excited to make sure that I forward this survey to some of those community members. So I just wanted to thank you.

I should say also one of the questions that we asked in the survey is, asking, did you not participate? And if you didn't, why? You know, is it you didn't know about it, or you're just not a reader, or I don't think it's for you. So, you know, just to give us an opportunity to try to figure out where are some things that we might tweak to capture more people next year.

Vice Chair?

You know, on a scale of 1 to 10, you guys are a billion. I mean, I'm a massive fan of the library, and If I could sneak away there more, I would. But I think my wife's family, when they come into town, would get wise to me. So I can't. But I think that you guys, I love what you do. I love it. I mean, the wrestling just blew my mind. That was so wild and out of the box. And, you know, I was just curious, do our real estate agents, do they talk to you all? Because I would think if I was a real estate agent, If I told a prospective buyer about what's happening, they're buying a house here.

It's interesting that you ask that because there's, again, a lot of evidence that shows that the closer you live to the library, the higher your property value. And I don't speak to every real estate agent, but I do participate in the monthly roundtable that's done with the British leaders. And they do have representation from the local real estate on that group. So they're hearing it at least once a month.

But are they, because I didn't see any of them on the sponsor list, and that kind of surprised me.

Maybe we didn't ask.

Yeah, I mean, I would think if I was a real estate agent, it's like, here's money and here's extra money if I could be the only one. And because it's, it sells the house. I mean, you guys are literally selling, I mean, you're selling houses. You know, you should be giving a little touch to the commission. Yeah, you're selling houses.

That's a great idea. Maybe we'll have you make a little YouTube video for us.

My son's a filmmaker. Yeah, we could do it. Yeah. Great job.

I love all these new spins on impact. It's fun. Well, thank you. I just always love, I mean, I think everyone here knows I'm like the world's biggest fan of the library and that, you know, It's just whatever the thing is that has some community impact, it's like, oh, of course it's at the library. And so I, today, had extra eyeglasses. I got LASIK surgery and I have extra eyeglasses that I no longer need. And I was clearing out my closet and I said, where? There has to be someone must take donations for this. So I Google and I was like, Phoenicia Public Library, of course. I just dropped them off right on my way to this commission meeting. So thank you for having a Dropbox. You guys are just such a one-stop shop for the community impact in a way that I think a lot of people don't realize. And so I just appreciate everything that you do.

But if someone needs eyeglasses, they can get them at the library?

No, you can donate your used eyeglasses, and it goes to some sort of central collection that they redistribute them, I assume.

I would just add, if you're having a bad day, go to the Benicia Public Library. They're amazing. I mean, Jennifer's leadership, she has so much energy and is just thinking outside the box. And her team, Amber and Allison and all the team at the library, they just love people, love what they do. Can't do enough. It's just, it's so much fun to be a part of. So I just, I wanted to recognize that. Yeah, I mean, a lot of it comes from Jennifer. She's innovative. She thinks outside the box. She's doing things that are unique. And wonderful and it's so been he's just so lucky to have her but then her team there's just so many people over there right now with the library being open serving so many people and they're just all amazing I just I wanted to publicly say thank you they're just really great.

I remember that the last thing that we had going on that day was cuddle club. Yes, so we had, which is once a month, adoptable dogs come to the library. And we also do quarterly cat adoptions, too. And you can get, oftentimes, just readers because people forget them, and so you just check the lost and found.

Well, I can't find my survey, so how do I request a survey?

I have looked everywhere I can think of looking and I didn't get one. And I absolutely have a library card. You know what?

You might have opted. Do you get the regular email newsletter? Uh-huh. And you didn't get it? You should have. But you know what? I'm going to talk to Patrice, who's our webmaster, about maybe just putting it on the website.

That's a great idea. Thank you.

If not, I can definitely forward it to you. Okay. This is the first time I've ever done this.

We fight the internet. We fight Google and we fight Yahoo and we fight whoever they are because we're spam. We fit all the boxes. So lots of times when people say they don't get it, we have to figure out a new way or we have a company that, and so I suspect whoever your internet provider is or your email is said, oh, that's spam and you don't want it.

Wonderful.

Thank you so much, staff, for coming and sharing all this with us and letting us celebrate you. We will move on to item number eight. This feels very delayed, the consent calendar. Okay. Just got there. Item 8A, draft minutes from March 11th, 2026. That was a long time ago. Okay. Are there any edits? Does anyone have any edits to the minutes from March 11th, 2026? Okay. Do we need a motion to accept the minutes? Is that work? I forgot.

Yeah, we need a motion to accept the minutes. I'll make a motion to accept the minutes.

Okay.

Please take the role, Commissioner O'Brien.

Chairperson Boglet?

Yes.

Vice Chair Stewart? Commissioner Duterte? Yes. Commissioner Fowler? Yes. Commissioner Kolk?

Yes.

Commissioner O'Brien? Yes. Commissioner Sachs? Yes.

Wonderful. Moving on past our consent calendar to number nine, action and discussion. This always makes me laugh because I feel like we do so much action and discussion during the presentations, but we finally got to the point where we're allowed to discuss. So the only item we have on here is number 9A, ad hoc committee assignments. Director Dunleavy, do you want to say anything about this? No? Okay.

I met with the chair and we kind of brainstormed about how we wanted to approach this. We're happy to make edits to these titles. We're happy to delete something on the list. We're happy to discuss adding something. Just a reminder that an ad hoc is just a temporary assignment. It's a short-term committee or appointment. So it has an end date. The three that we listed for proposal was the community grant ad hoc. I know there was some discussion from this commission last grant process to refine some of the questions and to discuss possibly some scoring. This would be the opportunity for us to do that. I have not been given any information yet about grant funding for the next fiscal year for our grantees. So as soon as I get that from our city manager and our finance director, we're going to probably hit the ground running, hoping that we get the funds. So the community grant ad hoc would be really looking at those questions, looking at the scoring, see if you have a basic template. You would not be starting from scratch. You would just be refining that. The other thing we had talked about a lot is working with collaborating, creating moments for collaboration with our grantees, whether if it's hosting a round table, POSTING SOMETHING OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, DOING AN EVENT. WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THAT. SO I THOUGHT MAYBE AN AD HOC COULD WORK ON THAT. AND THE OTHER ONE IS WE HAVE A SENIOR ROUND TABLE THAT MEETS QUARTERLY. AND THAT IS FOR SENIOR SERVICES. FOR EXAMPLE, LAST TIME WE HAD A GREAT ROUND TABLE. And we had commissioners in attendance, I can't remember who it was, but it was about public transportation. And we invited the STEA and Soul Trans, and we learned so much about public transportation. It was amazing. It was really great. We have a senior roundtable coming up. So if you're interested in serving on that, the next one is actually next week. So I'm not giving you a lot of time, but it is on September 17th at 10 a.m. at the Community Center. And I'm unsure of the topic. Elliot would get you that information. It's always great attendance. All of the senior services are in attendance. So if you have a passion for seniors or want to learn more about that, that would be a good ad hoc. I'll turn it back to you, Chair. Thanks, Anne.

On the topic of the community grants, so I know that you and I discussed this when we last spoke, but I wonder if you can just presence the committee into sort of what our timeline looks like here because, you know, we have new folks and then some of us were new the last grant cycle. So, like, both the timelines on sort of our budgeting issues as well as what the timeline typically looks like for the grant application release to grantees, et cetera.

After I met with our chair, I reached out to our finance director and our city manager requesting giving them a temporary timeline based on last grant cycle so that trying to not force a decision, but to encourage an answer for these commission grantees if their funding will be available. If we were to follow the grant timeline that we've done in the past, typically announcements would be made that grant funding would be available beginning in December. It would be done publicly on the city grant page. We would be reaching out to everyone that's interested. They are required to go to a mandatory training. At the mandatory, it's a Zoom training with city staff that talks about the entire process from start to finish. All grantees are required to attend that if they are going to be applying for the grant. So that happens, the announcement is in December. January is typically when that required training is. The day after the training, the grant applications open up. So typically the grants, the applications will be open January and February. Then the grants close. All of you in that time period will be trained on the grant program and the scoring. And then you would have typically the month of March to score, review, score, and then we bring it back to the commission. It's a tight timeline. So typically at the end of March, we might have a special meeting to do the awarding of the grants. Then we take our recommendation to city council. And we're on the city council's calendar at that point. Last year we were ready for our recommendation in April, but it did not go to council until May. So we're at the discretion of really city council and the city manager of when that is put on the city managers or one of the city council agendas. And then the city council has to approve our recommendations. So that was kind of the timeline. It was really tight. It can be adjusted if we learn about grant funding earlier. So that's something I think the ad hoc could really help staff with about making this a little smoother and a little bit better for the applicants and both for you as scorers and reviewers, yeah.

And do we have any, when you spoke to the city manager about or to folks at the city, about our anticipated grant timeline? Did they have any discussion back about their potential timeline in terms of our knowledge of these grant funds?

So much has happened just last week. Okay. You know, just with the announcement of the BACMED grant funding that the city received, I think the finance director and the city manager are probably just going to need a little time. That money is not, Associated with the grants at all, but if that would free up some of the general fund money that do provide these grants That's our hope so You can count on me to keep Asking the questions so that we I know it's in the finance department They have those dates and as soon as they they haven't even announced our budget for the city at all our budget calendar So I know they're working on it now

Thank you. And thank you for letting me quiz you on these dates. And commission members, I think the context here is that when the director and I had a chance to meet and talk about the agenda, one of the things that we were discussing is that we know, for example, Commissioner Sachs, you've spoken from the beginning about wanting to do some work on revising the community grant, sort of the application and scoring templates, et cetera. And at the time, and this was several weeks ago, I think that we spoke, is this question of like, how much work are we going to put in as a commission? And of course, how much work if any, are we going to ask applicants, you know, community, potential community grant applicants to put in, in a moment where we don't know what funding or if funding is available. And so I, that's a very good point that of course the funding landscape changed very dramatically last week in the city, but it's good to hear that you were able to have that conversation and able to sort of at least make sure folks knew what was hinging, what timeline on our end was hinging on those decisions because You know, I think that it's critical. And so I definitely think that knowing all of that, that we should go ahead and start as soon as possible, probably an ad hoc around the community grants so that we can. And so just for new commission members, the ad hocs, It's a helpful time because it's just, it's a couple of folks you're able to sit off and we meet at the community center. We're able to just kind of like brainstorm a little bit more at a time when we're not sitting in a dais all tired from the end of the workday, you know, it's sort of, it's just a little bit more able to workshop ideas and think through them. And so, I think that we know we have work to do on the community grant, but I wanted to see if folks, I know I suspect Commissioner Sachs will have thoughts, but if we were to have an ad hoc to think sort of revisit the community grant process, what might we want to contain? Like what might be some of the topics within that that we might want to include? Yeah, go ahead.

And I just want to caution. I know that for our new commissioners and just to remind our former commission, the application process was designed our finance department and so we can make suggested edits it's not guaranteed that they would be approved I think they are open to hearing our feedback from what we experienced going through that last round the goal so just the workload I just want it's not going to be a heavy workload because we are not starting from scratch it would be one or two questions that question was hard to score, maybe it was the way it was worded, or maybe we get rid of one, maybe we missed the mark on one. It would not be a total redesign. So I just want to make sure if the finance department, if he rewatches this, he would want me to be clear that he and his team really have a good working document and we would be just making some small suggested changes.

Thank you for that level setting and duly noted for the record. So it sounds like the scope of this ad hoc would be sort of to develop recommendations to give to the finance department about potential changes for the application or the application process in the upcoming year. I suggest that we do form this committee, this ad hoc. Does anyone have thoughts about that, thoughts about the scope of this, general comments or questions?

I would... I would have to look at it. It's been a long time. So in terms of scope and questions, I think I remember that we thought the metrics questions were weak, I think. And I think I know I was pushing, no big surprise, around the issue about efforts to collaborate, which relates to some of the other questions. But I'd have to go back and look. I do know on the metrics side, for sure, that then Council member now Vice Mayor Mashinsky has mentioned on a couple of occasions where I've seen him that we need metrics if we're going to give money and that he was not satisfied with metrics as they were provided in grants. So I think he would be supportive of anything we can do to enhance metrics. But anyway, I have to go back and look. My other question is more for you, Ann. As I recall, the questions for the grants that we were looking at, essentially carbon copy of what the arts and culture commission was looking at um pretty sure is there any need for us to align what we come up with what it with whatever arts and culture is looking at they established an ad hoc also so i'd be happy to share the information

from the both ad hocs with each other. I think the standard questions, I think both commissions expressed that that was not a good way to have these grant applications submitted being identical. So I think, I know, Commissioner Kolk, you know, with the safety net programs, there should be questions very specific to that. Where arts and culture, it was very different. So I think we're going to need to make them a little very, we're going to make them different moving forward.

I just wonder if we both do something, there may be, we might want to think about whether or not there's a point where perhaps both ad hoc groups meet together just to kind of review what each one's doing. It just might be a good step in the process. Just a suggestion.

Can I ask why, Bob? I'm just curious because we are, who we fund is very different from arts and culture. Is it because we're basically asking them to fill out the same application or similar?

It's just because I recall that they were very, they seemed to be essentially the same questionnaire. So I think if we're just aware of what each other's doing, there might be some benefit. It might be a 15-minute conversation.

Okay. Okay. essentially to align our recommendations to the finance department to the extent possible, potentially. Any other thoughts on this ad hoc or volunteers for said ad hoc? We need, what is it, and three? It's the max of three. Oh, we need a maximum of three people who would like to volunteer for this.

So you could have two.

Since I was mentioned already, I guess I'll...

I mean, you were leading the charge on this early on, Bob. You can't get out of this.

I have some interest in the other, but it wasn't the first time I'd be on two of them, too, so I'll raise my hand.

It's a thing. You open your mouth on this commission. You volunteer for stuff.

Anyone else like to volunteer to be part of the grant ad hoc? It's okay if you're new. You can still volunteer because you have many new and fresh spots.

You can count me in. I'll volunteer.

Okay. Commissioner Fowler is volunteering as well. Okay.

If anyone has a last minute late interest in joining this, we have one more spot available and you can let Ann know. Good conversation, I would say, in the past in the ad hocs. Does anyone have thoughts about the other two recommended ad hoc committees? I guess I'll jump over to the senior roundtable one, just because that's one that I think that we've done before. Is that something that folks would like to continue on with, those who have been involved before? It doesn't seem like a good idea.

I was just saying, I was talking to you, but yeah. Yeah, no, that sounds great.

It's getting late, guys.

All your comments seem to be public on microphone.

I mean, if I could, I'd be glad to do that one. I can't do next week, but I'll be glad to do it.

And remind us, Ann, that if you join the ad hoc for senior roundtable, does that simply mean you just go to senior roundtables?

Commissioner Kolk and Commissioner Stewart have been there before. I think Commissioner O'Brien's also been there. It's been a really great... It makes me proud to have them there. It's showing our Benicia-based service organizations that we care and that there's people who want to share all that they're doing and bring it back to this commission. So it was really great having you there. And so one person attending would be great. If not, two.

I'd like to volunteer, but I, like Andre, will be out of town next weekend. I can't attend.

I'm also not available.

And that's staff's fault. So I will have staff attend and bring that back to the commission. So I'll have Elliot come back and report out. And then in the future, if there are some commissioners interested, it sounds like I have three that might be interested. There'll be another one in probably two to three months.

So it sounds like we have Vice Chair Stewart, Commissioner Kolk, and Commissioner O'Brien on this ad hoc to be informed about later dates of the senior roundtable. Perfect, easy enough. The other one was the events and collaboration. Is that, I closed my computer. Events and collaboration ad hoc. I admittedly cannot recall exactly what the scope of this was going to be. Do you recall more about what the scope of this was?

There'd been discussion after the grantees presented were doing such amazing things. It was like, gosh, you know, they came into this room and then they started talking and sharing with one another. And I think there was some expression from the Commission going, gosh, we don't want this only happening when they report out on the grants. Is there a way that we could bring them together in a more social way to be, how can we support Food is Free? How can we support St. Vincent de Paul? Sharing their upcoming events. It was, you know, it was an idea. It definitely could be something that doesn't need an ad hoc. You can have me as staff. You could advise me to just continue to bring you all their fundraisers, share what's coming up. It doesn't need to be a formal ad hoc, but it was an idea.

Yeah, if I recall, thank you for that reminder, if I recall, we've had ongoing conversation in this commission about wanting opportunities outside of the dais to engage with our grantees or, you know, help market outreach or engage with organizations. And so I think that is what it was. Is that something, that general topic, that folks want to be an ad hoc? Does anyone have any thoughts about that? I'm not putting my thumb on the scale either way.

ANYONE WHO'S BEEN ON THE COMMISSION KNOWS THAT I'M BIG ON PUSHING COLLABORATION. AND YOU AND I TALKED ABOUT AFTER I'D SPENT SOME TIME AT THE SENIOR CENTER THAT TIME WHEN A BUNCH OF THE GROUPS WERE THERE ABOUT THE POTENTIAL OF, AND I TALKED TO SEVERAL OF THE LEADERS OF THE DIFFERENT GROUPS ABOUT The opportunity to do collaboration, but collaboration doesn't just happen by accident. And it doesn't just happen by having a bunch of people in the room. It's got to be intentional. And that I talked to Elliot also about, you know, I'd be willing to do something around that. And a couple of the leaders said, well, that we might be interested in that. And that I've had experience bringing groups together to do that, but I could not do that as a commissioner. You and I talked about that. I'd have to do that as a private citizen. And so my belief is that just having an event where they all sit in a room together, the odds of it actually producing much is relatively low. It's not zero, but it's relatively low. If we really want something to flourish in that, it would have to be an event that we orchestrated. And it wouldn't have to be me. We could find people who actually know how to talk about collaboration. So we could put together an educational event that talks about what collaboration looks like and how groups put that together. We could sponsor an event like that and invite people to it. And I personally think maybe we wait and see, for example, if there is a grant cycle, And we had then identify some groups as a result of that grant cycle to do that. Those are my thoughts.

And I think that something that's happened kind of naturally at the Arts and Culture Commission is that we invite them to come to the Commission meeting and share their fundraising events and to share anything coming up. And then they start collaborating just naturally in the audience. That's what happened last week at the Arts and Culture. So I think I just need to do a better job as your staff inviting your grantees. I think it'll be a little harder for your grantees to attend. They are so busy knowing some of these, you know, food is free, CAC. I think it's hard for them to get here. But I think I could definitely open the channels of communication of just saying reach out to me, let me know of your events coming up. We've got the holidays coming up. There's a lot of need within the community. I'm happy to make announcements to the commissioners so that you can go and attend their events and support them and be involved that way until we find out more about the grant process. I think maybe this committee

maybe not needed at this time potentially I do agree that I think for the grantees we're working with I would argue that they do know each other I mean this is a small nonprofit community the safety net orgs and they send clients to each other all the time when they collaborate when they need to you know for for client need and they're not they don't have capacity to come to a party right like you know just without a very intentional purpose but I do think that we've talked about in this commission as well is what would it look like outside of the grant cycle for us to be raising awareness for volunteers for like capacity building for our nonprofits that our grantees in some way other than the grant right and so that's something that I think additionally could be in that same category. And I'm sorry, Commissioner Fowler, I just saw your hand was up.

I think any opportunity to help support our grantees, I would definitely be in favor for, whether that's figuring out more ways to collaborate or to be more present, help drive some support and awareness for them. Having been at the Arts Commission and presented on the behalf of sitting on the board of one of the grantees, it is the opportunity to collaborate is something that is, I think, there's a lot of strength in that for the grantees to be able to partner and collaborate together. If it's something that they are already doing because it's a small community, great. But if we can find ways to make it more meaningful for them, I think that's something that we could tackle.

I think it might be a question of the definition of the word collaboration, right? Because I think it's like a buzzword. And if it's like, I think, if it's do we know each other to send clients back and forth, that's a different question than like, should we all go in on a grant together, which they're not probably going to do. But like, that is a collaboration on a much greater scale that requires much greater trust. you know, and building. So I definitely think that this idea of like what else could we be doing with and for our grantee organizations outside of the grant is something we should explore, just especially as grant funding continues to be every year like a question of whether, you know, whether and how much, but also because we do care about these these organizations and I'm happy to be on an ad hoc about that I don't 100% know the scope you know right now but I think it's just sort of that question of like supporting our grantees is something that is worth potentially discussing if that's okay with you I've been on this Commission or this board for 11 years now so I'm gonna speak from experience

Our grantees, some of which we have been supporting since I've been on the board in 20 to 25 years prior to that, we've been supporting some of our grantees. And they do collaborate. I think they've gotten a lot better. They were competing for funds initially and they were not as collaborative about sharing information and counting on each other, but I think they've gotten much better. Over the years, we have attempted to support them. And I know there was a time for the new board members, or the commission members, when we made site visits. So every commission member would go to the site. If they didn't have a site, we'd meet them at Starbucks. Most of our organizations are all volunteers. Some of them do have executive directors, but for the most part, we've got all volunteer organizations, like Families in Transition, all volunteer organizations. We've had conversations with them over the years. We have suggested as a commission or a board that we do outreach, that we help them find other sources of funding. And maybe I'm a little jaded, but we haven't been successful in that. Because they have to recognize the fact, as Bob pointed out when he was making comments to Our rec centers, what is gonna be funded? Where are we gonna come up with the money? Will we be funded? I mean, that's a question at this point. And I'm just giving sort of a background of what the commission or the Human Services Board has tried to do in the past with our grantees. And it's not an easy lift. It hasn't been an easy lift. And maybe this commission is different. Maybe we can make a difference, but again, The Yuma Services Board that I first joined 11 years ago met every month. We didn't meet here. We met in the commission room. There were nine of us or 10 of us sat around a table and it was a little bit different. It was a lot less formal. So there was a lot, I thought it was easier to have discussions. This is wonderful, but being up here is a little bit more difficult. So I'm just giving you a background history on the collaboration part And you said events collaboration, so I wasn't really sure what that means. What do events collaboration mean? Are we holding events? Are they holding events? I think knowing what they're doing and letting us know, to your point, Anne, having them give us information. What can we support you on? How can we be there for you? But I don't know how much further we can take it. Anyway, just my two cents.

That's helpful historical context, Maggie.

So maybe we just start with me as your staff, reaching out to them to learn more about events that we could support, fundraisers that are coming up, things that they're doing during the holidays, and sharing that here. They can either come during public comment, inviting them to come during public comment and share, and so that we can hear more about what they're doing all year long might be just a better starting point.

Yeah, and I would suggest that we just revisit this, assuming that we have grants to give out. After we see who those people, who those organizations are and what we hear from them, we revisit the topic and decide if there's something there at that point.

Works for me. Any other thoughts and comments? Any other suggestions of ad hocs not listed on the staff list?

Oh, go ahead, Commissioner.

We need some motions, too, for the two ad hocs.

No, we don't apparently need any motions for ad hocs.

The motion's great.

They're appointments, they're temporary appointments, so you don't need to make a motion.

Good process question, though, I didn't know. Thank you for reminding me. Wonderful. Okay. Well, we're going to move on to item 10, communication from staff and members. 10A is grantee events and announcements. So if there are any announcements or communication from our grantees or from folks here, I will start on the exact topic that we were just discussing. Common Room Coworking, which is my coworking space, is hosting a fundraiser for Food is Free Bay Area on October 3rd. So that's coming up in just a few weeks. It's going to be like a little bites and sips fundraiser with a little silent auction. It's going to be very nice like Saturday. I will send out the information via email to this commission and to you as well. And in case any of you like to attend and please spread the word as well. They are, as we know, because we grant to them an incredible organization and it has been a tough year for food security support. And as a full disclosure, I am on their board as well. Does anyone else have any announcements and communications?

I don't have any from staff.

Anyone having like a fun birthday party we can all go to?

I'm kidding. Okay. Item 10B, inviting a commissioner to volunteer to provide an update the next city council meeting. So for new commissioners, this is something that we've typically been doing. This is something that was born out of a desire. One of the core missions of this commission is to be the champions for the community services department. At least that's how I see it, is to be and her team's champions who are constantly lifting up what is the impact of this work and for better for worse one of our biggest stakeholders for that is our City Council who are making a lot of decisions publicly and speaking publicly about the work and so we have made a practice of going after some or all of our Commission meetings going to an a City Council meeting and one of us will make a public comment I'm just you know it's just a couple of minutes and just say hey I'm reporting out from I'm a member of the Community Services Commission and just wanted to share a couple of things that we learned about the amazing work of the city or the amazing work of our grantees in our last meeting or whatever that takeaway was it's short but it puts it on public record and kind of elevates it up and so I think in this case it would probably be the impact of summer programming from the the city community services department and of course I mean we can give an update on majestic as well but I think that's sort of theirs to to elevate um so With that in mind, I think that the next City Council meeting is next Tuesday, the 15th, is what I just Googled on the internet. Is anybody interested in being the person to make that comment?

It's going to be more of an antagonistic role in that meeting.

That's not my intent, either.

Okay, noted.

I won't be here for the next two weeks, but I'd be happy to attend a council meeting when I am back to report. Is that okay? I mean, I can't do it this week.

I mean, it's kind of in the same situation. I'm definitely willing to volunteer at some point, but next week seems to be hard for all of us.

I know I can't do it next Tuesday either. So I don't know that we have the October dates posted yet, but it's typically the first and the third, right?

I believe it's going to be the third in October because October is it 15th? October 13th will be, I think, the next Tuesday. I WILL DOUBLE CHECK BECAUSE NATIONAL NIGHT OUT IS, I BELIEVE, OCTOBER 6TH. SO I'LL GET BACK TO YOU. WE'LL PUT SOMETHING OUT AND WHOEVER CAN ATTEND. THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

NEW SPEAKER- PERFECT. THIS REPORT OUT DOESN'T FEEL ON FIRE URGENT. SO I THINK THAT OCTOBER IS JUST RIGHT. NEW SPEAKER- OKAY. BEFORE I ADJOURN, IT LOOKS LIKE WE DO NOT HAVE A DATE YET FOR NEXT MEETING. IT'S A SPECIAL SESSION TO BE DETERMINED.

Your next scheduled meeting would have been on Veterans Day. So I will, let me get more information on the grant and to see if I can call a special meeting once I get that information.

Sounds good. And in the interim, can you start an email thread with the ad hoc folks to figure out a time to meet? I'd be happy to do that. Wonderful. Well, with that, if no further comment from the commission, this meeting is adjourned at 7.55 p.m. Thank you.