EAST PALO ALTO
CITY COUNCIL
STAFF REPORT
DATE: March 7, 2023
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
VIA: Melvin Gaines, City Manager
BY: Maurice Baker, Acting Community Services Manager
Melvin Gaines, City Manager
SUBJECT: 2023 Summer Park Activation Staff Report
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Accept the proposed vendors for the 2023 Summer Park Activation series; and
2. Authorize staff to seek partnerships with local organizations to increase available facilities for conducting programming.
Alignment with City Council Strategic Plan
This recommendation is primarily aligned with:
Priority No. 7: Enhance Community Services and Parks
Background
In 2019, City Council directed Staff to activate the City’s parks and facilities with free programming that would be beneficial for City residents. Council appropriated $65,000 to fund Summer Park Activation. This contribution has grown each fiscal year. In this current fiscal year, the Council appropriated $154,000 toward the City funding high-level programming for its residents. Attendance of overall programming has increased annually as staff has constantly refined its approach to seeking partnerships and being equitable in their decision-making. To further these efforts, Council previously set aside $55,000 to extend programming throughout the year for the underserved and extremely vibrant aging community that exists in East Palo Alto, demonstrating that it values and understands the needs of all its constituents.
Below is a summary of Summer Park Activation production over the past four years:
SUMMER PARK ACTIVATION RESULTS
Year City Investment # of Providers # of Residents Served 2019-20 $65,000 5 382
2020-21 $80,000 7 108
2021-22 $110,000 14 320
2022-23 $154,000 17 815
Analysis
In its fifth year of operation, City staff is seeking Council approval to move forward with contracts for eleven (11) local organizations to provide programs for the City’s Summer Park Activation Series. Staff estimates that these organizations will serve 850 residents. As the City will celebrate its 40th anniversary during this summer, staff intends to synchronize the Park Activation Series with City celebration events.
The following rubric will be applied to ensure that funding is allocated efficiently to reflect the use of public funds in support of the desired activities. Each vendor will receive an initial amount for being accepted into the Park Activation program. Vendors will then be judged based on the criteria of their previous enrollment success and their participation in the activities surrounding our 40th Anniversary Celebration taking place on July 1. The final metrics that vendors will be rated on will be their end participation numbers for their programs and the percentage of surveys we receive back from their attendees. Each metric is assigned a numerical value based on their level of importance. The final tally will determine the payment made to each respective vendor. Below is a breakdown of each proposed value.
Point Based System
One (1) point: $2,000
Available points: Eight (8) points
Two (2) points: Acceptance in program and agreement to execute goals set forth (up to $4,000)
Two (2) points: Previous program enrollment exceeded 40 participants (up to $4,000) Two (2) points: Participation in City 40th anniversary celebration on July 1 (up to $4,000) One (1) point: Program enrollment matches or exceeds goals set forth in contract (up to $2,000)
One (1) point: Survey completion matches or exceeds 80% of enrollment (up to $2,000) Minimum allocation: $8,000 (amount can be amended if contract goals are not met) Max allocation: $16,000
Newcomer maximum: $12,000
Total Budgeted amount: $160,000
Staff will also be requesting the Key Performance Indicators (KPI) listed below from all providers at the end of the Park Activation series along with a post narrative and participant surveys.
1. Numbers of participants
2. Number of sessions
3. Formative evaluation (reflection)
4. Post Narrative of what worked and didn’t work along with How programming can evolve to better serve residents
The following programs are up for your consideration based on staff review panel consisting of:
Maurice Baker (Acting Community Services Manager), Azalea Renfield (Assistant to the City Manager), Alo Sanft (Maintenance Worker II), and Jennifer Whitehead (Grants Coordinator).
Each staff person was identified due to the varied backgrounds as program providers, participants, and grants management.
1. East Palo Alto Tennis & Tutoring: Tennis camps and academic support
2. Live in Peace: All sports conditioning camps and bike rides/workshops
3. PSA Vikings-Process Academy: Basketball instruction and competition
4. Ravenswood Junior Soccer Club: Soccer training programs for youth
5. Streetcode Academy: Tech pop-ups in the park
6. Camp Doza: Basketball & Soccer instruction and farming culture camp
7. Sign Gypsies: Field trips for Senior (55+) community
8. Step It Up Dance: Instruction in a variety of dance methods
9. My Gym: Gymnastics instruction in parks from toddlers to youth
10.East Palo Alto T-Ball & Pitching Machine: Non-competitive youth baseball in partnership with Junior Giants
11.Youth Community Services: Mental Wellness, Environmental, Community Support, and Animal themed pop-ups in the park
12.East Palo Alto Razorbacks: Youth rugby camps and Summer Sevens for young adults Fiscal Impact
The program expenditures are included in the fiscal year 2022-23 budget, and no additional appropriation is needed.
Public Notice
The public was provided notice of this agenda item by posting the City Council agenda on the City’s official bulletin board outside City Hall and making the agenda and report available at the City’s website and at the San Mateo Co. Library located at 2415 University Avenue in East Palo Alto, CA.
Environmental
The action being considered by the City Council is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it is not a “project” pursuant to 15378(b)(4) because it is a fiscal activity which does not involve any commitment to any specific project which may result in a potentially significant impact on the environment.
Attachments
1. Resolution