Submit Date: Dec 06, 2022
First Name Middle Initial Last Name
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City of Manteca Boards & Commissions
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Recreation & Parks Commission: Submitted
Do you live within Manteca city limits?
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Question applies to multiple boards
Are you a registered voter?
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Ethnicity *
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Interests & Experiences
Michael B Azevedo
Manteca CA
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Michael B Azevedo
ATTACHMENT 1
Tell us about yourself (i.e. background, education, career experience, interests).
Currently retired. I have a bachelor of science degree in Wildlife Management from Humboldt State University. I participated in Redwood Recreation Laboratory for several years. I have been a naturalist for San Mateo County Schools Science Camp, Park Ranger for city of San Jose, and a park maintenance worker (Groundsworker and Gardener) for city of San Jose's Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department where I worked with recreation leaders frequently. I volunteer for the California Bluebird Recovery Program and the California Native Plant Society.
List any experiences you have serving on other Boards & Commissions in the City of Manteca or elsewhwere.
I have never served on a board or commission, though I have been on the executive board of the Sierra Club, Loma Prieta Chapter and I am currently on the board of the California Native Plant Society North San Joaquin Valley Chapter and the California Bluebird Recovery Program. I am a county coordinator for the California Bluebird Recovery Program and the compiler for the San Jose Audubon Christmas Bird Count.
Question applies to Recreation & Parks Commission
How did you hear about the Recreation and Parks Commission vacancy? I've been following the Rec and Parks Commission for the last couple of years and applied last year, but was not chosen. I have been receiving the city emails regarding city council meetings and such, and also follow the city on Facebook.
Question applies to Recreation & Parks Commission
Please describe your experience and/or involvement (including number of years) in youth sports and recreational activities within the City of Manteca or elsewhere.
I was an assistant coach for my son and daughter's little league team for two years. My daughter also played youth soccer, so I was a soccer parent. (Both of these were in Fremont, California). Prior to retirement, I worked for the City of San Jose's department of Recreation, Park and Community Services. I maintained the San Jose Municipal Rose Garden (3 years), guiding it from being a troubled, neglected garden to one of the most awarded gardens in the country. I also maintained the Guadalupe River Trail, a major bike commuter route for 6 years. My last maintenance assignment for the city of San Jose was to maintain Columbus Park, a facility with two baseball fields and a horseshoe club (2 years). I worked with the city's sports management on keeping the fields in good shape and prepared for games and I worked directly with the horseshoe club members to keep the horseshoe facility ready for them. I was also a park ranger for 6 years. During all of my time with the city of San Jose, I worked extensively with volunteers and other work crews, leading volunteer crews in major working events, such as pulling weeds in park areas or along the Guadalupe River Trail, or pruning roses or installing turf. I attended Redwood Recreation Laboratory, a now defunct annual event that offered the opportunity to learn and share recreation ideas for games and activities that can be used to entertain and educate the public. I used the skills I received there in my park ranger career (where among my duties was to develop a water awareness program for school students, and to run the program of presenting it), and as a naturalist where games and activities could be used to teach concepts, or entertain during downtime, along with my skill of storytelling. Basically, I have a lot of experience running recreational programs of several different types, with volunteers, students and corporate groups. I am currently a Boy Scout Merit Badge Counselor.
Michael B Azevedo
ATTACHMENT 1
Question applies to Recreation & Parks Commission
Do you have any experience in park planning or design? What is your idea of a great neighborhood park (i.e. amenities, size, sports fields picnic tables, equipment, etc.)? I have been advocating at Manteca City Council and Manteca Planning Commission meetings for the use of native plants and multi-use trails in parks and other locations. I have never had a specific park planning job, but I am positive that the changes I advocate would make for a better recreational experience.
Manteca's parks are well maintained, but they are also cookie-cutter. Yes, they are well maintained, to the envy of other cities, but they all deserve the same credits and all have the same problems. There is nothing wrong with every park having a bowl shape for water conservation, or even having a grassy field, but there are a number of problems that come with an all-grass park. During a drought, this still requires a lot of water. Large segments of the lawn are for recreational space, but much of it is ornamental, which means we could do something else instead of lawn. Manteca has a long forgotten natural heritage that no one knows because it was long ago scraped off the Earth for agriculture or development. There is no untouched land in Manteca. The California Native Plant Society has been working long and hard to catalogue the plants that were once here in Manteca and rather than using plants from Australia, Africa, China and elsewhere in our parks, we should be using California natives. We should be reminding people where they live. You don't drive up to Yosemite, looking at the landscape and think that it needs more Indonesian plants. They're beautiful and there is no reason that we can't use those plants in our parks instead of foreign plants. We can use more chipped area with fences (that sounds weird, I know, but I can show examples of how a partial fence can be both attractive and provide wildlife with a small area inside the park, with beautiful native plants. I have photo examples of exactly this sort of thing from Livermore, San Diego and elsewhere. There is NO WHERE else in Manteca that a butterfly looking for a host plant can catch a break. Manteca's parks are one place where the public will likely welcome a butterfly garden, hummingbird garden, etc. I can give a presentation on this if it would help. Also, even when native trees are planted in our parks, they are always planted in lawns. This dooms many butterflies because they drop their chrysalises into the leaf litter below to pupate and of course, there is no leaf litter in lawn. By having a few of our native trees in chipped area, we provide a place for such butterflies to pupate safely.
You do want butterflies in Manteca, right? It is nice, I'll admit to sit under a tree on a lawn, but it is also nice to have a picnic table or bench on a path through a chipped area that allows you to sit and rest or have lunch. This can all work really well, but it would look only a bit different from what we have now, yet it would make a big difference because believe it or not, if you have no native plants in a park, you have no butterflies or moths or native bees and that is just wrong. My other pet peeve is the lack of multi-use trails.
My local park, Evans Estate Park, like many other Manteca parks, is surrounded by sidewalk- there are no wide multi-use trails. If Manteca is going to be the "Family City", it needs to prove it by providing a place for kids to ride their bikes safely. At Evans Estate Park, that place is a strip of paint along the street, inches from the roadway. That is not a safe place to bike. There is NOWHERE for them to ride safely. Had the sidewalk instead been converted into a wide Class 1 bikeway, it could have given a place for people to walk dogs, ride their bikes, jog, whatever they wanted. By wide, I'm talking 10 to 12 feet. Currently, with the sidewalk, each morning and evening, large numbers of residents all try and use the same sidewalk and it doesn't work. Some go faster or slower, some walk the opposite way, and there is no bike riding to speak of. They end up running or walking their dogs in the street. Our local park has nowhere to run! Nowhere for a child to ride a bike apart from a strip of paint and on Saturday mornings, that disappears completely when it is full of soccer folks parking. Thus, there is NOwhere on a Saturday morning to ride a bike safely at that park. I have 6 years of experience as a park ranger and even more as a park aide. I've worked at virtually all of San Jose's regional parks at one time or another and while working as a park aide for San Mateo County parks, I was on staff at Coyote Point, a marina park with a science museum, at Memorial Park, which is a camping park, and at San Pedro Valley Park which is a large park with extensive hiking trails, some of which I helped blaze. Basically, I have 20 years of experience working in parks in varying capacities. I believe I'd make a good board member.
Michael B Azevedo
ATTACHMENT 1
Submit Date: Dec 07, 2022
First Name Middle Initial Last Name
Home Address Suite or Apt
City State Postal Code
Primary Phone Alternate Phone
Email Address
Date of Birth
City of Manteca Boards & Commissions
Application Form
Profile
Which Boards would you like to apply for?
Recreation & Parks Commission: Submitted
Do you live within Manteca city limits?
Yes No
Question applies to multiple boards
Are you a registered voter?
Yes No
Ethnicity *
Caucasian/Non-Hispanic
Gender *
Male
Interests & Experiences
Eddie Marcel
Manteca CA
Mobile:
Eddie Marcel
ATTACHMENT 1
Tell us about yourself (i.e. background, education, career experience, interests).
I’ve been a Manteca resident since 2019. I relocated my family from Brentwood and we purchased a new home in South Manteca. I currently work for E&J Gallo Winery in Modesto as a Project Manager within their S&OP Team. I previously worked for Manteca’s Delicato Family Wines as a Sourcing and Procurement Manager. I hold my Bachelors from Cal State East Bay and recently completed a graduate certificate in Supply Chain Management from Michigan State University. I enjoy camping, backyard bbqs, and exploring parks and trails. I love the opportunity Manteca presents for my family and I am eager to get involved shaping our future as a family city by serving on the Recreation and Parks Commission.
List any experiences you have serving on other Boards & Commissions in the City of Manteca or elsewhwere.
In Brentwood, I was elected to my HOA Board of Directors. In Manteca, I was appointed to the inaugural MMAC. I helped shape goals and bylaws before stepping away in November 2020 to focus on an education opportunity during the pandemic. My thought was to let another millennial have the chance to serve and that I’d get back involved in public service as my certificate program finished. I’m hoping this is my chance!
Question applies to Recreation & Parks Commission
How did you hear about the Recreation and Parks Commission vacancy? Social Media (LinkedIn and Facebook)
Question applies to Recreation & Parks Commission
Please describe your experience and/or involvement (including number of years) in youth sports and recreational activities within the City of Manteca or elsewhere.
As a boy, I played Brentwood Parks and Rec baseball. I also participated in other activities through their activity book. I helped coach tee ball for my son and nephews as well. In Manteca, I coached for Junior Giants in 2022 and look forward to returning in 2023. I also signed up to coach our upcoming Jr NBA season.
Question applies to Recreation & Parks Commission
Do you have any experience in park planning or design? What is your idea of a great neighborhood park (i.e. amenities, size, sports fields picnic tables, equipment, etc.)? I do not have direct experience in park planning or design. Being that we are a fast growing city, with many more parks to be built in the years ahead, it is my goal to quickly learn and be a resource for the city as we look to the future. I hope to lean on my sourcing background to help with bids and use my energy to inspire community support for our projects. To me, a great neighborhood park needs to be safe and easy to assess. Manteca does a great job of this! Diversity of size and amenities is ideal, as I believe it facilitates discovery by residents. In the future, I’d like to see Manteca keep up the great work already accomplished - our parks are timeless and flexible. Being a part of this committee would help me learn how we’ve come to where we are and how I can help build upon that success for the future. My Son will grow up here in Manteca and I really hope to foster a great collection of activities for him to participate in as I had when I was a young boy!
Eddie Marcel
ATTACHMENT 1
Submit Date: Dec 08, 2022
First Name Middle Initial Last Name
Home Address Suite or Apt
City State Postal Code
Primary Phone Alternate Phone
Email Address
Date of Birth
City of Manteca Boards & Commissions
Application Form
Profile
Which Boards would you like to apply for?
Recreation & Parks Commission: Submitted
Do you live within Manteca city limits?
Yes No
Question applies to multiple boards
Are you a registered voter?
Yes No
Ethnicity *
Caucasian/Non-Hispanic
Gender *
Male
Interests & Experiences
Tell us about yourself (i.e. background, education, career experience, interests).
US Navy Vet, retired public servant with City of Sunnyvale, AA/electronics. former member of Stockton airport commission, Former manager of Mt House Wastewater Facility and streets and sewers.
Consultant for operations for several Wastewater facilities for Operations. Pilot and Aircraft builder.
John J Miller Jr
MANTECA CA
Home:
John J Miller Jr
ATTACHMENT 1
List any experiences you have serving on other Boards & Commissions in the City of Manteca or elsewhwere.
Involved with CWEA (Wastewater association) and former member of Stockton airport advisory commission
Question applies to Recreation & Parks Commission
How did you hear about the Recreation and Parks Commission vacancy? Newspaper
Question applies to Recreation & Parks Commission
Please describe your experience and/or involvement (including number of years) in youth sports and recreational activities within the City of Manteca or elsewhere.
Coached basketball, Soccer, 12 years in Livermore and City of Tracy Question applies to Recreation & Parks Commission
Do you have any experience in park planning or design? What is your idea of a great neighborhood park (i.e. amenities, size, sports fields picnic tables, equipment, etc.)? No design experiences ,but do know how to get things done. Major experiences in building and maintaining large facilities in large cities
John J Miller Jr
ATTACHMENT 1
Submit Date: Nov 14, 2022
First Name Middle Initial Last Name
Home Address Suite or Apt
City State Postal Code
Primary Phone Alternate Phone
Email Address
Date of Birth
City of Manteca Boards & Commissions
Application Form
Profile
Which Boards would you like to apply for?
Recreation & Parks Commission: Submitted
Do you live within Manteca city limits?
Yes No
Question applies to multiple boards
Are you a registered voter?
Yes No
Ethnicity *
Caucasian/Non-Hispanic
Gender *
Male
Interests & Experiences
Tell us about yourself (i.e. background, education, career experience, interests).
I'm a father of 2, working full time as a purchasing agent in Manteca for a flooring company. I have a high school education. I do stand up comedy as a 2nd job. I enjoy video games, movies, music, and disc golf in my off time.
Jason J Sohm
Manteca CA
Mobile:
Jason J Sohm
ATTACHMENT 1
List any experiences you have serving on other Boards & Commissions in the City of Manteca or elsewhwere.
N/A. This would be the first committee.
Question applies to Recreation & Parks Commission
How did you hear about the Recreation and Parks Commission vacancy? Facebook
Question applies to Recreation & Parks Commission
Please describe your experience and/or involvement (including number of years) in youth sports and recreational activities within the City of Manteca or elsewhere.
Coached 1 season of youth soccer.
Question applies to Recreation & Parks Commission
Do you have any experience in park planning or design? What is your idea of a great neighborhood park (i.e. amenities, size, sports fields picnic tables, equipment, etc.)? No experience. A great neighborhood park is safe, and secure for families to enjoy and be able to get outside.
Jason J Sohm
ATTACHMENT 1