City of Santa Clara
Meeting Minutes
Parks & Recreation Commission
Draft
7:00 PM Hybrid Meeting
Cafeteria - City Hall East Wing
1500 Warburton Avenue
Santa Clara, CA 95050
09/16/2024
The City of Santa Clara is conducting the Parks & Recreation Commission meeting in a hybrid manner (in-person and a method for the public to participate remotely).
Via Zoom:
https://santaclaraca.zoom.us/j/91316665755
Meeting ID: 913 1666 5755
Or join by phone: 669-900-6833
CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
Chair Hai called the Parks & Recreation Commission Meeting to order at 7:03 PM.
Commissioner Dana Caldwell, Vice Chair Maureen Chu,
Commissioner Eversley Forte, Commissioner Derek DeMarco, Chair Sajid Hai, Commissioner Brittany Ricketts, and Commissioner Vikas Gupta
Present 7 -
CONSENT CALENDAR
1. 24-900 Action on the Parks & Recreation Commission Minutes of the August 12, 2024 Meeting
Recommendation:
Approve the Parks & Recreation Commission Minutes of the August 12, 2024 Meeting.
Commissioner Gupta made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Chu to approve the Parks & Recreation Commission Minutes of the August 12, 2024 Meeting.
Aye: Commissioner Caldwell, Vice Chair Chu, Commissioner Forte, Commissioner DeMarco, Chair Hai, Commissioner Ricketts, and Commissioner Gupta
7 -
09/16/2024Parks & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes
PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS
None.
GENERAL BUSINESS
2. 24-904 Review and Initiate the Process to Identify Potential Nominees to Serve as the 2024 Honorary Holiday Tree Lighter
Recommendation: It is recommended that the Commission review the criteria for the selection of the Holiday Tree Lighter and initiate the nomination process.
Commissioner Chu made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Gupta that Commissioners review potential nominees for the Honorary Tree Lighter and work with staff and develop biographies of potential nominees to present to the Commission for
consideration at the October 21, 2024 meeting.
Aye: Commissioner Caldwell, Vice Chair Chu, Commissioner Forte, Commissioner DeMarco, Chair Hai, Commissioner Ricketts, and Commissioner Gupta
7 -
3. 24-901 Status Update on the Progress Made on the FY 2024/25 Parks & Recreation Commission’s Work Plan Goals
Recommendation: Provide status update on progress made on the FY 2024/25 Parks & Recreation Commission’s work plan goals.
Commissioner Chu made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Gupta to accept the updated priorities for the Work Plan for FY 2024/25, along with the current subcommittee assignments and summaries.
Aye: Commissioner Caldwell, Vice Chair Chu, Commissioner Forte, Commissioner DeMarco, Chair Hai, Commissioner Ricketts, and Commissioner Gupta
7 -
09/16/2024Parks & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes
STAFF REPORT
Assistant City Manager and Acting Director of Parks & Recreation Bojorquez:
The Acting Director announced the appointment of the new Parks & Recreation Director, Damon Sparacino. Director Sparacino will begin his appointment with City on November 12, 2024. Acting Director Bojorquez extended her thanks and appreciation to Parks & Recreation staff while the recruitment process was underway.
The Department recently hired a new Communications Coordinator, Eydie Mendoza, who hails from Santa Clara County. Eydie will be assisting the Department in conveying outbound parks, recreation and cemetery stories for the City Manager's Office, City Council, and the public.
The Acting Director also recognized the Parks & Recreation Department staff for their hard work and dedication for planning, operating and overseeing the recent Art & Wine Festival. She acknowledged that staff secured more sponsors for the Festival than ever before. Kudos to Recreation Manager Castro and her team for reaching this milestone.
The Magical Bridge All-Inclusive Playground Ribbon Cutting was a huge hit with the community. The Department is accepting applications for Kindness Ambassadors to assist in educating the public on how the playground should operate and what we hope to achieve with this community playground asset.
The in-lieu fee report to the Commission will be presented to the Parks & Recreation Commission prior to the City Council meeting November 12, 2024.
ISC Update. The Department, in collaboration with the Purchasing Division, posted request for bids for the re-plastering and fencing of the International Swim Center. Action on the award of bid for the re-plastering bid is currently scheduled for the October 22, 2024 City Council meeting. The fencing bid award is in the contracts phase.
Parks & Recreation Master Plan. The master plan is currently in the community engagement and public outreach process.
Recreation Manager Castro:
The City will be hosting two (2) events in Central Park in October; Comic-Con on October 12, 2024 at the Central Park Library, and the Children’s Halloween Party on October 26, 2024.
09/16/2024Parks & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes
COMMISSIONERS REPORT
Chair Hai:
He volunteered for both days at the Art & Wine Festival. Staff was amazing; they really moved mountains! All the volunteers worked hard and were highly engaged. He enjoyed seeing so may people out and about at the Festival. Some attendees provided constructive criticism regarding the parking, as some members of the public were a little frustrated with the parking for the Festival.
Commissioner Caldwell:
He attended the Magical Bridge All-Inclusive Playground dedication and ribbon cutting. It was an outstanding event packed with attendees, staff and officials. It was lots of fun and the weather was great. The Festival was a very engaging experience! City employees and youth volunteers were highly engaged and outgoing. Overall, it was a very positive experience. He will continue to monitor Maywood Park with particular concern for the impact of alcohol consumption on the park grounds as evidenced by large number of bottles and caps left behind.
He is keeping in touch with Santa Clara Police Department to make sure the issue continues to be addressed. He updated the Commission about the installation of solar panels at Eisenhower Elementary and how this new infrastructure reduces the large green-space that was once shared with the community between Maywood Park and the school field.
Commissioner Chu
She attended Art & Wine Festival and the Magical Bridge All-Inclusive Playground Ribbon Cutting. She expressed her thanks and gratitude to Parks & Recreation staff and recognized the youth volunteers for their hard work. She further expressed how young adults in the community want to be more involved with the Parks & Recreation Department and with the City. Everything went very well with both events.
Commissioner DeMarco:
He and his family visited the Magical Bridge All-Inclusive Playground the day after the ribbon cutting ceremony and chatted with park patrons about their experiences. He also visited Westwood Oaks Park and had a great experience there. One of his children is attending swim lessons at Warburton Pool. He attended the Art & Wine Festival on Saturday and Sunday. He received comments from members of the public who were frustrated that they could not use their purchased glassware and instead had to use plastic cups. From a sustainability standpoint, some attendees perceived this as wasteful. He proposed introducing a more streamlined process when making purchases from the booths to expedite service and reduce bottlenecks.
Commissioner Forte:
He attended the Magical Bridge All-Inclusive Playground Ribbon Cutting. It was very well attended. The event seemed to be larger than any park ribbon cutting he had attended. It was well-advertised and had great energy. He also wanted to join the children and enjoy the new playground. He attended the Art & Wine Festival. He felt there was a lot of positive energy at the event. It seemed this year more people showed up earlier for the bands and music.
09/16/2024Parks & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes
ADJOURNMENT
Commissioner Gupta:
Attended the Magical Bridge All-Inclusive Playground Ribbon Cutting. It was a very lively and well attended event. The playground is highly utilized by the community. All the different elements of the playground are fantastic. Kudos to Parks & Recreation Department. He also attended the Art & Wine Festival.
Unfortunately, he wasn't able to volunteer at the Commissioners Booth. He would like the process for volunteering to be more user friendly and easier for folks to participate. He further noted that people from all around the Bay Area attended the Festival. He informed attendees and park patrons about Measure I and the upcoming bond measure. People seemed very supportive of the initiative.
Commissioner Ricketts:
She had so much fun at the Art & Wine Festival and loved working with fellow commissioners while meeting, greeting and speaking to attendees. The youth volunteers at the Commissioners Booth were extremely proactive and very hard working. She appreciated their help and charisma. She attended recent events like Street Dance, Sunset Cinema's in the Park, and visited Henry Schmidt Park.
Commissioner Caldwell made a motion, seconded by
Commissioner Chu to adjourn the Parks & Recreation Commission Meeting until the next regular meeting on Monday, October 21, 2024 at 7:00 PM.
Aye: Commissioner Caldwell, Vice Chair Chu, Commissioner Forte, Commissioner DeMarco, Chair Hai, Commissioner Ricketts, and Commissioner Gupta
7 -
MEETING DISCLOSURES
09/16/2024Parks & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes The time limit within which to commence any lawsuit or legal challenge to any quasi-adjudicative decision made by the City is governed by Section 1094.6 of the Code of Civil Procedure, unless a shorter limitation period is specified by any other provision. Under Section 1094.6, any lawsuit or legal challenge to any quasi-adjudicative decision made by the City must be filed no later than the 90th day following the date on which such decision becomes final. Any lawsuit or legal challenge, which is not filed within that 90-day period, will be barred. If a person wishes to challenge the nature of the above section in court, they may be limited to raising only those issues they or someone else raised at the meeting described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the City of Santa Clara, at or prior to the meeting. In addition, judicial challenge may be limited or barred where the interested party has not sought and exhausted all available administrative remedies.
If a member of the public submits a speaker card for any agenda items, their name will appear in the Minutes. If no speaker card is submitted, the Minutes will reflect "Public Speaker."
In accordance with the requirements of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 ("ADA"), the City of Santa Clara will not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities on the basis of disability in its services, programs, or activities, and will ensure that all existing facilities will be made accessible to the maximum extent feasible. The City of Santa Clara will generally, upon request, provide appropriate aids and services leading to effective communication for qualified persons with disabilities including those with speech, hearing, or vision impairments so they can participate equally in the City’s programs, services, and activities. The City of Santa Clara will make all reasonable modifications to policies and programs to ensure that people with disabilities have an equal opportunity to enjoy all of its programs, services, and activities.
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Contact the City Clerk’s Office at 1 408-615-2220 with your request for an alternative format copy of the agenda or other written materials.
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