We are affirm rights as first peoples and wish to pay respects to the Ramaytush Ohlone community. Good morning and welcome to the rec and park meeting december 21 of 23. Turn down electronic devices. Public comment will be available for each item unless announced by the president each will have 2 minutes on each item. The commission will take comment from people in person then from attending remote. If you would like to present an item request but dont require you to complete a blue card. You may provide remote via webinar or phone by calling 4156550001. When you heart item am you would like to comment on dial star 3. You will be lined up in the system. The system will notify you in line and waiting. All callers on mute until their line is open everyone must account for delays in speaking. Address your comments on the commission. To allow equal time for all the commission will respond to questions during Public Comment they may ask questions after Public Comment is closed. If there is an item not on the agenda under the jurisdiction of the commission you may speak under general Public Comment this is item 4 today and continued to item 9. You may submit comment e neigh mailing rec and park. If you submit via e mail tell be included as part of the matter. Written comments send Postal Service to San Francisco rec and Park Commission. The following are announcements for in person. If the fire alarms activate you must activate. Elevators will return to the first floor and not available for use. If you need assistance make your way across the hall in the mens strom there is a speaker box. Press and security will answer. Let them know your location. This Commission Meeting is recordd and available for later viewing on sfgov. Org. President s report. Actually i will ask to you help me watch the things we wanted hit if i miss it let me know. Good morning, everybody. Happy holidays. Our last mite meeting for 2023. The board of supervisors changed the rules to discontinue remote comment. We aline with that body and many other commissions we will do the same. And someone who is abled needs help we want to support that. We always are looking out for those who need extra help. Reach out to our liaison ashley summers. Or e mail us as recpork. Commission sfgov. Org part of the president s report includes opening of events we had a lovely opening at a park called the fillmore turk minipark. Next to the mc donald on fillmore left week. It was a love low festive event. Recommend people going out and out. We had visitations from santa claus and hiself helpers and arts, crafts. Music. Dj, our mayor came out. Total low joy us and in her element this is a community endeavour. I think goes back when she was air supervisor. And it truly has been takes a village to get this going. We had incredible pro bono work done by a designer, sailoral mention that later in the general managers report. Kudos to all involved. In the opening of the minipark. For a bit of fun we i think under budget time wise. Have had a Ribbon Cutting that rain got in the way but had stall work pickle ballers this came out on december 18 for reopening of the carl larson pickle ball complex out 18th avenue. This is an anticipated complex in the sunset district. This marked a mile stone and rec and park effort to accommodate larity of the sport. And added on meet the demand. The department increased the numbers of court 7 fold. Bring 12 in 2018 to 80 places to play today. And also were anticipating looking at ways to also share bound easier with in Tennis Courts. We are thoughtful in the approach only 355 thousand dollars came out of our 2016 prop b dollars for deferred maintenance. That was a creative use of those funds and i have a special guest star here the elf commissioner louie who has a few words and some Performance Art for us. Go ahead commissioner louie. Thank you, president cat. Back in november of last year. The rec and park specific low beverly and dana hosted a vanish Important Community meeting at the county fair building over 300 people came and voiced how many they love today and tennis. So, you know this is the giving season and the department kudos to all of you the staff, general manager be sarah and everyone got involved. Assessed under used Tennis Courts and came up with this location. Society ground break was uneventful. It was not this is 8 reasons why the giving season the department stepped up and weep upon listened to you know Public Comment that day. And what they wanted was we want dedicated courts. So 8 courts were built at larson. And though it was not evaluateful, we wanted to be there. So, general manager was excited he was going to wear this ornament. He is away and does not have the event i just president cat wants me to show what the general manager would have worn at the larson pickle ball ground break i might have have to stand for this. They did toefrg make this happen and continue to ordinary care sesz we like the department for every time court sport and thank you. Thank you, commissioner. For all of your efforts. Crafty and otherwise. Im going to turn to more serious matters. We lost 2 more important people to rec and park. Paul spring son of jack spring whos name is on the dining hall at camp mather. Passed away unexpectedly a few weeks ago. There was a memory yell at the boast house he was much beloved speakers at this rec and park supported memorial include our naturalists. Neil who is 96 years old and possible low our oldest ever rec and park employee and tom graham. Upon toby price and sydney ankle who steward and lead were there as well. And i want to thank everybody who was involved with that service and wanted to comment because i knew paul, too. Such a sweet man. Completely dedicated to camp mather and the community there. Not just the summer time but year Round Community there. Very kind. Give you the shirt off his back. The kind of people you want to be surrounded with all the time. And we have another voice sorry this we will not see him anymore. And our sxrars love go to his family and friends. Another huge loss. Dennis kaern. Who was our director of operations for 18 years. 85 of department employees. He may not be a household name in San Francisco but not a park, open space or program this denny did not impact with his work. There will be a Memorial Service. His wife, kate visited the rec and Park DepartmentHoliday Party on monday night and addressed a group. And she was upbeat and generous and sharing how important this job and career and this community and department and the city san franciscans were to denny. He was dedicated to that role. Never hadmented retire. Basically cancer sucks and it took him out. And i wanted to give ashley opportunity if you wanted to because she worked across from him and there is also a life low letter that phil wrote to the staff. Did you want to . I think phils letter will cover it if you wanted to read this. Okay. Do you want to do it sarah . You want me to do it. Okay. Okay. So phil wrote to all of us on sunday. Evening. Which was the day that denny passed away. Commissioners with heavy heart i share the sad news of denny kaerns passing this morning. You may recall denny retired in october after a career in the navy. And 18 years as director of operations. I wanted say i did research myself about denny. He did not share this with many people but in the Public Record this he was in the pentagon on 911 had the plane crashed. Where he was by most peoples floating assessment in the moment they were trapped. There was a construction wall that went up this prep vented people from moving down the other exits were blocked and smoke and jet fuel and all that pouring in the building and i think he crashed through the temp refer construction wall to lead people to safety. And did not leave until he could see made their way to safety. His leadership and knowledge in key departments lead to key numerous accomplishments including the reorganization of the rec division to a more efficient and Industry Standard staffing model. Management of our covid19 response. Got gardeners rec staff and maintenance workers to work above and beyond during this time. Improved our 73 wide Park Maintenance score from 86 to 90. Consistently. Since 2015. Developd and grow the apprenticeship program. Water irrigation use exceeding the puc goal of 11 . Converted 4 remember 84 green waste toland scape products. Love that reuse and recycle. Helped grow the Park Ranger Division citywide. They are contributing to our safety all over the city. Not just the park. And Organizational Development and Employee Recognition program. A place people can share anecdoteos his retirement. If you want the link we am arrange to get it to you legacy and Leadership Support and coaching comraderie will be missed by so many of us. He was proud of all of us and the legacy of caring excellence and fostered in the park system a legacy i hope lives on for i long time. I know now from kate kaern that his Memorial Service will be Grace Cathedral on january 11. And i believe we will have a special service in the park it seems odd but we will move along to more commission business. That was that one is that was hurt losing our colleague and friends. It seems like the world should stop. You know and grieve. On a loiter note. We received an e mail from a gentlemen ashley im looking for it. The highlighted 1. On the page. Lovely gentlemen named, howard shonin. Wroechlt hello lucas [inaudible] on sunday afternoon september 10, i went for a roadway on the sky star wheel in the park. It was my second time there and first to encounter this was a gentlemen in a wheel chair. John and his colleagues were welcoming and knew how to operate the lift. Board and exiting were smooth, quick and easy. The lift was learning enough for my power wheel chair easily. It is 25 and a half to 26 inches wide and 40 inches long with a foot rest the ramp was long and space on the platform if the slope of the ramp was gradual. The lift ridge as wide as the opening minus the thickness of the edges and in other words the bridge was wide given the width of the gondola door. I used lifts many times in italy. The lifts you obtained is an lent design and seems sturdy. He said. More things about enjoy am of the gondola. Hereby is someone whos work benefited not just himself but our differently abled users. Park. That is wonderful. Thank you very much for write to us, howard. When i had the opportunity to become inter~im chair after resignation of mark beautiful. I read again the by laws and i saw that the commission was required to create an annual report. So meet the first annual and possible low first ever annual sum row from the commission by the commission with the incredible help of ashley summers here. Has 2 sides. You can get it in card stock or cheap piece of paper. I like to highlight that we will sends this sum row to our mayor and appointments director and jesse. During 2023, in the responsiveness category. Part of the mission. We returned meetings to in person at city hall. We responded today over 110 sunshine requests. Updated Commission Website include complete information for public and worked with the majors office on disability to improve language across our agendas and web page. Under relationships, we held our first meeting Commission Meeting in the bayview. Commissioners attended 50 events including ground break ribbon, graduations and other celebrations. I know we are almost at every one of them. Somebody attended 2 meeting of prozac and people attend womens and mens afinity group. Lunch to 60 staff member who is worked create the tree lighting. The beginning of december. Celebrated the william hall awards and recognized 8 incredible san franciscans who passd and made contributions to our department. Upon the first majority and female commission of this body in the history. Under result, updated by laws. Improve the new commissioner on boarding process. Hosted 2 sessions with staff. And sent 80 years worth of files to be digitized. I can tell you as a lawyer this is a very important project. Which ashley you did all by yourself . Yes. No, no. A lot of people helped me figure out the contracting process. Team effort. We have many photos showing what your 100 dollars a month for us commissioners get you. Thank you for that. Thank you. An amazing team. To be a part of and im honored and we have a lot of fun, too. I think that is all the stuff ash low told me to do and i want to know if other commissioners would like to speak during the president s report. Can you hear me okay. I have a story about denny. I was appointed to the commission in september 2020. And that was we were in the midst of the pandemic. Both ani and i were sworn in remotely. And about a week in, to being a commissioner, i was assigned to denny. To show me the behind the scenes work of the rec and Park Department. I had not met denny before i knew of him and knew of his accomplishments. I knew he had a military background. When i showed up. He as he did, was highly organized and had a binder for me. He showed mow when we were going to do for the entire day and upon commissioner we are going to do this and go here and meet this person. I said, denny, i have been a commissioner for a week. Now i got 3 years in and im still not sure i earned the title. I knew after i week hi not. Have you a background in the military . Yes, 30 years. In the navy. And i said what was your rank sarah i thinkllow lute colonel . Yes. Captain . I said what was your rank . He i was captain and for the last 10 years of his 30 year naval career. I said i know you earned your rank i have not. And any time Going Forward you call me commissioner im going to call you captain. And from that time on every time i saw denny. We laugh and heed say goods morning joe and i would say good morning denny he would say commissioner i would say captain. He was a trish man. Never were sought attention. He basically revamp third degree entire department when he came on board as director of operations. And i miss himful we exchanged hundreds of texts and every time i texted him he get back to me. And i texted him on every vet veterans day. Thank you for your service and in november. I texted him and i did not get a reply and at that point i knew that the end was near. But just a terrific individual. And he lived his life a certain way. And a way to be respected and honored. We just we were luck tow have had him in our lives. Thank you Vice President. I think that ends the president s report. Okay. Commissioners we take Public Comment on item 2. On the president s report. Are you approaching, richard. Come on up. Im richard and about denny my role in prozac came to our meetings often and every time i asked him a question he always answered it. I might not agree with him but he was very nice and you know i came here to talk about the mayors Public Comment. Not all commissioners are following the mayors directive you might want to listen to the board of permit appeals and first meet nothing december. They had a discussion about it. And i just think it is not only as seniors and people with families and people who work during the day. Cannot come to city hall on thursday at 10 oclock. May be if the commission will do this men they should have more meetings in the evening and meetings out in the community. So more people can participate. Because you know some of these issues are very contentious and people have strong feelings about them. So, hope you find a way that so that everybody can participate in these deliberations. Be thank you. Thank you. Other Public Comment. Happy holidays they arrived and parks are bugz including tree lightings and night time light shoes. Lights adorn our trees at plazas. Like the one outside the lodge in union square and bow decker park. Featuring a lighted boat parade and roadways with santa. 2 free light shoes. Entwined on the prom nayed and love for all seasons show projected on the conservatory. We have a few more Holiday Events before the 25th. Including the india basin toy give away this friday december 22 nd at the shore line park. There will be fro art and crafts. A photo booth. Will raffles and business for last minute shopping. And a quanza celebration. Live performs. And the holiday ice rink at union square will provide Holiday Cheer through january 16. President anderson talked about the pickle ball complex. Just to add to that there are 8 new courts there. And part of our learninger effort to meet the demands for this sport. Over 5 years we increased the number of court upon 7 fold in the city. Bring the number of courts do i stop now. No. Please, continue. Why bringing the total number from 12 in 2018 to more than 80. We are grateful to the pickle ball working groupful tennis coalition, our commission and commissioner louie, thank you. Work is not done we got more in the new year. Look forward to working with you. In other racket sportings Embarcadero Plaza for were pidel. The sport is tennis and squash and 10 minute players worldwide. Under a year pop up park pidel operate 2 courts they are free from 24 mondaythursday and these other first opened in northern california. Come check them out. Commissioner around son talked about our minipark renovation and i wanted to add to that thanking the new foundation for the renovation. We worked with them as part of our committee at the opening. As part of this Community Driven project. Left week 200 staff attended a summit at oracle park hosted by center for heeling and justice through port and helped coache