Nov 10, 2025 Parks Commission

[00:00:06]

MEETING OF THE VICTORIA PARKS AND REC COMMISSION TO ORDER.

[A. CALL TO ORDER]

SO I SEE A COUPLE PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE. LISA, DO WE HAVE ANYBODY FOR CITIZEN COMMUNICATION OR ARE THESE ALL OF OUR SPEAKERS FOR LATER ON? THESE ARE ALL MOST OF OUR SPEAKERS. YES, SIR.

OKAY, GREAT. WELL, THEN, MOVING RIGHT ALONG. WE WILL GO INTO THE ELECTION OF OFFICERS.

[C. Election of Officers:]

AND JUST BRIEFLY VICE CHAIR. SO DURING OUR OCTOBER WORKSHOP I WANTED TO NOTE FOR THE RECORD THAT THE VOTING OF THE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR WAS NOT LISTED ON THERE, SO IT'S ALMOST LIKE IT DIDN'T HAPPEN.

SO TODAY WE ARE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND FORMALLY ELECT FOR OFFICERS TODAY.

I'M ASSUMING THEY WILL TURN OUT QUITE THE SAME BASED ON WHAT TOOK PLACE AT THE OCTOBER WORKSHOP.

OKAY. SO AT THIS TIME, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR CHAIR.

I'M MIKE FILE A MEMBER. I NOMINATE BRIAN BILLINGSLEY FOR CHAIR AND HARLEY FISK FOR CO-CHAIR.

AND I MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT THEM BY ACCLAMATION.

ALL RIGHT, I HAVE A MOTION AND ACCEPTANCE BY ACCLAMATION.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT, SO THE MOTION STANDS APPROVED.

THANK YOU. WELCOME. ALL RIGHT. NOW THAT WE HAVE THAT TAKEN CARE OF WE NEED TO ADOPT THE OH, SORRY. ADOPTION OF MINUTES WILL TAKE PLACE NEXT MEETING.

ALL RIGHT, SO WE DON'T HAVE ANY MINUTES TO ADOPT, SO WE WILL GO STRAIGHT INTO OUR I THINK,

[1. Drowning Prevention Programs - YMCA of the Golden Cresent]

SO YOU WANTED TO HEAR IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT I THINK THE CITY SHOULD HAVE SOME.

SOMEHOW SOMEONE NEEDS SHOULD DO DROWN PROOFING FOR CHILDREN.

I KNOW I WENT THROUGH A PROGRAM LIKE THAT IN SAN ANTONIO 40 SOME YEARS AGO.

AND MY DAUGHTER ENDED UP BEING A COMPETITIVE SWIMMER.

SO AWESOME. WELL, THANKS FOR BRINGING THAT UP.

AS WELL AS THE RED CROSS INSTRUCTOR. AWESOME.

WELL, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP TO THE COMMISSION. AND IT LOOKS LIKE I SEE BUD OLIVER BACK THERE.

YOU'RE HERE TO SPEAK TO US ABOUT DROWNING PREVENTION, BUD I CAN DO THAT.

THANK YOU SIR. GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION.

I HAVE SOME NOTES, BUT THOUGHT MAYBE I'D JUST GO OFF OF WHAT I HAVE BEEN.

WHAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT. LAST TIME I WAS HERE TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON ON THE AQUATICS.

WE DID TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT. AND THERE IS THERE ARE A NUMBER OF INSTRUCTORS.

WELL, WE TALKED ABOUT ISR, WHICH IS INFANT SWIMMING RESOURCE.

GENTLEMEN STARTED BACK IN THE 60S. SO IT'S BEEN AROUND FOR QUITE A WHILE.

WHEN I WAS IN FLORIDA, WE HAD IT AT OUR, OUR BRANCH, AND WE HAD 30 SOME TESTIMONIALS OF PARENTS WHO SAID, YOU KNOW, ISR SAVED MY CHILD'S LIFE. BUT IT'S A TOUGH PROGRAM TO IMPLEMENT.

AND YOU GET A LOT OF OR AT LEAST I GOT A LOT OF PHONE CALLS AND EMAILS SAYING, WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO THOSE KIDS? BECAUSE THEY SCREAM AND THEY CRY. FOR THE FIRST COUPLE OF WEEKS, IT'S A 4 TO 6 WEEK PROGRAM.

THEY MEET TEN MINUTES A DAY FOR FIVE DAYS. AND THEY GRADUATE OUT.

AND AT THE END, WHAT THEY DO IS THEY PUT THE KID IN CLOTHES AND THEN THEY THROW THEM IN THE POOL.

AND IF YOU'RE A PARENT, YOU REALLY DON'T. YOU KNOW, WE ENCOURAGE PARENTS NOT TO BE THERE TO TO SEE THAT.

BUT BUT WHAT THEY TEACH THE CHILD TO DO IS TO TURN AND FLOAT AND THEN GET TO THE SIDE.

AND THEY THEY CAN TAKE AS, AS YOUNG AS SIX MONTHS.

I HAD MY KIDS IN SWIM LESSONS. I DIDN'T DO ISR, BUT I HAD MY KIDS IN SWIM LESSONS AT NINE MONTHS.

WHAT WE DO AT THE Y. WELL, LET ME STEP BACK A LITTLE BIT WHEN WE WERE OFFERING IT IN FLORIDA.

ESSER. AND THE GENTLEMAN LIVES IN ORLANDO, WHO, YOU KNOW, STARTED THE PROGRAM.

SO HE WAS RIGHT THERE TO OVERSEE WHAT HAPPENED.

BUT IT WAS A WE DIDN'T TAKE HIM AT SIX MONTHS.

WE MADE SURE IT WAS A LITTLE OLDER. ONE YEAR WE TOOK THEM OUT ONE YEAR.

BUT IT'S EXPENSIVE TO DO. AND TO GET A INSTRUCTOR CERTIFIED, IT'S 8 TO $12,000, DEPENDING ON WHERE

[00:05:06]

SO WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT PROBABLY 8 TO 12,000 OR MORE TO THE 12,000 THAN THAT.

THEY SET PRICES TO. SO WHAT WE WOULD CHARGE WOULD BE A MINIMUM OF $105 FOR A REGISTRATION FEE, AND THEN IT'S $150 A WEEK. AND YOU'RE TALKING 4 TO 6 WEEKS.

THAT'S THE ON THE LOW SIDE, I'VE SEEN IT $230 A WEEK.

ON THE HIGH SIDE FOR FOR SWIM LESSONS. SO SO THAT'S THE ONE.

ONE HURDLE IS GETTING THEM CERTIFIED. BUT DO YOU HAVE A NUMBER THAT ARE CERTIFIED IN THE AREA? CORPUS CHRISTI, SAN ANTONIO, AUSTIN? A COUPLE OF SMALLER PLACES.

AND THEN THE CLOSEST ONE IS PAULA IN HALLETTSVILLE.

HEATHER'S REACHED OUT TO HER A COUPLE OF TIMES.

I'VE REACHED OUT TO HER ONCE. HAVE NOT HEARD BACK FROM HER. WE'RE TRYING TO START THAT CONVERSATION TO SEE IF SHE'D BE WILLING TO COME DOWN HERE AND OFFER THE LESSONS. AND WE'RE MORE THAN WILLING TO TO, YOU KNOW, MARKET IT AND PR IT AND SIGN THEM UP AND DO ALL THAT, YOU KNOW, AND OFFER THE PROGRAM. WE. ONE QUESTION THAT JUST GOT ANSWERED BEFORE I GOT HERE WAS IN THE INSURANCE SIDE OF IT BECAUSE WE COULD DO IT. WELL, OUR INSURANCE IS COMES UP FOR RENEWAL IN APRIL.

AND AT THAT POINT, WE'D PROBABLY HAVE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH OUR INSURANCE CARRIER TO SEE IF THEY WOULD BE OKAY WITH US OFFERING THAT.

THERE WERE INSTANCES WHERE WIVES WEREN'T ABLE TO OFFER THE PROGRAM BECAUSE INSURANCE WASN'T GOING TO COVER IT.

WE HAD WHEN WE FIRST STARTED, WE HAD USA, WHO OVERSEES ALL THE YS IN THE COUNTRY, TOLD US NOT TO DO IT.

BUT WE WENT AHEAD AND DID IT. SO THAT'S KIND OF CHANGED A LITTLE BIT.

RED CROSS IS SAYING, YEAH, IT'S GOOD. THE AMERICAN AMERICAN PEDIATRICS IS SAYING THEY'RE THEY OKAY.

THEY'RE OKAY WITH IT, TOO. BUT THEY'RE ALL SAYING ONE YEAR DON'T START THEM YOUNGER THAN ONE YEAR.

LIKE I SAID, MY KIDS STARTED AT IN NINE MONTHS, I THINK IS WHAT I SAID.

SO IT'S GOOD. AND BASICALLY WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE TRY TO DO AT THE Y, WHAT WE'RE CURRENTLY DOING IS THEY'RE ALL PROGRESSIVE LESSONS.

SO AND WE SET THEM UP WITH PARENT CHILD. AND THE INTENT OF THAT IS TO JUST TO GET THEM AWARE OF THE SURROUNDINGS AND WATER IN GENERAL, SO THEY FEEL A LITTLE MORE COMFORTABLE WITH IT.

AND THE REASON THAT'S IMPORTANT IS IF YOU CAN GET THEM IN EARLY AND THEY GET COMFORTABLE WITH WATER.

LESSONS BECOME SO MUCH EASIER WHEN THEY GET OLDER.

SO WHEN THEY GET INTO THE FOUR AND FIVE YEARS OLD WHICH IS WHEN THEY REALLY START PICKING IT UP.

THEY'RE COMFORTABLE IN THAT SETTING, SO THEY'RE EASIER TO LEARN AND THEY CAN PICK IT UP QUICKER.

SO. AND OURS ARE ALL BASED ON, YOU KNOW, THE NEXT LESSON GOES OFF THE LAST ONE AND SO FORTH.

SO YOU LEARN ALL THOSE ULTIMATELY WE TEACH THEM HOW TO, YOU KNOW, THE STROKES AND YOU WANT TO GET THEM INTO SWIM TEAM AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT IT'S A, IT'S, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY SAYS WALKING'S REALLY GOOD FOR YOU.

BUT I WOULD SAY THAT NUMBER ONE EXERCISE FOR YOU, IT WOULD BE SWIMMING.

IT TAKES ALL THE, THE, IT'S A BUOYANT EXERCISE AND IT'S SINCE ALSO TEMPERATURE CONTROL A LITTLE BIT.

SO IT'S BETTER FOR YOU THAT WAY TOO. BUT THEN YOU GOT, YOU KNOW, SWIMMER'S SHOULDER AND OTHER THINGS THAT YOU HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IF YOU DO TOO MUCH OF IT. BUT IT IS A LIFELONG EXERCISE THAT YOU CAN DO.

YOU KNOW, WE HAD, YOU KNOW, 80, 90 YEAR OLD PEOPLE THAT WERE STILL SWIMMING.

WE GOT A PRETTY GOOD SEASON TO BE ABLE TO SWIM TO ALMOST YEAR ROUND.

ALMOST. YEAH. WE WERE YEAR ROUND FLORIDA. MY GOAL HAS BEEN SINCE I GOT HERE IS HOW DO WE KEEP THAT POOL OPEN YEAR ROUND? WE'RE LOOKING AT NEXT YEAR. BECAUSE WE SPENT THE MONEY TO PUT THE POOL HEATER IN AND THAT IT'S NOT CHEAP AND TO RUN, IT'S NOT CHEAP EITHER. BUT THE INTENT IS, LET'S LOOK AT NEXT YEAR AT THIS TIME OF YEAR, FIRING IT UP.

AND THEN WE KEEP THE LAP SIDE OF IT OPEN. NOT THE REC SIDE, BUT THE LAP SIDE OPEN SO THAT WE CAN GET MORE PEOPLE SWIMMING LAPS, AND THEN WE CAN ALSO EXTEND THE. THE LESSONS YEAR ROUND ALSO, BUT A LITTLE TOUGH WHEN IT GETS DOWN TO 40 DEGREES TO. TO GET THE THE KID INTO THE WATER.

BUT IT'S BUT BUT THEN THE KIDS ARE REALLY RESILIENT.

[00:10:01]

THAT THE WATER TEMP WAS 56 DEGREES, AND THE KIDS WERE STILL SWIMMING IN.

CRAZY. BUT. BUT KIDS ARE PRETTY RESILIENT. WHAT AGE DO THE THE MOM AND THE PARENT AND THE CHILD START? WHAT'S THE SIX SIX MONTHS? WE CAN START THEM AT SIX MONTHS. YOU DO START THEM SIX MONTHS. YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. NOT NECESSARILY THE TRAINING, THE ISR, BUT YOU'RE TRYING TO GET THEM IN THE WATER.

CORRECT. WHAT? WE'RE JUST GET THEM COMFORTABLE WITH THE SURROUNDINGS.

GET THEM COMFORTABLE IN THE WATER. GET THE PARENT COMFORTABLE WITH THEM TOO.

BUT BUT YEAH, JUST SO THEY'RE AWARE OF THEIR SURROUNDINGS AND THEY, THEY'RE COMFORTABLE WITH IT.

LESSONS REALLY, LIKE I SAID, 4 TO 5 YEARS OLD WHEN THEY REALLY START TAKING.

AND AT THAT POINT IF THEY'VE HAD THE THE IF YOU'VE GOT THEM IN EARLIER, THEY JUST TAKE TO THE LESSONS QUICKER.

SO BUT WE ARE IN THAT MODE. HOPEFULLY PAULA WILL CALL US BACK AND WE'LL SEE.

HE ALWAYS CALLS TEXT ME ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. REALLY? WELL, TEXT HER AND TELL HER WE'RE TRYING TO. TRYING TO CONTACT HER TO SEE IF SHE'D BE WILLING TO COME DOWN AND TEACH LESSONS.

DO THE ISR HERE. BECAUSE I'M A BIG FAN OF THE PROGRAM.

I MEAN, IT IT DOES. IT DOES WHAT IT SAYS IT DOES FOR FOR THE KIDS.

SO. AND IF WE CAN STOP A DROWNING. YEAH, I'M ALL FOR THAT.

SO. AND I'M NOT LOCKED INTO THAT PROGRAM JUST AS LONG AS THERE IS SOME PROGRAM THAT WOULD BENEFIT THE KIDS IN VICTORIA.

YEAH, WELL, I MEAN, WE'RE CURRENTLY DOING THAT.

IT'S NOT AS INTENSIVE AS ISR. BECAUSE THAT IS A DROWNING PREVENTION CLASS FOR THAT.

SO JUST LIKE I SAID, IT'S EXPENSIVE TO, TO RUN AND HOPEFULLY.

WELL, I GUESS HE SETS THEM. SO PAULA'S GOT TO CHARGE WHAT THEY TELL HER TO CHARGE.

SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE A GOOD NUMBER OF PARENTS THAT WANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.

ESPECIALLY WITH, YOU KNOW, THE AMOUNT OF WATER THAT'S AROUND HERE.

I MEAN, IT'S ALL OVER THE PLACE. SO I KNOW THERE'S QUITE A FEW PRIVATE CONTRACTORS IN VICTORIA THAT TEACH SWIM LESSONS, HAVING THREE LITTLE KIDS, AND THEY ALL GET BOOKED UP.

THERE'S, LIKE, WAITING LISTS FOR THOSE. SO I THINK IF SOMETHING IS REPUTABLE AS THE WHY, WE'RE TO OFFER THAT I DON'T THINK YOU WON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM SELLING IT OR FILLING THE CLASSES. WELL, THE, THE YOU KNOW, THERE'S PROS AND CONS TO EVERYTHING.

AND, YOU KNOW, ICERS ARE REALLY YOU KNOW, IT DOES WHAT IT SAYS.

IT DOES WHAT WHAT WE TRY TO TELL PARENTS AND, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN HELP ME PASS THE THE WORD IS IT'S NOT A ONE AND DONE THING.

A LOT OF PARENTS THINK THAT THEY CAN PUT THEIR KIDS IN A SWIM LESSON AND OKAY, WE'RE GOOD.

YOU KNOW, THEY CAN SWIM AND THEY DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.

AND THAT'S NOT REALLY THE INTENT. THE INTENT IS TO PROGRESS AND TEACH THEM ONE LESSON ON THE NEXT ONE AND TO TAKE THEM THROUGH.

SO YOU KNOW, THE IF YOU LOOK AT STATISTICS, YOU KNOW, AGES 1 TO 4, YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE OF THE TOP REASONS FOR FATALITIES. BUT A FEW YEARS BACK, THE, THE WHEN I WAS, WE WERE LOOKING AT STATISTICS.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE NUMBER ONE AGE AND DEMOGRAPHIC, YOU KNOW, GENDER WAS OF DROWNING.

MALES 30 PLUS YEARS. WOW. AND THE REASON THEY CAME UP WITH THAT WE SAW WAS A LOT OF IT'S, YOU KNOW, DIDN'T HAVE LESSONS.

GOT INTO SOCIAL TYPE THING, WENT TO A POOL TYPE, YOU KNOW, PARTY TYPE THING.

DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO SWIM. PEER PRESSURE IS TOUGH.

AND SO GOT IN THE POOL WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE AND THEN KIND OF GOT LOST IN THAT AND ENDED UP, YOU KNOW, DROWNING. SO, YOU KNOW, AFRICAN AMERICANS LIKE, NUMBER ONE, CAUSE OF DEATH IS SWIMMING BECAUSE THEY CULTURALLY, THEY JUST DON'T THEY DON'T DO IT.

DON'T TAKE SWIM LESSONS. DON'T DO THAT. SO WE OFFERED SWIM LESSONS IN EATONVILLE, FLORIDA, WHICH IS THE OLDEST TOWNSHIP IN THE COUNTRY. SO AFRICAN AMERICAN TOWNSHIP IN THE COUNTRY. SO. AND IT WAS TOUGH TO GET THOSE KIDS TO TO TAKE THE LESSONS.

I MEAN, THEY'D COME TO THE POOL AND PLAY IN THE POOL.

BUT, YOU KNOW, TO GET THEM INTO LESSONS, THEY JUST DIDN'T WANT TO DO IT.

THEY JUST, YOU KNOW, WASN'T FUN FOR THEM. SO.

SO THERE'S SOME HURDLES TO TO GET OVER. BUT AGAIN, IT'S NOT A ONE AND DONE TYPE THING.

YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PARENTS WHO HAVE POOLS IN THEIR BACKYARD, YOU KNOW, I'LL GIVE MY KID SWIM LESSONS.

[00:15:06]

SO IT TAKES MORE THAN JUST ONE LESSON TO TO MAKE SURE THE KID IS NOT NOT GOING TO DROWN.

SO IN YOUR SWIMMING LESSONS THAT YOU TEACH THERE AT THE WHY DO YOU TEACH DROWNING PREVENTION IN THERE? WE TEACH SAFETY AROUND WATER IS WHAT WE CALL IT.

WE DON'T CALL IT DROWNING PREVENTION. BUT YEAH, IT'S JUST HOW TO BE SAFE AROUND WATER.

AND WHAT ARE THE THINGS YOU DO YOU NEED TO DO? BUT NOT ONLY FOR THE KID, BUT FOR THE PARENT.

ALSO, YOU KNOW, WAY BACK IN MY YOUNGER DAYS, I WAS A WATER SAFETY INSTRUCTOR, AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE BIG THINGS THAT WE ALWAYS PUSHED WAS, YOU KNOW, HOW TO, YOU KNOW, KEEP YOURSELF FROM DROWNING.

AND WHEN I WAS IN THE SERVICE, WE REALLY LEARNED HOW TO, YOU KNOW, DO IT, GO INTO THE WATER AND TAKE YOUR PANTS OFF AND MAKE A FLOTATION DEVICE OUT OF THEM. YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS YOU CAN DO.

AND SO YOU KNOW, WE TRY TO INCORPORATE THAT IN THE LESSONS, BUT YEAH, I MEAN, IT'S A IT'S A TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE THING. I'VE BEEN LUCKY I HAVEN'T HAD ANY INSTANCES OF THAT, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN I MEAN, I THINK LAST YEAR THERE WERE 12 IN YS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

BUT AND, YOU KNOW, WE SAW ONE THEY HAVE VIDEOS AND IT'S AMAZING BECAUSE, THEY HAD A GENTLEMAN COME IN, WALKED OVER TO THE DEEP END. AQUA FITNESS CLASS GOING ON.

TWO LIFEGUARDS ON DECK. GENTLEMAN GETS UP TO THE DEEP END.

AND THEN HE DID THIS EVERY. EVERY TIME HE CAME IN, AND HE'D DIVE IN, AND THEN HE'D DO THE I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY CALL A DEAD MAN'S FLOAT OR SOMETHING. AND HE CAME IN THAT DAY AND DID IT, AND EVERYBODY JUST THOUGHT, 7.5 MINUTES I THINK IS WHAT THEY ON THE, THE LITTLE TICKER ON THE CLOCK ON THE VIDEO.

THAT'S HOW LONG HE WAS IN THE WATER. NO ONE DID ANYTHING FOR IT.

SO IT'S IT CAN HAPPEN ANYTIME. AND YOU GOT TO BE VIGILANT.

AND IT'S NOT ONLY, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER PART OF THAT IS JUST BECAUSE THERE'S A LIFEGUARD ON DECK DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU, AS A PARENT, SHOULDN'T BE WATCHING YOUR CHILD, I MEAN, OR YOUR CHILDREN.

I MEAN, YOU NEED TO BE WITHIN ARM'S LENGTH OF A CHILD IN THE POOL AT ALL TIMES.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE TRY TO REALLY ENFORCE THAT AND MAKE SURE IT'S IMPORTANT.

AND WE ALSO WE USED TO TO SWIM BANNED THEM. WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK TO THAT NEXT YEAR.

BUT DIFFERENT COLORS OF SWIM BANS. AND SO LIFEGUARDS CAN SEE RIGHT AWAY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE IN THE DEEP END OR NOT, IF YOU HAVE A RED BAND ON, THEN THEY BLOW THE WHISTLE AND GET YOU OUT OF THE DEEP END, BUT BUT IT'S GETTING THEM TO, TO TEST, DO THE SWIM TEST AND DO IT ALL THE TIME AND BE CONSISTENT.

BUT THAT'S ANOTHER THING WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON NEXT YEAR AND BRING BACK.

BUT IN IN YOUR SAFETY AROUND WATER, DO YOU ALSO TEACH THE PARENTS ABOUT THE DANGERS OF SO-CALLED DRY DROWNING? YEAH, THERE'S A WHOLE THING THAT WE GO OVER AND IT'S AN INCH OF WATER.

YOU'RE GOING TO YOU CAN YOU CAN END UP DROWNING IN.

SO YEAH, WE TRY TO COVER ALL, BUT I MEAN, WERE THEY GET NEARLY DROWNED AND THEN THEY THINK THEY'RE FINE AND THEY END UP DYING AFTER THEY GET HOME.

OH, SURE. YEAH. AND THERE'S A LOT OF INSTANCES THAT THAT, YOU KNOW, PULL THEM OUT OF THE THEY'LL PULL THEM OUT OF THE POOL AND THEY'LL FIND AND EVERYTHING. AND THEN THE SEND THEM HOME AND THEN THE PARENT DOESN'T, DOESN'T TAKE HIM TO THE HOSPITAL OR WHATEVER.

AND THEN, YEAH, THEY END UP YOU KNOW, DYING LATER BECAUSE OF, OF THAT.

SO JUST LIKE CONCUSSIONS, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE ONE, YOU ALWAYS SEND THEM TO THE HOSPITAL AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE OKAY. YEAH.

THE SAME WITH DROWNING PREVENTION OR SAFETY AROUND WATER.

SO I WISH HEATHER COULD HAVE BEEN HERE. SHE'S OUR AQUATICS PERSON.

SHE'S IN WASHINGTON ON VACATION, BUT SHE'LL BE HERE IF YOU WANT TO COME NEXT WEEK.

NEXT MONTH SHE'LL BE BACK. I MEAN, YOU CAN ASK HER TO.

SHE CAN GO INTO A LITTLE MORE DETAIL ON THE LESSONS BECAUSE SHE TEACHES THEM ALSO.

BUT SO. WELL, THANK YOU FOR BEING SUCH A GREAT PARTNER TO THE CITY OF VICTORIA.

YOU'RE ALWAYS JOHNNY ON THE SPOT WHEN WE HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE WHY AND THE SWIMMING POOL AND COMING TO TALK TO US. AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE Y AND THE CITY OF VICTORIA. WE ALSO APPRECIATE THE PARTNERSHIP TOO, BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT.

YEAH. SO THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR BUD?

[00:20:01]

THANK YOU. THANK YOU I APPRECIATE IT. ALL RIGHT.

SO WE'RE GOING TO SWITCH THINGS UP A LITTLE BIT IN THE OTHER BUSINESS CATEGORIES.

[3. Capital Improvement Projects Update]

WE'RE GOING TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT FIRST.

THIS IS WHAT I WAS REFERRING TO EARLIER. IF YOU'LL HIT THE PROJECTOR BUTTON NOW ON THAT LITTLE BOX, IT'LL TAKE YOU TO WHAT'S ON THE SCREEN UP THERE SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO TURN AROUND.

ALRIGHTY. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS EMMA TUCKER.

I'M PUBLIC WORKS ENGINEER WITH THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT.

AS WELL AS ONE OF MY DUTIES IS TO BE THE LIAISON WITH OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT.

AND SO I'M JUST HERE TO GIVE A BRIEF UPDATE ON SOME OF OUR PARKS SPECIFIC CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE GOING ON.

SO A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT TONIGHT IS KIND OF THE ONGOING COLLABORATION THAT WE HAVE WITH THE ENGINEERING AND PARKS DEPARTMENT.

SOME RECENTLY COMPLETED PROJECTS, ONGOING PROJECTS, AS WELL AS SOME PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE COMING UP IN THE FUTURE.

SO THE ENGINEERING AND PARKS DEPARTMENT, WE COLLABORATE AND TAKE PROJECTS TRULY FROM CONCEPTION OF AN IDEA TO FINAL COMPLETION.

AND TYPICALLY THAT PROCESS GOES FROM IDENTIFYING A PROJECT OR A NEED OR A WANT OF THE COMMUNITY.

AND THEN WE WORK TOGETHER TO BRAINSTORM WHAT COULD THAT PROJECT LOOK LIKE? WHAT COULD A SOLUTION TO THAT NEED BE? AND AS WE IDENTIFY THAT SCOPE, WE WORK THROUGH CREATING OUR TIMELINES AND OUR BUDGET.

AND THEN FROM THERE, ONCE WE GET THAT SCOPE, TIMELINE, BUDGET, ALL OF THOSE PIECES WORKED OUT, THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT WORKS TO ADMINISTER THE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS AND OUR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENTS AS WELL AS PROVIDING TECHNICAL SUPPORT DURING DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION. SO A RECENTLY COMPLETED PROJECT IS THE BRONSON PARK SIDEWALK.

SO THAT PROJECT CONSISTED OF SIDEWALK LOOP AT BRONSON PARK, AS WELL AS SOME ADA IMPROVEMENTS TO ADA RAMPS AT ALONG GOODWIN AVENUE, AS WELL AS TWO ADA COMPLIANT PARKING SPACES.

SOME OF OUR ONGOING PARKS PROJECT IS THE ONE OF THEM IS THE RIVERSIDE GOLF COURSE PARKING LOT, AND THAT PROJECT CONSISTED OF VARIOUS POINT REPAIRS THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT.

SOME PLACES WHERE THE PARKING LOT HAD DETERIORATED.

SO WE REPAIRED THOSE AREAS, AND THEN WE CAME THROUGH AND APPLIED AN INCH OF HOT MIX TO THE ENTIRE PARKING LOT.

IT LOOKS REALLY GOOD. AND IN TWO WEEKS, THE CREWS WILL BE BACK DOWN AND THEY'LL STRIPE IT AS WELL AS PUT THE WHEEL STOPS BACK AND SOME OF THE PARKING SPACES.

SO THAT PROJECT IS ABOUT MIDWAY COMPLETED. ANOTHER PROJECT THAT WE HAVE GOING ON IS THE RIVERSIDE SOCCER FIELD DEMO AND PARKING LOT PROJECT.

SO AT THAT SITE OF THE RIVERSIDE SOCCER FIELD, THERE WAS AN OLD BUILDING FOUNDATION.

SO THAT HAS BEEN DEMOED. THAT WORK IS COMPLETE.

LYNN ENGINEERING HAS COMPLETED A TOPO SURVEY FOR US, AND THEN IN-HOUSE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT IS GOING TO DESIGN SOME ADDITIONAL PARKING IN THE LOCATION WHERE THAT BUILDING FOUNDATION USED TO BE.

SO THAT PROJECT IS THE DEMO PORTION IS COMPLETED AND THEN THE DESIGN IS ONGOING.

AND WE'LL BE LOOKING TO MOVE TO CONSTRUCTION FAIRLY SOON.

AND THEN ANOTHER FUN AND EXCITING PROJECT WE HAVE GOING ON IS THE CHILDREN'S PARK SPLASH PAD.

SO LAST WEEK WE HAD A KICKOFF MEETING WITH SE.

WE TOURED THE CITY'S EXISTING SPLASH PADS TO DISCUSS YOU KNOW, WHAT WE LIKED AND MAYBE SOME TALK ABOUT SOME OTHER IDEAS THAT WE MIGHT HAVE FOR THIS NEW SPLASH PAD. AND THEN SWA IS TAKING THAT FEEDBACK AND THEY'RE GOING TO BEGIN THEIR DESIGN PROCESS.

AND YOU KNOW, WE'LL BE CONTINUING TO COLLABORATE WITH THEM AS WE WORK TOWARDS, YOU KNOW, A FINAL DESIGN.

AND THEN SOME FUTURE PROJECTS THAT WE ARE STILL IN MORE OF A PRELIMINARY OR CONCEPTUAL PHASE IS THE MLK PARK IMPROVEMENT PROJECT. IN EARLY DECEMBER, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A COMMUNITY INPUT EVENT THAT WILL KIND OF GUIDE US AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

THE RIVERSIDE BOAT RAMP AND KAYAK LAUNCH PROJECT.

THAT PROJECT IS IN DESIGN CURRENTLY IN URBAN ENGINEERING.

ONE OF OUR LOCAL ENGINEERING FIRMS IS WORKING ON THAT PROJECT WITH US.

AND THEN MEADOWLAND PARK IMPROVEMENTS, AS WELL AS THE RIVERSIDE PARK TRAIL PROJECT.

BOTH OF THOSE PROJECTS ARE IN THE PRELIMINARY PHASES.

AND THAT I THINK IS ALL I HAVE. AND I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

[00:25:03]

CAN WE HAVE WE SEEN SOME IDEAS ON THAT. BECAUSE I'VE ALWAYS FEATURED THAT WE CAN HAVE A WALKWAY CONTINUING.

IS THAT PART OF THE PLAN OR. I THINK BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S A GREAT.

YEAH. AND I AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE'VE SEEN IT OR TALKED ABOUT THAT OR IS THAT COMING UP.

IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW. THAT'S YES, THAT WE ARE WORKING ON THAT AS WELL.

SO WHAT HAS HAPPENED UP UNTIL THIS POINT IS KATIE CONLEY, OUR GRANTS ADMINISTRATOR.

SHE ACTUALLY HAS APPLIED FOR A GRANT FOR THAT PARK.

SO THAT'S DEFINITELY STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

WHAT WE'VE ALSO DONE IS HOSTED A SURVEY WITH SOME OF THE RESIDENTS IN THAT AREA.

AND WE GOT A GREAT RESPONSE. AND THAT WAS PROBABLY ABOUT FOUR MONTHS AGO.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE ARE LOOKING AT THOSE DESIGN CONCERNS.

YOU'LL BE HEARING MORE. AND WE'RE CERTAINLY INVOLVE THE BOARD AS WELL.

TO HELP KIND OF HIGHLIGHT WHAT DIRECTION WE NEED TO GO.

WE ARE LOOKING AT A FULL SCOPE OF SIDEWALKS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

IT SEEMS LIKE A GREAT SPACE CLOSE TO A LOT OF RESIDENTS.

YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS WANT THE PARKS TO BE WHERE THE PEOPLE ARE.

YES. AND THAT'S YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD USE OF THE SPACE.

IT'S. I THINK IT'S UNDERUTILIZED. YES. I THINK WE APPROXIMATE.

I THINK WE'RE SOMEWHERE AROUND THE 300, 350,000 FOR THAT.

BUT WE'RE HOPING TO GET MORE WITH THE ACTUAL GRANT MONIES.

THANKS, LISA. YES, SIR. DURING ONE OF THE PRELIMINARY IDEAS FOR THE RIVERSIDE SOCCER AREA WAS PUTTING IN SITES FOR FOOD TRUCKS. IS THAT STILL A VIABLE CONCEPT? THANK YOU. HARLEY. I KNOW THAT WILL MAKE MR. BOWELS HAPPY OVER THERE.

THAT'S IT. SO I THINK GOING BACK, I MEAN, ORIGINALLY THE THOUGHT WAS THAT FOUNDATION AREA.

BUT THERE WAS SOME, YOU KNOW, CAN WE GET WATER? CAN WE GET POWER OUT THERE? SO YEAH, NOW THAT THAT'S BEING DEMOLISHED, HAS THERE BEEN ANY THOUGHT ON THE FOOD TRUCK PARK? WE CAN DEFINITELY LOOK INTO THAT AS PART OF OUR DESIGN.

THAT'S THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM TO LOOK INTO AND ADD INTO THE SCOPE OF OUR WORK.

SO WE'LL DEFINITELY LOOK INTO THAT. AND THEN AS WE CREATE PLANS, WE'LL SHARE THEM WITH LISA.

AND THEN SHE CAN FORWARD THEM ALL TO YOU ALL FOR SOME ADDITIONAL DIRECTION ON THAT PLAN IS, IS THAT PARKING AREA GOING TO BE ONE CONTINUOUS PARKING AREA OR IS IT GOING TO BE.

THAT'S OUR THAT'S OUR HOPE TO MAKE IT ONE CONTINUOUS PARKING AREA.

SO AS WE REVIEW THE TOPO FURTHER, WE'LL SEE IF WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT GRADING AND DRAINAGE WISE.

BUT THAT'S DEFINITELY OUR INTENTION. SO AND AS I MENTIONED, MR. BALLARD, YOU'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH HOW ACTIVE THAT AREA IS IN TERMS OF PROGRAMING AND JUST PUBLIC USE.

SO OBVIOUSLY PARKING IS PRIORITY, BUT WE CERTAINLY WILL LOOK AT SOME OF THOSE ADDITIONAL FEATURES.

I MEAN, IT'S SUCH A PRIME SPOT FOR WHERE PEOPLE DRIVE THROUGH.

SO I CAN DEFINITELY SEE THE SPACE BEING DEFINITELY MORE ENHANCED.

COOL. AND A RELATED THING IS RESTROOMS. YES. IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THAT MANY KIDS PLAYING SOCCER AND THAT MANY ADULTS AND FOOD TRUCKS, RESTROOMS COULD VERY WELL BECOME AN ISSUE. THIS IS TRUE.

I KNOW WE CURRENTLY HAVE THE BEAUTIFUL PORTA POTTY SET UP.

I DON'T ANTICIPATE, AT LEAST IN THE CONVERSATION UP UNTIL THIS POINT, ABOUT A MORE STRUCTURED RESTROOM.

OBVIOUSLY WE KNOW THE COSTS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, BUT I THINK AS TIME GOES ON AND OUR CONVERSATIONS DEVELOP, I MEAN, WHO KNOWS? I CAN'T ANSWER THAT RIGHT NOW, BUT CERTAINLY THAT IS A POINT OF INTEREST, ESPECIALLY WITH CHILDREN. SAME THING WITH OUR SPLASH PADS.

WE LOOKED AT THAT AND MADE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS.

SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT TO OUR ATTENTION.

I MEAN, ONE OF THE RESTROOM IDEAS WOULD BE THE, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, THE TRAILER TYPE.

I KNOW THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE THAT CAN PULL THOSE OUT IN CASE OF FLOODING.

THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE OF THAT PROPERTY IS IT'S ALL IN THE FLOODPLAIN.

YES. AND SO IF YOU USE THE TRAILER TYPE SETUP, THEY CAN AT LEAST BE PULLED OUT IF, YOU KNOW, FLOODING IS LIKELY TO OCCUR. WELL, A FREESTANDING BUILDING, IT'S GOING TO GET WET.

SURE. YEAH. THAT'S THAT'S THE HAND WE'RE DEALT WITH.

YOU KNOW, OUR BIGGEST ASSET IN THE PARKS DEPARTMENT BEING IN THE FLOODPLAIN.

BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE CAN THERE'S INGENIOUS WAYS TO TO GET AROUND THAT.

SO LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT ENGINEERING COMES BACK WITH.

[00:30:03]

WHILE WE'RE ON THAT, THAT'S THAT'S A TOPIC THAT THAT COMES UP OFTEN AND IT'S COME UP IN THE PAST IS WE'VE HAD COMPLAINTS.

WE'VE HAD PEOPLE COME IN HERE AND PUBLIC COMMENT BEFORE ON THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE TOILET PAPER OR SOAP IN THE RESTROOMS. AND ESPECIALLY AT THE PARKS. TED B REED, I REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, BRAND NEW, BEAUTIFUL PARK PUT IN A YEAR AGO.

IT'S AMAZING. THERE'S TONS OF PEOPLE OUT THERE. AND THEN YOU GO TO THE BATHROOMS AND THERE'S NO SOAP IN THE BATHROOMS. SO WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THAT. HAS THERE BEEN. AND I KNOW IT'S HARD BECAUSE PEOPLE GET IN THERE AND DAMAGE IT.

THEY'RE OPEN 24 OVER SEVEN. YOU KNOW, PEOPLE THAT ARE UNHOUSED ARE GOING TO BE IN THERE AND USING THOSE FACILITIES, THAT SORT OF THING. BUT HAS THERE BEEN ANY HEADWAY ON TRYING TO GET SANITATION PRODUCTS INTO THE BATHROOMS IN THE PARKS? WELL, I KNOW FOR A FACT, AND KIM WILL APPRECIATE THIS EVEN THOUGH SHE'S NOT HERE FOR OUR PARK.

SUPERVISOR IS THAT WE. WE ARE WELL STOCKED. WE DO HAVE A WEEKEND CREW THAT COMES IN AND THEY SERVICE.

IT IS HARD. VERY CHALLENGING TO KEEP UP WITH THE DEMANDS OF JUST THE CHALLENGES WE HAVE WITH A NORMAL BATHROOM, BUT WE ARE DOING OUR PART. WE ASK THE COMMUNITY AND ANYONE LISTENING JUST TO BE MINDFUL OF THOSE SPACES ARE QUICKLY VANDALIZED. I'VE BEEN AMAZED. I MEAN, EVEN A WELL STOCKED RESTROOM STILL BRINGS ON JUST UNWANTED ACTIVITY.

WE WILL WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO OUR PART. I WILL TALK WITH KIM BECAUSE I THINK IT IS A GOOD IDEA FOR US TO KIND OF BRING FORWARD SOME OF THOSE BECAUSE SHE DID A RESTROOM BEST PRACTICES STUDY. SHE DID. SHE BROUGHT IT IN FRONT OF THE BOARD.

AND THAT'S ONE OF HER BIGGEST FRUSTRATIONS. YOU KNOW, WE CAN MAKE IT AS CLEAN AS POSSIBLE.

THEY WILL RIP THE DOORS, THE HANDLES. AND SO WE SPENT A LOT OF TIMES JUST KEEPING THE FACILITIES UP TO PAR.

HA! BUT WE'LL CONTINUE TO PUSH THAT MESSAGE WITH OUR TEAM.

WE JUST ENCOURAGE THE PUBLIC TO TREAT IT LIKE YOU WOULD YOUR OWN HOME, BECAUSE YOU'RE OUT THERE QUITE A BIT.

BUT I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND WE ARE WELL STOCKED.

WE DO THE BEST THAT WE CAN IN THAT AREA. I KNOW OUR TEAM REALLY PUTS FORTH A LOT OF EFFORT.

MORNING, NIGHT. WE HAVE PART TIMERS AS WELL. SO WE'LL MAKE NOTE OF THAT IN PARTICULAR IN THOSE HIGH TRAFFIC AREAS AND SEE WHAT ELSE WE CAN DO AND BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD. GREAT. THANK YOU. AND I KNOW THAT SOME I'VE BEEN TO, SOME I'M SURE SOME OF YOU ALSO HAVE SOME RESTROOMS THAT THEY DON'T EVEN DO THE WATER. ALL THEY HAVE IS A HAND SANITIZER STATION IN THE BATHROOM.

AND SOMETIMES THAT COULD BE A SOLUTION. ALSO WHEN YOU CAN'T KEEP THE SOAP AND THE PAPER TOWELS.

AND THAT'S. BUT IF YOU HAVE A HAND SANITIZER THAT IS SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE CAN USE.

SURE. UNDERSTOOD. THANK YOU FOR THAT. GREAT. ANY OTHER.

OH, I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION IN REGARDS TO THE SPLASH PAD.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE IDEAS TO MAKE IT DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHER ONES THAT WE HAVE? YEAH. SO SOME OF THE IDEAS WE DISCUSSED IS A WATER FEATURE VERSUS WATER PLAY.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS WATER PLAY IS THE MORE TRADITIONAL SPLASH PADS THAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY WITH THE DUMP BUCKET AND THE SPRAY NOZZLES.

AND SO SOMETHING WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS MAKING IT MORE OF A WATER FEATURE WHERE IT'S FUN FOR THE KIDS TO PLAY IN, BUT IT'S ALSO A BEAUTIFUL ADDITION TO THE PARK THAT ADULTS AND PEOPLE WALKING THROUGH THE PARK WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT.

SO SWA IS GOING TO EXPLORE SOME OPTIONS FOR THAT.

THEY SHOWED US EXAMPLES OF OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT THEIR SPLASH PADS ARE A FEATURE AS WELL AS SOMETHING FUN FOR THE KIDS, SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT AS AN OPTION. ANOTHER THING WE'RE LOOKING AT IS GOING KIND OF A TEXAS THEME AND REALLY GETTING DOWN TO OUR VICTORIA ROOTS, OUR TEXAS ROOTS. SO THAT'S AN OPTION. THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK AT FOR US TO MAKE THIS MORE UNIQUE AND FITTING TO THE CHILDREN'S PARK AND THE LOCATION IT'S GOING TO BE AT.

SO WE ARE PLANNING TO SEE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT DESIGN THAN WHAT OUR OTHER THREE SPLASH PADS LOOK LIKE RIGHT NOW.

IN CASE YOU MISSED THAT MEETING, THAT IS ONE OF MANY.

SO THAT IS ANYBODY ABLE TO GO TO THE MEETING ON THE FOURTH? YES. ELECTION DAY. AWESOME. THANK YOU FOR REPRESENTING THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.

YES. SO BE ON THE LOOKOUT. MORE INVITES LIKE THAT.

WE LEARN SO MUCH TOGETHER. JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT.

THEY BRING IN THEIR EXPERTISE AND OURS, LIKE I SAID, WATER PLAY, WATER FEATURE.

I JUST THOUGHT THEY WERE JETS AND THINGIES, YOU KNOW? BUT WE LEARNED A LOT. AND IT'S REALLY EXCITING TO HAVE THE FEEDBACK FROM THE BOARD, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT THAT AS WE DEVELOP AND DESIGN THESE PROJECTS THAT IMPACT OUR FAMILIES AND OUR LIVES HERE IN VICTORIA.

[00:35:04]

BUT SOMETHING LIKE THAT, WHERE THE WATER BUBBLES UP OUT OF THE GROUND AND THE KIDS CAN PLAY. AND. YEAH, IT'S IT'S AMAZING WHAT THEY CAN DO. YEAH. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

WELL THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. AWESOME. THANK YOU ALL. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU EMMA. APPRECIATE IT. ALL RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT. SO WE'LL GO BACK UP TO LET'S SEE. WE WANT TO DO 2006 COMMISSION MEETING DATES I GOT YOU.

[1. 2026 Commission Meeting Dates]

AND SO YOU'LL SEE SOME STRIKETHROUGHS FOR JUNE, AUGUST AND DECEMBER.

AND OBVIOUSLY NEXT MONTH WE DON'T HAVE A MEETING.

SO WE JUST KEPT WITH THAT PATTERN. JUST WANTED TO BRING IT TO YOUR ATTENTION FOR YOU TO CHECK YOUR CALENDARS, TAKE A LOOK AT THINGS. THE STRIKETHROUGH WERE DUE TO HEIGHTENED PROGRAMING TIMES FOR OUR DEPARTMENT, AND SO AT THE TIME, THE BOARD HAD AGREED THAT THIS WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO KIND OF TAKE THAT AWAY FOR THE TIME BEING.

AND ALSO, YOU WOULD LIKE TO TRAVEL AND BE WITH YOUR FAMILIES AS WELL, ESPECIALLY DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS.

SO THIS IS JUST FOR YOUR SITUATIONAL AWARENESS AND THAT'S ALL THAT I WANTED TO NOTATE TODAY.

SO ON HERE, WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE ANY MEETING IN DECEMBER, JANUARY AND FEBRUARY.

THAT'S IMPORTANT. IT'S BEEN A LONG MONDAY. THANK YOU SIR.

MY APOLOGIES FOR THAT. THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.

SO YEAH WE WILL HAVE JANUARY FEBRUARY OKAY. I WAS JUST LOOKING AT.

SO WE'RE JUST SO BASICALLY WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT GETTING RID OF JUNE, AUGUST AND DECEMBER SUMMER MONTHS OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. I'D LIKE TO TAKE A VACATION IN JANUARY, BUT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHERE I'D GO.

IT'S COLD. YEAH, THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT. SO. YEAH, I'LL FIX THAT.

BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD AND. YEAH, WE'LL BE MEETING A LOT MORE.

OKAY. THANK YOU. SORRY ABOUT THAT. ALL RIGHT.

[2. Department Updates]

HE IS GOING TO WALK US THROUGH SOME FUN THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN HAPPENING IN OUR DEPARTMENT.

MR. RAMOS. YES. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO LAST WEEK.

WE HAD A VERY BUSY WEEK LAST WEEK. SO ON MONDAY AND ON FRIDAY, I BELIEVE WE WERE WE WENT TO THE PUBLIC WORKS OFFICE ON MONDAY TO GO AND TRAIN OUR EMPLOYEES TO BE CPR, FIRST AID, STOP THE BLEED AND AED CERTIFIED. JUST SO IF ANYTHING DOES HAPPEN IN ANY OF OUR PARKS, FACILITIES OR BALL FIELDS, OUR STAFF IS THERE AND READY TO STEP IN IF NEED BE UNTIL EMS DOES ARRIVE AND HANDLE THE SITUATION.

SO AS YOU CAN SEE THERE, WE HAVE SOME OF OUR EMPLOYEES THERE DOING CPR ON THE TRAINING DUMMIES AS WELL AS STOP THE BLEED ON THE LITTLE, I GUESS YOU WOULD CALL THEM THE THE WOUND DUMMIES, I GUESS.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE TECHNICAL TERM WOULD BE.

BUT THAT WAS VERY INFORMATIVE FOR ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES, JUST SO THAT WE ALL HAVE THAT GOOD HANDS ON TRAINING BECAUSE, I MEAN, ANYBODY CAN WATCH A POWERPOINT, BUT IT'S GETTING THAT ACTUAL HANDS ON TRAINING.

HOPEFULLY NO ONE EVER HAS TO DO A STOP THE BLEED ON ANYBODY.

FINGERS CROSSED IN ANY OF OUR PARKS OR FACILITIES. BUT IT IS THAT TRAINING JUST TO BE PREPARED IN CASE SOMETHING LIKE THAT DOES HAPPEN.

OKAY, SO THIS SLIDE RIGHT HERE THIS SHOWS. SO LAST WEEK ON THURSDAY I WANT TO SAY IT WAS TEN EMPLOYEES FROM OUR DEPARTMENT DID TRAVEL ALL THE WAY UP TO MISSOURI CITY TO GO COMPETE IN OUR EAST REGION 2025 MAINTENANCE RODEO.

SO THE MAINTENANCE RODEO IS HELD EVERY YEAR IN THE FALL TIME, AROUND SEPTEMBER TO NOVEMBER.

AND EVERY REGION IN OUR STATE ASSOCIATION, THE TEXAS RECREATION AND PARKS SOCIETY, OR TRAPS.

EACH REGION PARTICIPATES IN SEVEN DIFFERENT EVENTS.

AS YOU CAN SEE, THEY ARE LISTED RIGHT THERE. THEY ARE THE TRUCK AND TRAILER ZERO TURN ZERO TURN MOWER.

BACKPACK BLOWER, NAIL DRIVING, PLANT IDENTIFICATION. THOSE ARE THE EVENTS THAT WE PARTICIPATED IN. THE OTHER TWO EVENTS THAT WE COULD HAVE PARTICIPATED IN ARE IRRIGATION ASSEMBLY AND THE BACKHOE. SO AT THIS EVENT RIGHT THERE THAT THE PICTURES ARE SHOWING, WE COMPETED IN THE

[00:40:05]

AND TWO OF OUR EMPLOYEES, COLTON HARP AND JOHN LOPEZ, DID PLACE FIRST IN THE TRUCK AND TRAILER EVENT.

YEAH, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, WE ARE ALL BRANDED IN OUR VICTORIA V TOWN SHIRTS RIGHT THERE.

IT SAYS V TOWN ON THE FRONT AND THEN PARKS AND REC ON THE BACK SO THAT EVERYBODY WAS PUT ON NOTICE THAT V TOWN IS HERE AND WE'RE READY TO COMPETE IN YEARS TO COME.

AND I'M GOING TO INTERRUPT YOU REALLY FAST BECAUSE, ELIJAH, THIS IS AN INITIATIVE THAT ELIJAH HAD BROUGHT TO OUR DEPARTMENT.

I HAVE PARTICIPATED IN SOME OF MY PREVIOUS AGENCIES, BUT HE REALLY WANTED TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN, SO I WANTED HIM HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT IT. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME EVER THE PARKS DEPARTMENT HAS EVER PARTICIPATED IN A MAINTENANCE RODEO.

SO I WANTED TO GIVE YOU A HAND BECAUSE IT TOOK A LOT OF WORK.

THEY WERE COMPLETELY SHOCKED BECAUSE WE SET UP RIGHT OUTSIDE THE PARKS OFFICE IN THE PARKING LOT.

ALL OF THESE SKILLS TESTS WITH CONES MARKED. I MEAN, KIM, THEY DID A WONDERFUL JOB.

AND AT FIRST THE STAFF WAS LIKE, WHAT ARE WE DOING? YOU KNOW, BUT WE'VE GOT THESE INDIVIDUALS THAT SHOWED UP.

AND I REALLY APPRECIATE IT BECAUSE, I MEAN, YOU CAN'T BUY THE OPPORTUNITY TO BOND WITH YOUR TEAM.

AND WE HAD A BALL DRIVING THERE AND BACK. ELIJAH DROVE.

I'M SAFE. THANK GOODNESS. I DIDN'T KNOW HOW WE DROVE, BUT WE'RE REALLY EXCITED.

BUT I'LL PASS IT TO YOU. JUST REALLY WANT TO THANK THE TEAM FOR TAKING THE TIME WITH OUR BUSY SCHEDULE TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN FOR THEM.

YES. AND THEN I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK CVB FOR LENDING US THEIR CONES, BECAUSE I'M SURE WHEN OUR DIFFERENT PRACTICES FOR THESE EVENTS, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY CONES WE'VE RAN OVER, KNOCKED OVER AND PROBABLY RUINED OF THEIR CONES.

SO I JUST WANT TO GIVE THEM A SHOUT OUT AS WELL.

AND JUST ON A JUST TO ADD TO COLTON AND JOHN, SINCE THEY DID PLACE TOP FIVE IN THEIR RESPECTIVE EVENT, THEY ARE ABLE TO THEY ARE ELIGIBLE TO COMPETE IN OUR STATE COMPETITION BEING HELD AT THE OUR STATE CONFERENCE IN CORPUS CHRISTI NEXT YEAR IN FEBRUARY.

I BELIEVE THE DATES ARE THE 10TH THROUGH THE 13TH, SO IF YOU'RE FREE ON THE 10TH, YOU CAN GO OUT AND SUPPORT THEM.

THE MAINTENANCE RODEO DAY FOR THE STATE WILL BE THAT 10TH AT WHATABURGER FIELD, SO IF YOU WANT TO COME OUT AND SUPPORT THEM THAT WOULD BE VERY GREAT.

AND MY LAST SLIDE HERE WE JUST FINISHED UP OUR SECOND YOUTH HUNT OF THIS YEAR.

WE HAD OUR LAST ONE IN OCTOBER. THE YOUTH HUNT IS AN INITIATIVE THAT WAS STARTED BEFORE I GOT HERE, BUT I HAVE BEEN THE ONE TO KIND OF TAKE OVER THIS PROGRAM, AND THIS HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT I'VE REALLY VERY MUCH ENJOYED EVER SINCE I STARTED MY FIRST YOUTH HUNT BACK IN 2023. AND WE'VE MADE THEM BIGGER AND BETTER, AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THOSE PICTURES THAT WE HAVE THERE.

WE HAVE A COUPLE PICTURES OF ONE OF OUR POLICE OFFICERS, BRIAN NEEF KIND OF HELPING THE THE YOUTH THERE WITH THEIR TARGET PRACTICE.

THE YOUTH HUNT IS FOR AGES NINE THROUGH 17. AT THIS YOUTH HUNT SPECIFICALLY, WE DID HAVE THAT WIDE RANGE.

I BELIEVE THE YOUNGEST CHILD THAT WE HAD AT THE YOUTH HUNT WAS TEN YEARS OLD AND OUR OLDEST WAS 17.

YOU CAN SEE THE 17 YEAR OLD RIGHT THERE AT THE TOP RIGHT HAND CORNER.

AND WHAT WAS SPECIAL ABOUT THE 17 YEAR OLD THIS YEAR FOR THIS HUNT WAS THAT HE HAS NEVER BEEN HUNTING.

HE HAD NEVER HELD A RIFLE, SHOT A RIFLE. THIS WAS HIS FIRST TIME EVER HANDLING A GUN.

SO THIS KIND OF SHOWS THE TYPE OF EFFECT, THE TYPE OF EFFECT THE PROGRAM LIKE THIS CAN HAVE.

BECAUSE HE WAS SO NERVOUS DOING HIS TARGET PRACTICE, HE WAS LITERALLY SHAKING TRYING TO HOLD THE WEAPON.

BUT ONCE HE GOT MORE COMFORTABLE WITH THE WEAPON AND HOLDING IT, HE WENT OUT THAT FIRST NIGHT, THAT FRIDAY EVENING TO GO HUNT, AND HE WAS ABLE TO GET HIMSELF A DEER AND THEN HIM BEING ABLE TO.

AND YOU CAN SEE HIM RIGHT THERE IN THE BOTTOM PICTURE, THAT'S HIM HOLDING HIS DEER. THAT NEXT DAY WHEN WE TOOK A PICTURE, HIM SHOWING IT OFF WITH HIS DAD. THAT'S THE TYPE OF STUFF THAT WE WANT TO PROVIDE FOR THE KIDS IN THIS COMMUNITY.

TO BE ABLE TO GET A KID THAT HAS NEVER HUNTED, HELD A GUN BEFORE, AND THEN BE ABLE TO HAVE SUCH A GOOD TIME.

HE WAS HELPING ALL THE OTHER KIDS, THE OTHER FOUR KIDS, WHEN THEY GOT THEIR DEERS TO HELP DRESS AND SKIN THEIR DEERS AS WELL.

HE WAS VERY HANDS ON AND WHEN HE LEFT HE WAS SUPER ECSTATIC ABOUT ASKING HIS DAD, WHEN CAN WE GO HUNT AGAIN? OR WHEN CAN I GET MY HUNTING LICENSE TO BE ABLE TO GO HUNT AGAIN? AND THIS IS A PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HOLD WITH MANY DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS. AS YOU CAN SEE UP THERE WITH THE PORT OF VICTORIA, WHO IS THE LANDOWNER OF THE PROPERTY THAT WE GO HUNT ON, AS WELL AS THE NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FEDERATION, THE TEXAS YOUTH HUNTING PROGRAM, AND THE TEXAS WILDLIFE ASSOCIATION.

SO THIS IS A VERY COLLABORATIVE EFFORT THAT WE HAVE.

AND IF IT WASN'T FOR NOT ONLY US PROVIDING THE KIDS THE OPPORTUNITY TO HUNT, BUT ALSO THE VOLUNTEERS THAT WE GET TO GO AND GUIDE THE HUNTERS WHILE THEY GO OUT

[00:45:07]

WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO THIS, SO I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT OUR YOUTH HUNTS THAT WE DO PUT ON ELIJAH.

HOW MANY? BECAUSE THIS IS A DRAW BASED SYSTEM.

DO WE HAVE ANY DATA ON, LIKE, THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS? HOW MANY PEOPLE HOW MANY KIDS PUT IN FOR THIS? EVERY YEAR WE CAN GET I BELIEVE THE LAST ONE WE HAD ABOUT 60 KIDS THAT ENTER AND SUBMIT.

SO WHEN WE SUBMIT THE DATES FOR THE TEXTS WITH TYPE TO SCHEDULE OUR HUNTS, IT IS OPEN TO ANYBODY WHO WAS WILLING TO WHO WANTS TO SIGN UP. THERE IS PREREQUISITES TO BE ON ONE OF THESE HUNTS.

YOUR GUARDIAN, OR THAT'S GOING TO BE WITH YOU ON THE HUNT, HAS TO HAVE A HUNTING LICENSE.

AND THEIR HUNTERS EDUCATION, AS WELL AS THE CHILD HAS TO HAVE THEIR HUNTERS EDUCATION.

THOSE ARE THE TWO PREREQUISITES TO GO ON A HUNT.

AND THAT'S ALL YOU NEED TO GO ON THE HUNT. YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE ANY PRIOR HUNTING EXPERIENCE OR HAVE A GUN FOR THAT MATTER.

WE JUST NEED TO KNOW THAT PRIOR TO THAT SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE YOU THAT.

THOSE ITEMS. GOTCHA. SO WE HAVE THE TWO EVENTS, THE ONE IN OCTOBER AND 1ST NOVEMBER.

IT'S FIVE HUNTERS EACH. SO WE DO ABOUT TEN HUNTERS A YEAR OUT OF THE 60 THAT APPLY TOTAL.

CORRECT. OKAY, GREAT. AND THAT'S 60 FOR EACH HUNT.

MORE OR LESS. OKAY. 60 FOR EACH. YES. OKAY. SO THERE'S 60 PROBABLY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OCTOBER, AND THEN ANOTHER PROBABLY 60 FOR THE ONE IN NOVEMBER.

OKAY. AWESOME. AND I'M SURPRISED THERE'S NO CELL PHONES.

THERE'S NO TV. AND I WAS YEAH. AND THEY LOVE IT.

THEY ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT. BUT WE HAD OUR FIRST HUNT IN NOVEMBER OF 2021.

JEFF BOUKNIGHT I KNOW THIS WAS A PROGRAM WITH CITY STAFF AND IT WAS IN RIVERSIDE, SO WE'RE JUST CONTINUING THAT TRADITION.

YES. GREAT. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR ELIJAH? OH. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. THANKS.

ALL RIGHT. AND NEXT IN PERSON. LIVE IN PERSON.

MISS KATE GARCIA, SHE IS HERE. OUR NEW ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION.

SHE'S GOING TO TALK ABOUT UPCOMING EVENTS. GOOD EVENING.

COMMISSIONERS. SOME OF YOUR FACES I'M FAMILIAR WITH.

SOME I'M NOT. SO IT'S VERY NICE TO MEET YOU IN PERSON.

SINCE I DIDN'T GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET MOST OF YOU ON THE WORKSHOP OR DURING THE WORKSHOP IN OCTOBER.

SO PART OF PART OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT CAME WITH ME FROM MAIN STREET DURING THE TRANSITION.

WE LIKE TO SAY DOWNTOWN OPERATIONS AND EVENTS.

SO SOME OF THESE EVENTS THAT YOU WOULD RECOGNIZE NORMALLY BEING UNDER MAIN STREET PROGRAM ARE NOW UNDER PARKS AND RECREATION.

AND THIS IS THE FALL IS A VERY BUSY EVENT SEASON.

SO THIS IS THIS LIST IS JUST THE TAIL END OF IT.

SO OUR FIRST NEAREST EVENT IS VETERANS DAY PARADE.

THAT WILL BE TUESDAY TOMORROW IN DOWNTOWN VICTORIA.

TRADITIONAL PARADE ROUTE. THERE IS ALSO A CEREMONY THAT WILL FOLLOW THAT THAT PARADE ON THE COURTHOUSE STEPS.

SO PLEASE DO ATTEND THAT AS WELL IF YOU'RE ABLE TO.

AND THEN WE HAVE THE VICTORIA WEST JV TOURNAMENT ON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12TH.

WE HAVE PUTT FOR PAWS ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15TH.

WE HAVE A REALLY INTERESTING EVENT THAT HAS NOT BEEN HELD IN THE PARK BEFORE.

THIS IS THE GROESBECK SPORTS CAR CLUB TIME TRIAL ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15TH.

ESSENTIALLY, WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE SPECIAL EVENT AREA IN RIVERSIDE PARK IS A YOU'LL SEE LOTS OF HIGH POWERED CLASSIC SPORTS CARS DOING TIME TRIALS. NOW, THIS IS NOT A BUMPER TO BUMPER SCENARIO.

THIS IS SIMPLY ONE CAR MAKING A LOOP FOR A TIME TRIAL.

THERE IS GOING TO BE A CLOSED LOOP, SO SOME ACCESS TO THE PARK WILL BE RESTRICTED, WILL KEEP ACCESS TO RIVERSIDE GOLF COURSE, WILL KEEP ACCESS TO THE ZOO. ESSENTIALLY, IT IS THE TIGHT LOOP AROUND THE SPECIAL EVENTS AREA.

I BELIEVE IT IS PARTS OF MEMORIAL DRIVE, JOHN F LEE AND SOME OF MACWRITE, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.

SO THAT WILL BE ON THE 15TH AND THEN ON DECEMBER 6TH.

THIS IS OUR FIRST CHRISTMAS EVENT. THIS IS THE CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING.

THAT WILL BE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE PARADE THIS YEAR.

IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH CHRISTMAS EVENTS, THESE ARE TRADITIONALLY TWO SEPARATE EVENTS THAT ARE HELD BACK TO BACK.

FRIDAY EVENING IS USUALLY THE CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY.

AND THEN THAT FOLLOWING SATURDAY IS THE PARADE.

WE'RE GOING TO SEE WHAT IT'S LIKE THIS YEAR TO PUT THE TWO EVENTS BACK TO BACK.

SO THE CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING WILL BEGIN AT 530.

IT'S TRADITIONALLY A VERY SHORT CEREMONY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, 30 MINUTES, 45 MINUTES OR SO, AND THEN ABOUT 15 MINUTES AFTER THAT TO KIND OF

[00:50:08]

AND THIS WILL BE LIVE STREAMED AGAIN. HEB IS PROVIDING LIVE STREAMING THIS YEAR FOR BOTH EVENTS.

AND THEN THE VERY NEXT SATURDAY ON THE 13TH AGAIN, DOWNTOWN WILL BE MARION, MAINE.

THIS IS GOING TO BE FROM A ONE DAY EVENT THIS YEAR FROM 10 A.M.

TO 8 P.M. AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TONS OF ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN.

SANTA WILL BE THERE. MRS. CLAUS WILL BE THERE.

WE'LL HAVE KIDS ACTIVITIES. THERE WILL BE A MARKET ASSOCIATED WITH THE MARION MAIN EVENT THAT'S HOSTED BY MOTHER CLUCKERS DOWNTOWN.

AND THEN THAT WILL GO FROM ABOUT 10 TO 4 P.M.

AFTER THAT, WE'LL SHIFT OVER TO MORE OF AN EVENING CONCERT.

SO WE'LL HAVE A COUPLE OF LIVE MUSIC ACTS FROM ABOUT 4 TO 8 P.M.

THAT EVENING. AND THEN WE SHUT IT DOWN, AND THEN WE ALL ENJOY OUR CHRISTMAS BREAK.

IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS THAT I CAN ANSWER, I'D LOVE TO HELP OUT.

WHAT TIME IS THE PARADE TOMORROW? 10:00. 10 A.M..

THANK YOU SIR. SOUNDS LIKE WE'VE GOT A VETERAN HERE.

YES, SIR. I'M IN CHARGE OF THE PARADE. HE'S IN CHARGE OF IT.

WE SPENT OUR TIME YESTERDAY PUTTING NUMBERS OUT ON THE STREET.

SO THE STREETS ARE MARKED. WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 71 ENTRIES.

HOPEFULLY ALL OF THEM WILL SHOW UP. AND I THINK JACOB THERE AT THE WEATHER STATION AND ALSO MAC, THE WEATHER MAN. TELL HIM THANK YOU FOR THE SUNSHINE WITH THE COLD WEATHER WILL BE HERE, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE SUNSHINE.

THAT'S RIGHT. BEAUTIFUL. I DO ALSO WANT TO MAKE A COUPLE OF OF ANNOUNCEMENTS REGARDING EVENTS DOWNTOWN.

IF YOU WANT TO COMPREHEND, THIS IS NOT A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF DOWNTOWN EVENTS.

THIS IS THE LARGER EVENTS, WHAT WE WOULD CALL QUOTE UNQUOTE, SPECIAL BECAUSE OF THEIR SIZE AND NATURE.

BUT IF YOU WANT TO SEE A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF DOWNTOWN EVENTS SUCH AS, I BELIEVE THERE'S A MOTORCYCLE SHOW GOING ON THIS WEEKEND THAT LA CANTINA IS HOSTING THAT'S NOT ON THIS EVENT BECAUSE IT'S NOT NECESSARILY AS EXTENSIVE, BUT YOU CAN GO TO DISCOVER VICTORIA'S WEBSITE AND THEN YOU CAN FILTER OUT TO DOWNTOWN EVENTS AND THAT SHOWS YOU EVERY SINGLE EVENT LIBRARY, BUSINESS EVENTS, LIVE MUSIC, DOWNTOWN, ETC. AND THERE'S ALSO A PAGE THAT SHOWS YOU ALL OF THE STREET BLOCKING PERMITS THAT HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED FOR THESE LARGER EVENTS, JUST FOR SITUATIONAL AWARENESS AND, AND BEING ABLE TO NAVIGATE DOWNTOWN.

SO, YEAH, THAT'S THOSE ARE OUR EVENTS FOR THIS YEAR.

AND THEN WE REST A LITTLE BIT AND THEN WE KICK RIGHT BACK UP IN THE SPRING.

ALRIGHTY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE UPDATE.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR KATE? GLAD TO HAVE YOU ON THE PARK SIDE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HAVE A GOOD EVENING. THANKS.

I KNOW YOU'RE PROBABLY WONDERING ABOUT VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES. THEY'RE HEADED YOUR WAY, SO WE DEFINITELY WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOU ALL THERE.

AND I KNOW WE'RE WORKING ON SOME OF THE SHIRTS FOR OUR COMMISSIONERS AS WELL.

BUT WE GOT TO GET YOU A TOWN SHIRT FIRST, SO THAT'S IMPORTANT.

I ALREADY HAVE THE JUDGES LINED UP FOR THE CHRISTMAS PARADE.

DID YOU, MR. RAMOS? YES. AWESOME. DOCTOR KENT OVER AT THE COLLEGE SHE RAVES ABOUT.

SHE DID IT LIKE, 2 OR 3 YEARS AGO, AND SHE WAS LIKE, THAT WAS THE MOST FUN EVER.

SO. SO IF WE WANT TO VOLUNTEER FOR ANY OF THIS, WHO DO WE CONTACT YOU? YES. YOU CAN CONTACT US. OR WE'LL BE READY TO GET YOU ALL SIGNED UP AND WORKING.

YOU CAN PUT MY NAME DOWN FOR THE PARADE. JUST LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU NEED FOR ME TO DO. APPRECIATE THAT.

THANK YOU. AWESOME. WELL, IF THERE'S GOOD AT PAINTING NUMBERS.

YES, WE NEED A LOT OF THAT. HOW MANY ENTRIES DO WE HAVE RIGHT NOW? A LOT. ABOUT 100. 122. RIGHT. IT'S. IT'S USUALLY IN THE OVER 100.

YEAH. ALL RIGHT. SO THAT PRETTY MUCH COVERS ALL OF THE OTHER BUSINESS.

ANY COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANYTHING THAT THEY'D LIKE TO SEE FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. HAS BEEN SUGGESTED TO ME THAT RIVERSIDE PARK WOULD BE A GREAT PLACE FOR A RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL.

ARE YOU GOING TO PLAN IT OR. THERE IS A THERE IS A LARPING GROUP THAT USES THE PARK.

LIKE AT LEAST IT'S LIKE AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH.

THEY DO LIKE THE LIVE ACTION ROLE PLAY UP THERE BY, LIKE, THE CHILDREN'S PARK AREA.

SO ALL RIGHT. DID Y'ALL HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? NO, SIR.

OKAY. WELL, GREAT. THE ONE THING THAT I HAD GOTTEN SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT AND THIS CAME FROM LITTLE LEAGUE AND FROM

[00:55:05]

THERE'S THE FIELDS, KIND OF BY THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, AND THEN ACROSS THE STREET, KIND OF WHERE THE SPLASH PAD IS.

AND I CAN ATTEST, LIKE THE GROUND ON THERE. WE LIVE IN VICTORIA.

THE GROUND IS CONSTANTLY UNDULATING AND FLEXING AND CRACKING.

AND IT'S GOTTEN TO THE POINT WHERE IT'S HARD FOR A LOT OF THE KIDS TO PRACTICE JUST BECAUSE THE FIELDS ARE SO UNEVEN AND BUMPY.

I DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WAS SOME MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE, KIND OF LIKE WE HAD TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, 5 OR 6 YEARS AGO WITH LIKE THE PLAYGROUNDS AND LIKE KEEPING THOSE ON A MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE.

IS THERE ANY TYPE OF MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE FOR THE CITY OWNED BASEBALL FIELDS? WE ABSOLUTELY DO. SO WE TYPICALLY COIN THAT AS OUR DEFERRED MAINTENANCE.

OBVIOUSLY THAT HAPPENS DURING THESE COLDER MONTHS, THINGS OF THAT SORT.

BUT WE DO HAVE A PLANNED SCHEDULE. KIM CAN SPEAK MORE BROADLY ABOUT THAT.

OKAY. SHE CAN BRING THAT. AND OUR CREW LEADERS AS WELL TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, PARTICULARLY WITH OUR BALL FIELDS. I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY WE KNOW THAT'S WHERE EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE AND THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO US.

BUT SHE CAN TALK TO THOSE LOGISTICS. WE'LL BRING THAT BACK. AWESOME.

YEAH. IF YOU COULD LET ME KNOW ON THAT BECAUSE I'D LIKE TO GET THE ROSEBUDS BOARD AND THE YOUTH LITTLE LEAGUE BOARD AND OFFER THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME TO THIS MEETING AND WHAT INPUT THEY MIGHT HAVE. IT'S AMAZING THAT WE HAVE THE YOUTH SPORTS COMPLEX HERE AND THAT WE CAN RESERVE IT.

IT'S SUPER REASONABLE. IT'S LIKE 35 BUCKS FOR TWO HOURS TO BE ABLE TO PRACTICE.

BUT WHEN YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, FOUR DIFFERENT LITTLE LEAGUE DIVISIONS AND THEN ALL THE TRAVEL BALL TEAMS, I MEAN, LIKE, YOU CAN'T GET ENOUGH IN THERE LIKE IT GETS BOOKED UP LIKE THAT.

AND SO THEN THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT GET, YOU KNOW, YOU SEE, I MEAN, I'M SURE YOU ALL SEE IT, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY EVERY NIGHT OF THE WEEK, THERE'S PEOPLE ACROSS THE STREET FROM YOUR OFFICE PRACTICING ON THOSE FIELDS.

SO I THINK THAT THAT IS A VERY WIDELY USED PART OF THE PARK FROM THE COMMUNITY.

SO IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE THEIR INPUT ON WHAT THEY NEED IF THEY HAVE, IF THERE'S A PUBLIC OR PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP ASPECT THERE THAT WE COULD LEVERAGE TOO, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT CITY FUNDS ONLY GO SO FAR.

SO. AND JERRY ORTIZ, OUR SPORT TOURISM RECREATION SUPERVISOR, I'LL HAVE HIM TIE IN WITH KIM SO WE CAN BRING YOU A MORE FULL REPORT ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, PARTICULARLY FOR OUR NEW BOARD MEMBERS.

I'M JUST TRYING TO REALLY PAINT THE PICTURE OF HOW BUSY WE ARE.

IT IS AMAZING THE DEMAND, WHICH IS DEFINITELY A GOOD PROBLEM TO HAVE.

BUT WE CERTAINLY HAVE TO ALLOW OUR FIELDS TO REST AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

I MEAN, I'LL BE HAPPY TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU ALL.

AWESOME. WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE THAT. ON A RELATED SUBJECT, THERE'S A BALL FIELD DIRECTLY BEHIND MY HOUSE THAT I HAVE NEVER SEEN USED. RIGHT. PARKS DEPARTMENT MOWS IT ON A REGULAR BASIS.

YES. RIGHT. THEY TAKE CARE OF IT, RIGHT? IT HAS BLEACHERS AND.

OH, BY THE CHALLENGE SPORTS COMPLEX. THAT ONE.

YEAH, BUT I HAVE NEVER SEEN THAT FIELD USED. THAT'S A RENTABLE FIELD, RIGHT? IT IS, IT IS OWNED OBVIOUSLY BY US, BUT WE'RE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE.

THEY HAVE A BOARD FOR THE CHALLENGER DREAM COMPLEX.

AND WE DO. WE'RE IN CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT WITH THEM FOR THEM TO PROGRAM THERE.

THAT PORTION CAN BE RENTED. WE DO USE THAT FOR, LIKE, BAD NEWS CHAIRS.

THEY HAVE EVENTS THERE AS WELL. IT'S MAINLY FOCUSED ON ADAPTIVE SPORTS IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA.

I CAN SAY MOST RECENTLY WE HAD A CONVERSATION WITH THE BOARD, KATE AND MYSELF.

WE WENT AND TRIED TO THEY'RE IN THE PROCESS OF UPDATING KIND OF THE MEMBERS ON THE BOARD WHO CAN HELP CREATE MORE OF A BUY IN FOR PROGRAMING.

THEY'RE TRYING TO WORK CLOSELY WITH, SCHOOLS IN THE AREA THAT HAVE THOSE WITH DISABILITIES AND THINGS OF THAT SORT.

SO WE'RE KIND OF BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD. WE DID OFFER SOME OF WHAT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT CAN BRING TO THE TABLE.

SO I WOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR MORE USE IN THAT AREA.

THAT IS THEIR MAIN GOAL. BUT THE THE GOALS HAVEN'T BEEN REACHED TO THE MANNER IN WHICH THEY'VE WANTED THEM TO JUST YET, BUT IT'S COMING. WE DO MAINTAIN IT. WE CLEAN THE RESTROOMS, WE DO ALL OF THAT.

BUT WE'RE TRYING TO LOOK AND SEE WHERE OUR FUNDING CAN BEST BE USED.

I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE BOARD CAN ACTUALLY KIND OF HELP IN THAT AREA.

I'M SURE THEY WOULD WELCOME IT. BECAUSE OF THE NETWORKING THAT IS NEEDED TO BRING THOSE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES TO THE ACTUAL FIELD.

I KNOW THAT. I MEAN, I KNOW THEY USE THE PAVEMENT, THE.

[01:00:02]

THEY USE THAT PERIODICALLY. NOT A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT BUT PERIODICALLY.

BUT THE OTHER FIELD I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYBODY ON OTHER THAN PARKS DEPARTMENT PEOPLE MOWING THE GRASS SOMETIME NIGHT.

I MEAN, IF IF THERE'S A SHORTAGE OF BALL FIELDS IN VICTORIA, THAT FIELD IS AT LEAST THEORETICALLY USABLE.

AND SO THE CITY DOESN'T ACTUALLY OWN. THAT IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, THAT THE CHALLENGE OR THE CHALLENGER SPORTS COMPLEX IS OWNED BY A SEPARATE NONPROFIT.

BUT Y'ALL, I DON'T WANT TO. I'M NOT SURE OF THAT ANSWER.

I DON'T WANT TO MISQUOTE. I JUST KNOW THAT WE MAINTAIN THE AREA.

WE ARE IN CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT FOR THAT, FOR PROGRAMING.

BUT I CAN TYPE OF MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING THERE.

YES. BUT IN TERMS OF OWNERSHIP, I APOLOGIZE. I DON'T KNOW THAT RIGHT OFFHAND.

THE BALL FIELDS THAT MR. FISK IS SPEAKING OF, WE DO HAVE SOME PUBLIC USE.

I AGREE IT'S NOT TO THE SAME INTENSITY AS LIKE THE ISK OR YOUTH SPORTS COMPLEX OR ANYTHING OF THAT SORT.

BUT THERE IS A LOT OF PUBLIC PLAY. AND I MEAN, THAT BRINGS US TO THE KIND OF WHERE WE'RE HEADED WITH THE CONVERSATION IS HOW DO WE BALANCE BETWEEN THE PUBLIC USE AND THEN ALSO PROVIDING FIELDS FOR THE DEMANDS? AND I MEAN, THAT'S JUST A PREDICAMENT THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW, IS TRYING TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.

SO I WELCOME THAT TO KIND OF FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN MEET IN THE MIDDLE.

BUT THAT'S MUCH LARGER THAN ME AND THAT'S MUCH LARGER THAN ME.

BUT YEAH, WE'RE WE'RE THERE AND WE KNOW THAT IT'S AVAILABLE TO US TO KIND OF SEE WHO CAN USE IT AND WHEN.

YEAH, I CAN REMEMBER WHEN RIVERSIDE, WITH ALL THE BALLPARKS WERE THERE AND THE LITTLE LEAGUES PLAYED.

I CAN REMEMBER MY SON PLAYING ON IT, AND THAT WAS THE FIELD THAT NOBODY WANTED TO PLAY ON, BECAUSE, I MEAN, IT WAS THE GROUND WAS LIKE THIS.

I MEAN, IT WAS HOT OUT THERE AND EVERYTHING BECAUSE I WAS ON THE BOARD, LITTLE LEAGUE BOARD THAT ONE YEAR, AND I EVEN STOPPED A GAME BECAUSE IT WAS SO HOT OUT THERE.

LITTLE KIDS WERE OUT THERE JUST ROASTING RED.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF BUT THAT'S I REMEMBER PLAYING ON THAT FIELD.

I WAS A COACH OUT THERE AND THAT WAS I, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT A BAD PLAYER, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S 30 PLUS YEARS AGO THAT THAT THAT FIELD WAS.

BUT THEN WHEN THEY MOVED EVERYTHING OUT, I FIGURED I JUST FIGURED THEY JUST PULLED EVERYTHING UP.

SO ALL THE STANDS AND STUFF ARE STILL THERE YEAH.

THERE'S. YEAH, IT'S CHANGED OVER TIME, RIGHT? FOR SURE. GREAT. WELL, WE LOOK FORWARD TO IN THE FUTURE.

YOU KNOW, SOME FEEDBACK FROM Y'ALL AND WHAT WE CAN DO AS A BOARD TO HELP FACILITATE THAT AS WELL.

SO THANK YOU. APPRECIATE THAT. AWESOME. WELL, IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE FOR THE GOOD OF THE COMMISSION, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN. SO MOVED.

SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. IT'S 603, AND WE STAND ADJOURNED.

ALL RIGHT. GREAT MEETING.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.