Parks and Community Services Board Meeting - October 20, 2025

The October Parks and Community Services Board meeting convened at 10:45 AM (local time based on context) with a quorum present. The Board approved the agenda and September 2025 minutes unanimously. The meeting featured a public comment segment resulting in the removal of a disruptive speaker who refused to adhere to ordinances regarding relevant topics and offensive speech. Key discussion points included a celebratory report on the city's re-accreditation with a perfect score, the presentation of new park naming guidelines aiming for greater diversity and equity, and general board communications highlighting upcoming community events. Councilmember Hamilton reported on recent city activities and upcoming calendar items.

Consent Calendar

• Approvals were unanimously granted for the October 20, 2025 agenda.
• Approvals were unanimously granted for the minutes from the September 2025 regular meeting.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Alex Simmerman: A single speaker signed up attempted to address the Board regarding a federal law concerning dual citizenship for government officials and made unsubstantiated personal attacks against Councilmember Hamilton (referring to them as a "Nazi pig").
• Board Response: The Chair issued multiple warnings to the speaker to adhere to City Ordinance 6752 and speak only on matters within the Board's power and duties (Parks and Community Services). When the speaker refused to stop discussing dual citizenship laws and refused to address the Parks Board, the Chair asked the speaker to leave. The Board subsequently noted the refusal to follow rules constituted a disruption and stated the Board does not condone hateful or offensive speech, while acknowledging First Amendment rights for lawful expression.

Discussion Items

Park and Community Services Accreditation (Tony Esparza, Assistant Director)

• Overview: The Department of Parks and Community Services successfully achieved re-accreditation from the Commission for the Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) for a perfect score.
• Key Statistics:
  • The process covers 154 standards across 10 operational areas.
  • The submission package included over 150 pages of narrative and over 750 pieces of documentation, totaling thousands of pages.
  • Bellevue is one of only three agencies in Washington State and one of 231 nationally to hold this accreditation.
  • The Department has been accredited continuously since 2005 (20 years).
• Speaker Positions:
  • Tony Esparza/Staff: Expressed pride in the staff's continuous effort, noting that accreditation is not mandated but represents an "elite standard" and a demonstration of being a national leader.
  • Director Shisaki: Emphasized the accreditation serves as an "insurance policy" for the city, ensuring safety, well-being, and accountability, while noting the process takes significant resources but yields high value.
  • Councilmember Hamilton: Supported the achievement as a demonstration of good stewardship of public funds and a "worry-free park experience" for residents.
  • Eric (Board Member): Expressed concern/lack of knowledge regarding insurance discounts for accreditation and questioned if there were tangible financial benefits beyond reputation.
  • Michelle (Board Member): Expressed interest in how the Board can support other park systems given their perfect score.
• Updates: A new standard regarding concussion policy and protocol was implemented for this cycle.

Park Naming Process and Guidelines (Betsy Anderson, Senior Planner)

• Background: Staff reviewed the current naming policy (Resolution 10151) and analyzed nearly 100 existing park names.
• Current State Analysis:
  • Nearly two-thirds of names are naturalistic or place-based.
  • Individual/Family names are predominantly Anglo-European.
  • There is a noted lack of Indigenous names and very few names honoring women (only one identified in the dataset).
  • Some names have "unknown provenance."
• Proposed Modifications:
  • Process: Staff will request more detailed background information from community members when names are proposed.
  • Diversity: Future naming will actively seek names that reflect the diverse cultural histories of the land (including Indigenous names) and community groups, aligning with City goals of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
  • Research: Staff will consult with cultural groups and subject matter experts before presentations to the Board.
  • Transparency: Consideration of providing historical context on park signs or websites for names honoring individuals.
  • Renaming: While not a primary focus, the Board discussed the need to eventually develop protocols for renaming existing parks.
• Speaker Positions:
  • Steve (Board Member): Expressed interest in the historical context of names and suggested making data about existing names available to the public.
  • Elizabeth (Board Member): Expressed that community input is vital but suggested providing current name lists to the public to prevent repetition and ensuring phonetic guides for foreign languages.
  • Eric (Board Member): Expressed that the community's desire to name parks should be respected, but noted the need for objectivity and historical verification to avoid future confusion (citing a recent example of a common name leading to search results issues).
  • Eileen (Board Member): Expressed that the guidelines should apply primarily to forward-looking naming, not immediate renaming, but suggested adding informational signage for parks named after individuals.
  • Rena (Board Member): Suggested that if foreign languages are adopted, they should include phonetic pronunciations on signs, similar to University of Washington practices.

Key Outcomes

• Accreditation: The Parks and Community Services Department has been officially re-accredited by CAPRA with a perfect score for 2025, a status valid for five years.
• Naming Guidelines: Staff will incorporate Board feedback into the development of new park naming guidelines, with a focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and enhanced historical research before future name recommendations.
• Upcoming Agenda: The Board will discuss a report on the 2022 levy and potentially a naming-related item at the November 19, 2025, meeting.
• Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned with no further actions required.