Good evening and welcome to the November Parks and Community Services Board meeting.

Um Michelle Valveretti cannot attend the meeting tonight, and Paul Clark will be attending remotely.

We are at quorum, and so this meeting is now called to order.

Is there a motion?

Um excuse me, please put your sign down.

Is there a motion to approve tonight's agenda?

I so move.

A second.

Second.

All right, let's vote.

All in favor to approve tonight's agenda, say aye.

All right.

Any opposed, say no.

All right.

The agenda is approved unanimously.

Next up is the approval of minutes from the Parks Board October 2025 regular meeting.

Is there a motion to approve the October 2025 meeting minutes?

I so moved.

Is there a second?

I second.

Thank you.

Let's uh take it to a vote.

All in favor to approve the October 2025 meeting minutes, um, say aye.

Any opposed, say no.

The minutes are unanimously approved.

Thank you.

Next up is oral communications.

The Parks and Community Services Board values community input and looks forward to hearing from you during its meeting.

Please be aware that in compliance with Washington State campaign laws regarding the use of public facilities during an election.

No speaker may support or oppose a ballot measure or support or oppose a candidate for an election, which includes your own campaign.

Any speaker who begins discussing topics of this nature will be asked to stop.

There are rules adopted by the city council limiting the topics about what the which the public may speak during our meetings.

Under ordinance 6752, the public may only speak during public comment about subject matters that are related to the related to City of Bellevue government and are within the power and duties of the Parks and Community Services Board.

Following the board's bylaws, the total time allowed for oral communication shall not exceed 30 minutes.

Each speaker will be allowed to speak one time for up to three minutes.

We will follow the order in which individuals signed up.

If you do not get a chance to speak this evening, you are always invited to email your comments to us at Parkboard at Bellbuaw.gov.

Now we'll turn it over to Ryan, who will read names from the online and in-person sign-in sheets.

Thank you, Chair.

We have two registered speakers this evening.

First is Jaden Jung.

You're welcome to come on up.

Hello.

My name is Jaden Jung.

I'm a SCAM member of Troop 600 with the rank of star.

This past summer I worked as an intern in the well-kept summer program with the City of Bove Parks and Community Services.

During my internship, I helped remove invasive plant species in several Bellevue parks, including Ardmore Park, Wilburton Hill Park, and Kelsey Creek.

I also helped build part of the hiking trail at Ardmore Park.

While I was working, I noticed how common invasive species like English ivy and nausea's weed are still in our parks.

I'm here today to share a couple of ideas for how we can continue fighting the spread of these invasive species.

First, we should increase community involvement by educating more people and expanding the well-kept program so more young students can participate.

And how we can do that is by creating more online educational content for kids using social media and making it easier to sign up for volunteer events at Belvia Parks.

Second, we should improve how we monitor and report invasive species so we can track progress and focus our removal efforts where they're needed the most.

And we can do this by offering simple online reporting tools and adding signs and parks to help people identify and report invasive invasive plants.

In conclusion, we already know what we need to do to slow the spread of invasive species.

But to make real progress, we need more people, especially young people to get involved.

With the help of our entire community, we can keep Bellevue's parks healthy and beautiful.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Yeah, yeah, you thank you so much.

And our second speaker is Alex Zimmerman.

Sorry, guys.

I disabled old man, so forgive me.

Please, forgive me.

You do need worry.

I will right now sit here.

Yeah.

Sit here.

Yeah, absolutely.

In this place.

Oh.

No, no, it's not so good.

For us to be like this too.

I'm so sorry.

Forgive me.

Disabled people can make a mistake.

Who make double mistake or triple?

Very sure.

Oh.

Oh, two forty.

Good.

So for last.

My name is Alex Zemmerman.

For last two years, Mayor Robinson, together with Consul, and she's a leader.

Make me trespass for two years in every meeting.

It's never happened before.

In every meeting for two years.

Why?

Everybody knows why.

Oh, so right now, what's happened?

They totally destroy me.

Bumbra boom.

Bumbra boom.

I cannot present.

I cannot talk in.

People cannot talk to me.

Next.

They pubrecate five cases.

So one case is dismissed two weeks ago before November.

You know what is mean?

300 pages.

Yeah, misdemeanor case who go for two years.

Yes.

Public defender, but as I fire seven times.

They don't give me chance.

I don't want public defendant.

They put public defendant because in this situation they can control me for two years.

Make this trick.

Oh criminal conspiracy prejudgment.

It's a freaking bandita.

You know what this means.

This case don't have analogy.

No, in state Washington, then I'm absolutely sure don't have analogy in America.

Why?

Because by definition, in Kin Country for each misdemeanor case, public defender spend one hour.

When you go by Tuesday in Bellevue Library, every Tuesday, two o'clock, it's a hearing.

Yes, for misdemeanor cases.

Judge present, next few judges for one hour.

They make decision about six, seven cases for one hour.

I present a few times because I cannot understand what this trick comes from.

So this number one, number two.

Number three.

They cut my statement for election.

200 board out.

No election finished.

Don't give me this BS, please.

Election finish.

I have right speak about this.

Why are you talking about election finish?

This is still campaigning.

It's not about campaigning.

It's not about campaigning finish.

Why you so stupid?

Campaigning finish.

Election finish.

You understand?

It's gone.

I can speak about everything.

Why are you acting so stupid?

So they 200 pages, take out 2004 takeout with me.

It only give me one sentence.

Yeah.

Statement.

Make Bellevue greet again.

USA.

When you sa stupid, go and look rules.

You know what this means?

This exactly what this Nazi pick did to me.

This a statement.

Yunderson.

Oh, yeah.

Thank you very much.

Stop interrupt me when you're stupid.

And you're head.

That's the end of our registered speakers tonight.

There's anyone else in uh the building who would like to speak, please raise your hand.

Not seeing any.

If there's anyone else online, please raise your virtual hand.

Nobody online.

To make a record that I put a couple, I gave him a couple warnings for campaigning and not speaking within topic of the Parks and Community Services Board.

Sorry, that was a little awkward.

Is that all right?

Okay.

That's free to close the world communications.

All right.

Uh yeah.

So that concludes our all communications, everyone.

Um and yeah, once again, for the record, I gave him a couple warnings for not speaking about things within the power of duties of the board and for etching into camp for campaigning.

Um next up, well, um, council member Hamilton is not joining us tonight, so we'll be skipping council communications.

And so we'll jump right in uh to director Shia Azaki for the director's report.

Great.

Thank you so much, uh, Chair Klima, and good evening, everyone.

So I have several items I want to cover this evening.

And first, um I want to one wish you happy holidays.

I know it seems really early, but uh, you know, we don't get to see you in December.

So in your bags, uh, there is a special Bellevue gift for you all.

And, you know, I think this will be the most sought-after item in all of Bellevue this holiday season, um, which is the Bellevue edition of Monopoly.

And I believe uh four of those squares on there are uh Bellevue Parks.

So and as I will point out, it's not the cheap real estate.

There's no Mediterranean Avenue near us, so uh or Baltic.

So uh so I hope you and your families uh enjoy that.

And uh yeah.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you so much for your service.

Really appreciate it.

So a couple other items, you know.

Um I would like to introduce the newest member of the parks and community services team.

Uh he just started on Monday.

So today is day three, and that is Wyatt Thompson, there in the back.

So Wyatt is the new planning and development manager, a position formerly held by Pam Fairman.

Um Wyatt joins us from Manhattan, Kansas.

Um he brings uh real depth of in of experience in in uh parks, uh both development and management, and in uh local government.

So we uh are so happy to have Wyatt join us, and uh I think you'll be seeing him a lot here.

So welcome to you, Wyatt.

So uh next up, I think it's uh time for a congratulations and thank you to the Stellar Eastgate Neighborhood Park team led at the council meeting uh just last night by uh by Chair Klima, by Cameron Parker, and by project manager Zarian Smith.

Um you I know not everyone was watching the council meeting last night.

So I mean the good news is the the council did approve the new name of uh the park as Eastgate Commons.

So that went through and they kind of gave a nod to the overall park plan.

So thanks everyone for your work on that.

And I'll leave room for you to fill in the details, uh, Chair Kalima, maybe during uh your time.

But anyway, congratulations everyone and a big thank you to Zaryan Smith for uh really leading the charge on that on that project.

So um uh I'll say lastly, and I'll say on a bit more of a personal note, I wanted to share the news that I have made the difficult but happy decision that I will be retiring in February.

Um, you know, a choice that uh didn't come easily, but you know, at some point you kind of you kind of know.

Um, and I'll say, you know, I've just had the good fortune to be able to work in this field of everything parks for um more than 36 years now, and my whole career in parks started here um in in Bellevue.

And you know, it has just been an honor to serve as director, you know, here in Bellevue in a city in a park.

I mean, you know, this is kind of the dream job in the parks world.

I just want you to know that.

Um, you know, I think it's uh I think you've just seen the great care that uh staff put into both planning and developing our park system, along with just the incredible level of dedication you see in the in the way our parks are operated um and maintained.

It's really it's really all about this incredible uh staff team we have here in Bellevue.

And you know, over my career, which has been in Bellevue and in Seattle and in Samamish, you know, I've had the opportunity to work on more than 400 uh parks projects in that time.

And I I kind of lost track over uh the years.

But you know, that's included dozens of new parks and play areas, sports fields, um uh community centers, trails and boardwalks, new gardens and plant collections.

I've I have actually built a new swimming pool, um, uh a mountain bike course underneath I-5 in Seattle, restored wetlands and beaches, preserve acres and acres of open space, and I built one Japanese garden here in Bellevue.

Um, but you know, the work we do, it's more than the places that we create.

It's really all about kind of building places for uh to build community.

And so that's what has made this uh work truly so uh meaningful.

Um and and it's also about you know the incredible programs we offer and also the support we offer to people in need.

So you know I I leave feeling just incredibly lucky uh for getting to have a career in the work I truly uh love.

But it's also uh I feel so fulfilled in getting to work with so many just incredible dedicated staff members and board members like you so I just want to say thank you so very much you can't drop a bomb like that and just move on my um I I will be back so I didn't mention my retirement date which I'll I'll be here through the end of January.

So yeah.

So only one more meeting I know so it requires a confirmation of the board so you're not going anywhere.

Okay so noted so noted that powerful in all service all all seriousness thank you for your service um uh it means a lot to me when somebody dedicates that much time and effort and not just at the quality that you've dedicated um to the community that we live in and so thank you for everything you've done and we wish you nothing but happiness moving forward in your next adventure.

Thank you thank you.

You have any trip plans it it's all about that so and and as I've said in a couple other venues it's also about hiking on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays awesome yeah thank you so much um any other questions or comments for direct party in January maybe yeah um anyone else questions oh Michael it's gonna be so different I feel like you've been the director the whole time I've been on the board and you've been such a great guiding force it's it's gonna be different without you and we'll miss you.

So thanks for all your work okay with that um perhaps we'll move on to the next item on the agenda uh board communications so let's start at one end of the table and move our way around um should we start with Eric first would you like to go first and then we'll go this way um since we met last I we got to enjoy OING Harbor Dave planting it was pretty hard in sitting or planting trees there and I learned a lot and I was absolutely amazed at the park ranger program I mean I knew of it but that was the first time I got to engage with the park rangers and they are true historians and educators and I I was I was blown with as well as I had fun planting a tree put pictures of exact hopefully I can line it up among the hundreds of other trees they have so I can actually follow and see if what I planted because I don't have a green thumb see if it actually grows so I mean I'm excited to watch that um uh over the years uh then that following Sunday I mean it was back to back we uh those teenagers are smarter than I am or ever will be I was absolutely amazed with their passion and dedication not just to the program but to the community how they view the world um it was truly eye opening to me and I was inspired by them uh I did get a chance to review the communications that came into the parks board um the staff and park uh that came up um I thought then reminded me of uh often late at night and I I see it being new to ours which I'm fine with that philosophically but I also know that uh a couple of the neighbors if that are right there by the park that it becomes disruptive for the neighborhood in the morning so I just want us to be mindful of that and making no action I'm not actually asking for action I'm just mentioning for I did a tally of all the parks inspired by our other uh members and I recognize I've been to 22 of them of my game and as I mentioned before my goal is to experiencing the parks and the spaces we so that's my starting so thank you I appreciate this whole time my mic wasn't oh shoot it's why I'm so sorry Eric thank you Eric sorry I didn't catch your mic wasn't on um do you want to repeat any of it into some okay and um okay thank you Eric um perhaps they'll go to Steve next and Mike on

So thank you, I for sure.

Oh shoot.

So I thought sorry, Eric.

Okay.

Thank you, Eric.

Sorry, I didn't catch your mic wasn't on.

Um do you want to repeat any of it to summarized?

Okay.

And um, okay, thank you, Eric.

Um, perhaps we'll go to Steve next and Mike on.

Um yeah, so the past month, um, I did attend the Gumbo Night where I and I saw a lot of the board members there, and uh I wanted to reiterate like what Eric was saying that I was very impressed with the with the youth that that is in uh in our city and how involved they are and how passionate they are about you know um getting involved in the community, and of course the food was excellent, and um some of the things that we were talking, we broke into small groups with these uh youth, and you know, I I had an opportunity to also understand some of their um worries or concerns that they have, especially with such a competitive uh school system that they are all um part of, but overall, you know, I I do you know I'll uh reflect back to when I was their age, and I just think wow, they have such bright futures ahead of them, especially with all the support systems that the city of Bellevue is so good at doing, and also the educational system, the education that they will be getting and or they are getting.

Um I have three kids that all went through or two of them already graduated, they're in college now.

I do have one still uh in the uh educational system here, and um what I can say is I am very um I'm I'm glad that I was uh able to put them through this school system.

Um I've I lived in Both before, um, and then transitioned over here when they first came into high school.

So, you know, that um so again, I I do kind of I think the city um a Bellevue, when it does certain things, it does it well, and you know, kind of like the parks and community services board, um, or the the park system, how it's managed by Michael and all the other people here.

I I just again I want to um just say again how um how how I think that we are very fortunate to be in such a system.

Thank you.

Thank you, Steve.

Eileen, I think everybody attend the gumbo night from the board.

We missed you.

I don't know.

Oh, must be the I saw you.

Oh, you saw me.

Wow.

You were sitting next to Nate.

Yeah, there's like four kids.

Do you know who Nate is?

Who's Nate?

He's my brother, son.

That's Tim's son.

I wonder he looks a little familiar.

I was like because I did ask him, I said, I think I've seen you somewhere, but I haven't seen him since he was a baby.

Yeah, yeah.

Okay, okay, that makes sense now.

That's right, because I think everybody, including Paul, we all attend a gumbo night.

So um, yeah, so that was one of the highlights, I think last month as well.

I think um, so I was sitting at a table with four high school students, and they all I think they all know each other from Bellevue High School, and what it was the very impressive, they all had um kind of they're very conscientious of the community and the future, and I think they're trying to work with the city and the school, try to further their cause.

You know, one of the students is looking at doing some diversity curriculum, and then the other ones are kind of looking into like affordable housing, or how do we increase the um the connection with the seniors?

So, what I would love to see is to see like maybe potentially more joint effort with you know to help these students like more success stories that um the program can highlight because I think all of them um have I mean some of them are juniors or seniors, so I would love to see these plans or these projects not just as a starting point, and as they graduate, they could pass on to the the next group of kids who can really make it something um uh I guess come to life, not just you know, a theory or starting point.

So, this is what I would love to see coming more from that program.

I'm sure Patrick is probably you know thinking more along the line.

Um another thing is, you know, after that, actually the next morning I left for Seoul, South Korea.

And one thing I noticed ever since I started up being on the board, whenever I travel, I seem to be more intentional look at how the youth parks and how to use a public space.

And so one thing I noticed when I was traveling, so is this um they have this kind of public outdoor library concept.

So instead of you know, reading books inside, like let's say right next to about downtown Bellevue Library.

We right now we have the open space.

So what they have is they have these uh kind of mobile carts you can check out books and they have uh kind of sitting sacks all over the lawn, and people just enjoy um reading some books outside, or we could do this even downtown like Bellevue Park.

Yeah, I noticed that you know, like the people can check out books.

There's mobile cards with lots of books on it that people could check out, and then with families, they just sit, you know, there's a lot of a sitting area.

People can gather, chat, and then reading.

So I thought that was kind of a neat.

I haven't seen anything like here.

So I thought I would share.

Yeah.

Thank you.

Thanks, Eileen.

Uh, would you like to go next, Elizabeth?

Yeah, thank you.

Um, I love the idea of longer term or more supported projects among the youth like link kids because they did have some amazing ideas.

I also went to Gumbo Night.

Um, it's really inspiring whenever we talk to young people, even though I've got some of them in my house.

They brought up some really specific things to parks at my table.

One was the maintenance of the parks.

Um I think their questions were around if I see something, how do I know when the last time it was maintained, right?

Because things happen.

They're we're outside.

So what does that look like?

So they wanted more information about that.

And I won't share the specific student, but um, I have some communication to pass on.

And the other the other thing that I was really happy to hear is how focused they were on the environment, on our public uh capabilities to recycle, to use compost.

They were they were almost disappointed in what they consider to be a lack of um composting and recycling and and how people used those tools.

And it was really great to be able to share.

Well, way back when we did not have that in public, right?

You recycled at home and uh in public, like if you wanted to recycle, you had to save it or you had to like take it somewhere.

This was a long time ago, but so they don't remember that, but that's what it was like.

And so really uh appreciated the opportunity to have that intergenerational discourse so they could see like things have changed.

We didn't have trains, we didn't have compost containers and public spaces.

That was my big takeaway.

I've also seen a lot of folks continuing to use parks.

And the one thing that I feel like I observe more and more as I'm in the parks is littering of allegedly compostable materials.

Uh, we all know that things don't just compost, it's not like an evaporation process, right?

They have to be in certain conditions to compost, like under the ground.

And well, we all know that, or maybe we don't, but some people don't know that.

And so I would love to know how we can think about signage to make sure people are well informed.

For example, well, dog poop is a common one in a compostable bag, but e even orange peels, for example.

We see those, and it might not be the same people who litter otherwise.

So that's been on my mind, maybe because oranges are in season, but I've been seeing it a lot.

Thanks, Elizabeth.

Um, I'll turn it over now to Paul, who's online.

I am online.

Um sorry I couldn't be there to pick up the Monopoly board.

I did get a chance to see it in person at the Saturday Bellevue Farmers Market a few weeks back.

So that um is much appreciated.

It uh is definitely pretty cool.

I did note the parks um squares, and yes, you are right, they are higher value squares.

So kudos on that.

Um, in terms of things that I have observed or participated in.

Um, a lot of folks talked about Gumbo Night already.

Don't necessarily want to belabor that too much, except maybe to highlight how much I heard at both my table as well as spoken um in some of the sort of um more um overall comment was uh the kind of multiplicity of mental health challenges that youth are facing.

Um and it's I think good to keep in mind that in addition to all of the things that go along with growing up um and figuring out the world and society and your place in it.

We also have a cohort of young folks who had to deal with COVID um, who had to deal who are engaging with um a level of technological hyperconnectivity that no generation has witnessed or didn't grown up with.

And on top of that, um at Gumbo Knight, we had so many ambitious and high performing um youth there that they're as well dealing with uh competitiveness, uh, which I think uh another member also mentioned.

Um just uh how difficult it is to get into various colleges and proceed along whatever career path that uh they may be thinking about.

So that isn't necessarily anything that parks has a holistic sort of uh role in resolving, obviously, but uh definitely youth link as an organization and several of the um several of the outlets that the park system provides.

I I am definitely appreciative of, including the comment, uh public comment uh we heard about um how we as a uh city can better enable folks to volunteer, help clean, help plant, help do things to um participate in maintaining and beautifying our park system.

So that was that was also great to see along the same vein.

Um other things I noticed.

Um interestingly, I I've noticed a little bit more leash compliance at Ashwood Park.

Um so that a pleasant surprise.

Um I wouldn't I wouldn't call it um by any means common that dogs are on leash, but I would say that there is more of that than I have seen recently.

Not sure what to attribute that to, but uh good news.

Um another thing that really came up uh I've had a chance to explore a lot of neighborhoods around the city this year, and one thing that comes up over and over again in survey results is that we are asked to build more trails around the city.

Um I think uh that has for as long as I've been on the board, the number one requested amenity by um Bellevue residents, and I just have had an opportunity to see how helpful it is, not just as a sort of a linear min miniature park, but also just as a transportation element for pedestrians to be able to get uh from point A to point B and also have a cool little way to do it.

I've uh I've seen dozens of those, and um I every one of them I can immediately see the value and why neighborhoods uh that that are connected adjacent or near those would uh just really love them.

So that was great to see.

And I guess finally, congratulations, Michael.

Um, and I am sorry to see you go.

Um, but uh definitely uh congratulations on just uh an illustrious career bookended to some extent by by Bellevue and thank you for taking your time uh investing in our city and the amazing park system that we have in no small part due to your efforts as well as the many other folks uh in the department.

But um uh looking forward to see you in uh January.

But uh yeah, best of luck planning your uh your final few months and uh moving off into the next adventure.

Okay, thank you, Paul.

I'll go next.

Um so last night, Zari and Smith, Cameron Parker, and I attended the Bellevue City Council meeting.

Uh Zari and Cameron did a wonderful job presenting the park project in the Eastgate neighborhood and the next steps.

Uh I was there to deliver our board's recommendation, the park design concept 2A and the name, uh Eastgate Commons that we had selected in September.

Uh council spoke very positively and expressed excitement about finally having a park in the Eastgate area, which is, as we all know, kind of underserved by parks.

Um I heard positive sentiments regarding the public engagement process and staff incorporating public feedback along the way.

Um council members mentioned liking elements in the park design like the covered sitting area and keeping the existing trees.

Um so that the design was very positive.

There was some discussion in oral communications and then from council about concerns over the park name.

Um, but in the end, uh things looked well uh with the recommendation, and it looks like staff will be helping to move forward with the next steps uh with design QA and the park name Eastgate Commons.

And uh I don't wanted to relay council is really appreciative of the hard work put together by staff, community members, um like members of the Eastgate uh neighborhood association and those who jumped in, as well as you board members.

So uh good job, everyone, and we'll stay tuned for more info and perhaps a ribbon cutting ceremony in 2028, 2029-ish.

All right.

So looking forward to that.

Um, and then other items I was gonna mention.

Uh uh, yeah, uh, I attended Arbor Day with Eric.

Uh it was really fun.

Uh the Rangers uh shared that a total of one 71 volunteers joined the staff to plant a point four acre area at Lewis Creek Park.

Um, the planning conditions were honestly a little tough.

It was a little rocky, but um in the end, uh folks are pretty impressed with the quality of trees we planted.

So that was a lot of fun.

Uh, just like everyone uh mentioned, I also attended Gumbo Night, and it was great to see so many attendees, and um, it was so insightful and Bellevue's so lucky to have such bright, motivated youth, passionate about the future, and and the table I was with was full of kids passionate about the environment.

And um, I really appreciated the uh public comment from uh youth from the well-kept program today.

It's really great.

I I did I did a similar-ish program like that when I was a kid, and I think it uh yeah, inspired a lifelong learning and love for the environment.

So I really appreciate uh the city having programs like that.

And for adults, I wanted to mention a program like that.

Uh the Bellevue Naturalist program is now accepting applications until November 30th.

And this is uh a program where volunteers get to learn about uh our areas of ecology and history, and then uh those that complete the program are asked to volunteers 100 hours of community service and local uh conservation projects and environmental education programs.

So if you know an adult uh interested in getting involved in uh the environment, um, help spread the word on that.

All right, so that concludes my oral communications.

And so with that, uh we'll jump into our discussion items.

And the first item on our agenda is uh the crossroad community center.

Um so our presenter tonight is Ugo Cuellar.

And Hugo Quayar, uh community services supervisor of the Parks and Community Services Department.

So thank you for joining us tonight.

Thank you for having me.

Um so this presentation is for information purposes only.

No action is required or requested from uh sit on.

Okay, yes.

Thank you for checking.

Um here's the agenda for my presentation.

We're gonna start with an overview of the crossroads park, what is included in Crossroads Park, and then moving on up to the community center, the programs at Crossroads, and then the community partnerships that uh have been established so far.

So what is included in Crossroads Park?

Uh if you look at the image, that is the only spray park in Bellevue.

Um it also includes a dog off leash area, uh, multiple playgrounds that are ADA, um, the international park, which features events like movies in the park, uh, and also Fiesta del Mais.

Uh, and that Fiesta del Maíz event, uh, the committee has reached out to me to become involved next year.

So we will be involved in that event next year.

Um, the park also includes Bellevue Youth Theater, um, of course, our community center, um, a golf course, covered picnic tables, and a skate park.

So there's a lot going on uh in the area.

There's also just people walking from point A to point B.

So a lot of people walk into our community center, maybe not even looking for anything, but just wondering what what this is.

Um, we have a lot of people coming in uh and discovering um their everyday um everyday activities because we do have a very, very, very, very, very popular games room that is uh open and free to anybody.

Uh open uh if the community centers open, the games room is open, and I've never seen it empty.

It's very, very popular.

Oh, sorry, goes through all the images.

There are the playgrounds.

Uh one of them uh that's uh movies in the park event.

We have thousands of people that show up to that.

It's very fun to set up that big screen.

Uh this is from the Fiesta del Maíz event.

Uh, it's a craft activity where people make little corn um trinkets out of beets.

Okay, moving on to our team.

I am missing somebody here, but I could not find an image uh that is our current administrative assistant Victoria.

Starting from the left is one of our coordinators, Tiberius.

Tiberius has been with the city for I believe maybe 19 or 20 years.

In the middle, we have Brandy with one of her kids.

And Brandy has also been with the city for a couple of years.

She's one of the second coordinator.

And then on the far right is myself.

And I am the supervisor.

And that's me with my English cockers on your bow.

And again, we are missing Victoria, who is our administrative assistant.

Mission for the Crossroads Community Center.

We want to enhance and complement.

Oh, how do I go back?

Got it.

To enhance and complement the crossroads community by providing comprehensive recreational, educational, and human service programs in the diverse crossroads neighborhood.

So if you look at that multiple images that are up there, the far right is line dancing.

Top right is the Hawaiian dance performance group.

And then the lower left is the story time with King County Library Systems.

More of our programs.

We are offering a lot of health and fitness and wellness related programs.

We have very popular volleyball, basketball, pickleball, badminton.

We will be starting self-defense in January.

That is for pickleball.

That is our self-defense.

That's our community room.

All of you went to Gumbo Room, so that's where you were.

And that is our jet gymnastics.

Very popular program.

And our indoor kite flying.

Moving on to education and arts.

Oh, sorry, I forgot to mention.

Back here in Health and Fitness.

We recently removed the carpet in one of our rooms, our mirror room.

So that we are so we opened that room for Mondays and Thursdays from 9 to 12 as just a free drop-in.

We have some dumbbells, some yoga mats, some resistant bands, some exercise balls.

So if somebody just wants to go and stretch or lift some weights, uh they're able to, and it's completely free of charge.

So some people have been taking advantage of that open community space.

Moving on to education and arts.

We have our book club, our domino toppling, uh Transcend United.

Uh I'll speak more about them in the community partnerships slide.

Uh uh Medicare workshops, they help people set up their Medicare and all of that very important stuff.

An Alzheimer support group uh and our Day of the Dead event that we just had back in October.

Uh in the arts, we have classical music concerts, the Nowi Olin Tescatlipocatl, Aztec Dance Group, uh, the Hawaiian performance arts.

You all saw that picture a couple of slides ago.

Uh line dancing, you saw that image a couple of slides ago.

Sugar school making and makerspace.

Uh that picture is our Dungeons and Dragons group that has been growing.

Uh, it's a new program.

Uh, and it's led by one of our uh staff members at Crossroads.

Umino Toppling, uh, very popular as well.

Uh uh Dungeons and Dragons is five dollars.

Uh Domino Toppling is free.

This is uh one of our camps, our frog legs camp uh this past summer.

Uh so every summer we offer 35 uh sessions of uh should be Steam uh camps each summer.

So um tech encoding, culinary legos, uh camps are designed for ages four to 13.

All of them are hands-on and project-based learning.

So there's no um, you know, lecture.

It's all interactive and uh kids uh usually, if they go to a culinary camp, they usually take some something home that they make.

So it's a very popular, all of our camps are very popular.

Uh moving on to our preschool.

Um, so we are the only park staff fled preschool.

Um we it's also one of the most, if not the most affordable in our community.

Um we often have a wait list.

I believe we always have a wait list.

Um, and it helps uh prepare uh young kids to start kindergarten.

So getting into that routine uh of having a schedule.

Um are very popular.

Um our highly educated uh staff are very well liked and appreciated by all of the parents.

They are very happy uh with what they are getting out of our preschool.

Uh I think I have a couple of other pictures here.

Oh, never mind.

Um and these are all well, some of our newer and upcoming programs that we have started.

Uh so my first day was uh June 25th.

Uh, and since then we've we've launched uh uh several new programs.

So uh the first one, the afternoon park walks, that is uh gentle walking for older adults.

So we have a couple of older adults that just come and take a walks with with one of our um staff members just uh in the park.

Like I said, we have a lot of things included in Crossroads uh park.

So just walking, very simple, but it does a lot for many people.

So we have a couple couple of people that always come to that.

Uh the second one, girls who write.

It's a creative writing uh class or workshop for teenage girls.

That is also led by one of our staff members.

The Rainbow Elder Play and Connect.

It's uh LGBT older adult specific uh game.

It's not during it's not nighttime, but it's game night basically, and it'll be uh once a month beginning in February.

That one is in partnership with uh uh Pride Across the Bridge.

The fitness room program that I mentioned uh also we have the story time.

We have a story time in Spanish.

That one I have shared the flyer with uh Youth Eastside Services and uh Kindring, who is also in the neighborhood.

So they are sharing with their community members as well.

We have a pool workshop.

I mentioned that we have a very popular games room uh with ping pong tables and pool.

So we will have a volunteer teaching people how to play pool.

Um we have our very successful Day of the Dead event this past October.

It was our first one.

We had over 200 people attend.

It was free for everyone.

We had food, dancing, crafts, and uh just brochure to learn more about the culture.

Uh Dungeons and Dragons, um, the the one that I mentioned.

And then we have another new event that we uh just created and will launch in January, Winterfest.

Uh we had a very fun and successful time with Day of the Dead.

So we we are moving forward with more open uh events for the community that are free of charge and family friendly.

And for our community partnerships, um I've worked with Youth ESI services.

They're in that picture is Eric Mercado, who is our uh equity coordinator, and uh Tina uh Morales, who is the director of programs, I believe, at youth uh Yes, that Transcend United is a nonprofit.

We have an MOU with, and they come to our center uh once or twice a week to help people with um their Medicare uh questions and setting up their um, I believe some legal advice as well.

They they come in with their professionals and they also offer activities for older adults, whether it's karaoke, game night, uh dancing, uh bingo, and those are very, very popular and mostly with uh Chinese, Vietnamese, and I believe Thai community members.

Um the Nowie Olin Tescatlipol Catl dance group.

We also have an MOU with them.

They use our space to rehearse, but they invite the community to participate or just come and watch and learn.

Um they also performed at our Day of the Dead event and the Hawaiian Performance Arts Group.

Um, they also use our space to practice and also offer uh community uh performance uh for people to attend.

And they those are also free.

Um other partnerships that we have are Transcend United.

I know you all went to Gumbonine, so you're probably in that picture.

That's the Aztec dance group during our Day of the Dead event.

Um and our Hawaiian uh dance group as well.

And yeah, that is a short overview of what's going on at Crossroads Community Center.

Thank you for your presentation, Ugo.

You're welcome.

Thank you.

Um so I'll turn it over to the board uh for questions or comments.

Uh Eric.

Uh first of all, thank you.

Very rich and uh very unique activities we have going on.

I am most curious about how you fly kites indoors.

I'm serious.

I don't know indoor kites as like are they running around with a string?

And I mean, how do they get it to fly if there's no Indian noise?

It's a very specific.

I've never seen it either.

I have the same question as you.

Um and it's a very specific um way to do it.

The the instructor teaches and and mostly older adults attend, but there's also younger folks.

Um I I still don't understand how it happens, but it's popular and people like it.

Well, apparently I'll have to attend so I can find out.

But thank you.

Very detailed report.

Thank you.

Yeah, you're welcome.

Yeah, right.

Uh next.

Oh, go ahead, Elizabeth.

Yeah, I would love to attend that with you.

I thought the same thing.

I was like, that's gotta be a lot of work.

I'm sure it's an amazing workout.

Um, so thank you so much.

We live just south of the crossroads neighborhood, and we love crossroads.

I will just say there's way more activities than I realized going on at the community center.

I knew of about a third.

So it was great to see those.

And I think my only question is what partnerships you might have for outreach via the crossroads mall, because it's literally right there.

And I feel like, oh my gosh, so many times we've like run in to grab boot or something, but we didn't see the amazing free activities going on right next door.

You might have posters that one just misses in the melee of the mall, but I'd love to learn about that.

Yes, thank you for your question.

Um, so uh the city of Bellevue actually has a partnership with the mall for movies in the park.

So this coming summer, summer 2026 is our last year with that um agreement for for them to sponsor movies in the park.

So we're looking at what that agreement will look like look like in the future.

Um, I'm also speaking with the mall staff to see what other maybe smaller scope events, uh, just because movies in the park is large.

So just what smaller scope partnership we're able to establish since we are very close.

Um but they just went through some new uh leadership.

Um so there's still you know more discussions to have.

But yes, I I I agree.

Thanks.

Um I'll turn it over to Paul who's on live.

Yes.

Um awesome presentation.

Great to hear all of the details.

I thought the um the DD thing struck out, uh stuck out to me just because of what I was saying earlier about mental health and the challenges kids have and outlets and the types of outlets that the park system provides, can should and is uh very diverse because kids are very different.

Um, and so it was really neat to to see something like that, even if it was also kind of a blast from my uh 80s upbringing.

Um what I was curious about was the pickleball um and the kind of level of kind of use or um availability.

Um the uh you you were seeing with respect to uh pickleball.

Um demand is high with pickleball, as I believe it has been uh at my the other community center I used to manage was also very popular.

So we have capacity for 24 players.

We usually have 24 plus players, so we we have to turn people away sometimes.

Gotcha.

I I assumed as much, I just wanted to check in.

It's gonna be years until we have more pickleball courts uh or a significantly more pickleball courts, I should say.

I'm not saying we won't pick up one or two conversions here or there, but um, but yeah, just um I was curious about that.

And with respect to um, you made a comment about the only um spray park, I think was the term you used.

Um maybe it's a definitional thing, and I just don't know, but uh we do have some type of water spraying activity that goes on at the downtown park.

I wasn't sure if there was uh kind of a difference.

I know it's much smaller um down there, but it also might be different in nature as well.

I just uh was was curious if there was something about the definition of spray park that I I could um that is what I was told it was called.

Uh but I will go back to my sources.

Thank you.

All right, yeah, no worries.

I I think the one in the downtown park is considered a spray park, but it's not as fabulous as the one at Crossroads.

Thank you.

Oh no, it's it's definitely smaller scale.

Definitely smaller scale.

I just um cool.

Um then uh yeah, that's all I got.

Thank you.

Yeah, thanks.

Thanks for coming.

Yeah, thank you.

Well, uh Eileen.

Yeah, thank you for the presentation.

It's actually very informative and timely because when I went to the gumbo night, I think I realized I'm kind of embarrassed to say, I don't think I've ever been there, the community center.

I've been to Crossroads Park, obviously many times, but in a used theater.

But when I stepped in, I'm like, oh, they have a poo table.

I would love to know more about what you know what the center offers.

And then surely enough, a month later I'm hearing the presentation.

Um, so I have uh uh regarding pickleball, is the same thing the model as the South Bellevue community center where you kept buy a punch card and then it's the same thing.

Yes.

Okay, okay.

And then for the self-defense class, is that the Office of Craig's class?

Yes.

It's just gonna have more permanent home.

Because I went to the office of Craig's times.

It's in the kind of uh in a taekwondo place with the the room with the mats.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Um is this gonna is he gonna have more permanent home?

Because I know he used to run this out of the city, but then the room is just too small.

Um a more permanent home.

I'm not sure.

He's gonna offer some classes um at Crossroads.

Uh we haven't done it, I think in maybe a year or two.

So we're gonna try it out and see what the community interest is like, and then we'll explore, you know, his availability and our space availability and see hopefully we can come up with something that works for everyone.

Okay, and then it's um I think it's a woman only, correct?

So far, yes.

Um, my other question is, you know, it's great to see a lot of the new programs coming up.

I wonder what the process is for you guys who decide what program to offer and you know how you just you know, how you kind of what's the process of running the new program and what are some needs the community center has?

Thank you for the question.

Yeah.

Um, so like I said, I started here with the city of Bellevue in June before that I managed a community center in Portland, Oregon.

So some of these things are things that I used to do over there.

So I mentioned them to my team and I said, I used to do this.

Would this be of interest here?

Do you think?

And Mike's uh my staff have been here for several years.

Type Ears has been there for like almost 20.

Um, so I really value their input and also the community tells you what they want more of or less of, usually more of.

Um, so you know, we know the people want more pickleball.

We want we we know people want more ping pong.

Uh we know people want more events like the Day of the Dead.

Um so we we see what we what resources we have and what we can make happen sooner to keep the community engaged with us.

I think Crossroads hasn't had as much.

I'm glad you visited where when you visited um because there's a lot more good and cool and fun things that are coming.

Um so I think the community will be very pleased with uh the changes that are already happening, but with more positive things to come and also just more open to sharing feedback as they see more programs happening at crossroads.

Um, because to your point, um there was less programs.

Um, you know, six months ago or a year ago.

Um so I think some people who maybe used to come stop coming because oh, I kind of already know what's happening there.

I don't need to go back again.

So we wanna bring people back.

Uh so some so people that went to the Day of the Dead, for example.

Oh, I haven't been here since I was, you know, little, or I went to preschool here.

Um, so there's a level of nostalgia that um we're kind of like using as motivation to bring people back into the center and let us know what what would you like to see?

Uh people want uh when we open the fitness room that I mentioned, we don't have any equipment, but now people are like, oh, we want a treadmill.

Now we want an elliptical.

Um so just hearing the people sharing their thoughts helps us plan for the future.

Um just conversations.

Conversations help us uh plan and prepare and assess what kind of resources we have to make stuff happen.

Great.

Thank you.

Thank you, Eileen.

Oh Steve?

I think thanks for your presentation.

And um I you know, the the uh hostels area, I think you can literally spend like hours and hours over there.

Um during the summers, I would take my kid to the uh part three golf course over there.

Yeah, and uh this was before I became a board member.

Um we would go after hours when you don't have to pay any admissions.

I've heard that a couple of times.

Yeah, so so FYI.

Kids told me the same thing.

Mom, I can just jump over.

I'm like, what?

Yeah, so but um well, you're making um you know uh making things more accessible for the general public.

Well, I know I'm like it's joking, but I don't do that anymore.

I I don't I don't um promote that.

But uh one thing I I do want to ask is regarding um partnerships.

If let's say a group wants to be um have ideas and they they think, oh, this might be a something that the that the community center should should consider.

I I don't I don't um promote that but uh one thing I I do want to ask is regarding um partnerships if let's say a group wants to be um have has ideas and they they think oh this might be a something that the that the community center should should consider how do they go about uh reaching out or or getting it on your on your radar and and what is the process kind of like what Eileen was was mentioning what is there a set procedures or is there an application that needs to be um provided uh before the city or the parks um you know allows it or enters into that partnership sure um so I've had a couple of people approach me already um with um hey we used to be here 20 years ago and then something happened something being an incident and but you know we resolve that we would love to come back um so when I get an email like that um well usually it's a in-person meeting and then I'll ask them to follow up with an email with everything that they are requesting and then I'll share that email with my supervisor um and then with my team and then see if that partnership is beneficial to the community and beneficial to the center uh we don't want to jump into partnerships that just somebody wants to do because they think it's a good idea uh and it may be a good idea but if we move in a uh somebody let's say somebody wants uh to bring in their organization into our community center and if we say yes we have to we don't have a lot of space in our community center now so who are we displacing or what are we displacing to fit that partnership we don't want to displace uh pickleball for example because it's very popular and it's good you know it's good exercise it's good community building there's a lot of benefit to it so we don't want to displace that already established popular program that people love so okay do we need to do uh so it's it's there's a lot more conversation to have um when uh partnership it has to be beneficial for the community that's the biggest thing um and how many people are going to benefit from it how are they going to benefit from it and is this something that none of the other community centers are offering already because they may already be offering uh somewhere else so we don't need to displace anybody we just need to maybe send them over there um yeah would you say that currently um the in terms of the time and space um and the all the also the partnerships are are there more partnerships that you guys are thinking of entering into or are there plenty that you're considering oh we we have to make sure we're not displacing certain certain groups um from what I have heard I my background is the the community center I used to manage and oversee was a nonprofit um so I have been very comfortable doing outreach um which my team has told me that that it's a different approach from what the community center has been used to usually we the community center waited until somebody came and said hey I'm part of this group I'm part of this organization I want to join I want to be part of this and for me um I reached out to youth east services because they're right next door to us they serve a community that we want to serve better so that one felt like a natural partnership I reached out to Kindering because they do uh preschool we have a preschool so we may be able to offer services that benefit both communities um and then I also know that we wanted to offer more uh programs for the arts so I reached out to music works Northwest to see if there was a way that we could partner in a way that benefits both their organization and ours um so it it just it just depends some sometimes they come to my desk but sometimes the the the partnership feels very one-sided um and those are the ones that usually come in the door at least in in the past I don't know four or five months that I've been here with the city of Bellevue um they have some support from some community members I'll give some example people want um to put more ping pong tables in one of the rooms but if we do that it's so four or six other people more can play at the time but to do that we have to displace the um the piano recital that always has their concerts there so the community that's known to use that space it's a the room is shaped like a piano for for this additional information.

Thank you Jen.

So it's a balancing act.

Let's just put it that way.

Um we really do have to spend a lot of time considering the community that the facility is in.

Who is it in that community directly that would benefit the most from a partnership?

But to be quite honest, um we do we do we do quite a few at Crossroads.

Um, but there isn't a whole lot of space.

And we have to prioritize our internal programs that we're offering the community with partnerships that other community areas they want to use with facility rentals for celebrations or special events.

So it's it is it's a big balancing act.

But we encourage people to come and see, you know, what the facility has to offer and and how we could partner with them.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh-huh.

Oh, thank you.

Um I guess uh I'll uh share my comments as well.

Um thank you for this wonderful presentation.

Yeah, I had no idea you ran this many programs at Crossroads.

And I think it's just incredible.

Uh at the the one of the early slides, you showed your team of four people.

And that's just kudos to you guys for um coordinating so many different activities and juggling so many different hundreds of people, thousands of people at once at a time, it seems so um amazing job doing that.

Um honestly, I think everyone kind of asked the questions I was gonna ask.

I go to a crossroads all the time because uh for the dog park, my dog likes the uh area.

Um I I forgot to mention I really appreciated you adding all the photos in the presentation.

It really gave me great insights and everyone in the photo looked happy and and it also all the different activities, it it's like it echoes the diversity's our strength motto at the city of Bellevue.

So I think yeah, that all your work at Crossroad really exemplifies that.

So great job.

My one little question was gonna be um about I I noticed you mentioned wait list for preschool, and I was gonna ask what kind of uh what could make add more capacity.

I feel like you kind of touched it with balancing, but maybe I'll ask it.

Our preschool is not licensed, so we can only uh run it for, I believe, under four hours a day.

Um, so that is why we can't offer additional hours uh for the preschool.

Uh unless we go through the process to become uh licensed, which is you know, uh another bigger conversation to have.

Okay, thanks for sharing that.

I know a lot of uh young parents I work with.

They're always looking for awesome new preschool ideas.

So uh it's great to get insights into the options available and and uh what it takes to expand that.

Um with that, that kind of concludes my comments.

Does anyone else have any additional?

Oh, Eileen has one more.

Yeah.

I just realized I was looking up.

Um maybe there's more question for Jane.

Um, I remember I was um maybe I don't know, last year, I was looking at um various community centers where I can book gym for my church's pickleball.

And I remember contacting different community centers in Bellevue.

And at the time I remember the process was quite manual.

Like I have to fill a form and the credit card trend, like I have to call somebody literally to find out availability and then fill out a form.

And then even the credit cards, it wasn't just like I have to fill some form to put my credit card number.

It's improving.

Let me just put it that way.

Okay, okay.

Yeah, I was wondering if that's it's like it's somewhere I can more automate, I can look up myself when it's available and for how I'm sure everybody heard about when we got our new registration system, right?

So there is a module within our registration system that has to do with rentals.

Oh, okay.

We're rolling it out slowly because as with any new software system, you sometimes find little hiccups and things that aren't working quite exactly how you expected them to in the beginning.

So we're gonna be putting a calendars together, first of all.

So if you look at our outdoor uh picnic areas, okay, where you can go on and look at the calendar and you can see if they're available or not.

That was kind of our first phase of us working through that issue because we have heard it from other people.

Okay.

And then we're going to slowly apply it to our indoor spaces.

Okay.

There are some backend quirks that we're still working through because uh a park shelter is a little easier because it's just one space.

Whereas when you have a facility that has several rooms that you're also trying to program, it's not as easy on the back end when you set it up.

So let me just put it that way.

But we are working towards having it where at least there's an online calendar where you can see where the availability is.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

How soon-ish levy.

So okay.

I'll blame it on Michael.

Um we're hoping throughout 2026 it will be expanding.

Okay.

Let me put it that way.

Is that bag but specific enough for you?

Come soon.

Yes.

Okay, great.

Yeah.

Glad to know that.

Yeah, because I just remembered the product.

Like right now, we actually have been renting every week from Gorin tennis, but winter it's been really hard.

And so I'm may come back to see what other options that we have.

Well, and I have to tell you, gym space throughout our entire system is at a premium.

So that's a difficult gym space specifically.

It's like swimming pool space, right?

Like it's it's really hard.

It gets especially in these months.

Yeah.

When it's raining now.

Boy, indoor space.

Yeah.

Because like the Bellevue Pickleball Club is, I think, opening soon.

I went there to play.

Um, I think like last week.

It's very, very expensive.

I mean, it's just well, you can come to our open times.

But we have a group of people that we try to rent for.

Oh, for like the more like outreach events.

So yeah, but thank you.

Thank you for the update.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Final questions.

All right.

Well, thank you so much for joining us tonight in your presentation and all your work.

Thank you.

All right.

So uh next uh item on our agenda is the 2022 parks and open space levy update.

And joining us tonight is Betsy Anderson, senior planner of the parks and community services department.

Thanks for joining us tonight.

Oh, and Cameron Parker, sorry.

I misspoke.

Yeah.

So nice.

Yeah.

Thank you.

All right.

Thank you very much.

I'll just do a kind of a quick introduction.

Um, but over the past several months, um we have been working on uh coming up with a strategy to get more information out to the public on a more regular basis about the status of our most recent parks levy that was uh passed in 2022.

So with um, let's see, do we have our clicker?

Oh, there we go.

Uh so this will be um sort of a presentation that has a few different parts uh for information only, just kind of let you know what we're thinking about, what we've been working on in terms of levy reporting.

Um we will cover the um just sort of a reminder of the levy and um sort of how it's put together and how it drives the different projects that we're working on that are uh levy funded, and then um get into that levy reporting strategy and share with you some of the the many different outlets and tools that we are schooling up for that purpose.

And so with that, I'll hand it over to Betsy.

Great, thank you, Cameron.

And it's nice to see you all tonight and to be here.

Um, I hope you can hear me okay.

I'm recovering from having had a lost voice, so I'm I'm trying to keep myself bolstered.

Um, so as Cameron noted, uh, we're gonna begin this evening's presentation with some background on the 2022 parks and open space levy.

Um, and including um the important role of voter-approved initiatives in building Bellvy's park system.

So proposition one, which was approved by Bellevue voters back in November of 2022, raised the city's regular levy by 20 cents per thousand dollars of assessed property value over a nine-year period.

So, for example, that means um a person owning a million dollar house would is paying um 200 a year in property taxes over that nine-year period to contribute to the levy.

And the levy is split um so that 15 cents of that 20 cents goes toward um acquisition and development projects, and then another five cents is directed toward maintenance.

And we'll talk a little bit more about how that plays out as we move forward.

The 2022 parks and open space levy also has eight focus areas that you see listed here on the slide.

And actually, it was a great several great segues were presented earlier.

So board member Clark's reference to the importance of trails, our discussion about off leash areas for dogs and emerging sports like pickleball.

You can see those reflected here.

And these really do align with community priorities for the park system as well as priority investments that have been identified in the parks and open space system plan that the board is, of course, familiar with.

The most recent park system survey, which was conducted in 2021 to 22, demonstrated strong community support for trails for open space and for outdoor recreation facilities.

And most community members who responded to the survey also demonstrated an interest in having parks and community services focus equally on acquisition of new parkland as well as development and improvement of existing parklands.

So again, that balancing act.

The parks and open space system plan, as the board knows, emphasizes providing parks in underserved areas of the city, also providing public waterfront access along Lake Washington and Lake Sabamish, those emerging sports that we've been talking about this evening.

And also large scale community recreation facilities, such as an aquatic center.

So all of those ideas are reflected in this list, and we'll talk a little bit more about how those how those projects are moving forward shortly.

This most recent, this most recent levy builds on a long history of bond and levy support for the park system in Bellevue.

And since Bellevue's incorporation as a city back in 1953, there have been several voter approved initiatives, and you can see them listed on the slide.

It was really impressive to me to see this.

So bond measures in the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and then the parks and natural areas levy that was passed in 2008.

You know, I should also note that the park systems also benefited from a variety of King County bonds and levies that have been passed over the years.

And I, you know, I don't think I could overstate just how critical these voter approved initiatives have been to building city in the park that we know and love, and just how much of the park system is really the result of those of those voter measures.

They remain a critical funding source for park acquisition and development.

In addition to levy funds, the system is also funded through the city's general capital investment program or the CIP and real estate excise tax.

And then, you know, importantly, um county, state, federal grant sources are also used to offset costs.

So that's kind of at a very high level, kind of the funding picture for acquisition and development.

So next I'm going to move into a status update for the 2022 levy projects, but actually, first I'm going to dive into a couple of slides that highlight some of the 2008 levy projects because you'll see that the two levies really build on one another.

So here you can see a first set of projects.

And you'll see that that areas of long-term park system investment can often be reflected in more than one voter initiative.

So Maine Bower Bay Park is a good example of that.

And this is this is an exciting list because it's a lot of kind of what many would consider to be the most iconic recent Bellevue Park projects that have been completed, and those are really thanks to the 2008 levy.

And that levy is set to expire in 2028.

So we're coming up on the end of that.

And most of the projects funded have been completed or are nearing completion.

Here's my second slide on the 08 levy.

Another interesting element of note is that you know, many of these projects were actually completed relatively recently.

So these neighborhood park projects that the board is familiar with, bridal trails and Newport Hills Woodlawn Park.

And that really demonstrates the um just the how projects can be distributed over the full term of a levy.

So an acquisition, for example, at the very beginning of the levy might actually toward the end of the levy become a developed park.

And so you can see that in the list of acquisitions as well, which is quite quite amazing.

So moving into 2022, um, you can see you'll be able to see again how long-term park system planning and community interest and input have really informed this list.

And I'm just going to do a high-level overview of these projects, and they're reflected in the CIP project status list that the board has.

You can see on the slides that they're actually organized according to those eight focus areas that we were looking at earlier.

And this first one for open space Greenways Wildlife Corridors and Trails is really focused on on for the acquisition category, complementing the existing park system, preserving open space, and increasing trail connectivity.

And so the three acquisitions that you see listed there meet that goal.

And then also in this first category, there are wide variety of trail projects that are underway, both in the kind of planning and feasibility stages as well as in development construction.

And all parts of the city that you see listed there.

These are focused largely on improving trail connectivity, improving trail accessibility in key areas of the system.

This next slide features a number of levy supported master planning projects that the board has helped advance recently and you know knows well.

And these all fall under the community parks, neighborhood parks, and recreation and community facilities categories.

And so we've got the master plan update for Bellevue Airfield Park, which will provide just expanded, largely expanded recreational opportunities at that undeveloped site, as well as a location for an aquatic center to meet the needs, the growing aquatic needs of all community members here in Bellevue.

The Ashwood Park Master Plan, which just completed environmental review and will be presented at council early next month.

It's also supported by the Levy.

And then, you know, last but not least, Eastgate Neighborhood Park, we had a wonderful update, you know, on the status of that project already, so I don't need to go into detail there.

The waterfront restoration and development category focuses on a couple of different areas.

So the phase development of Maidenbauer Bay Park, which you see both illustrated and listed, and that project is in permanent and design right now.

The other, um the other kind of bucket of projects are focused on restoration and refurbishment of waterfront parks.

And so examples of work completed to date in that category include the planned demolition of the failing boat house at Clyde Beach Park, planning for shoreline restoration to improve ecological health at Chisholm Beach Park, the removal of existing structures on some of the newly acquired parcels along Lake Samamish so that those can be ready for planning and development.

So there's some examples of projects in that category.

And then to round out the master planning list, the master plan process for the Bell Red neighborhood park is just about to kick off, and that's actually in a levy category that's dedicated to providing park space in the emerging growth centers of Bell Red and Wilburton.

And so this is my last project update slide, and couldn't have asked for a better introduction to the emerging sports category than some of our conversations earlier, and also off-leash areas.

So, you know, happy to report on a really successful implementation of a pop-up off leash program that began as a pilot in 2023 and resulted in a permanent off-leash areas that have been mentioned at Crossroads and then also at Wilburton Hill and Wildwood Parks.

And then in addition, um, under the emerging sports category, 32 sport courts across the park system have actually been retrofitted to have shared use with pickleball.

So new striping, new nets, and that includes at Eastgates, Crossroad, Highland, Lakemont, and then the dedicated pickleball court is still at Hilaire Park.

And I'm happy to report that there are eight, at least at the moment, eight pickleball courts planned in the master plan for Bellevue Airfield Park.

So starting to kind of chip away at some of that demand.

In terms of cricket, there's a synthetic outfield turf replacement project underway at Robinswood Community Park.

And that that project will allow us to actually install striping for a cricket pitch in addition to the soccer markings.

That project slated to go in in 2026 in the spring.

And then certainly last but not least, the maintenance operations portion of the levees.

So that's that 5% of the 20 cents that's dedicated to maintenance has has really done quite a lot.

It's allowed us to restore maintenance levels at 11 parks.

It's allowed us to keep our restrooms open year-round, where nearly half of them were not.

They were closed seasonally, so that's a huge benefit.

Supported asphalt repairs for parking lots and paved trails and other maintenance activities, and also provided much-needed supplies for parks and community centers.

And so the exciting part of the presentation, the levy reporting strategy and how we're hoping to share this information with the community to regularly demonstrate how their park system investment is being applied.

And we'd like to share this with the board and the components of the strategy and would really welcome your feedback on that this evening.

So there are a number of elements reflected, number of components reflected here on the slide.

The first of which is a levy logo, and you're seeing the very first cut at that.

It's still you know in the process of being refined, but the idea is that that would be posted on signage on materials that you know would be handed out so that so that those levy investments are really clear to everyone in the community.

In addition, staff are working on an illustrated progress report that will be really visually engaging that will show projects and locations.

And we're looking forward to posting that on the levy web page, also having a few hard copies available of that.

And that the ideal would be that that will be produced at least biennially.

Hopefully beginning this winter.

The levy webpage, which exists would be updated to include a little bit more information, including a link to an interactive map where residents can you know get online and kind of see where the projects are happening and what their schedule is.

And then as we seek to more prominently share the benefits of the levy with the community, we're also looking at some of our existing communication tools and products and finding ways to just enhance that information a little bit more.

So one example, excuse me, is the CIP project list that the board receives regularly.

And you may have noticed that we updated the format of that this month as compared to past months, just so that it's clear, you know, which projects the levy is supporting.

And then secondly, um social media platforms and and opportunities that we engage with regularly to publicize, for example, community planning initiatives and community engagement opportunities or also openings or ribbon cuttings for a park.

So those are some places where we're also hoping to emphasize levy um projects a little bit more clearly and and I guess abundantly.

So in terms of next steps, you know, as mentioned, um, staff is working on these.

We'll be rolling them out, you know, beginning this winter, and we'll be continuing throughout the levy term.

I'm just realizing that I forgot one really important element of the list, which was a short video too that we're interested in in putting together and posting more toward the end of the levy term that can perhaps have some interviews with staff and community members and just describe the impact of this work.

So with that, um, we really welcome you know any questions and feedback from the board, um, both about the strategy and and any other topics.

So thank you.

Thank you, uh Betsy and Cameron for the wonderful presentation.

Uh, we'll turn it over to the board for discussion.

Uh, we had estimated this should take about 20 minutes, so maybe we'll try to aim to wrap up at 750.

Um, with that, questions and comments, who would like to go first?

Oh, first of all, thank you so much.

I love the logo, actually.

I think it captures a lot of great elements.

That's just side comment.

Um, one, the Vasa open space.

I that's my first question.

I'm wondering if you can remind us what that consists of, because I know I'm thinking of Vassa Park, which is a private park and not ours.

So that was one.

And then I also wondered if we help people understand the why of which projects were chosen.

Because I know we get a lot of, we have so many involved folks in Bellevue with a lot of ideas who propose ideas, and it would be helpful for them to be able to understand why certain things were prioritized.

Do we share that anywhere in an easy to follow like flowchart or anything like that?

Or is that something we could do?

Maybe with oh, do you want to?

I can take the first part.

Okay, I'll take a look at the uh so the Vassa Upland.

So if if uh so Vassa Park is a privately operated uh waterfront park on Lake Samama, so like the south end of Bellevue, um, along Lake Smash Parkway.

If you're familiar with that, they have the beach park across the street.

They have um their sort of uh ballroom and um event center.

They have several acres there, and then um uh south from there, they owned uh owned until we acquired it, a large track of undeveloped uh kind of forested area that uh was adjacent to uh some open space that uh we had acquired um a couple of decades ago.

So we did not acquire the beach park property um or the property across the street that has the facility there.

Um but uh sort of this this undeveloped parcel that they had uh in addition to that.

Thank you for the clarification.

I had one a follow-up question.

So less about the private park, which has all those facilities and more what are we planning to do with the parcels that we've acquired given that it's undeveloped.

They are uh forested, very hilly.

Uh, there's a stream uh Vassa Creek that runs through that property.

Uh so uh it's sort of best in in that purpose just as an open space conservation and trails would be the opportunity at that location.

And then an answer, excellent second question as well.

Um, the the progress report, the illustrated report I was describing would actually, you know, is a spot where we can describe why and why certain projects have been selected, you know, under each category.

And so that's great feedback for us, you know, as we work on that.

And I guess I might be able to supplement that answer that you know, in terms of putting the levy together, I think it's pretty easy to follow that that it we had completed the parks and open space system uh the year before, and that really was the public process that helped establish what the priorities were, what needed to happen in the system, and from that plan flowed what came what went into the levy is prioritized projects.

I think it's pretty easy to look at the categories and see what the priorities were in the plan were and what came out of it.

So yeah.

Yeah.

Just to clarify, I think that we have really good explanations of why we chose what we chose, but for that subset of folks who are really excited about a specific idea that they have and the way they want to implement it.

It seems like sometimes it can be helpful for them to understand like that thought process behind that, like flow chart wise, if that if that makes sense.

Because I agree with you.

Um there's a lot of information out there, but you know, helping people reflect their own thinking on that is is sometimes good.

But yeah, thank you.

It answers my question.

So, like a life cycle, basically of a project or how you know how it gets to where it is.

Or are you thinking like in the category of emerging sports?

What if you think that means cricket as opposed to I don't know what I yeah, a different emerging sport?

Right, a different emerging sport.

You think that the priority?

I think some of those categories are kind of written loosely.

So, you know, we couldn't have predicted in 2022 what would be an emerging sport in 2030.

So I think there was some flexibility in what emerging sports means.

I think.

Yeah.

I'm thinking like if we had it, we probably had a list with categories and criteria to stack rank, right?

At some point, something like that.

And that's probably not that level.

No, we didn't say that pickleball was a higher priority than whatever.

So no, I think it's meant to be a little bit broad.

Yeah.

Okay.

So it wasn't prioritized.

Okay.

Okay.

Interesting.

All right.

Thanks, Elizabeth.

Um, I see Paul's hand is up online.

It is.

Um, this is a great idea.

Um, love to see it.

Um, the just general idea that the public, I mean, oftentimes you'll you'll notice buildings um will have uh donor acknowledgements.

And I think it's strikes me as kind of an acknowledgement to the taxpaying members of Bellevue, uh Bellevue's community that they indeed said yes to whatever project that we are going to um label or acknowledge um in in these reports or social media efforts or whatnot.

Um I I'd be curious, um, as well as during construction of new projects that are our levy funded, whether um, you know, how prominent it would make sense.

And this is an open question.

I'm not making an assertion of of anything here, but just how prominent to make this sort of labeling or this this kind of uh messaging to folks who might walk by a park.

Um whether or not it would even make sense in the signage itself or the wayfinding um potentially, but sorry to interrupt.

No, no, excuse me.

I think I think initially we were in, you know, assuming that it would be, you know, during construction, for example, during outreach activities and um the transportation department actually here at the city also has a logo for their levy.

And so we would probably seek to model some of the ways that they've used it, which is you know, not maybe not permanently inscribed, you know, in a park facility, but just in the materials supporting um public engagement around it while it's happening.

Well, and I wouldn't necessarily take off the table.

I'm not saying we should do this, but I'm not taking I wouldn't take off the table something more permanent on um on some of these uh some of these projects.

Um I think it's worth considering at least.

But um You know, I'd say, Paul, I think where I've seen this done is that it there's gent a general thank you to the residents of the city or something like that.

I think most people don't remember if it was the 08 levy, the you know, sure 1971 levy or the whatever levy, but it is definitely the residents that uh this city.

So I think there's a general thank you.

Um I think that's fair.

Um I yeah, there's probably a bit of minutia when it gets into 08 versus 22 or whatnot.

But um, but yeah, that that that would certainly um address what I'm talking about.

Um two other things.

I never want to let an opportunity go by to praise the planning and the voters of Bellevue for approving it.

Um, that we have 25% of this levy funding going to maintenance.

It's so important.

Um and I've seen too many park systems around the country that just haven't done that, and it's tragic.

Um, so that is again great example of good governance.

And then last thing, and maybe it was uh not a comment I was meant to hone in on too much, but I heard reference to um at least eight courts planned in uh Airfield Park.

Are maybe I may have missed something along the way this year, but are we not targeting 12 anymore?

Or what is our uh I'm pretty sure it was eight.

Uh I now I want to double check, but I didn't think it was a possibility, but I I'm pretty sure it was eight.

Yeah.

I think we didn't want to rule out as we got into the uh you know, moving from the concept design to the final design.

We would certainly wouldn't rule out the ability to add more space itself, but we'd set a floor.

I'll say a floor.

I thought we were hoping about eight covered four uncovered, but maybe that's more of a stretch.

I'm sure it's well documented.

We can take a look at that.

Yeah, yeah.

Yeah, and I think there was thoughts that there could be some flex space that we might be able to program more than that even within the structure.

So the clock.

So that could have been it.

But I think there's eight lined up along the east side.

So that's right.

Okay.

Cool.

Um, other than that, um, yeah, this is uh great to see.

Thank you uh for the presentation.

Thank you, Paul.

Uh, who would like to go next?

Uh Eric.

Yeah, again, thank you for the presentation.

Um I I guess I echo the comments that have already been made.

Uh I also love the logo.

I like the idea of tying it to the spaces associated with the levy.

And I also see it as a way of helping activate the space.

And quite honestly, getting back to what one of our public speakers brought up about finding ways to make it easier to participate and get involved in our parks and different uh activities that we have related to our park system.

And so uh I appreciate the efforts that go into them highly supportive of what I've seen so far, and I'm anxious to see it all grow.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Thank Eric.

Uh Eileen, see?

Oh, Steve, go ahead.

Thank you again.

Um, I I just a question we with respect to the reporting strategy and and part of it is the social media opportunities.

What were you guys thinking in terms of the platforms and what kind of social media opportunities are these?

Um, that is this open to the public, or is it more of something that the the board or the parks and uh parks will be doing themselves?

That's an interesting question.

I think we were assuming that it, you know, it would be our park social media um accounts that would be promoting, you know, the fact you know, we typically are in the habit of announcing um public engagement opportunities or you know, park openings, obviously, and just we would try to take advantage of some of those situations to promote the levy.

You know, I don't think we had talked about sort of the community kind of picking something up and and running with it yet.

Um that would be an interesting conversation to have, you know, if we thought about you know ways to further amplify the message.

Thank you.

Okay, thank you.

Uh Eileen.

Yeah, thank you.

Um my first question is around the kind of the math behind a parks levy.

I just want to understand.

So I was just looking up.

So back in 2008, it was um voted, right?

Like 67% people voted yes for this levy.

At the time, maybe it was budgeted for about 40 million.

Is that correct?

Or we're talking about the 2008.

2008 proposition one to levy.

I I guess what I'm trying to get at is the housing price, obviously of include I mean increased multifolds in Bellevue, right?

So do we know like the the delta from 2008 was being kind of thinking, okay, for every thousand assessed the value, what was like 12 cents per now the home has at least double, if not triple in some places and even quadrupled, right?

And so that that money would have increased, I don't know how much more than originally planned for 2008.

Does that mean we have planned a lot more projects than we initially anticipated?

And do you have that I like kind of the concept of how much more?

Is that was it originally 40 million?

Now we're looking, we had a in the last what 20 years, is that 2000 to 2028?

You said expiring that we are able to spend it's like a 120 million, 160 million ones.

Would be cool.

Uh but it doesn't uh quite work that way.

Yeah.

Yeah.

The um the comparison to home value is for it helps give people an idea of of what we're asking at the time.

Yeah.

And how the impact, but it the rate itself is not tied to home value.

Um it's uh so it's it's more of a set rate um that can modify over time, but it's not like directly related.

It's typically tied to the year, I believe after the levy passes, and then it can only be raised incrementally based on that, if that makes sense.

So let's say uh a home was the value of a half million at 2008, and now the home is worth 1.5 million, let's say as today's market.

So you're saying the the mound that's tied to this levy is probably still around 500 because it was assessed at 2009.

It would be uh just a much smaller percentage of today's value um than it was in 2008.

Um so the um again, that when we talk about um what it means, what the rate means compared to an average home value, it's really just um just uh a way to explain what the how it will um you know how much someone is investing that particular year, but uh the rates and the lot more money than we anticipated.

It's a little counterintuitive because um property taxes aren't like income taxes, they don't have a fixed percentage.

Um and you can get into the millage rate and how all that plays out and how the assessor works through it, but um I think it's important to point out that like was already said this is a example of how much somebody might be paying in a snapshot in time, but yeah, it's a flat basically it's a flat amount of money being levied.

And how much was that total?

Was that 40 million?

I I was just looking up the website.

Is that is that um I don't have the 2008 total in my head.

Um I would need to say our footback now is on the because we're at the very end of that levy, so we're kind of more focused on the 2022 levy is what worked, yeah.

Oh, 2020.

And that logo logo is for the 2022 levy, not the 2008.

What is so what is the mouth for 2020?

And when does that 2022 expire?

2028?

31.

Oh, 31 later.

Yeah, it has a nine-year term.

Yeah, so yeah.

So that's so obviously the 2008 was a 20-year levy, this next one was a nine-year levy.

Yeah, okay, okay.

So there's kind of overlapping right now.

Yeah, that was one reason for kind of showing both projects because they're both happening at once.

And so just for a little bit of clarity, because we know that you know there is that overlap.

Okay, okay.

Another thing, um, I was thinking like as a Bellevue resident, I'm sure I voted yes on those.

Um, I don't know if I really because I feel like I would trust the city, use this money um in a countably, like with the money and planned the most um important projects for the city residents.

So I don't know, like what I I guess what I'm trying to understand is the goal of these reporting strategies is that mainly just to inform people like, hey, here's what your your kind of text dollar that because most people don't read these communications, be honest.

And then I felt like as a resident, like I actually once I voted a yes, I trust that the city is doing a great job with the money that you know, part of my property tax.

So I was just kind of curious, like you know, I I think it's always very important that there's accountability that you know we said these things would be delivered and we're doing it on time and we're doing what we said, and hopefully it's a way of marketing the next levy.

You've seen that the park system, the growth has been dependent on levies and bonds over the years, and I think we're trying to show through our good work now that people are confident when they're the next one's on the ballot that they'll vote for because we do what we said we would do.

Yeah, and I think maybe people don't read the report all the time.

But a lot of the other ideas that Betsy mentioned, maybe they will pick up on some of those.

There's a lot of different ways that we have to reach folks now.

And so that's that's pretty important.

Good.

Thanks.

I'll share a few comments.

I really like the logo, and I could envision like walking by a park that's under construction and seeing a sign by it that has it stamped.

I think that would be really nice.

Um I really appreciate like an online map because I guess as a resident, I'd be curious.

Oh, what what are the projects that are close to me?

Uh I might want to check that out.

So I do appreciate online maps um with little stars.

And it also kind of helps us um, for example, the Eastgate Park, there's that green map that shows um kind of like Eastgates uh park desert.

So I think uh having a visual map like that's really handy.

Um excited.

I'm I'm always excited about social media, and then personally, uh honestly, I guess some of the only um ways I get some Bellevue news in addition to my work here is uh through that Bellevue It's Your City newsletter.

Yes.

That's kind of one of my main ways to stay in touch.

So I hope uh that can receive some reporting news every now and then.

Yeah, I appreciate that.

We had included that in neighborhood news on our list of publications, excuse me.

And then also, you know, press releases, things like that, just ways to kind of again highlight this more and really helpful to hear how you're getting your information as well, Chair.

Okay.

Yeah.

So thank you for all your work and uh laying all this out for us tonight.

Um, does anyone have any final questions, comments?

Um or I guess if we have additional questions and comments, where can we send them off to you can reach out to any any of us?

Uh be happy to answer those.

Okay, that was a pretty obvious answer.

Sorry about that.

Uh okay.

Uh, and Paul's good.

No question, no additional questions from Paul.

So with that, thank you so much, uh, Cameron and Betsy for uh your presentation tonight and all your work.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And actually, we're keeping Cameron, I guess.

Sorry about that.

Thank you, Betsy.

Thank you.

All right.

So the next item on our agenda is uh Parks and Community Services Board bylaw amendment updates with Cameron Parker.

And so I'll turn it over to you again, Cameron.

Thank you.

Um I know uh some of you that are Bellevue Essentials graduates probably want to go to the competing uh party that's happening uh one one door over here.

I think maybe they have cake and food too.

So I won't keep you too long talking about bylaw amendments.

Um, but uh in order to uh make a change to the bylaws for the parks and community services board.

It's a two-step process.

Um we uh have as we are tonight, bringing forward what the proposed changes are.

I'll uh sort of quickly um just describe them.

Uh they were all also laid out in the memo in the packet from uh Karen Fu, our city attorney that uh described the purpose behind the change as well, uh, which is uh direction coming down from city council.

They have changed um a couple of their rules for city council meetings.

Um there is uh interest in conforming all the boards and commissions.

So we all have sort of taking a unified aligned approach uh to how we run public meetings.

Um then uh so we'll uh talk through what changes are.

We won't take any action tonight, but we'll bring it back uh for action at the January meeting.

So that gives you time to if there's anything to sort of consider.

Uh we have time to do that before the action is made.

So two main changes to point out in the bylaws.

Uh the first in uh article two, which uh has to do with membership and organization of the board, the uh council has made a change.

Um the sections five and six in that uh section are added to the bylaws.

Uh section five uh doesn't change anything in our our current practice in uh just it's more clear that uh positions on boards and commissions are for four years and members can serve two uh terms.

And so essentially there's a two-term limit.

Um the council added in section six uh the the part that's new is that um if an individual is interested in uh serving more than two terms, they would need to take a two-year sort of pause or break bid before starting another term, either on the the same board or any other border commission.

Um so a best example would be um our uh past member Heather Draskas served full two terms on the parks and community services board.

Uh so she would be ineligible to serve on a new border commission uh for a two-year period, but after two years, uh she could be appointed again uh to start another one or two year um run.

So that's the first change in that section.

And then the second uh comes in section.

Let's see, article seven.

Um, and it has to do with um conforming the rules around um public comment time, and if we ever find ourselves in a position where we have excluded someone from attending a parks and community services board um meeting at the council level, they uh changed the length of that exclusion from 60 days to 180 uh days, calendar days.

So that uh change is being uh pushed down to all boards and commissions.

And then uh they also made a change to how appeals of exclusions are handled.

Um the important thing to note here is that the um if there's an exclusion from the parks and community services board, that uh exclusion can be appealed, but that appeal goes to the city council, it doesn't come back here to the to the board.

And so they uh just made a change in the timing.

If someone were to make an appeal um of an exclusion, um there is um uh uh a process set so that the council can hear that appeal in a timely manner after the exclusion is made.

Uh so that's in um section eight.

Other than that, there's some non-substantive um changes just to sort of uh bring the overall bylaws um uh up to our sort of current standards for how we're writing uh code and policy at the city.

Uh so with that, we'll pause and see if there's any questions that you may have.

And again, uh don't need any action tonight.

We'll we'll do that at the January meeting.

Oh, Elizabeth.

I have a question.

I think I'm interpreting this correctly, but um, if I remember how it's been, it's if we start in an interrupted term, like if someone fills in, then we still have the two full terms ahead of us if we desired.

And so I I assume that would go for moving to another board in theory.

This applies to me personally, like yes, that is written in as well uh for filling an unexpired term.

Um, if yeah, it's if it's more than more than half of a unexpired term, um, or if you would serve in a vacancy for longer than two years, it it sort of counts as a full term.

If you're serving in a vacancy for less than two years, it doesn't.

Um, so there is a way that an individual can serve 10 years if they filled an unexpired seat for less than two years, and then a four-year term, and then another four-year term.

Um, that is allowed.

Uh Paul has his hand raised.

So, Paul.

This is really minor, but um, to kind of piggyback on what Elizabeth was saying, the uh civil service commission is a little bit of an odd duck in that it has six-year terms mandated by the state of Washington.

And so I actually did check the uh bylaws and they haven't updated theirs to even clarify that two consecutive terms means half of a term or two years or whatnot.

So I don't think there's not necessarily anything we need to do here, but I at least wanted to raise that.

So staff could be aware of that sort of I don't know, corner conditions, so to speak.

Okay.

Yeah, I'll um I'll mention that to the uh our city attorney.

Yeah, just because I guess since we're talking about two years and we're referencing two years and applying those to other commissions, I believe in the text.

Um if they ever update their bylaws, I don't know if they would do half of a six-year term.

And so anyway, that that might be a coordination is new issue more than anything.

I'll ask about that.

Thank you.

Thank you, Paul.

Uh Eileen?

Yeah, maybe I just realized just a clarification.

So if you serve um for the first change, if you serve full two terms on a board and you have to take two-year break, but if you only do one term, you can potentially go apply for another board.

Don't have to do without taking a break.

Is that correct?

Correct.

Yeah, it the two terms don't have to be on the same uh board and commission.

Um so you could do four years on the uh parks and services board.

You could be appointed to the transportation commission for four years.

That would be your eight years.

Then you and then you'd still need to take two years.

Once you finish your one term here, then you can only be on the board for another four, not eight.

Correct.

Okay, got it.

Okay, thanks.

Thank you.

Any other questions or comments.

Um, all right.

I guess that concludes the uh bylaw amendment section.

So thank you so much, Cameron.

Okay.

Um the next item on the agenda is new business.

So um, Ryan, what agenda items can we expect to cover during the January meeting?

Great, thank you.

Well, as you imagine, this time of year is uh a bit of a mapping exercise for what the next year will look like.

So um we know that we will have the actionable portion of the bylaw amendments uh coming as well as a quarterly memo.

That memo will cover September through December or through November meetings.

Um we have a host of other items that we're looking at, so we don't know exactly what may come on in January, but we are are looking into that.

Um couple of other items related to scheduling here.

Um the meeting on in January is on January 21st.

So just for your calendar, you probably don't have those invites out yet.

But uh if you are thinking a couple months out, that's the date for that.

Even further out is the February meeting.

That is February 18th, and that is that coincides with uh midwinter break or Bellevue school districts and pretty much all of our other school districts in the area.

So um don't need to know right now, but that's something to consider on in terms of availability.

And as we get closer, we'll likely be reaching out to see um what what people's schedules are looking like there, and uh if there's any conflict with that meeting uh in maintaining a quorum.

Um and I guess I should jump back to January 21st, as always.

Um, if you are anticipating remote participation or being absent, please let us know and you can uh send that by email to Merriam or myself or to Cameron.

Um so I think that covers some logistical items.

Um one other note I wanted to mention while I'm sitting here looking at uh the gift bags with the uh fall tissue paper.

And thank you to Maryam who um got those ready.

Um kudos to her for doing that.

One to also note there is a uh garden delights uh pass in there in case you didn't see that amongst the tissue paper.

Don't want to don't want that to end up somewhere else and you not notice it.

So just wonderful wants to know how we ended in Paul you don't get yourself in person.

Uh must be present to win.

Yes.

And that's all I have.

Any other questions or thoughts?

Glad to answer those, but um, by the way, we got board tickets for the garden delight, but thanks to the membership that you got for us last year.

So thank you.

And then can I request that we do something for Michael in January on your agenda?

Um I'm sure the board is happy to kind of collaborate with you.

We may be able to work that in.

Thank you.

Yeah.

All right.

Uh any other questions or comments for Ryan.

And with that, um we've completed all the items on tonight's agenda, and so I call the meeting now adjourned.

Thank you, everyone.

Thank you.