Parks, Recreation, and Arts Commission Meeting - April 20, 2026

The Fresno Parks, Recreation, and Arts Commission (PRAC) held a regular meeting on April 20, 2026, at 5:35 PM in City Council Chambers. The meeting included subcommittee reports, workshops on the Measure P 5-Year Evaluation and the Expanded Access to Arts and Culture (EAAC) Grant Program, public hearings, and unscheduled communication. Key discussions centered on program transparency, grant distribution, and community trust.

Consent Calendar

• The Commission approved the agenda and the minutes of the March 16, 2026 regular meeting unanimously (5-0, with 4 absent).
• Absences of Commissioners Duran, Trillo, and Vice Chair Ward were excused unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Unscheduled Communication (agenda item 9): Camilla Sutherland asked for reduced court reservation fees at Roeding Park for an Armed Forces Day tennis tournament. Adam Balakian promoted a free beginner tennis event on May 9. Malissa Padilla invited the community to a wrestling event at Justin Garza High School on May 16 and described state championship participation. Johannes Reijnders (via Zoom) requested that the Application Review Committee (ARC) handbook be developed with full transparency and that scoring sessions be open to the public. Sarah Parkes noted the Measure P 5-year report lacked detailed progress information and encouraged adding celebratory data. Jasmine Moore attempted to speak but was cut off after stating she was a grant recipient; Chair McCoy directed her to speak during the hearing for item 12-A, which later led to criticism.
• Hearing on EAAC Grant Program (item 12-A): Johannes Reijnders objected to the treatment of Jasmine Moore, stating it violated the Brown Act and damaged community trust, and demanded an apology.
• Hearing on Measure P Allocations (item 12-B): Adam Balakian requested that planned bathroom replacements at Roeding Park be relocated and oriented toward the tennis courts for safety. Elizabeth Laval from the Fresno City and County Historical Society urged the Commission to consider the costs borne by established organizations acting as fiscal sponsors for emerging groups.

Discussion Items

• Subcommittee Reports: Commissioner Barraza reported that the Measure P 5-Year Evaluation Subcommittee would present later. Chair McCoy noted the EAAC Subcommittee had its first open meeting with strong attendance; next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday in the chamber.
• Members' Reports: Commissioner Barraza observed park overcrowding on Easter, underscoring the need for more green space. Commissioner Dohlin described Roeding Park full of happy families. Chair McCoy stressed the need for a new park to accommodate growth and for expanded youth programming.
• City Administration and PARCS Staff Reports: PARCS Director Aguirre thanked the community for EAAC meeting turnout (over 40 comments), announced community listening sessions (April 22, 25, 28), reported 15,000 attendees at Boots in the Park, and noted 844 campers enrolled in Camp Fresno.

Workshops

• Measure P 5-Year Evaluation (Workshop 10-A): Commissioner Barraza and Commissioner Dohlin presented the subcommittee's draft evaluation. Key findings: the City is complying with proportional allocations (46% existing parks, 21% new parks, etc.) but needs improved distribution of arts funds to underserved areas (Southeast, Southwest, South Central). Recommendations include increasing technical assistance, annual allocations, and using outside consultants for future evaluations. The subcommittee flagged a lack of clarity on the maintenance-of-effort requirement (using only general fund expenditures vs. all revenues) and suggested the City auditor evaluate compliance. Commissioner Dohlin noted that volunteer lay people cannot conduct sophisticated evaluation and called for professional support. Discussion also covered use of flood control basins as temporary green space versus building new parks; some commissioners argued basins should not count toward Measure P's new park goals.
• EAAC Grant Program Update (Workshop 10-B): Assistant Director McNab reported that the City Council authorized three new positions (community outreach specialist, community coordinator, program administrator) to support the EAAC program. For cycle two (129 awards), staff will contact grantees within 30 days to finalize contracts via SharePoint; 32 have not received any funding, 97 are owed 10% upon completion. For cycle three, a draft of guidelines is open for public comment until April 30; a notice of funding opportunity must be released by June 30. Chair McCoy expressed frustration with the pace, noting that cycle two delays affect grantees' ability to apply for cycle three. She requested regular communication and that the subcommittee meetings focus only on cycle three. Commissioners discussed the need to hold space in cycle three for cycle two grantees and to expand technical assistance for emerging organizations.

Key Outcomes

• The Measure P 5-Year Evaluation draft will be forwarded to the City Council for approval after the Commission ratifies it. Commissioners noted areas for improvement, including maintenance-of-effort clarification and use of outside evaluators.
• The EAAC cycle two contracting process will begin within 30 days; staff will host technical assistance meetings and provide regular updates to the Commission.
• Public comments on EAAC draft guidelines will be posted weekly; the Commission requested direct access to the comment spreadsheet.
• A hearing on Measure P allocations and budget received public input but no Commission discussion.
• The meeting adjourned at 7:22 PM in memory of Dr. Francine Oputa.
• Chair McCoy did not apologize for the handling of Jasmine Moore's comment, despite the public request.