OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Sacramento Parks and Community Enrichment Commission Meeting - September 3, 2026

Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy Commission — Thursday, September 3, 2026
BodySacramento, California
SessionArts, Culture, and Creative Economy Commission
DateThursday, September 3, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:51:18

Transcript — Verbatim
0:07

Vice Chair, you may cite the meeting.

0:12

Good evening, everyone.

0:13

I am calling order to regular meeting of the city of Sacramento Parks and Community Enrichment Commission for Thursday, September 3rd, 2026 at 5 35 p.m.

0:23

Will the clerk please call the world established quorum?

0:27

Thank you, Vice Chair.

0:28

Commissioner Langer.

0:32

Yes.

0:32

Commissioner Linger.

0:35

Commissioner Yuribe?

0:39

Vice Chair Robbins.

0:41

Present.

0:42

Commissioner Labor is absent.

0:45

Commissioner King is absent.

0:47

Commissioner Vasquez?

0:49

Present.

0:50

Commissioner Flores.

0:51

Sure.

0:52

Commissioner Lane.

0:53

Here.

0:54

Commissioner Brewer.

0:57

Is absent.

0:59

Commissioner Floridoy.

1:00

Here.

1:02

And Chair Gaines is absent.

1:05

Thank you.

1:05

We have a quorum.

1:07

I would like to remind members of the public in attendance speaker slips are to be submitted digitally.

1:11

You can register to speak and scanning on the QR codes posted at the back of the chambers throughout the kiosk.

1:16

Submissions must be received prior to the item being called, after which no further digital slip will be accepted.

1:21

You will have three minutes to speak once we are called on.

1:24

We will now proceed with today's agenda starting with the land acknowledgement with the Pledge of Allegiance.

1:30

Please rise and then opening in honor of Sacramento's indigenous peoples and tribal lands to the original people of this land, the Nisan people, the Southern Maidu, Valley P Lands Meot, Patum, Wintun peoples and the people of the Wilkinson Rancher.

1:45

Sacramento's only federally recognized tribe.

1:47

Maybe we acknowledge and honor the Native people who came before us and still walk beside us this day and Cessor Lands by choosing to gather today and active practice of acknowledging and appreciating the Sacramento's indigenous peoples history's continual continuations and lives.

2:00

Thank you.

2:01

Please rise or please stand for the pledge of allegiance.

2:05

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and the two republic for which it stands.

2:11

One nation under God individual with liberty and justice for all.

2:19

Okay.

2:20

And Chair Gaines is making her fashion late things.

2:37

Sorry, you guys know I like to make an appearance.

2:39

So how's everybody doing?

2:44

Great, awesome.

2:45

You mark me down, right?

2:46

All right, I'm already on like I'm already in trouble for missing two.

2:50

So Chair Gaines is here.

2:54

All right.

2:57

All right.

2:58

So next is the uh consent calendar.

3:02

Uh clerk, are there any members of the public who would like to speak on the consent calendar?

3:06

Thank you, Chair.

3:07

I have no speakers for this item.

3:09

All right.

3:10

Do any members of do any commissioners um have any items for the consent calendar?

3:20

All right.

3:21

I uh do actually, so I do want to talk about um if you guys took a look at the follow-up log.

3:31

Um there were a couple items that I wanted to address.

3:36

One would be one uh that we talked about, I think in June, that Commissioner Vasquez had brought up, uh, which was around um our report, and so looking at um, I'm sorry, I looked at it before I got here, but we were talking about the um one of our goals around like equity, and there's something around there, and we're supposed to be coming up with a draft policy around that.

4:07

So I wanted to talk about that briefly, and then also just a reminder that next month it will be on the agenda to look at our plan.

4:17

So, one um what we were working on this year, as well as what we want to talk about for next year.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Parks and Recreation█████████████████████████████████████████████54%
Community Engagement█████████11%
Senior Services████████9%
Public Comments█████6%
Volunteer Programs████5%
Procedural███4%
Ad Hoc Committees███4%
Budget and Finance███3%
Commissioner Comments███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Sacramento Parks and Community Enrichment Commission Meeting - September 3, 2026

The Parks and Community Enrichment Commission held a regular meeting on Thursday, September 3, 2026, at 5:35 PM at City Hall. The meeting included consent calendar approval, discussion updates on older adult services, Access Leisure programs, and park maintenance, along with public comments and commissioner remarks.

Consent Calendar

  • The Commission approved the August 6, 2026 meeting minutes and the Follow Up Log. During discussion, Chair Gaines raised the creation of an ad hoc committee to review the department's community engagement strategy. Commissioners Vasquez, Langer, and Flournoy volunteered; the committee was officially formed. The consent calendar was approved by motion (Commissioner Rebay seconded by Vice Chair Robbins).

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Ebony Smith (District 8 resident) advocated for upgrades to Valley High Community Park, noting outdated playground equipment, basketball courts, and swings. She questioned where previously allocated funds went and requested a partnership to revitalize the park.
  • Shabanique Red also spoke for Valley High Park improvements, highlighting the lack of public restrooms and outdated amenities, and called for equitable investment in the community.

Discussion Items

  • Older Adult Services Program Update (Item 3): Javier Rivas presented highlights of the Triple R adult day program and Hart Senior Center. Triple R serves older adults with dementia, with participation rebounding post-COVID but still below pre-pandemic levels. The Hart Fund Pass provides $100 fee waivers for residents 50+. Commissioners asked about outreach (11% increase attributed to newsletters, word of mouth) and data fluctuations. Commissioner Flores praised the program's value for caregivers.
  • Access Leisure Program Update (Item 4): Heather Kopf presented the Access Leisure program, which provides adaptive and inclusive recreation for people with disabilities. Fiscal year 2026 saw 306 activities serving 3,496 participants. Commissioners asked about the significant increase in participation (attributed to third-party payers, marketing, and inclusion referrals). Commissioner Langer requested historical data from 2019 onward.
  • Park Maintenance Annual Update (Item 5): Shawn Aylesworth reported on park maintenance statistics: daily care for 243 parkland facilities, 5,000+ sporting events served, 39,663 volunteer hours valued at $1.6 million, and 115 full-time employees. He discussed impacts of the FY27 budget (avoided outsourcing), a dynamic staffing model, operational committees, and the Kino Olay (doing right things) philosophy. Commissioners raised questions about deferred maintenance ($130 million), CFDs in District 1 and 2, 311 requests for the Sacramento Northern Bike Trail, and volunteer tool/materials support. Commissioner Vasquez requested a graffiti and needle reporting process. Commissioner Robbins suggested formal volunteer recognition. Commissioner Flores thanked staff for budget advocacy.

Commissioner Comments & Ideas

  • Commissioners thanked the public speakers for Valley High Park advocacy. Vice Chair Robbins wished his daughter happy birthday. Commissioner Vasquez encouraged Valley High speakers to use 311 and inquire about the Capital Improvement Project queue. She thanked neighborhood associations and noted the passing of Greg Roosevan of Colonial Heights Park. Commissioner Langer shared success of Blue Oak Park mulching event. Commissioner Flores promoted 916 Day (September 16) and congratulated Commissioner Uribe for a local changemaker award. Chair Gaines highlighted District 8 events at Valley High and Pennell Center.

Key Outcomes

  • Approve Consent Calendar: Passed unanimously.
  • Ad hoc Committee Formed: Chair Gaines created an ad hoc committee (Vasquez, Langer, Flournoy) to review the department's community engagement strategy and align with the annual plan.
  • Receive and File: All three discussion items (Older Adult Services Update, Access Leisure Update, Park Maintenance Update) were received and filed without a vote.
  • Follow-up Items: Commissioner Vasquez requested participant data by council district (unduplicated counts) and historical Access Leisure data from 2019. Commissioner Uribe requested 311 call data for the Sacramento Northern Bike Trail.

Meeting Transcript

Vice Chair, you may cite the meeting. Good evening, everyone. I am calling order to regular meeting of the city of Sacramento Parks and Community Enrichment Commission for Thursday, September 3rd, 2026 at 5 35 p.m. Will the clerk please call the world established quorum? Thank you, Vice Chair. Commissioner Langer. Yes. Commissioner Linger. Commissioner Yuribe? Vice Chair Robbins. Present. Commissioner Labor is absent. Commissioner King is absent. Commissioner Vasquez? Present. Commissioner Flores. Sure. Commissioner Lane. Here. Commissioner Brewer. Is absent. Commissioner Floridoy. Here. And Chair Gaines is absent. Thank you. We have a quorum. I would like to remind members of the public in attendance speaker slips are to be submitted digitally. You can register to speak and scanning on the QR codes posted at the back of the chambers throughout the kiosk. Submissions must be received prior to the item being called, after which no further digital slip will be accepted. You will have three minutes to speak once we are called on. We will now proceed with today's agenda starting with the land acknowledgement with the Pledge of Allegiance. Please rise and then opening in honor of Sacramento's indigenous peoples and tribal lands to the original people of this land, the Nisan people, the Southern Maidu, Valley P Lands Meot, Patum, Wintun peoples and the people of the Wilkinson Rancher. Sacramento's only federally recognized tribe. Maybe we acknowledge and honor the Native people who came before us and still walk beside us this day and Cessor Lands by choosing to gather today and active practice of acknowledging and appreciating the Sacramento's indigenous peoples history's continual continuations and lives. Thank you. Please rise or please stand for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and the two republic for which it stands. One nation under God individual with liberty and justice for all. Okay. And Chair Gaines is making her fashion late things. Sorry, you guys know I like to make an appearance. So how's everybody doing? Great, awesome. You mark me down, right? All right, I'm already on like I'm already in trouble for missing two. So Chair Gaines is here. All right. All right. So next is the uh consent calendar. Uh clerk, are there any members of the public who would like to speak on the consent calendar?

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