Good evening and welcome to Thursday's January 15, 2026 meeting of the Parks and Community Enrichment Commission.

The meeting is now called to order. I will call roll to establish a quorum.

Commissioner Langer? Here.

Commissioner Yerbe? Here. Commissioner Robbins? Present.

Commissioner Laver? Absent. Oh, here? Here. I moved too fast. Apologies.

Commissioner King here Commissioner Vasquez absent Commissioner Flores

Vice Chair Boone absent Chair Gaines comes up okay due to what we do is I

have established a quorum due to vice chair and the chair being absent we are

going to elect a temporary chair to proceed over this meeting per council

rules procedure chapter 8a5.

Is there a motion?

There's a motion.

I motion that Joe Flores run the commission.

He's the most experienced chair,

and I think in Parks history,

so continue on that tradition tonight.

I'll second that.

Oh, yeah.

Okay, so I have a motion and a second.

Okay, all those in favor, say aye.

I'm sorry.

All those in favor?

Aye.

Aye.

Any no's?

Any abstains?

Okay, motion passes.

We will take just a minute for Joe to get established, and then we will start the meeting.

Okay.

And I apologize, I wrote on this.

Here's where you start.

And there's a section here

where it'll just reference to you to just go to that gentleman.

Okay. Thank you very much.

You're welcome.

Okay. Good evening, everybody.

Welcome to

2026, our January

Parks and Community Enrichment

Commission. Thank you, everybody, for

nominating me to

help lead tonight's meeting in absence

of our chair and vice chair.

Part of it is our vice chair celebrated the birth of her daughter.

So we would love to recognize that.

That's why she's not here.

She is enjoying being a mother.

And because normally we meet on the first Thursday of the month, today is the second

Thursday of the month.

So with a little bit of calendar considerations, our chair could be here tonight.

So it is a big seat to fill with Janine.

So thank you very much for fellow commissioners for letting me run this tonight.

And I know later on in the agenda, we are also picking a new vice chair and chair.

So with that, so I just want to say acknowledge, acknowledge that.

Thank you.

Going to the script and then I also will ask the clerk's office to give me some grace as I am not normally the one who runs said meeting,

but I am going to try my best not to look foolish up here.

I would like to remind the members of the public in the chambers that if you would like to speak on an agenda item,

please turn in a speaker slip before the item begins.

After the item is called, we will no longer accept speaker slips.

You will have two minutes to speak once you're called on.

Now we'll proceed with tonight's agenda.

We're going to do the land acknowledgement and the Pledge of Allegiance, so if we can all stand for those.

And please rise if you're able to.

To the original people of this land, the Nisanon people, the southern Maidu, Valley and Plains Miwok, Patuan Wintun peoples, and the peoples of Wilton Rancheria, Sacramento-only federally recognized tribe, may we acknowledge and honor the native people who have came before us and still walk besides us today on these ancestral lands by choosing to gather together today in active practice of acknowledgement and appreciation for Sacramento's indigenous peoples.

history, contribution, and lives.

Thank you.

Now let's go to the Pledge of Allegiance.

I pledge allegiance.

To the flag of the United States of America

and to the republic for which it stands,

one nation, under God, indivisible,

with liberty and justice for all.

All right. Thank you very much.

now we'll go to the approval of the consent calendar um clerk's office if are there any

members of the public who wish to speak on this consent calendar item thank you we have no speakers

on this item all right do we have any commissioners who would like to speak on this item

seeing none on the board um seeing none on the board let me see script script script

Is there a motion or a second for this consent calendar item?

I motion.

Second.

Motion by Commissioner Uribe, seconded by Commissioner King.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Any abstentions?

All right.

The motion passes unanimously.

All right.

Now we will go to the discussion calendar.

We will go right to item number four, review volunteer recognition award program.

Do we have a staff member who would like to present on this item?

Yes, thank you, Chair.

Good evening, Commissioners.

This evening we will review or you will review

the Volunteer Recognition Award Program.

The recommendation will be to review

the current Volunteer Recognition Award Program,

pass a motion providing direction on any suggested revisions

to the Volunteer Recognition Program.

Brief overview, on April 5th, 2018,

the Park and Recreation Commission passed a motion

to create and appoint an ad hoc

to develop a volunteer recognition program.

The purpose of the ad hoc was to create guidelines

and methods to formally recognize individuals

and organizations that volunteer time and resources

which benefit the youth parks

and community enrichment department.

The ad hoc committee developed nomination categories

and processes, the nominations of each individual

and groups, organizations, and businesses

to be recognized by the Park and Rec Commission

shall be initiated by the community via nomination forms.

The reason for the nominations of individuals

or organizations shall be reviewed by the Park Commissioner

and Council District based on the location

of the park program or residence or location

of the person organized to be nominated.

The nominations that are received for recognition by the commissioners shall be reviewed quarterly

by the following categories, youth, parks, and community enrichment.

The Park and Recreation Commission will review nominations forwarded by a commissioner for

approval and to set the date for the recognition ceremony.

The nominations will receive a volunteer recognition certificate from the commission.

the years and with COVID we had pivoted from the quarterly nominations which the youth category

award would have been in March the category for parks award would be in June community enrichment

was September and an EPSI overall would have been in November due to just the lack of participation

from the volunteer nominations.

And with COVID during the time,

we went to an annual nomination

in which we recognized all of the categories at one time

and then also had the end of year celebration.

And so that's kind of how we pivoted

from the original setup of this program.

And so this evening,

we would like the commission to discuss

potential recommended changes or additions to this.

Another item that might wanna be taken into consideration

is our volunteer award ceremony.

We usually host it at the end of the year.

We will not have a December meeting.

However, we are really focused to be efficient

on hosting an end of the year celebration,

but also tie in 916 day.

for your recommendation to review

possibly having the recognition award

and 916 date in December.

So with that, that is a brief overview.

I will pass it over to the chair.

Thank you, Shannon, for that.

Because this item is a,

to make a recommendation to move forward

on this volunteer recognition.

So now the floor is open for commissioners to discuss.

items. We can have this crosstalk with each other to discuss how to improve or make suggestions

to make it efficient. It's a fluid item. I know I have thoughts, but I can go last.

I do see Commissioner Robbins up next.

Yes, I just got to thank Parts Path before anything because this award, I got to thank

Chair Flores right now and Vice Chair David Guerrero many moons ago created this award as a

thank you to the community and I was the inaugural winner so I always got to say that out there how

special this award is to me and now I'm sitting in the seat nominating and handing out the award

is very special to me so thank you guys for you know recognizing the little guy that fights the

good fight so that's the first thing I say but I got a forward comments from Commissioner Vasquez

since she cannot be here today and be up to discussion maybe a little bit to go on the

follow-up log she would like to have the ability to volunteer nominate volunteers at any time

throughout the year so they can present them with a little more time and dignity the beginning of

meetings and special presentations instead of agenda items should be at the front of the

meeting. Also the webpage has not been updated for a long time. We'd like the photos and stories

of the previous winners is what she recommends and possibly added to the come out and play

magazines. And so that's just up for discussion since she's not here. I just wanted to forward

that out there. But I do agree with moving up the award to the start of the meeting instead

of having everyone and we're rushing through the agenda items through the meetings and we're kind

staring at like a full crowd of a Golden 1 Center sellout you know kind of you

know that's really what it feels like to me honestly and it's like we're rushing

through the agenda so that's one thing I really agree out but just wanted to put

on the record that since she cannot be here those are her words but once again

thank you staff for everything that you guys do and recognizing the little guy.

Thank you Commissioner Robbins. Next up Commissioner King. Sure thank you Chair.

I appreciate submitting all of our volunteer recommendations on the same month, right?

So, like, you gather them all at once.

But December is hard for at least me to attend and participate in that meeting just because of the holidays and different travel things.

But I think it might also be hard for others to participate in that meeting as well.

So my recommendation would be to maybe collect volunteer suggestions at one time, maybe in December or before the end of the year, and then distribute them over the course of the next year.

So maybe one or two get invited to each meeting.

That way they do have more time.

We can be very respectful of the volunteers and really highlight and showcase them.

But we already have the recommendations kind of on file, and I just think it would make it easier.

it's it's too much to collect it and a roving agenda I mean we can always

submit them but I think having a deadline really helps me at least like

be like okay be really thoughtful about communicating with my council member

finding out who they want to nominate and then also writing everything and

getting that submitted to you but then I think a roving presentation might be

very appropriate. That's just one recommendation. Thank you Commissioner

King. Up next Commissioner Uribe. I have questions. You mentioned that the youth,

the awards there's like three I guess I've always been kind of confused on the

categories of the awards and they seem pretty vague. So it's partly is one

question whether they are that vague and my recommendation being if we can get

really specific with the type of awards because early on when it was hey

nominate a volunteer and it's like volunteer who cleans up parks volunteer

in the community and we have a lot of wonderful people in the community do a

lot of good work but is it specific to the Parks and Rec Commission and is it

to you know planting trees and whatnot I think it's my question yes good great

question in the report documents when in 2018 they created nomination guidelines

of how it works who's eligible how nominations should be reviewed and how

to submit so we could take another look at that but the categories you know youth

would be you know some a youth that is making an impact you know whether it's

in a program or within a park or a school program.

Parks would be volunteers that are directly impacting

a positive benefit within a park.

Community enrichment could be programs

from our after school programs, our community centers,

items like that.

And then YPSI would be just an overall capture

of who's doing great work, probably covering all these.

But what we could certainly do is provide more detail,

more definition for each of these categories

in the updated nomination process form.

Okay, and then you said that we kind of kick it

to the end of the year because of the number of nominations

that we got early on in the year,

and is that kind of what ended up being that shift,

or was it just a time?

Well, the other thing is just to be aware of time for the commission and every, if we have this on the agenda, it takes two reports for each nomination.

And that's, you know, about two to three hours of staff work, not including the clerks and attorneys time for review.

And, you know, throughout the year, we do have a lot of agenda items.

So we wanted to be aware of that.

And with, you know, COVID and everything that happened, it just, it evolved into more of an annual once a year recommendation and report.

Yeah, I love any recommendation the commissions have.

So I did a little bit of a Google search.

This is my research I'm a little bit embarrassed about.

But I discovered that there's the California Parks and Recreation Society.

my recommendation if we were to move to anything changing is that if they somehow align with

there's a lot of awards that that society gives out and again this was just my simple google

search so i don't know if it's a scam yet but they're located here in sacramento

so i don't think they are the city of roseville won and some of them were specific to

parks planning you know we have some great planners in sacramento but a lot of them were

also community driven so there were youth ones and whatnot and it'd be really interesting if

somehow we can look at our nominating process and that of that societies and try to line them up so

we can make sure that not only are we nominating wonderful people in the city of Sacramento who

are doing a great job but also elevating them to this award for the California level.

We are very aware of the California Park and Recreation Society.

probably most of us are. I was like Anthony just discovered this right now. I was like I'm sorry

my Google search. The department a lot of our staff members participate or have been active members.

We Camp Sacramento has been awarded various programs and several of our volunteer programs

as well. So again we can take a look at that but that's will be the motion or the direction from

from the Commission for us of course yeah thanks for listening and Commissioner

agree baby in the spirit of crosstalk with each other because this is what the

item is asking for I know I can speak to some of the staff report attached to

this item I I wrote right when I was chair back in 2018 so I do have I can

speak to the historics of how this was created and just at the high level the

reason why there was four different categories at the time because in 2018

the department did change had a name change so it was really fresh in

everybody's mind at first YPSI was very hard for everyone to to say out loud

everyone's just said parks and recs parks and recs so it just took forever for

YPSI to be now just common nomenclature right so in that in that context we were

we were saying hey let's award folks out in the community since we're all dished

most of us are district appointed those who provide service or volunteers in

parks as in the green space of parks because youth became the first letter in

YPSI in the new the then new department name there was a very there was an

emphasis intentionality to highlight youth and it still is right that's why

this Commission also is one of the three commissions that has a UC right so any

good youth that is going above and beyond and that goes to schools and stuff

like that so it's like just an outstanding youth let's recognize them in general who may be

volunteering in their school and some of these schools are co-located with parks right so that

it was just that was the the criteria then community enrichment we know what the department

defines community enrichment and that is the you know the community centers and and all the other

great aspects that this department provides and so it was just in recognition that this department

is so vast and multifaceted.

So any organizations that are volunteers

in the community center space, and let's recognize them.

So that was the intention.

So there was no real criteria, as in they

did five hours of volunteering.

No, it was like, hey, amongst our council members,

I'll speak to the council member part of it, not the outlarges,

is like, hey, they're doing a great job.

They should recognize it.

And then in creating the ad hoc, we worked with the city attorney's office because we're supposed to promote volunteerism.

So if we recognize volunteerism, that was the legal policy item to create the ad hoc at that time.

I know because it's 2026 now to create an ad hoc, there's all these different criterias.

But back then, that was in the definition of our powers and duties, to promote volunteerism.

I was like, how do you promote volunteerism?

If we recognize volunteers, and then we take that big group picture, and then we all blast it across our socials, that promotes volunteerism.

So that was the mechanism to create said ad hoc even in the beginning.

So I know I'm speaking to historics, and I'm literally sitting in the same chair where this got codified.

but like how Shannon and the department and all of us went through the world did change right so

things ebbs and flows I'm lucky enough to sit here and have seen the ebbs and the peaks and

the valleys of this department and some years have been great years where their staff time

bandwidth capacity and other years we were all zooming right and then now it's been about two

three years since zooms you know now we're dealing with budgets right 2026 is already we already know

it's not the best outlook. So we have to be consider it to time, bandwidth, and capacities.

When we have coffee chats with each other, we always say, hey, when these items come up,

like these master plans of these communities, it's always a fluid document, right? And so,

yes, what I wrote in 2018, I'm not bounded by it because I know the world changed.

We have to, you know, what are the stressors or what are the mechanisms in 2026 that we have to recognize?

So in that spirit, that's how it was framed.

But how can we be mindful of, you know, going forward?

And like I said, staff capacity and time, what makes sense, what's efficient, how can we get our bang for the buck and recognize volunteers?

and I'll lastly say before I give up the mic I see what City Council does on

Tuesday nights right they do start the meeting off and recognize we just had

the recognition of Ken and retirement at the top of the top of the meeting and

people come in regardless of a long agenda you know that thing does go first

so you can get your photo op and recognize the great service of over 30

years of park service so I was like man I would love to do that on a Thursday

night so that was another reason why this volunteer recognition was for folks

to come to City Hall in a positive way on a Thursday night get recognized Robbie

being the first one to be formally recognized and then look where look where

it's kind of evolved to so it was just seeing what City Council does it's like

hey we're a commission we can kind of kind of do that too so those were the

building blocks I would love to see this continue I don't care how it continues

As long as we, at the end of the day, we're recognizing community, we get that big photo op.

Because to me, I mean, I understand the fluidity of, you know, have a couple here and there throughout.

But that may not be staff, the most appropriate use of limited staff time.

But if we did get them all at once, and there's 50 like how we just saw in December,

and if we change December to a different month, as long as I get, me personally get that big group photo.

because we heard the comments that night, right?

Like, oh, my God, I didn't know you did that in the north.

Oh, my God, I didn't know you did that in the south.

We're doing the same things.

Right, let's now work together.

We heard the chatter outside after the cameras turned off.

So in that vein, the spirit of creating this volunteer recognition item

in the first place has, I'm so happy it's still going.

So those are my thoughts.

Like I said, this is a crosstalk conversation,

So I just wanted to answer your questions of why some of these categories.

It wasn't never really heavily defined other than at the time the department had three different categories.

And so let's recognize it.

And the fourth quarter would have been the catch-all, right?

Like just anybody who does all three of these things, that filled the fourth.

So at the time, it made perfect sense.

Right now, how can we be more efficient?

So I've been talking a lot.

I think Commissioner King, I think you might be next.

Yeah, thank you, Joe.

Oh, Chair, excuse me.

It's okay.

Shannon, could you tell us a little bit more about the staffing time required in order to get the volunteers if we were to do it like on a roving basis?

So at the beginning of a staff or a commission meeting versus that like once one month of the year, whether that's December or another month,

Can you talk about the changes or the differences in those?

Sure.

What would happen is the volunteers that are nominated would have to come as a report that the commission would support and vote on.

We approved the nominations going forward, so that would be one report.

and then we would have to prepare another report to award the nominations for the commission.

And even before that, it is making sure that the nominations come in

and that we allow time for you to vet them with your council member,

which sometimes can take a little bit of coordination.

So within that, that's why I would say it probably takes about two to three hours for each report to be prepared and just the back work with making sure the nominations are filled out correctly and that you have time to review that.

And if there's any changes or additions, we get in there.

And then it's probably another hour for the clerk's office, the attorney, to review those reports and go in.

So it's about, for our staff time, eight reports, about 16 hours of work for each nomination that would come in.

And so for the once a year, it's two reports instead of, you know, if we stay with the four or if we do one every month,

it still requires two reports to be submitted.

Okay. So I would recommend just moving the month from December to a different month.

I would recommend moving the report from December to another month. Do we have any suggestions

on a different month? Maybe not January. We were, oh sorry, we were, the recommendation

in the beginning was to consider September as that date

because we also have 916 today that we want to celebrate

and we're going to be doing, Deanna will be speaking,

well, she'll be speaking about it in February.

But last year's discussion was around the goals

of the commission instead of having one event for 916

that we're gonna do, you know, celebrate 916 year round

with all of the volunteer events.

And then in September, host one celebration for all the efforts year-round, you know, 916 volunteer and just kind of have that as one.

So just wanted to have that for your awareness.

Okay, that's great.

Thank you.

Okay, thank you, Commissioner King.

Again, there's no motion on the floor just yet because we're going to spitball ideas to create a motion.

And I know a lot of us on our private lives, we are in public service.

and so how do we, we can workshop a good motion for staff to follow.

So before we do that official mechanism, I want to, before we finalize this conversation,

to come up with the bullet points.

So far I've heard a recommendation and change another month from December to a different month, possibly September.

I heard Commissioner Uribe, maybe we, how we can better define some of these nomination categories.

And then I know maybe that it's a question to you, Shannon, and or director Beecham,

is I know when you plan, from previous experience, when you plan out the calendar for the year,

there's items that hit certain calendars.

And so if we added, if we did it on a rolling basis, how could that collapse some of those calendar considerations?

and then I'm sure that they're here at the city of Sacramento

there's timing considerations of when to prepare a document

and so maybe you all can speak to that just a little bit of

even just the logistical backdating of

even just creating a staff report if it was on a rolling basis

so that if we explore this thread like what does that kind of look like?

So what I would go back to is how

the original nominations were set up.

So for each quarter, like take youth, for example,

the nomination period would have been December

or October through December

is when the nomination period would be

and the award would be in March.

And so we need 30 days for processing the reports

to get in the queue for March.

So that's why the review period would end in February.

We would have to submit all of our reports in February for the award, which the next report would be in March.

So, you know, it would just take a, you know, you might be able to limit the nomination period to 30 days.

And then we could have a little bit more time for the reports.

but if we wanted to stay with a quarterly,

probably how the nomination is set up for the calendar year,

it could be something we could work around.

But we're also flexible.

The calendar is flexible, and if there was just one month

that we have a lot of people that we'd like to recognize,

it's really up to the commission.

I saw your hand raised.

Okay.

Do I have any, Commissioner, comments and questions?

I know I have a couple more before we move it to a different...

No.

I did...

Thank you, Commissioner Robbins, for reporting out Commissioner Vasquez's points.

Some of them that I heard, correct me if I'm wrong,

was some sort of way to on the YPSI portion of the website to highlight these folks or

in a publication like come out in the play that comes out every quarter. What spitballing

here what would be the process of that and you know in consideration of time bandwidth

resources spitballing how would that process if we explored that or what what would it take to do so

yeah good question we just had the 2025 nominations and I think we have a wonderful

media team and we have a very active social media pages Facebook and Instagram that I think with

that resource, we could potentially put something out pretty quick.

We could also take a look at the come out and play and identify those nominations as

well.

But I think the bigger impact would be to get these names on the social media page and

celebrate them that way.

But we also have a newsletter that goes out.

We can also look at adding the names onto that newsletter as well.

Okay.

And that wouldn't necessarily take up too much resources if these assuming that these you know like how we just had in December if we in the nomination form even hey what is your handles you know or some of that extra vetting process so maybe that goes into maybe the form itself can be up we can take we can make a recommendation to update the nomination form to include some of those social handles so some of that pre work is done.

Great suggestion.

Okay.

Yes, I think so. And with the original, it is a handwritten, but it's electronically submitted.

So that is a wonderful recommendation that we can add.

Like I said, with the public service mind, right, we only have finite resources,

but how can a lot of this stuff be front-loaded as well, right?

And then there's always the question of vetting.

I mean, if we're, again, I work with a district that I submit it to the office and I get the okay there,

and then it comes to UPSI, right?

So there's some sort of vetting, but once it is vetted and sent to YPSI, the nomination form to capture as much data in that sense for those add-ons and what are they called?

Value adds, excuse me.

Commissioner King.

I think social media has become a very powerful tool for a lot of these organizations, so I think it's a great idea.

I don't necessarily think that it needs to go on a website or be like written anywhere in the newsletter

necessarily as long as it's on social media and so as long as there's a public forum in which these groups can say

Hey, look at this and they can share it with their followers. They can share it with their groups

I think that's a very powerful message and it's kind of like an awesome brag, right?

You got you got your organization to get this volunteer of the year award

So I think that's a great plan and really behind that.

I think that would be really powerful for these people.

No, no, I hear you.

As a person who partakes in social media blasting, right,

there's a difference when a government office validates, right,

or shares a repost, right, and then there's different tiers of that, right?

Like if we had, like I said, if we had the handle and a photo

and then the social media team blasts it out,

But then if we had that big group photo, then maybe that part of the collateral is in the newsletters.

Like, hey, here's 2026.

There was 50.

Here are the organizations.

So, like, there's different types of way to you have the asset to split it up amongst different feeds.

I think there's.

Well, I like that.

Is that feasible for the social media team?

Like, is that something that if we ask that could be implemented?

Okay.

Thank you.

Oh, yes.

Okay.

So when the motion is created, I think take a look at social media recognition or recognition via social feeds.

Is that just only social media or are we going to update the website as well?

Is that like two different entities that control that or is it still the social media team?

So it's the same group.

My recommendation, though, would be to simplify the website and just provide commission and volunteer recognition program information, but provide the most updated recipients through social media, if the commission agrees.

Yeah, because I think there's like a historical page because my name pops up all the time when I look up there and everyone that won that year, you know, from the guy that cleaned up duck poop to the guy that cleaned up graffiti, you know.

I don't know if that still updates, but that was just my question.

that way it's like fluid like you said so you're on Instagram or the website or Facebook it's all

recognized as one so that's just my question. Sounds great thanks. Commissioner Uribe.

Is it duck poop or is it geese poop? I feel like a lot more. Sorry that wasn't my question but it

popped in my head. Yeah I hope you guys are watching at home. Thinking about the nominations

and trying to get more nominations there's a recommendation that I have because I'm always

shouting out learning and landscape program I'm never going to be able to

say hey so-and-so deserves recognition at the learning landscape program for

2026 because I'm you know not involved as much as you guys are at the parks or

those team leads and stuff like that so is it possible that that can be kind if

it's not if it's already happens and I am very sorry for missing that where we

asked Ellen L those individuals towards the end of their 10 week to say hey can

you throw on us a nomination even if it might be something that we won't

look at name wise till the end of the year or whenever that ceremony is at

because 10 weeks is happening now if I'm not mistaken for the Learn to Escape

program or application might end it soon. Recent to start this 10 week but it'll

be cool to get nominations from the programs that the Parks Department has.

Yeah we can certainly do that we have our managers here that I can't think can

talk with their staff to support that. I also think that the new vision for 916

day since we're going to be celebrating it all year long and have an opportunity

to connect with volunteers throughout the entire year will be a really great

opportunity to identify more of those volunteers every month on a regular

basis. Thank you. And then personally in 2018 there was that delineation between

volunteer and those who help out YPSI via L&L and primetime team like they get

recognized by the department through the department mechanisms and this is like

more of the hey these are literal volunteers who have zero ties to the city

in a sense like if they're a former L&L person then that meant they went

through the department so like I said when it was first created that was the

delineation like staff and the quasi staff like lifeguards and stuff like

that they get recognized in their appropriate forums this is general

public in a sense. So I hear you. Yeah, those teens, those youth, those young people are

awesome. But to me, that's kind of double dipping, right? But because they helped us

out in 916, like the director said, that's more of an appropriate forum for set recognition.

So I don't want to rain on anyone's parade, but back in 18, that was the delineation of

whom gets the volunteer recognition certificate.

Director.

I would also use staff as a resource.

Now that we've really ramped up the volunteer program,

I don't know if you all have seen the new trailer

out in the parks.

I can't share my screen with you,

but it's pretty incredible.

It's a VIP, UPSI VIP trailer.

You might see it out at some of the Rose Garden

pruning events, but we have a really strong

and growing volunteer program.

and so staff can probably recommend some volunteers to you as well.

We have some pretty regular volunteers that are showing up to a lot of the events.

So use staff as a resource, right, if you want to kind of pick their brains a little bit

and see who's been consistently showing up to some of these events too.

That might be a good resource for you.

And maybe, Commissioner Uribe, maybe the flip side is who are we not recognizing?

Maybe I know those three categories are pretty robust,

but are we missing anything in said recognition?

So I would pose it back to you in the spirit of crosstalk like it.

I think when it comes to some of these awards, like it's great that we go into our communities and we recognize individuals that are great in volunteerism, our youth and stuff like that.

I feel like possibly my recommendation for the future of any award coming from a commission that involves staff time, that involves some of the energy,

also is given to those who might bring more energy specifically to either the programs that are within YPSI.

I think that's why I was like, oh, you know, we're already, if staff's already recognizing L and L, can commission then elevate this to the next level?

Because, oh, within L and L, I received the number one crew leader for this cohort in this 10 week, but the commission recognized me for the 2025.

So now from two different levels, we're saying to this crew leader or to L and L is that, hey, we're emphasizing our love for parks and the programs that we're enforcing.

So I think we as setting for the future of whatever awards come out of this commission, we can elevate that to another level because we shouldn't just be another set of awards that we're like, let's get out.

And obviously, if we can definitely recognize those who are kind of missed, I think that's one thing where as leaders in the commission, we kind of like, hey, we have an eye on this, but we also have an eye on this other part of the community.

like when we recognize Del Paso,

Del Paso Neighborhood Association,

I mean, their work in the community

and their work around community spaces,

like that's big to parks,

but how do we continue to say,

hey, you know, folks are being recognized

by going out there and being in their parks.

You know, how can I get recognized?

Thank you, Commissioner Uribe.

Commissioner King.

On that point, I like the thought of creating

maybe like a staff recognition award we constantly are saying thank you to our

staff members within the Ipsy department I don't know if that falls under our

umbrella but it would be nice to be able to highlight stories where a staff

member some group of staff members like LNL went above and beyond to help us

with an agenda item or a event like I don't know in sixth day and so I think

that would be a great separate but also equal award that we could give out right

maybe not a volunteer because they're not technically volunteers but they are

going above and beyond to help the Commission in some way and so maybe that

could be like a group decision where we vote on something to recognize a group

of people or they certain people that we like then the Commission present staff

not included yeah none of y'all and like I said like I said I've had the

fortune to see how staff presentations have been flowed in in amount of content

and like I said just a couple minutes ago,

there are reports we get yearly on certain months, right?

Maybe we can ask staff to, in said staff report,

then highlight one or two staff members

so that they too can come on a Thursday night.

I don't know if we embed it into this potential motion,

but maybe that is the recommendation just globally

since we're having cross-talk conversations.

But hey, maybe that's one more bullet point in that yearly,

like when L&L comes, right, that yearly report we get towards the middle of the year,

maybe a couple of students.

And, yes, it's nighttime, and maybe they literally are working that night.

So I know there could be some, there could be a there there.

Hey, in said report, who are your, those who just need that extra uplift,

and we can uplift them here too, so.

Okay, Commissioner King, you say anything.

Can we put a motion on or create agenda item to further this discussion of the staff recognition award at another meeting when we have more members?

Or do we need to continue?

I would like to create a motion that the six of us here are that gives direction but is also fluid to provide more direction.

Like I said, can staff look at social media recognition mechanisms?

So it's not defined other than we're recognizing the category to look at and

there can still be discussions going forward.

So I want it to be one to provide direction, but in said direction that there still could be conversation to be had.

We don't have to postpone it to a future meeting because these are always going to be continual conversations anyways.

just let's give them a nice global set.

And then in our monthly meetings,

hey, how is this item turning up?

So, and then that might be the pathway in 2026

with the chair and vice chair too

to keep on this item in January.

So that's my attempt.

And if that's not how, if that's not what you all want,

let's, because we don't have that many items tonight.

So we have plenty of time to talk mechanisms of the motion that we are going to present in a second.

But seeing no names up here, and like I said, some of us are public servants and who work for offices

and have to write staff reports our own way.

What would be the best way to make a recommendation?

Like I said, there's some bullet points here that I've heard in the conversation.

Let's take a look at the nomination for who are we.

might be also recognizing, hey, social media categories,

the recommendation of what best month, time resources.

So those are some of the global bullet points.

Have I missed any in our discussion?

And I know I think we may have addressed most of Victoria's bullet points.

Is there anything we're missing from there?

I know we talked about mechanisms.

We talked about batch versus fluid.

Director Beecham.

We can also, based on your recommendation tonight, we can bring back, taking into consideration all of your ideas and recommendations, bring back a proposal for you at our next meeting to consider and then move that forward when you have more of your members here as well.

In regards to the staff recognition piece, we can also add that to the follow-up log and bring that as a separate item if that's something you want to further discuss.

So what you said to bring it back next month?

Motion to bring it back next month to?

So share what your vision is, make a recommendation for the components you'd like included.

We can pull that together as a proposed program and bring it back to you next month.

We'll need to know what it is, though.

Can it be separate motions or does that have to be one jumbled up motion?

Well, we're providing direction.

Tonight's motion is to provide direction to staff, correct?

That's correct.

Okay.

In providing staff it could be multiple sentences.

Okay.

I would think.

Yes.

Okay.

What's easiest for staff?

All in one?

Perfect.

It kind of seems that the recommendation is to kind of revamp the awards.

Well, I'm sorry, I didn't hear you.

I think it sounds like our recommendation based on the discussion is to revamp the awards

and maybe give staff the ability to be like, yeah, let's go take this and figure out where

the future of this goes.

Because really, it's just about sticking to what the definition of those awards are.

But if I got into the Knitting Gritty, I'd be like, let's just get different names.

Because community enrichment sounds not so much fun to receive an award on.

That's a personal opinion.

So no offense to that.

Whoever received a Community Enrichment Award, they deserve it.

But I mean, I don't know.

That's just the little nitty gritty.

Okay, Ron.

Well, no.

We thought about this in the ad hoc back in 2018.

what does community enrichment mean in getting an award or being recognized for community

enrichment like I said we know what the department defines community enrichment that's like

community centers but my first awardee that that year was the Franklin business business district

because they do so much along Franklin to me that was enriching the community so I flipped the words

in my head but like I said that was just me personally but I then shared that sentiment to

the commissioner so I do like the sentence you're creating I'm going to try

to tap your public service staff member writing ability to I have right now the

sentence I have since we're doing a shared Google Doc to bring this item

next month comma in revamping the awards comma that's where I'm kind of stuck

like I had the bullet points here but if someone is a better wordsmith than I

in the following commas. To move it up to the front of the agenda for the meeting is that one important?

Agenda placement.

Good, good, any recommendation?

Like I said, this is crosstalk.

We can talk here fluidly here.

I don't want to suppose.

Okay.

To bring this item, so if we're prepping a motion,

to bring this item next month and revamping the volunteer recognition to look at categories

of best month nomination categories, social media recognition, the nomination form, who

who were not recognizing agenda placement,

any other items to look at in said revamping?

And then going to clerk's office and attorney's office

in a motion like that,

is that good enough to move forward to staff?

Okay.

All right, I think that's-

Second.

Okay.

I motion.

Yeah, it's clear as mud.

No, we get it.

Because we're providing staff direction.

We got it.

So therefore, to bring it next month.

City parks mud.

Comma.

In reforming the volunteer program, comma.

Look at these categories, comma.

And we'll...

What he said.

Yeah.

That's my motion.

Seconded by Commissioner Uribe.

Second.

Exclamation point.

Excellent.

All those in favor.

Aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Any no's?

Hearing none, any abstentions?

No.

Motion passes unanimous.

Thank you, everybody.

One thing that when I have sat in this chair is the crosstalk.

Sometimes we talk at each other, not with each other.

And I'm glad to see this item put on the agenda to have crosstalk.

I mean, that's our strengths.

We don't get to do that often.

And then to see the staff report that Shannon and I made back in 2018 come back to life.

and then serendipitously I'm sitting here again

on this chair talking about this program.

But I think we all saw in December

the value add everybody having here.

So to make it more efficient, fluid, better going forward

and not all of us will be here forever

to leave it in good hands for our counterparts in the future.

So thank you very much.

With that, we'll go to the next discussion item,

item number five it is our january standing item it is the selection of the chair and vice chair

for calendar 2026 again it is a big responsibility huge responsibility to lead the commission and

having to create items in your year that we may be talking about a few years later right

that is one of the best things about as a person who has previous held one of these positions

It is an awesome responsibility to be a part of a very dynamic commission for the city of Sacramento.

So this is an item I have got to see many, many times and have the pleasure of seeing the next set of leadership and then supporting set of leadership with the department.

So I would like to open up first nominations for vice chair on this item.

do we have any nominations I know I can go but Commissioner Uribe sure the term

is for a year calendar calendar year so they are the individuals who held the

position before have they expressed interest knowing that we're kind of like

on skeleton bones yes there is sentiment from yes groovy okay continue okay any

other questions yeah no this is actually the best time to ask questions if you

know you know I didn't get a chance to and I knew I wrote it down in the last

item is I know I've been joking that I've been here for a long time but the

fact that other commissioners this is they just completed one year right we've

had commissioners I've completed multiple years and we have commissioners that

this is their second meeting right and we're gonna have a commissioner in the

next couple months it's gonna be the first and so some of these items that

You may not know the ebb and flow of the commission without going through it with at least a year, a cycle, and you may not even be fully ready to go after a year or so.

So, yeah, take any opportunity to ask questions what it does indeed take to do some of this stuff.

and

like I said we've had so many

commissioners turn over all these seats

that some of these items are not

top of mind either right like of course

there's going to be questions about the volunteer recognitions

I was there day one some of you

day one was December right so it's like

so these items

you know please

ask these questions here we're

supposed to talk to each other but yes

long winded answer is

the chair has expressed feelings but we're not

that part yet. And then I believe the clerk's office may have to

read some names or there's some housekeeping with the clerk's office.

Thank you.

Okay. So I will just read a script so we're clear

and we're all on the same page here. So good evening. My name is

Rosanna Montesinos. I am from the city clerk's office. And all

the detailed information was in your staff report, but I have a few important reminders

regarding the election of officers.

We will hear nominations and vote for chair first

and followed by vice chair.

The newly elected chair and vice chair

will begin their terms at the next regular meeting,

which is Tuesday, February 5th.

Commissioners may nominate another commissioner or themselves.

Please remember that a commissioner may serve

for no more than two calendar years in either position.

As such, Commissioner Flores and Vasquez

are ineligible to serve as chair

and Commissioner Gaines is ineligible to serve as vice chair.

If you wish to make a nomination, please add your name to the speaker queue and we will go from there. Thank you.

Thank you, clerk's office. And I'm taking privilege as the interim chair to go with vice chair first.

Are there any questions before we get nominating the vice chair?

Seeing none. Okay, now it is. And if we have, okay, before we nominate, if there are multiple nominations, we can handle that, right?

you know first motion and if that motion passes even though there might be multiple nominations

the first one wins so before I open up the floor on that just to just for process sake right

because we've had that in previous years and it doesn't I would like if this thanks for all the

housekeeping I would like to nominate for vice chair commissioner Robbins I know this he's going

into his fourth year serving as a commissioner for District 3.

I know he is really involved in his community.

He has produced, created, assist, supported many, many events within District 3 and the

northern area at large.

I know he's been critical to 916 marketing.

He's done a lot in his three years.

I think it would be appropriate to nominate him as vice chair in 2026.

So I would like to make a motion and hopefully I hear a second.

Second.

Seconded by Commissioner Uribe.

Commissioner Labor, you had a comment?

No?

Okay.

Any discussion?

Seeing none.

All right, let's let it, okay.

I can take a vote on that part.

Okay, let's take a vote on the vice chair.

All right, all those in favor for Robbie Robbins

to become the vice chair in 2026, say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Opposed?

Hearing none.

Abstentions, none.

Congratulations, Robbie.

I only just...

No.

Did I say a few words real quick?

We should have a motion that you're confirming

that you accept yes i accept so it's on the record i was gonna say uh i've nominated commissioner

boone last year and she's an amazing individual and i would not be taking a seat if she didn't

give me her blessing on this before we move forward on that she's anything like the leader

she is she's going to be an amazing mother so i hope you're watching at home we're proud of you

we can't wait to meet the little one um just uh amazing from a young kid that grew up in the

the streets of Gardland, Del Paso Heights, and Northgate that, you know, as Biggie Smalls would

say, they amounted nothing, as a lot of teachers would say. So thank you. And as Kanye West would

say, you know, everything I'm not, maybe everything I am. So thank you for you guys' nomination,

and I look forward to being a true leader, and I hope I make everybody proud.

And because Chair Gaines couldn't be here tonight, she did send a note,

should this pass, she says, I'm so sad I couldn't be there tonight to vote for Robbie as vice-chair

of the commission. Robbie loves his community and it shows not just in his words but in his actions.

He is not afraid to do the hard work, ask challenging questions, and while not losing his

joy and passion for the people that he serves. I'm so grateful for you, Robbie, and I can't wait to

see all that you accomplish in 2026. Four letters, one word. Ugh. Vice. Okay. All right. And now,

So let us now pick the chair for 2026.

Again, like I said, Chair Gaines couldn't be here tonight,

but she has expressed to continue on as a second term for chair.

Yes.

I just want to clarify.

I said a motion.

I didn't mean a motion.

We just had to have official acceptance.

So just to clarify for the record.

And I motion for Chair Gaines to continue serve in the second term in 2026 as chair.

And she does express acceptance.

Seconded.

Seconded by Commissioner King.

Any discussion?

No.

With that, all those in favor for Chair Gaines to be chair in 2026?

Aye.

Aye.

Any no's?

Any abstentions?

Congratulations to Chair Gaines in year two of being our chair.

It's a tough seat to sit in.

No, she doesn't have an acceptance speech.

No, she wanted to make sure she recognized Robbie.

And so we'll just leave it.

Maybe she'll talk next time.

And with that, we'll go to the next item, department highlights.

Is that you?

Yeah, that's me.

Thank you, Chair.

It's the loophole.

Okay.

Thank you.

Happy New Year.

Happy New Year.

So our Rangers in December had 887 calls for service and 83 rapid response calls.

Lots happening already in the new year with our workforce development team.

Make sure you save the date for our Youth Resource and Employment Fair coming up on Saturday, March 7th from 930 to noon.

On-site registration will begin that day at 9.15, and that's for youth ages 13 to 24.

We'll have more information available soon.

Our Landscape and Learning Program has interviews currently being conducted this week for spring hiring.

We'll be hiring 55 youth with over 360 applicants.

We have 55 spots.

That's also for ages 13 to 17.

Very high demand for that program.

Our primetime teen and junior rec aid stipend programs have also fully filled their seats for the winter season.

Primetime teen at Oak Park Community Center in North of Tomas kicked off this week,

and our junior rec aid program starts later this month at George Sim Community Center.

And our Sacramento Youth Commission will be holding its first business meeting of the year on Monday, February 2nd, beginning at 530.

Happy to share that we have 17 of 19 seats filled, which is very exciting.

We have two vacancies in District 5 and District 7.

So if you'd like to help us recruit some youth for those seats, that would be wonderful.

And Summer at City Hall will be opening applications for the upcoming 2026 cohort in early March.

Also more information to come there.

Our expanded learning team, 4th R, has its Family Boogie and Glow Dance Party coming up on January 30th from 630 to 830.

This event is free for 4th R families.

pre-registration is required and more information is available at fourth hour sites.

For our older adult services program, the RRR program is accepting enrollment at all three of

our locations and we do have scholarships available. You can find information on our

website or at the Hart Senior Center. Also a reminder that we have our youth program scholarship

fund and 2026 applications are open we received a significant sort of source of funding through

measure l so we have a great amount of funding to be able to give to youth for this year but a

reminder that you do have to reapply for the fund for 2026 so if you're a recipient recipient of

funds in 2025 you have to reapply for 2026 that's for youth ages 0 to 24 in families with financial

need that will provide them access to quality recreation programs that the EFC is providing.

We are also already that time of year for our aquatics and camp programs to be recruiting for

summer positions. We are kicked off of recruitment already this year and we're going to be visiting

some of our scheduled visits at high schools and many community events across council districts.

We have lifeguard classes that are currently open for registration.

We have nine classes scheduled throughout the city this spring,

and we will be offering scholarships as we usually do.

Those applications open on January 20th.

Our park planning team has several projects underway, as they usually do.

Just last weekend, they celebrated a ribbon-cutting at Lewis Park

with the completion of the Pickle's

pickleball courts and the playground replacement in district seven shout out to jason and his team

he got his i said literal flowers as joe would say and the community was very appreciative of his time

of all the time and the effort that jason and his team put into that project

we also have i mentioned earlier annual rose pruning at the mckinley rose garden that's going

to be happening this month january every wednesday and saturday from 8 a.m to 11 a.m

So there are a handful of sessions you can still attend.

We actually hosted our leadership team meeting out there on Wednesday,

and our team got to go prunes and roses.

It's very therapeutic for those of you who'd like to get out there and enjoy the nice sunshine.

We welcome you to attend.

And those are all my updates.

Thank you.

Oh, yes.

Go ahead.

And just for purposes of the record, we had no public speakers for items four or five.

Thank you.

Again, I ask for grace and forgiveness for that.

Yes. Any questions for Director Beecham? All right. Seeing none, we'll go to Commissioner

comments, ideas, questions. Not that you stole my thunder or anything there, Director, but

here's a quick group picture of the pickleball courts this past Saturday at Lewis Park. Like

I said, or like the Director said, Jason was the VIP there. He received his literal flowers,

but then just all the thank yous that through him was sent to YPSI,

and then the council member was very appreciative of all of YPSI's staff.

So I just wanted to send that sentiment over.

Commissioner Lieber.

Thank you, everybody.

I just want to say thank you.

Earlier today, I was on a phone call with the city staff,

and I was appreciative of efforts that you guys make and grateful for your efforts.

Excuse me.

And also Saturday, I went to an event at McKinley Park.

There was a tree planting event with that new trailer that I saw, and it was pretty cool looking.

And I have other events coming up at Southside Park.

We're recruiting volunteers to help out in early February.

There's a group that called us up, and I think Dennis will be there too.

But that's all. Thank you.

Thank you, Commissioner Laver.

Commissioner Vice Chair Robbins.

Thank you, Chair.

I just gotta say thank you Corina Telemontes for having the Santa Natomas and I think we almost hit every park in D3.

It was a lot.

The Grinch got arrested I think 40 times on a three day basis.

So thank you to Sac PD for making that happen.

But I just had to announce that we have our tree planting first of the year at Jefferson Park this Saturday.

Then we'll have Gardland Park on February 25th.

But this Saturday I hope to see you guys out there and see that fancy new trailer as well.

So yeah I look forward to seeing everyone out there.

Thank you for your time.

All right.

Thank you, Vice Chair.

Commissioner King.

Yes.

Thank you, everybody.

Yes, I am excited to talk a little bit about what things that happened in December.

It feels like it was so long ago.

But D5 had a wonderful event, the Santa Parade, hosted by Council Member Maple.

And overall, it went really great.

We had amazing volunteers at each of the parks and locations that the stop had.

I was also a captain at one of the parks and we had a great event. It was Posada where it was a

very heritage based event and it was really really fun. We had a great turnout so overall thank you

to all the volunteers and everybody who made that event happen and then yes looking forward we have

a really exciting 2026 and I look forward to all the events and I'm going to attend as many as

possible so everybody let me know but yeah I'll have more information to come.

All right thank you Commissioner King. Commissioner Langer.

Still getting used to this system so just wanted to thank everybody for your

patience with me as I onboarded. It's really been a steep learning curve but

all things very very neat and so thank you all for your work and your

collegiality as I'm getting on boarded. Same, we are having our first D1 tree planting on January

31st. So I'm still working on details for that and coordinating with city staff, but very much

looking forward to my first official role in my official capacity and appreciate any words of

wisdom you might have to share along the way. But thank you to staff. They've been absolutely

awesome in getting all the resources that I need and just getting me up to speed. So thanks everyone.

Appreciate it.

Commissioner, what park is that going to be at?

Swainson's Hawk Park.

Yes.

All right.

Thank you, Commissioner Langer.

See no more comments.

Clerk's office, is there any public comments on matters not on the agenda?

Thank you, Chair.

We have no public comments for matters not on the agenda.

Okay.

So before we adjourn tonight, like, again, I express my deep gratitude for allowing me to sit in this chair.

It's, like I said, it's an awesome responsibility to do so and to represent you all.

Now, we'll have, hopefully I don't have to do it again because we have great leadership.

But no, so thank you.

It's always an honor and privilege, and I don't take that for granted.

So with that, we'll see you next month.

Thank you very much.

So I'll see you next time.

Thank you.