Community and Neighborhood Services Committee Meeting Summary - May 25, 2023
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Community and Neighborhood Services Committee Meeting Summary - May 25, 2023
The Community and Neighborhood Services Committee met on May 25, 2023, at 1:00 PM (17:00 UTC) to consider routine approvals, annual reports, budgets, and an informational overview. The meeting was chaired by Councilmember Campbell, with Councilmembers Campillo and Ilo Rivera present; Councilmember Whitburn was absent. All votes were unanimous (3-0) where taken.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Committee Actions (April 20, 2023): The minutes were approved unanimously (3-0, with Whitburn absent).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Non-Agenda Public Comment: Three speakers in chambers (Joseph Sims, Janet McDaniel, Gloria Madigan) from East Village raised concerns about noise from the Sequan Stage at Gallagher Square, citing persistent high-decibel concerts (95 dB at soundboard, 80+ dB inside nearby homes), lack of environmental review, and health/safety impacts. They requested enforcement of city codes and park regulations. Virtual speakers included Blair Beekman (surveillance tech and budget), Terry Best (cannabis social equity program), Becky Rapp (support for AB 1207, Cannabis Candy Child Safety Act), and Kathleen Lippitt (noise issues in Pacific Beach and East Village).
- Items 1 & 2: Public comment included Blair Beekman (tech accountability), Brian Early (District Manager for La Jolla MAD, supporting approval), Brian Nichols (Hillcrest Business Association, supporting MADs), and Chris Gomez (Little Italy Association, supporting approval).
- Item 3: Joyce Sunyada (District 3) praised the equity lens and urged approval; Blair Beekman commented on rec centers and surveillance tech.
- Item 4: Joyce Sunyada, Blair Beekman, Kathleen Lippitt, and Judy Strang all expressed support for the internship program and suggested enhancements (e.g., health/safety education).
Discussion Items
- Item 1 & 2 (FY2024 Maintenance Assessment District Annual Reports): Parks and Recreation (Michael Jones) and Economic Development (Sean Caraffin) presented the annual reports. There are 65 MADs citywide—55 managed by Parks and Rec (2 self-managed) and 10 by EDD (including a new North Park Special Enhancement District). No major changes; assessment rates adjusted incrementally. Councilmembers appreciated the work and noted the public-private leverage (e.g., hanging baskets in La Jolla). Both items were approved separately, each unanimously (3-0).
- Item 3 (FY2024 Recreation Center Fund Budgets, Opportunity Fund Budget, & Recreation Equity Report): Sarah Irazzo (Deputy Director, Parks and Rec) presented the proposed budgets. The Opportunity Fund has $400,000 available, allocated to six locations (Azalea, Caesar Solis, Stockton, Mountain View, Skyline, Penn Athletic Field). Council President Ilo Rivera expressed concern that Stockton—a high-need facility—received only $51,200, below the $84,000 target, due to staffing and joint-use limitations. She moved approval and committed to pursuing the full amount for Stockton. The item passed unanimously (3-0).
- Item 4 (Volunteer Intern and Work Readiness Programs Overview): Kelly Peppo (Citywide Intern and Volunteer Program Manager) provided an informational overview. The Employee and Empower program (funded by $18M state grant) has placed 293 interns (69% low-income, 81% from communities of concern), with 33% converted to permanent employment (vs. 13% historical). The citywide job fair drew over 2,300 applications and 1,300 interviews, yielding 192 conditional offers. No formal action was required.
Key Outcomes
- Approved minutes of April 20, 2023 (3-0).
- Approved FY2024 annual reports for Parks and Recreation MADs (Item 1) (3-0).
- Approved FY2024 annual reports for Economic Development MADs (Item 2) (3-0).
- Approved FY2024 recreation center fund budgets, opportunity fund allocations, and equity report (Item 3) (3-0). Council President Ilo Rivera committed to working toward $84,000 for Stockton Rec Center.
- Noted the informational overview of volunteer/intern programs (Item 4).
- The next committee meeting is scheduled for Thursday, June 29, 2023, at 1:00 PM.
Meeting Transcript
Good morning. Welcome to the Community and Neighborhood Services Committee meeting of May 25th, 2023. The committee layers on Natalie Kessler will provide information and instruction. Thank you. While members of the public are able to attend meetings in person, this meeting is being televised and live streamed on the city's website, and council administration will continue to make arrangements for the public to comment using the Zoom webinar platform. Additionally, members of the public who wish to provide virtual testimony must enter the virtual speaking queue by raising their hand before the queue closes. The queue will close when the last virtual speaker finishes speaking or five minutes after in-person testimony ends, whichever occurs first. This will allow for better meeting management between the two platforms and ensure the committee is able to manage and conduct city business. We appreciate the public's cooperation. Chair Campbell. Councilmember Campillo. Here. Natalie, please continue with public uh comment instructions. If you are attending in person and wish to speak on any items, please complete a speaker slip located at the entrance of chambers and place it in the box indicated at the speaker's lecture and at the front of the room. Please do so in a timely manner to ensure proper meeting management. In-person testimony will conclude before virtual testimony begins. Members of the public can join the webinar by computer, tablet, or smartphone by accessing the link, which is listed online in the preamble language of the agenda on the city's webpage. To join the Zoom webinar by telephone, please dial 1669-2545252. When prompted, input webinar ID 160-990-0498 Pound. This information is also available on the agenda and will appear on the screen during the public comment period for each agenda item. Members of the public who wish to provide testimony via a call-in or an internet-based service option must enter the virtual speaking queue within five minutes after the conclusion of in-person public testimony or before the virtual speaking queue is exhausted, whichever occurs first. Please note that if you're watching via City TV 24 or online, there may be a delay. And if you've joined the webinar by computer, tablet, or smartphone, you will receive a pop-up notice to select to unmute your device. If you've called into the meeting by cell phone or landline, please press star six on your phone to unmute yourself. And we'll review these instructions briefly again when the public comment period on an item is open. Also, as a reminder, please mute the volume on your TV or computer before you begin to speak. Chair Campbell. Thank you. A quorum is now present, and we will now dispense with the approval of the committee actions of April 20th, 2023. Natalie, please proceed. So the public comment period for the previous committee actions is now open. Please raise your hand at this time if you wish to speak. And Chair Campbell, we do not have any speakers in chambers, nor do we have any hands raised in the virtual queue, so that will conclude public testimony on the committee actions. Thank you. We will now vote on the approval of the committee actions. Do I have a motion to approve the committee actions from April 20th, 2023? I'll move, Chair. Thank you. And do I have a second? I will second. Thank you. So we have a uh motion by Council President Ilo and a second by uh councilmember uh what's his name, Ron Campillo. Not Campbell Campia. Rao Campbell. Very close. Campillo is Campbell only in Italian or something. Okay, Spanish. Okay. I just had to do that. We'll now take the voting using the voting screen.
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