Good afternoon.

Welcome to the community and neighborhood services committee meeting of November 19th, 2025.

Our committee layers on Natalie Kessler will provide information and instruction for the public to participate in today's meeting.

Thank you, Chair.

While members of the public are able to attend the meetings in person.

This meeting is being televised and live streamed on the city's website, and the council administration will continue to make arrangements for the public to comment using the Zoom webinar platform.

Members of the public who wish to provide virtual testimony must enter the virtual queue by raising their hand before the virtual 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.

Thank you.

I will now call the community and neighborhood services committee meeting of November 19th, 2025 to order.

And I will now take the role.

First of all, Vice Chair Campillo, who's joining us virtually.

Thank you, Chair.

I am present in notifying the council I'll be attending this uh committee meeting today virtually due to just cause related to child care as a result of contagious illness.

Uh thank you very much uh for allowing me to do this.

In pursuit of the Brown Acts, I'm disclosing there are no individuals over 18 or older present in this room with me.

Uh if that changes, I will update that disclosure.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And Councilmember Foster.

Here.

Thank you.

And I too am present and also present with us today is Sergio Calday from the Office of the Independent Budget Analyst, Daphne Scogan with the City Attorney's Office.

Emily Pat Piatanisi from the Office of Mayor Talk Gloria, and Lizelle Gloria, our committee consultant, and Natalie Kessler, our committee liaison.

Natalie, please continue with public comment instructions.

I will now go over how the public can offer their testimony during today's meeting.

If you're in person, please complete a speaker slip located at the entrance of chambers and place it in the tray indicated at the front of the room next to the public comment microphone.

Please submit your speaker slip 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 listed online in the preamble language of the agenda on the city's webpage.

And to join the Zoom webinar by phone, dial 166, 92545252.

When prompted, the webinar ID is 161-686-5119 pound.

This information is also available on the agenda and will appear on the screen during the public comment period for each agenda item.

Please note that if you're watching via City TV channel 24 or online, there may be a delay.

Please participate via the audio on your phone and meet your TV or computer when it is your turn to speak.

And if you wish to speak on a particular item, wait for that item to be called and then raise your hand to speak by tapping the raise your hand icon.

Or if you are a call and participant press star nine on your phone.

If you raise your hand during a non-comment period, your hand will be lowered.

Chair?

Thank you, Natalie.

A quorum is now present, and we will now take up non-agenda public comment.

The council members respect and appreciate the public's input and are fully committed to protecting every participant's free speech rights at council and count and committee meetings.

Natalie, please proceed with non-agenda public comment.

Hi.

That I brought to uh the previous rules committee this morning.

Uh I spoke here yesterday uh that Oakland was going to have a public safety committee meeting on how to move forward with their two-year uh flock contract issues.

It got hung up in the committee.

The committee deadlocked it two to two.

And um so it technically cannot go forward to the city council.

What they're gonna do now, uh anybody's guess, you know.

Um it's if nothing else is proving that they're having serious questions about the future of Flock in Oakland.

And I think it sets a really important precedence that we can start to be having our own conversations down here in San Diego to simply transition out of Flock into a new uh um vendor and provider for for the future of of the AOPR services.

And that that is just not a far-fetched conversation anymore that it used to be.

So good luck that we are in the next six months to a year.

I think we really can be looking and reviewing and and studying and understanding together how to move away from PLOC.

Uh PLOC is being proven to be not a good player, and we can do better.

And I think we is it'll just be really interesting next six months to a year.

Uh, what process we'll be going through together to understand that and work towards better accountability and responsibility.

Um it's interesting.

It's an interesting time uh that we may be going through right now.

And so good luck in those efforts.

Um I wanted to thank you that you mentioned that uh someone from the mayor's staff was here today.

Um it's good.

I think that can really help create a good community feeling each time uh someone from the mayor's staff shows up at our committee meeting.

So it's helpful.

Thank you.

Thank you.

This concludes in-person public testimony.

We will now move to the virtual queue.

I've started the five-minute timer.

There are two hands raised in the virtual queue.

Terry Ann Skully, please unmute and begin.

Good afternoon, San Diego Community and Neighborhood Services Chair Campbell.

My name is Terry Ann Skelly.

I'm a public, I'm a parent, first off, and a public health educator and a planning group member.

I came today to share information from the U.S.

surgeon periodic general report entitled Eliminating Tobacco Related Disease and Death Addressing Disparities.

The report especially dealt with the role of secondhand smoke and vapor contributing to unclean air, which has had much a much higher toll on the less advantaged people.

And it's two main strategies that apply to San Diego are strategy one.

Implement smoke-free and vape-free policies for public places and apartment complexes.

And strategy number two, make smoking and vaping products less appealing and less available.

The Surgeon General advises that the advertising promotion, billboards, and sponsorship of smoking and vaping products by highly um restricted that is highly restricted or eliminated, and it limits the number of density of retailers of smoking and vaping products, whether it's tobacco, marijuana, or CBD products.

The stores for tobacco, marijuana, or CBD smoking and vaping products are notoriously located in communities of concern because it's cheaper to locate there.

And communities of concern are less likely to have medical resources and education regarding the physical and mental hazards of smoking and vaping.

So now is the time for city council to hold the course.

No more stores that sell tobacco, marijuana, or CBD smoking and vaping products here in our city.

Thank you for hearing my concerns this afternoon.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Becky Rapp.

Please unmute and begin.

Good afternoon.

My name is Becky Rapp, and I'm a public health educator with a focus on youth prevention.

And today I'd like to address the problem with the lack of education around the harmful effects of substance exposure on young people and their developing brains, and the contradicting information that is being published and pushed through billboards in our city.

Dr.

Danielle Amen, a psychiatrist and founder of Change Your Brain Foundation and Brain MD, shared alarming insights about how drugs, including marijuana, can severely impact brain development.

He explained how these substances disrupt neural neural connections, impair cognitive function, and increase the risk of long-term behavioral and emotional challenges.

Despite this evidence, we're witnessing a dangerous trend of normalization of substance use driven by misinformation and industry-driven narratives.

Billboards are not just obnoxious pictures and words.

They're powerful, unavoidable messaging platforms that shape perceptions and behaviors.

Research shows that advertising exposure, especially for high-risk substances like alcohol, marijuana, and tobacco influences youth attitudes and increases the likelihood of early use.

Yet every day, children as young as preschool age walk past ads that normalize substances and behaviors that can harm their developing brain and bodies.

The marijuana industry alone spends over three billion annually on marketing, often targeting young adults and families, downplaying the risks and promoting false ideas about safety.

It's our time.

It's time our city says no, not in our city, and prioritize cleaner, safer, and healthier public spaces for all families.

Please prioritize the removal of these billboards.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And chair with no additional hands in the queue.

This concludes non-agenda public comment.

Thank you, Natalie.

And we will now move to committee members, mayor staff, city attorney, and IBA for any comments at this time.

Hearing none, we will ask if there is any request for continuance.

Hearing none, we will now dispense with approval of our consent agenda.

Do I have any requests to pull an item from the consent agenda?

Hearing none, Natalie, please proceed with public comment on the consent agenda, which are the minutes of the last meeting.

Thank you, Chair.

The public comment period for the consent agenda is now open.

The consent agenda includes item one approval of the committee minutes from October 22nd, 2025.

And we have not received any speakers' lips here in chambers, and we do not have any hands raised in the virtual queue.

So this concludes public comment.

Thank you.

I'll now turn it over to committee members for any questions or comments and entertain a motion in regard to our consent agenda.

Thank you.

We have a motion from Councilmember Foster to move the consent agenda.

And I'll be happy to second it.

And we will now vote using voting screen.

Council member.

And the vote is two yes and one absent at this time.

And so that consent passes.

We will now take up our information agenda.

Natalie, please introduce item two.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Oh, he had I think he stepped away.

That's why I have said his vote was absent.

Yeah.

Okay.

Okay.

Item two, 2025 Parks and Recreation Equity Report.

And if you're watching on City TV or the live stream online and would like to call into the meeting to speak, please call 1669 2545252 when prompted input webinar ID 161 6865119 pound.

Chair.

Thank you.

Please introduce yourselves and then uh let us know how much time you'd like and please proceed after that.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, committee chair Campbell.

My name is Tom Tomlinson.

I'm an assistant director in our parks and recreation department.

Joining me today is Salami Martinez.

She's a program manager in our citywide recreation services.

We're going to be giving you a report on our equity report, and we'd like to ask for 20 minutes.

Thank you.

Please proceed.

Good afternoon.

My name is Salvi Martinez, Program Equity Manager for the Parks and Recreation Department.

I'm here today to present the Parks and Recreation 2025 Equity Report.

A report on park equity is essential because it helps us clearly distinguish equity from equality and understand how these concepts shape park access in San Diego.

Equity acknowledges that not all communities start from the same place and requires intentionally directing resources to those historically underserved.

Equality by contrast assumes all communities begin on equal footing and receive the same resources by distinguishing the two.

We can avoid a one one-size-fits-all solution and ensure investments remove barriers and create meaningful access.

Guided the city council's adoption of the parks master plan in 2021, which identifies existing inequities and sets policy goals to ensure all communities fairly benefit from park from our park system.

The park master plan identified long-standing inequities impacting underserved communities, including historical disparities in public investment, particularly in older neighborhoods.

Lower park acreage and fewer amenities in older communities that were developed before parkland standards existed.

Funding inequities were rapidly growing.

New communities generated significant development impact funds or DIF fees, while slower growth neighborhoods produce far less, limiting reinvestment.

Aging facilities and deferred maintenance in many older parks and recreation centers, and limited program funding and reduced access for residents in historically under-resourced areas.

Updating the citywide park diff structure, directing 80% of funds to park deficient communities with at least 50% specifically allocated to communities of concern.

The department has acknowledged these discrepancies and is actively working to address them through initiatives such as implementing the parks master plan, the city's first policy framework that prioritizes park investment based on equity, updating the citywide park diff structure, directing 80% of funds to park deficient communities, with at least 50% specifically allocated to communities of concern, completing the citywide park condition assessment released in 2019 to understand facility needs, develop the tactical equity plan in 2022 to guide equitable decision making within the department, and advancing the Choyous Creek Watershed Regional Park Master Plan through city planning.

There's also applying the hostilistic equity lens that considers facility condition program availability, funding levels, and service distribution.

Pursuing grants and reviewing discretionary site funding to target park improvements in the highest need areas, establishing the opportunity fund, using revenue from park use permits to support our equitable programming, expanding philanthropic partnerships to enhance recreational program and address minor capital and aging facility needs, and the park needs index that is currently under development by the planning department.

In addition to the parks master plan, the department's approach to improving its park system has been fundamentally transformed through the adoption of additional key guiding documents that prioritize equity, inclusion, and community centered planning.

Those documents include the 2019 San Diego Climate Equity Index Report, the city's strategic plan adopted in 2022, and the Tactical Equity Plan adopted in 2023 that outlines five strategic goals to guide the enhancement of parks, recreational opportunities, employee well-being, and environmental stewardship.

Together, these documents create a comprehensive framework driving meaningful, measurable progress toward an inclusive and equitable park system for all residents and has guided the evolution of the department's annual equity report to demonstrate citywide commitment to equity.

And in 2019 to 2020, we had no report due to the coronavirus closure and the shutdown of operations during this time.

In 2022, the report was re-established again and continued to 2024.

Historically, this report primarily focused on tactical equity plan number two, which focused on equitable recreational programming.

These reports only included performance measures and efforts undertaken by the department and the partners to achieve equitable programming.

Recognizing that equity extends beyond programming, this year's report takes a more comprehensive look at access across parks, open spaces, recreation centers, and aquatic facilities.

What you will now see is an expanded report to demonstrate progress and updates that reflect broader equity efforts across the entire department.

The report now outlines key accomplishments aligned with the current five tactical equity plan goals, as you see here on the screen.

Please note that the department's tactical equity plan is just a section of the city's tactical equity plan and is a live active document that we will continue to update as equity in the department changes.

The next few slides will briefly go over each of the current goals and will highlight some achievements the department-wide.

Equity is not a one-time goal, but a continual practice that must evolve alongside the communities.

Ongoing efforts will continue to adapt and make strides to eliminate barriers and inequities.

Goal number one is to provide access to clean self safe, well-maintained parks, open space, and landscape areas.

The objectives are to provide well-maintained parks, provide clean parks, and provide safe and enjoyable access to parks.

The highlights that we included for goal number one include our philanthropic efforts with San Diego Parks Foundation, Forever Babel Park, and Mission Trails Regional Park.

There's also information about our customer savace customer service satisfaction survey, which is our KPIs, and our results there.

You'll see information on the capital improvement projects that we completed in 2024, which are the Botanical Garden, Riviera del Sol Neighborhood Park, Clay Avenue Mini Park, and renovations to the Mountain View Sports Courts.

We included stats or statistics on our get it done.

The department closed over 6,500 get it done cases.

These cases included graffiti, illegal dumping, trash litter, and other miscellaneous maintenance requests across the department.

We've highlighted the DIF funds used for projects across the city in that are in design phase, construction or completed in this last fiscal year.

We're happy to announce that we onboarded four new joint use facilities in partnership with the San Diego Unified School District with more parks to come in upcoming years.

And we highlighted the success of the wheelchair access botanical expedition that was offered for this first time this last year.

Goal number two is to access access to enjoyable, fulfilling recreational opportunities to all.

Objectives are to serve areas in and around climate equity index communities of concern by reducing impediments to program and participation, marketing programs to San Diegans, identifying and closing gaps in services between various recreation facilities, connecting all recreation centers with their local park by understanding and offering desired community recreation activities, programs, and events, and expanding the digital equity by providing Wi-Fi in these communities.

The highlights for goal number two include lots of great information on our Come Play Outside program where we reached over 153,000 participants and brought in 2 million in funding on donations to be able to enhance services across the department.

You'll see information on the opportunity fund.

We were able to allocate 400,000 to equitable programming.

This was for 11 sites to be able to use for their programs, special events, and maintenance needs as needed.

Our citywide sports program, which is staff-led leagues and coaching and clinics.

There's seven different sports that were offered by our staff.

We reached about 5,702 participants in the last year, and those numbers continue to grow.

The aquatics department offers a variety of different classes from free swimming to swimming lessons and competency classes.

We reached thousands of participants here and subsidized over 31,000 in low-income fee waivers and received over 100,000 in philanthropic donations.

Age Well Services, we're happy to announce that we reopened two senior centers that are now led by the or staffed by the department and run and operated on behalf of our staff.

For therapeutic recreation services, we serviced over 50,000 residents annually, including large variety classes, camps, and events that are offered across the department as well.

And our civic dance program, this is staff-led program with our own instructors that served 6,261 participants at 22 recreation centers and issued over 49,000 in low-income fee waiver assistance for participants to be able to take our classes.

On to goal number three, which is to foster employee-centric sustainable growth and development.

The objectives are to compensate employees at rates at or above average for various governmental agencies within San Diego County.

To create initiatives to create innovative ways to recognize and reward recreational performance and special projects, improve recruitment and retention efforts, and create a desirable and attainable workforce.

Some of the highlights for goal three include our back to work SD intern program to provide youth and young adults hands-on experience in civic engagement and career pathway in San Diego, our park ambassador program in partnership with the San Diego Parks Foundation and city staff that completed two 10-week-long successful academies with a total of 48 participants annually.

The great thing here is some of these ambassadors become city employees once they finish the program.

For recruitment and retention, the department's vacancy rate decreased from 20% in years past to 15 at the end of fiscal year 25, and we started hosting hiring halls to recruit and make hiring of staff easier.

You'll see highlights on the training opportunities, over 390 training opportunities for staff were offered to show commitment to professional growth and advancement.

And lastly, the vendor recruitment efforts that are ongoing to enhance and support recreational programming and events.

We are pleased to announce that we onboarded 72 new vendors in 2024.

On to goal number four cultivate a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment for department employees and the public.

Objectives are to strategize environmental scans to city facilities to ensure that they are culturally inclusive and free of insensitive or racial materials.

To cultivate a culture of respect and city facilities by following principles of respect, equity, and inclusion.

Highlights for goal number four include our partnership with the Office of Race and Equity to offer race and equity training to all of our staff members, where over 738 hours of training have been completed.

These are ongoing efforts that will continue annually.

For marketing and social media, the department has expanded expanded its reach to over 21,000 followers.

I think we're up to 25,000 now on Instagram and is now posting information in both English and Spanish.

For translation services, we are working with the communication department to provide translation services at the recreation centers and to translate documents as needed into English, Spanish, and other languages as needed.

And lastly, goal number five to implement climate action plan goals, including fossil fuel use reduction, natural resource management, preservation, restoration, and tree planting.

Objectives here to reduce fossil fuel usage in buildings by electrification, appliance swaps, and use of new emerging technologies in accordance with the climate action plan objectives.

To expand natural resource management plans to identify sensitive habitats, establish resource needs and proper management techniques, and restore and protect valuable open space areas.

To build the urban shade camp uh canopy by planting trees in parks and replacing dead and dying trees.

Highlights for goal number five include our tree planting programs.

Over a hundred trees have been planted citywide thanks to the philanthropic efforts, funding, volunteer support, and our city staff that work together to make this happen.

That include our Linda Vista community garden and our Parc de la Cruz program garden that is actively being used today.

And for park forestry, we trimmed over a thousand seven hundred and thirty five trees and responded to over 68 emergency calls in 2024.

The tactile equity plan uh reaffirms the department's unwavering commitment to the core operating principles outlined in the strategic plan.

By aligning our efforts with these principles, the tactical equity plan functions as a practical roadmap toward building a more inclusive, accessible, and responsive park system for all communities.

The work is not finished, there's a lot to be done here.

Equity is not a one-time goal, but it's a continual practice that must evolve alongside with our communities.

Our ongoing efforts include park maintenance, ensuring every neighborhood benefits from safe, clean, and well-maintained park spaces, our recreational opportunities expanding equitable access to programming for all ages and abilities.

As you know, we are in the middle of our community recreation needs assessment that will really provide us with the uh recreational baseline of where we're at and where what each of our community needs as far as programs, communication, and financial needs are.

Customer service, delivering respectful, timely, and cultural competent service for employee development, investing in a work workforce that reflects the communities we serve.

Diversity, inclusion, and climate action is embedding equity into our environmental and social sustainability initiatives.

Along with this equity report, we're excited to launch the new equity in parks and recreation website, which will serve as a central hub for all equity-related efforts, reports, and updates.

We invite everyone to explore the site and learn more about how we're advancing equity citywide.

This webpage is now live and can be found on the Parks and Rec homepage as a tile in the features section.

That brings me to the end of my presentation.

So we invite you to read the equity report in its totality because there's a lot of great stuff that we've also I didn't include in my presentation.

And we offer we uh invite you to check out our website and learn more about our efforts.

That is the end, and happy to take any questions.

Thank you, Solome.

That was great.

Um, I would currently uh like just take a moment to call on Council Member Campillo to make a comment on item one.

Oh thank you, Chair.

I was gonna make it after the item, but yes, sorry, for some reason there was a snafu on my digital and probably my Wi-Fi in my home, and you didn't hear me try to answer yes on a vote on item one, but I will keep my hand raised for comments on this item uh as soon as we go to public comment.

Thank you, Chair.

Thank you so much.

We will uh record that yes vote.

Thank you.

So this is an information item only.

Right.

So no motion is necessary, but I would like to uh call on our Office of IBA representative who has a few comments.

Thank you, Chair.

Um we have Selena Biegas from the race and equity division of our office to provide comments.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, Chair Campbell and members of the committee.

My name is Salina Villegas, and I'm with the Office of the Independent Budget Analyst, the Division of Race and Equity.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak today about the 2025 Parks and Recreation Equity Report.

Our team has worked closely with the Parks and Recreation Department and reviewed the report through the lens of our four core equity factors access, assets, neighborhoods, and process, and offers the following recommendations to support implementation and accountability.

For access, we asked who has access to parks and recreation opportunities.

Are there barriers physical, financial, or procedural that prevent equitable use?

Council members may wish to request an update on the funding disparities between recreation centers in the northern and southern parts of the city, specifically between community parts one and community parts two.

This update could include program spending per recreation center, number of programs offered, and number of participants served disaggregated by geography.

According to the 2021 Equity and Parks Audit, CP1 offered 3,239 programs, while CP2 offered 1,542, highlighting a significant gap.

In a recent update, the opportunity fund was referenced as a direct fiscal resource to help address recreational programming.

An update will allow the department to refresh the data with current state information.

Our team is working on tactical equity plan updates with Parks and Rec, which will include updating their key performance indicators for each tactical equity plan objective.

Clear, measurable outcomes would help the city to assess where gaps, disparities, or deficiencies exist.

Equity is an outcome, and to achieve it, we must evaluate each objective through that lens.

Operationally, we encourage Parks and Rec to embed equity metrics into their performance dashboards and ensure that access related KPIs are tracked and reported publicly.

For assets, we asked, are we leveraging city assets to support equity?

Are we valuing community knowledge and lived experience?

We recommend the city use tools like the Climate Equity Index and Tactical Equity Plan to ensure programming and capital investments are prioritized and historically under-resourced communities.

For neighborhoods, we asked, are we naming and addressing the specific needs of impacted neighborhoods?

Are we using the data to drive place-based investments?

We encourage the city to continue the use of disaggregated neighborhood level data to inform resource allocation and program design.

Avoiding vague or coded language and naming impacted communities directly helps ensure transparency and accountability.

Operationally, outreach and programming should be tailored to the cultural, linguistic, and historical context of each neighborhood.

A one-size-fits-all approach will not meet the needs of our diverse communities.

For process, we asked, are we being transparent about how decisions are made?

Are we closing the loop with communities?

Council members may wish to request an update on the city's response to the 2021 2021 equities and reports programming audit that reflects the current state of implementation and equity outcomes.

This update could include a review of how KPIs are being used to measure progress on equity goals and whether those indicators are sufficient to identify and address disparities.

As Parks and REC prepares budget equity impact statements, the race and equity team will provide technical assistance to assess the cost of addressing disparities between CP1 and CP2.

This will help ensure that budget decisions are aligned with equity goals and granted and grounded in data.

We also encourage Parks and Rec to establish standardized procedures for reporting back to communities on how their feedback has shaped programming and investments.

This would help build trust and reinforce the value of civic participation.

The division of race and equity team remains committed to supporting implementation, monitoring progress, and ensuring that equity is not just a value but a measurable outcome.

I'm happy to answer any questions and look forward to working together on the next phase of this important work.

That concludes my comments.

Thank you so much.

Natalie, do we have any public comment?

Yes, the public comment period for item two is now open, and we have received one speaker's left from one individual in chambers.

Blair Beekman, please approach the lecture.

You'll have one minute to speak to item two.

Hi, Beekman.

I needed two minutes for this item.

Thank you very much for the report.

Um it was talked about by the IBA that uh accountability and transparency is incredibly important to build the future of equity.

Yet I've been coming here since 2022, and the park department has had a really bad problem in talking about accountability with the tech placement in our community.

Um the memorial park issues.

You guys had a uh you talked about sports appealed lighting in a way that was nothing but dog whistles and coded language, and you spread that language throughout the park system and how to talk about tech.

Um with the Trump administration coming in, you guys make great choices that you had to hold back a bit and and work on issues and uh work on you know the accountability with tech.

So um I hope we can make uh a real important effort that equity and accountability with tech is related very much so, and and stop the dog whistle things.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And with no hands in the virtual queue, this concludes public comment on item two.

Thank you so much.

I will now uh call on Councilmember Campillo for uh committee member question or comment.

Thank you very much, Chair Campbell, and I want to absolutely thank our staff for this report.

Uh clearly we know we have a long way to go to make sure that allocations across the city and into uh parks that have been waiting a long time for various upgrades, is that we got a long way to go.

But I as I read through this, just the number of residents that have been participating in all of the excellent programming uh this summers for all of us is huge.

Uh the amount of workforce development and retention when we have 216 new hires, uh, you know, 405 promotions, that is job creation that we're doing that is on a public um public core service like parks and recreation that is really really important and public facing that really builds trust with the city and to see the park ambassadors programming thriving.

Uh that that really is exciting as well.

Um, looking at the climate action and sustainability goals that we've been focusing on with tree canopy expansion.

Um, I really do think that this is a lot of highlights that I wish more residents knew about.

Um the 56 new irrigated trees planted, uh, Arbor Day being a huge success at Colina del Sol Park.

Um, these are the things that the public really expects out of us, and I think that we're really delivering on.

So I want to thank the staff for their for their good work on getting this report out and really highlighting um how much the city is doing to make sure our park system meets everyone's needs as best as possible with our resources that we have right now.

So thank you again.

Thank you, council member.

And I'll I'll add a few words and say um thank you so much for the presentation.

It was wonderful, and I love having so many numbers included.

You know, I like that.

Uh and I'm really excited that we are soon going to get an update on the parts that the uh equity department has asked about.

Uh that uh report last report is almost five years old now.

We've done an awful lot of work in between, made a lot of changes, and uh so I'm excited to hear the new data.

Of course, we as council member uh campaign you have noted, we still have so much work to do, but we have a lot of time behind us before we were here that things weren't done.

So now we're trying to catch up and we're we're really devoted to it.

So thank you so much for for all of that input.

And um I would now like to call on councilmember Foster for some comments.

Yes, thank you, Chair, and um thank you, staff for the presentation and um thank you to the IBA um for the comments um from the race and equity um division.

Um and I guess my question is um and I know we're we're we're working to get back on track with this reporting and um implementing um the equity the the tactical plan.

Um I guess um for me um I think there's some critical things that I think we need to to look at.

One I think are the key performance indicators.

How are we truly going to measure success and what those tools um look like?

So I would like to make sure we have involvement with the IBA and my office to make sure that we are identifying the proper KPIs that will give us the information that we need.

Um also I think just um as we look forward, um just making sure that we have all of the um needed information to know where we currently are and where we're trying to go.

Um, you know, we referenced some older reports um and things.

Um but what I what I'm concerned with and what I don't see um in here at this present time is really identifying issues, Andy, such as um what we've discussed with bas with um young girls basketball, right?

The the issues that we are um having in um in canto um and really just being transparent and identifying um the the concerns, the issues that are coming forward and how we're progressing and resolving um said issues.

Um so I think you will get um a lot of questions in the future from me on that uh because I really do want to track um true progress.

Um also um just understand just with our budget constraints, some of this is a continued challenge as we talk about making sure we're providing um parks in a condition that are usable.

I think we've made some decisions to where we've kind of changed our maintenance schedules or done certain things.

Um I'd like to ask the race in equity, make sure that we are um truly, you know, doing a deep dive and understanding just how we we're performing those types of of services and and where we're doing it and where we're not and and what our coverage is.

Um I think those are very important things that we need to address.

Um I think we also need to make sure that as we go through and and start to update our reports and our set and do our um facilities and conditions assessments is to know specifically um where we may have exterior lighting and where we don't, right?

So we can further know where we need to I guess uh determine how we can fill those gaps and those needs and so that we are truly looking at this from an equity perspective.

So I guess what I'm saying, I just really want to make sure we have a solid foundation from a starting perspective and understanding what we're doing system wide and and and how we are going to systematically progress through this.

Um the other thing um just um I think that'll wrap it up, but um just want to really thank um the San Diego Parks Foundation.

Um I think they identified a need um some time ago and have actually stepped in and um just done some great work in and a lot of the um activities that I see um in District 4 that I'm a part of that I attend just quite honestly with our budget constraints and things would not be happening if it were not um for the work of the foundation.

So um just really want to thank you, Andy, and your team for all of your work with the foundation as you kind of guide them through need process, um, all those good things.

Um, but just look forward to the continuing the good work in and and really putting our best foot forward to get all of our parks um in the condition that they need to be in and accessible.

So um thank you.

Thank you so much.

All right, this concludes item number two, and we'll now ask Natalie, please introduce item number three.

Item three, overview of the library foundation SD.

And if you'd like to call in to provide comment on item three, please call 16692545252 when prompted.

The webinar ID is 16165119 pound.

Chair.

Thank you so much.

So uh when you're ready, uh please introduce yourselves and and uh give us a heads up about how much time you need, and please proceed.

Good afternoon.

My name is Patrick Stewart.

I'm the CEO of the Library Foundation SD, and I think this will take no less than 20 minutes.

No more than 20 minutes.

Um I would like to start by saying two things.

One any afternoon where we're talking about parks and libraries in the city of San Diego is a good thing, and so I really appreciate the opportunity to do uh share a little bit about the library foundation with each of you.

And the second thing that I do want to say is, you know, I travel the country and I speak to a lot of my counterparts uh around the country, both you know, here in California and nationally, and uh San Diego is regularly recognized as having one of the best public library systems writ large, just full stop.

Uh MISTING, Raul, and their team uh are known nationally for being able to deliver excellent library services, and uh it gives me great pleasure to be able to support them on behalf of the library foundation.

So the uh mission of the library foundation is uh takes a three-pronged approach to supporting the San Diego Public Library.

We do this through philanthropy advocacy and outreach, as you know, we raise money in support of and provide uh support directly to uh and tangentially in on behalf of the San Diego Public Library, and then obviously advocacy.

Uh we generally see each other uh as we're talking about uh challenges and opportunities that we have to effectively fund the San Diego Public Library system, and uh and we do feel as though public investment into our library system is important, and we will find ways to make that grow, and so we continue to have these conversations with uh our lawmakers uh again, not only here, but at the state level and at the national level.

And then with regards to outreach, it's very important.

We believe that patrons and community members understand the value and the impact that the library provides to their community.

And so the library foundation very often picks up some of the slack that the uh that the library can't do in order to get the word out about their incredible programs, but also not just telling library patrons and about programs that are available to them, but ensuring that community members also understand the value of the library as well.

The work that we do is rooted in an identity statement that we believe is the heart of our vision, and it helps to delineate the difference between the library foundation and the San Diego Public Library.

That statement is that those who dream of a better life deserve the means to achieve it.

The Library Foundation SD ensures that our local libraries embody that ideal by growing the support base and funding vital education programs that help people learn new skills, pursue lifelong ambitions, and achieve their dreams.

We like to call ourselves the big lever pulling innovative partner for our San Diego public library system.

Philanthropy is really at the heart of what we do and where the foundation's story begins.

Uh, we were founded in 2002.

Uh we're originally an arm of the city of San Diego uh development director, the raising money specifically for the library.

Uh, when the prospect of developing the new central library came uh came to fruition, that department was peeled off.

Uh the vision of Jim Daw, who many people in San Diego know, land use attorney, uh posthumously uh inducted into the state of California Library Hall of Fame, uh affectionately called Mr.

Library, uh founded the Library Foundation, initially put us uh at the San Diego Foundation, and then we we sprung out from that.

Um we have since then raised uh a little over 130 million dollars in support of the San Diego Public Library.

About 80 to 90 million dollars of that was specifically uh raised to support uh the new central library, and since then we've been continuing to raise money to support the library.

Well, some of the big initiatives that we've done over the course of the last few years, of course, are supporting the development of new branches.

Um, uh, the city of San Diego has seen 11 new branches open.

This includes uh most recently in 2019, uh dedicating the new Mission Hills Hillcrest Branch and San Yasidro in September of that year.

Last year we were all together up in uh Pacific Highlands Ranch, opening that new branch, and uh very happy to say that we are on track to uh to begin the development of the new Oak Park branch, and uh with some philanthropic support of some of our community members in the Ocean Beach Point Loma area, able to uh realize the coming to fruition finally, the redevelopment of the Ocean Beach branch.

Um, not far behind, uh Councilmember Campillo and I continue to talk about this on a regular basis.

Not far behind either of those is going to be San Carlos.

We have developed a lot of enthusiasm for the new San Carlos branch, and I am going to continue to say the new San Carlos branch because we will see that happen uh sooner than later.

One of the other big things that we worked on that we were very proud to bring to this committee, uh I believe last November to uh for its recommendation for full unanimous approval uh to the city council was the development of the new library master plan.

And that took about a year and a half, almost two years, a lot of community input, a lot of input from each of you and your colleagues, a lot of input from other members of the city to ensure that we are developing and have developed a master plan that is very forward-looking, it's very proactive, and it takes into account the way that our city is continuing to grow and the way the technology and technological advancements are being used in library systems, so that we're developing a plan that will grow with the city.

Dates me a little bit, but that was why we needed to get a new library master plan.

Advocacy, the other one of the other uh three branches of our mission is uh becoming an increasing uhly important priority to the work that we're doing.

A couple of years ago, I was speaking at a at an event and and uh and it talks specifically about how we're supporting librarians and supporting library directors uh across the country.

And so uh Misty and I were together, and I said, listen, I don't even want you to think about what the answer is.

The first thing that comes to your mind, what is the most important thing that your library foundation can do for you?

She said, advocacy, just advocacy.

We need to make sure that we are developing a grassroots narrative about how important libraries are, the role that they play in their communities, the kind of support that they provide, our educational community, our public safety community, our parks and recreation community, what do libraries mean, and how do we keep them at the forefront of the conversation that we're having with all of you.

Throughout the last few years, we've been able to work with you to eliminate uh cuts uh that could have gone a lot deeper uh than they than they did, and I appreciate the partnership that we have with you from an advocacy perspective.

We've also been able to advocate for additional investments in things like books and materials, research uh books and materials resources and programs, the kinds of things that people are using libraries for.

Umreach, the third of our uh mission is uh is outreach again.

Um I believe that a quality quality communications around how important libraries are, bring people to libraries.

There's a phrase that I like to use called impact drives income.

If I can tell you about the impact, then we can talk about the income that it's gonna take in order to support our public libraries.

Libraries don't have a whole lot of marketing.

Uh, Misty's team, as you know, about six, seven hundred employees on a good day, a little closer to five, six hundred employees today.

About three to four of them exist to support the marketing efforts to tell patrons in the community about the amazing programs and resources at all 37 branches.

So the library foundation steps up and picks up some of that slack and being able to tell that story and being able to ensure that our friends and family, our neighbors in our community know the value and the impact.

These are two examples of the kind of uh outreach that we do.

One is our impact update.

We publish this three to four times a year.

I think we just dropped some off at your offices today.

The new one is uh just recently published, and it highlights a program that we're supporting uh that's taking place in uh in City Heights.

We'll talk a little bit more about that in just a little bit.

And then we also, twice a month, and these are just a couple of examples, twice a month, send uh email communications out to 178,000 San Diegans who want to know what's going on at their library.

And so the foundation staff works with uh San Diego Public Library Programming staff to compile a list of the amazing programs that are happening that month in the various communities and make sure that we get those uh we get that that information out.

A couple of years ago, we found it important that the uh that the library foundation undergo a rebranding effort.

Again, as I mentioned, the library foundation was founded primarily uh to support the philanthropic efforts to build the new central library, and after that was done, library opened in 2013.

After that was done, the library foundation sort of found itself with a little bit of an identity crisis.

What are we doing?

How are we supporting the city and how are we supporting the San Diego Public Library?

And so we went through a rebranding uh process and narrowed our support down to six areas of impact.

And this is where we're focusing our both our philanthropy, the money that we're giving to the City of San Diego and the San Diego Public Library, as well as driving our uh fundraising priorities.

Early childhood uh work that the library does, education and lifelong learning, economic and workforce development programs, digital learning and access.

We know that that's very important.

The library's uh work in social justice and equity and civic and cultural engagement.

Now, we all know a lot of library programs fall under many, if not all of these headings.

This gives us an opportunity to work specifically with Misty and her team and identify what some priorities are, programs that they're creating, areas of the city that they want to focus in, and our ability to work with private philanthropy or corporate community and institutional funders to be able to drive money towards those particular areas of impact, they get to see the fruits of their label labor, the librarians and the the library.

Our philanthrop philanthropic partners get to see the fruits of their investment in some of these areas, and it gives us again an opportunity to talk with better clarity about the work that the library and the library foundation does.

This leads, of course, to broader program and staff support.

Um I would another small joke aside, but uh when we were working on our our rebranding and some of our strategic planning, uh, what we wanted to do was to avoid what we call uh uh squirrel funding, you know, libraries, buildings, uh programmers, librarians, they all need all sorts of different things.

Um is your library foundation here to provide high-level program and staff support or things like extension cords.

I think that we would think that the high level program and staff support is where we should be focusing our attention.

Gives us an opportunity to dive a little deeper and make more meaningful impact through philanthropy.

This is a couple of ideas here of things that we've supported recently.

The Excel uh library card is a partnership that we support between the San Diego Public Library and San Diego Unified School District in an effort to get a library card into the hands of all San Diego Unified School District students.

So they begin using a library, they begin using it often, and they begin recognizing the um the value and the power of uh that library card in their hand.

Adult online high school is an opportunity for adults who have not graduated from high school for whatever reason to get their high school diploma, not a graduate equivalency degree, not a test out, but to actually get their high school diploma.

The the library foundation provides the scholarships that put these these people into the classes, partner them with tutors and uh teachers, and within a year or two they get their they get their diploma.

Many of them then go on to JUCO, they go on to four-year, they advance in their career because they have the actual diploma and not just an equivalency degree.

We support library and professional development.

We understand that uh the challenges that the city budget faces has uh necessitated a reduction in the ability for the library to be able to send librarians to conferences and do professional development and uh and learn more from their peers outside of the San Diego region and bring that back to San Diego.

So the library foundation supports that, and that is actually also supported through the matching program that we've that we work with you all.

So, for example, in that aspect, we do we contribute about 25,000 to that program each year.

That actually, through the matching program contributes 30,000 37,500 back into the San Diego Public Library system and sends those librarians out to learn more.

They bring that knowledge back into our community.

We developed the uh with the library, we supported the uh development of the startup.

It's an entrepreneurial resource center.

Start to finish.

If you've got an idea for uh a business, if you're a business entrepreneur and you're looking to um expand your your business, you're looking to deal with insurance, um, you're looking to deal with funding, you're looking to deal with um trademarks and uh whatever it takes to manage your business, you can come to the library and get free help for that.

We supported a program through the Urban Libraries Council that gave the librarians an opportunity to s to test exactly what was the financial value of the startup in a four-month period August, uh September, October, November of last year, using this uh business value calculator, found that the San Diego Public Library provided 1.4 million dollars worth of entrepreneurial startup services through this program.

1.4 million dollars that entrepreneurs would have had to spend and probably would not have been able to do so themselves in order to get the kind of support that they need to get it for free at the library.

And then finally, Idea Labs Media Arts Training Program, the cover of that impact update was one example of that.

This is an opportunity that young people have in City Heights to learn a skill through a partnership that we've developed with Media Arts San Diego, learn how to create video and editing and content and all of this sort of thing, at which point after their their few weeks that they spend learning that, then they come here to the city through the employee and power program and are employed as interns for about a year within the city, and then afterwards they can stay here with the city and stay employed, get a good job, benefited, represented, or they can take those skills, those newly developed skills that they've honed here with the city and take those out into the marketplace.

The creative economy is one of the fastest growing economies in the city of San Diego.

So when we talk about how does how does a library develop job skills, workforce development, economic development, and employ young people, this is exactly one of those opportunities.

We have the we have the ability, I think we all have been around either nonprofits or city government enough to understand that there are sometimes bureaucratic roadmap road roadblocks to be able to get some things done and the and the and the uh foundation by the way that we're set up and the way that we work in partnership with you.

We are a very agile organization and we're able to meet the library's most pressing needs.

There's a couple of examples here.

One, of course, is COVID, uh, when uh schools and libraries shut down, suddenly uh children and family have found themselves without computers at home, so we were able to work with computers to kids San Diego, get those computers refurbished.

We purchased them and distributed them to young people uh who were using library programs and libraries services.

Um are supporting the city of San Diego in fighting against uh challenges of intellectual freedom and book bands.

And uh, for example, in uh council district five a year and a half ago, there was a challenge at one of their libraries, and very quickly uh the council member office uh and the library foundation mobilized and raised a large amount of money to not only replace the books that were challenged, but to um to purchase more resources and more books, and we put more money and more resources back into that community.

Very quickly, we were able to make that happen.

And the books on Banned program here is a program that we've developed with uh four other library systems around the country: Brooklyn, Seattle, Los Angeles County, and uh Boston, whereby we are providing an opportunity for young people outside of our service area to um to be able to get uh the books that have been banned where they're at.

And as those books are being checked out electronically from the library here, the library foundation replaces those books so that they are also available to local local people, local patrons as well.

One of the things that we've been working on in the last couple of years is expanding our national funding and uh using that expansion to expand the programs and support expanding the programs at the San Diego Public Library.

And I wanted to share three very quick examples of this.

One is through the Mellon Foundation uh out of Pennsylvania.

We uh secured a $350,000 grant that allowed us to work with the library to expand idea labs and memory labs.

And I think you'll under uh Misty has mentioned this already.

There's a uh the old Logan Heights branch in uh Barrel Logan is uh being turned into what will be a flagship memory memory lab uh that the uh library will be managing.

Uh this year, the Carnegie Corporation of New York uh gave us 450,000 to expand the online adult online high school, uh which I had mentioned, and also Discover You.

It's a program that uh the library runs that gives young people and their families an opportunity to navigate the college admissions process.

And then finally, here it's a national, national in scope but local uh foundation, the Prebis Foundation uh was able to work with us to get $450,000 over the course of two years to expand that media arts program.

So we're gonna ensure that that many more young people are not only uh developing skills, but they're going to be employed here in the city and be employable after their uh stint with the library is done.

So these are examples of again the amazing work that Missy and her team are doing is catching the attention nationally of folks, and then the foundation is getting out there and securing some of this money so that we can expand these programs.

The library foundation is also working to represent the library, the foundation of the city of San Diego on a state and national level as well.

We are leaders in the National Library Support Network.

I believe I mentioned to a few of you last year.

We were the hosts of the library annual library support networks conference, which brought about 250 to 300 foundation and library executives from around the country here to San Diego.

They thought it, I should say this, they thought that this was the best conference ever, the best city ever, and the best library ever.

But we are leaders in that in that um movement to bring librarians, library leadership, and foundation leadership together to be able to move our library library systems forward.

We work with the California Library Association on their legislative and public policy committees to ensure that there are opportunities that the City of San Diego and the library has to go after state funding, and then ultimately federal funding.

And I spent some time last March on the Hill arguing in support of some federal funding that was almost lost.

And through the efforts of uh lobbying on Capitol Hill, um some of those federal dollars were made available again, and uh and the San Diego Public Library has the opportunity to go after some of that money this coming year.

So, very quickly before I wrap up, I want to talk a little bit about 2026 and beyond what we're what we're focused on.

Again, we consider ourselves the big lever pulling innovative partner for the San Diego Public Library system.

And uh one of the things that we want to do is explore how we can get more creative in uh building uh awareness, engagement, and financial opportunities for folks to support the San Diego Public Library.

One of the things that we're gonna be doing next month, in fact, a week and a half from now, is we are opening a second library shop in the old Mission Hills Branch Library in the court of Washington and Hawk Street.

Since January 2019, that library has sat empty.

And I know we've several of us have talked about it.

We tried to find uh uses for that building, and the community has been saying do something, do something with it.

Let's figure something out.

Uh Misty and I came up with the idea, let's open up a second library shop.

Um the library shop does well, it brings uh brings uh uh excitement, engagement, and exposure to library programs to folks um around the city, and uh the better the library shop does, the more money that we're raising, more money that we're raising, the more that we can support the San Diego Public Library.

So I do want to invite you and encourage you, you will be getting some more information about this to join us on December 1st.

I want to thank the Department of Real Estate and uh and and the city for working with us on putting this together.

Um and Council District 3, um uh councilmember Stephen Whitburn will be joining us on December 1st as we launch this new endeavor as well.

Uh philanthropy and advocacy, we're looking to um expand this as best we can.

Obviously, we'll be talking about short-term and long-term San Diego public library funding with each of you and and increasing our council and administration collaboration.

Um I've certainly appreciated the conversations that we've had.

I know the times are challenging, but we are moving towards a vision, and I think that we're moving towards a strategy that will um fund our library, our parks, our neighborhood services to a level that our community expects.

And so I look forward to continuing to work with you on that.

The implementation of the library master plan is obviously very important.

It's not enough to complete the plan, but we have to do something with it.

Um we've talked a little bit about Ocean Beach and Oak Park, but uh we've got to make San Carlos a priority as well.

We were so close.

We were so close.

We had the we bought the lot event, um, not this past summer, but the summer before last.

The community is ready for this, librarians are ready for this.

I know uh council member Campillo is ready for this.

I can't emphasize that enough.

I know he's ready for this, we're all ready for this.

That's gonna be a priority going forward.

And then, of course, expanding our sta uh our scope of of state and national funding and helping the the library to expand its programming as well.

And then I want to talk a little bit at some point um how we revive some interest in the library ordinance.

We've we've brought this up this month, this month, November 2025, marks the 25th anniversary that the city council made up at the time of many people who are still supporting the city.

Uh Jim Madaffer, Scott uh Scott Peters, uh Juan Vargas, Christine Kehoe, Tony Atkins.

They passed a library ordinance that said the library should be funded at six percent, the general fund.

We haven't gotten there yet.

We're about 3.1%.

What's going to take for us to get there a little, you know, we don't have to flip the switch overnight.

But what's it going to take for us to start to realize that that that is that can happen and what is it going to mean for the future of our library?

Not a conversation, an overnight conversation, but a long-term conversation that we'll be having.

And then, of course, the library foundation, you know, represents the city of San Diego and the library in a lot of different arenas, and we're very proud to do so through these uh National Library, Library Foundation relationships and expanding these political partnerships that we have.

We find ourselves very often as advisors to library foundations.

And uh and people are looking to the city of San Diego as to understanding what a long-term library vision can be.

They're saying outside of outside of San Diego, they're saying you guys are figuring it out.

It's beautiful there.

People are going to libraries, people are using it.

How do we make this uh how do we make this vision a reality going forward?

So in conclusion, I just want to leave you with this.

You know, libraries, as you know, are a microcosm of our communities and our society at large, economic development, workforce development, childhood development, supporting families, social services.

We've talked about it.

You all know what happens in your libraries.

Um it's an institution where at any given moment you can see the intersection of the entire community in one building under one roof, right?

The way that we treat our libraries, I think is a direct reflection of our commitment to our community writ large, and I really appreciate the opportunity to support the library with each one of you, and I look forward to continuing that support.

Thank you very much.

Happy to entertain any questions or thoughts.

Thank you so much.

And uh, this is um, by the way, an information item.

No motion is necessary.

Natalie, do we have any public comment?

Thank you, Chair.

The public comment period for item three is now open, and we have not received any speaker slips in chambers, and we don't have any hands raised in the virtual case.

This will conclude public comment.

Thank you.

I will now turn it over to committee members for any questions or comments.

And I know Councilmember Campillo uh has his hand up.

Thank you, Chair, and uh thank you very much, Patrick, for the presentation.

Uh, you know, I we've had some good conversations, and I know we are gonna continue to fight for each and every library, including those that have been promised for a long time.

So I appreciate you raising that for San Carlos.

Um I don't need to highlight anything in particular uh other than you mentioned the 1.4 million dollars for entrepreneurship.

Just to put that in perspective.

I know that a lot of people think of libraries as uh a place where people go and read, get resources, uh, but creating long-term careers is uh huge accomplishment of what you and the foundation have been able to emphasize on and and direct money towards uh because that money turns into uh long-term generational wealth for business owners who get that sort of help through the library system.

And so uh that's uh that's a story we need to single out or about.

So thank you very much for uh pointing that out, and that's gonna continue to have my support immensely.

Uh all the different aspects of what the library brings and what the foundation have been able to provide for our residents, uh you know, ever grateful.

Um but helping businesses get off the ground and innovation and entrepreneurship thrive.

That's a huge part of uh what we need to focus on as the city.

So thanks for doing that.

Thank you, Chair.

Thank you so much.

And uh this uh concludes item three.

I just want to say thank you for the libraries.

Oh, I see, council member Foster.

Please uh go ahead.

My apologies, Chair.

Um just um thank you for bringing this item forward.

Um Patrick, thank you to you and your team for all your efforts.

Um I don't know how you do it, but I see you just about everywhere.

Um so um just really want to to thank you.

Um and thank you for all of your advocacy around um Oak Park, making sure that that is continuing to move forward.

Um hopefully as we break ground and and get moved out.

I guess we'll have a facility that we gotta look at what we're gonna do with.

Um and um I just want to make sure that we um continue to um engage.

Um, and I think if anyone were to go and look at as we are going through this budget cycle, um, and I can't stress this enough, just the work that's done at the Oak Park location, um, at the Malcolm Um X location.

Um, you know, big shout out to um Alan with all the things that he does, um, and and also to Brooklyn uh for all her efforts um in what she does.

Um and so I just really want to um thank uh Misty and her team as well um for all the work and just looking forward to the Oak Park Library um opening.

But I think one thing, let's make sure we get our cards out to everyone as we are entering the budget cycle.

I look forward to receiving those cards and making sure that all the council members know just how important the library system is as we look at our our funding allocation.

So thank you.

Thank you so much.

And I I'm familiar with both those libraries having visited them and uh especially the Malcolm X library, so new, modern, and wonderful, and the old Oak Park one wonderful as well.

And I know the new one on me also.

So I really appreciate that.

And uh, you know, of course, the libraries, free public education, what could be better?

This is the bedrock of democracy.

So thank you so much for that.

And that brings us to the end of today's agenda, and I want to thank members of the public and staff for participation, and I will now adjourn this meeting of the community neighborhood services committee to our next regularly scheduled meeting, which will be Wednesday, January 28th, 2026 at 2 p.m.

Thank you.

We are adjourned.