OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Community & Neighborhood Services Committee Meeting - Nov 19, 2025

Community & Neighborhood Services Committee — Wednesday, November 19, 2025
BodySan Diego, California
SessionCommunity & Neighborhood Services Committee
DateWednesday, November 19, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:21:09

Transcript — Verbatim
5:12

Good afternoon.

5:14

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

5:22

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

5:30

Thank you, Chair.

5:31

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

5:34

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.

5:42

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

5:48

The queue will close when the last virtual speaker finishes speaking, or five minutes after in-person testimony ends, whichever occurs first.

5:54

This will allow for better meeting management between the two platforms and ensure the committee is able to manage and conduct city business.

6:00

We appreciate the public's cooperation.

6:02

Chair.

6:03

Thank you.

6:04

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

6:12

And I will now take the role.

6:14

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

6:19

Thank you, Chair.

6:19

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.

6:27

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

6:30

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

6:36

Uh if that changes, I will update that disclosure.

6:38

Thank you.

6:39

Thank you.

6:40

And Councilmember Foster.

6:42

Here.

6:42

Thank you.

6:43

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.

6:53

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

7:04

Natalie, please continue with public comment instructions.

7:07

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

7:11

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.

7:18

Please submit your speaker slip in a timely manner to ensure proper meeting management.

7:22

In-person testimony will conclude before virtual testimony begins.

7:25

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.

7:33

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

7:38

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

7:43

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

7:48

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

7:53

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

7:57

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.

8:03

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

8:06

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

8:09

Chair?

8:10

Thank you, Natalie.

8:11

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

8:16

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.

8:25

Natalie, please proceed with non-agenda public comment.

8:56

Hi.

9:07

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

9:11

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.

9:22

It got hung up in the committee.

9:24

The committee deadlocked it two to two.

9:27

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

9:33

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

9:36

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

9:44

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.

10:04

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

10:08

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

10:12

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

10:19

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

10:24

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

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Libraries█████████████████████████████████33%
Parks and Recreation█████████████████████████25%
Public Engagement██████████████14%
Racial Equity████████████12%
Public Safety██████6%
Economic Development████4%
Procedural███3%
Public Comment██2%
Youth Programs█1%
Summary of Proceedings

Community & Neighborhood Services Committee Meeting - November 19, 2025

The City of San Diego Community and Neighborhood Services Committee convened on November 19, 2025, to review public input, approve the consent agenda, and receive informational reports on the 2025 Parks and Recreation Equity Report and the San Diego Library Foundation. The meeting also featured non-agenda public testimony regarding public safety contracting and tobacco/vaping regulations. Councilmember Foster moved to pass the consent agenda, which was approved with two votes present and one absence; Councilmember Campillo confirmed his support for the consent agenda following a technical issue.

Non-Agenda Public Comments

  • Anonymous Speaker: Expressed strong concern regarding the deadlock of the Oakland Flock contract issue, interpreting it as proof that Flock is "not a good player"; stated a position favoring an immediate transition to a new vendor for AOPR services in San Diego within the next six months to a year to ensure accountability.
  • Terry Ann Skelly (Public parent and public health educator): Expressed full support for removing all stores selling tobacco, marijuana, or CBD products and eliminating billboards promoting smoke-free vape-free policies, citing the U.S. Surgeon General's report on disparities in air quality and health resources in communities of concern.
  • Becky Rapp (Public health educator): Expressed strong support for prioritizing the removal of billboards advertising substances, citing the normalization of substance use driven by industry narratives and the need to protect youth brain development.

Consent Agenda

  • Approved the minutes from the October 22, 2025, meeting unanimously (2-0-1).
  • No items were pulled from the consent agenda; no public comment was received.

Information Agenda: 2025 Parks and Recreation Equity Report

  • Staff Presentation (Tom Tomlinson, Salvi Martinez): Presented the report emphasizing the distinction between equity and equality, detailing progress on five tactical equity plan goals including capital improvements (e.g., Botanical Garden, Riviera del Sol), digital equity (Wi-Fi expansion), and workforce development (vacancy rate reduced from 20% to 15%).
  • IBA Comments (Salina Villegas): Expressed support for the report's framework but raised concerns regarding the significant gap in program offerings between Community Plans 1 (3,239 programs) and 2 (1,542 programs); requested an update on funding disparities and the implementation of the 2021 equity audit findings.
  • Public Comment (Blair Beekman): Expressed full support for transparency but criticized the Parks Department's past use of "dog whistles" regarding technological placement at Memorial Park, urging the city to stop using coded language and address accountability directly.
  • Councilmember Campillo: Expressed full support for the report's data on resident participation and workforce development (216 new hires, 405 promotions) but noted that significant work remains to ensure park upgrades reach all neighborhoods.
  • Councilmember Foster: Expressed support for the San Diego Parks Foundation's contributions but raised concerns about the clarity of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), the lack of transparent identification of specific issues (e.g., young girls' basketball in Canto), and the need to determine exterior lighting gaps across the system to ensure true equity.

Information Agenda: Overview of the Library Foundation SD

  • Staff Presentation (Patrick Stewart, CEO): Presented the Library Foundation's three-pronged mission of philanthropy, advocacy, and outreach. Highlighted $130 million raised, the launch of 11 new branches, and the development of a new master plan. Specific projects cited include the Oak Park and San Carlos branch developments, the 2026 second library shop opening, and a $1.4 million value generated by the entrepreneurial startup services program. Stewart expressed strong support for the 1996 library ordinance goal of funding the library at 6% of the general fund, noting current funding is at 3.1%.
  • Councilmember Campillo: Expressed full support for the focus on economic development and entrepreneurship, citing the $1.4 million value of library services as a key metric for generational wealth creation for business owners.
  • Councilmember Foster: Expressed full support for the Oak Park and Malcolm X libraries, commending the staff but emphasizing the need for council members to receive direct communication regarding the importance of library funding during the upcoming budget cycle.

Key Outcomes

  • Consent Agenda: Passed (2 Yes, 1 Absent).
  • Parks and Recreation Equity Report: Discussed; Committee requested an update from the Independent Budget Analyst's office on funding disparities between Community Plans 1 and 2 and the implementation status of the 2021 equity audit.
  • Library Foundation Overview: Received for information; Committee affirmed support for the advancement of new branches (Oak Park, San Carlos) and the call to increase general fund allocation to meet the 6% ordinance target.
  • Next Meeting: Scheduled for Wednesday, January 28, 2026, at 2:00 PM.

Meeting Transcript

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.

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