And the excellent cool.

I call the arts, culture, and library commission meeting of April 21st, 2026 to order.

Please take roll call.

Chair Miller.

Present.

Vice Chair Alvarez.

Commissioner Acevedo.

Commissioner Alex.

Present.

Commissioner Bryant.

Present.

Commissioner Gillary.

Present.

Commissioner Ridsdale.

Commissioner Scotland.

Present.

Commissioner Velasquez.

We have five.

The quorum is met.

Great.

And as part of roll call, we have a new commissioner with us, Mike Bryant.

So would you like to introduce yourself?

And yes, well, I'm Mike, as the sign says I'm Michael Bryant.

I grew up in the East Bay, um Oakland Hills, uh, went to uh Real Christian in uh San Lorenzo.

So I'm familiar between Oakland and uh San Leandro, but um yeah, been here for 30 plus years, and um yeah, just came to on the commission to make a difference, communicate, uh just build community and uh you know see what kind of things we can get done for the city of San Landro, of course, the people of San Leandro, bring in money and just uh again just kind of spread culture, love, and uh build good community.

So thank you guys for all having me here.

Wonderful.

Thank you for being here.

Yes, yes, thank you.

Yes, yes, thank you.

All right.

Um now it's so if there are no announcements, no one else.

Okay, there are no announcements moving on to item three, consent calendar.

Can I get a motion to approve the minutes of March 17th, 2026?

Um there a second second.

Any discussion?

Hearing none, all those in favor?

Aye, aye, aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Okay.

Motion carried.

Um moving on to item four, library services staff report and announcements.

All right, thank you.

Um my report is uh centered around the budget discussions, which have been happening at the at this point at the council level.

Uh most recently there was the city council.

Sorry, I'm gonna pause so we can okay.

So um the budget as we've been discussing is for the mid-cycle fiscal year 27 update, and it's been making its way through the uh city council process.

It was presented at their retreat, it was presented at the finance committee, and most recently at the April 13th, I think I have that right.

The April 13th, yes, the April 13th uh council meeting.

And so what we're talking about is what we've already discussed, which is the reductions that are having to be made in order to eliminate the deficit spending, deal with our structural deficit.

And um these these uh at this point it went to the council as a whole for their discussion.

As you'll recall, one of the elements in the library's budget was to uh for fiscal year 27, so next fiscal year to eliminate the $50,000 that is in the arts uh budget uh line item.

So there was some discussion about that topic, and the commission excuse me, the council expressed concern about this, which we're gonna talk about tonight, the uh um the um grants program and expressed a desire for the grants program to continue.

So there was uh you could watch the the uh council.

I encourage you to watch the council meeting itself, particularly at near the end where this was really discussed.

Um it was the library director with my assistance talking to the council about this situation.

So uh with some back and forth that there was discussion about the realities of needing to make the reductions to achieve the the deficit reduction target from across the city, and um how could we, however, still maintain the grants programs for the next fiscal year, fiscal year 27, the one that we're talking about.

So after some discussion, um back and forth from the director and myself to the to the council, the decision was made to forward it to the next meeting where this will be discussed, which is May 4th.

Uh and so it's this preliminary discussion, and then they will they will finalize their um their discussion and decision at May 4th.

So nothing's decided yet.

May 4th will be the meeting in which the council will make their decisions on this.

Um so after that discussion, the recommendation was we need to go forward with the cuts that have been proposed in the fiscal year 27 budget.

However, uh the there was a rather creative suggestion from the director, which was we had not at that point in time committed to spending the uh budget that had been allocated for the comedy event for this year for 26.

So we'd also identified in the next fiscal year, again, fiscal year 27, some donations that gifts that the library had received that we were planning to use for the comedy event in 27.

So after some discussion, the idea was we can cancel the comedy event for 26, the one that was scheduled for June 27th of this year, carry that money over into fiscal year 27, which is 20,000, and then supplement that amount with uh other elements of the library budget.

We think the the most logical place are these donations that were received that would allow us to make up the difference to bring us to the $30,000 that we had budgeted this year for the grants, and the council liked that idea, so we are moving forward with that idea.

So the final uh again, they will adopt the budget formally in in June, but uh May 4th is where I it's my understanding they will really finally approve these this mid-cycle um they call it mid-cycle because these budgets are done in two-year increments.

So fiscal year 26 and 27 were done together.

This is a revision of 27 because we had not met our budget reduction targets.

May 4th, they will follow on that discussion, and I believe approve.

Well, we'll see, we'll see.

I shouldn't commit that that is their chance to you know further weigh in on those reductions and we'll see how it goes.

But it seemed that it was they had made most of their decisions at that point, but again, final decisions, nothing's final until it's final, and that will come up again at the May 4th meeting.

So I know it's a lot.

Um any questions from that clear as mud.

Maybe it's is it worth giving background on why it was decided to go without funding the comedy program, uh some of the context there.

Sure.

So the the mayor pointed out, if I I believe I have this correct, that there is another comedy event that's occurring, and uh Mr.

Copeland has decided he will do uh he's he's planning his comedy in the plaza event at the tech campus uh in mid-July.

So the thinking was if a comedy event is being done now.

The city, from what I could tell, because I just learned about it just before the for the mayor uh mentioned it, um that I from what I could tell the city's not involved at all, but the point was there's a comedy event.

So and the director was you know, well, we have one.

There is one, we don't have one.

We don't have one.

There is one, so perhaps it's an opportunity to not try to have too many competing types of events, same type of events.

So yeah, thank you for that.

That helps explain why we could pivot and make that suggestion.

Right.

It wasn't just a merciless killing of the comedy events.

Yeah, no copy.

Um, but yeah, are there any other commissioner questions or comments?

Right.

I just want to clarify like you know, there the last discussion it was there's been a series of discussions around these this mid-cycle, they call it mid-cycle update, which effectively means all these cuts that every department is having for their place.

And I want to be clear just just for the record, it's not final.

They'll discuss it May 4th.

I we'll see how it comes out at May 4th, but I feel like that there's been a lot of robust discussion, so it should be um to encourage anyone to attend who's interested.

Uh but I think May 4th will be um uh we'll see, and everyone can predict, but the the things that went before them at the last council meeting, I felt like there was consensus on where they were going with these reductions.

So we shall see.

Nothing's done until the council approves it.

And I guess I just want to say thank you, Brody, for rallying us to submit e-comments, and for the folks who did submit e-com comments from the commission, I really appreciate that.

I think it helped elevate this as an issue, and I know other folks from the our community or extended network committed e-comments too.

So it's you know, our voices were heard, so that was good.

Thank you.

Um this concludes item four.

Moving on to item five, public comments.

And if can I just skip to there's no public presents?

Since there's no public presence, uh this concludes public comments.

Moving on to item six presentations.

There are no presentations.

Moving on to item seven, action items.

So um item 7A, 2026 Arts and Culture Grant Program Recommendations.

So you all have printouts.

We're gonna try to project as well.

This isn't awesome.

There.

It's a it's a little light in the room.

We may have to follow there was a copy in there.

Uh, too.

So maybe if we shut the wild.

That's true.

Maybe I don't know.

Little bit long.

We'll both have a should we turn the light back on so we can read our things or what close all the blinds.

What do you think, Sherry?

Uh I'm happy to go off the paper.

Okay, and that's more legible for everyone.

Yeah.

It's printed on the eye.

Thank you.

That's easy.

Daylight hours, you know, it's really terrible.

Oh, I think it's probably the window.

Yeah, it's just lighting here.

Okay, well, that gets turned off.

Um so I don't know if it was like three weeks ago we had the pleasure, the the subcommittee for the arts and culture grants program had the pleasure of reviewing the grants that came in.

And so this presentation is for the rest of the commission to consider the um the applicants that we thought had merits, and if we want to make grant awards too.

So we'll review the applications that came in and then make a decision at the end of the presentation, which is why this is an action item.

Um just going to the non-cover page, second second page, I guess.

Um, to give you some context, the amount that we had to award in the grant program this year was 27,500.

We had 11 applicants total submit full complete applications.

Four of those were nonprofits and seven were individuals.

And all told between those applicants, 46,645 dollars were requested.

So those were the applicants that we reviewed.

The criteria that we looked at.

So each applicant was reviewed by myself, Commissioner Scotland, and Commissioner Gillary.

We had a rubric for considering each application, and the kind of three main categories were goals and implementation of the project.

So what was the applicant trying to accomplish with the grant monies requested?

What was their vision and really like kind of order of operations for being able to realize that project?

The second category was quality, so based on their portfolio of work and work samples.

Did we feel that they had a strong enough experience and I don't want to say talent, but you know, artistic talent to realize what they the project they wanted to accomplish.

And then the third category was outreach.

So what was their plan for engaging the community, for getting feedback, you know, marketing, all those sorts of things.

So as well as the community presentation of the work.

So they were scored on a scale of zero to a hundred, a hundred points being they knocked it out of the park.

Um yeah, we did that individually and then kind of pulled all of our results together as well as notes to discuss as a group.

So this section is the individual proposed grantees.

So are like Rhode and Terry love to jump in as I'm presenting, or if they if you want to give color commentary, please feel free.

Um Eric Shea is a local painter and mixed media artist.

Um is like a two-time grant recipient, I believe, and he requested $5,000 for a project titled Envision San Leandro 2050, where he will uh or he proposes to interview various people from the community about what they think San Leandro will be like in 2050, so kind of some futurist thinking.

Um he'll interview them and then uh construct works based around their portraits and what they talk about in their future vision of the city, and the resulting artworks would be shared in an exhibition and uh reception, and that would be the public presentation of his work.

Next up, we have Jimmy Kelly Music and Storytelling.

Uh he requested $2,645, and uh Jimmy's project is music and stories of Irish history performed by Songs of Solidarity, his band.

And the idea is to have a um focus on Irish music and folklore and uh kind of labor advocacy and awareness through song and storytelling.

They'll have two sets or performances on the same day, it sounds like the hope is to you know spread awareness of Irish culture, both like literary and musical, and poetry.

Next is Ryiko Mayeno.

Uh she's a painter and muralist.

Um, she requested $5,000 for a mural honoring San Leandro immigrant communities.

Uh it will feature let's see, images of San Leandro immigrants from the past and current in showing what they what they do in our community.

Uh the location of the mural is to be determined.

I think she didn't hadn't secured a site since she hadn't gotten funding yet.

And she's primarily a painter and printmaker.

This will be her first mural, but she will be enlisting the help of some mural muralist experts and other artists to help her execute the project.

Rose Whitmore is a writer, and she requested $5,000 for a project to finish finalize a draft of her novel prior to publishing it.

Rose is also a previous grantee, and actually had just has just published or is about to publish the novel, she wrote using grant monies from a previous cycle.

So we thought that was exciting to see that evolution of her work and success.

And so in addition to having time to finish this novel that she's working on called Failures of Imagination, her public presentation will be a two-hour writing workshop to help writers in San Leandro find their voice and write, I think primarily memoir.

And I think we also floated the idea of potentially having her do a reading or book signing of her published book at the library to promote.

Alright, moving on to the nonprofits.

First up is the Dahlia Society.

Two locations.

Two locations and then community outreach at the Cherry Festival.

So the Dahlia Society is a long-established organization in San Leandro promoting our city's flower, which is the Dahlia.

And their idea is that these are kind of living living sculptures that people get to visit and understand the care and propagation of Dahlias.

And that they will be planted through the spring and summer, so people will get plenty of time to enjoy them.

So they have a lasting impact.

And fostering curiosity about the arch.

I always forget what's Leah stands for.

And this is a mural on a planter in a breezeway off of East 14th and I think Joaquin.

So kind of revitalizing this and breathing some life into a sale breezeway.

Sorry for the pun.

So and I think they have complimentary monies going towards this, I can't remember.

So we would just be a part funder of the project.

So that was a lot.

No public, so we can't do that.

No public, so commissioner comments and questions.

So it's like under budget then.

Nice.

But I will to that point.

Anything that we do not spend, we will carry over as well as the comedy to help.

For sure.

The funds that were dedicated.

So that's a good point.

We are slightly.

Terry, I just wanted to compliment you on this presentation.

This is great.

It's a nice mic.

I think it's a nice representation.

It's a nice mix of different types of art, representative of the community.

So just really great job for going through all those applications.

Thank you.

Unknown kind of notes of the process.

So just kind of want to, you know, communicate with them, you know, how they'll go about doing that, if they want to propose something, or anything of that nature.

So I didn't mean to um so we have and yeah, I mean, this is we also have the subcommittee section.

But basically the grant program is a we hope to keep it a yearly program where um at the beginning of the year, usually beginning of February, we announce um applications are open, the guidelines go out, and then uh people have about a month to apply, and then we review them over March and April and then make a decision that is usually announced in May.

So it's like a yearly cycle that we go through.

So if people are interested, um, you know, we have a a list of emails for like an email distribution list, so if they want it to be put on that so that they can learn about next year's program, that's probably the best way.

Okay, yeah.

All right, awesome.

Awesome.

Thanks.

Yes, just to add to the process to help um uh I hope you wanna um and then the reason it starts and ends in May, right?

Is because then everything has to get reported back to us by November December.

December, oh yeah, yeah.

So um their final reports have been due in January.

Okay, okay.

Because we give them a uh grant um window when they're supposed to implement their program.

And that's typically been at December.

This this for the last cycle, not the one we're talking about.

Um the end of the grant cycle is December 31st, and their final reports were due on January 15th, which cycles right into the announcement of the next year's program.

So I think part of the reason that we do it is you know, one application period is that way you know, everybody gets to kind of be assessed with one another, and then it you know, we're a volunteer organization, except people.

Um, so it's it's enough of an undertaking to do one round a year, so it just kind of helps us aggregate everything and not have to do kind of onesie twosy grant making.

But yeah, we we hope to continue the program and yeah, again, funding, funding is secured.

Awesome, thank you.

Thank you.

All right.

Uh sorry, this is my second meeting, so I'm kind of too all right.

Oh, that's all right.

You're not alone, sorry.

Um, so in the reporting that comes back um uh before the year end, are there opportunities to see like metrics?

I don't want to overanalyze stuff, but just kind of something that shows impact on the community.

I mean, just thinking a little bit forward in moments like this and when budgets are tight and we need to or want to make a case, in some cases, are there things that we could turn to to be like, oh look, this is how much we invested this much money, it impacted this much in our community.

Is that part of the reporting?

Um so we can talk about it here.

Um there is a spot on the agenda of the grants committee, but since you asked the question in May, uh well, let's put it back up.

The grants committee will take on in later this uh month reviewing the final reports that came in for the last cycle, and then next meeting, May, whatever third Tuesday is, that's when there will be a similar presentation that uh uh discusses what the results were of the last grant cycle.

Um we do ask for in the final reports for them to give some quantitative metrics about like how many people attended your event or yeah, like whether it's a reception or a workshop or a murals, you know, some people tried to estimate how many cars and people walk by you know every day.

Um so you know, it's not the most hard metrics, but we do ask that they provide that information so that we can we have in the past like gone to city council and was like look, look at you know what this grant program produced and how many eyeballs were on all this yeah, performances and artwork.

Yeah.

Have a love-hate relationship with metrics, especially when it comes to grants because sometimes you can't control how those metrics come out, but I was just curious, like poking around for data.

Yeah, okay.

And I just wanted to ask another question.

Is there any kind of marketing thing that kind of promotes uh like people to like hey, come out and you know, propose this, or like is there like a do we do any kind of social media outreach or no just encourage people, you know, if you have any good ideas, come email, you know.

Of course, you know, I'll give my information or if you if you guys don't have it already.

But you know, something just to promote that uh kind of just to get you know a little more creativity, people encourage people to come out, maybe have ideas to you know promote uh different kind of types of communities that aren't really you know to acknowledge and you know just things of that nature.

I'm just curious.

I'm just yeah, yeah.

So the Office of Public Information or Yeah, PIO Public Information Office.

Yeah, um, so they work with the city and do outreach.

So they create like YouTube videos and paid ads on various social media platforms, so that's one way we have a community or uh a QA event where people can come to the library and ask questions about how to apply it.

Like, of course, they have to know you know, see it in the library's advertisements and stuff that that's happening, but there is there is an outreach, but we're always open to ideas about how to get the word out better.

Um I will say that this year we got 11 applications total.

Guys help me.

Like, how many applications did we get last year?

It's kind of been yeah, well, it's kind of been decreasing in.

Oh, so it's a little bit of a yeah.

So I don't know if that's a reflection of less money was on the table this year or over saturation, but yeah, always open to different outreach tactics.

It's a fairly new program, right?

Or no, I might be way off.

Like, how long has it been in play?

It's a revamped program.

Oh, okay.

Um I would say at least five or six years total between the two commissions.

When it back when it used to just be the art commission, oh right, there was a really kind of tiny little grant program.

And then three years ago, we busted up the application and made it way easier, and we turned it into an arts and culture grant.

And so that's right.

Made you know, way more outreach in terms of like we don't want professional artists, we want community members more creative, yeah, like cultural stuff.

Right.

And we have like $80,000 that first year because when they combine two commissions, they gave us like a one-time sort of be cool money, yeah.

Work it out here, yeah.

Here you go.

So we spend a lot of money on the grants, and then we cut it down to 50 question mark.

How much I think it was 50 sounds correct.

But this is this is this is the third grant cycle under the arts, culture and library commission.

Yeah, short answer.

But what's nice is the cycle of this is a little bit aligned with like other cities, so even as folks are looking around.

I mean, that's how I first learned about it as a resident, which is like, I'm curious.

Does San Leander have one and it turned out that we did?

So it's kind of nice, like even if we don't catch it on social media, or you know, we're gonna community.

Right, right, right.

That helps.

Right, definitely.

Yeah, is there any um sorry I don't mean to keep button in and has a question?

Is there any kind of like big sponsorship that we uh that the that we may have or been looking at or possible?

Um as far as you know, getting a little bit more investment into promoting when we can do stuff, or I don't know.

I'm just thinking, yeah.

Um currently the grant program does not have any sponsorship.

Okay.

Um but that's one thing that we've been talking about more broadly as a commission is opportunities to get sponsorship either for the grant program or other programs.

Um, and that's definitely something that I don't know if there's a we have we've spun up multiple subcommittees now, but there might be potential for that in the future.

So and that's something that we would you know, one of the things about these commissions is um we want to make sure and discuss in the meeting the things that are on the agenda.

No, so this is slightly off of that, which is okay.

Um, but it's something that I would anticipate would be on a future agenda to look at uh fundraising uh for any number of programs that whatever the commission would prioritize.

So it's it's a great question.

It's just something that a little outside of the scope of what we're talking about here.

Yeah.

Um so since this is an action item, do I have to get a motion?

Yes.

Okay.

So basically we need uh a motion from the commission to either approve or not approve these recommendations for the grant awards.

So anyone would like to put a motion forward, that would be the 10.

I've never gotten to do one.

Yeah.

I used to be the chair, so I'm not allowed to reference right like my review chair now.

Sorry.

Okay.

I move to update.

Sorry, I have a quick question before voting.

Just want to be clear.

I um had worked with one of the organizations on here.

Am I allowed to vote or no?

You could recruit cues yourself.

Yeah.

If you'd like from the whole, but you'd recuse yourself from the entire because this is presented as one slip.

Yeah, right.

Yeah, that's what I thought.

Yeah.

I'm gonna trust y'all.

I just did the ethics training.

But I think we get money from them.

No, no, no, I don't get money from that.

I just worked with them.

Should be fine from an ethics.

As a community volunteer with them, yeah.

Oh, it's a volunteer.

Yeah, yeah, totally.

No money was exchanged or anything like that.

I think it would be fine.

Okay, just clear just everything.

Okay, thanks.

Sorry.

I move to approve the 2026 Arts and Culture Grant Program, grant award recommendations as written in this presentation.

And is there a second for that?

I said great.

Um, anyway.

Oh, yes.

All in favor, any opposed?

All right.

Uh move passes.

Motion carried, rather.

Motion carried.

All right.

Um, sorry, I just skipped all over that.

This concludes item 7A, moving on to item eight, commission reports and announcements.

And okay, moving on to item eight a grants committee.

Can we have a report from the grants committee?

I think we did just have a report from the grants committee.

Okay.

I could I could add a little color to this.

Um extension.

The what was just presented was the recommendations, and you folks all voted on that.

Just I want to mention the logistics so everyone's aware.

In the grant guidelines, there is a schedule.

Um, and I intentionally gave some space for uh me to get everything together to notify the grantees.

So I will be sending out the the on the schedule.

Uh this is supposed to be out on Monday.

Let's see, so Monday the 27th, I will send out the congratulations, and I will send out the sorry.

Um, so that's just the way it goes.

Um, and then I'll work with the BIO to get a press release out for all this, and then the next step, just to keep folks in the loop.

What happens is I want a formal yes, I accept the grant, and then I will send them uh something that they need to sign to accept it, and then receive the grant payment.

They receive the grant payments up front, and then they go about carrying out the grant.

So that's the next steps for this.

Okay, and then as I already mentioned in the this part of the discussion of the um the grant award recommendations, the next phase of the grants committee's work will be looking at the final reports from fiscal year 25.

And we received all that information, it's just I package it up, get it out to the grants committee to review, and they'll be doing a report similar to this, but more on the outcome side of things.

Um as chair Alex uh mentioned, uh we will basically do a report on what they told us as to how uh they performed relative to the funds that they received.

So that'll be coming in May.

Um that's it.

Anyway, any members of the grants committee?

Did I miss anything?

All right, thank you.

Um it's time to there are no members of the public, but are there any questions or comments from the commissioners?

All right, seeing there's no comments, we're gonna move on to item 8B, 2026 Game of Shrews Committee.

Sure.

Can we have a report?

Yes, so Commissioner Alex and I met and talked about our options, and we're hopeful that it's going to be bigger and better than ever here at the library.

Um, I have a meeting next week with Bill and Nora from the library.

Norma, thank you.

From the library, she was one of the people who helped do it last year.

And it's always cool to have someone who actually likes volunteers to be doing it.

And so the library is going to put together some kind of mushroom related programming around the event.

And then as always, we're going to have the artists come hide art in the library Friday night on June 12th, right before the library closes.

And so Saturday morning, June 13th, when everyone is arranged out here ready to run in and hide find art in the library.

It'll be set.

And the library kindly allows humans to rampage through the library looking for mushroom art.

So I think it's gonna be great.

And the one variation that I'll be making, I think I can say this with my executive authority, is my plan is to close the library and then allow people to come in and hide after we close on Friday night.

That would be great.

So I think I can make that happen.

Even better.

So anyway, that'll I think that'll make it run a little more smoothly.

Did you want to talk a little bit about the you you know artists?

Oh yeah.

I've been telling people.

Oh yeah, yeah.

So posting obviously on social media, I think God for Brody's posts too that I get a repost.

Um but I sent a call out actually to my artist friends around here in the Bay Area, even others that don't live in the area, they're like wanting to contribute to the event itself, which is great to live in LA.

Um, and then also I'm hosting an art making session on May 10th in Berkeley.

Where I'm like, because I got a lot of art supplies too.

But um just inviting folks to kind of come to um one my office space in Brooklyn because it's central to just have a day of making mushroom themed art.

With the goal of walking out with a box of stuff that we could hide.

So anyway, I just wanted to share that.

And if you're all obviously welcome.

Oh, yeah, snacks and supplies provided.

So yeah, great.

So that's what's up.

Thanks.

Nice, nice.

Um, I'm just wondering if it would be helpful for people who are new and may not know what this event is.

If it would be worth explaining.

Oh, for sure.

So Game of Shrooms is a worldwide art hide and seek event.

Have you heard of it?

Okay, good.

Okay, so it's like so.

It's started by this guy in Richmond who is an artist, and it has spread literally all over the world.

Like it even happens in Antarctica, I think, down at McMurdo Station now.

Okay.

Um, and so artists make mushroom-themed art and then they hide it out in the community, and then people can go find it for free.

Oh my head.

Yeah, so there's like this big map.

And people put a little pin on the map, you know, with a link to their social media, and then you know, like that morning you go on Instagram and put clues as to where you've hidden your art.

Oh, and so people rampage around trying to find the art.

Oh.

So, what we're gonna do here, instead of having to like drive to different places and find people on social media, we're just gonna say the library is a hub for finding shrooms.

Come hunt in the library.

Okay.

And so artists can come hide here, like if you don't have social media, or if you're a little kid, or if you just don't want to.

And then, you know, people who don't have social media can also come and hunt.

I gotcha.

So it's it's about you know accessibility and being the cool kind of library that does that.

I got you.

I got you.

And you find that it's yours, it's yours.

I see.

Oh, nice.

Nice, nice.

There is a um, I'll just add to that that on the website.

And if you just if anyone's interested, you can just Google Game of Shrooms and it'll take you to the official site.

Uh there's a wonderful video that is basically about the about the event.

And they interview people again all around the world, and some of them are so tuned into this event.

They like travel the world, sort of hunt for art at different nice, but uh, you know, travel the world to find art in different places because it is a worldwide phenomenon.

But it's it's it's seeing their enthusiasm will inspire you for this program.

It's really a lovely, lovely event.

Oh, I would I would recommend that if if you know artists, if you are an artist, like make some art.

If you're not an artist, come to the library and hunt for art.

You're allowed even as a commissioner to hunt for art.

Oh, really?

Yes.

Perfect.

All right, thank you.

All right.

Thank you for that report.

Do we have any other comments or questions from the commission?

All right.

Well, I just want to say just again, thank you for uh for allowing me to be here.

And um, yeah, I mean I'll give you all my information, but just look forward to meeting with everybody, you know, just getting to know you personally, um, your experiences here, you know, just all that good stuff.

I just want to get to know everybody, so yeah.

Well, we'll we'll force you to know.

It's all good.

That's obvious.

Oh, thank you.

All right, moving on to item 8C, Latinx Youth Writing Workshop Committee.

Can we have a report from the Latinx Youth Work Writing Workshop Committee?

No report yet.

Um I know that we're meeting uh next month, but that's for the bike committee.

Okay, sounds nice.

And no report yet.

All right, okay.

Um questions or comments about the Latinx working youth writing workshop committee.

Okay, thank you.

And we'll move on to item 8D, library bike tour committee.

Can we have a report?

Um I'll take that one.

Uh we haven't met, but we do have a meeting on the books, and in the meantime, I've talked to a member of the Stanley Andro Bike and Pedestrian Commission, and he was very enthusiastic about the idea.

Um I would I asked him if you know I should come go to one of their meetings to kind of pitch it, and he's like, that would be great, but also he knows all these other kind of bike advocacy groups within San Leandro who might be a bit more nimble and able to collaborate with us in a more meaningful way.

So I think hopefully I get to chance to talk to him again before we meet in May.

But I think as we discussed before, like having partnerships would be important.

So and I know there's some city departments that I should reach out to as well.

So if you could give me a list of those folks are, that would be appreciated, and I'll start putting feelers out.

But um, yeah, I think we talked about this being a goal for 2027.

May is bike to anywhere, or like kind of bike awareness month, so that might be a good time to shoot for and hopefully won't have all this rain like we're having right now.

But seems like a safe bet.

Um so a little slower on getting started, but we have a bit more runway there.

So um, and just to explain what the bike tour idea is, is there are three library branches, one of which is under construction right now, but supposed to be finished in the summer.

September to September to December.

Maybe by 20 spring 2027 it'll be ready.

Um but the idea is to have um a like with Tour de France, but Tour de Library where uh we have a group ride from the main library to the marina library to the uh manor library, kind of do a circuit, people can get refreshments.

I don't know, we have to figure out what the the stop you know stopping points will be, but just to promote bikeability between the library and um just like pedestrian safety and things like that.

So kind of active bike, active library vibes, I think is the idea.

So um do commissioners have any questions or comments on the bike tour.

All right.

Then moving on to commissioner comments.

Do commissioners have any comments or reports?

Um commissioner Scotland.

Yes, um, the state of the city event is when is it?

Isn't it 28th?

April 28th.

Yes, 28th.

I would recommend that if you guys don't know, go to the state of the city speech.

Um the mayor does it, it's really interesting.

Every year it starts at 6 30 p.m.

at the senior center on the East 14th, down by 130 something.

Um like where the hospital is.

Um it's good.

I learn stuff every year, it's interesting.

You can kind of do some glad handing.

All the city folks are there.

It's nice to meet other people and represent as a commissioner.

So I would recommend anyone who can go.

That's on the 28th.

Yes.

April 28th.

Sorry, that's Tuesday.

I did go last year, and one of one of all last years.

I think I said the three of us said.

Okay, okay.

Last year.

I would just add that it's it's I believe this the speech starts at 6:30.

It's that you can you can arrive at six and we all have four or three.

Oh yeah, yeah.

Okay, sorry, doors open six starts at six or yeah, that's good for last year.

Any other snacks?

Thank you for that plug.

Um other comments or I guess commissioner comments are just a time where we can freely freely talk.

So it's like a explanation of this agenda item.

Umbody else does.

I know we did this last time, but since we have another new commissioner, um we can all introduce ourselves.

So I will start.

Uh I'm Alana.

I live near San Leandro High in District 2, so that's the district that I'm representing.

I've been with the commission since I guess like for the past three years, so since it kind of got re kick-started.

Okay.

Um, and what brought me to the commission is my background's in libraries and museums and archives, but I'm also a writer and an artist.

So I was like, ah, it's like the trifecta of all the things that I love.

So um, yeah, it's been a lot of fun working with this commission, and this is my my first meeting as chair, so excuse the the bumpy script reading.

Um but yeah, just want to say welcome and I'll pass it along to Commissioner Alex.

Hi.

I'm Shaylani, Commissioner Alex.

Um I live out by the marina, that's district three, five, six, six, sorry, thanks.

District filled in the number large.

Yeah.

So it's yeah.

So um anyway, I live out by the arena, and I have been watching the construction of the library out there every day.

Lovely.

Yeah, like how's it going?

Um anyway, I just this is my second meeting.

I'm brand new to the commission.

Um let's see.

I came to it because similarly, I just want to try to make an impact in the community.

Um, I mostly work in healthcare, but I'm also a musician.

So nice.

It's my little art angle.

Oh, okay.

Okay.

I'm Terry, and I'm what's called an old war horse.

I've been around for 30 years.

Wow.

As far as uh we started the arts, not start, but we revived the arts council, and then that morphed into the arts commission.

I was I I've only been on the arts commission though for I think five years.

Arts, culture, and all yeah, I think it's five years.

Um I uh I'm retired, a retired banker, and I also um originated and run San Landro Players Theater Company, which is my arts site.

Oh wow, okay.

All right, thank you.

Hi Michael, welcome.

Thank you.

I'm Rosa.

I'm in District 2.

I just looked it up.

Uh we're by Portuguese Pizza.

Uh okay.

And um I've got um a middle schooler, um, one daughter that's fresh out of high school.

Uh so I'm a parent in the community.

I like to volunteer at their schools.

I also went back to college uh a few years back.

Nice, which also kind of opened my eyes to other community-based organizations.

Um specifically uh one of our grantees a couple years ago, right before I joined the commission.

She was one of the grantee awards right after that.

So that was like another kind of like um full circle moment for me.

Nice.

Um, but I used to um live in San Andreas as a kid, I went to Bank Rock Middle School, Sal Andrew High School.

And um, yeah, I'm here to volunteer my my time.

And um I'm cycling year, I think I'm gonna hit two years in July.

Oh, and I work in healthcare.

Nice.

Okay, all right, nice.

I'm Brody.

I've been on the commission probably like five and a half, six years now.

Oh, wow.

Back from what it was like the previous commission.

Okay.

Um I was the chair for two years, and then Alana has capably taken over.

Thank you.

I don't have to have the meetings anymore.

Um I work for Burning Man in the art department.

I worked there for 15 years.

That's my day job full time.

I just joined the circus, you know, doing that.

And I am a photographer and a potter and a woodworker and a leather worker and a everything in my spare time.

And I love libraries and read all the time since I was a tiny child.

So it's nice to have all the things together.

Yes, thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Glad you're here.

Yeah, yeah.

No, thank you.

Thank you.

Last but not least.

Well, this is Commissioner Comments, but I will you know, I appreciate that.

Um Yolanda and I are the two staff members.

Uh uh, my official role is the secretary to the commission or staff liaison.

So I'm the enforcer.

Yes.

Yes.

All the rules.

Well, the chair and I work together to enforce all the rules.

So and with all seriousness, that you know, that's just to make sure the commissions run according to, and I know I reached out and we'll get together and talk about that.

Commissioner Alex and I had that meeting.

Um at that meeting too, just to talk about the kind of unique structure of how these commissions work and uh you know operating according to um the Brown Act, which is to make sure these public events, public meetings are run appropriately.

Um but then the other piece that I often handle is the say for the grants committee and the grant awards because that involves city finances.

I'm the person who makes sure that all that's done according to the rules of the city.

That's true for any any questions or concerns or anything about uh relative to the commission's work around the city departments.

I'm there to help the commission navigate all that.

Awesome.

And then Yolanda, do you want to?

Just here to take notes.

All right, all right.

You make sure we all come.

Yes, I just make sure you get all the information you need beforehand.

I appreciate you, thank you.

She's a different kind of enforcer.

It's all good.

I just need to make sure you're here.

Yes, ma'am, indeed.

Thank you so much.

Okay.

I do have um another comment about going back to the Latinx writing workshop committee.

Um just to clarify, I'm like the head of that committee, right?

So I should be initiating what you initiated with the bike committee and what you're initiating with the Sharon's committee.

Okay, I just needed to hear that out loud.

Um you guys nominate grad school, and uh it's been a little crazy.

I'm closing the semester in a couple weeks.

Oh that's my first year closing, so one more year.

Yeah, but I don't want to you know give up my my role here, so I'm just trying to keep it all together.

Let me just clarify.

And I got my kid a lot.

And then um just to share if you guys know anybody that um their kids played competitive soccer, um, the soccer league that was previously Albion, that their home base is Brofield.

Now we're rebranding, and it's just gonna be Saly Android Youth Soccer League.

So it's gonna be a strictly South Android community-based nonprofit soccer competitive club.

Um and I went ahead and signed up on the board.

So yeah, you know, that's my mom role.

So that's just like also like okay, I want to be a part of it, I'll support the organization.

So I'm excited about that.

But um, yeah, just want to make sure I got it down right.

No, it's all good.

Well, I'd like to hear from you.

I'm pretty sure all right.

Any other commit comments or reports?

If not, do I have a motion to adjourn the meeting of April 25th, 2026?

So moved.

And a second?

Second.

All right.

I hear any discussion?

Hearing that, all in favor.

I motion carried the meeting of April 21st, 2026 is adjourned at 7:30.

Wow.

Right on