Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout100224IRWINDALE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS 5050 N. IRWINDALE AVENUE IRWINDALE, CALIFORNIA 91706 OCTOBER 2, 2024 WEDNESDAY 6:00 P.M. The Irwindale PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION met in regular session at the above time and place. ROLL CALL: Present: Commissioners Michelle Duran, Justin Kelly, Carmen Roman; Vice Chair Belen Zepeda; Chair Paula Fraijo Also present: Elizabeth Rodriguez, Public Services Director; Priscilla Zepeda; Recreation Manager; Daniel Grijalva, Aquatics Supervisor; and Armando Hegdahl, Management Analyst AB 2449 DISCLOSURES None. CONSENT CALENDAR MOTION A motion was made by Chair Fraijo, seconded by Commissioner Roman, to approve the Consent Calendar. The motion was unanimously approved. ITEM NO. 6A MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD SEPTEMBER 4, 2024 MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD The minutes of the meeting held September 4, 2024, were approved SEPTEMBER 4, 2024 as presented. END OF CONSENT CALENDAR SPONTANEOUS COMMUNICATIONS There were no speakers. NEW BUSINESS ITEM NO. 8A 4TH OF JULY SURVEY RESULTS 4TH OF JULY SURVEY RESULTS MANAGER ZEPEDA Manager Zepeda presented the staff report. CHAIR FRAIJO Chair Fraijo thanked staff for having provided the survey results and questioned whether the Commission had previously received a copy of the survey before it was sent out, to which Director Rodriguez advised that the survey was included in the August 2024 Commission agenda packet. COMMISSIONER Commissioner Roman requested that the Commission consider how ROMAN the 4rh of July events can be improved with additional entertainment at a future meeting. PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION MINUTES REGULAR MEETING OCTOBER 2, 2024 PAGE 2 CHAIR FRAIJO Chair Fraijo noted that the Red, White, and You event was created specifically to provide entertainment. She also asked about funding availability for future events, to which Director Rodriguez advised that the Red, White, and You events usually have funding allocated yearly, but noted that any additional entertainment would require Council funding approval. COMMISSIONER Commissioner Roman repeated her request to have additional ROMAN entertainment on the 4th of July, to which Commissioner Duran stated that doing so would defeat the purpose of the Red, White, and You event and noted that it would also require additional funding and that the results of the survey show that residents prefer two separate events. Commissioner Roman stated her belief that residents also wish for more entertainment on the 4th of July, to which Chair Fraijo stated that she agreed with Commissioner Duran and noted that the purpose of the survey was to gauge residents' preferences. VICE CHAIR ZEPEDA Vice Chair Zepeda stated that she would prefer to keep the issue open for additional dialogue and indicated that she enjoys both events. COMMISSIONER Commissioner Kelly said that the survey provided good insight on how KELLY residents feel and agreed that the Commission could study the 4th of July event to determine how it could be improved. CHAIR FRAIJO Chair Fraijo noted that other cities generally have only one event, and the fact that Irwindale has two is a blessing. She agreed that the 4th of July event could be improved but acknowledged that the residents' desires have been expressed through the survey. She recommended that the report be received and filed. IRIS RODRIGUEZ Iris Rodriguez stated that she enjoys the 4th of July though she worries that the use of illegal fireworks could damage or destroy her older home. She suggested that the two subject events remain as they currently are. LINDA MAREZ Linda Marez asked what purpose the survey served if the results would be ignored. She noted the declining attendance at recent years' 4th of July events and recommended that the Commission act in accordance with residents' wishes. COMMISSIONER In response to Iris Rodriguez's comments, Commissioner Roman ROMAN spoke on the Police Department's increased efforts to curb the use of illegal fireworks. SUZANNE GOMEZ Suzanne Gomez commended staff for conducting the survey and noted the evolution of residents' preferences regarding the 4th of July. PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION MINUTES REGULAR MEETING OCTOBER 2, 2024 PAGE 3 She concurred with Iris Rodriguez concerns over the use of illegal fireworks and spoke on how their use has negatively affected her and her home. CHAIR FRAIJO Chair Fraijo indicated that she would prefer to continue using fireworks for the 4ch of July and indicated that the event could be further discussed during a future meeting. ITEM NO. 86 SPECIAL EVENT STAGE —VERBAL SPECIAL EVENT STAGE — VERBAL MANAGER ZEPEDA Manager Zepeda presented the report wherein she advised that, in response to a previous request by the Commission, staff looked into how the stage could be improved for summer concerts. It was determined that providing a larger stage for the Red, White, and You events is possible since it is situated against the Dan Diaz Recreation Center. However, the same cannot be said for the Music in the Park concerts due to where the stage is situated for these. She also advised that staff looked into the costs for a larger stage, additional lighting, and side stage lifts, and noted that a larger stage would cost between $2,800 to $4,900 per concert and additional lighting would cost approximately $1,200 in additional expenses per concert. CHAIR FRAIJO Chair Fraijo expressed her hope that the stage could be improved, particularly with respect to lighting, as it gets difficult to see at night with current lighting. She also noted that sometimes there are tracks of uncovered wires running along the ground, which could pose a tripping hazard. MANAGER ZEPEDA Manager Zepeda reiterated that adding bars to the sides of the stage would take away from the stage footprint. She further added that the stage for the Music in the Park concerts is maxed out, unless it is extended onto the dance floor. DIRECTOR RODRIGUEZ Director Rodriguez stated that staff received information regarding additional lighting that could potentially be added to the stage. COMMISSIONER Commissioner Duran spoke on the importance of proper lighting to DURAN avoid accidents and said that she fell in the park recently since she was unable to see an obstacle in the grass. She also noted that most attendees at the concerts are older and may be more prone to falling due to tripping hazards. CHAIR FRAIJO Chair Fraijo opposed using funding that has been earmarked for other events or activities to procure better lighting but stated that staff should look into finding available funding. PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION MINUTES OCTOBER 2, 2024 REGULAR MEETING PAGE 4 COMMISSIONER Commissioner Roman pointed to the lighting used at the stage set by ROMAN Baldwin Park staff and noted that Disney engineers can route millions of people through rides. She then requested that a report with pricing details for lighting options be presented. DIRECTOR RODRIGUEZ Director Rodriguez reiterated that adding a larger stage would take away from available dancing space and noted that the Council has expressed an interest in having attendees dance. She further indicated that she could work with the Engineering Department to see if drawings can be prepared to demonstrate available options. CHAIR FRAIJO Chair Fraijo suggested that staff try to add lighting and see how well it works out, noting that any additional changes could be made in the future. She also stated that she would not want to request the purchase of a new stage, and just wants to see whether it is possible to add lighting to the existing stage. MANAGER ZEPEDA Manager Zepeda stated that staff can research pricing to add lighting that would illuminate the band as well as the dancing attendees. She noted that the events at Baldwin Park have the benefit of streetlights that help illuminate the area, as well as additional lighting powered by generators, though the generators tend to be noisy. Staff can look into these options as well. CHAIR FRAIJO Chair Fraijo requested that staff look into what would be needed to provide the requested lighting and present a detailed staff report, including pricing, to the Commission at its next meeting. Chair Fraijo also suggested that staff ensure that the power cords be taped down to avoid potential tripping hazards. ITEM NO. 8C KIDZONE WAITING LIST —VERBAL KIDZONE WAITING LIST - VERBAL MANAGER ZEPEDA Manager Zepeda presented the staff report, wherein she noted that there are a total of 50 students registered in Kidzone with four on the waiting list. Of those 50 students, approximately 25% have higher support needs which require additional staffing. Staff has created three separate groups, or "pods", of program participants to allow for the increase in registration and to address room capacity limitations. She spoke on staffing challenges posed by the high number of program participants and advised that staff is currently recruiting for additional Recreation Aides to assist with coverage. COMMISSIONER Commissioner Roman recalled ManagerZepeda's statement from last ROMAN month's meeting wherein she indicated that some children may need up to seven staff members to assist them, which Commissioner Roman stated was "unacceptable". PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION MINUTES REGULAR MEETING OCTOBER 2, 2024 PAGE MANAGER ZEPEDA Manager Zepeda stated that this number of staffers would be needed to cover the facility exits in the rare occasion that a child with special needs attempts to leave the building. Manager Zepeda noted that the program has benefitted participants to the point that some of them have begun to mainstream. COMMISSIONER Commissioner Duran thanked the new system that staff has put in DURAN place and for how quickly staff has worked on the Commission's requests. CHAIR FRAIJO Responding to a question by Chair Fraijo, Manager Zepeda advised that the program is inclusive and includes children with special needs. Chair Fraijo noted that with the increased number of children with special needs participating comes the need for additional staffing and wondered how far the program would grow. She commended staff for such wonderful programs, noting that the increased participation is a testament to their hard work. RECREATION MANAGER UPDATE RECREATION Recreation Manager Zepeda provided the following update: MANAGER ZEPEDA 1) Lots of positive feedback has been received regarding this year's MariachiFest concerts. She thanked all staff, vendors, entertainers, and attendees for ensuring its success. 2) Fall classes began in September and included programs such as Kidzone, Tots, and Cheer. 3) One ticket to the Dodgers game trip went unused, as did 11 tickets for the deep-sea fishing trip. 4) The following events have been scheduled for October: A) RockAbilities Harvest Carnival — October 9 B) Teen Trip to Queen Mary's Dark Harbor — October 19 C) Tots Trip to Pumpkin Patch — October 24 D) Halloween Spooktacular — October 26 E) Children's Pumpkin Decorating Contest — October 29 F) Tots and Kidzone Family Pumpkin Carving Night — October 30 G) Jack O' Lantern Walk and Dia de los Muertos Community Altar — October 30 H) Kidzone / Tot Trick or Treat Parade and Community Truck or Treat — October 31 5) Silhouettes for the Multipurpose Room have been ordered. The Teen / Game Room is being prepared, and the divider curtain has been installed at the Dan Diaz Recreation Center. 6) The Irwindale Police Department will make an anti -bullying PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION MINUTES REGULAR MEETING OCTOBER 2, 2024 PAGE 6 presentation for the Kidzone program later this month. 7) Staff will conduct another survey regarding the contents of the Game/Teen Room since a low number of responses were received initially. The results will be presented to the Commission at its November meeting. She advised that the Game Room is open for use. 8) She requested that the Commissioners encourage community members and businesses to participate in the upcoming Scarecrow Alley event. COMMISSIONER Commissioner Roman expressed a concern over who is eligible to ROMAN receive prizes for the Scarecrow Alley event, to which Manager Zepeda advised that only community members are eligible to receive prizes. AQUATICS SUPERVISOR UPDATE SUPERVISOR GRIJALVA PUBLIC WORKS SUPERVISOR UPDATE PUBLIC WORKS SUPERVISOR RODRIGUEZ Commissioner Roman requested that a costume parade be included in next year's MariachiFest concerts, since many residents dress up for the events. She also asked about an individual she observed with a pesticide protection suit, to which Director Roman noted that the individual is a staff member that was spraying the grass to kill weeds. Director Rodriguez spoke on spray procedures and noted that the chemicals used to kill weeds are not dangerous. Commissioner Roman requested that staff notify Recreation staff when spraying pesticide so that they can avoid having individuals walking over the treated areas. Supervisor Grijalva presented the following update: 1) The last day of recreational swimming was held on September 29. 2) The fall season began on September 30 and will run through October 31. 3) He provided the schedules for the Mindful Waters, Senior Splash / Aqua Walk and Lap Swimming, and Aqua Fitness programs. 4) The Swim Team has a total of 26 swimmers and are all making progress towards reaching their personal best records. Director Rodriguez presented the following update: PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION MINUTES REGULAR MEETING OCTOBER 2, 2024 PAGE 7 1) New picnic tables were built and placed at the shelter a couple of weeks ago. 2) One of the trellis' at the Little Park of Irwindale has been completed. Staff will remove the other and hopes to replace it by the end of October or the beginning of November. 3) Staff began securing the tables at Irwindale Park this week as they did not want to wait for the contractor to complete this as part of the punch list of pending items. 4) The safety curtain has been installed at the gym floor. 5) She thanked staff for preparing for the MariachiFest and for ensuring that the area remained clean. 6) Staff is preparing to work on the next RockAbilities event and Halloween events. 7) Staff will begin using a new service request software called Work in November. COMMISSIONER Commissioner Roman complained about the appearance of the ROMAN planters at the entrance of City Hall and the Police Department, to which Director Rodriguez advised that the contractor has been informed of the concern and that they will follow up on it. Commissioner Roman also noted the messy appearance of the planters in front of the gym, to which Director Rodriguez advised that staff is manually working on removing the weeds. PUBLIC SERVICES DIRECTOR UPDATE DIRECTOR RODRIGUEZ Director Rodriguez presented the following update: 1) A bulky item and electronic pickup event has been scheduled for October 11. 2) A compost giveaway event has been scheduled for October 12. 3) The County of Los Angeles is hosting a "Too Toxic to Trash" and electronic disposal event through November 2 in Covina. 4) Part-time staff members have been provided with employee ID cards that they can use to register for events and activities. All event and activity flyers state that individuals must present their city ID cards to register as a resident. 5) The Engineering Division has a "Safe Streets for All" meeting scheduled for tomorrow at the Community Center. COMMISSIONER Commissioner Kelly asked whether Commissioners receive KELLY Employee ID cards, to which Director Rodriguez stated that they do not since they are eligible to receive Resident ID cards. COMMISSIONER As requested by Commissioner Duran, Director Rodriguez elaborated DURAN on the "Safe Streets for AII" event. PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION MINUTES OCTOBER 2, 2024 REGULAR MEETING PAGE 8 CHAIR FRAIJO In response to a question by Chair Fraijo, Director Rodriguez advised that the contractor of the Park Improvement Project still has items from its punch list that need to be completed, though she would need to verify the number of pending items with the Engineering Department. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS REQUESTED BY COMMISSIONERS MOTION A motion was made by Commissioner Roman, seconded by Chair Fraijo, to add an item to the next agenda to discuss how the 4ch of July event could be enhanced. The motion was unanimously approved. CHAIR FRAIJO Chair Fraijo thanked the Council for the wonderful MariachiFest concerts and thanked staff for providing the Commission with the results of the 4ch of July / Red, White, and You survey and for scheduling the anti -bullying event. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to conduct, the meeting was adjourned at 7:34 p.m., in memory of Erlinda Barbosa Duran, Armando Hegdahl, CIVIC Management Analyst Approved as presented at the meeting held November 6, 2024.