>> GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. THE FEBRUARY 26, 2025 MEETING OF THE PARKS AND TECHNOLOGY MEETING WILL COME TO ORDER . IT IS 3:00 P.M. CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. >> CHAIR, THERE ARE FOUR COUNCILMEMBERS PRESENT. >> THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER NELSON HAS BEEN EXCUSED. WE HAVE A FULL AGENDA FOR TODAY. WE WILL HEAR ABOUT THE STATE OF OUR PARKS PUBLIC RESTROOMS FROM OUR AUDITOR'S OFFICE INCLUDING RECOMMENDATIONS FOLLOWED BY A PRESENTATION FROM PARKS IN RESPONSE TO THE OTHER THAN THEIR STRATEGIES MOVING FORWARD. IN OUR LAST COMMITTEE, PARKS CAME TO US WITH A BRIEFING ON THE PROJECTS AND GRANT FUNDING ASSISTANCE THROUGH THE STATE RECREATION AND CONSERVATION OFFICE. I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THE DISCUSSION TODAY AND LASTLY, WE HAVE A CENTRAL WATERFRONT OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE APPOINTEE WE WILL VOTE TO AFFIRM THEIR APPOINTMENT. I ALSO WANTED TO POINT OUT WE WILL ALSO BE CANCELING OUR MARCH 12th COMMITTEE AND CANCELLATION NOTICE WILL BE SENT OUT SOON. WE WILL NOW CONSIDER THE AGENDA, AND IF THERE IS NO AGENDA -- OBJECTIONS, THE AGENDA WILL BE ADOPTED. HEARING NONE AND SEEING NO SIGNS, THE AGENDA IS ADOPTED. WITH THAT WE ARE GOING TO DO MY WHICH IS OUR HYBRID PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. CLERK, HOW MANY SPEAKERS DO WE HAVE SIGNED UP TODAY? >> CURRENTLY WE HAVE FOUR IN PERSON SPEAKERS SIGNED UP. THERE ARE NO REMOTE SPEAKERS. >> AWESOME. WE WILL GIVE EACH SPEAKER TWO MINUTES. PLEASE READ THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. >> THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD WILL BE MODERATED IN THE FOLLOWING MANNER. I WILL CALL ON THE SPEAKERS BY NAME IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY REGISTERED . WE WILL START WITH IN PERSON SPEAKERS FIRST. IF YOU HAVE NOT REGISTERED TO SPEAK BUT WOULD LIKE TO YOU CAN SIGN-UP BEFORE THE END OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. YOU CAN GO TO THE COUNCIL'S WEBSITE OR SIGN UP ON THE SIGN-UP SHEET IN THE PUBLIC COMMENT MICROPHONE. THE ONLINE LINK IS LISTED ON TODAY'S'S AGENDA, AS WELL. WHEN SPEAKING PLEASE BEGIN BY STATING YOUR NAME OF THE ITEM YOU'RE ADDRESSING. SPEAKERS WILL HEAR A CHIME WHEN 10 SECONDS ARE LEFT IN THE ALLOTTED TIME. IF SPEAKERS DO NOT AND THEIR COMMENTS AT THE END OF THE ALLOTTED TIME PROVIDED, THE SPEAKER'S MICROPHONE WILL BE MUTED TO ALLOW US TO CALL ON THE NEXT PERSON. >> AWESOME. WE WILL JUMP INTO OUR IN-PERSON SPEAKERS. THANK YOU, BEST CLERK IN THE WORLD. >> THE FIRST SPEAKER IS MAGGIE JOHNSON TOLD BY ALEX ZIMMERMAN. >> HELLO, MAGGIE JOHNSON. WELCOME. AND, START WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. >> HELLO, AND THANKS FOR LETTING US TALK. MY NAME IS MAGGIE. I AM ONE OF ABOUT 100 ACTIVE VOLUNTEERS WHO ARE APPALLED AND HEARTBROKEN BY PARKS' DECISION TO ELIMINATE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAMMING THAT IS CURRENTLY SERVING OVER 80,000 SEATTLEITES PER YEAR. THIS SEEMS LIKE A SENSELESS FIASCO . COUNCIL APPROVED OUR FUNDING THROUGH 2025 AND YOU WILL BUT YOU HAD A YEAR TO DISCUSS FINDING 1 MILLION PER YEAR NEEDED A SOME OF YOU INDICATED YOU WERE INTERESTED IN DOING BUT PARKS HAS ALREADY OFFERED THE ENTIRE STAFF UNRELATED REPLACEMENT JOBS WITH A ONE-MONTH ACCEPTANCE DEADLINE. WHEN THE STAFF DWINDLES, THE VOLUNTEER CORPS WILL NO LONGER FUNCTION. WHAT BECOMES OF OUR ONGOING PROGRAM? HAS ANYONE THOUGHT THIS THROUGH? HERE'S WHAT IS BEING CUT. IN 2024, OVER 4000 SCHOOLKIDS FROM 80 AREA SCHOOLS PARTICIPATED IN FIELD TRIPS INCLUDING 21 TITLE I SCHOOLS . IN CLEVELAND AND CHIEF SELL HIGH SCHOOLS, CHILDREN ATTENDED A PROGRAM WITH A RANGE OF MENTAL AND HEALTH BENEFITS. THEY ARE USING THIS EXPERIENCE ON COLLEGE APPLICATIONS. PARTNERSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY PROGRAMS SUCH AS LIFELONG LEARNING AND PARK WATERSHED ALLIANCE, DISCOVERY PARK VISITOR CENTER SHAFT AND VOLUNTEERS TO BRING THE ACCESSIBILITY BUS TO THE BEACH, NATURE KIDS PRESCHOOL OVER 900 YOUTH CAMPUS, PROGRAMMING THAT HAS BEEN HONED OVER DECADES INCLUDING A HIGH-QUALITY TRAINING PROGRAM FOR VOLUNTEERS ALL TO BE CUT. PLEASE GET THIS ON YOUR AGENDA. DRAFT THE BUDGET AMENDMENT RESTORING THESE PROGRAMS AND ASK PARKS TO STOP DISPERSING OUR STAFF. THANK YOU. >> UP NEXT WE HAVE ALEX ZIMMERMAN FOLLOWED BY BILL FARMER. [ SPEAKING IN A GLOBAL LANGUAGE ] I COME TO THIS PLACE FOR MANY TIMES A DOZEN TIMES TO TALK ABOUT THIS. NO NEED TO SPEND 1 MILLION AND MILLION HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS FOR PARK. DON'T HAVE SENSE. TOO MANY VOLUNTEERS ARE AROUND. HUNDREDS WHO CAN DO THIS FOR FREE. BE HAPPY. 1000 PEOPLE [ INAUDIBLE ] $100 MILLION IS STUPIDITY. GOVERNMENT TOTALLY CORRUPT IS NOT CORRUPTION. THEY STEAL MONEY SO I ASK YOU WHEN WE HAVE 20,000 HOMELESS 500 DYING FOR YOUR YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS. WE HAVE 100,000 SOCIAL SECURITY LOW INCOME WHEN YOU SPEND THOUSAND PEOPLE FOR PARK I LIVE HERE FOR 40 YEARS . SEATTLE MY CITY. [ INAUDIBLE ] AND MATCH YOUR CITY EMPLOYEE BECAUSE YOU CONTROLLING BY MAFIA BY DEMOCRAT FASCIST MAFIA WHO DON'T TOUCH PEOPLE MORE PEOPLE VOTED FOR GOVERNMENT MORE PEOPLE WILL WORK FOR YOU. YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS MEAN EVERYBODY RIGHT NOW START DOING THIS AGAIN YOU KNOW. POVERTY IS IMPORTANT. SO STAND UP AMERICA FOR ETERNAL STOP AND SPEND THIS MONEY FOR NOTHING YOU ARE KILLING. >> THANK YOU AND FOR THE RECORD JUST FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES, THE REMARK THAT MR. ZIMMERMAN ALWAYS DOES IS ANTI-SEMITIC AND IT IS IS A SALUTE AND I WILL SAY THAT EVERY TIME I AM CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE HE DOES THAT IN THIS COMMITTEE TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT IS VERY ANTI-SEMITIC. THANK YOU. >> UP NEXT WE HAVE BILL FARMER . >> HELLO, CITY COUNCIL. WE ARE BACK TO CITY HALL REMIND YOU ONCE AGAIN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAM IS AT RISK OF DISAPPEARING THIS YEAR. WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE , TO SEATTLE PARKS AND REC MANAGEMENT AND ALL OF YOU HAVE GOTTEN ALL MY EMAILS AND MANY OTHERS. SO FAR SOME OF YOU HAVE BEEN POLITE ENOUGH TO REPLY AND WE'VE BEEN TOLD THAT FOLKS ARE GETTING UP TO SPEED. SO FAR WE HAVE BEEN -- THERE HAS BEEN NO RESPONSE FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE. WE'VE REACHED OUT TO DEPUTY MAYOR FARRELL WHO HAS TAKEN ON THAT PARKS ISSUE . WITH OUR SUPERINTENDENT DIAZ AND OTHERS IN THE PARKS DEPARTMENT TO HAVE A MEETING WHICH WAS RECOMMENDED TO HAVE A DIFFERENT VENUE THEN COMMENTING IN PUBLIC MEETINGS. SO FAR NO RESPONSE. AS WE UNDERSTAND IT, THE EE PROGRAM IS FULLY FUNDED IN 2025. ALL THE STAFF WERE GIVEN ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE ANOTHER POSITION BY THE END OF JANUARY BUT HAD TO DECIDE WHERE THEY WOULD RISK NOT HAVING A JOB AT THE END OF THE YEAR. IF THEY ARE FULLY FUNDED IN 2025 WHAT IS THE URGENCY? SOMETHING DOESN'T SOUND RIGHT TO ME. COUNCIL MEMBER KETTLE AND COUNCIL MEMBER STRAUSS, YOU'VE MENTIONED THAT YOU'RE WILLING TO LOOK AT ALTERNATIVE FUNDING AND COME UP WITH 1 MILLION BUCKS. SO FAR GETTING NO RESPONSE IT'S DISRESPECTED SO IT DOESN'T MAKE US FEEL GOOD SO MAYBE ASK FOR A MEETING . >> THANK YOU. UP NEXT WE HAVE JANE . >> I AM A VOLUNTEER. THERE ARE LOTS OF US THAT HAVE GRAY HAIR. SOME OF US HAVE VERY LITTLE HAIR. I THINK THERE ARE ABOUT 100 PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO COME TO TESTIFY. BUT, THERE ARE A BUNCH OF YOUNG PEOPLE THAT VOLUNTEER, TOO. WE HAVE A CHEMISTRY PROFESSOR WHO IS 32. WE HAVE A ROCKET SCIENTIST TO IS 31 AND RETIRED TEACHERS AND COUNSELORS BUT THERE ARE 100+ VOLUNTEERS LIKE ME AND WE ARE TRAINED BY SEATTLE STAFF AND IT IS FREE LABOR FOR THE CITY. IT IS A PRETTY GOOD INVESTMENT. WE HAVE ONE THING IN COMMON. WE WANT TO SHARE THE BEAUTY AND WONDER AND IMPORTANCE OF NATURE IN SEATTLE PARKS WITH KIDS AND ADULTS. SEATTLE KIDS IN SEATTLE PARKS. IT'S A WONDERFUL SITUATION. WE CONDUCTED 570 SCHOOL FIELD TRIPS WITH THOUSANDS OF SEATTLE SCHOOLCHILDREN ABOUT INSECTS, TREES, PONDS, SALTWATER AND THE KIDS ARE BUSSED TO THE PARKS FROM THE SCHOOLS ALL OVER SEATTLE AS PART OF THIS BUDGET. BELIEVE IT OR NOT A LOT OF KIDS HAVE NEVER BEEN TO A SEATTLE PARKA MAY HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED NATURE EXPERIENCE. THEY HAVE THEIR PHONES AND THEY HAVE ALL THAT STUFF BUT THIS IS NEW TO THEM AND THEIR EYES REALLY GET WIDE. SEATTLE VOTERS JUST PAST THE TRANSPORTATION LEVY. WE PASSED AN OPERATING BUDGET FOR SEATTLE SCHOOLS IN THE PAST CAPITAL BUDGET YOU KNOW AND HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS SO THIS IS KIND OF AN EXTENSION OF THE EDUCATION FOR THESE KIDS. GIVES HIM SOMETHING THEY DON'T GET IN THE SCHOOLS. AS FOUR TO SEVEN FULL-TIME EQUIVALENTS I THINK IT'S DOWN TO ABOUT FOUR NOW BUT GIVE SOME HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE. ALSO THIS BUDGET KEEPS DISCOVERY PARK OPEN. NOT THE PARK, THE REC CENTER, WHICH IS NICE TO HAVE RESTROOMS AND TOURISTS, SO. DON'T LET THIS 30-YEAR-OLD PROGRAM DIE. THE BRAIN TRUST THAT IS IN PLACE CAN EASILY BE DISPLACED. THE SMALL DEDICATED STAFF ARE SUPER QUALIFIED. I KNOW IT'S HARD DURING A BUDGET YOUR BUT THIS IS A GOOD INVESTMENT, SO. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. ARE THERE MORE SPEAKERS SIGNED UP? NO, SO THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD THAT WAS OPEN IS NOW CLOSED. THANK YOU ALL. I WANT TO THANK THE SPEAKERS WHO CAME TO TALK ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAM. YOU WILL GET RESPONSE FROM US, MR. FARMER, AND I NEVER LIE WHEN I COMMIT ON CAMERA. YOU WILL GET A RESPONSE. WE WILL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU. I ALSO , WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE INTO THE RECORD. >> AGENDA ITEM ONE THE OFFICE OF CITY AUDITOR'S REPORT AND BRIEFING ON SEATTLE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION RESTROOMS FOR BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION PRESENTING FROM THE OFFICE OF DAVID JONES, CITY AUDITOR AND MELISSA ALDERSON , OFFICE OF CITY AUDITOR. >> THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE. I KNOW YOU ALL ARE THE FAVORITE OFFICE IN THE CITY OF SEATTLE. PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND THEN PLEASE JUMP RIGHT INTO YOUR PRESENTATION WHENEVER YOU ARE READY. >> I AM CITY AUDITOR DAVID JONES. >> MELISSA ALDERSON, ASSISTANT CITY AUDITOR. >> GO AHEAD AND PRESS YOUR MIKE. PRESS THE LITTLE GREEN BUTTON. >> IB OSUNTOKI. ASSISTANT CITY AUDITOR . >> WE WILL PROCEED WITH THE CHAIR'S PERMISSION AND THANK YOU FOR INVITING US TO BE HERE TO MAKE A PRESENTATION ON PARKS, AND SEATTLE. THIS WAS REQUESTED BY THE PARKS DISTRICT BOARD WHICH IS COMPOSED OF THE MEMBERS OF THE SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL AND MEMBERS OF THE VIEWING AUDIENCE WHO MIGHT WANT TO READ THE REPORT WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN IT CAN GO TO OUR OFFICE'S WEBSITE AND SEE A COPY OF THE REPORT . IT IS AT WWW.SEATTLE.GOV/CITY AUDITOR. THAT IS ONE WORD. /REPORTS. THE FOLKS WHO DID THE WORK ON THIS, SOME OF THEM ARE SITTING BESIDE ME, MELISSA ALDERSON AND IB OSUNTOKI AND SARAH BLAND. WHO COULD NOT BE HERE. THEY WERE THE TEAM. THEY DID THE WORK. I JUST WANT TO SAY FROM THE BEGINNING WE MADE SIX RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE REPORT AND AS WE DO WITH ALL RECOMMENDATIONS WE ARE MAKING A REPORT WE WILL FOLLOW UP ON THEM AND REPORT BACK TO YOU, THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC. WE DO THIS ANNUALLY AND FOLLOW UP ON RECOMMENDATIONS UNTIL THEY HAVE EITHER BEEN IMPLEMENTED OR IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTED SO WE WILL BE DOING THAT IN THE CASE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS MADE IN THIS AUDIT REPORT. I DO WANT TO SAY THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WAS VERY COOPERATIVE DURING THIS AUDIT. I JUST WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THAT. IT TOOK A LOT OF ARRANGEMENTS AND A LOT OF WORK ON BOTH SIDES AND ALSO THIS IS IMPORTANT CONTEXT FOR YOU, THE COUNSEL AND FOR THE PUBLIC TO KNOW. THE PERIOD WE WERE LOOKING AT WAS A PARTICULARLY CHALLENGING ONE FOR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IN TERMS OF ITS ABILITY TO KEEP RESTROOMS CLEAN, SAFE, AND OPEN. THERE WERE THREE PRIMARY REASONS. FIRST, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WAS COPING WITH THE AFTERMATH OF THE PANDEMIC WHEN THERE WAS A REALLY INCREASED USE OF PARK BATHROOMS BY ALL KINDS OF USERS. THE SECOND THING THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WAS COPING WITH A HIRING FREEZE DUE TO THE CITY'S HIRING FREEZE, THE DEFICIT WE WERE FACING, AND STRENGTHS IN THE CITY'S POSIT -- BUDGET AND THIS LED TO PARKS NOT BEING ABLE TO HIRE ENOUGH EMPLOYEES TO HELP WITH CLEANING AND REPAIRING BATHROOMS AND THIRD FINALLY, AND I FIND THIS PERSONALLY DISTURBING, THERE IS AN INCREASE IN VANDALISM OF PARKS RESTROOMS. SOME RESTROOMS IN PARTICULAR WERE REAL PROBLEM CHILDREN, SO TO SPEAK. THIS ALL GOES BY WAY OF SAYING IT IS NOT AN EASY THING TO KEEP 129 PARK RESTROOMS IN GOOD OPERATING ORDER AND WE WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT BECAUSE IT IS EASY TO COME IN AND BE AN ARMCHAIR QUARTERBACK AND CRITIQUE THINGS BUT AGAIN OUR JOB IS TO LOOK FOR WAYS WE CAN IMPROVE AS A CITY BUT I DID WANT TO SET THE STAGE FOR MELISSA AND I BE -- IB WILL ALSO TALK ABOUT THAT. THE PARKS DEPARTMENT GENERALLY AGREED WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS WE HAD MADE IN THE AUDIT AND AFTER US THEY'RE GOING TO BE TALKING MORE TO YOU, THE COUNCIL MAKING A PRESENTATION ON WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE DOING TO RESPOND TO THE AUDIT RECOMMENDATIONS. NOW LET ME TURN IT OVER TO MELISSA ALDERSON WHO WAS THE AUDITOR IN CHARGE OF THIS PROJECT AND SHE WILL TAKE YOU THROUGH THE REPORT ALONG WITH DRY B. >> ALSO WE HAVE COUNCILMEMBER SOCCER JOINING US TODAY. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBERS. THIS REQUEST CAME TO US FROM A RESOLUTION FROM THE PARK DISTRICT BOARD WHICH ASKED US TO EVALUATE THE CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE OF PUBLIC RESTROOMS WHICH WE KNOW IS SOMETHING SEATTLE RESIDENTS CARE A LOT ABOUT. IN SURVEYS, PEOPLE CONSISTENTLY MENTIONED PARK RESTAURANT CLEANLINESS IS A CONCERN. OUR OBJECTIVE FOR THIS AUDIT WAS TO DETERMINE IF PARK RESTROOMS ARE OPEN, CLEAN, AND SAFE FOR THE PUBLIC TO USE. THE RESTROOMS WE LOOKED AT ARE THE ONES LOCATED WITHIN CITY OF SEATTLE PARKS, AND THERE ARE 129 OF THEM IN THE CITY. THE TIME PERIOD FOR OUR AUDIT WAS 2024 AND THE RIDE ALONG'S WE WENT ON TOOK PLACE IN THE SUMMER OF 2024. BEFORE WE GET INTO THE FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS I WANT TO SAY A BIT MORE ABOUT SOMETHING THAT DAVID MENTIONED ABOUT VANDALISM AND RESTROOMS. VANDALISM IS ONE OF THE BIG CHALLENGES THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IS DEALING WITH AND AS DAVID MENTIONED, SOME RESTROOMS ARE O VANDALISM THAT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IS DEALING WITH. THIS FIRST PHOTO THERE IS OF A BURNED TOILET. THE SECOND ONE IS OF A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF GRAFFITI . THAT THIRD MEDAL PHOTO , THE DIVIDER STALL HAS BEEN CUT AWAY AND THE STALL DOORS ARE MISSING AND THEN THE LAST TWO PHOTOS, THE SOAP DISPENSERS HAVE BEEN RIPPED FROM THE WALL WHICH UNFORTUNATELY IS A COMMON FORM OF VANDALISM. SOME OF THESE LIKE THE BURNED TOILET IS A MORE EXTREME EXAMPLE. RESPONDING TO VANDALISM ACCOUNTED FOR 21% OF PARKS DEPARTMENT FACILITY'S TIME SPENT ON RESTROOM MAINTENANCE WHICH YOU CAN IMAGINE TAKES AWAY FROM THE OTHER IMPORTANT WORK THAT THEY DO. SO NOW, IB AND I WILL TAKE YOU THROUGH THE FINDINGS. THE FIRST FINDING IS ABOUT HOW OFTEN RESTROOMS ARE GETTING CLEANED. WE WANTED TO SEE IF RESTROOMS WERE GETTING CLEANED AS OFTEN AS THEY SHOULD BE. PARKS SENT US THEIR RESTROOM CLEANING PLAN WHICH SHOWED US THAT THEIR GOAL WAS TO CLEAN EVERY RESTROOM TWO TO THREE TIMES PER DAY AROUND . THEY ALSO SHARED THIS EXPECTATION IN THE 2023 ANNUAL REPORT. WE INITIALLY TRIED TO GET DATA TO COMPARE THEIR ACTUAL RESTROOM VISITS TO THIS GOAL BECAUSE -- BUT, BECAUSE OF SOME DATA ISSUES WHICH WE WILL TALK ABOUT LATER, WE WERE UNABLE TO DO THAT ANALYSIS. SO, INSTEAD WE WENT ON RIDE ALONG'S AND WE INTERVIEWED EVERY CLEANING CREW IN THE CITY AND WE INTERVIEWED ALL OF THE CREW CHIEFS. ALTOGETHER, THE AUDIT TEAM VISITED 90 OF THE 129 PARK RESTROOMS, WHICH IS 70%. BASED ON OUR OBSERVATIONS AND INTERVIEWS, WE FOUND THAT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH THIS RESTROOM CLEANING PLAN , AND SOME OF THIS, AS DAVID MENTIONED EARLIER, IS LIKELY DUE TO STAFFING LEVELS. 2024 WAS A DIFFICULT BUDGET YEAR AND PARKS DID NOT HAVE THE LEVEL OF RESOURCES THAT THEY WERE USED TO. SO, WE RECOMMEND THAT PARKS EITHER ADJUST THEIR RESOURCES SO THAT THEY CAN MEET THIS TWO TO THREE TIMES PER DAY CLEANING GOAL OR CHANGE THEIR GOAL SO THAT IT CAN BE MET WITH CURRENT RESOURCES. >> MY FINDINGS ARE ABOUT THE QUALITY OF CLEANING. WE PARTICIPATED IN RIDE ALONG'S WITH THE CLEANING CREWS IN EACH OF THE MAINTENANCE DISTRICTS AND JUST A QUICK SHOUT OUT TO THE CLEANING CREW, THEY DO VERY IMPORTANT WORK AND WE ARE VERY APPRECIATIVE THAT THEY RESPONDED TO A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS WE ASK THEM WHEN WE DID OUR RIDE ALONG'S, SO WHAT WE FOUND IS THAT THE CLEANING PRACTICE WAS NOT CONSISTENT ACROSS THE CITY. BUT WE ALSO SAW WERE DIFFERENT FROM WHAT ACTS HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED AND THESE WERE LIKELY DUE FROM EXPECTATIONS AND OVERSIGHT. WE ARE RECOMMENDING PARKS DEPARTMENT REVIEW CLEANING EXPECTATIONS AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE CONSISTENT ACROSS THE CITY THEN ROUTINELY MONITOR TOMATHEY STANDARDS. >> GREAT. THIS NEXT FINDING HAS TO DO WITH DATA. AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE FOUND THAT THE DATA THE DEPARTMENT HAD ON WHICH RESTROOM STAFF VISITED EACH DAY WAS UNRELIABLE, MEANING THAT THEY COULD NOT SAY WITH CERTAINTY WHICH RESTROOMS WERE GETTING CLEANED AND HOW OFTEN AND THIS IS IMPORTANT FROM AN EVALUATION PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVE . TO THEIR CREDIT, PARKS WAS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE, VERY FORTHCOMING ABOUT THE DATA LIMITATIONS AND AT THE TIME OF OUR AUDIT, THEY WERE WORKING TO TRY TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO THEIR DATA SYSTEM AND HOW THEY ENTER DATA TO TRY TO IMPROVE THE ACCURACY OF THEIR DATA, AND THE CHANGES THAT THEY WERE WORKING ON WORK GOING ON AT THE TIME OF THE AUDIT AND HAD NOT BEEN IMPLEMENTED LONG ENOUGH FOR US TO EVALUATE IF THEY WERE GOING TO BE EFFECTIVE, SO OUR RECOMMENDATION IS THAT YOU KNOW, WHATEVER PARKS CHOOSES AS THEIR PERFORMANCE METRIC, THEY FIGURE OUT A WAY TO COLLECT ACCURATE DATA SO THEY CAN EVALUATE IF THEY ARE MEETING THEIR RESTROOM CLEANLINESS GOALS. >> OUR LAST FINDING IS ABOUT HOW OFTEN RESTROOMS ARE OPEN AND IF THEY ARE OPEN WHEN THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE. THE PARKS DEPARTMENT HAS AN ATTACHMENT ON THE WEBSITE THAT SHOWS RESTROOM HOURS WHICH AS YOU CAN IMAGINE IS GOOD FOR ANYONE WHO IS USING ANY OF THE PARKS IN THE CITY BUT WHAT WE HAVE FOUND WAS THAT THE [ INAUDIBLE ] IS NOT AS RELIABLE AS IT COULD BE AND NOT CURRENT WITH UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION ABOUT RESTROOMS THAT ARE OPEN OR CLOSED. WE FOUND INCONSISTENCY IN ONE OF THE FINDINGS RELATING TO AVAILABILITY ALSO THE INCONSISTENCY IN RESTROOM'S LOCK AND STRATEGY. PARKS LOCK SOME RESTROOMS AT NIGHT TO DISCOURAGE INAPPROPRIATE USE AND PREVENT VANDALISM BUT WE DID NOT SEE A WELL-EXECUTED LOCKING STRATEGY DURING THIS AUDIT. THERE WAS CONFUSION AS TO WHICH RESTROOMS WERE SUPPOSED TO BE LOCKED AND WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DOING THAT LOCKING SO SOME RESTROOMS THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO BE LOCKED OVERNIGHT WERE NOT LOCKED CONSISTENTLY. SO, WHAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING IS THAT PARKS DEPARTMENT SHOULD DETERMINE WHAT LOCKING STRATEGY THEY WANT TO PUT IN PLACE AND COMMUNICATE THAT LOCKING PLAN TO THEIR STAFF SO THAT THEY ARE AWARE AND KNOW WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR DOING WHAT. >> THIS FINDING IS ABOUT MAINTENANCE AND KEEPING RESTROOMS IN GOOD WORKING ORDER. THE PARKS DEPARTMENT FACILITY'S DIVISION HAS A GOAL OF WANTING TO SPEND 60% OF THEIR TIME ON PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE AND 40% FOR ON-DEMAND OR REACTIVE WORK AND THIS IS A GOOD GOAL TO HAVE BECAUSE IT IS USUALLY CHEAPER, EASIER TO FIX THINGS BEFORE THEY BREAK, HAVE A PREVENTIVE APPROACH. PREVENTIVE WORK FOR RESTROOMS ARE DOING THINGS LIKE REPLACING GASKETS BEFORE THEY FAIL OR INSPECTING A ROOF TO CHECK FOR DAMAGES BEFORE IT LEAKS, SO WE ANALYZE THE FACILITY'S MAINTENANCE LABOR HOURS SPENT ON RESTROOMS AND FOUND THAT PARKS DID NOT MEET THEIR 60% PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE: THIS IS NOT FOR LACK OF TRYING. THE VANDALISM, THE STAFFING LIMITATIONS MENTIONED EARLIER ARE MAKING IT CHALLENGING TO PUT TIME TOWARD PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE WORK. WE RECOMMEND THAT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT DETERMINE THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF STAFFING AND RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED TO MEET THEIR PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE GOAL THEN SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH THE PARK DISTRICT BOARD. >> OUR FINAL RECOMMENDATION IS ABOUT THE RISKS AND CHALLENGES THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IS FACING AS IT RELATES TO MAINTENANCE GOALS. THE DEPARTMENT HAS DONE SOME COMMENDABLE WORK IN ADDRESSING SOME OF THE RISKS TO THE RESTROOM INNOVATION PROJECTS LIKE ADDRESSING INFLATION AND SETTING UP A REVIEW COMMITTEE TO ENSURE IT IS GOING ALONG AS PLANNED BUT SOME IDEAS INCLUDE A CONDITION ASSESSMENT OF RESTROOMS TO BETTER OVER -- UNDERSTAND THE OVERALL CONDITION OF RESTROOMS IN THE CITY AND WE ARE SUGGESTING THAT THEY SHOULD BE MORE STRATEGIC ABOUT PLANNING AND BUDGET ALLOCATION [ INAUDIBLE ] THE COST OF VANDALISM AND THEY SHOULD [ INAUDIBLE ] TO GET AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE SO THEY CAN SAVE SOME TIME AND MONEY. IN ADDITION TO OUR FINDINGS AND THE SIX RECOMMENDATIONS , THERE WERE SOME THINGS WE OBSERVED RELATED TO RESTROOMS BUT WE CONCLUDED THEY WERE BEYOND THE SCOPE OF THIS AUDIT. WE INCLUDED THOSE OBSERVATIONS IN A REPORT SO THAT MANAGEMENT IS AWARE OF THEM BUT WE DID NOT ISSUE ANY FORMAL RECOMMENDATION . RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDE THE PARK PROGRAM ASSIST WITH RESTROOM SAFETY AND ASSIST THE CLEANING CREW AS THEY GO ALONG THE ROUTE. OTHER MATTERS WE IDENTIFIED WITH THE LACK OF PORTABLE RESTROOMS AND WE ALSO IDENTIFIED [ INAUDIBLE ] THAT SOME HAVE OVER EMPLOYEE MANAGEMENT AT SAFETY AND ALSO DESIGNED TO IMPACT MAINTENANCE AND SAFETY. WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTION YOU MAY HAVE. I THINK THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION. >> YES, WE ARE DONE TALKING SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO TRY AND ANSWER THEM AND AGAIN WE THANK YOU FOR THE REQUEST TO DO THIS AUDIT. >> SOME. FIRST OFF I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU ALL FOR TAKING THE TIME TO DO THE AUDIT AND THANK YOU ALSO FOR SETTING THE TABLE, UNDERSTANDING LIKE JUST THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE WITH SOME OF OUR PUBLIC RESTROOMS AND THE CONDITIONS AND ALSO THE ENVIRONMENT WE ARE IN THAT HELP NAVIGATE THE CONVERSATION HELP US BE BETTER PREPARED SO I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE PRESENTATION AGAIN ONE OF MY FAVORITE CITY DEPARTMENTS. RIGHT NOW I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IF ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, GO AHEAD AND RAISE YOUR HAND. I SEE COUNCIL MEMBER STRAUSS HAS A QUESTION AND FOR THE RECORD, WE HAVE BEEN JOINED BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU TO THE AUDIT TEAM FOR COMPLETING THIS WORK. I THINK I HEARD YOU CORRECTLY, THIS WAS A REQUEST MADE DURING THE LAST SIX-YEAR BUDGET PLAN WITHIN THE METROPOLITAN PARKS DISTRICT. IS THAT CORRECT OR CAN YOU REMIND ME HOW DID THIS AUDIT WORK ORIGINATE? >> IT CAME THROUGH A RESOLUTION FROM THE PARK DISTRICT BOARD. THE YEAR OF THAT RESOLUTION I DON'T HAVE OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. >> AND THEN I WOULD BE 99% CERTAIN THAT THIS IS A PRODUCT OF THE LAST SIX-YOUR FUNDING SCOPE OF THE METROPOLITAN PARK DISTRICT BOARD FOR THAT PLAN . YOU NOTED SOME VERY IMPORTANT CONTEXT WHICH WAS THAT THE PANDEMIC WAS VERY DIFFICULT AND FOR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, IN A WAY THAT OTHERS DID NOT EXPERIENCE, WHICH WAS THERE USE PARKS DURING THE PANDEMIC WHEN MANY OTHER CITY FUNCTIONS WERE ON THE DOWNTICK AND SO BEYOND THAT, STAFFING BECAME VERY DIFFICULT. MAINTENANCE, EVERYTHING AND THEN WE ALSO ASKED THE PARKS DEPARTMENT TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT WE HAD ORIGINALLY SET OUT IN 2019 FOR THAT TWO-YOUR BIENNIUM SO PARKS DEPARTMENT WAS STRETCHED PRETTY THIN ACROSS OUR CITY. I HAVE DIRECT EXPERIENCE THERE. IN ADDITION, THERE HAD BEEN A VERY LONG TIME , A LONG-STANDING CONVERSATION ABOUT PUBLIC HANDWASHING STATIONS. CAN WE PUT PUBLIC HANDWASHING STATIONS IN OUR CITY? THE SHORT ANSWER IS WE COULD. THE LONG ANSWER IS IT REQUIRES PLUMBING BECAUSE WE LIVE IN A CITY AND SO WE CAN'T JUST PUT GRAY WATER OUT INTO A PARKING STRIP, ET CETERA. THAT IS NOT WHAT WE ARE HERE TO TALK ABOUT. THE SOLUTION HERE REALLY IS THE PARKS DEPARTMENT BECAUSE THEY HAVE RESTROOMS THAT ARE PLUMBED INTO OUR SEWER SYSTEM, THAT ARE PLUMBED WITH WATER. IT REALLY SOLVES A LOT OF PROBLEMS. I SAY THAT BECAUSE IN THE LAST SIX-YOUR FUNDING PLAN, WE INCREASE THE FUNDING FOR RESTROOM RENOVATIONS AND I BELIEVE RESTROOM RENOVATIONS AND MAINTENANCE, AS WELL, AND THE AUDIT THAT YOU ARE SEEING PRESENTED TODAY IT WAS ONE OF THE ACCOUNTABILITY METHODS THAT WERE USED DURING THAT SIX-YOUR FUNDING TO ENSURE THAT WE UNDERSTOOD WHAT THE BASELINE WAS AS WE WERE IMPLEMENTING THOSE SIX YEARS OF FUNDING TO IMPROVE OUR RESTROOMS SPECIFICALLY. IF I GET ANY OF THIS WRONG JUST LET ME KNOW BECAUSE I'M GOING OFF OF MEMORY HERE IS THE RESIDENT HISTORIAN. AND SO, THE NEWS IS UNFORTUNATE. I WILL JUST SAY THAT, AND THERE'S A LOT OF CONTEXT THAT EXPLAINS HOW AND WHY WE ARE HERE AND I PAID THIS PATHWAY FORWARD THAT WE HAVE ANOTHER FEW YEARS OF RESTROOM FUNDING THAT IS ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT PROBABLY COULD'VE BEEN IMPLEMENTED BEFORE THE AUDIT BEGAN ON SO THERE ARE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED AND I APPRECIATE THAT YOU HAVE LAID OUT THE ROAD MAP FOR SOLVING SOME OF THESE ISSUES IN THE PARKS DEPARTMENT I KNOW HAS BEEN SET UP FINANCIALLY AT LEAST IN SOME SENSES AND THAT SIX-YOUR FUNDING PLAN SO WITHOUT ASKING MORE WORK TO BE DONE TODAY , MUCH LIKE THE PERMITTING AUDIT I'VE ASKED FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, WE HAVE NOW ENGAGED IN THE SECOND ROUND OF AUDITING TO SEE NEXT STEPS FROM THERE. I MIGHT SUGGEST THAT IN A YEAR OR TWO FROM NOW, WE DO THIS EXERCISE AGAIN TO SEE WHAT HAS CHANGED IN THE TIME THAT SIX-YOUR FUNDING COULD BE IMPLEMENTED BUT I JUST YOUR THAT FOR CONTEXT. WE HAVE GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO HERE AND AS WE WERE PREPARING MY OFFICE FOR THIS CONVERSATION I JOKED WITH MY TEAM BECAUSE THERE ARE TWO RESTROOMS IN PARTICULAR IN MY DISTRICT THAT I REQUESTED TO BE CALLED OUT BY NAME IN THE SIX-YEAR FUNDING PLAN, GILMAN PARK AND SAME IN BAY PARK IN PARTICULAR BECAUSE THOSE RESTROOMS ARE IN THE SAME CONDITION AS WHEN I PLAYED LITTLE LEAGUE. ALSO SAY WE HAVE WORK TO DO AND WE HAVE THE FUNDING IN THE BUDGET TO DO IT AND NOW WE JUST NEED TO GO AND DO IT, SO THANK YOU, COLLEAGUES. I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT CONTEXT. >> THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER STRAUSS. HE PLAYED LITTLE LEAGUE LAST YEAR . SO YOU'RE NOT TOO -- JUST PLAYING. SO IT HASN'T BEEN THAT OLD, RIGHT? JUST ONE YEAR. >> JUST ONE YEAR NO, BUT I ONLY PLAYED LITTLE LEAGUE FOR ONE YEAR. SORRY, WE ARE DIGRESSING. >> NO WORRIES, I WILL BE SEARCHING. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER STRAUSS. COUNCIL MEMBER KETTLE. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH. I WILL BRING UP LITTLE LEAGUE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. I WILL START OFF WITH TWO THINGS I WILL BRING UP. ONE IS A WEEK AND HALF AGO ON A FRIDAY THE KO W THIS WEEK IN REVIEW I JOINED THE PANEL FOR A HOST OF TOPICS TO DISCUSS AND AS THINGS BOUNCED FROM THE COMMUNITY, GUESS WHAT WAS ONE OF THEM? PUBLIC RESTROOMS. AND SO THAT IS A TOPIC ON THE TOP OF MIND FOR EVERYONE SO IT IS NOT REALLY JUST A PARKS ISSUE. IN A LOT OF WAYS IT IS LIKE WATERFRONT PARK AND SO FORTH BUT IT IS A TOP OF MIND ISSUE AND OF COURSE, LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE I SAID YES, VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE THEN I SAID TO HIM. FIFA WORLD CUP 2026 WE NEED TO BE READY SO IN TERMS OF MOTIVATION AND ALSO MEANS TO ASSIST SO I WANT TO START BY NOTING THAT THIS TOPIC IS NOT JUST FOR FOLKS WHO LIKE TO COME TO THE CHAMBERS AND THE LIKE. THIS IS SOMETHING OF INTEREST BASED ON HOW THAT CAME UP DURING WEEK IN REVIEW. THE SECOND THING I WANTED TO BRING UP WAS IN MY PREVIOUS LIFE AS A CIVIC VOLUNTEER IN QUEEN ANNE, ONE OF THE ISSUES WE WERE HAVING FON'S WAS ONE PERSON IN CHARGE OF OUR PARKS AND HE WAS FANTASTIC. HE CAME TO COMMITTEE MEETINGS TALKING ABOUT THE CONDITIONS OF THE PARK AND REALLY TO INCLUDE THE BATHROOMS, AND RESTROOMS, AS WELL AND ONE OF THE THINGS, IT'S KIND OF LIKE BUSES AND BUS STOPS. YOU HAVE A LOT OF SECURITY SAFETY ISSUES FOR BUSES AND BUS STOPS BUT PART OF IT IS THE ENVIRONMENT AROUND THAT BUS STOP, AROUND THAT BUS LINE THAT PLAYS INTO THE CONDITIONS OF WHAT IS HAPPENING ON THE BUSES AND SAME THING WITH THESE RESTROOMS IN THE PARKS. WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE PARKS, AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID WAS REALLY WORK ON EACH OF THESE PARKS AND I WISH I REMEMBERED HIS NAME, WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT FOR CRIME PREVENTION THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN BECAUSE WE STARTED OFF WITH VANDALISM AND WE WERE HAVING A LOT OF OTHER ISSUES IN THE PARKS AND WE REALLY HIT THIS HARD. CLEANING ABOUT, SIGHT LINES, ALL THE KINDS OF THINGS YOU CAN DO AND IT WAS VERY BENEFICIAL. I KNOW YOU DON'T MENTION CPTED IN HEAD, THE CHAIR IS PROBABLY NOTICING THAT I'M TURNING THIS INTO A PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING AGAIN BUT I THINK THAT IS IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF APPROACH AND THE LITTLE THINGS THAT CAN HAVE POSITIVE SECOND AND THIRD ORDER EFFECTS AS RELATES TO THESE KIND OF THINGS THAT HAPPEN TO OUR RESTROOMS SO I JUST WANTED TO NOTE THAT. IN MY PREVIOUS LIFE, TOO, WORKING WITH A LOT OF ISSUES, LITTLE HOW, BIG HOWE, DAVID ROGERS PARK AND THE LIKE, THINGS FROM GRAFFITI TO ACROSS-THE-BOARD TRYING TO FIX IT AND YOU NOTED IN YOUR REPORT ABOUT DATA AND I WAS CURIOUS IN TERMS OF MODIFYING, TRYING TO FIX IT BECAUSE AS YOU ARE PRESENTING THAT I WAS LIKE OH, INTERESTING. HOPEFULLY I DID HAVE FIND IT FIX IT ON MY PHONE AND THERE IS NOTHING FOR RESTROOMS BUT THERE IS PARKS AND REC'S MAINTENANCE AND THERE'S ONE FOR GRAFFITI. THERE IS ONE FOR NUISANCE DOGS WHICH I THINK COULD BE A PARKS ISSUE, AS WELL SO THERE IS ABILITY THROUGH PARKS AND REC'S MAINTENANCE TO GO TO NEXT STEP AND DO THAT BUT IN TERMS OF DATA SETS AND MAKE IT EASY FOR PEOPLE TO REPORT, DID YOU LOOK AT THE OPTION OF LIKE A FIND IT FIX IT FIX TO THE DATA CHALLENGE WE MAY HAVE? >> NO, WE DID NOT. >> I THINK IT COULD BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY WITH PARKS MAINTENANCE THAT COULD OFFER RESTROOMS JUST TO MAKE IT CLEAR BECAUSE THE DATA SET IS DRIVING BECAUSE WE SEE THIS WITH UNIFIED CAROTENE. FIND IT FIX IT HAS BEEN FANTASTIC IN TERMS OF THAT OLD PHRASE, DATA-DRIVEN DECISION MAKING, WHICH I AM TIRED OF IN A WAY, BUT AT THE SAME TIME THERE IS A LOT OF DATA LIKE ENCAMPMENTS THAT ECT IS USING IN TERMS OF PRIORITIZING WHERE WE ARE GOING AND ENGAGING WITH THOSE THAT ARE IN NEED SO I VIEW IT AS A POTENTIAL PIECE TO SOLVE THE DATA IN GETTING THAT PRIORITIZATION AND SO FORTH SO I JUST WANTED TO RAISE THAT AND THAT IS IT. I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT CPTED IF YOU USED IT OR NOT AND HOW WE COULD DO DATA BETTER LIKE FIND IT FIX IT. >> I USED IT LAST WEEK TO REPORT A PARKS BATHROOM THAT WAS IN NEED OF REPAIR SO THAT IS A VALUABLE TOOL WE CAN USE IN THE MORE THE CITY CAN DO TO MAKE PEOPLE AWARE THAT IS PRETTY USER-FRIENDLY, BUT I TAKE YOUR POINT. ON THE CPTED WE DO MENTION IN OUR REPORT, IT IS ON THE LAST SECTION ON PAGE 20, IN REGARDS TO, WE DID NOT HAVE -- WE WERE FOCUSED ON LOOKING AT THE STATE OF PARKS RESTROOMS AS THEY ARE RIGHT NOW, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS WE CAME UP WITH, THE TEAM FOUYOU MENTIONED, COUNCIL MEMBER KETTLE, OF DESIGN ON HELPING TO PROMOTE SAFETY AND YOU KNOW, JUST GOOD BEHAVIOR YOU KNOW, THE TEAM JUST IN THEIR WORK THEY DID AND THE PEOPLE THEY TALKED TO BROUGHT THAT UP AS SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT AND WE KNOW PARKS IS REALLY WELL AWARE OF IT BUT WE WANTED TO MENTION IN THE REPORT THAT THINGS LIKE LIGHTING CAN MAKE A GREAT DEAL OF DIFFERENCE, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT TO MAKE THINGS >> -- >> WHAT IS GOOD FOR THIRD AVENUE IS ALSO GOOD FOR OUR PARKS. EXACTLY. THANK YOU . THE LAST THING IS I WANT TO STATE MY STRONG SUPPORT FOR THE CITY AUDITOR. IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT, THE WORK YOU DO IN DEVELOPING THIS REPORT SO THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR DOING THAT. I APPRECIATE IT. >> WE APPRECIATE THAT AND I JUST WANT TO SAY HOW HARD THE TEAM WORKED. THEY GOT ME OUT ON A SUNDAY MORNING AT 6:00 A.M. TO WATCH BATHROOM CLEANINGS IN THE GREEN LAKE AREA AND I JUST DID PART OF THAT BUT PART OF IT IS GETTING OUT IN THE FIELD AND OBSERVING THE WORK THAT IS BEING DONE SO MY HAT IS OFF TO THE FOLKS IN OUR OFFICE WHO ACTUALLY DO THE WORK. >> THANK YOU , COUNCIL MEMBER KETTLE. COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR AND THANK YOU, CITY AUDITOR, FOR BEING HERE AND THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU DO REVIEWING THESE ISSUES THAT THE CITY IS EXPERIENCING AND TRYING TO COME UP WITH RECOMMENDATIONS AND SOLUTIONS. I AM NOT SURE IF YOU ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER MY QUESTION BUT WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT THERE IS MORE VANDALISM HAPPENING, IS THERE A SENSE OF WHY OR WHAT MIGHT BE CAUSING IT ? I UNDERSTAND IT IS PROBABLY SOMETHING HARD TO MEASURE, BUT I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND BECAUSE IT SEEMS WHAT I AM HEARING, AND CORRECT ME IF I AM WRONG, IS THAT DURING THE PANDEMIC AND POST-PANDEMIC YOU ARE SEEING MORE OF IT TO OUR PARKS IS SEEING MORE OF IT AND I'M JUST WONDERING IF THERE IS, YOU KNOW, A GUESS AS TO WHAT MIGHT BE CAUSING IT SO WE CAN FIGURE OUT SOLUTIONS , PREVENTATIVE SOLUTIONS, IF YOU WILL. >> JUST A QUICK MARK. PARKS MIGHT BE IN THE BEST POSITION TO SPEAK ABOUT THAT. I DON'T BELIEVE WE KNOW WHY. I MEAN, SOME OF IT MAY HAVE TO DO WITH -- IF YOU TALK TO PARKS FOLKS, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ON SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND THAT CAUSING THEM TO DO THINGS THEY SHOULD NOT DO BUT THERE COULD BE OTHER REASONS. AGAIN, PARKS IS DOING SOME THINGS, YOU KNOW, IN THE CPTED ARENA. ONE OF THE THINGS THEY HAVE DONE, ONE OF THE BATHROOMS THAT REALLY GETS HIT BADLY I THINK THIS IS IN YOUR DISTRICT, CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH, IS CAL ANDERSON AND PARKS KIND OF USES THAT AS A LABORATORY, LIKE HOW CAN WE DESIGN LOCKS OR DOORS THAT ARE REALLY HARD TO VANDALIZE, SO, AND COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA, I KNOW PARKS IS ACTIVELY WORKING TRYING TO COME UP WITH THINGS TO MAKE IT HARDER TO DAMAGE THE BATHROOMS. I THINK THEY PROBABLY ARE IN A BETTER POSITION THAN US TO TALK ABOUT ANY WHY S THAT THEY MAY KNOW BUT I DO WANT TO TURN TO THE TEAM AND SEE IF YOU WANT TO OFFER ANYTHING IN RESPONSE TO THE QUESTION. >> WE DID LOOK INTO THE WHY, BUT SOME OF THE FREQUENT EXAMPLES THAT WE SAW WERE RIPPED SOAP DISPENSERS, INTENTIONALLY CLOGGING TOILETS, GRAFFITI, OF COURSE. BREAKING LOCKS OFF THE DOORS, SO JUST THINGS THAT SEEMED DEFINITELY INTENTIONAL. >> THANK YOU. >> JUST A LITTLE STATISTIC THE KIND OF GETS THAT THIS AND CORRECT ME IF I GOT THIS WRONG BUT I WROTE IT DOWN SO I WOULDN'T . IT IS LIKE THERE ARE 20 BATHROOMS AND PARKS THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ABOUT 60% OF FACILITY MAINTENANCE, THEIR WORKLOAD, SO BATHROOMS, A SMALL PERCENTAGE REALLY GET HIT REPEATEDLY . DID I SAY THAT RIGHT, GUYS? YOU PROBABLY HAVE A MORE NUANCED WAY OF SAYING IT BUT A FEW BATHROOMS GETTING USED COMPARED TO OTHERS. >> AND, IS THAT LIST AND THE REPORT OF THOSE 20? SORRY, I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK. >> THE LIST IS NOT IN THERE BUT WE ARE HAPPY TO PROVIDE THAT TO YOU. >> GREAT. THANK YOU. >> AWESOME AND I DON'T KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM MY COLLEAGUES, LOOKING LEFT AND RIGHT BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO HEAR THE RESPONSE FROM PARKS AND WHAT THEY ARE DOING SO WE ARE REALLY EXCITED TO HEAR THAT SO MR. JONES AND MS. ALDERSON AND MR. OSUNTOKI . THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR WORK , FOR BEING AT THE TABLE FOR US. I APPRECIATE THAT A LOT OF TIME WHEN INTO THIS. WE LOVE DATA AND THE INITIATE THE REPORT IN THE AUDIT THAT YOU ALL DID SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> YOU ARE WELCOME. THANKS FOR HAVING US. >> THANK YOU. WITH THAT, WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO INTO THE RECORD. >> AGENDA ITEM TWO, SEATTLE PARKS RESTROOM AUDIT RESPONSE BRIEFING FOR BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION. PRESENTING TODAY WILL BE SUPERINTENDENT AP DIAZ, JUSTIN HELLIER, JACOB DALEY, MARKEITH BLACKSHIRE AND KIM BALDWIN FROM THE SEATTLE PARKS AND RECREATION. >> SOME. SO EXCITED TO HAVE YOU ALL , AND TO HAVE OUR FAVORITE COUNCIL LIAISON, JACOB THORPE, IN THE AUDIENCE. CHOSE THE TURTLENECK TODAY. LIKE THAT. >> JACOB DOES LOOK SHARP IN HIS TURTLENECK. WELL, COUNCILMEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THE PARKS DEPARTMENT COME BEFORE YOU TO DISCUSS THIS IMPORTANT AUDIT. MY NAME IS AP DIAZ, SUPERINTENDENT OF SEATTLE PARKS AND RECREATION DONE BY SOME STELLAR STAFF HERE IF YOU JUST WANT TO INTRODUCE YOUR NAME AND YOUR TITLE WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION BEFORE WE START. >> JUSTIN HELLIER, POLICY ADVISER. >> KIM BALDWIN, DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT. >> MARKEITH BLACKSHIRE, PARKS AND ENVIRONMENT. >> JACOB DALEY, FILLING IN IS FACILITIES DIRECTOR. >> GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND BEFORE WE GET STARTED, TOO, WANT TO THANK THE CITY AUDITOR FOR DOING THEIR WORK AND MORE IMPORTANTLY FOR ACTUALLY SHOWING UP IN THE FIELD A LOT WITH OUR STAFF TO VISIT SO MANY BATHROOMS. IT IS ALWAYS GOOD I THINK FOR PEOPLE TO GET FIRSTHAND KNOWLEDGE BECAUSE I THINK AS BOTH AUDITORS AND RESIDENTS, THEY CAN SEE FIRSTHAND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE DEAL WITH IN PUBLIC SPACES, AND I ALWAYS SAY THE PROVISION OF PUBLIC PARKS, PUBLIC SPACES IS NOT EASY IN A CITY, AND TO GET THAT REAL-WORLD DATA IS IMPORTANT AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THE PURPOSE OF THEIR AUDIT , TO FOCUS IN ON AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT. THAT IS WHAT AN ODD IT DOES . THEY MENTIONED TO US SEVERAL TIMES, TOO, THE THINGS WE ARE DOING WELL AND THE CLEAN BATHROOMS THAT THEY SAW SO WE MAY NOT ALWAYS SEE THOSE PICTURES TODAY BUT WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL GREAT, SHINING EXAMPLES OF A PARKS SYSTEM WORKING REALLY WELL SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THE REPORT AND SOME OF THE THINGS AND AREAS THAT WE ARE GOING TO DO TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE FINDINGS, THE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO IN PARTNERSHIP TO BE BETTER-SERVING FOR THE PUBLIC. I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT RESTROOMS ARE REGULARLY CITED IN PUBLIC FEEDBACK AS AN AREA FOR IMPROVEMENT BOTH IN TERMS OF CLEANLINESS AND A NEVER-ENDING CALL FOR MORE RESTROOMS AND MORE ACCESS TO THEM. THIS IS TRUE HERE IN SEATTLE. WE SEE THIS EVERY YEAR IN RESPONSE CALLS FROM THE PUBLIC. IT WAS ALSO TRUE OF MY TIME IN LOS ANGELES. MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT I CAME FROM THE L.A. CITY PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND THIS WAS AMONG THE TOP CONCERNS EVERY YEAR. IN FACT, OUR OWN L.A. CITY CONTROLLER DID A SIMILAR AUDIT A FEW YEARS AGO AND FOUND THAT RESTROOMS WERE THE NUMBER ONE FEATURE DRIVING DOWN THE OVERALL ASSESSMENT OF PARKS, SO HOW PEOPLE VIEW THEIR PARKS, HOW THEY GRADE AND SCORE THEM IS USUALLY GOING TO BE TIED BACK TO THE USER EXPERIENCE IN THE PUBLIC PARK RESTROOM SETTING. THIS IS ALSO TRUE MONKS THE NATION SO I SERVE ON THE PARKS AND RECREATION ASSOCIATION AND FREQUENTLY IN CONVERSATION WITH OTHER PARKS DIRECTORS AROUND THE NATION WE TALKED ABOUT THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE WITH STAFF IN OUR PUBLIC RESTROOM USE. SO, BECAUSE OF THIS FEEDBACK, WE HAVE INCLUDED MAKING RESTROOM IMPROVEMENTS AS A STRATEGIC PART OF OUR MOST RECENT STRATEGIC PLAN WHICH YOU CAN SEE UP ON THE BOARD AND WE HAVE INVESTED SIGNIFICANT RESOURCES INTO IMPROVING THE USER EXPERIENCE OF RESTROOMS AS PART OF THAT SIX-YEAR CYCLE TO PARK DISTRICT FINANCIAL PLAN COUNCIL MEMBER STRAUSS WAS TALKING ABOUT. WE WILL SPEAK MORE TO THIS THROUGHOUT THE PRESENTATION BUT WE INCREASED FUNDING TO CAPITAL RENOVATION, WEATHERIZATION TO MAKE MORE RESTROOMS AVAILABLE YEAR-ROUND RATHER THAN HAVING TO CLOSE THEM, AND ALSO INVESTMENTS IN INCREASED MAINTENANCE. WE WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET THE AUDITOR'S PERSPECTIVE ON HOW TO DO THIS IMPORTANT WORK AND WE APPRECIATE THEIR COMMITMENT TO MEETING STAFF THAT I MENTIONED FIRSTHAND SO THEY CAN PROVIDE THE RECOMMENDATIONS. JUST TO SAY RIGHT OUT THE GATE IN GENERAL WE CONCUR WITH AUDIT FINDINGS AND ARE JUMPING INTO IMPLEMENTING OUR RESPONSE. I TAKE THE APPROACH THAT WE CAN ALWAYS LEARN FROM AUDIT FINDINGS AS THEY HELP US IDENTIFY WHAT WE ARE DOING WELL AND WHERE WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO IMPROVE AS A CITY. IN THIS PRESENTATION WILL TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE BROADER CONTEXT ABOUT OPERATING PARK RESTROOMS AND SOME OF THE CHALLENGES WE FACE. WE WILL ALSO SHOW YOU THE ACTIONS WE ARE TAKING TO IMPROVE PARK RESTROOMS FOR OUR SEATTLE PUBLIC, SOME OF WHICH ARE ALREADY UNDERWAY AND SOME OF WHICH WE ARE UNDERTAKING IN DIRECT RESPONSE TO AUDIT RECOMMENDATIONS. TODAY WE WILL NOTE ACTION WE ARE TAKING RELATED TO AUDIT RECOMMENDATIONS WITH A LITTLE MAGNIFYING GLASS ICON THAT YOU WILL SEE UP ABOVE. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE A POINT BY POINT RESPONSE TO AUDIT RECOMMENDATIONS YOU CAN FIND THAT IN APPENDIX A AND B OF THE AUDIT REPORT OR YOUR STAFF CAN FIND THOSE FOR YOU IN THE APPENDICES AND WE CAN ALWAYS HAVE AN OPEN DIALOGUE AND COME BACK TO BRIEF YOU EITHER ONE-ON-ONE OR IN PUBLIC BUT TO SUMMARIZE HERE WE BELIEVE OUR RESPONSE PLAN WILL IMPROVE THE USER EXPERIENCE OF RESTROOMS. IT IS FEASIBLE WITHIN CURRENT RESOURCES AND OPERATIONALIZE AS MANY OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS WITHIN A TWO-YEAR TIMEFRAME. THE AUDITOR HAD RECOMMENDATIONS RELATED TO RESTROOM RENOVATION FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS, PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE, DAILY CLEANING AND DATA TRACKING SO WE WILL ORDER A PRESENTATION ALONG THOSE LINES. IN ADDITION TO THOSE EFFORTS WILL NEED THE PUBLIC CHICKS HELP IN TREATING PUBLIC SPACES WITH RESPECT. WE ALSO APPRECIATE THE PUBLIC'S EFFORTS TO LET US KNOW WHEN THEY SEE MAINTENANCE ISSUES LIKE ON THE FIND IT FIX IT UP AND SOMETIMES THEY ARE THE FIRST TO KNOW. WE ENCOURAGE CONTINUED USE OF THAT FIND IT FIX IT APP AND TO CALLING OUR MAINTENANCE REQUEST LINE DIRECTLY AND THANK THE CITY AUDITOR. HE SAW THE PARK RESTROOM AS HE MENTIONED THIS PAST WEEKEND AND GOT INTO HIS APP TO LET US KNOW SO THAT IS FANTASTIC. WE WILL START BY PROVIDING SOME CONTEXT ABOUT HER WORK PROVIDING PARK RESTROOMS AND SOME OF THE CHALLENGES WE EXPERIENCED. WE HAVE 129 RESTROOMS IN OUR PUBLIC PARKS, EITHER AS STANDALONE BUILDINGS LIKE THIS ON THE EC IN DISCOVERY PARK WERE PERHAPS ATTACHED TO A SHELTER HOUSE OR COMMUNITY CENTER. MANY CLOSE SEASONALLY GENERALLY BECAUSE OF THE POTENTIAL FOR FROZEN PIPES, YOU KNOW, LIVING IN SEATTLE, THAT IS A REALITY IN OUR HOMES. THAT IS SOMETHING WE HAVE TO BE VALUABLE TOO. ACTUALLY IT WAS COUNCIL MEMBER STRAUSS WHO TAUGHT ME WHEN I MOVED UP HERE RIGHT BEFORE THE FIRST WINTER AND I THINK WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS AND OTHER THINGS AND HE SAID DID YOU TAKE CARE OF YOUR FAUCETS AND DISCONNECT YOUR FAUCETS AND PUT THOSE LITTLE THINGS OVER THE FAUCET HOLES IN MYSELF OR OF THOSE LITTLE THINGS AND HE SAID BECAUSE OF FROZEN PIPES AND I SAID I'VE NEVER DEALT WITH THAT BEFORE SO COUNCIL MEMBER STRAUSS HELP ME TO QUICKLY GET INTO MY HOUSE AND OF COURSE OUR STAFF ALSO LEFT AT THAT WHEN I TOLD THEM MY OWN STORY FROM HER HOME BECAUSE THEY DO THAT EVERY DAY WITH HER BATHROOMS AND PREPARE FOR WINTER BUT GENERALLY BECAUSE OF THE POTENTIAL FOR FROZEN PIPES WE HAD TO CLOSE DOWN OUR RESTROOMS. HOWEVER WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF WEATHERIZING THESE FACILITIES TO ALLOW THEM TO REMAIN OPEN FOR YOUR-ROUND USE AND HAVE BETTER INFRASTRUCTURE AND SUPPORT THAT DOES NOT REQUIRE US TAKING THEM OFF-LINE. NOTE MANY OF OUR RESTROOMS ARE OLDER FACILITIES LIKE THE TWO YOU MENTIONED, COUNCIL MEMBER STRAUSS. MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS ARE IN THE LOOK AND OUR REPORTS FOR MAJOR RENOVATIONS COMING UP. WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING THAT AND TALK MORE ABOUT RENOVATION IN A MOMENT. ALSO THE DESIGN OF OUR FACILITIES IS VARIED OVER TIME AS WELL BASED ON WHAT THE PUBLIC IS ASKING FOR, AND OTHER INNOVATIONS LIKE THE PORTLAND LOO OR SELF-CLEANING RESTROOMS ARE SOMETHING WE WANT TO KEEP AN EYE ON IT SOMETHING I ASKED OUR DEPARTMENT TO LOOK AT WHEN I CAME UP FROM LOS ANGELES BECAUSE AS A RESULT OF THOSE AUDIT FINDINGS WE STARTED TO LOOK AND IMPLEMENT MORE SELF-CLEANING TYPE RESTROOMS. THEY CAN OFTENTIMES BE EFFICIENT, MORE COST-EFFECTIVE. IT IS VERY EXPENSIVE TO BUILD A RESTROOM IN A PARK. I MEAN, EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE AND THOSE OF YOU ON BUDGET COMMITTEE OR IF YOU HAVE EVER ASKED THIS QUESTION OF US BEFORE YOU'LL SOMETIMES BE SHOCKED WHEN YOU THINK A SIMPLE RESTROOM COULD EASILY SOMETIMES BE $750,000 BECAUSE OF THE PLUMBING, A.D.A. AND ALL OF THE OTHER THINGS REQUIRES WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO LOOK AT MAYBE SOMETIMES INAPPROPRIATE SPACES, PREFAB, SELF-CLEANING RESTROOMS WE CAN PUT IN . THEY CAN CLEAN. THEY CAN LOCK ON THEIR OWN AND THEY PROVIDE DATA ON HOW MANY PEOPLE USE THEM, WHAT TIMES THEY'RE USED, HOW MANY TIMES THROUGHOUT THE DAY TO BETTER INFORM HOW WE PLAN FOR THE FUTURE SO WE FACE A VARIETY OF CHALLENGES IN MAINTAINING THE SYSTEM RELATED TO LARGEST CITY-WIDE ISSUES AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU REVIEW THE AUDIT FINDINGS WITH THIS IN MIND. OUR SYSTEM OF RESTROOMS WAS DESIGNED WITH PARK USERS IN MIND. THINK OF KIDS AT A SOCCER GAME OR FAMILY PICNIC OR FRIENDS AT A CONCERT IN THE PARK. BECAUSE OF THE DOCUMENTED SHORTAGE OF RESTROOMS ACROSS THE CITY, OUR FACILITIES CEUS WELL BEYOND JUS RESTROOMS SEE HIGHER USE THAN THEY WERE DESIGNED FOR. PARK RESTROOMS ARE ALSO GREATLY IMPACTED BY THE CITY-WIDE MENTAL HEALTH AND DRUG ABUSE CRISIS THAT WE SEE IN OUR CITY WITH RESTROOM CLOSURES DUE TO THE UNPRECEDENTED LEVELS OF VANDALISM AND ARSON. COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA, YOU ASKED, DO WE HAVE ANY UNDERSTANDING OR MAY BE REASONS WHY THIS IS HAPPENING? I CAN ONLY POINT TO I THINK WE HAVE SEEN THROUGHOUT THE NATION, ALSO IN OUR CITY THAT WHEN WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF IMPROVEMENTS POST-PANDEMIC AND WE ARE GETTING BACK ON TRACK IN A LOT OF AREAS I THINK WE HAVE SEEN A LOT OF POST-PANDEMIC SOCIAL NORMS INCREASE SO YOU KNOW, THE MASS SHOPLIFTING YOU SEE OR EVEN POOR DRIVING OR PEOPLE NOT RESPECTING, AND SPACE, WE ARE SEEING THAT SO IT IS SOMETHING WE ARE TRYING TO GET AN ISSUE ON BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT YOU KNOW, IT IS NOT RARE THAT I HEAR UNFORTUNATELY ABOUT THE PARK RESTROOM THAT HAS BEEN BURNED DOWN, TAGGED LIKE YOU SEE IN THE PICTURES WERE VANDALIZED. AND SO AGAIN, THAT IS WHY WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT. IT IS A LENS WE NEED TO LOOK THROUGH BUT SOMETHING WE WANT TO TRY TO PREVENT IF POSSIBLE. EVERY TIME A PARK RESTROOM IS DAMAGED BY VANDALISM OR ARSENATE DIVERTS RESOURCES FROM THE PROACTIVE WORK, THE PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE AND DAILY CLEANING THAT KEEP THE RESTROOMS USABLE. IT ALSO SOMETIMES MEANS LONG-TERM CLOSURES WHILE WE REPAIR OR REBUILD. SO, WHEN YOU SEE A PICTURE LIKE THIS SOMETIMES THIS IS THE UNEXPECTED. CHRIS WILL SHOW UP AND ALL OF A SUDDEN BE CONFRONTED WITH SOMETHING LIKE THIS, AND AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THEY HAVE TO DEAL WITH SOMETHING LIKE THIS WHICH THEN WILL ALTER THE PLANS FOR THE DAY OR PERHAPS A REGULAR ROUTE THAT IT WOULD'VE GONE TOO. WE ARE MAKING A VARIETY OF EFFORTS TO MITIGATE VANDALISM BY USING DIFFERENT MATERIALS AND CHANGING OUR HARDWARE. MORE ON THAT IN A MOMENT BUT I DON'T THINK YOU CAN UNDERESTIMATE THE IMPACT OF THESE BIGGER ISSUES IN OUR MANAGEMENT OF RESTROOMS. THESE ARE REAL CHALLENGES AND NOW I WILL HAND IT OFF TO OUR AUDIT LIAISON, JUSTIN HELLIER, WHO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE AUDITOR ON THIS. WE ALSO HAVE OUR AMAZING TEAM HERE OF DIRECTORS IS THE REAL SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS ON THIS TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT MAY COME UP ABOUT CAPITAL DESIGNS, RENOVATIONS, HARDWARE OR SOME OTHER QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE TOP OF MIND. OF COURSE I'M HERE TO POP IN IF NECESSARY, SO THANK YOU. >> BEFORE YOU START, REAL QUICK, I WANT TO INVITE MY COLLEAGUES IF YOU WILL HAVE QUESTIONS, PLEASE TRY YOUR HAND UP AND I WILL RECOGNIZE YOU. I KNOW IT'S A LOT OF INFORMATION. COUNCIL MEMBER STRAUSS. >> I WILL JUST JUMP IN HERE IF WE COULD GO BACK TO SLIDE FIVE. I WILL ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT BEFORE MAYOR HARRELL CAME IN WITH HIS INNOVATION AND PERFORMANCE TEAM, FIND IT FIX IT WAS SENDING REQUEST TO DEPARTMENTS IN A VERY STRANGE WAY SO SOME REQUEST GOT REALLY QUICK ATTENTION. I FOUND IN MY PERSONAL LIFE, STOP SIGNS AND PLUMBING ISSUES AT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT GOT THE FASTEST RESPONSE EVEN BEFORE FIND IT FIX IT WAS IMPROVED. WE HAVE IMPROVED IT NOW. MAYOR HARRELL PUT A LOT OF ATTENTION THERE. I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT EVEN WHEN THAT PROGRAM WAS NOT WORKING WELL THERE WERE A NUMBER OF TIMES IN 2020, 2021 I SUBMITTED FIND IT FIX ITS REGARDING ISSUES IN RESTROOMS AND THEY WERE QUICKLY FIXED. CAN YOU CONFIRM THAT THIS IS IN FACT ONE OF THE PUBLIC RESTROOMS IN DISCOVERY PARK AND IF SO, IS IT THE SOUTH BLUFF RESTROOM? >> IT IS DISCOVERY, DOWN CLOSE TO THE BEACH. UP -- YES, UP ON TOP OF THE SOUTH END. >> WHICH, COLLEAGUES, I WILL REMAIN CONSISTENT. THIS IS THE CLOSEST PUBLIC RESTROOM TO THE SITE THAT TEMPLE THE DOGS DON'T HUNGER STRIKE. THAT'S ALL, CHAIR. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. I THINK WE ARE GOOD. OH, I'M SORRY. I GUESS COUNCIL MEMBER KETTLE HAS A QUICK QUESTION. >> YES. WELL, A QUICK COMMENT OR A QUICK THANK YOU BUT YOU KNOW, TO FOLLOW THAT UP, I DON'T MIND TAKING TIME HERE TO ASK OR MAKE A STATEMENT. >> WE KNOW. >> BUT, THE STATEMENT IS -- SORRY, THAT GOES TO THE LYRICS OF THE SONG WE WERE REFERRING TO BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT DIAZ , BECAUSE RESPONSE TO COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA'S QUESTION WAS PERFECT AND DISLIKE THE PERFECT EXAMPLE OF PERMISSIVE ENVIRONMENT AND IT IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO ADDRESS ACROSS THE BOARD AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU BECAUSE THE WAY YOU SAID IT, I MAY HAVE TO CLIP IT AND USE IT IN THE FUTURE . IT REALLY DOES GO TO THE CHALLENGES WE ARE FACING IN OUR CITY, SO THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CATTLE. I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD, COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR. I WILL JUST SAY THANK YOU FOR ADDRESSING MY QUESTION, SUPERINTENDENT. I WILL SAY I HEAR FROM CONSTITUENTS ABOUT THE RESTROOMS AND YOU KNOW, BEING OPEN OVERNIGHT OR THE ISSUES WITH THE SELF-LOCKING BATHROOMS AND I KNOW I HAVE SPOKEN WITH YOUR TEAM ABOUT THE FACT THAT THERE ARE SOME FOLKS WHO HAVE SPENT THE NIGHT IN THE BATHROOM, WHO KIND OF GET LOCKED OR IT SOUNDS LIKE PERHAPS MAYBE EVEN PURPOSEFUL BUT MAYBE GETTING LOCKED IN THE BATHROOM OVERNIGHT SO THE SELF LOCKS I KNOW ARE NOT -- YOU KNOW, ALL THESE SOLUTIONS HAVE SOME CHALLENGES. THE REASON I WAS ASKING TO SEE THE LIST OF 20 IS JUST TO SEE WHERE WE ARE SEEING MOST OF THE ISSUES AND ALSO TO FIGURE OUT IN TERMS OF SOLUTIONS, YOU KNOW, HOW CAN WE THINK ABOUT THE HUNDRED AND 29 BATHROOMS , WHERE WE ARE SEEING THE MOST ISSUES, HOW CAN WE TACKLE THOSE , AND WHAT IS NEEDED THERE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE? WHAT DO COMMUNITIES NEED TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE ADDRESSING THE ABILITY TO KEEP BATHROOMS OPEN FOR FOLKS AND NOT HAVE THEM BE VANDALIZED, ET CETERA. I APPRECIATE AND I THINK I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR SLIDES. YOU HAVE SOME SOLUTIONS YOU ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT BUT THANK YOU FOR ADDRESSING THAT AND ALL THAT TO SAY THAT I THINK WE ARE ALL HEARING FROM CONSTITUENTS. I CAN'T BE THE ONLY ONE, ABOUT THE ISSUES WITH THE BATHROOMS. >> GREAT. WE WILL START WITH THE RESTROOM RENOVATION PIECE, GIVEN THE AGE OF OUR FACILITIES. THE NUMBER ONE RING WE COULD DO TO MAKE RESTROOMS A LITTLE NICER FOR THE PUBLIC IS JUST REBUILD THEM WHEN WE HAVE THE CHANCE. WE HAVE 129 RESTROOMS BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF OTHER ASSETS LIKE PLAYGROUNDS, ATHLETIC FIELDS, PICNIC SHELTERS AND WE TAKE THE SAME ASSET-MANAGEMENT APPROACH AND THAT IS REPRESENTED IN OUR CONCEPTUAL IMAGE ON THE LEFT THERE WHICH IS REALLY THAT WE ARE AIMING TO MAXIMIZE THE AMOUNT OF TIME THE ASSET IS IN SERVICE FOR THE PUBLIC. WE DO REGULAR ASSET MANAGEMENT PLANNING SO THINK CONDITION ASSESSMENTS, VARIOUS KINDS OF ANALYSIS TO FIGURE OUT WHEN WE NEED TO PULL ASSETS OUT OF SERVICE AND PUT THEM INTO A CAPITAL PROJECT TO RENOVATE OR REPLACE THEM OR DO MAJOR REPAIRS . COMMISSION THE ASSET THEN PUT IT BACK INTO PUBLIC USE, SO THIS IS OUR APPROACH TO RESTROOMS AND TO EVERYTHING ELSE. TO GIVE YOU SOME CYCLE TWO CONTEXT, AS WAS MENTIONED, AS A PART OF THE 2023 TO 2028 FINANCIAL PLAN WE HAVE COMMITTED TO THE MAJOR CAPITAL RENOVATION OF 27 RESTROOMS. THAT IS NOT JUST PARK DISTRICT FUNDING BUT REPRESENTS LEVY FUNDING AND ALL THOSE DIFFERENT SLICES OF THE PIE. RENOVATION MEANS WE ARE CLOSING THE FACILITY, COMPLETELY REBUILDING OR RENOVATING IT TO BRING IT UP TO CODE AROUND ACCESSIBILITY , RENOVATION STANDARDS AND BEST PRACTICES. WE ARE EXCITED TO SAY AS OF EARLIER THIS MONTH THAT WE HAVE COMPLETED FIVE RESTROOMS SINCE THE START OF 2023 AND THREE MORE ARE CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION. I DID WANT TO NOTE THE PHOTO HERE IS GAS WORKS PARK AND REPRESENTS TWO INNOVATIONS. ONE, THE PUBLIC REQUEST FOR SINGLE FIVE INSTALL RESTROOMS AND THEN SECOND, AUTO LOCKING. JUST TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT RESTROOM RENOVATIONS. OUR APPROACH IN CYCLE TWO IS TO BUNDLE TOGETHER PROJECTS FOR TIME EFFICIENCY AND THEY REVIEWED AND EVALUATED THIS IS A STRATEGY AND WE ARE MAKING SOME PROGRESS ON IT. IN 2024 WE INITIATED PLANNING ON A PACKAGE OF FIVE SITES THAT ARE GOING TO BE PUT OUT TO BID TOGETHER AND THIS YEAR WE WILL INITIATE PLANNING ON ANOTHER THREE SITES. ESSENTIALLY WHAT THIS MEANS IS WE ARE ASKING ONE CONTRACTOR TO BE PREPARED TO WORK ON THE WHOLE BUNDLE OF SITES AND DOING THAT ALLOWS US TO SAVE SOME MONEY , BUT ALSO TO COORDINATE THE WORK GEOGRAPHICALLY SO NO SINGLE PART OF THE CITY HAS TOO MANY RESTROOMS DOWN ON TIME. HAVE IT SAY THAT GILMAN AND SALMON BAY WERE PUT INTO PLANNING AND DESIGN LAST YEAR , SO THAT IS EXCITING. >> I THOUGHT WE TOOK THOSE OUT. DID WE KEEP THEM IN? OKAY. >> WE ARE ALSO BUNDLING RESTROOMS WITH OTHER SITE IMPROVEMENTS, SO FOR EXAMPLE, THERE MAY BE A SITE WHERE WE ARE GOING TO DO A BUNCH OF OTHER SITE WORK LIKE GARFIELD SUPERBLOCK AND OFFICIALLY, THE BATHROOM IS A COUPLE DOWN THE LINE ON WHEN IT MIGHT NEED TO BE REPLACED, WE WILL JUST DO IT AT THE SAME TIME FOR COST EFFICIENCY AND ALSO TO BE LESS DISRUPTIVE TO THE PUBLIC OVER TIME. THAT IS ALL STUFF WE WERE WORKING ON AND PLANNING FOR ALREADY. ON THE RIGHT SIDE ARE SOME THINGS WE ARE DOING DIRECTLY IN RESPONSE TO THE AUDIT, ONE OF WHICH WAS THE AUDITOR RECOMMENDED MORE FREQUENT CONDITION ASSESSMENTS AND THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE AND WE ARE GOING TO ALIGN CONDITION ASSESSMENTS A SIX-YEAR PARK DISTRICT PLANNING PROCESSES. YOU SHOULD EXPECT WHEN WE COME BACK IN A FEW YEARS WITH THE PARK DISTRICT PLANNING PROCESS THAT WE HAVE REALLY ROBUST CONDITION ASSESSMENTS AND RESTROOMS AND OTHER ASSETS TO HELP INFORM THOSE INVESTMENTS. WE ARE ALSO FORMALLY UPDATING DESIGN STANDARDS TO INCORPORATE LESSONS AROUND VANDALISM PREVENTION, DURABILITY AND MAINTENANCE. WE HAVE BEEN DOING THAT WORK IN AN INFORMAL WAY BUT I AGREE WITH THE AUDITOR THAT IT MAKES SENSE TO REALLY DO IT IN A MORE FORMAL WAY. PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE, WHICH IS REALLY ABOUT THE WORK OF OUR SKILLED CRAFT FOLK. THINK PLUMBERS, ELECTRICIANS, CARPENTERS. JUST A KIND OF ONE-ON-ONE YOU DID HEAR A LITTLE BIT FROM THE AUDITORS IT IS REALLY JUST FIXING THINGS BEFORE THEY ARE BROKEN, DOING THE ROUTINE PREVENTATIVE STUFF IN ANTICIPATION SO THEY DON'T BREAK. WHAT THIS MEANS IN RESTROOMS IS REPLACING ANY COMPONENTS YOU MAY NEED, LOOKING FOR LEAKS, MAKING SURE THE PIPES DON'T FREEZE, WORKING ON THE LIGHTING AND OTHER ASPECTS. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE BLUE CHUNK OF OUR CIRCLE OF KEEPING RESTROOMS IN SERVICE FOR THE PUBLIC. THE AUDITOR NOTED THAT HIGH RATES OF VANDALISM AND OTHER FORMS OF DEMAND MAINTENANCE ARE MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO REACH THAT PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE GOAL. WE HAVE TRADITIONALLY HAD -- YOU HEARD SALMON BAY AND GILMAN . WE HAVE TRADITIONALLY HAD A GOAL OF 60% TO 40%, THAT WAS TRADITIONALLY THE GOAL OF DOING OUR WORK ON PREVENTIVE AND GENERALLY WE MET THAT IN PRIOR YEARS. SINCE THE PANDEMIC, AND ESPECIALLY IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS WE HAVE BEEN UPSIDE DOWN ON THAT. THE AUDITOR NOTED THAT DIFFERENCE AND SAID HEY, ADDITIONAL PLUMBING AND OTHER SKILLED CRAFT STAFF MAY BE WARRANTED AND WE AGREE. AS A PART OF CYCLE TWO WE MADE AN INVESTMENT OF ADDITIONAL SKILLED CRAFT POSITIONS, BUT THESE HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN PRETTY CHALLENGING TO HIRE. I THINK THE MAIN ISSUE IS A WAGE COMPETITIVENESS ISSUE. IN 2024, HAPPY TO SAY THAT IN ADDITION TO THE ANNUAL WAGE INCREASE THAT ALL CITY EMPLOYEES GOT -- PLUMBING, ELECTRICIANS, CARPENTERS, THESE TRADE POSITIONS IN PARTICULAR GOT WHAT WE CALL MARKET-RATE ADJUSTMENTS OR CITY'S DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES LOOKED OUT ACROSS THE FIELD AND REALIZED THAT TO BE COMPETITIVE WE NEEDED TO INCREASE WAGES SO WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT WILL CHANGE THE DYNAMIC HERE. WE ARE REALLY PRIORITIZING FILLING THESE VACANCIES. >> I SEE COUNCILMEMBER SOCCER, YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT DIAZ AND WOW, THE CITY AUDITOR'S TEAM IS STILL IN THE CHAMBER. I WANT TO THANK THEM AND EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION AND GRATITUDE FOR THE WORK . IT IS IMPORTANT WORK SHEDDING THE BRIGHT LIGHT OF TRANSPARENCY ONTO THE IMPORTANT UNDERPINNINGS OF CITY GOVERNMENT AND HOW WE OPERATE IN THESE CRITICAL SERVICES SO IN ANY EVENT THANK YOU ALL, PARKSTON, FOR BEING HERE. LET ME JUST QUICKLY SAY I HAVE A REPUTATION APPARENTLY OF BEING VERBOSE, WHICH IS FINE, BUT AFTER HEARING A FEW OF MY COLLEAGUES SPEAK TODAY AND I'M LOOKING OVER TO MY RIGHT IN PARTICULAR, I AM REMINDED THAT THERE IS ALWAYS A ONE UPPER IN EVERY GROUP. IN ANY EVENT, THE THANK YOU, DISTINGUISHED OMEN FROM QUEEN ANNE. CAN WE GO BACK TO THE RESTROOM RENOVATIONS LIGHTS HERE. I WOULD BE INTERESTED TO SEE THAT TOP 20 HOTSPOT LIST OF RESTROOMS. I KNOW AND YOU KNOW THAT THERE ARE FIVE RESTROOMS LISTED TOWARD THE GOAL OF RENOVATION, THERE ARE THREE IN CONSTRUCTION. 27 ON THE LIST AND THERE IS A NUMBER PROBABLY IN THE QUEUE. HOW MANY OF THOSE 27 ON THE LIST ARE CONTAINED OR INCLUDED IN THE TOP 20 HOTSPOTS? PROBLEM RESTROOMS THAT WE KNOW? I WOULD NOT NECESSARILY EXPECT YOU TO HAVE A PRECISE ANSWER RIGHT NOW. IF YOU HAVE AN INITIAL RESPONSE, THAT IS WELCOME, BUT WOULD APPRECIATE FOLLOW-UP. >> I THINK WE WOULD LIKELY NEED TO DO SOME CROSS CHECKING ON THAT, BUT WE CAN DO THAT. >> AND NOW THAT WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE NO PROBLEM TOP 20 HOTSPOTS, IF YOU WILL, HOW HAS THAT INFORMED THE UNPLANNED FOR BUDGETED, FUNDED BUT OTHERWISE UNPLANNED FOR AND THEN CONSTRUCTED YET PROJECTS THAT REMAIN TO BE RENOVATED ON THAT LIST OF 27? >> I CAN RESPOND TO THAT. THE PROJECTS WHEN VANDALISM OCCURS, ARSON OCCURS , A RESTROOM THAT WE DID NOT PLAN ON ADDRESSING IN A CERTAIN YEAR, WHEN THAT BECOMES A HIGH NEED AND A HIGH PRIORITY, WE LOOK TO OUR LIST OF PRIORITIZED WORK, SO LOOKING UP AT THIS CHART , AT THE ASSESSMENT PLANNING, WITH THAT, WE ARE ABLE TO PRIORITIZE ALL OF OUR RESTROOMS BASED ON NEED AND SO IF THERE IS A NEED THAT RISES TO THE TOP, WE JUST HAVE TO SHIFT DOWN BASED UPON THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE IN EACH YEAR. DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? >> YEAH, KIND OF. MY ULTIMATE POINT I WAS GETTING AT IS THAT NOW WE KNOW IT IS DOCUMENTED, THESE PROBLEM HOTSPOTS, THAT LIST OF 27 PRESUMABLY WAS AUTHORIZED BY PREVIOUS COUNCIL ACTION OR PARKS METROPOLITAN DISTRICT BOARD ACTION, WHATEVER IT WAS, AND FUNDED, BUT NOW WE KNOW THERE ARE 20 HOTSPOTS . IT SEEMS LIKE IT IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO REVISIT THAT LIST, PARTICULARLY FOR THOSE PROJECTS THAT HAVE NOT YET BEEN DEVELOPED OR STARTED AS ONE CRITERIA AMONGST OTHERS THAT YOU ARE CONSIDERING, OF COURSE. >> I AGREE. I AGREE THAT IT IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY AND I AM CURIOUS TO ALSO SEE THAT LIST OF 20 AND SEE HOW MANY WE ARE GOING TO BE ADDRESSING IN OUR UPCOMING LIST BUT IN ADDITION ON THE NEXT SLIDE, WE ARE SHARING THAT WE ARE REALIGNING OUR RESTROOM ASSESSMENTS WITH THE SIX-YEAR PARK DISTRICT CYCLE AND OUR GOAL FOR THIS YEAR IS TO, IN Q3 OF 2025, IS TO COMPLETE ASSESSMENTS ON ALL OF OUR RESTROOMS AND THIS IS PART OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS COMING FROM THE AUDITORS ON ALL OF OUR RESTROOMS THAT WE HAVE NOT RENOVATED IN THE LAST 10 YEARS, AND ONES THAT YOU HAVE A HIGH NEED THAT WE ARE AWARE OF AND FIND IT FIX-IT AND CALLING IN WORK ORDERS GIVES US A GOOD IDEA, GOOD INDICATION OF RESTROOMS THAT ARE A NEED BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN VANDALIZED OR THEY JUST KEEP GETTING CALLS BECAUSE JUST A LOT IS HAPPENING THERE, SO I AGREE WITH YOU AND SO I ALSO HAVE A CURIOSITY TO SEE EXACTLY WHICH 20 ARE ON THAT LIST AND TO CROSS-REFERENCE THOSE WITH THE WORK WE ARE DOING IN PLANNING. A LOT OF THEM ARE ON THERE BUT MAYBE SOME ARE NOT AND THAT WILL INFORM US. >> ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU FOR SHARING. THAT IS JUST MY OWN TWO CENTS AND IT IS ONE WAY WE CAN LEVERAGE SOME OF THE LEARNINGS AND INSIGHTS AND AUDIT FINDINGS BUT MORE BROADLY, HOW ARE THE AUDIT FINDINGS THEMSELVES INFORMING THE PLANNING AND ULTIMATELY DELIVERING CONSTRUCTION OF THE REMAINING PROJECTS ON THAT LIST OF 27 FOR RESTROOM RENOVATIONS? SO, WHETHER IT IS NEW MATERIALS, BETTER INCORPORATING ACCEPTED DESIGN PRINCIPLES , ANY NUMBER OF THINGS, CROSS-REFERENCING, MAKING SURE THAT THIS IS THE BEST LIST OR MAYBE WE NEED TO UPDATE THE LIST OF REMAINING PROJECTS THAT NEED TO BE DELIVERED AMONGST OTHER THINGS. THOSE ARE A NONEXHAUSTIVE LIST OF POTENTIAL WAYS IT COULD INFORM, BUT HOW ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT THAT JUST RIGHT NOW? HOW ARE YOU INITIALLY THINKING ABOUT THAT NOW? >> I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WE ARE DOING, FOR INSTANCE WITH THE LIST THAT WE TALKED ABOUT , HOW WE HAVE COMPLETED FIVE AND THERE ARE THREE MORE IN CONSTRUCTION, YOU KNOW, THAT LIST IS ALWAYS MOVING BECAUSE WE HAD COMPLETE BURNED DOWN OF THE PARK RESTROOM AT SOUNDVIEW PLAYFIELD , SO THAT MIGHT'VE BEEN ON OUR LIST FOR PARK RENOVATION AND WE HAD ONE OVER IN DISTRICT 4 , SO THEN OUR LIST HAS TO ADJUST BECAUSE THEN WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE TO COMPLETELY REPAIR THAT. IT JUST HAPPENS THAT WE WOULD'VE DONE IT QUICKER BUT WE ARE ACTUALLY DOING A FIELD RENOVATION AT SOUNDVIEW THAT IS STARTING IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS SO WE ARE GOING TO COMBINE THOSE TWO SO THAT IS AN AREA THAT IS NOT ALWAYS REPORTED AS A HOTSPOT BECAUSE IT IS LIKE AN UNKNOWN HOTSPOT BUT IT BECOMES A HOTSPOT BECAUSE WE HAVE A COMPLETE ARSON BURNED SO WE KIND OF WANT TO LOOK AT THAT. ON THE CROSS-REFERENCING WE WANT TO LOOK AT THE AREAS. YOU KNOW, THE HOTSPOTS WILL INDICATE WHICH BATHROOMS ARE BEING TREATED THE WORST , BUT WE MAY NOT ALWAYS KNOW WHY, BUT IF WE LOOK AT THAT TO SEE WAS IT BECAUSE OF SOMETHING, PERHAPS A LACK OF LIGHTING, THE SITE LOCATION, IS IT REALLY BACK FAR BEHIND TREES AND THINGS LIKE THAT? THAT INFORMS AND GIVES US OPPORTUNITIES AND SOME OF THE THINGS WE ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT, WHAT THE AUDITOR FINDINGS ARE, ARE THERE SOME AESTHETIC THINGS WE CAN DO TO IMPROVE IT OR PREVENT MAYBE SOMETHING. WE CAN'T ALWAYS PREVENT THINGS BUT IF THERE ARE EASY SITE SITUATIONS, WE COULD BE DOING THAT IN CONJUNCTION WITH CONTINUING ON TRACK WITH OUR PARK RENOVATION SO SOME OF THAT IS GOING TO BE A COMBINED EFFORT OF GOING OUT AND LOOKING AT WHEREVER THE AREAS WERE IDENTIFIED THAT NEED THE MOST NEED AND WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS WE CAN DO BECAUSE NOT ALL OF THEM ARE A COMPLETE PARK RENOVATION OR BATHROOM RENOVATION. SOMETIMES YOU COULD DELIVER A BRAND-NEW BATHROOM BUT IF YOU HAVE NOT ADDRESSED THE OTHER THINGS YOU'RE JUST SETTING UP YOURSELF FOR NOW A NEW PARK RESTROOM HAVING THAT VANDALISM SO IT DOES NOT ALWAYS CORRELATE BUT SOMETIMES IT DOES BUT SOMETIMES IT IS LOOKING AT YOU KNOW, COULD THERE BE BETTER LIGHTING AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE ARE PILOTING THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT FOR INSTANCE, MAYBE AT CAL ANDERSON, IS AN ATTENDANT SYSTEM. THAT WAS NOT NECESSARILY A FINDING OF THE AUDIT BUT IT IS SOMETHING WE ARE THINKING ABOUT IS PERHAPS THE SOLUTION IN SOME OF THESE HOTSPOTS AS WE REDEVELOP WESTLAKE, AS WE LOOK AT OCCIDENTAL, AS WE LOOK AT PLACES LIKE CAL ANDERSON THAT ARE HIGH USE. SHOULD WE PERHAPS PILOT AND LOOK AT WHAT A PARK RESTROOM ATTENDED MIGHT LOOK LIKE WHERE THERE ARE ACTUALLY PEOPLE THERE. RIGHT NOW THERE IS NOBODY NEAR OR AT BATHROOMS. THIS WORKS IN OTHER PLACES, SOME PLACES AROUND THE COUNTRY THEY ARE DOING THIS IN NEW YORK. THEY DO THIS IN PARTS OF EUROPE OR IN LATIN AMERICA AND SOMETIMES AN ACTUAL PERSON THERE MIGHT REDUCE. THAT WOULD REQUIRE NEW JOB CLASSIFICATIONS FUNDING, ET CETERA, BUT WE BELIEVE THAT MIGHT BE A SOLUTION AND A NEED FOR THESE MOST HOTSPOT AREAS SO THAT IS JUST ONE APPROACH. >> ANYONE WANTS TO ADD ANYTHING? >> ALSO I WANT TO JUST -- THEN WE WILL CONTINUE IN OUR PRESENTATION. LOCKING MECHANISMS ON BATHROOMS, AND I LEARNED THIS, TOO, IN MY PAST EXPERIENCE. AT FIRST I THOUGHT THAT'S THE BEST IDEA. WHY DON'T WE DO THAT ON ALL OF OUR BATHROOMS THAT WE SOLVE A PROBLEM AND IT REALLY IS A NUANCED -- IT WORKS IN SOME AREAS. YOU SAW THEM AT THE GAS WORKS. WE ARE GOING TO TRY IT THERE. WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL THOUGH IN SOME OF THESE AREAS IT LEADS TO INCREASED VANDALISM WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO BREAK OFF THE LOCK OR TRY TO BREAK IT. SOMETIMES PEOPLE CAN GET INSIDE AND BE THERE ALL NIGHT, OR NOT GET OUT I THINK IT WAS POINTED OUT SO WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL WHERE WE PUT SELF-LOCKING BATHROOM LOCKS. IT IS GOOD IN LS >> THANK YOU. >> PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE. ONE OF THE THINGS WE ARE DOING IN ADDITION TO HIRING ADDITIONAL PLUMBERS AND SKILLED CRAFT FOLKS. WE ARE MOVING FROM THE 60-40 GOAL TO ACTUALLY -- AND THESE ARE SOME ITEMS WE ARE DOING IN DIRECT RESPONSE TO THE AUDIT, SETTING CLEAR OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE STANDARDS. WHAT ARE THINGS WE SHOULD BE DOING IN RESTROOMS AND A PERFORMANCE GOAL IS DID WE DO IT, SO THAT IS SOME OF THE ACTION WE WILL BE TAKING. ONE OF THE THINGS WE SAID WE WOULD DO FOR THE PUBLIC AS A PART OF CYCLE TWO WAS TO INCREASE ACCESS TO RESTROOMS YEAR ROUND. AS WE MENTIONED, ABOUT HALF HOUR RESTROOMS CLOSED OVER THE WINTER MAINLY DUE TO FREEZING PIPES ISSUES, SO OUR FACILITIES DIVISION IS WORKING TO WEATHERIZE AROUND 60 RESTROOMS BY THE END OF CYCLE TWO. THEY, IN COMBINATION WITH CAPITAL PROJECTS, HAVE DONE 18 SITES IN THE FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS AND YOU CAN SEE THEM ON THE MAP THERE AND THEY ARE ON TRACK FOR COMPLETION BY 2028. THEY HAVE LEARNED SOME LESSONS ALONG THE WAY. SOME OF THESE ARE EASY TO DO AND SOME OF THEM, BASED ON FACILITY DESIGN, ARE A LOT MORE DIFFICULT TO DO. GIVEN SOME OF YOUR QUESTIONS YOU HAVE HAD ON WHAT WE ARE DOING ABOUT THIS REALLY PROBLEMATIC SITES AND WHAT WE ARE DOING TO MITIGATE VANDALISM IN GENERAL I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO OUR SKILLED CRAFT FOLKS WHO ARE SUPER CREATIVE AND THEY ARE LITERALLY DESIGNING AND INVENTING NEW WAYS TO PREVENT AND MITIGATE VANDALISM BASED ON OUR EXPERIENCE. ON THE FAR LEFT YOU SEE LAKE RIDGE PLAYGROUND AND WAYS WE ARE USING REALLY DURABLE STRUCTURES. AND FIXTURES IN THE MIDDLE , AND THEN THE OTHER THING YOU SEE IN THAT FAR LEFT IS THAT IS AN OPEN DOOR. THAT BATHROOM DOES NOT SHUT DOWN. THERE IS NO DOOR TO CLOSE IT UP SO IMAGINE TRYING TO KEEP THOSE PIPES WARM AND AND FROZEN IN THE WINTER TAKE SOME CREATIVE THINKING THAT IS THE REALITY OF THE WIDE VARIETY OF BATHROOM FACILITIES WE HAVE OUT THERE, TAKES SOME CREATIVITY. IN THE MIDDLE YOU SEE OUR METAL FABRICATORS DESIGNING AND CREATING NEW HARDWARE TO MITIGATE VANDALISM. THE LOCK IN PARTICULAR, THE LOCKS ARE ONE OF THE MORE POPULAR THINGS TO VANDALIZE, YOU KNOW, SO THEY HAVE HAD TO BE CREATIVE ABOUT COMING UP WITH WAYS TO REDUCE THAT. ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK YOU KNOW, THE LITTLE STRUCTURE THEY HAVE CREATED THEIR IS EFFECTIVE AT MITIGATING VANDALISM. IT ALSO MAKES IT HARDER FOR THE GROUNDS MAINTENANCE PERSON TO LOCK AND UNLOCK THE DOOR SO I THINK THAT IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW WE ARE DOING OUR BEST TO MITIGATE VANDALISM BUT THAT HAS FURTHER EFFECTS DOWN THE LINE ON EVERYDAY MAINTENANCE. ON THE FAR RIGHT YOU SEE A NEW GATE AND LOCK COVER INSTALLED AT CAL ANDERSON PARK SO THAT RESTROOM IS CERTAINLY NUMBER ONE ON THE LIST OF 20 THAT WAS REGULARLY VANDALIZED AND REPEATEDLY CLOSED DOWN FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME SO THIS IS ONE OF THE MORE CREATIVE THINGS OR FOLKS OF BEEN UP TO TRYING TO KEEP THAT BATHROOM OPEN. NOW MOVING ON TO DAILY CLEANING, KIND OF THE REGULAR DAILY MAINTENANCE OF RESTROOMS TO KEEP THEM GOING FOR USERS. AGAIN THIS IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF KEEPING US IN THAT BLUE ASSET AND SERVICE CATEGORY. OUR GENERAL APPROACH TO CLEANING RESTROOMS COMES IN TWO FORMS. ONE, FIRST THING IN THE MORNING, THE STAFF RUN A RESTROOM ROUTE WHERE THEY MAKE SURE RESTROOMS AND PRIORITY PARKS READY FOR THE DAY SO THE SHIFT STARTS AT 6:00 A.M. AUDITOR STAFF SIX OR SEVEN DIFFERENT TIMES ONE AND RESTROOM ROUTES AT 6:00 A.M. TO OBSERVE. WE ALSO HAVE GENERAL PARK MAINTENANCE ROUTES, SO THERE IS THAT FIRST RESTROOM ROUTE IN THE MORNING THAN PARK MAINTENANCE ROUTES IN GENERAL ARE OUT PICKING UP GARBAGE, KEEPING THE PARK LOOKING GOOD AND THEY WILL PERFORM RESTROOM MAINTENANCE AS NEEDED MAKING SURE IT IS STOCKTON CLEAN. ONE THING WE WANT TO SAY ABOUT OUR PARK LABOR IS WE ASK THEM TO CLEAN EFFICIENTLY BUT WE ARE ALSO ASKING THEM TO KEEP AN EYE ON THE BROADER PART,: WORK ORDERS, USE THEIR DISCRETION TO IDENTIFY PRIORITIES AND HELPING THE PUBLIC AS NEEDED SO WHEN THESE FOLKS ENTER A RESTROOM THEY MIGHT FIND A HAZARD. THEY MIGHT FIND FOLKS IN DISTRESS. NO ENCOUNTER IS EXACTLY THE SAME SO WE HIRE OUR GROUNDS MAINTENANCE LABOR IS NOT BECAUSE THERE PERFECTLY TECHNICALLY EFFICIENT CLEANING ALTHOUGH THEY ARE VERY GOOD AT THAT BUT BECAUSE WE WANT THEM TO USE THEIR DISCRETION TO BE ABLE TO PERFORM THESE BROADER FUNCTIONS FOR OUR PARK BENEFITS. SO BASED ON PUBLIC FEEDBACK AS WE HAVE SAID, KEEPING RESTROOMS CLEAN AS A TOP PRIORITY. AS A PART OF CYCLE TWO WE COMMITTED TO HIRING 12 NEW LABOR POSITIONS TO FOCUS ON INCREASING SERVICE LEVELS. WE LAUNCHED THESE TEAMS IN 2023 . AS THE AUDITOR NOTED HOWEVER, SYSTEM-WIDE ISSUES IMPACTED OUR STAFFING LEVELS IN 2024. I MERRILY THIS WAS DUE TO THE HIRING FREEZE AND VACANCY HOLDS DUE TO BUDGET DELIBERATIONS AND BECAUSE SPR NEEDED TO ABSORB SOME UNBUDGETED COST IN 2024. NOW WE HAVE JUMPED INTO HIRING LABORERS AND OUR INTENTION IS TO HIRE AS MANY VACANT LABOR POSITIONS AS POSSIBLE THIS ROUND AND WE AIM TO HIRE TEMPORARY SEASONAL EMPLOYEES IN A TYPICAL YEAR SO WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT THIS WILL BRING TOTAL MAINTENANCE LEVELS BACK UP TO MORE TYPICAL LEVELS. WE ALSO HAVE SOME NEW TECHNOLOGY COMING ONLINE, HOT PRESSURE WASHING WHICH GIVES A SIGNIFICANTLY CLEANER FEEL TO THE BATHROOM. IT LETS YOU GET THE WHOLE THING CLEAN MORE EFFECTIVELY, FASTER AND WITH LESS CHEMICAL REQUIRED. SOME OF THE THINGS WE ARE DOING IN DIRECT RESPONSE TO THE AUDIT. TO MAKE DAILY CLEANING EXPECTATIONS CLEAR AND TRANSPARENT WE ARE DEVELOPING A CLEANING PLAN THAT LAYS OUT WHAT KIND OF CLEANING HAPPENS, HOW OFTEN, BY WHICH STAFF ON WHICH ROUTES AND IT SCALES BASED ON RESOURCE AVAILABILITY. WE ARE ALSO FORMALLY REVAMPING OUR CLEANING STANDARDS AND PROVIDING TRAINING ANNUALLY AND WE ARE GOING TO UPDATE CRITERIA FOR PRIORITIZING RESTROOM LOCKING. THE LAST THING WE GET TO TELL YOU ABOUT IS HOW DO WE MAKE SURE ALL OF THIS IS WORKING AND THAT THE THING WE REALLY CARE ABOUT, WHICH IS THE PUBLIC EXPERIENCE OF RESTROOMS , ARE WE GETTING THERE? SO, THE AUDITOR AS NOTED HERE TODAY AND NOTED IN THE REPORT, THEY ENCOURAGED US TO SET A GOAL AROUND RESTROOM CLEANLINESS AND TRACK DATA ACCORDINGLY AND SO RATHER THAN TRYING TO TRACK INPUT AND ACTIVITY MEASURES LIKE HOW MANY HOURS OF CLEANING DID WE DO AND HOW MANY TOUCHES DID WE GIVEN A DAY, WE ARE FOCUSED ON THE OUTCOME OF PUBLIC SATISFACTION, SO HOW ARE WE GOING TO MEASURE THAT? LET'S START BY TELLING YOU HOW WE THINK ABOUT SATISFACTION IN GENERAL. PRIMARILY WE THINK IF PEOPLE ARE HAPPY WITH OUR PARKS WE THINK WE ARE DOING A GOOD JOB. WE MEASURE THAT THROUGH A BIENNIAL STATISTICALLY BALANCED SURVEY, THROUGH FIND IT FIX-IT, SOCIAL MEDIA, WE ALSO HAVE A PARK INSPECTION PROGRAM THAT USES TRAINED VOLUNTEERS TO INSPECT OUR PARKS AGAINST MAINTENANCE STANDARDS. WE REPORT THIS DATA PUBLICLY AND USE IT TO MAKE MAINTENANCE CHOICES. JUST TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT THAT LOOKS -- AND ONE THING I WILL SAY IS COUNCILMEMBERS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME TO COME ON A PARK INSPECTION SO TALK TO JACOB IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN JOINING SOME OF OUR TRAINED VOLUNTEERS ON REVIEWING A PARK INSPECTION. IT IS A PRETTY RIGOROUS PROCESS IN WHICH VOLUNTEERS WHO HAVE BEEN TRAINED WILL GO TO A PARK AND RATE IT AGAINST OUR MAINTENANCE STANDARDS. YOU CAN SEE MAINTENANCE STANDARDS ON THE LEFT THERE AND THEN YOU SEE THE APP THAT THEY RATED ON, ON THE RIGHT SO IF YOU WALKED INTO A BATHROOM FOR EXAMPLE YOU WOULD BE MEASURING IS THERE SOAP AND PAPER SUPPLIES AVAILABLE AND IF THERE WERE NOT, YOU WOULD LOSE A POINT. IS THERE GRAFFITI IN THERE? YOU WOULD LOSE A POINT AND WHAT WE CAN SAY IS IN 2024, THIS PROGRAM INSPECTED ABOUT 40 PARKS. 20 OF THOSE HAD RESTROOMS AND ACROSS ALL THE RESTROOMS MEASURED, THEY RATED 3.9 OUT OF FIVE ON THESE MAINTENANCE STANDARDS SO NOT TERRIBLE BUT NOT GREAT. THAT IS WHAT WE ARE LOOKING TO USE IN RESPONSE TO THE AUDIT. WE ARE GOING TO TAKE THAT DATA SOURCE AND A FEW OTHER DATA POINTS AND BUILD OUT A RESTROOM-SPECIFIC GOAL WHERE WE ARE TAKING FEEDBACK FROM THE PUBLIC ON HOW ARE OUR RESTROOMS DOING AND WE LOOK AT THAT ON A REGULAR BASIS WITH CREW CHIEFS AND STAFF. ANOTHER THING WE ARE DOING AT THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE AUDIT IS INCORPORATING SUPERVISORY MONITORING INTO OUR PROGRAMS ARE GETTING CLEAR AND CONSISTENT ACROSS MAINTENANCE DISTRICTS HOW OFTEN SHOULD SUPERVISORS BE OUT VALIDATING WORK THAT IS BEING DONE. SO, THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE THAT FOR YOU. WE APPRECIATED THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH THE AUDITOR AND GETS AN OUTSIDE PERSPECTIVE AND GIVE YOU SOME LINKS FOR PLACES TO GO FOR A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION IF YOU WOULD LIKE. >> AWESOME. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. SO APPRECIATE THE IN-DEPTH KNOWLEDGE AND ALSO THE ASSESSMENT OF WHAT PARKS IS DOING, WHAT THE IMPROVEMENTS CAN MEAN AND ALSO, I'M GOING TO READ BACK WHAT I HEARD DURING THIS PRESENTATION THAN I KNOW I WILL RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA FOR THE QUESTION THAT SEATTLE PARKS IS ADDRESSING THE AUDIT HEAD ON, SO UNDERSTANDING LIKE HEY, THIS IS WHERE WE ARE. THIS IS THE PLAYING FIELD AND THESE ARE THE IMPROVEMENTS WE NEED TO HAVE. YOU ALREADY HAVE A DETAILED ASSET INVENTORY PROCESS WHERE YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT ASSETS ARE IMPORTANT, HOW THEY NEED TO BE REPAIRED, MAINTAINED, AND KEEPING TRACK, THAT YOU ALSO, WHICH IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECES, THAT YOU UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT RESTROOMS ARE THAT YOU HEARD IT IS A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE BUT ALSO A HEALTH ISSUE AND MAKING SURE PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO RESTROOMS AND KNOWING THAT PARKS ARE ALREADY PLUMBED FOR THIS TYPE OF USAGE. AND THEN ALSO, UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU'RE TRYING NEW THINGS AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS WORKING, WHAT IS NOT WORKING. WE'RE KIND OF IN A DIFFERENT ERA IN OUR SOCIETY AND I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT ALL THIS IS ON YOU. IT IS ALSO ON US IN THE COMMUNITY AS WELL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP AND PROTECT A LOT OF THE PARKS AND THE ASSETS CLEAN AND SAFE AND US AS A COMMUNITY. THAT IS WHAT I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO SPREAD SO MUCH DURING MY TIME, ESPECIALLY IN DISTRICTS THREE, THAT WE AS A COMMUNITY HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO KEEP, YOU KNOW, OUR PLACE IS CLEAN AND SAFE AND ACCESSIBLE. YOU KNOW, IT TAKES ALL OF US, NOT JUST OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT BUT THAT THERE IS A ROLE FOR EVERYONE TO PLAY, SO. WITH THAT BEING SAID, COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR AND THANK YOU FOR THIS FULL PRESENTATION AND REALLY APPRECIATE YOU WORKING WITH THE AUDITOR TO , YOU KNOW, TRY TO IMPLEMENT SOME OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS AND FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU ARE DOING. I MEAN YOU KNOW, PARKS HAS -- THERE ARE A LOT OF ISSUES AND YOU ALL HAVE A WORK PLAN AND I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND RECOGNIZE THAT YOU OFTEN HAVE TO VEER OFF THE WORKPLAN BECAUSE OF UNEXPECTED THINGS THAT COME UP AND SOME UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING AS A CITY AND SOME OF THE POLICIES THAT WE ARE TAKING, SO THAT TAKES, YOU KNOW, IT TAKES YOU OFF YOUR SCHEDULED WORKPLAN AND IT TAKES RESOURCES THAT SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO REDIRECT FROM SOME OF YOUR OTHER WORK SO I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT BECAUSE THAT IS HARD , AND IT REALLY HAS A BIG IMPACT ON YOUR ABILITY TO PROVIDE THE SERVICE CITYWIDE. I DO WANT TO REITERATE THERE HAS BEEN A BIG FOCUS ON THE 20 HOTSPOTS. ADMITTEDLY, I DID NOT KNOW THERE WERE 20 HOT SPOTS , SO THAT IS REALLY GOOD TO KNOW AND LIKE I SAID, I LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING THE LIST AND SEEING HOW WE CAN PARTNER TOGETHER TO FIGURE OUT SOLUTIONS FOR THOSE ON BEHALF OF OUR RESIDENTS. I WILL SAY THE RELIABILITY PIECE IS IMPORTANT , SO SUPERINTENDENT, YOU KNOW, I AM CONSTANTLY TRYING TO PARTNER WITH PARKS AND HOW DO WE GET THE WORD OUT TO CONSTITUENTS ON WHAT THE SCHEDULE IS, CLOSER OF THE BATHROOMS, THE PARK, ET CETERA BECAUSE I ALSO HEAR FOLKS DON'T KNOW WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO BE CLOSED, YOU KNOW. THEY EXPECT THEM TO BE OPEN AND THAT RELIABILITY PIECE IS IMPORTANT TO MAKE PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THEY ARE BEING HEARD AND ALSO TO KNOW WHAT THEY CAN EXPECT AS A SERVICE, SO HOWEVER WE CAN HELP IN GETTING COMMUNICATIONS OUT TO OUR CONSTITUENTS AND WHEN BATHROOMS IN THE PARKS THAT THEY FREQUENT ARE GOING TO BE OPEN OR CLOSED IS REALLY IMPORTANT AS A RELIABILITY PIECE IN THE MUSLIM GOING TO ASK ABOUT SO, WHEN I WAS AT THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE, PARKS HAD WERE HAS A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE TO DO THESE MURALS AT COMFORT STATIONS. WE WERE CALLING RESTROOMS COMFORT STATIONS AT THE TIME, AND THERE WERE SOME CERTAIN NUMBER OF COMFORT STATIONS THAT WERE GOING TO GET MURALS. WE KNOW THERE IS ONE IN MY DISTRICT THAT IS REALLY TERRIFIC AND I'M WONDERING WHAT -- I THINK THOSE OF ALL COMPLETED NOW. I WANT TO SAY, OR THEIR 20? >> 17 OR 18. >> 17 OR 18, YEAH, AND I'M WONDERING HOW THOSE -- HAS THAT HELP? HAS IT HELPED TO KEEP THOSE COMFORT STATIONS GRAFFITI-FREE? BECAUSE THAT WAS PART OF THE POINT, RIGHT? LET'S DO MURALS AND HOPEFULLY THAT WILL ADDRESS SOME OF THE GRAFFITI ISSUES. >> YEAH, SURPRISINGLY I THINK THAT IS CANDIDLY HONESTLY WAS REALLY SURPRISED HOW WELL , BY PAINTING A BATHROOM, A PUBLIC BATHROOM IN A PARK CAN ACTUALLY REALLY DETER GRAFFITI AND THE KEY IS THAT I HAVE LEARNED, USING LOCAL ARTISTS THAT COME IN AND IT DOES THE SAME THING AGAIN, I WAS REALLY SURPRISED IN SEATTLE WHEN I FIRST CAME HERE. ALL THE BEAUTIFUL MURALS IN OUR CITY AND I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT PERCENTAGE BUT I WOULD SAY LIKE NINE OUT OF 10 MURALS, IF IT IS BUILT BY A LOCAL PERSON, IT IS RESPECTED AND HONORED. THERE IS A PICTURE IN OUR PRESENTATION AT TOSHIBA PARK WHERE WE DID THIS FIRST MERRILL AND I REMEMBER VISITING THAT AND THEN I REMEMBERED IT WAS A LOCAL ARTIST. WE SANCTIONED IT AND I SAID DOES ANYONE TAG THIS AND THEY SAID THEY DON'T. YOU KNOW, MAYBE SOME MINOR THINGS HERE OR THERE AND WE KNOW HOW TO REPAIR IT. THAT PARTNERSHIP WITH ARTS AND CULTURE IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD ROW SO WHY NOT HAVE 129 RESTROOMS AND SOME OF THE CHALLENGES SOME PEOPLE WILL SAY YOU KNOW, DO THEY HAVE TO LOOK LIKE THEY USE THE TERM LIKE A JAIL-TIGHT BATHROOM BECAUSE OF THE INDUSTRIAL NATURE AND PUBLIC USE. YOU CAN'T MAKE IT LIKE A HOME BATHROOM BUT YOU CAN CERTAINLY DO THE OUTSIDE OF IT. MY GOAL, MY DREAM WOULD BE TO CONTINUE THAT NEVER RESTROOMS LOOK LIKE THAT AND ANOTHER THING IS GREEN ROOFING . BECAUSE THAT IS ALSO AESTHETICALLY BEAUTIFUL A BIT TO YOUR MAIN POINT, I DO THINK IT IS A WAY TO PREVENT GRAFFITI BECAUSE IT'S LIKE OH, THIS ALREADY LOOKS LIKE AN ART STRUCTURE. I BETTER NOT MESS IT UP. THAT MIGHT NOT COMPLETELY BUT TO YOUR POINT, I THINK IT IS A GREAT DETERRENT. >> I MEAN WE WERE HOPING IT WOULD DO THAT. NOW THAT IT HAS BEEN TWO YEARS OUT I JUST WONDERED WHETHER IT HELD UP AND I WANTED TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO OUR FORMAL -- FORMER DIRECTOR AT ARTS, ALLIE BARNES. THIS WAS THE BRAINCHILD OF HERS AND THEN WORKING WITH YOUR STAFFING TO MAKE IT HAPPEN AND I WILL SAY, COLLEAGUES, ARTS AND CULTURE HAD A PROGRAM DURING COVID THAT WAS GETTING ARTISTS TO WORK, BUT IT WAS FUNDS THAT WERE ONE-TIME ORIGINALLY FEDERAL FUNDING THAN FUNDING THIS PARTICULAR YEAR ONE-TIME FUNDING TO DO THOSE 17 TO 18 COMFORT STATIONS SO IT IS NOT ONGOING FUNDING BUT THESE ARE REALLY IMPORTANT PARTNERSHIPS AND SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT MOVING FORWARD. THANK YOU. >> AWESOME. COUNCIL MEMBER SAKA. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN TO SUPERINTENDENT DIAZ AND THE TEAM HERE FOR WORK AND REFLECTING A GROWTH MIND-SET AND ACKNOWLEDGING THE OPPORTUNITY THAT WE ALL HAVE TO MAKE BETTER PROGRESS IN THIS AREA . REALLY AN URGENT OPPORTUNITY I THINK FOR US ALL AND I HAVE LEARNED AS PART OF THIS AND INCLUDING AS PART OF YOUR OPENING COMMENTS THAT PEOPLE, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ALWAYS WANT TO EXPAND THE NUMBER OF RESTROOMS, NOT JUST IN SEATTLE BUT IN L.A. AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY. PARKS DEPARTMENT AGAIN ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND I'M NOT SURE THAT IS THE BEST APPROACH HERE IN SEATTLE AT THIS POINT, AT THIS JUNCTURE. UNLESS AND UNTIL WE ARE IN A BETTER POSITION TO MAKE BETTER PROGRESS ON ADDRESSING THE CLEANLINESS AND ACCESSIBILITY, PROPERLY MAINTAINING OUR EXISTING RESTROOMS AND YOU KNOW, AFTER READING THE THIRTYSOMETHING PAGE AUDIT REPORT READ IT, THANK YOU, GUYS. WE READ THESE THINGS. I READ THEM AND LISTENING TO THAT PRESENTATION AND HEARING YOUR RESPONSE HERE ON THE DEPARTMENT SIDE , THE OPPORTUNITY THAT I LEARNED IS THAT GENERALLY WE NEED TO SAY WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO AND DO WHAT WE SAY AND THE OPPORTUNITY IS THAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY LIVE UP TO THAT A LITTLE BETTER AND SOME OF THAT MIGHT BE EXPECTATIONS MANAGEMENT . I DON'T KNOW, BUT I AM PLEASED TO SEE IN THE TAIL END OF YOUR SLIDE THERE , YOUR SPECIFIC PLAN AND SCHEDULE AND TIMEFRAME TO REMEDIATE SOME OF THESE ON SLIDE NUMBER 18 THERE , YOUR FUTURE ACTIONS, SO I ALSO AGREE WITH COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS THAT I THINK LATER THIS YEAR OR MAYBE NEXT YEAR SOMETIME WE OUGHT TO INVITE YOU ALL BACK TO JUST CHECK IN ON THE PROGRESS BECAUSE I KNOW YOU ARE COMMITTED TO DOING THAT AND I WANT TO THANK CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH FOR HER GREAT COMMENTS EARLIER. IT IS NOT JUST ON THE DEPARTMENT. IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE YOU WILL HAVE THE TOOLS AND RESOURCES YOU NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN DIRECTIONAL GUIDANCE FROM THE LEGISLATIVE PERSPECTIVE. YOU NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL. GOVERNMENT PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN SOME OF THESE BROADER CHALLENGES BUT IT IS NOT THE ONLY ROLE AND SO INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES ALSO NEED TO STEP UP. IT IS A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY THAT WE ALL HAVE SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THANK YOU FOR THE WORK AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO REMEDIATING THESE ISSUES AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. I LOOK FORWARD TO ROLLING UP MY SLEEVES AND PARTNERING TOGETHER AND MAKING SURE AGAIN YOU WILL HAVE WHAT YOU NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL . I MENTIONED BEFORE AND I MEAN IT , BUT I HAVE NV FOR NOT BEING ON THIS COMMITTEE. THIS IS A WONDERFUL COMMITTEE AND IT IS SUCH A WONDERFUL COMMITTEE BECAUSE OF YOUR DEPARTMENT IN LARGE PART BECAUSE OF YOUR DEPARTMENT AND SO APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU WILL DO. SO, WHEN YOU GO IN AND DO THESE MAJOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT RENOVATIONS TO THESE RESTROOMS, DO YOU ALSO ENDEAVOR TO ADDRESS THE DRINKING FOUNTAIN AND UPDATE AND IMPROVE THE WEATHERIZATION'S OF THE DRINKING FOUNTAIN? DRINKING FOUNTAIN ACCESS IS REALLY IMPORTANT. I HAVE SENT -- I HAVE INQUIRED ABOUT THIS DIRECTLY , BUT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY, I THINK AN EQUALLY IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER DRINKING FOUNTAINS WE DO HAVE IN OUR CITY PARKS ARE ALWAYS FUNCTIONING 24/7/365. THAT IS EQUALLY IMPORTANT, IN MY VIEW, AS MAKING SURE THAT OUR RESTROOMS ARE CLEAN, SAFE ACCESSIBLE AND MAINTAINED. ARE THOSE DRINKING FOUNTAINS, ARE THEY ALSO UPDATED AS PART OF THE RENOVATION PROCESS? , BUT I HAVE ENVY FOR NOT BEING ON THIS COMMITTEE. THIS IS A WONDERFUL COMMITTEE AND IT IS SUCH A WONDERFUL COMMITTEE BECAUSE OF YOUR DEPARTMENT IN LARGE PART BECAUSE OF YOUR DEPARTMENT AND SO >> THE DRINKING FOUNTAINS ARE OFTEN INCLUDED. THEY'RE NOT ALWAYS INCLUDED. WE DO IS MUCH AS WE POSSIBLY CAN WITH THE FUNDING THAT IS AVAILABLE. WE DO ALWAYS INCLUDE ACCESSIBILITY, SO THAT WOULD BE THE SITE OF A RESTROOM BUILDING, PATHWAY TO A STREET OR PLAY AREA SO THERE ARE ACCESSORY ITEMS OUTSIDE OF A BUILDING THAT ARE INCLUDED. DRINKING FOUNTAINS, WHEN WE ARE ABLE TO, WE DO IT. IF THERE IS A NEED, YES, AND WE DO WEATHERIZE THE BUILDING ITSELF WHEN WE DO A RENOVATION PROJECT. >> AWESOME. >> I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY ONE THING, AND WE CAN EXPLORE THIS MORE WITH YOU OR THE COUNCIL. I AM NOW GOING TO REACH OUT TO MY COUNTERPARTS WHO WORK IN THE UTILITIES, BUT ONE SOLUTION IN LOS ANGELES WE DID WAS WORK WITH OUR PUBLIC UTILITY, THE WIZARD RATE PAYER-BASED SYSTEM. THEY RECEIVE MONEY. THEY HAVE ACCESS. WE DID AN INNOVATIVE PARTNERSHIP WHERE WE PARTNERED WITH THEM TO INSTALL HYDRATION STATIONS BASICALLY SO IT IS LIKE THE MODERN WATER FOUNTAIN. YOU CAN USE A REUSABLE BOTTLE AND IT SOMETIMES WORKS BETTER. IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE HYGIENIC AND THROUGH REBATES AND THINGS THAT THEY NEEDED TO SPEND MONEY ON FOR GOOD FOR THE PUBLIC, THIS WAS A WAY TO USE THAT MONEY FOR GOOD AND SO I WOULD LOVE TO EXPLORE THAT MORE WITH THE COUNCIL AND OUR UTILITY PARTNERS TO SEE WHO PROVIDES WATER TO THE CITY, TO SEE IS THERE AN INNOVATIVE USE OF FUNDING, MAYBE SOMETHING THEY NEED TO ACCOMPLISH IS A METRIC OR GOAL. IN PARKS WE HAVE THE SPACE. WE WOULD LOVE TO OPEN THAT UP AND PROVIDE MORE HYDRATION STATIONS AGAIN, IF THERE IS THE FUNDING AND ABILITY TO DO IT. WE HAVE THE LAND, SO LET'S WORK ON THAT. THAT WOULD BE FANTASTIC. >> THANK YOU. TELL US WHAT YOU NEED TO ROLL THAT OUT AND DEFINITELY CONSIDER IT. IT IS A HUGE PRIORITY OF MINE . DRINKING FOUNTAIN ACCESS, RELIABILITY BUT ALSO PROPERLY MAINTAINING AND ADDRESSING THE CLEANLINESS OF OUR RESTROOMS AND TO YOUR POINT EARLIER, SUPERINTENDENT DIAZ, IS THAT IT IS A HUGE , VERY INFLUENTIAL FACTOR IN DETERMINING THE PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF OUR PARKS SYSTEM AT LARGE AND THEY CAN GO IN THE QUALITY OF THEIR EXPERIENCE OR LACK THEREOF YOU KNOW, PEOPLE, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC CAN GO TO ONE OF OUR MANY WONDERFUL PARKS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR CITY AND IT COULD BE VERY WELL-KEPT AND PROPERLY MAINTAINED, GRASS FRESHLY CUT. THE TRASH TAKEN OUT, HEDGES TRIMMED AND EVERYTHING AND THEN HAVE AN UNFORTUNATE EXPERIENCE IN A RESTROOM AND COMPLETELY GOT ALL THE PERCEPTIONS OF GREAT THINGS AND SO THAT IS WHY IT IS IMPORTANT I THINK FROM MY PERSPECTIVE THAT WE GET THIS IN ORDER AND DO IT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE AND SO I JUST APPRECIATE YOUR COMMITMENT TO DOING THIS WORK AND I STAND WITH YOU ALONGSIDE YOU BECAUSE IT IS A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY, SO THAT WAS ALL. I WILL SAY FROM THERE, I NOTICED THAT COUNCIL MEMBER KETTLE DID NOT HAVE HIS HAND UP HERE AND TWO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, WE HAVE GREAT RELATIONSHIPS. I HAVE GREAT RELATIONSHIPS WITH ALL MY COLLEAGUES, COUNCIL MEMBER KETTLE INCLUDED. THAT WAS JUST FRIENDLY BETTER -- BANTER. HE IS FAIRLY VERBOSE. I DON'T WALK AWAY FROM THAT, BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS HE IS ON POINT. HE SAYS A LOT OF GOOD THINGS BUT I HOPE I DID NOT STYMIE YOUR ENGAGEMENT THERE. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. >> THANK YOU. I SEE COUNCIL MEMBER STRAUSS. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THOSE ARE FIGHTING WORDS. I WAS JUST GOING TO NOTE I HAVE A HARD STOP IN 11 MINUTES. >> THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU, PARKS DEPARTMENT. WE KNOW THE WORK YOU DO IS PHENOMENAL SO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE PRESENTATION TODAY, THANK YOU. AND THEN NOW WE ARE GOING TO READ ITEM AGENDA THREE INTO THE RECORD. >> AGENDA ITEM THREE RESOLUTION 32164, A RESOLUTION RELATING TO SEATTLE PARKS AND RECREATION AUTHORIZING THE SUPERINTENDENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION TO ACT AS THE AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE AND AGENT ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF SEATTLE AND TO LEGALLY BIND THE CITY OF SEATTLE WITH RESPECT TO CERTAIN PROJECTS . FOR BRIEFING, DISCUSSION ON POSSIBLE VOTE. >> REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE THIS COME TO A VOTE AND WE KNOW WE ARE GOING TO BE LOSING COUNCILMEMBER -- WE HAVE HARD STOPS FOR FOLKS, SO YEAH. COUNCIL MEMBER STRAUSS. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR. I WILL JUST GIVE MY PUBLIC APPRECIATION TO MOSHE HECHT IN THE PARKS TEAM. I MET WITH THEM EARLIER THIS WEEK AND HAD ALL OF MY FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS ANSWERED SO IN THE INTEREST OF BREVITY JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU. GREAT WORK. WE WOULD BE IN A FINANCIALLY MORE DIRE POSITION WITHOUT PEOPLE LIKE HIM WORKING FOR OUR CITY. >> I APPRECIATE PARKS FOLLOWING UP WITH YOU ABOUT THOSE QUESTIONS. I APOLOGIZE. I KNOW A COUPLE OF COUNCILMEMBERS HAD SOME BRIEFING SO WHATEVER THE SPEEDY PRESENTATION IS, THAT WOULD BE PHENOMENAL. I APPRECIATE THAT, SUPERINTENDENT DIAZ. >> THANK YOU. I THINK WE ARE HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS. WE DON'T HAVE A FORMAL PRESENTATION ON THIS ITEM SO I'M SORRY, I MISSED YOUR QUESTION. >> I APOLOGIZE. WHAT I WAS SAYING WAS IF THERE WAS AN EXPEDITED PRESENTATION TO IT, TO THIS, IT WOULD BE PHENOMENAL THEN I KNOW IF MY COLLEAGUES HAD ANY QUESTIONS. I DON'T WANT TO LOSE QUORUM BECAUSE I KNOW THIS IS IMPORTANT WE VOTE ON THIS BECAUSE THERE IS ALSO A STATE TIMELINE DEADLINE. IF I'M CORRECT. >> OKAY, SO THIS PRESENTATION WAS SHOWN ALREADY. YOU ALL ARE HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS WE HAVE IS WHAT I'M TOLD. AWESOME. THANK YOU, MY APOLOGIES. ABSOLUTELY. COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA. >> IT WOULD BE HELPFUL MAYBE FOR ANYONE WATCHING. WE DID HAVE THIS PRESENTATION BUT PERHAPS SUPERINTENDENT DIAZ CAN JUST DO A ONE-MINUTE SET UP OF WHAT WE ARE VOTING ON TODAY. >> ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU , COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA. THAT WOULD BE GREAT. >> WE ARE TALKING ABOUT OUR STATE RECREATION AND CONSERVATION OFFICER THIS IS AN UPDATE TO WILL ON THE 2025 GRANT APPLICATIONS THAT WE HAVE MADE ON BEHALF OF PARKS FOR RCO . MOSHE HECHT WAS THE HEAD OF OUR GRANTS TEAM. HE CAN GIVE A QUICK SUMMATION . >> IT IS. THERE RECREATION CONSERVATION OFFICE, WASHINGTON STATE ADMINISTERS BOTH STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDING FOR GRANTS FOR PARKS. THESE ARE FOR OUTDOOR RECREATION PURPOSES . WE ARE GOING TO BE APPLYING FOR A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, INCLUDING EVANS POOL, DISCOVERY PARK AND A NUMBER OF OTHER LOCATIONS. THIS FUNDING IS CRITICAL TO HELP US NOT ONLY BUILD SOME OF THESE PROJECTS BUT ALSO TO INCLUDE VERY IMPORTANT AMENITIES TO THE PROJECTS THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS ASKED US TO PROVIDE. IF YOU COULD REMIND US OF A COUPLE OF THE PROJECTS BEING CONSIDERED TODAY THAT WOULD BE GREAT THEN I WILL SEE IF ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. >> SURE. FIRST TEE IS ONE OF THE PROJECTS OUT AT BILL WRIGHT GOLF COMPLEX. THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE SOME IMPROVEMENTS TO THE NINE-WHOLE COURSE THERE TO JUST MAKE IT SAFER AND BETTER FOR PROGRAMMING FOR YOUTH IN PARTICULAR. DISCOVERY PARK SOUTH BEACH TRAIL IS A PROJECT THAT WE NEED TO REROUTE AND REBUILD . IT IS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR TRAILS IN THE CITY. EVANS POOL OUT OF GREEN LAKE IS PROBABLY THE MOST VISITED PARK IN THE CITY. THE POOL IS AT THE END OF ITS USEFUL LIFE AND WE ARE GOING TO APPLY FOR FUNDING TO HELP REBUILD THAT POOL. DR. HAS A RESULT -- JOSE RIZAL PARK IS A PARK THAT NEEDS IMPROVEMENT. WE ARE LOOKING AT RESTROOM RENOVATIONS AND ADDITIONAL IMPROVEMENTS THROUGHOUT THE PARK, PRIMARILY TO THE PLAYGROUND AND ACCESSIBILITY IN THE PARK. DEPENDING ON WHETHER OR NOT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE EXISTING BID FOR THE NORTHWEST NATIVE CANOE CENTER , WE COULD BE APPLYING FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO HELP SUPPORT THE PROJECT SO WE CAN MOVE FORWARD AND BUILD THAT PROJECT. I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER IF I AM MISSING ANY OF THEM. THE SLIDESHOW IS NOT ADVANCING, SO. >> NO WORRIES. I KNOW WE ARE HAVING TECHNOLOGY ISSUES. >> AND, WE ARE JUST VOTING TODAY TO AUTHORIZE SUPERINTENDENT DIAZ TO ACT AS AN AGENT FOR THE CITY FOR THESE PROJECTS AS WE APPLY FOR FUNDING. >> THERE WE GO, THE LIST. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK. NOW WE GO BACK TO THE LIST THAT JUST HAD THE AMOUNT AND THE PROGRAMS. >> I AM PREPARED TO VOTE. >> OKAY, SORRY. THE BOAT LAUNCHES ANOTHER PROJECT. THIS IS ONE WE ARE JUST ABOUT DONE WITH DESIGN AND EXCITED ABOUT MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS PROJECT. I THINK THAT IS ALL OF THEM. >> AWESOME, THANK YOU. GREAT OVERVIEW. I KNOW WE HAD THIS. IT WAS A GREAT REFRESHER SO THANK YOU ALL AND I KNOW A LOT OF US HAD BRIEFINGS BEFORE SO JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU. THAT THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION 32164. IS THERE A SECOND? >> THANK YOU. IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO RECOMMEND THE ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION. ARE THERE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS? OKAY. CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLE FOR THE RECOMMENDATION THAT COUNSEL ADOPT RESOLUTION 32164. >> COUNCIL MEMBER KETTLE >> AYE >> COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA >> AYE >> COUNCIL MEMBER STRAUSS >> YES >> COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON >> AYE >> CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH >> YES. >> FIVE IN FAVOR. >> MOTION CARRIES ON THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION WILL BE SENT TO THE MONTFORT COUNCIL MEETING. IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS WE ARE GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE LAST AGENDA ITEM, THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT DIAZ AND MOSHE. THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE. REALLY APPRECIATED AND ALL YOUR WORK. PLEASE READ ITEM NUMBER FOUR INTO THE RECORD. >> ITEM NUMBER FOUR, APPOINTMENT 30 90, APPOINTMENT OF RYAN SMITH AS A MEMBER, CENTRAL WATERFRONT OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE FOR A TERM TO DECEMBER 31, 2025. >> AS I MENTIONED LAST COMMITTEE, THIS WAS OUR 13th APPOINTEE. THE PACKET WAS ACCIDENTALLY NOT INCLUDED DUE TO A CLERICAL ERROR. WE HEARD ABOUT THE DEDICATION OF ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES , APPOINTEES, INCLUDING RYAN SMITH AND WITH THAT BEING SAID I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THE COMMITTEE MOVE FORWARD WITH APPOINTMENT 3090. IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO RECOMMEND CONFIRMATION OF THE APPOINTMENT TO CENTRAL WATERFRONT OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS? OKAY, CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL TO THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION TO AFFIRM APPOINTMENT 3090. >> COUNCIL MEMBER KETTLE >> AYE >> >> AYE >> COUNCIL MEMBER STRAUSS >> YES >> COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON >> AYE >> CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH >> YES. >> FIVE IN FAVOR. >> AWESOME. THANK YOU, THIS WILL BE SENT TO THE MARCH 4th MEETING OF CITY COUNCIL MEETING. THANK YOU, EVERYONE. WITH THAT, I KNOW WE HAVE TWO MINUTES BEFORE SOME OF US HAVE A HARD STOP. I WANTED TO TAKE THIS TIME REALLY QUICK. MOM, HAPPY BIRTHDAY. YOU TURNED 70 ON FRIDAY. THANK YOU FOR THE GIFT OF LIFE. YOU WERE BORN IN NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA. YOU WERE HAD SCOLIOSIS AS A YOUNG CHILD AND SPENT MOST OF YOUR CHILDHOOD IN A BODY CAST. UP TO YOUR NECK, TO FIX YOUR CURVE. YOU OVERCAME MANY CHALLENGES. YOU GRADUATED BOOKER T. WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL, WENT TO XAVIER NEW ORLEANS LOUISIANA HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY. MAJORED IN ENGLISH, MOVED TO SEATTLE IN 1975 WHEN UNCLE BRUCE WAS DRAFTED TO THE SEATTLE SONICS. YOU ARE A TEACHER'S AIDE, NONPROFIT ORGANIZER UNTIL YOU GOT A JOB WITH KING COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY CONNECTING PEOPLE TO HOUSING LONG-TERM. DURING OUR TIME WORKING YOU DID NIGHT SCHOOL TO GET YOUR MASTER'S DEGREE. YOU ARE ALSO A PROUD MEMBER OF THE ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY INCORPORATED. THE HOUSE ALWAYS HAD PINK AND GREEN IN IT. YOU WOULD DRIVE TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH FOR A BASKETBALL GAME, HELP ME WITH MY ORATORY SKILLS, CORRECT INCREDIBLE MEALS, PRAYED WITH ME, SUPPORTED ME LOVE ME UNCONDITIONALLY. MOM, THERE ARE NO WORDS TO DESCRIBE HOW I FEEL ABOUT YOU BUT I WILL USE THE WORDS FROM OUR FAVORITE STEVIE WONDER SONG, WHICH IS FROM THE SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE WHICH IS I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU. THANK YOU. HAPPY BIRTHDAY. >> HAPPY BIRTHDAY. >> HAPPY BIRTHDAY. >> AND, THAT WILL CONCLUDE -- HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM. THAT WILL CONCLUDE THE FEBRUARY 26 MEETING OF THE PARKS, PUBLIC UTILITIES AND TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE. OUR NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26th AT 2:00 P.M. THE MEETING IS ADJOURNED. THANK YOU.