this is one of the most misunderstood animals, one of the largest reptiles on this planet. you can help the scientist do real conservation work. what is amazing is that we have board members who have come up with this concept of the staff on earth watch, the research trips and over 20 years, since 1991 we have sent almost 40 members of the staff to go help. this is a great group. if you've never thought about this, think about it. i would like to talk about the local projects. this is our only native pond turtle, the only native freshwater turtles found in the united states.

the san francisco zoo is working with -- working to determine scientific data that will help this turtle in the wild places. we're actually had starting turtles that have been taken out of the wild for genetic research and we grow them up and release them into the wild. this is an important project, with the oakland zoo and the san francisco zoo, working to help this turtle. this is a very exciting one, and we're just not getting involved with this. it turns out there is a global collapse of amphibians, they're disappearing globally for a lot of reasons. one of them is a fungus, sweeping through california in the high sierra.

it has obliterated population of -- populations of the yellow legged frog. what we are doing is collaborating with the scientists, one of the premier scientists, and we're working with him and his population of frogs that were taken out of a while before this fungus swept through, and these are the only remaining species from this population. we will work on a breeding and release program, and we'll be taking the frogs into the high sierra and releasing them. this is a unique collaboration with san francisco state. and we have a working with the san francisco garter snake, one of the most beautiful snakes, only found along the coast here in northern california. we're working with california state to continue moving the

conversation about this important species. and a new and exciting program, we were approached by u.s. fish and wildlife and national park service to help them with the management of california condors. there would like to use our veterinary expertise to help with the annual medical procedures with california condors. in the past, they were taken from the wild, they would take the populations that they were working with, in the tentacle wilderness population that they are referring to. they would take a couple of them out every year and much of them for poisoning. many of these animals have been shot with these lead bullets, and so -- they have a medical technique where they will leach

out the bloodstream. we are delighted to be partnering with the fish and wildlife service. and the fish and game on this project. and i would like to talk about the san francisco zoo. like all of the communities and all of the city governments, it is important to deal with the waste stream, and people can help to select this and go to compost or garbage. we have been working with parks and recreation about this and we are up to 75% right now. we have biodiesel. we have these vehicles

going out into schools. i saw on the news today, the bay area transport commission is trying to get people to take public transportation. we have the employees -- if they get public transportation, we provide them a couple of money for the passage, and we also encourage people to come to the san francisco zoo by giving them a dollar off. this is a corrective action that will make this a better place. i went to a conference in seattle in march, and this was a conservation conference. this was from committees and zoos across the world talking about global conservation. what was emerging that wanted to bring to you is over half of the

populations of the united states, -- we have an opportunity to really advance the conservation conversation, with these visitors. this is part of a growing in the bidding partnership, with a local and regional governments. people like you. this is an important action that we can make. thank you for your support. >> thank you for your important work that you are doing at the zoo. >> and is there any public comment on this item? public comment is closed.

>> as the parks and recreation department. i would like to introduce the executive director who is here to tell you about the parks and recreation -- the parks and recreation center. we are thrilled about the partnership, and this is a critical and instrumental partner for the program offerings to kids and adults. >> let me introduce this item for you today. i want to finish on a high note with another presentation to the department.

this is something that we talk about a few years ago. we will continue to raise funding, and we collaborate together to create this request. this is excellent teamwork and collaboration between the parks and recreation staff, and this is from the global community grants fund. this will provide hardware, including laptop computers, we have a digital arts mobile program that will give digital arts training to children and adults in recreation centers across san francisco.

this is based on experience from the harvey milk recreation center. this enables us to respond to the need for training to overcome the costs barrier of every -- this is the result of the great work of chris and jamie from rpd and christine gardner. it took a lot of hard work and patience, to make this proposal to google. i have not seen the make a lot of guests here, so this is encouraging that they are thinking of doing this. the second is the $20,000 giftit from sports basement. this funding is for equipment

and supplies for any and all rec centers. rec directors, working with their manager, can apply to us. it is a simple process that is approved by both rec park and sfgtv. some new and innovative projects we recently funding include a lego education robot kit to expand their randall museum's robotics course for fifth through 12th grades students in rec center city-wide. also, safety equipment. pads, ramps, and more for the new action sports program. i think you saw some of that today. it is fun to think of all the kids at summer camp who are being protected by this. i would like to recognize bob and his staff for the great work this year. and michael taylor of san francisco parks trust, and our trusty, christine gardner, who encouraged sports basement to

keep up their support. if you accept this gift, we can do even more. sports basement provided give certificates in support of a fine contest call the name your favorite rec center, going on now through june 30. these are $250 gift certificates that will go to the winners of the contest. over 125 people had voted for their favorite rec center. all you have to do is go to our website, sfpt.org, and vote for your rec center, and the winners are going to get these gift certificates. thank you very much. >> thank you. >> is there any public comment on this item? seeing none, public comment is closed. commissioners? >> entertain a motion. >> obviously, these are very important gifts to the department.

my question is, how do we acknowledge these partners, these individuals, that give us these gifts? do we give them a sign ainge or promotional consideration, -- do we give them signage or promotional consideration, or do we give them certificates of appreciation? i want to be clear on how we thank these individuals appropriately. >> we have a number of different strategies for recognizing the philanthropic and corporate sponsorship that we get. the sentences go part trust in our print -- the san francisco parks trust and our own staff collaborate closely to cover -- together. everyone who gives to this department is due recognized by the department. >> thank you. commissioners, i will entertain

a motion. all those in favor? the ayes have it. >> item 7 is off calendar. we're on item eight, general public comment continue. at this time, members of the public may address the commission. is there anyone who would like to speak during general public, and that has not already done so? general public comment is closed. item nine is commissioners matters. >> commissioners, anything newb -- new? what's in the public comment? seeing none, public comment is closed. item 10, new business agenda setting. commissioners? >> anyone have anything to add? >> any public comment? seeing none, public comment is closed. we're on item 11, communications. and we do have public comment.

we haven't barbara and judy. -- we have barbara and judy. you have three minutes each. >> good morning, commissioners and general manager. i am barbara s -- i am barbara sadr, -- sutter. i noticed there was not the supporting documents on file, so i brought my supporting documents with me for you. there are two letters. one of the letters is a 1990 letter written by rec and park to peach growers, which put an

agreement in place for us to be able to swim at camp mather for a separate fee for the full summer. as far as i know, it is still in effect, because we never got anything to fill us in differently than that. the other letter is the letter i wrote back in september to mr. ginsburg. it is asking for this an agreement that was done in 1990. some of the cabins -- it was treated like it was a donation, and that was fine until last year. all of a sudden, they wanted us to do a day use fee, which is $13 a day, at least it was last year. that equals a $91 a week for one

person. for a total of 27 hours, that is all the pool is open during one week. that is just way too high for some families. for two people, it is $182 per week. if you have a family, children, i mean, it is still $30 a day. too expensive. also, it takes about 20 to 30 minutes, because i had to do it, to fill out the paperwork to get the wristband for the day use the. -- for the day use fee. i did it on a weekday, but if it was a saturday when people are checking into the camp, it would really hold up the camp. it took 30 minutes for each person from peach growers who wanted to go swimming to fill out the forms. and they are in the same line. anyway, that, and that is

probably why we were given the flat rate to start with. it is easier on everybody. still have paperwork. you have to check things off. you still pay. not all of our cabins use the swimming facilities, but i would say half or three-quarters of them probably do. anyway, we had hoped to settle this matter before camp opened, but we're too late. as soon as possible would be good. thank you. >> thank you. with the general manager please meet with those folks? -- would the general manager please meet with those folks? >> good morning, commissioners and general manager. i am judy. i also represent the peach growers. peach growers has a long-term relationship with been mather. we're fortunate enough to have had these happens in our families for several generations, and we have

provided mutual support back and forth with mather for a great number of years and assistance locally. many at the camp had family members, and history dating back to the construction of hetch hetchy. my family goes back to 1927. i do not go back quite that far, but i have 60 years in, and i learned to swim there. i have a selfish interest as well. i am describing this so you understand we're not casual tourists in the area, that we have a long-term relationship. we want to be able to resume the structured arrangement that we had and to come up with a fair arrangement to both. it will be a little bit of a revenue source for the city. instead of every once in a while getting a few day passes, you'd get some amount. the rate we had before was about $100. that was 1990's money, and we support a fare increase to that. that is half or a third of somebody's salary, and every little bit helps these days.

we would like to respectfully ask that we find a way to work with park and rec to see if we can resume this, and hopefully fairly quickly because summer is here. thank you very much. >> is there anyone else would like to make public comment on this item? if so, please come forward. >> good morning. my name is andrea, and i am here on behalf of the peach growers residents tract also. i grew up at camp mather. my father brought there for 25 years. he was a truck driver for park and rec. they sent him up there for a number of years, 25 +. i worked in the general store, and my siblings worked in the dining halls. my mother ever done in the store with myself. my father retired and purchased a cabin down a peach growers, in the hopes that he would always be of to do to camp mather. occasionally we go up and sit by the lake, but we feel like we are intruders.

because we now have to purchase a day pass. my father suffers from alzheimer's and enjoys the time that i can take him and walk through the camp, and he can enjoy his memories. i ask that we have an agreement where we do not feel like we have to apply a wrist band every day to go down there. our cabins are only used by our families. they're not rented out. it is not the general public coming through. i encourage you to come up with some sort of an agreement with us. thank you. >> is there anyone else who would like to speak on this item? >> 1931 was my first summer at campmather -- at camp mather. i was four years old.

we were not actually to stay in the camp, but the campground was open to the public for a fee. my brothers doctor recommended getting him out of the summer fog in santa cruz. so we camped at mather they all summer long and for four more years after that. of course our days were spent at the lake. i learned to swim in the old cement pool, and i was proud when i passed the test is one in the leg. in 1935, my father was able to buy a place at peach growers, and we continued to spend summers there, from june until september, swimming in birch lake every day. we still spend summers at our cabin. my father's grandchildren and great-grandchildren are growing up at the cabin, except that now they're not able to swim in birch lake. * change, that is to be understood. but -- times change, that is to

be understood. but surely it is possible to come up with some equitable arrangement that will allow the families at peach growers to share the heritage of the use of a birch lake. i ask for your thoughtful consideration in this matter. >> is there anyone else who would like to comment under this item? >> my name is dennis. me and my family have a cabin at peach growers, so i would like to address the issue of use of the lake. my understanding is that the first cabins at peach growers were built around 1910. so we're talking about a history of about 100 years. and i also want to emphasize

that the property, th mah -- the mather property is very unique. for hundreds of square miles, there really are not open meadows like that mather. only a few areas. the uniqueness is that it has this late -- lake. it is really the only place in a large area that is available for people to swim or to have that recreational opportunity. for example, the city has a large reservoir where hetch hetchy is, but that is closed to the public. the city has another dam with the body of water at early intake, which is closed to the public. there is a swimming pool at

early intake, which is closed to the public. there used to be a dam on the middle fork when it the boy scouts had a camp, but that is no longer there. so this particular spot, this lake, is the only place. and what my concern also is is that the city, by having a high fee, if that is what its decision is, which for a family of four, i believe, would be $52. again, not 100% sure on that, but i think so. there is also the issue of the difficulty to actually go and use and get a day pass. so not only do you have a high fee, but when, on a saturday -- people may come up on a friday

night and then a saturday afternoon to go to get a pass, and it is the very time- consuming process, because all of the people that are checking in are at the office. if you have ever gone to mather and had to check in, which i have done many times -- i have been going to mather for over 50 years. i was up there with my family. my father was a police officer. that is it. >> thank you. >> is there anyone else would like to comment on this item? seeing none, public comment is closed. >> commissioners, anybody? >> then we are on item 12, which is the adjournment. >> a great. there are communications. -- at the -- [inaudible]

>> we have found out that that is not one of our parks. yes. >> all right, thank you. >> i guess they have enough problems with jurisdiction. >> commissioner harrison >> before we adjourn, could someone please read what was on the plaque? i cannot read the plaque, and i think for tony, he was such a major contributor to camp mather, and i could not read it. i think it does a disservice to him for us not to have that information. >> it is not clear from the picture, i will be there the

week of june 25 for our senior staff event. i will bring back a picture with the text. >> i cannot even read what we said. >> i do not think you can see it from the photograph, so i will get it. >> 0h, so you'll have to get that. somebody will. please have somebody do that, because his contributions were just invaluable, and i really appreciate all the work that he did. i want to know if we recognized him accordingly. thank you. >> thank you. any other business? i will entertain a motion to adjourn. >> so moved. >> second. >> we stand adjourned. thank you, all.