seeing none, this item is closed and we're on the general manager's report. >> good morning commissioners. before beginning my report, i would like to welcome this year's class of san francisco state university interns who are spending the spring with us. so if you could all please stand. rebecca, who is working in our trails program. lisa, who is going to work in early childhood education and marisa in permits and kelly in the marina and david working in city services. joshua in sports and athleticks and jackie, who is going to be working with ana alvarez. this is the fourth year, i think, fourth or fifth year that we have blessed with a great partnership with san francisco university and we have been blessed with a talented group of interns who

are majors in parks recreation and tourism academic concentration at san francisco state. it's a very competitive program and we have an incredibly talented class this year and i know that already. many san francisco state interns have gone on to work with us in our department. so it's a great workforce training opportunity and we are thrilled to have you. so welcome to our commission meeting. so it was just a few short months ago we were saying merry christmas, happy holidays, happy new year and then it was onto a super bowl and then onto to chinese new year and now pitchers and catchers have reported to spring training. so i am here to talk to you about summer camp registration. [ laughter ] it is the end of february, and it's usually when parents are starting to make summer plans for their kids. summer day camp registration begins this saturday, march

16th and this year we're featuring over 70 day camp programs, as well as new camps like lacrosse. and ultimately frisbee and treks, surviving the city on $5 and sf navigation, learning the city of san francisco itself. we have camps geared for older kids and it's worth noting as in past years we'll be hiring close to 200 youth to help us run our camp programs this summer. so we're incredibly proud of our efforts to ensure all kids have the opportunity to go to day camp and last year we provided scholarship it more than 2200 individuals to the tune of $760,000 in subsidized programming. get them right they are hot.

the brochures and registration begins saturday. we're hosting the summer resource fair at everett middle school saturday march 9 from 10:00 equal to 2:00 p.m. the fair say great opportunity to find out about the multitude of summer camps and summer options available to the youth of san francisco. we are just one exhibitor around the city who will be attending the fair and representing programs from kindergarten to high school and there will be presentations and information session on the kindergarten to college program. you are going to hear in a little bit from katie petrucione, but i wanted to highlight good information from the city human resources. during the six-month stretch of the fiscal year 2013 of the our workers' compensation costs are

done $162,000 over the same stretch from the previous year and the number of indemnity and medical claims are down by 33% during the same time period. so i want to thank our own division of human resolutions and kim gee and their team and most of all our workforce for being safe and staying healthy. it really matters. i want to talk about the city's graffiti watch campaign. we are encouraging people to join graffiti watch and get the supplies and training needed to help fight graffiti vandalism in your own neighborhood. dpw's watch is a partnership to keep graffiti off our streets and sidewalks and parks for a safer and cleaner san francisco. graffiti watch empowers individuals or groups to take ownership of a heavily tagged four-blog area in their neighborhood and remove graffiti themselves from public property such as poles, mail bax, trash receptacles and other furniture and in return

dpw provides the training and tools. as we all now at rec and park removing graffiti quickly ideally within 24 hours is a proven fact that the faster they are painted over it's less likely that the vandals can return. those interested can visit dpw's website and download an application and we're very grateful for our partners at dpw for leading the effort to keep our city clean. this issue of golf magazine -- do you read that mr. president? >> it's new, but i will look it up. >> it features your rec and park features wayne; he is the winner of the 2013 herb gravis business person of the year award and feature details how wayne and his crew work tirelessly to keep one of the bay area's most beautiful recreational spots a popular

destination for golfers and frogs alike. we want to congratulate wayne and his staff, as well as lisa wayne and her natural area staff of doing such a tireless job of balancing both recreational uses and environmental stewardship down at the site. last before going to our video of the month i wanted to take a second and recognize les helgard. so les if you could please stand. [ applause ] for those who don't know why you are clapping other than les is a very nice and handsome guy, les has served for the past, i think two years right? was that your term? >> i think three. >> three. your last three years at the prozac committee. under les's leadership and i

want to give great thanks to everyone who has served on prozac, i think that the relationship between the citizens advisory committee and the department has never been stronger and i think it's a body where we welcome really good neighborhood-based feedback and it is a body where you help us solve challenges, set policy, make decisions and do what is right for our parks, open spaces and the 860,000 or so of us that use them that. is a big credit to your leadership, your temperament, to your ability frankly, to see the bigger picture. and all of us at the department and i know on this commission are incredibly grateful to your service. so, too, is san francisco's board of supervisors. so i would like to read to you -- they were kind enough to allow me to present to you a certificate of honor from the board, which

says as follows," the board of supervisors of the city and county of san francisco executes this certificate of honor in appreciative public honor in distinction and merit for outstanding service to a significant portion of the people of the city and county of san francisco les helgard. as president of the park and open space advisory committee and your commitment is an inspiration to us all and your tireless superintendent of the 2012 parks bonds ensures that san francisco will continue to have a world class park system for generations to come. with the utmost respect the board of supervisors extends its highest commendation and appreciate on this day." congratulations, les and thank you. [ applause ]

>> commissioners thank you so muchtor this honor and i want to take time to say thank you to phil and to dawn and to karen and especially to olive, our secretary who stays there late hours and takes care of us. so thank you for your support. i really appreciate it and i want to take an opportunity to introduce you to the new chair, linda da viro. [ applause ] >> i do have some very big shoes to fill and as i said to phil earlier, les has really led us through some very turbulent times that were difficult and has been a strong leader. he has really built some very strong bridges between the departments and i hope i can do

as well, if not in a much better atmosphere with money that we can spend and i look forward to having ongoing regular reports of our efforts and look for your support for what we're doing. and as phil said we're the liaison for the community; supervisors and the department and i hope to fulfill that and i look forward. thank you. >> thank you very much. [ applause ] >> and with that, we would like to show this month's video. produced by jamie hopper of san francisco university, former intern and now city employee.

(showing video) [ music ]partment of emergency

managementdepartment of emergency managementdepartment of emergency managementdem the department of emergency management and that concludes the general manager's report. >> we do have public comment on it. meg wong. good morning commissioners, general manager. i just wanted to come and say as an ordinary citizen interested in our parks and open space that the many times that i have been able to

attention prozac meetings, les has been very inviting, informative and very fair as answering our concerns and it was a pleasure to be at his meetings and you look forward to going to future meetings with my good friend linda. thank you. >> thank you very much. >> is there anyone else who wishes to make public comment on the general manager's report? being none, this item is closed a. and we're now on general manager public comment. >> before that let me say that those in the back we're required to make sure everybody has a seat. >> we're on general public comment. at this time members of the public may address the commission on items of interest to the public that are within the subject-matter jurisdiction of the commission and that do not appear on the agenda.

i have three cards. mark christinsen, ray ponce, and leana emery. >> good morning commissioners and general manager i'm mark christiansen. i have been a member of advisory committee to rec and park and work with the architects at dpw on a volunteer basis to offer suggestions in the design of renovated keizer stadium 25 years. i'm a 44-year track and field coach in san francisco. the mono track, a rolled out and glued in place running surface at keizer stadium has served the city and its vast users well over a 23-year period where with it's continued daily use. a replacement is long overdue and beginning in 2007 your keizer advisory committee suggested a

look at a replacement. the time to ask the mayor and the capital planning committee to release the funds to replace the track is long overdue. i come before you with over 1,000 letters of support for funding from students, parents, coaches, adult track users and school administrators to urge the recreation and park commission to formally request the mayor and the capital planning committee to make an immediate commitment to restore keizer stadium to its crown jewel status among rec and park facilities for the use by all san franciscans. i have the letters that i have just presented over there and there will be other letters going to the mayor. i know of no one who is in opposition to this. i have well over 1,000 letters to deliver to the mayor a

little later this morning. i thank you for your work, and encourage the commission to request the funds to be released during this budget cycle. thank you very much. >> thank you. >> next speaker, please. >> good morning commissioners, my name is raymond ponce and i have been a track and field coach in san francisco for the past 46 years. i want to second what mr. christensen told just told you and remind you who the primary users of the track are there. we have the elementary schools and middle schools, 22. we have ten high schools. we have the private and parochial schools. what we were asking and what mr. christensen brought up, if this

is taken care of now, we may prevent any injuries down the line as the track continues to deteriorate. if it's attended to now, we are saving ourselves that problem down the road. please, if i take a little time and i'm sure you have all passed keizer, you will see there is always somebody there and especially as was just brought up the recreation department has their summer camps and over the years how many thousands of children have participated? so thank you. >> thank you? >> next speaker.

>> i'm the president of the kezar stadium advisory committee. we're a group of citizens representing groups that have been meeting for years to help the recreation and park department determine policy and maintenance of the facility. congratulations on having such a world-class facility, but it's inappropriate that it be deteriorated to the point it is now. we need you to make some sort of resolution to show your support for the maintenance and repair of the track i have a couple -- you know, there are other groups that use this. this is a very diverse community. the tenderloin track club considers this their home-field and those kids need a safe place to work. there is also the special olympics people who use it. those kids are handicapped. we can't have a track that poses a hazard to them. so in

the interest of having this wonderful facility we need to keep it maintained and i hope you can all work with us and we have been working hard as you can see from mr. christensen efforts. the longer you wait the more it's going to co. it's one of those kind of issues. so we thank you for your support and hope that we hear some sort of a verbal resolution or intention from you. thank you. >> thank you. >> is there anyone else who like to speak. >> calvin walsh, kezar advisory committee representing the haight-ashbury velocity. i would second the remarks of miss emery and believe those involved in the hank recycling center know that the haight-ashbury council and other group were on opposite side of that issue.

we are on the same side of this issue. this is a critically important facility. your advisory committee has spent the last 25 years of its life, some of it very fun, and invigorating, ensuring that the facility is a recreational facility, aimed at youth sports. an integral part of that mission is the track. we have the state qualifying city championships there. we have the high school championships and middle school championships there. track meets there. it is critically important that this facility be maintained, since it was produced at all of our expense by a general obligation bond. we would urge you strongly to communicate in writing to the mayor's office with a copy to the board of supervisors, urging your priority for funding of the repair of the track in this fiscal year.

thank you. >> thank you. >> is there anyone else who wishes to make general public comment at this time? being none, public comment is closed and we're on item 5, the consent calendar. we have two cards from public comment, linda da viro and may wong. that is on the consent calendar. >> linda da viro and i was privileged to be one of the members on the three rounds of community opportunity funds that just completed. and i hopefully am going to hear that you are going to unanimously support the funding of the projects that were identified during our last round. we had over 25 applications, and it was very difficult to

whittle down what we had, because there is such an overwhelming need for work in our parks as of course, you all know. but i hope that you have read the packet that was given to you and realize these projects that were chosen, were ones that we felt really were broad-addressing issues that would bring more people into the park and expands the facilities. again, unfortunately we don't have the funds to award all the applications that we saw and there are very many good ones and with the new funding round, we hope some of those people come back. i want to mention that jake was extraordinary adept at bringing in more of the high-needs neighborhoods than we had seen in the earlier two rounds. so

it was a privilege to be able to award funding for those areas that really needed them. so please unanimously go ahead and approve as jake as submitted it. thank you. >> thank you. >> may. >> i want to say thank you for considering the prague stairway renovation. thank you. >> thank you. >> linda lighthowser.

>> hello commissioners. i also want to thanks for this round of community opportunities fund grants. i work very hard with the prague street neighbors to get signatures for this project and i want you to know these were not people involved. i thought it was important that you know that. they live adjacent to crocker amazon park and wanted to use the steps that are in total decay. they volunteered to do maintenance once the project is completed and to watch over it and supervise it. they went to their churches and school groups to gather the signatures and these people are so grateful how government works. thank you. >> thank you. any others to speak on the consent calendar?

being none, this item is closed. commissioners we would need a motion to approve the consent calendar without 5e. >> item e will be taken off? >> yes. >> and then provided separately after this vote. is there a motion? >> commissioner harrison? >> i apologize. >> before we vote on, this and i'm sure it will be unanimous, i just wanted to compliment the people. i have been blessed and lucky enough and honored to be on that committee with these folks jake and jenny and the staff put together a great committee. there it's unbelievable that the work and the interest these people take in making sure these important projects get money to get done. it's just as some of our folks have mentioned it's just a great program. it's something that should have been done a long time ago and i'm hoping that other bond

measures, the and the next one is coming along and i hope to continue with this great group of people. they know their parks out there very well and they all bring something to this committee and it's an honor to be serving with them. if you would be patient with me i will read their names. bill wheel, he is very knowledgeable about things. cara rupert, a landscape architect, very good. terrance yang, linda da viro, you can see the interest this lady takes and she is now the president of prosac and jonathan silverman and i would like to give them a big thank you. [ applause ]

>> moved and seconded. all those in favor? >> aye. >> so moved >> now we are on item 5e, the department of emergency management back lot security project. >> good morning commissioner holly pearson from the capital and planning commission. this item was referred to the consent calendar earlier this month, but however due to requests by the city attorney's office we have made some minor non-substantive changes to the text of the actually encroachment permit, exhibit c. we would just like to briefly explain it's minor clarifications to language, addition adding and emphasizing that the property will be renovated through the 2012 parks bond and therefore, the installation of the security fencing is considered temporary. and adding to the recitals, date of approval by the commission. and that is pretty much it. that is what the changes are. >> thank you. >> is there any public comment

on this item? being none, public comment is closed. commissioners? >> is there a motion? >> so moved. >> seconded. >> all those in favor? >> a. >> so moved. thank you. >> thank you. item 6, the san francisco zoo. >> good morning commissioner i'm wayne redding the cfo of the san francisco zoo. in the absence of tanya peterson our director i will present the zoo's update today. >> thank you. >> beginning with the financial update, >> are you doing a powerpoint?

>> yes. >> okay. >> beginning with the financial update i'm very happy to report and certainly as the cfo to report that our actually year-to-date attendance through january 319 is 449,869 visitors. it's overbudge by 8.2% or 34,069 visitors. we just had a very, very good first-half of the year and to add to that, we have had a spectacular and record-setting presidents' holiday weekend, including lunar new year on sunday and the opening of a temporary dinosaur maze exhibit on friday. you can visit the dinosaur maze expect