tv [untitled] March 4, 2013 5:30pm-6:00pm PST
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in the city. if you look at page 13, 2 of the district nine parks are among the ten lowest performers. you know, rolf and garfield. and if you look at page 18, district nine actually has the lowest cleanliness in terms of any district in this city. and you have a number of decreases in terms of scoring with some pretty, you know, ski parks, jose coronodo 20 to 18.8 which was a 30 percent reduction. 84.3 to 91.1, 5.1 reduction. and nenos from 93 to 90. so you can see that there is this trend and i know that you talked about having a list of
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parks that you are looking at. so you know, is that a document that we can so and what are you doing when you have something like this? but there is a trend where you know there are lower scores in a district like district nine? >> right. >> what is your strategy? >> absolutely we can get you that list of the parks on the watch list and that is the value of this report is that it draws our attention to what you draw our attention to and that is the further follow ups and the information goes to the supervisor and the directors are extremely interested in this kind of a trend as well. these parks will go on the watch list with extra special attention both in terms of the park evaluation process but more importantly in terms of the maintenance and the frequency of the maintenance and also refers to the action plans that we are talking about, why we are documenting. what we need to give to you is the action plans to document how we are responding to these
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kinds of scores. >> i think that this is great information and it allows us to have this conversation. i think that having more detail going forward on some of the strategies for bringing the scores up for some of these parks is really changing the trend would be very useful. >> mr. general manager. >> sure, supervisor. again, we are not particularly defensive about the data. >> no >> it is sort of helpful for us and we do guide it. >> i think that district nine, you know, in every district is a little different and the parks are a little different and each park has a unique set of challenges and one of the more encouraging stats are over all cleanliness and district nine remains as one of highest rated districts and i think that the over all scores were about 11, 12 or 88 percent, and while it was a two percent drop
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off from 10-11 it is up from where we started in 56 and 67. so i think that we are keeping an eye on it but one of the things that we need to understand is that these scores are snapshots in time as i think that they explained. and i would be concerned if there were a continuing downward trend. i think that 9 seems to be sort of kind of right there for the most part. garfield has its particular set of challenges as i think that you know and off a little bit too and sometimes, higher performing parks have more robust friends groups or volunteer groups. and we do try, you know, we can't, we do encourage volunteers and we very closely with the parks alliance and the other organizations. our approach when we do get requests for corporate volunteers, we do try to assign
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them in parks where they don't already have an institutional base of volunteers to get the extra help and we will continue to do that. >> so, if i may add, and i appreciate that, thank you. and you guys are always very responsive, that is one thing that i would say. that any time that we have a concern, you guys are there. >> if you do look at the issue of cleanliness in rest rooms. d9 has the best score if you look at page 18. i guess that the concern that i have is that i think that at some point d9 was the highest performing district in the city over the last few years we have seen a progressive decline in those scores and my fear is that we it is just assumed that district nine is okay when in reality, i think that the trend is going you know, in the opposite direction that we want to see it in. i want to make sure that we
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don't, you know, think about it in that way. because, the longer we wait for something else that i know that you know, the longer you wait to make some of these repairs, the more expensive that it becomes down the road. >> yes. >> thank you. >> sure. >> okay, and i just like to close out. expressing my appreciation for the change in park rating score for the district ten neighborhood and also leave a statement of encouragement to continue moving that trend, moving the needle up. when i look at ten, nine, ten and eleven. these three districts have a lot of similarities not just in ethnic make-up and the economic make-up of the neighborhood, but, in park scores there are many things that we have in common, and rest rooms, cleanliness and supervisor campos and i are talking about a difference of 0.5, 0.5
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percent. and so, it is so i guess that my point is that as you continue to focus on nine, you can see and continue to share love, not against anything against. >> we are going to be focusing on districts nine and ten and eleven. >> and four. >> and in case anybody else is listening, we are going to definitely focus on 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, and 11. >> you left 8 out. >> and 8. >> not the king of the parks themselves. >> but in all seriousness, particularly as we know the three of us rally around mcclarin park and the second largest park and that is important it touches a lot of people. so it is a huge priority. >> and obviously, we would certainly encourage the board to, you know, think as the economy has improved in recent years to think about
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reinvesting a little bit more in parks. you know, i think... >> you mean, in terms of the budget? >> yeah, in terms of gardeners and staff, i mean that we are really short and so we tend to move sort of pieces around the chess board and we have gotten better at deploying staff rather than having a mixture of fixed post assignments that gardeners cover and we are doing more group projects but as our park superintendent likes to say and remind me that our staff performs a small miracle every day and we have an old park system and a park system that is loved to death. and we have as we should, extraordinary high standards for how we want our parks to be and we need to make the commitment to invest in the park system that we want. >> all right. thank you very much. >> mr. director. >> well, supervisor taning?
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>> since you are here, one more question for you, i know that you mentioned the apprenticeship program and it has done a lot and a lot of the residents have noticed a positive difference and just curious to know if the future any plans to expand that program or how to utilize them. >> so the program really has been successful and the program is an example of sort of groups, where you have a particular problem or a challenge where we are able to take, you know, 12 or 14 really hard working people and have them attack a particular problem and we do deploy the apprentices they go all around the city depending upon the need. it is a fabulous program and i don't want us to forget about the program of the supervisors and our assigned gardeners who work with them to help deliver the results. it is a program that we want to
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continue to grow and the best thing about the apprenticeship program which has contributed to positive scores over all. we are creating a workforce pipeline where we know when an apprentice graduates and we are working with the department of resources to insure that a person that complaints the program will always have a job as a 34-17 upon that completion. where the apprentices are getting the academic training and the on the ground training. it makes a difference for someone who has proven their success and commitment and have a test and a list where you are hiring someone that you don't know their work history as well. so, in each of the last three budget years, we have added apprentices and so we will now have a total of an increase of two more apprentices in this year's budget. >> so it would be 27, which is
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pretty good and don't forget that it is a basically a 2 to 3 year program and when it is done, then they move on to fill a vacantcy as a gardener and then we are able to backfill the spot. so, we would welcome any additional apprentices that you feel are appreciate to keep, 4, 10, and 9 clean. >> supervisor campos. >> i have a question and i appreciate the program, and i think that is a very important part of this. i just had a question about mcclarin park and supervisor cohen noted the importance of that as a regional park and it involves three different districts. i was looking at the score on page 38, and there was a pretty significant change in terms of the scores in the first quarter as opposed to second quarter and then quarter and fourth
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quarter and i was wondering is that because of additional work was done. or i was trying to understand that. >> you know, lidia you might know more but that is one of those things supervisor where you see on any given day that it is a snapshot in a moment in time. >> yes. >> and so i am, you know there is subjectivity with the evaluator and who knows what they saw that day and what was happening out there. but i think that if you look at the other 2, 4, 5, scores from that year, including two from the controller in mcclarin park because they covered different areas. you know, it is a slightly better story. you know that mcclarin park is really, i think, it is certainly been under appreciated and certainly below the radar but i would argue no more. and i think in part that is because of some really incredible stewardship and leadership from the neighboring
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communities from around that park and several of you know because it is three districts. and we are very proud that that 2012 parks bond includes over a total of about 12 million dollars of investment in mcclarin park or we just recently completed the philosopher's trail which supervisor cohen and campos you were there. which is amazing. the 2008 bond, opportunity program has saved mcclarin park applied for a grant to reno vait the playground which is getting done, we are in conversations right now with an organization about renovating the ball field down at sutter. we have renovated and cleaned mcnab lake. we have uspa out there and it has done a great job of stewarding the tennis court
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area by (inaudible) so there is a lot of good stuff happening there. >> thank you. >> thank you, very much. >> are there any members of the public that would like to speak on this item? >> mr. douglas you have residency for 61 years approaching. >> good morning, supervisors, my name is shat, and i will attend when i turn 100 too. >> i was wondering in this maintenance report there is going to be any discussion about the ongoing program to cut down dangerous trees throughout the city and there was a recent call article saying that there was going to be an active cutting of the trees, which you know, will prevent people getting hit like at sigmond stern grove and i wonder if it discusses the
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privatization of the public facilities and recreations of parks departments and i am a little disappointed and i did not see the codray of demonstraters that i have seen in the past whether or not park and rec has a hearing. there is usually some elderly women demonstrating in regards to the accessive private use of public facilities. also, i am going to thank this committee for having this hearing. as usually, i feel that in the recent past, too many committees have canceled meetings, and my opinion short changing the public because in effect we are paying for not getting any service. and i was even impressed this morning and it seems like this committee seems rejuvenated there was a different feel and atmosphere to the way that the discussion was going and i think that is a big improvement
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because in my opinion, it has been pretty laxadasical under ferel and chu. >> thank you for your opinions. any other members of the public? >> no, seeing none, public comment is closed. >> all right. i would love to entertain a motion. whether we can file this? >> i don't know, does the park council want to speak? i asked if there was more public comment? >> good morning, supervisors, maradeth i was running late. thank you for having this hearing, the parks alliance is really interested in making sure that the parks throughout our parks system are clean and safe and well maintained. and we are pleased to see that
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parks scores are sort of maintaining. we want to continue to work with each of you to improve the differences in scores and make sure that every neighborhood can enjoy the same level of cleanliness and activation and injoyment and also want to say at a certain point as density increases and we put more and more pressure on the system we need to think about the way that we fund main nens so that we are not afraid of adding new parks and creating custom and enjoyable playoffs and parks for fear that we will not be able to maintain them. i look forward to working with you on the budget issues related to park maintenance and the bonds will get us a long way with the parks that are falling behind but it will not take the step to maintain the facilities in the way that the department with manage. and supervisor tang i just wanted to say welcome and we look forward to working with you more. thank you for allowing me to speak. >> are there any other members of the public that would like to speak on item one?
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>> seeing none, public comment is closed. if there is know more public comment, may i have a motion to continue or file? >> should we file it? >> we would like to file. so sounds like supervisor tang has made a motion to file this item. is there a second. >> second. >> fantastic, thank you very much. item has been filed. madam clerk, are there any other matters for us to deal with? >> there are no other items. >> thank you very much. this meeting is adjourned. thank you everyone.
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chocolate and cupcakes galore, the options are endless. anyone out there with a sweet tooth? then i have a great stop for you. i've been searching high and low for some great cookies and the buzz around town that anthony's are those cookies. with rave reviews like this i have to experience these cookies for myself and see what the fuss was all about. so let's see. while attending san francisco state university as an accountinging major, anthony's friend jokingly suggested he make cookies to make ends make. with no formal culinary training he opened his own bakery and is now the no. 1 producer of gourmet cookies in the biarea and thank you for
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joining us on quick bites. how do you feel? >> i feel great. >> so i want to get to the bottom of some very burning questions. why cookies? >> it was a recommendation from a friend. hard to believe that's how it all started. >> why not pies and cakes? what do you have against pies and cakes, anthony. >> i have nothing against pies and cakes. however, that was the recommendation. >> you were on the road to be an account apblt. >> actually, an engineer. >> even better. and it led to making cookies. >> in delicious ways. >> delicious ways.
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>> this is where the magic goes down and we're going to be getting to the truth behind cookies and cream. >> this is what is behind cookies and cream. >> where were you when the idea came to your mind. >> i was in my apartment eating ice cream, cookies and cream ice cream. how much fun, cookies and cream cookies. their cookies and cream is not even -- it took a lot of time, a lot of fun. >> a lot of butter. >> a lot, a lot, a lot. but it was one of those things. all right, now behold. you know what that is? >> what is that?
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>> cookies and cream. >> oh, they are beautiful. >> yes, so we got to get --. >> all right, all right. we treat the cookies like wine tasting. i don't ever want anybody to bite into a cookie and not get what they want to get. we're training staff because they can look at the cookie and tell if it's wrong. >> oh, here we go. >> you smell it and then you taste it, clean the plat palate with the milk. >> i could be a professional painter because i know how to do this. >> i can tell that it's a really nice shell, that nice crunch. >> but inside. >> oh, my god. so you are going to -- cheat a
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little bit. i had to give you a heads up on that. >> what's happening tomorrow? these cookies, there's a lot of love in these cookies. i don't know how else to say it. it really just makes me so happy. man, you bake a mean cookie, anthony. >> i know. people really know if they are getting something made with love. >> aww >> you know, you can't fool people. they know if you are taking shortcuts here and there. they can eat something and tell the care that went into it. they get what they expect. >> uh-huh. >> system development and things like that. >> sounds so technical. >> i'm an engineer. >> that's right, that's right. cookies are so good, drove all
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other thoughts out of my head. thank you for taking time out it talk to us about what you do and the love with which you do it. we appreciate your time here on quick bites. i hope you've enjoyed our delicious tale of defendant 93 and dessert. as for me, my search is over. those reviews did not lie. in fact, i'm thinking of one of my very own. some things you just have it experience for yourself. to learn more about anthony's cookies, visit him on the web at anthoniescookies.com. if you want to watch some of our other episodes at
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