[inaudible]. before and after photos get real results that result in a camaraderie among the workers that are from our communities [inaudible]. and then go around that commitment and engage all these other programs which is what's been happening. there's no reason to hire at the journey level rate as an entry level spot when you have an already previously committed to apprenticeship [inaudible]. so, our concern was that the department insisted on hiring 34 17s instead of hiring 34 10s. and that's where our union put its money where its mouth is. we gave the wages. the apprentices make 55% of the journey [inaudible] these

workers [speaker not understood] to make a commitment to the citizens we serve and to city college to get the education that's necessary to perform these functions in the park, which we don't get from the people we hire off the streets. and, so, the fact of the matter is when you tack about all these public service trainees, there's no training. there's no pathway. you bring these people in, you don't know where they are. you don't know who is supervising them. you don't know what work they're [inaudible]. it's disrespectful to these young men and women who they want to have an opportunity and career in rec and park. we don't have a mechanism, it's not connected, supervisors. it needs to be connected by management so you know what a trainee is, is that a pre-apprentice? is there a training component? who evaluates those people? how do they get accepted into the apprenticeship program? which members of your district get into those apprenticeship programs? because they're highly coveted positions. so, all we ever tried to do was raise the barbie administering this program and we got upset

when we saw that it was being pushed off to the side. when we saw that our proposals were dying, just dying. and it wasn't happening. we couldn't get [inaudible]. equipment from these public service trainees for our state certified apprentices, like trucks and stuff. then it started to feel like it was personal. that's why we came to you [inaudible] to assist us at connecting the dots, making sure that these journey level positions that are highly coveted, there's competition for them. because i believe, and we all believe, that there's a great deal of value in the neighborhoods for a strong, committed, capable knowledgeable maintenance worker. whether they be a gardner or laborer. that's what our unions are about, making sure these people are doing good, hard work from the city and the citizens we serve. that's all i have today. (applause)

>> thank you. let's open this up for further [inaudible]. i have a few cards. nancy wilson. michelle meyers. john rizzo. jim [speaker not understood]. [speaker not understood] and lois miles. if you heard your name, please come forward. this one? okay. it. good afternoon, i'm nancy wilson. i'm here to support the apprentice program. i was at the rec and park commission when this was approved and i was extremely impressed with the way it was proposed. it was clear the apprentices would be comprehensively trained. they would provide a supply of

qualified men and women to the permanent workforce. and they would also provide extra help in the parks while also saving the city money as they were in that [inaudible]. with their, quote, glitches or something like that in the system. it really is disheartening to feel that there's good pr and people are hopeful, but not when there are games that are being played or anything that's less than completely straightforward in getting these people hired as city employees. so, i want to encourage you to be extremely careful that this is not just, you know, oh, everything's fine and dandy with the powerpoint. let's make sure that hr is going to do its part in getting these people into the workforce. and also i'd like to just make a comment that if you think about it, if we had a gardner out at the beach chalet soccer fields, we wouldn't be hearing the need for [speaker not

understood] in golden gate park. that definitely offends me. last, i'd like to admonish sarah quoted in the examiner, she's the public relations director for the department, for her unprofessional comment about the accusations being, "just locker room chatter." [inaudible]. insulting and it's not acceptable from a city employee paid to represent the department. much less the public relations director. i support your help in keeping this program on track exactly as it should be. thank you. >> thank you very much. next speaker, please. and if you heard your name called, if you can line up over by those pillars over there, it would be great. john rizzo speaking on behalf of the sierra club and the sierra club is supporting local 261 laborers in this item. the sierra club feels strongly

that we need the best maintained parks that we possibly can have. i don't think we completely agree that everything is the best, but we think our -- the laborers are high-quality professionals and know what they're doing. and we'd hate to see that slip in any way by getting less qualified people who aren't trained. as well, the city college program is an excellent program and it's -- produces a great outcome. so, whatever help you can do, we'd appreciate it. thank you. >> thank you. i'm going to call a identify more cards. if you hear your name called, please line up [inaudible]. waynn hiroshima, [speaker not understood], [speaker not understood] feinstein. joan valentini. eric brooks. good afternoon, i'm jennifer [speaker not understood], i'm with the trust for public lands.

i direct our parks bay area program. i want to thank you for the opportunity to comment. i just wanted to speak a little bit more broadly along the lines of supervisor wiener's comments about partnerships in general. the trust republic land is a national nonprofit organization and we've been headquartered here for 40 years and have worked with the city of city of 40 years to acquire planned for new parks and to raise funding for new parks and help design and develop new parks so parks are a part of what makes this city livable. [speaker not understood] opened the presentation with park score and san francisco has an excellent city park system and our organization rated it number one across the country with some standard metrics. under phil's leadership, san francisco really recognizes the quality and funding that are critical to maintaining an excellent park system. and has been really successful, i think, in striving to create and leverage resources to

maintain that status. even when the department is pretty under staffed and underfunded. anyway, the challenges rec and park faces are similar to what is going on around the country. the park departments need to be creative to find sources of revenue from partners, citizens, nonprofits, to really provide the best possible park system. under phil's leadership, the trust for public land has been especially productive with the city leveraging $4 million of private funds into $16.5 million that ends up benefiting city parks in the tenderloin, western addition, excelsior neighborhoods. he's also developed a partnership process that really clearly identifies where the responsibilities between nonprofits and the department so we can ensure the department, the great staff that is within the city, has meaningful roles of engagement all the way through the process. so, just want to thank you very

much for the opportunity to speak to this partnership that lends the best [inaudible]. city departments. >> thank you. thank you very much. next speaker, please. good afternoon, supervisors. my name is waynn hiroshimi, i'm actually a native san franciscan. i want to share the rec and park has done such a phenomenal job with the parks. it was my backyard. it's my children's, it's my grandchildren's backyard. [inaudible]. when i retired i said i was going to give back to the community. for the last four years [inaudible]. i've had the opportunity to work side by side with the apprenticeship group which is really [inaudible]. and their excitement and how enthusiastic they are about doing this kind of work. not only that, but what i appreciate about them is they have come into areas in the park where i don't think they would normally be or would not

be addressed by one of the gardeners that we have. [inaudible]. resolving the situations that may come up. thank you. [inaudible], and i'm involved [inaudible]. most recently i've been working on the lawn bowling greens [inaudible]. to say the least. and for a number of years we were making very little progress at a very [inaudible]. say that rec and park has helped us a lot in making improvements, but [inaudible]. a the benefit is the apprenticeship program. when they come in in force,

they have an impact and they inspire the community because when they're there, when you walk away after they've been there, there's a change. [inaudible]. to make a difference instead of just little [inaudible]. you can to keep that program in place, i think it's [inaudible], it's participants. i think it promotes pride in its participants. and i think it gives them standard performance that are really critical. i don't see that in all the people that are working in the parks and these guys can raise the standard. so, i encourage you to do anything you can to maintain it, support it. i encourage phil to do the same because i think they're doing a great job in the rpd. thank you. >> thank you. next speaker, please. hi, my name is joan valentini, i'm a native san franciscan and i live and work in san francisco as a city gardner. the mind of the professional setting of the gardner classification 34 17 began several years ago. [inaudible].

oversimplification of the 17 34 test, the reduction of minimum qualificationses and the refusal to verify applicant's experience and the use of departmental in-house testing [inaudible]. city gardeners upon seeing the [inaudible] new hires went to [inaudible] case. [inaudible] the state certified gardeners apprenticeship program. and [inaudible]. and because of their unwillingness to validate an applicant's experience, unqualified candidates continue to be hired before apprentices. and even though with a restricted budget, parks and rec have added more administrators while leaving large [speaker not understood] abandoned [inaudible]. at the proper landscape maintenance. we need to hire a skilled workforce for our city parks now. and these candidates should come from the gardner

apprenticeship program. thank you. >> thank you very much. next speaker, please. supervisors, i'm arthur feinstein. i'm chair of the bay chapter of the sierra club. well, as you know, we've bev only seen eye to eye with rec and park. [speaker not understood]. and if we only listen to the powerpoint that was presented to us, it's a bowled over, what an incredible organization it is. and yet we know from our interactions with pd that there are problems there. we have [speaker not understood] park closed for [inaudible] can make money off it. there's ongoing privatization in various parks of this city park system. in order to fund the gap that you guys [inaudible] through rec and park. there's no question there is a money problem.

privatizing our precious park space. and the park space we do have [inaudible] and that brings us to the gardeners. and while the powerpoint made it seem like there was no problem at all, you're hearing now what the problems actually are. it would have been nice if rpd had actually come in and said, here's the problems, this is the problem we're having with the union and we're going to work with them. we didn't hear that. we didn't hear any offer to work with the union that i heard. just that they had a great program. well, [inaudible]. i hope you act as the intermediaries to get [inaudible]. solutions, it's hard to believe there is not a problem if these folks say [speaker not understood] people and trying to get them placed. there is a problem. let's see if we can fix it. thanks very much. >> thank you. next speaker, please. good afternoon, supervisors.

eric burks, representing san francisco green party and the local grassroots organization our city. as i often do, i'd like to take this up to the 30,000 foot level and look down on it from the big picture. by the way, we are in strong support of what the laborers are asking for [inaudible] program. in times of economic crisis, and we had many of them since 1980, we see corporations and other [speaker not understood] try to use that economic crisis to do what's [speaker not understood] describes as [inaudible]. you take advantage of the fact that there is an environmental crisis [inaudible]. instead of doing what fdr did and doing a lot more offending of programs. instead, corporations and other [speaker not understood] put pressure for us to cut things. when the federal government cuts a lot, and then that cuts the state and then the state

cuts us. and then what that does is it leverages its strong arms, you folks on the board of supervisors and it strong arms the [inaudible]. to start trying to [inaudible]. defend the parks instead of defending it with government money like it should be and privatizing the parks. it puts pressure, the i way to do this is put pressure against union labor and drive unions out of the labor force more and more. and, so, [inaudible] privatization and outsourcing of labor [inaudible]. the single employee in the government and local government would be a union employee [inaudible] capitalism pressure and head back [inaudible] so what eventually every rec and park employee with a union

[inaudible]. so, please send it back in the right direction. thanks. >> thank you. next speaker, please. before the next speaker speaks,ly call out more cards. vanessa banks. jackie flynn. william morgan. leo pitcher. joshua arce. hi, ed collins schmidt, executive director of [speaker not understood], father of three. [inaudible]. the powerpoint and all the positive [inaudible]. with phil ginsberg and his staff. [inaudible]. collaborating partner, working in [speaker not understood] airs az of the city. i can say nothing but positive things about the progress

[inaudible] and his staff at all levels, from 30,000 feet to looking, you know, looking through the bushes and the grass, it's a solid operation. all of the staff should be congratulated. we are proud partners of rec and park and know that there are issues obviously, but we have the greatest faith in the integrity and the good will and the vision of phil and the department and the staff at all levels. so, [inaudible]. thank you. >> thank you. next speaker, please. good afternoon. thank you, supervisors. my nameis vanessa banks [speaker not understood] ~. speaking only as a representative, as a city official, i have been working for park and rec for two years now. ~ [inaudible] but i also speak for community as well in the apprenticeship program. it has been really helpful for a lot of people, but i have

known to be inside of the program and i believe that cutting the program would really be hurtful to our youth today because of what the green [inaudible]. that is coming to us will hurt the youth because the summer programs are also working inside the gardens and the youth. if you have a 17-year-old that's, you know, really her first time or his first time working inside of a garden and they want to go into the apprenticeship program within the next year to gain the experience to help the leaders in the city to help take care of our parks. because as you know, with a principle disships, with appreciation it can be sustainable. please look out for us. we need you all. thank you. >> thank you. good afternoon, everyone. my name is jackie flynn.

i'm the executive director of the [speaker not understood]. from what i heard today there is no doubt rec and park has amazing facilities. they have prided themselves on maintaining these facilities. i work in the bayview. i work to prepare young adults and san francisco residents for their first-time entry, but also reentry into the workforce, to maintain sustainable families in strong communities of color in the city. and as vanessa was saying, green agers is a great program that i recently recruited 11 district youth to participate in this year. it is an environmental leadership program that peek's their interest to our open space. in programs like that as well as the [inaudible]. in creating hope and pride for residents that come from low-income communities in the city, each apprentice that is [inaudible] complete a three-year program.

and we all know that can be difficult for working families and those that already struggle to make ends meet. our founders, [speaker not understood] as well as [speaker not understood] forged a relationship between labor and communities of color. so, it is definitely a little concerning when we are called by the laborers to [inaudible]. but i [inaudible] have understanding and supporting the efforts to a resolution to keep these parks as beautiful as they are, but also keep those workers that keep them beautiful. we're strong supporters of the laborers, also continuing the gardening program. and we feel that every apprentice who completes the program, which means [inaudible] the success and excellence shall receive full-time positions with the department. thank you. >> thank you very much. next speaker. more cards. lucas tobin. colin schmidt.

angela bailey. kim mitchell. and john rowley. thank you, supervisors. my name is neil butcher. i live in the richmond. good to see you, supervisor mar, again. i'm a native san franciscan and i've been using parks all my life. and i can tell you it's been a lot of change in these parks, particularly in the last several years. and [inaudible]. apprenticeship program, but i think i have seen some of their results. a friend of mine, jeff gordon [inaudible]. but i believe he's already sent it to you, so, i'll spare you that. but i just want to speak in [inaudible]. the other day i was driving

across cross over drive [inaudible]. and [inaudible]. i was stuck in traffic as you always are on cross over. it was remarkable to me. i kind of stopped and i looked over and i was like, dabtionverctiontion, ~ dang, this looks great out here. this is the western end of the park which is the most neglected [inaudible]. so, i get that. but it doesn't have to look [inaudible]. particularly along the drive. i think it looks great now. and then one other thing in terms of specifically phil ginsberg. he showed up at a ymca board -- richmond ymca board the other night. really remarkable example of partnership, in my mind. it was late in the evening. he didn't have to be there. but he just showed up to say that he wanted to be a partner with another organization that's important to at least

supervisor mar's district. thank you very much for your time. >> thank you. next speaker, please. hello. i work for park and rec and also varsity baseball coach for june high school. park and rec 20 years, retired. as you well know. the park system how well they've improved. i've just been offered a lot of support by the staff that i work for. and i've seen the great things that we do here in san francisco for the kids and the community. and that's why i'm here to offer my support for our staff and for park and rec as a whole. that's it. thank you. >> thank you very much. next speaker, please. good afternoon. thank you for the opportunity to speak. my name is angela bailey. i also work for america [speaker not understood]. this year phil ginsberg has been [inaudible].

[inaudible]. looks out for users first and foremost. i think the department, police chief, fire chief, or members of the local community have been classified or he has, as an incredible public servant. his equity and enthusiasm for the san francisco residents he serves will definitely leave a lasting legacy for all users and opportunities for every family and kid to come. thank you. >> thank you very much. next speaker, please. good afternoon, supervisors. [inaudible]. with san francisco recreation and parks and also seiu member. and i had the honor of being part of the labor management [inaudible].

organize our recreation services a few years back. and i saw firsthand in those meetings and in those planning sessions that ginsberg and our other management's dedication to saving as many jobs as possible and in saving recreation in san francisco. and as a result of that process, we are absolutely going in the right direction. we are providing best practices [inaudible]. for the first time in my 23 plus years at recreation and parks. i can actually -- i actually can encourage people to apply for jobs here in the recreation field. >> thank you very much. next speaker, please. hi, supervisors. my name is mike ross, san francisco resident for my whole life. and i've been with the department for 22, 23 plus years. i love this department, love my job.

proud to have the management that we have, definitely taken us out of some dark times and taken us to very bright times. i feel supported. my supervisor is always there for me. and i feel like i'm well supported and i love the direction the department is going. so, whatever you can do to support us, be there for us because we'll be there for you. thank you. >> thank you. next speaker. good afternoon, supervisors. my name is ken mitchell. i work in the visitacion valley area and i'd just like to say i'm really happy at which way the direction the department is going. that's an under served neighborhood and at this point with our new supervisors and everybody coming on staff trying to figure what we're going to do with all the violence over there, our department has stepped up and did a lot of different things in that neighborhood. i am so happy to be a part of recreation and park department. and i heard [inaudible] we go through a lot of training now since we reorganized. and we're doing a lot of things to make sure everyone that is part of the staff is up to par

so we don't get subpar training, subpar programs [inaudible]. if you're going to pay something, we want to have the best. so, i know we really [inaudible]. i'm behind the supervisors. i'm behind our staff. [inaudible]. but it is very important that we understand that we take our time to make a lot of these things happen. i want everybody to have a job. i work in the area where low-income -- we're under served. so, it's a lot of people. i do want to have [inaudible]. permanent like i did. so, my whole point for speakving is speak ~ speaking is just saying we're not adequate in staff or don't have the right training. we're working towards all of that. and i think the staff we have here is working really hard. [inaudible]. we have full time in the city which is very hard for the staff to do. and now [inaudible]. more people waiting on the waiting list to be in our program.

i think that's very gig. that tells a big store any itself. so, i do support everything that we're doing. >> thank you. next speaker, please. good afternoon, supervisors. joshua arce with bright line. i think that the hearing that's been an hour and 45 minutes actually could be distilled because we got off on all kind of different issues. talked about the staff and the leadership and the [inaudible] that's really i think a side issue to the whole fund amount 58 purpose of the hearing that you called, supervisor, which is the apprenticeship program. if you parse through the department, the good stuff that they're doing, you know, the kind of view of the folks that are running the department and all those things which i think is fine, you have the question of the [inaudible]. the apprenticeship program is this, and the union, the laborers say it's this. and there's [inaudible].

it can't be great and it can't be on the verge of essentially undermining to the point of extinguishing the program. there's clearly some big problem and i think that you look at where we go from here. i mean, there's clearly a lot of unanswered questions. what are the -- what's going to happen to the apprentices that [inaudible]. there's a big issue that we started to learn with respect to contracting out when the serve is he are contracted out. it's not at union scale. [inaudible]. ~ services because it's definitely a problem [inaudible]. sitting here today, i got [inaudible] we heard an hour from the department. i would have loved to hear an hour from the union. but, again, if we're to parse it, i think you disstill the issues, there is a real problem with respect [inaudible].