so probably we'll get done within a year. i asked staff to prioritize the investigations that are older than a year, so we can get down to under a year in complaints. regarding the bureau of revenue, looking to move our cases toward execution. i will say that in december, i attended a meeting of the creditors for lynette sweet, who owes the city $74,000 as the result of an order that this body imposed on her for misused finance funds. it looks like we have a chance of recovering as a result of that proceeding, but we learned that a lot of other debtors are owed money including the i.r.s., which has priority. so we're not higher priority

than the i.r.s., unfortunately. so we'll monitor that and appear at hearings for the city. pay-it plans are up to date. and on pages 5 and 6, you can see our customary charts that list the caseload statistics in graphic form. i will take any questions. >> commissioners? >> commissioner chiu? >> yes. in your write up, the new york city campaign finance board, the director talked about using data to investigate and uncover wrongdoing. is that something that we could do here? >> i think so, yes. we track and require disclosure of a lot of the same information and we dump it into a portal called s.f. open data, where we can put in criteria and search.

to some extent, my investigators are doing that already, but i did get ideas from that speaker of what to look for and the data and she gave a couple of examples to get at dark-money usage and coordination among campaigns. i was excited about that presentation. >> great. i hope we can also take advantage of those red flags and their experience and hopefully there won't be, but to use that to our advantage. >> yep. >> we'll take public comment on this matter. >> sorry to be so talkative today. i wanted to thank staff for moving so forcefully on the

lynette sweet matter. this was a 2010 public financing report that we extended to ms. sweet for the board of supervisors. it's been in away -- abeyance far too long. obviously now the matter is in bankruptcy court. i had a question -- since these were public funds that were absconded in part with, have we submitted to the court that fact and that as a result, has it put us closer to the i.r.s. than not? because otherwise, public funds may have been lost? [inaudible] >> secured creditor of highest

priority. and we're not. the municipalities are not in the bankruptcy code specifically. we're a general creditor, the same way as anyone else. >> this is a u.s. court. >> u.s. federal court for bankruptcy. >> at least we'll get due process, one way to view it. thank you very much. >> any further public comment? okay. if not, we'll move on to item 9. discussion of the executive director's report. >> thank you, chair keane. i have a brief report summarizing some of what you heard from director bloom about our attendance at the conference. it was exciting to have a strong measure of staff that were not just passive participates, but

shaping ideas. so we look fehr ward to the idea to send additional staff to additional sessions in the years ahead. i did want to highlight one note of a report that we were asked to submit to the acting mayor's office after the executive director's report was complete, because it speaks to some victims under discussion today. i will be happy to make that available to those on the commission, but we were asked on wednesday to provide to chief of staff's office for the acting mayor's briefing a continuity of work report. and this specifically asked for three things. one, what were the items where there were key deadlines or mile stoepz that were -- stones that were a priority in the next 30 days, next 6 months and then also 12 months. just to highlight what we

provided. in the next 30 days, we cited the focus on successfully implementing our new laws that are operational on january 1. this includes implementation of prop t, lobbyist measure that campaigns campaign contributions from lobbyisting bundling and giving gifts. and also super peskin's payments reporting by board and commission members. both of these are significant because they were requiring us to complete the technological innovations to enable the disclosure requirements to be in place. steven massie and team have been working to make that happen in a digital format. we also know we need to provide those who are affected by these laws with information so they are aware of and know how to comply. for the next six months, we

cited our core initiatives for enactment. in addition to providing election-related compliance guidance to those to the upcoming, under the legislative initiatives we cited two. one was anti-corruption and accountability that the commission referred, and, secondly, whistle-blower ordinance, that when were helping to move those along. those were the two priority items we noted. and thirdly, election 2018 work, under the leadership of our new programs officer and her team. and for the coming year, we did cite -- they asked for issues or items that were going to require -- that they called potential threats and they other top priorities.

and the election of the campaign fund, so it speaks to commissioner kopp's point. we need to assess the fund and make sure that it has adequate funds to sustain levels for june, 2018, as well as 2019 mayoral election, as well as 2018, november election. we'll be working with the city attorney's office and control r controller's office to make sure that we have the bases covered. and also the i.t. development, the technologies in place, and moving along to help convert our paper files to an electronic environment. so we had that in the briefing of the new, acting mayor.

and, lastly -- well, two other items. we've made very good progress on the hiring-related work. i will have some very good news to share with you and others about one of our technology positions and tomorrow and this week we have -- we're focusing on moving the senior auditor and senior investigative position further along through the exam assessment and interview process. so we'll proceed on that front. steven massie, who has been acting as our key on all things technology, was moved into our -- the principal position for that division. it had been reclassified as part of the budget, investigating the expanded technology work that we need to do that's fundamental it all of our work. and we had a competitive

position-based or exam-based process for that. as a result of that, steven was the successful candidate and is today moved to an expanded position that recognizes the work and increased responsibility for supervising a broader number of people. the position he was in will be posted. but there is progress. we want to thank doris laura, who has been working with us under the work order for the past year. she's been very much a good and strong and steady ally in moving the process as far as its come. we'll rely on the department of human resources in the coming months to get them past the posts and get people in seats so we can do the job we know we have to do. >> commissioner chiu? >> director pelham, since we're

losing the services of ms ms. lorio, will it negatively impact the ability to fill the seven positions? since there's salary savings from the oppositioen positions, we engage her for another quarter? >> that's a good suggestion. and we have a meeting to make sure that we identify the needs so we can identify how we need to fill them. we know we need to put resources on them, because when there are exam-based positions, it requires a significant amount of work to accomplish that. our goal is to not let it slip up in any way in terms of priority emphasis. one other note on the budget for the january meeting and now on to february, we would be

preparing to submit at the end of february, the mayor's office in early december gave us two targets, asking all departments to cut 2.5% in fy, '19 and fy, '20. because we're 90% salaries, we have very little overhead it. would require us to lose positions, in my view, we're ramping up. we need to make sure that the people are in their seats, doing the work, paid to do the work and have the tools to do the work. that will be our budget request that we bring forward to you in january. i'm hopeful with the continued support with the leadership from the board that has embraced this, we'll show that we're a good investment for the work and

resources that the city has been given us. as we approach the end of the calendar year, i want to convey deep thanks to our staff, who have been working hard to try to support your process and public information. we have some folks here around this table in the room with us, but i wanted to take a note to say how much we have a terrific team and we're very, very pleased to see the work that's being done. we have a lot of work ahead in 2018. i'm hopeful that you share the enthusiasm. and, lastly, obviously, with the mayor's passing this week, the staff and i spent some time reflecting on publicer is vits and significant lifetime service and we share condolences with

his family and staff and we want to make note what he give to the city and continue to be inspired by those that give a lifetime to public service. wanted to end on that note. >> thank you. commissioners? we'll take public comment. >> i'm bob plantold. some of us on this side of the podium are concerned about the possibility of reduction in budget when, as your director said, trying to ramp up. i think it's still possible to pass the budget at the february meeting if you seek an extension and that's been done a couple of times before by ethics. a meeting on the 16th is close

enough to the deadline that's been granted before. and i bring that up because i suggested it may be worth looking at how much progress there's been in the last 1 1/2 years towards reducing some of the backlog of complaints, reducing some of the analysis on pending legislation and enforcement proceedings and, therefore, saying we still have staff we need to hire to bring all these backlogs to zero to keep us current and timely, to put out a case that 2.5% per year is inappropriate. it would put you going backwards. it would not keep you where you are. it would push you backwards, if you have a statistical report showing what you have gained and what you need to reduce and, therefore, find a way to impress the supervisors to not cut you by 2.5% to 5%. thank you. >> thank you.

there being no further -- oh, i'm sorry. mr. bush. pardon me. >> we also want to know on behalf of friends of ethics that we posted on facebook our work we had done with mayor lee going back many years. that he had supported all the ballot members or didn't oppose the ethics ballot measures. my first time of coming to ethics was about 1992, when he was the chief administrative officer to give a tutorial to the ethics staff about how to monitor city contracts in coordination with the ethics commission. he is a man that did understand and support the work we were doing. in terms of the budget, and

looking ahead, as i recall, budgets are ordinances and you would have the ability to put full funding for next year on the ballot in june to take effect on july 1. and so, might want to have that as a fallback position in the event that it appears that you would reduce the staff or ability to get things done. i certainly support and i think the public will support full funding for ethics. thank you. >> good observation, mr. bush. any further public comment? if not, we'll then move to item 10, discussion possible action regarding status of complaints received or initiated by the ethics commission. commissioner kopp? >> i request a closed session.

>> is there a second for that request? >> i will second it. >> motion has been made and seconded. we don't need public comment on that, do we? >> i don't think so. >> all those in favor of the motion? we'll get it anyway. >> f.o.e. wants to wish you a happy holiday season. thank you for your amazing work this year and how as a unit you have come together so well. and i think the public is aware of what it is you're doing for the city and i think by in large seeing us on tv is sometimes hard, but they appreciate what it is we're doing. so thank you. >> thank you, charlie. >> and have a good holiday season. and while you're in executive session, i hope somebody brings in a box of cookies or

something. >> you were going to bring pizza, remember? >> yes, we discussed pizza. >> and i'm sure the chair will deep that germane to item 10 on the calendar. >> yes. christmas cookies >> back in open session for the ethics commission, decemb december session. is there a motion pursuing to what we did in our closed session? >> i would move that we keep the closed session in confidence. >> second? >> second. >> all those in favor of the

motion? >> aye. >> motion passes unanimously. so we then go to item 11. discussion of possible action of items for future meetings. i think some of the things that have come up tonight indicate things that we'll be doing at future meetings in record to putting matters on the ballot and just listening to what has been said. i would anticipate that in february we would have agendaized putting on the ballot the whistle-blower item and also our ordinance that we passed the last time in -- so that we get it on the ballot, both of them

on the ballot in june, and have them effective as soon as possible. the third thing, which did come up tonight and i think it would be important, unless we get an indication from the city, the danger of the pudge the of the ethics commission being cut at this point when we've been able to protect it so fiercely the last few years, i think, is fairly substantial. we used to be not protected at all under the former executive director. we've done it with the executive director and also indicating from the commission that we would go forward with an ordinance relating to the budget, if they didn't pass our budget. so i think we ought to think about it, but also adding what was recommended by charlie marsteader, in that we put a

measure on the ballot in june that the commission be fully funded, because we are now up and running. we're starting to get going, and to have a hole in the budget at this point, would be, i think, very sad thing to happen and destructive thing to happen. i'm just ruminating out loud regarding things that i would like to see perhaps agendaized for february. commissioner kopp? >> commissioner kopp: i never asked the executive director or you, mr. chairman, about a member requesting an item on the agenda. can that be done outside of our public meeting? >> commissioner keane: yeah. a member can request it and then there would be a discussion between director pelham and me

as chair and the likelihood -- i can't see that i would not exceed to that request. >> commissioner kopp: all right. i will defer until the new year. >> commissioner keane: okay. any other discussion on matters for future meetings? any public comment on that? >> i have one. >> commissioner chiu: wee -- reflecting on the budget, if we were to explore a ballot initiative related to the ethics commission, i would suggest that we explore more broadly. that's not just for this upcoming fiscal year, but that we look at independent funding for the budget, so we won't necessarily always be subject to 5%, 2.5% increase over time, but that's the budgeting process so that the commission could be -- i don't know how it would work

and that would be the work to be done, would be to have it it on the stand-alone basis and have approval be -- whether it's through a voting mechanism through the public or a mayor, but some alternative mechanism that could preserve the integrity of our budget. as i think back to where we started from when i joined the commission, we were sorely understaffed and have been chroniclely understaffed over the last 12 months. we were able to get increased funding, but with the decrease in fiscal year and subsequent year, it would gut completely the strides we've made in building up the team to do the work. and i take mr. plantead's suggestion to use the data to show the backlog of complaints.

when we began this work, there were complaints stretching back to 2014 and now we're on the cusp of 2018 and now we don't have things pending from two months ago or two years ago and so that's very powerful evidence to show the resources that the city has committed to us and mayor lee was instrumental in that. when cuts were being asked for across the board, you know, he didn't mandate that we had to go along with those cuts. and i think that's part of his legacy, is the support for the commission and i would like to explore ways in the upcoming couple of months to see whether or not that support can be institutionalized in some legislative fashion that would help to preserve the independence and integrity and

resources to do the work. >> commissioner keane: you made a very important point about mayor lee. ever since we started to emphasize it to him, he's been responsive to that. now we have a new day and everything starts from zero in san francisco when you get a shake-up like this. and so the new mayor, whatever the board of supervisors's views are, they're not necessarily going to or at all going to reflect what mayor lee's been doing. so these are things, i think, we should definitely do in order to instituti institutionalize what we've done so far. any other thoughts on that? okay. so additional opportunity for public comment on matters appearing or not appearing on the agenda pursuant to ethics

commission's bylaws article 7, section 2. i see no public comment. and i suggest, commissioners, that someone make a motion to adjourn and adjourn in the memory of mayored lee. and the significant loss of his passing. i knew him since the 1980s and he headed the asian law caucus and i was involved with him in a number of matters over the years. and he's someone who made a big difference in record to our community and i would entertain such a motion. commissioner lee made the motion. >> second. >> commissioner keane: all those

in favor, aye. >> passes unanimously. best wishes to everybody.

this is the recreation and park

commission with commissioner buell? here. commissioner lowe? here. commissioner mcdonnell? here. just to remind everyone, we request that you turn off any electronic sound producing devices that could go off during the meeting, so cell phones, if you could please turn those off or on silent. we request that you take any conversations outside. if you would like to speak on an item today, please create a blue card. unless otherwise nounszed by the president, each person will have three minutes for public comment on each item. if there is an item of interest to you that is not on the agenda

and is under the subject matter jurisdiction of the commission, you may speak under general public comment. that is item 4. it will be heard for 15 minutes and then continued again at item 12. please address your comments to the commission during public comment on items in order to allow equal time for all. neither commission nor staff will respond. the commission may ask questions after public comment is closed. if the fire alarms activate, you must evacuate using any exit. please note that elevators will return to the first floor and are not available for use. if you do need assistance out of the building, make your way to the closest area refuge across the hall from the men's restroom. inside the restroom is a speaker

box, press it and city hall security will answer it, let them know where you are and they will assist you. item number 2. the president's report. >> president buell: thank you. let me begin by simply saying no words can possibly express the sadness that we all feel in this department and this commission for the very tragic loss of our mayor ed lee. there simply aren't the right words to do it, but first, we will adjourn in his memory. and two, as someone very high up in washington said in a text to me, in troubling times, he was a very, very decent man. and so we will remember him with sadness. with that, that concludes my

president's report. >> clerk: anyone who would like to make public comment? being none, we are on item 3. the general manager's report. >> thank you commissioners and president buell, i didn't realize how hard this was going to be. yeah, i mean, we're all heart broken. and so today, rather than run through a typical general manager's report, i wanted to highlight the mayor's commitment to parks. for us all. and in honor of the mayor, i'll try to be short, because i am short. [laughter]. he was just -- we're going to let the slide show run here, but he was such a champion of our parks. and certainly understood the importance of making them

accessible to all residents. there were probably no single statistic related to parks that he was more proud of than being the first big city mayor to be able to brag that 100% of residents that lived in the city he led lived within a 10-minute walk of a park. he would almost every event since we reached that honor, mention it right out of the gate. and that was because of how much he cared about infrastructure and investment. and during his tenure, under his leadership, we have invested over $350 million in parks. including voter-approved bonds in 2012. the implementation of a bond in

2008, and although that was before his mayoral tenure, if you go back a little further, the mayor city administrator was the author of the city's 10-year capital plan, which laid very much the groundwork for all of investment. parks that were reopened during his tenure include chinatown, delores park, glen canyon playground and recreation center, lafayette park, reopened the sunset recreation center, reopened the joe dimaggio playground. opened a new plaza where town square on 24th street. acquired open space out of india basin, francisco reservoir, st.

mary's which opened under his leadership. under his leadership voters approved proposition b in 2016. which really has been a true stabilizing force for us and will be even more valuable as we head into rockier budget times. just in last year since proposition b, we have resurfaced total of 15 tennis and basketball courts, most of which are in underserved communities. he understood the importance of public-private partnerships and through you are partnership with the city field foundation we've renovated 21 soccer fields, added 80,000 hours of play. through our partnership with

trust for public land, we opened -- renovated bo decker park, balboa, the amazing playgrounds that have sprung out of the ground, right in our front yard of this building which will open on february 14th, have his fingerprints all over them. i remember vividly meeting in his office with my good friend jackie and folks from the trust for public land and we excitedly showed him the design and he said light, there needs to be light. and light he got. and light he will get. when these playgrounds open, you're going to see a brand new energy and face out at civic center. one of the things that i really connected with him and loved him for was how much he cared about our kids and how much he cared about active recreation, whether

it was the mayor 3 on 3 hoops tournament, coming to crabfest, promoting the scholarships, whether it was supporting the summer camp programs, whenever he was around kids, you would see him smile and just light up. he loved sports, loved sporting events, loved community. he created his -- the mayor's annual ping pong tournament which started and runs throughout chinatown. golf. whether it be the first tee and teaching kids who have never picked up a golf club the importance of the game, or having the world's best come to harding for the president's cup. am ex championship, the

president's cup, all brought to san francisco because he was our park champion and he loved golf and the pga knew he loved golf and knew he would make it work. he always came out to the events. never missed a tree-lighting. in fact the last time i had the honor of being with him was at our tree-lighting this past year, where again, he bragged being the first mayor in a country where 100% of us lived within the 10-minute walk of the park. we've increased scholarships to san francisco families. we've run the teen outdoor experience seven years in a row, which was his vision to bring kids who touched the juve nil system, up to mather for a long weekend when it was just theirs. he provided over the greater and

greener parks conference where we brought the nation's park leaders and some of the nation elected officials to show off the park system. we presided over the centennial. he presided over the summer of love celebration. he led pride parades. giants and warriors championship parades that ran through our parks and facilities. he welcomed the world cup to civic center plaza. and there may have been no bigger san francisco deltas fan. although they were only around one year, they made significant investment into our stadium for generations of folks to enjoy and they won the north american soccer league championship their one and only year.

i could go on and on, but i'll stop there. i wanted to say how much i'm going to miss him and how grateful i am, how much he truly loved and cared about parks and the city's kids. to that end, we have some really, really special kids. i thought this was the right way to end today's otherwise sad general manager's report. i want to welcome the young people's team music theater company to our commission. they are a performing arts company devoted to bringing quality and professional level theater to young adults in the bay area. this is your program. this is a san francisco recreation and park program. they offer quality instruction in drama, voice, acting, dance and technical theater. founded in 1984 by diane price.

they are selected by open audition only. this past month, under the amazing leadership of nicole, they won first place for the second consecutive year. they performed excerpts from their upcoming production of bat boy, the musical, this production will revisit the first show ever put on my nicole, who is celebrating her first anniversary with us as director. [applause] the show -- [laughter] the show will take place on january 26-28 and february 2-4 at the museum. and in honor of the holidays and

our beloved mayor, i invite them to perform now. [ ♪ ] [ ♪ ] ♪ has come from the cold ♪ [ ♪ ]

[ ♪ ] ♪ it's a joyful moment ♪ may the joyful noise ♪ make some noise ♪ make some noise ♪ sing it proud ♪ all night long ♪ make it noise, noise, joyful noise ♪ ♪ make some noise ♪ praise god

♪ so like the prophets we're told in the days of old, make joyful noise my soul ♪ ♪ make joyful noise my soul ♪ make some noise ♪ make some noise ♪ hallelujah ♪ all night long ♪ make joyful noise ♪ of joyful noise

[applause] [cheering] >> well, that's a pretty awesome -- >> wow. >> -- way to end the year in the general manager's report, in honor of our beloved mayor. >> president buell: we found a new way to open every meeting, that's terrific. >> mr. president, can you join me for a picture? how about we all go? >> president buell: the whole commission down, come on.

[applause] >> commissioner, she's on the

way out of the door, but i want to celebrate chris boettcher, who oversees all of the music programs, including this one, so thank you, chris. [applause] >> is there anyone who would like to make public comment under the general manager's report? ok. [laughter] seeing none, this item is closed. we're now under general public comment, is there anyone who would like to make general public comment? ok being none, richard? ok. >> what would our meeting with without? >> can you sing, richard? [laughter]. >> good morning, everyone. i just want to make a few public comments, i try to speak a little bit about phil but what

happened every time i walk around in chinatown park and i see something wrong. one of the things has to do with the new, brand new, restroom facility. and one of the doors always locked, the one with non-gender, family use, and everything else. is that ever going to be open? that's a very simple thing to do, open it. the room to whatever is holding it up. the other thing that i looked at, currently the location is going to be under a lot of renovations. i was thinking if it would be possible to get a temporary fix. i walk through there, i see the pot holes, they're probably dug up by rodents, or unwanted rats. they have traps around there. could they do something like, use soil impact, hanging around the temporary fix and top it off

with some of the broken up bark so it doesn't look so -- because at night it gets spooky and it makes different sounds in the park. i think the -- [inaudible] a good job because a long time ago i had spoken when he, lee, his wife, she wanted her name left off, but she, herself has passed on and was a great sponsor of park activities throughout the chinatown areas, basketball namely. so of the interest, there was the slope in front of the park on the cray street side and she had shown me pictures of it. it looked awful because it wasn't cared for, there wasn't

much maintenance done. i asked the maintenance about it. i don't want to fall down, it's a very steep slope there, maybe even get a stick or something, break it a little bit. that's how i remember edie. and then ed lee and those other people, who have already passed on. i hope i'm not going to be catching up with them. thank you very much. >> president buell: thank you. >> clerk: anyone else wants to make general comment? seeing none. >> president buell: before i entertain a motion on the consent calendar, we have a request to speak. we welcome you and send our regards to supervisor yee. >> today i wanted to speak on

5-c, the west portal playground and i'll read a letter that the supervisor included in the report. i'm writing to express my support for the prioritization of the west portal playground renovation project. west portal playground is one of the most utilized playgrounds in district 7. due to the playground state of disrepair, the failing playground's task force identified it as a priority for renovation and is classified as a tier two approximating playground of the lets play sf tt initiative. since 2014, my office has been working in collaboration with the recreation and park department, san francisco parks alliance and the friends of the west portal playground to continue driving this project forward. while the project has stalled at times, my office has continued to work closely with all stakeholders, particularly with

the community members to raise funds and donor recognition ideas. to maintain the project's momentum. the community as represented by the friends of the west portal playground, greater west portal neighborhood association, west portal merchants association and students from west portal elementary school, totalling 160 community members are deeply invested in seat playground renovations completed on a timely schedule. it has been three years since my office first started collaborating on playground renovations and we want to see the project remain on schedule. i hope the capital committee will approve -- the commission will approve the concept wall design to the members can enjoy a safer and engaging playground.

this concludes the letter. >> president buell: thank you very much. >> clerk: any public comment? richard? >> i would like to follow up on the west portal playground design. i seen the particular model, i see the dragon, everything else, what i didn't see was the kids chasing after the big train, maybe they could have dragon hands or whatever else. there wasn't very much for younger kids. even though it's designed for them, it's a lot of open spaces. where they have the dragon, i was thinking about, a lot of the parks have a spring, you got a little seat on it and the kids

can chase after the dragon, or running along with the dragon. that was one thing i liked add onto the concept design. i liked the idea, a nice little park, portion dealing with growth [inaudible] -- plans, so on other issues, on the geneva community gardens, as well as the other geneva car barn, i believe that the -- i read the contracts between mta, there is something about locking in the 7-year with the rooms that are going to be rented out at low cost. i wanted to include a possible addendum to that where there

would be possibly interconnected rooms and it would be a display of earlier iconic type of structures, for example, even the -- i can think of the portals of the past out there. and that used to be on sacramento street before the great fire. throughout the city here, we have a lot of iconic artifacts that would be beautiful. there was a place that people can visit. and it would be like a recreational park area. i hope to keep it open so that you don't just totally lock in. [inaudible] commissioner lowe, but possibly locking in on the 7-year space. i like to keep the addendum option open. thank you. >> president buell: thank you, richard. >> clerk: anyone else would like

to make public comment? seeing none, this item is closed. >> president buell: chair entertains the motion? moved and seconded, all those in favor? so moved. >> we're on item 6, the san francisco zoo. >> thank you, good morning, tanya peterson, director of the san francisco zoo. we support the supervisor's efforts in regards to the west portal and appreciate it. i want to add our thoughts about our wonderful mayor. i first met him when he was at dpw and i was a board member for the zoo. the zoo is a public-private partnership as the general manager discussed. way back when we were just little people, young people, we were charged with raising funds for our new education center. and as things go, there was a lot of value engineering, budget

cuts, et cetera, but one thing was really important to ed lee at this point, the little door handles that had squirrels and things on them, ed thought it would be so great fort kids to open the doors when they saw the squirrels and other animals. we kept those in the budget and he personally screwed the door handles in himself. so here we are years later, he's the mayor and i'm the zoo director and he's standing in front of the door handles and he was tickled pink that the door handles was now there, he was mayor and i was zoo director and we were finally somebody. we thank him for that. and a chuckle, that's one of the bald eagles, one of the successful conservation programs and we were explaining to him we had to separate the parents from the offspring to protect the health of the eggs and we used

technology to do so. he said i wish i'd has he that technology with -- had that technology with the two teenagers in my house. with peace and love. speaking of programs, there is a product of 300,000 children have gone through the doors now since the mayor created these doors & we'll have winter camp over the break. there is still some room left. it's one of the more popular camps. i encourage if you want to put a child in, do so quickly. we love seeing the children at this time. november was the neighbor month and we partnered with one of the neighbors and most recently we partnered with the pomeroy center. if you don't know, it's behind the zoo. often people go to the pomeroy center thinking it is the zoo.

so we -- if somebody wore pink pomeroy colors, we donated to the center. they have one the largest warm pools for rehab and support disabled adults. they have free access, secret access to the zoo. and we were happy to give them $2,000 donation, 2000 people came through in pink, and then we also -- you can see the flamingo chick to the right, we named her pomeroy in honor of our neighbor. love the pomeroy center, good work, good people. it is that time of year, the rein deer are here on loan from the north pole -- no, southern california if you can believe it. we have three this year. people cannot believe they're real. they love graham crackers, so if anybody wants to do a special feeding, they really enjoy the graham crackers. they may