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[I. Welcome and Opening Remarks]
AFTERNOON EVERYONE.CIO RIVAS, CHAIR OF THE GREENING SCHOOLS AND CLIMATE RESILIENCE COMMITTEE.
WELCOME TO THE FIRST COMMITTEE MEETING FOR 25 26 ACADEMIC YEAR.
UM, IT'S SO GREAT TO SEE FAMILIAR FACES AND SOME NEW FACES AS WELL.
UM, SO WE COME TOGETHER AT A VERY PIVOTAL MOMENT, UM, HERE IN LOS ULUS, UM, ACROSS LOS ANGELES AND BEYOND.
AS COMMUNITIES CONTINUE TO FEEL THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE, I'M SURE YOU ALL HAVE FELT THE INCREASED 90 PLUS DEGREE WEATHER HERE IN LA AND THROUGHOUT OUR, OUR NATIONS A HUNDRED AND ABOVE.
UM, THE RISING TEMPERATURES, THE DEVASTATING WILDFIRES THAT ARE IMPACTING ALL THROUGHOUT OUR STATE, UM, AND NATION INTERNATIONALLY AS WELL, ARE SWEEPING, UH, OUR COMMUNITIES AND IMPACTING OUR HEALTH, UM, OUR SCHOOLS, OUR CHILDREN, EVERYONE THE MOST VULNERABLE OF, OF, UM, OF FOLKS ALSO FEELING THOSE IMPACTS.
SO THESE REALITIES REMIND US THAT THE URGENCY OF OUR WORK CANNOT WAIT AND MUST CONTINUE.
WE MUST CONTINUE ON THIS MOVEMENT AND, UM, ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT FROM POLLUTION, EVERYTHING THAT'S IMPACTING US AND OUR STUDENTS.
THIS IS SOMETHING WE HAVE TO KEEP MOVING AND KEEP PUSHING FORWARD.
SO THIS COMMITTEE HAS MADE INCREDIBLE PROGRESS OVER THE PAST YEAR, BUT THERE'S STILL MUCH MORE TO DO.
SO TODAY WE'LL FOCUS ON EXPANDING THE PARTNERSHIPS AND RESOURCES AND STRATEGIES THAT MAKE OUR SCHOOL CENTERS OF CLIMATE RESILIENCE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE TOGETHER.
WE'RE NOT ONLY GREENING CAMPUSES, BUT ALSO BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO ENGAGE IN SUSTAINABILITY, HANDS-ON LEARNING AND PATHWAYS TO GREEN JOBS.
WE HAVE A RICH AGENDA AHEAD, SO I'LL GIVE YOU A QUICK RUNDOWN BEFORE WE BEGIN.
FIRST, WE'LL HEAR AN UPDATE ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RESOLUTION OF STRENGTHENING INITIATIVES THROUGH COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS.
OUR CHIEF E SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER, MR. CHRIS LIO, WILL BE JOINED BY CARLOS MORRAN FROM NORTHEAST TREES AND TORY J FROM LOS ANGELES NEIGHBORHOOD LAND TRUST, TO WALK US THROUGH THE PROGRESS WE'VE MADE AND THE NEXT STEPS FOR EXPANDING PARTNERSHIPS, STREAMLINING PROCESSES, AND REMOVING BARRIERS TO COMPLETING PROJECTS, SCREENING PROJECTS.
NOW, WE'LL RE UM, THEN NEXT WE'LL RECEIVE THE CLIMATE LITERACY TASK FORCE REPORT LED BY, UM, AGAIN, MR. CHRISTUS RESILIO, UH, CHIEF E SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER, JERRY SONG, AND NICHOLAS NICOLA, THE GARDNER ERNA.
THIS REPORT OUTLINES RECOMMENDATIONS FOR INTEGRATING CLIMATE LITERACY INTO INSTRUCTION OUTDOOR EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE PATHWAYS AND INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING ACROSS L-A-U-S-D.
IT REFLECTS MONTHS OF COLLABORATION AND BUILDS A ROADMAP TO ENSURE OUR STUDENTS ARE EQUIPPED TO LEAD ON SUSTAINABILITY IN THEIR SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES.
AND FINALLY, WE'LL OPEN THE FLOOR FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
HEARING FROM OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS IS ESSENTIAL IN SHAPING OUR APPROACH, LISTENING TO DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE AND EXPERIENCES, AND ENSURING THE SOLUTIONS WE PURSUE REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND THE NEEDS OF THE FAMILIES THAT WE SERVE.
BEFORE WE BEGIN, I WANNA THANK MY COLLEAGUES ON THE BOARD, OUR BOARD PRESIDENT, MR. SCOTT SEN AND CHARLET, UM, HANDY NEWBELL HERE, UM, AS OUR, UM, COMMITTEE MEMBERS, AND WE ALSO HAVE, UH, MEMBERS, OUR, OUR NONPROFIT AND LABOR PARTNERS, COMMUNITY LEADERS AND DISTRICT STAFF.
UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR ONGOING COMMITMENT AND DEDICATION IN THIS COMMITTEE AND ALL THAT YOU DO.
YOUR EXPERTISE AND PASSION WILL MAKE THIS WORK POSSIBLE AND KEEP US MOVING FORWARD.
BEFORE WE MOVE INTO TODAY'S PRESENTATIONS, I WANNA CREATE SPACE FOR OUR GREEN COMMITTEE PARTNERS AND COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVES TO BRIEFLY INTRODUCE THEMSELVES AND SHARE A QUICK OVERVIEW OF ANYTHING YOU WANNA SHARE.
YOUR, UH, GREENING PA YOUR PASSION FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO IN GREENING OR CLIMATE RESILIENCE OR ENVIRONMENT, OR WHAT BROUGHT YOU HERE TO THIS, UH, ORGANIZATION, UH, OR THIS COMMITTEE.
UM, AND SO, AND YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS.
KNOW THAT THEY'RE VERY HEARTFELT AND, UH, MAKE THIS COMMITTEE SUCCESSFUL.
I'LL JUST GO AROUND AND I'LL START WITH OUR, OUR BOARD PRESIDENT, MR. SCHON.
AND THEN MR. LED HAND, NEW BELL.
BIG, BIG FAN OF, UH, GREENING.
AND I KEEP REMINDING PEOPLE THAT ARTIFICIAL TURF IS NOT GREENING.
IT MAY BE GREEN, BUT IT'S NOT GREENING.
AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TO REMEMBER.
AND THOSE ARE MY IMMORTAL WORDS.
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THANK YOU.UH, I AM DEFINITELY A FAN OF GREENIE AND NOT A FAN OF ARTIFICIAL TURF.
SO PLEASURE TO BE HERE, TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THE WORK, UM, IN GREENING AND SEEING OUR SCHOOLS, AND AS A PRODUCT OF THE DISTRICT, WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S BETTER THAN IT WAS BEFORE.
WE'LL CONTINUE WITH MR. CHRISTUS CILLO, IF YOU WANNA SAY HELLO.
CHRISTUS CLIO, CHIEF EQUAL SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER, AND A PLEASURE TO BE HERE AND INDEED ON A PEOPLE A TIME THAT WE NEED EVERYONE'S HELP AND SUPPORT TO COMBAT THIS CLIMATE CRISIS THAT WE HAVE.
SO, PLEASURE TO BE HERE AND BELIEVING THE WORK THAT WE BE DISCUSSING IN A LITTLE BIT ON THOSE TWO PRESENT PRESENTATIONS I'LL BE MAKING.
AND, UH, ON, UM, SITTING IN FOR CHRISTINA TOGS, WE HAVE ALEX O'BRIEN.
GOOD AFTERNOON, ALEX O'BRIEN WITH FACILITIES.
I'M THE DEPUTY CHIEF OF FACILITIES.
I'M AN ARCHITECT, VERY DEDICATED TO WHAT WE BUILD AND WHAT WE OFFER OUR CHILDREN AND OUR COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE DISTRICT.
AND, UH, WE'RE OVERSEEING 1.2 BILLION WITH OUR BOND DOLLARS IN GREENING.
MUCH OF THAT HAS MOVED INTO DESIGN AND, UH, SOME OF IT'S IN CONSTRUCTION.
NEXT, WE, UH, ARE SITTING IN FOR JAY GODA.
HELLO, ERICA DOMINGUEZ, ASSOCIATE GENERAL COUNSEL.
HAPPY TO BE HERE TODAY AND SUPPORT THE GREENING SCHOOLS AND CLIMATE RESILIENCE COMMITTEE.
HAPPY TO SUPPORT THE WORK SO MUCH, AND OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS ARE EXTERNAL REPRESENTATIVES.
WE HAVE MR. EDDIE ALVAREZ FROM THE LAOC BUILDING TRADES.
UM, I'M GLAD TO BE APPOINTED THIS COMMITTEE.
UH, IT'S A BIG DEAL FOR, FOR US AS WE WORK TOWARDS, UH, WORKING TOGETHER WITH OUR PARTNERS IN THE DISTRICT AND THROUGHOUT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, UM, AS WE REPRESENT THE PEOPLE THAT NOT ONLY JUST BUILD CONSTRUCTION, BUT ALSO BUILD THE GREENER ECONOMY AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
UH, AND AS I LIKE SAY, WE, WE BELIEVE IN A EVERY, EVERYTHING THAT THE BUILDING TRADES DOES IS FOR A GREENER ECONOMY WAY, B THREE TECHNOLOGY, UH, OR ARE MAKING OUR, UH, EVEN OUR LIGHTS, OUR LED LIGHTS MORE EFFICIENT.
SO, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO ALL THE WORK.
YES, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE WITH US.
AND NEXT WE HAVE, UH, MS. MCKAYLA RANDOLPH FROM GREEN SCHOOL YARDS AMERICA, LIKE, NO, MIKE.
UH, THANKS AGAIN AND WELCOME BACK TO ANOTHER SCHOOL YEAR.
I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE HERE AS A PART OF THIS COMMITTEE.
UM, I'M MIKAELA RANDOLPH WITH THE, I'M THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF REGIONAL PROGRAMS WITH GREEN SCHOOLYARDS AMERICA, AND WE ARE, UH, COMMITTED TO TRANSFORMING ASPHALT COVERED SCHOOL GROUNDS INTO PARK-LIKE OASIS, TO ADDRESS STUDENT HEALTH AND CLIMATE RESILIENCY.
AND SITTING IN FOR LAUREN AKIM, WE HAVE ANGELA DAY BA SORRY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, UM, FOR HAVING ME.
UH, I'M ANGELA BAI WITH LANE LA ALLIANCE FOR A NEW ECONOMY.
AND, UH, WE KNOW THAT COOL, SAFE AND HEALTHY SCHOOLS ARE VERY MUCH NEEDED, ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW AS WE ARE CONFRONTING THE EFFECTS OF THE CLIMATE CRISIS.
AND SO WE ARE COMMITTED TO ADDRESSING ALL OF THOSE THINGS WHILE CREATING GOOD JOBS.
AND HERE TO MY LEFT, WE HAVE YOUR BOARD SECRETARIAT, MR. MCLEAN.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO SAY ANYTHING, BUT IF YOU WANT TO.
AND IN THE BACK, YOU CAN'T SEE HER, BUT WE HAVE EBONY, UM, EBONY WILSON, WHO IS MANNING OUR PUBLIC COMMENT AND EVERYTHING BEHIND THE SCENES.
SO JUST WANNA GIVE HER A QUICK SHOUT OUT,
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND FOR VOLUNTEERING YOUR TIME AND EXPERTISE TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS, OUR SCHOOLS, AND OUR SHARE SHARED SUSTAINABILITY GOALS.
TOGETHER WE HAVE AN EXTER OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD A FUTURE WHERE EVERY SCHOOL IN OSAC A SAFE, SUSTAINABLE, AND THRIVING SPACE FOR STUDENTS TO LEARN, GROW, AND HAVE, UM, OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL.
LET'S DIVE INTO TODAY'S DISCUSSION, SHALL WE, STARTING WITH
[II.a. Update on the Resolution to Strengthen Greening Initiatives through Community Partnerships]
OUR FIRST PRESENTATION ON THE RESOLUTION TO STRENGTHEN GREEN GREENING INITIATIVES THROUGH COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS.UH, FIRST PRESENTATION I'D LIKE TO CALL MR. CRYSTAL CLIO, CARLOS MORAN, AND, UH, TORI J TO THE FRONT.
UM, AND AS YOU, UM, WELL, WE ALREADY HAVE TORI AND, AND CARLOS FRONT.
SO, AS CAR AS, UH, CHRISTUS IS MOVING TOWARD THE PODIUM, I JUST WANNA MENTION THAT EARLIER THIS YEAR, THE BOARD UNANIMOUSLY PASSED THE RESOLUTION TO STRENGTHEN GREENING INITIATIVES TO COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS.
THIS RESOLUTION IS A CRITICAL MILESTONE IN OUR DISTRICT SUSTAINABILITY WORK.
IT FOCUSES ON EXPANDING NON-PROFIT PARTNERSHIPS, REMOVING INTERNAL BARRIERS THAT SLOW DOWN GREENING PROJECTS, STREAMLINING THE PROCESS FOR DESIGN REVIEWS, AND INCREASING EFFICIENCY SO THAT WE CAN BRING GREEN
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SPACES TO SCHOOLS IN A MUCH FASTER PACE.SO TODAY, OUR PRESENTERS WILL WALK US THROUGH THE PROGRESS MADE SINCE AS A RESOLUTION PASSED, HIGHLIGHT KEY STRATEGIES AND IMPLEMENTATION, AND SHARE NEXT STEPS TO ENSURE EVERY SCHOOL HAS ACCESS TO GREEN SPACES.
BOARD PRESIDENT, UH, SCHON AND BOARD MEMBER NEW BILL, AS WELL AS TO ALL OF OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND TO ALL OF OUR LISTENERS.
UM, I'M EXCITED TO BE HERE TODAY TO SHARE HOW WE'RE STRENGTHENING OUR GREENING INITIATIVES THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, BECAUSE, UM, IT'S THROUGH THEM THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE OUR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HOW WE'RE ON A PEOPLE, THE TIME OF CHANGE AND CHANGE IS HAPPENING RAPIDLY.
SO WE NEED TO REALLY REFORM, CREATE MORE EFFICIENCIES, AND TO BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE OUR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES THAT WERE SET UP BY THIS BOARD OF EDUCATION AND, UH, TO BE ABLE TO, TO MEET THE NEEDS OF TOMORROW.
SO, UM, WHILE I'M GONNA BE DISCUSSING THE, HOW WE'RE STRENGTHENING THESE OBJECTIVES ON A RESOLUTION THAT PASSED EARLY FEBRUARY THIS YEAR, HAVE ALSO, WE INVITED SOME OF OUR PARTNERS TO COME HERE WITH US.
RIVA MENTIONED EARLIER, WE HAVE TORI CHAIR, UH, SHE'S THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WITH THE LOS ANGELES NEIGHBORHOOD LAND TRUST, AND CARLOS MORAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE LOS ANGELES NEIGHBORHOOD LAND TRUST, SORRY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE NORTHEAST TREES.
TWO VERY IMPORTANT PARTNERS THAT WE HAVE WITHIN THE PROJECTS THAT WE'VE, UH, WE'RE PLANNING RIGHT NOW.
AND SOME OF THEM ARE IN PLANNING, DESIGN, OR CONSTRUCTION.
BUT ALSO I WANT TO EXTEND MY THANKS TO ALL OF OUR GREENING PARTNERS 'CAUSE IT'S THROUGH THEM, AS I SHARE SHARED EARLIER, THEY CAN BE ABLE TO ADVANCE THE GREENING ON OUR SCHOOLS.
SO, SINCE WE LAST MET, THE DISTRICT RELEASED KEY MATERIALS IN RESPONSE TO THE RESOLUTION, INCLUDING ON JULY 5TH, 2025.
WE SHARED THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN THAT WAS PREPARED BY THE SUSTAINABILITY OFFICE PURSUANT TO THE GOALS OF THE RESOLUTION TO STRENGTHEN THE DISTRICT SUPPORT FOR THIRD PARTY GREEN PROJECTS.
IN ADDITION, UH, OR PRIOR TO THAT ON JUNE 5TH, 2025, WE SHARED THE HOW TO GUIDE, WHICH WAS VERY INSTRUMENTAL TO PROVIDE THE, UH, MORE CLARITY AND AND PROCEDURES OF HOW OUR PARTNERS CAN FOLLOW THROUGH TO CREATE MORE EFFICIENCY ON GREENING OUR SCHOOLS.
SO THIS PRESENTATION NOW IS GONNA BE IN RESPONSE TO THE ACTUAL, UM, THE ACTUAL RESOLUTION ITSELF.
AND WE'RE GONNA TAKE ONE KEY ITEMS AT A TIME.
SO THE ACTUAL RESOLUTION, WHEN IT, WHEN IT, UH, WHEN IT PASSED UNANIMOUSLY BY ALL OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS, THEY HAD SEVERAL OBJECTIVES.
SOME OF THE OBJECTIVES WAS TO STRENGTHEN AND EXPAND THE PARTNERSHIPS WITH NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS TO REMOVE THE INTERNAL FEES AND ALLOCATE FUNDING TO COVER THE FEES THAT CANNOT BE REMOVED, AND TO PRIORITIZE AND REVIEW THE GRANT FUNDED PROJECTS TO ENSURE TIMELY COMPLETION.
ALSO, TO IMPLEMENT A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO ACHIEVE THESE GOALS AND STRENGTHEN PARTNERSHIPS.
SO THE, THE WAY WE'RE GONNA BE GOING ABOUT THIS, DISCUSS ALL THIS IS TO SHARE, UH, THE COMMITMENT TO OUR PARTNERSHIPS AND HOW WE'RE FOLLOWING UP WITH THAT, HOW WE'RE PLANNING TO REMOVE THE INTERNAL FEES, OR SOME OF THE FEES AT LEAST THAT WE'RE ABLE TO REMOVE BASED ON, UH, FUNDING THAT WAS, UH, UH, BECAME AVAILABLE.
THE ACTUAL CRITERIA OF HOW WE SELECT, UH, THE PARTNERS, THE REVIEW PROCESS.
AND THEN, UH, WE DISCUSS THE PROGRESS REPORTING AND WE DISCUSSING THE ACTUAL STAFFING FROM THE SUSTAINABILITY OFFICE THAT'S REQUIRED TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THE WORK AND PROGRESS ON THAT.
AS YOU SEE, AS YOU SEE THESE SLIDES, YOU CAN SEE ON THE, UM, BOTTOM RIGHT, IT'S THE ACTUAL LANGUAGE FROM THE RESOLUTION THAT CALLS FOR, UH, DIFFERENT ACTION ITEMS. THE FIRST ONE, FOCUSING ON STRENGTHENING PARTNERSHIPS.
AND, UH, WHAT WE'VE DONE TO STRENGTHEN THESE PARTNERSHIPS OURSELF, RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PART OF, OF THE PARTNERSHIPS.
IT WAS TO EN TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE A CONSTANT COMMUNICATION WITH OUR PARTNERS.
SO, UM, AS THE LIVING SCHOOL YEARS COALITION DEVELOP THEIR ORGANIZATION, WE HELP MONTHLY MEETINGS AND SOMETIMES BIWEEKLY WITH, UH, DIFFERENT PARTNERS TO DISCUSS THEIR PROJECTS SO WE CAN BE ABLE TO HELP ADVANCE THE WORK THAT WE DO WITH THEM.
UM, IN ADDITION, UM, WE'VE, UH, SINCE THEN WE HAVE IDENTIFIED THAT OUR OFFICE, THE E SUSTAINABILITY OFFICE, WILL BE THE ONE STOP OFFICE FOR THEM.
SO THEY CAN BE ABLE TO RELATE INFORMATION, COMMUNICATE, COLLABORATE, AND TAKE ACTIONS ON IMPLEMENTING SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE.
ALSO, THE ACTIONS THAT DESCRIBING THE ACTUAL IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, SHOWING THE ACTUAL COMMITMENT OF HOW, HOW WE'RE STRENGTHENING AND EXPANDING OUR GREENING PARTNERSHIPS, THE RE REMOVAL FEES.
THAT'S, UH, ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT REALLY, UM,
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UH, EVERYONE PUT A LOT OF ATTENTION TO AND HOW WE CAN BE ABLE TO BEST SUPPORT THE, UH, THE GREENING, UH, PROJECTS.AND, UM, I'M HAPPY TO SHARE THAT AS WE'VE, UH, OBTAINED INITIALLY APPROVAL TO ALLOCATE THE $3 MILLION, UM, JUST AS OF RECENTLY, NOW WE HAVE A MILLION DOLLARS, UM, IN OUR ACCOUNT, SO WE CAN BE ABLE TO DISTRIBUTE THAT MONEY TO THE PARTNERS AND DISTRIBUTE 'EM ON SPECIFIC ITEMS THAT'S GONNA HELP BENEFIT THE WORK AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
AND WE DISCUSS WHERE THAT, UH, THAT FUNDING SHOULD BE ABLE TO, UM, APP APPRO GET APPROPRIATED SPECIFICALLY WITH OUR, UH, WITH OUR LIVING SCHOOLYARD COALITION PARTNERS, AND WE RECEIVE THEIR, UH, IDEAS.
AND THAT'S HOW WE'RE GONNA BE IMPLEMENTING AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE SAID WE'RE GONNA HAVE IN, UH, IT'S GONNA BE A KEY FACTOR IN CONSIDERATION.
IT'S GONNA BE THE ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION CUT.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE DISTRIBUTE THE PROJECTS AND ALLOCATE IT BASED ON THE ACTUAL SIZE OF THE ACTUAL PROJECT ITSELF.
SO THOSE FEES WILL BE DISTRIBUTED.
AND THEN ANOTHER, UH, OPTION THAT WE HAVE, CERTAINLY IN THE FUTURE IF WE NEED ADDITIONAL FUNDING, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO COVER ALL THE FEES, IS TO BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY, UH, BOND FUNDS, BUT THEY HAVE TO BE IDENTIFIED AHEAD OF TIME AND THEY HAVE TO OBTAIN, UH, BON OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE AND BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVAL SO WE CAN BE ABLE TO ALLOCATE FUTURE FUNDING AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
SO THESE ARE SOME OF THE, UH, SUMMARY OF STRATEGIES THAT WE'VE, WE'VE LOOKED AT IN TERMS OF REMOVING THE INTERNAL FEES.
AND, UM, WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE IDENTIFY ALL THE DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT FEES TO BEGIN WITH SO WE CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND THEM AND HOW THOSE IMPACT OUR PARTNERS.
WE'VE, UH, WE'VE LOOKED AT DIFFERENT TYPE OF, UH, SERVICES THAT REALLY PROVIDED THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SEE, CAN WE, UH, REALLY MINIMIZE THE ACTUAL COSTS OR CAN WE, UH, OFFSET SOME OF THOSE COSTS.
AND THEN WE'VE, UH, WE'VE, UH, BEEN MEETING WITH OUR INTERNAL DEPARTMENTS TO SEE HOW WE CAN BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT OUR PARTNERS ASK US, AND RIGHTLY SO, IS TO EVEN SEE COST BREAKDOWNS OF SOME OF THOSE FEES AND HOW WE CAN BE ABLE TO MINIMIZE SOME OF THOSE FEES AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
SO, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THE APPLICABILITY OF THOSE FEES, DEPENDING ON THE WORK THAT THEY WERE DOING ITSELF.
AND, UM, AND AS WE'VE, UH, LOOKED AT THAT, WE'VE, YOU CAN SEE UP HERE THE ACTUAL FEES ON A HIGH LEVEL, THERE'S A LOT MORE DETAIL ON THE PLAN THAT WE ISSUED, BUT ON A HIGH LEVEL, YOU CAN SEE HOW WE SEPARATED THE L-A-U-S-D, WHAT WE CALL L-A-U-S-D FEES.
THESE ARE ACTUAL COSTS THAT WE INHERIT WHEN WE DO A PROJECT, REGARDLESS IF IT'S A THIRD PARTY PROJECT OR NOT, THE ACTUAL EXTERNAL, UH, UH, COST THAT WE HAVE HERE.
AND THEN, UH, WE HAVE A RANGE OF COST.
SO NOW, UH, WHAT WE SAID WE ARE GONNA BE DOING AS WE MOVE FORWARD, WE'RE FOCUSING ON SOME OF THE ACTUAL FEES ITSELF, AND SAY THAT OUT OF THOSE, WE CAN BE ABLE TO, UM, MITIGATE OR REMOVE BASED ON THE ACTUAL, UM, BASED ON THE ACTUAL SIZE OF THE PROJECT OR, AND ALSO BASED ON THE, UM, ALLOCATION OF MONIES THAT WE'RE GONNA BE PUTTING TOWARDS THE PROJECT.
UH, FOR EXAMPLE, SOME OF THE, UH, FEES, UM, FOR INSPECTION OR THE OAR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION SUPPORT, THOSE, THOSE ARE THE FEES THAT THEY GET INHERITED IN THE FIELD.
THOSE WE'RE LOOKING AT THE ACTUAL COST AND HOW CAN BE ABLE TO, UH, MITIGATE THOSE FEES WITH THE, UH, $1 MILLION THAT WE HAVE FOR THE FIRST YEAR, UM, OF THIS PROCESS.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA BE BID WITH THE PARTNERS NOW, AND WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT PROJECT BY PROJECT TO BE ABLE TO EVALUATE AND WITH THEM TO DETERMINE WHAT'S BEST FOR THE SPECIFIC PROJECTS AS THEY'RE IN DIFFERENT PHASES OF PLANNING, DESIGN, OR CONSTRUCTION.
THE NEXT ACTION, UH, TO DEVELOP, UH, AN IMPLEMENTATION, UM, UH, STRATEGY IN TERMS OF HOW WE DETERMINE, UM, WHAT, WHICH PARTNERS ARE ELIGIBLE AND WHICH PRODUCTS ARE ELIGIBLE TO SUPPORT THE WORK THAT WE DO INDEFINITELY.
WE'RE LOOKING ORGANIZATIONS WITH TAX EXEMPT STATUS WITH THE IRS, BUT ALSO WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, UM, PRO, WE'RE LOOKING AT PROJECTS THAT ARE COMING IN THROUGH GRANTS THAT CAN HELP SUPPORT OUR GREENING INITIATIVES, AND SPECIFICALLY THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES THAT WE SET UP TO ACHIEVE 30% GREENING BY, UH, BY 2035.
AND THOSE ARE PROJECTS THAT TYPICALLY THAT WILL HELP US WITH, TO DEVELOP MORE PERMEABILITY ON OUR SCHOOLS, TO BE ABLE TO HELP ADVANCE BY PROVIDING MORE SHADE, UH, MORE EDUCATIONAL AWARENESS TO OUR STUDENTS.
SO THOSE ARE LOOKED AT IN THAT KIND OF, UM, UM, IN THAT CRITERIA.
THE NEXT ACTION IS TO PRIORITIZE FOR, UH, THE REVIEW OF GRANT FUNDED GREEN PROJECTS.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, UH, WE'VE NOTICED THAT IT WAS TAKING A LOT OF TIME TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS.
SO WHAT WE'VE DECIDED TO DO WITH THAT IS, UH, IS TO ACTUALLY LOOK AT, UH, THE, UH, THE PROCESS IN TERMS OF, UH, DAYS AND HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE.
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MINIMIZE THE ACTUAL REVIEW IN THE, UH, TI THE REVIEW TIME THAT YOU'RE SEEING UP HERE IN TERMS OF THE INTAKE, UM, FOR US TO UPLOAD THE DOCUMENTS TO GO THROUGH INITIAL DESIGN REVIEW AND HOW WE CAN BE ABLE TO RETURN THOSE DOCUMENTS BACK TO THE, OUR PARTNERS SO THEY CAN BE ABLE TO THEN ADDRESS THE COMMENTS AND BRING THEM BACK TO US.SO WE'RE SETTING UP SCHEDULES FOR INTERNAL REVIEWS TO ENSURE THAT THEY'VE BEEN FOLLOWED.
AND, UH, THE PLAN IS FOR US TO STAY ON TOP OF THAT TO ENSURE THAT THEY DO STAY WITHIN.
THE TIMELINE THAT WE HAVE HERE.
THEN IS, UH, STREAMLINING THE, UH, THE REVIEW PROCESS.
ONE OF THE, UH, UM, THE IMAGES YOU'RE SEEING UP THERE IS ACTUALLY AN IMAGE OF, UH, OF A PRODUCT THAT WE'VE BEEN USING CALLED BLUEBEAM.
AND, AND IT'S HELPING US OUT TO, UM, REALLY EXPEDITE THE REVIEW PROCESS, BECAUSE AS WE GO THROUGH THE PROCESS, UM, WE ARE ABLE TO SEE THE, THE DOCUMENTS, UM, THROUGH DIFFERENT STATIONS, THROUGH DIFFERENT REVIEWERS, AND ENSURE THAT WE GIVE TIMELY COMMENTS AND RETURN, RETURN 'EM BACK TO THE PARTNERS.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE BEEN TRAINING, UM, OUR PARTNERS AND, AND, AND A LOT OF THE, A LOT OF OUR ARCHITECTS THAT ARE FAMILIAR WITH BLUEBEAM TO ENSURE THAT'S GONNA HELP US OUT THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
NOW, AT THE SAME TIME, UH, UH, WE FOLLOW THE, THE, UH, SOME, I WOULD SAY BETTER, I BETTER STRATEGIES IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO DO THEIR REVIEWS IN TIME, AND SOME OF THEM INCLUDE TO UNDER, TO HAVE A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR DOCUMENTS.
SO WHEN THEY COME THROUGH FOR REVIEW, WE CAN BE ABLE TO REVIEW AND FOCUS ON SPECIFIC COMMENTS.
WE'RE LOOKING AT THE, THAT'S GONNA EXPEDITE THE ACTUAL REVIEW TIME.
UM, ALSO TO BE ABLE TO GIVE AMPLE TIME OR, UM, UPFRONT TIME SO WE KNOW WHEN SOMETHING IS COMING SO WE CAN BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE REVIEWERS SO THEY'RE AVAILABLE AND CAN BE ABLE TO SEE THE ACTUAL, UM, UH, DRAWINGS ON TIME SO THEY CAN BE ABLE TO EXPEDITE THEIR REVIEW AS WELL.
SO WE CONTINUE TO COME UP WITH, UH, DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT STRATEGIES OF HOW WE CAN BE ABLE TO REALLY EXPEDITE THAT REVIEW PROCESS.
AND I THINK THE STREAMLINING IS VERY HELPFUL, UH, THROUGH OUR PROCESS.
THEN WE LOOKED AT OTHER STRATEGIES FOR TIMELY START, START OF CONSTRUCTION.
WHAT WE DEVELOP IS THE HOW TO ON THE HOW TO GUIDE.
WE PRO PROVIDE A CLEAR DIRECTIONS OF HOW, UM, THE ACTUAL PARTNERS CAN UNDERSTAND HOW YOU TRANSITION A PROJECT FROM ONE SIDE OF THE HOUSE, MEANING LIKE FROM PLANNING DESIGN, UM, DSEA APPROVAL IF IT'S REQUIRED TO CONSTRUCTION.
UM, AND WE ALSO PROVIDED WHAT WE CALL THE ONBOARDING CHECKLIST FROM THE OWNERS AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE.
THAT'S GONNA HELP OUR PARTNERS TO UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS SO THEY CAN BE ABLE TO PREPARE FOR THE, THE UPCOMING MEETING AND ALSO A JOB START.
UH, THE, THE JOB START CHECKLIST IS THE ONE THAT ACTUALLY DEFINES WHAT THEY NEED TO HAVE READY WHEN, WHEN THEY GO INTO, INTO THOSE MEETINGS, SO WE CAN BE ABLE TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL, UH, STARTUP CONSTRUCTION.
SO ALL OF THIS INFORMATION, IT'S, UH, IT'S, UH, DETAIL IN THE HOW TO GUIDE, AND THEN WE'VE, UH, DEVELOPED THIS PROCESS.
AND AS COMPLICATED AS IT LOOKS UP ON THE SCREEN RIGHT NOW, IT'S FAIRLY, I WOULD SAY, SIMPLE BECAUSE WE'VE TRIED TO SIMPLIFY IT WITH THE LEGEND THAT YOU'RE SEEING THERE.
THE, UM, IN BLUE, YOU CAN SEE THE ACTION ITEMS THAT WE HAVE THROUGH, UH, THE LA UNIFIED.
UM, YOU CAN SEE THE, THE ONES HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW, THE ONE THAT, UH, THE ACTIONS BY THE PARTNER AND THEN PARTNER OIL, A USD OR, UH, PARTNER AND L-L-U-S-D.
AND THE REASON WHY WE DID THIS IS TO BE ABLE TO STREAMLINE AND IDENTIFY THE STEPS THAT IT TAKES FROM THE BEGINNING OF A PROJECT, FROM A PRE-GROUND APPLICATION, ALL THE WAY TO CONSTRUCTION COMPLETION.
SO WE ARE ABLE TO NAVIGATE AND MOVE STEP BY STEP BY EXPLAINING THE DIFFERENT PROCESSES THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE TO HELP NAVIGATE THE PROJECT SUCCESS SUCCESSFULLY.
AND I THINK THIS, UH, THIS, UH, PROVIDES A LOT OF CLARITY IN HOW THE WORK IS PLACED TOGETHER FOR THESE TYPE OF PROJECTS.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO, TO REFORM THIS, AND, UH, IF WE FIND BETTER SOLUTIONS, UH, FROM FEEDBACK FROM OUR PARTNERS, WE'LL KEEP IMPROVING AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
THE NEXT ACTION ITEMS, UH, IT WAS TO, UM, TO DEVELOP THE, THE HOW TO GUIDE FOR THE, UH, TO OUR PARTNERS TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THOSE, THE HOW TO GUIDE PROVIDE THAT FURTHER EXPLANATION AND DETAIL BASED ON QUESTIONS THAT THEY HAD.
AND THROUGH OUR MEETINGS AS THEY RAISED SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT THEY WERE DEALING WITH OR CHALLENGES, WE'RE ABLE TO ADDRESS THEM IN, INTO THAT, INTO THE NEXT ITEM, INTO THE HOW TO GUIDE.
AND WE PROVIDE, UH, THAT WE TOOK THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN TERMS OF, UH, THEY GAVE US, LIKE THE STREAMLINING OF THE PROJECT BY, UM, ENSURING THAT THEY HAVE ONE POINT OF CONTACT.
WE'VE, UH, WE MADE SURE THAT WE WORK WITH DESIGN GUIDELINES ON SPECIFIC, UH, ITEMS. AND I'LL BE GETTING, I'LL BE SHOWING SOME OF THE ACTION ITEMS THAT WE, WE'VE, UH, TOOK THERE AND HOW WE IMPROVE THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, UM, UH, BY DOING SOME MODIFIC MODIFICATIONS
[00:25:01]
TO SUPPORT OUR PARTNERSHIPS.SO THE, THE HOW TO GUIDE IS REALLY, IT'S A GREAT MANUAL, I WILL SAY THAT COVERS EVERYTHING FROM PRE-GROUND APPLICATION, EVEN BEFORE WE START APPLYING FOR A PROJECT ALL THE WAY TO THE, UM, TO THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS, TO COMPLETE THE CONSTRUCTION.
AND AS WE GO THROUGH THE DIFFERENT PHASES, THE PARTNER NOW HAS A, A BETTER EXPLANATION OF WHAT THEY SHOULD BE DOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS TO ENSURE THAT THESE PROJECTS ARE THOUGHT THROUGH, THEY COVERED AREAS THAT THEY NEED TO, THEY ADDRESS THE ISSUES.
AND THEN, UM, WE HAVE A, A COMPLETE PROJECT, HOPEFULLY WITH NO, UM, ADDITIONAL FEES AS WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST, UM, THAT THEY'RE INCORPORATED INTO THE PROCESS AHEAD OF TIME.
THE, UH, PROJECT SUPERVISION, UM, THIS IS WHAT WE'VE, UH, ENSURED THAT WE'RE EXPEDITING THE, THE REVIEW BETWEEN OUR DIFFERENT REVIEW, UH, AGENCIES THAT WE HAVE INTERNALLY, AND THEN HOW WE CAN HAVE A DEDICATED PROGRAM MANAGER, AN OAR, UM, ON OWNERS AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE TO REALLY, UH, PROVIDE THAT EXPERTISE BEING IN THE FIELD, BUT ON BEING IN THE FIELD ONCE, ONCE NEEDED TO AVOID AN ADDITIONAL, UH, BURDEN TO OUR PARTNERS TO ENSURE THAT THE WORK IS PROGRESSING.
AND IT'S BEEN SUPPORTED BY, UH, L-A-U-S-D.
AND, UM, AND CERTAINLY WE'RE GONNA NEED ADDITIONAL STAFF, AND WE'RE GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS RIGHT NOW TO HELP SUPPORT, TO CARRY THE INCREASED WORKLOAD.
BECAUSE AS WE'RE SEEING, UH, FROM THE GRANTS THAT WE HAVE TODAY, THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE SUPPORTED AS WE MOVE, AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
AND, UH, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT SUPPORT.
WE LOOKED AT THE ACTUAL, UM, GUIDELINES TO ENSURE THAT, UH, THIS STREAMLINE AS WELL, AND SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT THEY WERE RAISED TO US, LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE, UH, WHEN WE LOOK AT SOME OF THE DETAILING, UM, BETWEEN DIFFERENT AREAS WHEN WE LOOK AT GRASS AREAS VERSUS THE COMPOSED GRANITE AND THE REQUIREMENTS THAT WE HAD IN TERMS OF THE HEADERS, THE, THAT, UH, THEY WERE SEPARATING THE TWO.
WE LOOKED AT THOSE DETAILS, WE LOOKED AT IT, WE LOOKED AT IT WITH STANDARDS, AND WE'RE ABLE TO MINIMIZE AND CHANGE SOME OF THAT TO HELP US, UM, TO HELP US STILL DELIVER THE SAME TYPE OF PROJECT WITH LESS COST AT THE SAME TIME.
UM, WE LOOKED AT THE, UH, UH, WE LOOKED AT NEW, UM, TECHNOLOGIES, OR IN THIS CASE, THE WOOD PLAY STRUCTURE THAT WAS, UH, SUBMITTED BY ONE OF OUR PARTNERS AT THE, AT ESPANZA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
AND WE APPROVED IT AS A PILOT BECAUSE WE WANTED TO LEARN MORE TO ENSURE THAT IN THE FUTURE WE'RE, CAN HAVE MORE WOOD PLACE STRUCTURES ON OUR SCHOOLS.
AND, UH, SOME OF THE CONCERNS ABOUT THE LEAD CONTAINING PAIN, UM, THAT WE HAD IN THE PAST, WE LOOKED AT THAT WE HAVE BEEN MEETING WITH OUR HEALTH AND SAFETY OFFICE TO PROVIDE, WE'LL BE PROVIDING AN UPDATED PROCEDURE ON, ON SOME OF THOSE ITEMS THAT ARE STRICTLY FOR THIS TYPE OF PROJECTS FOR GREENING PROJECTS ON OUR SCHOOL YARDS, BECAUSE THE OVERALL, UM, GUIDELINES THAT PROVIDED WAS FOR, UM, ALL PROJECTS IN, UH, DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE IDENTIFIED THAT YOU DON'T NEED TO REMOVE, UM, THE LEAD CONTAINING PAIN, UM, AND CODING, UM, UH, AS, AS SOME OF THE PARTNERS THOUGHT THEY HAD TO DO IT IN THE PAST, I THINK THAT HELPED US SAVE, UH, AVOID SOME CAUSE.
AND, UH, AND THAT'S ONE YOU DON'T HAVE ANY ASBESTOS, OBVIOUSLY, IN THE ASPHALT.
AND WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE LOOKING AT THOSE PROCEDURES.
WE HAVE, UM, SEVERAL OTHER ITEMS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AND WE'RE GONNA BE SHOWING OUT HOPEFULLY IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.
AND WE'LL KEEP UPDATING DETAILS AND SPECIFICATIONS TO ENSURE THAT, THAT, UH, WE'LL STREAMLINE THE PROCESS SPECIFICALLY FOR THOSE TYPE OF GREETING PROJECTS IN OUR PLAYGROUNDS.
THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS, IT'S ANOTHER AREA THAT, UH, WE NOTICED THAT, UH, IT WAS, UH, VERY CHALLENGING TO OUR PARTNERS.
AND WHAT WE DID, WE ENSURE THAT WE REMOVED THE WORK, UH, THE TERM DEVELOPER, AND, UH, WE REPLACED IT WITH THE NAME OF THE PARTNER ORGANIZATION BECAUSE THIS IS MORE OF A PARTNERSHIP.
WE, WE'VE REALIZED THAT THESE TYPE OF PROJECTS, IN, IN MANY CASES, THEY'RE NOT THE BIG DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE ON OUR SCHOOLS.
THOSE ARE MORE PROJECTS THAT, UH, HELP ADVANCE, UM, OUR WORK THROUGH GRANTS AND WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE THE RIGHT PARTNERS TO DO THE WORK.
AND WE'VE, UH, WE CLARIFIED REQUIREMENTS IN TERMS OF THE, UH, IN TERMS OF THE INSURANCE, THAT FIRE INSURANCE IS NOT REQUIRED IF IT'S, UH, THE PROJECTS ARE NOT WITHIN THE 20 FEET OF A BUILDING.
AND THEN ALSO, WE'VE, UH, LOOKED AT THE, UH, THE, THE ACTUAL PROJECTS THAT ARE SMALLER PROJECTS.
AND WE'VE, UH, DISCUSSED WITH OUR REAL ESTATE THAT SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS, UM, THEY SHOULDN'T BE CALLED, THEY SHOULDN'T NEED A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, PERHAPS A BEAUTIFICATION LICENSE AGREEMENT WILL SUFFICE TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN MOVE THOSE PROJECTS FASTER THROUGH OUR PROCESS.
ALSO, WE'VE, UH, WE SET THAT PERFORMANCE BONDS FOR THIS TYPE OF THIRD PARTY GREETING AGREEMENTS THAT ARE GRANT FUNDED ARE NO LONGER REQUIRED, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT'S A GOOD PRACTICE TO HAVE THEM.
AND IN CASES WE'RE FINDING OUT THAT THE COSTS ARE NOT SO MUCH MORE, UH, FOR THIS,
[00:30:01]
UH, FOR THE PERFORMANCE BONDS TO BE A PART, A PART OF THE, UM, A PART OF THE DOCUMENTS THAT WE REQUIRE.SO WE LEAVE THAT UP TO THE PARTNER TO ENSURE THAT, UH, THAT, UH, AT LEAST WE'RE NOT REQUIRING IT, BUT IT'S A GOOD BEST PRACTICE TO, TO HAVE, UH, THE NEXT ACTION.
UH, IT WAS ABOUT OUR OFFICE TO ENSURE THAT OUR OFFICE IS SUPPORTED AND HAS THE, THE RIGHT STAFF TO HELP SUPPORT THE WORK THAT WE HAVE.
WE OPEN UP SOME POSITIONS LIKE THE SUSTAINABILITY SPECIALIST, THE ENERGY SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM MANAGER, AND THE SENIOR ENERGY SPECIALIST THAT WE PUBLICIZE STARTING EARLY, UH, MARCH OF THIS YEAR.
WE'RE STILL GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS.
WE INTEND TO BE ABLE TO FILL THOSE POSITIONS.
WE'VE DONE A LOT OF OUTREACH TO FIND QUALIFIED PEOPLE THAT REALLY HAVE THE EXPERTISE TO HELP SUPPORT THE WORK THAT WE, WE HAVE COMING FORWARD.
AND, UM, ONE THING I WANTED TO ALSO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, I COMMUNICATE IS THAT WHILE THOSE WILL HELP SUPPORT OVERALL SUSTAINABILITY AT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR THE THIRD PARTY PROJECT, UH, WORKLOAD, WE'RE LOOKING AT STAFF AUGMENTATION TO HELP SUPPORT US BECAUSE WE HAVE AN IMMEDIATE NEED.
UM, THE, THE HIRING PROCESS THROUGH OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.
IT TAKES A LITTLE BIT, UH, LONGER THAN THE USUAL, UM, BRINGING SOME, WHAT WE CALL CONTRACT PROFESSIONALS TO HELP SUPPORT THE WORK.
SO WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THAT AS WELL AND SEE IF THAT CAN HELP US ADVANCE THE WORK THAT WE HAVE.
SO WITH THAT, I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE OF HOW, UH, UH, HOW WE'RE LOOKING ON STRENGTHENING THIS, OUR COMMITMENT TO OUR PARTNERS.
UM, WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THIS SLIDE HERE, YOU CAN SEE A LOT OF REAL WONDERFUL IMAGES THAT REALLY SHARE THE WORK, UM, THAT HAPPENS THROUGH THE DIFFERENT PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE HAVE.
AND I CANNOT HELP NOTICE THAT THROUGH THEM, WE CAN HELP ADVANCE THE WORK THAT WE HAVE AND, AND REALLY CAN HELP US ACHIEVE THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES THAT WE HAVE.
SO I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR ALL THE WORK THAT, UH, THEY DO, THAT THEY'RE REALLY PATIENT WITH US, AND, UH, UNDERSTANDING THE, THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE AS WELL, AND REALLY HELP GUIDING US THROUGH THAT PROCESS WHILE WE GUIDE THEM TO, TO HAVE SUCCESSFUL PROJECTS.
SO WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE BOTH, UH, MR. CARLOS MORAN AND MR. UH, TORY CHAIR TO COME UP AND SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS AND IDEAS.
UM, GIVE US SOME UPDATES ON THEIR PROJECTS AND, AND TO ALSO, I AT LEAST SHARE WHAT'S WORKING WITH THEM AND WHAT, IF THEY HAVE ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS OR RECOMMENDATIONS TO CONTINUE HELPING IMPROVE OUR PROCESS.
SO WITH THAT, THANK YOU, CARLOS.
MY NAME'S CARLOS MORAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF NORTHEAST TREES.
UM, AND I JUST WANNA START OFF BY FIRST ACKNOWLEDGING ALL OF YOU AND SAYING THANK YOU.
UM, ACKNOWLEDGING, UM, CRYSTALS AND HIS TEAM, BECAUSE THEY WORK HARD.
THEY WORK BEYOND 5:00 PM I DON'T KNOW IF I SHOULD BE TELLING Y'ALL THIS.
UM, THEY RESPOND ON SATURDAYS, YOU KNOW, AND THEY ARE REALLY OUT THERE, UM, UM, SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS LIKE US TO, TO GET THE WORK DONE.
AND JUST THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE EOS AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THIS COMMITTEE HAS ALREADY KIND OF, UH, UM, ALLOWED US TO, TO SHOW IMPROVEMENTS IN SOME OF THE SCHOOL.
WE JUST FINISHED, UM, UH, UM, ONE SCHOOL AT BUCHANAN ELEMENTARY, WHICH IS IN DISTRICT TWO.
UM, WE, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PHASE TWO IN THAT SCHOOL, AND WE ALSO HAVE SEVEN OTHER SCHOOLS IN, UM, DISTRICT TWO THAT WE ARE GREENING, AND WE'RE HOPING THAT THIS PROCESS IS GONNA HELP STREAMLINE THAT AS WELL.
UM, I, SO EXPRESSING DEEP GRATITUDE TO ALL OF YOU FOR, FOR, FOR YOUR WORK, UM, I, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THIS WORK COMES WITH CHALLENGES.
THE, YOU'RE AT THE FOREFRONT AT, YOU KNOW, BREAKING BARRIERS, YOU KNOW, MOVING THROUGH THE RED TAPE TO BE ABLE TO, UH, UH, GREEN OUR SCHOOLS.
AND IT'S IN THE EARLY PHASES OF THIS, RIGHT? SO THERE ARE GONNA BE SOME CHALLENGES.
I THINK THIS RESOLUTION, SUPER GRATEFUL THAT IT'S PASSED.
UM, IT'S GETTING IMPLEMENTED, AND IT'S ALSO EXPOSING SOME OPPORTUNITIES AND SOME AREAS OF GROWTH THAT WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO SHARE WITH YOU.
UM, BECAUSE WE'RE ON THE GROUND, WE'RE DOING THIS AND WE'RE PARTNERING WITH YOU, AND WE'RE PARTNERING WITH YOUR TEAMS. SO, UM, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, I THINK ONE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES IS STAFFING, RIGHT? EOS DOES NEED MORE STAFFING.
UM, THAT, THAT'S THE, THE OFFICE OF, UM, ECOS SUSTAINABILITY IS UNDERWATER.
THEY ARE, THERE'S A TON OF PARTNERS.
THERE IS A HUGE AND URGENT NEED THAT THEY ARE RESPONDING TO, AND THERE'S MORE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED.
THE OTHER AREA THAT I THINK THAT THEY NEED SUPPORT IN HONESTLY, IS THEY NEED MORE AUTHORITY.
TELL YOU ALL THE TRUTH, RIGHT? THEY ARE WORKING THEIR BUTTS OFF, THEY'RE THE LIAISONS WITH THE REST OF THE DISTRICT, WITH
[00:35:01]
ALL OF THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, WITH THE HUNDREDS OF DIFFERENT, OF, OF THOUSANDS OF STAFF THAT WORK HERE.AND THEY'RE DOING THEIR BEST TO MAKE THINGS WORK FOR US AND TELL US, LIKE, HEY, WE'RE GOING TO FIGHT FOR YOU.
BUT THEN THEY DON'T HEAR BACK FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
THEY DON'T GET THE RESOURCES OR THE ANSWERS THAT THEY NEED.
THE WAY IT AFFECTS US, FOR EXAMPLE, IS IT PUTS THE PROJECTS AT RISK, IT DELAYS THEM.
AND JUST AN IMMEDIATE EXAMPLE, THERE'S AN INEFFICIENCIES.
THERE'S ONE OF THE SCHOOLS, RIGHT? WE HAD TO, UM, UH, UH, WE REMOVED 44 TONS OF ASPHALT.
L-A-U-S-D HAS SOIL, SO COMMITTEE, L-A-U-S-D HAS SOME GREAT SOIL.
UM, WE ASKED FOR SOME OF THAT.
WE WERE TOLD NO, UM, OUTSIDE OF EOS.
AND SO IT CREATED SOME INEFFICIENCIES BECAUSE WE HAD TO, TO MEET THE STANDARDS, WE HAD TO GO TO HOME DEPOT AND BUY HUNDREDS OF INDIVIDUALLY SEALED BAGS THAT YOU FIND IN THE GARDENING CENTER TO BE ABLE TO PUT DOWN AND TO JUST MEET THESE REQUIREMENTS WHEN IT COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN, UM, HAD THERE BEEN A BREAK IN IN OR INTEGRATION OF THE DIFFERENT SILOS, WE COULD HAVE HAD A STREAMLINED PROCESS.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THIS COULD BE AVOIDED, HONESTLY.
LIKE I KNOW THAT THERE'S, UH, UH, MONEY THAT IS ALLOCATED, AND I LOVE IT.
UM, BUT THERE'S, THINK ABOUT THE UPFRONT, WHAT IS NEEDED.
WE NEED AN INVENTORY OF ALL THE STUFF, RIGHT? SO IF, IF THE, UM, IF THE DISTRICT WAS PREPARED AND SAID, HEY, WE HAVE 50 SCHOOLS AND NEXT YEAR THEY'RE ALL GONNA NEED SOILS, LET'S COORDINATE RIGHT NOW TO GET IT PREPPED.
AND WHEN YOU WRITE THE GRANTS AND WHEN YOU WRITE THE FUNDING, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN LEVERAGE AND SOMETHING THAT THAT, THAT WE CAN WRITE INTO THE GRANT OR PROVIDE, UM, AS OPPOSED TO, YOU KNOW, ME RUNNING UP AGAINST PROJECT, UH, DEADLINES.
UM, ANYWAYS, I, THOSE ARE JUST SOME REAL LIFE EXAMPLES, RIGHT? UM, AND, AND WE WORK WITH, WITH CRYSTALS AND TEAM QUITE A BIT.
UM, WE ARE, UM, DEFINITELY HERE TO SUPPORT THE COMMITTEE TO SUPPORT, UM, EOS AND TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS.
UM, AND IF THERE'S EVER ANY QUESTIONS, EVER, ANY ISSUES, FEEL FREE TO, UH, CONTACT US.
GOOD AFTERNOON, UH, HONORABLE BOARD MEMBERS AND GREENING COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE LOS ANGELES NEIGHBORHOOD LAND TRUST, UM, AND A FORMER GREENING COMMITTEE MEMBER, UM, EXCITED TO BE HERE TO SHARE AND ALSO RESPOND TO CHRISTO'S PRESENTATION.
AND I GUESS WHAT I WILL JUST START BY SAYING IS THAT WE ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR THIS PARTNERSHIP.
THE LA NEIGHBORHOOD LAND TRUST HAS, UH, SIX SCHOOLS THAT ARE IN DESIGN PROCESS RIGHT NOW, ANOTHER FOUR THAT ARE, UH, IN KIND OF CONCEPTUAL AND COMMUNITY PLANNING PROCESS.
AND WE ARE EXCITED TO WORK ON MANY MORE IN GRADING PROJECTS WITH THE DISTRICT.
WE CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOUR AMAZING TEAM OF DEDICATED STAFF.
CHRISTOS HAS ROLLED UP HIS SLEEVES, HIS WHOLE TEAM, AND REALLY WORKED WITH US AND RESPONDED, AND WE'VE HAD REAL CONVERSATIONS ACROSS THE TABLE ABOUT HOW CAN WE DO THIS AND HOW CAN WE REALLY MAKE THESE PARTNERSHIPS WORK.
SO I THINK WE ALL UNDERSTAND THAT WE NEED EACH OTHER TO GET EVERY SINGLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN L-A-U-S-D GREENED AS WELL AS MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS, AND SOON.
UM, SO I'LL JUST START BY SAYING WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL.
THERE'S A LOT THAT IS WORKING, AND WE SAW MANY RESPONSES TO SOME OF OUR CHALLENGES ADDRESSED IN THE PRESENTATION.
I ALSO JUST HAVE A COUPLE OTHER AREAS OF FEEDBACK THAT I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, PROVIDE.
UM, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION, HOWEVER, AND I'M KEEPING THEM VERY BRIEF.
I CAN FIT THEM ON ONE PAGE, SO THERE'S MORE TO TALK ABOUT.
THE FIRST CHALLENGE THAT WE SEE IS REALLY CRITICAL TO COMPREHENSIVE GREENING ON L-A-U-S-D CAMPUSES ARE THE OUTDATED PE REQUIREMENTS.
THE PE REQUIREMENTS ARE CURRENTLY LIMITING THE AMOUNT OF GREEN SPACE WE CAN CREATE.
THEY CENTER ASPHALT AS THE PRIMARY SURFACE NEEDED FOR ACTIVITIES.
FOR INSTANCE, DISTRICT REQUIREMENT REQUIREMENTS MANDATE THAT KICKBALL TAKE PLACE ON ASPHALT RATHER THAN GRASS.
WHEN I WAS AT ESPERANZA ELEMENTARY JUST AN HOUR AGO, THE KIDS RAISED THEIR HANDS AND SHARED WHAT THEY'RE MOST EXCITED ABOUT, REAL GRASS.
THESE KIDS DON'T HAVE CRAZY EXPECTATIONS.
SO THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO US.
THESE OUTDATED STANDARDS PREVENT US FROM MAXIMIZING GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND ALSO CREATING THESE REALLY TRULY BEAUTIFUL TRANSFORMATIVE PLAY YARDS.
[00:40:01]
WE CAN PLAY AND PRACTICE PE ON ANY SURFACE, AND IT'S ACTUALLY GOOD FOR KIDS TO HAVE SURFACES THAT ARE UNEVEN.IT'S GOOD FOR BALANCE TO BE ON SOMETHING BESIDES ASPHALT.
SO I'M JUST ENCOURAGING YOU TO REALLY THINK ABOUT HOW CAN WE PUSH THE DISTRICT'S PE STANDARDS.
I CAN SAY THAT THE LAND TRUST DID GET FEEDBACK ON OUR CONCEPTS FOR OUR FIVE SCHOOLS, AND THEY ASKED US TO REMOVE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF GREENING.
AND I TOLD THE TEAM, KEEP THE GREENING IN.
WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION.
SO THAT IS HOW WE ARE PUSHING BACK.
THE NEXT, UH, BARRIER IS RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENTAL TESTING REQUIREMENTS.
AND I KNOW CHRISTO ACTUALLY THANK YOU FOR MENTIONING THAT IN YOUR PRESENTATION.
MAYBE WE ARE COMING TO A RESOLUTION ON THAT.
BUT THE LEAD TESTING AND THE REMOVAL OF THE PAINT STRIPING HAS BEEN SUCH AN ONEROUS, ONEROUS PROCESS THAT OUR CONTRACTOR ALMOST WALKED AWAY FROM ESPERANZA.
IT HAS BEEN VERY COMPLICATED, VERY EXPENSIVE.
WE PAID A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS TO OUR CONTRACTOR JUST TO REMOVE THE PAINT TEST AND REMOVE THE PAINT STRIPING FOR THE FOURSQUARE AND FOR THE OTHER ELEMENTS ON THE PLAYGROUND WHEN THERE WAS NO LEAD THAT WAS PRESENT EVEN AFTER COMPREHENSIVE TESTING.
SO THE VERY RIGID MANDATE AROUND THAT IS A HUGE BARRIER.
IT'S COSTING US MONEY, IT'S COSTING YOU MONEY.
CAN WE STREAMLINE IT? PLEASE? CAN WE STREAMLINE IT? UM, AND THEN THE LAST PIECE, AND I ACTUALLY DID BRING SOMETHING TO GIVE YOU ALL, I'LL LEAVE IT WITH YOU, IS THE BOND FUNDING INTERPRETATION.
AND I DID SEND AN EMAIL, AND I KNOW IT'S BEEN JUST A REALLY STRESSFUL TIME WITH A LOT HAPPENING WITH THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR AND EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON IN LA WITH THE ICE RAIDS.
BUT WHAT I WOULD SAY IS WE ARE BRINGING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO THE DISTRICT.
THE DISTRICT IS ALSO RAISING MONEY, AND TOGETHER WE CAN LEVERAGE ALL OF THIS FUNDING AND BUILD AMAZING SCHOOLYARDS.
BUT WE DO NEED TO GET A LITTLE BIT CREATIVE.
AND WE'D ASKED, AFTER KIND OF HEARING THAT THERE WERE BARRIERS TO USING BOND FUNDING FOR GREENING PROJECTS FROM OUTSIDE PARTNERS, WE ASKED OF LAW FIRM TO PROVIDE A PRO BONO ANALYSIS OF BOND FUNDING.
UM, THIS IS A LAW FIRM THAT SPECIALIZES IN BONDS AND, UH, AND BOND FUNDING STATEWIDE.
THEY DID A COMPLETE ANALYSIS AND THEY SENT THIS MEMO THAT ANALYZES THE KIND OF THE DISTRICT AND THE LEGISLATION.
AND IT BASICALLY SAYS, AS LONG AS PROJECTS ARE INCORPORATED INTO AN EXECUTION PLAN, BOND FUNDING CAN BE USED.
SO THERE'S ACTUALLY A VERY QUICK AND EASY WORKAROUND.
AND WHAT THIS MEANS IS, WITH OUR GREENING MONEY FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AT ESPERANZA ELEMENTARY, WE CAN DO A LOT OF AMAZING GREENING, BUT IF TOILETS NEED TO BE UPGRADED TO A DA STANDARDS, THEN WE CAN INCORPORATE THAT INTO THE, INTO THE WORK.
AND THERE'S MULTIPLE KIND OF BENEFITS TO EVERYONE THERE.
AND THEN WE CAN ALSO INCLUDE THINGS THAT SOME GREENING MONEY WON'T INCLUDE, LIKE A RUNNING TRACK OR OTHER ACTIVE PLAY ELEMENTS THAT ARE IMPORTANT FOR THE CHILDREN, BUT MAYBE NOT FUNDED WITH STRAIGHT GREENING MONEY.
THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GET CREATIVE AND WORK TOGETHER, AND WE ARE VERY ENCOURAGED AND EXCITED, UM, AND READY TO KIND OF ROLL UP OUR SLEEVES AND FIGURE OUT THIS NEXT STEP.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHO I, I DID PRINT OUT A COPY OF THE MEMO FOR EVERYONE HERE.
SHOULD I, MCKAYLA, CAN I PASS IT TO YOU? OKAY.
WELL THAT CONCLUDES OUR FIRST PRESENTATION.
I WILL OPEN NOW THE FLOOR FOR ANY QUESTIONS FROM ANY OF OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS OR BOARD MEMBERS.
SCOTT, DO YOU WANNA START IT OFF? SO YOU MENTIONED THREE LETTERS THAT REALLY STRIKES FEAR IN MY HEART, AND THAT'S DSA, THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE ARCHITECTURE.
AND I WOULD KIND OF HOPE THAT YOU WOULD BE ADVISING THESE GROUPS.
IF YOU GO ONE MORE INCH, THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE A, UH, ARCHITECT WILL HAVE TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS IF YOU CAN KEEP IT TO THIS SIZE OR THAT SIZE.
SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT THEY UNDER, WELL, I'M SURE YOU DO, TO KEEP COSTS DOWN, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THEIR LIMITS TO HOW THEY CAN DO THINGS.
AND I'VE EXPERIENCED THAT MYSELF.
AND YOU DON'T WANT THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE ARCHITECTURE, THEY DO A GREAT JOB, DON'T THEY PROTECT US, BUT THEY'RE ALSO VERY EXPENSIVE.
AND, AND WHEN ACTUALLY, BOARD
WE MEET WITH THE PARTNERS AND WE SHARE WITH THEM WHAT'S GONNA REQUIRE DSA REVIEW AND APPROVAL.
AND THAT'S HOW WE SEE SOME OF THE DOWNSIZING OF THE PROJECTS.
AND CERTAINLY, I MEAN, FROM A GREEN PARTNERS, A A GOOD ITEM FOR DISCUSSION IS CAN WE ACCESS MORE FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO INCREASE THOSE PROJECTS TO HAVE A BIGGER IMPACT ON THE SCHOOL YARDS, WHICH UNDERSTANDABLY SO.
IT'S A GOOD ARGUMENT AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE'LL BE DISCUSSING IN THE FUTURE.
[00:45:06]
THANK YOU.AND TO CARLOS AND TORI FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND REMARKS.
UM, I APPRECIATE THE PARTNERSHIP AND ALL THE WORK THAT YOUR TEAM HAS DONE.
I ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU ALL WORK REALLY HARD AND ARE VERY RESPONSIVE.
UM, I JUST HAVE THIS, A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
ONE IS, IS THERE A POSSIBILITY FOR YOU TO GIVE THIS PRESENTATION THAT YOU GIVE TO US, TO THE BOND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, TO KIND OF WORK OUT SOME OF THE BOND STUFF AND LIKE GET CLARITY AND MAYBE EVEN DIRECTION ON LIKE THE FEE RETURNS? YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S ON YOUR AGENDA OR YOU PLAN ON DOING THAT, BUT I, IT WOULD BE A RECOMMENDATION.
I THINK THAT COULD BE HELPFUL.
AND THEN THE OTHER THING IS, UM, AS YOU WERE GIVING YOUR PRESENTATION AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE TESTING, AND I JUST HAD THIS QUESTION AROUND WHY, LIKE, THE ONUS IS ON THE GREENING PARTNER FOR THE ASBESTOS TESTING.
UM, IT SEEMS LIKE, AND, AND I JUST, I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND AND GET SOME CLARITY HERE, BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE THE DISTRICT ONE SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT TESTING AS LIKE KIND OF DUE DILIGENCE, RIGHT? TO LIKE, BE PROACTIVE TO KNOW LIKE, WHAT IS THE CURRENT STATE OF, YOU KNOW, THE GROUNDS BEFORE, EVEN BEFORE LIKE A PROJECT COMES TO BEAR.
SO I JUST NEEDED SOME CLARITY AROUND THAT.
LIKE, DO, DOES THE DISTRICT DOESN'T DO TESTING LIKE PROACTIVELY OR IS IT ONLY IN REACTION ONCE A, LIKE A PROJECT IS ON THE TABLE? SO I JUST NEED CLARITY AROUND THAT.
YEAH, ON, ON BOTH ITEMS. THE FIRST ONE, IN TERMS OF THE BOU PRESENTATION, I'LL BE MORE HAPPY TO MAKE ONE.
I THINK IT'S GREAT TO, UH, SHARE A LOT OF THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE WITH OUR POINT OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE BECAUSE THEY DO HAVE A, A PASSION FOR GREENING AS WELL, AND, UH, SETTING UP CERTAIN EXPECTATIONS.
SO I THINK JUST HIGHLIGHTING THE PARTNERSHIPS AND THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE WILL BE GREAT FOR THEM AND, AND DISCUSS, HAVE THAT DISCUSSION ABOUT BOND FUNDS AS WELL.
UM, THE NEXT ITEM, UH, IN TERMS OF THE, UH, HEALTH AND SAFETY REQUIREMENTS AND, UH, AND FOR TESTING, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE IDENTIFY UPFRONT TO KNOW, UM, WHAT THE PARAMETERS OF THE PROJECT IS.
THAT'S WHY WE DO TESTING UPFRONT AND TYPICALLY WE CAN TEST FOR ASBESTOS, AND THAT'S HOW WE DETERMINE WHAT THE PROJECT IS.
UM, SO, UH, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT ACTUALLY DISCUSSING WITH KAFI AND I HAD A MEETING WITH THEM AND DISCUSS IT.
THEY'RE AWARE OF SOME OF THESE REQUIREMENTS AND OF THE OSHA REQUIREMENTS AND EPA REQUIREMENTS AND THEY'RE WILLING TO, UM, UM, BE ABLE TO PAY FOR THEM IF THEY'RE NOT UPFRONT WHEN WE SUBMIT THE GRANT.
THAT'S WHY WE WANNA DO 'EM UPFRONT SO WE CAN BE ABLE TO DETERMINE, WE, UM, DETERMINE THE PROJECT SIZE ITSELF AND WHERE IT'S GONNA BE LOCATED ON THE SCHOOL.
UM, WE'RE GONNA BE PROVIDING MORE REQUIREMENTS, MORE CLARIFICATION, I WILL SAY, IN TERMS OF THE PROCEDURES OF, UH, TESTING BECAUSE WE SHOULDN'T BE TESTING ANY LEAD MOVING FORWARD.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE CLARITY THAT WE RECEIVE FROM OUR HEALTH AND SAFETY OFFICE.
AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO REMOVE THE, UH, THE ACTUAL, UM, MARKINGS ON THE, ON THE PLAY FIELD WITH THE ASPHALT.
UM, IF IT DOESN'T CONTAIN ANY ASBE ASBESTOS, WE CAN BE ABLE TO REMOVE THAT AND STOCKPILE IT AND TEST IT ONCE WE'LL HAVE THE STOCKPILE IN, IN, IN PLACE.
SO, UM, MORE TO COME ON THOSE REQUIREMENTS, UM, SO WE CAN BE ABLE TO GIVE MORE CLARITY.
BUT IT'S A GOOD PRACTICE TO KNOW UPFRONT SO WE CAN BE ABLE TO DEFINE THE PROJECT ITSELF.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I DO HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS ON THE LABOR STANDARDS, ESPECIALLY WITH THE BOND, UH, THAT'S GONNA BE PAID BY THE, IF, IF THEY WERE TO GET BOND FUNDING.
UM, UH, UH, DO WE CURRENTLY HAVE ANY LABOR STANDARDS ON, ON, ON, ON THIS WORK? SO, UM, WELL, IT, IT WILL TRIGGER, WE HAVE SOME STANDARDS, BUT IT'S GONNA TRIGGER OTHER STANDARDS ONCE WE GO THROUGH THE, IF WE USE BOND FUNDS.
SO, UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED.
WE'VE, UH, WE'VE SHARED WITH OUR PARTNERS IN THE FUTURE SO WE CAN PLAN AHEAD THAT IF ANY BOND FUNDING IS GOING ON A PROJECT, IT'S GONNA TRIGGER SOME ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS THAT THEY NEED TO COMPLY WITH.
AND WHAT ABOUT, UH, WORK THAT'S RIGHT NOW NOT BEING COVERED? UH, THAT'S NOT BOND FUNDED, THAT'S NOT BOND FUNDED, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, PRIVATE DONATION MONEY, BUT IT IS, UH, IMPACTING, UH, THE DISTRICT AND, UH, IT'S RESIDENTS.
'CAUSE OUR PROJECT STABILIZATION AGREEMENT, IT, IT'S, IT'S, WHILE IT'S GREAT THAT WE HAVE ALL UNION CONTRACTORS, THE, THE, THE MAJOR PART OF IT'S TO PUT OUR LOCAL RESIDENTS AND, UH, PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING OUT OF THE, THE TRADE, UH, CENTERS TO WORK.
SO RIGHT NOW, THE PROJECT STABILIZATION AGREEMENT, IT DOESN'T, UH, IT DOESN'T, IT IS NOT TRIGGERED UNTIL WE USE ANY BOND FUNDS.
AND WE HAVE MS. ERICA DOMINGUEZ HERE, SHE CAN FURTHER EXPLAIN IF, IF THERE'S ANY BOND, UH, FUNDING REQUIREMENTS IN TERMS OF DOING THE WORK THAT, UH, THE, THE PARTNERS ARE DOING.
SO THAT THAT'S NOT TRIGGERED BY THAT.
UM, THE LABOR COMPLIANCE, UH, REQUIREMENTS ARE NOT, UH, FROM OUR RECOLLECTION ARE NOT, UM, TRIGGER AS WELL BECAUSE WE'RE NOT USING ANY, ANY BOND FUNDS.
[00:50:01]
WE DO USE BOND FUNDS, THEN THOSE WILL BE TRIGGER AS WELL.I, I WOULD LIKE US TO LOOK AT AS, AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE LARGER PROJECTS THAT ARE PRIVATELY FUNDED, UM, INTO THAT, WHILE THEY ARE PRIVATELY FUNDED.
I UNDERSTAND THAT AND, YOU KNOW, DONATIONS THAT WE STILL LOOK INTO HOW WE CAN INCORPORATE, UH, THE PSA STANDARDS.
'CAUSE AGAIN, UH, THE, THE MAJOR, UH, PART OF THE PS A IS TO PUT OUR LOCAL PEOPLE TO WORK.
I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, MAYBE I'LL ASK THEM ONE BY ONE.
UM, SO FIRST OF ALL, WANTED TO THANK YOU SO MUCH CRISTOS FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
UH, WE CAN SEE HOW MUCH WORK THAT WENT INTO IT AND THE WORK THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM HAS DONE WILL HAVE A VERY SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON FUTURE PROJECTS.
UM, I WANTED TO ASK, UH, FOR THE CAL FIRE GRANT SPECIFICALLY, WE KNOW THAT THERE'S A DEADLINE TO COMPLETE PROJECTS BY SPRING OF NEXT YEAR.
SO FROM THE DISTRICT'S PERSPECTIVE, UH, WILL THE PROPOSED ACTIONS ADDRESS ALL OF THE BARRIERS FACING THIRD PARTY PART PARTNERS TO COMPLETE PROJECTS BY THEIR DEADLINE? UM, GREAT QUESTIONS.
THE, THE DEADLINE WAS EXTENDED BY CALFIRE, SO NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM, 2027, SO WE HAVE MORE TIME TO BE ABLE TO COMPLETE THE WORK.
UM, BUT, UH, AT THE SAME TIME, SOME OF THE PARTNERS ACTUALLY THEY WILL BE COMPLETING THE WORK, UM, UH, BY THE, UH, SPRING OF, UH, NEXT YEAR.
SO, UM, FORTUNATE TO SAY THAT, YEAH, SOME OF THE WORK, IT'S IN THE, IN UNDER CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW, WE'RE GONNA BE SEEING SOME PROJECTS FINISHED.
SOME OF THEM WITH THE LARGER PROJECTS WILL TAKE A LITTLE LONGER.
AND THE PLAN IS TO HAVE 'EM WITHIN THAT TIMELINE INCORPORATING THE REQUIREMENTS THAT WE HAVE HERE.
UM, AND THEN ON ACTION, TWO L-A-U-S-D IS ALLOCATING $3 MILLION TO SUPPORT THIRD PARTY GREENING.
DO YOU HAVE A SENSE OF HOW IMPACTFUL THIS ALLOCATION WILL BE IN TERMS OF, UM, HOW MANY PROJECTS IT WILL COVER THE SCALE OF THE PROJECTS, UH, THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS OR SQUARE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THE PROJECTS? UM, AND THEN DO WE HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE SCALE OF COSTS FACING THIRD PARTY PARTNERS, UH, FROM US, L-A-U-S-E THAT CANNOT BE WAIVED SO THAT, UH, THEY'RE STILL RESPONSIBLE FOR? YEAH, THERE'S TWO, UM, TWO SOLUTIONS THAT WE HAVE THERE.
ONE IS TO CONTINUE MINIMIZING THE ACTUAL FEES.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE ACTUAL REVIEW FEES OR THE, UH, UH, OVERSIGHT, UH, BY THE OOAR FEES.
THE PLAN IS TO CONTINUE TO REDUCE THAT.
IF WE TAKE THE 33, JUST THE 33 PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE UNDER THE CAL FIRE GROUND AND WE SAY WE'RE GONNA DO AN EVEN, UH, DISTRIBUTION OF THE FUNDS AND WE TAKE 30,000, THAT'S GONNA BE ABLE TO, TO USE OUR $1 MILLION, UM, UH, FOR THE FIRST YEAR.
SO, UM, THE PLAN IS TO BE USING APPROXIMATELY ABOUT A MILLION PER YEAR FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS.
SO, UM, WHAT WE DISCUSS, UH, THE FOCUS AREAS FOR US TO BE ABLE TO ELIMINATE SOME OF THE FEES ARE THE OAR FEES AND, UH, AND ALSO THE INSPECTION FEES.
UM, THE INSPECTION FEE VARY BASED ON THE SIZE OF THE PROJECT.
THEY'RE TYPICALLY 4% OF THE ACTUAL PROJECT.
BUT WE WE'RE LOOKING AT THOSE IN, IN MORE DETAIL BECAUSE AS WE DEFINE THE PROJECTS INITIALLY, WE TRY TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF FUNDING ASSOCIATED WITH.
BUT ONCE WE, ONCE WE, WE DEFINE THE PROJECTS FURTHER, THEN WE KNOW EXACTLY HOW MUCH THIS FEES WILL BE FOR A SPECIFIC PROJECT.
BUT WE'RE LOOKING ABOUT $30,000, UH, TO BEGIN ON AVERAGE PER PROJECT FOR THOSE 33 PROJECTS.
UM, AND THEN FA FINAL PRO, UH, FINAL QUESTION FROM ME.
ACTION SIX MENTIONED UPCOMING STAFF AUGMENTATION TO SUPPORT THIRD PARTY PROJECT WORKLOAD.
DO YOU HAVE A SENSE OF HOW MANY, HOW MANY POSITIONS THIS WILL ADD AND WHAT KINDS OF POSITIONS NEED TO BE ADDED? YEAH, WHAT WE ASKED FOR INITIALLY IS, UH, FOUR POSITIONS WE CALL THOSE POSITIONS WHERE WE FIND THE POSITIONS AS, UM, SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM MANAGERS IN THE SENSE OF THEIR, UM, THEY UNDERSTAND THE ENTIRE PROCESS, UM, OF, UH, PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND CONSTRUCTION OVERSIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING TO THE END.
AND, UM, SPECIFICALLY FOCUS ON THIS TYPE OF SUSTAINABILITY PROJECTS.
WE, UM, WE PLAN FOR ABOUT FOUR POSITIONS, AND THAT'S ON THE LOW END BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER OF PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE, WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY ABOUT 57 PROJECTS RIGHT NOW.
SO WE THOUGHT WITH, UH, FOUR FULL-TIME POSITIONS INITIALLY, WE'LL BE ABLE TO MANAGE THE, THE WORKLOAD BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT PHASES THAT WE HAVE.
'CAUSE SOME OF THE PROJECTS ARE IN DIFFERENT PHASES OF PLANNING, DESIGN OR CONSTRUCTION.
AND, UH, AND WITH THAT, UH, WE'LL AUGMENT STAFF AS NEEDED.
I KNOW WE ALLOCATED $3 MILLION AS YOU MENTIONED, WHICH IS WONDERFUL.
BUT, UH, I'M JUST CURIOUS, HOW DO WE ASSESS THE SENTIMENTS OF OUR PARTNERS DURING THIS PROCESS? LIKE, HOW DO WE KNOW THAT OUR PARTNERS, OUR PARTNERS ARE HAPPY ALONG THIS PROCESS? DO WE HAVE ANY KIND OF WAY OF MEASURING THAT OR TALKING TO THEM OR GETTING AN
[00:55:01]
IDEA OF THEY HA ARE YOU HAPPY WITH HOW THINGS ARE GOING ALONG THIS WAY OR NOT HAPPY? DO WE DO THAT? YEAH, WE DO.AND WE HAVE OUR MEETINGS THAT WE MEET AND DISCUSS, AND CERTAINLY THERE'S AREAS THAT THEY'VE MENTIONED EARLIER.
OUR PARTNERS, UH, THEY'RE VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT BEING ABLE TO GET MORE SUPPORT, BUT CERTAINLY THEY'RE VERY HAPPY IN THE TERMS OF THE PROGRESS THAT WE'RE MAKING OF ADDRESSING THE ISSUES AS THEY COME RESOLVING THE ISSUES.
UH, BUT SOME OF THE ISSUES ARE UNFORESEEN AS, AS WELL, THEY HAPPEN, UM, DEPENDING WHAT STAGE OF THE PROCESS THEY ARE, BECAUSE THEY'RE FOLLOWING OUR L-A-U-S-T PROCEDURES, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, A PROJECT IN CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW, UM, WE'LL HAVE DIFFERENT ISSUES THAN A PROJECT THAT, A PROJECT THAT IS IN DESIGN OR A PLANNING PHASE AND PLANNING DESIGN PHASE IS, UH, IDENTIFYING THE, THE ACTUAL DESIGN, THE ACTUAL LOOKING AT THE PROJECT COSTS AND LOOKING THE, THE ACTUAL DESIGN DETAILS AND ENSURING THAT THERE'S ENOUGH MONEY TO COVER THE PROJECT COSTS IN CONSTRUCTION, UH, COULD BE ISSUES AS OVERSIGHT AS THEM MAKING SURE THAT THEY FOLLOW OUR GUIDELINES AND SPECIFICATIONS BY, UM, OWNERS AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE IN THE FIELD AND RAISING ISSUES AND CONCERNS AND TRYING TO ADDRESS THOSE.
SO, UM, THEY VARY, BUT I WILL SAY OVERALL THEY'RE VERY HAPPY WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE COMMENTS THAT THEY, WE JUST HEARD TODAY THAT I'M HEARING ON THE MEETINGS AS WELL THAT WE HAVE WITH THEM.
AND, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE VERY PASSIONATE AND THEY WANT TO HELP SUPPORT THE WORK THAT WE DO.
I JUST DON'T WANT US TO WAIT TILL THE VERY END OF THE PROJECT AND FIND OUT ALL THE THINGS THAT WE COULD HAVE FIXED.
WE SHOULD DO IT IN A, IN A, IN A, IN A REGIMENTED WAY ALONG THE PROJECT.
WELL, UM, I WILL SAY THAT, UM, I READ THROUGH THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN AND IT REALLY HELPED, UM, ME, AND I'M SURE EVERYONE, YOU KNOW, OUR PARTNERS AS WELL, GREEN PARTNERS, AND UNDERSTANDING THE ENTIRE PROCESS.
AND I THINK FOR ME, WHEN, UM, WHEN I'M MEETING WITH PARTNERS, GREETING PARTNERS AND, AND WHEN THEY SAY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE STUCK ON THE, THE PLAYSTATIONS, RIGHT? AND THEN I SAY, OKAY, I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE PLAYSTATIONS ARE AND, AND, UM, AND I DO, UM, APPRECIATE THE, THE DIAGRAM THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT REALLY, UM, DISPLAYED THE EACH PHASE AND WHAT DEPARTMENT IS INVOLVED AND ALL OF THAT AND I THINK THAT IF ANYTHING, IT, IT REALLY ILLUMINATED ME.
AND, AND JUST HAVING, YOU KNOW, WRITING AND EVERYTHING THAT GOES INTO PLACE BEFORE EVEN CONSTRUCTION HAPPENS, YOU KNOW, I WAS ON PAGE LIKE, OH, CONSTRUCTION HASN'T EVEN STARTED.
OH MY GOD, THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH DESIGN AND ALL OF THIS.
SO IT, IT REALLY HELPED ME UNDERSTAND THE COMPLEXITY OF IT ALL.
AND, AND I THINK THAT FOR ME, THAT THAT HELPED A LOT, WHICH I'M GLAD THAT THANK YOU FOR YOU AND YOUR TEAM AND, AND, UM, AND JAMIE TORRANCE FOR WORKING ON THIS BECAUSE IT, IT WAS VERY, UM, THOROUGH AS MUCH AS IT COULD BE, RIGHT? I MEAN, THERE WAS SO MUCH MORE.
AND ALSO ON THE, UM, PAGE 2035, WHICH, UM, UH, DELINEATED THE, THE COSTS AND THE GOOD GUIDELINES FOR EVERYTHING THAT GOES.
EVERYTHING FROM STANDARD PLANNING COSTS TO IMPLEMENTATION COSTS, AND WHAT ALL OF THAT ENTAILS.
I THINK THAT REALLY NEEDED TO, TO BE, UM, UM, SORT OF EXPLAINED AND UNDERSTOOD AND HOW MUCH IT IS AND ALL OF THAT.
SO I THINK THAT WAS REALLY GREAT.
SO, AND THEN I ALSO WANNA THANK CARLOS AND, AND TORI FOR, YOU KNOW, BEING VERY HONEST ABOUT THE CHALLENGES.
AND OF COURSE THIS IS JUST, I KNOW THEY HAD TO LEAVE, BUT, UM, THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT, YOU KNOW, HELPS US, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTAND, OKAY, WHAT IS STILL, UM, WHAT ARE AREAS THAT WE CAN STILL SIMPLIFY AND WORK THROUGH THAT, YOU KNOW, CAN MAKE THIS IN.
SO I APPRECIATE THE POINTS THAT THEY MADE AND, UH, DULY NOTED.
SO WE'LL TRY TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT.
SO I JUST HAVE THREE, THREE QUESTIONS.
UM, THE, AND I THINK MY FIRST QUESTION I THINK WAS, UM, RELATED TO WHAT ANGELA RAISED EARLIER, UM, ABOUT HOW ARE WE PRIORITIZING, UH, WHICH PROJECTS RECEIVE INTERNAL COST COVERAGE VERSUS REQUIRING PARTNERS TO SHOULDER THOSE EXPENSES UP FRONT AND THEN WAIT FOR REIMBURSEMENT SINCE, UM, THAT CAN, YOU KNOW, SIGNIFICANTLY BURDEN, UM, CAN BE A BURDEN FOR MANY OF OUR NONPROFIT COMMITTEE PARTNERS.
SO HOW ARE WE PRIORITIZING THE PROJECTS AND, AND COVERING SOME OF THOSE COSTS FOR ESPECIALLY THE COSTS THAT WERE MENTIONED HERE? LIKE, WHAT IS BEING COVERED, WHAT ISN'T WAS PRIORITIZED AND ALL OF THAT? YEAH, SO WE HAD A MEETING WITH A, WITH THE PARTNERS ON THAT, AND WE ASKED THEIR OPINION AND THEY SHARED WITH US WHAT THEY THOUGHT.
AND IT WAS TO FOCUS ON SPECIFIC AREAS LIKE THE, UM, OWNERS AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OVERSIGHT THAT, UH, WE ESTIMATE ABOUT $30,000 ON AVERAGE PER PROJECT.
AND THAT CAN FLUCTUATE BASED ON
[01:00:01]
THE ACTUAL COMPLEXITY AND SIZE OF THE PROJECT.UH, THE OTHER ONE WAS THE INSPECTION FEES, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY ALSO EXPRESSED THAT, THAT CAN HELP THEM WITH, WITH SOME OF THE COST.
NOW, UH, WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE DOING IS I WILL BE MEETING INDIVIDUALLY WITH EACH ONE OF THEIR PARTNERS.
'CAUSE THERE ARE DIFFERENT STAGES OF THE PLANNING, DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION.
SO WE CAN BE ABLE TO GO BACK AND REVISIT THEIR PROJECT AND SEE WHERE THE MONEY SHOULD BE ALLOCATED STRATEGICALLY TO HELP THEM OUT TO COMPLETE THEIR, THEIR ACTUAL PROJECTS.
AND IF THEY NEED TO SCALE THEM UP OR, UM, STILL SIZE THEM DOWN DEPENDING ON THE AMOUNT OF GRANT THAT THEY RECEIVED.
SO THAT WILL BE HAPPENING THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.
NOW WE, THE FUNDING WAS ALLOCATED, WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT NEXT STEP FOR SURE.
UM, AND NEXT QUESTION, COULD WE DEVELOP AN EXPEDITED PRE-APPROVAL PATHWAY, UH, FOR PARTNERS WORKING AT SCHOOLS WITH LESS THAN 10% OF GREEN SPACE, GIVEN THE ENERGY, UH, URGENCY OF THE HEAT, UM, VULNERABLE SITES? SO, UM, YEAH, WE CAN EXPEDITE THOSE.
UH, THE, THE CHALLENGE IS THAT, UM, AS YOU SAW THIS LAST WEEK, THE EXTREME HEAT IS ON OF OUR SCHOOL SITES, MOSTLY AT THE SAN END OF VALLEY, WILL PROBABLY BE, BE THE MOST SEVERE IN TERMS OF THE EXTREME HEAT IN SOME AREAS OF, UH, DOWNTOWN LA.
BUT MOSTLY, UM, THOSE ARE THE AREAS THAT I THINK THAT WILL HAVE THE, THE HIGHER TEMPERATURES.
WE CAN DEFINITELY LOOK AT THAT UNDER THAT, UH, SCENARIO AND, AND HELP AND PRIORITIZE SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS.
MY GOAL IS TO PRIORITIZE ALL OF THEM.
WE NEED TO, UH, ENSURE THAT ALL THESE PRODUCTS ARE LOOKED AT EXPEDITED THROUGH THE PROCESS.
WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR FACILITIES TEAM IN TERMS OF THE, OF THE REVIEWS TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THE APPROPRIATE, UH, STAFFING ALSO TO HELP US WITH THE ACTUAL REVIEWS AND ALSO WITH OUR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS WITHIN FACILITIES.
UH, IF WE NEED ANY OVERSIGHT IN THE FUTURE, ONCE WE HAVE MORE STAFF WITHIN THE OFFICE, WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO SOME OF THOSE TASKS OURSELVES, MEANING, LIKE, WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO THAT PROJECT OVERSIGHT WITHOUT HAVING TO BRING ANOTHER ENTITY IN TO HELP OUT, BECAUSE THEY'LL UNDERSTAND THE, THE CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES AT THAT LEVEL.
UM, THE SAME THING WITH THE REVIEWS.
THEY CAN EXP WE CAN EXPEDITE THE REVIEWS BY HAVING PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE AND JUST HAVE QUICK MEETINGS WITH OTHER REVIEWERS TO ENSURE THAT THEY RECEIVE THE COMMENTS AND SHARE 'EM BACK TO THE, THE BACK TO THE ACTUAL BACK, BACK TO THE PARTNER.
SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING INTERNALLY.
BUT, UH, ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE, IT IS STAFFING.
AND, UH, MY HOPE IS THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO STAFF THE OFFICE SO WE CAN BE ABLE TO DO THOSE ACTIVITIES.
I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF WORK AND YOU NEED STAFFING, AND I KNOW YOU'RE ALL PROACTIVELY, PROACTIVELY LOOKING FOR
IS THERE ANY, UH, UPDATES THAT YOU'D BE MAKING, UM, TO THAT INDEX JUST TO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT WE EQUITABLY ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF OUR, YOU KNOW, BOTH VULNERABLE SCHOOL SCHOOLS? YEAH, SO AS WE, AS WE RECEIVE THE, THE LATEST UPDATE ON THE GREEN INDEX AND, UM, OUR PLAN ONCE WE, UM, DO ANOTHER REVIEW, UH, WITH OUR FACILITIES TEAM IS TO ISSUE IT.
UM, THE, THE, THE UPDATE I CAN SHARE WITH EVERYONE IS THAT THE INDEX ITSELF IS LOOKING AT THREE AREAS SPECIFICALLY, AND THAT'S HOW WE'RE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE, UM, THE PRIORITY OF OUR SCHOOLS.
ONE, UM, IT IS THE AMOUNT OF GRINNING ON THE ACTUAL SPACE ON, ON THE ACTUAL SCHOOL IN TERMS OF PERMEABILITY.
THE SECOND ONE IS THE CAL VIRUS SCORE THAT WE LOOK AT THE CURRENT VIRUS SCORE TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT SCHOOL GETS PRIORITY AND THE, AND ALSO THE EXTREME HEAT INDEX.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THOSE THREE AREAS TO DETERMINE WHERE WE'RE GONNA GO NEXT IN TERMS OF THE PRIORITIES THAT WE HAVE AND THOSE SCHOOLS RECEIVE THAT PRIORITY AND ATTENTION.
AND EVEN FOR ANY UPCOMING GRANTS THAT WE'RE APPLYING FOR, WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE WE COORDINATE WITH OUR PARTNERS TO BE APPLYING FOR THOSE SCHOOLS SO WE CAN SERVE THOSE SCHOOLS FIRST.
AND LASTLY, UM, YOU KNOW, THE PLANNED REFERENCES SCENARIOS WHERE BLENDING EXTERNAL GRANTS WITH L-A-U-S-D BOND FUNDS CAN TRIGGER BOND FUNDED REQUIREMENTS AS WAS MENTIONED EARLIER.
CAN YOU CLARIFY, WHEN THE THIRD PARTY GREENING PROJECT USES EVEN PARTIAL BOND FUNDING, WHAT ARE THE PROCEDURAL STEPS REQUIRED AND HOW CAN WE PROACTIVELY STRUCTURE FUNDING, INCLUDING REDIRECTING EXISTING GREENING, UM, PROGRAM ALLOCATIONS TO SECURE A BROADER ALLOCATION THAT COVERS NS SALON QUESTION THAT COVERS A WIDE RANGE OF PARTNER LED PROJECTS INSTEAD OF REQUESTING APPROVALS ON A PROJECT BY PROJECT BASIS? YEAH.
UH, THERE'S SOME THOUGHTS AND IDEAS THERE, BUT DEFINITELY ANYTIME YOU USE BOND FUNDING, YOU TRIGGER THE LABOR COMPLIANCE, UH, AND THE PROJECT STABILIZATION AGREEMENT.
THEY'LL HAVE TO ENSURE THAT THEN, UM, THEY'RE IN COMPLIANCE.
THE PARTNERS ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THAT, MEANING LIKE, EVEN IF YOU PUT A DOLLAR OF BOND FUNDS IN, THEN THOSE WILL BE TRIGGERED NOW.
UM, THERE'LL BE MORE CLARIFICATIONS WITH THAT, UH, TO COME.
I'M NOT THE BOND EXPERT, BUT, UH,
[01:05:01]
I THINK, UM, THROUGH OUR OFFICE OF THE GENERAL COUNCIL, WE'LL HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSIONS RECEIVE THE, THE ACTUAL, UH, LETTER THAT CAME FROM, UH, TO CHURCH AND OUR, OUR PARTNERS.AND WE'LL BE LOOKING AT THAT IN MORE DETAIL TO DETERMINE HOW WE CAN MOVE FORWARD.
CERTAINLY, UM, INSTEAD OF JUST LOOKING PROJECT BY PROJECT, YOU CAN DEVELOP, UM, UM, A WHOLE, UM, I'LL SET, UM, A WHOLE SET SET OF, UH, FUNDS THAT CAN SUPPORT THESE TYPE OF PROJECTS, BUT PROBABLY IT'S GONNA BE A REALLOCATION FROM THE EXISTING BOND TO TOWARDS THIS TYPE OF PROJECTS.
SO YOU CAN BE ABLE TO, TO, TO THEN SEE HOW YOU CAN BE ABLE TO, UM, TO, UM, I GUESS, UH, MANAGE THESE TYPE OF PROJECTS AS YOU MOVE FORWARD, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THAT FUNDING AND THE REQUIREMENTS, SO WHEN THE PARTNERS ARE APPLYING FOR, FOR A SPECIFIC GRANT, THEN THEY CAN BE DIRECTED TOWARDS, UH, THAT PROJECT.
SO THOSE ARE ALL THE QUESTIONS FOR ME.
DID YOU, ANYONE ELSE DID SHE WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU? UM, I KNOW WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR A WHILE, AND TO BE ABLE TO SEE SOMETHING TANGIBLE IS APPRECIATED, AND I THINK SOME OF THE QUESTIONS WERE ALREADY ASKED.
AND REGARD TO THE 3 MILLION AND FOR THE PROJECTS AND THE PRIORITIES, HOW DO YOU PRIORITIZE, UM, WHEN THERE'S, SO TO SPEAK, A LIMITED POOL OF MONEY? AND HOW WOULD THAT PAN OUT FOR ALL THE PROJECTS? AND I GUESS THE CRITERIA THAT YOU JUST STATED AS FAR AS THE GREENING, THE SCORE AND HEAT INDEX, WHETHER THAT BE PART OF THAT PRIORITIZATION, UM, TOOL THAT, THAT WOULD BE THE PART OF THE PRIORITIZATION IN TERMS OF, UH, MOVING FORWARD WITH FUTURE PROJECTS.
RIGHT NOW, THE ONES THAT WE HAVE, UH, IN LINE, THEY'RE ALREADY IN PLANNING, DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION, SO WE HAVE THEM AT DIFFERENT PHASES, BUT AS WE MOVE FORWARD, WE'RE GONNA BE USING THAT GREENING THE SCHOOL YEAR INDEX TO DETERMINE WHICH PROJECT WE GO, UH, FIRST, AND THEN THEY'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO RECEIVE THE, THE SUPPORT THAT IS NEEDED.
AND THEN SHE MENTIONED SOMETHING THAT, AND TRIGGERED AS FAR AS THE REIMBURSEMENT, IF A PARTNER DOES TAKE ON SOME OF THAT BURDEN, IS THERE A PROCESS FOR THAT REIMBURSEMENT? UM, IT, IT, WE'RE PUTTING THAT IN PLACE RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GONNA MEETING WITH THE PARTNERS TO FIND OUT WHERE, HOW, WHERE THAT FUNDING IS GONNA BENEFIT THEM.
UM, SOMETIMES IT'S BETTER INSTEAD OF EXCHANGING MONEY BACK AND FORTH WITH A PARTNER, FOR US TO BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT'S THE NEXT THING WITHIN THE DEVELOPMENT PHASE, THAT THEY'RE GONNA NEED SUPPORT AND TAKE THAT MONEY FROM THAT AREA BY USING OUR STAFF TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THEM THAT SUPPORT.
SO WE'RE GONNA BE DISCUSSING THAT AND SEE SPECIFICALLY WHICH, WHERE THEY ARE WITH THE PROJECTS, AND WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO HELP ALLOCATE THAT FUNDING AS AS APPROPRIATE.
AND THEN, I KNOW YOU PUT A COST RANGE HERE PER PROJECT.
NOW, WILL IT, IF A PROJECT EXCEEDS THAT, WHAT WOULD BE THE MECHANISM IN PLACE IF IT DOES EXCEED THIS AMOUNT THAT'S ALREADY HERE? SO SOMETHING I, I SHOULD SHARE IS THAT, UM, WHEN WE INITIALLY PLANNED SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS, WE'VE, UH, APPLIED FOR A GRANT AND PART OF THE GRANT, UH, HAS THE DIFFERENT AREAS THAT YOU SHOULD BE APPLYING FOR.
SO, UM, WE INITIALLY STATED IN THE BEGINNING THAT WON'T, THE DISTRICT WON'T BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THOSE PROJECTS, UH, FINANCIALLY NOW WE'RE IN THE, UH, POSITION WHERE WE HAVE TO, BECAUSE OF THE, UH, OF WHAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING, MEANING LIKE HIGHER COST, UM, PERHAPS DELAYS IN SOME OF THE PROJECTS.
SO, SO FOR US, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, WHAT WILL BE THE BEST AREA THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
I REALLY, I MEAN, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE HAVING MORE DISCUSSIONS WITH THE, WITH THE PARTNERS AND DETERMINE HOW TO DO THAT.
SO THAT WOULD BE A JOINT EFFORT AS FAR AS CONCERN.
THAT WOULD BE A JOINT EFFORT, A SOLUTION.
WELL, THANK YOU CRYSTALS, AND THANK YOU TO CO UH, TORI AND CARLOS FOR, UH, SHARING THEIR INSIGHTS.
AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE COLLEAGUES AND MEMBERS, UM, COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR YOUR THOUGHTFUL QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION.
[II.b. Climate Literacy Task Force Report]
WE'RE MOVING ON TO OUR SECOND PRESENTATION.UM, CHRISTOS WILL REMAIN THERE, AND I'LL ASK MR. UH, JERRY SONG AND NICOLA GARDNER SNA TO COME UP FRONT TO PRESENT ON THE CLIMATE LITERACY TASK FORCE REPORT.
AND AS YOU'RE COMING FORWARD, UH, QUICK BACKGROUND.
UH, THIS REPORT, UH, REPRESENTS MONTHS OF COLLABORATION BETWEEN EDUCATORS, ADVOCATES, AND DISTRICT LEADERS TO OUTLINE A ROADMAP TO AN INTEGRATING CLIMATE LITERACY INTO LAD'S CURRICULUM, OUTDOOR EDUCATION PROGRAMS, WORKFORCE PATHWAYS, AND INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING.
TODAY'S PRESENTATION WILL WALK US THROUGH THE FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND STRATEGIES THAT WILL PREPARE OUR STUDENTS TO LEAD THE WAY TO TOWARD SUSTAINABLE AND RESILIENT FUTURE.
WE'VE REALLY, THIS IS ONE OF THE AREAS THAT I THINK, UM, I HAVE A PARTICULAR INTEREST, UM, IN TERMS OF HOW WE CAN REALLY HELP ACHIEVE OUR GOALS
[01:10:01]
AND OBJECTIVES AND EXPAND THEM, NOT JUST WITHIN, WITHIN THE AREAS THAT WE KNOW OR HAVE, BUT ALSO, UM, TO ENGAGE OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF IN, UH, IN THE SUSTAINABILITY.UM, IS THE SUSTAINABILITY GOALS AND OBJECTIVES THAT WE HAVE.
UM, SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT WHEN WE SHARE ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, HOW BIG IS OUR OFFICE, HOW MANY PEOPLE WE HAVE WORKING WITHIN A SPECIFIC TEAM, IT COULD BE A, A SMALL AMOUNT, BUT BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE THIS CLIMATE LITERACY AND THE WORK THAT THIS TASK FORCE, UH, WAS ABLE TO DO, I THINK IS SIGNIFICANT TO BE ABLE TO ENGAGE OUR YOUTH INTO SUSTAINABILITY ACTIVITIES AND, AND ALSO PROVIDE THEM THE TOOLS THAT THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL TO DEVELOP A BETTER, HEALTHIER, SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT.
AND THAT'S WHY, UM, I'M, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE WORK THAT WE'RE, THAT WE'RE ABLE TO SHARE WITH YOU TODAY BECAUSE IT WAS A TRUE COLLABORATION BETWEEN ALL OF US.
IT'S, UH, DIFFERENT DIVISIONS, DIFFERENT ENTITIES, AND I'LL BE ABLE TO SHARE WHO THOSE ARE, AND SOME OF THEM, WE HAVE SOME OF THE PARTNERS HERE THAT WILL BE CO PRESENTING WITH ME TODAY.
BUT, UM, FIRST LET'S JUST SAY WHAT ARE, WE'RE GONNA BE SHARING.
SO WE'RE GONNA BE SHARING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CLIMATE LITERACY ON OUR AGENDA TODAY.
UM, THAT, UH, THE TASK FORCE ITSELF, WE'RE GONNA SHARE SOME OF THE TIMELINE THAT, UH, WE WENT THROUGH, THE ACTUAL METHODOLOGY THAT WE USE AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS BECAUSE THIS REPORT, UM, WAS DEVELOPED TO PROVIDE THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO ALL OF US, TO MYSELF, TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, SO WE CAN TAKE ACTION AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
AND, UM, I WANTED TO INTRODUCE TWO, UM, TWO INDIVIDUALS THAT THEY WERE VERY SUPPORTIVE THROUGH THE PROCESS, UH, WITHIN OUR DIVISION OF INSTRUCTION.
MR. JERRY SANG, HE'S A STEAM COORDINATOR AND HE IS VERY INSTRUMENTAL AS PART OF THE WORK THAT WE HAVE HERE TODAY.
AND HE, HE'S HERE ACTUALLY PRESENTING ON BEHALF OF DR.
AND ALSO, UH, WE HAVE, UH, MR. OLA GARDNER CERNA.
UM, JULIE WASN'T ABLE TO BE HERE WITH US TODAY, SO HE'S HERE TO ALSO, UM, UH, PRESENT ON BEHALF OF JULIE VANGEL.
AND HE'S THE, HE'S A POLITICAL AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZER.
THEY'RE BOTH VERY SUPPORTIVE IN TERMS OF THE WORK THAT WE DID, BUT NOT JUST THEM, BUT THE ENTIRE TASK FORCE, THE ENTIRE TASK FORCE COMMITTEE WAS, UH, WAS, UH, PUT TOGETHER THROUGH, UM, A RESOLUTION THAT PASSED IN 2022 TO DELIVER RECOMMENDATIONS THAT INCREASED CLIMATE LITERACY AND CLIMATE JUSTICE THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT.
THAT WAS IN 2022, AND THEN, UH, THROUGH THE L-A-U-S-D-U-T-L-A, THE UNITED TEACHERS LA AGREEMENT ON APRIL, 2023.
SO WHAT HAPPENED IS THAT WE'VE INITIALLY, WE'VE, UH, THE WORK WAS BEING REVIEWED BY THE DIVISION OF INSTRUCTION, AND THEN WITH THE FORMATION OF THE ECOS SUSTAINABILITY OFFICE, WE'RE ASKED TO TAKE THIS, UH, THIS TASK ON, BE ABLE TO ENGAGE EVERYONE AS REQUIRED, UM, AS QUOTE BY THE RESOLUTION IN THE ACTUAL REPORT ITSELF, THE, THE AGREEMENT ITSELF TO HAVE, UM, UM, AS PART OF THIS TASK FORCE FOR CERTIFICATED, FOR CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES, AND FOR MEMBERS FROM THE UTLA.
SO THE, THE NAMES THAT YOU'RE SEEING UP THERE, THESE ARE THE INDIVIDUALS THAT THEY PRESENTED THE L-A-U-S-D, UM, DIVISION OF INSTRUCTION, OUR FACILITIES, MS. ALEX WALSH IS HERE WITH US AS WELL.
UM, THE ECO SUSTAINABILITY, UH, OFFICE TRANSPORTATION, UM, DANIEL KANG IS THE DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION.
AND THEN FROM THE UNITED TEACHERS AT LOS ANGELES WAS MS. JULIE VAN WEEL, LAUREN HAM, MICHELLE KOHAN, AND REYES FLORES.
WE SEE THE CT TEACHER AS SOTOMAYOR, AND YOU'RE GONNA BE SEEING SOME BEAUTIFUL PHOTOGRAPHS AND SOME OF THE IMAGES OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE AT.
SO MAOR WITH THE DIVISION OF DESTRUCTION, WE HAVE MR. SUSAN HON, THE JERRY SALAZAR, JERRY SUNG, WHO'S HERE WITH US TODAY TO PRESENT, AND ALSO AARON FARRELL.
SO IT WAS, IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE TO WORK AND COLLABORATE WITH ALL THE PARTNERS FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS, DIFFERENT ENTITIES TO DEVELOP THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.
IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE THAT WE'VE, UH, AT THE TIME, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE FIRST CONVENED THE FIRST MEETING, WE'VE, UH, BACK IN DECEMBER 23, WE'VE, UH, WENT THROUGH THE INTRODUCTIONS, WE WENT THROUGH THE RESOLUTION, WE, WE'VE DISCUSSED THE ACTUAL REQUIREMENTS, AND WE DEVELOPED THE NEXT STEPS BY IDENTIFYING ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES TO ENSURE THAT EVERYONE HAD A ROLE, HOW TO BEST SUPPORT THE WORK THAT WE DID.
WE THEN HAD A FOLLOW-UP MEETING AT THE, UH, LOS ANGELES CLEANTECH INCUBATOR WHERE WE HAD PRESENTATIONS FROM OUR PARTNERS.
IT WAS A GOOD ENGAGEMENT TO BE ABLE TO, UH, HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE AT, UH, LACEY, AND SEE SOME OF THE WORK THAT THEY DO AS WELL, A LOT OF INNOVATION AT THAT CAMPUS ITSELF.
AND, UH, AND THEN THE NEXT MEETING
[01:15:01]
WAS AT SOTOMAYOR, WHERE WE'VE SEEN ONE OF OUR, UH, THE AC AGRISCIENCE PROGRAM, AND WE'RE ABLE TO GET UPDATES FROM THE TASK FORCE, UH, MEMBERS.AND IT WAS INCREDIBLE TO, TO EXPERIENCE THE ACRO SCIENCE PROGRAM AT SOTOMAYOR.
THEN WE HAD A PUBLIC MEETING ON JUNE 12TH WHERE WE'VE, UH, RECEIVED RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC, AND, UH, WE TOOK THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS, WE INCORPORATE THEM INTO THE ACTUAL REPORT ITSELF, AND THEN WE DEVELOP THE ACTUAL DRAFT REPORT.
THE DRAFT REPORT, UM, UM, IS BEING, UH, BEING REVIEWED, IT WAS REVIEWED BY EVERYONE.
NOW IT'S GOING THROUGH A FINAL REVIEW WITH A PLAN TO, UM, TO RELEASE THE ACTUAL REPORT.
AND I'LL SUGGEST TO EVERYONE TO LOOK AT THE REPORT BECAUSE REALLY HAS A LOT OF GREAT CONTENT, UM, WHICH IS GONNA INCLUDE THE FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS.
A LOT OF THEM YOU'RE GONNA HEAR TODAY.
UH, AND IT'S GONNA BE PUBLISHED ON OUR WEB, ON OUR WEBSITE@LD.ORG, DEVELOP A, A LOCATION, UH, FOR THE CLIMATE LITERACY TASK FORCE BY MID-SEPTEMBER OF 2025.
SO, UM, SO IN EACH ONE OF THE, THE ACTUAL, UM, AND I'M, I KNOW IT SEEMS LIKE YOU'RE HERE.
SO THE ACTUAL, UM, THE, THE ACTUAL REPORT ITSELF FOCUS ON FOUR DIFFERENT AREAS.
IF IT FOCUS ON CURRICULUM, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, IT FOCUS ON OUTDOOR EDUCATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE'VE LOOKED AT ONSITE AND OFFSITE, UM, OUTDOOR EDUCATION AND ON INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE LOOKED AT SOLAR, WATER QUALITY, UH, TRANSPORTATION, AND STORM WATER.
SO ALL THOSE AREAS WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO, UM, NOW WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS TO INVITE MR. JSAN, WHICH IS GONNA BE ACTUALLY FOCUSING AND SHARING AS UPDATES ON THE ACTUAL, UH, CURRICULUM.
SO WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE MR. ANG TO COME UP AND SHARE THE FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, RELATED TO CURRICULUM.
UH, SO I JUST WANTED TO FIRST SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR REALLY ELEVATING THE IMPORTANCE OF CLIMATE LITERACY, UH, IN THIS DISTRICT, AND TO TRULY PREPARE OUR STUDENTS TO BE READY FOR THE WORLD.
AND IT'S A BEAUTIFUL WORLD, BUT IT'S GOT ITS PROBLEMS, AND CLIMATE CHANGE IS DEFINITELY ONE OF THEM.
SO, UM, AND AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, UH, SOME AMAZING THINGS ARE HAPPENING IN OUR SCHOOLS.
AFTER THE PASS OF THE, UH, BOARD RESOLUTION.
WE'VE GOT CLIMATE LITERACY CHAMPIONS AT SCHOOL SITES, UM, WHO ARE TRULY LEADING THE WORK, AND THEY'RE SO INCREDIBLY PASSIONATE AND DEDICATED TO THIS WORK AND TO OUR STUDENTS, AND TO TRULY PREPARE THEM, UH, FOR PROB REAL, REAL WORLD PROBLEMS LIKE CLIMATE CHANGE, AND, AGAIN, APPLYING, UM, ALL THE DIFFERENT SUBJECT AREA MATTER KNOWLEDGE AND APPLYING THEIR STUDENTS' OWN, UH, PASSIONS AND THEIR SKILLS AND THEIR CULTURE AS TOOLS TO REALLY HELP TO SOLVE, UM, THESE REAL WORLD PROBLEMS TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE SOLUTIONS OF THESE REAL WORLD PROBLEMS. SO YOU CAN SEE HERE, UM, THESE ARE THE, UH, RESOLUTION, THE, SORRY, THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WERE FORMED FROM THE TASK FORCE.
UM, AND THE FIRST ONE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF GOES AGAIN WITH THE THANK YOU.
AND WE JUST ASK THAT YOU CONTINUE TO SUPPORT, UH, CLIMATE LITERACY IN THIS DISTRICT, UM, ESPECIALLY WITH REGARDS TO CLIMATE LITERACY, CHAMPION DIFFERENTIALS AND SO FORTH.
UM, AND THEN THE NEXT TWO, I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, UH, SINCE THIS RESOLUTION WAS WRITTEN, OR SORRY, THE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE WRITTEN, A LOT OF THESE HAVE ALREADY STARTED, AND IT'S IN PROGRESS.
AND SO WE ARE WORKING DEEPLY WITH THE ECO SUSTAINABILITY OFFICE, UH, TO ENSURE THAT, UM, EVERYTHING IS DONE JUST BRINGING IN THE OTHER, OTHER, UH, DEPARTMENTS AND OFFICES IN THE DISTRICT, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, FOOD SERVICES.
WE JUST MET WITH THEM TODAY ON, UM, INCREDIBLE PROGRAMS THAT ARE GONNA BE COMING TO OUR SCHOOLS WITH CLIMATE LITERACY CHAMPIONS IN REGARDS TO TASTING BOXES AND, AND, UM, THE IMPORTANCE OF COMPOSTING.
UM, AND IN FACT, YOU CAN SEE IN THOSE PICTURES RIGHT THERE, UH, THE FIRST PICTURE IS OUR MENTA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WHERE THEY HAVE A COMPOSTING SYSTEM IN PLACE, UH, THAT THE SCHOOL BROUGHT IN.
AND THEY ARE ABLE TO COMPOST NEARLY 70% OF THE FOOD WASTE THAT COMES OUT OF THE CAFETERIA IN THESE, UM, IN, IN, BASICALLY, UM, IT'S A MATTER OF LIKE TWO OR THREE SPACES, COMPOST SPACES, AND THIS.
AND, AND WHAT'S HAPPENING IS, YOU CAN SEE THAT SCALE RIGHT THERE, AND IT'S KIND OF A, UM, PRETTY OLD SCALE.
AND I THINK I REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, GOING TO DOCTOR'S OFFICES AS A CHILD AND BEING WEIGHED ON THOSE WHERE YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO SLIDE THE WEIGHTS ACROSS.
BUT THE PLANT MANAGER ACTUALLY WEIGHS THE AMOUNT OF,
[01:20:01]
UH, FOOD WASTE THAT'S GOING INTO THESE COMPOST BINS.EVERY TIME HE LOOK, HE PUTS THEM IN THERE, AND AS HE DOES THAT, HE PUTS THAT INFORMATION ONTO A CLIPBOARD, AND STUDENTS CAN BE INVOLVED IN ALL OF THIS.
THEY CAN TAKE THAT DATA, TAKING THAT DATA.
THEY'RE STU, THEY'RE DEVELOPING THEIR DATA LITERACY, AND THEY'RE CONNECTING ALL OF THIS TO REAL WORLD SCENARIOS.
UM, AND AS YOU CAN SEE ALSO ON, UH, THE NEXT PICTURE, ITI, UM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IT'S WHAT'S WONDERFUL ABOUT THIS IS IT'S BRINGING SO MANY DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS TOGETHER.
UM, ITI HAS ITS ESPORTS FOR GOOD, UM, AND IT'S LEVEL UP LA WHICH, WHERE AGAIN, OUR STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO SEE A MODEL OF LOS ANGELES IN MINECRAFT EDUCATION.
AND IN THIS WORLD, THIS DIGITAL WORLD, OUR STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO DESIGN AND BUILD A MORE SUSTAINABLE LOS ANGELES.
I MEAN, TRULY, IT'S, WE ARE EMPOWERING OUR STUDENTS, UM, NOT JUST WITH LEARNING KNOWLEDGE FOR THE SAKE OF LEARNING KNOWLEDGE, BUT TO ACTUALLY APPLY THAT KNOWLEDGE TO RAILROAD SITUATIONS.
AND THEN FINALLY, YOU CAN SEE, UM, THE ARTS FEST, UM, BOOTHS THAT WE HAD, THAT WE, THAT INTEGRATED ARTS INTO CLIMATE LITERACY.
UM, WE HAD, YOU KNOW, BEAUTIFUL, UH, PLANTERS, OUR STUDENTS COULD, UM, MAKE SEED BEEF SEED BUMPS THAT WERE ACTUALLY MORE LIKE BEAUTIFUL POR POTPOURRI THAT THEY CAN TAKE HOME AND THEY CAN PLANT, UM, IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS OR IN THEIR HOMES.
NEXT WE HAVE, UM, SO WE HAVE SEL.
AND SO WE, WE REALIZED, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT WE REALIZED IS WE CANNOT JUST OVERLOAD OUR STUDENTS WITH ALL THIS INFORMATION.
WE WANT STUDENTS TO BE, UM, IN, IN FACT, THE KIND OF GUIDING QUOTE THAT, THAT WE'RE USING FOR CLIMATE LITERACY IS TELL ME, AND I FORGET, TEACH ME, AND I MAY REMEMBER, INVOLVE ME AND I LEARN, AND WE WANT TO INVOLVE OUR STUDENTS AND EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING, WE WANT THEM TO HAVE A VOICE AND A PART IN, IN COMING UP WITH THESE SOLUTIONS.
UM, AND SO SEL IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THIS, WHERE AGAIN, WE ARE REALIZING THAT, UM, TO PREVENT ECHO, ECHO ANXIETY, THAT THE ACT ACTUALLY SEL AND, UM, SERVICE LEARNING GO HAND IN HAND TOGETHER.
UM, AND SO AGAIN, GIVING STUDENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE ACTION IS TRULY WHAT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE.
UM, AND FINALLY, YOU CAN SEE, UM, THE, THE LAST ONE, THE CROSS, UH, CROSS DEPARTMENTAL PROCUREMENT STRATEGIES.
AND I THINK THAT'S, AGAIN, HAS ALREADY STARTED.
I'M WORKING WITH, UH, ECO SUSTAINABILITY OFFICE IN DEVELOPING, UM, RFPS FOR, UM, CLIMATE LITERACY PDS FOR OUR SCHOOLS.
SO AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JUST, UH, AGAIN, BRINGING CLIMATE LITERACY TO THE FOREFRONT.
UH, MY NAME IS NICHOLAS GARDNER SNA.
I'M A POLITICAL AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZER AT UNITED TEACHERS LOS ANGELES, AS WELL AS THE STAFF LEAD FOR HEALTHY AND GREEN SCHOOLS PROGRAM.
UM, I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE, UH, OF A FT VICE PRESIDENT, JULIE VAN WINKLE, AND OF COURSE, ALL OF THE UTLA APPOINTEES TO THE TASK FORCE.
UM, I ALSO HAD THE PLEASURE OF ATTENDING MEETINGS AND, AND STAFFING THE TASK FORCE ON BEHALF OF UTLA, AND DEFINITELY DO I WANT TO GIVE APPRECIATION, UH, TO THE BOARD MEMBERS HERE AND TO THE COMMITTEE FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT BEFORE YOU TODAY, AND OF COURSE, FOR THE COLLABORATIVE PROCESS, UH, OF THIS TASK FORCE.
SO I'M HERE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND HOW WE COULD LEVERAGE THIS KIND OF IN PRESENT AND INCOMING GREEN REVOLUTION TO PROVIDE GOOD UNION JOBS TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE.
SO JUST TO KIND OF BEGIN WITH SOME DEFINITIONS, OF COURSE, HERE WE CAN DEFINE GREENED JOBS AS ANY PROFESSION THAT WORKS, UH, TO BENEFIT THE, THE CLIMATE OR CLIMATE JUSTICE, PROTECT NATURAL RESOURCES AND DEVELOP ALTERNATIVE ENERGIES.
UH, A REPORT FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE ESTIMATES THAT OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS, CALIFORNIA IS EXPECTED TO ADD AT LEAST 4 MILLION GREEN JOBS OF 24 MILLION GREEN JOBS PROJECTED GLOBALLY.
THIS IS A HUGE OPPORTUNITY, UH, FOR EVERY, FOR, FOR STUDENTS, EDUCATORS, AND COMMUNITY.
AND BECAUSE ALMOST TWO THIRDS OF THOSE JOBS WILL BE IN THE BUILDING IN CONSTRUCTION TRADES, BECAUSE MANY OF THOSE ARE UNION COVERED POSITIONS, AND IF WE DO OUR JOBS CORRECTLY, THEY WILL ALL BE UNION COVERED POSITIONS.
THOSE GREEN JOBS PAY TO, UH, TEND TO PAY MORE ON AVERAGE THAN COMPARABLE NON-GREEN JOBS.
SO THE DISTRICT HAS EVERYTHING IT NEEDS, ALL THE INFRASTRUCTURE IT NEEDS TO POSITION STUDENTS AND SCHOOL COMMUNITIES, UM, AND THE BEST PLACE POSSIBLE TO BENEFIT FROM GREEN, THE CREATION OF GREEN JOBS, AND TO PLACE, UH, FOLKS INTO DIRECT PATHWAYS INTO THOSE PROFESSIONS.
SO THERE ARE ROBUST COURSE OFFERINGS, UH, WITHIN, BOTH WITHIN ADULT ED AND CTE THAT COVER A VARIETY OF TRADES AND NON-TRADS CLIMATE RELATED WORK.
THERE ARE PARTNERSHIPS WITH LABOR ORGANIZATIONS, UNIONS, NON-PROFITS, NONPROFITS, INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING, AND OTHER GREENING NONPROFITS AND ORGANIZATIONS, MANY OF WHOM
[01:25:01]
ARE HERE, UM, THAT WOULD ALLOW THE DISTRICT TO DELIVER SERIOUS BENEFITS TO ITS STUDENTS.THE GOAL HAS TO BE TO DEVELOP A SEAMLESS K THROUGH 12, UH, A SEAMLESS PIPELINE FOR K THROUGH 12 STUDENTS TO EMPLOYMENT PATHWAYS IN GREEN SECTORS, WHETHER IT'S IN THE TRADES OR ELSEWHERE.
IN THE SAME WAY THAT APPLYING TO COLLEGE IS A RELATIVELY SEAMLESS EXPERIENCE.
YOU KNOW, STUDENTS KNOW BY THE FALL OF THEIR JUNIOR YEAR, OR WAS IT THE FALL OF JUNIOR YEAR, THAT THEY HAVE TO START APPLYING SENIOR YEAR.
IT'S BEEN A MINUTE FALL OF SENIOR YEAR THAT THEY HAVE TO APPLY, THAT THEY'LL GET IN, UH, IN THE NEW YEAR, AND THAT THEY'RE, AND THEY HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, COMMIT BY MAY, AND THEY KNOW WHEN THEY HAVE TO MOVE IN.
IN THE SAME WAY, IT SHOULD BE IF YOU'RE NOT PURSUING, OOPS, IF YOU'RE NOT PURSUING COLLEGE OR YOU'RE PURSUING ANOTHER GREEN ROLE OUTSIDE OF THE TRADITIONAL ACADEMIC, TRADITIONAL ACADEMIC PATH.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, BY THE END OF YOUR JUNIOR YEAR OR THE BEGINNING OF YOUR SENIOR YEAR, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO BE AN ELECTRICIAN, OR I WANT TO GO INTO THE TRADES.
SO THERE'S A DIRECT PIPELINE INTO KNOWING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA, IN YOUR SENIOR YEAR, YOU'LL TAKE THE MC THREE PROGRAM, YOU'LL START DUAL ENROLLMENT AT LA TRADE TECH.
THERE'S MAYBE A DIRECT PATHWAY TO A CONTINUED, UH, ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE OR PLACEMENT WITHIN AN APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM.
AND WE COULD DO THAT BY ACTING ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THIS REPORT TO, OF COURSE, BUILD AND EXPAND TRUE PARTNERSHIP WITH UNIONS, UM, OF COURSE, SUCH AS OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN THE TRADES.
BUT, UH, IN ALL UNIONS REPRESENTING GREEN SECTORS TO INVEST IN CTE AND ADULT EDUCATORS WITH RESOURCES, MORE PHYSICAL SPACES AND ADEQUATE STAFFING, AND OF COURSE, TO LEVERAGE EXISTING FUNDING AND, AND INFRASTRUCTURE TO DELIVER THE BEST POSSIBLE EXPERIENCE FOR STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS.
AND THAT WILL MEAN LINKING THE DIFFERENT DISPARATE PARTS OF THE DISTRICT TO ENSURE THAT KIND OF SEAMLESS TRANSITION, SEAMLESS PIPELINE INTO, UH, INTO KIND OF, YOU KNOW, GREEN JOBS.
UH, SO I, I DO WANNA UPLIFT SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT THE DISTRICT IS DOING.
UH, SO OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THE KIND OF FULLY OPERATIONAL URBAN FARM THAT IS RUNNING AT SOTOMAYOR.
UM, THAT WAS, THAT IS ACTUALLY BE, IS MANAGED AND STEWARDED BY ONE OF THE UTLA APPOINTEES RES FLORES.
THAT WAS ACTUALLY, IT WAS AT THAT MOMENT AT THE MEETING WE HAD AT SOTOMAYOR THAT I REALIZED THAT MAYBE A LIFE IN AGRICULTURE IS NOT FOR ME.
SO IT IS A LEARNING MOMENT FOR EVERY SINGLE PERSON, BUT IT'S BECAUSE OF OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THAT, BECAUSE OF PROGRAMS LIKE THE, UH, THE OFFERINGS THAT THE USC BUILDING SCHOOL, UM, OFFERS, FOR EXAMPLE, OR TREE PEOPLE WHERE STUDENTS AS THEY'RE, THEY ENTER THEIR JUNIOR AND SENIOR YEARS ARE BEING GIVEN, UH, JOB EXPERIENCE BEING GIVEN KIND OF, UM, RESOURCES TO HELP 'EM FIND JOBS IN THE GREEN SECTOR.
IN THE, IN THE CASE OF THE USC BUILDING SCHOOL, THEY'RE LITERALLY GETTING ARCHITECTURAL TRAINING THAT WILL PREPARE THEM, UM, FOR THE REST OF THEIR CAREERS, THAT THAT EXTRA STEP WOULD BE CREATING THAT SEAMLESS, SEAMLESS PIPELINE SO THAT THE MINUTE YOU KNOW THAT YOU WANT TO GO INTO, INTO A GREEN PROFESSION IN THE TRADES OR ELSEWHERE, YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO.
AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT MAKING SURE YOU'RE GOING TO LIKE A SPECIFIC, UH, RESOURCE CENTER, GOING TO A SPECIFIC CAREER CENTER, FINDING A SPECIFIC COURSE, UM, SO THAT AS MANY OF THE OPPORTUNITIES, UH, THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED THROUGHOUT THE CREATION OF THIS REPORT.
SO OF COURSE, YOU DO WANNA UPLIFT THAT THERE IS BOTH TRADES AND NON-CONSTRUCTION GREEN CAREER PATHWAYS.
I DO ALSO WANNA HIGHLIGHT THE MC THREE, UH, MULTI CRAFT CORE CURRICULUM PROGRAM THAT IS ALREADY OFFERED IN A WIDE VARIETY OF HIGH SCHOOLS ACROSS THE DISTRICT.
IT IS A WONDERFUL PROGRAM THAT EXPOSES STUDENTS TO VARIOUS DIFFERENT PATHWAYS WITHIN THE TRADES AND, AND IS WORTH EXPANDING TO DIFFERENT SCHOOLS.
AND OF COURSE, WE WANNA KEEP WORKING WITH DIFFERENT UNION TRADES, WHETHER THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR, TRANSPORTATION SECTOR, TO KEEP, UH, DEVELOPING MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU, NICO, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AND DEFINITELY THE, UH, THE VISIT AT THE AC AGRISCIENCE, UH, CENTER AT THE, UH, SO MY WAS A, AN EYEOPENING FOR ALL OF US BECAUSE HERE YOU ARE AT A LOCATION THAT YOU HAVE A, A RAILROAD AND, UH, ON ONE SIDE AND YOU HEAR THE TRAINS PASSING.
AND ON THE OTHER SIDE YOU HAVE A HIGHWAY, BUT WHEN YOU ARE THERE, YOU ARE IN A STATE OF SERENITY.
AND THAT'S WHERE I FELT LIKE MYSELF, I NEEDED SOME MORE TIME WITH THAT, BEING ABLE TO BE, UH, VISITING A FARM AND, AND SEEING THE, THE ANIMAL BEHAVIOR AND SEE THE IMPACT THAT HAS, THEY HAVE ON US.
SO, GREAT MOMENTS, GREAT EXPERIENCES.
AND, UH, WHICH BRINGS ME TO OUTDOOR EDUCATION.
AND, UH, ON OUTDOOR EDUCATION, WE HAVE WHAT WE CALL ON ONSITE OUTDOOR EDUCATION AND OFFSITE AND ON ONSITE, IT'S ANYTHING THAT HAPPENS ON L-A-U-S-T-K THROUGH 12 CAMPUSES.
AND THIS, UH, COVERS A LOT OF THE AREAS THAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE ON THE PHOTOGRAPHS, SOME OF THE, UH, AREAS WE CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE AND, UH, AND THROUGH OUR PLANNING, THROUGH OUR PROJECTS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE, UM, AND, UH, IT CAN REALLY, UM, CREATE A WHOLE IMPACT.
AND, UH, AND YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE, UM, PHOTOGRAPHS, AS I WAS SHARING EARLIER, JUST THE EXPERIENCE AT SOTOMAYOR.
UM, IT'S REALLY, UH, MIND BOGGLING TO SEE THE, THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROGRAMS THAT WE CAN ENGAGE OUR STUDENTS, UH, THROUGH DIFFERENT TOURS, I WAS ABLE TO OBSERVE OUR STUDENTS LEARNING AND DOING SO MUCH WITH, UH, THE
[01:30:01]
ACRO SCIENCE PROGRAM.AND, AND BESIDES ACRO SCIENCE, WE HAVE SO MANY OTHER PROGRAMS WITHIN LA UNIFIED THAT, UH, IT WOULD BE GREAT TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THAT EXPERIENCE WITH A LOT OF OUR STUDENTS.
UH, BUT ALSO BEING ABLE TO, TO TAKE SOME OF THOSE PROGRAMS AND ENGAGE 'EM EARLY IN THE PROCESS SO THEY CAN BE ABLE TO HAVE THOSE EXPERIENCES BECAUSE THEY'LL STAY WITH THEM FOR A LIFETIME.
UM, AND CERTAINLY SOME OF THE, UH, THINGS THAT, THE, SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT, THAT CAME HERE, IT IS TO INTEGRATE, UH, THE CLIMATE LITERACY CURRICULUM WITH EXISTING OUTDOOR SPACES OR ENVIRONMENTS THAT WE DEVELOP, LIKE THE SEED PROGRAM, THE SUSTAINABLE, UH, ENHANCEMENT ENVIRONMENT DEVELOPMENT FOR SCHOOLS, THE EARLY EDUCATIONAL CENTERS, OUTDOOR CLASSROOMS. UM, ALL THESE OUTDOOR LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS ARE, ARE VERY IMPORTANT.
AND WE KNOW THERE'S A, THERE'S A SOCIAL, UM, UH, SAY HEALTH IMPACT ON OUR STUDENTS, DEFINITELY ENGAGING THEM TO, INTO CURRICULUM AND PROGRAMMING WITH THAT, THAT REALLY ENRICHES THEIR LIVES AND, AND CONTINUE WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS TO FIND OUT OTHER, OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT CAN HELP SUPPORT, UM, IN TERMS OF THE WORK THAT WE DO, CONTINUE BUILDING ON THOSE PARTNERSHIPS AND, UH, AND, AND ESTABLISH SOME PROGRAMS LIKE THE VETERINARY PROGRAM TO SUPPORT THE REGENERATIVE FARMING CURRICULUM.
THIS IS ANOTHER RECOMMENDATION THAT WAS GIVEN BY, UH, BY THE TASK FORCE AND, UH, THE DID DEDICATED OUTDOOR SPACE COORDINATION.
UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT PERHAPS, UH, UH, WHAT I WAS SHARING EARLIER, THAT IT'S GONNA CREATE A HUGE IMPACT ON OUR STUDENTS IF WE ABLE TO TO HAVE THAT.
THE, UM, THE, SOME OF THE OTHER, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDE THIS SUSTAINABLE WATER MANAGEMENT, HOW DO WE REALLY, UH, BEING ABLE TO CAPTURE MORE WATER WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS BY THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR SCHOOL GARDENS, THE CONTINUE TO DEVELOP SOME SUSTAINABLE, UH, PROGRAM FUNDING TO CONTINUE HAVING THESE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT INTEGRATE THE EXISTING OUTDOOR LEARNING INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAMS. AND THEN OFFSITE, IT WAS FOCUSED SPECIFICALLY ON SOME OF THE, UH, CENTERS THAT WE HAVE, UH, THAT WE OWN AS L-A-U-S-D, BUT OUTSIDE, UM, UH, OUR K THROUGH 12 SCHOOLS AND, UH, LIKE POINT FERMAN OR SOME OF THE OTHER, UH, AREAS THAT WE HAVE THAT WE CAN REALLY, UM, ENGAGE OUR STUDENTS IN THAT PROCESS AS WELL.
UM, BEING ABLE TO HAVE THOSE, THOSE SITE VISITATIONS TO, TO EXPAND, UM, PROGRAMS LIKE THE EXPANDED DAY OF DISCOVERY TO, TO BE ABLE TO INCORPORATE SOME OF THOSE TOPICS OF CLEAN ENERGY, WASTE WATER, UH, TREATMENT AND OTHER CLIMATE MITIGATION EFFORTS INTO THAT PROCESS.
AND TO CONTINUE, UM, DEVELOP THESE PROGRAMS, I WILL SAY THROUGHOUT, THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS.
SO VERY, VERY KIND OF SIMILAR, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS ON BOTH ONSET AND OFFSITE, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I THINK IT GOES BACK TO WHAT JERRY SHORT EARLIER THAT, UM, IS THE EXPERIENCE THAT IT WAS REALLY MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
UM, WHILE THE INSTRUCTION IS IMPORTANT, BUT ALSO, BUT ALSO THE ONSITE EXPERIENCE.
AND THEN WE TALKED ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE.
THE INFRASTRUCTURE ITSELF, THE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE MADE ON SOLAR, WATER QUALITY TRANSPORTATION, AND STORM WATER.
UM, A LOT OF THESE ITEMS THAT WE, I'M SHARING HERE, WE ALREADY HAVE A LOT OF THEM IN PLACE.
AND IT WAS A KIND OF A FINDINGS FROM OUR TASK FORCE TO LEARN ABOUT THE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE AT THE SAME TIME.
BUT SOME OF THE PROGRAMS WAS TO CONTINUE DEVELOP NEW FUNDING FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY.
WE HAVE SOME FUNDING ON MEASURE US, BUT TO CONTINUE THAT BECAUSE IT DOES HELP ACHIEVE OUR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.
AND IT REALLY PUTS, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, IT SAVES MONEY FOR OUR GENERAL FUND, UM, BY NOT SPENDING SO MUCH ON OUR UTILITIES TO CONTINUE MAXIMIZE, UH, THE, THE RENEWABLE TO REACH THE 2030 CLEAN ENERGY TARGET, BUT ALSO DEVELOP PROGRAMS THAT ARE KEY.
OUR STUDENTS CAN BE ENGAGED FROM THE BEGINNING, FROM PLANNING DESIGN AND, UH, TO CONSTRUCTION.
AND, UM, AND ACTUALLY THE, THE CONTRACT THAT WE JUST EXECUTED, THE 21 PROJECTS THAT YOU APPROVED EARLY IN FEBRUARY, THAT'S GONNA PROVIDE 15 MEGAWATT ON OUR SCHOOLS, UH, PART OF THE RFP THAT WE SHOULD, THE CONTRACTORS, IT IS TO HAVE CURRICULUM.
UM, SO WE ARE DEVELOPING RIGHT NOW WITH THE, WITH THESE, UH, COMPANIES, WITH THE VENDOR COMPANIES, THE ACTUAL CURRICULUM IN COLLABORATION WITH THE DIVISION OF INSTRUCTION AND THE SCHOOLS THAT WE'RE BUILDING THOSE SOLAR PROGRAMS SO WE CAN BE ABLE TO ENGAGE THE STUDENTS, THE DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES THAT THEY CAN LEARN MORE, UM, BY ACTUAL HANDS-ON LEARNING AND, UH, AND, AND INSTRUCTION FROM THE ACTUAL, UH, FIRMS THAT THEY'RE DOING THE WORK.
SO THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT MORE PROGRAMMING COMING, UH, UP, UH, INTO THOSE AREAS.
AND, UM, TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCY, WE HAVE A LOT OF PROGRAMS THAT WE DEVELOP EFFICIENCY THROUGH, THROUGH, UH, UH, UH, THROUGH DIFFERENT PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE HAVE, INCLUDING THE DEPARTMENT OF WATER AND POWER AND, UM, AND ED EDISON.
UM, AND ALSO TO CONTINUE, UM, USING UNION LABOR FOR ALL SOLAR AND LATER ENERGY PROJECTS, THOSE PROJECTS, UM,
[01:35:01]
THE TEAM WAS VERY PASSIONATE TO CONTINUE PROVIDING SUPPORT THROUGH UNION LABOR AND, UH, TO KEEP, UH, TO STAY INFORMED, TO KEEP SHARING PROJECT AND PROGRAM UPDATES WITH THE PUBLIC.AND WE DO THAT, AND WE CONTINUE TO DO THIS THROUGH, UM, THE WEBSITE THAT WE HAVE AT ECOS SUSTAINABILITY OFFICE.
WE TRY TO BE AS TRANSPARENT AS WE HA AS WE CAN BY SHARING UPDATES AND SHOWING, UH, PROJECT STATUS ON, ON OUR WEBSITE THE, UH, WATER QUALITY.
IT'S, UH, ANOTHER VERY IMPORTANT SUBJECT THAT, UH, THE TEAM FOCUS ON.
AND, UH, SPECIFICALLY THE LEAD IN WATER AND THE, UH, THE, THE TASK FORCE WANTED TO EVEN GO ABOVE THE, OR BELOW THE FIVE, UH, PARTS PER BILLION, UM, LEAD IN WATER BECAUSE WE WANT TO ACHIEVE AS LOW AS WE CAN, SPECIFICALLY ON THE LOWER GRADES, AND TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND THE PROGRAMS. UM, THEY WERE ABLE TO GET FAMILIAR WITH THE ACTUAL PROGRAM ITSELF AND WHAT WE ARE NOW AND THE PROGRESS THAT WE'RE MAKING.
BUT, UH, WE WANTED TO HAVE A HIGHER ACHIEVEMENT AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND, AND TO INSTALL FILTERS WHERE IS NEEDED IF WE NEED TO HAVE BATTLE FILLING STATIONS AND SOME OF THE, UH, SCHOOLS THAT, UH, IT'S HARD TO BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE THOSE, TO BE ABLE TO INSTALL SOME OF THOSE, UH, THOSE FILTERS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE, UM, CLEANER WATER IF WE, IF WE NEED TO AS NEEDED.
UM, AND THEN TO CONTINUE TO CONTINUE TO FIX LEAKS THROUGHOUT OUR SCHOOLS BY, BY DOING, UH, SEARCHING OUR KITCHEN, OTHER SPACES TO ENSURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY, WE'RE NOT, UH, WASTING A LOT OF THE WATER THAT WE HAVE ON OUR SITES, UM, TO CONTINUE TO DO ANNUAL TESTING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE WATER IS BEING TESTED AND SHARE THOSE, UH, INFORMATION WITH, UH, WITH THE PUBLIC AS WELL.
AND TO CONTINUE WITH WORKING WITH HEALTH PROFESSIONALS TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, THE, THE, WHAT THE LEVELS ARE, UH, CONTINUOUSLY AND PROVIDE THAT DATA THROUGH OUR HEALTH AND SAFETY OFFICE.
IN TERMS OF STORMWATER MANAGEMENT, UM, SOMETHING THAT, UH, WE'RE ABLE TO SHARE IS THAT WE DO HAVE STORMWATER SYSTEMS, BUT, UH, THE, THE FIELD WAS THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE AND EXPAND ON THOSE SYSTEMS. WE'VE ACTUALLY, ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO, WE'VE, UH, WERE ABLE TO DEVELOP, UM, A DATABASE THAT SHOWS ALL OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE OF OUR WATER SYSTEMS THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND WE'RE ABLE TO IDENTIFY, UH, ALL THE CLARIFIERS, ALL THE WATER, UH, WATER RETENTION SYSTEMS, AND WE HAVE THEM ON A, ON A, UH, GPS, UM, DATABASE RIGHT NOW ON OUR CA DATA THAT WE'RE ABLE TO LOCATE AND MAINTAIN A LOT OF THOSE SYSTEMS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
SOMETHING THAT WE'VE DONE STRATEGICALLY ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO.
AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THIS.
AND AS WE CONTINUE THE NEW PROJECTS WITH FACILITIES TO CONTINUE TO BUILD ON THIS INVENTORY AND, UH, AND TO CONTINUE TO EXPLORE ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THE, UH, PROGRAM THAT WE'VE DONE ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO, THE DROUGHT RESPONSE OUTREACH PROGRAM FOR SCHOOLS.
IT WAS A PROGRAM THAT WAS ABLE TO ENGAGE GRANT FUNDING TO HELP US CAPTURE MORE WATER AND TO LOOK AT ON ONSITE WATER, TO BE ABLE TO CAPTURE MORE ON ONSITE WATER AS MUCH AS WE CAN SO WE CAN BE ABLE TO RECHARGE, UH, RECHARGE OUR LOCAL AQUIFERS, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT, UM, WATER WAS A CHALLENGE A FEW YEARS AGO, IS A CHALLENGE.
IT'S GONNA CONTINUE TO BE A CHALLENGE IN THE FUTURE.
SO WE HAVE TO CONTINUE THINKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN CREATE MORE PERMEABILITY TO DEVELOP MORE GREEN PROJECTS TO BE ABLE TO PARTNER WITH OTHER AGENCIES.
SO WE, WE CONTINUE TO, UM, TO REALLY CAPTURE WATER ON OUR SITES AND, AND CERTAINLY, UH, SOME OTHER COMMUNIC, UH, UH, SOME OTHER ITEMS THAT THEY WERE VERY PASSIONATE, WHICH THANKS TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION PASSED YESTERDAY, THE SCHOOL YARDS AS COMMUNITY PARKS YESTERDAY, WE'RE ABLE TO SEE THE APPROVAL OF 10 OF OUR SCHOOLS, UM, WHICH TOOK MANY, MANY DISCUSSIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE RECREATION AND PARKS, BUT I WAS GLAD TO SEE THAT THAT CAME TO FRUITION IN HOPES THAT WE'RE GONNA EXPAND THAT PROGRAM EVEN MORE, UM, UH, WITH A COMMUNITY AND WHERE WE CAN BRING, UH, PARTNERS LIKE THE CITY ITSELF TO HELP US BE ABLE TO CAPTURE MORE WATER ON OUR SCHOOL SITES THROUGH THESE PARTNERSHIPS.
SO, AND WE HAD DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THAT.
AND THEN CONTINUE WITH, UH, OUR TRANSPORTATION, UH, TRANSPORTATION.
UH, WE'RE MAKING GREAT PROGRESS ON TRANSPORTATION ELECTRIFICATION.
UH, WE'VE IDENTIFIED A LOT OF GRANT FUNDING ACTUALLY.
AND, AND WE, THE IDEA IS TO CONTINUE TO IDENTIFY GRANT FUNDING, UM, SO WE CAN BE ABLE TO OFFSET SOME OF THE COSTS.
ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE IS ACTUALLY, UH, MATCHING FUNDING FROM OUR SIDE SO WE CAN BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT, OF THAT STATE FUNDING.
UM, BUT ALSO LOOKING AT THE INVESTMENT TAX CREDIT, THE INVESTMENT TAX CREDIT, UM, IT'S GONNA, UH, IT'S GONNA BE EXPIRING, UM, IN, IN, DEPENDING, UH, WHICH TYPE OF FUNDING WE'RE APPLYING FOR, FOR BUSES OR FOR CHARGING STATIONS.
AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT INTERNALLY RIGHT NOW, HOW WE CAN BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE, OF THOSE TAX CREDITS.
SO, SO THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO CONTINUE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ANY OF THE, OF THE, UH, OF THE CREDITS TO CONTINUE TO PARTNER UP WITH, UH, DWP, WITH METRO L-A-D-O-T, WE HAVE BEEN BUYING, HAVING MEETINGS
[01:40:01]
ACTUALLY WITH, UH, LA METRO AND DOT AND DWP DISCUSSING LA 28.AND WE ARE PART OF THE CORE TEAM OF HOW IT CAN BE ABLE TO ENGAGE IN SUPPORTING TRANSPORT, TRANSPORTATION, ELECTRIFICATION.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, WE'RE ABLE TO HEAD, UH, WITHIN THOSE PARTNERSHIPS IS TO HELP DEVELOP A LEGACY, UM, FOR THE OLYMPIC GAMES, BECAUSE AS THE NEED IS THERE TO BE ABLE TO ELECTRIFY AND SHOW THAT IN 28 THAT LA IT'S A CITY THAT, UH, IS ACHIEVING ELECTRIFICATION THROUGHOUT, WE ARE ON THE TABLE WITH THOSE PARTNERS BEING ABLE TO IDENTIFY PARTNERSHIPS SO WE CAN HELP, UH, OUR FLEET ELECTRIFY.
SO WE'LL CONTINUE THOSE DISCUSSIONS.
WE CONTINUE WITH COMMUNITY SUPPORT, UM, PER THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS TO, TO CONTINUE TO UTILIZE UNION LABOR FOR, UH, EV CHARGING PROJECTS AND TO CONTINUE TO, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO PURCHASES, UM, WITHIN AND, UH, FOR BUSES WITHIN, UH, KEEPING IN MIND ABOUT US, US JOBS.
AND, UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE, UH, THOSE EFFORTS, SOME OF THEM, WHILE THE RECOMMENDATIONS WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF, UH, TRY TO ADVANCE OUR, UH, OUR BUS FLEET TO ELECTRIFY BY 2040 PER RESOLUTION THAT PASSED NOW.
UM, THE, THE WORK DOESN'T STOP.
THE WORK ITSELF CONTINUES AND WILL CONTINUE, AND, UH, WE'RE MAKING GREAT PROGRESS.
UM, AT THE SAME TIME, UH, I REALLY WANT TO THANK THE TASK FORCE BECAUSE THROUGH THIS TASK FORCE, WE'RE ABLE TO REALLY EDUCATE ONE ANOTHER ABOUT THE, THE IMPORTANCE OF CLIMATE LITERACY AND, AND IN ALL THOSE AREAS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED, CURRICULUM, THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, OUTDOOR EDUCATION INFRASTRUCTURE, AND HOW EVERYTHING PAY PAYS A, UH, PLAYS A PIVOTAL ROLE INTO OUR SUSTAINABILITY OF TRYING TO ACHIEVE, UM, HEALTHY, SUSTAINABLE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS AND BEING ABLE TO ACHIEVE OUR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES THAT WAS SET FORWARD BY OUR BOARD OF EDUCATION.
SO THIS IMAGE CAPTURES PRETTY MUCH THE, UH, A LOT OF THE AREAS WITHIN THE CLIMATE LITERACY, THE CLIMATE CHAMPIONS, AND THEIR SUPPORT.
THEY'RE GIVING US, UM, THIS SHOWING SOME OF THE INTERNS PROGRAMS THAT WE, EVEN AT THE SUSTAINABILITY OFFICE, WE HAD THE EXPERIENCE ON BRINGING STUDENTS AND SHARING BEST PRACTICES, AND REALLY CULTIVATING THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS BY SHOWING THE WORK THAT WE DO, BY BEING ABLE TO ENGAGE OUR STUDENTS IN, IN, UH, IN GARDENING AND UNDERSTAND THE OUTDOOR, UH, GREENING THAT WE'RE DOING ON OUR SCHOOLS, AND THE IMPORTANCE THAT WE PLACE ON THEM.
AND ACTUALLY THEM SHARING WHAT THEIR EXPERIENCES ARE.
BY, BY HAVING, UM, CONTESTS LIKE THE HEROES FOR ZERO OR EMPOWERED, THAT WE EMPOWER OUR CHILDREN TO BECOME THE LEADERS OF TOMORROW BY UNDERSTANDING MORE ABOUT ENERGY EFFICIENCY, WATER CONSERVATION, UM, AND THEN CONTINUE TO ELECTRIFY OUR FLEET.
BECAUSE ELECTRIFICATION DOESN'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.
WE NEED TO HAVE A SYSTEMATIC APPROACH, AND WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE COMING FOR US TODAY, BECAUSE THEY MAY NOT BE THERE TOMORROW.
SO WE NEED TO ALWAYS BE THINKING AHEAD TO CONTINUE TO ELECTRIFY AND USE OUR RESOURCES TO, UH, OUR BEST, THE BEST ABILITIES THAT WE HAVE.
SO WITH THAT, THE, UH, WHAT I WANTED TO THANK YOU WITH IS THAT THE ACTUAL REPORT IS GONNA BE COMING OUT AND, UH, I HAD AN IMAGE OF THE REPORT, LET'S SEE IF I CAN BRING IT UP ON THE SCREEN.
BUT ANYHOW, THE, THE REPORT WILL BE COMING UP BY MID-SEPTEMBER.
UM, I WAS HONORED TO BE A PART OF THIS TASK FORCE AND BEING ABLE TO SHARE INFORMATION, BUT ALSO LEARN FROM EVERYONE THAT WE HAD WITHIN THE TASK FORCE.
SO WITH THAT, THANK YOU, AND I'LL OPEN UP TO ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
DEFINITELY LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT REPORT, AND I'M SURE THERE'LL BE ADDITIONAL MORE INFORMATION.
AND YES, THANK YOU TO, UM, GREAT GRATITUDE TO ALL THE TASK FORCE MEMBERS WHO REALLY, UM, HAVE BEEN WORKING VERY DILIGENTLY AND, YOU KNOW, AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE, I FEEL, IF ANYTHING REALLY SPOT ON.
SO I WILL OPEN IT UP FOR ANY QUESTIONS FROM, UM, COMMITTEE MEMBERS, MR. YEAH.
SCOTCH OR, SO, YEAH, I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS, BUT THE PICTURE OF THE ANIMALS ON THE FARM REMINDS ME OF SOMETHING IN BOARD DISTRICT THREE.
WE HAVE LOTS OF SCHOOLS THAT HAVE SEMI, I CALL THEM SEMI FARMS, BUT SOMEBODY HAS TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE ANIMALS.
THEY DON'T STOP EATING ON THE WEEKEND BECAUSE SCHOOL'S CLOSED.
I MEAN, SO YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE SOMEONE AT SCHOOL WHO WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR TAKING CARE OF THOSE ANIMALS.
I LOVE ANIMALS, AND I, I, I LOVE THE IDEA THEY'RE AT SCHOOL, BUT YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO HAVE A DESIGNEE.
IF SOMEONE SAYS, WELL, I DON'T WANNA DO THAT ANYMORE.
WELL, SOMEBODY HAS TO TAKE CARE OF THE ANIMALS, AND I AM NOT CERTAINLY PUTTING THEM IN MY CAR AND TAKING THEM TO MY HOUSE.
SOMEBODY HAS TO CARE FOR THEM AT THE SCHOOL.
SO THAT'S JUST A REMINDER TO PEOPLE.
CAN I JUST RESPOND TO BOARD MEMBER'S, UM, RESPONSE? I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT.
[01:45:01]
SAME WITH GREENING, RIGHT? WE ALWAYS RECOGNIZE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE GREENING DOESN'T STOP JUST BECAUSE IT'S SUMMERTIME WHERE PEOPLE ARE ON BREAK.BUT I THINK THROUGH STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS, YOU KNOW, IS REALLY THE WAY THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL BEING GOOD STEWARDS OF WHAT OUR INVESTMENTS, AND WE DON'T WANNA ROB OUR STUDENTS OF LIKE, THE EXPERIENCE OF HAVING TANGIBLE, REAL LIFE NATURE RICH EXPERIENCES, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T GIVEN THAT THOUGHT.
SO, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANNA JUST NAME I KNOW YOU'RE PARTNERING STRATEGICALLY TO MAKE SURE THINGS ARE HAPPENING.
YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO HAVE A PLAN AND A BACKUP PLAN, I'LL SAY, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT'S HOT, IT'S HOT, AND THE WEEKEND IS THE WEEKEND THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT SOMEONE IS THERE TO CARE FOR THE ANIMALS, JUST LIKE WE CARE FOR OUR PETS AT HOME.
AND DEFINITELY WE NEED TO ALWAYS PLAN AHEAD WHEN WE DO THESE TYPE OF PROJECTS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS, UH, PRESENTATION FROM THE TASK TASK FORCE, AND ESPECIALLY CHRISTOS, JERRY AND NICO FOR YOUR THOUGHTFUL AND, UM, REALLY TRANSFORMATIVE RECOMMENDATIONS.
UH, SO, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR, UM, CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO STRONG PARTNERSHIPS, UH, AND STUDENT AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN ALL THE, UH, ACTION AREAS.
UM, AND I ACTUALLY WANTED TO ASK A QUESTION THAT'S RELATED TO THE CONVERSATION THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING, WHICH IS, UM, HOW ARE YOU MEANINGFULLY INVESTING IN STAFF ACROSS THE DISTRICT THAT ARE WORKING ON DIFFERENT PRIORITY AREAS FROM STAFF WHO MAINTAIN THE GROUND, UH, THE GROUNDS AND GREENING PROJECTS TO THE CARETAKERS OF THE ANIMALS, TO, UM, UH, WORKERS WHO WILL BE INSTALLING SOLAR AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY MEASURES.
UM, SO, UH, WANTED TO HEAR A BIT MORE ABOUT HOW YOUR, YOUR, THE, HOW THE DISTRICT IS INVESTING IN THOSE STAFF.
YEAH, I CAN SHARE HOW WE'RE INVESTING IN THE GREENING IN THE AREAS OF EXPERTISE AND SUPPORT THAT AT LEAST WE MANAGE.
AND, AND, UM, AND IT IS A GREAT QUESTION BECAUSE, UM, AS WE CONTINUE TO GREEN OUR SCHOOLS MORE MAINTENANCE IS GONNA, IS GONNA BE NEEDED.
AND IT'S SOMETHING WE'VE OBVIOUSLY DISCUSSED WITH OUR FACILITIES SERVICES DIVISION, THAT AND, AND OUR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS, THAT EVERY TIME WE BRING A PROJECT FORWARD, THE QUESTION WE GET ASKED, HOW IS IT GONNA BE MAINTAINED? WELL, THERE'S TWO AVENUES.
ONE IS, UM, THROUGH THESE PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE HAVE INITIALLY TO HELP US OUT SPECIFICALLY ON THE PLANTING OF TREES, UM, OR THE INITIAL CARE, AT LEAST UNTIL THEY'RE, THEY CAN BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THE GROWTH BY THEMSELVES.
UM, WE TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT PARTNERSHIP IS A PART, IT'S A PART OF THE INITIAL PLANNING.
UM, AND THEN WE'LL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT AND BASED ON THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE NOW, WE CAN ASK, UH, MS. ALEX O' BROWN HERE WITH FACILITIES.
SHE WOULD PROBABLY SHARE WITH YOU THAT IT IS A CHALLENGE.
IT WOULD PROBABLY BE A CONSTANT CHALLENGE BY NEEDING MORE SUPPORT.
SO, ALEX, I, I'LL LET YOU ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
IN TERMS OF THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS AFTER THE SERVICE YEARS AFTER THE THREE YEARS OF A PROJECT, FOR EXAMPLE, RIGHT? AND WHAT, WHAT, WHAT YOU'LL NEED TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
REALLY THAT'S A HUGE ISSUE FOR OUR FUTURE.
SO WE'VE GOT THE BOARD RESOLUTION FOR THE 30% GREEN.
WE'RE MOVING WITH MORE THAN A BILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF PROJECTS.
UM, WE HAVE OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, LET'S SAY FIVE TO SEVEN YEARS INCREASED, UH, THE NUMBER OF PLANT MANAGERS AND GARDENERS.
WE'VE TRAINED, WE'VE BEEN TRAINING GARDENERS TO UNDERSTAND THE NEW PLANTS
UM, I SEE IN THE FUTURE THAT THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT ASPECT OF REACHING OUT TO OUR GREETING PARTNERS TO HELP US PROVIDE THE MAINTENANCE THAT'S GOING TO BE NEEDED.
IT'S GOING TO BE NEEDED, AND WE'RE GONNA NEED HELP.
IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE HAD GRANTS AND FOCUS ON THAT.
AND SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, WE GO OUT TO THESE SCHOOLS AND I'M LIKE, WOW, THIS PLACE IS SO BEAUTIFUL.
AND THEY USUALLY HAVE A PARENT TEAM OR THE SCHOOL HIRES EXTRA GARDENERS WITH THE FUNDS THAT THEY HAVE TO KEEP UP.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE FUTURE.
WE NEED TO HAVE MORE PARTNERS TO SUPPLY, UM, RESOURCES FOR BAY.
AND IN TERMS OF THE ANIMALS AND ANIMAL CURE, THAT'S ANOTHER, UH, WHOLE ISSUE THERE ITSELF.
AND I, I HEAR A LOT OF DIFFERENT STORIES FROM THE SCHOOLS.
UM, THE BOARD PRESIDENT I THINK CLEARLY IDENTIFIED THE CHALLENGE, BUT IN REALITY, WHAT I FOUND OUT, AT LEAST FROM MY VISITATIONS, WHEN I GO SEE A FARM AND ASK THE QUESTIONS, IT'S A LOT OF PASSIONATE PEOPLE THAT HELP IS PEOPLE THAT REALLY CARE ABOUT THOSE ANIMALS.
AND REALLY THEY WILL GO OUT OF THEIR WAY TO PUT THAT EXTRA TIME TO MAINTAIN AND TAKE CARE OF THEM.
UM, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW RIGHT IS FOR THEM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IN A LOT OF THE CASES, THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING ON OUR SCHOOLS TO BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN SOME OF THAT.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, THANKS ALL OF YOU FOR CALLING OUT THE MC THREE PROGRAM AND WANTING TO EXPAND THAT THAT'S, YOU KNOW, A CORE, UH, VALUE OF THE BUILDING TRAYS.
[01:50:01]
ONLY NATURALLY, ACTUALLY ONLY NATURALLY RECOGNIZED, UH, CURRICULUM, UH, IN AMERICA TO GET PEOPLE FROM, UH, HIGH SCHOOL SLASH TRADES, UH, SLASH JCS INTO THE TRADES, UH, DIRECT PIPELINE.UM, AND FUNNY, I ALSO, WITH THE FARMS, UH, YOU KNOW, MY, MY FATHER IS A, UH, ELEVATOR MECHANIC, UH, STILL P****D AT ME, EXCUSE ME, STILL MAD AT ME THAT, UH, I AM NOT AN ELECTRICIAN, UM, EVEN THOUGH I'M NOW HIS UNION REP.
UM, UM, BUT I, UH, WE ARE FROM MEXICO AND WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME AS A KID ON, ON A FARM, AND I LOVED IT, RIGHT? SO, UH, WHEN I BECAME A GROUNDSKEEPER, IT WAS BECAUSE OF THIS WORK THAT I DID AS A CHILD, UH, WORKING, UH, ON THE FARM.
AND I JUST, I LOVED BEING OUTSIDE, AND I JUST, HONESTLY, I JUST COULDN'T SEE MYSELF INSIDE OF THE BUILDING THE WHOLE ENTIRE DAY, EVEN THOUGH NOW AS A UNION REP, THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I DO.
UM, AND THEN ALSO ON THE, ON THE SOLAR, UM, THAT IS, UH, AND, AND HONESTLY JUST THE RENEWABLE ENERGY ALL THE WAY AROUND, UM, THAT IS, UM, THAT'S LARGE FOR US.
UH, AS, AS WE MOVE FORWARD, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE, I KIND OF BANGED MY HAND SINCE, UH, ON THE DESK SINCE I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, IS THAT WE HAVE ALL THESE BLACKTOPS PARKING LOTS.
UM, AND IF WE GO UP TO SANTA CLARITA, UM, THEY HAVE, UM, UH, SUN, UH, THEY HAVE THE SOLAR PANELS ALL IN THEIR PARKING LOTS.
UH, THEY'VE HAD THOSE FOR 20 YEARS, RIGHT? AND THE FACT THAT HERE AT LUSD WE'RE 2025, NOW WE'RE JUST STARTING TO MOVE INTO IT.
IT'S ALWAYS BOGGLED MY MIND AND I'M REALLY, REALLY GLAD THAT WE'RE LOOKING INTO THAT, ESPECIALLY IN THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY.
UM, I'M, I'M HOPING THAT SOME OF MY OLD, UH, FRIENDS EVER DO ARE LISTENING IN.
AND SO, YES, WE HAVE A HUGE PARKING LOT IN THE BACK, BUT WE, THAT WE, THAT WE COULD BRING ALL THAT ELECTRICITY, UH, INTO, UH, INTO THE GRID, UM, ESPECIALLY, UH, ESPECIALLY INTO THE GRID AS WE START USING WITH THE GREEN BUS, WITH THE GREEN BUSES, THE EXTRA ELECTRICITY THAT WE WILL NEED TO POWER, UH, TO POWER THOSE GETTING AWAY FROM, UH, FOSSIL FUELS AND MORE INTO THE RENEWABLE ENERGY.
SO REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
AND THEN, UM, THERE WAS ONE MORE HERE, UM, ON THE EXPANSION OF, BECAUSE I WAS A GROUNDSKEEPER ON THE EXPANSION OF THE PURPLE WATER LINES, UM, AND THE USE OF SECONDARY WATER.
HOW DO WE EXPAND, HOW DO, HOW DO YOU, UM, THINK YOU'RE GONNA BE, HOW DO WE EXPAND THOSE BECAUSE OF THE ALREADY INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE ALREADY HAVE INTO THE SCHOOLS? YEAH.
LET ME EX EXPAND ON BOTH ON THE ACTUAL, UM, RECYCLED WATER AND THEN THE SOLAR A LITTLE BIT.
SO IN TERMS OF THE RECYCLED WATER, WE'LL BE MEETING WITH DWP, UH, TO ENSURE THAT, UH, FIRST OF ALL, WE HAVE TO BE WITHIN A MILE AREA OF RECLAMATION PROJECT THAT THEY HAVE.
SO WE'RE MEETING WITH THEM DISCUSSING, AND ACTUALLY WE ARE HAVING FOUR PROJECTS RIGHT NOW IN THE PIPELINE THAT, UH, WE'RE INSTALLING RECYCLED WATER.
SO IDENTIFY THOSE SITES BASED ON LOCATION TO A PLANT THAT THEY HAVE, THAT THEY CAN BE ABLE TO EXTEND THEIR LINES, AND THEY'RE WILLING TO EXTEND THEM FOR A MILE, ABOUT A MILE TO PROVIDE RECYCLED WATER ON OUR SCHOOLS.
SO, UM, WE, WE, BY NEXT YEAR, WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE ABOUT SEVEN, EIGHT SITES.
UM, MY ONLY CONCERN IS THAT THE, THE RATE FOR RECYCLED WATER IS PROBABLY GONNA GO AWAY IN THE FUTURE.
BUT AT LEAST NOW WE'RE LOCKING THAT RATE NOW, WHICH IS PROBABLY ONE QUARTER OF THE COST OF POTABLE WATER.
SO YEAH, WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH OUR PROGRAM IS A GREAT PROGRAM.
THE, UM, IN TERMS OF THE SOLAR ITSELF, UM, WE HAVE ABOUT 64 INSTALLATIONS RIGHT NOW ARE 63 SCHOOL SITES.
IT'S A PROGRAM THAT STARTED BACK IN 2000 AND AND NINE 10.
AND WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO HAVE THAT PROGRAM THROUGH A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT THAT WE HAVE WITH, UH, THE DEPARTMENT OF WATER AND POWER.
WE NOW EXPANDING THE PROGRAM BY ADDING ANOTHER 21 MEGAWATT, UH, AT, UH, 15 MEGAWATTS, SORRY, AT 21 SITES, SCHOOL SITES.
AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT MORE, IT'S A LOT OF CARPORTS TO PROVIDE SHADE SPECIFICALLY IN STRATEGICALLY LOCATED AREAS, UH, WHERE WE HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, PLAYGROUNDS, UH, WITH PLAY FIELDS, MEANING LIKE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE DIFFERENT TYPES OF SPORTS AND THERE'S A SEPARATION, I MEAN, THOSE ARE, UH, REAL NICE, UH, AREAS THAT WE CAN PROVIDE SHADE, SOLAR SHADE, AND ALSO CARPORT.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT SOLUTIONS LIKE THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
AND WE, UH, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE THAT PROGRAM.
YOU KNOW WHAT, UNDER MEASURE US, WE HAD, WE HAD ABOUT 175 MILLION.
WE EXPANDED ABOUT, UM, 122 MILLION.
SO WE HAVE SOME MONEY THERE TO CONTINUE THE PROGRAM.
ALSO UNDER THE MAJOR MODERNIZATION AND, AND NEW CONSTRUCTION PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE, IT'S NOW A REQUIREMENT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE, UH, SO MUCH OF SQUARE FOOTAGE OF, UH, OF AREAS WITH, UH, SOLAR.
SO THAT PROGRAM IS GONNA CONTINUE.
WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE BUILDING ON THAT PROGRAM AS WE, AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
I JUST REMEMBER ON THE SECONDARY WATER, UM, IT'S THE HIGH SALT CONTENT.
EVERY WEEKS FORGETS ABOUT THAT.
WE HAVE THIS AS WE'RE GROWING, AS ACTUALLY AS WE'RE USING THAT WATER TO, TO FARM AND STUFF, THE SALT CONTENT IS SO MUCH HIGHER.
AND THEN AS WE, AND PEOPLE FORGET ABOUT THAT, THEY'RE LIKE, MY, MY PS LEVELS ARE ALL AWFUL.
OUR SAW JUST WENT THROUGH THE ROOF BECAUSE OF THE SECONDARY, THE WATER THAT WE'RE USING.
WE WE'RE NOT USING THAT FOR IRRIGATION.
[01:55:01]
WE USE IT ONLY.UM, SO WHAT WE'RE USING THAT, UH, FOR, FOR PLANTS OR ANYTHING ELSE IS MOSTLY, UH, WHAT WE'RE USING IT.
IT'S, UH, IN SPECIFIC, UH, WE'RE NOT USING FOR ANY POTABLE.
BUT YEAH, IT HAS A HIGHEST SOLAR COUNTRY.
DEPENDING ON LOCATION OF THE RECLAMATION PLAN.
CAN YOU SHARE MORE ABOUT THE, UM, SOLAR PARTNERSHIP THAT YOU HAVE WITH LA, UH, L-A-D-W-P? WHAT PROGRAM ARE YOU UTILIZING? AND, UM, HAS IT BEEN WORKING WELL? DO YOU, ARE, ARE THERE, UM, CHALLENGES WITH THAT PROGRAM THAT YOU'RE HOPING TO, UM, ADDRESS? YEAH.
SO, UM, THE PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE USING, I MEAN, THE, THE, UH, BASICALLY WITH L-E-D-W-P WE'RE FOCUSING SPECIFICALLY, UM, UH, IN TERMS OF THE, UH, NOT SO MUCH SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT THEY OFFER BECAUSE, UH, SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT THEY OFFER, LIKE THE FEED ENTIRE PROGRAM, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN WE LOOKED AT IT, IT WASN'T AS ATTRACTIVE TO US BECAUSE WE FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS BETTER FOR US TO USE OUR, THE ELECTRICITY INSTEAD OF JUST COMING IT BACK AT THE LOWER RATE.
SO WE LOOKED AT THAT PROGRAM ITSELF.
UM, SO OUR PARTNERSHIP IS TO BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY SITES AND, AND BE ABLE TO, UM, INSTALL MORE SOLAR.
TYPICALLY, THERE'S A LIMITATION OF HOW MUCH SOLAR YOU CANNOT ADD TO A SPECIFIC SITE.
THERE'S A LIMITATION ABOUT A MEGAWATT FOR A SPECIFIC SITE, UNLESS YOU, YOU NEED TO THEN ADD, UH, A SPECIAL KEY TO BE ABLE TO ADD MORE AND, AND THAT WILL COST YOU ADDITIONAL FUNDS.
SO, UM, UM, OUR COLLABORATION WITH THE LDWP IS MOSTLY ABOUT US IDENTIFYING THE LOCATION AND COLLABORATING WITH THEM IN TERMS OF THE SIZE OF SOLAR.
AND THEN, UM, LOOKING AT THE FINANCIALS INTERNALLY TO SEE IF IT MAKES SENSE FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO MAKE THAT INVESTMENT.
UH, CHRISTOS, I HAD A QUESTION WITH REGARDS TO THE EXPIRATION OF, OR POTENTIAL EXPIRATION OF ANY OF THE, UM, EV AND LIKE CHARGING FOR THE ELECTRIFICATION OF THE BUSES.
DO YOU, CAN YOU GIVE INSIGHTS TO LIKE, WHEN YOU MIGHT ANTICIPATE EXPIRATION OF THAT AND HOW THE DISTRICT IS GONNA TAKE ADVANTAGE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ABLE TO MAXIMIZE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR, UM, THE PROGRAM? YEAH.
UH, SO THE INVESTMENT TAX CREDIT, ACTUALLY AS OF LAST WEEK, THEY ISSUED NEW UPDATES, UM, FROM THE FEDERAL LEVEL AND THE, THE ITC FOR BUSES WILL BE EXPIRING, UH, FOR PURCHASING OF BUSES WILL BE EXPIRING NEXT, UH, IN SEPTEMBER.
SO, UH, THAT'S WHY WE WE'RE TRYING TO ENSURE THAT AT LEAST THE PURCHASING THAT WE'VE DONE FOR BUSES IS DONE BY THEN.
THE OTHER ONE FOR EV CHARGING AND, UH, WILL BE EXPIRING NEXT YEAR.
UM, AND, UH, SO, UM, THE SAME WITH SOLAR.
SO, UH, THERE IS SOME CAVEATS THAT YOU CAN BE ABLE TO STILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE INVESTMENT TAX CREDIT, LIKE THE SAFE HARBOR, THAT IF YOU PURCHASE 5% OF THE, OF THE, UM, EQUIPMENT OR START CONSTRUCTION ON A PROJECT, THEN YOU CAN BE GRANDFATHERED IN.
WE'RE LOOKING AT THE TIMELINES OF OUR DIFFERENT PROJECTS, INCLUDING THE BUS, TRANSPORTATION, ELECTRIFICATION PROJECTS, UM, LIKE THE ONE WE HAVE AT SUN VALLEY, FOR EXAMPLE, OR THE ONE WE'RE PLANNING AT ST.
JULIAN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.
THE SOLAR, WE'VE BE MEETING WITH, UH, BOTH CENTRICA AND ESCO, UM, DISCUSSING THE OPPORTUNITIES TO START CONSTRUCTIONAL THOSE OR DO PURCHASING ON SOME OF THE PANELS AND PUT 'EM, UH, IN A SPECIFIC LOCATION.
SO AT LEAST WE CAN BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT ITC AS WELL.
'CAUSE THE INVESTMENT TAX CREDIT, UM, WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE US ABOUT 30%.
AND WITHIN THESE ADVANTAGE COMMUNITIES, IT CAN GO UP TO 40% OF THE ACTUAL INVESTMENT IN CONSTRUCTION.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT, FOR EXAMPLE, THE INVESTMENT IN SOLAR THAT WE'RE MAKING FOR $92 MILLION IN CONSTRUCTION, UH, DESIGN BUILD, UH, CONSTRUCTION PROJECT, UM, WE'LL BE ABLE TO AT LEAST RECEIVE BACK FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT APPROXIMATELY ABOUT 22 TO $25 MILLION.
SO IT'S A BIG AMOUNT OF MONIES.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT IT VERY CAREFULLY, MEETING WITH, UM, THE VENDORS TO ENSURE THAT WE TAKE ADVANTAGE AND ACTUALLY SHARE THAT INFORMATION INTERNALLY.
AND WE'LL BE HAVING MORE MEETINGS INTERNALLY TO ENSURE THAT WE DON'T LOSE ANY MONEY THAT COME FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ON THAT.
AND THEN I HAVE A QUESTION FOR EDDIE AT THE END.
THAT'S A, THAT'S A, THAT'S A BIG DEAL BECAUSE WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE AWARE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO SCARE THE BAJES OUT OF THEM EITHER.
SO THERE HAS TO BE SOME KIND OF, UM, MESSAGE THAT COULD BE DEVELOPED THAT TEACHERS COULD DO IN CLASS.
'CAUSE THE PS WS, THEY HAVE ENOUGH IN THEIR HANDS WITH ALL THESE EMERGENCIES HAPPENING AROUND THE
[02:00:01]
DISTRICT.BUT JUST A, A A, A WAY FOR TEACHERS TO EXPLAIN ABOUT, UM, CLIMATE LITERACY AND, AND PROBLEMS THAT THERE ARE WITH THE CLIMATE, BUT IN A, IN A KID FRIENDLY WAY.
SO JUST, JUST THINK ABOUT THAT ONE.
AND I WANTED TO JUST MAKE A STATEMENT ABOUT, UH, SOME OF THE AREAS IN OUR CITY, UH, IMPACTED BY POLLUTION AND BY LITTER AND BY LACK OF GREEN SPACE.
AND THIS HAS BEEN PREVALENT IN LA WITH HIGHER RATES OF BIRTH DEFECTS AND CANCER IN THE SOUTHEAST CITIES, AND THE NEGATIVE, NEGATIVE IMPACTS.
AND UNINCORPORATED EAST LA WHERE I USED TO WORK VARIOUS LOCATIONS IN THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES.
AND, UH, THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE CLIMATE LITERACY TASK FORCE IS NOT THE END OF OUR MISSION.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT STATEMENT.
'CAUSE LOTS OF PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING.
AND NOW THE FINAL, THE QUESTION FOR EDDIE.
EDDIE, TELL ME, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE, UM, NON-CONSTRUCTION GREEN CAREER PATHWAYS? WHAT WOULD THOSE CAREERS LOOK LIKE? DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA? NON-CONSTRUCTION CAREER PATHWAYS.
I MEAN, THAT WOULD BE, THAT WOULD BE TEACHERS TEACHING, UH, TEACHERS TEACHING, UH, INSIDE THE CLASSROOM ON HYDROGEN.
UM, IT WOULD ALSO BE, UM, UH, WELL, I MEAN, IT'S CONSTRUCTION.
UM, IT'S KIND OF HARD TO SAY WHAT BE THE NON, BUT THE BIGGEST WOULD BE IN THE EDUCATION SECTOR.
THE BIGGEST WOULD BE IN THE EDUCATION SECTOR, IN THE CLASSROOM.
UM, 'CAUSE ONCE WE GET OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM, ANYTIME WE, YOU KNOW, AND THE WAY WE LOOK AT IT, ANYTIME THAT WE TOUCH A PIECE OF MATERIAL, WE CALL IT CONSTRUCTION.
SO, UM, THAT, THAT'S, THAT, THAT'S WHAT, UM, UH, THAT'S THE WAY I LOOK AT IT.
AND MAYBE, AND EVEN IN THE LABORATORY, WE'RE STARTING TO COVER SOME OF THAT.
UH, SOME OF OUR UNIONS ARE NOW COVERING THAT WORK IN THE LABORATORIES, UH, WITH THE OPERATING ENGINEERS.
UH, AND SOME OF THE PROGRAMMING THAT'S GOING ON.
THE ELECTRICIANS ARE NOW STARTING TO COVER SOME, I'VE NOW ORGANIZED SOME OF THAT WORK TOO.
SO, UH, THEY'RE IN CONSTRUCTION.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT.
I MEAN, FOR US, UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL THE DIFFERENT PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE, INCLUDING FOR TRANSPORTATION, FOR EXAMPLE, RIGHT? WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR CHARGING STATIONS, WE'RE LOOKING AT SOLAR BATTERY.
ALL THOSE WILL HELP, UH, STUDENTS.
AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE DEVELOPING THESE PROGRAMS, TO ENGAGE 'EM IN THE TRAITS BY UNDERSTANDING ABOUT EV HOW, HOW THE ELECTRICAL VEHICLE INFRASTRUCTURE WORKS, UM, HOW EVEN THE TRANSPORTATION OR ELECTRIC BUSES, BUS DRIVERS, OR ANY OTHER TRADES THAT WE CAN BE ABLE TO ENGAGE 'EM IN SOLAR.
HOW, UM, SOLAR WORKS MICROGRIDS SPECIFICALLY, UH, THE ENGINEERING BEHIND THAT AND INCLUDING THE, UH, THE, THE ACTUAL BATTERY AND BATTERY STORAGE, BECAUSE THAT'S MOVING INTO THE FUTURE.
THOSE WILL BE OUR FUTURE JOBS IN, IN TECHNOLOGY ENGINEERING.
HOW WE CAN BE ABLE TO BRING SYSTEMS TOGETHER THROUGH, UM, DIFFERENT TECHNOLOGIES TO BE ABLE TO DO, TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THE, THE MECHANICS OF USAGE OF MECHANICAL SYSTEMS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS ON OUR FACILITIES.
SO WHEN WE PILOT THESE TECHNOLOGIES, PART OF IT IS TO ENGAGE STUDENTS IN THE PROCESS SO THEY CAN BE ABLE TO THINK IN TERMS OF THE, WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS IN TERMS OF THE ENGINEERING OF THOSE ASPECTS OF ELECTRIFICATION.
AND THAT'S WHY FOR US, THOSE ARE IMPORTANT TRAITS THAT ALLOW THE SCHOOLS ARE EXCITED ABOUT TO BE ABLE TO ENGAGE STUDENTS IN THAT PROCESS.
UM, APPRECIATE JUST THE COLLABORATION AND THE TASK FORCE COMING TOGETHER ON SUCH AN IMPORTANT TOPIC.
AS MENTIONED, UH, THE WORKFORCE IS ONE THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
I APPRECIATE YOU ASKING ABOUT THE, UM, NON-CONSTRUCTION GREEN CAREER PATHWAYS AND HOW TO SUCCEED IN GREEN ECONOMY.
IS THERE, UM, PLANS FOR WHAT'S EXISTING NOW? SO I KNOW LIKE IN OUR DISTRICT, WE HAVE A FEW SCHOOLS THAT ARE GETTING THESE, UM, AS MENTIONED, THE SOLAR PANELS FOR PARKING STRUCTURE.
ARE WE INVOLVING OUR CURRENT STUDENTS IN THIS PROCESS FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO BE EXPOSED TO IT AS, UM, SONG MENTIONED? IT'S ONE THING TO TALK ABOUT IT, ONE THING TO SEE IT.
AND THEN HOW DO WE ENGAGE? 'CAUSE THESE PROJECTS ARE HAPPENING ON THEIR SCHOOL SITE.
SOME OF 'EM MAY SEE IT FROM BEGINNING TO END, DEPENDING ON WHEN THEY STARTED IN THE SCHOOL YEAR.
BUT THEY'RE GONNA BE RIGHT THERE.
THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO WALK AROUND IT.
THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, NAVIGATE THROUGH A CAMPUS.
WHILE THIS IS GOING ON, ARE WE WORKING WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF INSTRUCTION TO BE ABLE TO, TO CHANNEL THAT RIGHT.
ON HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE THAT'S IN THOSE SCHOOLS WITH THOSE STUDENTS THERE? YEAH.
I'M GLAD YOU ASKED THAT QUESTION BECAUSE WE ARE NOW, I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT ALL THE NEW PROPOSALS THAT WE SENT OUT, THERE'S A SECTION FOR CLIMATE LITERACY.
THERE'S SEC, THERE'S A SECTION ABOUT HOW WE ENGAGE OUR STUDENTS INTO THE
[02:05:01]
PROCESS.SO PART OF THEIR PROPOSAL WHEN THEY COME TO US TO CONSTRUCT, CONSTRUCT A PROJECT OR EVEN GREENER PROJECT, IS WHERE'S YOUR CLIMATE CLIMATE CURRICULUM? THAT IS, IT'S PART OF YOUR PROPOSAL.
AND WE'VE BEEN MEETING WITH THE DIVISION OF INSTRUCTION.
WE'LL BE MEETING WITH SCHOOLS TO IDENTIFY THE SPECIAL PROGRAMS THAT THEY HAVE SO THEY CAN BE ABLE TO CATER TO THEM ON THOSE SPECIFIC PROGRAMS. UM, A GOOD EXAMPLE IS THE SUN VALLEY MAGNET.
WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING WITH THEM, BEING WITH THEM, DISCUSSING THE ELECTRIFICATION OF THE PROJECT, ADJACENT TO THEM, DEVELOPING THE CURRICULA THROUGH THE, THROUGH OUR, UH, DESIGN BUILDER AT THE SAME TIME THROUGH OUR SOLAR CONTRACTORS.
WE'VE, UM, WE HAVE, WE'VE BEEN MEETING THE PAST, UH, FEW MONTHS DEVELOPING THE CURRICULUM, GETTING SUPPORT FROM THE DIVISION OF INSTRUCTION TO SHARE WITH US WHAT WOULD BE BEST FOR THAT SPECIFIC SCHOOL.
UM, FROM HANDS-ON LEARNING TO MEDIA TO, UH, UH, PRESENTATIONS TO WHATEVER IS GONNA BE BEST FOR OUR STUDENTS TO ENGAGE 'EM IN THE PROCESS.
SO IT'S, IT'S IN THE WORKS RIGHT NOW, AND WE'RE GONNA BE SEEING IT ON MANY OF OUR SCHOOLS.
AND EVENTUALLY OUR GOAL IS, UH, THAT EVERY SINGLE PROJECT THAT WE DO, AND I SAY THAT AT LEAST WITHIN SUSTAINABILITY, AND WE'RE ENGAGING IN FACILITIES IN THE PROCESS TO ENSURE THAT IT HAS THAT COMPONENT.
'CAUSE WE NEED TO BE DOING THAT.
WE NEED TO ENGAGE OUR STUDENTS IN, BECAUSE THAT, THAT WILL BE THE FIRST LEARNING EXPERIENCE FROM THEM IN TERMS OF THE MECHANICS, IN TERMS OF THE EVEN CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT, PROJECT MANAGEMENT, UM, AND, AND UNDERSTANDING HOW THE SYSTEMS ARE GONNA GET OPERATED AFTER WE INSTALL THEM.
A LOT OF THE SYSTEMS IS NOT JUST A SYSTEM THAT YOU INSTALL AND YOU WALK AWAY FROM IT, LIKE THE SOLAR.
WE HAVE TO ENSURE THAT THE OPERATOR MAIN BE MAINTAINED.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY PERFORM BASED ON WHAT WE'RE TOLD.
SO ALL THOSE THINGS ARE THINGS THAT, UM, OUR SCHOOLS CAN BE ENGAGED INTO THE PROCESS.
AND IF THE COMMUNITY OF SCHOOLS THERE, BECAUSE IT MAY BE AT A SECONDARY SCHOOL, BUT THE COMMUNITY OF SCHOOL HAS AN ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL THAT CAN PARTICIPATE IN THAT LITER LITERATURE PROCESS THAT IS TAKING PLACE.
IT MAY NOT BE AT THEIR SCHOOL SITE, BUT THEY'RE SEEING IT, THEY'RE PASSING IT, THEY'RE SO CLOSE NEARBY, HOW CAN THEY BE AFFECTED BY IT? SO THAT WAS ONE THING.
AND THEN, UM, CURRENTLY WE TALKED ABOUT WATER, AND I JUST WAS THINKING ABOUT MY OWN WATER SITUATION WHERE WE JUST INSTALLED THESE WATER, UM, SENSORS.
NOW, DO WE HAVE WATER SENSORS THROUGHOUT OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT LET US KNOW WHEN WE ARE WASTING WATER? YEAH, THOSE ARE THE, YOU'RE REFERRING TO THE, ABOUT THE LEAK DETECTION SYSTEMS? YES.
AND IT'S A, A NEW TECHNOLOGY THAT WE HAVE BEEN TESTING, UH, WORKING WITH OUR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS TO SEE HOW WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO INSTALL THEM IN THE FUTURE.
BUT WE'VE, UH, THE PLAN IS TO INSTALL THEM SPECIFICALLY FOR IRRIGATION ABOUT, UM, I WOULD SAY 70% OF THE WATER THAT WE USE IS FOR IRRIGATION.
AND WE, AND WE DON'T KNOW, SOMETIMES IF THERE'S A LEAK, UM, AT SOME OF THOSE PLACES, WE GET NOTIFIED RIGHT BY SOMEONE.
UM, SO A LEAK DETECTION IS A, A PRIORITY FOR US.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, UH, WE'RE WORKING, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SET UP INTERNALLY WITHIN THE SUSTAINABILITY OFFICE TO HAVE WHAT WE CALL THE COMMAND CONTROL CENTER.
IT'S AN ENERGY AND WATER COMMAND CONTROL SET, CONTROL CENTER WHERE WE'LL BE ABLE TO SEE LIVE, UM, THEIR WATER USAGE AND, UH, OUR ELECTRICITY.
SO WHEN WE SEE ANY ABNORMALITIES, WE CAN THEN COMMUNICATE WITH OUR, UH, FACILITIES, MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS, AND BE ABLE TO DISPATCH PEOPLE OUT THERE TO GO DO THE REPAIRS.
SO WE'RE PUTTING A SET OF EYES ANOTHER AT THE, AT THE CENTRALIZED LOCATION TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
SO MY GOAL IS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT UP AND RUNNING BY NEXT YEAR, EVEN IF, IF IT'S AT A, AT A SMALL SCALE.
AND EVENTUALLY BEING ABLE TO ENGAGE, ENROLL MORE SCHOOLS INTO THAT CONTROL CENTER TO BE ABLE TO, TO LOGISTICALLY, UH, BE ABLE TO SEE AND MANAGE THOSE ABNORMALITIES ON OUR SCHOOLS.
'CAUSE I NOTICED IN MY OWN HOME, I WAS LIKE, UH, WE GOT A LEAK SOMEWHERE.
GOT A COUPLE GALLONS OF WATER GOING OUT.
WHERE IS IT GOING OUT AT? UM, THAT, AND THEN IT WAS TOUCHED ON, JUST, I KNOW THERE'S A NEED FOR STAFF.
WHERE ARE WE IN THE PROCESS, EVEN FROM THE LAST PRESENTATION? ARE WE JUST INTERVIEWING? ARE WE STILL LOOKING FOR CANDIDATES? WHERE ARE WE IN COMING TO A TO A HARD, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA GET THIS NUMBER THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
YEAH, SO THERE'S TWO PARTS ON THAT.
ONE IS THE ACTUAL STAFF THAT WE'RE TRYING TO HIRE WITHIN THE E SUSTAINABILITY OFFICE THAT ARE DISTRICT EMPLOYEES.
AND THOSE WILL HELP SUPPORT ADVANCE SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT I, I EVEN SHARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE HAVE IN PLACE RIGHT NOW, UM, TO HELP ADVANCE THOSE PROGRAMS. AND, UM, THOSE HAVE BEEN IN THE WORKS IN TERMS OF, UM, ADVERTISE SO WE CAN BE ABLE TO HIRE FOR, FOR THOSE POSITIONS.
BUT CERTAINLY, UM, A CONCERN IS THE, THE CURRENT BUDGET SITUATION THAT WE ARE AND SEE IF WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO, UM, UH, IDENTIFY THE FUNDING TO BRING THOSE
[02:10:01]
RESOURCES.UH, THE OTHER ONE IS FOR THE GREENING PROJECTS, AND WE'RE TRYING TO AUGMENT IT, AUGMENT OUR STAFF WITH PERHAPS CONTRACT PROFESSIONALS UNTIL, UM, UM, UNTIL WE'LL BE ABLE TO IN THE FUTURE HIRE, UM, PERMANENT POSITIONS.
BUT, BUT EVEN WITH THAT, UM, WE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING AND GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF DEFINING ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES WITHIN THE OFFICE OF ECO SUSTAINABILITY SO WE CAN UNDERSTAND THE ACTUAL NEED AND BEING ABLE TO GET THOSE RESOURCES.
SO WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR FACILITIES TEAM TO BE ABLE TO, TO, UH, FINALIZE THAT AND EVENTUALLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO, UM, A, AUGMENT THAT STAFF.
SO WE'RE STILL IN THE PROCESS OF, UM, DEFINING THE POSITIONS AND PROCEEDING WITH THE HIRING OF THOSE POSITIONS.
AND THEN LAST QUESTION, AND YOU MAY HAVE TOUCHED ON IT JUST WITH THE CURRICULUM, AND IT SAID ALL TEACHERS, AND I THINK YOU MADE A MENTION WHEN WE SAY ALL TEACHERS, IT'S ACROSS THE BOARD DEPARTMENT OF INSTRUCTION.
HOW ARE THEY, YOU KNOW, GETTING BUY-IN FOR ALL TEACHERS TO BE A PART OF THIS AND HOW DOES IT WORK WITH CURRENT CURRICULUM? YEAH, AND, UM, I WOULD DEFER TO, TO, UH, MR. SANG, BUT, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO SHARE IS OBVIOUSLY THE CLIMATE CHAMPIONS THAT WE HAVE ON OUR SCHOOLS, THEIR, THEIR ACTUALLY JOB IS TO BE ABLE TO BE, UM, OUR EYES AND EARS ON THEIR SCHOOLS IN TERMS OF SUSTAINABILITY AND BEING ABLE TO SHARE SUSTAINABILITY PRACTICES THAT WE HAVE OR WE DEVELOP IN COLLABORATION WITH THE DIVISION OF INSTRUCTION.
SO, UM, JERRY, PROBABLY YOU CAN TOUCH ON THAT IN TERMS OF HOW WE THEN TAKE SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS AND SHARE IT TO ALL THE TEACHERS, UH, BESIDES THE CLIMATE CHAMPIONS, UNLESS, IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS OR ANYTHING YOU WANNA SHARE, THINK BASICALLY THE GROUP.
SO, UM, RIGHT NOW WE HA WE DO HAVE, UH, CLIMATE LITERACY CHAMPIONS AT SCHOOL SITES.
UM, AND WE, IT DOES NOT, IT'S NOT A MANDATORY PROGRAM, BUT WE OFFER IT TO ALL SCHOOLS.
IN FACT, UM, LAST YEAR WE OPENED IT UP, ACTUALLY TWO YEARS AGO.
WE OPENED IT UP, UM, BEYOND JUST K 12, BUT WE ALSO OPENED IT UP TO EARLY EDUCATION CENTERS ALL THE WAY UP TO OUR DAY SCHOOLS OR, UM, ADULT SCHOOLS.
AND SO NOW EVERY SCHOOL IN LA UNIFIED, PRETTY MUCH THAT HAS A PRINCIPAL IS ELIGIBLE TO SELECT A CLIMATE LITERACY CHAMPION.
UM, AND WE ALSO HAVE A, UH, CLIMATE LITERACY SCHOOLOGY, UH, SCHOOLOGY GROUP, WHICH AGAIN, AS THE BOARD RESOLUTION CALLED FOR ACTS AS A REPOSITORY OF ALL THE CLIMATE LITERACY WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE SO FAR, IT HO IT HOLDS PRETTY MUCH EVERY PD THAT'S BEEN PROVIDED IN THE, UM, SINCE THE RESOLUTION PASSED, UM, IN, IN, WITHIN, WITHIN THAT SCHOOLOGY GROUP.
UM, AND IT HAS, UM, IN, IN FACT, MOST OF THEM HAVE ACTUALLY EVEN HAVE THE RECORDING, THE ZOOM, IF THEY WERE OVER ZOOM.
THEY HAVE THE ZOOM RECORDING ALONG WITH IT SO TEACHERS CAN ACCESS IT AT ANY TIME.
AND WE'VE GOT, AT THE MOMENT, WE'VE GROWN QUITE A BIT TO, UM, WE HAVE OVER 2200, UM, L-A-U-S-D EDUCATORS ON THE, ON THE SCHOOLOGY GROUP.
AND ALL THE, ALL THOSE 2200, UM, WHO ARE ON THE SCHOOLOGY GROUP, ARE THEY, THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT THE CLIMATE CHAMPIONS, RIGHT? ARE SOME OF ARE CHAMPIONS, BUT NOT ALL OF THEM.
I WAS GONNA SAY, THAT'S A LOT OF CHAMPIONS.
REALLY QUICK BEFORE, CAN I, I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.
SO THESE HAVE BEEN REALLY GREAT QUESTIONS, UM, UM, AND REALLY GREAT DISCUSSION.
BUT ON THE, UM, NOW THAT WE TOUCHED ON THE CLIMATE CHAMPIONS, WHAT ARE THE, WHAT, WHAT ARE AREAS THAT THE, THIS BOARD, THE BOARD, THE COMMITTEE, CAN SUPPORT THIS PROGRAM, THE CLIMATE, UM, CHAMPIONS PROGRAM? YEAH.
PARTICULARLY WITH, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THERE WERE, UM, I KNOW THERE'S, THERE'S SOME SPECIFIC ITEMS IN TERMS OF, UH, MOVING FORWARD.
SO JERRY, WHY DON'T YOU JUST SHARE ABOUT THE SUPPORT THAT NEED FOR THE CLIMATE CHAMPIONS? UM, AT THIS POINT, I THINK, UH, THE, THE BIGGEST, MOST IMPORTANT THING WOULD BE JUST, UH, KIND OF FUNDING AGAIN, TO CONTINUE WHAT WE HAVE.
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, UM, WE'VE BEEN GROWING WITH THE FUNDING WE HAVE, WE ACTUALLY EVEN LAST YEAR STARTED A CLIMATE LITERACY LEADERSHIP TEAM, UM, OF CHAMPIONS AND TEACHERS WHO, AGAIN, WHO HAVE, UM, PROBABLY FAR MORE EXPERIENCE AND YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN CLIMATE LITERACY TEACHING CLIMATE LITERACY IN THEIR CLASSROOMS WELL BEFORE EVEN THE BOARD RESOLUTION, YOU KNOW, CAME ABOUT.
AND SO, UH, WE'VE GOT SOME AMAZING TEACHERS, UM, WHO ARE DOING THIS WORK, AND THEY ARE LEAD LEADERS WITHIN THIS.
AND THEN WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THE CHAMPIONS.
BUT I THINK, AGAIN, AT THIS POINT, UM, THE, THE KEY IS FUNDING TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE THINGS, THESE PROGRAMS CONTINUE.
UM, BEYOND THAT, I THINK, I MEAN, WE'RE DOING, WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE DO WITH WHAT WE HAVE, AND I THINK WE'RE, UH, DOING A PRETTY GOOD JOB WITH THAT.
I THINK, UM, I THINK, YOU KNOW,
[02:15:01]
JUST PDS AND FUNDING FOR PDS AND SO FORTH, WHICH WE CURRENTLY HAVE AS WELL.UH, JUST TWO MORE AREAS FOR ME.
UM, AND IT WAS TOUCHED ON, UH, BY MR. ALVAREZ ON THE MC THREE PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, RELATED THIS RELATED TO CTE, WHICH IS ONE OF MY CENTRAL PRIORITIES.
HOW CAN A DISTRICT CONTINUE TO SUPPORT AND EXPAND THE, UH, DISTRICT WIDE MULTI CRAFT CORE CURRICULUM, MC THREE, UM, AS PART OF THIS EFFORT AND WORK WITH OUR LABOR PARTNERS TO ENSURE STUDENTS HAVE EQUITABLE ACCESS AND HANDS-ON LEARNING INTERNSHIPS AND PATHWAYS FOR HIGH QUALITY GREEN JOBS.
HOW WILL WE ABLE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE EXPANDING THIS PROGRAM? YEAH, I CAN TOUCH THAT.
NICO, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WANNA SHARE? GO FIRST.
SO, UH, SO FOR US, WE HAVE BEEN MEETING WITH CT, IDENTIFYING THE PROGRAMS OF INTEREST AND HOW WE CAN SUPPORT 'EM THROUGH THE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE NOW.
AND THOSE ARE THE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE HAVE BEEN MEETING, DISCUSSING IN TERMS OF SPECIFIC PROJECTS AND HOW WE CAN DEVELOP THOSE PATHWAYS BETWEEN, LET'S SAY, SOLAR, SOLAR INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, OR E ELECTRIFICATION OF TRANSPORTATION OR RECHARGING.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO IDENTIFY, UH, SPECIFIC PROGRAMS THAT RELATE TO CTE, AND THROUGH THAT WE DEVELOP THE, THE PROGRAMMING AND ENGAGE 'EM INTO THAT PROCESS.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT YOU WANNA, AND THEN, ALEX, GO AHEAD, NICHOLAS.
JUST TO ADD ON, UM, I THINK ANYTHING WE COULD DO TO KIND OF EXPAND THE ACCESSIBILITY OF NOT ONLY THE MC THREE PROGRAM, BUT CTE EDUCATION AS A WHOLE.
I THINK MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT BROADLY STUDENTS WILL USUALLY HAVE TO GO TO ONE OF THE OCCUPATIONAL CENTERS TO RECEIVE A VAST MAJORITY OF CTE EDUCATION.
UM, AND THERE AREN'T AS MANY, AND THERE ARE DEFINITELY HIGH SCHOOLS THAT HAVE MC THREE PROGRAMS WITHIN THE SCHOOL, BUT, YOU KNOW, ANY SUPPORT FROM THE BOARD TO EXPAND THAT PROGRAM WITH RESOURCES, WITH STAFFING, AND TO MAKE IT MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR STUDENTS SO THAT THEY DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO GO TO, BECAUSE LIKE I GREW UP RIGHT BY THE HARBOR OCCUPATIONAL CENTERS, SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO TO ONE OF THESE OCCUPATIONAL CENTERS, BUT COULD EITHER, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THERE'S, UH, IDENTIFIED SCHOOLS IN EVERY COMMUNITY OF SCHOOLS THAT COULD OFFER THE MC THREE PROGRAM.
THERE'S A VARIETY OF WAYS TO BRING IT TO FOLKS AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, UM, WITH A VARIETY OF DIGITAL OFFERINGS.
AS LONG AS IT DOESN'T REQUIRE A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, THEY TELL ME THE TRAYS REQUIRES A LOT OF HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE.
UM, SO ANY OPPORTUNITY
UM, BUT YEAH, ANY OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF BRING IT MORE DIRECTLY TO PEOPLE AND MEET FOLKS WHERE THEY'RE AT, I THINK WOULD BE WELCOME AND WOULD EXPAND THE PROGRAM.
BUT OF COURSE, DEFER TO EDDIE AND THE FOLKS AT THE TRADES AT THE, KIND OF THE BEST WAY TO EXPAND THE MC THREE PROGRAM.
AND ALEX WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING.
SO ACTUALLY, UH, OVERSIGHT OF MC THREE, FROM A FACILITIES POINT OF VIEW RELATED TO UNIONS AND OUR P-L-A-P-S-A REQUIREMENTS, THERE IS A DEVELOPMENT TO EXPAND RIGHT NOW IN DISCUSSION, INCLUDING INTO THE ADULT ED AND FURTHER THROUGH THE HIGH SCHOOLS.
IT'D BE PREMATURE FOR ME TO DISCUSS IT.
BEN GARCIA, THE, UH, WHO IS THE HEAD OF OUR APPRENTICESHIP RENT FUND, UH, THEY TOOK OVER, THE FUND TOOK OVER, HE TOOK OVER THE FUND ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, HAS REALLY STEPPED UP AND REALLY LEANED INTO THIS ISSUE, UH, WITH OUR, INSTEAD OF EXPANDING INTO AREAS THAT WERE NOT ESSENTIALLY WITH OUR CURRENT PARTNERS, HOW DO WE MULTIPLY THOSE AND MAKE THOSE STRONGER? SO THEN WHEN WE DO WANT TO EXPAND, WE'VE ALREADY, WE'VE LAID A BETTER BASE WITH OUR, WITH OUR CURRENT PARTNERS, UM, INSTEAD OF JUST SAYING EVERYBODY'S GOT MC THREE, WELL THAT'S NOT DOING ANYTHING IF NO ONE'S GONNA JOB, RIGHT? SO LET'S, LET'S MAKE OUR CURRENT PARTNERS STRONGER, LET'S GET MORE PEOPLE THAT WHERE WE DO HAVE, UH, PROGRAMS STRONGER.
AND SO WE DO EXPAND, WE HAVE A BETTER, UH, A BETTER IDEA OF WHAT WORKS AND WHAT DOESN'T WORK.
UM, AND TO MY REASON, I KNOW, ANGELA, ONE QUESTION, UM, ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS, AND I, YOU KNOW, THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE GREAT.
SO HOW ARE WE MAKING SURE, HOW ARE WE MAKING SURE THAT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE GONNA BE FOLLOWED THROUGH OR GONNA BE EXPLORED? BECAUSE THAT'S ESSENTIALLY THE WORK OF THE TASK FORCE, RIGHT? IS TO PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO HOW ARE WE MOVING FORWARD? SO, YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
I MEAN, WE DISCUSSED, UM, THAT THE ACTUAL RESOLUTION CALL TO DEVELOP THE TASK FORCE AND COME, COME UP WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
HE DIDN'T TOUCH SO MUCH ON THE ACTUAL FOLLOW UP AND IMPLEMENTATION, BUT THE TASK FORCE FILLS THE NEED THAT WE SHOULD BE MEETING, CONTINUE TO BE MEETING AT LEAST IF IT'S NOT QUARTERLY, EVERY SIX MONTHS, TO ENSURE THAT, UH, THE WORK IS PROGRESSING IN THE, IN THE AREAS THAT THEY RECOMMENDED.
AND, UH, AND AT LEAST CONTINUE TO UPDATE THE REPORT BY HIGHLIGHTING SOME OF THE AREAS AND HOW SHOWING PROGRESS ON THE REPORT ITSELF.
UM, AND THE NEXT POINT IS ON THE STORM WATER MANAGEMENT.
I, YOU KNOW, IT'S MENTIONED HERE, NEW FUNDS FOR GREENING ON, ON THE CLEAN WATER PROGRAM.
I KNOW THAT, UM, THERE'S MEASURE W THERE'S
[02:20:01]
FUNDS THERE, AND I KNOW, AND THEN THE NEXT PART WITH PARTNERING FOR SUCCESS, I KNOW OUR CITY, UM, REALLY WOULD LOVE, HAS BEEN WANTING TO, UH, PARTNER WITH THE, WITH US, THE DISTRICT ON STORM WATER CAPTURE, EXTERNAL INTERNALLY.I KNOW THERE'S SOME LIABILITY ISSUES THERE, BUT I, THERE IS THAT, UM, THEY WANNA WORK WITH US ON THAT AND THEY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT MEASURE W FUNDS ARE, YOU KNOW, USED FOR THIS, THIS PURPOSE.
SO I THINK THERE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, THAT DESIRE TO WORK WITH THE DISTRICT AND WE DEFINITELY, THERE ARE SOME CHALLENGES, BUT WE HAVE TO MOVE BEYOND THOSE CHALLENGES TO, YOU KNOW, TO REALLY WORK WITH THE CITY AND STORM WATER CAPTURE.
SO IF WE CAN, I KNOW THERE'S ALSO, YOU KNOW, FOR OUR COUNCIL THAT HAS BEEN WORKING ON THAT AS WELL.
SO IF WE CAN MOVE FORWARD THAT, SO THERE IS A SOLUTION THERE FOR THIS RECOMMENDATION.
IT'S JUST NEEDS MORE LIKE, YOU KNOW, MOVING FORWARD ON THAT.
SO YES, THERE IS AN ACTUALLY, AND THERE'S FOLLOW UP MEETINGS WITH THE CITY ITSELF AND, UH, WHAT WE ALWAYS HAD THE CHALLENGE IS THE ACTUAL LIABILITY OF ACCEPTING OFFSITE WATER, BUT WE THINK THAT THERE MAY BE SOLUTIONS TO OVERCOME THAT.
SO WE'LL CONTINUE OUR MEETINGS WITH THE CITY AND SEE, UM, WHAT THE, WHAT THE BEST SOLUTIONS ARE AND SCENARIOS.
MEASURE W DIDN'T ALWAYS REQUIRE OFFSET WATER CAPTURE.
WHAT WE SHARE WITH, UM, AT LEAST WITH OUR TEAMS AND WITH THE CITIES, IS THAT, UH, WILL STILL BE A GREAT BENEFIT FOR US TO COLLECT THE WATER FROM OUR OWN SITE.
UM, AND TO BE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE THAT AND BEING ABLE TO GIVE US FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO DEVELOP MORE GRIEVING PROJECTS, MORE PERMEABLE PROJECTS ON OUR SCHOOL SITES, WE CAN BE ABLE TO CAPTURE THE WATER SPECIFICALLY, UM, STRATEGICALLY LOCATED AT AREAS WHERE WE HAVE LOCAL AQUIFERS SO WE CAN BE ABLE TO RECHARGE THOSE LOCAL AQUIFERS.
AND, UM, AND WE DID APPLY FOR MEASURE W IN THE PAST, THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WAS GIVEN, IT WAS VERY SMALL.
I HOPE IN THE FUTURE WE'LL BE ABLE TO REALLY SHOWCASE HOW MUCH MORE WATER WE CAN CAPTURE IN OUR OWN SCHOOLS, AND WE CAN BE ABLE TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF MONIES SO WE CAN BE ABLE TO DEVELOP MORE GREENS, MORE GREEN, UH, SCHOOLS.
CAN I JUST ADD RESPONSE, UM, JUST IN RESPONSE TO THE SAFE CLEAN WATER PROGRAM, FORMERLY KNOWN AS MEASURE W, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS CONFLICT OR TENSION COMES UP BECAUSE SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE EXEMPT FROM, UM, PAYING INTO THE PARCEL TAX.
AND SO THE REASON WHY THIS ISSUE OF OFFSITE STORM WATER KEEPS KIND OF COMING BACK UP IS BECAUSE TO MAXIMIZE THE DOLLARS, LIKE MEASURE W REALLY CAME FROM, WAS BORN OUT OF THE FACT THAT MUNICIPALITIES WERE TRYING TO MEET THEIR, UM, MS FOUR PERMIT, UM, REQUIREMENTS.
AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE BEEN, UM, EXEMPT FROM THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, PERMIT.
AND SO AS TO MAXIMIZE, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, LIKE ANY PROJECT AROUND STORMWATER AND TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT POOL OF MONEY IS WHY THIS KIND OF OFFSITE STORMWATER KEEPS ON COMING UP.
AND SO I APPRECIATE YOU STATING LIKE THERE'S A WILLINGNESS TO LIKE CONTINUE TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CITY, ET CETERA, TO TAKE OFFSITE STORMWATER.
I ALSO VALUE THAT IF YOU ARE CAPTURING WATER ON YOUR CAMPUSES AND, AND MANAGING THAT IN AND OF ITSELF, THAT THERE IS, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY BENEFITS TO THAT.
BUT I JUST WANNA LIKE, FOR THE COMMITTEE, SHARE SOME INSIGHTS AS TO WHY THAT KEEPS COMING UP AS LIKE, OH, OFFSITE, STORMWATER VERSUS LIKE US CAPTURING, IT'S REALLY BECAUSE SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE EXEMPT FROM THE TAX, SO THEY'RE NOT PAYING INTO THE TAX.
AND SO CITIES ARE LIKE, WELL, YOU'RE NOT PAYING INTO THE TAX.
SO AT LEAST LIKE TAKE OFF OFFSITE STORMWATER TO, YOU KNOW, AS A BENEFIT, RIGHT? LIKE, AS A MORE BENEFICIAL PROJECT.
YEAH, I HAD ONE LAST QUESTION ABOUT, UM, ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND ELECTRIFICATION.
SO I WANTED, I'M, UH, CURIOUS TO KNOW IF THERE'S A PLAN WITH MORE SPECIFIC METRICS FOR, UH, HOW ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND ELECTRIFICATION WILL BE IMPLEMENTED, AND IS L-E-D-W-P ALSO CONTRIBUTING TO THAT AND WHAT OTHER PARTNERS ARE IMPORTANT WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR THAT PIECE OF THE WORK? THANK YOU.
SO WE HAVE METRICS THAT WE'VE, UH, MEASURED THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY ON OUR SCHOOLS, INCLUDING OUR GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.
IF YOU GO ON OUR WEBSITE RIGHT NOW AND, UH, AT UH, UM, UM, LST.ORG/ESO, YOU'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO SEE SOME OF THE TABLES THAT WE SET UP SPECIFICALLY FOR GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS IN TERMS OF THE ACTUAL, UM, UH, PARTICIPATION AND ENGAGEMENT WITH D WP HAVE SOME GREAT NEWS.
WE'LL BE BRINGING FORWARD TO THE NEXT BOARD MEETING, UH, TO APPROVE.
UH, AND ANOTHER NEW AGREEMENT FOR 120 MILLION, UM, DOLLARS, UH, MOU WITH, UH, WITH DWP, WHICH, UM, A BIG PORTION OF THAT, APPROXIMATELY ABOUT 80 MILLION, WILL BE TOWARDS ENERGY EFFICIENCY FOR THE DI DIRECT INSTALL PROGRAM, WHICH IS THE ACTUAL, THE ACTUAL LIGHTING RETROFIT PROGRAM.
RECENTLY, IT WAS APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS LAST MONTH
[02:25:01]
AT DWP.AND THEN WE'RE GONNA BE BRINGING IT TO OUR BOARD FOR THE APPROVAL OF PUTTING OUR MATCHING SHARE FOR THE LIGHTING RETROFIT PROGRAM, WHICH HAS SOME OTHER STRATEGIES.
SO, UM, DWP HAS BEEN VERY INSTRUMENTAL INTO THAT, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE STARTED WITH A, A DECADE AGO WITH, UH, 8 MILLION, AND NOW WE'RE AT THE $120 MILLION AGREEMENT THROUGH THAT, UH, ENGAGEMENT, PARTICIPATION AND RELATIONSHIP THAT WE BUILT TO HELP SUPPORT EACH OTHER TO PROVIDE FOR MORE EFFICIENCY FOR OUR SCHOOLS.
UH, THANK YOU TO NICHOLAS AND ALSO JERRY FOR CO-PRESENTING WITH CHRISTOS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR INSIGHT AND YOUR WORK ON YOUR COLLEAGUES' WORK IN, IN, IN THIS TASK FORCE, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THE RECOMMENDATIONS COME INTO EFFECT AND MORE TO COME.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT.
[III. Public Comment]
SO NOW WE ARE GOING TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM OUR COMMUNITY ON PUBLIC COMMENTS.SO I WILL NOW TURN, UM, THE MICROPHONE OVER TO MR. MCLEAN.
WE HAVE SIX FOLKS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
UH, I'LL CALL ON THE FOLKS WHO ARE HERE IN PERSON OR AT LEAST LISTED AS IN PERSON.
THEN WE'LL TAKE THE TWO REMOTE CALLERS.
FIRST SPEAKER IS NATHAN PER, COME ON DOWN MR. CRUZ, IF YOU ARE THERE.
AND THEN AFTER MR. CRUZ IS STEPHANIE CALVIO AND THEN MATTHEW CHRISTOPHER, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN.
GOOD AFTERNOON, I'M ENO THIS, MY NAME IS NATHAN CRUZ.
I'M THE PROUD FATHER OF CALI WHO JUST FINISHED TK AND NOW STARTED KINDERGARTEN.
I'M ALSO A PROUD PARENT VOLUNTEER, AND I CAN'T FORGET THIS ONE.
I'M A PROUD PADRINO AT SHARP AVENUE ELEMENTARY.
I'M HERE TODAY ON THE BEHALF OF THE PARENTS AND THE STUDENTS ARE SHARP.
JUST, UM, JUST THIS LAST WEEK, WE FACED AN INTENSE HEAT WAVE WITH THE TEMPERATURES HITTING A PEAK OF 105 DEGREES.
AS I PICKED UP CALI FROM SCHOOL SHARP HAS NOT BEEN GIVEN ENOUGH RESOURCES TO HELP PROTECT OUR CHILDREN FROM THE BLISTERING HEAT.
URGENT ACTION IS NEEDED FOR MORE TREES AND GREEN SPACE, AND WE NEED TO PRIORITIZE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CURRENT PROPOSED PROJECT STUDENTS EXPERIENCING OVERHEATING, WHICH CAN CAUSE HEALTH COMPLICATIONS SUCH AS NOSEBLEEDS, HEADACHES, AND LACK OF ENERGY.
THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE MY NEPHEW, FIELD GABRIEL INCLUDED FOR STUDENTS IN THE AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM THAT TAKE PLACE DURING THE HOTTEST TIME OF THE DAY.
WE NEED THIS PROCESS TO WORK BETTER FOR OUR STUDENTS AND SCHOOL.
SO THIS PROJECT CAN BE BIG AS POSSIBLE AND DONE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
CONSTANT DELAYS TO THE PROJECTS HAS RESULTED IN US PARENTS CONSTANTLY GETTING OUR HOPES UP JUST TO BE MET WITH CON CONSISTENT DISAPPOINTMENT.
WE WERE TOLD GROUND WILL BREAK THIS SUMMER, YET I AM HERE ADVOCATING TODAY FOR THE PROGRESS TO BE STARTED.
WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT THE COMMITTEE AND THIS DISTRICT PUT INTO ACTION THIS RESOLUTION TO HELP PROJECTS GET BUILT QUICKER AND PROVIDE THE SHADE AND GREEN SPACE OUR STUDENTS WERE PROMISED TWO YEARS AGO.
UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
OKAY, THE NEXT SPEAKER IS STEPHANIE CALVIO.
YOU'D HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN.
EVA IN GREENING SCHOOLS AND CLIMATE RESILIENCY COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS STEPHANIE CALVIO AND I'M A RESEARCHER AT THE LOS ANGELES ALLIANCE FOR NEW ECONOMY.
UM, CHRISTOS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR WONDERFUL WORK TODAY.
THAT WAS, UM, A LOT OF PRESENTATIONS THAT YOU DID AND IT WAS SUPER INFORMATIVE AND I FEEL LIKE MY, UM, TALKING POINTS HERE ARE GONNA BE MAYBE A TA LITTLE BIT REPETITIVE, BUT JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU, UM, AND SAY THAT AFTER THESE SUCCESSFUL UNANIMOUS PASSING YESTERDAY OF THE NEW JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE DISTRICT AND LA REC PARKS, I, ALONG WITH OUR PARTNERS WHO WERE HERE EARLIER WITH US TODAY, ARE EXTREMELY EXCITED TO SEE HOW THE NEW GPA WILL INTERACT WITH THIS RESOLUTION TO STREAMLINE GREENING PROJECTS FOR THIRD PARTY PARTNERS.
UM, UNDERSTANDING THAT CERTAIN LOCATIONS HAVE BEGUN TO BE IDENTIFIED AS POTENTIAL SITES TO BE OPENED FOR A NEW COMMUNITY SCHOOL PARK THIS YEAR AND HOW THEY MAY OVERLAP WITH SCHOOLS THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN THE PIPELINE TO BE GREENED IS EXCITING FOR US AND OUR PARTNERS WHO WANNA SEE THE BREAKING OF GROUND BEGIN ON THEIR SCHOOL CAMPUSES.
UH, AS THOSE OF US WHO WERE PRESENT AT THE BOARD MEETING YESTERDAY MAY HAVE ALREADY HEARD, UH, CREATING MORE ACCESSIBILITY ACROSS THE DISTRICT AND THEIR SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES IS CRUCIAL.
WHILE THE NEW GPA WILL CERTAINLY ADDRESS EXISTING GREEN SPACE EQUITY GAPS, WE ARE HOPEFUL AND EXCITED THAT THIS RESOLUTION WILL ALSO HELP PROJECTS BREAK GROUND QUICKER AND HELP OVERALL GOALS TO CREATE ACCESS TO GREEN SPACE ACROSS
[02:30:01]
THE DISTRICT.THANK YOU COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR ALL OF YOUR EFFORTS.
CHRISTOS, THANK YOU SO MUCH AGAIN, UH, TO PUSH THIS RESOLUTION FORWARD AS WELL AS THE OVERLAPPING EFFORTS WITH THE BOARD YESTERDAY TO OPEN UP MORE GREEN SCHOOLYARDS.
LET'S SEE WHO'S HERE REMOTELY.
PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF.
YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN.
DAVID TOSKI, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY AND THANK YOU TO EDDIE ALVAREZ ON THE BUILDING TRADES WITHOUT WHOM NONE OF THESE BONDS THAT WAY UNIFIED WOULD'VE PASSED.
AND I'M GLAD THE SUPERINTENDENT NOW KNOWS YOUR LAST NAME CORRECTLY, RATHER THAN REFERRING YOU TO AS EDDIE TORRES AS HE DID, UH, A YEAR OR SO.
UM, ANY SCHOOL THAT IS SUFFERING HEAT, UH, PROBLEMS OF THE BOARD, UH, CHAIR SHOULD, UH, REFER THEM TO A WILLIAMS COMPLIANCE AND HAVE THAT TAKEN CARE OF RIGHT AWAY.
UM, MEASURE W IS $300 MILLION IS NOT, UH, THE SIGNIFICANT, UH, CAREER TECH ED IN LA UNIFIED IS COLLECTING NEARLY $300 MILLION.
THE STATE MEASURE TWO IS $10 BILLION AND THE STATE MEASURE FOUR, WHICH IS ENVIRONMENTAL, IS $10 MILLION.
THAT'S A BILLION DOLLARS USUALLY FOR LA UNIFIED ON TOP OF THE 9 BILLION.
LA UNIFIED HAS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY AND ITS EXTENDED LEARNING, 500 MILLION PLUS 300 MILLION.
IT IS SPENT NEARLY 500 MILLION IN SOLAR AND THAT CAN BE USED AS WELL.
MR. MOLSEN, UH, THE BOARD NEEDS TO FOCUS ON CURRICULUM.
THE CURRICULUM ITSELF WAS NOT PRESENTED VERY COHERENTLY AS GRADES K TO 12.
TODAY, THE SENIOR STAFF WAS WORKING ON CURRICULUM.
I BET THEY DIDN'T TALK ABOUT SCIENCE AND, AND, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL, THERE'S A LOT TO BE DONE.
UH, IN FACT, UH, THERE'S A RUMOR THAT CAL FIRE MONEY WAS RETURNED TO THE STATE FROM LA UNIFIED.
UH, SOMEBODY SHOULD DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THAT HAPPENED.
AND I APOLOGIZE TO MR. CHRISTOS WHO'S NO LONGER WORKING FOR FACILITIES, UH, BUT HAS BEEN REMOVED TO THE TIDE WATERS OF THE ORGANIZATION.
HE IS NO LONGER CONNECTED AS WELL AS THE OUTDOOR EDUCATION, WHICH WAS PART OF THE PRESENTATION, UM, OUTDOOR EDUCATION THAT HAD A NAME ON THERE THAT IS NO LONGER IN CHARGE OF OUTDOOR EDUCATION.
THE DISTRICT HAS 80 ACRES OF WILDERNESS LAND, OF WHICH IS COSTING 30, 40, $50 MILLION AND FOUR YEARS TO GET GOING.
THE DISTRICT HAS NO TREMENDOUS EFFORT.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TWO AND $3 MILLION HERE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH MR. TO BE THANK YOU MUCH.
UH, LETICIA GUINO, I SEE YOU'RE ON THE LINE.
LETICIA GUINO, PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN.
HELLO, MY NAME IS AA GINO AND I AM THE COMMUNITY SCHOOL COORDINATOR AT SHARP AVENUE COMMUNITY SCHOOL.
WE ARE IN REGION NORTH AND WE ARE ONE OF THE FOUR SCHOOLS THAT WERE SELECTED BY LA BT AND RECEIVE A CAL FIRE GRANT.
WE'RE HOPING TO FINALLY BREAK GROUND THIS FALL AS OUR KIDS HAVE BEEN EXPECTING THE GREEN SPACE.
THIS PROJECT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE OUR STUDENTS DESERVE BETTER.
SHARP IS LOCATED NEXT TO THE FIVE FREEWAY BETWEEN REMA AND ARLETA.
AND AS YOU KNOW, BEING IN THE VALLEY GETS REALLY HOT.
ALSO, OUR SCHOOL YARD IS ADJACENT TO THE FREEWAY WALL AND OUR SCHOOL HAS BEEN EVALUATED BY THE GREEN SCHOOLYARD PLAN AND IDENTIFIED OF HAVING 10% OR LESS OF GREEN NATURAL SCHOOLYARDS.
WHILE WE ARE INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL TO OUR NONPROFIT PARTNERS FOR OBTAINING OUR GRANT MONEY TO GREEN OUR SCHOOLYARDS SOON, WE ASK THAT THE DISTRICT HELP ELIMINATE BARRIERS SO THAT WE MAY EXPAND THESE PARTNERSHIPS AS WELL AS A NUMBER OF THEM SO THAT WE MAY EFFICIENTLY AND URGENTLY ADDRESS THE PROBLEM OUR STUDENTS NEED.
A SCHOOLYARD WITH GRASS HAVE A COOLER TEMPERATURE AND GROUND TO PLAY IN.
OUR ENTIRE YARD IS COVERED IN BLACK ASPHALT.
THE DISTRICT HAS SAID IT BEFORE.
PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN THEM AND NONPROFIT PARTNERS IS KEY IN REACHING THE COLLECTIVE GOAL TO GIFY SCHOOLS BY 30% BY 2035.
WE URGE THE BOARD TO CONTINUE TO HELP FIND WAYS TO MAKE IT EASIER TO STREAMLINE GREETING PROJECTS AND MAKE IT AS COST EFFECTIVE AS POSSIBLE.
I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND I'M VERY HAPPY THAT I WAS PRESENT AT THE MEETING.
I HOPE THAT WE CAN PUT ALL THE PLANS AND WORDS I HEARD INTO PLAY SOON FOR OUR STUDENTS.
WE HAVE ONE CALLER WHO JUST CALLED IN MARIA DAISY ORTIZ.
[02:35:01]
SPEAK IN SPANISH, SO IF YOU'D LIKE TO HEAR WHAT SHE'S SAYING IN ENGLISH, PLEASE PUT ON THESE TRANSLATION HEAD SITES THAT THE TRANSLATION UNIT'S PROBABLY GONNA RUN OUT WITH RIGHT NOW.UH, IF YOU'D LIKE TRANSLATION SERVICES, PLEASE PUT YOUR HAND UP.
UH, MS. ORTIZ, PLEASE PRESS SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF.
MY NAME IS MARIA DECI ORTIZ AND I AM HERE TO EXHORT THIS COMMITTEE ON TWO IMPORTANT THINGS THAT ARE VERY IMPORTANT FOR OUR STUDENTS CLIMATE CHANGE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE SEE ARE THE GREEN SPACES.
MANY SCHOOLS SHOULD HAVE SPACES FOR BOTANICAL GARDENS KNOWING THAT THIS IS PART OF THEIR LEARNING AND PART OF THE SCIENCE CURRICULUM, UH, FOR OUR STUDENTS.
AND MANY SCHOOLS DON'T HAVE THESE SPACES AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD BENEFIT OUR SCHOOLS.
ANOTHER ONE IS THAT WE SHOULD TAKE CARE OF, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE PERMITS THAT YOU ARE REQUIRED.
UH, THE MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES THAT ARE CLOSE TO OUR SCHOOLS IN WHICH THEY HAVE, UH, THE DISTRICT DOESN'T HAVE SCHOOL POLICE AT THE SCHOOLS.
AND THIS CREATES FOR THEM NOT TO HAVE THIS SAFE CLIMATE AROUND THE SCHOOLS.
AND ALSO SEVEN 11, WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE CLOSE TO THE SCHOOLS.
THEY ARE SELLING THEM ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES TO THE STUDENTS.
AND IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE BEGIN TO REINFORCE THIS, UH, TO HAVE SAVE PASSAGES FOR OUR SCHOOLS.
AND I HOPE THAT THIS CREATES AN ATTENTION AND ALERT AND A WAY TO BETTER THE AMBIENCE AROUND THE SCHOOLS.
THANK YOU AND HAVE A GREAT AFTERNOON PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR THE COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU FOR ALL, UM, THOSE WHO CALLED IN AND HERE IN PERSON FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
KNOW THAT WE HAVE TAKEN NOTE OF YOUR COMMENTS AND, UH, HOPEFULLY WE'LL, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THAT SOMEBODY WILL FOLLOW FOLLOW UP.
UM, THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR ALL YOUR WONDERFUL QUESTIONS AND THE DISCUSSIONS WE HAD TODAY.
BEFORE WE ADJOURN, I JUST, TWO THINGS I WANT, UM, TO RAISE.
UM, I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT AN IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC INPUT.
THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF TOXIC SUBSTANCE UH, CONTROL IS CURRENTLY SEEKING COMMUNITY FEEDBACK ON ITS DRAFT OF INTERIM REMOVAL ACTION WORK PLAN FOR THE FORMER WES UNIFORM FACILITY SITE, LOCATED AT 35 0 5 PASADENA AVENUE.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD RUNS FROM AUGUST 25TH THROUGH SEPTEMBER 25TH.
YOU CAN REVIEW THE DRAFT CLEANUP AND SUBMIT YOUR COMMENT ONLINE ON THE LINK.
UM, THAT WILL BE, OH, THERE IT'S DISPLAYED.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, THERE WILL BE A VIRTUAL PUBLIC MEETING ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18TH AT 6:00 PM AND YOU CAN REGISTER AT THE NEXT LINK THAT'S BEING DISPLAYED UP THERE ON THE BITLY.
UM, I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES, MOMENTS TO SHARE YOUR FEEDBACK ON THIS DECISION, WHICH DIRECTLY IMPACTS THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR SCHOOLS AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.
AND BEFORE WE CLOSE, I ALSO WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, THE TRAGEDY THAT HAPPENED NOT TOO LONG AGO IN MINNEAPOLIS TODAY.
OUR HEARTS ARE WITH THE STUDENTS, FAMILIES, EDUCATORS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS AFFECTED BY THE RECENT ACT OF GUN VIOLENCE.
UM, AS WE CONTINUE OUR WORK HERE IN LA, WE'RE REMINDED OF THE URGENT NEED TO CREATE SAFE, SUPPORTIVE SPACES FOR ALL OUR CHILDREN EVERYWHERE.
UM, SO, UM, OUR HEART GOES OUT TO THE FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UM, IMPACTED BY THAT TODAY.
UH, SO THIS CONCLUDES OUR FIRST, UM, MEETING OF THE GREENING SCHOOLS AND CLIMATE RESILIENCE.
I'M EXCITED TOO FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES AND OTHER PRESENTATION THAT WAS PRESENTED TODAY, UM, ON ALL THE IMPORTANT WORK WE'RE DOING, NOT ONLY FOR OUR STUDENTS, BUT ALSO FOR OUR CITY.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN AND HAVE A BEAUTIFUL DAY.