Parks and Recreation Commission Regular Meeting

There we go. It's OK, I don't need it. It's not a problem but we can take the roll.

Chair Taylor? Present. Vice-Chair Intner? Here. Commissioner Lear? Present. And we have Commissioner Bailey and Commissioner Munich absent tonight. And our youth

public comments for items not on the agenda? Let's see. We have item three now. I have item three down as summer day camps for Bill, but he wrote pool.

That's what he means. He said.

Oh, four number four. OK, got it. OK. Got it. OK so no other public comments from our audience members or online. We have a raised hand online. Okay, wonderful. I can't see that who it is or what it's about. Zeb, welcome Zeb thank you.

Hey guys thanks for choosing my raised hand. I've never been on here before but I just um I just want to thank you guys for opening the snack shack over here in my neighborhood. It seems like a really cool addition to the community and I just want to jump on here and thank you for you know opening that up seems like It's a great addition, and it's cool when you guys partner with people to bring cool stuff into the town. So that's all I wanted to say. Thank you.

Great. Thank you so much. Thank you for coming. OK. Any other participants online?

We have two more raise hands.

OK, great. Welcome

Hi there, guys. That's funny because the last caller just took the words out of my mouth. I'm a big soccer dad so we're over at Sarasota a lot and I noticed that That building was getting some new life, and I was curious kind of what it was all about. But yeah, I think on busy Saturdays and in the afternoons on the Fridays where we're there until nightfall, it's a great idea for someone to be taking over and doing some food there, I feel like. So that was me.

Great. For the record, will you give us your name please?

Duncan Weinkauf.

Thank you Dave. Thanks for calling in.

Yeah.

Okay, and one more. Did you say we have one more? Yes, one more.

Hi guys, this is Andrew McGuire and it's oddly enough I'm just following Duncan and Zeb to support the Snack Shack. We love it. We're at practice on Monday nights and being able to grab a burger was like such a game changer for our family so that just felt like something very city oriented. So just gotta give props to that and it such a nice welcome addition to that side of town.

Wonderful thank you. Thank you so much. It's nice. We hardly ever have anybody call in so that's wonderful any others Brianna no more raised hands, okay Okay great We'll move on to our consent Calendar we just have our minutes from the regular meeting September 3rd and Any questions, comments or concerns? It was just the three of us here. So I'll make a motion to approve unless you have questions or comments. OK. Can I get a second? I second.

And Christy?

And vote.

Thank you. And rapidly moving on to our presentations, we have our Sarasota Playground Reconstruction Update. We have a recommendation to receive the staff report discuss and recommend the status update on the Sarasota Park Playground reconstruction project, the CIP Project PK3013. And there was an attachment Staff report with the agenda, uh-huh. Christy can you walk us through that?

Okay so I have been asked to include some history and information about the Sarasota Playground Reconstruction Project. So for background, Sarasota Park located on the northeast area of Ojai spans 9.7 acres and was deeded to the city by the Sarasota family in 1933. In 2017, the Sarasota Master Plan concept and design Received approval from the Ojai City Council following an extensive community engagement process that included workshops surveys and commission meetings from July 15th through August 16th a key component of the master plan includes updating the existing playground located at the back of the park project is included in the city's capital improvement plan as Project PK 3013 Sarzotti Park new playgrounds with the objective to construct two age-appropriate playgrounds including ADA accessibility features.

to allow play for children of all ages. The fiscal year 2026-2030 CIP allocates $200,000 for design engineering and $350,000 for construction funded by a California State Parks Grant. Project funding is provided by $750,000 in grant funds received from a California State Park grant authorized under the Budget Act of 2023. The fiscal year 2027 recommended budget reflects the $200,000 in Year 1 and $650,000 in Year 2 for the playground project with funding sources including state parks and Measure C.

So I listed the project history. I also included information from earlier this year The city had launched an online community survey and mail-in option through the Ojai Outlook newsletter. Survey was reviewed by Parks and Rec Commission prior to the launch, and results were returned to the commission for review. Primary survey results were addition of shade structure covering greater playground area, addition of recreation climbing, addition of slides, play opportunities for wider age range Removal of the sand, ground covering and also removal of direct sunlight and hot surfaces.

Current status is at the August 6th 2026 Parks and Recreation Commission meeting staff presented a revised procurement strategy So rather than issuing a traditional RFP for design consult, staff identified an opportunity to use a cooperative agreement. A process that's authorized under a public contract code that allows the city to piggyback on competitively bid pricing negotiated by other public agencies.

The vendor has an existing cooperative agreement available to city. Staff invited Dave Bang Associates representatives to visit the site and assess the playground footprint, review the community's preferred equipment from the survey results and develop pricing options which he is currently in process of. So next steps, he did do the site visit but equipment pricing will come next.

Equipment options will be brought to the Commission then we can bring it to Council for Council action and then we can go out for competitive bid for the installation We did receive the extended time period for the grant, thank goodness. So project completion target would be December 2028 with the grant liquidation deadline of June 30th, 2029.

What is the Measure C element? I don't know that I've heard that. It was on, there were some different amounts on the draft but I couldn't verify them. So can you tell us about what that is? The Measure C funding? Measure C funding... In the background, the very first part it says the $200,000... The CIP? No, you have it at the bottom. Yeah background on the very set page. Well because I always thought So we have the grant is 650 750 but then it's it says 200,000 in year one and 650 in year two so that's Seven that's 850. So where's the other is the other hundred thousand from measure C?

No, but it might have included that half court of basketball. That might have been what it is, but I'll check on that

because I know some of that was in there.

It's $750 total

from the grant. OK so you're saying well, that can't be even. So one of these has to change because if we have budget reflects $200,000 in year 1 and $650,000 in year 2, that's $100,000 over Correct, but you're saying a hundred of it can is budgeted for something else that we're not doing

We looked at the papers together. So I'll take a look at it again and see where it came from

There's actually two things that are inconsistent though The first line is financial year 2026 through 2030 CIP allocates $200,000 for design and engineering and $350,000 for construction. That's from the grant. That's $550,000. Right. But that doesn't show 750 in the CIP. It just shows 550 because then in the next line it has project funding, $750,000 of grant funds. OK, check. Then back to financial year 26-27 recommended budget is $200,000 in year one and $650, 000 in year two.

So that's 850.

I see what you mean, yeah.

But it does say measure, it says with funding sources including state parks which is the grant and Measure C. So I think it's the other...

Measure C was voted on by the

voters as a 5% transient tax. But has it been allocated to this project? That's it. So I can give us the question.

Yeah, so we

just need

clarification for the other. OK,

but your understanding is that it's 750 total with all grant? No money at all from the city. No matching. There is no Measure C as of now for the playground. No. OK. All right. Okay, so clarification on that. Yeah and so it must be 200 in year one and 550 in year

two maybe? Maybe I'll have to look at it again

okay yeah that's kind of what I think in my comment I said I couldn't comment on that for the staff report because they didn't have the supporting Financials so for next and the report is great. Thank you for that I think it's really helpful Especially just with new people coming on to be able to click on the agenda and click on an update and see You know what? We're talking about tonight that give the history of the project histories great And and it can be like a living document almost right because if they just come in six months from now It's just I think it's really helpful.

But we can definitely clean up that financials a little bit and maybe clarify

what the source is. One more comment on that, we have for design slash engineering and construction that doesn't include the equipment so we need to reword that because the equipment is being bought with a layout as part of Package. Yes, and so that way that's the first piece. Yes, and then the second piece will be construction just to be super clear

Yeah That is

correct And then maybe just a little asterisk on the next month's report like down at the where it says like prepared by Christie Just do a little asterisk and say Updated financials reflected in this report or something like that So if somebody like catches it and they're like well, that doesn't make sense I think that would be helpful And OK, so currently we're we're waiting for pricing. And do we have a timeline on that from Dave Banks?

We haven't heard. We haven't heard back from him yet on that. He got back to us with some information about their contract with Seamast, which is one of these agencies that you can work with that have already put out RFPs Thank you. Not yet. Come back to you or Public Works?

Not yet.

Okay, and has Public Works had any contact with him about clarification on different pieces and different... okay.

No. All

right.

And I know we kind of talked last month about like item two there on the bottom of page two that the city is going to prepare the specifications for installation. Obviously, we don't have the specifics Components, but have you any updates from? Public works on if they're moving forward with drafting the RFP to the extent that they can get it done

I have not had any updates about that, but oh I can get one to you. Okay?

I just hate to I just know there's gonna be a I know we have the grant extended But I hate to lose the momentum of the current project manager and when It's gonna take time for the new person to hit the ground running Yeah, I feel they're sort of what happened this last time. There was a changing of the guard and then lost the momentum

I feel they might be waiting for us, for after we get a design possibly. So I'll check in with them.

We already brought that up at our previous meeting. Yeah, that's what I'm asking. Previous commission meeting that we were hoping to get a framework put in place so that we have a template. If it's

not done by December the new person whether they come in January February March however long it takes to fill that because maybe it's a template you know, position like before that they have a concept of the project and can just plug in a few without having to write an entire RFP in their first month of work. I mean because they're obviously going to have a ton of other projects that are also I'm sure time sensitive like everything else. I just think that would be really great to get a draft as best we can Ideally in at the November meeting, it would be really nice to have that

and it would also be really nice to have public works here

I will ask her

yeah with the draft and then we can work

collaboratively Yeah, can we just Can we just add that as we are working on our living document under future agenda items that we have? public works, if they can attend to do RFP update and slash draft template. Okay perfect Okay, great. Thank you for that now Do we want does the we can talk about it under? Yeah, just because we're on that same talk of it is agendized so We can instead of doing an under commission member reports. We can if you want to or you can wait just talk about it now

Previous meeting yeah our last meeting

Yeah, I feel like Christy covered a bit of it. At this point we're just waiting for layouts and equipment, kind of leaning into their expertise on how to utilize the space.

And really clarified clearly that we want to use what used to be the horseshoe pit. Oh, that's great. Right because there was some it was now we clarified with the what the actual footprint is going to be exactly because that was a Possibility but not an assumption and I we felt like it was an assumption Yeah, we would use that space as part of the playground

Okay

The Horseshoe Pits haven't been there for a while, but that was there at one time. So if you're trying to figure out where that was...

Yeah. I just reiterated the survey results. I remember that came up as a question. Trying to think of anything else because this is... Christy's report is based on the same meeting right?

There wasn't separate meetings. We

met with Dave Bang. Eric from Dave Bang and that's how we got started. I feel like we have

some really good momentum.

Yes it's very nice and hopefully what will also be at the next meeting are some draft layouts

Awesome. I mean, that would be really great if we had the RFP and the draft layout to go over. Yeah. That would really be great. And we might

have all those cars out for this meeting.

It would be nice if they brought the kids, too. OK. Awesome. OK. Any other questions for staff on the report or comments? This is really helpful. Thank you. Really great. OK, we have our summer day camp report recommend to receive the staff report discuss and recommend summer day camps 2026 report including participation statistics program highlights and provide any feedback to staff

So, Ojai Recreation Department's Summer Day Camp is a cornerstone youth program offered annually providing children with a safe engaging and enriching environment during the summer months. The program features weekly themes field trips arts and crafts sports outdoor games and other activities led by recreation staff Summer Day Camp 2026 concluded another successful season with campers participating in a wide variety of activities each week. Program continued to serve as a welcoming and supportive environment designed to help campers build confidence, independence and lasting friendships.

Tables below provide Summer Day Camp 2026 weekly participation stats and a three-year overview of total summer day camp participation Allowing the commission to assess the program trends over time So as you can see it's been trending up

Did have a question when you're doing like the weeks just I mean and you may not know this. I don't know how we're Differentiating but so we had 39 kids that the first week is The second week when we had 49 kids is That are the same 39 kids plus 10 more or is that 49? Completely different children, or if you know like multiple Some of them

do

but

some only do a week at a time Okay

So, you know I was just curious if we had 300 youth, which would be amazing. Or if we had more like 150 that did multiple weeks? There's

a lot of change so I feel like there is a lot of different children coming

in. And this doesn't include any of the contract camps?

No, no. This is just our summer camp run program. The ones

that are also happening? Gymnastics camp. Ceramics too or

is it any of the like youth programming? Yeah, it is in the youth programming so for that program guide we'll have all the camps in one section Okay, so that'll include

Oh camps versus classes.

Yes. It's different.

Okay. Well, I mean you some of them are like a week-long Yeah, can't I mean it's kind of like a camp but the camp is like

certain like Multiple hours a day versus like a class Like if you did take use ceramics who would be for like an hour? Yeah Unless it was a ceramic camp and then it's typically a bigger chunk of time

Which which some of them like the Lego some of those camps are a couple hours. Mm-hmm Like five days,

okay

I'll chime in and say having a kiddo that is eight and dips in and out of summer camps and classes, the counselors and instructors are amazing. And just yeah, I'll sing their praises so you all do a great job with hiring. Thank you. Thank you. Awesome.

Okay, and we had a couple of the highlights over here. It looks like each week we welcome some new participants and returning campers so that kind of answers that question. And overall it looks like a really successful season and almost aligned exactly with the prior year which was even way up from the year before. So I think that historical data is really great. Yeah. It shows that we're trending in the right direction or at least maintaining, so great.

Do you run spring break camp? Yes. Yes, we do a couple of other times the year So anytime the schools have a break a big break you guys do a camp

and we've actually added this year fall camp I

think I'm not sure about that private schools but then Nordoff also has a week during President's Week in They have spring break and an entire week on Presidents Week, so there's another opportunity too. Because I think for working families especially presidents Thanksgiving I can see a lot of working parents would be able to take that time off the Monday Tuesday Wednesday But I always felt like Presidents Week snuck up on me because it's the entire week and not just Presidents Day. And most of, like, county workers or government workers they have just that one day.

Yeah.

And I feel like that's newer right? That entire

week is newer. Well,

I think that Thanksgiving used to just be Thursday-Friday And so then they made that one a week and I think it shortened Christmas break. I want to say, I feel like our Christmas break doesn't start till a little bit later because I think last year They didn't it was like they got out Christmas Eve or something. Yeah It happened to fall on like a Friday or something.

Before, it would always be like December 15th. So I think they took that time and spread it out

throughout the year. I think that's a great idea though. Yeah. Me too. So November will have a camp? Yes. For anyone else out there listening and interested. And it's still taking

registration.

And maybe February if—I don't

know is it too late to add something?

No, definitely

not. But I'm sure you're already working on that. Yeah. All

right. Thank you. Thank you.

OK and again moving on this is great. I love the momentum. Thank you. We have our community aquatics program update. Yes,

so our pool. So also including background, Ojai community has a long-standing interest in public aquatics programming with the completion of the Nordoff Aquatic Center in September 2025 new opportunities emerged to provide public recreational aquatics programming through coordinated use of the facility with the Ojai Unified School District On February 24th, 2026, Ojai City Council directed staff to return with updated lifeguard salary information, pool entry fees, scholarship recommendation, program hours and a finalized agreement.

Feedback from the May 7, 2026 Recreation Commission meeting was incorporated into the final proposal. And Ojai Unified School District Board feedback received at their May 13th, 2026 meeting which included a request for later program hours was also incorporated. On June 2nd, 2016 City of Ojai City Council unanimously approved all items necessary to launch the program.

The program subsequently launched and has been operating through the summer and still into the fall. It had a successful summer season after opening on June 28, 2026. The pool was open Monday through Friday from 11 AM to 3 and Sundays from 2 to 6 from July 5th to August 16th. Starting August 23rd, pool hours were adjusted as the new school year began and programming was shifted to Monday and Wednesdays 6.45 to 8.45 p.m., and Sundays 2 to 6.

The program served as a welcoming place for those to enjoy open swim and lap swim. So we have provided a table that shows the community aquatics programming totals in attendance per month from June to September. We did have a very high attendance on one of the Sundays when it was very hot outside of 109. That was in July? It was in August. Oh, in August. OK.

Yeah. So total entries that we had of attendance is 1,958 participants across 50 operating days between June 28 and September 20. Peaks single day attendance was 109 participants August 2nd.

Oh, I see that. That's great! So 40 community...I mean that's a lot an average of 40 citizens you know community members a day is great

it was great

I'm impressed with that that's again like I just can't thank you enough for the effort that you put into these three reports because they help us and I think the community see what is happening. And you know, I didn't know we had 40 participants on average so I think that's a really great number.

Yeah

it was in July 45. That's great. I mean I just think that's really wonderful. So now we're just open for basically when the swim team isn't using the pools until 8.45 at night? Yeah, so- Are you using it that late?

No, right now we're Monday Wednesday 6.45 to 8. 45 We are in process right now of revising a swimming schedule along with our Basketball schedule that's coming up. So we're working with the athletic director on that right now, so we might revise it some Depending on their schedule and if we have more opening days, but right now

How does that correlate with the pool?

Well, it's just the facility use through the school. So

because we can't use it? We can't use the pool while the basketball is happening? No.

Oh

no. There are two things that are getting...

Two things. We're working on two separate programs with them right now.

The Facilities Use Agreement includes both of those? Is that what...

No, but we do rent the facility for basketball at Matilija Hall. So right now we're working with Alphalete. Oh

I get it. Okay, I'm sorry. That's okay. I was confused. I was thinking the basketball courts that used to be next to the pool. That's why I was confused. I was like oh is that part of it? I didn't understand what you were saying. But okay now I understand. Basketball courts at Matilla Hall.

Okay so

you're working with them to revise the schedule based on their schedule?

Correct. Okay. Yeah, so we might have more days although the nights that we are open it's maybe five participants a night So mostly lap swimmers or mostly Mm-hmm. Yeah, so we'll see how it goes. We're planning out by year.

We may have gets colder I just I'm wondering what the use is gonna be like at what point do we say? Oh There's only a handful of you and it's 60 degrees hot at

night. I don't know We do have a QR code that we've been asking people to use if they have any sort of Suggestions or if they'd like to come another time or another day, and we really haven't gotten any feedback So everybody seems to be really happy with what the hours are right now But again, they might have to change or we might get some more

and I did read a comment on one of the forums I think about streamlining the entrance Are we working? Did we work through some of those? We're working on it. Okay.

Yeah.

Yeah Because yeah, maybe something a lot of everybody's kind of gone to like online. Especially if it's somebody that you could make the waiver good for so many days or. The month?

Yeah, the month.

That would be really nice

because I'm sure that gets cumbersome. So the Sundays are convenient and consistent. You're not really discussing that. Sundays are going to be stable. It's whatever happens during the week that you're going to find out from their schedules what's available.

And we are heading into another heat wave I think for the next week. Attendance will be up, I'm sure.

Okay that's great. So Mondays and Wednesdays 645 to 845. It'll still be warm. Definitely on

the weekend for sure! Okay, I'd like to leave the item open in case our public comment comes back if you're okay with that. If not he probably didn't anticipate our efficiency. Sorry Bill if you watch from home. No, I think he went over to the other event though. Yes, he did. Is Zoom still on? Do we have anybody on Zoom? Perfect! His ears must have been literally burning. Perfect timing.

I was prepared to leave it open until you came back, but that was perfect timing. So Bill, we just got done discussing the staff report. Did you have a chance to look that over?

Yes, I have read it. OK. Oh. Bill Miley, hello. I didn't see anything in there about the revenues that might have been generated. Oh, you're right. Did you mention that?

We did not discuss

that. Close to covering the costs and I'm waiting just to hear about your plans for the near future. Thank you.

Do you have those, Christy, that you could add to? Or could we... Do you have the financials? Not right now. I didn't even think to include that. Five dollars

a person. Oh,

times the

average. Okay. Okay, did many people take advantage of the waiver? No not sponsorship but like a fee waiver. Not really okay

no so this is gonna be on our agenda next month I think because you'll be coming back with more information after you've had the works with the district. And at that time, maybe we should get some financial information.

Yes, that'd be great. So I wrote a note. Let me just put it on this here too. So we're going to do pool and we're going to do revenue update How about revenue and costs, I think would be important for our staffing operation costs? So we were just discussing that the report doesn't have that information on it. But we will bring it back next month with the staffing costs, operation costs, and generated revenue so that we can have that comparison. And then we'll also have another month of use to include on the chart

Yeah,

and hopefully we'll

have an updated schedule if it will be changing.

OK. And maybe an update on the entrance streamlining that entrance? OK. Does that work for you Bill? Sorry I don't have any more answers for you.

I want more and more people to use it. And one big question, I guess, would be if you did a sampling of 50 people randomly who live here in the valley, how many of them know about the pool and know when to use it and know about their costs? And I would think on 100-degree days, you'd have to limit the number of people in the pool because they would exceed I wonder why. That would be a good question, right?

Do we have it on the city's website as a... Okay. Yeah. I know that they've been really good about putting it out on social media.

Social media, The Outlook, The Activity Guide, the newspaper. It's everywhere.

I know the I get a ton of parent square messages through the school district. I don't know that I've received one on pool usage so and I know they have to be approved the messages have to be approved but with they They send out a daily Newsletter type you get them, right? Multiple, yes multiple. So I don't know just a thought because I don't know I would agree just getting it out there and put it in Parent Square if the OUSD will you know if we can do a little sometimes she sends out a little poster almost it's like a graphic with the swim hours on there especially with the you know heat wave coming up if we can try and get to them this week they'd know be open on Sunday yeah good idea thank you

Are there any thoughts about trying to do water aerobics? I know there is definitely a clientele for that in the Valley.

Yes,

like on a Sunday. Yeah, like on the Sunday morning before open swim so that you can keep it with the same people now is the

depth. I know we had some type of platform I think was mentioned that we can put Or is that I don't know about

that you can do like a Kimball they have deep water water aerobics and they have shallow water water aerobic. Okay, I think I mean people really like the shallow water water aerobics But we have a deep pool so but I thought for

lessons don't they

bring

in something or is that not

that I know of? Oh, I thought there were some places do that like a little platform like the PVC pipe platforms in No

Deepwater aerobics sounds really intense. Deep water, water

polo. No you're not treading water for an hour. Okay. Wow she's really fit. No but they have belts and different things and there's definitely a way to do deepwater and I think in this town there are a lot of people who'd be interested in water aerobics. They have a really good turnout at the lake all summer long. Over 30 people a lot of the time so... And

it's only open for that yeah so now would be a good opportunity to utilize that Dorena? Do you think that's a Sunday morning thing or After work crowd, like Monday-Wednesday after work crowd or like a Sunday morning?

I think it's a good way to start with the Sunday morning. And there are people in town who've taught it. Well that's right. I was thinking they could maybe find out who teaches the one at Casitas. That is

their

lifeguards. Who's the gentleman who's in charge of that program? He's a water polo coach. I'll have to ask. I don't know. But there's people who also teach at the club. I mean, I think we might be able to find someone. And I would love to do that. I think that'd

be good. May I say, I go out to the Lake Casitas two or three times a week and hike out there for my health. And yesterday when I was out there, there was a van from ARC with a group of folks and they were having a picnic.

Yes.

What if some of the folks that go to ARC could be in a recreation-type group and go use the pool on a scheduled basis, doing exercises, water ropes, fun kinds of things. As you get older that's a great way of maintaining your body, your health and your mind to do water things and since we have whispering oaks, I would think that there might be a group. The rec program does wonderful things to advertise and I think their quarterly newsletter is the best ever in the world.

And I could see organized nonprofit groups in the valley learning about this, and maybe such things as Whispering Oaks promoting on a regular basis groups of folks that would go use the pool, pay for it in a way. But they would get the benefits that water It was when you mentioned the lake.

Yeah, they've been coming out bringing groups of kids out for years and adults as well. The thought just kind of came up that we could do something with how we were doing the senior field trips to like the Chumash Casino and they were organized with transportation and stuff. What if you did like that for the pool? Because there may be some, that senior group They're really into water aerobics too. My mom does like that.

YMCA lessons are still going as per, they're just gonna continue on Saturdays?

I haven't checked in recently. I know that they stopped for a short period of time, which might be now. But I'll check in on their numbers. But they were getting full

each

week. That's

great. It would be interesting when you talk to them to see if they would be willing to do water aerobics as a way to maybe get started if they already have the teachers and the people to do that kind of stuff. Thank you.