HomeMy WebLinkAbout2_17_2021_Open Session_Agenda Item 5_Orozco, Lizette_Do not support PRCS Recommendation_RedactedFrom:Genoveva Rocha
To:Public Comments
Subject:FW: Agenda Item5-Do not support PRCS Recommendation
Date:Wednesday, February 17, 2021 10:50:40 AM
Attachments:image001.png
Genoveva Rocha, CMC
City Clerk
City of San Bernardino – Office of the City Clerk
Office: 201 North “E” Street
Mail 290 North “D” Street
San Bernardino, California 92401
Direct: 909.384 5002 | x3212
rocha ge@sbcity org | www.sbcity org
From: Lizette Orozco
Sent: Wednesday, February 17, 2021 10:33 AM
To: MayorsEvents; Council; Genoveva Rocha; Robert Field; Rebekah Kramer; Jim Tickemyer
Subject: Agenda Item5-Do not support PRCS Recommendation
Caution - This email originated from outside the City - Verify that the Email display name and Email address are consistent. - Use caution when opening attachments.
Dear Honorable Mayor and City Council and Parks, Recreation & Community Services Commission,
My name is Lizette Orozco and I am writing to you about item 5, addressing the Mid-Year budget. In specific the plans for
the Parks and Recreation department. I would like to highlight how disappointed I am as a long time city resident to see the
lack of leadership from the Director of that department and his management team. I find it ludicrous to think that with all the
talent that department has that this is the best plan they could come up with during these uncharted times.
If we are worried about offering our community outside opportunities, why then were the Community Center teams not
redirected to implement a Mobile Recreation model that could have been providing much needed services to our residents,
especially children. Why did you as City officials not demand more from your team.
Currently the Community Centers are only offering grab and go supply pick up when they could be offering programming out
at the parks: Programming like homework help, arts programming, dance classes and much more that are safe and COVID
friendly programs.
It is unfortunate that the only programming that has been offered during this pandemic has been adult sports or opening the
pools. Let me educate you where flag football falls in the State Guidelines, since your highly educated Director cannot.
Football falls in the Orange or Moderate tier. This Tier address out-door high contact sports. Currently our parks and
recreation department is allowing flag football to happen while players are not wearing any form of face covering. This
choice by the department is not only dangerous but tragic.
As of now San Bernardino County is in the Purple tier. The following are what are approved in this tier when it comes to
sports activities.
Outdoor low-contact sports
Archery Badminton Biking Bocce
Corn Hole Cross Country Dance Disc Golf
Golf Roller Skating Lawn Bowling Martial Arts
Physical Training Classes
(Yoga, Zumba etc)
Rowing Running Shuffle board
Skeet Shooting Skiing Snowshoeing Swimming
Tennis Track and Field Walking Hiking
It is evident that by the request of the Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Department that they don’t know or
understand the community they serve. Thus why they find it ok to say lets buy oversized family games and equipment.
While Ping Pong tables might be fun, where are these families who can barely afford food for their homes going to find the
money to purchase paddles and balls to go play?
Outdoor Disc Golf in this community? Our communities are primarily black and brown. They are looking to play soccer,
basketball games etc activities that are more geared towards their cultures. Volleyball might be better received at the North
end or areas where lighter skinned residents live if you can read between the lines. Residents that look similar to Mr.
Tickemeyer!!!
Why not say Parks and Recreation, go back to the drawing board and bring back the part-time staff so we can offer outside
programming that will be far more beneficial to the community especially our youth. They could easily be running their Pee
Wee Rec Sports programs modified to fit the State/County regulations. All it takes is a little bit of creativity and passion
which clearly is lacking with your department's leadership.
Let’s not manipulate the system and say let’s move money around that belongs somewhere and act like we care about the
community. Many of these things that are highlighted should be on a rotating schedule for maintenance and upkeep i.e.
resurfacing, court upgrades and improvements. The Replacement of Ovens can be done through CDBG Dollars or another
grant. OR they can plan ahead and say this upcoming fiscal year is what we need to plan for and work with the City Manager.
Why not look to see what other cities are offering, before we just say—lets get them stuff to do themselves, and that is if they
have the equipment to play or participate in it. Because if they don’t have paddles or balls, we just did them a huge disservice
so that we can have top administrators be able to toot their horns and say look what I did.
I urge you to reconsider the use of some of if not all of these dollars that the department is trying to reassign. I ask you to
challenge your Director and his management team to come up with better plans that actually benefit the community and not
just certain families that are more socially economically blessed. I ask you to look at reinstating Recreation Center
programming that can be done in a safe way and outdoors so that our youth have an outlet during this pandemic.
I’m asking you to be creative and not just settle for less than what they people deserve. Recreation is a viable service
especially for a City like San Bernardino.
With my Cities Best Interest at Heart,
Lizette Orozco