APPRO-2025-6 : An Appropriation from Free Cash (account 01-324001) in the amount of $235,000 to the Parks Department #475 for playground equipment at the Hoover and Lincoln Schools

Transcript (~8 min @ 41:32)

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▶ 41:18 Mark Garipay: Alright, that will be, uh, sent to the full counsel. Thank you. Recommendation for passage. Next up is ID 1, 2, 5, 7, 3. And appropriation from free cash account 0 1 3 2 4 0 0 1 in the amount of 235,000 to the parks Department. Number 4 75 for playground equipment at the Hoover and Lincoln Schools.

▶ 41:40 Speaker 7: Yeah, so I can give the backstory on both those.

▶ 41:42 Speaker 8: So the conversations for the Lincoln started between the principal and Joan Bell about a year ago. Um, that was kind of next in the list for the playground to get repaired. Uh, my first week in this position, one of the staircases broke, and so there's a piece of plywood at the top of where that staircase was. I was just scrambling my first week to try to find out who installed that. Um, the company that installed it, I think it was what we estimated was 1992, where that whole structure was installed. I think the company shut down in the late nineties. No companies would repair that staircase, um, just for liability reasons. And the city's kind in the same boat. We can't just throw up wooden steps or anything like that. The staircase that broke was the a DA, uh, access point. So right now there's no a DA access point to that structure. Um, there are students at that school with disabilities that would need that to get on the structure. Um, the rest of the structure's kind of wearing down rust paint, chipping. Um, it's, I went to the Lincoln and I think 2000 was my first year and I thought it was old then. So it's definitely done its job. Um, so that's that one.

▶ 42:53 Speaker 8: Um, the Hoover, the Hoover has kind of three structures. There's a climbing structure in the middle, a structure for six to 12 year olds, and a structure for two to five year olds. The two to 5-year-old structures, um, I couldn't find the exact install date. It was before 2000. Um, the climbing handles like the handrails are all like wobbling, ready to come down. All the rubber around it's kind of showing rust. Um, so it's, it's definitely due. If that's not replaced, I'm probably gonna remove it after the school year and it's just gonna be mulch until we find a solution for it. But, um, kind of safety is a concern with, with both of 'em being older structures. And yes, if you guys have any questions on those, I'm happy to answer 'em.

▶ 43:34 Speaker 5: Okay. Um, counselor Williams first.

▶ 43:37 Ryan Williams: Thank you. Um, do you know off chance how much money it costs to do the playgrounds at the Winthrop or the Horace Mann?

▶ 43:44 Speaker 8: Not off the top of my head. Okay.

▶ 43:47 Ryan Williams: Um, having been a Hoover parent and a Lincoln parent, um, I'm aware of the condition of both playgrounds. The Lincoln playground is by far the worst of the two. And the Hoover Playground had some small updates done by parents. Yes. Who paid for it, which is great. Um, have you talked to the principals at all about asking the local PTOs to contribute into these?

▶ 44:07 Speaker 8: Um, I did. So I met with the Lincoln principal. Um, other thing I forgot to mention, their recess has upwards of 160 kids out there once, and I think it's the only school without swings. I'm not a hundred percent positive on that, but yes, I kind of sat down with her and she gave me like a checklist. So the designs and quotes we got were based off of what she felt the needs were for the school. Um, the PTL mentioned helping out with fundraisers for, I know they wanna do like a sensory board and some other items there. Um, but they, they are willing to fundraise and help with this. It's just a matter of kind of what's appropriated for it, if any. Yeah, of

▶ 44:42 Ryan Williams: Course. Do you think 330,000, I'm sorry, not 330,000 No, I'm on the wrong item. Two thirty, two hundred and thirty $5,000. Is this enough to rehab both of these playgrounds?

▶ 44:54 Speaker 8: Um, yes. I think the, the quotes I got for the Lincoln were between 150 and 180. So three quotes, um, based off what company we would go with. Um, probably in that range, the kind of the market for it is pick and choose. So it's not like I can say, I can say 150,000 project 180, um, just meeting all the requirements that the principal asked for. Kind of the higher end of that makes most sense, especially with being a 30-year-old playground with, with issues. Um, and then the Hoover one, it's, I think it's more of a kind of emergency repair. That one's going. It's not as much customization into it just based off the dollar amount and the quote. Um, and it's a smaller structure, so it's not a full playground. It's one structure being replaced. Yeah. Fantastic. So that one's kind of in that 45 to 60 inch. Yeah. Alright,

▶ 45:43 Speaker 7: Thank you. Yep.

▶ 45:45 Mark Garipay: Um, can everyone just raise their hands? Everyone did it once and got me all. Alright. Um, council of Vanover.

▶ 45:51 Kimberly Vandiver: Thank you. Um, uh, the Lincoln, so there's the, the broken structure and is the current, um, thinking to, to redo their, their the kind of standalone drums and other pieces around the playground is a complete redo of the playground. There's the painted map and how, how extensive is the project? Um,

▶ 46:08 Speaker 8: It's full thing. We're probably gonna, the quotes called for expansion of the mulched area. Um, so it cut out a few feet on the side, closer of the school and the side closer to the basketball court. Um, planning on doing the whole thing over if, if appropriated some of the sensory items we talked about, like the drums, there's like the spinning wheels, like the tic-tac toe boards. Those could stay there if we wanted to keep 'em there. Um, I believe those were installed in 2005, so they're in pretty good shape for being 20 years old. If that's something that the principal and the PTO wants to keep, we can certainly accommodate that. But the companies that came out and gave us quotes said they could keep those there if we wanted.

▶ 46:43 Kimberly Vandiver: Okay. And, and there's the second playground on the other side of the Lincoln that's not included, right? Is it just the,

▶ 46:48 Speaker 8: The first side? No, that one's newer. I'm not sure the exact date of that, but that one's newer. Um, that's more of like the taught, like the two to five. So the Hoover has them side by side. The Lincoln has it in the front. Um, but that one, yeah, that one's more up to date. It's just the, the back one for the kind of first through fifth graders, that large recess with over 150, 160 kids. So

▶ 47:09 Kimberly Vandiver: Great. Uh, I live walking distance from that playground, so I'm excited to hear, hear the details. Thank you.

▶ 47:15 Speaker 5: Counsel Stewart? Uh, Mr.

▶ 47:17 Robb Stewart: Chairman, my, my question was answered. Thank you.

▶ 47:19 Speaker 5: Okay, councilor Romanul.

▶ 47:21 Devin Romanul: Um, thanks so much. I really, uh, really appreciate your efforts and I know that a lot of folks in my neighborhood have articulated, um, a desire to see the Hoover Playgrounds, uh, upgraded. So super excited about that. You already answered my question on the financial split. Um, how much for each school, and I just wanted to ask a clarification. Uh, what percentage of the Hoover equipment would you say is being replaced or refurbished versus staying as is?

▶ 47:43 Speaker 8: Um, so are you familiar with the layout of it right now? Yeah, so it's the structure further back. So it's the swings closest to like the street and then there's the, uh, five to 12-year-old structure. Then there's like, kind of like, uh, figure eight climbing structure. It's the one past that. Gotcha. So it's the two to five year-old structure. Great.

▶ 48:01 Speaker 6: Thank you very much. Councilor. Common chatty.

▶ 48:06 Manjula Karamcheti: Hi. Thanks so much for being here. Um, I'm not as familiar with the elementary schools and the playgrounds, so I'm just curious, um, with the sort of emergency repairs and the, uh, the work that will be done with this appropriation for free cash is, are the playgrounds sort like equitable across the schools? Like similar in terms of what's available regardless of what school a kid goes to?

▶ 48:33 Speaker 8: Um, I think the other ones are all more updated. Short answer. Um, the Hoover and the Lincoln are definitely the two oldest outta the schools. Um, I think this will kind of level that playing field for all the schools having up-to-date structures.

▶ 48:46 Speaker 4: Great. Thank you. Thank you.

▶ 48:48 Mark Garipay: Any other councilors with questions?

▶ 48:52 Speaker 5: What's the will of the committee?

▶ 48:54 Speaker 7: Uh, motion To recommend to the full council? I'll second. Second.

▶ 48:56 Mark Garipay: Motion to recommend, uh, to the full council by Councilor Williams. Seconded by Council Romanul on discussion.

▶ 49:06 Speaker 5: Madam Clerk, can you please call the role?

▶ 49:09 Speaker 1: Yes. Council fro? Yes. Councilor Hamilton? Yes. Councilor Karen Chetty? Yes. Councilor Reky? Yes. Councilor Romanul? Yes. Councilor Stewart? Yes. Councilor Vandiver? Yes. Councilor Williams? Yes. President Elli? Yes. Mayor Garipay? Yes. Motion passes.