Dear Sean, Nick, Council Nembers, and members of the Parks and Recreation Commission,
I am writing to comment on the proposed changes to the Recreation Facilities Use Guidelines on the agenda for the 7/27/22 meeting.
While I fully understand the need to have facility users comply with guidelines, the tone of the wording of these changes sounds far more militant than needed. Menlo Park residents should be encouraged to use the amazing parks and recreational facilities that we have while gently cautioned about acceptable behavior during use. Please see below - proposed text in Red and Alternative text recommendation in Blue.
Proposed change #1 (red):
Visiting a City of Menlo Park recreation facility, including the premises and grounds outside a recreation facility, or participating in an event or program constitutes an implicit acceptance of these Guidelines and an acknowledgement of the right of City of Menlo Park staff to take any action they see fit while interpreting these Guidelines.
I object to the tone of this text. Our city recreation facilities are supposed to be a place where residents are welcomed to come together for shared health and recreation benefits. I do not see any benefit to using a harsh tone when a warmer one can convey the same message. Further, I strenuously object to the notion that any City staff member is given the authority to “interpret these guidelines” on their own and is free to take “any action they see fit.” Guidelines need to be simple and clear and not subject to interpretation. Enforcement actions are clearly listed on the following page and no other actions should be taken by City staff. Allowing anyone on staff to interpret and enforce “as they see fit” is a recipe for legal action against the City.
How about this to cover the entire “Purpose” section instead?
The City of Menlo Park strives to provide a safe, welcoming, pleasant, and comfortable environment for all users of City facilities. To that goal, all facility visitors are expected to adhere to these Facility Use Guidelines and acknowledge that City of Menlo Park staff are authorized to enforce these Guidelines to ensure the most enjoyable use for all.
We welcome everyone to:
• Learn, discover, play, and enjoy City of Menlo Park facilities within the limits of their intended use
• Find facilities, equipment, and materials in good condition
• Feel safe and welcome
• Respect the rights of others to feel safe and welcome.
In case of an emergency, follow staff instructions promptly.
Proposed change #2 (red):
Library and Community Services events are open the general public. Advance registration may be required for planning purposes or when space is limited. Events may be held on-site, off-site, or virtually. Event participants, whether onsite, offsite, or virtual, must comply with the Recreation Facility Use Guidelines.
Youth events are created for participating youth and their caretakers. Adults who are not accompanying a youth participant may be asked to leave the event.
While hosting a virtual event, Library and Community Services staff may take one or more of the following actions as needed to ensure compliance with these guidelines: mute attendees, lock the event after the program has begun, dismiss participants or take other actions as needed. During virtual events, participants may be asked to turn on their cameras so that staff can identify them. Unidentified or unidentifiable individuals may be removed from the event.
Again, the third paragraph here sounds unnecessarily harsh and negative.
I would suggest removing the entire 3rd paragraph and simply adding the following to the Enforcement section:
For virtual events, entry may be limited once capacity has been reached. Virtual attendees are expected to remain muted until they are called upon and keep their cameras on to be identified. City staff is authorized to mute individuals as needed and remove unidentifiable individuals.
Residents should feel welcomed by City staff to enjoy the use of the facilities they fund through their tax dollars. While it is sometimes necessary to direct someone’s attention to these Guidelines, they do not need to sound as if the staff are “gatekeepers” to limit resident enjoyment of these resources.
Respectfully,
Jennifer Johnson
Former Parks and Recreation Commissioner and Commission Chair
