Dear Mayor, City Council, and Staff, Thank you for your tireless efforts during this chaotic and uncertain time. I appreciate it. I attended a portion of this evening's meeting and "raised my hand" however, I had technical issues. My apologies. The feedback I am providing is based on what I am seeing and hearing in my Belle Haven neighborhood and what my friends are sharing with me who live west of 101. (I have many friends west of Highway 101, because I lived in Linfield Oaks from 1993 to 2009 and my daughter also attended Menlo Park schools through the Tinsley Transfer program.) 1) Equity "Filter"? It was stated that an "equity" filter was used in determining the possible budget cuts. Can you share what was the definition of "equity?" What I read, which I could have misinterpreted, were numerous Tier 1 cuts to Belle Haven programs. The majority of residents east of 101 are the least likely to be able to absorb the reduction in services. 2) Options: Who? All Presented? Residents? Please share how the options were determined. Who was responsible for determining them? Were all of them provided to the City Council? Were residents asked for input? I would like to know the full context on the decision-making process. 3) Childcare Services: Essential My friends in many of the neighborhoods use the childcare programs. Childcare is, I firmly believe, an essential service that is even more critical now. My high-tech friends, who are all now WFH, have been told that they most likely will not return to their offices until fall at the earliest and likely the end of the year. They are drained attempting to watch/engage their pre-schoolers while leading meetings on Zoom calls at all hours of the day and night. Many of them are struggling to live in Menlo Park even with both parents having well-paid tech jobs. And, my low-income Belle Haven neighbors, who often share a three-bedroom home with two other families and/or live in garages, also use and absolutely need the childcare programs. These neighbors are "essential" workers. Two fathers are janitors at local hospitals. Another is a warehouse worker at Amazon's fulfillment center in Los Altos. One works retail at Walmart. Their wives will soon be returning to their house cleaning and childcare jobs. Who will watch their children, at an affordable rate?? Eliminating the childcare services may also impact the education of teenagers. If there is no affordable childcare, these families may turn to their teens to watch their siblings. I know this is likely to happen because one of my 15-year-old daughter's Menlo Atherton High School friends, who lives here in Belle Haven, is expected to both study and care for her three-year-old sister and five-year-old brother. She has told me it is very difficult because she cannot concentrate. It does not help that she shares her bedroom with her siblings. 4) Summer Camps: Essential Another service I feel is essential are the summer camps. Many of my daughter's friends, no longer have summer counselor-in-training positions at well-regarded summer camps or have had their internships canceled. For these teens, all from middle-class families who do not have the luxury of parents taking the summer off to travel or family in other states to visit, the city's Counselor-in-Training summer camps are crucial for socialization and having an activity to occupy their time. These young adults have been sequestered in their homes for almost two months and for many, their mental health is suffering. They need a structured environment where they can regain their mental health and their self-esteem. The camps are also critical for families with young children. My Peruvian neighbor directly west of me, is an engineer and a divorced single mother of an eight-year-old. She can only afford the summer camps that the city provides. If there are no summer camps, she has shared she has no idea what she will do while she is working from home. 5) Other Possible Cuts: Staff Pay Reduction? I have been a marketing professional in the private sector, specifically high-tech, for my entire career. When corporations' Wall Street results are not in alignment with projected revenues, or if it is one of our cyclical recessions, one of the first departments to be laid-off is the marketing department. I have appreciated that a number of my former employers, instead of furloughing people, have had across the board compensation reductions. Is it not possible for staff to have their pay reduced 10% to 20%, in order to enable all staff to keep their positions?? Again, thank you for your service. You have challenging decisions to make, and I know you will be unable to please everyone. I trust my feedback will provide an additional perspective to aid you in your actions. Kind regards, Terri Epidendio 1137 Henderson Ave Received on Tue May 19 2020 - 23:03:40 PDT
