Cosumnes Connect Newsletter - October 2023

October 2023

MESSAGE FROM THE GENERAL MANAGER

I am always so thankful for the phenomenal team I get to be a part of and all the amazing work you all do for our community. In the last few weeks, we have accomplished great things as a District: Accreditation - The Parks and Recreation Department was awarded its accreditation at the National Recreation and Parks Association Annual Conference in Dallas, TX. What an honor it was to be able to attend as a representative of the Cosumnes Community Services District.

Giant Pumpkin Festival - We hosted another successful Giant Pumpkin Festival. What an event! It is absolutely amazing to witness the work from ALL areas of the District that it takes to organize the festival. Everyone pulls together, stretching themselves, learning to adapt on the fly, and giving it their all.

It is truly a humbling experience to see personnel working outside their areas of expertise, hierarchy, and rank to achieve a common goal. This event represents the unity in our organization, and I am truly very proud.

Heroes Banquet - Members of our Fire Department and the City of Elk Grove Police Department were recognized by the Human Ummah Foundation for the amazing work that they do. Hundreds of people attended the Human Ummah Foundation First Responders Heroes Banquet. This was a special evening that celebrated our local heroes and offered entertainment and education to all those who attended. Five members of our Fire Department were recognized for their life-saving efforts: Mark Roccucci, Christopher Welch, Tyson Benedetti, Alexander Bates, and Travis Banks.

These are just three examples that highlight the excellence of our agency. I know that there are countless more that I am not made aware of, in your daily operations. I am honored and humbled to be part of this organization. I am proud of the work you all do, and I am committed to working alongside you to make sure we continue to do great work for our community with respect, integrity, and excellence.

GRANTS AWARDED

VETERANS MEMORIAL RECEIVES STATE FUNDS On Oct. 4, the District recognized Assemblymember Stephanie Nguyen (DElk Grove) for her pivotal role in securing $100,000 from the 2023-2024 State Budget for the project’s next phase.

The Elk Grove Regional Veterans Memorial, situated in Elk Grove Park at 9950 Elk Grove Florin Road, will serve as a place to honor veterans who have made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our country and freedoms and those surviving veterans in the Elk Grove region.

The project has included the planning and construction of a trail, a bronze star monument with a flagpole, concrete paving, benches, and a plaza with engraved dedication pavers. The next phase of construction will see a $100,000 boost, which was successfully secured through the Assemblywoman’s efforts and will be disbursed by the California Department of Veterans Affairs.

The District relies mainly on property taxes, programming, and services to generate revenue and fund its operations, these form the bulk of our operating budget. However, District personnel do an outstanding job looking for alternative funding for the District initiatives and projects including seeking grant funds.

Grant management is a career all by itself, and many requirements must be met for a grant to be awarded and then there are even more requirements that must be met on an ongoing basis to satisfy and maintain a grant. We have recently been awarded the following grants: • • •

$104,120 - Office Traffic Safety – Fire Department $9,000 – Elk Grove Commercial EV Program – Oasis Rec. Center $204,146 – Per Capita General Program – Parks & Recreation

BEST OF THE BEST – COSUMNES PARKS & RECREATION

The Cosumnes Community Services District Parks & Recreation Department has received one of the highest honors available in the parks and recreation industry – national accreditation. This distinction was awarded by the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) and the National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA) on Oct. 9 during the 2023 NRPA Conference in Dallas.

CAPRA accreditation stands as the sole national accreditation for park and recreation agencies. It measures an agency’s overall quality of operation, management, and service to the community. It indicates that an agency has met rigorous standards for managing and administrating lands, facilities, resources, programs, safety, and services while highlighting the contributions of individuals who lead, staff, and volunteer for the department.

Of over 23,000 eligible park and recreation agencies nationwide, only 206 have completed the rigorous CAPRA accreditation process, with only four others in California. To receive accreditation, the Cosumnes Parks & Recreation Department demonstrated compliance with 154 recognized standards covering industry best practices, policies, procedures, programs, services, and facilities. The comprehensive process helped identify efficiencies, enhance accountability, and emphasize sustainability, which will translate to a higher quality of service and operation that will benefit the community and elevate public confidence in the agency. Once accredited, agencies must submit annual reports and repeat the accreditation process every five years to comply with CAPRA’s guidelines.

For more information about CAPRA, visit www.nrpa.org/CAPRA.

WE’VE GONE VIRAL!

JACK HILL PARK

In a digital age where a single video can capture the world's attention, Cosumnes Parks & Recreation has shown just how unique and captivating their events can be. A TikTok video posted by Assistant Communications Specialist Cristopher Ruiz Martinez has taken the internet by storm, garnering over 18 MILLION viewers, 2 MILLION likes, and over 7,000 comments in just a few days.

The video showcases the magic of the Pumpkin Regatta at the 2023 Elk Grove Giant Pumpkin Festival. Using trending audio and extraordinary content, this video took off on the social media platform and fascinated audiences worldwide.

The District held the Jack Hill Park Renovation Celebration on Tuesday, September 19th. Over 100 people attended the event and enjoyed exploring the new play structures and renovations, pumpkin painting, ribboncutting celebration, and ice cream.

Check out the video and follow us on TikTok and Instagram: @CosumnesParkRec

SOCKTOBER IS HERE!

For the 3rd year, the District and the City of Elk Grove are joining efforts and collecting socks, beanies, scarves, gloves, and mittens to distribute to underprivileged students in the Elk Grove Unified School District. Donation bins are located at several District facilities and collection will conclude on November 3rd.

OCTOBER IS BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

FEMA URBAN SEARCH AND RESCUE TASK FORCE 7

The month of October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. During National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we stand with the courageous women and men who have been diagnosed with breast cancer, celebrate with those who have won the fight against it, and honor those who have lost their battle to this terrible disease.

As the second most common cancer affecting women, statistics show that an estimated 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer throughout their lifetime. That equates to one person every two minutes in the U.S.

On the morning of September 20, two of your Cosumnes Firefighters were sworn in as members of FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force 7 - Sacramento.

They join sixteen current Cosumnes Fire personnel as members of this multiagency team dedicated to responding to complex rescue incidents anywhere in the United States of America.

Congratulations and welcome to the team.

Cancer affects so many, especially within the fire service. We honor the faith and courage of all those who have been impacted by cancer and encourage everyone to participate in routine screenings, as early detection can make a tremendous difference in overcoming cancer.

In recognition of the 2023 National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, you might see some of our personnel wearing pink or blue/pink uniform t-shirts and pink Local 522 hats during October in hopes of bringing awareness.

UPCOMING EVENTS Pool of Pumpkins Saturday, October 21 – 1 to 4 p.m. at Wackford Aquatic Complex Jump in the pool and Pick your Pumpkin.

Enjoy Pumpkin Decorating Stations, Carnival Games, and Fall Family Fun! Rad Superhero Breakfast Saturday, November 4th – 8 to 11:15 a.m. at Albiani Recreation Center.

BADGES AND AXES BASKETBALL GAME – WE REIGN!!!

Bragging rights were on the line for Elk Grove’s first responders.

One of the oldest — and friendliest (kinda)— rivalries in Elk Grove made its return to the hardwood as police officers went head-to-head with firefighters to earn the title of the basketball champion and the shiniest badge (or axe).

The Elk Grove Police Department took on the Cosumnes Fire Department in a charity basketball game at Elk Grove High School’s Bill Cartwright Gymnasium on Oct. 14.

Proceeds from this charity event will go toward Special Olympics Northern California, aiding the different programs offered to children and adults with intellectual disabilities.

It was a well-attended event that raised over $3,000. What we know for sure is it was a close game, but Cosumnes Fire Department pulled through for the win! The final score was decided in the final seconds at 58 to 56! The starting team comprised Firefighters Scott Zehnder, Cody Newcomer, Paul Montano, George Paul, and Roger Corti. The most valuable player was Firefighter Paul Montano, scoring 28 points. Firefighter Roger Corti had several three-pointers and was a close runner-up with 15 points. All team members had playing time and contributed to the exciting win. It was a physical game, according to Chief Rodríguez, who accidentally bumped into the police department’s star player, allegedly. No basketball game would be the same without a Zehnder layup or two. It was a well-coached game by Captain Darren Annear. Our firefighters made us proud and continued the fire department’s undefeated streak in this fantastic charity fundraiser. Thank you all who were able to come out and support us! We shall do this again next year!

D2 CPRS EQUIPMENT EXPO & RODEO I don’t know about you, but when I think about a rodeo, I think of cowboys, horses, and bulls. But our Park Operations team placed 3rd in a different kind of rodeo. Park Operation personnel competed in a Rodeo at the California Parks & Recreation Society Equipment Expo & Rodeo held at William Land Park on September 22nd. The rodeo was based on three timed events and two teamwork events, consisting of a mower obstacle course, event set-up, backpack blower obstacle course, tree planting, and corn hole tourney. Our Park Operations Team was rodeo-ready and proudly finished third overall out of ten teams.

OLD GALT FESTIVAL The Cosumnes Fire Department went back in time at the Old Galt Festival on September 23rd. This was a free event for the community where you could take a step back in time to experience the history of Galt from its founding in 1869 through the 1950s.

CHIEF RONNY J. COLEMAN Cosumnes Fire Department and the entire fire community are mourning the passing of Chief Ronny J. Coleman, State Fire Marshal (Ret.). Chief Coleman and his wife Marie lived in Elk Grove and have been involved in the community for years.

Chief Coleman served our country as a U.S. Marine, worked with the U.S. Forest Service, served as fire chief for the cities of San Clemente and Fullerton, served as President of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, and was appointed by Governor Pete Wilson to the position of State Fire Marshal from 1992 to 2000.

Chief Coleman authored or contributed to several textbooks for the fire community and was a columnist, writing one of the first Fire Engineering articles on Fire Explorers in 1967. He was a champion of fire department accreditation, a renowned speaker, and an inspirational leader.

SEPTEMBER WAS FIREFIGHTER APPRECIATION MONTH The Board of Directors adopted a proclamation recognizing all fire personnel and their invaluable service to our community.

FIRE STATION 77 The Cosumnes Community Services District is looking forward to the completion of Fire Station No. 77 at 8350 Poppy Ridge Road near Big Horn Boulevard. The 9,010-square-foot fire station is a much-awaited addition to the community and is expected to improve emergency response times in the surrounding areas.

With over 80% of the project complete, the project is in the final stages of construction. The site is being paved, the station’s roof is on, and the exterior walls are starting to receive a stucco and a brick veneer finish. Inside the building, interior walls are painted, with plumbing finishes and electrical fixtures starting to be installed.

The community is looking forward to the completion of the fire station, which would serve as a critical emergency response center and boast some impressive features. The station will have a communications tower, solar panels, and electric vehicle charging stations—a testament to the District's commitment to sustainability.

Rachel Moates Communications Specialist

Lisa Gates Management Analyst

Nou Her Finance Manager

Riva Ballis Recreation Coordinator

STAFF HIGHLIGHT This month’s Staff Highlight is for David Olivares a Recreation Coordinator who works in Customer Care and Concessions.

David enjoys restoring older vehicles.

He currently owns two 90s-era cars that he is working on. He has a passion for helping. His hobbies include media production, PC Gaming, tinkering, snowboarding, motorcycle riding and building things. He is hoping to build his first workshop soon! The photo shows David overlooking the Columbia River at the Bridge of the Gods in Washington/Oregon.

PROMOTIONS Congratulations to all recently promoted personnel: Administrative Manager Becky Herz, Assistant Chief Kasparian, Battalion Chief Fisher, Captain Widegren, and Engineer Whitmore on their recent promotions. Sworn-in personnel’s Badge pinning ceremonies will be held at various locations with a gathering of personnel, family, and friends over the next few weeks.

Job well done!

Robert Kasparian Assistant Chief

Becky Herz Administrative Manager

Tyson Widegren Captain

Courtland Fisher Battalion Chief

SEPARATIONS: Russell Whitmore Engineer

Ananda Verstl – Human Resources Manager Austin Collins – Recreation Coordinator Rick Clarke – Assistant Fire Chief – EMS (retirement)