05-18-10 Budget and Downtown Academy

I started the day with a trip to the dog park on west shaw.  It was closed.  Dang, I'll need to get a better grasp on the operating hours.

My first meeting was at 7:30 with Parks Director Randy Cooper and Assistant City Manager Bruce Rudd.  Elliott was there too.  The conversation was about the Vagabond Skate Park and a potential change of location to be nearer to the downtown core.  This idea was the result of the planning charrette last week.  It looks hopeful.

At 9:00 our department had its budget workshop with the City Council, Mayor and City manager.  Others were in the room too.  I think that these are on-line on the City's web page.  It went very well.  There were many good questions and even more in depth discussion from the Mayor and Council.  It lasted about two hours.

Elliott and I met with Jeanette Jurkovich at ther new home on Huntington.  We had a tour of this beatiful home that she and her husband are restoring.  We sat in back and had lunch from the Packing Shed (on Merced Street) and discussed hisotric preservation issues.

I ran by my house to give Peeve (the new pooch) a chance to pee.

Back at the office we had our management meeting, followed by a full staff meeting.  We were joined by members of the Housing Division.  they will become part of the Downtown and Community Revitalization Deptartment in July.

At 4:00 I had my semi-weekly update meeting with the Mayor.  City manager Mark Scott and the Mayor's Chief of Staff Georgeanne White were also there.

At 5:00 I hooked up with the inaugural class of the Downtown Academy, which is being coordinated by FLYP (Fresno's Leading Young Professionals.  They had 25 people out on the Mall tonight.  We toured the Security Bank Building lofts, the Loft Salon, the ballroom and the safe.

Afterward, we toured the Mall and then headed to Sustin's for dinner and beer.

I took Peeve to the dog park and let him stretcfh out his long legs.  Back at home about 9:45.