LA committee approves multiple consent items, accepts Kaiser swim grant and directs kennel-cleaning staffing report

The Arts, Parks, Libraries and Community Enrichment Committee of the Los Angeles City Council approved multiple consent items and advanced several departmental reports on grant-funded programs and park projects during its meeting.

On a grouped vote the committee approved items 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 11 by roll call. The items on the consent calendar included two adoption-grant acceptances for fee-waived pet adoptions, a Measure A allocation work plan for the Loomis House Historical Assessment Project, approval of a revised project budget for the Southern Pacific Trails Dawson Connect project, a permanent easement in MacArthur Park and related draft ordinance, a draft ordinance amending Los Angeles Administrative Code divisions 8 and 22 to remove references to the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association, repurposing the ivory sanctuary at the Harbor Animal Services Care Center, and a vision plan directive for Sheldon Skate Park.

Item 4: The committee approved a retroactive grant-acceptance and agreement with Kaiser Permanente to support aquatic programming, including free swim lessons and junior lifeguard support. Yumi Song of the Department of Recreation and Parks said Kaiser has provided two-year grants in prior years (RAP previously received $408,000 for the 2022 and 2023 seasons) and that the new award will support summer programming citywide. RAP stated it anticipates serving approximately 6,400 youth and 3,200 adults through the learn-to-swim program and about 1,560 youth through the junior lifeguard program; RAP staff said the program covers roughly 52 pool sites across the city and operates citywide during the summer.

Item 10: The committee approved a motion directing the Department of Animal Services to produce a comprehensive report on kennel-cleaning procedures and, as amended by the committee, to report back on staffing levels assigned to kennel maintenance and on whether the department plans to establish labor standards for kennel cleaning (for example, defined staff-to-kennel ratios modeled on hospitality industry room quotas). The amended language instructs Department of Animal Services to evaluate the feasibility of developing and implementing such standards if no plan exists.

Public comment during the meeting included several speakers on animal-services items. Andrew Grabner urged action on shelter conditions and adoptions. Vanessa Bautista of Best Friends Animal Society introduced herself as a city point of contact for animal-welfare questions. A member of the public who signed up under an offensive name spoke at length about prior legal liability connected to animal-services commission activity; the remarks were interrupted by the chair and the speaker was warned for conduct. Committee members did not identify any additional direct city funding obligations connected with these consent items during the recorded discussion.

Votes at a glance: - Items 1,2,3,5,6,7,8,11: approved on consent by roll call (Council Member Jurado: yes; Council Member Hernandez: yes; Council Member Nazarian: yes). - Item 4 (Kaiser Permanente aquatic grant): approved by roll call (3 ayes). - Item 10 (kennel-cleaning report, as amended): approved as amended by roll call (3 ayes).

Next steps: the committee recorded approvals and directed staff reports where noted. The committee did not detail further funding or ordinance-adoption steps for each consent item in the recorded discussion.