The FORPD Board of Directors congratulated this year’s recipients of the Rachel Anne Gray memorial scholarship. Photo courtesy of the Fair Oaks Recreation and Park District

FAIR OAKS, CA (MPG) – At the March meeting of the Fair Oaks Recreation and Park District (FORPD) Board of Directors, Recreation Supervisor Mary Stoakley announced this year’s recipients of the Rachel Anne Gray Scholarship. 

Gray was a beloved and very involved community member who passed away in 2012 at the age of 21. The memorial scholarship was established in 2014, and over the years nearly $45,000 has been awarded, impacting 56 local youth. 

As a prior recipient, Stoakley said it is always a “full-circle moment” for her to present these awards: “It’s awesome to get to see the future of our upcoming generations. They are all incredible kids.” 

The $1,000 scholarship was awarded to Griffin Keel, a senior at Bella Vista High School who captains both the cross country and track teams. In addition to serving as president of the Spanish Honor Society and participating in Key Club and other school organizations, he is also a local tutor, helping younger students learn. Keel plans to pursue a career in nursing, with a focus on oncology or emergency care. 

Nora Gutierrez was awarded the $1,500 scholarship. She has pursued advanced coursework at Bella Vista through the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program, as well as earning the Seal of Biliteracy in American Sign Language. She plans to major in biochemistry to become a forensic pathologist. 

Funding for the Rachel Anne Gray Scholarship comes from the annual Lake Natoma Trail Run, which will be held on June 6. To register or learn more, visit https://www.forpd.org/422/Lake-Natoma-Trail-Run. 

Rachel’s dad, Tom Gray, spoke during public comments to thank the Board for their continued support: “Every year it’s an incredible thing to see her name, her legacy, continue. … There’re some incredible young kids coming up. … Our future is bright.” He asked to work with staff and the Board of Directors to ensure the scholarship fund continues in perpetuity. 

The Board then considered allocating funding from the Gum Ranch Landscape and Lighting account to cover resurfacing repairs for the splash pad at Gum Ranch Park. 

The splash pad is one of the most popular amenities in the park, and it is busy throughout the May–October season. Due to frequent use, the rubberized surfacing has peeled back from the underlying concrete and now requires repair. 

Parks and Facilities Manager Sean Ventura said the original installer doesn’t offer patch repairs, and so the estimate for a complete replacement of the rubberized surface would be almost $40,000. Ventura looked into other companies to replace the surface, but he said all the quotes were “ridiculously high.” 

After reviewing how other parks manage similar amenities, Ventura identified a polymer-modified cementitious coating, similar to what is used around pools. A full replacement using the new material will only cost around $2,288, plus staff time to complete the work. Ventura said this is a long-term solution, because it will offer a safe surface that will hold up over time. 

Director Delinda Tamagni said, “Thank you for taking the time to look for different options.”

During public comments, Gum Ranch resident Elizabeth Williams said, “Thank you for being so diligent in trying to find a lower-cost solution. It’s just a popular park. That splash pad is jammed all summer long.”

The Board voted unanimously to approve the funding for the splash pad repairs. 

The Board also considered approving SCI Consulting to prepare the annual Engineer’s Report for three assessment districts for fiscal year 2026-27. 

The report is the first step in the annual process to determine the assessment amounts for the Fair Oaks Parks Maintenance and Recreation Improvement District, the Phoenix Field Landscape and Lighting Assessment District, and the Gum Ranch Landscape and Lighting Assessment District. 

During public comments, Elizabeth Williams expressed concern that the report considers Gum Ranch Park a neighborhood park, which doesn’t take into account its frequent use by the general public. 

Director Ralph Carhart said that the objective of this report is to ensure that the assessment funding collected within that district is set aside for specific use within that district – but he added that money from the FORPD general fund also supplements all the parks as well.

District Administrator Mike Aho explained that a neighborhood park is a specific definition for a park under five acres without a designated parking area. He said the designation doesn’t mean its use is exclusive to that neighborhood, since all parks are open to the general public.

“Gum Ranch is a unique beast because it’s such a cool park,” said Aho. 

The Board voted unanimously to allow the consultant to move forward with the report, and they expect to review and discuss the completed report at the June meeting. 

They also finalized the transition of the Fair Oaks Recreation and Arts Foundation into a separate and independent entity, comprising up to nine members. 

Under the updated bylaws, two board members will continue to hold seats on the foundation board, with Chair Raymond James Irwin and Director Carhart volunteering to serve in that role. 

District Administrator Aho recruited candidates from the community to fill some of the initial foundation seats, and two were ready for appointment. 

Cassie Kendall grew up in Fair Oaks and was a Rachel Anne Gray Scholarship recipient. She works in public affairs and wants to start volunteering to increase youth involvement in theater and the arts. 

Michael Cole lives in Fair Oaks and is raising a family here. He is passionate about supporting local art and wants to improve access to art within the community. 

The foundation board voted unanimously to approve the new members, who then took their seats at the table. Next, Directors Tamagni, Darren Mounts and John O’Farrell all offered their resignations from the foundation board, which were unanimously accepted. 

The newly independent foundation board set their next meeting for April 15 at 4:30 p.m.

Both meetings were adjourned, and the next regular meeting of the FORPD Board of Directors will be held on April 15 at 6 p.m.