I’m very excited about a new group of community leaders who hold the keys to Mission Bay’s future. This 11-member committee, punctuated by passionate, bright and dedicated people, has the tools to deliver the type of results that should make all San Diegans proud. The members of the new Mission Bay Park Committee are: Paul Robinson, Jim Greene, Lani Lutar, Gregg Peterson, Judith Swink, David Potter Cynthia Hedgecock, Mort McCarthy, Kevin Konopasek, Katy Bendel and Rick Bussell. I attended the committee’s first meeting on Jan. 12. The committee is scheduled to meet on the first Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. at the Santa Clara Recreation Center, 1008 Santa Clara Place. The meetings are open to the public and I encourage you to attend. Mission Bay Park is the largest manmade aquatic park in the world and one of our most treasured assets, but it has been a neglected jewel. For decades, money that was supposed to be reinvested in Mission Bay was siphoned away and spent on other city priorities. The Mission Bay Park Master Plan identified more than $300 million in improvements 16 years ago — most of which remain outstanding. Proposition C, which voters overwhelmingly approved, ensures that lease money generated in Mission Bay Park stays in Mission Bay Park. Committee members will be the ones who will carry out the voters’ will and oversee the future success of Mission Bay Park. The committee, appointed by the City Council, was created to carry out Prop C. It will oversee funding of priority projects that are now possible because of Prop C. The priorities include restoration of navigable waterways, wetland expansion and water quality improvements, the protection and expansion of eelgrass beds and erosion control features, expansion of endangered or threatened species preserves, and completion of bicycle and pedestrian paths. I spearheaded and campaigned hard for Prop C, and prior to becoming District 2’s council representative, I chaired the Mission Bay Park Committee. I personally know many of the members on the new committee, and I can assure you that we could not have assembled a better team. These folks bring a wealth of experience from diverse backgrounds, including community planning and development, finance, project management, public policy, land use and environmental planning and law. The committee is results-oriented, community-focused and genuinely interested in doing what’s right for Mission Bay Park. If you have any suggestions for the group, please feel free to pass them along to Mission Bay Park District Manager Stacy McKenzie, who can be reached at (619) 235-1154. I’m looking forward to seeing this group in action. I’m confident they’re going to be admirable stewards of Mission Bay Park. Kevin Faulconer sits on the San Diego City Council as the representative for District 2, which includes Mission Beach, Ocean Beach and Point Loma.