HomeMy Public PortalAbout20200212 - Minutes - Board of Directors (BOD)
February 12, 2020
Board Meeting 20-03
*Approved by the Board of Directors on February 26, 2020
SPECIAL AND REGULAR MEETING
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT
Administrative Office
330 Distel Circle
Los Altos, CA 94022
Wednesday, February 12, 2020
APPROVED MINUTES*
SPECIAL MEETING – CLOSED SESSION
President Holman called the special meeting of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District
to order at 5:30 p.m.
ROLL CALL
Members Present: Jed Cyr, Larry Hassett, Karen Holman, Zoe Kersteen-Tucker, Yoriko
Kishimoto, Pete Siemens, and Curt Riffle
Members Absent: None
Staff Present: None
Public comments opened at 5:30 p.m.
No speakers present.
Public comments closed at 5:30 p.m.
1. PUBLIC EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION. Government Code
Section 54957(b)(1)
Title of Employee: General Manager
General Counsel
ADJOURNMENT
President Holman adjourned the special meeting of the Board of Directors of the Midpeninsula
Regional Open Space District at 7:03 p.m.
REGULAR MEETING
Meeting 20-03 Page 2
President Holman called the regular meeting of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District
to order at 7:05 p.m.
President Holman reported the Board met in closed session, and no reportable action was taken.
ROLL CALL
Members Present: Jed Cyr, Larry Hassett, Karen Holman, Zoe Kersteen-Tucker, Yoriko
Kishimoto, Pete Siemens, and Curt Riffle
Members Absent: None
Staff Present: General Manager Ana Ruiz, General Counsel Hilary Stevenson, Assistant
General Manager Susanna Chan, Assistant General Manager Brian
Malone, Chief Financial Officer Stefan Jaskulak, District Clerk/Assistant
to the General Manager Jennifer Woodworth, Engineering and
Construction Manager Jason Lin, Senior Capital Project Manager Tanisha
Werner
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
No speakers present.
ADOPTION OF AGENDA
Motion: Director Kishimoto moved, and Director Cyr seconded the motion to adopt the agenda.
VOTE: 7-0-0
SPECIAL ORDERS OF THE DAY
• Introduction of staff
O Liliana Price, Capital Project Manager III
CONSENT CALENDAR
Director Hassett pulled item 6 from the Consent Calendar.
Public comment opened at 7:07 p.m.
No speakers present.
Public comment closed at 7:07 p.m.
Motion: Director Riffle moved, and Director Kersteen-Tucker seconded the motion to approve
the Consent Calendar, except for Item 6.
VOTE: 7-0-0
Meeting 20-03 Page 3
1. Approve January 22, 2020 Minutes
2. Claims Report
3. Budget Amendments for Quarter 2 to the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 2020 (R-20-
16)
General Manager’s Recommendation: Adopt a resolution approving the proposed Quarter 2
budget amendments (revenues and expenses) to the adopted budget for Fiscal Year ending June
30, 2020.
4. Award of Contract for California Native Plant Species Propagation Services (R-20-
18)
General Manager’s Recommendation:
1. Determine that the recommended actions are categorically exempt from the California
Environmental Quality Act, as set out in this report.
2. Authorize the General Manager to enter into a contract with Grassroots Ecology of Palo Alto,
California to provide California native plant propagation services in an amount not to exceed
$160,000 over four years.
5. 2020 Legislative Program (R-20-17)
General Manager’s Recommendation: Adopt the 2020 Legislative Program as recommended by
the Legislative, Funding, and Public Affairs Committee, with any final changes from the Board
of Directors, to set the legislative priorities and policies for Midpeninsula Regional Open Space
District.
6. Contract Amendment for engineering services with Wiss, Janney, Elstner
Associates, Inc. for the Mount Umunhum Radar Tower Repair Project (R-20-19)
General Manager’s Recommendation: Authorize a contract amendment in the amount of $89,975
with Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc., of Emeryville, California to provide construction
documents, construction administration, and as-built drawings for the Mount Umunhum Radar
Tower Repair Project, bringing the contract to a not-to-exceed grand total amount of $213,830.
Director Hassett commented on his continued opposition to funding the contract without
additional funding from outside sources.
General Manager Ana Ruiz provided an update on a potential outside funding source for Mount
Umunhum Tower Radar Tower repairs.
Motion: Director Riffle moved, and Director Kishimoto seconded the motion to approve the
General Manager’s recommendation.
VOTE: 6-1-0 (Director Hassett dissenting)
Meeting 20-03 Page 4
BOARD BUSINESS
7. Administrative Office Project – Project Update (R-20-15)
Engineering and Construction Department Manager Jason Lin provided the staff
recommendation summarizing the project milestones to date and proposed schedule.
Director Hassett spoke in favor of hiring a qualified contractor that has a solid reputation.
Director Siemens concurred and suggested various contractors for outreach during the bidding
process.
Director Kishimoto requested an update regarding lighting and HVAC systems.
Director Riffle requested information at a future project update regarding the environmental
sustainability of the building.
Director Kersteen-Tucker requested an update regarding tenant leases.
Senior Real Property Specialist Allen Ishibashi reported on the expiration of current tenant leases
explaining that the leases will end on or before January 31, 2021.
Mr. Lin provided an update on potential wood sources for use in the building design.
Project Manager Erik Skiba and Designer Jane Catalano with Noll & Tam provided project
design updates related to bench and sign design, Board room design, bird safe glass, and tenant
space.
Board members spoke in favor of the bench design and the need to protect the benches from
vandalism.
Director Holman spoke in favor of potentially having multiple bench designs depending on the
location of the benches. Additionally, she suggested members of the public could potentially
sponsor the benches to help offset the cost.
Director Kersteen-Tucker spoke in favor of interpretive signage related to salvaged and recycled
materials.
Directors Cyr, Siemens, and Holman spoke in favor of the street signage embedded into the rock
wall.
Director Kishimoto spoke in favor of a horizontal sign placement.
Director Riffle spoke in favor of the street signage not being embedded into the rock wall.
Motion: Director Cyr moved, and Director Holman seconded the motion to have the exterior
street signage embedded into the rock wall.
VOTE: 5-2-0 (Directors Kishimoto and Riffle dissenting.)
Meeting 20-03 Page 5
Ms. Catalano provided an update regarding interior wall materials.
Director Siemens spoke in favor of using high-quality speakers in the Board room and the type
of chairs to be used in the Board room.
Directors Siemens and Cyr spoke in favor of using redwood on the dais.
Directors Hassett and Holman spoke in favor of using acacia wood for the dais.
Director Holman spoke in favor of seating staff separately from the Board.
The Board members provided comments regarding the Board room layout and materials.
Directors Siemens and Holman spoke against use of higher chairs and tables in the District’s
administrative office.
Directors Riffle, Hassett, Cyr, and Kersteen-Tucker spoke in favor of mixing chair designs to
accommodate various ages of members of the public.
Director Kersteen-Tucker spoke in favor of including as many power outlets as is possible for
the atrium area for staff and members of the public to use.
Director Holman spoke in favor of having a variety of heights for work surfaces.
Director Kersteen-Tucker left the meeting at 8:30 p.m.
Director Hassett suggested reuse of the current administrative office’s flagpole at the new office.
Director Holman inquired if the Board should consider installation of a control room for camera
operators and potential streaming of public meetings.
Director Holman spoke in favor of having the dais slightly raised in the Board room.
Public comments opened at 8:43 p.m.
No speakers present.
Public comments closed at 8:43 p.m.
INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM
• Radar Tower Roof Repair Peer Review
INFORMATIONAL REPORTS
A. Committee Reports
Director Hassett reported the Legislative, Funding, and Public Affairs Committee met on January
28, 2020.
Meeting 20-03 Page 6
B. Staff Reports
Assistant General Manager Susanna Chan reported the District recently resubmitted a letter to
the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisor supporting a 4/5 approval requirement related to
Stanford General Plan Amendments.
Assistant General Manager Brian Malone provided an update related to several projects,
including vegetation clearing along Highway 17 for wildfire fuel reduction, replacement of the
Betsy Crowder memorial bench, delay of the Red Barn painting, and eucalyptus tree removal
along Page Mill Road in Fall 2020. Finally, Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian is
holding a public meeting regarding Lehigh Quarry in Cupertino on February 13, 2020.
Chief Financial Officer/Director of Administrative Services Stefan Jaskulak reported the
California branch of the International City and County Manager’s Association presented the
District with the Overall Champion award recognizing the District’s efforts in talent recruitment,
staff retention and development, and organizational culture.
Ms. Ruiz reported on staff’s recent meeting with wildlife protection groups regarding the
District’s conservation grazing program, where District received positive feedback and reviews
for its program. The District recently held a full-day staff training on historic structures. Ms.
Ruiz reported on the District’s legislative event held in Sacramento on February 11, 2020 and the
upcoming State of the Valley event on Friday. Finally, Ms. Ruiz also reported on recent meetings
with other environmental organizations and agencies related to state and regional initiatives.
C. Director Reports
The Board members submitted their compensatory reports.
Directors Hassett and Riffle reported their attendance at the February 6, 2020 La Honda Public
Access Working Group meeting.
Director Siemens spoke regarding roadside parking near District preserves, which will need to be
addressed by the District.
Directors Cyr, Kishimoto, and Holman reported their attendance at the Santa Clara County State
of the County event.
Director Riffle reported that he and staff provided a briefing to San Mateo Supervisor Carole
Groom.
Director Holman reported she and Director Kersteen-Tucker toured Lehigh Quarry. Director
Holman reported the District recently provided presentations to East Palo Alto and Menlo Park
City Councils on District project updates. Director Holman reported she will be attending a
meeting of the Bay Restoration Authority on February 14, 2020.
Meeting 20-03 Page 7
ADJOURNMENT
President Holman adjourned the regular meeting of the Board of Directors of the Midpeninsula
Regional Open Space District at 9:12 p.m.
________________________________
Jennifer Woodworth, MMC
District Clerk