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Home My Public Portal About20100623 - Minutes - Board of Directors (BOD) Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Meeting 10-16 REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT JUNE 23,2010 MINUTES REGULAR MEETING 1. ROLL CALL President Mary Davey called the Regular Meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Members Present: Nonette Hanko, Larry Hassett, Curt Riffle, Pete Siemens, and Mary Davey II Members Absent: Jed Cyr Staff Present: General Manager Steve Abbors, General Counsel Sue Schectman, Real Property Manager Mike Williams, Public Affairs Specialist Kristi Britt, Operations Manager David Sanguinetti, Management Analyst Gordon Baillie, Open Space Planner Lisa Bangkosh, Planning Technician Galli Basson, Skyline Area Superintendent Brian Malone, Open Space Planner 11 Tina Hugg, and District Clerk Michelle Radcliffe. III 11. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS No oral communications. 111. ADOPTION OF AGENDA Motion: Upon motion by Director Siemens, seconded by Director Riffle, and unanimously passed, the Board approved adoption of the agenda. (Vote 6-0-0. Absent: Cyr) Meeting 10-16 Page 2 IV. ADOPTION OF CONSENT CALENDAR Motion: Upon motion by Director Riffle, seconded by Director Siemens, and unanimously passed, the Board approved adoption of the Consent Calendar to approve the Board Minutes dated March 12, 2010; Approval of FY 2010-11 Annual Claims List; and Revised Claims 10-10. (Vote: 6-0-0. Absent: Cyr) V. BOARD BUSINESS A. Agenda Item 4—Standard Bench Design—(Report R-10-78) Public Affairs Specialist Kristi Britt provided an overview of the Legislative, Funding and Public Affairs Committee(LFPAC)proposals for the bench designs and stated that that if approved, the bench specifications will be included in the special recognition policy. Ms. Britt noted that the bench specifications only applied to standard benches and that a special memorial bench would not be restricted to these specifications. Open Space Planner II Tina Hugg provided a summary and background of bench designs and provided details of bench options regarding color and style. Discussion was held on the history of benches, the number of benches on District preserves, and the reason for installing non-commemorative benches on the preserves. Discussion was held on the proposed standard bench design and the design of commemorative benches. Director Hassett expressed his support for the bench design of non-memorial benches, but stated he would like LFPAC to look at bench designs for non-commemorative benches. Director Siemens expressed concern about having memorial benches throughout the District and stated that the purpose of the benches was to memorialize individuals who made significant contributions to the District. Further discussion ensued. The Board asked that LFPAC amend the language in the Site Naming Policy to state that there are alternative design options for commemorative benches. Motion: Upon motion by Director Riffle, seconded by Director Harris, and unanimously passed, the Board approved the standard bench designs as recommended by the Legislative, Funding and Public Affairs Committee. (Vote: 6-0-0. Absent: Cyr) B. Agenda Item 5—Plaque Text for the Santa Clara Count Fighters Memorial Bench at St. Joseph's Hill Open Space Preserve—(Report R-10-77) Ms. Britt provided an overview of the plaque process and answered questions regarding the bench design and installation. A brief discussion ensued. Motion: Upon motion by Director Siemens, seconded by Director Harris, and unanimously passed, the Board approved the plaque text for the Santa Clara County Firefighters Memorial Bench at St. Joseph's Hill Open Space Preserve as recommended by the Legislative, Funding and Public Affairs Committee. (Vote: 6-0- 0. Absent: Cyr) I Meeting 10-16 Page 3 C. Agenda Item 6—Trail Name Changes at Skyline Open Space Preserve (Report R-10- 77 Planning Technician Galli Basson provided an overview of the current trails and stated that the current trail names, Ridge Trail Alternate and Ridge Trail, were not original and caused a lot of confusion to users. Ms. Basson stated that the Ridge Trail Alternate is proposed to be re-named to the Sunny Jim Trail and the Ridge Trail will be named the Ipiwa Trail. She also noted that the staff will improve signage on the brochures and on the trails to better identify multi-use trails at the preserve. Discussion ensued. Motion: Upon motion by Director Riffle, seconded by Director Siemens, and unanimously passed, the Board approved the trail name changes at Skyline Open Space Preserve as recommended by the Legislative, Funding and Public Affairs Committee. (Vote: 6-0-0. Absent: Cyr) D. Agenda Item 7—Authorization of Nature Education Facilities Grant Application for the Alpine Pond Habitat and Interpretive Enhancement Project—(Report R-10-83) Open Space Planner II Lisa Bankosh provided background history of Alpine Pond and the David C. Daniels Nature Center and noted that the Nature Center is the only location in the District that has an interpretive learning center. Ms. Bankosh stated that the District is applying for a$750,000 grant to enhance Alpine Pond and delivered an overview of the conceptual design of Alpine Pond and the Nature Center if the grant was awarded to the District. Brief discussion ensued. Motion: Upon motion by Director Hanko, seconded by Director Siemens, the Board authorized the Nature Education Facilities Grant application for the Alpine Pond Habitat and Interpretive Enhancement Project. (Vote: 6-0-0. Absent: Cyr) �I E. Agenda Item 8—Adoption of Revised Schedule of Fee Penalties for Parking Violations—(Report R-10-61) Management Analyst Gordon Baillie provided an overview of the District's current schedule of fees for parking violations and stated that the last time the schedule was amended and the fees were raised was in 2004. Mr. Baillie explained that the parking violations fee program was not created to raise District revenue but was created to help offset the costs the District is charged by the State of California for processing parking violations. Mr. Baillie stated that the State of California has raised its processing fees, therefore lowering the District's net revenue. He expressed concern that if the fees were not adjusted, the program would lead to the District losing money. Brief discussion ensued. Motion: Upon motion by Director Riffle, seconded by Director Hanko, and unanimously passed, the Board adopted the revised schedule of fee penalties for parking violations. (Vote: 6-0-0. Absent: Cyr) VI. INFORMATIONAL REPORTS { Meeting 10-16 Page 4 # COMMITTEE REPORTS There were no committee reports. STAFF REPORTS Planning Manager Ana Ruiz announced that the District received news that a$40,000 grant from the State Conservation Fund was awarded for Pond DR06. Ms. Ruiz noted that the grant was subject to approval of the State budget. Operations Manager David Sanguinetti stated that the Operations Department held its second meeting to develop the Operations Manual. He stated that he will meet with the Area Superintendents to answer a few questions and he hopes to have a complete manual by the end of July. Mr. Sanguinetti also reported that the department is interviewing two candidates for the Resource Specialist vacancy. General Counsel Sue Schectman stated that a memorandum was sent to the Board regarding the burns for the Russian Ridge and Monte Bello Open Space Preserves. Ms. Schectman also reminded the Board that the Exchange Agreement with the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission will be on the July 14th Board meeting agenda and that any action that will be taken that night will require a vote from all seven Board of Directors. District Clerk Michelle Radcliffe reminded the Board of Directors of the mandatory AB 1234 Ethics training on June 291h hosted by the City of Los Altos. General Manager Steve Abbors stated he is proud of the way staff handled their response to the CEQA challenge to District prescribed burn program and that the resulting District program will be a model for open space agencies. Mr. Abbors mentioned that he has been asked to serve on BAOSC Executive Committee starting in October. He noted that the District's Classification and Compensation Study is being launched. Mr. Abbors also noted that SB 211 is dead and that the designation SB211 has now been assigned to another unrelated piece of legislation. He reported on a recent meeting with Carlos Romero (Councilmember) and planning staff from the City of East Palo Alto (EPA) regarding SFPUC easement exchange. Mr. Abbors said that EPA indicated they would like to merge our interests with theirs and that, from the District's perspective, the first step in the partnership is to explore the feasibility for EPA's proposed public road and the District's proposed Bay Trail link to occupy the limited available space. The next step is to meet with EPA to explore feasibility and then have EPA do a presentation for the District Board regarding their plans for the entire Ravenswood area. DIRECTOR REPORTS The Board of Directors submitted their compensable meeting reports to the Clerk. Director Siemens announced that he attended the Santa Clara County Special Districts meeting and recounted that Santa Clara County Supervisor Ken Yeager provided an overview of the activity in the Metropolitan Transit Commission. Meeting 10-16 Page 5 Director Hassett shared that his computer is not working and will need to be contacted by telephone for a few days. Director Hanko requested that the District recognize Mary Stegner by naming a trail after her. Director Harris noted that she will attend two Board committee meetings on Friday, June 25t" and then go on a docent-led hike. Director Riffle expressed his appreciation for being able to attend the Rancho de Guadalupe bum. He stated that staff was well trained and that he was impressed with the coordination and cooperation between various agencies conducting the bum. President Davey shared that she went on a tour of the Coyote Valley Foothills, visited the environmental center at De Anza College, and attended a memorial service for Frances Duveneck. VIL ADJOURNMENT President Davey adjourned the Regular Meeting of the Board of Directors of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District at 8:37 p.m. Michelle Radcliffe, CMC District Clerk