HomeMy Public PortalAbout19740724 - Minutes - Board of Directors (BOD) eting 74-16
MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT
Regular Meeting
Board of Directors
M I N U T E S
July 24, 1974 745 Distel Drive
Los Altos, CA
I . EXECUTIVE SESSION
The Board met in Executive Session at 7 :00 P.M. to discuss
Personnel Matters.
II . ROLL CALL
President Peters called the open meeting to order at 8 :28 P .M.
Members Present: Katherine Duffy, Barbara Green, Nonette
Hanko, William Peters and Daniel Wendin. These members had
also been present in Executive Session.
Personnel Present: Herbert Grench, Edward Jaynes, Stanley
Norton, Anne Crosley, Dennis Kuzak, Carroll Harrington, John
Melton and Jennie George.
Audience of five persons.
III . APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Motion: K. Duffy moved acceptance of the minutes of July 10 ,
1974 as presented. B. Green seconded the motion.
Amendment: N. Hanko moved that the sentence on page
five stating "N. Hanko asked that the matter of the
Stevens Creek Trail be agendized for a future meet-
ing" be deleted inasmuch as she did not recall
making the statement. W. Peters said the statement
should have been attributed to him. There was no
second to the amendment.
W. Peters asked that his first complete sentence on
page two be amended to read as follows : "He said
the Board had two questions to consider: (1) the
primary question of whether or not the District should
reconsider its basic policies, and (2) the specific
request from the City of Sunnyvale for $1 million of
District funds. " K. Duffy accepted the changes of
N. Hanko and W. Peters as part of her motion. The
motion passed unanimously.
IV. ADOPTION OF AGENDA
The Board agreed to adopt the agenda as prepared.
I
II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Motion: N. Hanko moved acceptance of the minutes of July
24, 1974 as presented. K. Duffy seconded the mo-
tion.
Discussion: D. Wendin asked that the word "budget"
in the first sentence of the fifth paragraph on
page three of the minutes be changed to "level of
income" . N. Hanko and K. Duffy agreed to accept
the change as part of the motion. The motion passed
unanimously.
i
Meeting 74-16 Page two
V. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
Mrs. Lucille Gould, 26815 Ortega Drive, Los Altos Hills, in-
troduced herself as the Liaison between the Los Altos Hills
Environmental Design Committee and the District. She expressed
interest in being informed of the District policies regarding
investment in and/or support for properties located within
the Los Altos Hills Urban Service Area. She said she would
also like to know what action the Board might take with re-
spect to the Palo Alto Unified School District' s 62-acre
parcel, noting that many factors must be taken into consider-
ation, e.g. , use of the property for children, trails, invest-
ment, etc. She said she wanted to clarify the fact that the
headwaters of the Matadero Creek were not located on the
PAUSD property.
W. Peters advised that the District's staff was presently mon-
itoring the status of the PAUSD parcel, and that some prelim-
inary investigation had been done. However, the Board had
taken no specific action with respect to possible investment
in the property.
'K. Duffy said the District's policy was to acquire open space
of regional significance outside the Urban Service Area; how-
ever, exceptions are provided for if the Board considers an
exception necessary.
IV. OLD BUSINESS REQUIRING ACTION
A. Master Plan of the Midpeninsula Regional Park District
L. Anderson, the District's consultant, advised the Board there
were seventeen types of open space uses in the proposed master
plan, and that work is now being concentrated on determining
what factors make these uses important to the District. He
said a scoring system had been devised after considerable dis-
cussion and input. The landscape provinces that were defined
are in the process of being mapped by the Santa Clara County
Planning Department. All the data necessary for the mapping
has not yet been compiled, he added. He advised there would
be some delay in the schedule for the master plan due to the
lack of this data. The data must be put on the maps, trans-
lated into tabular form, and put into the computer. He said
a "land unit" category, based on topographic and vegetation
differences, and other possible factors, such as noise levels ,
would be added. The land units would be smaller than the
landscape provinces. He added that, if the initial scoring
results are unsatisfactory or insufficient, then the weight-
ing of the data can be changed according to Board input.
Meeting 74-16 Page three
W. Peters noted that the Board would not be bound by the results
of the master plan with respect to desirability of acquiring
particular areas of land. He stated the consensus that the
Board would await the results of the "first run" on the data
unless further events required Board action.
L. Anderson introduced a document he had prepared dated July 24 ,
1974 , which is concerned with Agencies With Open Space Pre-
servation and management Functions Within MRPD Boundaries.
B. Policies Regarding Funding of Parks and Open Space Within
Urban Service Areas
D. Wendin advised that he and B. Green had enjoyed luncheon
as guests of Mayor Allen and Councilman Hefferlin of Sunnyvale
today. He said that, contrary to some news articles, Sunnyvale
officials do expect a careful analysis from the District of
this question. He suggested the District might set up a pro-
gram whereby city agencies and staffs are contacted and a
meeting held to gather their input. Then a two year pilot pro-
gram could be established whereby cities and other entities
may make application to the District for funding under certain
guidelines. At the end of the two year period, the program
would be reviewed to determine if it should be continued. He
said his only reluctance in approving the proposal would be
because of the scores of groups who would apply with high ex-
pectations of assistance, only to find that the District could
approve perhaps three or four, with very limited financial
assistance.
B. Green said support for the District from Sunnyvale citizens
had not changed in the past two years; what had changed was
that more of these citizens were becoming vocal in pressing
the Sunnyvale City Council to protect orchards.
W. Peters and N. Hanko agreed that they might consider a change
in the District' s policy only if there were a change in the
District' s budget. W. Peters suggested a District-wide advisory
vote could be held asking voters if they wanted a program for
acquisition of urban open space of regional significance. If
so, N. Hanko added, the voters could be asked for more money
for that type of program.
S. Norton said it was his opinion that the Sunnyvale request
was a purely political issue. The ballot argument for the Dis-
trict unequivocally emphasized foothills and baylands, he said,
and a poll was held at that time which indicated strong support
for the District. The newspapers also supported the District 's
formation program.
K. Duffy and B. Green said they felt the cities should take the
responsibility for buying open space within their service areas .
N. Hanko noted that an acre of orchard land in Sunnyvale sells
for an average of $42,000, while an acre of land in the foothills
sells for around $1,000.
Meeting 74-16 Page four
There was discussion concerning what lands within urban service
areas could be considered open space of regional significance.
Motion: W. Peters moved that the staff be directed to devise
a definition of urban open space of regional signifi-
cance for the next Board meeting. K. Duffy seconded
the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
W. Peters stated the consensus that the ad hoc subcommittee in-
vestigating this problem, which consisted of B. Green and N. Hanko,
be directed to prepare a report for the August 14 Board meeting
outlining the results of their investigations of Sunnyvale land.
C. Baylands Citizens' Task Force
W. Peters informed the Board that a number of changes in the
emphasis and scope of the proposed Baylands Citizens ' Task
Force had been made following discussions with staff and other
Board members.
There was discussion regarding the membership on the Task Force,
and D. Wendin suggested W. Peters resubmit his memorandum (M-74-90)
to reflect the changes made in his proposal. W. Peters stated
the consensus that this be done.
VII . NEW BUSINESS REQUIRING ACTION
A. Annual Claims List
J. Melton introduced his memorandum dated July 10 , 1974 (M-74-97)
regarding the Annual Claims List. He noted that Board approval
for such a list would eliminate unnecessary approval of recur-
ring items , and recommended approval of Resolution No. 74-17 .
B. Resolution of the Board of Directors of the Midpeninsula
Regional Park District Amending Rules of Procedure to Permit
Approval of Certain Claims on an Annual Basis
Motion: W. Peters moved adoption of Resolution No. 74-17 ,
that the Board of Directors of the Midpeninsula
Regional Park District Amend the Rules of Procedure
to Permit Approval of Certain Claims on an Annual
Basis. D. Wendin seconded the motion. The motion
passed unanimously.
C . Procedure for Control of District Funds
J. Melton introduced his report on Management of District Funds
dated July 15, 1974 (R-74-17) , which outlined recommended pro-
cedures for management and control of District funds. He noted
the District had restrictions on investment of its funds, e.g . ,,
it could not invest in corporate securities.
Meeting 74-16 Page five
Motion: N. Hanko moved that the authorized signatories on
financial instruments be modified as follows: (a)
For an amount less than $50,000 - any two of the
Treasurer, the General Manager and the Administra-
tive Secretary; (b) For an amount of $50 ,000 or
greater - the Treasurer or as his alternate the
President and the General Manager or as his alter-
nate the Administrative Secretary. D. Wendin sec-
onded the motion.
Discussion: The sense of the motion was clarified
that the staff would prepare necessary resolutions
and ordinances for Board consideration. The motion
passed unanimously.
VIII. CLAIMS
Motion: D. Wendin moved adoption of the revised claims (C-74
-16) dated July 24 , 1974 as presented. K. Duffy
seconded the motion. The motion passed on the fol-
lowing vote: AYES: B. Green, K. Duffy, D. Wendin
and W. Peters. ABSTAIN: N. Hanko, because of items
No. 596 and No. 601.
VII . NEW BUSINESS REQUIRING ACTION
D. Selection of Auditor for Fiscal Year 1973-74
J. Melton requested that the Board select an auditor for the
District' s 1973-74 fiscal year, and recommended the firm of
Elmer Fox & Company.
Motion: D. Wendin moved that the Board of Directors of the
Midpeninsula Regional Park District approve the selec-
tion of Elmer Fox and Company, Certified Public Ac-
countants, as auditors for the 1973-74 fiscal year.
B. Green seconded the motion. The motion passed on
the following vote: AYES : B. Green, D. Wendin, K.
Duffy and N. Hanko. NOES: W. Peters.
Discussion: W. Peters said he thought the District
should choose an auditor from this area. J. Melton
and H. Grench agreed it would be wise to remain with
the same firm for at least another year.
IX. EXECUTIVE SESSION
The Board recessed to Executive Session at 11:47 P.M. to discuss
land negotiations.
X. ADJOURNMENT
The Board reconvened to adjourn at 12 : 20 A.M.
Anne Cathcart Crosley
Administrative Secretary