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HomeMy Public PortalAbout19780614 - Minutes - Board of Directors (BOD) Meeting 78-13 AM MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT Regular Meeting Board of Directors M I N U T E S 375 Distel Circle June 14 , 1978 Los Altos, CA I . ROLL CALL The meeting was called to order by President Turner at 7 : 38 P.M. Members Present: Katherine Duffy, Barbara Green, Nonette Hanko, Harry Turner and Daniel Wendin. Richard Bishop arrived at 7 : 39 P.M. Member Absent: Edward Shelley Personnel Present : Herbert Grench, Jon Olson, Craig Britton, Anne Crosley, Eric Mart, Phyllis Lee and Stanley Norton APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. Minutes of May 10 , 1978 Motion: N. Hanko moved approval of the minutes of May 10, 1978 as presented. K. Duffy seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. B. Minutes of May 24 , 1978 Robert Mark, 725 Cowper, Palo Alto, asked that the minutes be corrected on page four, second paragraph to reflect that he was surprised at the POST Board that was chosen, not at the method by which the POST Director was chosen. Gordon Jennings, 1141 Woodside Road, Woodside, asked that the minutes on page four, paragraph eight of the minutes be changed so that it did not state that he was "assured. " Motion: H. Turner moved approval of the minutes of May 24 , 1978 with the above corrections. K. Duffy seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS Meeting 78-13 Page two A. Crosley referred the Board to the following Written Communi- cations: (1) a letter dated May 24 , 1978 from the Santa Clara County Intergovernmental Council urging tax bodies to cut their tax rates; (2) a letter dated May 27 , 1978 from Delbert J. Brad- ley, 21965 Arrowhead Lane, Cupertino, with observations on the possible effects of allowing dogs on open space preserves; (3) a letter dated May 31, 1978 from Edward E. Jaynes , 1071 White- bick Drive, San Jose and a letter dated June 2 , 1978 from Harry E. Aine, 2 Palo Alto Square, Palo Alto, alleging inappropriate behavior of a District employee; (4) a letter dated June 6 , 1978 from Doris and Rudy Brandon, 19966 Bernie Ridge , Saratoga, com- plimenting District sites and Ranger staff; (5) a letter from the Santa Clara County De-Anza Trek Reenactment group urging support for a historical trail in the San Francisco Bay Area; and (6) a mailgram from Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. , Sacramento, regarding state support in working with local agencies on the implementation of Proposition 13, including a communications center. H. Turner referred the Bradley letter to the Dog ordinance Committee stated that no response was necessary to the Governor Brown mailgram or the Intergovernmental Council letter, and referred the Brandon letter to staff. He stated the consensus that the letters from Jaynes and Aine be referred to H. Grench for reply. IV. ADOPTION OF AGENDA J. Olson said there would be an Informational Report from E. Mart on Patrol of District Lands following the Stanford item. N. Hanko said she had an Informational Report on the recent Palo Alto zoning decision. H. Turner stated the consensus that the agenda be adopted with those additions. V. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS Barry Block, 30610 Page Mill Road, Los Altos Hills , said he had called the staff member referred to in the letters from E. Jaynes and H. Aine because he wanted to know whether the alleged com- ments had been made. He said the staff member refused to answer his questions, stating that the conversation with Mr. Jaynes was confidential. He said he felt the Board should investigate the actions of its staff. Edward Jaynes , 1701 Whitebick, San Jose, said he did not want the Board to send any District employee to his office, as he felt he had been insulted. He also said he did not think it was proper for the Board to make his letter public, or to include a cover memorandum stating the employee's version of the conversa- tion. Meeting 78-13 Page three D. Wendin advised that it was the Board's policy to include all written communications in the packet of meeting materials sent to the press , absent extraordinary circumstances. He said he felt the Board had heard enough abusive allegations , and that complaints regarding an employee 's behavior should be addressed to the General Manager. R. Bishop said he felt including both letters and the memorandum was a fair and appropriate way of presenting both sides of the matter. N. Hanko stated that the Board had nothing whatsoever to do with the employee 's decision to meet with Mr. Jaynes, which was done at the employee 's initiative. Mark Schneider, 1759 Woodside Road, Redwood City, said he would have liked to have seen such outrage as the Board seems to feel now when actions were being taken on the Burns/Eldridge proper- ties. VI . OLD BUSINESS WITH ACTION REQUESTED II A. Extension of Escrow for the Stanford Property H. Turner relinquished the chair to Vice-President K. Duffy at 7 :57 P.M. and left the meeting for the duration of this agenda item. C. Britton introduced memorandum M-78-118 , dated June 8 , 1978 , requesting an Extension of Escrow for the Stanford Property, so that a written valuation analysis can be prepared and additional language inserted in the agreement. Since the Stanford Trustees do not convene again until September, he recommended the exten- sion be approved through September 29 , 1978 . Motion: B. Green moved to extend the closing of escrow for the Stanford property until September 29 , 1978 . D. Wendin seconded the motion. Discussion: G. Jennings said it was his observation that all the activity associated with this property has been generated by one property owner who wants to increase the price of his property. He noted that Stanford has a habit of being in an adversary position. R. Mark said he felt another extension was a mistake and stated he was not pleased about it. D. Wendin expressed reluctance to grant the extension and said he hoped the matter would be worked out this time. B. Green and N. Hanko also stated they were not pleased to see the extension request. The motion passed on the following vote: AYES D. Wendin, R. Bishop, K, Duffy and B. Green; NO N. Hanko; ABSENT - H. Turner. Meeting 78-13 Page four K. Duffy relinquished the chair to President H. Turner at 8 :07 P.M. VII. NEW BUSINESS WITH NO ACTION REQUESTED A. Patrol and Maintenance of District Lands E. Mart described the activities and responsibilities of the District ranger staff. He pointed out that under the Public Resources Code, the District must provide adequate police and fire protection on its properties. Although District rangers are trained in fire fighting and as peace officers, other fire and police units in the area do much of this work. He said District rangers implement use and management plan recommenda- tions, including construction work. He added that District rangers are encouraged to work as generalists, able to provide a wide range of activities , such as interpretation, public contact, patrol , maintenance and construction. He said this structure is usually less bureaucratic than one which relies on specialization of each function. He said about 60-80% of patrol time is spent from Saratoga Gap to Foothills Preserve along Skyline Boulevard. He showed slides depicting typical ranger situations. N. Hanko said she was concerned about the level of police and fire protection available for the area in the event other jurisdictions remove their staff because of Proposition 13 . The meeting recessed at 8 :46 P.M. and reconvened at 9 :03 P.M. VIII. NEW BUSINESS WITH ACTION REQUESTED A. Coping with the Passage of Proposition 13 H. Grench introduced his memorandum (M-78-117) dated June 7, 1978 , which sets forth suggestions for Coping with the Passage of Proposition 13. He said he had attended a California Park and Recreation Society conference in Sacramento immediately following the June 6 election and had spoken with legislators about the distribution of tax revenues and State surplus funds. He said it appears the 1% of tax revenue would be distributed on a pro rata basis, and some surplus funds will be allocated over a one-year or two-year basis. He said he sent a letter to legislators from the District supporting the two-year con- cept, and recommending that the distribution formula be deter- mined by the legislature. He said he was trying for, but was not optimistic about getting, the District's unusual form of indebtedness covered under an emergency fund. He recommended that the Board approve the interim course of action set forth in his memo, including (a) assigning the responsibility of following State legislation to the Legislative Committee; (b) Meeting 78-13 Page five assign the responsibility of developing proposed policies and a budget to the staff, to be reviewed by the Budget Committee; (c) adopt an interim spending plan to apply between now and when the Legislature acts , including a hiring freeze, deferral of capital improvements and services and supplies , except when approved by the General Manager for safe operations, and the acquisition of land under only special circumstances; and (d) reaffirm Board authorization of public safety items already approved. H. Turner stated the consensus that the recommendations con- tained in the General Manager' s memorandum be implemented . IX. INFORMATIONAL REPORTS A. Status of State College Site Bill H. Grench said an amended bill was being prepared for resubmis- sion to Committee which would offer the State College Site to the District and County at a price of about $2 .3 million, the appraised value as of a couple of years ago. He said there was also a possibility of applying for Land and Water Conservation Fund grant money to help purchase the site. B. Palo Alto Zoning Decision N. Hanko reported that the Palo Alto City Council had recently approved the continuation of the OS zone for District lands , as well as other lands not owned by the District. X. CLAIMS Motion: R. Bishop moved approval of the revised claims (C-78- 11) dated June 14 , 1978 , as presented. D. Wendin seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously, with N. Hanko abstaining from Claim No. 983. XI. EXECUTIVE SESSION The Board recessed to Executive Session at 9 : 57 P.M. to discuss land negotiations. XII. ADJOURNMENT The Board reconvened to adjourn at 11 :50 P.M. Anne Cathcart Crosley District Clerk I i I I A. Minutes of June 14 , 1978 E. Shelley requested that the minutes reflect he was absent from the vote in the motion on page three. I K. Duffy requested striking "1% of" and inserting the word "property" before "tax revenue" on page four, line seven under item VIII. Motion: N. Hanko moved approval of the June 14 ,, 1978 as amended. R. Bishop seconded ethe fmotion. The motion passed unanimously. i I I