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
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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.
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