HomeMy Public PortalAbout19870603 - Minutes - Board of Directors (BOD) V Meeting 87-13
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MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT
SPECIAL MEETING
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
JUNE 3 , 1987
MINUTES
I. ROLL CALL
President Richard Bishop called the meeting to order at 7 :02 P.M.
Members Present: Katherine Duffy, Richard Bishop, Edward Shelley,
Daniel Wendin , and Teena Henshaw.
Members Absent: Nonette Hanko and Gerry Andeen.
Personnel Present: Herbert Grench, Craig Britton, David Hansen, Jean
Fiddes , Mary Hale, Michael Foster, James Boland, Del Woods , Dennis
Danielson, David Sanguinetti, David Camp, Mary Gundert , and Emma Johnson.
II . CLOSED SESSION
The Board recessed to Closed Session to conduct the performance evalua-
tion for the District' s Controller, M. Foster. The Board reconvened at
7 : 35 P.M.
III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
May 13 , 1987
Motion: T. Henshaw moved that the Board approve the minutes of May 13 ,
1987 . K. Duffy seconded the motion. The motion passed 4 to 0 ,
with E. Shelley abstaining because he was absent from the
meeting.
May 20 , 1987
Motion: D. Wendin moved that the Board approve the minutes of May 20 ,
1987. E. Shelley seconded the motion. The motion passed 5 to 0 .
IV. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
E. Johnson reported that the Board had received the following written
communications :
1) a letter dated May 20 , 1987 from Jim Pellegrin, 15804 Longwood
Drive, Los Gatos requesting that the Board consider acquiring 49
acres of available open space land in Saratoga;,
2) a letter dated May 6 , 1987 from Jim Warren, 345 Swett Road, Woodside
calling the District ' s attention to low-flying aircraft in the Skyline
area;
3) a letter dated May 10 , 1987 from Dick Mallory of Cupertino, W.J. Levey
of Sunnyvale , Thomasene Dutton of Cupertino, and another individual
(name illegible) from Sunnyvale urging the District to keep Rancho
San Antonio Preserve more primitive than it is becoming ; and
4) a letter dated April 21 , inadvertently 'Omitted from the previous
meeting's Written Communications , from Bob Fisse , Star Route 2 ,
Box 402 , La Honda, regarding the Brown Act.
R. Bishop noted that Mr. Fisse had attended the previous meeting and
that a letter explaining the oversight had been sent him.
Meeting 87-13 Page two
R. Bishop requested that staff send the proposed reply to Mr. Pellegrin.
K. Duffy said she had talked with the Director of the Saratoga Community
Gardens regarding the property referred to in Mr. Pellegrin's letter and
requested that a copy of the response to him be sent to that person as
well.
D. Hansen noted that there had been no complaints about low flying air-
craft from preserve users, and that Rangers have not been aware of any
problems. R. Bishop requested that J. Warren's letter be acknowledged
by staff.
R. Bishop requested that staff acknowledge the letter regarding Rancho
San Antonio and that the individuals be encouraged to participate in
the planning process for the site when it is on the Board' s meeting
agenda. D. Woods reported that the individuals who had signed the letter
had been invited to attend the Trails Council meeting at which Rancho
San Antonio was to be discussed.
V. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
Jobst Brandt, 351 Middlefield, Palo Alto called the Board' s attention
to what he felt were poor conditions of trails in lower Purisima Creek
Preserve because of the intense use by equestrians, especially on a loop
trail into the Preserve from a nearby stable. D. Hansen responded that
staff had met with the owner of Rancho Canada Verde Stables in May ..to
discuss the possibility of rerouting the horse traffic off Purisima
Creek Road. They expressed a willingness to volunteer time and labor
in trail repairs .
E. Shelley asked if there is a District policy regarding use of District
lands by nearby commercial entities. D. Hansen responded that there
is none, but staff plans to consider it. D. Woods added that Garrod
stables have participated in maintaining trails that their members use .
VI . BOARD BUSINESS
A. Comprehensive Use and Management Plan Review for Los Trancos Open
Space Preserve (Report R-87-80 of May 26 , 1987)
D. Hansen said that the Preserve continues to be well used and is
one of the most popular District preserves . He said staff recommends
using a pedestrian traffic counter to get more accurate visitor use
information.
He said additional recommendations include rerouting a section of
the earthquake trail and closing the trail to bicycle traffic; con-
struction of a connecting trail between the Page Mill Trail and
Palo Alto Foothills Park; reseeding certain areas ; and trimming
eucalyptus trees along a portion of the Page Mill Road boundary.
D. Hansen added that staff will investigate the possibility of the
District' s gate being on neighboring property and relocate the
gate if necessary.
D. Woods showed slides illustrating the areas where rerouting and
reseeding are proposed, where boundary questions have arisen,
and the eucalyptus trees that require trimming. D. Woods also
noted that numbers six through nine in the Special Projects and
Maintenance section of Attachment Two should have been in the
Projected Fiscal Year 1987-1988 columns.
R. Bishop suggested that directional signs be posted to educate
bikers as to permissible trails and convenient parking.
Meeting 87-13 Page three
Motion: E. Shelley moved that the Board tentatively adopt the
Revised Use and Management Plan for Los Trancos Open Space
Preserve contained in the staff report. T. Henshaw seconded
the motion. The motion passed 5 to 0 .
B. Presentation of Preliminary Budget for Fiscal Year 1987-1988
a) General Manager' s Report (Report R-87-79 of May 26 , 1987)
H. Grench noted that the proposed budget was being presented as an
informational item at this time and that staff would return to
request formal budget adoption on June 10 . He said key elements
are a continued strong acquisition program, increased level of
site stewardship, continuation of public access improvements, and
increased public .
communications related to increases in public aware-
ness of the District.
C. Britton reviewed the Open Space Acquisition budget, noting that
new revenues for acquisition are budgeted at $2 . 95 million, excluding
any new note issues in fiscal year 1987-1988 and carryover of re-
serves, with expenses related to acquisition such as appraisals,
escrow and legal fees , and site engineering budgeted at $83 ,000 .
He said that debt service is budgeted at $3 . 4 million and that other
expenditures for the Program total $356 , 750. He said the Enterprise
Subprogram's 1987-1988 proposed budget is $28 ,600.
D. Hansen said the Open Space Management Program's budget reflects
resolution of pending issues , pushing for completion of existing
capital improvement projects , and increased resource protection.
He said the total Open Space Management Program budget reflects a
$4,000 increase over the 1986-1987 expenditures . He said the pro-
posed budget falls within the long-range projections formulated by
staff, is consistent with the Controller's long range financial
projections , and follows the proposed staffing projections outlined
in the Five Year Staffing Plan presented to the Board last year.
D. Hansen said the net costs to the District of the Open Space
Management Program is budgeted at $1, 741,300.
M. Hale reported that the Communications Program proposed budget is
$210 ,050 , with $61,600 designated for printed material which will
be emphasized in the coming fiscal year.
J. Fiddes said that the proposed $570 ,050 General Management and
Program Support budget is primarily a status quo budget. She said
the figure includes expenditures for office rental fees, salaries
and benefits, office support items and supplies , and the unique
inclusion of $15 ,000 for possible election expenses and $30 , 000 for
a new copying machine if it is determined necessary.
b) Controller's Report on the Proposed Fiscal Year 1987-1988 Budget
(Report R-87-83 of May 28 , 1987)
M. Foster reported that the District' s cash position was adequate
to cover debt service, operating expenses , site development, year-
end reserve requirements and $10 million for new land acquisition.
He said that projected high priority acquisitions between July and
November indicate the need for short-term borrowing due to minimal
revenue during that period.
c) Presentation of Salary Survey Data (Report R-87-82 of May 26,
1987)
H. Grench said that the survey data was being presented as an infor-
mational item and that recommended salary adjustments would be
presented to the Board as soon as possible after staff completes its
review process of the benefit package .
Meeting 87-13 Page four
J. Fiddes reviewed the survey results from eight public agencies
and ricted that salary information from the private sector was
not yet available.
E. Shelley asked if a mechanism had been established to address
salary changes for Board appointees. R. Bishop said the entire
Board should consider the matter at a future meeting.
d) Proposed Budget for 1987-1988 Fiscal Year (R-87-81 of May 27,
1987)
K. Duffy presented the Budget Committee' s report and noted that
the Open Space Management Budget Committee was in the process of
reviewing the Five Year Staffing Plan and budget guidelines for the
Open Space Management program.
D. Wendin, member of the Open Space Management Budget Committee,
said that the budget reflects the work on the Five Year Staffing Plan
that will be completed by the Committee , and that the Committee
wanted to ensure that the budget reflects reality.
E. Shelley said that if significant changes than what was presented
to the Budget Committee occur in the budget due to salary changes ,
the budget should go back to the Budget Committee for review.
Kathy Kennedy-Miller, 16222 Skyline Boulevard, Woodside , suggested
that the budget contain year to year comparisons for a better under-
standing, and D. Wendin agreed with Ms . Kennedy-Miller. E. Shelley
noted that this comparative review was done at the Budget Committee
level. D. Wendin stated that the report should ideally compare
last year to the new year, at least at the summary level and
recommended it be done in future budgets.
C. Appointment of Auditor for 1986-1987 Fiscal Year (Report R-87-75
of May 18 , 1987)
M. Foster said that Deloitte , Haskins and Sells has served as the
District's auditors for the last eight years and he recommends
that they be appointed by the Board for the fiscal year 1986-1987
audit. He said their estimated fee was $7000.
Motion: E. Shelley moved that the Board appoint Deloitte , Haskins
and Sells as the District's auditors for the fiscal year
1986-1987 . K. Duffy seconded the motion. The motion
passed 5 to 0.
D. Proposed Annexation of Certain District Lands in San Mateo County
(Report R-87-76 of May 20 , 1987)
H. Grench said that the Board had previously passed resolutions
to initiate annexation of certain lands in San Mateo County, but
the process had been halted before the procedure was complete. He
proposed that new annexation proceedings be started for the land
that is owned by the District in fee. He said that the annexation
is consistent with the Board-adopted annexation policy and that the
proposed annexations are within the District 's Sphere of Influence
and within San Mateo County. He noted that District property in
the Portola Park Heights area was not included in this proposal.
Motion: K. Duffy moved that the Board adopt Resolution 87-16 , a
Resolution of the Board of Directors of the Midpeninsula
Regional Open Space District Requesting Initiation of
Annexation Procedures by the Santa Clara County Local
Meeting 87-13 Page five
Agency Formation Commission (Midpeninsula Preserves 1987A) .
T. Henshaw seconded the motion. The motion passed 5 to 0 .
E. Award of Contract for Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve
Public Access Improvements Project (Report R-87-77 of May 25 , 1987)
D. Hansen said that staff received bids from four contractors for
construction of two parking lots at Purisima Creek Redwoods Open
Space Preserve and that R. J. Bragato, Inc. of Belmont was the
lowest bidder. He said the whole access trail will be open when
the parking lot is completed.
Motion: D. Wendin moved that the Board accept the bid of
$51 ,219 . 80 for the Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Pre-
serve Public Access Improvement Project from R.J. Bragato,
Inc. and authorize the General Manager to enter into con-
tract for performance of the work. E. Shelley seconded
the motion. The motion passed 5 to 0.
F. Request to Re-Award Dump Truck Contract (Report R-87-78 of May 26 ,
1987)
D. Hansen reported that Towne Ford, the firm previously awarded
the dump truck contract, was unable to deliver the vehicle as speci-
fied. He recommended that the Board cancel the purchase arrangement
with Towne Ford and re-award the contract for the dump truck pur-
chase to Mission Valley Ford of San Jose at a total cost of
$22 ,532. 06.
Motion: E. Shelley moved that the Board cancel the dump truck
purchase arrangement with Towne Ford because of failure
to deliver and authorize the General Manager to award
the contract for the dump truck purchase to Mission Valley
Ford of San Jose for a total cost of $22 ,532. 06 . K. Duffy
seconded the motion. The motion passed 5 to 0 .
VII. INFORMATIONAL REPORTS
H. Grench reported that "Treasures of the Greenbelt" will be shown on
television in the next two months .
H. Grench said that he would postpone reporting on the Special Parks
District Forum that he and G. Andeen had attended until G. Andeen was
present. He added that it was an excellent conference.
D. Hansen said that staff had contacted Ruth Troetchler regarding the
use of systemic herbicides to remove thistles at Russian Ridge Open
Space Preserve and that she felt there was no hazard to the environment
or users. He said that staff will proceed with the experiment and will
report to the Board on the results.
D. Wendin asked if staff is considering closure of preserves due to
fire danger. D. Hansen replied that closures are considered on a daily
basis depending on factors such as temperatures. J. Boland added that
the California Department of Forestry ' s program is based on a graduated
scale based on humidity and wind velocity, and that in Phase Three the
District would close preserves.
R. Bishop reported that he had met with Marion Softky of Committee for
Green Foothills and told her of the Hassler Use and Management Plan
review that is to be considered by the Board in the near future.
Meeting 87-13 Page six
K. Duffy, referring to the letter from Donna Harris commending Super-
vising Ranger David Camp, said that she has heard from frequent open
space users who have praised the field staff.
VIII . CLAIMS
Motion : E. Shelley moved that the Board approve Revised Claims 87-11
T. Henshaw seconded the motion. The motion passed 5 to 0.
IX. CLOSED SESSION
H. Grench said that litigation matters to be discussed in Closed Session
fell under Subdivision 54956 . 9 of the Government Code. The Board
recessed to Closed Session at 9 :37 P .M.
X. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 12 :02 A.M. , June 4 , 1987 .
Emma Johnson
Secretary