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HomeMy Public PortalAbout19930310 - Minutes - Board of Directors (BOD) Open Space ------------­-- MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT Meeting 93-06 REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS March 10, 1993 MINUTES I. ROLL CALL President Betsy Crowder called the meeting to order at 7:30 P.M. Members Present: Ginny Babbitt, Betsy Crowder,- Wim de Wit, Nonette Hanko, Teena Henshaw, Robert McKibbin, and Pete Siemens. Personnel Present: Craig Britton, Jean Fiddes, Randy Anderson, John Escobar, Malcolm Smith, Stanley Norton and Deborah Zucker. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS H. Hauessler, 1094 Highland Circle, Los Altos, requested that the agenda items on Approval of Agreement with Herbert Grench and 1992-1993 Salary Recommendations for Board Appointees be removed from the consent calendar. ADOPTION OF AGENDA C. Britton requested that the minutes of February 10, 1993 be added to the agenda for approval on the consent calendar. B. Crowder stated that the agenda was adopted by Board consensus. IV. ADOPTION OF CONSENT CALENDAR The following additional requests were made to remove items from the consent calendar: N. Hanko -,removal of Approval of Agreement with Herbert Grench; R. Anderson - removal of Applications for Transportation Enhancement Funds (ISTEA) for the Saratoga Summit Gateway Acquisition and Sierra Azul Staging Area Projects from the Consent Calendar; and G. Babbitt - removal of the written communication from Wendy B. Prufer. Motion: N. Hanko moved that the Board adopt the consent calendar, including approval of minutes of February 10, 1993 and February 17, 1993 meetings; approval of lead open space technician job classification, job specification for the full-time position, salary range of step number 209 to 234 with corresponding salary of $2,258 to $2,896, and staff authorization to fill two lead open space technician positions; adoption of Resolution 93-06, a Resolution of the Board of Directors of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Authorizing the Department of General Services Administration of the State of California to Purchase Certain Items for the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, and authorization to purchase of one full-size patrol truck and one mini pick-up Open Space . . . for room to breathe 20th Anniversary - 1972-1992 730 Distel Circle - Los Altos, California 94022-1404 Phone: 41.5-691-1200 - FAX: 415-691-0485 & Geoeraf,",in,yger:Herbert Grench Board ofDirectors:Pete Siemens,Robert McKibbin, reena f Ion shaw,Ginny Babbitt,No nette H a nko,Betsy Crowder,Win i de Wit Meeting 93-06 Page 2 truck for a total cost of$32,000; and approval of Revised Claims 93-04. P. Siemens seconded the motion. The motion passed 7 to 0. V. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS G. Babbitt recommended that patrol hours be added to the response letter to Ms. Prufer. V1. BOARD BUSINESS A. Approval of Agreement with Herbert Grench (Report R-9L& For the record N. Hanko stated that the agreement was a personnel item and had been under discussion in closed session for four months. She said that Board members, R. McKibbin, B. Crowder, and P. Siemens worked diligently through the negotiations to come to this agreement. Harry Hauessler stated that the retirement package should have been discussed at a public meeting prior to finalizing the agreement, and expressed his objection to the item being placed on the consent calendar and to the terms of the agreement. Harry Block of Los Altos Hills, and Richard Geiger, of Palo Alto, also expressed their objections to the terms of the agreement. B. Crowder stated that the agreement, as a personnel matter, had been discussed in closed session with the approval of District counsel. S. Norton stated that discussion of the status of the general manager of the district was the highest form of confidential discussion by the Board protected by the Brown Act. B. Crowder stated that the terms of the agreement were made between the Board and H. Grench and that the terms were consistent with other similar agreements made between agencies and long-time employees. P. Siemens said that the agreement was not inconsistent with other agreements made by other agencies in the area and that he thought the consulting agreement with H. Grench was reasonable. Motion: W. de Wit moved that the Board adopt Resolution 93-07, a Resolution of the Board of Directors of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Approving, Ratifying and Confirming Agreement Between Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District and Herbert Grench. T. Henshaw seconded the motion. The motion passed 7 to 0. B. 1992-1993 Salary Recommendations for Board Appointees (Report R-93-38) B. Crowder stated that the 1992-1993 Budget Committee was recommending that the Board approve a freeze on the salaries of the general manager, controller, and legal counsel for the 1992-1993 fiscal year. j Motion: R. McKibbin moved that the Board approve a freeze on the salaries of the general manager, controller, and legal counsel for the fiscal year 1992-1993. Meeting 93-06 Page 3 P. Siemens seconded the motion. The motion passed 7 to 0. C. Preliminary Action Plan for the Implementation of the Basic Policy of Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District for the 1993-1994 Fiscal Year (Report 93-32) C. Britton stated that the preliminary action plan had been previously reviewed by the Board and would be presented to the Board for final approval at the March 24 meeting. G. Babbitt recommended that the words "lower priority" be deleted from the second key project and activity in the Negotiations and Special Projects Subprogram. She also recommended that the sixth item in the listing of other typical projects and activities for the Negotiations and Special Projects Subprogram dealing with exploring additional methods to protect open space lands for less than the total cost of fee acquisition become the subprogram's fourth key project and activity. D. Presentation of the Budget for Fiscal Year 1993-1994 (Report R-93-39), Controller's Report on the Proposed Fiscal Year 1993-1994 Budget eport R-93-33); and Budget Committee Report for Fiscal Year 1993-1994 (Report R-93-40� C. Britton gave an overview of the proposed budget, noting that the Budget Committee had directed staff to use last year's reduced operating budget figure of $4.5 million as a target figure for the 1993-1994 operating budget. He said that this was an "interim" budget pending the outcome of the state budget crisis and that the budget would be presented for Board adoption at the March 24 meeting. R. McKibbin stated that the 1992-1993 operating budget had actually been cut 18 per cent from $5.5 million to $4.5 million. C. Britton, R. Anderson, J. Escobar, M. Smith, and J. Fiddes briefed the Board on the highlights of the proposed budgets for their respective programs. R. Anderson stated that the largest of the planning projects included in the budget was the Rancho San Antonio field office. He said that the project would be brought to the point of readiness to go to bid and that it would be on hold until the state budget was approved. In response to a question from R. McKibbin, R. Anderson stated that funding was included for a new entry sign at Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve. J. Escobar stated that the operations service and supplies budget did not include a contingency for unanticipated problems and that after the seasons' storm damage was assessed the Board might be requested to approve additional funds. M. Smith said that the public affairs program budget represented a seven per cent increase over last year's budget. He stated that the budget did not include the costs associated with a potential funding measure and that the Board would need to consider those costs at the time it decided to go forward with such a measure. I J. Fiddes said that cost of living increases for general manager appointees were not J, Meeting 93-06 Page 4 included in the budget t and that the Distri ct had a tent ative agreement to defer contract negotiations with Local 715 until the state budget was approved. She stated that the salary incentive awards program included in the budget might be placed on hold if the state budget funds were reduced. E. Informational Report on Longterm Funding_ tions eport R 93 41) M. Smith presented an update on the local funding measures proposed for the year. He said that the report also included information about the failure of other funding measures and that for a District funding measure to succeed it would be necessary to incur costs for adequate polling and consulting. N. Hanko requested that the Finance Committee be apprised of additional funding measure activities throughout the District. F. Applications for Transportation Enhancement Funds aSTEA) for the Saratoga Summit Gateway Acquisition and Sierra Azul Staging Area Projects Report R 93 37) R. Anderson stated that the District probably would not meet the April round of funding deadlines for the Saratoga Gateway project because staff had not received necessary information from CalTrans. He said the project might be submitted in August. He briefed the Board on the amount of District matching funds that would be necessary for the projects. Motion: R. McKibbin moved that the Board adopt Resolution 93-08, a Resolution of the Board of Directors of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Approving the Application for Funds for the Transportation Enhancement Activities Program Under the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 for the Following Project: Saratoga Summit Gateway Acquisition Project, and Resolution 93-09, a Resolution of the Board of Directors of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Approving the Application for Funds for the Transportation Enhancement Activities Program Under the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 for the Following Project: Sierra Azul Staging Area Project. P. Siemens seconded the motion. The motion passed 7 to 0. VII. INFORMATIONAL REPORTS G. Babbitt announced that the Board's volunteer recognition event would be April 18 and the docent recognition event would be May 22. T. Henshaw reported on her slide presentation for the Sunnyvale Lions Club and said that she would be making presentations to the Rotary and Kiwanis Clubs. R. McKibbin and C. Britton reported that their recent meeting and discussions in Sacramento with Ralph Heim and with the California Park and Recreation District legislative committee focused on legislation relating to funding measures. The Legislative Committee tentatively scheduled a meeting for Thursday, March 25. W. de Wit and P. Siemens reported on their attendance at the Special Districts Management Meeting 93-06 Page 5 conference in San Diego. W. de Wit briefed the Board on the meeting he, B. Crowder, N. Hanko, H. Grench, and C. Britton had had with Representative Anna Eschoo. B. Crowder said that she spoke to the Conservation Committee in Portola Valley and to the Menlo Park Rotary Club. She said she would be on a panel at the California Park and Recreation District Conference. C. Britton said he had met with Jerry Meral of Planning and Conservation League Foundation during his recent trip to Sacramento. He stated that in the meeting with Representative Anna Eschoo, H. Grench suggested the appropriation of funds from the interest on the Land and Water Conservation Fund and that Representative Eschoo would consider proposing legislation for that purpose. C. Britton added that Audrey Rust of Peninsula Open Space Trust has asked that the District participate in interim management of the Phleger property until the Golden Gate National Recreation Area accepts management responsibilities. He said that details of that participation would be outlined and presented to the Board at a later date. R. Anderson reported on the invasive vegetation management work being done by California Department of Forestry (CDF) work release program at Pulgas Ridge Open Space Preserve. He said that CDF and Central Fire had proposed a controlled bum project for the fall on a District preserve and he would report back to the Board when more details were available. J. Escobar reported on three accidents involving a runner at Rancho San Antonio Open Spare Preserve, a snow play related accident at Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve, and a bicycle accident at Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve. He briefed the Board on the disposal of toxic chemical defoliant left at La Honda Creek Open Space Preserve in 1990 and on the City of Mountain View beginning dispatching services for the District on May 1. J. Escobar also reported a recommendation from the uniform committee to change the color of field staff uniform pants to green and that uniform allowances would be used to replace brown pants. There was no objection to approve the recommendation from the members of the Board. Vill. CLOSED. SESSION The Board recessed to Closed Session on personnel matters at 9:17 P.M. IX. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 11:15 P.M. Deborah Zucker Recording Secretary