HomeMy Public PortalAbout19940323 - Minutes - Board of Directors (BOD) Open Space
MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT
Meeting 94-10
REGULAR MEETING
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
March 23, 1994
MINUTES
I. ROLL CALL
Vice-President P. Siemens called the meeting to order at 6:00 P.M.
Members Present: Pete Siemens, Robert McKibbin, Nonette Hanko, Betsy Crowder, Wim de
Wit and Teena Henshaw.
Members Absent: Ginny Babbitt.
Personnel Present: Craig Britton and Jean Fiddes.
II. CLOSED SESSION
for The Board recessed to closed session at 6:00 P.M. f personnel matters.
The Board reconvened for the public portion of the meeting at 7:43 P.M. Vice-President P.
Siemens announced the Board convened into closed session to discuss the issues interviewing and
hiring of a new attorney. He reported the Board has not made any decision other than by
consensus to close the application date and that the Board expects to make a decision by the
second meeting in April.
T. Henshaw was present for only the initial closed session portion of the meeting.
Additional Personnel Present: Jean Fiddes, Randy Anderson, John Escobar, Malcolm Smith,
Michael Foster, Stanley Norton and Susan Dale.
III. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
Harry Haeussler, 1094 Highland Circle, Los Altos, commented on the improvement in the
meeting sessions since C. Britton began as Acting General Manager and expressed his support for
C. Britton's appointment as General Manager.
IV. ADOPTION OF AGENDA
P. Siemens said the agenda was adopted by Board consensus.
V. ADOPTION OF CONSENT CALENDAR
B. Crowder requested the removal from the Consent Calendar of the March 9 minutes and the
response to the written communication from Donna and Darwin Poulos.
330 Distel Circle. * Los Altos, California 94022-1404 * Phone: 41 5-691-1200 m FAX: 415-691-0485
Board of Drredors:Pete Siernew art Mckibbin,Teeny Henshaw,Ginny Babbitt,Nonette' s Betsy Crowder,Wim de Wit
General Manager:L.Craig Britton
Meeting 94-10 Page 2
Motion: W. de Wit moved that the Board adopt the consent calendar including approval of
minutes of March 14, 1994; adoption of Action Plan for the Implementation of the
Basic Policy of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District for the 1994-1995
Fiscal Year; approval of the Annual Claims List for Fiscal Year 1994-1995; and
approval of the Revised Claims 94-06. R. McKibbin seconded the motion. The
motion passed 5 to 0.
V1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
March 9, 1994
Referring to Informational Reports, B. Crowder said the correct spelling of Phillip Cohen's first
name is Phillippe.
Motion: N. Hanko moved that the Board approve the minutes of March 9, 1994 as corrected.
R. McKibbin seconded the motion. The motion passed 5 to 0.
VII. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
B. Crowder requested the second sentence in the second paragraph in the response letter to
Donna and Darwin Poulos, 1425 Highland View Court, Los Altos, be changed to read, "The
District has long been contributing to Deer Hollow by leasing the site to the city free of charge
and by providing cooperative maintenance."
Motion: W. de Wit moved that the Board approve the Written Communication as amended.
R. McKibbin seconded the motion. The motion passed 5 to 0.
i
VII1. BOARD BUSINESS
A. 1994 1995 Salary Range Adjustment for the District's Office, Supervisory, and
Management Staff (Report R-94-35J
C. Britton reported that the 1994 salary survey data reflects that the majority of surveyed
agencies have not yet determined 1994 cost of living adjustments (COLAs) but, those that
have, have increased ranges by 0% to 3.5%. He said the CPI index data shows a 1.3%
r o and a 1.0% change for the urban wage earners
h e for all urban consumers category g
g g rY
the Jose area and t that he
a San
and clerical workers category in
recommends a 2.5% across-the-board cost-of-living salary adjustment effective April 1,
1994 for office, supervisory and management staff.
Motion: B. Crowder moved that the Board approve the 1994-1995 salary pay plan,
including a 2.5% salary range adjustment for the District's office, supervisory,
and management staff. R. McKibbin seconded the motion. The motion
passed 5 to 0.
B. Acceptance of Insurance Coverage for 1994-1995 (Report 94-40)
J. Fiddes reported that the District's insurance broker, Flinn, Gray & Herterich, submitted
a bid package for auto, umbrella liability, public entity errors and omissions coverage, and
fidelity bond insurance coverage totaling $138,950. She said the total is $334 less than the
1993-1994 insurance premiums. She added that staff will do a thorough analysis of the
District's overall insurance program in the coming year and will report back to the Board.
i
Meeting 94-10 Page 3
Skip McIntyre of Flinn, Gray & Herterich said premiums are down because the District has
been loss-free in the past year and has an exceptional risk management program.
Motion: R. McKibbin moved that the Board accept the package (property and general
liability), auto, umbrella liability, public entity errors and omissions coverage,
and fidelity bond insurance coverage bid totalling $138,950 from Flinn, Gray
& Herterich based on the quotations from CIGNA, General Accident,
Fireman's Fund, Swett & Crawford, and Chubb for the period of April 1,
1994 through March 31, 1995. B. Crowder seconded the motion. The motion
passed 5 to 0.
C. Adoption of Budget for Fiscal Year 1994-1995 (Report R-94-34)
C. Britton noted that the Board had reviewed the proposed budget at its March 9 meeting
and that there had been no changes or additional comments. He said that staff proposed
filling the second, regular full-time planning technician position effective April 1.
Motion: R. McKibbin moved that the Board adopt Resolution 94-14, a Resolution of
the Board of Directors of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District
Adopting the Budget for Fiscal Year 1994-1995. N. Hanko seconded the
motion. The motion passed 5 to 0.
Motion: R. McKibbin moved that the Board authorize the filling of the second, regular
full-time planning technician position effective April 1, 1994. N. Hanko
seconded the motion. The motion passed 5 to 0.
M. Foster, the District's Controller, presented long-term cash flow projections covering
four different assumptions of revenue and operating expense growth, and the amount of
funding available for land purchases during the period 1994-2004 under each set of
assumptions. He concluded that if CALPAW'94 is not approved and no other significant
source of new revenue is found, the continuation of a meaningful land acquisition program
would be dependent upon tight control of operating expense growth. He said that
CALPAW's passage has a significantly favorable impact on the District's financial model,
not only funding $60 million of near-term acquisitions, but allowing the District to store its
excess debt capacity until the end of the decade resulting in a healthy, steady, manageable
acquisition program.
R
D. Appointment of Auditor for 1993 19?4 Fiscal Year ( cvort R- 4- 8 a ,)
M. Foster said that Deloitte and Touche has served as the District's auditors for the last
fifteen years. He said that the estimated fee of $11,250 is about 40-50% below their
normal fees. He noted that different staff from Deloitte and Touche conduct the audit each
year.
Motion: N. Hanko moved that the Board appoint Deloitte and Touche as the District's
auditors for the fiscal year 1993-1994. R. McKibbin seconded the motion.
The motion passed 5 to 0.
Meeting 94-10 Page 4
E. Adoption of Revised Employee (Ranger) Residence Policies (Report R-94-37
J. Escobar reviewed the reasons for revising the District's residence policies. He said that
after the Board's adoption of the Employee Residence Policies, the General Manager will
approve administrative guidelines for the residence program.
Motion: B. Crowder moved that the Board adopt the Employee Residence Policies. R.
McKibbin seconded the motion. The motion passed 5 to 0.
F. Revision of District's Rules of Procedure to Incorporate Brown Act Changes (Report R-94
DJ
C. Britton reported that on April 1, 1994 legislation becomes effective that makes a number
of substantive changes to the Brown Act and that the District's Rules of Procedure require
amendment to reflect the changes. He stated that a mini-workshop/study session is being
planned to brief the Board on these changes in more detail.
P. Siemens suggested an appendix attached to the Rules of Procedure would be helpful in
understanding exactly what is required for agenda formats, closed sessions, etc. C. Britton
said the Board's new legal counsel could be assigned the project.
Motion: N. Hanko moved that the Board adopt Resolution 94-15, a Resolution of the
Board of Directors of the Midpeninsula, Regional Open Space District
Amending the District's Rules of Procedure. B. Crowder seconded the
motion. The motion passed 5 to 0.
Ix. IN-FORMATIONAL REPORTS
R. McKibbin requested a report on legislative status, and C. Britton responded that he talks with
R. Heim weekly and will keep the Board informed of activities in Sacramento. He said there
have not been any meaningful debates to date on the State's budget.
R. Anderson reported that the District was awarded a $132,000 grant to improve public access at
Windy Hill Open Space Preserve from the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
J. Escobar reported there were three bicycle accidents on District preserves and two resulted in
broken shoulders. He said the accidents occurred at St. Joseph's, Sierra Azul, and Fremont
Older Open Space Preserves.
M. Smith reported that a VIP tour for Santa Clara County officials was planned for Saturday,
May 14 and the Board confirmed that date. He said all Board members were invited to attend
and it would be a noticed meeting.
C. Britton distributed a staff activities memo and an action plan and workshop calendar. He said
a Board workshop on acquisition preservation methods will be held on May 18 at 7:30 P.M. C.
Britton reported that he and M. Smith attended a CALPAW meeting and presented a map, which
was produced by the Bay Area Open Space Council, that will be included in a campaign mailing.
He said he and M. Smith volunteered at a CALPAW '94 phone bank.
Meeting 94-10 Page 5
C. Britton reported that he received a letter from Patrick Sanchez of San Mateo County regarding
a joint meeting with the Parks and Recreation Commission to discuss the San Francisco
watershed, designation of trails for bicycle use, and funding. C. Britton said that he and M.
Smith will meet with Tom Campbell on April 1, and B. Crowder, P. Siemens, and R. McKibbin
said they would like to attend. C. Britton said that if there are no Board objections the hiring
process will begin for the unfilled, budgeted Land Acquisition Secretary position. There were no
objections expressed.
X. CLOSED SESSION
C. Britton announced that land negotiation matters to be discussed in Closed Session were a
portion of Santa Clara County Assessor's Parcel Number 537-02-08 owned by California
Province of the Society of Jesus. He said the subject of discussion included price, terms, and
conditions. He said the perfection of interest in Santa Clara County Assessor's Parcel Number
562-06-018 owned by Mid peninsula Regional Open Space District with equitable interest claimed
by Harlan Failer would also be discussed and the discussion would include price, terms, and
conditions. The Board recessed to Closed Session at 9:30 P.M.
X1. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 9:50 P.M.
Susan Dale
Recording Secretary