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HomeMy Public PortalAbout19940824 - Minutes - Board of Directors (BOD) Open Space MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT Meeting 94-23 REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS August 24, 1994 MINUTES I. ROLL CALL President Ginny Babbitt called the meeting to order at 7:30 P.M. Members Present: Pete Siemens, Bob McKibbin, Teena Henshaw; Ginny Babbitt, Betsy Crowder, and Wim de Wit. Member Absent: Nonette Hanko. Personnel Present: Craig Britton, Jean Fiddes, Malcolm Smith,John Escobar, Randy Anderson, Sue Schectman, Alice Cummings, and Emma Johnson. II. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS There were no oral communications. III. ADOPTION OF AGENDA Motion: T. Henshaw moved that the Board adopt the agenda. P. Siemens seconded the motion. The motion passed 6 to 0. IV. ADOPTION OF CONSENT CALENDAR B. Crowder noted that the draft responses by C. Bruins to written communications were exceptionally well done and that D. Woods' response to the City of Cupertino's Draft EIR Report on the Lands of Diocese of San Jose was excellent. G. Babbitt requested that the response to the letter from Marcia Johnson be amended to add a statement about the District's tree planting program. W. de Wit requested removal of revised claims 94-15 from the consent calendar. Motion: B. Crowder moved that the Board adopt the consent calendar including approving the minutes of July 27 and August 16, 1994 and approving draft responses to letters from Harry Haeussler, 1094 Highland Circle, Los Altos; Linda and Steve Stuckey, PO Box 1115, Cupertino; Cathy Vance, 20911 Locust Drive, Los Gatos; and B. Mai, 1729 Topeka Avenue, San Jose; P. Siemens seconded the motion. The motion passed 6 to 0. C. Britton reported that staff had received notice from Linda and Steve Stuckey that they had accepted the proposed road agreement for Fremont Older Open Space Preserve. 330 Distel Circle - Los Altos, C '" irnia 94022-1404 - Phone: 415-691-120" - FAX: 415-691-0485 Hoard of Oireo()r Pete Siemens,k A Kibbin,leena Henshaw,('11my Babbitt,Nonette Har tsv(rawder,Wim de Wit Meeting 94-23 Page 2 V. BOARD BUSINESS A. Consideration and Approval of Fiscal Year 1994-1995 Operating Budget Reductions and jAugmentations Including Authorization to Fill Certain Staff Positions CR=rt R-94-87� C. Britton said that, because Proposition 180 had failed and the uncertainty regarding what the legislature may do in January with the state budget, allocation of funds for the 1994-1995 fiscal year continues to be approached very conservatively. He said the proposed amended budget represents a net reduction of$265,950 from the current approved operating budget, and added that the Administration and Budget Committee had reviewed the reductions and augmentations and recommended that the Board consider the amended budget. C. Britton reviewed the acquisition program's proposed changes that reduced the current budget by $95,950. He said the Board is being asked to approve filling of the currently vacant real property representative position and a full-time secretarial position to be shared by the planning and acquisition departments, thereby leaving on approved secretarial position vacant. The land acquisition manager position would remain vacant at this time. J. Escobar noted the adjustments to the operations program's budget totaled $75,400. He said staff is requesting that the Board approve the filling of an additional ranger position that is budgeted for the current fiscal year. R. Anderson explained the planning program budget adjustments, with a net reduction of $143,650. He said there were reductions in capital improvement projects and salaries and benefits category, due to sharing a secretary with the acquisition program. M. Smith said the public affairs program's increased budget reflects the cost of mailing a new visitors map to each household in the District, noting that the project is consistent with the action plan approved by the Board. He said the mailing will be done in phases. T. Henshaw suggested that the first mailing be made in January after the election and holiday mail period and that a sampling distribution be made to determine the impact of the map on increased visits to District preserves. M. Smith showed a draft of the new visitors' map, and members of the Board and public commented on the draft. J. Fiddes noted that the administration program budget adjustments total a net reduction of $26,650. Motion: B. Crowder moved that the Board approve the filling of the real property representative position, one secretarial position, and one new full-time ranger position; approve the budget adjustments presented in the staff report, and adopt Resolution 94-31, a Resolution of the Board of Directors of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Amending Budget for Fiscal Year 1994-1995. R. McKibbin seconded the motion. The motion passed 6 to 0. B. Informational Report on Ongoing and Pending Resource Management Proiects on District Preserves and Status of Resource Management Planning Process (Report R-94-86) A. Cummings showed slides of current resource management projects including restoration of native plants at Pulgas Ridge, cattail burn at Alpine Pond, willow reintroduction at Horseshoe Reservoir parking lot, oak mitigation project at St. Joseph's Hill Open Space Preserve, restoration of Ravenswood wetland, thistle control and revegetation of the former eucalyptus area at Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve, and volunteer resource management I I I Meeting 94-23 Page 3 projects. R. Anderson reviewed current and future resource management planning activities including resource management policies, now being revised after public and staff workshop input; a checklist identifying threats to preserve resources that is drafted, pending staff review; format for preserve management plans; categories/zones for resource protection; management plan for El Corte de Madera Open Space Preserve; list of resource management projects suitable for volunteers; evaluation of site for dog access that is planned following recommendations of Board after consideration of Dog Committee report; system for identifying, prioritizing, and scheduling resource management projects that will follow development of resource management checklist; future catalogue of sites needing restoration; and possible future need for a resource management project coordinator. B. Crowder and P. Siemens commented on the large amount of volunteer efforts in behalf of resource planning. i VI. INFORMATIONAL REPORTS C. Britton said that included in the Board's informational packet is a copy of a memo he had distributed to staff on the results of the public survey done on public awareness and perception and a copy of the response to Cupertino's Draft EIR for Lands of the Diocese of San Jose, which D. Woods drafted. He continued that the District will write a letter to the Town of Portola Valley asking them to delay utility line undergrounding until there is general undergrounding along Portola Road. He reported that Ralph Brown, formerly of POST, had tragically died. C. Britton said that there will be no park bond acts on the November ballot and that the Gann initiative for a constitutional amendment requiring a 2/3 vote on all increased debt and taxes, other than property taxes, did not qualify for the ballot. He said that staff is inviting candidates for the Board to a briefingon the District and the Fair Political Practice Act on September 7 at 7:00 p.m. P P and a field trip to District sites on September 17. He said he and M. Smith made a presentation to the Los Altos Parks and Recreation Commission on August 17. He said staff will discuss alternative funding processes with various commissions and department directors. P. Siemens said he would attend the Santa Clara County Special District Association workshop on LAFCO representation on September 22 and had attended an advisory meeting in Santa Cruz County on special district representation on LAFCO. T. Henshaw complimented C. Bruins for meeting with the new director of environmental volunteers and encouraged M. Smith to visit the Environmental Volunteers display at the Sunnyvale library. She told J. Escobar that Duveneck School is having a harvest day on October 22 and that it would be a good opportunity to schedule a visit by a District ranger. W. de Wit announced that Hidden Villa would have an event on September 12 to introduce the new Executive Director, Judy Steiner. i R. Anderson distributed copies of the Fremont Older Trail Use Element Schedule. He scheduled a meeting of the Dog Committee on Wednesday, October 5 at 7 P.M. and said staff will send a report before the meeting. M. Smith reported that staff and rangers went to the San Carlos Summer School Day Camp on two days to talk to 200 children, noting it was successful and a useful tool to spread information about the District. He distributed copies of the redesigned preserve brochures. Meeting 94-23 Page 4 J. Escobar reported that a Use and Management Committee workshop is planned at El Corte de Madera Open Space Preserve, probably in September. He said a press release is planned to publicize the bicycle speed limit and radar program, noting that the trial program still has three months to go. He said rangers will start issuing written warnings on a regular basis and citations to flagrant violators. He said there were three bicycle accidents on District preserves the previous week. S. Schectman said she has been meeting with J. Fiddes and C. Britton on election issues and will be briefing the Board in more detail. She said she will brief staff on procedures for handling requests for documents and the public records act. B. Crowder noted that the San Mateo County Parks and Recreation Commission had considered opening three more trails to bicyclists but voted against it because of opposition by equestrians. VII. REVISED CLAIMS W. de Wit asked for more information on claim 6179 to Catalyst Real Estate Group. C. Britton responded that the amount is a partial real estate commission payment for renting the office space at 330 Distel. Motion:i n: R. McKibbin moved that the Board approve revised claims 94-15. T. Henshaw seconded the motion. The motion passed 6 to 0. VIII. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 9:15 P.M. Emma Johnson Recording Secretary