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HomeMy Public PortalAbout19960124 - Minutes - Board of Directors (BOD) r r Regl0nal Open Spa MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SKiiWt>ao"2 REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS January 24, 1996 MINUTES I. ROLL CALL. President Nonette Hanko called the meeting to order at 7:30 P.M. Members Present: Nonette Hanko, Betsy Crowder, Mary Davey, David Smernoff, Teena Henshaw, and Wim de Wit. Members Absent: Pete Siemens. Personnel Present: Craig Britton, Jean Fiddes, Malcolm Smith, Mike Williams, Randy Anderson, and Sue Schectman. II. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS -- Public Harry Haeussler, 1094 Highland Circle, Los Altos, expressed regret at the passing of Sam Jones on Jan. 3 and asked who would head the District's program regarding the community charter and what they would be directed to do. N. Hanko said she would be expressing the Board§ sympathy to Beez Jones. She said M. Smith, C. Britton and herself are working on the community charter concept that came out of the Constitutional Revision Commission's recommendations. 11I. SPECIAL ORDER OF THE DAY C. Britton stated Santa Clara County's Measure A to extend the Parks Charter amendment through 2008 would be on the March 26 ballot. Motion: M. Davey moved that the Board adopt Resolution 96-03, a Resolution of the Board of Directors of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Endorsing the Santa Clara County Parks Charter Amendment Extension Measure A on the March 26, 1996 Ballot. T. Henshaw seconded the motion. The motion passed 6to0. IV. ADOPTION OF AGENDA C. Britton introduced Roberta Wolfe, Recording Secretary who was welcomed by Board members. He said there were no changes to the agenda. V. ADOPTION OF CONSENT CALENDAR T. Henshaw requested that agenda item 4, Annual Informational Report on District's Staff Bike Patrol Program, be removed from the calendar until Annette Coleman is present to present the report. B. Crowder requested removal of the written communication response to Elsie Huxtable. u� _ 14t)4�Phone:415-6.31-120( ._______.______.�.____._®._____._.._..__ .. 330 Distel Circle - Los Altos, CA 94022 r ) # FAX:415-691-0485 # E-mail:mros( a netcom.com Cif Board of Ohre(tors fete Siemens,Mary C.Davey,Teena Henshaw,David T.Smernoff,Nonette Hanko, Betsy Crowder,Wim de Wit Goneraf Manager:L.Craig Britton Meeting 96-02 Page 2 Motion: W. de Wit moved that the Board adopt the Consent Calendar as amended, including the minutes of the December 20, 1995 Special Meeting and the January 10, 1996 Regular Meeting; agenda item I Approval of One-Year Consulting Services Agreement with Heim, Noack, Kelly & Spahn for Consulting Fee of $1,100 Per Month; agenda item 2 Appointment of Grant Thornton of San Jose as District§ Auditors for Fiscal Year 1995-1996 for $9,000; agenda item 3 Annual Informational Report on District§ Radar Program; agenda item 8 Final Adoption of an Amendment to the Long Ridge Open Space Preserve Use and Management Plan to Install Memorial Bench and Plaque Commemorating Wallace Stegner; agenda item 9 Authorization for Director Smernoff to Attend 1995 Special District Board Management Institute at Projected Cost of $1,200; and Revised Claims 96-02. D. Smernoff seconded the motion. The motion passed 6 to 0. B. Crowder requested that a copy of the report regarding the bike patrol program be sent to former director Kay Duffy. VI. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS B. Crowder read a suggested change in the response to Ms. Huxtable into the record. N. Hanko said she and B. Crowder will work together to compose an acceptable letter. T Hensahw suggested that before the letter is mailed they attempt to talk to Ms. Huxtable on the telephone. Board members agreed that they did not need to see the letter before it is sent. VIL BOARD BUSINESS Agenda Item No. 5 - Appointment of 1996 Board Committees (Report R-96-09 N. Hanko reviewed her recommendations for appointments to ad hoc committees. She said there were three issues that she planned to work on this year: (1) oversight of the Wallace Stegner Memorial on May 19; (2) Constitutional Revision Committee§ activities in Sacramento; and (3) the trail along the perimeter of Foothill Park and the exchange of land with Palo Alto. Regarding the General Manager Evaluation ad hoc committee, B. Crowder said she would be in favor of it ending. N. Hanko said they are waiting for a survey on which they would base recommendations to the Board at the next evaluation. At that time it would be up to the Board to decide whether the committee would continue. N. Hanko asked for Board discussion of continued representation at meetings of the Bay Area Ridge Trail Council. B. Crowder said she has worked for the Ridge Trail since it began. She described the effort entailed in being a representative to the Council (12 board meetings in San Francisco, 35 committee meetings and monthly San Mateo County meetings). She didnt feel that anything she said was effective. She recommended against the Board sending a representative but said she will continue to attend the San Mateo County Committee meetings. W. de Wit, who took over from B. Crowder, said the meetings were long and he had no opportunity for input. He said B. Crowder is on the San Mateo County Committee of the Ridge Trail and it functions well. He thought it would be a waste of time and money to send a staff Meeting 96-02 Page 3 member. He said maybe a volunteer, perhaps an avid hiker, would be the answer and suggested an ad could be placed in various newsletters. M. Davey said that if the purpose was to coordinate the development of the Trail throughout the Bay Area, the fact that the Board is supportive is well known. She said having participation in San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties where the development of the Trail will occur would be more productive and a more effective use of time. C. Britton said he thought it was important for the Board to participate in the Ridge Trail Council meetings. The Santa Clara and San Mateo County Committees are more technical. He said the Ridge Trail Council is the umbrella agency promoting the trail and looking for grants. As a listed member of the Ridge Trail Council, the Board should have representation. He said he didnt think it was necessary to have a representative at every meeting, and that attendance could be made compensable. N. Hanko said perhaps a Board member could volunteer to go to the meetings where staff thinks they should be represented. W. de Wit suggested that perhaps a docent could attend. M. Davey said she would volunteer to attend if it were a meeting where it would be important that the Board be represented and if she were available. She would report back as to whether she thought the Board should continue to send a representative. C. Britton said he thought the Board should agree that Board attendance be compensable. N. Hanko said that would be added as item 4 under President§ Recommendation. D. Smernoff suggested that different Board members could attend on a rotating basis. Harry Haeussler asked if the Board received minutes and agendas for the Council meetings. N. Hanko said she would like to make sure that the person attending would have copies of recent minutes and an agenda of the coming meeting. W. de Wit said he would make sure the agenda packet and minutes are sent to the office so they could be available to whichever member is attending the meetings. C. Britton will call to have the packet redirected and inform them of the Board§ decision regarding representation. Motion: M. Davey moved that the Board approve the president§ appointments to standing and ad-hoc committees as contained in the report; that attendance at the meetings of the Bay Area Ridge Trail Council will be on a rotating basis; that the Board assign June 9 Outdoor Environmental Festival to the Legislative, Finance and Public Affairs Committee; and that attendance at the meetings of the Bay Area Ridge Trail Council will be compensable. W. de Wit seconded the motion. The motion passed 6 to 0. Agenda Item No. 6 - Adoption of Resolution Designating District's Agent for Hazard Mitigation Grant Program Application and Authorization to Apply for Grant Program Funds (Report R-96- M R. Anderson reviewed the staff report and said staff would be submitting applications for eight projects even though there was no extension of deadlines. He said one example is School Road at Long Ridge Open Space Preserve which provides access to the Landre House and is an important patrol access route which had been severed by landslides and slumps. The project Meeting 96-02 Page 4 would entail a geotechnical study and proper reconstruction of the slopes to prevent it from happening again. The purpose of the program is to avoid having to repeatedly ask for money if there is a way to fix it permanently. Motion: D. Smemoff moved that the Board (1) adopt Resolution No. 96-04, a Resolution of the Board of Directors of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Designating Applicant§ Agent; (2) authorize the General Manager to apply for the grant program; and (3) determine that the project is categorically exempt from CEQA based on the findings contained in the staff report. B. Crowder seconded the motion. The motion passed 6 to 0. Agenda Item No. 7 -Tentative Adoption of Preliminary 1996-1997 Action Plan for Open Space Acquisition, Public Affairs, and Administration Prop-rams (Report R-96-14) C. Britton introduced the staff report. N. Hanko asked staff to indicate changes in the program from last year. M. Williams presented the Action Plan for the Open Space Acquisition Program, and highlighted Item 3 under Key Projects, Sell Surplus Properties. He said an addition was the sale of the Thornewood parcel and pointed it out on the map. C. Britton clarified that whether or not this parcel is surplus has not yet been considered by the Board but will be presented to the Board for consideration within the next few weeks. Under Other Projects and Activities, M. Williams suggested adding "as part of the planning team" to item 6. B. Crowder asked for an example of what was referred to under item 8. C. Britton cited examples including San Mateo County§ application for a land and water grant for Edgewood Park, Santa Clara CountyA application for a Jacques Ridge grant, and Los Gatos' application for a grant that eventually helped the District acquire St. Joseph§ Hill. W. de Wit asked about Key Project 3, Sell Surplus Properties. C. Britton stated they will concentrate on four parcels and clarified which parcel at Thornewood Open Space Preserve was being considered. M. Williams reviewed the Enterprise Subprogram. Regarding the Thornewood property, he said he is looking for tenants for the short term and then will look for a long-term historic lease interest in the property. T. Henshaw asked staff to prepare a list of properties that are leased and who is leasing them for use by the Acquisition and Enterprise Committee. M. Williams said he maintains such a list and will provide copies to the Board. M. Williams commented on Item 7, administering FEMA grants, under Other Projects and Activities. He said it takes a good deal of time and the government shutdown did not help. Discussion followed as to whether there was a structure that might be leased to the American Youth Hostel. C. Britton said they have been in contact in the past and have never found a structure that met their criteria. He said if facilities are not on a bus line it is a problem. He said this fits under item 3 under Key Projects. M. Smith reviewed the Public Affairs Program Action Plan. He said Key Projects have not changed significantly from last year except that the Visitor Use Survey was deleted. Under Meeting 96-02 Page 5 Public Events, he said that in addition to those events listed, there will be the Grant House grand opening (probably in April) and potentially an activity with the opening of a segment of the Ridge Trail. These will be listed under "Other Projects and Activities." M. Smith highlighted the other items under Key Projects. Regarding Item 9 under Other Projects and Activities, the District§ web site on the Internet, M. Smith said he would bring a demonstration to a future Board meeting. Referring to item 11, he reported that the Visitors' Map is being updated and reprinted for distribution to those who request it. B. Crowder said item 7 is important and should be continued. M. Smith continued his report on the Legislative, Funding, and Organizational Relations Subprogram. He said he will add item 4 under Key Projects, Follow Constitutional Revision Commission§ work. Under Other Projects and Activities, he highlighted item 8, presentations to councils and commissions; and item 11, land tours. The tour scheduled for fall, 1997 is outside of this fiscal year but was included for information. J. Fiddes highlighted the Administration Program Action Plan. She said under Key Projects, item 3, Joint Meeting, the words "in each county" should be deleted from the end of the first sentence. She said Item 4 under Other Projects and Activities, election services and activities, had been added. C. Britton stated there will be a candidate forum only if there are contested seats. Motion: B. Crowder moved that the Board (1) adopt the Preliminary Action Plan sections, as amended, for the Open Space Acquisition, Public Affairs, and Administration Program, and charge the 1996 Administration and Budget Committee with conducting a review of the Preliminary Action Plan on the Board's behalf as part of the budget review process. T. Henshaw seconded the motion. The motion passed 6-0. VIII. INFORMATIONAL REPORTS B. Crowder reported that she was asked to endorse one of three candidates for Santa Clara Valley Water District Board, but she does not live in the District and decided against endorsing the candidate. C. Britton said there might be some joint projects of interest to the District and asked M. Smith to find out who the candidates are. N. Hanko stated that the District does not endorse candidates, but individual Board members may if they wish. B. Crowder said the South Skyline Association is having its annual meeting at the Sky Londa Fitness Center. C. Britton reported that the program managers had presented the State of the District message to the employees. W. de Wit, M. Davey, B. Crowder attended. He said he has asked staff for feedback on the presentation. M. Davey said was a wonderful presentation and she learned a lot. C. Britton said the District got a check in the amount of $6,000 from Peninsula Open Space Trust as their contribution for the Daniels Nature Center. He pointed out that the new Skyline Ridge brochure is available and it specifically indicates the Ridge Trail. A copy has been sent Meeting 96-02 Page 6 to the Ridge Trail Council. C. Britton referred the Board to his response to Michael McGuire, the summary of the cleanup of the Hosking dump, and an initial flyer for Spaces and Species: Exploring Natural Communities. M. Smith reported that the map printed with an article in the Chronicle about new access to parks for dogs was not correct and a correction will be printed. He summarized the figures from the preserve census done at Purisima, Rancho San Antonio, and Windy Hill on October 11 and 15 and said he believes they give a sense of how the preserves are being used. He said this will be done at other preserves. J. Fiddes said the Administration and Budget Committee will meet on January 31 at 4:00 P.M. and February 7 at 5:00 P.M. N. Hanko invited the public to (1) the workshop to be held on Saturday, January 27 from 9:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. where the Board will discuss the Regional Open Space Plan for the District; and (2) the Use and Management Committee meeting January 25 at 7 P.M. IX. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 8:55 P.M. Roberta Wolfe Recording Secretary