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MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT
Meeting 97-29
SPECIAL. AND REGULAR MEETING
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
October 8, 1997
MINUTES
I. ROLL CALL
President Mary Davey called the Special Meeting to order at 6:10 P.M.
Members Present: Mary Davey, Betsy Crowder, Ken Nitz, Jed Cyr, Pete Siemens, and
David Smernoff.
Members Absent: Nonette Hanko
Personnel Present: Craig Britton, Sue Schectman, Malcolm Smith, John Escobar, Mike
Williams, and Del Woods.
II. CLOSED SESSION
M. Davey stated that the Board would adjourn to Closed Session for the purpose of discussing
Closed Session Agenda Items 1 and 2.
The Board recessed to Closed Session at 6:11 P.M. and the Closed Session commenced at 6:12
P.M. The Board concluded the Closed Session at 7:25 P.M. and M. Davey called the Regular
Meeting to order at 7:30 P.M. She announced that no reportable actions had been taken and
that the Closed Session would be continued at the conclusion of the Regular Meeting.
Additional Personnel Present: Jodi Isaacs and Gordon Baillie.
III. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
There were no oral communications.
IV, ADOPTION OF AGENDA
Motion; D. Smernoff moved that the Board adopt the agenda. J. Cyr seconded the
motion. The motion passed 6 to 0.
Celebrate 25 Years of Open Space Preservation 330 Distel Circle • Los Altos, CA 94022-1404 • Phone:650-691-1200
• 1972-1997• FAX:650-691-0485 • E-mail: mrosd@openspace.org • Web site:www.openspace.org
Board of Directors:Pete Siemens,Mary C.Davey,led Cyr,David T.Smernoff,Nonette Nanko,Betsy Crowder,Kenneth C.Nitz • General Manager:L.Craig Britton
Meeting 97-29 Page 2
V. ADOPTION OF CONSENT CALENDAR
J. Cyr requested that the response to the written communication from Ms. Shari Fisher be
amended to correct the last sentence in the fifth paragraph, first page, to read, "Rangers do
issue citations for violators who are caught, however!"
Motion* J. Cyr moved that the Board adopt the Consent Calendar including the minutes
of the August 13, 1997 Regular Meeting; the minutes of the August 27, 1997
Regular Meeting; amended response to a written communication from Ms. Shari
DeSantis Fisher, sfisher@unix.sri.com: agenda item 3, Resolution 97-34 a
Resolution of the Board of Directors of the Midpeninsula Regional QMn Space
District in Appreciation for Thomas L. Anderson Niswander Construction Inc.
for his Donation of Materials and Labor Completing a Seismic Retrofit on the
Residence Structure at the McDonald Ranch in the La_ Honda Creek Open Space
Preserve; and Revised Claims 97-18. P. Siemens seconded the motion. The
motion passed 6 to 0.
VI. BOARD BUSINESS
A. Agenda Item No. 1 - Acceptance of the Reouest for Proposals (REP) for the
Qxrations Program Review and Authori .ation for the Geneml Manager to Solicit
Proposals for this Project - (Report R-97-111)
G. Baillie presented staffs recommendation and highlighted Section III of the RFP
which summarized the study products expected from the consultant. He said the
bargaining unit has reviewed the changes.
P. Siemens suggested the following non-substantive changes to the draft:
Page III-2, Item 3.a. and page III-4, Item B.4. - Clarify language so there is less
possibility of confusion.
Page III-2, paragraph iii - Change to read, "Evaluating the types and levels of criminal
activities . . ."
Page III-1, Item 4.d. - Require that costs be presented as a percentage of how they
would affect the operations budget.
Following discussion, J. Escobar said he thought they could incorporate language that
would address budget issues.
D. Smemoff said his concern is for public safety as well as ranger safety. He said he
would like that to be included on Page I-1, last paragraph of Section C. He was
informed that items in section b. on page I-3 were not in order of priority.
G. Baillie explained that the Program History on Page I-4 was not in chronological
order because it made more sense to separate the maintenance and patrol history. Sub-
headings will be inserted to indicate this division.
Discussion followed regarding whether to add an additional meeting date to the
Schedule for the Program Review on Page I-5. S. Schectman said the agreement with
the union during negotiations was that the draft study would be disseminated to them
Meeting 97-29 Page 3
and they would have an opportunity to participate prior to presentation to the Board.
The document would be available to Board members so they can see it while it is
circulating to the union.
C. Britton proposed that the schedule should indicate that the consultant and staff will
present the final draft on June 10 and the Board will have a workshop on June 24 to
discuss implications of the study. It will be noted on the schedule that those dates are
subject to availability of Board Members. Board Members agreed with that schedule,
adding that they might also want to have a special meeting on the subject.
D. Smernoff asked for the following changes:
Page III-1, first sentence of Section A. include the requirement that the report be
printed double sided and on recycled paper.
Page III-3, Section 4.c., be changed to read, " . . . impact on public and employee
safety."
Harry Haeussler, 1094 Highland Circle, Los Altos, noted that the draft RFP was not
attached to his copy of the staff report. He said the review just talks about what the
District is doing and not about what will go on in the future. He questioned the
involvement of the union. A copy of the RFP was immediately given to Mr.
Haeussler.
C. Britton said this is a study asking the consultant to show the District some different
ways the District can operate and what the costs are. There was an agreement with the
field staff that the District would do this study, but the final decision on any changes in
the District's operation would be in the hands of the Board.
J. Escobar confirmed that the bargaining unit's participation is very specific.
Motion* D. Smernoff moved that the Board accept the Request for Proposals
(RFP) for the Operations Program Review as amended, and authorize
the General Manager to solicit proposals for this project. P. Siemens
seconded the motion. The motion passed 6 to 0.
B. Agenda Item No. 2 - Authorization for Staff to Hire Godbe Research_& Analysis to
Conduct a Public Opinion Survey to Assist the District in Evaluating the Potential to
Establish a System of Qpen ,Space PreservesParks, and Beaches on the San Mateo
County Coast in Coordination with Existing and planned District Preserves and Trails -
(Report R-97-144).
Meeting 97-29 Page 4
M. Davey reviewed the report.
J. Cyr commented that he liked idea of breaking the survey into three regions.
M. Davey said the survey will include questions regarding people's willingness to pay.
S. Schectman said there is no problem about this being a sole source as it is
professional consulting services.
Harry Haeussler said that he disagreed with the statement that the people on the coast
had asked the District to expand. M. Davey provided clarification.
C. Britton said that the Board had charged the ad hoc committee with coming back with
a report on how to preserve land on the San Mateo coast, expansion of the District
being one of the alternatives. The survey is being done so that the Committee can
evaluate the alternatives. This was the meeting at which the ad hoc committee was to
present a report, but the telephone study is necessary before the report can be
completed. Therefore, the Board will not receive the report until after this survey is
completed, probably by the end of the calendar year.
M. Davey said the questions on the survey will be inclusive of ways to preserve the
land but that bringing the area into the District is probably the most feasible way to
accomplish that.
Following discussion regarding Board review of the survey questions, S. Schectman
pointed out that the survey is designed to give the full Board identifiable options and is
not intended to make decisions. She recommended that the ad hoc committee develop
the survey and send it out. The whole Board would then be reviewing the final report
of the Committee in Public Session.
Motion* B. Crowder moved that the Board authorize the General Manager to
execute a contract with Godbe Research & Analysis to conduct a public
opinion survey, at a cost of$25,717. K. Nitz seconded the motion. The
motion passed 6 to 0.
VI. INFORMATIONAL. REPORTS_
Regional n S ace
ni ht in Los Altos for the
M. Dave had attended a public hearing lastp
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Study that would help guide the District in the future. R. Anderson made the presentation.
M. Davey and D. Smernoff complimented staff.
M. Davey presented a rock with the words "Save Land" etched in it which was given to her by
Audrey Rust, Executive Director of POST, at last night's meeting.
B. Crowder said D. Smernoff and she had gone to the Deer Hollow Farm Annual awards and
dinner Sunday night. She had received from Greenbelt Alliance an analysis of recent
developments on the coast. She and Jean Rusmore are now doing South Bay Trails and were
hiking at Ed Levin Park. She read from East Bay Regional Park District's bicycle ordinance
and asked how it compared with the District. J. Escobar said with the exception of trail width,
their regulations mirror ours.
Meeting 97-29 Page 5
D. Smernoff said the Deer Hollow Farm event was nice and this is a good program.
C. Britton reported as follows: 1. Letter from Ralph Heim in FYIs regarding AB 1425 which
was signed by the Governor and includes the District's EEMP project to connect Limekiln
Canyon to Soda Springs Canyon. 2. He reminded Board Members of the agenda for October
15 which is a joint meeting with the Santa Clara County Open Space Authority. 3. He
pointed out a thank you regarding the Los Gatos fire. 4. He noted that PCL is not going
ahead with any parks initiatives. 5. He and B. Crowder attended the Land Trust Rally in
Savannah, GA. Ted Turner was keynote speaker. POST was the center of attention. The rally
will be in Madison, WI next year. 6. He pointed out a clipping regarding Audrey Rust's
presentation at the rally regarding Bair Island during which the announcement came in that $2
million of Federal money had been put in for Bair Island. 7. He had received an invitation to
the Golden Gate National Recreational Area 251h anniversary banquet on October 27. Other
groups celebrating 25th anniversaries include Trust for Public Land which is on October 23
and is tied to Marty Rosen's retirement, and the Coastal Commission. 8. He mentioned the
Santa Clara County Special District Association Meeting on October 23. P. Siemens will be
the District representative. Staff will come back to the Board with a plan to urge the
independent special districts in the county to get together and get representation on LAFCO.
9. The League of Conservation Voters is honoring Byron Sher on October 16.
J. Escobar announced as follows: 1. Ranger M. Newburn had signed the first horse keeping
agreement today 2. State Solid Waste Management Board is cleaning up a dump in Skyline
Ridge which includes medical waste, which the State is committed to cleaning up.
M. Smith reported as follows: 1. He pointed out the memo to C. Britton regarding the final
cost of the 25th anniversary newsletter. 2. The District's Outdoor Education Leader Program
received an award from Peninsula Conservation Center Foundation. 3. October 12 is the
Skyline event and November 7 is the District's 25' anniversary banquet. 4. As part of the
program at the Nature Center the concept has come forward of creating a program where we
could transport kids using donated money. They are looking for ways to gather donations
toward this program which is called Kids' Nature Express.
At 8:28 P.M. the meeting was adjourned and S. Schectman announced that the Board would
reconvene for the purpose of continuing discussion of closed sessions items 1 and 2.
VIII. CLOSED SESSION
The Board recessed to Closed Session at 8:35 P.M. and the Closed Session commenced at 8:36
P.M. The Board concluded the Closed Session at 9:06 P.M. No reportable actions were
taken.
TX. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 9:07 P.M.
Roberta Wolfe
Recording Secretary