HomeMy Public PortalAbout20131108 - Minutes - Board of Directors (BOD)
November 8, 2013
Board Meeting 13-31
*Approved by the Board of Directors on December 11, 2013
SPECIAL MEETING
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT
Mountain View Community Center, Room 3
201 S. Rengstorff Ave., Mountain View, CA 94040
November 8, 2013
APPROVED MINUTES*
SPECIAL MEETING – BOARD RETREAT
I. CALL TO ORDER
President Cyr called the Special Meeting of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District
Board of Directors to order at 9:11 a.m.
II. ROLL CALL
Members Present: Jed Cyr, Nonette Hanko, Larry Hassett, Curt Riffle, and Pete Siemens
Members Absent: Cecily Harris and Yoriko Kishimoto
Staff Present: General Manager Steve Abbors, Assistant General Manager Ana Ruiz,
Assistant General Manager Kevin Woodhouse, General Counsel Sheryl
Schaffner, Assistant General Counsel Hilary Stevenson, District
Controller Mike Foster, Public Affairs Manager Shelly Lewis,
Administrative Services Manager Kate Drayson, Human Resources
Supervisor Candice Basnight, Co-Acting Planning Manager Meredith
Manning, Co-Acting Planning Manger Tina Hugg, Natural Resources
Manager Kirk Lenington, Real Property Manager Mike Williams, Real
Property Specialist Elaina Cuzick, and District Clerk Jennifer Woodworth
III. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
IV. ADOPTION OF AGENDA
Director Riffle moved, and Director Siemens seconded the motion to adopt the agenda.
VOTE: 5-0-0 (Directors Harris and Kishimoto absent)
Director Harris arrived at 9:12 a.m.
Meeting 13-31 Page 2
V. Discussion and Possible Board Action on Emerging Issues Affecting the
Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District and Their Potential Effects on the Strategic
Plan
General Manager Steve Abbors welcomed Board members, District staff, and members of the
public in attendance. Mr. Abbors provided an overview of the goals for the day and introduced
the day’s facilitator, Dr. Marilyn Manning of The Consulting Team.
Assistant General Manager Kevin Woodhouse reviewed the 2011 Strategic Plan outlining a
conceptual model of how the Strategic Plan fits into the District’s Mission Statement, Vision
Plan process, and annual Action Plan and Budget. Mr. Woodhouse also provided a progress
report on the goals and objectives contained in the Strategic Plan reporting on the objectives that
are currently underway, completed, and/or ongoing.
Dr. George Manross of the Strategy Research Institute presented a brief summary of the findings
from Peninsula Open Space Trust’s poll to ascertain the “Feasibility for Placing a Funding
Measure on the Local Ballot.”
Extensive discussion ensued related to Dr. Manross’s presentation including discussion of
potential ballot language options, inclusion of Vision Plan priority actions in a potential ballot
pamphlet, and description of the core values held by the District’s constituents. Based on Dr.
Manross’s presentation and the potential increase in costs for delaying the potential measure to
later election dates, General Manager Steve Abbors communicated to the Board that, absent an
indication from the Board of a contrary intent, Mr. Abbors plans to move forward with
preparations for the June 2014 election. The Board expressed no reservations, but will not be
taking formal action on this until late February, after the results of a future the tracking poll are
available. The Board also requested staff return to the full Board before that time to provide a
general status update.
The Board recessed at 11:13 a.m.
The Board reconvened at 11:23 a.m. with Directors Cyr, Hanko, Hassett, Harris, and Riffle
present.
Director Siemens returned at 11:26 a.m.
Assistant General Manager Ana Ruiz provided a summary of the Environmental Scan completed
by District staff and described the key findings and takeaways that resulted from that analysis.
Directors Harris and Riffle suggested that the District may in the future choose to work with
partners that it does not currently work with.
Ms. Ruiz summarized four areas of focus for the FY2014-15 Action Plan: (1) potential funding
measure, (2) continuation of existing projects, (3) planning Phase 1 of Vision Plan
implementation, and (4) flexibility within the Action Plan to delay or defer items as needed to
allow the District to act on new opportunities.
Meeting 13-31 Page 3
Director Riffle suggested that existing projects may require refinement as well as continuation.
In addition to flexibility, Director Riffle stated that the District will need the capability to grow
where necessary in order to accomplish goals.
The Board recessed at 11:56 a.m.
The Board reconvened at 12:00 p.m. with Directors Cyr, Hanko, Hassett, Harris, Riffle and
Siemens present.
Facilitator Marilyn Manning guided a discussion regarding the goals and objectives of the
Strategic Plan, and the Board made suggestions for alterations to the current language.
The Board requested staff return to the Board at a future meeting with the modified language for
adoption by the full Board.
Mr. Abbors described the need for the creation of a Board ad hoc committee to work with staff
preceding a potential funding measure. The ad hoc committee would serve as a sounding board
for information related to the measure and assist with District preparation for the potential
funding measure. The ad hoc committee would be advisory in nature, and all decisions would go
before the full Board for approval. Discussion ensued regarding the nature of the ad hoc
committee and potential Board meetings for District staff to report on the progress of staff and ad
hoc committee efforts.
Motion: Director Riffle moved, and Director Hanko seconded the motion to approve creation of
an ad hoc committee and empower it to meet with the General Manager and District staff to
discuss various aspects of a potential funding measure as the District moves forward, and
authorize the Board president to appoint three Board members to the ad hoc committee.
VOTE: 6-0-0 (Director Kishimoto absent)
Director Riffle thanked staff for their efforts and asked that for future years extend an invitation
to members of the public and District partners to provide input on the environmental scan.
VI. ADJOURNMENT
President Cyr adjourned the Special Meeting of the Board of Directors of the Midpeninsula
Regional Open Space District at 1:05 p.m.
__________________________________
Jennifer Woodworth
District Clerk