HomeMy Public PortalAbout20150325 - Minutes - Board of Directors (BOD)
*Approved by the Board of Directors on April 8, 2015
SPECIAL AND REGULAR MEETING
BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE
MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE DISTRICT
Administrative Office
330 Distel Circle
Los Altos, CA 94022
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
APPROVED MINUTES*
Meeting 15-07
SPECIAL MEETING CALL TO ORDER
Director Siemens called the Special Meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.
ROLL CALL
Members Present: Jed Cyr, Nonette Hanko, Cecily Harris, Larry Hassett, Yoriko Kishimoto, Curt Riffle,
and Pete Siemens
Members Absent: None
Staff Present: General Manager Steve Abbors, Assistant General Manager Kevin Woodhouse,
Assistant General Manager Ana Ruiz, General Counsel Sheryl Schaffner, Operations
Manager Michael Newburn, Planning Manager Jane Mark, Administrative Services
Manager Kate Drayson, and Interim District Clerk Kim Marie Smith
1. Financial and Operational Sustainability Model Study Final Recommendations (R-15-58)
Mr. Andy Belknap, Christine Butterfield, and Nancy Hetrick with Management Partners, reviewed
a PowerPoint presentation titled Financial and Operational Sustainability Model Study Update.
They highlighted the project’s milestones, the District’s changing environment, the fiscal model, the
projected staffing profile, and recommendations as to how to implement the changes.
Director Riffle expressed concern that there may be too much focus on getting more projects done,
and more emphasis may be needed on how to relate to and connect with the public. General
Manager Steve Abbors said that the Public Affairs Department has been brought up into the General
Manager’s Office in the organizational structure to deal with that concern.
The speakers also discussed fiscal model stress testing, and Mr. Belknap said that even if some of
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the risk factors came to pass, the District would still have years to respond and change its approach.
General Manager Abbors added that by 2045, all of the debt will be paid off, and there would be
$10 million of debt service from the tax increment that would come back to the District
unencumbered.
Director Harris remarked upon the “significant pressure to deliver more projects” shown on slide 4,
and asked whether the District was growing too fast. Ms. Hetrick said that Measure AA and its
visioning process created new expectations in the community. Mr. Abbors added that this model
shows what the District would be able to afford, but the Board will still conduct annual goal-setting
sessions and can control the pace of growth internally. He said that some time pressure is created
when tax-free bonds are issued, because for each segment of project funded there must be
reasonable expectation that 85% will be completed in three years. He explained that breaking
projects up into smaller segments/phases could control the pace of those projects.
Ms. Hetrick compared charts showing the existing and proposed organizational structures. She
highlighted the major changes and additional positions, the bulk of which would take place in
Visitor and Field Services.
Director Riffle said that as well as growing the organization, he felt the District should also focus on
growing its employees. Ms. Hetrick responded that that one of the key principles of the model is to
develop opportunities for professional development through rotating assignments, succession
planning, etc. Director Riffle suggested that future versions of the report capture that commitment
to professional development.
Director Siemens referred to slide 4 and asked that the final report be reworded to clarify
“heightened expectations for transparency” to show the District’s intent to continue outreach to
constituents.
The Board of Directors received the report, and no action was taken.
ADJOURNMENT
Director Siemens adjourned the Special Meeting at 7:00 p.m.
REGULAR MEETING CALL TO ORDER
Director Siemens called the Regular Meeting to order at 7:10 p.m.
ROLL CALL
Members Present: Jed Cyr, Nonette Hanko, Cecily Harris, Larry Hassett, Yoriko Kishimoto, Curt Riffle,
and Pete Siemens
Members Absent: None
Staff Present: General Manager Steve Abbors, Assistant General Manager Kevin Woodhouse,
Assistant General Manager Ana Ruiz, General Counsel Sheryl Schaffner, Operations
Manager Michael Newburn, Planning Manager Jane Mark, Administrative Services
Manager Kate Drayson, and Interim District Clerk Kim Marie Smith
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ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
None
ADOPTION OF AGENDA
Motion: Kishimoto moved and Cyr seconded the motion to adopt the agenda, with the exception of item
No. 8, which was postponed.
VOTE: 7-0-0
Director Siemens read statements announcing the voluntary recusal of Board members, and said that in
regard to all claims presented in the upcoming fiscal year, Director Hanko will recuse herself concerning
payments to AT&T, PG&E, Verizon, and Caterpillar; Director Kishimoto will recuse herself concerning
payments to Apple and Wells Fargo, and Director Harris will recuse herself concerning payments to AT&T
and Apple.
CONSENT CALENDAR
1. Approve Minutes of the February 25, 2015 and March 11, 2015 Board Meetings
Board members made the following corrections to the minutes of February 25:
(1) Correct the vote summary on the top of page 3 to read VOTE: 3-4-0 (Directors Kishimoto,
Hanko, and Riffle voting yes, and Directors Hassett, Cyr, Siemens and Harris voting no); and (2)
Include comments from Director Harris about the donor policy which she had previously provided
to the General Manager;
Board members made the following corrections regarding the minutes of March 11:
(1) Correct a typographical error in the title “Regular Meeting”; and (2) On page 5, item VI, correct
the title of the Planning and Natural Resources Committee.
2. Approve Claims Report
3. Written Communications
Andrea Heitmann
4. Fiscal Year 2015-16 Annual Claims List (R-15-45)
Staff Contact: Kate Drayson, Administrative Services Manager
General Manager’s Recommendations:
1. Approve the Fiscal Year 2015-16 Annual Claims List, including debt service payments.
2. Approve the exclusion of claims with a cumulative total of $25,000 or less from future Annual Claims
Lists.
5. Contract Extension for Graphic Design Services for FY2015-16 (R-15-55)
Staff Contact: Shelly Lewis, Public Affairs Manager
General Manager’s Recommendation: Authorize the General Manager to extend the contracts for
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graphic design services, one with Design Concepts and a second with Alexander Atkins, Inc., for an
additional amount not-to-exceed $60,000 each.
6. Contract Extension for Mailing Services for FY2015-16 (R-15-56)
Staff Contact: Peggy Koenig, Public Affairs Specialist
General Manager’s Recommendation: Authorize the General Manager to extend the contract for
mailing services with Craftsmen Printing for an additional amount not to exceed $38,000.
7. Contract Extension for Printing Services for FY2015-16 (R-15-57)
Staff Contact: Shelly Lewis, Public Affairs Manager
General Manager’s Recommendation: Authorize the General Manager to extend a contract for
printing services with Craftsmen Printing for an additional amount not to exceed $110,850.
Motion: Kishimoto moved and Cyr seconded the motion to adopt the Consent Calendar, with the
exception of the minutes of February 25, which will be reviewed at the next meeting, and with the
corrections noted to the minutes of March 11.
VOTE: 7-0-0
BOARD BUSINESS
8. Informational Presentation on San Mateo County’s Agricultural Workforce Housing
Initiative (R-15-48)
Staff Contact: Elaina Cuzick, Senior Real Property Agent
General Manager’s Recommendations:
1. Receive an informational presentation by San Mateo County Supervisor, Don Horsley on the
San Mateo County Agricultural Workforce Housing Initiative.
2. Refer the County’s Farmworker Housing Rehabilitation Pilot Program to the Legislative,
Funding, and Public Affairs Committee to consider the District’s potential inclusion in the Pilot
Program and forward a recommendation to the full Board.
This item was postponed.
9a. Fiscal Year 2015-16 Action Plan and Budget (R-15-46)
Staff Contact: Kate Drayson, Administrative Services Manager
Action Plan and Budget Committee Recommendation:
Adopt the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (District) Fiscal Year 2015-16 Action Plan
and Budget as proposed by the General Manager (Refer to Item 9b).
Director Riffle spoke on behalf of the Action Plan and Budget Committee. He said the action plan
and budget proposal is ambitious, and he read a section of the Action Plan and Budget Committee
report that covered the key points. Director Hanko suggested that those remarks be included in the
minutes: “The ABC recommends having the General Manager reassess the Action Plan as the year
progresses, and bring forward to the Board any recommended adjustments to align the Action Plan
with organizational capacity. While project completion is important, equally important is
implementing the FOSM recommendations so that the organization is optimally structured to
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effectively deliver Measure AA projects. In addition, the ABC also recommends a further
streamlined Midyear Review that focuses more on providing a status update of the approved Action
Plan and Budget rather than including many new projects and initiatives with associated budget
adjustments.”
Director Siemens said that it was also the Committee’s intent to reduce the amount of staff work
necessary for the midyear budget, since project-by-project detail is not needed.
9b. Fiscal Year 2015-16 Action Plan and Budget (R-15-44)
Administrative Services Manager Kate Drayson said that the action plan contains 157 key projects,
41 of which are Measure AA projects. She said that changes as of the February 25 Board meeting
include one new Priority 2 project in the General Manager’s Office and text edits to four Planning
projects.
Director Harris asked about the status of the Measure AA ad hoc committee. General Manager
Steve Abbors said it may be time to dismantle that committee, and he would report back with more
information.
Board members asked questions of clarification on various sections of the proposed District Action
Plan and received answers from staff members.
The public hearing was opened at 8:00 p.m. There were no speakers, and the public hearing was
closed.
Motion: Director Hassett moved to approve the General Manager’s recommendations. Director
Hanko seconded the motion. The recommendations were as follows:
1. Adopt the Fiscal Year 2015-16 (FY2015-16) Action Plan, which includes numerous first tier
high priority implementation projects as recommended by the Financial and Operational
Sustainability Model (FOSM) Study to establish new and efficient business systems.
2. Adopt a Resolution approving the FY2015-16 Budget and Classification and Compensation
Plan.
3. Approve nine new positions, including four positions that reflect the first tier, high priority
organizational restructuring recommendations of the FOSM Study.
VOTE: 7-0-0
A. Committee Reports
Director Riffle reported that the Planning and Natural Resources Committee had two very constructive
meetings at Bear Creek Stables on March 16 and 18. He and Director Cyr commented on the excellent
feedback they received about the consultants on that project.
Public Affairs Manager Shelley Lewis and Directors Hanko and Harris gave an update on the
Legislative, Funding, and Public Affairs Committee meeting, which included legislative activity, an
overview of the Latino outreach program, recognition of community members, and Chambers of
Commerce memberships.
B. Staff Reports
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Administrative Services Manager Kate Drayson announced the hiring of a new Finance and Budget
Analyst.
Real Property Manager Mike Williams gave an update on a term interest sold to Tom Anderson. He
said it was ultimately closed on a cash basis, and some additional protections were added so there can
be no deeds of trust put on the property.
General Manager Steve Abbors reported that he and members of staff went to Mt. Umunhum and other
locations with Doug McConnell, and their conversations were filmed for a future episode of Mr.
McConnell’s television show Open Road, which is slated to air on May 3. He also reported that (1) He
attended the Bay Nature awards; (2) He recently spoke with former General Manager Herb Grench and
updated him on the evolution of the district; (3) He has been in discussions with the Santa Clara County
Board of Supervisors and the Assistant County Executive about the Mt. Umunhum tower and how that
issue may be addressed with the Historical Heritage Commission; and (4) Labor negotiations have
begun.
C. Director Reports
Director Hassett reported that he attended the Coastside Democrats meeting as a panelist.
Director Cyr reported that last week he hiked along the Baylands in Mountain View.
Director Kishimoto reported that she went to the new parking lot off Alpine Road, and it was almost
full.
Director Hanko reported that she recently visited Yosemite National Park.
Director Harris reported that she enjoyed the Bay Nature annual event; last week she went to the State
of the City event in San Carlos; and this week she planned to attend the Berkeley conference on the
Future of Parks.
Director Siemens reported that he also attended the Bay Nature event.
ADJOURNMENT
Director Siemens adjourned the Regular Meeting at 8:20 p.m.
_____________________________
Kim Marie Smith
Interim District Clerk