Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Minutes from 10/28 Meeting (approved 11/18/13)

BARSTOW HEIGHTS COMMUNITY SERVICES DISTRICT
REGULAR MEETING
October 28th, 2013

President Jacobs opened the meeting at 6:00 PM and the Secretary led the group in the flag salute.  Directors Jacobs, King, Stapp, and Wilkey were all present.  Director Schendel was not in attendance, but was expected to arrive shortly.  There were no guests in attendance.

President Jacobs requested that two items be added to the Agenda; the Safety Review Report and the new CD from the checking account.  President Jacobs requested a motion on the Consent Items.  Director Stapp motioned to accept the Minutes of the September 23rd, 2013 Meeting, along with the Financial Report for September of 2013 as presented.  Director King seconded the motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

The Correspondence was offered for review.  President Jacobs highlighted the Board Roster that was received from the Clerk of the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors.  The Roster confirms that Jeanette Hayhurst is set to be appointed as a new Director in December 2013 and that Daryl Schendel’s term of office does not expire this year as the Elections Office had notified us, but rather will continue his term of office until December of 2015.  Once approved at the next meeting of the County Board of Supervisors, we can swear in our two new Directors during the Regular Meeting in either December or January of 2014.

H Street Park was addressed.  There was no Safety Check List from the City to review.  There was nothing new to report about the Ground Squirrel situation.  Director Schendel entered the meeting at 6:06 PM.  Bid 13-04, the removal of one Cottonwood tree, two Elm trees, and a Creosote bush was addressed.  President Jacobs was concerned that the one and only Bid received from Town & Country Tree Service did not list the job specifications correctly.  He wanted to be certain that they understand that the roots need to be removed 10 feet out from the base of the tree (20 ft. diameter), not a 20 foot circumference as their Estimate states.  Their Bid also doesn’t address whether or not they plan to remove any excess dirt that may be left.  The Secretary was directed to call T & C Tree Service to clarify the job specifications with them and to find out whether the Bid will remain the same price in light of these clarifications.  The Directors agreed that they would like to see more than one bid, so the Secretary was also directed to contact each of the other Tree Businesses that had received Bid requests from us by the end of the week.  She will ask each of them if they are still interested in the job and request that they provide a written estimate within the next week or two.  President Jacobs moved that Bid 13-04 be put on hold until further clarification is received from the bidders and that a Special Meeting may be called to address the Bids as soon as possible, if necessary.  Director Wilkey seconded the motion.  Motion carried unanimously.  Bid 13-03, the proposed Covered Picnic Areas, Tables, and Benches, was addressed.  President Jacobs suggested that since the project can’t move forward until the tree removal job is completed and because the Bids are still good for 60 days, that the Board wait to make a decision until the next meeting.  Concerns about whether requiring Prevailing Wages be paid as part of the job or not was also brought up.  The Secretary was directed to call LAFCO to find out for sure whether or not we are required to require Prevailing Wages be paid by the Contractors we hire.  Bid 13-03 was tabled until the next meeting when more clarification can be provided.  President Jacobs requested that the Sidewalks and Ramps to meet ADA be put back on the Agenda again next year after the Covered Picnic Areas job is complete.  The Secretary updated the Board that she did receive confirmation from the Secretary at Unique Landscaping that the Office Compound job (sprinkler system repair and weed removal) was put on the schedule and that they would be calling soon to let us know what date they will begin work.

Venner Park was addressed.  The was no Safety Check List from the City to review.  There was no further update from Unique Landscaping on the Irrigation for trees job, other than what was stated before; that we are on the schedule and they will let us know the date that they will begin the work soon. 

Director Wilkey felt that the Benches at Venner Park were not yet of urgent enough importance due to all the other jobs we have yet to get completed.  The Secretary was directed to put it back on the Agenda again later once the current jobs are closer to completion. The Secretary was also asked to follow up on and get an update from Mark Gerardi on the status of the lights at Venner Park that still needed replacing/repairing.

The Policy and Procedure Manual was addressed.  The Secretary reported that she has found a few more things in the files and that she believes she has found all of the ordinances and resolutions that should be included.  She hasn’t found anything that addresses Prevailing Wage requirements, so perhaps a Board Policy can be written on that and be added once she gets an answer about whether or not we are required to require Prevailing Wages.

The General Manager reported that she keeps the Blog (BarstowHeights.blogspot.com) updated by continuing to post the most recent Meeting Agendas and Minutes.  The Facebook page continues to have 97 followers, with no new activity to be reported.  The Directors asked the Secretary to make sure that Kay Lovato starts including the website address along with the Monthly Meeting notification that is published the Desert Dispatch newspaper every month prior to the meeting.  The General Manager also let the Board know that she brought chocolate cake and milk for everyone to enjoy after the meeting to celebrate both Director Wilkey’s Birthday and the 56 year anniversary of when the District was formed.  It was formed exactly 56 years to the day (10/28/1957) from the day of the Meeting.  Finally, the General Manager reported that Desert Community Bank had contacted her to let us know that the documentation for the Certificate of Deposit (CD #5), an investment of $70,000 from the Checking Account for a term of 6 months at 0.125% interest, was ready to be signed.  President Jacobs directed the Secretary to go ahead and go sign the documents early this week and he would then stop by later to sign them by the end of the week.

Director Stapp read the Safety Review Report dated August 26, 2013.  Director Schendel motioned to accept the report so the Secretary could mail it to SDRMA.  Director Wilkey seconded the motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

President Jacobs requested the Directors’ reports.  Director Schendel reported that a pit bull had attacked some horses (near E Street) and that he was very concerned about it.  No one knew anything more about the incident.  President Jacobs reported that he has notified the County about the tree growing in the middle of the road as well as contacted County Code Enforcement about the trashed house that was discussed at the previous meeting.

President Jacobs asked the Secretary if there were any additional bills to be paid.  She indicated there were none.  Director King motioned to pay the bills as presented.  Director Wilkey seconded the motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

The Board of Directors went into an Executive Session at 6:57 PM, to discuss personnel.

The Board reconvened to Regular Session at 7:27 PM.  Director Schendel motioned that the Board allow the General Manager/Secretary to work up to an additional 16 hours per month, with pay, only as necessary, to operate the District, permitting that the GM/Secretary keeps concise records of any additional hours used to help her manage her responsibilities, including what she accomplishes during that time.  Director Stapp seconded the motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

The next Regular Meeting was scheduled for Monday, November 18th, 2013 at 6:00 PM.  The meeting adjourned at 7:29 PM.

Submitted by:  Jen Rubio - Secretary/General Manager

Friday, November 15, 2013

Agenda for 11/18 Board Meeting


 A G E N D A
BARSTOW HEIGHTS COMMUNITY SERVICES DISTRICT
REGULAR MEETING
November 18, 2013 - 6:00 PM

 1.   Call to Order and Flag Salute

2.   Roll Call and Recognition of Guests

3.   Public Comments/Questions

4.   Consent Items:

                        Minutes – October 28, 2013

                        Financial Report – October 2013

5.   Correspondence

6.   Update on Board Vacancies

7.   Parks:          H Street:           Safety Check List and Ground Squirrels

                                                       Bid 13-04:  Tree Removal

  Bid 13-03:  Covered picnic areas, tables, and benches

  Office compound – sprinkler system repair and weed removal

Venner:              Safety Check List

                Irrigation for trees on Northwest side
                                                               
8.   Safety Review Report

9.   Audit FYE 6-30-13

10.  Policy and Procedures Manual

11.  Website (BarstowHeights.blogspot.com) and Facebook page activity

12.  General Manager’s Report 

13.  Directors’ Reports

14.  Bills:               Edison - $111.91          Terminix - $36.00          Verizon - $88.02                        
                            CSDA - $196.00 (annual membership dues for 2014)

15.  New Business
                Meeting in December?

16.  Executive Session – Litigation GC54956.99 (A) and Personnel GC54957.1

17.  Adjournment

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Minutes from 9/23 Meeting (approved 10/28/13)

BARSTOW HEIGHTS COMMUNITY SERVICES DISTRICT
REGULAR MEETING
September 23rd, 2013

President Jacobs opened the meeting at 6:00 PM and Director Wilkey led the group in the flag salute.  Directors Jacobs, King, Stapp, and Wilkey were all present.  Director Schendel was not in attendance, but was expected to arrive shortly.  One guest, Jeanette Hayhurst, a resident of Barstow Heights, attended to show her interest in the vacant Director position and to apply for the job.  Director Jacobs welcomed her to the meeting.  There were no public comments or questions.

President Jacobs requested a motion on the Consent Items.  Director Stapp motioned to accept the Minutes of the August 26th, 2013 Meeting, along with the Financial Report for August of 2013 as presented.  Director Wilkey seconded the motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

The Correspondence was offered for review.  President Jacobs highlighted a letter received from SDRMA with a certificate of award for having achieved no paid claims for the last five consecutive years.  At 6:03 PM Director Daryl Schendel entered the meeting.

The Board Vacancies, one (ST) short-term and one (LT) long-term, were discussed.  Director Schendel expressed his willingness to return as a Director, which would result in just one vacancy left to fill.  The Secretary reported that she had talked with Alex Loa at the County Elections Office last week.  He had confirmed that Director Robert Stapp would be “appointed in lieu of election,” and that they would be sending a packet full of forms we would need to fill out and submit as soon as possible to get the appointment process started for Director Stapp, as well as to fill the other vacancies.  Resident Jeanette Hayhurst expressed her interest in joining the Board of Directors to fill the last vacancy.  The Board looked over her resume and asked her a few questions.  Director King motioned that Board recommend that Jeanette Hayhurst and Daryl Schendel be appointed as Directors, pending the application and approval process required by the County.  President Jacobs seconded the motion.  Motion carried unanimously, with Director Schendel abstaining from the vote.

H Street Park was addressed.  The Safety Check List from the City was reviewed.  Director Stapp reported that the Ground Squirrels are fewer in number but still present.  Of the 9 holes he bombed last month, only two had been re-opened and appeared to be active.  He agreed to meet President Jacobs here at 8:15am the next morning to set off a few more extermination cartridges again as needed.  Bid 13-03, the proposed Covered Picnic Areas, Tables, and Benches, was discussed.  President Jacobs reviewed all of the specifics outlined on the new proposed Bid Sheet he had recently updated again.  The changes made to the original plan included that the second Covered Picnic Area is to be added much farther back in the South corner, as suggested by Director Wilkey, which would result in needing to remove the large Cottonwood tree in the South-East corner in addition to the two Elm trees on the North side.  Upon project completion, four new trees would be planted to replace those removed, but their exact placement would need to be determined after the new construction is completed.  The Board agreed to also include the addition of two 8-foot-long athletic Benches to the basketball court area as part of the same project with the same contractor, and to give the contractor the responsibility of ordering, unloading, storing, assembling, and transporting in all of the new Tables and Benches to complete the job.  The Secretary was directed to call Mark Gerardi to find out the exact make and model numbers of the Benches for the Basketball Court to specify on the Bid Sheet so the Contractor can order the correct items.  The Board wants them to be similar to the plastic-coated metal Benches (with no backs) that they’ve seen the City use at Dana Park, as they appear to ensure minimal graffiti/vandalism.  The Secretary was also directed to mail the Bid Sheets out right away since all Bids would be due back by October 22nd so the Directors will have them in time to be reviewed at the next Regular Board Meeting.  It was also suggested that the Bid Sheets state that the areas of the Park under construction remain clean, secure, and safe for the public at the close of each work day.  Director Wilkey motioned to accept the corrected and amended Bid Sheet 13-03 and get them sent out.  Director Schendel seconded the motion.  Motion carried unanimously.  The Secretary was also directed to get new estimates from Tree removal companies right away to determine the cost of removing the 3 trees and a creosote bush near the basketball court before construction is set to begin.  President Jacobs reported that he had recently met with John Heald of Unique Landscaping about the repair of the sprinkler system and weed removal/trimming of bushes needed outside the office building.  The price to do the job would be $490 and work could begin in early October.  Director Schendel motioned that we hire Unique Landscaping to do the work as specified.  Director Wilkey seconded the motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

Venner Park was addressed.  The Safety Check List from the City was reviewed.  The Secretary was directed to talk with Mark Gerardi again for an update on the light poles that are still in need of new bulbs/covers.  The new irrigation system for trees on the Northwest side was discussed again.  President Jacobs and John Heald of Unique Landscaping recently walked the area in question together and counted 16 bubblers that are needed.  At $31 each, the cost to add them would be $496.  Director King motioned that we hire Unique Landscaping to add the new irrigation system at Venner Park.  Director Schendel seconded the motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

The Checking Account Balance was discussed again.  The Secretary was directed to go ahead and open another Certificate of Deposit (CD #5); an investment of $70,000 from the Checking Account for a term of 6 months.

The Policy and Procedure Manual was discussed very briefly.  The Secretary reported that she has found a few more things in the files and that she continues to add them to the book.

The General Manager reported that she keeps the Blog (BarstowHeights.blogspot.com) updated by continuing to post the most recent Meeting Agendas and Minutes.  The Facebook page currently has 97 followers, with no new activity to be reported.

President Jacobs requested the Directors’ reports.  Director Wilkey mentioned that he had noticed that Mr. Hilarides had fenced in his wood pile.  He also had concerns about two pit bulls that had been loose near O and P Streets that he been told had attacked someone.  He wondered if any of the Director’s knew anything more about either of these situations, but they didn’t.  Director Stapp asked the Secretary about the quarterly Safety Review Report that he believed should be due soon and reminded her to check the schedule to make sure we stay on track with those.  Director King mentioned that he noticed a house on the corner of Calico near either J or K Streets that is quite a mess.  President Jacobs said he would investigate to determine the exact location so it can be reported to County Code Enforcement.

President Jacobs asked the Secretary if there were any additional bills to be paid.  She indicated there were none.  Director Wilkey motioned to pay the bills as presented.  Director Stapp seconded the motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

There was no new business to address.  The next Regular Meeting is scheduled for Monday, October 28th, 2013 at 6:00 PM.  The meeting adjourned at 7:17 PM.

Submitted by:
Jen Rubio - Secretary/General Manager

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Agenda for 10/28 Board Meeting

A G E N D A
BARSTOW HEIGHTS COMMUNITY SERVICES DISTRICT
REGULAR MEETING
October 28, 2013 - 6:00 PM

1.   Call to Order and Flag Salute

2.   Roll Call and Recognition of Guests

3.   Public Comments/Questions

4.   Consent Items:

                        Minutes – September 23, 2013

                        Financial Report – September 2013

5.   Correspondence

6.   Update on Board Vacancies

7.   Parks:             H Street:       Safety Check List and Ground Squirrels

Bid 13-03: Covered picnic areas, tables, and tree removal

Sidewalks and Ramp to meet ADA

Office compound – sprinkler system repair and weed removal            

    Venner:        Safety Check List

             Irrigation for trees on Northwest side

                                                     Benches

 8.  Policy and Procedures Manual

9.  Website (BarstowHeights.blogspot.com) and Facebook page activity

10.  General Manager’s Report 

11.  Directors’ Reports

12.  Bills:          Hi Desert Alarm - $336.00             Edison - $126.97                Terminix - $36.00       

Verizon - $88.02                              D. Jacobs - $34.54 (re-imbursement for printer ink)

13.  New Business

14.  Executive Session – Litigation GC54956.99 (A) and Personnel GC54957.1

15.  Adjournment

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Minutes from 8/26 Meeting (approved 9/23/13)

BARSTOW HEIGHTS COMMUNITY SERVICES DISTRICT
REGULAR MEETING
August 26th, 2013

President Jacobs opened the meeting at 6:01 PM and Director Stapp led the group in the flag salute.  Directors Jacobs, Stapp, and Wilkey were all present.  Directors King and Schendel were absent.  There were no guests in attendance.

President Jacobs requested a motion on the Consent Items.  There was one correction needed on the minutes.  Director Jacobs requested that the term “cubic feet” be changed to “cubic yards” (first page, last paragraph).  Director Stapp motioned to accept the corrected Minutes of the July 22nd, 2013 Meeting, along with the Financial Report for July of 2013 as presented.  Director Wilkey seconded the motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

The Correspondence was offered for review.  President Jacobs read an invitation in the file and extended the invite to Directors to attend the High Desert CSD luncheon at Los Domingo’s coming up on Wednesday, September 11th at Noon.  The file also included a copy of the completed Audit Questionnaire that the Secretary recently submitted to the Auditor, Mr. David B. Whitford, Jr., CPA.

At 6:04 PM John Heald of Unique Landscaping entered the meeting and the Board welcomed him.

H Street Park was addressed.  The Safety Check List from the City was reviewed.  Director Stapp reported that the Ground Squirrels are back in full force again and that he continues to set off more extermination cartridges (9 more set into 9 holes this morning).  He also reported that he discovered that one of the trash cans was wiggling and loose because the Ground Squirrels had dug a hole around its foundation.  He filled the hole with dirt to give the trash can more stability.  Bid 13-03, the proposed Covered Picnic Areas, was discussed.  The cement foundations of each area will measure 20 feet by 40 feet, with the front-most facing area positioned North to South, while the other area could be rotated to face East to West.  The Directors agreed that they are all in favor of adding at least two separate Picnic Areas.  More specifics of details to use on the Bid sheet were clarified.  Other questions that were addressed included whether or not to include the addition of benches to the basketball court area as part of the same project with the same contractor, and should the District order the tables and benches (handling the delivery and storage of them ourselves) or give the contractor the responsibility of ordering and transporting them in for the job.  Director Wilkey suggested that we call the company we’re ordering the tables and benches from (Pilot Rock) to ask them if they offer a “contractor’s rate” and what that might be, so that information could aid them in the decision.  He also suggested we add another item (#7) to the Bid sheet requesting that the contractor be responsible also to re-route the sprinklers as necessary to ensure proper operation.  John Heald asked if he could be included to receive a Bid sheet for the job when it is ready also, since he might be asked to work with a contractor on this project as well.  The Secretary was directed to make sure that Unique Landscaping is included on the Bid list.  Director Wilkey suggested we also add Linebaugh Construction and H.S. Constuction to the Bid list.  He will let the Secretary know the phone number to call Linebaugh for their address this week, since she has been unable to find them in the phone book.  President Jacobs asked if the tree removal should also be part of this project, but all agreed that we could easily hire that out to be done first separately.  Mr. Heald warned the Board to make sure that the tree roots are ground down at least one full foot or more, because they have a tendency to grow back if not ground down deep enough.  President Jacobs thanked him for his input and stated that his suggestion reminded him that the specs should also require that a “wire mesh” be added to the concrete slabs.  Director Stapp asked if an approach to the sidewalk or a cement ramp to at least one of these picnic areas should be added to meet ADA (American Disabilities Act) requirements also.  The Directors agreed that it was a good suggestion to think on and consider again at the next meeting along with any proposed solutions they can come up with before then.

Venner Park was addressed.  The Safety Check List from the City was reviewed.  The Secretary was directed to talk with Mark Gerardi again to find out if there’s anything we can do for Venner Park in regards to the light pole issues and graffiti clean-up.  Director Stapp suggested we leave the “Gopher” issue off of future Agendas since we haven’t seen one recently and past experience has shown that there’s not much we can do to remedy just one or two of them anyway.  The new irrigation for trees on the Northwest side was discussed with Mr. John Heald of Unique Landscaping.  He would like to have a job walk-through with one of the Directors to get an accurate plant count.  He counted 18, but President Jacobs had counted just 9 trees.  John Heald needed to leave the meeting and exited the room at 6:48 PM.  Presidents Jacobs mentioned that we may need to add one more level of blocks on to the top of the block wall located above the volleyball court also.  The Directors discussed the kind of Benches needed at Venner Park.  The Secretary was directed to get a catalog or item number to use from Mark Gerardi at the City so we could order wire Benches similar to the ones the City has in place.  President Jacobs shared his desire that adding similar benches (6 feet or longer) to the North and South sides of the Basketball Court at H street park also become part of the Bid sheet 13-03 specifications.

The Checking Account Balance was discussed.  Another charitable donation check from the Dorothy Davis Estate for $39,206.28 arrived and was deposited into the account during the past week.  The result is a lot of money in the one account that could possibly be better invested elsewhere.  The Secretary was directed to look into opening another Certificate of Deposit (#5) for a term of 6 months, and to find out what the current interest rate is so they can discuss it further at the next meeting.  The Secretary is also to find out what Policies we might already have in place to determine if a Board Member is required to be present with the Secretary when opening another CD account.

The Policy and Procedure Manual was discussed briefly.  The Secretary reported that the Auditor has requested a copy of the Manual from us also, so completing it is one of the more urgent things she needs to accomplish over the next few weeks.

The General Manager reported that she continues to keep the Blog (BarstowHeights.blogspot.com) updated.  The Facebook page currently has 97 followers, which is a very slight increase from last month.  She reported that she took a few photos of the Army group that was here using H Street park for their company picnic on Saturday, August 3rd.  She plans to share those pictures on the blog soon.  She has continued to promote on Facebook and on the blog that we are still seeking a new Board Member.

President Jacobs requested the Directors’ reports.  Director Stapp encouraged the Board to continue to “dream big” to determine more ways we can use our money to improve the Parks.

President Jacobs asked the Secretary if there were any additional bills to be paid.  She indicated there were none.  Director Wilkey motioned to pay the bills as presented.  Director Stapp seconded the motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

There was no new business to address.  Director Wilkey had one more thought to share, he suggested that perhaps we consider moving the second Covered Picnic Area at H street Park to be added even farther back by the restrooms (South) than had previously been discussed and everyone agreed to think about the placement possibilities some more.

The next Regular Meeting is scheduled for Monday, September 23rd, 2013 at 6:00 PM.  The meeting adjourned at 7:07 PM.

Submitted by:
Jen Rubio - Secretary/General Manager

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Agenda for 9/23 Board Meeting

A G E N D A
BARSTOW HEIGHTS COMMUNITY SERVICES DISTRICT
REGULAR MEETING
September 23, 2013 - 6:00 PM

1.   Call to Order and Flag Salute

2.   Roll Call and Recognition of Guests

3.   Public Comments/Questions

4.   Consent Items:

                        Minutes – August 26, 2013

                        Financial Report – August 2013

5.   Correspondence

6.   Board Vacancies

7.   Parks:             H Street:       Safety Check List and Ground Squirrels

Bid 13-03: Covered picnic areas, tables, and tree removal

Sidewalks and Ramp to meet ADA

Office compound – sprinkler system repair and weed removal

   Venner:          Safety Check List

              Irrigation for trees on Northwest side

                                                      Benches

8.   Checking account balance

9.   State Controller’s Report

10.  Policy and Procedures Manual

11.  Website (BarstowHeights.blogspot.com) and Facebook page activity

12.  General Manager’s Report 

13.  Directors’ Reports

14.  Bills:               Edison - $115.00          Terminix - $36.00          Verizon - $93.38

15.  New Business

16.  Executive Session – Litigation GC54956.99 (A) and Personnel GC54957.1

17.  Adjournment

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Minutes from 7/22 Meeting (approved 8/26/13)

BARSTOW HEIGHTS COMMUNITY SERVICES DISTRICT
REGULAR MEETING
July 22nd, 2013

President Jacobs opened the meeting at 6:00 PM and the Secretary led the group in the flag salute.  Directors Jacobs, King, Schendel, Stapp, and Wilkey were all present.  There were no guests in attendance.

President Jacobs requested a motion on the Consent Items.  Director King motioned to accept the Minutes of the June 24th, 2013 Meeting, along with the Financial Report for June of 2013 as presented.  Director Wilkey seconded the motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

The Correspondence was offered for review.

H Street Park was addressed.  The Safety Check List from the City was reviewed.  Director Stapp reported that the Ground Squirrel population has continued to increase slightly and that he will continue to set off more extermination cartridges.  President Jacobs shared another sketch he drew up and explained in more detail his proposed plans for adding new covered picnic areas, which would include tree removal, cement foundations, building of canopies to create shade, bolting down two picnic tables under each canopy, and putting the cement trash cans and barbecues that were previously there back in place.  The diagrams he drew showed in detail the dimensions of the canopies that are currently in place at Venner Park.  They have held up well and the Board agreed that they would like the ones at H Street Park to be similar in design.  Director Schendel asked if it would be possible to do the project without removing any trees.  President Jacobs explained that the distance between the trees is approximately 60 feet and that the proposed covered patio areas would be approximately 40 feet each.  He further explained that because the tree roots extend more than 10 feet outward around the circumference of each tree, pouring a concrete foundation so close to the roots would likely cause future problems to fix and would just not be wise.  President Jacobs proposed that New Trees could be planted nearby, but not too close to the covered patio areas, once they are in place.  Director Schendel liked that possible solution.  The Secretary was directed to begin typing up the Bid Sheet for the project.  The Board suggested that Bid Sheets be sent to Magee Enterprises, Linebaugh’s Construction Company, Wade Harris’ Construction Company, and Roger Watson’s Construction Company, among any other local General Contracting businesses she could locate.  President Jacobs added that perhaps the addition of Benches for seating installed on each side of the Basketball Court could also be added to the project.  The Secretary was directed to ask the City if they could recommend what type of Benches would be the most durable and most vandalism-proof.  President Jacobs directed the Secretary to add the Bid Sheet Specifications to the next Agenda for continued discussion next month.

Venner Park was addressed.  The Safety Check List from the City was reviewed.  The Board noted that the East Playground (fitness area) is in need of wood chips again and suggested we get that taken care of early next year when more wood chips would also be needed at H Street Park.  Because of the minimum order requirement (60 cubic yards), the wood chips we would be required to order in one delivery would be too much for just the one area alone.  The Board also discussed item A8 on the Safety Check List (the Light Pole next to the parking lot with the broken light), that it does belong to us and should be our responsibility to get repaired.  It needs a cover as well as a new light bulb.  The Secretary was directed to research vandalism-proof covers and talk to Mark Gerardi with the City, so we can help get one ordered if they don’t have one already.  Director Wilkey informed the Board that he has seen one covered gopher hole there recently.  President Jacobs said he will stop by to check it out also to see if it is still visible and to determine if something more should be done about it soon.  The Secretary was also directed to talk with Mark Gerardi about our interest in adding more benches for seating.  She was directed to ask him if cement benches similar to the one that is already in place near the playground would be preferable, to match what is already there, or if another type of bench would be more durable and less prone to vandalism.

The Board decided to take no action on the ASBCSD Annual Membership Renewal.

The Policy and Procedure Manual was discussed briefly.  The Secretary showed that some progress had been made, as she provided the Board with the more detailed outline and index that she recently typed up.

The General Manager reported that she continues to keep the Blog (BarstowHeights.blogspot.com) updated.  A photo of the current Board of Directors (taken in June), along with a new “Links of Interest” section were recently added.  The Facebook page currently has 95 followers, which is a slight increase from last month.  The Board read the Secretary’s Vacation Request Letter.  Director Stapp motioned that the Board allow the Secretary to take her one week of paid vacation during the week of July 23-25, 2013, so she could attend a Family Reunion.  Director Schendel seconded the motion.  Motion carried unanimously. 

President Jacobs requested the Directors’ reports.  Director Stapp mentioned that he really liked the idea discussed last month, that of audio-recording future Board Meetings and he wondered if the Secretary had determined anything more about our options.  He had recently been told that another Community Services District had been in some trouble with the County, and felt that an audio-recording of our meetings could protect our Board if ever we were to be questioned about our proceedings.  The Secretary had nothing new to report, but promised to research it further.  President Jacobs offered to bring in a small electronic recording device he already owns, so we could try recording the next meeting to determine if something similar to what he has would be adequate, or if investing more for more sensitive recording equipment would be necessary or preferable.

President Jacobs asked the Secretary if there were any additional bills to be paid.  She indicated there were two additional bills just arrived and not listed on the Agenda; the Verizon (phone & internet) bill for $87.77 and an online Debit from Checks Unlimited for 83.42 to purchase new checks.  Director Schendel motioned to pay the bills as presented.  Director Wilkey seconded the motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

There was no new business to address.

The next Regular Meeting is scheduled for Monday, August 26th, 2013 at 6:00 PM.  The meeting adjourned at 6:55 PM.

Submitted by:
Jen Rubio
Secretary/General Manager

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Agenda for 8/26 Board Meeting

A G E N D A
BARSTOW HEIGHTS COMMUNITY SERVICES DISTRICT
REGULAR MEETING
August 26, 2013 - 6:00 PM

1.   Call to Order and Flag Salute

2.   Roll Call and Recognition of Guests

3.   Public Comments/Questions

4.   Consent Items:

                        Minutes – July 22, 2013

                        Financial Report – July 2013

5.   Correspondence

6.   Parks:          H Street:         Safety Check List and Ground Squirrels

Bid 13-03: Covered picnic areas, tables, and tree removal

Improvement Ideas for Basketball Court and Office Area

                            Venner:          Safety Check List and Gophers

            New Irrigation for trees on Northwest side

                                                    Benches

7.   Checking account balance

8.   Policy and Procedures Manual

9.   Website (BarstowHeights.blogspot.com) and Facebook page activity

10.  General Manager’s Report 

11.  Directors’ Reports

12.  Bills:               Edison - $128.40          Terminix - $36.00          Verizon - $88.50

13.  New Business

14.  Executive Session – Litigation GC54956.99 (A) and Personnel GC54957.1

15.  Adjournment

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Minutes from 6/24 Meeting (approved 7/22/13)

BARSTOW HEIGHTS COMMUNITY SERVICES DISTRICT
REGULAR MEETING
June 24th, 2013

President Jacobs opened the meeting at 6:02 PM and Director Wilkey led the group in the flag salute.  Directors Jacobs, King, Schendel, Stapp, and Wilkey were all present.  There were no guests in attendance.

President Jacobs requested that a review of Budget Resolution 2013-1 discussed at last month’s meeting be added to the Agenda after the Correspondence.  The secretary mistakenly left that item out of the May 20th Meeting Minutes, so the Board agreed to take a roll call vote on it again.

President Jacobs requested a motion on the Consent Items.  Director King pointed out a typo he found in the fourth paragraph of the Minutes that needed fixing.  Director Stapp motioned to accept the corrected Minutes of the May 20th, 2013 Meeting, along with the Financial Report for May of 2013 as presented.  Director Schendel seconded the motion.  Motion carried unanimously.  President Jacobs abstained from the vote due to his absence from the May 20th meeting.

The Correspondence was offered for review.  The Board of Directors opted to take no action on the SDRMA or CSDA District 5 Elections.

Budget Resolution 2013-1 for FY 2013-2014 was read by President Jacobs and adopted by the following roll call vote:

President Jacobs          Aye
Director King               Aye
Director Schendel        Aye
Director Stapp              Aye
Director Wilkey           Aye

The Secretary was directed to re-type the Resolution with the corrected date of June 24th, 2013 for President Jacobs to sign.

H Street Park was addressed.  The Safety Check List from the City was reviewed.  Director Stapp reported that the Ground Squirrel problem continues to be minimal and that he will continue to set off extermination cartridges as needed.  The Secretary reported that the City work crew had stopped by her office to pick up the new Rules and Regulations signs that they then posted in the parks.  Two signs were mounted back-to-back on the wooden post in the center of H street park, and one sign was mounted above the North-most picnic table area at Venner Park (replacing the damaged sign that had been there).  The former Rules and Regulations sign already posted between the restrooms at Venner Park was left there, since it is still legible and in good condition.  The Board agreed to wait on determining whether or not to trim the trees as previously discussed, in light of the new possibility that the two oldest Elm trees be removed and replaced with a new covered picnic area that could include four new tables on a concrete slab foundation.  President Jacobs shared diagrams he drew that show which two trees would go and where the new shaded picnic areas could be located.  Director Stapp asked about the dimensions of the project and President Jacobs replied that he would measure the area so he could provide him with more answers at the next meeting.  President Jacobs expressed his desire that construction begin by February of 2014 so that the project could be completed by next Spring, when the parks tend to get the most use.  Director Wilkey agreed that would be ideal.  The Board agreed that they would like to add the item to the Agenda for continued discussion next month.  The Secretary reported that her son was out of town again, and that his proposed Eagle Scout Project (improvement ideas for the basketball court and office areas) may not end up working out because her son has recently expressed more interest in other project ideas.

Venner Park was addressed.  The Safety Check List from the City was reviewed.  The Gophers appear to be gone and are not a problem for now.  The Secretary reported that she noticed one of the new trees appears to have been damaged (broken support poles).  She was directed to let the City know and ask John Heald of Unique Landscaping to fix it.  The Secretary also reported that Unique Landscaping finished all of the work previously requested, and that she was very pleased with their quick response.  The Board reviewed the newest estimate from Unique Landscaping to install a new Irrigation System for the trees on the Northwest side of Venner Park for $589.  Director King motioned to hire Unique Landscaping to do the work, provided that the estimate includes the cost of piping water to all 9 trees (including the Palm Tree behind the restrooms) as well as all of the tunneling under the sidewalks that would need to be done.  Director Wilkey seconded the motion.  Motion carried unanimously.  Director Wilkey shared that he is interested in adding three benches to the newly landscaped area.  He wasn’t sure if we would want cement benches, like the one already in place near the lady bug rider, or if something else would be better.  He volunteered to research it more and asked that it be added to the next Agenda for further discussion.  The Secretary was directed to also ask Mr. Heald of Unique Landscaping for an estimate to fix the sprinkler system outside the office building and to go ahead and get that repaired right away if it is less than $200.

The Auditor’s Agreement with David B. Whitford Jr., CPA was reviewed.  Director King motioned to accept and sign the engagement letter.  Director Schendel seconded the motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

The Safety Review Report was read by Director Stapp.  The Board agreed that it was acceptable and that the Secretary would mail it to SDRMA as usual.

The Policy and Procedure Manual was discussed briefly as the Secretary provided a sample index she found that would guide her in creating a more detailed outline of what should be included in the manual.

The General Manager reported that she continues to keep the Blog (BarstowHeights.blogspot.com) and Facebook pages updated (93 “likes” on the Facebook page currently).  As of June 12th, she has been working for the District for one full year.  She also reported that she printed new business cards that reflect her new office hours and that the Directors are welcome to take some to give out if needed.  She reported that she recently noticed that the stone marker outside the office shows that BHCSD was founded in 1958 and that the District will be celebrating its 55-year anniversary on September 30th, 2013.  She also reported that she is beginning to gather information to add to the annual newsletter, so it can be ready to mail to residents on September 1st.  Finally, she asked the Board of Directors how they would feel about having future meetings audio-recorded.  It would be helpful for her to have the recording to review when she types up the Minutes and it could offer the District added legal protection as well.  The Board did not object to the idea, but asked her to research all of the best recording options and determine what it might cost before adding it to a future Agenda.

President Jacobs requested the Directors’ reports.  Director Stapp expressed his concern about finding a replacement Board Member before December and encouraged the other Director’s to help him find someone by next month if possible.  He directed the Secretary to work on getting a vacancy notice published in the newspaper again to notify the public.  He also asked the Secretary to please write another letter to the County to request an update from them about what road work they are planning to do in our area in the coming year.  Director Schendel mentioned the recent burglaries that had been occurring in the Heights and asked if anyone knew anything more about whether the suspects had been caught.  Arrests in Adelanto and Apple Valley had been rumored about, but no one knew for sure.

President Jacobs asked the Secretary if there were any additional bills to be paid.  She indicated there were none.  Director Schendel motioned to pay the bills as presented.  Director King seconded the motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

The Board of Directors went into an Executive Session at 7:04 PM, to discuss personnel.

The Board reconvened to Regular Session at 7:18 PM.  President Jacobs motioned to increase the Secretary/General Manager’s salary by $1.00 per hour, to begin on July 1st, 2013.  Director Wilkey seconded the motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

The next Regular Meeting is scheduled for Monday, July 22nd, 2013 at 6:00 PM.  The meeting adjourned at 7:21 PM.

Submitted by:
Jen Rubio
Secretary/General Manager