Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Minutes from 10/26/15 Meeting (approved 11/17/15)

BARSTOW HEIGHTS COMMUNITY SERVICES DISTRICT
REGULAR MEETING
Monday, October 26, 2015

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

The Consent Items were reviewed. Director Stapp motioned to accept the Minutes of the September 29th, 2015 Meeting, along with the Financial Reports for September of 2015 as presented. President Jacobs seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.

The Correspondence file was offered for review. President Jacobs reported on the correspondence from the County Elections office. The Secretary had confirmed by email and with a follow up phone conversation that Daryl Schendel was set to appointed in Lieu of Election, just as the Board had recommended. The item will be listed on the agenda for approval at the November 3rd meeting of the County Board of Supervisors. President Jacobs also reviewed the invitation to all of the Directors from the Mojave Water Agency to attend the November 17th Newly Elected Officials Orientation meeting.

Barstow Heights Park was addressed. The Safety Check List from the City was reviewed. There were no safety or maintenance issues reported in the past month. Director Hayhurst had nothing new to report about working out a time that the gas cartridges can be set off inside the fenced area surrounding the water tower. President Jacobs reported that he found four new holes around the outside of the Office Compound, so he had set off four gas cartridges to remedy them and will continue to keep an eye on them.

The Board discussed the final plans for the Dedication Ceremony at Barstow Heights Park on Wednesday, November 4th starting at 10:00 AM.  Director Hayhurst confirmed that the City of Barstow will be bringing their portable PA system for our use. The order and specifics of the program were determined. The Secretary will purchase and bring the refreshments (muffins, cookies, and fruit from Costco). A recording of the two speakers (Beverly Lowry and Dick Jacobs) will be made, so the Secretary can type up a transcript of what was said, to be given to Barbara’s daughter, Jan Fowler, as a keepsake (and to preserve the history of the District). The Secretary will also type up and have programs printed to be given out to guests as they arrive.

The list of Long Range Plans for Barstow Heights Park was addressed. Bid 01-15 was discussed first. Two bids had been received; one from Linebaugh Construction and one from Siembab & Sons Construction, Inc. President Jacobs motioned to accept the bid from Linebaugh Construction and hire them to install the new shade canopy and picnic tables on the West side of the park for $49,584.00. Further discussion clarified that prevailing wages are included in the bid and that the cost of the engineering (including new site plans) would also be included for that price. Director Schendel seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.

The Secretary had nothing new to report about progress on the Street Lamps. The quote from Ellis Fence Company to install 40 additional feet of hand-railing with skateboard deterrent knobs along the West side of the sidewalk ramp was reviewed. Director Stapp motioned to accept and approve the estimate from Ellis Fence Company to do the work for $2,650.00. Director Hayhurst seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. The Board reviewed the items on Director Schendel’s list (Long Range Plans) and merged those ideas with the other list of ideas that had been started back in January of 2015. The Secretary will use her notes from the discussion to revise and type all of the ideas into just one new Long Range Plans List. Director Stapp encouraged the Board to make the Shade Covers for the playground equipment at both parks the highest priority, so that they can be completed by next summer when the hot weather returns. The Board also agreed that new Wood Chips are needed again and should be purchased and replaced early next year. The Secretary was directed to get an estimate from Unique Landscaping to remove the shrubs in front of the office and put in rocks (preferably not white rock) and desert landscaping/plants around the outside of the office compound. The Secretary was also directed to add the engineering for a retaining wall and sidewalks at the front (North) side of the park to the agenda for the next meeting.

Venner Park was addressed. The Safety Check List from the City was reviewed. There were no safety or maintenance issues reported in the past month. President Jacobs reported that he had been researching Shade Covers for parks online and had compiled a list of nine different companies that do that kind of work. President Jacobs volunteered to call and start requesting estimates from those companies that are interested. The Secretary will look into finding some companies that are based in Las Vegas also, since they might have more experience installing the kind of Shade Covers that hold up best in desert climates.

The Office Building and Compound were addressed. The Secretary reported that she was very pleased and excited about the repairs and painting of the interior walls/ceiling that was done by JDR Construction recently. The work was completed in two days (October 6th and 7th) and was paid for upon completion on October 8th. She did take a few photos of the work as it was in progress to add to the history book. President Jacobs and Director Hayhurst will determine a “work date” that works best for both of them to come assist the Secretary with cleaning out the kitchen cupboards some time in mid-late November or early December.

The Purchasing Policy was addressed. The Board discussed the new draft of the Purchasing Policy briefly and decided to wait and review it again before approving it. The Secretary was directed add the item to next month’s Agenda.

The General Manager reported that as usual, she had been kept very busy at the office during the past month. She unexpectedly found herself needing to work three extra days (on a Monday and two Fridays) to make up for the two days the office was closed for renovations and the third day when the paint fumes were still so strong that she couldn’t stand them long enough to get any work done. The Auditor had also contacted her that week to let her know that he would be unable to attend the October Board Meeting as planned, and would need to reschedule for the November meeting (preferably, Tuesday November 17th, if that will work for the Board of Directors). The Director’s agreed that the new date would work for them.

President Jacobs asked if any of the Directors had any Reports they wanted to discuss. There were none.

President Jacobs asked the Secretary if there were any additional bills to be presented. She indicated that there was one new bill that had just arrived from California Special Districts Association (CSDA) for $226.00 (annual membership fee). Director Hayhurst motioned to pay all of the bills as presented. Director Schendel seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. There was no New Business to address and no Executive Session was requested.

The next Regular Meeting was scheduled for Tuesday, November 17th at 6:00 PM.
The meeting adjourned at 7:17 PM.

Submitted by:
Jen Rubio - Secretary/General Manager

Saturday, November 14, 2015

Agenda for 11/17 Board Meeting

A G E N D A
BARSTOW HEIGHTS COMMUNITY SERVICES DISTRICT
REGULAR MEETING
Tuesday, November 17th, 2015 - 6:00 PM

1.   Call to Order and Flag Salute

2.   Roll Call and Recognition of Guests  

3.   Public Comments/Questions

4.   Audit Report

5.   Consent Items:      Minutes – October 26th, 2015
                                 Financial Reports – October of 2015
 
6.   Correspondence

7.   Parks:        Barstow Heights:         Safety Check List and Ground Squirrels
                                                                 Long Range Plans List
                                                                        Update on Bid 01-15 (one shade canopy and tables)
                                                                        Shade Covers over playground equipment (both parks)       
                                                                        Engineering for retaining wall & sidewalks (in front)
 
                        Venner Park:               Safety Check List
                                    Long Range Plans List
                                   
8.   Office Building & Compound:       Long Range Plans List
                                                                         “Work date” to clean out kitchen (mid-late November)
 
9.   Safety Review Report

10.  Policies and Procedures Manual – Purchasing Policy

11.  General Manager’s Report

12.  Directors’ Reports

13.  Bills:         Edison - $89.77           Terminix - $40.00

14.  New Business

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

16.  Adjournment

Minutes from 9/29/15 Meeting (approved 10/26/15)

BARSTOW HEIGHTS COMMUNITY SERVICES DISTRICT
REGULAR MEETING
Tuesday, September 29, 2015

President Jacobs called the meeting to order at 6:00 PM and the Secretary led the group in the flag salute. Directors Jacobs, Stapp, Wilkey, and Hayhurst were all present. Director Schendel was absent. There were no guests in attendance at the start of the meeting.

The Consent Items were reviewed. Director Stapp motioned to accept the Minutes of the August 24th, 2015 Meeting, along with the Financial Reports for August of 2015 as presented. Director Wilkey seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.

The Correspondence file was offered for review. President Jacobs highlighted two letters from the County Elections office. One letter confirmed that Directors Jacobs and Wilkey will be appointed in Lieu of Election. The other letter confirmed that one vacancy was left on the Board and it gave instructions as to how the Secretary should proceed to have another candidate appointed in Lieu of Election by the County Board of Supervisors. The Secretary will recommend that Daryl Schendel be appointed to fill the open position.

Barstow Heights Park was addressed. The Safety Check List from the City was reviewed. There were no safety or maintenance issues reported in the past month. The Secretary reported that the new shipment of gas cartridges used to control the Ground Squirrels had arrived. Director Hayhurst will talk with the water company to work out a time that the gas cartridges can be set off inside the fenced area surrounding the water tower. The Secretary reported that she hasn’t seen any ground squirrel activity near the office compound in recent weeks. Director Hayhurst wondered if perhaps the new electric fence was enough of an irritant to them that it was keeping them away.

The Board discussed plans for the Dedication Ceremony at Barstow Heights Park. Director Hayhurst suggested Wednesday, November 4th starting at 10:00 AM.  She had already confirmed with the keynote speakers (Beverly Lowry and Dick Jacobs) that the date and time works for them, as well as for the groundskeepers of the park and city employees. Donuts, muffins, and cookies/lemon bars, were all suggested as possible options for the refreshments. Director Hayhurst will try to get a portable PA system that can be used. The Secretary will call and personally invite Barbara Kelley’s daughter (Janet Fowler), as well as create a flyer/invitation to send out to the media (Kay Lovato at the Desert Dispatch), City of Barstow officials and employees, and especially Mark Gerardi and all of his workers/crew. She will also promote the event on the blog, office bulletin board, Facebook, and the Next Door online community page.

The list of Long Range Plans for Barstow Heights Park was reviewed. The Secretary had nothing new to report about progress on the Street Lamps, but she had made progress on the “Fence alongside Ramp” project. Ellis Fence Company was scheduled to come for a job walk through the next morning, so an estimate/proposal for that job was expected to be received in the coming week. The Board decided to review more of the items on Director Schendel’s list at the next meeting and merge his ideas with the first list of ideas that had been started back in January of 2015. The Directors agreed that Shade Covers for the playground equipment at both parks and setting a more specific timeline of when the Board would like projects started and completed would be a priority at the next meeting.

Venner Park was addressed. The Safety Check List from the City was reviewed. There were no safety or maintenance issues reported in the past month. The Board briefly reviewed the Long Range Plans for Venner Park. A resident and guest, Gene Lowe, entered the meeting at 6:24 PM. He was welcomed to the meeting.

The Office Building and Compound were addressed. The new office Bulletin Board had been received and was hung securely on the outside of the chain-link fence by President Jacobs near the end of August. The Secretary had purchased and added a small lock to the cabinet and is happy about the extra space it now gives her for posting things. The Secretary also reported that John Rowe was scheduled to begin the repairs to the interior walls/ceiling of the office within the next week or two, so she was anticipating that the job was likely to be completed before the next board meeting in October. A “work date” to assist the Secretary with cleaning out the kitchen cupboards will be set for mid-late November at the next meeting. Director Wilkey added that the dumpster gets emptied on Thursdays, so a Wednesday might be a good day to fill it up.

The Purchasing Policy was addressed. The Board reviewed the Purchasing Policy shared by Helendale CSD for the District to use as a starting point and reference. The Board discussed at length all of the details of the policy to determine which parts were relevant and which parts should be revised to better fit the needs of the District. Director Hayhurst will give her revised copy that includes notes on all of the changes to the Secretary, so a final draft copy can be ready for board approval next month. The Secretary will then begin working on updating the Banking Policy (formerly known as the “Check Signing” and “Fund Transfer” Policies) in November and the Secretarial Procedures list (adding a new technology “Back-up Policy”) in December.

The General Manager reported that she had talked with the Auditor about the accounting mistake she had been making (the wrong amount deducted from her pay for social security). He assured her that because the District had always paid the correct amount required to the government and because she had reported it to him and to the Accountant right away as soon as she discovered the error, there was nothing further that needed to be done or to worry about, as long as the correct amount is deducted from now on. She also reported that Deb from Stewart’s Business and Tax Service would be coming to the office on Wednesday to reconcile the last few months of accounting done on QuickBooks. Lastly, she reported that her supply of official District letterhead (and envelopes) is running out and inquired about whether or not the Board would like the opportunity to design a new logo for the District or keep it the same. The Board agreed that it would be a good time for her to update the logo if she would like to, but suggested that she keep the design simple.

President Jacobs asked if any of the Directors had Reports to discuss. There were none, but President Jacobs did want to know if anyone else had received a questionnaire in the mail from the U.S. Census Bureau similar to the one he pulled out to show everyone. He was just curious if it was something that all were being required to fill out or if it was more of a voluntary survey or scam that only he had received. Only Director Hayhurst had ever received something similar.

President Jacobs asked the Secretary if there were any additional bills to be presented. She indicated that there were two new bills that had just arrived; one from The Pun Group for $2,800 (the audit) and one from Hi Desert Alarm for $336 (annual service fee). Director Hayhurst asked that a check payable to the Secretary for $75 also be included with the bills to be approved, so it can be noted in the minutes for the benefit of the Auditor and Accountant. The $75 check was to reimburse the Secretary for pay she was owed (since she had been deducting $25 from her pay for the last three pay periods) when she had mistakenly believed that she would owe money back to the District because of the social security deduction mistake. Director Wilkey motioned to pay all of the bills as presented and discussed. Director Stapp seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. There was no New Business to address and no Executive Session requested.

The next Regular Meeting was scheduled for Monday, October 26th at 6:00 PM.
The meeting adjourned at 7:22 PM.

Submitted by:
Jen Rubio - Secretary/General Manager