Minutes from 10/27 Meeting (approved 12/3/14)

BARSTOW HEIGHTS COMMUNITY SERVICES DISTRICT

REGULAR MEETING

Monday, October 27th, 2014

President Jacobs called the meeting to order at 6:02 PM and the Secretary led the group in the flag salute. Directors Jacobs, Schendel, Stapp, and Hayhurst were present. Director Wilkey was absent due to birthday plans his wife had made for them. There were no guests in attendance.

President Jacobs requested a motion on the Consent Items. Director Schendel motioned to accept the Minutes of the September 22nd, 2014 Meeting, along with the Financial Reports for September of 2014 as presented. Director Hayhurst seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously.

The Correspondence file was offered for review. President Jacobs read a portion of a letter from the San Bernardino County Fire District that notified us that the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) determined that damages suffered due to the August Winter Storms did not meet the minimum threshold for individual assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) or the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). He read that furthermore, “If private property owners in your jurisdiction are in need of assistance, it is recommended that they contact their insurance carrier, access the County’s 2-1-1 information and referral line, or refer to the publication enclosed.” The Secretary was directed to share the information online via the blog and Facebook. She will also mail copies of the letter and enclosed flyer to all of the residents who submitted initial flood damage estimate surveys. President Jacobs also complimented the Secretary for the letter she had written and sent to Mr. Bill Little, Public Works Operations Supervisor, and his boss, thanking him on behalf of the Board of Directors for the excellent job that he had done for our community recently in dealing with the flood aftermath and cleanup/recovery efforts.

Barstow Heights Park was addressed. The Safety Check List from the City was reviewed. The City had recently swept the parking lot at Barstow Heights Park thoroughly with a water truck, a tractor, and a brush sweeper. The Directors were pleased with how nice and clean the parking lot now was. President Jacobs reported that he thinks the ground squirrels are starting to hibernate, as he’d only discovered 3 new holes in the past month. Director Hayhurst mentioned that she noticed that the weeds around the office compound were already beginning to grow back.  The Secretary reported that B.E.S.T. Opportunities would be returning again on 11/26 (and once every quarter) to trim shrubs, remove weeds, and rake the area. Director Hayhurst requested that she ask B.E.S.T. opportunities to spread weed killer this time if they are able to.

The Board then addressed the engraved Plaques to honor Mrs. Kelley and Ms. Davis. The estimates received indicated that the cost would be $150 each for either size (10x10 or 12x12), so the final price to order both would be $324 including sales tax. The Directors agreed that they preferred the larger size (12x12) and did a final proof-read of the text. They made a few revisions, including the spelling out of the words August and June (instead of abbreviations) and adding the years that Mrs. Kelley served on the Board (1975-2011). Director Hayhurst motioned to approve the purchase of both 12x12 Plaques as presented, with the revisions specified. Director Schendel seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. The Secretary was directed to get the Plaques ordered.

Bid 13-03, the newly completed Covered Picnic Areas, were addressed next. President Jacobs reported that Mr. Harris had just given the Secretary the final invoice along with all of the paperwork that included the site plans/drawings, building permits (one for each canopy), and signed inspection records. President Jacobs had advised the Secretary to pay the final bill, minus 10% of the total price, until the Board could review whether or not the contract had been completed to their satisfaction. The Board discussed a few minor items that still needed some attention, including a broken tension wire at the bottom of a chain-link fence, a few tractor marks left in the dirt and grass that needed filling in, and uneven fill dirt on the side/slope of the ramp that still needed some leveling so that the grass alongside it can be mowed. The steepness of the drop off near the top of the ramp was also a concern, although that issue had not been specified or addressed in the original contract. President Jacobs volunteered to talk with Mr. Harris to make sure these final items are fixed and the Secretary will pay the remainder of the balance due as soon as they are resolved. The Secretary was also directed to type up a “certificate of completion” to sign and present to Mr. Harris as well. The Board discussed the idea of using large river rocks to cover/pave the dirt slope on the West side of the ramp, similar to what has been done at the high school and sports-park. The Board took a recess at 6:32 PM to go outside to inspect/see the ramp and the dirt slope that needs addressing. The Meeting re-adjourned at 6:43 PM. President Jacobs requested that he be given some time to get feedback from Mark Gerardi before determining what should be done about the slope and the Board all agreed to research and come up with any additional ideas/options they have on their own so it can be discussed again at the next meeting. Director Hayhurst motioned that upon completion of the three items previously discussed, the Board of Directors consider the Construction Project (Bid 13-03) done to their satisfaction and that Harris Construction be paid in full. Director Stapp seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously.

Venner Park was addressed. The Safety Check List from the City was reviewed. The Secretary was directed to follow up with Mark Gerardi about getting the parking lot cleared and swept just as clean as the parking lot at Barstow Heights Park had been. The Board discussed the Bid from John Rowe to put in a retaining wall at Venner Park where the dirt slope had eroded due to flooding. The Board had a lot of questions about the specifics of the project. Director Hayhurst suggested that the Board discuss the matter again next month when Director Wilkey could be there and would be able to explain the specifics of the project, since he had been the one to discuss the possibilities with Mr. Rowe before the proposal had been received. President Jacobs directed the Secretary to also request more information from Mr. Rowe, perhaps a drawing/diagram that shows more clearly the details of the work that he is proposing to do.

The maturity of Bank CD’s was addressed next. The General Manager and the Board determined approximately how much money would still be available to pay upcoming bills, taking into consideration the usual projected income, and concluded that the motion passed at the previous meeting to cash in a CD that matured on 10/27 would not really be necessary. Director Hayhurst motioned that the Secretary should NOT cash out the CD (account ending in 1164) and instead allow it to roll over. President Jacobs seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. Director Stapp suggested that the Secretary research and request updated rates from Desert Community Bank (looking into the possibility of whether foreign bonds at a higher rate would be an option), so the Board can determine if the current investments are getting the best returns possible. She was directed to get more information about those options so the Board can discuss it again at the next meeting.

The General Manager reported that the Auditor would be visiting the office to finish up the Audit on Tuesday, November 4th. She had also completed a free two-hour “Emergency Preparedness and Response” online webinar that was provided by CSDA and SDRMA on October 9th. She also reported her plans to attend a Cal OES “applicants briefing” meeting at the San Bernardino County Fire District Headquarters in Rialto on Wednesday, November 5th. As an applicant, the District could potentially be reimbursed for our costs that resulted from the August 3rd flood. As a public entity, the District may still be eligible for reimbursement; the letter of denial received recently only applied to individual residents/applicants.

President Jacobs requested the Directors’ reports. They wished Director Wilkey a Happy Birthday (in his absence) and had nothing further to report.

President Jacobs asked the Secretary if there were any additional bills to be paid. She indicated that there was one additional bill for $211 from CSDA (annual membership renewal for 2015). Director Schendel motioned to pay the all of the bills as presented. Director Stapp seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. There was no New Business to address and no Executive Session needed.

The next Regular Meeting was tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, November 19th or Wednesday, December 3rd or Thursday, December 4th, 2014 at 6:00 PM (depending on which date the Auditor will be available to attend to present the Audit Report). The Secretary will bring/provide pizza and ice cold water/sodas for the Board and guest(s) to enjoy just before the next meeting (5:45pm), as is the annual year-end tradition. The meeting adjourned at 7:17 PM.

Submitted by:

Jen Rubio - Secretary/General Manager

County Response Letter to August Flood Damages

 We are sorry to report that no individual assistance will be available from the County

to help residents with recovery of their costs associated with the August 3rd storm.

See the following pages for more information about where to seek additional help.

If the following two documents are showing up too small to be legible,
please visit this link here to go to a page where you can click on and
open the document for printing (or open to see it larger):
 http://www.caloes.ca.gov/Recovery/Pages/Individual-Assistance.aspx

Enclosure - page 1 (above)

 



Enclosure - page 2 (above)

Agenda for 12/3 Board Meeting

A G E N D A

BARSTOW HEIGHTS COMMUNITY SERVICES DISTRICT

REGULAR MEETING

Wednesday, December 3rd, 2014 - 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 27, 2014

                              Financial Reports – October of 2014

6.   Correspondence

7.   Parks:        Barstow Heights:     Safety Check List and Ground Squirrels

                                                             Dedication/Plaques to honor Kelley/Davis

                                                             Power Pole Anchor

                                                             Stairs and Slope Cover (River Rocks? West side of Ramp)

                                                             Paint for Canopies

Venner:                    Safety Check List

                                   Sweeping of Parking Lot

                                   Retaining wall Bid from John Rowe

8.   Resolution for Cal OES – Form 130 (Designation of Applicant’s Agent)

9.   Maturity of CD’s

10.  General Manager’s Report

11.  Directors’ Reports

12.  Bills:         Edison - $115.73         Terminix - $38.00       Verizon - $90.59

                        Charles Z. Fedak & Co. - $1020.00 (Audit services)

                        J. Rubio - $81.36 (reimburse for laser print cartridge)

13.  New Business

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

15.  Adjournment

Minutes from 9/22 Meeting (approved 10/27/14)

BARSTOW HEIGHTS COMMUNITY SERVICES DISTRICT

REGULAR MEETING

Monday, September 22nd, 2014

President Jacobs called the meeting to order at 6:00 PM and Director Wilkey led the group in the flag salute. Directors Jacobs, Stapp, Wilkey, and Hayhurst were present. Director Schendel was absent, but expected to arrive shortly. Guests that attended included Barstow Heights residents, Katie Boyd and Rila Girdner. Katie Boyd had recently completed CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) training and had come with a question about whether or not an emergency gathering place had been designated for Barstow Heights residents. Director Hayhurst suggested that she look to the BFPD (Barstow Fire Protection District) that covers our area to ask that question. The District’s role is only to improve the parks and does not currently include any disaster planning. While the District would be willing to serve as hosts for a gathering place at either of our parks or community building, the District had not yet been asked to do so. Director Schendel entered the meeting at 6:06 PM.

President Jacobs requested a motion on the Consent Items. Director Hayhurst suggested two corrections be made to the minutes. President Jacobs asked about the new format of the Financial Report. The Secretary clarified that the new format is the result of the switch to using QuickBooks for all of the accounting/record-keeping. President Jacobs then asked about and reminded the Secretary to get a letter of appreciation sent to Bill Little, the County Roads Department Supervisor, and his boss, to thank him for his help at the August 25th meeting and for all of his assistance to the community in dealing with the flood clean-up. Director Stapp motioned to accept the Minutes of the August 25th, 2014 Meeting, along with the Financial Reports for August of 2014 as amended. Director Hayhurst seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously, with Director Schendel abstaining due to his absence at the previous meeting.

The Correspondence file was offered for review. President Jacobs highlighted a notice from the CSDA that Governor Brown had signed into law the “Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act of 2014” that provides for up to three days of paid sick leave each year for all workers, including part-time employees. This provision will need to be added to the District’s Policy and Procedures manual when the new law goes into effect on July 1, 2015. The correspondence file also included a letter from the SDRMA insurance company that acknowledged the District’s continued achievement of having no paid claims within the past five years.

Barstow Heights Park was addressed. The Safety Check List from the City was reviewed. The parking lot at Barstow Heights Park still needed sweeping. The Secretary was directed to follow up with Mark Gerardi, the City Park Maintenance Supervisor, to find out if he was still planning to sweep the parking lot. President Jacobs reported that he continues to work on keeping the Ground Squirrel population under control and was encouraged to have found no new holes since the last time he exterminated them. The Secretary updated the Board of Directors about the progress made on getting estimates for the engraved Plaques to honor Mrs. Kelley and Ms. Davis. She will have the written estimates before the next meeting so the Board can decide on which size(s) they want ordered.

Bid 13-03, the new Covered Picnic Areas, were addressed next. President Jacobs reported that Construction had started the previous week and he updated the Board about his involvement

as it was progressing. The Engineer had staked the cement pads too far below grass level, had overlooked the correct sloping of the concrete (1%) that was requested in the specs, and a miscalculation of how much concrete would be needed was also made. Measurements for part of the ramp were not listed on the drawing, so the contractor did not have the correct numbers to calculate it and determine it had been wrong before the work began. This meant that additional fill dirt and 14 extra yards of cement to fill the ramp that ended up being 600 square feet longer than was shown on the drawing was required to get all of the concrete poured. The additional cost of materials that were not anticipated amounted to $2,400 more than the original bid provided for, and the Contractor asked to be reimbursed for the additional cost. President Jacobs reminded the Directors that when they had approved the extra requirements to meet the ADA, the Contractor had asked for an additional $14,200, but the Board had approved up to $17,000 more.  The final cost would still be less than the total expenditures already approved, so the Board agreed that no further decision/action was necessary.

Venner Park was addressed. The Safety Check List from the City was reviewed. The wood chip deficiency was noted and the Secretary was asked for an update on the wood chip situation. She reported that two Bids had been received to do the work of excavating and cleaning out the dried mud and debris (10-12 inches deep) that filled the fitness area where the wood chips should be. The work would also include the removal of dirt and mud under the shade canopy/picnic table area and the compacting/filling in of the dirt slope beneath the Basketball Court that had washed away. The Board discussed the two Bids received. Director Hayhurst motioned to hire John Rowe, of JDR Construction, to do the job for $5,000. Director Wilkey seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. The Secretary was directed to call Mr. Rowe the next day to let him know that he was hired to do the job. Since it would be 1-2 weeks before the wood chips could be delivered, the excavating of the pit would have to wait until just the day before delivery, so Director Wilkey suggested that she ask Mr. Rowe to start immediately on the parts of the job that he could do now and offer to pay him half of his fee for completing the first half of the job right away.

The Conflict of Interest Code was addressed. The final copy was reviewed and a few revisions were made. Director Wilkey motioned to accept the new Conflict of Interest Code (Resolution 2014-1) as amended. Director Hayhurst seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously.

The maturity of Bank CD’s was addressed next. The General Manager had some concerns about whether or not there would be enough funds in the checking account to cover all of the larger-than-usual expenses due to the flood disaster and the Construction that was nearing completion. The Board reviewed the list of various CD and bank accounts, their balances, and maturity dates. Director Wilkey motioned to cash in the CD account number ending in 1164 (approximately $70,000) and move that money to the checking account as soon as it reaches maturity (October 27) to pay all of the bills. President Jacobs seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously.

The Safety Review Report was read aloud by Director Wilkey, the Safety Coordinator. Director Wilkey complimented the Board of Directors and the General Manager for their diligence in dealing with all of the recent safety and clean-up issues created by the August 3rd flash flooding. President Jacobs motioned to accept the report. Director Stapp seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously.

The General Manager reported that BEST Opportunities had been hired to remove all of the weeds and trim the shrubs surrounding office building. It had taken 6 workers almost 3 hours to fill and remove approximately 25 large trash bags full of weeds and trimmings. The Board asked to get an updated proposal from them to come and do the work on a quarterly basis. She also reported that Sanchez Roofing had been hired to reseal/repair the leaking roof of the office building and that the work had been done on Friday morning, September 5th. She also reported that Deb from Stewart’s Tax Service had come to the office to complete all of the Quarterly Reconciliations and that they were now well on their way to being ready to finish the Audit. Lastly, she reported that a few recent visitors to the park had made positive comments to her about the new improvements and how great the new shade canopies look. Director Hayhurst suggested that the she post a statement on the Blog and on Facebook to announce the completion of the work as soon as it is done. The statement should let the public know how much money was spent (giving credit to Dorothy Davis for her generous donations) to fund the improvements. Director Stapp asked the Secretary also to notify the Desert Dispatch newspaper about the project once completed.

President Jacobs requested the Directors’ reports. There were none, but President Jacobs mentioned how pleased was with the Sheriff’s Department. He had called them to report abandoned vehicles and suspicious activity at the park a few times recently and the issues were remedied quickly.

President Jacobs asked the Secretary if there were any additional bills to be paid. She indicated that there were none. Director Stapp motioned to pay the bills as presented. Director Wilkey seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. There was no New Business to address and no Executive Session needed.

The next Regular Meeting was scheduled for Monday, October 27th, 2014 at 6:00 PM. The meeting adjourned at 7:27 PM.

Submitted by:

Jen Rubio - Secretary/General Manager
 

Agenda for 10/27 Board Meeting

A G E N D A

BARSTOW HEIGHTS COMMUNITY SERVICES DISTRICT

REGULAR MEETING

Monday, October 27, 2014 - 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 22, 2014

                                Financial Reports – September of 2014

5.   Correspondence

6.   Parks:        Barstow Heights:         Safety Check List and Ground Squirrels

                                                                Dedication/Plaque to honor Barbara Kelley

                                                                Dedication/Plaque to honor Dorothy Davis

                                                                Bid 13-03:  Covered picnic areas

Venner:                       Safety Check List

                                     Sweeping of Parking Lot

                                     Retaining wall Bid from John Rowe

7.   Maturity of CD’s

8.   General Manager’s Report

9.   Directors’ Reports

10.  Bills:           Edison - $131.47         Terminix - $38.00       Verizon - $95.95

BEST Opportunities - $150.00 (weed removal/shrubs trimmed at office)

Geo Services - $90.00 (sprinkler valve repair at office)

Stewart’s Business & Tax Service - $400.00 (accounting)

Hi Desert Alarm - $336.00 (annual alarm monitoring)

Turboscape, Inc. - $3760.00 (wood chips replaced at Venner Park)

11.  New Business

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

13.  Adjournment

Minutes from 8/25 Meeting (approved 9/22/14)

BARSTOW HEIGHTS COMMUNITY SERVICES DISTRICT

REGULAR MEETING

Monday, August 25th, 2014

President Jacobs called the meeting to order at 6:05 PM and Director Stapp led the group in the flag salute.  Directors Jacobs, Stapp, Wilkey, and Hayhurst were present.  Director Schendel was absent; out of town due to his employment.  There were a great number of guests in attendance (26 people counted, not including the Directors and the Secretary).  Most of the guests were Barstow Heights residents that were affected by the flash flooding that occurred on Sunday, August 3rd.  These guests had come with questions and concerns about the unexpected damages to their homes and properties and what could be done to prevent future flood damages.  Bill Little, Public Works Operations Supervisor with the County Roads Department, had been invited and was there to update everyone on the Road conditions and recovery efforts.  Newspaper reporter, Mike Lamb, with the Desert Dispatch, and Michael Cint, Information Officer for the Barstow area CERT (Community Emergency Response Team), were also in attendance.

President Jacobs introduced each of the members of the Board of Directors to the public and welcomed all of the guests.  He directed that the order of items listed on the Agenda be changed to address items #7 (Road Conditions) and #8 (Flood Damage Surveys) first, before moving on to item #3 (Public Comments/Questions).  He introduced Bill Little, and gave him the floor to update everyone about the condition of the Roads, including what specific work had been done so far, and what strategies were planned to continue recovering.  Guests were given the chance to ask questions.  Resident Dave Solano spoke up first to let Mr. Little know that his Road crews were doing an excellent job, and that his update and efforts were very much appreciated.  One of the guests asked if the Road crews could assist them with moving dirt around their home in Lenwood, where they reside outside of the city limits on a Non-County-maintained road.  Mr. Little responded that unfortunately, there would be nothing his department could do because his equipment and crews are not permitted to work on private property or on any Non-County-maintained roads.  His funding is given only to maintain and repair streets within the County and overstepping those boundaries to help residents (as much as he wanted to) would be considered a “misappropriation of public funds that is punishable by law.”  He stated that he continues to receive requests from residents for excess dirt to help them fill in holes on their properties, and while his crews can dump some additional dirt along public roadway easements that also need filling in, homeowners would be responsible for moving any extra dirt they request be left there, because he has to keep his trucks off of their private property.  Guests continued to share their stories about how and where the flooding impacted them, what kinds of damages they have been dealing with, as well as asking questions about whether or not specific Roads and flood channels near their homes are County-maintained.  Director Wilkey suggested to Mr. Little that the Non-County-maintained dirt road at the top of Linda Vista between I and J Street is in need of a sign posted to notify the public that it is not a maintained road.

Michael Cint introduced himself and explained that he and his CERT team are looking over the entirety of the disaster and creating a plan for area residents to seek out preventative solutions.  Beverly Lowry also introduced herself as a concerned resident and representative of Supervisor Ramos, and that she would be reporting to him what she learned at the meeting.  She also asked about the Flood Damage Survey Forms and the Secretary explained that she had given out approximately 45 forms, had collected 20 forms thus far, and expected to still receive more from affected residents, even though the initial reports are now past due to the County OES (Office of Emergency Services).  The Secretary explained that some of the requirements that needed to be met in order to qualify for assistance from the County OES were not very encouraging.  She was told that damages needed to affect at least 25 homes and that those damages needed to total at least 40 percent of each homes value in order to qualify for funds.  Director Hayhurst stated that the Board needs to be completely honest and realistic in helping residents understand that just because there is a state of emergency declared, it doesn’t necessarily mean that there will be a pot of money coming from the County.  The assistance may come in the form of low-interest loans, or may not come at all, and she didn’t want anyone to leave the meeting with the false hope that they would be reimbursed for all or even some of their damages.  President Jacobs also reminded the group that the Community Services District does have limited powers; that the CSD does care and feels it their duty to do what they can in assisting residents, but that ultimately the County will be the entity responsible to make the solutions happen.  A few more guests shared their stories and concerns.  Michael Cint was asked more questions about the role of CERT and how it is intended to function.  Bill Little was asked a few more questions pertaining to the clearing of the Roads and where to obtain more sand bags (from the local Fire Stations).  President Jacobs thanked everyone for attending and participating.  Director Hayhurst thanked both Mr. Bill Little and Mr. Michael Cint for coming to share information and insights that were so helpful.  Director Wilkey gave the guests a little bit of background information on flood insurance for homeowners through FEMA and warned that rates (currently starting at about $1500 a year and up) are likely to go up even more in our area now due to the flood.  President Jacobs thanked the guests again and invited them to stay for the remainder of the meeting, but dismissed those who needed to leave at 6:55PM.

The Board re-adjourned the meeting at 7:03PM to continue with the rest of the Agenda and one guest stayed to listen in.  President Jacobs moved on to address the Consent Items.  Director Wilkey motioned to accept the Minutes of the July 28th, 2014 Meeting, along with the Financial Reports for July of 2014 as presented.  Director Stapp seconded the motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

The Correspondence file was offered for review.

Barstow Heights Park was addressed.  The Safety Check List from the City was reviewed.  It reported that the parking lot was covered in dirt from the flooding and still needed to be swept, but fortunately that was the only minor flood damage at Barstow Heights Park.  President Jacobs reported that he continues to set off more gas cartridges to control the ground squirrel population, and had just found four new holes again that evening.  The Secretary informed the Board that no progress had yet been made on the plaque to honor Barbara Kelley, but that she would work on getting an estimate soon.  President Jacobs complimented the Secretary for doing a good job over the past few weeks as she had dealt with so many things.  Director Hayhurst added that she had heard some requests that there be some kind of dedication ceremony when the Plaque is ready to be installed, and that there are people interested in attending that.

Bid 13-03, the new Covered Picnic Areas, were addressed next.  President Jacobs reported that Wade Harris does have the building permit now in his hands, that Merrell Johnson Engineering is ready to begin the staking next week (once approved), and that Mr. Harris does have all of the construction materials in storage, so he’s ready to begin the work.  He expects to have the entire project done within 30-45 days.  Director Wilkey asked about whether or not plans had been made to close the park during Construction.  He suggested that some plastic construction fencing be used to secure the area and keep the public out.  The Construction Staking proposal from the engineer was addressed.  Director Hayhurst motioned to accept the engineering proposal to do the Construction Staking of new sidewalks and two shade canopy slabs for $1800.  Director Wilkey seconded the motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

Venner Park was addressed.  The Safety Check List from the City was reviewed.  The Flood Damage at Venner park was discussed.  President Jacobs reported that the General Manager had hired JDR Construction to do emergency mud and debris clean-up of the parking lot for $1000.  Director Wilkey explained that the yellow caution tape had not been preventing the public from entering and using the parking lot and park grounds, so he felt it was urgent that some clean-up be done quickly to ensure public safety.  He had contacted Mark Gerardi to get a specific list of the items the City would be able to handle and talked with Bill Little about what the County Roads crews could do.  Within two hours of talking with Mr. Little, the deep holes on the Southeast side of the park next to the roadway had been filled with dirt and leveled.  Director Wilkey then stopped by the office to check in with the Secretary and after a phone call to the County, they felt assured that the clearing of the parking lot needed to be done right away.  Director Wilkey contacted John Rowe of JDR Construction, as well as a few other contractors to request bids.  The General Manager hired John Rowe that day since he could do all the work that same evening.  With his tractor, he cleared the parking lot of mud and debris that was caked on several inches thick, but did not have the equipment to brush the parking completely clean.  Mark Gerardi told Director Wilkey that he thought he would be able to sweep the parking lot with a sweeper, not right away, but fairly soon.  Mr. Gerardi also made sure that all of the entrances were shoveled clean by his City park maintenance crew and hired Ellis Fence Co. to repair some chain-link fencing quickly as well.  Director Hayhurst suggested that the Secretary write a letter of appreciation to Mr. Bill Little and his boss to thank them for their quick response, including the filling in and cleaning up of the easement alongside Venner Park and for attending our meeting to answer so many questions that evening as well.

The items at Venner Park that were still left to be done included the need to excavate the fitness area that was filled with 10-12 inches of mud so that new wood chips could be replaced, backfilling and repacking of the dirt on the slopes near the stairs leading up to the basketball court, and removing the thick dried mud and rocks under the picnic tables located just West of the basketball court.  Director Hayhurst motioned to authorize the General Manager to make the emergency expenditures necessary to hire someone to complete the remaining jobs quickly and order the replacement wood chips. Director Wilkey seconded the motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

Director Stapp asked about whether or not there were enough immediate funds available to complete everything.  The Secretary indicated that there was for now.  President Jacobs suggested that the Board will need to review the accounts at next month’s meeting however, since the Secretary will need to pay a large sum of the balance that will be due when the big Construction project is completed in September.

The Conflict of Interest Code was addressed next.  Director Hayhurst expressed her thanks to Kimberly Cox from the Helendale Community Services District who sent her a copy of their Conflict of Interest Code to assist us in writing our own.  The Helendale CSD had given their permission to copy and use their code as a basis for our own.  Director Hayhurst will work with the Secretary to come up with a final copy that can be reviewed for approval next month.

The General Manager reported that Sanchez Roofing would be coming in the next week to repair the leaking roof.  She had also contacted BEST Opportunities to request a quote for them to come and clear the weeds and trim the shrubs around the Office Compound.  Due to the extra workload caused by the flood emergency, she had to use up her limit of 16 additional paid hours per month.  She was hopeful that a reduced workload would allow her to go back to her normal “part time” hours once the Audit is completed in a few weeks.  She admitted that knocking on the doors of strangers to distribute the Flood Damage Survey Forms was a little bit scary at first and was completely exhausting for a few days, but that she did really enjoy getting to reach out to meet and help the community in this way.  She had received a lot of phone calls and visitors at the office in recent weeks.  Many residents had invited her into their homes to see the damages the flood had caused.  She really was surprised to discover that the devastation was so much more extensive than had originally been reported in the newspaper.

President Jacobs requested the Directors’ reports.  There were none, but President Jacobs asked the Secretary to please make a note in the minutes that the Board really appreciated her extra hard work this month, that she had represented the District well, and that they were very proud of her job performance.

President Jacobs asked the Secretary if there were any additional bills to be paid.  She indicated that there were none.  Director Stapp motioned to pay the bills as presented.  Director Hayhurst seconded the motion.  Motion carried unanimously.  There was no New Business to address.

The next Regular Meeting was scheduled for Monday, September 22nd, 2014 at 6:00 PM.  The meeting adjourned at 8:04 PM.

Submitted by:

Jen Rubio - Secretary/General Manager

Agenda for 9/22 Board Meeting

A G E N D A

BARSTOW HEIGHTS COMMUNITY SERVICES DISTRICT

REGULAR MEETING

Monday, September 22, 2014 - 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 25, 2014

                                Financial Reports – August of 2014

5.   Correspondence

6.   Parks:        Barstow Heights:         Safety Check List and Ground Squirrels

                                                                      Dedication/Plaque to honor Barbara 

                                                                     13-03:  Covered picnic areas

Venner:                       Safety Check List

                                           Bids to remove debris from fitness area, picnic area,

                                           and fill-in/compact the dirt slopes by the stairs

7.   Conflict of Interest Code

8.   Maturity of CD’s

            Which should be cashed in to pay for the balance of the Construction Project?

9.   Safety Review Report

10.  General Manager’s Report

            Office compound landscaping maintenance (proposal from BEST Opportunities)

11.  Directors’ Reports

12.  Bills:         Edison - $138.24         Terminix - $38.00       Verizon - $91.15

R. Sanchez Roofing - $200.00 (roof repairs on 9/5/14)

Charles Z. Fedak & Co. - $1,800.00 (audit services)

13.  New Business

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

15.  Adjournment

Barstow Heights Park is CLOSED Temporarily for Construction!

Construction began this morning (Tuesday 9/9/14), at Barstow Heights Park that is located on the corner of H Street and Rimrock Rd. We are very excited to finally announce this improvement project that the Board of Directors have been planning for more than a year now. The improvements being made will include the construction of TWO new shade canopies (20 feet wide by 40 feet in length), the addition of three new picnic tables, new trash cans, and new barbecues; as well as new cement foundations and sidewalks/ramps that meet all of the ADA requirements. New benches/seating on each side the basketball court will also be added. Our park will soon feature more picnic areas that are covered/shaded and will be much more accessible and user-friendly to guests with wheelchairs, strollers, and rolling ice chests! The project is expected to take a few weeks to complete, so for now, THE PARK IS CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC with the exception of the Basketball Court. The Basketball Court will remain open as long as those who use it will respect the temporary orange fencing and stay out of the closed section of the park.  We are hopeful that we will be able to open the park again beginning Friday, September 19th, as long as the Construction is able to progress as scheduled. In the meantime, we recommend that residents and guests visit nearby Venner Park that is located on the corner of K Street and Panamint Rd.
THANK YOU for your patience while we are
Closed for Construction...

we can't wait to reveal all the NEW improvements

as soon as they are completed!

It's going to be beautiful!!

 

 All of the painted white lines show where new sidewalks will be added...

this sidewalk will connect from the parking lot to the restrooms

and then to the shaded picnic areas and playground.

 

 More new sidewalks being added near the restrooms

to connect them to the covered picnic areas and parking lot.

 

 South location where one of the new 20x40 foot slabs and shade canopies will be added.

 

 Another view of the South location where one of the new 20x40 foot slabs

and shade canopies will be added.

 

 The painted white lines show where the sidewalk ramp going down the hill will be located.

 

 The old barbecue and slab on the North side will be replaced

with a another new 20x40 foot slab and shade canopy.

 

View looking up the hill from the location of the North side shade canopy.

 

Painted lines show where sidewalks are being added to connect

both covered picnic areas with the playground.

 

We were featured in the Desert Dispatch twice this week!

Please visit these links to see photos and read more about these headlines in our local newspaper, the Desert Dispatch:
 

HOPING FOR HELP:
Governor's declaration would help Barstow recoup storm damage costs

http://www.desertdispatch.com/article/20140825/NEWS/140829974/12985/NEWS
 

and

Heights residents share stories after storm damage

http://www.desertdispatch.com/article/20140826/NEWS/140829961

Minutes from 7/28 Meeting (approved 8/25/14)

BARSTOW HEIGHTS COMMUNITY SERVICES DISTRICT

REGULAR MEETING

Monday, July 28th, 2014

President Jacobs called the meeting to order at 6:00 PM and Director Hayhurst led the group in the flag salute.  Directors Jacobs, Stapp, Wilkey, and Hayhurst were present.  Director Schendel was absent; out of town due to his employment.  There were no guests in attendance.

President Jacobs asked the Board if they had reviewed the Consent Items and if any changes/revisions were suggested.  There were none.  Director Wilkey motioned to accept the Minutes of the June 16th, 2014 Meeting, along with the Financial Reports for June of 2014 as presented.  Director Stapp seconded the motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

The Correspondence file was offered for review.  President Jacobs called attention to a letter received from San Bernardino County Code Enforcement.  It was received, with its outside envelope missing, a month later than the letter had been dated, so the Secretary suspected that it had been damaged/lost in the mail for a few weeks before it was recovered and delivered to the P.O. Box.  The letter requested that we get the proper signage to indicate our address number on the outside of our building.  The Secretary will need to investigate a little more to learn the specific requirements for the signage, since an enclosed page was missing from the letter, and she will get it done as requested.  President Jacobs also read an email received from Bill Little, Supervisor of Public Works (and the Barstow Yard) for the County Roads Department.  His email was in response to the letter the Secretary had sent to request more information about what and where Road repair work may be scheduled in the near future, since our Roads have been in bad shape.  The Directors were pleased with his detailed response indicating that some repair work is planned for this Fall and Winter.

While on the topic of the Roads, President Jacobs told the Board that he had just seen a large dump truck on P Street that was full of weeds that had been removed in response to Director Hayhurst’s inquiries about the obscured intersections that pose a danger on our streets.  It appeared that her phone calls had prompted the County to get work started to remove some of the obstructions.  Director Stapp, voiced his opinion that as of yesterday, he couldn’t tell that any work had been done at the intersections near his home.  He began driving around to write down the intersections that were the most hazardous, but soon realized that virtually every intersection had at least one corner or more that was unsafe.  Director Wilkey agreed with Director Hayhurst that due to time constraints, it would be unrealistic to ask the County to fix each and every corner that wasn’t perfect, and that only the most dangerous intersections where accidents happen frequently need be addressed first.  Director Hayhurst suggested we let the County know which locations are most in need of clearing, because asking them to just fix every corner would likely not get as much of a response as a few specific requests might.  President Jacobs suggested that the Board come up with a marked map/list of the intersections that are most in need of being dealt with first.  The Secretary could also include a reminder in the next newsletter to residents that we would greatly appreciate it if those whose homes are located on corners would please help us make our streets safer by clearing any vegetation/over-growth that might obscure a driver’s view.

Barstow Heights Park was addressed.  The Safety Check List from the City was reviewed.  President Jacobs reported that he had set off at least a dozen “rodent gas cartridges” to reduce the ground squirrel population again last week.  After inspecting the park again tonight, he noticed that there are more new holes again.  He also noticed that are more holes in the locked water tower compound again.  Due to the price increase, the cartridges are now costing approximately $4 each, but still seem to be the most effective solution.

The Plaque to honor Barbara Kelley was addressed.  The Board reviewed the wording one last time to ensure that everyone was satisfied with it before the Secretary submits it to get an estimate of the cost to have it made.  The Secretary was directed to get a proof and price comparison from Brunner’s Tiny Time shop to help the Board determine what size should be ordered (8x8, 10x10, or 12x12), to get the best price possible while still maintaining the quality and optimal size/read-ability of the print.

Bid 13-03, the new Covered Picnic Areas, were addressed next.  President Jacobs reported that he talked with Wade Harris just a few days ago.  Wade was currently still waiting to hear back from the County Building Department.  He continues to follow up with them weekly and expects to have a response from them very soon (within the next two weeks).  He has ordered some of the materials already and will be storing them as he receives them so that the work can begin just as soon as the permits are given.

The Plaque to thank Dorothy Davis was addressed next.  The Board reviewed the wording one last time to ensure that everyone was still satisfied with it.  The ordering of the Plaque and specifics of its desired location will be discussed again as soon as the new Construction is near completion.

Venner Park was addressed.  The Safety Check List from the City was reviewed.  Broken tree branches that had fallen to the ground recently were cleaned up and hauled away quickly.  The City continues to do a great job of keeping our Parks clean and safe.  President Jacobs also reported that the bushes around the office compound are in need of trimming and the weeds need clearing again.  The Secretary was directed to call Best Opportunities to get an estimate from them to do the work.  Director Wilkey asked the Secretary to make sure to ask them if they have their own worker’s comp insurance policy before hiring them to do the work.  Director Wilkey also reported that at Venner Park he noticed a screw missing from a face plate on top of an electrical box.  He called Mark Gerardi to notify him and it was fixed right away.

Director Stapp brought up one more thing to discuss in relation to the Roads.  He had noticed seeing the Water Company in the area fixing leaks quite often over the past couple of weeks.  He shared his concern that perhaps the water infrastructure has been more troublesome lately and wondered if anyone else had noticed the constant leaks/repairs that are needed and being done alongside our Roads.  He wondered if the Board should do some research regarding the age/conditions of the water system.  Director Hayhurst agreed that some of the pipes could be as much as 50 years old and that frequent patching and repairs are a normal and routine procedure for pipes of that age.

The Conflict of Interest Code was addressed next.  Director Hayhurst shared her opinion that the current Code that was adopted ten years ago is too complicated and difficult to understand.  She thinks the District needs a shorter, simpler, and clearer Code, that is more relevant to our District.  She asked the Board to give her one month to find another Code sample that the Districts’ new Code could be based on; one that is easier to read and understand.  President Jacobs agreed that the Conflict of Interest Code could definitely be improved and updated, or cleaned up a lot at the very least.

The General Manager Guidelines were reviewed next.  The Secretary had some questions about the specifics in the Guidelines that allowed her just $200 total per month, to deal with office related necessary expenses.  She was continually feeling like she couldn’t make the purchases needed because of this limit.  The Director’s understanding of it had been that she was allowed to spend up to $200 per incident/item that needed immediate attention in a given month, but the Guidelines didn’t make that clear enough.  Director Hayhurst motioned that the General Manager Guidelines be amended with the language to say that the General Manager be given authority to spend “no more than $200 per transaction, not to exceed $600 per month.”  Director Wilkey seconded the motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

The Board addressed the purchase of a new printer that the Secretary was in need of for the office.  Director Hayhurst motioned to give the Secretary permission to purchase the new laser jet printer/scanner/copier presented to them as well as any cables, accessories, and ink cartridges that are needed; the total of which are not to exceed $400.  President Jacobs seconded the motion.  Motion carried unanimously.  The Secretary was also told that she could go ahead and hire Sanchez Roofing to fix the leaking roof since the price of the repairs would be exactly $200 and still within her authority to spend.

The General Manager reported there had been increased discussion on the Facebook page since she shared the report to beware of a man going door-to-door claiming to be a representative for GE alarm systems.  She was pleased that residents had been posting replies and were sharing/discussing some of their similar experiences and concerns.  Director Hayhurst asked how things were going with the Auditor.  The Secretary replied that things were going okay, that she feels a little overwhelmed by the lengthy list of receipts/documents that she will need to scan and send to the Auditor in the coming month, but that she will get it done and learn a lot in the process.  The Secretary is also very pleased with the new Accountants, as that they have been very helpful to her.

President Jacobs requested the Directors’ reports.  They chatted about some of the interesting animals they’ve spotted in the desert recently and shared their excitement over some of the recent achievements of our residents/neighbors, but there were no further District needs to report.

President Jacobs asked the Secretary if there were any additional bills to be paid.  She indicated that 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 Board of Directors went into a closed Executive Session at 7:29 PM, to discuss personnel, and the Secretary was dismissed from the meeting.  The Board reconvened to a Regular Session and the Secretary joined them again at 7:53 PM.  Director Hayhurst motioned to increase the salary of the General Manager/Secretary by $1.00 per hour, to begin (retroactively) as of July 1st, 2014.  Director Stapp seconded the motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

The next Regular Meeting was scheduled for Monday, August 25th, 2014 at 6:00 PM.  The meeting adjourned at 8:02 PM.

Submitted by:

Jen Rubio - Secretary/General Manager