MINUTES
REGULAR
MEETING
WEDNESDAY,
SEPTEMBER 27, 2006
ROBERT
LIVERMORE COMMUNITY CENTER
4444 EAST
AVENUE, LIVERMORE, CALIFORNIA
7:00 P.M.
CRESTA
BLANCA BALLROOM
DIRECTORS PRESENT: Director
Furst, Director Goodman, and Vice President Turner (3)
DIRECTORS
ABSENT: Director
Faltings and President Kamena (2)
STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT: Jim
Brandenburg, Jim Carlson, Barbara Kraybill, Michael Kyle, Gretchen Sommers
Meeting was called to order at 7:06 p.m. by Vice
President Turner. Roll was taken and all Directors were present except Director
Faltings, Director Furst and President Kamena. There was no quorum at the start
of the meeting.
2. PUBLIC FORUM
Vice President Turner asked for public comment on any item not on the agenda. No public comment was received.
Director Furst arrived at 7:10 p.m., making a quorum.
3. CONSENT AGENDA:
3.1 BOARD MINUTES
3.1.1 Meeting of September 13, 2006.
3.2 COMMUNICATIONS:
3.2.1 Letter from Leslie
Whitney commending Julie Hopkins, Smith ESS Coordinator.
On a motion by Director Furst, seconded by
Director Goodman, approved the Consent Agenda, passing 3-0.
4. CONSENT AGENDA: RESOLUTIONS:
4.1 Resolution No. 2037, a resolution approving
the hiring of a relative of a full-time employee.
4.2 Resolution No. 2038, a resolution
requesting temporary advancement of funds from the County of Alameda.
4.3 Resolution No. 2039, a resolution accepting
improvements from Ponderosa Homes for Trail Segment I-1 and I-2 for
maintenance.
Director Furst
asked that item 4.3 be removed from the Consent Agenda Resolutions.
On a motion by Director Goodman, seconded by
Director Furst, approved the Consent Agenda Resolutions, with the exception of
item 4.3, by the following roll call vote:
AYES: Director Goodman, Director Furst
and Vice President Turner (3)
NOES: None (0)
ABSENT: Director
Faltings, President Kamena (2)
Director Furst stated that, as far as he
knows, the trail segments referred to in agenda item 4.3, Trail Segment I-1 and
I-2, are not completed, and he does not think they should be accepted. He has
noticed signs down, erosion, fire damage and other damage.
Park Supervisor Jim Brandenburg reported
that the developer would like to issue a $25,000 certificate of deposit to the
District to hold until the punch list items are completed. He stated that staff
feels this is sufficient insurance.
Director Goodman asked about the concerns
brought up by Director Furst, and whether the certificate of deposit funds are
sufficient to cover any expenses that might be incurred in completing the punch
list items. Mr. Brandenburg said he is unfamiliar with the erosion issue.
Director Furst spoke about the erosion on
the trail along Wetmore Road to Arroyo Rd. He also expressed concern about a gate
erected by Wente that is blocking a portion of Trail Segment I-1 and hopes
staff will stay apprised of the situation.
On a motion by Director Furst, seconded
by Director Goodman, approved Resolution No. 2039, accepting improvements from
Ponderosa Homes for Trail Segment I-1 and I-2 for maintenance, by the following roll
call vote:
AYES: Director Furst, Director Goodman
and Vice President Turner (3)
NOES: None (0)
ABSENT: Director
Faltings, President Kamena (2)
Direct Furst said he accept staff’s
appraisal of the situation.
5. BIDS AND PUBLIC HEARINGS: None.
6. OLD BUSINESS:
6.1 FRIENDSHIP CENTER RELOCATION STATUS
Vice President Turner stated that this issue had
been discussed at the Intergovernmental meeting this morning, attended by
LARPD, LVJUSD and City of Livermore staff and Directors. He stated that staff
and Directors came away from the meeting hopeful that LARPD might get
assistance from the School District, in solving the problem of the relocation
of the Friendship Center. LARPD has not yet spoken to the Charter School President.
Youth Services Superintendent Barbara Kraybill
summarized the staff report. She listed the 4 options that staff was directed
by the Board to investigate as options for relocation of the program. These
include: LARPD-owned R.E. Merritt Building; City-owned Civic Center Site, lease
of commercial site; and former private school site.
Senior Recreation Supervisor Jim Carlson stated
that staff had met with a real estate agent to explain what the needs are for
the Friendship Center, as relates to leasing commercial space.
Director Turner stated that Alameda County
Supervisor Scott Haggerty was contacted a month ago by staff and that he referred
us to the County Agency on Aging, who referred us back to Mr. Haggerty. LARPD
Board President Scott Kamena plans to meet with Mr. Haggerty in the near
future.
Director Furst asked about the timeline of staff’s
investigation of options for the program, as the Board had given staff at
60-day deadline at its September 13, 2006 meeting. Mr. Carlson replied that
staff will meet with the realtor again next week. He stated that staff has a
meeting next week with Mr. Deiss of ATI, the firm that prepared a feasibility
report on the LARPD Trevarno Road property. Mr. Deiss will assess the private
school site as well as re-assessing the Merritt Building to see if one large
room can be made to accommodate all of the clients concurrently. Mr. Carlson
stated he feels staff will meet the target timeline, and will continue to
update Directors
Vice President Turner opened public comment.
1) Dennis Gambs, Tri-Valley Adult Day Care (TVADC)
Board member, spoke about the timeline. One of the ways to approach the problem
is work closely with the Charter School, he said. He commented that this
process is difficult because there could be immediate, interim and long-term
solutions to this problem, and it is hard to know which one will ultimately be
used.
Vice President Turner closed public comment.
Vice President Turner stated that it is, indeed,
a possibility that LARPD will need to have an interim solution, that the Board has
not addressed this option in detail yet. He stated that President Kamena will
be meeting with the representatives of the Charter School soon.
Director Goodman stated that he is hopeful that
the Charter School will work with LARPD so that the Friendship Center program
can have more time at its current location at the Charter School.
Director Turner stated that it is important that
the Charter School be made aware that LARPD is serious about making plans and
taking action for a permanent solution.
7. NEW
BUSINESS:
7.1 AMEND 2006/2007 BUDGET TO REALLOCATE UNUSED
ELECTION FUNDS
Vice President Turner explained that the Board
will consider approving a resolution amending the 2006/2007 budget by reallocating
unused election funds to the Park Division irrigation budget. The funds
allocated in the budget for the election will not be needed for that purpose
since the Directors whose seats were up for re-election this November were
unchallenged in the nomination process.
Director Goodman stated he supports this
resolution, and that the District’s irrigation budget has suffered due to
budget shortfalls caused by the ERAF tax shift. These funds won’t bring the
parks back to their former ideal state, he noted, but they will certainly help.
Director Furst commented that LARPD periodically
receives letters from the public regarding the parks being brown, and that he
hopes this decision to reallocate funds will help the appearance of the parks.
Vice President Turner opened for public comment.
No public comment was received.
On a motion by Director Furst, seconded by
Director Goodman, approved Resolution No. 2040, amending the 2006/2007 budget
by reallocating $30,000 in unused election funds to the Park Division
irrigation budget, by the following roll call vote:
AYES: Director Goodman, Director Furst
and Vice President Turner (3)
NOES: None (0)
ABSENT: Director
Faltings and President Kamena (2)
8. MATTERS INITIATED/ANNOUNCEMENTS BY
THE DIRECTORS
1) Vice President Turner stated that at the
Intergovernmental meeting this morning, LARPD Directors and staff asked for
assistance from the LVJUSD and the City of Livermore for assistance in
relocating the Friendship Center. There are plans to speak with the Charter
School President, and there appears to be hope that the program will receive
assistance
.
1) Youth Superintendent Barbara Kraybill spoke about the “Character Counts” program, involving the City of Livermore, LVJUSD and LARPD. The meeting which had been scheduled for October 16 has been cancelled and will likely be rescheduled for January.
2) Ms. Kraybill announced that there is a Community Meeting tomorrow evening, September 28, at 6:30 p.m. at the Bothwell Recreation Center, the purpose of which is to gather public input into the design process for a neighborhood park being planned at the site.
10. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 7:34 p.m.
APPROVED,
_______________________________
President,
Board of Directors
ATTEST:
__________________________
General Manager and ex-officio
Clerk to the Board of Director