Running Deer Ranch, Inc.
Board of Directors Meeting
14 January 2012 Minutes
Brannon’s 9 AM
Present Absent
Mike Brannon – President None
Wayne Woodard – Vice President (by phone)
Don Bullard – Secretary
Leo Kennedy – Treasurer
Jerry Ford – Director
Jessie Felgenhauer – Director
Kelly Lobo – Director
Carl Steinkraus – SNRA Rep
Jerry Ahrens – member-at-large
Bert Lindsay – member-at-large
Call to Order – 9:05 AM – Mike Brannon
Roll Call – All Present
President’s opening remarks – Mike Brannon
Still working the issue of an owner’s dock moored in the lagoon with no proof of insurance or Monterey County permit. We have sent 2 certified letters with no response back from the owner. The Board will need to take action and have it removed if the owner does not respond in a few days.
Need to continue to work on new procedures for placing docks on the Point and present to general membership. Also need to ensure the Board enforces the current moratorium on placing new docks on the Point. Currently, there a 3 there that are not authorized and we have no proof of insurance or permit. This places a liability on RDR.
Approval of last meeting’s minutes – Don Bullard
Don reviewed the last Board meeting’s minutes and presented for approval. The Board unanimously approved the minutes.
Newsletter – Wayne Woodard
Wayne discussed the current format and content of the RDR annual newsletter to be sent out the end of February. All agreed it was a good format and will provide the owners with an excellent update of what has been going on at RDR. Wayne said he still needs content from some Board members. It was agreed that all would send that to him by the end of January. Leo was assigned to provide the updated owners’ address list. Mike said he would coordinate the printing and mailing of the newsletter. The Board agreed to do a final review and approval of the newsletter at the February meeting and then it would be mailed out. The annual dues statement to owners will be mailed with the newsletter.
Master Plan – Wayne Woodard
Wayne discussed the upcoming 26 January committee meeting conference call to discuss the Master Plan. He said he had contacted all who asked to be involved and everyone appeared enthusiastic on discussing new ideas for a way ahead. The format of the meeting was to get all up to speed on the context and timeline for a draft proposal to be presented that the General Membership meeting in May.
It was discussed that the draft plan would have general concepts on proposed future projects on the Point. These would be presented to the general membership for comments and discussion. If the general membership agreed on a proposed future project the next phase would be to provide a detailed analysis of that project that included timeline, cost, maintenance issues, method of funding, etc. That project would then be put to a vote for approval by the general membership. That would mean the earliest approval of a proposed project would be May 2013.
The Board agreed with Wayne’s proposed process and approved him to continue.
Treasurer’s Report – Leo Kennedy
Leo stated that the new reserves approved at the last general meeting were now incorporated into the budget. Funds would start to be allotted to them when the 2012 dues were received. RDR was on track for payment of annual taxes and filing of non-profit corporation tax return. Also, and independent review of RDR’s financial records was to be scheduled.
Currently, with outstanding known bills accounted for, there is approximately $14,000 available in discretionary spending.
Leo also provided a draft proposed bylaws change that described the formulas for allotting funds and procedures to use those funds for High Meadow, Las Tables, and Maple Canyon road reserves currently in the budget. This will formalize the current procedure in the budget.
Committee Reports – Chairpersons
Roads and Point – Mike Brannon
Need to survey and schedule crack sealant on Aluffo Rd. The cost is approximately $6,000 for 2 full days of work. Need to mark exact areas we want done to maximize our expenditure. Mike will survey and mark areas. Expect to schedule in late March or April when the temperature is conducive for the work to be done.
An Easter weekend work party was agreed upon by the Board. Last year’s was very beneficial and had a good turnout. Work to be done would be Point cleanup and burn, base work, road cold patch and squirrel holes and any tree trimming. There would be some kind of potluck dinner that evening. Need to advertise it in the newsletter and send out an email to all owners so they can plan for it.
Aluffo Rd squirrel abatement was discussed. There is currently no program in place. The Kaboom service is estimated to cost $125 per hour covering about 40 holes per hour. That would be a large expenditure to do all of Aluffo Rd and would require routine re-visits, so it would be a significant ongoing cost. Baiting was discussed. It may require a permit or training and will require volunteers on a regular basis. Carl stated he does trapping and baiting and the best time of year is when the grass starts to turn brown. That will be the most effective time of the year. Jerry Ford was assigned to research the requirements, materials and cost for using the bait method.
Fire – Leo Kennedy
Updated fire tree is on the web. CDF still working training material. Will need to check out all of the fire tanks for operation prior to the fire season.
Gates – Carl Steinkraus
Carl will change the Point lock as of April 1, 2012, when 2012 dues are due. Point gate needs some strengthening. Need to survey it as to actually what is required and method for doing it.
Docks – Jessie Felgenhauer
Although there was a moratorium put on placing new docks on the Point there a 3 there that are not authorized and we have no permit or insurance information. Need to notify those owners and have them remove them or the Board will have to take action to do so
The owner of the dock/pontoon boat in the lagoon has been notified several times and has not responded. The lagoon is not part of the RDR Point easement, it is private property. That dock owner is trespassing. If the dock is not moved within 30 days the Board needs to take action to remove it since it is a RDR member. Otherwise, the owner will pursue notifying authorities of someone trespassing on his land.
All docks need to have their permit number and owner’s name on the water side and the land side of the dock.
There was discussion of boat parking in the lagoon on big weekends. Since it is not part of the RDR Point easement the lagoon owner will need to give permission for RDR members to use it. The owner stated he wasn’t sure whether he wanted any parking in the lagoon because of past abuses and the current trespassing issue. Don stated that if he chose to prohibit parking in the lagoon could he please write the Board a letter stating that. If so, there would need to be signs placed on the Point informing members that no parking in the lagoon is allowed and probably the installation of a buoy line would also be required. The owner agreed to write a letter to the Board detailing his policy of the lagoon.
Correspondence – Don Bullard
Don stated no new correspondence had been sent to the Board since the last meeting. We need to update the owners’ database with new owners before we mail the newsletter. The Board needs to complete and approve all actions that will require a vote at the General Meeting so they can be sent out at least 45 days prior in accordance with the Bylaws.
Proposed Bylaws Change – Don Bullard
Don handed out a draft copy that incorporated the proposed new RDR Bylaws changes to the Board. The Board was to review the draft and provide input at the next meeting. The proposed changes better define RDR as a non-profit corporation, formalize it as the owners’ rep to SNRA, clarify what an owner and member are, formalize conduct on the Point, and formalize RDR, Inc as oversight for the right of easements and maintenance of Aluffo Rd and launch ramp. All of the proposed changes are just codifying what RDR, Inc and the Board has been doing as routine business in the past. They also spell out who has legal access to Aluffo Rd and the launch ramp.
In order for these new bylaws changes to be approved the Board will have to vote to approve them and a copy of them and a ballot will have to be sent out to all owners in good standing at least 45 days prior to the General Membership meeting in May. All ballots must received prior to the start of the General Membership meeting. For the new bylaws changes to be approved they must receive a 2/3 approval vote of those ballots received.
2012 General Membership Meeting – Don Bullard
Don discussed the upcoming requirements and timeline to prepare for the May meeting. Tentatively, there are 3 issues that will require the owners’ vote to approve. They are the Bylaws change that needs to be a by-mail ballot, approval to continue forward on the proposed Master Plan general way ahead that only requires a simple majority of the owners present at the meeting, and new dock policies that also only require a simple majority. All of these need to be sent out ahead of time so the owners can come informed to the meeting and we don’t waste time trying to bring everyone up to speed. They also need to be posted to the web well in advance.
There will also be a nomination process and vote required to fill 4 Board vacancies, with Mike Brannon, Wayne Woodard, Don Bullard, and Leo Kennedy’s terms expiring. All are eligible for re-election according to the bylaws if desired by the owners.
Next Board Meeting – Mike Brannon
It was agreed upon by all members that the next RDR BOD meeting would be 18 February. Place to be determined.
Adjournment – Mike Brannon
The RDR Board of Directors meeting was adjourned 11:04 AM
Sincerely,
Don Bullard, RDR Board Secretary