Friends of Santa Teresa Park Zoom Meeting, 1/4/24

 

    • This was an online Zoom videoconference meeting. Mike sent out a meeting link for this Zoom meeting.
    • Attendees: Mike Boulland, Joan Murphy, Ron Horii, Kim Gardner (called late), Park Interpreter Rob McDonnell.
    • Our next work day will be this Friday, 1/5/24. We can rake leaves around the ranch house and Caretakers' House. Rob already raked some of the leaves around the ranch house, but more have fallen. Rob will be there.
    • Rob is subbing in for Carolyn Schimandle as Program Coordinator. She is temporarily serving as Interpretive Program Supervisor. It was the position previously held by Elizabeth Evans, who left. Rob is trading off with Luke Bailey, who was temporary Program Coordinator for 6 weeks. Carolyn is trading off with Lynda Will, who is the Region 1 Program Coordinator and temporarily served asInterpretive Program Supervisor . They are going to hire someone to fill Elizabeth's position. They have candidates already. They are looking internally and externally. (Here's the job listing.)
    • Rob said they got 40 requests for school programs at Santa Teresa. They will serve 900-1000 kids. The programs were paid by the Interpretive Programs budget. 
    • Rob said they have been having good attendance in the park, though they only count people coming into the house. They have been complimented on the appearance of the park.
    • Rob is on the social media team. He can help promote our First Friday Work Days.
    • Our expenditures this year: Zoom hosting: $150, website $352, PO Box: $108, UNSCC membership: $200, $531.71 for printing. Mike printed 177 copies of our newsletter, 50 copies in color.
    • Our Beautify SJ Cycle 5 Grant was for $1500 plus $100 for tools. We spent $1564.24. We will need to return $35.76.
    • The Beautify SJ Cycle 6 Grant application is due on 1/11/24. Ron and Mike will be working on it. It will be based on the Cycle 5 grant.
    • As of 1/3/24, we have $2748.82 in the bank. 
    • We need to print up more newsletters to pass out in the ranch house. We could use more at libraries.
    • We intend to give our pre-Mother's Day hike again this year on 5/11/24, the Saturday before Mother's Day. Ron will submit the proposal form, so it gets approved and appears on the park calendar. 
    • Mike has been getting requests to lead history tours in Santa Teresa Park from the Preservation Action Council and the California Pioneers. He may give a tour for Supervisor Joe Simitian's staff. 
    • Mike says we could use the golf course banquet room for live presentations. We could ask for donations.
    • The interpretive department is asking the public to submit ideas for summer programs. Doing the school year, they are busy doing school programs.
    • Joan can do a presentation on bats. Rob did a presentation on bats at Grant.
    • We can take a field trip to the Black Diamond Mines again. There was a section that was under repair when we went, so we couldn't see it. We can go when it's open again. We could take a longer field trip to see the Empire Mines.
    • We need some kind of memorial sign for Kitty. She helped to organize FOSTP and helped to get the ranch house preserved. We need a plaque somewhere that's not likely to be graffiti'd. We need to find out what is allowed and where it can be placed.
    • We could lead a hike to the top of Coyote Peak again. We've done that before.
    • Victoria Heyse has been temporarily acting as Public Information Officer after Tamara Clark retired. She will be swapping with Audry Diaz. Victoria created a video about the County Parks in 2023. 
    • People have talked to Rob about the movie nights that were given in the past by John Dorrance. Joan asked what happened to the movies. Ron said the best part about the movie nights were the nature programs. They featured spiders, reptiles, amphibians, microscopic life, astronomy, mushrooms, and carnivorous plants. We could have nature nights.
    • There could be monthly kingsnake programs.
    • For Halloween, there could be a bat night or spider night.
    • Rob said the straw bales in the back barn that were used for the pulley exhibit were getting rodent droppings in them. He spread them below the canal near the spring, where there's a volunteer trail.
    • Ron showed pictures:
      • 12/9/23: The Norred Trail was rehabilitated and widened.
      • 12/23/23: After the rains, the Joice and Norred Trails had muddy spots from people using the trail after rain.
      • 1/3/24: Grass is growing around the ranch house and gardens, but is not too high yet. The boot scraper by the Joice Trail head has been crushed and needs replacing. Rob made a poster for our First Friday Work Days. There's a big pile of wood chips at the bus stop picnic area, where we spread chips last month. A group from Apple will be spreading them on MLK Day. The bridge on the path to the spring has been replaced with a stronger one. The rains have caused mud and dirt to flow down around the spring and shrine.
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       Created 1/18/24 by Ronald Horii, secretary of the Friends of Santa Teresa Park
    Funding provided by a Beautify San Jose Grant