Friends of Santa Teresa Park Zoom Meeting, 4/2/20

 


    • Attendees: Mike Boulland, Kitty Monahan, Kim Gardner, Steve Crockett, Greg & Roxanne Koopman, Gus Letona,  Sam Drake, Ron Horii
    • This was an online Zoom videoconference meeting. The Santa Teresa Golf Course is closed, and we are under a shelter-in-place order due to the coronavirus crisis, so we can't meet in person.
    • All park events and volunteer activities are on hold. Park administration workers and interpreters are working from home. Park offices are closed. Rangers and maintenance are still working. Park trails and restrooms are open.
    • We decided to keep our board membership and officers the same.
    • We need to have an accession plan for the board. We need to mentor people to pass on the jobs. We need a basic description of the jobs and solicit among members volunteers willing to do them. Our 501c3 application has a procedure for succession.
    • We have our articles of incorporation and by-laws for the 501c3 application. Ron recommended we delay our 501c3 application application until the coronavirus crisis is over, as situations could change. The others wanted to keep going.
    • Ron emailed 10 pictures: There was a CNPS hike on the Stile Ranch Trail on March 8. Woody and Ron helped with it. The gates of the Santa Teresa Golf Course are locked, since all golf courses are closed. However, people were walking on the road through the golf course. The trails are still open , and there's a trailhead in the golf course. There are new social distancing signs at trailheads. The Norred Trail has been very busy. It's narrow, making it difficul to maintain social distancing. There is a sign on the Bernal Ranch House, saying all playgrounds, group areas, and visitor centers are closed until further notice. There are closure signs and yellow caution tape around picnic tables in the Pueblo Area and the Bernal Ranch. Ron hiked up to Coyote Peak. The trail was not crowded. He showed views from the peak.
    • Mike talked to Ken Podgorsek of UNSCC about our Beautify SJ Grant. Ken sent a letter to grant recipients. He said that all neighborhood events are considered ineligible for the grant because of the coronavirus shutdown. Parts of our grant do not have anything directly to do with events, so should still be covered: UNSCC membership, website fees, and publications, like our newsletter. Mike suggested we make a book or calendar with Ron's pictures that we could sell to raise funds. Ken suggested that we have a community celebration once the coronavirus crisis is over.
    • We want to have a community party with a BBQ in the park, but we would need permission from the parks. All group events are on hold for now, with no date of when they will be allowed, so we can't plan for it.
    • We want to sponsor talks by Mike Cox on the New Almaden Mines, Basim Jaber on the Almaden Air Force Station, Paul Bernal on the Bernal Family, and James Delgado on his archaeological digs. We could charge or ask for donations for these talks.
    • The Volunteers Picnic was to be on 4/25 at Hellyer's Buena Vista Group Picnic Area at noon. It has been postponed until 9/26. Award certificates, pins, and a booklet were sent out to volunteers. Application forms for a free annual parking permit were sent to volunteers who had sufficient hours and do not have a senior pass. Camping passes given as awards in the past may not be transferable.
    • Senior Ranger Rich Bender gave a park report. The archery range and the golf course are closed. Parking fees in the Pueblo Area are waived. There have been breakin's in the Pueblo Area, so visitors should not leave anything valuable in their cars. That park has been busy.
    • Treasurer's report (Greg): our bank balance is $2936.84. There's a new form for purchases that lists items that are eligible for the grant.
    • We don't know if we'll be able to hold our National Night Out in August, but we can at least start the paperwork. 
    • We got a letter of support from Mike Wasserman.
    • A get-together and hike at Judy and Alan Vanderveen's ranch is on hold, at least until the coronavirus stay-at-home order is lifted.
    • Sam is in Nevada. He's staying there for now and telecommuting.
    • There were mattresses dumped on Bernal Road near the park entrance. They are gone now.
    • Roxanne's family pulled weeds in the Bernal Ranch garden beds.
    • Ron attended live video events at Open Space Authority preserves. All live OSA events and activities are on hold.
    • Our May events will probably be cancelled: our pre-Mother's Day hike on the Stile Ranch Trail and Ron's photo class and hike.
    • Our next meeting is May 2. It will probably be a Zoom meeting. Mike will send instructions out to the current email list. If anyone new wants to join in, they need to email Mike.
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       Created 4/3/20 by Ronald Horii, secretary of the Friends of Santa Teresa Park