Friends of Santa Teresa Park Meeting, 5/6/10




  • Attendees: Mike Boulland, Paul Vincze, Jenel Vincze, Ronald Horii, Kitty Monahan, Sam Drake, Mario Blaum, Ed Jackson.
  • Ed said last week workers were taking out blackberry bushes along Manila Drive. The neighbors weren't notified and did not want the blackberries taken out. The California Conservation Corps was doing the work. The blackberries are non-native. They were being removed because they are an invasive species.
  • Mike has a work day the third Tuesday of each month at Santa Teresa Park. The last time at the Bernal Ranch, behind the caretaker's house, there was a concern that they may have cleared too much vegetation and too close to the Water District property, which is the Coyote-Alamitos Canal. Mike and Roland only did what Drew Merry said to do. There are now guidelines for the monthly Tuesday work days. They must stay a certain distance from the canal. They can work in a riparian environment, but can't cut plants down to the ground. There is a new fence behind the caretaker's house. Mike will meet with Drew on Monday to discuss plans. The next plan may be to pickup trash along San Ignacio. Julie Lee suggested teasel removal. The next work day is 5/18 from 9 to 12. Meet at the Bernal Ranch.
  • Volunteers have been pulling weeds on the Albertson Parkway
  • We read and accepted the minutes.
  • The Pre-Mother's Day Hike was held on the Fortini and Stile Ranch Trails on May 2. About 50 people showed up. Kids made Mother's Day cards. Mike portrayed Jose Santos Berryessa. Art Boudreault portrayed his father, Jose Reyes Berryessa.
  • Our bank balance is $455.51.
  • Mike paid $32.94 for sandwiches for the Pre-Mother's Day Hike event. We approved the reimbursement.
  • Mike got the MOU for the CAP Grant.
  • Coastal Cleanup Day is in September. Unfortunately, it usually overlaps with the Santa Teresa Community Fest.
  • We should do a cleanup day on the Coyote Alamitos Canal next spring. We should put it on the calendar.
  • Docent guidelines are being reviewed by the parks dept.
  • Santa Teresa Spring status: The batteries are dead in the solar lights at the spring. Sheriffs have been coming to the spring frequently. There was a family trying to take turtles from the pond. Someone was fishing at the spring, apparently hired by the parks department. A sheriff and ranger came by and left him alone. He caught a big catfish. Roland was looking at putting a webcam at the spring.
  • Jenel, 4H: 4H has gardening, poultry, and rabbits at the ranch. They meet there monthly. They meet outside. The kids bring their own tools. There will be a County Fair this year and maybe in 2011.  They had a fundraiser event to raise money for tent rentals. The fair is a whole county event, and not just for 4H.
  • Newsletter. Ron will be editing our next newsletter. The target is to have it ready for Festival in the Park in June. Jenel can give a 4H club flyer to extract information from. Sam can talk about trail days. Mario can write an article about the Coyote Peak and Rocky Ridge trails. Ron can write about Rancho San Vicente. Ed can write about Santa Teresa Spring. Mike can write about the Pyzak Ranch plan updates and the flowers on his Stile Ranch hike. We can ask John Dorrance about upcoming events at the ranch.
  • The Ohlone Trail is getting overgrown.
  • Drew Merry is down to 2 people in his park maintenance crew.
  • There is a FOLAW river cleanup day on Los Alamitos Creek on 5/15 from 9-12.
  • There is a FOLAW dinner and auction on 5/22 from 5:30 -8 at the New Almaden Community Club.
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    Created 5/31/10 by Ronald Horii, secretary of the Friends of Santa Teresa Park