02-23-16 Steering Committee Meeting Minutes

BUTTERFIELD-RIVIERA EAST COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION
STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES

DATE: February 23, 2016
PLACE:  Rancho Cordova Library, 9845 Folsom Blvd., Sacramento, California
MEETING TYPE:  BRECA Steering Committee Meeting
STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT

Lori Christensen
Bonnie Domeny
Rene Hamlin
Gay Jones
Jim Morgan
Andrea White

1. Call to Order from Chair Rene Hamlin
2. Minutes
   Lori Christensen made a motion to adopt the draft minutes for January 26, 2016.  Bonnie Domeny seconded the motion.  The motion was approved unanimously.

3. Reports
   1. Treasurer’s Report
      Andrea White reported that the Budget Committee had met and developed a draft budget for 2016.  The draft budget projects increased revenues to $2,175.  A line item for a By-Laws election was added, which would involve an additional mailing.  Various line items were adjusted based on experience from last year.  The total expense estimate is $2,170.  After some discussion, the line item Parkway Restoration was changed to Parkway Steward’s Expenses.Gay Jones made a motion to adopt the proposed budget.  Lori Christensen seconded the motion.  The motion was approved unanimously.
   2. CORPAC
      Gay Jones reported that there was no CORPAC (Cordova Community Planning and Advisory Council) meeting in February.
   3. Corps/SAFCA Erosion Protection Proposal
      Jim Morgan reported that the Corps of Engineers erosion protection proposal for the American River Parkway is proceeding.  The proposal involves treating up to 11 miles of the Parkway by either covering the riverbank with rocks or digging a big trench adjacent to the levee and filling it with rocks.  The trench would be covered with 3 feet of soil, as a result of which it would not support large trees such as the oaks and walnuts that currently grow in the area.The proposal is proceeding on two levels: a Federal (Corps) and State (Central Valley Flood Protection Board) level, and a local level (Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency).  The Federal level has just concluded a comment period on the Corps Final General Reevaluation Report Final Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report.  BRECA and other organizations submitted comments.

      At the local level, SAFCA has just released a draft Engineer’s Report for an assessment district.  This district would supercede the existing assessment district.  There is also a draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) that supports the draft Engineer’s Report.  There is a comment period on the DEIR that closes on March 16, 2016.

      Gay Jones noted that there are problems with some of the work done downstream of the Mayhew Drain: rocks stick out at the toe of the riverbank, which make it difficult or impossible to land a kayak or canoe.  Also, there are three places where the staging areas have not been restored to pre-project conditions.

      Rene Hamlin suggested that a committee be formed to work on comments on the DEIR, if such are needed, with Gay Jones and Jim Morgan on the committee.  Jim Morgan made a motion to that effect.  Gay Jones seconded the motion.  The motion was approved unanimously.

      Sheryl Venegas (with Supervisor Don Nottoli’s office) stated that Supervisor Nottoli had made an offer to meet with BRECA representatives and Rick Johnson (head of SAFCA).  No action was taken on this offer.

      Gay reported that she had a phone conversation with Pete Ghelfi, head engineer with SAFCA.  He stated that construction on the project may be 3 to 5 years out.  If the vote on the new assessment district does not pass, the project will not fly.  He further stated that the Corps wants to do a big project because it is hard to get more later from Congress.

      Gay further stated that she is frustrated because the Corps keeps moving the goalposts.  Whenever we get close to one set of goals and standards, the Corps comes up with something else.  Diane Coughlin questioned whether the project is really needed.  Gay stated that it is not.

4. Old Business
   1. By-Laws Review Committee
      Ken Crawford stated that the By-Laws are set up in paragraphs.  He thinks they should be broken up into subsections.  He stated that he did not understand what Article 7 is about, so he deleted the Article.  Rene Hamlin stated that she will send out a draft of the proposed revised By-Laws for consideration at the next meeting.  Ken stated that people who want changes should write them down.
   2. POP Recognition
      Bonnie Domeny stated that she wants to write a letter of recognition for the POP (Problem Oriented Policing) officer.  She proposed to give the letter to the POP officer at the General Meeting.
   3. Easter Egg Hunt
      Andrea White stated that the Easter Egg Hunt last year was fun, and she saw lots of new faces.  This year they have to apply to the Parks District for the activity.  There is also a limit on the size of the sign.  Several people volunteered to help with the event.
   4. Annual Meeting
      Rene Hamlin stated that she has confirmation from the Capital Christian Center to attend the Annual Meeting, concerning the proposed sign.  She also has confirmation from a representative of the Complete Streets proposal.  She stated that they will also come to the March 22 BRECA meeting, and the Board of Supervisors will vote on it in the beginning of April.  She also has confirmation that Ken Cooley will attend the meeting.  She also wants somebody from the Cordova Recreation and Park District.
   5. From the Floor
      There was no old business from the floor.

5. New Business
   1. Steering Committee Election
      Jim Morgan reviewed the basic schedule for the Steering Committee Election.  Nominations open with the March 2016 BRECA Steering Committee meeting, and close with the Annual Meeting in April.  Then response is sought for whether the nominees want to be candidates.  A ballot is prepared with candidate statements, which is mailed to the members.  The members vote, and the votes are counted and announced at the May Steering Committee meeting.  The newly elected Steering Committee members take office at the June meeting.  Rene Hamlin and Jim Morgan are in charge of the elections.
   2. Street Lights
      Rene Hamlin noted that the fact that the eastern section of the BRECA area does not have street lights was raised on Nextdoor.  Nobody who had raised the issue came to this BRECA meeting.  It was pointed out that getting street lights costs a lot of money and that an assessment district would need to be formed.
   3. From the Floor
      Sheryl Venegas inquired about Yellow Starthistle removal.  Gay Jones and Jim Morgan commented that BRECA used to sponsor Starthistle removal days on the Parkway.  However, with the disturbance from the work around raising the levee, we had temporarily stopped doing this.  There was a starthistle removal day last year, and one or more are planned for this year.

6. Meeting adjourned.

The next meeting will be a Steering Committee Meeting on Tuesday, March 22, 2016, at the Rancho Cordova Library.