BRECA Steering Committee Meeting Minutes 1-24-17

BUTTERFIELD-RIVIERA EAST COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION
STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES

DATE: January 24, 2017
PLACE:  Rancho Cordova Library, 9845 Folsom Blvd., Sacramento, California
MEETING TYPE:  BRECA Steering Committee Meeting

STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT

• Lori Christensen
• Kelly Cohen
• Bonnie Domeny
• Rene Hamlin
• Lynda Hammitt
• Gay Jones
• Jim Morgan
• Andrea White

 STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT

• Jay Domeny

1. Call to Order by Vice-Chair Gay Jones
2. Minutes of December 20, 2016
   Gay Jones requested some revisions to the draft minutes for December 20, 2016, which were accepted.  Bonnie Domeny made a motion to adopt the revised draft minutes.  Andrea White seconded the motion.  The motion was approved unanimously.
3. Agenda Items from the Community
   1. Street Lights on Mira Del Rio
      Lynda Hammitt stated that this item came from Nextdoor, from a non-member who was not present at this meeting.  Bonnie Domeny had replied on Nextdoor.  She raised the question of what to do with items that come up repeatedly.  Gay Jones suggested that we follow up under agenda item 6.a.  Bonnie Domeny commented that the issue is that there are no street lights in the eastern part of the BRECA area.  Lynda Hammitt commented that to get street lights the neighbors would have to form a Lighting and Landscaping District.  Andrea White commented that they would have to vote to assess themselves to pay for the lights.  Gay Jones commented that we have been there before, and when neighbors find out about the assessment, nobody steps forward.
   2. Update on Large Lot for Sale on Folsom Blvd. and other Development Plans for the Area
      Gay Jones stated that the subdivision map granted 8 years ago for the large property for sale across Folsom Blvd. from the Butterfield Light Rail station will expire in May 2017.  She also stated that she had talked to the realtor who is trying to sell the main parking lot for the Butterfield Light Rail station.  This is a 3.2 acres parcel.  BRECA is concerned that any development there should accommodate existing parking.
   3. California American Water Application before the California Public Utilities Commission
      It was agreed to cover this as part of item 5a below.
4. Reports
   1. Finance
      Andrea White distributed a handout for the 2016 income and expenditures.  Overall, BRECA spent less than was budgeted, and income exceeded expenses.Jim Morgan suggested that, since the Budget Committee had not yet met to formulate a budget for 2017, the Steering Committee should pass a “continuing resolution” which temporarily approved the 2016 budget as the 2017 budget.  Lynda Hammitt made a motion to approve such a continuing resolution.  Andrea White seconded the motion.  The motion was approved unanimously.
   2. CORPAC
      Carmen Mitchell reported that the Cordova Community Planning and Advisory Council (CORPAC) meeting this month received a proposal to allow the proposed AM/PM at Kiefer Blvd. and Bradshaw Road to sell beer and wine.  There were no objections from the Sheriff or Alcoholic Beverage Control Board.  CORPAC voted to approve the beer and wine proposal.Carmen Mitchell also reported that CORPAC received a presentation on the Mather-South development proposal.  She noted that the proposal has a lot of park space, and that they are keeping all of the vernal pools.  Gay Jones commented that they are getting ready to produce a Draft Environmental Impact Report.
   3. Outreach Committee
      Lynda Hammitt reported that the Outreach Committee had met 3 times.  They had agreed on a mission: To increase BRECA membership and involvement.  They also had agreed on a goal: To increase membership by 10% by March 31.  Existing opportunities for getting new members include the General Meeting, Easter Egg Hunt and Picnic.  They had brainstormed about new ways to recruit members.  These include having an on-line form for joining and maybe for paying dues, making more use of the Newsletter as an outreach tool, touting our accomplishments, testimonials from local leaders such as Don Nottoli, and bloging more often.  Accomplishments so far include recruiting one new member, asking for input from the community for the Steering Committee agenda, and working on a new application form.
5. Old Business
   1. California American Water Update
      James Adams stated that he had been involved in several rate increase cases.  Testimony on all issues for the California American Water (Cal Am) rate case before the California Public Utilities Commission is due by February 13, 2017.  He stated that he is not sure when to send a BRECA letter, and that perhaps BRECA should send a second letter responding to the proposed decision of the Administrative Law Judge.  He also stated that he is confused by the question of the guaranteed rate of return of 8%: Is it less because of people saving water?  Jim Morgan suggested that we should get a BRECA letter in before February 13.  James Adams concurred, and stated that he would work with Gay Jones on a letter.Lori Christensen pointed out that with the end of the drought the State Water Resources Control Board’s conservation goals may go away.  Gay Jones stated that, under Proposition 218, public utilities have to tie rates to cost of service, but this does not apply to private utilities like Cal Am.  James Adams stated that we should note the previous involvement of BRECA in Cal Am rate cases in 2011 and 2014.  He also suggested that we have an Office of Ratepayer Advocates (ORA) representative come out to talk with us sometime in February.  Gay Jones stated that she would reach out to Richard Rauschmeier, an ORA representative.
   2. By-Laws
      Jim Morgan stated that there is a need to clean up the certification language at the end of the By-Laws distributed on November 16, as there are mis-spellings and other problems.  However, as this is not actually part of the By-Laws, perhaps the Secretary and the By-Laws Committee could do this.  Ken Crawford stated that he had no objection to this, and it was agreed to do so.  Ken distributed an updated version of the By-Laws with the changes agreed to at the December, 2016 Steering Committee meeting.Jim Morgan made a motion as follows: “The Steering Committee directs the Elections Committee to submit to a vote of the membership for approval or disapproval the proposed By-Laws dated 1-24-2017.”  Rene Hamlin seconded the motion.  The motion was approved unanimously.

6. New Business
   1. BRECA Communications
      Lynda Hammitt stated that we want to communicate adequately, but not spam people.  She pointed out that there is not a process to get “blasts” out to the membership.  Gay Jones stated that we have people who participate in regional organizations, such as Jim Morgan on the Lower American River Task Force and Kelly Cohen on the American River Parkway Coalition.  If something important comes up, we can contact the members, but it is a judgment call depending upon the circumstances.  Rene Hamlin pointed out that we do not need to repeat information from well-funded sources such as Cal Am.  Bonnie Domeny suggested having a monthly Newsletter on the BRECA Web site, and e-mailing a link to the members.  Gay Jones stated that we can also do alerts or notices.  But, when she went to the Web site, she could not find contact information for BRECA.  There was discussion of this, and Lynda Hammitt stated they would look into it at the Outreach Committee.
   2. Climate Action Plan Workshops
      There was a brief discussion of this item: the County is doing Climate Action Plan workshops.  It is not clear if BRECA has an interest in this.  Rene Hamlin stated that she will put out contact information on Nextdoor.
   3. Calendar for 2017
      The following events were identified and dates set, pending refinement as needed:
      1. April 8 – Easter Egg Hunt
      2. April 25 – General Meeting
      3. June 3 – Neighborhood yard sale
      4. August 1 – National Night Out
      5. August 20 – Bark in the Park
      6. September 24 – BRECA Picnic
      7. December 19 – BRECA Steering Committee meeting.There was a brief discussion of the Neighborhood yard sale.  It was agreed that it was a lot of work last year.  This year we will not have people set up in the park, but will distribute maps.

7. Meeting adjourned.

The next meeting will be a Steering Committee Meeting on Tuesday, February 28, 2017, at the Rancho Cordova Library.