HomeMy WebLinkAboutJune 26
1
Town of Los Altos Hills
Community Relations Committee
Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, June 26, 2018
Parks and Recreation Building
1. Roll Call; Committee Membership
The meeting was called to order at 7:30 PM by Chairman, Roy Woolsey. Present: Dennis Duffy, Lana
Einschlag, Karen Emerzian, Lew Jamison, Nena Price, Michael Schoendorf, Roy Woolsey. Associate
members, Barbara Cannon, Ron Knapp. Town Staff: Sarah Robustelli.
2. Introduction of Any Members of the Public
Kathy Evans from the Parks and Recreation Committee attended the meeting and spoke extensively
regarding item 6 on the agenda.
3. Review and Approval of Prior Committee Meeting Minutes
The minutes of the May 22, 2018 meeting were approved as drafted.
4. Review of Prior City Council Meetings
Sarah Robustelli noted that since the Council had approved up to $50,000 for the 2018 Town Picnic, the
proposed Town’s budget for the 2018 – 2019 fiscal year was changed to include an amount of $50,000 for the
2019 Town Picnic; the original 2017 – 2018 fiscal year budget included an amount of $40,000 for the 2018
Town Picnic.
5. September Committee Presentation to Council
Roy Woolsey announced that the Committee is scheduled to give its annual report to the City Council at
the Council’s September meeting. Roy circulated a draft of the slides he would propose to present in the annual
report. Roy noted that after the report last year, the Council made no comment and had no suggestions for the
Committee, so in this year’s draft, Roy proposed to ask the Council for input on other activities the Committee
might organize or suggestions for future Town Picnics, and suggested that a joint Committee – Council meeting
might be appropriate to discuss these matters. After some discussion, Roy’s draft was approved and Roy was
authorized to add some bullets regarding reactivation of the Neighborhood Network program.
6. Discussion of Reactivation of Neighborhood Network Program
Dennis Duffy and Kathy Evans led a discussion regarding the possibility of reactivation of the
Neighborhood Network program. Kathy Evans summarized the original involvement of Committee member
Joan Sherlock and Council member Ginger Summit, and the excellent job the Fire District’s Mike Sanders did,
and noted that since Mike’s retirement not much has happened with the program, partly because of a Fire
District reorganization. Kathy said that because of our low density housing, compared with nearby cities such
as Los Altos, we’d be basically “on our own” in the event of an emergency, so it was all the more important
that we reactivate the Neighborhood Network program as part of emergency preparedness. Kathy
recommended that the Committee bring this serious concern to the attention of Council in the Committee’s
annual report, which the Committee agreed to do. Dennis Duffy moved, it was seconded and passed
2
unanimously that that he meet with Kathy Evans and others germane to the Neighborhood Network Program
during the summer and bring a detailed preliminary plan back to the CRC for consideration in the September
meeting.
7. Welcoming of Town Newcomers
Roy Woolsey reported that since the last meeting, mailing labels were prepared and sent to Town Hall as
follows: 15 newcomers for May for the first letter from Council, and 10 newcomers for February and 5 for
March for the second welcoming letter from the Committee. It was suggested that the Newcomer packets
include a page encouraging new residents to sign up for Next Door.
8. Los Altos Hills Town Picnic
The Committee held an extensive discussion of the June 3, 2018 Town Picnic. Several suggestions were
made for next year’s Town Picnic, as follows:
• Consider using wristbands rather than meal tickets, with one color for those that can be served alcohol
and another color for under-age attendees that cannot.
• Increase the amount of ice perhaps from 500 pounds to 600 pounds, and review the use of the ice truck,
which might need electric power to be fully effective.
• Do not invite the helicopter, because of the dust it can create for the classic car show.
• Add another bungee on the rock wall.
• Develop more adult attractions.
• Perhaps have a tractor display (cabs for semi truck/trailers) on Field 3.
Roy distributed a draft of a picnic report including a number of contributions from Committee members, and it
was agreed that the above list of items would be added to the draft and that Roy will prepare a revised draft
report which the Committee should be able to approve in its next meeting. Ron Knapp expressed concern
about non-committee members being quoted in the report without their consent; Roy will seek Councilmember
Michelle Wu’s permission to include her comments. It was also agreed that Sarah would put a poll on Next
Door to see if residents had additional comments about the Town Picnic.
In response to comments from Mike Schoendorf, Sarah will request City Clerk Deborah Padovan to add a
line to the committee application form to indicate where the applicant learned of the committee opening. Sarah
distributed a draft table of the actual expenses accounted for to date, totaling about $45K, and there will be a
few additional expenses to add to the table before it is finalized. Sarah also circulated a nice thank-you note
from the Maverick’s food caterer.
9. Additional Items or Contributions from Committee Members. None.
10. Date for Next Meeting, when New Committee Officers will be Selected
The Committee decided not to meet in July or August, as has become the tradition of the Committee. The
next meeting will be the fourth Tuesday in September, which is September 25, 2018. Since this September
meeting will be the first one of the new fiscal year, the Committee will need to select new Committee officers
for the forthcoming year. Roy noted that he is effectively “termed out” and cannot serve another year as
Chairman, per the Town’s resolution on Standing Committees.
11. Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 8:55 PM.
Minutes prepared by Roy Woolsey, July 12, 2018