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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/24/2013Town of Los Altos Hills City Council Special Meeting Minutes Thursday, October 24, 2013 Council Chambers, 26379 Fremont Road, Los Altos Hills, California CALL TO ORDER (6:00 P.M.) A. Roll Call Present: Mayor Waldeck, Vice Mayor Radford, Councilmember Larsen, Councilmember Corrigan, Councilmember Harpootlian Absent: None Staff: City Manager Carl Cahill, City Attorney Steve Mattas, Community Development Director Debbie Pedro, City Engineer/Public Works Director Richard Chiu, Administrative Services Director Yulia Carter, City Clerk Deborah Padovan B. Pledge of Alleiziance 1. PUBLIC COMMENT (PUBLIC COMMENT IS LIMITED TO ITEMS WHICH ARE THE SUBJECT OF THE SPECIAL MEETING) Mayor Waldeck moved the public comment to the end of each item. 2. ONGOING BUSINESS A. Consideration of Concessionaire Proposals to Manage and Operate Westwind Community Barn (Staff: D Pedro/Y. Carter) Community Development Director Debbie Pedro presented the staff report. Council discussion ensued. Frank Bakonyi, Los Gatos, stated his interested in managing the barn. Christopher Smith, Los Altos Hills, spoke in support of Laura Stevens' proposal. Kathy Liccardo, Los Altos Hills, questioned whether a single person could take on the burden of a barn that has huge potential, but is right now not functioning. City Council Special Meeting Minutes October 24, 2013 Peter Evans, Los Altos Hills, said that the barn is a Town asset and feels the Town should continue to operate it. Nick Dunckel, Los Altos Hills, encouraged the Council to continue looking at the barn as a community resource that requires some subsidy. Carol Gottlieb, Los Altos Hills, stated that she was a member of Friends of Westwind Barn in the 1980s and during that time they were self-sufficient. Jim Olstad, Palo Alto, provided some history about Wunderlich Park and Folgers Barn. Further Council discussion followed. MOTION MADE AND SECONDED: Councilmember Corri an moved to reiect the current RFP concessionaire Proposals to manse and operate Westwind Community Barn. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Larsen AYES: Mayor Waldeck, Councilmember Larsen Councilmember Corrigan Councilmember Harpootlian NOES: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: Vice Mayor Radford MOTION CARRIED. B. Studv Session Regarding the Options for the Future Management and Operations of Westwind Community Barn (Staff.• D Pedro/Y. Carter) Director Pedro presented the report and outlined three scenarios for the Council to consider. Option 1: Community Equestrian Facility; Option 2: Status Quo; and Option 3: Subsidized Concessionaire. Council discussion ensued. Roddy Sloss, Member of the Los Altos Hills Finance and Investment Committee, was invited by Council to provide input on the options. Valerie Metcalfe, Member of the Los Altos Hills Parks and Recreation Committee, stated that she was an advocate for the community barn model along with the parks and recreation programs. Les Earnest, Los Altos Hills, said in 1965 there were horse boarding stables all over town, but they all went out of business because they were not profitable. City Council Special Meeting Minutes October 24, 2013 Richard Serini, Los Altos Hills, states that he currently operates the school horse program at Fremont Hills Country Club. He stated his interest in providing a school horse program at Westwind Barn. Julia Zarcone, Member of the Los Altos Hills Parks and Recreation Committee, questioned the finances on boarding and the year round riding program Nancy Couperus, Los Altos Hills, stated that she has been involved with Westwind Barn in 1978 and was one of the founders of Friends of Westwind that operated the barn for nearly 30 years. She said that, if there wasn't a problem with the housing, the barn would still be operating under the Friends of Westwind. Roddy Sloss clarified the cost side differences between the various scenarios submitted. Kathy Liccardo, Los Altos Hills, stated that she prefered Option 3 (Subsidized Concessionaire). Michael Wagner, Current President of the Los Altos Hills Horsemen's Association (LAHHA), said that he did not believe the right financial analysis was being presented. Jolon Wagner, Los Altos Hills, asked the Council to find someone to make "that Westwind jewel really shine." Kathy Evans, Chair of the Los Altos Hills Parks and Recreation Committee, stated that she preferred Option 1 (Community Equestrian Facility), but wanted commercial boarding. Margaret Mock, Los Altos Hills, spoke in favor of boarding. Polly Neumann, Los Altos, stated that she grew up in the hills and said that the enrollment is high in the summer, but drops off in the winter due to no covered arena or dry area to exercise an animal. Karen Ammer, Los Altos Hills, said that a lot of kids have no horse to ride because Jane Kawasaki took the horses. Ed Medlin, Los Altos Hills, stated that he has three horses at the barn and worked with the ad hoc committee that reviewed proposals. He stated that he did not vote for Option 1 as he believes boarding is necessary. Jim Abraham, Los Altos Hills, said running a facility and barn is prohibitively expensive. Further he expressed that if the Town is going to board horses it has to be done by an outside contractor. 3 City Council Special Meeting Minutes October 24, 2013 Michael McTighe, Los Altos, said that he would like to see the event portion maintained. Jack Symon, Los Altos, stated that he currently boards a horse at Westwind. His daughter had a wonderful experience with the Year Round Riding Program and Pony Club. Nick Dunckel, Los Altos Hills, stated that when he was part of the Friends of Westwind, they did not have 24 hour supervision at the barn. Jitze Couperus, Los Altos Hills, stated that the 4-H pays $2000 a month in rent and is not subsidized. Allan Epstein, Los Altos Hills, said that the barn offers a benefit for a small number of citizens, but how much subsidy is appropriate should be determined. Jill Harding, Los Altos, she boards a horse and leases her horse for kids at Pony Club. She stated that the benefit of having borders at the barn means that her horse is available for someone else to use. Council discussion ensued. Mayor Waldeck stated that the purpose of the meeting is a study session and the Council will take the information under consideration with direction to be provided at the November 5th City Council meeting. C. Geotechnical Analysis Report on the Drainage for the Lower Arena at Westwind Community Barn (Staff: R. Chiu) Council recess at 8:45 p.m. Council reconvened to open session at 8:55 p.m. Public Works Director Richard Chiu presented the report. Council discussion ensued. Sharon Wormhart, Loma Mar, stated she has been an instructor and trainer at the barn for more than 30 years. She said the drainage swales and the building up the arena pad has worked very well, but she would not tackle a major repair at this time. Deb McCarley, Los Altos Hills, said that part of the drainage issue is that a portion of the base is broken in places and repairs are needed. Nancy Couperus, Los Altos Hills, said that expert arena company should come in to fix the problem and not just take this out to any contractor. Val Metcalfe, Los Altos Hills, she has watched other places put in footing, not do it right and have a continual process of repairs. 4 City Council Special Meeting Minutes October 24, 2013 Kathy Liccardo, Los Altos Hills, said that a professional that understands horse arenas is needed. Jolon Wagner, Los Altos Hills, recommended listening to the experts who specialize in arenas. Jitze Couperus, Los Altos Hills, suggested various options to refreshing the footing and the drainage. Roddy Sloss, Los Altos Hills, said it sounds like the scope of work is going to be an issue. Connie Clark, Sunnyvale, said she left the facility due to the footing. She wants to see a professional company come in and address the issue. Rita Sinasohn-Pharr, Moss Beach, explained that the West Coasting Footing bid is only to repair the base. Further Council discussion followed. DIRECTION: The Council authorized $12,000 to $15,000 worth of work to clean the drains. Nancy Couperus, Los Altos Hills, inquired about the about the 4-H proposal to improve the upper arena. DIRECTION: Add a discussion item to the November 5, 2013 Special City Council meeting to reimburse 4-H. 3. ADJOURN Pursuant to Ordinance No. 506, the Council Meeting shall adiourn no later than 10:00 p.m., unless otherwise approved by a maiority of the Councilmembers present. MOTION MADE AND SECONDED: Moved by Councilmember Larsen, seconded by Councilmember Harpootlian and passed unanimously to adjourn the meeting_ MOTION CARRIED. The meeting adjourned at 9:40 p.m. Respectfully submitted, 46,.A .WNA, n Deborah Padovan City Clerk 5 City Council Special Meeting Minutes October 24, 2013