Villages Hiking Club – Board Meeting (Zoom) Minutes          

15-April-2021

 

1.    Called to Order: 9:30am by President Al Girolami

 

2.    Attending Board Members:

President – Al Girolami                            VP Membership & Website – Jim Beyer

VP Hiking & Trails – Faye Swanson        Treasurer – Sandy Petrin

VP Social – Michelle Breslin                     Secretary – Gordon Carbonetti

 

 

3.    Reports

Secretary – Gordon Carbonetti

·         There were no questions on the 25-Mar-2021 Board minutes.  Gordon made a motion for approval of the minutes, which was seconded by Sandy and the motion passed unanimously.

 

Treasurer – Sandy Petrin

March 2021 General Fund

 

Beginning balance as of February 28, 2021                                              $6,341.85

Income:    New Member Dues – Roy Tsai                                                         $7.00

New Member Dues – Wayne William                                               $7.00

New Member Dues – Angela Cadile                                                 $7.00

Balance                                                                                                      $6,362.85

Expenses – None                                                                                             $0.00

Ending book balance as of March 31, 2021                                              $6,362.85

Note   – no outstanding checks                                                                         

 

March 2021 Hiking Club Hill Lands Project Fund

 

Beginning balance as of February 28, 2021                                               $2,801.82

No Income and Expenses                                                                                  $0.00

Ending Balance as of March 31, 2021                                                        $2,801.82

 

·         Sandy said expense for reimbursements to Peter Holmes (trail log sheets paper/copies) and Faye (purchase of two new trail tools) will be reflected in next month’s reports.

·         Michelle estimated expenses for Seven-Secret-Spots Challenge activity will run about $50 which she will submit for reimbursement.

·         A motion was made by Gordon to approve the preceding Financial Reports.  It was seconded by Faye and passed unanimously.

·         Sunshine Committee – Sandy advised the only event this month was a card to Gordon after his recent back surgery.  No one had an update on Bernie Loth.  Sandy has been sending emails to Bernie’s daughter, but has no response to date.

 

VP Membership & Website – Jim Beyer

·         Jim advised we have one new member (Angela Cadile) so the current membership now totals 283 members. Al thinks there is another new member (named Demi), as she texted him copies of her application/check. He assumed she had mailed it by regular mail. 

 

VP Hiking & Trails – Faye Swanson

·         Faye reported two unsanctioned Rambler-Lite/Rambler hikes went well this week thanks to volunteers including Bonnie Preston.  Additionally, Joanna and Wate Bakker have volunteered to lead wildflower hikes this weekend

·         Faye reported some trail maintenance was worked recently in two small groups of volunteers. She hopes to continue this effort from time to time if volunteers are available.  She said areas to be work are Garden Steps and Upper Bay. Tools are available including two new fire-fighter tools recently purchased. 

·         Al suggested to Villages management it would be more efficient and cost effective for King Grading to rework the Garden Steps trail with a single switchback when King comes out under its annual Villages contract.

·         The HC just purchased two more new fire-fighting tools (McLeod Fire Tool Hoes) which work very well maintaining the trails. Faye said the cost of both tools totaled $175 including tax and shipping. Al asked Faye to look into labeling all our tools as HC tools.  Al said Russ Glines will try to create a cover for each tool that covers the sharp edges so that the tools are safe to carry when hiking and transporting them.

·         The small, free storage shed Dan Kato’s friend was offering is no longer available.  Also, in an email, Dan said a mailbox mysteriously appeared near the NE corner of the Hill Lands.

 

VP Social – Michelle Breslin

·         Michelle launched the Seven-Secret-Spots Challenge to the HC membership.  She said two people (Johanna Bakker, Bob Bogdanoff) already completed the challenge.  She is thinking to keep the event going longer and expanding this to all Villagers to promote more people joining the HC.  Michelle will look at drafting a Villager article promoting this event and the HC.

·         Regarding T-shirts for purchase by HC members, Michelle said we may need to collect sales tax since we’re not a non-profit organization, or we can perhaps purchase shirts through the Golf Shop.  Michelle and Faye will do more homework on the subject including the logo, shirt material, sizes and HC member notices so the information can be reported out at the June 24, 2021 Board meeting.

·         Fall Outing – Sandy reserved a block of 25 rooms (combination of King rooms and double Queen rooms).  Members can book own rooms for no penalty up until 3 days prior to arrival.  A communication about this event can be sent out to the HC membership as part of the General Meeting notice.  Michelle will draft and Sandy will edit.  Sandy also reserved the hotel’s meeting room ($175 fee) on arrival day, in case we need it.  The dates of the outing are Tu Oct 5 and We Oct 6, with a personal option to stay longer if desired.  Sandy will start looking at local restaurants which can accommodate our group.

 

4. Old Business

 

·         Hill Lands Projects – Al said there has been no answer from the Villages on any of our projects for approvals to move forward.

·         Benches – in a previous meeting, Wate Bakker raised the idea of adding more benches to the lower trails.  It was decided to discuss this further at a future meeting.

5. New Business

·         Due to a travel conflict, Al said he is unable to attend the Membership meeting on April 26, 2021, so Faye should run the meeting in his absence.

·         Social Media – This subject was raised in a previous meeting, but Michelle determined no one really uses Social Media.  It was suggested to always add the HC website link in all emails sent to members.  Perhaps adding new younger members will appeal more to adding a Social Media presence in the future.

 

6.    Next Meetings

·         April General Membership – April 26, 2021 at 7:30pm, via Zoom. Speaker: Mark Medeiros from POST who will speak prior to the business meeting.

·         May Meetings – None

·         June Board – Th, June 24, 2021 at 9:30am (In-Person or Zoom)

·         June General Membership – Mo, June 28, 2021 at 7:30pm, (In-Person or Zoom)

 

7.    Meeting Adjourned – The meeting adjourned at 10:45am

Respectfully submitted, 

Gordon Carbonetti – Secretary

 Villages Hiking Club – Board Meeting (Zoom) Minutes                    

25-March-2021

 

Called to Order: 9:31am by President Al Girolami

 

Attending Board Members:

President – Al Girolami                            VP Membership & Website – Jim Beyer

VP Hiking & Trails – Faye Swanson        Treasurer – Sandy Petrin

VP Social – Michelle Breslin                     Secretary – Gordon Carbonetti

Also attending was Dan Kato

 

Reports

Secretary – Gordon Carbonetti

There were no questions on the 18-Feb-2021 Board minutes.  Gordon made a motion for approval, which was seconded by Jim Beyer and the motion passed unanimously.

 

Treasurer – Sandy Petrin

February 2021 General Fund

Beginning balance as of January 31, 2021                                                $4,612.80

Income – Annual Membership Dues collected by the Villages                  $1,932.00

Balance                                                                                                      $6,644.80

 

Expenses –

Reimbursement to Michelle Breslin for annual Zoom subscription.              $202.95

 

Ending book balance as of February 28, 2021                                           $6,341.85

Note   – no outstanding checks

 

February 2021 Hiking Club Hill Lands Project Fund

Beginning balance as of January 31, 2021                                                $2,801.82

No Income and Expenses                                                                                 $0.00

Ending Balance as of February 28, 2021                                                   $2,801.82

 

A motion was made by Gordon to approve the preceding Financial Reports.  It was seconded by Michelle and passed unanimously.

Michelle advised the zoom expense breaks down to one annual fee of approximately $145 plus about + $15/month.

Al said Peter Holmes will soon have a $25.56 expense for paper and copies related to the Trail Log Sheets he places in all trail mailboxes to track hiker trail usage.

 

Sunshine Committee – Sandy advised there were no reported events.  Al said he was trying to get an update on how Bernie Loth is recovering from his stroke.  Sandy will check with Bernie’s daughter and report back at a future meeting.

 

VP Membership & Website – Jim Beyer

Jim advised we have two new members (Roy Tsai, Wayne Williams) so the current membership now totals 282, but a few new members are planning to join soon, which should be reflected in next month’s report.

 

VP Hiking & Trails – Faye Swanson

Faye reported unsanctioned Rambler (Sy) and Rambler-lite (Bonnie) hikes continue and are going well thanks to volunteers.  Additionally, Russ Glines continues to look for members to join him on Hill Lands hikes on Wed and Sat.

Faye still would like to form a hiking group below the Rambler-Lite group that will hike within the Villages. However, she is having difficulty finding a volunteer to lead this group, so this may not happen.

Faye reminded us that the Ticks are back so be aware of this and take precautions. Ticks tend to hide out in the tall grasses.  Deb Siedband has written an article about ticks which Al will try to publish in the “The Villager”.

Faye reported limited trail maintenance was worked recently in small groups of volunteers. She said Garden Steps and Upper Meadow could use the most attention. The HC does have access to a few member or garden club tools.  However, according to Villages management, the HC-owned tools are not accessible from our storage cage in the Villages Corporation Yard without paying a $50 fee, which we could consider paying to break through this management roadblock.

Al suggested the HC purchase two additional McLeod Fire Tool hoes (one of each handle-length), which we can store away from the control of Villages management. Faye made a motion to make such purchase, which was seconded by Sandy and it passed unanimously. Dan volunteered to make the purchase.

Faye raised the subject of dog-poop bags being left on the trail in ever increasing numbers.  Faye wants a sign displayed at trailheads reminding people to pack out all poop bags. Michelle will look into printing out clearer sign photos to convey this anti-poop bag issue. Al can also add this issue into his planned Tick Article for “The Villager”.

Al distributed to the Board, Peter Homes’ quarterly report on the trail usage data for 4Q and year-end 2020.  Peter reports there was a significant increase in trail usage in 2020 from previous years (4Q2020-over 70% and YE2020-over 50% compared to 2019) “which is probably due to the pandemic”. This information is presented in the attachment on page 4 of these minutes.

Faye said Wildflower hike options include Coyote Ridge, which is only offered once a year in March, with entrance/parking restrictions (spots go fast).  We missed it for this year, but Faye will look for this next year.  Other yearly hike options include Pinnacles, Windy Hill and other suggested hikes which Faye can add to the HC calendar.

 

VP Social – Michelle Breslin

Michelle showed an example of a HC T-shirt which can be sold to members.  Cost per shirt would be in the $19-$35 range plus tax.  A logo is in work, but Michelle would love help with this. A logo from long ago was believed to include stick figures but no one remembers details.

She presented a potential Hill Lands scavenger-hunt type activity (challenge) of “Seven Secret Spots” for advanced hikers and seven others for Rambler hikers, where all spots would be identified with some kind of marker which Russ Glines agreed to make at small cost.  Deb Siedband and Dan Kato assisted Michelle in this effort. A small group of hikers would get clues (creatively developed by Dan) to locate and photograph the spots (photo to include team members and marker). Team winners could be awarded T-shirts. The idea is to not to create a competition.

Objections centered on the cost of the T-shirts for the winners which may require limiting the number in each team. Plus, there are some HC members who no longer hike (social members) so why should they subsidize free awarded shirts.  A prize alternative could be a certificate, pin, hat or something less costly. The idea of the activity and prize was to get members re-engaged in the HC. Seeking membership approval on this might be prudent. The Board majority favors selling HC shirts to promote the club.  It was decided to continue to think about this. At the next Gen Mem mtg Michelle will announce the activity and prize is TBD, to gauge interest in completing the contest.

Old Business

Hill Lands Committee Report – Al Girolami, Dan Kato

Al said Mary, in a March 22 email to him responding to his March 21 email to her, said she forwarded the HC proposals has been sent to the Villages club president and GM for a decision. If anyone knows a Villages Board member that can be nudged to push this approval through, that would be appreciated.

Michelle said heavy-duty QR codes for the trail maps are all made but need to be hung with possibly a drill or beefy hole-puncher.

New Business

Al reviewed a list of issues Villages Activities had him sign. (Raffles need a license, only one person can make reservations, Covid restrictions, etc.)

A late Sept or early Oct 2021 (mid-week) trip to the San Luis Obispo area (Pismo Bch/Five Cities) is still under consideration.  Board OK with timing.  Sandy sent around Oxford Suites hotel info/rates. Thinking of blocking 25-30 rooms by May 1st. Members can book own rooms for no penalty up until 3 days prior to arrival.

Al would like ideas for future speakers. Coyote speaker in April is out, POST may be in.

Next Meetings

March General Membership – March 29, 2021 at 7:30pm, via Zoom. Program: Lt. John Nores – California Fish & Game (retired) who will speak first, then the meeting.

April Board – April 15, 2021 at 9:30am, via Zoom

April General Membership – April 26, 2021 at 7:30pm, via Zoom

Meeting Adjourned – The meeting adjourned at 11:43am

Respectfully submitted

Gordon Carbonetti – Secretary

 

 

 

Log of Trail Usage Data 2014 – 2020

 

HIKING LOGS

2020 Q1 Q2 1st half Q3 Q4 Year Total % to Top

Top2795067854094891,68333.8%

Garden60866212704175232,210

Stable42076211827867942,762

-dups130719303237161218066,655

2019 Q1 Q2 1st half Q3 Q4 Year Total % to Top

Top3403206602582561,17438.4%

Garden3173166335753871,545

Stable3484517992984101,507

-dups100510872092113110534,276

2018 Q1 Q2 1st Half Q3 Q4 Year Total % to Top

Top2863336192302431,09226.5%

Garden:4043127162162691,201

Stable:5375171,0544324331,919

-dups1,2051,1352,3408589204,118

2017 Q1 Q2 1st Half Q3 Q4 Year Total % to Top

Top3032976002423471,18927.9%

Garden:3332535862103741,170

Stable:3035508534546001,907

-dups8419821,8238981,2904,011

2016 Q1 Q2 1st Half Q3 Q4 Year Total % to Top

Top5123868982943801,57232.1%

Garden:3312665972742841,155

Stable:5455441,0895645242,177

-dups1,3181,1712,4891,1031,1484,740

2014 Q1 Q2 1st Half Q3 Q4 Year Total % to Top

Top4155059204994091,82845.3%

Garden:4736140829484786

Stable:1554646196221801,421

-dups6171,3301,9471,4156734,035

 

Villages Hiking Club – Board Meeting Minutes (via Zoom)   18-Feb-2021

 

1.    Called to Order: 9:31am by President Al Girolami

 

2.    Attending Board Members:

President – Al Girolami

VP Hiking & Trails – Faye Swanson

VP Social – Michelle Breslin

VP Membership & Website – Jim Beyer

Treasurer – Sandy Petrin

Secretary – Gordon Carbonetti

Also attending were Dan Kato and John Petrin for a total of 8 attendees.

 

3.    Reports

Secretary – Gordon Carbonetti

·         There were no questions on the minutes as distributed, so Gordon made a motion to approve the minutes of the January 21, 2021 Board Meeting.  Michelle seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

 

Treasurer – Sandy Petrin

January 2021 General Fund

Beginning balance as of December 31, 2020                                            $4,648.80

Income – Membership Dues (3 new members)                                              $21.00

Balance                                                                                                      $4,669.80

 

Expenses – Donations

Ck#1670 Silicon Valley Humane Society (Roy Wash)                              $50.00

Ck#1671 Heroilda Martinez (dues refund)                                                  $7.00

Total Expenses                                                                                               $57.00

 

Ending book balance as of January 31, 2021                                           $4,612.80

Note   – Bank balance is $4619.80 as Ck#1671 is still outstanding.                                                                            

 

January 2021 Hiking Club Hill Lands Project Fund

Beginning balance as of December 31, 2020                                           $2,801.82

No Income and Expenses                                                                                $0.00

Ending Balance as of January 31, 2021                                                   $2,801.82

 

·         The preceding Financial Report was approved by a motion from Jim, seconded by Gordon, and it passed unanimously.

·         Sandy reported that a check was received this month (Feb) from the Villages in the amount of $1,932.00 covering 2021 membership dues (276 members at $7each).

·         Finally, Sandy said Michelle submitted an invoice for 2021 Zoom access. So Sandy has a check in the mail to Michelle and this expense will be reflected in the February 2021 financial report presented next month.

 

Sunshine Committee – Sandy advised there were no events reported.  Al added that Ruth DePonzi retired recently, and Terri Vivoli was asked to send one of her beautiful hand-made cards to Ruth on behalf of the Hiking Club.  Al again thanked Terri for her efforts.

 

VP Membership & Website – Jim Beyer

·         Jim advised current membership now totals 280.

·         Regarding QR codes, Michelle is working to finalize the replacement of the damaged plastic covers at the trailhead map boxes as soon as she can secure the appropriate supplies for printing and laminating.

 

VP Hiking & Trails – Faye Swanson

·         Faye reported Rambler and Rambler-lite hikes continue and are going well thanks to Bonnie and Sy.

·         She said we have not advertised long hikes, but Faye is drafting an email doing so.  Her goal is to send out a weekly email mentioning all the hikes including the Long hikes especially the Wednesday and Sunday hikes in the Hill Lands, to see if any people wish to join in while continuing to follow the safety protocols.  Al emphasized the Wed./Sat. Hill Land hikes with Russ Glines, as well as the Wed. Rambler/Rambler-Lite hikes.  He said the “hiking experience is out there if people want to do it”. So periodic reminder emails to HC members can be a good way to get more members on the trails.

·         Faye is also looking at the possibility of forming a hiking group below the Rambler-Lite group that will hike within the Villages. It could be something similar to what Quincey organizes on Monday mornings when the golf course is open to walkers.

·         Finally, Faye reported Russ Glines is considering starting a weekly shorter Hill Land hike which would traverse the lower, close-in trails. This could be a way to join him to expose more hikers to the extensive Hill Land trail system.  

 

VP Social – Michelle Breslin

·         A fall/late summer 2021 trip to the San Luis Obispo area is still under consideration.  Sandy Petrin will research this further. Sandy has contact at the 5-cities area.

·         The Villages Management cancelled Game Night as well as all March events.

·         Next scheduled event is Trail Maintenance on March 27^th which we might consider doing on an unsanctioned volunteer basis via an email, with a sign-up sheet. Michelle said she can do a brown-bag snack of water and Kind Bar.

·         The HC tools are not that accessible due to the Pandemic, so we may be able to borrow the Garden Club tools.  Dan will check with the garden Club (Judy) and Russ to see what tools he has.  We might need to think about how to access the HC cages.

·         Faye can send out an email to ask for volunteers to help with the Trail Maintenance, and how might the Horse people can assist us with ATV access to the trails.  Faye will draft an email for HC Board review to send out to members for this effort, with an alternative date if necessary. Michelle said she can quickly pull together a brown-bag snack for whatever turn-out we get.

·         Michelle suggested a HC event could be where hikers can take pictures of pre-determined locations in the Hill Lands as sort of a Treasure/Scavenger Hunt.  Al suggested winners or those who complete the tasks can win a Villages Golf Shirt (which may be expensive).  Dan and Michelle will look into this further and report back at a future Board Meeting, including determining which areas need the most attention (Garden Steps, Upper Meadows).

 

Old Business

Hill Lands Committee Report – Al Girolami, Dan Kato

·         Al and Faye said some trees are down at the picnic tables at the bottom of Sky Trail.

·         No further word from Julia on HC Proposals so we should wait another month.

·         Dan suggested we highlight the specific area where we need work help (Garden Steps, Upper Meadow). Faye will work on an email to solicit volunteers to meet on March 27^th which she will review with the HC Board. Dan said he would check with the folks from the Upper garden.

·         Sign-out sheets issue to be tabled for another month due to COVID closure of our storage area

4. New Business

a.    Al said GreenBelt Aliance to speak at the next Membership Meeting.

5.    Next Meetings

·         General Membership – February 22, 2021 at 7:30pm, via Zoom. Program: Greenbelt Alliance 

·         Next Board Meeting – March 18, 2021 at 9:30am, via Zoom

·         General Membership – March 29, 2021 at 7:30pm, via Zoom. Program: Lt. John Nores – California Fish & Game (retired)

6.    Meeting Adjourned – The meeting adjourned at 10:17am by motion by Jim and second by Sandy

Respectfully submitted

Gordon Carbonetti  –  Secretary

 Villages Hiking Club – Board Meeting Minutes (via Zoom)   21-Jan-2021

Called to Order: 9:30am by President Al Girolami

Attending Board Members:

President – Al Girolami

VP Hiking & Trails – Faye Swanson

VP Social – Michelle Breslin

VP Membership & Website – Jim Beyer

Treasurer – Sandy Petrin

Secretary – Gordon Carbonetti

Also attending were Dan Kato, Sy Gelman and Karan Foss (9 Total Attendees)

Reports

                   Secretary

Gordon made a motion to approve the minutes of the November 19, 2020 Board Meeting.  Sandy seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

                    Treasurer

November 2020 General Fund

Beginning balance as of October 31, 2020                                               $6,384.80

No Income                                                                                                        $0.00

Expenses – Donation to Hill Lands Acct.                                                     $500.00

Ending balance as of November 30, 2020.                                               $5,884.80

November 2020 Hiking Club Hill Lands Project Fund

Beginning balance as of October 31, 2020.                                              $2,301.82

Income – Donation from Hiking Club                                                            $500.00

No Expenses                                                                                                    $0.00

Ending Balance as of November 30, 2020                                                $2,801.82

December 2020 General Fund

Beginning balance as of November 30, 2020                                            $5,884.80

Income – Membership Dues                                                                           $14.00

Balance                                                                                                      $5,898.80

Expenses – Donations

Ck#1659 Bay Area Ridge Trail Council                                                   $100.00

Ck#1660 California State Parks Foundation                                           $100.00

Ck#1661 Greenbelt Alliance                                                                    $200.00

Ck#1662 Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST)                                      $200.00

Ck#1663 Portola & Castle Rock Foundation                                           $100.00

Ck#1664 Santa Clara County Open Space                                             $100.00

Ck#1665 Santa Clara County Parks and Rec.                                        $100.00

Ck#1666 Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society                                       $100.00

Ck#1667 Senpervirens Fund.                                                                 $100.00

Ck#1668 The Pine Ridge Association.                                                    $100.00

Ck#1669 VMA (Steve Ford) Memorial                                                      $50.00

Total Expenses                                                                                          $1,250.00

Ending balance as of December 31, 2020.                                                $4,648.80

Note   – Book balance is $4848.80 as Ck’s 1664 and 1668 are still outstanding.

– Sandy is awaiting the 2021 Zoom renewal invoice from Michelle

December 2020 Hiking Club Hill Lands Project Fund

Beginning balance as of November 30, 2020                                           $2,801.82

No Income and Expenses                                                                               $0.00

Ending Balance as of December 31, 2020                                               $2,801.82

The preceding Financial Report was approved by a motion made by Jim, and seconded by Michelle, and it passed unanimously.

It was discussed that a check from the Villages will be forthcoming for 2021 dues which will be approximately $7 x 280 members or $1,960.

Al expressed concern that too much money is in the General Account and asked about a withdrawal limit or the ability to shut off the Debit card for this account if the Debit card is lost. He asked for ideas to reduce his concern.  Sandy said she is notified at every use of the debit card, and that shutting off the card is not a good idea as it hampers deposits. Sandy will check our daily withdrawal limit.  Al thinks it’s $1,000, but we can increase that if necessary.  Sandy said there is no minimum balance requirement on any of our accounts.

2020 Donations – All donations went out in December. Thank-You notes were received from the POST (3-times match), Senpervirens and the Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society.  SC Parks and Rec had a 2-times match. Some donation recipients send us a mailer/newsletter which Al receives and is willing to share with interested members. Audubon Society and the POST do that. Those are likely found on the respective websites as follows: www.scvas.org and www.openspacetrust.org. Also, we are now a 2021 honorary member of the Paralyzed Veterans of America, as a result of the donation on behalf of Steve Ford.

Sunshine Committee – Sandy sadly advised two HC members recently passed away – Steve Ford and Roy Wash. The HC made a donation to the Paralyzed Veterans of America on behalf of Mr. Ford, and to the Silicon Valley Humane Society on behalf of Mr. Wash. The Villages will refund Mr. Wash’s 2021 HC dues, while his wife will continue her membership.  We also have a member, Heroilda Martinez, who suffered a stroke.  We are sending her a card and the HC will refund her 2021 dues. Also, Terri Vivoli sends out beautiful hand-made condolence cards on behalf of the Hiking Club, and we thank her for her efforts.

                    VP Membership & Website

Jim advised we lost 3 members but gained 3 new members.  Current membership now totals 283.

Jim will report at the General Membership Meeting next week on member numbers by length of HC membership.

Michelle suggested consideration for adding a social media presence for the HC, such as Instagram or Facebook.  She said this might attract new HC members.  There was a spirited discussion among the Board members resulting in Al asking Michelle, Jim and others to look into this and report back at a future meeting.

                     VP Hiking & Trails

Faye thanked Mary Fullerton for reporting downed Hill Lands trees from the recent storms so Faye can follow up appropriately.

Faye reported three levels of unsanctioned hikes (Rambler, Rambler Lite, Long Hikers) are well attended and following health/safety protocols.

Faye again stressed the importance of getting outside, exercise and socializing when hiking, especially for the Rambler Lite hikers.  She wants these hikes to continue as sanctioned hikes after the pandemic.

Since Rambler Lite is a new hiker category, Faye says guidelines need to be established for it in the standing rules to be protected from any problems that may arise.  She asked the Board to think about this or volunteer to help her in this effort.  Dan Kato said years ago the HC had three hiker categories (Walkers, Rambler, Long Hikers), but after a while the Walkers were eliminated for not being very active.  Dan also said there was a Pole Walkers Club, but that was separate from the HC.  Dan suggested if a third category is added again, it should simply follow the rules and guidelines of the other two.  Faye thinks the Rambler Hiker category should be a bit more restrictive, such as they must stay in the Villages.  She would create a fourth category below Rambler Lite if necessary.  Al suggested Faye, with Bonnie and Sy, do further research to see what has been written previously on Rambler Lite. Al feels Rambler Lites should be able to go out of the Villages if they want.

Sy commented that he and Bonnie previously presented to the Board that Rambler Lites would go with the Rambler hikers but go a shorter distance or shorter trail in the same area.  Sy also wondered why members are not notified about long hikes like the other categories. Faye will look into this and report back at a future Board meeting. Sy has his Rambler hikes planned through the third week of February 2021.

                  VP Social 

Due to the Pandemic, no events are planned for the next few months, but Michelle hopes to be able to do a Summer Picnic if possible.

The outing to Chico planned for April 2021 will not happen due to conflicts.

Alternatively, an outing to San Luis Obispo/Morro Bay can be investigated for Fall 2021.  Sandy and Michelle will look into this and report back.

Old Business

Hill Lands Committee Report

Al provided an update on Hiking Club on the following projects – #1 Steps Trail, #2 Picnic Table in NE corner of the Hill Lands, #3 Sign-In mailbox at the Joe Marsh trailhead and #4 Two-by-three-foot signs at each trailhead.  Al sent a letter to the Villages (Julia Meadows) on December 31, 2020 asking about the status of each project, and to make sure we get included in the next budget cycle. A response was received January 4, 2021 from her saying the Villages Board will be reviewing project requests during the budget development process. She will resend the HC submittal and subsequent answers to Tim as a reminder.  She will let us know as soon as she hears back.  Al thinks we have to let the new Villages Board to get settled in, but Tim will likely make the final decision.

Dan says by his experience, if any smaller projects arise it will be easier and quicker to accomplish with a Work Request.

Regarding Cattle Grazing, Al says that nothing will likely happen until the grass grows higher. Al also said one HC member emailed a suggestion to have the Fire Department inspect the Hill Lands.  Al said the Villages should do this, and it is not our place to do it.  The HC could suggest this if asked by the Board. However, a fire department inspection may give rise to other issues related to insurance and land maintenance.  Our position is to support Bill Johnston as he has a good rapport with the neighboring ranchers. HC member Jim Koski is willing to help as well.

Al and Jim advised the QR codes are all installed. However, the plastic coverings are not holding up well.  Michelle will work to improve this perhaps via laminating or will talk to John Trudeau who put up all the new trail signs.

New Business

Al asked for help with future zoom programs.  He has Greenbelt Alliance for Feb 2021, but he needs March, April and beyond. Michelle suggested a new charity (based in Menlo Park) for the Pacific Crest Trail from Yosemite to Mt. Whitney.  They are helping Yosemite Park raise money for restoration after last year’s fires. Al will check it out.

Next Meeting

General Membership – January 25, 2021 at 7:30pm, via Zoom. Program: Bay Area Ridge Council.

Next Board Meeting – February 18, 2021 at 9:30am, via Zoom with details to follow.

Meeting Adjourned – The meeting adjourned at 10:41am by motion and second by Jim and Gordon

Respectfully submitted

Gordon Carbonetti  –  Secretary

 Villages Hiking Club – Board Meeting Minutes (via Zoom)   19-Nov-2020

1. Called to Order: 9:31am by President Al Girolami

2. Attending Board Members:

President – Al Girolami

VP Hiking & Trails – Faye Swanson

VP Membership & Website – Jim Beyer

Treasurer – Sandy Petrin

Secretary – Gordon Carbonetti

VP Social – Michelle Breslin was not in attendance

Also attending was Dan Kato and Sy Gelman.

3. Reports

President

• When Al raised the subject of approving the minutes from the last Board meeting (Oct 22, 2020), Dan Kato asked for one small revision to be made clarifying the additional picnic table project was already presented to the Village’s Board for approval with no response to date.  Sandy then made a motion, and seconded by Jim, to approve the Board Minutes from October 22, 2020 as revised. The motion passed.

• Al mentioned he was pleased to see a one-page summary of the 17-page Hiking Club schedule of 2021 events sent out by VGCC, and thanked Gordon for his efforts.  Al asked that the summary be included in Michelle’s email to the General Membership for the next meeting, and to the Board Minutes.

Treasurer

General Fund beginning balance as of September 30, 2020            $6,384.80

No Income or expenses                                                                            $0.00

Ending balance as of October 31, 2020.                                           $6,384.80

Sandy said she is awaiting the 2021 Zoom renewal invoice from Michelle, which is a pending expense.

Hiking Club Hill Lands Project Fund

Beginning Balance as of September 30, 2020                                   $2,301.82

No income or expenses                                                                            $0.00

Ending Balance as of October 31, 2020                                            $2,301.82

• The preceding Financial Report was approved by a motion made by Faye, and seconded by Gordon, which passed unanimously.

2020 Donations – Sandy will draft a letter for Al to sign to process the donations by the end of 2020.  Sandy will also utilize forms to permit matching funds.

2021 Donations – It was discussed to utilize the same 2020 amounts and recipients for 2021.  Gordon made a motion to approve this and Sandy seconded it, and the motion passed.  A list of the donations approved for 2021 is attached to the minutes.

2021 Budget – Sandy provided a copy of the 2021 Budget and said it is the same as the 2020 Budget, except it does not reflect the $500 transfer to the Hill Lands account as the club had no extra income in 2020.  In the 2020 Budget Al was concerned with the higher amount in the general account, (losing the debit card tied to this account is a risk) and proposed to go ahead and make that transfer to the more secure Hill Lands account (only checks are drawn on this account) this year, but not in 2021. A summary of the 2021 budget compared to the 2020 Budget and 2020 actuals is attached to the minutes.  The 2021 Budget will be approved at the Nov 30 Membership meeting.

Sunshine Committee – Sandy advised ex-Villager/Hiker Bernie Loth recently suffered a major stroke.  Sandy heard from his daughter who said Bernie is slowly recovering and would appreciate messages and words of encouragement from General Members. Sandy suggested announcing at the next General Membership meeting, Bernie’s and/or his daughter’s email addresses for messages.

VP Membership & Website

• Jim advised there is no change to the current membership, and it remains at 289 people.

• Al put club applications at each of the two trailheads for any interested potential members.

• Faye gave an application to another neighbor who might become a new member.

• Jim is starting to post the minutes of the Board and General Membership meetings in the blog area of our website.

VP Hiking & Trails

• Faye praised Sy (Ramble), Bonnie (Rambler Lite) and Russ (Hill Lands Long Hikers) for keeping unsanctioned hikes going while maintaining social distancing and masking up so we’re all safe and secure.  Sy has his hikes planned into December 2020.

• Faye advised the importance of getting outdoors for fresh air, socialization and exercise, and again thanked the above individuals for their involvement in these unsanctioned hikes, especially Bonnie whose Rambler Lite Hikers are usually those that could really use the hiking activity.

• Faye reported Russ Glines set up a personal site (not affiliated with the Hiking Club) on the Next Door app where neighborhood hiker enthusiasts can communicate together.

• Faye asked about having a Trail Maintenance Day in the Spring 2021. No post-activity meal would be served, and perhaps just passing out sandwiches could be substituted.  Additional discussion likely to be held in future Board meetings.

• The next possible outing is to Chico in mid-April 2021, but all plans are on hold due to current events.

VP Social – No Report

Old Business

Hill Lands Committee Report

• Al provided an update on Hiking Club projects and advised the following:  In an October 19, 2020 letter to the Hiking Club from Tim S, the Villages Board reports it well re-evaluate the Mailbox, Trail Signs, Trail Maintenance and Picnic Table project proposals in 2021 for potential inclusion in the fiscal 2022 budget.

• Jim Beyer said the fiscal year for the Villages starts on July 1st.  So, Dan suggested we wait till the new Villages GM comes in (after Dec. 21, 2020) and re-apply for approval of all the projects in January 2021 (put this on the Board agenda for the January 2021 Board meeting). Al and Dan will work on the reapplication.  Assuming approval is given in the Spring 2021, the projects could move forward after July 1, 2021.

• Regarding Cattle Grazing Dan briefly summarized a Nov.13, 2020 letter received from Mike Falarski (Villages Club Board President). Prior to 2000, there was grazing in the Hill Lands. There was an agreement with a local rancher where he paid the Villages $2000 per year, plus he did some fire and road clearing.  Come 2000, the hiking club was against grazing as it was thought the land was over-grazed and trees were being killed. So, the Club Board cancelled the contract for at least four years. Now it’s been 20 years, and the Hiking Club is now in favor of Cattle Grazing.  It showed its support with a member email vote of 73 for Grazing and only 3 against. However, Grazing is Bill Johnston’s project, and he needs to push this forward with the Villages Board, with the Hiking Club standing by to help if necessary.

• Al, Jim and Michelle will work on putting QR codes on each trailhead plastic map holder.

• The equipment sign-out sheet issue was tabled until a future Board meeting.

4. Next Meeting

• General Membership – November 30, 2020, via Zoom. Guest speaker will be Matthew Doddard, Exec Dir of the Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society. Al asked the Board to give him ideas for future speakers.

• Next Board Meeting – January 21, 2021, via Zoom with details to follow, or in the Forum Room.

5. Meeting Adjourned – The meeting adjourned at 10:24am

Respectfully submitted…Gordon Carbonetti, Secretary

2021 HIKING CLUB BUDGET

                                                              (AS OF NOVEMBER 2020)

                                                                 2021                                  2020                       2020                          INCOME                                     BUDGET                           BUDGET               ACTUAL

Dues ($7.00 x 300)                         $2,100.00                         $ 2,100.00                $ 2,100.00

 Misc. Income***                               $ 500.00                         $    500.00                $ 2,438.00

  Donations                                                                                 ————-                 ————

              Sub Total Income           $ 2,600.00                        $ 2,600.00               $ 4,538.00

Carried from Prior year                     4,500.00                           4,000.00                  2,933.20

TOTAL INCOME                $ 7,100.00                        $ 6,600.00               $ 7,471.20

EXPENDITURE

Trail Equipt *                                     $ 250.00                         $ 250.00                   $ 236.00

Trail Maint. Lunch                                325.00                             325.00                          0.00

Coffee Supplies                    75.00                               75.00                          0.00

Audio/Visual                  500.00                          500.00                      149.50

Office Expenses                            100.00                         100.00                         61.31

Social Event Supplies       500.00                         500.00                           0.00

Donations (Hiking nonprofits)    1,200.00                         1.200.00                    1,200.00

Donations Member death.                  200.00                             200.00                       200.00

Donations   Hill Lands                            —–                              500.00                        500.00

Flowers (member death/Illness         150.00                              150.00                         36.04

Refunds (cancellations)                  ——-                               ——–                        403.55

Speakers Expenses                           150.00                            150.00                            0.00

Unexpected Expenses                       500.00                            500.00                            0.00

TOTAL EXPENDITURES             $3,950.00                      $ 4,450.00                  $ 2,786.40

EST. REMAINING YEAR END     $3,200.00                     $ 2,150.00+               $ 4,500.00+

*Note added a hoe/rake and a McLeod Fire tool to our Physical Assets.

**Note Income and expenditures of Socials are no longer Budget items as they are run as self-supporting through fees or some costs for supplies in the no fee events.  Any yearly loss would be listed under Unexpected Expenses

***Note Misc. Income of $2,438.00 was profit from the 2019 Christmas party the Xmas party expense of $1,299.38 was paid in Dec.2019 (reflected in carry over bal. from previous year)

Villages Hiking Club 2021 Donation List

Bay Area Ridge Trail Council $100.00

California State Parks Foundation $100.00

Greenbelt Alliance $200.00

Peninsula Open Space Trust $200.00

Portola and Castle Rock Foundation $100.00

Santa Clara County Open Space Authority $100.00

Santa Clara County Parks and Rec. Dept. $100.00

Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society $100.00

Sempervirens Fund $100.00

The Pine Ridge Association $100.00

TOTAL        $1,200.00

Villages Hiking Club Board Meeting via Zoom

 

1.   Called to Order: 9:35am by President, Al Girolami

Continue reading “Board of Directors Meeting 28-Sept-2020”

 Villages Hiking Club Board Minutes Special Meeting

July 7, 2020, Outside Cribari, 9:30am

Purpose:  Since “the time is right” and a window of opportunity has arisen for the Villages Board to consider the Hiking Club’s proposed 2020 funding recommendations, the purpose of this special meeting was to secure the Hiking Club Board’s prioritization of these initiatives for Al’s presentation at the next Villages Board meeting.

Present:   Board Members:  President Al Girolami, VP Trails Faye Swanson, VP Membership & Webmaster Jim Beyer, Secretary Cheryl Allmen, VP Social Michelle Breslin, and Treasurer Sandy Petrin.  Others:  Dan Kato, Hill Lands Committee.

Discussion: Michelle reported having a productive informal meeting relevant to our proposed funding possibilities with Bob Wilk who suggested we move forward with our fiscal recommendations.  Al indicated that we’re on a fast track of action items and emphasized the need to prioritize our recommendations with “one voice”.  In an effort to remain within the already agreed-upon budget of $2500 previously approved by the Villages Board and not run over this amount, Al recommended that the Hiking Club Board take this opportunity to present our priorities at the next Villages Board meeting.  Keeping safety, access to trail maps and remaining a good neighbor with the Gardening Club at the forefront and after much discussion, the following were agreed upon:

Priorities:   1.    Garden Steps by making a safer route.   2.  New sign in mailbox for the Cul de Sactrailhead 3.  3’x 5 Trailhead maps.  Future projects are Upper Meadows Trail widening and Upper Bay Trail widening.

Additional Business:

1.   Benches/Tables. After a discussion related to acquisition of benches or tables to be purchased and added to key trail sites by the Hiking Club, Sandy moved/Michelle seconded-motion passed:  Three Tables to be acquired out of the Hiking Club funds, one per year.   Purchase price is estimated at approximately $250 per table.  Cost for installation to be researched.

2.  Michelle announced the Monday, July 27, 4pm Hiking Club Zoom Cocktail Hour featuring a(approximately 25 minute) speaker who was previously associated with Backroads.   She will purchase the Zoom license to permit up to 200 participants. Al indicated a short business meeting would follow the speaker and social time.

3.  Faye shared her plan to showcase the Hiking Club with the membership by forwarding occasional emails about interesting facts found in nature and on hiking trails using the tagline: “ Did you Know”.

Action Items:

1.  Dan  will talk with Tom to determine if we buy benches that Maintenance will be willing to install them.

2.   Al  to prepare proposals to be presented to the Villages Board after review of the drafts by

the Hiking Club Board members.

3.   Al  to speak with Jeff King for a quote on the Garden Steps.​

4.   Michelle  will send notification of upcoming Hiking Club Zoom Cocktail Hour to the Hiking Club membership.

5.  As it gets closer to July 27, Michelle  plans to purchase a $20 Zoom account good for 30 days for the Cocktail Hour.

6.  In an effort to keep the Hiking Club in front of our membership during this shelter-in-place timeframe, Faye  will forward “Did You Know” emails to the membership to remain in contact with club members and share interesting facts about nature, hiking and staying active.

This Special Meeting concluded at 10:30am.

Respectfully submitted,

Cheryl Allmen

Cheryl Allmen, Secretary

 Villages HIKING CLUB

June 25, 2020 9:30am at Outdoor Table behind Cribari Gym

Those Present : President Al Girolami, VP Trails Faye Swanson, VP Membership & Webmaster Jim Beyer, Secretary Cheryl Allmen and Treasurer Sandy Petrin.

Excused:  VP Social Michelle .

Secretary’s Report – Cheryl Allmen. Minutes of the May Board meeting were approved as emailed.  Motion: Sandy/second, Jim-approved.  Sunshine – Brad’s health has improved.

Thank you note for a donation was forwarded to Judy Gardnier.  Cards of condolence were sent to the family members of Lee Wade and Terri Molloy who passed away.  Action:  Cheryl will ask Terri Vivoli to forward a get well card to Peter Holmes who is having medical treatments.

Treasurer’s Report –  Sandy Petrin. The May Financial Reports included a beginning balance of $6578.06 and an ending balance of $6535.06.  The EVF Hill Lands account remains the same as last month. Attachment 1 .   Motion:  Cheryl/second, Faye-Approval of May Financials-passed. Since the annual charge for our credit card is $95/yr.  It was moved to cancel the credit card and instead, rely on a debit card with a limit of $1000/day. Motion:  Jim/second Cheryl-passed . Action:  Al agreed to seek a reversal of the $95/annual charge currently on the account.

Membership Report – Jim Beyer. Current membership totals 291 members with 2 new members:   Bob Bogdanoff and Karen Hillis.  Since Cribari remains closed, board members are to forward new member applications to Jim for processing prior to forwarding funds to the treasurer.

VP Trail Report – Faye Swanson.  The work conducted by King Grading has greatly improved the upper part of Meadow Trail and Maintenance has provided good support for fallen trees .   Action: Al plans to send a note of appreciation to King Grading for their support.

The Board members agreed that Upper Meadows Trails from Skyway to Fox and Upper Bay and Switchbacks are the next priorities for improvement.  Motion:  Faye/second Jim-passed.Our first informal hike at Rancho Canada Del Oro was led by Faye.  Our second informal hike at Alum Rock Park attracted 10 hikers. Wade is offering to lead additional informal hikes approximately every 2 weeks which could also include Rambler and Rambler Lite hikers.  Sandy suggested sending occasional informational emails to the membership containing suggestions of local area hikes. In lieu of paying for more paper maps out of the Hiking Club budget, trail head maps are readily accessible on line and can be downloaded from our website.  Action:  Faye will determine availability of paper maps from Bldg. B. Other initiatives on which to follow up are: 1. a request for a new third trailhead mailbox at Joe Marsh cul de sac which would also encourage more sign in’s; and 2. and to give incentive to park at the cul de sac by approaching the Board for funding 3’ x 5’ signs at all trailheads.  ​

VP Social Report – Michelle Breslin – tabled

OLD BUSINESS:

Hill Lands Standing Committee Report – Dan Kato- tabled.

Additional Business- No response has been received from our letter to Jan Champion requesting status updates.  It was moved to reimburse Peter Holmes up to $100 for expenses incurred for sign in’s upon receiving a receipt. Motion:  Jim/second, Faye-passed.

Fall Outing update – Sandy plans to remain in contact with the hotel and chamber of  commerce throughout summer. Because of the virus threat, the officials in the area are discouraging outsider traffic until the end of August since trails are currently crowded.

Status of equipment sign out sheet and marking items – Faye.  Room is currently unavailable due to Covid-19 limitations.

NEW BUSINESS

Additional Benches/Tables – Al-  After discussion, it was moved to request the Villages to supply l bench at post 45 on Meadow and also l bench on Buffalo Trail between posts 27 & 36. Motion: Jim/second, Cheryl-passed.

Next Meetings –Board -Next July 23, 2020 at 9:30am (location TBA) is on reserve however, it is likely no July board meeting will be necessary unless issues arrive.

General Meetings – June 29, 2020 was cancelled by Villages Administration and the July 27, 2020 meeting at Foothill Center mostly will also be cancelled by the Villages due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Meeting was adjourned at 11am.

Respectfully submitted,

Cheryl Allmen

Cheryl Allmen, Secretary

 HIKING CLUB BOARD Minutes

May 21, 2020 9:30am via Zoom

Roll Call of Board

President Al Girolami. VP Trails Faye Swanson. VP Social Michelle Breslin. VP Membership Webmaster Jim Beyer.  Secretary Cheryl Allmen.  Treasurer Sandy Petrin. Trail Maintenance Chair  Dan Kato.

Secretary’s Report – Cheryl Allmen.  April 23, 2020 Board minutes were approved as emailed.  Sunshine Committee activities included: a card sent to the Ray Williams family on his passing. Terri Vivoli plans to also forward a card to Brad Hinkley who is battling medical issues.  Rose Eagan is recuperating well after her surgery.

Treasurer’s Report – Sandy Petrim announced our Hiking Club balance is $6,578.06 as of 4-30-20. The Hill Lands Project Fund balance:  $$2,281.82. Michelle moved and Al seconded an approval of the April Financials. Passed .   Since Sandy plans to be out of town for a while, Al will have the financial materials should anyone need access.  Attachment 1 includes a complete summary of the April financials. Al explained that the bank balance statement included in this attachment is actually as of 4-15-20.

Membership Report – Jim Beyer reported our Membership totals 292 with no new additions.  No website updates. Action: To encourage new membership, Al suggested adding applications to the trail head and Dan volunteered to add them to the entrance.

VP Trail Report – Faye Swanson sent out an email blast of pictures of wildflowers from local trails and received positive responses.  Michelle added a notice to access the maps virtually to the trail entrances.

Action:  Michele will research cost for map duplication and will request an estimate for three color 3’ x 5’ maps for entrances at the trails.

Trails A & Upper Meadows have been cleared.  Dan indicated that Maintenance clipped and sprayed for weeds in the Upper Meadow area and since ticks are prevalent, the trails need more attention.  He indicated he has not gotten a response from Maintenance.  Action:  Dan will contact Maintenance for tick abatement.

VP Social Report – Michelle Breslin.  Sandi shared that despite the COVID-19 restrictions, progress continues on plans and research for the fall outing.  She has received brochures plus links from the Chamber of Commerce including trail routes and shared that the Pismo beaches are now open.  John plans to follow up with the Hotel in June; most recent quote is $112/room.

OLD BUSINESS:

Hill Lands Standing Committee Report – Dan Kato, Attachment 2 Confusion exists related to funds previously allocated and approved by the Board for signage. We lack clarity about actual expenses, what has been paid, what happened with the EVF allocation and whether there are funds remaining.   Due to the impact of the shelter-in-place restrictions, records are not accessible and we’ve not gotten updates.  Dan would like to explore​ whether it is possible that sufficient funds could be available to secure a trail plan and to ensure that both the Hiking & Equestrian Clubs have input so we’re ready to proceed further.  Action:Dan will keep in touch with Villages to determine what has been spent and what funds remain.   Additionally, the Board has had no response from the letter sent earlier to Jan Champion. Action:   Al and Dan will work together to request a status/response to this letter. Action:  Sandi agreed to forward the signup sheets and equipment list of our Hiking Club property to Faye. Action: Dan and Faye with the support of Al will secure the key to our storage areas, add the lists and signup sheets and mark our property .

Related to securing an accurate count of hikers on our trails, although we want to encourage signups at the trail entrances, since we already have data, we can take the actual counts plus add our estimate.  (as outlined in the April Board Minutes).  The Board decided not to pursue researching adding cameras at trailheads which was discussed at the previous Board meeting.  Action:  Dan will pursue if it is feasible to add a mailbox at the cul de sac trailhead entrance.

NEW BUSINESS

Hikes.   After a discussion of the status of the impact of the COVID-19 restrictions and the Villages protocols and the possibility of resuming Hiking Club hikes in County Parks which are now open, the Board agreed that our hikers could support the guidelines (i.e., maintain distance, drive separate cars, etc.). Action:  Faye will send an email blast to our membership and will lead a Wednesday hike. A sub group could also self-select a Rambler lead if there is interest.

Future Programs – Al requested suggestions for future programs and that he was looking for a replacement for Kiomi Yamamoto who has cancelled.

Next Meetings – Board:   Next meeting, June 25, 2020 at 9:30am(location TBA)

General Meetings : The April 27, 2020 meeting was cancelled by VGCC. No May meeting.  Next meeting,  June 29, 2020 at 7:30pm at Foothill Center.

Respectfully submitted,

Cheryl Allmen

Cheryl Allmen, Recording Secretary​

 HIKING CLUB BOARD MINUTES

April 23, 2020, 10:05am via Zoom

Roll Call of Board: President Al Girolami. VP Trails Faye Swanson. VP Social Michelle Breslin. VP 

Membership & Webmaster Jim Beyer. Secretary Cheryl Allmen. Treasurer Sandy Petrin. Others: Trail

Maintenance Chair Dan Kato.

Secretary’s Report – Cheryl Allmen.  The Board approved the updated March 26, 2020 Board minutes. She shared that Terri Vivoli, head of Sunshine, reported no new activity in the last month.  Al added that Chris Edward’s memorial donation was sent and Rose is recovering well. He also communicated with Bernie Loth’s daughter, Rachel, who indicated that her father’s recovery is slow and may take over a year before his possible return to the Villages.  Although he’s unable to communicate via the phone at this time, he would welcome emails at: bloth@hotmail.com

Treasurer’s Report – Sandy Petrin. We welcome Sandy as our new treasurer. She reported currently: $6,578.06 in the Club’s account including $75.59 in expenses (AV service and trail map copies) and $2,281.82 in the Lands Project Fund. The Board unanimously approved the March financial reports.

Attachments l, 2.

Membership Report – Jim Beyer. Our membership totals 291 with the addition of one new member, Betty Olsen, and the departure of Ramon and Marianna Reza who left the Villages to be closer to their children.

VP Trail Report – Faye Swanson.  She reported that the Upper Meadow trail is overgrown and especially in need of maintenance . Dan and Faye agreed to report this to Villages Maintenance and in the event we experience softened ground after rainfall to take a small, informal group (following in-place precautions, of course!) with shovels to maintain trails needing attention (actions). Sandy indicated she obtained up-to-date copies of our tool/equipment inventory for the Cribari Hiking Club locker and our Equipment Cage along with equipment sign-out sheets for both. Attachments 3, 4, 5 .   Faye and Dan volunteered to add the check-out sheets and inventory list to the storage areas (action).  It was recommended to add some identification to each tool (action) to help with returns.  For safety reasons, we were reminded to bring along first aid kits housed in these storage areas on Club hikes. After soliciting input from a few members, Faye plans to s end an email to our Club members showcasing wild flowers and a sampling of the beauty to be currently seen from the Villages trails and accessible area parks (action) .  She’ll run it by a few individuals prior to forwarding . Faye shared the trails are getting increased usage during this time of sheltering in place.  Al reminded the Board of Peter Holmes’ Report showcasing a multi-year history of the hills sign-in log.  Attachments 6, 7. According to his sampling, Peter estimates that only l out of every 4 actually sign in. The Board agreed a more accurate system would not only validate trail usage but enhance our advocacy for increased support while supporting greater hiker safety measures. Jim indicated he is working with Anahid Gregg to create a virtual sign-in system to increase the accuracy of hikers’ log in and trail usage. Board members brain-stormed other options including exploring camera, solar/power systems, bar code readers, downloaded/laminated maps and availability of hand sanitizers. Dan agreed to report his progress on this project at the next board meeting (action).​

VP Social Report –Michelle Breslin.  She reported the Variety Night would most likely be cancelled should the Villages continue its sheltering in place protocols.  Sandy continues researching options/trails for our fall outing most likely to be held in September in the San Luis Obispo/Avila Beach area.  She is contacting the Chamber for trail possibilities and indicates the Oxford Suites personnel have agreed to $112/suite, including breakfast and cocktail time.

OLD BUSINESS:

Hill Lands Standing Committee Report – Dan Kato indicated there has been no response to our letter most likely because of virus-related shutdown of business and agreed to send a reminder once shelter in place is lifted (action).

NEW BUSINESS

Future Programs– Al has two programs in the queue:  Joel Pollack (Villages resident on Asia Tour) andKiomi Yamamoto (Greenbelt Alliance) and asked for other recommendations   Michele agreed to check with Backroads (Action ).

Next Meetings – Board:   May 21 st  and June 25, 2020 at 9:30am (Zoom or location, TBA).

General Meetings – April 27, 2020 cancelled by VGCC.  No May meeting.  June 29, 2020 at 7:30pm atFoothill Center.

Meeting was adjourned at 11:30am.

Respectfully submitted,

Cheryl Allmen

Cheryl Allmen, Secretary

Cc:  Attachments 1-7