Villages Hiking Club – General Membership Meeting

 Minutes 30-August-2021

 

Called to Order: 7:40pm by President Al Girolami

 

Attending Board Members:

      President – Al Girolami
VP Trails – Faye Swanson
VP Social – Michelle Breslin
VP Membership & Website – Jim Beyer
Treasurer – Sandy Petrin
Also attending was Deb Siedband as Secretary.

Excused Absence: Gordon Carbonetti

 

Reports

Secretary – DEB SIEDBAND pinch hitting for GORDON CARBONETTI

Al asked for a motion to approve the minutes of the June 28, 2021, General Membership                         Meeting.  Deb Siedband made the motion, which was seconded by Sy Gelman, and the                           minutes were approved by the membership unanimously.

 

Treasurer – SANDY PETRIN

       June 2021 Hiking Club General Fund

Beginning balance as of May 31, 2021                                                       $6,185.15

Income – Membership Dues (Linda Dumont, Laurence & Arlene Versaw,     $42.00

Patricia Norton, Judith McAlister, Margaret Orandi-Knop)

Balance                                                                                                      $6,227.15

Expense – Chk#1677 Faye Swanson (Two Convertible Tables)                ($457.78)

Ending balance as of June 30, 2021                                                          $5,769.37

Note   – Book balance is $6,227.15 as Ck#1677 is outstanding.

 

 

June 2021 Hiking Club Hill Lands Project Fund 

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

No Income and Expenses                                                                                 $0.00

Ending Balance as of June 30, 2021                                                         $2,801.82

 

 

July 2021 Hiking Club General Fund

Beginning balance as of June 30, 20201                                                   $5,769.37

Income – Membership Dues (Marge McCandless, Martin Funcell,                $28.00

Carmel Smith, Kelly)

Income – Donation (Kelly)                                                                                $3.00

Balance                                                                                                      $5,800.37

Expenses –

Ck#1675 Michelle Breslin (Picnic supplies)                                          ($848.15)

Ck#1678 Steve Siacotos (Picnic Entertainer)                                       ($350.00)

Ending balance as of July 31, 2021.                                                         $4,602.22

 

July 2021 Hiking Club Hill Lands Project Fund 

Beginning balance as of June 30, 2021                                                   $2,801.82

No Income and Expenses                                                                               $0.00

Ending Balance as of July 31, 2021.                                                        $2,801.82

 

Michelle Breslin made a motion to approve the preceding Financial Reports which was                            seconded by Laura, and was unanimously approved by the membership.

Al highlighted for the membership the Hiking Club’s (HC) purchase of two new convertible                   benches which were installed by Villages’ crews on Buffalo and Upper Meadow trails, and  n                 now available for use by Hill Lands hikers.

 

Sunshine Committee – Sandy reported hand-painted cards by Terri Vivoli are going to Vera                    Girolami and Nancy Mosher-Williams. Both had recent surgeries.  Plus, a farewell message                    goes to Nancy who is moving away from the Villages.  Also, Bernie Loth’s daughter checked                  in to report he still struggles with stroke recovery and loves hearing from old friends. Sandy                    has Bernie’s email address for those members wishing to contact him.  Al gave an update on                   Vera’s condition and advised she has just moved out of ICU.

 

 VP Membership & Website – JIM BEYER

Jim reported the membership totaled 303, but one new member was just added so the current                   total is 304 members.  He said there have been 23 new members added since May 2021.

Al pointed out that membership numbers matter.  Large HC membership should help us get and             retain the ear of the Villages Board as we strive to keep the Hill Lands safe and accessible to all             Villages residents.

Al read the names of several new members, and asked them to stand for recognition and                         welcome.

Jim reminded members our HC website can be accessed via the Villages portal but is more                     easily found via the HC link found in all club communications.

Finally, Jim advised he received a new updated version of the Hill Lands Trail Map from John                 Trudeau, and he has added it to the website.

 

 VP Hiking & Trails – FAYE SWANSON

Faye is pleased we are back to advertising and attend hikes, especially those off-campus.

She has added a new Rambler group, called the Walkers.

Hike leaders for long hikes are still being sought.  The same valued hike leaders continue to lead,            but she is asking more members to step up and volunteer as hike leaders, especially for longer                hikes.

Faye advised that given the time lag in the publishing of the Villager, she feels the best way to                stay abreast of upcoming hike information continues to be the HC website.

   VP Social – MICHELLE BRESLIN

             End-of-Summer Potluck Dinner – 5:30p Thursday, September 9, 2021: Michelle                 reported this is the next HC event and will be held at Gazebo Park. As Michelle will be out of                 town, she has arranged this event will be facilitated by Margaret Donohoe and Wendy                             Ledamun. Covid protocols will be followed. As in the past, food contributions are managed in                 an alphabetical system described in distributed emails and on the website.

Pismo Beach Trip – Tuesday, October 5 to Thursday, October 7, 2021:  Michelle mentioned                     there are only 2 rooms left at the HC rate, but that rate ends Sept 1st. The Oxford Suites hotel                 has Wi-Fi, hot breakfast buffet, evening reception with beverages/appetizers, pool, jacuzzi                       and fitness center. The special dinner will be held at the “Cracked Crab”. Aside from the crab                 feast the restaurant is known for, dinner options will include salmon, chicken and pasta (as                     the vegetarian choice). An email will be sent out only to those signed up for the trip to make                   their entrée selections. Michelle also said there will be several hike options available for all                     hiker levels. Details are available from her as well as from Faye Swanson and Sandy Petrin.                   Finally, Michelle mentioned the availability of a half-day kayak tour which she experienced                   while in Pismo Beach researching the trip. She said this activity could be an option for                            Thursday, October 7th.

    President’s Report

Al introduced that we have Villages Board approval for two projects the HC has                                       recommended  for a few years: 1) Re-routing of the Garden Steps Trail, and 2) New Upper                     Meadow Trail.  It is hoped work can begin on these two projects around April 2022, after the                    rainy season.  In response to a question, Al confirmed the Villages is funding these projects,                    not the HC. Al also said County guidelines of keeping trail grading to less than 15% will be                    followed.

Al said there is no response from the Villages Board for the following project.  The HC has                       offered to purchase a picnic table, like the one between the tops of Skyway and Rawhide                          Trails. This table would be located at the NE corner of the Hill Lands.

Due to ongoing Covid concerns, the HC has been advised that the Villages Activities Office                    refuses to provide AV (Audio Visual) equipment or operators for our meetings. Al pointed                        out that John Trudeau brought his own equipment for tonight’s meeting, and thanks go out to                  John for this effort.

Liz Giarratana will be the featured speaker after tonight’s general membership meeting and                     she will speak and present photos of her trip to the US East Coast to hike portions of the                         Appalachian Trail.

 

Next Meetings 

Board Meeting – Thursday, September 23, 2021, at 9:30am, in the Forum (Cribari) meeting room.

General Membership – Monday, September 27, 2021, at 7:30pm in the Foothill Center (please bring your mask). Program: Villager, Peter Holmes will talk about his favorite hobby of finding wild mushrooms.

 

Meeting Adjourned – The formal meeting ended at 8:05p, to resume with the featured speaker following a snack break outside.  Cookies were provided by Susan Brown.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Gordon Carbonetti – Secretary, with invaluable assistance provided by Deb Siedband

 

 

 

Villages Hiking Club – General Membership  Meeting Minutes (via Zoom)   28-June-2021

 

1.    Called to Order: 7:39pm by President Al Girolami

 

2.    Attending Board Members and total membership:

President – Al Girolami

VP Hiking & Trails – Faye Swanson

VP Social – Michelle Breslin

VP Membership & Website – Jim Beyer

Treasurer – Sandy Petrin

Secretary – Gordon Carbonetti

Total members attending (including Board): 22 including 18 individuals plus 2 couples

 

 

3.    Guest Speakers – Midpeninsula (Midpen) Regional Open Space

·         Christine Llobregat – Public Affairs Specialist; Cori Skinner – Public Affairs Mgr

·         2022 represents the 50^thanniversary of Midpen Regional Open Space.

·         Mission is “To acquire a regional greenbelt of open space land in perpetuity, protect and restore the natural environment, and provide opportunities for ecologically sensitive public enjoyment and education”.

·         26 Preserves in Santa Clara, San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties with 65,000 acres and 250 miles of trails. The Sierra Azul Preserve Open Space is the closest Midpen preserve to the Villages.

·         There were no significant fires in Midpen areas last year.

·         Subscribe to E-newsletter through their Website:  www.openspace.org

 

4.    Reports

President – Al Girolami

·         Dog poop issue – full poop bags left next to the trails are a problem.  New posted signs and articles in the Villager are helping to resolve the issue. 

·         Ticks are still a concern, so please be alert when you hike.  Some ticks may be dropping from the trees above.

·         Hill Land Proposals – a) Picnic table to be installed at NE corner of our property. VGCC has been sitting on this decision for 18 months, so a decision is TBD. b) Garden Steps – plan is to eliminate these steps and put in a lesser-gradient diagonal trail for $2-3K. Tim said we needed a permit from the City of San Jose, so there is a delay on this. 

·         As it appears things are approaching pre-Covid times, Wate suggested adding more long hikes on Saturdays for Members who work.  Al said more hike leaders would be needed for long-hikers looking to go outside VGCC.

·         Al said hikes can now meet and start at the Cribari Bell if needed.

 

 

Secretary – Gordon Carbonetti

·         Gordon advised the minutes from the April 26, 2021 General Membership Meeting are posted on the HC website.  Cheryl Allmen made a motion to approve the minutes.  Sandy seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

 

Treasurer – Sandy Petrin

April 2021 Hiking Club General Fund

Beginning balance as of March 31, 2021                                                  $6,362.85

Income – Membership Dues (Diemmy Ly-Henderson).                                   $7.00

Expense – Trail Tools – 2 Rogue Hoe Rakes (Faye Swanson)                  ($177.54)

Expenses – Paper for Trail Maps (Peter Holmes)                                         ($25.56)

Ending balance as of April 30, 2021                                                          $6,166.75

 

April 2021 Hiking Club Hill Lands Project Fund

Beginning balance as of March 31, 2021.                                                 $2,801.82

No Income                                                                                                        $0.00

No Expenses                                                                                                    $0.00

Ending Balance as of April 30, 2021                                                         $2,801.82

 

May 2021 Hiking Club General Fund

Beginning balance as of April 30, 20201                                                   $6,166.75

Income – Membership Dues (May DeLucchi, Bernice Capitano,                   $63.00

Gerhard Ringel, Mary Ringel, Andrea Alvarez, Sam Harper,

Elsie Dean, Julia Barraza, Kim Silverman)

Balance                                                                                                      $6,229.75

Expenses –

Ck#1675 Michelle Breslin (Secret Challenge supplies)                           ($44.60)

Ending balance as of May 31, 2021.                                                         $6,185.15

Note   – Book balance is $6,229.75 as Ck 1675 is outstanding.                                                                             

 

May 2021 Hiking Club Hill Lands Project Fund

Beginning balance as of April 30, 2021                                                    $2,801.82

No Income and Expenses                                                                               $0.00

Ending Balance as of May 31, 2021.                                                       $2,801.82

 

·         The preceding Financial Report was approved by a motion made by Cheryl, and seconded by Wate, and it passed unanimously.

 

Sunshine Committee – Sandy reported ‘Terri Vivoli’ cards are going to Bonnie Preston who is recovering from pneumonia, and to Dot (Dorothy) Armbruster who is recovering from shoulder surgery. After a request by Al, no one had an update on Bernie Loth. Cheryl Allmen said Rose (ex-Treasurer) is back hiking after recovering from injuries suffered many months ago.  

VP Membership & Website – Jim Beyer

·         Jim advised 15 new members were added to the HC, and current membership now stands at 297. There were no new members attending the meeting.

·         Jim reports Mary Tatum is saying all VGCC facilities are now open.

·         Jim has resumed posting to the HC website information on planned/completed hikes and other club activities. So please send him information and pictures covering those events.

·         Jim is posting information on a new Monday morning hike around the Villages Golf Course. It is being led by Cheryl Allmen and departs promptly from the Clubhouse parking lot at 8:30am.

·         Hike-leader responsibilities are listed in the rules found on the HC website.

VP Hiking & Trails – Faye Swanson

·         Faye is still having trouble finding hike leaders especially for long hikes outside VGCC.  If she finds leaders, she will keep Saturday long hikes.  However, she is considering changing the Saturday long-hikes to possibly Friday or another weekday. Also, when long-hikes are planned, some member participation has been low, presumably due to lingering Covid concerns, and aging members. Consensus is to wait a few months under the current hike plans to update our thinking.

·         Hikes can now start in front of Cribari Center.

VP Social – Michelle Breslin

·         Michelle said all markers for the Seven Secret Spots Challenge have been pulled.  Since this activity was well-received, a new edition may be considered for next year. However, the Witch may make a special reappearance sometime around the end of October for scary Halloween purposes.

·         Michelle reported the BBQ picnic is July 10, and to date 74 people have signed up to attend. It will be held at the Gazebo Area with a live musician. The dinner will be Greek-themed, and BYOB and BYO plates/utensils.

·         Pismo Beach trip – there are only two rooms available.  September 3^rd is the sign-up deadline.  Michelle has narrowed the dinner choices to two restaurants, and a decision will be made shortly.

 

5.    Next Meeting

·         General Membership – August 30, 2021 at 7:30pm, with meeting details to follow. Program: TBD   

·         Next Board Meeting – August 26, 2021 at 9:30am, with meeting details to follow.

 

6.    Meeting Adjourned – The meeting adjourned at 9:18pm.

 

Respectfully submitted, 

 

Gordon Carbonetti  –  Secretary

Villages Hiking Club – General Membership Meeting Minutes (Zoom) 26-April-2021

 

·         Called to Order: 7:34pm by Vice President Faye Swanson

 

·         Attending Board Members:

VP Hiking & Trails – Faye Swanson        VP Membership & Website – Jim Beyer

VP Social – Michelle Breslin                     Treasurer – Sandy Petrin

Secretary – Gordon Carbonetti                 

                 (Not Present – President Al Girolami)

Total attending: 23 including 15 individuals plus 4 couples

 

·         Guest Speaker – Mark Medeiros, Senior Manager of Community Management for Peninsula Open Spaces Trust (POST); website: www.openspacetrust.org

·         Mark last spoke to the HC on October 26, 2020. Mark was born in San Jose and raised in Gilroy. He’s worked for POST for 6 years.

·         His current activities cover organizing on-line events on various subjects including birding, mountain lions and local history. The website to access those events is www.openspacetrust.org/events. Hikes are described at www.openspacetrust.org/hikes. Plus, there is a hiking trail guide which can be found at www.openspacetrust.org/hiking-trails-guide.

·         He gave a quick story of the Mindego Hill hiking area with its many wonderful views.  He enjoys that spot and has led many hikes there. POST acquired the land with $7 million raised from 1300 donors.  Mindego Hill is a wonderful example of the POST work, acquiring and protecting properties. 

·         The overall POST area is mainly in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties and covers about 80,000 protected acres.  POST’s current broad activities cover public access, redwood forest protection, wildlife and farm/ranch land issues.

·         POST projects include Tunitas Beach property, Bay Area Ridge Trail, California Coastal Trail (San Mateo coast portion), Coyote Valley and Tilton Ranch. 

·         After a brief discussion on early tribal/indigenous people of California, Mark provided the following websites of interest: http://amahmutsun.org/, http://www.muwekma.org/, http://openspacetrust.org/blog/indigenous-history/

·         When asked, Mark said he is not seeing many ticks in the current dry season as ticks prefer moist conditions.

 

·         Reports

President – Faye Swanson

·         There was no meeting in May 2021; next Gen Mem meeting is 730p, June 28, 2021.

·         Some limited trail maintenance has been accomplished recently and she would like to continue that with volunteer help.

·         Ticks are an issue in the Hill Lands especially around the Meadow long-grass areas so be cautious year-round.

·         Dog poop bags have been left on the trails recently, but new posted signs seem to be solving the problem.

·         Bob Bogdanoff spoke up for the HC in a recent Villages board meeting when the HC was not told it was on the meeting agenda. So, the HC thanks Bob for representing the HC at that meeting and his efforts were very much appreciated.

Secretary – Gordon Carbonetti

·         There were no questions on the 29-Mar-2021 General Membership meeting minutes.  Jim Beyer made a motion for approval of the minutes, which was seconded by Wate, 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

 

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

 

VP Membership & Website – Jim Beyer

·         Jim advised we have one new member (Diemmy Ly-Henderson) so the current membership now totals 284 members. Jim is working with another potential new member (named Garret), and he hopes the application process will be completed shortly.

 

 

 

 

VP Hiking & Trails – Faye Swanson

·         Faye reports Rambler-Lite and Rambler hikes are continuing.  Additionally, Joanna and Wate Bakker have lead Rambler and some off-campus long hikes recently, but participation was low.  Faye believes this was due to ongoing pandemic concerns.

·         Michelle heard new Villages’ pandemic guidelines will be published shortly as many residents have been vaccinated.  More information will follow.

 

VP Social – Michelle Breslin

·         Michelle said several people solved the Seven-Secret-Spots Challenge. She said some of the selfie pictures were totally adorable, and looked like people were really having fun.  She reported Johanna Bakker and Bob Bogdanoff were the first to complete the Challenge. They sent in their pictures within 22 minutes of each other so congratulations to both.  Wendy Ledamun, Rich Bainbridge, Wate Bakker and Mary Stradner also completed the Challenge.  Wate and Mary said the hardest part was taking the selfies which included some grimacing.

·         Michelle is thinking to keep the event going a bit longer and expanding this to all Villagers to promote the HC.  An article will go into The Villager soon.

·         Fall Outing – The dates of the outing to Pismo Beach are Tu Oct 5 and We Oct 6, with a personal option to stay Th Oct 7 if desired.  Sandy reserved a block of rooms (combination of King rooms and double Queen rooms).  Members can book their own rooms for no penalty up until 3 days prior to arrival.  Michelle is working to find activities to do in the Pismo Beach area.  A communication about this event will be sent out to the HC membership.

·         Michelle also said the HC might be able to have the Summer BBQ in July if the Villages eases pandemic restrictions, as revised State and County guidelines are expected soon.

 

• Old Business

 

·         Hill Lands Projects – Faye advised there was no new information to report.

• New Business
  • No new business was discussed.

·            

·         Next Meetings

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

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

·         No General Membership and Board meetings are schedule in July 2021

 

·         Meeting Adjourned – The meeting adjourned at 8:52pm

 

Respectfully submitted, 

Gordon Carbonetti – Secretary

 

Villages Hiking Club – General Membership Meeting Minutes      29-March-2021 (Zoom)

 

1.    Called to Order: 7:38pm by President Al Girolami

 

2.    Attending Board and General Members:

President – Al Girolami                            VP Membership & Website – Jim Beyer

VP Hiking & Trails – Faye Swanson        Treasurer – Sandy Petrin

VP Social – Michelle Breslin                     Secretary – Gordon Carbonetti

Total attending: 32 including 20 individuals plus 6 couples

 

3.    Guest Speaker – Lieutenant John Nores (ret.) – ex-California Fish & Wildlife Warden and Author.  Contact information: website www.johnnores.com; email trailblazer413@yahoo.com; follow on Instagram @johnnores; phone 408-314-0858.

·         Born and raised in Morgan Hill, John was hired as a warden for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) in 1992 and retired in December 2018 as a special operations lieutenant working directly at the state level, co-developing and leading his agency’s elite tactical unit, the Marijuana Enforcement Team (MET) and developed the CDFW’s first sniper unit aimed at combatting the most environmentally damaging criminals working within California and impacting the nation.  ​

·         John gave a very interesting and informative talk about protecting our wild lands from the drug cartels during COVID. Speaking from experience, he also highlighted his team’s efforts through video clips which were featured in the Patriot Files – Life of Duty, a documentary TV series and the National Geographic Channel’s Wild Justice game warden reality TV show. He also discussed his Team’s extensive use of trained dogs to protect team members and attack criminals.

·         His most recent book, published in 2019 is titled Hidden Wars: How Special Operations Game Wardens are Reclaiming America’s Wildlands from the Drug Cartels.  The purchase of this book can be arranged through the HC President or directly with Mr. Nores by email.

·         John looks forward to hiking w/HC members in our Hill Lands when the Villages opens up

 

4.    Reports

President – Al Girolami

·         Al was informed by Villages management that all April activities are cancelled.

·         Some unknown people have been doing some volunteer trail improvements which Al appreciates.  If you want to volunteer like this, please contact Fay Swanson. Tools can be made available through the Garden Club and HC members.  Also, the Board approved the purchase of two firefighting tools to work the trails, and they will supplement the two or three other HC tools being held hostage by Villages management in our cage at the Corporation Yard.

·         Al wants all to be on alert for ticks. The is no real tick season, but ticks seem to be out now in numbers in the Upper Meadow area, especially in the high grass.

·         Al reports there is a dog poop bag problem where people leave filled bags on the trail.  The HC displayed a trailhead poster reminding people to carry all poop bags out of the Hill Lands.  Al is considering putting an article about ticks and poop bags in an upcoming “Villager”.

·         Al provided an update on the following Hiking Club (HC) project proposals being worked with the Villages Board – #1 Re-work the Steps Trail into a gentler, single switchback trail to be performed by a third party, #2 Install new Picnic Table in NE corner of the Hill Lands, near signpost 50 at the second highest spot in the Hill Lands, #3 Install sign-In mailbox at the Joe Marsh trailhead and #4 create and install 2-by-3-foot map/signs at each trailhead. Projects #2 and #3 won’t cost the Villages anything as the HC has its own funding. All four projects have been under consideration by the Villages Board for some time now (and a few years for #1) for incorporation into the 2021-2022 budget. Villages management advised in a March 22, 2021 email to Al that the proposal has been sent to Villages’ president and general manager for a decision.  At a minimum, Al was hoping to get a quick response on projects #2 and #3 since there is no cost to the Villages. Al also highlighted project #1 can get done easily when King Grading is called in periodically to cut grass around Hill Lands trails per a Villages contract.

 

Secretary – Gordon Carbonetti

·         There were no questions on the 22-Feb-2021 general membership meeting minutes.  Cheryl Allmen made a motion for approval, which was seconded by Sandy Petrin 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 total                                                                                              $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 Wate Bakker to approve the preceding Financial Reports.  It was seconded by Cheryl Allmen and passed unanimously.

·         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 Petrin volunteered to 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. 

·         Villages weather information link is no longer supported, so Jim reports there is no such information on the HC website.

·         Al reminded all that the HC website includes a membership application which can be easily downloaded.  New members should coordinate directly with Jim Beyer with completed applications along with a $7 check

 

VP Hiking & Trails – Faye Swanson

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

·         Faye is looking at a possible wildflower hike in the coming weeks.

·         Al did a hike at Lexington last week and saw many wildflowers.

·         Wate Bakker proposed combining Long and Rambler hikes on Saturdays.  He wants to volunteer to lead such a hike to Russian Hill for Wildflower viewing.  Getting to the location early should avoid full parking lots. Faye cautioned some people may still not be comfortable with carpooling. Such a hike could be offered on an individual-decision basis. Wate will advise details later.

·         Faye reported limited trail maintenance was worked recently in small groups of volunteers (with Dan, Russ, Wate, Mary and others) with focus on the Garden Steps.  Russ has been re-routing and improving the trail at upper Bay. Wate reports it’s about 90% complete.

·         Wate raised the subject of putting more benches on the lower Hill Lands. He said we can do that ourselves on a volunteer basis.  The benches would be popular with the older hikers.  It was decided to discuss this at the next Board meeting.

 

VP Social – Michelle Breslin

·         Michelle presented a potential Hill Lands scavenger-hunt type activity of “Seven Secret Spots” for advanced hikers (above Tower) and seven others for Rambler hikers (below Tower), where all spots would be identified with some kind of marker.  Deb Siedband and Dan Kato assisted Michelle in this effort. A couple hikers could form a Team and we would get clues (creatively developed by Dan) to locate and photograph the spots (photo to include team members and marker).

·         Sandy Petrin talked about a possible Fall outing in late Sept or early Oct 2021 (mid-week) to the Pismo Beach Area near San Luis Obispo. Michelle can look into organizing activities during the outing.

 

5.    Next Meetings

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

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

 

6.    Meeting Adjourned – The meeting adjourned at 9:11pm after a motion made by Michelle and seconded by Cheryl Allmen.

Respectfully submitted

Gordon Carbonetti – Secretary

 

Villages Hiking Club – General Membership Meeting Minutes (via Zoom)   22-Feb-2021

 

1.    Called to Order: 7:31pm 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

Total members in attendance: 24

 

3.    Reports

President

·         Al confirmed all Board members were present.

·         Al introduced the guest speaker: Justin Wang, Advocacy Manager for the Greenbelt Alliance, and he will speak at the end of the General Meeting.

·         Al advised all events scheduled thru March 2021 (incl Game Night, Trail Maintenance Day and Club Meetings) have been cancelled by the Villages.  He further advised we are considering a smaller-scale volunteer trail workday, and for those interested to help out should contact any Board member. Health/safety protocols will be followed. Finally, Al mentioned he noticed some nice work has been accomplished on some of the upper trails. He said he does not know the person or persons involved, but they are likely HC Members, and he would like to thank them.

·         Al provided an update on the following Hiking Club (HC) projects being worked with the Villages Board – #1 Re-work the Steps Trail into a gentler, single switchback trail to be performed by a third party, #2 Install new Picnic Table in NE corner of the Hill Lands, near signpost 50 at the second highest spot in the Hill Lands, #3 Install sign-In mailbox at the Joe Marsh trailhead and #4 create and install 2-by-3-foot map/signs at each trailhead. These projects have been under consideration by the Villages Board for a couple months. Al hopes to get a response from the Villages management in the next few months.  

·         Al reminded all that HC monthly minutes, financials and schedule of events are available on-line on the Villages website through the Hiking Club Portal.

Secretary

·         Gordon presented the minutes from the last General membership meeting on January 25, 2021.  With no questions, Gordon made a motion to approve the minutes which was seconded by Cheryl Allmen, and the motion passed unanimously.

 

Treasurer

·         Sandy presented the following financial reports for January 2021:

 

January 2021 General Fund

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

Income – membership dues (John Chambers)                                               $7.00

Income – membership dues (Annie Ho)                                                          $7.00

Income – membership dues (Kim Abelson)                                                     $7.00

Total income                                                                                                  $21.00

Balance                                                                                                     $4,669.80

Expenses

Chk#1670 Donation to Silicon Valley Humane Society (Roy Wash)              $50.00

Chk#1671 Dues refund to Heroilda Martinez                                                   $7.00

Total expenses                                                                                               $57.00

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

 

January 2021 Hiking Club Hill Lands Project Fund

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

No Income or Expenses                                                                                   $0.00

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

 

·         Sandy also said the HC received $1,932.00 from the Villages for 2021 annual member dues. This amount will be reflected in the February 2021 financial report in the March 2021 meeting. At $7 per member, this amount covers 276 members.

·         Al reminded all that at year-end 2020 $500 was transferred from the General Fund to the Hill Lands account to provide additional funds for improvements to our Hill Lands.

·         The preceding financial reports were approved by a motion made by Jim Beyer and seconded by Michelle Breslin, and it passed unanimously.

·         Sunshine Committee – Ruth DePonzi retired in early February 2021.  Al asked Terri Vivoli to create and send Ruth a retirement card with the HC’s appreciation for always willing to support our group.  In her long career in the Villages Activities Office, Ruth was most helpful and cheerful in all her dealings with the HC. The HC is sad to see her go, and she will be missed.  Al said the card was fantastic, and surely well received.  Thanks again to Terri for her efforts.

 

 

VP Membership & Website

·         Jim reported there were a total of 280 current members. There were no new members in February to date.

·         Jim reminded everyone that all minutes are being posted on the website.

 

VP Hiking & Trails

·         Faye said informal hikes are going well given current events.  Recent hikes have covered Rambler-Lite, Rambler and Hill Hike categories.  Again, Faye gave thanks to Sy Gelman (Rambler) and Bonnie Preston (Rambler-Lite) for their efforts to lead hikes with interested HC members.

·         Faye promoted the Hill Hikes as a good opportunity to discover and learn about the beautiful Hill Lands of the Villages.  Russ Glines usually hikes into the Hill Lands every Wednesday and Saturday departing at 8:45am from the Foothill parking lot or above that at the stables parking area.  Russ is always happy to have people join him, and he is willing to tailor the hike to the preferences and abilities of the members joining him.  Since Russ is very knowledgeable about the Hill Lands, he can share that expertise with anyone interested.  Several of us have learned a lot from Russ.  Also, Russ is considering starting some hikes in the lower-elevation trails to attract some new hikers to the vast expanse of the Hill Lands.

·         Faye is thinking we could organize informal trail maintenance days more than once a year.  If we can get tools up in the Hills as necessary, then all we need are volunteers. 

·         Faye is thrilled we have several opportunities to get people out and active to enjoy our Hill Land trails without hiking alone.

·         There was a suggestion by Wate for long hikers going on hikes “off campus” to wildflower areas reasonably close to the Villages. As more and more people get vaccinated, he said we should seriously consider this even though carpooling may be challenging.  Faye is looking at a possible Coyote Ridge hike in March if we can get a reservation.

 

VP Social

·         Due to the Pandemic, Michelle reported no events are planned for the next few months.

·         Michelle was thinking about the possibility of increasing exposure to the HC by putting together a little scavenger hike where hikers can photograph some pre-determined locations in the Hill Lands, with a prize of a HC T-shirt for some of the first people to visit all locales. She is scouting the area for such locations.

·         If we end up doing volunteer trail maintenance, Michelle said we might be able to supply participants with snacks.

·         Al reminded all that HC events always need volunteers to perform various tasks, and he urged HC members to sign up to participate and support.

 

4.    Guest Speakers – From the Greenbelt Alliance (www.greenbelt.org) – Justin Wang – Advocacy Manager (jwang@greenbelt.org).  Justin gave an informative talk on “Conservation and Urban Planning in the South Bay”.   

·         Justin grew up and lives in the South Bay, and attended UCLA. He loves hiking in the local area with Castle Rock near the top of his list.

·         Greenbelt Alliance is a non-profit land conservation and urban planning entity.  It is one of 10 organizations which receives an annual donation from the Villages HC.

·         Its mission is to assist in shaping the rules that govern Bay Area growth in order to protect our open spaces and ensure our neighborhoods are great for everyone. Furthermore, Greenbelt Alliance educates, advocates and collaborates to ensure the Bay Area’s lands and communities are resilient to a changing climate.

·         Greenbelt envisions a Bay Area of healthy, thriving, resilient communities made up of lands and people that are safe during climate disasters and recover quickly from wildfire, floods and drought, where everyone is living with nature in new and powerful ways for generations to come.

·         They work at the local and regional level to develop land-use decision with a climate resilience lens and to create the places and landscapes we all deserve to enjoy now and into the future.

·         In order to deliver on the mission, they have 3 pillars of focus– Climate risk research (conservation decisions are prioritized based on data-driven multi-climate hazard risks), accelerating climate resilience (working with local municipalities to ensure local weather and fires are not as harmful to the environment through land-use decisions) and Climate SMART (Sustainable, Mixed, Affordable, Resilient, Transit-oriented) development where communities across the Bay Area need to reduce emissions and build climate resilience.

·         What they want to achieve is forward looking policy decisions that point to solutions to prepare the Bay Area for wildfires, floods and droughts. They also want natural and working lands restored to reap climate resilience benefits, and for the developments they endorse will create communities of the future.

 

5.    Next Meetings

·         General Membership – Monday, March 29, 2021 at 7:30pm, via Zoom with details to follow. Speaker – Lt. John Nores, Retired California Fish & Game Warden and author, speaking about our wild lands.  In April Al is planning to secure a speaker about the Coyote Project.

·         Next Board Meeting – Thursday, March 25, 2021 at 9:30am, via Zoom with details to follow.

 

6.    Meeting Adjourned – The meeting adjourned at 8:38pm

 

Respectfully submitted,

Gordon Carbonetti – Secretary

 Villages Hiking Club – General Membership Meeting Minutes (via Zoom)   25-Jan-2021
Called to Order: 7:33pm 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

Total members in attendance: 23

        Reports

                        President

Al confirmed all Board members were present.

Al provided an update on the following Hiking Club (HC) projects being worked with the Villages Board – #1 Re-work the Steps Trail into a gentler, single switchback trail, #2 Install new Picnic Table in NE corner of the Hill Lands, near signpost 50 at the second highest spot in the Hill Lands, #3 Install sign-In mailbox at the Joe Marsh trailhead and #4 create and install 2-by-3-foot map/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.

Regarding Cattle Grazing, Al reminded all that the HC members voted overwhelmingly to recommend supporting Hill Lands Cattle Grazing which was conveyed to the Villages Board.  Al said the HC’s position now is to support Bill Johnston (Villager, but non-HC member) if requested since he has a good rapport with the neighboring ranchers. HC member Jim Koski is willing to help as well.

Al reminded all that HC monthly minutes, financials and schedule of events are available on-line on the Villages website through the Hiking Club Portal.

Al introduced the guest speakers from the Bay Area Ridge Council (www.Ridgetrail.org) : Liz Westbrook, Trail Program Director (lizwestbrook@ridgetrail.org) and Simon Nageon de Lastang, Trail Planner (simonnageon@ridgetrail.org).  Liz and Simone plan to talk about “Bay Area Hiking Trails” after the business meeting.

                        Secretary

Gordon presented the minutes from the last General membership meeting on November 30, 2020 and made a motion to approve them.  A second was received from Michelle so the motion passed unanimously.

                        Treasurer

Sandy presented the following financial reports for Nov & Dec 2020

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

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 reports were approved by a motion made by Michelle and seconded by Sandy, which passed unanimously.

                         VP Membership & Website

Jim said 1 member dropped out as she’s in a nursing home. She has been in the HC about 33 years.  However, 3 new members joined.  So, we now have a total of 282 members.

Jim reported on the breakdown of members by years in the HC as follows: 17 members have been in the HC for 1 year or less; 16 have been in 1-2 years; 93 have been 2-5 years; 89 have been in 5-9 years; 51 have been in 10-19 years; 16 have been in for 20 or more years.  Jim added that one member has been in the HC for 34 years.

Jim reminded everyone that all minutes are being posted on the website.

                        VP Hiking & Trails

Faye reminded all that the HC currently has no sanctioned hike due to the pandemic.  However, a few members are hiking on their own and are willing to to have other interested members join them if there is interest.  The HC is trying to notify all members about these hiking opportunities every week if possible.  Members should remember to adhere to all masking, safety and social distancing protocols during all hikes.

Al added there are a few members that wish to hike away from the Villages (off Campus) usually on a Wednesday, and it is OK to join them. Faye tries to send out a notice to members about these hikes.

Al said there is always an option is to tag along on a hike in our Hill Lands with Russ Glines on Wednesdays and/or Saturdays.  On those days Russ is willing to meet up with others at 8:30am at the Foothill parking lot or above that at the stables parking lot, and head up into the Hill Lands at 8:45am.  Russ is willing to tailor the hike to the preferences and abilities of the members joining him.  These hikes are a good way to learn about the Hill Lands of the Villages.

                             VP Social 

Due to the Pandemic, Michelle reported no events are planned for the next few months, but she hopes to be able to start events in the Summer if more members get vaccinated.

Michelle was thinking about the possibility of expanding the HC exposure into social media such as using Instagram. In a quick pole among the attending members, she discovered only one member used Instagram.  So, she will re-think social media for the HC.

Al noted the HC will not have a Spring 2021 Outing, but the Board will try to plan a Fall 2021 Outing with more info to follow.

Al further added that he receives a few hardcopy newsletters from hiking related clubs. If a member is interested in this information, he suggested going on the following websites to review them: www.openspace.org (POST – Peninsula Open Space Trust) and www.scvas.org (Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society).

Guest Speakers – From the Bay Area Ridge Council (www.Ridgetrail.org), Liz Westbrook, Trail Program Director (lizwestbrook@ridgetrail.org), and Simon Nageon de Lastang, Trail Planner (simonnageon@ridgetrail.org).  Liz and Simone gave a very informative talk about “Bay Area Hiking Trails”.

Mission is to plan, promote and sustain a connected hiking, cycling and equestrian multi-use trail on the ridgelines around the SF Bay area. They want to link parks, people and open spaces for today and future generations.

William Penn Mott inspired the Ridge Trail in the 1960’s and the first dedication was in 1989 in the Purisima Creek area.  He was a great trail visionary who foresaw creating a trail around the ridge of the SF Bay Area, with a follow-on goal of connecting to a high Sierra trail.

As of Dec. 2020, there are 390 miles of the trails in place, but many areas need connecting to make entire trail contiguous.

The 300-mile milestone was reached in 2006 and they are currently on the path for soon reaching 400 miles, starting with the Berryessa Bart Station trail. It’s the first place where the Ridge Trail goes through a BART Station. So, it’s a new transit-to-ridgeline connection.  Also, there is new trail opened at Almond Ranch which is part of the Cartenas Straight Scenic Loop Trail.

The Ridge Trail also covers areas in SF, Napa, San Mateo County, Mission Peak, Ed Levin County Park, Coyote Canyon (Baily Ave) and El Sereno Open Space, as well as several other areas around the SFO Bay Area.

Accessing their website (www.ridgetrail.org) you will find valuable information for on-line tools, trail maps, guidebooks, back-packing trips, bike-packing trips and mobile apps (including OuterSpacial and AllTrails for tracking purposes).

The Ridge Trail operating revenue comes from the following sources:

25% – planning grants from the State Coastal Commission

10-20% – applying for a few other large and small grants

50-60% – individual donors

How to help the Ridge Trail effort?

Get out on the trails and explore them

Become a Ridge Trail member

Advocate to help close the big gap on the Baily Ave overpass in N. Coyote Valley. You can sign up for updates and to attend public meetings.

Next Meeting

General Membership – February 22, 2021 at 7:30pm, via Zoom with details to follow. Program: Greenbelt Alliance.

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

Meeting Adjourned – The meeting adjourned at 8:38pm

Respectfully submitted,

Gordon Carbonetti – Secretary

 

Villages Hiking Club – General Membership Meeting Minutes (via Zoom) 30-Nov-2020

 

1.    Called to Order: 7:31pm 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

 

Total members in attendance: 33

 

 

3.    Reports

President

·         Introduced all Board members who were all present.

·         Al advised that the Upper Garden Steps trail was now taped off with Caution Tape by Villages Management, which was also done last year.  All hikers should be extra diligent if using this trail.

·         Al said Villages board put all trail improvement projects on hold or denied them, and the club will need to re-apply in 2021 for next year’s budget (2022).  Those projects include installing a mailbox at the Joe Marsh trailhead, installing large trail maps at two trailheads, acquiring/installing a new picnic table for the NE corner of the hill lands and Garden steps trail work.  Also, Al said some of these may be accomplished with a work order directly with the Villages.

·         Additional project requests for the next budget will include trail improvements for the Upper Meadow and Bay trails.

·         Trail maps have been put in a plastic box at the trailheads.  Also, QR codes have been put at the trail heads which will direct a cell phone user to the Trail Map on the club website.  This is helpful when there are no paper copies of the Trail Map.

·         Regarding Cattle grazing, Al reports the club is still supporting it, especially for fire suppression purposes. Faye reported the revised membership vote totals are [86] ‘for’ and 3 ‘against’.  Al submitted a letter to the current Villages Board on Nov 9, 2020, and an email response was received on Nov.11^th from board President Mike Falarski. The response contained a good summary of the Villages considerations/actions over the last 10-20 years on the subject.  Al was surprised to learn that the Villages considered cattle grazing as recently as May 2020, but it was never approved in any previous timeframe. Any help from hiking club members to talk with current Villages Board members on this issue would be appreciated. Jim Koski and Bill Johnston are willing to work with the neighboring cattle ranchers on a win-win situation. It was mentioned that virtually all county parks allow grazing.

·         All hiking club members will receive a notice that dues will be paid in January 2020 through the HOA payment process.  Al reminded all that the dues are important to the club and remain at a very low dollar amount. He also appreciates continue club membership despite the current pause in the club’s social activities.

Secretary

·         Gordon said Jim Beyer is uploading the minutes to the website.  Jim asks that all attachments be in text format to support that effort.

·         Gordon made a motion to approve the minutes of the October 2020 General membership meeting and it was seconded by Cheryl.  It was unanimously approved. 

 

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

 

Sunshine Committee – Sandy advised club member Steven Ford passed away September 4, 2020, and a card and donation will be sent to the family.

 

VP Membership & Website

·         Jim advised the current membership dropped slightly from 289 to 286.

·         Jim confirmed he received a membership application for Faye’s friend, Lillian. Faye said she is expecting another neighbor to turn in his application shortly.

·         Al would like to get membership up to 300.

 

VP Hiking & Trails

·         Faye and Al thanked Sy (Rambler), 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.   

·         Faye stressed the importance of getting outdoors for fresh air, socialization and exercise.

 

VP Social

·         In light of the current county lock-down, Michelle said there are no events in the near-term.  If there is any membership interest, Michelle offered to put together a social event via Zoom.  In any event, a summary of Hiking Club meetings/events planned for 2021 is attached to the minutes. Given the current health issues, please be aware this schedule and/or related details will likely change as we get into 2021.

·         Some hikers are planning to make the hike to the top of the Hill on New Year’s Day.  Michelle reminded all to practice social distancing and masking protocols.

 

New Business

2021 Donations and 2021 Budget – Al said the 2021 Budget and Donations list were already provided to the membership for review and was approved by the Board. He further advised we are utilizing the same 2020 amounts and recipients for 2021.  Michelle made a motion to approve this and Wate seconded it, and the motion passed.  A copy of the 2021 Budget and Donations list are attached to the minutes.

Slate of Officers – Last month all current officers were voted in as the slate for the same positions for 2021, and now they are willing to run for those positions for 2021. During and prior to the meeting, no other members expressed interest in running.  Michelle made a motion (and seconded by Wate) to approve the slate of officers for service through 2021.  The motion was approved by an immediate and unanimous electronic poll. 

 

•      Guest Speaker – Mathew Dodder, Executive Director of the Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society (SCVAS)

•      The Audubon Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to Birding, Education, and Conservation.

•      SCVAS has about 1200 members and a very good website:  www.scvas.org

•      Mathew recommended two websites for further information:

        www.ebird.org  and www.norcalbats.org

•      Mathew gave a very detailed and informative talk about all the birds in the area.

 

4.    Next Meeting

·         Next General Membership – January 25, 2021 at 7:30pm, via Zoom with details to follow. Guest speaker is to be announced.  

·         Next Board Meeting – January 21, 2021, via Zoom with details to follow..

 

5.    Meeting Adjourned – The meeting adjourned at 9:23pm

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 – General Membership Meeting Minutes (via Zoom)   26-Oct-2020

Called to Order: 7:35pm by President Al Girolami

          Total attendance/participants: 24

Attending Board Members:

President – Al Girolami

VP Hiking & Trails – Faye Swanson

Treasurer – Sandy Petrin

VP Social – Michelle Breslin

VP Membership & Website – Jim Beyer

Secretary – Gordon Carbonetti

Reports

President

Al acknowledged presence of guest speaker, Mark Medeiros – Senior Manager of Community Management for Peninsula Open Spaces Trust (POST) who will discuss his role with POST, and the organization’s areas of focus and current activities.

Al provided a status of Cheryl Allmen who was home now and doing well (it turns out Cheryl was a meeting participant!), and then introduced Gordon Carbonetti as the new Secretary.

Al provided update on Hill Lands proposals – 3 proposals were submitted to the Villages Board (VB). 1) New Steps Trail and Trail Maintenance ($3,000 estimate) and answered all VB questions. 2) Install a new Trailhead Box at the top of Village View Drive in Valle Vista just below the water tank. 3) Install a large sign/map at trail entrances.  All three were denied in writing by the VB as they were not in the 2021 Village Budget, but will be reconsidered for the 2022 Village Budget. It was decided to try to complete #2 on our own via a Village Maintenance Work Order. Also, there is a plan to purchase and install a picnic table (identical to those currently at the top of the ridge) at the NE boundary of the Hill Lands. Purchase funds will come from the Hiking Club Hill Lands account (not to exceed $1000) and installation will be processed through a Village Maintenance Work Order at the appropriate time. This has been submitted to the Villages Board for approval with no response to date.

Finally, Al advised copies of approved Board and General Membership meeting minutes will be posted to the website.

Secretary

A motion was made and seconded to approve General Membership Meeting Minutes from September 28, 2020 meeting. Motion passed.

Treasurer

General Fund beginning balance as of August 31, 2020                  $6,420.84

Expenses (flowers for Cheryl)                                                                $36.04

No Income                                                                                               $.0.00

Ending balance as of September 30, 2020.                                      $6,384.80

Hiking Club Hill Lands Project Fund  – August 2020

Beginning Balance as of August 31, 2020                                         $2,301.82

No income or expenses                                                                            $0.00

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

VP Membership & Website

Jim advised 2 people will not renew club membership for 2021, but 2 new people (Lillian and Mary Ann) are slated to sign up soon.  Al and Faye are working that activity. .

Board Meeting minutes (back to February 2020) are now uploaded to the Hiking Club website. September 2020 General Membership Meeting minutes are on the website, and minutes from previous meetings will be posted as paper copies are scanned.

There are QR-code signs at each of the three trailheads. Those codes, when scanned by a cell phone, will provide direct access to the current Trail Map of the Hill Lands. Trail maps in hard-copy form can also be found in the clear plastic covers at each trailhead. As another option, it was suggested to use Google Maps on your cell phone.

Al thanked Jim Beyer and his son for their continued efforts to improve our website.

VP Hiking & Trails

Faye reported the Club now has fairly regular Rambler and Rambler-Lite hikes. The goal is to have them every week on Wednesday, but the schedule is subject to having enough leaders.  So volunteers for Rambler hike leaders would be welcome, and should contact Faye or a Board member if interested.

Faye advised the email survey for Cattle Grazing on the Hill Lands totaled 58-yes votes and 3-no votes.  A concern raised by a No-voter was that cattle are not natural to the Hill Lands Eco System and may damage trails and signage. Many comments from the Yes-voters said grazing cattle would reduce fire risk, with one comment saying, “hiking with cattle is fun”. We should now be in a position to take this to the Villages Board for approval. Dan Kato said all the Hiking Club needs to do is endorse the cattle grazing concept and we have done that.  The rest is up to Bill Johnston who years ago worked as a cowboy for local ranchers on these hills.

It was asked to Guest Speaker Mark Medeiros for his thoughts on cattle grazing. He said it is an important part of landscape management and fire suppression.  Mark also said cattle grazing will open the ground up so that native plants and grasses can better grow and thrive.

VP Social

Michelle said no events are currently scheduled except for Zoom Board and General Membership meetings.

Michelle also advised the annual subscription for Zoom Meetings was approved by the Board for 2021.

New Business

Officer Slate Presentation

Al asked the meeting participants if there was anyone interested in being nominated to run for a Hiking Club Board position, and no one came forward.  Cheryl then made a motion to accept the slate of current club officers to remain in place through the end of 2021. The motion was seconded and unanimously passed.

Guest Speaker – Mark Medeiros, Senior Manager of Community Management for Peninsula Open Spaces Trust (POST)

Mark has lived his whole life in Santa Clara, and is passionate about the area.

He’s worked for POST for 5 years and enjoys working with the great people there.

His current activities cover organizing on-line events on various subjects including birding, mountain lions and local history. The website to access those events is www.openspacetrust.org/events

THE POST area is mainly in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties and covers about 80,000 protected acres.

POST’s current broad activities cover public access, redwood forest protection, wildlife and farm/ranch land issues.

One of his favorite books is “Tending the Wild” which describes how Native Americans in California worked the land, including utilizing a burn plan every 3-5 years.

Mark’s favorite hike is in the Bear Creek Redwoods area.  The website to see other hikes is www.openspacetrust.org/hikes

Jim Koski asked Mark about the status of Martin’s Beach.  Mark said access to the beach, which was once very easy, is now restricted. Evidently a new buyer acquired the adjacent land and is now blocking land access to the beach. Mark is not sure if beach access can be improved in the near term.

Next Meeting

Next General Membership Meeting – November 30, 2020 at 7:30pm, via Zoom with details to follow. Guest Speaker is scheduled to be Matt Dodder, Exec. Dir. Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society. The topic is “Birds on our Trails”.

Meeting Adjourned

The meeting adjourned at 8:42pm

Respectfully submitted,

Gordon Carbonetti, Secretary

 1.Called to Order:       

  7:32pm by Al Girolami.  The business meeting was preceded by a presentation by Eric Schmidt, President of the Portola and Castle Rock Foundation. He spoke about hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, and gave tips on how to prepare for this trip and what to expect.  

 

2. Attending:

Executive Board Members Present        

:  President: Al Girolami; VP Hiking & Trails: Faye Swanson; VP Social: Michelle Breslin; Treasurer: Sandy Petrin; VP Membership & Communications: Jim Beyer; Acting Secretary: Deb Siedband

Absent: Secretary: Cheryl Allmen

General Attendance:    30

 

3. Reports:

President’s Report:      

 Al welcomed all in attendance, and gave an update on Secretary, Cheryl Allmen’s condition.  She is out of the hospital and is in room 3005 at Kaiser Foundation Rehabilitation Center at 975 Sereno Dr., Vallejo, CA 94589

 

Al asked anyone interested in being Secretary next year to contact him. Cheryl had previously indicated she would not be returning for a second year.  A slate of officers for 2021 is being completed and will be available to present to Membership at the October meeting

 

Al updated us on the 3 proposals we have before the VGCC Board

 

1.) Project to realign the Step Trail.  King Grading has told us it can be done for around $3,000.  Julia Meadows emailed a response to Al on Sept. 8 indicating our 3rd request is still awaiting review

 

2.) Installation of a mailbox with sign-in log at the cull de sac at the top of Valle Vista to gauge the number of people starting hikes from that point  

3.) Install 3’ x 5’ signs with Trail maps similar to those used at ski resorts to indicate “You are here.”  The locations for these signs would be the circle at Valle Vista, the Upper Garden and the entrance to the Trails near the Stables.   Villages countered with a suggestion they be 2’ x 3’ instead.  We are agreeable, but it is still under review.  Michelle is looking into the cost, etc.  We have put up QR codes, containing the map of the entire Trail system in the interim, which can be downloaded to cell phones

 

​

New Business

Wate Bakker and Jim Koski recently brought to the attention of the Board a suggestion from Villager Bill Johnston that we reintroduce cattle grazing as a fire reduction measure in our Hill Lands.  Bill worked, as a young man, on several area ranches.  He knows ranchers and would be willing to help us in our  communications with the VGCC Board.  The rancher would be responsible for restoring springs, repairing troughs, etc.  The Hiking Club Board voted to endorse this project, and would like to introduce it to Members.  We will start with a simple email survey question to gauge interest.  Wate will present a letter to send to the VGCC Board, once we have the results of the survey

 

Secretary’s Report:     

Wate Bakker made a motion that was seconded by Michelle Breslin to approve the July minutes.  Minutes were approved

 

V.P. Hiking and Trails:

  Faye Swanson reported that official Club hikes are still prohibited due to Covid restrictions.  There have been some unofficial hikes to nearby parks where interested parties meet at the park for socially distanced walks

 Hike leaders are always being sought, and we look forward to returning to hiking when it is ok to do so

  The Spring outing to Chico that had been arranged will be offered as next Spring’s trip…if Covid restrictions are lifted by then

 

 

Treasurer’s Report:     

 Sandy Petrin reports the Beginning Book Balance for July was $6,413.84.  With income of $7 from a new membership, the Ending Book Balance was $6,420.84.  The Beginning Book Balance for August was $6,420.84. There were no expenses and no income.  Ending Book Balance was $6,420.84

 

The Hill Lands account remains at $2.301.82

 

Copies of the Treasurer’s Report are included as attachments

 

V.P. Social:        

Michelle looks forward to the day when Socials can resume.

We have submitted our calendar request dates for meetings and social

events to Villages for 2021.

 

V.P. Membership:        

 Jim Beyer reports we are down by 2 members to 289. 

​

Al urges us all to download & carry the form for membership, so that we can encourage newcomers we meet when hiking our Hill Lands to join the Club. We reminded members that pursuant to our standing rules, there is no membership fee for people who join the Club from October 1 through

December 31

 

 

 4.) Adjourned General Meeting: 9:00 pm.       

 

 

5.) Next Meeting:         

October 26, 2020. via Zoom.  Our Guest Speaker will be

Marc Medeiros of Peninsula Open Space Trust.

Respectfully submitted,

 

Debbie Siedband, acting Secretary

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE VILLAGES HIKING CLUB

FINANCIAL REPORT FOR SEPT. 2020

 

BEGINNING BOOK BALANCE ON AUG. 31, 2020                                                             $ 6,420.84

INCOME:                                                                                                                                  $        0.00

                                                                      BALANCE:                                                           $6,420.84

            

EXPENSES:  Safeway Flowers for Cheryl Allmen                                                 $   36.04                     

TOTAL EXPENSES:                                                                                                             $        36.04

                      

ENDING BOOK BALANCE AS OF AUG. 31, 2020                                                         $   6,384.80

 

Note:  Bank Balance is $6,434.80 with check #1654 ($50.00 Vasona Creek Health

Care) yet to be cashed.

Submitted by,

Sandy Petrin

Treasurer

 

HILL LANDS ACCOUNT

 

ENDING BOOK BALANCE AS OF Aug. 31, 2019                                                        $     2,301.82

 

NOTE: Related to these Funds, the Evergreen Villages Foundation (EVF) also had

$5,750 specifically allocated for “Hiking Club Trails” which represented donations by

individuals (Hiking Club members, Villagers, and even a non resident donor) due to

a Fund Raiser a few years ago for reconstruction of the Step Trail, installation of

additional picnic tables, and replacing the trail sign system. These funds, plus at least

$4,000 of other EVF funds have been allocated towards the nearly completed Trail

Signage Project with the remaining cost to be paid by the Villages Club. EVF also has

presently approved  $1,300 for improving the trail from Rawhide to the Upper

Gardens.

Submitted by,

Sandy Petrin,

Treasurer

 

Villages Hiking Club 2020 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 General Meeting Minutes

July 27, 2020, 4pm, via Zoom

The presentation, “Hiking in the Bay Area,” delivered by Kelly English and her colleague, Adam (both formerly with Backroads), preceded the general meeting and featured recommendations for preparation for hiking, food/clothing tips, items to include in the car while hiking and highlights of some interesting local hikes.  At the conclusion of their presentation, President Al Girolami began our first Zoom general meeting explaining the purpose of it was to bring the membership up-to-date on the progress the Board has made resulting from their last three board meetings.   All General Hiking Club meetings have been cancelled by the Villages since the start of the COVID-19 shelter-in-place protocols were put in place preventing greater-than-ten in-person meetings.

 

Board Members Present : Al Girolami, VP Trails Faye Swanson, VP Social Michelle Breslin, VP members & Webmaster Jim Beyer, Secretary Cheryl Allmen and Sandy Petrin.  Members present, 29.President’s Report: Al summarized the following key action items submitted to the Villages Board for consideration at their upcoming August meeting:  1.  Improve the safety of the Garden Steps-Al along with Faye Swanson and Dan Kato met with representatives from King Grading and secured an estimate  of approximately $3,000 to complete the project which was included in the original $25,000 previously  allocated for trail projects by the Village’s Board.   2.  Add a mail box (which has been already donated) and sign in at the lower entrance to the Upper Garden to increase visibility to this trail and to encourage parking at the lower level.  And, 3.  Add 3’ x 5’ signs similar to those visible at ski resorts to identify “You are here” on the trail.  He concluded with encouraging members to join the August Villages Board meeting via Zoom to further emphasize the Club’s support of these priorities.

Hiking Trails- Faye Swanson. Faye indicated the following two Villages’ “unsanctioned hikes” are options available to members:  1.  Russ Glines, who is very knowledgeable and often spots interesting wildlife along the trail routes, hikes our mountain trails every Saturday and Wednesday.  He invites individuals to join him, adhering to the 6’ distancing and masking requirements.  Interested members are to meet at 8:30am at Foothill.  2. Twice a month unsanctioned Wednesday off –campus hikes are announced to our membership via email.

The next unsanctioned hike is scheduled for July 29, 2020 and involves driving independently per COVID-19 guidelines and meeting at Santa Teresa Park at 9am.  Lastly, she announced that eventually she hopes to schedule Saturday and Wednesday hikes again on a regular basis once the COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted.

Membership, Jim Beyer.   Our Club membership remains at 292 members.  The Club welcomes our newest members:  Bob Bogdanoff, Karen Hillis and Bob McPeek. Three members have dropped due to their passing or relocating.  Al encouraged members to carry a downloaded copy of our Club Membership Application with them to give to non-members who might be interested in joining.

Treasurer’s Report, Sandy Petrin .  Our beginning balance was $6,535.06.  $50 Memorial checks were sent on behalf of former members, Terry Malloy and Lee Wade, to their organization of choice and a $35.00 check was delivered to reimburse Peter Holmes for duplication expenditures for the mailbox logs.

Final balance:  $6,413.84.  Hills Land account balance remains at $2,301.82.

Secretary, Cheryl Allmen.   Cheryl shared that Terry Vivoli, who oversees our Sunshine efforts, has been actively sending home-crafted cards to members who would benefit from some cheer.  Cheryl moved that the reading of the minutes of the last in-person general meeting of February 24, 2020 be waived and available for review upon request from the Secretary’s records. Michelle Breslin seconded.  Motion passed.

Social, Michelle Breslin.  Al thanked Michelle for arranging for today’s talk and sharing the creative hiking cocktail recipes.  Michelle announced 33 members attended the speaker’s presentation and 29remained for the general meeting The general meeting ended at 5pm with a passed motion made by Rich Bainbridge and seconded by John Petrin for concluding the meeting.

Respectfully submitted,

Cheryl Allmen

Cheryl Allmen, Secretary

Attachments:  Financial Report. Hill Lands Fund Report.