Board Meeting Minutes 4/25/17
Meeting commenced around 7PM
Held at Sally’s house
Sally served pot pie – Yum!
Board Members Present: Page, Linda, Kirsten, Anna, Wakean, Sally and Heather
Members Present: Lisa McLaughlin and Pam Bullen
1) Proposed Agenda – Approved
2) Minutes from February- Approved
3) Review Planning Grid May –
a) Hay Order – Sally is going to check in with David Curto to confirm that he will coordinate the Hay Purchase and Tarping, if not we will explore who else is interested – Hay ordering will be on May agenda
b) Hemlock – Wakean is coordinating weeding work parties and working on scheduling a mow date (More info to come)
c) Status on AGP – The Annual Grazing Plan has been approved and signed by EBMUD and OHA.
4) Membership Update –
a) We’d like to welcome Trish Pillsbury as our newest OHA member
-
i. She is looking for a horse
b) For now, all 38 spaces are filled – Thanks Eddie
c) Clarification: Members should provide payment, and all paperwork (including the horse health form and liability release specifying horse is vaccinated) to Membership secretary before receiving keys to the pasture.
d) New members are assigned a mentor but remember, it is everyone’s job to help them learn about OHA. Remember, what may seem like second nature to us, may be new to them, so please help them find their way!
5) EBMUD –
a) Status of AGP Projects
-
i. Wakean Working to get weed mowing approved -
ii. Marine Battery and controller for electric fence charging were part of AGP– new battery has been ordered. Page has and will submit receipts for this to EBMUD for us to receive credit. -
iii. EBMUD approved $840 for repairs to Red Barn – these include new wood, shelf removal etc… Wakean will take the lead on repairing the red barn in June and July.
b) We brought the washout in the upper plateau, and the trees down in the forest,to EBMUD’s attention. Given the intense rains this winter, there are a tremendous number of other properties with similar and worse challenges, it may be a long time until they can give these items attention. Anyone interested in helping with trees down can reach out to Wakean.
6) Budget– Has been approved and Page will share via email
-
i. Page will provide YTD actual expense next month for us to compare to our projections -
ii. Dues – All of the proprietary members except one have paid their dues, Page will follow up with that individual
7) Website Update Renovations–
The new website is up and live – We will sunset the old site on May 18:
Be sure you can access and provided any feedback to Kim prior to this date.
The old site will be archived for historical purposes.
8) Horses needing Dieting –
a) Old Dairy will be available for dieting for 5 horses but water will need to be hauled in April 30-May 6
b) Lower Pasture Coral is now open – 3 horses are in there now
c) The area behind the red barn is available for housing when really needed, but it is preferred that members use other options.
d) Heather will provide guidance for members who can’t find a place to house their horse.
e) Horses in longer than 14 days need a note from their vet – this can be emailed to Eddie or the board
9) Plans for new projects
a) Old Stall Rehab – We are submitting a grant application to Bay Area Barns and Trails, proposing repairs to the old stalls, addition of lighting, improvement of drainage and making these more user friendly
b) Chipper Rental – Linda will manage this, and is looking to do this later in the summer after the work party
c) Repair of hay shed in the pavilion – Kirsten is going work with Diane and Larry to see if he can repair the hay shed for under $400
d) Back forty Shelter – will be discussed in next meeting along with budget – budget and plans for this are welcome!
e) Pond Barn – is now warped and is a swampy mess – it will dry out over the summer but repairs are needed to the structure. The Board will discuss this at a future meeting
f) Members who still have projects they would like to propose are encouraged to provide a cost estimate and plan to include in the next board meeting for review. Please don’t hesitate to bring proposals forward, although our budget is very limited
g) Ring pasture fence replacement – Morris will manage the ring pasture replacement in May
10) Next Meeting: Kirsten’s House – 17 Middle Road, Lafayette, CA 94549
Thank yous to:
- Linda and Anna for writing grant application
- Eddie for conducting membership interviews and helping new members locate a mentor and navigate their way
- Kim for upgrading the website and running tech support to help members get acclimated
- Wakean for leading weed party, and continuing to lead weeding efforts, trapping many many rodents in the white shed, and all of his other help and support
- Erica for moving herd on a weekly basis and repairing the Forest Meadow gate
- Wakean, Eddie, Becky, Lisa and others for weed removal
- Jerome for support of the cooperative spirit of OHA
- Everyone else we’ve forgotten – THANK YOU!!!
Please feel free to “toot your own horn” by emailing Anna anytime
