Annual Meeting Minutes September 8, 2019
Orinda Horsemen’s Association (OHA)
PO Box 904, Orinda CA 94563
REMINDERS:
OHA Membership dues were due on September 15: Proprietary members: $360 for one horse, $720 for two horses (represents half of the annual amount). Associate members pay their full $50 annual fee at this time. Riding partners $25. A $10 late fee will be assessed if dues are not paid by Oct. 1 and every month after that. If you joined within the last 90 days, contact Diane for the prorated amount due.
Work hours are to be reported online in google doc link that Lisa sent out in Sept announcements All work hours are to be completed by Sept. 30, 2019. All hours should be recorded even if you hit the minimum.
MINUTES:
Meeting held at Eddie Reiter’s house and commenced around 3:20 pm with Heather handing out Agenda
Welcome and Introductions (Heather)
Everyone was welcomed to the meeting and Eddie Reiter thanked for opening her lovely house to all members.
All members in attendance introduced themselves and if they were Proprietary, Associate, Riding Partner or Honorary Member; for how many years; horse owned or ridden; and to name one thing they were thankful about OHA cooperative.
Overview of the Year (Heather)
Recognized the Board and others with thank you’s for the last year.
Linda – Vice President, coordinating with the Fire Break project, keeping Pasture Management teams on track
Diane – for being Treasurer, tracking on dues, paying bills, doing tax forms, renewing our non-profit status
Wakean – for being EBMUD liaison and coordinating the AGP projects, not to mention doing a ton of work himself
Elise – For being secretary, getting the minutes out in a timely manner
Alix – For organizing work parties and doing follow-up work from Board meetings
Lisa – The monthly “newsletter” with important info & reminders is very helpful. Also lots of Board follow-up
Erica – not on the Board, but managing our grazing rotation which is essential to our relationship with EBMUD and attainment of our tiered grazing credit which saves us money!
Eddie and Sarah and Michael for being membership secretaries – there was a lot of turnover this year.
Capital Improvements
Heather referenced the email she sent out prior to the Annual Meeting that had all the detail regarding definitions and examples of Capital Improvements.
Mowing efforts have been done.
This year EBMUD was very late in approving the AGP therefore they will give us some extra time to get those items done.
Action Needed: Taj Manure project underway. Lisa and Wakean are leading so please pay attention to your email for requests for work assistance or reach out to them directly.
Action Needed: Lower Pasture water trough – repair.
Other OHA projects accomplished
Back 40 improvement.
Pavilion gravel upgrade.
Fencing repair in Beer Can.
Put on extra latches to gates.
Contagious outbreak protocol discussion still in development.
Membership committees interviewing new members.
Rule clarifications – see prior minutes for more detail if not familiar with.
2 horses allowed for new probationary members.
Horse health certification.
Safety rule.
Feeding schedule – Allison B. implemented a new sign-up system this year.
Hay Coordination order – Doug coordinated this year.
Longtime Members giving up OHA Membership this year
Pam Bullen
Dave Curto
Fred Goff
Alison Martin
Sara Shumer
Sept 15 membership dues are due. See reminder at top of minutes.
Sept 30 all work hours completed and reported in Google sheet sent out by Lisa in the September announcements. Make sure to record all work hours even if you go above the requirement. EBMUD is looking at all the work time that is put into the pasture. If you have any questions on the category reach out to Marina.
Michael Barglow circulated the list of horses with pictures binder and pasture map.
Membership lists were available at meeting. Let Sarah know if any changes.
Treasurers’ Report (Diane)
Current Financial Status – Diane emailed out current budget to the membership prior to the meeting. If any questions refer them to Diane.
Highlights:
Found out tax-exempt status had been revoked – Diane has fixed this aspect.
Diane will implement overview of processes so keep the institutional knowledge.
Reality: basically come out a wash between income and expense.
A lot of deferred maintenance.
Hay is biggest expense
Insurance another big expense (liability, auto, directors & officers)
Member refunds was an unexpected outflow.
Diane willing to host a brainstorming session about the budget.
EBMUD Report (Wakean)
AGP and status of Capital Improvements – covered in Heather’s overview.
Don’t drive up “new” road (road into Pond Pasture with gate opposite Pavilion) if wet or muddy.
Update: Gate at Wildcat – still under investigation, don’t know yet who fixing.
Bridge on El Toyonal – the weight limit sign has finally been put up.
Discussion of how to control tule reeds in the pond
Rotation Schedule (Erica)
EBMUD monitors pasture every year.
Erica handed out 2019-2020 rotation schedule.
Members raised discussion about “spring” grasses being so lush. Some horses prone to laminitis. There is a lot of speculation about why more lush grasses. So many rotations? Rain? Post drought? Climate issues? Many viewpoints. Tricky puzzle.
EBMUD has commented that OHA biodiversity is amazing.
Task List Interest Survey (Heather)
Sheet was passed around so members could indicate their interests.
This is not a sign-up sheet but an indication of interest.
The Board will review and assign tasks to members based on interest and skills.
Capital Improvement Projects and other Organizational Needs (Heather)
Overview of OHA lease payments and credits
EBMUD calculates OHA’s lease amount annually based on a complicated formula involving the price of cattle on the Chicago agricultural market
We can get credits to reduce what we pay
Grazing credits – tiers
Capital improvement credits
Both combined, up to 50% of lease payment
Annual meeting with EBMUD soon to determine capital improvement projects
Projects are memorialized in the Annual Grazing Plan, which also lists work EBMUD hopes to do, weed control expectations, protected species, etc.
AGP project priorities
EBMUD’s criteria for capital improvement projects:
Does not include routine maintenance OHA is required to do under terms of lease: internal fences and gates, troughs, plumbing, electrical, buildings, corrals, etc.
EMBUD refers to this work as “Long-Term Maintenance” in the lease – Needed no more than annually
Promote improvement or preservation of the varied ecosystems on the property
Not projects that are strictly for OHA’s convenience
Clarification: Maintenance of boundary fences is OHA responsibility not EBMUD. This is especially an issue with firebreak project.
Heather asked membership for ideas and wrote them up on flip charts.
Then each member present was given 3 green dots and 3 purple dots to put next to these listed projects. This is to collect membership views but the decision making process remains with the Board.
Green = indicates member is supportive of and views as a priority.
Purple = indicates member is not supportive of and does not view as a priority.
Attachment One – attached below – lists all the items from the flip charts and summary of the final number of green and purple dots.
Board Elections
Board members: (Elected term is 2 years. With no immediate re-election after 2 terms (4 years).
Continuing on 2019 – 2020 Board
Wakean Maclean
Lisa McLaughlin
Alix Quay
Current status – there are 4 Board openings given the following:
Linda Furtado – termed out
Elise Geske – resigned
Diane Livoti – 2 year term is over but eligible to be re-elected
Heather Pineda – termed out
Nominations were made for the 4 Board openings – these are the members that were voted on for the openings:
Michael Bowen
Larry Hunt
Diane Livoti
Bob Reid
Sally Weare
Kim Zvik
Election Results: The proprietary members voted on the nominations and the following are the newly elected members to the 2019 – 2020 Board:
Michael Bowen
Diane Livoti
Bob Reid
Sally Weare
Meeting adjourned to potluck dinner.
Minutes of 9/8/19 Annual Meeting respectfully submitted by Elise Geske.
Page 1
ATTACHMENT ONE
Ideas that Heather captured on Flip Charts for Capital Improvement Projects or Others that members listed green or purple dots.
Boundary fence inspection and repair
Green = 10
Purple = 0
Seaview trail rehab
Green = 6
Purple = 1
New gate across from Beer Can into Upper Sullivan
Green = 8
Purple = 1
Forest single track trail
Green = 1
Purple = 4
Harvest tules in pond
Green = 2
Purple = 5
Rehab road from Lower to Pear
Green = 3
Purple = 0
Hay Tents
Green = 11
Purple = 0
Sand in arena
Green = 6
Purple = 9
Trim trees in arena
Green = 3
Purple = 1
“Retirement Home” – policy/project
Green = 6
Purple = 7
Repair gate into red barn area
Green = 1
Purple = 0
Repair gate between ring pasture and pavilion
Green = 4
Purple = 0
Repair fence between El Toyonol and red barn area
Green = 0
Purple = 4
Trail obstacles training supplies
Green = 0
Purple = 2
Round pen
Green = 0
Purple = 3
Page 2
ATTACHMENT ONE (continued)
Tack Room – container?
Green = 3
Purple = 0
Emergency response team
Green = 1
Purple = 1
EBMUD subsidy for goats
Green = 4
Purple = 3
Make fence at the red barn area more visible/less “ghetto”
Green = 1
Purple = 4
Repair slump on road in Upper Sullivan (EBMUD)
Green = 1
Purple = 0
Consult with fire survivors re: Emergency planning
Green = 0
Purple = 6
Drainage in Pavilion
Green = 4
Purple = 0
