Murdock Neighborhood Association Board Meeting

December 14, 2005

The Board met at the home of Larry Murchan, First Vice-President. The meeting was called to order by President Fanjoy at 7:44 p.m. Member present: Fanjoy, Jones (excused to leave early), Murchan, Johnson, Livezey, Jenny Hsieh, and Gomez. Also present: James Hsieh

The agenda was reviewed and approved.

The minutes of November 15 were reviewed and approved as presented. (M/S Murchan/Livesey)

Treasurer's Report:

• Treasurer Hsieh met with Judy Boehm to transfer materials. Hsieh needs to be added to the signature card.
• Two bills were submitted and approved for payment:
• $68.20 to Murchan for signs (meeting)
• $11.88 to Mori Mandis for paper
• Report was approved as presented, with a balance of $1,298.16.

Old Business:

The Saratoga Creek Trail opening was very successful. Many association members and neighbors attended. Dignitaries present included Council Members Linda LeZotte and Ken Yeager, SCV Water District Board Member Larry Wilson, and Cupertino Council Member Dolly Sandoval. President Fanjoy spoke on behalf of the neighborhood, and the creek volunteers helped cut the ribbon. Bob Rolufs has joined the volunteer group to do graffiti removal.

New Business:

Memberships are due in January. Notice should be prominent in the newsletter.

January 25 general meeting - the San Jose Mayoral Forum:

• VP Jones referred to the recent e-mails to update the Board. Leslie Mains agreed to 7:30 - 9 p.m. Jones has the school paperwork to turn in tomorrow. The Board asked if we could move the start time to earlier to allow time for set-up and arrival.
• Time of the meeting: We will start the business meeting at 7:00 and the mayoral forum at 7:30 p.m.
• Format: options - allow each to respond to a question. Another possibility is a debate or a format that allows follow ups. Audience questions will be on cards. The League of Women Voters of San Jose/Santa Clara (LWV) will provide assistance with screening the questions, with someone from MNA to assist. LWV could also provide a moderator, though Steve Chell will be asked to moderate.
• Questions: Need to determine the time allowed for the primary responder. Less time for others to comment, if question not directed to them.
• Timer - David Gomez will time. Trixie will get LWV advice on appropriate signals for the cards.
• Subcommittee will propose the details.
• Marketing: e-mail blast, flyers to all. Others: D1 neighborhood associations (Trixie), LHS journalism, and seniors (Hsiehs), Merc - political events column (Steve or Trixie), Realtor newsletters (Doris)
• Refreshments: Doris will ask Mark about water. Elizabeth Huizar - Steve still have napkins? Margie Murchan will try for Safeway certificates.
• Charles will find out about insurance requirements.
• Explore and complete arrangement for tables, sound, etc.
  (Jones excused early - 8:15)
• 2 days ahead - signage to announce the meeting. Also prepare signs for the school to lead into the room
• Business meeting items: by laws changes (parliamentarian, at-large members) , promote memberships (sign-up table). Neighborhood watch report. Anything on preparedness? Not in January - maybe April. Doris will report on her block's Neighborhood Watch meeting.
• Larry mentioned the need for more time for neighborhood issus. The Board decided to have District 1 council candidates as a special meeting in May rather than the April General Meeting. The April meeting could have an emergency preparedness speaker.
• Board needs to discuss the at-large board member issue before presenting an options to the membership, so Larry suggested deferring this issue to the April General Meeting.
• David will try to get banner for the meeting from a friend at a good price.

Traffic Committee:

There will be meeting at Murdock tomorrow (12/15). Issues to raise:

• Speeders? No, these are mostly neighborhood people not school people.
• Red curbs: Extend red curb at Oak Knoll corner. There are new red curbs at Ora and Wunderlich, Castle Glen and Wunderlich, and Castle Glen. Check on areas that need repainting. Enforcement of red curb.
• Blocking streets (Castle Glen across side streets and at turn to Wunderlich, blocking right turn at Wunderlich and Bollinger.
• Car pool for school.
• Parents crossing with children in front of cars.
• Parking on Wunderlich and leaving cars. (Bob will bring Mori's letter to the meeting.)
• Is a staggered start time possible?
• Need traffic attendants at corners, not just the school entry.
• School is a guest in the neighborhood.

Larry suggested asking Leslie at the meeting for suggestions about a joint-school/MNA activity. The results would be reported at the general meeting.

Neighborhood watch:

• There have been 2 meetings at Murdock (Livesey) and Gomez/Mandis block. 70% of a block must attend to qualify for street signs. Delaying refreshments to the end of the meeting made that a good time for conversations. This might be a good pattern for MNA general meetings.
• For preparedness and Neighborhood Watch meetings have OSH and Home Depot bring samples of products that are suggested.
• There was discussion of the contents of a neighborhood watch meeting.

Newsletter plans:

• January 2 weeks before the meeting. Include the Forum (Trixie), by-laws changes (Larry ?), report on Neighborhood Watch meetings (David),
• Block captains - names sent to Steve. All block captains are supposed to have called Bob, but he has only 4 names. David will try to get names and streets from Mori.
• Newsletter out 2 weeks ahead would be ideal. Sheihs will translate at least the meeting header for the newsletter and send to Steve to paste on.

The meeting adjourned at 9:15.

Respectfully submitted,

Trixie Johnson, Secretary