May 1 OVA Board Meeting Summary

Board President Steve Spanier opened the meeting with a brief President’s Message covering issues of education, transparency and civility and referred to a few items on the meeting agenda addressing these issues.

As the meeting progressed it became clear that, without announcing any such change, Spanier had evidently adjusted his previously stated view regarding whether the president would vote on matters at board meetings.    In a President’s Message on the OVA website he had stated, “I will abstain from most votes taken, voting only to break ties or when I feel so strongly about something I believe I must weigh in.”  And at the board’s initial meeting on April 17 he did not register a vote on any agenda item.  However, in the summary below and in Donna Hopley’s board vote summary article HERE you can see that Spanier made six of the nine motions voted on and cast a vote on all nine motions made.

Board meeting highlights:

• During his Manager’s Report, Kevin Hubred said that, to OVA’s knowledge, no one had filed an appeal within the 10 day window to file such an appeal of the City’s approval of the Conditional Use Permit to convert two ERC tennis courts to pickleball.  “We are under the assumption that we will actually be able to begin this process (of court conversion) soon.”
• Paula Lewis and Randi Hulce of the Ad-Hoc Dog Park Committee gave a recap and summary of the recent Town Hall meeting on the issue and answered questions from the board.  For further details, see the documents in the Member Packet for this board meeting HERE: 
• At Treasurer Elke Strunka’s request, the board voted 6-0 to allow her to investigate borrowing money for the East Rec renovation (and even possibly the future Berger project) while interest rates are relatively low and to prepare an analysis for the next board meeting.
• During Open Forum, 11 of the 22 speakers addressed their concerns about the dog park location on Stone Bridge Road near the Community Garden.  Many of those raising concerns live on Stone Bridge or Silver Creek Circle near the proposed site.
• A motion to have the Communications Committee propose a Social Media Policy to the board was made and passed 6-0. What the board did not address is that there is an existing Social Media Policy that was approved by the board in January.
• The board unanimously approved a motion to sign a contract with audio/video system design firm PCD for a new sound and video system in the ERC in the amount of $122,191.  The board also unanimously approved signing a contract with Hartley Window Coverings for new shades in the ERC in the amount of $61,621.
• The board unanimously approved a motion to sign a contract for conversion of two ERC tennis courts to six pickleball courts.  A dollar amount was not mentioned at the meeting but the amount in the Member Packet totals $42,659 for resurfacing/repainting the courts and repositioning nets and posts.              
• A motion was passed by a vote of 5-1 to allow renters to attend and comment (in Open Forum) at open board meetings.  Director Greg Goodwin voiced a concern that such a policy may not be in compliance with Davis-Stirling and requested that the board get a legal opinion prior to establishing a written policy.
• Three agenda items were deferred to the next board meeting:  

                   ~ Open Forum prior to voting on each business item.

                   ~ OVA Facility Policy.

                   ~ Establishment of a Veterans and 1st Responder Ad Hoc Committee.