Minutes — Dec 13, 2021

Minutes of OMVNA Annual General Meeting, Monday, December 13, 2021 (via Zoom and recorded)

PRESENT

Steering committee and subcommittee personnel: David Lewis, Robert Cox+, Susan Bickford, Larry Rush, Jamil Shaikh, Lorraine Wormald, Jerry Steach, Max Hauser, Annette Nielsen+, Kristin Bailey

Community members: Nancy Stuhr, Maureen Blando, Paul Goldstein, Sally Fung, Aaron Grossman, Kathy Morales, Bill Nitzberg+, Erik Kaulberg, Larry Rosenberg, Gaylon Lovelace

(Note: + indicates that additional members of that household were present on the Zoom call.)

  1. Call to order: Chair David Lewis. Meeting came to order at 7:36 PM, and there were no requests submitted to Chair Lewis for additional agenda items.
  1. Confirming next OMVNA meeting: Chair David Lewis confirmed that the next regular meeting of the Steering Committee will be held via Zoom on January 24, 2022.  Susan Bickford proposed that subsequent future meetings continue to be held via Zoom.
  1. Introduction of the slate of candidates for OMNA Leadership Team:  Chair David Lewis.  The Nominating Committee proposed the following candidates for Steering Committee and subcommittee posts:  
  1. Chair:                              David Lewis
  2. Vice-Chair:                      Robert Cox
  3. Secretary:                        Annette Nielsen
  4. Treasurer:                        Larry Rush
  5. Community Liaison:        Jamil Shaikh
  6. Newsletter Editor:           Susan Bickford
  7. At Large:                         Lorraine Wormald & Max Hauser
  8. CERT:                             Sherril Brennan
  9. Historical Preservation:  Jerry Steach
  10. Parking:                          Robert Cox & Jamil Shaikh               

         There were no other nominations from the floor.  It was noted by Susan Bickford that Seema Jaiswal will be taking over the role of Ad Management for the newsletter.

  1. Election of OMVNA Leadership Team for 2022:  Chair David Lewis.  Robert Cox moved and Susan Bickford seconded that the slate be approved.  A roll call vote was taken, and the slate was approved by all those present with no nays and one abstention.
  1. Treasurer’s Report: Treasurer Larry Rush.  The report included income and expenditures from 1-1-21 to 12-13-21.  Income of $6,454.55 was added to the carryover from 2020 ($25,978.06) for a total 2021 income of $32,432.61.  2021 expenditures were $6,219.35, leaving a balance of $26,213.26.  Susan Bickford notes that the income from ads on the back page of the newsletter show commitment of the advertisers and have been the “rock” source of income. 
  1. State of Old Mountain View and COVID-19 update:  Chair and SCC COVID Ambassador David Lewis.  Chair Lewis reported that property crime is up in the Bay Area with Mountain View issues being primarily auto burglary and bike theft.  The 100-300 blocks of Castro Street will continue to be closed to through traffic.  Regarding COVID, as per SC County and CDC guidelines, MV citizens should keep doing what we have been doing—boosters, masks indoors, careful in crowds.  It is critical that kids get vaccinated and likely that we will need a 4th shot next year.
  1. OMVNA development issues for 2021:  Vice Chair Robert Cox.  The top 10 development issues were presented in a slide show which Vice Chair Robert Cox will make available on the OMVNA website.  Topics in his presentation included: 

• The Office Project for 747 W Dana Street

• Extension of Renter Protections by SB-330 until 2030

• Google Master Plans to redevelop N Bayshore a E Whisman

• Future of Gateway Park at NE corner of Castro & El Camino

• Continuing the Castro Pedestrian Mall through 2022

• Measure C signs installed in OMVNA limiting RV parking on narrow streets (being challenged in US District Court)

• Housing Element Planning begins to meet CA requirement that MV build 11,135 new housing units from 2023 to 2031 (plan due Jan 2023)

• Historic and Vibrant Downtown to be preserved with City Council approving designation of ground floor for retail/restaurants and NOT administrative offices.  Council also approved the Downtown Parking Strategy which includes premium and value paid parking and a revised Residential Parking Permit Program.

• SB-9 ends single family zoning in CA effective January 1, 2022.

• R3 rezoning decision on Staff’s proposal to allow for 4-9 story buildings with 5-15 feet from lot lines of single-family homes will occur after November 2022 Council election.

  1. Parking Update: Parking Subcommittee Chairs Robert Cox and Jamil Shaikh.  (No additions to updates in previous agenda item—Downtown Parking Strategy.)
  1. Downtown Committee Update: Community Liaison Jamil Shaikh.  Liaison Shaikh reported that MV Police Department addressed the committee and shared that car break-ins are up in Lots 12 (California and Bryant) and 6 (300 block Hope) mainly between 4:30 and 8:00 PM.  Auto burglaries are also up in apartment complex parking lots.  Out-of-towners are committing the crimes.  More cameras have been installed at Lot 12.  They advise not to leave even simple items like power cords in your cars and be aware that crooks watch for people putting items in trunks.  The committee also discussed a mid-year work plan including putting art in vacant storefront windows.
  2. (10)Historic Preservation Update:  HP Subcommittee Chair Jerry Steach.  (No additions to update reported by Vice-Chair Robert Cox in agenda item #7.)
  1. (11)Newsletter and OMVNAtalk Update:  Newsletter Editor Susan Bickford.  There will be four 2022 issues—the first is planned for February 2.  The fall issue will be issued earlier (early October) and will increase from the usual 8 pages to 12 pages to provide space for ads and candidate write-ups for the 2022 election.  Editor Bickford also reported that the newsletter may need to go digital after this year and recommended a strategic plan—perhaps poll neighborhood to get data to see if people actually read the newsletter and strategize on how to bring people to the website.  Of the 3,500 total households in OMV, only about 2,400 households have newsletter delivery.  Jamil Shaikh suggested that the yard signs be updated with visual teasers of content to encourage residents to look at the website.  Editor Bickford also thanked and praised Kristin Bailey for handling the ads and helping with production.  Distribution Chair Lorraine Wormald seconded the praise for Kristin.  Seema Jaiswal will now step in to manage the newsletter advertising to contact and get advertisers.
  1. (12)Adjournment:  Chair David Lewis.  Meeting adjourned at 8:53 PM.

Respectfully submitted by Annette Nielsen, incoming OMVNA Secretary substituting for Sam Blewis

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