A Note from your RGO HOA BOD President
Happy New Year!
Hector Viray, Supervisor for Code Enforcement Riverside County, attended our October 15, 2011 BOD Meeting and gave us an update. Governing Bodies, i.e.: Regional Water Board, Code Enforcement, Dept. of Transportation, etc. approved the BMPs we have in place as of now. Our roads maintenance includes BMPs for SWPPS (Best Management Practices for Storm Water Pollution Prevention Systems). Fines are issued for erosion and illicit discharge (i.e.: dumping oil or other pollutants into storm drains). One of the challenges the HOA faces has to do with new development and the way water is diverted directly onto our roads causing damage. Hector Viray has put in a request to the Riverside County Planning Dept. to change the ordinance for rural areas. The HOA will start the process to change the ARC Guidelines and require new developments to include in their plans water diversion to avoid damage to the HOA roads. Hector also reminded us that it is the property owners' responsibility to insure that water leaving your property is clean. Please make sure your BMPs are in place and working properly. If you can, please try to attend a board meeting but, if you can't, I would be happy to hear from you anytime. Please contact me at gof.bear3@gmail.com if you have any comments, questions, or suggestions.
Thank you,
Joe Kenitzer, President RGO HOA BOD
Something You Should Know
$150 fire protection fee on rural structures in California approved
Wednesday, the Board of Forestry and Fire Protection adopted revised regulations that will set a fee on structures in rural areas for wildfire prevention efforts. This charge could raise as much as $100 million for fighting wildfires.
The Board approved legislation to impose a $150 yearly fee on structures in the 31 million acres where the state has the primary firefighting responsibility. That includes about 1 million acres in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. The revised rules target the fee on structures that have assessor numbers. An estimated 800,000 habitable structures -- including 42,200 in Riverside County and 65,900 in San Bernardino County -- would be subject to the $150 fee.
A Board member said the fee is necessary to pay for fire-prevention efforts and preserve the budget of Cal Fire, which took a $50 million general-fund hit this year.
Barring further questions, the law office is scheduled to act on the emergency regulations before the end of the month. The Board of Equalization could begin sending out bills to you this month or next.
Construction of Permanent Fire Station
Construction on the permanent fire station in Temecula Wine Country is well on its way. Station 96, on Glen Oaks Road, will serve the northeast area of Temecula which includes Rancho Glen Oaks HOA. This will give our area greater protection and faster fire and paramedic response time as Station 96 is within 5 miles of all properties in our HOA. If you get a chance, stop by and say Hi and Thank you.
Agendas and Why They Are Posted
Did you know that only subjects that are on the posted agenda can be discussed at a Board Meeting? The reason for this is so that association members have the opportunity to attend and give their opinions of posted subjects during the Members Open Forum at the Board meeting. If a member brings up a subject in the Open Forum that is not posted on the agenda, the Board may vote to take up that subject at the next BOD meeting.
An Executive Session, What Is It?
Executive sessions of the Board of Directors are provided by statute so Boards can address issues involving privileged information and matters of a private nature. As a result, members do not have a right to attend Executive Sessions. Some of the issues that are discussed in Executive Sessions are: Legal Issues, Formation of Contracts, Disciplinary Hearings, Personnel Issues, Payment of Assessments and Foreclosure.
An Executive Litigation Committee, What Is It?
An Executive Litigation Committee must be made up of Board Members but may exclude Board Members that have a personal interest or that are not honoring their Fiduciary Duty to the association in the said litigation.
Keeping Up With BOD Actions
The Board wants to keep our members informed of what the Board and committees have been discussing and working on during the fourth quarter. The following information is from the draft minutes of the BOD meeting on October 15, 2011 at Ralston Management. All Board members were present.
There was an Open Forum with Hector Viray, Supervisor, Riverside County Code Enforcement, who had requested to touch base with the HOA regarding our BMPs. A copy of that discussion is attached to the minutes.
The Minutes for the August 13, 2011 RGO HOA BOD meeting were read by the Secretary and accepted with no changes by the Board.
The Treasurer's Report was read from the August, 2011 and the September, 2011 Balance Sheets by the Treasurer and accepted with no changes by the Board.
The ARC and CEAM Reports were given.
The Reserve Study was briefly discussed by the Board. It was decided that we request that Michael Graves, SCT Reserve Consultant Specialist, come to the next BOD Meeting to be held in January of 2012.
The Board Reviewed the HOA Budget for 2012: Luci Ralston stated that the figures were based on raising the assessments by the 5% and 20% allowable by law. A motion was made to raise the assessments by the amounts of 5% and 20% allowable by law. The motion was seconded. A vote was taken and the Board approved the Budget for 2012 with the figures based on the raise in assessments and the 20% ($8,272.60) going into the line item for Contingency Expense and the 5% ($2,068.15) going into the line item Reserve Study.
The Board Discussed the Grant Process: No decisions were made regarding this issue.
Emergency Road Maintenance: No decisions were made regarding this issue.
Term Limits: A Board member wanted to discuss Board Term Limits but said she would wait for the outcome of the Lawsuit.
Posting the Minutes on the Website: A motion was made to post the minutes on the website. There was no second for the motion so the motion was dropped.
HOA Bid Process: An accusation was made by an association member that the Board was not following the rules for the Bid Process.
The response is the HOA has a bid policy in place. In speaking to several past Board members, they stated that for the last 15 to 22 years, the Board Policy for the Bid Process has always been for the CEAM (roads) Committee to obtain at least three (3) bids for maintenance, make the selection based on bids, qualifications and equipment availability, then inform the Board of the selection. We follow the guidelines for obtaining bids. Four (4) bids were obtained by the CEAM Chairman and the selection was submitted at the February 21, 2011 meeting as stated in the minutes. There have been no motions brought before the Board to change the bid process.
The Board Reviewed Delinquent Accounts: A motion was made to send a notice of lien to five (5) accounts that were in arrears. The motion was seconded and the Board voted to send a notice to lien the accounts.
A HOA member phoned Ralston Management to complain that a car traveling too fast on HOA roads hit his dog and almost hit him. He wanted the HOA to do something about it. Traffic issues are a police matter and the Board is advising the member to contact the Highway Patrol.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned to Executive Session at
5:54 pm.
Items discussed in Executive Session:
Waiving late fees and interest payments
The Fines Collection Policy for year-end disclosures to members
Applying for Grants in the name of the HOA
If you want detailed Board meeting minutes, you may request a copy from Ralston Management for a nominal fee.
Tips for Flower Gardening in Glenoaks
by Ethelene Owen
We have a unique situation in our area as we are in Zone 9 and should be able to grow practically anything. However, we have a lot of wind, lots of critters and water can be very expensive,. We have found that rabbits and deer do not care for scented foliage such as rosemary, scented geraniums, lavender and salvias (salvias and sages have over 900 different varieties with many native to our area). They also shy away from Marguerites, Mexican Bird of Paradise and African Daisies. Euphorbias, such as the Pencil Tree or Sticks of Fire, have a sap that repels critters. These plants also take little water once established.
If you choose to plant annuals, the heat loving Zinnias, Marigolds, Celosia, Geraniums, Petunias and Sunflowers do grow wonderfully here, though the rabbits love them. So get a large roll of chicken wire and make circles around your plants to protect them.
Some of the larger flowering plants that do well in spite of the rabbits are Lantana, Budlea, Potato Bush, Oleander and Hop Seed Bush. Summer bulbs that are somewhat safe are Society Garlic, Calla Lilies, Daylilies, Cannas and Cocosmias.
We have virtually everything, including our trees, on drip lines. It saves water and gets water to the roots of the plants where it is needed. Mulch really helps conserve water. Plants do not dry out in the wind; it keeps the roots cooler in summer and warmer in winter.
I love to talk flowers so feel free to call me or stop by with questions or to chat.
Board member, Tressa Coco, would like to tell the community that the County Planning Website for Landscape Design has great information and photos of native plants in "California Friendly Plant Lists: and that Ordinance 859 prohibits invasive species in MSHCP HANS areas such as ours.
Ralston Management
41874 Sixth Street, Temecula, CA 92590, Tel 951-296-9030, Email: rmgmt@ez2.net Member requests for any action must be a written request sent to Ralston Management.
Please make sure that the HOA (Ralston Management) has your current/correct phone numbers, where you can be reached for emergencies, (home and cell) and mailing address to receive HOA documents.
Posting of Agendas
Meeting Agendas are posted at Ralston Management, on the HOA website (www.ranchoglenoaks.com) and in a box at the HOA entrance on Loren Way, four (4) days before Board and Annual meetings. You can also call Ralston Management for the date, time and location of Board meetings if you want to attend.
Your Email Address
You can also have your Email address added to the general membership list. If you do not want your Email address distributed to all members, you must request that it is for Board use only and is not to be distributed to the general membership.
Newsletter Feedback
The BOD wants to know of additions you want and what you think of your Newsletter. If you have comments and/or questions about your Newsletter, write, call or Email Ralston Management.
