Monday, June 14, 2010

Annual 2010 Fourth of July Festivities at Tenaya Park

This year for the first time, we are planning our party in advance to get an accurate head count.
$10.00 Tri-tip Dinner includes Rice pilaf, Beans, Salad, and Drink
$5.00 Hot dog Dinner includes: Chips and Drink
Please bring a potluck dish that serves 8-10 people: Bring Hors d"oeuvres, Desserts and side dishes.
Here is a schedule of the Activities for the day:
12:00 p.m. Water slide/Bounce House, Kiddy pools, and pick-up sports (bring your gear)
5:30 p.m. Please bring Potluck Dishes and Cake Walk items to the park
6:15 p.m. Dinner and Potluck Buffet
7:15 p.m. Children's Patriotic Parade (prizes for best in show, originality and most patriotic).
7:30 p.m. Cake Walk
8:30 p.m. Basketball Court: Fireworks!!!! Safety First! Bring your own and you are responsible for your clean-up.

If you have any questions, please contact Janine @ 559-431-4233 or via email j9smunch@earthlink.net.
Please RSVP and buy your tickets by Saturday, June 19th. You can mail or drop donations off to Janine Gallego 1366 W. Tenaya Way. Volunteers are needed for setup, decorations, serving of potluck and cake walk. Please notify Janine if you would like to volunteer.

Our Tenaya Park neighbors are awesome, and we're looking forward to another relaxing Independence Day with our Family and Friends.

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Garage and bake sale

This is a reminder the Tenaya Park annual garage and bake sale will be held next Saturday, May 22, from 7 am to noon at the basketball court. We can arrange pickup of large items. You can drop off your items between 6 and 7 am, and you do not need to price the items or stay, although you are welcome to stay and help. Anything not sold will be donated to a local charity, and they will pick up all remaining items at noon.

This is a great chance to clean out that old stuff, and help the park financially.

All money collected will go towards park maintenance, and we appreciate your help. Monetary donations also are gratefully accepted.

Past garage/bake sales have generated about $1500 each, and have kept us above water financially.

drugs in the park

During the past three weeks, we have had increasing occurrences of students using and selling drugs, after school, on the south and west park walkways. The children tend to sit on the grass or on their skateboards for 15 - 20 minutes at a time. These areas are used primarily as their design limits sight from the park and the streets. Calls to the sheriff and direct confrontation have been less than effective.

To counteract this trend, I have adjusted to irrigation to wet those areas in the afternoons, shortly after school. Although the watering times are short, they are repeated, and are long enough to wet the grass and make it uncomfortable for furter drug related activities. No other areas of the park will be watered in the afternoon.

If you walk on the south or west walkways in the afternoons, you should not get wet as the sidewalks stay pretty dry. I would appreciate it if you recognize the children involved in drug activities to report them to their parents, the sheriff or me. I will be working with Bullard High to identify them as well, so we can contact the parents and have these activities removed from Tenaya Park.

Should you have other ideas of how to nip this in the bud, please feel free to call the park hotline, 228-3543 and leave me a message.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Tenaya Estates Board Meeting Minutes - April 7, 2010

A meeting of the Tenaya Estates Board of Directors was held Wednesday, April 7, 2010 at 3:00 p.m. at the Downing residence.

Board members present:
Vern Grant
Cynthia Downing
Paul Heath
Michael Jenkins
Janice Normart


Board member absent:
Jim McKelvey
Brad Stevens


A quorum of the Board of Directors was called to order at 6:05 p.m. with Vern Grant, President, presiding.

The minutes of the January 17, 2010, Board meeting were approved as presented.

Paul Heath had already presented the financial report at the April 3, 2010, Tenaya Estates homeowners meeting.

Vern Grant advised that John Alsdorf was requesting a 3% increase in his Park maintenance contract. The contract is cancellable with 30 days notice. Tree trimming will be removed from Alsdorf’s contract. Tree trimming will be subcontracted out to California Growing Concerns. It was moved, second, and approved to offer John Alsdorf a 1% increase for the first year of the renewed contract; 1% for the second year of the renewed contract; and 1% for the third year of the contract for a total increase of 3% over three years.

The Board discussed whether to have a garage and bake sale to raise money for the Park. It was agreed to schedule one if Carla Grant is willing to coordinate it.

Most of the routine maintenance in the Park is being done by Vern Grant. The Park reimburses Vern for equipment and supplies but doesn’t pay for labor. If the Park had to pay for labor, routine maintenance would cost a lot more.

The Board agreed we will try to work with Supervisor Judy Case and other supervisors to try and waive the remaining reserve requirement, opt out of PeopleSoft, and reduce administrative fees.

Tenaya Estates’ contract with the County renews every year. Jim McKelvey wants to accompany Paul Heath when meetings with the County about renewal begin. Jim’s concern is making sure that the contract corresponds to Tenaya Estates’ organizational documents.

The Board discussed light bulb replacement. It costs about $125 per light to hire a vendor to replace light bulbs. The light bulbs cost $15 per bulb plus the cost of labor. Paul Heath will ask the general liability insurance carrier if we can obtain casual labor coverage. Vern Grant will ask the Electric Motor Shop for a fixed cost to change light bulbs.

The Board agreed that Tenaya Estates should appeal the decision to change our non-profit status from 501(c)(3) to 501(c)(4).

On May 22, the Park will hold a bake and yard sale.

The Board then discussed issues surrounding use of the Park. Michael Jenkins will draft guidelines to be handed out to groups at the Park.

There being no further business to discuss, the meeting adjourned at 8:12 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
________________________________________
Cynthia Downing, Secretary

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Tenaya Estates Fiscal Report through April 1, 2010

Tenaya Estates Fiscal Report 4/03/10
For the period 7/1/09 to 4/1/10

Income
County Reimbursement $21,117.35
Donations 425.00
Expense Refund 200.00
Total Income $21,742.35

Expenses
Park Maintenance $11,250.00
Facilities and Grounds Repair 2,839.03
New Trees 672.00
Irrigation Water Expense 1,414.15
Electricity Expense 671.66
Liability Insurance 1,361.86
Administration Expense 410.00
Total Expenses $18,618.70

Balance in bank at 6/30/09 $ 7,045.29
Deposits from Income 21,742.35
Total Expenses (18,618.70)
Present Balance in Bank $10,168.94

Final Reimbursement from County for this Fiscal Year $ 5,012.76
Balance of funds available in County contract 5,023.87
Total Funds available (Money in bank plus final reimbursement) $15,181.70

Expected Expenses for 3 months remaining.
March – June Maintenance $5,000.00
Repair 1,000.00
Irrigation Water 2,000.00
Electricity 500.00
Administration 600.00
Total $9,100.00 (9,100.00)
Expected funds at Fiscal Year end $ 6,081.70

Special Note: During transition from County to Tenaya as bill payor, the County paid two bills to the city of Fresno for irrigation water that were later charged to our contract thus reducing funds available. We took over on paying all bills on 7/1/09 and they hadn’t paid for the 4/15/09 to 6/15/09 water bill which amounted to $1,581.65. Later in the year they mistakenly paid the 6/15/09 to 8/15/09 bill which amounted to $2,358.78. The total charged to our account was therefore $3,940.43. We are responsible for irrigation water and electricity expenses as part of our contract.

Tenaya Estates annual membership meeting minutes - April 3, 2010

The annual meeting of the Tenaya Estates homeowners was held on Saturday, April 3, 2010, at 10:00 a.m. at the Park.

The meeting was called to order at 10:05 a.m. with Vern Grant, President, presiding.

Vern Grant appointed Janine Gallegos to head the Elections Committee. The Elections Committee was charged with counting the secret written ballots that had been received for election of the Tenaya Estates Board of Directors.

Paul Heath presented the financial report for the period from July 1, 2009, through April 1, 2010. It was noted that the Internal Revenue Service has designated Tenaya Estates as a 501(c)(4) which means that donations to the Park are not tax deductible.

Vern Grant reported on Park repairs and maintenance. Replacement of the playground flooring is needed but will be expensive. Additional drainage systems are also needed. The Board will continue to manage repairs and maintenance on an extremely tight budget.

The question of liability and responsibility for fixing sidewalks was discussed. It was agreed that the Tenaya Estates Board would send a letter to the County requesting clarification of this question.

Jim McKelvey reported on the possibility of annexation to the City of Fresno. All annexations have been placed on hold pending resolution of a lawsuit brought by a property owner in Sunnyside. The lawsuit alleges that annexations violate Proposition 218 which requires a 2/3 vote to increase taxes because upon annexation, property owners are charged an override for City pensions without having voted in favor of the override. Until this issue is resolved, Tenaya Estates will not explore the possibility of annexation.

Carla Grant reported on the next garage and bake sale that is planned for May 22, 2010. She asked for volunteers to help with this fundraising event.

It was noted that Robin Stevens was retiring from her many years of service organizing the Park’s Fourth of July festivities. It was agreed to provide official appreciation to Robin for her work on the community’s behalf. Janine Gallego has volunteered to coordinate this year’s Fourth of July festivities and she will let neighbors know how they can help in the near future.

Park finances are extremely tight but it was agreed that Tenaya Estates should not attempt to increase assessments at this time.

Janine Gallego reported on the results of the annual election to the Tenaya Estates Board of Directors. 38 ballots were cast in the election, meeting the quorum requirement in the Tenaya Estates Bylaws. The following Board members were elected to serve 2-year terms:

Vern Grant, President
Paul Heath, Treasurer
Cynthia Downing, Secretary
Michael Jenkins
Jim McKelvey
Janice Normart
Brad Stevens

There being no further business to discuss, the annual membership meeting adjourned at 11:20 a.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Cynthia Downing, Secretary

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Tenaya Estates annual meeting on April 3, 2010, at 10:00 a.m.

It's time for the annual Tenaya Estates homeowners meeting. The meeting will be held on Saturday, April 3, at 10:00 a.m. at the Park. At this meeting, the Board will report on Park finances and operations. We will also vote on the 2010-2012 Board of Directors. The current slate of nominees for the 2010-2012 Board is:

Vern Grant, President
Paul Heath, Treasurer
Cynthia Downing, Secretary
Michael Jenkins
Jim McKelvey
Janice Normart
Brad Stevens

The Tenya Estates Board meets four times a year. If anyone is interested in serving on the Board, please let Cynthia Downing know by noon on Monday, March 22.

Turnout at our annual meetings has been low so we plan to mail ballots to the neighbors in the hopes of improving the elections process. The names of additional nominees for the Board (if any) will be included on the ballot that will be mailed on March 22. Ballots can be returned by mail or in person to Cynthia Downing, 1214 W. Tenaya, Fresno, CA, 93711. Ballots must be returned by 10:00 a.m. on April 3, 2010, to be eligible to be counted. Each household is entitled to one ballot. Ballots will remain sealed until the April 3 meeting. At the April 3 meeting, an Elections Committee will be appointed to open and count the ballots and announce the results of the election.

If you have any questions between now and then, please don't hesitate to let Cynthia Downing know. Otherwise, we hope to see you on April 3.