Santa Fe Trail Ranch POA
Annual Property Owner's Association Meeting
October 16, 2004
Massari Auditorium – Trinidad State Junior College

Directors: Present Absent
  Ed Hockett, President  
  George Gonzalez  
  Flora Martinez  
  Diane Rader  
  Don Ruward  
  John Sanders  
  Robert Scott  
  Bill Wenstrom  
  Jerry Withington  

Guests:  Ann Scott, Mary Dye, Jim Davis, Kay Renshaw, Elizabeth Polasek, Dan Jondron, Carol Rawle, Dave Chatelain, Linda Austin, Denny Manifold, Sandy Manifold, Janet Woods, John Woods, D. Lee Phelan, Tom Stephens, June Stephens, Dave Skogberg, Paula Marshall, Larry Marshall, Dan Loin, Bob Gyde, Julene Gyde, John Albert, Genie Albert, Carol Bates, Frances Purswell-Montoya, Courtney McBride, Stan Bett, Paul Vircsik, Mary Jo Shelton, Mike Shelton, Sheryl Smith, Jim Smith, Chris Bolton, Michelle Minion, Betty Withington, Diana Novacek, Betty Ruward, Greg Lynott, Yvonne Lynott, Harriet Vaugeois, Ben Heath, Phillip Dunn, Vicki Mumma, Flora Martinez

Agenda

  1. CALL TO ORDER – Ed Hockett called this annual meeting to order at 9:11 AM.
     
  2. PROOF OF NOTICE – Ed Hockett gave proof that proper notice of the meeting had been given.
     
  3. ROLL CALL & DETERMINATION OF QUORUM – All nine (9) Board members were present, which made a quorum and all business official.  In addition, more than 10% of the membership was represented in person or by proxy.
     
  4. COLLECTION OF BALLOTS AND TALLY OF VOTES – John Sanders called for all votes and proxies.  In order to allow last-minute USPS mail proxies to be collected and counted, only the votes and proxies in hand were counted during the meeting, and only with respect to the board candidates.  John Sanders, Diane Rader, and Jolene Gyde counted the votes, and announced that all three candidates received more than the minimum required to be elected.  It was decided that all votes and proxies would be counted later.  (At that time, John Sanders, Diane Rader, and Jolene Gyde counted and verified all votes and proxies and reported the results to POA President Bill Wenstrom, who announced the results.  Click Here to see the tally for the special initiatives.)
     
  5. OLD BUSINESS
     
    1. Committee Reports: Ed Hockett passed out copies of the committee reports.
       
      1. Forest Health and Fire Mitigation:  Diana Novacek passed out a budget request for review.
         
      2. Common Area:  Jerry Withington reported on the cattle, fencing, and grazing.  The current lease allows up to 225 head of cattle, but due to poor conditions, only 142 head were brought onto the ranch.  Cattle will be removed starting next Saturday October 23rd.  Jerry reported that the grazing of grasses reduces wildfire danger.  In response to a request for the committee to review increased tax potential of not defining ranch as agricultural, it was reported that such a reclassification would increase taxes approximately 40%.  Also, it was pointed out that grazing is required in our covenants.  Diane Novacek pointed out that the grazing value of cattle with respect to fire mitigation.  Ed Hockett reinforced the value of grazing for fire mitigation and beneficial trail clearing with factual examples he personally experienced.  Paul Vircsik reinforced the fire safety benefits of grazing cattle.  Jerry Withington reported that 0.5 miles of fence is still waiting to be repaired due to the unavailability of the fencing contractor.  Joyce Wolff filed a report on the conservancy which was posted on the website.  Diana Novacek asked her about storm damage to the conservancy and the possibility of a volunteer clean-up effort.  Joyce will research the issue and report later.
         
      3. Communications:  George Gonzalez reported that the committee report was posted to the website.
         
      4. Covenant:  Don Ruward reported that the actions of the covenant committee were very limited this year, and focused mainly on efforts to pass the covenant change issue.
         
      5. Emergency Services:  Michelle Minion reported that the work of the committee in 2004 focused on maintenance and improving interfaces with authorities.  She mentioned that the emergency plan was put into action twice and worked well.  She reminded us of Eddie Gieske’s plan to use FRS channel 7 with a quiet code of 7 for communication on the ranch, and his efforts to acquire inexpensive radios for ESC and Neighborhood Watch efforts on the ranch.  Contact Eddie for more information.  Michelle also reminded everyone that in the event of an emergency: call 911 first, then contact your Area Leader (or someone else) so that they can meet the emergency vehicles at the gate to lead them to you.  Although these emergency services are continually provided with ranch maps, their continually changing personnel are unfamiliar with our roads.
         
      6. Budget:  Diane Rader reported that 8% of income for 2004 was still due and new liens are being processed.  Financial statements are posted on the website.
         
  6. NEW BUSINESS - All business was deferred to the Board formation meeting, which will follow this meeting.
     
  7. FROM THE FLOOR – None.
     
  8. DATE OF NEXT MEETING - The date of the 2005 Annual Meeting of the SFTR POA will be determined during the board formation meeting following this meeting, and will be announced in the minutes.
     
  9. ADJOURNMENT – Jim Davis moved that the meeting be adjourned.  The motion passed and the meeting was adjourned at 11:06 AM.

Submitted by John Sanders, Secretary and Don Ruward, on November 5, 2004