Santa Fe Trail Ranch POA
Regular Board Meeting
August 12, 2006 9:00 AM
FPFPD Station 3 (on Fox Trail)

Directors:		Present	Absent
	Bob Scott, President
	Bob Dye, Vice President
	John Albert, Vice President
	John Sanders, Secretary
	Nancy Allred, Treasurer
	Diana Novacek
	Don Ruward
	Tony Riley
	Rick Kinder

Guests:  Carol Rawle, Betty Withington, Betty Ruward, Ann Scott, Tom Stephens, John Woods, Linda Brown, John Noard, Jim Davis, Bill Wenstrom, Ken Dochtor.

Agenda

1. CALL TO ORDER – Bob Scott called this meeting of the Board to order at 9:01 AM.
    
2. PROOF OF NOTICE – Bob Scott gave proof that proper notice of the meeting had been given.
    
3. ROLL CALL & DETERMINATION OF QUORUM – Eight (8) of the nine (9) board members were present, which made a quorum and all business official.
    
4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – Bob Dye moved to approve the minutes of the May 13, 2006 Special Meeting.  The motion carried.  Don Ruward moved to approve the minutes of the May 13, 2006 Regular Board Meeting.  The motion carried.  Don Ruward moved to approve the minutes of the July 7, 2006 Special Board Meeting.  The motion carried.
    
5. OLD BUSINESS
    
   1. COMMITTEE REPORTS
       
      1. COMMON AREA
          
         1. ROAD SUBCOMMITTEE – John Albert reported that the Mountain View resurfacing project has been completed.  Due to increased material costs, the committee has spent approximately $236,000 of its $239,000 budget.  The remaining $3000 will be reserved for any snow removal required before the end of the calendar year.  The committee will meet later this year to plan and prioritize projects for 2007.
             
         2. RANCHING SUBCOMMITTEE – Bob Scott reported that a Colorado state statute might require the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad to maintain the fencing along its right-of-way.  If so, the POA’s attorney will be contacting the company regarding its responsibility.  It was also suggested that pressure might be applied via the County to force the BNSF Railroad to spray thistles on the right of way.
             
      2. COMMUNICATIONS - John Sanders reported that the work to consolidate the multiple POA databases is still in progress.
          
      3. EMERGENCY SERVICES – Bob Dye reported that efforts are underway to update the residency listing, the Ranch Hot Line received approximately 150 calls per month during May and June, and that 22 residents attended a recent Smoke Spotter training session.
          
      4. FOREST HEALTH / WILDFIRE MITIGATION – Diana Novacek reported that the 2005 Wildland Urban Interface Grant monies awarded to SFTR have been utilized and the required paperwork for reimbursement has been completed.  The paperwork will be submitted to CSU Office of Sponsored Programs for reimbursement to SFTR as soon as our CSFS District Forester has reviewed and signed the paperwork.  The 2005 WUI grant monies was utilized for the preparation of the SFTR Community Wildfire Protection Plan and defensible space mitigation by eighteen SFTR property owners who were approved for cost share reimbursement through the 2005 WUI grant by our CSFS District Forester.  As per the BOD decision during the November 2005 Board of Director’s meeting the grant funds will be deposited in a separate SFTR-POA account established for the sole purpose of funneling SFTR grant monies; thus separating grant funds from other sources of POA revenue.
          

         The FH/WM Committee has heard unofficially that the SFTR has been awarded three WUI grants for the 2006 grant cycle.  Two grants, totaling $59,524, have been awarded to extend the shaded fuel break between SFTR and VPR on the SFTR southern aspect of the western ranch boundary.  The third grant for $9,158 has been awarded for information/educational purposes.

         The committee is currently working on the necessary paperwork to receive a 501(c)(3) non-profit status which will enable the committee to apply for additional granting opportunities; especially private foundation grant funds.

         The committee is in the process of hopefully this fall scheduling a hydro-axe contractor to be available for mitigation work on SFTR private property.  To date twelve SFTR property owners have expressed interest in this hydro-axe project.

         The FH/WM chairperson expressed concern that not all SFTR property owners are submitting in-kind for private property mitigation ground work to the committee.  The committee needs both hard and soft dollar in-kind to support it’s grant writing and funding efforts for the SFTR.  A discussion ensued concerning how the committee might gain additional co-operation including utilization of the SFTR website to again request donation of labor and out of pocket expenses to the committee and link to the expense and instruction forms found on the FH/WM Committee website.

         The committee has assumed responsibility for providing an educational event associated with the annual membership meeting to be held in October.  Dr. Merrill Kaufmann, of the USDA Rocky Mountain Research Station has agreed to speak at the event.

      5. ADDRESS CHANGE – Tony Riley reported that most of the work is complete, although some new street signs are still on order and some signposts still need modification.
          
      6. FINANCE – Nancy Allred reported that $62,000 in annual dues is still outstanding, and as a result, we are forced to use funds, which have been earmarked as "emergency reserve" since their carryover, in order to meet our budget obligations and continue providing services to the residents.  Nancy will instruct our Accountant to update and file, or re-file liens on all properties that are in arrears as soon as possible, and Bob Scott has contacted the POA Attorney to determine what subsequent steps, such as foreclosure, can be taken to collect these dues.  It was suggested that mortgage holders may be a source of payment, as well.  Until these delinquent funds are collected, no Board members are to authorize the expenditure of non-budgeted funds without prior approval of the President and Treasurer.
          
6. NEW BUSINESS
    
   1. WILD PLUM LANE CUL-DE-SAC – John Albert moved that the POA enter into an agreement with the owner of lot C8 to recognize that the Wild Plum Lane cul-de-sac is on his property, and to establish a permanent easement agreement with the POA.  The motion carried and John Albert will draft the agreement.
       
   2. CBM RESPONSE – Several owners have asked the Board to comment on the recent letters sent to them by a coal bed methane developer.  Let us state this as clearly as possible:

      THE CURRENT BOARD, REPRESENTING THE INTERESTS OF SFTR PROPERTY OWNERS, IS UNANIMOUSLY OPPOSED TO CBM DRILLING OR DEVELOPMENT OF ANY KIND, ANYWHERE ON OUR RANCH, NOW OR AT ANY TIME IN THE FUTURE.

      Concerned property owners should make sure that all future board members represent their interests, as it is the elected Board that makes decisions on these matters, not a vote by individual property owners.

7. FROM THE FLOOR
    
   1. Linda Brown asked about the status of the proposed pavilion on the Gallinas Creek conservancy.  Jim Davis reminded us that the POA does not own the land, but is leasing it from the owner with the responsibility of managing it according to the lease.  The POA, as lessee and manager, must approve any construction on the property.  The POA will consider plans for any construction at a future meeting.
       
   2. Bill Wenstrom asked about the continued use of state lottery funds for noxious weed control on the Gallinas Creek conservancy.  Nancy Allred will meet with Bob T. Scott to add a budget line item to show this detail.
       
8. DATE OF NEXT MEETING - October 14, 2006 at a time and location to be announced.
    
9. ADJOURNMENT – Bob Dye moved that the meeting be adjourned. The motion carried and the meeting was adjourned at 10:37 AM.

Submitted in draft form by John Sanders, Secretary, on August 13, 2006.