Jackie Ryan, News Staff
The OVA Board of Directors unanimously approved updated election rules to reflect current state laws and regulations for California homeowner associations. The revisions were posted last month to the membership for the required 28-day review period. The most significant change for Oakmont’s election rules is the inclusion of electronic or written secret balloting.
Video: 1-21-2025 Board Meeting
General Manager Christel Antone said electronic balloting, which requires a 90-day notice, will not be used in the 2025 board elections in April, but will most likely be available to members in 2026. For members who choose to do so, voting electronically will require them to opt-in to the provision. Specific guidelines for using the electronic process are detailed in the Davis-Stirling Act.
The Board also appointed five members to the Governing Documents Committee (GDC) and three to the Long Range Planning Committee (LRPC). GDC members are Josh Axelrod, Monica Health, Neill Ray, David Simpson and Dorothy Stuebner. Bern Lefson was appointed at a previous meeting. New LRPC members are Judy Passaglia, Peg Stone and Darlene Miller.
In a brief President’s Report, Heidi Klyn gave an update of the Central Complex Master Planning process. She said next steps will include cost modeling as well as a “deeper dive into the components within the concepts and options” to ensure members have a detailed comparison of alternatives to determine the best alignment with community goals and aspirations.
Klyn said significant work remains to refine options and evaluate alternatives. “Going forward, the board will identify volunteers (to work with the project) who have relevant expertise who can contribute to the process,” she said. “We want to serve the best interests of the entire community.”
At-a-Glance Summary January 21, 2025 OVA Board Meeting
Harriet Palk, News Staff
East Rec Center Patio Furniture Purchase
Approval of the expenditure of $26,000 for the purchase of new patio furniture for the East Recreation Center and authorizing the General Manager to execute the necessary agreements to facilitate the purchase has been tabled until February meeting. Manager Christel Antone said she will gather historical data on the furniture purchases and draft bracketed cost options. She said she will include questions and suggestions from members she has received on the issue.
Committee and Task Force Reports
Firewise: The group is finding ways to augment firewise education and activities within other task forces. They are reaching out to OVA Garden Club to do further firewise awareness in plants and location of plants. Four OVA firewise assessors attended a two-day certification program and received an additional firewise home hardening defensible space assessment certification sponsored by Cal Fire (all current assessors have firesafe Sonoma Wildfire Assessment Certification). There has been an increase in educational firewise assessment requests for individual OVA homeowners by having Firewise speakers at Oakmont clubs and events.
Environmental Stewardship is continuing efforts to improve stewardship of Oakmont’s land, plants, waste, energy and water. The Adopt-A-Creek project involves removing invasive species and overgrown vegetation from nine Oakmont creeks for the purpose of reducing opportunities for erosion, flooding and fire damage. They are urging all to help Oakmont reduce its landfill, improve recycling, reduce greenhouse gas emissions by composting and help OVA comply regulations for mandatory composting. An article in the Oakmont News gave specific ideas and reminders of zero-low waste principles for a sustainable holiday season. In collaboration with Recology, the Waste Management Team continues to refine a “Best Practices/Recommendations for Waste Management” document to be used for informed waste reduction actions Oakmont-wide. Six buckeye trees were planted near the oak saplings below the former parcourse area. The committee has submitted a proposal to the Community Garden Board seeking approval to add a scaled-down Native Grasses Demo Garden around the native plant garden.