MEETING MINUTES

Belmont Shore Residents Association

MINUTES

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING

September 13, 2012

The meeting was called to order by Secretary Jeff Miller at 6:05 pm. The other members of the Executive Board present were: Max Alavi, Chrisjeon Clemmer, Aileen Colon, Julie Dean, Vice President Terence Endersen, Marvin Jones, Treasurer Robert O'Connor, and Robert Stropky. President Kurt Borsting and Executive Board member John Forstrom were absent. Twenty-one additional BSRA members and visitors were present.

Ballots for the Executive Board election were distributed to members as they arrived.

The agenda for this meeting and the minutes of the August 9 meeting were approved.

Bay Shore Librarian Debi Gurley-Vilander explained how the proposed city budget will affect the library. Bay Shore will remain a "full-service" library; however staff has been greatly reduced. There will be only one Librarian. There will no longer be a Children's Librarian and the children's reading program will be discontinued as well.

LBPD East Division Commander Michael Beckman reported the details of the violent crimes listed on the Belmont Shore Crime Report for August, three assaults and one robbery. He provided some statistics on crime frequency trends, noting that while violent crimes in the East Division have decreased slightly, property crimes have increased by over twenty percent. There were forty-one arrests in Belmont Shore in August. The top three types of citations were public drunkenness, urinating in public, and theft of recyclables. The Commander noted the importance of citizens' reporting crimes, and detailed two examples of burglars apprehended as a result of calls from the public.

There was no BSBA report, as Dede Rossi was not present.

There was no Third District Council report, as no city representative was present.

There was no Parking Commission report, as Eric Forsberg was not present.

Secretary Miller announced the Executive Board election and asked for additional nominees; none were offered. Members were asked to cast their votes. He reported the mailing in August of two hundred meeting notices and membership renewal requests, at a cost of $90 for postage, with a return of 94 memberships and one donation, for a total of $970.

Treasurer O'Connor reported an account balance of $2,281 and the purchase of a new insurance policy with a savings of approximately $500 from the previous policy.

Vice President Endersen explained the issue of kite surfing vendors on the beach, which has been a topic at the Beach Subcommittee meetings recently. He described the concerns about the activities and permits involved; a discussion followed. The consensus was support for kite surfing instructional activity by vendors, but opposition to permanent or temporary structures and vehicles on the beach. A motion to support kite surfing instruction and request enforcement of vendor permits was approved. A second motion to oppose additional retail vendors and permanent or temporary structures or vehicles on the beach was also approved.

Secretary Miller received the Executive Board election results from Jim Ostach, who served as the election monitor and counted the votes. The results are: President: Bobby Bluehouse, Vice President: Terence Endersen, Secretary: Jeff Miller, Treasurer: Robert O'Connor, Members at Large: Max Alavi, Chrisjeon Clemmer, Julie Dean, Frank Elizondo, John Forstrom, and Marvin Jones. There remains one vacant Members at Large position.

Ryan Hoover from Acapulco Inn spoke about plans to install a portable gas-fired barbecue grill behind the business, to be used from 11am to 7:30pm. He answered questions about their plans and spoke about their intention to upgrade their food service from the "deli space" now being used.

Marvin Jones announced the city's plans to add additional "one-way" signage at various intersections in the Shore, as a result of his campaign to improve safety.

A resident noted that Rob Stropky was leaving the BSRA Board and thanked him for his service and especially for leading the BSRA's tree planting project. Board members joined in thanking Rob and expressed the hope that he will lead another tree-planting initiative soon.

Vice President Endersen described the smart phone app "GO Long Beach" and recommended it for its usefulness in the Shore.

The meeting was adjourned at 7:30 pm.

Submitted by:

Jeff Miller, Secretary