Two of the most talked-about items at Thursday night's Board of Directors meeting included the reorganization of the board and PG&E updates on projects and testing procedures.
Board Reorganization
After walking the audience through a timeline of unsteady leadership over the years, board member Arthur Wydler presented his plan to return consistency to the board by resigning — and then being appointed to a new role.
That way the board avoided having too many vacancies at one time.
The board appointed him to serve as president, filling the spot left vacant by the of past President Kathy Martins as the association's paid administrator.
“I do feel that it’s in the best interest of the association, and we can now move forward with no disruptions,” Wydler said.
Martins was hired as an interim administrator to replace Nancy Van Huffle, who resigned sooner than expected due to health issues. The transition left an empty spot on the five-member board.
Terms are for three years, and members are elected in a staggered "2-2-1" format. Two members are elected at a time, followed by one, to prevent a majority of new members on the board at a given time. Members said there is a long learning curve and that it usually takes about a year to get completely comfortable with all the rules and regulations.
However, recent changes have complicated this arrangement.
With no elections scheduled until the end of the year, Martin's vacant spot and Wydler and Bieschke’s terms set to end in a few months, it left the possibility that three inexperienced members could end up on the board at one time.
Their solution: Have Wydler resign.
After audience members made comments in support of this idea, the board made the motion. The new organization of the board is as follows:
- Arthur Wydler - President
- Diane Wydler - Vice President
- Margaret Wright - Secretary/Treasurer
- Wulf Bieschke
PG&E Updates
Alicia Bert, PG&E Government Relations Manager, attended the meeting to present updates of PG&E projects going on in the area.
The gas and electric company announced its completed purchase of a site on Grant and Washington avenues, where a pipeline inspection gauge (PIG) is to be installed.
Bert said the Alameda County Redevelopment Agency required that it clean up the area before beginning installation. They plan to do so next week.
Landscaping will be added around the site to soften the wall that will be built to protect the PIG. Though no final decision has been made on a design, Bert says PG&E is working closely with the county and community and promised to inform them on the ongoing schedule of maintenance.
She also updated the board and community on the status of PG&E’s hydrostatic testing of a transmission line running through San Lorenzo. The company recently put the gas pipeline under a water pressure test, monitored it for eight hours, and found that it held up fine.
To view past agendas and minutes, click here or visit the San Lorenzo Village Homes Association website.
