Present Board Members:
 Connie Curtiss (CC)
 Eileen Glover (EG)
 Erika Mott (EM)
 Jerry Mills (JM)
 Leo Slaton (LS)
 Catriona Smith (CS)
 Walt Thompson (WT)

Absent Board Members:
 Lee Bass (LB)
 Ken Beck (KB)
 

WT called the meeting to order at 7:15 PM.

WT polled board members for additional agenda items.
· Volente Beach Club (VBC) history with VNA.
 

· Lake Travis Committee:  CS did not get the permits for our neighborhood marinas yet from LCRA. CC volunteered to get those copied. Marina permits which will be copied are;
· Cypress Creek
· Anderson Mill
· Riviera
· VIP
· Highland Lakes
· Dodd Street
· Sandy Creek
A request will also be made for any pending permit applications in case there are any new applications.

Marina permits will be put on the website – as far as VNA/marina agreements and the hard copies of the whole permit and application information will be filed at the VVFD so that they can be available if someone in the community wishes to review them.

CS will double-check that VNA are on the mailing list for notifications from LCRA.

CS called COA about status of Wet n’ Wild site plan revision – COA did not have anything in hand at this time from Wet n’ Wild. CS is on COA mailing list as POC for VNA when public notices are mailed out. CS has not received anything on Wet n’ Wild.

LS was not able to get in touch with VBC to ask them about Wet n’ Wild lease.

LS will have ability to run E.coli tests on lake water in his home in the next couple of weeks. LCRA are to bring him the equipment as part of the Lake Watch Program.

VBC/VNA history – EM recapped some of the history of negotiations with VBC, which started back in 1993. At that time VBC was trying to get a liquor license, which was ultimately granted. 1996 agreement between VBC/VNA is on the website.

VNA letters to VBC, LCRA, attorneys and others consistently show that VNA were trying to ensure that VBC remained in compliance with the agreement that VNA/VBC had.
· Water testing – is continuing according to schedule– see website
· Uniform officer on busy weekends – not sure of status of this as it is off season time
· Protected swim area was rejected by residents in cove since it would block their access
· PWCs – expansion definition issue – LCRA legal looked at definition – negotiations resulted in some ramps being moved to other side of store, some were relocated to courtesy slips and some remained due to ADA issue.
· Parking lot issue – Originally neighbors wanted VBC to have more parking – it was difficult for VBC to purchase more land in area. Most controversial due to timing, method of clearing, traffic routing and little consideration for surrounding neighbors.  Many meetings, letters to COA etc occurred without residents coming to VNA for assistance. 9/1999 several residents (Martha Norris, Roe Fleenor etc) came to VNA after clearing and VNA wrote to COA asking them to bring it into compliance – site was red-tagged by county and city.
· Grandfathering of VBC is a gray area needing more definition as far as possible actions if an incorporation came into effect. CC commented that perhaps incorporation would help with regulation for VBC/VIP.  This is unclear, as we don’t know what could be grandfathered.

As far as it looks right now (maybe apart from the parking lot issue), VBC/VIP are in compliance with agreement. VNA does not have any other authority to enforce anything on VBC. LCRA have only limited enforcement ability.

· Treasurer’s Report:  EM reported $4,544.61

· Membership Committee:  EM reported 43 paid members for 2002. EM suggested coming up with something like a refrigerator magnet with VNA logo and Volente #s on it such as fire dept, sheriff etc, to give out at AGM when people pay dues. Or to mail to members. Also suggested was cozies and floating key chains.

WT – General membership meeting will be 4/9/02, and suggestions for speaker welcome. In an effort to attract more people, EM suggested having DPS come out and offer free fingerprinting for kids as a method to identify them if anything ever happened and CS suggested free VIN # etching for cars (DPS).

· Roadways/Safety Committee:  Wildland Fire – interface – where residential land butts up against preserve etc. Preserves generally don’t have firebreaks so fire dept. can only protect the immediate area around the interface. Fire depts. and sanctuaries are working on cooperative plan to provide residents with information on how to protect their property – clear cedars from direct area around house etc. Possible topic for speaker at AGM.

· Community Relations Committee: waiting for update on landscaping plans, then submit plans to county. Also want to ask county to make a sign identifying Volente Park.

· VNA sign – Need an auger to dig a deep enough hole for support. WT motion that VNA authorize more money for renting hole-digging equipment/person. CS seconded. All in favor.

Business & Development Committee:  WT stated petition is circulating, small group meetings continue and CC said that SOV had stated they were to turn in the petition to COA this week. (CS contacted Ben Luckens with COA planning and he had not received it as of 2/7/02). CS commented that she had tried to be invited to a small meeting, and EM reported that her husband Bob had also requested information to attend a meeting and both had been refused due to their difference of opinion. CS commented that Bob Tintsman was willing to meet with her and also come to a VNA board meeting to discuss SOV and incorporation status. CS will try to schedule that for next board meeting.

VNA have invited SOV twice to come and attend board meeting or open forum with no success. WT believes VNA have failed the community in not being able to pass on information about incorporation updates. If COA follows through with SOV request for 30-day turn around on petition, issue may come up for a vote in May. WT wants to know what VNA board will do about the issue. LS commented that VNA have done a lot of informational distribution through public meetings and newsletters. JM feels that VNA has an obligation to the community to provide available facts and opinions.

CC does not know if VNA should express opinion either way but should provide facts and options to community. She is not aware of the alternatives to this type of incorporation (such as LPA, etc).
General consensus is VNA can be opposed to what is going on from the standpoint that this type of incorporation will result in splitting the community. JM is in favor of incorporation but thinks the boundaries should be decided with the input and inclusion of the residents of the whole Volente area. LS thinks VNA should remain neutral but should explain the facts to the community through newsletters and meetings. He would like to see the options of LPA expressed and discussed.

WT commented on tax base - that most recently incorporated areas have a lot of business to support the city with sales tax. Volente does not have that option. Also LPA would get zoning and enforcement by the COA without additional taxes. Neighborhood can “lobby” COA to agree to their requests for control. COA have 6 month by law to respond to the SOV petition.

EM commented that VNA have been accused of not doing enough as far as VBC goes but when VNA try to address incorporation they are met with a lack of cooperation on the part of SOV. JM thinks board should take a position either in favor or not  - concerned that remaining neutral does not necessarily get the message across. Commanche Trail Community is LPA – VNA will try to get some information from them on how that was accomplished and how it is working. JM commented on dry-dock storage that was proposed in Commanche Trail but stopped due to ability of LPA to lobby zoning through COA.

EM/LS motion that VNA write to SOV requesting they join in a discussion of the issues and provide information for sharing. Also that VNA will be putting out a newsletter detailing the three options (incorporate, LPA or do-nothing) and wish to get input from SOV. Then VNA will host a public meeting. Request that VNA be on SOV’s mailing list for newsletters and meetings etc. All correspondence will be copied to board.

WT (as VNA president) will write to SOV requesting above by 2/11/02. Newsletter will be published by 2/28/02 detailing available information. Public meeting at VVFD is scheduled for 3/21/02. Motion seconded (JM). All in favor.

WT final comments, that if an individual comments on his/her own opinions should provide a distinction that these are not the opinions of the VNA board, but of the individual.
 

Meeting adjourned at 9:35 PM