Minutes

I. Refreshments were served and approximately 35 persons greeted each other until the meeting was called to order.

II. Welcome

At 7:30 pm Dan Grassetti, President of NHPA, welcomed persons to the annual meeting and introduced Katie (Catherine) McLane, Principal of Kaiser Elementary School.

Principal McLane indicated she was working to have the Oakland Unified School District install lighting at the upper field, which will provide more parking for guests at night meetings. She also thanked neighbors for their support of the elementary school, including Susan Simonds, President of the PTA, and Marlene Eastman and David White, volunteer tutors. She encouraged more north Oakland hill area families to choose to send their children to Kaiser Elementary School.


Principal McLane		Shirley Roberson

Shirley Roberson announced that more homeowners should learn the "dos" and "don'ts" of obtaining adequate homeowners'insurance and encouraged NHPA members to look at the website info@unitedpolicyholders.org David Kessler, steering committee member, is helping to edit text on the website. Those interested in serving on a committee with Shirley Roberson to publicize the website and add to its content are invited to contact Shirley.

III. Reflections on the Activities of the NHPA in 2004

President Grassetti listed the accomplishments of the Association and thanked the following individuals whose volunteer service has improved the responsiveness of UC and Berkeley and Oakland officials and employees to neighborhood concerns. The membership is strong and the association is on a firm financial footing. The City of Oakland has taken notice of the NHPA as an articulate representative of north hill area residents and homeowners. Design Review is being followed more diligently by City staff with the involvement of Marcia Olsen. Richard Grassetti has promoted staff enforcement of the Creek Preservation Ordinance. John Eastman routinely notifies interested members (through Open Forum) to express concerns about applications for building permits and variances. John is also carrying on the legacy of Bruce Black to develop a network of hill area trails and pathway easements. Road safety and traffic concerns are being addressed because of the indefatigable advocacy of Vice President Judy Proller.

The trade-off between removing flammable vegetation and preventing erosion is an ongoing discussion by those on the Fire Prevention Assessment District advisory board. Discussion was raised regarding the effect of allowing large houses with lesser landscaping to be built since the Fire, which results in more run-off without adequate drainage capacity. Oakland Public Works Director Raul Godinez II has offered to be a guest speaker at the March 21, 2005 NHPA steering committee meeting to address issues that might be our concerns including objectives for the proposed Storm Drain Master Plan and ways to better implement our goals in the work of the City's Traffic Engineering Division.

The emergency communications and warning system of the NHPA is being improved. Individuals are encouraged to notify neighbors to join the NHPA to expand the participation in the emergency notification system.

Dan thanked those who participated and helped plan the major community events of the year: the Candidates' Forum before the local election; the Firestorm Memorial Ceremony; and the enhancement of the Gateway Interpretive Plaza with the Earth Day volunteer effort fostered by Gordon Piper to weed and maintain the landscaping at Hiller Drive and Tunnel Road. With the NHPA donation Gordon will arrange to install a fountain at the site within a month. The December 22, 2004 "town hall" meeting at Kaiser School had over 75 persons in attendance and engendered a lively discussion between hill area and east Oakland neighborhood associations, Mayor Brown, Councilmembers Brunner and Quan, and representatives of the Oakland Police Department. Neighbors suggested a follow-up meeting, perhaps in the Spring, to hear how the Police Department will deter thefts, vandalism, and other crimes in 2005 and beyond.

Applause was given to Vallery Feldman for publishing the NHPA newsletter and managing the membership database. Howard Matis was recognized for his management of the website and the Treasury. Jan Young was thanked for being the 2004 Recording Secretary. Dolores Bermak was thanked "in absentia" for being an active member; healing thoughts were sent her way.

Broader membership participation is encouraged in the future and individuals are invited to contact a board member with a good idea, new project, or offer of time to volunteer on a particular issue.

IV. 8:15 pm Judy Proller introduced Guest Speaker, Tom Klatt, UC Berkeley

Vice-President Judy Proller enthusiastically introduced Tom Klatt, Manager of the University of California's Wildfire Mitigation Program, within the Office of Emergency Preparedness, UC Berkeley Police Department. Tom Klatt earned a bachelor's degree in the Conservation of Natural Resources and a Master of Business Administration at the University of San Francisco. He developed the Campus Response Plan, conducted training for faculty and policy makers in emergency response, and has sought grants to improve emergency preparedness. Tom has taken on the reduction of Eucalyptus trees in the Claremont Canyon and Strawberry Canyon areas and along Grizzly Peak Boulevard with fervent energy. Tom presented slides showing the cooperative projects performed with the Claremont Conservancy, the phased elimination of Eucalyptus trees in the areas below and along Grizzly Peak and Claremont Avenue, and projects completed and planned through 2006 with the cooperation of EBMUD, PG&E, the City of Oakland, the East Bay Regional Park District, and the US Fish & Wildlife Service. He answered questions about the objective to keep logs and chipped materials on the site to deter the re-growth of eucalyptus and the challenge of poison oak. While some areas seem scalped, several members of the NHPA board hope that natural understory of oak, laurel, and bay trees may thrive within several years. Tom Klatt has arranged for the removal of 17 abandoned vehicles in the canyon and has tried to install recycled logs along several of the road shoulders to discourage punks from pushing cars over the edge in the future. Tom appreciates volunteer groups and community organizations that want to enhance the efforts to reduce fire threats in the area and promote stewardship of the open space adjacent to UC Berkeley land. If you have further questions, or can offer funding to continue these projects, please contact Tom by telephone at (510) 642-1258 or by e-mail at tklatt@berkeley.edu.

V. Election of 2005 Officers

David Kessler introduced the nominees (running without opposition) who were elected for the coming year. David offered to help the new president and invited members of the NHPA to attend the steering committee meetings which will be held on Monday, February 14^th, and in future months, on the third Monday of each month. The time and place of these meetings will be announced on the website "Open Forum".

Officers for 2005: President – Anne Seasons

Vice President – Judy Proller

Recording Secretary – Aileen Frankel

Treasurer, Webmaster, and Archivist – Howard Matis

Membership Secretary – Vallery Feldman

VI. Treasurer's Report

Howard Matis indicated that dues have been increased to $40 this year, but he wonÕt turn away renewals at $35 for those who are responding this week to the out-of-date website figure. A sum of $7,200 were raised this past year that covered $3,700 for the newsletter and $1,300 for mailings and meeting expenses. A small amount remains in the bank in a money-market fund. The $1,000 donation to the Gateway Emergency Exhibit Center fountain will be paid over a two-year period.

Gordon Piper offered his appreciation to the NHPA for the support of the Gateway Gardens and indicated that a California Re-leaf grant will help extend the irrigation system to enable the growth of more trees. Spring bulbs, planted by volunteers, should be blooming later on in 2005.

VII. Closing

Judy Proller presented out-going President with a gift certificate for outdoor gear to thank nature-loving Dan Grassetti for his enthusiastic service to the community in the past year. Dan answered several questions and the meeting adjourned at 8:58 pm.