Minutes
Reston
Citizens Association
Board of
Directors Meeting
July 22,
2013
Attendees: Colin Mills,
Sridhar Ganesan, Connie Hartke*, Gary Walker, Tammi Petrine, John Hanley,
George Kain*, Joe Leighton*, Terry Maynard, Gary Lee Thomas (*Newly-elected Board
members)
1. Agenda: On a motion by Joe Leighton, seconded by
George Kain, the Board unanimously accepted the revised draft agenda (which
re-ordered some agenda items).
2. Minutes: The draft minutes, as revised, were approved
with the new members abstaining.
3. Treasurer’s
report: Colin Mills noted that the
Reston Accessibility Committee (RAC) had collected funds at the Reston Farm
Market. Next month, RCA will renew its
FCFCA membership. The Treasurer’s report
was adopted unanimously.
4. Election of RCA
Board Officers: John Hanley was
nominated and unanimously voted Vice President.
Joe Leighton volunteered to be Treasurer and was so elected by the Board
unanimously. After some discussion, the
Board agreed unanimously to handle the responsibilities of Secretary on a
rotating basis. Mills will provide a
list for the rotation through the next year.
5. Board views of
the year’s priorities: Colin Mills
noted that the last year had been very successful for RCA with the work of the
Board and Reston 2020 on community planning issues, including the proposed
recreation center, Soapstone crossing, etc.
He complimented the Board on its ability to work together, and asked
that each member identify what he/she thought should be the Board’s priorities
for the coming year. The following
topics were identified and discussed:
- Keeping an eye on the Reston National Golf Course issue despite the indefinite suspension
of developer efforts to re-develop the golf course.
- Fundraising was a
broadly acknowledged need for RCA, including issues of how to accomplish that,
developing community understanding of why they should contribute, etc. This discussion included following up on the
identified need to create a tax deductible 501(c)3 entity for RCA.
- Continue building
relationships with RA, ARCH, and other community groups, noting that
several Board members are also leaders in other community organizations.
- Advancing RCA’s work on the proposed Reston Recreation Center, especially issues concerning
its location and financing. The need to
involve the public in this effort was highlighted, given that the issue will
likely go to a bond referendum in November 2014.
- Staying on top of the
Reston master plan effort, both as Phase 1 closes by the end of the year
and the re-development of the village centers is put on the table in Phase 2.
- Finding volunteers willing and able to help with the multitude of initiatives that RCA is pursuing.
6. Election
Committee report. Sridhar Ganesan
provided an overview of the Election Committee’s report. Terry Maynard described how the features of
EXCEL were used to count the vote and validate the voters and candidates. There was a brief discussion of the handling
of a concern about outdated information on the RCA election webpage.
7. Board meeting
space for the coming year. Colin
Mills reported that RCC has stated that it will not provide free space for the
Board to meet at its facilities. He
noted that we should probably continue to rent the space ($18/monthly meeting)
through the end of the calendar year.
George Kain volunteered to explore with Supervisor Hudgins’ office the
feasibility of using the community room at the North County Government Center
(free) and other possible sites for the next year.
8. Maker Fair update. Gary Lee Thomas said that he would forego
discussing the Maker Fair in the interests of time.
9. Technology
report. Gary Walker reported on the
use of Monkey Chimp to disseminate the RCA newsletter by e-mail, including its
self-culling features, the high engagement rate of those receiving the
newsletter, and the “click through” rate to the RCA website. He discussed the use of Facebook and Twitter
social media to add to RCA’s outreach efforts and noted he would launch an RCA
Facebook page first.
10. Reston
Recreation Center update. Tammi
Petrine discussed an independent (non-RCA) committee she is heading that is
examining issues surrounding the recreation center proposal and developing
alternatives. She focused on the efforts
of two committee members who have identified profitable recreation
centers. She noted that in a discussion
of the rec center proposal at the last Reston Planning and Zoning Committee
meeting, people were generally unaware of the intention to use the Reston
special tax district as the funding mechanism for its construction and
operation. She highlighted the need to
make Restonians aware of the costs of the proposed center.
Terry Maynard suggested there were two key timeframes for
outreach to the community: late this
year before the RCC Board decides whether to proceed with a bond initiative and
late next year before the bond referendum vote in November 2014. Colin Mills noted that no progress has yet
been made in bringing together RA and ARCH with RCA—and potentially RCC—in
jointly studying the options for a new Reston recreation center.
11. Reston 2020
update. Terry Maynard highlighted
the presentation at the last Reston Task Force (RTF) meeting on transportation,
including its failure to define what a “network level of service” means and its
inattention to public transit, bicycling, walking, and the importance of new
connectors across the Dulles Corridor. He
also described his exchange of letters with BOS Chairman Sharon Bulova and
C/DPZ regarding the over-stated planning assumption that future office workers
will require 300 GSF of space each. He
noted that the RTF meeting on July 30 would focus on new draft language
regarding urban design and might have a revised parks and recreation section,
which was highly criticized in previous draft plan language.
12. Other business. There was no other business.
13. Next meeting. The next RCA Board meeting will by a 7:30PM,
August 26, 2013, at RCC—Hunters Woods.
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