August Newsletter Volume LIX, Issue 8 The Fiesta Bee President s Message By Joe D Agostino Hope everyone had a great Fourth of July! Judging by the turnout at our last Board Meeting many people extended their celebration into the following week. The Board continues to work hard fighting for your right to party, or I mean your rights as homeowners at Fiesta Gardens Homes Association. As our VP pointed out last month, we are spending too much money defending lawsuits where we have to ask why, and what is the point. We have no idea what the motivation is behind this except perhaps they enjoy spending your money. We do know that they will continue unless we do something about it. What can you do about this? I am glad you asked. It is very simple. When the vote goes out to the membership for the revisions to the Governing Documents, just VOTE; plain and simple!!! Do not listen to the rhetoric we are sure will come again once this is in process. If you have questions please, contact me. I will be happy to explain to every single member why we need to get these documents approved. Perhaps, if we can put this stuff behind us, it may allow Board members, like me, to spend more time enjoying the summer and not running between court dates. Please remember the Board is made up of homeowners, living in the same neighborhood as you. We volunteer our time to be on this Board and to work on behalf of all the owners at Fiesta Gardens to make sure it remains a great place to live. Inside This Issue President s Message 1 Park Director s Report 2 FGHA Wants YOU! 2 FGHA Budget 3 Board Minutes 4-6 Vice President s Report 6 Pool Operations 6 Monthly Calendar 7 March Board Meeting Agenda 9 Fnd past issues of the Bee, FGHA documents, announcements and more at the FGHA webpage Hope to see you all at the next Board Meeting where the Board will be willing to answer any questions members may have. Thank you! The next Board meeting will be 7PM in the cabana.
The Fiesta Bee Page 2 FGHA Board of Directors President president@fiestagardenshoa.com Joe D Agostino Park Director s Hope everyone is enjoying summer! Vice President Denise Iskander vp@fiestagardenshoa.com It is so nice to see so many families enjoying our new playground. Civic Affairs civic@fiestagardenshoa.com Mike Bratt (650) 341-0750 Park Director parks@fiestagardenshoa.com Arantxa Machin Pool Operations poolops@fiestagardenshoa.com Roberta Romer (650) 303-1218 Pool Maintenance poolmtc@fiestagardenshoa.com Mike Russell Social Director social@fiestagardenshoa.com Karina Wilhelms FGHA Staff Treasurer treasurer@fiestagardenshoa.com Christina Forrest Secretary secretary@fiestagardenshoa.com Veronica Martinez Bee Editor editor@fiestagardenshoa.com Eleni Hulman In case you missed the meeting, here are some items that we discussed: 1. Wind net for courts I will look into getting an estimate for wind nets for the courts. The nets would help block the wind as well as to keep the courts free of small rocks and other objects. 2. Reminder! - If you have older children (8 and up) remind them that there is no rough play at the playground. Our equipment is brand new and very sturdy but there are only so many big boys a little bumble bee springer can support. I ve driven by the park multiple times and have had to get out to tell boys to stop rough play on equipment and to not wrap the swings around the posts and then proceed to swing on them as the posts will scratch. 3. Thank you to everyone for being mindful of the NO PETS rule for the playground and courts. Lastly, I would like to extend a special THANK YOU to Mike and Michelle Bratt who reinstalled our legacy benches, table, red tunnel, and green Dino. Thank you for all the time and effort you have put in to make our playground great! As always, if you have any questions or concerns about Parks please contact me and remember a good rule of thumb: Leave it better than you found it. Thanks everyone! By January 1st, 2016, we will need four new volunteer Board members for our Association. Please contact Vice President, Denise Iskander, at or at to put your name on the ballot! Questions? Please contact me! Volunteer Board members serve a two year term. Members must be in good standing. All candidates must respond by November 1, 2015 so we can prepare for a Ballot Election.
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The Fiesta Bee Page 4 FGHA BOARD MEETING June 2, 2015 Joe D Agostino called the meeting to order at 7:07 p.m. Board members present were Joe D Agostino, Mike Bratt, Mike Russell, Roberta Romer, and Karina Wilhelms. Denise Iskander and Arantxa Machin were absent. Treasurer, Christina Forrest, and Secretary, Veronica Martinez, were present. May Minutes- Mike Russell made a motion to approve the May minutes as amended, Mike Bratt seconded the motion, all were in favor, and the motion to approve the May minutes as amended was passed. : Christina Forrest introduced herself as our new board treasurer. Christina is currently working on changing the format on the way we record our financials. Once she has squared this away, she will report back to us. : There are a lot of people that are trying to make this neighborhood a better place to live. The property values in Fiesta Gardens are up. Unfortunately, we are spending a lot of money in legal fees. Joe doesn t understand why the lawsuits are even happening in the first place. Two of the main three involved in this lawsuit are non-resident owners. This situation only highlights the fact that we need to get our governing documents in order. There are some gray areas in our existing documents that need to be clarified which will prevent situations like the lawsuit we are dealing with now from happening. We have spent a lot of money dealing with this group, and the only way of preventing this from happening again is to once again update our documents so they are updated with the current civil codes and get them passed. In order for the documents to get passed, we need 2/3 of Fiesta Gardens residents to vote, whether it is yes or no. The board also has the option of bypassing the election process and going directly to court to have them passed. : Absent, therefore nothing to report. Karina did report on Denise s behalf regarding the SPAR Meeting that was held on Sunday, May 31 st. The meeting went well and the residents present provided the board with some good feedback. Building plans were available for all of those who attended. There will be a 45-day window after the date the meeting was held that the building architect can modify the building plans. Everything said during the meeting was recorded and will be typed into formal minutes that will need to be submitted to the city. Residents with questions can email Denise directly or visit our website. Up to eight concrete trucks will be present near the corner of Concar and Grant streets for up to one week between the hours of 6:30 am to 5 p.m. soon. This is part of the sewer construction happening on the west side of highway 92. There is a 45 minute window between the time the concrete is mixed to the time it is poured so the trucks will be parked in the middle lane of Concar, still leaving enough room to turn onto Grant. Delaware will be reduced to one lane in each direction during the months of June through October for this project. Denise went to the meeting regarding Fitzgerald Baseball Park. : The Pool Opening Party will be held on June 14 th from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The pool party committee met last night and will meet once more next week before the party happens. Karina stated that she is in need of volunteers for the day before and the day of for picture taking, parade leaders and people to supervise the games. There will be a movie night sometime in August or September.. : Absent, therefore nothing to report. : The pool is well maintained. : The pool is open and residents are already calling in to schedule parties. Joe stated that the board s goal is to begin the cabana project soon. The plan is to have the cabana separate from the pool so parties can be held year round. Arantxa is on vacation, so Karina spoke on her behalf. The park is now open and the board has received some very positive feedback. There are a few minor things that need to be repaired and is being worked on now. The Makers Faire went well and the change in signage and parking shuttles seemed to prevent some nonresidents from parking in the neighborhood. The meeting was adjourned at 8:03 p.m.
The Fiesta Bee Page 5 FGHA BOARD MEETING July 7, 2015 The Meeting, which was held in the Pool Cabana, was called to order at 7:10 p.m. Directors present were Denise Iskander, Mike Russell, Arantxa Machin, Karina Wilhelms, and Joseph D'Agostino. Treasurer, Christina Forrest, was also present. Board Members, Roberta Romer and Mike Bratt were absent. The agenda was reviewed. On a motion duly made and seconded the Minutes of the June 2, 2015 Board Meetings were approved as written. Treasurer Treasurer, Christina Forrest reviewed the June 30, 2015 financial statement. Civic Mike Bratt was absent so Denise reported the following: main sewer line. the challenges facing San Mateo services with new budget cuts. Social Karina Wilhelms reported the following: nd. Movie to be determined. Parks -- Arantxa Machin reported the following: loose ends are completed by the contractor. but think it might be the school or perhaps the dirt area behind the tennis courts. Pool Maintenance Mike Russell reported the following: Pool Operations Roberta Romer reported the following: Vice President Denise Iskander reported the following: meeting prior to planning moving ahead with the submitted plans. President Joseph D'Agostino reported the following: Cabana Clubhouse/Bathrooms/Guard House renovations Pending further review by the City. 7.1 Small Claims Lawsuit -- This matter was discussed in Executive Session. 7.3 Revisions to the Governing Documents The Board is working on updating the Governing Documents. This is needed not only to assist in bringing the old Governing Documents up to date with Civil Code but mainly to remove any ambiguity in the old documents that were written by the developer back in the 1950s. The Boards main goal is to put stop to the frivolous lawsuits that cost all of the
The Fiesta Bee Page 6 July Minutes continued from page 5 membership and has placed a serious drain on the Association s reserve fund that is slated to be used for the Cabana Renovation Project. It was noted that the Association will need to find an election official when the voting on these new documents is done. 7.3 Allocate Increase for Legal Fees in the Budget It was noted that due to the lawsuit the Association has been dealing with over the past few months, the Association is going to go over budget for it legal fees projected in 2015. The following items were discussed during Open Forum: The next Board Meeting is scheduled for August 4, 2015, at 7:00 p.m. in the Cabana. There being no further business before the Board, the meeting was adjourned into Executive Session at 8:10 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Joseph D Agostino President, Fiesta Gardens Homes Association Vice President s Report By Denise Iskander Hopefully, we will hear back soon from the City of San Mateo regarding our permit application for the rebuilding of our cabana. If you would like to bid on this project please let our FGHA Vice President know by email at vp@fiestagardenshoa.com. When we are ready to accept bids we will contact you. Thank you! When we start demolishing and begin the cabana rebuild we need to keep our costs down. This is where we seek help from our fellow neighbors. Anyone want to help with concrete, tree removal, electrical, plumbing, construction for new pergola, insulation, etc.? Do you have your own business and can you use a write off? We already have one resident who volunteered to build us a new BBQ. Thanks to Carlos Ruiz! Have a skill you can help out with and take pride in our common areas? We want to hear from you! Please email Denise Iskander at vp@fiestgardenshoa.com. Pool Operations By Roberta Romer The pool season is running smoothly. This year the Swim lessons are very successful with Bria Kelley in charge. We have had many parties without a hitch with many more booked throughout the summer. Contact me if you are interested in having a day or night party. Thank you to all residents that are wearing their wrist bands paying for their guests and signing the liability waivers.
The Fiesta Bee Page 7 MONTHLY CALENDAR FGHA Board Meeting 7pm, Pool Cabana Deadline to get articles and ads to Bee Editor. Celebrate the Spirit of National Night Out with Us! Strengthen your community by knowing your neighbors, watching out for each other, and working together for a safe community. This event is open to all residents and blocks in the City of San Mateo. Where: All over San Mateo! When: 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Cost: FREE! Family Movie Nightf - Big Hero 6 7:30 p.m. Pool grass area Where: Central Park, 50 E 5th Ave., San Mateo When: 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Cost: FREE! Relay For Life represents the hope that those lost to cancer will never be forgotten, that those who face cancer will be supported, and one day cancer will be eliminated. Join us for the annual Relay For Life of San Mateo to CELEBRATE cancer survivors, REMEMBER those lost to cancer, and come together with the community to FIGHT BACK! Walk with us! Where: Fitzgerald Park - Central Park When: 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. Visit for more information Where: City Hall Council Chambers When: 7:30 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. Where: City Hall, Council Chambers When: 7:00 p.m. -?
The Fiesta Bee Page 8 August 22, 2015, 7:30 pm Movie: Big Hero 6
The Fiesta Bee Page 9 1. Call to Order 2. Reading and Approval of Minutes Fiesta Gardens Homes Association Board Meeting Agenda Tuesday, August 4, 2015 7:00pm 3. Speaker: City Manager, Larry Patterson i. Talking about Issues in San Mateo 4. Financial Report Christina Forrest 5. Board Reports - i. Civic Mike Bratt ii. Social Karina Wilhelms iii. Parks Arantxa Machin iv. Pool Maintenance Mike Russell v. Pool Operations Roberta Romer vi. vii. Vice President Denise Iskander President Joe D Agostino 6. Old Business i. Cabana Clubhouse/Bathrooms/Guard House Renovation Update ii. Small Claims Lawsuit 7. New Business i. CC&R's/Governing Documents 8. Questions and Comments 9. Adjournment/ Break into Executive Session if needed
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The Fiesta Bee Page 12 FIESTA GARDENS HOMES PO BOX 5288 SAN MATEO CA 94402-0288