Chairperson: John Howsden
Time Called to Order: 6:00pm
Roll Call
Board Members Present:
President: John Howsden
Vice President Sheldon Toso
Treasurer: Curt Simmons
Director: Mark Andersen
Secretary: Gary Arneson
Board Members Absent:
None
Guests/Staff Present:
None
Public Comment
None
Officers Reports
President: John Howsden
No report.
Director/Treasurer: Curt Simmons
Financials, Umpqua Bank:
Public Funds Checking: $595.106. Officers Reports (continued)
Money Market: $35,655.66
Deposits:
ACH Calaveras County: $9,975.50 (This was the final
installment from ACH for the calendar year.)
Interest Earned: $88.42
Director: Sheldon Toso
Road Damage on Lot #971: A new construction site on Lot #971
caused road damage on Cheyenne Road. The damage is believed to have been
caused by equipment and/or trailers entering and exiting the driveway,
which has a steep incline. Pictures of the damage, approximately 4–6
feet in length, have been noted and filed.
Water Leak on Salmon Court: A water leak at the top of the
cul-de-sac on Salmon Court was repaired by the Calaveras County Water
District after several weeks of water flowing up through the road. This
caused damage to the underlayment and a large radius of compromised
asphalt extending down the slope toward Salmon Road.
Road Crack Sealing: BlackRock Asphalt in Stockton, CA, was noted
as a possible provider for our road crack sealing needs. The company's
contact information will be kept on file for future evaluation and
bidding. The board would consider a Request for Quote (RFQ) to discuss
prevailing wage policy.
Director: Mark Andersen
A milestone has been reached: all of the urgent and most critical road
repairs have been completed. Currently, there are no outstanding road
"blowouts." This was accomplished despite many constraints, including
funding and project management decisions on trade-offs, shifting
prioritization, and contractor management.
Director/Secretary: Gary Arneson
No report.
Unfinished Business
Notification for Herbicide Spraying: This item will be carried over to the next meeting for further discussion. The goal is to identify the most efficient way to alert residents of the Rocky Road District about the annual weed spraying so they can move vehicles or opt out. It was discussed that the service provider, such as Foothill or Anchor, could provide physical notifications at the district's entry points. The board will ask the servicer to accommodate this request.
Roadside Herbicide Spraying: This item is on the agenda as part of item #1 under Unfinished Business and will also be carried over to the next meeting for further discussion. The board will be staging herbicide spraying with an estimated timeframe of January/February 2026.
Survey Regarding Speed Signs: Sheldon Toso made a motion to note and file this issue and address it in the future if a similar occurrence (citing a public complaint on Beaver Street) should arise. The motion was seconded and moved for discussion. It was noted that the California Highway Patrol (CHP) will respond more proactively to resident complaints than to Community Service District (CSD) requests regarding violators on residential streets with a 25-mph speed limit.
Vote: The motion to carry over passed with unanimous vote(5/0).
Confirmation of Vote for Vice President: Sheldon Toso has withdrawn his candidacy for the Vice President position, and the nomination has been removed.
Motion Regarding Meeting Minutes: A motion was made to add "Minutes" as a recurring line item to the agenda and minutes template and to carry over the June and July minutes to the September board meeting for approval. Board members will pre-read the final drafts of both sets of minutes within the next two weeks. This motion was seconded and moved for discussion.
Discussion: Some members had not received the prior minutes, which prevented them from reviewing them for a vote. In the future, minutes will be sent out within two weeks of the board meeting. Board members will review the final draft and respond with an acknowledgment of receipt. The minutes will then be formally approved by a vote at the subsequent board meeting and published within one week of the vote.
Recurring Agenda Item: Minutes will be a recurring agenda item and the first order of business at each board meeting for approval by vote. Any changes or additions to previous meeting minutes must be received and made within one week prior to the next board meeting unless critical circumstances merit a later edit.
Vote: The motion was passed with a unanimous vote (5/0).
New Business
Vote on Resolution 2025-01: A motion was made, seconded, and moved for discussion to sign Resolution 2025-01 of the Community Service District Requesting Collection of Charges on the Calaveras County Tax Roll.
Discussion: The resolution was approved, and John Howsden, as President, and Gary Arneson, as Secretary, of the Rocky Road Community Service District, will sign and attest to the document.
Vote: The motion was passed with a unanimous vote (5/0).
Hiring a Consultant to Assist with Raising Taxes: Sheldon Toso made a motion, seconded by Curt Simmons, to carry this item over to next month's board meeting for discussion. No action was taken.
Discussion: The discussion centered on getting referrals from other community service districts that have used local or state government agency independent consultants. The board is seeking a consultant with experience working with county boards and expertise in advising on and navigating the legal statutes and processes for local tax increases. It was noted that large enterprise tax and policy advisory companies are likely too costly and not as applicable to the district's needs.
Vote: The motion was passed with a unanimous vote (5/0).