Rancho Santa Fe Association Board Biz: A public thank you to the members of your board

We had a busy, productive and valuable week as the RSF Association board held its regular monthly meeting on Aug. 6 from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and its annual Strategic Planning Meeting on Aug. 7 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. That’s a great deal of time for a group of volunteers. I would like to thank our board members publicly for their dedication. It’s important to note that those 13 hours are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what each board member contributes to your Association.

Our board members’ commitment is even more impressive when you consider that all seven board members have had business careers, five currently run their own business, and one is CEO of five children. In addition, all have families, hobbies and philanthropic interests that could fill their free time, if they had any to spare. Please join me in thanking them for contributing their most precious resource — their time — whenever you see them.

In addition to board meetings and duties, our board members are also assigned to liaise with one or more Association committees, which is an additional commitment of time, energy and contribution. As the number of committees and projects has expanded over the past three years, board members’ duties have grown as well. Board committee liaison positions for the 2015-16 term were approved at our August board meeting and are:

Finance Committee — Kim Eggleston, chair as RSFA Treasurer

Compensation Committee — Kim Eggleston, Philip Wilkinson, and Jerry Yahr (committee of three board members)

Covenant Design Review Committee — Fred Wasserman

Osuna Committee — Jerry Yahr

Trails and Recreation — Philip Wilkinson

Committee for the Natural Environment — Fred Wasserman

Technology Infrastructure Committee — Kim Eggleston, Mike Licosati, Philip Wilkinson.

Project leadership assignments are as follows:

Broadband — Philip Wilkinson and Kim Eggleston

Cell Phone Reception — Philip Wilkinson and Mike Licosati

CDRC Process and Guidelines Review — Fred Wasserman

Covenant Club — Heather Slosar (membership,) Jerry Yahr (design) and Mike Licosati (finance)

Village Planning Task Force — Ann Boon and Mike Licosati

Governing Documents — Fred Wasserman.

At Friday’s Strategic Planning meeting, we brought one another up to speed on ongoing projects and committees. The all-day meeting provided a venue to provide briefings, share strategies and offer valuable input on our many activities and efforts. In turn, we will provide you with detailed updates on each project at our regular board meetings.

We also discussed several new initiatives being shepherded by our staff. Each member of our Association staff has important duties, and perhaps the most exciting activities will be led by our new Communications Manager, Christy Whalen. Christy has responsibility for creating a powerfully updated website and for enhancing member communications through various vehicles. She will also be lending her expertise to the Village Revitalization Team, which is part of the Village Planning project.

Every board member arrived fully prepared and ready to work. Some provided formal presentations. All listened intently, asked critical questions and offered thoughtful insights on each topic. I was humbled by how much work each and every board member has been dedicating to Association business over the past few months. I am honored to call myself their colleague.

The intense and productive Strategic Planning meeting was made more pleasant because we met at the Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club and enjoyed a wonderful lunch prepared by Chef Brian Freerkson. If you haven’t had lunch recently at the RSF Golf Club, I highly recommend it. The menu is excellent, and the views over our course are gorgeous.

All Covenant members have the privilege of dining at the club restaurant, even if they are not Golf Club members. Treat yourself to lunch, dinner or special holiday events at the Golf Club and enjoy the benefits of Covenant living.

The members of the Golf Club pay for the upkeep of the course and the buildings with their dues under an agreement with the Association. As an HOA in California, we operate under the Davis Stirling laws, which consider the club and course “common area,” that must be accessible to all homeowners. So you may use the restaurant any time. If you are not a frequent golfer but think you might want to play a few times a year, there are special packages you may take advantage of as a homeowner. You may buy a six- or 12-round package of golf without purchasing a full golf membership. Call the Association office for more information at 858-756-1174.

I encourage you to enjoy the club. Have lunch and watch the golfers. Take in the sunset and shadows playing across the fairways over dinner. You may become inspired to pick up a set of clubs and perhaps become a Golf Club member.

ann.boon@me.com