New paint, tractor and charging stations coming to LW

GRF BOARD HIGHLIGHTS

by Ruth Osborn

Communications Director

The Golden Rain Foundation Board of Directors met Sept. 24 to consider a full agenda featuring renovations to Building 5, EV charging stations and the purchase of a new utility tractor.

The following is a partial list of board actions Sept. 24. The meeting was livestreamed at lwsb.com and is available for viewing.

Building 5 Renovation

Upon the recommendation of the Administration Committee, the board voted 10-8 to allocate $40,118 plus a 10% contingency fee, for the construction of new office space for the GRF Human Resources Department in the old Copy & Supply office. Funds will be expended from reserves ($18,000) and capital ($22,118).

The board decided to move the HR department to a more secure space on the advice of a labor attorney following a recent personnel investigation. The current office in Administration is not sound-proofed, leading to concerns about the confidentiality of sensitive information. To address this shortcoming, HR offices will move to the ground floor of Building 5. This new location would exclusively house the HR department, ensuring a more secure and private environment.

Work includes construction for an office, a work station, a reception area, badge system entry, plus the installation of heating and air conditioning equipment and acoustic insulation. GRF Service Maintenance will handle much of the work.

EV Charging Stations

On the recommendation of the Facilities Committee, the board voted 17-0 to approve a $6,500 change order to complete design requirements by SCE to pave the way for EV charging stations at the Service Maintenance Yard.

The charging infrastructure is needed to accommodate new electric service carts that will be delivered soon. The department’s obsolete gaspowered fleet is being retired after decades of service. The aging gas-powered vehicles are routinely sidelined for repairs, significantly delaying response times for Service Maintenance work in the Mutuals.

Utility Tractor Purchase

On the recommendation of the Facilities Committee, the board voted 17-0 to approve the purchase of a John Deer tractor for about $42,756 from reserve funding.

The new tractor will replace a 35-year-old tractor and be used to manage debris and remove hazards on Trust and Mutual properties. Service Maintenance workers use the tractor for a variety of heavy-duty jobs. It clears concrete after accidents, removes fallen tree limbs, compresses bulky trash in bins at the 1.8-acre site, which saves money by reducing the number of bin roll-offs that cost $700 each.

Exterior Painting

On the recommendation of the Facilities Committee, the board voted 17-0 to award a contract to Hutton Painting for the exterior painting of the Administration, Clubhouse 2 and the Health Care Center buildings, adding a 10% contingency for a total cost not to exceed $31,680.

The project is scheduled for this year and has $84,300 allocated for it, for a savings of $52,620, according to the reserve study.

HVAC in Clubhouse 6

Upon the recommendation of the Facilities Committee, the board voted 15-0 to spend $11,650 for a heating and air conditioning unit for Clubhouse 6. The unit being replaced dates from 2003.

Last year, staff requested over $300,000 to replace all HVAC equipment in Clubhouse 6, and the board chose to replace units one by one as they fail.

Inter-campus Links On the recommendation of the Operations Committee, the board voted 16-0 spend $135,416 from reserve funds to install a system of wireless links that connect GRF buildings in a Wi-Fi network.

Currently, the wireless antennas are a managed service by FTS broadband at an annual cost of $22,500. These connections are slow and unstable, sometimes stranding whole departments without phones or computer connections. At the February meeting, the board approved a site survey to find a more efficient and less costly design.

Alpha Omega Wireless provided an 80-gigahertz (GHz) design plan and bid to replace the old system at a cost of $123,105, plus a 10% contingency, which includes hardware, licensing, and installation. In approving the bid, GRF will receive a credit of $1,975 (50% refund) off the site survey costs.

The cancellation of the FTS managed service will result in annual savings of $22,500, leading to a cost recovery period of approximately six years.

AED Purchase

On the recommendation of the Member Services Committee, the board approved the purchase of 15 automated external defibrillators (AED) and three alarm cabinets to replace the existing Physio Control CR-Plus model AEDs for a cost not to exceed $24,285, plus tax, from reserve funding.

The GRF currently has 16 10-year-old AEDs, which are strategically placed in most recreational facilities and GRF offices. Although they have never been used, these devices could play a critical role in the safety of residents, guests, and staff. AEDs can significantly improve survival rates in the event of a sudden cardiac arrest by delivering a life-saving shock.

GRF Director Stephen Hendrickson representing Mutual 1 recommended that GRF purchase the Zoll model after conferring with Orange County Fire, which uses the equipment. The Zoll AED was also less expensive than the Physio Lifepak brand that GRF now uses.

The board agreed that upgrading the AEDs will ensure that the equipment is ready for use in critical moments. Delaying the replacement could expose the GRF to liability if a malfunctioning AED was unable to deliver a life-saving shock.

Governing Documents

The board gave tentative approval to governing documents pertaining to Community Garden rules and Residency and Trust Property Use Fees (formerly known as amenities fees). For a complete look at proposed changes, see page 5.

The board voted to send back to committee a policy on the consolidated fee schedule and RV Lot rules.

The next meeting of the GRF Board of Directors will be Oct. 22 at 10 a.m. in Clubhouse 4.