RANCHO MURIETA, CA (MPG) - Security enhancements for July 4, worrying golf cart behavior and new playground games were noteworthy topics when the Rancho Murieta Association Board met on June 18.

Given what happened last year on July 4, the association has requested eight off-duty deputies with four patrol cars and has secured a private security company with six officers to enhance security at this year’s event.  Last year, a group of intoxicated teenagers descended upon the gazebo for the fireworks show and one lit an illegal firework causing minor injuries to seven people. 

Another concern expressed at the meeting is that some residents heading to Starbucks are turning left on Jackson Highway instead of accessing the coffee shop through the Bel Air parking lot. If someone were to get killed or injured, the community could lose its waiver to cross the highway in a golf cart.

On a happier note, the board approved the addition of low-tech games such as hopscotch and Foursquare that will be painted on the concrete next to the Stonehouse Park playground.  

July 4 Security

Accounting manager Colleen Hagyard delivered the general manager’s report on behalf of Rod Hart, who was on vacation. She reported that the association has contracted for additional security in light of the problems at the gazebo last July 4. The association has requested two deputies with a patrol car work in the morning and six deputies with patrol cars work at night. Hagyard said they won’t know until a day or two before the event whether the association will get all the off-duty deputies requested.

However, the association has also contracted with a private firm for six security officers with three patrol vehicles. 

“So we are hoping to have at least three officers at the gazebo area and possibly more with the remaining officers patrolling throughout the community,” Hagyard said.

Board President Scott commented about the gazebo incident. 

“RMA can’t and won’t tolerate that,” he said. “This year, we are going to have more than enough security. I want the community to know that. We want to keep everyone safe.”

He also noted that the board amended the fireworks rule last year. 

“Fines for a couple of violations are significant, including the use of illegal fireworks,” Adams said.

Director Chris Childs, who was third in command at the California Highway Patrol before he retired, advised Hagyard to look into hiring two off-duty CHP officers to work the heavy traffic at the gates before and after the fireworks show. Childs noted these officers would be available to respond if more law enforcement was needed for any incidents inside the gates.

Golf cart issue

Under director comments at the end of the meeting, Tom Reimers, who chairs the Compliance Committee, raised an issue about golf cart driver misbehavior that he saw. 

“We have golf carts that are turning left on Jackson Highway to drive down to Starbucks, which is really a dangerous move,” he said. “People should be driving across the highway to the parking lot.”

Childs raised another concern. 

“The ability to drive our golf carts across a state highway is a specific provision within in the California Vehicle Code that could be repealed by the legislature, especially if there is some kind of tragedy,” Childs said. 

Childs noted that he only knows of one other waiver in the state that allows golf carts on public roads, which is Catalina Island. 

“I think we need to be very cautious,” Childs added.

Playground games

Director Renee Bechtold, who chairs the Recreational Committee, easily secured board approval for a new project that could make being a child in Rancho Murieta much more fun. She said the maintenance department will paint over one half of the basketball court that was previously striped for pickleball. This is no longer needed because of the new pickleball courts.

Bechtold praised the creativity of maintenance employees Susan Hamrick and Danny Taylor who have designed a layout that will incorporate games such as hopscotch, frog jump and foursquare. Nor will it cost much money, she said.

The River Valley Times asked maintenance manager Troy Schaffner for more details. Schaffner said that he began researching the idea after a resident said she wanted to see something such as hopscotch for her granddaughter. Looking for options, Schaffner realized that the former pickleball court that was painted on half of the basketball could be utilized with very little expense. The location was also next to the playground, where children are at “all the time.” 

Schaffner decided to expand the idea beyond hopscotch after picking up his son from elementary school where he had been playing foursquare. 

“It just seemed logical that instead of one little area for hopscotch, let’s do something for everyone and make it bigger,” Schaffner said.

As Hamrick and Taylor used chalk to build out their ideas, they stopped to try each game after they put it down. 

“They just had the greatest time putting it together,” he said.

Rather than setting aside a block of time for staff to paint the new playground amenity, Schaffner said he will schedule the work between other assignments. 

“It is going to be a curious thing for the kids to see what is going in there each week,” he said.

Other business

• The board tabled a request to purchase two more Traffic Logix Speed Cameras for $26,000 that had been requested by the general manager and the Compliance Committee. The board concern was that the purchase hadn’t been placed in this year’s budget and would cause a $15,700 overrun in the Compliance Committee’s budget if approved.

• The board approved a request from Maintenance Committee Chairman Danny Carrillo to spend $6,260 to replace a tire changer and wheel balancer and $5,472 to install playground fiber at the Riverview Playground. Both purchases will come from the reserves.

• The board also approved spending $31,920 from reserves to replace the damaged chain link fencing along a section of Highway 16 that sits above the Greens Park Frisbee course in the south. 

The board meets next on July 16.