RANCHO SANTA FE — Topping off his State of the Association speech at the annual meeting of the Association, board president Jack Queen joked, “Everything is great! Everyone can go home now because you have nothing to worry about.”
About 70 people attended the annual event May 10 at the Garden Club. Not only was it an opportunity to catch up with neighbors and learn how things are going within the Covenant, it is also traditional to give out awards to outstanding residents.
Helen and Steve DiZio earned the Community Service Award for their efforts in bringing the Garden Club back to vibrant life.
“They took this thing, shook it by the shoulders and made it straighten up and fly right,” Queen said before bestowing the award.
“I am humbled by the award, but it was rewarding enough to be able to work with such wonderful people,” Helen DiZio said.
Marion Dodson and Patrick Rose each earned the Lily Award for their efforts in historic preservation, Dodson for the Country Squire Courtyard and Rose for a beautiful home on Linea de Cielo.
Dodson shared about how she and her late husband Lee purchased the courtyard by a fluke and the trials and tribulations of owning it.
Through it all, she has maintained the property in its original state. Dodson said she is happy with the award.
“This is a special piece of property,” she said.
Rose said he and his late wife Sheila purchased the home, designed originally by famed architect Gordon Kaufman, and spent 20-plus years getting it back to its original state.
“Isn’t it wonderful that the architect is still winning awards 64 years after his death?” Rose said.
The Lily Award is given to people who preserve or continue the spirit of Lilian Rice, Rancho Santa Fe’s first architect.
In his speech, Queen outlined the goals of the past year and the progress on each.
Broadband: The first goal of the board was to get broadband into the Ranch, which he said has been difficult. There are too few homes in the area, which would prove unprofitable for most companies to make the investment. They are still working on the issue, however, Queen said.
Patrol space: Mission accomplished. The patrol moved into a new space with plenty of elbow room in the offices formerly occupied by the fire department.
Marketing: The marketing committee is currently making a plan of the best way to let people know about all the Ranch has to offer whether they be locals or out-of-towners.
Update document management: It’s being done by converting everything to digital files and then stored electronically.
Art Jury: The art jury went on a retreat to determine how to make the committee easier to deal with.
Golf Club loan: The Association decided to loan the golf club $1.6 million to pay off a debt by an outside concern.
Under grounding: It’s ready to go when residents are ready, but there has not been much interest at this point because the process is expensive.
E-mail: The Association continues to work on a better way to communicate with members.
Open space: The Association continues the restoration of the Osuna Ranch purchased as open space six years ago.
“I would like to see the Association approve funds to fully restore the adobe.” Queen said. “We need to polish that jewel.”
Water reclamation: The new Committee on the Natural Environment has made it one of its goals to determine better ways to use water and reclaim what is lost.
Parking: The Association has gotten the CHP involved in writing parking tickets for people who overstay their parking places.
“People complained about parking, now they are complaining about parking tickets. They are the same people,” Queen said.
