Insider BellCanyon
bell canyon
BELL CANYON BOARD OF DIRECTORS
ERIC DERSOM
KEVIN KEEGAN
MIKE KLEIN
YOSSI KVIATKOVSKY
BILL NAPIER
MELISSA RAFF
STEVE RASNICK
LISA RICCOMINI
BARRY SCHEHR
BCCC
NORTON ALDERSON
STEVE BELLAMY
ADAM JOHANSSON
KEVIN KEEGAN
SEAN WAGMEISTER
CSD
JUDY LANTZ
RICHARD LEVY
PETER MACHUGA
MICHAEL ROBKIN
ERIC WOLF
BC EQUESTRIAN CENTER
ASHLEY FORCHELLI
JENN HURST
ANDRES MARTINEZ
LISA RICCOMINI
MOLLY URNECLI
ARCHITECTURAL COMMITTEE
ERIC DERSOM
RICHARD IBRAHIM
SCOTT SAND
CONSULTANT
CHIEDU CHIJIANDU
ENGINEER
FELIX LEVITAS
GENERAL MANAGER
CAROL HENDERSON
ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER
AC COORDINATOR
CINDY ESCOBAR
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
JENNI MANDELBLATT
FRONT OFFICE RECEPTIONIST
CHERIE CALABRO
ACCESS CONTROL SUPERVISOR
ERMAN QUITALIG
ACCESS CONTROL OFFICERS
EDGAR BALBERAN
MARLIN BURT
TYRISHA EDWARDS
ERNESTO GARCIA
RUTH GARCIA
ANTHONY PORTILLO
TIFFANY RANGEL ROCHA
ALEC SKILLMAN
ADOR VENTURANZA
ALEC WORTHEN
FACILITIES MANAGER
COMPLIANCE MANAGER
TRAVIS SIMPSON
FACILITIES STAFF
LUIS GAMBOA
RICARDO GARCIA GONZALEZ
The Insider was born with the intention of not just sharing information, but also to bring people together.
Sharing information, even in a well intended manner, ultimately can be seen as political. It has come to our attention that there has been content that may have been hurtful to some residents. For this, we apologize. This community magazine was not born of that intention.
Letter from
THEEDITORS
While the Insider is a committee under the HOA, with the objective of communicating its vision, it also has the editorial objective to provide content that uplifts, and aims to lessen community tensions.
That is the goal of this magazine.
Regardless of your political stance, we humbly ask you to consider our well intended message and join us in our pursuit of a more united community.
Presidents’ Letter
We hope this letter finds you all in good health, in high spirits, and ready for Fall!
As stated in earlier issues, Insider’s mission is to share information with the community and, importantly, bring people together based on the many things we have in common
A wise person once said, "The right and left wings are both on the same bird " For some, in our last edition of Insider, our appreciation for the dedicated community volunteers who helped fight the Saddlebow fires was overshadowed by our reference to the potential community liability the BCVWFD represents Both things are true at the same time We are both members and have community responsibilities and again thank all the volunteers!
The recent November recall and March election theme centered around fiscal responsibility and community Objectively, there was strong member turnout and enough consensus that the community was ready for a different direction The campaign promised to help members unravel the financial disaster we faced and turn a new page - in many ways, we have The mission is incomplete, but the cause will not die; the road will continue to be complicated, financially treacherous, and challenging to navigate.
That said, we see it as a privilege to be allowed to serve and believe the first phase, with a few bumps, has been productive; our community has made meaningful progress, our finances are being responsibly managed and needed structures and protocols are being established, actual and pending lawsuits are being resolved, and we are headed toward brighter days
Last month, we agreed to update our parking and transponder use rules We received constructive comments from members that directed us to ensure that any changes are fair and balanced and serve the community
While regulations must be specific and understandable, we tried to apply this sentiment: "We don't want the jungle, and we don't want the zoo," but rather common sense rules that apply to all members equally. Other areas we have been asked to address include attention to community maintenance and abandoned properties More to come on these
As the summer ends, we announced a few events we hope you can attend a Movie Night for the kids on Saturday, September 21st, and budget permitting, a Halloween party at the end of October. These have always been popular events you can carry the tradition forward by participating While Bell Canyon is strapped for funds, and CSD is not authorized to fund these events, we intend to reach out to sponsors to help us offset the expense to the community.
While staying fiscally responsible, you may have noticed, and we hope you enjoy the new lighting on the trees in the center median on Bell Canyon Road. Many members have commented that the treatment is welcoming and adds a flair that the community deserves
We hope you agree
Also, new flowers were planted and will bloom in the Spring Further, the bidding process for reroofing the community center is nearing an end so that repairs can begin Also, pickleball courts have been completed and are ready for your families to enjoy.
Finally, your feedback and critiques are essential as we strive to serve your needs.
We want to hear from you and invite you to email your thoughts on how we are doing, and what changes you want to see. We look forward to hearing from you and working together to make our community a better place
MikeKlein + KevinKeegan
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
Your feedback and critiques are important to us as we strive to serve the needs of our community to the best of our abilities.
Seriously, whatever it is that get’s you going, we want to hear it. Neighbor to neighbor. We’re here to listen.
We invite you to email the editors with your thoughts on how the board is doing and what changes you would like to see.
Give us an opportunity to help bridge the gaps. Prefer in person? Let’s grab a coffee. We mean it!
Feel your opinions have fallen on deaf ears? Try us!
Your input will help us to better understand the needs and desires of our community and make improvements where necessary. We value your constructive input.
Please email us at insider@bellcanyon.com with your feedback, critiques, and suggestions or to set up a meet up. We look forward to hearing from you and working together to make our community better for everyone, no matter your politics.
Sincerely,
The Editorial Team
BELL
CANYON
Movie Night
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21ST
BELL CREEK PARK
DON’T MISS A SPECIAL SIT-DOWN INTERVIEW WITH SARAH BERMAN, ONE OF BELL CANYON’S LONGTIME RESIDENTS.
IN A CANDID CONVERSATION WITH JAKE ALDERSON, A BRIGHT YOUNG MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY, SARAH SHARES HER REFLECTIONS ON LIFE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND ITS TRANSFORMATION OVER THE YEARS.
Sarah Berman
STAY TUNED FOR THIS INSIGHTFUL VIDEO FEATURE!
“It’s is my happy place, I go there to find peace, and tranquility Sully loves it! It is truly my one special getaway for relaxation
The trainers at Cerulean Farms, Jessica Rabbiner and Lisa Winn are wonderful The grooms are amazing and take such good care of the horses I’m incredibly grateful that many of my friends also ride at Cerulean It makes it so much fun
It’s a caring family atmosphere that is warm and welcoming and the barn view is absolutely stunning!”
-Jodie Resnick-Bonn
Cherie’s bright and cheery disposition is a welcome addition to our Administrative Staff.
Cherie retired from UPS after putting 27 years of service. Cherie grew up in Central Valley in a town called Lindsey, CA.
She has been married to her husband Christy for 2 years. She has a 32-year-old daughter that is a Geologist from her late husband and lives in Exeter, CA
Fun Facts about Cherie:
Cherie’s favorite food is a toss-up between Mexican and Italian. Cherie and her husband love to cuddle and spoil their 6 dogs and 2 cats. Cherie loves to travel. She has been to most of the of the United States, but she prefers a sunny beach sitting under an umbrella sipping a cold margarita. Cherie got married at the Newhall Mansion in Piru, CA which she says was something out of a fairy tale. Cherie loves listening to live music. Especially listening to her husband’s cover band.
Hi! We’re Lucky, Lucky Two, and Rocky! We love taking long walks and helping our mom Micki with building houses!
Eric Dersom
Youmayhavemethimhiking aroundthecanyonorasa memberoftheArchitectural Committee,butEricDersomis alongtimeresidentandhas livedinBellCanyonsince1989.
Hehasspentalotoftime volunteeringinother capacitiesincludingasan advocateforcourtdependent childrenandasajailChaplin.
Withhisbackgroundinfinance andconstructionengineering, hefelthehadalottoofferthe ArchitecturalCommitteeand hasservedforaboutayearon thatcommittee.
Hevolunteeredandwasvoted intofilltherecentlyvacated Boardmemberposition.He wantswhatisbestforthe canyonandfeels,withfull transparency,hecanhelp developapathforward, poundingoutissuesoneata time.
Wewelcomehimandlook forwardtoimprovementsin thecanyon.
Bell Canyon CSD
GET READY FOR PICKLEBALL
A new sport hits the Bell Canyon Tennis Courts.
Pickleball continues to grow in popularity, and our HOA has responded by updating one of our two tennis courts as a new low-cost amenity to the community Court #2 has been converted into a combination court, featuring lines for both Tennis and Pickleball Court #1 remains dedicated to tennis, while Court #2 can be used for either sport The reaction of the community to this update is uncertain, as adjustments can be challenging for some, especially in a community as large as Bell Canyon.
New Pickleball lines (for two courts) have been added to Court #2 (the court furthest from Hackamore Lane), with light blue lines complementing the existing white tennis lines. Currently, our HOA's online court booking system does not full accommodate the new combination court setup.
A proposal for updated booking software, including a phone app, will be discussed at the next HOA board meeting If approved, implementation is expected within 2-3 weeks In the meantime, please continue to use the existing booking system on the Bell Canyon website
Book Court #1 for Tennis, or Court #2 for either Tennis or Pickleball. Note that the new Pickleball lines are only on Court #2.
The new mobile Pickleball nets are equipped with wheels and should be returned to the Eastside edge of the court after use if no Pickleball players are waiting. Additionally, one of the Tennis nets was damaged last week; some teenagers reportedly used it improperly. Our facilities manager has temporarily repaired the net and has ordered replacement parts. For any feedback on improvements or comments, please contact Travis at facilities@bellcanyon.com.
school board elections
MEET THE CANDIDATES
Lesli Kraut
As you know, we, as Bell Canyon residents, are very fortunate to be included in the Las Virgenes Unified School District. The highly desirable school district includes residents of Bell Canyon, Calabasas, Agoura, Hidden Hills and Westlake Village In November, we have an opportunity to vote on new school board members
There are three very qualified candidates running for two positions Each of them has volunteered and worked for many years in one capacity or another in the LVUSD
They are all endorsed by city mayors and officials, previous Board members and many individuals they’ve worked with or know in the district The candidates are Lesli Kraut, Alan Lazar and Linda Menges
The first candidate running for the school board is Lesli Kraut of Calabasas Lesli has been a volunteer for 15 years as a member of the Parent Faculty Club (PFC)
representing Lupin Elementary and later Agoura High School During that time she interacted not only with other parents and faculty, but members of the various City Councils, government representatives, and mayor ’ s offices She is well respected by all Aside from her involvement with the PFCs, she is the Chief Financial Officer of her family engineering business and has extensive experience in finance Now that she is working less and her kids are no longer school aged, she decided it was time to run for the board.
She said she always wanted to do this, but it was quite time consuming in that not only does the Board meet twice a month but there is also committee work and event appearances She feels she can bring her financial knowledge to the Board and help with financial issues
Lesli’s goals, if elected as a Board member:
1 To improve communications between all parties. She feels that communications have been lacking not only between parents and faculty, but also between the cities. The Board needs the support of the cities and vice versa She’d like to see the cities and the school district on the same page and that all parties know what’s going on
2 To develop a policy within the district to deal with smart phones and social media She believes, for the most part, that cell phones don’t belong in the schools, but there should be exception
3. To resolve the absenteeism issue and be supportive of efforts to return students back to schools After the pandemic, apparently many children did not return to the schools Lesli was asked, how can Bell Canyon residents benefit from supporting her? She said she wants to be the voice for parents She promises to be our communication link between the various entities She wants the parents to be comfortable contacting her with their concerns
BACK TO SCHOOL
Alan Lazar is another candidate running for the vacant school board position Alan and his family moved to Calabasas eight years ago because of the excellent Las Virgenes school district
He is the only candidate that currently has children attending LVUSD schools (Bay Laurel Elementary and AE Wright Middle School).
Another very active volunteer, Alan has been involved in the school district for seven years as a volunteer member of the Bay Laurel School Site Council (SSC)
This is a more formal body mandated by state law that includes teachers, parents and the principal of the school As a result, he knows many of the people involved with the school district
Alan Lazar
As an award-winning TV and film composer, Alan would like to support music and arts programs especially at the elementary level where it is not as well developed as it is in the middle and high schools
He feels music has a strong connection with academic success and believes active participation in music and art programs is good for the emotional health of our children
The goals Alan would like to accomplish if he is elected are:
1 To grow and maintain education excellence in the district by promoting STEM and financial literacy programs
2 To continue to focus on safety such that existing programs are maintained, drills are practiced and the schools have a good working relationship with the sheriff’s office
3 To ensure there is fiscal responsibility and care taken in the decision making process as our district budget has challenges He is interested in looking for ways to save money and redirect funds to reduce the student teacher ratio
How can Bell Canyon residents benefit from supporting Alan’s candidacy?
He said because he currently has children in the schools, he has “skin in the game ” He wants to make sure that we continue to have the best schools. He also promises that our tax dollars will be looked after and used efficiently and effectively
Linda Menges
The third and final candidate running for the LVUSD Board member is Linda Menges Linda is actually running for re-election She has been a Board member since 2015 and lives in Westlake Village
She is well-connected to the community and has a thorough understanding of the district, it’s varying issues, and the parties involved. All of her 6 children attended and graduated from LVUSD schools.
One of her goals is to ensure there is a safe environment In particular, she’d like the Board to focus on counseling for students By encouraging counselors to go into the classrooms and talk with the children about their feelings, they can teach them tools to deal with their emotions
Her position on cell phones is that there should be no phones for kindergarten through the 8th grade.
At the high school level, use of phones should be at the teachers’ discretion She did say there are a number of educational uses for cell phones and those she supports
Some of her primary objectives if she is re-elected are:
1 To continue to improve test scores While test scores have gone up in math, science, and english at both high schools, there is still room for continued improvement at all grade levels.
2 To promote and grow the Broadway Academy which is one of the newer programs at the high schools The Broadway Academies teach classes in tv and movie arts such as makeup, costume design, and broadcasting
3 To further develop the Pathways program for spanish-speaking children Sumac Elementary, Lindero Middle School, and Agoura High School each play a part in this program.
Sumac Elementary has a 50/50 language immersion program, then students progress to Lindero Middle School, culminating at Agoura with an International Baccalaureate program When asked how can Bell Canyon residents benefit from supporting her, Linda said that she is a good listener and is open to all ideas
She believes she has the experience to represent the community and is good at collaborating with others A Candidates Forum will be held on September 19th at AC Stelle Middle School at 5:30PM in the All-Purpose Room.
All are encouraged to attend.
How do we get bids?
We used a third-party service called ONETEAM to ensure multiple independent bids.
At no cost to us, ONETEAM notified more than 30 local roofing companies of our project and provides a dashboard for interested builders to secure the plans and specifications and submit their bids.
The dashboard will also help us manage the bids.
Detailed bid documents are crucial!
The completeness and accuracy of these documents are critical in ensuring bids are responsive and competitive. They demonstrate the bidder's capability, reliability, and commitment to the project We were fortunate to have a
Summaryof BellCanyon’s June2024
OperatingResults andFinancial Position
In the month of June, the Canyon recorded approximately $460 thousand dollars of revenue, including $269 thousand from “regular” monthly assessments.
Additionally, we accrued $174 thousand in revenue from the “Special Assessment” that was due in June. As June is the Canyon’s fiscal year end, additional effort was expended by the office staff to record expenses in the proper fiscal year, which resulted in a loss of approximately $65,000 for the month.
At June 30, the Canyon’s cash balance, which includes refundable construction deposits, approximated $1 5 million reflecting an increase of about $200 thousand from the month of May. This increase was in part due to $108 thousand received in partial payment of the Special Assessment
$220 Special Assessment due in June 2024
The Special Assessment of $220 per lot was due in June 2024 and the BOD would like to thank the majority of the members who have already paid their assessment However, as of late August, there are still a number of members who have not yet paid their assessment.
In order to encourage payment, the BOD approved a motion at its August meeting to charge a one-time late fee of 10% and 12% interest on unpaid Special Assessments beginning September 15.
. The Office will soon be sending out another reminder to those members who still owe the Special Assessment encouraging them to make their payment prior to September 15 in order to avoid late fee and interest charges
If you have any questions regarding the payment of your Special Assessment, we encourage you to call or stop by the office to discuss this further
SEPT 2
LABOR DAY
SEPT 10
BCAC 6PM
SEPT 16
CSD BOD
BUDGET MEETING 7PM
SEPT 17
VENTURA COUNTY WATERWORKS CAC 7PM
SEPT 18
BCA BOD 6PM
SEPT 21
MOVIE NIGHT
BELL CREEK PARK
6:30PM
SEPT 23
CSD BOD 7PM
SEPT 24
BCAC 6PM
LET’S MAKE SOMETHING SWEET. LET’S MAKE SOMETHING SWEET.
AGOURA HILLS
COURTYARD & TOWNPLACE SUITES
29505 AGOURA RD. AGOURA HILLS
HAMPTON INN
30255 AGOURA RD. AGOURA HILLS
818.597.0333
HOMEWOOD SUITES BY HILTON
28901 CANWOOD ST.
AGOURA HILLS
818.865.1000
SHERATON
30100 AGOURA RD. AGOURA HILLS
818.707.1220
CALABASAS
THE ANZA
23627 CALABASAS RD. CALABASAS
818.707.1220
CAMBRIA HOTEL
26400 RONDELL ST. CALABASAS
747.293.6777
GOOD NITE INN
26557 AGOURA RD. CALABASAS
818.880.6000
HILTON GARDEN INN
24150 PARK SORRENTO CALABASAS
818.591.2300
THOUSAND OAKS
BEST WESTERN PLUS 75. W. THOUSAND OAKS BLVD. THOUSAND OAKS 805 497 3701
COURTYARD BY MARRIOTT
1710 NEWBURY RD. THOUSAND OAKS 805.499.3900
TOWNEPLACE SUITES 1712 NEWBURY RD. THOUSAND OAKS 805.499.3111
WOODLAND HILLS
BEST WESTERN 21830 VENTURA BLVD. WOODLAND HILLS 800.568.8520
COURTYARD BY MARRIOTT 21101 VENTURA BLVD. WOODLAND HILLS 844.631.0595
HILTON WOODLAND HILLS 6360 CANOGA AVE. WOODLAND HILLS 855.605.0316
WARNER CENTER MARRIOTT
21850 OXNARD ST. WOODLAND HILLS 844.631.0595
AGOURA HILLS
BASTA
28863 AGOURA RD
AGOURA HILLS
818 865 2019
LAL MIRCH
5146 KANAN RD.
AGOURA HILLS
818.532.7532
NOI DUE TRATTORIA
29020 AGOURA RD.
AGOURA HILLS
818.852.7090
SUNROSE CALIFORNIA EATERY
5046 CORNELL RD.
AGOURA HILLS
818.330.4224
CALABASAS
THE MULHOLLAND
23538 CALABASAS RD
CALABASAS
818.573.5667
CAFECITO
4774 PARK GRANADA
CALABASAS
818.225.2233
CROSSROADS KITCHEN
4776 COMMONS WAY
CALABASAS
747.230.4210
KING’S FISH HOUSE
4798 COMMONS WAY
CALABASAS
818.225.1979
PORTA VIA
4799 COMMONS WAY
CALABASAS
818.746.2400
ROSE’S GARDEN BAR
26787 AGOURA RD. CALABASAS
424.955.3312
SHIBUYA
4774 PARK GRANADA STE 8B
CALABASAS
818.225.1560
WOODLAND HILLS
BLAI
5780 CANOGA AVE STE B
WOODLAND HILLS
747.242.1112
CASALENA
22160 VENTURA BLVD
WOODLAND HILLS
818.704.1185
DEUX BISTRO 20969 VENTURA BLVD.
WOODLAND HILLS
747.230.4034
H.O.M ITALIAN EATERY
21136 VENTURA BLVD.
WOODLAND HILLS
747.900.8782
JOEY WOODLAND HILLS
6344 TOPANGA CANYON BLVD
WOODLAND HILLS
818.340.5639
LEO & LILY
22420 VENTURA BLVD
WOODLAND HILLS
818.222.6622
LUM KA NAAD
22919 VENTURA BLVD
WOODLAND HILLS
818.914.4489
MAS MANANITAS
19725 VENTURA BLVD
WOODLAND HILLS
747.746.8166
NORTH ITALIA
6600 TOPANGA CANYON
CANOGA PARK
818 710 7246
CONTRIBUTORS FOR THIS ISSUE
JAKE ALDERSON
NORTON ALDERSON
CHERIE CALABRO
LINDA ENGLAND
CINDY ESCOBAR
ELANA HENDLER
ADRIENNE JANIC
ADAM JOHANSSON
KEVIN KEEGAN
JENNI MANDELBLATT
BARRY SCHEHR
SUPPORT STAFF
CAROL HENDERSON
JENNI MANDELBLATT
ERMAN QUITALIG
JOIN THE FUN.
