Ponderosa, Ca

Summary

The board approved a $20 membership fee increase for the ﬁre brigade and dedicated $2,000 toward the formation of a separate 501(c)3 helipad entity.

Financial Health and Membership

The year-end ﬁnancial report showed an account balance of $48,438.55 and a proﬁt of $7,991.21 from $10,372.23 in income. The board unanimously decided to raise the membership fee by $20, speciﬁcally allocating the increase to ﬁre brigade funding.

Heliport Development and Funding

A motion passed unanimously for the PPOA to contribute $2,000 to the formation of a separate 501(c)3 entity for the Ponderosa Emergency Response Community Helipad (PERCH). The new entity will manage the heliport, which is intended to operate 24/7 and pursue grants for emergency response facilities.

Community Property and Planning

The board approved a motion to appoint the chair as the liaison with the PCSD regarding the development of a community center on PCSD land.

Phil’s proposal to use a private 30-acre property for cross-country teams and community trails was accepted for further planning.

Details

Attendance: the participants, including Tracy Landeros, Tammi Stewart, Phil, Frank Ohnesorgen, Sharon, and Kit Korf, were present and the invitation system was conﬁrmed to have worked . Sharon conﬁrmed that Jenny would not be attending due to recovering from a tooth extraction, and Dennis was the only other expected member missing without acknowledgement .
Review of Minutes from the Previous Meeting: The minutes from the previous meeting were not available, as Matt Doty acknowledged being remiss in providing them, though Frank Ohnesorgen had prepared some notes. The attendees agreed to review the minutes at the next meeting, with Matt Doty committing to having them prepared in detail .
Financial Report Summary: Sharon presented the ﬁnancial report for the year-end, noting that the total income was $10,372.23 and expenses were $2,381.02, resulting in a proﬁt of $7,991.21. The current balance in the account is $48,438.55. The ﬁnancial report will be emailed to all board members, including Kit Korf, since it was not sent out beforehand .
Membership and Mailbox Status: Membership currently stands at 82 cabins and 17 lots, totaling 99 members or 76% membership. There are 34 mailboxes, which have collected $840, including $85 in credits due to future payments from two members. It was clariﬁed that membership dues apply per owner, regardless of how many improved or unimproved lots are owned.
Discussion on Upcoming 2026 Billing and Heliport: The invoice for 2026 membership and donations needs to be redone. A discussion will be held later regarding whether the Property Owners Association (PPOA) should support the heliport, as this decision will impact whether it is included as a donation option on the invoice. Sharon will work on a rough draft of the invoice.
Proposal to Integrate Mailbox Fees into PPPOA Dues: Tammi Stewart raised the issue of confusion regarding mailbox invoices and proposed integrating them with the PPPOA dues. She noted a previous policy that required mailbox users to be PPPOA members, which had not always been enforced. Sharon, Tracy

Landeros, and Tammi Stewart agreed that including the mailbox fee on the single invoice would simplify accounting and potentially encourage more people to pay both dues.

Plan for Updated Billing and Directory Information: Sharon and Tracy Landeros will work together on the billing process. Tammi Stewart will provide a list of mailbox holders, their box sizes, and the amount owed, noting that the PPOA will not charge dues for a few recent issues that are less than two months old. The new invoice will also include a ﬁeld for phone numbers to update the PPOA directory.
Proposal to Charge for Mail Drop Usage: Phil proposed adding a fee for all members to access the mail drop for packages, arguing that community members should contribute to the amenity, as carriers often leave packages in the mail room. Matt Doty seconded this motion, suggesting the fee be framed as a general mail charge covering either a mailbox or mail drop usage. The current mailbox fees are $20 for a small box and $30 for a large box annually.
Concerns about Enforcing Mail Drop Fee: Concerns were raised about monitoring and collecting a mail drop fee from non-mailbox holders, as it would rely on the honor system. Tracy Landeros and Tammi Stewart noted that collecting the regular mailbox fee is already diﬃcult. Tracy Landeros suggested an alternative: increasing the general membership fee (for improved lots/cabins) to cover the mail drop-off usage.
Motion to Increase Membership Fees for Mail Drop Access: The ﬁrst motion proposed raising the membership fee for improved lots/cabins from $30 to $50 annually, with the $20 increase covering mail drop usage; lot fees would remain at $15. Concerns were raised regarding the $48,438.55 treasury balance and the justiﬁcation for raising fees. Matt Doty argued that the increase would help incorporate ﬁre brigade maintenance, which can be expensive. The motion to increase the fee to $50 for improved lots/cabins was seconded and called for a vote.
Motion to Increase Fees to Include Fire Brigade Funding (Motion Failure): Matt Doty proposed amending the motion to increase the fee further to $75, with the additional $25 speciﬁcally allocated to the ﬁre brigade, given the high costs of insurance and equipment needs. Frank Ohnesorgen conﬁrmed the ﬁre brigade’s largest yearly expense is $6,000 for insurance, and current budget money is earmarked for expensive uniforms, with potential repair costs for the truck estimated around $3,000. Sharon and Tammy Stewart opposed the jump from $30 to $75, citing the risk of losing voluntary members. The motion failed, with three votes in favor and three opposed.
Revised Motion to Reallocate Membership Fee Increase to Fire Brigade: Sharon offered a new motion to deny the proposed mail room fee increase and instead reallocate the potential $20 increase to the ﬁre brigade . Matt Doty seconded this motion, and it was accepted by ALL present. This motion passed, raising the fee by $20 a year for the ﬁre brigade, which will be speciﬁcally allocated to ﬁre brigade needs.
Friendsgiving and Tree Decorating Event Review: Tammi Stewart reported that the Friendsgiving event hosted at Phil’s house was a success, calling it a “huge community effort” with great food and a good turnout. She noted that coordinating table usage was diﬃcult due to uncertain attendance, suggesting RSVPs might help with future planning . The tree decorating event, promoted during Friendsgiving, also had a great turnout . Phil offered his home for the event again, and it was agreed to promote the potluck better going forward.
Snow Day Event Status and Community Services: It was decided that there was not enough snow remaining to hold a March snow day event. Matt Doty reminded members that their property has 24/7 Wi-Fi via Starlink for voice over IP use, especially important during power outages, and offered this as a community resource.
Fire Brigade Report and Financial Status: Frank Ohnesorgen reported that the ﬁre truck is being maintained with radiator ﬂuid in its tank and the engine started every two weeks. The ﬁre brigade currently has over $3,000 in its budget, designated for expensive uniforms and equipment. Frank Ohnesorgen plans to close the existing account due to a $25 monthly service charge . The ﬁre brigade received $2,740 in donations from last year’s billing, that is available and board approval is needed to authorize Frank Ohnesorgen to use these funds .

Heliport Discussion and Establishment History: The discussion began with the history of establishing a heliport, prompted by a serious emergency in which a helicopter could not land. Toro suggested working on establishing the heliport, contacting the Piles Boys Camp, who own the property behind the lodge, which has been used for helicopter landings previously. Written permission was granted to cut down trees to improve accessibility, and community members, including Captain Loki, have walked the area for discussion.

Current Heliport Issues and Financial Needs: The current site has issues, including a non-functioning ﬁre hydrant due to a broken pipe, which represents a potential expenditure. Matt Doty offered to develop a 501(c)3 nonproﬁt organization for the heliport committee to allow them to apply for grants. Frank Ohnesorgen noted a need to secure a helicopter pilot to walk the area and provide a deﬁnitive assessment of what needs to be done to make the site accessible.
Rationale for a Separate 501(c)3 Nonproﬁt: Matt Doty presented an analysis advocating for a separate 501(c)3, named the Ponderosa Emergency Response Community Helipad (PERCH), distinct from the PPOA. The PERCH’s mission would focus on medical evacuation, wildﬁre and ﬁre response, search and rescue, and disaster/evacuation support, differentiating it from the PPOA’s focus on community events and shared facilities. A separate entity would protect the PPOA’s assets from liability related to the “dangerous approach” of a helicopter landing site and would enable access to speciﬁc mission-related grants for rural emergency services.
Beneﬁts of Separate Heliport Management: A separate 501(c)3 would allow for additional ﬁnancial transparency and specialized leadership with experience in emergency response, aviation safety, and medical evacuation. The PERCH would serve a broader regional purpose than the PPOA, beneﬁting Ponderosa residents, neighboring communities, ﬁreﬁghters, and visitors. Matt Doty asserted that the PPOA should remain involved as a board member liaison for joint fundraising and shared emergency planning .
Motion to Support Heliport Funding and Representation: Phil moved for the PPOA to match a $2,000 contribution from Camp Nelson towards establishing the heliport and to authorize Frank Ohnesorgen and Matt Doty to move forward with the proposed plan. Frank Ohnesorgen added that the Camp Nelson donation was given because they no longer provide volunteer ambulance service, which previously covered the area. The motion was seconded by Tammi Stewart.
Discussion on Heliport Funding Competition and Liability: Sharon raised concern about the community competing for funds and the substantial liability and insurance costs associated with the heliport . Matt Doty countered that the heliport funding would primarily come from large grants and services outside the community, making it complementary rather than competitive with the PPOA’s funding. He acknowledged the liability insurance would be signiﬁcantly more than $6,000, and stated they were budgeting for it.
Safety and Operational Status of the Helipad: The intent of the heliport project is to bring the site up to commercial standards for any type of emergency response helicopter, as the location has previously turned away pilots because it “wasn’t up to snuff” . The proposed PERCH is intended to operate 24/7 and be speciﬁcally designated and funded by the state and federal grants as an emergency response facility, unlike the Peppermint heliport They also discussed making the site available for commercial use via helicopter, which would allow the PERCH to charge landing fees.
Ongoing Heliport Development and Coordination: Frank Ohnesorgen noted that there is still signiﬁcant information and work needed to make the site reasonably accessible to helicopters, including addressing maintenance during winter month. Tracy Landeros suggested that snow removal for the helipad needs to be put on a contract and paid for, which Matt Doty agreed the separate heliport group could handle.
Motion Approval for Heliport Funding and Separate Entity: The motion was restated as the PPOA contributing matching funds of $2,000 to the formation of the 501(c)3 Ponderosa Emergency Response Community Helipad, with Frank Ohnesorgen designated as the liaison. Sharon conﬁrmed that the motion included the heliport becoming its own separate entity, having previously been considered as part of the PPOA. The motion passed unanimously .
Review of Summit Fire Alarm Functionality: Frank Ohnesorgen discussed the non-functional ﬁre alarm at Summit, which was reportedly taken down when work was done on the big water tank. He committed to retrieving and examining the alarm once the snow lets up to determine if it can be repaired or made operational, and will test the audibility of the alarm currently at the garage.
Social Events and Community Calendar Discussion: Tammi Stewart conﬁrmed that she will coordinate the July 4th event. Sharon suggested trying to establish a community calendar and Matt Doty proposed that the calendar could be published on the Ponderosa California website, which he volunteered to take over from Julia.
Acknowledgement of Community Life Events and PPOA Directory: Frank Ohnesorgen acknowledged the passing of the volunteer sheriff, Jack, and the community members discussed the need to acknowledge life events, such as sicknesses and deaths, which used to be handled by a “Sunshine Committee” . Sharon agreed to send a card from the PPPOA, and Tracy Landeros volunteered to coordinate sending cards if provided with a list of community members and their addresses.

PPOA Welcome Packages for New Residents: Frank Ohnesorgen reported meeting a young couple, Andy and Jesse, who recently purchased a cabin and are moving up permanently . The board discussed the existing PPOA Welcome Package, which includes a map and important numbers, and Matt Doty volunteered to help scan and convert the package to an electronic format for easier distribution. Tracy Landeros suggested board members keep physical welcoming packets at their cabins to give to new residents when they meet them.

Proposed Use of Phil’s 30-Acre Property: Phil discussed their privately-owned 30-acre property, which he believes should beneﬁt the community. proposed using the property as a location for organized, school-supported cross-country running teams to practice in the summer, with parents camping on the property . He also suggested developing trails on the property for PPOA members who might want to enjoy a morning walk.

Commitment to Developing the 30-Acre Property: Matt Doty and Frank Ohnesorgen volunteered to work with Phil on planning the best use of the 30-acre property for the community. Matt Doty suggested considering permanent structures like metal fabrication buildings for restrooms and a cooking area to handle the snow load. Phil requested meeting with those who volunteered, including Matt Doty and Frank Ohnesorgen, for a tour and discussion in May.
Community Center Development with PCSD: Sharon reported that Gabby is receptive to the PPOA working with the PCSD to build a structure on PCSD land that would include a community center for the PPOA and maintenance/storage for the PCSD . Matt Doty and Frank Ohnesorgen, who are also on the PCSD board, agreed to work on this project . A motion passed to appoint the chair (Sharon) as the liaison between the PPPOA and the PCSD regarding the community center.
Membership Outreach Strategy: Phil intends to convince property owners to become members, and they raised the question of whether to send the membership material out with the invoice. Sharon initially suggested that the invoice and the membership materials should be separate but later agreed that sending the material with the invoice “may be the time to send it,” a concept Matt Doty supported as providing impetus. Sharon committed to getting with Phil when the invoice is ready to ﬁnalize the distribution plan.

Scheduled Follow-up Meeting: Sharon noted a desire to have a one-on-one discussion with Matt Doty regarding a text that Matt Doty volunteered. Matt Doty conﬁrmed availability at any time, suggesting they could set up a meeting.
Closing Remarks and Exit: The participants exchanged thanks and goodbyes, with Phil extending an offer of friendship to anyone visiting Bakersﬁeld.

Suggested next steps

Tammi Stewart will create a list of who has a mailbox, what their price is, and which ones are already paid, and include the box numbers.

Tammi Stewart will take care of getting the tree decorations down from the top during the current trip to the mountains.

Matt Doty will assist in writing the professional wording for the invoice regarding the increase in dues for the ﬁre brigade.

Sharon and Tracy Landeros will work together in the next week or two to agree on the invoice look and get it out.

Matt Doty will generate the minutes for the current meeting and use Frank Ohnesorgen’s minutes for the last meeting, and have them done before the end

of next week.

Frank Ohnesorgen will send his notes on the Heliport walking area to the other folks.

Matt Doty will ensure that all participants have copies of the presentation shown on the screen regarding the heliport.

Frank Ohnesorgen will investigate the non-functional ﬁre alarm at Summit to determine if it can be repaired or made operational, and talk with the county road person about a possible alternate route down M50 during 190 construction. Tracy Landeros will take on the task of sending out cards for community life events from the PPPOA.

Matt Doty will work to set up the online distribution of community notices and take over and manage the Ponderosa California PPOA website, including putting the community calendar and newsletter content (created with Jenny) online.

Matt Doty will put the membership committee’s letter to the property owners up and forward it online, provided he receives a listing of property owners’ emails. Frank Ohnesorgen will send documents regarding the Firewise community status and discounts on ﬁre insurance to Tracy Landeros and the group, and Matt Doty will ensure this is added to the welcome package and website.

Sharon will ﬁnd out from Rich if there is an electronic copy of the PPPOA welcome package, and Matt Doty will help convert it if a digital copy is unavailable.

Tracy Landeros and Matt Doty will help create and keep stock of welcoming packets at their cabins for new people.

Phil, Matt Doty, and Frank Ohnesorgen will collaborate on the planning and development of the 30-acre property.

Sharon will serve as the liaison between the PPPOA and the PCSD regarding the community center project, and Frank Ohnesorgen and Matt Doty will ﬁgure out a regular cadence for meeting with Gabby on the community building project. Sharon will get with Phil when the invoice is ready.

Phil will convince the property owners that they should all become members. Sharon and Matt Doty will have a one-on-one discussion later about the volunteered text.