Crestline Soaring Society (CSS) – Board of Directors Update

1. Club Elections & Governance

Election Outcome: Results from the annual election were tallied and posted to the club forum and emailed to members. All candidates on the ballot were elected to office.
Board Transitions:
- Secretary: Jamie Shelden tendered her resignation from the Board of Directors in early July.
- Transition Plan: In accordance with Article VII, Section 2 of the CSS Bylaws, the Board appointed Events Coordinator Mimi BowQuay to fill the role of Secretary for the remainder of the term.
- Events Coordinator: Tasha Gabrovsek was appointed as the new Events Coordinator.
Board Communication Protocols: The Board discussed and established guidelines regarding officer communications with external entities (such as developers and city officials) during ongoing site negotiations to ensure full transparency, board consensus, and accurate documentation.

City Council Hearing (June 3): Board representation attended the San Bernardino City Council meeting regarding the Encore University Hills proposed development. The Board successfully requested a continuation of the hearing to July to allow further evaluation of pilot safety concerns.
1978 Hang Gliding Ordinance Clarification: In response to discussions regarding an outdated 1978 city ordinance restricting flight within city limits, the Board prepared a detailed historical overview for the Mayor and City Council. The document outlines:
- The origin of the 1970s ordinance following unregulated flying at Little Mountain.
- The subsequent 1989 City re-zoning of Pine Crest Air Park to Public Commercial Recreation (PCR).
- The 1992 state-mandated relocation/mitigation effort by DWR that established the current Andy Jackson Airpark (AJX).
Mayor’s Site Visit (June 11): Mayor Tran visited Andy Jackson Airpark to view flight operations firsthand, observe landing approach demonstrations, and assess how proposed homes in the northwest corner of the development could encroach on the safe flight corridor.
Community Engagement (June 15): Board members attended the 5th Ward Community Engagement Meeting to advocate for preserving an unobstructed safety corridor for incoming gliders.

Insurance Audit: The Board conducted a comprehensive audit of commercial insurance requirements for all instructors operating at CSS-managed sites (Crestline, Marshall, 750, Regionals, and AJX).
Formal Notice Issued: Formal notices were distributed to instructors requiring submission of a current Certificate of Insurance (COI) and complete policy documentation showing commercial HG/PG coverage with CSS and landowners named as additional insureds, as required by the CSS’ policy under Recreation RRG.
USHPA Coordination: Uninsured or under-insured instructors pose a risk to CSS sites. The Board confirmed with USHPA leadership that instructors failing to maintain required insurance documentation face suspension/revocation of instructor credentials and loss of site access privileges.

Accident Reports: A streamlined Google Form/spreadsheet system was integrated into the Board drive to manage incident reports. Members and instructors are reminded of the importance of submitting prompt incident reports following any site mishaps to ensure accurate safety tracking.
Field Safety: Site conditions and wind limits on the training hill continue to be monitored by on-site directors/officers, with recommendations to pause student training during high-wind mid-day hours.

Financial Transparency: Financial reports continue to be published regularly for member review. Financial statements are archived securely under the restricted “Club Business” section of the CSS member forum.
Storage Containers: An audit of Container #2 revealed 39 stored gliders, with several past-due shelf fees. The Board is reaching out to past members regarding unpaid storage fees and glider retrieval.
Digital Infrastructure & Drive Access: Board document archives, meeting records, and insurance policy packages have been centralized in the shared CSS Google Drive for improved administrative access across all directorships.