GATE + PATROL SERVICES COMMITTEE

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Purpose of this Description

This description has been prepared to provide residents with an introduction to the Gate Committee, its members, responsibilities, some of its policies, and a few of the problems it encounters. This description was not created to replace the Gate Operations Policies and Procedures Manual, but rather to enhance it.

An overview of the committee:

The committee is made up of residents of Hidden Hills who have agreed to volunteer their time and effort in good faith and with the best of intentions. We share a common belief that, as residents, its our duty to participate in helping to preserve our way of life here in Hidden Hills.

To that end, our goal is to insure, to the best of our abilities, that the services provided at the gates remain consistent with and in the best interests of the community. This goal, by definition, gives rise to a conflict in that the needs and interests of the community as a whole are not always the same as the needs of individual residents. We are thus suspended in a constant balancing act, weighing the communitys need for tighter control with individual residents needs for freedom.

We would like to assure all of you, our friends and neighbors, that we continue to make every effort to discharge our responsibilities in as ethically and equitably rigorous and prudent manner as possible. If we seem overly strict about these rules, it is for one reason and one reason only: the risk of even one unauthorized person gaining entry into the community and hurting someone is far too great a risk to take. We err on the conservative side in order to protect you.

Who we are

As with all Association Committees, members of the Gate Operations Committee are chosen for their desire to serve as much as for the skills and knowledge they bring to the Committee. During periods of heavy technological change, the Board seeks residents with backgrounds in audio/visual equipment, computers, security, construction/design, and the like. Currently the Committee is balanced between residents with specific skills and those with general knowledge of the community and the issues faced by its residents.

The Committee is also served by the Associations paid staff members; The Associaitons Office Assistant, Stefany Tristan, fields the bulk of the requests and complaints related to the operations and management of the gates. They both have extensive backgrounds in customer service and office management, and will strive to help you manage your bar codes, guest lists, etc The Associations General Manager, Shannon Moore, oversees all of the Associations Committees in general and focuses specifically on issues of policy, enforcement, and capital improvements. Her tenure in the community (over 26 years) provides the Committee with a significant amount of historical knowledge, while her education (B.A. in English from the University of Washington, M.B.A. from California Lutheran, CCAM Certified Community Association Manager), legal experience and construction background assist with virtually every aspect of the Committees work. Chances are, however, that you wont come into contact with Ms. Moore in matters of Gate Operations unless you have a problem or a special request. As with all Committees, the Board of Directors is the ultimate authority, and, as your elected officials, will become involved in your Gate Operations issue only if it.

What we, the Committee Members, DO

1. We DO oversee gate operations and supervise the Gate Guard Service
2. We DO ensure visitors are authorized by residents to be here
3. We DO maintain gate manual policies and procedures
4. We DO resolve resident complaints about gate operations
5. We DO resolve gate incidents about residents or guests
6. We DO authorize emergency construction people on holidays and weekends
7. We DO authorize emergency vendors on holidays and weekends
   
   

What we, the Committee Members, DO NOT do

1. We DO NOT provide security for the community
2. We DO NOT provide guard protection for residents
3. We DO NOT provide protection for your real estate
4. We DO NOT provide protection for your personal property
5. We DO NOT track visitors once they enter the community
6. We DO NOT provide information anything that has transpired at a gate house to anyone unless a crime has been committee and a report filed with the Sheriff

What the Gate Guards DO

The Gate Guards are just that: Gate Guards. The Guard Service is only responsible for managing ingress and egress at the gates of our community. They do not perform any other guard or security function in the community. Residents desiring security for their home and personal belongings may elect to contract with armed response security and/or to install security systems in their homes.

Your arrangements with private security services are not affected by the Associaitons contract relationship with the gate guard vendor. Your personal guard service will be granted ingress into the community to respond to incidents that you have hired them to perform, assuming you have listed them on your permanent guest list.

Our guard service has many responsibilities including;

1. Checking thousands of visitors every day for prior authorization to enter the community
2. Logging hundreds of calls each day from residents with temporary admits.
3. Calling your house, your office, your cell phone, and/or your pager to obtain authorization to admit a visitor if the name does not appear on the computer
4. Regulating admittance to parties
5. Positively verifying the identity of everyone in every vehicle entering the community
6. Following the rules and regulations contained in the Gate Operations Manual
7. Refusing entry to any unauthorized individual

What the Gate Guards DO NOT do

1. They DO NOT admit more than three call-down guests after 5:00 p.m. without a party list.
2. They DO NOT provide security for the community
3. They DO NOT provide guard protection for residents
4. They DO NOT provide protection for your real estate
5. They DO NOT provide protection for your personal property
6. They DO NOT accept messages or packages for residents
7. They DO NOT admit visitors who are not authorized to enter the community or residents who do not have proper identification
8. They DO NOT make permanent changes to your admit list or phone numbers
9. They DO NOT issue bar codes or schedule bar code appointments