KERN RIVER VALLEY FIRE SAFE COUNCIL

Board of Directors and Stakeholders Meetings

Board of Directors Meeting

Meeting was convened at 8:38 by the President, Lloyd Smith. 

On email Communication: Lloyd Smith, Ed Royce, Gordon Ehmann, Sharon Rooney, Christine and Gordon Hancock, Chris Horgan, Patrick Pontes and Kimberley Cushman

 

President's Report

 + I developed letter to Congressman McCarthy for FY2011 budget support of DM RC&D funding.  Received two thank you notes from DM RC&D members.

+ I sent email with follow-up on information to Congressman McCarty's representative (Ben McFarland) to support our case for reauthorization of the National Fire Plan.

+ I developed (with Ed's help) a letter that was sent to the leadership at BLM , USFS , and KCFD discussing our change in meeting schedule, our desire to have more participation at our quarterly meetings, and to have presentations on each agency's fuel reduction projects status and priorities.

+ I compiled (with assistance from Ed and Patrick) data from prior grant projects that can be use as a metric to demonstrate the value of our grant projects (Excel).

+ I developed and sent another email to Congressman McCarthy's representative that included the above data (Excel) to further establish the "worth" of the National Fire Plan.

+ I made a presentation to the Kern River Valley Rotary Club on 18 February 2010   (84 miles for match).

+ I will attend the Kern Fire Safe Council Meeting in Bakersfield (150 miles match) on Wednesday, 17 March 2010 .

+ I will attend the California Fire Alliance meeting in Fresno (374 miles match) on 24 & 25 March 2010 .

 

WEB STICKERS

Chris Horgan has identified a source for web address cover-ups on our roadside sign message boards.  Recall that we have nine message boards, some with the old web address, and some with no web address.  The proposal was to purchase a cover-up sticker that could be place on each of the nine message boards.  Chris got a bid of $57.00 each for a cover-up sticker that would have 4 inch high letters that could be read while driving by.  The total cost would be 9 X $57.00 = $513.00 plus tax, or $556.00.  This expenditure is an educational item, as where the original costs for the message boards ($685.00 each), and represents a significant part of the educational budget line.  This seems like a prudent purchase so that our roadside signs have the impact that we originally intended. 

Chris plans to get more bids on signs and look into Kern Valley sign companies

Solicited bid from Sierra Signs for www.krvfiresafecouncil.org

stickers with 4" high in Arial type to match the signs

Turns out they did the original signs, so they know what is needed,

Cost is $35 per sticker doing nine stickers which is much cheaper than

the prior bid

 

FIRE SAFE INFORMATION SHEET

Don was able to provide the County regulations earlier this week and

that has been extremely helpful in drafting the text

Chris  should have a draft ready next week.

The purpose of this sheet is to get people to understand why it is important to them to be Fire Safe. The most likely motivator is money. To let them know it will cost them money if they are not Fire Safe.

Chris has gotten a quote for the color printing of 7500 copies which will be from $770 to $1070 plus tax or $0.10 to $0.15 each. The low price will probably not be able to be printed by 3/23

Chris has done the design and layout at no charge, although Chris understands that the program he uses WORD 2007, does not provide the best resolution in the final print, so we may want to convert it to a better program.

 

BODFISH II AND PALA PROJECTS

Patrick has submitted and Ed has approved detailed invoices covering his work monitoring the Bodfish II and Pala Grant projects.  Payment of these invoices will zero out those accounts.  These invoices document additional effort on these two projects, totaling $190.  In view of all the truly superior work that Patrick has done for us, Ed proposes that we also reimburse him for this amount out of our general fund.  We are not required to do this by our contract with Patrick, however.  I ask Board approval by "reply to" for this expenditure.  –Lloyd, Sharon, Christine and Gordon Hancock vote a yes to pay.

 

GRANTS COMMITTEE

+ I completed the update (March 2010) of the Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP), which includes the 2011 proposed grant projects.  I prepared updated CDROM for distribution, and printed three hard copies (at USFS Kernville).

+ I attended a scoping meeting at USFS Kernville (84 miles for match) for a USFS fuel reduction project at Valley View (project P/K-1 in Fuel Reduction Projects section of updated CWPP).  Valley View residents in attendance assured me that they will try to have a Chipper Day this year (probably July 2010).  I agreed that we would investigate the feasibility of a proposed grant project at Valley View to further enhance the value of the USFS project.

 

FUNDRAISING COMMITTEE

+ I developed and sent a request to the Kern River Exchange Club ( Sharon stimulated) for a sustaining membership.

+ I sent a thank you letter to Bea & Lloyd Smith for a $250.00 sustaining membership contribution.

+ I sent a thank you letter to Kern River Exchange Club for a $175.00 sustaining membership contribution.

+ I sent a thank you letter to the Kern Valley Sun for their in-kind donation of a KRVFSC add in the 2010 Visitors Guide.

+ Total fund raising received through 15 March is $875.00.

+ I developed and sent a request to the Kern River Valley Rotary Club to become a sustaining member.

+ I developed and sent a request to the Kernville Chamber of Commerce to become a sustaining member.

+ I developed and sent a request to the Kern Valley Chamber of Commerce to become a sustaining member.

+ I developed and sent forty five (45) fund solicitation letters throughout the KRVFSC area (individuals, property owners, businesses, and organizations) to become sustaining members.

 

PUBLICITY COMMITTEE

Lloyd updates all on letterhead through email attachment for all to access.

Kimberley visits Kern Valley Sun to make her acquaintance with editor, Michelle, but she was out of town.

The publicity committee plans to get a news event with photos, text, etc. out once work commences.

Ed will put together the draft of a story for each project.

...   Ideally, we would do the two projects in different weeks, so that we would get two stories in two different issues.    

 

EDUCATION COMMITTEE

Chris Horgan, Chairman, met with Christine & Gordon to determine the most important topics

that interest the public regarding the need to reduce fuels. In

process of integrating that data with information from brochures to

create Fire Safe Info Sheet.

Awaiting photos of burn areas from whoever has appropriate photos for

Info Sheet and awaiting update from Don regarding County Fire

Inspection requirements

Atchison Propane is interested in sending out a Fire Safe Info sheet

along with their bills. It is likely other local companies will do the

same. Cal Water & Cal Edison cannot include anything with their bills.

Will look into other avenues of distribution such as websites,

newspaper and radio station public service announcements once Info

Sheet is drafted.

+ Lloyd sent the new roadside sign rotation schedule to USFS Kernville (message boards should be rotated sometime in March).

+ Lloyd retrieved the Walker Pass roadside sign frame materials from USFS Kernville, and will complete the restoration, fabrication, and reinstallation soon.

+ Lloyd will identify a speaker for our May stakeholder meeting.

 

SPEAKERS BUREAU

Spoke to Shawna Cortez regarding Audubon 2 hour presentation.

Explained 2 hours was more than a speaker could provide, but perhaps

we can do a chipper day in conjunction with a morning presentation.

Shawna thought it was a great idea and she will check with Reed and

Allison to see if they agree. She will call back later this week.

AUDUBON TALK

Confirmed we will do a talk and sample building fire assessment on

6/5. They will provide power for our projection system and sound

system. They are very excited

Sent an email to all agencies two weeks ago requesting an agency

speaker, but have not received any replies. Will follow up.

 

WEBSITE COMMITTEE

Ed has sent the following changes to our webmaster, Thomas Simon: changed Board and officers, changed contact numbers in several places, new honor roll, project descriptions updated to reflect completion of 2009 projects and addition of 2010 projects, new calendar, Minutes posted, additional news stories (and elimination of old news).  Thomas has started on this and hopes to finish in the next couple weeks.  However, at present there are no changes on the posted web site. 

As Ed has noted previously, the Council/Board/Education Committee needs to think about what it wants to have posted on the website for Wildfire Awareness Week -- also how it can publicize the website as part of its activities that week. 

 

TREASURER’S REPORT

Sharon notices that a check was written in January for Kern County Fire Dept (acarryover from 2009 Pala Ranch Grant) in the amount of $22,800.  Therefore she increased the 2009 Carryover by this amount and also added a 2009 Carryover for Contract Labor.  By doing this the amount is a "wash" but it does show up on our 2010 check register.

Our Grant Administrator – Patrick Pontes gave Sharon the go ahead to transfer $2,500 each from the Bodfish III & Burma grants.

Patrick submitted his final invoices for Phase II Bodfish ($1,626.00) & Pala Ranches ($2,071.00) and per our board vote Sharon added the additional $190.00 from our operating account: total check to Patrick of $3,887.00.

 The $157.00 was submitted to the insurance company for the AD&D policy.

Our taxes are due May 15, 2010 and I’ve been looking for someone to prepare them for us.  Our local H & R Block office will prepare them for approximately $350

 Gene Heins is located in Wofford Heights – he has prepared taxes for KRV Revitalization, Rotary Club & Hospital Auxiliary – he would prepare for approximately $450

  Gary Gilbreath, CPA in Bakersfield – he would prepare for approximately $500

-Ed, Chris, Christine and Gordon Hancock approve to use H&R Block

 

GRANTS REPORT

Patrick's detailed report is attached.  Briefly: (1) 2009 projects (Piute Meadow, Pala, and Bodfish II) have been completed, including documentation.  (2) Environmental clearances have been issued for our 2010 projects ( Burma and Bodfish III ), and the first significant funding should arrive shortly (hopefully).  (3) 2011 project proposals ( Lake Isabella and Bodfish III ) were submitted by the February deadline.  We will learn if they are to be funded on June 14. 

Ed will attend the second planning session for a potential Forest Service fuel reduction project on Greenhorn/Sawmill Ridge tomorrow in Bakersfield .  As noted last month, a project there several years ago was derailed by an environmental appeal.  The present series of meetings is being hosted by a facilitator, who will attempt to get the several stakeholders onto the same page.  The main objectives of a potential project involve various aspects of forest health.  While not in the immediate WUI, fuel reduction in the area under study will also provide some additional protection from wildfire for Alta Sierra and the string of communities on the west shore of the lake.  I will continue to represent the Council's interests in this series of meetings. 

Ed has had no response to e-mails to staffers for Feinstein and Nunes re the National Fire Plan renewal.  Lloyd is having better luck with McCarthy's staffer.   

I have had no further information on the $300k fuel reduction project to be funded directly by the Forest Service.

KERN RIVER VALLEY FIRE SAFE COUNCIL

 

GRANT STATUS UPDATE

 

March 11, 2010

 

Piute Meadows Community Roadside Brushing and Chipping Project-  The final Photo Monitor and Accomplishment Report is complete and will be sent to CFSC.  The photo binder will be available to view at the March Kern FSC Meeting. Two CD copies of the Photo Report are available for the FSC. I will complete and submit the final Close-out Survey to Margaret.

 

Pala Shaded Fuelbreak- The final Photo Monitor and Accomplishment Report is complete and will be sent to CFSC.  The photo binder will be available to view at the March Kern FSC Meeting. Two CD copies of the Photo Report are available for the FSC. I will be completing and submitting the final Close-out Survey to Margaret.

 

The final Quarterly Accomplishment Report is complete. The final Invoice for the project has been submitted, and the project will zero out. We exceeded our Match by $12,373.  

 

Bodfish Canyon Phase II Fuelbreak Project- The final Photo Monitor and Accomplishment Report is complete and will be sent to CFSC. The photo binder will be available to view at the March Kern FSC Meeting. Two CD copies of the Photo Report are available for the FSC. I will be completing and submitting the final Close-out Survey to Margaret.

 

The final Quarterly Accomplishment Report is complete. The final Invoice for the project has been submitted, and the project will zero out. We exceeded our Match by $54,665.  

 

Bodfish III Fuel Reduction Project

 

We should have received the Congratulations “environmental clearance letter” for the project in the mail. The letter describes the environmental/cultural resource requirements for the project. Please copy for your records and forward the letter to me, so that I can share it with KFD. We should be receiving our first “quarterly allocation” any time. On 3/1 Cathy put us in for the $$’s.    

 

Burma Interagency Extension Project

 

Same as Bodfish III above…

 

2011 Grant Proposals- and Commitment Letters were completed and submitted to CFSC by the due date. May 19-21 is the review panel scoring, and notifications will be by 6/14/10 .