KERN RIVER VALLEY FIRE SAFE COUNCIL
General Meeting
June 15, 2006
Board of Directors/General Meeting
President Ed Royce convened the meeting at 8:30 A>M.
Those present: Ed Royce, Jim Davis, Gordon and Christine Hancock,
Sally Peterson, Margaret Belz, Bob Robinson, Lloyd Smith and Robin
Wyatt-Little.
Introductions were made.
Minutes: Motion to approve by Jim Davis. Sally Peterson, 2nd.
Unanimous approval.
Treasurer’s Report: Ed Royce reports a FSC operating account balance
of $790.48.
Frazier Park BLM grant balance is $29,500; Hungry Gulch BLM grant
balance is
$45,000; Kennedy Meadows BLM grant balance is $20,925. Motion to
accept by
Robin Wyatt-Little. Lloyd Smith, 2nd. Unanimous approval.
Robin reiterated the need to find a replacement for Sharon (our
treasurer.) Christine Hancock said she would volunteer to take over as
Treasurer. Sharon will train Chris regarding Quick Books etc. Thank
you Christine!
Grant(s) Report: No reports other than Kennedy Meadows CWPP update by
Ed Royce. Ken Delfino, contractor for the CWPP grant, spoke to the
Kennedy Meadows annual meeting. Ken outlined the goals of the project.
Three hundred letters explaining the project had been sent to the
property owners prior to this meeting with only three individuals
objecting to anyone entering their property.
Property Owners Associations:
Alta Sierra: Margaret Belz reports the chipper day project is
scheduled for June 16, 2006. There is a lot of downed material by the
roadsides in Alta Sierra.
Frontier Trail Homeowners: Robin reports that Bill Dierck will be
attending the Board of Directors meeting this Saturday and will speak
to wildfire safety issues.
Bodfish/Lake Isabella: Gordon Hancock reports that the POA is working
on getting specific parcels cleaned up which present fire safety
issues.
Kennedy Meadows: Ed Royce reports that 80 residents attended the
Memorial Day BBQ and presentation by Ken Delfino. They also cleaned
the Kennedy Meadows Road. The Forest Service, BLM and CDF were in
attendance also. The POA is planning a hazardous waste pick-up day in
the near future.
Isabella Highlands: Jim Davis reports that the June 10th chipper day
event was very successful with 12 properties participating. Jim
mentioned that some of the property owners had received letters from
KCFD regarding weed abatement and those folks were scurrying to get
their downed materials to the roadside for the chipper crew. The POA
fed the crew rib eye steaks for lunch. It was agreed this will be a
hard act to follow for other POA’s hosting a chipper day.
Jim said that their road sign project was complete with 22
standardized signs in place at a cost of $4000. The cost was shared
through donations. This POA donated $100.00 to the KRV FSC. A thank
you will be sent by Robin.
Robin sent a thank you to the Squirrel Valley POA for their $300.00
donation.
Chipper Projects: Margaret Belz reports there is one more chipper
project scheduled for June 24th. Sally Peterson suggested an
appreciation letter from the FSC be sent to Supervisor McQuiston for
the KC Board of Supervisors support of the KCFD Chipper Crews, citing
the great success of this wildfire safety program for the Kern Valley
communities. Robin will prepare this letter.
Discussion followed regarding changes for chipper day requirements
i.e. the required number of properties to participate which would
provide a day’s worth of chipping. Margaret will talk with Captain
Lange and get the latest guidelines. She will talk with Margie Clack
regarding an info-article about chipper days, citing this season’s
chipper day data. Thanks were expressed to Margaret for her
willingness to take on the chipper day coordinating.
Fundraising: Jim Davis has been in touch with Kern County Foundation
regarding our FSC participation and eligibility for grant
possibilities. Jim submitted a short informational paragraph to be
published in the Foundation’s next CONNECTIONS newsletter.
Jim asked for FSC approval to proceed with an application to the
Weingard Fund through the KC Foundation. Approval was unanimous. Jim
will proceed.
General discussion followed regarding specifics of the fundraising
plan. Jim will work on establishing a budget committee to work with
the fundraising effort. Lloyd Smith stressed the importance of having
budget data in place prior to actual fundraising. It was agreed that
“sustaining” supporters is a priority in this effort.
Projects: Jim Davis reports that with FSC and Forest Service approval,
he will write a proposal for SCE regarding potential funding for the
twelve roadside sign project panels. Lloyd Smith made the motion for
this proposal. Sally Peterson, 2nd. Unanimous approval.
Ed Royce mentions the need to secure volunteers who will adopt one of
the signs and maintain it i.e. weed eating around the sign and
changing the panels per seasons. Jim Davis volunteered to adopt one of
the three signs.
Discussion followed regarding specific messages for the signs. Ed
Royce asked for agency professionals (FS, BLM and KCFD) to provide
the council with examples of similar signs and graphics that they
might have in their files. He also asked other FSC members to submit
ideas that speak to seasonal fire safe messages. Ed asks that these
ideas and examples be presented at the July meeting.
It was agreed that the FSC needs to revisit the arson education issue.
This will be an agenda item for July’s meeting.
Board of Directors for the current terms was nominated by Ed Royce,
President: Lloyd Smith, Sally Peterson, Chris Hancock, Emily Diggles
and Delores Walmer.
Motion to approve by Jim Davis. Margaret Belz, 2nd. Unanimous
approval.
Ed asked who would represent the FSC at the KRVR meetings (1st
Wednesday of every month) and if Emily attends, perhaps she would be
the representative. Jim Davis will be the back-up person. Emily will
be contacted regarding this. The July 5th KRVR meeting will be a FSC
presentation so Robin will be the representative.
Robin asked if the FSC should belong to the Valley Chambers of
Commerce (2.) Margaret Belz will research the cost involved etc. and
report back.
Ed Royce adjourned the meeting at 10:45 A.M.
Respectfully submitted by: Robin Wyatt-Little, Secretary |