Month: April 2021

Cobb Area Council Meeting Minutes April 15, 2021 DRAFT
1. CALL TO ORDER – Cindy called the meeting to order at 6:33p
2. Roll Call:
Present – Cathy McCarthy: Chairperson; Jake Stickler: Member-at-large, Cindy Leonard: Vice- Chairperson, Frank Lincoln: Treasurer, Chris: Nettles: Secretary
Not present – Dottie Bates: Alternate
3. Approval of Agenda and Minutes
Motion to accept minutes from March meeting made by Cindy
Second – Chris
Motion carries unanimous.
4. Short Announcements
Rummage Sale and fire safety event at parking lot beside gas station 16350 Hwy 175 Saturday, 4/17/2021 10a-2p
Stay tuned for the next one coming soon.
5. Public and Board Comment on Non-Agenda Items (3 mins./individual) None
6. Treasurer’s Report- Frank
Total Current balance is $16,354.00 General fund: $1,054.81
Blackberry Cobbler Festival $6,316.53 Cobb Resilient $1,456.28
Cobb Safe $851.23
Economic Development $1,300 Rebuild NorthBay $564.42 T-shirt fundraising $4,303.89 Wilder Than Wild fund $161.31 Broom Busters $146.20
Motion to adopt Agenda made by Eliot
Discussion – Agenda item 9: Melinda Rivera will be reporting for Paul D. Cathy also has items to share from Paul Duncan
Second -Cathy
Motion carries unanimous
7. Supervisor’s Comments- Jessica Pyska
• Cannabis ordinances are being updated in Red Hills- permits were open – grandfathering permits over 2 years
• Tomorrow (4/16) start some strategic planning for 2028 – http://www.lakecountyca.gov/Government/Directory/Administration/Visioning/Vision2 028.htm
• Drought – Lake is at lowest level since 1970’s – start conserving now!
8. Lake Evacuation and Animal Protection (LEAP) Presentation by Jonathan Armas
• Jonathan “JT” Armas – Directs Animal control and LEAP programs.
• Disccribed LEAP program. Need volunteers for Level 1 & Level 2.
• Level 1 and Level 2 have different training requirements.
• Gave some tips for preparing animals for disasters.
• Call him for more info (707) 263-0278
You can also email him Jonathan.Armas@lakecountyca.gov or leapvolunteergroup@gmail.com
9. 2021 Fire Season Update – Paul Duncan Cathy read items from Paul:
Melinda Rivera from PG&E
Cindy gave a “Thank You” to Melinda + PG&E for clearing of the dead trees behind Welcome to Cobb sign
Melinda’s presentation can be viewed on the recording of the meeting at the Facebook,
CAC page. Presentation starts at 32:00 through 51:17 minutes. The presentation PowerPoint is included as an appendix to these mintues.
The presentation focused on PG&Es fire season plans and Public Service Power Shutoff
events.
10. Committee Reports
● Firewise Communities: Magdalena, Cindy, Glenneth, etc.
• New helicopter here in Cobb by 2nd week in June.
• Burn ban goes into effect on May 1st.
• Fire Fighter hiring has begun for the season.
Gene Yoon, Area #5 – Almost ready for designation
Cindy Leonard – Cut the Broom in Bloom postcard coming & Broom Buster award – A yard sign to designate you as a good community member for reducing broom
Wendy Collins from Cobb View Area – Working on roadside broom removal program.
Magdalena Valderrama Hurwitz- May 1st is Wildfire Awareness day. Siegler Springs Area Firewise is doing neighborhood walkthroughs to evaluate home fire readiness. Look for various postcards in your mailbox about Firewise activities in the coming weeks. Forest Health grants for Cobb are coming soon. Also check out: https://firesafelake.org/communities/
● Communications Committee- Mel
Glenneth Lambert _ Gave report on Jones Creek Crossing neighborhood. Monthly Zoom Meeting Thursday 4/22 visit FB page: https://www.facebook.com/Jones- Creek-Crossing-Cobb-CA-109624360758979
Weekly radio check-ins continue each Wednesday. Go to https://cavern.mobi/ for more information
Radios are available at the Cobb Resource Hub
● Cobbite of the Year- Committee meeting Tuesday 4/20 5p. Cathy will update at next meeting
● Blackberry COBBler Festival 2021
Cindy floated some ideas about a decentralized event.
May 3rd 4p Cobbler festival planning meeting with CAC, Supervisor Pyska & Cobb Area Businesses – location TBA
● Economic Development Committee
 AHEAD Grant Update- Eliot
Have an extension until June. Will probably need to ask for an additional extension.  Community Resilience and Development Strategy- Eliot
Eliot discussed feedback on the draft version of the Resilience & Economic Development plan. He says it needs a major revision. All other activity is on track.
 CollaborativeMarketingInitiative-Cindy Reported on https://explorecobbca.com/gallery
Cobb businesses that want to be featured should fill out the form on the site to be added. (Free advertising!!).
Please share any social media posts from Explorecobbca
 CobbMerchantsAssociation-Cathy
May approach businesses with a few survey questions to determine their interest in forming a merchants association or if they are interested in being more active with Middletown Area Merchant Association
11. CAC website and mailing list – Vote on Proposal to update the CAC website.
Gene Yoon reported on the responses to the RFP for a CAC website.
5 proposals received. 3 were not responsive to the RFP. The other 2 are largely equal in competency and technology.
• Cindy made a motion for Chris to contact both vendors to determine which might best fit our needs. Chris will report back his recommendation to the board for a final decision.
• Seconded by John Carlisi
• Motion carries
12. Discussion item: When to return to “in-person” meetings.
13. Date of Next Meeting: May 20, 2021 6:30 on Zoom and simulcast on Facebook
Need more think time on this. Need to more clarity on when we might move to a lower tier.
• Motion to adjourn by Chris
• Seconded by Cindy
• Motion carries – adjourned at 8:41p
Appendix A
(starts on next page)
Community Wildfire
Safety Program COBB AREA COUNCIL
April 15, 2021
General Safety Tips
Identify two exit routes from your current work area in the event of a fire or other emergency.
“Drop, cover and hold” in the event of an earthquake.
Notify emergency services if you are in danger. You can also ask for help by putting a message in the chat function of this meeting.
Follow COVID-19 safety precautions including wearing a mask in public, practicing social distancing and washing your hands to prevent the spread.
Safety
Wildfire Risks Across PG&E’s Service Area
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has a map that designates areas that are most at risk for wildfire. This map helps PG&E to plan and prioritize wildfire prevention efforts.
cpuc.ca.gov/FireThreatMaps
LAKE COUNTY
Total Customers Served
37,780
Customers in HFTD
15,719
Total Distribution Line Miles
1,172
Distribution Line Miles in HFTD
716
Total Transmission Line Miles
199
Transmission Line Miles in HFTD
175
COBB AREA COUNCIL
High Fire-Threat Areas Tier 2 – Elevated
Tier 3 – Extreme
PG&E service area
The CPUC HFTD map can be accessed at:
Source: California Public Utilities Commission
Some of the measures included in this presentation are contemplated as additional precautionary measures intended to further reduce the risk of wildfires.
3
What is a Public Safety Power Shutoff?
High winds and severe weather can cause branches or debris to contact energized power lines.
This could damage our equipment and cause a major wildfire.
To prevent such fires, we may need to turn off power.
This is called a
Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS).
Once severe weather has passed, we will inspect the system and repair
any damage.
Once inspections and any repairs are complete, power is restored.
Some of the measures included in this presentation are contemplated as additional precautionary measures intended to further reduce the risk of wildfires.
4
Customer Preparedness and Resources
We are providing more resources to help customers and communities before, during and after PSPS events. This includes:
Providing better information about when power will be turned off and back on in 16 languages
Sponsored food replacement through partner food banks and Meals on Wheels organizations
California Foundation for Independent Living Centers (CFILC)
providing emergency planning, portable backup power, accessible transportation, hotel stays and food stipends
Providing portable backup batteries for low income Medical Baseline customers in high fire-threat areas
Generator rebate programs offered to customers who depend on a well water pump and live in high fire-threat areas
What’s planned for 2021
Partnerships with 250+ CBOs to provide emergency preparedness information and PSPS event assistance
Targeting informational partnerships with 40 additional CBOs
Proactively reaching out to customers to confirm their preferred language for PSPS notifications
Partnering with additional food banks and Meals on Wheels organizations to offer consistent services across the service territory
Continuing to enhance our in-event partnership and coordination with regional CBOs
Acquiring additional batteries and distributing to eligible customers before wildfire season
Expanding outreach to eligible customers to generate awareness
Community Resource Centers (CRCs)
Open locations during a PSPS event where community members can access resources to meet their basic power needs and receive up-to-date information.
Some of the measures included in this presentation are contemplated as additional precautionary measures intended to further reduce the risk of wildfires.
5
Community Resource Centers (CRCs)
CRC Locations Opened in 2020 Event Visitors
1
Twin Pine Casino and Hotel, Middletown
Sept. 27-29, Oct. 25-28
~890
2
Clearlake Senior Community Center, Clearlake
Oct. 25-28
~530
3
Cobb Hardester’s Shopping Center, Cobb
Oct. 25-28
~840
4
Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians Red Hills Property, Kelseyville
Oct. 25-28
~190
5
Konocti Vista Casino, Lakeport
Oct. 25-28
~1,130
6
Community Baptist Church, Nice
Oct. 25-28
~1,040
7
Upper lake Middle School, Upper Lake
Oct. 25-28
~1,090
Lakeport
Upper Lake Nice
Lucerne
Lower Lake
Cobb
Middletown
Additional locations available for use in 2021 if requested by County OES and near impacted community
Outdoor Site Indoor Site
For more information about CRCs and where to find a location in your area before and during a PSPS event, visit pge.com/crc
Clearlake
Some of the measures included in this presentation are contemplated as additional precautionary measures intended to further reduce the risk of wildfires.
Note: Visitors are approximate and may include repeat visitors 6
Generator Rebate Program
Launched in late 2020, this program provides customers who depend on a well water pump and live in high fire-threat areas with a single rebate for purchasing a qualified portable power generator.
Program Offerings:
$300 rebate for eligible customers and a $500 rebate for eligible customers who are also participants in the CARE/FERA program.
Rebates are offered through PG&E’s backup power marketplace located at pge.com/backuppower and over 100 customers have already taken advantage of the rebate.
Learn more about PG&E’s Generator Rebate Program by visiting pge.com/backuppower Some of the measures included in this presentation are contemplated as additional precautionary measures intended to further reduce the risk of wildfires.
7
Financial Assistance and Support Programs
PG&E implemented a series of emergency protections to support customers who have been impacted by the pandemic.
If you have questions about how the end of any of these protections may impact you, or if you are struggling to pay your bill, PG&E can help you find payment programs, financial assistance, and other support programs.
For more information, visit:
pge.com/covid19
Pause on service disconnections
for non-payment
Pause on post-enrollment verification and re-enrollment requirements
for CARE and FERA programs
Waive security deposits
for small commercial customers
Medical Baseline Program recertification
Some of the measures included in this presentation are contemplated as additional precautionary measures intended to further reduce the risk of wildfires.
8
More Information and Tools to Prepare
For more information about our wildfire safety efforts, visit
pge.com/wildfiresafety
For those with specific energy needs, please consider the following:
Would you like to receive PSPS notifications but are not the PG&E account holder?
Sign up to receive PSPS alerts for any address at
pge.com/addressalerts
Do you need information in a language other than English? Find assistance at
pge.com/mywildfirealerts
Do you want to learn more about the live weather conditions we are tracking in your area? Get up-to-the-minute weather information at
pge.com/weather
Are you looking for tools and activities to help children prepare for an emergency? Visit our interactive site at
kidsemergencysafety.com
Are you looking for more information on how to stay safe before and during a PSPS event?
Learn more about wildfire risks and how to prepare for emergencies at
safetyactioncenter.pge.com
Do you need backup power? Check out backup power options, safety tips and financing at
See if you qualify for the Portable Battery
Program at
pge.com/backuppower pge.com/storage
Some of the measures included in this presentation are contemplated as additional precautionary measures intended to further reduce the risk of wildfires.
9
Thank You
For more information, please:
• Call us at 1-866-743-6589
• Email us at wildfiresafety@pge.com • Visit pge.com/wildfiresafety