Month: July 2022

 COBB AREA COUNCIL

PUBLIC MEETING

Thursday June 16, 2022 at 6:30pm

In person only due to technical issues

Draft Minutes

1.  6:32 CALL TO ORDER by chair Cathy McCarthy
2. Roll Call (3 required for quorum)

Present – Cathy McCarthy: Chairperson, Cindy Leonard: Vice-Chairperson, Chris Nettles: Secretary, Joe Schneider: Alternate

Not present – Frank Lincoln: Treasurer, Jake Strickler: Member-at-large

1.  Approval of Agenda and Minutes

Agenda approval motion:

Rich moved to approve the agenda

Chris seconded

Passed unanimously

 

Motion to approve May Minutes

Paul moved to approve May 2022 minutes

Frank Lincoln seconded

Passed unanimously

1. Short Announcements

Guests present:

1. Descendants of the Anderson family
2. Alex Hall, Master’s student from George Washington University, working on thesis related to fire recovery, using photovoice method

Cakes & More opening July 1 (Elvin & Mona are the owners)

Pine Grove Pool Open 9a-6p, also Farmer’s Market on Tuesdays from 3p-6:45p.

Pancake Breakfast at Lion’s Club on July 3

Public and Board Comment on Non-Agenda Items (3 mins./individual)

Boggs Mountain – 3 new trails open. 10 miles of new trails. Bike Monkey race a success, about 400 riders.

Rich requested that we consider changing the format of the meetings to have more written reports or presentations online so that we make more space for community discussions. Also asked that we consider opening up the CAC meetings to vacation home owners.

May have a community meet & greet for vacation homeowners on Saturday, August 6^th – need to add to July CAC agenda

1. Treasurer’s Report- Cindy for Frank

In the black!

General Fund: $3359.44

Blackberry Cobbler Festival: $6004.50

Cobb Resource Hub: $2273.36

Emergency Preparedness: $2417.62

T‐shirt sales: $2603.89

Total assets: $16, 734.75

1.  Supervisor’s Comments- Jessica Pyska

 

Community Wildfire Protection Plan (last updated in 2009) new draft is posted on the county website. Administrative office is working on a comment process Seeking comments from Municipal Advisory Councils (Cobb Area Council, Middletown Area Town Hall, etc.).

Tree mortality update – Continues to be an issue. Tree Mortality Taskforce is meeting. Jessica is working with our state congressional reps to pull together some state funding to address this issue.

Geothermal funds were allocated to new parks and trails around the Cobb Area: Forest Lake Community Park, Regional Park will include trails to the top of Cobb County.

There are also plans for phase 2 of trail development on Mount Konocti.

1.  Fire Season Update – Paul Duncan

`       Air tankers doing practice runs in the Geysers

Fully staffed now for the fire season.

No burning allowing now (unless you ger an exception permit)

Please do not post fires to Facebook without calling 911

Use string trimmers for weed eating now instead of a mowing blade – blade can

throw sparks

320 now on the list for Mcleods and pressurized water fire extinguishers

1.  Hwy 175 Project – Caltrans moved to July

Rich C. expressed concerns about people detouring via Rainbow Bridge

1.  Committee Reports (3 minutes/individual)
   1. Firewise Communities:

Magdelena – Loch Lomond moving ahead with community risk assessment. Personalized home risk assessment program is ready for homeowner referrals.

Cindy – Reviewed community work day priorities and plan. Would like to take load or two of brush to the Air Curtin Burner

Glenneth – Registered letters sent to high-risk properties. Many were returned undeliverable. Jessica to help with identifying property owners. A second exit from neighborhood has been identified.

Gene – Nothing to report

1. 1. Communications Committee- Mel

Continue weekly check-ins on Wednesdays at 6:30p for information go to https://cobbalertnet.wordpress.com/

FRS (short distance) radios are available of the Cobb Resource Hub

Eliot was asked about the Lake County Broadband Solution trial for high-speed internet services in Cobb. – Still waiting for antennas to delivered and installed on water tower.

1. 1. Budget Committee- Chris

Planning to begin meetings in August to create our 2023 budget

1. 1. Forest Health Committee- Chris/ Eliot

Announced that there is work being done (funded by Clear Lake Blue Ribbon Committee) to create a watershed education program for Cobb Area landowners and leaders.

Showed video of first chainsaw safety education program.

Discussion around the details for the Air Curtin Burner trial. Some concerns were raised about the fees. The committee will continue to assess this as we bring on potential commercial uses for the burner.

Motion to Approve/Disapprove  MOU#2 061322  re: Curtain Burner with Cobb Forest Stewards was presented by Eliot

 

Chris made motion to accept the MOU for signature

Gene seconded

Passed unanimously

1. Economic Development Committee- Joe

Cobbler Festival 2022 will be Saturday, August 27 from 11a to 5pm at Mountain Meadow Gold Course location. Planning underway – meeting every two weeks. If you are interested in serving on the committee, contact Cindy Leonard.

If interested in being a vendor, contact Jennifer at bottlerockcandlestudio@gmail.com

Cobb Arts & Ecology open house on June 25^th & 26^th.

12. Date of Next Meetings: July 19, 2022 at 6:30p – hybrid meeting planned
13. 8:15  meeting adjourned