COBB AREA COUNCIL
PUBLIC MEETING
Thursday April 20, 2023 at 6:30pm
In person only
Minutes (Approved 5-18-2023)
CALLED TO ORDER at 6:34PM
ROLL CALL:
Present: Cathy McCarthy, Chris Nettles, Darlene Warner, Mel McMurrin
Absent: Jake Strickler, Joe Schneider
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Motion by Chris, 2nd by Paul Duncan. All in Favor. Agenda Approved.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Secretary comment discussed. No changes to Minutes.
Motion by Robert Stark, 2nd by Chris. All in Favor. Minutes Approved.
SHORT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Friends of Boggs Forest – have been in the process of repairing all the trails, have finished 10 miles of trails with 10 miles to go. Requesting a letter of support from CAC for application of a $100,000 grant. Deadline is June 15th. Letter of Support can be issued at next regular meeting.
Robert Stark – small potatoes. Water main project in 2021 was $328,000
PUBLIC AND BOARD COMMENT ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS (3 mins./individual)
Inez – commented on what can be burned and how to burn in commercial permitted burns. Metal items in burn piles at the motel remodel. She has talked with Ryan Wangberg, Air Quality Technician at the Lake County Air Quality Management District about their role. Paul Duncan spoke about the Fire Department’s role; that all burn permits are issued through the fire department, and the burn ban starts May 1st. Inez mentioned there is an event at the CalPine Visitor’s Center this Saturday 4/22 for Earth Day focused on fire-retardant/resistive plants.
SLCFD Burn Permits are done online, on website under Fees & Permits
Lake County Air Quality Management District: www.lcaqmd.net 707-263-7000
Glenneth – starting two new clay classes on Tuesdays and Saturdays, they’re two separate classes. Saturday’s class is 2-5pm, Thursday’s class is 4-7pm. Fee is $120, which includes all supplies and firings.
Mike Walsh – dead trees cut down by PGE have not been taken away. Jessica gave her email address for him to contact her regarding this.
Treasurer’s Report- Chris
Paid in the past 30 days: Rent at Hub $500, USPS (stamps) $12.60, Bank Check printing $25.70. Received in the past 30 days: Group meetings at the Hub $76.75
$23,047.16 Operating Budget Balance at March meeting
Current Balances:
$ 5,454.11 General Fund
$14,589.26 Blackberry Cobbler Festival
$ 124.62 Cobb Resource Hub
$ 2,417.62 Emergency Preparedness Fund
$22,585.61 Operating Funds Balance, April 20th
$48,082.63 Small Business Loan Fund (Originally from S.F. Home Loan Bank grant)
$70,590.49 Net Assets
Supervisor’s Comments- Jessica Pyska
The Universal Bylaws throughout the County did not happen, however there is a universal Code of Conduct. Would like to see an annual audit of CAC finances, and update CAC Bylaws to reflect this, and put Bylaws back on CAC website. Darlene to review Bylaws with Chris. Attended a 2-day CSAC Conference. California’s priority is homelessness. Participated in a conversation with State CalFire officials and gave input on Fire Severity Maps – has 30 days to adopt fire maps. Had conversations regarding tree mortality with CalFire and other rural Counties that are in worse conditions than Lake County. The US Forest Service released reports two weeks ago for all of California; Lake County is not the worst. Mendocino and Napa Counties have been helpful. Trying to get more Counties on-board. Wildfire and Forest Health Task Force – going to Santa Cruz in May, focusing on developing a long-term strategy for tree mortality for the State. We have a contractor that is preparing the Application to CalOES to get the trees removed along infrastructure and roads. There are 4,000 dead trees in Right-of-Ways, with a cost of $3k per tree. Turns out there are 10,000 dead trees within 200 feet of the roadways. $12M project ends up being $30M project. With the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), there are possible funds available for this, with a possible funds match. Looking at another grant with a deadline of June 1st. Met with Senator McGuire, Representative Curry, and Congressman Thompson regarding tree mortality. Thompson is up to speed on the $30M. Getting some momentum. Proclamation to be made at County BOS meeting on May 2nd to proclaim National Wildfire Preparation Week as May 3-8th. Reached out to the Insurance Commissioner’s Office re fire insurance. They will come out the end of May to do a presentation to the BOS with a Q&A session, and then again in August with a more in-depth presentation. An update to the Roads Plan is expected the end of May, is supposed to be a 5-year strategic plan, and believes Cobb has moved to the top of the list. There is a new person in the position of Economic Development Deputy, who will be developing an Economic Development plan for the entire County. There will also be a Housing Deputy focused on Housing Plan and implementation. May bring in a company to do this if position can’t be filled. Both positions are funded by ARPA. There was a Park Visioning session last week to develop Park Master Plan. Tight schedule for plan updates. South Lake Refuse mailer received regarding recycling bins. Lake County Waste Solutions. 60% of recycle bins contains contaminated trash. Update on Bark beetles per Dr. Michael Jones – with all the rain, it may have flattened the curve. Populations are still really high. April/May is when we should first see the emergence of bark beetles.
Fire Season Update – Paul Duncan
Burn ban goes into effect May 1st. Open house at SLCFD main Fire Station is Saturday, April 29th from 10A to 3P. Copter 104 training begins next week, be prepared to be buzzed overhead. One engine per battalion. Middletown and Clearlake Oaks will be fully staffed. There will be pile burning on Fox Drive April 24 to April 28. There’s a lot of debris – an engine will be in the area.
Approve/Disapprove Donation of funds to Cobb Mountain Lions Club to cover the cost of purchasing a generator. Cathy suggested we contribute $2,000 towards a new generator to start. Chris made a motion to approve $2k from the General Fund going to the Mountain Lions Club, Cobb CA for the purpose of purchasing a new generator. Eliot 2nd. No discussion, motion passes unanimously. Supervisor Pyska notes that Senator McGuire is working to bring 3 or 4 generators to Lake County, jointly with the State of CA and PG&E for Resiliency Centers. Funds can be moved from Cobbler Festival Fund to General Fund if necessary.
Approve/Disapprove CAC Sponsorship of Sculpture Jam Art Explosion – Glenneth & Company Jennifer Barry and Wendy Collins. A two-weekend workshop for local artists to make sculptures. Goal is to have some sculptures placed with businesses and throughout the community. Has a jury to decide which sculptures will go out in the community, to include plaques with the name of the artist, etc. Will have a reception. Would help with the local economy. Presented handouts with budget and timeline. Would like to use CAC logo on their material, and have monies raised go through CAC, with CAC acting as the fiscal body and sponsor (logo and advertising). Funds to go through the General Fund. Motion made by Chris, 2nd by Jessica to Approve. All in favor. Motion passes.
Discussion: How to get broader community input. Increase social media presence, food-related event(s), cross-promotion, hold informal Saturday meeting(s) on a big weekend, pop-up booth(s) at the Post Office, the Hub, and Cobbler Festival, raffles, online presence
COMMITTEE REPORTS (3 minutes/individual)
Firewise Communities – Magdelena, Cindy, Glenneth/Richie, Gene, David, Laurie
May 6th is Wildfire Community Preparedness Day.
Communications Committee – Darlene
Cobb Alert Net will be having an event on May 6th in conjunction with Wildfire Community Preparedness Day in the Hardester’s parking lot. Time to be determined.
The new repeater has arrived, very excited. It will be tested up at Hoberg’s Hill soon, and eventually end up at the mountain location. Testing of the new repeater has been going well. There will be reprogramming necessary of all the GMRS radios. Need to get existing members re-invigorated.
Budget Committee – Chris
There will be a special meeting of the CAC on Monday, April 24th at 6pm at the Hub. Open to the public.
Forest Health Committee – Eliot
Air Curtain Incinerator (ACI) Financial Account Summary, spreadsheet handed out. This started in November of 2021 when the ACI was in Hidden Valley. SSCRA has been handling the funds. Cobb Forest Stewards is a “dba” account. There were a couple of expenses that were erroneously run through this account, which has been corrected and reflected on the spreadsheet. Expected to be able to burn 10 tons per day, turns out it will not do this due to logs not burning well, and had many logs to dispose of. Able to get rid of all the logs in a 2-day period with “the Beast”/chipper. Anticipating $5k and another grant of $15k within the next 15 days. In order to operate the ACI to allow community members to drop-off slash and small logs (6 inches in diameter or smaller) a couple times per month, it would cost $5k per month to operate the ACI. It is not cost effective to burn logs. Paul Duncan notes it would cost $4k to move ACI with a crane, plus all the setup costs again to relocate it to a different location.
Economic Development Committee – Chris
No report. Chris will be taking over.
Blackberry Cobbler Festival – Cathy
Received an estimate for parking management for $2,500. Rosie is doing the poster again. Have a strong team. Need more help. Email cobbareacouncil@gmail.com. The Cobbler Festival will be held on August 26th. There’s a group called Bags Against Police that would like to hold a Cornhole tournament. Description of what An Explosion of Art on Cobb Mountain will be doing at the Blackberry Festival this year.
NEXT MEETINGS:
Date of Next Regular Meeting: May 18, 2023 at 6:30pm
Date of Next Special Meeting to discuss Cobb Area Council Goals, Strategy, and Budget: Monday, April 24 at 6pm at the Hub, in person.
ADJOURNMENT: Motion to adjourn by Chris, 2nd by Eliot. All in Favor. Adjourned at 8:36pm
Respectfully submitted,
Darlene Warner, Secretary