Categories2024 Minutes by

Draft Minutes | September 19, 2024

COBB AREA COUNCIL

PUBLIC MEETING

Thursday September 19, 2024 at 6:30pm

In-Person and Online Participation Available

 

DRAFT MINUTES

 

CALLED TO ORDER at 6:39pm

Acting Chair: Darlene Warner

ROLL CALL:

Present: Chris Nettles, Darlene Warner, Jake Strickler, Joe Schneider, Mel McMurrin

Cathy McCarthy – absent for most of meeting due to Back-to-School night, present at end of meeting

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 

Approval of Agenda: Motion by Robert Stark, 2nd by Chris Nettles. No amendments. All in favor (5 Board members, 7 community members), Agenda approved.

Approval of Minutes: Motion by Mary Prather, 2nd by Chris Nettles. No amendments. All in favor (5 Board members, 7 community members), Minutes approved.

SHORT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Mary Prather – the Lion’s Club raised $10K from the Blackberry Cobbler Festival which will be used for building improvements to the Little Red Schoolhouse/Cobb Community Center. Have been doing building renovations; the door off the main room can now be used as an exit as there are now stairs and the termite issue has been resolved. May have a new floor by next meeting. Will be having an October fest at the Lion’s Club on October 26th at 5pm. Tickets will be $20 presale, there are flyers around.

Magdalena – the Middletown Arts Center has extended its exhibition of “The Space Between” an exhibition of spiritual art from Lake County to Oct 7th. Open Thursday to Monday in the afternoons.

Ashley Strunk – the grand opening of Boston’s Steak House at Belmont Pines Golf Course will be Saturday, September 21st. Will be open 7 days a week from 4pm to 9pm. The bar, Broderick’s Off the Fairway, will be open same hours but Friday and Saturday will be open until 10pm. Beer and wine only for now until a liquor license is available.

Chris – Cobb LAPAC is having a public meeting conducted by the County on October 9th at 5:30pm. For details regarding the LAPAC zoom, visit www.lakecounty2050.org.

PUBLIC AND BOARD COMMENT ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS (3 mins./individual)

Kies Winkleman – heard that Cobb roads project has been delayed due to the County not obtaining an EIR. Short discussion on status of project and possibly putting item on next month’s agenda. Provided a copy of the roads list. Jake recommended emailing DPW.

Supervisor’s Comments – Jessica Pyska

NO REPORT – Away at a 3-day conference in Rohnert Park

Fire Season Update – Paul Duncan

NO REPORT/NOT PRESENT – Darlene commented that we are still in fire season and must be vigilant and gave a reminder about maintaining Zone Zero defensible space.

Treasurer’s Report – Chris

Treasurer’s Report with Spreadsheet (2 pages) submitted to Secretary, and is attached and incorporated herewith as Attachment “A”

The Resiliency Initiative: Wildfire Evacuation and Preparedness Plan presented by John Speka, Lake Area Planning Council

Presented Resiliency Initiative: Wildfire Evacuation and Preparedness Plan. This is the community outreach phase. Regional umbrella for Lake County. This is funded by a $170K CalTrans grant. The Lake Area Planning Council consists of two County Supervisors: Bruno Sabatier and Moke Simon, two Councilmembers – one each from the City of Clearlake and the City of Lakeport, and two At-Large Members. APC is to assist local agencies in obtaining funding, partnering with CalTrans. Goal is to coordinate evacuation efforts with OES and all agencies, standardize response protocols for wildfires, and educate community members. There will be workshops on October 23rd in Clearlake and October 24th in Lakeport. There is a public online survey they are requesting to be completed. A plan will be drafted after the outreach phase and additional workshops will be held. Looking at next fall to have the draft plan ready. Robust Q&A to better understand what this initiative will do. Their flyer is attached and incorporated herewith as Attachment “B”

More information: www.lakeapc.org/projects/transportation-planning-projects/ or email John Speka at spekaj@dow-associates.com.

COMMITTEE REPORTS (3 minutes/individual)

Firewise Communities – Magdalena, Cindy, Glenneth, David, Laurie

Magdalena – Seigler Springs FireWise Community had a fire in their neighborhood and have setup a planning group to present a proposal to the neighborhood to organize themselves better. One thing learned/remembered was that every house should have a 100-foot hose, or a hose wrapping all the way around your home and have a metal rake, even if you’ve hardened your home for defensible space. Making use of the Force Multiplier program. Learned from the Boyles fire how important it is to know where your evacuation zone is in relation to other evacuation zones. Trying to arrange a tour to visit Gordon Springs, as they have a great firefighting setup. Cindy, FireWise Group 2 leader (includes Cobb Elementary, Estates, and Rainbow), has made use of South Lake Fire Safe Council/CLERC grant, will be getting some ingress/egress work done. Coming up on the 10-year anniversary of 3 fires: Rocky, Jerusalem, and Valley fires.

Several FireWise groups including Hidden Valley, South Lake Fire Safe Council, and Loch Lomond have started to talk about setting up events. The Valley Fire at the time was the 3rd largest in State history; it is now eclipsed by the Park Fire, which is 4 times as big. Encouraging people to fill out the Tree Mortality Survey. Only need 14 more people to get the project moving. www.lakecountyriskreduction.org

Communications Committee – Darlene

17 new members from Blackberry Cobbler Festival: 5 in Loch Lomond, 3 in Hannah, 5 in Boggs, 1 in Seigler, 2 in Cobb, 1 in Hobergs. We have 20 more radios available for sale. They can be purchased at Madelyn’s Mail Express in Loch Lomond. We have a 3rd repeater up and running, called the “Ridge” repeater, which is dedicated to the Loch Lomond/Seigler Springs areas, specifically if you are between Casale Road and Ridge Road (iffy/dead zone for Mountain repeater). This repeater has its own channels but does not replace the channels used on the Mountain repeater (channel 5 is still Loch Lomond, channel 7 is still Seigler). This repeater augments what is already in place. New channels available to communicate within these areas are simplex Channel 10, and for GMRS 24 (or 16). After the Doah Fire, it was clear we needed better communication in this area.

Mel – there will be a Ham test in Willits on Saturday, September 21st, and in Sonoma on the 28th. Our sister net, called Lake County North Alert Net, has been operating for several years now and also does check-ins Wednesday evening at 5:30pm, just before ours at 6pm. They are a GMRS only network with their repeater on Buckingham Peak that we call the “Konocti Repeater.” If you are already a GMRS licensed user and can reach the Konocti repeater, they are on Channel 27. Their email address is: lcnangmrs@gmail.com

Forest Health Committee – Eliot

Community Wildfire Protection Plan – received grant, working on contract and expect to be able to kick the program into gear by the end of the year. Will be coming back to CAC in November with an MOU between Seigler Springs Community Redevelopment Association and CAC for utilization of the approved matching funds. Hiring up SSCRA staff and recruiting volunteers. Will have draft of MOU for October meeting. John Green, Green’s Tree Service, saw a beetle that he didn’t recognize, the Mediterranean Oak Borer. This is new in Lake County this year, and needs to be tracked, especially looking at whether the management procedures are done properly, like disposing of wood, cleaning of tools, etc. which must be done a certain way. The Lake County Risk Reduction Authority’s YouTube channel has an excellent video on this. Report sightings to: www.theclerc.org.

Economic Development Committee – Chris

Busy doing Blackberry Cobbler Festival. Deferred to Cathy and Jennifer for report.

Blackberry Cobbler Festival – Cathy, Chris, Jennifer

Cathy: there were 100 vendors and 4,500 attendees this year. Cups are still available for sale. CalPine was again our Platinum sponsor and Sutter Health was our new platinum sponsor. Thank you to SSCRA for their partnership. Georgia Emerson won 1st Place in the Blackberry Cobbler contest. Thanked supporters, host, WestFest for grounds preparations, and approximately 100 volunteers.

Jennifer: vendors filled up within a week. Certain amount of space. Every vendor did extremely well, food vendors sold out. Chris: purpose came out of Economic Development Committee efforts to promote business in Cobb.

Chris: broke even with $25K in expenses, and $25K in funds raised. Will start 2025 festival with $15K on-hand. Sold out of old inventory. 651 transactions over 5 to 6 hours. Additional expenses this year were a refrigerated truck for beer sales, professional parking management, and traffic control. Local businesses had extremely great sales over the festival weekend. There was a 30% increase in sales over last year.

Next Meeting: October 17, 2024

Adjourned at 8:06pm

Respectfully submitted,

Secretary Warner

Categories2024 Minutes by

Minutes | August 15, 2024

COBB AREA COUNCIL

PUBLIC MEETING

Thursday August 15, 2024 at 6:30pm

In-Person with Online Participation Possible

  

MINUTES (Approved 8-15-2024)

 CALLED TO ORDER at 6:33pm

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 Nettles, 2nd by Darlene Warner. All in favor (4 Board Members, 5 Community Members), Agenda approved.

Approval of Minutes: Motion by Chris Nettles, 2nd by Robert Stark. All in favor (4 Board Members, 5 Community Members), Minutes approved.

Short Announcements

Robert Stark – announced the passing of former Treasurer/Secretary of the Mountain Lions Club, Lion Jon Meyer. A moment of silence was held. Lions are ready to make 1,200 servings of Blackberry Cobbler for the festival.

Inez Weinkus – Covid is on the rise. Has had mercury poisoning, been testing for mercury. The superfund site is still exposed. Stressed the importance of mercury poisoning.

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

Inez Weinkus – Attended the Clearlake Science Symposium, was full of information, all about there being Mercury in the Lake, and the fish dying. Has a flyer available.

Chris Nettles – Emergency Preparedness in Communities and CLERC are looking to hire a young AmeriCorp person on a monthly stipend basis. Contact Tammy at NCO 1-707-998-8643.

Mel McMurrin – CERT training was scheduled for the same day as the Blackberry Cobbler Festival; it has now been postponed for two or three weeks and will be held at the Mountain Lions Club.

Cathy McCarthy – Project Force Multiplier, sign up and get your free McCleod tool and water extinguisher from the South Lake County Fire Protection District. 100 are given out per household, so, act fast. Info also available from South Lake Volunteer Firefighters Association.

Visit www.southlakecountyfire.org/operation-force-multiplier

Supervisor’s Comments – Jessica Pyska

Attended the Clearlake Science Symposium, a free, 2-day event, open to the public. There will be a movie Friday night at the Soper-Reese Theater. Slow turnout on the Tree Survey – need more people to submit the ROE (Right of Entry) forms. During surveys, it was discovered that many trees actual died from “red ring rot” – this is not related to drought or the bark beetle and is therefore not covered under CDA funding, so we’ll need to find a way to deal with this. TetraTech has been doing the surveying of dead trees and found lots of evidence of the Mediterranean Oak Borer beetle (video available on RRA’s YouTube channel). TetraTech will be present at the Cobbler festival at the County CDD table and may have a table at Hardester’s in the future. We still need everyone to complete the ROEs so that all/majority of trees may be surveyed to find out how they died, and how to proceed. We need everyone in Cobb to complete surveys for the Cobb LAC (Local Area Plan) 2050. Please visit www.lakecounty2050.org

Fire Season Update – Paul Duncan

Not present, no report. Cathy – reminder to maintain and keep clear your Zone Zero (0-5 feet from your home/structures). Duncan Gamlen commented re a new Bill introduced entitled “Zone Zero” that will make it a law to have the first 5 feet clear around all structures.

Introduction – PG&E Government Affairs Representative, Jason Taormino

Cobb projects: 1) Undergrounding lines (currently happening at High Valley Road and Bottle Rock Road) 2) Reconductoring – a) hardening poles (insulated power lines/conductors, taller, metal poles); b) covered conductors; 3) Line Reclosers (EPSS) – turns power off in 1/10 second; requires physical inspection to turn power back on, either on ground or by helicopter. New insulated lines are going in everywhere in the area; this will be ongoing. PGE will have multiple project locations over multiple years – a constant state of upgrading, repairing and replacing. It is important that PGE have permission from landowners to enter property and easements; be sure to complete your ROE (right of entry). Jason is to send a written report/map to CAC when he receives his. Also mentioned that PGE is spending $1.8B annually on vegetation management and is undergrounding 10K miles of powerlines (not just our area). Every power line is inspected once per year, twice per year in high fire danger areas. Jason is happy to come out and do additional presentations and is available for further questions: email joseph.taormino@pge.com.

Lake County 2050 – Local Area Plan Advisory Committee (LAPAC) Update – Chris

The last Cobb area plan was done in 1989. Has a printout of a list of key issues for Cobb that were derived from the community input session held at previous CAC meeting and first survey results. A new survey is out now and has printed copies of this survey available. We need more people from Cobb to complete these surveys; had only received 22 for the first survey. The Cobb LAPAC has been appointed by the County and will have a table at the Blackberry Cobbler Festival. The LAPAC will hold public meetings, the first beginning in September. For more information, visit: www.lakecounty2050.org, scroll down to Cobb Area section for the Cobb-specific survey(s) and information. Also suggested paying attention to the Middletown Area Plan.

Treasurer’s Report – Chris

Treasurer’s report submitted to Secretary and is attached and incorporated herewith as Attachment “A.” Mentioned there are funds in the Emergency Preparedness account that have not been utilized, and welcome ideas on how to best use these funds.

COMMITTEE REPORTS (3 minutes/individual)

Firewise Communities – Magdalena, Cindy, Glenneth, David, Laurie

NO REPORT (Magdalena at Symposium)

Duncan Gamlen – mentioned there have been 46 fires in Lake County since May 2024.

Jessica – had monthly panel with CalFire Secretary Crowfoot and Chief Tyler – very informative overview; a video of this is available on CalFire’s or the Secretary of State’s YouTube channel.

Communications Committee – Darlene

Will be at Cobbler festival with new logo and big banners and radios for sale. Have had some annoyances on-air with music being played in the middle of the night, apologies. We have a method to curb this and are testing further intervening measures. Reminder that CAN is an emergency alert network intended for public safety and is not to be used for lengthy chit-chat. Suggested to limit non-emergency traffic to respectable hours, such as not after 10pm, the same as the County Noise Ordinance. Keep it on 9, you’ll be fine. Reminder that Channel 9 is for Alerts only, do not talk on channel 9.

Mel – will possibly have a few GMRS radios available for sale but will be programming radios. Will have more “little” radios and new labels. A reminder to note: if you hear a “beep” after a transmission, that means it’s “ours” (someone who has access to our repeater) – it’s coming through our mountain repeater.

Forest Health Committee – Eliot

NO REPORT (at Symposium)

Economic Development Committee – Chris

Focus has been on the Blackberry Cobbler Festival.

Blackberry Cobbler Festival – Cathy

Thanked sponsors so far. Platinum level sponsors: CalPine (for the 4th year), Sutter Lakeside (new co-sponsor). Our cups have a new look this year, including both platinum sponsors on them. Gold level sponsors: Reynold’s Systems, Hardester’s (also sponsoring Cobbler contest). Silver level sponsors: The Fainting Couch (new business), Mandala Springs, Kelsey Creek Brewery. Bronze level sponsors: Belmont Pines (formerly known as Mountain Meadow Venue), Twin Pines Casino, Lake County Waste Management, Alan Hurwitz. Thank you to Jennifer Gayda of Bottle Rock Candle Studio for her in-kind donation of her time, work and dedication as Director of the festival; also, Chris Nettles, Sally Wiatrolik, Cliff (?), Joe Grigsby, Marilyn White. Cobb Elementary School PTO is sponsoring the Kids Zone. Celebrity judges will be California Howland (Cobb Water District), Michelle McKenna (Hardester’s new Baker), and Timothy (CEO of Sutter Lakeside). The art contest will be in the pro shop, as well as the cobbler contest – be sure to bring your cobbler to the pro shop by 11:45am. Music/bands will be 3 on the Tree and The Gill Brothers, who will also be taking care of sound all day. Admission and parking (on the fairway) are free. There will be no parking on Golf Road. Still need more volunteers – email bbcobblervolunteers@gmail.com. High school students can get credit for service hours; some positions require age 21+. The Mountain Lions booth (same spot as last year) is the only place to get Blackberry Cobbler, they will be selling whole cobblers as well as individual servings. Also special thank you to Pine Grove Resort, 3 Mile Brewing Company (Davis), R Vineyards, and Six Sigma.

NEXT MEETING: September 19, 2024

ADJOURNED at 7:41pm

 

Respectfully Submitted,

Secretary Warner

Categories2024 Agendas by

Draft Agenda | October 17, 2024

COBB AREA COUNCIL

PUBLIC MEETING

Thursday October 17, 2024 at 6:30pm

In-Person and Online Participation Available

 

Draft Agenda

 6:30 CALL TO ORDER

  • Roll Call / Pledge
  • Approval of Agenda and Minutes

6:32 Short Announcements

6:35 Public and Board Comment on Non-Agenda Items (3 mins./individual)

6:40 Supervisor’s Comments – Jessica Pyska (to include Roads Update)

6:55 Fire Season Update – Paul Duncan

7:00 Treasurer’s Report – Chris

7:05 Committee Reports (3 minutes/individual)

  • Firewise Communities – Magdalena, Cindy, Glenneth, David, Laurie
  • Communications Committee – Darlene
  • Forest Health Committee – Eliot
  • Economic Development Committee – Chris
  • Blackberry Cobbler Festival – Final numbers?
  • Cobbite of the Year – Accepting Nominations, committee will meet on November 13th at 6pm at Cobb Mountain Pizza. Please feel free to send nominations to: cobbareacouncil@gmail.com

7:35 Next Meeting: November 21, 2024 -Candidates needed for nomination/election and appointment to CAC board.

7:35 Adjournment

*************

How to Participate in Cobb Area Council Public Meeting 10/17/2024

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