COBB AREA COUNCIL
PUBLIC MEETING
Thursday March 20, 2025 at 6:30pm
In-Person and Online Participation Available
MINUTES
CALLED TO ORDER at 6:30pm
Roll Call
Present: Cathy McCarthy, Chris Nettles, Darlene Warner, Paul Duncan
Absent: Jake Strickler, Joe Schneider
Attendance: 14 Voters: 11
Pledge of Allegiance
Approval of Agenda: Motion by Paul, 2nd by Chris. All in favor. Agenda approved.
Approval of Minutes: Motion by Mary, 2nd by Paul. All in favor. Minutes approved.
Short Announcements
Robert – thanked everyone for a successful crab feed. $6,600 for crab for 125 people. Lion’s will be stuffing Easter eggs on 4/5. Lion’s Easter Egg Hunt will be on 4/19 at 12 Noon SHARP at Belmont Pines. There will be 2,000 eggs. The restaurant will be open serving their lunch menu; hot dogs and hamburgers will be available; proceeds go to the Lion’s Club.
Public and Board Comment on Non-Agenda Items (3 mins./individual)
Tom – shared that he went to Showcase of Happiness
Supervisor’s Comments – Jessica Pyska
Trip to DC: met with colleagues from Nevada and Napa Counties regarding home insurance. Using federal dollars here in Lake County to mitigate rates and ensure insurability. FEMA task force: please don’t do away with. Capitol Hill visits with Schiff, Padilla, and Thompson. Continuing Resolution – if funding is frozen, what does that look like on the ground – many programs in jeopardy, affecting over half of the population of Lake County. There’s no way the State can backfill all these programs. Older Americans Act was pulled off the DOGE list and now put back on. BLM’s Ukiah field office was on DOGE list to be closed; looks like it’s been taken off the list. NWS Eureka office possibly being closed – we use for weather planning for us, and data for planning and prepositioning during weather events. Mike Thompson is having a town hall at Twin Pine tomorrow from 11am to 12pm.
Fire /Storm Season Update – Paul Duncan
As of 3/31 stations will be fully staffed. Control burning still going on by Cobb Elementary School. Putting in application for a 2nd carbonizer; fully funded by PGE. Distribution of biochar coming up. Community drop-off days are coming soon, date to be determined (will be free). The helicopter will
be back in 10 days. Increased water line of 6” going in at Boggs and moving Heli-pod to the base. Boggs Heli tack base is being relocated to Lower Lake.
Treasurer’s Report – Chris
Submitted. Attached and incorporated herewith as Attachment “A”
Regional Transportation Plan/Active Transportation Plan update – John Speka AICP Senior Transportation Planner
Gave a slide presentation. 20-year plan updated every 4 years. ATP = Active Transportation Plan (stand-alone document). List of prioritized plans must be within this plan. Will have the Draft RTP/ATP by summer/fall of this year, with the final draft ready by February 2026. Ways to provide input: www.lakeapc.org, John Speka, spekaj@dow-associates.com. Lake Area Planning Council, 525 South Main Street, Suite G, Ukiah, CA 95482. Handout attached and incorporated herewith as Attachment “B”.
COMMITTEE REPORTS (3 minutes/individual)
Firewise Communities – Magdalena, Cindy, Glenneth, David, Laurie
SSCRA was the only non-profit awarded a grant in California. Was asked to distribute $10K. Attended a meeting of awardees. Can provide up to $1,500 per household. Identify your project by where the project is located, number of square feet, and how much money is needed. Shooting for a deadline of 5/3. Contact Magdalena at magdalenavh@sscra.org.
Communications Committee – Darlene
Brian has radios for sale. Email: cobbalertnet@gmail.com. Radios will be available for sale in a retail location soon, Mel is working on it. Check-ins continue to be around 30 each week.
Forest Health Committee – Eliot
SSCRA’s federal grant is in limbo; have a signed contract. Kicked off the Cobb Area CWPP. Receiving help from CalFire with GIS mapping. The committee meets the last Friday of every month at the Loch Lomond Firehouse at 4pm; email Eliot elioth@sscra.org for more info. Attended a full-day of training at CalFire’s Chico training center – how to put together a CWPP; half the room was planners, and half the room was full of fire professionals.
Economic Development Committee – Chris
Blackberry Cobbler Festival – Cathy: next meeting is 3/25 at 6pm at Cobb Mountain Pizza
ONLY deal directly with the Blackberry Cobbler Festival page; beware of scammers
Next Meeting: April 17, 2025
Adjourned at 7:44pm
Respectfully Submitted,
Darlene Warner, Secretary