Cambria Forest Committee
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
OF
May 27, 2009
LOCATION
Cambria CSD Suite #204
1316Tamson Drive
Cambria, CA 93428
DIRECTORS PRESENT: Bill Schassberger. Rob Trask. Galen Rathbun. Mark Miller, Rick Hawley. JoEllen Butler. Bryan Bode. Pat Bouldin. Brad Seek.
GUESTS PRESENT: Howard Vallens and Art Trinidade.
1.0 Meeting called to order 6:03 pm
2.0 April 22nd minutes approved (Rathbun/Butler)
3.0 Treasurer Report. $1900 (debit cards) and another $500 grant coming. Dir Rathbun was unable to cash the $1500 debit card. Dir. Trask will contact either the debit card co. (Chase) or PG&E or a liaison to reactivate old cards, get new cards issued, or have Chase send a check. Mr. Trinidade will send name and number of a PG&E contact.
Dir. Hawley will receive approximately $400 reimbursement from CFC for teaching certification classes to lot clearing contract workers.
3.1 501-C status. Dir. Trask said that CFC status is active. Dir. Hawley will look into the need to file with IRS/Franchise Tax Board as this may be required to maintain active status.
4.0 Sub Committee Reports
4.1 Cambria Forest Mgt. Plan (FMP). Dir. Hawley invited the directors to email ideas that would help form an agenda for a speaker series that would be open to the public. This would be in lieu of having an individual speaker that was originally planned. A proposed agenda will be brought back to CFC for refinement and approval. Appropriate speakers would be approached for participation after the agenda is approved.
Dirs. reiterated the need to get the FMP out to the public through events like the speaker series possibly once or twice a year. It may also lead to the best way to fund the FMP (Local assessment, CCSD budgeting, grants, other agencies )
4.2 Annual Lot Clearing. All lot-clearing contractors have taken the certification class except Buddy Campo (Bushwhackers 1). Dir. Miller stated that Campo will have to take the class if he is not currentlycertified. Bushwhackers 1 are going to receive the contract to clear CCSD property, which includes Fiscallini Ranch Preserve.
Dir. Miller reiterated that he is in favor of implementing the FMP, as it would remove most of the lot clearing burdens away from his staff. The Fire Dept would then need only to be an adviser to a Forester. If the community could become less polarized through more cooperation and respect, the FMP would have a greater chance of being implemented.
4.3. Tree Planting and Education. CFC directors will be asked to send a list of current benefits to the community that an implemented Forest Management Plan could offer (Butler/Bode).
Dir. Hawley completed 3 certification classes.
Committee members will comment on Fire Dept. Documents (including Exhibit C) pertaining to tat clearance. These comments will be sent to the Fire Chief (Dir. Miller) for review.
Mr. Trinidade suggested the possibility of participating in Arbor Day.
4.4 Membership Outreach. Dir. Bouldin is finishing the updated email list. A new list will be provided to members when all emails and contacts are received. All groups and individuals will receive an agenda and minutes of CFC meetings and be encouraged to participate.
5.0 Old Business
5.1 Dir. Rathbun and Mr.Vallens presented a compendium of codes pertinent to Native Monterey Pines (mostly in Cambria) for comments. Directors and guests made deletions and additions. Mr. Trinidade offered to have the county make 100 copies of the final draft. Directors have volunteered to do the binding.
6.0 Public comment. None
7.0 Other
8.0 Meeting adjourned 7:15 pm Rathbun/Hawley
Next meeting: June 24th.
Respectfully submitted by Brad Seek
