A/GVWC Board of Directors Meeting Minutes, November 3, 2007

AGV Watershed Council

Board of Directors Meeting Minutes

Minutes of November 3, 2007

A meeting of the board of directors of the Atascadero / Green Valley Watershed Council was held at 375 Montgomery in Sebastopol on November 3, 2007. Directors Stephen Fuller-Rowell, Jean Redus, Zeno Swijtink, John Roberts and Bob Burke were present. Jean called the meeting to order at 10:10.
Minutes. The minutes of the previous board meeting had been reviewed and approved by the directors by email, and were thereafter distributed to the Council's list serve.

Financial Report. John reported that the Council's bank balance had not changed since the August report. Zeno inquired about the Council's funds on deposit with Forests Unlimited. After discussion, John agreed to contact Forests Unlimited to seek the release of such funds to the Council. John will also send around a list of current membership so members of the Board can follow-up on their outreach efforts.

Nominations to the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board. Stephen had circulated to the directors a draft of a letter created by the Sonoma County Water Coalition in support of the nomination of David Noren for the Water Qualityseat on the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board. The directors authorized Stephen to vote at the Water Coalition in favor of such letter on behalf of the Council. Creek Clean Up Report. Jean reported on the October 20 clean-up of the creek in Graton known as "the critch." Several students and several parents from Oak Grove School participated in the effort. Trash was also collected from Green Valley Road at the Atascadero. The directors noted the increasing amounts of trash being dumped along roads in the watershed. Bob agreed to call the County Roads Department to determine their policies about picing up trash dumped along the roads. Russian River Watershed Council Information Request. The directors discussed the request of the Russian River Watershed Council for information on subwatersheds of the Russian River. The directors agreed that the request was unclear, and decided that Zeno will ask for clarification of the purposes of the request and the consequences of replying or not replying. In addition, the board asked Zeno to send a copy of the Laurel Marcus assessment of Green Valley Creek to the Russian River Watershed Council.

Communications with Residents of the Watershed. The directors discussed the advantages of using the local press, such as the West County Gazette, instead of printing a newsletter. Jean will evaluate the feasibility of recasting certain pieces for submission to the press. A report on the successful recent Graton cleanup with pictures could be a first article coming from the council.

Council Website. Stephen summarized efforts over recent months to improve the Council's website. Zeno explained that the original vision for the website located at http://www.atascaderogreenvalleywatershed.net/ was for it to serve as a website for the entire watershed, not only for the Watershed Council. The Watershed Council, and other interested parties, would have their respective links on the dot net web page. The directors discussed the advantages and disadvantages of using the dot net site as a website for the Council only, or for a broader purpose. This question was not resolved, and the directors agreed to continue that discussion. Regardless of how that question is resolved, the web site for the Council is in need of improvement. In that regard, Jean agreed to contact the computer science department at Santa Rosa Junior College to see if any students of web site design classes would be willing to provide free design services to the Council as part of a class project. And Zeno agreed to clean up as much of the web site as he is able to do before the next board meeting.

Vision for the Council. Zeno proposed that the directors re-visit the issue of the goals and purpose of the Council. It was agreed that the appropriate place to begin this effort is the materials generated by the board more than one year ago in a similar effort. Jean agreed to re-circulate such materials.

Next Meeting. Because of a conflict by one of the directors, it was agreed that the next meeting of the board would be on Saturday, December 8.

The meeting adjourned at 12:00pm

Respectfully submitted,

Bob Burke
Secretary

AGV Watershed Council	Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
Minutes of November 3, 2007


A meeting of the board of directors of the Atascadero / Green Valley Watershed Council was held at 375 Montgomery in Sebastopol on November 3, 2007. Directors Stephen Fuller-Rowell, Jean Redus, Zeno Swijtink, John Roberts and Bob Burke were present. Jean called the meeting to order at 10:10. Minutes. The minutes of the previous board meeting had been reviewed and approved by the directors by email, and were thereafter distributed to the Council's list serve. Financial Report. John reported that the Council's bank balance had not changed since the August report. Zeno inquired about the Council's funds on deposit with Forests Unlimited. After discussion, John agreed to contact Forests Unlimited to seek the release of such funds to the Council. John will also send around a list of current membership so members of the Board can follow-up on their outreach efforts. Nominations to the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board. Stephen had circulated to the directors a draft of a letter created by the Sonoma County Water Coalition in support of the nomination of David Noren for the Water Qualityseat on the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board. The directors authorized Stephen to vote at the Water Coalition in favor of such letter on behalf of the Council. Creek Clean Up Report. Jean reported on the October 20 clean-up of the creek in Graton known as "the critch." Several students and several parents from Oak Grove School participated in the effort. Trash was also collected from Green Valley Road at the Atascadero. The directors noted the increasing amounts of trash being dumped along roads in the watershed. Bob agreed to call the County Roads Department to determine their policies about picing up trash dumped along the roads. Russian River Watershed Council Information Request. The directors discussed the request of the Russian River Watershed Council for information on subwatersheds of the Russian River. The directors agreed that the request was unclear, and decided that Zeno will ask for clarification of the purposes of the request and the consequences of replying or not replying. In addition, the board asked Zeno to send a copy of the Laurel Marcus assessment of Green Valley Creek to the Russian River Watershed Council. Communications with Residents of the Watershed. The directors discussed the advantages of using the local press, such as the West County Gazette, instead of printing a newsletter. Jean will evaluate the feasibility of recasting certain pieces for submission to the press. A report on the successful recent Graton cleanup with pictures could be a first article coming from the council. Council Website. Stephen summarized efforts over recent months to improve the Council's website. Zeno explained that the original vision for the website located at http://www.atascaderogreenvalleywatershed.net/ was for it to serve as a website for the entire watershed, not only for the Watershed Council. The Watershed Council, and other interested parties, would have their respective links on the dot net web page. The directors discussed the advantages and disadvantages of using the dot net site as a website for the Council only, or for a broader purpose. This question was not resolved, and the directors agreed to continue that discussion. Regardless of how that question is resolved, the web site for the Council is in need of improvement. In that regard, Jean agreed to contact the computer science department at Santa Rosa Junior College to see if any students of web site design classes would be willing to provide free design services to the Council as part of a class project. And Zeno agreed to clean up as much of the web site as he is able to do before the next board meeting. Vision for the Council. Zeno proposed that the directors re-visit the issue of the goals and purpose of the Council. It was agreed that the appropriate place to begin this effort is the materials generated by the board more than one year ago in a similar effort. Jean agreed to re-circulate such materials. Next Meeting. Because of a conflict by one of the directors, it was agreed that the next meeting of the board would be on Saturday, December 8. The meeting adjourned at 12:00pm Respectfully submitted, Bob Burke Secretary