A/GVWC Board of Directors Meeting Minutes, September 6, 2008

AGV Watershed Council

Board of Directors Meeting Minutes

Minutes of September 6, 2008

A meeting of the board of directors of the Atascadero / Green Valley Watershed Council was held on September 6, 2008, at 345 Montgomery Drive in Sebastopol, beginning at 10:10AM. Directors Jean Redus, Stephen Fuller-Rowell, John Roberts, Zeno Swijtink and Bob Burke were present, as well Diana Hines of the Gold Ridge Resource Conservation District. Member Richard Miller was present for part of the meeting.
Financial Report. John reported that the Council has a total of $728.09 in its general account. Pursuant to earlier authorization by the board, John has disbursed from the Council's reforestation account held by Forests Unlimited $120 to Richard Miller to reimburse him for materials to lay a water line from his property to the planted tree area at the Martinelli Ranch. Zeno recommended that John write a letter to Forests Unlimited confirming the transaction, which John agreed to do.

Projects for the Council. Jean circulated a list of potential projects for the Council for the upcoming year, developed at a recent special meeting of the board. Each director identified one or more projects he or she would be willing to lead. Jean will synthesize the input and recirculate the list by email.

Calder Creek. Jean reported that Rick Coates of Forests Unlimited is organizing a group of people to work toward the day-lighting of Calder Creek, a tributary of the Laguna de Santa Rosa that flows through Ives Park in Sebastopol and eastward under several parking lots.

Gold Ridge RCD. Diana Hines, a fisheries biologist recently hired by the Gold Ridge RCD, described her work history and her assignment (among other assignments) to work on the RCD's assessment of upper Green Valley Creek, exclusive of the Atascadero. A number of hotspots along Green Valley Creek were discussed, as well as the council's concern that water temperature and water quantity be addressed by the assessment as well as sediment. Stephen, Zeno, Bob and Larry Hanson, representing the Council, have been working with the RCD on the assessment project, and will be working closely with Diana. Diana and the board expressed a mutual desire to see greater cooperation and coordination between the RCD and the Council.

Restoration at Martinelli Ranch. John reported on the continuing work at Martinelli Ranch, where the vegetation planted several years ago requires continuing maintenance, especially in this dry year. John, Larry, Kimberly, Richard and several other volunteers work at the ranch almost every Sunday, beginning around 9AM. Anyone interested can contact Larry at <mailto:larryjhanson%40comcast.net>larryjhanson@comcast.net or John at <mailto:jahilltop%40earthlink.net>jahilltop@earthlink.net .

Sonoma County Forests Conservation Working Group. Stephen, the Council's representative to the Working Group, reported that it will be hosting two workshops in the upcoming weeks. On October a workshop will be held in Cazadero on October 4 and a more advanced workshop will be held in the Mill Creek area on October 18. More details will be publicized by the Working Group soon. Stephen said that volunteers are needed to help host the workshops, who will be entitled to free admission. Anyone interested should contact Stephen.

Urban Water Management Plan Litigation. Stephen said that the first hearing on the merits in the litigation with the Sonoma County Water Agency on the 2005 Urban Water Management Plan is scheduled for September 11 in Department 20 of the Superior Court. Interested parties are, of course, welcome to attend and observe.

Sustainability Lecture Series. Zeno distributed a notice of a series of lectures that will be held at Sonoma State University featuring the six elements of sustainability, identified as: earth (food and agriculture), air, fire (climate change), water, the human body and the built environment. The first lecture, on water, will be presented by Brock Dolman on September 10 at 6:30PM. Interested persons can see http://www.sixelementsofsustainability.blogspot.com or contact Zeno.

Trenching in the Atascadero. John reported on a meeting he, Larry and Kimberly recently had with Jeffery Holtzman, Deputy District Attorney, regarding the trenching that took place on June 20 in a blue line tributary on the west side of the Atascadero just north of Occidental Road. A copy of the Order issued by the Regional Water Quality Board as a result of the trenching can be found here. John said he had told the District Attorney that the Council's interest in the matter is appropriate publicity and education so that others will be less likely to undertake similar unlawful modifications of waterways. The District Attorney said that his office's primary objective was not punishment, but assuring appropriate response by the landowner. John's report prompted a spirited conversation among the directors and Richard. It was acknowledged that, irrespective of the apparent illegality of the trenching, scientific support can be found for opposing conclusions, namely, that the trenching was good or bad for the environment. Stephen commented that neither any one of the directors alone, nor even the board as a whole, could expect to command the scientific expertise to determine conclusively whether any particular action is beneficial or detrimental to the environment. Rather, he said, our task should be to engender greater respect for the complexity of aquatic (and other) systems. Zeno suggested, and the board agreed, that we should send a forward-looking letter to the District Attorney and to the RWQCB, identifying what actions the Council sees as most appropriate. Jean agreed to prepare a draft for comment by the other directors.

Restoration Supplies. Bob reported that several hundred trees planted several years ago in a restoration project by Faye Creek in the Salmon Creek watershed are doing very well and, consequently, are outgrowing their wire cages. Rather than removing the cages now and having to store them until another tree-planting project comes on-line, it would be preferable for the cages to be removed directly to one or more planting projects when they are identified and are about to commence. Bob therefore asked the other directors to be on the look-out for tree planting projects in need of tree shelters.

The meeting adjourned at 12:10

Respectfully submitted,

Bob Burke
Secretary

AGV Watershed Council	Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
Minutes of September 6, 2008


A meeting of the board of directors of the Atascadero / Green Valley Watershed Council was held on September 6, 2008, at 345 Montgomery Drive in Sebastopol, beginning at 10:10AM. Directors Jean Redus, Stephen Fuller-Rowell, John Roberts, Zeno Swijtink and Bob Burke were present, as well Diana Hines of the Gold Ridge Resource Conservation District. Member Richard Miller was present for part of the meeting. Financial Report. John reported that the Council has a total of $728.09 in its general account. Pursuant to earlier authorization by the board, John has disbursed from the Council's reforestation account held by Forests Unlimited $120 to Richard Miller to reimburse him for materials to lay a water line from his property to the planted tree area at the Martinelli Ranch. Zeno recommended that John write a letter to Forests Unlimited confirming the transaction, which John agreed to do. Projects for the Council. Jean circulated a list of potential projects for the Council for the upcoming year, developed at a recent special meeting of the board. Each director identified one or more projects he or she would be willing to lead. Jean will synthesize the input and recirculate the list by email. Calder Creek. Jean reported that Rick Coates of Forests Unlimited is organizing a group of people to work toward the day-lighting of Calder Creek, a tributary of the Laguna de Santa Rosa that flows through Ives Park in Sebastopol and eastward under several parking lots. Gold Ridge RCD. Diana Hines, a fisheries biologist recently hired by the Gold Ridge RCD, described her work history and her assignment (among other assignments) to work on the RCD's assessment of upper Green Valley Creek, exclusive of the Atascadero. A number of hotspots along Green Valley Creek were discussed, as well as the council's concern that water temperature and water quantity be addressed by the assessment as well as sediment. Stephen, Zeno, Bob and Larry Hanson, representing the Council, have been working with the RCD on the assessment project, and will be working closely with Diana. Diana and the board expressed a mutual desire to see greater cooperation and coordination between the RCD and the Council. Restoration at Martinelli Ranch. John reported on the continuing work at Martinelli Ranch, where the vegetation planted several years ago requires continuing maintenance, especially in this dry year. John, Larry, Kimberly, Richard and several other volunteers work at the ranch almost every Sunday, beginning around 9AM. Anyone interested can contact Larry at <mailto:larryjhanson%40comcast.net>larryjhanson@comcast.net or John at <mailto:jahilltop%40earthlink.net>jahilltop@earthlink.net . Sonoma County Forests Conservation Working Group. Stephen, the Council's representative to the Working Group, reported that it will be hosting two workshops in the upcoming weeks. On October a workshop will be held in Cazadero on October 4 and a more advanced workshop will be held in the Mill Creek area on October 18. More details will be publicized by the Working Group soon. Stephen said that volunteers are needed to help host the workshops, who will be entitled to free admission. Anyone interested should contact Stephen. Urban Water Management Plan Litigation. Stephen said that the first hearing on the merits in the litigation with the Sonoma County Water Agency on the 2005 Urban Water Management Plan is scheduled for September 11 in Department 20 of the Superior Court. Interested parties are, of course, welcome to attend and observe. Sustainability Lecture Series. Zeno distributed a notice of a series of lectures that will be held at Sonoma State University featuring the six elements of sustainability, identified as: earth (food and agriculture), air, fire (climate change), water, the human body and the built environment. The first lecture, on water, will be presented by Brock Dolman on September 10 at 6:30PM. Interested persons can see http://www.sixelementsofsustainability.blogspot.com or contact Zeno. Trenching in the Atascadero. John reported on a meeting he, Larry and Kimberly recently had with Jeffery Holtzman, Deputy District Attorney, regarding the trenching that took place on June 20 in a blue line tributary on the west side of the Atascadero just north of Occidental Road. A copy of the Order issued by the Regional Water Quality Board as a result of the trenching can be found here. John said he had told the District Attorney that the Council's interest in the matter is appropriate publicity and education so that others will be less likely to undertake similar unlawful modifications of waterways. The District Attorney said that his office's primary objective was not punishment, but assuring appropriate response by the landowner. John's report prompted a spirited conversation among the directors and Richard. It was acknowledged that, irrespective of the apparent illegality of the trenching, scientific support can be found for opposing conclusions, namely, that the trenching was good or bad for the environment. Stephen commented that neither any one of the directors alone, nor even the board as a whole, could expect to command the scientific expertise to determine conclusively whether any particular action is beneficial or detrimental to the environment. Rather, he said, our task should be to engender greater respect for the complexity of aquatic (and other) systems. Zeno suggested, and the board agreed, that we should send a forward-looking letter to the District Attorney and to the RWQCB, identifying what actions the Council sees as most appropriate. Jean agreed to prepare a draft for comment by the other directors. Restoration Supplies. Bob reported that several hundred trees planted several years ago in a restoration project by Faye Creek in the Salmon Creek watershed are doing very well and, consequently, are outgrowing their wire cages. Rather than removing the cages now and having to store them until another tree-planting project comes on-line, it would be preferable for the cages to be removed directly to one or more planting projects when they are identified and are about to commence. Bob therefore asked the other directors to be on the look-out for tree planting projects in need of tree shelters. The meeting adjourned at 12:10 Respectfully submitted, Bob Burke Secretary