PT reporting-RTC shooting
2/14 Pat Landrum, Director of HC2...Environmental Approaches to Preventing High Risk Drinking
2/21 Mike Bierman, Petaluma City Manager...The State of the City of Petaluma
2/28 Mary Stompe-Bill Fishman, PEP Housing...Senior Housing in Petaluma Esteamed Rice
Meeting convened by President Russell, theme for the year ‘Lead the Way’.
Thought of the Day: “The Sun, with all those planets revolving around it and dependent upon it, can still ripen a bunch of grapes as if it had nothing else in the universe to do.” Galileo, physicist and astronomer (1564-1647).
INTRODUCTION OF ROTARIAN GUESTS: Thor Bodtken, Cub Scout Pack 74 (guest of Mike R. who arrived quite late); Tabitha Harkin, Bank of the West; Mike Furuli
(Jim’s youngest); PPSC Elise Stempel; Maureen
Middlebrook, Sonoma County Open Space and Agricultural Preservation; VISITING ROTARIANS: Al Kaplan, underground construction (Petaluma); Lou Steinberg, commercial banking (Petaluma President-Elect); Julie Resneck,
chiropractic (formerly from Folsom,
new to Petaluma). ANNOUNCEMENTS / EVENTS.
Cash for Cash – Mary C and Jerrie show (you shouldn’t have missed it!). Mary reported that the tickets are being printed and will be available next week.
Board meeting – next Tuesday, February 13th.
February 17th – An hour show of ethnic experience – Shadi will be doing stories, dance and music.
February 22nd SCARC – Crab Feed in Cloverdale.
District Assembly: Saturday, April 14th – Mendocino College – Ukiah
Junior Achievement – Jim O’ reported that the Miwok School program will be starting up – meeting will be held in March – sign up now. Pamela reported her experience with the 4th grade class at Meadow School.
Moe shared his work with junior high students on investment ideas.
Al Kaplan once again tried selling the raffle tickets for the crab feed, coming up this Friday.
Carol K. reported on the PPSC Bowl-A-Thon, March 31st.
Jerrie, a little more sedately, reported that the PVR Theater is starting the theme for the dinner at the Furuli/Lombardi famous dinner. She needs 12 volunteers – so see Jerrie if you’re interested in helping with the March 10th event.
Thor B. with Pack 74 reported on the status of the scouting program, age 5 through about 11. The numbers have been dwindling; they held an ice cream social, sent 500 invites, 2 showed up, 1 signed up. Most of the kids are transferring on to Boy Scouts. They now have only 6 kids, hoping to keep the Pack together for the next year.
Kevin reported on the Face of Petaluma project – they have been placed on the Theater Square fountain.
Liz M. is getting better, will return to visit soon. John S. returned from his recent medical adventure, looking stunning as usual.
HAPPY DOLLARS, FINES, ETC.:
Terry B. failed at na
bbing the Club bell (something about sticky rice
and glue, not a pretty sight). She paid off her fine schedule and
got to ring the bell she tried to steal.Carol received a great promotion, bad news she is transferring to the Ignacio Bank of Marin, so she will be moving to the Novato-Ignacio club. Carol’s sponsor, Dawn, had to throw the Greeter Program Coordinator out to the Club looking for a volunteer to replace Carol. Hidden in all that info was a fine for losing her sponsored Rotarian.
Linda got promoted to 47 years and donated to her Harold Alexander; she also snuck in an ad for the artist event at her business, Pelican Art, this Friday afternoon.
Kevin D. recognized his daughter, Sierra’s, participation in Moe’s investment class.
RAFFLE: 50/50 raffle ($878) the wrong color marble was selected by Todd. Sheila won the $10.
PROGRAM: Kevin let us know who is coming in the future weeks and
introduced Maureen Middlebrook, Sonoma County Ag Preservation and Open
Space District. Maureen shared the recreational map that
illustrates all of the open space resources available to Sonoma County
folks and visitors. Started in 1990, by the vote of the
people. They are a dependent special district, which means that
the County Board of Supervisors made the legislative decisions for the
District. The District was one of the first to use sales tax to
fund the acquisition of open space. They work only with
“willing sellers” and have no condemnation authority.
There is a seventeen member Citizen’s Advisory Committee.
To date the District has protected 142 properties, 70,000 acres.
The new Strategic Plan includes an emphasis to link open spaces to
create pathways and corridors. Four categories for
protection: farms and ranches, natural resources, greenbelts and
scenic hillsides, and recreation. Maureen provided great pictures
and details of protected properties Ag: 33,000 acres; greenbelts
and scenic hillsides 17,100 acres; natural resources: 34,000 acres;
recreation: 13,700 acres added to local, regional and state
parks. Maureen shared some of the outstanding issues:
funding derived from the District tax incomes cannot be used for
maintenance – so they work with partners such as local and state
park departments. For example they worked with Santa Rosa to
create the bike path from Santa Rosa to Graton; also the Pomo trail to
Shell Beach; Tolay Lake Regional Park (17,000 acres); the District
funded approximately half of the purchase price; Petaluma
participated. Sonoma County Parks now owns the Tolay Park site;
they are now planning future improvements through a public involvement
process. Local examples include Shollenberger Park, Alman Marsh
and the new Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility. The District
protected 10,650 acres in major ground water basins or natural recharge
areas; protected 56,420 acres which drain to creeks. Maureen
shared partnership opportunities, which bring additional monies into
the County through grant funding from State and Federal agencies
through matching grants. The District has an education program
called “In Our Own Backyards Program”. Measure F, last November, passed by 75%+ (required two-thirds) extended the sales tax for another 20 years. Measure F was the same measure adopted in 1990. Major difference with this new measure: it allows the ability to fund initial operations and maintenance using up to 10% of the tax revenue. This will allow improvements such as trails, parking lots, and maintenance while the partnerships for permanent maintenance are developed. Great program about the assets created through the long-range planning and funding by citizens in the County.