Bennett Valley Voice

Bennett Valley VOICE

Volume 25, Number

Bennett Valley Homeowner's Association (BVHA) Inside This Issue Fire Trucks in Bennett Valley Noteworthy Points, BV Fire Thank-You, Community Day BV 2003 Calendars BV Clean-up Roads Day BV Community Calendar BHA Meetings BHA Board & Membership Where is Bennett Valley? Bennett Valley Fire District Board BHA Board of Directors Elections

September, 2002

Be Sure To Vote on Tuesday, Nov. 5th AND Vote YES on Y! Possible Questions, Concerns By Michael We need your "YES on Y" in order to Friedenberg, President, Friends of Bennett Valley more fairly compensate our wellFire Was BVD "given away to Sebastopol", with a trained firefighters, add a daytime Sebastopol address? Have we lost local control?

firefighter, and give our overnight ABSOLUTELY NOT! We contract with the Gold volunteers a modest incentive, as is Ridge Fire District in Sebastopol for our administrative services. Our bookkeeper is done in other similar fire districts. located in Sebastopol and that is the only reason our mailing address is there. Gold Ridge Fire District has no say over our budget, our money YES on Y will result in a fire tax increase of only 33¢ per day or a total of 49¢ per day, for the typical Bennett Valley homeowner. Over 75%" of that increase would go to the firefighters.

Compare this to the cost of a postage stamp, TV cable at $1.32 per day, and garbage removal at 53¢ per day. or what we do. These decisions can only be made by the BVFD Board of Directors and the Bennett Valley residents. We don't have a fire chief any more. Is this reducing the quality of our fire protection? FACTS: BVFD is too small to pay for a full-time fire chief. BVFD is saving about $68,000/py by contracting for administrative services and the fire chief on an as-needed basis, at a cost of $30,000/py. In this way BVD has continued their high quality services at a lower cost.

YES on Y assures our excellent fire, rescue, and emergency services in Bennett Valley. Minutes count in medical emergencies. A house fire doubles every 30 seconds. Keep our typical emergency response time at 4 minutes - not 15 minutes. These funds stay in our district and go for local protection in Holland Heights, Crane Canyon, Warrington, and all of unincorporated Bennett Valley. Be sure to vote YES ON Y.

Bennett Valley taxpayers are already paying $3,062,000 a year in property taxes. Isn't that enough? FACTS: BVD receives approximately $275,000/py from Sonoma Co. The remainder of this $3 million is used for County government such as the Sheriff's Dept., roads, schools, health services, etc. No one wants to pay more taxes, but the BVFD needs our special support if they are going to continue to be there for us.

How can Bennett Valley Fire Protection District (BVFD) have all of those fire trucks and not enough money to pay their firefighters more than $8.90/ph? See detailed explanation, next page.

Fire Trucks in Bennett Valley By Joe Stans, BV Asst. Fire Chief Emeritus Bennett Valley has some unique topography to consider when purchasing a fire engine. The hills and narrow roads make it important that the selected engine be able to both negotiate narrow roads and driveways and powerful enough to climb the hills fast enough to meet a reasonable response time. We've worked real hard to be sure we have the kind of trucks we need to guarantee our ability to respond to any of the emergencies we face here. At the same time, we now have the total pumping capacity we need to maintain our rating, in order to keep our insurance rates lower. These trucks are not luxuries, but can make the difference between life and death.

Our two Type 1 engines (7881 and 7882 below) were specifically selected for use in our area. They have short wheel bases and are smaller than the typical Type I engine. The fire engines used in Santa Rosa and most cities are simply too large for Bennett Valley roads and are unsuitable for use off wellpaved roads.

Of the seven "fire trucks" owned by BVFD, described below, the oldest (a 1984 ex-ambulance) was donated (#7), the 1990 brush patrol vehicle was obtained from a grant (#4), and the 1990 pick-up was obtained through State contract (#6). One Structure fire engine (#1) was purchased in 1990, and the wildland fire truck (#3) was purchased in 1998. The latest fire engine (#2) was purchased in 2002, with the Bennett Valley Volunteer Firefighters agreeing to make the payments for the first three years. After that, #3, the 1998 wildland truck, will be paid off, so the BVD can pick up the annua payments of #2 with no increase in annual expenses.

A brief description of each of these vehicles follows: 1. 7881 - Purchased in 1990, this is a Structure or Type 1 engine. It carries 500 gallons of water, has a 1,000 gallons per minute (gpm) pump and a minimum water supply, were offset by a large number of BV resident volunteers. We needed a bigger cab for more firefighters, more equipment (for the volunteers showing up from afar), with more water and gpm pressure, in the initial response vehicle.

2. 7882 - This is our second Structure or Type I engine, purchased in 2002, with the BV Volunteer Firefighters' Association making the payments for the first three years. This was a planned purchase but it was executed early because of opportunity to get a better price. It has 750 gallons of water, a rated pump of 1,250 gpm, and a six-man cab, but still maintains a shorter than normal wheel base for use in the BV area. The addition of this truck enables BV to meet requirements to carry 4 firefighters to a structure fire (Two in, Two out) to increase safety, meet the need for total rated pump capacity between both engines 7881 and 7882) and to carry extra needed equipment for volunteers, jaws of life, etc.

3. 7861 - This is a wildland fire engine purchased in 1998. BVD has three more years of payment on this truck. Once these payments are completed, BVD will take over the payments for the new structure fire engine, above (#7882). It carries 500 gallons of water, pumps 500 gpm (with an unrated pump) and can carry a crew of five with all the equipment necessary to fight an extended wildland During the summer months this is the chosen initial response engine for vehicle accidents, and for medical calls in Annadel Park. It has the maneuverability and ground clearance to drive off-road as well as sufficient water and pump capacity to make an initial attack on a structure fire.

4. 7860 This unit, designated as a brush patrol was purchased in 1990 from a grant through a San Francisco foundation. It is used to go where no other engine can go to fight and scout wildland fires. It carries 300 gallons of water, has four-wheel drive, carries a crew of three and carries 2,000 feet of wildland hose in hose packs for a progressive hose lay.

5. 7891 - This water tender was purchased in 1995, but it does not carry enough water the meet the needs of the district. It does not have a rated pump so its pumping capacity cannot be counted to maintain our insurance rating. It does however carry 1,780 gallons of water, a crew of three, some breathing apparatus, and a 2,500 gallon portable tank so it can dump what water it has and go for more. An application was recently made for federal grant money to purchase a larger water tender, holding the ideal 3,000 gallons of water, but apparently this application was not approved.

6. 7840 - This pick-up truck, previously used by the BV Fire Chief, was purchased through a state contract in 1990. It carries a medical bag, flares, and some small forcible entry tools, but it is not seen as an essential fire truck. 7. 7841 - This 1984 ex-ambulance was donated to BVFD. It is on its last legs and we use it as a support truck. It carries a generator, drinking water, high pressure bottles to fill breathing apparatus and other potentially useful tools.

When it no longer operates, it will probably be replaced by a support vehicle, purchased by the BV Volunteer Firefighters. It would be ideal if the "new" support vehicle could be capable of refilling air bottles from a high pressure compressor. Page Two

Noteworthy Points on BV Fire: • The Bennett Valley Fire Station has a defibrillator because the Bennett Valley Volunteer Firefighters' Association has chosen to use some of their donations to purchase one. " ...if you found yourself in a circumstance where there was a choice between using a defibrillator or starting CPR, most defibrillator... CPR just keeps a little bit of blood flowing and provides a small amount of oxygen, but it doesn't restart the heart. If the heart is in ventricular fibrillation-which is the case in twothirds of all cardiac arrests-then using the defibrillator can get it beating normally again, saving a life and possibly lessening brain damage. "(Harvard Health Letter, Sept.. 02, pg. 4) Can you believe these Bennett Valley volunteers, along with everything else, spend so much time raising money to help BV residents?

• With the approval of Measure Y, BVFD will not be using fewer volunteers, but hopes to attract more volunteers by providing them with some incentive, as is done in all other similar districts. For comparison purposes, on 2/19/02, twelve other fire districts in Sonoma Co.

were surveyed, including Glen Ellen, Gold Ridge, Kenwood, and Rancho Adobe. All of them pay their volunteers some incentive but Bennett Valley does not. If Measure Y is passed, BVFD will be able to start paying our overnight volunteers a modest $25 per night. • We've lost two more of our well-qualified firefighting engineers because of the low wages we're paying! The May, 2002 VOICE described the three paid firefighting engineers for BVFD: Mallory, Jimmy Gloeckner, and Trevor Galeazzi. In the month of June, Trevor left BVFD and transferred to the California Dept. of Forestry because the pay was significantly better. During this last month, Jimmy Gloeckner left and transferred to Petaluma Fire District, again, because of the significantly better pay. How can we expect to retain well-qualified firefighters when we're only paying them $8.90 per hour?

• Mike Musgrove is one of our new firefighting engineers. Other candidates are interviewed for the third full-time firefighting position. Mike had thoughts of becoming a cook, which he loves to do, but decided he would be happier working as a trained firefighter and cooking for firefighters. He is well-appreciated at the fire station for his special culinary talents. Mike is 24 years old and is working full-time at both Bennett Valley Fire District and Gold Ridge Fire District (112 hours a week!) • This election on 11/5/02 will cost Bennett Valley approximately $4,000, so it is crucial that every "YES on Y" voter be sure to vote. "A south Lake County fire district's attempt to pass a parcel tax was successful on its fourth try Tuesday, with the measure receiving nearly 85 percent favorable votes..."(Press Democrat., August, 02) A majority of the voters approved this tax for their fire district in the earlier elections, but they didn't quite get the 2/3's vote. To approve a special tax for the local Fire District, at least 2/3's of those voting must VOTE "YES". We need your "YES on Y" vote the first time around!

• On your ballot, you'll find the following legal language for MEASURE Y. See below for the explanation of "$45 per unit of risk". "Shall Ordinance No. 02-03-1-R of the Bennett Valley Fire Protection District (i) authorizing the District to impose and levy a new special tax having a maximum rate of $45.00 per unit of risk to assist in meeting the costs of providing authorized services and exercising other rights and powers of the District, (ii) increasing the District's appropriations limit to permit spending of the revenue raised by the special tax, and (iii) repealing the District's existing special tax be approved?" Vote YES on Y!

• How does "a maximum rate of $45 per unit of risk" become 49ф day for most homeowners in Bennett Valley ? The BVFD Board of Directors has assigned "units of risk" to the 1,272 parcels served by the BVFD. The assigned "units of risk" are as follows: • 211 parcels, land with no buildings, 1 unit • 72 parcels, pastures, misc. improvements, vineyards with no residences, 2 units • 834 parcels, single-family dwellings, 4 units • 127 parcels, two homes, homes with a vineyard, wineries, etc., 6 to 10+ units For the 65.6% of BV parcel owners who have a single family dwelling with 4 assigned units of risk, their special tax under Measure Y will be 4 times $45/py or $180/py, that is 49¢ a day total. Ninety percent of us will pay this much or less.

The assigned "unit of risk" may be appealed directly to the BVFD Board. • Absentee Ballots - Effective January 1, 2002, any voter who so requests may be a Permanent Absentee Voter. To find out more about voting by mail as an absentee voter, please contact the Registrar of Voters, at 565-6800 or 1-800750-VOTE toll free. As an absentee voter, you can expect the ballot to be mailed to you as soon as it is available (3-4 weeks prior to the election.) Page Three

Thank-You From the Community Day Auction Committee by Bobbie Blair This was our second year to have a Silent Auction, as well as a Live Auction, at Bennett Valley Community Day to raise more money for the Volunteer Firefighters. We made $16,000 on these auctions this year and we want to give a big thankyou to all those who contributed items, events, services, etc. Another big thank you goes to the following people who donated their time during the summer to collect donations, help with flyers and mailers and set up and help during the event: Suzanne Dougherty, Patty Gundry, Sandra Carr, Heather LaRiviere, Larissa Goliti, Mike and Patty Hickey, Patti White, Jennifer Combs, Diane Miller, Debbie Engle, Nancy Dell'Ergo, Marina Chang, Craig Harrison, Gordon Endow, Al Fecarotta, Tom Knox, Claudine Simpson, Stephanie Zaborowski, Eve Boling, Bill Sullivan, Deborah Haarstad and Eric Burns. We want to thank Kevin Burris, one of our volunteer firefighters, who, during the event, fine model for our artists, Donna DeLaBriandais, Connie Mygatt, Joan Rowe, and Karen & Stan Sommer. We also want to thank the artists who donated their fine paintings, once they were finished, to the Silent Auction. We hope to grow every year to keep the fun and excitement going. Thanks also to all of you who attended and spent money for a good cause.

October 19th is Bennett Valley "Clean-up Roads" Day! The Fall Clean-up Roads Day in Bennett Valley is scheduled for Saturday, October 19, 2002. Clean-up will begin at 8:30 am at the Bennett Valley Fire Station. Coffee and donuts will be served. Once again, we are asking for volunteer residents to spend a few hours to help eliminate the litter on the Bennett Valley roads. Please remember to wear sturdy shoes, gloves, and hats for sun protection. BVHA will provide safety vests and pickup sticks for reducing the need to bend over to pick up the trash.

Some of those helping will drive around to the different areas (such as Crane Canyon Rd., Sonoma Mountain Rd., and both ends of Bennett Valley Rd.) to pick up full bags of trash and distribute empty bags, so the volunteers don't get too overloaded. Sonoma County Public Works sends out some of their clean-up crews to work the more dangerous areas, such as the narrow winding parts of Bennett Valley Road. We're hoping this year a CHP will also be available to help monitor the speed of passing vehicles.

We need the extra help, so be sure to join us for the Bennett Valley "Clean-up Roads" Day! Bennett Valley Calendars, 2003 By Lolly Mesches Ninety-five orders have already been received for the 2003 calendar. Hurry and sign up for your calendar now as they are going fast. To get your calendar(s) you can call Judy Témko, 544-0234 or Suzanne Dougherty, 542-1608 or there are sign-up sheets at the Bennett Valley Fire Station (ring bell for service). The cost is still $15 and payment is due when you receive the calendar(s), which will be in November. Please be sure to call if you have any questions.

We're sorry to announce that an original black and white Ansel Adams photograph donated by Bev Loftus will not be featured in the new calendar, as stated in the July '02 VOICE. When this last VOICE was printed, we didn't yet know that the Ansel Adams Publishing Rights Trust cannot give permission to use this photograph in any calendar, other than in an Ansel Adams calendar.

Bennett Valley Community Calendar 1.) Bennett Valley Homeowner's Association -The BHA Board meets the third Wednesday of each month, 7:30 pm, at the BV Fire Station. The next two meetings are September 18th and October 16th, 2002. Everyone is invited to the "Meet the Candidates' Night" on October 16th, at 7:30 pm. Both of the candidates for our First District Supervisor, Valerie Brown and Ed Kenney, have agreed to come.

2.) Bennett Valley Fire Protection District -The Board of Directors meets the second Tuesday of each month, 7:00 pm, at the Bennett Valley Fire Station. The next two meetings are October 8th and November 12th. October 19th, 2002 Station 4. Bennett Valley Grange #16, Saturday, October 26th, Spaghetti Dinner 5) Sonoma County Board Of Supervisors meets every Tuesday (except on weeks when there is a holiday) at 575 Administration Drive, Santa Rosa. Valerie Brown has now been appointed by Governor Gray Davis as the acting Supervisor for the First District, so you can call her or Lynn Morton-Weil, who is continuing as her Aide, at 5652241, if you have any questions or concerns.

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Report on the BHA Board Meetings July 17th, 2002 - Board members present were Marilee Jensen, Michael Friedenberg, Jennifer Combs, Lolly Mesches, Jim Katon, Tim Murphy and Bobbie Blair. Six other Bennett Valley residents attended the meeting During Public Input, Bill Pisenti expressed his disagreement with the proposed increase in the special Fire District tax. He stated that his door is always open and he is willing to talk to anyone about this issue. In discussing the Board of Supervisors, Michael Friedenberg suggested the Homeowner's Association sponsor a "Meet the Candidates Night" at our October 16th Board meeting. The Board agreed this was a good idea.

Michael F. reported for the Friends of BV Fire, that the ordinance for the special BV Fire District tax increase had been drafted and would be submitted after the public hearing on 7/30/02. Various groups are working on aspects of the campaign to ensure that this ordinance receives the 2/3's vote needed for approval on 11/5/02. It is going to take a great deal of effort to be sure that all who are in favor of this ordinance actually take time to vote. Donations are needed and requested to fund this campaign and can be sent to Friends of BV Fire, 2560 Bennett Ridge Rd., SR, 95404.

Other information was shared about the VOICE mailing list update, the upcoming BV Community Day and the Silent Auction. The unexpected movement of the Jackson Park Driveway 300 feet up Grange Road, because of the new Grange Road Bridge, was discussed. Brian Campbell, a BV volunteer firefighter, presented information about the Knox Lock, which provides for easy access by firefighters through gates and/or doors. BVFD encourages people to utilize these boxes in order to prevent. unnecessary extended delays during emergencies because of difficult access through gates and/or doors. This has happened more than once before. The boxes vary in size and function but basically there is a special key which is kept by the Fire Station allowing the gate to the property or the door to the home to be easily opened by the firefighters in an emergency. Brian will prepare another more detailed article for the November VOICE. Any one can call the BV Fire Station (578-7761) to obtain more information about these Knox Locks.

Mention was made of the BHA Board of Director elections coming up in September, for three Board positions. August 21st, 2002 - Board members present were Marilee Jensen, Lolly Mesches, Marilyn Stocks, Helen Bates, Jennifer Combs and Bobbie Blair. Six Bennett Valley residents also attended the meeting.

It was reported that Valerie Brown has been appointed to the position of the First District Supervisor by Governor Davis, replacing Mike Cale resigned earlier in the year. This appointment is only good until the election of 11/5/02. We will still plan to have a "Meet the Candidates' Night" at our Board meeting on 10/16/02. Both candidates are planning to come and all residents are encouraged to attend.

A number of people expressed concerns about the extensive grading which is being done on a very visible steep location on the west side of Bennett Ridge, just up from Bennett Valley Road You can even see a pile of dead trees which have been removed. Marilee Jensen will obtain more information from County officials, in the Code Enforcement Division of PRMD, and the Commissioner of Agriculture, about the legality of what is being done.

In the BHA Board of Director elections, three people have expressed their intent to run for the three positions. They are Bobbie Blair, Eric Burns and Michael Friedenberg. Their statements and the ballot will be mailed out with the September Friends of BV Fire reported that the BV Fire District Board placed the special Fire District tax on the ballot for 11/5/02, as "Measure Y". The ballot language of Measure Y is complex and possibly confusing (shown on page 3), so it will take some effort to make this clearer to BV residents. The message is "YES ON Y". Anyone who'd like to in calling voters regarding Measure Y is encouraged to contact Joe Judge, 542-2400.

At the Board's request, Eric Burns has analyzed the BVHA web-page and had some recommendations to make. He was asked to contact Gerald Phillips directly, who designed the web-page and maintains it. Bobbie reported many wonderful donations were still coming in for the Community Day auctions and all seemed to be ready.

Suzanne Dougherty reported that next year's 2003 BV calendar will cost about $12 a calendar to produce and will sell, once again, for $15, with any profits going to the BV Volunteer Firefighters. Only 250 calendars will be produced this year. It was recommended by the Calendar Committee and approved by the BHA Board to give the profits from the last calendar, $200, to the BV Volunteer Firefighters' Association.

is expected the BHA Articles of Incorporation will be revised after 11/5/02. A meeting will be scheduled between the newly appointed acting Supervisor, Valerie Brown and the BHA Board of Directors. Page Five

BHA Board Of Directors Tentative Agenda For The Meeting On 9/18/02. • Call to Order, Public Input, Approval of Minutes and Treasurer's Report Monthly Reports Old Business • Updates; Friends of BV Fire, BVHA WebPage, Silent Auction, 2003 BV Calendar • Report on earth-moving on Bennett Mtn.

• Scheduled meeting w/ Valerie Brown, 1st District Supervisor • New Business To be determined The Board of Directors Agenda for each meeting is posted on a bulletin board at the BV Fire Station and on the BHA web-page, at least 72 hours prior to the meeting. The agenda includes a brief description of items for proposed action or discussion, and information on the scope of the proposed action.

Bennett Valley Homeowner'S

Association (Bha) Board Of

DIRECTORS P.O. Box 2666, Santa Rosa, CA 95405 BHA Web-Page <bennettvalleyhomeowners.org> Marilee Jensen, President & VOICE Editor, (576-0405 - phone # and FAX #) Michael Friedenberg, Vice-President (579-5310) Helen Bates, Treasurer (695-8760) Bobbie Blair, Recording Secretary & Mailing List/Membership Coordinator (542-1608) Leanore (Lolly) Mesches, Corresponding Secretary, (545-8684) Jennifer Combs, Director, (546-1190) Jim Katon, Director, (528-9487) Tim Murphy, Director, (542-7114) Marilyn Stocks, Director (528-2458) We want to thank the many Bennett Valley residents who provide so much help in a number of different projects, including helping to write and edit the VOICE, updating the mailing list and/or helping with "Friends of BV Fire".

This month we want to especially thank Michael Hickey for his commitment to effective communication, as seen recently in his work for Friends of Bennett Valley Fire For 2002 BHA Membership, you are encouraged to send your $15 annual dues to Blair/Dougherty, 7373 Bennett Valley Rd., Santa Rosa, CA 95404.

BVHA Mission Statement: "Committed promoting & preserving the rural character and natural environment of Bennett Valley." Where is Bennett Valley? Bennett Valley is used by the Santa Rosa community different surrounding Bennett Mountain, such as Holland Heights. It is also used to describe areas in the city of Santa Rosa in the vicinity of Summerfield Road, Yulupa Road, and Bennett Valley Road and those areas served by the Bennett Valley School District.

Bennett Valley also has other more limited technical definitions, such as the specific area served by Bennett Valley Fire Protection District, which includes homes that are west of Taylor Mountain or on Pressley Road, Sonoma Mountain Road or Enterprise Road, which are not even in sight of Bennett Mountain.

The Bennett Valley Study, as established by the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors in 1977, applies only to specific parcels in Bennett Valley which are in an unincorporated area adjacent to Bennett Mountain, Taylor Mountain, and Sonoma Mountain and subject to the zoning restrictions in the Bennett Valley Area Plan. This area includes around 15,500 acres and has seen some changes over the years at the County level. This "Bennett Valley", as defined by the County of Sonoma, has been the primary focus for the Bennett Valley Homeowner's Association (BVHA) since its inception in 1970.

Nevertheless, a number of BHA members live in areas beyond this "Bennett Valley Study District." Usually the VOICE is mailed to all of the parcel owners in the BV Study District as well as any other BHA members, but for the months of July and September, 2002, we are also sending the VOICE to all of the registered voters served by the Bennett Valley Fire Protection District. This is part of the effort to have the increased special Bennett Valley Fire District tax, Measure Y, approved by 2/3's of those voting on 11/5/02.

Bennett Valley Fire Protection District Board of Directors 6161 Bennett Valley Rd., Santa Rosa Matt Phillips, Chairman Dan Felciano, Mark Richardson, and Nola Stans Marie Nottingham resigned from the Board for personal reasons in July, 2002. Deborah Haarstad was interviewed by this Board at their meeting in August and is expected to be appointed to the Board at their next meeting on 9/10/02. Everyone is welcome to attend the BV Fire Board meetings. For any questions or comments, feel free to contact Kent Reynolds, Bennett Valley Fire Chief, 5787761 or stop by the Fire Station to talk to one of our BV Firefighting Engineers.

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BHA Board Of Director Elections To qualify as a BHA voting member, you must be a dues-paying member of BHA, as indicated by the check-mark in the "2002 member box underneath your mailing address on the reverse side of this page. You must also hold recorded title to any real property located within the unincorporated area of the "Bennett Valley Study Area" Each year there are three vacant 3-year positions on the BHA Board of Directors which come up for election. This year there are three nominees for the three positions. You'll find the name and statement of each of these nominees Bobbie Blair - "We moved into Bennett Valley 16 years ago because we fell in love with the rural surroundings of this beautiful place. I feel we are very fortunate to live in such an area and that it is the duty of all of its residents to work hard to maintain what we have. Change and progress always come and that is not bad, if we can control the rate and balance progress with maintaining the rural character of this Valley. / have been on the Board for the past three years and have spent much of that time trying to mend the riff that was prevalent for a while here. While we have been somewhat successful, there are still fences to mend and trusts to rebuild. I hope / can be of help with that process. I have worked very hard on the past two Community Days to help support the work or our volunteer firefighters. I am strongly committed to keeping our fire district in Bennett Valley. I believe it is the task of the Board to do all it can to keep the Valley residents informed and, as membership chairman, / would hope to encourage more residents to join the association and take an interest in what is going on. While / will not stop working toward these goals, I think I can be most effective as a Board member." Eric Burns - "/ was fortunate to grow up in Glen Ellen, with an Audubon preserve behind my home and a regional park across the highway.

I'm even more fortunate now to own land in Bennett Valley, and am looking forward to one day building a home there. The rural qualities of the area are very important to me, and l'd like to take a more active part in working to maintain 3.) Page Seven them by becoming a Director on the BHA Board." Michael Friedenberg - "/ am requesting to be nominated for the BHA Board of Directors.

/ have been a resident since 1983. Bennett Valley is one of the truly great places we can live. With the privilege and joy of living here also comes the responsibility to be a steward to our home for the next generation. / support the Bennett Valley Area Plan and will work to fulfill its vision for Bennett Valley. I also believe that the Bennett Valley Homeowner's Association should be a forum for all the views of all our residents and property owners. / will be there both to listen and to provide leadership when appropriate." If you have any questions about your membership status or this election, please call Phil Temko, Chairman, BHA Nominating Committee, at 544-0234.

Please vote for your choices by placing a check mark next to their name in the ballot below. You may only cast one vote for any one candidate. After you voted, cut off the ballot (or the whole page) and either mail it to BHA, P.O. Box 2666, Santa Rosa, CA 95405 so it is received by October 16th or bring it to the BHA October 16th meeting, at the BV Fire Station, by 7:45pm. Your ballot will be disqualified if it is not received by this date and these times. There can be no write-in nominations and no nominations from the floor as it is past the nomination deadline set by the BHA Nomination Committee. Votes will be tallied and results announced at the end of the October 16th Board meeting. The newly elected directors will then meet with the continuing directors for the purpose of selecting officers for the next year.

Bha Ballot, 10/16/02

_ Bobbie Blair, Incumbent Eric Burns, Property Owner Michael Friedenberg, Incumbent

S What is the best thing you can do to help our local heroes, our BV Firemen? The answer is to help be sure that "YES on Y" gets approved on 11/5/02 ! Please Send Your Donations Today To Friends of BV Fire, clo Michael Friedenberg, 2560 Bennett Ridge Road, Santa Rosa, CA 95404.

Your donated funds will be used to pay for three mailers to be sent to the 1,785 registered voters served by the Bennett Valley Fire Protection District (BVFD), as well as make a number of signs to be posted at different people's homes. This concentrated grass-root effort is crucial to be sure that we can get the 2/3's vote the first time around to increase the BVFD special tax. This increase is necessary to increase the pay of our firefighters from $8.90lph to the average for similar districts of $13/ph. We also need to hire one daytime firefighter and provide our overnight volunteers with a modest incentive.

We've already received more than $2,000 in donations, but we need about $4,000 more. If each of us asks two neighbors for a donation, I know we will get there. This is a great cause! If you have any questions, please be sure to call Michael at 579-5310 or Joe Judge, 542-2040.

• We need your help in order to maintain our excellent fire, rescue and emergency services in Bennett Valley! Let's ROLL...