Bennett Valley Voice

Bennett Valley VOICE Bennett Valley Homeowner's Association (BVHA)

Volume 30, Number 4

July, 2007

Sonoma Mountain Road, Closed 18 Months? Sonoma County Rural Roads, such as in Bennett Valley? Valerie Brown and Public Works Director, Wednesday, September 12th CERT. These skills can help save and sustain lives Be sure to mark your calendars for the BVHA meeting on Wednesday, September 12*h , at 7:00 pm, when Valerie Brown, our County Supervisor representing Bennett Valley, and Phil Demery, the new Director of the Department of Transportation and Public Works, will be presenting information on Sonoma County's long-range strategy on these road issues, particularly in regard to Bennett Valley. Please note, this meeting is one week earlier than usual. BVHA meetings are held at Bennett Valley Grange Hall, 4145 Grange Road, Santa Rosa.

following a disaster until professional help arrives, such as firefighters and/or other public safety officers. Bennett Valley CERT training is divided into 8 units covering the following topics: *Disaster Preparedness (Hazard Mitigation) *Fire Safety (Firefighting Resources, Suppression Safety) *Disaster Medical Operations - Part 1 (Triage) *Disaster Medical Operations - Part 2 (Wound Care) *Light Search and Rescue Operations *CERT Team Organization (Decision-making) * Disaster Psychology (Survivors' Trauma) Disaster Preparedness Group Discussion At the BVHA meeting on Wednesday, July 18", at 7:00 pm, the first fifteen minutes will be set aside for a group discussion on COPE and CERT Bennett Valley activities. What are COPE and CERT?

COPE stands for Citizens Organized To Prepare for Emergencies, with a mission of helping residents, families, and neighbors become and remain better prepared to respond to and recover from emergency situations. Each household is expected to gather all of their own emergency preparedness supplies. At the same time, it is beneficial if people can also work on organizing ten to twenty homes in their neighborhood to help each other in the event of an emergency.

Information about this process is available through the City of Santa Rosa Emergency Preparedness Office, at 543-3711, or on the Internet, at cope.srcity.org. Families and neighbors need to be ready to survive on their own, for at least up to two weeks in the more remote Bennett Valley areas.

CERT stands for Community Emergency Response Team. If a disastrous event overwhelms or delays the community's professional response, CERT trainees can assist themselves and others by applying the basic response and organization skills as taught by *CERT Course Review and Disaster Simulation This training takes about twenty (20) hours. The next CERT training scheduled at the Bennett Valley Fire Station is on four Saturdays; September 8' , 15"h 29th and October 13. For more information and/or a CERT application, please contact Karen Sommer at 528-8982 or email: ksommer11@earthlink.net.

These units are taught by local firefighters and other certified CERT instructors. The classes are very informative as well as fun, and follow-up training is available, after you've completed the initial CERT training. If you're unable to attend one of the sessions, they can be made up at other locations in Sonoma County. You can find out more about other CERT classes offered in Sonoma County in the near future, on the Internet, at sonomacert.com/classes.

BVHA Website Change; bennettvalley-org Please note that the BVHA website has changed from bennettvalleyhomeowners.org to bennettvalley.org. Because it is so new, you still may have difficulty finding this in a "search", but if you enter it in your web browser "Address" or "URL", toward the top, it should connect. If you're having any problems with this, please contact Eric Burns at datamonk@svn.net or 799-0045.

Disaster Preparedness From BRCA VOICE, November, 2006, BV Emergency Preparedness Planning Meeting Report by Tim Murphy • Residents are going to have to work together to take care of themselves. Emergency assistance from firefighters and other county/state resources may be a long time in coming.

• Water is critical and more important than food. As a guideline, each household should have access to a minimum of 1 gallon of water per day, per occupant, for at least a 2-week period. (Stored water should be rotated annually. Water heaters can also be a source of water.) • Most injuries (approximately 75% are broken bones) are from non-structural items (flying objects-computers, books, broken glass, etc.).

These "accidents" can only be prevented, advance, with a personal "Home Safety Survey". (See next page) • Most people who have been rescued from collapsed buildings were saved by neighbors, not first responders. (Included in CERT training.) • Communications and electricity most likely will be very limited. Even if the telephone lines and cell towers are undamaged, which is unlikely, it will be very difficult to reach anyone in the same area code, as the phone lines will be jammed. Be sure to identify someone out of the area for family communication. Amateur radio (ham radio) is the most effective communication during an emergency.

• Plan and prepare to "camp out" for an extended period of time. (Could be 14 days or longer.) • After a major earthquake along the Rodgers Creek Fault, Pressley Road, Grange/Crane Canyon Road, and other nearby roads, could be severely disrupted, and the bridge at the S curve on Bennett Valley Road, near the Santa Rosa City Limits, may collapse. {At this BVHA meeting on 10/28/06, Fire Captain Brian Campbell explained that 85% of the BV firefighters are volunteers, only two paid firefighters are normally at the station, and almost all personnel must come from town or farther away to get to the fire station, if the roads are passable.} • Preparation now controls your destiny in the event of a disaster. Katrina was a rude awakening of how individuals cannot rely on governmental services to assist them in a matter of hours, days or even months.As stated by Craig Harrison, BVHA Vice-President, "We can do some real positive things for our community with a little teamwork." A.) Individual Household Information

1.) Emergency Supply Kit (From Cope Guide)

There are a number of supplies which are recommended you keep in a 14-day Emergency Supply Kit in a metal or plastic garbage can or other sturdy container that is easily transportable. It can be stored in a garage, shed, or other out-of-the-way location. It includes such items as water, food, first aid flashlight, battery-operated equipment, etc. Healdsburg Lumber Co. has broken down this process of emergency preparation into 16 weeks, with columns listing items under "To Do" "Shopping" and "Information", endorsed by the local Red Cross. If you'd like a copy of this handy list, you can call them at 431-9663. Below you'll find the things they've listed under Shopping for the first three weeks: Shopping Grocery Hardware Week 1: One gallon of water Duct tape (per person per day) Heavy rope Jars of peanut butter* Manual canEnergy bars opener Freeze-dried camp food Week 2: Large bottles of juice* Instant coffee/tea Powdered drinks Pet food Tarps Bungee cords Generator Week 3: Cans of meat or fish* Cans of fruit* Dried fruit Flashlights (extra bulb & batteries) *for each person (This list was slightly modified by BVHA Editor, to cover multiple days, rather than just 72 hours.) For additional information about recommended supplies for your Emergency Preparedness Supply Kit, call 543-3711 (Paul Hess), go to cope.srcity.org, or bennettvalley.org, (VOICE Newsletters, September 2005, or November, 2006) on the Internet.

2.) Emergency "Grab & Go Bag"

Sally Badger, Bennett Ridge Registered Nurse A "grab & go" bag is what you grab when you need to get out in a hurry! Use a light weight back pack so both hands are free. A walking stick or cane may be useful. Highly Recommended: 1. Vital medications for 1 week; 2. Flashlight with extra batteries; 3. Basic First-Aid kit (Suggestions for content: www/ready/gov/first_aid_kit.html); 4. Extra car and house keys; 5. Extra eyeglasses/hearing aid; 6.

Whistle; 7. Plastic bag, rain poncho; 8. Waterproof packet with the following: a.) Emergency information,

with family phone numbers & email addresses, including someone out of the area b.) List of medications, allergies, medical information, MD name and phone a.) Copy of ID and Health Insurance Cards e.) Emergency cash (small bills and coins) f.) Calling card or cell phone with charger; 9. Warm and cool clothing (preferably non-synthetic); 10. Sturdy shoes; 11. Hat; 12.Necessary pet supplies (vaccination information, food, leash, etc.) Useful Items: Mylar space blanket; Snack goods; Small bottles of water; Vital documents (Copies of passport, birth certificate, driver's license, list of bank accounts, mortgages, loans, insurance policies, credit card-both sides); Notepad and pen; Personal hygiene supplies (toilet paper, etc.); Portable radio; Plastic bags 3.) HOME PREPARATION_ (from COPE Guide) *Safety Survey Your Home. Check each room with "earthquake eyes."...Fix any possible hazards, to help prevent injuries, from an earthquake.

*Kitchen. The most hazardous room in the house. Shattered glass, spilled chemicals, gas-fed fires, and falling objects are potential hazards to mitigate. Gas water heater and gas stove in kitchen should use flexible gas lines that will move in an earthquake. *Bedroom. Are there any objects that could fall and injure you in bed or block your escape route? Place shoes, flashlight, set of car keys and important phone numbers in a plastic bag under bed.

*Bathroom. Wear heavy shoes into bathrooms after earthquake, to protect from broken glass. *Living Areas. Attach tall heavy objects to wall studs with lag bolts, such as bookshelves, china closet and strapped-in hot water heater. Place heavy objects on floor or lower shelves. Store most-valuable breakable objects on lower shelves; consider earthquake wax (putty) to secure objects to shelves or wall; . Consider childproof locks on cabinets. Regularly check smoke detectors.

*Garage and Laundry Room. Store flammable material in well-marked unbreakable (metal containers, preferably 100 feet away from house and wood fences. Dispose of hazardous and/or flammable materials no longer needed. Know how to open electric garage door if power is off. *Automobile. Always keep gas tank ¼ to ½ full. Place emergency supplies in trunk of car (such as your "Grab & Go Bag"). Place old pair of eye glasses in glove compartment. Keep cell phone charger in car.

*Exterior. Keep weeds trimmed, leaves raked, and roof and rain gutters free of debris. Remove any dead wood, debris, and low tree branches; thin out shrubs and trees within 100 feet of house. Store firewood at least 10 yards from house. Landscape property with fire resistant plants and vegetation.

B.) Conducting COPE Neighborhood Team Meetings(From COPE Guide) At the COPE Neighborhood Team meeting, the COPE Team Leader will share all information in the COPE Guide (see Page One for phone # and Internet location for COPE Guide), answer residents' questions, and determine whether the COPE Neighborhood Team should have a COPE Coordinator accompany the team on a walk-around of their neighborhood. The COPE Neighborhood Team Leader will also provide copies of the Emergency Supply Kit, Preparing Yourself At Home, Earthquake Awareness, Census Form, Team Roster, Neighborhood Map and Away-From-Home Notice sheets for each residence.

The COPE Team Leader needs to stress the following to the COPE Neighborhood Team: *Know the best evacuation routes from each room, your home and the neighborhood *Know where your designated COPE Neighborhood Team meeting site is in your neighborhood and outside the neighborhood... *Know where your utility shutoffs (gas, electricity and water) are located and how to turn them off. Caution residents to NOT turn off gas except in a real emergency when you smell natural gas or hear a gas leak. If it is turned off, the gas company may need to come out to turn the gas back on.

*...If you are unable to raise your garage door manually, please tell your COPE Neighborhood Team Leader so that assistance can (possibly) be provided. *When an emergency occurs, go to the COPE Neighborhood Team meeting site for roll call. If residents are not present, a team of at least two COPE members will go check on them. Remember that your own safety comes first; never jeopardize your own safety or everyone can lose.

*During or after a major emergency, if safe, get cars out of the garage and park them on the street in the direction that has been determined the best evacuation route. Have an emergency response plan and emergency preparedness supply kit. Review and update your... contact information, individual plans, emergency supply kit, smoke detectors and battery-operated devices twice a year, each spring and fall.

*(The following is an example of what is expected when the area is well-organized with COPE teams, such as in Oakmont and areas of Santa Rosa. This is not available in Bennett Valley.) Your COPE Team Leader will collect and summarize information from your neighborhood to relay to the COPE Community Coordinator, who alerts the COPE District Coordinator at the Bennett Valley fire station.

*Bennett Valley Fire Protection District 6161 Bennett Valley Road, Santa Rosa 578-7761 (Non-Emergency Business Phone) Board of Directors Mark Richardson, President Joseph Mazeau, Vice-President Marilee Jensen, Secretary Arnie Tognozzi, and Don D'Avanzo, Directors The Board meetings are held on the 2nd Tuesday each month, 7:00 pm, at the BV Fire Station. You're welcome to attend, but please confirm the meeting date first. If you have any questions or concerns, you can leave a message for the Bennett Valley Fire Chief, Andy Pforsich, at 823-1084.

Bennett Valley Paid Firefighting Staff 24-hour Shift Personnel: Lieutenant Gabe Stirnus, Engineers Kevin Burris and Matt Tognozzi Daytime Firefighters, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm: Engineers Danny Connelly and Steve Gritsch Firefighter Ronnie Lakin Supplemented and supported by approximately twenty-three trained firefighting volunteers. Three of the volunteers are paid to spend the night at the Fire Station, for improved coverage and safety.

2007/2008 Special Tax Rate For The Bennett Valley Fire Protection District At the Board of Directors meeting on June 13th ' a public hearing was held to set the special tax rate and approve the preliminary budget for 2007/2008. There were discussions regarding salaries, sleepers and our Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), with the Gold Ridge Fire Protection District. A decision was made to begin paying three volunteer firefighters to spend the night at the fire station each night (sleepers), rather than two, in order to have four firefighters on duty for nighttime emergencies. The cost-of-living increase, painting the building, doing beam and fascia work, and repaving the front of the property to the street are also included in the budget. The special tax will again be set at $150 for a single-family residence, continuing to be below the $180 maximum allowed.

BV Firefighter Activities; May/June by Engineer Steve Gritsch Medical Aids/Rescues - 21; Structure Fires-2 Vehicle Accidents/Fires-10; Vegetation Fires - 3 Strike Teams- 1 (Mountain Home Incident) Other- 19 (Public Assist, hazardous conditions, false alarms, etc.) Total Runs: 56 Similar to previous years' predictions, we are told that firefighters are expecting a particularly dry and dangerous summer for fires. After hearing it for so many years, it is easy to ignore the doom and destruction talk; however, this year is shaping up to be different. Fire departments across California are seeing fire behavior that we would typically not get until September or October. We are getting faster moving fires with fuel that is much drier than average, even for a hot season. This year will be a very hot, dry season, and the fire season accompanying it so far is living up to its title. With the expected conditions for vegetation fires being critical, any fire dispatch on a hot, dry, or windy day may be significant. A hypothetical dispatch to a roadside fire on Bennett Valley Road near Yulupa Ave. would include Bennett Valley engines 7861 (a wildland engine), 7891 (water tender), and 7882 (structure engine). Additionally we would receive mutual aid from Cal Fire (formerly California Department of Forestry, or CDF) with engines, bulldozer's, hand crews, air tankers and a helicopter.

Glen Ellen. While this may seem like a large initial apparatus and people responding right away, as fire can spread much faster than we can walk, run, or drive. It is important to recognize that we live and work in a location that would be particularly susceptible to a well-established vegetation fire if one were started.

Fortunately, we have not had many "starts" in Bennett Valley this past month, and hope to keep it that way. Remember, on extremely hot days, try to limit mowing and weed whacking in combustible vegetation. (Added Note from Andy Pforsich, BV Fire Chief, 7/7/07, "Most of our fires seem to be attributed to mowing in these conditions; when a blade strikes a rock.") Typically, the hotter it gets, the less of a problem this is, since people are more inclined to stay inside. However, what many people don't realize is that the Fire District has responded to vegetation fires 24 hours a day. What does this mean to the homeowner? You can start a fire at any time of day, be it two p.m. or two a.m. Heat is not the only requirement for a fire.

Wind and humidity are also large contributors to fire spread, as was witnessed last year at a fire on Calistoga Road that Bennett Valley responded to at 11p.m. at night. It could be 60 degrees out, but with a good wind or a low enough ambient humidity, even a small fire could get a good run in dry fuels. Practice fire safety 24 hours a day!

Defensible Space: Why 100 Feet? (This information was compiled from two California Department of Forestry fliers, dated April and May, 2006, distributed by Engineer Kevin Burris at the BVHA meeting on May 16'h , 2007, as part of his presentation on Defensible Space.)

A Defensible Space of 100 feet around your home is (now) required by law. The goal is to protect your home while providing a safe area for firefighters. 1.) "Lean, Clean and Green Zone." Clearing an area of 30 feet immediately surrounding your home is critical. Remove all flammable vegetation and any dead or dying plants within 30 feet of each building or structure.

You may keep single trees or other vegetation that are trimmed of all dead and dying foliage and are well pruned and maintained. 2) "Reduced Fuel Zone" in the remaining 70 feet around your home (or up to the property line), the required clearing will depend on the steepness of your property and the vegetation. Spacing between plants improves the chance of stopping a wildfire before it destroys your home. You have two options in this area: a.) Create horizontal and vertical spacing between plants. The amount of space will depend on how steep the slope is and the size of the plants. Information on exact spacing and height is available through your fire officials.

b.) Large trees do not have to be cut and removed as long as all of the plants beneath them are removed This eliminates a vertical "fire ladder." Reduce loose surface litter, such as fallen leaves, needles, twigs, bark, cones, small branches, etc, so it does not exceed a depth of three inches. All logs and stumps should be removed unless embedded in the soil, with nearby vegetation removed. One standing dead tree per acre can be left for wildlife, providing it would not reach buildings or roadways were it to fall.

Remove all debris from your roof and gutters. Keep tree limbs trimmed at least 10 feet from any chimney and remove dead limbs that hang over you home or garage. The law requires a screen on your chimney outlet of not more than one-half inch mesh.

Ideally, grass should not exceed four inches in height. In situations where these fuels are isolated from other fuels or where necessary to stabilize soil, grasses may reach a height of 18 inches. Uncleared ground fuels provide an open freeway for the rapid spread and increased intensity of fire. Clearance between shrubs should be 4 to 40 feet depending on the slope of the land and size and type of vegetation.

When landscaping, select less flammable plants. If planting shrubs and trees, choose deciduous trees (which shed their leaves) over evergreens. Avoid planting juniper, pine and palms. Remove ALL flammable vegetation from within 10 feet of propane tanks. To achieve Defensible Space, adhere to the guidelines below: *Prune lower branches of trees to a height of six to fifteen feet from the top of the vegetation below (or the lower 1/3 of branches for small trees). Properties with greater fire potential such as steeper slopes or more severe fire danger will require pruning heights in the upper end of this range.

*Remove all ground fuels greater than four inches in height. Single specimens of trees or other vegetation may be kept if they are well-spaced, well-pruned and create an overall condition that avoids the spread of fire to other vegetation or to structures. Any questions regarding requirements for a specific property should be addressed to your local fire official.

Proposed Tree Tower (Cell Phone Tower) at the Bennett Valley Fire Station : At the BVHA meeting on May 16", ", 2007, Allen Fink, : representing Verizon Wireless, presented information and photo simulations and answered questions about! the cell phone tower, in the form of a tree tower, being : proposed at the Bennett Valley Fire Station. Verizon would like to have the tower be 72 feet tall, in order to be able to include other cell phone companies on the same tower, but it is not certain if that much height!

: would approved by Sonoma County Permit ; Resource Management & Development Department : (PRMD). Simulated photographs of what the tree tower; will look like, along with the two or three added ! redwood trees at the Bennett Valley Fire Station, over ; : 5, 10 and 15 years, will be placed on a bulletin board at the Fire Station, by 7:00 p.m., July 15"h ", for public : viewing, along with two black and white photos of other!

! actual tree (cell) phone towers, provided by Allen Fink, i as requested at the last BVHA meeting. Karin Theriault from PRMD indicated in a phone conversation on 7/6/07 that Verizon has not yet i "officially" applied to the County for this project. However, people who are interested are encouraged to i send a letter to Karin with their thoughts and opinions on this proposed Bennett Valley cell phone tower. In : : addition, those who want to receive personal: notification indicating when the public hearing will be : scheduled for this tower should request that in writing from Karin, also. Written communication can be made either by regular mail or email. Telephone calls from i neighbors are appreciated, but feedback needs to in writing so it can be included in the hearing package You can send your letters to Sonoma County PRMD/Karin Theriault, 2550 Ventura Ave., Santa Rosa, CA, 95403 or email her at ktheriau@sonomacounty.org

Upcoming BVHA Board Elections Come one, come all! The time has rolled around once again for nominations for directors on the Bennett Valley Homeowner's Association (BVHA) Board. Each year three directors are to be elected, and the term of office is three years. The directors whose terms are expiring in 2007 are Tim Murphy, President, Helen Bates, Treasurer and Frank LaCombe. Interested people are encouraged to declare their candidacy for the BVHA Board of Directors.

The BVHA Board meets on the third Wednesday of every other month, seven months a year (January, March, May, July, September, October and November), at 7:00 pm at the Bennett Valley Grange Hall. Qualifications for office are that each candidate (1) must be a voting member of BVHA; and (2) must have a strong commitment to promoting and preserving the rural character and natural environment of Bennett Valley. This second qualification must be evidenced by a written statement of 250 words or less, to be included with each candidate's request for nomination, including current incumbents. Members may declare their candidacy and submit their statements now.

All requests for candidacy, with accompanying statements, must be in the hands of the Nominating Committee Chairman, Jean LaCombe, by 5 pm, Friday, August 31st. Candidates, please send notice of your candidacy together with accompanying statements to Jean LaCombe, at 4393 Pressley Road, Santa Rosa, CA 95404, spinningsnake@peoplepc.com, (707) 5853482. BVHA members or others having questions concerning these procedures should also contact Jean.

For campaign purposes, such as sending out fliers, candidates may submit a written request to BVHA, including a statement about the intended use, for a list of names and addresses of those members entitled to vote in the election for directors. Telephone numbers cannot be used for this purpose.

Ballots, together with candidates' statements, instructions for voting, and return envelopes, will be mailed out to the membership with the September VOICE, on September 7". These ballots may then be returned by mail, to the BVHA Post Office Box 2666, Santa Rosa, CA 95405, so they are received prior to the October 17" BVHA meeting. They may also be returned in person, by 7:00pm, Wednesday, October 17th at this same BVHA meeting, when the results of the election will be counted and then announced.

"We All Had a Great Community Round-Up Day" By the BV Grange Picnic Committee , Thank you to all Bennett Valley Grange members and all of you in the community who helped make this • another great picnic. Even though school graduations • were also celebrated on the same weekend of June 3rd, • the attendance was very good. Everyone stayed: longer, supported the auctions and enjoyed the great: music of the Manzanita Moon Band. It was another, , successful once-a-year event with the goal of raising : funds for the 135-year old building which is the oldest.

Grange Building still in use in the United States. We , have improved the drainage around the building, the: gutters and the entrance hall with hardwood floors and: successfully started the change to our entrance of the : • Grange. Our goals are listed in the entry hall. We are: a small group working on improvement projects for this : significant, worthwhile, historical building and the: , enjoyment of future generations in this beautiful valley : With the help of the Grange members, the community : and many 4-H families, we hope to continue making • the first Sunday in June a celebration to remember. We had some inquires about people giving us ideas and • working on the event. We hope to start earlier next: • year and have an article in the March BVA VOICE, to: • encourage other ideas and additional help. Fair time is: • coming up; be sure to support the young people in 4-H.

Thank-You, Bennett Valley Grange The Bennett Valley Homeowner's Association has been holding their meetings at the Bennett Valley Grange Hall for about 17 months now. We see this as the Bennett Valley community center, built 135 years ago in order for Bennett Valley residents to get together. We really appreciate all the cooperation and encouragement we receive from the Grange. We want to be sure to express our appreciation to them and look forward to continuing to hold our meetings there.

=--------------------------New Bennett Valley T-Shirts By Sally Shoemaker "You absolutely must have this T-shirt...it is a fabulous! • design, at a cost of $15 per T-shirt! This money is" "going for Bennett Valley Emergency Preparedness. " " To purchase the shirts contact Bobbie Blair or Suzanne" :, Dougherty @ 542-1608. Bobbie & Suzanne will also be " selling T-shirts at the BVHA Board meetings and other" # community events, such as the BV Firefighters" Association Community Day.

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Bennett Valley Homeowner's Association (BVHA) Board Of Directors P.O. Box 2666, Santa Rosa, CA 95405 Tim Murphy, President timcpadvc@ sbcglobal.net,_542-7114 Craig Harrison, Vice-President charrison@hunton.com,_ 573-9990 Helen Bates, Treasurer hbates@att.net,695-8760 Connie Montague, Recording Secretary ecmonty@teevax.com, 542-4987 Eric Burns, Director datamonk@svn.net, 584-7531 Larissa Goliti, Director lgoliti@hotmail.com, 578-3453 Paul Hamilton, Director, 527-0671 Frank LaCombe, Director franksgarage@peoplepc.com,_585-3482 Dan McCaskle, Director dangmccaskell@aol.com, 546-6155 • BVHA Membership Coordinators- Larissa Goliti, 578-3453, and Jean LaCombe, 585-3482 • BVHA VOICE Editor - Marilee Jensen, 576-0405 marileejensen@ sbcglobal.net *BVHA Nominating Chair, 2007 - Jean LaCombe, 585-3482, spinningsnake@peoplepc.com Brief Summary of BHA Meeting May 16th, 2007 Guests Present: Twenty people were in attendance with two remaining for the business meeting.

At 7:30 pm, speaker Kevin Burris from the BV Fire Protection District discussed fire-safe home landscaping. He had three handouts and explained the new law for the 100-feet zone of defensible space surrounding your house, the best time of day to mow, aesire cleanes anton the it. Kevin also *At 7:45 pm, speaker Allen Fink from Verizon Wireless discussed the proposal for a cell phone tower at the BV Fire Station. His handouts showed simulated pictures of the proposed tree tower with two or three added redwood trees, after five, ten, and fifteen years. (These photos can be seen at BV Fire Station after 7/15.) The audience questions included a timeline to completion, how the system works, availability of service in a disaster, contracted payments to the BV Fire District, etc. Allen Fink was requested to provide pictures of sample cell phone tower installations, which he agreed to do. (Two photos also at BV Fire Station after 7/15.) The business meeting was called to order at 8:45 pm by President Tim Murphy. Craig Harrison added an agenda item under New Business, regarding a resolution approving the BV Cell Phone Tower.

* Larissa Goliti reported that there was to be a hearing on 5/22/07, on PRMD's digital zoning maps. She has received two phone calls and one letter from Karin Theriault of PRMD, regarding the proposed BV cell phone tower. Eric Burns said that at this time the BVHA website is not working. A payment was missed by the person who originally developed the BHA website, no one else could make the payment, and that resulted in the website being lost. Alternatives are being explored.

The Board approved Eric purchasing the new name of bennettvalley.org for a 10 year period for under $200. * It was decided to include a 15 minute discussion period on Disaster Preparedness including COPE and CERT activities in BV, at the beginning of the July meeting. For the September meeting, Valerie Brown and the new Director of Public Works will be invited to present information about our roads.

New Business: *The Board of Directors approved the following resolution, with five votes for approval and one vote in opposition: The Board of Directors of BVHA recognizes that cell phone service in Bennett Valley is poor at most homes and that there are "dead spots" for cell phone reception on virtually all roads in our area. ..The (BVHA Board of Directors)...expresses its strong desire to improve this situation and supports Verizon's proposal to build a tree cell phone tower at Bennett Valley Fire Station that can accommodate more than one cell phone company.

Verizon's proposal, as presented to the Board, includes planting several redwood trees adjacent to the tower. This resolution will be sent to PRMD, Valerie Brown, and Allen Fink of Verizon Wireless. Board of Directors' Tentative Agenda, July 18th Meeting, 7:00 pm, BV Grange Hall by Tim Murphy (Posted at BV Fire Station by 7/15/07,7 pm.) se Disaster Preparedness Group Discussion *Information: BVHA Website Status-Eric Burns *2007-2008 BVHA Schedule- September 12th meeting with Valerie Brown *September 2007 Elections *Information: BV CERT Training, Fall, 2007 *Discussion: BVHA Bylaws Revision *Other Business as Determined by the Board

Bennett Valley Community Calendar

Mark these dates on your calendar. 1.) Bennett Valley Homeowner's Association (BVHA): The next meeting will be on Wednesday, July 18th, 7:00 pm at the BV Grange Hall, 4145 Grange Road. As stated on Page One, the first fifteen minutes of this meeting will be set aside for a group discussion on COPE and CERT activities in Bennett Valley.

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. You are welcome to attend these Board meetings, but it is important you call 578-7761 or 823-1084 to verify the meeting day in advance.

3.) Art on the Ridge: Saturday and Sunday, September 22^d and 23'd, 12 noon until 5:00 p.m. Just look for the yellow balloons on the mail boxes of nine different Bennett Ridge homes which include the displays of eighteen different artists. 4.) Sonoma County Board Of Supervisors meets every Tuesday (except on weeks when there is a holiday) at 575 Administration Drive, Santa Rosa. Valerie Brown is the County Supervisor for our First District. You may call her or Lynn Morton-Weil, her Aide, at 565-2241, if you have any questions or concerns.

Never underestimate the ability of a small group of committed individuals to change the world. In fact, that's the onl nina that ever has....Maraaret Meal

Page Two Page Three Page Four Page Five Page Six Page Seven Home Preparation COPE Neighbor Mtgs. BV Fire; Tax Rate Law Change: Why 100 Feet? Proposed BV Cell Phone Towel Upcoming BVHA Elections Bennett Valley Homeowner's Association P.O. Box 2666 Santa Rosa, CA 95405 SPECIFIC PURPOSES OF BHA: "To promote and preserve the rural character and natural environment of Bennett Valley, serve as an open forum for Bennett Return Service Requested