Bennett Valley Voice

Bennett Valley VOICE www.bennettvalley.org

Volume 31, Number 5

Bennett Valley Homeowner'S Association (Bvha)

September, 2008

What Should We Know About Bennett Valley Geology? Composition? Origin? Faults? Geologist Steve Norwick will be at our next meeting. Our next BVHA meeting is Wednesday, September 17, Sonoma Mountain Road Update 7:00 pm at the BV Grange Hall, starting with presentation made by geologist, Steve Norwick.

By Tim Orkust 2b, Die or Son. Co. Tard of Pule Works. Steve Norwick's Biography, inalized the second and last parcel of land needec By Frank LaCombe for the repair to the land slide which closed Sonoma Steve Norwick is a born geologist. He likes to say he Mountain Road, in January, 2006. With this action, was raised with mud between his toes. From the project is able to proceed to construction.

childhood, he spent his summers exploring in the Residents of this area have expressed their strong Sierras. Ultimately he studied at Pomona College, desire to have the work completed as quickly as Dartmouth College, and the University of Montana possible. To facilitate this, a pre-construction where he received a B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. in geology.

meeting with the low bidder, Argonaut, has been Steve and his wife live next to Sonoma State University scheduled on September 9 by the County. Argonaut (SSU), where they raised their two daughters. will give us their schedule for construction at that Early in his career he taught at Central Michigan time. After this meeting, a Notice to Proceed will be University for two years but he wanted to practice sent to the contractor, stating the work must be geology, not just talk about it, so he took a job with the completed within 50 working days from the date of Chilean Geologic Survey with an assignment to find that Notice. The contractor will be advised to make chrome mines. He was in Santiago for one month every effort to minimize the construction noise but when the military revolution broke out causing Steve this project requires extensive excavation and some and his family to flee on the first available civilian hauling both of which create noise. The contractor aircraft. He then practiced environmental geology in a will also be instructed to make every effort to major engineering firm in Boston for one year before minimize disruption to the road access but there will coming to the newly formed Department of Environmental Studies and Planning at SSU.

be periods of time when hauling and equipment delivery will take place with some resultant road He has now taught there for two decades where he delays. The residents at the public meeting also teaches environmental physical science, soil science, expressed concern with the possibility of damage to water technology, environmental literature and this road which is not in the best of condition even computer modeling.

Steve has also authored a before the repair work begins. Most likely there will textbook on computer modeling. He has been a be some restoration and repair required during and volunteer docent for the Nature Conservancy, the at the end of the work, because of the heavy Coast Walk, and the Sonoma County Land Trust, and equipment traveling this route. County staff will he has helped train docents for the Audubon Society.

monitor the condition of the road during The botanical journal, Fremontia, published his construction and at the conclusion of the project. review article about the geology of vernal pools. In Public information is very important to the 1995 he published a new technique for detecting County, so there are two staff contacts to respond to obscure but potentially dangerous faults using the questions during the construction: packing of atoms in quartz crystals.

• Dixon Haun, Senior Construction Engineer, Steve Norwick has also authored a book, The 565-2528 Verbal Image Of Nature. He is now at work on a • Sarah Fredericks, Resident Engineer, 565-2597 similar book, Science And Metaphor, which explores the history of the words used to represent the whole of • Main Number for Transportation & Public Works, nature in the field sciences.

565-2231

Bennett Valley Artists on the Trails By Bob Sorani Five of our local BV artists have been accepted and will be participating in this year's ARTrails, a program of the Arts Council of Sonoma County. If you'd like to enjoy some really good art but don't want to travel far, visit the studio of any one or ALL of these fine artists. They will be showing their work right here in our own valley from 10 am to 5 pm, during the weekends of October 11-12 and October 18-19. Look for the ARTrails signs on our roads on those week-ends. The ARTrails map number, address and type of artwork is listed below for each of our five BV artists.

#100 - Peter Crompton, 4367 Raymonde Way, Sculpture, painting: garden and wall sculpture #101 - Tamra Sanchez, 4520 Mount Taylor Dr., Pastels: still life and landscapes #102 - Bob Sorani, 4175 Sonoma Mountain Road, Stone and wood sculpture: abstract and representational #103 - Monica Schwalbenberg-Pena, 6136 Batesole Drive, Mixed media: Polaroid transfer w/ pastel #104 - Colleen Cotton, 2880 Bardy Road, Glass: kiln formed glass Bennett Valley 2009 Birds and Blooms Calendar By Sherry Parker The 2009 Bennett Valley Birds & Blooms Calendar is truly a remarkable photo profusion of indigenous birds and flowers which daily color our lives in Bennett Valley.

The calendar will be available for sale beginning the week of October 6 for $15 at Ace Hardware, Cottage Gardens, and Long's (BV Center on Yulupa), or by calling Sherry Parker, at 528-6176. Proceeds from the sale of these calendars go to the BV Volunteer Firefighters, to BV emergency protection programs, and to the BV Grange. Last year was a sellout, so buy your calendars early this year!

gth Annual Art on the Ridge By Karen Sommer ¡The 9th annual Art on the Ridge will be held September 27-28, noon to 5 pm. There will be nine open artist studios in the Bennett Ridge community, showcasing seventeen (17) artists. Look for yellow balloons along the road, on Old Bennett Ridge Rd., Rollo Rd., Bennett Ridge Rd., and Bardy Ra.

¡Come and visit with the artists and view works that include paintings, art glass, jewelry, paper art, aroma essence, monotype prints, drawings, wrought iron furniture, outdoor art, gourds, wood turned vessels, collage, clay sculpture, watercolor, unique hand made guitars, textiles with fresh lavender, and rich old world photographs.

Please feel free to contact me for more information, at ksommer11@earthlink.net or 528-8982. Bennett Valley Clean-Up Day Have you noticed all that trash along Bennett Valley roads? Some of your neighbors are asking you to make time in your busy lives to help give them a hand in !picking up trash along our roads, for a ! couple of hours on Saturday, October 25, istarting at 8:30 am at the BV Fire Station.

¡ Refreshments will be served. Additional volunteers are always needed, so your family members or friends are also invited. This isn't a strenuous chore! There !are many easy-to-walk roadsides with level ! footing that you can select to spruce up. Or you can select to clean-up your favorite ¡stretch of road or close to your home. The ¡volunteers are always asked to wear sturdy shoes, gloves and protection from the sun.

You'll see a sign up on Bennett Valley Road, across from the golf course about three weeks in advance, as a reminder. If you have ¡any questions, please feel free to call Sandy ¡Sandine, 579-0282. If it rains that day, then ¡the Clean-up Day will be rescheduled on the following Saturday, November 1.

Sonoma County Grand Jury Report, 2007-2008, FINAL REPORT By Marilee Jensen On July 12, 2008, the Press Democrat distributed a copy of the Grand Jury report with their daily newspaper. It was a very thorough well-done report that covered 13 different areas, listed below. If you'd like to see it or to review it further, go to www.sonomasuperiorcourt.com, under Grand Jury, in the topics listed right under the page title. This Final Report includes 13 different areas, listed below, plus informative 8 appendices: • Death by Incarceration (relating to available health treatment for inmates) • Review of Moses McDowall Fatal Incident • Disaster Will Strike! Are Schools Ready?

• The Central Library at Risk • Sonoma County Office of Education Misuse of State Vocational Education Funds • Local Involvement in Immigration and Customs Enforcement • Participacion y Ejecucion Local de Imigracion y Aduana • The Outlook for Palm Drive Hospital • Officer-involved Fatal Incident Reports • Assignment of Health Care Access Agreement: Sutter Medical Center of Santa Rosa and Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital • Sonoma County Office of Education - An Overview • Sonoma County Administrator's Office: Managing a County in Transition • Ensuring Fairness In Child-Support Services reduce maintenance on roads that have low use to fund maintenance of roads that have higher use." "Discussions on Strategic Plan options have raised the possibility that some sort of revenue generation will be sought, but officials say it is too soon to say whether that would mean a county sales tax or property tax increase. Discussions also have produced suggestions that local residents may have to fund repairs and senior services may have to be cut." Minimizing Your Propane Bill By Craig S. Harrison ; With autumn and colder weather not that far away, it ¡ is a good time to remind Bennett Valley residents of ; special arrangements that are available to purchase i propane. It should be no surprise that the cost of ¡ propane has increased in recent years more or less in ¡ conjunction with the cost of gasoline. Blue Star Gas has a special bulk purchasing price for residents on Grange Road and Sonoma Mountain Road, and the ¡ more residents that participate the cheaper the rates i can become. De Carli's has a similar arrangement for presidents of Bennett Ridge and Enterprise Road.

: Under these pricing arrangements, the company ¡ agrees to a charge a flat mark-up from the price it : pays to the refinery (the precise details of which are ¡confidential). If you are not using one of the bulk suppliers you are probably paying too much.

Bennett Valley Youth: Nolan Irwin, By Marie Nottingham I've enjoyed reading about the achievements of some of our Bennett Valley young people in the VOICE. In that spirit, I wanted to share information about Sonoma County's Strategic Plan Press Democrat, July 13, 2008 Nolan Irwin. He grew up in Bennett Valley, attending Yulupa Elementary School, Slater Middle School and Montgomery High. His parents have "Two supervisors not seeking re-election, (Tim) Smith and Mike Reilly, led the effort to develop and implement the (county's strategic) plan. Assembled through interviews with county officials and supervisors, the plan concluded that the county's ability to provide basic services is threatened by escalating costs that outpace revenues and by competing demands on the county's 1.2 billion annual budget...

lived in Bennett Valley for 30 years and his father's family has lived here considerably longer. Nolan has been interested in motorcycles since he was 6 years old. He was able to pay for his first dirt bike by himself at 9 years old. Organized "dirt bike" racing includes obstacle courses, jumps and timed races. At a recent qualifying race in Idaho, he was selected to be one of the 34 riders representing "Team USA" competing in the International Six Day Enduro (ISDE), being held in Serres, Greece, "We need to do something different and we need to September 1 - 6, 2008.

do it soon," Smith said. "This document will help In this endurance race, all racers will travel about future supervisors winnow out what we should not be 170 miles each day. At certain points along the route doing. ...we may be required to reduce or eliminate each day, they will encounter "test areas". These prosecution of certain misdemeanor offenses in "test areas" will challenge the riders and their skills order to provide for adequate jail services, or cut with motorcycles at manipulating various park and recreational opportunities for youth to obstacles, jumps and speed racing. We wish him the maintain acute alcohol and other drug services, or best of luck!

Bennett Valley Fire Protection District 6161 Bennett Valley Road, Santa Rosa Non-Emergency Business Phone: 578-7761 Board of Directors Mark Richardson, President; Joseph Mazeau, Vice-President; Marilee Jensen, Secretary; Arnie Tognozzi, and Don D'Avanzo, Directors. Board meetings are held on the 2nd Tuesday each month, 7:00 pm, at the BV Fire Station.

Please confirm meeting date ahead of time. FIRE LIABILITY: If fire spreads from your property to your neighbors property, it is possible for you to be held liable, if it can be documented that your property has not been maintained in a reasonably fire safe way. This may include Removal (such as eliminating entire plants, particularly trees and shrubs), Reduction (such as pruning dead wood from a shrub and removing low tree branches) and/or Replacement (such as replacing hazardous vegetation with less flammable plants). This is an ongoing task, which takes implementation and then continuing maintenance. What can we do to make sure our lovely trees and brush are fire safe?

Bennett Valley Paid Firefighting Staff Fire Chief: Andy Pforsich, 823-1084 48-hour Personnel: Lieutenants Kevin Burris and Matt Tognozzi, Engineer Danny Connelly Daytime Firefighters, 8:00am to 5:00 pm: Engineers Patrick Tognozzi, Brian Drees and Ronnie Lakin Supplemented and supported by many trained firefighting volunteers. Three separate shifts of volunteers are paid to sleep overnight at the Fire Station, three at a time, for improved coverage.

• Be Sure Your Roof Is Fire-Resistant. Wood Shake

roofs need to be replaced with more fire-resistant roofs.

• Don'T Have Trees Right

UP

Against Or Tree

Branches Hanging Over Any Of The Buildings On

YOUR PROPERTY. Also remove all dead branches, leaves and needles from your roof and gutters.

• Clear Out Vegetation Close To The Ground. Once

the grasses and weeds have dried out in the spring, cut them back close to the ground, before 10 am. If you mow or cut weeds later in the day, the daily heat will have taken the moisture out of the weeds from the previous night and the weeds will be more readily ignitable, if you hit a rock and create a spark. Cut the Bennett Valley Firefighting Activities lower branches off of trees and bushes, at least up to five or six July and August, By Lieutenant Kevin Burris feet off the ground. Remove all dead leaves, branches, twigs, 8 Vegetation fires 1 Structure fire cones and needles still attached to living trees and shrubs.

6 Vehicle accidents Reduce thick layers of pine needles (down) to a depth of two 2 Smoke checks 2 Hazardous conditions inches. Do not remove all needles. Take care not to disturb the 1 Fire alarm sounding "duff" layer, where needles are decomposing close to the ground 1 Strike Team went from July 26-August 2 at the surface. Besides doing this ...within (100) feet of your house, Telegraph Fire, in Mariposa, CA, near Yosemite.

you also want to clear back vegetation at least 15 to 30 feet from The Bennett Valley Volunteer Firefighters' Association your property lines (to avoid fires spreading from or to your is planning to have their Annual Bennett Valley neighbors' property) AND 15 to 30 feet back from the road, where most fires start. Keep vegetation away from your inside Community Day, on Sunday, September 28th, at the fences/property line. On sloping land or steeper hillsides, even Matanzas Creek Winery. The menu will remain the same more "defensible space" is needed, such as ...150 feet from your as it has been in the past. You can expect to hear more home, because fire moves so rapidly up hill.

about this soon from the BV Firefighters, directly.

• Remove Any Dead Trees Or Brush From Your

The Bennett Valley Fire District selects new Explorers PROPERTY, unless they are embedded into the ground and once a year, that is young people between the ages of 14-18 cannot be removed without disturbing the soil. Remove all years, interested in firefighting training. All applicants are exposed branches from an embedded downed dead tree. Many interviewed and most of them are chosen unless they live times trees such as Douglas fir cut off sunlight from surrounding too far away. In May 2008, the BV Fire Station requested trees, thus killing nearby oak trees, madrone, and surrounding brush, without exposure to the sun. Keep live plants green and donations to help pay for the Explorers' training, safety cut out the dead brush, such as with pampas grass and equipment, insurance and yearly academic tuition. They rosemary bushes. Dead trees and brush provide explosive fuel received a $1,000 donation from BVHA which will cover for a fire the academic tuition for four Explorers at their California - DOUGLAS FIRS ARE ESPECIALLY FLAMMABLE AS WELL Fire Explorer Association's Academy, held each spring.

AS PROLIFIC, producing many surrounding young trees. The Three of the Explorers turned 18 this summer, so they are removal of young fir trees may be advisable, as they will now working as new volunteers at the BV Fire Station. continue to multiply and possibly interfere with the healthy growth of nearby oak trees. (Oak trees are less likely to burn, although if a fire is hot enough, anything will burn.) It is advisable Why Are We Worried About Wildfires?

that you survey your property to determine which Douglas firs Fire is a natural part of our environment. + Many you want to maintain, and which ones need to be removed to homes are built and maintained in this fire better protect your home and/or other surrounding trees..

environment without regard to wildfire. + With more • YOU NEED TO HAVE AT LEAST A FIFTEEN FOOT people using our wildlands, there is a greater chance

Clearance Of Any Branches In Your Driveway,

Both In Height And Width, In Order For Fire

of fire starts. + Today's wildfires can burn intensely

Trucks To Approach Your House Quickly.

and be difficult to control. All of this equals Potential for Greater Loss of Life, Increased Property Losses, More Damage to Natural Resources, and More Money Needed for Firefighting. Editor's Note: This article was compiled by the editor from information available in "Living With Fire in Sonoma County, A Guide for the Homeowner" (Fire Agencies of Sonoma County) and "Fire Alert" by Marilee Jensen, (Bennett Ridge Community Association newsletter, March 23, 2004,)

What Help is Available When We See Fire Hazards On Adjoining Properties? By Marilee Jensen I asked this question of Darrin De Carli, the Battalion Chief from Gold Ridge responsible for vegetation management in Bennett Valley. He explained that Bennett Valley is designated as a State Responsibility Area (SRA) for wildland fires, which means that the CalFire, formerly known as California Department of Forestry (CDF), is responsible for enforcing fire regulations regarding 100 foot clearances around houses or other possible fire hazards. He said that if you see a situation in Bennett Valley which appears to be a fire hazard, you can notify the BV Fire Protection District.

They will evaluate the situation and if they agree it is a fire hazard, they will contact the property owner to inform them about his/her Fire Liability, as described above. They will also ask the owner to correct the situation and find that usually owners are cooperative in improving these situations. If the owner doesn't cooperate, then BV Fire would refer the situation to CalFire for further enforcement. The one situation the BV Fire Protection District can personally enforce is if there is not a fifteen foot clearance for fire engines to enter the driveway to the house in case of an emergency. Then they can enforce the necessary action by the property owner to see that easy access for fire engines is available.

What about dead oak trees or brush along the road in what appears to be the county right of way? For this question, I was referred to Bob Salling, a surveyor with Sonoma Co. Public Works. He explained the county only trims trees and brush in the county right-of-way for traffic safety, not fire protection. He said the adjacent property owner actually is responsible for those trees and brush bordering his/her property and must pay any fees for removal of dead trees, brush, etc.

As described in an earlier article (VOICE, May, 2008) regarding road maintenance, CalFire uses inmate crews to cut brush along the roads in the late spring and early summer, prior to July 1, to reduce fire hazards. This also helps clear the way for better ditches and water drainage along the roads, thus improving road maintenance. Some local residents have objected to this tree and brush trimming and removal near their property, not realizing the value of such activities. In the July, 2008 VOICE, it was reported by Rob Silva and Jess Ross, Sonoma County Road Maintenance managers for this area, "that the CalFire crew did the brush-cutting on Enterprise Road and Sonoma Mountain Rd., from Glen Ellen to the Sonoma Mountain Road closure. They had hoped to do more brush-cutting but were called away for the earlier-thanusual firefighting." Bennett Valley Emergency Preparedness (BVEP) Karen Sommer now has available a brochure covering both Bennett Valley Emergency Preparedness and CERT training. She is the coordinator for both programs in Bennett Valley. More work is needed to help develop the neighborhood emergency programs throughout Bennett Valley. Please contact Karen for more information at 528-8982 or ksommer11@earthlink.net.

Cancer Center Warns Staff of Cell Phone Risks Press Democrat, July 24, 2008 Dr. Ronald Herberman, director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute issued an unprecedented warning to his faculty and staff: limit cell phone use because of the possible risk of cancer. He says it takes too long to get answers from science and he believes people should take action now - especially when it comes to children. ...Herberman cites a "growing body of literature linking long-term cell phone use to possible adverse health effects including cancer." Amateur Radio (Ham Radio) Licensing in Just One Day From website smrs.us that's right! You can get your Technician Class license in just one day using today's methods. The Sonoma ! Mountain Repeater Society (SMRS) has been using a new ! system of training that has a very high success rate for new ! licensees as well as for upgrades! In 2007 alone, 220 people passed their Technician Class Amateur Radio Exam ! at an SMRS session! Technician Class (New Licensees): ! 247 attempted, 220 passed, 27 didn't. That's roughly a ! 90% pass rate folks! For a schedule of SMRS sponsored ! classes, see below: Saturday, September 13, Class 8:30 am to 1:30 pm, Petaluma Senior Citizens Center Saturday, October 11 Class 8:30 am to 1:30 pm, Petaluma Senior Citizens Center ¡ You can register online or contact Dale Westerterp at 1762-9414.

BVHA Board of Director Elections In accord with the revised Bennett Valley Homeowner's Association Bylaws, the annual election meeting for Board of Directors shall be held at the Board's November regular meeting. The term of office for each of the Directors of this corporation shall be three years from when he or she is elected. After three years, the Director may choose to run or not for re-election. In this manner, the election of one third of the members of the Board of Directors will be held each year.

A list of candidates and their statements are required to be included in the September VOICE. At least 30 days before the Annual Election Meeting, that is by October 18, 2008, a ballot containing the candidates' names and brief statements shall be sent to all BHA Voting Members, for their vote. Also included on this ballot is the proposed amended Articles of Incorporation. If this amendment is approved by the voting members, we could then qualify for contributions to both BVHA and Bennett Valley Emergency Preparation (BVEP) being claimed as taxdeductible. It is our anticipation that this will result in an increase in the contributions we receive, especially for emergency planning (BVEP). These votes will be tabulated and announced at the annual Election Meeting, November 19, 2008, both for the winning candidates and the amended BVHA Articles of Incorporation.

Candidate Roster For The 2008 BVHA Board of Director Election Eric Burns Larissa Goliti Craig Harrison The Candidates' Statements Follow: Eric Burns: During my six years as a director on the Board, I've enjoyed helping to preserve the rural environment of Bennett Valley. I'm hoping you'll allow me to continue by electing me once again to this position.

Larissa Goliti: I have been a member of the BVHA Board for the past three years. I hope my service on the Board has met your approval, and I look forward to serving another term. Craig S. Harrison: I am a native Californian and have owned property in Bennett Valley since 1998. I am committed to promoting the rural character and natural environment of Bennett Valley. I am an environmental attorney and have represented many conservation organizations regarding wildlife and natural habitat conservation. I have been a wildlife biologist for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, am a founding board member and secretary of the American Bird Conservancy, and published a book on the natural history and conservation of Hawaiian birds. I have served on several national and international nonprofit boards. I have enjoyed my three years on the BVHA board and if reelected will continue to focus on issues that affect the quality of rural life for all residents -emergency planning, improvements to our decaying and outdated infrastructure, and providing access to nearby parks and conservation lands.

Proposed Certificate Of Amendment Of Articles Of Incorporation The Undersigned certify that: 1. They are the President and Secretary, respectively of Bennett Valley Homeowner's Association, a California corporation. 2. Article II (B) of the Restated Articles of Incorporation of Bennett Valley Homeowner's Association is amended to read as follows: The specific purposes of this corporation are to: 1) To educate, instruct, train and inform ; the local residents on disaster preparedness and emergency response as well as local environmental and land use issues; 2) To promote and preserve the rural residential character and natural environment of Bennett Valley, located near Santa Rosa, County of Sonoma, California; 3) To serve as an open forum for Bennett : Valley community participation; and; 4) To provide a bridge for communication , between government agencies and the Bennett : Valley community.

2.1 Article III of the Restated Articles of Incorporation of Bennett Valley Homeowner's Association is amended to read as follows: III • This corporation is organized and operated exclusively for educational purposes within the meaning of the Internal Revenue Code Section |501(c)(3) and is not organized for the private i gain of any person.

3. The foregoing amendment of Articles of ; Incorporation has been duly approved by the ; board of directors. 4. The foregoing amendment of the Article of Incorporation has been duly approved by th required vote of the members. i are true and correct of our own knowledge.

; Date: By: Craig Harrison, President By: Connie Montague, Recording Secretary

neighborhood groups, personally, to answer Bennett Valley Homeowner's Association (BVHA) Board Of Directors P.O. Box 2666, Santa Rosa, CA 95405 Craig Harrison, President charrison@hunton.com, 573-9990 Eric Burns, Vice-President datamonk@svn.net, 584-7531 Fay Blair, Treasurer fayblair@sonic.net, 576-0152 Connie Montague, Recording Secretary ecmonty@teevax.com, 542-4987 James K. Cobb, Director cobblaw@pacbell.net, 586-9172 Larissa Goliti, Director Igoliti@hotmail.com, 578-3453 Paul Hamilton, Director, 527-0671 Frank LaCombe, Director franksgarage@peoplepc.com, 585-3482 Richard Lukasko, Director rlukasko@hotmail.com, 566-7803 questions and concerns.

• Karen Sommer and Frank LaCombe looked at storage containers and think that the newer one-way type is best at $3,200 for an 8'x20' size, including delivery and lock box. Karen will communicate with the Fire Chief, Andy Pforsich, about who will own the container, hookup to electricity and generator, who will cover insurance and liability, etc. Also they will look to BV volunteers to provide additional work on the container, such as supports, air venting, electrical work, interior breaker, installing a man door/glass door/windows, shade roof, shelving, paint, and supplies. The Board approved the concept and tunding of the storage container tor BVEr and authorized Karen to approach the Fire Chief to accept the container as a donation.

• Jim Cobb has been exploring BVHA becoming an IRS 501(c)(3) organization, so that donations would be tax-deductible. He handed out the proposed amendment to the Articles of Incorporation, which would need a fee of $30. The Board approved the Bennett Valley Emergency Prepration Coordinator Karen Sommer, ksommer11@earthlink.net, 528-8982 BVHA VOICE Editor - Marilee Jensen, marileejensen@sbcglobal.net, 576-0405 amendment to the Articles of Incorporation. Jim noted that we also need the required vote of the BVHA members to approve the amendment, so this will be included in the ballot being sent to voting

A Message From Your Membership

members in October, along with the Board of COORDINATOR, Larissa Goliti Director candidates. With no one volunteering, Craig Harrison appointed Fay Blair and Richard Lukasko Please let me know if you change your email address. It is to join Jean LaCombe on the Nominating impossible to decipher some of the addresses when they are returned as undeliverable. Either call me at 578-3453 Committee.

or email me at Igoliti@hotmail.com. If you haven't done it • Craig Harrison reported that the revised design has yet, you can still pay your annual dues of $15 in order to been submitted for the proposed cell phone "faux qualify as a voting member in this upcoming 2008 tree" tower, 58 feet tall, to be located at the BV Fire election. Thank you in advance. Larissa Goliti Station and be scheduled shortly for preliminary design review comments.

Brief Summary of BVHA Meeting • Hiring someone to work on our website was July 16, 2008 discussed, to install the interface properties so we • Treasurer's Report - The balance of our liquid CD is can post items there. We will check around and talk $20, 201.99. The Treasurer and Karen Sommer have further to Eric Burns.

reconciled the Bennett Valley Emergency • Frank LaCombe has a geology speaker, Professor Preparedness (BVEP) funds through June 2008, Norwick, scheduled for 50 minutes at our Sept. 17 with a balance of $1,865.05. meeting. We would like to put up announcement • Karen Sommer reported on the financial status of banners. We may change our meeting day to BVEP showing receipt of $150 donation and Thursdays, to accommodate Eric Burns, beginning in expenditures of $343.98, for May and June 2008.

November. Also the November meeting will include The expenses were for 300 brochures that she shared the election and may include a wildlife speaker. with the board and will disperse at BV events. • Karen Sommer discussed the recent CERT classes which 12 people completed and the CERT challenge, Board of Directors' Tentative Agenda September 17, 2008, BV Grange Hall, 7 p.m.

on June 21, which was follow-up training for four Bennett Valley CERT trainees. (See July, 2008 • BVEP Report; IRS 501(c)(3) & storage room developments • Report of Nominating Committee and appt. of Election • Karen Sommer asked for help with the neighborhood COPE program. Of the seven BV districts, Sonoma • Cell Phone Tower Mountain Road would be a good starting place.

• Reopening Sonoma Mountain Road Karen has offered to meet with these different • Posting to Website • Speaker for November?

Bennett Valley Communitycalendar

Remember to Mark Your Calendars. 1.) BENNETT VALLEY HOMEOWNER'S ASSOCIATION (BVHA): Next meeting, Wednesday, September 17, 7:00 pm, BV Grange Hall. See Page Seven for agenda. 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. Please call 823-1084 to verify meetings in advance. Their BV Community Day is scheduled for Sunday, September 28, at Matanzas Creek Winery.

3.) BENNETT VALLEY CLEAN-UP DAY: Scheduled for Saturday, October 25, 8:30 am, at the Bennett Valley Fire Station. See article on Page Two. If it's raining, alternate date is November 1. 4.) BENNETT VALLEY GRANGE: Spaghetti Dinner, October 18, 5:00 pm. Watch for the signs.

5.) ART ON THE RIDGE: September 27 & 28. See article, Page Two. 6.) ARTrails: October 11-12 and18-19. See article, Page Two. 7.)_SONOMA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS meets every Tuesday (except on weeks when there is a legal holiday), at varying times, at 575 Administration Drive, Santa Rosa. Valerie Brown is the 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.

Important Phone Numbers

• Call Sonoma County Road Maintenance, at 565-7280, to report potholes which need fixing, or trash which needs to be picked up along the BV roads. • Call 576-1371 from a cell phone to report emergencies in Bennett Valley; call 565-2121 from any phone, to i talk to someone at the Sheriff's office 24 hrs. every day, with concerns that may or may not be an emergency. i Inside This Issue Upcoming BV Art Shows BV 2009 Calendar BV Clean-up Day Reduced Propane Bill?

BV Youth; Nolan Irwin BV Fire, Wildfires Reporting Fire Hazards BVEP, Ham Radio Class BVHA, and Elections Bennett Valley Homeowner's Association P.O. Box 2666 Santa Rosa, CA 95405 BVHA website: www.bennettvalley.org SPECIFIC PURPOSES OF BHA: "To promote and preserve the rural character and natural environment of Bennett Valley, serve as an open forum for Bennett Valley community participation and provide a bridge for communication between government agencies and the Bennett Valley community." Return Service Requested