Bennett Valley Voice

Bennett Valley VOICE www.bennettvalleyhoa.org

Volume 32, Number 5

Bennett Valley Homeowner'S Association (Bvha)

September, 2009

The Birds in Bennett Valley By Craig S. Harrison, President, BVHA BVHA is extremely fortunate to have Ron LeValley speak on the birds in Bennett Valley at our next meeting on Thursday, September 17, at 7:00 pm at the BV Grange Hall. Ron is the founder and senior biologist of Mad River Biologists, a biological consulting company in Eureka, California. Ron is probably best known for his knowledge about the identification and distribution of birds along the Pacific Coast. A lifelong interest in marine birds and mammals was enhanced by a long involvement with Point Reyes Bird Observatory beginning in 1966, including serving as a biologist at the Farallon Island research station in 1968 and 1979-81. In the 1980s and 1990s Ron operated Biological Journeys, a pioneering ecotourism company specializing in trips to islands and marine areas such as the Galapagos.

One of Ron's outstanding attributes is sharing his knowledge and enthusiasm with others. He is particularly adept at explaining complex biological principles in understandable terms. Dear Mr. Demery The Bennett Valley Homeowners Association greatly appreciates the work of the Sonoma Co. Public Works Department in maintaining our rural roads during an era of extreme financial hardship. We understand that a vital element of this effort includes brushing and ditching programs to preserve the existing pavement and to provide proper foundations for chip sealing and repaving.

The Bennett Valley Homeowners Association, however, has received notice from several property owners concerned that recent brushing work unnecessarily removed trees that screen certain properties. In our capacity as a neighborhood association we want to convey this concern to the Public Works Department while understanding the difficult nature of the task before you. Many of our roads are deemed by the County to be scenic corridors, and screening residences from the road enhances the quality of the scenic corridor and the rural character of our roads. With this in mind, perhaps the Public Works Department could develop written criteria As a professional photographer, Ron has compiled an for brushing and associated debris removal that takes impressive collection (over 70,000 images) of into consideration the nature of our rural and scenic wildlife photographs that he uses for presentations roads that can be shared with the residents of Bennett and publications. In 2008 Ron became a founding Valley. Such information will serve to educate rural property owners of the intent and purpose of the ditching member of the Mendocino Coast Photographer Guild and brushing program as well as providing brush and Gallery where he shows his photos at the gallery removal and trimming standards property owners can in Fort Bragg. Everyone is invited to join us for this rely upon year to year.

special meeting. We suggest that notices of brushing be placed on mailboxes the day before it is scheduled. Where possible, BVHA Letter to Public Works personal contact with affected property owners explaining the work would undoubtedly be appreciated. We will continue to work with you to place notices in the In response to some complaints brought up at our VOICE, our local newsletter, to alert and educate our July 16 BVHA meeting, President Craig Harrison neighbors of your road maintenance programs. Please wrote the following letter "on behalf of the Board of call me at 573-9990 if you have an questions.

Directors" to Public Works on July 23: Sincerely, Craig S. Harrison, President Phil Demery, Director Sonoma County Department of Public Works cc: Valerie Brown, First District Supervisor

The 10th Anniversary Bennett Valley 2010 "Magic of Trees" Calendar Will be available early October at CVS, (previously Long's) Ace, and Cottage Gardens This year's new 2010 Bennett Valley "Magic of Trees" Calendar is truly a remarkable photo profusion of the magic, majesty, and poetry of the trees in our own special corner of the world. The calendar will be available for sale for $15 at Ace Hardware, Cottage Gardens, and CVS. Or, you can call Sherry Parker to order yours now. 528-6176 Proceeds from the sale of these calendars have been used for Bennett Valley organizations such as the Volunteer Firefighters' Association and the BV Grange.

Sonoma County General Plan 2020 (GP-2020) Rural Character and Outdoor Lighting By Helen Bates GP-2020, an update of the Sonoma County General Plan (policies for the unincorporated areas of the County) was approved by the Board of Supervisors in December 2008. The next stage is for County Permit Resource and Management Department (PRMD) staff to update County codes to assure implementation of the policies. New policies of special interest relate to "Rural Character" and "Outdoor Lighting". Here are some excerpts from the new Policy for Rural Character: "Sonoma County is nationally recognized for its agrarian and 'wine country' atmosphere, its diverse and beautiful scenic resources, and unique quality of life. Regulating the design of certain types of new development in agricultural, rural, and resource areas will help to preserve the very qualities that attract new development and enhance economic vitality." "The rural character of Sonoma County is quite diverse. Over time, development guidelines and/or design standards have been adopted for several as Bennett Valley and Sonoma Mountain. These guidelines, while generally similar to each other, reflect the unique quality of each Here are some excerpts from the new Policy for Outdoor Lighting: "Sonoma County has a diversity of natural areas and landforms that contribute to its quality of life, economic well-being, ! and environmental beauty. Night time views of both ! the landscape and sky can be significantly degraded iby excessive and unnecessary levels of light that ¡ increase 'sky glow' around urban areas, make the ¡ man-made environment prominent, and result in ¡ visual clutter at night." "Prohibit continuous all : night exterior lighting in rural areas, unless it is demonstrated to the decision making body that ! such lighting is necessary for security or operational ! purposes or that it is necessary for agricultural i production or processing on a seasonal basis. Where ¡lighting is necessary • for the above purposes, minimize glare onto adjacent properties and into the : night sky." Let each of us evaluate our own lighting, (in line with this new policy), and consider the impact on immediate neighbors, as well as the nighttime views i of the mountain and the sky from a distance. If you ¡ have any "continuous exterior all night lighting" do ¡ you really need it? Could it be on motion sensors?

¡In line with these new policies, let's do more to protect the beautiful area in which we live. Fall Clean-Up BV Roads Day Saturday, November 7, 8:30 am has been chosen for the next Bennett Valley Clean-up Roads Day. We'll meet at the fire station and refreshments will be served. Don't forget to wear , sturdy shoes, gloves and a hat for sun protection.

! This isn't a strenuous chore! There are many easy; to-walk roadsides with level footing that you can i select to pick-up litter, as well as in the vicinity of i your own home. BVHA provides orange safety vests ¡and "pick-up sticks", that are a great help in : preventing sore backs. MORE VOLUNTEERS ARE ¡ALWAYS NEEDED, so please join us, and bring ! along other family members or friends.

You'll see a sign on Bennett Valley Road, across from the golf course, as a reminder. If it ¡rains, this event will have to be rescheduled, so please phone Sandy Sandine, 579-0282, for ¡ questions or to confirm date and time. We really do ! appreciate those residents who come out to help ¿keep our community roads free from litter!

Bennett Valley Emergency Preparation By Karen Sommer We are in the planning stages for another CPR class to be held on November 15 at BV Fire Station. We can only accept 10 people at a time and I currently have 5 signed up. Let me know if you would like to take this class. It will be a 2 year certification on CPR with first aid. It typically will be from about 9:00 am, until 3:00 pm. Details are pending, along with fee.

Also be watching for 2010 CERT training in February, 2010!

Ongoing Bennett Valley Road Work By Craig S. Harrison The county Department of Transportation hopes to complete the brushing of Sonoma Mountain Road from Pressley east to Enterprise Road by the end of October. Brushing from Bennett Valley Road to Pressley on Sonoma Mountain Road was completed during July and August. Crews from the California Department of Forestry (CDF) are doing the work on Tuesdays and Wednesdays unless they are needed to fight fires. CDF crews are cutting within the county right of way to improve visibility for motorists, maintain and reestablish drainage, and to prevent fires by removing undergrowth and cutting limbs or trees. At our July meeting the BVHA board heard concerns that some of the brushing seemed to into consideration the nature of our rural and scenic roads. (See copy of letter on front page.) The BVHA has agreed to help explain planned road work by placing articles such as this in the VOICE.

Beginning in late September, county crews will begin cleaning all roadside ditches on Sonoma Mountain Road from Bennett Valley Road to Enterprise Road. If time permits, this work may also include Enterprise Road. Some funds remain from the rebuilding of the portion of Sonoma Mountain Road that was closed for three and a half years.

Those funds will be spent on spot grader patching of portions of Sonoma Mountain Road that have been damaged by the heavy equipment that was needed to make the repairs. One portion is in such bad shape that it needs to be completely rehabilitated. It may not be possible to complete the rehabilitation before winter, so a small portion may be gravel for a few months.

Bvha Well Project Continuation

(The following article is from the September, 2005 VOICE) "BACKGROUND: Bennett Valley groundwater is the sole source of water for residences and agricultural users in the Valley. A recent study commissioned by Sonoma County examined newly-drilled wells, finding, "The trend analysis of depth-to-water in new wells together with reports of dropping water levels, seasonal well failures, and complete well failures, all suggest overdraft conditions." "But, the data do not show whether water levels in existing wells are dropping." There is no organized historical record of groundwater depth in Bennett Valley. The description which follows is an outline of a project to construct a record of groundwater depths... MISSION: The Bennett Valley Well Project will maintain an organized record of static depth-to-water for ... wells in the Bennett Valley watershed. Some of these wells will be individually owned or some will be operated by mutual water systems. The data on depth-to-water will be measured accurately and will be organized in a systematic way. These data will be available for community groups to (1) educate residents concerning water issues and (2) provide factual information for community groups to use in public settings, like meetings of the Planning Commission or the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors. In any case, any public presentation of these data will be coded in such a way that individual revealed.

OPERATIONS: Any monitored well in this project must have a copy of the original well driller's log in order to provide baseline data on the static depth-to-water. We will help homeowners' obtain a copy if needed. The exact coordinates of the well will be determined, using GPS technology, and the height of the wellhead above sea level will be estimated. Twice a year the static depth-to-water will be determined...The date and depth-to-water will be recorded and maintained, to establish an organized historical record of groundwater depth in Bennett Valley, in at least a sampling of existing wells." Doug Martin, a retired Sonoma State University Professor, worked on this well monitoring project for BHA for about two years, but he then moved from Bennett Valley. Earlier this spring, Joe Judge, a Bennett Valley resident, expressed interest in maintaining this project, so the BHA Board agreed the collected data could be turned over to him by Doug Martin, maintaining individual well-owners' confidentiality.

Now Joe Judge is planning to turn this information over to Rob Thompson, who works professionally in this field, with BVHA concurrence expected. See following article. By Marilee Jensen, Editor Bennett Valley Well Water Monitoring By Rob Thompson, Thompson Well Location Bennett Valley Water Wells have a unique zone of geology in Sonoma County. Because I've drilled many water wells in Bennett Valley, I have an abundance of knowledge about the underground history of this area. Mammoth Redwood forests which existed millions of years ago along Matanzas Creek were wiped out by a volcano numerous centuries ago. Some wells are in volcanic fissures that carry water from the Sierra Nevada mountain region and some of the deeper ones produce hot water which can be heavily mineralized. Also we have huge pockets of clay, sand and gravel where water is stored in underground aquifers.

While drilling in some areas we have hit large underground caverns making it extremely difficult to continue the drilling efforts. In certain locations there is even gas and oil down there. At one site we were able to cap the gas and still utilize the water for domestic use. In Bennett Valley we have a great abundance of water in most areas, even though there are some areas zoned as 3 or 4 by the county, meaning a potentially dry area. We have been successful in most of our well drilling projects in Bennett Valley over the last 30 years.

Monitoring: I am a native of Bennett Valley and would like to help out in monitoring your well water in this region. This would be confidential information that would only be accessed by the individual property owner and owners find out how their well performs over time, although it may be difficult to understand and compare the results from monitoring each well since Bennett Valley has such very diverse sources of water feeding the area. I recommend static water well level measurements be taken for consistency twice a year - once in March and once in September. I will require the well-drilling log and pump setting information along with history of well reports if any. This service will cost $45.00 a year. However if you wish to only test once a year in September this would be $30.00. Your existing well may need minor modifications in order to do the monitoring test; however I would determine this on site and make recommendations as needed. Our first community volunteer is Joe Judge, president of the Bennett Valley Grape Growers Association. He is in support of an effort to have a private source available for monitoring wells in this region. If you wish to contact me, you can call me at 310-0363, for more information.

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. Bennett Valley Paid Firefighting Staff Fire Chief: Andy Pforsich, 823-1084 48-hour Personnel: Lieutenants Kevin Burris, Matt Tognozzi and Danny Connelly Daytime Firefighters, 8:00am to 5:00 pm: Engineers Patrick Tognozzi, Brian Drees and Ronnie Lakin Permanent Part-time Firefighters, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Firefighters Mike Alcocer, Ly Leng and John Matej 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. During the day, interns are also used when available, about twelve days a month, as the fourth on-duty firefighter.

and all types of emergencies directly at time of dispatch, thus improving our ability to serve our community. Summaries of recent interviews with two of these three new firefighters follow. Bennett Valley Firefighter Call Activities, July/August, 2009 By Lieutenant Kevin Burris Medical Aids; 15 Vehicle Accidents; 6 Structure Fires; 4 Alarm Soundings; 3 Vegetation Fires; 3 Vehicle Fires; 1 Smoke Check; 3 Hazardous Conditions: 3 Bennett Valley participated in an out-ofcounty strike team response to Santa Cruz County on August 18, to assist with the Lockheed fire. Bennett Valley Engine 7861 was committed for a total of 7 days along with 4 other Sonoma County Fire Engines. The Lockheed fire burned 7,817 acres of land and destroyed 13 outbuildings.

Bennett Valley Fire has changed the name written on their fire engines/vehicles from "Bennett Valley Fire Rescue" back to "Bennett Valley Fire District". The Bennett Valley firefighters' have recently had additional training in extricating victims from the inside of wrecked cars. There is evidence of this in all the wrecked cars currently on their parking lot. These old "clunker" cars are donated to the Fire District for this training by various junk yards and towing companies.

Bennett Valley Fire Protection District has An Introduction to Two of Three New Permanent Part-Time Firefighters By Marilee Jensen Mike Alcocer - Mike's father and brother are firefighters with the City of Santa Rosa Fire Department. After graduating from high school, Mike wanted to try some other occupations. First he worked in construction, then he was a supervisor in a tire shop for 8 years. In conjunction with some Santa Rosa J.C. Academy courses, Mike's was an intern at Gold Ridge Fire District for about 18 months. He decided he really enjoyed this work and wanted to pursue it further. He started as a permanent parttime firefighter at Bennett Valley Fire Station one month ago, on August 2, 2009. He works two nine hour shifts once a week, or 18 hours a week. He says he just loves it and is really happy. He is studying to become an engineer, as all the firefighters are expected to do within their first year of employment.

John Matej - John's grandfather and some of his uncles were firefighters in Cleveland, Ohio, where his family is from. He has always been interested in being a firefighter. At the age of 14 he found out about the Explorers' program and signed up at the Bennett Valley Fire Station in 2000. After four years, at age 18, he became a firefighter in 2004, and worked as a volunteer for Bennett Valley Fire for the intervening five years. During these years as a volunteer, he's been going to school and working in the emergency room at Memorial Hospital as an ER tech. He's not attending school now, so when this job came up as a permanent part-time firefighter at Bennett Valley Fire, he was able to change his job at Memorial to a part-time job, so he can work the two consecutive nine-hour days at Bennett Valley Fire.

Both he and Mike also work as "sleepers", at the BV fire station, after their nine-hour shifts. John says he enjoys this job so much, partly because of the spontaneity and because it is like a second home or a live-in job, sharing the three meals and spending the night with his firefighter friends. It has become a second family for him and he really looks forward to reporting to "work" Ly Leng - Ly Leng was not available at this time, but will be interviewed for the next VOICE.

hired 3 new part-time firefighters; these firefighters will work during the day from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Bvep Storage, Bv Fire Station

Bennett Valley Fire Station will now be staffed Paul Hamilton has completed his work on the plans everyday with three personnel, one fulltime for building this addition. Contractor Bob Falconer is Lieutenant, one part time Engineer/Firefighter and now determining the prices for the labor and one part time Firefighter. With this new staffing we material needed for building this added unit, through can respond as a fully staffed Engine Company to any BV donations. See July 16 minutes, Page 7.

10th Annual Art On The Ridge September 26 & 27 Noon to 5:00 pm Contact: CharBanach@comcast.net or JimCaudill@comcast.net [707] 696-1055 Bennett Ridge Artists Open Studios, Suggest A Taste of the Valley Bennett Valley - Tour the ridge-top, taste the valley as harvest begins. That's the mantra for the 10th Annual Art on the Ridge Open Studio tour featuring 17 artists, who will open their studios and feature current works the weekend of Sept. 26/27 from Noon to 5:00 pm each day.

• Landscape & still-life paintings by Donna DeLaBriandais, www.donnad.50megs.com • Oil paintings from Lino Vicente • Fused abstract art glass by Kate E. Black, www.blackfusionglass.com • Beaded jewelry & kiln formed glass by Heartfire, www.heartfire.biz • Fine art glass crafted by Monica Boettcher • Acrylic paintings & giclée prints from Tom Berto, www.sonic.net/~monicab/tom/inde x.html • Hand cut paper art created by Patti Valentine Zimmer, www.pattivalentine.com • Aroma therapy & flower essence fusion from Anna Wingfield • Monotypes, drawings & paintings from Stan & Karen Sommer, www.sommerartstudio.com Bennett Valley's Matanzas Creek Winery, located just down the road from the Bennett Ridge artists, will have special welcomes for those who drop by to "taste the valley" before or after visiting the art studios on Bennett Ridge.

• Wrought iron tables & garden art crafted by Len Mygatt • Paintings & wearable art from Connie Mygatt • Native wood turned vessels by Chuck Quibell • Mixed media collages by Sherry Parker The Bennett Ridge tour begins just five • Acrylic equine & whimsical miles outside Santa Rosa, in beautiful paintings from Char Banach, Bennett Valley, where vineyards co-exist www.charbanachart.com • Kiln formed glass & fine handerafts peacefully with horse ranches, cattle graze on from Colleen Cotton sloping hillsides and in the Fall, from high on the ridge, well, it all looks like a well-crafted There is no charge for visiting with the painting. From Glen Ellen or Kenwood, the artists in their studios, and artwork in a ridge is just about the same distance, some variety of price ranges will be available for six miles.

sale. For more information or a studio tour map, contact artist Char Banach at charbanach@comcast.net. The artists will be in nine studios along Old Bennett Ridge Road, Rollo, Bardy and Bennett Ridge roads. All the studios are located near each other in this community of artists. Each studio will be identified with a black & yellow sign in conspicuous spots along these roads.

A wide array of art will be included and available: • Figurative ceramic sculpture from Helen Key Morgan, www.helenkeymorgan.com BVHA Brochure Bennett Valley Scenic Pictures, BV Map, BV History, Key Elements of BV Area Plan This brochure was mailed to all BV parcel owners in ¡ September 2001. If you want one of these brochures, • free of charge, please call me at 576-0405. Marilee -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 hope that it remains in its present pristine condition at the board's November regular meeting. The term way into the future. I have served as your Treasurer of office for each of the directors of this corporation since January 1, 2008 and will welcome the shall be three years from when he or she is elected.

opportunity to continue in that capacity for another After three years, the director may choose to run or term. not for re-election. In this manner, the election of one third of the members of the Board of Directors • Tim Bosna: will be held each year.

Please accept the following as my candidate statement and my desire to serve on the Board of A list of candidates and their statements are required the Bennett Valley Homeowner's Association. to be included in the September VOICE. At least 30 I've lived in Bennett Valley since 2000. Prior to days before the Annual Election Meeting, that is by that I lived near the top of Parker Hill Road - before October 20, a ballot containing the candidates' Fountaingrove developed a beautiful natural names and brief statements shall be sent to all BVHA hillside into a cluster of memansions.

That voting members, for their vote. These votes will be experience has made me very committed to tabulated and the winning candidates will retaining the rural character of Bennett Valley. My announced at the annual Election Meeting, environmental experience includes working for Thursday, November 19, beginning at 7:00 pm at the public agencies to reclaim salt ponds in the East Bay BV Grange Hall.

and return them to natural shoreline marshes with the use of reclaimed water. The marsh reclamation Candidate Roster For The 2009 BVHA project made me an environmental moderate who Board of Director Election balanced the needs of the public to find a beneficial use for reclaimed water with the desire to rebuild • Gary Barner the natural marsh shorelines in San Francisco Bay.

• Fay Blair, Incumbent I currently work as a director for several • Tim Bosna departments at Santa Rosa Junior College and volunteer for a program that connects students with The Candidates' Statements Follow: astronauts on the Space Station. I previously served for ten years on the emergency disaster planning committee for another county. I'm hopeful that • Gary Barner: members of the Bennett Valley community will I have been a resident of Bennett Valley for 21 years appreciate my practical experience in working with, and am committed to promoting and preserving the and for, public agencies, coupled with my rural character and natural environment of Bennett commitment to retaining the beauty of Bennett Valley. For 16 of these 21 years, I have held various Valley, and elect me to the board.

offices on the Summit View Ranch Homeowners' Association; nine years as a member of the Board of Directors and seven years as a member of the Minimizing Your Propane Costs Environmental Committee. I would like Craig S. Harrison contribute to the ongoing efforts of the Bennett September is when I remind Bennett Valley residents Valley Homeowners Association in providing a of the availability of bulk purchasing arrangements forum for open discussions involving issues for propane delivered to your home. Blue Star Gas affecting our entire community. Therefore, I has a special pricing arrangement for residents in the respectfully seek your vote for a position on the vicinity of Grange Road and Sonoma Mountain Bennett Valley Homeowner's Association Board of Road, and the more residents that participate the Directors.

cheaper the rates can become. De Carli's has a similar arrangement for residents in the vicinity of Bennett Ridge and Enterprise Road. Under these • Fay Blair: pricing arrangements, the companies agree The following constitutes my request for your vote to be re-elected as a director on the BVHA Board of charge a flat mark-up from the price it pays to the refinery (the details of which are confidential). This Directors. My wife, Linda, and I live at 7129 Bennett summer there was a period when the delivery price Valley Road. I am a retired CPA and Linda is an active CPA. I purchased the property in 1978 after of propane was below $1.00 per gallon. If you are not using one of the bulk suppliers, you are most falling in love with Bennett Valley during my first trip through it. Subsequently Linda and I became an F likely paying too much, and perhaps way too much.

item and moved into the property in 1985. We have Bennett Valley Homeowner's cherished Bennett Valley as it is and it is our fervent 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 Larissa Goliti, Membership Coordinator Igoliti@hotmail.com, 578-3453 James K. Cobb, Director cobblaw@pacbell.net, 586-9172 Paul Hamilton, Director, 527-0671 Frank LaCombe, Director franksgarage@peoplepc.com,585-3482 Richard Lukasko, Director rlukasko@hotmail.com, 566-7803 Bennett Valley Emergency Preparation Coordinator Karen Sommer,_528-8982, ksommer11@earthlink.net, BVHA VOICE Editor - Marilee Jensen, 576-0405, marileejensen@sbcglobal.net, A Message From Your Membership Coordinators, Larissa Goliti and Jeannie LaCombe Thank you all for your response to the annual membership drive and your generous contributions.

It is never too late to become a member of Bennett Valley Homeowner's Association. Annual dues are $15 plus any additional contribution you want to make, payable to BVHA. If you want your extra contributions (over $15) to be used for any specific purpose, please indicate on the check, under memo" . Send your check to: BHA, PO Box 2666, Santa Rosa, CA 95405. Questions? Call 578-3453.

Brief Summary of BVHA Meeting July 16, 2009 • Larissa Goliti reported that she had received over 10 emails of thanks on the neighborhood predator alert notices. She also shared a letter of thanks from Fire Safe Sonoma for our donation. • Fay Blair gave his Treasurer's Report which included three pages of cash activity, budget comparisons and the Bennett Valley Emergency Preparation standings.

• Sandy Sandine, volunteer leader for the BV Road Cleanup committee, requested authorization to cover the expenses of additional safety equipment for the road clean-up. This includes three signs saying, "Road Cleanup Today" , three stands and braces, ten class 2 orange vests and ten grabbers for about $1,137, which the Board unanimously approved.

Bennett Valley Homeowner's Association P.O. Box 2666 • Appointment of the BVHA Nominating Committee: Craig Harrison appointed Jean LaCombe as the nominating committee chair. He alerted all the board members that they are part of the committee and should help seek nominees. A three-year term of office cycle sheet was passed out. Terms are ending for Paul Hamilton, Connie Montague, and Fay Blair (appointed to finish Dan McCaskell's term). Fay plans to seek reelection. Connie and Paul will not seek reelection, but Paul will continue with the fire station storage room project for BVEP.

• Bi-Monthly County Reports: Larissa Goliti received communication regarding a controversy over night lighting for tennis courts at 6700 Sonoma Mountain Road. (On 9/3/09, Planning Commission denied 4 to 1; appeal to be decided by the Board of Supervisors.) • Bennett Valley Emergency Preparedness Committee Report: Karen Sommer requested $1,000 made payable to Paul Hamilton, to pay the discounted cost for an engineer to complete the certification and approval of the drawings for the fire station storage room for BVEP. Fire Chief Andy Pforsich said that the BV Fire Board has approved $15,000 for their 09/10 budget toward this project contingent on BVHA donations of material, labor, and/or money that would ensure project completion. James Cobb noted that the bulk of expenses will be covered by donations. He has many Bennett Valley contacts that he can ask for their donations and he will help on a fundraising committee. Frank LaCombe is organizing his neighborhood for COPE. The BV Fire District will help with his initial planning meetings.

• Helen Bates, a previous BVHA board director, attended the meeting re: the issue on lighting tennis courts at night (see above). Another issue in this situation is a row of non-native fast growing cypress trees planted by this same parcel owner near his neighbors' homes. After considerable discussion, it was decided that the best way to handle this issue was for the neighbors to go through the proper channels with the county.

Board of Directors' Tentative Agenda September 17, BV Grange Hall, 7:00 pm • Guest Speaker, Ron LeValley, Birds in Bennett ! Valley. See front page for additional information. Business Meeting: 8:15 pm, approximately Distribution of calendar proceeds and spending approvals • Appointment of BVHA Election Committee • Road maintenance issues • Use of BVHA email lists : BVHA well project continuation

Santa Rosa, CA 95405 bennettvalleyhoa.org PURPOSES OF BVHA: "To educate, instruct, train and inform the local residents on disaster preparedness and emergency response as well as local environmental and land use issues; to promote and preserve the residential rural character and natural environment of Bennett Valley; to serve as an open forum for Bennett Valley community participation; and to provide a bridgefor communication between government agencies and the Bennett Valley community." Return Service Requested Bennett Valley Community Calendar Remember to mark your calendars!

) BENNETT VALLEY HOMEOWNER'S ASSOCIATION (BVHA): Next meeting, Thursday, September 17, 7:00 pm, BV Gran all. Guest Speaker Ron LeValley, Birds in Bennett Valley. See Page Seven for agend 30, AMATEUR 22, 8:0 am 1: pENna SNorties Cente Renter sit sorce act bal at 9294er 19, October 4.) BENNETT VALLEY FIREFIGHTERS' COMMUNITY DAY: Sunday, September 27, 12 - 5 pm, Matanzas Creek Winery 5.) BENNETT VALLEY CLEAN-UP DAY: Please join us at the BV Fire Station, Saturday, November 7, 8:30 am! Call Sandy Sandine, 579-0282, with questions.

6.) BENNETT VALLEY GRANGE: Spaghetti Dinner, Saturday, October 24. Watch for the signs! 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 her staff assistant, Jennifer Hainstock, at 565-2241, if you have any questions or concerns.

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Important Phone Numbers

•Call Sonoma County Road Maintenance, at 565-5100 to report potholes which need fixing, or bulky or weighty trash which needs to be picked up along Bennett Valley roads. •Call 576-1371 from a cell phone to report emergencies in Bennett Valley. •Call 565-2121 from any phone, to talk to someone at the Sheriff's office 24 hours every day, with emergencies that require a law enforcement response or with other concerns that you're not sure are an emergency or not.