On March 5, 2001, the Dobbins/Oregon House Community Action Planning committee held a meeting to further the process of creating a Community Action Plan.  The Co-chairs Douglas Binderup and Jim Ackles called the meeting to order at 6:40 PM.

 

After welcoming the participants, Mr. Binderup asked each subcommittee to summarize its actions for the whole group.  The subcommittee reports are as follows:

 

Beautification/Tree Removal

Dobbins/Oregon House EDC Beautification Sub Committee Report

Members: Ted Pearson & Pete Hammontre

2/12/01

The committee prioritized the various inputs received regarding the needs of this community as they relate to Beautification and decided that the major item that needed to be addressed first and foremost had to do with the remnants of the past fires – i.e. the dead trees that are part of our local landscape.

Conversations have been held with members of the Prop 204 committee regarding the possibility of getting funding assistance for the purpose of removing the trees (Prop 204 committee is the "Yuba Watershed Protection and Fire Safe Council"). While there has been some interest in our problem, we have been told that most of the money that has been allocated to date is already dedicated and we would probably have to try for future funds. Contact has also been made with CDF and we were advised that there are funds available for fire safety program grants and that might well be an avenue that we should pursue. Also, we were told that we should be able to expect assistance from CDF in the area of getting certain requirements waved in order to harvest the wood since it will relate to safety as well as beautification.

The committee met with Gordon Bauer, Manager of Wood Fuel Procurement for Power Pacific Inc. Mr. Bauer discussed with us, the concept of removing the dead trees and chipping them for the purpose of utilization as a fuel for bio-mass power generation. His organization is presently working on Indiana Ranch Road for two individuals in the area. He suggested that we consider trying for "CFIP" funds. Neither members of the committee are familiar with this program but we will attempt to check it out. Mr. Bauer express great interest in helping us as their plant is located in Oroville and the logistics are very inviting to them. He told us that they can break even if the contents of a their truck load is at least 15 “bone dry tons.” If less, then there will need to be some form of subsidy. He suggested that we get a map of the burn area and that the committee, his forester, Clint Walker as well as himself, tour the area as soon as the weather permits. They are capable of clearing 3-5 acres a day and usually prefer to limit their harvest to trees that are at least 6" in diameter and 10’ tall. He stated that the standing dry oak is very desirable from their point of view.

 

We also have some leads concerning a possible U.C. Extension program as a possible source of funds to augment the process. These will be investigated as soon as possible.

 

Heather Shore 1-800-738-TREE (8733) of the Grass Valley CDF office will be sending grant source material concerning California Forestry Incentives Program (CFIP).  This is a 90%/10% program.  Calls are into Chris Waters, the local administrator.  New funds will be available in July, 01 with request for grants due ASAP.

 

Jim Johnson, who is associated with the USDA grant program was contacted and has provided applications for local residence.  The provide a 75%/25% program and have $50K available for this area.  He and his associates are willing to come up and speak to the citizens about their program.  Applications for funds are due in by April 1^st.  Funding is contingent upon inspections of area.

 

Community Center 

Historical 

Maintain Rural Environment  

Public Relations

 

Agreed:   Effective PR campaigns need to have:  (1) a clearly focused message, and (2) a defined target audience to communicate this message to. (Who will be looking at our work?...What are we trying to accomplish by them looking at our work?... What is the most effective media choices to reach that audience with our limited resources?... etc...).

 

Our Message: At this early stage, the message is undefined.  We agreed that it will basically be the results of the other committees, which will result in the final Community Action Plan for Dobbins & Oregon House.  We agreed that the work of the PR committee is not to create this message... but rather to communicate the message of the entire Community Action Plan effectively.

 

Our Audience:      

            1) Our initial audience is internal (within our own community).  This will have the goal of unifying our community around a clearly focused vision of where this community is going and the specific plans being implemented to meet that vision.

            2) Our primary audience will be the grant writers.  If we can effectively communicate our vision of a desired future for our community, then we will be more effective in persuading potential grant writers to support our plans.

            3) Our secondary audience will be visitors (tourists) and people interested in moving to our area.

 

Media Choices Available:

Note regarding the following media choices:  None of these will be implemented until a clearly defined message has been agreed upon... so don’t expect action in the next month or two.  It is being shown below as a realistic “game plan” for how this message will be communicated over the various media once the message has been defined.

            1) Free press.  By utilizing carefully written press releases, we can draw interest of our local papers in writing feature articles about what Dobbins & Oregon House would like to become.  This is the best way to reach our internal audience to better unify our own community around a common vision of a preferable future.

 

            2) Bulletin Board Posters.  Another inexpensive way to communicate internally within our own community. 

 

            3) Internet Website.  Although this can help with our own community, this      would be our primary way of reaching the grant writers.  (If we apply for a grant, we can refer them to look at our website for more information).  We agreed the internet website needs to be owned by the Community Action Plan Committee to limit unexpected outside influence & commentaries.  Nothing gets posted to the website unless the general group has reviewed it and supported by majority             vote.  No links to other websites will be added unless it compliments the intent of the website and is supported by the general group by majority vote.  It is intended on being the voice of the entire Community Action Plan Committee and not simply a stage to conduct political debates & commentaries.  If, in the future, there is no need for the website, the general group can decide together to have it removed.  The hard costs of the website (register domain name & hosting the site at a local ISP) will need to be shared by everyone on the Community Action Plan Committee equally, unless those costs can be picked             up with the grant money given to the EDC from the forestry grant.  (Estimated cost:  approx. $200).  The time to create & update the website will be volunteered by the PR committee members at no cost.  The internet website will             also be our primary way of reaching tourists & people interested in moving into our area.

 

            4) Printed Brochures.  Limited quantities of professional quality full color brochures will be made to project the vision of the Community Action Plan.  The target audience will be the grant writers (something to accompany the grant             application), unless we obtain additional funds for printing higher quantities for mass distribution.  The cost of developing the brochure & printing up a limited quantity for release with grant applications will be donated by the PR committee.  If additional funds are obtained, more brochures can be printed for distribution to potential tourists and/or people interested in moving into our area.   There can be more than one brochure made... some possible examples are:

A) Our vision as a community (Our Community Action Plan)

B) Our history as a community

C) The things we value as a community and want to preserve.

 

            5) Tourist publications.  Issue press releases to be included in annual publications, such as “99 & more things to do in Yuba-Sutter” (a publication of the Appeal Democrat)... or “Nevada County Gold” (a publication of Hardie publishing) which are intended on creating public interest in things to do in our community.

 

            6) A tourist information site.  This can begin as an informational center for visitors.  This may be something which isn’t accomplished in the initial campaign, but might be worth looking into for the future.  When the time is right, it could start out simple (such as a Visitors Information turnout off Marysville Road, which would include an informational sign with a local map and some brochures for visitors to pick up).  Additional wall maps could be posted at local businesses frequented by tourists (such as Unocal 76, Collins Lake, Gold Eagle Markets, Ace Hardware, Lake Francis Resort, Bullards Bar Resort, etc...)  If successful, it could grow into a staffed visitor’s center. (Realistically speaking, we would have to see substantial growth in interest to consider that... but who knows?... It could happen).

 

Recreation 

This subcommittee had not yet held any meetings.

 

Signs

The signs subcommittee reported that Pat Dahms had spoken with Gary Lippincott in the county’s public works department and was told that the new “Dobbins” signs are in the process of being made by the county.  These signs will be placed along the new section of Marysville Road which bypasses Dobbins to tell motorists where to turn to get to Dobbins.  The county will bill the cost of these signs to the account which paid for the bypass.

 

Although the county will erect new street signs, it will not erect a sign for Lake Francis.  Further, the county will not erect any signs about the post office, telephones, or recreational opportunities available in Dobbins.

 

As for naming the section of Marysville road through Dobbins which has been bypassed, Mr. Lippincott stated that he had chosen “Dobbins Circle” as the new name.  This name will go before the Board of Supervisors on March 20, 2001.

 

Lastly, the only help available to the Dobbins/Oregon House community for putting up signs advertising what’s available in Dobbins comes from the Board of Supervisors, which will waive the encroachment fees for any signs the community decides to erect.

 

Support Cottage Business

This subcommittee had not yet held any meetings.

 

Town Center

This subcommittee had not yet held any meetings.

 

New Business

After the subcommittee reports, the committee discussed the issue of naming the bypassed section of Marysville Road that runs through Dobbins.  A few members asked how the County had come up with the name “Dobbins Circle.”  One member who has property along the road informed the group that the county had mailed all the property owners along the road asking for name suggestions, and that “Dobbins Circle,” which he supported, must have been the most popular.  He also stated that in the letter soliciting ideas for names, the county had laid out its opposition to dubbing that stretch of pavement “road,” due to the fact that it intersects Marysville Road twice.   Other members of the committee shared their displeasure with this, noting that the road lies only to the South of Marysville Road, making it a half-circle at best.  After further discussion, ?? made a motion that the committee write a letter to the Yuba County Board of Supervisors requesting that it not support “Dobbins Circle,” but support “Old Dobbins Road” instead.

 

Once the committee had finished with new business, the meeting adjourned at 8:50 PM.

 

Minutes respectfully submitted by James Connell, YSEDC, on March 22, 2001.