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Spalding and Milford are in the process of gaining the Firewise status. “The news is ground breaking with regard to the Insurance Commissioner and USAA Insurance company and the recognition they are providing with regard to rate reductions for those communities that are recognized as a Firewise Community,” explains Lassen County Fire Safe Council Education Coordinator Dan Douglas. ”We feel that in the interest of competition that many more insurance companies will follow suit.” This is fantastic news not only for those USAA customers in recognized Firewise sites in Lassen County, but for property owners throughout the state with serious wildfire risks. For the first time, a major insurer and an insurance regulator have agreed that wildfire mitigation for homes and communities is worthy of this kind of financial incentive. According to Douglas one of the first questions most people ask the Lassen County Fire Safe Council when they learn about the Firewise Communities/USAA recognition program – or about the concept of Firewise safety action in general is, “Will I get a break on my insurance?” Until this week the answer to that question was ‘No,’ with very few anecdotal, site-specific exceptions. Commissioner Jones announced the approval of the rate changes submitted by USAA that will provide anywhere from 12 to 16 percent savings on homeowner insurance premiums for the typical USAA customer in California and if that customer happens to live in a recognized Firewise community, they will enjoy an additional 5% break. USAA, which provides a full range of financial products and services to the military community and their families, has been working with NFPA for several years pursuing the possibility of providing incentives for residents of wildfire-prone areas to take steps to create safer, more ‘fire-adapted’ communities. For future information regarding this ground breaking news please visit our website www.lassenfiresafecouncil.org for updates as they occur regarding whether other insurance companies will join in. |
Thursday, May 15, 2014
Fire Wise Community
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
May Agenda
STONES-BENGARD COMMUNITY SERVICE DISTRICT REGULAR BOARD
MEETING
509-695 Stone Road, District Office, Eagle Lake,
Susanville, CA 96130
Phone & Fax: (530) 825-3350
E-mail stonesb@frontiernet.net
May
19, 2014, 6:00 pm
ROLL CALL:
CONSENT CALENDAR:
APPROVAL OF MAY AGENDA
APPROVAL OF APRIL MINUTES
APPROVAL OF PAYMENT OF BILLS for APRIL;
APPROVAL OF TREASURER'S REPORT, by
Kay Oring for APRIL.
GUEST:
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
Interim Fire Chief:
Water Manager Balding:
Secretary’s report:
PUBLIC COMMENT:
CORRESPONDENCE:
OLD BUSINESS:
DISCUSS/ACTION: CALFIRE grant 2013
DISCUSS/ACTION: IRS
form 941 Payroll Tax, 2nd quarter 2012
DISCUSS/ACTION: Work Crew for Roadway
DISCUSS/ACTION: Monthly Office Water Fees to Traphagen
DISCUSS/ACTION:
DISCUSS/ACTION:
NEW
BUSINESS:
DISCUSS/ACTION:
Authorize General Manager to Direct
County Treasurer to Transfer Capital Improvement Funds to a Higher Interest
Account
DISCUSS/ACTION:
ADJOURNMENT:
BOARD
MEMBERS SIGNING OF BILLS:
April Board Meeting Minutes
STONES-BENGARD
COMMUNITY SERVICE DISTRICT REGULAR BOARD MEETING
509-695 Stone Road, District Office, Eagle Lake,
Susanville, CA 96130
Phone & Fax: (530) 825-3350
E-mail stonesb@frontiernet.net
Monday, April 21, 2014 at 6:00 p.m.
UNAPPROVED MINUTES
ROLL CALL:
Meeting called to
order at 6:01 pm by Chairman Sam Shapiro.
Present were Directors Kay Oring, Ron ReBell and Tom Spanton. There is
now one vacancy on the Board. Also present were General Manager Martin Balding
and Secretary Sandy Jansen. We have a
quorum.
CONSENT CALENDAR:
APPROVAL OF APRIL AGENDA
APPROVAL OF MARCH MINUTES
APPROVAL OF PAYMENT OF BILLS for MARCH;
FIRE $1657.57; SEWER $2325.76.
APPROVAL OF TREASURER'S REPORT, by
Kay Oring for MARCH. One claim was paid
from the incorrect fund and will be corrected through the County.
A motion was made
by Director Spanton with a second by Director ReBell to accept the APRIL Agenda, approval of minutes
for MARCH with corrections and approval of the payment of MARCH bills and Treasurer’s
report for MARCH. Motion carried.
GUEST: Nancy Cardenas, Assistant Treasurer/Tax
Collector.
Ms. Cardenas explained
the investments and how the interest
amounts were calculated. She also
explained that the treasurer's office is a "no-cost" department. The department has guidelines that must be adhered
to for investing the money. Discussion
followed on directed investments versus withdrawals of funds from County. The investments must go through brokers that meet
the requirements of the policy in the County.
She explained that she can work with us to find another type of
investment for our Capital Improvement Fund if that is the
Board's direction. A directed
investment or a specific investment may be one way to invest our Capital
Improvement Fund. Withdrawal of funds is
taking all of our money from the County and then the District is responsible
for the investments and the paying their bills.
The Board thanked Ms.
Cardenas for coming and talking with us regarding investments and the
Treasurer's Department.
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
Fire Chief Cromer: None at this time.
Water
Manager Balding report is attached.
Martin explained the new tentative agreement with
Lahonton that will allow a higher water level.
The BLM easement was reviewed and signed. CalFire inmates crews leaned brush at road
sides for two days and more work is needed.
The Board may look over a weed abatement policy other areas have and think
about if this is something this district wants to pursue.
Secretary’s
report: There were 101web hits. Only a few properties have made zero payments
for waste water this year. Three have a
lien on them. About 96% of the fees are
in.
Board
Member Items: none
PUBLIC COMMENT: none.
CORRESPONDENCE: Lassen Fire Net fees have been paid by the
County by Board Of Supervisors approval.
A thank you note will be sent.
OLD BUSINESS:
CALFIRE 2013 Grant: Invoices
have been sent for 50/50 reimbursement.
The 2014-15 grant is open.
Utility Trailer for fire Department: The trailer was used to haul
brush and is working well.
911 Address Signs Status: Martin is working on them.
IRS and form 941 Payroll Tax, 2nd
quarter 2012: Sandy has been working
with IRS and the county on this matter but it is not resolved yet. Ms. Cardenas has said she will help with this
issue.
Work Crew for Roadway:
Covered in Martin's Report.
Interest Formula and Policy: This was covered under Nancy Cardenas
presentation.
NEW BUSINESS:
Monthly Office Water fees to Traphagen: Tabled to next meeting.
Form 700: The 2014 form 700, Conflict of Interest, is
available for completion. The Directors’
forms stay in the office.
Appoint Interim Fire Chief ,
Adolph Oberst: Director Spanton
moved and Director Oring seconded a motion to appoint Adolph Oberst as Interim
Fire Chief. Motion carried.
BOARD
MEMBER ITEMS: Director Spanton talked with Chief Oberst
about all volunteers being certified in First Aid and CPR.
ADJOURNMENT: The next meeting will be held on May 19, 2014, 6:00
pm. With no further business to conduct, the meeting
was adjourned at 7:25 p.m.
BOARD
MEMBERS SIGNING OF BILLS: Bills were signed.
Respectfully
Submitted,
_____________________________
Sandy
Jansen, Secretary Note: There is a voice recorded transcript
of these minutes.
April 2014 Treasurer’s Report for March 2014 activity
Balances
as of March 31, 2014
Accounts at Lassen Co.
Fire District: Balance $ 79,472.03
Sewer District: Balance $
127,067.20
Capital Improvement Fund: Balance $ 262,244.97
Other accounts:
Petty cash (Checking) $ 2210.72
Kay Oring, Treasurer
STONES-BENGARD COMMUNITY
SERVICE DISTRICT
509-695 Stone Road, Eagle Lake, Susanville,
CA 96130
Phone & Fax:
530-825-3350 e-mail: stonesb@frontiernet.net
BOARD MEETING
Monday, April 21, 2014 at 6pm
Notes by Martin Balding, General
Manager
NO SPILL REPORT:
The monthly "No Spill" report has been made to the state.
LIFTS STATIONS AND PONDS: The lift stations and ponds have been working
well with an annual average flow of 4,535 gallons per day for total of 1,650,710 gallons to the ponds in the last year. For the first time ponds one and two will not
have enough water to spill into pond three.
LAHONTAN REVISED WASTE DISCHARGE REQUIERMENTS: the
Lahontan Regional Water Quality Board has sent us a copy of
"Tentative" plans for revision of our waste discharge permit. The significant change is an increase in our
allowable discharge from an average of 12,000 gallons per day (4.38MGY) to
13,836 gallons per day (5.05 MGY). Our
present average is about 4,500 gallons per day.
Our twice a year reporting dates have been changed along with other minor
provisions. Note that this is a
Tentative change, subject to approval by the Lahontan Board of Directors. Also note that the Lahontan Staff, Rob Tucker
and others, did considerable research using our past records and other
information in order to draw up this very satisfactory Tentative Revised Plan.
BLM: We had a general review of our our permit to
access our ponds over BLM land. Jill
Paulson visited the site and wrote up a new long term agreement. Fees have been
paid.
PRECIPITATION and LAKE LEVEL: This past week we received .55 inches of
precipitation. Good!
The lake level is 5,093.83', about 3 inches higher than
last fall. It takes a twenty inch rise
to maintain lake level.
HOMEOWNER SYSTEMS: No calls at present.
LATE PAYMENT COLLECTIONS:
Sandy has been following up on accounts due with excellent
results with only about five overdue.
Liens will be made against the uncollected accounts. RV park owners are current now.
ROAD
WORK: Cal Fire crews were here on the 8th and
9th of this month clearing brush off the roadsides working from the stop signs
on Stone Road at each end of the community.
Brush was hauled in our trailer using a neighbor's tractor. Burn piles are around the fire station and at
the Hiltop intersection. More work will
be done when the inmate crews can be scheduled by Cal Fire.
PUBLIC
GREEN WASTE PILE: The CSD
can serve the community, and promote fire safety, by allowing green waste to be
deposited in a suitable area where it can be burned by the Fire Department for
training purposes. An initial area for
burn piles has been selected and homeowners may check with the Service District
Fire Chief or the Manager for permission to dump brush and limbs.
911
SIGNS: Work
in progress.
POSSIBLE
ORDINANCES: We have a copy of the Spalding weed control ordinance to be reviewed and
possibly adapted for approval and use.
NEW
COMPUTER: Sandy has
placed our files on the new computer and it is working well. Levi Miller, who set up the computer before
delivery, is available for help if needed.
Carbonite will be used to back-up our information on a regular basis.
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