Survey Input Request From Placer Sierra Fire Safe Council

Press release from the Placer Sierra Firesafe Council. 

Placer County, along with the Placer Sierra Fire Safe Council (FSC) and its partners are updating the Placer County Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP). We have developed a survey to help us with this process.  Please take a moment to provide feedback for your local fire safe council. The survey link can be found on the county website at http://www.placer.ca.gov/Departments/CEO/Emergency/Survey.aspx or visit one of the following fire stations Placer Hills Fire Protection District 16999 Placer Hills Rd. in Meadow Vista, Cal Fire Station 30 24020 Fowler Rd. in Colfax, or Alta Volunteer Fire Department 33900 Alta Bonnynook Road in Alta. Please take a moment to answer the survey questions relating to your plan. The answers to this survey will assist us in identifying local values and understanding the general attitude about the hazards and risks related to wildfire in the various communities that makeup the Placer Sierra Fire Safe Council. Thank you.

SRA Fire Fees: Jim Holmes speaks out. for RCRC

I haven't posted on the SRA Fire Fees in a while.  Placer County Supervisor Jim Holmes recently spoke on the subject for the RCRC.  I know Jim well enough to know that he is a reasonable and responsible individual.  Since he represents the district down the hill I didn't write and endorsement post but if the folks down there are as smart as I think they are they will reelect Jim Holmes.  I only wish that I could have been there to hear him speak.  I am sure that he made his fellow Gold Country members proud.

You can read more about it at the links below.

Auburn Journal
Supervisor Holmes testifies on controversial fee

Lake County Record Bee
Rural Counties representative continues objections to fire fee

Sierra Sun Times
Rural Counties Tell Forestry Board “No Fire Fees”

Prop 29 The Tyranny that is Democracy

All of big tobacco’s advertising got me to thinking about that Prop 29.  You know that lets gang up on the 10% that still smoke and beat some money out of them initiative.  When we were kids bigger stronger kids used to beat up the fat little kid and take their lunch money.  We do the same thing today but we just rationalize it based on increased insurance costs or that we are doing the victims a favor.  I am sure that the bullies in school thought that they were are doing the guy a favor because without his lunch money he will lose some weight, besides just think of all the exercise he will get taking the long way to school or running away.  We would like to think that bullies change their ways as they get older but if you look close enough you can see that instead they grow up to form political action committees.  As Mark Twain said 'Nothing so needs reforming like someone else's bad habit'.  If you add that to Thomas Jefferson’s  “A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine.”  You have the California ballot initiative system all figured out.  

Endorsement: Jennifer Montgomery for Placer County 5th District Supervisor

Since becoming the 5th District Supervisor Montgomery has been a tireless workhorse for local communities.  For Montgomery the job is full time.

In the rural 5th district we are a collection of very small communities each with its own culture and identity, a community a mile down the road can be as different as night and day.  Montgomery tries to keep up with each community in a face to face fashion.  When the call went out for volunteers to set up containment barriers between the North Auburn 49 fire site and Rock Creek, Montgomery was there, not as morale support but dragging waddle around just like all of the other volunteers.  In both the 2011 and 2012 Scotch Broom Challenges put on by the Placer Sierra Fire Safe Council Montgomery was getting dirty with a weed wrench on the side of the road just like everyone else.   There have been many such examples over the years.  Montgomery realizes working with and understanding each local community is as important as casting votes in the domes. 

SRA Fire Fees: The RCRC makes it clear.

Here is an article about feedback the California Department of forestry is getting Jerry Brown's SRA Fire Fees. It is worth reading.

Sierra Sun Times
Rural Counties Testify Against Fire Fee Implementation