Soundings

Spring, 2008

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Inside This Issue:

• 2008-2009 Budget Passes
• John Horn Named Sea Rancher of the Year
• Midwinter Meeting Celebrates Community
• New Fire Code Affects Choice of Building Materials
• Finding The Right Balance For Fire Safety
• Stewards Present Gualala Point Island Study
• Sea Ranch Affected By Proposed Marine Reserves
• Geriatrician Mana Hobson Joins Living Well Program
• Local Non-Profits Explore Collaboration
• New Association Website Design Underway
• Feral Cat Task Force A Success
• Sounding Off- Letters to the Editor
• Interim Plans for "Soundings"
• "Soundings" Editor Position Available

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2008-2009 BUDGET PASSES

After considerable public discussion and review, this year’s budget was passed at the February 23^rd.board meeting by a unanimous vote.

Throughout the lengthy budget review process beginning in October of 2007, the budget numbers moved up and down as increases were proposed, savings were found and adjustments were made.

Of particular concern were the costs associated with three additional positions recommended by an analysis of staff needs: a Deputy Community Manager, an Information Technology Network Manager and an Administrative Clerk.

The analysis was conducted after questions were raised at the November budget workshop about whether TSRA had sufficient staff resources to achieve the 2008-2009 goals adopted for the Sea Ranch in October.

At the February 9^th Budget Workshop, Board members took a straw poll which kept the proposed new clerical position in the budget, but asked that a more thorough assessment be made throughout the coming year of the need for a Deputy Community Manager. It was hoped that other staff increases approved in this year’s budget or the reassignment of some duties might have a positive impact on the Community Manager’s workload. The Board of Directors authorized the $27,000 requested for Information Technology support but wanted to see the results of the IT study currently underway and consider contract options before committing to a full-time staff position.

The BOD also kept the proposed reconfiguration of the Association’s office and conference room space in the budget and recommended approval of the Fire Safety Task Force and Fire Safe Council proposal to add the equivalent of two more staff positions and a chipper to remove ladder fuels in the forested areas at the south end of The Sea Ranch. (See related article Finding The right Balance for Fire Safety.)

Requests to fund a Central TPZ Forest Management Plan and improve the safety and aesthetics of the Verdant View roadway easement were also approved. Other budget items had been reviewed and approved at earlier budget workshops in November and January.

After the changes from the February 9^th Budget Workshop were incorporated, the final budget was scaled down from the projected assessment of $185 per month, which would have been a 14.% increase, to $180 per month, a 10.5 % increase in monthly dues.

In her report at the Mid-Winter Meeting, Board Treasurer Marti Campbell noted that the long-term trend for dues increases has held steady at about 6% with variations from year to year that have tended to even out over the long run. (The dues increase for the current year was 3%.). The Treasurer’s Report, which provides an overview on the budget process and breakouts on expenses has been posted on the TSR website. 

Those members wanting a more detailed background on both the budget process and the reasons for specific budget requests will find a wealth of information in the Budget Explanatory Materials Packet also posted on the website at http://www.tsra.org/pdf/explanatory.pdf. This document, which is also available at The Sea Ranch Association office, indicates how specific budget requests are related to the 2008-2009 organizational goals approved by the BoD in October.

JOHN HORN NAMED SEA RANCHER OF THE YEAR

Teacher, mentor, inventor.  Actor, carpenter, designer, gardener, biologist, environmentalist.  All-around great guy, hard worker, helper and friend. 

According to the many cohorts and colleagues who nominated him for the honor, it would be tough to find anyone who has worn more hats, pitched in more willingly, or taken better advantage of the opportunities to share his talents with the community than this year’s Sea Rancher of the Year, John Horn.  Whether he’s designing and building sets for the Thespians during play season or digging into water meter pits during a water emergency, John demonstrates an energy and enthusiasm that inspire everyone around him.  

Born in Seattle and raised in Los Angeles, John joined the Navy after earning an AA at Pasadena City College.  During leave from his stint as a mechanic in the Naval Air Force, he met his future wife Katie on a Southern California beach in 1953.  The two began dating and maintained a long-distance relationship after John went back to sea —“she’s got a whole stack of really corny letters,” he admits—and married in 1955.  They moved into veteran’s housing at Occidental College and John graduated in 1960 with a B.S. in Biology. 

He went to work as a high school biology teacher in the Los Angeles city school system and quickly proved himself to be a man who went above and beyond the traditional requirements of the job.  When he was transferred to a brand new school in 1962, he designed the layouts and helped build the cabinetry for the equipment in all the science classrooms.  He became department chair and worked with department chairs at other schools in the district to develop the biology curriculum.  “I’ve always thought of myself as an organizer,” he says. In 1975, he was named California’s Biology Teacher of the Year by the National Association of Biology Teachers.

Working summers, John earned a Master’s degree in Biology at Washington State.  The whole family (John, Katie and their two children) relocated to Washington for eight weeks each year, and it was during one of their trips up the coast in 1964 that they first saw The Sea Ranch.  They eventually bought their lot in 1973, and “our friends thought we were crazy,” John recalls.  “They said, ‘You paid ten thousand dollars for what?!”

Originally John’s intention was to build a house himself, but he and Katie finally decided to hire Don Jacobs to design and Matt Silvia to build it.  “We pretty much just trusted them to finish it,” he says, and, in spite of a run-in or two with the Coastal Commission, the basic house was completed in 1977 at a cost of twenty-nine dollars a foot.  John did get to do the finish work himself—flooring, tile, painting and fencing. 

The Horns put their new house on the rental program and finally moved to the coast when John retired in 1986.  “Actually, moving here full-time was Katie’s doing,” John admits.  “She thought LA was just too hot and once she found out what the weather was like here, that was it!”

During his first ten years on the coast, John worked for rental agencies doing handy-man and repair work, and also had a mowing business with about thirty customers.  At the same time, he jumped into several volunteer activities.  He signed up for the Posh Squash garden, eventually becoming co-chair and acting as a day leader until 2006.  He joined the Native Plant Society and became involved in the Pampas Grass Eradication Program, served as President and Vice President, and edited the newsletter.  He became part of the barn restoration crew (where he was eventually awarded the title “Master Carpenter”) and continues to work designing and building stage sets for the Thespians.

“In addition to set construction, (John) has been an actor in three plays and did background voice in several others,” says Carol Emory, Thespian producer.  “Creating the magic of theater sets includes thinking about all of the ideas from many angles, making everything safe (not often simple), knowing what is impossible and then finding a way to ‘possible’.”

Last holiday season, John contributed his skills to the Gualala Arts Theater musical production of “Beauty and the Beast.”  They needed an “invention” for beauty Belle’s inventor father, Maurice.  John consulted with his granddaughter (who had played Belle in her high school production) and went to work in his garage.  The resulting contraption delighted the audience as it steamed and whistled around the stage, powered by Paulina Power, complete with a trap door through which she popped to take her final bow.

John has also served on the board at Gualala Arts, in addition to working on the early construction of the Center and chairing the Sweet Shoppe at Art in the Redwoods.  He is in charge of handyman volunteers for Community Resource Connection, and has served on the Sonoma County Election Board.  The list does indeed go on and on.

 It’s obvious when you talk with him that John and The Sea Ranch are a perfect fit. Not only is he in tune with the tradition of volunteerism here, but with the tradition of Sea Ranch commitment to environmental principles as well.  “If you’re a biologist, you’re an environmentalist,” he says.  “You can’t watch what’s going on in the world and not think a lot of it isn’t bad for the planet.  Everything is connected.”  

MIDWINTER MEETING CELEBRATES COMMUNITY

By Nancy Carter, Chair, Communication Committee

A funny thing happened on the way to the MWM !  It wasn’t really a meeting, rather a gathering of friends sharing information, ideas and expectations. Witness :the sun was shining for the first President’s Day weekend in years,  beckoning all of us to enjoy the many reasons we came to the Sea Ranch in the first place ; nevertheless, a limited and spirited cadre of some 100 members filled the Del Mar Center Hall. The Question & Answer period, sometimes a contentious affair, consisted of only one question. The Board Treasurer’s report reviewed how a proposed significant dues increase had been scaled back and, to everyone’s surprise, no questions were asked. The Sea Rancher of the Year award presented to John Horn (see accompanying article) was almost a sentimental recognition of a member who through his full time residency and years of service had paid his dues many times over and was as popular a choice as could be remembered..

The Midwinter Membership Meeting is one of two meetings hosted annually by the Communication Committee to bring members current on Association business, to recognize the volunteer contributions of members as a major part of Association activities and accomplishments, and to strenghen our community cohesiveness.

Highlights included :

Norman Wohlken, Chair of the Election Committee, announced that four candidates (Chris Beach, Martha  “Dibby “  Tyler, John Forenti, and Derek Bray) had filed as candidates for the 2008-2009 election.  Jim Jordan, Board Chair, turned our attention to another election, that of Sonoma County Supervisor, and to the efforts to familiarize candidates for that position to the needs and special issues of our location and Association, and to invite members to a Meet the Candidates reception and forum on March 29.  Bob Pounds, moderator of the meeting, highlighted how much Sea Ranchers give to the Mendonoma community by asking volunteers in a variety of organizations and activities to stand and be recognized, until hardly a person remained seated.  Our new Volunteer Coordinators, Hanne Liisberg and Margie Hagen, explained their process and role in assisting those who want to volunteer to be put in touch with groups and organizations needing help.

Louise DeWilder, Director of Emergency Services, updated the audience on continuing improvements to the Disaster Operations Plan and its implementation, citing lessons learned in the recent water and power outages this winter.  She stressed the need for all members to register their home (Sea Ranch) telephone numbers for instant notification during an emergency (See her current article in The Bulletin for 3n System phone notification and registration).

Lisa Scott, the Director of Design Operations, reported that California and Sonoma County changes in building codes in designated wildlife-urban interface areas, including the Sea Ranch, are conducting “ignition” tests on wood used as exterior siding, and at the present time, only horizontal tongue and groove siding is allowed, though debate is still clarifying vertical siding and board and batten requirements. Only new construction is affected by the changes.  This code change brought the only question to the presenters and Board . Lisa answered the question, “Will changes in the code require changes to the CC&R’s and a member vote on the changes ?“ The short answer is that nothing in the code changes is in conflict with the CC&R’s since changes in law and state regulation override the CC&R’s.

Two special announcements followed :  Jim Jordan conveyed Board member Rosemarie Hocker’s apologies for missing the meeting, and that she is home at the Ranch and convalescing from her serious illness. She sends her thanks to all who supported and prayed for her during her absence. The meeting chair then introduced past Sea Ranchers of the Year in attendance, who in turn warmly welcomed John Horn to their special group. 

The short meeting sent all scurrying  to the Del Mar House for food, friends, and fellowship.  The three F’s highlight what this meeting is always about. 

NEW FIRE CODE AFFECTS CHOICE OF BUILDING MATERIALS

By Lisa Scott,

Executive Director, Department or Design Compliance and Environmental Management

On January 1, 2008, under Chapter 7A (Wildland Urban Interface) of the 2007 California Building Code, California implemented new requirements for building practices and materials used in new construction within CAL FIRE (formerly CDF) State Responsibility areas.  The Sea Ranch is included within these areas, which tend to be non-incorporated, rural areas. The code targets damage to structures caused by wind-borne burning embers which "lodge" themselves into the openings on the exterior of a building and can cause the structure to burn.  Specifically, the new code pertains to both residential and commercial projects and addresses exterior siding, roofing, glazing, gutters, decking and stairs, skirting of exterior underfloors, enclosure of exterior soffits, and venting of building cavities.  A critical aspect of the new code, and of primary concern to The Sea Ranch, is the requirement for "non-combustible" or "fire-ignition-resistant" exterior siding and decking materials.

Redwood and Cedar, the preferred choices for siding and decking at The Sea Ranch, as well as other lumber products used in exterior construction must pass state-mandated fire tests in order to be code approved.  Therefore, wood product organizations have been working with state officials in conducting fire tests to meet the new standards and in acquiring product and practice  acceptance.  Currently, the wood products (not chemically treated) approved thus far, such as; Western Red Cedar, Incense Cedar, Port Orford Cedar, Alaska Yellow Cedar and Redwood, all require horizontal application with specific types of interlocking joint profiles; tongue & groove being one of these.  Further testing is planned to expand the acceptance of other lumber products used in exterior applications, with additional patterns (vertical), and species expected to be approved in the near future.  A complete and detailed listing of approved products is located in the Wildland-Urban Interface Products Handbook (www.fire.ca.gov/wildland.php).  To obtain a better understanding of the codes, you can access more information at http://www.fire.ca.gov  and click on "Living and Building in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI)".  It is strongly recommended that members planning to engage in a new construction project access this website for further information and resource listings. 

Although these new codes apply strictly to new construction only (not additions or remodels), it is important to pay attention to other restrictions of the Wildland Urban Interface and 2007 California Building code enforcement.  A few examples are the requirement for specific applications of tempered glazing in exterior windows, increased guard rail height, and the use of approved  ventilation methods. These specific requirements, when used in combination with code-approved products, such as siding, are crucial to protecting the structural integrity of a building in the event of a fire. 

FINDING THE RIGHT BALANCE FOR FIRE SAFETY

By Jackie Gardener

Chair, Fire Safety Task Force

I was surprised in April, 2007 when Board Chair Jim Jordan asked me to join a new task force to review all the work undertaken by TSRA for fire safety and determine if any more needed to be done.  I have avoided such activities, but I understood that my association (by marriage) to the sheep herd and my experience of windthrow gave me certain credentials. I thought the work very important, so I agreed to come on board.

Jim Platt began as chair but I took over in August when he left to devote more time to the Point Arena Lighthouse. Other members include Leigh Mueller, Rosemarie Hocker, and Sandy Bush as members of the BoD, plus Bob Hartstock, Tom Osborne, and Alex Long. Each of us represents different perspectives and experiences. We started meeting in May and were given a binder full of studies and plans reviewing fire safety at TSR for the last twenty years, and a presentation by Bill Wiemeyer was made on the Fuels Management Program (FMP)of 2002 and its implementation.

It didn’t take but one meeting to realize how complex fire safety is. I was well aware of criticism that “uneducated” Sea Ranchers were asked to make decisions for action plans and budget requests rather than fire professionals. I wondered about it myself as I read through reams of information and learned a new vocabulary about crown fires and fuel load. Historically, TSRA had tried to blend members with professionals on one committee, but the pros didn’t want to be developing policy or determining feasibility, and the learning curve for non-professionals made it hard to work on an even playing field. So, at the same time the Fire Safety Task Force was chartered, so was the Fire Safe Council.

The FSC is comprised of TSR Fire Chief Dan Levin, CalFire Capt. Shelley Spear, staff members Bill Wiemeyer, Randy Burke, John Prescott and John Fox, plus members Pat Romeiro and Scott Graf along with representatives of the insurance industry and PG & E. Aided by liaison Louise DeWilder, our Disaster Preparedness professional, this group began work on a matrix of fire safety priorities and supporting projects. Capt.Spear and Bill Wiemeyer walked many parts of the Sea Ranch to determine from boots on the ground exactly what was lacking or not being addressed through the current FMP from Spear’s professional perspective.

While they worked on the matrix, we worked on learning all we could about the sheep grazing program, the capabilities of our water system in regards to fire fighting, and how to utilize risk assessment, GIS systems and fire behavior modeling. We walked neighborhoods with Capt.Spear to review the problems and benefits of PRC4291, the new state law mandating a 100’ zone of defensible space around our homes, and talked with the inspectors to learn what they had learned. We reviewed member input from previous surveys, meetings and studies, and looked in detail at what brought us all to TSR and made us want to live in a major wildfire zone. We watched John Prescott’s crew complete roadside fuel break reentry work to better understand exactly what was being taken out and what’s left behind and why. And we met with Carol Rice, the fire behavior consultant who helped write our current FMP and asked what lessons had been learned from recent wildfires that might change what we were doing here.

There is a strong ethic on the part of the FSTF members to make our recommendations based on science and fact rather than emotion and fear. Several times any number of us wanted to quit in frustration and go have a margarita instead. But we didn’t. We stuck to it, we bonded over the complex science of fire behavior and how to apply it to the beautiful natural community we all cherish. And we have learned a lot that we hope our community will benefit from.

Task force members come from different parts of the Ranch, and we hold different ideas about what fire safety means and its relative value. We are engineers, artists, naturalists, teachers, and nurses, but mostly we’re homeowners. We watched in horror this past fall as fires sprang up all over the west and we felt pressure to make good decisions based on hard information that were reasonable, defensible, effective and affordable. We came to understand that we cannot and do not want to limb up or chop down every acre of Sea Ranch. As Dan Levin will tell you, the only way to make this place safe is to pave it. No one understands that better than the FSTF and the FSC.

I am nearly ready to make my third appearance at the final budget hearing to explain our priorities, our thinking, our decisions, and our request for your money. We think we can add value, Sea Ranch value, to your lives by addressing the top priorities developed by the FSC and FSTF and decrease our risk of a crown fire while preserving our natural environment to a high degree. We will be buying a new chipper and putting several thousand extra man hours into the budget to treat more of our streets for safe evacuation, clean up our PG&E power line right-of-ways, create a mineral earth fire break between Annapolis and the Lodge on the east side of the highway, and remove pockets of the least healthy pine plantations closest to structures and power lines.

Is it enough? Is it too much? It is the first step, which creates an expanded program in what will be a multi-year effort. We hope it is a good balance of our values, a step towards a higher degree of fire safety and less risk of the most dangerous crown fires. It looks simple and direct, but many hours of research, study and discussion went into developing this plan. We believe it is a good balance of our priorities and concerns for a reasonable cost.

But our work isn’t done yet. The task force will be in operation until October 2008. We will be considering additional recommendations for the next budget year based on the priorities and workload currently being defined by the Fire Safe Council.  We are also planning member education meetings this summer to share with you our processes and findings. Feel free to contact members of the task force to ask questions or share your concerns.

STEWARDS PRESENT GUALALA POINT ISLAND STUDY

By Diane Hichwa,

member of the Stewardship Task Force

When you walk past Gualala Point Island (GPI), I hope you will look at it with different eyes. During the nesting season, April through August, as you view the rock from the bluff trail you may encounter a small but noisy black bird with a long red beak, the American Black Oystercatcher, often near the tideline.  Looking due west at the rock, the entire visible top--a large triangle-- holds the nests of Western Gulls.  A small collection of plant material marks the locations, but as the speckled downy chicks grow and move around the nest material is quickly scattered or reused by another bird. During the nesting period the adult gulls discourage other birds from landing on the top: immature Western Gulls stay down on the water while Brown Pelicans are chased off the top.

Geologic factors make GPI unique and a favorable habitat for colonial seabirds. Brandt’s Cormorants are big stocky black birds and have a brilliant blue spot just behind the beak during the breeding season (best viewed in good light and through a spotting scope). They are a colonial nesting seabird and GPI is the only island in the ten miles of our Sea Ranch coastline that is large enough, flat enough, and suitable to host a colony of this species. If you could look directly down from above you would find, on the open ocean side of the top, an array of Brandt’s Cormorant nests.  Most of these are spaced apart exactly as far as the cormorant’s neck reaches to an adjacent nest. In a tiny window from the south some of their nests are visible from shore; viewed from above 90 nests are clustered together. Perched or nesting on shelves along the north side of the island you may see Pelagic Cormorants-- slimmer and longer-necked than the Brandt’s and in breeding season wearing an obvious pair of white flank patches. If you look carefully you may notice small black birds with bright red feet, Pigeon Guillemots, sunning themselves near the vertical crevices in which they lay their eggs. The tideline is where some harbor seals haul out to rest.

We are Stewards of the California Coastal National Monument working with the BLM to protect and monitor approximately 500 offshore islands. The Task Force wants to again thank all who volunteered in the 2007 effort—observers, photographers, the pilots who made all of the aerial photography possibly, data entry and committee members.  We also want to acknowledge the assistance of the biologists of the BLM and the USFWS in providing their expertise for the protocol design and the interpretation of the data.  The monitoring efforts in 2007 and the expanded efforts that we are putting into place in 2008 help us to meet our commitments with the BLM.

Sixteen people from our coastal area attended the December 14, 2007 meeting of the California Coastal Commission (CCC) in San Francisco, where the Task Force made a presentation of our monitoring of seabird disturbance during last July’s fireworks in Gualala.  Gerry McChesney, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist with expertise in seabirds, explained the following: “There was quite a bit of nest abandonment immediately after the fireworks display, within just a couple of days.  From my own experience studying Brandt’s Cormorants over the years it is really unusual to see such a high rate of nest abandonment over such a short period of time.  They usually only abandon nests so rapidly due to predation or some kind of disturbance event. That’s in my experience studying them over the last 20 years.  There does seem to be some kind of strong association with the fireworks display and nest abandonment. When we compare what happened at Gualala Point Island with the 3 colonies we monitor in Central California: we had upwards of only 10% at most abandonment over the entire nesting season at the colonies we followed; the GPI colony definitely has much higher rates of abandonment than our colonies did.”

The value of the effort made in 2007 was acknowledged in a letter from the Pacific Seabird Group to the CCC that stated, “Little has been published regarding the impact of fireworks on seabird colonies, and consequently the data gathered by the task force are of great interest.  To the credit of the task force, the documentation of its protocol and the publication of its findings are well presented.  Of importance is the documented impact of the fireworks on the nesting Brandt’s Cormorants, where 11% of the nests were abandoned at the time of the fireworks event.  The documentation by photography, including night photography, indicates that the cormorants reacted quickly and many left the island during the event. … An avoidable disturbance that causes as much as 10% of a population to fail in its breeding attempts is unwarranted.“ 

Point Reyes Bird Observatory, in their letter to the CCC, stated, “Colonies of breeding seabirds such as cormorants and murres are particularly vulnerable to human disturbance.  At sea most of their lives, they come ashore to breed in large colonies.   Nesting closely in dense colonies, these seabirds rarely leave eggs and chicks unattended.  Their greatest natural enemies, the gulls, are quick to respond to the flushing events caused by the close approach of planes, boats, humans, inanimate objects, and loud noises.  Widespread egg or chick loss, as well as permanent desertion of the colony, can potentially result from a single disturbance incident.  As birds of the open ocean, seabirds are important allies in the effort to conserve marine environments.”

In 2008 the CCNM Task Force is looking for volunteers to assist in several projects. We will institute long-term monitoring in two forms. One is independent of the nesting season: a quarterly hike will be initiated to walk the length of the Sea Ranch (divided into several teams and sections) to note which islands have plants, which islands have seasonal use by birds for roosting or nesting, and which are used by seals.  The other long-term component will be a weekly observation during the nesting season (April – August) of three islands known to host nesting birds (Black Point, Galleon’s Arch and GPI) to determine the species and numbers of nests on each island. In addition to the long-term monitoring projects we will continue a period of intensive monitoring at GPI in late June and early July to expand the data collected during the same time frame in 2007.

If you want to get out along the coast and learn new skills, step forward now as a volunteer. We will schedule training in the Spring.  This Stewardship Task Force is co-chaired by Paul Gudiksen (gudiksen@pacbell.net) and Rich Kuehn (windnsea@hughes.net).  Please contact them if you would like to volunteer for any of the monitoring 

Editor’s note: based in part on the presentation of the Stewardship Task Force findings, The Coastal Commission determined that a Coastal Development Permit will be required for any future fireworks display over the Gualala Estuary.

SEA RANCH AFFECTED BY PROPOSED MARINE RESERVES

GERIATRICIAN MANA HOBSON JOINS LIVING WILL PROGRAM

By Claire McCarthy

(This is the second in a series of articles about the programs and providers of Living Well, RCMS’ new holistic health program for adults over 60) 

When Mana Hobson got an intriguing email from one of her former Sutter Residency students, she was very busy and happy with her thriving home care and geriatrics practice in Santa Rosa. 

Melissa Gosland, RCMS family practice physician, was writing to say that the clinic had just received a federal grant for the Living Well program, and she wondered if Mana knew anyone who might be interested in practicing geriatric medicine on the coast.  Mana “thought for about thirty seconds,” she says, before replying that she herself would love to be considered for the job.

“I always had a dream about building a cabin in the woods,” she says, and the combination of living so close to nature and being part of a team of holistic health care providers for older clients was irresistible.  “The Living Well program is so good,” she says, “because it works across the whole spectrum (of geriatric issues), from wellness and prevention to frailty and chronic illness.”

Mana confesses that when she started college her interests lay more in the direction of English, theater and anthropology than science.  But her dad had always encouraged a career in medicine, so to please him she took a few science classes.  She discovered that she enjoyed them, and it was a course in Medical Anthropology that especially fascinated her and captured her heart, eventually leading to her decision to become a doctor.

Although it is a difficult specialty, geriatrics was always her first choice.  “I like to help people solve their problems,” she says.  “Geriatrics is the most service-oriented of the specialties” and seemed to fit best with her talents and goals as a doctor. 

Through her experience as a Geriatrics Educator at Sutter, as well as with the Senior Health Center there and her own practice, Mana is very familiar with many types of programs for seniors, and is excited about the possibility of bringing some of them to the coast.  She mentions, for example, how beneficial it can be for both patients and caregivers to have a dementia day care program, and cites the need for more residential care options like Equinox, and more private paid attendant care, especially for short shifts.   

Although Living Well has only been up and running since December, Mana is excited that the program has already generated a lot of interest.  “We are happy that all kinds of seniors are coming in to meet with me and are benefiting from our expanded services in nutrition, fitness and nurse case management,” she says.

For more information about Living Well and its services, contact director Suzanne Miller  at 882-2189.  

LOCAL NON-PROFITS EXPLORE COLLABORATION

By Marghi Hagen

Our local charitable organizations encounter problems above and beyond the typical issues that confront urban non-profits such as raising enough money and finding enough volunteers. Communities such as the Redwood Coast have these problems plus at least four additional issues:

1) the over abundance of fund raising events that compete both for attendees and dates.

2) the inundation of requests by local charities on local business owners.

3) a shortage of people who are familiar with managing a non-profit organization

4) a shortage of people experienced in effective board directorship.

Over the past several months, as many as fifteen small non-profits have met to explore ways of channeling their energies more effectively in order to better serve this community and interact more efficiently with each other.  

Ideas such as creating a master volunteer database as well as a master calendar of community events have been proposed. Combining fund raising events, creating a master website for all local non-profits, and addressing the issue of community burnout due to on-going requests for donations and a shortage of volunteers have also been discussed.
Yet making this kind of change can be difficult and even frightening for a small organization. So, to explore these ideas further and to provide training on the day to day running of a small non-profit, a three-day workshop was held at the Gualala Arts Center at the end of February.

Training sessions were scheduled on refining goals and mission statements; board and volunteer training; budgeting and long term financial planning; ethics; interagency collaboration; grant writing; and effective fund raising.

More than 30 representatives from local charities met to explore the potential for collaborative interaction between some or all of the Redwood Coast non-profit agencies and to address the potential for making positive changes, whether or not they involve the small charities continuing to meet and work together.

At the end of the three-day training, enthused participants decided to continue exploring ways of collaborating and to begin implementing some of the ideas that were discussed at the seminar, such as a community newsletter, a master calendar of events, and holding monthly “mixers”.

The newly formed Redwood Coast Charitable Alliance is off to a promising start. In the next issue of Soundings, we hope to have more news about what we have accomplished.

 If you would like more information on this project, please contact Marghi Hagen at  bksmvs@aol.com.

NEW ASSOCIATION WEBSITE DESIGN UNDERWAY

FERAL CAT TASK FORCE A SUCCESS

By Dianne Rasmussen

Co-Chair Feral Task Force

In July of 1999, the TSRA BoD established The Feral Cat Task Force in order to stabilize the numbers of feral cats living on The Sea Ranch. Our small group of volunteers has trapped, altered and released or socialized over l25 cats to date. In the first three years of the program, nearly l00 cats were trapped and treated. Costs to The Sea Ranch Association were minimal, as a fund which covered all veterinary costs for spaying and neutering feral cats had been established through the San Francisco SPCA. Additionally, many Sea Ranchers have offered generous donations for medical treatments of cats as treatments have been needed.   

What is a feral cat?

Among the many controversies surrounding feral cats is the issue of the name itself.  Some groups don’t care for the term, preferring words like ”stray”,  “abandoned”, “roaming”, or “unowned”, terms which may say more about our perceptions of pet ownership than about the cats themselves.  Alley Cat Allies, one of the largest organizations dedicated to the humane management of feral cats, offers this definition: ”Feral cats are the offspring of stray or abandoned domestic cats who revert to a wild state. Raised without human contact, they are fearful of humans”.

 Our experience with the feral cat population on The Sea Ranch exceeded the expectations set out for our group.  We have been unable to locate any new litters in the past four years. However, we have rescued many abandoned adult cats who were successfully adopted through our local Humane Society.   

You can identify altered feral cats on The Sea Ranch by their clipped or notched right ear which indicates that they are spayed or neutered.    If you have any questions about a cat in your neighborhood or if you notice a healthy or an ill adult cat or kittens that need our attention, please do call me at 785-0099 or Connie Schimbor at 785-2626 or The Sea Ranch office at 785-2444.  Please continue to help us as we greatly appreciate your assistance.   

Although the work has been time consuming, this has been a very satisfying endeavor for each of us in our group.  We feel we have made a difference both to the preservation of our cherished environment and to the health and well-being of these unfortunate misplaced animals.  We are pleased to tell you of our success.   


SOUNDING OFF - LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Interim Plans For "Soundings"

This issue is our first interim edition of Soundings as we search for a new editor to maintain the excellent standards that Kathi and Duane Gordon have established.for our community newspaper.  I have enjoyed serving as the first interim editor and experiencing first-hand the challenge of putting together  this issue of Soundings. 

I want to thank the many members who willingly and capably contributed to this edition. Thanks also to Kathi and Duane, who continue to do the layout of the articles and photographs for Soundings.

We hope to announce our new editor in the June issue of Soundings. In the meantime, Nancy Carter, Chair of the Communications Committee, steps in as interim editor for the next edition. If you have story ideas or wish to write an article for the next issue of Soundings, please contact Janice Bonora at the Association Office at 785-2444 or jbonora@tsra.org.

"Soundings"  Editor Position Available

The position of Editor in Chief for Soundings, a quarterly publication for Sea Ranch members, was previously advertised as a volunteer position.  To encourage more applicants, the position will now offer a small stipend per issue.

The Editor will collaborate with the Communication Committee to assign writers and photographers, edit and proof copy, work with the Art Director and Advertising Director, approve final layout, and coordinate content with Association staff.  Prospective candidates must be self-directed, have demonstrated ability to write and edit in a balanced manner and be skilled in the use of computers.  Experience with and knowledge of The Sea Ranch is also important. 

A resume and samples of recent work should be submitted by March 30, 2008, to Nancy Carter, Chair of the Sea Ranch Communication Committee, P.O. Box 1706, Gualala, CA.  95445-1706.