Posted on: March 7th, 2022

Notes from the February 14, 2022 Meeting

Next Town Meeting will be Monday April 11^th, 2022, 7:00 P.M. by Zoom

 Chair Emma Dirolf called the meeting to order.  Only seven people attended: Emma, Marcus Moench, Virginia Schultz, Secretary Gretchen Diefenderfer, Leslie Finn, and Rick Sinner. As we did not have a quorum, this was not an official Gold Hill Town Meeting, no votes could be taken, but we decided to have a meeting and publish what news we had.

Minutes of the December meeting could not be approved, but there were no corrections or additions.

Treasurer’s report – no report

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Mountain Stewards/Forestry and Forest Management – Virginia reported that lots of things are happening.  The pursuit of solar bulk buying is moving along.  Cat Russell has made a Denver contact – step by step.  The committee is still working on a climate action map which will help look at the best ways to take action.

         Things accomplished: CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) was great last year and will be started up again this year. Electric vehicle charging station – they are waiting – there is new information all the time – they’ve looked at locations.  Attending the Marshall Fire debriefing yielded many lessons, i.e., wood fences just guide the fire along.  They are looking at how transfer funding and grant money in order to have larger impacts.

         May 7 is National Wildfire Community Preparedness Day.  Erin Fried of the Boulder Watershed collective sent the following email: The Gold Hill Mountain Stewards and The Boulder Watershed Collective want to let Gold Hill residents know about a national initiative: May 7^th: Wildfire Community Preparedness Day. This national campaign, developed by The National Fire Protection Association, is a day focused around getting people and organizations together to take action to raise wildfire awareness and reduce wildfire risks. To help fund the cost of any ‘Preparedness Day’ projects you may have in mind, you can apply for $500 funds (https://webportalapp.com/appform/login/wildfireprepday2022) – deadline is Monday, Feb 28th, 2022. For questions or comments about this national campaign, feel free to email: erin@nullboulderwatershedcollective.org

         The Mountain Stewards meet once a month.  The next meeting is March 7 at 7 pm.  Contact Virginia if you’re interested (Virginia.Schultz@nullColorado.EDU)

         As for the Grant ($29,000), they are looking for workers to help on May 7 and in June.  They have submitted an application to extend the Wildfire Grant as they have not spent all the money yet and the deadline is May 26.  Teams Inc. has a lot of labor available in June.  They can work on things like weed whacking, hauling slash, perimeter work on homes, flashing projects.  Julien with the Watershed Collective (WSC) is looking at costs.  How to get on the list?  Call Virginia 303-442-2226.

         The WSC is again looking to do the Sunset Trail Race and to use money raised to support wildfire mitigation.  Kris Gibson, Maya MacHamer, Marcus, and Leslie are working on more grants.

         Mill levy increase for the Fire Department – there was an informal discussion on Sunday at the Store – lots of questions – broad support there.

There were few other Committee Reports –

Museum – Gretchen reports that the Calendar Committee is gearing up for the 2023 Calendar and welcomes any ideas, pictures, poems, drawings, etc., as well as anyone who would like to join the committee.

Fire Department – Leslie reports that all personnel who needed CPR recertifications attended the class last Saturday.  New(ish) firefighter Max Mazurkiewicz finished the Fire Academy and is going to pursue his EMT this spring, which is huge for us as we need medical responders.  The County is finally plowing in front of the station, which is very nice. And they are plugging away at trainings.

Other Town News – Emma has heard from the Speed Study person and he will join us at the April GHTM.

 

Notes by Gretchen Diefenderfer, Secretary of the GHTM