McPherson Proposes To Dust Off Town Plans

News Release from the office of Supervisor Bruce McPherson:

A generation ago, Felton residents gathered to talk about their favorite places and experiences in town and contributed their ideas and visions for the future of Felton.  That community participation process, coordinated with an analysis of pedestrian and traffic patterns, was developed into a town plan with a wish list of projects and goals.

A few years later, similar processes were repeated in the neighboring communities of Boulder Creek and Ben Lomond.

Many of the ideas proposed in the town plans have come to fruition; many have not.  Fifth District Supervisor Bruce McPherson is asking residents to dust off their town plans, or read them for the first time, and meet to talk about what projects should be next.

McPherson has proposed three town meetings:  the first in Boulder Creek in February, the second in Ben Lomond in March, and the third in Felton in April.  The Boulder Creek meeting will be on Tuesday, February 26, 2013, at 7:00 p.m. at Boulder Creek Elementary School in the Multipurpose Room.

Supervisor McPherson, County Economic Development Director Barbara Mason, and County Planning Department Director Kathy Previsich will facilitate the discussions. 

Participants will be able to meet in small groups to put forward ideas about next possible projects.

Felton's Town Plan, adopted in 1987, was the first plan adopted in the San Lorenzo Valley.  Many of the projects included in the Felton plan have been completed, including a new park (Covered Bridge Park) and a farmer's market.  But angled parking, wider sidewalks, and pedestrian connections have not been achieved.

The Ben Lomond Town Plan, adopted in 1990, envisioned a river walk, traffic improvements, and streetscape projects, many of which have been completed.  However, pedestrian links to the town center have not been completed.

Boulder Creek's Town Plan, adopted in 1992, emphasized the desire to retain the unique character of the town while allowing expanded commercial services in the town core, providing more activities, and improving recreational facilities.  Boulder Creek's plan also called for angled parking in part of the downtown area along Central Avenue.             

For those without computer access, a limited number of copies of each of the town plans have been provided by Supervisor McPherson.  Copies of the Boulder Creek Town Plan are available at the Boulder Creek Library and Boulder Creek Hardware.  Copies of the Felton Town Plan are available at Liberty Bank.  Copies of the Ben Lomond Town Plan are available at Coffee Nine.  The town plans are also available online by visiting Supervisor McPherson's webpage:  http://www.co.santa-cruz.ca.us/Government/BoardofSupervisors/District5.aspx.

Welcome Home

Boulder Creek's Sean McLean's a local blogger at Geekincreekans and he published a number of photos he took this weekend around SLV and kindly allowed us to "borrow" some.  Somebody lives behind that gate and many more are fortunate to pass by it now and again.  Anybody know where this is?

Incidentally you can also follow Sean on Twitter @oddeofun but be sure and check out the blog which he describes as "Not your typical humor, tech, family, zen, blog thingie"  and it's not that and a lot more.

Thanks Sean for the geeks eye view of our valley home!

Eric Hammer Schedules Campaign Kickoff Event

Brookdale's Eric Hammer will officially announce his intention to seek the office of County Supervisor representing the Fifth District at an event in Boulder Creek on Thursday, Nov 17th.

Here is a copy of the news release issued by his campaign:

ERIC HAMMER ANNOUNCES RUN FOR SANTA CRUZ COUNTY BOARD OF  SUPERVISORS, DISTRICT 5

Campaign Kickoff To Be Held Thursday, November 17, 2011 at 5:30PM

Scopazzi’s Restaurant, 13300 Big Basin Way, Boulder Creek

Brookdale’s Eric Hammer will officially announce his candidacy for County Supervisor at a special event in Boulder Creek on Thursday November 17. The community is invited to join Eric, his wife Susan and dozens of local dignitaries and community leaders at Scopazzi’s Restaurant.

Hammer chose to kickoff his campaign in Boulder Creek in part to show his appreciation for the tremendous support he has received from his north county neighbors who have twice elected him to the Parks and Recreation District Board.

“I was born and raised in the San Lorenzo Valley, I went to school here, I built a business here and this is where I chose to raise my family.” Hammer said, “I’m passionate about ensuring that my kids have the same experience, the same beautiful environment and the same opportunities that this community has given me.”

Hammer, 43, is the son of Mary and Joe Hammer of Boulder Creek. He and his wife Susan have three children: Kai, Charlie and Ruby.

He is a member of the Boulder Creek Recreation and Parks District Board, President of the Boulder Creek Business Association, a member of the Board of Directors of Community Bridges of Santa Cruz County and is on the Citizens Advisory Committee of Mountain Community Resources.

Details:

Eric Hammer for Supervisor Campaign Kickoff

Date: November 17

Time: 5:30-7PM

Place: Scopazzi's Restaurant, 13300 Big Basin Way, Boulder Creek

Boulder Creek Holiday Tree Towers Above Town

The 74 foot Spruce going up in Rockefeller Center will be seen by more people and the 63 foot Fir from Stanislaus National Forest that will become the U.S. Capital Tree is travelling the longest distance; the 100 + foot Redwood in Boulder Creek, California not only towers above them both but it has to be among the prettiest town trees in America.

The tree will be lit on the Friday after Thanksgiving as part of a big annual town party that will delight residents and visitors as much as the lighting of the other two.

The tallest Christmas tree in the world is said to be in Blue Ridge Oregon and has it's own web cam: http://goo.gl/NW6e3 I'm betting, however, that the tallest "indoor" tree might be just up the block in Boulder Creek at Rainbow Coffee.

Boulder Creek April Calendar of Events, Deals and Live Music

BCRPD's Eric Hammer Honored By State Rec & Park District Assn

The Boulder Creek Recreation and Park District just announced that Director Eric Hammer has been selected to receive an Award of Distinction for Outstanding Board Member for Director Eric Hammer from the California Association of Recreation and Park Districts (CARPD).  


Eric has been instrumental in leading the district in park renovations, strategic planning, and community building for more than 6 years.  He is very committed to creating community through people, parks, and programs.  The award will be presented during the CARPD 2011 annual conference on Saturday, April 16, 2011 in Monterey.


Eric lives with his wife and three children in Brookdale.

Public Meeting on Latest Library Proposal Set for Saturday

The Compromise Subcommittee of the Library Joint Powers Board has issued a recommended library model which they say is supported by all its members.  The model maintains the current 10 branch system and increases open hours at the Boulder Creek Library to 35 and the Felton Library to 30 per week over 5 days at each.  Overall the plan increases library open hours system wide by 53%.  The downtown branch and the Scotts Valley branch would be open 7 days a week under the proposal which will be phased in over the next 15 months. The full report is available here (pdf).

Three community meetings regarding the subcommittee proposal are scheduled for Saturday, March 26.  One of the meetings is set for the Felton Fire House between 3:30 and 4:30 PM.

The subcommittee consists of County Supervisor Ellen Pirie, Santa Cruz City Councilmember David Terrazas, Capitola City Councilmember Sam Storey, and Citizen member and Board Chair Barbara Gorson. The subcommittee met over the past five weeks with Santa Cruz City and County staff to develop financial projections.

“It is important to note” the report states “that detailed implementation, staffing and operational plans will be developed once the Board has approved a model. These details will be incorporated into the Library’s annual budget, beginning with fiscal year 2011/12.”

The Library Board will review and make a decision on this library model at the April 4, 2011 Board meeting. The time and place of that meeting has not been set.

HEAD LIBRARIAN SEEKS “EXTREME MAKEOVER”

Santa Cruz City Council Meeting Tonight Will Likely Seal the Fate of the Felton Library 

The Future Felton Library Once Again in Jeopardy

Teresa Landers, the Director of the City-County Santa Cruz Public Libraries System recommended to the Library Joint Powers Authority Board (LJPB) that four of the oldest and most revered branches in the system be shut in favor of what she termed the “boldest and most visionary” plan for the future.  Her favored model involves “changing the face” of the library by eliminating the La Selva Beach, Branciforte, Garfield and Felton branches from the system, reducing the hours of operation of the Boulder Creek Branch and repurposing the system to reach out to people who do not currently use it.

Landers presented a rapid-fire, 30 minute, power point summary of four service model proposals developed over four months by a 20 member task force composed of LPJB members, library staff, paid consultants and ordinary citizens. For the next 90 minutes the Board listened to a stream of  two minute appeals from the public.  

Only two of the four models garnered any significant support and the vast majority of those present favored a model that kept existing branches open.  Library staffers however argued for the model favored by their boss saying that the current system was no longer relevant in our high tech age.  

A large contingent of SLV residents present felt they had been ambushed.  Most assumed that after campaigning hard in 2008 for an extension of the County sales tax to support the existing system that saving local branches was a shared goal.  It turns out that the library administrators have a different vision.  Closing branches appears to be more a philosophical difference than a financial one.  Each of the service models presented was developed using the same revenue numbers.  The allocation of the available funds between staffing, materials, special projects and reserves were the major differences.

While acknowledging the obvious passion residents expressed for their local libraries, Landers painted them as “nostalgics” who were failing to embrace the library of the 21st century.   

LJPB member and County Supervisor Ellen Pririe received an ovation when she rejected Lander’s “bold and visionary” characterization saying that the proposal “takes libraries away from people and that’s not the business we’re in.”   She was joined in her support by fellow board members Supervisor Mark Stone and Nancy Gerdt of Felton.

LJPB member and Scotts Valley City Councilman Jim Reed indicated he was ready to vote to close the branches in favor of a higher materials budget presumably to help fill the new branch being built as a cornerstone of the long promised Town Center. Ironically, Scotts Valley was the only jurisdiction in the County where voters turned down the 2008 sales tax measure.    He was joined by Board chair and Capitola resident Barbara Gorson.  Santa Cruz resident Leigh Poitinger appeared ready to sacrifice her local Branciforte branch in favor of the staff proposal.

Santa Cruz City Council LJPB members Katherine Beiers and David Terrazas indicated they will wait to until their consituents have an opportunity to weigh in at tonight’s SC City Council meeting before coming to a decision.  

The ninth Board member, Sam Storey from Capitola, missed the meeting because of a death in his family.

PLEASE HELP SAVE THE LIBRARIES IN THE SAN LORENZO VALLEY

From the Felton Library Friends:

We have breaking news that creates an urgent need for massive numbers of people to contact Santa Cruz City Council members before Tuesday’s City Council meeting…and to attend that meeting if possible. This may be as important as attending Monday night’s Joint Powers Board Meeting in determining whether or not branches are closed.  

Here’s the context:  We need a majority of the Library Joint Powers Board – at least five Board members -  to vote in favor of the task force’s Service Model C, which would keep all branches open. The Board includes two members of the Santa Cruz City Council.

The Santa Cruz City Council, in part through the urging of Library Director Teresa Landers, will consider directing their two Joint Powers Board representatives to vote for whichever task force model the entire council  votes on at their meeting this coming Tuesday, 2/8. Normally the  JPB members do their own research and vote according to what they feel is best for the library system as a whole.

We are concerned that the council, presented with a heavily weighted introduction from Director Landers, may vote to direct their two representatives on the Joint Powers Board to support an option that would close branches - two votes that could be crucial for getting Model C passed.

Furthermore, this subverts the public comment process, a period up to and including Monday, Feb. 14, by effectively directing two members of the Joint Powers Board in how to cast their votes before they have heard all public comments.

URGENT ACTION REQUESTED:

* Please immediately contact friends who live in Santa Cruz and are likely to be interested in this issue and willing to take action — or forward this email to them. Ask them to contact their Santa Cruz City Council members about this issue before the end of the day Monday if possible.  Contact and talking points information is provided below.

*Please try to attend, and encourage others (especially SC residents) to attend, the Santa Cruz City Council meeting this Tuesday night, February 8 at 7:00 p.m. in the City Council chambers (809 Center Street, S.C.) to speak against the council directing its members how to vote, and to express your support for keeping branches open.

* Please forward this to people you know countywide so they can help spread the word.

* Feel free to write to the Santa Cruz City Council yourself as well, although letters from Santa Cruz City residents will carry the most weight.

Talking Points Information

• Talking points for letters and/or calls are available below and at www.feltonlibraryfriends.org.
• To see the packet submitted to the council, including the Director’s introduction and the Task Force Report, go to http://www.cityofsantacruz.com/index.aspx?page=752 and click on the blue box that says “7 p.m. session”.

Contact Information for Santa Cruz City Council:

You can send a general email stating that it is for the Library agenda item for the 2/8 7:00 p.m. meeting to: citycouncil@cityofsantacruz.com.

OR contact council members individually (home phone #s are from the City website):
Name Email Home phone #
Ryan Coonerty (Mayor) rcoonerty@cityofsantacruz.com 423-8939
Don Lane (Vice Mayor) dlane@cityofsantacruz.com 426-4272
Katherine Beiers kbeiers@cityofsantacruz.com 426-6108
Hilary Bryant hbryant@cityofsantacruz.com 421-0334
Tony Madrigal tmadrigal@cityofsantacruz.com n/a
Lynn Robinson lrobinson@cityofsantacruz.com n/a
David Terrazas dterrazas@cityofsantacruz.com n/a


Here are some basic talking points you might wish to use in your spoken remarks, emails, or phone calls -- add your own situation to make your comments personal:

General points

• Model C is the Community model: it provides community-wide access and honors the vote of communities throughout the County.
• Model C meets the Board's criteria for long-term sustainability.  I urge you not to cut branches, since you do not need to. This will help build countywide support for a future bond measure for facility improvements to our libraries.
• Great access for some and not for others is a poor way to run a library system
• Library systems close branches when there are absolutely no alternatives
• Model C clearly demonstrates a way to have a 10 branch system that can continue to grow.
• Felton, gateway community for several mountain communities, has no teen center, no boys and girls club, no recreation center or swim center open year round, and a lack of meeting spaces. Closing the library would close the door on existing plans for a new library in this facility-poor area.
• Model C is the only model that has the capacity to unite our system now and into the future.

Measure B and Measure R

• I voted for Measure B in 1996, and for Measure R in 2008 with the expectation that the Library administration and Board would follow the language of those measures.  Model C is the only model that honors the trust that 72% of the voters placed in the Board.  
• SLV voters were led to believe that a “YES” vote on Measure R in June of 2008 would eventually lead to the long planned new Felton Branch, not for closure of the existing branch.

Strategic Plan 2010-2015 (see SCPL website):

• In the Strategic Plan, “people of all ages find their branch to be a welcoming place and people of all ages will define the level of service they need and want”. If the board embraces the plan they adopted in 2010, they will support the existence of all community branches in the county.
• I was one of about 80 people who attended the Felton town hall meeting that contributed to the Strategic Plan for the Library system.  I urge you to build on that Strategic Plan and those important community meetings by strengthening the Library system's role in communities throughout the County.  Please support Model C.
• The recent Town Hall meetings and county wide survey indicated that people want a nearby branch.
• The Strategic Plan 2010-2015 states that the fastest growing sector in the county is seniors. Seniors need facilities nearby.
• Two of the Guiding Principles from the Strategic Plan are to be customer driven, and to add value to the community’s quality of life. Only Model C embraces both of the Guiding Principles
• As stated in the Strategic Plan, “people of all ages find their branch to be a welcoming place and people of all ages will define the level of service they need and want”. If the board follows the direction adopted in the Strategic Plan, they will embrace the existence of all branches and communities in the county.

The following points address features of Plans A, B and D
Volunteers

• Communities should not be responsible for staffing branches with volunteers in order to keep them open. Residents of all areas of the county are already paying taxes to do that.  
• When a volunteer does not show up, the branch does not open. This is not a way to build use.
• It’s much more effective to use volunteers for jobs that aren’t dependent on the library opening its doors.

Specialized Branches

• Specialty branches make sense in a city system but not in a county system where people would have to drive long distances (assuming they were able to) to get “specialized” services.  
• All branches need to be ready and flexible to meet the needs of the users. Would a Genealogy branch serve well young children and teens? Would a tech hub serve the needs of seniors?
• Every branch needs to have the technological tools for users to stay current with innovations. To concentrate this valuable information at one branch, would disenfranchise other users in the county.
• The Branciforte branch may be easy for Santa Cruz city residents to locate and access, but not so for other users in the county
• There’s plenty of room at the Downtown branch for Genealogy and California History, which is easier to find than Garfield Park.  

What is more important in a library than anything else - than everything else - is the fact that it exists.  ~Archibald MacLeish

Felton Library Friends

P.O. Box 1245

Felton CA 95018

831-335-1135

www.feltonlibraryfriends.org

feltonlibraryfriends@gmail.com

Is The World Series Trophy Coming to Boulder Creek?

Photo via SfGiants via Twitpik


Is a  former Boulder Creek Elementary School kid taking the SF Giants World Series Trophy for "show and tell"?  We know all about the Visa sponsored SF Giants World Series Trophy tour that made a (brief) stop at the Boardwalk but might there be an unscheduled appearance along Highway 9 in the works? Keep your eyes peeled.  Incidentally we understand that Pat the Bat will be sporting the number 5 this season which was his favorite when he was playing little league in these parts.

Pitchers and catchers report for spring training in 11 days!

Fate of Felton Library To Be Determined

The Final Report of the Task Force formed in June 2010 to study and recommend service models to the Library Joint Powers Board proposes four options for the future of the Library System and only one of the four  would retain Felton as a full fledged branch.  In two of the models the Felton branch would be shut completely while a fourth option calls for a "library/community" partnership.


The Boulder Creek branch survives in three of the four models and would become a partnership in the fourth.


The report (available here) runs 117 pages and details each of the proposals with staffing and service levels as well as a benefits and risks statement associated with each.

Author To Share Secrets About the SLV Flume

On Sunday February 27, 2011, at 3:00pm, the San Lorenzo Valley Museum will host a historical talk and book signing at Highlands Park Senior Center in Ben Lomond with Museum President Lisa Robinson.  Robinson will read from and discuss her newly released book The San Lorenzo Valley Flume.  All proceeds from the sale of the book will benefit the museum.  The event itself is free.

The flume carried lumber - and some adventurous fun seekers - from Boulder Creek to Felton prior to the arrival of the railroad.  The book explores the history of the flume, through construction diagrams, fascinating eye witness accounts, and rare photographs.

The location of the head of the flume, just north of Boulder Creek, was described in Charles E. Brimblecom’s 1875 diary, loaned to the Museum by Roberta Rocca, a Brimblecom descendant, and was a critical element that spurred the author to more thoroughly research the subject.

The book dispels some myths about the flume, talks about the people who financed it, built it, played on it, worked on it, and, eventually, tore it down. It examines flume construction methods and the challenges faced by those operating and maintaining the flume. 

Copies of the book The San Lorenzo Valley Flume are available for purchase at the Museum, on the Museum website (www.slvmuseum.com) and at local retail outlets.

Camp Joy Gardens 34th Annual Wreath Sale and Open House

Every Fall, on the Sunday before Thanksgiving starting at 11:00 AM, Camp Joy Gardens celebrates the bounty of the season by hosting their Wreath Sale and Harvest Open House. Beautiful and unique dried flower wreaths highlight the event. but also available are seed packs, varietal honeys, beeswax candles, herbal salve, herbal vinegars, various canned goods including jams, pickles, chutneys and fruit butters, and often persimmons and late season apples. Hot apple cider and an assortment of yummy baked goods, homemade goat cheese, and some of the canned goods for sampling are set out for guests to enjoy while they're browsing.

Support Camp Joy Garden by doing some of your holiday shopping early and enjoy an autumn day at the farm.  You can also follow the goings on via the Camp Joy Garden Blog or on Facebook.

Forty Turnout for Boulder Creek Community Meeting on Public Safety

Note:  The following is an edited account of a community meeting held recently in Boulder Creek and compiled from notes made by Felton resident and SLV Chamber of Commerce Director Mary Andersen.

On Wednesday, Sept 15th, about 40 people gathered at the Boulder Creek Fire Department for a community meeting on crime and public safety.  The meeting was organized by Denese Matthes at the behest of the the family of a Boulder Creek assault victim..  

Deborah Elston, the founder of  Santa Cruz Neighbors  whose family has a long history in the Big Basin area, stepped up and moderated the meeting sharing suggestions on how residents and neighborhoods can organize to report and prevent crime. Elston’s emphasis was on the community being the “eyes and ears for law enforcement” and to “constantly use 911” when appropriate. She informed attendees about recent local legislation that grew from the input of neighborhood groups and meetings like this one. She also addressed how these meetings bring people from all sides of the political spectrum together as neighborhood safety and crime is a nonpartisan issue and that it’s always interesting having people from the right and left sitting next to each other in agreement.

Boulder Creek Cemetery Ghost Story

A group calling themselves the Santa Cruz County Ghost Hunters concluded that there are "many entities roaming the Boulder Creek Cemetery."  The final report of  a months long investigation by the local paranormal investigators who are focused on the Santa Cruz County area was just published online.


The report includes some interesting history including a legend involving a curse allegedly placed on Boulder Creek by an Ohlone chief.


You an read the entire findings here.