By Bob Rawson
With the issues surrounding the flow of the Russian River coming to a boil more interest has been generated in an organization by the name of the River Watershed Council. The Russian River Watershed Council is a 501C-3 non- profit organization representing the stakeholders in the Russian River. Linda Curry is the Coordinator of the Russian River Watershed Council and may be reached at http://www.rrwc.net 707-526-7865.
The public is invited and encouraged to attend meetings of the Council. Meeting dates scheduled this year are: March 13, May 15, July 10, September 11, November 13, These meetings begin at 9 AM at the Cloverdale Veterans Memorial Building and last until about 1 PM.
From its beginning 4 years ago I have represented Forestville Citizens for Sensible Growth on this council and on several of its subcommittees including, the Public Outreach Committee. Tom Cruckshank is my alternate. The Council is composed of stakeholders in the Russian River Watershed, living in Sonoma and Mendocino Counties.
The Council is divided into three Caucuses and is well attended by a number of agency staff including Miles Ferris of The City of Santa Rosa, Bill Cox of Fish and Game, Mike Reilly 5th District Supervisor, Richard Shoemaker of Mendocino County Board of Supervisors, Karen Rippey of the Army Corp of Engineers, Bob Klamt, and Al Welman of the Regional Water Quality Control Board, Tom Roth of Congresswoman Woolsey's office, and various members of the public. We frequently have interesting speakers and presentations from organizations like Circuit Riders or Prunuske and Chatam on such things as stream restoration and the RHIS mapping of the resources of the watershed.
The three Caucuses that make up the council are the Public, Environmental and Economic Caucuses. Forestville Citizens for Sensible Growth elected to sit on the Public Caucus which, I believe, is and has been the most effective and active of the three.
The Council is also broken down into work groups. Of these the most active is The POE or Public Outreach Committee. The POE meets Feb 17 March 18, April 20, May 18, June 22, July 20, August 24, September 21, October 19, November 16, December 21, At the Windsor City Library.
The Council has a steering committee that meets on Feb 10, Feb 25, April 13, April 30, June 8, August 10, August 25, June 23, October 5, October 27, December 7, December 22, These meetings tend to be spread out between Mendocino and Sonoma County.
Bob Rawson may be reached at 887-1811. Other West County members of the Watershed Council include Richard Miller, Bob Clemens, Judy Christensen, Brock Doleman, Brian Hinds, and Zeno Swijtink.
The council like any organization seeks to constantly attract new people and stay both vital and connected with the stakeholders interests. With the issues surrounding the flow of the river at stake we need that new enthusiasm. Please take a Saturday and drive up to the next meeting. There is always a good spread of snacks, and beverages and an opportunity to mingle.
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