American River Watershed Institute
(ARWI)


501.c.3 Education/Research





c/o Harry Hickman, Secretary

105 Darlington Avenue

Auburn, CA 95603




President Otis Wollan

otis@foothill.net

530-346-7967


Board:

Rex Bloomfield
Former Supervisor, District 5, Placer County

Nick Ewing
Dept. of Biology Chair,
CSU Sacramento

Jane Hamilton
Protect American River Canyons

Harry Hickman
Science Teacher, & ARWG Liaison
Placer Union High School District

Dr. Michelle Kalina
Sierra College

Shawna Martinez
Biology Dept Chair and Watershed Ecosystem Technician Program Director, Sierra College

Stan McDonald
CDF retired, PCRCD Board Member

Bart O’Brien
Superintendent, Placer Union High School District

Otis Wollan
Director, District 5
Placer County Water Agency



January 12, 2005

Contact: Otis Wollan

530.346.7967
Stewart Feldman
530.878.7123


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:


Colfax – Meeting dates have been set for the Prop 13 City of Colfax Fire Safety Grant. Everyone is invited to come learn how to get grant money to help support fire safety in the Colfax area community through construction of shaded fuel breaks and defensible space around homes. The meetings are sponsored by the Ponderosa Fire Safe Council.

The City of Colfax received a grant from Proposition 13 to help area residents learn how to make their neighborhoods fire safe, design shaded fuel breaks for their neighborhood, and construct those shaded fuel breaks with reimbursement from the grant of up to 50% of the costs associated with the fire safety work. Grant monies will provide design help to communities from a Registered Professional Forester. Homeowners will then choose their own contractor to do the work on their land, and will receive substantial reimbursement. Reimbursement agreements will be handled by the Placer County Resource Conservation District on behalf of the City of Colfax. American River Watershed Institute is contracted by the City to serve as project manager.

Information meetings on the grant and on fire safety in general will be held both in Colfax and in Meadow Vista.

Colfax meetings will be held on the fourth Thursday and Saturday each month at Sierra Vista Community Center from January through March. Meadow Vista meetings will be held on the fourth Thursday and Saturday each month at the Placer Hills Fire Station #1

In Colfax and in Meadow Vista the dates are:

Thursdays 7 PM Saturdays 9:30 AM

January 27 January 29
February 24 February 26
March 24 March 26


In addition to the regular Ponderosa Fire Safe Council meetings in Colfax and Meadow Vista, Coffee Klatches can be held in any neighborhood in this area. Anyone willing to sponsor a Coffee Katch and invite their neighbors to their home to learn about how this grant can bring assistance to your community, contact either Otis Wollan 346.7967 or Stewart Feldman 878.7123.

The first neighborhood Coffee Klatch will be held in Weimar on Wednesday, January 19, at 7 PM. If you are in the Weimar area and would like to attend, contact Otis Wollan, 346.7967.