Members Present
Mickey Fernandez, Birgit Carstenson, Anne Greenblatt, Elaine Neiswender, David Carpenter, Richard Naegle

Guests
Jim Watson

1. Unanimous approval of minutes from last Board meeting.

2. Tentative Town Meeting set for Sunday 2/26, 4-6, at Oddfellows Hall

   • Richard will check availability of Hall;
   • In addition to the Board elections, agenda might include review of designs proposed by the Downtown Planning Committee for Town Square as well as other input from the community on what is wanted; another topic could be emergency preparedness in cooperation with the Red Cross;

3. Green Valley Creek update

   • $$20,000 grant received for Project in October;
   • Richard pursuing liability insurance for FPA;

4. Downtown Planning Committee update (David)

   • Welcome to Peter Renfro as new Chairperson of our Downtown Planning Committee. Thank you to David Carpenter who is now retiring as Chairperson and from his participation on the FPA Board.
   • Presentation of schematic design of Town Square
   • Unclear on timing of whole Thiessen/Crinella project proposal and when it will be ready to be presented to the Town for review, evaluation, and input;
   • Appropriateness of “labyrinth” as a symbol in the Town Square? One Board member objected to the word as having religious connotations; discussion of origin of word in Greek mythology, as well as the cross-cultural appearance of the symbol throughout history; openness to using other words to describe the symbol, such as “meditative walkway” or “spiraling walkway;” agreed that the design of the Town Square is still under development and the inclusion of such a walkway has still to be decided by the Town; agreed that we must be sensitive to the use of words if and when the walkway needs to be named;

5. Wildlife Habitat report (Elaine)

   • While still part of The Forestville Joyful Living Center, the Wildlife Habitat Project has grown to include all of Sonoma County; there are now 186 certified backyard, business, and school habitats in the County; Forestville remains the center of the Project;
   • Board discussion of building Barn Owl houses; owls are very effective in controlling gophers and voles; idea of Barn Owl house building workshop at the high school — as fund raiser for school and TFJLC’s Wildlife Habitat Project as well as vehicle for student community service; to be explored;

6. Report from The Forestville Joyful Living Center (Elaine)

   • The IRS has asked TFJLC to consider becoming a 501c4 non-profit (instead of a 501c3) because it is more closely in function a social welfare organization. Its current projects and future projects service the needs of the overall community in many diverse areas including youth, teens, seniors and the disabled;
   • TFJLC is in the process of establishing with the Red Cross a satellite location in Forestville which would hold emergency supplies such as food, water, beds, bedding, and first aid supplies;
   • TFJLC and The RED Cross are planning a Town Meeting on emergency preparedness and are in the process of setting up programs for the elementary school and high school;
   • A Naturally Fun Faire which includes a Farmers Market along with fine crafts is being organized and is set to begin on Wednesday evenings in May, 2006;

7. Finances

   • Elizabeth Naegle was unanimously elected Treasurer of the FPA to replace David Carpenter who is leaving the Board;
   • Unanimously approved $100 for renewal of FPA membership with Forestville Chamber of Commerce with link from their web page to ours;
   • Unanimously approved that the FPA President may authorize small expenditures up to $100 without prior Board authorization; such expenditures must be reported to the Board at its next meeting;

Next Board Meeting
Thursday, January 8, 2006 4-6PM
At the home of Birgit Carstenson