Members Present
David Carpenter, Anne Greenblatt, Richard Naegle, Joan Riback Non-quorum meeting. Secretary: Richard Naegle

1. Happy Holidays everybody! Business reviewed but no new decisions made.

2. Governance Committee Report 
   Richard Naegle reported on his conversations with the IRS and Raynetta James regarding our application for non-profit status. It appears that many of our current organizational goals (e.g. monitoring property development, downtown planning, strengthening the local business community, keeping the community informed of hot current issues) would not qualify us for either 501C3 or 501C4 status. We could scale back our goals to qualify but therefore limit the freedom of the FPA to engage in community issues. 
   
   By not having 501C3 status, donations to the FPA would not be tax deductible. However, many people still contribute to politically/community oriented organizations. 
   
   If we had 501C4 status, the FPA would not have to pay taxes on its annual income. However, we would have to pay $800/year to maintain our corporate status — far more than any taxes we might have to pay on our anticipated, modest income. 
   
   Joan Riback, the Board Chairperson, has already written the IRS for a 90 day extension of our application while we decide these issues. The Governance Committee will meet to discuss options and strategies and report back to the Board.

3. Town Meeting
   There will be a meeting held in Guerneville just prior to our town meeting to thoroughly review river flow issues. Since this was to be a main topic for our Town Meeting, we will ask two or three who attend the Guerneville meeting to summarize the salient issues for our Town Meeting, followed by discussion and action planning. 
   
   Unfortunately, I did not write down the particulars of the important Guerneville meeting. But I trust that Joan will notify us when she returns from her vacation.

4. Affordable Housing 
   Burbank Housing reports that for its proposed project in Forestville that it will bury power lines and allow the housing to appreciate at market rates. Burbank will build 32 homes, while the General Plan allows up to 50. 
   
   The PRMD meeting did not approve a County proposed second site in Forestville.

5. Town Survey 
   Pursuant to the Board’s 10/27/03 decision to survey the 95436 zip code, we discussed how to implement that decision in the January issue of the Gazette. Ann Greenblatt will distribute a list of suggested questions to Board members for their approval. She will also talk with Sig and Vesta about the best format. 
   
   We all strongly agreed that the survey needs to come out in the January issue since the latest report is that the EIR for the gravel quarries will be released 12/30/03, after which there will be only 30 days for community response. We will need the results of the survey to know the community’s stance and to more effectively make a response.

Next Board Meeting
Saturday, January 10, 2004 10-12AM
At the home of TBD