A monthly update regarding the important work of RCRC's affiliated entities, providing innovative services for the benefit of rural communities.
ESJPA Welcomes New Member Solano County, Reviews Draft Business Plan
The Rural Counties’ Environmental Joint Powers Authority (ESJPA) recently expanded to 26 member counties with the addition of Solano County as its newest member. Supervisor Mitch Mashburn will serve as the delegate on the ESJPA board representing the County. Solano, which joined RCRC earlier this year, joins the ESJPA as our focus intensifies on assisting member jurisdictions with implementation of organics regulations in accordance with Senate Bill 1383 (Lara, 2016). The regulations, which will impact all residents and businesses in California, require separation of organic food waste and recovery of edible foods to help reduce emissions of methane, a harmful short-lived climate pollutant. While the regulations are complex, ESJPA is committed to helping ensure that its members are equipped to implement the program to the maximum extent feasible in our rural communities.
The ESJPA Board of Directors also got its first look at a draft Business Plan which will set the course for the ESJPA’s development and potential expansion over the next two years. The board provided constructive feedback on the first draft of the plan, which included options to explore additional ESJPA member services and strategies to secure the fiscal solvency of the organization. The Business Plan is on schedule for final board approval at the October ESJPA meeting.
GSNR Showcases Forest Resiliency Plans at Wildland Fire Meeting in the Central Sierra
Last week, Golden State Natural Resources (GSNR) leadership attended the Wildland Fire Successes, Challenges and Solutions event in the Central Sierra event in El Dorado County.
Over the course of three days, private, local, tribal, state, and federal stakeholders convened for a shared learning experience to showcase the successful results of a collaborative approach to wildland fire issues in the Central Sierras and to develop local solutions that contribute to increasing progress. The event included a tour of forest lands where fire adaptive approaches have occurred and a demonstration of a new wildfire water delivery system. The overwhelming theme of the event was the need for proactive forest management at landscape scale to promote forest and watershed health, and fire survival.
GSNR Vice President Kevin Cann, along with GSNR partner, Claren Nilsson of Lost River Fire Management, both presented to the attendees. Ms. Nilsson emphasized the importance of forest stewardship and collaboration. Mr. Cann provided an update on GSNR’s forest resiliency project, emphasizing the benefits of alliances among the individual groups. The Project was favorably received by the federal, state, and private partners in attendance as one piece of the solution puzzle.
The event was organized by the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy. GSNR and RCRC jointly served as one of the hosts. The event was attended by over 70 fire professionals both in person and virtually.
To learn more about GSNR and its forest resiliency projects visit www.goldenstatenaturalresources.com
Golden State Finance Authority Conducts First County Webinars for Assist-to-Own Program
In June, Golden State Finance Authority (GSFA) conducted the first in a series of informational webinars regarding the new Assist-to-Own program, which provides county employees in GSFA member counties with homeowners' assistance for the purchase or refinance of a home in California.
These webinars included two sessions for Monterey County, and one for Tehama County. A Board Supervisor for each county provided an opening introduction at the sessions, with Supervisor Chris Lopez opening the Monterey County webinars and Supervisor Bob Williams opening the Tehama County webinar. During the webinars GSFA staff provided county employees with an overview of the program, the potential benefits, and the necessary qualifications to apply. Attendees were also given the opportunity to ask detailed questions.
The webinars were well attended, with Monterey County in particular experiencing total attendance of approximately 500 employees. The webinars were recorded so that they can be shared out by each county to employees who may have been unable to attend. Monterey is planning to hold a third employee webinar in early July. Additional webinars are scheduled for other GSFA member counties in the coming months, with that number expected to increase.
These informational webinars are one way that GSFA is partnering with its member counties to spread the word to employees about the “Assist-to-Own” program. For additional information regarding “Assist-to-Own” and GSFA, visit www.gsfahome.org or call (855)740-8422. Counties interested in working with GSFA to market the program to their employees, including setting up an individualized webinar for their county, should contact Carolyn Jhajj at cjhajj@rcrcnet.org.