Erin Brockovich at the Berger Center
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Oakmont’s Semimonthly Newspaper www.oakmontvillage.com/news October 15, 2018 • Volume 57, Number 20 Erin Brockovich Dog Park Near Community Lawn Bowling at the Berger Center Garden Gains Momentum, Demonstration Day Environmental activist Erin Brockovich drew a record Cost Questioned Sunday Symposium crowd nAl Haggerty of 200 on Sept. 23 at the Berger Center, where she urged individuals to become While a proposal to build an Oakmont dog park involved in community issues near the Community Garden on Stonebridge Road because “Superman is never appears to be gaining momentum, the estimated cost going to show up.” of $283,000 may turn out to be a roadblock. (Photo by Julie Kiil) Both the location and costs were explored at a board workshop Oct. 2 at the Berger Center. While the board cannot take any action at workshops, several directors expressed reservations about spending up to $295,000 Oakmont Seeks Firewise on a dog park. Estimated costs vary from $213,000 to $295,000 depending on which of three possible Designation locations is chosen. Directors Heidi Klyn and Carolyn n Jackie Ryan Bettencourt were absent. Oakmont residents got a chance to try their hand at lawn Pat Olive, president of the Oakmont Community bowling and sign up for some individual lessons during the Making Oakmont a designated Firewise USA Garden Board, said in a written statement to the board club’s demonstration day on October 24. Here club member community is more than just a name. For OVA Manager that “a dog park should not be allowed anywhere Mark Johnston (right) gives instruction to Sandy Throne. Kevin Hubred, the march towards earning the special near” the garden. “Any dog park on the west side of Waiting his turn is Topher Gayle. (Photo by Julie Kiil) status is an important milestone in being able to secure the garden,” she wrote, “has the high potential to prove grant funding to increase defensible space. a health risk to gardeners by contaminating the garden Hubred is working with the OVA’s new Fire and its produce and should not be allowed.” Safety Committee and local and state fire officials to However, after a lengthy workshop discussion of OVA Board President put together a framework that will allow Oakmont possible steps to mitigate the health risks, including to apply for special grant funding to help create controlling any water runoff from a dog park by changing “Somewhat Optimistic” “defensible space,” the area around a structure where the grade of the site and the use of a berm or swale, combustible vegetation has been cleared, reduced or Garden Club board members softened their position. Regarding Possible Aid replaced. Olive told the Oakmont News, “If we can be assured “Taking steps to become a Firewise community has that the garden is totally safe,” the Garden Club for Golf Course a lot of obvious safety benefits,” said Hubred. “The would drop its opposition. Shirley Phillips, a garden n designation may also give preference to applicants for Al Haggerty available state and federal grant money for wildfire See DOG paRK on page 7 In the wake of an Oakmont Village Association safety or fuel mitigation. We’ve begun to take the board workshop to discuss possible financial aid steps to seek out available resources and funding.” for the Oakmont Golf Club, Steve Spanier, OVA Dan Milhollin, chairman of the Fire Safety Oakmont Honors Veterans Board President, told the Oakmont News that he is Committee, said several initiatives are planned to help “somewhat optimistic” that a special committee with Oakmont “come together to get organized and map and First Responders members from the two sides can work out a mutually out directions for our fire safety efforts. We hope as acceptable solution. people go through the processes, they will learn more nStaff reports In his comments the day after the Oct. 2 workshop about fire risks in the community and the things they at Berger, Spanier said “a lot of hope is pinned on Come out to recognize the sacrifice of veterans can do together and by themselves to reduce them.” the new committee,” which is tasked with creating a and first responders Nov. 12, 12 noon–1 p.m., at Milhollin said the committee is working on business plan that would indicate how much money the Berger Center. increasing face-to-face contacts with residents. They and over which time frame OGC needs the money. The annual appreciation event will honor will be onsite at Oakmont events, including the New He said the committee would have to “provide Oakmont’s past and present veterans and Residents Meeting, the Veterans and First Responder evidence that if this business plan were implemented, community first responders. It will also Day, town halls and small group “Firewise Chats.” OGC would return to financial stability.” He added commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of The committee recently published in the Sept. 15 that the two things the community needs to justify World War I with a special historical presentation, Oakmont News a list of plants that either should not financial aid to the OGC are: OVA getting things of according to event chairman Capt. Bob Cortelyou, be planted or should be removed to make homes value, especially to the non-golfer, and proof that the US Navy, Retired. safer. The published “do not plant/remove” list money “doesn’t go down a black hole.” A box lunch will be held at Oakmont Gardens gives members 30 days to review and comment Spanier told the ON that the committee must following the ceremony in the Berger. before it goes to the board on Oct. 16 for discussion construct “a real business plan that we’ve never had Event sponsors include Oakmont Village and a vote. If approved, the list becomes a part of the from OGC.” He said it must show how much money Association, Oakmont Gardens, Kiwanis, Architectural Committee guidelines. See the list at they need and how it’s justified. As a member of Century 21, McBride Realty and a number of https://oakmontvillage.com/article/ova-proposed- the OGC, Spanier has recused himself from voting do-not-plan-list. Oakmont residents. See FIREWISE on page 13 on any OGC-related matter, but he said the recusal does not prevent him from discussing the issue and conducting the workshop. PRSRT STD Tom Kendrick, OVA Vice President and a member U.S. POSTAGE of an executive committee examining the golf course PAID SANTA ROSA, CA issue, said during the workshop that his email inbox PERMIT NO. 323 shows Oakmont residents “heavily in favor” of supporting the golf course. Nevertheless, he said the committee is looking for “more justification” and is “not there” yet. See GOLF COURSE on page 5 2 The Oakmont News / October 15, 2018 OAKMONT RESIDENTS GET 30% OFF and FREE Installation! 707-874-2500 Call now for your free in-home consultation! Family Owned and Operated The Oakmont News / October 15, 2018 3 President’s Message Regular Oakmont Association Committee Meetings nSteve Spanier, OVA Board President nOVA Administration The listed Oakmont Village Association meetings are open sessions. LIVING IN COMMUNITY Any interested Oakmont residents are invited and encouraged to participate in these important meetings. When my wife and I first moved to Sonoma County, we decided to live MEETINGS DATE TIME PLACE* in FrogSong. No, that’s not a typo, Architectural (No participation) / [email protected] 2nd Tues. Monthly 1:30 PM Conf. Rm. cult, or some sort of vernal pond. Oakmont Village Association (OVA) Board 1st & 3rd Tues. Monthly 1–3 PM Berger Center FrogSong is a delightful cohousing COMMITTEES DATE TIME PLACE* community in the southern portion Communications (CC) / [email protected] 2nd Mon. Monthly 9 AM Rm. B of the county. Cohousing design Community Development (OCDC) / [email protected] 2nd Thurs. Monthly 11:15 AM Rm. B emphasizes neighbor-to-neighbor encounters, Finance (FC) / [email protected] The Thursday before the collaboration and sharing. It’s what many people believe small-town neighborhoods used to be. Regular Board meeting 2–3:30 PM Rm. B Lest you write off FrogSong as a place populated Long-Range Planning Committee (LRPC) 1st & 3rd Mon. Monthly 1 PM Conf. Rm. by long-haired hippie refugees from the summer of Landscape Improvement Committee (LIC) 2nd Tues. Monthly 10 AM–12 Noon Mgrs. Conf. Rm. love, I’ll tell you that those living in its 30 households League of Maintained Area Associations (LOMAA) include one of the world’s foremost climate scientists, Regular Meetings 1st Mon. Monthly 12 Noon Rm. B the president and CEO of a local power utility, Quarterly Meetings 1st Wed. (March, Sept., Dec.) 7 PM West Rec. three Sonoma State University professors and many LOMAA Annual Workshop 2nd Wed. (June) 9 AM East Rec. other successful and accomplished individuals and Emergency Preparedness Committee (OEPC) business professionals. OEPC Board 1st Thurs. Monthly 2 PM Rm. B FrogSong self-governs through a number of OEPC Community Meeting 3rd Thurs. (Jan., May, Sept.) 2 PM Berger Center committees and operates by consensus. Any household wishing to block any community decision A quorum of OVA Board of Directors may be present at these meetings. LOCATIONS may do so by voting against it. All 30 households Room B is in the Central Activity Center, 310 White Oak Drive. *It is sometimes necessary to change meeting locations and/or dates and must approve, or the community does nothing. Conf. Rm. is in the OVA Office, 6637 Oakmont Dr., Ste. A times. Please check the Rec. Center bulletin boards for written notice of change You might think this would be a recipe for disaster Mgrs.