We had a successful seminar with the help of many of our DCBNA volunteers.  Thank you to Fire Chief Chris Gray, speaker Katherine Randolph and all who helped out with the event.  About 300 neighbors came to learn how to prepare for the event of fire danger.

Thank you all who volunteered and attended the ice cream social at Dominican University on Meadowlands lawn.  We had a blast, variety of ice cream flavors and neighbors got to greet and meet each other.  The weather was perfect on the lawn, and children enjoyed face-painting and arts and crafts.  We not only greeted and met each other but socialized as well.

On May 5th, prior to the Dominican Black Canyon Neighborhood Association’s Wildfire Defense Forum, the Association held a brief annual business meeting at the Creekside Room at which time two items were brought to the members’ attention following the call to order at 10:04am.

First, in the interest of time, a printed copy of the Treasurer’s Report was provided to all attendees, and anyone wishing to pursue a more detailed accounting or having questions was asked to follow up with Bonnie Marks, Treasurer, at the end of the meeting.  Bonne reported that there were no questions.

Second, for those positions on the Board whose two-year terms were expiring, the President introduced a slate of nominees for two-year terms beginning effective June 1, 2018 as follows:

For Vice-President: Jay Hubert*

For Treasurer: Bonnie Marks*

For Directors:  Robert Levine*, John Contini, Liza Moran

Motion was made, seconded and passed without discussion to place the above names in nomination.

A call was made for further nominations from the floor: none were made.

Motion was made, seconded and passed without discussion to elect the above slate by acclamation.

The business meeting was concluded at 10:17am and the Wildfire Defense Forum was begun with the first speaker.

Here is a list of the Wildfire Defense Forum speakers and a link to their presentations:

Richard Shortall, President of the Fire Safe Marin Council and President of the Sleepy Hollow Fire Protection District presentation: Fire Preparedness

Fire Inspector Marshall Nau of the SR Fire Dept., Vegetation Management Coordinator presentation: Hazardous Assessments

Katherine Randolph, Marin Master Gardener presentation:  Vegetation

Diana Bishop, SR Chief of Police presentation: Evacuation Plans

Respectfully submitted,

Jack Nixon, President

The Action is Saturday, May 5th, 10am, Creekside Room

“Just the Facts, Ma’am, Just the Facts!”

Remember this line by Detective Friday on the TV series “Dragnet?”  Well, getting you the facts on Wildfire Defense of your home and your life is the goal of your Dominican Black Canyon Neighborhood Assn. at our Wildfire Defense Forum at 10am on Saturday, May 5, Creekside Room at the cafeteria building on the Dominican U. campus: four authorities in their respective fields will present “the facts” that each of us must know to be prepared.  We must learn now: when wildfire threatens, there will be no time for learning.  Preparing for a wildfire is not someone else’s problem: it is our problem.

Our Speakers:

Richard Shortall is President of the Fire Safe Marin Council and President of the Sleepy Hollow Fire Protection District. A retired SFFD Assistant Deputy Fire Chief, Rich Shortall will address 1) personal preparedness and evacuation pre-planning; 2) what is entailed in creating your defensible space around your home; 3) actions you can take to reduce your home’s structural ignitability (roof, vents and openings, decks, etc.; and 4) possible gaps in your homeowner policy’s replacement coverage and/or building code upgrade coverage.

Fire Inspector Marshall Nau of the SR Fire Dept. is a Vegetation Management Coordinator tasked with protecting the City’s residents and open space from wildfire threats by regularly conducting hazard assessments and inspections for and with residents. His remarks will cover what he looks for in assessing property hazards plus he will explain the city ordinance requiring his assessment efforts.

Katherine Randolph served on the Mill Valley Emergency Preparedness Commission for four years, during which time she researched the risk of catastrophic fire in Marin, noting that few residents were taking action on fire departments’ advice, so she began teaching wildfire defense:  over ten years, over 1,200 Marin residents have taken her free class. A Marin Master Gardener, Katherine will explain the why and the how of creating an attractive defensible space—what readily burns, what doesn’t, and where to plant it, and what residents must know about evacuation preparedness.

Diana Bishop, our SR Chief of Police and a 33-year veteran of law enforcement who holds multiple degrees in public administration, isresponsible for the evacuation of our area when a wildfire occurs. She will explain how her police force will direct a Dominican Black Canyon wildfire evacuation plus the routes andprocedures for evacuation which each resident should know.  Chief Bishop will project the maps of Dominican Black Canyon for her explanation of the evacuation process.

Each speaker will use visuals and have a tight time schedule to follow.

Please schedule 10am, May 5, at the Creekside Room for the facts on wildfire defense in our Dominican neighborhood. Talks will end NLT 11:31am with a Q&A scheduled until noon.

Thank you.

Your Dominican Black Canyon Neighborhood Assn. Directors and FireSafe Committee.

Coffee, tea and pastries will be provided by the DBCNA.

By all accounts, the Dominican/Black Canyon Neighborhood Association Annual Cocktail Party on February 9th was a resounding success and a major accomplishment, demonstrating once again what it means to be a part of our caring community. Over 160 residents enjoyed the party—a great turnout. New and renewing membership dues were voluntarily offered and accepted, and we thank these members for their support. We were also glad to see our invited guests, San Rafael Mayor Gary Phillips and his wife Linda, and San Rafael City Manager Jim Schutz. We greatly appreciate their interest in our neighborhood’s well-being and the exchange of constructive ideas with us.

This year, with fire safety being a top priority for the DBCNA, we are starting a FireWise program with the help of FireSafe Marin. A FireWise Committee has been established to guide the Dominican Black Canyon community in preventing our homes from being overwhelmed by a wild fire. We are dedicated to educating and motivating our community to create a safe environment and, most important, to adopting practices to protect our homes and our neighbors’ homes from suffering the fate of homeowners to the North.

The DBCNA FireWise Committee has started the process and is actively seeking homeowners who understand the critical importance to them and their neighbors of participating in this endeavor to create FireWise defensible space around their homes. To assist the Dominican FireWise Committee, or for more information about the Committee and our Firewise Community application, please contact Jay Hubert, Chair of the Fire Preparedness Committee and Vice-President of the DBCNA at j-mhubert@att.net.

The remarkable success of the Neighborhood Association party was due to an enthusiastic party team of your entire Board and member volunteers. A heartfelt “thank you” goes to Lindy Emerich who, for the fifteenth year, planned, organized, ordered, set up, and served the wonderful food—a huge part of the party’s success. Additionally, the folks who made this party the Association’s highlight event of the year included Board members Jay Hubert, Bonnie Marks, Marty Wickenheiser, Edie Dagley, Jeff and Joan Cardneau, Bob Levine and Monica McMillan, and Association members Norma Nixon, Jim Koger and Jackie Cormier with her marvelous team of “walkers” who distributed the flyers. Many did multiple jobs without being asked, so I just want to share how heartwarming it has been to have everyone so engaged. The same goes for anyone whom I have forgotten to name.

A big ‘thanks’ to the Marin Tennis Club, its Directors, and to Chris Horne, the club manager, who made it possible to have such a great venue for the party and to Chris’ staff whose untiring efforts during the party made it easy for the rest of us to do what we were supposed to do!

Lastly, a final word of gratefulness to both our new members and existing loyal neighbors who are renewing and who continue to support our Association and participate in our neighborhood events. We sustain our activities on annual dues of $20 per home and ask that everyone in Dominican Black Canyon join. The Board thanks you for readily adjusting to the Marin Tennis Club’s required ABC license policy this year. Just as MTC has supported the DBCNA for years by providing an amazing venue, we too can now help and support them in their business practices.

Thanks, and we’ll see you at the next event in May—which will focus on our community’s response to fire prevention.

Jack Nixon, President

The Dominican/Black Canyon Neighborhood Association