Pine Valley Special Service District Meeting (PVSSD)

Minutes of the Meeting held On July 5, 2006

Attending Members: Mary Esther Putnam (Chairwoman); Gerald Schiefer (VC); Dall Winn; Ron Snow

Absent Member: Ryon Gardner

Also Present: Steve Robinson (Fire Chief), George Cropper (Treasurer) and Beverly Udell (Secretary)

Guests: Guin Winn; Gae Robinson

1. General Business:
a/b. Welcome - The meeting was called to order at 6:05 P.M. with the opening being the Pledge of Allegiance led by Mary Esther.

c. The Minutes had not been typed yet and therefore were not available for approval. This agenda item will be forwarded to next month.

d. Update on the annual fee letter - Beverly said that the fee letter had gone out and within just 3 days the fee payments had started to come back in. Beverly was amazed at how fast they were being returned. She brought up again how it makes a difference that the letters were not sent out too early. When they are sent out in February (6 months early), but not due until July 31, people have a tendency to wait to mail them and then forget and/or the fees just trickle back in over the months. Bev's opinion is that it is much better to send them out about 6 weeks before they are due and we get a improved and quicker response. Maybe a consideration for next year?

e. Pine Valley Building Permits Reviewed: None

f. Pine Valley Princess: Beverly shared pictures that were taken during the crowning of the Princess at the Pine Valley ceremony on July 4. One picture was of Mary Esther crowning Jamie and the other was of Gerald kissing the new Princess on the cheek.

g. Impact Fee Flow: It has been determined that a person applying for a building permit with the County will have to show a receipt from the PVSSD stating that they have paid their Impact Fee before the County will issue them a permit. George thought that maybe the actual house plans could be signed stating that the Impact Fee had been paid. Mary Esther and Ron both stated that they felt the property owner really needed to be issued a formal receipt. Bev will type up new forms that include a check box regarding the Impact Fee payments.

h. Board Member Reports:
Gerald: Suggested giving out copies of Firewise info and pamphlets to anyone who requests a house permit
* We had one fire this month in the Valley - a lightening strike on a tree. When the Feds got there, they said our handling of the fire was perfect.
Ron - Asked if we had anything that prohibits signage in the Valley. He commented that the sign advertising Internet Satellites looks awful. The response back was that advertising signs in the Valley were prohibited. Beverly will call and ask them to take it down. The sign regarding the Pine Valley Dinner each year was okay.
Dall - Question: the ATV restriction signs have disappeared and Dall was wondering if anyone knew what happened to them. He saw one lying in the grass. This happened last year too. It appears that they are being deliberately taken down - vandalism. Kenny Cranfield with the County has been notified. Coleen Vance counted 56 ATVs in one day in front of her house. Gerald stopped Cameron Fleming who had been speeding down the street on an ATV numerous times. Cameron was very, very mouthy to Gerald.

Fire Chief's Report- Steve: When going after the new truck, they had to spend one extra day in Nebraska because the truck wasn't yet ready. The truck showed up around midnight and our crew was back on the road starting home by 6:00 AM. George was part of the crew and he handled all the money and expenses during the trip. Steve has made a "punch list" of seven items regarding things that still need to be finished on the new truck.
* Two trainings for the new truck are scheduled for Thursday.
* We were called out to help at the "Bull" fire in Gunlock.
* There were two EMS calls this month, one being a car accident when a Latino bunch hit a cow on the road. Fermin was called in to help translate.
* We also responded to the Veyo fire - we sent seven guys down and another 9 or 10 stayed here on stand-by.
* We have been awarded the State Grant, so we will now be able to get new equipment.
* The camp hosts have complained that often campers are not obeying when asked to put out their fires. Gerald talked to a family of campers who had spent $140.00 on wood for campfires - and they only planned to camp for 3 nights!
* Apple Valley is getting our old truck, they in turn are giving us some SCBAs in the trade.
* Mary Esther asked why the truck was not announced during the 4th of July ceremony. No one knew. She asked Steve to get with the Activities Committee and see about getting the truck dedicated during the festivities on July 24th.

f. Treasurer's Report - George: Talked about a letter from the State Auditor's Office which said that we were "in substantial compliance with reporting requirements."
* George doesn't yet have the mid-year report done because of the flurry of activities that have been happening lately (i.e. - the fee letter money coming in, the 4th of July, picking up the new truck, etc.
* The new truck is paid for. Fee money is coming in nicely and quickly. We are tight on money, but we are coming out the other side and will get through this.
* George asked about an insurance bill for the fire station that the water company has - all agreed that we didn't need to pay it.
* Dall asked about insurance for the firemen. Steve told him that the Dinner Committee paid the bill for the firemen's insurance.
* We have collected six Impact Fees so far, with two more pending, which makes a total of eight in one month. That is a lot for our first month!

g. Mary Esther shared a letter from Ken Sundwall about his neighbor who won't clean up their yard trash to make it fire safe, as well as make it simply look better. Gerald said this subject had been addressed in a letter to the Commissioners. Mary Esther said that maybe as part of fire training, the department should look at properties to check for trouble areas and then send the property owners letters regarding the findings. Can we also send the Commissioners another letter? The lodge seems to be the same way. Could we pay someone to clean up the trouble areas and then charge the property owner? Mary Esther will call Jim Eardley regarding this subject, and then also get back to Ken Sundwall.

h. County News - Julie: Julie was not present. No news this month. We very much appreciate notices in the Post Office when something is coming through the County that we should know about. Can Julie post something, but also spell it out in English (versus not in legal verbiage) what is coming down the pike?

2 - Public Comments - None

At 7:10 PM, Gerald moved for the meeting to adjourn. Dall seconded.

The next Board meeting will be held on Wednesday, August 2, 2006 at 6:00 P.M.