FMWW Standing Committees

Committees are now being formed to address several areas of concern for the watershed. If you're interested in serving on one or more of these Committees, simply contact FMWW Co-Chair Harriet Buckwalter.

Stewardship Committee

The charge of the Stewardship Committee is to, in collaboration with resource agencies and other organizations, promote and empower the restoration and sustainable stewardship of the Mark West Watershed. Examples include the Sotoyome RCD sediment reduction and stream restoration projects, resource management planning, water quality and fish and aquatic ecology monitoring, best management practices promotion, invasive species control, and other proactive approaches.

Public Policy Committee

The Public Policy Committee identifies land use and environmental policies,
laws, regulations, and standards, and learns how they apply to the Mark West
Watershed. It monitors amendments and changes that have the potential to
promote and/or frustrate the FMWW Mission and recommends to the
membership, FMWW participation in the public processes when appropriate.

Emergency Preparedness Committee

The Committee works to create a communication structure for the community (e.g. phone tree, etc.) to be used in times of emergencies (e.g. wildfires, earthquakes, landslides, etc.). The Committee will also work to improve communications between the community and emergency responders. In addition, the committee may explore ways to help community members better prepare for emergencies (e.g. how to prepare "safe space" for fire protection, how to prepare for long periods of time without electricity, etc.).

History Committee

While scientific history of the Mark West Watershed is valuable, social history is equally valuable. Our social history, caught in the memories of our neighbors, gives us the balance of what and how the Mark West Creek has become what it is.

We have rich information to discover and what a pleasure it will be to pursue that discovery. Committee members will facilitate and oversee the following:
1.  Contact the known historical figures in the Watershed, creating a
    list of candidates to interview (Barbara Yeates, Janis, Sandy
    Torgelson, etc.).
2.  Design an interview model of what information we are looking for.
3.  Interview these candidates, taking notes, pictures, audio and/or
    digital recordings.
4.  Contact Jean Magrett to read all information that she has collected
    about the Alpine Hall and Alpine Valley.
5.  Compiling information (by the year? by the subject? or ???) in a
    format that will be useful now and to future generations.

Community-Building Committee - DRAFT

The charge of the Community-Building Committee is:

a) to promote watershed education and knowledge-sharing;
b) to build quality relationships, both with our larger community of allies and stakeholders and within FMWW.

Events that fall under the Community-Building Committee's charge include the Hike and Hoot, movie nights and educational programs, and collaborative work with the Monan's Rill Institute, the Pepperwood Preserve, and/or LandPaths.  The committee works with the Stewardship Committee to plan events such as the annual creek clean-up.  The Community-Building Committee is also responsible for the development and publication of outreach tools such as the annual newsletter and FMWW website.

Fundraising Committee: description still being drafted.

FMWW Officers
Co-Chair: Linda Sartor
Co-Chair: Harriet Buckwalter
Secretary: Josh Tracy
Treasurer: Bill Blake

To better understand our Committee Process, please come to our monthly meetings, held every third Thursday of the month, at 6:00PM, at Monan's Rill (see below for directions).

Directions to Monan's Rill ~ 7899 St. Helena Rd.. Santa Rosa CA 95404 Approx. 4 miles on St. Helena Road from Calistoga Road. At the bottom of a sharp S turn, there are several mailboxes on the left at the base of the main drive onto the land. You will also see a sign for Monan's Rill at the entry on the left side of the road. Go up the gravel drive. Please keep your speed below 15 mph. Monan's Rill community hub is about a mile up the drive. Once you get onto the property, keep going straight, curving around to the left until you get to a "Y". Take the left fork, cross over the bridge, down and past the community garden on the left. Turn right at the 'T' and pass the long house. The community building is on the right and parking is on the roadway or in the parking lot area on the right. Please leave your pets at home ~ stay clear of the ponds ~ no smoking. Please Note: All attendees at our monthly meetings are asked to sign a general liability release for the benefit of Monan’s Rill.