1. Dan Noonan went over why this meeting was being held:
a) recommendation from 2002 National Fire Plan – La Plata County Community Fire Plan was to establish a citizen-based fire prevention council with key agencies playing a supporting role (view the plan at: www.southwestcoloradofire.org)
b) this recommendation was supported strongly at 2003 April Fire Wise Workshop by the some 50 La Plata County residents who went through the three-day workshop
c) so, a decision was made to host this meeting and start the Council.

2. Group heard about three other models of “community councils dealing with wildfire” including one in Prescott, Arizona; one in New Mexico near Santa Fe; and one in Perry Park Colorado.

3. Group asked if forming a Council for sure should be done. Decision: Yes. Has to be effective, can’t waste our time, has to get people’s attention.

Fourteen people signed up:
Brian Kimmel, SW Land Services
Ben Cordova, La Plata Electric
Bob Pfeiffer, Durango Hills
Jon Sherer, Farmer’s Insurance
Ted Talmon, Realtors
Richard Geer, Electra Lake
Kim Round, San Juan Public Lands Center
Pam Wilson, San Juan Public Lands Center
Ryan Borchers, Fire Ready (Ryan offered marketing help from Fire Ready)
Scott and Joy Mathis, Falls Creek Ranch
Lisa Hutton, Durango Hills
Caryolyn Hunter, Architect
Bill Bales, Falls Creek Ranch

4. Sectors to recruit: more HOA’s (Home Owner Associations), elected officials, more insurance, marketing people, media, home builders and developers.

5. Supporting Organization and/or Government Agency Supporters and what they can provide:

Nancy Lauro, La Plata County Planning
- meeting rooms, some administrative support, County needs help from this group as a force for implementing changes
Dan Noonan, Assistant Chief, Durango Fire and Rescue Authority
- meeting space, some copying, training and technical assistance, help from their PIO (public information officer)
Dan Ochocki, Colorado State Forest Service
- technical assistance, education, videos, handouts, speakers
Marsha Porter-Norton, Project Consultant to Office of Community Services at Fort Lewis College
- some staff time until the Council is on its own, some postage, administrative help for a limited time
- help w/researching what has worked in other communities
Laurie Robison, San Juan Public Lands Center
- videos, brochures, meeting space if not on Orange Alert, grant monies, media help, training and technical assistance

6. Purpose Statement was Reviewed (second draft below):

The purpose of the La Plata County Council for Homeowner Emergency Awareness and Preparedness is to mitigate the threat of wildfire, floods and other potential threats to homes, lives and properties. This will be done by educating residents, initiating and lobbying for effective policies, implementing "on the ground" projects, finding ways to reduce the cost of fire mitigation for homeowners, and bringing key stakeholders together.

Note: The primary purpose of this Council is to work on wildfire issues. However, attendees though that such a Council can also work on other emergency awareness and preparedness issues and that we should keep the mission broader rather than more-narrow.

7. Major agenda items and suggestions for what the Council work on:
(more will be added from comments people in written form)

- how to be more effective at collective homeowner education (and motivation) efforts (ideas: speakers out to HOAs)
- tie issues more to aesthetics, protection and enhancement of wildlife and scenery (a black forest isn’t pretty to look at)
- need to deal with slash problem on a more concerted level – help with the
- financial angle and more people will take action
- work to overcome resistance and apathy – how?
- need to figure out strategies for dealing with absent land owners
- need to deal with HOAs that are non functioning
- need to come up with incentives, policies, possible penalties (?)
- find ways to have realtors disclosure fire mitigation issues
- find out if mitigation increases property values (we have a developer, Ron Tyner, who says it does based on his experience)
- clarifying scope of Council (it’s primarily wildfire but is organized to deal with other emergency and disaster issues)
- determine governance (e.g. who runs meetings); how want to be structured

8. What is already happening?
- USFS and BLM are doing a lot of controlled burns and on the ground mitigation work
- CSFS has good neighbor agreements – already does a lot of speaking and TA to property owners/HOAs
- Many more contractors are active in the region.
- Durango Hills is undergoing massive efforts to form their own Council and do more. They are looking at the slash/debris issue and how to better solve it; signage on homes; signage on roads; how to motivate more people; and general safety issues. There is core team doing this. Many homeowners don’t trust requests to do “things” to their property such as defensible space. Have to overcome this.
- So are Tripp Creek, Twin Lakes and Rafter J subdivisions.
- City of Durango has launched a firewise program. Lots going on there.
- CSFS offers grants but last year’s grants haven’t been funded yet due to federal budget issues. But, they will be funded eventually and new round of grants will be available upon application and awarding. These funds are limited.
- La Plata Electric can offer on-site technical assistance regarding power lines. Call them to get help.
- In some new subdivisions underground power lines are being required which reduces harm to the infrastructure should a fire break out.
- Aspen Trails is looking at forming a Metro District to put in better roads.
- County is looking at stepping up its regulations and standards around access. They do not require defensible space on new lots but they can strongly recommend it. The County does not have the staff to monitor and enforce required defensible space regulations. Any new regulation would apply to new lots and subdivisions.