Over the last two months local forest counties and school districts have received their 2009 Secure Rural Schools and Communities Act payments. Nationwide over $450 million has been dispensed. The 2009 payments reflected a 10% reduction from the $500 million payment received in 2008.

Next year (2010) counties and schools nationwide will share a $405 million payment and in 2011 the payment will decline to $364.5 million. By contrast, if the SRSCA is not reauthorized by the time it expires in September 2011 all counties will revert to receiving 25% forest reserve payments under the new 7 year rolling average. At this time, those 7 year rolling average payments would yield a substantially reduced nationwide revenue of $66.1 million. This would represent an 87% decrease from the funding received by counties and schools in 2008, the first year of our current 4 year reauthorization. Clearly most forest counties and school districts are not in a financial position to survive such a massive reduction in revenue. This would provide revenues that would be 17% lower than counties and schools were receiving in 1999 – when the original SRSCA Act was developed and passed.

NFCSC Board Launches Partnership for Rural America Campaign

Over six months in the planning process, the NFCSC Board has approved the design and structure of the “Partnership For Rural America Campaign”. The purpose of the Campaign is to achieve a longer term (8-10 yrs.) reauthorization or extension of the Secure Rural Schools and Communities Act prior to its expiration in September 2011. If possible the Campaign would clearly prefer to achieve this goal in 2010 if the correct legislative opportunity presents itself.

The Campaign will be an orchestrated grassroots campaign utilizing Coalition Action Teams (CAT) in key regions of the country. The regions will include the south, southeast, southwest, mountain states, and the Pacific West. The Campaign is being managed by an experienced campaign management team with a successful record of statewide and national campaign management.

A Campaign Steering Committee composed of selected members of the NFCSC Board of Directors will work with the Campaign Management team to plan and execute the campaign. As in previous campaigns this effort will fully utilize the advocacy resources and tools available through NFCSC Coalition member organizations and will also utilize contract advocate specialists as the need arises.

Campaign staff and members of the Campaign Steering Committee have been making presentations to county and school groups in the sixteen highest receiving SRSCA payment states over the past two months, in an effort to inform county and school personnel and enlist their assistance.

State and Congressional specific campaign newsletters and talking points are in the process of being developed. These materials represent a huge step forward in effectively presenting our message in key states and to their congressional delegations.

Needless to say, a campaign of this magnitude and sophistication will take resources to achieve. The Board has developed a budget for the campaign and we estimate that it will cost approximately $500,000 per year for each of the next two years to fund this effort and achieve this goal. If every county and school district that benefits from SRSCA funding makes a proportionate contribution, we will raise the required revenue. So, in addition to our usual NFCSC dues, the NFCSC Board is encouraging school districts and county governments to send a campaign contribution for each of the next two years – 2010 and 2011.

The simple way to calculate the recommended campaign contribution is to multiply the campaign factor of (.001) times your 2010 SRSCA receipts. Contributions should be sent to NFCSC and it should be noted on the check “Partnership For Rural America Campaign”.

Keeping this in perspective, an investment of $1 million over the next two years, will hopefully allow us to acquire 8-10 years of funding at the current 2009 or 2010 level. That would represent a $5 billion dollar return on our investment. The cost/benefit ratio is quite clear. However, the only way this will work is if counties and school districts, which benefit from SRSCA, join together and raise the necessary funds to support the campaign. Contribution request letters will be mailed to all participating counties and schools in early April.

The Campaign has just developed a new website.

Early Campaign Supporters Applauded by NFCSC Board

Certain aspects of the campaign had to be launched starting October 1, 2009. Initial funding to support the campaign had to be raised, and in their usual fashion, long-time county and school supporters of NFCSC stepped forward to help. The following entities should be thanked by all of us for stepping up and shouldering the financial burden of the first four months of the campaign – an amount in excess of $100,000 to date has been contributed.

• California Forest Counties School Coalition
• Association of O & C Counties
• Association of Oregon Counties (AOC)
• Douglas County – Oregon
• Skamania County – Washington
• Skamania County School District – Washington

Our heartfelt thanks to all of you that made this happen. Now we need all of the other counties and schools to join the campaign!

New USFS Planning Regulations being Developed

In December 2009, the USFS announced that it was embarking for the fifth time in the last decade to once again develop a new set of forest planning regulations. Both the Secretary of Agriculture and the Chief of the USFS have stated that the purpose is to revise the planning rules to make it simpler and more effective for the Forest Service to accomplish its forest restoration mission. Comments from interested persons and organization were due on February 16th.

The NFCSC, on behalf of the forest counties and school districts they represent, submitted comments focused on three areas of interest: Cooperating Agency Status for local government, Coordinated Planning Processes, and the incorporation at every level of the process of local collaboration. More specifically, NFCSC requested that the new planning rule:

1. Clearly state that the USFS will actively encourage and support local agencies and entities of local government in applying for Cooperating Agency Status and provide technical support and assistance to such agencies and the USFS staff in carrying out this mandate effectively. The elevated status afforded Cooperating Agencies of local government should be maintained and/or strengthened in the new regulations.
2. The new planning rules should clarify the requirements in NEPA and NFMS for the USFS to coordinate their decision making and planning processes with that of state and local governments. We recommend that the step-by-step process outlined in Section 219.7 of the 1982 planning rule be included in the new regulations.
3. The new planning rule should incorporate collaborative planning processes at all levels. The rule should specify that plan development be accomplished through broad participation of concerned stakeholders including local government, public schools, and local, state and federal land management agencies. Further, that those who participate must commit in writing to seek positive solutions to common problems and goal setting with respect to the management of federal lands. Finally, we recommend that these stakeholder groups be developed at a size and scale so as to ensure that local participation is maximized and a high level of local landscape knowledge and expertise is therefore reflected in the planning process.

At this point, our input will be considered along with that of other stakeholders. Additional opportunities for input will be available as the process proceeds.

Resource Advisory Committee Appointment Process Finally Starting to Move – But Slowly

As most of you know, the Obama Administration has moved very slowly and deliberately to re-charter the old and new RAC’s authorized under the SRSCA 2008 Act. At this point, two years into the Act all of the old and new Resource Advisory Committees (RAC’s) have been issued new four year charters by the USFS and Secretary of Agriculture. The major problem has been the appointment of new RAC members to fill vacancies on existing RAC’s and the appointment of members to serve on the over 50 new RAC’s authorized by the 2008 SRSCA extension.

After receiving letters from NFCSC, NACo, and 18 Senators, the Administration and the Department of Agriculture seem to be making an effort to get things moving. A number of old RAC vacancies have been filled since Christmas, but not all are yet completed. To date none of the newly authorized RAC’s have been filled with appointees. This week county commissioners from across the nation delivered a clear message to the USFS and USDA that this delay needs to be resolved and appointments made as soon as possible. Over $75 million is being held up because RAC’s cannot approve projects and start shovel ready projects that would both improve the forests and the employment outlook in rural counties.

NFCSC Board of Directors – Welcome New Members

In recent months, four new Directors have been appointed to the NFCSC Board of Directors. Tim Josi, Commissioner from Tillamook County, Oregon has been recently appointed to the Board. Mr. Josi currently serves as the Chairman of the Western Interstate Region (WIR) of NACo Board of Directors and as Chairman of the NACo Public Lands Steering Committee for 2010.

Faye Stewart, Commissioner from Lane County, Oregon has been appointed to replace Mike Propes, long serving Oregon Commissioner on the NFCSC Board. Mr. Stewart is a veteran Commissioner in Lane County, Oregon – one of the largest SRSCA receipt receiving counties in the country. He actively participated in the 2008 extension of SRSCA.

Paul Gutierrez, Executive Director of the New Mexico Association of Counties has been appointed to the Board of NFCSC representing New Mexico Counties and School Districts. As a former State Director of the Farm Service Agencies and Rural Development agencies in New Mexico, and as the Executive of a key State Association of Counties, Mr. Gutierrez brings both knowledge and political understanding to the Board.

Ken Allen is the Executive Director of the Oregon Council #75 of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). He has been a leader in organized labor for over 35 years and currently serves as an AFSCME International Vice-President representing the Northwest Region.

The National Forest Counties and Schools Coalition is pleased to welcome these extraordinary gentlemen as Directors on the NFCSC Board.

The committee heard testimony from Mary Ann Hartman, the neighbor of Alize Vick, the child who died while in foster care. Mary Ann heard signs of child abuse over her baby monitor and reported it to county officials. Though she begged the officials responsible for protecting Alize to do so, no action was taken to rescue her from her abusive foster mother. Mary Ann told the committee that if Colorado had an Ombudsman at the time, Alize would not have fallen through the cracks. 

Sen. Newell told the committee, “In the past three years, Colorado has seen over thirasses-major-child-protection-reform-billty childhood abuse and neglect related deaths under our care. How many kids have to die before we take action?

Today, we need to make a stand for those who are too young to stand up for themselves.”

The office will be an outlet for citizens to report suspected child abuse and potential gaps or problems in the child protection system.

The committee also heard testimony from state and county officials, child protection advocates, and members of the Governor’s Child Welfare Action Committee. 
 
Sen. Newell added, “We have companies and non-profits waiting in the wings to contribute to this office – making sure it will happen.

Ensuring the protection of our children is a critical role of government, but to do so, we need to recreate confidence and trust in the system. This bill has great bipartisan support because we all want to protect our kids. It is about health and wellbeing of children.”

The committee passed the bill unanimously (7-0). The bill will now be heard by the Senate Appropriations committee.

We created the Community section for random things that we here at the CItizen find interesting. -bd

  – Demosthenes

 The Salida Recreation Department is a small department with big dreams. Our dreams include expanding our recreational opportunities, classes and events, and delivering hotter water from the source in Poncha Springs. We have made many improvements to the Aquatics Center in the past year, and we hope to see some old regulars return.

 Since starting as Salida’s new Recreation Manager, I have listened and tried to make thoughtful changes and upgrades to the Aquatic Center and the Recreation Program. If you have a comment or question, I invite you call me at 539-6738 or email me at Theresa.casey@cityofsalida.com

There is a new comment box in the lobby of the Aquatic Center. Comments will be reviewed, and someone will get back to you.

 Many people I meet in the community haven’t returned to the pool since the locker rooms were remodeled. If you are part of that group, please come back – we miss you. The locker rooms look fabulous, and the staff is doing a great job of maintaining them.

 Swimming is such a fantastic way to exercise, and the water is a temperate 97 degrees in the leisure pool. The lap pool is 85 degrees. We offer exercise classes, including Aquasize, Arthritis Exercise and Cardio Splash. There is lap swimming almost every day of the week. Please check www.salidapool.com for days and times of classes and lap swimming. We offer swim lessons for non-swimmers and stroke clinics for those wanting to perfect their strokes. 

 If you don’t feel like getting into the water, try Tai Chi, NIA Dance, Group Strength Training or Kickboxing. You’re also welcome to ride with us on the ski bus to Monarch or come snowshoeing in the National Forest. If your new puppy needs to learn some manners or you have an older dog that could use some obedience, we can fix you up with that as well. How about learning to mountain bike? Come along with the Recreation Department to learn the basics of riding and bicycle maintenance, and make new friends on group rides.

 Over the years, the Salida Recreation Department has developed many valued community partners including Exer-Flex Health and Fitness, Absolute Bikes, the Boys and Girls Club, Salida Regional Library, Salida Mountain Trails, SPOT, Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area, Wilderness Expeditions, Monarch Ski Area and others. We could not provide many popular programs without these exceptional partners. We thank them for their years of assistance and participation.

 The summer recreation guide is sure to please the community with tried-and-true programs and many new offerings. We are proud to be the home of the Salida Spartans and the Salida Cyclones, our local swim clubs that are becoming teams to watch as their numbers grow and times get faster.

 Daily comments on the status of the hot baths do not go unnoticed. Unfortunately, the hot baths are in such disrepair that they will likely never reopen. However, we do have a plan to create outdoor hot pools that will rival other soaking pools in the county. These pools will not be private but larger than the hot baths with temperatures ranging from 100 to 104 degrees. This plan is contingent on the successful completion of the hot water line project and budget constraints.

I thought I did until I learned that there are many levels of listening. Most of the time, when people are speaking to us we are thinking, sometimes before they even finish their sentence, of our response. We have left them to go into our minds to judge and decide what we think about what they are saying. If we are triggered by what we are hearing we leave them completely and go into our survival strategies of how we will respond. For example, if you are talking to me about the race you just ran or a pie you just baked, I can think about something similar that I did and so create a kind of bond with you by responding about me. If you are speaking about how you are upset that I was late for our appointment, then instead of hearing your disappointment I will be coming up with some kind of reason for being late. That is considered the first level of listening.

The second level of listening is a little more profound. As we are listening to the person who is speaking we are present with what they are saying as it is unfolding – like a story or a song, enjoying their presentation and not thinking about any response whatsoever. We are engaged in what they are saying and not anticipating or going ahead, thinking that we know where they are going with the story. This way of listening means that you are honoring the person and fully open to who they are being in that moment.

The third and last level of listening is the deepest. This happens only when you have forgotten about yourself and are so present with the person speaking that you can hear what is not being said or expressed. That’s why coaching takes place mostly via the phone. When you are not seen there are no distractions to listening. At this level we are also listening with our hearts and our heart’s wisdom about what we are hearing. When we truly listen with our hearts all separation is non-existent.

Listening is one of the most generous gifts you can give someone, especially if you care about them. It is a tool that we can all learn to use to expand our capacity to connect and to respect the people that are sharing their lives with us.

Coaching Questions:

1. Which level of listening do you do mostly?
2. How do the people around you listen to you? Do they?
3. Would you be willing to make some changes in the way you share your presence with people, by the way you listen to them?

During a lengthy meeting on Tuesday, February 23rd, the Salida R-32-J School Board and superintendent thoroughly reviewed a number of options for reducing the school district’s budget for the 2010-11 school year. Faced with a reduction in state funding of around $563,000, there were tough decisions to be considered.

The administration and board solicited input from staff and citizens during a series of meetings including a recent well-attended meeting with the district accountability committee.

By the end of Tuesday’s nights meeting, the Board reached the decision that the necessary reductions could be made in the district’s budget without having a reduction in force of any of the full-time professional teaching staff. This was partially due to retirements and resignations of various current staff members. Some of the positions that will not be re-filled include: a counselor, a librarian, and an elementary teaching position.

Although additional cuts will be in a number of different areas, some of the key reductions will be as follows:

• Reduce the Director of Teaching and Learning position from full-time to half-time
• Reduce budgets for Strawberry Door, Crest Academy, and Horizon Exploratory Academy
• Reduce clerical position at high school by consolidating with data management position
• Restructure the Activities Coordinator position
• Eliminate the kindergarten bus routes
• Hold the line on district’s contributions for employee health insurance premiums
• Review the numbers of sections of some elective courses at the high school and possibly shift some positions from full-time to part-time
• Reduce travel expenses
• Reduce maintenance costs.

The Board is still considering the possibility of going to a four-day week schedule for next year. There is a committee gathering data on the impacts of this potential change. They will report their findings to the Board.

John P. Rouse, Superintendent

Contact: Earle Kittleman, 719-539-6153

3 p.m., Sunday, March 28

VERONIKA STRING QUARTET DEBUTS IN SALIDA AT STEAMPLANT EVENT CENTER

SALIDA, CO–The acclaimed Veronika String Quartet of Pueblo, CO will make its debut appearance in Salida at 3 p.m., Sunday, March 28, performing at the SteamPlant Event Center on the Arkansas River in the downtown historic district.

“Mostly Made in America” is the theme of the concert. They will play Quartet for Strings Op.89 by early 20th century American composer Amy Beach; the “American” quartet in F. Major, Op. 96 by Antonin Dvorak and String Quartet in D Major, K.499, “Hoffmeister” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Tickets are onsale for $15 at the SteamPlant theater, 220 West Sackett Ave.; 719-530-0933, or online at SalidaSteamPlant.org.

The all-female Veronika String Quartet formed in Russia in 1989 and took top awards while touring the music capitals of the world. For the past ten years, while serving as artists-in-residence at Colorado State University-Pueblo, the Quartet has gained recognition throughout Colorado for its commitment to the classical repertoire and lesser known works by American composers. The Quartet appears frequently on NPR’s Colorado Spotlight and its acclaimed concert series in Pueblo and Colorado Springs.

Violinists Veronika Afanassieva and Katrine Garibova founded the Quartet while studying music in Moscow. Joining the group later were Moscow trained violist Ekaterina Dobrotvorskaia and American cellist Mary Artmann. Premieres and recordings of music by Charles Eakin, Carlton Gamer, Lawrence Leighton Smith and Augusta Read Thomas have added to the groups notoriety along with collaborations with the American and Fine Arts Quartets.

A child prodigy, Amy Beach made her debut playing piano in Boston in 1883. Later she gave up her recital career to become America’s first successful woman composer. The Veronikas will play one of her many chamber works. She also wrote songs for voice and piano, sacred works and a symphony and opera.

Antonin Dvorak’s “American” quartet employs themes he heard while living in this country. Invited to be director of the National Conservatory of Music in New York in 1891, the Czech composer did for America what he had done in his homeland, develop indigenous songs and rhythms into great music. His masterpiece Ninth Symphony “New World” laid the groundwork for an emerging national music of America.

From a century earlier, Mozart is on the program to represent the classic period in Western music. Mozart transformed the rigid structure of the music that preceded him into a popular style that endures to this day.

The concert is sponsored by the Friends of the SteamPlant who encourage a broad range of musical and theatrical entertainment to be staged at the expanded facility. The first electric generating plant in Salida supplied power to the railyards and the first arc lights on city street in 1887. Rehabilitation of the historic structure began in the 1980s. It now houses the SteamPlant theater and ballroom. Kitchen and meeting rooms were added last year so that the complex could be operated as a year-round performing arts and conference center.

In January we said that our goal for 2010 would be to make openness and transparency something that government had to answer to us for at every level — in our cities, in our states and in Washington.

It’s time to start making good on that pledge, friends.

Government information should be as accessible to us as information about the weather, sports scores or knowing what’s going on in the stock market — all online and in real-time.

We need it to be this way so we can both hold government accountable and create new business with what is made available to us. 

In order to create this open, transparent government we seek, we have been building a national, nonpartisan campaign for the last two months, and you can see all our progress on the campaign page of our website.

Next Thursday, March 18, we will officially launch our campaign for open government along with all of you. 

Ultimately our goal will be to build a movement of 250,000 citizens across the country that demand transparency in government. 

We’ll be asking that citizens sign a pledge stating that transparency is of highest priority in determining who they vote for, and also ask citizens to commit to staying engaged in holding government accountable. In this way, we’ll build political muscle big enough that we can’t possibly be ignored.

It’s going to take all of us to get there, though. One of the first things you can do right now is volunteer to be a campaign leader, and serve next week as one of the people who will help us spread the word:

Campaign

Throughout next week, we will announce ways we can make government more open, and share ideas for how to make it work better for all of us. Next Thursday, we’ll also unveil our new website, which will serve as the hub of our campaign.

 Each day, we’ll let you know about something new. It’s especially appropriate that next week is our launch because it’s also the nationally recognized “Sunshine Week,” in which the media focuses specifically on how to shine more light on government.

Transparency leaders nationwide will connect online and off-line, hosting “Open Government Happy Hours” to bring people together in their cities, and organizing blog swarms to raise awareness of what we’re doing.

I’m sending this email this afternoon primarily as a heads up. We simply want you to know what’s coming up, get excited about it, and help us spread the word as we near the launch date.

This is going to be fun. We don’t want anyone to miss out!

Jake Brewer

PS One way to think about what we’ll be trying to do across the country with our campaign is find ways to complete a “Cycle of Transparency” – combining policy, technology, journalism, and engagement – in communities everywhere. This is a graphic we just put out to help make sense of it. Let us know what you think!

For immediate release

BUENA VISTA, CO – Local artist Tim Jaster will present a lecture on “Archaeology and Scientific Illustration” on Wednesday, March 17, at 5 p.m. at the Buena Vista Public Library.

The lecture will include selections from Jaster’s latest undertaking, illustrating projectile points from the Petrified Forest National Park. He has also recorded the excavation and reinterment of human remains.

A freelance and commissioned artist in multiple media since 1980, Jaster holds degrees in both journalism and anthropology from Southern Methodist University. He has worked in all three fields, often concurrently, and his engaging style was put to good use as an art instructor for several years.

Admission is $7 per person, $5 for BV Heritage members, payable at the door. Proceeds benefit Buena Vista Heritage, whose mission is to preserve and share the history of Buena Vista and Chaffee County. The organization owns the old courthouse museum on Main Street, the Buena Vista depot and caboose in McPhelemy Park, Turner Farm, and the St. Elmo Schoolhouse and St. Elmo Town Hall/Jail.

For more information, call 719-395-6779.

Contact: Cara Russell

Wide-Ranging Partnerships and VA Commitment Credited

WASHINGTON – The number of Veterans homeless on a typical night dropped 18 percent as the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) entered the second year of its campaign to eliminate homelessness among Veterans within five years.

“It will take the dedication, creativity and hard work of many parts of American society to end homelessness among Veterans,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki.  “But mostly it takes the resolve to say: It is unacceptable for a single Veteran to spend the night on the streets of America.”

VA’s Community Homeless Assessment Local Education and Networking Groups (CHALENG), which conducts a widely cited, annual census of homeless Veterans, estimated 107,000 Veterans were homeless each night last year.  That figure was 131,000 in 2008 and 154,000 in 2007.

“The reduction was achieved through VA’s commitment to end homelessness among Veterans through enhanced collaboration with other federal, state, faith-based, Veteran service organizations and community partners,” Shinseki said.

VA has approximately 4,000 agreements with community partners.  Last year, more than 92,000 homeless Veterans were served by VA’s specialized homeless programs.  This is an increase of 15 percent from the previous year.

An important program that has helped Veterans leave homelessness began in June 2008 when VA partnered with the Department of Housing and Urban Development.  VA provides dedicated case management to homeless Veterans, and HUD provides housing vouchers to Veterans and their families.  Since the program, called HUD-VASH, began, 20,000 housing vouchers have been given for homeless Veterans.

A recent VA study of Veterans discharged from VA-funded residential rehabilitation and transitional housing programs indicated that 79 percent remained housed one year after discharge.

Many homeless Veterans are treated in VA mental health programs.  National policies on suicide prevention, medication management and substances abuse have improved the lives of homeless Veterans.

“To eliminate homelessness, we must help more than Veterans currently without a place to live,” said Shinseki.  “We must prevent approximately 27,000 new Veterans who are at risk of becoming homeless from crossing that tragic line each year.”

Information about the CHALENG process and previous CHALENG reports about homelessness can be found on the Internet at http://www1.va.gov/HOMELESS/chaleng.asp. The 2009 report is projected to be published in spring 2010.

Jordan Schupbach

Public Affairs Officer

VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System

(303) 393-5205

jordan.schupbach@va.gov

www.denver.va.gov

We would like to express our deepest gratitude to the citizens of Salida for voting us number in Best of Salida 2009 under categories Best Escape and Best Hot Springs.  To express our appreciation we like to extend our local rate of $10 to Salida friends Monday thru Thursday – year-round.  Again thank you so much for your loyal patronage.

Elaine Blumenhein, Owner

Kris Caffrey, Manager

Jim Williams, Marketing Director

Joyful Journey Hot Springs & Spa

719.221.3306