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Carl Gross, Editor |
January 29th, 2010
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January is Rotary Awareness Month
Upcoming Programs and Events
Presented by Program Chairman, Leland Hammerschmitt and his crew.
February 5th-Sarah Lovering-Medical Marijuana-California Status
February 12th-Linda LeBrock-Boys and Girls Club Director
February 19th-Herb Rogove-Science (TBD)
February 26th-SeaBees from Pt. Magu
In the Beginning....
With our President under the weather, President-Elect Mike Weaver took the podium to gavel in the last meeting of January. We wish Scott a speedy recovery. Amani Hishmeh ably led to Pledge to this great Nation, while Jerry Kaplan, sans glasses, recited the 4-Way test. He added, "Saying the 4-Way test is fine but we should give thanks for what we have, our opportunity to gather together, and this great day." Guests were ushered into the counter-clockwise helix that is the lunch line. Thanks to Amani and Jerry as greeters, Laura Whitney for room setup, and Greg Gamble on the roving mic.
Guests and Visiting Rotarians
District Governor Wade Nomura from the Carpenteria Morning Club was heartily welcomed. Ken Petersen from the Santa Clarita Valley Noon Club, and Steve White from the Bellevue Breakfast Club in Washington State rounded out our Visiting Rotarians.
Our program presenter, John Correa was introduced by Jerry Kaplan. A soon-to-be member, Don Reed, was introduced by Bill Gilbreth.
Sanford Drucker introduced his lovely wife, Chris and his son, Lee. Sanford swapped a flag with Mike from his daughter, Stacey Drucker-Andress of the Santa Rosa Sunrise Rotary Club.
Bob Daddi introduced his guest, Mike Foley.
Announcements. . .
DGE Wade Nomura recognized our Club's efforts on behalf of the residents of
Patzcuaro, Mexico to provide safe drinking water. He also recognized our help with the District 5240 5-Point program of water, health, hunger, education, and financial betterment on the island of
Tecuena. We have positively impacted the lives of hundreds of people.
John Rennell, our Rotary Foundation chair, gave a brief appeal for Rotary Foundation giving. It has been the custom of our Club to have all, to their ability make a donation to TRF. Make your check out now or speak to John if you have any questions. The deadline is June 30th.
Don Scanlin gave an update on the health status of our Past-President Shari Skinner. Please check with Don about visitation. Ojai Community Bank plans are for a matching grant to the Rotary Educational Foundation in her honor.
Marty Pops announced the upcoming Health Forum on palliative care at the Soule Park Clubhouse on February 6th at 9:30 AM. Dr. Charles Pankratz, an internist and hospice/palliative care specialist will give an informative and timely talk on end of life issues. He will be joined by our own Jeff Loebl, who will discuss legal and procedural issues. Don't miss this opportunity.
After the Health Forum, take your buggy over to St. Thomas Aquinas church and get your car washed for only $5. FLAMA, a Nordhoff HS-based student organization, is sponsoring the car wash to raise money for Haiti relief. See Dr. Bob Skankey for tickets or just show up.
Suzanne Collinsworth-Smith called Dr. Robin Bernhoft to the podium to present him with his blue badge, having completed his required duties. He was joined by Dean Vadnais and Craig Edwards, his sponsor and mentor.
Dr. Frank Finck presented our new Rotary Education Foundation Board: Al West, chair, Larry Simpson, Vice Chair, Roger Phelps, Secretary, and Bill Prather, Treasurer. Frank thanked the retiring board members and described them as: "erudite and hardworking".
Coming Up Next Week 
Sarah Lovering: Medical Marijuana, It's Status in California.
Fining: Grant Kemp-"One more time"
Grant, for the second week in a row, led the extraction session starting with confessions.
Bill Hatch gave a rather long confession, but the punch line was a rather generous donation to the Club. (You can talk as long as you want, Bill. Thank-You for your generosity.)
Roger Phelps came in first in the 50 yard butterfly competition in Las Vegas. Is that swimming or a new version of no-limit holdem?
Jack Jacobs celebrated a new grandson.
Don Scanlon kicked in for his daughter's recent marital status change. That's all that will be said.
Amani's son turned 18. He wanted to go to Chumash, but was outvoted.
Grant quizzed people about their pets. Fred Fauvre, Bill Prather, and Dave Brubaker were interrogated and assessed.
Early Rotary Humor
from
Stripped Gears, the humor section of the Rotarian Magazine.
The Program: John Correa-Ojai Valley Sanitary District
Jerry Kaplan introduced John Correa of the Ojai Sanitary District. The district is responsible for the sewage and water treatment plant serving the Ojai Valley, Meiner's Oaks, Ventura Avenue, and Oak View areas.
The Ojai Valley Sanitary District provides sanitary sewer service for about 20,000 residents of the City of Ojai and the unincorporated Ojai Valley. It collects and transports wastewater for treatment at the Ojai Valley Treatment Plant and disposes of effluent and sludge.
The District is a public agency organized under the Sanitary District Act of 1923 and is governed by an elected seven member Board. The District office, collection system, and wastewater treatment plant are operated by 19 full time employees.
The District's collection system consists of approximately 120 miles of trunk and main sewer lines. The Ojai Valley Sanitary District originated in May, 1985 as a result of the consolidation of the Ventura Avenue, Oak View, and Meiners Oaks Sanitary Districts, and the Sanitation Department of the City of Ojai. The predecessor Districts were established in the early 1960's in conjunction with construction of the Oak View Treatment Plant which served them as well as the City of Ojai. Ojai's oldest sections were originally served by sewers and a treatment plant built at the south end of Libbey Park in the 1920's.
With heavy rainfall, the sheer volume of water presents a challenge to the system. Storm sewers and sanitary sewers are two different things. In the Ojai Valley, we have both kinds, and they are separate systems. The Ojai Valley Sanitary District is responsible only for the sanitary sewer system. When there is crossover between the two systems, we have problems, and that is what happens when conditions of Infiltration & Inflow (I & I) exist. Infiltration is when rainwater is leaking into buried sewer pipes and Inflow is where rainwater flows directly into open sewer pipes. I & I are serious problems; they have caused us more sewage spills and plant upsets than anything else, and can be harmful to our environment.
The Ojai Valley Sanitary District is engaged in efforts to correct the problem of Infiltration and Inflow (I & I). Since these leaks can come from a variety of sources (through downspouts or other drainage lines hooked up to the sewage lines, leaking sewage lines that allow water to enter when the ground is saturated or flooded, breakage from tree roots, or illegal connections to the sewage lines), we need to conduct a thorough investigation as to where the leaks are coming from. Although each of these conditions may only allow a few gallons into the system during dry weather conditions, they can really add up during storm conditions, and consequently, hydraulically overload our treatment facility. When our treatment facility is hydraulically overloaded, as it was during the storms last March, sewage spills become unavoidable.
Director William (Bill) Lotts passed away on January 2, thereby creating a vacancy in his position on the District's governing Board of Directors. Director Lotts represented Division 7, which is an irregular shape that generally covers the easter portion of the City of Ojai, encompassing the Oak Glen/Gridley Road area, Golden West tract, Topa Topa School area, North Fulton and North Drown neighborhoods.
The Board intends to appoint a replacement to the vacant position rather than call for a special election. Under California Government Code 1780 the District has 60 days to make an appointment. The months of January & February will be used to solicit interested persons and the appointment will be made prior to March 3, 2010.
The appointee must be a resident of Division 7 as described in this notice and a registered voter. Anyone interested in being considered for appointment should contact the district office at 646-548 to verify that their resident address is within Division 7 and obtain more details of the appointment process.
Applications for the vacancy will be accepted up to 5:00 p.m., Friday, February 12, 2010.
If you have questions or need more information, please contact John Correa, General Manager, or Brenda Krout, Administrative Officer at 646-5548.
Thank-You, John for an informative update on a system which we often take for granted.
Final Thoughts
Make Dreams Real: Water
