NHA Minutes 2024-06-18
Meeting Minutes
National Heritage Area Management Plan Advisory Committee (NHA Advisory Committee)
Tuesday, June 18, 2024, 1:30 – 3:30pm
Rio Vista Senior Center, 25 Main Street, Rio Vista, CA 94571
1. Call to Order – Bruce Blodgett, NHA Advisory Committee Chair
Bruce Blodgett, NHA Management Plan Advisory Committee Chair, called the meeting to order at 1:40 p.m.
A quorum was present with voting members Blodgett, Vice Chair Elizabeth Patterson, Jan Vick, Lenora Clark, Dave Stuart, Janet Lake, Matt Holmes, Paulette Hennum, and Jean Yokotobi. Ex-officio members present were Maya Garrett, Trevor Rice, and Mike Moran.
DPC staff present were Blake Roberts, Holly Heyser, and Debra Waltman.
2. Public Comment
There were no comments from members of the public.
3. Approval of January 11, 2024, meeting minutes
DPC staff member Blake Roberts made one correction to the January 11, 2024, minutes: The Clarksburg Schoolhouse held an Open House on July 4, 2024, not a grand opening.
Committee member Vick motioned to approve the meeting minutes with the stated correction. Committee member Hennum seconded. The motion passed unanimously with one abstention.
4. NHA Advisory Committee Updates
There were no NHA Advisory Committee updates.
5. Status of Management Plan – Blake Roberts, Delta Protection Commission
Roberts reported that the Management Plan is with the National Park Service (NPS) and is working its way through the approval process, and he anticipates hearing from NPS by the September deadline. DPC staff are anticipating that NPS will request changes to the Management Plan. DPC staff already know there is one potential issue with tribal engagement that will need to be addressed.
7. Restructuring of NHA Advisory Committee and Advisory Task Groups – Bruce Blodgett and Blake Roberts, Delta Protection Commission
Roberts reported on changes to the charter that will be brought before the Delta Protection Commission for approval at the July Commission meeting. The current charter is set to sunset upon NPS approval of the Management Plan. Now that we are shifting from developing the plan to implementing the plan, DPC staff want to make sure the new Committee has set term limits for continuity of work.
Other proposed revisions to the charter are to the scope of work, setting member terms, adding alternate seats, and new advisory task groups as well as small housekeeping changes and removing the sunset provision.
The new NHA Committee scope reflects what the Committee is responsible for in the Management Plan. The new Committee will provide recommendations and feedback to the Commission. The advisory task groups and committee members will serve as a bridge between the community and the Commission. The Management Plan included reviewing and evaluating grant applications as a new responsibility for the Committee.
Roberts also briefly discussed the potential new advisory task groups that are outlined in the Management Plan and term limits for the Committee seats, which will be determined at a later meeting.
8. Delta Heritage Forum – Holly Heyser and Blake Roberts, Delta Protection Commission
Heyser reported that the date for the Delta Heritage Forum is November 15. The theme is Creating Community through Heritage. It will be held at the Antioch Historical Museum. It is an all-day event and will consist of four 1-hour sessions with storytellers throughout the day. The day will end with lightning talks and a potential happy hour. Food and drink will be provided throughout the day.
9. Passport Program – Blake Roberts, Delta Protection Commission
Roberts reported that many National Heritage Areas have passport programs, and the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta NHA will follow the same programming. Roberts presented examples of other NHA passport programs and described the general process for all passport programs.
10. Member Announcements and Adjourn
Pear Fair is the last weekend in July.
Vice Chair Patterson gave an update that the trial of the 1000 Friends Protecting Historic Benicia will have its court hearing soon.
Chair Blodgett updated the Committee on the Aurora cruise ship that is leaking oil into the Delta.
The meeting was adjourned at 3:38pm.