Archival: 2002–2005 items related to Musick Creek property
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Musick Creek
Aug 1, 2018, 11:42:06 AM8/1/18
to Musick Creek
[sent to Whole Note, a Sweet’s Mill email list run by Jemmy, <Whol...@musickfalls.org>]
On Mar 25, 2002, at 10:51 PM, Jemmy Bluestein <jb...@cvip.fresno.com> wrote:
Greetings, friends of Sweet's Mill, Sierra Music and Arts Institute, and Musick Falls:
A few messages are included herein. One is a reprint of some material which went out in the registration material for summer of '02, and concerns in particular financial support for Musick Falls. We are appealing to folks who have contributed to this vision or would like to. In less than one year we are over half way to owning outright this precious resource. Obviously, we must take it furhter now... Please see below.
Dear Friends of SMAI and Musick Falls:
Sierra Music and Arts Institute has purchased a beautiful piece of mountain property so as to never be homeless, come what may. It is 4 miles due east of Sweet’s Mill and approximately 1,000 feet higher in elevation. (Only 2 small patches of poison oak!) Musick Creek flows through it at great length and volume, with waterfalls, pools, beautiful streamside habitat of many kinds, and so we call the place Musick Falls: 134 acres of woods, water and granite.
Last summer, through tax-deductible contributions to our non-profit from several hundred of us (donations ranged from $10 to $10,000) we put down about half of the total cost. We have a loan of $100,000+ at 8.5% so we are currently paying (from the contributions account) about $950/month.
What are we doing with this place? The contributing community has expressed very clearly the desire not to spend any capital on the place until the note is paid off, so for the moment we are trying to pay off principle and diminish overall payment of interest. There are many ways we can all help in this immediate project. Many contributors pledged additional support for the new year, so now is a great time to do what we can do. Others are making monthly contributions. Quarterly, annual, whatever works for you and for your tax planning is great for the goal. Many have suggested monthly automatic bank transfers, which is the option I have been using myself. In fact, (and this is just for the sake of visualizing potential progress) if we had a couple hundred people making automatic transfers of $20/month, we could be making our monthly payments and drastically running down our principle (there is no penalty here for early payment of loan). This would of course progressively diminish our monthly payments, and minimize the overall payment of interest. Of course some can pay more, and some less, but this is just an arbitrary suggestion, which we felt might be workable for many of us. In order to do the automatic bank transfer, you must set it up so that the transfers are initiated by your own bank—the non-profit’s bank will not make the contact. The bank is Cal Fed and the account number is 972-0179812. Please contact our treasurer so he can keep track on behalf of all of us: Jim Ross (559) 439-7534 <<jimly...@aol.com>>. Hint:online banking/bill-paying functions make this very easy. Check with your bank please, if this seems convenient. Checks may be made out to Sierra Music and Arts Institute (or to S.M.A.I.) and mailed to Jim Ross at 1611 E. Roberts, Fresno, Ca. 93710-6443. Thanks, and please don’t delay!
What will we do with this place in the future? First of all, we are clearly in no hurry. No one is trying to hasten our leaving Sweet’s Mill. Our tenure at the Mill is unclear for the future but for the time being, we hold the life estate through SMAI, our non-profit. We have so far agreed to use sound long-range planning in whatever directions we may chart with Musick Falls. This will in fact be required by regulations at all levels of government and development. Our first steps are dictated by the fact that this area has been a popular camp for hundreds or thousands of years. Some of the more sensitive biological areas on the parcel are littered with obsidian flakes and grinding holes. These are most likely areas which we wouldn’t want to disturb anyway, but we must know the nature and extent of the archaeological sites. The phase one survey we are currently planning will give us the detailed resource maps which we will need to even begin to plan anything further. It will also afford us an opportunity to make meaningful contact with local Indian communities.
Beyond this, we are already formulating possible beachhead development schemes which would allow us ready access for our purposes, and it is wonderful to wish and plan on all the things we can do so sustainably and esthetically this time around BUT: first things first. Let’s pay it off! Let’s get on the ground and get a real good feel for the place in its wholeness. The possibilities are endless and exciting.
Our more public face can be found at http://musickfalls.org/index.html . Evo presents many gorgeous images of our activities at both Sweet’s Mill and at Musick Falls. There is some real inspiring stuff here, including interviews and images from our history as a community.
On Mar 25, 2002, at 10:51 PM, Jemmy Bluestein <jb...@cvip.fresno.com> wrote:
Greetings, friends of Sweet's Mill, Sierra Music and Arts Institute, and Musick Falls:
A few messages are included herein. One is a reprint of some material which went out in the registration material for summer of '02, and concerns in particular financial support for Musick Falls. We are appealing to folks who have contributed to this vision or would like to. In less than one year we are over half way to owning outright this precious resource. Obviously, we must take it furhter now... Please see below.
Dear Friends of SMAI and Musick Falls:
Sierra Music and Arts Institute has purchased a beautiful piece of mountain property so as to never be homeless, come what may. It is 4 miles due east of Sweet’s Mill and approximately 1,000 feet higher in elevation. (Only 2 small patches of poison oak!) Musick Creek flows through it at great length and volume, with waterfalls, pools, beautiful streamside habitat of many kinds, and so we call the place Musick Falls: 134 acres of woods, water and granite.
Last summer, through tax-deductible contributions to our non-profit from several hundred of us (donations ranged from $10 to $10,000) we put down about half of the total cost. We have a loan of $100,000+ at 8.5% so we are currently paying (from the contributions account) about $950/month.
What are we doing with this place? The contributing community has expressed very clearly the desire not to spend any capital on the place until the note is paid off, so for the moment we are trying to pay off principle and diminish overall payment of interest. There are many ways we can all help in this immediate project. Many contributors pledged additional support for the new year, so now is a great time to do what we can do. Others are making monthly contributions. Quarterly, annual, whatever works for you and for your tax planning is great for the goal. Many have suggested monthly automatic bank transfers, which is the option I have been using myself. In fact, (and this is just for the sake of visualizing potential progress) if we had a couple hundred people making automatic transfers of $20/month, we could be making our monthly payments and drastically running down our principle (there is no penalty here for early payment of loan). This would of course progressively diminish our monthly payments, and minimize the overall payment of interest. Of course some can pay more, and some less, but this is just an arbitrary suggestion, which we felt might be workable for many of us. In order to do the automatic bank transfer, you must set it up so that the transfers are initiated by your own bank—the non-profit’s bank will not make the contact. The bank is Cal Fed and the account number is 972-0179812. Please contact our treasurer so he can keep track on behalf of all of us: Jim Ross (559) 439-7534 <<jimly...@aol.com>>. Hint:online banking/bill-paying functions make this very easy. Check with your bank please, if this seems convenient. Checks may be made out to Sierra Music and Arts Institute (or to S.M.A.I.) and mailed to Jim Ross at 1611 E. Roberts, Fresno, Ca. 93710-6443. Thanks, and please don’t delay!
What will we do with this place in the future? First of all, we are clearly in no hurry. No one is trying to hasten our leaving Sweet’s Mill. Our tenure at the Mill is unclear for the future but for the time being, we hold the life estate through SMAI, our non-profit. We have so far agreed to use sound long-range planning in whatever directions we may chart with Musick Falls. This will in fact be required by regulations at all levels of government and development. Our first steps are dictated by the fact that this area has been a popular camp for hundreds or thousands of years. Some of the more sensitive biological areas on the parcel are littered with obsidian flakes and grinding holes. These are most likely areas which we wouldn’t want to disturb anyway, but we must know the nature and extent of the archaeological sites. The phase one survey we are currently planning will give us the detailed resource maps which we will need to even begin to plan anything further. It will also afford us an opportunity to make meaningful contact with local Indian communities.
Beyond this, we are already formulating possible beachhead development schemes which would allow us ready access for our purposes, and it is wonderful to wish and plan on all the things we can do so sustainably and esthetically this time around BUT: first things first. Let’s pay it off! Let’s get on the ground and get a real good feel for the place in its wholeness. The possibilities are endless and exciting.
Our more public face can be found at http://musickfalls.org/index.html . Evo presents many gorgeous images of our activities at both Sweet’s Mill and at Musick Falls. There is some real inspiring stuff here, including interviews and images from our history as a community.
Musick Creek
Aug 1, 2018, 11:55:35 AM8/1/18
to Musick Creek
On Sep 7, 2002, at 10:48 AM, Marc B. Blake <Cre...@SwordOfCreation.com> wrote (quoting Jemmy):
Dear Community of Sweet’s Mill and our non-profit, Sierra Music and Arts
Institute:
Warmest greeting to all who gave of themselves so that our gathering
could be so satisfying and exciting and yet so smoothly running! We had
a board of directors meeting of SMAI and also a general community
meeting up at camp in July. Please check out the minutes at EZ Marc’s
Sweet’s Mill Web site (no links please, though feel free to bookmark)
http://www.psnw.com/~tenorguitr/MILL/Ourplace.html and help us to
preserve and guide this ongoing creative survival experiment of ours.
Then there’s this: Most of us are aware that we will certainly lose
control of Sweet’s Mill in the near future—what will become of it or us
is entirely up in the air. So as to avoid possible communal
homelessness or helplessness, we have bought a gorgeous mountain spread,
4 miles due east of Sweet’s Mill. If you have not seen the place itself
or the pictures, please go to the SMAI website
http://musickfalls.org/index.html and take a walk along Musick Creek.
Our community committed itself to this project last year by coughing up
$100,000 in cash in a couple of months. Near as I can tell, no one was
too badly hurt, which is very important. We still owe about $100,000.
Right now we are operating in the red (on a loan from one of our own)
with our payments of under $1,000/month. For details on this project,
use the link above. If we want to have a great place and not lose our
investment we have to raise cash now. Let us knock 1/3 to [??] off the
principle right away and put up a year’s worth of monthly payments and
not bother ourselves until next summer, ok? 400+ of us have already
invested and hopefully can give a little once again. I hope the rest
will join in as well. We appeal to the wealthy and the starving alike
to do what we can now please. Lump of cash, monthly automatic deposit
from your bank to ours, annual or quarterly contributions—we can work it
out. Another easy method of payment is paypal.com. No amount is too
big or too small! Checks payable to: S.M.A.I.
and sent c/o treasurer Jim Ross 1611 E. Roberts Fresno, Ca. 93710.
(559) 431-7534
CONTRIBUTIONS ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE!
Please keep me up to date on your email contacts for the list serve
WholeNote. Jb...@cvip.net . Please keep Cynthia, our intrepid
registrar cyb...@aol.com up-to-date on all your info so we can work
together, and update EZ Marc's email links page (via the complaint
department) at the first site above so we can all reach you in a fast
shake.
Meanwhile, there will be a gathering of the faithful at Sweet's Mill for
the putting to bed of the site on the weekend of September 28-9. Please
contact Jim jimly...@aol.com or phone # above to RSVP.
In these dark times, we need to act like a community so we can continue
to be one. Our generations must count on each other in order to
flourish. If we all help it is very easy.
In one seriously final note, I must inform of the passing of Gene
Bluestein, my father, on August 21. He had been cheating death for many
years and we’re so grateful for that! His mind was sharp and his heart
filled with sweetness even when his body had finally and completely run
out of energy or strength. He was an early organizer of Sweet’s Mill
festivals and gave beyond measure to the world in so many areas· He was
a mensch and a zeeskeit, a meshuge, a man of strength and integrity, a
great teacher, a wise and loving elder whom we miss very much and
he’ll always be remembered as a sweet singer in a long line of sweet
singers.
Love to y’all, Jem
Dear Community of Sweet’s Mill and our non-profit, Sierra Music and Arts
Institute:
Warmest greeting to all who gave of themselves so that our gathering
could be so satisfying and exciting and yet so smoothly running! We had
a board of directors meeting of SMAI and also a general community
meeting up at camp in July. Please check out the minutes at EZ Marc’s
Sweet’s Mill Web site (no links please, though feel free to bookmark)
http://www.psnw.com/~tenorguitr/MILL/Ourplace.html and help us to
preserve and guide this ongoing creative survival experiment of ours.
Then there’s this: Most of us are aware that we will certainly lose
control of Sweet’s Mill in the near future—what will become of it or us
is entirely up in the air. So as to avoid possible communal
homelessness or helplessness, we have bought a gorgeous mountain spread,
4 miles due east of Sweet’s Mill. If you have not seen the place itself
or the pictures, please go to the SMAI website
http://musickfalls.org/index.html and take a walk along Musick Creek.
Our community committed itself to this project last year by coughing up
$100,000 in cash in a couple of months. Near as I can tell, no one was
too badly hurt, which is very important. We still owe about $100,000.
Right now we are operating in the red (on a loan from one of our own)
with our payments of under $1,000/month. For details on this project,
use the link above. If we want to have a great place and not lose our
investment we have to raise cash now. Let us knock 1/3 to [??] off the
principle right away and put up a year’s worth of monthly payments and
not bother ourselves until next summer, ok? 400+ of us have already
invested and hopefully can give a little once again. I hope the rest
will join in as well. We appeal to the wealthy and the starving alike
to do what we can now please. Lump of cash, monthly automatic deposit
from your bank to ours, annual or quarterly contributions—we can work it
out. Another easy method of payment is paypal.com. No amount is too
big or too small! Checks payable to: S.M.A.I.
and sent c/o treasurer Jim Ross 1611 E. Roberts Fresno, Ca. 93710.
(559) 431-7534
CONTRIBUTIONS ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE!
Please keep me up to date on your email contacts for the list serve
WholeNote. Jb...@cvip.net . Please keep Cynthia, our intrepid
registrar cyb...@aol.com up-to-date on all your info so we can work
together, and update EZ Marc's email links page (via the complaint
department) at the first site above so we can all reach you in a fast
shake.
Meanwhile, there will be a gathering of the faithful at Sweet's Mill for
the putting to bed of the site on the weekend of September 28-9. Please
contact Jim jimly...@aol.com or phone # above to RSVP.
In these dark times, we need to act like a community so we can continue
to be one. Our generations must count on each other in order to
flourish. If we all help it is very easy.
In one seriously final note, I must inform of the passing of Gene
Bluestein, my father, on August 21. He had been cheating death for many
years and we’re so grateful for that! His mind was sharp and his heart
filled with sweetness even when his body had finally and completely run
out of energy or strength. He was an early organizer of Sweet’s Mill
festivals and gave beyond measure to the world in so many areas· He was
a mensch and a zeeskeit, a meshuge, a man of strength and integrity, a
great teacher, a wise and loving elder whom we miss very much and
he’ll always be remembered as a sweet singer in a long line of sweet
singers.
Love to y’all, Jem
Musick Creek
Aug 1, 2018, 11:56:51 AM8/1/18
to Musick Creek
On Jan 8, 2003, at 12:53 PM, Jem Bluestein <jb...@cvip.net> wrote:
Dears,
My apologies for the long silence; my computer went north on me. Back on line now, more/less. And here's the news.
I was harangueing the general group for a spell about contributions to finance Musick Falls purchase, since our coffers were getting low. Since then, several angels have contributed generously and we are in geat shape. We have socked away cash to make payments for a year and have put $10k or so down against remaining principle! Jim Ross will give us facts and numbers at our meeting, but I think we owe around $85k. And the great news also is that any contributions made in the
upcoming year will go directly against principal, lowering our debt and also the total amount we pay, by reducing the amount we pay interest on. Or something like that. We continue to make the same payments (about $1k/mo) but more of it goes against the principal as we run the amount downwards... Many thanks to Ed Littlefield, Martha and Dave Schubert, Ms. Sherron Brown, Randall's friend Robbie and all who continue to further this vision for our non-profit/community!
Meanwhile, our meeting is looming large and near. Postcard is in your mail already w/ details, but here they are also:
MILL PARTY 2003 DANCE PARTY AND PLANNING MEETING
Saturday January 18 Dance Party Potluck -Benefit for SMAI featuring Cajun, Old Timey (Kenny & Friends), watltzes and Polkas (Hawks and Eagles!).
Cynthia Merrillās School of Performing Arts- 4750 N Blackstone Ave Fresno Just south of Shaw (559 222 6539) Donation $10. Come early and help set up!
Food 6:00 pm, Music 7:30
Sunday January 19 Community Planning Meeting ö We will be putting together our teams and policy for the 2003 Mill Party. Chris and Julie Ann’s House, 4248 N Wishon (North of Ashlan between Maroa and Palm- 559 248 0423)
10:00 am Questions? Call Don Loweburg 559 877 7080
Suggesting the use of Play Nice page for carpooling (please post if you have seats, need ride, etc.). As to accomodations, let's take some outlanders home w/ us from the dance, ok?
http://www.psnw.com/~tenorguitr/MILL/Playnice.html
Also suggesting that foks review previous meeting minutes, also
available on EZ's menu for reminders of things needing addressed.
Attached please find flyer for the dance bene, in case you'd like to print, copy and post. Thanks to Jonart!
I will also forward soon (fyi) some info about a 3-year education/action initiative from Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) and also equally from Program on Corporations, Law and Democracy (POCLAD). It concerns the overarching problems of corporate control of our government/lives. The concern of this initiative is to prepare and
initiate the taking back of the rights and control by us, the poeple. Several study groups in Fresno have completed the course prepared by these orgs and have found it quite effective and useful. We are planning to fire up some more study groups on 1/28 here in Fres. Study guide available for download @ http://www.wilpf.org click on challenging corporate authority/asserting the people's rights. Real good stuff.
I guess that is it for the moment. Please stay in touch, through this return or on the Play Nice page (see above). Hoping to see you very soon. xox Jem
Dears,
My apologies for the long silence; my computer went north on me. Back on line now, more/less. And here's the news.
I was harangueing the general group for a spell about contributions to finance Musick Falls purchase, since our coffers were getting low. Since then, several angels have contributed generously and we are in geat shape. We have socked away cash to make payments for a year and have put $10k or so down against remaining principle! Jim Ross will give us facts and numbers at our meeting, but I think we owe around $85k. And the great news also is that any contributions made in the
upcoming year will go directly against principal, lowering our debt and also the total amount we pay, by reducing the amount we pay interest on. Or something like that. We continue to make the same payments (about $1k/mo) but more of it goes against the principal as we run the amount downwards... Many thanks to Ed Littlefield, Martha and Dave Schubert, Ms. Sherron Brown, Randall's friend Robbie and all who continue to further this vision for our non-profit/community!
Meanwhile, our meeting is looming large and near. Postcard is in your mail already w/ details, but here they are also:
MILL PARTY 2003 DANCE PARTY AND PLANNING MEETING
Saturday January 18 Dance Party Potluck -Benefit for SMAI featuring Cajun, Old Timey (Kenny & Friends), watltzes and Polkas (Hawks and Eagles!).
Cynthia Merrillās School of Performing Arts- 4750 N Blackstone Ave Fresno Just south of Shaw (559 222 6539) Donation $10. Come early and help set up!
Food 6:00 pm, Music 7:30
Sunday January 19 Community Planning Meeting ö We will be putting together our teams and policy for the 2003 Mill Party. Chris and Julie Ann’s House, 4248 N Wishon (North of Ashlan between Maroa and Palm- 559 248 0423)
10:00 am Questions? Call Don Loweburg 559 877 7080
Suggesting the use of Play Nice page for carpooling (please post if you have seats, need ride, etc.). As to accomodations, let's take some outlanders home w/ us from the dance, ok?
http://www.psnw.com/~tenorguitr/MILL/Playnice.html
Also suggesting that foks review previous meeting minutes, also
available on EZ's menu for reminders of things needing addressed.
Attached please find flyer for the dance bene, in case you'd like to print, copy and post. Thanks to Jonart!
I will also forward soon (fyi) some info about a 3-year education/action initiative from Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) and also equally from Program on Corporations, Law and Democracy (POCLAD). It concerns the overarching problems of corporate control of our government/lives. The concern of this initiative is to prepare and
initiate the taking back of the rights and control by us, the poeple. Several study groups in Fresno have completed the course prepared by these orgs and have found it quite effective and useful. We are planning to fire up some more study groups on 1/28 here in Fres. Study guide available for download @ http://www.wilpf.org click on challenging corporate authority/asserting the people's rights. Real good stuff.
I guess that is it for the moment. Please stay in touch, through this return or on the Play Nice page (see above). Hoping to see you very soon. xox Jem
Musick Creek
Aug 1, 2018, 11:57:50 AM8/1/18
to Musick Creek
On Apr 27, 2003, at 12:49 AM, Jem Bluestein <jb...@cvip.net> wrote:
I have applied for a federal grant from Forest Service to get some work done on Musick Falls, the 134 acres near Shaver Lake, owned by SMAI.
Following is a little backgroiund info:
I don't want to see anything done until we have really good data on the land. I feel everything we do should grow organically from this info. And, as Sarah explained to us all, we need to have all the surveys data (bio, archaeo, endangered species and historical) done before we can even consider doing most kinds of development, since we are a non-profit and would anticipate using gov't funds of one kind or another at some point. So we need to be in full compliance with all the regs. So, to cover our needs in this regard, we need a bunch of cash, whereas the community has barred the spending of our cash on the place prior to clear ownership. But the grant also needs to do all this survey work before disturbing any soil, and therefore pays for it as initial phase.
As to roadwork, the grant proposal budget only calls for a few grand on roadwork. There is one "road" through the middle of the property now, which needs to lose it's quotation marks. This can be achieved through brushing, grading a bit and installing some culverts. The "road" is through D.G. (decomposing granite) which therefore makes up it's natural substrate. (D.G. is highly prized as road finish, quite expensive to have delivered and very easy to work with. We have it pretty much to the exclusion of any other kind of road substrate.) Then there are two pieces of former road which we probably want to restore to match the improvemements of the existing "road”. These will give us access to another route in/out of the place and access to remoter corners--without endangering sensitive areas.
But the main thrust of the grant is what is called forest fuel reduction treatment of the entire property. This forest is a fire ecology, needs to be burnt off every five-ten years to stay healthy and safe. All it’s dwellers have adapted to this regime. In such a healthy state, the regular fires do all the housecleaning without killing big trees or whole communities—not enough accululation of fuel to burn big or hot. (The native people were part of this picture, often torching areas that hadn't seen recent natural lightening strikes.) One hundred years (or two) of fire suppression and fuel accumulation has made all the western forests dangerous. Any fire that grows beyond control devastates everything. Beaurocratic agencies are starting to understand this. There is money available to restore fuel loads to prehistorical levels, especially in what's called urban/wildland interface.
Our property is right between any fire coming up Jose Basin and the greater Shaver Lake resort area. Also figuring is the vast expanse of US Forest
Service land immmedaitely uphill on our north line. All the nearby agencies consider us high priority. The treatment would consist of thinning and removing brush, limbing dead limbs off trees, thinning saplings and removing or breaking down dead fuel load on the ground. Because so much of the area will be shown to be sensitive in various aspects, much work will be done by hand crews, and very little done mechanically. I already have many potential consultants lined up for all of the areas needed, including experienced professional foresters to prepare the precise prescription for the treatment area. But I feel our (and the land's) ace in the hole is Ray LeClergue, of Intermountain Nursery. He has been a logger, miller, propagator and restoration specialist, knows this land specifically over a long period, and understands the ecology of the woods and the project better than any of them. He has expressed enthusiasm for working with us, which gives me great confidence.
We will not be dropping any trees of greater than 8" diameter, according to a covenant with the seller who carries our note (protects him from having us log the place for profit and leave him with a worthless forclosure). We wouldn’t want to anyhow. Anything we do salvage that can be milled, we could mill.
(This could be done as a split with the miller--no cost to us.)
Anything salvageable for other uses (cedar poles, useable hardwood for craft, cordwood for use or sale, etc.) we would attempt to high-grade and retain. Other materials can be chipped where possible.
Most of us haven't ever experienced a forest that is in its natural balance. It is a thing of great comfort and beauty. Much more inviting--it feels like a park, only wild. It renders a place more accomodating, less rugged and much safer. I think that if we get our surveys done, basic road access, and the place restored to health and safety at no cost to ourselves, we will be in a position to do whatever we decide shall be our projects. So while we figure it out, this sounds like a good deal for gaining good data and doing what is most right for the forest.
The total grant amount is about $100,000. There would be much opportunity and usefulness for folks to be involved, although I wrote myself a salary to make sure it goes smoothly. There is no grant-writer's fee or commission.
Thanks again for the opportunity to try and clarify. I'm hoping to hear about the grant within a few weeks, and if we make the cut, the cash flows in June! So we will need to be ready to go. Or not.
xoxox Jem
I have applied for a federal grant from Forest Service to get some work done on Musick Falls, the 134 acres near Shaver Lake, owned by SMAI.
Following is a little backgroiund info:
I don't want to see anything done until we have really good data on the land. I feel everything we do should grow organically from this info. And, as Sarah explained to us all, we need to have all the surveys data (bio, archaeo, endangered species and historical) done before we can even consider doing most kinds of development, since we are a non-profit and would anticipate using gov't funds of one kind or another at some point. So we need to be in full compliance with all the regs. So, to cover our needs in this regard, we need a bunch of cash, whereas the community has barred the spending of our cash on the place prior to clear ownership. But the grant also needs to do all this survey work before disturbing any soil, and therefore pays for it as initial phase.
As to roadwork, the grant proposal budget only calls for a few grand on roadwork. There is one "road" through the middle of the property now, which needs to lose it's quotation marks. This can be achieved through brushing, grading a bit and installing some culverts. The "road" is through D.G. (decomposing granite) which therefore makes up it's natural substrate. (D.G. is highly prized as road finish, quite expensive to have delivered and very easy to work with. We have it pretty much to the exclusion of any other kind of road substrate.) Then there are two pieces of former road which we probably want to restore to match the improvemements of the existing "road”. These will give us access to another route in/out of the place and access to remoter corners--without endangering sensitive areas.
But the main thrust of the grant is what is called forest fuel reduction treatment of the entire property. This forest is a fire ecology, needs to be burnt off every five-ten years to stay healthy and safe. All it’s dwellers have adapted to this regime. In such a healthy state, the regular fires do all the housecleaning without killing big trees or whole communities—not enough accululation of fuel to burn big or hot. (The native people were part of this picture, often torching areas that hadn't seen recent natural lightening strikes.) One hundred years (or two) of fire suppression and fuel accumulation has made all the western forests dangerous. Any fire that grows beyond control devastates everything. Beaurocratic agencies are starting to understand this. There is money available to restore fuel loads to prehistorical levels, especially in what's called urban/wildland interface.
Our property is right between any fire coming up Jose Basin and the greater Shaver Lake resort area. Also figuring is the vast expanse of US Forest
Service land immmedaitely uphill on our north line. All the nearby agencies consider us high priority. The treatment would consist of thinning and removing brush, limbing dead limbs off trees, thinning saplings and removing or breaking down dead fuel load on the ground. Because so much of the area will be shown to be sensitive in various aspects, much work will be done by hand crews, and very little done mechanically. I already have many potential consultants lined up for all of the areas needed, including experienced professional foresters to prepare the precise prescription for the treatment area. But I feel our (and the land's) ace in the hole is Ray LeClergue, of Intermountain Nursery. He has been a logger, miller, propagator and restoration specialist, knows this land specifically over a long period, and understands the ecology of the woods and the project better than any of them. He has expressed enthusiasm for working with us, which gives me great confidence.
We will not be dropping any trees of greater than 8" diameter, according to a covenant with the seller who carries our note (protects him from having us log the place for profit and leave him with a worthless forclosure). We wouldn’t want to anyhow. Anything we do salvage that can be milled, we could mill.
(This could be done as a split with the miller--no cost to us.)
Anything salvageable for other uses (cedar poles, useable hardwood for craft, cordwood for use or sale, etc.) we would attempt to high-grade and retain. Other materials can be chipped where possible.
Most of us haven't ever experienced a forest that is in its natural balance. It is a thing of great comfort and beauty. Much more inviting--it feels like a park, only wild. It renders a place more accomodating, less rugged and much safer. I think that if we get our surveys done, basic road access, and the place restored to health and safety at no cost to ourselves, we will be in a position to do whatever we decide shall be our projects. So while we figure it out, this sounds like a good deal for gaining good data and doing what is most right for the forest.
The total grant amount is about $100,000. There would be much opportunity and usefulness for folks to be involved, although I wrote myself a salary to make sure it goes smoothly. There is no grant-writer's fee or commission.
Thanks again for the opportunity to try and clarify. I'm hoping to hear about the grant within a few weeks, and if we make the cut, the cash flows in June! So we will need to be ready to go. Or not.
xoxox Jem
Musick Creek
Aug 1, 2018, 11:59:16 AM8/1/18
to Musick Creek
On May 13, 2003, at 1:05 PM, Jem Bluestein <jb...@cvip.net> wrote:
First, I got word today that we have been granted the requested cash from the Foret Service! $100,000 to do the environmental survey work which will be the basis of any future development at Musick Creek, to do some roadwork for improved access, and especially for the thinning and clearing of brush and fuel to make the grounds safer and healthier. Meeting with USFS next week to get going on matters beaurocratical.
First, I got word today that we have been granted the requested cash from the Foret Service! $100,000 to do the environmental survey work which will be the basis of any future development at Musick Creek, to do some roadwork for improved access, and especially for the thinning and clearing of brush and fuel to make the grounds safer and healthier. Meeting with USFS next week to get going on matters beaurocratical.
Musick Creek
Aug 1, 2018, 12:00:04 PM8/1/18
to Musick Creek
On Aug 11, 2003, at 2:03 PM, Jem Bluestein <jb...@cvip.net> wrote:
…
Musick Creek
The grant-funded project is coming along really great. Lining up all the pros to see the project through and get maximum bang. Getting really excited about working with some awseome crew folks and foresters. Actual big work to begin in October or so and go through the winter months. More in spring if necessary. For those uninformed the project is to thin and clear brush to make woods firesafe and accessible, balanced, healthy and beautiful. Paid for by Forest Service grant, $97,000.
Meanwhile, in Musick Creek financial news, one of our community investors had to buy a house and so withdrew a loan of $10,000. This is a call for the back-up investors to step in and cover that loan if you are still interested. We can probably offer you 4 or 5%, since we are paying seller 8.5. Please contact Jim if interested 559 439 7534 jimly...@aol.com . Having paid this cash out leaves us about 5 months' worth of payments in the Musick Creek account. This means it is a great time to make a contribution to paying off our loan on the new property! Little or big, it matters not. What counts is that all of us together can make it easy. (They got the guns but we got the numbers!) Early payment saves us beaucoup bucks in the long run, and having cash in the till saves on fundraising energy for all of us, so please dig a little. Our treasurer Jim Ross is at 1611 E Roberts, Fresno, Ca. 93710-6443 and please make checks payable to SMAI or Sierra Music and Arts Institute. Please do this right away so it gets done. We have a gorgeous and increasingly valuable place. We're just investing $100,000 of free money in the place. And get this: we paid $195,000 for 134 stunning resort property acres, with streamage (which is still flowing nicely this year, as of yesterday when I visited last); meanwhile someone has just bought a neighboring parcel: 6 acres for $235,000. Does this suggest that our place is worth $5M? In any case, its value (to the real estate world and to us) is going nowheres but up. Fast.
…
…
Musick Creek
The grant-funded project is coming along really great. Lining up all the pros to see the project through and get maximum bang. Getting really excited about working with some awseome crew folks and foresters. Actual big work to begin in October or so and go through the winter months. More in spring if necessary. For those uninformed the project is to thin and clear brush to make woods firesafe and accessible, balanced, healthy and beautiful. Paid for by Forest Service grant, $97,000.
Meanwhile, in Musick Creek financial news, one of our community investors had to buy a house and so withdrew a loan of $10,000. This is a call for the back-up investors to step in and cover that loan if you are still interested. We can probably offer you 4 or 5%, since we are paying seller 8.5. Please contact Jim if interested 559 439 7534 jimly...@aol.com . Having paid this cash out leaves us about 5 months' worth of payments in the Musick Creek account. This means it is a great time to make a contribution to paying off our loan on the new property! Little or big, it matters not. What counts is that all of us together can make it easy. (They got the guns but we got the numbers!) Early payment saves us beaucoup bucks in the long run, and having cash in the till saves on fundraising energy for all of us, so please dig a little. Our treasurer Jim Ross is at 1611 E Roberts, Fresno, Ca. 93710-6443 and please make checks payable to SMAI or Sierra Music and Arts Institute. Please do this right away so it gets done. We have a gorgeous and increasingly valuable place. We're just investing $100,000 of free money in the place. And get this: we paid $195,000 for 134 stunning resort property acres, with streamage (which is still flowing nicely this year, as of yesterday when I visited last); meanwhile someone has just bought a neighboring parcel: 6 acres for $235,000. Does this suggest that our place is worth $5M? In any case, its value (to the real estate world and to us) is going nowheres but up. Fast.
…
Musick Creek
Aug 1, 2018, 12:01:18 PM8/1/18
to Musick Creek
On Aug 13, 2003, or thereabouts, Joel Pomerantz wrote:
Jim, I may be able to cover this loan. I need some more details, please. Just some general background, as I haven't been paying much attention to the difference between donations and loans made, and why we are doing some of it by loans. Is it just that donations haven't reached a high enough level yet to depend only on that source? Also, timing info, please. Meanwhile, I'll check with my mom, whose money it is. She's probably comfortable with making a $10 loan on my say-so, but I can't assume. Better than it sitting with low interest in her checking account since she's too busy even to transfer it to an interest-bearing account. Joel415-505-8255
Jim, I may be able to cover this loan. I need some more details, please. Just some general background, as I haven't been paying much attention to the difference between donations and loans made, and why we are doing some of it by loans. Is it just that donations haven't reached a high enough level yet to depend only on that source? Also, timing info, please. Meanwhile, I'll check with my mom, whose money it is. She's probably comfortable with making a $10 loan on my say-so, but I can't assume. Better than it sitting with low interest in her checking account since she's too busy even to transfer it to an interest-bearing account. Joel415-505-8255
Musick Creek
Aug 1, 2018, 12:02:55 PM8/1/18
to Musick Creek
On Aug 21, 2003, at 10:29 AM, Jem Bluestein <jb...@cvip.net> wrote:
Dears,
The kitchen construction will not be happening Labor Day. We will also not be draining lake this fall since Jim says we are not really so flush (no pun intended) in the cash department at present. So at Labor Day we will continue putting stuff away and cleaning up camp. Please come help!
I spoke to Jim about our general financial situation. The festival fund is ok until next year. The Musick Creek land purchasing account is low. We currently owe about $87k on the loan. If several hundred people each contributed $50 we could cut the principal in half and still have payments covered through next year. We have invested a bunch, let us not jeopardize our investment. Many of us doing a little bit now and then can accomplish our goals w/o anyone getting hurt, so please ante up. Checks payable to S.M.A.I., mail to Jim Ross, 1611 E Roberts Ave., Fresno, Ca. 93710-6443 jimly...@aol.com and the phone is 559 439-7534. Hoping we can handle this and not require me to be a broken record and spamocidal manioc... The value of this place is quite awesome and whatever the future holds we will benefit greatly from it. We will never be homeless and it will afford us unimagined opportunities. I'll leave off w/ the propaganda, but do please think on it, or cantact me to discuss further... Many thanks, much love. Jem
Dears,
The kitchen construction will not be happening Labor Day. We will also not be draining lake this fall since Jim says we are not really so flush (no pun intended) in the cash department at present. So at Labor Day we will continue putting stuff away and cleaning up camp. Please come help!
I spoke to Jim about our general financial situation. The festival fund is ok until next year. The Musick Creek land purchasing account is low. We currently owe about $87k on the loan. If several hundred people each contributed $50 we could cut the principal in half and still have payments covered through next year. We have invested a bunch, let us not jeopardize our investment. Many of us doing a little bit now and then can accomplish our goals w/o anyone getting hurt, so please ante up. Checks payable to S.M.A.I., mail to Jim Ross, 1611 E Roberts Ave., Fresno, Ca. 93710-6443 jimly...@aol.com and the phone is 559 439-7534. Hoping we can handle this and not require me to be a broken record and spamocidal manioc... The value of this place is quite awesome and whatever the future holds we will benefit greatly from it. We will never be homeless and it will afford us unimagined opportunities. I'll leave off w/ the propaganda, but do please think on it, or cantact me to discuss further... Many thanks, much love. Jem
Joel P
Aug 1, 2018, 12:05:28 PM8/1/18
to Musick Creek
On Sep 22, 2003, at 10:02 PM, Jem Bluestein <jb...@cvip.net> wrote:
…
The forest fuels reduction gig at Musick Creek is inching along, building up steam and nearly ready for the work crews to hit the ground in November. It is shaping up very interesting and cool. Very exciting to me, getting all the elements together to spend this chunk of cash doing what the forest really wants the most. Best for us too, of course.
…
xox Jem
…
The forest fuels reduction gig at Musick Creek is inching along, building up steam and nearly ready for the work crews to hit the ground in November. It is shaping up very interesting and cool. Very exciting to me, getting all the elements together to spend this chunk of cash doing what the forest really wants the most. Best for us too, of course.
…
xox Jem
Musick Creek
Aug 1, 2018, 12:06:37 PM8/1/18
to Musick Creek
On Sep 27, 2003, at 12:16 AM, Jem Bluestein <jb...@cvip.net> wrote:
Here now, with my apologies for inaccuracies in preview announcement, is the
actual and accurate announcement, forwarded from the Board of SMAI:
ANNOUNCEMENT OF SMAI BOARD MEETING
The SMAI Board will be meet on October 19 in Fresno.
In the morning, there will be a session to discuss some personal and legal
issues. In accordance with our bylaws, this session will be closed to those
not on the Board.
In the afternoon, beginning at around 1pm, the Board will re-convene in an
open session to discuss a number of issues. Members of the Sweets Mill
community are welcome to observe and participate. The tentative agenda
includes but may not be limited to:
--Reporting out any decisions made in the closed session.
--Procedures for discussing and deciding on issues raised in the
semi-annual General Meetings.
--Procedures for Board discussion and decision making via telephone and/or
email, with possible changes to the bylaws.
--Coordinating follow through and implementation of Board decisions
--Establishing clear policies for the use of Mill facilities during
off-season and other land use issues.
--Establishing policies for visiting and utilizing Musick Creek.
--separating SMAI business from anything that is owned by an individual.
--guidelines for board officers.
--policies and procedures for all grants and budgets.
--Setting a preliminary agenda for the January Board and General meetings.
The location of the open session will be determined by the number of people
interested in attending. If you think that you'd like to be present, please
email or call Catherine soon. 559.221.1409 cath...@comcast.net
(end of announcement)
And do please spread the word to those you know in the community who are not on the list serve or using email, etc. Thanks! The following message of interest to Bay Area dwellers/visitors was forwarded to me for posting. Incidentally, I try to only use this list serve when something needs to get out now. In between, I save stuff up whenever possible to consolidate on messages. Jem
Berkeley Farmer's Market String Band Convention
Sat. Sept. 27 from 10:30 Am til 3 PM
Hi there, please help spread the word about this FREE event! Feel free
to forward this announcement to your own mailing list if you want to.
At least 15 bands, with musicians coming from Los Angeles, Mendocino,
Santa Cruz, Fresno, as well as all around the Bay Area, will be on hand
to play in the contest and jam in the park. Anyone who likes oldtime
and bluegrass music is invited to bring instruments and join in the
fun. A community dance will end the day; Evie Ladin will be calling
with an open band which anyone can be a part of. It should be a great
party for all!
Some of the names of the bands that have registered are: the Early
Girls, the Farmer Charmers, Buck Fush Entertainers, Squirrelly
Stringband, Pork Belly Futures, the Cultural Navigators, How You Duo
Trio, Square Pegs, KJammers, Fiddlekids Express, Earl White Band, and more.
The prizes are gift certificates for the Berkeley Farmer's Market, and
we'll also give a certificate of participation to each of the young
(under 16) participants -- it looks like there will be at least 10 or 15
of these! If you want to see the rules, email me.
We can still use some volunteers on the day -- if you can help out for
an hour during the course of this event, please let me know!
Thanks,
Suzy Thompson
Saturday, September 27, 2003
Berkeley Farmer's Market String Band Convention
Contest Registration: 10:30 AM
String Band Contest starts at 11:00 AM
Community dance starts when the contest is done, hopefully around 2:30.
Co-sponsored by the Ecology Center (who sponsor the Berkeley Farmer's
Markets) and KPFA radio whose Mary Tilson (America's Back Forty
Show-"the hicks from coast to coast") will be the MC. All contest
openings for bands have been filled, but if bands don't show for final
registration (at 10:30 AM) their slots will be open to any other bands
that have a representative there. The contest will start at 11:00 PM.
All musicians and string bands, registered or not, are invited to the
Convention to play tunes in the park, meet other musicians, and take
part in the community dance, called by Evie Ladin (accompanied by an
open band that musicians are welcome to be a part of). Location:
Saturday Berkeley Farmersâ€ת Market, Center St. between Milvia and MLK,
Jr. Way, Berkeley. Only 2 blocks from the downtown Berkeley BART
station. Time: 10:30am - 3pm. Cost: FREE. Info: 510/548-3333. Or email
me (Suzy) at Cle...@aol.com
Supported by the City of Berkeley Civic Arts Program. For more info,
call the Berkeley Farmers' Markets (510) 548-3333 or visit
www.ecologycenter.org/bfm/index.html
Here now, with my apologies for inaccuracies in preview announcement, is the
actual and accurate announcement, forwarded from the Board of SMAI:
ANNOUNCEMENT OF SMAI BOARD MEETING
The SMAI Board will be meet on October 19 in Fresno.
In the morning, there will be a session to discuss some personal and legal
issues. In accordance with our bylaws, this session will be closed to those
not on the Board.
In the afternoon, beginning at around 1pm, the Board will re-convene in an
open session to discuss a number of issues. Members of the Sweets Mill
community are welcome to observe and participate. The tentative agenda
includes but may not be limited to:
--Reporting out any decisions made in the closed session.
--Procedures for discussing and deciding on issues raised in the
semi-annual General Meetings.
--Procedures for Board discussion and decision making via telephone and/or
email, with possible changes to the bylaws.
--Coordinating follow through and implementation of Board decisions
--Establishing clear policies for the use of Mill facilities during
off-season and other land use issues.
--Establishing policies for visiting and utilizing Musick Creek.
--separating SMAI business from anything that is owned by an individual.
--guidelines for board officers.
--policies and procedures for all grants and budgets.
--Setting a preliminary agenda for the January Board and General meetings.
The location of the open session will be determined by the number of people
interested in attending. If you think that you'd like to be present, please
email or call Catherine soon. 559.221.1409 cath...@comcast.net
(end of announcement)
And do please spread the word to those you know in the community who are not on the list serve or using email, etc. Thanks! The following message of interest to Bay Area dwellers/visitors was forwarded to me for posting. Incidentally, I try to only use this list serve when something needs to get out now. In between, I save stuff up whenever possible to consolidate on messages. Jem
Berkeley Farmer's Market String Band Convention
Sat. Sept. 27 from 10:30 Am til 3 PM
Hi there, please help spread the word about this FREE event! Feel free
to forward this announcement to your own mailing list if you want to.
At least 15 bands, with musicians coming from Los Angeles, Mendocino,
Santa Cruz, Fresno, as well as all around the Bay Area, will be on hand
to play in the contest and jam in the park. Anyone who likes oldtime
and bluegrass music is invited to bring instruments and join in the
fun. A community dance will end the day; Evie Ladin will be calling
with an open band which anyone can be a part of. It should be a great
party for all!
Some of the names of the bands that have registered are: the Early
Girls, the Farmer Charmers, Buck Fush Entertainers, Squirrelly
Stringband, Pork Belly Futures, the Cultural Navigators, How You Duo
Trio, Square Pegs, KJammers, Fiddlekids Express, Earl White Band, and more.
The prizes are gift certificates for the Berkeley Farmer's Market, and
we'll also give a certificate of participation to each of the young
(under 16) participants -- it looks like there will be at least 10 or 15
of these! If you want to see the rules, email me.
We can still use some volunteers on the day -- if you can help out for
an hour during the course of this event, please let me know!
Thanks,
Suzy Thompson
Saturday, September 27, 2003
Berkeley Farmer's Market String Band Convention
Contest Registration: 10:30 AM
String Band Contest starts at 11:00 AM
Community dance starts when the contest is done, hopefully around 2:30.
Co-sponsored by the Ecology Center (who sponsor the Berkeley Farmer's
Markets) and KPFA radio whose Mary Tilson (America's Back Forty
Show-"the hicks from coast to coast") will be the MC. All contest
openings for bands have been filled, but if bands don't show for final
registration (at 10:30 AM) their slots will be open to any other bands
that have a representative there. The contest will start at 11:00 PM.
All musicians and string bands, registered or not, are invited to the
Convention to play tunes in the park, meet other musicians, and take
part in the community dance, called by Evie Ladin (accompanied by an
open band that musicians are welcome to be a part of). Location:
Saturday Berkeley Farmersâ€ת Market, Center St. between Milvia and MLK,
Jr. Way, Berkeley. Only 2 blocks from the downtown Berkeley BART
station. Time: 10:30am - 3pm. Cost: FREE. Info: 510/548-3333. Or email
me (Suzy) at Cle...@aol.com
Supported by the City of Berkeley Civic Arts Program. For more info,
call the Berkeley Farmers' Markets (510) 548-3333 or visit
www.ecologycenter.org/bfm/index.html
Musick Creek
Aug 1, 2018, 12:08:33 PM8/1/18
to Musick Creek
Subject: Re: questions on loan contract
On Oct 31, 2003, at 10:20 AM, Jem Bluestein <jb...@cvip.net> wrote:
Hiya friends. So glad this is proceeding. Thanks to all three of you
for making this happen. I am CCing Chris Campbell (it seemed only
natural) in hopes that he can email to Jim a workable form (or have
someone to do this). And Jim, perhaps you could clue CC in on the
further details. Good to keep him and his files up to date. And whereas
CC is always donating his time to our cause, (he is our pro bono legal
guardian--I mean counsel) any costs to other colleagues or expenses we
will of course gladly cough up to expedite the agreement. Requesting
permission to put Joan on our list serve (we use it very sparingly) in
case she would like to know what is up w/ Musick Creek. Also, of course,
if anyone wants to visit, we'll be up there a lot this winter/spring,
with the forestry grant happening. Please contact me! 559-298-1623 Jem
On Oct 31, 2003, at 10:20 AM, Jem Bluestein <jb...@cvip.net> wrote:
Hiya friends. So glad this is proceeding. Thanks to all three of you
for making this happen. I am CCing Chris Campbell (it seemed only
natural) in hopes that he can email to Jim a workable form (or have
someone to do this). And Jim, perhaps you could clue CC in on the
further details. Good to keep him and his files up to date. And whereas
CC is always donating his time to our cause, (he is our pro bono legal
guardian--I mean counsel) any costs to other colleagues or expenses we
will of course gladly cough up to expedite the agreement. Requesting
permission to put Joan on our list serve (we use it very sparingly) in
case she would like to know what is up w/ Musick Creek. Also, of course,
if anyone wants to visit, we'll be up there a lot this winter/spring,
with the forestry grant happening. Please contact me! 559-298-1623 Jem
Joel wrote:
Hello Jim,
Sorry there's been such a delay in my getting back to you. Other
things have intervened.
The check is already written for the 10 K loan to SMAI, but the
paperwork has to be looked at again.
The "Promissory Note" form you sent me was inadequate for the
purpose. It needs to mention the name and legal address of the
Borrower (SMAI, right?).
Also shouldn't it have space for the Lender, along with her contact
information?
Maybe the lender doesn't need to be a *signer* since she is receiving
the promises, but she does need to be named, so that the document
cannot be used by just anyone who holds it, to claim the debt. There
is no space for her name.
I was going to rewrite it to include those things, along with a
clause about changes of address. But I didn't get to it yet.
Maybe Joan should just add in a handwritten "heading" at the top that
says "For repayment to Joan Straumanis of the below described loan"
and then, as long as "Sierra Music & Arts Institute" were added,
along with "Treasurer" (you are going to sign it, right?) then it'd
probably be good to go. Please call me about this and we can speed
things up.
415-505-8255
Joel
Musick Creek
Aug 1, 2018, 12:09:00 PM8/1/18
to Musick Creek
On Nov 11, 2003, at 2:22 PM, Jem Bluestein <jb...@cvip.net> wrote:
Hiya Folks. Here is some info on various interesting topics relevant to
our Sweet's Mill Community…
…
In other news, the forestry work at Musick Creek will begin next Monday
with brush clearing and roadwork. Anyone wanting to know or see more
about it, please feel free to contact me. We will be documenting and
there will be digital record for later viewing, featuring before/after
comparisons, etc.
…
Hiya Folks. Here is some info on various interesting topics relevant to
our Sweet's Mill Community…
…
In other news, the forestry work at Musick Creek will begin next Monday
with brush clearing and roadwork. Anyone wanting to know or see more
about it, please feel free to contact me. We will be documenting and
there will be digital record for later viewing, featuring before/after
comparisons, etc.
…
Musick Creek
Aug 1, 2018, 12:09:37 PM8/1/18
to Musick Creek
On Dec 15, 2003, at 1:27 PM, Jem Bluestein <jb...@cvip.net> wrote:
This messsage concerning recent activities at the SMAI property at Musick Creek is being sent to you by myself, Jem, and not by the board of directors. And of course if anyone prefers not to receive such messages, your request for removal will be honored promptly.
Meanwhile, the forestry work at Musick Creek is very cool. Well, actually there is snow on it right now but we'll be back to work again tomorrow. We are using the Forest Service grant cash to thin brush and small trees. We have 90hp chippers on specialized wheeled and crawler tractors moving along with the hand crews, so that all the material we chop out goes right through the chippers and leaves behind only small piles of mulch throughout the forest where we've been. No labor intensive hauling or piling, no burning of piles--keeps the carbon in the earth where it belongs. No significant disturbance of the ground.
We have opened up half of the "existing road" about 40 or 50 feet wide where previously one could not drive through the encroaching manzanita walls. What was visually and otherwise inpenetrable is now open, beautiful and firesafe. We have similarly opened up the old road to the NE portion of the land, which is a beautiful cut and gives easy access to areas unseen by anyone (except me so far)--stunning areas we can use for many things. This road also provides a link (across a neighbor's corner--he has been very cooperative) and up to Shaver Lake. This road is on our side of the creek, thus providing an alternative when the front road is inaccessable due to big streamflow. Nice road! We'll now continue opening up "existing road" (called Stevenson Mountain Raod by some) and then the road we are calling "Door #2" which will give us nice access to the interior areas, while protecting riparian (streamside) and archaeological zones, which are sensitive. From there, and with whatever funding remains, we will work downhill from the roads to maximize our fire break effect.
When I prepared the original budget for this grant, I relied on Forest Service estimate figures for clearing costs/acre. These were way off. I am now preparing application for a continuation of funding through the next grant cycle to complete the work on the place. I think they will commit the funds for us. Whether they do or not will determine many aspects of our course in the next few months.
The overall effect of our work is stunning, and the more I crawl all over the place, the more wondrous features I find. I am increasingly in love with the place and scarcely can believe it is ours for our children to explore and care for. Incidentally, I've also identified all the borders, of course. None of the big waterfalls are on our property, which is nice for liability/hazard concerns. We do have more acreage on the south side of the creek than I had ever imagined, meaning we control both sides of the stream quite extensively--nice for watershed management and for privacy and enjoyment. Some big timber there as well, including tens of thousands of board feet of bug-dead big yellow pines which need down and milled. And there is more millable stuff all over the place, enough to build major structures without ever touching the maturing timber. Just thinning and cleanup, in other words. As we release the older growth and the young seedlings from the bondage of the out-of-control brush (and we mulch the seedlings), we free up light and water and nutrients which will benefit them greatly. Not to mention the whole place will be one big park for us to enjoy.
If anyone wants to see what is going on, please contact me, as I go up there alot. Sometimes I cut and pile, sometimes I reconoiter for the crews, and sometimes I am documenting the whole process. We will make a presentation for all interested parties. Since this work needs done all over the country, we want to be able to show people our strategies and monitor our results longterm. We feel we can show the nation how it should be done. Carefully, effectively.
Meanwhile, our coffers are empty. We have borrowed from Sweet's Mill cash to make recent Musick Creek payments. (Not to worry--sometimes we borrow the other way, and we've always evened it up again.) If ever there was a time to send contributions for the paying off of the note, now is a good one. If you are quick, your tax-deductible donations can go against '03 taxes, so please don't delay. Large or small contributions cheerfully accepted! At the rate we have been paying down our note, we could be free and clear in a couple of years! Let us not rely entirely on the deeper pockets among us--many folks sending in $50 to $100 bucks will go a very long ways. Please make checks out to SMAI and send them to Jim Ross (Treasurer) at 1611 E. Roberts, Fresno, Ca. 93710-6443.
I can't wait to show you all the magical places I have seen. Perhaps this spring/summer we can take a few outings...
Other than that, please watch your mailboxes for notice of the upcoming January meetings of our non-profit. Many thanks, love to all our community. j
This messsage concerning recent activities at the SMAI property at Musick Creek is being sent to you by myself, Jem, and not by the board of directors. And of course if anyone prefers not to receive such messages, your request for removal will be honored promptly.
Meanwhile, the forestry work at Musick Creek is very cool. Well, actually there is snow on it right now but we'll be back to work again tomorrow. We are using the Forest Service grant cash to thin brush and small trees. We have 90hp chippers on specialized wheeled and crawler tractors moving along with the hand crews, so that all the material we chop out goes right through the chippers and leaves behind only small piles of mulch throughout the forest where we've been. No labor intensive hauling or piling, no burning of piles--keeps the carbon in the earth where it belongs. No significant disturbance of the ground.
We have opened up half of the "existing road" about 40 or 50 feet wide where previously one could not drive through the encroaching manzanita walls. What was visually and otherwise inpenetrable is now open, beautiful and firesafe. We have similarly opened up the old road to the NE portion of the land, which is a beautiful cut and gives easy access to areas unseen by anyone (except me so far)--stunning areas we can use for many things. This road also provides a link (across a neighbor's corner--he has been very cooperative) and up to Shaver Lake. This road is on our side of the creek, thus providing an alternative when the front road is inaccessable due to big streamflow. Nice road! We'll now continue opening up "existing road" (called Stevenson Mountain Raod by some) and then the road we are calling "Door #2" which will give us nice access to the interior areas, while protecting riparian (streamside) and archaeological zones, which are sensitive. From there, and with whatever funding remains, we will work downhill from the roads to maximize our fire break effect.
When I prepared the original budget for this grant, I relied on Forest Service estimate figures for clearing costs/acre. These were way off. I am now preparing application for a continuation of funding through the next grant cycle to complete the work on the place. I think they will commit the funds for us. Whether they do or not will determine many aspects of our course in the next few months.
The overall effect of our work is stunning, and the more I crawl all over the place, the more wondrous features I find. I am increasingly in love with the place and scarcely can believe it is ours for our children to explore and care for. Incidentally, I've also identified all the borders, of course. None of the big waterfalls are on our property, which is nice for liability/hazard concerns. We do have more acreage on the south side of the creek than I had ever imagined, meaning we control both sides of the stream quite extensively--nice for watershed management and for privacy and enjoyment. Some big timber there as well, including tens of thousands of board feet of bug-dead big yellow pines which need down and milled. And there is more millable stuff all over the place, enough to build major structures without ever touching the maturing timber. Just thinning and cleanup, in other words. As we release the older growth and the young seedlings from the bondage of the out-of-control brush (and we mulch the seedlings), we free up light and water and nutrients which will benefit them greatly. Not to mention the whole place will be one big park for us to enjoy.
If anyone wants to see what is going on, please contact me, as I go up there alot. Sometimes I cut and pile, sometimes I reconoiter for the crews, and sometimes I am documenting the whole process. We will make a presentation for all interested parties. Since this work needs done all over the country, we want to be able to show people our strategies and monitor our results longterm. We feel we can show the nation how it should be done. Carefully, effectively.
Meanwhile, our coffers are empty. We have borrowed from Sweet's Mill cash to make recent Musick Creek payments. (Not to worry--sometimes we borrow the other way, and we've always evened it up again.) If ever there was a time to send contributions for the paying off of the note, now is a good one. If you are quick, your tax-deductible donations can go against '03 taxes, so please don't delay. Large or small contributions cheerfully accepted! At the rate we have been paying down our note, we could be free and clear in a couple of years! Let us not rely entirely on the deeper pockets among us--many folks sending in $50 to $100 bucks will go a very long ways. Please make checks out to SMAI and send them to Jim Ross (Treasurer) at 1611 E. Roberts, Fresno, Ca. 93710-6443.
I can't wait to show you all the magical places I have seen. Perhaps this spring/summer we can take a few outings...
Other than that, please watch your mailboxes for notice of the upcoming January meetings of our non-profit. Many thanks, love to all our community. j
Musick Creek
Aug 1, 2018, 12:11:01 PM8/1/18
to Musick Creek
On Jan 20, 2004, at 8:12 AM, Jem Bluestein <jb...@cvip.net> wrote:
This messsage is being sent to you by myself, Jem, and not by the board of directors. And of course if anyone prefers not to receive such messages, your request for removal will be honored promptly.
The following message has gone out via snail mail to the entire mailing list. If you've not received one, please check with Cynthia to update your data in our master files. (cyb...@aol.com)
Annual Winter Gathering
Sierra Music and Arts Institute General Meeting in Berkeley at Strings
January 24th: 10 AM Brief Board Meeting
12 Noon General Meeting
6 PM Pot Luck Party
Jan. 25th: Follow up Board Meeting to address issues from General Meeting
Strings is at 6320 San Pablo - From I-80 Take the Ashby exit to San Pablo
Ave - Turn right (or South) on San Pablo to 6320.
Locals, please prepare to bring out-of-towners home with you if necessary.
Thanks!
Dates for 2004 SMAI Music Camp at Sweetās Mill: July 12-16 Work Crew
July 16-25 Party Dates
July 25-29 Teardown Period
To read and/or contribute to meeting Agenda, plz go to http://www.psnw.com/~tenorguitr/MILL/Playnice.html where EZ will post. Also use Playnice page for coordinating carpools, accommodations, etc.
(Agenda in progress
Brief Welcome and Proposed Form of Communication Today
Intro of Board Members Present and Mention of Absent Members, with their areas of concern
Announcement of Proposed Dates for Work Parties, Set-Up, Camp and Tear Down and any fundraisers.
Introduction of Caretaker.
__________________________
Make changes of additions to the proposed agenda
1. Treasury Reports
2. Legal Matters
3. Fundraising
4. Musick Falls Update
A. budgeting of Musick land payments payments into general fund
__________________________
CAMP SPECIFIC MATTERS
5. Gate Report from 03. Registration matters for 04.
6. Medical Matters
7. Wellness and Safety (Fire Protection, Waterfront, Dust Control, Noise Levels, Showers, etc.)
8. Art Dept.
REPORTS, CHANGES, NEEDS, PERSONNEL
9. Kitchen
10. Coffeehouse
11. Cantina
12. Camp Director to replace Jim Ross
13. Other Money Generating Activities at camp (Calendar, Auction, Clothes Shop, T-Shirts, etc.)
POSSIBLE PROJECTS FOR 04
14. Suggestions for the work parties, etc.
A. to build or not to build: new ćkitchenä structure
ADJOURN
One more note: Jem, Jon and Glen are doing a Valentine's Night benefit show (three solo sets) at Bonner Auditorium for the Fresno Art Museum. Come hear and sing some love songs. Bring a date. Lonesome Jem and the Lunatics will throw a Mardi Gras bash at Club Fred, 2/24. Allons dancer!!
This messsage is being sent to you by myself, Jem, and not by the board of directors. And of course if anyone prefers not to receive such messages, your request for removal will be honored promptly.
The following message has gone out via snail mail to the entire mailing list. If you've not received one, please check with Cynthia to update your data in our master files. (cyb...@aol.com)
Annual Winter Gathering
Sierra Music and Arts Institute General Meeting in Berkeley at Strings
January 24th: 10 AM Brief Board Meeting
12 Noon General Meeting
6 PM Pot Luck Party
Jan. 25th: Follow up Board Meeting to address issues from General Meeting
Strings is at 6320 San Pablo - From I-80 Take the Ashby exit to San Pablo
Ave - Turn right (or South) on San Pablo to 6320.
Locals, please prepare to bring out-of-towners home with you if necessary.
Thanks!
Dates for 2004 SMAI Music Camp at Sweetās Mill: July 12-16 Work Crew
July 16-25 Party Dates
July 25-29 Teardown Period
To read and/or contribute to meeting Agenda, plz go to http://www.psnw.com/~tenorguitr/MILL/Playnice.html where EZ will post. Also use Playnice page for coordinating carpools, accommodations, etc.
(Agenda in progress
Brief Welcome and Proposed Form of Communication Today
Intro of Board Members Present and Mention of Absent Members, with their areas of concern
Announcement of Proposed Dates for Work Parties, Set-Up, Camp and Tear Down and any fundraisers.
Introduction of Caretaker.
__________________________
Make changes of additions to the proposed agenda
1. Treasury Reports
2. Legal Matters
3. Fundraising
4. Musick Falls Update
A. budgeting of Musick land payments payments into general fund
__________________________
CAMP SPECIFIC MATTERS
5. Gate Report from 03. Registration matters for 04.
6. Medical Matters
7. Wellness and Safety (Fire Protection, Waterfront, Dust Control, Noise Levels, Showers, etc.)
8. Art Dept.
REPORTS, CHANGES, NEEDS, PERSONNEL
9. Kitchen
10. Coffeehouse
11. Cantina
12. Camp Director to replace Jim Ross
13. Other Money Generating Activities at camp (Calendar, Auction, Clothes Shop, T-Shirts, etc.)
POSSIBLE PROJECTS FOR 04
14. Suggestions for the work parties, etc.
A. to build or not to build: new ćkitchenä structure
ADJOURN
One more note: Jem, Jon and Glen are doing a Valentine's Night benefit show (three solo sets) at Bonner Auditorium for the Fresno Art Museum. Come hear and sing some love songs. Bring a date. Lonesome Jem and the Lunatics will throw a Mardi Gras bash at Club Fred, 2/24. Allons dancer!!
Musick Creek
Aug 1, 2018, 12:11:43 PM8/1/18
to Musick Creek
On Apr 22, 2004, at 2:18 PM, Jem Bluestein <jb...@cvip.net> wrote:
…
About Musick: I did not recieve another year's grant funding for more work there, but I've not given up on finding funding. Anyone has any leads on available cash for forest brush thinning projects, please fwd to me. Thinning budget is shot for this go around. Roadwork will begin soon, should be done by Mem Day... We've accomplished and learned lots of good stuff. I look fwd to an openhouse or several during summer camp. Will also have video presentations available during camp. Always in need of contributions to pay off this jewel. Set up a monthly automatic contribution deal with your bank. Little bits from all of us will make it easy and certain. jimly...@aol.com
…
Much love, Jem
…
About Musick: I did not recieve another year's grant funding for more work there, but I've not given up on finding funding. Anyone has any leads on available cash for forest brush thinning projects, please fwd to me. Thinning budget is shot for this go around. Roadwork will begin soon, should be done by Mem Day... We've accomplished and learned lots of good stuff. I look fwd to an openhouse or several during summer camp. Will also have video presentations available during camp. Always in need of contributions to pay off this jewel. Set up a monthly automatic contribution deal with your bank. Little bits from all of us will make it easy and certain. jimly...@aol.com
…
Much love, Jem
Musick Creek
Aug 1, 2018, 12:12:45 PM8/1/18
to Musick Creek
Subject: Re: Mill & Musick Falls maps
To: Joel Pomerantz <doa...@earthlink.net>, Lizabeth Horsetutor <lizl...@hotmail.com>
On Jun 29, 2004, at 11:09 AM, Jem Bluestein <jb...@cvip.net> wrote:
Here are some coordinates. They were done w/ portable GPS unit and may not be totally accurate, but they are what I got right now.
Music is three 40 acres together w/ some spare change on a diagonal along the creek at the west.
SW corner:N37 05.600 W119 20.737
SE: N37 05.490 W119 19.981
NE:N37 05.880 W119 19.930
NW: I don't seem to have but somehwere around N37 05.891 W119 20.936 Another clue: it's at the section corner.
@ Sweet's Mill
float (in lake):N37 06.237 W119 26.023
Coffeehouse: N37 06.153 W119 26.053
Helispot:N37 06.153 W119 26.053
Balkan Village: N37 06.293 W119 25.985
Back Gate: N37 06.462 W119 26.221
Parking Lot: N37 06.268 W119 26.189
caretaker's: N37 06.144 W119 25.989
To: Joel Pomerantz <doa...@earthlink.net>, Lizabeth Horsetutor <lizl...@hotmail.com>
On Jun 29, 2004, at 11:09 AM, Jem Bluestein <jb...@cvip.net> wrote:
Here are some coordinates. They were done w/ portable GPS unit and may not be totally accurate, but they are what I got right now.
Music is three 40 acres together w/ some spare change on a diagonal along the creek at the west.
SW corner:N37 05.600 W119 20.737
SE: N37 05.490 W119 19.981
NE:N37 05.880 W119 19.930
NW: I don't seem to have but somehwere around N37 05.891 W119 20.936 Another clue: it's at the section corner.
@ Sweet's Mill
float (in lake):N37 06.237 W119 26.023
Coffeehouse: N37 06.153 W119 26.053
Helispot:N37 06.153 W119 26.053
Balkan Village: N37 06.293 W119 25.985
Back Gate: N37 06.462 W119 26.221
Parking Lot: N37 06.268 W119 26.189
caretaker's: N37 06.144 W119 25.989
On Jun 20, 2004, at 8:25 AM, Joel Pomerantz <doa...@earthlink.net> wrote:
Hi Jem,
I would like to begin my project again to create relief maps of the Mill and maybe Misick Falls lands. How detailed are the topo maps you have. If you can advise me on getting the most detailed topo info possible for those areas, that would help a lot. I think the USGS has a web site that would help, but I need exact coorinates to use it. Or maybe you already have the info. Whaddaya say?
Joel
Musick Creek
Aug 1, 2018, 12:13:16 PM8/1/18
to Musick Creek
On Aug 23, 2004, at 1:04 PM, Jem Bluestein <jem...@cvip.net> wrote:
Dears,
…
I am preparing the final report for the grant activities at Musick now. Lots of cool images. I have to get right to work this moment on the narrative. Will post on the Musick website soon. Can't wait to show you. Still hoping to get more funding in spring to continue the transformation from a choked tinderbox to an inviting park. You'll see what I mean.
Many thanks all over again, much love, Jem
Dears,
…
I am preparing the final report for the grant activities at Musick now. Lots of cool images. I have to get right to work this moment on the narrative. Will post on the Musick website soon. Can't wait to show you. Still hoping to get more funding in spring to continue the transformation from a choked tinderbox to an inviting park. You'll see what I mean.
Many thanks all over again, much love, Jem
Musick Creek
Aug 1, 2018, 12:13:50 PM8/1/18
to Musick Creek
On Aug 23, 2004, at 1:50 PM, Jem Bluestein <jem...@cvip.net> wrote:
SO sorry-- I try to consolidate so as to underwhelm your mailbox, but I forgot something important. Auction, massages and thrift store raised some really good cash for Musick Creek, but otherwise we were a bit too preoccupied to really solicit contributions. Our total outastanding is about $80,000 I think, and we have two years or so til balloon payment time. $40k/year. What if every six months, 500 people each sent $40 to our treasurer, Jim Ross How much would that hurt, really? Of course those who can might pad it a bit, but unless I am wrong in math, that would about do it... We could reduce and then stop paying interest if we are quick! I know some folks would like to see more elaborate, glossier or more organized methods of fundraising, but I personally haven't the resources right now so I keep hammering away at this fantsy of basic grassroots cooperation.
The value of this place has skyrocketed, in terms of real estate and asthetic and practical appeal and usefulness. Please contact *jimly...@aol.com or call 559 439 7543 or mail check to Jim Ross 1611 E. Roberts Ave., Fresno, Ca. 93710-6443 (checks made out to Sierra Music and Arts Institute).
*Our children and theirs after could grow up knowing every rock and tree of this incredible place. This is a thought that send shivers down my spine. There is a lot here and I am more and more astounded at it w/ every visit. Thanks for getting on this right away if you are able. I believe our payments are accounted for for a few months already, so anything we raise will go right against principal. Nuff said. Thank you. xox Jem *(See pics of Musick at musickfalls.org)
*
SO sorry-- I try to consolidate so as to underwhelm your mailbox, but I forgot something important. Auction, massages and thrift store raised some really good cash for Musick Creek, but otherwise we were a bit too preoccupied to really solicit contributions. Our total outastanding is about $80,000 I think, and we have two years or so til balloon payment time. $40k/year. What if every six months, 500 people each sent $40 to our treasurer, Jim Ross How much would that hurt, really? Of course those who can might pad it a bit, but unless I am wrong in math, that would about do it... We could reduce and then stop paying interest if we are quick! I know some folks would like to see more elaborate, glossier or more organized methods of fundraising, but I personally haven't the resources right now so I keep hammering away at this fantsy of basic grassroots cooperation.
The value of this place has skyrocketed, in terms of real estate and asthetic and practical appeal and usefulness. Please contact *jimly...@aol.com or call 559 439 7543 or mail check to Jim Ross 1611 E. Roberts Ave., Fresno, Ca. 93710-6443 (checks made out to Sierra Music and Arts Institute).
*Our children and theirs after could grow up knowing every rock and tree of this incredible place. This is a thought that send shivers down my spine. There is a lot here and I am more and more astounded at it w/ every visit. Thanks for getting on this right away if you are able. I believe our payments are accounted for for a few months already, so anything we raise will go right against principal. Nuff said. Thank you. xox Jem *(See pics of Musick at musickfalls.org)
*
Musick Creek
Aug 1, 2018, 12:14:30 PM8/1/18
to Musick Creek
On Nov 28, 2004, at 10:45 AM, Jem Bluestein <jem...@cvip.net> wrote:
Dear Sweet's Millers,
…
*Meanwhile, some folks may be interested to know the upshot of the grant-funded forestry work we've been doing on the property at Musick Creek. We had a real good first run. We were some of the first to get this grant cash and actually get something done with it. Our strategies and execution impressed the Forest Service and I am applying for more cash, this time from USFS and also from CDF (California Division of Forestry). We have documented some of the work on the Musick Creek website, so check it out: http://www.musickfalls.org/reduction.html
I think chances are good we'll be doing more of this in the spring.
…
Love to y'all from my own self, your devoted Jem
Dear Sweet's Millers,
…
*Meanwhile, some folks may be interested to know the upshot of the grant-funded forestry work we've been doing on the property at Musick Creek. We had a real good first run. We were some of the first to get this grant cash and actually get something done with it. Our strategies and execution impressed the Forest Service and I am applying for more cash, this time from USFS and also from CDF (California Division of Forestry). We have documented some of the work on the Musick Creek website, so check it out: http://www.musickfalls.org/reduction.html
I think chances are good we'll be doing more of this in the spring.
…
Love to y'all from my own self, your devoted Jem
Musick Creek
Aug 1, 2018, 12:15:15 PM8/1/18
to Musick Creek
On Feb 13, 2005, at 9:51 AM, Jem Bluestein <jem...@cvip.net> wrote:
Hi Y'all. This is a message containing multiple attachments from the
board of directors of Sierra Music and Arts Institute concerning the
community and board meetings we held in early January in Fresno. Thanks
to all who attended, to our host organisms, to our diligent secretaries,
readers and digesters. We present here the abridged and digested
minutes for your convenience. More complete notes will be made
available for refernece on a site for all to view. You will also find
attached hereon a messge from the new board president, Ray Grott. Also
a message from the Fresno Folklore Society about an upcoming concert
(Peter Ostroushko).
Meanwhile, next Thursday I'll be up to the Mill to meet with a forester
consultant (Joe Middleton) about some thinning work on site. We'll also
look at some clean-up priorities and some other matters. If you'd like
to attend, you should be at the upper road gate (Ron Artino's place) at
10 AM. The weather will probably be nasty--expecting several days of
wet stormage starting Tues, but we'll walk around and gesticulate
anyhow. We might need to shuttle in together due to snotty roads, and
hence the meeting time/place. Feel free to check in w/ me (return
message to this email) or call at 559 298 1623.
Anyhow, the meeting minutes will tell you, among other things, about our
board memeber and board officer elections, about many projects and
initiatives your community could really use your help w/ and many
oppotunities to be involved and make things ever more better.
Another item: looks like we may have a newsletter going out at some
point, so if you have special images or copy to contribute, I'll be
providing a contact for you to be included as soon as this congeals a
bit. You can start getting organized and await the call. I'll also be
sending out the contact info for all the current board members as soon
as Kevin sends me the most up-to-date and confirmed listing. Thanks,
Kev. And of course your cash contributions are always welcome. Contact
Jim Ross (treasurer) jimly...@aol.com
I have a little glitch in updating my wholenote list, so forgive me if
this is a bit out-of-date. I'll redo asap and resend where needed.
Many thanks once again to you all and love and happiness in the new
year. Missing you...
Jem
Attachment converted: Coretta:Message to the Sweets#F2524.rtf (WDBN/اICب) (000F2524)
Hi All, so we had some meetings in Fresno!
We started with a closed-board session on jan 15th from 10am-11am, to get the agenda straightened out and our ducks more-or-less in a row. Ray, Christy, Sherron, Kevin, Don, Jemmy, Georg, Catherine,David, Warren, Jim, Suzanna, Tia and Fran were there. Ray facilitated, admirably as always.
NOMINEES FOR BOARD MEMBERS: Eric, Carol, Catherine, Willow and Fran have left the board. We gossiped about the 9 nominees to fill the 5 slots, and confirmed Claire Turner as a non-voting "youth" member.
CARETAKER AGREEMENT: We talked about a proposed agreement to clarify the relationship of the Caretakers, the Board and the community.
AGENDA: We quickly reviewed the agenda for the Open Session, and then we opened the doors to about a dozen interested members of our community.
**************
OPEN BOARD MEETING
BOARD ELECTION MATTERS: Boring logistics
BEHAVIOR GUIDELINES: Following some very difficult events over the last few years, we talked about how to deal with such issues in the future. Some proposals were discussed and we decided to open it out to the genaral meeting (later in the day). Three broad notions:
A) Determine what sort of behavior is absolutely unacceptable.
B) Designate persons to be responsible for counseling and conflict-resolution at camp.
C) Encourage community-wide evolution and consciousness-raising.
GENERAL MEETING AGENDA: We went over proposals for the general-meeting agenda. Broad categories were Projects, Major Staff Positions, Committees and Big Picture. Much boring/amusing wrangling of priorities ensued, details in the complete minutes if you want 'em. Some highlights:
"Sherron wants a name for each project by weekend's end. Jemmy wants to present the list to the whole group so people can sign up. Liz says the fire inspection work is a priority"
"Warren says we are two groups: one, the property group; the other,
the party group. We need administrators for both. There is a
year-round need AND the focused need for the various gatherings."
"Warren gave us a history of the land ownership, including the lease
period. Now, it is "owned" by SMAI.... We must take up the mantle
of land management. We inherited a place that burned down, and there
are massive hours needed to put it in good condition. Jemmy says we
leave a big, big mess after camp. Cleanup should be our first
priority. The place is unsafe and we waste because resources are not
harvested and used. Ray says there are defacto committees for this,
and we may want to flesh them out. We don't have a fundraising
committee, either..."
"Jim says we have $8,500 in our Mill account, and $11,000 for Musick
Falls."
So then we had a community meeting, on Jan 15 from 1-5pm:
TREASURER'S REPORT-Jim Ross: many numbers, adding up to "We're in good shape".
GATE REPORT-Sherron Brown: Way more people showed for set-up than we expected... most got put to work by Ray et al.
All 3 Sessions had more than thier planned-for @ 250-campers. Sherron thought the "feel" was OK, though.
Teardown had too few people. Can we switch people from setup to teardown? Can we make teardown more fun? Other incentives?
MUSICK FALLS REPORT-Jemmy Bluestein: Lot of progress with brush-clearing and fuel-reduction, thanks to federal grants and great workers. Tremendous benefit to the community, the neighbors and the local environment. We are returning the land to its more natural state.
We paid $200k for 134 acres. A six-acre parcel next door just sold for $245k. We're on track with our payments but could use help with funds and fundraising. People donated $32k this year to Musick.
BEHAVIOR ISSUES-Catherine Campbell: The discussion was extensive and we hope you'll read it in the detailed minutes, and think about it yourselves. Proposed:
A) Determine what sort of behavior is absolutely unacceptable.
1) Violence resulting in injury.
2) Sexual abuse of a child.
B) Designate persons to be responsible for counseling and conflict-resolution at camp.
1) "Select committee" for conflict-resulution at camp
2) Four confidential counselors, younger and older, male and female. Their names and pictures would be prominently displayed
C) Encourage community-wide evolution and consciousness-raising.
Confidentiality; public broadcast of problems is dangerous and unproductive... gossip and partisanship come into play.
This is thorny stuff. In the past we've seen that each situation is different.
COMMITTEES: Sherron would like to see a key person on each committee. See minutes from sunday afternoon. MANY POSITIONS REMAIN UNFILLED; NEED VOLUNTEERS!!
We had reports/discussions of:
FOOD: Work-trade equity was discussed.
MEDICAL: In transition, from Catherine Campbell to Tia and others.
YOUTH: Need more voice with SMAI? Waylie Engle, Max Wilson, Claire Turner.
TRAFFIC/PARKING: Who will take responsibility? A fire engine requires a 14-foot-wide space to get through.
SCHEDULING AT VENUES: Warren. Scheduling music performances.
AUDIO AMBIENCE: Sound levels, amplification, respectful audiences. Warren, Kevin, Jemmy, Don Brown and Mayne.
FUNDRAISING: Lots of great ideas, who will staff? Maria Wortham.
FIRE/EVACUATION/PUBLIC SAFETY: Staff search.
NEWSLETTER: Mayne Smith to edit(Yay!). Hybrid newsletter will be snailmailed only to those who can't get it on-line.
PLAN "B": What happens if we lose the Mill? Musick is not ready to use.
GARBAGE: Liz wants a committee for garbage.
POND: Discussed at length. Part of...
LAND MANAGEMENT: need to have long and short-term goals for land management.
ADVISORY/COMMUNITY BOARD: Part of question of "how to bring more heads/hands into the work?". Tabled.
PROJECTS
We don't have time to discuss all the proposed projects during this meeting. See sunday minutes. Descriptions and call for volunteers will be circulated in Feb.
Christy talked about the proposed composting-toilets project. She passed around paperwork related to it. Save lots of water, money and pollution. More later?
MAJOR POSITIONS
Many still need to be filled... See sunday minutes.
Then at 5pm on saturday, we had a short closed meeting to elect new board-members: Maria Wortham, Lenore Lenton, Wayland Engle, Cynthia Loweburg and Evan Harrar. If Jago or another board member decides to leave us during '05, Tim Coates will be asked to join us.
On sunday morning we had another closed meeting:
OFFICERS: We elected them.
CFO - Jim Ross
Secretary - Sherron Brown
(Archivist - Tia Quilter)
President - Ray Grott
"Ray stated that his style of leadership may be more structured than we are used to. He looks forward to have the board keep him in check and says everyone must stay active and pull their weight"
Vice-President - Tia Quilter
"Executive Director for Musick Falls"
We talked about a title for Jemmy to use in his dealings with officialdom concerning Musick Falls. No decision was reached.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD
We confirmed our previous creation of a smaller entity within the board that is empowered to act, when necessary, more quickly than the entire 18-member board is usually able to. Actions taken by the Exec. Comm. will be subject to the board's approval. Voted to change our by-laws to define this. Chose 5 members: Ray Grott(pres.), Jim Ross (CFO), Christy Kirven (Co-Camp-Director), Jemmy Bluestein and Lenore Lenton.
IN-DEPTH MEETING WITH CARETAKER
An invitation was extended to our Caretaker, Liz Laury, to join the meeting. She indicated appreciation of the opportunity to meet with us. Discussion followed with mutual trust, the proposed Caretaker Agreement and communication methods being the main topics.
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Finally, on sunday from 1230-3pm, we had another general meeting which was mostly about projects, committees and staffing. These minutes are just a list. Key persons for each project or committee are indicated by a star.
MAJOR POSITIONS *Director(s), Apprentice(s)
1. SET UP (JULY 11-14) *Ray, *Christy, Tim, Lenore
2. FESTIVAL (JULY 15-24) *Christy, *Georg, Maria
3. TEARDOWN (JULY 25-29) No director yet Liz, Debbie Jo Wagner, Penny Critchlow, David (kitchen area). Bodie?
4. FIRE MARSHAL *Tim Coates *Joaquin Barton (?)
5. MEDICAL *Tia, Catherine, Debbie Jo
6. PERSON-POWER Setup *Ray, Festival *Fran, Teardown *Tim
7. ARTIST CONTACT Evan Harrar, Suzy Thompson, Darioush Sami.
8. VENUE SCHEDULER *Warren, Don B. (Coffeehouse)
9. CARETAKER LAISON *Jemmy, Suzanna
10. RENTAL GROUPS CZAR *David Strong
Fire-Dancer Wedding-Jemmy and Georg
Buddhist Peace Fellowship-Jim and Jemmy
11. GARBAGE *Don L.
12. RECYCLING (Need director and crew).
_________________________
PROPOSED PROJECTS *Key Person
(Liz volunteered lumber as needed)
A. BRIDGE TO DAM *David Feldthouse, Tia, Liz, Christy
B. BRIDGE TO BALKAN Needs fixing? Liz and Jem
C. ROOF ON DINING SLAB STRUCTURE *Jemmy, Liz, Tim, Tia, Jim, David
Before setup!
D. MORE LEAKPROOF STORAGE *Jemmy, *Christy, Liz, Ray
Probably a second shipping container.
E. COFFEEHOUSE STAGE SOUND FIX *Warren, Jemmy
F. BINDER FOR TEARDOWN *Liz, Sherron
G. COMPLIANCE FOR FIRE INSPECTION, FUEL REDUCTION NEEDS *Jemmy, Liz, Joe and Jesse Middleton. Budgeted $3500.
H. EMERGENCY PHONE AND MESSAGE SETUP *Jim
I. CANTINA NEEDS
Parachute *Maria, Ian Law, Lynn Ross, Josh Fisher
Stage *Jemmy, Josh, Ric Lashever
Triple stainless steel sink *Jemmy(Budgeted $250.)
J. UPDATED MAPS (Site and Caretaker Residence) *Tia
K. COMPOST TOILETS *Christy, Jemmy
L. MAJOR CLEANUP List from Liz. Ray and Jemmy will
prioritize before Memorial Day.
M. GRAY WATER SYSTEM FIX Do "live water" treatment.
Lenore and Graham will do research and pricing.
_________________________
COMMITTEES *Key Person
1. FOOD *David, Don B., Bonnie, Will
2. TRAFFIC/PARKING *Tia, Sherron, Lenore, Pat
3. AUDIO AMBIANCE *Warren, Jemmy, Don B., Kevin C, Mayne, Bill Lehr
4. AUCTION/RAFFLE *Maria, Janine Ryle, Wendibird
5. ACCESS Jean Stewart, Dan King, Ray
6. THRIFT STORE *Maria, Penny, Valerie Fontenot, Debbie Jo, Fran
7. ART AREA *John Landgraf, Linda Diesem, Lynn
8. NEWSLETTER AND E-MAIL COMMUNICATION *Mayne, *Kevin, *EZ, Jemmy, Cynthia, Liz
9. PLAN "B" (suddenly homeless?) *Jemmy, Liz, Tia
10. VISION AND LAND MANAGEMENT (including pond) *Jemmy, *Gwen, Christy, Suzanna, Liz, David Engle, Kevin, Georg
11. FUNDRAISING *Maria
12. MUSICK FALLS *Jemmy
A few corrections suggested by Ray that I didnقt have time to integrate:
1) this was an Open Board Meeting, not "another general meeting"--didn't
feel qualified
2) Tim said he'd work on the fire team, but specificially did not want to
lead it.
3) Tim was not at the meeting and I don't remember him communicating a
desire to LEAD tear -down (I could be wrong). Likewise, did he specifically
volunteer for the slab roof team?
4) As I had indicated to Sherron (and didn't check to see if the main
minutes were corrected), Jean Stewart had suggested ideas for access, but I
don't believe that she has volunteered to be on that committee.
Attachment converted: Coretta:Prairie Home Companio#F2525.doc (WDBN/اICب) (000F2525)
Hi Y'all. This is a message containing multiple attachments from the
board of directors of Sierra Music and Arts Institute concerning the
community and board meetings we held in early January in Fresno. Thanks
to all who attended, to our host organisms, to our diligent secretaries,
readers and digesters. We present here the abridged and digested
minutes for your convenience. More complete notes will be made
available for refernece on a site for all to view. You will also find
attached hereon a messge from the new board president, Ray Grott. Also
a message from the Fresno Folklore Society about an upcoming concert
(Peter Ostroushko).
Meanwhile, next Thursday I'll be up to the Mill to meet with a forester
consultant (Joe Middleton) about some thinning work on site. We'll also
look at some clean-up priorities and some other matters. If you'd like
to attend, you should be at the upper road gate (Ron Artino's place) at
10 AM. The weather will probably be nasty--expecting several days of
wet stormage starting Tues, but we'll walk around and gesticulate
anyhow. We might need to shuttle in together due to snotty roads, and
hence the meeting time/place. Feel free to check in w/ me (return
message to this email) or call at 559 298 1623.
Anyhow, the meeting minutes will tell you, among other things, about our
board memeber and board officer elections, about many projects and
initiatives your community could really use your help w/ and many
oppotunities to be involved and make things ever more better.
Another item: looks like we may have a newsletter going out at some
point, so if you have special images or copy to contribute, I'll be
providing a contact for you to be included as soon as this congeals a
bit. You can start getting organized and await the call. I'll also be
sending out the contact info for all the current board members as soon
as Kevin sends me the most up-to-date and confirmed listing. Thanks,
Kev. And of course your cash contributions are always welcome. Contact
Jim Ross (treasurer) jimly...@aol.com
I have a little glitch in updating my wholenote list, so forgive me if
this is a bit out-of-date. I'll redo asap and resend where needed.
Many thanks once again to you all and love and happiness in the new
year. Missing you...
Jem
Attachment converted: Coretta:Message to the Sweets#F2524.rtf (WDBN/اICب) (000F2524)
Hi All, so we had some meetings in Fresno!
We started with a closed-board session on jan 15th from 10am-11am, to get the agenda straightened out and our ducks more-or-less in a row. Ray, Christy, Sherron, Kevin, Don, Jemmy, Georg, Catherine,David, Warren, Jim, Suzanna, Tia and Fran were there. Ray facilitated, admirably as always.
NOMINEES FOR BOARD MEMBERS: Eric, Carol, Catherine, Willow and Fran have left the board. We gossiped about the 9 nominees to fill the 5 slots, and confirmed Claire Turner as a non-voting "youth" member.
CARETAKER AGREEMENT: We talked about a proposed agreement to clarify the relationship of the Caretakers, the Board and the community.
AGENDA: We quickly reviewed the agenda for the Open Session, and then we opened the doors to about a dozen interested members of our community.
**************
OPEN BOARD MEETING
BOARD ELECTION MATTERS: Boring logistics
BEHAVIOR GUIDELINES: Following some very difficult events over the last few years, we talked about how to deal with such issues in the future. Some proposals were discussed and we decided to open it out to the genaral meeting (later in the day). Three broad notions:
A) Determine what sort of behavior is absolutely unacceptable.
B) Designate persons to be responsible for counseling and conflict-resolution at camp.
C) Encourage community-wide evolution and consciousness-raising.
GENERAL MEETING AGENDA: We went over proposals for the general-meeting agenda. Broad categories were Projects, Major Staff Positions, Committees and Big Picture. Much boring/amusing wrangling of priorities ensued, details in the complete minutes if you want 'em. Some highlights:
"Sherron wants a name for each project by weekend's end. Jemmy wants to present the list to the whole group so people can sign up. Liz says the fire inspection work is a priority"
"Warren says we are two groups: one, the property group; the other,
the party group. We need administrators for both. There is a
year-round need AND the focused need for the various gatherings."
"Warren gave us a history of the land ownership, including the lease
period. Now, it is "owned" by SMAI.... We must take up the mantle
of land management. We inherited a place that burned down, and there
are massive hours needed to put it in good condition. Jemmy says we
leave a big, big mess after camp. Cleanup should be our first
priority. The place is unsafe and we waste because resources are not
harvested and used. Ray says there are defacto committees for this,
and we may want to flesh them out. We don't have a fundraising
committee, either..."
"Jim says we have $8,500 in our Mill account, and $11,000 for Musick
Falls."
So then we had a community meeting, on Jan 15 from 1-5pm:
TREASURER'S REPORT-Jim Ross: many numbers, adding up to "We're in good shape".
GATE REPORT-Sherron Brown: Way more people showed for set-up than we expected... most got put to work by Ray et al.
All 3 Sessions had more than thier planned-for @ 250-campers. Sherron thought the "feel" was OK, though.
Teardown had too few people. Can we switch people from setup to teardown? Can we make teardown more fun? Other incentives?
MUSICK FALLS REPORT-Jemmy Bluestein: Lot of progress with brush-clearing and fuel-reduction, thanks to federal grants and great workers. Tremendous benefit to the community, the neighbors and the local environment. We are returning the land to its more natural state.
We paid $200k for 134 acres. A six-acre parcel next door just sold for $245k. We're on track with our payments but could use help with funds and fundraising. People donated $32k this year to Musick.
BEHAVIOR ISSUES-Catherine Campbell: The discussion was extensive and we hope you'll read it in the detailed minutes, and think about it yourselves. Proposed:
A) Determine what sort of behavior is absolutely unacceptable.
1) Violence resulting in injury.
2) Sexual abuse of a child.
B) Designate persons to be responsible for counseling and conflict-resolution at camp.
1) "Select committee" for conflict-resulution at camp
2) Four confidential counselors, younger and older, male and female. Their names and pictures would be prominently displayed
C) Encourage community-wide evolution and consciousness-raising.
Confidentiality; public broadcast of problems is dangerous and unproductive... gossip and partisanship come into play.
This is thorny stuff. In the past we've seen that each situation is different.
COMMITTEES: Sherron would like to see a key person on each committee. See minutes from sunday afternoon. MANY POSITIONS REMAIN UNFILLED; NEED VOLUNTEERS!!
We had reports/discussions of:
FOOD: Work-trade equity was discussed.
MEDICAL: In transition, from Catherine Campbell to Tia and others.
YOUTH: Need more voice with SMAI? Waylie Engle, Max Wilson, Claire Turner.
TRAFFIC/PARKING: Who will take responsibility? A fire engine requires a 14-foot-wide space to get through.
SCHEDULING AT VENUES: Warren. Scheduling music performances.
AUDIO AMBIENCE: Sound levels, amplification, respectful audiences. Warren, Kevin, Jemmy, Don Brown and Mayne.
FUNDRAISING: Lots of great ideas, who will staff? Maria Wortham.
FIRE/EVACUATION/PUBLIC SAFETY: Staff search.
NEWSLETTER: Mayne Smith to edit(Yay!). Hybrid newsletter will be snailmailed only to those who can't get it on-line.
PLAN "B": What happens if we lose the Mill? Musick is not ready to use.
GARBAGE: Liz wants a committee for garbage.
POND: Discussed at length. Part of...
LAND MANAGEMENT: need to have long and short-term goals for land management.
ADVISORY/COMMUNITY BOARD: Part of question of "how to bring more heads/hands into the work?". Tabled.
PROJECTS
We don't have time to discuss all the proposed projects during this meeting. See sunday minutes. Descriptions and call for volunteers will be circulated in Feb.
Christy talked about the proposed composting-toilets project. She passed around paperwork related to it. Save lots of water, money and pollution. More later?
MAJOR POSITIONS
Many still need to be filled... See sunday minutes.
Then at 5pm on saturday, we had a short closed meeting to elect new board-members: Maria Wortham, Lenore Lenton, Wayland Engle, Cynthia Loweburg and Evan Harrar. If Jago or another board member decides to leave us during '05, Tim Coates will be asked to join us.
On sunday morning we had another closed meeting:
OFFICERS: We elected them.
CFO - Jim Ross
Secretary - Sherron Brown
(Archivist - Tia Quilter)
President - Ray Grott
"Ray stated that his style of leadership may be more structured than we are used to. He looks forward to have the board keep him in check and says everyone must stay active and pull their weight"
Vice-President - Tia Quilter
"Executive Director for Musick Falls"
We talked about a title for Jemmy to use in his dealings with officialdom concerning Musick Falls. No decision was reached.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD
We confirmed our previous creation of a smaller entity within the board that is empowered to act, when necessary, more quickly than the entire 18-member board is usually able to. Actions taken by the Exec. Comm. will be subject to the board's approval. Voted to change our by-laws to define this. Chose 5 members: Ray Grott(pres.), Jim Ross (CFO), Christy Kirven (Co-Camp-Director), Jemmy Bluestein and Lenore Lenton.
IN-DEPTH MEETING WITH CARETAKER
An invitation was extended to our Caretaker, Liz Laury, to join the meeting. She indicated appreciation of the opportunity to meet with us. Discussion followed with mutual trust, the proposed Caretaker Agreement and communication methods being the main topics.
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Finally, on sunday from 1230-3pm, we had another general meeting which was mostly about projects, committees and staffing. These minutes are just a list. Key persons for each project or committee are indicated by a star.
MAJOR POSITIONS *Director(s), Apprentice(s)
1. SET UP (JULY 11-14) *Ray, *Christy, Tim, Lenore
2. FESTIVAL (JULY 15-24) *Christy, *Georg, Maria
3. TEARDOWN (JULY 25-29) No director yet Liz, Debbie Jo Wagner, Penny Critchlow, David (kitchen area). Bodie?
4. FIRE MARSHAL *Tim Coates *Joaquin Barton (?)
5. MEDICAL *Tia, Catherine, Debbie Jo
6. PERSON-POWER Setup *Ray, Festival *Fran, Teardown *Tim
7. ARTIST CONTACT Evan Harrar, Suzy Thompson, Darioush Sami.
8. VENUE SCHEDULER *Warren, Don B. (Coffeehouse)
9. CARETAKER LAISON *Jemmy, Suzanna
10. RENTAL GROUPS CZAR *David Strong
Fire-Dancer Wedding-Jemmy and Georg
Buddhist Peace Fellowship-Jim and Jemmy
11. GARBAGE *Don L.
12. RECYCLING (Need director and crew).
_________________________
PROPOSED PROJECTS *Key Person
(Liz volunteered lumber as needed)
A. BRIDGE TO DAM *David Feldthouse, Tia, Liz, Christy
B. BRIDGE TO BALKAN Needs fixing? Liz and Jem
C. ROOF ON DINING SLAB STRUCTURE *Jemmy, Liz, Tim, Tia, Jim, David
Before setup!
D. MORE LEAKPROOF STORAGE *Jemmy, *Christy, Liz, Ray
Probably a second shipping container.
E. COFFEEHOUSE STAGE SOUND FIX *Warren, Jemmy
F. BINDER FOR TEARDOWN *Liz, Sherron
G. COMPLIANCE FOR FIRE INSPECTION, FUEL REDUCTION NEEDS *Jemmy, Liz, Joe and Jesse Middleton. Budgeted $3500.
H. EMERGENCY PHONE AND MESSAGE SETUP *Jim
I. CANTINA NEEDS
Parachute *Maria, Ian Law, Lynn Ross, Josh Fisher
Stage *Jemmy, Josh, Ric Lashever
Triple stainless steel sink *Jemmy(Budgeted $250.)
J. UPDATED MAPS (Site and Caretaker Residence) *Tia
K. COMPOST TOILETS *Christy, Jemmy
L. MAJOR CLEANUP List from Liz. Ray and Jemmy will
prioritize before Memorial Day.
M. GRAY WATER SYSTEM FIX Do "live water" treatment.
Lenore and Graham will do research and pricing.
_________________________
COMMITTEES *Key Person
1. FOOD *David, Don B., Bonnie, Will
2. TRAFFIC/PARKING *Tia, Sherron, Lenore, Pat
3. AUDIO AMBIANCE *Warren, Jemmy, Don B., Kevin C, Mayne, Bill Lehr
4. AUCTION/RAFFLE *Maria, Janine Ryle, Wendibird
5. ACCESS Jean Stewart, Dan King, Ray
6. THRIFT STORE *Maria, Penny, Valerie Fontenot, Debbie Jo, Fran
7. ART AREA *John Landgraf, Linda Diesem, Lynn
8. NEWSLETTER AND E-MAIL COMMUNICATION *Mayne, *Kevin, *EZ, Jemmy, Cynthia, Liz
9. PLAN "B" (suddenly homeless?) *Jemmy, Liz, Tia
10. VISION AND LAND MANAGEMENT (including pond) *Jemmy, *Gwen, Christy, Suzanna, Liz, David Engle, Kevin, Georg
11. FUNDRAISING *Maria
12. MUSICK FALLS *Jemmy
A few corrections suggested by Ray that I didnقt have time to integrate:
1) this was an Open Board Meeting, not "another general meeting"--didn't
feel qualified
2) Tim said he'd work on the fire team, but specificially did not want to
lead it.
3) Tim was not at the meeting and I don't remember him communicating a
desire to LEAD tear -down (I could be wrong). Likewise, did he specifically
volunteer for the slab roof team?
4) As I had indicated to Sherron (and didn't check to see if the main
minutes were corrected), Jean Stewart had suggested ideas for access, but I
don't believe that she has volunteered to be on that committee.
Attachment converted: Coretta:Prairie Home Companio#F2525.doc (WDBN/اICب) (000F2525)
Musick Creek
Aug 1, 2018, 12:16:08 PM8/1/18
to Musick Creek
On Apr 19, 2005, at 11:19 AM, Jem Bluestein <jem...@cvip.net> wrote:
Hi folks. Had a nice little work wknd at Sweet's Mill. Beeyooteeful up there now. Going up tomorrow again (Wed) for some more roofing--small crew so there's more to do. Come play if you want. Also, if anyone wants to help plant a few seedlings and look around at Musick, please check in w/ me as I'm up there a lot. Excellent opportunity to get some in and growing this wonderful spring season. Also showing some CDF guys around next wk--trying to get funding through state Prop 40 (watershed protection measure) for more thinning. Also doing little documentary of what promises to be extravagant floral progression. So I'll be there every week, I reckon. (Actually going up there today, Tues, so call me right away if you're up for it. 298-1623) Please keep those cash contributions coming in so we can pay off our note on this gorgeous and extremely valuable asset of our non-profit. Many thanks! xox Jem
Hi folks. Had a nice little work wknd at Sweet's Mill. Beeyooteeful up there now. Going up tomorrow again (Wed) for some more roofing--small crew so there's more to do. Come play if you want. Also, if anyone wants to help plant a few seedlings and look around at Musick, please check in w/ me as I'm up there a lot. Excellent opportunity to get some in and growing this wonderful spring season. Also showing some CDF guys around next wk--trying to get funding through state Prop 40 (watershed protection measure) for more thinning. Also doing little documentary of what promises to be extravagant floral progression. So I'll be there every week, I reckon. (Actually going up there today, Tues, so call me right away if you're up for it. 298-1623) Please keep those cash contributions coming in so we can pay off our note on this gorgeous and extremely valuable asset of our non-profit. Many thanks! xox Jem
Musick Creek
Aug 1, 2018, 12:17:02 PM8/1/18
to Musick Creek
On Jun 9, 2005, at 8:45 AM, Jem Bluestein <jem...@cvip.net> wrote:
Maria Wortham wanted this report fwded to you all.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Maria Wortham wanted this report fwded to you all.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Memorial Day 2005 Mill Work Party
…
Joe Middleton, the forester who has directed the fire fuel reduction efforts at Musick Creek and likewise at the Mill property was a very welcome guest on Sunday. Joe is extremely well spoken about the total ecology and how to manage it; all who talked with him got a lot of education.
…
Maria Wortham
Musick Creek
Aug 1, 2018, 12:19:35 PM8/1/18
to Musick Creek
On Jul 29, 2005, at 8:22 AM, Jem Bluestein <jem...@cvip.net> wrote:
I often like to quote Allegra Thompson from when she was quite small (but already brilliant--hope she's not getting tired of this...) and said to Eric at the end of camp "Daddy, Sweet's Mill should be longer--or else less fun!" Camp did go much too quickly once again. I was just getting into it... I have many images and experiences I'll treasure which are still rattling around in what's left of my brain. I'd love to hear from anyone wanting to share any such...
…
Had a great little outing to Musick Creek on Wed of camp. The waters were splendid and attendees had a chance to see what we've been up to there. Thanks to those who pulled themselves way from the festivities for a little field trip and look around da joint. Sorry I didn't manage to organize a second trip for those interested--things just started accelerating... Meanwhile, I want to report we have about $70k to pay off on this property. We bought it for $200k and have done beautifully in paying down the note. We have a balloon payment due in about two years. I want to point out that if 1,000 people paid $35 dollars each per year for two years, we would be free and clear. Some are already paying significantly more, but I find the broad, grassroots approach to be the least painful for all. Please contact Jim Ross (559 431 7534 jimly...@aol.com) or simply mail check (made out to SMAI) to him at 1611 E. Roberts, Fresno Ca. 93710. The purchase was a giveaway even at the time--it has appreciated in value quite unimagineably since then. Our land payment fund is getting low, hence this pitch to all concerned community members... Many thanks, as always. Hasta la proxima Molina Dulce, and until then, we'll see you in dreams... Thanks to all the folks who made it happen once again for all of us.
Jem
Dear Pals,
…
Had a great little outing to Musick Creek on Wed of camp. The waters were splendid and attendees had a chance to see what we've been up to there. Thanks to those who pulled themselves way from the festivities for a little field trip and look around da joint. Sorry I didn't manage to organize a second trip for those interested--things just started accelerating... Meanwhile, I want to report we have about $70k to pay off on this property. We bought it for $200k and have done beautifully in paying down the note. We have a balloon payment due in about two years. I want to point out that if 1,000 people paid $35 dollars each per year for two years, we would be free and clear. Some are already paying significantly more, but I find the broad, grassroots approach to be the least painful for all. Please contact Jim Ross (559 431 7534 jimly...@aol.com) or simply mail check (made out to SMAI) to him at 1611 E. Roberts, Fresno Ca. 93710. The purchase was a giveaway even at the time--it has appreciated in value quite unimagineably since then. Our land payment fund is getting low, hence this pitch to all concerned community members... Many thanks, as always. Hasta la proxima Molina Dulce, and until then, we'll see you in dreams... Thanks to all the folks who made it happen once again for all of us.
Jem
Musick Creek
Aug 1, 2018, 12:21:35 PM8/1/18
to Musick Creek
On Oct 1, 2005, at 9:33 AM, Jem Bluestein <jem...@cvip.net> wrote:
The following is a message from the SMAI Board of Directors:
The following is a message from the SMAI Board of Directors:
Dear Friends of Sweets Mill,
We need your continued support for the purchase of Musick Creek to help secure our future. We have done great so far. Since 2001, contributions for interest and principal payments have lowered our note from $195,000 to $70,000. However, we still need over $1,000 a month to make the payments and to prepare for a balloon payment in 2008. Our balance is getting low and we need your participation to get us through the final stretch.
WHY DOES MUSICK CREEK HELP SECURE OUR FUTURE?
• Our future together depends on having a place to gather.
• Our music, dancing, art, and poetry can come to an abrupt stop when the Life Estate we hold--and our legal right to use Sweets Mill--ends. Despite whatever assurances or conjectures you may have heard, we truly have no control over what the outcome will be. That will be up to the heirs to decide when the time comes.
• If we have the chance to buy or lease Sweets Mill--the home we believe most of us would prefer--or if we must reluctantly move to a different location, the 134 forested acres of Musick can be the primary source for the needed funds. It has already appreciated in value significantly since we made the first payment.
• Some of us believe that this land has the potential to be our new home, should we need one, and with careful planning and long-term vision, it could be developed into a wonderful facility for music/dance camps, retreats, educational programs etc. (See below for more on what’s been happening at the site.)
• Whether we develop, refinance, or sell Musick, the survival of our gathering is linked to this property.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
• Send money (tax deductible). Over 400 people have contributed generously in the past. However, the whole community stands to benefit from this investment, so we hope that more will step up to the plate and be part of this effort. Your regular contribution or one-time check will help us meet this important goal.
• Buy CDs. We produced a one-of a kind three-CD set of recordings of the Sweets Mill stages as a fund raiser. If you purchase before Feb. 28, the Thrift Store will make a matching donation to Musick. (See below for more details. Get yours today!)
• Host a house concert. The Thrift Store will also match funds for Musick dollars raised by house concert, up to a combined limit of $1050.
• Donate a percentage of your next gig.
• Refinance a part of the loan and get 5% interest! (Talk to Jim Ross)
• Send us your comments and ideas.
Thanks for doing your part to keep the Musick flowing. Please send your contributions, made out to SMAI, to Jim Ross, 1611 Roberts, Fresno, CA 93710. Jim can be reached at jimly...@aol.com or 559-439-7534.
Pay Pal can automatically take a payment from your credit card. Click on this link to go right there: http://tinyurl.com/7dzjl
* * * * *
BUY THE SWEET'S MILL CDS!
Produced as a fundraiser for Musick Creek through Mill talent and generosity, these three CDs are drawn from field recordings made at the Cantina and Coffeehouse stages in 2003. The performances of over a dozen groups of artists, from sleek and sassy to ragged-but-right, are presented in an audio ambience that's guaranteed to take you right back to the Mill; ideal for those long winter nights!
"In the Cantina" features many of the great singers and pickers you might hear on the Cantina stage, including Kenny Hall (and friends), the Psillyum Huskers, Augustin Lira and the Smyrna Time Machine, among others) playing songs of the Taverna, the Cantina and the Honky-Tonk.
For raging dance and party music, try one of two "Tea House" CDs: The Tea House #1 gathers up the Americas, with Samba, Salsa, Swing and Cajun music from our great house bands and the marvelous Familia Pena-Govea, or try a taste of the Mediterranean and the Near-East on "The Tea House #2", with the Feldthouse Family, Mark and Lingshin Bell with Tobias, Pilar's Flamenco Party and our own All-Star Balkan Babes! Plus a cast of hundreds!
These limited-edition recordings are available now for $15 for one, $25 for two, and $35 for the set, plus $3.00 for shipping per order. Checks can be sent to SMAI at the above address or use this link to get to PayPal: http://tinyurl.com/9kkzb (Please tell us which CDs you want.) Remember, if you purchase before Feb. 28, the Thrift Store will make a matching donation to help pay down the principal at Musick!
* * * * *
UPDATE ON MUSICK CREEK
With Jemmy Bluestein’s initiative and supervision, we completed a $100,000 grant to conduct major brush clearing, protecting the land from fire and significantly increasing its value. Another $50,000 grant is possible if we can raise a $5,000 match.
John Mount, forester for Southern California Edison and local authority on sustainable forestry calls our land the most productive growing acreage he has seen in the central Sierra. Our “cutting edge” work there is increasing land value while transforming a choked disaster into prime habitat and balanced, firesafe woods; an inviting, accessible park. Sustainable forestry practices in the future can be profitable for our organization as well as providing a model for forestry in our state (and beyond).
Jemmy recently spoke with California Department of Forestry officials and showed them around the place. They told him they have $50,000 to give us for further forest fuel reduction work, just as soon as we can complete some applications and come up with a 10% cash match. Further, the source of this funding runs 3-5 years, which means we should be able to continue receiving funding for this period of time. They also encouraged us to reapply for the Community Protection grant program (which previously gave us the $100,000) and they will help out with this process as well. Pictures of the previous grant work (before and after shots) can be seen at the otherwise-dated web site: http://www.musickfalls.org/reduction.html
Musick Creek
Aug 1, 2018, 12:22:04 PM8/1/18
to Musick Creek
On Oct 1, 2005, at 9:59 AM, Jem Bluestein <jem...@cvip.net> wrote:
…
Evo has placed some fotos of Musick Creek spring flower inventory on the Musick web site--check em out and help i.d. them! Don't blame Evo for the out of focus ones--I shot em all. (Evo, can you add the contributions pitch to the record somewhere, plz?)
Got fotos or copy to contribute to a newsletter? Get em together and stand by, please.
I'm sure I've forgotten somethings... Been trying to save them up... THanks all of you for listening, and especially for doing big or little part to pay off our note on Musick. Much love to us all!!! Jem
…
…
Evo has placed some fotos of Musick Creek spring flower inventory on the Musick web site--check em out and help i.d. them! Don't blame Evo for the out of focus ones--I shot em all. (Evo, can you add the contributions pitch to the record somewhere, plz?)
Got fotos or copy to contribute to a newsletter? Get em together and stand by, please.
I'm sure I've forgotten somethings... Been trying to save them up... THanks all of you for listening, and especially for doing big or little part to pay off our note on Musick. Much love to us all!!! Jem
…
Musick Creek
Aug 1, 2018, 12:22:55 PM8/1/18
to Musick Creek
On Nov 16, 2005, at 8:46 AM, Jem Bluestein <jem...@cvip.net> wrote:
Jemmy: Please distribute this e-mail AND the attached *.DOC file to your WholeNote list.
Sweet’s Mill folks: Please print out this newsletter (9 or 10 pages) and pass it along to those without e-mail.
Warm regards to all . . .
Mayne Smith
mayne...@sbcglobal.net
510-237-8328
6265 Highland Avenue, Richmond CA 94805 USA
Note from Jem: On the way to the newsletter, allow me please to thank Mayne and our other editors/compilers/helpers for this marvelous and timely effort which follows below. Also want to personally encourage all to attend the winter meeting (details below). This meeting is the polar balancing of our summer solstice gatherings and we need to be together and celebrate our love and unity. I've also taken the liberty of tacking on to the end of the newsletter a note from our beloved Nada to all of us. And please remember to send your contributions (big and little!) for the purchasing of our awesome and precious new land @ Musick Creek. (jimly...@aol.com for more info) We are tax deductible and we are nearly there! Pulling together, we can do anything. We now return you to the newsletter, which is already in progress. xox j
Jemmy: Please distribute this e-mail AND the attached *.DOC file to your WholeNote list.
Sweet’s Mill folks: Please print out this newsletter (9 or 10 pages) and pass it along to those without e-mail.
Warm regards to all . . .
Mayne Smith
mayne...@sbcglobal.net
510-237-8328
6265 Highland Avenue, Richmond CA 94805 USA
Note from Jem: On the way to the newsletter, allow me please to thank Mayne and our other editors/compilers/helpers for this marvelous and timely effort which follows below. Also want to personally encourage all to attend the winter meeting (details below). This meeting is the polar balancing of our summer solstice gatherings and we need to be together and celebrate our love and unity. I've also taken the liberty of tacking on to the end of the newsletter a note from our beloved Nada to all of us. And please remember to send your contributions (big and little!) for the purchasing of our awesome and precious new land @ Musick Creek. (jimly...@aol.com for more info) We are tax deductible and we are nearly there! Pulling together, we can do anything. We now return you to the newsletter, which is already in progress. xox j
================================================[minutes taker from board meeting]
SWEET’S MILL NEWS
================================================
Issue 2, November 2005
…
The Board OK'd the installation of a node of a Disaster Resistant Event Network (DREN) remote monitoring node on the Musick Creek property by the Dantel company. The purpose is to evaluate the performance of the node under various environmental conditions. It will monitor habitat, road traffic, water flow and various environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity. They get to test their system and we get the data at no charge.
…
On October 10, a group of 12 visited the Musick Falls property to study its potential as a source of capital or future camp. David Strong instigated this visit; see his detailed report elsewhere in this issue.
Discussions
The Board wants to be more active in raising awareness about Musick Creek, its potential as an asset, that could help us afford to buy the Mill property or another new home, or be developed as a new camp. David Strong is developing plans for a display and presentation at our winter meetings about the property and the options that our community has for its use. If you have unanswered questions about the Musick Creek property, send them along to David (dast...@pacbell.net). He will make every effort to address them. With help from your ideas and questions, we can expect to have a focused and informed discussion at the January meeting.
Jemmy Bluestein is on the trail of a second grant to do fire fuel reduction at Musick. This grant would be for $50,000, but requires $5,000 in matching funds, adding urgency to the fundraising effort. The fire fuel reduction would, of course, improve the value of the property as well as protect it against a fire that would certainly reduce its value.
Jim Ross and Lenore Lenton have taken on yet another duty for the Board -- that of selling the Sweets Mill 2003 CDs that were produced this year. The CDs are a wonderful trip back to the Mill anytime you've got a CD player handy. The sound is great, and they are being sold as a fundraiser for Musick Falls. To double your pleasure, the Thrift Store is offering matching funds to Musick for all CDs sold. Ordering information appears elsewhere in this issue.
…
[5] A TOUR OF MUSICK CREEK
By David Strong
What a lovely loving and fruitful day 12 of us had on our Musick Creek tour on Monday, October 10. We toured the property from top to bottom (roughly northeast corner to the southwest corner). We began to realize just how much 134 acres is when we all ran out of energy before seeing the area at the bottom northwest corner (follows the creek off the property). I plan to go back and do just that. I think I may have missed a major thrill.
In attendance were: Bill McCrory, Tim Coates, Liz Laury, Jimmie Moran, Cynthia Lowburg, John Bayagian, Sherron Brown, Jemmy Bluestein, Jon Adams, Nancy Waidtlow, Jim Ross and David Strong. We met at the Intermountain Nursery (at the Auberry turnoff -- one mile east of Prather). Driving east on 168, the mileage from the nursery to the Dogwood Mountain turnoff (left) is 12.8 miles. As you drive on Solitude Lane through the small lot development (6+ acres) you notice our southern neighbors live in newer high-value homes, the road becomes gravel and then dirt with a fork to the right. Our access fords the creek at about the middle of the southern side of the property. Our gate is across Musick Creek 1.8 miles from highway 168. The round trip back to Intermountain Nursery is 30.0 miles. The mileage from the nursery to the corner of Blackstone and Herndon is 28.2 miles. The total distances are just about identical to Mill mileage, but on mostly better roads.
By way of background, while at the nursery we reviewed maps noting elevations, roads, and reviewed the condition of the property to date including those portions of the property, which have been “parked out” (general clearing of underbrush and re-establishing the roads). Approximately 40 acres have been cleared, and the roads (dirt and for the most part four-wheel only) are operational, cleared, well drained -- including six culverts allowing storm runoff to drain under the roads. The roads go from close to the lowest elevation (4,240 feet) in the northwest corner to the top crest (5,120 feet) in the northeast portion of the land. A close look at the topographical map shows that the northeast corner of the land is actually over the crest.
The property is a long and skinny, three 40-acre parcels stacked from east to west, with 13.05 acres tacked on the west side. The western border mostly follows the creek. The width of the property is 1,320 ft. or 0.25 miles (north-south). The southern border is about 0.7 mile and northern border is about 0.9 mile. The total acreage is 134.05 acres. It is a very big piece of land.
Our land is bordered on four sides. Our northern and western neighbors are Forest Service and utility company land, which will never be developed (in blocks of 600 to 1,000 acres). Our neighbor to the east is 40-acre parcels -- zoned the same as us, one unit per 40. Our neighbors to the southeast (Dogwood) are 6 + acre parcels, with new high-value homes. We drive through the southern side to get on our property. The southwestern border is county land.
End of background. Now the tour!
We car-pooled to the property, parked and all loaded into Jim and Jemmy’s four-wheel-drive trucks. The tour started with the upper elevation. Some clearing has been done on the eastern upper portion of the land. It is obvious what has and has not been cleared. The upper portion consists of hills and level spots, many lovely spots to explore and camp if desired. Wood for whatever purposes galore. At the eastern end of the property we all walked back down to the spot where our cars were parked. Our neighbor to the east (40-acre parcels) has a well (20 feet off our property) that we can use any time – yes we have potable water, an important point. In an “amazing grace” kind of way we were lost and then found, ending up back where our cars were parked.
Next we toured the lower or western portion of the property. Again much shade and open areas while four-wheeling the good, well-drained roads. I believe that -- with a bit of grooming -- these roads would be drivable in regular autos too. At this point we were ready for lunch at the lower southwestern corner of the creek. There were many lovely little falls with pools big enough to get cooled off. The large granite slab is full of Indian history. Jimmie found an arrowhead.
We then walked (relatively level) from our lunch spot to one of the magical portions of the land, approximately 10 to 15 acres shaded creek-side (both sides) where the Indians used to camp. There are many appropriate camping and gathering sites. The creek -- this year -- is still flowing, creating many little secluded spots to get in and cool off. The swimming spot at the edge of our property with a waterfall drop is especially inviting. Preliminary investigations indicate that a swimming hole or pond could be created after getting planning approvals from the county and the Department of Forestry. There are some hazardous waterfalls off our property that will need to be fenced and/or posted as dangerous. The closest one is about 1/3 mile from the most attractive camping spots. We then drove to the top of a hill that looks down on the flat portion (lunch and Indian camp). A lovely overview with many trees and shade.
We had started our tour at about 10:30 am and by this time by this time it was after 3 pm. We had run out of energy, and thus had to miss the lower portion of the land (to the west) that parallels the creek. That area consists of a flat shelf that follows the creek off the property. Next time! We then got back in our autos, forded the stream again, and all went our merry tired ways.
The financial and camp evaluation of Musick has begun. The fact that water is available and the roads are close to passable leaps a major hurdle. As I continue the research, I will share what I find out. So far, so good. I believe we all came away thinking the land could easily provide a level camp for our style of gathering. In a way, the possibilities exceed our needs. That is, there are many ways that we could position the venues (Coffeehouse, cooking, swimming, art, performance), camping, and parking. Actually the idea of having everything portable -- like a kitchen and coffee house on trailers -- has a strong appeal to me. I think it will take a while to feel the land out … follow the path of the previous tenants (the Indians).
The results of the evaluation will be presented at our 2006 winter meeting. Please do come and join in the discussion with ideas and questions. In addition at this time there is a three-part .PDF file that contains all the environmental, forestry and archaeological reports produced for our Musick Creek property. If you would like a copy of the .PDF files, send your request directly to me (dast...@pacbell.net). I will forward the files to you.
A special thanks to Jemmy for the thoughtful loving tour.
…
Much love to you all,
Your
Nada
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