Minutes: The One with Bill Wilmer’s Farewell (03/28/2012)

In President Joe Weiland’s absence, Scott Burns called the meeting to order.

Greeters:  Diana Cecala, Susan Klein-Rothschild
Invocation : Judith McCaffrey
Flag salute:  Bill Wilmer
Raffle:  Julie Joy Stillwell brought wine. Fred Gaeden won.

Visiting Rotarians: Fahid Farah (Rotaract)
Guests: Jeff Boehm, Sue Wilmer, Dr. Dan Secort, David Groom, Suzanne Jacobson, Bo, Mike Brown

Announcements

• Rotaract – This group is currently recruiting officers and continuing to recruit students. They meet in Goleta and Santa Barbara.
• May 21 Golf Tournament: Ask people to play or make donations.
• District assembly on March 31. See David Velarde for applications.
• May 18 zoo day for Rotary members.
• Elings Park April 28 Rotarians at Work Day.
• Bills for the first quarter were distributed by Sandy.
• Tuesday night rendezvous was at Brewhouse.
• Bill Wilmer informed us he was leaving Rotary. Club members shared some remembrances.  The ukelele group played in his honor.

Program: Mike Brown

• Worked in city and county management for more than 40 years.
• He now works for a government watch dog organization – COLAB.
• They monitor local governments and support an environment that is good for business.  They also have a radio show.  They do a lot of government advocacy.
• Assembly Bill 32 – Focuses on the reduction of greenhouse gases. This law says each region sets targets to reduce gases/carbon dioxide and minimize the impacts of climate change. Many other laws have been implemented in the same vein.
• In Santa Barbara County, a plan is being developed to reduce the greenhouse gases. The thinking is, if we live in a more dense community, we drive less and decrease the carbon dioxide emissions.
• Neighborhoods do not want more dense development in their areas. Do you grow up or grow out or do you stop?
• They are seeing efforts to bar events to minimize traffic and driving. San Luis Obispo is looking at an ordinance that will severely limit business.  This is a irrational response that is a result of the theory.
• An example of the types of problems we are creating for ourselves in response to greenhouse emissions.
• In this fiscal environment, why don’t we just stop for a few years? It’s not a good time to impose a severe land use control.
• The Central Coast produces little in the way of gas emissions. It’s mostly from the Los Angeles area.
• Make decisions on the hard science and data.