Partners' Post —  Community Partners are welcome to submit event information for publication. Send details to carquette@gdrd.org                                                     To download a full electronic version of the Partner Post, click here.

Chris Martinez Newly Appointed GDRD Board Member

The Georgetown Divide Recreation District welcomes newly appointed Board Member, Chris Martinez. He is the Georgetown area representative and has lived in Georgetown for 2 years with wife Jenny and 7 year old son Ethan. Chris grew up on the Divide and attended Golden Sierra High School as did his two older children. He left the Divide for a time and returned in 2000 so his family could enjoy a small community. He works as a Lease Consultant for the Lyle Company, and deals in contract negotiations, an attribute that will serve GDRD well in the years to come.

In Chris’s spare time, he plays with the local band "Aftershock", who performed this year at both the Garden Valley Community Association’s 4

Chris says his passion for youth sports and desire to serve the community brought him to GDRD. Upon returning to the Divide, Chris commented how impressed he and his wife were with the organization and the quality of the parks and fields the District had built. Chris said he "has been all over the world and the best communities are those that provide good sports programs, and quality parks and activities." He went on to say he cherishes the opportunity to continue the legacy and looks forward to working with the GDRD Board, of whom he has much respect.

The residents and youth of the Divide will certainly benefit from Chris’s knowledge, leadership, and desire to serve.th of July Celebration and the Friends of the Bayley House, Hot Summer Dance Party.

Grant Project Update

At the September GDRD Board meeting, the Board approved the final contract with Foothill Associates to complete professional consulting work in further evaluating the feasibility of projects for the Regional Park. The emphasis will be on developing a plan that can be completed within site, grant and budget limitations. While the Board is disappointed about not being able to fund a full pool facility, they are seeking design assistance to develop a project that can be built for use by the community.

Timeline for the project will begin immediately with a review of previous study information and provide a preliminary report to the Board of Directors at their December 12

GDRD was awarded $872,000 from State Park Bond funds to build an aquatic facility and a recreation center with a gym. With original infrastructure cost estimates for bringing water to the Regional Park site and getting roadway access approaching $1million, in 2008 the GDRD approved consideration of alternate sites including the Penobscot Ranch, GSHS, and several other sites. Various site conditions on the other sites brought the projects back to the Regional Park with recognition of the need to significantly reduce the project scope.th meeting. A final feasibility report is scheduled for the February Board of Directors meeting.

Trails Update

Progress on securing access to trails on the Divide continues—the progress is slow but sure. In the past 8 months, GDRD has taken some important steps to support trails on the Divide. In addition to a new Ordinance that strengthens the District’s position in regulating and enforcing trail easements, the District has been able to move discussions forward on two different fronts.

In efforts to forward trail issues in the "TPL" trail areas near the Georgetown Airport, GDRD Director, Aloha Adams, and General Manager, Carl Clark were appointed to the El Dorado County Airport Land Use Commission’s (ALUC) Land Use Compatibility Plan (ALUCP) Working Group. The ALUCP Working Group is currently updating airport land use plans. Recently the ALUCP Working Group acknowledged the historic trail use on Georgetown Airport property and is documenting that use with recommendations to the EDC for continued usage in their updated plans. These recommendations will move to the EDC Board of Supervisors in December and be completed in May 2012.

In 2008, GDRD requested permanent trail easements be established and conveyed to the District by EDC to preserve existing trails that run through EDC’s Georgetown Airport area. The trail easements requested were to connect existing GDRD’s "TPL" easements which would preserve equestrian and hiking access in and around the airport property.

In an August meeting of the Georgetown Airport Advisory Committee, attended by GDRD Board member Aloha Adams and El Dorado Equestrian Trails Foundation representative, Nancy Sandy, the Committee asked EDC staff to formally place the request on the next Committee agenda to allow the Committee to review the issues and make recommendations to the EDC Board of Supervisors. Adams reported the Committee members were in support of the GDRD request.

EDC Parks and Trails Master Plan Update

During a Public Hearing at the El Dorado County Park and Recreation Commission regarding the recommended status and recommendations for the update of the EDC Parks and Trails Master Plan, County planners acknowledged the Georgetown Divide was extremely active in the planning process and was "generally ahead of the EDC" in its planning for trails and facilities.

Commissioner Bob Smart said after the meeting, "It is truly great to see the progress made on the Divide. It is encouraging to all of us as we move the EDC planning process forward." Commission Chair, Steve Younker, thanked GDRD General Manager, Carl Clark for the GDRD’s support on the project and looked forward to bringing several joint projects identified forward to the EDC CAO and eventually the Board of Supervisors.

The Implementation Strategies referenced several GDRD projects that could be completed with relative ease and little funding including: expansion of on-line scheduling opportunities (similar to those between GDRD and BOMUSD) and completion of the transfer of the Greenwood Community Center to GDRD.