CONTRA COSTA COUNTY  
Committee Meeting Minutes - Final  
Fish and Wildlife Committee  
3:00 PM  
Wednesday, September 17, 2025  
40 Muir Road, Martinez, CA 94553  
Construction Conference Room  
ZOOM LINK  
https://cccounty-us.zoom.us/j/83497196908  
| Dial: 888 278 0254 |  
Access code: 198675  
The public may attend the Fish and Wildlife Committee meeting in person and remotely via call-in or  
Zoom.  
Persons who wish to address the Fish and Wildlife Committee during public comment or with respect to  
an item that is on the agenda may comment in person, via Zoom, or via call-in. Those participating in  
person should offer comments when invited by the Committee Chair. Those participating via Zoom  
should indicate they wish to speak by using the “raise your hand” feature in the Zoom app. Those calling  
in should indicate they wish to speak by pushing *9 on their phones.  
3:00 P.M. Convene Meeting.  
1.  
INTRODUCTIONS AND STATEMENT OF CONFLICT  
A member who has a conflict should, prior to consideration of the decision: (1) publicly identify  
in detail the financial interest that causes the conflict; (2) recuse himself/herself from discussing  
and voting on the matter; and (3) leave the room until after the decision has been made.  
Nicole Balbas, Courtney Coon, Tim Fares, Roni Gehlke, Susan Heckly, Brett Morris, Olivia  
Ortega, and Jamin Pursell attended the meeting. Kathleen Jennings and Danny Pellegrini  
provided advance notice that they would not be able to attend the meeting. Kathy Cutting  
(Cal State East Bay, Concord Center), Lisa Damerel (Contra Costa Resource Conservation  
District), Alex Domeyko (International Bird Rescue), Adêle Ho (Mira Vista Field  
Stewardship Committee), Stephanie Hudon (Boise State University), Phil Kohlmetz  
(International Bird Rescue), Satako Mills (The Watershed Project), Jill Ray (Office of  
District 2 Supervisor), Hannah Rudd, Jeffrey Tibbets, Roger Wachtler (John Muir Chapter of  
Trout Unlimited) and Ben Weise (Contra Costa Resource Conservation District) attended the  
meeting. Maureen Parkes (CCC Department of Conservation and Development) attended as  
staff.  
This was approved.  
REVIEW and CONSIDER APPROVING the minutes for the August 20,  
2025 meeting.  
2.  
25-3895  
8-20-25 Draft Minutes  
Attachments:  
The meeting minutes were approved as written. (Vote: 8-0) Balbas, Coon, Fares,  
Gehlke, Heckly, Morris, Ortega and Pursell; Absent: Jennings and Pellegrini  
3.  
4.  
PUBLIC COMMENT  
There were no public comments.  
UPDATES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS (Presented by Staff and FWC Members)  
Includes discussion of implementation of actions authorized previously, correspondence  
received, and upcoming meetings of interest to the FWC.  
Maureen Parkes provided the following updates to the Committee:  
Kathleen Jennings and Danny Pellegrini provided advance notice that they would not be able  
to attend the meeting today.  
Kathy Kramer, the creator of the Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour, will be receiving a  
Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2025 Sustainability Awards and Gala at the Pleasant Hill  
Community Center this evening.  
Correspondence forwarded to Committee members:  
-
-
Email from Assemblywoman Lori D. Wilson, District 11, regarding redistricting.  
Emails from Supervisor Candace Andersen regarding the Sustainability Awards Gala  
September 17th, Contra Costa Resource Conservation District is recruiting for an  
open seat on their Board of Directors, East Bay Regional Park District free fishing  
day on August 30th, and the Contra Costa County Urban Limit Line renewal.  
Email from Supervisor Ken Carlson regarding the Contra Costa County Urban Limit  
Line renewal.  
-
-
-
Emails from Supervisor John Gioia regarding the Coastal Clean Up at Shimada Park.  
Emails from Supervisor Shanelle Scales-Preston regarding the Contra Costa County  
Urban Limit Line Renewal.  
-
Email from Olivia Ortega regarding the Pittsburg Marina Coastal Clean up Day.  
Newsletters and Announcements forwarded to Committee members  
- California Department of Water Resources - 4  
- California Fish and Game Commission - 6  
- Contra Costa Resource Conservation District - 3  
- Golden Gate Bird Alliance - 2  
- Kids for the Bay - 3  
- Lindsay Wildlife Experience - 2  
- River Otter Ecology Project -1  
- Save Mount Diablo - 2  
- Sustainability Exchange -1  
- Sustainable Contra Costa -1  
- Urban Tilth -2  
5.  
DISCUSS the Fall Forum.  
The Committee discussed the Fall Forum.  
CONTINUE to CONSIDER the 20 Fish and Wildlife Propagation Fund  
applications submitted by August 1, 2025. CONSIDER making a  
recommendation to the Internal Operations Committee of the Board of  
Supervisors on this matter.  
6.  
25-3764  
A - Boise State University Additional Information  
Attachments:  
F - Cal State EastBay, Concord Campus Additional Information  
H - International Bird Rescue Additional Information  
L - The Watershed Project/Mira Vista Additional Information  
N - Mt. View Sanitary District Additional Information  
O - The Watershed Project/Steelhead Trout Additional Information  
P - John Muir Chapter of Trout Unlimited Additional Information  
S - Sierra Club Delta Group Withdrawal Letter  
T - Earth Team Additional Information  
Grant applicants in attendance contributed additional verbal information in response  
to the Committee’s questions. The Committee completed their review of the grant  
applications. The FWC approved the following 20 recommendations on the 2026  
grant applications and authorized staff to provide a report to the Internal Operations  
Committee on this matter.  
A. Boise State University  
Assessing the demography of a threatened Golden Eagle population in California  
$4,245 (full funding)  
B. CA State Parks - Diablo Range District  
Developing a Grazing Management Framework at Marsh Creek SP  
$0 (funding is not recommended)  
C. Contra Costa Resource Conservation District  
Tracking Western Pond Turtle Upland Traversal with GPS Loggers  
$19,196 (full funding)  
D. Lindsay Wildlife Experience  
Wildlife Intensive Care Unit  
$24,390 (full funding)  
E. California Invasive Plant Council (Cal-IPC)  
Training a new workforce to improve riparian habitat in Contra Costa County  
$0 (funding is not recommended)  
F. Cal State East Bay, Concord Center  
Establishing Pollinator Habitat at Cal State East Bay, Concord Center  
$7,456.92 (full funding)  
G. Contra Costa Resource Conservation District  
Marsh Creek Steelhead Trout Spawning and Breeding Habitat Enhancement  
$0 (funding is not recommended)  
H. International Bird Rescue  
Ethically and Effectively Resolving Human/Wildlife Interaction Issues in Contra  
Costa County Through Temporary Emergency Treatment and Care of Injured and  
Orphaned Wildlife  
$20,719.92 (full funding)  
I. John Muir Land Trust  
Pacheco Marsh Outdoor Education  
$7,886.00 (partial funding is recommended and may not be used for a Stewardship  
Manager)  
J. Save Mount Diablo  
Tracking Kestrel Re-Population on Mount Diablo, Year 2  
$5,680.24 (full funding)  
K. KIDS for the BAY  
Watershed Action Program  
$8,400 (full funding)  
L. Mira Vista Field Stewardship Committee & The Watershed Project  
Mira Vista Field Restoration Project  
$11,960.00 (partial funding is recommended and may not be used for sign design)  
M. Marine Science Institute  
2026 Delta Discovery Voyage Program  
$0 (funding is not recommended)  
N. Mt. View Sanitary District  
Moorhen Marsh & the MVSD Wetlands Education Program  
$9,461 (partial funding is recommended and may only be used for the wetland student  
booklets, animal specimens and field trip supplies as outlined in the grant application)  
O. The Watershed Project  
Steelhead Trout Protection Research Project  
$12,205 (partial funding is recommended and may not be used for accounting  
services and liability insurance)  
P. John Muir Chapter of Trout Unlimited  
Upper Wildcat Creek Habitat and Fish Passage Barrier Study  
$5,755 (full funding)  
Q. Wildcat Canyon Community School  
Habitat Restoration and Ecological Education for Future Generations  
$5,250 (full funding)  
R. Worth a Dam  
The Water Guardians/Aqua Squad  
$895.00 (full funding)  
S. Sierra Club Delta Group of the Sierra Club SF Bay Chapter  
Marsh Creek Stewards: Education, Engagement, and Habitat Action  
$0 (This application was withdrawn.)  
T. Earth Team  
Water Quality Monitoring in Contra Costa Watersheds  
$5,000 (full funding)  
Vote: 8-0 (Balbas, Coon, Fares, Gehlke, Heckly, Morris, Ortega and Pursell; Absent:  
Jennings and Pellegrini)  
7.  
DETERMINE the agenda for the next meeting. The next regular meeting date is October 15,  
2025. Possible agenda items for upcoming meetings include:  
• Informational brochure on invasive species  
• Draft 2025 Work Plan and Annual Report  
• Delta Conveyance Project update  
• Field Trip  
Items to be included on the October 15th agenda: review and approval of the annual report to  
the Board of Supervisors, setting the 2026 meeting calendar, items to discuss the Fish and  
Wildlife Propagation Fund and the outcome of the Fall Forum.  
8.  
ADJOURN