CONTRA COSTA COUNTY  
Committee Meeting Minutes - Final  
Fish and Wildlife Committee  
3:00 PM  
Wednesday, August 20, 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, Kathleen Jennings,  
Brett Morris, Olivia Ortega, Danny Pellegrini and Jamin Pursell attended the meeting. Pam  
Arifian (Napa County, Conservation Division), Carmen Cano, Virgil Chaddock, Michelle  
Cordis (CCC Flood Control and Water Conservation District), Alex Domeyko (International  
Bird Rescue), Adêle Ho (Mira Vista Field Stewardship Committee), Phil Kohlmetz  
(International Bird Rescue), Lilly Lew (Marine Science Institute), Peter Mangarella (John  
Muir Chapter of Trout Unlimited), Hilario Mata (City of Pittsburg, Public Works), Robin  
Mitchell (Mt. View Sanitary District), Bob Peoples, Jill Ray (Office of District 2 Supervisor),  
Paul Seger (Diablo Water District and Sierra Club Delta Group), Constance Taylor, Jeffry  
Tibbetts and Ben Weise (Contra Costa Resource Conservation District) attended the meeting.  
Maureen Parkes (CCC Department of Conservation and Development) attended as staff.  
REVIEW and CONSIDER APPROVING the Fish and Wildlife Committee  
Meeting Record for July 16, 2025.  
2.  
25-3374  
7-16-25 Draft Minutes  
Attachments:  
The meeting minutes were approved as written. (Vote: 8-1-0) Balbas, Fares,  
Gehlke, Jennings, Heckly, Morris, Ortega and Pellegrini; Abstain: Pursell;  
Absent: None)  
3.  
4.  
PUBLIC COMMENT  
Includes public comment on topics on the agenda and items not listed on the agenda. The FWC  
shall also accept public comment on agenda items at the time they are discussed.  
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:  
Michelle Cordis from the CCC Flood Control and Water Conservation District will be  
available via Zoom during today's meeting to answer any questions the Committee may have  
regarding the grant applications involving creeks.  
Correspondence forwarded to Committee members:  
- Emails from Supervisor Candace Andersen regarding the EBRPD Trail Network  
Expansion at Sycamore Valley Open Space Regional Preserve; Contra Costa  
Resource Conservation District is recruiting for a community member to fill an open  
seat on the Board of Directors; and the East Bay Regional Park District Free Fishing  
Day on August 30.  
- Emails from Supervisor Diane Burgis regarding the Delta Stewardship Council  
announcement that its Delta Science Program will award $5.9 million to fund eight  
critical scientific studies in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and Suisun Marsh over  
the next three years; Congressman DeSaulnier will host an Environmental Town Hall  
& Resource Fair in Oakley, and information on the golden mussel and algal blooms.  
- Email from Supervisor Shanelle Scales-Preston regarding a Walk & Talk at Radke  
Martinez Regional Shoreline that she partnered with East Bay Regional Park District.  
- Email from Susan Heckly with a link to information on the UC Agriculture and  
Natural Resources - New Invasive Pests Webinar Mini-Series.  
- Email from Abby Fateman with an article on kestrels.  
Newsletters and Announcements forwarded to Committee members:  
- Bringing Back the Natives - 2  
- California Fish and Game Commission - 8  
- Golden Gate Bird Alliance - 3  
- Greenbelt Alliance - 1  
- IPM Decision-Making Subcommittee agenda - 1  
- IPM Training Subcommittee - 1  
- John Muir Land Trust - 1  
- Kids for the Bay - 1  
- Lindsay Wildlife Experience - 1  
- Save Mount Diablo - 2  
- Urban Tilth - 4  
- Department of Water Resources - 4  
CONSIDER the following Consent items:  
5.  
TMP-12150  
a) REVIEW and ACCEPT the letter of appreciation from Marine Science  
Institute regarding the grant they received for their "2025 Delta Discovery  
Voyage Program" project.  
b) REVIEW and APPROVE the request from Kathy Kramer to modify the  
usage of approved grant funds for the 2025 "Bringing Back the Natives  
Events" project.  
Marine Science Institute Letter  
Attachments:  
Bringing Back the Natives Request  
The Committee reviewed and accepted Item 5a; and reviewed and approved  
Item 5b. (Vote: 9-0) Balbas, Fares, Gehlke, Jennings, Heckly, Morris, Ortega,  
Pellegrini and Pursell; Absent: None)  
REVIEW and ACCEPT the final report from Worth a Dam for their 2025  
Beaver dams build neighborhoods: 'Playing with a full deck' project.  
6.  
TMP-12148  
Worth A Dam Final Report  
Attachments:  
The Committee reviewed and accepted the final report. (Vote: 9-0) Balbas,  
Fares, Gehlke, Jennings, Heckly, Morris, Ortega, Pellegrini and Pursell;  
Absent: None)  
7.  
DISCUSS the Fall Forum.  
The Committee discussed the Fall Forum.  
CONSIDER the 20 Fish and Wildlife Propagation Fund applications  
submitted by August 1, 2025. Consider inviting one or more organizations to  
the following meeting if the Committee has further questions on their grant  
proposals.  
8.  
TMP-12147  
Grant Applications A - J  
Attachments:  
Grant Applications K - T  
2026 Grant Summary Spreadsheet  
Worksheet  
2025 Grant Recommendations - for reference only  
2024 Grant Recommendations - for reference only  
The Committee reviewed and discussed the grant applications. Several grant  
applicants were present and provided additional verbal information to clarify  
aspects of their applications. The Committee directed staff to request additional  
information for specific applications. Consideration of the grant applications  
was continued to the next meeting on September 17, 2025.  
9.  
DETERMINE the agenda for the next meeting. The next regular meeting date is September 17,  
2025. Possible agenda items for upcoming meetings include:  
• 2026 grant application review  
• 2025 Fall Forum planning  
• Informational brochure on invasive species  
• Draft 2025 Work Plan and Annual Report  
• Delta Conveyance Project update  
• Field Trip  
ADJOURN