Out For A Swim

Truth: the first casualty

heidi08 City Reports October 7, 2008

So the city entourage including two attorneys, Dave Scola and “Everything will be fine” beaver-man Julian Frazer made a crash appearance on the courtroom today, arguing that there was no work being done at all so there was nothing to be “stayed”. Guess who else showed up with them? The litigious property owner who is making the city tremble in their boots. Apparent those crazy kids might just make it work out after all. The judge, in the face of such determined liars, agreed and said it should be reviewed with the CEQA standards tomorrow at 1:30 pm. In the mean time here are some pictures of the days work that was never done. The fellow with the ear piece was moving around writing down which trees would be taken, obviously the project manager or engineer.

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After Great Pain A Determined Feeling Comes…

heidi08 City Reports, Creative Solutions October 3, 2008

Emily Dickinson came to mind yesterday, but today she would need a little bit of a rewrite. Be assured that Worth A Dam will be planning how to keep our beavers safe, regardless of the city’s ruthless decision. Whether that means having witnesses on sight, or making sure the media is informed of dangerous activity, we’ll do what can be done.

Do you know what ruthless means by the way? It is based on the old english reutheles meaning without pity or compassion. Apt – this decision certain lacks any reuth at all.

I thought beaver supporters would be heartened to hear a little of the responses we’ve been getting.

So sorry. The magnitude of the planned work must extend far beyond the lodge. Why, if this has been needed for a year, is it being rushed through just before rainy season?

Sharon Brown Beavers Wetlands & Wildlife http://www.BeaversWW.org

I’m stunned, and heartbroken for everyone involved. I don’t know what to say other than I am so sorry. Are they going to trap?! If they don’t trap all is not lost. The beavers will likely respond to the lodge destruction by building a new lodge. Hopefully in the same viewing area. Please keep me posted. Mike Callahan Beaver Solutions

Why don’t they just relocate the beaver in the spring? Surely they can live with them until then. Please let me know what happens. For the sake of the beaver, they need to be relocated. The people who have the control don’t care about them and THEY have the last word. I’m very sorry Heidi, Always, Sherri Tippie: Wildlife 2000

Sorry about last night. Gary Bogue Wildlife Columnist

After having delayed, for MONTHS, a vote on the subcommitte recommendations – and then deeming an “emergency” need to drill into the lodge, based on report findings of deterioration that allegedly first were revealed in JUNE – this does not make the Maritnez City Council look particularly effective, in my opinion. I for one will be voting for change in upcoming elections. Sue Mayo Martinez worker – Superior Court

Your plan for the emergency bank stabilization that will, ultimately, remove the beavers is cruel and unnecessary. We should consider ourselves incredibly lucky that wild beavers chose to live among us, but instead, we repay them by destroying their environment. We am not experts in any sense of the word on this issue, but we understand there are alternatives that could have ensured the safety of the beavers. You have caved in to the threat of potential litigation instead of doing the right thing. Shame on you. We are voters in Martinez, and we’re not afraid to use our vote. Rozann Grunig & George Grunig

I was thinking further about the work being described at the council meeting. They said they’d install the sheet piles first, then fill in the holes with grout to stabilize the soil. That sounds backwards to me if you really wanted to protect the beavers. If you knew where the holes were located, should you first try to bore down into them to scare any beavers and have them leave the holes, and THEN once they’re out, you can start installing the sheet piles? Resident GH

This is the moment of lead. Remembered, if outlived, as freezing person recollect the snow. First chill, then stupor, then the letting go.

This is a moment for hope.

Elusive yet enduring.

Spinning sadness grimly set and dizzy.

First shock, then focus, then the getting busy.

Beaver Retrospective CC times

heidi08 Friends of Martinez Beavers October 2, 2008

If you haven’t taken a look at this lovely reminder of how we got here, check it out.

City approves all resolutions.

heidi08 Beaver News, City Reports October 2, 2008

including the exemption from CEQA. Bids for the work open at 11 tomorrow. Sheet pile will be driven through the beavers lodge. Council responded to comments for citizen inclusion with an offer to set up an oversight committee including Worth A Dam, but then discussed it with the attorney and city engineer who advised that any oversight body could not make decisions, slow decisions or influence them in any way. I declined to participate under those conditions.

Supporters were in tears at the meeting’s end, including myself. Gary Bogue offers his condolences and wisdom.

Heidi Perryman

“Always an Adventure, Up on Beaver Creek”

heidi08 Beavers or Social Ambasadors, Video September 10, 2008

Well last night there were several interesting things-both furry and bipedal. The kits were out (and the bees were not!) which is just the way I like it. There were many new faces at the bridge, some whom had never seen the beavers before. One couple from Brentwood explained that they hadn’t known about the beavers until their family member in LA saw them on the news and told them to come check it out. That made me smile until another man said that his daughter had read about them on the website from her home in Georgia and told him to come look for himself. That’s quite a spread.

When I got home there was an email from Ian in Kentucky who says he loves beavers and has made this claymation of them. Amazing quality, the ‘Wallace & Grommit” of beavers.

[youtube:http://youtube.com/watch?v=UEtKPSS1DRs]

I’m thinking maybe Ian can help us with a “beavers in city council” video…can’t you see it now? A beaver with a gavel and picketing animals in the audience? Hmmm.

A final unexpected pleasure of the evening was meeting a woman who is involved with the local 4-H chapter. She said the girls loved the beavers and wanted to organize an “adoption” of them, but weren’t sure who to ask. I told her we would have loved for them to come to the festival, and that we would welcome any input on the website. Of course Worth A Dam would be happy to meet the girls and do a docented tour of the area, bring display items and answer questions. Maybe “adopting” a beaver means becoming a docent themselves. A few girls at each bridge answering questions and pointing out behavior. If any of that happens you can be sure that you’ll read about it here.

Always an adventure, up on beaver creek.