5/11/26, 10:55 AM
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water agenda discussion, post in public opinion
From paula levine <[email protected]>
Date Sun 5/10/2026 6:27 PM
To Cityclerk Trinidad <[email protected]>
Vote to pursue whatever knowledge you need to make a decision on Trinidad's water resiliency, a debate that has occurred periodically at City Council meetings for over 60 years.
Please do not forget to compare the fire resiliency of a system reliant on a creek subject to drought and limited water tanks to HBMWD.
Where would Arcata be if the plaza fire depended on a creek and a few holding tanks... and if it happened during summer and high winds?
The discussion planned for the CC meeting makes compelling arguments to put to rest fears of rapid uncontrolled overdevelopment.
Change is hard. It's late in the game. It would have been cheap to do when other surrounding cities linked into HB decades ago. They never regretted their choice.
There is an opportunity for Trinidad to do so in the foreseeable future.
Please do not kick the can down the road.
Thanks,
Paula Levine,
Mill Creek Lane,
Trinidad
5-12-2026
PUBLIC COMMENT:
Item 1: Discussion/Decision regarding Trinidad Drinking Water System Comparative Analysis Options.
Hello Council Members. I’ve just become aware that the City of Trinidad is discussing options for its water system, including possible participation in the proposed water pipeline currently being pursued by the Trinidad Rancheria. When I served on Trinidad’s Planning Commission, we vigorously discussed this as part of the on-going General Plan Update. Please allow me to offer some comments, and questions.
Others have suggested that water from the proposed pipeline would still need to be “cleaned” by running it through the existing Trinidad Water Plant. In reading the Staff Report I don't recall any mention of the need to "treat" the HBMWD water via the existing Trinidad water plant. Perhaps I missed it, but my understanding was the "treatment' was required to flush contaminants from Luffenholtz Creek, but no mention was made of the need for treatment of HBMWD water. Can Staff provide clarification? Steve Madrone's plan is very forward-thinking and I like it. Unfortunately it also requires a pilot test program to determine feasibility. It also would require participation or at least permission from multiple private land owners outside the city limits. Does Trinidad really have the time and resources to pursue this plan?
Long range land-use Planning is often fraught with controversy, and sometimes major regrets. When I grew up in San Francisco (1950s-1960s) the bay area began development of a Rapid Transit System. Each County had the option to join or not. Marin County declined, for many of the same reasons some Trinidad residents oppose a new water pipeline. Marin's biggest fear was Growth. Well, it happened anyway but without any transportation plan/system to accommodate that growth. They have no way to expand the freeway (US101) and even if they could the traffic still must be funneled onto the Golden Gate Bridge. (FWIW, my father was a member of the Board of Directors of the Bay Area Rapid Transit District from the late 1950s through 1970), The Trinidad Staff Report addresses concerns about Growth in the Greater Trinidad Area and points out that residential growth is constrained by a number of "barriers', most notably the lack of a solid waste management plant. We will be on Septic even with a new water source, and Septic systems serve as a major constraint to development, particularly multifamily residential.
Staff also makes the point that the Rancheria is moving ahead with plans for a hook-up via HBMWD. They have access to the funding and a clear desire to do this. The report notes that Trinidad can either be part of the process of a pipeline expansion, of sit on the sidelines while others make decisions that will greatly impact the future of the Trinidad Area.
Closer to home, look what happened in Arcata when residents of the Sunset District (next to US101) opposed a private project to build mix use multi-family residential (largely student housing). I, and others, warned the Council that if they didn't approve a private project the land could be purchased by the State. If that were to happen, Arcata would have Zero 'say' in how the property was developed. The private developers became so frustrated by Arcata's dithering and changing demands that they gave up and sold the property to the State. The huge dorms next to US101 are the result. Through inaction, Arcata gave it's "seat at the table" and had no say it what would happen on that property.
IMO, this can very easily happen to Trinidad. Don’t lose your seat at the table.
Respectfully
John Graves
Former Chair, Trinidad Planning Commission
Former Chair, Arcata Planning Commission`
677 Driver Road
Trinidad, CA. 95570
5/11/26, 10:52 AM
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Trinidad Museum Highlights 2025-2026 (for Council packet 5/12/26) From [email protected] <[email protected]>
Date Sun 5/10/2026 10:25 AM
To Cityclerk Trinidad <[email protected]>; Ckelly Trinidad <[email protected]>; [email protected] <[email protected]>; [email protected] <[email protected]>; Jtuttle Trinidad <[email protected]>; [email protected] <[email protected]>
Cc Asouza Trinidad <[email protected]>; [email protected] <[email protected]> Dear Gabe, Mayor Cheryl and Council Members Bryce, Kati, Jack and John, As you consider Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) apportionment for the next fiscal year, Trinidad Museum Society appreciates being considered as an appreciative recipient.
Some of the 2025-2026 museum highlights are:
The Native Plant Garden received special recognition by the California Native Plant Society in its "Flora" publication for its excellence. New plant interpretive signs with QR codes to learn about wild flowers attached to hand-hewn cedar posts were installed by volunteer gardeners, who donate hundreds of hours each year maintaining the gardens.
The museum recently hosted CNPS's Donna Wildearth at a well-attended presentation on "Gardens are for the Birds...and the Bugs." Other lectures by historian-author Jerry Rohde and his videographer granddaughter, Erin Scofield, have been presented and will continue to be presented through the summer through the Pierson Lecture Series. OLLI and other venues have hosted lectures by the museum president on the 250th commemoration of the Spanish landing in Trinidad in 1775.
Workshops on museum conservation and preservation have been completed by two of the board members. Museum registrar Alexander Cox (who also works with the Clarke Historical Museum) keeps track of, and maintains, new and past collections.
Trinidad Museum is open all year, Thursdays through Sundays, from 12:30 to 4 p.m. with volunteer docents greeting local visitors as well as ones from Redding, Chico, Sacramento, Red Bluff, Los Angeles, San Francisco Bay Area, and cities in Oregon, Washington, Florida, Colorado,Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Utah, New England states, Michigan, Chicago, North and South Carolina, Montana, Idaho, Arizona along with many foreign visitors from Canada, Germany, France, England, Ireland, India and Pakistan & other places.. Docents are trained not only to share Trinidad's history but to make sure each visitor feels welcome in Trinidad. This is a high priority at the museum.
5/11/26, 10:52 AM
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Trinidad Museum is a "living museum" which regularly loans caps and regalia to local tribal members. Shoshoni Gensaw-Hostler (Yurok-Karuk) helps to organize many of the Flower Dance and Jump Dance ceremonies.
Trinidad Museum has been part of Trinidad Art Night open venues, hosting musicians and authors, since Westhaven Center for the Arts initiated the May-September events.
The museum hosts elementary and high school and other group tours throughout the year. (TMS always is pleased to arrange special tours on days when the museum is not open.) Volunteer docents host the regular (since 2017) First Saturday Trinidad Head Lighthouse Open House in cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management/California Coastal National Monument and the Trinidad Rancheria. They also give several Road Scholar lighthouse tours through the spring to fall season and arrange school and other special tours of the 1871 lighthouse.
Trinidad Museum Society is grateful for the support and encouragement it receives from the City of Trinidad each year.
Warm regards,
Board of Directors: Patti Fleschner, president, Scott Baker, vice president, Dennis Koutouzos, treasurer, Virginia Waters, secretary, Mary Spinas Kline, Carita Dooley, Jim Baker Trinidad Museum Society
P. O. Box 1126/400 Janis Court
Trinidad, CA 95570
TMS is a 501c3 non-profit corporation, tax identification number 68-0042645 P.S. Sorry, I don't have John's email so I sent this to Gloria. PF