A big thank you to all who came out and participated in our membership meetings in Auburn and Rocklin! Those who attended were full of positive energy and good ideas. Here is a summary of the ideas discussed for 2010.

The general direction that both meetings recommended is that our Chapter of OfA

Stay Positive!

Be true to our Moderate bi-partisan roots

Develop basis of commonality with our local conservative neighbors

Have general membership meetings every quarter, management/team meetings bi-monthly

Project ideas included:

• Develop and manage community garden
• particate in "adopt a highway" program
• participate in school programs to promote political awareness/education
• Create "letter team" where volunteers write a letter to editor on hot issue
• Support completion of health care reform
• Support Barack's financial reform efforts
• Promote green jobs/environmental protection in our area

A fantastic recommendation was made related to getting press related to the stimulus bill.

As local governments all across the nation take action to approve projects funded by the stimulus bill, members of OfA should be attending these meetings and thanking the local politicians for approving the projects that bring new jobs to their area. This is especially important in red districts. We will be recommending this idea to OfA management!

We also recruited a new Environmental team leader- Morgan Johnson -who works in the energy efficiency industry. He will be a great asset to our group!

We are on the look out for people who would like to do research related to the President's financial reform package, please let me know if you are interested in analyzing this for our group.

Another idea that we will mention to OfA management in the concept of focusing one of our national days of action on a specific charity or theme- in order to get more positive press related to the community support activities that OfA organizes- thanks Cathy Cappetta - our Community Service Committee Chair, for this idea!

Some were interested in having access to resources provided by the National OfA organization- which anyone can access by visiting www.barackobama.com. We will have a 2010 startegy meeting with the formal OfA staff in March. At this meeting we will also have team meetings on health care, financial reform, green jobs/environment and education.

Now is the time to get energized again, we need to redirect national dialogue- hope you can help us! Please feel free to blog abotu these ideas or any others you may have and hope to see you soon at one our events...

Christa and OfA team

Lets thank our County Supervisors for supporting the aquisition of 57 million dollars of ARRA funding countywide!

After our annual membership meeting everyone agreed that we needed to ignite some positive energy. As this week is the one year anniversary of the ARRA bill, lets thank our Supervisors for supporting staff to pursue such funding for projects that use ARRA funding like:

- Auburn Folsom Rd project
- clean water funding for facilities dept
- Kings beach improvement projects
- economic development/ jobs creation through Golden Sierra Job Training Agency

So far we have seen over 16 million dollars in South County, 33 million in Central County and 8 million to the high country areas. That is over 57 million in Placer County - and that is only through the end of 2009. It does not include what has been distributed in 2010.

We want everyone who can to come to the public comment period on Tues Feb 23rd and thank the Supervisors for encouraging their staff to seek these funds and to tell them that we support the use of the funds and we support President Obama. And really emphasize the Thank you and positive energy!

Please if you can make it please go to the meeting and just use the info above and give them your name, it will only take a few minutes and it will show them that we are out here - and that we are positive.

The meeting will be at the County Chambers, 175 Fulweiler Ave, Auburn, at 9am on the 23rd. Please email Gonzalo with any questions you may have!