http://cserc.org/main/news/news_briefs/2012-Jim_Novak_remembered.html

CSERC SADDENED BY THE PASSING OF JIM NOVAK, CSERC’S FORMER WEBMASTER

(Full Text)

Six years ago, our CSERC staff had managed to develop a website that we thought was pretty adequate.  But some of our board members encouraged us to actually find out from CSERC members what they thought of the website.  The criticisms were respectful, but clear.  The website was judged to be difficult to use, not attractive, and unprofessional.

Unsure how to upgrade or how we could enhance our site, we looked around for a web consultant to save the day.  Jim Novak was our web hero.  Over a period of months he patiently worked with our staff to not only reformat and increase the attractiveness of the CSERC website.  He also creatively brainstormed with us how to feature a slide show, where to store photo galleries, or where kids’ items could be easily displayed.  He helped us set up our E-newsletter, encouraged us to join Facebook, and truly inspired us in many ways.

 Jim worked for very little pay, yet the quality of his work was a major step up for our nonprofit center.  Over three years of giving us his consulting support, Jim solved challenging problems, helped staff learn how to blog, suggested new approaches to the web work, and did something most webmasters wouldn’t even consider.  Jim patiently taught CSERC staff members how to upload articles, make formatting changes, and do the other technical tasks that gradually allowed the staff to take over all the website work independently of Jim, without his services.

Even after our staff became competent at website skills, Jim still made sure that we knew he was a quick resource whenever a problem or challenge arose.  The Center would not be as effective in reaching out through the Internet if Jim had not creatively brainstormed with us and taught the staff needed skills.

Many know Jim for his decades of musical talent, his fame as an entertainer, and his years of providing musical ministry for various churches as well as the community.  CSERC will remember him for his humor, patience, and generous assistance and talents that will continue to ripple outward in our ongoing web work and online communications.

James Novak – September 6, 1952 – January 4, 2012
            http://cserc.org/main/news/news_briefs/2012-Jim_Novak_remembered.html

Jim Novak - Piano Man - "Jimi Keys"

James William Novak

“Jimi Keys”

September 6, 1952 – January 4, 2012

 The Piano Man, Jim Novak, age 59, also known as “Jimi Keys” passed away suddenly on January 4, 2012.  He was born September 6, 1952, in the Town of Fairmont, West Virginia. He moved to Chicago with his family in 1958 to 1969. Jimi Keys played keyboards and the Blues as a young teenager with some of the best Black Blues players in many popular Blues music clubs on the South Side Chicago, and he began his musical career on the road as a traveling Rock n’ Roll musician at the age of 17.

Jimi Keys crossed the country for 13 years playing music from California to Florida, settled down for a few years and played with several bands outside of Seattle, WA in the Puget Sound area with The Imaginary Band being the most popular band in the area.  He played in concert with Billy Joel in Seattle, and then moved to the California Coast in Mendicino County, where he was known as “Carrots” because of his long red hair, and formed a band with Jimmy Hotter, the former drummer for Steely Dan.

In the mid 1970’s Jimi Keys moved to Maui, Hawaii where he played music at the popular Blue Max Club with George Benson, and other known musicians that toured the islands.  Several evenings he was joined on stage by Jimmy Buffet at Steve Still’s Club in Lahaina.

Jim Novak moved back to the mainland California in 1980 to join a band that was recording at the Record Plant Recording Studio in Sausalito, making an album that was never produced.  He met and married his wife of 27 years, Becky Novak, in San Rafael in 1984.  He then joined a Marin County band called Vicki Lee and the Convertibles who performed Motown Hits in Reno, Las Vegas, Napa Vineyards, and Bay Area clubs.

Jim moved the family to Maui, Hawaii, 1992 -1995 where he performed with various island bands working with Tahahti Productions for hotel conventions at The Grand Wailea, the Weston Hotel Kahanapali, and the Hilton Kahanapali.

The years 1997 – 2003 Jimi Keys joined up with Michael Sea & Island Fever Band, and played the marina clubs in San Rafael, Alameda, and the Delta, and was the opening band for Jimmy Buffet’s concert series at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in 2002.

Jim became a web designer after completing two Multimedia Certificates at Diablo Valley College, and Silicon Valley College,  and in 1998 he founded his own business, www.art4motion.com,  a Multimedia Web Design Company.

The Novak family moved to Groveland in 2006, and Jimi Keys entertained at the Groveland Hotel, and the Pine Mountain Lake Country Club in Groveland,  and the Saddle Creek Country Club in Copperopolis.

Jim was a member of several churches during the 1980’s and 1990’s, and he was Music Director for Contemporary Services at The Church of Religious Science in Kahului, Maui, the Bayside Christian Fellowship in Alameda, the Lutheran Church in Walnut Creek, and he played keyboards with Contemporary Services at the King’s Cathedral Maui, The Church of Devine Man in Berkeley, and the First Covenant Church in Oakland.

Jim is survived by his wife, Becky, his daughter, Jessica Novak; two grandchildren, Alexis and Ava Novak, of Groveland; two sisters, Susan Smith, Rockville, MD, and Paula Stubbs, Antioch, IL.

A private family memorial is scheduled.  Terzich and Wilson Funeral Home is handling arrangements.

RIP Jim Novak

My best wishes to the Novaks. Groveland will never be the same. Jim Novak was a community supporter for all things music in the surrounding area. He will be greatly missed. Jim will be remembered for his unending creativity in music and his commitment to Groveland. Jim helped establish the HSLN, a local group, Hilltop Sustainable Living Network. He helped pioneer the Open Mic Nights at Mountain Sage in Groveland, music was better when Jim was playing it. He has done so much for so many, Groveland misses you, Jim.
CK

This report, its findings and recommendations, is available at:

http://portal.co.tuolumne.ca.us/ps/psft/V511390810/Part_II_Final_Report_2010-2011.pdf

and Groveland Fire Department’s response to the report is at:

http://portal.co.tuolumne.ca.us/ps/psft/V238511299/Response_-_Groveland_Fire_Department.pdf

An alternative route to the report and all responses submitted is by:

http://portal.co.tuolumne.ca.us/psp/ps/TUP_GRAND_JURY/ENTP/h/?tab=DEFAULT

and selecting the “2011 Grand Jury Report” from the Menu on the left.

If the Board of Directors insist on using the Mello Roos Tax to obtain the money to fund the Fire Dept. they will be doing the Fire Dept a disservice when the people turn down their proposal at the polls.  There are other ways to go about funding the Fire Dept.

The maintenance provision within a bond must be maintained so the tax rate will most likely never change. Have you ever seen your property HOA assessment go down? Keep in mind that a Mello-Roos tax hides behind a tax assessment already. Just like in a HOA scenario an increased Mello-Roos assessment can be applied to you the homeowner. If you purchase a property with Mello-Roos then you are purchasing a property with a silent second note that needs to be repaid. Bonds have many provisions built into them which allow for increases in the payment to cover increased costs.

Yosemite Highway Herald - January 2012 - Page 8 - Letters to the Editor

http://www.yosemitehwyherald.com/images/January_12.pdf

Page 8, Yosemite Highway Herald, January 2012

… LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Work together for best solution

Dear Editor:

     Recent letters denigrating our Groveland Fire Department and firefighters are ill-informed and counter-productive.  We have incredibly dedicated and skilled firefighters and first responders, as all whose property and lives they’ve saved can attest. The posters claiming there was a survey No “vote” on increasing our assessment for fire protection have no basis in fact. There’s been no election nor any vote on this issue. Over the past 10 years the single family baseline assessment increased from $70 to $83.64, based on the consumer price index (CPI). The baseline is further adjusted for individual properties depending on property size. According to he survey results, presented at the GCSD Board meeting 16 June 2011, 88.4% of single-family homeowners in the Groveland Fire District supported the now current $83.64 baseline. An increase of $66.36 per year ($5.53/month to a total of $150 baseline per year was still supported by 62.2%, well over half, of the survey single family respondents. So clearly our community says “Yes” to funding our fire department.

      Our rate of $83.64 for FY2011-2012 will maintain most but not all of our services.  An increase of $66.36 to $150 per year (+$5.53/month) would maintain and improve our current services and repair and replace outdated fi re trucks and equipment.  Perhaps the best answer lies somewhere between these two figures. We need a solution that we can all vote for. Let’s respectfully work with our great Groveland Fire Department and with GCSD to get the best solution for our community.

Carol Simpson, Groveland

In support of fire tax

Dear Editor:

     The $150-a-year state fi re assessment is something we have no control over.  But don’t think that because we are paying this assessment that we will get better/more CalFire services. There is no plan for CalFire to be on the hill any more than they already are (about May through October).  With the state budget cutbacks, CalFire has already reduced the number of people per engine.

     With no promise that CalFire will be on the hill more than before, some are still in favor of an all volunteer fi re department.  If this local tax is not passed, homeowners’ insurance will increase dramatically, if not be cancelled. The local tax (and $150 state assessment) will be small change compared to the annual increase in home owners insurance.

     If we have an all volunteer fire department, where will we get volunteers? People are not flocking to the fire department to become volunteers. We would be losing full-time, paramedic-status firefighters for first responders that the state restricts to only taking vitals and giving oxygen.

     The State of California has such high requirements for volunteers, that most people don’t qualify and the rest are scared off by the educational requirements. Of those brave souls that might persevere to become a volunteer, most have daytime jobs, which means they will not be available for calls during the day. Those that are available during the day are probably too old to qualify.

Many won’t live in the immediate area, so response times would be slower.

– Marcy L. Molz, Groveland

Opposes fire tax

Dear Editor:

   “How much is a human life worth?” is a question The Groveland CSD Employees Association and Operating Engineers Local 3 (their labor union) ask…as if life has a price. We all know life is precious.  None of us want to be put in the position of pricing life. The really sick part of their question is: If you don’t agree with us on what we want in the way of new taxes – you killed someone over money.

     They say, “Save jobs, save lives” and “continue to receive a high level of service.”  Isn’t that really saying, “lose jobs, loose lives – loose service” – how ridiculous is that? Do they really mean no new assessment – and they will not save lives?

     Why does “a high level of…service” automatically become a “low level of service” by cutting back? It doesn’t. We know that other communities, like ours, provide perfectly acceptable fire and emergency services for less than we spend. Why can’t our fire department do the same?

     Will call-outs really go unanswered?  No!   Will response time be a little slower?  It doesn’t have to.  As for insurance policies being cancelled, or premiums going up… not really.  You may have to shop around for a better deal – that’s true.

     In tough times more taxes will eventually bite the hand that pays them. How dishonest is hiding taxes, like the $102,000 moved to the Park fund in the cut-back budget?  Say no to $400,000 per year in new taxes.

– Craig Maxwell, Groveland

 More GCSD violations

Dear Editor:

A December 8, 2011 letter from the California Regional Water Board states they conducted an unannounced inspection of the GCSD sewer system. The report shows numerous violations on many liftstations. The report also says GCSD staff was not trained or aware of spill prevention plans. The report claims unreported spills from Lift station 11. Log books were missing, manholes had not been maintained and, at the time of inspection, lift station upgrades had not been completed. The report states “the District is in violation for failing to properly, manage, operate and maintain all parts of the sanitary sewer system, including lift stations, and also for inadequate training of collection system operators.”One main supervisor was not familiar with the sanitary sewer overflow reporting requirements that the State requires.

     The report also says the CRWQB has requested a document, the “Sterling Report,” but the District’s attorney claims that the document is an attorney/client privileged communication and won’t provide it. What is GCSD hiding? Whatever it is could cost the ratepayers much more money. This needs to stop, now! The rate payers have been paying a hefty increase for the past two years. Why aren’t these problems solved? Where did the money go? The past Board and GM should be held accountable. Why should innocent rate payers be burden with more costs while the District continues to hide the truth? GCSD cannot be trusted. A recall is appropriate.

Don’t give GCSD any money under Mello Roos provisions.

–Lawrence Romaneck, Groveland

And why is that you ask?  Well,  GCSD would like to use this act to give itself a blank check to spend our money as they see fit.  More high paying  jobs to relatives and drinking buddies and perks you can’t begin to imagine.  A homeowner has 5 years to pay his property taxes before the county forecloses for non payment.  Under Mello Roos, GCSD can foreclose on your home after 90 days of nonpayment of their big spending taxes (which would occur on your property tax bill).  Scared yet? When you consider that GCSD has been cited for repeated coverups from the State Water Board recently, why would anyone trust this outfit with one of our hard earned dollars?   GCSD GM Mello happens to be related to the original author of the Mello Roos legislation.  GM Mello comes to this community well trained in sub par financing.  Lets send these small town beaurecrats packing with a recall.

The Dreambreaker