Tag archives: Pat McElroy
It’s been a wet and wild week in Montecito and much of Santa Barbara County, as unrelenting rainstorms came through the region, prompting two mandatory evacuations since January 4. The storm earlier this week, coming on the heels of over 20 inches of rain in the last 30 days, caused significant flooding and mudflow, but […]
In my end-of-year letter, I wrote about my habitual January dread. Or as I sometimes like to call it, Janu-scary. And then January 9th reared its ugly head. Again. The coincidence of Mother Nature’s repeat performance was, to say the least, eerie. Let’s just say this is one time I didn’t enjoy being prescient. As […]
The Thomas Fire and debris flows that plagued Montecito and the area in over a month spanning 2017-18 was an unprecedented tragedy that caused great devastation to the community. But out of the ashes and mud rose a brand-new nonprofit called One805, which has not only raised funds to support the First Responders who worked […]
For all of us who live or work in Montecito, the rainy season brings up a still fresh mix of emotions. We’re grateful for the hydration of our mountains as they continue to recover and revegetate. We’re thankful to no longer be in an active drought. But still we struggle with the residual trauma from […]
Two weeks ago at the Montecito Association’s 34th Annual Beautification Day, the Partnership for Resilient Communities (TPRC) was selected as the 2019 recipient of the “Citizen of the Year” honors. The ceremony included last year’s winner Abe Powell of Bucket Brigade fame and 1st District County Supervisor Das Williams, along with MA officials. Who Are […]
Last week Pat McElroy, Executive Director for the Partnership for Resilient Communities, reported to stakeholders that the group has reached the initial fundraising goal for the first six nets. “Because of your generous contributions, six debris nets will help protect our community during the winter rains,” he wrote. Helicopters are staging this week in the […]
An interesting new flag is “flying” at the Santa Barbara Polo Club. The flag, the concept of firefighter-artist John Carrillo, who made the first version for the retirement for Santa Barbara fire chief Pat McElroy, incorporates hoses used by the Montecito Fire Department to fight the 2017 Thomas Fire. Throughout the disaster, the SB Polo […]
As we wave the flags and cheer for our kids at our annual 4th of July parade celebrating America’s call for independence, we cannot ignore the reality that we are governed by a county that is totally devoid of local long-range strategic planning for Montecito, including coordination of disparate community efforts. Under the present system […]
At an assembly last Wednesday, June 5, the entire student body at Crane Country Day School gathered to bid adieu to two longtime fixtures on campus: teacher Pat Bixler, who is retiring, and employee Anne Perkins, who is moving on to her next chapter. Crane staff and students spoke about both Bixler and Perkins, sharing […]
Montecito Association (MA) members have identified three issues – water security, including lifetime independence from drought; effective recycling with re-use of wastewater; safety and security from future flood and debris flows – as critical issues facing Montecito that need to be explored and resolved as the community looks toward a better future. To resolve any […]
At this month’s Montecito Association Land Use Committee meeting, the committee heard from Flood Control Deputy Director Tom Fayram, who gave an update on the Randall Road debris basin project. The project, which includes the acquisition of seven parcels on Randall Road and one on East Valley Road, will offer improved debris catchment from San […]
In an update from the Partnership for Resilient Communities, executive director Pat McElroy reports that work continues on the Swiss-made, steel ring nets being installed high up in San Ysidro, Buena Vista, and Cold Spring Canyons. After successful anchor tests, helicopters have been moving thousands of pounds of equipment and supplies from a staging area […]
Last week the construction on the first of six steel ring nets began in Montecito, with a helicopter delivering the components to San Ysidro canyon last Wednesday. Drilling work began on the anchors on Monday, according to Partnership for Resilient Communities Executive Director Pat McElroy. The project, which includes the installation of six Swiss-made steel […]
At a gathering at the upper village green on Monday, March 18, the founders of the Partnership For Resilient Communities welcomed dozens of members of the community who have given funds towards the installation of Swiss-made steel ring nets slated to be installed in the coming weeks. Six of the nets will be installed in […]
Earlier this week, the Partnership for Resilient Communities announced the international arrival of the first of six Swiss steel ring nets slated for the canyons above Cold Springs, Buena Vista, and San Ysidro Creeks. The first net will be installed in San Ysidro Creek above Randall Road and the San Ysidro Ranch; installation of the […]
Last Friday, February 1, nearly 1,500 residents were evacuated in anticipation of a predicted storm that was forecasted to exceed debris flow rain threshold rates in the foothills above Montecito. The storm, which produced the most rain in the early morning hours of Saturday, did indeed hit threshold levels estimated at 1 inch per hour, […]
On Tuesday, January 22, over 100 Montecito residents gathered at Montecito Union School to hear from the Partnership for Resilient Communities, the group of private citizens who have set out to move forward with installing environmentally-friendly Swiss-made steel nets, which catch debris as it comes down the hillsides. “When the events of last year happened, […]
If you do nothing else this week, pull out your pen and write a check to the Partnership for Resilient Communities, or go to the website (partnershipsb.org) to make a tax-deductible donation through the Santa Barbara Foundation. Contributions can be as low as $10 or as high as $250,000. The future of Montecito may depend […]
Screenwriter/Builder/Designer Les Firestein and former city fire chief Pat McElroy, founders of Partnership for Resilient Communities in Santa Barbara County, established after the Thomas Fire and the catastrophic mudslides a year ago, got priceless publicity, not to mention a $20,000 check, when they appeared on Montecito TV talk show host Ellen DeGeneres‘s eponymous Los Angeles […]
Next Wednesday, January 16, the Partnership for Resilient Communities and Montecito Union School’s superintendent Anthony Ranii will host an informational community meeting to discuss realistic opportunities to mitigate future debris flows. In late December, the Partnership received emergency permits to proceed with the installation of 11 debris flow control nets in San Ysidro, Buena Vista, […]
