Goals for 2017 discussed at Fallbrook Community Forum meeting

The first Fallbrook Community Forum meeting of the New Year was held Jan. 19 and the topic was goals for 2017. Members of several non-profit organizations spoke of their aspirations.

Vince Ross, who conducts the forum meetings, started things off by relaying the No. 1 goal of the Fallbrook Village Association, an organization he founded more than two decades ago.

“It’s called the ‘Library Plaza Project,'” said Ross of a plan to get more use out of the parking area between the Fallbrook Library and the Fallbrook Art Center. “In short, the goal is to use the parking lot for both parking and special events. We definitely need more of them (special events) and we definitely need more foot traffic downtown.”

Ross said the property is privately owned, and that all nine owners are on board with the idea.

“These people are working together to try to do something there that would help them,” said Ross. “We need funding for lighting and electrical improvements and pedestrian access. We're going to have to get county approval and changes of other ordinances. Our goal is to have something every week.”

Ross said the plan is based on a successful model in Oceanside, the Sunset Market. Ross added the Village Association is working with a consultant who was instrumental in the launch of Sunset Market, a farmers market that debuted in August 2007 and has gained a great following. “It (the Sunset Market) really helped to revitalize their town center,” said Ross of the weekly event in Oceanside.

Ross said the Village Association looks forward to sharing the plans with the community.

“We will probably have a town meeting sometime in February or March where we'll have our consultant there and he'll have the pictures and all the details,” said Ross. “Then the entire community can look at it and ask questions and get it off the ground."

Jerri Patchett of the Fallbrook Beautification Alliance said the organization has “a serious issue this year.”

“Our goal is we have to find a new revenue for income,” said Patchett. “We need $20,000. We're not going to be having the July Fourth event at the Grand Tradition anymore, and even though the Grand Tradition is very generous and we're still going to be their charity partner and work their events, we need to come up with another $20,000 if we're going to maintain our projects. We're thinking of marketing a product that we might sell at events. If anybody has ideas, we would love to hear them.”

Patchett also mentioned one of the alliance’s recent projects to spruce up downtown. “We just installed 20 new flower pots between Fig (Street) and Elder (Street) on Main (Avenue) on both sides of the streets, and we've got more coming,” said Patchett.

Patchett then spoke on behalf of Fallbrook Arts Inc., which had great results with its “Art of the Holiday” gift boutique show at the Fallbrook Art Center.

“Last year we grossed $43,000, this year we grossed $68,000,” said Patchett, who thanked and credited the Chamber of Commerce for helping to promote the show. “They're a huge partner. Their promotion is working and the arts and culture are bringing people to Fallbrook. We all have to keep that in mind – the arts are a major player.”

Patchett said the goal of Fallbrook Arts Inc. this year is to pay off the mortgage – “about $65,000” – on the Art Center. Patchett is heading the fundraising effort. “We have to pay it off this year because the mortgage holders have been so generous with us for several years,” said Patchett.

William Shakespeare, newly appointed chairman of the Fallbrook Land Conservancy, stated the organization’s goal is always “to preserve open land in perpetuity and ideally bring it back to its natural habitat.”

“We currently have 22 preserves,” said Shakespeare. “We are looking at bringing on, potentially, another 10-plus over the next 12 to 24 months. Many of these properties that we're talking about coming on board, we've been working on for three to 10 years.”

Shakespeare said the Fallbrook Land Conservancy is currently going through the lengthy process of trying to receive accreditation from the Land Trust Alliance, a national conservation organization representing land trusts across the United States.

“The Land Trust Alliance is the granddaddy of all land trusts that resides in Washington, D.C.,” said Shakespeare. “There's only about 380 (land trusts) that are currently accredited and we will be one of them hopefully by June 2018. The accreditation gives us the ability to manage mitigation land.”

Shakespeare also encouraged people who like to hike to visit the conservancy’s web site, fallbrooklandconservancy.org, where they can find several maps of preserves that are open to the public and have trails.

Roy Moosa spoke on behalf of the Fallbrook Historical Society and said the organization is going to have a much higher profile in 2017.

“The historical society has been one of the best kept secrets in Fallbrook for many years and they have decided they're not going to be that anymore,” said Moosa. “They're going to be community oriented, community involved. Our facilities are available for rent for meetings and special events. That's one big change that's occurred.

“Last year, they took over the historic Reche School House, which is Fallbrook's first school house built in 1896,” continued Moosa. “It's on Live Oak Park Road. They received a grant, they refurbished it, renovated it, painted it red, and it is available for use and eventually will become a place where tours will be given. We plan to have quarterly lecture series. Basically our mission statement is to educate the public on Fallbrook's rich history.”

In regards to history, Moosa relayed an interesting story that he will be trying verify.

“I heard a story that when Abraham Lincoln was sitting in the Ford Theatre – and happened to get shot – the American flags that were sitting around his box were stolen,” said Moosa. “And when they finally caught the culprit, they found out that he was from Fallbrook. Nothing to be proud of, but it is interesting. The flag is now sitting in a museum because Fallbrook sent it back years ago. I had never heard that story and it's something we're going to look into. Anyway, there are a lots and lots of stories that are fascinating, some to be proud of, some not, but either way it piques people’s interest in history."