COMMUNITY

Poway Fire Relief Coordinator
I am coordinating fire relief efforts for Poway and have been assisting with Rancho Bernardo as well.  I am assisting families in meeting their needs and coordinating the efforts of over fifty volunteer organizations – the Community Fire Relief Team. For up-to-date information, go to my blog.
                    Merrilee's blog

Poway Community Leadership Institute
I established the Poway Community Leadership Institute in partnership with the City, Chamber of Commerce, and Poway Unified School District.  We have had a very successful first year and are in the midst of our second year.  The Institute allows all those interested in Poway to learn everything they need to learn!  Past team projects include business disaster preparedness plan development, Poway Pride Day, a marketing plan developed for reaching businesses for Character Counts!, and input teams on Town Center development.
I have seen the leaders who were trained in the first year and those in this year already stepping up to the plate.  Many are involved in fire relief efforts right now.  We are SO proud of these new leaders in our community and the role PCLI played in preparing them. 
For more information, go to:  http://www.poway.com/pcli     

City Projects Merrilee is working on
Currently Underway:
   
    Poway Community Leadership Institute
    Redesign of Community Park - Senior Center, Auditorium, etc.
    Increasing wildfire prevention efforts in city with multi-faceted plan

In Planning Stages:
 
    Town Hall meeting on traffic issues - Spring '08

I promised when I ran for office that I would work hard on representing the residents and giving them a voice. You can see that I’ve been working hard on this!

Completed projects:

3/08	Redid bus-stop at Pomerado and Poway Road to increase safety
10/07	Coordinating fire relief efforts for Poway and supporting RB, created the Community Fire Relief Team with over 50 volunteer organizations participating as well as numerous business and individuals
10/07	Assisted in running the Poway City Emergency Evacuation Center from the Witch Creek Fire
9/07	Release of revamped Poway City website w/ Boyack support
5/21/07	Poway Family Focus Night
5/19/08	Poway Pride Day - PCLI Project to promote volunteerism in Poway
2/07	Completion of updated Emergency Preparedness plan for the City (who knew we would need it so fast!)
Spring '07	Cable TV broadcast of City Council meetings begins
7/06	Poway Historical Markers Program
7/06	Poway Community Leadership Institute
5/22/06	Poway Family Focus Night – received national media coverage
5/9/06	Town Hall meeting re: safety, traffic
Early '06	Encouraged revision of Poway City Website
10/05	Held Town Hall Meeting re: redevelopment, planning
9/05	Neighborhood traffic team - flyer out and on web
9/05	Supported televise meetings & Meetings on the internet approved
6/05	Implemented council/city committees workshops
Spring '05	Assisted residents in Rattlesnake Creek area to help on flooding problems
1/18/05	Requested CalTrans to do better signage for Scripps-Poway Parkway
1/18/05	Appointed new committee members
1/11/05	Got $25,000 donated to Asian Relief for tsunami victims through International Red Cross

Other milestones-

06-Jul	Established Poway Community Leadership Institute (PCLI) with the City of Poway, the Poway Chamber of Commerce and Poway Unified School District.
06-Jul	Set up Poway Historical Markers program
06-May	Helped establish annual Poway Family Focus Night which received national media attention
06-Jan	Worked with Red Cross at SALSA
05-Nov	Trained American Red Cross volunteer
05-Oct	Held Semi-annual Poway Town Hall meetings
05-Jan	Appointed to Metro Wastewater Commission
04-Nov	Elected to Poway City Council
04	Awarded “Woman of Distinction” by the Poway Soroptimists Club
04	Ambassador for the Palomar-Pomerado Health System
04	Woman of the Year, California State 75th Assembly District, 2004
03	Poway Community Fire Relief Coordinator
03	Received the Wallace Community Service Award from J. Reuben Clark Law Society
03	Nominated for Woman of Merit, North County Times
02 - 04	Republican Central Committee member
02 - 04	Member of Poway Budget Advisory committee
02 - present	Community Campaign Chairman for Boys and Girls Club of Poway
02	Developed Poway Patch Program with the City for youth
02	Assisted in getting crossing guard for Meadowbrook Ln. & Pomerado Rd.
01 - present	Poway Chamber of Commerce, member of Governmental Affairs & Business Development committees
01 - present	Mothers Without Borders National Board Member - work with international orphans and family service projects. Vice-President of Poway chapter.
01 - present	Rotary Club of Poway member
01 - present	Republican Women of RB parlimentarian
01 - 04	Poway City Parks and Rec Committee
01 - 02	Campaign for Jeff Bostwick for Superior Court Judge
00 - 01	Member of Poway Kiwanis
99 - 00	Area coordinator for Proposition 22 - Protect Marriage Initiative
99	Got flashing lights for Pomerado Rd. at school crossing, removal of crosswalk, & florescent school signs for City for school area
96	Chairman Poway City Budget Advisory Committee
96	Ran for City Council, 3rd highest vote getter
95 - 96	Redevelopment Committee member
95	Got mini-park put in Arbolitos Sports Park to prevent commercial development in that space.
93	Got speed reduction signs, etc. on Crestwood Ave.
92	Got median strips paved on Glen Oak
	Soccer:  team mom