Portola Valley committee sets Jan. 25 Wildlife Awareness Day, assigns volunteers and flags insurance and AV needs

The Portola Valley Town Nature & Science Committee on an evening meeting confirmed a Wildlife Awareness Day for Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026, and assigned volunteer and outreach tasks while flagging audio, insurance and budget items that must be resolved before the event.

The committee’s chair opened planning discussion by outlining the date and current confirmations from local organizations, then led members through tech, outreach and logistics questions that produced a series of action items. Darcy Smith, the town manager, told the group the town has a projection screen in the community hall but no working audio infrastructure, saying the building is “almost 20 years old” and that any original audio system “definitely doesn't function now.” She recommended portable speakers or borrowing equipment from residents and arranging a test run ahead of the event.

The committee assigned specific follow-ups: CJ was asked to contact the Peninsula Humane Society outreach team and to reach out to Jerry Hearn about a watershed talk on fish and amphibians; Brooke agreed to contact Paul Hypel about a plant-themed exhibit; Mary will pursue a Midpen contact for table staffing; and Ryan Coffee and others were tapped to handle laptop and projector setup and to participate in a pre-event technical test. Several organizations were discussed as potential participants, including the Bay Area Lime Foundation (confirmed) and the Santa Clara Bird Alliance (not yet confirmed). Members also discussed routing band donations through PV Palooa, a local nonprofit, and asking the Banana Slug Band for a fee estimate.

Committee members debated whether to host live-animal exhibits. One volunteer lead for raptors was identified but may request a donation or honorarium; committee members emphasized safety and the need for an insurance umbrella if live animals attend. Smith said the town will handle the insurance policy but needs event details to issue coverage. Members noted past costs for banners (about $500) and discussed a potential star-guide purchase (around $1,500) and speaker honoraria (roughly $300) as context for the budget request the committee will submit to the town finance director, Tony, for a February council budget amendment.

The group planned event logistics: exhibitor tables and a public program from 3 to 6 p.m., with organizations and committee members to arrive about 1–1:30 p.m. They discussed compiling neighborhood wildlife camera clips into a slideshow and the possibility of contacting bird-camera companies (Bird Buddy, Bird Fire) about donations or raffle items. The chair said the committee will circulate a spreadsheet of assignments and asked members to test AV set-up in advance.

The committee also approved minutes from the Nov. 13 special meeting without recorded individual votes. The next committee meeting was set for Feb. 12, 2026.

Members closed the meeting with a list of action items and follow-ups to confirm vendor fees, finalize the insurance request and run a technical rehearsal before Jan. 25.