ACR 97: Charlie Barra Memorial Bridge.

WHEREAS, Charles “Charlie” Barra was born in Calpella, California, on December 12, 1926, to first-generation Italian immigrants Antonio Barra and Marie Rovera; and

WHEREAS, Charles attended grammar school locally, graduated from Ukiah High School as part of the class of 1946, and began his career as a successful grapegrower who established and farmed over 500 acres of vineyards during his career; and

WHEREAS, Charles made significant contributions to the community throughout his lifetime, including serving in the United States Army from 1952 to 1954, helping to create the Redwood Valley County Water District in 1964, being appointed to the Mendocino County Planning Commission two times in 1965 and 1975, and being appointed to the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors in 1968 by then Governor Ronald Reagan; and

WHEREAS, Charles also created the St. Mary’s School Foundation of Ukiah, Inc., serving as its president for 21 years; and

WHEREAS, Charles made numerous contributions to the wine industry as an innovator of harvesting equipment and practices, pioneering overhead frost protection, and, in 1963, providing regional leadership as the founder and past president of the North Coast Grape Growers Association and board member for 41 years, where he lobbied for a variety of grower causes, including varietal percentage change in wines from 51 percent to 75 percent, the first appellation designation in the United States, and for pricing regulations that said a grower and winery had to agree on prices before grapes were crushed, certifying all of his vineyards as farmed organically by 1989, as well as owning and operating several wineries, including Redwood Valley Cellars, where he received numerous accolades in the industry for his wines and technical contributions; and

WHEREAS, Charles passed away on June 29, 2019, at 93 years of age, leaving behind Martha Barra, his wife of 39 years; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That the Legislature hereby designates the Russian River Bridge and Overhead, bridge number 10-0310 at postmile 33.6, on State Route 20 in the County of Mendocino, as the Charlie Barra Memorial Bridge; and be it further

Resolved, That the Department of Transportation is requested to determine the cost of erecting appropriate signs, consistent with the signage requirements for the state highway system, showing this special designation and, upon receiving donations from nonstate sources covering that cost, to erect those signs; and be it further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the Director of Transportation and to the author for appropriate distribution.