PressRelease:
PBWC REGULAR MEETING MINUTES

1 May, 2013

Call to order: Steve Edwards called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.

Recognition of Guest: Angela Burright & Jason Spriet of OWRD.

Approval of Minutes: April 3, 2013
Steve called for additions or corrections to the minutes; no changes were requested. The minutes for the April 2013 meeting were approved as written.

Comments from Commissioners: Karen Spencer reported on the last Baker County Commissioners meeting, at which she reported on the Kirkway Field Day. Fred Warner and Tim Kerns made note of the date and time. Karen also reported that 9 names were presented by the Republican Committee as candidates to fill the vacant commissioner position. This list will be shortened to 3 names before being presented to Commissioners Warner and Kerns for their consideration at the May 8th meeting.

Update on Current Projects:
April OWEB Applications: Johanna applied for funding to send two staff members to the 2014 ODFW Aquatic Inventories training in Corvallis and to conduct a habitat survey on Cracker Creek and its tributaries. Guidance on site selection came from the ODFW Aquatic Inventories and Native Fish teams, Wallowa-Whitman staff, and the Salvelinus confluentus Curiosity Society. The Council approved the project by consensus. Discussion followed about the need for staff to take advantage of funding and partnership opportunities. During Board discussions, it was suggested that the Executive Director should have permission to apply for grants up to $20,000 without prior approval from the Board or Council as long as it stays within the strategic plan. Grants in the $20,000 to $50,000 range will need Board approval and amounts $50,000 and up would need full Council approval.

Kirkway Restoration: Kathi Vinson reported on the interpretive panels being constructed by Natural Structures. There will be 2 panels, one single 25”x25” which will be placed west of the “H” street pedestrian bridge and a large double panel placed in the Kirkway City Park. The information will be printed by Oregon Sign Company (OSC). The panels will be designed by staff with information provided by the firm leading the planting, Resource Specialists, Inc. Johanna invited Council members to attend the planting day, which will include students from Haines and South Baker schools. The contractors will be on site May 28th to flag and dig the plant holes. Students will be broken into morning and afternoon groups to conduct the planting on May 29th. Council volunteers will lead four additional activities: measuring flow, identifying macroinvertebrates, testing water quality, and learning about the engineering behind the project.

Basin-wide Water Quality Monitoring: Johanna Sedell reported for Aaron, who was at home with his wife and new daughter, Avery Adel, born Monday evening. Two additional monitoring sites have been established on Wolf Creek. On May 31st there will be a training held at the Council office for volunteer monitors. Aaron has attended both the ODA meeting and the Local Advisory Committee meetings in the last month.
The Council has been invited to have a booth at the 100 year Celebration of the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association to be held June 20th through 22nd in North Powder.

Eagle Valley POD Survey: Johanna reported that the position for Aaron’s survey intern will be advertised and will close June 3rd. Eric Schoenfeld and Suzanne Fouty have volunteered for the hiring committee. The intern will start on July 1st and run through August.

Holbrook Spur Bank Stabilization & McMullen Slough Avulsion Protection: Johanna reported that funds which had been on hold from USFWS for the McMullen Slough project will be available; however, because of the delay, the projects will not go to construction until 2014.

Idaho Power Company Small Grant Program: The IPC Small Grant team met March 13th and awarded three grants totaling $19,960 of the $20,000 available. The staff is working with Steve Brink to develop a timeline for distributing the funds.

Council-SWCD Collaboration Working Group. Steve Edwards gave the report on the work group’s last meeting, providing printed summaries for Council members. The group discussed building trust between the organizations and developing a code of conduct. The group will meet again on May 10th at 3:00 p.m. at the Oregon State Extension office on East Street.

Guest Speaker Schedule: Dr. Clinton Shock will speak at the June meeting about his historical reconstruction of the Owyhee River. Council members suggested future guest speakers, including Mark Henderson, Whit Deschler, and Lori Wood.

Reports from Council Members: Jerry Gray reported that Aaron Bliesner was making good progress with the agriculture community regarding the Council’s role within the watershed. Jerry recommended that Council members take care not to jeopardize the progress he has made.

Marion Crow mentioned that the sportsmen of the Halfway area wanted to thank Nancy Rorick for her map making.

Rick Lusk, head of Baker Co. OWRD reported 2013 is already a poor water year; irrigation has started 2 months ahead of schedule and the reservoirs are below normal elevations.

Report on Lower Clear Creek Conditions: Staff reported to Council on the potential restoration of 2.7 miles of Clear Creek in Halfway. Clifford Wilmarth approached Aaron with concerns during the Pine Creek POD survey, which Marion has also reported to the Council. Aaron spoke with other property owners along this reach, which led to a meeting with 5 of the 8 land owners in attendance. The land owners would like to hear potential solutions from engineers. River Designed Group has stated they would be available in mid-June for a site visit, which would provide restoration objectives and a cost estimate. Similar restoration projects have cost $500,000 to $1.5 million. Before project development begins, the Council will need to approve the project. Karen Spencer asked if the Council was ready to come to consensus – Council members came to consensus: staff will move forward with project development on Clear Creek.

PBWC Board of Directors Report: Next month Suzanne Fouty will facilitate the Council meeting.

Eric reported that of staff is working with Guyer and Associates to schedule a financial review for July. A Quickbooks trainer with the firm, Mike Rudi, will be working with Johanna and Kathi to improve financial tracking. The firm will also provide an estimate to complete the 2012 990.


There was no further business.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:30 pm


Council Attendance: 11 voting members [Quorum = 6]
Tim Bliss, Chairman
Karen Spencer, Baker Co. Parks Andrew Umpleby
Steve Edwards
Marion Crow Eric Schoenfeld, Treasurer
Paul Wares
Denine Schmitz - BLM
Nancy Rorick
Jerry Gray Jim Young
Shannon Archuleta -USFS
Rick Lusk - OWRD

Non-member Attendance
Johanna Sedell, PBWC Executive Director
Kathi Vinson, PBWC Operations Manager
Guest
Angela Burright – OWRD
Jason Spriet - OWRD

Next Monthly Meeting
June 5, 2013
Presentation
“False Ideas About Eastern Oregon Rivers; Real Ways to Improve Water Quality”
By Clint Shock, Professor
Oregon State University Malheur Experiment Station; Director

5J District Supervisor’s Office; North Conference Room
4th and Broadway 5:30 p.m.

Meetings of the PBWC are open to the public. All are welcome.
Board of Directors Meeting
6/05/2013 @ 12:00 noon
Sumpter Valley Railroad Depot
2960 Broadway, Baker City, OR
541-523-7288