PressRelease:
Powder Basin Watershed Council
Regular Meeting Minutes
for March 5, 2014
Baker School District 5J Building, 2090 4th Street
Voting Members = Seven Per Charter: Quorum for decision-making is five
Facilitator: Karen Spencer

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

Guests: Joshua Uriarte, Baker County SWCDs; Marissa Meyer, USFWS; Karen Reiner, Richland; Cheryl Martin, North Powder; Karen Leiendecker, OWEB; Bill Harvey, Baker County

Guest Presentation: Efforts to Restore Greater Sage Grouse Habitat in the Powder Basin Joshua Uriarte, Conservationist, Baker County SWCDs

Josh’s presentation began with the life cycle of the Greater Sage Grouse. He stressed that healthy rangelands benefit wildlife and livestock, and introduced the management strategies Baker County ranchers are employing to maintain productive rangelands. Juniper encroachment represents the greatest threat to Greater Sage Grouse in Baker County; other concerns include predation, invasive weeds, and unmarked fences in flat terrain. Josh also showcased some of the tools that help ranchers better manage rangeland, from using high resolution GIS mapping for aerial spraying and juniper removal planning to techniques for removing juniper.

General Business Tabled due to time constraints

PBWC Board of Directors Report:
Council Facilitator: Denine will facilitate the April meeting.
Treasurer’s Report: Karen reported on Mike Rudi’s presentation to the Board. The fiscal review continues, but should be complete soon. Profit and loss statements were available for Council members to review and accurate balance sheets should be available next month. OWEB has decided to offer another biennium of umbrella Council support funding to those umbrella councils meeting all of the merit criteria. Karen Leiendecker added that the amount of the funding would depend on the funds available and the rate at which other councils are funded.

Karen reported that she has met with Bob Parker of OSU Extension to develop a xeriscaping demonstration project at the County fairgrounds. Baker City will be installing street trees at the site, and the goal will be to demonstrate low-water planting designs for parking strips. Bob will present examples from the west side to the Fair Board next time they meet.

Nancy reported that the grant administrator from the Jubitz Family Foundation came for a site visit at Clear Creek. She commended Aaron for his work as tour guide. Following the site visit, the Council was invited to make a full application to the Foundation.

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

Council Attendance: 5 voting members [Quorum = 5]
Shannon Archuleta
Tim Bliss
Marion Crow
Suzanne Fouty Nancy Rorick, Co-Chair
Karen Spencer, Co-Chair
Andrew Umpleby
Paul Wares, Director at Large

Staff Attendance Guests
Aaron Bliesner, Monitoring Coordinator
Johanna Sedell, Executive Director
Marissa Meyer
Karen Reiner
Cheryl Martin
Karen Leiendecker
Ted Sedell
Bill Harvey

Next Meeting – April 2, 2014