PressRelease:

Powder Basin Watershed Council
3990 Midway Drive
Baker City, Oregon 97834


PBWC REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
3 March 2010

Meeting was called to order at 5:30 p.m. by Ulee Yanok, Vice Chair.

Recognition of Guests / Unscheduled Business:
Karen Leiendecker introduced OWEB staff members: Tom Byler, Director, OWEB and Laurie Aunan, OWEB Grants Program Manager.
Tom Byler began by thanking the council members for their volunteer contributions, stressing how valuable their services are to the state of Oregon and to the watersheds of the Powder Basin. He then briefed the council on OWEB priorities and program budgets. Tom and Laurie dialogued with the members regarding their concerns and questions.


Approval of Minutes 01/06/10 – The minutes were approved as presented by Council consensus.


GENERAL BUSINESS:

Watershed Status Reports

No reports were heard due to time constraints for Strategic Planning.


Facilitated Strategic Planning Session for the Future of the Powder Basin Watershed Council
We ARE in control of our future:
Jim Young briefed the council on the planning process, reviewing council groundrules for the session. He introduced facilitator, Alethea Gallman, Network of Oregon Watershed Councils (NOWC).


Are the Council’s Vision and Mission still relevant for today?
Alethea presented results from her visit with the Council’s Board of Directors at their meeting today at 12:30. She considered the Council’s current Vision and Mission with the Board and they suggested some revisions. The Council liked the suggested changes to the Mission Statement (refer to Strategic Planning Workshop I – Sessions 1 & 2: Notes submitted by Alethea Gallman, NOWC, attached) but they held reservations on the Vision Statement. Tim Bliss will lead a committee to present drafts of the statements at a future council meeting, a meeting AFTER the Council Planning Workshop to be held April 30th. Members volunteering to assist with these drafts were: Suzanne Fouty, Marion Crow and Steve Edwards.


What are the key strategic questions that will define the direction(s) that we will choose to take as a result of our planning process?
Alethea led the Watershed Council through the process of finding the council’s niche in the Powder Basin community by determining where our interests, strengths and opportunities overlap (see Notes submitted by Alethea Gallman, NOWC, attached). The result of this exercise was the identification of Key Strategic Questions pointed toward 3 areas of activities that will define success:
1. Internal (What does the Council look like?)
2. External (What have we accomplished on the ground?)
3. Outreach (What does the public know about us?).


Making the Plan a reality:
Committees were selected to lead research indicated by the key questions:
1. Internal (What will the PBWC look like?) – Jim Young, Eric Schoenfeld and Jason Bland.
2. External (What will happen on=-the-ground?) – Steve Edwards, Aaron Umpleby, Suzanne Fouty and Jesse Naymik.
3. Outreach (Recruiting Stakeholder cooperation) - Denine Schmitz and Ulee Yanok.

The committees will present an update on their work plan to address the key questions at the April 7 Watershed Council meeting and present suggestions as to who (outside of the WC) should be invited to the second Planning Session. The next Strategic Planning session with the full Council will be Friday, April 30, 2010; 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM at the Baker County Library. Lunch will be provided.


• Internal (What will the PBWC look like?) – Jim Young, Eric Schoenfeld
and Jason Bland.
• External (What will happen on=-the-ground?) – Steve Edwards, Aaron
Umpleby, Suzanne Fouty and Jesse Naymik.
• Outreach (Recruiting Stakeholder cooperation) - Denine Schmitz and
Ulee Yanok.


Board of Director’s Report:
The report was tabled due to time constraints.


The meeting was adjourned at 7:53 p.m.


Council Attendance: 13 members [Quorum = 9]
Tim Bliss, Chairman Ulee Yanok, Vice Chairman
Bruce Lindley Eric Schoenfeld, Treasurer
Tim Bailey Paul Wares
Marion Crow Jason Bland
Jesse Naymik Jim Young
Denine Schmitz Aaron Umpleby
Suzanne Fouty Vicki Wares, Coordinator


Others Attending:
Karen Leiendecker, OWEB Eastern Region Representative
Lauri Aunan, Program Manager OWEB
Tom Byler, Director OWEB
Alethea Gallman, Outreach Program Manager, NOWC facilitator for Strategic
Planning

Attachments: PBWC Strategic Planning Workshop 3/3/2010 Notes submitted by Alethea Gallman, NOWC


Next Council Monthly Meeting
April 7, 2009
5J District Supervisor’s Office; South Conference Room
4th and Broadway 5:30 p.m.
Meetings of the PBWC are open to the public. All are welcome.


☼ UPCOMING EVENTS – COUNCIL TIMELINE ☼

Board of Directors Meeting ► 04/07/10 @ 1230 hours, USDA Service Center
County Commission Meeting ►04/07/10 & 04/21/10
OWEB Grant Application Deadline ► 04/19/2010 (restoration, acquisition, technical assistance)
Pine Creek Work Group ► TBA, USDA Service Center
PBWC Strategic Planning, Session III ► 04/30/10 @ 1100 hours, Baker County Library
State Agency Furlough Day ► Friday, April 16, 2010