Minutes

February 16, 2000 4 PM to 6:30 PM

Trinity Lutheran Church, Freeland

Present: Mike Gallion (Chair); Tom Campbell, George Lundgren, Don Meehan, Tom Roehl, Tom Shaughnessy, Linda Sue Schoenharl, Dick Toft, Gary Wood; Susan Berta, Beach Watchers; Joan Drinkwin; Brian Giles, (Secretary); Julie Buktenia, Island County Public Works; Howard Garret; Rich Johnson, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Absent, excused: Jan Holmes, Matt Klope, Tom Shaughnessy. Chuck Crider's resignation is pending.

Call to Order: 4:16. We will have to stipulate which building we will be meeting at in the future: the main building nearest the highway or the satellite to the rear.

Do we want paper or electronic copy of Minutes prior to meeting? We decided to email Minutes early enough to revise via email, then have hard copy subject to adoption at the next regular meeting. Move by Tom R. to put off adoption off Minutes until next meeting; Seconded by Tom C.; Carried. None Opposed.

Introductions: Welcomed Howard Garret of the Tokitae Foundation.

Comments from the public: No one wanted to speak at this time.

NWSC Updates:
SRFBoard Grant Applications: Mike, Gary, and Kelly Williams, and Rich Johnson attended. Gary: Potential land sales of questionable utility to salmon were put forth. Janet Kearsley's presentation was favorably received-riverless Island County's distinction as "bed and breakfast" to salmon hatched elsewhere was made abundantly clear. The review board will make a recommendation as to how much money each WIRA (Water Resource Inventory Area) will get. We're in WIRA 6; Lynn Polinski is our Project Manager. Gary: Stumbling block for many projects is that capability feasibility studies aren't allowed in round one. At the March 16-17 meeting in Wenatchee, public comment is allowed on the 16th and we should be there. On the 17th they'll announce grants-10 to 15 million dollars.
Rich noted that projects that will go forward are sponsored projects. The Science Council does not want to be in the position of picking and choosing. Having a "short list" with details is essential. Mike: How was our presentation? Rich: I would have liked to have seen more details: miles of shoreline, dikeage, numbers of culverts. When asked if we're ready we should be resolved and not burden them with details.

Tom R. suggested that the devil will be in the details, as the history of Crockett Lake has demonstrated. Rich said that there will be trade-offs when any change is made from fresh to brackish or salt water. Tom C. noted that lagoon water levels for birdlife are (only) most critical in the spring and fall during migration.

Eelgrass proposal has been conditionally approved; all six counties re-submit with stipulation that we consult with DNR "so we don't duplicate effort." When contract comes in we need to submit Request for Proposals. Tom C. suggested that data gathering be the $4000 phase; interpretation/publication another phase. Move by Tom C. to give project to WSU/Island County Beach Watchers; Seconded by Linda Sue, Call for Question; Carried. Abstaining: Don M.; none opposed.

NWSC Retreat: Thursday/Friday March 9-1-. What do we want from NWSC? How often should they meet? Should they write grants; should they function as a grant-clearing house? Should they be more pro-active? Danger is a shift of power from the county level. Don noted that we need basic funding-we have an employee, and need operational funds. Other counties, having similar needs, will support this idea.

Work Plan 2000: Linda Sue summarized: Outreach education should be the highest priority on wish list. Mike suggested that any project without a lead should be removed from the list. Linda Sue questioned whether we should back off on salmon; Don stated that we can't do that, while Gary offered the perspective that we're selling habitat. Tom R. reminded us that we need to focus on the plan for this year. Don noted that we're for eelgrass, are we going to include bottomfish and forage fish? Additionally, he pointed out that MRC members can't administer all our projects; we will need to include provision for administration. Linda Sue agreed that habitat encompasses everything Eelgrass should remain a priority project, education should be limited to habitat. George felt that we still need to concentrate on educating ourselves, and integrate this into our projects. Outreach alone has failed. We need to do something.

The general consensus that we don't have a dam to tear down makes our work more difficult . Joan stated that education must include involvement in activities, that we need to invite the public to our education sessions. We need to include MPAs. Tom R. stated that we still have to educate ourselves first before we can galvanize the community about MPAs. We discussed relative merits of Power Point presentations and videos. George feels that we will ultimately have MPAs. How many people other than Beach Watchers, Tom C. questioned, currently care about eelgrass? Don is convinced that forage fish will be our fundamental key contribution, an eelgrass is after all habitat/nursery for forage fish. We need to define our outreach effort, invite Dan Penttila (WDFW biologist, forage fish expert), visit Port Districts, concern ourselves with forage fish analysis mapping. Dick suggested that we propose to NWSC that they develop outreach function wherein they can have make a video that all counties might use that would have mass appeal--by taking the most marketable projects/ideas collectively from all counties, using them as an example of activities/projects of MRCs. Mike concluded that we can use both Power Point and video. Tom R. suggested that we add training in the process of MPA designation to our education as it is more complicated than it might appear. Gary pointed out that the UW School of Marine Science Electronic Newsletter has a scoring system. Linda Sue pointed out that we won't be able to do eelgrass before April (time and tide). As to Maxwelton, Gary said that we will know on March 17th; and the project will begin in May. Julie cautioned that bureaucracy will retard these estimates greatly. George noted that we have to focus on an Island County goal…Don reiterated that habitat and forage fish will be our contribution. Tom R. questioned whether habitat alone will be enough for us to do. Linda Sue said that our understanding must come before our decision on projects; suggested training projects such as a visit to Penn Cove Mussels. She will submit some ideas via email.

Move to adjourn by Don, Seconded by Mike, Carried.