Meeting Minutes
Trinity Lutheran Church, Freeland

MRC Members Present: Chair Tom Campbell, Roger Sherman, Mike Gallion, Matt Klope, Don Meehan, Tom Roehl, Gary Wood. Technical Advisory member Julie Buktenica. Recording Secretary: Kate Poss. Visitors: Frank Robert, of Lagoon Point; Michael Kyte, Golder Associates; Bill Attwater, representing Island County Water Resources Advisory Committee; Martha Jordan, wildlife biologist of Everett-based Trumpeter Swan Society; Bill White; Phyllis Kind, vice president of Whidbey Audubon Society; Gary Piazzon, Whidbey Audubon Society; Doug Carmichael and Gabriel Shirley, both of Langley-based Big Mind Media; Gloria Wahlin, WSU; Sara Schmidt, Beach Watcher; Janet Hall, Waste Warriors; Dennis Paulson, author of "Shorebirds of the Pacific Northwest." Excused: Sayed El-Sayed, Dick Toft, Marty Behr, Hi Bronson, Jeff Tate

Call to Order: Chair Tom Campbell called the meeting to order at 4:05 p.m. A quorum was established at 5:05 pm.

Speaker Dennis Paulson, author of "Shorebirds of the Pacific Northwest" @ 4:10 pm
· Paulson showed slides and talked about Whidbey's shorebirds; some which are highly migratory, flying to Central and South America
· Whidbey Island is well-placed on this migratory route with Crockett Lake, Deer Lagoon and Penn Cove being the best place for greatest numbers of birds. Penn Cove and Holmes Harbor are habitats of importance.
· Common species include Western sandpiper, which nest only in Alaska; the Dumlin, the Sanderling and Short-billed Dowager.

Approval of 5/16 agenda and 5/2 MRC minutes @ 5:14 p.m.
· Today's agenda was approved.
· Minutes approved with a few changes

Reports
Contract with UC-Davis MEHP-Don Meehan @ 5:20 p.m.
· Don handed out copies of the $17,000 grant for forage fish. A copy is on file. Chair Campbell was asked to sign the original agreement, which will be sent to UC Davis.
Northwest Straits Commission Grants-Meehan
· NWSC is contracting with the Dept. of Ecology.
Salmon Recovery Funding Board Grant-Meehan
· Our total request is for $188,500. An additional $30,500 was requested (that amount is part of the $188,500) for the forage fish/nearshore projects. SRFB will review the proposal at its next meeting.
Contract with Gary Wood as Exec. Director-Meehan
· We will be lucky if we have the SRFB grant monies) in by the end of June
· Final contract details for the exec. Dir. position were sent to the Island County Pros. Attorney May 17. It is worth about $67,104.
· Wood may start his work as early as June if all goes as planned.
Amendment to MRC charter--Meehan
· Meehan handed out a BOCC resolution amending MRC's charter. The amendment will allow the MRC to choose a representative to the Northwest Straits. It will no longer be necessary that the NWSC appointee be a MRC member. That representative will continue to report back at MRC meetings. A copy of the amendment is on file
Hiring of outreach coordinator on Camano Island-Meehan
· The group was reminded that the outreach component of the Nearshore project was originally a Beach Watcher one. It was combined with the eelgrass/forage fish ideas of the MRC to create a "nearshore" project under the wing of the MRC.
· We will hire an outreach coordinator for nearshore work on Camano Island.
Dept. of Fisheries and the forage fish/nearshore study
· We will contract with Dept. of Fisheries wildlife biologist Dan Penttila to begin work on the nearshore/forage fish projects. Penttila starts in two weeks. He needs volunteers and will train as he works. There's a beach to study every day this summer, July-September. Volunteers? Email Wood @ gwood@whidbey.net. He will send out a list of locations and schedules.
· Roehl suggested the work begin with Bush Point, which is due to get a new boat launch. He said it would be great to know what's there before any changes take place. Meehan said that is a surf smelt spawning area there and that perhaps Penttila could begin his studies there. Wood added that Penttila will consider priorities such a this.
NWSC-derelict sports gear-Wood @ 5:45 pm
· Gary reports that NWSC's grant application to remove abandoned fishing gear was approved. He explained that Fish and Wildlife has long wanted to rid the Puget Sound of this sea trash and has mapped 50 sites. Some abandoned nets act like a tumbleweed and snag fish and sealife as they roll through the Sound. The project would be in the North Sound
· Sports Fisherman have started a matching grant which includes nearshore restoration. The Bullit Foundation will match these grants. If these funds are granted, Gary said NWSC and the seven MRCs will be partners in the first-ever attempt to remove derelict gear. News should be in within 45 days. If approved each MRC would be responsible for its own outreach.
Unfinished/New Business @ 5:30 p.m.
NWSC-first year funding request
· Gallion asked to see a copy of NWSC's first year budget. Wood said he will go through the State Dept.'s audits and have it within 3 weeks.
Island County MRC budget
· Meehan handed out copies of the MRC budget as per Sherman's request at the 5/2/01 MRC meeting. Copies are on file. We have $2,300 left of the NWSC administrative grant. May/June salary fr Poss will come from that as well as conference costs. Meehan said his staff has donated its time since November. He said he will hand out MRC budget reports every 3 months. Other MRC county leads have been contacted to get their input on more funding from NWSC.
Eelgrass update
· Meehan said the eelgrass project with Jim Norris is wrapped up. We will get 10 copies of Norris' report. Norris has addressed the question of Dept. of Natural Resources date restrictions for mapping eelgrass.
o Klope added that our MRC needs to ensure that Norris' eelgrass and spawning data are included on Island County's overlay maps and planning documents.
MRC Benchmarks
· Meehan reminded MRC members to get the benchmarks to him in a reasonable amount of time. Roehl said he hasn't found much on protocol benchmarks-his designated assignment. Wood said Norris has info. on following protocol; Meehan added that our nearshore/forage fish grants have protocol requirements built in.
NWSC Picnic
· Campbell reminded members of the NWSC picnic on Aug. 18 at Padilla Bay. Bring your own food. It is potluck.
MRC meeting June 6
· Meeting is planned from 4 pm to 6 pm at Monroe Landing Firehall. Meehan, Wood and Bronson will be absent; they will be attending a conference in Seatac.

The meeting was adjourned at 6:02 pm