Minutes of the Upper Nehalem Watershed Council
30 September 2004
The meeting was called to order at 7:06 PM, Dennis Nelson chair. Those present introduced themselves:
|
Jack Agee |
Master Gardener/Volunteer |
Lauren Jacobsen |
Landowner |
|
Marc Auerbach |
Landowner |
Alan Kelso |
ODF Astoria |
|
Cindy Ball |
CSWCD/City of Vernonia |
Dan McLain |
LCRWS |
|
Todd Boswell |
Self |
Toni Neslen |
Hydrologist |
|
Steve Butsko |
LFCo/Fishhawk Lake |
Dennis Nelson |
Small Business |
|
Jim Buxton |
Landowner |
Maggie Peyton |
UNWC |
|
Marci Denison |
PRWG |
Kyle Strauss |
Nature Conservancy |
|
Christi Fisher |
NRCS |
Dale Webb |
IWLA |
The unapproved minutes of the last three meetings were passed out for reading prior to approval later in this meeting.
The Treasurer reported on the financial status of the current projects/grants and the financial status of the organization. He circulated spreadsheets showing expenditures and fund totals for each project, a financial transactions report and a bank account report. He stated that September 30th is the end of the quarter and the end of the fiscal year. He will be preparing payroll taxes for the quarter and the information return to the IRS for the fiscal year.
Chair Dennis Nelson passed out copies of the proposed bylaw amendments to be re-read and approved later in the meeting.
Coordinator Maggie Peyton reported on her activities: She handed out copies of the Council Support Annual Report that she just finished writing. She outlined the work performed on the Knotweed project, described bridge installations on Crooked Creek and large woody debris placement on the east fork of Humbug Creek. Work is continuing on the assessment of the east fork of the Nehalem. She announced that she has obtained the cost-share for the Cedar Creek project from WHIP NRCS. She will re-submit to OWEB for that in October. She has been writing grant applications to get more bridges and culverts coming for the Humbug, for the replacement of a culvert on Bear Creek, and the Council Support grant. She will be working with ODF on their watershed analysis and with the City of Vernonia to assess Rock Creek. There are more activities not listed here.
The proposed Salmon Festival fund-raiser was discussed. The Treasurer suggested that the Council could benefit from a fund-raiser. The Council needs unencumbered funds to act as a buffer to use when grant funds are not available for whatever reason. He suggested a raffle to be held during the upcoming Salmon Festival in Vernonia with a salmon as the prize. There was agreement from those present.
“Claudia” the huge Fiberglas salmon has been rented and will be present at the Salmon Festival. She is a huge draw for kids.
OWEB grant application deadline is 25th of October.
Maggie announced various upcoming festivals, meetings and conferences.
The LNWC wants steering committee meeting end of October.
Mark Auerbach reported on and handed out decal-signs.
Kyle Strauss presented a slide show of the Nature Conservancy’s successful Knotweed control project on the Sandy River. He presented in the place of Jonathan Soll, who could not attend. He showed how Knotweed takes over an area along stream banks and how its vegetative mass chokes out alder seedlings so that eventually there will be less stream shading. He showed the results of successive sprayings. He referred to two websites during his presentation: www.jkinjectiontool.com and www.tncweeds.ucdavis.edu
We need to set long-term goal of Knotweed control on the Nehalem. Lots of work to do.
Todd Boswell described his winter habitat survey. He stated that he will be starting the survey on the Upper Nehalem at the end of the year. He will start at Humbug Creek and work upstream to the Jewell area this year. He is looking for volunteers to help. He has obtained some match by involving the Vernonia High School students. He needs Council approval to submit a grant request for 2006 to finish the job. He will submit his 2006 proposal by October 15th. It needs to be in to OWEB before the 25th. There was consensus to endorse Todd's program.
Toni Neslen introduced herself as a person who has a degree in secondary education, a hydrologist and a certified planner with the NRCS. She worked at CSWCD for a while. Maggie approached her about outreach in the UNWC and gave her a copy of the grant she did for an outreach person. Toni wants to make a couple of changes to it. She wants to do a landowner workshop patterned after a successful workshop in another area. She said that she thought that she could help Todd with his match.
The minutes were approved.
The amended bylaws were endorsed.
The meeting adjourned at 9:11 PM.
Respectfully Submitted,