CHEHALIS BASIN PARTNERSHIP MEETING SUMMARY APRIL 25TH 2014 PAGE

CHEHALIS BASIN PARTNERSHIP MEETING SUMMARY APRIL 25TH 2014 PAGE
PARENTGUARDIAN WAIVER AND HOLD HARMLESS FORM CENTRALIACHEHALIS PUPIL TRANSPORTATION



CBP 11/19/2010

Chehalis Basin Partnership

Meeting Summary

April 25th, 2014 Page 3 of 3



CHEHALIS BASIN PARTNERSHIP

Chehalis Tribe Lucky Eagle Casino, Chehalis Meeting Room

Rochester, Washington

April 25, 2014

9:30 a.m.

Meeting Summary



MEMBERS, ALTERNATES & GUESTS PRESENT

Amy Spoon, WA Dept. of Fish and Wildlife

Bob Burkle, WA Dept. of Fish and Wildlife

Commissioner Frank Gordon, Grays Harbor County

Commissioner Chuck Caldwell, Port of Grays Harbor

Commissioner Karen Valenzuela, Thurston County

Bonnie Canaday, City of Centralia Mayor

Jane Atha, Chehalis Basin Partnership

John Lucas, Lewis County Farm Bureau

Chanele Holbrook, Creekside Conservancy

Jane Atha, Chehalis Basin Partnership

Lee Napier, Lewis County

Lyle Hojem, Lewis County Citizen

Cynthia Nelson, Department of Ecology

Lonnie Crumley, Streamworks Consulting

Butch Ogden, Washington State Conservation Commission

Jordan Rash, Forterra

Caitlin Guthrie, Capitol Land Trust




SUMMARY OF ACTION ITEMS:

Approval of Meeting Summary

Meeting minutes for March were approved.


GENERAL PARTNERSHIP BUSINESS


Quorum requirement of 10 met: yes.

MEETING AGENDA


Lee Napier led the group in an exercise to think about the group, its official members, and how many total are in the Chehalis Basin Partnership. Napier had present members give names of other members present at the meeting. Then she asked members to name members that aren’t present at the meeting – if not by name, then by affiliation. After the exercise, Napier went through the membership list and the different types of members such as stakeholders, municipalities, and counties. Bob Burkle reinforced how special it is that this water management group has been able to stay together, with all of the diversity, complexity, and competition for water resources within the basin. Burkle mentioned that very frequently the basin either has too much or too little water making it a very significant challenge for the group. Napier emphasized who is present – and perhaps more importantly – who is not present, and asked that the members who regularly participate should reach out to the other members that are no longer attending.


  1. Lead entity SRFB proposed projects 2014

Jordan Rash representing Forterra presented on a lead entity proposed acquisition project on the Wishkah River. Rash began by pointing out some of projects that Forterra has been involved with in recent years. The project, Wishkah Gardens, would protect valuable habitat adjacent to trust lands and offer restoration opportunities. Caitlin Guthrie with Capitol Land Trust presented on a lead entity proposed acquisition project on the Black River. The Black River Conservation Initiative – Ramos Acquisition is on the market, does have the threat of development, as Guthrie showed the group in the land uses of adjacent areas. Guthrie spoke about Capitol Land Trust and its qualifications as an organization for this type of acquisition project. This property is adjacent to a new trail system in the area and would provide adjacent protected natural areas in addition to protecting salmon habitat. Lonnie Crumley gave an overview of five projects that he is proposing this year. They include: the Rayonier-Middle Fork Hoquiam Culvert Correction, the Weyerhaeser-West Fork Satsop D-Line Barrier Culvert Correction, the Weyerhaeser-Middle Fork Satsop B-Line Barrier Culvert Correction, the Stevens Creek Fish Barrier Culvert Correction, and the Delezenne Creek Fish Passage Restoration project. Butch Ogden, representing the Lewis County Conservation District, provided an overview of two projects being put forward this year. The first is the Gheer Creek Channel Rehabilitation which is an assessment to see if there is potential for a salmon recovery project. Burkle raised concerns about the Onalaska hatchery and how a salmon recovery project in the area may be less successful for wild fish. Chanele Holbrook gave a brief overview of the hatchery program with the high school and its successes. Ogden provided an synopsis of the Wisner Creek Reconnection project which would reconnect the channel opening up 1.2 miles of upstream habitat. Holbrook of Creekside Conservancy gave an overview of the Schweickert Farm Acquisition on Scatter Creek that is also adjacent to conserved lands. The Weins Farm and the Schweickert Farm were historically one big property, so now they would be reconnected again. Creekside Conservancy is partnered with Capitol Land Trust who is working on acquiring the development rights, and South of the Sound who is acquiring 83 acres to farm. The project will also involve riparian restoration to provide shade and support the salmon activity present. The acquisition will include 1500 linear feet of the Chehalis, protecting side channels and complexity critical for salmon habitat.


  1. Rose Foundation Grant Update

Atha told the CBP that Kevin Hendrick of the Rose Foundation indicated to her that he would like to fund the Chehalis Basin Partnership this round in the full amount requested, although they are uncomfortable with sponsoring the non-profit formation. For that reason, $7500 will need to be reallocated to other areas of the budget. An initial questionnaire indicates that some key members would like to see this money go towards expanding/supporting the Chehalis Stream Teams. The group discussed various ideas for funding allocation and decided that it would be best at this time to put it towards general outreach that can be used for things like tools, supplies, and new project development.


  1. Centralia Stream Team Update

The Centralia Stream Team update was postponed to the next meeting.


  1. Chehalis Stream Team Future Directions

In light of additional money for the Stream Teams, Atha thought it may be useful to discuss some of the current work of the stream teams, and some additional ideas on how to form new stream teams as well as continue to garner community volunteers to help participate. Atha decided to postpone further discussion on this topic to the next meeting.




5) Non-profit formation update and future directions

Atha doesn’t believe the professional assistance needed will be as much as the budget originally allocated and recommended using the watershed coordination funds. Atha asked if either County Commissioner has given the draft articles of incorporation to their respective attorneys. Napier said that she and Commissioner Bill Schulte did have a meeting with their attorney regarding the non-profit. Napier reiterated Commissioner Schulte’s concern with losing control of the Partnership process if a separate entity is formed. Schulte respects the group working together towards consensus and how it currently operates, and has concerns for losing control of how this group works together. Glen Carter, a Lewis County attorney, looked over the documents, and said that he does not believe that it can be written to where the Chehalis Basin Partnership controls the non-profit group. Therefore, what – according to Napier – Schulte walked away from the attorney meeting feeling, is that if members of the group want to form a non-profit there is nothing stopping them, but he would object to using resources from the Chehalis Basin Partnership in order to do so. Lyle Hojem asked about Nisqually’s formation, and said that they’ve been successful at designing by-laws to keep the council and the foundation linked. Napier reiterated the concern that a CBP foundation could always change the by-laws and that Schulte has personal experience where this has happened. Bonnie Canaday raised the concern that if someone donates funds to the CBP non-profit, when the time comes to ask for donations for the Partnership, then they’ll consequently say that they’ve already donated to the non-profit. Napier mentioned that the attorney said that if the non-profit goes after the money, then the Partnership is at the mercy of the non-profit if the current by-laws are changed. Napier also mentioned the investment in the intellectual property of the group. The intellectual property is the group’s investment, and that we should be mindful in keeping the two organizations separate. Carter also mentioned that members will be associated with two separate entities and that may need to be looked into further, particularly the coordinator position if staff would be then working for two separate entities. Holbrook said that there could be a selection process of those put on the board, and the reality is that there likely will not be anyone outside that the group could appoint to be a part of the Foundation that isn’t already a regular member. Holbrook thinks there would be some control in that regard. Napier countered that if the Foundation takes off and others drop off, that could go in a different direction. The group discussed membership, why there aren’t more than the same core members attending the meetings, and how without more people, it is difficult to generate the ideas that were so abundant in the past. The group discussed some of the reasons behind this, and possibilities for members connecting with the community in a bigger way once again.


6) Agenda items for May 16th meeting and future meetings

Atha told the group that the Chehalis Basin Student Congress participants will be attending the May meeting at around 11. The Stream Team discussions will occur at the May meeting as well.



ADJOURNMENT

With there being no further business, Chair Bonnie Canaday adjourned the meeting at 12:15pm.





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