Draft Minutes of the MRWC Steering Committee, November 2006

Present: Tom Bedell, Sandra Coveny, Jim Fairchild, Karen Fleck-Harding, Janine Salwasser (chair), Curt Seeliger (recorder)

• Budget report for FY 2007 to date.
• Response to the latest fundraising letter has been slow, but the responding donors have been generous.
• Newton Creek restoration funding may be delayed due to reorganization within NFWF.
• One slow response by OWEB has cost us hundreds in late payment fees; Sandra is working on reducing those charges and getting OWEB to help.
• Calculations for admin costs still require tuning and coordination.

Council Coordinator report

• Continuing management of Cardwell Hills HCP contract.
• Developed and submitted grants for an additional eleven HCPs for Cardwell Hills residents; pond turtle habitat restoration for three landowners in Cardwell Hills; and for ODFW Landowner Incentive Program for restoration of 9 properties in Cardwell Hills; for four landowners along the mainstem of the Marys River; and for replacing two large culverts on Mercer and Powell Creeks.
• Working with other watershed coordinators in the Willamette basin to respond to low flow issues.
• Attended OWEB biennial conference to talk about the Ten Rivers Foodweb project and sit on a related panel for discussion. This project was well regarded and discussed by ag producers and others at the conference.
• Developing council support grant; steering committee will receive current draft by email for comment.
• Worked with local watershed councilors to develop talking points for presentation to the Meyer Memorial Trust regarding strategic plans within the Willamette. This went well, and the points drafted will be developed into a presentation for other sources of support.
• Developed agreement with DEA to work with all eight watershed councils

Outreach and Education Coordinator report

• Got Newton Creek dam removal story in local paper, and worked with PHS students on revegetation efforts, in cooperation with USFWS. Also recruiting students and volunteers for fish trap monitoring.
• Initial assessment of restoration opportunity at ODFW project site on Bryant Creek.
• Developed and submitted grants for developing a restoration plan for Newton Creek wetlands; Outreach and Education for FY08. Assisted with development of two Cardwell Hills grants. Developed and submitted final O&E report for FY06 to marked acclaim by our contact at OWEB.
• Attended biennial OWEB conference; ODFW landowner training.
• Presented current and future council projects at general meeting; talk on beavers to Corvallis Outdoor School; presentation on cooperative efforts between PHS and MRWC to Philomath School Board
• Worked with teachers to request SWCD funds for wetland cleanup; Oregon Trout to fill vacant local coordinator position

Steering Committee member recruitment
Lack of a quorum prevented important decisions from being made. A list of current members will be drawn up by the co-chairs, along with a list of OWEB-savvy strategic thinkers as a pool of potential members.

Agenda for December 20 meeting

• Highlights of biennial OWEB conference
• Steering Committee recruitment
• Subbasin restoration prioritization
• February business meeting planning - vote on new Steering members, discuss priorities, and summarize legislative briefing.