The meeting was called to order by President Tom Priesendorf at 5:50 pm.

Members in attendance were Shelley Banks, Mike Bayless, Paul Blanchard, Stefan Cairns, Paul Calvert, Ange Corson, Suzanne Femmer, Sherry Fischer, Kenda Flores, Mike Headrick, Dave Knuth, Matt Matheney, Jason Persinger, Greg Pitchford, Charlie Rabeni, Lynn Schrader, Bob Schulz, Scott Sowa, Bob Temper, Bill Turner.

Agenda items were:

1)  Formal signing of the MOU for the Stream Conservation Guide

2)  Workshops for the MNRC

Stream Conservation Guide

There are ten chapters of hard copy.  Some of the chapters or material may be combined when the Guide is published on the web.  There won’t be any printing costs.

Paul Calvert- We plan to publish the Guide on the web as a Stream Handbook similar to what other states have done.  There were 15 different authors for 10 chapters.  When we started looking for someone to do the editing we found the original document.  We plan to take each chapter and massage the information into cohesive, informative material. 

Chapter 1 is about the physical characteristics of streams.  It is 40 pages which is too cumbersome.  He plans to organize the chapters into Guide Forums/Sheets that will be 8-9 pages long.  The Sheets will have to be edited and will need pictures or artwork.  Those will then go to Ange Corson.  Ange will distribute the Sheets to the original authors for comment.

Do we want to file them as PDF or html files?  Or both?

Matt Matheney- If you have both, you have to update both.  You also have to monitor the links in case they change.

Paul Calvert- You can have the links inside the documents.

Tom Priesendorf- Are we losing something if we just have them as PDF files?  No.  

MNRC Workshops

The Stream Workshop tomorrow is about Stream Advocacy.  Bill Turner is the facilitator.

Tom- Do we want to have this as an annual event?

Let the group decide tomorrow what they want.  We’ll need some help with this next year.  See Tom or Ange to sign up to help with the planning for the next MNRC stream workshop.

Bill Turner- There is a new legislative bill on gravel mining that will be introduced during the next legislative session.  It looks negative from the Natural Resources side.

Paul Calvert- The Representative was elected to deal with stream issues.

Do we need to put a committee of landowners together to address stream issues?

There is another legislative item that is going to be introduced.  The bill has already been submitted.  It is about horseback riding on all state owned land.

Sherry Fischer- An e-mail about by-laws is coming.  We need to send out a “heads-up” about the gravel mining issues and the problems with horse trails.

Matt M.- We need to document the fiscal impacts of activity from horse trails.

Lynn Schrader- Do we know MDC’s stance yet?  If we want MDC’s data, we may have to use the Sunshine Law.

Suzanne Femmer- Our office (USGS) has water quality data, erosion data, economic data.  The summary document may be available through USGS.

Paul C.- We can get the information from Tom Draper or Bob Legler.

Bob Temper- Don’t underestimate the horse people.

Suzanne F.- Canoeists are leaving the Jack’s Fork.  Families do not like the horseback riders.

Greg Pitchford- Hikers and trail walkers do not like the horseback riders.

Tom- What is our position?

Greg- Horseback riding is not an unalienable right.

Paul- It is a privilege.  Resource managers should determine where the activities take place.

Bill T.-Give Jeff Finley his first assignment as Legislative Liaison.  Tom P. will contact Jeff to tell him about issues that are coming up in the legislature.  He will also try to get John Fantz to post something on the web for MOAFS members.  Bill Turner said he would get the information about gravel mining to John also.

Tom Priesendorf turned the Chair over to Ange Corson.

The meeting was adjourned at 6:25 pm.