Island Park Preservation Coalition
Community Meeting
Minutes of Meeting
January 11, 2016
The Island Park Preservation Coalition held a community meeting on Monday, January 11, 2016 in the EMS Building in Island Park, Idaho. The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. Twenty-eight people, including Ken Watts, Chairman, Greg Bitters, Vice Chairman, Fremont County Commissioners Stoddard and Miller and 7 working group members attended the meeting.
Chairman, Ken Watts, thanked everyone for coming and introduced Working Group Members and what group they represent, as follows:
Greg Bitters has been working on our vision and mission statements and the project is ongoing.
Multiple use is all of the activities that occur on public land in our area. [add “such as”] Activities that are included under recreation are: snowmobiling, rock climbing, ATV/UTV riding, cross country skiing, snow shoeing, paraskiing, fat biking, mountain biking, river floating, fishing, horseback riding, backpacking, hiking, camping, sightseeing, hunting, bird watching, wildlife, motorcycles, Christmas trees, filming, photography, guiding, outfitting, driving, power boating, canoeing, cabin rental [need to add dog sledding]. Other multiple uses include, but are not limited to, timber harvest, mining, range, irrigation, firewood cutting, grazing, pole cutting, and watering livestock.
The group desires to protect the current status of Harriman State Park, Henry’s Lake State Park, the Nez Perce Trail, the Island Park Community Trail and other areas that are important to the Island Park community.
The legislation may include the following:
The group discussed the use of successful legislation language in preparing our legislation. The Gorge and Steen Mountain (both in Oregon) have been designated for multiple and other uses. The group will use language used in the legislation for those areas as they are very similar to what the group is trying to accomplish. The group does not see any changes to the existing relationships with state, county, city, private entities or public utilities nor any changes to taxes, hunting, fishing, use of waterways, grazing rights, mineral rights, or trapping. The group has discussed forming a citizen management group that would work with government entities that are involved. The group discussed possible changes to grazing in the area.
Ken Watts told the people present that in order to pass the legislation, there must be a balance of multiple use and conservation projects. The group has discussed forest health, range health, water quality, open spaces, trail development and human/wildlife conflicts.
The group may name the legislation “The Island Park Area Preservation Act”. The group wants the legislation to preserve the Western values and lifestyle. The group does not want a national monument, wilderness study area, national park or wildlife refuge. The group wants no changes to current fish and wildlife regulations. Water rights will remain the same. Stewardship and conservation are very important to the group. The group may suggest that we request $5,000,000 over a 10-year period to maintain and enhance the area. That amount would have to be passed in an appropriations bill. Ken Watts pointed out that Congress likes partnerships and cooperatives. Harriman State Park has several projects going on currently. Several conservation groups are working on projects to maintain the area.
The Working Group meets the 3rd Tuesday of each month at the EMS Building at 6:00 p.m. Everyone is welcome. The group discussed the possibility of a Facebook page and/or a website to reach out to others who are interested in the community.
Ken Watts reported that Ellen Stantus will be a facilitator for the group. Ellen Stantus asked if the group has a timeline. Our Congressional delegation will be able to move forward with the legislation within the next six months. The legislature will then be able to help us with the project. The group will have 80 to 90% done by the end of July. The 100th anniversary of the Park Service will be celebrated in August. The group is hoping to have everything in place within the next year. Ken Watts told the audience of all the support the group has gotten from local, county, state and federal office holders. Leanne Yancey is building a working group manual that will document the work of the working group. Copies of that manual will accompany the proposed legislation.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:10 p.m. The next Working Group meeting will be held January 19th.
Respectfully submitted,
Judy B. Koehly, Secretary
Community Meeting
Minutes of Meeting
January 11, 2016
The Island Park Preservation Coalition held a community meeting on Monday, January 11, 2016 in the EMS Building in Island Park, Idaho. The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. Twenty-eight people, including Ken Watts, Chairman, Greg Bitters, Vice Chairman, Fremont County Commissioners Stoddard and Miller and 7 working group members attended the meeting.
- Working Groups
Chairman, Ken Watts, thanked everyone for coming and introduced Working Group Members and what group they represent, as follows:
- Summer and Winter Recreation (Kevin Phillips, Mountain Mayhem)
- Non-motorized Recreation (Connie Funkhouser, Connie’s Restaurant
- Hunting/Sportsman’s Club (Ron Kynaston)
- Fishing (Jon Stiehl, Trout Hunter)
- Business/Chamber of Commerce/Realtors (Jackie Jensen, Chamber President)
- Property Owners/Private Property (Bob Stantus, can also represent winter recreation and Chamber of Commerce Vice President)
- Watershed (Dale Swenson, Henry’s Fork Watershed Council
- Agriculture/Ranching (Luke Davis, Hal Buster)
- Fund Raising (Connie Funkhouser, Connie’s Restaurant)
- Press (Ann Anthony, Island Park News)
- Sustainable Fire Community (Joe Sielinsky)
- Citizens at Large (Perry and Rosemary Thompson, retired National Park Service, Joe and Derinda Eudey, Terrence Beck)
- Caldera Heritage Coalition (Ken Watts, Leanne Yancey, Alynn Crapo, Terry DeLong)
- Secretary/Stenographer (Judy Koehly)
- Consultant/Advisor/Spokesman (Sandra Mitchell, Idaho Recreation Council)
- Utilities (Trent Yancey of Fall River)
- Building Supplies (Glade Gunnel)
- Builders (Ron Palmer)
- Community/Local Conservation Groups
- Valley Business/Land Owner (Greg Bitter, Performance Motor Sports, Ashton)
- Vision and Mission Statements
Greg Bitters has been working on our vision and mission statements and the project is ongoing.
- Multiple Use Definition
Multiple use is all of the activities that occur on public land in our area. [add “such as”] Activities that are included under recreation are: snowmobiling, rock climbing, ATV/UTV riding, cross country skiing, snow shoeing, paraskiing, fat biking, mountain biking, river floating, fishing, horseback riding, backpacking, hiking, camping, sightseeing, hunting, bird watching, wildlife, motorcycles, Christmas trees, filming, photography, guiding, outfitting, driving, power boating, canoeing, cabin rental [need to add dog sledding]. Other multiple uses include, but are not limited to, timber harvest, mining, range, irrigation, firewood cutting, grazing, pole cutting, and watering livestock.
- Outstanding and Remarkable Features
- Natural Resources
- Social (solitude/quiet)
- Geology and Geography
- Recreation
The group desires to protect the current status of Harriman State Park, Henry’s Lake State Park, the Nez Perce Trail, the Island Park Community Trail and other areas that are important to the Island Park community.
- Legislative Topics
The legislation may include the following:
- No national monument designation
- Self determination
- Maintain and enhance Island Park
- Maintain and enhance multiple use
- Protect private property rights – no eminent domain
The group discussed the use of successful legislation language in preparing our legislation. The Gorge and Steen Mountain (both in Oregon) have been designated for multiple and other uses. The group will use language used in the legislation for those areas as they are very similar to what the group is trying to accomplish. The group does not see any changes to the existing relationships with state, county, city, private entities or public utilities nor any changes to taxes, hunting, fishing, use of waterways, grazing rights, mineral rights, or trapping. The group has discussed forming a citizen management group that would work with government entities that are involved. The group discussed possible changes to grazing in the area.
- Conservation Categories
Ken Watts told the people present that in order to pass the legislation, there must be a balance of multiple use and conservation projects. The group has discussed forest health, range health, water quality, open spaces, trail development and human/wildlife conflicts.
- Notional Legislative Statements
The group may name the legislation “The Island Park Area Preservation Act”. The group wants the legislation to preserve the Western values and lifestyle. The group does not want a national monument, wilderness study area, national park or wildlife refuge. The group wants no changes to current fish and wildlife regulations. Water rights will remain the same. Stewardship and conservation are very important to the group. The group may suggest that we request $5,000,000 over a 10-year period to maintain and enhance the area. That amount would have to be passed in an appropriations bill. Ken Watts pointed out that Congress likes partnerships and cooperatives. Harriman State Park has several projects going on currently. Several conservation groups are working on projects to maintain the area.
- Community Discussion
- Are we doing what you want?
- What are we missing?
- All future working group meetings will make time for community input.
The Working Group meets the 3rd Tuesday of each month at the EMS Building at 6:00 p.m. Everyone is welcome. The group discussed the possibility of a Facebook page and/or a website to reach out to others who are interested in the community.
Ken Watts reported that Ellen Stantus will be a facilitator for the group. Ellen Stantus asked if the group has a timeline. Our Congressional delegation will be able to move forward with the legislation within the next six months. The legislature will then be able to help us with the project. The group will have 80 to 90% done by the end of July. The 100th anniversary of the Park Service will be celebrated in August. The group is hoping to have everything in place within the next year. Ken Watts told the audience of all the support the group has gotten from local, county, state and federal office holders. Leanne Yancey is building a working group manual that will document the work of the working group. Copies of that manual will accompany the proposed legislation.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:10 p.m. The next Working Group meeting will be held January 19th.
Respectfully submitted,
Judy B. Koehly, Secretary
