Island Park Preservation Coalition
Working Group
Minutes of Meeting
February 23, 2017
The Island Park Preservation Coalition held a working group meeting on Wednesday, February 23, 2017, in the EMS Building in Island Park, Idaho. The meeting was called to order by Chairman, Ken Watts at 6:05 p.m. The following people attended the meeting:
Committee Members:
Ken Watts, Chairman
Alynn Crapo, IPPC Website Administrator
Leanne Yancey, IPPC Research
Greg Bitter, Vice Chairman
Trent Yancey, Fall River Cooperative
Ellen Stantus, IP Landowner and Facilitator
Kathy Rinaldi, Greater Yellowstone Coalition
Bob Stantus, IP Landowner and Recreation
Dave Moore, IP Medical Community
Judy Koehly, Secretary
Members Absent:
Terry Delong, Treasurer
Joe Sielinsky, IP Sustainable Fire
Dale Swensen, HFWC
Ann Anthony, Island Park News
Kim Trotter, Yellowstone 2 Yukon
Rosemary Thompson, IPPC Fund Raising
Perry Thompson, National Park Service, retired
Connie Funkhouser, IP Business/IPPC Fund Raising/IP Trails Project
Zak Miller, Idaho Farm Bureau
Luke Davis, Agriculture and Ranching
John Stiehl, Fishing, Trouthunter
Brandon Hoffner, HFWC
Glade Gunnell, IP Business
Hal Buster, FC Ranching
Kevin Phillips, summer and winter recreation
Knowledge Experts Present:
Jordan Stoddard, Fremont County Chairman
LeRoy Miller, Fremont County Chairman
A quorum was not present. The January, 2017 meeting was discussed.
Financial Report: Ken Watts reported that the balance had not changed during the past month and the current balance in the bank account is $4,522. Terry DeLong, Treasurer, is recovering from knee surgery.
Website: Alynn Crapo reported that she renewed the website for one year. The cost was $20.00.
Current Events
Jordan Stoddard reported that two lakes in Montana are now infected with mussels. Montana does not have the inspection stations that Idaho and other surrounding states have. Montana has no requirements for washing boats. The Fremont County Commissioners met with legislators in Boise and discussed moving the responsibility for boat inspections from the Department of Agriculture to the Department of Conservation. They also discussed the possibility of raising boat registration fees to help fund boat inspection projects. Alynn Crapo will add information about the mussel infestation in Montana to our website.
LeRoy Miller reported that he has spoken to Senator Crapo’s office and was informed that the limitation of input to the BLM from local, county and state officials and citizens has been stopped.
Ken Watts reported on the following topics:
History
Advisory Vote 93%
County Commission Resolution
Idaho Legislative Memorial
Governor Otter’s Letter
Resolutions by Cities and Counties
Petitions With 100% of Signatures
Community Meeting: Create Legislation Opposing a National Monument
Invited Stakeholders
Legislation Summary
Protected Multiple Use
No Monument or Other Federal Designations
Legislative Description
Maintain Government Relationships
Protect Utilities
Protect Recreational Access
Maintain IDFG Role and Conserve Wildlife
Maintain Water Agreements
Protect Grazing –Support Healthy Forests and Address Minerals
Form an Advisory Board
Maintain Native American Uses
Maintain Land Planning
The Working Group discussed NRAC. Ken Watts reported that he feels the legislative language is 90 to 95 percent completed. The language needs to be tweaked some. Ken will tweak the language and send out a draft. LeRoy Miller stressed the importance of Native American input. Ken Watts will contact Congressman Simpson about interaction with Native Americans. Protection of the Nez Perce Trail was discussed.
Path Forward
What specifics should we pursue to assure that we have the future we want? Ken Watts has had numerous conversations with Senator Crapo’s staff and with the Farm Bureau. The following is language Ken received from the Farm Bureau.
Farm Bureau Thoughts
Change the Antiquities Act
Become an Advisory Board
Develop Legislation Which is Also Policy Statement
Develop Rider Language Which Can Be Inserted in Other Bills
Ken Watts said that Farm Bureau would use legislation as part of their policy statement. Ken also pointed out that Farm Bureau’s policy statement changes often, but not significantly. Greg Bitter brought up the chances of passage depending on what type of bill our legislation is attached to. Farm Bureau feels that our legislative language is good and that it is not too restrictive. We have used SNRA language where appropriate. Legislators will change the language. Senator Crapo’s office says that Farm Bureau and Fall River Electric need to be on board with our proposed legislation.
Facilitation
Ellen Stantus, Facilitator, asked the Working Group where we want to go from here. The following items were discussed:
Continue to look at legislation to be passed on the federal level
Need formal community collaborative/cordination group with diverse stakeholders. Should this be expanded? Do we need sideboards – maybe NRAC. Will the group be local, state and/or federal?
Advisory group only – information only or make recommendations?
Should the Advisory Board be part of the legislation? What power should the Advisory Board have? Should we have a Cooperative Trust Agreement like Custer County? Should the Advisory Board meet with the public and than go to the county commissioners with information from those meetings?
Go forward with the legislation. We will need an Advisory Board after the legislation is passed.
Need local Advisory Board or Cooperative.
Should Advisory Group be a trust or cooperative?
Issues from all interested groups must be addressed.
Information resources
Guest Speakers
The Fremont County Commissioners currently have a good relationship with the USFS, BLM and Department of Fish and Game. The Advisory Board could work with USFS, BLM and Dept. of Fish and Game.
The Working Group decided to:
Move forward with the legislation.
Decide how formal the Advisory Group should be and whether they should be appointed (by whom), elected or what.
How do we keep people coming to Advisory Board meetings?
Identify issues and get expert guest speakers at meetings.
Determine guidelines for Advisory Group and set number of members.
Should we include members at large?
The majority wants the Advisory Board to be more formal than our current working group.
Ken Watts will prepare a letter to the County Commissioners proposing a formal group and ask for ideas on organizing the board and other ideas. The County Commissioners can then tailor the Advisory Board the way they want it. Working Group members should give Ken Watts input regarding recommendations on the organization of the Advisory Board at the next meeting. Ken also wanted input from the Working Group on the legislation. The Advisory Board should be separate from our Working Group.
Ken Watts will work with legislative offices, Farm Bureau and Fall River Electric regarding the legislation language. The Working Group will work with the Advisory Board and the Fremont County Commissioners to get everything going.
The Working Group discussed the proposed highway overpass or underpass. Ken Watts reported that the Idaho Transportation Department would have another public meeting in March. LeRoy Miller reported that we would need extensive fencing to make the overpass or underpass work. Patricia Kramer completed her Hwy 20 wildlife study last fall. The Henry’s Fork Legacy Project has made recommendations. The majority of the group felt that more consideration should be given to the area South of Island Park.
The meeting adjourned at 8:15 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Judy B. Koehly, Secretary
Working Group
Minutes of Meeting
February 23, 2017
The Island Park Preservation Coalition held a working group meeting on Wednesday, February 23, 2017, in the EMS Building in Island Park, Idaho. The meeting was called to order by Chairman, Ken Watts at 6:05 p.m. The following people attended the meeting:
Committee Members:
Ken Watts, Chairman
Alynn Crapo, IPPC Website Administrator
Leanne Yancey, IPPC Research
Greg Bitter, Vice Chairman
Trent Yancey, Fall River Cooperative
Ellen Stantus, IP Landowner and Facilitator
Kathy Rinaldi, Greater Yellowstone Coalition
Bob Stantus, IP Landowner and Recreation
Dave Moore, IP Medical Community
Judy Koehly, Secretary
Members Absent:
Terry Delong, Treasurer
Joe Sielinsky, IP Sustainable Fire
Dale Swensen, HFWC
Ann Anthony, Island Park News
Kim Trotter, Yellowstone 2 Yukon
Rosemary Thompson, IPPC Fund Raising
Perry Thompson, National Park Service, retired
Connie Funkhouser, IP Business/IPPC Fund Raising/IP Trails Project
Zak Miller, Idaho Farm Bureau
Luke Davis, Agriculture and Ranching
John Stiehl, Fishing, Trouthunter
Brandon Hoffner, HFWC
Glade Gunnell, IP Business
Hal Buster, FC Ranching
Kevin Phillips, summer and winter recreation
Knowledge Experts Present:
Jordan Stoddard, Fremont County Chairman
LeRoy Miller, Fremont County Chairman
A quorum was not present. The January, 2017 meeting was discussed.
Financial Report: Ken Watts reported that the balance had not changed during the past month and the current balance in the bank account is $4,522. Terry DeLong, Treasurer, is recovering from knee surgery.
Website: Alynn Crapo reported that she renewed the website for one year. The cost was $20.00.
Current Events
Jordan Stoddard reported that two lakes in Montana are now infected with mussels. Montana does not have the inspection stations that Idaho and other surrounding states have. Montana has no requirements for washing boats. The Fremont County Commissioners met with legislators in Boise and discussed moving the responsibility for boat inspections from the Department of Agriculture to the Department of Conservation. They also discussed the possibility of raising boat registration fees to help fund boat inspection projects. Alynn Crapo will add information about the mussel infestation in Montana to our website.
LeRoy Miller reported that he has spoken to Senator Crapo’s office and was informed that the limitation of input to the BLM from local, county and state officials and citizens has been stopped.
Ken Watts reported on the following topics:
History
Advisory Vote 93%
County Commission Resolution
Idaho Legislative Memorial
Governor Otter’s Letter
Resolutions by Cities and Counties
Petitions With 100% of Signatures
Community Meeting: Create Legislation Opposing a National Monument
Invited Stakeholders
Legislation Summary
Protected Multiple Use
No Monument or Other Federal Designations
Legislative Description
Maintain Government Relationships
Protect Utilities
Protect Recreational Access
Maintain IDFG Role and Conserve Wildlife
Maintain Water Agreements
Protect Grazing –Support Healthy Forests and Address Minerals
Form an Advisory Board
Maintain Native American Uses
Maintain Land Planning
The Working Group discussed NRAC. Ken Watts reported that he feels the legislative language is 90 to 95 percent completed. The language needs to be tweaked some. Ken will tweak the language and send out a draft. LeRoy Miller stressed the importance of Native American input. Ken Watts will contact Congressman Simpson about interaction with Native Americans. Protection of the Nez Perce Trail was discussed.
Path Forward
What specifics should we pursue to assure that we have the future we want? Ken Watts has had numerous conversations with Senator Crapo’s staff and with the Farm Bureau. The following is language Ken received from the Farm Bureau.
Farm Bureau Thoughts
Change the Antiquities Act
Become an Advisory Board
Develop Legislation Which is Also Policy Statement
Develop Rider Language Which Can Be Inserted in Other Bills
Ken Watts said that Farm Bureau would use legislation as part of their policy statement. Ken also pointed out that Farm Bureau’s policy statement changes often, but not significantly. Greg Bitter brought up the chances of passage depending on what type of bill our legislation is attached to. Farm Bureau feels that our legislative language is good and that it is not too restrictive. We have used SNRA language where appropriate. Legislators will change the language. Senator Crapo’s office says that Farm Bureau and Fall River Electric need to be on board with our proposed legislation.
Facilitation
Ellen Stantus, Facilitator, asked the Working Group where we want to go from here. The following items were discussed:
Continue to look at legislation to be passed on the federal level
Need formal community collaborative/cordination group with diverse stakeholders. Should this be expanded? Do we need sideboards – maybe NRAC. Will the group be local, state and/or federal?
Advisory group only – information only or make recommendations?
Should the Advisory Board be part of the legislation? What power should the Advisory Board have? Should we have a Cooperative Trust Agreement like Custer County? Should the Advisory Board meet with the public and than go to the county commissioners with information from those meetings?
Go forward with the legislation. We will need an Advisory Board after the legislation is passed.
Need local Advisory Board or Cooperative.
Should Advisory Group be a trust or cooperative?
Issues from all interested groups must be addressed.
Information resources
Guest Speakers
The Fremont County Commissioners currently have a good relationship with the USFS, BLM and Department of Fish and Game. The Advisory Board could work with USFS, BLM and Dept. of Fish and Game.
The Working Group decided to:
Move forward with the legislation.
Decide how formal the Advisory Group should be and whether they should be appointed (by whom), elected or what.
How do we keep people coming to Advisory Board meetings?
Identify issues and get expert guest speakers at meetings.
Determine guidelines for Advisory Group and set number of members.
Should we include members at large?
The majority wants the Advisory Board to be more formal than our current working group.
Ken Watts will prepare a letter to the County Commissioners proposing a formal group and ask for ideas on organizing the board and other ideas. The County Commissioners can then tailor the Advisory Board the way they want it. Working Group members should give Ken Watts input regarding recommendations on the organization of the Advisory Board at the next meeting. Ken also wanted input from the Working Group on the legislation. The Advisory Board should be separate from our Working Group.
Ken Watts will work with legislative offices, Farm Bureau and Fall River Electric regarding the legislation language. The Working Group will work with the Advisory Board and the Fremont County Commissioners to get everything going.
The Working Group discussed the proposed highway overpass or underpass. Ken Watts reported that the Idaho Transportation Department would have another public meeting in March. LeRoy Miller reported that we would need extensive fencing to make the overpass or underpass work. Patricia Kramer completed her Hwy 20 wildlife study last fall. The Henry’s Fork Legacy Project has made recommendations. The majority of the group felt that more consideration should be given to the area South of Island Park.
The meeting adjourned at 8:15 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Judy B. Koehly, Secretary
