/january-notes1.htmlIsland Park Preservation Coalition
Working Group
Minutes of Meeting
January 19, 2016
The Island Park Preservation Coalition held a working group meeting on Tuesday, January 19, 2016 in the EMS Building in Island Park, Idaho. The meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m. Thirty people, including Ken Watts, Chairman, Fremont County Commissioners Stoddard and Miller and 19 working group members attended the meeting.
Minutes: Ken Watts is making a couple of minor changes to the December minutes and will resend them with corrections. The January minutes are in final form and were sent out earlier.
Financial Report: Terry DeLong opened an account for the Island Park Preservation Coalition. The Chamber of Commerce will be writing a check to the Coalition in the next few days for the money it has been holding. The balance in the account will be $2,248.27. The paperwork for the State of Idaho for the non-profit status will be attached to the bank account. The accountant feels that the 501(c)(6) designation is best for our purposes. The IRS approval for the non-profit status should take approximately 6 weeks. The 501(c)(6) is less cumbersome and is designed to be used for legislation and donations. Also, there is no cap on legislation promotion. The accountant will charge the Coalition approximately $150 for her services and we must send a check in the amount of $400 to the IRS with the application. Rosemary Thompson asked how much the legislative procedure would cost. Ken Watts reported that if we hire someone to write the legislation, it will cost approximately $10,000. If the House of Representatives writes the legislation, there will be no cost. If the legislation is written by the House, we may want to hire someone to go over the language. The Group has incurred printing and other costs of approximately $412.00. Bob Stantus made a motion that we pay for the printing and copying expenses. The motion was seconded by Connie Funkhouser and unanimously approved.
Facebook and Website: Alynn Crapo and Ann Anthony have gotten together and discussed setting up a Facebook page. Alynn Crapo has begun working on the website.
Island Park Preservation CoalitionRecreation and Conservation
Balanced Approach
Model for the West
The website can be reached at islandparkpreservationcoalition.weebly.com
Alynn talked to the Group about the title and what we want to say. We need something about coming together matters, and we need to protect our way of life. Pictures of the area are included on the website. There will be icons for (1) About Us (vision and mission statement), (2) map, (3) meeting notes and agendas, (4) Support information – workbook and what we are working on, (5) Contact link to Facebook page for current news, and (6) Donate Tab. The Group needs to agree on how we need to proceed. Because our name is on it, we need guidelines. Weebly is a free website, but if the name is googled, it will not come up. We can use a Google website for a $96 annual subscription fee. Bob Stantus suggested we form a small group to work on the Vision and Mission Statement. Greg Bitters has agreed to work on it. Jamie is willing to help with social media and media policy. Brandon Hoffner is willing to help with the mission statement and vision. Alynn wants ideas for the website. Ann Anthony made a motion that we make the website public. The motion was seconded and unanimously approved. Alynn and Jamie will get together to work on the website. The Group discussed linking PayPal to the website for donations.
Ken Watts reported that several conservation projects are going on in the Island Park area. The Yellowstone Coalition will talk to the Group at our February meeting about projects they are working on.
Fundraising: Rosemary Thompson agreed to help Connie Funkhouser with fundraising. The Island Park Quilt Guild is making a king-sized quilt that will be raffled off as a fundraiser for the Island Park Preservation Coalition. The quilt will be on display in the community. The Quilt Guild will determine the price of the tickets. The drawing will be held at the Barn Dance held the 3rd Saturday in September hosted by Joe and Diane Sielinsky and Larry and Joyce Johnson. The money raised at the Island Park Lodge Breakfast Cookoff on July 9, 2016 will be divided equally between Daisy’s Angels and the Island Park Preservation Coalition.
Island Park Community Trail: Connie Funkhouser told the Group that the trail is listed as a resource to preserve by our Group. The Island Park Community Trail will run from Henry’s Lake to Harriman State Park. Many signs have been placed on the trail that runs West of Highway 20. The Coalition will help support the trail. The trail has been in the planning stages since the 1990s. Connie and Jaren Hanson, of the US Forest Service, and many others have worked at clearing the trail of rocks, boulders, brush and trees since June, 2008. GEM, who had been working on the trail dissolved in 2010 and turned their funds over to the Chamber. Connie Funkhouser handed out trail maps. Names of sponsors and donors and the history of the trail will be printed on the back of the maps. The trail is for the use of runners, walkers, bikers, equestrian, and cross-country skiing and will merge with trails used by dirt bikes and ATVs in some areas. Jared Hanson has gotten work groups together to help clean the trails. Connie noted that the County and the Governor’s office have been very supportive.
Ken Watts informed the group of the following meetings he has attended:
Ken Watts thinks the Group needs to know what the above organizations are all about.
Ken has talked with Mitch and Kathryn regarding the funding of the conservation projects. Mitch has agreed to talk about funding conservation projects. Mitch told us that we need to get grants of cash beforehand. We need to look at what the legislation entails and make agreements with BLM, USFS, etc. for input before. Grants may be part of the funding as well a part of budgets of the various government entities. We need to determine what various groups are already working on. The delegation will look for money access.
Leanne Yancey asked if we could tie into other appropriation projects, i.e. fire suppression, health forest. Garth and Liz from the U.S. Forest Service will work with the Group. Mitch said that Washington D.C. appreciates groups working with the U.S. Forest Service, BLM, etc. Private foundations are the ones that usually buy mines, etc.
Legislative Topics: Ellen Stantus facilitated the discussion of legislative topics. Ellen Stantus passed out a sheet containing some of the items to be included in the legislation. The Group members indicated their support or opposition and were asked to write down their comments. The following topics were discussed:
Oppose: -0-
Not Sure: Could bring other stakeholders to the table with a different statement. How to achieve without making a focus?
2. Self Determination
Support: 14 people
Oppose: -0-
3. Maintain and Enhance Island Park as it is
Support: 9 people
Oppose: -0-
Comments:
Oppose: -0-
Homework: Complete the other 3 sheets and turn them in at the February meeting.
Joe Sielinsky passed out an outline he has prepared on what he feels should be in the Act. He used other acts in the preparation of his outline.
Joe Sielinsky made a motion that the meeting be adjourned. The motion was seconded by Perry Thompson and unanimously approved. The meeting was adjourned at 8:05 p.m.
The next meeting will be held on February 16, 2016.
Respectfully submitted,
Judy B. Koehly, Secretary
Working Group
Minutes of Meeting
January 19, 2016
The Island Park Preservation Coalition held a working group meeting on Tuesday, January 19, 2016 in the EMS Building in Island Park, Idaho. The meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m. Thirty people, including Ken Watts, Chairman, Fremont County Commissioners Stoddard and Miller and 19 working group members attended the meeting.
Minutes: Ken Watts is making a couple of minor changes to the December minutes and will resend them with corrections. The January minutes are in final form and were sent out earlier.
Financial Report: Terry DeLong opened an account for the Island Park Preservation Coalition. The Chamber of Commerce will be writing a check to the Coalition in the next few days for the money it has been holding. The balance in the account will be $2,248.27. The paperwork for the State of Idaho for the non-profit status will be attached to the bank account. The accountant feels that the 501(c)(6) designation is best for our purposes. The IRS approval for the non-profit status should take approximately 6 weeks. The 501(c)(6) is less cumbersome and is designed to be used for legislation and donations. Also, there is no cap on legislation promotion. The accountant will charge the Coalition approximately $150 for her services and we must send a check in the amount of $400 to the IRS with the application. Rosemary Thompson asked how much the legislative procedure would cost. Ken Watts reported that if we hire someone to write the legislation, it will cost approximately $10,000. If the House of Representatives writes the legislation, there will be no cost. If the legislation is written by the House, we may want to hire someone to go over the language. The Group has incurred printing and other costs of approximately $412.00. Bob Stantus made a motion that we pay for the printing and copying expenses. The motion was seconded by Connie Funkhouser and unanimously approved.
Facebook and Website: Alynn Crapo and Ann Anthony have gotten together and discussed setting up a Facebook page. Alynn Crapo has begun working on the website.
Island Park Preservation CoalitionRecreation and Conservation
Balanced Approach
Model for the West
The website can be reached at islandparkpreservationcoalition.weebly.com
Alynn talked to the Group about the title and what we want to say. We need something about coming together matters, and we need to protect our way of life. Pictures of the area are included on the website. There will be icons for (1) About Us (vision and mission statement), (2) map, (3) meeting notes and agendas, (4) Support information – workbook and what we are working on, (5) Contact link to Facebook page for current news, and (6) Donate Tab. The Group needs to agree on how we need to proceed. Because our name is on it, we need guidelines. Weebly is a free website, but if the name is googled, it will not come up. We can use a Google website for a $96 annual subscription fee. Bob Stantus suggested we form a small group to work on the Vision and Mission Statement. Greg Bitters has agreed to work on it. Jamie is willing to help with social media and media policy. Brandon Hoffner is willing to help with the mission statement and vision. Alynn wants ideas for the website. Ann Anthony made a motion that we make the website public. The motion was seconded and unanimously approved. Alynn and Jamie will get together to work on the website. The Group discussed linking PayPal to the website for donations.
Ken Watts reported that several conservation projects are going on in the Island Park area. The Yellowstone Coalition will talk to the Group at our February meeting about projects they are working on.
Fundraising: Rosemary Thompson agreed to help Connie Funkhouser with fundraising. The Island Park Quilt Guild is making a king-sized quilt that will be raffled off as a fundraiser for the Island Park Preservation Coalition. The quilt will be on display in the community. The Quilt Guild will determine the price of the tickets. The drawing will be held at the Barn Dance held the 3rd Saturday in September hosted by Joe and Diane Sielinsky and Larry and Joyce Johnson. The money raised at the Island Park Lodge Breakfast Cookoff on July 9, 2016 will be divided equally between Daisy’s Angels and the Island Park Preservation Coalition.
Island Park Community Trail: Connie Funkhouser told the Group that the trail is listed as a resource to preserve by our Group. The Island Park Community Trail will run from Henry’s Lake to Harriman State Park. Many signs have been placed on the trail that runs West of Highway 20. The Coalition will help support the trail. The trail has been in the planning stages since the 1990s. Connie and Jaren Hanson, of the US Forest Service, and many others have worked at clearing the trail of rocks, boulders, brush and trees since June, 2008. GEM, who had been working on the trail dissolved in 2010 and turned their funds over to the Chamber. Connie Funkhouser handed out trail maps. Names of sponsors and donors and the history of the trail will be printed on the back of the maps. The trail is for the use of runners, walkers, bikers, equestrian, and cross-country skiing and will merge with trails used by dirt bikes and ATVs in some areas. Jared Hanson has gotten work groups together to help clean the trails. Connie noted that the County and the Governor’s office have been very supportive.
Ken Watts informed the group of the following meetings he has attended:
- Multiple meetings with the HFF in Ashton and Island Park – Brandon Hoffner
- Multiple meetings with Trout Unlimited in Ashton, Island Park, and my home – Bruce Smithhammer and others.
- Three meetings with National Wildlife Federation in Missoula – Steve Woodruff, Tom France and others.
- Meeting with Heart of the Rockies in Island Park facilitated by HFF – Michael Whitfield
- Meeting with Teton Valley Land Trust at my home – Joslyn Matkins and others
- Meeting in Ashton and e-mails with the former head of the BLM – Jim Caswell
- Barker from the IDA meeting in Idaho Falls, telephone calls and e-mails with Rocky Ho Statesman
- Meeting in Ashton with The Nature Conservancy –
Ken Watts thinks the Group needs to know what the above organizations are all about.
Ken has talked with Mitch and Kathryn regarding the funding of the conservation projects. Mitch has agreed to talk about funding conservation projects. Mitch told us that we need to get grants of cash beforehand. We need to look at what the legislation entails and make agreements with BLM, USFS, etc. for input before. Grants may be part of the funding as well a part of budgets of the various government entities. We need to determine what various groups are already working on. The delegation will look for money access.
Leanne Yancey asked if we could tie into other appropriation projects, i.e. fire suppression, health forest. Garth and Liz from the U.S. Forest Service will work with the Group. Mitch said that Washington D.C. appreciates groups working with the U.S. Forest Service, BLM, etc. Private foundations are the ones that usually buy mines, etc.
Legislative Topics: Ellen Stantus facilitated the discussion of legislative topics. Ellen Stantus passed out a sheet containing some of the items to be included in the legislation. The Group members indicated their support or opposition and were asked to write down their comments. The following topics were discussed:
- No National Monument Designation of Other Federal Jurisdiction.
- What is meant by “other federal jurisdiction”
- “New/increased federal jurisdiction” instead of other federal jurisdiction
- No monument and add “protect”
- No new federal jurisdiction
- Approval of Congress and the State
- Maintain and enhance what we have
- Do our goals fit into current model such as a NRA?
Oppose: -0-
Not Sure: Could bring other stakeholders to the table with a different statement. How to achieve without making a focus?
2. Self Determination
Support: 14 people
- What does it mean? (4 people)
- Clarification
- Private property affected by Legislation
- How does this work on public lands?
- Exclude “self determination”
- Local people, local groups determine our future
- Want to continue state and county rules in support of infrastructure
- Local residents should determine what happens in our area – not Washington D.C.
- Like concept people around county enjoy this area too. It is important to local businesses.
Oppose: -0-
3. Maintain and Enhance Island Park as it is
Support: 9 people
- Maintain Island Park for multiple purposes and conservation for future generations
- Protect
- For future generations
- Enhance with advisory and science council
- Clarify values and assets that want to maintain and enhance
- Can’t enhance and maintain at the same time
- Fire-wise landscape
- What does it mean for a changing Island Park?
Oppose: -0-
Comments:
- Delete “enhance”
- Better definitions of Island Park as it is. Questioning culture, spirit, economy and lifestyle
- Maintain wide-open Spaces
- Population density
- Protect
- Provide tools to landowners so they can fully explore their options
- People need open spaces for many purposes
- Follow Fremont County Comprehensive Plan developed through public participation
- Clarify how they should be maintained
Oppose: -0-
Homework: Complete the other 3 sheets and turn them in at the February meeting.
Joe Sielinsky passed out an outline he has prepared on what he feels should be in the Act. He used other acts in the preparation of his outline.
Joe Sielinsky made a motion that the meeting be adjourned. The motion was seconded by Perry Thompson and unanimously approved. The meeting was adjourned at 8:05 p.m.
The next meeting will be held on February 16, 2016.
Respectfully submitted,
Judy B. Koehly, Secretary