Russian River Watershed Council	Full Council Meeting
Minutes of September 11, 1999	Veterans Memorial Building, Cloverdale, 9 am - 1 pm
Use of RRWC Name with Corps' Work Group Budget Information Handout
Agenda Flow Welcome and Start-ups Review and approve minutes Announcements Proposal to amend decision-making rule Budget proposal Report on status of MOU (Memo of Understanding) Interim office staff proposal Request to Veteran’s Hall Organizational Structure and Information Flow SB291 Report Use of RRWC name Next meeting and agenda Start-ups Jamie Harris introduced himself and his associates, Lori Lavender and Lara Soddano. Jamie contracted his role as neutral facilitator and established ground rules. The RRWC’s mission and primary goals were reviewed. The group agreed to overall agenda flow. The decision-making process was reviewed and agreed to. Jamie took a count of the voting members present and the total number present was 42. Ground Rules Respect time limits. Listen respectfully and respect and consider the opinions of others. Review and Approval of Minutes Bottom of page 3 and top of page 4, regarding budget proposals: it is unclear what was voted on. Minutes should be distributed to the group earlier. Pages should be numbered. Final Vote: 33 in favor 1 opposed 12 abstain The motion passed. Announcements Miles Croom, of the National Marines Fishery Service, made an announcement regarding the listing of Chinook Salmon. Park Steiner made an announcement regarding "A History of Salmonid Decline in the Russian River". Dennis Murphy made an announcement regarding an agricultural seminar, which will take place on September 17th. Call 707-575-3335 to reserve your place. Eric Sunsweet, of the Public Caucus, made an announcement regarding Timber production and one regarding his newsletter on nutrition. Mike Riley, the County Supervisor for Sonoma County, made an announcement regarding "good news" that the State Water Board passed a one million dollar bond approved for the Russian River Watershed, which will go on the ballot in March. Ann Maurice, of the Ad Hoc Committee for Clean Water, made an announcement regarding the Hillside Vineyard Ordinance and it’s meetings being held in secret. She is also concerned that the city government is not operating in honesty and there is no disclosure. Ann wants the issue to be put on a future agenda. Peggy Maddock, Secretary of Education and Public Outreach Group, made an announcement that the group is holding a meeting on September 20th at 3:15pm at the Healdsburg Library.   Proposal to Amend Decision-Making Rule Nick Tibbets made a proposal to increase the voting rule to 70%. Reasons for: Caucus form &endash; 2 caucuses can outvote the 3rd. Want to ensure a consensus. Reason for choosing 70%, as opposed to another number, is that Kathy Blier felt that 70% was a good number and Nick feels that 70% is a good number for consensus. Pros: Bob Anderson &endash; for the long term, 70% ensures a move forward with strong support. Nikki Barratt &endash; Supports this 100%, but states that this group has to all work together. Rusty Klassen &endash; Have to show a sense of cooperation and establish a sense of certainty and comfort. "Trust will flourish". Kathy Reese &endash; True balance. Re-hash: discussion leads to 100% united group; more strength as a group; more consensus; buy-in better. Cons: Mark Green &endash; Super majorities are not democratic. Gives veto power. Body moving too slowly. Tom Roth &endash; 60% is a good, solid majority. 70% gives power to only a few people. Leonard Stewart &endash; Just wants to get things done. 51% is enough. Does not want this to become perpetual. Jay Halcomb &endash; It is impossible to get anything done &endash; 70% vote is a stalemate. Neutral: John Calaprice &endash; Move ahead, common ground, but then giving negative power can kill the whole thing. Need all parties at table to move ahead. Try to maintain neutrality. 66% is perfect. Has to have all the groups members to sway. Dale Wright &endash; Minority needs exception. If the vote is 69.5, for example, should round down, not up. Final Vote: 16 in favor 29 opposed 4 abstain The motion failed.   Budget Proposal Bob Anderson presented the context and proposal for the budget. State has requested a budget proposal. Working groups have presented proposals. Questions were taken for clarification. Concerns and Issues A number of people left the room. Members of the Economic Committee have voluntarily left the room. Budget process should take into effect the effects on the Eel River. Budget, MOU, and cost-sharing should all be considered together, as a package. Emphasize that the proposal came from the Steering Committee. In-kind services may be a method of control. Time, mis-information, lack of information and haste. We need better studies and better data. We need adaptive studies. Lack of information regarding the Corps’ studies. Insufficient time for discussion &endash; issues not on agenda. Time and process to make decisions properly. Re-visiting the same categories for discussion &endash; going over the same ground. Steering Committee has not functioned as a cohesive group in the budget process. Pros Voting on entire budget, not on the breakdown &endash; can be broken down at any time. Proposal is only a "place holder" &endash; does not say how the money will be allocated. The later the request comes in, the harder it will be to get it. Need to just get the money and revisit the issue later. More money on projects we can do. Cons Hasty; don’t have information needed. Proper procedures should be in place. Deja vu. Should have talked in April. Final document should have been received 45 days ago. Many items and activities must be done by the Army Corps anyway. Not dealt with fairly by the Army Corps of Engineers. Council bigger than PSP. Budget Timeline October 1, 2000 &endash; Federal Fiscal Year starts July 1, 2000 &endash; State Fiscal Year starts Vote on Budget Proposals Total of 38 voters present. Count of 23 needed for approval. #1 RRWC Activities $225,000 Watershed Restoration Tasks $510,000 Public Outreach & Education $ 55,000 Watershed Information Assessment $160,000 Dam Operations & Modification $240,000     Total $965,000 Final Vote: 4 in favor 24 opposed 10 abstain The motion failed.   #2 Same as above, but with dollar amounts not broken down. Only approve one lump sum. Final Vote: 21 in favor 14 opposed 3 abstain The motion failed.     There was an alternate motion to pass the budget in the same amount, but for the following 3 categories only: RRWC Activities Public Outreach and Education Watershed Information and Assessment Pros Opportunity to get some funding. Three out of five has risks, but it’s an opportunity for council to continue in the future. Council has been misinformed, but that is not the appropriate point to discuss now. The point is to empower ourselves now and this depends on good faith. Urge Council to adopt and discuss how to spend the money in the future. Consequences of killing the process are that we disempower ourselves, all just to honor our views. The fear is that if we take the money, we distrust ourselves; why do this process, then? Might as well stay home. Cons The way the proposal was arrived at is flawed. It is driven by people who want to benefit personally. Legitimacy of the process &endash; we need to decide how the money will be spent. Process concerns &endash; we do not have control over the money. Only the Steering Committee has control over the money and only the 3 agencies will allocate it. Final Vote: 20 in favor 13 opposed 5 abstain The motion failed.  Senator Chesboro spoke regarding SB291 &endash; Salmon Restoration Funding and Park Bond and Water Bond Measures. John Calaprice spoke regarding SB291. He made a request for people to go to Sacramento to speak with legislators. Concern was expressed that there is no copy of 291; 291 is not effective unless 1030 is known (?) John made a proposal to send 2 delegates/individuals to Sacramento regarding SB291 to bring information back, to be informed and to discuss it. Not to lobby. This will be an information gathering only. Total of 34 voters present. Final Vote: 25 in favor 3 opposed 5 abstain The motion passed. The following people signed up to go to Sacramento: Nikki Barratt Bob Rawson Richard Miller Faith Harrison Mark Green Jerome Dix Rose Leppert     Interim Office Staff Proposal A proposal was made for the Steering Committee to write a specific job description, and if the money becomes available, to hire an interim coordinator until January 1st. Total of 35 voters present. Final Vote: 30 in favor 2 opposed 3 abstain The motion passed.   A proposal was made that the interim person be Nikki Barratt. Final Vote: 22 in favor 2 opposed 9 abstain The motion passed.   MOU Report Presented by Jay Halcomb. Question of how to form a working group to work on this. Jay made a proposal to form/assemble a working group to work on the nature of MOU (get clarification from the State). Need volunteers, and include an effort to encompass people from all caucuses. Also include FCSA and related documents. Total of 34 voters present. Final Vote: 32 in favor The motion passed. The following people signed up to become a part of the MOU working group: Tim Buckner Laurel Marcus Jay Halcomb Rose Leppert Rusty Klassen     Working Groups for Organizational Structure and Information Flow Al Giordano proposed to set up a working group that works independently, reports to the Steering Committee and makes a set of by-laws. Total of 30 voters present. Final Vote: 30 in favor The motion passed. The following people signed up for the Organizational Structure and Information Flow working group: Scott Stegeman 823-1925 pqrst@monitor.net Rue Furch 823-5551 pqrst@monitor.net Richard Miller 887-1257 rm.hares@aol.com Jim Nosera 485-7454 erikajim@zapcom.net John Calaprice 983-8025 Rose Leppert 887-0677 leppert@wclynx.com   Items for Consideration Set next meeting at the beginning of each meeting, not at the end. Written request needed on behalf of the Council to the Board of Supervisors requesting that they waive the fee for use of the Veteran’s Hall. Linda Curry volunteered for this. Page last updated September 24, 1999 (FC)