Agendas and Minutes

Forest Lands Committee (View All)

Regular Meeting

Agenda
Wednesday, June 08, 2005

MINUTES FOR THE MEETING
ASHLAND FOREST LANDS COMMISSION
June 8, 2005 - 4:30 PM
Community Development, 51 Winburn Way

MEMBERS PRESENT: Richard Brock (Chair), Jo Anne Eggers (Vice Chair), Anthony Kerwin, Joseph Vaile
Members Absent: Frank Betlejewski, Diane White
Staff Present: Nancy Slocum, Keith Woodley
Non-Voting Members Present: Cate Hartzell, Marty Main

I. CALL TO ORDER:  Acting Chair Brock called the meeting to order at 4:37 PM in the Siskiyou Room. Brock welcomed new commissioner, Joseph Vaile. Vaile had a degree in biology, previously worked for BLM and currently works for Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center. He expressed special interest in collaborating with the Forest Service on watershed issues and fuel reduction.

Eggers / Kerwin m/s to nominate Richard Brock as Commission Chair until May, 2006. Motion passed unanimously. Brock / Kerwin m/s to nominate Jo Anne Eggers as Vice Chair until May, 2006. Motion passed unanimously.

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II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Eggers noted the statement in the revised minutes regarding Robertson not being reappointed to the Commission. She believed the statement was not relevant and did not belong in the minutes. Brock did not remember a "straw vote." Commission agreed to strike those three sentences from the minutes. Eggers / Vaile m/s to approve the minutes as amended. Motion passed unanimously.
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III. PUBLIC FORUM: No one spoke.
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IV. ADJUSTMENTS TO THE AGENDA - None.
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V. OLD BUSINESS
A. Staff Report from Woodley - Woodley reported that Chris Chambers' position had not been refunded for FY 2005-2006. Money from the National Fire Plan may be able to fund his position.

Main reported that he and Darren Borgias met with eight Forest Service specialists to discuss inventory and monitoring protocol. The ideas presented by the specialists were well received and the specialists will each comment individually. The aim is to include inventorying and monitoring as part of the Final EIS.

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B. Review and Vote on Revision Commission Charter - Slocum reviewed the changes to the charter as discussed at the April 21st retreat. The commission reiterated that the wording in the Charter regarding "one owner of forest management lands identified in the Forest Management plan…" was ambiguous and limited the pool of available volunteers. Eggers / Kerwin m/s to approve the charter as revised and recommend its adoption to the City Council. Motion passed unanimously. The commission asked that future vacancy announcements in the paper include wording such as "Residents in the interface forest zone are encouraged to apply."
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C. Review Council Communication Recommending Ad Hoc Committee - Commission continued to discuss the need for a separate ad hoc committee charged with responding to the Forest Service's DEIS. Since last meeting, Brock said he reconsidered his position and saw a potential conflict of interest with members that may prefer a more nonofficial status. He thought the Commission should communicate to the AFRCATS that their product would ultimately get final approval from the Commission. Kerwin said, whether the commission used an ad hoc committee or AFRCATS, the purpose is for the City to legally and effectively comment on the DEIS. Navickas suggested using an ad hoc committee to attract more community members.

Howard Heiner noted a disadvantage to the similar functioning Ashland Watershed Stewardship Alliance ad hoc committee was that it was appointed by the major and not open to the public. The charge of an ad hoc committee could state that any deliverables would have to be approved by the commission. Brock wondered how the AFRCAT group was working now. Main said there were approximately 11 members, but anyone was invited to join. Hartzell's questions as a City Councilor were: was the membership open to the public, was the meeting time accessible to all and were the meetings noticed? Slocum reported that AFRCAT meetings were currently not noticed, but could be. Vaile noted that the City has the ear of the Forest Service. The DEIS contained both ecological and social goals. Heiner felt it appropriate to open AFRCATS to everyone. Navickas thought AFRCATs was a dysfunctional group and it was time for a new group. Brock noted that AFRCATs are an advisory committee to the commission.

Kerwin / Eggers m/s to request the AFRCATs develop a response to the Ashland Fire Resiliency Project's DEIS to be approved by the commission, then recommended to the City Council. With staff's assistance, the AFRCATs will encourage community outreach and follow the open meetings laws. AFRCATs will bring the commission a recommendation within 30 days of the DEIS publication. Motion passed unanimously.

Commission voted to extent the meeting until 6:10.

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D. Review and Vote on 2005 Commission Goals - Commission discussed the need for further review of the goals generated at the April 21st retreat. Slocum noted that some of the goals were not defined nor had objectives. In addition, the goals had no timelines. Commission agreed that more discussion was needed and tabled the discussion until the next meeting.
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E. Winburn Parcel - Tabled.
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VI. NEW BUSINESS
A. Set Schedule and Process for "Scientific Paper of the Month" - Commission asked that interested commissioners consider research papers that may be of interest and then give a five to ten minute summary of the paper during a meeting.
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VII. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS - None.
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VIII. REVIEW AND SET COMMISSION CALENDAR / NEXT MEETING
A. Next regularly scheduled meeting: Wednesday, July 13, 2005, however, the commission was put on notice that special meetings may be called at any time during the DEIS public comment period.
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VII. ADJOURN: 6:12 PM

Richard Brock, Chair

Respectfully Submitted,
Nancy Slocum, Clerk


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