ASHLAND FOREST LANDS COMMISSION February 12, 2003 4:30 – 6:30 PM MINUTES MEMBERS PRESENT: Frank Betlejewski, Elizabeth Crosson, Jo Anne Eggers, Stephen Jensen, Bill Robertson (Chair) Chris Hearn (Council Liaison) Members Absent: Richard Brock, Anthony Kerwin Staff Present: Nancy Slocum, Pieter Smeenk, Keith Woodley Marty Main (Consultant) I. CALL TO ORDER AT 4:35 PM II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: January 8, 2003 minutes approved as submitted. III. PUBLIC FORUM: No one spoke. IV. ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION: Discussion of City Forest Lands Restoration Project: Phase Two – Subcommittee (Jensen, Kerwin and Robertson) met over the weekend to rework Draft #13. Commission reviewed their new Draft #27. Eggers thought the goals should be listed first, then the strategies. In addition, she reminded the commission that this document is not something to be ratified, but to be “presented” to the City Council as a draft. Robertson envisioned 3 public hearings: 1) for this draft proposal, 2) in 2 or 3 months when the prescriptions are finished, and 3) when the demonstration markings on the units are complete. He wondered if the commission or the City Council would be conducting the public hearings. Jensen suggested the Commission forward all edits to Slocum. Woodley thought the Commissioner’s names should appear on the document. Eggers asked that “silviculture” and “overstock” be added to the glossary and that “cohort” be reworked. Crosson added the word “fire regime.” Commission discussed the number of photo points in the “Implementation Monitoring” section. Crosson thought the document should include the potential impacts of this forest restoration proposal. Woodley suggested adding the potential impacts of doing nothing. He said we can only manipulate the variables we understand, but “Mother Nature” controls the rest. Jensen wondered if the relatively small portion the City of Ashland oversees would make a difference within the larger watershed. Crosson disagreed with some of the subjective language in the “Background” section. She thought it conveyed a false sense of urgency. Jensen thought there was urgency. Commission decided to leave the wording as is. The commission will hold a special meeting on February 19th to approve the preliminary document prior to the March 5th Council Study Session. The commission did not foresee the need for a meeting on February 26th. V. OTHER BUSINESS The commission discussed whether the request to comment on the Mount Ashland Expansion to the City Council was part of their mandate. Woodley thought the ensuing controversy would spill over to the current restoration project. Jensen agreed. Crosson thought it part of the commission charter: “any project within the watershed.” Woodley interpreted the city resolution creating the commission to limit involvement to city-owned lands while the 1929 agreement and Memorandum of Understanding included both city and Forest Service lands. Betlejewski would like the Council to clarify this issue. The commission agreed to table this issue until its March 12th meeting. VI. MEETING ADJOURNED AT 5:57 PM