Hangman (Latah) Creek Watershed

Planning Unit Meeting

Spokane County Conservation District

September 8, 2005

Chair:             Walt Edelen, Spokane County Conservation District (SCCD)

Present:          Keith Holliday, Department of Ecology

                        Bill Rickard, City of Spokane, Environmental Programs

Reanette Boese, Spokane County

Bruce Carmack, Landowner

Gary Ostheller, Fairfield Grange

Steve Bortfeld, Hangman Hills Water District

Peter Grunte, Landowner

Rick Noll, SCCD

AGENDA/Minutes:

The meeting was called to order at 10:15 a.m.  The group did not meet in August.  The July meeting was poorly attended and the June minutes were not approved.  The group reviewed the June minutes and approved them without changes. 

Plan Approval Status

Public hearings were scheduled and held within both Whitman and Spokane Counties.  No negative comments were received.  The next step will be to schedule the Joint Session Adoption Meeting.  Late September is currently the schedule.  Walt will work with the clerks and notify the Planning Unit if a date is set.  All members are urged to be present for the meeting.

Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) – Phase IV

Bill Rickard stated that he is working on an MOA and that there actually may not need to be one.  Instead, the process may only need an amendment.  The City and the County will work together to get a better handle on it.  It was discussed that a MOA/MOU may be put in place and that an Inter-local Agreement would then be needed at the end of the Detailed Implementation Plan.

Phase IV Grant Application

The DRAFT application was discussed.  Clarification on facilitation and writing plan was requested for Task 3.  In task 1, the inter-local agreement should be added to the MOA requirements.  Walt will send out an electronic version for the planning unit to review and add additional comments.

Reanette Boese stated that Phase IV requires the Planning Unit to compile all the inchoate water rights within the watershed.  Walt and Rick will investigate this further to determine if all inchoate rights were described in the assessment work.  If not, this will have to be accomplished.  

Consultant RFQ

Walt will draft an RFQ/RFP for consultant services and email it to the group for review and comments before the next meeting.  The idea is to get this going before the Phase IV process begins.

Ecology Funding Opportunity

Walt drafted a proposal for a water storage project for the Hangman watershed and send it out to the Planning Unit for review.

NEXT MEETING

The next meeting was scheduled for October 13, 2005 from 10:00 to 12:00 pm at the SCCD conference room.

ADJOURN

The discussion was adjourned at 12:00 pm.