Partners Present: Terry Charles, Tom Jerow, Bill Peterson, Sally Freckman, Bill Ebert, Larry Wargowsky, Manny Johnson, Jack Zimmermann, Greg Lowe, Kerrie Wheeler, Arvid Haugen, Rebecca Power, Dean Katz, refuge staff, Ann Whipp, George Rogers

I. Welcome and Introductions, Check-In/Agenda Review-The group met in the outdoor classroom currently under construction at the refuge with Rebecca welcoming the group. 

II. Whooping crane project-A short slide presentation and overview of the project was presented by the staff biologist at Necedah. Attached is the handout provided by the refuge describing the project.

III. Basin Educator Update-Arvid explained that the first round of interviews has been completed and that there are three candidates currently being evaluated for the position. A second round of interviews is occurring at this time with the hope that the position will be filled in May.

IV. Project Updates-
Land & Water Resource Management Plans: 
· Handouts were provided that list the common issues among the plans already submitted, and a handout that lists specific desired actions. These summaries were compiled primarily by Tim Victor, Portage County LCD. The Partnership thanks Tim for all his efforts.

· The Land & Water Resource Management work group plans to meet with the new Basin Educator before the next general CWBP meeting on June 28 in Bevent. The group plans to discuss the data and projects identified in the handouts, prioritize them, and share the results with the CWBP in June.

· Kerrie Wheeler has been added to this workgroup.

Plover River:

· The Portage County Board approved the Open Space Plan that has a Plover River component.

· The Plover River Alliance has asked the city of Stevens Point for $230,000 in room tax funds. The Alliance is nearing the point of talking to landowners about conservation easements.

· The Golden Sands RC & D has submitted a Rivers grant application to the DNR.

· The Plover River shoreline stabilization project was installed by UWSP students on Friday, April 7. The tree bundles that were installed will be monitored over time, to assess the projects success.

Yellow River-

· Juneau County has two volunteer water quality monitoring kits and two volunteer groups that have agreed to do water quality monitoring on the river during the 2000 field season.

· Juneau County and Necedah Refuge plan to submit a River Protection grant application next September.

· Landowner meetings have been held to identify issues and concerns regarding land use.

· Juneau County will be conducting surveys for Karner blue butterflies on Yellow River properties.

V. Partnership Spending Issues
The Partnership has about $1200 left to spend before July 1 with $800 previously committed to Bob Freckman for a plant survey. The remaining dollars will be spent to develop a brochure based on bottomlands with forestry emphasis. The Refuge has photo’s that could be incorporated into a brochure. The Partnership agreed that any remaining monies would be put toward seeding the Plover River shoreline within the Camp Fletcher boundaries.

VI. Next steps & meetings/Evaluation/Check Out
The next CWBP partnership meeting will be June 28 in Bevent. Please RSVP to Dean Katz by June 15. (Lunch on your own but can order sandwiches.)

Potential agenda items: 
Partnership 2000 Outreach discussion(deferred from 4/12 meeting)
Project updates
Decision making process within the Partnership
Communication with other basin partnerships

Lunch and tour

Adjourned at 2:00 p.m.