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December 9, 1998

TIME:
10:00am - Noon
Wednesday, December 9, 1998

PLACE:
Kewaskum Town Hall
9019 Kettle Moraine Drive
Kewaskum (Washington County)

AGENDA:

1. Welcome and Introductions
   Carolyn Johnson, UW-Extension
   

2. Discussion of Editorial Letter by Clyde Winter
   

3. Report on the Mid-Kettle Moraine Planning Process
   Paul Hayes, Mid-Kettle Moraine Task Force

4. Discussion of Partnership Goals
   Carolyn Johnson, UW-Extension

5. Review of Draft Partnership Agreement
   Partnership Agreement Work Group: Dave Fowler, Sharon Gayan,
   Carolyn Johnson, Angie Tornes, Bill Waldron

6. Discussion of Expanding Partner Team membership
   Sharon Gayan, Department of Natural Resources

7. Election of a Citizen Co-Chair

8. Discussion of Next Meeting
   Proposed time & place:
   January 12, 1999, 10 AM to Noon
   Ozaukee County Administrative Center, Room 118
   121 West Main Street, Port Washington
   Host: Andy Holschbach, Ozaukee County Conservationis

9. Announcements and Other Business
   
   

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December 9, 1998

Attendance:
Gary Buntrock - Wisconsin Wastewater Operators Association
Elizabeth "Buffy" Cheek - Schlitz Audubon Center
David Fowler - Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District
Sharon Gayan - Wis. Department of Natural Resources
Jim Hess - Wisconsin Woodlands Owners Association
Andy Holschbach - Ozaukee Co. Land Conservation Department
Carolyn Johnson - U.W. Extension
Ted Lind - Milwaukee County Conservation Alliance
Jim Lubner - U.W. Sea Grant Institute
Dan Lynch - Natural Resources Conservation Service
Sheldon Myerchin - U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
David Schilling - Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission
Steve Seyfert - Ozaukee - Washington Land Trust
Dan Stoffel - Washington County Land Conservation Committee/Farmer
Angie Tornes - National Park Service
Frank Trcka - Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Claire Vanderslice - Wisconsin Conservation Congress
Don Voith - Mayor, City of Glendale
Bill Waldron - Milwaukee County Department of Parks, Recreation & Culture

Absent:
Barb Crosser - Clerk, Town of Mitchell
Bill Hanbury - Greater Milwaukee Convention & Visitor Bureau
Rod Pfeiffer - Wisconsin Well Water Association
John Schultz - Federation of Environmental Technologists
Peter McAvoy - 16th Street Community Health Center

Guests:
Paul Hayes - Mid-Kettle Moraine Task Force
Tom Issac - Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
John Feltes - Waubeka Resident

1. Discussion of Letter from Clyde Winter
   The agenda was modified to include the discussion of an editorial letter by Clyde Winter and was re-noticed to comply with the open meeting laws. The Co-Chairs of the work group will respond in writing to Mr. Winter in the near future. A number of misconceptions regarding the organization of the Milwaukee River Basin Partner Team were contained in Mr. Winter's letter. Sharon Gayan listed the misconceptions and provided the following points of clarification:

   • The Partners are not a planning team but a collaboration of organization and concerned individuals that will bring their resources together to achieve agreed upon goals of the Partners.

   • There are 23 Geographic Management Units (GMU) in the state not 21.

   • The Partner Team operates under the open record laws and all meetings are publicly noticed. The UW Extension operates a Web Page (http://clean-water.uwex.edu/milwaukee) to help keep the Partners and the public informed. The public is welcome to comment on all actions of the team and to attend all meetings.

   • The membership of the team is dynamic and will expand or contract as the group decides. Most changes will happen on a yearly basis.

   • Mr. Winter used a small portion of a quote from the GMU Partnership Manual. Mr. Winter paraphrased a GMU Partnership Manual quote
     "A good partner is…ideally a person who has been on the receiving end in life".
     

   • The quote was taken out of context and a full reading of quote is
     "A good partner: is genuinely interested in what happens to the natural resources in the GMU, coupled with a desire to make a difference or have a positive, long-lasting influence. Ideally, a person who has been on the receiving end in life, and now has made the internal decision to give something back."

   • The Partner Team does not reflect the basin's interest groups according to Mr. Winter's letter. Sharon pointed out that with the exception of Native Americans, the groups identified as absent from the Partner Team were actually represented. The group had decided at the Partnership Agreement Workshop held on October 28th to expand representation and that discussion of expanding membership was noted on today's agenda (see membership discussion)

   The group suggested that Mr. Winter come to the next meeting. It was the hope of the group that Mr. Winter would realize that his concerns are either not valid or are already being addressed by the partner team.

2. Report on the Mid-Kettle Moraine Planning Process
   by Paul Hayes, Mid-Kettle Moraine Task Force

   • The Mid-Kettle Moraine Task Force was formed in response to a challenge by Henry Reuss to the Wisconsin Academy of Arts & Science. This challenge was to preserve the Kettle Moraine including the area between the Northern and Southern Units of the Kettle Moraine State Forest.

   • Urban Sprawl is the greatest threat to preserving a continuous green space connecting the Northern and Southern Units of the Kettle Moraine State Forest in Washington and Waukesha Counties.

   • The first report by the Task Force revives the 70-year-old plan for a continuous greenbelt that protects the Kettle Moraine. The Middle Kettles were not considered as part of the original purchase plan (for reasons not apparent today). The report states that achieving protection for the Middle Kettle Moraine area is still feasible if action is taken now. There are existing "major stepping stones" that can be connected to help accomplish this (Loews and Pike Lake State Parks, County Parks, Holy Hill, and Lapham Peak State Park). The corridor would provide a right-of-way for the Ice Age National Scenic Trail.

   • The Task Force report was supported by the Governor and legislature through the passage of Assembly Joint Resolution 48 to encourage the Department of Natural Resources to cooperate with local citizens, conservation organizations, and local governments to protect the Kettle Moraine lands linking the Northern and Southern units of the Kettle Moraine State Forest.

   • The second report by the Task Force looks at how to connect the Northern and Southern Units. At a minimum, crucial lands should be protected through local zoning. Ideally these lands should be acquired through donation or purchase. The first priority is to avoid the destruction of the landforms.

   • As urban sprawl continues and development pressures increase, local units of government will be pressured by local residents to protect the remaining tracts of open land.

   • Since the Mid-Kettle Moraine area runs along the western edge of the Milwaukee River Basin, the Task Force is asking that the Partners help spread the word regarding the need to preserve this area and to ultimately connect the area to the Northern and Southern Units of the Kettle Moraine State Forest.

   • The Task Force intends to talk to local governments to make them aware of the initiative and the consequences of allowing inappropriate development on the resources of the Mid-Kettle Moraine.

   Paul Hayes has been invited to talk to the other GMU Partner Groups that are affected by the Mid-Kettles.

   Concerns regarding the Mid-Kettle Moraine plan by partners included the loss of tax base when land was acquired by the State. In response, it was noted that state law was recently changed, and now requires the Department of Natural Resources to make payments in lieu of taxes equivalent to the lost tax dollars on new acquisitions. Dave Fowler from MMSD will forward study results showing that land kept as open space actually saves money for local governmental units.

3. Discussion of Partnership Goals
   members were given index cards to write potential goals for the partner group. A list of goals was compiled (see attached). At the next meeting, we will review the list, add new goals suggested by members, and prioritize the complete list. members were asked to take the draft list of goals back to the groups they represent and gather input on what should be added or changed and which goals should be top priorities. The next step will be to develop projects that will help achieve selected goals.

   A question was asked as to weather the Partners were advisory to the DNR. A Department representative indicated that the partner group is a collaborative effort to achieve common goals agreed upon by the partner group.

4. Review of Draft Partnership Agreement
   The Partners were given a draft of a Partnership Agreement. This agreement was developed by a sub-committee consisting of Sharon Gayan, Carolyn Johnson, Bill Waldron, Dave Fowler, and Angie Tornes. members were asked to review the draft agreement and to identify any changes they would like to incorporate into the draft at the next meeting.

5. Discussion of Expanding Partner Team membership
   There have been a number of telephone inquiries from groups such as the real estate industry and business groups interested in participating on the partner team. The Partners agreed that inclusion of these two groups would help broaden the interest base. An invitation from the partner team will be sent to an umbrella group or chamber of commerce to obtain representatives.

   The group discussed the addition of a third conservation congress member. It was agreed that Congress representation was adequate with two Partners currently serving on the Congress. It was suggested that a representative from a conservation club or association be added to the Partner Team. This suggestion was agreed to and another conservation group representative will be invited to join.

   Although Dan Stoffel is a third generation farmer, his primary role on the Partner Team is to represent Land Conservation Committees in the basin. To better represent the farming interest, the Partner Team decided to seek additional farming interest representation from the Farm Bureau, a private farm or both. Dan and Sharon Gayan will discuss the matter and recommend additional farm industry representation to the Partners.

   Partner members were invited to suggest representation from the Black, Native American, and Hispanic communities. It was suggested that Marlene Johnson be contacted for her input or invited to join the Partner Team.

6. Election of Citizen Co-Chair
   Steve Seyfert of the Ozaukee Washington Land Trust was nominated by Dave Fowler of the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District to serve as Co-chair of the Partner Team. Andy Holschbach, the Ozaukee County Conservationist seconded the nomination. The Partner Team voted unanimously to elect Steve as a Co-chair. Sharon Gayan and Frank Trcka will continue as Co-chairs along with Steve through the first year of the Partner Team's existence.

7. Discussion of Next Meeting
   The next meeting will take place:

   January 12, 1999
   10:00am to Noon
   Ozaukee County Administrative Center, Auditorium
   121 West Main Street
   Port Washington, WI
   Host: Andy Holschbach, Ozaukee County Conservationist

   Agenda:

   1. Discussion of Partner Agreement

   2. Prioritizing and Ranking of Partner Goals

   3. Expansion of membership

   4. Timeline or Landmarks for Selected Projects

   Future Meetings:

   Wednesday - April 14, 1999
   Possible Hosts: Steve Seyfert - Cedarburg or West Bend; Dave Fowler - Milwaukee; Angie Tornes - Milwaukee

8. Public Comments
   John Feltes, a resident of Waubeka who serves on the Waubeka Dam Restoration Committee, expressed his concern that the Partner group submitted a request for a Great Lakes Clean Water Fund grant for the restoration of the Milwaukee River above Waubeka Dam after the dam's removal. Sharon Gayan explained that the grant would only be used if the citizens of Waubeka decided to remove the dam, and that the Partner group was in no way trying to predetermine the outcome of the dam's fate.

   Steve Seyfert requested that the Waubeka Dam Restoration Committee submit its concerns in writing so the group could respond to all of the questions.

9. Handouts
   Carolyn Johnson distributed information on a meeting to be held on January 26, 1999. The meeting will be a discussion of phosphorus issues.

   Angie Tornes distributed brochures on the Rivers, Trails & Conservation Program.

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