Sweet Water Steering Council Meeting Minutes

Wednesday, August 11, 2010 1:30-3:30 pm Technology Innovation Center Wauwatosa, WI Attendees: Nancy Frank-Chair, Sharon Gayan, Tom Grisa, Mike Hahn, Jeff Martinka, Dan Stoffel. Guests: Ben Gramling, Ezra Meyer (via phone), Kate Morgan, Theresa Morgan. Support: Marilyn Goris. 1. Welcome and Introductions Theresa Morgan was recently hired as the Conservation Specialist for the River Revitalization Foundation and will be working closely with the WAT Co-chairs on implementation of the watershed restoration plans. 2. Review and approve 6/9/10 Steering Council meeting minutes (attached) There was not a quorum of Steering Council members present to approve minutes. 3. Discussion concerning recruitment of additional rural Steering Council representation Sweet Water is looking to fill the towns/rural representative on the Steering Council. The person could be an elected official but not necessarily. Kate Morgan will check with the Ulau Creek partnership for possible candidates. Susan Greenfield has contacts in the south, including the Root River. Andy Holschbach is looking at the northern part of the watershed. Nancy Frank will contact Stephanie Hoffman with the Land and Water Conservation. 4. Update concerning SWWTs 501c3 application Martinka reported on Sweet Waters application for 501(c)(3) tax exempt status. The IRS is reviewing the application and has requested further clarification from Martinka and Ben Sykes. During the application process, Sweet Water is considered a 501(c) (3) for charitable donations. Martinka will keep the Steering Council up to date on the progress of the application.

5. Report on Public Policy Forum's Public-Private Cooperation Award for Sweet Water on 6/17 The award was a good opportunity to get information about Sweet Water and its work out to the public. Martinka will post the video of the award event on the website. 6. Policies and procedures matters: Discussion concerning establishment of Finance Committee and fiscal mechanisms (Secretary/Treasurer David Lee) At the Steering Council meeting in June a Development Committee formed. Now the Council needs to form a Finance Committee consisting of 2-3 people to assist Martinka with the financial management of Sweet Water funds. David Lee offered to Chair and Tom Grisa agreed to be on the Committee. Martinka will have a discussion with Lee about forming this committee and put this on the October agenda for Council approval. 7. Watershed Restoration Plans Implementation progress and Watershed Action Teams report (WAT Co-chair Ben Gramling) Ben Gramling, Sixteenth Street Community Health Center, reported on behalf of all the WAT Co-chairs on the process and progress of the WATs identification of a priority projects list from the watershed restoration plans. The list will be reviewed by the Science Committee and the WATs will also have meetings with key institutions and agencies in the watersheds to get feedback. At its meeting in October, the Steering Council will need to have a more substantial discussion on the final proposed priority project list coming out of this process. This list will then be the basis for an implementation plan to be developed by the end of November, meeting a Joyce grant deliverable. This priority list will also be used for decisions on seeking Wisconsin Coastal Management and Great Lakes Restoration Initiative grants. Martinka will send out the preliminary list of projects around to the Steering Council. 1000 Friends of Wisconsin will be doing a design competition for three projects that will make these projects more competitive for funding if they have a design already completed.

8. Report by Executive Director Jeff Martinka Martinka provided a progress report for June-August (see attached written report.) -Clean Rivers, Clean Lakes Conference is on September 15th (see below) -Sweet Water meeting with the Joyce Foundation and Chicago Wilderness on August 24th. -Joyce NGO Team will give a presentation to the Joyce Foundation and Sweet Grant Review Board on Wednesday October 20th by teleconference. -Sweet Water is beginning discussion with the Root River group for developing a potential watershed restoration plan. -Sweet Water will partner with MMSD and provide the public education and outreach component for the Districts TMDL projects. -Martinka requested $2,500 from Sweet Water program funds to add to the mini grants program bringing the total amount available for awards from $12,500 to $15,000. Steering Council members at the meeting agreed to this and sent it to the Executive Committee to approve. -It was noted that more time needs to be focused on fundraising 9. Status Reports: a. Conference Committee (Jeff Martinka) Martinka distributed a draft agenda for the conference (see attached). Sweet Water sent out a request to MMSDs conference list seeking financial sponsorships for this years conference. b. Policy Committee (Peter McAvoy) Marilyn Goris reported that the focus of the Policy Committee was on the integration of all the policy tools being explored and current policy issues that will affect the watershed restoration plans. The Committee is concerned about the expertise capacity for monitoring all of the different policy issues (e.g. TMDLs, water quality trading, watershed-based permitting, 303d listed waters).

c. Science Committee (Ezra Meyer for Val Klump) The Science Committee will review the draft priority lists for the watershed restoration plan implementation. The Human Health and Bacteria Subcommittee of the Science Committee has been looking at human pathogens with the greatest risk to make water users sick and the possibility of collecting DNA-based human bacteria samples in targeted locations in addition to continuing to sample for the regulated human health proxy indicator, fecal coliform. The Science Committee will come back to the Steering Council with a recommendation based on the findings of the Subcommittee on this issue. Future topics the Science Committee is considering looking into include: The DNR-led sediment PCB cleanup near Lincoln Park on the Milwaukee River and Lincoln Creek The City of Waukeshas Lake Michigan diversion application under the Great Lakes Compact Use designations and variance standards on area waterways

Grisa expressed concern about working on use designations and variance standards and its implications for advocacy. Science Committee Vice Chair Meyer agreed that the Committee would review these issues from a scientific basis and that the Committee would go through the proper channels with any recommendations, namely a review from the Policy Committee and WATs, followed by a presentation of the recommendations to the Steering Council for consideration. d. Communications Committee (Kate Morgan) Kate Morgan, 1000 Friends of Wisconsin, reviewed the communication tools for Sweet Water. The website has regularly up-dated news stories; social media such as twitter and facebook; Rivers Report was published in spring and summer. Sweet Water will take lead on next issue due in fall. Sweet Water is sending out regular press releases and has met

with press from WUWM and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The Communications Committee met in July on making social media more effective. Morgan provided an update on the survey. The Public Policy Forum is helping craft the survey with professionals from the Communications Committee survey sub-committee. The Steering Council would like to see a draft of the survey questions in advance of the telephone survey. The telephone survey is scheduled for September with the analysis/findings to be completed in October. Grisa expressed strong concerns about talking to people about stormwater right now in the wake of the storms and sewer backups in the homes. The visceral reaction to the storm and damage may skew the results. Grisa proposed delaying to January, however the experts cautioned that people are not interested in water issues in the winter. This may also be an opportunity to engage people if the questions are changed to reflect peoples current concerns. Morgan will take this concern back to the Committee and Public Policy Forum and get their thoughts on this. Martinka will also discuss with the Executive Committee. Menomonee River Group is participating in a pet fair to use as a way to introduce and connect people to water quality issues through a pet pick up information booth. Martinka and Morgan will provide the Steering Council with a report on number of website and facebook hits as well as any other demographic breakdown of information available. 10. Other matters There were no other matters for discussion. 11. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 3:35pm. Next meeting Wednesday, October 20th 1:30-3:30pm