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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005-01-13 KRSMA Board PacketKenai River Special Management Area Advisory Board Thursday, December 9, 2004 5:30 p.m. Kenai River Center CALL TO ORDER A. Roll Call Members present: Rick Wood, Jeff King, Ted Wellman, Floyd Heimbuch, Paul Shadura, Dick Hahn, Joe Connors, Ted Forsi, Keith Kornelis for Linda Snow, Dave Westerman, Tom Vania, Ted Wellman, Kent Patrick-Riley, Suzanne Fisler Members absent: Robin West, Pete Sprague, BiII Shuster, Ken Lancaster B. Approval of 11/18104 minutes The minutes were approved as written. C. Agenda Changes and Approval: No changes made II. PUBLIC COMMENT III. NEW BUSINESS A. Introduction of new Board members Ted Forsi, and Floyd Heimbuch were introduced to the board by Ted Wellman. Ted asked them to tell the board a bit about themselves. Floyd Heimbuch said he moved to Alaska with his wife in 1951. He taught school at Unalakleet and later retired from the Anchorage School District. In 1963 he decided to get into commercial fishing. As a result, he got into some of the politics of fishing. He then became the first executive director of Cook Inlet Aquaculture. He is retired and lives on the Kenai River. Ted Forsi said he came to Alaska in 1972. He is a civil engineer. In 1986 he started fishing the river as a guide. He guided on the Kenai River until 2003. He is also a hunt guide transporter as well as a pilot. He has been concentrating more on his consulting business. He works for native tribe clients in Seward and in Anchorage. He loves the Kenai River and looks forward to working with the board. B. Introduction of Park Superintendent Jack Sinclair Ted welcomed the newly appointed Park Superintendent. Jack said he was informed just yesterday about the appointment to Park Superintendent. He will be formerly appointed as of Monday, December 13. Jack has been living on the Kenai Peninsula since 1984, but in Alaska since 1980. He started as a Natural Resource Tech for Parks working with a prison crew of 5. In the middle of that summer he worked on the Kenai River. Another opportunity came up that same year with a new park in Seward in Resurrection Bay, Caines Head State Recreation Area. This park was undeveloped. He worked there from 1985 to 1990. In 1989 his job drastically changed due to the oil spill. In 1990 Chris Degernes took over the Area Superintendent job. Her position as the district ranger came open and Jack applied for that and he then became ranger for the north district. As district ranger he has worked with parks from the Kasilof area to Nikiski and Resurrection Bay State Marine Parks and along with that came the Prince William Sound Marine Parks. Because of the Oil Spill abbut 30 thousand'acres df land were added to PW S of which Eshamy Bay was tlie'Iargest. `In 1997 a court decree took place between the University of Alaska and the State due to a law suit that the University would have to provide $500 thousand dollars to provide for cabins and trails in the Gulf Coast area (near Yakutat). This was also added to Jack's area. He has seen from his observations that Kenai River will be a number one issue to deal with and looks forward to working with this board. C. Update on Boating Safety Program Bill talked about the boating safety program that the Kenai Area provides to the schools. Bill said there is a very diverse boating public in this state of which the Kenai River is a major part. P.laska has the highest non- commercial boating fatality in the nation. It is because of these statistics, the Office of Boating Safety (OBS) and the Kenai Area Parks River DistricE have taken a leading role of educating the public on boating. 2005 will be their 5~h year doing classes in the school systems on the Kenai. There are ^o park ranger, qualified to teach. Parks is assisted by the OBS with funding to get into the schools. Since 2001 the rangers have taught 848 classes and have touched over 21,000 kids. The goals of the program are to develop student awareness ,understanding and an appreciation for Alaska's cold water and the hazards it presents. It also develops their awareness of the importance of wearing life jackets, and to provide the students with the skills for proper selections and use of those life jackets, and to encourage safe and responsible behavior when they are on a boat or participating in outdoor water related activities. Bill encouraged the board members to let him know if they have any groups of kids who might be interested to please let him know. D. Update on Mixing Zones -Suzanne Fisler Suzanne said she talked to Nancy Sonafrank of DEC Fairbanks for an update. Nancy said DEC has received voluminous comments from the public and agencies. They are still analyzing all these comments. They will talk internally how to respond to the comments as well as talk to the sister agencies. Once DEC determines how to respond to the comments it will move up to the Commissioner's office for further action. She will check back next month with Nancy. Kent Patrick-Riley said between he and Suzanne the board will be updated as soon as possible. IV. OLD BUSINESS: A. Kenai River Working group Update -Ted Wellman/Joe Connors. Joe has been meeting with the group for 3 months. The last meeting was December 3`tl. The next meeting is scheduled for December 29 and 30t" at the Kenai River Center. Initially the working group tried to figure out what could legally be done. The group is supported by staff from Fish & Game, the Department of Law and a facilitator. The Division of Occupational Kenai River Special Management Area Advisory Board Minutes -December 9, 2004 Page 2 of 4 Licensing will speak at the next meeting. Though the group works well together, Joe said they are really struggling because most ideas have not measured up well against the criteria that would be legal. Ted said the constitutionality of everything this group wants to do seems to be the issue or hindering aspect. Statutory changes may be doable. Trying to accommodate dealing with individual boat operators vs multiple boat operators is still a serious concern. Ted reminded the board the meetings are open to the public and there are allotted times for public comment. B. Goal Setting for Board in 2004-2005 The following were items suggested as board priorities for 2004-2005: > additional lands in the upper Kenai River -lands around Trail Lake • Corr Property acquisition • Guide Standards program/ Academy adoption • Updated Carrying Capacity • Boat Wake Study continuation -update on study + More public resGooms on the Kenai River • User fee for everyone using the Kenai River Ted suggested the board think about these priorities and come back with discussion at the January meeting on prioritizing. C. Kenai River Center Update, Suzanne Fisler DOT has awarded the Soldotna Bridge pro}ect to Wilder Construction. Wilder construction will be down for a meeting after the holidays with DNR Parks and Habitat staff to discuss the start up. The temporary bridge is slated to be in place from March 05 to October 06. They will remove parts of that bridge in order to allow boating traffic after April. All the boating traffic will be routed to the east side of the river. Cooper Landing bypass is coming up to the table again. The next meeting is Monday, December 13 at the KRC. The board will be updated on this meeting in January. DOT has a preferred alternative: Juneau Creek would have least impact. Chugach Electric continues. Suzanne sat in on teleconferences this week regarding the access road and who will be responsible for managing that road. It was originally a federal easement that went from the Sterling Highway back to Forest Service lands and it was created primarily for access to the forest lands bui to also allow Chugach to reach the dam. Since that time the land was all transferred to the state so now there is a federal easement with private property interest on state land. They are trying to sort out who manages and maintains. Also recreation at the lake was discussed; the demand for winter recreation. Suzanne will be in Anchorage next week fora 3 day meeting on the different issues associated with the darn. She will update the board at next month's meeting. Kenai River Special Management Area Advisory Board Minutes -December 9, 2004 Page 3 of 4 IV. PUBLIC COMMENT V. ADJOURNMENT A. Board Comments Rick: The City of Soldotna is meeting with W ilder and the state project manager for the bridge project to discuss the City's expectations. Ted Forsi: Thanked Suzanne for her help getting him on the board and hopes to be a positive influence. Jeff: Happy Holidays to everyone. Dave: Wondered whatever became of the snowmachining group, K Plug? Suzanne said Forest Service has been involved in discussions but thinks they have faded away. B. Date/Agenda of Next Meeting January 13, 2005 Kenai River Special Management Area AdvisoryBOard Minutes -December 9, 2004 Page 4 of 4'~