<p> IRU February 27, 2016 Board Meeting Minutes</p><p>IRU Board of Directors — Saturday, Feb. 27, 2016 Meeting time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mountain Time</p><p>Location: IRU Building, Boise</p><p>Board members present: John Wells (President), Peter DeLuca, Buck Drew, LuVerne Grussing, Andy Munter, Tom Stuart, Cherie Barton, Ken Anderson, Steve Jones, Danielle Cheatle , Phil Gordon, Susan Troppmann, Shirley Ringo, Roger Rankin by conference call.</p><p>Staff present: Mark Blaiser Executive Director, Kevin Lewis Conservation Director</p><p>Note-taker: Secretary Buck Drew</p><p>Notes on minutes: Main subjects in bold, 10:00 am President John Wells calls meeting to order, offers welcome, introductions, reviews agenda.</p><p>10:05 Mark Blaiser presented IRU Staffing Update. Anna Buschbacher will be the new Development Director starting March 7, 2016. Danielle Cheatle described the Aveda Network, and the company’s Earth Month effort, which will benefit IRU again this year. Aveda has strong environmental values, and has financially assisted clean-water initiatives with their own fundraising. Danielle has been key in assisting IRU with this work. </p><p>Approval of Minutes from December 16,2015 meeting. The minutes were reviewed. Action item: Tom Stuart made the motion to approve/ Cherie Barton seconded the motion/ approval of December minutes passes unanimously.</p><p>10:30 am, Kevin: Conservation Program Update For more highlights see Kevin’s handout.</p><p>Bear River- FERC commission will make final decision in April. Hells Canyon- Idaho Power is nowhere near a new license for the Hells Canyon Complex. There is currently no mechanism to force issue to completion. Methyl mercury levels are high in river affecting salmon. Discussed funding, water temperature variations.</p><p>IRU Litigation: Selway Lawsuit is still alive, Judge Winmill will rule on our claims and help frame future of Wild & Scenic legal actions. Mega-load Mediation is ongoing. Expo Idaho 60-Day Notice to correct waste water treatment, negotiating with Ada County. CUMO litigation is underway. Exploration for Moly B mine up Boise River. Johnson Bar, new litigation on WSFS fire salvage in the Selway W&S corridor. Kevin is looking for Board’s approval to initiate litigation to protect W&S values.</p><p>Action Item: Phil Gordon made a motion to authorize litigation on the USFS fire salvage plan at Johnson Bar. The motion is seconded by Peter DeLuca, passes unanimously by voice vote.</p><p>Lower Snake Dams New studies on hydro, waterway and recreation.</p><p>Tom Stuart: Lower Snake Dam removal fight has been going on for 20 years. He discussed the economics and legal dimensions (Endangered Species Act, NW Power Act, Clean Water Act) and publicity of Salmon recovery. New efforts related to water temperatures in the lower Snake & Columbia Rivers are underway, monitoring the Corps of Engineers and how they are mitigating warmer river temperatures. </p><p>September 2016 “Free the Snake Flotilla” may become a two-day event..</p><p>Columbia Basin Partnership. A NOAA inspired coalition of workshops to deal with Salmon Recovery. IRU is participating, and reserving judgment about long term involvement.</p><p>Strategic Planning: Volunteer Conservation Associates- IRU’s conservation staff is limited primarily to Kevin, with help from Greg, Mark, and recently, Jennifer. We are looking for volunteers to do work on local conservation issues. LuVerne suggested the Conservation Committee needs to be re-instituted and work with Board, staff, and volunteers.</p><p>Payette Forest Collaborative - Projects on west side of Payette Forest initiating possible new Wilderness and Wild & Scenic designations. Looking for volunteers in the McCall area to speak to local issues.</p><p>Urban River Conservation Efforts. Boise River efforts will continue but so will strategy for dealing with other urban rivers in the state.</p><p>John Wells discussed coming up with a Conservation Committee. This may be something we can tie into strategic planning.</p><p>Mark Blaiser: Events, Conservation, and Development Committees are on wish list.</p><p>11:50 Financial Report Andy Munter treasurer/Mark Blaiser ED Board will be able to view reports including budget proposal on Board Portal at web site. See instructions at end of minutes below.</p><p>2015 Profit and Loss Highlights of discussion: We did not do as well in 2015 as we did on 2014. We spent about $50,000 more in ’15 than ’14. IRU needs to consider Workplace Giving, where companies match employee gifts. Reach out to members who may be employed by entities on the program.</p><p>2016 Profit and loss Highlights of discussion: Hewlett grant has come in for $15k (Feb). February ’16 will look good financially.</p><p>Development Director will look to major donors and membership, Mark will primarily write grants. All will look for new sources of income: past major donors and expired members.</p><p>12:30 Break for Lunch</p><p>1:15 pm Goals for the Strategic Planning Session Mark Blaiser ED</p><p>Mark presented a powerpoint show going over parameters of how to plan strategically. The Board divided into 4 groups in a Break Out Session to discuss what IRU should be doing to:</p><p>Serve our members. Enhance our conservation and outreach programs. Support the Board of Directors. Respond to change and opportunity. Create a sustainable financial future for IRU. Improve our value to the community. What are our 5 highest priorities?</p><p>Mark and Staff will be correlating and coordinating the themes and responses into a refined document.</p><p>Power Point slides were shown building up to a Vision Statement. Again the members broke into 4 groups to compose a draft Vision Statement.</p><p>Core Values: The ecological integrity of Idaho’s rivers must be protected.</p><p>IRU supports a culture of open communication, teamwork and productive dialogue amongst the staff and board, and honors its role as a community organization that emphasizes the importance of its members, volunteers and allies. Mission of Idaho Rivers United is to protect and restore the rivers of Idaho.</p><p>Is there is an existing local tribe member for Board consideration? - Danielle</p><p>Discussion centered on the major issues, conditions and trends outside of our control that are impacting IRU and our programs and partners.</p><p>Such as: climate politics more urban and connected to nature not connecting to a new generation technology fracking water = economics population pressure global issues</p><p>INTERNAL ISSUES THAT: impact staff - primarily time impacting programs- primarily finances impacting the resources- primarily finances issues facing the Board- issues facing Idaho’s rivers</p><p>Time is most pressing issue in all affairs. Discussion regarding communication from/ to Board and Executive Committee in particular.</p><p>Discussion of IRU’s competitive advantage: Discussed why people join IRU. Why funders support IRU. Why SOS, FOC, IRS, AIRE, BSU, EPA and others want to partner with IRU. Why policy makers listen to IRU. Why the public support IRU’s work.</p><p>Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations, Results of IRU see Mark Blaser’s consolidation of Strategic Plan: 2016- 2020 forthcoming.</p><p>5 p.m. John Wells Adjournment Cherie Barton presents motion, Buck seconds</p><p>Sunday, February 28, 2016 Meeting Time 9:00 am- 12:00 pm Board Members present: John Wells President, Peter DeLuca, Buck Drew, LuVerne Grussing, Andy Munter, Tom Stuart, Cherie Barton, Ken Anderson, Steve Jones, Danielle Cheatle, Phil Gordon, Shirley Ringo, Roger Rankin by phone. Staff present: Mark Blaiser Executive Director</p><p>9:00 am President John Wells calls the meeting to order.</p><p>9:05 am Mark Blaiser IRU’s Strategic Planning Wrap-Up Discussion of recent IRU member survey. Data is still “raw” as they were tabulated on Friday. Board members were given copies of the survey report. Mark will put the results into the Strategic Planning and report back to board. Report can be read on IRU web site portal.</p><p>Preview Draft Document (format, not complete content of Strategic Plan: Vision 2020). The idea is to have 5 strategic initiatives: (please see handout or web site portal for detail) -Energy & Water Policy -Native Fisheries -Urban Rivers -Recreation -Wild Rivers</p><p>Discussion ensued among all Board Members regarding the format of each proposal.</p><p>10:30 a.m. - Development Committee Nominations: Andy Munter, Roger Rankin, Cherie Barton, John Wells. Others may be added soon.</p><p>Discussion of which areas of Idaho need to be represented. It will function like a steering committee, serving staff and board efforts.</p><p>11:00 a.m. Ken Anderson, Mark Blaiser- Staff Evaluation Process Update</p><p>Based on what employees say they will do, goal oriented, then Mark and employees follow through. Exec Comm reviews Mark’s plan and will conduct the annual evaluation. If goals of any employee are not met we have the data for measurement of success. This year staff will tie goals in with Strategic plan.</p><p>11:15 a.m. John Wells- Next Board Meetings:</p><p>April 6 - Conference Call, 4 p.m. MST May 21 - Ketchum Meeting Aug 15 - Conference Call, 4 p.m. MST Oct 15 - McCall Meeting Dec 12 - Conference Call, 4 p.m. MST</p><p>11:30 a.m. Other Business Acknowledgement of new web-site portal (password protected) for Board. Document Library 1) www.idahorivers.org tab: “organizational” @ bottom</p><p>2) Protected Portal: www.idahorivers.org/board password: rivers please do not distribute</p><p>12:00 pm John Wells, Adjournment motion made by Tom Stuart, seconded by Andy Munter</p>