Mineral County RC&D

Meeting Minutes

December 1, 2003

The monthly meeting of the Mineral County RC&D convened at 10:00 a.m. on December 1, 2003 with Chairperson Kevin Chamberlain presiding.

The following people were in attendance:

Sharon Patterson, Extension

Pat Hayes, MCCF

Kevin Chamberlain, MSU Extension

James Warnken, County Commissioner

B. J. McComb, County Commissioner

Rob Harper, Superior Ranger District

Glenn Koepke, Superior Ranger District

Judy Stang, County Commissioner

Glenn Koepke informed the group of the upcoming meeting regarding the Hiawatha Trail to be held in St. Regis on December 10, 2003 at the St. Regis Community Center.

Kevin Chamberlain gave the following report:

Attended the “Show-Me” tour of Big Sky Forest Products.

• Big Sky Forest Products was able to purchase an electronic log sorter with an Economic Action Program Grant (EAP).
• Big Sky would like to submit another grant application for the purchase of a Chipper/debarker equipment. This piece of equipment would allow them to utilize all waste from a logging project.
• The group attending this tour was told that 400 load of logs are needed per year to keep the plant going or which 20 loads need to be from Federal land.
• Currently there are 8 employees

Attended the Knox Brooks/Tricon Timber Tour

• This trip was sponsored by Tricon to show the Congressional delegations and environmental groups the progress on the Knox Brooks Stewardship sale.
• The group toured sites that showed upgraded fish passages, road obliterations, viewed past logging and discussed future logging plans.
• The tour of Tricon Mill commenced

Rob Harper, Superior District Ranger gave the following report

• RAC meeting on December 2, 2003 at 6:00 p.m.
• All permanent part time employees have been laid off
• No burning after December 1 because of air quality issues
• Dick Wilkinson will be retiring after 42 years of service with the Forest Service
• 2004 improvements for Quartz Campground are to include electricity to some of the sites
• Gate patrol during hunting season went o.k.
• There are snowmobile issues at Lookout Pass: parking, motorized vs non-motorized
• There has been vandalism to the toilets at Trout Creek Campground
• Quartz CE has not sold
• Collaboration between USFS and local folks regarding fuels reduction
• Blazing Saddles Logging Sale in currently up for bid. Part of this sale is in the land exchange with DNRC
• Healthy Forest Initiative passed but without funding
• Question whether CE’s could be part of stewardship

Pat Hayes gave the following report

Economic Development

• Asset Model
• Public lands Mineral County’s largest asset
• Telephone Fiber Optic
• Mineral County Chamber of Commerce is struggling
• Challenges to Economic Development within Mineral County should include Forest Service Reduction in Force (if not further funding is made available to run at current levels) and outsourcing

Public Land Assets are

• Hiawatha Trail
• MCCF’s ability to bid on CE’s
• Meeting with Rehberg’s staff to try to get an appropriation for Lolo through Healthy Forest Initiative money to get to Nine Mile Ranger District and Superior Ranger District
• MCCF will be moving its office to the Old School. Reception for new and old Board Members will be December 19 7:00-8:30.

With no other business to come before this group the meeting adjourned at 12:00 Noon. The next meeting will be January 5, 2004. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.