The Oklahoma Scenic Rivers Commission will meet Tuesday, April 20 in Tahlequah at the Municipal Armory Center on Water Street.
There have been several developments recently involving the OSRC. Governor Brad Henry has appointed Michael Fuhr as the successor to Dr. Jeanne Hayes who resigned months ago. Fuhr is executive director The Nature Conservancy, Oklahoma Chapter.
Commissioner Gene Quarles passed away this week. He was a resident of Flint Ridge. Gene was a good man and an active conservationist and will be missed on the commission.
The wife of former OSRC Commissioner Bill Blackard, Mary Blackard, passed away this week after a long battle with cancer. We extend our sympathies to Bill and the Blackard Family.
There is a move in the legislature to consolidate the OSRC with the Oklahoma Conservation Commission and the Tourism Department. HB 3173 by Bingman of the Senate and Hickman of the House has passed the House and the title has been removed. Our sources tell us that it may not be considered this session. Your STIR Board of Directors is considering a position statement on HB 3173 if necessary. The OSRC has not taken a position on the proposal but is scheduled to discuss an alternative proposal at Tuesday’s meeting. See item number 11 C on the OSRC agenda below. Here is a link to HB 3173: http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/TextOfMeasures/TextOfMeasures.aspx
The Oklahoma Secretary of Environment Office has a nice, new Web page. See: http://www.environment.ok.gov
The STIR Board of Directors met in March in Tahlequah and adopted bylaws for our organization. The bylaws will be available for distribution at the STIR Annual Meeting and quarterly Board of Directors meeting this June. The STIR Annual Meeting is tentatively scheduled on Friday, June 25 in Muskogee at the Three Forks Harbor. We hope that Attorney General Drew Edmondson’s schedule will permit him to join us and report on his efforts to protect the Illinois River watershed and Tenkiller Lake. Please mark your calendar now for the Annual meeting of our “Band of Brothers”.
There still is plenty time to enter the drawing for the Old Town Otter kayak by joining STIR or renewing your subscription before June 15. It’s easy and quick to join online. You can mail your membership fee to STIR, 24369 E 757 Rd, Tahlequah, OK 74464. Membership is $15 for Families and Individuals, $25 for Business and Organizations, and any larger Donor category contributions. See:
http://www.illinoisriver.org/371271.aspx
Here is the OSRC agenda. Please attend the meeting if you can and let the OSRC members know you care about their decisions.
Happy Trails,
Ed Brocksmith
Secretary-Treasurer
MEETING DATE: Tuesday, April 20, 2010
MEETING TIME: 5:30 p.m.
MEETING PLACE: Tahlequah Armory Municipal Center
100 North Water Street, Tahlequah, Oklahoma 74464
OKLAHOMA SCENIC RIVERS COMMISSION
REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING AGENDA
01. Meeting Called to Order.
02. Flag Salute/Pledge of Allegiance and Invocation.
03. Moment of Silence in Tribute for Gene Quarles, OSRC Commission Member, who passed away on Sunday, April 11, 2010.
04. Roll Call.
05. Introduction of Guests and Visitors.
06. Comments from Guests and Visitors.
This item is included within the agenda to allow time for public comment to the OSRC Board of Commissioners. Comments are limited to three minutes per speaker. This agenda item allows NO ACTION may be taken by Commissioners.
07. Consideration, vote to approve, amend or take other action approving the Minutes of February 16, 2010 OSRC Regular Business Meeting and March 31, 2010 OSRC Special Business Meeting.
08. Presentation by Bill Lawrence, Chief – NOAA, National Weather Service, Arkansas-Red Basin River Forecast Center, Tulsa Oklahoma, on that agency’s work program(s) within Oklahoma Scenic River Basins.
09. Consideration, vote to approve, amend or take other action on request from Brandon Girty, Owner of the “Tubin Shack” to appeal OSRC Administrator’s February 12, 2010 denial letter for issuance of fifty (50) OSRC Commercial Flotation Device Licenses for new inner tubing commercial float business to operate on Barren Fork Creek from Welling Bridge extending downstream to Boy Scout Hole, located in Cherokee County. Agenda Footnote: Pursuant to Oklahoma Administrative Code 630: Scenic Rivers Commission Chapter 15-1-16. Vessel Restrictions, “no person shall operate a commercial flotation device on the Flint Creek in Delaware County or on those portions of Barren Fork Creek in Cherokee County.”
10. OSRC Executive Working Committee Report. Presented by Chairman Steve Randall, Vice-Chairman Riley Needham, Secretary Rick Stubblefield, Commissioner Monte Bradford and Commissioner John Larson.
11. Summary Disposition Agenda Items.
Any item listed under this Summary Disposition Agenda may, at the request of any member of the Commission, the Commission’s Staff, or any other person attending this meeting, be transferred to the Special Consideration Agenda. Under the Special Consideration Agenda, separate discussion and vote or other action may be taken on any items already listed under that agenda or items transferred to that agenda from this Summary Disposition Agenda.
A. Requests to Transfer Items from Summary Disposition Agenda to the Special Consideration Agenda, and Action on Whether to Transfer Such Items.
B. Discussion, Questions, Responses Pertaining to Any Items Remaining on Summary Disposition Agenda and Possible Action on Items 11. C through 11. F., Recommended for Approval.
C. Consideration and Possible Action on Summary Letter to Members of the Second Session of the Fifty-Second Oklahoma Legislature supporting OSRC Administrator’s April 06, 2010 “Draft” Alternatives Document for Amendment of House Bill # 3173. Recommended for Approval.
D. Consideration and Possible Action on Letter to Commercial Flotation Device Operations seeking their input and recommendations related to amendments for improvement of Oklahoma Administrative Code 630: Scenic Rivers Commission Chapter 10 and 15 (Rules and Regulations). Further, requesting timely notification to OSRC Commission Members of Illinois River Association Meeting Schedule. Recommended for Approval.
E. Consideration of and Possible Action to conduct OSRC Meetings, Recommended for Approval:
1. OSRC Special Business Meeting in September 2010, in Broken Bow-Smithville, Oklahoma Area to Meet with Upper Mountain Fork River “Scenic River Area” Stakeholders; and,
2. OSRC Regular Business Meeting for February or April 2011, in the Oklahoma State Capitol, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
F. Consideration of and Possible Action on Contracts and Agreements, Recommended for Approval:
1. Interagency Agreement with Oklahoma Conservation Commission (OCC), Water Quality Division to Cost-Share “Aerobic On-Site Wastewater Treatment Project”. OSRC Cost-Share $1,000.00 and OCC Cost-Share $3,500.00, Total Project Cost-Share $4,500.00; and,
2. Interagency Joint Funding Agreement with U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) No. 10C4OK10OK02816 U.S. Geological Survey Project No. 8642AA5/8642AC7 “Surface-Water Monitoring and Water Quality Sampling in the Illinois River Basin”. The Agreement is for the Contract Period July 01, 2010 to June 30, 2011. OSRC Cost-Share $71,500, USGS Federal Matching Funds $71,500, USGS National Streamflow Information Program Funds $44,200 and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Tulsa District Office $18,600. Total Project Cost-Share $205,800.
12. Special Consideration
For INDIVIDUAL PROCEEDINGS, a majority of a quorum of Commission Members, in a recorded vote, may call for closed deliberations for the purpose of engaging in formal deliberations leading to an intermediate or final decision in an individual proceeding under the legal authority of the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act, 25 O.S. Section 307 (B)(8) and the Administrative Procedures Act, 75 O.S. Section 309 and following a majority vote of a quorum of the Commission Members present, in a recorded vote, may authorize an executive session for the purposes of CONFIDENTIAL COMMUNICATIONS between the public body and its attorney concerning a pending investigation, claim, or action if the public body, with the advice of its attorney, determines that disclosure will seriously impair the ability of the public body to process the claim or conduct the pending investigation, litigation or proceeding in the public interest, under the legal authority of the Oklahoma Open Meetings Act, 25 O.S. Section 307 (B)(4); Proposed Findings, Conclusions and Order are Recommended for Approval in the following matters:
A. Items Transferred from Summary Disposition Agenda, if Any.
13. Consideration of Supplemental Agenda Items, if Any.
14. Administrator’s Report.
15. New Business.
Under the Open Meeting Act, this agenda item is authorized only for matters not known about or which could not have been reasonably foreseen prior to the time of the posting of the agenda or any revised agenda.
16. Adjournment.
Dates to Remember:
June 15, 2010 …………………………….. OSRC Regular Business Meeting
August 17, 2010 ………………………….. OSRC Regular Business Meeting
October 19, 2010 …………………………. OSRC Regular Business Meeting
December 21, 2010 ………………………. OSRC Regular Business Meeting
All interested individuals who have a disability or need special assistance in attending the meeting should call 918-456-3251. The OSRC will provide reasonable accommodations to ensure that all individuals have the opportunity to participate in the meeting.
This agenda was posted to the public and emailed to all individuals and organizations listed on the OSRC electronic mailing list on Friday, April 16, 2010.
The public may access OSRC agendas, past minutes and other documents by visiting the OSRC Website at: www.oklahomascenicrivers.net.
Comments may be directed to Ed Fite, Administrator by phone at (918) 456-3251 and/or Email ed.fite@oklahomascenicrivers.net.
#04162010
Cheryl Allen
Administrative Manager
Oklahoma Scenic Rivers Commission
P. O. Box 292
Tahlequah, OK 74465
(918) 456-3251
admin.manager@oklahomascenicrivers.net
www.oklahomascenicrivers.net