Laserfiche WebLink
assessment, while the second interpretation would allow WRSA resources to be used to comp lete <br />a needs assessment. In reviewing the proposals, CWCB remained flexible allowing both <br />interpretation s. The WSRA can be used to help complete needs assessm ents or to implement <br />water activities identified as important in a roundtable’s working needs assessment . Rick then <br />opened the floor for questions and comments on what he had presented. <br /> <br />Comments and Questions: <br /> <br />Peter Binney: I did not see any applica ti ons focused on broader findings of needs <br />identified in SWSI. Did anyone apply in these areas? Did applications have to focus on <br />interbasin issues? I want to make sure that some of these broader issues are addressed . <br />We can’t just focus on narrower or more limited issues. Need to find champions for <br />these broader issues identified by SWSI Answer (Rick Brown): No, we did not receive <br />any applications focused on the broader SWSI areas . <br /> <br />Ray Wright : The p rocess is a bit tenuous and in the early learni ng stage. Roundtables <br />may be reluctant to turn applicants down because of lack of experience or expertise in <br />assessing whether projects meet threshold criteria and address broader issues. Basin <br />Roundtables are operating a bit more than ad hoc, but not mu ch. Participants in <br />Roundtables are volunteers, without staff, budget or experience in evaluating <br />ap plications. Our R oundtable agreed to spread the process out and create a subcommittee <br />to review applications before bringing them to the full Roundtable. <br /> <br />Harris Sherman : CWCB and IBCC may want to provide technical expertise to <br />Roundtables in developing applicat ions. We w an t to make the process easier, and n eed to <br />be able to show that the State’s money has been well spent. <br /> <br />Marc Catlin : Should we be focusi ng only on projects identified by SWSI? SWSI did a <br />good job in looking at potential overarching and broad issues and projects. My only <br />concern is that the projects currently funded do not address some of the needs identified <br />by SWSI. Someone needs to ad dress these needs such as CWCB or a water provider. <br />We need a vertical spread of projects that the state will need down the road. <br /> <br />Some applicants will not have the expertise to fill out an appli cation. If help in preparing <br />an application is available from the state, this would be very valuable. Also, some <br />applicants may either not be familiar with issues raised in SWSI, or want to address <br />issues in their specific area. This should be ok to apply for. Thi s is what the Gunnison <br />Basin agreed to allow . <br /> <br />Stan Cazier : I agree that h elp in completing applications would be appreciated. <br /> <br />Senator Jim Isgar : Some communities are so small they just do not have expertise. We <br />need to look at what technical assistance is needed and how it can best be provided, <br />esp ecially for applicants for small projects. Assistance needs to be provided early on so <br />that applicants do not get into pitfalls later. The b urden should not fall on the Chairman <br />of each Roundtable to become the staff person for applicants. <br /> 4 <br />