Governance Committee Meeting Minutes

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ti ? r Task WP-1- Modification of Contract with David Smith Dale Strickland reported that the FC recommended that the contract with David Smith be modified to reflect an additional $10,000 in Program funds; that the contract be with Jerry Kenny instead of Dale Strickland; and that the contract be modified to secure David's services on choke point issues such as Nebraska boundary law and easements. Mike Purcell stated that David Smith would also provide a presentation at the October GC meeting about boundary issues. The GC approved. Task WC-3 - Water Surface Elevation Pilot Study Jerry Kenny reported that the Program needs information about water surface elevation where whooping cranes are sighted using the river. The TAC and FC recommend the BOR do a pilot analysis of 10 sites using three different methods. Jerry Kenny reported that expediency and the need to have this data quickly led to sole source on this issue. Clayton Derby reported that the $18,313 for this pilot study would be moved from Task S-3 (Recruit/Hire ED) in the 2007 budget because the ED is in place and those funds are no longer needed for that line item. T'he GC approved. Task 5-1- Extension of Agreement with WEST, Inc. Jerry Kenny reported that the existing agreement with WEST, Inc. ends on September 30. Jerry Kenny and Dale Strickland are working on a contract for access to Dale and staff and for providing a mechanism for completion of the whooping crane analysis. Dale Strickland said there are adequate funds available in the existing budget to provide for a transition contract. Mike Purcell said that there is no change in the budget and WEST, Inc. will essentially be a sub- contractor of Jerry Kenny and the ED Office. The GC approved. Task LP-2 - Cottonwood Ranch Agreement Jerry Kenny reported on the agreement prepared by NPPD prepared in response to direction from the Apri12007 GC meeting. The agreement with NPPD includes $75,000 for habitat maintenance activities at Cottonwood Ranch in 2007 and $200,000 for habitat enhancement at Cottonwood Ranch in 2007. Actual costs would be paid within one year of federal authorization of the Program. Brian Barels will provide the GC with an invoice for all pre-2007 Cottonwood Ranch costs at the October GC meeting. The GC approved a 2007 budget of $275,000. Tasks PS-1 and PS-2 - Pallid Sturgeon Information Review and Stage Change Study Chad Smith reported on a proposal to modify Program document language relative to timing of the lower Platte stage change study and secondly, his intention to complete the pallid sturgeon information review/summary (Task PS-1) as ED Office staff. Ann Bleed said she was concerned about the language change being a major change and that it seemed the Program was moving away from the stage change study as a hydrology study and into broader work on the pallid sturgeon. Mark Butler provided a brief summary of the FWS position on pallid sturgeon and read from the Program document and study description in the Adaptive Management Plan which states that the study is to "Identify the physical effects of subtly different rates of flow (stage and associated elements) over time on connection, construction, maintenance, and evolution of pallid sturgeon habitat components". Don Kraus and Mike Purcell said they were also concerned about the proposed change. Mike Purcell recommended tabling the issue until the October GC meeting This document is a draft based on one person's notes of the meeting. The official meeting minutes may be different if corrections are made by the Govemance Committee before approval. Page 7 of 8