The meeting was called to order in a restored rail coach car provided by the Verde Canyon Railroad by Chairman Jay Wilkinson at 7:04 p.m.
The November meeting minutes were approved as printed in the Confluence.
All others in attendance introduced themselves.
The Treasurer gave the monthly report. VWA has a current balance in the account of $1383.50. The financial report was approved.
Wilkinson passed around the committee signup sheets and he also encouraged additional volunteers to join the committees.
Wilkinson reported that VWA executive committee members met with the executive committee of the Safford - Duncan Gila River watershed group to discuss how the groups can share with each other. They also viewed a presentation by masters program students at ASU’s School of Planning on the Gila River Watershed. There will be other meetings with this group.
With all of the natural resource litigation in the Verde River Watershed, the VWA has an opportunity to facilitate between diverse parties, and the Chairman has committed VWA to play that role. The Steering group for the Prescott AMA is becoming very active and is creating some ideas and issues that involve VWA. VWA and this group need to come together and VWA needs to have a representative sit in on each of their meetings.
Jeff Shalau of Extension Service volunteered to sit in on these meetings for VWA and the motion was made and accepted to have him represent VWA on the Prescott AMA steering group.
Chairman asked past chairman Ed McGavock to head a committee to come up with some thoughts on what might be needed in the way of specific studies to get further information on water and grant opportunities for these studies and also the pros and cons of the various approaches that might be used.
Chairman Wilkinson introduced Jim Hoffbauer of the Town of Clarkdale who gave a presentation on the public works program for the town. Jim stated that growth and expansion is continuing in Clarkdale like in most other communities in the watershed and that effluent disposal is the current problem for the sewage treatment system. When Clarkdale is built out within it’s current boundaries, there will be a population of 12 to 15 thousand which will produce about 1 million gallons of treated effluent daily. Current plans for treated effluent disposal will only handle about ½ half of that amount.
John Parsons gave an update on activities of the VWA Coordinator. The Web Page has been updated recently and there are some digitized photos on the page. Dr. Jim Byrkit has a bibliography on the Verde Watershed that is on the website and is downloadable. It will soon have search capabilities for those doing research. The Confluence is being mailed to 3,999 addresses each month and the Verde Valley media has picked up numerous articles from the Confluence for their stories.
Ed McGavock of the nominating committee reported that Jay Wilkinson agreed to serve as chairman for another year. Tom O’Halleran of Yavapai County agreed to serve as Vice-Chairman, and Tom Bonomo agreed to serve as Secretary-Treasurer for another year. Motion made to accept the slate of the nominating committee and the motion was approved.
In other business: there will be a meeting in Camp Verde on January 28, 1998 on the Southwestern Willow Flycatcher in the Verde Valley. The meeting is co-sponsored by the Town of Camp Verde and the VWA.
Committee assignments will be printed in an up coming issue of the Confluence.
Bob Williams gave an introduction of his Jan. 20 presentation on boating on the Verde River to be given at the VWA meeting in Chino Valley.
The meeting adjourned at 8:37 p.m. By T. Bonomo