Wolverine Creek Area Planning
Meeting Summary - Wednesday November 20, 2002 at the Anchorage Senior Center

MEETING SUMMARY
Wolverine Creek Management Committee

Wednesday November 20, 2002
Anchorage Senior Center


Meeting participants

Committee members:
Joe Schuster, Lance DeSaw, Fred Hirschmann, Alan Helfer, Peter Thompson, Mark Glassmaker, Jeremy Schimmel.

Meeting attendees:
Doug Brewer, Tom Thibodeau, Steve Stringham, Leona Oberts, Carl Dixon, Loree Jensen, Jim Barr, Chris Buchholdt, George Matz, Harry Walker, Shelly Helfer, Greg Bell, Mark Bell, Dorothy Keeler, Lani Eggertsen-Goff, Eric Downey, Mark Miller, Todd Rust, Jim Durtscht, Jack Barber, Dave Nacey, Clark Mishler, Willis Thayer, Chris Norman.

ADF&G staff:
Cindi Loker, Jeff Hughes, Colleen Matt, Joe Meehan, Ian Gill, Tom Griffin, Mark Burch, Gino Del Frate, John Hechtel, David Rutz, Mark Kuwada, Doug Hill.

Meeting purpose

To provide background information about brown bear behavior; an overview of ADF&G management objectives for Wolverine Creek and; discuss and reach agreement on voluntary guidelines.

Welcome and opening remarks

Lisa O'Brien welcomed everyone. The members of the Wolverine Creek Management Committee (WCMC) introduced themselves and then members of the public and other meeting attendees introduced themselves.

Jeff Hughes gave a brief overview of ADF&G's involvement with Wolverine Creek and restated that this management process has not been initiated because ADF&G feels that there are drastic problem at Wolverine Creek. Rather, Jeff stressed that the purpose of these meetings is to involve the public more in the management process.

Lisa O'Brien reminded the group to focus their discussion on reviewing the guidelines for Wolverine Creek. Lisa explained that issues peripheral to that discussion would be placed in the meeting's Parking Lot and that ADF&G staff were available to advise people of the appropriate channels to follow up on their concerns. Lisa appointed Tom Thibodeau as the official timekeeper, asking him to assist the group in staying on track to achieve the meeting goals.

With the help of the group, Lisa established the following ground rules for discussion:

  • Raise your hand and wait your turn to speak
  • Public input must be listened to
  • Discussion should remain focused
  • No cheap shots
  • Keep discourse civilized
  • Listen, don't interrupt

Questions/public input

Lisa O'Brien then opened the floor for public input regarding the process thus far. Some members of the group were concerned that more information regarding the meetings was provided to some groups but not others. Some members were also concerned over the removal of the Commercial Photographer representative from the WCMC at the previous meeting and felt their interests would have been better served if that seat had remained on the committee. Concerns were also voiced that the overall composition of the WCMC favored consumptive, commercial users. Lisa listed these concerns, which ADF&G will use in the design of public processes in the future.

Bear behavior presentation

John Hechtel gave a brief slideshow and discussed some of the basic principles of how bears share resources and interact with themselves and with humans.

Presentation of objectives and corresponding guidelines

John Hechtel discussed the importance of ADF&G's Management Objectives 1 & 2 (Attachment A), and how those objectives relate to the guidelines.

Mark Kuwada discussed the importance of ADF&G's Management Objectives 3 & 4, (Attachment A), and how those objectives relate to the guidelines.

Joe Meehan discussed the importance of ADF&G's Management Objectives 5 & 6 (Attachment A), and how those objectives relate to the guidelines.

Discussion of objectives and corresponding guidelines

Lisa O'Brien and Cindi Loker gave an overview of how the discussion of the guidelines would work. After each guideline was read, members of the WCMC would have an opportunity to accept it "as is" or propose a change. Once the WCMC had agreed on a version of the guideline, Lisa would open the floor to the public, who then had the opportunity to propose changes as they saw fit or offer their input on proposed changes. In order to be adopted, all proposed changes had to be approved by consensus of the WCMC.

See Attachment B for a fully revised version of the guidelines that incorporates the changes approved by the WCMC.

After the discussion on the existing guidelines, Lisa O'Brien asked for input on possible additional guidelines. Carl Dixon requested that the whole group discuss the idea of a no-boat buffer along the cove shoreline, which had been suggested earlier in the evening. In addition, a 10-foot buffer only while bears are in the cove was proposed. Both were discussed, but the WCMC did not reach consensus on either.

Bear behavior presentation

John Hechtel gave a brief slideshow and discussed some of the basic principles of how bears share resources and interact with themselves and with humans.

Next steps

Cindi told the group that the revised guidelines would be sent out to all of the individuals on the mailing list. Comments about the revised guidelines should be sent to Cindi at ADF&G, 333 Raspberry Road, Anchorage, AK 99518-1599 or cindi.jacobson@alaska.gov or faxed to 267-2433. The WCMC will address public input regarding the guidelines at their Spring meeting to be held in late April or early May. Once confirmed, the meeting date and location will be sent to the mailing list as well.

Adjourn

The meeting adjourned at 10:00 pm.

Attachments

Attachment A Management Objectives
Attachment B Draft Guidelines (PDF 168 kB)