Lower Mountain Fork River Foundation

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Fish Fry and Meeting

Stevens Gap Pavilion*
Broken Bow Lake

 

           

    

  

 MINUTES

of the

Regular Meeting

LOWER MOUNTAIN FORK RIVER FOUNDATION

June 28^th, 2008

Stephen’s Gap Picnic Pavilion

Hochatown, OK

 

Directors present were Acting Chairman Patrick Waters, Tom Atwood, Main Hutcheson, Mike Love, Clif Harden, Roger Turner, Herman Bell, and Joe Lanza.

Advisory Board Members present were Jesse King and Robert Woodruff.

Other members present were Linda King, Chris White, Paul Sammons, Roy MacKay, Jean Paul Hacker, Russ Willingham, Dana Willingham, and Doug Werhene.

Visitors present were ODWC Wildlife Commissioner Mike Bloodworth, ODWC Southwest Regional Supervisor Paul Balkenbush, Beavers Bend Park Manager Jim Miller, Oklahoma Game Wardens Dru Polk and Randy Fennell, Oklahoma State Park Ranger Mike Carter, as well as Ellen Gray, Pam Waters, Mark Richardson, Cathy Atwood, Clark Chapman, Pat Chapman, Kenneth Mengeling, Robyn Johnson.

Acting Chairman Patrick Waters called the meeting to order at 6 p.m.

The minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved.

The treasurer’s report was read and approved.

Linda King reported 73 paid memberships including 5 Life Memberships.

Mike Bloodworth, District Three Representative to the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission, had to leave early. Mike Love reported on his meeting with him to discuss the possibility of adding a glass container ban and litter control regulations to the ODWC Administrative Code.  Mike Bloodworth said he would advance the idea at the next Commissioner’s meeting.

Pat Chapman was introduced and recognized for her valuable assistance in creating the new and vastly improved LMFRF website:  www.lmfrfoundation.org.

Paul Balkenbush addressed the flood damage in Spillway Creek and Lost Creek.  He estimated a need of 250 ton of rock and heavy equipment rental at a cost of $6-8000 for repairs and improvements between now and the end of September.  Paul reported the installation of the LMFRF sponsored gates and the ongoing soil replacement projects.  If the Cold Water Diffuser project model show the promise planned, expect July, August, and September operation starting in 2009, and the funds have been approved. Paul said studies show that the rearing pens, due to their high mortality loss of 30-40%, are not as cost effective as a biweekly stocking  of 9-inch trout with 10% of the trout over 14 inches.  Jesse King recommended that rearing pens be kept for brown trout only.  

Motion by Tom Atwood, seconded by Main Hutcheson to provide $5000 for repairs and improvements to Spillway and Lost Creeks.  Motion amended by Tom Atwood, seconded by Roger Turner to provide $5000, not to exceed $6500 for the projects.  Motion passed.

Patrick Waters gave a progress report on the Re-Reg Dam clean-out project.  The Corps of Engineers recommends draining the pond and using heavy equipment to remove debris.  A team from a heavy pump rental company studied the project and will submit estimates to the Foundation.  There may be an economic advantage in contracting with the ODWC for debris removal.  The project will require no generation during the period.  The target date is November 2008.  The plan will be presented at the October Meeting.

ODWC Game Warden Dru Polk complimented the Foundation as being an organization of “doers” rather than “talkers.”  He praised the STREAM WATCH program as being an effective tool in educating fisherman and reducing the number of violators.   Even with the program,  summer enforcement has seen a high number of citations.  One Game Warden has written 130 during May and June, and a total of 255 have been written by all the Game Wardens for the same period.  He stated the radios and binoculars provided by the Foundation have helped their efforts and he requested that we continue to call and report violators.  Game Warden Randy Fennell was introduced as an additional game warden patrolling the LMFR area.

Motion by Mike Love, seconded by Clif Harden for the LMFRF to provide an additional set of binoculars to the game wardens.  Motion passed.

Beavers Bend Park Manager Jim Miller addressed the members on several aspects of the park.  He is hoping for a new socio-economic study to show the impact of the park on the economy of the area.  He said the trout stream provided a steady year-round income to the park.  As the state has no allocation for similar equipment, he appreciated the binoculars donated to the park rangers by the LMFRF.  Paul Balkenbush reported on the efforts and cooperation of the park manager and his staff in making the ODWC projects possible.

STREAM WATCH coordinator Joe Lanza noted that a message had gone out to 19 fishing organizations in Oklahoma and Texas reminding them of the opportunity to assist in the STREAM WATCH program during the critical summer months.  He then reported on his own activity in the program over the previous six days.  Most of his encounters were with families camping in the park, who were not regular fishermen, and had little or no idea of  the regulations.  They walk by the signage without reading them as an experienced fisherman would. The interventions were appreciated, more so when the potential fines were mentioned.  On one occasion, the person fishing said he was told by a merchant that it was okay to use the scented trout bait pellets in the protected waters.  Game Warden Dru Polk asked that we try to identify the source of such information.  Members were encouraged to continue to participate in the program.

Rob Woodruff spoke about the Friendly Waters, an organization devoted to preventing the spread of undesirable species, e.g. NZ Mud Snails, Didymo, etc., in the nations fisheries.  Rob encouraged the Foundation to participate in their program and help educate the membership. .  The increase in the numbers of traveling fishermen has assisted in the rapid spread of these serious threats to neighboring waters.

Motion by Tom Atwood, seconded by Clif Harden, for the LMFRF to link up with Friendly Waters.  Motion passed.

Linda King presented her research into the LMFRF sponsoring a “Casting for Recovery” event.  This is a program to teach survivors of breast cancer to fly fish as a method of physical therapy following treatment.  It would require 20 rooms for 40 ladies, of which 14 to 15 would be cancer victims, the others being necessary support personnel.  Meals would have to be provided.  Casting instructors and guides would be required.  The event would take place in September 2009.  More information to be presented at the October 2008 meeting.

Lower Mountain Fork Foundation director rotation:  Due to the expiration of the terms of three directors, the membership will be required to elect replacements at the October meeting.  Please send nominations of those willing to serve, or volunteer by nominating yourself, to the Chairman as soon as possible so that a slate of candidates may be drawn  for the next meeting.

Second fundraiser suggestions were made by the following:  Danish casting games by Rob Woodruff; increasing the entry fees on the One Fly by Roger Turner; annual rod raffle for donors to the Foundation by Linda King; annual rod raffle for membership by Linda King; traveling slide show by Roger Turner; explore tie with Trout Unlimited by Roger Turner.

Rob Woodruff announced the ORVIS company has granted $10,000 to the Lower Mountain Fork River Foundation for restoration projects.  More information on this will be forthcoming

The next meeting date for the Lower Mountain Fork River Foundation will be Saturday, October 18th, 2008.

There being no other business, the meeting was adjourned.

Respectfully submitted,

Joe Lanza

Secretary

Previous 2008 Meetings

 February, 2008

          Minutes