Mystic Watershed Collaborative
Steering Committee Meeting
June 26th, 3:00-4:30

Attending: Molly Anderson, Lisa Brukilacchio, Dale Bryan, Paul Kirshen, Janet Kovner, Bill Maher, Jim Marzilli, Ellen Mays, Molly Mead (facilitator), Grace Perez, Bruce Speight,

Next Meeting: Wednesday, July 31st, 9:30-11:00am (TIE)

Facilitator: Grace

Announcements & Updates:

• August 9th, 9:00-12:00. River Institute is presenting at the NAAEE on sustainable watershed restoration.

• EMPACT website is now accessible—Grace will forward everyone the web address.

• Watershed Center received $750,000 grant to improve nutrient management in the Upper Mystic. The funding begins this fall, and Paul will contact members about publicizing this.

• MyRWA is finalizing their contract with a development consultant to create their funding plan.

MWC Structure:
Please see handout Mystic Watershed Collaborative Liaison Role. Molly Anderson will be filling this role allocating 20% of her time to this position during the 2003 fiscal year (July 1, 2002-June 30, 2003). In short, she will work with Tufts faculty and students on MWC projects, coordination between MWC and other programs, create fundraising strategy, spokesperson for MWC to Tufts administration, work with Steering Committee on action items and monitor their progress, and work with Tufts members to better understand and create protocols of responsibility for members.

It was suggested and supported by the Steering Committee that the facilitator of each meeting rotate to decrease the responsibility on a single person. The facilitator for the upcoming meeting will be chosen, a week before the meeting the facilitator will send members a meeting reminder and agenda item requests with the necessary details, and finally they will facilitate the meeting and be responsible for reviewing the minutes taken for that days meeting. The minutes will be taken by a TIE representative each meeting. S.C. members would like to see the meeting minutes posted on the web each month.

A list of the tasks that Molly is unable to cover in her 1 day a week schedule was also created and the S.C. discussed the need for these tasks to still be addressed. Maintaining the MWC website was a large concern and many suggested this as an Intern project or Coordinator project—this website should be maintained and kept up to date. The S.C. will discuss how to best support these projects and ensure they are completed to aid in the MWC’s function and longevity.

MWC Funding:
Senator Kerry: An intern from Senator Kennedy’s office called Molly A. and wanted to set up a meeting to discuss ways Kerry’s office could support the MWC. The S.C. discussed the most efficient way to use this contact and it was suggested that Molly A. call and see who else will be at the meeting and try to get a meeting with Kerry’s environmental aid—not just a meeting with an intern. Grace may meet with them if it seems beneficial to the MWC. Possible topics for the meeting may be a letter of support for the Environmental Justice across the Mystic, and how best to get to corporations along the watershed.

Other Possible Funding: An anonymous foundation contacted Molly A. and is interested in learning more about the MWC. They would like a site visit with the River Institute in the field to get a better understanding of the program (tentative date, July 11th). It was suggested that they attend the August 9th RI presentation. The foundation’s proposal deadline is in August. Molly A. will investigate details of why they are approaching the MWC, what they are looking for etc so we can begin planning.

Classes:
Rusty Russell’s Environmental Law class: Molly A. will follow up with him to see what kinds of projects he is looking for this year in his class.

Ecosystem Health: Class is a graduate and undergraduate stand-alone course developed as a tentative Ecosystem Health & Conservation Medicine degree program. This class will link all three campuses using Academic Technology to work with a large diversity of students benefiting people in Chinatown and in the Mystic watershed. Molly A. will send everyone a description.

Omidyar: See handout about this year’s approach, which includes 3 “pilot” classes in active citizenship. Education for Active Citizenship, Asset-Based Community Design, and Leadership of Community Projects will be offered Fall 02 semester and will only be open to Omidyar scholars. If the courses work well, they will explore the possibility of opening them up to the entire student body.

LCS Focus: Program for incoming freshman the week before orientation where students do community work. Molly M has talked to some students interested in working with the Mystic. MyRWA will contact them.

TO DO:

• Grace will forward EMPACT web address

• Paul will contact MWC members about publicizing the nutrient management grant

• Molly A will follow-up with Senator Kerry’s office

• Molly A. will follow-up and research more about the Barr Foundation

• Molly A. will send description of Ecosystem Health class

• Molly A. will talk with Rusty Russell about projects

• MyRWA will explore working with LCS’s Focus program

• Grace will prepare for the facilitator role