Network Meeting Summary

18 February 2004

1. Public Participation

# A public forum will be held next Wednesday, February 25 at 7:00PM at Good Samaritan Auditorium, featuring State Land Commissioner Patrick Lyons. The forum is presented by CTF and the League of Women Voters of Greater Las Cruces.

# The EPA approval for the finish of the Rio Grande Path has been received. Work is scheduled to be completed by the first week in March.

# There will be a public meeting tomorrow evening at SWEC for explanation of a river restoration plan which will be offered as an alternative to the International Boundary and Water Commission plan for river management.

2. Implementation Sub-Group Report:

A. An oral report on the status of the Arroyo and Trail Plan was given. An MOU
between city, county, ETZ is being drafted for the purpose of unifying the Open Space efforts of these entities.

B. The BLM will assign a student intern to develop a management plan for the three primary arroyos (Alameda, North Fork Las Cruces and Fillmore).

3. Brochures:

2500 copies of our brochure have been ordered and will be finished about the beginning of March. We still have $1200 remaining for future versions.

4. CTF makes the following requests:

A. Our new webmaster requests news and information for our CTF webpage.

B. Within the context of the subgroups, we request a list of tasks which new volunteers can do. For next meeting, we request that each subgroup formulate a list. Examples suggested: arroyo cleanup campaign, and lobby efforts to our lawmakers could be organized. A fact sheet summarizing the Network’s main issues could be drafted for the benefit of new comers who could then call or write lawmakers.

5. Vision Sub-group Report:

Handouts were passed around: “Inventory Study Areas” and “Proposed Rationale for the Open Space and Trail System.” Homework for next meeting would be to study these and make suggestions or comments.

Following discussion, it was decided by consensus that the Network would do the following: come to consensus on a map, prioritize the areas of the map, hold one or more public meetings and ask for comment, present the map and plan to groups such as the LC Homebuilders for comment, and present the final version to lawmakers of city, county, ETZ and state and federal agencies for adoption.

Next meeting is scheduled for March 17th.