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<br />Anacortes Community Forest Lands Advisory Board <br /> <br />Minutes of the Meeting: August 5, 2021 <br /> <br />Board Members Present: Sandra Starbuck, Brian Wetcher, JoAnn York-Gilmore <br /> <br />Public Present: Richard Mellon, Asa Deane (FoF) <br /> <br />Staff Present: Bob Vaux, Steve Phillips, Victoria Wong <br /> <br />Meeting called to order: 6:00PM <br /> <br />Approve Minutes: correction to previous minutes by Richard Mellon -hopeful that trail #132 is <br />decommissioned. September 2021 minutes were approved as corrected. <br /> <br />Public Comments: <br />Asa Deane from Friends of the Forest - we had a phenomenal volunteer summer with our trail <br />ambassadors interacting with new and seasoned users of the trails to talk about rules of the ACFL, <br />give out maps, make sure everyone is well hydrated. We will definitely be continuing this next <br />summer and grow the program even more. We're in fundraising season right now and looking at the <br />management plan that's going in front of City Council. <br /> <br />Richard Mellon: we've begun talking about the Washington Trails Association potential projects that <br />may yield improvements and certain areas that need attention. Continuing dialogue with Bob, Steve <br />and friends of the forest. Nothing has been set forth at this time but we're making progress. We <br />would love to tackle #119 but hopefully we can discuss it further with other projects that are more <br />straightforward that can be considered. <br /> <br />Staff Reports: <br />Bob - since that report, Jonn Lunsford and I hosted Regina, the steward representative from Skagit <br />County Land Trust. They do annual check ins, and she specifically wanted to visit the Whistle Lake <br />Dam, and the fence on the southern side of the lakeside quarry. She was appreciative of learning <br />about both of those circumstances. We stopped by at the #215 trailhead improvemen t site to show <br />her what we've done there as well. We've tried to clear a few trees this week from the windstorm. <br /> <br />ACFL Management Plan Update: Reminder that Monday, October 18 council meeting will be the <br />opening of the public hearing. We're anticipating a fair amount of comments. We haven't received <br />any formal requests as of this meeting. Spoke on the phone with a few people about horse <br />language. The Skagit Valley Herald asked if the public was supposed to be looking at the 2014 plan <br />and that is indeed correct. Next week if we get written comments, I can hopefully be able to break <br />them down and put them in the council packet. Have you received any questions from council <br />members since you presented? not currently. It reflects on a well written document. A few changes <br />have been made but most people have been happy with how the City and partners have managed <br />all of it. <br /> <br />Conservation Easement Program Update: Council Meeting minutes - Jonn presented new easement <br />deed and updated the easement of 622 acres of conservation easement program. The proposed <br />agreement language would update any current practice updates as well. Private commercial activity