WALTONIAN

The reconstituted Issues Committee held its first meeting on January 28th prior to the Board of Directors meeting. Meeting just before the BOD will be the Issues Committee's regular meeting time. The committee agreed to a charter that clarifies its roles and responsibilities, and its relationships with other committees, such as Resolutions.

The main order of business was agreeing on a slate of 2006 priority issues that the Ikes will pursue based on input received from fellow Ikes. These issues are:

1. Clean Up Minnesota's Most Contaminated Waters
2. Keep Mercury out of Minnesota's Water, Fish, and Kids
3. Better Management of Off-Highway Vehicles
4. Protecting the Rights of Local Communities
5. Smart Investments for Our Future (Bonding)
6. Dedicated Funding (1/4 of 1 percent of sales tax).
7. Wetlands Initiative
8. Ban Genetic Engineering of Wild Rice in Minnesota
9. LCMR Reform, Restructuring and Resources
10. Renewable Energy Standard Energy Efficiency: Improving Minnesota's Energy Conservation

Discussion items for next Issues Committee meeting include:

• Any resolutions proposed by Issues Committee members
• Outcome-based measurement of Resolutions (how to measure their impact)
• Whether to invite, as part of every Ikes Resolution, suggestions on how the Ikes should take action on the issue the Resolution addresses, and even to identify possible "point people" where possible.

A full summary of the Issues Committee meeting is available from MN Ikes office upon request. By Rolf Nordstrom, Issues Committee Chair - 651-643-0712

Call for Resolutions - Deadline March 28th
By Resolutions Chair Don Dinndorf

It's resolutions process is one of the most powerful tools for conservation the Minnesota Division possesses. The good ideas of a handful of members can become a new national wildlife refuge, innovative environmental regulations, even the definition of outdoor ethics for generations.

At a February 8 luncheon, Barbara and Paul Toren of the Jaques Chapter receive their 2005 Mentorship Awards fro Awards Co-Chair Lee Barthel.

Resolutions passed by delegates to the Annual State Convention and meeting become the foundation of conservation policy for the Minnesota Division. Often, those resolutions are forwarded to, and adopted by, the National League, influencing national conservation policy.

Beginning this year, the deadline for submission of proposed resolutions is 30 days before the meeting, rather than just 14 days, as it was in the past. For 2006, that's Tuesday, March 28th. The change in the Division's bylaws enacted at the 2005 Meeting is intended to allow chapters to discuss resolutions at their regular meetings, so that more informed debate may be conducted at the convention.

Resolutions should provide several supporting arguments in narrative form and a call for action as their conclusion ("Now therefore be it resolved"). Please submit your resolutions to the chair of the Resolutions Committee in care of the Minnesota Division Office, 555 Park Street, Suite 140, St. Paul, MN 55103, or via Email to .

Resolutions may also be submitted directly to the committee chair at .

January BOD Meeting Notes

Some items from the January 28 Board of Directors Meeting include these action items.

MEF names needed. National Board member Gary Schwartz urges chapters, especially outstate, to submit names of companies, schools and other organizations that might be candidates for the Minnesota Environmental Fund payroll deduction program. MEF funds 20 environmental organizations including the MN Division IWLA which gets 90% of our Division dollars from MEF. We need additions to the payroll deduction plan to get our full share of funding for this year. Send the names of possible enrollees to the Division Office and arrangements will be made for an introductory presentation to be made to the company.

The Fall Appeal raised $9,100 toward general operations of the Division Office.

The IWLA Wilderness and Public Lands Program under Kevin Proescholdt was granted $10,000 for 2006 and $10,000 for 2007 from the Stephan Fund.

Cherry and Gary Schwartz will investigate the possibility of Owatonna hosting the 2009 National Convention.

March 2006, WALTONIAN, Home