Assembly of SGEPL Executive Committee

Conference Call
Jan. 6, 2004

In attendance: Nancy Balcom, Paula Cullenberg Bill DuPaul, Jim Falk, Jim Hurley , Jim Murray, Jay Rasmussen, and Ralph Rayburn.

The meeting was called to order by Chairman Ralph Rayburn at 11:30 am (Central Time). Ralph congratulated and welcomed Nancy Balcom as incoming chair-elect and Paula Cullenberg, as incoming Secretary/Treasurer and thanked Jay Rasmussen and Jim Falk for their years of service. Also indicated appreciation for their participation in the call to provide a smooth transition for the new EXCOM members.

1) Overview of Assembly EXCOM duties -

General Secretary/Treasurer position - Jim Falk highlighted the duties of Secretary/Treasurer for Paula. Minutes are first reviewed by the EXCOM, then sent out to the Listserv for Assembly members and Sea Grant staff. Minutes are also sent to Jay Rasmussen for posting to the Assembly website.

Jim F. offered to send the EXCOM a copy of the financial statement to date. He indicated there were still outstanding expenses from the Newport meeting on October 10. Account is maintained by New Hampshire Sea Grant – Brian Doyle. Invoices are sent to Brian for payment.

Jim Falk also explained that the SG Educators have asked for a copy of the salary survey. Bill, liaison to this group, said that he felt they would be happy to see just a blank copy since their interest is in doing the same. Upon inquiry, Jim F. agreed to continue to do the bi-annual salary survey, which will is scheduled for this year.

Ralph asked Jim F. to work with Paula on finalizing the bylaw changes. Jim F. reflected that volunteers for a bylaw committee were received at the Jekyll Island meeting last year. Ralph said that the changes passed at Jekyll Island haven't been added. Jim noted that the Sec/Treasurer is the liaison to bylaw committee. He will pass the changes approved at the last meeting to Paula for her to incorporate.

In reviewing other liaison duties, it was noted that the Assembly EXCOM chair acts as liaison to the SGA and its Program Management Committee (PMC); past chair acts as liaison with the External Relations Committee (ERC) and represents the Assembly at the Sea Grant Review Panel meetings.

Ralph noted that he will be at the SG Retreat in Houston, as will Jim Murray.

2) Updates from Jim Murray were as follows:

Fundamentals brochure went out yesterday. Kudos to Barbara Branca from NY SG for making this happen. Ralph will acknowledge her efforts.
Terry Smith from NE Region of NMFS has been hired to replace Emory Anderson. He will remain in Woods Hole until June.
Lynne Hinkey has resigned from Coastal Service Center and will be moving to Germany. This is a SG FTE position with funds provided by NOS. Not certain on future positions.
Aquatic Invasive Species Proposal Review Committee will meet soon. Funds have been cut from $2.7 million to $1 million. Since RFP was already on the street, Ron Baird agreed to up the amount to $2 million. About 30% goes to outreach, so about $1 million over a 2-year period. 19 proposals have been submitted – the review panel meets 17/18 of January.
Fish extension – no change expected. Funds should be fine for continuation
Jay R. noted a large line item in NOAA for education. Jim says that Beth Day has been assigned part time to NOAA HQ to help develop its grants program. Anticipated that a competitive grants program will be initiated."
Aquaculture Coop Research Program RFP is on the street. Anticipate 3 extension proposals for about $100K each. Jim foresees that this program will grow and broaden in focus to more general coastal opportunjties and could lead to a bigger role in the future for SG.
Indonesian Director of its SG Program is interested in any technical assistance from U.S. SG related to disaster mitigation/reconstruction. Jim M. met with him yesterday and may put together a relief program similar to that for Hurricane Mitch. Kola is involved since her doctorate was on the government's response to Hurricane Mitch. SG is better prepared to respond to Indonesia since we have a program there. Rene Eppi of OAR International Programs is also involved in this effort.
Jim M. had a meeting with the NOAA Office of Global Programs. This was an outgrowth of earlier activities in which with Mike Spranger, Virginia Lee and Dale Baker participated. NOAA is interested in having SG more involved in climate change. Jim has some dollars to bring in someone on a short term bases to develop this and work with the OGP. He would like to see an education/planning meeting along the lines of the EPA Smart Growth effort to include regional reps from the 6 regions plus HI and AK to develop a working group.

Jay R. had to leave and said a fond farewell after 5 years of service. "I'll still be active."

Nancy asked Jim about CCD coordinator? Jim noted that efforts are underway to hire a highly qualified individual for at least a year via a exchange with EPA. He anticipates this to happen soon.

3) Updates from Ralph –

Brown Bag Guidelines were discussed at Newport meeting in early October, then rewritten. Have been sent out for final comments by the EXCOM – none received. He would like to send this out soon to full Assembly. Next Brown Bag is being discussed for March during the SGA meeting with a possible focus on Coastal Community Development.

Ralph also noted that the Assembly survey has gone through review by the EXCOM and, barring any new comments, he would like to send it out with a deadline for return of January 20th in order for comments to be available for the Sea Grant Retreat.

A proposed schedule of conference calls and meetings for the year was discussed. On this, the next EXCOM conference call would be January 31. Bill DuPaul indicated he would not be available, but everyone else seemed ok with that date. Ralph noted that the dates he proposed were open. Suggested start time for calls was given as noon Central Time.

Ralph noted that a face to face meeting of the EXCOM is scheduled for Sunday March 6th in D.C. to be followed by the SGA meeting the 7th and 8th and possibly a Brown Bag on Wednesday the 9th. Come in on Saturday and make reservations by Feb 3 for group rates at the Radisson, Barcelo.

Inquiry on whether the Sea Grant Academy will be happening that same time, but no knowledge of this schedule was expressed.

June 5th, Sunday, is the Assembly meeting in Maine during Sea Grant Week ‘05. Survey results will be discussed then. Ralph hopes to create a SG 05 Assembly planning committee at the next conference call. Current plans in the plenary session session will deal with "extension vision" as an offshoot of the Ocean Commission report. Paul Anderson is in charge of the planning on this and is working with Jim M. and Ralph to identify and contact an appropriate speaker.

Bill DuPaul suggested that during the SG 05 meeting that we appoint a committee to work with Chapa and organize our extension leaders meeting in Puerto Rico in '06.

Jim Hurley, at-large director overseeing the Assembly Awards Program, asked about the status of the national extension award process. Responses indicated that all regions have either begun or completed the process. A review of region coordinators indicated: Paul Olin, Pacific Region, Frank Lichtkopplerr, Great Lakes; Paul Anderson (maybe) for NE; Dale Baker, Atlantic; and Mike Liffmann in the Gulf with a question on the S. Atlantic region. Most regional groups give out awards and use that as a means to nominate for the national award.

Jim H. also heard through the grapevine" that NOAA's #1 priority was not to cut SG and that SG fared well in the OMB passback. His assessment was that Brown Bags and other efforts by SG to reach out to NOAA have helped.

Jim F. noted that a plaque was ready to be delivered to Phil Moy for being the headliner at BBB #3.

With no further business the conference call was adjourned at 2:30 p.m. (Central Time). Next call is scheduled for Monday, January 31 at 12 noon CT, 9 am AT, 1 pm ET or another time to be determined to accommodate all EXCOM and liaison members.

If you have any issues you would like the executive committee to discuss or explore, on your behalf, contact any member of the committee (See e-mail addresses and phone numbers below).
B. DuPaul – dupaul@vims.edu (804-684-7163)
R. Rayburn – Ralph-Rayburn@.tamu.edu (979-845-7526)
N. Balcom - balcom@uconnvm.uconn.edu (860-405-9107)
J. Hurley – hurley@aqua.wisc.edu (608-262-0905)
P. Cullenberg – paulacullenberg@uaa.alaska.edu (907-345-7019)

Submitted by: Paula Cullenberg, ASGEPL Secretary/Treasurer 1/6/04

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