ISSUES DISCUSSED
1. Traffic issues and speeding hotspots
RJ Cervantes reported on the concerns voiced to Kafoury’s office about speeding in the Wapato area of Sauvie Island Road. He is in contact with Sgt. Mark Matsushima of the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office about current initiatives to monitor and address these issues. Speed detection signs and speed strips are among the actions under consideration.  Those attending the meeting noted that other areas on the island also have significant issues with congestion and speeding. Julie Cleveland and Rob Wiley noted that estimates of the annual number of visitors to the island is in the magnitude of 1-2 million people. Katholeen McGinty pointed out that the Safety Action Team is actively involved in this issue.  RJ requested that the Boosters coordinate input on places and priorities requiring immediate action by the County.
ACTION ITEMS:
• Cindy Reid and Barbara Scot will collect information about traffic hot spots on the
island, coordinating efforts with the Safety Action Team.
• Lora Creswick will communicate the results to RJ.
2. Letter to the County Commissioners and updating the Sauvie Island/Multnomah Channel Rural Area Plan
RJ was sent by Kafoury’s office to talk to Barbara and Cindy after they complained to the commissioner about the traffic issues. He invited Lora to an informal meeting at Cindy’s knowing the Booster Community needed to be involved in the bigger picture of island needs. RJ encouraged the Boosters, as the island’s community organization, to write to the county about updating the long-range needs of the island. This prompted the Boosters Board to draft a letter to the county, which Lora distributed to the Booster email list on July 29, 2009.  In response to that letter, RJ reported that Commissioner Kafoury is interested in updating the Sauvie Island/Multnomah Channel Rural Area Plan, which is more than 10 years old. She would like residents, business owners and visitors to review land use, public safety, transportation, wild life and other issues and develop a unified vision for the island.  Attendees pointed out a variety of challenges in bringing various interest groups to consensus:  the county’s limited ability to follow-through on area plans, the undocumented impact of traffic related to non-conforming land use, the need to involve Columbia County representatives since activities in their parts of the island draws many visitors, and the need for professional facilitation of community meetings.  RJ acknowledged these issues and stressed the importance inclusive community involvement and engaging nonresident interest groups (like the Bicycle Transportation Alliance) in open dialogue.
ACTION ITEMS:
• RJ Cervantes will look into funding for a facilitator for the process.
• Bev Westlund will post RJ’s contact information on the Sauvie Island website.
• Dave Koennecke will organize a tour of the island for Commissioner Kafoury.
3. Update on the recommendation of the Multnomah County Citizens Advisory Committee for Urban and Rural Reserves
To accommodate projected growth of more than 1 million people over the next 50 years in the tricounty area, affected counties have engaged in a review of urban and rural land boundaries.  Rob Wiley and Lora Creswick represented the island as part of a citizen advisory committee to provide input the Multnomah County Planning Commission. The planning commission, of which island resident Julie Cleveland is a member, met on August 10 and approved the committee’s recommendation that Sauvie Island remain a rural reserve. Portions of land along the Highway 30 side of Multnomah Channel will receive no designation, since they do not meet criteria for inclusion in either urban or rural boundaries.  The commissioners’ ruling must be approved by the county commissioners in September. An intergovernmental agreement will be reached by the end of this year, followed by legislative adoption of urban and rural reserves maps in mid-year 2010. For more information, see www2.co.multnomah.or.us/reserves.
4. Bylaws of the Sauvie Island Booster Community Organization and open positions
Dave Koennecke provided by-laws of the organization for attendees and reviewed positions that are open. Current officers are:
Dave Koenneke, president
Lora Creswick, vice president
Beverly Westlund, treasurer
Skip White, nominating chair
The organization needs to fill the secretary position, find a replacement for Beverly as treasurer, and two at-large positions.  Dave and Lora also stressed the need for more member involvement in helping elected officers with the organization’s work.

Jane Hartline asked about changing the organization’s name because “Boosters” connoted a business group, not a community organization, to many residents.
ACTION ITEMS:
• Julia Bergren volunteered to do the meeting minutes but asked that the organization formally elect her to this position.
• Harriet Lovin will help Beverly Westlund redesign and update the island website.
• Discussion on the name change was tabled for discussion in a future meeting.
Other Announcements:

• Envelopes. The new Sauvie Island envelopes are at the printers. Wes Westlund will pick them up. Lora Creswick will send out an announcement when they are available.
• Bridge plantings. The county is in the process of addressing substandard plantings.
• Bridge sign. The sign is in process. Dave Koennecke asked for help assembling it and installing it.
• Fish and Wild Life. Jane Hartline reported ODFW progress to address the silting in Sturgeon Lake and the Multnomah County Department of Soil & Water efforts to clean up the Wapato
  Park access area using native plants. She encouraged members to attend ODFW’s August 26 meeting to comment on their comprehensive plan for the island.

Attending Frank Bagon, Leslie Bagon, Julia Bergren, Michelle Burger, Lora Creswick, Gretchen Douglas, Mark Greenfield, Phil Harris, Jane Hartline, Polly Holbrook, Dave Koennecke, Harriet Lovin. Vicki R. Mason, Katholeen McGinty, Eileen McVicker, Gene McVicker, Jan Reeder, Cindy Reid, Beverly Westlund, Harold “Wes” Westlund, JoAnn White, Robert Wiley
Guest R. J. Cervantes, representing Multnomah County Commissioner Deborah Kafoury

Next scheduled meeting 7:00 p.m., Thursday, September 17, 2009, Grange Hall

Respectfully submitted,
Julia Bergren

Logo design by Sauvie Island resident and Graphic artist, Linda Wisner of Wisner Creative