March 1, 2005

 

Ranotta McNair                                                           (Fax 208-765-7426)

Panhandle Forest Supervisor

3815 Schreiber Way

Coeur dÕAlen, ID  83815

 

Dear Ranotta:

 

Please excuse me for insisting on your attention.  I understand that you will be gone for the entire month of March and I hate to see this project put on hold for that long.

 

An initial work plan for this effort would look something like this:

 

1. Secure the "platform" organization, such as the Chamber, RC & D, Conservation District, etc.  I think the Chamber would be a good fit.

 

2. Identify the "cooperative" individuals to approach for their involvement in this process:

        a) Environmental community representatives.

        b) Timber industry representatives.

        c) Other community leadership representatives

        d) The public lands manager representatives.

 

3. Personal contact with these representatives to allow them to "buy in" to the project and concept.  Let these people express their thoughts and words on what this concept is all about and how they see it moving forward. This is phone and in person contact.

        a) Develop the "concept" paper to guide our work.

        b) Develop the "identity" of the group.

        c) Develop the "ground rules" for interaction.

 

4. Convene a meeting with each sub-group to evaluate the progress and discuss the "concept".

 

5. Convene a meeting of the combined sub-groups to begin the collaborative process as an identified group; clarify specific goals.  Let this group set up its idea of a work plan from this point on.

 

6. Apply for National Forest Foundation, Wilbur force, etc. funding to build the capacity of the group into a board, etc.

 

 

 

 

This course of work would take about ten weeks of consistent effort.  By mid-May I would expect an organization to be budding.

 

The costs for me to do this work for this ten week period, or to get to the above described point, is $7,500.00.  I am willing to get started even though the funding is not in place yet and even though we do not have a written contract.  I do not consider this a problem, as we can catch up on that as we go.  There is also a very good funding source coming up with a mid-April deadline.

 

The only questions I have right now is if you agree with this Work Plan and if the Panhandle National Forest will be able to contribute towards covering some of these expenses?  I expect that I could get local contributions for some of it, as well. 

 

I hope you appreciate my effort to get this rolling before you are gone for the month of March.

 

Thank you.

 

                                                            Sincerely,

 

 

                                   

                                                            Jim Doran