The Lake Roosevelt Forum’s Community Meeting in Davenport went off without a hitch last week on May 21. It was great to see such a strong turnout from our longstanding partners and interested members of the public who came from all over the south side of the lake. The Forum is grateful for your participation and wants to especially thank our guest speakers for making the evening possible and ensuring its success.
As the night unfolded, meeting participants heard from Lincoln County Commissioner and Forum Board President Scott Hutsell; the Forum’s new executive director, Happy Avery; Acting Superintendent of the National Park Service, Craig Ruscitto; and Washington Liaison for the Bonneville Power Administration, Adriana Rasmussen.
Additionally, a short video produced by the Upper Columbia United Tribes (UCUT) called Reconnecting Fish, Water, and People was shown, providing an excellent overview of UCUT’s salmon reintroduction efforts. The video was the perfect prelude to an informative update on the Phase 2 Implementation Plan from Conor Giorgi of Spokane Tribe of Indians Fisheries.
We were also lucky to have Eastern Region Director for the Washington Department of Ecology and Forum Board Member Brook Beeler there to help answer questions. It was energizing to see tribal leaders, federal and state agency representatives, commercial guest services folks, and community members come together and engage in conversation around ways people are working to meet the unique needs of Lake Roosevelt.
As the Forum continues its transition into a new era of leadership, last week’s community meeting laid important groundwork toward strengthening old partnerships and fostering new relationships. “The evening could not have gone more smoothly,” said Avery, “I’m excited to build on the momentum of this event by hosting more like it here in Davenport and other locations around the basin.”
The Forum also has several upcoming programs and initiatives, including the return of the Lake Roosevelt Forum Conference later this year. More information coming soon!
