On May 23, 2005, nearly 100 UDPREP members and guests gathered at Independence Grove Forest Preserve in Libertyville for the 2005 Annual Meeting.

UDPREP President Jim Anderson opened the meeting by presenting tokens of appreciation to the Liberty Prairie Foundation and Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Ltd. These two organizations were recognized for their contributions of vital seed funding over several years.

The evening’s formal program began with a presentation of UDPREP’s latest accomplishments and its many plans for the future. Jim Anderson elaborated on the draft 5-Year Organizational Strategic Plan which, when finalized, will guide UDPREP’s annual planning efforts, help measure progress, and provide the organization with direction and focus. Jim noted that UDPREP mailed a discussion draft of the plan, along with a comment form, to nearly 1,000 watershed stakeholders. He encouraged meeting participants to pick up a copy of the plan and submit comments as well.

Jim then called on UDPREP members to review the list of Executive Committee candidates and cast their ballots. At final tally, members re-elected Jim Anderson, Lydia Scott, and Sheila Shultz to the posts of President, Vice-President, and Secretary respectively. Sarah Surroz of the Liberty Prairie Conservancy became UDPREP’s new Treasurer.

After the vote, several UDPREP partner groups stepped up to the podium to speak about their work. Patty Werner of the Lake Co. Stormwater Management Commission gave an overview of SMC’s recent planning efforts and upcoming funding opportunities. The Liberty Prairie Conservancy’s Tim Grimscheid spoke about the Conservancy’s restoration work and their new land trust program. Representing the Northwest Municipal Conference (a regional council of governments) Chalen Hunter talked about working with the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District to implement stormwater legislation in Cook County. Katrina Wardrip of the Kenosha/Racine Land Trust discussed efforts to protect natural areas in the Wisconsin headwaters. And announcing the Youth Conservation Corps’ plans to host a river clean-up on July 1, 2005 was YCC’s Fund Development Coordinator Alex Deans.

Lake County Board Member Ann Maine introduced the evening’s keynote speaker, Lt. Governor Pat Quinn, and presented him with UDPREP’s first ever Upper Des Plaines River Watershed Award in recognition of his ongoing efforts to restore and protect watersheds across the state.

The Lt. Governor spoke about his many experiences working with UDPREP partners on watershed issues and his strong commitment to securing funding for the programs so essential in managing the state’s natural resources. He elaborated specifically on the Illinois Conservation Initiative which will help restore funding to the IDNR’s Conservation 2000 Program – a program that has provided UDPREP with significant technical and financial support.

After Jim Anderson called the business meeting to a close, the Lt. Governor joined meeting participants for an impromptu mixer to discuss the Illinois Conservation Initiative and other opportunities to work together to restore the watershed.

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UDPREP would like to express its grateful appreciation to the following individuals and institutions who helped make the 2005 Annual Meeting a big success:

Sponsors
Lake County Forest Preserves
Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Ltd.
Hey and Associates, Inc.
V3 Consultants, Ed Belmonte and Tom Slowinski
Applied Ecological Services, Inc.

Speakers
Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn

Jim Anderson, Lake Co. Forest Preserves
Bill Eyring, Center for Neighborhood Technology (cameo role)
Alex Deans, Youth Conservation Corps
Tim Girmscheid, Liberty Prairie Conservancy
Chalen Hunter, Northwest Municipal Conference
Katrina Wardrip, Kenosha/Racine Land Trust
Patty Werner, Lake Co. Stormwater Management Commission

Planning and Preparations
Jim Anderson, Lake Co. Forest Preserves
Nan Buckardt, Lake Co. Forest Preserves
Bonnie Thomson Carter, Lake Co. Forest Preserves
Alison Cook, UDPREP Coordinator
Alex Deans, Youth Conservation Corps
Bill Eyring, Center for Neighborhood Technology
Chris Fisher, Village of Lincolnshire
Tim Girmscheid, Liberty Prairie Conservancy
Martie Greene
Susan Hawkins, Lake Co. Forest Preserves
Hall Healy, Facilitated Solutions International
Andy Kimmel, Lake Co. Forest Preserves
Jeff Mengler, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Peter Newell, Office of Lt. Governor Quinn
Scott Oldham, Graphic Designer
Mike Sands, Liberty Prairie Foundation
Chris Sanders
Sheila Schultz, Des Plaines Watershed Team
Lydia Scott, Village of Lincolnshire
Katrina Wardrip, Kenosha/Racine Land Trust
Patty Werner, Lake Co. Stormwater Management Commission
Nancy Williamson, IDNR, Conservation 2000
Christine Urban, U.S. EPA