Carbondale Reporter

Illinois Endangered Species Protection Board met February 17. 

Here is the minutes as provided by the board:

Board Members Present: Chair Joyce Hofmann, Dr. Janice Coons, Mr. Bruce RossShannon,

Mr. Randy Schietzelt, Dr. Angelo Capparella, Dr. Tracy Evans, and Dr. Philip Willink

Board Members Absent: Dr. Jeremie Fant

Others Present: Ms. Jeannie Barnes (INHS), Ms. Angella Morehouse (INPC), Ms. Kelly

Neal (INPC), Mr. Chris Young (IDNR), Ms. Maggie Cole (IDNR), Ms. Emma Plotts (INPC),

Ms. Alexandra Davis (INHS) and Ms. Ann Holtrop (IDNR)

1 Call to Order, Roll Call of Board Members, and Introduction of Guests

Chair Hofmann called the meeting to order at 10:02 A.M. and read the roll call. Since seven

Board members were in attendance, there was a quorum. Chair Hofmann welcomed audience

members and asked them to introduce themselves.

2 Adoption of Agenda

Dr. Janice Coons moved that the agenda be adopted as presented. The motion was seconded by

Mr. Randy Schietzelt and carried by unanimous vote.

3 Approval of Minutes from the 171st Meeting and Minutes of the 172nd Meetings

Minutes of the 171st and 172nd meetings were distributed to Board members prior to the meeting.

Minutes of the 171st meeting had not been available previously because a quorum had not been

present at that meeting. Chair Hofmann prepared a brief set of minutes for the 171st meeting for

the Board’s records. Chair Hofmann asked if there were any corrections to the minutes. Hearing

none, she declared the minutes of the 171st and 172nd meetings approved as presented.

4 Report from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources

Board members received a report detailing activities of the IDNR’s Office of Resource

Conservation and Office of Realty and Environmental Planning. Ms. Ann Holtrop presented

additional information.

5 Report from the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission

Ms. Kelly Neal presented highlights from the report of the Illinois Nature Preserves

Commission.

6 Report from the Illinois Endangered Species Protection Board Chair

Chair Hofmann reported on her activities since the 172nd meeting date. In addition to routine

administrative tasks, activities included establishing the Amphibian/Reptile and Fish Endangered

Species Technical Advisory Committees (ESTACs) and performing an administrative review on

three petitions for the 2019 Illinois List revision.

7 Board Appointments

New Board member Dr. Capparella is replacing Dr. Jeff Walk and his term will expire in 2019.

New member Dr. Evans is replacing Mr. Randy Nyboer and her term will expire in 2018. New

member Dr. Willink is the replacement for Mr. Vernon LaVia who was not re-appointed to the

Board; his term will expire in 2019. Chair Hofmann pointed out that there is still one vacancy on

the Board and that the terms of Dr. Coons and Dr. Fant expire in May 2017.

8 Semi-annual Review of Whether to Keep Closed the Minutes from Previous Closed

Meetings

The Board needs to vote on whether to keep minutes from closed sessions closed to the public.

It was noted that this matter was voted on at the 172nd meeting with unanimous agreement to

keep such minutes closed. Upon a motion by Mr. Ross-Shannon, it was unanimously voted not to

release any closed session minutes.

9 Preliminary Approval of a Petition to Change the Status of the Osprey (Pandion

haliaetus) from Endangered to Threatened

The Board considered granting preliminary approval for changing the status of the Osprey from

Endangered to Threatened. Mr. Ross-Shannon made a motion to table consideration of such

change in status until the May 2017 meeting, which was seconded by Dr. Coons and approved by

unanimous vote.

10 Approval of Potential Members of the Endangered Species Technical Advisory

Committees (ESTACs) for the Terrestrial and Aquatic Invertebrates

Chair Hofmann provided a list of aquatic invertebrate experts to serve on the Aquatic

Invertebrate ESTAC. Board members suggested adding Leon Hinz and a representative of the

Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. Upon a motion made by Mr. Ross-Shannon and

seconded by Mr. Schietzelt, the following persons were approved by unanimous vote as potential

members of the Aquatic Invertebrate ESTAC: Mr. Jeremy Tiemann (INHS), Mr. Kevin

Cummins (INHS), Mr. Bob Szafoni (IDNR), Dr. Matt Whiles (SIU), Dr. Chris Taylor (INHS),

Dr. Steve Taylor (INHS), Dr. Ed DeWalt (INHS), Dr. James Lamer (WIU), Dr. Jeffrey Laursen

(EIU), Ms. Diane Shasteen (IDNR), Dr. Leon Hinz (INHS), Dr. Jochen Gerber (Field Museum

of Natural History), and Mr. Gregg Good or a designee (IEPA). Chair Hofmann will formally

invite these experts to serve on the ESTAC and inform them of the need to complete Open

Meetings Act training.

Chair Hofmann also provided a list of terrestrial invertebrate experts to serve on the Terrestrial

Invertebrate ESTAC. Board members suggested adding Dr. James McPherson or another

entomologist from Southern Illinois University, Ken Cramer from Monmouth College, Sam

Heads from the Illinois Natural History Survey, and Ann and Gary Fritz from Eastern Illinois

University. Upon a motion made by Dr. Evans and seconded by Dr. Capparella, the following

persons were approved by unanimous vote as potential members of the Terrestrial Invertebrate

ESTAC: Angella Moorehouse (INPC), Dr. Chris Dietrich (INHS), Dr. Tim Cashatt (ISMRCC),

Mr. James Wiker, Dr. Doug Taron (Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum), Dr. Ken McCravy

(WIU), Dr. Michael Jeffords (INHS), Dr. Sam Heads (INHS), Dr. Alexandra Harmon-Threatt

(UIUC), Dr. Ann Fritz (EIU), Dr. Gary Fritz (EIU), and Dr. James McPherson or designee

(SIUC). Chair Hofmann will formally invite these experts to serve on the ESTAC and inform

them of the need to complete Open Meetings Act training.

11 Approval of the 2014-2016 Illinois Endangered Species Protection Board Biennial Report

Chair Hofmann presented the Biennial Report for the period from July 2014 through July 2016,

which is to be posted on the Board’s website and sent to the State Library, Governor’s Office of

Management and Budget, and General Assembly Legislative Research Unit. Upon a motion of

Mr. Schietzelt, seconded by Dr. Coons, the report was approved by unanimous vote. Mr. Young

offered to distribute the report for the Board.

12 Public Comment Period (3 minutes per person)

No public comments were made.

13 Other Business

Chair Hofmann reminded Board members to submit time sheets and travel voucher forms.

14 Next Meeting Information

The next Board meeting is scheduled for May 19, 2017 at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie,

Wilmington, IL

15 Adjournment

There being no further business, Chair Hofmann adjourned the meeting at 12:20 P.M.

https://www.dnr.illinois.gov/ESPB/Documents/Minutes/Minutes_173rdSPB_2017February.pdf