Call for Applications for Nomination to the
Puget Sound Partnership Ecosystem Coordination Board ACTION AREA REPRESENTATIVE POSITION – South Puget Sound
October 12, 2017
The Puget Sound Partnership’s Leadership Council is seeking nominations for one appointment to the Ecosystem Coordination Board (ECB). This appointment will be used to fill the recently vacated South Puget Sound Action Area Representative position. The term of this appointment will finish out the existing term which ends on June 30, 2019.
The Partnership is charged with taking a collaborative and accountable approach to accomplishing its mission. It relies on the contributions of a variety of entities, including state, local, federal and tribal governments, community and environmental organizations, businesses, watershed and salmon recovery groups. The Partnership’s work requires creativity, innovation and a wide variety of tools and approaches to engage the public, track performance and guide progress, disseminate information to stakeholders, manage data and work collaboratively with individuals and groups throughout the region.
The Partnership is guided by the Leadership Council, consisting of seven individuals committed to the environmental and economic prosperity of Puget Sound. As the decision-making body for the Partnership, the Council depends on the ECB to provide policy recommendations and the Science Panel to provide the scientific guidance needed to reach the goals set forth in the Action Agenda.
The ECB is an integral link between the Leadership Council and the work being carried out in Puget Sound. The ECB is also key in communicating the implementation work and educational activities to the broader public and to policy decision makers around the Sound.
The Puget Sound Partnership was established as a state agency by the 2007 Legislature and the Governor to develop and implement an aggressive action agenda for restoring the health of Puget Sound by 2020.
More information on the Partnership is available at: http://www.psp.wa.gov.
Applications are due no later than 3:00 p.m. Thursday, November 9, 2017. Please see the details below.
Overview of the Ecosystem Coordination Board
The statute establishing the ECB requires the appointment of one representative from each of the Action Areas identified by the Leadership Council. The representative is to be appointed by the Leadership Council, and the Council is to solicit nominations from, at a minimum, counties, cities, and watershed groups within the Action Area. Watershed groups are defined to include:
“. . . all groups sponsoring or administering watershed programs, including but not limited to local governments, private sector entities, watershed planning units, watershed councils, shellfish protection areas, regional fisheries enhancement groups, marine resource committees including those working with the Northwest Straits Commission, nearshore groups, and watershed lead entities.”
The Action Area this solicitation pertains to is the South Puget Sound Action Area designation which is described as:
The boundary of the South Puget Sound Action Area includes all waters and associated watersheds south of the Tacoma Narrows including:
- All of the Nisqually Watershed Resource Inventory Area (WRIA) 11
- Most of the Chambers Clover WRIA 12
- Deschutes WRIA 13
- Kennedy – Goldsborough WRIA 14
- A portion of Kitsap WRIA 15
The Action Area representative’s responsibilities include the following:
- Assist the Leadership Council and Executive Director in carrying out the obligations of the Puget Sound Partnership, including implementing and updating the Action Agenda;
- Assisting cities, counties, ports, tribes, watershed groups, and other government and private organizations in the compilation of local programs for consideration for inclusion in the Action Agenda;
- Upon request of the Council, reviewing and making recommendations regarding activities, projects,
and programs proposed for inclusion in revisions to the Action Agenda, including assessing existing ecosystem scale management, restoration and protection plan elements, activities, projects, and programs;
- Seeking public and private funding and commitment of other resources for plan implementation;
- Assisting the Council in conducting public education activities regarding threats to Puget Sound and about local implementation strategies to support the Action Agenda;
- Recruiting the active involvement of and encouraging the collaboration and communication among governmental and nongovernmental entities, the private sector, and citizens working to achieve the recovery of Puget Sound;
- Compiling and assessing ecosystem scale management, restoration, and protection plans for the Puget Sound basin to contribute to implementation of the Action Agenda; and
- Convening agency managers in an attempt to reconcile conflicts or disputes among ecosystem scale projects or programs, with the objective of advancing the protection and recovery of Puget
Anticipated Time Commitment for Board Members
ECB members should expect to commit approximately 20 hours per month. The Action Area representatives may require additional time for Action Area specific activities. The Action Area representative will be working with Partnership staff to assist in convening the local groups who will be working to accomplish various tasks, particularly the implementation of the Action Agenda. The term for this position will end June 30, 2019. There are no term limits.
Compensation
ECB members shall serve without compensation however, except for federal and state employees, members shall, upon request, be reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.
Criteria for Action Area Representatives
- The Action Area representative to the ECB should be familiar with a broad range of entities within the Action Area and have a demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with these groups,
- Demonstrated capacity (i.e., available time, appropriate networks) to represent the Action Area and/or convene or participate in meetings of various groups in the Action Area,
- Experience in and commitment to interest-based negotiation and collaborative problem-solving,
- Commitment to community-based action,
- Exceptional communication skills,
- Understanding of ecosystem processes and ecosystem-scale
- Experience and expertise in science, management, policy development, law, and/or advocacy related to one or more of the following:
- Relationships among human health, quality of life, and ecosystem services
- Puget Sound native species, food webs, and biodiversity
- Puget Sound-relevant habitats and habitat-forming processes
- Water quality and sediment quality
- Education and public involvement
- Public-private administration
- Endorsement from others in the Action Area for representation on the
Process for Appointment of the South Puget Sound Action Area Representative on the ECB
The Partnership is seeking nominations for the South Puget Sound Action Area representative on the ECB. Self-nominations are encouraged. Partnership staff will evaluate all nominations to ensure that they meet the selection criteria provided above. Staff will evaluate the applicants using evaluation criteria and provide the top names to the Leadership Council. The Council will make the final appointment of the Action Area representative.
Nomination Process
There are two options for application of a candidate for consideration by the Partnership:
- Self-nomination: Candidates interested in submitting themselves for consideration as the South Puget Sound Action Area representative on the ECB must submit a cover letter and resume. The cover letter should indicate why the candidate is interested in this position and how the candidate meets the criteria identified above (up to 2 pages). Candidates must also submit contact information for three individuals associated with the South Puget Sound Action Area who support their nomination.
- Nominate a candidate: To submit the name of an individual for consideration as the South Puget Sound Action Area representative on the ECB, a letter of support for the candidate indicating how he/she meets the criteria listed above must be submitted (up to 3 pages). In addition, contact information for two additional individuals from the South Sound Action Area who support the nomination of the candidate. Contact information for the candidate must be included.
Application Submittal Guidelines
Submit electronic or hard copies of materials described above by 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 9, 2017 to:
Puget Sound Partnership Ecosystem Coordination Board Attn: Dominique Hampton 326 East D Street
Tacoma, WA 98421-1801
An email will be sent confirming that the information has been received.
For questions on the ECB appointment process, please contact Dominique Hampton, Puget Sound Partnership at 360.628.2423; email at dominique.hampton@psp.wa.gov