EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR SOUTHEASTERN WISCONSIN WATERSHEDS TRUST, ALSO KNOW AS THE SWEET WATER TRUST SUMMARY The

Southeastern Wisconsin Watersheds Trust is issuing this Request for Qualifications to individuals and firms interested in filling the position of Executive Director or committing a professional from their firm to fill the position. BACKGROUND Southeastern Wisconsin Watersheds Trust, The Sweet Water Trust. The Southeastern Wisconsin Watersheds Trust (the Trust) is an umbrella organization formed to improve the regions water resources through trust-building and collaboration. It is a non-governmental, non-taxing, voluntary organization. The Trusts mission statement is as follows: The Southeastern Wisconsin Watersheds Trust (the Trust) is a collaborative effort to achieve healthy and sustainable water resources throughout the Greater Milwaukee Watersheds1 and nearshore Lake Michigan. In order to continuously focus and strive to accomplish its mission, the Trust has developed and approved four goals. The goals are: 1. 2. 3. Make measurable progress toward improving the water resources in the region. Identify/support land use practices and designs that enhance/improve water resources and promote and restore ecological benefits. Forge and strengthen relationships to leverage funding and recommend policies to assist in the implementation of projects to produce lasting water resource benefits and cost savings throughout the Greater Milwaukee Watersheds and nearshore Lake Michigan. Implement cost-effective projects that result in measurable improvements in water quality and water resources.

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Implementing these goals is where the work of the Trust will be accomplished. The Trust recognizes that its efforts build on the goals, objectives, and recommendations of the

The Greater Milwaukee Watersheds are defined as the watersheds of the Kinnickinnic River, Menomonee River, Milwaukee River, Root River, and Oak Creek; the Milwaukee Harbor estuary, and the Lake Michigan direct drainage area.

Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (SEWRPC)2 Regional Water Quality Management Plan (RWQMP). The RWQMP provides a relevant and transparent foundation for moving forward. Primary Purposes of the Sweet Water Trust include: Primary Purpose 1. To achieve water resource goals and objectives such as clean water, conservation, and ecological function through innovative and sustainable practices. Primary Purpose 2. To improve water quality in the Greater Milwaukee Watersheds to support a healthy regional economy and improve quality of life. Primary Purpose 3. To test and then implement innovative approaches and practices that will achieve improvements in water resources in a cost-effective way. Primary Purpose 4. To build partnerships and enhance collaborative decision-making and joint project implementation, engaging government, business, the building industry, agriculture, environmental, and other stakeholder organizations to obtain broad agreement and recommend where to invest funds to get the greatest benefit. Primary Purpose 5. Through collaborative action, to increase the regions success in attracting new funding and leverage existing funding for water quality and water resource improvements. Implementing the Trusts mission, goals, and purposes will be accomplished by putting in place, projects, programs, and policies that produce measurable improvements in water resources. Water Resource improvement programs and projects are documented in Watershed Restoration Plans. These plans are second level, or watershed-specific plans that are collaboratively developed with Watershed Action Teams and water resource consultants. At a regional level, the necessary projects, programs, and policies are identified in the recommendations of the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (SEWRPC)3 in its 2007 update to the Regional Water Quality Management Plan (RWQMP). That watershed-based system level planning effort is built upon sound science, extensive data, and alternatives analysis of the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) 2020 Facilities Plan and the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commissions (SEWRPC) Regional Water Quality Management Plan Update (RWQMPU) the combined effort known as the Water Quality Initiative (WQI) which ended in 2007.

SEWRPC implements Section 208 of the federal Clean Water Act toward the goal of achieving water use objectives for surface waters within the region through a sound and workable plan for the abatement of water pollution. 3 SEWRPC implements Section 208 of the federal Clean Water Act toward the goal of achieving water use objectives for surface waters within the region through a sound and workable plan for the abatement of water pollution.

To provide full opportunity for an informed public to participate in the efforts of the Trust and to meet the desired outcomes above, the Trust will operate in the following manner. The Trust has three opportunities for individuals and organizations to support and participate in accomplishing its mission. They are: 1) Executive Steering Council, 2) Advisory Committees, such as the Science Committee, the Policy Committee, Watershed Action Teams, and special committees or work groups, and 3) General Membership, with this role being common to all who join the Trust by signing the Memorandum of Understanding that documents their commitment to the mission of the Trust. (See attached organization chart.) To date, the Trust has put in place its Executive Steering Council, the Science Advisory Committee, the Policy Advisory Committee, and Watershed Action Teams for the Menomonee River watershed and the Kinnickinnic River watershed. Members filling the various roles include independent units of government, special purpose districts, agencies, nonprofit organizations, companies, and members at large. (See attachment listing Council members.) In June the Trust received a major boost in its campaign to improve water quality in the Greater Milwaukee Watersheds with a three-year, $1.9 grant from the Joyce Foundation. The grant supports seven state and local conversation groups and the Trust to develop projects that will produce measurable improvements in water quality and habitat starting with the Menomonee and Kinnickinnic River Watersheds. This is a unique collaborative effort among nonprofits, governments, universities, and other entities working to use the waters natural boundaries, or watersheds, in making improvements in water quality and habitat. The Joyce Foundation grant will help build the collaborative effort to establish project priorities, support sound science, and analyze complex policy issues, all toward improving water quality and habitat and the health and economic strength of communities in the Greater Milwaukee Watersheds. The grant will enable the Trust and its conservation partners to work collaboratively to build community support for implementing cost effective water quality improvement projects in the Greater Milwaukee Watersheds. In addition to the Trust, the conservation partners receiving funding are 1000 Friends of Wisconsin, Clean Wisconsin, Midwest Environmental Advocates, Milwaukee RiverKeeper, River Alliance of Wisconsin, River Revitalization Foundation, and Sixteenth Street Community Health Center. Each group brings a particular expertise to this water quality improvement effort including the following activities: Engage businesses, municipalities, and the people who live in the watershed in the watershed planning process and ensure that innovative, cost effective approaches are taken to improve water resources.

Improve the quality and quantity of data collected by both citizens and agencies to ensure that watershed restoration plans are developed and implemented based on sound science. Identify and advance innovative policies and legal tools best suited to bring about the improved water quality and water resources goals of the Trust. Raise the awareness of Sweet Water Trust in the Greater Milwaukee Watersheds and recruit and involve a broad constituency engaged in water quality and habitat improvements and coordinated watershed restoration. Create an integrated and long lasting structure that supports watershed restoration through collaborative efforts throughout the entire Greater Milwaukee Watersheds and nearshore Lake Michigan.

SCOPE OF SERVICES. The Trust is committed to continuing and improving the operations of the Executive Steering Council and it committees and work groups. To meet this commitment, the primary efforts that must be preformed by the individual or firm selected under this effort are: Act as the Executive Director of the Sweet Water Trust. Establish and strengthen ties throughout the region that will synergize grant funding and collaborative undertakings that can be leveraged for success. Serve as a high-profile presence for the Trust, setting and exceeding future membership goals and implementing plans to be developed. Provide strong leadership for actions recommended in future Watershed Actions Plans that create real, measurable, and lasting improvements throughout the Greater Milwaukee Watersheds. Support the operation of and assist the Council in effectively leading and managing the Councils committees, watershed action teams, work groups, and consultants it may retain. Assist in the preparation of Watershed Restoration Plans and implementation of projects identified in Watershed Restoration Plans. Provide overview and management of the work funded by the Joyce Foundation and other funders to ensure all actions are consistent with the mission, goals, and purposes of the Trust and that the funded projects are high quality, on budget, and on schedule. Seek and obtain funds to support the mission, goals, and purposes of the Trust. Ensure that an effective communication strategy for the Trust is developed and implemented. Engage in other activities consistent with the Trusts mission, goals, and purposes as directed by the Executive Steering Council.

In additions to these primary efforts, the Trust will engage in other special work activities, depending on the availability of funds and schedule. Others may do the special work activities in part or totally. Anticipated efforts are: Development of a business plan. Development of a communications plan. Implementing a Fundraising plan. Development of a membership recruitment and retention plan. Planning, organizing, and holding an Annual Clean Water Summit. Web site development and maintenance. Undertaking additional WRP planning (unless MMSD continues to fund). Undertaking WRP recommended activities (projects, programs, outreach). Monitoring and reporting on progress toward goals.

Anticipated Activities: Operation of the Executive Steering Council (ESC). Currently, the ESC has six meetings per year, it is anticipated that the ESC will establish two working groups in the next 12 months. The possible work groups are fundraising and business planning work groups and an Executive Review Board for the Joyce Foundation efforts. In addition to the bimonthly ESC meetings, the Chairperson of the ESC holds six meetings per year with the Chairs of all the Trusts committees. These activities will represent approximately 24 meetings. In addition, a series of follow up and coordination/communication meetings may be required. These will usually be one-on-one informal meetings. Administrative support: Support includes finding and confirming meeting location, preparing and organizing date of meetings, and confirming membership attendance; preparing agenda and any needed supplemental information; summarizing actions taken; posting information to website; and completing any follow up. Operation of the Science Committee. Currently, the Science Committee meets approximately every three months and has established two working groups, a modeling subcommittee and a habitat committee. Specific work efforts that are anticipated are: Working closely with the ESC and its Committees, identifying specific scientific issues and potential investigations. Supporting Committees in the establishing and operating work groups. Documenting findings and recommendations of Science Committee. Supporting Science Committee to obtaining outside resources. Assisting in the defining and analyzing special projects at the direction of the ESC or Science Committee Providing staff support for Science Committee.

Operation of the Policy Committee. Currently, the Policy Committee has six meetings per year and has established two working groups, the Watershed Permitting Group and the Watershed Trading Group. Both these work groups will meet at least six times in the next 12 months. Specific work efforts that are anticipated are: Working closely with the ESC and its Committees, identifying specific Policy issues and potential policy evaluations. Supporting Committee in the establishment and operation of work groups. Supporting Policy Committee to obtain outside resources. Preparing legal and policy briefing documents. Applying lessons learned to change and evolve how the Trust moves forward. Providing staff support for Policy Committee and its work groups. Operation of Watershed Action Teams (WAT). Currently, their two Watershed Action Teams, one for the Kinnickinnic River Watershed and one for the Menomonee River Watershed. Each of these WATs has co-chairs. It is difficult to estimate the number of meetings and the number of work groups until the Watershed Restoration Plans are drafted. These committees will determine their own level of activity. For the purpose of estimating work effort, six meetings per year for each WAT are reasonable. This is a total of 12 meetings per year. Specific work efforts that are anticipated are: Membership recruitment and support. Identifying specific issues and priorities for watershed. Working with and support technical team members. Supporting WAT Chairpersons to facilitate communications with Trust and its Committees. Preparing briefings to ESC, Science Committee, and Policy Committee. Applying lessons learned to change and evolve how the Trust moves forward. Providing staff support for Watershed Action Teams and their work groups to maintain transparent functioning and administrative documentation. Staff support includes finding and confirming meeting location; preparing and organizing dates of meetings and confirming membership attendance; preparing agendas and any needed supplemental information; summarizing actions taken; posting information to website; and completing any follow up. ESTIMATED LEVEL OF EFFORT: Summary of anticipated meetings: ESC: Science: Policy WATs Total

48 6 18 12 84 meetings

The effort for meetings varies from four to 20 hours, depending on type of meeting. Using an average of 12 hours per meeting, and an anticipated 84 meetings, there are 1008

hours, or half a fulltime employee. Planning, initiating, managing, and coordinating potential special works efforts will, even if completed by others, will require a range of 600 to 1000 hours.