Previously in this space, the efforts of the LCOG Board to identify and prioritize "opportunity areas" for intergovernmental cooperation have been described. Work sessions were held in March and April to focus the Board's attention on past and present cooperative ventures in the region and to elicit fresh ideas by which tax resources could be stretched. From those sessions, 23 service areas emerged; and the Board members sharpened their pencils and flagged four of them as their highest priority topics for additional study.

Those "opportunity areas" were:

• Standardized or consolidated permit issuing, code enforcement and inspection.
• Consolidated data processing support-particularly advanced technical and networking support for multiple jurisdictions.
• Increased coordination between public safety and social service agencies at the "field contact" level-thus assuring that the appropriate organization is dispatched to deal with problem situations.
• Coordinated-multi-agency-social services based in the schools, e.g. health clinics, support for at risk youth, nutrition programs, clothing, etc.

These four topics have been communicated to the chief administrative officers of LCOG's member governments, and CAO work groups for each are beginning the process of analysis which will yield follow-up reports to the COG's Board of Directors and member agencies this summer.

What will come of all this? It is too soon to tell. However, several facts provide reason for encouragement. First, this community has a long record of successful intergovernmental cooperation. For decades, public jurisdictions have reinvented their programs and services to find the economies available through cooperation. Consolidated, or intensely coordinated, local government services are not new ideas to this region. Secondly, LCOG Board members, when they discussed the most promising "opportunity areas," were highly enthusiastic about the good government possibilities which could be elicited from new joint ventures. They directed that the COG Board be afforded structured opportunities-perhaps on a three to four month cycle-to explore further suggestions and analyses related to intergovernmental cooperation.

Four groups of chief administrators will analyze the possibilities and frame reports on the four current priority opportunity areas. The work groups will apply the necessary organizational, legal and fiscal considerations to the policy concepts generated by the elected officials. A melded result holds promise of advancing the principles and practice of a continuously improving governmental structure in this community. LCOG is proud to again play a role in such an endeavor.

"Is it a health food store for seniors?" "Do I have to take nutrition classes?" These are only two of the questions which have been asked many times by people in this area upon first learning about LCOG's Senior Nutrition Program. In an effort to improve the visibility of this program, which offers meals and friendship to seniors in 11 Lane County communities, the name has been changed to the SENIOR MEALS PROGRAM, which more simply communicates the service a senior can expect. The group dining rooms will be called meal sites or dining sites, rather than nutrition sites. Over the next few months, brochures, signs, and other printed material will be revised to include the new name and language.

June marks the first anniversary of the formation of the McKenzie Watershed Council. During the past 12 months, much has been accomplished. There are now 20 partners representing 19 groups on the Watershed Council. The most recent partners include the Springfield Utility Board and Willamalane Park and Recreation District, both of whom joined the Council in March.

Council members have become acquainted with each other and the watershed through field trips and monthly meetings. A charter and ground rules have been developed to direct council activities. A Geographic Information System for the McKenzie has been developed with data base layers, including water features, soils, zoning and land use.

Recent activities have included a half-day work session, in which the Council identified the four key issues it will work on over the next year. These issues include water quality, fish and wildlife habitat, recreation and human habitat. The Council is now addressing the first priority work program task, water quality, by identifying existing and desired conditions, which will lead to the creation and implementation of an action plan for maintaining and achieving the desired conditions. A water quality task group, consisting of 12 technical advisors, has been formed to assist with this task.

Citizen involvement has been an important part of the Council's work. This has included the development of a speaker's network, consisting of members of the watershed council who provided in formational presentations about watershed issues to key groups concerned with the McKenzie watershed. Three open houses were held in mid-May at Blue River Ranger Station, Thurston High School and EWEB. These provided an open forum for the public to learn more about the Council, about issues in the watershed and to express concerns. Presentations have also been given at numerous conferences or meetings through out Oregon. In addition, a news paper insert about the McKenzie is scheduled for distribution the end of June. The insert is aimed at reaching McKenzie watershed residents, as well as interested persons within the Eugene-Springfield metropolitan area.

The year ahead will be a busy one for the Watershed Council as it develops its action plan. With the cooperation of citizens and agencies, the Council will provide a forum for sound resource manage ment decisions and dispute resolution within the McKenzie water shed.