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	January Planning Meeting by Mike Young The WRWA Board of Directors met on the morning of Saturday, January 24, 2004 at Westfield State College, continuing a tradition of annual planning meetings. In the past these get-togethers have focused on planning for the River Symposium, general goal setting, and discussion of possible future directions for the organization. While many of those things came up in one way or another at this year's meeting, the focus was on the development of a budget for 2004. Thanks to the efforts of Ken Taylor, our treasurer, and the Audit Committee from last spring (Gabe Khatchadourian, Rob Bristow and myself - with help from local CPA Laurie Padykula), the Executive Committee had already come up with a reasonable projection of our basic operating expenses for 2004 - including costs for the 2004 River Symposium. On the 24th, the Board's task was to decide on our priorities for the remaining money, estimated at approximately $2,900. The Education and Stewardship Committees met separately to discuss their priorities for the coming year, and then the entire group came back together to rank the various ideas that had been put forward. The items that were funded are: (1) $950 for storm drain stenciling in Westfield (matching the $950 grant we've received from Northeast Utilities for stenciling in West Springfield), (2) $550 for continued support of the Atlantic Salmon Egg Rearing Program, including some new equipment for the Powder Mill Middle School in Southwick, expendable items to be used at all four of the Watershed schools participating in the program this year, and funds to support a meeting of the local teachers involved in the program, (3) $250 to support the development of a booklet commemorating the 1955 floods along the Westfield River, (4) $250 to support this year's canoe cruise, (5) $200 to fund the fishway open house to be held in May at the DSI Dam in West Springfield, and (6) $200 to provide start-up funding for a Fly-Fishing Derby to be held in early April. The list includes a number of new initiatives and provides an ambitious target for our organization to meet for the year. We hope that each and every member will find a way to get involved in Watershed issues during this new year - we can certainly use your energy!