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Minutes - 12/10/1996 Workshop COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING MINUTES December 10, 1996 TAPE READING 0001 DATE. COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL, CITY OF WOODBURN, COUNTY OF MARION, STATE OF OREGON, DECEMBER 10, 1996. 0003 CONVENED. The Council met in a workshop session at 7:00 p.m. with Mayor Kirksey presiding to receive a report from the archaeologists on the findings at the Mill Creek site. ROLL CALL. Mayor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Kirksey Chadwick Figley Hagenauer Jennings Pugh Sifuentez Present Absent Present Absent Present Present Present Staff Present: City Administrator Childs, City Recorder Tennant Woodburn School District representatives: Jodi Fischer, School Board Chairperson; Jack Reeves, Superintendent 0025 Mayor Kirksey welcomed the participants to this workshop which was called for the purpose of receiving a report of findings from representatives of the Center for the Study of the First Americans (Oregon State University). 0050 Rob Bonnichsen, archaeologist and Director for the Center, provided the workshop attendees with background information on how Center became involved in working at this site along with the long term values that could evolve from continuation of this project. The Center had conducted a survey in 1992-93 to look for early archeological remains in the Willamette Valley which would include Ice Age mammal remains. Their research showed that Woodburn seemed to be the best site to pursue an archeological dig. An agreement was reached between the City, School Board, and the Center in which each organization would pay $2,000 towards the cost of extracting core samples to be analyzed by archaeologists. These samples were extracted during the summer months and results show that they are still unable to come up with samples on Ice Age mammals. However, the samples have been analyzed through a radiocarbon dating technique which indicates that certain items/deposits are as much as 12,300 years old. During a slide presentation, he outlined the scientific values that are received through their research along with the science application to students and, if the findings are substantial, potential tourism to the community as the site is developed. He described the following phases involved with a new site: Phase I - Coring; Phase II - Testing; Page 1 - Council Workshop Meeting Minutes, December 10, 1996 T" ~....---. ...--..... .. . ~~ _w_.... COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING MINUTES December 10, 1996 TAPE READING Phase III - Full scale excavation; and Phase IV - Development. To date, coring has been to about 14 feet and testing of samples show that there is good preservation at this site. Peat deposits include fossils, hair, birds, insects, and some artifacts. The bones have been well preserved and if the hair is well-preserved, DNA studies can be conducted to provide a lot of information about humans from the applicable time period. This project has been named as Woodburn Mammoth Park and archaeologists will return during the dry summer months to re-open the trench sites that were most productive. 1050 Alan Schneider, Co-Chair of the Board of the Directors for the Center and a member of the Oregon Archaeology Society, stated that this project provides not only educational benefits but it gives community volunteers an opportunity to participate in the excavation process. In regards to the educational benefit, students would be able to take blocks of peat back to the classroom to be analyzed. Blocks could also be sent to other schools for analysis, thereby, giving more students an opportunity to participate in this program. When the trench sites are re-opened, it is hoped that they can go down another 5 or 6 feet and find samples that would give the Center even more information on the history of this area. He stated that they are willing to hold a local training program for volunteers and to conduct a 7-10 day program to train teachers who would then be able to bring students out to the site to participate in the dig. 1612 The Center has brought the findings of this dig to the attention of the OSU Dean of Science to see if OSU can provide assistance with this project. It was noted that this type of project interfaces with a multitude of programs even at the college level. Work performed to date seems to indicate that it is a well-preserved archeological site which may include human remains. This site is defined by stratas which provide scientists with the ability to establish time frames. A question was raised regarding the potential of a exhibition and/or tourism facility. Mr. Schneider stated that it should be known within the next 4 years if the quality of the material being excavated would merit such a facility. Discussion was also held regarding future budgets for this project along with financial assistance that could be obtained through various sources such as grants, scholarship programs, lottery funds, Indian tribes, and local participation. Jodi Fischer expressed her opinion that the financial issues need to be looked at now since the City's and School District's budgets are prepared annually. Tape 2 Mayor Kirksey suggested that a meeting be set after the first of the year with the Dean of Science, Mr. Bonnichsen, Mr. Schneider, OSU Development Office, school district and city officials to discuss future project funding options. Mr. Bonnichsen reminded the group that the initial funding is not that easy to obtain until the pilot program is completed which may take another two years. Page 2 - Council Workshop Meeting Minutes, December 10, 1996 r ~",'''''n_ , ---~-"---- 111" . ~'-'"'~'" COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING MINUTES December 10, 1996 TAPE READING Administrator Childs suggested that the City and/or School District consider hiring a student intern to work on the financial aspect of this project. The workshop participants agreed with this idea as a means of locating and coordinating financial support for this project. Mr. Bonnichsen stated that he would first discuss the project with Dean Horn, OSU Dean of Science, to work on the status of the program along with preliminary budget and financial issues. The next workshop was tentatively scheduled for January 28, 1997,7:00 p.m., at City Hall. 0574 The meeting concluded at 9:03 p.m.. APPROVED "7?~// >>::~ NANCY A. KI SEY, MAYO ~ d-- ATTEST (\~~ I~ Mary 'Te ant, Recorder City of Woodburn, Oregon Page 3 - Council Workshop Meeting Minutes, December 10, 1996 r . '-"'~"~-'--""---"'- WI . . ---r--""',,,,