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HomeMy Public PortalAbout20070118BeachTaskForceMinutes.pdfTybee Island Beach Task Force Minutes January 18, 2007. Members Present: Berta Adams, Cecil DeLorme, Amy Lanier, Henry Levy, Mary McCracken, Walter Parker, Freda Rutherford, Wick Searcy, William Sprague, John Wylly, and Lou Off Ex-Officos Present: Diane Schleicher, City Manager, Jill Andrews and Kelly Moore, DNR, Hon Pat Farrell, County Commissioner, Hon Jason Buelterman, Mayor of Tybee Island, Members Absent: Helen Downing (E), Dick Magune. Visitors: Hampton Spradley, ACOE; Kevin Haas, Georgia Tech; Cullen Chambers, Tybee Island Historical Society; Harvey Ferrelle. Lou called the meeting to order and welcomed everyone to the meeting. Lou introduced Beverly Roberts as the new Secretary to The Beach Task Force. Read article from Bo Peterson from The Charleston Post and Courier, Turtle Tots; article from Scott Larsen- Sand Gobbling Shipping Channel, and article in the newspaper about Coastguard Clarified Shipping Issues. Lou asked Pat Ferrell to call Coast Guard Commander David Murk to come to a Beach Task Force Meeting. Lou Off received an email from Hope Moorer, GPA, that she has been re-assigned. Jason stated he did have meeting with Robert Morris (GPA External Affairs). We need to have them transfer the money to get the channel impact study started. Jason said that we will send a letter of request to Doug Marchand for the $125,000 with the balance of $125,000 due in a couple of months. Lou talked to Dan and they should have $206,000 to spend which will be adequate to finish the study. Jason said they need to have the funds within 14 days of when the Agreement was signed which was 11 January 2007. Lou Off skipped to Item 7 on the Agenda List which is the GPA meeting. He asked Jason about his meeting. We are trying to talk to them about the total picture of beach maintenance and its costs. The newspaper article said it all; the channel gobbles up our sand. This is more long-term. Short-term priority is to get beach re-nourishment money this year. They set aside the money for the turtles and they need to set aside the money for Tybee. Lou stated that the key piece that can use for both state and federal funding is the impact study to prove how much damage is being done by the channel. Henry Levy motioned to approve the December 2006 Minutes. Freda Rutherford stated a second. Minutes approved. Lou stated that Dan Parrott is on his way to Washington DC to check on funding for projects and studies. Hampton Spradley – Presented Monthly Report on ACOE Action Status Summary Sheet (Copy Attached) Savannah Channel Maintenance Contract Contract was awarded to Mason Dredging on 7 December at a total cost of $4,035,000. Mason Dredging began offshore dredging in Brunswick on 20 December 2006. However, after 4 turtles were killed by the hopper dredge, the dredge demobilized to another job in Mississippi. Work may restart in February, based on water temperature. Lou wanted to know how far they got with the dredging. Hampton did not know. Work has begun in the Savannah Harbor on 13 January 2007. Turtle trawling relocation is being conducted in front of the dredge. To date, no turtles have been taken by the dredge. Coastal Zone Management Implementation A decision document has been started for internal ACOE review. Georgia DNR Meeting on 20 February, 2007. This is an internal document by the ACOE of all the Division Chiefs, up through the Colonel. This is an effort to bring everyone together on the decision. Lou also asked if they needed anyone for the Beach Task Force to be there. Hampton said the Lyle will let him know. Channel Impacts Feasibility Study Hampton Spradley stated he is overseeing this study. Feasibility Study Cost Share Agreement was signed on 11 January 2007. As soon as the ACOE receives the first installment of this Study’s funds from either the GPA or Tybee, it will get started. An initial funds request letter for $125,000 has been sent to the GPA with the balance in 60 days. The ACOE will get the federal funding before asking for the funding from Tybee. Lou asked Hampton how much they had on hand and he stated that it was about half. FYO7 Funding The Continuing Resolution (CRA) is in effect until the end of the Fiscal year. Funding levels are highly uncertain and will be based on negotiations between the Administration and the new Congress in early January on the new set of CRA rules. Berta said that this impacts us a couple of ways. The first being as long as they have that continuing resolution in effect, we do not know how to operate. The other impact is the State of Georgia has a program (The Peach Care Program) to provide medical services to children. There is a certain amount of funding that comes out of the federal budget to fund that program. That is on hold, too. The state of GA will have to make up that short-fall or eliminate the program if there is no federal funding. Therefore the state budget will have less excess funds available. Lou Off suggests that we hold tight and do nothing with the state until we know more from the feds. FY08 Funding The FY08 President’s Budget is still being developed and will be released on 6 February, 2007. Jason stated he will be going to Washington on 20 February, 2007. Need all the help we can get and is trying to get the Governor to make some calls for us. Disposal Area Maintenance with GaDOT A meeting was held on 4 December, 2006 with the GaDOT and The COE to go over the mutual concerns with the excessive erosion along Disposal Area 14b and Jones Oyster Bed Island. It was found that the excessive erosion is contributing to high dredging requirements along the lower reach of the Savannah River. The continuation of the Jasper County Condemnation was also discussed. Brunswick Harbor Deepening The Brunswick Harbor Deepening Project in ongoing. Savannah Harbor Expansion The Draft Savannah Harbor Expansion GRR and Tier II EIS will be completed in FY07, pending the receipt of $1,500,000 FY07 funds. Ft Screven Old Seawall Demolition After a preliminary review of the project documentation, it may be possible for another DERP project to be approved, subject to the availability of funds. Lou stated that we were waiting for Dan’s action on this. Diane Schleicher also stated that we need to hear from Dan in order to proceed with funding requests. In January 2007, the Savannah District will review available documentation in order to ascertain the eligibility of the area for another DERP project at Ft. Screven. This internal document review meeting will be scheduled for the week of 22 Jan 2007. Tybee LRR Cost Breakdown The Corps will be working with our audit department on getting a check cut in early 2007 to refund the City of Tybee for their excess contributed funds. Questions to Hampton Spradley Berta asked a question about the CZM (Coastal Zone Management) Implementation. There are different options that the ACOE could apply and are they taking these to DNR for them to sign off on them. Lou stated that when he, Jason, Diane met with Colonel Helm, one of the things that the colonel is doing is putting together a super committee to come up with a Regional Sand Management Program that takes in the widener, HB727, etc. Sand Relocation Procedure Lou stated that no one is taking any action on the comments that City Council members Mallory and Kathryn made. Diane said City Council needs to get together with Vivian and make the changes to the plan. Diane said we will review that portion of the tape, put that in the plan and make sure that it is what the City Council wants. It will be put on the second agenda in February to be voted on. Monitoring The Corp notified The Beach Task Force that GA Tech proposal is acceptable to do the Beach Monitoring Study. Old Business Lou said that the City Council did approve the four members that were up for renewal. They also voted and approved Mark Smith to become a member of the Beach Task Force. Lou stated we need to send him a copy of the Bylaws and the meeting dates. His term will be up in 2009. Henry Levy proposed that we recommend to the City Council Harvey Ferrell as an additional member of the Beach Task Force Committee. Mary McCracken 2nd. Everyone was in favor of this proposal. Lou stated that Dick Magune attendance did not meet the by laws standards. There was a recommendation to ask Dick Magune to step down. Henry Levy suggested that we apply the bylaws on missed meetings to anyone that has done it. People who cannot make a meeting, need to call Beverly Roberts or Lou in advance or they will become subject to the bylaws. Lou will have a discussion with Dick Magune. Jill – DNR has some openings that are funded where we can use people. Pat Ferrell – The county commission is working on next year’s budget. Lou thanked Pat for all his help. Jill has a suggestion for a new program. Mellonbluff is a large track of land in Richmond Hill being used for preservation and conservation. She would like to present this program to The Beach Task Force Committee in the future. It lasts approximately 30 minutes. Lou suggested that we adjourn the meeting and have presentation afterward for those who are able to stay and attend it. Meeting Adjourned