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Home My Public Portal About20091217BTFMinutes.pdfTybee Island Beach Task Force Minutes: December 17, 2009 Prepared: 1/5/2010: slv Page 1 of 3 Members Present: Bert Adams, Cecil DeLorme, Freda Rutherford, Harvey Ferrelle, Henry Levy, John Wylly, Lou Off, Mary McCracken, William Sprague Members Absent: Amy Lanier, Dan Parrott, Greg Stoeffler, Jimmy Burke, Harry Spirides, Helen Downing, Mark Smith Wick Searcy, Visitors / Ex-Officios Present: Paul Wolff, Diane Schleicher, Joe Richardson, __________________________________________________________________________________ CALL TO ORDER (Agenda Item 1): Lou Off called the meeting to order. Mr. Off chaired since Amy Lanier could not attend. ATTENDANCE AND GUESTS (Agenda Item 2): APPROVAL OF MINUTES (Agenda Item 3): Henry Levy motioned to approve the minutes from November. Freda Rutherford seconded. All approved. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS REPORT (Agenda Item 4): 1. No COE representative was present at the meeting so there was no report. RFP UPDATE (Agenda Item 5): 1. Paul Wolff reported that City Council did vote to approve the Beach Task Force’s recommendation of Erik Olsen for Coastal Engineer. 2. The idea was mentioned to have Mr. Olsen available via conference call for the next Beach Task Force meeting. Diane said she would get in contact with Mr. Olsen to make sure he was available. Discussion took place on the details of Mr. Olsen participating in the BTF meeting and also the possibility of having him speak at a council meeting in the future. It was decided upon within the group to have the Sub- Committee Chairpersons write a few questions within the scope of work concerning their topic areas to ask to Mr. Olsen at the January BTF meeting. 3. Diane Schleicher reported that the Beach Monitoring Project was completed by Mr. Haas from GA Tech. He will be present at the next meeting to report on the survey results. SUB-COMMITTEE UPDATES (Agenda Item 6): 1. Beach Management Plan Sub-Committee Update – The Plan is in the final editing stage. The committee is still waiting to hear back from the DNR concerning the Sand Fencing. 2. North Beach Sand Management Sub-Committee Update – With Erik Olsen under contract once again, sub-committee will be able to make progress. 3. Nourishment and Funding Sub-Committee Update – Harvey spoke with Pat Farrell and the Mayor and Mr. Farrell are planning on meeting soon. Harvey also recommended that the County Commissioners be added to any informational mail-out that might occur in the future. 4. Channel Impact/CZM/SC Port Sub-Committee Update – No Update 5. Harbor Deepening/SEG Sub-Committee Update – December meeting is postponed until March. Tybee Island Beach Task Force Minutes: December 17, 2009 Prepared: 1/5/2010: slv Page 2 of 3 CHANNEL IMPACT/CZM/SC Port Update (Agenda Item 7): 1. At the previous meeting, Henry Levy made a motion to recommend to City Council to consider a toll road on HWY 80 in the next budget cycle to pay for expenses on Tybee Island such as Beach Renourishments and other expenses. This motion was amended and seconded by Harvey Ferrelle. At the current meeting, Henry Levy amended the motion again to have the city consider a study and cost estimate of a toll road. The amended motion was voted on with three people approving; the rest did not approve. The motion was not carried forward. HARBOR DEEPENING/SEG UPDATE (Agenda Item 8): Diane Schleicher reported some of the final numbers from the Beach Renourishment. NEW BUSINESS (Agenda Item 9): 1. Mary McCracken made a motion to recommend Joe Richardson as a member of the Beach Task Force since Shirley Sessions would no longer be able to be a member. Seconded by John Wylly. Approved by all. There was discussion about the possibility of Mr. Richardson being able to be a member since he is not a Tybee resident. By-laws were checked and they do not limit members to residents or property owners only. 2. Lou read a letter from Mayor Buelterman that included the following topics: a. Channel Impact Phase II – November 30th was the date for the COE staff to present projected costs and a scope of work. The City has not received either to date. The Mayor has spoken to them COE about the urgency of keeping up with this project. b. Meeting with Col. Kertis – Mayor Buelterman is going to have a meeting with the Colonel concerning the Channel Impact Study – Phase II. Also involved in the meeting will be Amy Lanier, the City Manager, and the City Attorney. c. Letter to Representatives – Mayor Buelterman is working on a letter to Representatives Kingston, Chambliss, and Isakson concerning Channel Impact Phase II process which is continuing to be delayed, obtaining detailed information about other beach communities that are in the same situation as Tybee (a beach that has proven negative impact by federal action relative specifically to funding), and extending the 50-year project as it is coming to a sunset after the next renourishment. Action for BTF – Mayor Buelterman asked for guidance on how best to approach the Representatives about the stated issues. He also suggested that a summary of the BTF meetings with information specific to their area be sent to the Representatives after every monthly meeting and a contact person for each office be found. d. DC Trip – The Mayor would like to take a trip to Washington D.C. in the near future (late January to early February) to meet with Representatives about these issues that are being raised in the letters to them and to press them further on this. e. GPA Meeting – Wick Searcy and Bubba Hughes are working on setting up a meeting with Georgia Ports Authority Officials to follow up on the summer meeting and the strategies that should be used. Tybee Island Beach Task Force Minutes: December 17, 2009 Prepared: 1/5/2010: slv Page 3 of 3 3. Alan Garrett from the COE replied to the Mayor, reporting that the COE’s Tybee Island Project Delivery Team has been working to prepare an estimate of the scope and cost for Phase II of the Feasibility Study to determine the navigational channel’s impact to Tybee’s shoreline. In response to the letter the Mayor sent March 2006, Mr. Garrett reported that the Project Delivery Team developed scopes of work and estimates for two studies; one study that focuses on alterative mitigation strategies (Near Shore disposal, change of O & M Practices, etc.) and one study that examines the addition of North Beach to the Federal Hurricane Storm Damage Reduction Project. The alternative mitigation strategies study includes work (modeling) needed to differentiate the channel’s impacts to the entire shelf from the impacts observed on the beach itself. The COE has draft estimates and detailed scopes of work for both studies. As for the November 30th deadline, after the review of total costs, COE has determined that there needs to be one last additional review by key planning division personnel. After Jan 1st, a final decision document will be provided to the City. 4. The Beach Task Force began discussion on the guidance the Mayor asked for concerning the Letters to the Representatives. Freda Rutherford suggested that each representative be given a different issue with the issues being those connected to the committees with which they serve and a point person for each office be found. Lou Off suggested that a small Newsletter be created and sent out monthly to the Representatives and others who are on committees that deal closely with Tybee beach issues to address topics that can assist beach renourishments and funding aspects. Berta Adams also added that the Mayor should ask Erik Olsen for a “Priority Projects” list. OLD BUSINESS 1. Old Sea Wall – The Mayor is currently working on another letter to the COE. 2. Sand Fencing – The City and the Beach Management Plan Sub-Committee is working on getting the proposal approved by DNR. MEETING ADJOURNED (Agenda Item 10):