HomeMy Public PortalAboutPleasant Bay Alliance -- 2010-10-05 Minutes...1
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Pleasant Bay Alliance ; ~'; ":
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Steering Committee ~-1' ; '
October 5, 2010
Attending: Chuck Bartlett, Allin Thompson, Fran McClennt~n, Jane Harris, Larry
Ballantine
Minutes of September 7, 2010 were approved with the amendment of removing Larry's
name from the list of those present.
A draft budget for FY 2012 was reviewed. Carole noted that a small decrease in
spending for the water quality program was included, which reduced the overall budget
by .75%. The committee agreed that the funds should stay in the program to provide a
small contingency. A motion was made and seconded to approve a level funded budget
of $93,640 for fiscal year 2012 and submit this request to the towns for inclusion in the
FY12 operating budgets brought to Town Meetings in May 2011. The motion passed
unanimously.
The following updates were provided:
Status of Discussions with State regarding Improvement Dredging. Carole reported that
there has been no further information provided by the state regarding the potential for
allowing variances from state regulations under certain conditions and for specific public
purposes, to allow for the potential of improvement dredging in the ACEC. She proposes
drafting a resource management plan amendment that specifies which if any conditions
and purposes would have to be met to indicate that such variances could be pursued.
Once the Alliance is ready with its proposed RMP amendment, but before announcing it
publicly, it would be timely to go back to the state and urge them to move forward with
their response. It is felt that otherwise there may not be a timely response from the state.
Muddy Creek - a meeting on September 28 resulted in suggested comments on the draft
Technical Memo to SMAST; and a decision to move ahead with resource assessments
and engineering work using the $65,000 from CCWRPP. Carole will work with Jeremy
on the scopes for the engineering and resource assessment work. Once scopes are
together we would need to meet with the Cape Cod Conservation District to talk about
the process for issuing the RFPs, whether to their pool of consultants or beyond. It was
also discussed that some type of communication to Selectmen should be considered,
possibly a letter to update them on progress, once the status of the funding is clear.
The Cadmus draft report on water quality trend analysis was reviewed on September 29`x'.
Final comments are due to Cadmus on October 8`". The public meeting will be October
28`h possibly at 7 pm at the Chatham Community Center. The Steering Committee
offered the following comments:
- Overall the results are consistent with the MEP modeling of post 2007
flushing having a positive effect in open areas of the bay, but still not
enough to show improvement in the ponds.
-- Figures 7-9 should have some sort of indicatic a of what the desired
concentrations are, io put the trend in context.
- Station figures do not shave bioactive nitrogen, and this would be helpful,
especially at sentinel stations.
- The Executive summary will be critical, aitd there needs to be plenty of
time to review this before the public meeting
Fertilizer Management Study -draft final plan was reviewed by the wark group on
September 30`". Very few final comments are being submitted. Meetings are planned.
with public managers and a separate meeting with golf course managers, on October 22°`'.
`I'1-ese will he ttecessary before the report can be finalized. Larry asked why the
recommendations facused on regulations rather than public education. Carole explained
that the bylaws would provide better leverage for gaining credit from MassDEP far
nutrient removal. It was suggested that for lawn managers a policy could be adapted and
have tYte saute effect as a bylaw. The Steering Committee was supportive of a workshop
for landscape professionals in late March or early April that addressed lawn care,
invasives, vegetated buffers and treatment of ornamentals. "Phis could be undertaken in
concert with local groups and conservation commissions.
A scope for website development is being put together. T'he goat is to have bids back by
November or December, and to have the new site up and running in the first quarter of
2011.
Carole mentioned that Natural Resource Protection Zoning for the Pleasant Bay
watershed is under discussion far the Fast Harwich Village Center. ''Vlore information
w~il1 be forthcoming.
Signed ~-' ~.~~~~,.~, ~ ; C• ~,; llate % / _ ~~ _ ~~,"