HomeMy Public PortalAboutAgenda Item - Request Confirmation - Stormwater Advisory Comm. 7-21-10Michael J. Driscoll
Town Manager
TOWN OF
WATERTOWN
Office of the Town Manager
Administration Building
149 Main Street
Watertown, MA 02472
Phone: 617-972-6465
Fax: 617-972-6404
www.watertown-ma.gov
townmgr@watertown-ma.gov
To: Honorable Town Council
From: Michael J. Driscoll, Town Manager
Date: July 21, 2010
RE: Request for Confirmation — Reappointment to the Stormwater Advisory
Committee
Pursuant to the provisions of the attached Town Council Resolution 2009-36, A
Resolution Creating a Stormwater Advisory Committee, I am transmitting herewith a request for
reappointment to the Stormwater Advisory Committee which requires Council confirmation.
The reappointment will be as follows:
Stormwater Advisory Committee
Ernesta Kraczkiewicz 77 Riverside Street
2 Year Term
July 15, 2012
Thank you for your anticipated cooperation in this matter.
cc: Gerald S. Mee Jr., Superintendent of Public Works
Steven Magoon, Community Development & Planning Director
Christopher J. Hayward, Conservation Agent '
John E. Flynn, Town Clerk
TOWN OF WATERTOWN
Town Council
Administration Building
149 Main Street
Watertown, MA 02472
Phone: 617-972.6470
Fax: 617.972.6485
www.watertown-ma.gov
Elected Officials:
Clyde L. Younger, Council Presidenr.
Mark S. Sideris, Vice President
Stephen P. Corbett
Marilyn M. Petitto Devaney
Susan G. Falkoff
Jonathan Hecht
Angeline B. Kounelis
John J. Lawn, Jr.
Vincent J. Piccirilli, Jr.
Resolution N .36 k-09-3&
WHEREAS, the Charles River is central to Watertown's identity, and is the Town's most important natural resource
and well -used recreational attraction; and
WHEREAS, in a densely built-up city like Watertown, large volumes of stormwater, contaminated by runoff from
impervious surfaces, flow into the Charles River carrying pollution, nutrients, and silt which continue to degrade the
river's water quality; and
WHEREAS, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Massachusetts Department of
Environmental Protection (DEP) have continued to impose stricter stormwater regulations on communities
surrounding the Charles River to improve water quality by reducingihe amount of contaminants discharged into the
river; and
WHEREAS, the Town of Watertown, as an operator of an EPA regulated Stormwater Phase 11 small Municipal
Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4), is required to include public participation and involvement in its stormwater
management program to meet the conditions of its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
permit; turd
WHEREAS, effective stormwater management involves land use planning and citizen education, as well as
Deportment of Public Works management of the storm drain and sewer system.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Town Council of the City known as the Town of Watertown
hereby creates a Stormwater Advisory Committee to net us an advisory body to the Superintendent of Public Works,
with goals defined as follows:
I) Review and make recommendations on a new stormwater ordinance and related regulations being
developed by the Town;
2) Identify and advocate forstonnwater funding through grants or other sources;
3) Develop educational progrnms to increase public awareness of stormwater management;
4) Perform any other tasks relevant to assisting the Superintendent with the implementation of best practices
for stormwater management.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Stormwater Advisory Committee shall consist of one Planning Department
employee appointed by the Director of Community Development and Planning, one DPW employee appointed by
the Superintendent of Public Works; the Conservation Agent, and four citizen members; 3 to be appointed by the
Town Manager and confirmed by the Town Council and 1 to be appointed by the Council President;
that there shall be a balance of expertise in the citizen members, and that to the greatest extent possible, two of the
four citizen members shall have professional experience related to stormwater management;
that terms of the initial citizen members shall be for one or two years and so arranged that the terms of half of the
members shall expire each year, and their successors shall be appointed for terms of two years;
that the Committee shall choose a chair from its citizen members, and shall hold regular scheduled meetings;
and that the Committee shall present reports and recommendations directly to the Superintendent of Public Works,
and shall also make an annual progress report to the Town Council.
Council Member
I hereby certify that at a regular meeting of the Town Council for which a quorum was present, the above Resolution
was ado r edby a vote of _j for, 0 against and O present on 1- //Y -07 2009.
Valerie Papas
Clerk of the Council
Clyde L. Younger
Council President
Hand, JoAnna
From: Ernesta Kraczkiewicz [ernestakracz@gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, April 22, 2010 5:47 PM
To: Townmgr
Subject: Re -appointment to the Stormwater Advisory Committee
Dear Mr. Driscoll,
Thank you for the notice of the coming expiration of my term on the Stormwater Advisory Committee.
I believe that the Committee is making good progress on issues important to the Town's ability to manage its
stormwater, such as drafting of stormwater ordinances. I find the work of the Committee to be very interesting
and would appreciate being considered for re -appointment!
Sincerely, Ernesta
r
Ernesta Kraczkiewicz
77 Riverside Street
Watertown, MA 02472
June 22, 2009
Michael J. Driscoll, Town Manager
Town of Watertown
149 Main Street
Watertown, MA 02472
Dear Mr. Driscoll,
I am responding to the notice published in the June 5 TAB regarding membership on the Town's
Stormwater Advisory Committee. I would like to apply to be appointed as one of the citizen
members.
I have worked, at various levels of government, on regulatory frameworks, and analyzed their
impacts on community development objectives. I am particularly interested in these issues at the
local level in Watertown. I have been involved in local issues through membership on the
Restoration Advisory Board, working to assure adequate toxic waste cleanup of the Arsenal and
the GSA Site by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; also, as an active member of Watertown
Citizens for Environmental Safety, I have been concerned with a number of local infrastructure
and development issues. My background does not include professional experience in storm
water management, so I would want to be appointed as one of the Advisory Committee members
without that expertise.
In my opinion, resolving storm water problems is the most significant of water pollution issues_
today; storm water runoff is the greatest remaining source of water pollution, and is a growing
problem with the increasing severity of storms. Water supply is also affected by storm water
management measures, as increasing impervious surfaces decrease infiltration, resulting in
diminution of water supply replenishment.
My relevant professional experience includes: coordinating responses of development related
agencies on complex development projects, as the Special Assistant to the Secretary of Mass.
Executive Office of Communities and Development; supervising preparation of an EIR on a
major development project, working in the State Planning Office and coordinating with (then)
MDC;_studying impacts of various state actions, including regulations, on growth and
development patterns, working at the New England Natural Resources Council under a
Rockefeller Foundation Fellowship; writing the analysis of impacts of land uses on water
resources, as part of the South East New England Study of Water and Related Land Resources,
for the New England River Basins Commission; serving as a staff member for the Governor's
Task Force on Metropolitan Development, which was charged with assessing problems in the
system of development in the Boston metropolitan area and recommending legislative and
administrative solutions; assisting local officials in the Chicago area in tailoring federal housing
programs to meet their needs and resolving technical issues in program regulations, as an
employee of the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development. In addition, my
educational background includes a masters degree in public administration from the Kennedy
School of Government at Harvard with an emphasis on urban development and environmental
issues.
Just after reading the June 5 TAB notice, I left town on a month long trip. I will return on July 7,
and would be happy to meet with you after that time. In the meantime, 1 am reachable by email
at this address.
Thank you for your consideration!