NHSWCD_3-19-12_approved minutes-signed
New Hanover Soil and Water Conservation District Board Meeting held at Wilmington, NC.
Meeting Number 10_ Date: _March 19, 2012
Supervisors Present: Others Present:
Dave Thomas, Chair Dru Harrison, Director
Donna Moffitt, Secretary/Treasurer Amy Long, Education Coordinator
Steve Skavroneck
Bill Hart, Vice-Chair
Nancy Pritchett
Was this meeting held during a meal: No _
Thomas called the meeting to order at 2:14pm.
Agenda Review: Hart added a separate Commissioner Field Trip under Conservation Action Day
under Old Business. Pritchett moved to accept the agenda as amended. Skavroneck seconded the
motion; motion passed unanimously.
MINUTES:
January 23, 2012 regular monthly board meeting #7. Corrections were submitted ahead of
the meeting. Moffitt moved to approve the minutes as amended. Hart seconded the motion;
motion passed unanimously.
February 13, 2012 meeting #8, regular monthly board meeting. Corrections were submitted
ahead of the meeting. Moffitt moved to approve the minutes as amended. Hart seconded the
motion; motion passed unanimously.
February 13, 2012 meeting #9, strategic plan work session. Moffitt moved to approve the
minutes as presented. Hart seconded the motion; motion passed unanimously.
FINANCIAL REPORT:
Harrison presented the report.
A. MONTHLY RECONCILIATION
Appropriations and reimbursements: Two reimbursements due to be received this month; Ag
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cost share technical assistance and the City of Wilmington Stormwater 3 quarter payment.
Total value of reimbursements is $10,000.
Rain Barrel update: Long included the revised flyer in the meeting folder to show the expanded
Rain Water Solutions program. Edits to flyer were suggested. Long explained the new layout
for the rain barrel accounting report to reflect the two different barrels now being sold. Hart
wants incentive net income added shown in the report. Supervisors should send suggestions
on report if they have any.
Hart moved to accept the financial report for information. Moffitt seconded the motion; motion
passed unanimously.
B. COUNTY AND CITY CONTRACTS
City Funding: Staff is working with Jennifer Butler (City of Wilmington Storm Water Services)
on the FY2012-2013 COW Stormwater contract negotiations. All City contracts, not just
Stormwater Services contracts, are being fully reviewed and each deliverable is being
evaluated and negotiated. Contracts seem very precarious right now, especially because their
Phase II EPA permit is under review on federal level as well. Moffitt stressed that contracting
with a government organization like NHSWCD is sounder practice for the City because unlike
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non-profits, we are held to North Carolina Local Government Budget and Fiscal Control Act
(LGBFCA) criteria and public and open meeting laws. Pritchett suggested presenting our work
to City Council like as we do annually with the County. Harrison will arrange to do that.
County Relations: Harrison reported that NHSWCD is scheduled to give annual yearly report
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to the County Commissioners on April 16 at 9am. time has been allocated to the NHSWCD
on the agenda of the regular meeting of the Board of County Commissioners for the purpose
of updating the commissioners on the accomplishments of the district supervisors and staff.
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The meeting will take place on April 16 commencing at 9:00 am.Agenda review is on April 12.
It was agreed that Chairman Thomas will introduce the organization and thank the County,
then invite Harrison to give the report. Harrison reported to the Board that the Sediment and
Erosion Control program that the County runs for the State is being heavily questioned by the
Commissioners.
Supervisor & Staff Reports
A. UNC School of Government/NCASWCD Training report Hart and Long attended the training
from held on February 14-15, 2012, in Raleigh on the Chapel Hill campus. Hart reported said
that it was much better than it was eight years ago; extremely well done; many new
Supervisors with urban interests and some focus was given to urbanizing issues districts, but
not enough, although the but move in that direction was good direction to see. Long reported
that the interaction between staff and Supervisors was helpful and beneficial.
B. Web site Long reported that the revised web site has gone live. Send edits and suggestions to
her. Now would be a good time to take Donnie to a thank you lunch/dinner.
C. Stewardship Development Awards Program report Harrison reported: The event was held on
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February 23 at Regional Wilmington Realtors Regional Association of Realtors; an official of
the U.S. Department of Energy was guest speaker; Congressman Mike McIntyre was also
present and spoke. They took McIntyre and guests were taken on a guided tour of green
buildings and BMPs afterwards. There were five recipients of the award this year. There was
good media coverage. 40 people attended the education workshop in the morning, 125 people
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attended the award luncheon. An annual retreat is planned for May 9 to do strategic and
financial planning for the future. Moffitt thought it was very professionally done.
D. Community Conservation:
Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) Flyer: Harrison asked everyone to review and
make edits by Friday 3/23/12. Glossy handouts will be sent to all City Wilmington Mayor and
Members of Council, County Commissioners, and the management staffs of City and County
along with a signed letter from Harrison and Thomas (Director and Chairman). Hart
commented that Eagles Island emphasis needs to be recategorized and deemphasized and
needs to be stronger about District-activities in the county, e.g., Holly Tree property, be
emphasized only services on the flyer.
CCAP Advisory Committee Meeting: Hart attended the State committee meeting in Raleigh on
March 9 as the designee of the president of the NCASWCD.and reported back to the Board.
Attendance was poor and committee may dissolve runs the risk of becoming irrelevant. The
management practices (BMP) revisions were the focus of the work session. A Design manual
will be developed has been drafted and subjected to a preliminary review by NCSU faculty.
Members of the committee were asked to volunteer to do the final review and edits of the
manual. (Harrison was volunteered for this by Hart to join him and the League of
Municipalities representative for this work). The results of the Urban District Caucus at the
Annual Meeting were distributed. circular was also developed and The League of
Municipalities is becoming increasingly interested in CCAP; unfortunately, the person sent to
represent the Association of County Commissioners Association relations were unclear they
did not seem to know who/what SWCDs were and why they should be there.or what they do
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There may be another meeting scheduled in the next quarter; he will go if the Board wishes.
The District Employee Association (DEA) representative did not physically attend the meeting,
but may have been attending through teleconference he was not sure. As representative of
the Districts, Hart asked the Division to simplify the volume of paper in CCAP contracts (what
may be necessary for a $100,000 agriculture BMP should not be the model for a pet waste
station). He also recommended that the Division staff develop a mechanism by which the
District within which a Section 319 project is proposed be alerted when the Division of Water
Quality considers funding the project.
Hart proposes: 1) NHSWCD reemphasizes desire for simplified CCAP contract forms. They
are currently based on Ag Cost Share application procedure which is largely non-applicable. 2)
Asking that Dave Williams and the rest of SW Division staff to find ways to let Districts know in
advance about DWQ applications for 319 grants.
Partner Reports
A. Division Report. Kristina Fischer was not present, but her report is was in the folder. Harrison
highlighted points of interest from the report. The Legislative breakfast has been scheduled for
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June 14 in Raleigh. All Supervisors are encouraged to attend and make appointments with their
representatives. Hart would like Harrison to give him a list of what he needs to do, who he needs
to speak with, whom to contact.
B. NRCS Report. Jane Wood was not present and did not send a report.
Old Business
A. Strategic Plan draft Harrison reported. She emailed the draft to staff and Board last week.
Skavroneck asked to see the version with all of the comments and mark ups that Fischer and
Long took. Harrison will email that version to the Board and give 10 days for feedback.
Skavroneck and Harrison will work on the draft based on those comments.
B. Rain Barrel Flyer in city mailings Hart reported and gave background history. Staff was told by
Melissa Talbert in the Public Affairs Office that it was not consistent with City policy to include the
NHSWCD rain barrel sale flyer in their mailings. Harrison asked Hart to talk with City Stormwater
before talking to City Manager, Sterling Cheatham. Hart did that and was told by Dave Mayes and
Jennifer Butler that a committee was recently created to address these decisions, but the
committee had not met yet. Hart went to City Council briefing session to see what he could learn
from Council. At this meeting he learned about the 319 grant proposal that Stormwater and The
Coastal Federation had applied for to develop a watershed plan for the Hewletts Creek and
Bradley Creek watersheds. He expressed to Laura Padgett and Charlie Rivenbark that we wanted
to add the flyer and Councilmembers said it could be done, with their help if needed. Harrison
added that Talbert told Butler that the flyer could only be included if it did not involve revenue.
Hart was struck that Council did not know what NHSWCD did. For example, Padgett did not know
cost-share programs existed for non-agricultural lands. Hart asked Harrison to put together a letter
to explain to Council what programs the District offers and the services offered to citizens. She will
send these letters out on letterhead with the glossy brochure once those edits have been finalized.
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C. Conservation in Action Day:
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Harrison reminded Supervisors BOS of email she sent to confirm March 21 tour for County
officials. The event has to be rescheduled due to lack of Supervisor response WAVE Transit
to schedule the tours and will cost $65. She is working with Deputy
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County Clerk into available dates in April (week of Azalea Festival is out) and will include City
officials in the invitation. The plan is to give an introduction on the bus, give coffee and snacks
on the bus, then go on a 3 site CCAP tour to Bradley Elementary School, Airlie Garden, and a
private residence. Event should not last more than two hours. Funds will come out of the
miscellaneous line item in the budget to cover expenses. Consensus was that this tour should
happen before the budget is passed. Harrison also suggested inviting primary candidates to
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future events if this is to be held annually or biannually.
d Davis about taking
them on a tour to see what NHSWCD programs do. He never heard back from Davis after
initial interest was expressed, but Barfield is willing and interested to go. He asked the Board if
individuals should be targeted and toured, or should staff continue with a large invitation event.
Consensus was to go for the group, take who you get, and then target individuals after the
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tour.
D. Candidates for SWCD Board of Supervisors: Hart was surprised that Art Brownell was not at
arrison reported that Justin Lanassa came into the office to ask about the
District
documents only, not verbal information from the staff, would not give his name. Moffitt wants to
know if BOS should be doing anything about the vacancies. Harrison will draft a letter for Board,
thanking people for their expressed interest in running for the Board and inviting them to attend
our public meetings.
E. Skavroneck added an update regarding Jock Brandis from the Full Belly Project. He is not
interested in coming to talk. He did show Steve three inventions he has created and is introducing
for western Carolina farmers for irrigation livestock watering: 1) Gravity fed pump in high gradient
streams; 2) Solar pump on trucks to pump water in fields or troughs; 3) Vertical French drain. All
three inventions have conservation benefit because it they allows the farmer to fence off the
stream from the cattle. Jock needs to know how to get these inventions approved as BMPs and
commented that he needs one or two districts to make it their District BMP and then it can move
forward for consideration to be as a statewide BMP.
New Business
A. Bradley Creek - Hewletts Creek Watershed Plan: Hart reported on the City Council briefing that
he and Long attended where this watershed plan was unveiled. Major presentation given by Dave
Mayes and Todd Miller of the N.C. Coastal Federation announcing the award of a DWQ U.S.
Clean Water Act Section 319 grant to move the hydrographs back in Hewletts and Bradley
creeks. The applicants are City of Wilmington Stormwater Services and the N.C. Coastal
Federation. Hart spoke with Lauren and Todd from Coastal Federation and asked them what
happened to NHSWCD. NHSCD has been the lead organization in Hewletts Creek for ten years.
We set the objective of reopening the lower portion of the creek to shellfish harvesting. We hold
easements and property. What happened? Lauren said that the NHSWCD will be involved in
about it and have no money for it. We knew nothing about it. How did this happen?
Harrison reported that she knew about the application at the very end of the proposal writing
process. She was told not to get involved until after they were done. She was invited to a site visit
or large schools and sites they had about a month ago. She was told not to get involved until after
they brought it to Council. Since the City Council presentation, City Stormwater asked Harrison if
NHSWCD could administer funds for this project if they are awarded the grant. She told Butler that
yes this could be done without involving the Division.
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Skavroneck asked what the Coastal Federation role is in this. Harrison replied that they wrote the
grant proposal. We know nothing beyond that, but speculate that the Bradley Creek Elementary
School project was the impetus to all of this. We have not seen the plan. Butler told Harrison
The Board is not happy that the District has been
included in something without being asked and further more have been kept in the dark about the
details of the plan. Moffitt is concerned about the expectation that NHSWCD will be asked to do
more work with no compensation. The Board wants a representative of this plan to come and
explain what the arrangement is we will call a special meeting if necessary. Not happy that the
District was used without our knowledge. Board wants immediate explanation. They also want to
know if our salaries were used as a match for the 319 grant.
B. District Employees Association DEA Resolution Moffitt presented the resolution to provide a
travel stipend for the Area 6 representative to the NC Conservation District Employees Association
(NCCDEA). This resolution is asking Area 6 to adopt a $500 budget for this representative to
cover travel costs to attend DEA meetings. Duplin and Brunswick Counties are discussing the
resolution to show local support of the Area representative. Skavroneck asked if this was in the
Area 6 budget already or would dues be increased. Harrison replied that it should be in their
budget. She also noted that Area 7 already does this. Moffitt motioned approval of the resolution
C. Coastal Caucus (Sturgeon Letter) Hart reported on the Coastal Caucus that he attended in
Jacksonville, NC. The Caucus was an informal gathering of citizen organizations. The major
speaker was Rob Lamme, the employed NC Coastal Federation lobbyist. His view is that the
conservative sector of the General Assembly (GA) is appearing to fracture, which causes him to
be upbeat about environmental probabilities in spite of the recent events in the GA regarding
environmental issues.
At the caucus, attendees asked the representative of the League of Conservation Voters to
drafted and signed a letter to the State governor voicing their concern over the perceived State
fighting opposition to the listing under the terms of the federal Endangered Species Act of two
distinct population species of Atlantic Sturgeon. The GA is seeking legal alternatives to oppose the
federal listing of the species. U.S. Secretary of Commerce, John Bryson, has finalized his position
on designating these distinct populations as federally endangered; the listing goes into effect April
6, 2012. David Knight (Assistant Secretary for NCDENR), in comments made to the N.C. Marine
Fisheries Commission, the federal
listing. Hart wants the Board to be familiar with the issue and to authorize him to sign the letter
when it is finalized.
Moffitt has concerns signing this version of the letter as an organization. It is heresy based on
hearsay and is very negative. Preference is that our Board OS sends a short and succinct letter to
Governor Purdue stating our position: that concludes that there is no valid legal basis to challenge
the listing of the species. We are concerned and care about the sturgeon becauseWe support
the listing becaushow it ties to our mission or water quality and natural resource protection).
The Board agrees that the letter is too long and negative. If drastically revised, they could sign on,
but not to the current letter.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
March 20: Coastal Envirothon, Cool Springs ELC
March 22: easement check (meet at YWCA at 9am) Pritchett will try to make it
Operation Medicine Drop
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THURSDAY March 22, 10-2 @ DENR office
SATURDAY March 24, 9-1 @ Medical Mall or 10-2 @ Kure Beach Police Department
March 29: Spring Area VI meeting;9:30 registration, 10am call to order, Wayne County
Center, Goldsboro. Long, Harrison, Skavroneck, Hart and Moffitt attending.
March 31: Science Olympiad & Household Hazardous Waste disposal
April 1: paws4people 5K and 1 mile fun walk @ UNCW, 9am
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April 16: Annual update presentation to County Commissioners, 9am
April 21: Earth Day Festival at Hugh MacRae Park, 12-6
: April 16, 2pm
Set next meeting date
Pritchett moved to adjourn the meeting. Skavroneck seconded the motion; motion passed
unanimously. Meeting adjourned at 4:47pm.
Amy E. K. Long
Recorded By: __________________________________________________(Amy EK Long)
Dave Thomas
Approved By: __________________________________________________(Dave Thomas, Chair)
Tick List:
Try to arrange a brief presentation to City Council. Dru
Try to attend annual NHSWCD presentation to the county board. Everyone
Revise rain barrel financial report to include cumulative profit. Amy
Review NHSWCD flyer for comments to Dru by end of week. Supervisors
Take a look at the new web site and provide comments to Amy. Supervisors
Send out an additional draft strategic plan document that shows changes from the 2008 plan and reasons for
them to all strategic planning session participants. Dru
Review and comment on the strategic plan documents by 10 days after receiving from Dru. All
Continue to organize tour for local public officials. Dru
Compose a letter to prospective supervisors to get them interested. Dru
Request Jennifer Butler or her supervisor to discuss 319 grant with this board. Dru
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