NHSWCD_4-16-12_approved minutes-signed-signed
New Hanover Soil and Water Conservation District Board Meeting held at Wilmington, NC.
Meeting Number 11_ Date: _April 16, 2012
Supervisors Present: Others Present:
Dave Thomas, Chair Dru Harrison, Director
Donna Moffitt, Secretary/Treasurer Amy Long, Education Coordinator
Steve Skavroneck Sue Hayes, citizen interested in running for board
Bill Hart, Vice-Chair
Nancy Pritchett
Was this meeting held during a meal: No _
Thomas called the meeting to order at 2:06pm.
Agenda Review: Hart moved to accept the agenda as presented. Skavroneck seconded the motion;
motion passed unanimously.
MINUTES:
March 19, 2012 meeting #10, regular monthly board meeting. Skavroneck moved to approve
the minutes as amended. Moffitt seconded the motion; motion passed unanimously.
FINANCIAL REPORT:
Harrison presented the report.
A. MONTHLY RECONCILIATION
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Appropriations and reimbursements: The 3 quarter reimbursement request for the City
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Stormwater Services contract has been submitted. The 2 quarter reimbursement from the
Division of Soil and Water (NCSWCD) has been misplaced by the State so it has been resent
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along with the 3 quarter reimbursement request. These reimbursements ($20,000 total)
should be received this month.
Expenses. Nothing is out of the ordinary. Payroll is the main expense. Expenditures of note
include the print cost for the NHSWCD fact sheet flyer that went out to local officials and an
event tent was purchased. The tent was approved and budgeted for in the capital outlay line
item.
Rain Barrel update: Long explained the new layout of the rain barrel report. Incentive checks
will be issued monthly starting after the April rain barrel sale.
Hart moved to accept financial reports for the record. Skavroneck seconded the motion; motion
passed unanimously.
SUPERVISOR & STAFF REPORTS:
A. Annual Update to County Commissioners:
Harrison reported
Commission. At agenda review, outside agency funding was not included in the
budget talks. A budget work session was held after the agenda review. Attending that meeting,
Harrison learned that the Board of Commissioners is looking to cut two million dollars from the
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upcoming fiscal 2012/13 budget. Several important dates to be aware of are: May 3 is the
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session, at 4pm. May 7 is the next Commissioner
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monthly board meeting, at 6pm. May 21 the county budget will be released. June 18 will be
the vote for adoption of the FY12/13 budget.
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support Thomas and her while they presented the annual report to the Commissioners. Moffitt
wanted to know if the NHSWCD fact flyer went to the Commissioners prior to the agenda
review. Harrison replied that it did. Moffitt commended Harrison on emphasizing the unique
services NHSWCD has to offer the county that no other organization can. Moffitt requested
staff to post the flyer on the web site. Supervisors were pleased
Commissioners and noted Ted Chairman comment on Harrison providing an
presentation.
B. Quarterly education report: Long reported on events of past quarter and upcoming events. Pine
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Valley E.S. 4 grader won District and Area poster contest. Hoggard H.S. has two teams moving
on to state Envirothon competition. Pine Valley E.S. is interested in large scale BMP
demonstration project (Alderman sized project) bioretention area. We need to find money to fund
a project of this size. Two summer camp programs are already on the schedule (YWCA and
Wrightsville Beach Surf camp). Program revision and development continues with the state-wide
curriculum changes.
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C. Stewardship report: Harrison - annual retreat on May 9 at Wilmington Regional Associations of
Realtors Office. Survey feedback was good (50% of total attendees responded); 92% said they
would come back. Work session retreat will address continued growing pains of Coalition. Green
Builders Alliance has a voting member now, but they lost their staff member, so board members
will be attending.
D. Area VI Spring Meeting Report: Harrison reported. Skavroneck, Moffitt, Hart, Harrison and Long
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attended in Goldsboro. 4 grade poster contestant from New Hanover District won first place and
has gone on to State competition. This is the first New Hanover winner we have had. Supervisor
attendance was 20-25% for the meeting.
Partner Reports
A. Division Report. report was distributed via email. She was not available today
because of her meeting and travel schedule.
B. NRCS Report. Jane Wood was not present to and her report was received via email during the
meeting not in time to distribute. Harrison reported that Wood does have an EQUIP contract in
New Hanover County; roughly 100+ acres of long-leaf pine in Castle Hayne.
Old Business
A. Bradley Creek Hewletts Creek Watershed Plan: Harrison wanted to clarify information of the
plan. It is not a funded plan. The 319 money that was received was only to write the plan. The
intent is to hire a Watershed Coordinator. City Council has not approved the pursuit of funds for
this at this time. Hart reported to the Board that he let Councilwoman Haynes know about the
email request asking City Stormwater Services to explain to the District Board, our proposed
involvement that was alluded to by Stormwater and Coastal Federation without Board or staff
knowledge and consent. He informed Councilwoman Hayes that the request was met
unsatisfactorily. Staff recommendation is for the Board to talk with Dave Mayes and explain the
position and concerns of the District --- are they using our salaries for match on a 319 grant? What
are the expectations for us to implement or develop the plan? Board decided that Harrison will
contact Lauren Kolodij at Coastal Federation and ask her these same questions, then Chairman
Thomas will talk to Mayes and Mike Giles or Tracy Grable Skrabal of Coastal Federation (if
Harriso-up).
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B. Strategic Plan update Skavroneck requested the notes pages be sent out to the Board, which
Harrison did. She has not heard back from anyone. Skavroneck has not had a chance to look at it
and will get comments to Harrison.
C. Conservation in Action Day: Harrison handed out invitations and explained who was invited:
County Commissioners, Mayor and City Council, City and County managers and upper-
Jim McDaniels,
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Avril Pinder, and candidates who filed for the local May elections. Event is April 23, 3-4pm. Wave
transit bus will pick everyone up at Government Center at West entrance. She will send an email
to NHSWCD potential board members as well. She requested everyone to call these people you
are friendly with to encourage them to attend. She will bring flyer and talk from it on the way to the
sites. We will provide snacks and water; event is rain or shine.
D. Candidates for SWCD Board of Supervisors. Letter of thanks and fact-sheet were sent out to
everyone Harrison had on her file who have expressed interest in running for the District Board of
Supervisors. Sue Hayes (former president of Cape Fear Riverwatch and two terms on County
Planning Board) .
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New Business
Cost Share Programs
A. Community Conservation Assistance Program (CCAP) application:
CCAP application 2012-4: request is for pervious pavement on a condo association parking lot.
Score was 110/190 which is in the medium range. Pervious pavement would help reduce
flooding on-site. Condo is near Greenfield Lake. Water table is very high. Soils are
according to soil survey for this area; a percolation test will need to be done and an engineer
will need to examine flow. There are currently no funds available, but Board could approve the
application and put it on hold if the contract is approved. Pervious pavement is the most
expensive BMP funded by the CCAP program. Harrison has warned the applicant that this
project is very unlikely to be funded due to soils and cost and because the program is for water
quality issues, not flood control. There is not a large enough land area to address flooding in
other manners. Moffitt motioned to accept the application. Hart seconded the motion; motion
passed unanimously.
B. Agricultural Cost Share Program (ACSP) applications:
ACSP application 2012-2: 150/475 (really out of 300). BMP practices have not been precisely
identified to address drainage and ditch issues; a site visit is needed to determine what all can
be done. A litter storage facility to compost manure is the most likely practice applicable. The
site is in the Myrtle Grove area and is a couple of acres. Thomas moved to accept the
application. Skavroneck seconded the motion; motion passed unanimously.
ACSP application 2012-3: request is for crop residue management practice. There are several
hundred acres potentially involved. 125/475 (really out of 300). We have $17,000 left in ACSP
to allocate this year. Hart moved to accept the application. Moffitt seconded the motion; motion
passed unanimously.
C. Foundation for Soil and Water Conservation Districts grant: Long reported
This grant opportunity came as a direct result of attending the new Supervisor and Staff training at
the Annual Meeting in January. The grant is to fund outdoor educational learning centers (OELC).
Cape Fear Center for Inquiry (CCFI) wanted desires an outdoor education facility and stormdrain
stabilization of a stormdrain, but could not apply to for CCAP funding because of age requirement
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of the building is less than three years old. Foundation grant is a perfect fit for CCFI. Grant request
is for $2310 to stabilize stormdrain and build an outdoor education facility; in-kind donations are
over $4400. Long is requesting requested Board approval and signature on of the grant
application. Board unanimously agreed to support the proposal.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
April 17: City Council annual report,
6:30pm, Thalian Hall
Fundraiser night at Mellow Mushroom for Earth Day Festival
April 21: Earth Day Festival at Hugh McCrae Park, 12-6, need help staffing information booth
April 23: Conservation in Action Day
tour, 3-4pm, departs Government Center. RSVP by 4/19.
April 28: Coastal Land Trust Flytrap Frolic, 8:30 -12:30pm, Alderman Nature Preserve
May 5: Greenfield Lake Day, 10-2
May 12: Battleship Splash, 10-3. Dog dock-diving.
: May 21, 2pm
Set next meeting date
Thomas moved to adjourn the meeting. Pritchett seconded the motion; motion passed unanimously.
Meeting adjourned at 3:40pm.
Amy E.K.Long
Recorded By: _________________________________________________(Amy Long)
Dave Thomas
Approved By: _________________________________________________(Dave Thomas, Chair)
April Tick List:
Put flyer on web site Dru
Send thank you to Commissioners and include a link to the flyer Dru
Dru
Dave
Invite potential NHSWCD candidates to Conservation in Action Day Dru
Add Sue Hayes contact info to potential NHSWCD candidates list
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