Regular Monthly Meeting September 4, 2008

Members Present:

Lina Vlavianos, Chair
Sally Hornor, Vice Chair
Dave Hanson
Charlotte Lubbert
Joe Rubino
Jeff Schomig
Michael Shultz
Debra Smith
Scott Hymes, MD DNR (Ex officio)
Veronica Jagoe for AACo.Councilman Benoit (Ex officio)
Sam Shropshire, City Council (Ex officio)

Guests and Staff:

Melvin Wilkins, SPA Creek Conservancy
Brenda Reiber, AACo. County Executive’s Office
Brenda Weeks, AACo. DPW/WESR

Members Absent:

Bob Whitcomb
Virginia P. Clagett, MD House Delegates (Ex officio)        

CALL TO ORDER

Chair Vlavianos called the regular monthly meeting of the Severn River Commission (SRC) to order at 4:05 p.m. in the Severn Room, 2664 Riva Road, Annapolis, MD.  A quorum was present. 

GUEST SPEAKER

Mr. Melvin Wilkins, the guest speaker from the SPA Creek Conservancy, was introduced and welcomed.  Mr. Wilkins had made a request to speak to the Commission about the Severn River Partners (SRP), a new partnership created to apply for some funding for restoration projects for the Severn River under the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bay 2010 Trust Fund (CACB).

Mr. Wilkins began his presentation/discussion by sharing a long list of “partners” in this new partnership who he feels can bring together a lot of resources and knowledge.  He

explained how the partnership was formed and then gave an overview of the CACB Trust Fund monies/grants available, pointed out the focus is on non-point pollution control/

mitigation, and discussed prerequisites.  Mr. Wilkins noted out of a total of $125M for FY09-FY11, the partners’ realistic goal in terms of implementation is 10% of that total.  He continued by addressing strategy considerations, proposed projects/programs for FY09, strategy drivers, local government partnership issues and the need for strong monitoring and evaluation of the projects (measures of success).  The SRP would like SRC to partner in an advisory role.  Following additional discussion/questions, Mr. Wilkins requested a letter of support. 

Commission members thanked Mr. Wilkins for his excellent presentation.  Vlavianos noted his request would be addressed later in the meeting.

MINUTES

The Minutes for the August 7, 2008, regular monthly SRC meeting was presented for approval.  No corrections were made.

MOTION:  A MOTION, TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THE AUGUST 7, 2008, REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING OF THE SEVERN RIVER COMMISSION, WAS MADE BY SCHOMIG AND SECONDED BY LUBBERT.  THE MOTION WAS PASSED BY UNANIMOUS VOTE AND THE MINUTES WERE APPROVED AS WRITTEN.

ANNOUNCEMENTS / CORRESPONDENCE

1. Due to a teaching commitment, Hornor will be late for the meeting.  Clagett is attending an out-of-town conference, and Whitcomb is on vacation.
2. No correspondence was distributed or received.

OLD BUSINESS

Special Committees Reports:

Critical Area Legislation (CA)

Schomig reported he talked with Mr. Tom Redmond and feels it would be useful to invite Mr. Redmond to a SRC meeting to share his perspective on the current Critical Area legislation proposals.  Commission members agreed with Schomig.

Schomig will contact Mr. Redmond about coming to the SRC October meeting and will ask him to provide SRC members prior to the meeting with any information about Critical Areas that has been distributed to the public.

MOTION:  A MOTION, THAT SCHOMIG INVITE TOM REDMOND TO ADDRESS SRC IN OCTOBER TO OPEN A DIALOG ON CITIZEN OBJECTIONS TO THE CURRENT CRITICAL AREA LEGISLATION PROPOSALS, WAS MADE BY SHULTZ AND SECONDED BY LUBBERT.  THE MOTION WAS PASSED BY UNANIMOUS VOTE.

Hanson reported that Smith, Shropshire and he met earlier today to refine the survey/ questionnaire to be sent to former Commission members requesting input to help continue to enhance the activities, goals, and accomplishments of the SRC.  The purpose and goals of the survey will be circulated to SRC members for review, suggestions, additions, deletions, etc.  SRC members need to be considering what issues should be covered in the questionnaire. 

Environmental Overlay Zone: Vlavianos reported David Mauriello and she met in separate meetings with Inspections & Permits Director Betty Dixon and Soil Conservation District Manager Bob Miller to review sediment control language.  Both meetings were useful and both individuals were helpful.  Mr. Mauriello is working on penalty language to mirror the Critical Area language.  Hornor is compiling the numbers of how many properties will be affected.  The next Subcommittee meeting will be scheduled in 2-3 weeks.

Naval Academy Dairy Farm: The next Advisory Committee meeting will be held in late September.

Hornor reported that the second draft of the GDP regarding goals, policies, and action comments is written but is not yet available for review.  She is preparing a report documenting the need for 100-foot stream buffers.  Some members of the subcommittee are not convinced there is a true need for such.

The Severn River TMDL limits have been approved by MDE.  SRC’s comments, as well as comments from other sources, prepared during the public review comment period were not accepted.

Shultz reported that Whitcomb attended the Maryland Onsite Wastewater Professional Association’s 2008 Annual Conference in Easton, MD, August 25/26, 2008.  Whitcomb will report at the October SRC meeting.

Shropshire reported the City’s watershed management study should be completed in November.  He is to make a presentation at an international marine debris conference on his speciality, plastic bags.

Shropshire will invite Mike Mallinoff, Director of the Annapolis Department of Neighborhood & Environmental Programs, to SRC’s November 6 meeting to address sea level rise and impacts of global warming.

Lubbert announced that MDE is sponsoring their 17^th Annual Maryland Groundwater Symposium at Martin’s West in Baltimore, September 25, 2008.  She attended last year and found it most informative.

Lubbert reported the SRC website had 2,263 hits during August.  Pollution, biennial reports, minutes, estuaries and watershed were the most popular topics.

Lubbert confirmed that Pierre Henkart’s report on the results of monitoring water quality in the Severn River and Chesapeake Bay Foundation John Page William’s information on oysters/oyster reefs will be linked to the SRC website.

Lubbert will investigate reported typo errors in the Jabez Branch information on the SRC website.

NEW BUSINESS

Following a discussion of information presented earlier in the meeting by guest speaker Mel Wilkins, it was agreed that SRC will not show favor towards any one applicant for Trust Fund dollars.  Anne Arundel County, City of Annapolis, Severn River Partners and South River Federation have all submitted requests for the same funds.  However, a letter on behalf of SRC will be sent to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) encouraging money be appropriated to Severn River watershed restoration projects. 

MOTION:  A MOTION, THAT VLAVIANOS WRITE A LETTER TO DNR ENCOURAGING IT TO APPROPRIATE PORTIONS OF THE CHESAPEAKE AND ATLANTIC COASTAL BAY 2010 TRUST FUND MONEY TO SEVERN RIVER WATERSHED RESTORATION PROJECTS, WAS MADE BY HANSON AND SECONDED BY SMITH.  THE MOTION WAS PASSED BY UNANIMOUS VOTE.

PUBLIC INPUT

There was no public input.

ADJOURNMENT

The meeting was adjourned at 6:20 p.m.  The next monthly SRC meeting is scheduled for Thursday, October 2, 2008, 4:00 p.m., in the Severn Room (4th floor), 2664 Riva Road.