HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-13-2019 Fairhope Environmental Advisory Board Meeting MinutesFE AB Septemb er 2019
FEAB MEETING MINUTES
September 13, 2019
3:00 p.m .
Fairhope Pub lic Library Board Room, Fairhope, AL
Member Atten d ees: Gary Gover, Mike Shelton, Ben Frater, Jim Horner, Tony Pritchett,
Jeanine Normand, Amy Paulson
City Council: None
City of Fairho pe: Kim Burmeister, Planning and Zoning Department; Christina LeJeune,
Planning and Zoning Department
Honored Guests : Lee Faulk; Mike Nance; Jason Kudulis , Mobile Bay NEP; Madison
Blanchard , Mobile Bay NEP
Minutes taken by: Kim Burmeister
FEAB MINUTES:
August minutes and attachment were approved
DISCUSSION OF ITEMS:
New Member:
Amy Paulson is now officially a FEAB member. Her appointment was approved by
Council on August 26, 2019 .
Water Qua lity Tes t ing Program
Jason with Mobile Bay NEP was invited by City staff (Jessica Walker) and Gary Gover to
present to the FEAB testing options and assistance which can be provided by NEP. NEP
would provide training: water sampling certification. City would purchase tes ti ng kits
from NEP. Testing parameters are PH, dissolved oxygen , temperature hardness and
turbidity. Salinity might be tested in some areas. Testing for pathogens (E . col i and/or
enterococcis) is a separate sampling certification . NEP uses the Water Ranger app to
upload information. Jason suggested city add water quality testing to the current
Stormwater Management Program Plan (SWMPP) so that the program has teeth . Jason
said that Mike Shelton with Weeks Bay also has information on water quali t y testing,
training and kits available for purchase . Mike has discus sed this with FEAB i n the past .
Mike said the Water Watch program does not have any active volunteer monitoring in
Fairhope but might have some test kits available.
FEAB September 2019
Gary suggested city staff monitor Fairhope Docks (Fly Creek) and North Beach Park. Gary
is still concerned about high bacterial counts at North Beach. He has been conducting
his own testing and counts are still high, even with the reduced geese population.
Christina said she would like to be involved as city staff to test Fairhope North Beach
Park area monthly.
Kim will check with Jessica Walker to get the specifics of the program (costs, etc.) and
will see if Hunter Simmons, Planning and Zoning Manager, approves of the Planning and
Zoning Departments involvement in tentative water sampling program .
Planning and Zoning Department possible involvement would include:
1. Gathering information on training and cost of program so FEAB can draft a
motion/resolution for Council.
2 . Working with Jessica Walker on outreach to find volunteers (Facebook,
subdivision contacts via email, etc.)
3. Confirming city staff samplers for two locations: Fairhope Docks and North
Beach Park
4. Conducting sampling of North Beach Park
5. Coordinating data and program with Mobile Bay NEP
Gary said resident volunteers will definitely be needed. The first step is to determine a
list of testing areas (Jason said he will assist) and see if the city will support this program
at least for 12 months.
Jason said he will help Gary/ FEAB pinpoint or define monthly testing spots . He is
suggesting 10 volunteers (10 testing spots). Jason said data would eventually be
uploaded to Water Watch on-line .
Jeanine said that once information is gathered and the plan is written up, FEAB will need
to make a formal resolution for council to consider the program and purchase of the
testing kits. Resolution might be a good way to have city acknowledge commitment to
water sampling.
Mike said testing should be a minimum of once per month. Mike mentioned some of
the pitfalls with sampling and volunteers . He said volunteers should be given
information ahead of time of the site conditions, snakes, etc .
Amy mentioned possible school involvement.
Kim mentioned FHS environmental club.
Mike cautioned against counting on schools for monitoring but thought we should give
them an opportunity to be involved as a supplement to their programs. He did not think
we should rely on schools for regular monitoring though .
FEAB September 2 019
Kim suggested volunteers be looked at in the area of each sample point, since someone
living close to the sampling site will likely be more accountable .
Kim said the Waste Water Treatment Plant has been involved in bacteriological testing
in the past at the duck pond/ wetland pond at North Beach Park .
Tony asked about a map of area outfalls . Kim said there is a map and data sheets on -line
of all the cities designated "outfalls". There are 13 major outfalls into the bay and 630
minor outfalls.
https://www .fa irhop ea l.gov /de partm en ts /pl anni ng-and-zoni n g/storm-sewer-inventory-
mappi ng-proj ec t-201 2
Climate Change:
Mike Shelton researched how the city can address climate change, per Gary 's
recommendation . See attachment provided by Mike of Climate Action Plan from
Carrboro, NC.
Mike suggested a resolution by the City to reduce carbon emissions by acknowledging
climate change.
Kim suggested city include a municipa l action item as part of this resolut ion .
Amy gave a kudos to Meredith Montgomery of the Bike to School program . Th is year,
over a hundred kids showed up as the first bike to school day of 2019 .
Lee said it is time for the city to be more aggressive on conservation issues like this .
Tony said the "Blue Zone " program is a good resource for information.
Jim said reducing single use plastics like plastic bag s is a good start . Many progressive
cities have grocery stores that charge for plastic bags, which encourages bringing your
own bag .
Tree Protection:
Tony is still trying to contact Public Works (Paul Me rc hant) about the tree ordinance .
Kim will give Paul a heads up that Tony is trying to reach him .
FEAB Membership
Gary su ggested an am endment to th e FEAB ordinance 1435 , co de of ord inance . T h is wi ll
address non-att en ding members. He su gges ted this amendment (b o ld , it a lics) as a mo tio n
to ame nd :
(b) The board w ill consist of six to te n ac ti ve members. Members may be nominated by
the mayo r , c ity co uncil or oth er me mb er s . Mem bers wi ll be app ointe d by city co unc il.
A n appointed member with unwarranted ab s en ces from three (3) con secutive meetings
in a twelve-month period shall have resigned th eir appointment.
Jim mad e th e m otion to accept th e motion: M ike seconde d . T h is p asse d unanimou s ly.
FEAB September 2019
*MOTION*
Add An appointed member with unwarranted absences from three (3) consecutive
meetings in a twelve-month period shall have resigned their appointment to ordinanc e
1435 Section 2-82 "Memb ers hip "
Meeting adjourned at 4 :20 p .m .
Next meeting is Octoberl 1, 20 19 , Fairhope Library Boar d Room
FEAB CONTACT INFORMATION:
Cha i rman : Gary Gover govers@bellsouth.net (251} 990-8662
Members :
Rick Frederick Rick.Frederick@envivabiomass .com (251} 554-6308
Shawn Graham Shawn DG 12@ao1 .com (251} 928 -5120
Jeanine Normand drjnormand@aol.com (251) 928-2284
Tony Pritchett apritchettassoc@gmail.com (251} 990-5185
Nicole Love nicolemrobinson@hotmail.com (407) 312-1362
Ben Frater ben.frater@gmail.com (404) 314-8815
Mike Shelton yaupon3@gmail.com (251} 990-2995
Jim Horner none (251} 928 -9722
Amy Paulson amy.paulson@yahoo.com
CITY CONTACTS:
Jimmy Conyers, City Council jimmy.conyers@fairhopeal.gov
Kim Burmeister, Planning and Zoning Department kim.burmeister@ fairhopeal.gov