HomeMy WebLinkAboutCB Minutes 2020-11-05 Town of Ithaca Conservation Board
5:30pm,Thursday November 5, 2020
Final Minutes
Attendance: Lori Brewer, Mike Roberts,James Hamilton, Elizabeth Hageman, Carolyn Lee, Will Van Dyke
Associate members: Lindsay Dombroskie
Guests:Joann Kowalski
Staff: Mike Smith, Senior Planner and Paulette Rosa,Town Clerk
1. Freedom of Information Law overview was given by Paulette Rosa. She reviewed the FOIL law
for the Conservation Board members. Interactions with the public are"FOIL-able". Conversation
in email between board members is not "FOIL-able". However, intra-agency conversations are
applicable to the FOIL law.She gave some further examples. Contact her with questions.
2. Persons to be heard: none
3. Member Concerns- Brief discussion about recording the minutes which has been done since the
pandemic.
4. Chair and Coordinator reports
a. Mike R.-Spotted Lantern Fly has been found in Fall Creek Gorge. Unsure of how large
the infestation is currently.The DEC is aware.
b. Mike S—No planning board items.
i. Two updates from Nick Goldsmith,the Town sustainability coordinator. He is
working on purchasing the streetlights from NYSEG with plans to change to LED
lighting and changing fixtures.The second item is the proposed Energy Code
Supplement. Projects in the Town will need to meet certain energy codes that
are beyond the NYS building code. All projects will need to do this in the future.
The draft energy code will be out in December.
ii. He is still working on digital storage ideas with the IT team at the Town.
iii. Deer program- Mike S is starting to prepare to start in late winter. He would like
to expand for 2021. We will be working on expanding the area in Six Mile Creek.
Two sites we will not continue for this coming year.
5. Approval of Minutes from October 1, 2020. Mike R. motioned to approve, and Carolyn
seconded.
6. Regular reports and updates
a. Environmental Review Committee- No updates
b. Scenic Resources Committee—No updates
c. Communications Committee-Will mentioned the type of advertising the Town
Conversation Board sometimes uses may not be allowed on Facebook in the future.
Anything that has a cost associated with it to "boost" posts from a political group will
not be allowed.
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d. Waste Awareness Committee-A draft of the description of the committee was
presented by Lori. Lori and Eva connected with Recycling and Waste Management to
start to understand the working relationship and history of the group in the county.The
committee will touch base with Nick Goldsmith,the potential contact for the town for
re-business.The committee wants to be perceived as a helpful group and not to re-
invent the wheel.There are plans to reach out to Cayuga Composting to see why it was
"abandoned".
e. Tompkins County EMC-no report
f. Six Mile Creek Volunteers- BMI sample analysis is open to volunteers at a new, larger
lab in Langmuir where plague rules can allow safe small groups to work more than 6 feet
apart on Thursday evenings, 6-9pm, signing up in advance and vowing to abide by a
safety plan.Adrianna Hirtler reports ID sessions started Oct 15th.The scheduled
November 4 synoptic water sample of 61VIC was cancelled, as we hope to get a high-flow
event this year. Of the 3 samples done so far, 2 were during low flow, 1 during medium.
I high flow sample helps measure 61VIC's contribution to siltation near the lake.
g. Cornell Botanic gardens-Volunteers still not allowed on campus.An online Covid-19
"Daily Check-in" system is still not working for volunteers, but some of us can work off-
campus anyway.A 40 minute video by Industrial Hygienist working for Environmental
Health &Safety does a lot of training&virus info explaining, but it seems volunteers
may still need a virus "surveillance" swab test and nobody seems to know how or where
to do this for volunteers.
During NY Climate Week 2020 (Sept 21-27), NY DEC announced a 5-year partnership
with CU & NYISRI to help limit invasives, esp swallow-wort,Japanese knotweed, HWA,
and water chestnut.
7. Other Business-
a. NYS Hemlock Initiative with $1 mil of a $3.5 million grant from NYS Environmental
Protection Fund, is spraying bark drench on HWA-infected hemlocks in Lake George
basin, esp on Dome Island in Lake George. Bark drench is mix of systemic
neonicotinoids: imidicloprid for long-term protection and dinotefuran for killing present
infestation. News article about this at:
https://www.adirondackdailyenterprise.com/news/local-news/2020/11/crews-move-
quickly-to-save-hemlocks/
b. New Board Member-James H moved to recommend to the Town Board that Joann
Kowalski be appointed to the Conservation Board. Mike R. seconded; all in favor.
8. Review 2020 Work Goals/December Agenda
a. ERC was going to talk about the roadmap for project review. ERC would like talk with
the Planning Department about current processes and what is helpful.
Adjourned at 6:44 pm
Minutes by Elizabeth Hageman
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