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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCB Minutes 2023-04-06 Town of Ithaca Conservation Board Meeting April 6,2023,5:30 p.m. (In Person at Town Hall and via zoom Video Conference) Final Minutes Members Present: Elise Edwards (online), Lori Brewer(Chair), Frank Cantone,James Hamilton,Joann Kowalski, Mike Roberts, Ingrid Zabel Staff: Mike Smith (Senior Planner) Guests: Claire Nickel (online) and Carl Gelderloos (online) 1. Persons to be heard (5:33 pm) a. None 2. Members comments/concerns a. None 3. Environmental Review Committee Update (Lori) a. None 4. Chair and Coordinator reports a. Chairwoman Brewer i. none b. Coordinator i. The Town of Ithaca has hired a number of new employees recently.The Sustainability Planner,two new Engineering positions, Deputy Town Clerk, and an Administrative Assistant at the Public Works Department have all recently been filled. 1. There is general interest from the members of this Board to have the new Sustainability Planner eventually come to a future meeting. ii. The Town Deer Program harvested 17 deer(compared to 40 and 41 deer in the two previous years). 1. Activity at the feeders was inconsistent,very low, or non-existent making harvesting difficult. 2. The browse study meant to support provide data on the effects the program is having is being run by a Cornell student. It is unclear if this arrangement will continue.The Town may need volunteers from the Conservation Board to help continue the study. 5. Approval of minutes from March 2023 a. James Moved to approve the minutes; Ingrid Seconded.All were in favor. 6. Planning for the Richard B. Fischer Award ceremony(James) a. This year's winner is the Friendship Donations Network b. The awardee would like to see a basswood tree planted. c. A West Hill planting location is preferred by James. West Hill Park and Community Garden area is a likely, and well liked, site.Although planting in May would be an ideal 1 time from a plant health perspective to plant the tree,the awardee has been hard to reach and pin down on a date.James will continue to work with them. 7. Thoughts for an event for the New York State invasive Species Awareness Week (All) a. Ingrid suggested that we host the event along a recreation way for additional visibility, which is a fine idea. b. Mike Roberts suggested that since turnout is often low, we could pursue our own invasive species removal project (along a rec way). If passers-by are interested,we can engage them then. i. Mike R will contact Joe Talbut to get ideas on where this maybe needed. 8. Indigenous Environmental Justice (Mike R) a. Rod Howe has extended the invitation to the Town Board to support the development of a biocultural plant trail at Tutelo Park.There is a potential grant opportunity of roughly$5K for the signage for next spring. b. Mike Roberts suggested an ad hoc committee be established to provide this support. i. Ingrid, Frank and Joann expressed their interest in bring a part of that committee. c. The Town Historian says the current interpretive panel is going to get a facelift. d. The location of the trail needs to be confirmed with Rod and Joe (Mike R will do this). e. The ad hoc committee will need some orientation to the proposed trail and plants ahead of the May 6t"event, when the trail will be discussed and some tours will be led by Leon Ginenthal and Conservation Board members. f. Mike R will schedule the first meeting of the ad hoc committee. 9. Discussion of Your Yard Could be a Wildlife Sanctuary/Garden Tour(Ingrid) a. Current planning efforts conceive each showcased garden having a set time guests should arrive and tours to start. Event confirmed for Saturday,August 19tn b. Current locations are on Westview Lane, next the Soil Factory(Ithaca Beer Dr),Juniper Dr., and Muriel Street. c. Brandon Hoak, local business-owner of Marshy Garden (Busy Bee Ecological Design), is also hosting a pollinator event on June 19-25 at his business offices Marshy Gardens. d. Joann would like to set up a table at TCPL that week and will work with Ingrid to plan the event. e. A local business, Busy Bee Ecological Design,would like to hand out business cards during our event. Is that acceptable to the Town? i. Yes. 10. Regular reports and updates a. Scenic Resources Committee (Eva) i. none b. Communications Committee (James) i. Ingrid is setting up an Instagram account for the Conservation Board. She would like to feature public parks in the Town as a start for the account. ii. James posted the Friendship Donations Network winner announcement on our Facebook page 3/30/23 iii. Friendship Donations Network posted Wednesday,April 5 "Thank you for this honor!" as one of six"engagements" with our post. 2 iv. Joe emailed this afternoon that he's on board with planting basswood near the West Hill Community Gardens next to Conifer Village and Linderman Creek Apts. c. Tompkins County EMC (Ingrid) i. Paul Fenn is going to be speaking on Community Choice Aggregation. Both the Town and the City are going to be offering this to their residents in the future. The purpose of the program is to provide sustainably sourced power at lower costs to consumers though aggregating buying power. ii. The May 11 meeting for the EMC will be at Stewart Park at 4pm, with all CB members invited to attend. d. Six Mile Creek Volunteer Monitoring Program (James) i. Volunteers took synoptic water sample at 16 sites from headwaters in Dryden to Plain St bridge downtown on Wednesday morning, March 29,'23. Creek was flowing at approximately its median then as recorded on that date the past 28 years. e. Cornell Botanic Gardens Volunteers (James) i. CUBG is hosting a webinar on "Global Climate Stories,"April 18; 1-2:30pm preregistration required at lrmnmtl� _/(� irrrmam�oa. /:Ilmpm q57lhz. ii. Volunteers worked on rerouting trail in Fischer Old Growth Forest in Newfield, taking advantage of newly acquired land near Meadowbrook Mobile Home park to avoid a slippery steep slope on NE section of red trail loop where the incline was so tricky you had to hang onto a rope tied to trees. 11. Other Business (6:50 p.m.) a. May is No Mow Month 12. Review 2022 Work Goals/Discuss January Agenda a. None 13. Adjourn (6:55 p.m.) Meeting minutes respectfully submitted by Mike Roberts 3