HomeMy WebLinkAboutCB Minutes 2022-01-06 Town of Ithaca Conservation Board (CB)
January 6,2022 5:32-6:46 p.m.
(via Zoom Video Conference)
Final minutes
Members Present: Lori Brewer,James Hamilton,Joann Kowalski, Mike Roberts
Staff: Mike Smith
1. There were no persons to be heard.
2. Member's concerns: Mike R thought CB members might be interested in the Finger Lakes Native
Plant Society's winter solstice virtual meeting, which had several interesting small presentations. A
YouTube recording of their"Solstice Night Short Talks" can be viewed on their website, www.flnps.org.
3. Environmental Review Committee (ERC) Update: no news
4. Chair and Coordinator Reports:
Chair: Lori noted that the Stewardship Network Conference,whose 15th Anniversary event is coming up
(Wed.,Thurs., & Fri.,Jan. 25-28), had not yet posted very specifically interesting topics for their
sessions. She hopes CB members might register to attend online if they find something on the agenda
they find interesting. Mike S notes that registration fees will be reimbursed or paid by the Town if
members wish to attend. See https://conference.stewardshipnetwork.org/2022-agenda for more info.
Coordinator: Mike S reported that Rob Rosen and Margaret Johnson became new Town Board (TB)
members this year. Rich DePaolo is the new deputy Town Supervisor, Bill Goodman a regular TB
member now. On Dec. 13,the TB changed Town law to permit payment to CB members for attending CB
meetings.The TB plans to meet on Jan 10 to enact a policy allowing CB members$40 per person per
meeting attended. On Dec 29,the Town's Deer Management Program was authorized again for herd
reduction efforts from Feb. 1 to March 31, 2022. For the first time, a Town property—the Culver Road
Preserve, where we held our hazelnut planting party for Primitive Pursuits' Fischer Award last year—will
be included in this effort to manage white tail deer overpopulation.Town law prohibits parks and
preserves to be visited after dark and doesn't allow any type of weapon, so the program needed a
variance to allow deer hunters to shoot over bait with DEC permits on Town property. Mike S tried to
get three more property owners in the Town to join this herd reduction effort, but got no response to
letters requesting their participation. A new Agricultural Easement has recently been placed on a
property on Bostwick Rd. along the Enfield border.This land, more than 50 acres, has been leased to
grow nursery trees.The Town has Covid test kits available for residents in the Town Hall lobby while
supplies last.
5. Minutes for the December 2, 2021 meeting could not be approved, since our virtual attendance
of 4 lacked a quorum.James asked how suggested revisions for draft minutes should be handled when
they involved changes more substantive than simple typo corrections or minor text revision. Members
agreed that suggested edits that involve more important changes should be emailed to Mike S with all
members carbon copied.
6. Discussion of:
-CB Activities&Accomplishments for 2021: members thanked Mike S for his fine compilation.The
fourth bulleted item about the CB's Facebook page could be expanded to mention "the CB's 'Opt to Act
Plan' project suggests weekly environmentally-friendly actions."
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-CB Committees 2022: We agreed to discontinue the Waste Awareness Committee; Lori will take the
chair for the Environmental Review Committee, Mike R staying on the ERC as regular member.Joann
would like to learn more about ERC work, and will talk with Mike R and Lori to see how she might help.
Lori suggests Joann take note of any particular questions she may have about that job.
-CB 2022 Work Goals: Lori thought we might want a new theme to replace last year's "Opt to Act Plan"
as a Facebook Campaign. Perhaps different seasonal themes might be more focussed?A season for
Invasives Management,for example, instead of just one Invasive Species Week. Mike R suggested
"Energy Conservation at Home" as an example.Joann prefers the freedom to post any sort of
conservation news, program, or topic whenever it comes up. She thinks a quarterly work goal review
might help keep our goals in sight.Various minor changes were made to the "Goal Stewards" and to
some of the "Goal and Supporting actions" list.James noted the Scenic Resources Committee had no
plans for"additional signs," but needed to update the Map and Guide to Scenic Views. A new Goal,to
recruit new members, should involve bringing possible members to a CB meeting. We might find such
people in other groups oriented toward green outdoor living, such as the Cayuga Trails Club. Perhaps an
outdoor activity such as hiking or bluebird box maintenance could lure potential CB members.Joann and
Lori will be goal stewards for this.The waste awareness goal was dropped, as we'd agreed to disband
that committee.
7. Regular Reports and Updates:
a. Scenic Resources Committee: no news.The SRC has a draft prototype sign design ready for Iron
Design (who did the final professional design for our first two view signs), but needs legal assurance it
can be planted at the site on the NE corner of Pine Tree Rd. and Snyder Hill Rd..
b. Communications Committee (CC):James noted the Fischer Award for 2021 allows nomination of
candidates until Feb. 28, 2022. He will nominate Finger Lakes ReUse and Hilary Lambert,to give us two
choices. Dr. Lambert has recently been in the news for her work on the Lansing Advisory Committee on
Power Plant Future,which finds the possibility of cryptocurrency mining at the former Milliken Power
Plant a terrible idea. Her work with the Cayuga Lake Watershed Network has shown her to be a very
important steward of our lake.James hopes other CB members will nominate other Fischer Award
candidates. Mike S will put out a Press Release to promote public awareness and more nominations in
the coming weeks.
c. Waste Awareness Committee: discontinued.
d.Tompkins County EMC: no news. Lindsay still hopes a full member will take her job as liaison to this
council.
e. Six Mile Creek Volunteer Monitors:James noted that volunteers were identifying preserved benthic
macroinvertebrates from streams in the Cayuga Lake watershed at the Community Science Institute's
Covid-safe lab at Langmuir this evening from 6 to 913M.
f. Cornell Botanic Gardens Natural Areas:James reported that CUBG NA volunteers were not welcome
on CU property during the Covid wave and their Alert Level Red. Volunteers who test negative this week
might be allowed to work next Tuesday.
8. Other Business:Joann wonders if we have a list locating bluebird boxes on Town parks,
preserves, and rec ways. Mike S thinks Lindsay may have a spreadsheet from some years ago.
9. February Agenda: Figure out what we might do about bluebird boxes. Get more nominations for
Fischer Award.
10. We Adiourned at 6:46 PM
Minutes prepared by James Hamilton 1/7/22.
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