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
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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.
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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
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