February 2008 Board Meeting minutes

Date & Time: February 29, 2008, 10 am—noon
Location: BTI Homeowner’s Lounge, Whittier

1. Call to Order and Attendance

Chair Charlene Arneson called the meeting to order at 10 am.


Attending Members: Charlene Arneson (Chair), Virginia Bender (Planning and Zoning Commission), Gary Prokosch (DNR), Gregg Hanson (City Public Works Director), Mike Fretwell (ARRC) and Jim Barnett (PCD). There was a quorum of 6 of the 8 voting members. Not attending: Betty Charnon (USFS) and June Miller (Vice Chair).
Attending Non-Voting Advisory member: Joe White, Acting District Conservationist, NRCS, for Crystal Leonetti. Not attending: Carrie Godden (ARWA).

Guests: Jerry Vandergriff (Planning and Zoning Commission and Vice Mayor, Whittier City Council), Pat Kelly (ARRC Real Estate), and Charlie Eldridge (local resident) attended.
The meeting agenda for today’s meeting and the minutes of the October 3, October 29 and November 21, 2007 meetings were approved as written.

2. New Business

Administrator’s Report. Zach was unable to attend the meeting. Charlene reported that the grant application to UAA was not completed or approved, mainly due to the absence of the professor. We will keep working on other grant proposals.

Slogan for Chamber Map. Gary has been working on a photo depiction logo for the council that was passed around. It is not yet complete so we will miss the Chamber map this year, as it is now in production for printing.

Legislative Report. Charlene went to Juneau earlier in February with some local Chugach School District students and spoke to about 18 legislators. WWC reports were furnished to each member visited.

Charlene indicated that Bruce at the Corps has agreed to perform a study of the dike to be a part of the larger set of projects that they are doing for the Corps, which has been approved by the city council. The schedule is unclear but we understand the study is to be performed this spring or summer.

The council has asked for funds for the “levee” and Jim will remind Rep. Hawker to fund this in anticipation of a Corps plan being ready to implement by the end of the summer. Unfortunately the City has made requests for a number of projects so the levee’s priority is in doubt. Jim reminded everyone of the priority for this project and how long it has gone unresolved. Gary explained the Corps takes a long time to do any major project, and the price of such projects are very high.
Review Plans for 2008 WWC Projects. Charlene updated Crystal’s action register, including a summary of completed projects. Charlene suggested adding an emergency response plan to the levee issue in the event the levee breaks in the summer months, as is anticipated. Mike said ARRC has a Whittier safety meeting and Gregg indicated he has attended in the past and they should have a plan. Gary indicated his dam safety engineer, Charlie Cobb, would work with Gregg to get started on such a plan. This is city-owned land, after all.

The group then went through the action register and acknowledged Charlene’s update, with a July 2008 completion date for the dam safety project. Jim sent the creeklands ownership maps to Joe White for his interest and to assist planning. Other changes were noted by Charlene. It was suggested WWC convene a meeting of people familiar with the community history to prepare a historical “Contaminant Source Inventory” this spring.

3. Old Business
Logo. Charlene, Mike and Gary are working on this.

ARRC Ditch and Earthquake Monument. This requires ARRC and the City contacting PCD.

Update the Phase 1, Step 3 of the WWC Watershed Plan. This was reviewed in new business.

Levee Status. Mark will be asked to comment on this at the next meeting. See above.

Land Ownership Topics. Gary indicated that DNR’s land title folks completed a title report. Gary will email that to the group and Mike will follow up with a map.

Budget Report. Charlene passed out the check register for the period July 31, 2007 to the end of 2007, showing a $7,301.00 current balance, dated January 11, 2008. The report was approved as consistent with the purposes. Mike is Treasurer and will prepare a formal report for review at the next meeting.

4. Next meeting—Action Items

The group made comments about projects and community planning.

The next meeting was set for 10:00 am to 12:00 pm on Friday, April 11, 2008, at the BTI Homeowner’s Lounge.

These are the action items for the next meeting:

• Update on the emergency response plan with the DNR dam safety engineer.

• Phase 1, Step 3 of the WWC Watershed Plan—the Action Register.

• Update the levee funding issue.

• Plan and schedule the Contaminant Source Inventory meeting in the Spring.

• Charlene, Gary and Mike will work on the WWC logo.

• Mike will prepare a formal Treasurer’s report.

• Zach’s report, including grant making status.

5. Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 12:00 pm

Respectfully submitted,

Jim Barnett, Secretary