Environmental Commission Minutes

January 3, 2007

7:30pm

 

Attendance: Steve Butera, Tom Carr, Kevin Edwards, Cathy Harvey, Jeana Macleod, Todd Terhune, Oliver Turner – Total = 7

 

Absent: Armen Melikian, Murray Robertson, Chris Stitt, Blair Wilson.

 

I.  Introductions & Opening Remarks: The meeting opened with the introductions of the two new proposed members Cathy Harvey and Oliver Turner. Both individuals have extensive professional and fiduciary experience in environmental and scientific research respectively.

 

Kevin Edwards stated that in the future, all members must take an active role in the commission and that attendance was part of that role. In addition, if a member was not able to attend a meeting, that he or she send their notes in advance to him for presentation.

 

The Minutes were reviewed for clarity and approved with minor corrections. The 2007 Objectives will be placed on the EC website for public comment.

 

II. Appointment of Secretary: After a discussion in which the EC reviewed the two alternatives for the recording of the meeting minutes (a. rotating responsibility or b. single individual), we appointed Oliver Turner as the Secretary by unanimous vote.

 

III. EC 2007 Objectives Status Report

 

  1. Well Issues – Due to the holiday season and the unavailability of information, there was no update to the status of the investigation.
  2. Deer Population – As of last month, 11 deer have been harvested. There was no additions reported; the hunters will be back in the woods relative to the appropriate license restrictions. In a related matter, the trappers for the beaver encroachment into the Birchwood Lake have been contacted. The Woodlands Committee shall be monitoring the results.
  3. Hess & Gulf Stations – No report
  4. Invasive Plants – No report. Cathy Harvey was appointed to pursue this item based on her experience, and current contacts.
  5. Tree Cutting – There was a brief discussion on our objective to manage communication or seek an ordinance with “stronger teeth”. Kevin will contact Armen M. for a status update. We will need monthly reports, correspondence, and planning board information if available.
  6. Well-head protection - Steve was advised to reach out to Ellen Emr and Mark P. for information on the early Mountain Lakes drafts. He should also initiate research based on the DEP materials.
  7. Riparian Buffer -  Jeana met with Gary Webb. The DEP has suggested but not required that we have an ordinance. There is a 25 ft buffer for lake front property, but neither a policy nor regulations exist for streams. The EC may find out from Blair Wilson what the Borough Council may be willing to enact. This ordinance may be placed upon Borough lots first as a model to show how the Borough will behave. Homeowners may then take their cue from that once an ordinance is written for the general public. The issue needs to be addressed in the context of geographic relevance and scale. For example, it was noted that Mountain Lakes does not support Class One DEP controlled streams (trout streams).
  8. Geese – The EC reviewed the history of the geese population control efforts and the community’s past reaction. We agreed to initiate some research into other community’s control efforts. Oliver will contact Susan Ferguson of the Lakes Committee to review any work on correlating Fecal coliform to the geese population in various lakes using Allied Biological’s (or another study’s) data.

 

IV. Other Business: There was a concern about the lack of incoming EC mail.  The members benefited from its circulation in past meetings. Kevin will look into this and the ANJEC notices for the next meeting.

 

The Meeting was adjourned at 9:10 pm

 

Next Meeting is February 7th at 7:30 pm.