Summary of OWLA meeting 4/1/09
President Joe Wasileski brought the meeting to order and the subjects we talked about were:
1. Contacting and recruiting members who are interested in our committees.
2. Membership – Joe Wasileski and Kathy Clay: Elaine Dec is working on using new memebership software. We sent out renewal forms and are waiting for Decals to send out Thank You letters.
3. Communications - got out the newsletter. Web site – Al Kozlowski talked about web development and will contact Tony Hart and Charlie Green who are working on it.
Kathryn Cappella Hankins – The Citizen is willing to publish Lake Awareness Stories and needs guest writers sponsored by Owla members with topics ranging from the Buoy Weather Station, water evaluations, alternatives to fertilizers, etc, to be 500 words every week for several weeks. *At our next meeting we need to know which members and volunteers would be willing to write articles .
4. David Carr - OWN (Owasco Watershed Network) Grant Status
Bob Brower – All state expenditures are under review with not much action.
2009 Owasco Lake Buoy deployement is still in discussion.
5. Agriculture – Terry Lattimore: Tap into some info from other water sheds.
Do some extensive testing on the Inlet. Make people aware that just because you don’t live on the lake, you are still responsible because you drink the water. Article on "Where do the farmers put their manure?" handed out. Farms can be a Biological Chemical Co. The solutions need to be big scale because we have so many cows in the watershed area.
Bob Brower: We need to keep our focus on the connection between the watershed and the phosphorus. Much of the phosphorus is coming from agriculture. Cazenovia banned all phosphorus including dishwashing detergent and is fining people who do not comply.
Joe Wasileski: Talked about an organization called Citizens Campaign for the Environment. They have an office in Syracuse with a focus that includes Owasco Lake. Dereth Glance or someone from her organization might be a good speaker for Lake Day. You can go to the website: dglance@citizenscampaign.org or www.citizenscampaign.org to find out more about them.
We need to find a chair person for Lake Day and a dynamic speaker to draw as much public support as possible.
6. LandUse/Zoning – Kathryn Capella Hankins is the new chairman:
The Inter-Municipal Agreement spearheaded by John Klink, the Owasco Supervisor is a great start to address land/use around the
Lake. He has met with the Inter-municipal Committee three timesalready. John and Ed Wagner have been contacted by Joe to propose a phosphate ban in the Town of Owasco. The Cazenovia Lake phosphate ban will be used as an ongoing example. Kathryn needs volunteers for her committee to help John Klink with his mission.
7. Owasco Flats – Sandie Doran: Working on Education, Storm Water Pamphlet, presented sample drawing of map to go on Kiosk. Attained funds along with commitment of funds from OWLA to move forward with the Kiosk. Needs 5 volunteers to help with fundraiser at Cascade for Flats and the Owla. Education: Blog that will link to OWLA site. Needs volunteers to help with Kayak Trip. Talked about doing Herp Studies at Owasco Flats and needs someone to run the study. Schools want to help. Others subjects talked about: Milfoil project - Bob Johnson and Japanese Knot Weed.
8. Corporate – Stas Kott: Letters to Corporations to get donations. Putting logo
on the website to sponsor OWLA and the Flats. We need Sustainability. Get Norma to help with putting together a letter. Maybe have 3 tiers of sponsorship and recognition. Had patch designed and made up for OWLA.
9. Treasury Report – Jeff Trescot: Handed out copies of treasury report to members in attendance.
10. Environmental - Joe Wasileski reporting for Jim Beckwith: Jim will head up water testing on the lake. Dick Coalson – will compile statistics and compile a report for 2009.
Questions remain on the buoy deployment this year. The weather station on the buoy gives weather reports every 40 minutes and is beneficial to the community. It is also on the web. We need to revisit options to possibly get help from Cornell. (Al will spearhead getting this done) We could advertise on the Weather website those corporations willing to donate funds that will keep the buoy on Owasco Lake.
11. Education – Sue Muldoon: The Stardust Foundation with student involvement wish to create buffers within the watershed. Al and Stas volunteered to have buffers installed on their property.
12. Anonymous Donor - willing to fund Lawyers to continue to deal with several Owasco Lake issues. Have a lawyer from the law firm come speak to us to determine if legal action would be effective. Al Kozlowski volunteered to arrange this future meeting.
13. Joe urged all members present and especially committee chairman to come to the meeting on May 6th prepared with 2 specific tasks for new volunteers to work on.
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