CONNECTICUT RIVER GATEWAY COMMISSION

 

REGULAR MEETING MINUTES

 

May 24, 2007

 

Present/Absent:    CHESTER                  Margaret Wilson, Martha Wallace

                               DEEP RIVER             Amy Petrone, Nancy Fischbach

                               EAST HADDAM         Logan Clarke, Robert Boulware

                               ESSEX                       Fred Vollono, Ed Marlowe

                               FENWICK                  Chuck Chadwick

                               HADDAM                   Scott Thompson, Susan Bement

                               LYME                         Kevin Mazer, J. Melvin Woody

                               OLD LYME                 Rudi Besier, Ted Crosby

                               OLD SAYBROOK      Madge Fish, David LeMay

                               CRERPA                    Steve Williams 

                               MIDSTATE RPA        Raul De Brigard, Stasia DeMichele

                               DEP                            David Blatt

                               STAFF                        Linda Krause, Dorothy Papp,

                               TIDEWATER              Judy Preston

 

Call to Order

            Chairman Fred Vollono called the regular meeting of the Gateway Commission to order at 7:40 pm in the CRERPA meeting room. 

 

Approval of Minutes

Nancy Fischbach moved to approve the minutes of April 26, 2007. Peggy Wilson seconded. All were in favor. 

Linda Krause explained that Janice Ehle/Meyer, CRERPA’s newest staff member, was called upon to staff last month’s meeting by herself at the last minute due to Dorothy’s absence, Torrance’s unavailability, and Linda’s illness.  Though Linda considered canceling the meeting late in the day, Janice volunteered to do what she could.  Linda expressed her gratitude for Janice’s willingness to help out and the Commission’s patience with the situation.

  

Staff Report

·        The Commission welcomed Martha Wallace, newly appointed alternate member from Chester.  Martha has a horse farm and is a biologist by training.

·        The CT River Gateway has been designated as a State Greenway and will receive an award at a ceremony at the DEP Headquarters in Old Lyme on June 1, 2007 at 2:30.  Members of the Commission are encouraged to attend.  Either Fred Vollono or Melvin Woody will accept the award on the Gateway’s behalf with prepared brief remarks.

·        David Blatt reported on the recent Dock Workshop hosted by the DEP.  Torrance Downes was on the panel.  Public opinion ranged from no one needs a dock to it is a property owner’s basic right.

 

 

 

Treasurer’s Report

Peggy Wilson passed out copies of the Commission’s Investment Guidelines for review in preparation for the Merrill Lynch presentation later in the meeting.

Nancy Fischbach moved to pay the bill to Tidewater for April for $1120.  Steve Williams seconded.  All were in favor.

 

Guests

Liz David and Wayne DeVoe from Merrill Lynch presented a report reflecting the Commission’s investments since they have been updated to comply with the Investment Guidelines.  A copy of their report will be filed with these minutes.      

           

Referrals

There were no referrals to report since Gateway’s last meeting.

 

Tidewater

            Judy Preston reported that she and Margot Burns were just back from presenting the Riparian Buffers information to the Essex Planning Commission.  She is also making headway toward compiling a listserve database as part of the Groundtruthing project.  Judy will graduate with a Master’s degree from Yale’s School of Forestry this weekend.  She plans on having more time to do the Riparian Buffers Brochure mailing and other projects this summer.  An update of her activities on Gateway’s behalf will be filed with these minutes.

 

Adjournment

There being no further business, Ed Marlowe moved to adjourn the meeting at 9:42 pm.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Dorothy Papp

 

The next meeting of the Gateway Commission is June 28, 2007.