CAC Minutes
December 6, 2007
Present: Elizabeth Askue, Lou Kozma, Maeve Maurer, Joan Paccione, Kristen Schara, Virginia Starke, David Yozzo
Hudsonia -- Tanessa Hartwig of Hudsonia e-mailed that she expected to start work on the Hurley biodiversity project by the end of the week or the start of the next. She was working on a similar project for Marbletown.
Andrew Meyer of Hudsonia who is in charge of their education projects sent an e-mail stating that they, in a joint venture with the Ulster County Planning Board, were looking into a ten-month Biodiversity Assessment Training program in which only one or two participants from any given town would participate. This would accommodate those towns such as Hurley which could not find a minimum of five people with the time to take the course.
NYRWA -- in reply to a CAC query about the NYRWA doing a groundwater assessment project for West Hurley and Glenford such as they did for Old Hurley, Steve Winkley said that unfortunately they have lost their EPA funding. He would certainly be willing to do the project if Hurley could come up with the money which he estimated would be about $6,000. We discussed the possibility of obtaining a grant.
Environmental Management Council -- Virginia reported on the last EMC meeting which was mostly about the duties of the County Department of Agriculture and Markets. The EMC also offered the latest information on the establishment of an Ulster County Department of the Environment. The County is currently looking for a qualified person to head this new Department. Qualifications are listed on the Ulster County web site. Elizabeth said that she has been the formal Hurley representative to the EMC for many years now, but that EMC regulations only allow a person to serve for a certain number of years and Elizabeth has now reached the limit. She has sent a letter to the Town Supervisor asking that Virginia replace her. The Town Board is to take up a resolution to that effect at their next meeting.
2008 Budget -- The CAC has the same budget as last year -- $4,000 contractual and $1,000 for equipment.
Newsletter -- Draft copies of the CAC portion of the upcoming Town newsletter had been sent for approval to CAC members. The final copy was given to Jim Craven for publication.
Conference -- Virginia reported on the Preserving Your Land conference on
November 10 put on by the Land Trusts of Ulster County. In addition to much valuable information, the conference was useful for contacts, particularly with the New York Sttae Office of Parks, Recreation an Historic Preservation.
Williams Lake --Concern was expressed about the proposed Williams Lake development in Rosendale. This large project right on the town line would affect Hurley in many ways such as traffic and loss of biodiversity. One area of great concern to the CAC is water because the series of Binnewater Lakes, on which the development would be sited, are interconnected and lead into Hidden Lake, Mill Brook, the Esopus, and thus, one of the Rolling Meadows Water Corporation’s main sources of water.
Open Space -- Most of our meeting concerned the CAC’s major current project, that of recommending specific parts of town to be preserved as open space. After much discussion it was decided that for the next meeting, members were to rank areas to be preserved in order within categories such as view shed, farmland, and biodiversity/wild areas. We should also note why each should be preserved.
Respectfully Submitted,
Virginia Starke, Secretary
