MINUTES TO

BAYSHORE REGIONAL WATERSHED COUNCIL

THURSDAY, JANAURY 11, 2007

MONTHLY MEETING

KEYPORT BOROUGH HALL

7:30PM – 9:30PM

ATTENDANCE : Lou Andreuzzi (Union Beach), Christine Balint (Friends of Freneau/Aberdeen), Valerie Craig (Middletown), John Curran (Hazlet Area Quality of Life Alliance),   Tracy Dell (Keyport Yacht Club/Holmdel), Fran Donnelly (Hazlet), Stephen Gale (Keyport), Donna Kuntz (Leonardo), Bob Ludwig (Keyport), Nancy Makufka (Leonardo), Joe Martin (Friends of Pews Creek/Middletown), Kari Martin (Clean Ocean Action), Jenna Provost (Port Monmouth), Joe Reynolds (Atlantic Highlands), Ann Waters ( Monmouth County Planning Board), Cathy Yuhas (Hazlet).

AGENDA

1) Selection of Chairpersons

Bill McFarland from Holmdel Township and Joe Reynolds from the Borough of Atlantic Highlands were re-elected as co-chairs of the council for another year.   

2) Creation of BRWC official Website

Updates have been made to various pages with text and pictures. There is still a need for council members to provide text and pictures of waterways near to their home. The website address is www.bayshorewatershed.org  

3 ) Bayshore Regional Dredged Material Mgmt. Plan

T he BRWC has been approved by NJDOT for our 2006 I-Boat grant application to create a dredged material management plan for the Bayshore region. We are still waiting for the MOA to be competed and signed by all interested parties before work goes forward.

  4) FLAT CREEK NJDEP Project Grant Status

The council has until September 2007 to complete our NJDEP Action Now grant. Approximately $45,000 still remains in the fund. Council members will meet with Ann Waters of the Monmouth County Planning Board soon to discuss options on how to spend the remaining funds. Jenna Provost, NJ AmeriCorps Area 12 Watershed Ambassador, reported that she has been finding a number of aquatic Macroinvertebrates, including a dragonfly nymph, in Flat Creek, which is an improvement from last year’s results that were zero or near nothing.

  5) Bayshore Pump-Out Boat Forum, January 17th

Council members are encouraged to attend an information forum on January 17th, 7:30pm, Keyport Yacht Club, to hear about a new initiative being launched by NY/NJ Baykeeper, the Keyport Yacht Club in partnership with the Bayshore Regional Watershed Council and the New Jersey Marine Science Consortium.    These groups have come together to start a Bayshore Pumpout program.   The current Monmouth County Health Dept pumpout program only serves Navesink and Shrewsbury Rivers and is not available to recreational boaters in Sandy Hook and Raritan Bays nor are there accessible pumpout stations in the area.  

  6) Open Space & Preservation of Endangered Areas

Freneau Woods (Aberdeen & Matawan) – Stephen Gale gave an overview of the history of Freneau Woods and its environs. The presentation provided an excellent outline of why the land has excellent historical merits for preservation.   

Stone Road Meadows (Hazlet & Union Beach) – It was reported that the Hazlet Township Planning Board has conceptual plans to build 14 homes on the Van Meter Farm, which is an historical portion of Stone Road Meadows.

  Leonardo Wetlands – Proposed development plans for this site have not yet been taken up by the Middletown Planning Board. It might occur in February.   

Waackaack Creek Meadowlands ( Hazlet )   – It was reported that the owner of the land near Scott Drive (off of Laurel Avenue ) has refused to sell the land for open space. A reported reason for the rejection was that the land owner wanted more money than the property is worth. The land owner reportedly wishes to develop the site.

  7) Goals and Objectives for 2007

The council would like to continue to work on getting signs up along the Bayshore region that inform people about the need to protect Horseshoe Crabs.

  In addition, the council would like to take up the issue of global warming by getting municipalities in the Bayshore region to become more sustainable. The council will take up the issue by looking at information provided by Local Government for Sustainability ( www.icle.org ) and www.coolmayors.org and www.seattle.gov/mayor/climate

  8) Pesticide-free Door Hangers

Christine Balint reported that her and Fran Donnelly distributed door hangers in Holmdel in November.

  9) Photography Exhibit Includes Bayshore Nature Scenes

Valerie Craig reported that council members are invited to attend an opening reception of local art photography on Saturday, January 13, 6:00 to 8:00 pm in the Frederick Gallery , 401 Spier Ave. (corner of Main St. ), Allenhurst , NJ . Gallery hours: Tues.-Fri.: 10:00 to 5:00, Sat.: 10:00 to 2:00. A good portion of the photography was taken in the Raritan Bay – Sandy Hook Bay watershed region.  

  10) Reports from Bayshore Communities

John Curran reported that he is the new official watershed liaison for Hazlet Township .

  The next Bayshore Regional Watershed Council meeting is scheduled for Thursday, February 8, 2007, at 7:30pm inside Keyport Borough Hall.

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