Anne Arundel
Waterway Restoration Alliance

Meeting Notes

Next Meeting
The next meetings of the AAWRA will be held:
Date:   January 27, 2009
Time:   7:00 PM
Place:  

Directions     
Anne Arundel County Police
Southern District Headquarters
35 Stepney Lane
Edgewater, MD

Past Meeting Notes
October 28, 2008 Discussed a range of topics with special guests, including Delegate Ronald George (District 30), Delegate Virginia Clagett (District 30), County Executive Representative Bea Poulin, Chief Engineer Anne Arundel County Department of Public Works - Chris Phipps, and Bayland Consultants - Keith Tate and Jennifer Mook.
August 26, 2008 Discussed the status of state funding and the upcoming dredging season. Special guests included Anne Arundel County DPW, Masoud Ghatineh, Engineer Manager and Dredging Program Coordinator. Bayland Consultants, Keith Tate, Jenifer Mook Bill Heckert and Sepehr Baharlou. Bea Pouling from Anne Arundel County Executive Office.
April 29, 2008 Discussions about recently completed projects during the 2007/2008 dredging season and about possible projects for next year.
January 22, 2008 Annual Meeting was held to summarize efforts in 2007, elect new Board members and discuss plans for 2008. In attendance was special guest Jennifer Mook of Bayland Consultants.
October 23, 2007 Special guest Chris Phipps and Masoud Ghatineh of Anne Arundel County DPW. Also in attendance were Keith Tate, Jenifer Mook Bill Heckert and Sepehr Baharlou from the Bayland.
May 22, 2007 Special guest Merrill Plait and Masoud Ghatineh of Anne Arundel County DPW provided a review of dredging projects. Also in attendance was Bea Pouling from the County Executive office and Jennifer Mook, representing Bayland.
January 23, 2007 The AAWRA met to review 2006 activities and accomplishments, and to make plans for support the Waterway Improvement Fund and County dreadging projects in the upcoming legislative season.
October 24, 2006 The AAWRA met with guest speakers Bob Gaudette, Director of the Waterway Improvement Program and Keith Tate of Bayland Consultants to discuss the FY2007 dredging program.
July 25, 2006 The AAWRA met with Chris Phipps and Merrill Plait for Dept. of Public Works of Anne Arundel County to discuss the funding requests for FY 2007.
May 23, 2006 The AAWRA met with guest speakers Pat Lynch and Vernon Penner of Amberly Community on Whitehall Creek to discuss the state of various creeks in the county and the county's current projects.
Apr 25, 2006 The group discussed AAWRA presentation to the State Delegates in a March meeting and testimony put forth at that meeting concerning the need to replenish the Waterway Improvement Funds and need for restoration funding in Anne Arundel County.
Feb 28, 2006 Bob Whitcomb gave a report of the meetings and lobbying appearances that representatives of AAWRA had attended during this session of the Maryland General Assembly.
Dec 6, 2005 The AAWRA heard a presentation from Doug Lipton, Coordinator of the Maryland Sea Grant Extension Program was introduced. As Professor of Marine Economics at the Univ. of Maryland, he has led two significant surveys in 1993 and 2000 of boating expenditures. These are the basis for assessing the economic impact and benefits of boating in Maryland.
Nov 1, 2005 The AAWRA met with Bob Gaudette, DNR's Director of the Waterway Improvement Program, who provided an overview of the sources and uses of monies in the Waterway Improvement Fund (WIF) and with Delegate Joan Cadden who provided an overview of the Legislature's role in approving the annual budgets and ensuring that the WIF funds are approved, without being appropriated for some other use.
Sept 6, 2005 The AAWRA heard a presentation from John Peacock and George Eberle, Anne Arundel County, Department of Inspections and Permits. An overview of the Inspection and Permit functions was provided to the group including an overview of the organization.
June 7, 2005 The AAWRA hosted presentations by Karuna Pujara, Chief Highway Hydraulics Division, and Anne Pearson, Anne Arundel Watershed Network, to learn about the issues regarding stormwater management.
May 2, 2005 After a year of successful activities, the AAWRA met to review it's accomplishments and to plan for the next year.
April 3, 2005 The AAWRA meeting, held at Edgewater Police Station on 040305, was attended by community representatives both new and familiar with the Alliance. The scheduled guest speakers, Ron Bowen, Director of AA County DPW, and Kieth Tate, President of Bayland Consultants, under DPW contract, provided the Dredging Program summary, County Material Placement options, Dredged material Characteristics, Matching Dredging, Material and Placement, Impact of Funding and Permitting.
Feb 1, 2005 The AAWRA met to discuss our testimony on behalf of a number of bills introduced in the State Legislature to improve the dredging process and our continuing effort to keep the Waterway Improvement Fund, in general, and the county's dredging budget, in particular, fully funded.
Jan 4, 2005 The AAWRA held its first annual meeting, elected a board of nine representatives, and began the outline of a strategy for 2005 and outyears. Having learned about the dredging process and purpose, we begin our official alliance with goals and objectives that include review, action items, county, state and River budgets and grants, lobbying, improving our posture, supporting research and education, etc.
Dec 7, 2004 Ron Bowen, Director of Department of Public Works, provided a summary of the county's successful dredging program development over the past 10 years. Chris Phipps, Chief Engineer DPW and by Merril Plait, Environmental Engineering DPW, discussed the budget cycle and alternative sources for dredging funds.
Nov 2, 2004 Councilman Ed Reilly talked with the AAWRA at length about the role of the County Council with regard to dredging, land use and other related issues. He provided numerous suggestions for moving the Alliance's agenda forward.
Oct 5, 2004 The AAWRA met with Delegate John Leopold (Maryland State District 31, Anne Arundel County) who serves on the state Appropriations Committee and the Environmental and Transportation Sub-committee. Members discussed ways to approach State and County representatives to pursue the Alliances goals.
Aug 11, 2004 The AAWRA met with State Delegates Joan Cadden, John Leopold, and Herb McMillan, along with County Council Member Barbara Samorajczyk and County representatives to discuss the overall dredging issues facing the country and an effective strategy for tackling those problems.
June 8, 2004 The AAWRA met with Jennifer McBride of the Curtis / Marley / Furnace Watershed Association to discuss common issues. The AAWRA also reviewed organizational development, a statement of purpose, and a limited review of proposed by-laws.
May 12, 2004 The AAWRA met with Meril Plait from AA County DPW and Bob Gaudette from MD DNR to discuss the current dredging budget and their expectations for the future.
Apr 14, 2004 Bob Whitcomb arranged the first meeting of citizen and community groups throughout Anne Arundel County who were concerned about dredging issues throughout the county. The birth of the AAWRA.