Anne Arundel
Waterway Restoration Alliance

Meeting Notes 2005-05-02

The Board of Directors convened on May 2, 2005, with the following present: 
Bob Whitcomb, Saefern
Paul & Gloria Ricket, Broadwater
Sam Crispin, South River Park
Charlie Burke, Harbor View
Jay Phillips, DCET
Geoff Thomas, Admiral Heights
Frank Pittelli, Wilelinor
President Whitcomb summarized the presentations made individually to County Executive Owens and to County Council Chairman Dillon in April. There was discussion of how best to present our case to the full County Council, and several Directors will attend the budget hearing in Annapolis on May 11.

We reviewed the organizational efforts, and particularly the status of dues collections, which have now been received from 11 members. The monies in the Treasury are not yet sufficient to pay the IRS non-profit status application fee. The President will send out an email appeal for more communities to become dues-paying members, and the Treasurer will follow-up as necessary to collect as many as possible by the end of June.

We also discussed the need for some PR on our successes, but first President Whitcomb should prepare an outline of our accomplishments. This will be through June, when we expect to hear the status of funding for dredging projects for FY '06.

It is time to reserve the meeting room for future meetings, and one Director researched alternatives. As there were none judged better than the current location, we will reserve it for meetings for the rest of 2005. It still presents acoustical challenges, and there.s no money available from the County to improve these conditions.

We had an open discussion of ideas for future work of the AAWRA. Ideas included getting involved with grading regulations and construction runoff (Why is 1 inch rainfall standard for developers? --Why not require protection for 2 inch rainfall?), so we need a speaker on construction for storm water retention? We also need to learn more about SAV and should invite Keith Tate to present his firm's study. Also find out where fines from the new regulations go. Why not earmark them for watershed restoration?

Can we be enforcers of new Grading regulations?

  1. also develop reinwater/stormwater test.
  2. Digial photos
  3. Report via Emails. Or Webpage for Reporting
These would all improve on the current County system of telephone reporting of problems to 410-222-7777.

Charlie Burke, Secretary