2010-10 October meeting minutes

Frederick County

Forest Conservancy District Board

October 11, 2010 Meeting Minutes

Those present: Keith Schoonover, Jim Arnold, Ginny Brace, Tom Anderson, Mike Kay

1. Call to order: Keith called the meeting to order, September’s minutes were approved as written.

2. Treasurer’s Report: Tom indicated that we have $10,868.01 in the Treasury. This includes the $900 grant from Frederick County and $2.10 of interest.

3. Logging site exams: Mike mentioned that some plans were submitted from the Myersville and Keymar areas. We decided to visit these sites on Tuesday, October 19, 2010. Please arrive at Gambrill at 8:00 am if you would like to be part of these inspections.

4. Interpretive Signs: Mike contacted the sign maker and made plans to produce one set of 30 signs for the Red Trail at Gambrill. The cost of these signs should be somewhere around $600. Phil “the sign maker” said he would invoice the Board after we receive the signs. As such, Mike will pick them up when completed then send the invoice to Tom for payment. Mike mentioned that the 2010 - 2011 MD Conservation Corps Crew is now working so the labor force is at hand to install these signs. Ginny mentioned that the Friends of Baker Park declined a donation of the signs.

5. State Association Meeting: This meeting is scheduled for Saturday, November 13, 2010 at Anne Arundel Community College. Mike said that the present fire danger would dictate whether or not he could attend. Jim mentioned that he would like to attend and Keith and Ginny said perhaps.

6. Nature Notes: Ginny mentioned that she attended a Frederick County Ornithological Society meeting and asked members if they would like to contribute bird articles to the column and various members indicated that they would. A number of people at the meeting spoke to Ginny and relayed how much they enjoy reading Nature Notes. Ginny received an article about hummingbird migration that she intends to submit for this week’s column.

7. Web Site: Tyson phoned Mike saying he had to work late and could not make the meeting. Tyson said that the web site is up to date and he recently added the fire weather article to the Web site.

8. Neighborhood Green: Mike mentioned that the Neighborhood Green committee met recently to discuss where we are with the program. As a result of the training and landowner contacts we now have 8 site plans prepared that could be implemented. The National Fish & Wildlife Foundation NFWF suggested that we resubmit our application for the fall approval period, which we did. We should know by January whether or not this program will be funded. We are not sure that it would be prudent to initiate implementation of these planting projects now with the uncertainty of funding so we will probably wait. The Committee also planned to conduct another Neighborhood Green Training during May, 2011. The Committee will meet again in January to firm up details with the training, funding, implementation etc.

9. Other Business: Ginny indicated that the Friends of Waterford Park were frustrated by the lack of availability of weed control contractors this season and no control projects were conducted in the park. Ginny approached Frederick City Parks and Recreation and they worked out a deal where Ginny, as a volunteer can work off their license to implement some control measures. Ginny mentioned that she would like to take the Pesticide Applicators exam to become licensed in her own rite.