COMMUNITY MEETINGS

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Big Creek Resource Alliance

Semmes Community Center

Community Meeting

August 22, 2006

Cathy Barnette opened the meeting at 6:04pm and introduced herself as well as Angela Montgomery.  Cathy followed with a brief update about the Big Creek Resource Alliance. 

Everyone reviewed the agenda and the meeting notes from the last meeting. Cathy raised the question of who else should be attending the meetings:

1.      Homebuilders Associations

2.      Mobile School System

Cathy proceeded in giving an overview of educational programs that could be incorporated into the community.

1.  Bay Buddy – Cathy explained the importance of volunteers for this program and that they are the ones that go into the classrooms for this program.

·        Cathy explained all the characters in the Bay Buddy program and each principle they focused on.

·        Cathy explained how this program follows the K-3 course of study for the Mobile County Public School System and that all the students receive an activity book.

·        Mr. Steeves asked about the length of the presentations and Cathy stated that it varies throughout each school and that each presentation is catered for the teacher and school.

2. Field Trips – The idea of taking children to the treatment plants was brought up.  Even though the children in this community depend on well water, it is still extremely important for them to see and understand the process of a treatment facility.

3. Adult Education Programs – Clean Water Guardian

·        Highlights people in the watershed that are “doing it right”

·        Cathy went over the checklist and explained the different programs – Schools, Homeowners, Agriculture.

o       Need to find someone in the watershed to apply for this award.

·        Mr. Turk asked if there were any particular criteria for Nursery Owner. Cathy – no- but it was our hopes that we could form a working committee from this group to set and identify actions to create a checklist for nursery owners.

4. Other Programs

·        Water Quality Monitoring – let people know that there isn’t a problem

·        Watershed Signage

·        Habitat Restoration – exotic removal, replanting

·        Litter Removal

5. Workshops

·        Septic Tank – ADPH new regulations

·        Anything the community wants to see…we don’t want to tell you what we think needs to be addressed, but we want YOU to tell us what you want.

Cathy reminded everyone that there was a website and that it was there for their use.  Cathy explained that Angela does the website from the office so to please let her know what else needs to be added.

·        Impaired waterbodies

·        Links to USGS real time flow data

·        Clean Water Guardian information

A question was addressed about forestry and if they were following BMP’s and if they were up to date. – Boggy Branch – trees being cut up to the high water line.

The last item that was discussed had to do with recreation needs in the community.  If the opportunity arose, what opportunities would the community like to see open around the reservoir?

·        Fishing (on 2/3 of the lake)

·        Picnic and swimming

·        Sailing

·        Walking trails with educational kiosks

·        Camping

·        Birding

·        24 hour access

·        Horse back riding trails

·        Bike trails

·        4-wheeler trials

·        Hunting

·        More public access – open  part of Hamilton Creek for access

The goal of brainstorming activity was to make a list so the committee could begin to prioritize the items to present to MAWSS water board

Additional questions that were asked:

1. Why isn’t there water skiing allowed on the lake?

·        No whole body contact

·        Terrible problem with stumps and the elevation of the lake

2. What are the homeland security rules regarding how close someone on the lake can get to a pump station?

·        Not sure, but will get the information

At the end of the meeting there was enough time for Cathy to go over the whole Bay Buddy presentation.  Comments and questions followed.

1. Comment – Change the name to reflect the Big Creek Resource Alliance
2. Comment – Have an ice cream party for the school in the watershed that has the cleanest campus.
3. Comment – Change the maps in the presentation to Big Creek Watershed maps
4. Question – How has the Bay Buddy program been received in other Schools?

    

   1. Great reception in Baldwin County—the program has not been introduced to Mobile County Schools…we wanted to begin in the Big Creek Lake watershed.
   2. Teaches that have participated in the program claim that schools and students have been more engaged and conscientious about preserving our resources.
   3. Teachers love the new characters because they can associate characters with problems.

Next meeting date:  Tuesday October 3, 6:00pm – Semmes Community Center.