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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-10-17Harbor and Shellfish Advisory Board Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2017 at 5:00 p.m. Community Room, 4 Fairgrounds Road Members present: Andrew Lowell, Joe LiPuma, Ken Gullicksen, Peter Brace 4 q Members Absent: Bill Blount, Frederick McClure, Ken Kuntz G 2 Marine Dept: �' Z G Natural Resources Dept: 0 Others: f3 ^S CALL TO ORDER 71 5:05 p.m. o APPROVAL OF AGENDA APPROVAL OF MINUTES Unanimously approved CHAIRMAN'S REPORT Finance Committee need of Community Room on HSAB meeting dates in 2017: Dec. 12 and in 2018: Jan. 9, Feb. 20 and March 6 — Update on meeting venue Mr. Brace noted that the board doesn't meet on Dec. 12 and Jan. 9. Former harbormaster's send-off events Mr. Lowell reminded the board of the retirement party for former harbormaster Dave Fronzuto being held at the Anglers Club this evening. MARINE DEPARTMENT REPORT: General Marine Department report — Sheila Lucey No report. Ms. Lucey not present. NATURAL RESOURCES REPORT Natural Resources Dept. report — NRD staff No report. No staff present. PUBLIC COMMENT ON MARINE DEPARTMENT / NATURAL RESOURCES REPORT No public comment. OLD BUSINESS Boat basin oil accumulation - Discussion Mr. LiPuma said Ms. Lucey had already updated the board on this issue. Continued to the next meeting. Eco -friendly moorings - Discussion Continued to the next meeting. Cruise ship anchorage — Discussion Continued to the next meeting. Local commercial fishing dragger survival - Discussion Continued to the next meeting. NEW BUSINESS FY17 HSAB report for annual town report Mr. Brace noted that, as reflected in this report, the board did not accomplish much over the last six months. Mr. Lowell agreed. Unanimously approved. Discussion with DPW director Rob McNeil Salt use Mr. McNeil reported that the town uses pre -coated (with calcium chloride) rock salt "straight salt" mixed with an anti -caking agent called Sodium "ferocyanide" (sp?), an agriculture byproduct, on the roads mixed with sand on town roads during and after snow and ice storms. He added the only use for salt is to enhance the town's plowing efforts. He said they use a brine solution prior to storms to pre -treat the roads to get a jump on melting. For the winter 2017/2018, he said the Department of Public Works will be calibrating their sanders to use a certain amount of sand/salt mix so they don't use more than they need to. Mr. McNeil, in response to Mr. Lowell's questions about the pre -coated salt, reported that the town's plow trucks spread the salt/sand mix from beneath the trucks instead of from behind, giving the trucks more traction allowing to do a better job plowing roads. He added that the DPW needs to do more public outreach in English and Spanish to explain how to deal with snow emergencies. Mr. Lowell explained his concerns on pre -treating roads and then having the storm bringing rain instead of snow means a lot of the pre-treatment washes into the drainage system and ultimately the harbors and ponds. Translation: use less salt on our roads. Mr. McNeil said he understood Mr. Lowell's concerns and said they would be only using the amount necessary for the safety of drivers on town roads. He added that he only orders 500 tons of salt for the winter. Mr. McNeil said that for the winter of 2018/2019, he'd be exploring the use of a former fire department water tanker truck for spraying concentrated salt water on the roads prior to snow/ice storm events. Mr. McNeil said he anticipated using less road salt treatment product as global warming continues to lessen the severity of Nantucket's winters. Mr. McNeil announced an upcoming public information meeting on the landfill's impacts on Long Pond. He also informed the HSAB of cooperative, working relationships he is building with the Nantucket Land Council, the Department of Natural Resources and the Health Department, and he added that he felt the DPW to be the main environmental group on Nantucket. Mr. Lowell expressed his appreciation for McNeil's openness to working with HSAB and all town departments, and island nonprofits to keep the harbors and ponds clean. Harbor outflow pipe system Mr. McNeil reported that they now have their last permits to clean out Consue Springs. He added that he met with town's Natural Resources Department and the Nantucket Land Council on this to possibly expand this project beyond what's permitted. Mr. Brace asked about the status of infiltrators at Sparks Avenue and in the Silver Street parking lot as part of the Consue Springs cleanup project. Mr. McNeil reported that of these infiltrators, installed 10 years ago, were found this year to be completely full of sediment and non- functioning. He added the DPW wants to clean these out and get them functioning again as part of the rest of the Consue cleanup project, including adding adequate depth to the pond. Possible future workshop meeting to discuss HSAB Goals & Objectives for the fiscal year — discussion Mr. Lowell recommended, and the board agreed, that this matter be discussed at the Nov. 7 meeting. Nantucket Shellfish Association update — Andy Lowell Mr. Lowell updated the board on the Nantucket Shellfish Association's activities and the NSA has formed various subcommittees to work on the NSA's various issues. PUBLIC QUESTIONS AND COMMENT RECAP and ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING The board discussed how to handle topics brought up for discussion at its meetings that were not published on its meeting agenda. Mr. Lowell said he wanted to revisit the 30 -day delayed start to commercial scalloping for scallopers who want to purchase their licenses after the March 31 deadline. Mr. LiPuma said if this discussion is held, he'd push for a formal procedure for such late license requests. Mr. Gullicksen read this section of the Nantucket Shellfish Regulations ADJOURN 6:34 p.m. Future Meetings: Nov. 7 and Nov. 21 Respectfully Submitted, Peter B. Brace, Chairman