Meeting Minutes
5:33pm Ed Taggart, pres. Brought the meeting to order
Judy Rufener gave the treasurers report with a beginning balance of $1849.59. Expenditures include: Times Reporter: $49.50, Canton Repository: $53.92, and Carrollton Free Press Standard: $28.68. We had a donation of $30 in Memory of Marlene Harsha from the Wagner’s and $25 for a donation and membership from Belle Everett. Ending balance: $1717.49. Motion to accept treasurer’s report was made by Merv Burton and Bo Hysong seconded the motion.
A motion was made by C. Socotch to accept last meetings minutes, B. Hysong seconded the motion.
Old Business
Events: Sandy Township Clean Sweep; 10 Huff Run members helped pick up 40+ bags of trash. Some of the unique items pick up include: an old T.V and toilet
River Rally: B. Hysong spoke about the River Rally he and Maureen attended in New Hampshire. He learned a lot by attending.
New business
Project Update was given by Jim Gue and Cheryl Socotch
All the paperwork for Lyons is completed. The grass is coming in nicely. Pheasant grasses were also planted on Nedrow’s property. Would like to plant the pheasant grass on other project areas and also thought about applying for a pheasant release to promote the habitat. Hardwoods and pines have also been planted on the Lyons site. John Slack would like to take photos and possibly aerial photos
Harsha North has been bid out and construction will begin sometime in June. Tuscon from New Philadelphia won the bid. They also built Farr, Linden and the Acid Pit project.
Mineral-Zoar RD Project: CSX finally has an agreement on the way to be signed. The project should be out to bid in June and construction late summer.
Thomas will be advertised soon to go out to bid. ODNR is still reviewing the design and costs. Plans are to start in August and finish in November.
The US EPA grant contract was finally signed allowing ODNR to start plans on Belden with ATC.
Future reclamation projects based on acids and metals are HR-22 and HR-36. Need to design projects and get costs down on paper for upcoming grants and possible Muskingum Watershed Assessment monies.
VISTA Update given by Terri Sponaugle-Schrock
Held an Awareness Day May 4th for 210 Bell-Herron Middle School students. The next Awareness Day will be May 22 for T.V Middle School due to rain. We also hosted the Sandy Valley High School Ecology class April 29 for a mini-tour of the Huff Run. Terri also did more classroom presentations on Huff Run. Will also be going back to Bell-Herron to help with their dissection and presenting a video on the Awareness Day.
The Environmental Explorers Club will be planting wildflower garden and learning about wetlands.
Ginseng Workshop will be held July 15 at the Norma Johnson Property in Dover.
New VISTA Hired: Maureen said Terri will be leaving in July. Maureen, Terri, Ed, and Bo interviewed three very worthy candidates and picked Michelle Shively. She will be moving here from Athens. Carl donated $500.00 to Michelle for housing to start July 20th. She has worked at ILGARD on AMDAT plans and has experience in education.
Officer Nominations
The treasure and vice-president terms are up this year.
Merv Burton nominated B. Hysong as vice-president, accepted
Merv also nominated J. Rufener as treasurer, accepted
Voting for the positions will be next meeting
By-Laws: A by-laws committee was appointed by Ed Taggart to review and/or propose changes to the current by-laws. The committee includes; Merv, Ed, and John Slack. Will meet sometime before next meeting. Members are encouraged to submit any changed they would like to see to the committee.
Correspondence: Thank you letter from Sandy Township Trustees for helping with Clean Sweep. The following Friday Ed and Maureen are presenting at the Crossroads RC and D board meeting and luncheon.
Additional Discussion
Maureen and Terri will also be hosting Yellow Creek members Friday May 26th. Invited HRWRP members.
Maureen told the group that the HRWRP will be 10 years old this August and she is planning to have quotes, pictures etc in the newsletter as a celebration/ remembrance. Members are asked to submit quote and pictures to her within the next few weeks.
Carl asked about any upcoming grants. Maureen said she had not received anything. Will contact ODOT about proposal. EPA 319 grant was rejected because of lack of information and new guidelines. Funding is getting less and less and harder to obtain.
Ed Taggart adjourned meeting at 7:07pm.
Respectfully submitted by Linda Ross and Terri Sponaugle-Schrock.