Boone Watershed Partnership - Board Meeting Minutes– Nov 21, 2017

Present:Matthew Dake, Jana Archer, David Rock, Bill Francisco, Deborah Wilkinson, Jacob Chandler, Martha Podren, Joseph Barrett, Mark Braswell, Mike Barrett

Meeting was called to order at 1:36 pm

  • Minutes of the September meeting were read by Jana Archer. Minutes were approved.
  • Matthew Dake summarized theYTD 2017 financial report.
  • Closed grant accounts were zeroed out and remaining balance or overages will be resolved with general account.

New Business

  1. 2018 officer nominations
  • All 2017 representatives agreed to stay in their positions, which included:
  • President: Matthew Dake
  • Vice President: Ingrid Luffman
  • Secretary: Jana Archer
  • Treasurer: Dennis Scheer
  • These individuals were approved.
  1. Brush Creek tire removal project
  • David Rock and Bill Francisco walked Brush Creek to gather data on tire problem
  • There was also an old railroad bridge identified as washed out and has caused a logjam
  • This could also maybe apply to grant
  • Could raise cost to meet the $20,000
  • Access is not good
  • This is a water quality issue
  • GPS data were collected on location of tires, 140 tires in a ~1 mile reach, many are large industrial tires, ~90 are on two properties alone.
  • Needs
  • A way to get large tires out of creek (winch?) and a way to clean tires (Wash in creek? – no hose access)
  • A staging area- permission to access creek from businesses along Eddie Williams Rd has been secured from most landowners. Jacob will send “right of entry” form to David Rock as a way to formalize access permission.
  • Coordination with neighborhood and other volunteers to roll up bank and use boom/winch to load in truck
  • Bill will contact Sheriff’s office for help from trustees (inmates)
  • Captain Matherly said the trustees could assist once the tires were out of the stream
  • David will work with equipment arrangements (City of Johnson City)
  • Where would tires go for storage—Ash family agreed to keep them on their property for a short period of time
  • Grant Information
  • Special Letter Grant by TDOT
  • TDOT is offering $1.5 million in grant funds ranging from $20,000 to $200,000
  • No In-kind required
  • Submission deadline is Jan 31, 2018
  • Award date should be March 2018
  • Quarterly reports to TDOT
  • Highway modification group within TDOT would be monitoring
  • Could possibly use funds to hire a contractor to perform work
  • Contractors would cut out the need for a method of removal as they would have the proper equipment for a heavy job
  • David spoke with Bill Thomas at Thomas Construction and set up a meeting with him on 11/22/17 in order to gage a cost of said job
  • Matthew Dake suggested we order a Request for Proposals (RFP) in order to have competitive cost on job
  • Progress
  • David Rock spoke with Michael McClandon at TDOT who agreed our work would match the specs of the grant
  • Mr. McClandon would be intouch with David Rock near the beginning of December
  • Mark Braswell attended a workshop on this grant and agreed
  • TDEC also has money to potentially offer for tire removal
  • No application processes
  • Not a large sum of money
  • Contact Mark Braswell to get in touch with the Division of Solid Waste
  • Mark Braswell attended a workshop on this grant and agreed
  • Martha Podren also mentioned that TVA may have a small Reservoir Cleanup fund to assist
  • Next Steps
  • David Rock will be unavailable to write the grant
  • David will work as project manager once the grant is in place
  • He would oversee contractor
  • The group was asked to assist with the writing process
  • Martha Podren and Jana Archer offered to assist and wanted to ask Ingrid Luffman to help as well
  1. Media representation
  • Gabriel Perez from ETSU Journalism
  • Interview with BWP about Jacob’s Nature Park with Bill Francisco on 11/22/17
  • Does anyone else want to speak with Mr. Perez?
  • Matthew Dake will speak with him
  • Deborah Wilkinson is to forward his email to begin communication
  1. Potential wetlands preservation project between Tweetsie Trail and Jacob’s Nature Pak
  • Lot on Orlando Drive adjacent to Sinking Creek is up for sale again. Purchased last year for $1.3K now for sale at $31K
  • Discussion on purchase of lot – cost, logistics, use
  • Bill Francisco is to research cot of the property
  • Property owner, Mark Dishman, is now more willing to consider sale
  • Mr. Dishman did give permission for Bill and others to clean up the property
  • There has been pressure put on the City of Johnson City to enforce code within the community to prevent 4-wheelers on the property
  • The City of Johnsons City have been considering locations for a Nature Center and Bill Francisco would like for Jacob’s Nature Park to be considered
  • Lot is on floodplain, could be a good parking lot and access to Jacob’s Park if easement is obtained from intervening property (apartments on King Springs Rd with wetlands in back of lot)
  • Current easement for power board is in place, Bill will reach out to John McKee for more information.
  • Bill Francisco has found some grants to help fund the property acquisition
  • Eastman grant deadline is July 31, 2018

Old Business

  1. Outreach – No updates on Enviroscape purchase
  • Deborah Wilkinson or Martha Podren will reach out to Annie Grant to inquire about purchase
  1. Waders need to be repaired
  • Cost of repair kits are $25.0
  • It may be worthwhile to look into price for replacement
  1. BWP General Meeting was held at Jacob’s Nature Park in October
  • 17 people were in attendance
  • Bill Francisco was approached by Commissioner Brock, in attendance, who offered to contact Phil Penzolla from Brightridge about the nature of the parking lot

Project Updates:

  1. Jacob’s Nature Park at Sinking Creek
  • Following the October meeting, Phil Penzolla from Brightridge did repurpose the parking lot
  • Bill Francisco placed lines on the gravel to indicate parking spaces
  • Signage will be needed to prevent people from driving down to the gate
  • Trail has been mulched which makes the walkway more ADA compliant
  • Bill met with leaders at Brightridge to see about fixing the quarry
  • Jeff Dykes said he could clear trees and other invasives
  • Bill would like to build a second pergola/outdoor classroom at the quarry
  • Bill and family built entrance near Tweetsie Trail
  • Annie Grant brought her class of 70 grade school children to the park for trash pickup
  • Bill was invited to watch these kids present their experience which got the word out about the park to ~1,000 other kids
  • Annie rented a port-a-potty so the kids would have restrooms, and Bill realizes the lack of restrooms is a problem. This is why he has high hopes for the Nature Center which has been proposed by the City of Johnson City. A location has not been determined for this center but Buffalo Mountain has been observed as a possibility.
  1. Gap Creek
  • Dennis Scheer was not in attendance to offer updates about the placement of signage at Gap Creek along the Tweetsie Trail

Upcoming Events:

  • Dec 12th BWP General Metting
  • Presenter is needed—any suggestions?
  • Jan 18th Judith Hammond Event—Pollination Celebration, a Night with Coach Phil Fulmer at The Ridges Blackthorn Club from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. Judith offered for Bill Francisco to sell tickets of which a portion of the proceeds will go toward Jacob’s Nature Park. Tickets are $75.00 per person. Please contact Bill Francisco at if you would like to purchase tickets.
  • Feb 23rdis tree planting day, trees distributed at Steele Creek Park free to homeowners. Johnson City also participates in this statewide program. More details to come.

There was no further business, the meeting adjourned at 3:20 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Jana E. Archer