York Watershed Coordinator’s Quarterly Report:

April 1, ’02 to June 30, 2002

  1. Throughout the period, the Coordinator has continued to support VaDCR’s effort to prepare and deliver revisions to the York draft strategy document. With the recent departure of York Watershed Manager Darryl Glover, the Coordinator and Tidewater SWCD manager Buddy Bland have coordinated and worked with Matt Cribley/Rappahannock Watershed Manager in closing out the balance of this year’s activities and planning for FY03, beginning July 1, 2002.

While at the close of the Council’s April 3 Forum meeting in Ashland there was some question as to whether or not a June “summit” was in order, given the slippage on delivery of loading factors expected to flow from adoption of Cheapeake Bay “environmental endpoints”, it was decided that Council would plan and convene a final Forum prior to June 30.

  1. A final summary Forum was planned, organized, marketed and convened on June 20 at Waterman’s Hall at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. At the suggestion of the leaders of Council’s York Environmental Endpoints workgroup, invitees were advised that the primary purpose of the Forum was to review the second round draft document describing bay-wide water quality criteria and designated uses. Approximately 30 attendees interacted with expert VIMS and VaDEQ presenters who reviewed the overall criteria and uses framework and the process used to arrive at same. Emphasis was placed upon the chlorophyll a criteria, as this was the least familiar and most complex for Forum participants and attendees. Lunch followed the meeting which adjourned at 12:45 p.m.

As before, Forum invitations and related travel and logistics information was posted on yorkwatershed.org, and following the Forum, a down-loadable copy of a PowerPoint presentation by VaDEQ’s John Kennedy describing the criteria was posted, along with preliminary written comments on chlorophyll a authored by Will Hunley, EE Workgroup facilitator.

  1. During the period, the Coordinator developed a draft plan of action for FY03 that would re-direct Council’s focus specifically toward TMDL landowners across the basin’s three regions. Following indications from VaDCR that approximately $17,500.00 would be available for the York in the coming year, a meeting was convened between staff and management of Tidewater SWCD and Matt Cribley, VaDCR/Rappahannock Watershed Manager, acting York Watershed Manager for VaDRC.

York Coordinator’s report: page two

At the planning meeting held on June 3, Council’s proposal for Year 7, FY03 was reviewed in detail and budget specifics were discussed. It was agreed that Tidewater SWCD would serve as lead district, and on a one-time basis, could utilize carry-forward funds not to exceed $20,000.00. Pursuant to this advisory, Tidewater SWCD manager Buddy Bland prepared and submitted Council’s proposed FY03 scope of work and budget to Matt Cribley for conversion into a contract between VaDCR and Tidewater SWCD on behalf of Council.

  1. As the period ended, Tidewater SWCD notified Council SWCDs of the details attendant to the FY03 contract pending, and of certain personnel decisions for the lead district. Tidewater SWCD manager Buddy Bland announced his retirement, noting that Scott Rae would step into the position of manager, and Coordinator Billy Mills announced his decision to serve Tidewater SWCD and Council for another year, beginning July 1, 2002. An earlier discussed option to change the lead district responsibility from Tidewater to Hanover-Caroline was tabled for FY03.

Respectfully submitted;

Billy Mills, Coordinator