Cumberland Conservation Collaborative – General Meeting

 

Meeting Notes – June 22, 2015 – Cumberland Valley Visitors Bureau, Carlisle

 

• Rick Rovegno welcomed the group, and the meeting began with “for the good of the order.”  Attendees are listed at the end of these minutes.

 

• Around the Room:

 

• Partnership for Better Health:  Carlisle Quest update – ad will run in the Friday (26 June) Sentinel.  Copy passed out.

 

• Yellow Breeches Watershed Association: Will be conducting a Family Creek Cleanup Sunday, July 12, 2015, Lower Allen Community Park – Fernlawn Pavilion 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Details are at the YBWA website (http://www.ybwa.org).

 

• LeTort Regional Authority: Plants and trees have been removed from the restoration area at the north end of the recreational trail in LeTort Park.  We will see big changes over the next 2-3 weeks; this should fix the erosion problem.  We will be installing 4-5 more educational signs along the trail.

 

• Clean Air Board:  Unfortunately the recent air quality results in the papers lumped us (Carlisle area) in with the extended Harrisburg region.  Actually our air has improved.

 

• CV Rail Trails: Design and survey work is ongoing to Mt. Rock Road.

 

• Conodoguinet Watershed Association: Monthly cleanups continue.  Next will be July 18 – third Saturday of the month.  Did not have a June cleanup due to the water being too murky.

 

• Trout Unlimited: Conservation Youth Camp is getting started at Allenberry for kids 14-17.  TU has been fortunate in getting grants for stream reclamation; we are going for a grant to buy the old watercress farm at the south end of the LeTort RA trail.

 

A discussion followed regarding the need for an integrated trail system throughout Cumberland County.  The Central PA Conservancy is also trying to get funds to buy land contiguous to the watercress farm along Spring Road.

 

• Capital RC&D:  Measurements of nutrient flow into watersheds from County farms show a great reduction (67%) of surveyed farms.  This indicates increased use of good control practices.  Unfortunately a recent study blamed Pennsylvania for most of the nutrient pollution in the Susquehanna.

 

• LeTort Regional Authority (LRA) presentation: LRA was created in 1973 in response to LeTort flooding.  South Middleton, Carlisle, North Middleton, Middlesex, and Cumberland County Government jointly created an authority to promote recreation, flood control, and environmental protection with regard to the LeTort.

 

• LeTort grant application to Partnership for Better Health (PBH):  LeTort RA desires to apply for a grant from the Partnership for Better Health to begin a three part project to improve accessibility to the LeTort recreational trail, improve safety, provide parking, and upgrade the Bonnybrook spur to ensure ADA access compliance. 

 

• Phase I ($25,000) would be for engineering studies, , surveys, permits, and design work to define the project. 

• Phase II would construct an ADA accessible trail from Bonnybrook Road to the existing trail, improve parking, signage, and upgrade footbridges crossing the LeTort.

• Phase III creates a functional, accessible and safe trail head at South Spring Garden St. with safe parking and adequate signage.

 

The Partnership for Better Health only accepts grant requests from 501c3 organizations, not governmental organizations.  LRA is a joint governmental organization, but is also a member of CCC.  Accordingly, it would like CCC to act as the financial recipient for a PBH grant.

 

After discussion, a motion was made, seconded, and passed to proceed with quickly creating a working group going to flesh out a draft agreement between CCC and LRA apply for and administer a grant from PBH on behalf of LRA. PBH, LRA, CCR&D, John Oszustowicz, Rick and Jerry will be invited.

 

• Next meeting:  The next CCC meeting will be at 6 pm on Monday, August 24 in the CVVB.

 

6/22/2015 Attendees

 

Au Thomas Clean Air Board thomxau@gmail.com

Brath Phillip Yellow Breeches WA

Freedman  Gil CCWA  gilfreed@gmail.com

Gapp Jerry LeTort Regional Authority thegapps@juno.com

Hagenborth Chet CV Trout Unlimited KC-JK@embarqmail.com

Richards Susan Capital RC&D srichards@capitalrcd.org

Rovegno Rick CCC rlrovegno@comcast.net

Schmidlein Bob CVRTC bobspatc@comcast.net

Weigl Herb LeTort Regional Authority herbweigl@gmail.com

Wilkes Jerry CCC jwilkes100@gmail.com

Witwer Gail Part. for Better Health gwitwer@forbetterhealthpa.org

 

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