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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 01-11-2007 · FORT PIERCE HARBOR ADVISORY COMMITTEE Minutes of Meeting January 11, 2007 k ~~:iPi ~.;'" rr~~m' Wm,¡¡i!ll~ i ¡¡ii,.... 1BÊ_ ! ~I ¡¡¡.-~'IÍ!!Ri?¡ Convened at 3:05 p.m. -., !H~ Adjourned at 4:42 p.m. _mG ¡ J::: ~^~~,¡~m~!! .JJ.l_ ------~.~ ~ T ;il r~ \j!"", BU This meeting of the Fort Pierce Harbor Advisory Committee (FPHAC) was held Thursday, January 11, 2006 at 3:00 p.m. in the Building & Zoning Conference Room of the Civic Center Building, 2300 Virginia Avenue, Fort Pierce, Florida. 1. ROLL CALL Roll call was taken. ~/f .t\,1 ~ I\V Members Present: Mary Chapman, Chairperson Howard Conklin, Vice Chairman Jeanne Hearn Pieter Stryker Bill Thiess Gerald Kuklinski (Alternate Member) Councilman Christopher S. Cooper Members Absent: Also Present: 2. NEW BUSINESS: Commissioner Eddie Becht David Souza Bill Thiess Heather Young, Assistant County Attorney Raymond Wazny, Assistant County Administrator Dr. Edie Widder, President & Senior Scientist of Ocean Research & Conservation Association Keith J. Paglen, Chief Executive Officer of Ocean Research & Conservation Association Richard Fearn, Fort Pierce Shores John Perry, Fort Pierce Waterfront Council Amy Mott, St. Lucie County Environmental Regulations Manager Misty Hamilton, St. Lucie County Coastal Resources Coordinator Bobbi Conti, PGA Village Bob Bangert, Conservation Alliance John Holt Presentation by Dr. Edie Widder & Keith J. Pag/en on the Kilroy System: Chairman Mary Chapman introduced Dr. Edie Widder, President & Senior Scientist of Ocean Research & Conservation Association and Keith J. Paglen, Chief Executive Officer of Ocean Research & Conservation Association. Dr. Widder did a presentation on the Kilroy System. Kilroy is Florida's Marine Conservation Change Agent. The Ocean Research & Conservation Association is headquartered on the Fort Pierce Inlet. Dr. Widder and Keith Paglen started this organization a little over a year ago. Their mission is to protect and restore marine ecosystems and the species they sustain through science, education and ~~r.=?n'\\níS k\ ~ . G,L5.LL\::LJ_::~:~~",\ In! . I Po !,i 2 1. ...""' \~\ '~, Jp..~ .. I..' ~O. ADM\~ OFFICE .... Fort Pierce Harbor Advisory Committee January 11, 2007 Page 2 conservation action. The Kilroy Technology Development Proposal consists of three things. The first is a high-tech solution to national and international challenges. This would be the first water quality monitoring system of its kind. Funded (in part) by the Office of Naval Research. The second is statewide and national applications providing the opportunity for Research Coast leadership, high quality jobs and to help spur local economy. The third is educational outreach with the ability to train students, emerging scientists and engineers and also enhance local school and college curricula. The idea behind Kilroy is to create a system that is as affordable as possible. Kilroy will consist of one power supply and one communications protocol. The Kilroy unit can be put on existing dock pilings or marker buoys and has a sensor string that hangs below the water and what is called Kilroy's voice sits on top of the dock pilings and communicates through cell phone technology. Kilroy's data will be superimposed on satellite images of IRL as transparent overlays. Chairman Mary Chapman asked Dr. Widder how her program "dove tail with River Keeper." Dr. Widder stated that several volunteers would be needed to go to the Kilroy units she suspects on a regular basis, probably weekly and then with the appropriate modifications to the system they may be able to do it as little as monthly. The Kilroy data that is being measured right now provides water temperature, salinity, current direction and speed, particulates, turbidity (water clarity), wave height/patterns and monitor the living bioluminescent organisms. The comb jelly Mnemiopsis is very common in the Indian River Lagoon. The toxic dinoflagellate Pyrodinium bahamense variety bahamense is a concern and has shown up in the Indian River Lagoon. There are several benefits to the Kilroys system. The water quality monitoring is enhanced with real time reports 24/7/365 and is a reliable and accountable tool for public policy decision-making. It is also an ecosystem- based tool for improved ecosystem health. Kilroy also acts as an early warning system regarding red tides and invasive species, notification of toxic events and the tracking of environmental toxins. Dr. Widder also expressed the need to get science into the school systems earlier. Ms. Hearn asked if when this is being monitored will it also have a device that describes any rain, post-hurricane, pre-hurricane or high tide events? Dr. Widder replied that it would be added to the weather data. Vice Chairman Howard Conklin asked how many sensors there would be and if a hurricane is approaching do they have to be removed? Dr. Widder replied that the goal is not to remove them and to have them as inexpensive as possible. Right now they have ten that have been funded by the Office of Naval Research and they have funded an additional five more as well. Vice Chairman Howard Conklin asked what they cost per unit. Dr. Widder is unsure but in terms of component costs, the components for the stand-alone Kilroy are $1,800.00 she believed and then $2,000.00 for the components for the bioluminescent protector. Dr. Widder stated that bioluminescent protectors would not have to be on all of them. Dr. Widder was one of a group of scientists that tested a suit called "The Wasp" that was developed for diving on oilrigs. Ms. Hearn asked what the expected timeline would be in order to have the Kilroy system in the lagoon. Dr. Widder stated that the Kilroy system should have already been in the water but due to funding issues her senior engineer went back to teaching in the fall and now is back in the lab full time. Dr. Widder believed that the first prototype would be in the water by this month, January. Dr. Widder discussed vandalism and the fact that there is no way to Fort Pierce Harbor Advisory Committee January 11, 2007 Page 3 prevent it from happening, but that the Kilroy system is reasonably priced, that way if something does happen, it is not that expensive to replace. Dr. Widder believed that about fifty Kilroy's would be needed and that they can be moved to other areas if something more interesting is happening there. In order to follow all of the information regarding the Kilroy systems please visit WWW.oceanrecon.orQ. Dr. Edie Widder and Keith Paglen left at 3:50 pm. The Governor's Cabinet meeting from December 19th in Tallahassee: Chairman Mary Chapman discussed her letter to the editor in the paper regarding the December 19th trip to Tallahassee. Chairman Mary Chapman believed that "we scored one of the best wins we have ever had!" The application was denied by a 2-2 split (Governor Jeb Bush and Governor-elect Charlie Christ against the application and Tom Gallagher and Bronson for). Ms. Hearn brought up property rights and the fact that the Governor stated that the submerged land is the people's land of the State of Florida. Ms. Hearn stated that Mr. Bell has the right to appeal the Cabinet ruling and that it may be difficult because of the Governor's votes. The appeal timeframe is twenty-one days, therefore making the deadline January 9, 2007 at 5:00 pm. The Attorney for the Waterfront Council contacted the Attorney for Department of Environmental Protection, Harold Vielhauer, who advised the Waterfront Council's Attorney that the Cabinet certifies it and that has been done. Then it goes back to the District D.E.P. and the District issues a final denial, and then from that date forward the twenty-one day period begins. Harold Vielhauer stated that the denial had not been issued as of January 11, 2007. Once that had been done, then the twenty-one day window begins. Ms. Hearn stated that Tallahassee was one of her proudest moments and that it was nice to see the government all together on the same issue. Elect New Chairman and Vice Chairman: Vice Chairman Howard Conklin moved to reelect Chairman Mary Chapman and stated that she drove to Tallahassee three times and he felt that that alone gave her credentials to be reelected. Ms. Hearn moved that the nomination cease. In the meantime there was a second to reelect Mary Chapman. A vote was done and it was unanimously approved that Mary Chapman will remain the Chairman of Fort Pierce Harbor Advisory Committee. There was one new appointee, Jerry Kuklinski who is now an official voting member. Jerry Kuklinski Presentation on the Sea Port: Jerry presented an outline of the port area and the second page was a drawing that was submitted with the report from the sub-committee to the Board Advisory Committee. Jerry felt as though the drawing should be revised and resubmitted to the County. Vice Chairman Howard Conklin agreed and said that the City of Fort Pierce does have a Master Plan for the Port area and suggested that Commissioner Eddie Becht be present for discussion before any decisions are made. 3. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES: After a motion and a second, the minutes from the December 14th meeting were unanimously approved. Fort Pierce Harbor Advisory Committee January 11, 2007 Page 4 4. OLD BUSINESS: Ms. Hearn brought up Policy 3.3.5 "The Port of Ft. Pierce, working with other governmental bodies, the private sector, and other interested parties, will, by January 2006, identify, acquire (if necessary) and permit a permanent spoil disposal site for materials dredged from the port planning area." Ms. Hearn stated that they need to prepare themselves for a spoil site for Taylor Creek and that they need to look seriously for a site because it is needed. Vice Chairman Howard Conklin left at 4:25 pm. Ms. Hearn is pleased that the County now has an Environmental Resources Department along with a Coastal Resource Coordinator by the name of Misty Hamilton. Ms. Hearn went to the Port Master Plan and under Policy 3.3.2 it stated "The Port of Fort Pierce, working with other governmental bodies and private interests, and other interested parties, shall create a scientific advisory committee, composed of researchers and managers from the Smithsonian Institute, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, and other regional marine research institutions, to provide scientific advice on port operations and activities (commercial, industrial and recreational) that may impact the Indian River Lagoon." Ms. Hearn would like to see the County start working on Policy 3.3.2. Amy Mott stated that she would bring up Policy 3.3.2 to Vanessa Bessey, the Environmental Resources Department Director. The Vice Chairman was not decided upon. Ms. Hearn nominated Howard Conklin to be reelected and there was a motion to second that decision. A vote was done and it was unanimously approved that Howard Conklin remain the Vice Chairman of the Fort Pierce Harbor Advisory Committee. 5. ADJOURNMENT: The next meeting will be held Thursday, February 8, 2006 at 3:00 P.M. Conference Room 3 on the Third Floor of the Administration Building. Respectfully Submitted: Stephanie Bush