Green Saves Green Member Meeting Minutes
Monday, April 16, 2024
5:30 p.m., Pasquotank County Library
Present: Gerry Anderson, Karl Brandspigel, Sharon Burtner, Nita Coleman, Mary Cote, Jane Elfring, David Fynn, Marlene Greer, Bobbi Hunsberger, Kurt Hunsberger, Blair Jackson, George Jackson, Rodney Johnson, Charles Jordan, Bill Kruse, Sue Kruse, Cody Marks, Chris Scott, Aimee Shannon, Jane Snyder, Cheryl Squire, John Stolarczyk, Steve VanGiesen, Abigail Villalba, Gail Ward, Ruth Wells, Gavin White
Guest speakers:
Jim Hoadley and Dennis Robertson, NCDOT
Pasquotank Assistant County Manager John Shannon
Chair Report
Our USCG Pre-Marathon Litter Cleanup was rained out. The revised plan of leaving supplies at the library for people to check out and clean up one of the mapped sections on their own was successful. Volunteers picked up 60 bags of litter, plus tires, and other roadside debris.
We awarded an Action Grant to Central Elementary teacher Emily Beamon. She plans to have her students rejuvenate a courtyard garden.
Albemarle Watershed Watch
Teams will be heading out tomorrow for monthly sampling. Recent heavy rains have reduced salinity levels from unusual highs of 10-11 down to 3-4. At the algae summit last year, researchers suggested higher salt levels can hinder algal blooms. However, high salinity causes other issues, like ghost forests. We see signs of this on the causeway in Camden.
Kayak Launch and Paddle Trail Pasquotank River/Knobbs Creek
Rodney Johnson reported on recent scouting trips. The paddle trails team did a 5-mile paddle from the start of the Pasquotank River in the Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge and hit 12 blockages, including beaver dams and downed trees. In high water, we were able to get past the obstacles. In low water conditions, paddlers would have to portage. We are not planning to include this section in our proposal for a public paddle trail. The refuge manager is interested in allowing a few guided paddle trips a year.
The second portion of the upper Pasquotank we paddled had three obstacles. But these can be cleared, making this section navigable. On Thursday, the paddle team will do the last section.
The paddle trials team also paddled upper Knobbs Creek. It’s a beautiful area right in the middle of our city with no public water access.
Our goal is to come up with a paddle trails proposal with potential public access sites and submit it to the county. There currently is no public access on 20 miles of navigable river.
Scholarships
Jane Snyder reported the results of the board survey she and Jeanne Tardiff sent out. Majority of respondents preferred smaller scholarships rather than one large sum of $5,000, non-renewing scholarships for a wider impact, scholarships to students attending accredited institutions, and were evenly split on including all counties touching the Albemarle or just the four northeastern counties.
Some of the criteria Jane suggested be used to determine awards: Has the student participated in GSG events? Have they been instrumental in the community? Are they pursuing an environmental path? Will their degree program give back in some way to the community? She recommended we start small and build. Maybe $1,500 and see how many responses we get. She also recommended scholarships be non-renewable, but not prevent a student who received a scholarship from applying again another year.
Jane expressed concern if Green Saves Green could sustain a $5,000 grant for 5+ years. Would like treasurer Sheila Wrenn to weigh in on finances.
College Park Nature-Based Shoreline Flood Mitigation
Bill Kruse advised there is a 100% resiliency grant available through the NC Office of Resiliency and Recovery but the deadline is in May. He does not think we can come up with a design in time to apply for this year. Have to have an engineered plan to submit with the grant application, and it has to be a government entity applying for the grant. This grant is for construction. There might be a planning phase grant available. The goal is to mitigate flooding and do it in a way that creates a natural shoreline with walkways and fishing piers.
Upcoming Events
High school students Hwy 158 litter cleanup, 9a.m. Saturday, April 20. Meet at Camden HS.
Earth Day at the Trail, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., April 22, Fenwick-Hollowell Wetlands Trail. Water quality testing, macroinvertebrates, and wetlands walk with Elizabeth City Middle School students.
Northeastern HS Campus Cleanup, Friday, April 26, 11:30am-12:30pm. Need volunteers.
Alligator River Wildlife Refuge Tram Tour, Saturday May 4, 9-11am. Everyone is welcome. Must reserve seats in advance. $10
Pasquotank County Litter Prevention Discussion
NCDOT in Pasquotank County spent more than $138,000 over the last 3 years disposing of litter. They collected 34 tons of trash. In one afternoon in February, DOT picked up 570 pounds of trash in just ½ mile of roadside. Jim Hoadley says he gets calls every day about trash. But his primary job for DOT is to make sure people can drive from point A to B safely.
The biggest issue NCDOT sees in Pasquotank County is lack of litter enforcement. One county, Dennis Robertson said, hands out automatic citations to any person showing up at the dump site without a cover over their load. Windblown debris from uncovered dump trucks, pickups, and trailers is responsible for a lot of litter. Enforcement is up to the county sheriff and courts. Four to eight hours of community service picking up litter might be a good way to change people’s habits.
Plastic bags are another big litter item. If we could eliminate the areas where most of the trash comes from it would help. Get businesses on board. Reduction and enforcement are key.
Assistant County Manager John Shannon was given the task to come up with new strategies to reduce litter and submit the plan to county commissioners. They are looking at new regulations, ordinances, higher fines, partnering with local organizations in community cleanups, and ways to help prevent litter, including visiting schools every year to discuss the effects of litter.
If you have some good ideas on how to tackle the county's litter problem, Mr. Shannon wants to hear from you. We are compiling a list of our member suggestions and will submit a letter to him on behalf of GSG. Please share your ideas.
Next GSG meeting will be 5:30 p.m. Monday, May 13 at the Pasquotank County Library.
A GSG Board meeting will follow immediately after.