Chautauqua Lake and Watershed Management Alliance
Minutes of the Board of Directors – Work Session
Thursday, April 10, 2025
4:30 p.m. at the BWB Building, 201 West 3rd St. Jamestown, NY 14701 & via Zoom
Directors Present: Pierre Chagnon, Ellen Barnes, Don Emhardt, Martin Proctor, Paul (P.J.) Wendel, Jr., Janis Bowman (Zoom), JoDee Johnson, Mike LaTone (Zoom)
Directors Absent: Jim Andrews
Staff in Attendance: Randall Perry – Executive Director, Jay Young – Communications Coordinator
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I. Call to Order
D. Emhardt called the Board Meeting of the Chautauqua Lake and Watershed Management Alliance (Alliance) to order at 4:31 PM. A quorum of 7 out of 9 Directors was present at the start of the meeting.
II. Approval of 3/13/2025 Board Meeting Minutes
E. Barnes made a motion to accept the minutes from the 3/13/25 Board Meeting. The motion was seconded by J. Johnson and was passed unanimously.
III. Financial Report
R. Perry indicated that the meeting packet includes an updated financial summary report for March. R. Perry indicated that the Alliance has received one half of its 2025 Consolidated Funding Program grant from the Ralph C. Sheldon Foundation. R. Perry indicated that the Board was also provided an updated Balance Sheet and Profit & Loss Statement through the end of March.
M. Proctor made a motion to accept the financial summary report as presented. The motion was seconded by J. Johnson and was passed unanimously.
IV. Committees Updates
R. Perry indicated that a Lake Management Committee meeting is scheduled for April 17.
V. Board Meeting Schedule and Format Discussion
R. Perry summarized the current format and then outlined for Board consideration a revised meeting schedule and format based on Board feedback.
The current schedule and format includes one meeting per year in May that is open to the public and Members. All other monthly meetings are closed work sessions including only the Alliance Board and Alliance staff.
The revised format would include a public meeting in May and three work sessions during the year (March, August, and November) that would be open by invitation to the designated representatives of Alliance Member organizations and funders. The other monthly work sessions would remain as Alliance Board and Alliance staff only.
M. Proctor made a motion that the Alliance meeting schedule and format be changed as outlined. The motion was seconded by P. Chagnon and was approved unanimously.
The Board indicated that the changes would be summarized at the upcoming May public meeting, and Alliance staff would work out invitation and attendance details directly with Member representatives and other invitees in advance of the August, November, and March work sessions.
VI. 2024 Alliance Consolidated Local Funding Program Update
R. Perry provided an update on steps taken since the 3/13/25 Alliance Board meeting, regarding the CLA’s request for an additional $54,000 in funding for 2024 operations and the Alliance Board’s interest in receiving additional details before making a decision on the request.
M. LaTone asked how CLA tonnages are calculated.
D. Emhardt indicated that several years ago the average weight of a truckload of plant material was determined.
Discussion occurred regarding the responsiveness of the information provided to the request that was made, alignment of the funding request with what was reported in the financial information, suggestions for standardizing financial reporting for all member grants, and potential next steps for addressing the Board’s remaining questions.
Discussion occurred regarding the financial, operational, and staffing information that had been made available by CLA.
J. Bowman asked if the CLA Treasurer was asked to speak to the Board on behalf of CLA.
P. Chagnon indicated that CLA indicated that several expenses were deferred from 2024 to 2025.
P. Chagnon and P. Wendel indicated that Chautauqua County is in the process of contracting with CLA for 2025 work. P. Chagnon indicated that the contract would emphasize the need for early-season curly-leaf pondweed harvesting and late-season cleanup of Burtis Bay.
D. Emhardt indicated that the Alliance’s 2025 grant contracts with Members, including the CLA, will include new guidance regarding what financial information is to be reported at the end of the year, such as staff hours paid by the grant.
D. Emhardt outlined the permitting process that he has been following for the Mobitrac program in response to the new state wetlands regulations. D. Emhardt indicated he is seeking an Article 24 permit for the work.
M. LaTone asked if CLA already has grant agreements with the Alliance for work in 2025.
R. Perry indicated that the agreements have been sent to CLA but still need to be signed.
J. Bowman made a motion to fulfill the CLA’s request for an additional $54,000 in funding for 2024 operations. The motion was seconded by P. Chagnon. The motion failed – with three ayes (P. Wendel, P. Chagnon, J. Bowman), four nays (M. Proctor, J. Johnson, E. Barnes, M. LaTone), and one abstention (D. Emhardt).
M. Proctor made a motion to award the CLA $39,288 in funding for 2024 operations. The motion was seconded by J. Johnson and was approved unanimously with one abstention (D. Emhardt).
M. Proctor indicated he was not opposed to awarding CLA the remaining funds from their request if sufficient financial detail is provided.
Based on discussion, it was determined that R. Perry would transmit the funds to CLA via a letter outlining the Board’s decision.
VII. 2025 Alliance Consolidated Local Funding Program
a.) Status of Awards Made to Date for 2025
R. Perry indicated that the 2025 Consolidated Local Funding Program has received a total of $566,666 in grants from the CRCF, Lenna Foundation, and Sheldon Foundation. All funds were allocated to Member projects at the 3/13/25 Alliance Board work session.
b.) Status of Other Local Grants – County, Hultquist, Holmberg, and Other
R. Perry indicated that the Alliance has received a contract for its $300,000 allocation from the County’s 2% Occupancy Tax program and that it is awaiting his signature upon approval by the Alliance Board.
P. Wendel asked that he and R. Perry clarify some details of that grant award before signing it.
M. Proctor asked if it would be possible to consider a future motion on that issue via email.
R. Perry indicated that should be fine.
R. Perry indicated that other local grants from the Hultquist Foundation and the Holmberg Foundation are still pending. R. Perry indicated that the Hultquist Foundation is expected to decide on their grant application in late May.
c.) Status of Alliance Lake Maintenance Operations and Capital Reserve
R. Perry briefed the Board on the status of the Lake Maintenance Operations and Capital Reserve. R. Perry indicated there had been no changes to it since it was established by the Board on 12/12/24.
d.) Other
D. Emhardt indicated that CLA is expected to start working around May 1.
J. Johnson indicated that the CLP is planning to perform chemical treatment of invasive starry stonewort utilizing three different products at three different locations in the South Basin. J. Johnson indicated that maps of the treatment areas have been shared with R. Perry.
VIII. Lake Management Consultant Update
R. Perry updated the Board on the staff’s progress with the prospective lake consultant, GEI Consultants Inc., identified by the Board upon completion of candidate interviews on 3/6/25 and based on feedback at the 3/13/25 work session. R. Perry indicated that they have drafted a proposed scope and schedule, and that GEI has provided a cost estimate of $70,170.
P. Chagnon indicated he was pleased with the scope of work and cost estimate, and indicated that new tasks can be identified if needed moving forward.
P. Wendel made a motion to approve the GEI proposal and authorize the Executive Director to execute a contract with GEI for professional consulting services related to lake management in 2025. The motion was seconded by E. Barnes and was passed unanimously.
Board members thanked R. Perry for his work.
P. Wendel indicated that updating the Member organizations on the process at the May meeting would be a good idea.
P. Chagnon indicated that the message should be one of progress.
J. Johnson indicated that she was pleased with the selection of the consultant.
IX. Other
R. Perry indicated that the Alliance Board of Directors election and Annual Meeting will take place at 4:30 PM on May 8, 2025, at the Lawson Center in Bemus Point.
R. Perry indicated that the May 8 meeting will be open to Members as well as the general public.
R. Perry indicated that the next scheduled Alliance Board Work Session will be on June 12, 2025.
P. Chagnon indicated that the Chautauqua Lake Property Owner’s Association intends to file a lawsuit challenging the state’s new wetlands regulations this spring.
M. Proctor asked if the Alliance was asked to join the lawsuit.
R. Perry indicated that he received no such request.
M. LaTone indicated that the CLP was asked to join the Article 78 lawsuit but did not plan to join.
J. Johnson indicated that if service providers are all having similar permitting issues, that cooperation would be beneficial.
M. LaTone indicated that permitting costs were increasing for CLP’s herbicide program.
P. Wendel indicated his support for reevaluating the structure of the Alliance Board so that the lakeside municipalities are more fully represented.
A discussion followed of the structure of the Alliance Board, by-laws, possible alterations, and next steps.
The Board requested that R. Perry seek feedback from an attorney regarding the possibility of future changes to the Alliance by-laws and/or Board structure.
X. Adjourn
P. Wendel made a motion to adjourn the April 10, 2025 meeting at 6:36 PM. The motion was seconded by E. Barnes and was passed unanimously.
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The Alliance Board of Directors passed a motion to approve these 4/10/25 Meeting Minutes on 5/8/25.