Chautauqua Lake and Watershed Management Alliance
Minutes of the Board of Directors – Work Session
Thursday, December 12, 2024
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., Jim Andrews, Mike LaTone, Janis Bowman, Jo Dee Johnson (Zoom)
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 4:30 PM. A quorum of 8 out of 9 Directors was present at the start of the meeting.
II. Approval of 11/14/2024 Board Meeting Minutes
M. LaTone made a motion to accept the minutes from the 11/14/24 Board Meeting. The motion was seconded by E. Barnes and was passed unanimously.
III. Financial Report
R. Perry indicated that the meeting packet includes an updated financial summary report for November. R. Perry indicated that there are still Alliance 2024 grants to be paid out, and that 2025 grant funds have begun being received.
M. Proctor made a motion to accept the financial report as presented. The motion was seconded by M. LaTone and was passed unanimously.
R. Perry indicated that the Alliance auditor from Saxton Kocur and Associates provided a note during the November Audit Committee meeting related to Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation insurance limits of $250,000 per depositor, per FDIC-insured bank. R. Perry indicated that it was recommended that the Alliance review bank balances and evaluate whether it is feasible to maintain balances that are not in excess of the FDIC threshold.
M. LaTone indicated that in his experience, banks are willing to disperse funds in multiple accounts so as to not exceed the FDIC insurance limit.
R. Perry indicated that he would contact the Alliance bank to see what they might offer.
IV. 2024-2025 Alliance Consolidated Local Funding Program Update
R. Perry indicated that via email vote on November 21 and 22, 2024, the Board accepted and authorized the Alliance Executive Director to execute the grant agreement for the 2025 Consolidated Foundation Grant from The Lenna Foundation.
R. Perry indicated that the Alliance is still awaiting grant award decisions from the Sheldon Foundation and the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, with timing based on each foundation’s schedule. After discussion, it was agreed that the grant acceptance by the Board should continue to be done on a case by case basis, and R. Perry indicated he will keep the Board updated via email when award letters are received.
V. 2025 Alliance Operating Budget
R. Perry provided for the Board’s consideration a Draft 2025 Alliance Operating Budget with a comparison to the 2024 approved budget. R. Perry indicated that due in large part to the mid-year departure of the Project Manager, actual 2024 expenses were less than budgeted. R. Perry suggested that unspent, unrestricted 2024 revenue be used to offset 2025 operational costs.
The Board indicated that it would further discuss the Draft 2025 Budget up in Executive Session.
VI. 2024 Alliance Consolidated Local Funding Program
R. Perry provided an overview of grant awards made to date, funds remaining for use in 2024, and projected unallocated and/or unspent funds in 2024.
R. Perry indicated that certain Member grants appeared that they might have unspent funds remaining at the end of the year, but he is awaiting final cost information.
R. Perry indicated that in the past, the Board has considered no-cost time extensions to allow Member grants to be used for the same purpose in the following year.
M. LaTone indicated that he will contact Glenn Sullivan of Ready Scout LLC regarding costs incurred for the planned algaecide treatment of starry stonewort, which was planned and permitted but ultimately not performed based on conditions.
R. Perry indicated that the Alliance has request from the Chautauqua Lake Association for $54,000 in additional funding for work performed in 2024.
Board discussion ensued regarding the background on the funding request including how it evolved over the course of the year, the level of detail made available to accompany the request, budgeted values versus actual costs, and an interest in receiving additional financial information before making a decision on the request.
D. Emhardt indicated that he would speak with CLA staff regarding the additional details so the Board could give it further consideration at a later meeting.
D. Emhardt indicated that the Alliance currently has around $186,980 in unallocated and unexpended funds available for use in 2024. R. Perry indicated that in the past, the Board has placed unallocated and unspent funds such as these in a “Lake Maintenance Operations and Capital Fund” to ensure that they are used for their intended purpose as needs arise and under the direction of the Board.
P. Chagnon made a motion to move the remaining funds to the “Lake Maintenance Operations and Capital Reserve.” The motion was seconded P. Wendel and was passed unanimously.
P. Wendel advised that when preparing the Alliance’s 2024 report to the County, that staff explain the reasons for unexpended funds in detail.
VII. Lake Manager Discussion
R. Perry indicated that a draft letter seeking professional consulting services related to lake management was distributed to the Board on 10/28/24, and a revised version based on Board feedback was distributed on 11/19/24.
Discussion ensued related to the relative authority of the Alliance Board and others in lake management decision making, the expected renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding by the County and lake governments and groups including the Alliance, the importance of flexibility and adaptiveness of lake strategies, the role of funding decisions in lake management strategies, the potential utility of the NC State management plan as a resource, the envisioned adaptive advisory role a lake consultant might provide the Board, and how a lake advisor may be funded by the Alliance.
Discussion also occurred regarding the concept of resource management plan adoption and expected requirements under the State Environmental Quality Review Act.
Discussion also occurred related to the perceptions of lake quality over time, the variability among stakeholders and the Board of how lake quality is defined, the value of considering outside expertise when available, the importance of ongoing efforts of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and methods used by the Board to address public comments received at Board meetings.
After discussion, the Board indicated that R. Perry should revise the wording in the current draft letter replacing the term “plan” with “strategy” and distribute the letter to qualified and potentially interested parties. M. LaTone made a motion to release the letter. The motion was seconded by E. Barnes and was passed unanimously.
R. Perry indicated that he would distribute the letter utilizing known contacts and others identified through resources such as the North American Lake Management Society and others.
VIII. Tabled Board Motion from 11/14/24 – Accept NC State Management Plan
E. Barnes made a motion to rescind her previously tabled motion from the 11/14/24 Public Board Meeting. The motion was seconded by J. Bowman and was passed unanimously.
P. Wendel made a motion to accept as a management strategy resource the North Carolina State University Long-Term Management Plan For Submersed Aquatic Vegetation At Chautauqua Lake, NY (2024-2028). The motion was seconded by M. LaTone and was passed unanimously.
IX. Other
R. Perry indicated that the Alliance’s January Public Board meeting is currently scheduled for 1/9/25 at 4:30 PM.
A discussion followed of the Alliance’s by-laws and public Board meeting schedule.
P. Chagnon made a motion designating all 2025 Alliance meetings as non-public work sessions, with the exception of the May Annual Member Meeting and monthly meeting. The motion was seconded by P. Wendel and was passed unanimously.
D. Emhardt indicated that staff should communicate the change in 2025 meeting schedule to the Members via email.
P. Wendel indicated that the County is in the process of planning a Lake Symposium event to be held in March.
X. Executive Session
The Board entered executive session at 6:08 PM (Motion by E. Barnes, Second by P. Wendel, carried unanimously). Staff left the meeting. The Board adjourned executive session at 6:15 PM (Motion by M. LaTone, Second by M. Proctor, carried unanimously).
XI. Adjourn
The Board approved the 2025 Alliance Operating Budget as presented but with an amendment to include a 3% salary increase for all staff (Motion by J. Andrews, Second by M. Proctor, carried unanimously). The Board agreed to re-schedule the January work session until January 16 due to scheduling conflicts on 1/9. The meeting was adjourned at 6:15 PM.
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The Alliance Board of Directors passed a motion to approve these 12/12/24 Meeting Minutes on 1/16/25.