Chautauqua Lake and Watershed Management Alliance
Minutes of the Board of Directors – Work Session with Members & Funders
Thursday, September 10, 2026
4:30 p.m. at 201 West 3rd St. Jamestown, NY 14701 & via Zoom
Directors Present: Don Emhardt, Jim Andrews, Andy Goodell, Twan Leenders, Heather Nolan-Caskey, Bruce Erickson, Ellen Barnes, David Chertoff, Martin Proctor, Whitney Gleason (Zoom), Larry Anderson, Janet Bowman (Zoom)
Directors Absent: Mike Moss, Paul Wendel Jr., Rick Syper, Pierre Chagnon, Mike LaTone, Mike Pfeil
Staff in Attendance: Randall Perry – Alliance Executive Director
Staff Absent: Jay Young – Alliance Communications Coordinator
Member and Funder Representatives in Attendance: Dave McCoy (County of Chautauqua); Dr. James Cirbus (Chautauqua Lake Partnership); Cassie Pinkoski (Chautauqua County Soil & Water Conservation District); John Ford (Chautauqua Lake Association)
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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 12 out of 18 Alliance Board Members were present at the start of the meeting.
II. Approval of the 8/18/2026 Board Meeting Minutes
B. Erickson made a motion to accept the minutes from the 8/18/2026 Board Meeting. The motion was seconded by E. Barnes and was approved unanimously.
III. Financial Update
R. Perry provided an overview of the unaudited financial summary report for August. B. Erickson made a motion to accept the financial report as presented. The motion was seconded by L. Anderson and was passed unanimously.
R. Perry indicated that the Alliance’s 2025 audit is underway by Saxton Kocur. R. Perry indicated that the Alliance Audit Committee has five seats, with two at-large members, who serve three-year terms, and three members from the Board, who serve one-year terms. R. Perry indicated that A. Troutman from the Village of Lakewood remains from last year as one of the two at-large members.
R. Perry indicated that the Audit Committee requires the appointment of one new at-large member to replace B. Erickson, who is now on the Board, along with the appointment of three Board members, one of which is the current Board Chair per the Audit Committee Policy, and a chair for the committee.
R. Perry indicated that J. Molnar, Mayor of Bemus Point, was willing to join the committee if approved by the Board. E. Barnes made a motion to appoint J. Molnar to a three-year term as an at-large member of the Alliance Audit Committee. The motion was seconded by L. Anderson and was passed unanimously.
After discussion, A. Goodell made a motion to appoint to the Audit Committee for one-year terms the following Alliance Board members: P. Chagnon (ex officio as Board Chairman), B. Erickson, and E. Barnes. The motion was seconded by L. Anderson and was passed unanimously.
After discussion, B. Erickson made a motion to appoint P. Chagnon as the chair of the Audit Committee. The motion was seconded by J. Andrews and was passed unanimously.
IV. Lake Management Consultant Update
R. Perry provided the Board a status update on GEI’s work.
A. Goodell asked for additional information about the starry stonewort Technical Assistance Group including its status and whether their meetings would be open to Board members.
R. Perry indicated that the list of proposed TAG members is still being finalized by GEI and that other details about the TAG, including how their meetings might be structured, are still being developed.
Discussion occurred related to the importance of local groups working on starry stonewort having access to the TAG and its recommendations.
V. 2027 Alliance Consolidated Local Funding Program
R. Perry provided the Board an overview of the 10 applications totaling $1,980,166 that were submitted to the Alliance by Members for 2027 funding consideration.
R. Perry indicated that today’s goal was for the Board to authorize the total amount that will be requested for 2027 as a consolidated grant application from the three participating foundations.
Board discussion occurred including economic factors and predicted investment portfolio performance; levels of past years’ grant support; the importance of stressing the large financial impact of the lake on the entire region; other financial needs in the community being supported by foundations; other funds Member organizations are raising to match those contributed by the foundations; additional revenue sources the Alliance could consider pursuing; and the importance of highlighting big improvements around how the groups are working together and what that means for the future.
After discussion, J. Andrews made a motion to authorize staff to prepare a 2027 Consolidated Local Funding Request of $1,250,000 to the participating foundations. The motion was seconded by A. Goodell and was approved unanimously.
VI. Other
D. Emhardt indicated that the Board’s next work session will be October 8, and the November and December work sessions will be on the second Thursday of each month.
R. Perry indicated that all 18 Board seats will expire on January 31. R. Perry indicated that except for the County seats, all appointments require official action by the member’s governing body, regardless of whether the director is new or returning. R. Perry indicated that he will contact Members with seats on the Board as the end of the term approaches.
Board discussion occurred related to the town and village government funding provided to, or under consideration for, the CLA and CLP; improvements compared to prior years; the major economic impact of the lake on the lakeside municipalities; town and village government representation on the Alliance Board; and opportunities for lake group representatives to visit with the towns and villages at their monthly meetings.
Board discussion occurred related to the CLP’s efforts to coordinate the 2027 herbicide program with the lakeside municipalities and the CLP’s request for responses to the letters they mailed out.
Board discussion occurred related to the Mobitrac that is parked at the Harbor Hotel including how it was purchased; who owns and maintains it; DEC permitting requirements for its use; and the possibility of integrating it into the Town of Chautauqua fleet. After discussion, A. Goodell offered to look into the matter with hotel leadership.
VII. Adjourn
E. Barnes made a motion to adjourn the meeting. The motion was seconded by L. Anderson and was passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 5:39 PM.
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The Alliance Board of Directors passed a motion to approve these 9/10/26 Meeting Minutes on 10/8/26.