Minutes_Catfish Creek Watershed Management Authority 1 23 13CATFISH CREEK
WATERSHED
LJ
MINUTES
Catfish Creek Watershed Management Authority
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium
Conference Room (upstairs)
50 East 3rd Street, Dubuque, Iowa
Directors Present: Laura Carstens, Will Hoyer, Pat Simon, Bob O'Connell, Calvin Gatch, Jr.,
and Curt Kiessling.
Directors Absent: Wayne Demmer, Raki Giannakouros, and Carl Reimer.
Staff Present: Eric Schmechel and Dean Mattoon.
CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order by Catfish Creek Watershed Management
Authority (CCWMA) Chair Laura Carstens at 10:08 a.m.
CERTIFICATION OF COMPLIANCE: Staff certified that the meeting was being held in
compliance with Iowa Open Meetings Law.
MINUTES: Motion to approve the minutes of October 24, 2012, as amended for spelling and
grammar, passed unanimously.
ACTION ITEMS:
Receive and File final version of adopted By -Laws for signatures: The Board all agreed the by-
laws looked great and no further changes were deemed necessary. Officers were clarified as
being: Laura Carstens, City of Dubuque, Chair; Curt Keissling, City of Asbury, Vice Chair; Bob
O'Connell, Dubuque Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD), Treasurer; with CCWMA
Administrators Eric Schmechel, SWCD, as Recording Secretary, and Dean Mattoon, City of
Dubuque, as Corresponding Secretary. Motion by Hoyer, seconded by Kiessling, to receive and
file the adopted by -laws, passed unanimously.
RFP for the Catfish Creek Watershed Management Plan: Schmechel updated the Board on the
current status of the Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Catfish Creek Watershed Management
Plan. He explained that as the City of Dubuque is the lead applicant on the phase II grant, the
CCWMA will follow the City of Dubuque's policies for the RFP. He noted they will be
completing the RFP and it should be released in the coming weeks.
Consultant Selection Committee for the Watershed Management Plan: Discussion was held
regarding the involvement of the CCWMA in the consultant selection committee. Schemechel
explained that currently, the committee is composed of City of Dubuque employees, County
employees, and the SWCD's urban conservationist. Hoyer asked if any other CCWMA cities
have been contacted to see if they would like to be involved in the process. Discussion followed.
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January 23, 2013
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Kiessling thought it was a good idea to have another city on the selection committee, and said he
would be interested in helping out on the committee as a representative of the City of Asbury.
Carstens said this was a good idea, and would let Kiessling know of the meeting times.
ITEMS FROM THE PUBLIC: None.
ITEMS FROM THE BOARD:
List of Board Members: Carstens asked Staff to provide the Board with al st ofthe members and
their contact information.
Dubuque County Regional Smart Plan: O'Connell brought up the Dubuque County Regional
Smart Plan, and talked about the overlap between the new County Smart Plan and the future
Watershed Management Plan. All Board members agreed. O'Connell asked if it would be
possible to get copies of the new Smart Plan for the Board. Carstens thought this was a great
idea and would follow up on getting the CCWMA board a copy or two of the Smart Plan and the
Watershed Planning Chapter. Hoyer suggested adding a link on the Catfish Creek Watershed
page to the Dubuque County Smart Plan link. Schmechel also commented on how the phase II
grant application for the Watershed Management Plan and the new Dubuque County Smart Plan
overlapped each other and the importance of incorporating the Smart Plan into the Watershed
Management Plan.
ITEMS FROM STAFF:
Catfish Creek Watershed Signs: Schmechel updated the board on the newly installed Catfish
Creek signs. Board members commented on how good the signs look. The Board asked
Mattoon and Schmechel to compile an inventory of sign locations and a map. Simon noted that
the City of Peosta and NICC did not have any signs. The Board talked about ordering an
additional 25 more signs, to address additional stream crossings and other areas in the watershed
that could use a sign. Schmechel thought this would not be a problem as there was still some
educational money left in the SWCD's project budget
Signs /Apparel (Marketing Ideas): Along with ordering 25 more signs, Schmechel brought up the
idea of ordering a few apparel items to help create and market the newly established authority
board and the importance ofthe Catfish Creek Watershed. With an attractive logo, the Board
liked the idea of ordering hats, pens, magnets and possibly some shirts. Mattoon thought it
would be a good idea if the Board ordered some jackets or vests for Board members to wear to
meetings, conferences, and events. Schmechel commented on how well the Upper Catfish Creek
apparel items were received by the general public. Discussion was also held in regards to selling
these items as possible fundraising dollars in the future. Schmechel and Mattoon said they would
talk with local design companies and place an order for apparel items. Kiessling and Hoyer
suggested a company that both had worked.
Upcoming Conferences /Workshops: Schmechel updated the board on upcoming workshops. On
Jan 314, there will be an Erosion Control Workshop at the Five Flags Center. The City of
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January 23, 2013
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Dubuque, Dubuque County, the Soil and Water Conservation District, and the City of Asbury are
helping promote and sponsoring the workshop. Schmechel and Mattoon are speaking on current
erosion control and stormwater regulations contractors, builders, and developers face.
Schmechel also commented on the 6th Annual LID (Low Impact Development) Conference that
will take place at the Mississippi River Museum on the evening of Feb. 20th and all day on Feb.
214. He passed around the conference brochure and agreed to email information to the Board.
Developments /Land Disturbing Activities: Schmechel talked about the importance of sharing
project information with the Board. He suggested emailing all Board members with any relevant
information pertaining to land disturbing activities. Schmechel discussed the new airport
terminal and some of the best management practices that are projected to be implemented during
the building of the terminal. Mattoon also updated the Board on some of his sampling events and
some of the research he is involved with when it comes to chloride data and water quality.
Comments /Concerns /Discussion: Mattoon said he would have a complete watershed sign
inventory map for the next meeting. Schmechel said he would send out another meeting survey
for the next quarterly meeting. All Board members agreed to continue having the meetings on a
quarterly basis and during the day. Board members also agreed to alternate meeting locations
throughout the watershed, such as the Swiss Valley Nature Center, Mississippi River Museum,
Mines of Spain, and possibly the Meadows in Asbury, and to be sure all locations are ADA-
accessible.
ADJOURNMENT: Motion by Hoyer, seconded by Kiessling, to adjourn passed unanimously.
The meeting was adjourned at 11:29 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Eric Schmechel, Recording Secretary Adopted