Waterways Advisory Committee

City of Marco Island Florida 51 Bald Eagle Drive Marco Island, Florida cityofmarcoisland.com Meeting Minutes - Final Thursday, May 19, 2022 9:00 AM Community Meeting Room Waterways Advisory Committee Chair: David Crain Vice-Chair: William Trotter Committee Members: Steve Sokol, Philip Thompson, Michael Welty, Martin Winter, Eugene Wordehoff City Staff: Jeff Poteet, Diedre Wint Waterways Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes - Final May 19, 2022 (1) CALL TO ORDER Chair Crain called the meeting to order at 9:00 A.M. (2) ROLL CALL Present: 6- Member Sokol, Member Thompson, Vice-Chair Trotter, Member Winter, Member Wordehoff and Chair Crain Absent: 1- Welty (Note: Member Thompson left the meeting at 10:04 A.M.) Also Present Jeff Poteet, Water & Sewer General Manager Diedre Wint, Administrative Assistant, Public Works Martin Luna, Video/Broadcast Technician Jim Kornas, Recording Specialist (3) PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Led by Chair Crain. (4) APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA Member Wordehoff requested that a discussion of the Jacob's Engineering review of Dr. Harper's report on Marco Island's water quality be added to the Agenda. Chair Crain proposed that Member Wordehoff bring the topic forward for discussion during Item 11 of the Agenda (Committee Communications). Member Wordehoff concurred with Chair Crain's proposal. MOTION by Vice-Chair Trotter, seconded by Member Thompson that the Agenda be Approved. MOTION CARRIED BY THE FOLLOWING VOICE VOTE: Yes: 6- Member Sokol, Member Thompson, Vice-Chair Trotter, Member Winter, Member Wordehoff and Chair Crain (5) APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES MOTION by Member Thompson, seconded by Member Sokol, that the Waterways Advisory Committee Minutes of April 21, 2022 be Approved. MOTION CARRIED BY THE FOLLOWING VOICE VOTE: Yes: 6- Member Sokol, Member Thompson, Vice-Chair Trotter, Member Winter, Member Wordehoff and Chair Crain (6) STAFF COMMUNICATIONS (Jeff Poteet) Chair Crain introduced Mr. Jeff Poteet as the City Staff Liaison to the Committee, and he noted the departure of former Public Works Director Timothy Pinter and former Stormwater Engineer Jason Tomassetti. Mr. Poteet informed the Committee he will be acting as the Interim Staff Liaison until successors to Messrs. Pinter and Tomassetti are named. Chair Crain requested an update on the status of the March Water Quality Report. Mr. Poteet informed the Members that the report was expected shortly and would be made available to the Committee and published on the City's website. City of Marco Island Florida Page 1 Waterways Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes - Final May 19, 2022 Chair Crain reminded the Committee of the upcoming Water Quality Workshop with the City Council on May 23rd. He noted that the Agenda included both: 1) the Committee’s presentation, and; 2) the Jacob’s Engineering review of the Environmental Research & Design., Inc (Dr. Harper) Water Quality Report for Marco Island. Member Thompson inquired as to what led to Jacobs Engineering being brought in by the City to provide its assessment of the recommendations put forward by Environmental Research & Design, Inc. Mr. Poteet outlined his rationale for asking Jacobs Engineering to engage in its review and assessment, and he noted that the City Manager concurred with his recommendation to bring an alternative point of view into the Water Quality Workshop discussion scheduled for May 23, 2022. A lengthy Committee discussion ensued. The Committee concluded by discussing the elements of its planned presentation for May 23rd, and assigning presentation responsibility for each element. [Editorial Note: the presentation topics and responsible Committee presenters is included in these Minutes under Item 9 (Old Business)]. (7) PUBLIC COMMENT Mr. Robert Roth (Barbarosa Ct.) outlined his perspective on the need for a Storm Water Utility separate from the Public Works Department within the City's operating structure, and he questioned why the Harper Report was being refuted on reuse irrigation and fertilizer usage seven months after the report was received by the City. He detailed his concerns with the significant increase in impervious surfaces on the Island due to new construction, and he outlined the effect of this increase in unfiltered storm water runoff on the Island's water quality. He encouraged the Committee and the City to strive to meet water management and treatment standards that exceed the minimum standards required by the State of Florida. Mr. Philip Wanzenberg (Woodbine Ct.) shared his observations regarding the political, economic and public-facing issues regarding the treatment and application of reuse water on the Island. He pointed to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's 2019 citing of Marco's waterways as 'impaired' as the starting point a number of well-intentioned, yet ineffective, efforts to address the problem. He foresees a scenario where the City will be mandated by the State to pursue technologies and expend resources that will significantly impact the taxpayers of Marco Island. (8) PRESENTATIONS None. (9) OLD BUSINESS ID 22-2278 Review of the Presentation for the 5/23/22 Water Quality Workshop The seven presentation elements to be brought forward by the Committee Members at the May 23, 2022 Water Quality Workshop were confirmed as follows: 1) Storm Water Management (Chair Crain) 2) Fertilizer Ordinance (Member Winter) 3) Storm Water Utility (Mr. Robert Roth, former Waterways Advisory Committee Member) 4) Water Quality Monitoring (Chair Crain) 5) Reuse Irrigation (Member Wordehoff) 6) Seepage Management (Chair Crain) 7) Public Education (Member Sokol) City of Marco Island Florida Page 2 Waterways Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes - Final May 19, 2022 (10) NEW BUSINESS a. ID 22-2279 FDEP Restoration Plans for Impaired Waters in the State (5/16/22) The FDEP Restoration Plan Report was not specifically addressed at this meeting. However, Member Wordehoff stated the City could utilize FDEP Technology with available grant funding for capital improvements to the Water & Sewer Utility to reduce the Utility's need to resort to deep well injection during certain times of the year and reduce 90% of its annual chlorine expense. He offered to present a model of the process for the Committee's review at its next meeting. b. ID 22-2280 Stormwater Pretreatment Methods (Suntree Filters) This item was not discussed at this meeting. (11) COMMITTEE COMMUNICATIONS Several Members of the Committee expressed concern with having the Jacobs Engineering Report come before the City Council at the May 23rd Water Quality Workshop without proper engagement and pre-review with the Waterways Advisory Committee. Chair Crain and Water & Sewer General Manager Jeff Poteet offered their perspectives in reply to the concerns raised. Additionally, Chair Crain shared his perspective and concerns on the use of aeration techniques in the canals to increase dissolved oxygen levels. Vice-Chair Trotter requested that time be allocated at the Committee's next meeting to further discuss the use of reuse water on the Island as well as the recommendations from the Jacobs Engineering Report that will be presented at the May 23, 2022 Water Quality Workshop. (12) ADJOURNMENT There being no further business before the Committee, Chair Crain adjourned the meeting at 10:49 A.M. ___________________________________________ Diedre Wint, Administrative Assistant, Public Works City of Marco Island Florida Page 3