Environmental Advisory Board Meeting

Ogden Dunes Environmental Advisory Board Meeting Notes Town Hall, 16 July 2024, 5:30 p.m. Attendees: Tom Davenport, Frank Lani, Vicky Albritton. Karl Krizmanic also attended. *No quorum. 1. Review and approve agenda – any additions? - No. 2. Any discussion of June Minutes - No. 3. Update: Beach Monitoring - Discussed false reading from last month again. No changes--still no cause for concern. Tom said he went around to clear vines that were covering the water quality status signs. 4. Bird Town – any follow-up (invoice signatures, progress report) - Frank sent around an invoice from Naturally Native Nurseries (NNN) to obtain the required signatures from EAB members. He also sent EAB members a file with ten documents regarding Pollywog Pond (PP), including the proposal from NNN for two areas in Ogden Dunes that could be restored and a new ecologically appropriate area inside a planned roundabout. It was noted that any future plantings will need yearly maintenance as well. Laura Brennan gave us a detailed assessment of the damage done to PP by the driver who accidentally rolled their car down the PP slope. Unfortunately, an insurance payout seems unlikely at this point. But we discussed removing some mulch that was unsuitably placed on the slope at PP, weeding, and rescuing some of the damaged plants. Frank promised to send EAB members a list of objectives at PP that will include adding parking bumpers, improving birding infrastructure, and updating the ODEAB webpage to reflect our progress. Karl will talk to Scott Kingan about the parking spots and Jan's proposal. Frank and Karl tried to fix the turtle platform. Karl was commended for heroically wading into the pond to remove the old platform, but they still need to replace it. 5. Invasive Species Eradication at Polliwog Pond Next Steps - Our next significant clearing and planting day will not be until September. Jan marked a vine (Fragrant Sumac?) at PP as a special native plant that should be preserved during future clearings. Other plants should also be marked. Perhaps Laura Brennan can help. 6. Septic Coordination Workgroup Report - No meetings until perhaps September. Vicky promised to ask whether any informational booth or table would be at the county fair. 7. Monitoring Nearby Industries https://www.in.gov/idem/resources/lake- michigan-sites-of-interest/ a. Cleveland Cliffs - nothing to report b. U.S. Steel Midwest - nothing to report c. PreCoat Metals - nothing to report 8. Any update on Save the Dunes Pollution Prevention Roundtable - Bianca will have a meeting with STD advocacy coordinator Harshini Ratnayaka about plans for next year. 9. Recycling (Karl Public Works Effort) - The new dumpster is still coming. The new recycling informational board still needs to be brought up at the next Town Council meeting. 9. Karl air pollution issue - Tom looked into grants for assessing possible air pollution and wound up calling someone in D.C. about it. He learned that grant opportunities are intermittent but his contact will reach out to OD if anything comes up. The State Health Department would probably have to be involved before OD could take on any significant air pollution study. 10. Follow up on Town Council ideas - We are still considering Bianca's concern about the damage done to nests when NIPSCO trims trees at the wrong time of the year. Frank will find the name of a NIPSCO contact to talk to about it (Amber Horbovetz). 11. Next Meeting(s) – August 20th Meeting adjourned at 6:35. Notes taken and submitted by Vicky Albritton.