CEA_06-14-07_Meeting_MinutesMEETING MINUTES
OF THE
FREDERICK COUNTY CONSERVATION EASEMENT AUTHORITY
Held in the Executive Session Room of the Frederick County Administration Building at
107 North Kent Street in Winchester, Virginia on June 14, 2007 at 8:00 a.m.
PRESENT: Richie Wilkins, Chairman; Diane Kearns, Vice - Chairman; John Gavitt;
Todd Lodge; Barbara Van Osten; and John Light.
ABSENT: Jim Lawrence, Treasurer; Robert Solenberger; and Phil Glaize.
STAFF PRESENT: Susan Eddy, Principal Planner.
PUBLIC MEETING:
Item 1 - Minutes
The minutes of the May 31, 2007 meeting were approved.
Item 2 — Informational Meeting on June 19, 2007
Vice - Chairman Kearns reminded the Members that she will be hosting an informational
meeting on conservation easements on June 19, 2007. The meeting will take place at her
home at 7:00 p.m. All are encouraged to invite members of the public who might be
interested in learning more about easements.
Item 3 — Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) Funding
Chairman Wilkins briefed the Members on the change of course with the letter to the
Board of Supervisors agreed to at the CEA meeting on May 31, 2007. Because the CEA
asked directly for money, instead of just a line item for donations, County Administrator
John Riley informed Vice - Chairman Kearns that the request must first go through the
County's Finance Committee.
Staff had prepared a letter addressed to the Finance Committee with the same language
the Authority had voted to send to the Board of Supervisors. Chairman Wilkins was
uncomfortable signing the letter with that language. Chairman Wilkins had the letter
amended to include only the request for a line item for donations and the request for
$265,000 to be set -aside in the budget for a matching grant. The request for a direct
appropriation of $265,000 was not included in the letter Chairman Wilkins signed. This
occurred on Wednesday, June 13, 2007.
Member Gavitt did not believe that this should even be an item for discussion as
Members has previously agreed to include all three points. Member Gavitt was not
pleased with the protocol that had been followed. He believed that all Members of the
•
Frederick County Conservation Easement Authority -38—
Minutes of June 14, 2007
• Authority should have been involved in the decision to change the letter. Chairman
Wilkins took responsibility for his action.
Member Van Osten wanted to include all three points previously agreed upon by the
Authority and suggested a possible re- ordering of the points.
Member Light commented on the need to ease into actions slowly and deal with political
realities.
Member Van Osten reminded Members that this was a unique funding opportunity. She
did not want to mislead anyone. She believed that ultimately public money would be
necessary.
Vice - Chairman Kearns noted the other funds could be leveraged to secure more funds.
She introduced Kelly Watkinson from the Potomac Conservancy who was working with
a local farm family on a conservation easement with some PDR aspects.
Chairman Wilkins spoke of the need for significant fund raising.
Member Lodge expressed the view that clearly the Authority had voted to send three
points forward to the Board of Supervisors. He noted, however, that County
Administrator Riley's decision to require a different process affected the turn of events.
While he was not pleased with the way things had been handled, he believed that
Chairman Wilkins and Vice - Chairman Kearns were elected to be the leaders of the group.
He further stated his support for Chairman Wilkins.
Member Light believed that all three points should have been included in the letter.
Chairman Wilkins was still not comfortable signing a letter with all three points as
previously approved.
Member Van Osten moved that a letter to the Finance Committee with the three points
originally endorsed by the CEA be sent out under Vice - Chairman Kearns' signature and
handed out at the Finance Committee meeting on June 20, 2007. The Motion was
seconded by Vice - Chairman Kearns, and passed by a vote of 4 -1, with Chairman Wilkins
voting against. (Member Gavitt left the meeting at 9:00.)
Item 4 — Other
Members agreed to hold the regularly scheduled meeting on June 28, 2007 to hear the
results of the Finance Committee's recommendation and the Board of Supervisor's
decision on PDR funding.
Frederick County Conservation Easement Authority _39—
Minutes ofJune 14, 2007
• ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to discuss, the meeting adjourned at 9:30 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
JAmes R. Wilkins III, Chairman
Susan K. Eddy, Secretary
•
•
Frederick County Conservation Easement Authority -40—
Minutes of.lune 14. 2007