CEA 12-20-13 Meeting MinutesMEETING MINUTES
OF THE
FREDERICK COUNTY CONSERVATION EASEMENT AUTHORITY
Held in the First Floor Conference Room of the Frederick County Administration Building at 107 North
Kent Street, in Winchester, Virginia on December 20, 2013 at 8:00 a.m.
PRESENT: Diane Kearns, Chairman; Todd Lodge; Ron Clevenger; Charlie Triplett, Planning Commissioner
Liaison
STAFF PRESENT: Eric R. Lawrence, CEA Secretary; and Pam Deeter, Secretary II
ABSENT: Elaine Cain; John Marker; Robert Solenberger; Bryan Green; Gene Fisher
OTHER: Tracy Lind, Potomac Conservancy; Patrick Felling, Shenandoah County; Ellen Murphy,
Commissioner of Revenue
PUBLIC MEETING:
1. Welcome and Introductions
2. November 21, 2013 Meeting Minutes
The minutes for November 21, 2013 meeting were not approved because there was not a
quorum.
3. Update on Recorded Easement Activity
The Potomac Conservancy, Shenandoah County and Frederick County have had no new
inquiries for easements.
Chairman Kearns says that Mr. Lawrence will give an update on student participation later.
4. Update on Effort to Create Information Conservation Easement Brochures and Videos
Chairman Kearns received a flyer from the Downstream project which the Ohrstrom
Foundation helps to fund the project. In the flyer, Ohrstrom Foundation was working with
Clarke Easement Authority and Valley Conservation Council. The Foundation helps other
Easement Authority's with their marketing skills. The Foundation will help produce video,
web sites and so on. This might be a possibility for the CEA to get some assistance in
production for our videos or funding. The Foundation might want to partner with CEA.
Mr. Lawrence originally said that his department gets a group of seniors every year from the
County schools wanting to do a County project. The intent was to let the group help produce
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December 20, 2013
the video and contact the individuals that have had an easement on their property. Mr.
Lawrence spoke up and said that his department is not going to have a group of seniors this
year for a project. We now have more time to get a list of individuals who would be willing
to talk about their easement experience and to find some help to produce the videos.
Mr. Lawrence suggested that we look for grant money with the assistance of Mr. Felling and
Ms. Lind who have experience in that field. CEA wants to produce a video of Northern
Shenandoah Valley which consists of the process, benefits and what we are doing to
preserve the Counties.
CEA members then watched three videos, Lower Shore Land Trust, Glenowen Farms Round
Hill, Virginia, and Farm & Natural Lands, Trust of York County. Chairman Kearns received
feedback from each member. Each video had a different approach.
Mr. Lawrence pointed out that Clemenson University has an assortment of videos with
different topics. We could use this website as a resource.
Ms. Lind has spoken to John Gavitt and Sally Myer and both are willing to talk about
easements.
5. Open Discussion
Mr. Triplett had an article from Valley Farm Credit Magazine. The article was about Ron
Clouse and in the article Mr. Clouse was talking about putting his property into an easement
for the next generation of his family. Chairman Kearns said she will try to contact him.
Mr. Lawrence updated the committee about a gentleman who comes in each year to make a
donation in memory of his grandmother.
Mr. Felling said that the Piedmont Environmental Council just published a book on
easements in Virginia. One of the stories, in that book is about an easement from Frederick
County, the Snapp Farm. The book can be downloaded or a hard copy can be purchased off
of the website.
Mr. Lawrence suggested that we put links on the CEA website to these videos.
Next meeting will be January 23, 2014, at 8:00 a.m.
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 9:05 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
D#ne Kearns, Chairman
I/
Eric Lawrence, CEA Secretary
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December 20, 2013