CAPE MAY POINT ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION

March 12, 2008

Present: Chairman Sally Sachs, Ann Brecker, Marguerite Chandler, Mildred Morgan, Commissioner Joe Nietubicz, and Bill Schuhl.

Absent: Ed Grant, Nancy Kirtland, and Toni Keiser.

Guest: Stuart Cobb, Watershed Ambassador 16, Cape May Watershed.

Sally called the meeting to order at 9:34, advising that it was in compliance with The Law of New Jersey, Chapter 32, The Open Public Meetings Act.

Minutes: Marguerite found an omission: “court” should be inserted after “basketball”, in the last line under “Old Business”. Under the “Commissioner’s Report”, the last line should be deleted, it apparently being out of context. The minutes were then approved as corrected.

Correspondence: 1) Financial Disclosure Forms were distributed for completion by each Commissioner. 2) Sally received a note from John Reilly enclosing a tree seedling catalog. This will be referred to Ed Grant. 3) Meghane Smith gave Sally a copy of Wildfire, with an article, “A Weed by Any Other Name”. 4) February Fee Log.

Old Business: 1) Sally asked Joe whether a Smart Growth Grant could by use to update the ERI; he answered in the negative. 2) Sally spoke to Mayor Fraser and determined that the width of the basketball court will be forty feet, not sixty, and it will continue to face west. 3) Sally advised that she has compiled a file relating to wind farms. Stuart Cobb advised that he had attended a meeting on the previous day at the Wetlands Institute, and he learned that a wind farm will be created in the Margate-Brigantine area. There will be 116 turbines, each supplying three megawatts, enough to power 120,000 homes. The closest will be 15.6 miles out to sea. The winning bidder will be announced in May. He referred us to bluewaterwing.com. 4) At Sally’s request, Bill advised that the proofed copy of the tree survey draft, as well as the reduced copy provided by Joe, had been given to Mark Garland for completion. 5) Marguerite reported that, from September, 2007 to February, 2008, we had recycled eighty-four gross pounds of assorted batteries, and that large batteries are being taken to county recycling points.

New Business: 1) Sally provided a copy of “Hidden Dangers in CFL Light bulbs”, a Star and Wave article from February 14, 2008. 2) Sally reflected on the ANJEC Report regarding 2007 achievements, and hoped we might qualify in 2008 as a result of the Tree Survey. 3) Philadelphia Inquirer article, March 9, 2008, “Maryland’s Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. 4) Sally advised that some maps designate Lake Lily as “artificial”. It is, of course, natural, and she is taking steps to have the designation corrected. 5) Mildred referred the Commission to “Wild Ones”, a web site having to do with natural plantings – www.for-wild.org/. 6) Mildred also referred us to Bring Nature Home, a book by Dr. Douglas Tallamy. 7) Dr. Tallamy will be speaking at Wheaton Village on April 8 at 1:00 P.M. The subject will be “A New Role for the American Garden”. Pre-registration (856 825-7485) is encouraged. Mildred also discussed an article, “Protecting Nature in Your Community”.

Planning Board: Ann advised that this evening’s meeting had been cancelled, as nothing was on the agenda.

Lake Committee: Sally will continue to work on the correction of the designation from “artificial” to “natural”.

Commissioner’s Report. 1) Joe is scheduled for surgery this coming Tuesday, and will then be unavailable for six weeks. The “Beach Boys” will be working on the entrance to Whilden in the spring. The entrance on Lehigh is also considered to be dangerous, and they will take down the snow fence and replace it with picket and split-rail fences. Marguerite suggested that a viewing platform at the north end of the lake would be beneficial, and Joe will take it up with the Borough Commissioners.

The meeting was adjourned at 10:49 A.M. The next meeting of the Environmental Commission is scheduled for Wednesday, April 9, 2008, 9:30 A.M., at Borough Hall.

Respectfully submitted,

William F. Schuhl

Secretary