Kevin Owens

The meeting featured a report from the Lake Manager regarding an upcoming presentation on lake health. An announcement was made regarding the Volunteer of the Year Award. The Town Board Liaison review covered an update on the Lake Carmel Community Center forum, a discussion on grant and FEMA projects involving boat launches and beaches, and a status update on crew winter projects, specifically focusing on equipment maintenance and repair.

The Chair's report detailed the renewal of the NYC DEP agreement for trail maintenance, allowing the Committee to lead hikes and maintenance, and noted proactive maintenance planned near a historic stone wall damaged by a fallen branch. Discussions included an upcoming NRI presentation and the Hudson River Greenway Conservancy Trail Grant program. Key projects reviewed included the Open Space Inventory, where the contract is approved but may require an extension due to a delayed start, necessitating collaboration with town hall staff. Progress on Food Scrap Composting is pending site confirmation, and the Committee awaits the next draft of the Kent Cycling and Pedestrian Survey. The next Climate Smart Communities meeting is confirmed for September. The Committee plans social media outreach and discussed the Nimham statue and Ludington Mill site. Preparation for Town of Kent Community Day, featuring a joint CAC and Climate Smart table, was also noted.

Key discussions included updates on current chair initiatives, particularly noting the presence of attorneys from the Kent crossing project at an upcoming land use conference. Project updates covered the need for CAC involvement as representatives in the Open Space Inventory/Plan, the status of securing a site for Food Scrap Composting, and CAC member comments on the Kent Cycling and Pedestrian Survey proposal. For Land Development Projects, the excavation and mining code related to Kent Country Square was discussed. Outreach efforts focused on linking Instagram and Facebook pages. Under Climate Smart Communities, updates included attendance at a solar non-profit session explaining engineering uses, a tour of the Ulster County bus garage solar array, noting that solar offset is insufficient for full bus charging, and confirming Kent's police electric car and adequate three-phase line access at the bus facility. The committee also discussed potential scheduling for a Star Party event in November.

The meeting included a Chair's Report detailing current initiatives, such as potential grant funding from the Greenway Conservancy Trail Grant Program for trail maintenance or fire tower restoration, and plans for attending the Annual Conference on the Environment. Key project discussions involved choosing a new logo and color scheme, which resulted in a banner being produced, and the ongoing search for a site for the Food Scrap Composting initiative. Regarding the NRI biodiversity study, grass species inventory is underway with a specialist, and an entomologist is scheduled to visit in August. Progress on the Kent Cycling and Pedestrian Survey involves integrating board comments, with a follow-up meeting scheduled. The committee created an Instagram account for social media outreach, which needs to be linked to Facebook. Other discussions covered the structure of environmental committees in neighboring Putnam County, referencing Dutchess County's committee as a potential model. The committee also promoted the upcoming Putnam County Fair.

Key discussions included an update from the CAC chair regarding stone wall mapping using LIDAR data and the updating of the NYSACC ordinance library. Grant updates noted the town is managing 15 active grants, with wins including a dam review and engineering grant. Project reviews covered the Open Space Index, requiring a steering committee and an RFP for consultant review. Progress on food scrap composting involves discussing a drop-off location. The NRI project website is nearly ready for launch, with public workshops scheduled to fulfill grant application requirements and NRI books printed. The Pedestrian/Cycle Path steering committee needs to reconvene to finalize the draft document. The Climate Smart Communities working group began energy benchmarking. Other items included discussions on obtaining a tent for tabling events, logo generation via ChatGPT, and the dangers associated with wildlife feeding.