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Toledo Bend Bi-State Alliance
Minutes September 24, 2007
Maurice Patterson, Texas Co-Chairman, called the meeting to order and gave the opening prayer.
Stan Verret presented the flag and joined Maurice in leading The Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.
Minutes of the August 27, 2007 TBBSA Meeting were approved as written.
Janna Lehman gave the Treasurer's Report. There are 19 organizations and 387 associate members. All the bills are paid, including the last Newsletter. The current account balance is $9,228.24 The Treasurer's Report was approved as presented.
Maurice noted our guest speaker for tonight, Captain Thomas Jenkins, Game Warden with Texas Parks & Wildlife, did not arrive, so Janna will see if she can reschedule him for another meeting.
Captain Jenkins was to speak on 'No Wake Zones' in Texas and how to have them enforced.
Maurice said our next 'big push' for TBBSA is the Giant Salvinia. This weed has invaded our local lakes as well as being found in other states and other countries. It is all the way from California to Hawaii, and even in Australia, according to some reports. Maurice said he, Janna and Glen Provost met with Congressman Louie Gohmert's representative and was told the Congressman is very aware of this problem. Congressman Gohmert is on the Natural Resources Committee for the U.S. House of Representatives, and has been to Caddo Lake to view the problem. Maurice feels we are going to need to start a campaign and contact our legislators, including Senator Nichols. Congressman Gohmert's address is in our local phone book. On Wednesday, Maurice and a few others will be meeting with people in Center responsible for solving the problem on Caddo Lake. There are plans to present information on the Giant Salvinia at the Deerfest booth. Maurice will see about getting brochures from Texas Parks and Wildlife Hatchery in Jasper that can be handed out at Deerfest. Further discussion followed in response to a question regarding efforts to get Federal funds to fight this problem. Glen Provost said he is not sure he knows enough about the Giant Salvinia to ask about getting help.
A visitor tonight, Dan Bennett with Texas Parks and Wildlife in Jasper, TX, was asked to tell us about the efforts being made to control the Giant Salvinia. Dan said they have been researching this problem for the last 7 or 8 years, and he has been looking at the use of weevils for the past 4 years. He said he is one of four people in a crew for vegetation management for the entire state, and right now they have only three people. He continued to answer questions and to discuss the cost and efforts to control Giant Salvinia. Glen suggested efforts to get special appropriation requests to legislators by TPWD could be something TBBSA could support and help get funds for them to fight the vegetation. Glen asked if a letter from TBBSA to Congressman Gohmert about getting help for a management plan would help. Dan said his supervisor doesn't have the final say, but they are doing everything they can to manage the Giant Salvinia. Maurice thanked Mr. Bennett for coming and being open to questions about what TPWD is doing about the Giant Salvinia. Maurice also mentioned we want to have a conference about the Giant Salvinia and invite people knowledgeable about the problem to come and discuss the issues. Another question asked of Dan was in regard to individuals spraying for the Salvinia. He said you can spray your own property, but you must call SRA and get permission before spraying. You don't have to be licensed to spray unless you are going to spray large areas.
Old Business: EAST TEXAS REGION I PLANNING COMMITTEE: Bill Huegel, representative from TBBSA, said there are 16 Regions in the state, we are Region I, and the Committee meets about every 3 months in Nacogdoches at the library. The next meeting will be next month. Bill said the legislature passed several Bills this year that create committees. The first committee is the Water Conservation Committee whose purpose is to look into the use of water and how to conserve that water. They will make recommendations that will come out as Laws about the year 2010 that we will all need to follow. Bill said there is no one from East Texas on that committee. The committee members are appointed by the governor, and they in turn select the stakeholders who come from all walks of life. That committee is done, but the second committee deals more with us and is for Instream Flows and Environmental Flows. The Sabine, Neches, Trinity, and San Jacinto Rivers are designated as Priority One areas to be investigated. This committee will be selected by the governor by November 1st, and then the stakeholders will be selected from the various interest groups. So, Bill says if you know anyone interested in being a stakeholder, submit their name, because this committee is extremely important to us. As this moves along, there will be public meetings and we need to know what is going on and provide input to the committees. Bill said there is another public forum meeting scheduled in either Houston or Beaumont and information about that meeting can be found on the Sierra Club website.
CHANNEL MARKERS: Glen Provost said he did follow up with the SRA-TX about the possibility of individuals contracting to maintain the buoys. Glen talked with Donnie Henson of the SRA and was told that was something they would look at and possibly consider. Donnie told Glen if that didn't work out, however, a volunteer program where TPWD would buy handheld GPS instruments to loan out to interested individuals to monitor the buoys and then report to the SRA when the buoys are not at the designated coordinates. Donnie said that type of monitoring would be of immense help to them. Donnie told Glen the actual maintenance on the buoys could not be done by individuals because it would require a heavy aluminum boat.
DEERFEST: Janna said we are setting up a booth at Deerfest on September 29, 2007 at the Sabine County Youth Foundation and we must provide a door prize. After some discussion, it was decided to give two TBBSA hats as our door prize. Parking passes and admission bracelets have been given to the volunteers.
New Business: HEALTH SERVICES TASK FORCE: Glen Provost said he has volunteered to facilitate a task force meeting to look at health services that might be needed in the county to draw retirees to this area. They will be discussing how the hospital fits in and identifying what services we have and what more might be needed. The second meeting of this group will be tomorrow night (Tuesday) at 6:00 P.M. at the Senior Center, and Glen invites all interested parties to attend. He wants to run this meeting as we do the TBBSA where everyone has input and all information is shared.
NEW BASS CIRCUIT: Karen Stevens said the Chamber of Commerce needs letters of support for the Texas Forest Country. They have the $5000 for the application, but need those letters that we want to be deemed a retirement area. If anyone would do that, they can send the letters to her at the Chamber. TBBSA will send a letter of support from our organization. Karen invited everyone to the first Texas Country Bass Circuit Tournament at Lowes' Creek on October 6th with weigh-in starting at 3 P.M.
LAKE ASSOCIATION FISH FRY: Janna Lehman invited everyone to come to the Lake Association's Fish Fry at San Miguel State Park in Louisiana on the first Thursday in October. This is their open-membership meeting, and a fabulous fish fry, says Janna.
Meeting Adjourned.
Next Meeting Date: October 22, 2007 @ 6:30 P.M.
Respectfully Submitted,
Betty Griffin, Secretary
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