Stormwater Stakeholder Advisory Committee

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Stormwater Stakeholder Advisory Committee convened on March 1, 2024, at 9:07 a.m. in the Phoenix Building – 3rd Floor Conference Room, with Amy Sohner presiding. The meeting covered six agenda items spanning administrative business, grant program updates, and policy matters. The committee took 1 vote during the session, approving the minutes from the December 1, 2023 meeting. Members also received informational presentations on topics including the UK Research Foundation Class BE Incentive Grant Stream Weed Eat Project, a Bluegrass Greensource Incentive Grants update, and proposed amendments to the Stormwater Manual (2020) and Procedures Manual (2016), in addition to discussion of potential topics for the next meeting and general announcements. Five public comments were heard during the meeting.

Attendance

The following 37 members and attendees were present at the Committee meeting on March 1, 2024:

Doug Burton, Jennifer Carey, Jim Conner, Ken Cooke, Steve Garland, Jim Griggs, Don Hill, Amy Sohner, Russ Turpin, Tom Martin, Jerry Weisenfluh, Denice Bullock, Sarah Donaldson, Jason Drew, Jared Gabbard, Brian Hayes, Gabe Hensley, Becky Irwin, Greg Lubeck, Frank Mabson, Craig Morgan, Jennifer Myatt, Mark Sanders, Abby Terry, Richard Walker, Heather Wilson, Jerry Davis, Nathan Krebs, Lee Moser, John Pike, Andrea Drayer, Steve Vogel, Jack Wilson, Rachel Patton, Wes Morris, Scott Southall, and Eileen Burk.

No members were recorded as absent or late.

Votes and Decisions

The committee held one formal vote during the March 1, 2024, meeting.

• Approval of the December 1, 2023, Meeting Minutes 0:30: A motion to approve the minutes from the December 1, 2023, meeting was made by Jennifer Carey and seconded by Russ Turpin. The motion passed unanimously. No roll call vote was recorded, and no objections or abstentions were noted.

Public Comment

Five members of the public addressed the committee during the public comment period, with all comments focused on the steam weeding machine and its application and effectiveness.

• Russ Turpin asked whether the steam weeding machine had been utilized at South Farm and whether there were any indications that South Farm was interested in using the machine.

• Ken Cooke raised questions about the costs associated with the equipment, specifically asking about the price of the trailer, the equipment itself, and the tank for the steam weeding machine.

• Heather Wilson asked about application results, specifically inquiring why the Steam 1x application appeared to produce better results than the Steam 2x application.

• Frank Mabson questioned the machine's effectiveness, asking whether it would be more effective at killing weeds if it were equipped with bristles capable of penetrating the ground.

• Eileen Burk asked whether any contractors are currently using the steam weeding machine.

No transcript timestamps are available for the public comment period. The comments collectively reflect public interest in the practical deployment, cost, and technical performance of the steam weeding machine, including its use at specific sites such as South Farm, its adoption by contractors, and potential design improvements.

Approval of 12/01/2023 Minutes

0:30

The committee took up the approval of the minutes from its December 1, 2023, meeting as the first item of business at the March 1, 2024, meeting. Amy Sohner was the key speaker during this portion of the proceedings.

The committee reviewed the minutes from the prior meeting and moved to approve them. No concerns or objections regarding the content of the December 1, 2023, minutes were noted. The minutes were approved.

UK Research Foundation Class BE Incentive Grant Stream Weed Eat Project

1:04

Lee Moser delivered a presentation on the UK Research Foundation Class BE Incentive Grant Stream Weed Eat Project, which focuses on the use of a steam weeding device as a method of non-chemical weed control.

The presentation covered the effectiveness of the steam-based approach and explored its potential applications. The item was informational in nature, meaning no vote or formal decision was required from the Committee at this time.

No additional speaker details, specific findings, cost figures, or concerns raised during the discussion are available in the meeting record for this item.

Bluegrass Greensource Incentive Grants Update

33:54

Rachel Patton presented an update on Bluegrass Greensource's environmental education programs, which are supported by incentive grant funding. The presentation was informational in nature, highlighting the programs' impact on students in the region.

No additional detail on specific program outcomes, grant amounts, or concerns raised during the discussion is available from the provided data. The item was received as an informational update with no formal action taken by the Committee.

Stormwater Manual (2020) and Procedures Manual (2016) Amendments

1:04:42

Doug Burton presented an informational item on proposed amendments to the Stormwater Manual (2020) and the Procedures Manual (2016). The discussion centered on drainage plans and the roles of developers and builders in the stormwater management process.

No formal action was taken on this item, as it was presented for informational purposes only.

*Note: The available data for this agenda item is limited. A more detailed summary — including specific amendment provisions, concerns raised by committee members, and the full scope of the discussion — would require additional source material from the meeting transcript or staff report.*

Potential Topics for Next Meeting

1:27:19

The committee briefly discussed potential topics to be taken up at its next meeting. Ken Cooke raised the possibility of scheduling a meet-and-greet with the new stormwater coordinator as an agenda item for the upcoming session. The discussion was informational in nature, with no formal decisions or votes recorded on the matter.

Announcements

1:27:50

Jennifer Carey presented several announcements regarding upcoming events and workshops related to stormwater and environmental education. The announcements were informational in nature, with no action required from the Committee.

No concerns were raised during this portion of the meeting. The item was received by the Committee as informational.