David Gamstetter, Action Team Lead

Meetings on second Monday of each month, 4:30-5:30pm. Upcoming meeting dates:

Next meeting: September 12, 2022

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https://us06web.zoom.us/j/99878365527
Meeting ID: 998 7836 5527
Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kbiWhAOxJ6

Mission Statement:

Supporting local watershed projects in Central Kentucky through education, training, volunteer coordination, and technical support, to ensure that all residents have consistent, affordable access to clean water and healthy streams, which in turn promotes the health of our people.

Previous Meeting Notes (Archived)

Notes from previous meetings:

4/12/21

Green Neighbor

  • Paulette’s notes
    • Is the program yearly or a 1-and-done program?
    • It needs a cover page
  • David’s notes
    • Rain barrel vs. cistern scores
    • Maintenance of riparian buffer count for points or do you only get points for planting?
    • Needs categories/levels
      • Maybe a base score & growth award?
  • Levels lead to behavior change
  • Minimum level
  • Have a pilot group
    • Volunteers?
    • Recruit new Water Team members!
    • Write announcement for newsletter–Giulia
  • Timeframe for grading
    • Rolling date
  • Environmental impact metrics for whole program
  • Rain barrel points for every year
    • Same for other utilities installed for score
  • Level up by increasing their score by certain percentage
    • 10%?
    • Only 2 levels? And platinum level for over-achievers ????

3/8/2021

  • Amy introduced the Green Neighbor program to the Team
  • Tennessee Smart Yards has a similar program
    • branded rain gauges
    • through University of Tennessee
    • ideas we can borrow?
  • Green Neighbor would be self-promoted
  • make Green Neighbor a kind of competition with a small prize like a rain barrel?
  • signage is important
    • Signage rotates through peoples’ yards like a prize? Then we don’t have to buy a bunch of signs.
  • David has great resources to contribute
  • Opportunity for public outreach
  • team up with Soil & Water?
  • Team members pilot the program
  • Team still has $500; what should we do with it?

7/23/2020

Goals

  • next article
    • deadline 12th of each month
    • green infrastructure
    • showcase green infrastructure in region
      • Helix Garage permeable pavement
      • case study
      • August newsletter
    • don’t just focus on Lexington
  • scavenger hunt with photos of green infrastructure
    • stops at different BMPs based on newsletter articles
    • $ donate to local water nonprofit/charity of winner’s choice
  • if it’s on the ground, it’s in your water (litter)
    • #onewater
    • Commonwealth Water Education Project
    • 319 Project Grant
      • repurpose material from this?
      • can repurpose for outreach to local officials
    • could partner with KY Stormwater Association?
    • template with info that can be filled with local details by local officials
      • social media ads? for example
    • graphics from 319 Project may not be high quality because they’re from 2002
    • KY Water Waste Alliance is a good resource as well

6/25/2020

  • newsletter article
    • write 1 article per quarter about green infrastructure
    • different green infrastructure or maintenance in each article
  • set concrete goals
    • targeted goals to roll out in the near future
    • assign people tasks to accomplish
      • organize by subject?
    • start meeting in person
    • research local officials
    • next meeting July 17th at 4:00 pm

5/28/2020

  • Newsletter
    • Disposable masks & gloves are polluting water (inspired by environmental commission)
    • Publish in July?
    • Gather resources & key stakeholders in Google Doc
    • Educate about connection between litter & water
    • Lawn care?
    • Broad messaging
    • Themed?
    • Resources
    • Teach more with simple messaging
    • Highlight something that exists in Central KY
      • Rain garden
      • Other green infrastructure/BMPs
  • $500 Team budget for…? Perhaps stickers for a water quality campaign?

5/1/2020

  • Identify community leaders to target
  • Come up with 1-2 concrete items to do as a small group to take to a small community
  • Lawn care
  • Graphics
    • Community water cycle
  • e-Newsletter
    • Water resources
    • Themes
      • Yard
      • Agriculture
  • Source water protection–Scott said he has graphics/a presentation
    • Play up public health in a positive way
  • Pull resource guide together
  • Pre-packing of materials for communities to use and put into their resources
  • Identify key stakeholders for newsletter
    • Send quarterly–start in June?
    • Stormwater Conference–piggyback/partner on someone else–for future, pan annually
  • Next meeting (May 28th, 2-3 pm) homework:
    • Add resources to Google Doc

4/8/2020

  • Outreach to local officials
    • Maps for survey and supplemental information tailored to each community
  • Natural resource appreciation is up right now
  • Survey for local officials to get their input?
  • Quality of life issues–>water quality is important
  • We’re all starved for connection to nature
  • Not everyone has access to clean water
  • What do we mean by “water quality”?
  • #1water
    • Drinking water & waste water & storm water are all connected
  • “Human water cycle” graphic to get the point across
  • “A common message” for communication
  • MS4: Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System
    • Different in different communities
  • Fertilizer is an issue
    • Change the idea of the perfect lawn
  • Messaging needs to be simple
    • Use different language for different communities
  • Next meeting (May 1st, 2-3 pm), discuss:
    • Game plan
    • Outreach