Minutes
Rembert C. Dennis Building, Room 335
Columbia, South Carolina
Friday, June 15, 2001
10:00 a.m.
The regular meeting of the Board
of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources was held at 10:00 am, on
Friday, June 15, 2001, in room 335 of the Rembert C. Dennis Building, Columbia,
South Carolina. Notice of the date,
time and place of the meeting was posted and mailed to the news media. Chairman Dr. Joab Lesesne presided at the
meeting. Board members present included
Dr. Julius Leary, Danny Ford, Ben Gregg, M. Russell Holliday, Jr., Malloy
McEachin and Dr. Douglas Rucker. Dr.
Paul A. Sandifer and staff members of the Department of Natural Resources were
present at the meeting, as were various guests.
Chairman
Lesesne called the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m. and welcomed everyone to the
meeting.
Chairman Lesesne asked for a moment of silent
meditation.
Chairman Lesesne
asked Cary Chamblee to introduce guests present at the meeting. Mr. Chamblee introduced Joy Bowen, MODUS;
Marge Davenport, USGS; Pat Robertson, The State newspaper; Rachel Stern and
Rebecca Parke.
Mr. Chamblee informed the Board that Mr. Bud Starnes,
representing the Jocassee Gorges Coalition, made a request for constituency
comment this morning and asked the Board their pleasure on hearing the
comments. Mr. Gregg made a motion that
the Board receive Mr. Starnes’ comments.
Dr. Leary seconded the motion and the motion carried unanimously. Mr. Starnes’ comments were directed toward
the overall focus on ecological sensitivity and unique biodiversity when
developing a management plan, especially for Jocassee Gorge.
Chairman
Lesesne asked if there were any corrections or additions to the minutes of the
May 18, 2001, meeting. Dr. Leary made a
motion that the minutes of the May 18, 2001, meeting be approved with the
following amendment. The motion was
seconded with the following correction and the motion carried unanimously.
The
regular meeting of the Board of the South Carolina Department of Natural
Resources was held at 9:30 am, on Friday, May 18, 2001, at the Hubbard Hall
Gallery at USC – Lancaster, Lancaster, South Carolina. Notice of the date, time and place of the
meeting was posted and mailed to the news media. Chairman Dr. Joab Lesesne presided at the meeting. Board members present included Dr. Julius
Leary, Danny Ford, Ben Gregg, M. Russell Holliday, Jr., Malloy McEachin
and Dr. Douglas Rucker.
Minutes –
DNR Board Meeting
June 15,
2001
Page 2 of 5
Absent
from the meeting were M. Russell Holliday, Jr. and Malloy McEachin. Dr. Paul A. Sandifer and staff members of
the Department of Natural Resources were present at the meeting, as were
various guests.
Dr. Sandifer informed the Board that Judy Barnes,
Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division, will graduate from the Governor’s
EXCEL Program on June 29.
Dr. Sandifer reported that Breck Carmichael has been
accepted to attend the Executive Institute leadership training for 2001-2002.
Dr. Sandifer commended Derrick Meggie for his efforts
during this year’s legislative session.
Dr. Sandifer asked that the Board allow Mr. Meggie to give his report at
this time. Dr. Sandifer also announced
that Mr. Meggie will be wed on June 16.
Mr. Meggie noted that the General Assembly will return on Wednesday. Mr. Meggie reported on the bills that passed
this year: the regulatory authority
bill for DNR owned lands, the agency’s top priority; the road hunting bill; the
renewal of the existing moratorium on striped bass in the Savannah River; the
designation of a portion of the Black River as a Scenic River; and the deer
parts legislation; prohibition of the use of bream as bait; and no wake
zones. Mr. Meggie reviewed the
Department’s pending legislation:
striped bass limits on Lake Murray; Chapter 5 clean up; and Saltwater License. Mr. Meggie then reviewed legislation that
DNR endorses: conservation bank act and
the red drum bill.
VII. Advisory
Committee Reports
John
Miglarese reported that the Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Advisory Board
performed their annual review and discussion of projects to be funded in the
next year.
Ms. Holliday reported that the Wildlife and
Freshwater Fisheries Advisory Committee received comments from Jim Methe
regarding depredation permits for certain predators. Ms. Holliday stated that the Advisory Committee received a CARA
update. The Advisory Committee approved
the deer tag budget for 2001-2002 and the 2001-2002 duck stamp budget was
discussed and approved. The Advisory
Committee then received a legislative report (copies attached to original
minutes).
A. Climate
Update
Hope
Mizzell gave the Board an update on the drought status and the benefits of the
rains received from Allison. Mrs.
Mizzell also reported on current stream flows and water tables. Mrs. Mizzell then asked Milt Brown, Acting
State Climatologist, to update the Board on the climate outlook for this year
with regard to El Nino and La Nina and rainfall. Mr. Brown then discussed the hurricane season forecast with the
Board.
Minutes –
DNR Board Meeting
June 15,
2001
Page 3 of 5
IX. Items
for Board Action
A. Proposed
Amendments to Policy 701.05 – Reduction in Force, Proposed Amendments to Policy
702.01 – Leave and Proposed Telecommuting Policy
Jean
Cowell informed the Board that included in their meeting package were the
proposed amendments to the RIF policy and the Leave policy. Also included was a proposed Telecommuting
policy. Ms. Cowell and Dr. Sandifer
addressed questions posed by the Board.
Ms. Holliday made a motion that the Board approve the amendments to the
RIF policy, the Leave policy and the proposed Telecommuting policy as
submitted. Dr. Leary seconded the
motion and the motion carried unanimously.
B. Proposed
Deer Tag Budget for 2001-2002
Charles
Ruth reviewed the proposed deer tag budgets (individual and quota) for
2001-2002. Mr. Ruth addressed questions
posed by the Board. Ms. Holliday made a
motion that the Board accept the Deer Tag Budget as proposed. Dr. Rucker seconded the motion and the
motion carried unanimously (copies attached to original minutes).
C. Fort Lamar
Heritage Preserve – Placement of Monument
Chris
Judge informed the Board that the Washington Light Infantry has requested that
a monument be placed at the Fort Lamar Heritage Preserve. Mr. Judge reviewed the criteria for this
monument and the selected site for the monument. Mr. Judge addressed questions posed by the Board. Mr. McEachin made a motion that the Board
approve the monument, including inscription and size, as proposed. Ms. Holliday seconded the motion and the
motion carried unanimously.
D. Regulation
to Close Dargan’s Pond for Repairs, Darlington County
Dan
Crochet informed the Board of the problems found in the discharge pipe at
Dargan’s Pond. Mr. Crochet stated that
the proposal is to close the lake for approximately two years for these repairs
and restocking. Dr. Leary asked if
there is a way to use a bottom siphon system over the dam and seal the present
system. Mr. McEachin made a motion that
the Board approve the regulation to close Dargan’s Pond for Repairs with the
understanding that the siphon system be investigated. Ms. Holliday seconded the motion and the motion carried
unanimously.
A. Executive
Office
Dr.
Sandifer informed the Board that Cary Chamblee attended the 2001 Agency’s
Directors Organization Spring Form held on May 21.
Dr.
Sandifer met with Freddy Vang and several staff members in May to review in
detail the drought situation and water flows.
Dr.
Sandifer, Cary Chamblee, Billy McTeer, Alvin Wright and Stanley Smith met with
the Board of Directors of the SC Sportsmen’s Coalition at Millaree on May 22.
Dr.
Sandifer noted that Cary Chamblee and others attended a meeting on May 23 to
discuss the review of the DNR’s web site.
Minutes –
DNR Board Meeting
June 15,
2001
Page 4 of 5
Dr.
Sandifer, Alvin Wright, Fritz Jolly, Milt Brown and Hope Mizzell participated
in the Governor’s Tabletop Hurricane Exercise held on May 31 at the State EPD
office to prepare for the upcoming hurricane season.
Dr.
Sandifer and Freddy Vang attended the Governor’s signing ceremony at which time
he signed into law Senate bill 356 designating the Black River as a Scenic
River.
Dr.
Sandifer participated in a joint meeting of the DNR W.I.L.D. mentees and DOT
STTARS mentees held on June 6 at Styx.
Betty Mabry from DOT attended the meeting also and gave an overview of
the DOT mentee plan.
B. Habitat
Protection Activities
John
Frampton stated that the Land Bank bill had some difficulties during the end of
the session. Mr. Frampton noted that
there were 70 amendments for this bill and the bill was tabled until next
session. Mr. Frampton also reported
that the internal habitat committee is continuing to work. There is a subgroup working to develop a
strategy to forward on to the Deputy Directors, Dr. Sandifer and the
Board. Mr. Frampton then reported on
the federal budget.
Dr.
Lesesne thanked Mr. Gregg and Barry Beasley for their work on the conservation
bill.
XI. Deputy
Directors’ Reports
John
Miglarese reported that the Marine Division works very closely with OCRM in
Charleston. Dr. Miglarese stated that
there is mitigation money made available from the State of Georgia to the State
of South Carolina in OCRM’s budget.
They have agreed, because of the Board’s priority on habitat activity,
to transfer the funds to DNR for non-federal match and acquisition of
properties on the coast. Dr. Miglarese
gave the Board an update on the shrimp situation and season.
Freddy
Vang reported to the Board that he received a fax from FEMA stating that they
would issue the final determination for the Congaree floodplain on Wednesday,
June 20. Mr. Vang stated that the
Governor’s Institute for Natural Resources will be held next week at
Lander. Mr. Vang also reminded the
Board that the public hearing regarding the drought regulations will be held
Monday, June 25.
Benny
Reeves gave the Board an overview of the budget. Mr. Reeves reported that the Department took a $4 million plus
cut in the base budget and revenue dollars of the Department may be cut by $3
million for a total of $7 million.
Dr.
Lesesne thanked Mr. Reeves for his years of service to the Department. Dr. Sandifer informed the Board that there
will be a retirement event for Mr. Reeves on
Minutes –
DNR Board Meeting
June 15,
2001
Page 5 of 5
August
7. Dr. Sandifer also thanked Mr. Reeves
for his service and advice over the years.
Billy
McTeer reviewed the two types of regulations required this year for DNR owned
lands: emergency and permanent. Mr. McTeer stated that emergency regulations
are required in order to operate while the General Assembly is not in session
until January. The emergency
regulations will be in place until the General Assembly convenes in January at
which time they will act on permanent regulations. Mr. McTeer reported that at the August Board meeting the
emergency regulations will be provided to manage public use on DNR owned lands,
on an emergency basis, and also in August the filing process for permanent
regulations will be started. Mr. McTeer
distributed copies of the CARA proposals, which are out for public review. There has been an extension for receiving
comments.
No report.
F. Conservation Education and
Communications
At this
time Dr. Leary made a motion that the Board hold an Executive Session to
discuss legal, contractual and personnel matters.
The Board returned to regular
session and invited staff and guests to join the meeting.
Chairman
Lesesne stated that no action is required from any items discussed in executive
session.
XIV. Time
and Location of the Next Meeting
Chairman
Lesesne stated that the Board will be holding a public hearing on the proposed
drought regulations and brief meeting on Monday, June 25, at 4:00 p.m., in room
335 of the Dennis Building in Columbia.
The next
scheduled meeting for the Board is Friday, August 17, 2001, in Greenville.
XV. Adjournment
There
being no further business to be brought before the DNR Board at this time, the
meeting was adjourned.