BASWG Meeting Minutes
May 8, 2014
9:00 am – 11:30 am
Hampden Town Office, Hampden, Maine
Attendees: Dan Belyea, Phil Ruck, Kathy Hoppe, Gretchen Heldmann, David Ladd, Angie Rogers, LaMarr
Clannon, Ruth Chavez, Mike Morris, Bill Murphy, Earle Rafuse, Stewart Brooks, Benjamin Breadmore,
Andy Fish, Jeff Hammond, Ben Johnson, Amy Polyot, Andrea Dickenson, Tracy Drew, Rob Yerxa, Belle
Ryder, Rhonda Poirer, Bob Osborne, Jeremy Deeds, Patrick Decker, Mark Faulkner, Mike Gladu.
Facilitator: Brenda Zollitsch.
Welcome: Bob O. called the meeting to order. Brenda Z. announced the joint meeting purpose (to
share information about stormwater requirements with CEOs and to hear their ideas for improving
collaboration). Meeting attendees introduced themselves.
Approval of Minutes: April meetings minutes were approved by the membership, with two edits (p. 3
change Hampden to Hermon, p 4. Change Thurston to Morgan).
Joint Meeting with CEOs:
Stormwater Requirements for Code Enforcement and Inspections:
Phil R. presented an overview of these requirements, providing a background on MPDES, the 6 minimum
control measures, and specific requirements that affect CEOs. David Ladd (DEP) introduced himself and
added detail about specific requirements and concerns.
Examples of the information covered include:
 If in urbanized area, must be in compliance with stormwater permit for every project bigger
than an acre
 Importance of inspections and critical nature of documentation of inspections
 National trend towards more scrutiny by EPA and audits (across US)
 Chapter 500 is online and easy-to-follow
 Third party inspections are allowed
 $37,500 per day/per violation
DEP Backing-up Municipalities when there is a Violation
 DEP did have a meeting to talk about backing up municipalities (with Micky Kuhns). Ensuring
that a protocol is in place to make this happen.
 Some meeting participants said that it is hard to get DEP’s Jim Dyer out to a site, others said he
is very responsive when they call.
 CEOs said that joint meetings onsite with DEP and contactors would be helpful
 Susanne Miller (regional DEP director) may be able to help as well.
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Any DEP refer questions about stormwater compliance to David Ladd, but questions about
Chapter 500, the Maine Construction General Permit (MCGP) and State Law to Land Use at DEP.
ISWG Letter to DEP
 The group confirmed that at the last meeting Chris B. presented that ISWG wants to write a
letter to DEP regarding seeking more back-up support for municipalities when violations occur
and would provide a draft for the BASWG to review.
 BASWG members, as well as the CEOs are interested in reviewing the letter and potentially
signing it.
 They are not interested in drafting the letter themselves.
 Other suggested group to get to review and sign the letter could be Maine Association of Site
Evaluators (Contact Dave Braley, DEHE in Augusta)
 Brenda Z. will convey this information to ISWG
Standardization among Communities
 Phil R. presented the current inspection form template
 CEOs thought this was very helpful
 CEOs would like standardization tools within the region – would be helpful, currently no one is
on the same page
ACTION: BASWG/CEPs planning Training on Stormwater Compliance Issues for CEOs
CEOs expressed interest in a training session
 June; ~2 hours
 Ideas for presenters: John Cullen, Bill Dyer, Jana, DOT staff
 Content: What would/would not be a violation; what to look for; Focus on CEO issues
Database Demonstrations
BASWG and the CEOs were presented several inspections database options:
Smartphone App working with GIS data using ESRI or ARC GIS
Presented by Jeremy Deeds – FB Environmental
Everything you have on the desktop, you also have in the field
Click on location – have all notes, ASCU Shape file; Can make polygons; uses either address or GIS
coordinates. Street address comes from the base map. BASWG members thought addresses might be
an issue. Provides info about how large an area is and measures distances. Able to upload sites to the
phone. Limitations: Can’t store points on the phone for later on. May be able to provide inexpensive
licenses for nonprofit (BASWG): Hundreds, rather than thousands of dollars.
SurveyGPS
Can collect data points, take notes and add photos, connect to a point and export data. ($2 basic; $10
upgrade to export).
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Google Earth
Also pointed out some basic capacities through Google Earth
Fulcrum (Fulcrumapp)
Tool Used by Fred Dillon (presented by Phil Ruck) – Used in South Portland re: Long Creek
User=friendly, customized forms
Would be a group purchase ($1,200 year for 5 members; $20/ea. additional over 5 members)
Problems with piecing together licenses, etc.
Database by Stillwater Environmental Engineering
Phil R. presented a database they have developed
Able to enter a point, add notes and photos, customized forms for all inspections
Organizational Business
 Gretchen H. made a motion to accept the minutes with two small changes incorporated. Rob Y.
seconded the motion. Minutes were approved by unanimous vote.
 The group reviewed the calendar for upcoming meetings
 Coastal Communities grant is wrapping up. Brenda Z. and Jeff A., as well as the Bangor Willow
Wattle project staff will be developing the final project report in June
Education and Outreach Committee
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E&O committee members: Phil Ruck, LaMarr Clannon, Belle Ryder, Tracy Drew, Bob Osborne,
Scott Wilkerson, Angie Rogers. Seeking additional members.
E&O Committee Meeting will take place this month at the Orono Town Office.
Handout tally from garden show: Have exact numbers, but those most popular with attendees
were on rain barrels, mowing, grubs and rain gardens.
Wynne had 100 posters, but now has 3 left.
Bangor has completed the Coastal Communities Grant Willow Wattle Planting Project
The members approved developing an application to the next round of Coastal Communities
Grants if either there is enough money in the PY1 budget or it can be billed to next PY. Motion
was made by Gretchen H., seconded by Rob Y. and approved unanimously.
BASWG.org Website
 There have been several additions to the new BASWG website. Gretchen H. working with
Brenda Z. to get last two years of BASWG meeting minutes archived on the website. Brenda Z.
will have these to Gretchen before the June meeting.
Stream Clean-up Reporting
More reporting will be shared in June and July
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Completed Stream Clean-ups
o Hampden (43 people; 335 bags of trash + large items; tons of kids)
o Maine Day at UMaine – Most projects ever
o ANG Base Clean-up Day
o UMAB Earth Day Clean-up
o EMCC Tech Day Clean-up
Upcoming Stream Clean-ups
o Milford and Brewer – this coming Saturday
o Orono and Veazie – May 17th
o Old Town School Clean-up – May 17th
o Dorothea Dix - Soon
Three Anytime Stream Clean-ups in Bangor
o 395 Handy Helpers (most streams, incl. Penjajwok)
o 25 JC Penney volunteers
o 55 Hemon volunteers (Rte 2)
Hydrant Flushing
 All communities reported that they are on track to be in compliance for PY1
Upcoming BASWG Meetings: June meeting will be in Orono. Focus on permit wrap-up, regional IDDE
sharing session, and vote on electronic media plan. Need to vote on Chlorides as focus on fourth E&O
plan. May want to invite dog sniffing team (FB Environmental?) to do a presentation this summer. July
meeting will be in Old Town, focusing on Review of PY2 requirements, E&O implementation (electronic
media plan), reporting, and stream clean-up follow-up. August meeting will be in Orono and focus on
snow and ice control – manual, grant opportunities, potential demo followed by potluck lunch.
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