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CABARRUS COUNTY WATERSHED IMPROVEMENT COMMISSION 715 Cabarrus Avenue, West Concord, N. C. 28027-6214 Telephone: POLl} 70') (),1(\(\ Fax: (704) 795-6432 (704) 920-3303 TOIl Board of Commissioners FnNn: CC: DaI8c: Ross M. MoRison, III, Chainnan, Cabanus County Watershed Improvement Commission Susie Bonds, John Day, Pam Dubois, Ned Hudson, Matthew Kinane, Dennis Testerman March 6, 2006 w- ~ IfI#1r1 Rer: Recommendation Concerning Filling Vacancy on Watershed Improvement Commission The Commission held a called meeting on March 3, 2006, to review the three applications for service on our Commission that were on file in the CIef1('s office. We voted unanimously to recommend the appointment of Danyl Furrto fill the current vacancy on the Cabarrus County Watershed Improvement Commission. BACKGROUND In making our recommendation, we took into consideration our current responsibilities as commissioners and the backgrounds of the two commission members who will continue to serve. Achieving balanced representation with only a three-member Commission is a difficult task. We strongly believe that our Commission must include someone engaged in farming who undefstands the challenges and opportunities for watershed improvement on private wooong lands in Cabanus County. This beRet was also the basis for our recommendation of Randy Fisher, a recommendation that you honored last year. Currently, the focus of the Watershed Improvement Commission is on improving both the quality and quantity of water resources in Cabarrus County, including streams flowing into our water supply reservoirs. Watershed protection goes hand in hand with the current open space initiative being promoted by Cabarrus County, along with local munidpalities. Private wooong lands provide many environmental services to the County at litUe-to-no cost-services that improve the quality of life for all county residents. In the past year, our primary attention has been devoted to three primary tasks: 1) controlling and preventing erosion and sedimentation; 2) addressing storrnwater and flooding issues; and 3) restoring streams and wetlands. When our Convnission facilitated adoption of the county's Erosion and Sedimentation Control Ordinance in 1998, responsibility for conducting public hearings on appeals of fines levied for violation of the ordinance was assigned to our Commission. Last year, we conducted six of these hearings, down by one from the record-setting year of 2004. Our Commission is also wooong to address sedimentation and other pollution from agricultural land, whidl is exem~ from the state and local erosion and sedimentation control regulations. Stream restoration projecls are beginning to command increased attention from our board, since state and federal funds are currenUy available for addressing problems along unstable streams. We are wooong closely with Cabanus SOU & Water Conservation District on stream restoration, since they have entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with state and federal government to set up potential projects with cooperative landowners. Since restoration projects are typically not cost effective on stream segments under 2000 feet in length, an ideal project would involve a minimum number of landowners. Forthis reason, Cabarrus Soil and Water Conservation District staff looks for potential projects on agricultural land. David Settlemyer and I appreciate the opportunity to serve the dtizens of Cabanus County and we want to thank you in advance for your consideration of our recommendation for the third member of our Commission. H- ;)..J