Introductions/Attendance
Steering committee members introduced themselves and indicated their affiliations with the project: Dr. Joe Ohren from EMU/ICARD, Megan Lindsey EMU/ICARD, Jan BenDor Pittsfield Township, Julie Griess Pittsfield Township, Dr. Kevin Gustavson EMU WRC,  Harry Sheehan Washtenaw County Drain Commissioner, Aretta Schils London Township citizen, Marion Dupuis London Township citizen, Cheryl Baltrip Exeter Township, Kathy Giszczak Augusta Township, Jim Spas Frenchtown Township, and Roger Bezek Exeter Township.

Six townships with significant watershed land were represented at the Steering Committee meeting.  The group thanked the Supervisor and staff at Exeter Township for use of her facilities and generously supplying refreshments.

Timeline and Tasks
Kevin Gustavson updated the group on the timeline of tasks created to help guide the group through the process. He explained that it had been created based upon the DEQ requirements and guidelines offered in the Developing a Watershed Management Plan for Water Quality booklet (let us know if you do not have a copy of the Booklet and we can bring you one).  Each element was described and it was made clear that the group’s responsibility for November was to determine a list of known and suspected pollutants and prioritize this list based on the previously decided designated and desired uses for the watershed.

The plan was generally accepted and Roger Bezek emphasized the fact that he hoped that the Steering Committee would take into strong consideration creating a plan that would be actionable by the townships.

Population and Land Use Demographics
Joe Ohren explained the population and land use data provided in the pre-meeting memo for the group. A concern was expressed that entire townships were represented and this might give a false impression of the number of people/households actually within the watershed.  In addition it was expressed that the SEMCOG information that was used may not be the most up-to-date information available.

Joe indicated that this was just a starting point for the watershed description and would be fine-tuned.  He also explained that it would be used only for estimating population in the description of the watershed and would not be used for any implementation purpose at this point.  Julie Griess and others suggested that GIS mapping information from the two counties might be better suited for this purpose.  Further examination will be completed to provide the best information available for the future.
 
Pollutants
The group was asked to focus on the pollutants and determined that the most critical are: PH, turbidity, temperature, hydrosulfide, nitrates, phosphorous, sedimentation, dissolved oxygen, pathogens, E. Coli, heavy metals, micro/macroinvertebrates, flow impact, petroleum, and chlorides, and sewage sludge. Kevin Gustavson pointed out to the group that the DEQ was testing for pathogens and E. Coli and those should be identified as less critical. In addition, it would probably be possible to use DEQ test results instead of recreating those tests.

Cheryl Baltrip expressed a concern that the water quality tests being done had been chosen without the input of the Steering Committee, back at the time of the grant application.  Kevin Gustavson responded to this concern explaining that a general and extensive battery of tests had been run and others could be added in the spring if necessary.  He made it clear that the tests being conducted are covering more than the DEQ requirements and reassured the Committee that all tests that could practically be done within the budget and time available were being conducted.

Joe Ohren indicated that a homework assignment would be emailed out to the group to give them time to reconsider the pollutants and identify critical areas in their townships.  This item will again be on the agenda for the group.

New Meeting Time
Due to changing schedules it was decided that our meetings will be shifted to the last Wednesday of the month. The next will be January 28th from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m.  We will continue to meet at Exeter Township, and we thank Cheryl Baltrip for her continuing hospitality there.

Other Items of Interest
Jan BenDor indicated to members that she was part of a group creating a What is a Watershed? presentation of around 12 minutes.  She looks forward to providing this resource to the group and offered to make the presentation at a future Steering Committee meeting if the group would like it.   She also noted that the River Raisin Watershed Committee was planning a field trip in the spring or early summer to visit the estuaries of the Watershed, and invited the Stony creek Steering Committee members to attend to learn from efforts in a similar nearby Watershed.