Waterford/East Lyme Shellfish Commission - Minutes - 11/19/2020

2)
Members absent: Paul Spakowski io
Guests: none ae
Waterford-East Lyme Shellfish Commission
Meeting Minutes
Thursday, Nov 19, 2020
Virtual meeting held via Zoom, 7:30 pm
Members present: Chair Peter Harris, J. Patrick Kelly, Eric Kanter, Tom Bowlen, Marcia
Benvenuti, Larry Tytla, and Fred Wise >
ss
BS
co
The meeting was called to order at 7:32 pm and a quorum established.
Review and approval of previous meeting minutes:
15 Oct 2020 Regular Meeting Minutes — Minutes approved following a mation by Mr.
Tytla, seconded by Ms. Benvenuti, vote 6-0.
Note — Mr. Wise joined the meeting at 7:39 pm after the meeting minutes motion was
finalized. Seven members now present for the remainder of the meeting.
3) Review and approval of treasurer’s report
5)
Treasurer’s report given by Mr. Kelly. A question arose regarding permit sales and
revenue from those permits. Treasurer’s report tabled on a motion by Ms. Benvenuti,
seconded by Mr. Wise, vote 7-0.
Chief Warden's Comments : Chief Warden Chmiel was not present to give a report. Mr. Harris
gave an informal report based on recent conversations with Mr. Chmiel.
Old business:
Discussion and potential action on funding of Save the River/Save the Hills (STR-
STH) pump out boat: Mr. Harris briefed the commission on an e-mail sent to East
Lyme and Waterford First Selectmen offering to fund 1/3 of the pump-out boat
program. East Lyme First Selectman agreed to this, Waterford First Selectman
had not replied at the time of this meeting. Motion made by Mr. Kanter, seconded
by Mr. Tytla, motion approved 7-0, motion as follows :
WELSCO will fund up to 1/3 of the local match annually for the STR-STH pump out
boat program provided STR-STH gives us an operating budget at the beginning of
the year.
6) New Business
Review and approval of Annual Report
The Annual report drafted by Chair Harris with minor edits by Mr. Kelly was reviewed,
The clamming permit number and revenue generated from those permit sales was
discussed and an additional review of those numbers will take place. A lengthy
discussion regarding the removal of the word “recreational” from the first sentence
ensued “The Waterford-East Lyme Shellfish Commission (WELSCO) oversees
recreational shell fishing in the Niantic River.” “Recreational” was removed from the
first sentence.
Due to the due date of the Annual report (20 Nov 2020), and the need to confirm the
permit sale number and permit revenue, a motion was made by Mr. Kanter, seconded
by Mr. Tytla to ask for a report submission date extension. If an extension is not
granted, the current version will be submitted and amended as soon as possible.
Motion passed 5-2, Ms. Benvenuti and Mr. Wise voted in opposition.

7) Ex-Officio comments : Ex-Officio Cunningham was not present
8) Correspondence
Correspondence from East Lyme First Selectman Nickerson was discussed during agenda
item - Old Business B (pump-out boat funding).
Mr. Harris also briefed the Commission on a survey he recently completed from the Nature
Conservancy of CT regarding Long Island Sound Pollution.
9) Public Comment —Terry Lineberger, Waterford CT, informed the Commission of a recent
guidance document issued by SeaGrant and DA/BA related to Aquaculture Permitting
Processes. Ms. Lineberger also objected to how Mr. Kelly portrayed WELSCO in a previous
discussion.
10) Meeting adjourned at 8:58 pm on a motion by Mr. Tytla, seconded by Mr. Wise, motion
passed 7-0.
Respectfully submitted,
Peter Harris