January meeting minutes

1/5/22

• Minutes approved
• Treasurer’s Report approved
  • $400 approval for Riverrock
• HFW 
  • Paid city $145k. Reformatted why we’re showing funding for it. $40k hasn’t been expended- if anything left, going toward future accessibility projects
  • Progress is slow / behind schedule. Contractor said they’re refocusing on the project. 
  • Got the exemption- able to do it, but this is the open time where you actually don’t need a permit (winter); Feb 15 is next time where you can’t do any work in the water.
  • Turnaround / circle concrete w/reinforcement = $37k estimated
• Gifts – calendars (given to hillcrest and JRPS staff)
• JRPS 
  • Pumphouse
    • Viewing platform in the works – approved for extra funding
    • Shane Harper new VP of Friends of the Pumphouse
    • Window restoration
    • ADA ramp info from house down to arch bridge through various grants
    • More info from struc engineers to fix roof in main ballroom
  • $10m grant
  • Minimizing salt usage 
  • Fixing culvert that get damage, adding gravel, shelter road improvements
  • Tredegar invasive removal volunteer project upcoming
  • Superintendent position filled – Giles Garrison!
  • Volunteering and Projects 
    • Ancarrow’s removing silt 
    • Outdoor classroom at Reedy Creek HQ- Feb/March (benches, invasive species removal, steps down to the river)
    • River stone purchase for 14th St lot, maybe Jan/Feb
    • Wetlands, Belle Isle, and Meadows maintenance 
    • Mulch Ancarrow’s and the Slave Trail, fix the destroyed bait table
    • Floodwall E of Manchester Bridge – we are to stop painting over graffiti there so they can attempt other plans
    • Continue on graffiti painting from 3rd drop of pipeline
    • Revisiting the Missing Link area – tour next week some time
• VOF grant updates – almost finalized signage. Final draft sent to Matt and Bryce- QR code in there now
• Falls of the James 
  • Conservation easement sections- happening within the next 2 weeks (inspections of various parcels). Net gain somewhere w/ the easements. Adding properties; still ongoing. 200+ acres placed under easement. 
  • Great Parade of Lights this winter!
• Projects 
  • Tredegar Jan 15
  • Potential projects for February: Cleanup and fixing tables at Ancarrow’s. Mulching trails; Vauxhall cleanup
• Gear Swap approved this year – near Earth Day; outdoors. VCU OAP collaboration- host at Forest Hill Park potentially
• Friends of the JRP
  • Wood River Run 5k in honor of Christian Wood on April 16. Support needed to manage the race.
  • Boats and Brews- Jan 29. As of today, it’s still on.
  • Scenic rivers program- some hope in the new admin? Will they continue it?