November Meeting Minutes

11/2/22

• Minutes approved with edits to some visitation totals
• Treasurer’s Report: available funds almost $90k. HFW for this month- could spend some here. Need to contact VDOF.
• James River Park System (JRPS) Report
  • Arbor week 50th anniversary- 2 successful plantings at Belle Isle and Dell Meadow. 
  • Streetlight Data- in the process of creating boundary zones to see how ppl are counted when they enter a space. 
  • Electric vehicle charging station at the Reedy Creek HQ. City of Richmond is gradually moving toward electric vehicles. First step is the station.
  • Visitation
    • 1,501,004 – (month?)
    • October 121,760
    • YTD 1,622,714
    • Pony Pasture and Wetlands counters need replacing. Some data lost. 
  • North bank tower welded shut as of today
• JRPS superintendent report
  • River Risk Mitigation subcommittees
    • 4 objectives: uniform signage, teach all Richmond 2nd graders how to swim, safety education, and low head dam removal (long-term)
  • Archaeological resources survey at Pony Pasture next year
  • Pumphouse: finishing decking and rails. 
  • Projects / work days
    • JROC workday = 14th St. in October. Cleared gravel from the road. Removed debris and invasive plants.
    • Remade employee entrance of HQ. 
    • T Potts bridge mulching; lower trail completed
    • Regraded Pony Pasture parking lot
  • Poop Loop connector trail – eliminating blind turns and corridors.
• James River Women updates
  • High school program planning: City revised their MOUs, then JRW needs to redo. Will provide to us when ready. 
  • Looking into insurance
    • Options: Monument Sports Group and ACA. Open to more ideas.
  • Potential roll clinics at Swansboro 
  • Canceled lease on storage unit. Sharing space with JRPS gear until we figure out next steps.
  • On wishlist- vehicle to transport boats/gear to and from events 
• King of the James
  • Less than 2 weeks away!
  • Attendance is up 20% more than this time last year. 160-180 participants expected. 
  • Sponsors- 2 Queen levels this year at $10k. 9 Court level sponsors. Should make over ~$21,100 from sponsorships alone. TBD $ from race participants. Lowered prices: early bird helped w/accessibility and better distributed registration timing.
  • Shirt prices went up over last year (first time 2-color design); other expenses on par.
  • If you know someone who wants to attend and needs free entry, JRPS staff get in free. And sponsors also get free entries, so let us know who needs them.
  • Sharing space w/farmers’ market. Official permission w/city to be here.
• Projects
  • October – 14th St cleanup. Still need to reattach the post for the chain link fence end that’s still damaged.
  • Huguenot Flatwater: Still construction debris in the river. While it’s low and before it gets super cold, we need to remove it. 20 or so sandbags. Leaving sand in the river has a negative environmental impact (not a good substrate for fish). Need to try to remove as much as possible.
    • The gap between average water level surface and end of ramp is 1 ft too high. Ramp is good to about 4.2-4.3’ on the gauge; below that there’s a big drop. Solutions proposed:
      • Dump #3 river rock at base (temporary)
      • Excavate back side of landing- lower which would be protected from floods and wouldn’t interfere w/other uses of ramp. 
      • Long term – need to contact Timmons.
    • Need trash solution. Dumpster has been removed.
    • Existing steps= cut back brush on the right and install railing (potential monthly project)
    • Close pirate trail forming that cuts the corner as you go up to overlook (big drop). 
    • Better parking spaces for those w/disabilities on concrete pad (eliminates need to park in gravel where runoff wants to drain)
• Trisha
  • Ancarrow’s Landing: Install new life rings and river exit, like a swim ladder. Currently only old tire solution. Spent ~$900 to reimburse for the cost of rope and buoy, life rings, and ropes. 
• Falls of the James Advisory Committee- this month, Heather Mackey from DEQ to talk about local residents’ violations of Chesapeake Bay Act, Riverside Drive stairs. anyone can come if interested in what that violation means. 11/17, 12pm 5th floor. Need to know by 11/10. You have to have an appt and have your name on the list. 
• Norfolk Southern railroad bridge debris, litter, and herbicide. RVA H2O has been notified.