Hey, Brad. We're good to go.
>> Okay.
» Okay.
All right. Right. I'd like to call to
order the Environmental Advisory
Committee meeting August 12th, 2026 at 2
p.m. Could we do a roll call, please?
>> Brad Freeze
» Brad Freeze
>> here.
» here.
>> Thomas Bradford
» Thomas Bradford
>> here.
» here.
>> Shrauss
» Shrauss
>> here.
» here.
>> Joe Wenta
» Joe Wenta
>> here.
» here.
>> Barbara Gomez
» Barbara Gomez
>> here.
» here.
>> Brook Bonma.
» Um, before we do the approval of agenda,
I want to give our new EAC member Jim
Ober Meyer. Is that right?
um an opportunity to introduce himself
and say whatever you'd like to say about
yourself.
>> Not not a whole lot to say. Uh
» Not not a whole lot to say. Uh
yesterday was the uh council meeting and
you know I volunteered to be on the
board. I'm a been a resident here in
Tquesta for four years now and um just
you know felt like it was time to start
participating a little bit more in the
community. this is uh this time for this
board kind of works doesn't take away
from any family time. So like I liked
the timing of it and everything. Um my
background is uh engineering and
facilities of buildings, large campuses.
Um before I was here, I was in Denver,
Colorado for 20 years. So, I don't have
a ton of background with um you know,
waterways and shorelines and stuff like
that, but definitely interested in
learning and this would be a a way to do
it as well. So, I'm just happy to be,
you know, part of it and learn and
anything I can provide as a subject
matter expert as well from my field. So,
>> great. Thank you very much.
» great. Thank you very much.
>> Welcome.
» Welcome.
>> Welcome. Yes.
» Welcome. Yes.
>> Welcome to the committee.
» Welcome to the committee.
There's no like swearing in or
[laughter]
>> no.
» no.
>> Does he have to recite something
» Does he have to recite something
>> or hazing
» or hazing
>> secret password?
» secret password?
>> Yeah, we'll save that for the next
» Yeah, we'll save that for the next
meeting. [laughter]
>> We don't want to I I did block my
» We don't want to I I did block my
calendar. I won't be able to be at the
next meeting.
>> I've got the So, all the hazing should
» I've got the So, all the hazing should
be next meeting.
>> Okay. [laughter]
» Okay. [laughter]
the rest of the year I won't be block my
calendar for you know so next meeting I
won't be here but from then on out I
will
>> thanks
» thanks
>> well again welcome
» well again welcome
>> we'll think of something good
» we'll think of something good
>> thank you very much for uh for
» thank you very much for uh for
volunteering
>> um all right uh any additions deletions
» um all right uh any additions deletions
modifications to the agenda as written
if not someone could make a motion so we
could approve the agenda as written
>> I make a motion to to approve the agenda
» I make a motion to to approve the agenda
as submitted.
>> Is there a second?
» Is there a second?
>> I'll second it.
» I'll second it.
>> Sorry, I'm [laughter] a little slow
» Sorry, I'm [laughter] a little slow
today. [snorts]
>> You're usually right on with the
» You're usually right on with the
seconds. Come on.
>> Totally flow today.
» Totally flow today.
>> All those in favor?
» All those in favor?
>> I
» I
>> against.
» against.
Motion carries. Communication from
citizens.
No citizens here. So, we'll skip down to
presentations.
>> A lady
» A lady
present. She's giving the presentation.
>> Oh, she's a presenter. Okay. [laughter]
» Oh, she's a presenter. Okay. [laughter]
>> Sorry.
» Sorry.
>> Um, so, uh, Christy Nelson, who heads up
» Um, so, uh, Christy Nelson, who heads up
the Eco Scouts, uh, would like to update
us on current activities or maybe even
future activities.
>> Yeah. So, we are Is this Clicker?
» Yeah. So, we are Is this Clicker?
>> Yes.
» Yes.
>> Okay. So, we're an environmental
» Okay. So, we're an environmental
education um nonprofit that operates out
of Tqua and Jupiter. Um we serve kids
from unincorporated Martin County,
Martin County, Palm Beach County um
pretty much to Questa to Delray Beach is
where our members are from. Um and what
we do, we do all sorts of environmental
education. We've been doing this since
2021
and we have met with over 200 scientists
locally um willing to engage our
students in all sorts of cool
scientists. We've met with even the
chimpanzeee scientists up at Lion Safari
to shark and dolphin scientists and
obviously we work a lot with um Palm
Beach County M because they are the
experts in our local area. But that's
just kind of how we started was kids
that wanted to learn about um the
environment. Um our most recent projects
have turned into local restoration
projects. Um we went ahead, we built a
mangrove nursery at the Jupiter
Lighthouse. We redid all the tables at
the lighthouse for their native plant
nursery. We've donated,
it's getting close to a thousand native
plants at the lighthouse in addition to
the mangrove nursery that we grew. We
grew 3,000 mangroves. Um they were in my
front yard, but those have since been
moved to the lighthouse and they're
actually going to be planted along the
shoreline this week. Um we're going over
to Sarasota tomorrow to we're partnering
with Pine Island Redfish. I don't know
if you're familiar with them, but they
do sustainable aquaculture. So they grow
red fish, sell them to restaurants, and
then they use the fish waste from their
aquaculture labs to grow mangroves and
sea purse lane and other edible plants.
and they have been willing to donate um
a bunch of trays of sea purse lane that
we'll be able to use along the Toquesta
and Jupiter shorelines um near the
lighthouse. So, we're doing that
tomorrow, which we're really excited
about. Um we're also we've been
handwatering the 5,000 native plants
that have been planted along the
shoreline. Some of them are being drip
watered, but we're going over and
spending hours every day watering the
plants. So, if you see us while you're
sailing by, say hello. But um it's been
a lot of work. The kids are mostly my
son is doing it, but it's been um a
really good project. The other thing
that we did this summer was we um
completed our first round of native clam
restoration. So um we have a neighbor
across the street from us who's 98 years
old and she said there used to be
plentiful clam beds, plentiful oyster
beds, and now you don't see them at low
tide like you used to. A lot of the
mangrove nurseries she not nurseries, a
lot of the mangrove islands she used to
see are gone. So, um, my son and I are
trying to get it back to her baseline of
what she remembers Jupiter and Tquesta
being like. So, what we did was we went
out and we found some live native clams
in our local waters, which was really
difficult to find because when was the
last time you saw a live clam? I don't
know. But we found them. We partnered
with the um Whitney Lab of Marine and
Bioscience up in St. Augustine. They
were able to spawn, we had 30 broodstock
of local clams. They were able to spawn
them and turn that into 23,000 native
clams, which we then brought down. Um
and then using the permits with Dr.
Osborne, we were able to release those
clams back into our native waters.
>> So, we've tried it a couple of different
» So, we've tried it a couple of different
ways. Um we have eight bagged locations
that we're keeping the clams in mesh
bags along um our waterways and they're
all tagged so that way we can monitor um
like bofouling like what's trying to eat
the clams. It protects them from
predation but then we can find out what
our clams are facing in our native
waters as far as like pollution and all
the things that why are they
disappearing. And then um the kids were
able to release some not in the mesh
bags, but they were able to just release
some live and free. And um a lot of
those got eaten right away, but we still
have the ones in the bags and we're
going to see how how they do over the
next spawning season. So um that was a
really fun project. Um we're also
partnering with you guys, West Palm
Beach Fishing Club, to do our vertical
oyster gardens. Um, we have, I think,
120 that have been hung up by our Eco
Scouts right now. So, when those are
mature, that's like, um, over a million
gallons of water a day that will be
filtered locally. We are still looking
to have local dock owners um,
participate in that. We're always
reaching out. So, if you ever talk to
local dock owners that are willing to
let us host the gardens on their docks,
we're more than willing to come out and
hang them for them.
Um the other thing that we're doing is
we um my son engineered a benthic camera
that can be deployed in water for days
at a time. And using a advanced AI
modeling, what it will do is it will
take all that video and we're going to
be able to pull out just the pieces of
film that have animals in them. So,
we're going to start creating the very
first benthic database of
what animals, what sea life, what things
are in our waterways here locally so
that we can get greater protection to
understand what's coming, what's going.
Um, and so this has been in partnership
with the um
University of Miami. So, they've been
kind of letting us use their maker lab
to get a lot of this done. And
>> um it's ready to go. We're we're going
» um it's ready to go. We're we're going
to be deploying it at um the lighthouse
once the construction's done. We're
going to be doing it in the Jupiter
Narrows once their construction is done.
And I would like to use it in other
locations further up the river as well
where it's murkier, harder to see, less
studied. So that's something that's
ready to go. We're just waiting for
construction to be complete on the two
projects where we know we're going to
put the camera. But we're open to using
that anywhere you need us to. So, if you
have waterways you'd like to monitor,
like Dover Ditch, for example, you just
did a restoration there. What's living
there? I don't know. We could put the
camera in there and find out, you know.
Um, oh, Pine Island Redfish, like I
said, um, we're going to be creating a a
sea pearlane nursery at the Jupiter
Lighthouse. So, in addition to the
mangrove nursery, we will now be growing
separation
pro projects across to Questa. So, um,
happy to share our super person if
there's restoration that's needed. The
other thing we're doing is my son has
partnered with another young person
that's on the other side, um, closer to
Sarasota and she's making reef balls.
Um, she's using an a substrate that is
an aggregate that is a lot lighter
weight than what the traditional
companies that you can buy the reef
balls from are using. So, they're a lot
more um easy to transport, easier to
install because they're not as heavy as
the ones that [clears throat] are simply
made out of concrete. And she's donating
these. These are going to go along the
snorkel trail by KO's Bridge. Um we're
going to use the existing lighouses
permits because they're already
installing reef balls. And those are
going to be going in in September. So,
we're really excited to see you can see
down there the difference between just
um one year of being in the water. You
can see how much oyster and marine life
that that will be habitat to. So, we're
excited about that. Um,
and oh, my son was invited to speak at
the Explorers Club in New York. Um, Dr.
Sylvia Earl invited him there. So, we
were talking about all the restoration
work that the eco scouts are doing
there. And there my son met up with um,
Phipe Kustoau, the grandson of Jacqu
Kustoau, and he does a lot of um, marine
conservation work with the youth. So,
we're working with him to work on doing
reef tiles, which I think this is where
I we could use the village's help in
we're so there's several versions that
they're going through right now trying
to decide what's the most effective way
to do this. But what Philipe wants to do
is instead of just like what they're
doing in other places is they just put
these tiles up on seaw walls and it
collects marine life, it collects oyster
spout, it coral grows on it, things like
that. Philippe, what he does because
he's been doing coral restoration around
the world for decades is when he puts
his coral reefs down in the bottom of
the of the ocean, he's already preeding
them with coral. So, he wants to preede
our seaw wall living reefs with oyster,
spat, coral. We're We're not sure what
we're doing. Um, he has taken Isaac's
designs, that's my son, and he's taken
them to his engineers and they're trying
to decide what would be the best for our
local waterways because they haven't
worked in Florida a lot. They're all
over the globe, but this would be one of
their first projects doing seaw walls in
Florida. So, um, they're going to get
back to us this month on what they think
they can seed it with. They know we can
do oysters, but I would like to seed it
with other growing things like sea
sponges and corals. Um, we're not sure
what corals grow in the Jupiter inlet
exactly. So, the lighthouse has given
the eco scouts autonomous monitoring
structures. So, autonomous reef
monitoring structures, they're called
arms. And the Smithsonian, what they do
is you place these arms in the water and
then you see what grows on them. Then
you bring them up after they've been
underwater for six months to a year. You
scrape everything off, blend it in a
blender, send it to the lab, and then
you're making a baseline of this is what
coral grows, this is what oysters grow,
this is what clams, all the things that
are growing in your local waterways. And
it's a very standardized science way of
making sure that we know what's growing
in our waterways versus everyone else.
And so, um, we already have six of these
that we're ready to deploy again once
the construction project is done. And
then we'll be able to set a baseline of
what is growing here and then we can put
those on there. So I was hoping if there
are blank seaw walls that are anywhere
here in Tquesta that we could obviously
use those seaw walls and put them up on
the wall. The thing that um in talking
to local dock owners the question is how
do you install them? Right now all the
companies that are doing this they are
bolting them into the walls which
requires permits and I don't think as a
dock owner I want anyone drilling into
my seaw wall. So, we are looking at
doing something that would go in front
of the dock. So, you drill a piling or
just stakes that go in front of the
dock. So, you're not having to actually
touch the dock, but they're still si
sitting in front of the dock, creating a
living shoreline. So, again, this is all
um in the works, but when we are
complete with the the design, I'd love
to talk to you, Jay, and figure out
where in Tquesta we can test these out
because they're doing them in Miami. I
think they make a lot of sense to bring
up our way. Um, last thing we're doing,
this is our newest project, is we're
going to take the water that comes from
the Lockxahhatchee. I'm sure you've all
seen it when the water the the brown
tanninfield water that's coming from the
canals meets the beautiful water of the
inlet and you can physically see the
change. Um, and that's every day with
every tide, every tide cycle. So, um, my
son is and I are working on these we're
basically it's like cells that are these
membranes that you can buy that take the
change in salinity of water and convert
it into electricity.
So every day when the tide's coming down
the lockahhatchee and it meets the inlet
and that change is happening, if we put
this right in the water there, it can
generate electricity for us, which I
think is a super cool idea. Um there are
the researchers at Stanford are the ones
that pioneered this idea. We reached out
to them. Everybody loves helping kids.
So, you know, a 13-year-old calls them
and says, "Hey, can we make this?"
They're more than willing to help. So,
we are hoping to have this project done
in by February is our timeline. So,
that's what we've been working on.
>> That's a lot.
» That's a lot.
[laughter]
>> Gosh. Wow.
» Gosh. Wow.
>> So, um
» So, um
>> impressive. Amazing.
» impressive. Amazing.
>> Yeah. We we love um to Questa. We love
» Yeah. We we love um to Questa. We love
how open you guys have been with your
environmental committee and willing to
partner with us. So if we ever need help
or if you ever need we the Eco Scouts,
we meet every Thursday doing
environmental projects. So if there's
ever something you need extra hands for,
we have 20 to 30 teenagers that always
reserve Thursday mornings for us to do
projects. So let us know if we can help
you. We'd be more than happy to.
>> That was a lot.
» That was a lot.
>> That was amazing.
» That was amazing.
>> Yeah.
» Yeah.
>> Are you open for questions?
» Are you open for questions?
>> Sure.
» Sure.
>> Does anyone have questions? Yeah, I do.
» Does anyone have questions? Yeah, I do.
Um I do remember you now from when we
had the uh might have been a concert and
we did the worst thing and you had your
son and I think a daughter. So I I
remember you now. Sorry.
>> U
» U
do uh clams filter water similar to how
oysters do?
>> They do. And the cool thing about clams
» They do. And the cool thing about clams
is because they're on the bottom of the
seabed, they bring more photosynthesis
down, which will help our seaggrass
nurseries. So, because they're on the
bottom, oysters, because they hang up to
mangrove roots, they can be higher up in
the water column, whereas these are on
the bottom. So, they're actually pretty
important for seaggrass, which might be
one of the reasons we're losing so much
of our seaggrass. So, um, that's another
thing that I didn't put on here, but
we're also working at bringing a
seaggrass nursery to the lighthouse,
which they've said they have space for.
They'd be happy to have us do that. Um,
so we're going to work with the Florida
Oceanographic Society, who has a really
successful seaggrass program about
bringing that down here to the further
south part of the Indian River Lagoon.
>> That's great. Thank you.
» That's great. Thank you.
>> Um, I do have a qu first question is off
» Um, I do have a qu first question is off
the clams. Um, are they not as
susceptible to the um particulate and
and pollution that's on the bottom like
in the river like as the oysters are?
Because the oysters don't proliferate at
the bottom.
>> Yeah. So, our clams are a little bit
» Yeah. So, our clams are a little bit
they use their um what's the muscle
called? The abductor muscle to filter.
So, we're not really sure how the
pollution in the river is going to
affect them. That's why we did several
different locations.
>> Yeah. Um, so I'm not sure. I'll I'll
» Yeah. Um, so I'm not sure. I'll I'll
know more in six months.
>> Okay. And on the oysters, I still
» Okay. And on the oysters, I still
haven't got mine on my dock. How do I
get that done?
>> Oh, I found the list. But they the first
» Oh, I found the list. But they the first
installation they ran out and they were
going to somebody's going to contact. So
I just
>> I'll follow up with my son and find out.
» I'll follow up with my son and find out.
[laughter]
>> Okay.
» Okay.
>> Direct contact.
» Direct contact.
>> I've got her address, so I'll I'll send
» I've got her address, so I'll I'll send
it to you and
>> Okay. Thank you.
» Okay. Thank you.
I just want to say I'm super impressed
>> and I love everything that you brought
» and I love everything that you brought
up and excited to watch and see how it
it grows and happens
>> and where we can support it.
» and where we can support it.
>> Yes. Right. Yeah.
» Yes. Right. Yeah.
>> It's amazing.
» It's amazing.
>> Barbara, you have anything any
» Barbara, you have anything any
questions?
>> No, just uh want to say thank you for
» No, just uh want to say thank you for
presenting this to us today. It's quite
interesting. y'all are very busy with
what you're doing and anything that we
can do to assist um be happy to try to
do that.
>> Yeah, you guys have been great with the
» Yeah, you guys have been great with the
oyster gardens. It was it was awesome to
have you guys get the word out for us.
So, we we really appreciate you.
>> Wonderful.
» Wonderful.
>> Thank you so much.
» Thank you so much.
>> Can you go back to that benthic camera
» Can you go back to that benthic camera
slide?
>> Yeah.
» Yeah.
>> So cool.
» So cool.
>> Maybe
just want to see.
» Oh, um, if you're looking at the So,
it's actually really affordable. It
costs less than a GoPro to make.
>> Wow.
» Wow.
>> So, we can easily reproduce this. Um,
» So, we can easily reproduce this. Um,
we've been very fortunate to have a lot
of National Geographic photographers
that have been willing, not
photographers, but National Geographic
explorers that have been willing to talk
and teach with the Eco Scouts over the
years.
>> Um, there's one particular one who um is
» Um, there's one particular one who um is
doing something similar to this and so
we uh talked to him like three or four
weeks ago. So, he's going to be helping
us to even refine our design further to
make it more easily reproduced because
he's doing the same thing in kind of
freshwater environments. Um, but yeah,
it costs like $500 to make these
cameras. So, if they get stolen, it's
not a big deal. Um, the coral scientist
at the University of Miami that's using
them places them like 200 meters deep
and they're he says they're getting
stolen, but I think they're getting
washed away. We don't really know. Um,
so I think in our more shallow waters,
we're just going to put a tag on them
that says, you know, this is a
13year-old kid science project. Don't be
a jerk that steals it.
>> Um, but again, it only being $500, it
» Um, but again, it only being $500, it
will be easy to replace and have
multiple cameras. So,
>> and this is your son that developed
» and this is your son that developed
this?
>> That's amazing.
» That's amazing.
>> And how old is he?
» And how old is he?
>> He's 13. [laughter]
» He's 13. [laughter]
>> Like 12 or 13 or something like that.
» Like 12 or 13 or something like that.
That's incredible.
>> Yeah.
» Yeah.
Um what life is uh what sea life or
marine life um would be monitored? Just
everything.
>> We're gonna we're going for everything.
» We're gonna we're going for everything.
Um the thing that's the number one on
his list is um a guitar fish because he
he thinks that they're in our river. Um
which is definitely possible. Um the you
know the sawtooth ones.
>> Um that's what he's hoping to find. Um,
» Um that's what he's hoping to find. Um,
but we're and the thing is with this
database is we're going to make it
public. So all of the scientists that
monitor manatees and manity scars and
dolphins and they want you to send them
their photos of dolphin fins and we'll
be able to send them actual photos of
the dolphins instead of just the fins.
Um, so there's a lot of scientists that
are local that are already,
you know, using all this information.
Um, so we might as well share it because
we're going to have it. So
>> incredible. um the reef tile. Uh
» incredible. um the reef tile. Uh
so is there a place on the Tquesta
bridge since there's a restoration going
on right now and
>> you probably wouldn't have to pull an
» you probably wouldn't have to pull an
extra permit to stick a few reef
>> tiles? Yeah, it's possible. I'll I'll
» tiles? Yeah, it's possible. I'll I'll
definitely ask around and look for some
spots. That's a good idea.
>> Thank you.
» Thank you.
>> Awesome. Well, thank you so much
» Awesome. Well, thank you so much
>> very much. Appreciate it.
» very much. Appreciate it.
>> Brett, can I get Sorry. Um, on the the
» Brett, can I get Sorry. Um, on the the
benthic cameras, you said they'd be
movable, so you'll be you can shift them
around.
>> Are they available now? Like if we did
» Are they available now? Like if we did
want to do a do ditch
>> Yeah.
» Yeah.
>> thing.
» thing.
>> Mhm.
» Mhm.
>> Okay. I'm I'll touch base with you about
» Okay. I'm I'll touch base with you about
that. And then lastly, on the um I think
it was the blue box, the energy thing.
Have you guys talked to FPL at all about
that?
>> No, that's a great idea.
» No, that's a great idea.
>> So, yeah, I think we have some contacts
» So, yeah, I think we have some contacts
at FPL, so I wonder if they'd be
supportive of it. Um,
>> I have contacts at
» I have contacts at
>> Next.
» Next.
>> Next. Yeah.
» Next. Yeah.
>> So, I think maybe there's some synergy
» So, I think maybe there's some synergy
there.
>> Yeah.
» Yeah.
>> Great idea.
» Great idea.
>> On their plate.
» On their plate.
>> That's it.
» That's it.
>> Yeah.
» Yeah.
>> Okay. Thank you very much.
» Okay. Thank you very much.
>> Thank you.
» Okay. Next item on the agenda is the
consent agenda, which includes the
minutes from last month's meeting, July
8th.
Um,
this can be approved with a motion and a
second.
>> Yeah, I
» Yeah, I
um I read the minutes of July 8th and I
thought they were perfect. So, I'll make
a motion to approve the consent agenda,
including the minutes of July 8, 2026.
>> I second.
» I second.
>> All those in favor?
» All those in favor?
>> I
» I
>> against motion carries.
» against motion carries.
Um, so our regular agenda looks like Meg
is going to give us an update on that
River Beach permit that we discussed in
our last meeting.
>> Yes. Good afternoon. It is a very brief
» Yes. Good afternoon. It is a very brief
update. I just wanted to let you know
that I did reach out to Linda K with the
US Army Corps of Engineers. She's the
project manager for the permit that you
guys looked at previously. Basically,
the feedback from them was that the
application is currently under review.
Public notice for the proposed um for
the proposal went out and the project is
in the early stages of review um
currently in consultation with other
federal resource agencies. So she didn't
have any updates really. Uh, and then I
spoke with Riviera Beach and they just
wanted to let us know that the applicant
had previously applied for variances at
this property. Um, was denied twice and
there was no new updates like from
Riviera at this time. No new permit
applications. [clears throat]
>> Uh, they would let us know if anything
» Uh, they would let us know if anything
changed.
>> Yeah,
» Yeah,
>> that is that's the update. So, it's
» that is that's the update. So, it's
being reviewed and probably will sit
there for months and months and months
>> and it's probably being processed. They
» and it's probably being processed. They
probably know it won't be approved, but
they need it to go to get denied so they
can get into litigation about it is my
my guess.
» Interesting.
Okay.
>> Hi, Christie. Thank you.
» Hi, Christie. Thank you.
>> Thank you.
» Thank you.
>> Thank you.
» Thank you.
>> All right. Um, so the only other item on
» All right. Um, so the only other item on
here is uh new business. Um, it looks
like
uh Jay was able to get us into the
meeting in October, right? October 1st,
is it?
>> I think it's No, I think it's actually
» I think it's No, I think it's actually
late. I think it was October 29th.
>> Oh, okay.
» Oh, okay.
>> It's confirmed.
» It's confirmed.
So we will be having a [snorts] joint
meeting with them uh
with the Jupiter environmental task
force as we had discussed in our
previous meetings uh the interest in
doing that. So uh I tried to get in
touch with someone there and their
website is kind of lackluster in that
there were no I couldn't find any uh
email addresses. Uh so anyway um Jay had
contacts there. So, we were able to um
schedule a joint meeting.
>> Uh what I wanted to do is and we have a
» Uh what I wanted to do is and we have a
couple months uh well this month and and
our next meeting next month uh to come
up with some things that we want to
discuss with them or present to them.
That could be anything from a review of
what we've been doing over the past six
months
um andor
uh what are some of the things they're
doing andor what are the things that we
have in common that we could work
together on.
>> Uh so this is kind of an open
» Uh so this is kind of an open
discussion. Um, I'll kick it off with
um,
Brooke had sent an email and Brooke was
under the weather today, which is why
she's not here.
Um, these are some bullet points that
she put together. Uh, does Jupiter have
vertical oyster gardens? If not, we can
walk them through what we've done to
date so they can do something similar.
um curious to understand what issues
their task force has been working on and
faced over the past year.
Their website says they meet quarterly
in light of the property tax bill and
potential changes to EAC's meeting
cadence. I'm curious their thoughts on
the quarterly meetings.
I'm also interested in how we can work
together for marine restoration or
multi-town public education campaigns
for co-sponsored events. All good stuff.
Um, does anyone have any ideas? Any This
is kind of like brainstorm basically
open discussion brainstorm.
>> Kind of need that input of what the
» Kind of need that input of what the
review of what they are have done and
what they're involved with to see where
we have some commonality.
>> Well, yeah. And we'll I don't know if
» Well, yeah. And we'll I don't know if
there's a way to do that beforehand
before the actual meeting, but um
>> I looked on their website and um it
» I looked on their website and um it
listed some items that they didn't seem
to involve projects like we're involved
with. They see the items that were on
their website were beach cleanups and
activities that they're involved with,
but I didn't see programs like
>> initiatives like we're taking. But
» initiatives like we're taking. But
that's just what's on their website and
that might not be all-incclusive
obviously.
>> So I would if there was a way to kind of
» So I would if there was a way to kind of
get some more information so that we can
see [clears throat]
if we do have some similar things and
then of course try to try and identify
some of our projects that we're involved
with.
Do they go hand inand with extending it
into the Jupiter waterways with
shoreline and
>> all that? I agree with maybe the areas
» all that? I agree with maybe the areas
that Jupiter and Tqua County lines cross
over along our waterways. How we can
work together
>> uh on projects for those areas.
» uh on projects for those areas.
I think they blend and meld a lot all
along right here
>> along the inter Riverside Drive and
» along the inter Riverside Drive and
Inter Coastal. Yeah. And then eventually
I guess with
if that works out to be a good um
program between the two if we can even
get up the river into I believe that's
unincorporated Palm Beach County.
>> That's a good
» That's a good
>> because that whole side of the river is
» because that whole side of the river is
uh
>> just
» just
>> integral part as well just a different
» integral part as well just a different
>> unincorporated
» unincorporated
>> legislative area. Yeah.
» legislative area. Yeah.
>> Some of it is in Martin County as well
» Some of it is in Martin County as well
as we go up the river. Yeah.
I I was wondering if um
I'm not sure how to word this so it
makes sense, but if we are in a
situation with our village where we're
not in compliance with
a state regulation on something,
whatever it may be, fertilizers of
runoff into into the locks ahead,
whatever that may be that they may be
looking at us to correct, if they have a
similar situation that they're dealing
with and how they're dealing with it.
Um,
I would think that
perhaps they do have
um some similar concerns and I'd like to
know if if we cross over with them uh
how they're dealing with these things.
>> So basically local compliance with state
» So basically local compliance with state
laws.
>> Correct. And are they facing if we may
» Correct. And are they facing if we may
be in total compliance? I don't know.
I'm new to this committee. Yeah. But if
not, do we have similar
violations, I hate to use that word, as
they have in Jupiter? And how are they
>> processing that and making the remedies?
» processing that and making the remedies?
>> Maybe we could learn from each other.
Is there any way that we would be able
this committee would be able to know if
were in compliance right now with all of
those things? Any any red flags that
have been
>> I I don't think the village is
» I I don't think the village is
specifically in violation of anything. I
I'd have to check with Allison, our uh
water and utilities director, to see if
there were any like nitrogen issues in
the Lockxahhatchee.
Um but I'm I'm not aware of any at the
moment.
>> I know at one point the the golf c the
» I know at one point the the golf c the
Questa Country Club golf course there
was an issue. Probably that's been
solved. I'm going back a couple of
years. That's the kind of things that,
you know, I wonder if if we need to be
aware of if it if there are problems and
there may not be hopefully
the Lockxahhatchee River Coordinating
Council that was created by well
it was requested to be created by FD
because of ongoing
uh nitrogen and phosphorus u overloading
in the river and to uh so all of the
participants including Jupiter to Questa
Lockache River District others
uh the the the goal
going back years ago when it first was
created it was kind of like u uh I can't
remember the old saying but it was
either do this and make progress on
these problems or we will site you and,
you know, take you to court and all that
other stuff to make you comply and force
expensive
things
uh on the municipalities and the other
districts so that they were in
compliance and the courts would
therefore dictate you must do this that
and the other by day certain regardless
of what it cost. So
[snorts]
there is that
Apparently there's been progress because
they haven't done anything to sue
anybody in that are uh contributing to
the high levels of nitrogen and
phosphorus.
Uh, so I guess what I'm saying is
in regard to the Lock Hatche River
Coordinating Council, do they does
Jupiter and their environmental uh
board, do they feel like the group is
making adequate progress? Um I I
remember years ago they had a Jupiter
had a program where they you might have
been working there where they were uh
imple they were in uh installing in
drainage uh inlet uh culverts or
whatever you want to call it. They were
putting in filter bags and and leaf
catchers and things like that.
>> Baff boxes
» Baff boxes
>> and pardon
» and pardon
>> baffle boxes I think.
» baffle boxes I think.
>> Yeah, I think that's what it's called.
» Yeah, I think that's what it's called.
Yes. and um but I haven't heard anything
since and it's been you know like
five to 10 years ago I guess. Um but so
that's one thing and then the other is
if I keep hearing bits and pieces that
on the do ditch the uh there may be a
phase two and a phase three. And so if
that's true because I mean you remember
now we're on the
what we what we saw last month was just
phase one. If you go, I don't know, to
the east, then uh we would want I I
would assume that Tquesta would love for
Jupiter to participate at least uh
financially the way they did in phase
one. And so that would be something that
I would be interested in knowing and
hopefully there that environmental
committee could let it be known if
that's if if in fact we're going to have
a phase two and three or whatever. The
last thing I can think of is you
remember you know we had the uh
shoreline u
uh the natural shoreline thing that we
>> living shoreline.
» living shoreline.
>> Yeah. The living shoreline. So we sort
» Yeah. The living shoreline. So we sort
of modeled what we did after Jupiter,
right? So the question I would have for
them in regard to that that issue is do
they have any successful projects that
have been constructed and if so uh what
are some of the things that they learned
from that that we could know and maybe
use that data to help uh uh waterfront
property owners in Tquesta consider that
as an alternative when the day comes
that they need to do something about
their seaw
Those are the only things I can think
of.
>> Yeah, including seaw wall because some
» Yeah, including seaw wall because some
seaw walls are never coming down. So,
are they coming up? Do they have any
plans for just seaw walls? Like when she
gave us the information about the seaw
wall um
>> tiles.
» tiles.
>> Tiles. Yeah. Something like see what
» Tiles. Yeah. Something like see what
they're involved with. Some seaw walls
are never going to be able to come down
because property won't
allow it
>> right
» right
>> due to the construction that's on it.
One thought I had was to see if they'd
be open to doing like a yearly or
bianual meeting together to make it a
recurring thing,
>> but also perhaps as a way to to invite
» but also perhaps as a way to to invite
people like like Joe Chason from the
Jupiter Inlet District or you know Peter
Dwit from Jona to give an an you to give
kind of an annual or bannual update so
they're not having to go to both groups.
great communication piece
>> and so that we could kind of just
» and so that we could kind of just
jointly do that and then maybe maybe if
we did it as an annual meeting or a
bianual meeting um we could kind of line
up a good group of speakers like also
Keith Rosson at Mang and people that you
know we know that people want to see and
then invite kind of invite the public
and make it make it kind of a public
education forum too.
>> So
» So
>> I like that. That's a thought.
» I like that. That's a thought.
>> You know, you know, long term, I have a
» You know, you know, long term, I have a
hunch, and it I may totally be wrong,
but I have a feeling that the North Palm
Environmental Committee is much more
active than the Jupiter one. And if
that's the case, then maybe that should
be something we try to meet with them at
some point in time and see, you know,
>> didn't know they had
» didn't know they had
>> comparative analysis, see what they're
» comparative analysis, see what they're
doing, what, you know, what works, what
doesn't work.
>> Best practice. sharing.
» Best practice. sharing.
>> I I did send a mass email out to that
» I I did send a mass email out to that
whole to their whole committee. Um but I
haven't heard back from anybody yet, but
I think they possibly needed to get
together and meet to determine if they
want to even have a meeting with us
before getting back to me. So, if I
don't hear anything for a little while,
I'll reach out to Dodie, who's their uh
my counterpart over there, and maybe see
if she could help coordinate that, too.
Um because yeah, maybe if we're going to
do that educational piece, maybe we make
it all of North County and we really get
get a great speaker series. North Palm
does do their own speaker series at the
North Palm Country Club from time to
time um with environmental based. Um I
don't think it's hugely attended. Um but
they do get some good speakers there
from time to time.
>> Does Juno Beach have a
» Does Juno Beach have a
>> I don't think they do. Didn't Tom didn't
» I don't think they do. Didn't Tom didn't
you say they have some sort of like Juno
beach like they have like a beach
committee or
>> they have an they call it the ecology
» they have an they call it the ecology
group and it's citizens and it's not
>> it's not
» it's not
>> it's active it's active and and their
» it's active it's active and and their
main focus is on beach issues and
Pelican Lake
>> the lake
» the lake
>> but uh they're real they're just not
» but uh they're real they're just not
>> part of the municipality.
» part of the municipality.
>> Yeah. Yeah. But it I I think one of
» Yeah. Yeah. But it I I think one of
their council members, what's her name?
Uh
Judy Judy Davis or something like that.
I forgot her name. She's very big into
it and she regularly reports at Juno
Beach Town Council meetings about things
that the their ecology group does. So
she would be a good contact
to see if they want to have their
ecology group people attend some sort of
educational thing that whatever we do in
the future.
>> Jupiter inlet colony.
» Jupiter inlet colony.
>> All right. But I don't know that they
» All right. But I don't know that they
have anything.
I know that Mr. Chip Block the current
mayor is very into all of this
environmental stuff. I think he
>> at least invite him.
» at least invite him.
>> Yeah.
» Yeah.
>> Yeah. I think he spoke to us one time
» Yeah. I think he spoke to us one time
about something that they did.
>> I think if we were to do a joint
» I think if we were to do a joint
educational thing, we could So Jeremy
and I know Heidi, their city manager
well and we talk to her all the time. So
we could just invite their entire, you
know, through their city council and
through the city manager just invite
everyone there to come.
Uh last comment, uh Jupiter, do they
meet in their community center? The EA
their EAC?
>> I believe they meet in council chambers.
» I believe they meet in council chambers.
Okay.
>> And so that's where this the meeting
» And so that's where this the meeting
it's it's actually it's October 26th. Um
and that I believe is supposed to be in
their council chambers, but I will I
will confirm that with them.
>> So this team's call on the 1 of October
» So this team's call on the 1 of October
is to like discuss the agenda, correct?
>> Yes.
» Yes.
>> Okay.
So,
I'll summarize or write out everything
that um we spoke about and uh at the
next meeting we can go through it. If I
missed anything, add it. if I didn't uh
or it we don't think it's worthwhile, we
can strike it and that way I have
something
meaningful to say that the committee has
approved to discuss with the uh Jupiter
environmental task force on October 1st
when they put together their agenda.
>> Thank you.
» Thank you.
>> Good.
» Good.
>> Sounds great. Yeah.
» Sounds great. Yeah.
>> Um what else? There was one other
» Um what else? There was one other
>> [snorts]
» I think everybody received an email from
Sue
um
from the Jupiter Narrows Conservation
Alliance.
>> I saw it, but I didn't read it. So, you
» I saw it, but I didn't read it. So, you
want to tell me?
>> Yeah. [laughter] Yeah. I'm just going to
» Yeah. [laughter] Yeah. I'm just going to
read it. Um, on behalf of Jupiter
Narrows Ocean Conservancy and the Andrew
Red Harris Foundation, we are excited to
invite you to join us as we celebrate an
important milestone for the Jupiter
Narrows. After years of planning and
collaboration, we're officially breaking
ground on a major effort to restore the
mangrove islands in the Jupiter Narrows.
This project represents an important
step toward reversing decades of
erosion, rebuilding critical coastal
habitat, and preser preserving this
treasured waterway for future
generations. We would be honored to have
you with us as we celebrate the
beginning of this work. The date is on
Wednesday, August 19th at 11 a.m. The
location is behind Island House
Southwest at 3:25 South Beach Road into
Questa.
Um, she says, "Please go to 375 South
Beach Road and use walkway on south side
of property to get to waterfront, then
turn left. Parking is very limited.
Please carpool.
Um, there are some guest parking spots
available.
Please let us know if you'll be able to
attend RSVP
to info@ Jupiter Narrowsconervation.org.
Thank you for your partnership and
support and helping make this project a
reality. We hope to celebrate with you
best. Supernella,
>> what time was it at? Right.
» what time was it at? Right.
>> It is at 11 a.m. on August 19th.
» It is at 11 a.m. on August 19th.
Unfortunately, I will not be available
on that day, but
I was hoping someone from the committee
might be able to go.
>> I might be. I have like I have to check.
» I might be. I have like I have to check.
>> If you do go, please remember to RSVP.
» If you do go, please remember to RSVP.
>> If you if you plan to go, please RSVP to
» If you if you plan to go, please RSVP to
Jupiter.
>> Okay.
» Okay.
>> And I think everybody on committee here
» And I think everybody on committee here
should have gotten this. It was an email
to all EAC members.
>> I And I believe I forwarded to everyone
» I And I believe I forwarded to everyone
as well.
>> You did? Okay.
» You did? Okay.
>> To to your personal email addresses.
» To to your personal email addresses.
>> All right.
» All right.
Okay.
» That lady Sue uh Panella,
>> she's a bulldog.
» she's a bulldog.
>> Amazing.
» Amazing.
>> She's a bulldog.
» She's a bulldog.
>> She She never gave up. Yeah, it just it
» She She never gave up. Yeah, it just it
was just like another uh step on a
ladder if she had anybody to cause her
delays.
>> It's impressive.
» It's impressive.
>> Amazing.
» Amazing.
>> That's impressive.
» That's impressive.
>> Um are there any other various comments
» Um are there any other various comments
from committee members?
>> No.
» Just a just a real quick staff update.
when when we were doing the Dover Ditch
tour and when I did my prep for that
Dover Ditch tour, I noticed that some of
the mangroves really weren't growing in
as well as we probably would have hoped.
So, um Allison and I are going to have
Keith Rosson from Mang go out with us
next week to see if he what his thoughts
are on if if we need to put some more
mangroves in. I think it's actually
still under warranty, so we're going to
possibly see if um Keith um or our
contractor will put more mangroves in
there. So, that's a good out possibly a
good outcome from our our tour.
>> Um, I'll give an update at the next
» Um, I'll give an update at the next
meeting uh about what we figure out.
>> Awesome.
» Awesome.
>> But otherwise, I mean, do I thought
» But otherwise, I mean, do I thought
looked great. Just thought the mangroves
were a little
>> Yeah,
» Yeah,
>> a little thin.
» a little thin.
>> Are they um able to survive in where
» Are they um able to survive in where
they are?
>> That's what I wanted to have Keith look
» That's what I wanted to have Keith look
at. We're going to go at low tide um
peak low tide just so he can make sure
that that they were installed in the
right place.
um and that they're, you know, in a in a
good environment to to thrive. And then
we also kind of noticed that that there
was maybe an opportunity to put even
more in because there's an existing
strand of mangroves that are kind of out
in the river and then they planted them
here and then there's still a whole
another bank. So, I'm going to ask Keith
like why not why not just make them make
them the whole way.
>> Um and of course we've got Keith who can
» Um and of course we've got Keith who can
do mangroves, the Eco Scouts can do
mangroves. So
>> yeah,
» yeah,
>> we might we might be able to
» we might we might be able to
>> put more in.
» put more in.
>> Will is it possible uh for me to tag
» Will is it possible uh for me to tag
along if available?
>> Just let me know when.
» Just let me know when.
>> Yeah. 9 o'clock on Monday. I'll send you
» Yeah. 9 o'clock on Monday. I'll send you
an invite.
>> It's coming.
» It's coming.
>> Yeah, Monday.
» Yeah, Monday.
>> That'd be cool.
» That'd be cool.
>> Um the Dover Ditch phase two and perhaps
» Um the Dover Ditch phase two and perhaps
phase three. Is that something online?
Do you know?
>> No, we don't we don't have design for
» No, we don't we don't have design for
it. It's just something that's been
talked about that there's an opportunity
to extend it to on the other side of
Riverside in the future.
>> Um,
» Um,
>> and just for my information, that other
» and just for my information, that other
side of of River or Riverside, um,
that's still toquest on one side and
Jupiter on the other. Okay.
>> All right. Um, any other future agenda
» All right. Um, any other future agenda
items?
» I ask it every time.
Um, anything else?
All right. Well, that is all on the
agenda. So, if you um would like to end
the meeting, I think we need a motion,
don't we?
>> Let's go.
» Let's go.
>> Or do I just call it? I I forget.
» Or do I just call it? I I forget.
>> Motion to end.
» Motion to end.
>> Motion to adjurnn.
» Motion to adjurnn.
>> Motion to adjurnn. That was a nicer way
» Motion to adjurnn. That was a nicer way
to put it.
>> Motion to adjurnn. Is there a second?
» Motion to adjurnn. Is there a second?
All those in favor? I
>> against
» against
motion carries.
>> Meeting is adjourned.
[laughter]
>> I'm looking forward to the Jupiter
» I'm looking forward to the Jupiter
Alliance.
>> It'll be fun. Nice to meet you.