Storm Water Advisory Committee update.

(The following is contributed by Tim Deatrick).

The Storm Water Advisory Committee met last night to review the proposed illicit discharge ordinance and reached a 100% consensus to recommend the ordinance to the sewer board and the city council in the month of December. The ordinance is the first of four that are required under Rule 13.

The committee also began discussions on the construction runoff control ordinance and was informed by a staff member of the Floyd County Soil and Water Conservation District on the county's approach to this issue. The SWAC will meet again on December 27th to make final recommendations regarding the construction runoff ordinance.

According to Mark McCormick of FMSM, the engineering firm advising the city on the storm water program, the city is making great progress in meeting the May 2006 permit deadline and that IDEM is positive about the city's milestones being reached, particularly the recent adoption of the interim fee that allowed the city to move the storm water program forward. Mark shared with the committee the progress that has been made in assessing impervious surface calculations for commercial properties, a major sticking point with councilman Kochert.

Committee members attending were Dutch Vigar, John Gonder, Paul Hanka and Melanie Hughes; absent was Yvonne Kersey. City Councilman Jack Messer was also in attendance as an observer.