NIFMP Advisory Borad Meeting_8-12-22_MeetingMinutes (002)

Natural Infrastructure Flood Mitigation Program (NIFMP):
Advisory Board Meeting
Draft Meeting Minutes

August 12, 2022
Time: 11:00 am Location: Microsoft Team

1. Attendees
Sarah Collins (NCLM) Bill Hunt (NCSU) Brian Radakovic (NC DOT)
Joseph Hudyncia (NCDA&CS) William McDow (EDF) Russ Harris (SW Commission)
Danica Schaffer-Smith (Nature Conservancy) Bill Holman (Conservation Fund)
Noah Persons (City of Wilson) Marlena Byrm (NCORR) Marc Recktenwald (DMS)
Periann Russell (DMS) Lin Xu (DMS)

2. Marc Recktenwald started the meeting and indicated that several board members replied to
his email this morning and were unable to attend the meeting. Some members did provide
feedback about the presentation he was about to give. Attendee was asked to introduce
himself/herself. Marc stated that he welcomes someone else to attend if the person on the
board could not attend. And the board member can also bring someone else attending the
meeting as well.

3. Marc started today’s presentation by reviewing the board’s May meeting, and he also went
through today’s meeting agenda.

4. Stone Creek Pilot Project
Marc provided an update on the Stoney Creek pilot project. He showed the area of concerns
for flooding and explained steps of the project moving forward.

Stoney Creek Pilot Project Request for Quota (RFQ) Review and Discussion
2.5 Definitions, Acronyms, and Abbreviations
• Bill Holman asked whether all definitions were drafted by DMS. Marc stated it was a
hybrid approach. DMS did use definitions developed by others and modified them for
this project.
• Will McDow suggested to make connection between “Green Infrastructure” and “Nature-
based Solution” in the document. Marc said that the green infrastructure is a part of
nature-based solution based on EPA definitions. DMS will revise the language in this
section and make connections between these two items. DMS would also like to preserve
all options for the pilot project.
• Will McDow would like to see the pilot project focusing on Nature-based solutions.

4.1 Contract Term
• The pilot will have an eight-year term, including five years of monitoring after
construction.

5.2 Tasks
Task 1. Conceptual Plan and Stakeholder Engagement
• Bill Hunt asked whether the pilot project would focus on the road of Wayne Memorial
Drive or the area near Wayne Memorial Hospital along the road. The project will focus
on the area near Wayne Memorial Hospital.
• Will McDow asked about the need for modeling and wanted to make sure that a large
amount of money was not going to be spent on this task. Marc and Periann stated all
vendors submitted proposals for IFB were all familiar with all modeling works having
been done for the Stoney Creek watershed.
• Bill Holman suggested modeling to be focused on future events. Periann explained the
need for additional modeling for the watershed and project. She believed that the
selected vendor would build models based on existing modeling efforts and make
modifications and improvements. Marc envisions that the pilot project will produce a
suite of measures addressing flooding issue in the Stoney Creek watershed. Some
measure will be implemented with the pilot project, and other can be implemented with
additional funding in the future.
• Marc stated that DMS is talking with local partners regarding long term stewardship of
the project. Some money has been taken out of the contract and DMS will use those
funds as seed money for long term stewardship.

Task 2. Property
• In addition to conservation easement and fee simple purchase, property options are also
expended to MOA and MOU. Will McDow asked whether DMS has contact Wayne
County. Marc stated that DMS did contact Wayne County.

Task 3. Final Flood Mitigation Plan and Permits
• Noah Persons asked whether the pilot project would produce a mechanism for possible
future flood mitigation banks. Marc indicated any such framework will be drafted by the
board.
• Bill Hunt suggested that vegetation monitoring needs to be done after at least a full
vegetation growing season.
• Marc stated construction of the project would occur between task 3 and task 4.

Task 5 – 9. Monitoring and Performance
• Bill Holman asked whether the project monitoring would be done by the selected vendor
or a third-party. The monitoring of the project will be done by the selected vendor.
• Will McDow asked whether hydrologic monitoring, like rainfall and discharge, would be
conducted for the project. Periann stated that DMS will ask the selected vendor to
develop metrics for demonstrating success of the project. Marc further stated that
constructed measures, vegetation, and impact to the downstream of the project would be

monitored. DMS will certainly document the positive changes of the Stoney creek
watershed result from the pilot project.
• Bill Hunt suggested that the hydrologic monitoring, especially at the edge of a property,
will be useful. DMS will examine each measure individually and collectively. Periann
indicated that DMS would investigate possibility of some aspect of the project to be
monitored independently and possibility of working with researchers and their students.

5.3 Payment Schedule and Description of Milestones
• Will McDow suggested that payment should be tasked based, not receipt based. The
payment for this project is task based as is standard with DMS contracting.

Attachment A: Pricing Form
• Will McDow asked how NCORR 5-million-dollar buyout funds can be used together
with DEQ funds on the pilot project. Marc indicated that DMS has discussed with
NCORR. One possible cooperation is for NCORR using their fund to purchase
properties identified in the pilot project’s conceptual plan.

5. NIFMP Updates
CBDG Grant
• MOA has been signed and it is ready to move forward.

UNC Collaborative Discussion

6. Bill Holman informed the board other efforts occurring in City of Goldsboro and Wayne
County. He stated that NCORR has met with the city. Seymore Johnson air force base is
developing a resiliency plan.

7. Marc provided an update on the blueprint process. The meeting was adjourned at 12:30 pm.