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White-Tailed Deer Task Force

September 21, 2011 Meeting Minutes
Parks Conference Room
14625 Rothgeb Drive
7:00 to 9:00 p.m.

Task Force Attendees

• Christine Davidson McCord, Resident
• Rob Gibbs, M-NCPPC, Montgomery Parks
• Audra Lew, Resident
• Mark Kibiloski, City of Rockville
• Steve Mader, City of Rockville
• Jake Marren, City of Rockville
• Fred Mowell, City of Rockville

Minutes
Public comments were addressed.  After a general analysis of the public comments, specific issues with the proposed draft plan were addressed.  The task force felt there were several viable main issues and recurring themes that occurred throughout the comments, as follows:

• More information on birth control measures.
• More information on methods of lethal reduction, including cost estimates.
• Site and or add statistics, data and research driving the plan.
• Do away with the recommendation for higher fences.
• Add a reference section to the plan.

To address a majority of these, a collective thought was to add local research data to the plan from sources that had been received throughout the meeting process.  Although it was originally decided not to add an overwhelming amount of data so the plan was not  overridden with statistics and local research already published by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Montgomery County, Howard County and other comprehensive publications, it was decided that highlights of these areas of research and supporting data will now be added to the plan.

To better address future issues, the following items were discussed:

• Consider a deer working group similar to Montgomery County’s group.
• Revise the steps for approval of an annual plan to better streamline the process.

It was also discussed that comments from Rockville residents supported lethal measures at a ratio of 2:1.  Also discussed was that residents’ comments should supersede and be considered before all other comments.

Next Meeting
A follow-up meeting will be planned for October.