August 7, 2008
Vol. 38, No. 356

Contact: James Brunswick, Community Ombudsman, phone: (302) 739-9040, or Vicki Ward, Office of the Secretary, phone: (302) 739-9007, or Melanie Rapp, Public Affairs, 302-739-9902.

Community Involvement Advisory Council Meeting Set for August 12 

The next meeting of the Community Involvement Advisory Council (CIAC) will be held from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., Tuesday, Aug. 12 at the Smyrna Rest Stop Conference Room, 5500 Dupont Parkway (U.S. Rt. 13), Smyrna.

The agenda will include:

 Meeting Protocol Review

 Community Environmental Project Fund (CEPF)

 Proposed CEPF Process Revisions

 Proposed CEPF Product Revisions

 Community Ombudsman Report

 Open Forum/Public Comments

The CIAC and the Community Ombudsman work to increase the flow of information between communities and the department, increase community participation and facilitate dialogue among all stakeholders during the decision-making process.

The CIAC was established by Senate Bill 33 and signed into law by Governor Ruth Ann Minner in July 2001 as a permanent council serving in an advisory capacity to the Secretary of DNREC. The legislation charged the CIAC to deal with interactions between the department and local communities. The Community Ombudsman position was also authorized by the same legislation.