Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation

Advisory Board Meeting Minutes

Tuesday, September 1, 2015 (9:00 a.m. Central) 

Duluth, Minn.; Massena, N.Y.; Washington, D.C. 

The Advisory Board of the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (SLSDC) 

convened on Tuesday, September 1, 2015 at 9:00 a.m. (Central) at the offices of the Duluth 

Seaway Port Authority in Duluth, Minn. One member of the Advisory Board (Wenona Singel) 

participated telephonically from East Lansing, Mich. Additional representatives from both the 

SLSDC’s Washington, D.C. and Massena, N.Y. offices participated via teleconference. 

The following individuals participated in the meeting on behalf of the SLSDC: 

 Betty Sutton, SLSDC Administrator 

 David McMillan, SLSDC Advisory Board Chairperson 

 William Mielke, SLSDC Advisory Board Member 

 Wenona Singel, SLSDC Advisory Board Member 

 Dr. Arthur Sulzer, SLSDC Advisory Board Member 

 Nancy Alcalde, SLSDC Director of Congressional and Public Relations 

 Tom Lavigne, SLSDC Associate Administrator for Infrastructure Management and 

Strategic Programs 

 Carrie Mann Lavigne, SLSDC Chief Counsel 

 Craig Middlebrook, SLSDC Deputy Administrator 

 Kevin O’Malley, SLSDC Director of Budget and Economic Development 

 Deborah Perkins, SLSDC Director of Human Resources 

 Sal Pisani, SLSDC Associate Administrator for Seaway Operations 

 Adam Schlicht, SLSDC Great Lakes Regional Representative 

 Nancy Scott, SLSDC Director of Financial Management and Administration 

 Charles Wipperfurth, SLSDC Special Advisor to the Administrator

I. Call to Order 

In his capacity as Board Chairperson, David McMillan welcomed all participants to the Advisory 

Board meeting and, noting the presence of quorum, called the meeting to order at 9:03 p.m. The 

Chairperson reiterated the importance of hosting the SLSDC Advisory Board in the Twin Ports 

area of Duluth, Minn. and Superior, Wis., a vital economic hub of maritime transportation on the 

Great Lakes. The Chairperson further observed that the Advisory Board would temporarily break 

during the regular proceedings in accordance with SLSDC Administrator Betty Sutton’s 

presentation of the 2014 Pacesetter Award to the Duluth Seaway Port Authority. The meeting 

continued pursuant to the meeting agenda. 

II. Approval of the Minutes 

Approval of the minutes from the June 2015 meeting was motioned by SLSDC Advisory Board 

Member William Mielke and was seconded by Member Arthur Sulzer. Without objection, the 

motion passed unanimously, and the June 2015 meeting minutes of the SLSDC Advisory Board 

were approved as written. 

 
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III. Quarterly Updates 

SLSDC Administrator Betty Sutton provided a quarterly update to the Advisory Board 

membership, including an update about the Saint Laurent cruise ship incident at Eisenhower 

Lock on June 18, 2015. The Administrator described how SLSDC personnel effectively followed 

protocols in its Emergency Response Plan in cooperation with emergency responders from 

Canada and the North Country of New York State. Due to the professionalism and competency 

of the emergency response staff, navigation was able to resume on the St. Lawrence Seaway in 

full 48 hours after the incident. Advisory Board member Mielke asked if the vessel caused any 

permanent damage to Eisenhower Lock, and Associate Administrator Thomas Lavigne replied 

that some minimal concrete damage will be repaired during the winter 2016 non-navigation 

season. Both Chairperson McMillan and Member Sulzer inquired about the official causes of the 

incident, and Deputy Administrator Middlebrook noted that the incident was still under 

investigation by the U.S. Coast Guard but did not immediately fall under the review threshold of 

the National Transportation Safety Board. 

A number of other internal initiatives were discussed by the Administrator, including the 

SLSDC’s successful replacement of its historic Financial Management System (FMS) with the 

U.S. Department of Interior’s Oracle Federal Financials in July 2015. The Administrator also 

mentioned the SLSDC’s ongoing commitment to promoting trade on the Great Lakes St. 

Lawrence Seaway System, particularly through its ongoing Great Lakes Regional Initiative 

based in Cleveland, Ohio. Two new major hiring decisions were also announced by the 

Administrator: the appointment of Nancy Scott as Chief Financial Officer, after serving in an 

acting capacity for several months, as well as the appointment of Deborah Perkins as the 

SLSDC’s new Director of Human Resources. Board Member Mielke acknowledged 

Administrator Sutton and Great Lakes Regional Representative Adam Schlicht’s recent efforts in 

Milwaukee, W.I. as part of the Wisconsin Commercial Ports Association meeting as a sign of the 

SLSDC’s ongoing commitment to Great Lakes trade and economic development. 

Associate Administrator Lavigne presented an operational update on behalf of Director Lori 

Curran in absentia, including a brief overview of the SLSDC’s response efforts to the Saint 

Laurent cruise ship incident. The SLSDC is also pursuing the purchase of four all-season buoys 

to try in various locations in the river, according to the Associate Administrator. The SLSDC is 

also participating in operational and emergency response exercises in coordination with the St. 

Regis Mohawk – Akwesasne First Nation communities as well as the U.S. – Canada Beyond the 

Board initiative. Advisory Board member Sulzer inquired about double pilotage requirements on 

the Seaway when buoys are removed, and Mr. Lavigne noted that the SLSDC has worked 

closely with U.S. and Canadian pilots to strategically limit the amount of double pilotage 

required on the inland waterway. 

The SLSDC’s ongoing Asset Renewal Program (ARP) was next discussed by Associate 

Administrator Lavigne. Particular ARP projects mentioned include miter gate upgrades at both 

Eisenhower and Snell Lock, the ongoing structural modifications to the ice flushing system at 

Snell Lock as well as the SLSDC’s plans to implement Hands Free Mooring (HFM) and Vessel 

Self Spotting (VSS) technologies in the future. Advisory Board Chairperson McMillan asked 

about how HFM and VSS work in conjunction, and Mr. Lavigne noted that the VSS system 

utilizes laser-based technology to properly position a vessel within the lock, allowing HFM units 

to attach to it. Deputy Administrator Middlebrook added that the SLSDC is preparing for full 
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implementation of HFM in accordance with its internal “Jobs of the Future” initiative and that 

the SLSDC has leveraged research and development support by the Canadian SLSMC 

throughout its planning process. 

The SLSDC Advisory Board meeting was halted at 9:30 a.m. Central time to allow for SLSDC 

Administrator Betty Sutton’s presentation of the 2014 Pacesetter Award to the Duluth Seaway 

Port Authority. The SLSDC Advisory Board meeting officially restarted at 11:10 a.m. (Central). 

The SLSDC’s budgetary and financial posture was next presented by Director Kevin O’Malley 

and Director Nancy Scott, respectively. Mr. O’Malley noted that the SLSDC’s preparations for 

the conclusion of Fiscal Year (FY) 2015, on September 30, were on target. Mr. O’Malley noted 

that the SLSDC leveraged its reserve fund to support the modernization of the SLSDC’s FMS to 

Oracle Federal Financials. Moreover, the SLSDC is currently preparing and supporting its FY 

2016 and FY 2017 budgets, which will include support for HFM as well replacement of the 

Robinson Bay tugboat. In her capacity as Chief Financial Officer, Ms. Scott highlighted the 

SLSDC’s successful conversion to Oracle as well its plans for Phase II deployments for eTravel 

and inventory-related modules. The SLSDC hosted representatives from DOT’s Office of 

Inspector General in summer 2015 as an advance audit of its financial processes prior to the 

expected arrival of its annual third-party audit in October 2015. Advisory Board member Mielke 

inquired about the issuance of tariffs on the Seaway, and Mr. O’Malley responded by noting that 

the SLSMC collects its own tolls. The SLSDC, however, as an appropriated federal agency 

through the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund, does not. The SLSDC, however, does collect 

approximately $800,000 annually in non-federal revenues through its rental payments at the 

Administration Building, interest on its investments, and revenues at the duty-free store at the 

Seaway International Bridge outside Massena. 

Great Lakes Regional Representative Adam Schlicht presented an overview of the SLSDC’s 

recent trade, marketing, and economic development-related initiatives since implementation of 

the program in Cleveland, Ohio in February 2015. The SLSDC is coordinating closely with the 

Canadian SLSMC on HwyH2O-related initiatives, including preparation for the Breakbulk 

Americas Conference (Houston, October 2015) and the HwyH2O Conference (Toronto, 

November 2015). The SLSDC has also recently participated in the Wisconsin Commercial Ports 

Association, Indiana Logistics Summit, and the Ohio Conference on Freight. Mr. Schlicht also 

highlighted presentations presented by the SLSDC, including at the City Club of Cleveland, the 

Federal Emergency Management Agency in New York City, and on Southeastern Wisconsin 

Load Center concept in Milwaukee. Finally, numerous 2014 Pacesetter awards have been 

distributed by Administrator Sutton at various events throughout summer 2015. Advisory Board 

Chairperson inquired about administration of the HwyH2O program, and Mr. Schlicht noted that 

the Canadian SLSMC has two full-time staff dedicated to the HwyH2O program and that the 

SLSDC’s Office of Budget and Economic Development supports the program on a daily basis 

with its binational counterparts. 

The latest environmental policy updates were presented by Deputy Administrator Middlebrook, 

including information about the approaching January 2016 deadline on ballast water technology. 

Mr. Middlebrook provided significant detail about the Akwesasne shoreline restoration project 

and the SLSDC’s ongoing coordination with the environmental division of the St. Regis 

Mohawk. The SLSDC remains engaged in securing grant-supported funds for the Akwesasne-led 

initiative. 
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As Director of Congressional and Public Relations, Nancy Alcalde also spoke about the latest in 

ballast water-related legislation in the U.S. Congress as well as recently proposed port 

performance legislation. The SLSDC, through the Great Lakes Seaway Partnership, is also 

expected to participate in a Seaway briefing on Capitol Hill in October 2015. Ms. Alcalde also 

discussed the SLSDC’s response to the Saint Laurent cruise ship incident, noting the heightened 

traffic on SLSDC web-based resources, including the Seaway binational site (greatlakesseaway.com), the SLSDC governmental information site (seaway.dot.gov), and the SLSDC’s 

official Facebook page (facebook.com/usdotslsdc). 

The final report from SLSDC senior staff was provided by Chief Counsel Carrie Mann Lavigne, 

who elaborated on continue coordination with the International Joint Commission specific to the 

proposed water regulation plan. In particular, comments have been provided by the DOT and 

SLSDC, and the order of approval has been revised. The status of the Canadian revisions is not 

known at this time. The Chief Counsel also administered ethics training to the SLSDC Advisory 

Board, as required annually of its membership. 

IV. Old and New Business 

Chairperson McMillan again thanked SLSDC senior staff for contributing to the SLSDC 

Advisory Board meeting in Duluth as well as the Pacesetter award presentation to the Duluth 

Seaway Port Authority. Advisory Board members discussed potential dates for its next meeting, 

and preliminarily mentioned December 8 or 9 as viable options. In his capacity as Special 

Advisor to the Administrator, Chuck Wipperfurth promised to follow-up with the SLSDC 

Advisory Board electronically. Advisory Board member Mielke reiterated the educational 

importance of the meeting in Duluth, and Advisory Board member Sulzer agreed, suggesting that 

maintaining connections across the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System is vital. Mr. 

Mielke further suggested that the 2016 in-person Advisory Board meeting be held in Cleveland, 

Ohio. 

V. Closing Discussion and Adjournment 

Deputy Administrator Middlebrook and Advisory Board Chairperson McMillan acknowledged 

Associate Administrator Sal Pisani, who is expected to retire in fall 2015, for his years of service 

to the SLSDC and 40+ years in the maritime industry. The meeting was adjourned at 12:03 p.m. 

(Central), with a motion to close from Mr. Sulzer, as seconded by Mr. Mielke. 

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