Apr 07, 2021 Environmental Commission Meeting

[00:00:02]

LET ME CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER, AND TONIGHT, WE'RE STARTING OUT WITH A GREEN THEME PRESENTATION BY KELLY KARLL AND KATIE GRANTHAM FROM SEMCOG THEY'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT INTEGRATING GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE INTO THEIR PROGRAMS AND POLICIES.

AND KELLY AND KATIE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SOME INFORMATION IN OUR PACKET ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUNDS, BUT IT WOULD PROBABLY BE GOOD FOR YOU TO REMIND US WHAT YOUR POSITIONS ARE AT SEMCOG. YOU'VE GOT THE FLOOR.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JOHN, AND THANK YOU, LEROY, FOR INVITING US TO SPEAK TODAY AGAIN.

MY NAME IS KELLY KARLL.

I MANAGE OUR ENVIRONMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE GROUP AT THE SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS. AND SEMCOG IS IN SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN, AS YOU MAY KNOW, WE'RE A SEVENTH COUNTY REGION, WE'RE THE COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS AND THE MUNICIPAL PLANNING ORGANIZATION FOR THE SEVEN COUNTIES.

IT'S ABOUT A POPULATION OF ABOUT FOUR POINT SEVEN MILLION, PROBABLY CLOSE TO HALF THE POPULATION IN MICHIGAN.

MY BACKGROUND, I'VE BEEN IN WATER INFRASTRUCTURE AND GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE FOR CLOSE TO 30 YEARS OF MY CAREER.

MY BACHELOR'S AND MASTER'S ARE FROM MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY IN CIVIL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING. AND I'VE BEEN IN MUNICIPAL ENGINEERING.

I'VE BEEN IN CONSULTING AND NOW, REGIONAL PLANNING.

SO I'VE KIND OF COVERED THE GAMUT OF DIFFERENT TOPIC AREAS.

BUT ONE THING YOU MIGHT FIND MOST INTERESTING ABOUT ME IS I GREW UP IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AND I REMEMBER BACK IN THE DAY WHEN THE OKEMOS ROAD EXIT HAD TWO GAS STATIONS AND THAT WAS IT. I REMEMBER WHEN THEY BUILT THE BURGER KING AND I REMEMBER GOING THERE FOR LUNCH AT HIGH SCHOOL. SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART.

I'VE SEE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP GROW OVER THE YEARS AND A LOT OF BIG CHANGES.

THE MOST EXCITING THING I THINK I WOULD SAY MOST RECENTLY IS THE BOARDWALK YOU BUILT ON OKEMOS ROAD, SOUTH OF CENTRAL PARKWAY, YOU KNOW, NORTH OF GRAND RIVER THERE ACROSS THE WETLAND. I JUST REMEMBER FOR SO MANY YEARS, IT WAS A BIG WETLAND AND IT WAS BEAUTIFUL TO SEE THAT BOARDWALK AND WALKWAY GOING THERE.

SO ANYWAY, I STILL HAVE FAMILY THERE, SO I JUST LIKE TO SHARE THAT.

BUT ANYWAY, I THINK KATIE IS GOING TO GO AHEAD AND SHARE A SCREEN AND WHEN SHE COMES ON, SHE CAN GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF HER BACKGROUND.

AND I'M GOING TO KICK IT OFF AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT JUST GREAT INFRASTRUCTURE IN GENERAL. AND THEN SHE'S GOING TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF OUR PLANS AND POLICIES AND SOME OF OUR LOCAL INITIATIVES THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.

SO, GO AHEAD KATIE, NEXT SLIDE.

SO, I'M NOT AS FAMILIAR WITH YOUR BACKGROUND ON GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, SO I JUST THOUGHT I'D GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE 101.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT SYSTEMS AND PRACTICES THAT USE OR MIMIC NATURAL PROCESSES, WHICH WE'RE GOING TO ELABORATE ON THIS EVENING WITH A BUNCH OF EXAMPLES.

SO, GO AHEAD, KATIE, NEXT SLIDE.

FROM BASICALLY, WE SAY WHAT IS DIFFERENT IN THESE TWO SLIDES WE USED TO SHOW SLIDES, YOU KNOW HOW YOU REMEMBER THE HIDDEN PICTURE SLIDES.

WHAT'S DIFFERENT IN THE TWO PICTURES? BASICALLY, WE'RE TRYING TO TAKE DEVELOPED AREAS AND WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE THEM FUNCTION LIKE THEY'RE STILL NATURAL AREAS IN TERMS OF STORM WATER RUNOFF.

NEXT SLIDE, KATIE. SO IN OUR REGION AND COMMONLY AT THE STATE, WE DEFINE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE IN TWO DIFFERENT CATEGORIES.

WE DEFINE THEM IN BOTH NATURAL AREAS AND CONSTRUCTED TECHNIQUES THAT WHEN WE TALK

[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]

[2. GREEN THEME PRESENTATION: Kelly Karll and Katherine Grantham with SE Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) will share how they've integrated green infrastructure into regional plans and policies.]

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. SECOND CATEGORY INCLUDES CONSTRUCTED OR BUILT GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE SUCH AS [INAUDIBLE] GARDENS, BIO SWALES, GREEN ROOFS AND COMMUNITY GARDENS.

IT'S BECOME INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT WITHIN OUR REGION AS IT CONTRIBUTES TO ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AND QUALITY OF LIFE.

BEYOND THAT, GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE CONTRIBUTES TO PLACEMAKING, ECONOMIC VALUE AND HEALTHY COMMUNITIES, WHICH I'LL ELABORATE ON HERE IN A LITTLE BIT.

NEXT SLIDE, KATIE.

SO GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE HAS MULTIPLE BENEFITS, WHICH YOU MAY VERY WELL BE AWARE OF, INCLUDING MANAGING STORM WATER, REDUCING FLOODING, BUT THERE'S ALSO ECONOMIC BENEFITS, COMMUNITY BENEFITS AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS TO IMPLEMENTING AND MANAGING GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE. LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT JUST A BIT MORE.

ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL SIDE, YOU CAN SEE THE GAMUT OF ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS, YOU CAN SEE HERE ANYTHING FROM ENERGY TO WATER QUALITY TO REDUCING FLOODING TO AIR QUALITY, PROTECTING GROUNDWATER, ANY NUMBER OF BENEFITS.

BUT ONE OF THE THINGS I LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT MOST OFTEN WHEN WE TALK ABOUT STORM WATER RUNOFF AND WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT NEW DEVELOPMENTS WITHIN YOUR COMMUNITY, IT ONLY TAKES ABOUT AN INCH OF RUNOFF TO MANAGE TURN AND WITHIN GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE TECHNIQUES TO ACTUALLY IMPACT EIGHTY FIVE PERCENT OF THE ANNUAL RUNOFF VOLUME.

SO, IN OTHER WORDS, IF YOU DESIGN GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE TO INFILTRATE OR MANAGE THE FIRST

[00:05:02]

AND THAT'S SIGNIFICANT.

GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE IS DESIGNED TO BE DECENTRALIZED.

WE'RE TRYING TO MANAGE RAINFALL WHERE IT LANDS ESSENTIALLY MORE SO THAN JUST PUTTING IT IN A DETENTION POND, MORE SO THAN JUST REDIRECTING OUT TO OUR LOCAL CREEKS AND STREAMS. NEXT SLIDE, KATIE.

AND AS A STORM WATER ENGINEER, WE'RE ALSO TRYING TO COMMUNICATE TO OTHER PLANNERS ABOUT THE OTHER TYPES OF BENEFITS, ESPECIALLY IN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING FROM TRAFFIC CALMING TO PLACEMAKING, WE SAY, CRIME REDUCTION.

IN FACT, THERE ARE AN INCREASING NUMBER OF STUDIES THAT SUGGEST THAT VEGETATION AND GREEN SPACE CAN HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON HUMAN HEALTH.

RECENT RESEARCH HAS LINKED THE PRESENCE OF TREES PLANTS AND GREENSPACE TO REDUCED LEVELS OF CRIME AND VIOLENCE, A STRONGER SENSE OF COMMUNITY, IMPROVED ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, AND EVEN REDUCTIONS IN THE SYMPTOMS ASSOCIATED WITH ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDERS. SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF BENEFITS OF GREENSPACE.

I THINK, INHERENTLY, WE ALL KIND OF SEE THAT.

BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF STUDIES THAT ACTUALLY QUANTIFY SOME OF THOSE BENEFITS.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. AND BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TO KATIE, WE CAN EVEN TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE ECONOMIC VALUE OF GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE.

FROM A BIG PICTURE PERSPECTIVE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REDUCING IMPERVIOUS COVER, REDUCING THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH HARD INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS.

THAT LEADS TO LONGER INFRASTRUCTURE LIFE.

BUT A NUMBER OF CASE STUDIES SUGGEST THAT GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE CAN ALSO INCREASE SURROUNDING PROPERTY VALUES.

IN PHILADELPHIA, FOR EXAMPLE, A GREEN RETROFIT PROGRAM THAT CONVERTED UNSIGHTLY, ABANDONED LOTS INTO CLEAN AND GREEN LANDSCAPES RESULTED IN ECONOMIC IMPACTS THAT EXCEEDED THEIR EXPECTATIONS.

VACANT LAND IMPROVEMENTS LED TO AN INCREASE IN SURROUNDING HOUSING VALUES BY AS MUCH AS 30 PERCENT. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE TRY TO SAY GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE IS MORE THAN JUST MANAGING RUNOFF, IT'S SHOWING HOW IT CAN BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY AND CAN BENEFIT INDIVIDUALS WITHIN THEIR OWN QUALITY OF LIFE EXPERIENCES.

I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO KATIE.

SO, KATIE, WHY DON'T YOU GIVE THEM A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND AND THEN SHE'S GOING TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE'VE TAKEN THESE TOPICS AND INTEGRATED INTO OUR REGIONAL PLANS, AS WELL AS SOME OF OUR LOCAL PROJECTS.

THANKS SO MUCH, KELLY, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING ME HERE TONIGHT.

I'VE BEEN LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE WITH SEMCOG FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS AND LEARNED SO MUCH FROM KELLY, WHO'S A GREAT MENTOR.

SO I'M EXCITED TO TALK ABOUT ALL THE INITIATIVES WE HAVE GOING ON AT SEMCOG.

TO GIVE YOU JUST A LITTLE BIT OF MY BACKGROUND.

I GOT MY BACHELOR'S IN ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES AT MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY, SO I'M A LITTLE BIT FAMILIAR WITH MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP JUST FROM BEING ON CAMPUS FOR FOUR YEARS.

AND THEN I GOT MY MASTER'S IN NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN.

SO SORRY, SPARTAN FANS.

I REALLY LOVE TALKING ABOUT GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE.

I WORK ON A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT TOPICS AT SEMCOG, FROM GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE TO WATER QUALITY TO COMMUNICATION AND EDUCATION TO SOLID WASTE.

SO REALLY DEPENDS ON, YOU KNOW, WHAT HAT I PUT ON IN THE MORNING.

BUT I'M REALLY EXCITED TO TALK ABOUT GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND OUR INITIATIVES AT SEMCOG WITH ALL OF YOU TODAY.

SO WE'LL FLIP TO THE NEXT SLIDE, SO SEMCOG REALLY WORKS TO INTEGRATE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE INTO REGIONAL PLANNING ACTIVITIES AND THE PLANS THAT ARE LAID OUT HERE REALLY HELP TO GUIDE OUR WORK AND HOPEFULLY HELP TO GUIDE OTHERS' WORK THROUGHOUT OUR DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN.

SO THESE PLANS INCLUDE OUR GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE VISION FOR SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN, OUR LOW IMPACT DEVELOPMENT MANUAL FOR MICHIGAN AND OUR GREAT LAKES AND GREEN STREETS GUIDEBOOK.

SO THE LID MANUAL PICTURED HERE IS A REALLY HIGHLY USEFUL PLANNING TOOL THAT DISCUSSES THE BENEFITS OF LOW IMPACT DEVELOPMENT AND HIGHLIGHTING EFFECTIVE TECHNIQUES AND WHEN THEY SHOULD BE USED.

SO THIS GUIDE LARGELY PROVIDES COMMUNITIES, AGENCIES, BUILDERS, DEVELOPERS AND THE PUBLIC WITH GUIDANCE ON HOW TO APPLY LID TO NEW, EXISTING AND REDEVELOPED SITES.

AND SO THIS GUIDE PROVIDES COMMUNITY LEVEL SUPPORT TO SITE LEVEL SUPPORT AND CAN BE REALLY HELPFUL FOR A BROADER VARIETY OF STAKEHOLDER GROUPS.

SO I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO CHECK IT OUT.

WE ALSO HAVE OUR GREAT LAKES AND GREEN STREETS GUIDEBOOK, WHICH IS ANOTHER REALLY HIGHLY USEFUL PLAN THAT CAPTURES SEVERAL ROAD IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS WITHIN THE GREAT LAKES WATERSHEDS AND REALLY HIGHLIGHTS HOW THEY'RE INCORPORATING GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE TECHNIQUES TO MANAGE STORM WATER RUNOFF.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD EXAMPLES IN THERE THAT CAN HELP GUIDE DIFFERENT TYPES OF GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT.

AND THEN THE LAST PLAN THAT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS OUR GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE VISION FOR SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN. THAT'S REALLY PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN SHAPING GREEN

[00:10:02]

AND SO THIS VISION REALLY BENCHMARKS WHERE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE CURRENTLY STANDS.

THIS PLAN ALSO IDENTIFIES THE QUALITY OF GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE IN OUR REGION, AS WELL AS HOW CONNECTED OUR GREEN SPACES ARE, AND THE VISION ALSO THEN LOOKS AT THINGS LIKE ACCESS TO PUBLIC GREEN SPACE AND PLACES WHERE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE CAN BE IMPLEMENTED IN THE FUTURE TO SERVE A VARIETY OF BENEFITS THAT WE KIND OF TALKED ABOUT EARLIER AND REALLY TO ENSURE THAT ALL RESIDENTS HAVE EQUAL ACCESS TO GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE.

ANOTHER IMPORTANT THING THAT THIS PLAN TOUCHES ON IS THE CONNECTIONS WITH WATER, AIR AND TRANSPORTATION, WHICH ARE ALL REALLY IMPORTANT ASPECTS IN OUR REGION.

AND THE PLAN DISCUSSES HOW GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE BENEFITS OUR ECONOMY, SUCH AS INCREASING PROPERTY VALUES AND PROVIDING FOUR BILLION DOLLARS ANNUALLY FOR TOURISM, ENERGY EFFICIENCY BENEFITS AND HEALTH BENEFITS TO FOLKS WITHIN OUR REGION.

SO WE WANTED TO SHOW JUST THIS MAP THAT YOU CAN FIND WITHIN OUR GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE VISION, BECAUSE TREE CANOPY CAN REALLY PROVIDE NUMEROUS BENEFITS IN THE REGION AND THIS REALLY KIND OF HELPS TO CENTER OUR GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE VISION, AND IT'S REALLY AN INDICATOR FOR OUR REGION.

SO TREES HAVE THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE NECESSARY HABITAT, IMPROVE ESTHETICS AND ADD PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY DOWNTOWN, INCREASED PROPERTY VALUE AND PROVIDE WATER QUALITY AND AIR QUALITY BENEFITS.

AND SO THIS MAP IS SHOWING TREE CANOPY IN OUR REGION.

CURRENTLY, SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN'S EXISTING TREE CANOPY IS 30 PERCENT AND THE VISION SETS A REGIONAL GOAL FOR 40 PERCENT AND REALLY EMPHASIZES AREAS IN THE REGION THAT HAVE LESS THAN 20 PERCENT. SO YOU CAN SEE THAT AREAS LIKE SOUTHERN MACOMB, DETROIT AND EASTERN WAYNE COUNTY AS WELL AS MONROE ALL HAVE LESS THAN OR AROUND 20 PERCENT TREE CANOPY COVER.

AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE REACHING OUT TO THOSE COMMUNITIES AND WORKING WITH THEM ON WAYS THAT WE CAN SUCCESSFULLY INCORPORATE INCREASING TREE CANOPY AS WELL AS GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE WITHIN THOSE COMMUNITIES FOR A WHOLE VARIETY OF BENEFIT.

I ALSO WANTED TO TALK ABOUT OUR WATER RESOURCE PLAN, SO IN ADDITION TO OUR GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE VISION, WE DO HAVE A WATER RESOURCE PLAN THAT WAS RELEASED IN TWENTY EIGHTEEN. AND THIS PLAN REALLY FOCUSES ON WATER AND THE BENEFITS OF WATER RESOURCES.

AND THE PLAN IDENTIFIES THE BENEFITS OF GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND HOW THEY KIND OF TIE IN WITH WATER QUALITY AS WELL AS THINGS LIKE TOURISM AND OUR BLUE ECONOMY AND HOW TREES CAN BE BENEFICIAL IN STORM WATER MANAGEMENT AND POLICIES IN THIS PLAN REALLY FOCUS AROUND PRESERVING AND RESTORING NATURAL AREAS AND COORDINATING INFRASTRUCTURE, ASSET MANAGEMENT AND CREATING FLEXIBLE REGULATIONS AND POLICIES TO IMPLEMENT GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE FOR WATER QUALITY BENEFITS.

AND NOW, BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY PLANS AND I WANT YOU GUYS TO KNOW ALL ABOUT THEM, I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT OUR PARKS AND RECREATION PLAN, WHICH IS ONE OF OUR NEWER PLANS ADOPTED IN MAY OF TWENTY NINETEEN.

OUR REGION HAS OVER TWO THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED PARKS COVERING TWO HUNDRED AND FOURTEEN THOUSAND ACRES.

AND SO THESE PARKS ARE REALLY CONNECTED BY TRAILS AND GREEN WAYS AND HELP TO MAKE UP THE LARGER GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE NETWORK THROUGHOUT SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN.

AND SO THIS PLAN IDENTIFIES GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT LIGHT, FOCUSING ON THE VALUE OF GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE FROM A PARKS AND RECREATION STANDPOINT.

THIS PLAN FOCUSES ON ENHANCING OUR REGION'S RECREATION SYSTEM AND BUILDS ON RECOMMENDATIONS FROM BOTH THE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE VISION AND THE WATER RESOURCE PLAN FOR SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN. SO THESE ARE KIND OF OUR PLANS.

A LOT OF COMMUNITIES USE THEM THROUGHOUT SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN, BUT I DEFINITELY INVITE YOU ALL TO CHECK THEM OUT BECAUSE I THINK THEY EXPAND ACROSS GREATER MICHIGAN WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND POLICIES THAT WE HAVE IN THEM.

SO NOW I WANT TO TAKE A MINUTE TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF OUR DIFFERENT GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE INITIATIVES, WHICH REALLY FOCUS ON, OK, WE HAVE ALL OF THESE GREAT PLANS.

WHAT ARE THE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE DOING TO REALLY IMPLEMENT THE POLICIES AND ACTIONS WITHIN THESE PLANS THAT I JUST OUTLINED? SO WE WANT TO START BECAUSE SEMCOG CURRENTLY HAS GREAT LAKES RESTORATION INITIATIVE FUNDS FROM THE EPA TO OFFER A GRANT PROGRAM TO OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES FOR GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE IMPLEMENTATION. SO WHEN WE OFFER GRANT PROGRAMS, WE CONSISTENTLY ENCOURAGE APPLICATIONS THAT ADDRESS MULTIPLE OUTCOMES, INCLUDING ADDRESSING THINGS LIKE STORM WATER, INCREASING ACCESS TO PUBLIC GREEN SPACE, AND ENCOURAGING GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE EDUCATION.

SO IN THE CASE OF [INAUDIBLE], IN THIS PHOTO, OUR GRANT PROGRAM WAS COMBINED WITH MDOT TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVES GRANT FUNDS TO CONSTRUCT GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AS A PART OF THE AUBURN ROAD IMPROVEMENTS IN ROCHESTER HILLS.

[00:15:01]

SO REALLY EXCITING TO KIND OF SEE THOSE GRANT FUNDS ACTUALLY BEING IMPLEMENTED AND SEE KIND OF WHAT CAME FROM IT.

AND IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY, RUNOFF COLLECTS ON THE CURB LINES AND IS DIRECTED INTO THE BAYOU RETENTION AREAS ALONG THE SIDEWALKS.

AND THESE AREAS ALSO PROVIDE THINGS LIKE TRAFFIC CALMING AND A SENSE OF SAFETY FOR PEDESTRIANS. SO A REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE OF A PROJECT THAT'S KIND OF IMPLEMENTING ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE BENEFITS IN OUR REGION.

I'D ALSO LIKE TO TALK ABOUT OUR TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVES PROGRAM, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS TAP TAP IN SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN IS A JOINT VENTURE BETWEEN SEMCOG AND MDOT, AND WE WORK COLLABORATIVELY TO REVIEW AND SELECT PROJECTS THAT ACHIEVE BOTH GOALS, AS WELL AS KIND OF TIE IN WITH THE PRIORITIES FROM SEMCOG'S REGIONAL PLANS.

SO WHILE THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT PRIORITY FOR TAP FUNDING TO INCLUDE THINGS LIKE PATHWAYS AND TRAILS, THERE IS AN ELEMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MITIGATION AND WE ESPECIALLY WORK WORKED ON INCORPORATING THIS INTO LAST YEAR'S CALL FOR PROJECTS.

SO THIS INCLUDES ADDING IN THINGS LIKE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE ALONG ROADWAYS.

AND WE ENCOURAGE OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND COMMUNITIES TO CONSIDER THE SOURCE OF FUNDING TO HELP MANAGE RUNOFF FROM ROADS.

AND SO THIS KIND OF DETAILS WHAT WE WHERE YOU WERE SPECIFICALLY LOOKING AT WITH OUR TAP FUNDS. I ALSO WANT TO TALK ABOUT A PROJECT THAT I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT, THAT HOPEFULLY WE WILL HAVE DATA FOR THIS UPCOMING JUNE, TENTATIVELY, COVID'S KIND OF PUSHED SOME THINGS BACK, BUT WE'RE REALLY EXCITED BECAUSE WE CONTRACTED WITH THE STATE OF MICHIGAN TO UPDATE THE NATIONAL WETLAND INVENTORY FOR OUR SEVEN COUNTY REGION.

AND SO THIS DATA WILL BE PROVIDED IN A [INAUDIBLE] FORMAT AND WE'LL REALLY BE A DATA SOURCE FOR EARLY PLANNING AND COORDINATION FOR TRANSPORTATION AND OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS. SO AN EXAMPLE OF HOW WE'D LIKE TO INCORPORATE IT IS WE RUN AN ENVIRONMENTAL SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS.

AND SO WE'RE HOPING TO GET THIS DATA IN KIND OF INCORPORATED IN SO WE CAN BE AWARE OF WHAT UPCOMING ROAD PROJECTS OR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS ARE AND HOW WE CAN TIE IN ENVIRONMENTAL SENSITIVE AREAS AND INFORM KIND OF PROJECTS AND JUST CREATE BETTER ASSET MANAGEMENT AND COORDINATION ACROSS THE REGION.

SO ADDITIONALLY, THE STATE IS GOING TO ASSIGN FUNCTIONS AND VALUES TO THE WETLANDS.

AND THIS WILL GIVE US MORE DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT WHETHER WETLAND FUNCTIONS TO MANAGE STORM WATER OR ITS PRIORITIES FOR HABITAT AND WILDLIFE IN OUR REGION.

AND THIS TYPE OF DATA IS REALLY CRITICAL IN ORDER TO PRIORITIZE WETLAND RESTORATION AND PRESERVATION OPPORTUNITIES.

LASTLY, YOU GUYS MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT FAMILIAR WITH THIS, BECAUSE I THINK YOU ARE WORKING THROUGH THIS PROCESS, BUT I WANTED TO TAKE A MINUTE TO TALK ABOUT THIS WONDERFUL AUDIT OF LOCAL CODES AND ORDINANCES BOOK.

SO BOTH MICHIGAN AND WISCONSIN [INAUDIBLE] ORGANIZATIONS HAD COMPLETED STUDIES IDENTIFYING BARRIERS TO GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE IMPLEMENTATION.

AND SO, IN OTHER WORDS, THERE'S A REALLY BIG PUSH TO INSTALL AND EXPAND GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND COMMUNITIES.

BUT THERE'S ALSO A NUMBER OF BARRIERS TO SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION THAT TRANSCEND A LOT OF DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES.

SO, FOR EXAMPLE, ONE COMMON CHALLENGE WITH GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE IMPLEMENTATION IS LACK OF ACCEPTANCE BY BOTH LOCAL LEADERS, COMBINED WITH CONFLICTING CODES AND ORDINANCES.

AND SO WE REALLY APPLAUD YOU GUYS FOR LOOKING AT GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE OPPORTUNITIES IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

WE THINK THIS IS A REALLY GREAT GUIDE TO KIND OF HELP YOU THROUGH THAT PROCESS.

SO ONE WAY TO ADDRESS THESE BARRIERS IS TO COMPLETE AN AUDIT OF YOUR LOCAL CODES AND ORDINANCES TO IDENTIFY WHERE YOU MIGHT CONSIDER CHANGES IN WORDING TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBLE FOR GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE.

SO OFTENTIMES LID ORDINANCES CONFLICT WITH THE DESIRE FOR NATIVE PLANTS AND LANDSCAPING ORDINANCES MIGHT NOT BE AMENABLE FOR THINGS LIKE GREEN ROOFS OR [INAUDIBLE] GARDENS OR OTHER DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES.

SO CODE ELEMENTS THAT MIGHT BE EVALUATED THROUGH AN AUDIT INCLUDE THINGS LIKE LAND USE TYPE, DENSITIES, SITE LAYOUTS, LANDSCAPING AND PARKING REQUIREMENTS, WHICH IS A PRETTY BIG ONE. SO ONCE THOSE STORMWATER CALCULATIONS ARE COMPLETED, THEN IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO EVALUATE A DECENTRALIZED APPROACH TO MANAGING THAT RUNOFF BEFORE PUTTING IT INTO A POND OR UNDERGROUND.

AND SO THERE'S KIND OF A PROCESS THAT YOU WORK THROUGH AND PRIORITIZE USING THIS GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AUDIT PROCESS.

SO THE FIRST IS TO IDENTIFY AMBIGUOUS REGULATIONS THAT CAN REFER TO THOSE CONFLICTING

[00:20:02]

ADDITIONALLY, IF THE GOAL IS TO ALLOW RUNOFF TO SOAK INTO THE GROUND WHERE FEASIBLE, THEN YOU MIGHT CONSIDER ALTERNATIVES ON SITE OR [INAUDIBLE] OR BY OUR RETENTION AREAS.

THE SECOND IS REALLY IDENTIFYING REGULATIONS PERTAINING TO PARKING FRONTAGE AND STREETSCAPES THAT COULD BE UPDATED OR AMENDED.

WOOPS, SORRY, I HIT THE WRONG THING, BUT REALLY WHAT THIS REFERS TO IS PARKING REQUIREMENTS AND THERE ARE SOME STANDARD RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PARKING LOT SIZES FOCUSING ON REDUCING THE QUANTITY OF IMPERVIOUS SURFACES WHILE STILL SUPPORTING THE SITES NEEDS FOR PARKING. ADDITIONALLY, CURB ISLANDS WITHIN PARKING LOTS MAY BE INVERTED TO ALLOW FOR COLLECTION AND INFILTRATION OF STORM WATER FROM THE PARKING LOT.

AND THEN THREE, IDENTIFY CONDITIONAL USAGE IN ZONING DISTRICTS.

SO THIS ITEM IS REALLY OFTEN REFERS TO SUCH TOPICS AS TRASH IN DUMPSTERS, ENSURING THAT THEY ARE NOT LOCATED NEAR A CATCH BASIN SO THAT POLLUTANTS AREN'T DIRECTLY DISCHARGING INTO THE STORM SEWER SYSTEM.

THESE ARE KIND OF SOME OF THE WAYS THAT THE AUDIT PROCESS CAN BE USED.

AND THEN THE LAST THING IS, AS YOU KIND OF WORK THROUGH THIS, THEN YOU CAN INCORPORATE SOME OF THOSE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE EXAMPLES.

SO THESE ARE THINGS LIKE INCORPORATING BIORETENTION INTO GENERAL LANDSCAPING REQUIREMENTS, USING NATIVE OR DEEP ROOTED PLANTS WITH AMPLE SOIL IN PLACES WHERE THERE MIGHT BE TURFGRASS.

REDUCING TOTAL IMPERVIOUS AREA ASSOCIATED WITH PARKING REQUIREMENTS AND ALLOWING THE USE OF PERMEABLE SURFACES IN PARKING LOTS OR DRIVEWAYS FIRE PROTECTION AREAS AS WELL AS ALLEYWAYS. SO DEFINITELY A GOOD THING TO WORK THROUGH THIS CODES AUDIT BOOK AND KIND OF FIGURE OUT THE BEST WAYS THAT YOU CAN MAYBE MAKE THOSE CODES A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBLE TO INCORPORATE A LOT OF THESE IMPORTANT GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE ELEMENTS.

AND WITH THAT, I'VE KIND OF RUN THROUGH ALL OF OUR DIFFERENT PLANS AND INITIATIVES, SO I WILL OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS IF WE HAVE TIME FOR THAT AND I'LL STOP SHARING MY SCREEN.

WELL, THANK YOU, KELLY AND KATIE, THAT WAS VERY HELPFUL AND VERY INFORMATIVE.

I'VE GOT ONE QUESTION FOR YOU.

YOU KNOW, BEING A TOWNSHIP, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE NOT NECESSARILY THE SAME AUTHORITIES LIKE THE CITY WOULD HAVE OR THE COUNTY ALSO.

DO YOU HAVE ANY EXAMPLES IN SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN OF TOWNSHIPS THAT YOU THINK HAVE KIND OF BEEN LEADERS IN THIS AREA OF GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT? WE COULD CERTAINLY PROVIDE YOU WITH THOSE.

I THINK, AND MAYBE LIKE YOU, MUCH OF THE JURISDICTION FOR STORM WATER RUNOFF WHEN IT COMES TO TOWNSHIPS FALLS ON THE COUNTY.

SO IF YOU HAVE A NEW DEVELOPMENT THAT COMES IN, I IMAGINE THE INGHAM COUNTY DRAIN COMMISSIONER HAS A LOT OF REVIEW PROCESS AND AUTHORITY OVER THAT IN TERMS OF THE APPROVAL PROCESS. BUT A NUMBER OF THE TOWNSHIPS AND COMMUNITIES HAVE KIND OF DEVELOPED A PARTNERSHIP SO THAT THEY'RE INVOLVED WITH THAT PROCESS TO PROVIDE SOME INSIGHT IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY'D LIKE TO SEE IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITY AND SOME OF THE TOWNSHIPS AND COMMUNITIES HAD DEVELOPED THEIR OWN ORDINANCES WITH REGARD TO SOME OF THE LANDSCAPING GUIDELINES THAT THEY'D LIKE TO SEE, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO NATIVE PLANTS.

SO WE COULD PULL SOME OF THOSE TOGETHER FOR YOU.

YOU KNOW, I MIGHT SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE MENTIONED ROCHESTER HILLS, THAT'S BEING A CITY, BUT OBVIOUSLY CLINTON TOWNSHIP IN OUR REGION.

THAT'S IN MACOMB COUNTY, I MIGHT MENTION ALSO LIKE PITTSFIELD TOWNSHIP AND WASHTENAW COUNTY, CANTON TOWNSHIP IN WAYNE COUNTY IN LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

I'D HAVE TO LOOK AND SEE.

BUT I MEAN, A NUMBER OF THEM ARE DOING A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT INITIATIVES AND ANYTHING FROM TRYING TO PROVIDE MORE NATIVE PLANT AREAS ALONG STREAM BUFFERS.

WAYNE COUNTY HAS A BIG INITIATIVE ALONG THAT THROUGH ALL THEIR PARKWAYS, THEY'RE TRYING TO REDUCE MOWING AND INSTALLING KIND OF THESE GREEN WAYS ALONG THERE TO SOME OF THE TOWNSHIPS, BEING SPECIFIC IN TERMS OF EVERY DEVELOPMENT, HAVING SOME SORT OF GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE TECHNIQUES AND MANAGING THEIR OWN RUNOFF ON SITE.

SO THOSE ARE THE THREE THAT COME TO MIND RIGHT OFF THE TOP.

AND WE COULD GET YOU SOME MORE OF THAT INFORMATION IF YOU'RE INTERESTED.

THAT'S SUPER.

QUESTIONS. UNMUTE YOURSELF.

CAN I ASK ABOUT YOU MENTIONED POROUS PAVEMENT, AND THIS IS ONE OF THE SUBJECTS THAT'S PERENNIALLY DISCUSSED IN THIS GROUP.

EVERY TIME I LOVE THE IDEA AND I ALWAYS WANT TO FIND OUT ABOUT IT, AND EVERY TIME I ACTUALLY ASK PEOPLE WHO, FOR EXAMPLE, MIGHT BE INSTALLERS OF POROUS PAVEMENT, THEY SAY, YOU CAN'T DO THAT. IT'S TOO EXPENSIVE AND HAS TO BE VACUUMED EVERY YEAR.

[00:25:03]

AND YET I KNOW OF AT LEAST ONE PLACE IN DOWNTOWN LANSING, WHICH IT'S THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS, THE QUAKER MEETING HOUSE THAT HAS A VERY NICE SORT OF BRICK, I DON'T KNOW, PAVING STONE, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT, PARKING LOT THAT DOESN'T SEEM TO HAVE HEAVED FOR, I DON'T KNOW, FIVE OR SEVEN YEARS.

I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT'S BEEN THERE, BUT IT'S I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT SORT OF REAL ANSWERS TO THAT QUESTION, BECAUSE WHEN I'VE JUST SORT OF GOTTEN ON THE PHONE, FOR EXAMPLE, I'D LIKE TO DO IT IN MY OWN DRIVEWAY.

I CAN'T FIND PEOPLE WHO KNOW HOW TO DO IT OR ARE WILLING TO DO IT.

THEY ALWAYS WANT TO DIRECT YOU IN SOME OTHER DIRECTION.

I WOULD AGREE WITH YOU, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES [LAUGHTER] AND FROM OUR EXPERIENCES.

I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND IT GENERALLY ON A ROAD.

YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE TRIED TO DO THIS ALONG RESIDENTIAL STREETS. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU NEED TO CONSIDER REALLY FOR ANY GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE IS THE MAINTENANCE.

AND IN MICHIGAN, WHEN YOU HAVE POROUS PAVEMENT, IT NEEDS TO BE MAINTAINED OR IT'S GOING TO GET PLUGGED UP IN THAT FUNCTION.

RIGHT.

WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT HEAVING THE CIVIL ENGINEER IN ME SAYS YOU NEED TO HAVE THE RIGHT BASE TO HAVE ADEQUATE DRAINAGE.

IF THE BASE, ISN'T THERE TO DRAIN IT, T'S GOING TO BE RIGHT LIKE ANY ROAD AND WHERE WE SEE POTHOLES AND ANYTHING ELSE.

I HAVE SEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL APPLICATIONS OF POROUS PAVEMENT, MORE IN PARKING LOT.

SO MAYBE NOT IN THE DRIVE ISLES, BUT MAYBE IN THE PARKING STALLS WHERE IT CAN BE SLOPED SO THAT YOU DO YOU CAN GET INFILTRATION IN THE POROUS PAVEMENT, BUT YOU CAN ALSO HAVE THEM COLLECTING ALONG THE CURB LINE AND ULTIMATELY MAYBE OVERFLOWS INTO A CATCH BASIN IF YOU GET A BIG RAIN [INAUDIBLE].

SO I THINK THE APPLICATION IN A PARKING LOT IS MORE SUITABLE.

THE KEY IS TO FIND THE CONTRACTOR THAT CAN DO IT.

I DON'T THINK THE ISSUE IS TO FIND A DESIGNER THAT CAN DO IT BECAUSE I THINK THERE ARE A NUMBER OF WELL QUALIFIED ENGINEERING FIRMS THAT CAN DESIGN IT.

I THINK THERE'S BEEN EXTENSIVE RESEARCH BOTH ON FROM THE CONCRETE FIELD, THE CONCRETE CONTRACTORS, AS WELL AS ASPHALT AND [INAUDIBLE] AND CONCRETE PAVER BLOCKS.

THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT APPLICATIONS AND TYPES THAT CAN BE USED.

YOU JUST NEED TO FIND THE DESIGNER THAT CAN THEN FIND A GOOD CONTRACTOR TO INSTALL IT, GET THE PROPER DRAINAGE, AND YOU CAN MAKE IT WORK.

AS LONG AS YOU HAVE A LONG TERM MAINTENANCE PROGRAM.

BUT I HAVE SEEN, I WOULD CIRCLE BACK AND SAY IN SOME OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE DONE ROADWAYS AND I MIGHT MENTION ANN ARBOR IN PARTICULAR, I KNOW THAT MAINTENANCE HAS BEEN A LONG TERM CHALLENGE, ESPECIALLY IN THE CITY, TO KEEP UP WITH SOME OF THAT.

AND I'M NOT SURE THAT WOULD BE A LONG TERM CONSIDERATION TO DO POROUS PAVEMENT WITHOUT HAVING ANOTHER TECHNIQUE TO BACK IT UP.

AND KELLY YOU CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT I THINK ONE OF OUR SO-CALLED GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT AWARDEES WAS IMPLEMENTED, I THINK IT WAS INDEPENDENCE TOWNSHIP WAS IMPLEMENTING SOME POROUS PAVEMENT BUT SIMILAR IN THE WAY THAT YOU WERE SAYING EITHER AS LIKE A SIDEWALK THAT FEEDS INTO SOME OF THE BIORETENTION AREAS THAT THEY WERE INSTALLING OR LIMITED AMOUNTS IN THEIR PARKING LOT.

THANK YOU. THAT'S VERY HELPFUL.

IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE SORT OF A DATABASE OF PEOPLE WHO ARE, YOU KNOW, WHO ARE ACKNOWLEDGED TO BE COMPETENT.

AND THAT WOULD BE A USEFUL RESOURCE.

[INAUDIBLE] I'M KENDRA, I HAVE A QUESTION.

SO I'M WONDERING WHAT YOU FOUND MOST SUCCESSFUL, BRINGING FOLKS ON BOARD.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THINGS IN OUR ORDINANCES HERE, MOST CERTAINLY, YET SOME FOLKS AREN'T ON BOARD.

IS IT EDUCATION.

AND THAT'S WHAT MOST OF US, THE GROUP HERE IS TRYING TO DO, EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY.

WHAT ARE YOUR BEST IDEAS FOR SUCCESS? WHEN YOU SAY BRING PEOPLE ON BOARD, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT LEADERSHIP OR ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE PUBLIC? ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT DEVELOPERS? ALL OF THE ABOVE.

ALL THE ABOVE? [LAUGHTER] I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE ALWAYS SAID THAT IT NEEDS TO COME FROM LEADERSHIP TO BE A PRIORITY. RIGHT.

AND WE'VE EVEN SAID THAT OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN.

YOU KNOW, IF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN IS ENCOURAGING AND REQUIRING COMMUNITIES TO HAVE CERTAIN STANDARDS FOR STORMWATER MANAGEMENT, YOU MAY HAVE A PHASE TWO PERMIT.

I'M NOT SURE. BUT IN TERMS OF HAVING CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS FOR INFILTRATION OF STORMWATER, THE STATE OF MICHIGAN CAN LEAD THE WAY.

RIGHT.

AND IF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN IS ASKING COMMUNITIES AND REQUIRE COMMUNITIES TO DO THIS.

THEY SHOULD BE DOING THE SAME WITH THEIR OWN DEVELOPMENTS WITHIN THEIR OWN PARKS AND

[00:30:05]

AND THEN FROM A LOCAL COMMUNITY, YOU HAVE AN INGHAM COUNTY DRAIN COMMISSIONER, I KNOW THAT'S VERY SUPPORTIVE OF GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT EVEN AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.

BUT WHAT I FIND MOST SUCCESSFUL IS JUST A COLLABORATION WHERE YOU CAN GET COMMUNITIES WORKING WITH THE COUNTY OR YOU FIND A PROJECT WHERE YOU CAN START TO PARTNER TOGETHER.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT SEEMS TO WORK BEST.

I THINK FROM THE DEVELOPER STANDPOINT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ALWAYS A CHALLENGE BECAUSE ESPECIALLY IN A TOWNSHIP, YOU HAVE MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS THAT HAVE DIFFERENT REVIEW PROCESSES, ISSUING DIFFERENT PERMITS FOR A NEW PROJECT.

AND THEY DON'T ALWAYS HAVE OR ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE REQUIREMENTS.

BUT I THINK THE MOST AND WHAT WE'VE FOUND IS THROUGH THE WATERSHED GROUPS, YOU MAY PARTICIPATE IN WATERSHED PLANNING EFFORTS.

THAT SEEMS TO GO A LONG WAY IN TERMS OF PULLING OTHER AGENCIES IN THAT HAVE JURISDICTION WITHIN YOUR OWN COMMUNITY.

AND FROM THE PUBLIC STANDPOINT, A LOT OF IT STARTS WITH JUST COMING DOWN AND SAYING, WHAT CAN YOU DO AT HOME? HOW CAN YOU IMPACT WATER QUALITY IN YOUR OWN HOME AND ON YOUR OWN PROPERTY? AND THAT COMES DOWN TO SUCH THINGS AS, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALL AS WE SAY IN OUR PUBLIC EDUCATION PROGRAM, IT'S ALL ONE WATER, OUR DRINKING WATER, OUR WASTEWATER, OUR STORMWATER, IT'S ALL ONE WATER.

AND WHAT YOU PUT ON YOUR YARD FROM A FERTILIZER STANDPOINT ENDS UP IN OUR STORM DRAINS.

IT GOES OUT TO THE CREEK. SO WHAT CAN YOU USE THAT DOESN'T POLLUTE AS MUCH? AND BE SURE TO FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS.

CHANGE YOUR OIL, PUT THE OIL WHERE IT NEEDS TO GO OR GO TO AN OIL CHANGE PLACE, TAKE YOUR CAR TO A CAR WASH.

IT'S MINIMIZING WHAT GOES INTO THE STORM DRAINS AND TEACHING PEOPLE THAT WHERE THAT ULTIMATELY GOES. WE ALL LIVE IN A WATERSHED.

AND AS PEOPLE COME TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE FOUND IN OUR REGION THROUGH SOME OF THE WATERSHED ORGANIZATIONS LIKE FRIENDS OF THE ROUGE, THE WATERSHED COUNCILS, HURON RIVER WATERSHED COUNCIL, CLINTON RIVER WATERSHED COUNCIL, THEY HAVE STARTED A NUMBER OF PROGRAMS FOR HOMEOWNERS TO INSTALL RAIN GARDENS.

AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF INTEREST IN DOING RAIN GARDENS JUST BECAUSE JUST FROM THE WILDLIFE AND HABITAT VALUE AND JUST THROUGH THE AESTHETICS.

AND EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT THEY MAY BE LEARNING ABOUT, THEY MAY FIND THE BENEFIT AESTHETICALLY FROM A LANDSCAPE STANDPOINT, BUT IT IS PROVIDING THAT STORMWATER MANAGEMENT VALUE. I DON'T KNOW IF KATIE YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING ON TO THAT SO.

NO, THAT WAS GREAT.

AND IF YOU GUYS ARE INTERESTED IN KIND OF HOW WE DO OUR PUBLIC EDUCATION, WE HAVE SOMETHING CALLED THE ONE WATER CAMPAIGN FOR SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN, WHERE WE REALLY PARTNER WITH ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT KELLY TALKED ABOUT.

WE PARTNER WITH OUR COUNTIES AND WE PARTNER WITH THE WATERSHED GROUPS, LOTS OF DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES. AND WE HAVE THINGS LIKE TIP CARDS, FUN GIVEAWAY ITEMS. AND LIKE KELLY SAID, WE REALLY TRY AND SPREAD THAT ONE WATER MESSAGE TO TEACH PEOPLE THAT IT'S ALL CONNECTED AND TO TEACH PEOPLE THEIR WATERSHED ADDRESS SO THAT THEY KIND OF BETTER UNDERSTAND THE WATERSHED THAT THEY LIVE IN AND CAN HAVE THAT CONNECTION AND HOPEFULLY BECOME GOOD STEWARDS OF THAT RESOURCE.

IF YOU GO TO MIONEWATER.ORG THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD RESOURCES, INCLUDING I THINK WASHTENAW COUNTY IT STILL HAS IT OPEN FOR FREE, BUT THEY DO A MASTER RAIN GARDENER CLASS.

SO ALWAYS A GOOD RESOURCE, EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT IN OUR REGION TO MAYBE SEND PEOPLE TO AS WELL. SO THAT'S GOOD STUFF.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS.

ALL RIGHT.

JUST BRIEFLY, YOU MENTIONED THE WATERSHED INVENTORY, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN DONE YET IN LANSING AREA? IS THAT SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE PURSUING? WE RECENTLY DISCOVERED THAT MERIDIAN IS 25 PERCENT WETLAND WE HAVE A FEELING THAT'S GETTING WHITTLED AWAY A LITTLE BIT HERE AND THERE OVER THE YEARS.

AND I'M WONDERING IF THAT MIGHT BE A USEFUL PROCESS FOR US TO GO THROUGH IF WE HAVEN'T ALREADY.

[INAUDIBLE] NATIONAL WETLAND INVENTORY THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.

YEAH.

SURE.

AND WE MIGHT [INAUDIBLE] TRI-COUNTY REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION [INAUDIBLE] FUNDING THROUGH OUR WORK PROGRAM WITH MDOT TO DO THAT INVENTORY BECAUSE THAT'S A BENEFIT FROM [INAUDIBLE] TRANSPORTATION PLANNING PERSPECTIVE.

SO WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT SELECTING ROAD PROJECTS, AND YOU'RE LOOKING AT SELECTING ROAD PROJECTS AND WORKING WITH THE COUNTY.

IT'S GOOD TO HAVE A GOOD EARLY PLANNING INDICATOR WHETHER WETLANDS ARE GOING TO BE IMPACTED OR NOT.

SO THAT WAS REALLY THE IMPETUS BETWEEN FOR US TO DO THAT NATIONAL WETLAND INVENTORY.

BUT I KNOW EAGLE IS VERY EXCITED TO TRY TO DO THIS ACROSS THE STATE.

[00:35:04]

I THINK THEY STARTED UP IN NORTHERN MICHIGAN WITH DUCKS UNLIMITED AS THEIR CONTRACTOR.

SO WE'RE CONTRACTED WITH EAGLE TO HAVE THEM DO THAT WORK AND THEY SUBCONTRACT WITH DUCKS UNLIMITED. SO THERE IS INTEREST ON THE STATE'S PART TO EXPAND IT ACROSS THE ENTIRE STATE.

THANK YOU.

ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? OK, KELLY AND KATIE, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME.

I THINK THIS HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL TO US.

APPRECIATE IT. THANKS FOR INVITING US.

IF YOU [INAUDIBLE] JUST CHAT JUST SEND ME AN EMAIL BECAUSE I'M IN EAST LANSING, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST EVERY COUPLE OF MONTHS VISITING FAMILIES.

OK, THANK YOU THAT YOUR ORGANIZATION EXISTS.

YES. I COULD TALK ENDLESSLY ON THE TOPIC. SO HAPPY TO TALK WITH ALL OF YOU.

I THINK WE'LL GO AHEAD AND HANG UP UNLESS THERE'S ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.

THANKS AGAIN.

ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. HAVE A GREAT NIGHT.

BYE.

WELL, WE NEED TO APPROVE OUR AGENDA FIRST.

I'VE ADDED THE CITIZEN'S CLIMATE COMMITMENT TO THE OLD BUSINESS.

IS THERE ANY OTHER ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA THAT ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO MAKE? OK, CAN I GET A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA? SO MOVED.

[INAUDIBLE] OK, ROSE, SECONDS IT.

IF YOU'RE IN FAVOR OF THE AGENDA, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

OK, ANY OPPOSED.

OK, MOVING ON TO OUR MINUTES, ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONS TO THE MINUTES FROM OUR LAST MEETING OR CORRECTIONS? YES JOHN. YEAH, I HAD ONE I NOTICED UNDER THE RESOLUTIONS THAT AFTER THE FIRST ONE, IT'S UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED, AND THEN AFTER [INAUDIBLE], IT DID NOT SAY THAT.

SO I THOUGHT MAYBE IT SHOULD BE CONSISTENT, THAT WE UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED BOTH OF THOSE.

THAT WAS THE ONLY CHANGE I SAW.

THAT SOUNDS GOOD.

WITH THAT KIND OF CORRECTION OR ADDITION, LET'S SEE, CAN WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES. ALSO MOVE.

OK JOHN. CAN I HAVE A SECOND? NED, THANK YOU. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS.

ANY OPPOSED.

OK, LET'S SEE, WE'RE SEEING PUBLIC REMARKS, DO WE HAVE ANY OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE REMARKS OR SPEAK AT THIS TIME? WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY AT THE END OF THE MEETING ALSO.

YOU HAVE NO ONE WHO'S IN THE ATTENDEE AREA AT THIS TIME, BUT WE'RE, OF COURSE, LIVE ON HOMTV, SEVERAL OTHER OF THE STREAMING PLATFORMS, ANYONE WISHING TO PARTICIPATE FROM HOME COULD DIAL INTO 517-349-1232.

THAT NUMBER ONE MORE TIME, FIVE ONE SEVEN THREE FOUR NINE, ONE, TWO, THREE, TWO.

AND IF YOU CONTINUE ON, I WILL INTERRUPT YOU IN THE EVENT THAT THE PHONE RINGS.

THANK YOU. AND SO AND WE WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY AT THE END OF THE MEETING ALSO.

MOVING ON TO NEW BUSINESS.

I'D LIKE TO WELCOME OUR NEW COMMISSIONERS, KENDRA AND ANNA, AND WE'RE REALLY GLAD TO HAVE YOU KIND OF JOIN US. [LAUGHTER] THE REINFORCEMENTS.

AND I KNOW YOU BOTH HAVE A LOT OF INTEREST IN THE WORK WE DO.

SO WE'LL PUT YOU TO WORK REAL QUICK.

AND I KNOW THERE IS A LOT THAT YOU WOULD LIKE US TO DO.

SO THAT'S GREAT.

AND WE'LL NEED YOUR HELP.

AND WE HAVE A STUDENT APPLICANT, BERNADETTE OSBORN, WHO IS WITH US TONIGHT.

AND YES.

AND ALSO, ANNEKA, ARE YOU INTERESTED IN ALSO THE COMMISSION? YES BERNADETTE, COULD YOU JUST KIND OF GIVE US WELL I THINK WE'VE ALL SEEN YOUR APPLICATION ATTACHED TO THE PACKET, BUT WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS OR REMARKS HIGHLIGHT

[3. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA]

I GUESS, I'M A JUNIOR AT OKEMOS HIGH SCHOOL.

I'M VERY INTERESTED IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND JUST LIKE CLIMATE ACTIVISM, I'M THE

[00:40:01]

AND ALSO EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY THE YOUTH, ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE.

[4. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES ]

SO THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

WELL, THANKS FOR COMING.

AND ANNEKA, DO YOU INTEND TO ACTUALLY APPLY.

HAVE YOU MADE AN APPLICATION? NO, I HAVE NOT. I JUST WANTED TO LIKE ATTEND A MEETING FIRST SEE WHAT WAS EXACTLY GOING ON. IF I WANTED TO APPLY.

OKAY. BUT YEAH I THINK I WILL APPLY.

OK, SUPER OK, DOES ANYBODY ON THE COMMISSION OR THE RIGHT YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR EITHER BERNADETTE OR ANNEKA? ANNEKA, ARE YOU A STUDENT AT MSU OR OK, ALSO JUNIOR.

OK. AND LEROY CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT WE HAVE ONE STUDENT VACANCY, CORRECT.

THAT IS CORRECT, HOWEVER, IF PEOPLE AREN'T OFFICIALLY ON THE COMMISSION, THEY CAN PARTICIPATE IN SUBCOMMITTEES OR PROJECT TEAMS IF THERE'S A PARTICULAR INTEREST AREA OF INTEREST, SUCH AS THE TREE TEAM OR NED'S ECO'S SUPPORT GROUP.

[LAUGHTER] MY ATTITUDE IS THE MORE THE BETTER, THE MORE ESPECIALLY FROM THE HIGH SCHOOLS.

BUT WE'D LOVE IT FROM MSU AS WELL, DEPENDING ON SOMEONE'S INTEREST TOO WE MIGHT ALSO CONSIDER SORT OF AN ALTERNATE POSITION.

FOR EXAMPLE, LUCA HAS ANOTHER COMMITMENT TONIGHT.

IF HE HAD AN ALTERNATE STUDENT FROM OKEMOS, THAT COULD PERHAPS SHOW UP AT THE SAME TIME, BUT IT MIGHT JUST HELP FILL THE GAPS A LITTLE BIT.

SO I'M JUST THINKING OUT LOUD.

[6A. Welcome New Commissioners]

RIGHT. LUCA, GO AHEAD.

IF I COULD CHIME IN RIGHT HERE, MY SCHEDULE SPECIFICALLY FOR THE NEXT TWO MONTHS IS PRETTY PACKED UP.

SO I THINK AN ALTERNATE WOULD WORK PRETTY WELL.

[6B. Student Applicant: Bernadette Osborn]

OK, THANK YOU FOR THAT.

[LAUGHTER] THAT'S HELPFUL TO KNOW.

I KNOW THE LIFE OF THE STUDENT CAN GET VERY BUSY.

I KNOW. AND WELL, ANNEKA WHY DON'T YOU GO AHEAD AND MAKE AN APPLICATION AND I THINK THEN WE SHOULD PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA FOR THE NEXT MEETING.

AND I'D ENCOURAGE BERNADETTE AND ANNEKA TO JOIN US AT OUR NEXT MEETING, TOO.

AND AT THAT TIME, WE MIGHT MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO MR. STYKA. NED DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS OR IDEAS? I JUST WANTED TO ASK ESSENTIALLY A FAVOR.

I DON'T KNOW HOW WHETHER YOU KNOW EACH OTHER.

YOU'RE ALL AT OKEMOS HIGH SCHOOL.

RIGHT.

SO IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL FOR BERNADETTE AND ANNEKA TO SIT DOWN WITH YOU, LUCA, AND JUST, YOU KNOW, GET A LITTLE BIT OF A PICTURE OF WHAT YOU'VE LEARNED.

YOU'VE GOT TO BE HONEST ABOUT THE BORING PARTS BECAUSE THERE ARE PLENTY OF BORING PARTS.

BUT OVERALL, IT'S A GROUP OF VERY INTERESTING AND KNOWLEDGEABLE PEOPLE TO TO WORK WITH, AND IT'S INSPIRING THAT YOU GUYS ARE INTERESTED AT ALL.

SO YEAH, AND I WAS JUST WONDERING IF MAYBE YOU COULD, AS THE THREE OF YOU ACTUALLY SIT DOWN AND HAVE A CHAT.

YEAH, I'LL PROBABLY GET THEIR EMAILS AND WE CAN SET SOMETHING UP LIKE THAT, THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT IDEA NED.

THANK YOU.

WE ALSO RECENTLY HAD AN INTEREST FROM NEHA [INAUDIBLE].

SO, LUCA, YOU'VE BEEN DOING SOME GREAT RECRUITING [LAUGHTER].

I DON'T KNOW SO I CAN ENCOURAGE HER TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION AS WELL.

IT'D BE GREAT. WE MAY NEED TO FORM A STUDENT ADVISORY GROUP TO THE COMMISSION, TOO.

THIS IS GREAT. THIS IS MARVELOUS AND JUST, YOU KNOW, JUST SPEAKING FOR MYSELF.

BUT I'VE LEARNED A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT JUST BY PARTICIPATING IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION. SO I THINK IT IS A REAL OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL OF US, BUT CERTAINLY STUDENTS TO LEARN A LOT ABOUT THE VARIOUS ISSUES AND HOW THE BUREAUCRACY WORKS, I GUESS TOO.

[00:45:02]

AND LET'S SEE, WE HAVE SOME COMMUNICATION FROM OUR NEW COMMISSIONER, KENDRA.

LEROY, DID YOU WANT TO OR KENDRA WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT? I WANTED TO BEFORE WE MOVE ON, I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT BEN HOLLAND HAS A LITTLE NOTE IN THE CHAT WINDOW. SO IF YOU DIDN'T SEE THAT, JUST CLICK THE CHAT WINDOW.

AND KENDRA, I'M JUST REALLY EXCITED THAT WE HAVE SOME NEW BLOOD ON THE COMMISSION.

AND NEW PERSPECTIVES ALWAYS OFFER SOME KIND OF FRESH, PERSPECTIVES ON, YOU KNOW, HOW WE MIGHT LOOK AT OUR ROLE HERE.

AND KENDRA SORT OF TOOK THE INITIATIVE AND ARTICULATED A FEW OF THE THINGS THAT WERE IMPORTANT TO HER. THAT'S PROBABLY EVOLVING AS SHE GETS TO KNOW WHAT OUR PRIORITIES ARE AS WELL. BUT, KENDRA, WOULD YOU LIKE TO JUST SAY A COUPLE OF THE THINGS THAT ARE CURRENTLY ON THE TOP OF YOUR LIST? THANK YOU, YES, I HAVE LOTS OF INTEREST IN IDEAS AND I'M EXCITED TO BE HERE.

I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY I'M VERY INTERESTED IN, YOU KNOW, AS OVER 25 PERCENT OF OUR TOWNSHIP IS WETLANDS.

AS YOU ALL KNOW, I'VE GOTTEN INVOLVED IN BRINGING THOSE ISSUES UP IN WORK IN WETLAND [INAUDIBLE]. AND I'VE BEEN ACTIVELY INVOLVED WITH LAND PRESERVATION.

AND SO THOSE ARE MY AREAS OF INTEREST, ALONG WITH EVERYTHING ELSE I WROTE ON THERE, YOU KNOW, DEI AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND, YOU KNOW, THE GREEN NEIGHBOR NETWORK I'M ALREADY INVOLVED IN ALL THAT. BUT, YOU KNOW, IN LISTENING TO OUR SPEAKERS TONIGHT, YOU KNOW, IF WE THINK ABOUT HOW WE CAN EDUCATE OUR COMMUNITY AND WHAT OUR ORDINANCES ARE AND HOW WE'RE KIND OF ALL IN THIS TOGETHER, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THINKING ABOUT WAS IT ONE WATER I CAN'T REMEMBER IF THEY SAID IT THAT WAY, BUT HOW WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER AND HOW WE CAN GET BUY IN FOR FOLKS TO MAKE CHOICES THAT WILL HELP SUSTAIN OUR ECOSYSTEM AND MAKE A DENT IN CLIMATE CHANGE.

SO THAT BEING SAID, YOU KNOW, MY MAJOR AREAS OF INTEREST ARE IN WETLAND PROTECTION AND LAND PRESERVATION.

AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A BUNCH OF THERE'S SOME COMMUNICATION GAPS.

YOU KNOW, I THINK AT THE TOWNSHIP, I CERTAINLY HAVE FOUND, YOU KNOW, IN BETWEEN DEPARTMENTS AND BETWEEN COMMISSIONS.

AND I FEEL LIKE A CONVERSATION JUST NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE SOMEHOW IN BRINGING FOLKS TOGETHER AT A TABLE OR SOMEHOW TO KIND OF WORK TOGETHER AS A TEAM.

SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING TOGETHER WITH ALL OF YOU AS A TEAM AS WE ADDRESS THESE ISSUES. THANK YOU KENDRA.

LET'S YOU KNOW I APPRECIATE THAT YOU KIND OF SHARED YOUR THOUGHTS, YOU KNOW, A BIG PART OF WHAT WE DO I THINK IT'S JUST KIND OF A BRAINSTORMING AND KIND OF IDENTIFYING KIND OF PRIORITIES FOR THE TOWNSHIP.

SO THAT'S I THINK YOUR COMMENTS WERE HELPFUL.

AND LET'S SEE.

OK, DISCUSS APPOINTMENT TO THE LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD.

OK, LEROY.

YEAH, I WOULD.

I AM FINDING OUT THAT JIM KEILBASO WAS OUR DESIGNEE TO THE LAND

[6C. Communication from Commissioner Grasseschi]

BUT THE LAND PRESERVATION BOARD IS COMPRISED OF A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, IS AN OFFICIAL DESIGNEE ON THE LAND PRES BOARD.

SO WE HAVE TO TAKE NOMINATIONS FOR AND WE CAN APPOINT SOMEONE TO BE ON THAT BOARD.

AND SO TONIGHT, IF WE HAVE ANY VOLUNTEERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO BE CONSIDERED OR IF WE'D LIKE TO NOMINATE SOMEONE, THAT'S OUR OPPORTUNITY.

WELL, THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW, I GUESS I DIDN'T APPRECIATE THAT WE HAVE KIND OF AN OFFICIAL REPRESENTATIVE.

WHO WOULD BE INTERESTED IN BEING APPOINTED TO THE LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD.

OK, KENDRA.

IS ANYBODY ELSE INTERESTED I WOULD SAY THAT I WOULD NOMINATE KENDRA.

OK. SHE IS A GOOD FIT FOR THIS.

OK. I GUESS DO WE HAVE A SECOND? OK LUCA.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? KENDRA, YOU'VE EXPRESSED AN INTEREST, SO I THINK WE DON'T HAVE TO ASK WHETHER YOU WOULD

[00:50:03]

IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR KENDRA OR DISCUSSION? OK, ALL IN FAVOR OF NOMINATING KENDRA FOR BEING OH LUCA ARE YOU.

DO YOU HAVE A COMMENT. OK? YOU ARE VOTING EARLY.

IN MY HEAD FOR THE NOMINATION.

WHAT'S THAT? OK.

ALL IN FAVOR OF NOMINATING KENDRA TO BE OUR REPRESENTATIVE ON THE LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND, OK? DO WE HAVE ANYBODY OPPOSED.

OK, [INAUDIBLE] KENDRA, CONGRATULATIONS, AND LEROY I ASSUME THAT WE YOU WOULD DRAFT UP A MEMO FROM ME TO PICK UP WITH OUR NOMINATION.

YES, I WOULD NOMINATE YOU TO DROP THE NO, I'M JUST KIDDING.

I'LL DO THAT. OK [LAUGHTER] RIGHT, REVERSE DELEGATION.

VERY GOOD IDEA. IT DOESN'T WORK VERY OFTEN, BUT BECAUSE I WAS IN THE BUREAUCRACIES BEFORE, I COULD STAY TOO LONG. BUT THANK YOU, LEROY.

OK. OK, MOVING ON TO OLD BUSINESS.

THE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE GRANTS FOR SCHOOLS COMMITTEE, MATT AND ROSE IS GOING TO GIVE US A REPORT OF THE WORK OF THE COMMITTEE.

I JUST HAVE TO UNMUTE MYSELF. ALL RIGHT, SO WE TOOK A LOOK AT THREE PROJECTS, THERE WERE THREE SUBMISSIONS, THERE WAS ONE FROM HASLETT THAT WAS AN OUTDOOR CLASSROOM.

[6D. Discuss Appointment to Land Preservation Advisory Board]

OKEMOS HIGH SCHOOL HAD SUBMITTED A PROJECT DEALING WITH A RAIN GARDEN PROJECT.

THEY HAD A STORM WATER ISSUE THERE.

AND THEN MONTESSORI RADMOOR HAD SUBMITTED A PROJECT.

IT WAS A TWO PART PROJECT THAT'S A PATHWAY AND A GREENHOUSE RESTORATION THAT THEY WANT TO DO. UNFORTUNATELY, WE WENT THROUGH AND WE RATED THESE ALL ON A POINT SCALE AND THEY ALL CAME OUT VERY WELL.

UNFORTUNATELY, OKEMOS ENDED UP DROPPING OUT BECAUSE AFTER SPEAKING WITH AN ENGINEER, IT TURNS OUT THAT THE SOLUTION THAT THEY WERE COMING UP WITH WASN'T GOING TO WORK.

SO WE'RE DOWN TO THESE TWO PROJECTS NOW.

SO WE'RE RECOMMENDING SUPPORT FOR THE OUTDOOR CLASSROOM AT HASLETT MIDDLE SCHOOL, WHICH IS A THREE THOUSAND DOLLAR PROJECT, AND THE PATHWAY PROJECT AND GREENHOUSE REPAIR AT MONTESSORI, WHICH IS FOUR THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED FORTY SIX.

SO WITH ADDITIONAL SUPPORT, GRANGERS KICKED IN AN EXTRA THOUSAND DOLLARS.

AND THAT LEAVES US A BALANCE OF THREE THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY FOUR DOLLARS.

SO WE HAVE TO DECIDE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO WITH THIS SURPLUS.

WE COULD POTENTIALLY USE THAT TO SUPPORT EITHER OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE'VE ALREADY APPROVED OR WE CAN THINK ABOUT ADDITIONAL PROJECTS, MAYBE PUTTING A CALL OUT THERE FOR ADDITIONAL PROJECTS.

COURTNEY WAS GOING TO DEVELOP, SHE DID DEVELOP A PERFORMANCE TRACKING TOOL SO THAT WE CAN ASSIST THE TEAMS THROUGH THEIR PROJECTS.

LEROY IS GOING TO BE THE POINT PERSON FOR HASLETT.

I'M GOING TO BE THE POINT PERSON FOR RADMOOR AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT.

SO I THINK THE BIG QUESTION NOW IS WHAT TO DO WITH THE SURPLUS? AND WE WANTED TO PUT IT OUT TO THE BOARD TONIGHT FOR DISCUSSION.

HOPEFULLY NOT A HUGE DISCUSSION, BUT JUST A QUICK DISCUSSION.

WELL, AND WE'D LIKE TO GET THE APPROVAL OF THE COMMISSION ALSO, BECAUSE IF YOU REMEMBER, THE BOARD HAS DELEGATED RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THESE GRANTS TO US.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE WANT THE SCHOOLS TO BE ABLE TO MOVE AHEAD QUICKLY.

SPRING IS HERE. WELL, ALMOST OR MAYBE IT IS.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE'D LIKE TO GET SOME INPUT.

AND THEN IF EVERYBODY'S COMFORTABLE WITH IT, WE WOULD LIKE TO KIND OF MOVE AHEAD AND APPROVE THE TWO GRANTS.

YOU KNOW, ONE THING TO JUST THE PROPOSALS THAT CAME IN, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF EARLY STAGES FOR THESE MANY PROPOSALS.

AND SO THEY DID CONSIDERING THE TIME CONSTRAINTS, I THINK A PRETTY GOOD JOB IN COMING UP WITH SOME COST ESTIMATES.

WE DID THINK IT WAS PROBABLY HELPFUL TO HAVE SOME MONEY IN RESERVE BECAUSE EITHER THE PROJECTS MIGHT, ONCE THEY GET INTO THE MORE SPECIFICS THAT MIGHT ACTUALLY NEED MORE ADDITIONAL FUNDING AND MIGHT BE ABLE TO JUSTIFY IT.

[7A. Green Infrastructure Grants for Schools]

YES NED, GO AHEAD.

SPEAKING PERSONALLY, WE JUST HAD SOME WORK DONE ON OUR DECK AND I WAS TALKING TO THE CONTRACTORS AND THEY SAID THAT ESSENTIALLY EVERYTHING IN TERMS OF MATERIALS HAS GONE UP BY

[00:55:02]

AND ALSO BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE SAYING, WELL, I SAVED SOME MONEY BECAUSE I WASN'T EATING AT RESTAURANTS AND SO FORTH.

SO MAYBE THIS IS THE TIME TO DO THESE PROJECTS THAT THEY'VE PUT OFF FOR A WHILE.

SO, YEAH, THE POTENTIAL FOR COST OVERRUNS IS SUBSTANTIAL, BUT OF COURSE, IT SEEMS OBVIOUS THAT YOU SHOULD'VE JUST INVESTED IN GAMESTOP.

OR BITCOIN.

RIGHT. [LAUGHTER] OK, OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, IT SOUNDS LIKE NED THINKS KEEPING THE MONEY IN RESERVE WOULD BE A GOOD, GOOD STRATEGY UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES.

OTHER QUESTIONS COMMENTS.

YEAH, I WAS GOING TO AGREE WITH NED.

I PREVIOUSLY WORKED ON THE YEAR BEFORE RAIN GARDEN THAT WERE PLANNING FOR IN OKEMOS ON THE EARTH CLUB.

AND I THINK THAT THE RESERVE MONEY IS DEFINITELY NEEDED BECAUSE AS WENT ALONG WITH THE PROJECT, WE ENDED UP CANCELING IT.

AS WENT ALONG, THERE WAS MORE AND MORE COSTS.

AND OBVIOUSLY, LIKE NED SAID, THE MATERIALS IS GOING TO BE PRETTY HIGH TOO.

DID YOU SEE BEN HOLLAND'S COMMENT IN THE CHAT AS WELL? ALONG THE SAME LINE. I WANTED TO ADD ON TO THAT IDEA JUST A LITTLE BIT, RAIN GARDENS ARE LIKE A VERY, VERY, VERY EXTREME SOLUTION TO THE ISSUE.

I MEAN, NOBODY'S GOING TO DIE OR ANYTHING, JUST LIKE SLATE SIDEWALK FLOODING.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT JUST KIND OF DUMPING GRAVEL INTO THE SIDE OF THE SIDEWALK SO THE WATER CAN AT LEAST RUN OFF AND GET STORED UNDERGROUND.

AND ON TOP OF THAT, STUDENTS CAN PLANT STUFF THAT'LL BE A LOT CHEAPER THAN, YOU KNOW, HAVING TO RIP UP CONCRETE AND PAVEMENT FOR PIPING AND EVERYTHING.

SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT STILL IN THE DESIGN PROCESS.

SO IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE TOUGH TO MAKE ANY IMPACT IN THE DECISION.

IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S TOO FAR ALONG RIGHT NOW.

I THINK THE COMMITTEE WOULD BE OPEN TO SORT OF REVISITING WHERE THE CURRENT PROJECTS ARE AND THEN IF THERE'S ADDITIONAL PROJECTS COMING FROM OKEMOS HIGH SCHOOL THAT THAT MIGHT BE LOOKED AT FAVORABLY, ESPECIALLY IF THERE AREN'T BIG COST OVERRUNS.

BUT I WOULDN'T RULE IT OUT.

I THINK WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE TOWNSHIP.

SO WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE GRANT FUNDING OR NOT, I THINK WE'D LOOK COLLABORATIVELY ABOUT HOW WE CAN MAYBE HELP THESE PROJECTS WITH PUTTING THE WORD OUT IN KIND CONTRIBUTIONS, VOLUNTEERS, ADDITIONAL FUNDING.

I THINK THE BOARD IS VERY SUPPORTIVE AS WELL.

SO JUST THROWING MY TWO CENTS OUT THERE.

GOOD, TALKS LEROY. YEAH.

LET ME YOU KNOW, I THINK WHAT WOULD BE IN ORDER IS IF SOMEBODY WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE TWO GRANT PROPOSALS AND ALSO RESERVE THE BALANCE POTENTIALLY FOR COST OVERRUNS OR POTENTIALLY ANOTHER PROJECT DOWN THE ROAD.

WOULD SOMEBODY LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO THAT EFFECT? TOM.

YEAH, I WOULD MAKE THAT MOTION.

OK, SO CAN I HAVE A SECOND? KENDRA, OK, ANY FURTHER COMMENTS OR THOUGHTS ABOUT THE MOTION BEFORE WE VOTE ON IT? OK, EVERYBODY IN FAVOR RAISE YOUR HAND, PLEASE.

OK, ANY OPPOSED? OK, LEROY I TAKE IT THAT YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO NOW OFFICIALLY COMMUNICATE WITH OKEMOS MONTESSORI AND THE HASLETT SCHOOLS THAT THEIR PROPOSALS HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED.

YES, ROSE, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COMMUNICATE AS THE POINT PERSON OF MONTESSORI, AND I'LL WRITE UP THE LITTLE WHAT ARE WE CALLING IT, ADDENDUM THAT WE JUST PASSED.

MEMORANDUM, I GUESS.

LEROY, DO YOU HAVE ANY SENSE FOR HOW QUICKLY SOME SORT OF GRANT AGREEMENT WOULD BE ISSUED TO THE TWO SCHOOLS? LET'S SEE. GOOD QUESTION.

WELL, YOU MAY HAVE TO CHECK IN WITH.

YEAH, I'M NOT SURE THIS IS KIND OF NEW FOR ME, SO I WILL CHECK ON THAT, BUT I'D LIKE TO DO

[01:00:08]

I THINK WE CAN GO AHEAD AND NOTIFY THEM.

BUT AS FAR AS WHAT THEY MIGHT SIGN, I'LL CHECK ON THE LOGISTICS FOR THAT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

OK, THAT'S I THINK.

YOU KNOW, I'M CERTAINLY PERSONALLY VERY HAPPY WITH WHERE WE ARE SO FAR THAT WE GOT TWO PROPOSALS, ONE FROM HASLETT AND ONE FROM OKEMOS.

SO BOTH GOOD PROJECTS.

SO, YOU KNOW, SO FAR, SO GOOD.

AND ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AWARDS LEROY.

YOU DID PROVIDE US GOOD BACKGROUND INFORMATION IN OUR PACKET AND BOY, THE STEWARDSHIP AWARDS HAVE A LONG HISTORY.

YEAH.

I HATE TO BACK UP, BUT SHOULD WE ALSO JUST ENCOURAGE THIS OKEMOS TO REAPPLY AND WE WOULD ENTERTAIN THAT IN THE NEXT MONTH IN TERMS OF THE SCHOOL GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.

SO BEN COULD MAYBE TAKE THAT BACK TO HIS PROJECT TEAM.

I THINK THAT WAS KIND OF I THINK THAT WAS IMPLIED THAT YOU KNOW WE WOULD STILL BE OPEN TO AND OBVIOUSLY, THERE ISN'T IT'S JUST LIKE THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS LEFT OR SOMETHING.

BUT OF COURSE, LIKE YOU MENTIONED, LEROY, THERE'S COST SHARING POSSIBILITIES AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP THAT MIGHT BE WILLING TO HELP AND SPONSOR.

SO DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH LEROY DOING THAT.

OK, I GUESS YOU GOT THE AHEAD LEROY.

I THINK PEOPLE SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED IN GENERAL.

SOUNDS GOOD THANKS.

OK, IN TERMS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AWARDS I THINK NED ASKED THAT WE KIND OF LOOK AT WHAT WE'VE DONE WHERE WE ARE WITH THIS.

SO I'LL ENCOURAGE HIM TO CHIME IN.

BUT I PROVIDED A LITTLE BIT OF THE HISTORY IN THE PACKET.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE PACKET OR YOU DIDN'T GET THE PACKET OR YOU DIDN'T GET A COUPLE OF COPIES OF THE PACKET. SORRY ABOUT THAT, BILL.

I CAN CERTAINLY SEND IT TO YOU OR MAYBE POST THE LINK, BUT YEAH, WE DO HAVE A LONG HISTORY. WHETHER WE WANT TO DO SOMETHING AGAIN THIS YEAR IS A QUESTION FOR US TO DISCUSS.

BUT DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY PARTICULAR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AWARDS, WHICH WERE BASICALLY AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE EITHER INDIVIDUALS, BUSINESSES OR ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS TO HELP HIGHLIGHT THE ISSUES THEMSELVES, BUT ALSO THE INDIVIDUALS OR THE LEADERS THAT HAVE TAKEN THEM FORWARD? I'VE GOT A QUESTION FOR YOU ABOUT SCHEDULING.

AM I RIGHT IN THAT IN THE PAST, WE'VE TYPICALLY GIVEN OUT THE AWARDS IN APRIL, LIKE EARTH DAY, EARTH DAY MONTH, THAT SORT OF THING.

AND IN THE PAST, HOW MUCH TIME DID WE GIVE PEOPLE TO KIND OF APPLY? NO, I JOINED THE COMMISSION RIGHT ABOUT THE LAST I FORGET.

I'M NOT SURE IF I EVEN PARTICIPATED IN THAT PROCESS ON THE COMMISSION LEVEL.

MAYBE SOMEONE ELSE WITH A BETTER MEMORY.

YES, WE WOULD TYPICALLY START CANVASING FOR THE AWARDS AT THANKSGIVING OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, I MEAN, AS EARLY AS THE FALL, NOTING THAT THEY WERE COMING AND WE HAD TO IDENTIFY.

FIRST OF ALL, JUST CANDIDATES AND THEN DECIDE IF THERE WERE TOO MANY CANDIDATES, WHO

[7B. Environmental Stewardship Awards]

AND ANYWAY, A LOT OF THAT'S IN THE AIR.

DELTA DENTAL HAD REDONE THEIR ENTIRE PROPERTY THERE WITH NATIVE PLANTINGS AND RESTRUCTURING THE WATERWAYS AND SO FORTH.

AND SO THEY GOT AN AWARD AND SO FORTH.

SO, YEAH, IT'S NOT SOMETHING WHERE WE'VE JUST SORT OF DECIDED IN THE MONTHS THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IT.

SO I THINK MY GOAL IS TO HAVE US RECOGNIZE THAT THIS WAS A USEFUL AND I THINK IMPORTANT

[01:05:09]

AND SO I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN THIS YEAR UNLESS WE DECIDE TO HAVE AN OFF SEASON ONE, LIKE A FALL ONE OR SOMETHING.

BUT IF WE CAN PLAN TO START THINKING ABOUT POTENTIAL PEOPLE EARLIER THEN, I'D LIKE TO SEE US GO BACK TO DOING IT.

WELL, IT SOUNDS LIKE THE ONE POSSIBLE.

WELL, THERE'S A COUPLE SCENARIOS.

ONE IS WE COULD OPEN IT UP RIGHT NOW, ASSUMING EVERYBODY THINKS THAT'S A GOOD IDEA AND MAYBE MAKE AWARDS IN THE FALL.

ANOTHER OPTION IS WE COULD HAVE A KIND OF A LENGTHY KIND OF SOLICITATION PROCESS AND RETAIN KIND OF THE SPRING KIND OF AWARDS.

BUT YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK THAT WOULD BE GOOD FROM MY PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE OF HAVING AWARDS IN THE FALL WOULD BE FINE, TOO.

RIGHT. I MEAN, WHAT DOES EVERYBODY THINK FOR THE TWO QUESTIONS.

ONE IS, SHOULD WE DO THIS AGAIN? AND SECOND, WHAT DO PEOPLE THINK ABOUT THE POSSIBLE SCHEDULE? WELL YOU CAN SEE IT IN 1997, IT HAPPENED IN JANUARY AND IN 1998 IT HAPPENED IN SEPTEMBER.

1999, IT WAS IN MAY AND FROM THEN MAY AND JUNE, APRIL, MAY, JUNE WERE THE USUAL MONTHS OF THE AWARD HAPPENING.

SO I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE WE CAN CHOOSE MAYBE IF WE'RE REALLY IF WE CAN ACT WITH ALACRITY, MAYBE WE COULD EVEN DO IT IN JUNE.

TOM DID YOU HAVE SOME THOUGHTS? YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE I THINK WE SHOULD GO AHEAD AND INITIATE IT AGAIN.

IT SOUNDS LIKE IT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL IN THE PAST AND BROUGHT A LOT OF ATTENTION TO PEOPLE AND PROJECTS THAT REALLY EXCELLED I GUESS MY ONLY QUESTION WOULD BE THE TIMING, YOU KNOW, WHETHER WE DID WANT TO DO SOMETHING IN THE FALL AND IF WE DID WOULD THAT KIND OF THROW OFF OUR NORMAL TIMING FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR, OR IF WE JUST WANT TO GET AN EARLY START, PERHAPS ON PROMOTING, YOU KNOW, THE CONCEPT FOR APRIL OF NEXT YEAR, AS AN ALTERNATIVE. BUT EITHER WAY, I THINK WE SHOULD MOVE FORWARD.

OTHER THOUGHTS THAT PEOPLE HAVE.

IDEAS. I WOULD SAY I'M IN SUPPORT OF IT.

I CAN THINK OF THREE PEOPLE RIGHT NOW, I WOULD NOMINATE.

OK, [LAUGHTER] THAT'S GOOD.

YOU WANT ME TO SAY WHO THEY ARE SARAH ALLEN, JOHN ESSER AND JIM HARDING.

I THINK THOSE ARE THREE FOLKS THAT I WOULD RECOMMEND AT THE CURRENT MOMENT.

AND THOSE ARE JUST FOLKS THAT I HAVE GOTTEN TO KNOW OVER THE LAST WHAT, YOU KNOW, A YEAR OR SO.

AND I WOULD SAY THERE'S PROBABLY SO MANY OF THEM.

AND WE THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE JUST INDIVIDUALS AND I THINK WE KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING. I CAN SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT, I THINK YOU GUYS KNOW, BUT I DON'T WANT TO SPEND TIME ON THAT RIGHT NOW. BUT ALSO, I THINK IF WE COULD GET BUSINESSES RIGHT AND GET SOME ACCOLADES FROM BUSINESSES LIKE WE WERE KIND OF TALKING ABOUT EARLIER TODAY, I THINK THAT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL, YOU KNOW, LIKE DIFFERENT KINDS OF LANDSCAPING, LIKE RAIN GARDENS, DIFFERENT KINDS OF THINGS, AND HIGHLIGHT THEM AS WELL.

I THINK THAT WILL HELP WITH THE BUY IN FOR LOTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVES.

AND MAYBE IT WOULD BE EVEN ESPECIALLY VALUABLE.

BECAUSE OF COMING OUT OF COVID AND PEOPLE ARE SORT OF COMING OUT OF THEIR COCOONS.

YEAH. AND I THINK IT IS INSTRUCTIVE JUST TO LOOK AT THE LIST.

YEAH.

A GOOD DIVERSITY OF BROAD TYPES OF PROJECTS TOO.

ANNA, DID YOU HAVE SOME THOUGHTS? I JUST HAD A QUESTION.

SO I WAS CURIOUS WHY THERE'S BEEN A FEW YEAR BREAK WHY DID WE STOP DOING THEM? I THINK, OTHERS CAN JOIN IN ON THIS.

I THINK WHAT HAPPENED WAS JUST THE PRESS OF OTHER BUSINESS KIND OF TOOK OUR ATTENTION.

AND, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY [INAUDIBLE] THE IDEA ALWAYS LIKE THAT.

IT'S THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION THAT GOT INVOLVED IN LOTS OF ISSUES AND JUST KIND OF FELL BETWEEN THE CRACKS.

OK.

I WAS JUST NOT KNOWING THE HISTORY, WAS CURIOUS IF THERE WAS ANY REASON NOT TO DO IT.

I MEAN, IT SOUNDS LIKE EVERYONE'S IN IN SUPPORT OF EVERYONE WHO HAS SPOKEN UP.

YEAH, I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY.

[01:10:01]

AND SO HE WOULD ALWAYS REMIND US, YOU KNOW, IT'S TIME TO START THINKING ABOUT THIS AND KEEP ON BEATING THE DRUM SO THAT IT KEPT ON HAPPENING.

AND THE FACT IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL VOLUNTEERS AND COME FROM DIFFERENT BUSY LIVES.

AND SO WITHOUT THAT, WE WENT THROUGH SEVERAL SORT OF MUCH SHORTER TERM STAFF MEMBERS WHO HADN'T BEEN PART OF THAT CULTURE, SO TO SPEAK.

BUT I THINK WE'RE NOW BACK WITH A PERSON WHO [INAUDIBLE] I MEAN, WHO COULD BE BETTER THAN LEROY, YOU KNOW, A RECIPIENT OF THIS AWARD HIMSELF AT HELPING TO PROMOTE IT.

SO I NOMINATE ALL OF YOU FOR AWARDS.

[LAUGHTER] ANYWAY, THAT'S THE SOMEWHAT EMBARRASSING REASON THAT IT STOPPED.

IT'S NOT SO MUCH THAT IT CERTAINLY WASN'T A POSITIVE DECISION TO STOP.

IT WAS A LOSS OF MOMENTUM.

BUT LET ME ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO BRING BACK THE ENVIRONMENTAL AWARDS AND IF WHOEVER MAKES THE MOTION ALSO WANTS TO SUGGEST THE SCHEDULE, THAT WOULD BE FINE TOO.

CAN I JUST ASK, IS THIS SOMETHING WHERE WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO FORM A COMMITTEE OR IS THIS.

A COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE, HAS BEEN WHAT IT WAS OK.

FOR A SUBCOMMITTEE, SORRY, THINGS ARE FALLING ON ME.

I'LL MAKE THE MOTION.

OK, GO AHEAD.

AND I BELIEVE WE SHOULD GO AHEAD AND DO IT THIS FALL.

I MEAN, WHY NOT GET AFTER IT? OK, OK.

DO I HEAR A SECOND? OK, ANNA.

OK.

A FURTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT THE MOTION.

OK, ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR HAND.

OK, ANY OPPOSED.

OK. MOTION CARRIES.

WE'RE BACK IN THE BUSINESS OF ENVIRONMENTAL AWARDS.

ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE NOW A TREE CITY UPDATE.

I GUESS THAT'S IT ROSE, RIGHT [INAUDIBLE] CHECK ON ROSE? I'M IN PUBLIC RIGHT NOW. I HAVE TO KEEP PUTTING MY MASK ON AND OFF.

OK, SO TREE CITY JUST KEEPS EVOLVING.

WE ARRIVED AT A PLACE WHERE IT WAS MAKING MORE SENSE FOR PARKS AND REC AND THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS TO BE LOOKING AT THE REQUIREMENTS AND REALLY MAKING A CALL ON WHETHER OR NOT WE WERE BEING REALISTIC.

AND AFTER A LOT OF THOUGHT, IT SEEMS THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR ORDINANCE PROBABLY WOULD WORK WELL, OUR TREE ORDINANCE WOULD WORK, BUT WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE TWO DOLLARS PER CAPITA, WHICH IS A REQUIREMENT OF TREE CITY.

SO IT'S NOT LOOKING LIKE IT'S GOING TO REALLY BE FEASIBLE.

HOWEVER, THROUGH ALL OF THIS DISCUSSION, WE HAVE ALL THESE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS TALKING NOW ABOUT TREES AND ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON, AND IT'S EXCITING.

AND SO I DO THINK WE ARE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH SOMETHING NOT A TREE CITY DESIGNATION, BUT MAYBE SOME SORT OF TREE PROGRAM TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT TREE PLANTING OR TREE CANOPY.

SO ANYWAY, IT'S WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING AGAIN.

WE'RE GOING TO GET EVERYBODY'S HEADS TOGETHER AGAIN.

SOUNDS LIKE LOU ANN HAS SOME REALLY GREAT IDEAS.

SO WE WANT TO PUT TOGETHER SOMETHING BECAUSE TREES ARE A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT PART OF OUR EVERYDAY LIFE IN THE TOWNSHIP.

AND SO WE WANT TO DO SOMETHING, BUT PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE TREE CITY.

SO.

CAN I ASK, YOU.

YES. GO AHEAD NED.

WHEN YOU SAY TWO DOLLARS PER CAPITA, YOU MEAN PER CITIZEN OF THE COMMUNITY.

YEAH. SO FORTY THOUSAND DOLLARS ROUGHLY.

DEREK'S CALCULATION WAS EIGHTY.

EIGHTY YEAH.

PER PERSON.

I THOUGHT WE WERE 20,000 IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP NO.

NO, I THINK WE'RE CLOSE TO 40.

OK, 40. OK.

OK, SO EVEN THOUGH YOU CAN COUNT VOLUNTEER HOURS, I MEAN, THERE'S ALL TYPES OF WAYS THAT WE CAN CRUNCH THESE NUMBERS.

BUT EVEN IN LOOKING AT IT THROUGH THAT LENS OF, YOU KNOW, UP UNTIL THIS PAST YEAR, THAT TEN THOUSAND DOLLAR GRANT APPARENTLY IS SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME.

[01:15:03]

BUT BECAUSE WE'RE A TOWN, YOU KNOW, THE STRUCTURE IS JUST DIFFERENT THAN IF YOUR CITY AND IS THERE ANY FURTHER TALK OR DISCUSSION ABOUT A HASLETT SCHOOL TREE PROJECT OR EVEN A HASLETT TREE PROJECT.

BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THE TOWNSHIP BOARD HAD SOME INTEREST IN HAVING IT SINCE WE HAD SUCH A SUCCESSFUL OKEMOS SCHOOLS PROJECT.

A PROJECT IN HASLETT.

ROSE OR NED ANY.

I KNOW THAT COURTNEY WAS WANTING TO PUSH THAT FORWARD AND I THINK SHE WAS GOING TO SPEAK ABOUT IT.

I SENT OUT A NOTE TO HASLETT BEAUTIFICATION ASSOCIATION.

BUT I HAVE NOT HEARD A RESPONSE YET AND THAT WAS WELL NOW CLOSE TO 10 DAYS AGO.

[7C. Tree City Update]

BUT JUST TO NOTE THAT THERE WERE POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES AND WE WOULD REALLY.

YOU KNOW, THEY'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME THINKING ABOUT WHERE THIS PART OF THE TOWNSHIP COULD BE ENHANCED, SO I THOUGHT THAT THEY WOULD BE AT LEAST A USEFUL RESOURCE.

THANK YOU NED. YEAH.

IN UNITY WITH ORGANIZATION, SOMETIMES IT MAY TAKE A WHILE TO HEAR BACK BECAUSE THEIR BOARD MAY HAVE TO MEET OR WHATEVER, SO OR AT LEAST THEIR OFFICERS.

SO. YEAH.

WELL, OK, ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT TREES? WELL, I WAS JUST WONDERING IF, YOU KNOW, THE PROJECT THAT'S GOING TO BE HAPPENING ON HASLETT AND MARSH, YOU KNOW WOULD IT MAKE SENSE TO TRY TO INCORPORATE TREES IN THAT SOMEHOW AND THAT'S HAPPENING? I MEAN, IS IT A STARTING SPOT OR ARE WE JUST LOOKING FOR OTHER PLACES IN THE COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW? I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT WHERE THEY'RE KIND OF DEAD ZONES AND WHERE THERE'S GOING TO BE CONSTRUCTION HAPPENING AND STUFF.

THERE MIGHT BE AN OPTION TO PUT IT WOULD ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO PLANT TREES AND PUT THINGS THERE IF THEY HAD FUNDING FOR IT, SO.

AND THE PROJECT, YOU'RE REFERRING TO AT HASLETT AN MARSH, YOU'RE REFERRING TO WHAT PROJECT? I'M NOT EXACTLY WHERE THE OLD L&L IS, WHERE THEY'RE DOING THE GOTCHA. OK, I MEAN, THAT'S NOT A SHORT TERM THING, BUT.

NO, NO.

OK. MOST OF THE BUILD IS OUT OF THE BACK THERE.

IT'S THE I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER IT'S THE PINE SOMETHING PROJECT, GOOD GRIEF, CAN'T NAME IT, BUT IT'S NOT REALLY SORT OF AT THE INTERSECTION OF MARSH AND HASLETT WHICH I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE IT BE IN A MORE SORT OF PUBLIC PLACE.

BUT, YEAH, MOST OF THE DEVELOPMENT THERE IS GOING TO BE OVER AT THE SORT OF BACK END OF WHERE THE PIZZA PLACE SORRY, WHERE THE MR. R'S DRIVING SCHOOL AND SO FORTH WAS.

THAT PART OF THE OVERALL STRIP MALL.

SO IT'S NOT AS SORT OF OUT IN FRONT AS ONE MIGHT HOPE FOR.

I'M NOT SAYING IT'S NOT A CANDIDATE OR SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT, BUT.

MAYBE THE GAS STATION, THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THE MARATHON STATION AT ONE POINT.

SORRY, ROSE, GO AHEAD.

WELL, THAT'S OK. AND SOMEBODY CAN JUMP IN AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG ABOUT THIS, BUT ANY TIME THERE'S DEVELOPMENT, THERE'S A PORTION IN OUR CODE THAT TALKS ABOUT HOW MANY TREES ARE REQUIRED BASED ON WHATEVER IT IS THAT YOU'RE BUILDING.

AND SO THIS IS WHERE OUR, YOU KNOW, OUR CODE AUDIT KIND OF CAN COME IN HANDY.

AND WHEN WE'RE GOING BACK AND WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR ORDINANCES AND WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR CODE, THAT'S WHERE WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE HERE IN THE FUTURE.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER'S IN THERE IS SUPPORTIVE OF PLANTING'S AND SUPPORTIVE OF PUTTING TREES IN THERE IN A SMART WAY.

SO GOOD POINT.

LET'S MOVE ALONG TO CITIZEN CLIMATE COMMITMENT.

YOU KNOW, WE HAD A GOOD DISCUSSION AT THE LAST MEETING AND IT HAD BEEN SUGGESTED THAT WE PUT IN SOME REFERENCE TO ENERGY AUDITS, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS A GOOD IDEA BECAUSE IT WOULD HELP PEOPLE KIND OF DECIDE WHAT TYPE OF LIKE ENERGY TYPE PROJECTS THEY MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER. SO I ADDED THAT INTO THE DRAFT WITH A COUPLE OF LINKS, ONE TO CONSUMERS ENERGY PROGRAM AND ONE TO MICHIGAN SAVES, BECAUSE MICHIGAN SAVES HAS A LISTING OF COMPANIES THAT

[01:20:08]

SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO TONIGHT IS HAVE SOME FURTHER DISCUSSION.

AND IF THE GROUP IS AMENABLE TO HAVE A MOTION TO ENDORSE THE CONCEPT AND RECOMMEND IT TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD, BECAUSE THEY THINK THIS SORT OF PROGRAM SHOULD GO BEFORE THE TOWNSHIP BOARD AND GET THEIR BLESSING.

BUT FIRST, ANY KIND OF FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF CITIZEN CLIMATE COMMITMENT? I JUST WITH BERNADETTE'S EXPERIENCE WITH HER CLIMATE ACTION GROUP AND SOME OTHER NEW MEMBERS OF OUR COMMITTEE, I THINK WE MIGHT HAVE AT SOME POINT, PERHAPS OUR ENERGY TEAM COULD INVITE THEIR INPUT ON HOW WE GET THE WORD OUT, BECAUSE THAT'S ALWAYS AN ISSUE.

AND HOW DO WE DO AN OUTREACH? THAT'S AN EXCELLENT POINT, LEROY.

YEAH, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE SETTING UP WITH THE CITIZEN'S CLIMATE COMMITMENT IS SOME EDUCATION GETTING PEOPLE TO THINK ABOUT AT THE TIME OF REPLACING EQUIPMENT OR AUTOMOBILES TO LOOK AT AN ELECTRIC ALTERNATIVE RATHER THAN A FOSSIL FUEL ONE. BUT THE BIG CHALLENGE FOR US WOULD BE GETTING THE WORD OUT AND GETTING PEOPLE TO AND AS SIGN THE COMMITMENT AND THEN KIND OF THINK ABOUT THESE ISSUES.

SO THAT THANK YOU LEROY.

THAT'S A GREAT IDEA. WELL IF THERE'S NO FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I GUESS I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ENDORSE A CITIZEN CLIMATE COMMITMENT CONCEPT AND RECOMMEND IT TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD.

AND KENDRA MAKES THE MOTION.

DO I HEAR A SECOND.

I'LL SECOND IT. TOM. THANK YOU TOM. FURTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS DISCUSSION.

OKAY ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

AND BERNADETTE AND OTHERS, WE WILL WELL HOPEFULLY THE TOWNSHIP BOARD WILL APPROVE THIS PROGRAM AND THEN WE'LL HELP YOU HAVE YOU HELP GETTING THE WORD OUT.

BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING, TOO, THAT REALLY IT'S KIND OF GEARED TOWARD PEOPLE WHO MAKE PURCHASING DECISIONS.

BUT THERE'S NO REASON WHY ANYBODY COULDN'T MAKE THE COMMITMENT, BECAUSE AT SOME POINT WE'RE ALL GOING TO BE FACED AT SOME POINT WITH MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT AUTOMOBILES, FURNACES, YARD EQUIPMENT.

SO LET'S SEE, THE CHAIRS REPORT.

[7D. Other]

MOVING ON TO THE STAFF REPORT.

JUST BRIEFLY, WE HAVE SEVEN SEAL COAT APPLICANTS, YOU KNOW, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NEW WE DID PASS A BAN ON COAL, TAR AND OTHER HIGH PAH SEALANTS.

SO WE HAVE IT'S EITHER SIX OR SEVEN CONTRACTORS CURRENTLY WHO HAVE REGISTERED AND AGREED TO NOT USE THE COAL TAR BASED SEALANTS.

SO THAT'S IT'S MOVING FORWARD.

I THINK THAT WAS PARTLY INSPIRED BY THE ARTICLE IN THE PAPER THE OTHER DAY AND EAST LANSING GETTING ON BOARD AS WELL FOR MORE OF A REGIONAL APPROACH.

SO THAT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING.

BUT IT'S STARTING TO BEAR FRUIT HERE.

IN GREEN NEIGHBORS GROUP ARE IN THE PROCESS OF SURVEYING THE GREEN NEIGHBORS.

I DO HAVE THE SURVEY RESULTS.

WE'RE JUST TRYING TO GET SOME FEEDBACK FROM THIS GROUP OF REPRESENTATIVES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, WHAT TYPE OF INFORMATION THEY WANT, WHETHER THE INFORMATION WE'RE PROVIDING THEM IS USEFUL AND HOW THEY'RE ABLE TO USE IT AND HOW THEY'RE ABLE TO GET THE WORD OUT TO OTHERS IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.

SO I WILL GO AHEAD AND SHARE SOME OF THAT INFORMATION WITH YOU.

AND RATHER THAN PULL IT UP AND BELABOR, OUR MEETING TONIGHT, BUT THERE'S SOME INTERESTING RESULTS, WE'VE GOT A PRETTY GOOD PARTICIPATION RATE.

CLOSE TO LIKE A THIRD OF OUR GREEN NEIGHBORS.

WE'RE UP TO ABOUT 30 NEIGHBORHOODS REPRESENTED ON THE GREEN NEIGHBORS, AND WE'RE HOPING THAT WILL BE A GOOD WAY TO DISTRIBUTE SOME OF THE INFORMATION, DECENTRALIZED DISTRIBUTION THROUGH NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORKS NEIGHBORHOOD NEXT DOOR FACEBOOK, AS WELL AS ORGANIZATIONAL

[01:25:04]

THE TOWNSHIP IS ALSO LOOKING AT SOME ONGOING OUTREACH DURING EARTH MONTH, WE'RE IN APRIL AND THE COMMUNICATIONS IS GETTING ON BOARD TO HELP US GET THE WORD OUT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA, BUT ALSO THROUGH A TABLE AT THE MARKET.

APRIL 17TH, WE'RE THINKING ABOUT SOME SORT OF EVENT THAT MIGHT BE A COMBINATION OF JUST GENERAL ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION.

BUT ALSO WE'VE GOT ARBOR DAY, WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE A TREE CITY COMMUNITY, WE CAN STILL PROMOTE PLANTING TREES AND GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE.

SO THAT'S MOVING FORWARD.

OUR GREEN TEAM IS ALSO THINKING ABOUT DOING SOME RECYCLING EVENTS OVER THE SUMMER AND THEN OUR BIG RECYCLING EVENT WILL BE IN THE FALL AT CHIPPEWA.

AND WE WILL BE SEPTEMBER 18TH.

WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING ANOTHER ELECTRONICS EVENT.

SO WE'LL KEEP YOU POSTED ON THAT BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON ANY OF THESE THINGS,

[9. STAFF REPORT]

WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE GREEN NEIGHBOR SURVEY RESPONSES, A MAJORITY OF PEOPLE HAD ALREADY SHARED INFORMATION WITH THEIR NEIGHBORS RIGHT.

YEAH, I THINK IT WAS ABOUT 75 PERCENT HAD SHARED.

I CAN PULL THAT UP IF YOU LIKE.

THAT'S OKAY. I JUST WANTED TO SHARING INFORMATION, BUT IT WAS REASSURING TO KNOW THAT APPARENTLY THE GREEN NEIGHBOR NETWORK IS WORKING. YEAH, LET'S SEE.

YOU KNOW, CLOSE TO 70 PERCENT WE'RE ABLE TO SHARE WITH THEIR NEIGHBORS THROUGH A VARIETY OF LET'S SEE I'LL JUST SKIP DOWN TO NEWSLETTER'S NEIGHBORHOOD NEXT DOOR FACEBOOK EMAIL LISTS A VARIETY OF FORMATS.

THANK YOU. OTHER QUESTIONS FOR LEROY ABOUT ANYTHING HE'S KIND OF TALKED ABOUT.

I JUST WANTED TO BE SURE THAT HAVE BERNADETTE AND ANNEKA ACTUALLY BEEN SENT THE GREEN GAZETTE OR RELATED THINGS.

OK, IS THAT POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO DO? DO WE HAVE WE HAVE THEIR EMAILS, RIGHT? I'M NOT SURE I HAVE ARTICLES, BUT YEAH, I'LL POST MINE IN THE CHAT WINDOW.

IF YOU WANT TO SEND ME AN EMAIL, THEN I'LL HAVE IT AND YOU CAN GO FROM THERE.

I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE OUT THERE VERY USEFUL DOCUMENT.

I KNOW PEOPLE ARE BUSY WITH SCHOOL SCHEDULES TOO, BUT THE GREEN DIALOGS ON ON WEDNESDAY ARE PRETTY WELL ATTENDED.

AND WITH THIS MORNING WE HAD A GREAT SPEAKER PAGE FILLY'S TALKED ABOUT SHAW FRIENDLY GARDENING AND.

IT'S JUST ANOTHER WAY TO STAY CONNECTED BESIDES THE GREEN GUYS AT.

THANK YOU, LARRY. MOVING ON TO OUR LATEST ON REPORTS, TRANSPORTATION COMMISSIONER, THAT'S STILL RIGHT FOR HIS BILL.

BILL, ARE YOU THERE? I'M BILL, THAT IS PICTURE UP THERE, BUT OK, MOVING RIGHT ALONG.

BUT ACTUALLY, PLANNING COMMISSION.

BILL, ARE YOU THERE? YOU MUST HAVE BEEN CALLED AWAY, OK? MICHIGAN TOWNSHIP ASSOCIATION.

YEAH, WELL, IF SOME OF YOU, I THINK, ARE AWARE, I JUST RETIRED A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO FROM THE MICHIGAN TOWNSHIP ASSOCIATION, SO I'M NOT SURE THAT I WILL BE QUALIFIED TO GIVE A REPORT MOVING FORWARD FROM MTA.

BUT I WILL LET YOU KNOW THE LEGISLATURE HAS BEEN IN RECESS THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS FOR THEIR SPRING EASTER BREAK.

AND ONE KEY THING THAT THEY DID DO, OR AT LEAST THE COMMITTEE DID BEFORE BREAKING, WAS TO REPORT HOSPITALS.

[01:30:01]

FIFTY FOUR THROUGH FORTY FOUR.

SIXTY ONE.

AND THIS IS THE REWRITE OF PURP ONE 15, WHICH IS THE SOLID WASTE FLOOR.

AND I THINK I'VE MENTIONED THIS IN THE PAST LAST YEAR.

ESSENTIALLY WHAT THIS WOULD DO WOULD BE TO PUT A LOT MORE EMPHASIS ON RECYCLING AND COMPOSTING RATHER THAN LANDFILL FILLING, AND HAVE EACH OF THE COUNTIES REDO THEIR SOLID WASTE PLANS, WHICH WOULD NOW BECOME MATERIALS MANAGEMENT PLANS.

IT IS SOMETHING THAT MTA STRONGLY SUPPORTED.

FRANKLY, I HAD BEEN WORKING ON THIS PROJECT FOR SEVEN YEARS, SO IT'S A NICE, NICE WAY TO GO OUT, I GUESS, TO AT LEAST GET IT THROUGH THE HOUSE.

NATURAL RESOURCES, INDOOR AND OUTDOOR RECREATION COMMITTEE.

SO THAT PACKAGE NOW GOES TO THE HOUSE FLOOR FOR CONSIDERATION AND THEN OBVIOUSLY OPEN TO THE SENATE AFTER THAT.

SO THAT'S ONE KEY THING.

I KNOW THAT'S HAPPENED FAIRLY RECENTLY, AND I GUESS THAT IS PROBABLY THE ONLY REAL THING THAT'S THAT'S COME UP RECENTLY THAT'S DIRECTLY IMPACTED TO ENVIRONMENTAL TYPE ISSUES.

OBVIOUSLY, COVID ISSUES ARE STILL FRONT AND CENTER ON A LOT OF PEOPLE'S MINDS.

BUT I GUESS WITH THAT, THAT'S PROBABLY ABOUT IT AT THIS POINT.

AND TOM, DO YOU THINK THAT LEGISLATION IS LIKELY TO GET ENACTED? I KNOW IT'S GUESSWORK, BUT IF YOU HAD IT.

WELL, I PERSONALLY CERTAINLY HOPE SO.

I DO THINK IT WILL MAKE IT THROUGH YHE HOUSE PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, RELATIVELY SOON AFTER THEY COME BACK FROM THEIR SPRING EASTER BREAK, WHICH ACTUALLY IS COMING NEXT WEEK.

THE ONE BIG QUESTION MARK IS REALLY WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE SENATE, BECAUSE UNLIKE THE HOUSE, THE HOUSE DID CONSIDER THIS LEGISLATION LAST SESSION.

BUT THE SENATE HAS NEVER HAD COMPANION BILLS OR SIMILAR LEGISLATION THAT THEY'VE ADDRESSED YET AT ALL.

SO I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME INITIAL WORK TO REACH OUT TO SOME OF THE KEY MEMBERS OF THE SENATE TO POTENTIAL CHAIRS

[10C. MI Township Association (MTA) or MI Municipal League (MML)]

SO HOPEFULLY, BUT THAT'S PROBABLY YET TO BE SEEN EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE SENATE. AGAIN, I AM CONFIDENT IT WILL MAKE IT THROUGH THE HOUSE RELATIVELY SOON, BUT IT'S KIND OF A WAIT AND SEE WHAT WHAT THE SENATE IS GOING TO DO WITH IT.

THANK YOU. SURE.

LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD, ACTUALLY, I GUESS WE DON'T HAVE A LIAISON, BUT WE WILL SOON.

GREEN TEAM.

I ALREADY REPORTED IT, I ALREADY REPORTED GREEN TEAM, SO GOOD THERE, I GUESS THE ONLY THING I WOULD ADD IS IF YOU HAVE A TOPIC THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST FOR THIS ONGOING OUTREACH IN APRIL OR A TABLE AT THE ACTIVITIES FOR A TABLE AT THE MARKET ON THE GREEN, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. OR IF YOU'D LIKE TO HELP STAFF A TABLE, THAT WOULD BE ANOTHER OPTION, PARTICULARLY LOOKING FOR GRAPHICS. IF YOU HAVE PICTURES OF WETLANDS OR TRASH BLOWING AROUND OR OTHER ECOLOGICAL ORIGINAL PHOTOS, I THINK THAT'S GOING TO HELP AS I BECOME BETTER AT SHARING SOCIAL MEDIA FRIENDLY INFORMATION, I'LL NEED YOUR HELP ON THAT.

SO THANKS.

NO LEROY I WAS HAVING A TALK WITH JIM HARDING, WHO'S AN EXPERT IN TURTLES AND, YOU KNOW, IN TALKING ABOUT THE ECOSYSTEM AND PROTECTING THE WETLANDS.

AND, YOU KNOW, IF WE CAN GET PEOPLE CONNECTED WITH CARING ABOUT SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING.

HE'S. THERE'S OVER 100 TURTLES IN HIS TIME THAT HE'S LIVED IN THIS AREA THAT HE'S BEEN TRACKING, WHICH IS, I THINK, SUPER COOL, AND I THINK IF WE CAN GET, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE CONNECTED WITH A TURTLE OR, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, TO GET THEM HERE AND ENGAGED.

THERE'S SO MANY THINGS IN OUR ECOSYSTEM TO LOVE, LIKE TREE SWALLOWS OR, YOU KNOW, THAT ARE GOING TO EAT ALL OF MOSQUITOES IN OUR YARD AND, YOU KNOW, THOSE KIND OF THINGS THAT JUST GET PEOPLE CONNECTED AND CARE AND INVESTED.

[01:35:05]

YEAH, AND I [INAUDIBLE] SUPER INTELLIGENTLY TO WHAT HE ALL SAID.

BUT IN THE TIME HE SAID HE'S MARKED THEM SOMEHOW SO THAT HE CAN KEEP TRACK OF THEM SOMEHOW IF THEY COME THROUGH OR WHATEVER, HE CAN SPEAK MORE INTELLIGENTLY.

BUT IT JUST MADE ME THINK, YOU KNOW, WOODY, THE DIFFERENT THERE'S SO MANY FOLKS THAT IN OUR COMMUNITY TO HAVE ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF EXPERTISE RIGHT AND CARE ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT, YOU KNOW, AND WE HAVE SUCH A RICH, RESOURCEFUL, YOU KNOW, INTELLIGENT COMMUNITY OF FOLKS WHO ARE DOING REALLY COOL THINGS SO WE CAN TAP IN DIFFERENT FOLKS AND HELP THEM EDUCATE FOLKS ON THEIR AREAS OF INTEREST AND SOMEHOW GET THE BUY IN, YOU KNOW, WITH SOME SORT OF VISUAL LIKE LEROY IS TALKING ABOUT. I THINK THAT WOULD HELP.

THAT'S AN EXCELLENT POINT.

IT MAKES ME WONDER, TOO, HOW MANY TURTLES ARE IN THE TOWNSHIP WHERE SOME OF US WERE SURPRISED ABOUT THE TWENTY FIVE PERCENT OF THE TOWNSHIP IS WETLANDS.

IT MAKES ME WONDER NOW, BECAUSE YOU SAID ONE HUNDRED TURTLES.

I WONDER HOW MANY TURTLES ARE IN THE TOWNSHIP.

PROBABLY A BUNCH IF WE GOT THAT MUCH WETLANDS.

BUT ANYWAY, LET'S SEE WHAT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COURTNEY AND ROSE ARE BOTH KIND OF GONE, SO WE'LL SKIP OVER THAT.

I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING NEW TO REPORT FROM THE ENERGY TEAM.

LEROY, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING RELATED TO ENERGY YOU WANT TO REPORT? WE'RE MOVING FORWARD ON THE LARGE SOLAR SYSTEM ON THE SERVICE CENTER, THANKS TO WORK FROM

[10E. Green Team]

WE GOT A PROPOSAL FROM ECO WORKS IN DETROIT.

AND THAT MIGHT HAPPEN NEXT MONTH.

SO IT'S ABOUT ALL I GOT.

AND YOU'VE GOT A LED LIGHTING PROJECT IN THE WORKS STILL TO RIGHT WITH THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING.

YEAH, WE ARE WORKING WITH WESCO, WHO'S GOT A LIGHTING SOLUTIONS GROUP THAT'S DOING A WALKTHROUGH OF SEVERAL OF OUR LARGER BUILDINGS AND LOOKING AT OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEDS AND LIGHTING CONTROLS. SO, YEAH.

SO IT'S GONE BEYOND JUST THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING SOUNDS LIKE.

YEAH.

SUPER. WELL, THAT'S GOOD NEWS. IT'S A BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.

SO WE DID MEET, BUT WITH ALMOST NOTHING TO TALK ABOUT.

THERE WERE ONLY TWO ITEMS. ONE WAS THE THE REAPPOINTMENT OF OFFICERS.

SO I AM ACTUALLY THE VICE CHAIR OF THE BRA.

OR WHATEVER THAT MEANS.

BUT THEN THE OTHER THING WAS SIMPLY TO NOTE THE DISBURSEMENT OF THE FIRST INCREMENT OF FUNDS FOR THE ELEVATION PROJECT.

THIS IS THE APARTMENTS THAT ARE BUILT THAT WERE BUILT DOWN. JUST WEST OF OKEMOS ROAD OFF JOLLY, SORT OF NORTH OF JOLLY.

WELL, THERE'S A ROAD CALLED JOLLY OAK ANYWAY, IF YOU GO IN THERE, IT'S BEHIND WHERE IT USED TO BE, APPLEBEE'S AND THAT STRIP MALL THAT'S ACTUALLY ON OKEMOS BEHIND THERE. THERE'S A WHOLE SET, NEW SET OF APARTMENTS AND SOME NICE PATHWAYS AND THINGS.

IN FACT, TODAY I JUST ROAD THOSE PATHS BECAUSE, OF COURSE, GOOGLE MAPS DOESN'T STAY COMPLETELY UP TO DATE AS TO WHAT'S BUILT AND SO FORTH.

SO THEY'RE PRETTY MUCH DONE WITH THE WITH THE MAIN BUILD THAT THEY WERE PLANNING TO.

AND AS THE APARTMENTS START BEING OCCUPIED AND SO FORTH, TAXES WILL BE COLLECTED FROM THEM. AND THE SO-CALLED TAX INCREMENT THAT IS THE BENEFIT THAT THE DEVELOPER GETS FOR IMPROVING THE. THE PROPERTY STARTS BECOMING SOMETHING THEY CAN THEY CAN REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT FOR.

ANYWAY, SO IT WAS JUST BASICALLY HERE'S A BANK STATEMENT, HERE'S MONEY THAT WAS DISBURSED AND THAT WAS THE END OF THE MEETING.

THANK YOU. YEAH.

COURTNEY'S NOT HERE SO WE DON'T HAVE A BOARD OF TRUSTEES, SO WE'RE UP TO PUBLIC REMARKS.

AND OBVIOUSLY, IT'S ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ANYBODY ON THE COMMISSION TO HAVE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS. BUT IS THERE ANYBODY FROM THE PUBLIC OR THE COMMISSION WHO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS? RIGHT. JUST VERY BRIEFLY, I DON'T WANT TO DEPRIVE ANYONE, IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN DOING

[10G. Energy Team]

[01:40:02]

WITH A THEORY THAT SOMEONE THAT MIGHT REALLY ENJOY DOING THAT AND THE COOL THING ABOUT IT IS HOMTV TAPES THESE SO WE CAN GO BACK AND SEE WHAT EVERYONE SAID.

BUT IF THAT APPEALS TO YOU, LET ME KNOW.

THIS IS NOT A JOKE.

THIS IS SERIOUS. THANK YOU.

NOT APRIL 1ST.

WELL GOOD TRY LEROY.

YEAH, WHO KNOWS? YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T HURT TO ASK. NO, IT'S GREAT EXPERIENCE.

RIGHT. OK.

ANY FURTHER THOUGHTS.

OK, IF NOT, CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

SO MOVED. OK, SECOND.

OK ALL IN FAVOR OF ADJOURNING.

PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. OK, THANK YOU, EVERYBODY.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.