May 05, 2021 Environmental Commission Meeting

[00:01:34]

I THINK WE'RE GOOD TO GO, JOHN.

[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]

LET'S SEE FIRST ON THE AGENDA IS THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA AND WE'RE GOING TO POSTPONE

[2. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA]

AND WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE HER BE HERE RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING OF OUR DISCUSSIONS. BUT ALSO, WOULD ANYBODY LIKE TO ADD ANYTHING TO THE AGENDA? ROSE. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT UNDER SIX B, IT SAYING THAT IT'S A TREE CITY UPDATE, I WOULD LIKE TO FROM NOW ON SAY THAT IS GOING TO BE A TREE TEAM UPDATE AS WE ARE NO LONGER PURSUING TREE CITY.

SOUNDS GOOD. ANYTHING ELSE? CAN I GET A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA? MOVE TO ADOPT THE AGENDA AS AMENDED.

A SECOND. THANK YOU, KENDRA.

OK. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS.

ANY OPPOSED. OK, MOVING ON TO THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES, IS THERE ANY ADDITIONS,

[3. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES]

OK, THANK YOU. OK, AND OF COURSE, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY AT THE END OF THE MEETING FOR PUBLIC REMARKS ALSO, SO WE GO ON TO NEW BUSINESS AND DEREK'S GOING TO TALK TO US ABOUT

[5A. Pathway Master Plan: Derek Perry]

DEREK, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.

ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, LEROY DO YOU CAN YOU MAKE ME A CO-HOST? IT MAY HELP. I BRING UP THE PLAN.

I KNOW THE COMMISSION RECEIVED A COVER MEMO AND KIND OF A FIVE YEAR SHORT PLAN AND THEN THE ACTUAL MASTER PLAN MAP ITSELF.

BUT IF SOMEONE'S OUT THERE IN CYBERSPACE WANTS TO SEE IT, SOMETIMES THAT MAKES IT EASIER.

JUST SOME BACKGROUND ON MASTER PLAN, SO THE PROGRAM ACTUALLY STARTED ABOUT 1974, SO IT'S FORTY FIVE.

FORTY SIX YEARS OLD AND IT'S BEEN WELL RECEIVED IN THE COMMUNITY.

IT'S BEEN SUPPORTED BY A DEDICATED PATHWAY MILLAGE.

IN FACT THE CURRENT MILLAGE PROVIDES ABOUT SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS TO THE PROGRAM ANNUALLY. AND AGAIN, THERE'S OVER 70 MILES OF PATHWAYS AND OVER 30 MILES OF PAVED SHOULDERS IN THE SYSTEM.

SO IT'S PRETTY EXTENSIVE.

AND OUT OF THAT SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, THE BIG CHUNK OF IT IS USED FOR NEW

[00:05:04]

AND THEN WE ALSO LEVERAGE THOSE DOLLARS OR PATHWAY GRANTS.

WE GO AFTER STATE GRANTS AND THE COUNTY CURRENTLY HAS A PROGRAM THAT WE TRY TO GO AFTER.

WE'VE BEEN PRETTY SUCCESSFUL.

AND THE WHOLE GOAL THAT REALLY IS OUR TAXPAYERS PAY INTO THAT COUNTY PROGRAM.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GET THOSE DOLLARS BACK INTO OUR COMMUNITY.

SO A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT IS THE BOARDWALK ALONG OKEMOS ROAD THAT WAS COMPLETELY FUNDED BY THE COUNTY PARKS AND AND TRAILS MILLAGE.

SO AGAIN, WE APPLIED FOR THAT AND GOT FUNDING FOR THAT.

BUT THE PATHWAY MASTER PLAN IS REALLY OUR DOCUMENT THAT WE USE TO DETERMINE WHAT PLANS AND PROJECTS WE'RE GOING TO DO, BOTH LONG TERM AND SHORT TERM.

IN YOUR DOCUMENT, THERE SHOULD BE A SHORT TERM PLAN FOR REALLY THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.

AND REALLY THOSE FIRST THREE YEARS ARE TIED UP ON THE MSU TO LAKE LANSING PATHWAY THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT PROBABLY FOR AT LEAST SEVEN OR EIGHT YEARS.

AND THIS YEAR, MAJORITY OF THE CONSTRUCTION WILL BE TAKING PLACE.

SO THERE'S PHASE ONE ALL THE WAY THROUGH PHASE THREE.

PHASE THREE IS THE LAST SECTION IN THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF THE TOWNSHIP THAT WILL TIE INTO LAKE LANSING, THE PARK ITSELF.

AND WE'RE IN THE PLANNING STAGES OF THAT.

BUT PHASE ONE AND PHASE TWO, PHASE TWO ACTUALLY CONSTRUCTION WILL PROBABLY START THIS SUMMER AND PHASE ONE WILL BE THIS FALL.

SO THAT'S EXCITING.

BUT THEN IN YEARS TWENTY FOUR AND TWENTY FIVE.

WE'VE IDENTIFIED SOME SOME GAPS IN THE SYSTEM THAT WE'D LIKE TO FILL IN AND THOSE ARE IDENTIFIED IN THAT SHORT PLAN.

SO I'LL PULL THAT UP.

THIS IS THE OVERALL PATHWAY MASTER PLAN, AND WHEN I TALK ABOUT THE SHORT TERM PLAN, IT'S REALLY THESE THAT ARE IDENTIFIED WITH THE NUMBERS SO LIKE TWENTY FOUR DASH TWO THAT YOU SEE UP THERE. TWENTY FOUR DASH ONE.

WHAT THAT INDICATES IS IN 2024, THE FIRST GAP THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO CLOSE IS THERE ALONG OKEMOS ROAD. THE SECOND GAP IS UP THERE NEAR LAKE LANSING.

AND A LOT OF THESE ARE BASED ON OUR EXPERIENCES AND THEN RESIDENTS CONTACTING US, TRYING TO GET THESE GAPS CLOSED.

AGAIN, THERE'S SEVERAL GAPS THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM, BUT WE FEEL THAT THESE ARE THE ONES THAT WE SHOULD BE FOCUSING ON NEXT.

BUT AGAIN, A LOT OF THIS IS DRIVEN BY CITIZEN INPUT.

SO THAT'S REALLY THE PURPOSE OF THIS PATHWAY PLAN UPDATE IS, IS TO SOLICIT THAT INPUT NOT ONLY FROM THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, BUT ALSO OUR RESIDENTS.

SO THAT'S ONE OF THE PURPOSES WE GO TO THESE VARIOUS BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, HOPEFULLY TO GET DIFFERENT AUDIENCES AT EACH ONE.

AGAIN, THE WAY THE PLAN WILL PROCEED IS SEVERAL OF THESE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS IT'LL GO BEFORE THE TOWNSHIP BOARD, THEY'LL HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING AND THEN THEY'LL FINALLY ADOPT THAT. AND WE'RE LOOKING TO DO THAT IN JUNE.

BUT THE SHORT TERM PLAN HERE ON THE MAP, THOSE ARE IDENTIFIED AND THE LONG TERM PLAN IS REALLY ADDITIONS TO THE PATHWAY MASTER PLAN.

AND WE HAVE ABOUT 10 OF THOSE IDENTIFIED.

AND THOSE ARE THE CIRCLES WITH THE NUMBERS AND THEN THEY'RE IDENTIFIED WITH THE YELLOW.

HOPING YOU CAN SEE MY SCREEN.

MOVE THE PEOPLE AROUND HERE SO I CAN KIND OF GO ALONG HERE, BUT SECTION ONE ALONG GREEN ROAD, THAT WOULD BE A NEW ADDITION FOR US.

WE'RE CALLING THAT THE GREEN ROAD EXTENSION.

SO THE MSU TO LAKE LANSING PATHWAY REALLY STARTS OVER HERE ON THE WESTERN BORDER ON HAGEDORN AND WILL WORK ITS WAY ALONG THE RED CEDAR RIVER ON THE NORTH SIDE, ACROSS GRAND RIVER, ALL THROUGH THE [INAUDIBLE] PRESERVATION PROPERTY AT OKEMOS ROAD CROSS THERE HEAD NORTH ALONG THE INTER-URBAN.

BRING THAT INTO THE DOWNTOWN HASLETT.

WE'LL CROSS THE MARSHALL BRIDGE ON THE NORTH SIDE, BACK BEHIND THE BUSINESSES AND AGAIN TAKE YOU TO THE NORTH NORTHEAST CORNER OF THE TOWNSHIP.

AND OUR THOUGHT IS, ONCE THAT IS COMPLETED, IT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO COMPLETE THIS LOOP SO THAT YOU COULD COME BACK INTO THE TOWNSHIP ALONG GREEN ROAD.

SO THAT'S WHY WE THINK IT MAKES SENSE TO ADD NUMBER ONE.

NUMBER TWO [INAUDIBLE] BE EXCUSE ME, CARLTON ROAD CONNECTOR.

CARLTON ROADS IN PRETTY BAD SHAPE, BUT IT'S A NICE CONNECTOR BETWEEN HASLETT ROAD AND THE PAVED SHOULDER AROUND LAKE LANSING.

BUT WE THINK THAT THAT NEEDS TO BE IMPROVED.

THERE'S GOING TO BE PART OF PHASE THREE IS THE SHAW STREET CONNECTOR THAT'S GOING TO BE CONSTRUCTED THIS SUMMER.

SO THAT ACTUALLY WILL GET YOU FROM HASLETT ALL THE WAY UP INTO LAKE LANSING PARK SOUTH.

[00:10:01]

THERE'S ONE ALONG [INAUDIBLE] ROAD.

THERE'S A FOURTH ONE THROUGH THE [INAUDIBLE] PARK.

THERE'S. CONSUMERS ENERGY HAS A TRANSMISSION LINE THROUGH HERE, AND WE THINK IT MAKES SENSE TO GET THAT ON THE PATHWAY MASTER PLAN AS FAR AS A NEW NORTH SOUTH ROUTE ON THE EASTERN SIDE OF THE TOWNSHIP.

SO, AGAIN, I WON'T GO THROUGH ALL OF THESE.

THEY'RE AVAILABLE IN YOUR IN YOUR MEMO, BUT.

WE THINK THERE'S 10 GOOD CANDIDATES THAT WE SHOULD BE INCLUDING IN THE NEW UPDATE AND AGAIN, WE TRY TO UPDATE ITS EVERY FIVE YEARS SO, STUFF CAN BE ADDED.

OCCASIONALLY SOME THINGS ARE REMOVED, THAT HAS HAPPENED.

BUT TYPICALLY IT'S REALLY OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLE ON HOW WE PLAN TO PROCEED AND SPEND THOSE PATHWAY MILLAGE DOLLARS GOING FORWARD.

SO, AGAIN, THE PURPOSE OF THE NIGHT REALLY IS TO PRESENT THIS TO YOU AND YOUR AUDIENCE AND FOLKS THAT HAVE OPINIONS OR RECOMMENDATIONS.

WE ASK THAT THOSE BE SENT ON TO US AGAIN.

WE'LL PRESENT THOSE, INCORPORATE THOSE IN THE PLAN, AND ULTIMATELY THE TOWNSHIP BOARD WILL HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING AND ADOPT THAT IN JUNE.

SO. I'M SURE THERE'S QUESTIONS AND I'LL BE MORE THAN WILLING TO ENTERTAIN THOSE, BUT THAT'S REALLY THE PURPOSE OF THE NIGHT.

I KNOW IT'S A LOT OF INFORMATION REAL QUICK, BUT HOPEFULLY IT ALL MADE SENSE.

DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR DEREK? WE MAY WANT TO STOP SHARING SO WE CAN KIND OF SEE EVERYBODY.

SURE.

WELL DEREK TOO, I JUST THIS IS KIND OF A RELATED QUESTION.

I KIND OF ASSUME THAT THE PATHWAYS HAVE BEEN GETTING MORE TRAFFIC DURING THE PAST YEAR.

DO WE DO WE ACTUALLY KNOW THAT SOMEHOW OR ANY DO WE HAVE A SENSE FOR WHICH TRAILS ARE USED MORE THAN OTHERS? THE INTER-URBAN IS DEFINITELY A HIGH TRAFFIC TRAIL, AND THERE'S ONE ON THE SOUTH END THAT WE CALL THE SOUTH INTER-URBAN, THEY'RE BOTH MAJOR EAST, WEST CORRIDORS. WE DON'T USE PED COUNTERS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

WE ACTUALLY LOOK LEVEL OF TRASH.

THAT'S REALLY OUR BEST INDICATOR OF USAGE AT THE PATHWAYS, BUT ALSO ON THE PARK SYSTEM.

AND WE'VE SEEN A LARGE UPTICK IN THAT.

SO THAT AND USE OF THE MUTT MITT BAGS FOR PEOPLE WALKING THEIR DOGS, CHANGING THOSE OUT A LOT MORE FREQUENTLY TOO.

WE KNOW THEY'RE GETTING A LOT OF USE.

YOU MIGHT ALSO, JUST IN CASE YOU'RE CURIOUS, YOU MIGHT ALSO CONSIDER LOOKING AT APPS LIKE STRAVA THAT RECORD WHERE PEOPLE DO THEIR WORKOUTS AND THEY'RE RUNNING AND BIKING, I USE THAT APP AND I CAN SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN RUNNING THE SAME ROUTE THAT I'M RUNNING, YOU KNOW, OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS.

SO IT'S JUST ANOTHER THING TO THINK ABOUT IF ANYBODY CARES OR WANTS TO LOOK AT THAT.

YEAH, YEAH, THAT INFORMATION MIGHT BE BENEFICIAL WHEN WE'RE PURSUING GRANTS.

SOMETIMES THEY'RE LOOKING FOR, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE USAGE AMOUNT ON PATHWAYS.

AND I KNOW MSU HAS UTILIZED SOME DIFFERENT COUNTERS AND WE KIND OF LET THEM BE THE GUINEA PIGS ON SOME OF THOSE THINGS.

BUT ONCE THEY GET SOME PROVEN TECHNOLOGY, WE TALK ABOUT TRYING TO DO SOME MORE INTRICATE MONITORING ON THE PATHWAYS TOO.

QUESTIONS, ANYBODY HAS A QUESTION FOR DEREK? ARE YOU ARE YOU GETTING A LOT OF FEEDBACK DEREK, FROM DIFFERENT CITIZENS AND BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS? SO MUCH THROUGH THIS PROCESS.

I MEAN, WE TYPICALLY GET FEEDBACK ON A MYRIAD OF ISSUES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND WE JUST KIND OF KEEP A FILE ON THESE THINGS.

AND THAT'S REALLY WHERE A LOT OF THESE TOP TEN [INAUDIBLE] IT'S NOT JUST US SITTING AROUND A TABLE SAYING, HEY, THIS MAKES SENSE.

IT'S A LOT OF USER FEEDBACK SAYING, YOU KNOW, WE'D REALLY LIKE TO HAVE A CONNECTOR OVER HERE OR WILL YOU PLEASE FINALLY FINISH THAT GAP? SO YOU KNOW, I'M TIRED OF WALKING AROUND IT, THAT KIND OF THING.

BUT AGAIN, WE'RE HOPING THAT EVERY FIVE YEARS IF WE DO THIS AND GET IN FRONT OF AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE CAN AND WE'LL IMPROVE THE PUBLIC INPUT PROCESS.

OK, DOESN'T SEEM.

QUESTIONS? YEAH, I'LL JUST BEFORE.

BILL'S GOT ONE. OK, BILL SEEN THIS PROBABLY 10 TIMES ALREADY, BUT.

AND I'VE GOT MY VIDEO OFF MAINLY ON MY INTERNET CONNECTION IS TERRIBLE, BUT I WAS JUST GOING TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE OVERALL STRATEGY OF KIND OF FOCUSING IN THE SHORT TERM ON THAT LAKE LANSING TRAIL.

AND THERE WAS A PARK THERE WHERE MY AUDIO CUT OUT AND I DIDN'T QUITE HEAR WHAT THE PLAN

[00:15:06]

AND I'D BE INTERESTED IN HEARING MORE ABOUT THAT.

BUT GENERALLY LOVE THE PLAN AND LOVE THE PRIORITIES.

REALLY, FOR THAT PHASE THREE, WE'RE WELL WE'RE WORKING WITH INGHAM COUNTY ON THAT, BUT ALSO WE'RE TRYING TO WORK WITH CONSUMERS ENERGY ON THE CORRIDOR.

IT'S A LOT EASIER TO WORK WITH LONG CORRIDORS LIKE THAT ONE PROPERTY OWNER VERSUS MULTIPLE PROPERTY OWNERS AND TRYING TO SECURE SMALL EASEMENTS.

AND A LOT OF TIMES THAT'S WHY WE HAVE SOME OF THESE GAPS.

IT'S JUST EITHER WE DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY TO CONSTRUCT THE PATH BY RIGHT.

SO WE NEED TO SECURE EASEMENTS WITH ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS.

AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, NOT EVERY PROPERTY OWNER INITIALLY WANTS TO HAVE A PATHWAY IN FRONT OF THEIR HOME.

SO SOMETIMES THOSE TAKE A LITTLE TIME.

TOM'S GOT HIS HAND UP. YEAH JUST A QUICK QUESTION ON THE TOP TEN, THOSE ARE WHERE YOU INDICATED MORE LONG TERM PRIORITIES, BUT DO YOU HAVE AN IDEA ON TIME FRAME WHEN THOSE WOULD BE COMPLETED, IF YOU WILL? WE REALLY DON'T.

THAT'S KIND OF WHY WE BREAK IT OUT IN THE SHORT TERM AND THE LONG TERM, BUT WE TRY TO FIGURE OUT, OK, EVERY TIME WE DO AN UPDATE, WHAT'S OUR NEXT FIVE YEARS GOING TO LOOK LIKE SO WE CAN PROVIDE A LITTLE SPECIFICITY TO THE PUBLIC.

BUT THEN LONG TERM, IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THOSE ON THERE, TOO, BECAUSE IT MAY BE A PATHWAY THAT WE KNOW THE PUBLIC WANTS.

WE DON'T PLAN ON DOING IT WITHIN THE FIRST FIVE YEARS.

BUT IF A DEVELOPER COMES ALONG AND BUYS THAT PARCEL, TYPICALLY ONE OF THE CONDITIONS IS THEY HAVE TO CONSTRUCT THAT PATHWAY.

SO IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE THOSE ON THE MAP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

SO WE GET THAT DEVELOPER THAT COMES ALONG.

WE CAN WE CAN GET THOSE GAPS DONE WITHOUT USING PATHWAY FUNDING OR GRANT FUNDING.

OK. [INAUDIBLE] I DEFER TO KENDRA INITIALLY.

THANKS LEROY, I'M JUST WONDERING, SO THIS IS FOR, LIKE, HOW MANY COMMISSIONS DOES THIS GO IN FRONT OF AND THEN IT GOES IN FRONT OF THE BOARD TO MAKE THE DECISION? RIGHT? SO THIS IS LIKE YOUR BEST PLAN RIGHT NOW, RIGHT? THIS IS THE BEST PLAN YOU HAVE FOR IT.

AND THEN BASED ON FEEDBACK, YOU MIGHT CHANGE THAT.

AM I HEARING THAT CORRECTLY? CORRECT. YEP. SO A LOT OF THE MAP REALLY IS THE CULMINATION OF 40 SOME YEARS OF THESE FIVE YEAR UPDATES, AS THE PUBLIC SAYS, THIS IS WHERE WE WANT THEM.

AND THEN EVERY FIVE YEARS AND WE TRY TO ACCOMPLISH JUST DIFFERENT ONES ARE ADDED.

AND THEN AGAIN, WE TRY TO IDENTIFY THE SPECIFIC WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. AND AGAIN, THE MSU TO LAKE LANSING HAS BEEN A HUGE DRIVER IN THAT AND WILL BE OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS.

SO WE TYPICALLY START WITH THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION, ALTHOUGH THAT'S NEW FOR THIS UPDATE, BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T EXIST IN THE PRIOR UPDATE.

SO WE STARTED WITH THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION.

WE'LL GO, WE DID. WE ATTENDED THE PLANNING COMMISSION.

I BELIEVE THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION AT THEIR NEXT MEETING.

WE'LL BE ATTENDING OF COURSE LAND PRESERVATION IS UP, I THINK, NEXT WEEK, PARKS COMMISSION. AND THEN WE'LL BE BACK TO THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION FOR A RECOMMENDATION TO THE FULL BOARD.

THEN THEY'LL BE ON FOR DISCUSSION AT THE TOWNSHIP BOARD.

THEY'LL SET A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE NEXT MEETING.

SO THEN WE'LL HOLD THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THEN THEY'LL DO FORMAL ACTION.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES.

IN FACT, IT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST VETTED PLANS THAT THE TOWNSHIP HAS REALLY BECAUSE IT DOES. WE DO TRY TO GET IN FRONT OF AS MANY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AS POSSIBLE.

GO AHEAD LEROY.

FIRST OF ALL, NICE JOB, DEREK, AND I THINK OUR STAFF HAS REALLY DONE A GREAT JOB FILLING IN THE GAPS.

BUT I'M ALSO JUST WONDERING, WE HAVE THREE AMAZING STUDENTS THAT ARE ON THE COMMISSION, AND I'M JUST WONDERING IF THEY HAVE ANY IDEAS OF HOW TO GET SOME FEEDBACK? THEY'RE OFTEN ON FOOT OR ON BIKE, AND MIGHT HAVE SOME INSIGHTS INTO GAPS THAT OTHER PORTIONS OF OUR POPULATION MIGHT NOT.

SO I JUST IF YOU GUYS HAVE IDEAS OF HOW YOU MIGHT SHARE THIS WITH STUDENTS OR GET SOME FEEDBACK FROM STUDENTS, THAT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO MAKE THEIR LIFE A LITTLE MORE COMPLICATED. THAT'S ALL RIGHT, AND ACTUALLY, IT'S A GREAT POINT, LEROY I MEAN, THIS PROGRAM REALLY STARTED WITH THE COMMUNITY SAYING HOW DO WE GET REALLY THE CHILDREN SAFELY FROM THE NEIGHBORHOODS TO THE SCHOOLS AND THE PARKS? I MEAN, THAT REALLY WAS THE MAIN DRIVER OF THIS PROGRAM.

[00:20:03]

YOU KNOW. AND AGAIN, IF ANYONE HAS COMMENTS BETWEEN NOW AND THE MEETINGS NEXT MONTH WITH THE FULL BOARD, FEEL FREE TO EMAIL US AT DPW@MERIDIAN.MI.US OR GIVE US A CALL.

WHATEVER, WHATEVER'S EASIEST FOR YOU.

I SEE AUDREY'S GOT HER HAND UP.

I HAVE A QUESTION.

I LIKE A LOT OF PLACES AND I WAS ACTUALLY JUST TALKING ABOUT THIS TODAY, I.

LIKE THE BEHIND CENTRAL THAT GOES INTO TACOMA HILLS, THERE'S I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY ON [INAUDIBLE], THERE'S THE PATH THAT GOES INTO TACOMA HILLS, BUT THEN THERE'S NOT A WAY TO GET FROM TACOMA HILLS OUT BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO CROSS THE RIVER.

OBVIOUSLY, THAT'S NOT REALLY LIKE A PATH THAT WOULD BE LIKE A BRIDGE AND ALSO DEFINITELY THROUGH PEOPLE'S NEIGHBORHOODS AND THROUGH RIVERWOOD.

BUT I THINK THAT WOULD BE COOL AND THAT WOULD THAT WOULD TAKE SOME EASEMENT FOR SURE.

THAT WOULD THAT WOULD BE A LOT.

BUT I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN LIKE RUNNING BECAUSE I ALSO USE STRAVA AS ROSE SAID AND I RUN LIKE. I RAN THROUGH TACOMA HILLS AND I RAN THROUGH RIVERWOOD, AND I USED TO GO TO SCHOOL AT CENTRAL AND I DIDN'T REALLY REALIZE HOW CLOSE EVERYTHING WAS TO EACH OTHER, BUT IT'S JUST BLOCKED OFF BY LIKE A RIVER, WHICH IS A PRETTY GOOD DIVIDER OF THINGS.

BUT I DON'T KNOW, JUST THROWING THAT OUT THERE, THAT'D BE COOL.

SURE. WELL, ANYTHING'S POSSIBLE AGAIN, ACTUALLY.

SOMETIMES IT'S IT'S HARDER TO CROSS A RAILROAD THAN IT IS TO CROSS A RIVER.

IN FACT, THE OKEMOS ROAD BRIDGE, THAT BRIGHT GREEN, WHICH PEOPLE EITHER LOVE OR HATE, THAT THAT WAS INSTALLED ON 2015 OR 16.

AND SO IT CAN BE DONE.

YOU CAN CROSS THE RED CEDAR.

AND PHASE ONE, WE'RE GOING TO BE CROSSING THE RED CEDAR, TOO.

BUT, YOU KNOW, IT REALLY DOES BOIL DOWN TO HAVING THE EASEMENTS OR THE PARCELS AVAILABLE TO CONNECT THE DOTS.

BUT WE CAN DEFINITELY TAKE A LOOK AT THAT ONE.

OK COOL. SO ANYTHING ELSE, [INAUDIBLE]? ANNAKA. I'M NOT SURE HOW MUCH YOU CAN DO ABOUT THINGS FROM OKEMOS TO MSU, BUT I'M LIKE ALONG LIKE BETWEEN THE TWO PRETTY OFTEN AND THERE'S JUST LIKE A LOT OF LACK OF SIDEWALKS GOING IN MSU.

SO, YEAH, THAT REALLY ONE OF THE DRIVERS OF THAT MSU TO LAKE LANSING PATHWAY, IT'S YOU KNOW, WE HAVE PATHWAYS ALONG GRAND RIVER BUT LET'S FACE IT, THEY'RE NOT ALWAYS THE MOST COMFORTABLE TO RIDE JUST BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC AND THE PROXIMITY TO THE CARS. SO THE PHASE ONE REALLY WOULD TAKE YOU KIND OF FOODS FOR LIVING, TAKE YOU BEHIND ALL OF THOSE BUSINESSES ALONG THE RED CEDAR ON THE NORTH SIDE AND WINDING BACK BEHIND ALL THOSE, BEHIND DON AVENUE AND ALL OF THAT AND THEN CROSS YOU REALLY AT [INAUDIBLE] AVENUE. YOU KNOW WHERE THE MSU MUSIC SCHOOL IS? THERE WOULD BE A CROSSING THERE THEN TO GET YOU KIND OF MORE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CAMPUS.

SO YOU WOULDN'T NECESSARILY BE AT GRAND RIVER AND FROM THERE TIE INTO THE MSU PATHWAYS AND THEN ULTIMATELY TO THE CITY OF LANSING PATHWAYS TOO.

ANYTHING ELSE? THANK YOU, THANK YOU, DEREK, THIS HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL.

SURE, SURE. WELL, AGAIN, I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS AND ANY FEEDBACK YOU HAVE IN THE FUTURE. AND AGAIN, EMAIL PROBABLY IS THE EASIEST WAY.

AND OUR DEPARTMENT EMAIL'S THE DPW@MERIDIAN.MI.US.

AND IF THERE'S SOMEONE OUT THERE THAT WANTS TO GET AN OLD FASHIONED PAPER MAP, JUST SEND US OR CALL US YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND WE'LL GET THAT SENT OUT TO YOU.

SO I KNOW NOT EVERYONE CAN DO EVERYTHING VIRTUALLY, SO WE TRY TO ACCOMMODATE EVERYONE THE BEST WE CAN. AND THEN JUST BEFORE I GO, I JUST WANT TO TELL MR. OSBORN THAT OLIVIA SAYS HI.

[INAUDIBLE], THANKS AGAIN DEREK.

YEAH. WE'RE MOVING ON TO THE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AUDIT UPDATE, I GUESS, LEROY, I ASSUME THAT WOULD BE YOU. YEAH, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING MORE ON THAT.

THAT WAS JUST ON THE AGENDA IN CASE CLIFF COULD JOIN US BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WETLANDS. I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE WERE CONNECTING THOSE TWO TOPICS, BUT THAT'LL BE HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE SOMETHING NEXT MONTH.

[00:25:03]

OK. OK, MOVING IN ON NEW STUDENT APPLICATION AND LEROY PUT IT DOWN,

[5C. New Student Applicant & “Alternates” Discussion: Annaka Saffron]

ANNAKA AND BERNADETTE ARE BOTH HERE TONIGHT.

AND LET'S SEE LEROY.

I GUESS WE'RE STILL JUST AT THE DISCUSSION STAGE.

RIGHT. BUT LAST MEETING WE DID TALK ABOUT WANTING TO GET EVERYBODY INVOLVED TO HAVE EXPRESSED AN INTEREST.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS DISCUSSED WAS HAVING ONE OF THE CANDIDATES BECOME AN ALTERNATE. AND THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION, TOO, ABOUT MAYBE A MEETING AT OKEMOS HIGH WHERE THE STUDENTS THEMSELVES WOULD TALK ABOUT IDEAS OF HOW TO, YOU KNOW, PARTICIPATE WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.

DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD LEROY? NO, OTHER THAN JUST WE WANT TO MAXIMIZE ACCESS TO ANY STUDENTS THAT WANT TO BE INVOLVED.

AND THE ALTERNATE WAS MENTIONED PARTLY BECAUSE LUCA'S GOT A PRETTY TOUGH BASEBALL SCHEDULE, BUT HE PROMISES TO BE BACK NEXT MONTH.

BUT I LIKE THE TEAM APPROACH WHERE ALL THREE OF OUR STUDENTS HAVE EXPRESSED INTEREST IN THE STUDENT MEMBERS AND ALTERNATES IF THEY CAN'T MAKE IT.

SO I THINK THE GOAL IS JUST TO MAXIMIZE ACCESS AND PARTICIPATION AND BUT I DEFER TO THE STUDENTS. BERNADETTE, ANNAKA, LUCA MAYBE.

AUDREY, ARE YOU STILL A STUDENT? YEAH, I'M IN THE SAME GRADE AS LUCA, ANNAKA AND BERNADETTE.

YEAH, I WAS KIND OF OR BECAUSE I'M A [INAUDIBLE] BERNADETTE IS ALSO AND I, WELL I'VE BEEN MEANING TO COME TO THESE MEETINGS, BUT THEY'RE JUST NOT MY SCHEDULE CHANGES ALL THE TIME.

AND THERE ARE SO MANY MEETINGS AT SEVEN ON WEDNESDAY FOR SOME REASON.

BUT I'M EXCITED TO BE HERE.

I'M JUST KIND OF FIGURE OUT HOW [INAUDIBLE] WORKS.

WE HAVE A COUPLE OFFICIAL STUDENT MEMBERSHIP OPENINGS AND BUT THERE'S NO REASON WE COULDN'T CREATE TWO ALTERNATE POSITIONS, WHATEVER WE DESIRE, I THINK WE CAN WE CAN CREATE EVENTUALLY, BUT. I'LL BE QUIET AND LET YOU GUYS TALK.

WELL, LEROY JUST TO CLARIFY WHAT YOU JUST SAID TOO IS LUCA'S IN ONE OF THE TWO POSITIONS.

RIGHT? AND WE DO HAVE A VACANCY IN THE SECOND POSITION? YEAH, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE ENTERTAIN BERNADETTE'S APPLICATION AND NOW YOU HAVE ANNAKA'S APPLICATION, OFFICIAL APPLICATION.

I DON'T SEE WHY WE COULDN'T HAVE THREE ALTERNATES OR TWO ALTERNATES.

I DON'T THINK WE MADE IT OFFICIAL DECISION ON BERNADETTE BECAUSE ANNAKA ALSO SPOKEN UP WITH INTEREST. OK, YEAH, AND ACTUALLY, I'D LIKE TO GET SOME INPUT FROM BERNADETTE AND ANNAKA, YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE KIND OF THINKING ABOUT THIS HOUR? I ASSUME, OBVIOUSLY, BOTH OF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN KIND OF THE THE POSITION ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR INTEREST.

AND WOULD YOU ALSO BE INTERESTED IN AN ALTERNATE ROLE AS IS A CHOICE TOO? BERNADETTE, WHY DON'T YOU GO FIRST? YEAH, I WOULD DEFINITELY BE.

I REALLY LIKE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION SO FAR.

I LIKE LEARNING ABOUT, LIKE, ALL THE ENVIRONMENTAL STUFF GOING ON IN MERIDIAN.

ANNAKA? I LIKE THE IDEA OF LIKE HAVING ALTERNATE POSITION AS WELL.

YEAH, LEROY, THERE'S MAYBE THIS HAS NEVER COME UP IN THE PAST, I WONDER IF, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE SAY AN ALTERNATE, IS THERE ANY POSSIBILITY OF TWO STUDENTS ACTUALLY SHARING A POSITION? DO YOU THINK THE TOWNSHIP BOARD WOULD BE RECEPTIVE TO THAT IDEA, ANY IDEA? I THINK WE HAVE SOME FLEXIBILITY SOMETIMES BETTER TO ASK FOR FORGIVENESS THAN PERMISSION.

I DIDN'T SAY THAT PUBLICLY.

NO, I LIKE THE IDEA OF JUST MAXIMIZING PARTICIPATION.

I ALSO LIKE THE IDEA OF COMING UP LIKE A STUDENT GROUP THAT IS IS MORE THAN JUST A COUPLE OF PEOPLE THAT ARE OUR REPRESENTATIVES AND CAN SPEAK MORE ARTICULATELY ABOUT SOME OF THE TOWNSHIP ITEMS THAT WE ARE DISCUSSING.

[00:30:08]

IT'S I SEE IT AS PRETTY FLEXIBLE, BUT OTHERS MAY DISAGREE.

WE DO WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT AMENDING OUR BYLAWS AND CLARIFYING SOME OF THIS A LITTLE BIT FURTHER. SO THAT'S ALSO IN THE WORKS AND.

OK, ROSE DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU WANTED TO SAY? I JUST KIND OF HAD A HAREBRAINED IDEA.

AND THAT WAS I WONDER IF WE COULD HAVE A STUDENT PARTNER COMMITTEE OR A STUDENT ADVISORY BOARD TOO COMMITTEE.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S GETTING TOO CONVOLUTED, BUT IT WOULD BE I MEAN, I FEEL LIKE THESE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE GOING TO HAVE SOME REALLY WONDERFUL IDEAS.

AND I WANT TO SEE EVERYBODY BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE AND HAVE A VOICE, SO.

JUST ANOTHER THOUGHT. I AGREE WITH ROSE, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A FANTASTIC IDEA.

I THINK THE MORE FOLKS WE CAN STUDENTS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, WE CAN GET INVOLVED IN ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVES AND WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PROJECTS ALREADY GOING ON.

SO YOU'RE WELCOME TO JOIN IN.

WITH SUMMER COMING TOO, THERE'S ALL KINDS OF THINGS YOU CAN JOIN IN ON, BUT IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE THE VOICES, THE STUDENT VOICES AND WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO THEM AND WHAT THEY'RE SEEING AND WHAT THEY'RE NOTICING.

OK, GO AHEAD AUDREY.

[INAUDIBLE] CAN GO.

OK, I WAS JUST GOING TO SECOND OR THIRD THAT AS WELL, AND IF WE DO HAVE BERNADETTE AND ANNAKA THAT ARE THAT ARE INTERESTED, PERHAPS WE COULD BRING THEM BOTH ON AND THEY COULD HELP WORK WITH US TO HELP BUILD THE OTHER STUDENT INTEREST AND AN ADVISORY GROUP OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, SINCE WE HAVE THE TWO OF THEM BOTH HERE AND ENGAGED NOW.

WELL, OTHER THOUGHTS, IT SEEMS LIKE, OH GO AHEAD, AUDREY.

I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK WHAT I GUESS I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS THAT OR FOR EARTH CLUB RIGHT NOW. WE'RE KIND OF WE'RE KIND OF RUN OUT OF STEAM BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF GETTING BUSY WITH AP TESTS AND EVERYTHING.

BUT WHAT? WHAT WOULD A STUDENT ADVISORY BOARD LIKE ADVISE ON, WHAT ARE WHAT ARE TOPICS THAT WE COULD TALK ABOUT AT EARTH CLUB, THAT WE COULD GET MORE INPUT FROM A GROUP OF STUDENTS THAT ARE ALREADY CURRENTLY DOING THINGS LIKE THAT? LIKE WHAT? WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT? WHAT WOULD YOU BE LOOKING FOR FROM A STUDENT ADVISORY BOARD? THAT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION, AND YOU KNOW WHAT IMMEDIATELY COMES TO MY MIND, SEE, YOU KNOW, WE CERTAINLY WOULD LIKE INPUT ON ANYTHING THAT IS AN ISSUE BEFORE US, BECAUSE I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE STUDENTS MAY HAVE A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE, LIKE DEREK WAS TALKING BEFORE ABOUT THE PATHWAY PATH OR THE PATHWAY PLAN.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ONE GOOD EXAMPLE.

BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE STUDENTS IN EARTH CLUB MIGHT HAVE IDEAS RELATED WETLANDS, ENERGY, CLIMATE CHANGE, CERTAINLY YOU COULD BE VERY HELPFUL TO US BECAUSE ONE OF OUR ONGOING STRUGGLES IS TO DEAL WITH EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH.

AND YOU MAY HAVE SOME IDEAS ON HOW WE CAN BE MORE EFFECTIVE IN DOING THAT.

OTHER KIND OF THOUGHTS RELATED TO A ROLE OF A KENDRA GO AHEAD STUDENT ADVISORY GROUP.

I WAS JUST GOING TO AGREE WITH WHAT YOU WERE SAYING, PARTICULARLY IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE WETLANDS. IT'S LITERALLY IN THE [INAUDIBLE] THAT STUDENTS GET EDUCATED ON THOSE IN THE SCHOOL AND WE CAN TALK MORE ABOUT THAT NEXT MONTH.

BUT ALSO, I WAS GOING TO SAY, YOU KNOW, THESE MEETINGS ARE OUR TAPES ARE ON HOMTV AND ON YOUTUBE. AND SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU CAN'T MAKE IT TO THE MEETING, MAYBE WATCH IT AND SEE THE TOPIC THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

AND THEN YOU GUYS CAN TALK ABOUT IT IN YOUR GROUPS AND THEN BRING BACK FEEDBACK TO US AND WHATEVER WE'RE MISSING AND NOT NOTICING, TOO, WOULD BE HELPFUL TOO.

SO I NOTICED THE HASLETT IS ALSO PART OF MY TEAM, AND SO WITHIN THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ALSO INCLUDE THEIR SCHOOLS OR CLUB.

[00:35:01]

SO, YEAH, CERTAINLY IT WOULD BE OPEN.

WELL, YOU KNOW, LET ME I THINK THERE'S A CONSENSUS HERE.

IT SEEMS THAT THE CONSENSUS IS TO HAVE BOTH ANNAKA AND BERNADETTE KIND OF APPOINTED BY US AS KIND OF CO-MEMBERS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.

AND ALSO THE IDEA BEING THAT THE TWO OF YOU AND POTENTIALLY OTHER STUDENTS, TOO, AND CERTAINLY LUCA WOULD BE KIND OF A STUDENT ADVISORY GROUP.

AND THE STUDENT ADVISORY GROUP CERTAINLY COULD INCLUDE AUDREY OR MEMBERS OF THE EARTH CLUB STUDENTS FROM HASLETT, IF THAT SEEMS TO BE OF.

IF I GOT THE CONSENSUS CORRECT, I GUESS I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO THAT EFFECT.

KENDRA. SO JUST I'M SORRY, I DISAGREE WITH WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

[INAUDIBLE] THE MOTION TO HAVE THEM SHARE THE POSITIONS.

IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING? YES, YES. THERE ARE TWO CANDIDATES SHARE THE POSITION AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, LOOK INTO DOING A STUDENT ADVISORY GROUP WHICH WOULD INCLUDE LUCA AND POTENTIALLY OTHER STUDENTS.

TOM. YOUR MUTED.

SORRY ABOUT THAT. I GUESS I WAS JUST CURIOUS AS IF THE TWO OF THEM SHARE THE POSITION.

I MEAN, HOW DOES THAT WORK AS FAR AS IF BOTH OF THEM ARE AT THE MEETING AT THE SAME TIME? DO YOU KNOW, DO THEY EACH KIND OF OFFICIALLY HAVE A ROLE WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION? BECAUSE TECHNICALLY, I THINK WE ONLY HAVE TWO POSITIONS.

LUCA FILLING ONE OF THOSE.

I'M JUST KIND OF WONDERING HOW THE LOGISTICS OF THAT WOULD WORK.

YEAH, WELL, I THINK LEROY KIND OF ALLUDED TO THE FACT THAT THEY'RE NOT VOTING MEMBERS, MAKES IT A LITTLE CLEANER.

IF THEY WERE VOTING MEMBERS, THAT WOULD BE KIND OF AN IMPOSSIBLE SITUATION JUST BECAUSE IT GETS TOO COMPLICATED.

BUT I DON'T THINK IT WAS EVER INTENDED THAT WE WOULD HAVE CO-MEMBERS.

BUT LEROY SAID IT SEEMS LIKE A GOOD IDEA AND PROBABLY NOBODY WOULD KIND OF COMPLAIN ABOUT IT. SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE MORE PARTICIPATION AT OUR MEETINGS, THE BETTER. AND I THINK THE REALITY IS TWO STUDENTS CAN BE VERY BUSY AT TIMES AND ONE OR MORE MAY MISS MEETINGS JUST LIKE WE'RE MISSING LUCA TONIGHT.

SO I YEAH, I THINK THAT'S THE I'M GUESSING THAT IT WILL WORK OUT FINE, BUT.

OK. YEAH. DO I HEAR A SECOND TO THAT MOTION? SECOND.

OK FURTHER DISCUSSION.

DO WE MAYBE WANT TO HAVE A COMMITTEE MEMBER? BE THE POINT PERSON FOR THE STUDENT COMMITTEE AT LEAST, DO WE WANT TO MAYBE HAVE A LITTLE MEETING AFTER THIS MEETING TO HASH OUT SOME OF THE DETAILS AND FIGURE OUT ROLES AND.

DEFINE THINGS A LITTLE BETTER AND THEN BRING THAT BACK TO OUR NEXT MEETING.

I THINK THAT'S A I THINK THAT'S AN EXCELLENT IDEA.

WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO DO THAT? SURE. OK, THAT'S OK.

OK. OTHER FURTHER DISCUSSION.

OK. ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, JUST RAISE YOUR HAND, PLEASE.

OK, ANY OPPOSED.

OK, THANK YOU.

OK, LET'S SEE.

LET'S SEE OH WE'RE DOWN TO OLD BUSINESS AND GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE GRANTS FOR SCHOOLS AND I

[6A. Green Infrastructure Grants for Schools]

ROSE GOT SOME GOOD PICTURES OF ONE OF THE PROJECTS, I'LL MAYBE LET HER TALK ABOUT THAT.

WE'VE BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH ALL THE PROJECTS.

WE PROPOSED A 50 PERCENT, DOWN 50 PERCENT UPON COMPLETION, WHICH DEREK HAD SUGGESTED.

AND BOTH OF THE HASLETT MIDDLE SCHOOL AND MONTESSORI [INAUDIBLE] ARE SUPPORTIVE OF THAT

[00:40:04]

I KNOW SCHOOL'S BEEN PRETTY BUSY, SO I HAVEN'T HEARD OF A LOT OF STUDENT INVOLVEMENT, BUT WE'RE EXPECTING SOME REPORTS IN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO FROM EACH OF THE GROUPS.

YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE ROSE? I JUST WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, I LIVE NOT TOO FAR AWAY FROM [INAUDIBLE], SO I'VE HAD MY EYE ON THEIR PROGRESS AND IT'S VERY IMPRESSIVE.

THEY'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK ALREADY.

AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE REAL FUN THIS COMING WEEK.

THEY'RE GOING TO DO A BIG PLANTING EVENT AND HAVE THE STUDENTS COME OUT AND DO PLANTINGS IN THE GREENHOUSE AND AROUND THE PATHWAYS.

SO I'M HOPING TO GET SOME PHOTOS OF THAT AND MAYBE SOME VIDEO TO SHARE WITH YOU AND WITH THE TOWNSHIP BOARD OF WHAT'S HAPPENING.

IT'S THIS IS VERY COOL.

VERY EXCITING. AND I'M SO PLEASED WITH THIS PROJECT.

I WOULD ENCOURAGE WE'VE TALKED BEFORE ABOUT AT SOME APPROPRIATE TIME HAVING A REPORT TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD OR KIND OF AN UPDATE.

SO I'M GLAD YOU MENTIONED THAT BECAUSE I THINK THAT COULD BE HELPFUL IN A LOT OF WAYS.

ANYTHING ELSE ABOUT THE GRANTS, LEROY OR? YEAH, THERE'S ABOUT THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS LEFT IN THE BUDGET AND THE OKEMOS HIGH SCHOOL PROJECT, KIND OF A RE-ISSUE OR ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR THESE PROJECTS IS POSSIBLE OR OTHER GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.

SO WE STILL HAVE SOME WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SUPPORTING THE PROJECTS THAT WE'VE COMMITTED TO TO THE EXTENT THAT THEY NEED IT.

BUT JUST IF THERE ARE OTHER IDEAS OR PROJECTS THAT PEOPLE WANT THIS TEAM TO EXPLORE, WE'RE OPEN TO THAT. OK, LET'S MOVE ON TO THE [INAUDIBLE].

[6B. Tree City Update]

THERE'S A LOT OF OVERLAP IN WHAT WE'RE DOING.

AND I THINK THE MORE OFTEN WE'RE ABLE TO MEET WITH EACH OTHER AND TALK ABOUT THINGS, THE STRONGER THESE THESE PROJECTS ARE GOING TO BE.

AND ONE EXAMPLE OF THAT IS WE JUST DID THIS BIG TREE GIVEAWAY THIS PAST WEEKEND AT THE FARMER'S MARKET. I DON'T KNOW, LEROY WERE YOU PLANNING ON TALKING ABOUT THAT AT SOME OTHER POINT OR SHOULD I? I'M HAPPY WITH YOU BECAUSE YOU WERE THERE IN THE FRONT LINES.

I WAS OUT OF TOWN. SO THE TOWNSHIP WAS GIVEN THREE HUNDRED SEEDLINGS FROM THE MSU TREE RESEARCH CENTER, AND THEY WERE RED PINE SEEDLINGS, NATIVE RED PINES.

AND SO WE GAVE ABOUT 200 OF THOSE OUT AT THE FARMER'S MARKET.

AND THEN THERE ARE STILL ROUGHLY A HUNDRED DIVIDED UP BETWEEN HARRIS NATURE CENTER AND THE SERVICE CENTER.

AND I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET THE WORD OUT, AND I KNOW LEROY HAS BEEN TRYING TO GET THE WORD OUT THAT ANYBODY WHO WOULD LIKE SEEDLINGS CAN COME AND PICK THEM UP.

BUT THAT WAS JUST A REALLY COOL COMBINED EFFORT THERE THAT WE PULLED OFF AND THE GREAT RESPONSE THAT.

BUT, OTHERWISE, AS FAR AS THE TREE STUFF GOES, I THINK THAT MY NEXT BIG THERE'S TWO THINGS I WANT TO DO. MY NEXT BIG PUSH IS TO TALK TO WHOEVER I OUGHT TO ABOUT THE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AUDIT AND MAKE SURE THAT TREES ARE A CONSIDERATION THERE.

AND THEN I WAS SPEAKING TO KENDRA YESTERDAY.

WE TALKED ON THE PHONE AND SHE TOLD ME THAT SHE WAS TALKING TO CLERK GUTHRIE.

AND THERE'S APPARENTLY A TREE THAT NEEDS SAVING AND I NEED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHERE THAT IS. BUT SOMEWHERE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, I GUESS THERE'S A TREE MAYBE KENDRA, YOU CAN TALK ABOUT THAT MORE. SHE MENTIONED POWELL ROAD.

AND I KNOW THAT THE POWELL ROAD CONSTRUCTION PROJECT, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S ON THE AGENDA TOMORROW. I HAVEN'T DRIVEN DOWN POWELL ROAD TO SEE WHERE THE TREE IS, BUT SHE SAID THAT HER AND THE TRUSTEE OPSUMMER WERE INTERESTED IN SAVING THAT TREE.

ALL RIGHT, SO I'M GOING TO TRY TO SAVE THE TREE.

DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHAT TREE THIS IS? I MEAN, I WILL SAY THIS, I'LL CALL HER, I'LL CALL HER AND ASK HER.

I'LL CALL HER AND ASK HER. I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH HER.

ALL RIGHT, COOL, WE'LL TALK THEN.

AND THAT IS ALL FOR TREES.

OK. THANK YOU, ROSE.

WE'RE UP TO CHAIR'S REPORT.

[7. CHAIR’S REPORT]

[00:45:03]

SO I'D LIKE TO ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY HERE TO KIND OF CHECK THAT OUT AND TO SIGN UP.

AND, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE AT THIS POINT, IF YOU HAVEN'T ACTUALLY MADE A DECISION ABOUT SWITCHING FROM LIKE, YOU KNOW, TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES, YOU DON'T HAVE TO ACTUALLY PUT ANYTHING DOWN. YOU COULD JUST INDICATE THAT YOU'RE MAKING A COMMITMENT TO, IN THE FUTURE, CONSIDER ELECTRIC ALTERNATIVES.

IF YOU HAVE MADE A DECISION, THOUGH, ABOUT FURNACES OR YOU KNOW OR LAWNMOWERS OR WHATEVER, IT'S PROBABLY GOOD INFORMATION FOR US TO HAVE FOR YOU TO CLICK THOSE BOXES.

SO, AGAIN, I'D LIKE TO ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO CHECK IT OUT AND TELL YOUR FRIENDS I WOULD REALLY LOVE TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, HUNDREDS, IF NOT THOUSANDS OF TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS TO GO TO THE WEB PAGE AND MAKE THE COMMITMENT.

I THINK IT WOULD SAY SOMETHING ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY.

AND I GUESS THAT'S THAT'S ALL FROM FOR THE CHAIR'S REPORT, WHICH LEADS US UP TO LEROY

[8. STAFF REPORT]

AND THIS PAST WEEKEND, TREES OUT.

SO THINK ABOUT THAT IF YOU IF YOU'VE GOT SOME IDEAS FOR WHAT WOULD WOULD DRAW PEOPLE TO AN INFORMATION TABLE OR WHAT WOULD BE GOOD INFORMATION TO GIVE OUT, AND THE MARKET STAFF HAVE BEEN REAL SUPPORTIVE OF THAT AND PROVIDED TABLE AND CHAIRS.

AND IT'S IT'S KIND OF A FESTIVE OPPORTUNITY.

WE ARE WORKING ON A BIKE RECYCLING EVENT ON AT THE MARKET MAY 22ND, AND WE'RE HOPING TO STAFF THAT TABLE EITHER THIS COMING SATURDAY OR THE FOLLOWING SATURDAY TO PROMOTE THAT BIKE RECYCLING AND BIKE REPAIR WORKSHOP THAT TIM POTTER WILL BE ASSISTING WITH FROM MSU BIKES.

THERE'S A BIKE REPAIR STATION THERE AT THE MARKET, WHICH SOME OF YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN, SO THAT'S SORT OF AN IDEAL PLACE TO DO A LITTLE BIKE WORKSHOP.

WE'RE LOOKING AT THE RECYCLING CENTER IMPROVEMENTS AND POSSIBLY TALKING WITH GRANGER ABOUT ANOTHER RECYCLING LOCATION, SO THAT'S THAT'S IN THE WORKS.

THERE'S SOME GRANT MONEY AVAILABLE FOR THAT.

IF YOU'VE GOT THOUGHTS ON THAT, I'D BE INTERESTED IN YOUR FEEDBACK.

WE'RE ALSO DOING A COMMUNITY SURVEY AND WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE A QUESTION RELATED TO RECYCLING AND OR OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES ON THAT COMMUNITY SURVEY.

SO IF YOU'VE GOT IDEAS FOR QUESTIONS FOR THAT COMMUNITY WIDE SURVEY, PLEASE SEND THEM ALONG TO DEREK OR I.

WE MIGHT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADD ONE OR TWO QUESTIONS.

THERE'S SOME HOT ISSUES IN THE TOWNSHIP RIGHT NOW.

BUT THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO GET SOME FEEDBACK FROM RESIDENTS ON THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO US.

THE GREEN DIALOGS CONTINUE ON WEDNESDAY MORNING, AND THAT'S ALWAYS SOME OF YOU ARE INVOLVED WITH THAT IF ANY OF YOU THAT ARE INVOLVED WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON.

ON SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE BEING DISCUSSED INVITE YOU TO DO THAT, BUT IT'S USUALLY A KIND OF A FERTILE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT THINGS LIKE PONDS AND ECOLOGICAL LANDSCAPING, DOG POOP AND OTHER JUICY MATTERS ENCOURAGE YOU TO TUNE IN.

AND YOU MIGHT EVEN GET A CHANCE TO HEAR JOHN ESSAR'S DOG POOP JINGLE AGAIN.

OR MAYBE HIS NEXT JINGLE HE'S DEVELOPING.

THE DIALOG FORMAT IS KIND OF COOL BECAUSE IT'S UNLIKE A TRADITIONAL MEETING WITH AN

[00:50:01]

SO THAT USUALLY BRINGS UP SOME INTERESTING TOPICS.

THE ENERGY BIG ENERGY SYSTEM IS GOING TO BE INSTALLED AT THE SERVICE CENTER STARTING IN JULY, MAYBE COMPLETED IN AUGUST, SO THAT'S COMING UP.

AND. WHAT ELSE? WE'VE GOT A BIG RECYCLING EVENT IN LATER IN THE SUMMER AND WE'RE TRYING TO I NEED TO SEND OUT SOME SPONSORSHIP REQUESTS FOR THAT BECAUSE THAT EVENT COSTS OVER TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS TO PULL OFF. AND WE SO FAR, WE'VE GOT DELTA DENTAL AND GRANGER THAT HAVE COMMITTED THE TOWNSHIP IS COMMITTED, BUT WE NEED ABOUT ONE HUNDRED VOLUNTEERS AND ABOUT TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

SO IF YOU'D LIKE TO BE INVOLVED.

CONSIDER JOINING OUR GREEN TEAM.

AND I GUESS I WOULD INVITE TOM TO ADD ANYTHING ABOUT THE GREEN TEAM, WHICH TYPICALLY OVERSEES RECYCLING EVENTS.

TOM'S INVOLVED WITH THAT.

TOM DO YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING? YEAH, REALLY NOTHING MUCH TO ADD AT THIS POINT.

I THINK YOU'VE KIND OF COVERED IT.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU AND THE TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING ON IS A FLIER FOR THAT SEPTEMBER EVENT. AND I THINK WE'RE KIND OF ZEROING IN ON GETTING THAT FINALIZED OR CLOSE TO THAT.

BUT HOPEFULLY THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE SOON.

BUT OTHER THAN THAT, I DON'T THINK THERE'S TOO MUCH ELSE TO RELAY.

SO OUR NEXT MEETING IS TOMORROW AT FIVE O'CLOCK ON ZOOM, IF ANY OF YOU WOULD LIKE TO GET INVOLVED WITH THE GREEN TEAM OR THE GREEN RESOURCES TABLE.

FEEL FREE, I CAN SEND YOU THE LINK OR TOM CAN SEND YOU THE LINK, SO I THINK THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT REALLY ARE ON THE FRONT OF MY AGENDA, SO.

THANKS, JOHN. WELL, THANKS, LEROY.

YOU KNOW, THIS MORNING DURING THE GREEN DIALOG, IT YOU KNOW, I HAD THIS THOUGHT THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ANOTHER COMMUNITY THAT KIND OF WAS TRYING TO DEAL WITH ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES AND THEY WERE WONDERING HOW TO GET STARTED.

I GUESS I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT THEY DO TWO THINGS INITIALLY.

ONE IS TO TRY TO ESTABLISH AN ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION OR COMMITTEE THAT WOULD HAVE KIND OF A MORE FORMAL ROLE, BUT ALSO TO DO LIKE THE GREEN DIALOG THAT WE HAVE EVERY WEDNESDAY MORNING, BECAUSE I THINK THAT, LIKE YOU SAY, LEROY PROVIDES A MORE INFORMAL WAY FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE INPUT AND PARTICIPATE AND IS OPEN ENDED.

OF COURSE, ANY NUMBER OF PEOPLE CAN PARTICIPATE.

SO I THINK, OF COURSE, THE TOWNSHIP HAS DONE A LOT IN THE ENVIRONMENT, BUT THOSE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND THEN THE GREEN DIALOGS, I THINK REALLY ARE VERY HELPFUL IN IDENTIFYING ISSUES AND SORTING OUT THINGS.

BOY, I LEARNED A LOT DURING THESE MEETINGS AND ALSO WEDNESDAY MORNINGS AT THE GREEN DIALOGS. SO IT'S ALL FOR THE GOOD.

AND WE'RE MOVING ON TO THE DIFFERENT STUDY GROUPS AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION.

[9A. Transportation Commission]

YEAH THANKS. THE MAIN ITEM THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION HAS BEEN WORKING ON RECENTLY IS THIS TOWNSHIP PATHWAY MASTER PLAN, WHICH WE HEARD A PRESENTATION FROM EARLIER, AND THAT'S THE REPORT FROM THERE.

MOVING TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION.

[9B. Planning Commission]

THE REZONING ONE IS A COUPLE OF PARCELS ALONG GRAND RIVER AVENUE WHERE YOU MAY RECALL THERE WAS A PROPOSED CAR DEALERSHIP THAT WAS IS NO LONGER BEING PURSUED AND ANOTHER PROJECT IS BEING SOUGHT THERE.

SO THEY ARE LOOKING FOR A CHANGE OF ZONING FROM COMMERCIAL TO RESIDENTIAL TO ALLOW THAT TO GO FORWARD. ANOTHER RESIDENTIAL REZONING UP IN THE AREA OF [INAUDIBLE] DRIVE BEHIND THE GABLES SHOPPING PLAZA AND SPECIAL USE PERMIT FOR A DRIVE THROUGH CAR WASH AT THE FORMER PAUL REVERE'S RESTAURANT THERE ON GRAND RIVER AT DON.

HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, BUT THOSE ARE THE MAIN THINGS ON THE DOCKET OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION. ANY QUESTIONS FOR BILL? LET'S SEE, MOVING ALONG, WE'VE GOT A HEY TOM I KNOW YOU'VE RETIRED FROM THE TOWNSHIP

[9C. MI Township Association (MTA) or MI Municipal League (MML)]

[00:55:05]

BUT I THINK LAST MEETING I MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS SOME LEGISLATION MOVING FORWARD ON THE REWRITE OF PART 115, WHICH IS THE STATE SOLID WASTE LAW.

AND THE FOCUS OF THAT IS REALLY TO ENCOURAGE MORE RECYCLING AND COMPOSTING INSTEAD OF LANDFILLING. SINCE THE LAST OUR LAST MEETING THAT DID THAT PACKAGE DID PASS THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TOWARDS THE END OF APRIL AND HAS NOW MOVED ON TO THE SENATE.

I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT WILL HAPPEN NOW THAT IT'S IN THE SENATE.

UNFORTUNATELY, IT WENT TO A COMMITTEE THAT'S PROBABLY LESS FAVORABLE THAN THE COMMITTEE WE ANTICIPATED THE LEGISLATION WOULD GO TO, BUT TIME WILL TELL.

SO I GUESS THAT'S REALLY THE ONLY UPDATE I HAVE AT THIS POINT, THAT IT HAS MADE IT THROUGH ONE MORE STEP AND IT'S NOW BEFORE A SENATE COMMITTEE.

SO.

THAT'S GOOD TO HEAR. THANK YOU, TOM.

SURE. AND WE'RE UP TO THE LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD, KENDRA.

[9D. Land Preservation Advisory Board]

TO BEGIN WITH SHE HAS HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO HIRE AN INTERN, REBECCA FISHER, TO HELP HER OUT WITH IMPLEMENT HER MANY STEWARDSHIP PROGRAMS. AND FOR EARTH MONTH PROVIDED A LOT OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR FOLKS TO GET INVOLVED IN HELPING CONSERVE OUR LAND.

SO LET ME JUST TALK A LITTLE ABOUT THAT.

SO ONE THING SHE DID, EMMA DID IS SHE DID AN INTERVIEW ON THE WETLANDS AND THOUGH THAT IS ON HOMTV. AND SO IT'S JUST A FEW MINUTE VIDEO.

AND I THINK IT MIGHT BE A NICE LITTLE VIDEO FOR EVERYONE TO WATCH BEFORE WE HAVE THAT CONVERSATION NEXT MONTH, BUT ALSO JUST TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ON THE IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTING THE WETLANDS AND WHAT THEY OFFER US.

AND I'LL GET INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE NEXT MONTH.

OTHER PROGRAMS, THE [INAUDIBLE] POOL PATROL PROGRAM WAS LAUNCHED IN APRIL, AND TWENTY FOUR VOLUNTEERS ARE MONITORING [INAUDIBLE] POOLS IN THE TOWNSHIP, COLLECTING DATA TO CONSERVE OUR SMALLEST WETLANDS AND FOR MORE PROTECTION IN THOSE AREAS IN THE FUTURE.

AND THAT'S JUST IN OUR TOWNSHIP AT THAT [INAUDIBLE] POOL TRAINING WAS THROUGHOUT MICHIGAN. AND I WAS ON THAT TRAINING AND THERE WAS OVER 100 PEOPLE ON THAT TRAINING.

AND IT WAS FANTASTIC, IN FACT SOME OF MY FRIEND'S PARENTS WERE SOME OF THE FOLKS THAT TOOK PHOTOS THAT WERE WERE DISPLAYED ALONG WITH LOTS OF OUR RESIDENTS IN THIS AREA.

SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM IN PROTECTING OUR PRECIOUS ECOSYSTEM, BUT ALSO TEACHING ABOUT WETLANDS AND, YOU KNOW, TREES THAT ARE IN WETLANDS AND ALL KINDS OF HOW IMPORTANT THAT ECOSYSTEM IS TO PROTECT AND WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO PROTECT.

SO EMMA'S VERY BUSY.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GET HER CONSERVATION CORPS EMAILS, BUT SHE'S MANAGING OVER TWO HUNDRED VOLUNTEERS AND TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY VOLUNTEER HOURS WERE COMPLETED IN APRIL TO REMOVING INVASIVE SPECIES, ALONG WITH TWO HUNDRED AND FIVE NATIVE TREES WERE PLANTED AT TOWAR WOODS RESERVE OF EIGHT DIFFERENT SPECIES, INCLUDING RIVER BIRCH, BURR OAK, SWAMP OAK, WHITE OAK, TULIP, SYCAMORE AND [INAUDIBLE] MAPLE.

SO SHE'S DOING A COMBINATION OF REMOVING THE INVASIVES, BUT ALSO PLANTING NATIVES ALONG WITH 500 POUNDS OF [INAUDIBLE].

IT WAS REMOVED AND GARLIC MUSTARD.

SO ALONG WITH A BUNCH OF TRASH REMOVED FROM SOME PRESERVES, INCLUDING COUCHES, MATTRESSES, CAR PARTS AND 20 TIRES.

SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT THESE PLACES ARE ALSO RECEIVING, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE POLLUTING THEM.

SO, AGAIN, THAT'S WHY IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO DO SOME COMMUNITY EDUCATION IN PROTECTING THEM.

AND THEN ALSO AT THE MEETING, WE DISCUSSED THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR THE CONTROLLED BURNS, BUT NEEDING TO IMPROVE PROTOCOLS AND COMMUNICATION, UPDATING SIGNAGE AND RENAMING SOME PRESERVES. BUT NO DECISIONS HAVE BEEN MADE.

SO THAT'S IT.

AND I'M JUST GOING TO SAY I'M VERY IMPRESSED AND APPRECIATIVE BE PART OF LAND

[01:00:02]

AND THAT BRINGS US TO THE GREEN TEAM.

LEROY OR TOM, ANYTHING THAT.

I THINK WE COVERED IT, I SKIPPED AHEAD BUT TOM, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING TOM? NO, I THINK WE DID COVER IT, SO WE SHOULD BE GOOD.

OK, ANYTHING ROSE WITH ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE?

[9F. Environmental Justice]

WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I THINK LEROY SENT THIS INFORMATION OUT TO EVERYBODY ON OUR COMMITTEE, BUT EAGLE IS SPONSORING THE MICHIGAN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE CONFERENCE THAT'S HAPPENING MAY 18TH TO 20TH.

AND IT'S AN ONLINE EVENT.

AND THERE'S ALL SORTS OF TOPICS AND SPEAKERS AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE COOL.

I JUST WROTE DOWN A FEW OF THE THINGS THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT.

FUTURE OF INFRASTRUCTURE, TRIBAL PERSPECTIVE, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, CLIMATE AND EQUITY, AND THERE'S A BUNCH OF OTHER TOPICS, SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO JUST TAKE A LOOK AT I CAN POST A LINK TO THE SIGN UP.

JUST TAKE A LOOK, BECAUSE MAYBE YOU'D LIKE TO SIT IN JUST ON ONE OR TWO TALKS AND IT'S FREE. SO CHECK IT OUT.

I THINK IT WOULD BE AN IMPORTANT THING TO CHECK OUT, OTHERWISE.

APRIL WAS FAIR HOUSING MONTH.

AND SO THROUGH MY WORK AS A REALTOR, I TOOK SOME ONLINE EDUCATION ABOUT HOUSING EQUITY.

I DO THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT OF INHERENT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ISSUES WRAPPED UP IN HOUSING. AND THE BUYING AND THE RENTING PROCESS, ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW, AND ONE THING THAT THE ASSOCIATION HAS BEEN PUSHING FOR IS FOR REALTORS TO NOT INCLUDE LOVE LETTERS WITH OUR OFFERS ANYMORE.

SO UP UNTIL THIS POINT, OUR BUYERS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WRITE A LETTER ABOUT THEMSELVES WHEN YOU'RE SUBMITTING YOUR OFFER.

SOMETIMES IT HELPS TO TELL THE SELLER A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHO YOU ARE, ABOUT YOUR FAMILY, THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.

BUT THAT OPENS THINGS UP FOR DISCRIMINATION.

RIGHT, BECAUSE A POTENTIAL SELLER WILL MAYBE THINK, WELL, I ONLY WANT TO SELL TO A FAMILY. I ONLY WANT TO SELL TO SOMEBODY WHO'S GOING TO LOVE THIS HOUSE.

SO LONG STORY SHORT, WE ARE NOT DOING LOVE LETTERS ANYMORE IN ORDER TO PREVENT DISCRIMINATION. SO THAT'S A BIG STEP FOR OUR LOCAL ASSOCIATION.

AND OTHER THAN THAT, I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR US TO HAVE A LITTLE SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING, I KNOW THAT KENDRA'S INTERESTED IN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.

I THINK THAT JUST GETTING TOGETHER WITH KENDRA AND COURTNEY SOMETIME THIS COMING MONTH AND TALKING ABOUT PRIORITIES WOULD BE A GOOD THING.

DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? ROSE I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY I'M ALSO INTERESTED IF YOU COULD INCLUDE ME AS WELL.

THAT WOULD BE GREAT. OK.

OK, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ADDITIONAL TO ADD FROM THE ENERGY TEAM, WHICH TAKES US TO THE BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, BUT THAT'S NOT ON TONIGHT.

SO I DON'T THINK WE HAVE A REPORT FOR THAT.

AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES, I DON'T KNOW, COURTNEY'S NOT HERE, BUT PHIL'S HERE.

[9I. Board of Trustees]

I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO ATTEND MANY OF YOUR RECENT MEETINGS, BUT HEARING THE SUBCOMMITTEES AND THE OTHER ACTIVITIES GOING ON.

IT'S CLEAR THAT A COMMITTEE IS FULLY ENGAGED IN THESE IMPORTANT ACTIVITIES.

THE TOWNSHIP BOARD HAS SOME REZONING BEFORE IT, AS IS VERY TYPICAL, THE BIGGEST ONE NOW IS THE REZONING OF THE OLD CAR DEALERSHIP REZONING, WE'LL BE DISCUSSING AT TOMORROW NIGHT'S MEETING. NOTHING EXTRAORDINARY [INAUDIBLE] HAVE PUT OFF DISCUSSION OF RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA.

IT WILL BE COMING BACK BEFORE THE BOARD AND IT'S ONE OF THOSE ISSUES THAT IT'S A RARE ISSUE THAT THE BOARD IS PRETTY SPLIT ON THAT ISSUE.

BUT SPEAKING OF THE BOARD AND HEARING ROSE'S TREE COMMITTEE ON THE BOARD, [INAUDIBLE] THE GRANT FUNDED THE CHIPPEWA TREE PROJECT LAST YEAR, AND THAT WAS A BIG HIT FOR THE SCHOOLS,

[01:05:05]

UH OH WE LOST YOU.

[INAUDIBLE] BACK. PHIL WE LOST YOU FOR A MINUTE.

[INAUDIBLE] WE'RE NOT WE'RE NOT HEARING YOU GO AHEAD.

LET ME TRY AGAIN. BUT I WANT TO WRAP UP WITH THIS, THAT I HAVE A SENSE THE BOARD WOULD BE OPEN TO ANOTHER REQUEST FOR ANOTHER FALL TREE PROJECT SHOULD THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION WANT TO SPONSOR THAT AGAIN.

THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.

WE HAVE HAD SOME DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THAT IN THE PAST AND SOME WE'VE BEEN DOING SOME POKING AROUND IN HASLETT, BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING SOLID YET.

BUT WE ARE KIND OF WE HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN ABOUT IT.

AND WE ARE KIND OF LOOKING FOR AN OPPORTUNITY, I GUESS IS THE BEST WAY TO PUT IT.

SO, YEAH, AND LEROY, YOU'RE NOT AWARE OF ANYTHING THAT'S COME UP RIGHT ABOUT HASLETT AND TREES? NO, NO, OK, I KNOW NED'S BEEN, NED JACKSON'S BEEN PUTTING SOME FEELERS OUT TO THE HASLETT BEAUTIFICATION TEAM.

BUT THAT'S ALL I RECALL.

OK, OK, THANK YOU PHIL.

SO ANYTHING ELSE? [INAUDIBLE] THE LAST DAY I WAS PART OF THE CONSERVATION CORPS EFFORT AT TOWAR WOODS ON SATURDAY, [INAUDIBLE] THE TWO HUNDRED AND EIGHT TREES, EXTRAORDINARY DAY.

AND THE WAY THAT THOSE WOODS HAVE BEEN BROUGHT BACK THE PAST 10 YEARS IS.

OH, LOST HIM AGAIN.

HE'S BACK. YEAH, WE LOST YOU FOR A MINUTE, PHIL.

TREASURER DESCHAINE IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE HAVING SOME PROBLEMS WITH YOUR UPSTREAM BANDWIDTH, YOU MAY WANT TO KEEP YOUR VIDEO OFF FOR THE TIME BEING.

PHIL, DID YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING FURTHER? I'LL JUST ADD THAT THE TOWAR WOOD EFFORTS ARE EXTRAORDINARY AND WE'VE REALLY BROUGHT BACK THOSE WOODS AND DUE TO THE MANY VOLUNTEERS, HUNDREDS AND THOUSANDS OF VOLUNTEER HOURS THAT HAVE BEEN CONTRIBUTED OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS TO A REALLY WONDERFUL LAND PRESERVATION. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. PHIL. WE'RE UP TO PUBLIC COMMENT AGAIN, SO DOES ANY BODY WANT TO MAKE A

[10. PUBLIC REMARKS]

JOHN. YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO DO SAY THE SAME THING THAT I DID EARLIER IN THE GREEN DIALOG MEETING, JUST REMINDING PEOPLE THAT OR TELLING PEOPLE FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT ON THE 19TH AT NINE O'CLOCK FOR THE GREEN DIALOG MEETING THAT ALEXA [INAUDIBLE] WILL BE MAKING A LITTLE PRESENTATION ABOUT HER NEW BUSINESS CALLED THE CLEAN REFILLERY AND I WERE JUST GOING TO READ HERE REAL QUICKLY.

IT'S A LOW WASTE REFILL SHOP FOR DAILY HOME AND SELF CARE NEEDS.

REPLACES THE NEED FOR SINGLE USE CONTAINERS.

AND IT'S A SMALL STORE, ACTUALLY, I VISITED LAST WEEK.

IT'S IT'S A VERY SMALL STORE OVER IN [INAUDIBLE] TOWN.

AND HER SHE'LL MAKE IT SHE'LL TALK ABOUT THE PRODUCTS THAT THEY HAVE AND ALSO ABOUT THE THE PHILOSOPHY BEHIND WHAT SHE'S TRYING TO DO WITH HER LITTLE SHOP THERE.

AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO TO CHECK INTO THAT AND CHECK INTO THE STORE IF YOU GOT A CHANCE TO BE LISTENING DURING THAT MEETING.

I MEAN. YEAH, DURING THE MEETING ON THE 19TH, THAT WEDNESDAY MORNING AT NINE O'CLOCK, I THINK YOU WOULD FIND IT INTERESTING.

SHE IS TRYING TO GET PEOPLE AGAIN, LIKE REALLY WHAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION IS DOING, WHAT THE GREEN DIALOG GROUP IS DOING, JUST GET PEOPLE THINKING MORE ABOUT THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO GRADUALLY MOVE IN A BETTER DIRECTION IN TERMS OF OUR ENVIRONMENT.

AND THIS IS ONE LITTLE ASPECT OF IT.

BUT I THINK SHE HAS A REALLY GOOD PHILOSOPHY ABOUT IT AND IT BE WORTH CHECKING INTO.

THE ONLY OTHER THING I'M GOING TO SAY, WHICH IS WHAT I SAID THIS MORNING, TOO, IS IF YOU HAVEN'T READ BILL GATES BOOK, HOW TO AVOID A CLIMATE DISASTER, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT.

I KNOW HE'S BEEN AND HE AND HIS WIFE HAD BEEN IN THE NEWS A LOT IN THE LAST DAY OR TWO.

[01:10:03]

HE HAS THE CONNECTION WITH PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE.

HE'S BROUGHT A LOT OF VARIOUS ASPECTS OF WHAT IS GOING ON AND WHAT CAN AND REALLY NEEDS TO BE GOING ON TO AVOID A CLIMATE DISASTER.

HE BROUGHT THEM ALL INTO A VERY WELL PRESENTED, WELL-ORGANIZED BOOK THAT I JUST RECOMMEND. SO I'LL SHUT UP NOW.

THAT WAS ALL I HAD TO SAY.

THANK YOU, JOHN. DOES ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO MAKE ANY FURTHER PARTING COMMENTS? OK. LEROY.

JUST BRIEFLY, WE SHOULD ADD THE STUDENT UPDATE ON FOR COMMITTEES, IF WE HAVE A STUDENT TEAM AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANYTHING TO REPORT TODAY ABOUT EARTH CLUB OR WHATEVER, BUT IT COULD JUST BE PART OF OUR YOU DON'T HAVE TO SAY ANYTHING, BUT IF YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING THAT YOU THINK THE COMMISSION WOULD BE INTERESTED IN OR THAT YOU THINK WE SHOULD BE INVOLVED WITH, IT'S A GREAT, GREAT TIME TO THROW IN YOUR TWO CENTS, THAT'S ALL.

I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING RIGHT NOW, BUT.

AND AS YOU CAN SEE FROM JUST GOING THROUGH WHAT WE JUST DID, THAT SOMETIMES THE TEAMS DON'T HAVE MUCH TO REPORT, BUT IT'S ALWAYS KIND OF INTERESTING FOR US TO KIND OF TRY TO KEEP TRACK WHAT OTHER FOLKS ARE UP TO, ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO US.

AND I DON'T THINK I OFFICIALLY WELCOMED BERNADETTE AND ANNAKA TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION. WELCOME, WE'RE SUPER GLAD THAT YOU'RE JOINING US.

AND SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR PARTICIPATION.

AND I THINK ROSE'S SUGGESTION ABOUT HAVING A SEPARATE MEETING TO DISCUSS, YOU KNOW, THIS STUDENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND WHAT IT MIGHT DO AND HOW IT MIGHT RELATE TO THE EARTH CLUB AND, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER I THINK'S A GREAT IDEA.

SO I GUESS UNLESS THERE'S ANY FURTHER COMMENT.

OK, KENDRA. I JUST WANTED TO SAY EARLIER IN THE MEETING, YOU MENTIONED ABOUT GETTING OTHER COMMUNITIES INVOLVED.

OH, MY GOODNESS, MY CAT'S GONNA JUMP UP HERE I AM SO SORRY.

GETTING OTHER COMMUNITIES INVOLVED WITH GREEN DIALOG AND STUFF.

AND I WAS INVITED TO SPEAK AT ROTARY AND WILLIAMSTON AND I HAD A LOT OF SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS THAT I'M ALREADY INVOLVED IN.

I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE WOULD BE INTERESTED IN DOING THAT TALK, BUT I DID I DID TALK TO THEM A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THINGS.

SO IF ANYONE'S INTERESTED, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.

THANK YOU. I BELIEVE, TOO, YEAH, WILLIAMSTON TOWNSHIP IS IN THE PROCESS OF FORMING AN ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE, I BELIEVE, FOR THE TOWNSHIP.

SO THAT WAS IT WAS SHARED WITH US A WHILE BACK, WHICH WAS GOOD NEWS.

SO. THE MOVEMENT CONTINUES.

SEE, CAN I GET A MOTION TO ADJOURN? OK, ROSE, A SECOND.

TOM, OK, ALL IN FAVOR OF ADJOURNING, RAISE YOUR HAND, PLEASE.

OK, HEY, THANK YOU, EVERYBODY.

THANKS FOR COMING IN.

I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING SOME OF YOU AT THE NEXT GREEN DIALOG AND CERTAINLY ALL OF YOU AT THE NEXT ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION MEETING.

SO TAKE CARE. BYE BYE.

HEY LEROY SORRY FOR THAT ELECTRONIC NOISE, I DIDN'T REALIZE.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.