Jul 07, 2021 Environmental Commission Meeting

[00:00:18]

VICTORIA. YOU THINK THEY WILL BE ABLE TO SHOW SOME SLIDES.

[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]

WE ARE LIVE ON HOMTV.

OH, OK. LET ME CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER THEN AND THE FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS THE IS

[2. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA]

I'D LIKE TO ADD AFTER THE DISCUSSION OF REPLACING ROE'S ELECTION OF A NEW VICE CHAIR.

AND SO I'D LIKE YOU ALL TO KIND OF THINK ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE WE GET TO THAT PART OF THE AGENDA, I'D ENCOURAGE SOMEBODY TO NOMINATE THEMSELVES OR NOMINATE SOMEBODY ELSE.

WE DO NEED A VICE CHAIR IN CASE I CAN'T MAKE A MEETING FOR WHATEVER REASON.

SO ARE THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT SOMEBODY WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO THE AGENDA? OK, CAN I GET A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA? THANK YOU, KENDRA.

COURTNEY YOU SECOND THIS. IT'S ALL IN FAVOR OF THE AGENDA? TO RAISE YOUR HANDS, PLEASE.

THANK YOU. OK, LET'S SEE, MOVING ON TO THE APPROVAL, THE MINUTES, WERE THERE ANY

[3. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES]

ANNA, GO AHEAD. SOMETHING MINOR, BUT IN THE COMMISSIONER APPLICATION, THE LAST SENTENCE JUST TRAILS OFF.

SARVER SUGGESTED INVITING HER TO.

OK. I PRESUME THAT WAS TO A FUTURE MEETING.

YEAH, ACTUALLY, MY RECOLLECTION WAS THAT SHE HAD EXPRESSED SOME INTEREST IN WORKING IN THE TREE AREA AND I HAD SUGGESTED SHE BE INVITED TO JOIN THE TREE COMMITTEE.

OK, THAT'S LORI, CAN YOU? WELL, YOU WERE THE SUGGESTER, SO.

YEAH, BUT THAT'S MY MEMORY.

MY WHAT I REMEMBER AT LEAST, YOU KNOW.

BUT ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS? CORRECTIONS? OK, WITH THAT MINOR CORRECTION, CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE LAST MEETING? APOLOGIES, BUT TOM FRAZIER ALSO HAD SOME MINOR SUGGESTIONS, WHICH I WILL INCLUDE AS WELL.

I DIDN'T BRING THEM WITH ME.

YEAH, I THINK THESE ARE KIND OF MORE EDITORIAL CHANGES.

YEAH, OK. SO, OK, THIS CAN BE INCORPORATED TO SO I BELIEVE ANNA JUST MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.

CAN I SEE A SECOND? OK, THANK YOU, COURTNEY. ALL IN FAVOR OF IMPROVING THE MINUTES, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND, OK? THANK YOU, EVERYBODY.

OK, MOVING ON TO PUBLIC REMARKS.

IS THERE ANYBODY WHO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE PUBLIC REMARKS? AND WE'LL POINT OUT THAT THE PEOPLE YOU HAVE IN THE ATTENDEE OF THE ZOOM MEETING CAN USE THE RAISED HAND FEATURE AND WE CAN GIVE THEM THE ABILITY TO SPEAK.

ALTERNATIVELY, IF YOU'RE WATCHING FROM HOMTV, WE CAN TAKE TELEPHONE CALLS AT (517) 349-1232.

THANK YOU. AND, YOU KNOW, I GUESS WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO SPEAK RIGHT NOW, BUT WE DO HAVE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY AT THE END OF THE MEETING FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.

[5A. Wetland Preservation & Stewardship Discussion (also see Setbacks from Water Features)]

AND TONIGHT, BERNADETTE AND ANIKA ARE GOING TO SHARE SOME INFORMATION THAT THEY'VE BEEN KIND OF RESEARCHING. SO, KENDRA, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANTED TO SAY BEFORE ANNIKA AND BERNADETTE START? I JUST WANTED TO THANK.

I THINK IT'S AUDREY AND BERNADETTE THAT ARE DOING THIS.

AM I CORRECT ABOUT THAT? OK. SO I JUST WANT TO THANK THEM FOR WORKING ON THIS AND LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY. OK, BERNADETTE, AUDREY, WHY DON'T ONE OF YOU GET STARTED?

[00:05:02]

AND. OK, I'LL LET AUDREY TAKE IT AWAY.

OK, SO MY NAME IS AUDREY [INAUDIBLE] WALTON, AND I'M GOING TO BE A SENIOR AT OKEMOS HIGH SCHOOL AND I'M JOINED BY BERNADETTE WHO'S ALSO GOING TO BE SENIOR.

SO WHAT ARE WETLANDS? SO [INAUDIBLE] GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT WHAT ARE WETLANDS? WHAT DO THEY DO? SPECIFIC MICHIGAN WETLAND LOSS, ESPECIALLY IN THE MERIDIAN AREA AND ALSO WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP? SO WHAT ARE WETLANDS AND WHAT DO THEY DO? SO WELL AND IS BASICALLY ANY PLACE WHERE WATER AND LAND ARE MIXED CONSISTENTLY ENOUGH TO SUPPORT ORGANISMS WHO LIVE IN BETWEEN AQUATIC AND TERRESTRIAL? THERE ARE THREE MAIN TYPES OF WETLANDS, MARSHES OR FLOODED GRASSLANDS, WHICH ARE WHERE YOU PROBABLY MOST SEE AROUND HERE IN MERIDIAN SWAMPS, WHICH ARE FLOODED WOODLANDS, BOGS, WHICH IS WATER BOGGED DOWN WITH VEGETATION AND MICHIGAN IS HOME TO ALL OF THESE AND MORE.

SO WHY ARE WETLANDS SO IMPORTANT? IN MICHIGAN, THEY'RE REALLY IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OF OUR SPECIFIC CLIMATE CONDITIONS. SO FOR US SINCE WE'RE AROUND THE GREAT LAKES, THERE ARE REALLY GREAT FOR REDUCING FLOODING AND STORING WATER.

AND WHEN THEY STORE WATER, THEY BECOME HABITATS FOR A LOT OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF ANIMALS WHO HAVE ADOPTED THOSE CONDITIONS SPECIFICALLY ONES THAT ACTUALLY EAT MOSQUITOES.

SO THEY ACTUALLY REDUCE MOSQUITO POPULATIONS IN MODERATION BECAUSE THEY PROVIDE HABITATS FOR THE KINDS OF PREDATORS LIKE [INAUDIBLE] MOSQUITOES.

AND THEN THEY ALSO, WHEN THEY ARE STORING WATER THERE, ARE SLOWING IT DOWN.

AND THEY'RE DRAINING THE POLLUTANTS AND SEDIMENTS OUT FROM THE WATER.

AND THEY ARE PROVIDING A GREAT ECOSYSTEM SERVICE OF CLEANING OUR WATER FOR US, WHICH IS A LOT CHEAPER FOR US TO DEPEND ON THEM.

AND THEN THEY ALSO TAKE IN CO2.

THEY, A LOT OF MICHIGAN, SPECIFICALLY IN THE WEST.

THERE IS A KEEP WHICH IS CREATED, WHICH IS BASICALLY LIKE A LOT OF ORGANIC MATTER BEING STORED UNDER THE SURFACE OF WATER, AND THAT CARBON ISN'T RELEASED INTO THE ATMOSPHERE AND IT'S STORED AT THE BOTTOM OF A WETLAND AND JUST UNDER THE SURFACE WHERE IT CAN'T BE RELEASED. SO IT'S A REALLY BIG CARBON SINK.

AND ALL OF THESE COMBINE TO PROVIDE REALLY GREAT RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR MICHIGANDERS FROM HUNTING AND JUST VIEWS AND OPTIONS TO LOOK AT NATIVE PLANTS.

SO IN THE 2005 REPORT IN THERE WAS ABOUT TEN POINT SEVEN MILLION ACRES OF LAND IN MICHIGAN, WHICH IS A LOT.

BUT SINCE THEN, WE HAVE LOST FOUR POINT TWO MILLION ACRES, MOSTLY TO FARMING AND DEVELOPMENT. SO IT'S TWENTY FIVE PERCENT OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP IS A WETLAND.

SO THAT'S GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY MAKE AN IMPACT ON OUR LOCAL ECOSYSTEMS. HOWEVER, IN THIS MAP NEXT TO THIS, YOU CAN KIND OF SEE MICHIGAN WETLAND LOSS.

AND IF YOU LOOK DOWN HERE IN INGHAM, IF YOU CAN FIND AROUND WHERE I'M CIRCLING MY MOUSE, IT'S AT A 61 TO 80 PERCENT WETLAND LOSS, WHICH IS NOT GOOD AT ALL.

WE DEFINITELY NEED TO WORK ON THIS SO WE DON'T TURN RED AND WE GO MORE GREEN.

SO WETLANDS, AS I SAID BEFORE, THEY'RE REALLY GREAT WAY TO STORE WATER AND NOW WE ARE HAVING MORE CLIMATE RELATED BIG STORMS THAT ARE HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY, ESPECIALLY AROUND THE GREAT LAKES. AND THIS [INAUDIBLE] JUST TODAY, IT'S BEEN RAINING, BUT ALSO LIKE LAST WEEKEND, WEATHER, POWER OUTAGES AND JUST A LOT OF WATER.

THERE ARE A LOT OF LIKE REVOCATIONS THAT COME FROM INTENSE FLOODING WHERE THE WATER HAS NOWHERE TO GO BECAUSE THERE ARE LESS WETLANDS.

SO WHEN ROADS ARE FLOODED IN DOWNTOWN OKEMOS, PEOPLE CAN'T GET TO OUR BUSINESSES AND THOSE BUSINESSES SUFFER FROM THAT LOSS OF PROFIT BECAUSE PEOPLE CAN'T REACH THE BUSINESSES. AND THEN ALSO JUST LIKE FLOODED BASEMENTS.

[00:10:02]

AND THAT WAS ACTUALLY AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE MAP, IF YOU LOOK AT THE MAP [INAUDIBLE] WETLAND LOSS AREAS THAT WAS ACTUALLY WHERE THE FLOODING WAS LIKE A LOT OF THAT, JUST LIKE. THE PLACE WHERE THE FLOODING WAS SO SEVERE IN MIDLAND WAS A PLACE WHERE THERE WERE A LOT OF WETLANDS THAT HAVE BEEN LOST AND THEY HAD PUT IN A DAM TO KIND OF MAKE UP FOR THAT AND THESE MANMADE SYSTEMS. BUT IT FAILED AND IT CAUSED A LOT OF PEOPLE TO HAVE THEIR HOMES RUINED AND IT CAUSED A LOT OF MONEY AND DAMAGES.

AND IF WE HAD MORE WETLANDS, THEN THIS WOULDN'T BE AS BIG OF A PROBLEM BECAUSE WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO RELY ON THESE SYSTEMS THAT ARE PRONE TO FAILURE.

AND IT WOULD JUST MAKE EVERYDAY LIVING EASIER WHEN FLOODING DOES HAPPEN.

SO WITHOUT THE PROTECTION OF NATURAL WETLANDS, THE BIGGER STORMS WE WILL EXPECT IN THE FUTURE AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO FLOOD THE PLACES WE NEED TO USE.

SO IT'S KIND OF LIKE A CYCLE THAT WE REALLY NEED TO BREAK.

YEAH, SO SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE.

WETLANDS ARE KNOWN AS NATURE'S KIDNEYS, SO WE REALLY NEED TO PROTECT THEM BECAUSE JUST LIKE WE NEED KIDNEYS FOR OUR BODY TO RUN, WE ALSO NEED THEM FOR NATURE WITH WETLANDS.

SO THROUGH THE PASSAGE OF WETLAND PROTECTION LEGISLATION IN MICHIGAN, THE RATE AT WHICH WE ARE LOSING WETLANDS HAS DECREASED, BUT MORE WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE.

SO [INAUDIBLE]WETLANDS NATURALLY CREATE ECOSYSTEMS ARE MORE EFFICIENT, BOTH ECONOMICALLY AND ENVIRONMENTALLY. WE ALSO NEED TO SUPPORT STRESSED WETLANDS WITH THE MAINTENANCE OF EXISTING WETLANDS UNDER PRESSURE THAT CAN BE DONE BY ORDINARY CITIZENS LIKE EVERYONE HERE AND RESTORE WETLANDS AS WELL, WHICH IS MANUFACTURED WETLANDS, ALTHOUGH COSTLY, WILL SAVE MORE MONEY IF YOU RESTORED ECOSYSTEM SERVICES.

SO FOR MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP ORDINANCES, SOME THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO FOR MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, THE KIND OF THE RULES THAT WE HAVE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, THERE'S A REQUIRED NATURAL 20 FOOT NATURAL VEGETATION BUFFER AROUND WETLANDS AND LIKE THAT, IF YOU LIVE NEAR ONE OR IF IT'S IN YOUR YARD, MAKING SURE THAT YOU'RE NOT ENCROACHING ON IT IN ANY WAY AND IN YOUR GARDEN AND IN PLACES AROUND, I'VE BEEN SEEING MORE LIKE MORE NATIVE PLANT GARDENS.

IT'S REALLY COOL. BUT THERE'S A LOT OF THE NATIVE PLANTS THAT ARE SUITED FOR OUR ECOSYSTEMS HAVE REALLY DEEP ROOTS AND THEY CAN HELP WETLANDS FUNCTION, BUT ALSO STOP EROSION. AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALWAYS BETTER.

AND ALSO MAKING SURE FOR THE 20 FOOT NATURAL VEGETATION BUFFER NOT TO USE CHEMICAL PESTICIDES AND LIMITING AREAS.

HOW MUCH SCIENCE AND OTHER HERBICIDES WOULD DEFINITELY BE GOOD IF YOU'RE NOT TRYING TO AND YOU'RE TRYING TO PRESERVE THE WETLANDS THAT WE HAVE.

AND THEN ALSO IF YOU HAVE TO [INAUDIBLE] INVASIVE SPECIES THAT WILL TAKE STRESS OFF OF THE NATIVE SPECIES THAT ARE AROUND YOU AND THERE'S NO WAY THAT YOU CAN CALL.

AND THERE'S ANOTHER LINK FOR MORE WAYS YOU CAN HELP.

YES, SO THANK YOU.

AND THAT'S THE END OF OUR PRESENTATION, WE JUST WANTED TO SHARE A BIT ABOUT WETLANDS.

OK. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THAT WAS ACTUALLY THAT WAS, I GUESS, THE FIRST TIME I SEEN KIND OF A DISTINCTION BETWEEN SWAMPS AND MARSHES, WHICH I HADN'T UNDERSTOOD BEFORE.

I WONDER, TOO, DOES OTHER PEAT BOGS IN THE TOWNSHIP? DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHETHER THEY'RE ANY EXISTING OR? PARDON ME? I DON'T BELIEVE, JOHN, THAT WE HAVE ANY IN THE TOWNSHIP, BUT THE CLOSEST BOG THAT I'M FAMILIAR WITH, ROSE LAKE, SO IT'S STILL IN INGHAM COUNTY, BUT I, AND IT'S REALLY COOL IF ANYBODY GETS A CHANCE TO GO OUT THERE.

BUT I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH ANY IN THE TOWNSHIP SPECIFICALLY.

OK, THANK YOU.

BECAUSE I'M SOMEWHAT FAMILIAR WITH ROSE LAKE.

SO I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THERE WAS AN BECAUSE THERE'S LOTS OF ACRES OUT THERE.

SO THAT'S INTERESTING.

OK, OTHER QUESTIONS FOR BERNADETTE OR AUDREY OR COMMENTS ABOUT THE PRESENTATION?

[00:15:02]

THANKS FOR PUTTING IN THE HARD WORK, AND I DIDN'T KNOW IF ANNIKA OR LUKA HAD ANY THINGS THEY WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT WAS KIND OF MISSING AT ALL.

IF NOT, THAT'S OK. BUT I THOUGHT YOU BOTH DID A FANTASTIC JOB SHARING THIS INFORMATION WITH THE COMMUNITY AND EDUCATING ALL OF US ON THE WETLANDS.

OK, THANK YOU. I GUESS, LUKA, YOU'VE GOT A QUESTION OR COMMENT? GO AHEAD. YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO HAVE KIND OF LIKE A COLLECTIVE QUESTION FOR EVERYBODY, BUT IT'S MORE OF LIKE MY QUESTION WOULD BE, HOW DO WE BALANCE OUR NATURAL POPULATION GROWTH AND OUR NEED FOR MORE RESIDENTIAL, AGRICULTURAL AND COMMERCIAL AREA WHILE ALSO NOT ONLY STOPPING THE PRODUCTION OF WETLANDS, BUT ALSO RESTORING THEM LIKE.

SO HOW DO WE. DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY IDEAS ON HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO RESTORE THE WETLANDS AND NOT ONLY STOP THE REDUCTION OF THEM, BUT RESTORE THEM WHILE ALSO BEING ABLE TO CONTINUE OUR NATURAL POPULATION GROWTH? VERY GOOD QUESTION. DOES ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON THAT? AUDREY. I THINK THAT AS I HAVE IF I GO AROUND MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND I SEE LIKE SEVERAL PLACES THAT I AM LIVING A PRETTY KIND OF SPREAD OUT OVER, LIKE THERE'S LOTS OF SPACE BETWEEN MY HOUSE AND MY NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE.

AND LIKE LITERALLY THE SPACE BETWEEN MY HOUSE, MY NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE GETS REALLY FLOODED.

AND WHEN I WAS TALKING TO KENDRA [INAUDIBLE] IN OUR MEETING WITH KENDRA, SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT HOW, LIKE MOST OF THE PLACES THAT ARE PLACES THAT SHE'S GONE THROUGH THAT HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED AND THEY'RE LIKE, YEAH, THERE WAS A LIVE ONE BEFORE.

AND THERE ARE LIKE LITTLE PONDS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, TOO.

AND I THINK THAT I THINK WE COULD DEFINITELY PUT MORE OF A FOCUS ON LIKE.

MAKING MEANING LIKE KIND OF RAIN GARDENS, BUT LIKE NOT BUT THE AREAS BETWEEN DEVELOPMENTS CAN DEFINITELY BE.

I THINK THERE IS PLENTY OF SPACE TO BE RESTORED.

AND IF I LOOK AT THERE'S ACTUALLY A PLACE AT CHIPPEWA IN THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF THE CHIPPEWA GROUNDS THAT GOES INTO A DRAIN AND IT'S COMPLETELY USELESS.

IT'S JUST AN OPEN FIELD.

AND I THINK THERE ARE LOTS OF JUST COMPLETELY USELESS OPEN FIELDS, MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP THAT LITERALLY COULD BE RESTORED.

AND I DON'T THINK ANYBODY WOULD REALLY NOTICE.

I MEAN, I WOULD NOTICE AND BE HAPPY, BUT THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.

BUT I THINK THAT THERE ARE PLACES THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES RIGHT NOW TO RESTORE WETLANDS IN JUST REALLY EXPANSIVE SPACES, I THINK WE COULD BE MORE ECONOMICAL IN WHERE WE PUT WIDE OPEN SPACES AND WHERE WE CAN.

THAT'S A GOOD THOUGHT, BECAUSE I KNOW IN THE PAST WE'VE DISCUSSED THE WHOLE IDEA OF MAYBE SOME OF THE THE NATURAL PRESERVES WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF REVERT TO WETLANDS BECAUSE WE'VE GOT ALMOST A THOUSAND ACRES OF NATURAL PRESERVES.

AND SOME OF THEM THAT COULD BE DONE.

THAT'S KIND OF A WOULD BE KIND OF A NATURAL WAY TO KIND OF INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF WETLANDS WE HAVE. ARE THERE COMMENTS OR THOUGHTS? KENDRA? WELL, I WOULD SAY, LUCA, WHAT A QUESTION, I THINK WE COULD SPEND DAYS OR WEEKS DISCUSSING THAT TOPIC.

I DON'T KNOW HOW TO ANSWER THAT EASILY, BUT I APPRECIATE.

I THINK THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT OF REASON WHY WE'RE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION HERE.

RIGHT. SO TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN BALANCE BOTH.

RIGHT. HOW CAN WE BALANCE BOTH? HOW CAN WE HAVE POPULATION GROWTH, BUT HOW CAN WE ALSO PROTECT OUR OUR ECOSYSTEM IN THE PROCESS? SO IS A 20 FOOT BUFFER AROUND IT A WETLAND IS THAT GOOD ENOUGH? WILL THAT ASSIST? AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, I WENT BACK TO LOOK AT WHAT WE DISCUSSED LAST MONTH, AND I MADE A COMMENT LAST MONTH ABOUT IT HAD BEEN RIDICULOUSLY DRY.

SO WE HADN'T BEEN REALLY NOTICING THE WETLANDS.

AND THEN WE GOT FIVE INCHES OF RAIN LAST WEEK.

RIGHT. AND SO WE KIND OF NOTICE THOSE AREAS WHERE THERE'S THE FLOODING AND IN ALL OF THAT KIND OF STUFF. AND AS AUDREY SAID, SOME OF THOSE AREAS ARE WERE LIKELY FORMER WETLANDS OR BUT MOST CERTAINLY IT WOULD BE HELPFUL, BUT NOT ALL AREAS THAT WERE FLOODED, BUT CERTAINLY PLACES THAT I DROVE AROUND.

I WAS LIKE, YES, MOST CERTAINLY THAT PROBABLY WAS.

AND SO HOW DO WE EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ABOUT WAYS THAT THEY CAN BE PROTECTED AGAINST FLOODING AND DIFFERENT KINDS OF THINGS IF THEY LIVE IN A PROPERTY THAT MAYBE ONCE WAS A WETLAND LAKE? FOR EXAMPLE, I KNOW PEOPLE THAT LIVE CLOSE BY ME THAT ARE HAVING TO RUN

[00:20:04]

RIGHT. BECAUSE THOSE PROPERTIES WERE DEVELOPED PROBABLY WHEN THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN.

AND THEN YOU HAVE A RAIN LIKE THIS AND IT'S PROBLEMATIC.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF I'M GUESSING THERE ARE FOLKS ON THIS COMMITTEE THAT OR THIS COMMISSION THAT KNOW A LOT MORE ABOUT THIS STUFF THAN I DO.

BUT I THINK THIS IS WHY WE'RE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION IS TRYING TO SORT OUT HOW WE CAN DO BOTH. CERTAINLY, ONE THING THAT CAN ALWAYS BE DONE IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF CALLED INFILL DEVELOPMENT, RIGHT? BECAUSE IF YOU THINK IN TERMS OF THERE IS KIND OF AVAILABLE LAND THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN DEVELOPED BEFORE IT CAN BE REDEVELOPED.

RIGHT. ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS KIND OF DRIVE AROUND THE TOWNSHIP AND WE CAN SEE KIND OF EMPTY LOTS OR LOTS THAT HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED THAT CAN BE REDEVELOPED FOR RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL PURPOSES.

SO AND I THINK YEAH, I MEAN, THE TOWNSHIP MAY HAVE TOOLS ALREADY TO ENCOURAGE THAT.

BUT CERTAINLY THAT'S ONE THING THAT IMMEDIATELY COMES UP IS THE IDEA THAT, OH, SURE, WE WE DON'T WANT TO DISCOURAGE NEW DEVELOPMENT, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES KIND OF WITHIN THE THE URBAN AREAS ALREADY OR SUBURBAN AREAS WHERE WE CAN DO THAT.

SO WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO KIND OF FILL IN WETLANDS IN ORDER TO KIND OF HAVE NEW HOUSING OR COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS, BECAUSE THE WAY THINGS ARE GOING TO MALLS WILL BE LOOKING FOR NEW USES, TOO.

OR, YOU KNOW, SO THERE'S A LOT OF CONSTANT CHANGES WITH RESPECT TO BUILDING USE AND LAND USE. BUT OTHER THOUGHTS ABOUT WETLANDS? ANDREW? I NOTICED ANNA HAD HER HAND UP.

I WANT TO GO OVER TO HER BED.

I WANT TO SAY, JOHN, I AGREE WITH YOU ABOUT THAT.

I THINK THE YOUNGER GENERATION DOESN'T NECESSARILY WANT AS LARGE OF HOMES AS SOME OF THE SOME OF US, YOU KNOW, MAYBE HAVE ON THIS COMMISSION OR OR SO.

I THINK THOSE WAYS OF THINKING ABOUT USING LAND DIFFERENTLY MIGHT BE HELPFUL.

AND I'M NOT SURE HOW THAT'S BEEN STUDIED, BUT I JUST KNOW FROM THE YOUNGER FOLKS THAT I WORK WITH THAT THEY DON'T WANT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF WHAT WE HAVE.

SO I THINK THOSE ARE WORTH CONSIDERATION.

AND THEN GO TO WORK AND THE.

AND YES, I AGREE ENTIRELY AND WAS ALSO THINKING ABOUT POPULATION DENSITY, SO NOT JUST THE IN THE INFILL OF SPACES THAT AREN'T BEING USED, BUT ALSO ARE THERE OPPORTUNITIES FOR GREATER POPULATION DENSITY WITHIN AREAS THAT ARE CURRENTLY DEVELOPED? AND OF COURSE, THERE'S ENVIRONMENTAL PROS AND CONS TO POPULATION DENSITY AS WELL.

BUT SOMETHING TO CONSIDER.

THANK YOU, ANNA. BILL? YEAH, THANKS. WHAT AN INTERESTING DISCUSSION, SO MANY THOUGHTS COME TO MIND.

LET'S SEE IF I CAN ORGANIZE THEM IN MY HEAD.

FIRST, SO THE TOWNSHIPS WETLAND PROTECTION ORDINANCE IS BASED ON A POLICY OF NO NET LOSS.

SO OUR OFFICIAL POLICY AS A TOWNSHIP IS THAT WE WILL NOT LOSE ANY MORE WETLANDS.

AND THERE IS CERTAINLY WORK TO BE DONE ENSURING THAT THAT REGULATORY PROCESS MEETS ITS STATED GOAL. AND THERE ARE PLACES WHERE WE'RE GOING TO FALL SHORT.

BUT FOR THE MOST PART, IT FEELS LIKE WE'RE KIND OF DOING A PRETTY GOOD JOB OF HOLDING THE LINE THERE.

IN TERMS OF WHERE OPPORTUNITIES FOR INCREASING THE AREA OF WETLANDS LIE.

JOHN, YOU MENTIONED ONE OF THEM TOWNSHIP HAS THE LAND, HAS BEEN DONATED OR PURCHASED OVER TIME, LAND PRESERVATION, AND SOME OF THAT WAS DRAINED AS AGRICULTURAL LAND.

SO IT COULD BE FARMED BACK IN THE DAY.

AND IT'S POSSIBLE THAT SOME OF THAT COULD BE IF YOU DISABLE THE DRAIN TILES AND RECREATE THOSE HYDRAULIC CONDITIONS AND YOU GET BACK TO TOWARDS A WETLAND.

I NOTICED THE PRESENTATION IN WHICH I THINK WAS EXCELLENT, FOCUSED PRETTY STRONGLY ON STORM WATER MANAGEMENT, WHICH IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT WETLANDS DO FOR US HERE. NOT THE ONLY THING, BUT IT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, ARGUABLY.

AND OUR DRAIN COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE IS CHARGED WITH MANAGING THAT STORM WATER.

AND IF YOU WERE TO GO UP TO LAKE LANSING AND LOOK AT THE [INAUDIBLE] DRAIN PROJECT, YOU WOULD SEE THAT THEY'VE CONVERTED SOME EMPTY LOTS INTO SOME REALLY BIG DETENTION BASINS.

TO TRY TO CATCH SOME OF THAT STORM SURGE AND TRY TO HOLD IT SO IT DOESN'T GO DOWN AND FLOOD THE RIVER.

[00:25:01]

BUT THEY COULD. AND WE'VE GOT A WHOLE LOT OF DETENTION BASINS IN THIS TOWNSHIP THAT ARE CANDIDATES FOR WETLAND CREATION.

AND. I HAD A THIRD POINT, BUT IT JUST KEPT ME IN MY RAMBLING, IF I IF IT COMES BACK TO ME. ALL RIGHT, THANKS.

THIS MEETING IS BEING RECORDED.

GO AHEAD, COURTNEY. THANK YOU.

BILL, VERY GOOD IDEAS.

I'LL COME BACK TO THAT.

I DO WANT TO THANK BERNADETTE AND AUDREY.

THAT WAS A FANTASTIC PRESENTATION.

SO THANK YOU AND LOOK EXCEPTIONALLY GOOD QUESTION, ESPECIALLY AS A BOARD MEMBER MAKING LAND USE CHOICES ALL DAY LONG.

SO THAT WAS A REALLY GOOD QUESTION.

I REALLY LIKE THE THE IDEA OF LOOKING AT SOME OF THAT PREVIOUS AG LAND IN AND LIKE YOU SAID, THERE IS DRAIN TILE, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT COULD BE BENEFICIAL AND OR BE USED OR BETTER USED? AND THEN TO ADD TO THE DRAIN PROJECT.

SO WE HAVE THE [INAUDIBLE] DREAM GOING ON.

BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT SEVERAL OTHER DRAINS, MULTIPLE, VARIOUS, A LOT OF OTHER DRAINS IN MERIDIAN THAT WE'RE ALL PUT IN AT DIFFERENT TIMES.

SO THEY DON'T REALLY WORK AS A SYSTEM RIGHT NOW.

AND WE ARE WORKING WITH THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE, SPECIFICALLY AT THE GRAND RIVER AND OKEMOS AND GRAND RIVER MARSH INTERSECTIONS.

SO I THINK YOUR IDEA OF MAYBE LOOKING AT THAT FROM A BIGGER PERSPECTIVE, NOT JUST DRAINING, BUT ALSO MAYBE LOOKING AT HOW COULD WE OR COULD WE FOSTER SOME WETLAND RESTORATION THERE, TOO.

THE ONE THING I THINK IN THAT I'VE HAD THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH KENDRA IS RESTORATION AND MITIGATION IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

AND WE DO HAVE THE NO NET LOSS IN OUR ORDINANCE.

AND I TRULY BELIEVE OUR ORDINANCE IS VERY STRONG.

AND I'VE TALKED TO SEVERAL PEOPLE.

IT'S STRONGER THAN MOST.

SO IF I LOOK AT TO ME, MAINTAINING EXISTING WETLANDS ARE JUST AS IMPORTANT, TOO.

SO GOOD QUESTION ON HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN ACCOMMODATE GROWTH BUT THEN PROTECT THE WETLANDS? SO I THINK IT IS A REALLY IMPORTANT THING TO THINK ABOUT ON BOTH SIDES THAT OUR EXISTING WETLANDS AND AGAIN, FOR A POLICY MAKER MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE KEEPING THOSE.

BUT THEN ALSO IN ANY OPPORTUNE TIME WHERE WE COULD ADD TO SOME OF THOSE WETLANDS WOULD BE FANTASTIC. SO, YEAH, I DO WANT TO JUST SAY THAT WE DON'T HAVE GREAT WETLAND MAPS.

WE CERTAINLY DON'T HAVE ANYTHING SPECIFIC TO MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, BUT WE DO HAVE A WETLAND MAPS. AND I KNOW COMMISSIONER GRASSESCHI AND I ARE GOING TO MEET WITH CARA, WHO'S OUR GIS SPECIALIST AT THE TOWNSHIP, AND MAYBE START HAVING SOME OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS OF WHETHER OR NOT, WHAT DO THESE DIFFERENT WETLAND MAPS MEAN? HOW OLD ARE THEY? IS THERE SOMETHING THAT WE COULD MAYBE DO SOMETHING MORE PROACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY TO START MONITORING THAT? BECAUSE WE JUST DON'T HAVE THAT.

AND I KNOW THAT'S A LARGE TASK, BUT WORKING WITH OUR NEW COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, SCHMIDT, AND ASKING HIM WHAT HIS THOUGHTS WERE ON THE ORDINANCE AND MAYBE THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE ORDINANCE, WE'VE LOOKED AT POTENTIALLY A LARGER WETLAND EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN.

SO IT'S SOMETHING I KIND OF WANT TO PROPOSE TO THE COMMISSION.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN LOTS OF TALK ABOUT THIS WITH KENDRA AND TIM AND AND EVEN DIRECTOR CLARK TODAY. BUT I THINK THERE IS LIKE BERNADETTE AND AUDREY YOU DID.

SO I JUST DON'T THINK THERE'S A LOT OF THAT KNOWLEDGE OUT THERE.

SO IF WE CAN FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET THAT KNOWLEDGE YOU JUST GAVE TO US, IN ADDITION TO SOME OF THE OTHER ENDEAVORS THAT HAVE ALREADY HAPPENED, LIKE THE WETLANDS BROCHURE, WE CAN GET THAT OUT TO FOLKS.

I THINK WE CAN REALLY HELP MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

IF YOU IF YOU DON'T KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF THE WETLAND OR YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING COULD BE DETRIMENTAL, THEN HOW CAN YOU STOP? SO I FEEL LIKE THAT'S A VERY PROACTIVE APPROACH THAT MAYBE THE COMMISSION COULD FOSTER OR I'VE CONTACTED OUR COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR AND ASKED HER JUST FOR HER INPUT.

WHAT DOES SHE THINK? IS THIS EVEN POSSIBLE? SO I DO HAVE A MEETING COMING UP WITH HER AND THEN I'LL KIND OF LOOP EVERYBODY IN JUST TO SEE IF EVERYBODY THINKS THAT'S AN APPROPRIATE PATH TO TAKE.

[00:30:06]

BUT, YOU KNOW, AS WAS POINTED OUT BY AUDREY AND BERNADETTE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WETLANDS CAN HELP WITH BOTH, OBVIOUSLY.

AND PEOPLE PROBABLY DON'T APPRECIATE HOW WETLANDS CAN HELP WITH FLOODING BECAUSE PROBABLY FLOODING IS AN ISSUE FOR A WHOLE BUNCH OF THE TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS.

GO AHEAD, BILL. YEAH, THANKS.

THE THIRD POINT WAS WAS A WONKY ONE ABOUT INCREASING DENSITY AND OUR CURRENT MASTER PLAN IN THE TOWNSHIP DOES CALL OUT THREE AREAS FOR POTENTIAL INTENSITY CHANGE, RIGHT DOWNTOWN OKEMOS, HASLETT AND CHURCHILLS.

AND SO THAT'S ANOTHER BOARD POLICY TOWNSHIP POLICY THAT TRIES TO ENCOURAGE THAT SORT OF INFILL, HIGHER DENSITY DEVELOPMENT IN AREAS THAT DON'T FLOOD TO TRY TO PRESERVE THE REMAINING OPEN AGRICULTURAL OPEN SPACES IN THE TOWNSHIP.

LET ME ASK ALL OF YOU WHAT KIND OF OUR PRIORITIES ARE.

ONE PRIORITY IS TO YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALREADY HAD SUGGESTED LANGUAGE TO CHANGE OUR ORDINANCE, TO BE CONSISTENT WITH STATE LAW.

AND THEN WE WORK SOME ORDINANCES FROM OTHER TOWNSHIPS AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WERE SHARED WITH US. AND SO THERE MAY BE ADDITIONAL CHANGES THAT SHOULD BE MADE.

SO THAT'S A PRIORITY.

JUST REVISING THE ORDINANCE, MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE TOWNSHIP BOARD. AND OBVIOUSLY AN EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN IS KIND OF A TOP PRIORITY.

AND SO ACCORDING TO YOUR EFFORTS ARE CERTAINLY WHAT WE'RE REALLY GOING TO BE REALLY HELPFUL, YOU KNOW, WITH RESPECT TO OUR OWN EDUCATION.

YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'VE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HAVING TIM SCHMIDT COME AND TALK TO US ABOUT OTHER ORDINANCES.

SO I THINK THAT'S ON THE LEROY'S TO DO LIST IS TO SEE IF WE CAN GET TIM TO SPECIFICALLY COME AND KIND OF DO A GREEN THEMED BRIEFING FOR US.

WE'VE ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE THE TRAIN COMMISSION COMING AND TALKING TO US BECAUSE WE'VE GOT SOME IDEAS.

RIGHT. ON HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER.

SO, YOU KNOW THAT'S KIND OF A FUTURE MEETING TO TO HAVE A PRESENTATION BY SOMEBODY FROM THE DRAIN COMMISSION TO GIVE US SOME FURTHER KIND OF BACKGROUND.

BUT OTHER THINGS THAT SHOULD BE KIND OF CONSIDERED HIGH PRIORITIES BY US AS WE KIND OF MOVE AHEAD IN THIS AREA? ONE IDEA THAT COMES TO MIND IS THE THE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AUDIT AND.

QUITE RELATED TO THIS WHOLE WHOLE CONVERSATION, SO WE'VE GOT A NICE TEMPLATE AND WE COULD BE ONE OF THE FIRST COMMUNITIES IN THE REGION TO SORT OF MOVE THAT FORWARD WITH HELP FROM CLIFF AND TRI-COUNTY.

IT'S, OF COURSE, WETLANDS ARE A KEY PART OF OUR GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE.

SO THEY LEROY COULD YOU GIVE US YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? THEY WERE TRYING TO DO SOMETHING AT THE REGIONAL LEVEL, WHICH WOULD BE KIND OF A MODEL.

RIGHT, OF HOW MODEL LANGUAGE OR IS IS IS THAT PROGRESSING DO YOU KNOW.

YEAH, THERE IS A MORE OFFICIAL DRAFT, SORT OF A TEMPLATE THAT CLIFF PREPARED, AND HE WAS HOPING THAT A PLANNER, POSSIBLY TIM SCHMIDT, WOULD GET ON THIS REGIONAL COMMITTEE TO JUST TO ASSIST WITH TAILORING IT TOWARDS THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLANNING PERSPECTIVE.

BUT TIM, OF COURSE, WAS GETTING HIS FEET WET, SO TO SPEAK, OR UP TO HIS NOSE IN THE SWAMP AS HE EMERGES FROM THE SWAMP.

I THINK I'LL HAVE MORE TIME TO PARTICIPATE IN OTHER REGIONAL INITIATIVES.

BUT ANYWAY, IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S READY TO GO.

BUT OBVIOUSLY, REWRITING YOUR CODE OF ORDINANCES CAN BE A CHALLENGE.

YEAH, ACTUALLY, THAT MAKES ME WONDER, TOO.

I KNOW THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS IS ALWAYS BUSY.

BILL, DO YOU HAVE ANY SENSE FOR, FROM A TIMING PERSPECTIVE, WHETHER THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT MIGHT BE WILLING TO KIND OF MAYBE FOCUS IN ON THIS AREA ANYTIME IN THE NEAR

[00:35:01]

MAYBE IT STILL IS. YEAH, AS MUCH AS WE'D LIKE TO THINK THAT WE CROSSED A BIG BRIDGE WHEN WE WHEN WE ADOPTED OUR MASTER PLAN, THAT WAS ACTUALLY SEVERAL YEARS AGO.

AND IT'S THAT THE CYCLE IS CONTINUING.

AND ONE OF THE BIG PIECES OF THAT REVISION OF OUR MASTER PLAN IS DEVELOPING A FUTURE LAND USE MAP.

WHICH IS A BIG VISIONARY THING THAT LAYS OUT WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE AT SOME FUTURE TIME. AND ALL ORDINANCE AND REGULATION THEN FLOWS FROM THAT VISION OF WHAT WE'D LIKE TO SEE SO TO THE DEGREE THAT PEOPLE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE IN THE MASTER PLAN PROCESS. THAT'S ONE OF THOSE PLACES WHERE THE SORTS OF IDEAS THAT ARE BEING INCLUDED IN THE MIXED USE, PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE REVISION AND INFORMED BASE CODE CAN BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD THROUGHOUT TOWNSHIP LAND USE REGULATION.

SO THAT'S AN EVEN MORE WONKY ANSWER THAN THE LAST ONE.

BUT YES, THERE ARE PERIODIC OPPORTUNITIES TO REVISE OUR VISION, AND THAT'S REALLY THE BIG TICKET ITEM IN MY MIND.

WOW. OK.

OTHER THOUGHTS ABOUT WHAT OUR KIND OF HIGH PRIORITIES, TO DO LIST FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION SHOULD BE? WITH RESPECT TO WETLANDS? ANY FURTHER THOUGHTS? IF I CAN THROW SOMETHING ON THE TABLE, JUST A RANDOM THOUGHT, ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL, ATTRACTIVE, NOTEWORTHY THINGS THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION IS GOING TO INVOLVED IN THE LAST YEAR HAS BEEN THE TREE PLANTING EFFORT.

AND IT WAS A RELATIVELY SMALL INVESTMENT FOR THE TOWNSHIP BOARD, BUT A HUGE INVESTMENT FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION TO MANAGE AND THE AMOUNT OF COMMUNITY ENERGY THAT WAS MOBILIZED AROUND GOING OUT, DIGGING HOLES IN THE GROUND, PUT TREES IN THE GROUND WAS REALLY, REALLY HEARTENING, REALLY, REALLY ENCOURAGING.

AND IF THERE'S A WAY TO SHAPE FUTURE TREE PLANTING EFFORTS OR OTHER EFFORTS AROUND THE WETLANDS ISSUES. AND AROUND EDUCATIONAL ISSUES, THAT MIGHT REALLY, BUT I MEAN THAT THE FOLKS WHO COME OUT TO HELP PLANT TREES ARE THE ONES WHO WANT TO LEARN WHAT THEY CAN DO.

THAT'S MY TWO CENTS. IT'S A VERY GOOD POINT.

WE HAVE A COMMUNITY WHERE WE HAVE COMMUNITY RESOURCES, PEOPLE THAT CAN BE REALLY HELPFUL.

AND THE OTHER FURTHER THOUGHTS? KENDRA? I LOVE THAT IDEA, BILL, AND AS YOU LOOK AT THE WORK THAT EMMA CAMPO IS DOING THROUGH THE CONSERVATION CORPS. I MEAN, SHE'S OUT THERE EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY NOT ONLY ON REMOVING AND FACES, BUT ALSO PLANTING NATIVES AND PART OF THE TREE PLANTING PROCESS.

AND ACTUALLY, IN OUR WEDNESDAY DIALOG THIS MORNING, TOO WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, CONSIDERING TREE PLANTINGS FOR THE LOSS OF LOVED ONES AND DIFFERENT KINDS OF THINGS.

AND I WHAT WE TALKING ABOUT, JOHN SARVER A LITTLE BIT LATER.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE GREAT WAYS TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY FOR A MULTITUDE OF REASONS THAT WILL HELP OUR ECOSYSTEM.

BUT ALSO IF IT'S JUST ABOUT HONORING A LOVED ONE OR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, WE CAN GET THAT VALUE IN SO MANY WAYS IN IT.

AND THEN IT'S THE VISUAL, RIGHT? WE CAN WATCH THAT TREE, GROW AND WE HAVE THAT INVESTMENT.

AND I MEAN, IT'S JUST A FANTASTIC IDEA.

COURTNEY? I KNOW I COULD GO ON AND ON ABOUT WETLANDS, WE HAVE LOTS OF IMPORTANT THINGS I DID READ IN THE PACKET, THOUGH, AND I THINK THIS WAS LEROY'S, HIS DIRECTOR UPDATE.

BUT THERE WAS ALSO THE IDEA OF AN ADOPT A WETLAND.

AND SO THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT WE COULD PURSUE OR AT LEAST DISCUSS MAYBE A FURTHER TIME. BUT, YOU KNOW, AUDREY MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE GOT WETLANDS IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD. I KNOW, KENDRA, YOU HAVE WETLANDS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

LIKE MAYBE IT COULD BE A NEIGHBORHOOD BASED TYPE OF EFFORT WHERE, AGAIN, LIKE YOU SAID, THE PEOPLE THAT COME OUT ARE THE ONES THAT ARE EXCITED ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.

AND SO MAYBE THAT'S MAYBE WE COULD START SMALL AND MOVE UP.

BUT I KIND OF THOUGHT THAT WAS A PRETTY COOL IDEA AS WELL.

COURTNEY, GIVE ME SOME IDEAS, TOO, IF YOU IF YOU ADOPTED A WETLAND, WHAT DOES IT MEAN? KIND OF A CONCRETE SENSE.

WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING MAYBE?

[00:40:02]

RIGHT. SO WHERE IT WOULD BE ME MAKING SURE THAT THE WETLANDS INTEGRITY IS UPHELD AND THAT MIGHT BE DEPENDING ON THE WETLAND.

YOU KNOW, IT MIGHT BE DO WE NEED TO DO SOME CLEANING, PROBABLY MOSTLY EDUCATION AROUND THAT WETLAND. SO WHAT ARE THOSE RESIDENCES? DO THEY KNOW? DO THEY HAVE DO THEY HAVE QUESTIONS OR DO THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO HELP? SO I WAS KIND OF THINKING LIKE I'M MORE OF A MICRO BASIS THAN A MACRO BASIS OF LIKE AN EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN OF, YOU KNOW, MAYBE HAVING A GROUP THAT ADOPTS THAT WETLAND AND THEN MAKES, YOU KNOW, IDENTIFIES WHAT MAYBE THE NEEDS ARE FOR THAT WETLAND.

BUT THEN, OF COURSE, THE BIGGEST THING BEING EDUCATING THOSE THOSE ADJACENT HOMEOWNERS AND OR, YOU KNOW, ACROSS THE ROAD ADJACENT HOMEOWNERS AS WELL.

I HAVEN'T GIVEN IT MUCH THOUGHT, JOHN SORRY.

I MEAN, I THINK THAT KIND OF DESCRIBES IT PRETTY WELL, YEP.

WELL, LET'S SEE, I GUESS WE'LL MOVE ON.

NOW, I GUESS LEROY'S GOT ON HIS TO DO LIST TO SEE IF WE CAN GET HIM TO JOIN US AT A FUTURE MEETING AND ALSO SOMEBODY FROM THE DRAIN COMMISSION, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I GUESS WE NEED TO DO THAT MAYBE BEFORE FURTHER DISCUSSIONS ABOUT ORDINANCE LANGUAGE CHANGES.

AND IT SOUNDS LIKE, COURTNEY, YOUR EFFORTS WILL GIVE US SOME DIRECTION WITH RESPECT TO A LARGER EDUCATION CAMPAIGN, TALKING TO THE COMMUNICATIONS STAFF.

OK, ANYTHING ELSE BEFORE WE KIND OF MOVE ON THE AGENDA? OK, THANK YOU. AND WE'RE WELL, UNFORTUNATELY, WE'VE HAD, ROSE RETIRED AND, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE THREE CANDIDATES FOR THE VACANCY.

[5C. Commissioner Applicants: Ike Iyioke, Valerie Lafferty, and Jean McDonald]

I GOT THE IMPRESSION, TALKING WITH JEANNE, THAT SHE'S GOT SOME ADDITIONAL COMMITMENTS AT HOME. THEY HAD A DEATH IN THE FAMILY AND SHE HAD ALSO APPLIED FOR SEVERAL OTHER COMMISSIONS. SO SHE MAY NOT BE QUITE AS WHAT'S THE WORD SHE MAY NOT BE A TOP CANDIDATE BECAUSE OF THOSE OTHER COMMITMENTS.

BUT I THINK SHE'S DEFINITELY INTERESTED IN BEING INVOLVED MAYBE ON THE TREE TEAM OR TREE PLANTING INITIATIVE OR SOME OF THE OTHER SUBCOMMITTEES.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT SHE COULDN'T BE A GREAT COMMISSIONER AS WELL, BUT.

ANYWAY, SO IT IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S A COUPLE OF TOP CHOICES RIGHT NOW.

AND I THINK BOTH IKE AND VALERIE HAVE VERY GOOD BACKGROUNDS, AND THEY HAVE OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF INTEREST IN THIS AND, YOU KNOW, WE COULD PROCEED IN A COUPLE OF WAYS.

ONE IS THAT LIKE THE PREVIOUS TIME, WE COULD DISCUSS THE CANDIDATES AND LEROY COULD SUMMARIZE OUR COMMENTS, WHICH COULD BE SHARED WITH SUPERVISOR.

ANOTHER OPTION IS, YOU KNOW, IF WE WANTED TO, WE COULD ACTUALLY MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, SOMEBODY COULD MAKE A MOTION THAT WE RECOMMEND, YOU KNOW, VALERIE.

OR IKE. YOU KNOW, THAT'S A SECOND KIND OF OPTION FOR US TO KIND OF PURSUE THIS.

DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ABOUT WHICH OF THOSE APPROACHES WE SHOULD USE? COURTNEY? I HAVE A LOT TO SAY TONIGHT, DON'T I? I HAVE A QUESTION, SO I REVIEWED ALL THREE OF THE APPLICATIONS AND OR THE RESUMES.

I'M WONDERING, HOW WOULD YOU FEEL ABOUT HAVING THEM COME SPEAK TO US? MAYBE, YOU KNOW, AND NOT NECESSARILY IN AN INTERVIEW PER SAY, BUT MAYBE PRESENT THEIR REASONING FOR WANTING TO BE ON THE COMMISSION.

THAT MIGHT HELP ME, PARTICULARLY WITH THE CHOICE.

BOTH IKE AND VALERIE HAVE REALLY GREAT RESUMES.

AND I KNOW THEY, I KNOW I HAD PREVIOUSLY APPROACHED ABOUT VALERIE, BUT HAD APPLIED BEFORE. SO THERE'S CLEARLY, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A, YOU KNOW, EXCITEMENT ABOUT WANTING TO BE

[00:45:02]

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S EVEN A POSSIBILITY OR IF THAT'S SOMETHING ANYBODY ELSE WOULD WANT TO ENTERTAIN. WELL, WHAT DOES EVERYBODY THINK ABOUT THAT? I DON'T SEE WHY WE COULDN'T DO THAT.

KENDRA? SURE, I AGREE, BUT I AGREE WITH THAT, I THINK THAT IT'S, YOU KNOW, JUST TO YEAH.

HERE I MEAN, THEY'RE BOTH I THINK IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO MAKE A CHOICE.

I CERTAINLY COULD MAKE A CHOICE TODAY BECAUSE THEY'RE BOTH INVOLVED IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE GOING ON, I BELIEVE.

AND SO I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA.

SO AND I THINK IN GENERAL, WE SHOULD HAVE A CONSISTENT PROCEDURE FOR THIS.

SO EVERY TIME WHEN SOMEONE APPLIES, THEY KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.

AND, YOU KNOW, AND I THOUGHT, BUT ISN'T THERE SOME SORT OF CONSISTENT PROCEDURE SOMEWHERE IN RELATIONSHIP TO THIS KIND OF THING? BILL HAS GOT A FUNNY LOOK ON HIS FACE KNOW.

YEAH, I THINK IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO ARGUE THAT WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANY CONSISTENCY IN THIS REGARD WHATSOEVER. I WOULD I HAVE ALWAYS ENCOURAGED PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXPRESSED AN INTEREST IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION TO COME ALONG AND SEE WHAT THEY'RE GETTING THEMSELVES INTO. AND THAT'S KIND OF TRICKY BECAUSE SOMETIMES WE HAVE A VERY OPEN ENDED DISCUSSIONS LIKE THIS ABOUT IDEAS AND INTERESTS AND GOALS AND OPPORTUNITIES.

AND THEN SOMETIMES WE HAVE PUBLIC HEARINGS WHERE AN APPLICANT HAS FILED AN APPLICATION TO DO SOME WORK IN A WETLAND, AND WE'RE REQUIRED TO MAKE A HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING AND MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION OR TOWNSHIP BOARD.

SO THOSE ARE VERY, VERY DIFFERENT SORTS OF THINGS.

TONIGHT'S PACKET WAS WAS RELATIVELY DIGESTIBLE, AND I LOVE THE TECHNOLOGY UPGRADE THAT WE'RE GETTING. BUT WHEN YOU GET A WETLAND USE PERMIT APPLICATION, ESPECIALLY IN A PDF, IT COULD BE 30, 40, 50, 60 PAGES OF MATERIAL.

AND IF THAT'S BUILT INTO YOUR ROUTINE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ONE THING.

IF IT'S NOT, SUDDENLY WEDNESDAY EVENING COMES ALONG.

SO I HAVE ALWAYS THOUGHT IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO COME ALONG AND IF THEY CHOOSE TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT, GREAT.

IF THEY CHOOSE TO EXPRESS WHY THEY'RE INTERESTED IN AND WHAT THEY THINK THEY CAN ADD, EVEN BETTER. BUT ULTIMATELY, THAT'S THE SUPERVISOR'S DECISION TO RECOMMEND THOSE APPLICANTS TO TO THE BOARD.

YES, WELL, LEROY I THINK WHAT I'VE HEARD SO FAR IS THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR NEXT STEP SHOULD BE TO INVITE VALERIE AND IKE AND JEANNE, TOO, I GUESS IF SHE WOULD WANT TO PURSUE THAT TO OUR NEXT MEETING. VALERIE IS HERE AS AN ATTENDEE, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S APPROPRIATE TO.

SHE DOESN'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT I THINK SHE'D PROBABLY WELCOME MORE TIME TO PREPARE.

RIGHT. AND A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD FOR EVERYBODY.

BUT FRANKLY, YOU CAN SAY ANYTHING YOU WANT, VALERIE.

HERE, BUT I THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.

YOU KNOW, GIVE HER A LITTLE ADVANCE NOTICE SO SHE CAN KIND OF CONSIDER WHAT SHE MIGHT WANT TO SAY BETWEEN NOW AND THE NEXT MEETING AND ALSO INVITE IKE AT THE SAME TIME.

AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK BASICALLY IT'S LIKE IT'S BEEN POSED THE QUESTION WHERE THEY COULD CERTAINLY SAY WHATEVER THEY WOULD LIKE.

BUT WE ARE KIND OF INTERESTED IN, YOU KNOW, WHY DO THEY DESIRE TO BE ON THE ENVIRONMENT MISSION AND THEIR THOUGHTS ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES WITH THE TOWNSHIP.

SO, VALERIE, VALERIE IS RAISING HER HAND RIGHT NOW.

OK, I TRIED TO PROMOTE HER TO A PANELIST EARLIER ON, BUT I WASN'T ABLE TO FOR SOME REASON. BUT YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO TALK, VALERIE.

YOU'RE MUTED NOW. VALERIE.

WE SEE YOUR. YOUR ICON OR WHATEVER.

YOU HAVE TO, THERE YOU GO, OK? YEAH, I MEAN, THAT'S FINE, I'VE PREPARED SO I CAN WAIT CERTAINLY ANOTHER MONTH.

THAT WOULD BE GREAT. YEAH, SO I MEAN, FOR THE LEVEL PLAYING FIELD'S SAKE, I'D BE GLAD TO DO THAT. SO THANK YOU.

WELL, THAT LEADS US TO WE DO NEED TO ELECT A VICE CHAIR, AND SO, YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO ENCOURAGE ANYBODY TO NOMINATE THEMSELVES THAT'S LEGITIMATE OR NOMINATE SOMEBODY ELSE.

DO I HEAR ANY NOMINATIONS FOR THE POSITION OF VICE CHAIR?

[00:50:02]

YOU KNOW, IF I CAN'T MAKE A MEETING, THEN OBVIOUSLY THE VICE CHAIR, CHAIRS THE MEETING.

AND, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THE CHAIRPERSON IS ASKED TO MAKE REPORTS TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD OR ATTEND CERTAIN MEETINGS.

AND IF THE CHAIR IS NOT ABLE TO DO THAT, THEN, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD LOGICALLY LOOK TO THE VICE CHAIR, MAYBE TO, YOU KNOW, DO THAT SORT OF FUNCTION.

I DON'T THINK IT REALLY THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN VERY OFTEN, THOUGH, BUT IT PRIMARILY IS YOU'RE KIND OF AVAILABLE TO, YOU KNOW, A CHAIR AT THE MEETING IF THE CHAIR IS NOT AVAILABLE.

BILL, CAN YOU KIND OF YOU'VE BEEN ON THE COMMISSION A WHILE.

WHOOPS YOU'RE MUTED. THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT, AND VICE CHAIR IS THE GREATEST JOB IN THE WHOLE WORLD, EVERYBODY SHOULD DO IT.

THE ONLY OTHER INSTANCE WHERE THE VICE CHAIR WOULD TYPICALLY SPRING INTO ACTION IS IF THE CHAIR WANTED TO ADDRESS A MEETING, NOT AS CHAIR.

RIGHT, RATHER THAN FACILITATING THE DISCUSSION, EITHER IF THERE WAS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST OR IF THERE WAS A PERSONAL OPINION THAT WHAT THE CHAIR WANTS TO EXPRESS IN FORMAL PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE, THE CHAIR WILL SURRENDER THE GAVEL TO THE VICE CHAIR SO THAT THEY CAN PARTICIPATE AS A REGULAR MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION.

BUT IF YOU WANTED TO DESTROY A WEAPON IN YOUR BACKYARD, IT WOULD BE INAPPROPRIATE FOR YOU TO CHAIR THE MEETING WHERE THAT RECOMMENDATION WAS BEING MADE.

GOOD POINT. EXCELLENT.

WELL, ANNA, YOU KIND OF ASKED THE, YEAH KENDRA? OH, THAT WAS A GOOD ONE, BILL. YOU KNOW, I'M JUST WONDERING, I THINK, NED'S NOT HERE TONIGHT, RIGHT? WE'RE LOOKING TO GET ANOTHER MEMBER ON HERE.

DOES THIS DECISION NEED TO BE MADE TODAY? LIKE, YOU KNOW, DOESN'T NEED TO BE MADE TODAY? LIKE, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I THINK ABOUT LIKE POLICY PROCEDURE, CONSISTENCY, LIKE, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? YOU KNOW, SO WE'RE MISSING A FEW FOLKS HERE.

SO I DON'T KNOW. IS IT A GOOD TIME TO MAKE THAT DECISION? WELL, NO, THAT'S A GOOD POINT, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY THERE'S NO CRISIS, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT TO JUST COMPLETELY FORGET ABOUT IT, BUT THAT THERE'S NO REASON, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, WHY WE CAN'T POSTPONE IT.

AND ONE ADVANTAGE WITH POSTPONING GIVES EVERYBODY A CHANCE TO KIND OF THINK ABOUT IT.

AND IF ANYBODY HAS FURTHER KIND OF THOUGHTS OR QUESTIONS, FEEL FREE TO KIND OF CALL ME OR EMAIL ME. SO, YEAH, WHY DON'T WE DO THAT? WELL, BECAUSE THIS JUST KIND OF CAME UP OUT OF THE BLUE.

LET'S PUT IT ON THE AGENDA FOR THE NEXT MEETING.

ANDREW? I JUST WANT TO SAY ONE MORE THING.

I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS AN AGENDA ITEM, BUT TO HONOR ROSE FOR ALL THE WORK THAT SHE'S DONE FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT SHE'S DONE A LOT OF WORK THAT'S THAT SEEN AND UNSEEN WORK THAT SHE'S DONE A LOT OF BEHIND THE SCENES WORK THAT SOME OF US MIGHT NOT BE AWARE OF.

AS YOU KNOW, A LOT OF US DO SOME OF THAT BEHIND THE SCENES WORK THAT SOME OTHERS AREN'T AWARE OF. AND SO I THINK TIME IT WOULD BE HELPFUL, YOU KNOW, TO HONOR HER.

RIGHT. LIKE WE HAVE A RESOLUTION TO HONOR JOHN ESSAR, BUT, YOU KNOW, TO HONOR ROSE.

SHE REALLY WAS SPEARHEADING THE TREE TEAM AND, YOU KNOW, LOTS OF OTHER PROJECTS THAT I'M NOT EVEN PROBABLY FULLY AWARE OF ALL THE WORK THAT SHE'S DONE.

AND I'M NOT EVEN SURE HOW LONG SHE WAS ON THE COMMISSION, BUT SHE DESERVES RECOGNITION.

AND I JUST KIND OF ASSUME THAT THAT'S PLANNED.

IT WOULD BE ON THE AGENDA FOR THE NEXT MEETING, A RESOLUTION KIND OF RECOGNIZING HER MANY CONTRIBUTIONS. BILL? NOPE, THAT WAS IT. OK, OK, I JUST WANTED TO IF IT WASN'T CLEAR, ROSE IS STILL INTERESTED IN STAYING ON THE TREE TEAM.

WELL, GOOD. EXCELLENT.

WELL, THAT MOVES US TO THE RESOLUTION HONORING JOHN ESSAR AND LEROY, DO YOU WANT TO GIVE

[5D. Resolution honoring John Esser]

YOU JUST NEED TO SORT OF A MOTION TO APPROVE, I SUPPOSE, AND DISCUSSION.

ANDREW? I MOVE TO APPROVE I MEAN, JOHN WAS YOU KNOW, I CAN'T SAY THAT I'VE KNOWN HIM VERY LONG,

[00:55:05]

THERE IS SO MUCH COMMITMENT AND KINDNESS.

AND, YOU KNOW, AND I DIDN'T EVEN I READ A LITTLE BIT I DIDN'T REALIZE HE HAD DIDN'T REMEMBER THAT HE HAD RUN FOR THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

SO HE WAS JUST REALLY COMMITTED TO THE ENVIRONMENT ON SO MANY DIFFERENT LEVELS INTO THE TOWNSHIP AND THE WELL-BEING.

AND, YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE HAD THIS RESOLUTION, BUT, YOU KNOW, THIS WOULD BE ANOTHER I THOUGHT TREE PLANTING OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, IN ADDITION, MIGHT BE HELPFUL, THOUGH.

I'M SORRY, LONG WINDED AS FAR AS THAT GOES, BUT I MOVE TO APPROVE.

SECOND THE MOTION.

ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT THE MOTION? OK, AND I HAVE TO ADMIT TO YOU, THE CONTACT I HAD WITH WITH JOHN DURING THE GREEN DIALOGS, I WAS ALWAYS A KIND OF A GREAT CONTRIBUTOR AND REALLY ADDS A LOT TO THE DISCUSSION. SO RESOLUTION IS VERY APPROPRIATE.

ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE RESOLUTION.

OK, THANK YOU.

AND THAT BRINGS US UP TO THERE'S NO OLD BUSINESS TO SEE TERRORIST REPORT.

[7. CHAIR’S REPORT]

ONE IS THAT VALERIE HAD TALKED ABOUT A LISTENING SESSION DONE BY EGL RELATED TO CLIMATE CHANGE. AND SO WE DISCUSSED THAT THIS MORNING.

AND I GUESS IT WAS TWO HOURS AND BASICALLY AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ANYBODY IN THE STATE TO KIND OF MAKE COMMENTS.

AND SO WE WERE DISCUSSING THE IDEA THAT MAYBE THE TOWNSHIP WOULD LIKE TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT, MAYBE RELATE IT TO CLIMATE CHANGE, MAYBE JUST ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.

SO I WANTED TO KIND OF PASS THAT ALONG TO EVERYBODY FOR SOMETHING TO KIND OF GET US TO THINK ABOUT AND MAYBE DISCUSS IN MORE DETAIL AT THE NEXT MEETING.

OBVIOUSLY, IT'S ANOTHER KIND OF JOB FOR THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT AND THE STAFF, BUT I THINK IT COULD BE VALUABLE TO HAVE THAT KIND OF ZOOM LISTENING SESSION.

AND THE OTHER THING WE TALKED ABOUT WAS USING, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A GREEN MERIDIAN FACEBOOK GROUP AND WE TALKED ABOUT USING THAT AS A WAY TO KIND OF GET INFORMATION OUT TO RESIDENTS. THERE'S I THINK ABOUT TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY FIVE PEOPLE THAT BELONG TO THE GROUP. AND I'VE NOTICED THE POSTINGS THERE TYPICALLY GET 30, 60.

100 PEOPLE KIND OF VIEW THEM.

SO A FEW OF US HAVE BEEN KIND OF ASKING QUESTIONS AND DOING OUR POSTINGS BECAUSE I THINK IT MIGHT BE A GOOD WAY FOR, YOU KNOW, CITIZENS TO HELP EACH OTHER AND TO KIND OF GET THEIR QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

ONE THAT WE ENCOURAGE THIS MORNING WAS CECILIA KRAMER.

YOU KNOW, WE USED TO WORK FOR THE DRAIN COMMISSION, SO WE TALKED TO HER ABOUT MAYBE SHE COULD JOIN THE FACEBOOK GROUP AND THEN WE COULD POSE A QUESTION TO HER ABOUT FLOODING BECAUSE SHE KNOWS A LOT ABOUT WATER JUST TO KIND OF GET THAT KIND OF DIALOG GOING WITHIN THE TOWNSHIP WITH THE THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO ON YOUR OWN PROPERTY.

AND, OF COURSE, PART OF WHAT COULD BE DISCUSSED, TOO, IS THE ROLE OF WETLANDS.

BUT SO THAT'S IT FOR ME.

LEROY? STAFF REPORT.

[8. STAFF REPORT]

MY TECHNOLOGY IS KIND OF LIMITED RIGHT NOW, I HAVE A LAPTOP THAT I'M A QUARTER OF THE SCREEN DOESN'T WORK.

AND I DO HAVE AN INTERNET CONNECTION.

BUT LET'S SEE WHICH CORNER OF THE SCREEN DOESN'T WORK UPPER LEFT.

I CAN STILL SEE YOU FINE, BILL.

THERE YOU GO. I THINK.

DID ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE UPDATE? THAT'S GREAT, BILL. THANK YOU FOR THAT.

APPRECIATE YOUR SENSE OF HUMOR.

ONE THING THAT IS AN ISSUE I SHARED THE RESULTS OF THE SURVEY OF WHETHER YOU WANT TO KEEP MEETING ON ZOOM OR WHETHER YOU WANT TO MEET IN PERSON.

THERE'S A COUPLE ISSUES THAT COME TO MIND RELATED TO THAT.

[01:00:01]

THE OTHER. COURTNEY PROBABLY KNOWS MORE ABOUT THIS THAN I DO.

BUT ONE OTHER ISSUE IS THAT MAYBE A LOT OF OUR AGENDA IS NOT NECESSARILY MAKING POLICY CHANGE. SO WE MAY BE REQUIRED, THERE MAY BE SOME EXCEPTIONS IF WE KEEP MEIJER POLICY THINGS OFF OUR AGENDA. I DON'T KNOW, BUT IT JUST STRIKES ME THAT.

THERE MAY BE SOME LEGAL WAY THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO MEET ON ZOOM, BUT DOES ANYBODY WANT TO ADD ANYTHING TO THAT? IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S A MAJORITY OF YOU WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE MEETING ON ZOOM FOR VARIOUS REASONS. HAS ANYONE HEARD ANYTHING MORE? GO AHEAD, COURTNEY. AND I HAVE NOT HAD SO MUCH AT THE TOWNSHIP LEVEL OTHER THAN JUST LIKE YOUR SURVEY, WE WERE SURVEYED AS A BOARD ON WHAT OUR COMFORTABILITY WAS, WHAT OUR VACCINATION RATES WERE.

SO I WOULD EXPECT WE CHOSE TO GO BACK IN PERSON.

BUT WE STILL HAVE SOME TIMES WHERE PEOPLE HAVE TO BE ON ONLINE.

SO I WOULD EXPECT THAT TO TRANSFER OVER TO THE COMMISSIONS.

AND THIS IS NOT AN OPINION OF ANYBODY ELSE OTHER THAN MYSELF.

BUT I ALSO WORK FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AND EVEN AT THE DEPARTMENT WE'RE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A CHOICE.

SO I DID LIKE THE FACT THAT YOU OFFERED A HYBRID.

SO IF SOMEBODY IS NOT COMFORTABLE OR MIGHT BE IMMUNOCOMPROMISED OR WHATEVER REASON DOESN'T MATTER WHAT IT IS, BUT NOT COMFORTABLE MEETING IN PERSON, I KNOW THAT DIRECTOR GEBES IS WORKING ON MAKING SURE THAT THERE IS THAT OPPORTUNITY AT THE BOARD TO STILL HAVE A ZOOM PRESENCE.

SO I CAN CERTAINLY LOOK INTO THAT MORE.

I KNOW THEY'RE WORKING ON IT CURRENTLY IN, BUT YOU KNOW, MY THOUGHT AND I WOULD SUPPORT WHATEVER IS MOST COMFORTABLE FOR EVERYBODY AND THAT MIGHT BE A HYBRID SITUATION.

I PREFER TO BE AROUND PEOPLE AND ENJOY PEOPLE'S ENERGY, BUT I KNOW THAT THAT'S NOT ALWAYS BOTH HEALTHY NOR THE CHOICE OF OTHER PEOPLE.

SO I CAN LOOK INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE.

THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.

YEAH, I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF WE [INAUDIBLE], LEROY, I THINK YOUR SURVEY HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL AND YOU KNOW, BUT WE MAY WANT TO BEFORE WE MAKE A FINAL DECISION, GET A LITTLE MORE GUIDANCE FROM THE TOWNSHIP JUST IN CASE THAT MIGHT INFLUENCE WHAT WE DECIDE.

SO THAT KIND OF LEADS ME, THOUGH, TO LIASON REPORTS.

COURTNEY, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO SHARE FROM THE BOARD?

[9A. Board of Trustees]

BUT WE TALKED ABOUT IT LISTED A SUSTAINABILITY PLAN, BUT TRULY, THE CONVERSATION WAS RESPECT TO ONE OF OUR GOALS, WHICH IS MOVING TOWARDS MORE SOLAR.

SO THOSE SOLAR PROJECTS ARE UNDERWAY.

ONE OF THEM BEING ON SPECIFICALLY NOW, BEING ON OUR ONE OF OUR FIRE STATIONS, AND I ALWAYS FORGET WHICH ONE THAT I NEED TO BE BETTER FAMILIAR WITH THOSE.

BUT THAT IS UNDERWAY AND SHOULD BE FINISHED UP HERE SOON.

THE OTHER ONE IS MOVING FORWARD ON A DIVERSITY EQUITY INCLUSION PLAN, WHICH LEADS INTO OUR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.

SO WE ARE WORKING TO MOVE THAT FORWARD.

THE NEXT STEP THERE IS WORKING WITH STAFF TO GET SOME TRAINING, SOME INTENSE TRAINING, WHICH SHOULD BE FUN AND OR MAYBE UNCOMFORTABLE IN A GREAT WAY, AND THEN LOOKING AT OUR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AT THE TOWNSHIP LEVEL AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ARE CONDUCIVE WITH DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION.

AND WE'VE MADE A COUPLE OF PROGRESS STEPS.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE BAN THE BOX, WE BAN THE BOX OF HAVING TO SAY ON YOUR APPLICATION WHETHER OR NOT YOU'VE BEEN CONVICTED OF A CRIMINAL ACTIVITY.

NOT TO SAY THAT WE WOULDN'T STILL DO A CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK, DEPENDING ON WHICH POSITION YOU ARE APPLYING FOR AND HOW THAT MIGHT BE APPLICABLE.

BUT IT'S JUST ONE LESS THING TO PUT A BARRIER IN FRONT OF FOLKS THAT THAT COULD BE REALLY

[01:05:01]

THAT SHOULDN'T BE AN ISSUE IN CERTAIN CASES.

THE OTHER ONE THAT I THINK WOULD BE AVAILABLE WOULD BE OUR MSU TO LAKE LANSING PATHWAY IN THE PATHWAY MASTER PLAN AND ANYBODY THAT KNOWS LAND, THEY'RE WORKING DILIGENTLY AND HAVE MADE GREAT PROGRESS ON INCORPORATING A CONTIGUOUS PATHWAY BETWEEN LAKE LANSING, MSU, AND MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP. SO WE HAVE NOW TWENTY FIVE MILES OF PATHWAYS AND OR TRAILS, AND THEY'RE WORKING SO HARD TO GET THEM ALL CONTIGUOUS, WHICH WOULD MAKE IT EVEN MORE IF YOU COULD DO LOOPS. SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS FANTASTIC TO.

LET'S SEE. I DID TALK ABOUT THE EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN, I DID HAVE A MEETING WITH DIRECTOR SCHMIDT ABOUT THE WETLAND ORDINANCE AND UNFORTUNATELY I COULDN'T PULL UP THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE ORDINANCE.

BUT WE DID HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE ORDINANCE.

THE ORDINANCE IS VERY STRONG IN COMPARISON TO OTHER ORDINANCES, AND WE'RE ACTUALLY ONE OF VERY FEW, A HANDFUL OF MUNICIPALITIES THAT ACTUALLY ARE MORE STRICT THAN THE STATE LAW.

SO I THINK THAT IS A GREAT START.

FANTASTIC. DIDN'T GET TO SEE THE PROPOSED CHANGES, BUT LOOKING AT MORE FORWARD, HOW CAN WE ENSURE THAT THAT ORDINANCE IS IN COMPLIANCE AND IS IT AN ENFORCEMENT OR AN EDUCATION CAMPAIGN, HOW DO WE DO THAT? SO HAD THOSE INITIAL CONVERSATIONS.

AND THEN I MENTIONED TO THAT COMMISSIONER GRASSESCHI IS GOING TO AND I ARE GOING TO MEET WITH KARA AND KIND OF DISCUSS THOSE WETLANDS MAPS, TOO.

SO MAYBE LOOK AT WHERE WE'RE AT.

WHERE DO WE WANT TO BE? HOW CAN WE GET THERE? AND VERY PRELIMINARY.

BUT THAT'S MY REPORT.

WELL, THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL.

SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD PROGRESS, BOY.

THAT'S GREAT. THE BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.

I THINK THAT'S NED, WHICH HE'S NOT ON TONIGHT.

AND THE ENERGY TEAM, I'LL JUST MENTION THAT, YOU KNOW, AT OUR LAST MEETING, WE DID TALK

[9C. Energy Team]

AND, YOU KNOW, LAST YEAR WE'VE DONE A VIRTUAL SOLAR HOME TOUR.

THE ENERGY TEAM WAS TALKING ABOUT DOING THIS WOULD BE IN OCTOBER, AGAIN, DOING A VIRTUAL SOLAR HOME TOUR, KIND OF EXPANDING IT TO MAYBE OTHER SUSTAINABILITY SITES, RAIN GARDENS OR WHATEVER. SO THAT'S BEING DISCUSSED.

THE OTHER THING THAT WAS DISCUSSED WAS THE IDEA THAT, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE WITH HOMEOWNERS PERMISSIONS, YOU KNOW, TO BASICALLY ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GO ON SITE TO KIND OF CHECK OUT LIKE A SOLAR SYSTEM OR A RAIN GARDEN.

I VISUALIZE THAT.

AS YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY IS AT THE SIDEWALK KIND OF GAWKING AT YOUR HOUSE FOR A LITTLE WHILE, YOU KNOW, AND I DON'T THINK THAT WOULD BE A PROBLEM FOR PEOPLE.

BUT WE WOULD OBVIOUSLY, BEFORE WE WOULD ENCOURAGE THAT, WE WOULD CHECK WITH ANY HOMEOWNER OR INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBLE FOR SOME PROPERTY.

SO THAT WAS KIND OF DISCUSSED.

AND WE STILL GOT A WE HAVE BASICALLY OUR CORE VIDEOS THAT WE CAN BUILD ON BECAUSE WE HAVE, I THINK, 11 VIDEOS THAT WE USE LAST YEAR FOR A VIRTUAL SOLAR HOME TOUR.

AND THAT'S THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.

[9D. Environmental Justice]

OK, GREEN.

OH, I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY A FEW THINGS ABOUT THAT.

I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, AND DISCUSS, I THINK WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR US TO DEFINE WHAT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IS.

WE'VE ALREADY BEEN DISCUSSING IT ALREADY.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THINGS RELATED TO WETLANDS.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EQUITY. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE LAKE.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS AND ALSO ALL ARE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.

SO I THINK IT'D BE HELPFUL TO DEFINE THAT.

AND I KNOW WE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT SUCCESS LOOK LIKE.

HOW DO WE DO THIS LISTENING ACTIVITY THAT WE'RE IN THE YOU KNOW, VALERIE'S IDEA TO KIND OF GET, YOU KNOW, INCORPORATE THAT IN AND THEN WHAT ARE THE ISSUES IN THE COMMUNITY AND WHAT WAYS ARE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE, HOW CAN THE VOICES BE HEARD HOW AND BUILD THAT TRUST BACK? AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IS REALLY ALL ABOUT.

THE STATE OF MICHIGAN CONFERENCE WAS ALL ABOUT REBUILDING TRUST.

AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT I THINK WE'RE ALL INTERESTED IN DOING.

AND, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE A DEFINITION THAT IS MAYBE USED BY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS OR, YOU

[01:10:02]

GREEN TEAM? LEROY, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING THAT YOU WANT TO ADD ABOUT THE GREEN TEAM? I JUST QUICKLY THAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT A MEDICINE COLLECTION AND ONE OF OUR FORMER VOLUNTEERS, A PHARMACIST, ACTUALLY WAS ON EARLIER AND I DIDN'T GET TO ASK HER IF SHE WANTED TO HELP STAFF THAT JULY 17TH AT THE MERIDIAN MARKET.

SO THAT'S LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS TO STAFF AT TABLE INFORMATION TABLE AND ALSO COLLECT MEDICINES. AND WE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS ASSISTING WITH THAT, AS WELL AS THE IN COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT. WE ARE OPEN TO IDEAS FOR SOME SORT OF AN EVENT IN AUGUST.

AND THEN WE'LL HAVE OUR REGULAR LARGE ELECTRONICS COLLECTION IN SEPTEMBER ON THE 18TH.

TOM JUST JOINED US AND EXPRESSED HIS APOLOGIES FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO MAKE IT EARLIER, HAD A CONFLICT. GO AHEAD, TOM, IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD.

YEAH, I REALLY DON'T LEROY.

I THINK YOU'VE COVERED IT.

BUT THE NEXT BIG ONE IS COMING UP ON THE 17TH WITH THE MEDICINE RECYCLING AND THEN OUR BIG EVENT IN SEPTEMBER.

SO NOTHING FURTHER TO ADD.

AND I'M ACTUALLY A PASSENGER IN THE CAR, SO I'LL TRY TO PARTICIPATE AS MUCH AS I CAN HERE. THANK YOU, TOM.

I'M GLAD YOU COULD JOIN US.

LET'S SEE LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD, KENDRA?

[9F. Land Preservation Advisory Board]

SO BUT SO ON MAY 12TH, WE MET AT THE DAVID FOSTER LAND PRESERVE TO TALK ABOUT A POSSIBLE LOOKOUT DECK LOCATION.

AND THAT DECISION HAS YET TO BE MADE.

ON JUNE 9TH, MATT AT THE SOUTH LAKE LANSING PRESERVE TO DISCUSS ISSUES THERE.

AND THAT'S WHERE SOME ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ISSUES ARE AN ISSUE.

AND SO WE'RE HAVING SOME ISSUES WITH THE RESIDENT ENCROACHMENT AND HOW TO HANDLE THOSE ISSUES. AND SO WE'RE HAVING TO GO BACK TO THE BASICS AND TALK ABOUT WHAT OUR LAND PRESERVE POLICY AND PROCEDURES ARE, ALONG WITH WETLAND POLICY AND PROCEDURES.

SO THAT AND I DON'T KNOW IF EVERYONE WAS ABLE TO SEE EMMA'S LATEST MERIDIAN CONSERVATION CORPS SPRING SUMMER NEWSLETTER, BUT OF COURSE, EMMA ALWAYS DOES A FANTASTIC JOB AND IT'S CHOCK FULL OF INFORMATION.

SO THERE'S THE SUMMER STORIES SERIES AND WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS AND ECOLOGY TUESDAYS IN WHICH SOMEONE I'M VERY CLOSE TO ATTENDED THAT YESTERDAY.

AND I WAS HOPING I COULD ATTEND IT, BUT I COULDN'T.

AND I THINK A COUPLE FOLKS ON HERE ATTENDED IT.

SO, YOU KNOW, EMMA'S FANTASTIC AT EDUCATING ALL OF US AND, YOU KNOW, JUST THE PRECIOUS ECOSYSTEM THAT WE HAVE HERE.

I JUST ONE OF HER SKILLS.

AND THEN SO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IF YOU'RE NOT PART OF THE MERIDIAN CONSERVATION CORPS, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO JOIN IN AND LEARN SOME FUN STUFF.

SO THANK YOU. THANKS, KENDRA.

[9G. Planning Commission]

BILL? YEAH, THE PLANNING COMMISSION LAST MET ON JUNE 14TH, THERE WAS A SERIES OF REZONING REQUESTS THAT WERE CONSIDERED AT THAT MEETING, PROBABLY OF MOST INTEREST TO THIS GROUP WAS A SPECIAL USE PERMIT FOR LANDSCAPE AND GRADING IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FLOODPLAIN ON [INAUDIBLE] DRIVE, THAT'S IN THE INDIAN LAKE SUBDIVISION.

AND BASICALLY WHAT IT AMOUNTS TO IS A HOMEOWNER REQUESTING PERMISSION TO MOVE SOIL FROM THEIR FRONT YARD UP CLOSER TO THE HOUSE BECAUSE THAT RAISES THE COUNTER ELEVATION AROUND THE HOUSE AND MEANS THAT THE HOUSE IS NO LONGER CONSIDERED IN THE FLOODPLAIN. AND I THINK IT'S WORTH KIND OF THINKING THROUGH HOW MEMBERS OF OUR

[01:15:02]

AND SO I BRING THAT TO THE ATTENTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.

JUST TO NOTE THAT THE ISSUE OF HOW WE DEAL WITH FUTURE FLOODING IS NOT ONLY REALLY COMPLICATED SCIENTIFICALLY, RIGHT, BUT IT'S PRETTY DARN COMPLICATED ADMINISTRATIVELY AS WELL. AND IT'S NOT EASY TO GET YOUR HEAD AROUND IT.

AND IT HAS HUGE IMPLICATIONS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE OR ARE NOT IN A FLOODPLAIN, DO OR DO NOT QUALIFY FOR FEDERALLY SUBSIDIZED INSURANCE SO SOMEBODY CAN KEEP AN EYE ON.

THANKS. THANKS, BILL.

LET'S SEE, WE'RE UP TO DATE STATE OF MICHIGAN.

[9H. State of Michigan]

I THINK THEY'RE CURRENTLY IN A TWO WEEK BREAK.

NOTHING REALLY SPECIFIC AS FAR AS ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES TO REPORT, BUT THEY DID FINISH THE EDUCATION BUDGET BEFORE THE JULY 4TH BREAK.

THEY STILL DO HAVE THE GENERAL BUDGET TO DO, WHICH INCLUDES FUNDING FOR LOCAL UNITS OF GOVERNMENT, COUPLING SOME ATTEMPTS AT LOCAL AUTHORITY TO PREEMPT LOCAL AUTHORITY. SO FAR, THOSE HAVE BEEN BOUGHT OFF, IF YOU WILL, BOTH THE WELL, THE ONE IN PARTICULAR, THE THE RENTAL ISSUE THAT I MENTIONED IN THE PAST, THERE HAS BEEN ATTEMPTS TO TAKE THAT LEGISLATION UP ON THE HOUSE FOR THE LAST TWO WEEKS.

BUT BECAUSE OF ALL THE CALLS FROM LOCAL OFFICIALS, THEY HAVEN'T TAKEN A VOTE ON THAT.

SO THAT'S GOOD NEWS FROM A LOCAL GOVERNMENT PERSPECTIVE, YOU KNOW.

INDIVIDUALS MAY DISAGREE WITH THAT, BUT I KIND STILL WEAR MY LOCAL GOVERNMENT HAT, SO BUT THAT'S ABOUT IT AS FAR AS I'M AWARE.

THANK YOU, TOM. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION? I DO NOT. OK, THANK YOU.

AND THAT LEADS US TO THE TREE TEAM.

[9J. Tree Team]

NOTHING MUCH OTHER THAN THAT THERE MIGHT BE A COUPLE OF LEVELS OF TREE TEAMS, ONE INVOLVING PEOPLE LIKE LUANNE AND DEREK AND SOME OF THE DEPARTMENT HEADS THAT WORK WITH TREES AND THEN A SMALLER TEAM DEPENDING ON THE ACTIVITY OR A PROJECT RELATED TO TREES.

I THINK SHE MAY HAVE SOME MORE TO ADD.

BUT KENDRA, GO AHEAD. IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD.

ALL I HAD TO ADD I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING AND AS FAR AS BEING PART OF IT, BUT I THINK AND THINKING ABOUT HOW WE SHARE CASTS AND ALL OF THAT KIND OF STUFF ON THE COMMISSION IS WORTH A CHAT.

SO I KNOW THERE SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THERE'S THE LIST OF SOME RESPONSIBILITIES THAT SOME FOLKS HAVE ON THERE.

I THINK THERE'S SOME RESPONSIBILITIES THAT ARE MISSING ON THERE THAT WE CAN UPDATE ANOTHER TIME. BUT I THINK THAT'S WORTH A DISCUSSION PROBABLY AT ANOTHER TIME ABOUT WHO'S GOING TO DO WHAT AND FILL THE ROLE THAT ROSIE, BECAUSE SHE DID A LOT OF THINGS THAT I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WENT UNNOTICED SOMETIMES MAYBE NOTICED AND NOTICED, THOUGH.

GOOD POINT. YEAH. OK, LET'S SEE.

BOY, I GUESS WE HAVE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC REMARKS, ANY OR ANY FURTHER THOUGHTS

[10. PUBLIC REMARKS]

BUT JUST REITERATING THAT, ENCOURAGING THEM TO STEP IN AND HELP US HELP DIRECT OUR INITIATIVE HERE AND ASK QUESTIONS AS WE GO ALONG.

BUT THANK YOU FOR SUGGESTING THAT.

I THINK IT WAS YOUR IDEA. AND HOPEFULLY THEY FOUND IT HELPFUL.

[01:20:06]

SO. IT'S SEEMS LIKE I THINK IT WAS A GOOD APPROACH.

ANYTHING ELSE BEFORE WE ADJOURNED FOR THE EVENING? CHAIR SARVER? IT'S DAMAN HERE, I'LL TAKE MY PUBLIC COMMENT JUST TO GIVE YOU GUYS A QUICK UPDATE ON WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THE CONTINUATION OF A HYBRID ZOOM MEANING.

IT'S OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT ONCE ALL OF OUR EXECUTIVE ORDERS AND STATE OF EMERGENCY AND EVERYTHING CANCEL, WHICH WE BELIEVE WE'RE IN A STATE WHERE THAT'S HAPPENING VERY QUICKLY HERE, WE ARE NO LONGER ABLE TO CONDUCT THE VIRTUAL MEETINGS WITH THE ANYONE WHO'S BEEN APPOINTED OR ELECTED TO OFFICE, APPOINTED BY THE TOWNSHIP BOARD, ELECTED BY THE ELECTORATE OF MERIDIAN CHARTER TOWNSHIP.

THEY HAVE TO ATTEND IN PERSON, ACCORDING TO THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT.

WE ARE PREPARED AND PREPARING TO BE ABLE TO DO A HYBRID PRESENTATION TO BRIDGE KIND OF AS WE MOVE BACK TO THIS THING.

BUT FOR RIGHT NOW, OUR FOCUS IS ON GETTING EVERYBODY BACK TO IN-PERSON MEETINGS WITH CAPABILITIES TO DO HYBRID AS IT'S ALLOWED.

WE'RE EXPECTING PROBABLY THE LEGISLATURE TO GIVE US SOME OPTIONS, TO DO SOME THINGS AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND AS OTHER COVID THINGS HAPPEN OVER THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THEM.

OTHERWISE, I'LL LET YOU CONTINUE ON WITH THE WITH YOUR MEETING.

THAT WAS VERY HELPFUL CLARIFICATION, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S A WORK IN PROGRESS AND I REMEMBER READING ABOUT STATE LEGISLATION THAT ALLOWED LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO GO VIRTUAL. BUT AM I RIGHT IN ASSUMING THAT THERE'S NO REASON WHY WE CAN'T FOR THE NEXT MEETING DO A VIRTUAL MEETING AS ANYBODY DOES, THAT, OF COURSE, SOMETHING MIGHT BE DECIDED BETWEEN NOW AND THEN. BUT SO FROM A TECHNICAL PERSPECTIVE, I BELIEVE WE WOULD WANT THE SUPERVISOR TO DECLARE A STATE OF EMERGENCY.

AND I THINK THAT HE CAN DO THAT FOR TWENTY NINE DAYS AT A TIME.

THE LAST ONE THEY NEEDED WAS IN MARCH.

SO THAT'S PROBABLY TECHNICALLY EXPIRED.

WE MAY NOT BE COMPLYING WITH THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT TONIGHT BY DOING THIS VIRTUALLY, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DIDN'T REALIZE UNTIL IT WAS ACTUALLY HAPPENING DURING OUR DISCUSSION. THAT'S LEROY FAULT, SO.

OK, WELL, WE MAY BE IN PERSON MEETING NEXT TIME, BUT WE'LL WAIT FOR FURTHER GUIDANCE FROM STAFF AND GO WITH THE FLOW.

OK, WE DO HAVE THE FIRE.

THE THE MAIN FIRE STATION COMMUNITY ROOM IS TECHNICALLY RESERVED, IF THAT'S OK WITH PEOPLE. JUST IN CASE, KEEP THAT ON THE AGENDA, IF YOU WANT TO SUGGEST ANOTHER LOCATION, OUTDOORS OR WHEREVER, TRY AND MAKE A DECISION ANYWAY.

GO AHEAD. IS THERE SOME REASON WE WOULDN'T USE THE TOWNSHIP HALL, LEROY? I THINK IT'S UNDER REPAIRS, MAYBE, BUT MAYBE STEPHEN KNOWS.

THE REPAIRS ARE EXPECTED TO BE FINISHED THIS WEEK.

SO WE EXPECT TO DO THE PLANNING COMMISSION IN PERSON THERE MONDAY NIGHT.

EVERYTHING'S EXPECTED TO BE BUTTONED UP AND PUT BACK TOGETHER FOR THAT MEETING.

IT LOOKS LIKE WE COULD BE AT THE TOWNSHIP HALL AND I WOULD ASSUME THAT'S HELPFUL FOR HOMTV FOLKS, BUT WE'LL WAIT FOR FURTHER GUIDANCE FROM STAFF.

OK, ANY FURTHER COMMENTS BEFORE WE ADJOURN? OK, CAN I GET A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING? THANK YOU, BILL. SECOND? OK, WE'VE GOT A NUMBER OF SECONDS.

I WILL TAKE KENDRA'S AND ALL IN FAVOR, SAY.

AYE. THANK YOU, EVERYBODY, AND PARTICULARLY THANKS TO BERNADETTE AND AUDREY FOR SUCH A GREAT PRESENTATION, WE I THINK WE ALL LEARNED SOMETHING NEW.

TAKE CARE.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.