Aug 04, 2021 Environmental Commission Meeting

[00:00:50]

WE ARE GOOD TO GO, JOHN, IF YOU WANT TO TAKE IT AWAY.

OK, HOPEFULLY SOME OTHERS WILL JOIN US MOMENTARILY AND SARVER AND I'M CALLING THE MEETING

[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]

[2. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA]

THANK YOU. COULD I HAVE A SECOND? OK, WE'RE GOING TO BE OK.

ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE AGENDA, PLEASE JUST RAISE YOUR HAND.

OK, THANK YOU. AND NOW APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.

[3. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES]

OKAY [CHUCKLING], A MOTION ALONG WITH COMMENTARY.

GOOD. CAN I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.

OK, TOM, THANK YOU.

ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

OK, AND WE DO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC REMARKS AT THE BEGINNING HERE.

IS THERE ANYBODY FROM THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING AT THIS POINT? THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY AT THE END OF THE MEETING TOO FOR PUBLIC REMARKS.

OK, SEEING NONE WE CAN MOVE ON TO OUR NEW BUSINESS.

[5.A. Conversation with Planning Director Tim Schmitt]

AND I THINK WE'RE ALL KIND OF LOOKING FORWARD TO KIND OF HEARING WHAT TIM HAS TO SAY AND HAVING SOME DIALOG. SO, TIM, GO AHEAD.

GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE, SO THANKS FOR HAVING ME BACK NOW THAT I HAVE BEEN HERE FOR TWO AND A HALF MONTHS, I KNOW EVERYTHING NOW, SO I CAN ANSWER ALL YOUR QUESTIONS THIS TIME.

NO, BUT IT'S BEEN A VERY INTERESTING TWO AND A HALF MONTHS TO GET STARTED IN THE TOWNSHIP. I'VE GOTTEN BACK INTO A LOT OF THINGS, STRETCHING A LOT OF MUSCLES THAT I HAVEN'T STRETCHED FOR A WHILE BECAUSE I'VE BEEN IN MORE BUILT-OUT COMMUNITIES.

SO IT'S BEEN INTERESTING.

I MEAN, I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW I'VE TALKED TO LEROY A COUPLE OF TIMES.

AND I KNOW, JOHN FROM MY WORK ON MICHIGAN ENERGY OPTIONS AND I HAVE TALKED TO KENDRA AND TRUSTEE WISINSKI AS WELL.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE KIND OF REALIZED IN MY TIME HERE THUS FAR IS AS A TOWNSHIP WE'RE STARTING TO TRANSITION FROM A GREENFIELD COMMUNITY TO A MORE BROWNFIELD COMMUNITY.

AND WHAT I MEAN IS THAT THE EASY SITES ARE GONE IN THE TOWNSHIP.

THERE AREN'T A WHOLE LOT OF EASY SITES LEFT.

AND SO WE NEED TO START LOOKING AT MORE REDEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND USING THE SPACE THAT WE HAVE MORE EFFICIENT WAY.

AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE YET, I DON'T KNOW.

IT'S HOPEFULLY GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE IN-DEPTH CONVERSATIONS AND PLANNING COMMISSION ABOUT. AND THE PUBLIC IS PART OF OUR MASTER PLAN UPDATE THAT'S GOING TO START NEXT YEAR. BUT IT DOVETAILS WELL INTO SOME OF THE CONVERSATION I THINK THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION IS GOING TO HAVE OR IS HAVING AND HAS HAD BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THIS STUFF IS GOING TO CIRCULATE AROUND STORM WATER MANAGEMENT AND ALTERNATIVE PAVING AND LESS PARKING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND SO I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE'RE LIKE THIS AS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO SORT OF SET THE NARRATIVE A LITTLE BIT.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A FAIRLY ROBUST.

ORDINANCE RIGHT NOW IN TERMS OF WHAT'S REQUIRED FOR PARKING AND IS THAT NEEDED IN A MODERN DEVELOPMENT? WE HAD THAT CONVERSATION LAST NIGHT AT THE TOWNSHIP BOARD WITH RESPECT TO SPARROW AND

[00:05:01]

WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THE RETAIL MARKET? I HAVE NO IDEA. IF YOU'RE ASKING ME, THAT'S A RHETORICAL QUESTION.

BUT I THINK THAT'S GOING TO DICTATE A LOT OF WHAT WE TALK ABOUT GOING FORWARD WITH OUR BUILT SPACE BECAUSE.

YOU KNOW, PLACES LIKE THE MALL HAVE HUGE TRACTS OF PARKING AND VERY LITTLE STORM WATER MANAGEMENT TO REDEVELOP THAT SITE.

YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT ALL THESE OTHER THINGS THAT WEREN'T NECESSARILY ON THE FOREFRONT BACK IN THE 70S AND 60S WHEN THOSE WERE BUILT.

SO I COULD PONTIFICATE ALL DAY ON VARIOUS PLANNING THEORY AND TECHNIQUE.

BUT I'D LOVE TO JUST TALK ABOUT WHAT THE COMMISSION WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT AND SO I CAN HELP DIRECT YOU AS TO WHAT I THINK IS GOING TO BE WHERE THIS COMES INTO PLAY.

BECAUSE I THINK THE IMPORTANT THING TO ME IS THAT WE ARE COMING UP ON OUR FIVE YEAR PLAN UPDATE AND THE WAY I VIEW PLANNING MY PHILOSOPHY ON PLANNING, AND ESPECIALLY IN MICHIGAN, IS, YOU KNOW, YOU DO YOUR LARGE SCALE PLANNING EFFORT, WHICH WE DID IN 2017 AND THEN EVERY FIVE YEARS, YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT YOUR COMP PLAN.

AND SO THE WAY I HAVE ALWAYS VIEWED PLANNING IS WHEN YOU GET TO THAT FIVE YEAR UPDATE, YOU TAKE A STEP BACK AND THAT'S WHEN YOU DO SORT OF TEST TO SEE WHERE YOU'RE AT.

AND IT'S LESS OF A BIG UPDATE AND MORE OF A DRILLING IN ON THINGS.

AND WHAT GOALS DIDN'T WE FOCUS ON ENOUGH AND WHAT'S CHANGED DEMOGRAPHICALLY? IT'S NOT SOMEWHAT THIS SORT OF FIVE YEAR UPDATE SO MUCH ISN'T ABOUT THE FUTURE LAND USE OR THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY.

IT'S ABOUT WHAT ARE THE TECHNIQUES AND THINGS THAT HAVE CHANGED AND NEED TO BE PUT INTO PLACE MOVING FORWARD.

AND THEN FIVE YEARS FROM NOW, WE BLOW IT OUT AGAIN AND WE GET INTO THE NUTS AND BOLTS AND THE NITTY GRITTY OF URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY AND THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP AND ALL THE DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES AND THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO GOING FORWARD.

SO I THINK THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE OTHER GROUPS ARE GOING TO PLAY A KEY ROLE TO HELP THE PLANNING COMMISSION SORT OF START NAILING IN ON SOME OF THESE THINGS IN OUR UPDATE HERE.

SO I'M GOING TO SHUT UP FOR A MINUTE.

WELL, TIM, LET ME START WITH THE FIRST QUESTION, AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD SOME DISCUSSIONS AND SOME HELP FROM TRI-COUNTY ABOUT THE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AUDIT, AND I'M JUST WONDERING WHERE YOU SEE THAT'S AT AND WHAT MAYBE NEXT STEPS MIGHT BE THE WORK THAT CLIFF DID. AND I KNOW, YOU KNOW, IT'S A BIG JOB, BUT IT'S OF INTEREST TO EVERYBODY, INCLUDING YOU, I'M SURE. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

I MEAN, MY HOPE FOR THAT, FRANKLY, IS THAT THEIR NEXT STEP BECOMES WHETHER THAT'S TRI-COUNTY OR WHETHER THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THE LOCAL PLANNERS GET TOGETHER, THAT THERE STARTS TO COME OUT OF THAT SOME MODEL ORDINANCE LANGUAGE THAT CAN BE PUSHED UNIVERSALLY ALONG THE CORRIDORS, YOU KNOW.

AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS YET, BUT LIKE SOME OF THE STUFF, ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO STORM WATER AND PARKING LOTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, LIKE THOSE ARE RELATIVELY EASY WINS BECAUSE SOME OF THAT STUFF ISN'T EVEN THAT OUT THERE AT THIS POINT TECHNOLOGICALLY, LIKE SOME OF THE STUFF IS VERY MUCH IN REACH OF AN AVERAGE DEVELOPMENT.

SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE THE IDEAL THING TO ME.

AND WHETHER WE TAKE THE LEAD IN THAT, WHETHER THAT'S SOMETHING THAT COMES OUT OF TRI-COUNTY OR WHETHER WE REVIVE THE OLD PLANNER BROWN BAGS AND WE START HASHING THIS OUT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, TAKING SOME OF THAT STUFF AND MAKING MODEL ORDINANCES OUT OF IT AND STARTING GETTING PEOPLE TO ADOPT THAT STUFF THROUGHOUT MID-MICHIGAN, BECAUSE THAT'S THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF ANY PLAN IS TO PUT IT INTO ACTION.

SO I THINK THERE'S SOME EASY WINS IN THERE.

THAT'S GOOD TO HEAR. AND I KNOW THAT [INAUDIBLE] A LOT OF THINGS TO DO THAT WE HAD CLIFF KIND OF DO THAT AUDIT OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP MEANS PROBABLY WE CAN BE VERY HELPFUL AND KIND OF MOVING THAT FORWARD ON A REGIONAL LEVEL BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY HAD THAT KIND OF AUDIT THAT HELPS US FIGURE OUT WHAT MIGHT BE DONE HERE.

MY ANSWER TO ANYTHING LIKE THAT WHEN YOU'RE STARTING OUT IS--WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST TO A BOARD THAT'S LOOKING TO START IMPLEMENTING PIECES OF THAT IS, YOU KNOW, FIND THE I DON'T SAY THE EASY THING BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST THE EASIEST THING.

IT'S THIS INTERSECTION OF EASY AND WHAT YOU THINK IS GOING HAVE THE BIGGEST IMPACT, RIGHT. SO IT MIGHT NOT BE SUPER EASY.

[00:10:01]

IT MIGHT TAKE A LITTLE HORSEPOWER FROM THE TRUSTEES, BUT IT'S ALSO SOMETHING THAT GOING TO HAVE A BIG ENOUGH IMPACT THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO SEE IT AND SELL IT AND THEN THAT MAKES IT EASIER FOR THE NEXT THING.

AND SO I THINK THAT'S AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS YET OUT OF THAT PLAN.

I'VE GOT SOME IDEAS AND I THINK, FRANKLY, FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, SOME OF THE STUFF WE'RE JUST GOING TO PICK UP AS WE GO.

BUT IF THERE WAS SOMETHING I WAS GOING TO I WOULD RECOMMEND OUT OF THAT IS PICK A TOPIC OR TWO AND START FLESHING OUT HOW WOULD WE IMPLEMENT THAT, HOW WOULD WE PUT THAT IN AN ORDINANCE, WHICH I'M HAPPY TO HELP WRITE LANGUAGE AND MOVE A PIECE FORWARD, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU NEED. YOU NEED TO GET SOME MOMENTUM BEHIND IT.

AND TYPICALLY WHAT WE SAY IN PLANNING IS YOU NEED BOTH MOMENTUM AND A CHAMPION AND THE COMMISSION COULD ACT AS THE CHAMPION.

AND THEN ONCE YOU GET SOMETHING GOING, YOU HAVE THE MOMENTUM.

SO IT SOUNDS LIKE FROM WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, YOU KNOW, WE MAYBE SHOULD TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT THE WORK THAT CLIFF DID AND MAYBE FOCUS IN ON A FEW AREAS, LIKE YOU SAY, THAT WE COULD KIND OF MAKE A PRIORITY.

AND LIKE YOU SAY, THAT'S MAYBE A FIRST STEP AND THEN THAT CAN LEAD TO OTHER STEPS.

BUT OTHER FOLKS WHO HAVE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FOR TIM.

BILL, GO AHEAD. YEAH, THANKS, I LOVE THIS CONVERSATION.

IT'S GREAT. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S BEEN ON MY MIND MORE SPECIFICALLY HAS TO DO WITH OUR PAIRING WITH THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER, WHO SEEMS TO BE REALLY MOVING SOME BIG STEPS FORWARD ON STORM WATER RETENTION, ESPECIALLY WITH THE NEMOKA DRAIN AND SOME OTHERS.

AND THEN IN THE SAME WAY THAT WE KIND OF EXTRA REGULATE WETLANDS, LOOKING AT THOSE DETENTION BASINS AND GETTING A LITTLE BIT MORE ECOSYSTEM SERVICES OUT OF THEM IN TERMS OF FILTRATION AND BIODIVERSITY AND THINGS.

AND I'M CURIOUS WHETHER YOU THINK THAT'S A DIRECTION THAT'S KIND OF FEASIBLE OR HOW DO YOU SEE THAT? SO I'M GOING TO CAVEAT THIS WITH I'M STILL GETTING MY HEAD AROUND DRAIN COMMISSIONERS IN GENERAL, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE EVER HAD TO WORK WITH ONE AND IT AND I DON'T THINK I'M SAYING ANYTHING UNTOWARD WHEN I SAY THIS, THAT IT IS ABUNDANTLY CLEAR TO ME THAT THE SLOW POINT IN DEVELOPMENT IS THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE.

WITH THAT SAID, IF WE COULD JUST GET THEM TO SHARE THEIR STANDARDS WITH US THAT'D BE GREAT, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S THE FIRST PART.

I MEAN, THEY HAVE A TON OF CONTROL IN MICHIGAN, LIKE BROADLY DRAIN COMMISSIONERS DO.

AND I THINK IF THEY I THINK THEY CAN REALLY PUSH IF THEY'RE WILLING TO WORK WITH US AND THEY'RE WILLING TO PUT THEIR FORCE BEHIND IT A LITTLE BIT, WE CAN ABSOLUTELY START PARTNERING WITH THEM AND IMPLEMENTING THINGS THAT ARE BETTER THAN, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE RIGHT, BETTER THAN THE STANDARD DETENTION POND THAT WE [INAUDIBLE] WHEN I WAS [INAUDIBLE] WE WOULD HAVE PEOPLE, AND IT WAS LARGELY BECAUSE THEY WERE TRYING TO IMPACT WETLANDS, BUT WE WOULD HAVE PEOPLE THAT WOULD CREATE FULL ON WETLAND SYSTEMS TO ACT AS THEIR RETENTION DETENTION SYSTEMS. AND THEIR WETLAND REIMBURSEMENT BECAUSE THEY MADE AN IMPACT TO THE WETLANDS, BUT IT WASN'T GOOD THAT WE'RE LOSING THE WETLANDS.

IT WAS WAY A BETTER SYSTEM [INAUDIBLE].

NOW, THE FLIP SIDE OF THAT IS WE'VE GOT A LOT OF UNDERGROUND MECHANICAL TYPE STUFF FOR SEPARATION OF FATS AND OILS AND SAND STUFF LIKE THAT, WHICH I'M OF THE OPINION LONG TERM, THAT IS A BAD IDEA BECAUSE THOSE THINGS FAIL AND THEY'RE EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE.

AND ESPECIALLY IF A PROJECT GETS SOLD 10 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD, ALL OF A SUDDEN, WHO'S GOING TO REPLACE THAT THING? SO I THINK THE COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE IS ABSOLUTELY THE VEHICLE, LIKE IF THEY'RE WILLING TO PUT THEIR SHOULDER BEHIND SOME OF THIS STUFF, IT'S EASY FOR US TO START IMPLEMENTING IT. BUT THEY HAVE TO SAY WE'RE GOING TO ACCEPT SORT OF THESE ALTERNATIVES OR THESE NEW TECHNIQUES BECAUSE I CAN'T TO BE TOTALLY BLUNT, I CAN'T TELL A DEVELOPER TO DO SOMETHING THAT I KNOW THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE IS GOING TO SHOOT DOWN, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF TIME IT TAKES TO GET THROUGH THE COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE LIKE THAT, THAT BECOMES A VERY TOUGH ASK, BUT IF THEY'RE WILLING TO GET BEHIND A LITTLE BIT OF IT UP FRONT, I'M SURE WE'VE GOT DEVELOPERS OUT THERE THAT WOULD BE WILLING TO TRY STUFF LIKE I KNOW WE DO.

AND SO I THINK IT'S REALLY PUTTING SOME PRESSURE ON THEIR OFFICE TO SAY, OK, THESE ARE GOOD IDEAS THAT ARE COMING OUT OF THE VARIOUS PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN STUDYING IT, LET'S TRY SOME OF THIS AND IT MIGHT NOT ALL BE PERFECT.

I MEAN, WE HAVE TO ACCEPT THE FACT THAT SOME OF THIS MIGHT FAIL TO BE PERFECTLY BLUNT, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE DOING WATER SYSTEMS THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S A SCIENCE, BUT IT'S NOT A

[00:15:05]

RIGHT. EVERY PLACE IS UNIQUE AND YOU CAN'T ALWAYS BE CERTAIN WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

YEAH, THANKS FOR THAT. I FEEL LIKE THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE IS PUTTING A LOT OF GREAT ENERGY INTO THE MONTGOMERY DRAIN [INAUDIBLE].

AND THAT'S A HUGE DEAL.

AND THE DANIELS THING IS GOING AND TRYING TO FIX THE INTERSECTION OF OKEMOS AND GRAND RIVER. AND SO A LOT ON THEIR PLATE.

BUT LIKE THE ROAD DEPARTMENT, THE MORE I THINK WE CAN PARTNER, THE MORE WE'LL ATTRACT THEIR ATTENTION.

I AGREE.

OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? ANYBODY HAVE SOME QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? TOM, GO AHEAD. YEAH, THANKS, JOHN.

TIM, YOU MENTIONED IN YOUR OPENING COMMENTS, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE MALL AND SOME REDEVELOPMENT THERE.

WAS IT IN REFERENCE TO THE PARKING LOT AREA, OR WERE YOU TALKING BROADER THAN THAT? SO WHEN I STARTED HERE, ONE OF THE THINGS I SAID IN MY INTERVIEW THAT MADE THIS AN APPEALING JOB IS THAT MALL IS NOT LONG FOR THIS WORLD.

I MEAN, FUNDAMENTALLY, THE RETAIL MARKET IS SHIFTING UNDER OUR FEET.

AND SO THE IDEA THAT MALL IS GOING TO BE THERE IN 20 YEARS IS I WOULD BE SURPRISED.

AND SO THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ON A REDEVELOPMENT OF A SITE LIKE THAT IS LIKE FROM A PLANNER'S PERSPECTIVE, THAT'S GOLD, MAN.

YOU NEVER GET TO DO THAT.

SO I'M JUST SAYING, LIKE, FROM A LONG TERM PERSPECTIVE, IF YOU'RE REALLY THINKING LONG TERM ABOUT THE TOWNSHIP AND SORT OF THE MAIN COMMERCIAL AREA.

YEAH. YOU'RE EVENTUALLY GOING TO GET REDEVELOPMENT OF THAT SITE AND IT'S LIKELY GOING TO BE CUTTING OFF A PORTION OF THAT PARKING AND POSSIBLY A PORTION OF THAT BUILDING AND STARTING FROM SCRATCH.

AND THEN WHAT IS STARTING FROM SCRATCH LOOK LIKE FOR A SITE THAT HAS ESSENTIALLY NO STORM WATER MANAGEMENT NOW? AND THAT'S WHERE YOU CAN GET INTO SOME REALLY INTERESTING STUFF.

I MEAN I'VE SEEN ALL KINDS OF URBAN DESIGN WHERE ESSENTIALLY THE STORM WATER IS YOU KNOW A CREEK RUNNING THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF IT, IT BECOMES AN AMENITY TO THE PROJECT.

SO ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO SORT OF SET OURSELVES UP FOR THE POTENTIAL OF REDEVELOPMENT THERE IS BETTER IN MY MIND THAN JUST CONTINUING THE STATUS QUO AND PUTTING IT IN A PIPE AND CHUCKING IT DOWNSTREAM.

OK, THANKS.

BUT JUST TO BE CLEAR, THERE ARE NO ACTIVE PLANS.

THIS IS ME SAYING THIS WOULD BE AWESOME IF WE COULD WORK ON THIS.

I DON'T WANT TO START A RUMOR.

KENDRA, GO AHEAD. HELLO, DIRECTOR SMITH, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING.

ABSOLUTELY. SO I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE COULD GUESS WHAT I WANT TO ASK ABOUT, BUT SO HERE FOR THE WETLAND ORDINANCE AND I INVITED EMMA TO JOIN US THIS EVENING BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE MET YET, BUT SHE'S WORKING OUT IN THE WETLANDS.

SHE'S LITERALLY OUT IN THE FIELD.

AND I KNOW WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT AN EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN AND TALK ABOUT THE ORDINANCE AND, YOU KNOW, THE WATER FEATURE ORDINANCE RELATED TO THAT AND HOW TO PROTECT OUR PRECIOUS ECOSYSTEM.

SO THOUGHTS ABOUT THAT AND HOW TO ENFORCE OUR EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY AND ENFORCE OUR ORDINANCE. YES.

I MEAN, FUNDAMENTALLY, WE HAVE A NO NET LOSS ORDINANCE.

ALMOST EVERY WETLAND ORDINANCE, LIKE IF YOU TOUCH IT, YOU HAVE TO REPLACE IT AT A HIGHER LEVEL. SO IF NATURE WAS EQUAL, I WOULD TELL YOU THAT SINCE WE ESTABLISHED AN ORDINANCE, THE NUMBER OF WETLANDS IN THE COMMUNITY HAVE ACTUALLY GONE UP.

NATURE IS NOT EQUAL. AND I THINK THAT SOME OF THE STRUGGLE WE'VE HAD IN TERMS OF MAPPING QUESTIONS THAT WE'VE GOTTEN OVER THE YEARS IS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SORT OF A BASELINE OF ROUGHLY WHERE THINGS ARE AT, AND WE TELL PEOPLE THAT WE DO DOZENS OF DELINEATIONS A YEAR AND VERIFICATIONS OF PEOPLE TO TRY AND DETERMINE WHERE THEY ARE BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO STAY OUT OF IT. THE STRUGGLE WE HAVE TO BE PERFECTLY BLUNT, IS THAT NATURAL FEATURE SETBACK, BECAUSE NOT MANY COMMUNITIES HAVE THAT.

IT'S NOT A STATE LEVEL THING.

IT'S A THING THAT SOME MUNICIPALITIES HAVE.

AND USUALLY WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT IS THE PERSON'S BACKYARD, THE WETLANDS DON'T GET PLATTED ONTO THE ACTUAL LOT BECAUSE THAT'S USUALLY FORGOTTEN.

AND SO THEN THEIR BACKYARD ESSENTIALLY IS A NATURAL FEATURE SETBACK AND NOBODY KNOWS THAT. AND THEN THE HOUSE SELLS AND THE NEXT PERSON CLEARS IT.

I CAN SHOW YOU PLENTY OF EXAMPLES, I'M SURE, THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY WHERE THAT'S HAPPENED. THAT IS A DIFFICULT THING TO ENFORCE BECAUSE THAT CAN BE ANYTHING FROM A FORESTED EDGE TO FRANKLY COULD HAVE JUST BEEN A LAWN, IT COULD HAVE JUST BEEN THE EDGE OF A FARMER'S FIELD. AND SO ENFORCING THE NATURAL FEATURE SETBACK IS A VERY DIFFICULT THING.

[00:20:04]

I HAD ONE IN MY TIME IN [INAUDIBLE] AND WE HAD SOMEONE WITH A BIT OF EXPERIENCE IN MY TIME IN EAST LANSING. BUT THOSE PEOPLE ARE VERY HARD TO FIND.

THERE AREN'T MANY OF THEM ANYMORE BECAUSE THE STATE [INAUDIBLE], FRANKLY, TO RUN THEIR PROGRAMS. AND SO WE'RE STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW BEST TO ENFORCE THAT.

I DON'T THINK THE TOWNSHIP HAS ANY DESIRE TO TAKE A HEAVY STICK APPROACH, ESPECIALLY WITH THE NATURAL FEATURE SETBACK.

THE WETLAND IS EASY.

THE FLOODPLAIN'S EASY. STUFF LIKE THAT'S SIMPLE.

THAT'S BACKED BY FEDERAL LEGISLATION IN MANY CASES.

AND SO WE DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM ENFORCING ANY ENCROACHMENT TO THAT.

THE NATURAL FEATURE SETBACK'S A DIFFICULT ONE, AND IT'S ONE THAT I THINK AS A COMMUNITY WE'RE GOING TO STRUGGLE WITH FOR A LONG TIME BECAUSE IT'S A CONSTANT EDUCATION THING.

BECAUSE PROPERTY'S SELL AND DEVELOPERS GO AWAY, YOU KNOW, AS LONG AS WE CAN KEEP LOTS AND DEVELOPMENT SITES FROM HAVING, WETLAND IMPACTS I THINK THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, FRANKLY, BECAUSE THAT'S THE THAT'S THE MAIN PART OF THE ECOSYSTEM AND WE NEED TO PRESERVE THE NATURAL FEATURE SETBACK IS IS A NICE CHERRY ON TOP.

BUT THE QUESTION IS, HOW DO WE HANDLE THAT LONG TERM, AND ESPECIALLY GIVEN THAT WE HAVE ESSENTIALLY A BIFURCATED SYSTEM.

IF YOU WERE PLATTED BEFORE NINETEEN NINETY ONE, YOU DON'T HAVE TO FOLLOW IT.

AND SO THAT'S A DIFFICULT THING TO TELL PEOPLE, THAT IF THEIR HOUSE HAD BEEN BUILT SIX MONTHS EARLIER AND WE'RE DEALING WITH ONE NOW, THAT WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THE ACTUAL WETLAND LINE IS BECAUSE IT'S BEFORE NINETY ONE, SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO FOLLOW IT.

IT'S JUST IT'S A WEIRD SYSTEM TO FOLLOW.

AND SO IT'S A STRUGGLE.

I DON'T HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS RIGHT NOW.

I'LL BE COMPLETELY HONEST.

MY HOPE IS THAT THE THIRD PLANNER WELL, IF YOU COUNT ME, THE THIRD PLANNER THAT WE GET ON STAFF WILL HAVE SOME EXPERIENCE [INAUDIBLE] BECAUSE I MEAN, I HAVE SOME EXPERIENCE IN ENVIRONMENTAL STUFF AND WETLANDS.

BUT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU ASK ME TO GO OUT AND DELINEATE SOMETHING, I'D PROBABLY WOULD JUST GO BASED ON HOW WET MY FOOT GOT AS I TOOK A STEP IN VARIOUS PLACES, I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GET INTO THE PLANT LIFE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

PROBABLY NOT EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANTED TO HEAR.

TIM, THAT MAKES ME WONDER ABOUT SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, WHENEVER YOU BUY A HOUSE.

OF COURSE, THEY'RE OBLIGATED LEGALLY TO DISCLOSE CERTAIN THINGS ABOUT THE HOUSE.

THE REALTOR, YOU KNOW, THEY HAD TO TELL ME, OF COURSE, THAT I HAD AN OIL PIPELINE IN MY FRONT YARD, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S GOOD TO KNOW THESE THINGS, YOU KNOW? BUT I'M WONDERING, IS THERE ANY.

.. HAS THAT HAPPENED? I MEAN, WHEN YOU BUY A PROPERTY, DOES THE KIND OF IS IT DISCLOSED THAT IN YOUR BACKYARD IS A WETLAND THAT THERE IS THAT BUFFER ZONE OR DOESN'T THAT EVER HAPPEN? NO, NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THAT THERE'S A TWO STEP SYSTEM BETWEEN WHEN YOUR HOUSE WAS BUILT OR PLATTED AS IT RELATES TO THE ORDINANCE.

I'M GOING TO GENERALIZE A LITTLE BIT HERE.

MOST PROPERTIES AND SUBDIVISIONS SHOULDN'T HAVE WETLANDS ON THE LOTS.

I THINK THAT AS A COMMUNITY, WE'RE VERY SMART NOT TO DO THAT.

IN MOST CASES. I'M SURE THERE'S SOME, ANY RULE I TELL YOU, IT WILL BE BROKEN SOMEHOW.

IT'S THE NATURAL FEATURE SETBACK, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT OTHER COMMUNITIES DON'T HAVE.

SO YOU BUY A HOUSE HERE, YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT IT.

AND WHETHER OR NOT, I DON'T KNOW IF IT COULD BECOME A DISCLOSURE, I MEAN, THAT WOULD BE ... I'D HAVE TOUCH BASE WITH THE ATTORNEYS ON THE DISCLOSURE QUESTION.

YOU MAY WANT TO LOOK INTO THAT.

I MEAN, I'M JUST THINKING IN A WAY OF, YOU KNOW, WE UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT'S IN THEIR BACKYARD.

IT'S WORTH AN ASK. YEAH.

AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO PASS AN ORDINANCE WHICH WOULD JUST BASICALLY REQUIRE A DISCLOSURE AT THE TIME OF SALE.

YOU KNOW, WHICH WELL, I DON'T KNOW HOW HARD THAT WOULD BE, BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO KIND OF AT LEAST EXPLORE THAT AS MAYBE AN OPTION.

ABSOLUTELY. WE CAN RUN IT INTO THE GROUND, SEE WHAT IT HITS.

YEAH, RIGHT. ARE THERE ANY COMMUNITIES THAT ACTUALLY SORT OF HAVE ALMOST A LICENSING REQUIREMENT FOR REALTORS TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE A CERTAIN LEVEL OF EDUCATION ABOUT THE RULES YOU KNOW, TO PRACTICE IN A GIVEN REGION? I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE TRAINING.

YEAH, COURTNEY KNOWS.

I DON'T KNOW IF KNOW, I WILL SAY WORKING FOR THE STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENTS FOR THE

[00:25:02]

SO I FEEL LIKE IF WE WANTED TO DO THAT, WHICH I THINK IS A FANTASTIC IDEA, JUST DISCLOSURE, RIGHT. IT'S ALL YOU GOTTA DO IS DISCLOSE THE FACT, JUST LIKE, JOHN, YOU SAID, YOU'VE A PIPELINE IN YOUR YARD, WE COULD WRITE THAT INTO THE ORDINANCE.

I MEAN, I AGREE DIRECTOR SCHMITT, WE'D HAVE TO RUN THAT BY THE ATTORNEYS.

BUT I THINK THAT'S AN EASY WAY TO WRITE THAT INTO THE ORDINANCE SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU DO HAVE A SALE OR TRANSFER PROPERTY, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE DISCLOSED.

AND THAT WOULD, I THINK, WOULD WOULD CERTAINLY COMPLEMENT AN EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO RUN, JUST ONE OF THOSE VERY SMALL COMPONENTS WITH THE TOTALITY BEING WE'VE GOT ALL THESE DIFFERENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS COMING IN.

SO, YEAH, I WOULD AGREE.

I THINK WE COULD DO THAT AND I THINK WE COULD DO THAT THROUGH THE ORDINANCE.

AND I DON'T THINK THAT WOULD BE DIFFICULT.

BUT UNTIL WE TALK TO THE ATTORNEYS, I HATE TO SPEAK SIMPLISTIC.

EH, IT'S FINE; MATT WILL FIGURE IT OUT.

BILL, GO AHEAD. YEAH, JUST A NOTE, I KNOW THAT WHEN THERE IS ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION CONFIRMED AT A SITE, THAT BECOMES A RESTRICTIVE COVENANT ON THE DEED.

THERE IS KIND OF SOME PRECEDENT FOR THAT, BUT THE MECHANISM OBVIOUSLY WOULD BE QUITE [INAUDIBLE]. I WILL SAY TO THAT POINT, THOUGH, IT WOULD BE MUCH EASIER IN LIKE A SITE CONDO SET UP BECAUSE WE COULD BUILD IT INTO THE MASTER DEED REALLY EASILY.

KENDRA, GO AHEAD. ARE YOU REFERRING TO ME? ALL RIGHT, I GUESS I NEED SOME CLARITY.

WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE, WE HAVE WETLAND LAWS THAT ARE REGULATED BY THE FEDS, BY THE STATE, AND WE HAVE SOME LOCAL ORDINANCES.

RIGHT. SO HELP ME UNDERSTAND HOW YOU PLAN TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THEM AND THEN ALONG WITH THAT, ENFORCE THEM.

BECAUSE EVEN PLACES WHERE THERE HAS BEEN BUILDING NEXT TO WETLANDS OR WHATEVER, THOSE FOLKS HAVE CERTAINLY GONE THROUGH PROCESSES THROUGH THE TOWNSHIP TO HAVE BEEN EDUCATED, THAT THEY ARE ON WETLANDS AND THAT THERE ARE ORDINANCES RELATED TO THAT.

SO HELP ME UNDERSTAND HOW THAT'S GOING TO GET EDUCATED FROM PLANNING ON DOWN SELL THE HOUSE. THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.

BUT THEN ONCE THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME ISSUES, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE EDUCATE COMMUNITY AND THEN TWO, HOW ARE WE GOING TO HANDLE IT ONCE MAYBE THERE'S SOME CONCERNS.

YEAH. AND I KNOW THAT YOU AND I ARE NOT GOING TO SEE EYE TO EYE ON THIS BECAUSE IT'S A DISCRETIONARY ENFORCEMENT ISSUE THAT WE'LL ADDRESS ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS.

I CAN'T TELL YOU THAT THERE IS GOING TO BE THIS IS WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN ON EVERY SINGLE CASE.

IN TERMS OF EDUCATION, WE PUT THE INFORMATION OUT THERE, WE CAN'T EDUCATE EVERYONE ON EVERY RULE. USUALLY WHAT HAPPENS IS SOMEONE COMES AND ASKS A QUESTION AND WE FOLLOW UP AND GET THEM ALL THE INFORMATION THEY NEED.

BUT IF YOU DID AN EDUCATION CAMPAIGN, I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW IT [INAUDIBLE] EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ABOUT IT, HOW THAT COULD BE A THING.

AND IF YOU DO THINGS ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS, THAT'S THE DEFINITION OF ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICE.

LIKE CONSISTENCY--I'M FULLY AWARE.

I DON'T APPRECIATE THE IMPLICATION THERE.

CONSISTENCY IN POLICY AND PROCEDURE IS HOW YOU GET TO A PLACE OF ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, RIGHT. IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE WETLANDS.

LIKE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT OUR LAST TWO MEETINGS, BUT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT OUR CONCERNS ABOUT THE WETLANDS, ALL THE RAIN THAT WE HAD, PLACES THAT WERE FLOODED BECAUSE LIKELY THEY MAYBE SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN BUILT ON OR THAT 20 FOOT NATURAL VEGETATION BUFFER WAS REMOVED.

SO THIS IS A JUSTICE ISSUE THAT COST PEOPLE LIKE THEIR HOMES, BUSINESSES MONEY, LIKE ALL OF THAT KIND OF STUFF. SO IT'S A JUSTICE ISSUE.

SO I GUESS I'M CONCERNED ABOUT LIKE A CASE BY CASE BASIS.

I THINK THAT WE'VE BEEN PRETTY THOUGHTFUL HERE AT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION TRYING TO COME UP WITH PLANS AND IDEAS ABOUT THIS ENTIRE THING.

AND CERTAINLY WE WILL DISAGREE ABOUT SOME THINGS, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT WE CAN DISAGREE ABOUT WHAT'S LITERALLY IN THE ORDINANCE.

I DON'T REALLY HAVE MUCH OF A RESPONSE BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THAT WE ARE DOING ANYTHING THAT IS UNTOWARD HERE, WE ARE FOLLOWING UP ON COMPLAINTS WHEN WE GET THEM AND ENFORCING THE ORDINANCE AS BEST WE CAN.

BUT AS A STAFF OF TWO PLANNERS, I DON'T THINK EDUCATING THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY ON WETLAND

[00:30:05]

AND THAT'S, I THINK PART OF THE REASON WE HAVE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS IS TO HELP US WITH THOSE THINGS. EMMA, GO AHEAD AND THEN COURTNEY.

HI [CHUCKLING] LOUD AND CLEAR.

OK, PROBABLY TOO LOUD.

HI, TIM, I KNOW WE HAVEN'T MET FORMALLY YET, BUT WELCOME TO THE TOWNSHIP.

AND I DO WANT TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, IT IS THERE'S A LOT THAT EACH STAFF PERSON AT THE TOWNSHIP GETS PUT ON THEM.

YOU KNOW, WE ARE WHAT WE ARE.

AND SO I THINK THIS IS GREAT.

YOU KNOW, WE ALL NEED TO WORK TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE THESE GOALS.

AND I THINK IT FALLS.

YOU KNOW, I'M THE LAND STEWARDSHIP COORDINATOR.

A LOT OF OUR PRESERVES, OUR WETLANDS.

AND BECAUSE OF ALL THE GREAT GREENSPACE WE HAVE, WE HAVE A LOT OF NEIGHBOR INTERACTIONS AND WE DO HAVE A LOT OF ORDINANCES THAT ARE BROKEN OVER TIME.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING WHERE YOU AND I TEAM WILL BE PARTNERING A LOT ON THOSE THINGS. AND IT'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT I NOTICE.

I'M OUT IN THE FIELD A LOT.

I JUST AM LATE BECAUSE I CAME FROM A WORK DAY OUT AT TIHART PRESERVE.

SO, YEAH, I THINK SOMETHING THAT I'M WORKING ON TOO ALONG WITH, YOU KNOW, THE HARD WORK THAT EVERYONE HERE AND KENDRA'S DOING A LOT OF HARD WORK, ALONG WITH A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE ON THE WETLAND BROCHURE AND EDUCATION IS IS THAT'S A GOOD PLATFORM FOR MY DEPARTMENT AND IN MY LITTLE AREA TO BE WORKING ON THAT EDUCATION, TOO, AND TRYING TO SPEARHEAD THAT.

SO SOMETHING WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT TODAY IS SENDING, YOU KNOW, AND IT IS USING A LOT OF PAPER WHEN WE DO IT. BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S A GOOD WAY TO GET A HOLD OF OUR NEIGHBORS IS SENDING OUT A WELCOME PACKETS, ALMOST OF YOU LIVE NEXT TO A PRESERVE.

WE'VE SENT OUT A LOT OF THOSE LETTERS IN THE PAST, BUT OFTEN WE SEND THEM OUT TO REMIND PEOPLE NOT TO DUMP OR TO KIND OF TELL THEM SOMETHING THAT THEY MIGHT BE DOING WRONG.

AND SO WE'VE BEEN TALKING A LOT ABOUT THE WETLAND ISSUE AND JUST EDUCATION IN GENERAL.

AND DID YOU KNOW YOU HAVE A WETLAND IN YOUR BACKYARD? WE'RE DOING A LOT TO DIG UP HISTORY OF THESE PARKS AND PRESERVES, TO EDUCATE PEOPLE MORE ON WHAT IS IN THEIR BACKYARD.

YOU KNOW, I'M A BIG PICTURE PERSON, SO WE'RE STARTING TO DO THINGS MORE LIKE BROCHURES, EDUCATIONAL THINGS THAT ARE A LITTLE MORE FRIENDLY THAN JUST A LETTER.

SO THAT'S JUST KIND OF WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON AND HOW WE'RE TRYING TO GET THE WORD OUT THERE. I MEAN, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON MCC, THE CONSERVATION CORPS, JUST TRYING TO GET PEOPLE, RESIDENTS OUT INTO THE FIELD, GETTING THEM TO KNOW THESE PLACES.

SO I'M HAPPY TO HELP HOWEVER I CAN.

BUT I THINK THE EDUCATION IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

AND I WILL ALSO TRY TO BE THOSE EYES AND EARS OUT THERE FOR YOU, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I DO END UP SEEING THAT A LOT.

SO I THINK YOU AND I WILL BE WORKING QUITE CLOSELY WITH THAT.

SO, YEAH, THAT'S JUST KIND OF WHAT I WANTED TO SAY.

COURTNEY, GO AHEAD. HI, EMMA, I HAVE NOT MET YOU YET, SO I'VE HEARD WONDERFUL THINGS ABOUT YOU, FROM VARIOUS PEOPLE, SO WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO HAVE YOU HERE.

AND YOU'RE CLEARLY AN ADVOCATE, SO I APPRECIATE THAT.

BILL, I ALSO HAVE TO SAY, WHEN YOU STEP AWAY FROM YOUR CAMERA, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE LIKE THE CREATURE OF THE LAGOON AS YOU GO BACK FROM, I THINK THAT'S THE RED CEDAR.

[LAUGHTER] I JUST HAD TO SAY THAT.

THINK OF ME AS THE PERSEID METEOR SHOWER. [LAUGHTER] I LOVE TO HEAR YOU SAY THAT, EMMA, THAT WE ARE WILLING TO MAYBE WORK ON AN EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN BECAUSE I'M HEARING THAT WE'VE GOT THIS PROACTIVE AND THIS REACTIVE APPROACH.

RIGHT. AND I KNOW THAT PROACTIVELY, IF WE CAN GET THE INFORMATION OUT THERE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A BETTER REACTIVE APPROACH.

AND DIRECTOR SCHMITT, YOU AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN.

AND I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW, I HAVE REACHED OUT TO BRANDIE YATES, OUR COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, AND ASKED IF SHE'D BE WILLING TO HELP US WITH EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN WITH ALL HER KNOWLEDGE, BECAUSE THAT'S CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, I'M A SCIENTIST.

THAT'S NOT MY FORTE.

BUT SO I FEEL LIKE MAYBE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THAT COULD BE, KENDRA, YOU'RE NOT ON MY SCREEN.

OH, YEAH, YOU ARE.

THAT COULD BE OUR NEXT NEXT STEPS WOULD BE MAYBE COME TOGETHER WITH EMMA, DIR.

[00:35:02]

AND I KNOW THAT FROM BEING IN A COMPLIANCE WORLD, FROM A STATE DEPARTMENT AS WELL.

SO I JUST WANT TO SAY I'M FEELING POSITIVE THAT THIS COULD BE A REALLY GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR US. SO I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S WILLINGNESS WITH THAT.

AND I WILL HELP IN ANY WAY I CAN.

NED, GO AHEAD. SO COMING BACK TO THE EDUCATION QUESTION, I THINK WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT EDUCATING, MORE OR LESS EDUCATING THE HOMEOWNER, BUT AS I ASKED BEFORE, YOU KNOW, IS THERE EDUCATION SORT OF THAT COULD BE DESIGNED AND MAYBE EVEN REQUIRED FOR REALTORS.

BUT ANOTHER OBVIOUS THING IS NOT EVERYBODY TAKES CARE OF THEIR OWN LAWNS OR WHATEVER BACKYARDS AND SO FORTH.

SO YOU CAN IMAGINE IN THE SAME WAY THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, LAWN CARE PEOPLE AT THE EDGE OF THE LAKE KNOW THAT THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE APPLYING CERTAIN CATEGORIES OF FERTILIZER AND OR KNOW THAT THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE DOING IT ON CERTAIN RAINY DAYS, ETC..

THERE ARE RULES, STANDARD PRACTICES THAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN EDUCATED IN AND SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IF SOME SOMEBODY ASKED A SERVICE TO COME IN AND CLEAR THEIR BRUSH OR CUT DOWN TREES OR THINGS LIKE THAT, YOU WOULD HOPE THAT THOSE SERVICES THAT WERE BEING CALLED TO OUR COMMUNITY WOULD KNOW WHAT THE RULES ARE OF OUR COMMUNITY.

AND I HAVE NO IDEA IF THERE'S ANY SORT OF STANDARD MECHANISM IN PLACE FOR EDUCATING PROVIDERS LIKE THAT, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THAT WOULD BE ALMOST A MORE EFFICIENT WAY OF RATHER THAN SORT OF HOMEOWNER BY HOMEOWNER, THAT OBVIOUSLY WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT BOTH IN THESE MEETINGS AND IN WEDNESDAY MORNING TIMES ABOUT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND HELPING PEOPLE BE AWARE OF THE SORT OF WHAT ARE THE STANDARDS IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.

AND OF COURSE, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS HAVE THEIR OWN LITTLE WHATEVER, WHETHER YOU WANT TO CALL THEM ORDINANCES OR STANDARD PRACTICES OR WHATEVER RULES ABOUT HOW HIGH THE GRASS CAN GROW, ET CETERA. SO PEOPLE ARE EXPECTED TO ADHERE TO THOSE.

HOW DO THOSE GET PROMULGATED ALSO, HOW DO THEY GET ENFORCED? WHAT DO WE DO? WE SEND IN THE POLICE WHEN SOMEBODY COMES DOWN A TREE? PROBABLY NOT. BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE SHOULD RECOGNIZE THAT THE REASON THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS AN ATTRACTIVE PLACE TO OWN PROPERTY IS LARGELY BECAUSE OF THE PRACTICES THAT HAVE BEEN BUILT UP THIS WAY OVER THE LEADERSHIP THAT THIS TOWNSHIP HAS SHOWN OVER A VERY LONG TIME IN ENVIRONMENTAL PRACTICES.

THANK YOU. OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS.

DON'T SEE ANYBODY--I AGREE WITH THAT.

THANK YOU. I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT.

LIKE THE BUSINESSES THAT COME IN, YOU KNOW, I THINK ABOUT THE EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN ON MULTIPLE LEVELS.

AND DIRECTOR SCHMITT, WHEN I WAS REFERRING TO EDUCATION, I WASN'T REFERRING TO YOU AND YOUR STAFF PERSON ALONE.

I WAS REFERRING TO ALL OF US THAT WORK TOGETHER, KIND OF HOW EMMA WAS TALKING AND TRUSTEE WISINSKI WAS TALKING LIKE THERE'S MANY COMMISSIONS AND BOARDS THAT TOUCH THE WETLANDS.

WE ALL NEED TO WORK TOGETHER.

ONE, WE NEED TO ALL KNOW WHAT THE ORDINANCES ARE ALONG WITH STAFF.

AND THEN HOW DO WE WORK TOGETHER? BECAUSE THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY AND YOU KNOW ONE YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE CERTAINLY IN THE AREA I LIVE IN, THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE HAVE MOVED TO THIS AREA FOR A REASON BECAUSE OF THE NATURAL BEAUTY OF IT IN.

YOU KNOW, WOULD CONSIDER THAT TO HAVE THE VALUE OF HAVING THAT MAINTAINED.

RIGHT. AND SO, YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU LOOK AT THAT, THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE ALONG WITH WHAT NATURE HAS DONE, YOU KNOW, AND WHAT PARTICULARLY THE WETLANDS OFFER US AS FAR AS MANAGING FLOODING AND DIFFERENT KINDS OF THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO I THINK ABOUT IT AS A LARGE GROUP EFFORT ON THIS PART, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY BOARDS THERE ARE THAT TOUCH THE WETLANDS, BUT THERE'S MANY OF THEM.

AND WE'VE HAD [INAUDIBLE], I DON'T KNOW, A FEW MONTHS AGO ABOUT HAVING A MEETING WITH EVERYONE, ALL THE COMMISSIONS THAT DO TOUCH THE WETLANDS, YOU KNOW, MAYBE AFTER GETTING

[00:40:02]

SO EVERYONE'S ON THE SAME PAGE.

I MEAN, THAT'S A THING LIKE YOU'RE JUST MEETING EMMA TONIGHT AND SHE WORKS IN THE WETLANDS. RIGHT. AND SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF MOVING PIECES OF PEOPLE THAT DO DIFFERENT PARTS OF THINGS. AND I KNOW THAT IT'S A MATTER OF HAVING THE LEFT HAND AT THE RIGHT HANDS DOING AND WORKING TOGETHER AS A TEAM.

AUDREY, GO AHEAD.

I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I THOUGHT THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, THE IDEA OF GETTING THEM TO BE MORE INVOLVED IN THAT IS ACTUALLY I THINK THAT'S A REALLY GOOD ONE, JUST BECAUSE MY DAD'S A PART OF THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION.

AND I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF REALLY SILLY RULES THAT THERE ARE THAT HAVE TO BE ENFORCED, BUT THAT IT MAKES SENSE FOR OUR NEIGHBORS TO TALK TO EACH OTHER ABOUT THEIR PROPERTY AND THEIR SHARED PROPERTY. AND THERE'S ALSO LIKE SOME AREAS NEAR MY HOUSE THAT ARE KIND OF LIKE NOT DISPUTED TERRITORY, BUT JUST LIKE PUBLIC LIKE THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION AREAS THAT ARE WETLANDS THAT LIKE THERE'S A LITTLE PHRAGMITES I TALKED ABOUT THIS TO EMMA BEFORE, BUT THERE'S A LITTLE AREA THAT HAS INVASIVE PHRAGMITES IN IT.

AND THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, I THINK, WOULD BE THE ONE WHO WOULD BE IN CONTROL OF THAT. AND SO I THINK THAT WOULD MAKE A LOT OF SENSE BECAUSE THEN YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO HAVE REALTORS TRAINED OR YOU WOULD JUST THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO BE CONTINUED THROUGHOUT WHOEVER IS MOVING INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BECAUSE IT WOULD BE A NEIGHBORHOOD THING, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THERE ARE NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE GREATER OR LESSER DEGREES OF WETLAND EXPOSURE FOR THAT. THANK YOU, AUDREY.

NED, DID YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING? NO, I... NO.

OK, ANY OTHER COMMENTS BEFORE WE KIND OF WRAP UP AND MOVE ON THE AGENDA? ANY OTHER THOUGHTS? LEROY? YOU'RE MUTED.

I JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW UP ON TRUSTEE WISINSKI SUGGESTION THAT WE MAYBE AT OUR NEXT MEETING WE BEGIN FURTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT OUR AN EDUCATION CAMPAIGN.

I DID APPROACH THE DREAM COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE, CARLA CLOS, WHO USED TO BE ON OUR COMMISSION, AND SHE CAN'T MAKE IT NEXT MONTH, BUT PERHAPS WE COULD PORTION OF OUR AGENDA.

COULD WE CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION ON WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT AREAS WHERE WE'RE FOCUSED ON? AND I LOVE TIM'S ANALOGY OF THE KIND OF THE LOW HANGING FRUIT VERSUS THE HIGH LEVERAGE AND THE INTERSECTION OF THOSE THAT.

IT MIGHT BE SORT OF FIRST STEP SO WE CAN ALL AGREE ON.

YOU KNOW, IF CARLA CAN'T MAKE THE NEXT, MAYBE YOU CAN GET HER TO COMMIT TO A FUTURE MEETING JUST SO WE GET IT ON HER CALENDAR.

I DID SUGGEST LATER IN THE FALL AND SHE HASN'T GOTTEN BACK TO ME, BUT I THINK SHE'S INTERESTED AND APPRECIATES OUR INTEREST IN THE AND THE TOPIC, SO.

OK, GOOD.

OK, ANY FURTHER THOUGHTS BEFORE WE KIND OF MOVE ON? TIM, DO YOU WANT TO HAVE ANY ANY FINAL WORD ABOUT ANYTHING? NO, NO. OK.

APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION.

LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU GUYS IN THE FUTURE.

WE APPRECIATE YOU JOINING US TONIGHT.

AND ALSO, YEAH, WORKING WITH US IN THE FUTURE, IT'S GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, THESE COMMISSIONS WORKING TOGETHER OBVIOUSLY IS CRITICAL.

SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR COMING.

NOT A PROBLEM.

YEAH. THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS VICE CHAIR NOMINATIONS WITH ROSE

[5.B. Vice Chair Nominations]

SO IS THERE ANYBODY WHO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A NOMINATION? I'D LIKE TO NOMINATE ANNA.

SHE AND I HAD A LITTLE CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS, AND I THINK SHE'S STILL WILLING.

WE'LL FIND OUT. BUT I DO NEED A SECOND FOR THAT NOMINATION.

THANK YOU, BILL. AND I GUESS, ANNA, THAT IT'S AN ISSUE OF WOULD YOU ACCEPT THE NOMINATION? I WOULD.

OK, SO WE HAVE ONE NOMINEE, BUT WE'RE OPEN TO HAVING OTHER NOMINEES FOR VICE CHAIR, USUALLY IT'S TOUGH TO GET MORE THAN ONE CANDIDATE, BUT CERTAINLY IT'D BE GREAT IF THERE'S SOMEBODY ELSE WHO WOULD BE INTERESTED IN THE POSITION.

LOOKING AROUND. OH, COURTNEY, ARE YOU VOLUNTEERING? GO AHEAD. WE LOST YOU.

THANK YOU.

NO, I AM NOT LOOKING, NO, AND I DON'T HAVE A NOMINATION, BUT IF THERE IS NO OTHER

[00:45:05]

OK. ABSOLUTELY. AND JUST BEING NEW TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, SO I WELCOME THE FACT THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED AND WILLING.

SO THAT'S FANTASTIC.

I WONDER. SO BEING NEW TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR, LIKE, TOP, LET'S SAY, THREE PRIORITIES THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO WORK ON AND OR FOCUS ON IF, IN FACT, YOU BECAME VICE CHAIR IN THE EVENT, GOOD LORD, NEVER HAPPENS THAT JOHN WASN'T HERE TO LEAD US IN HIS FANTASTIC LEADERSHIP ROLE? YEAH, THANK YOU, COURTNEY.

THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

YOU KNOW, I'D SAY MY BACKGROUND IS IN FOOD SYSTEMS. AND SO, YOU KNOW, I DO.

AND I KNOW WE HAVEN'T TOUCHED ON THIS IN MANY, AT LEAST MANY OF THE MEETINGS THAT I HAVE BEEN IN. UP UNTIL THIS POINT.

BUT I DO HAVE AN INTEREST IN ISSUES OF FOOD WASTE BEING THAT'S ONE OF THE MAJOR GREENHOUSE GAS EMITTERS.

AND THAT IS ONE OF THE KIND OF LOW HANGING FRUIT AREAS THAT WHERE THERE IS A LARGE OPPORTUNITY FOR IMPACT.

SO THAT IS DEFINITELY AN INTEREST OF MINE.

I'D SAY, YOU KNOW, WETLANDS AND PRESERVING THE WETLANDS IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT. BUT IT IS NOT MY BACKGROUND.

SO, YOU KNOW, I AM DEFINITELY INTERESTED IN CONTINUING TO FURTHER THOSE CONVERSATIONS.

BUT RIGHT NOW, A LOT OF WHAT I'M DOING WITH THAT IS LISTENING TO ALL OF YOU AS I'M GETTING UP TO SPEED ON THAT ISSUE MYSELF.

SO THAT'S JUST TWO, BUT I'LL STOP THERE AS MY MAJOR PASSION IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, BEING ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION IS ABOUT FOOD SYSTEMS AND LOCAL FOOD AND SUSTAINABLE FARMING PRACTICES AND FOOD WASTE.

DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER KIND OF QUESTIONS FOR ANNA BEFORE WE TAKE A VOTE? OK, OK, WELL, WE JUST HAVE ONE NOMINEE.

ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ANNA TO BE OUR VICE CHAIR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

OK, THANK YOU, EVERYBODY.

AND NOW WE'RE MOVING ON TO.

[5.C. Conversation with Commissioner Applicants]

WE HAVE FIVE APPLICANTS NOW.

YOU KNOW, IT'S GREAT THAT THERE'S SUCH INTEREST IN BEING ON THE COMMISSION, I JUST THINK THAT'S FANTASTIC. AND WE INVITED EVERYBODY TO COME AND KIND OF MAKE COMMENTS IF THEY DESIRED. SO WE HAVE A COUPLE OF OUR CANDIDATES HERE.

VALERIE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS? YEAH, SO I WAS AT THE LAST MEETING AND I HEARD SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT THE COMMISSIONERS POSED.

AND SO I WOULD JUST INCORPORATE THOSE.

I'VE ACTUALLY ATTENDED SEVERAL ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE MEETINGS VIRTUALLY AND ON REPLAY ADDITIONALLY IN PERSON [INAUDIBLE].

SO I'M SOMEWHAT FAMILIAR WITH IT.

MY HUSBAND I HAVE LIVED IN THE TOWNSHIP FOR OVER 40 YEARS.

WE RAISED OUR FAMILY IN OKEMOS AND THEN FOUR YEARS AGO WE RETIRED TO HASLETT AND MY BACKGROUND'S IN LAND USE AND PROPERTY RIGHTS AND NATURAL RESOURCES, I THINK APPLICABLE VOLUNTEERING EXPERIENCE.

WHILE I WAS HEAVILY INTO THE SCHOOLS, WHILE I WAS IN THE SCHOOLS AND PTO AND WHAT WAS THEN THE PARENT COUNCIL.

BUT I WAS ALSO IN THE TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION, AND DURING THAT PERIOD THERE WAS A FIVE YEAR MASTER PLAN THAT WAS DONE.

SO WE CERTAINLY WENT THROUGH A LOT OF PUBLIC COMMENT, EVALUATED THAT AND MADE CHANGES ACCORDINGLY. SO THAT WAS A BIG DEAL.

AND ALSO I WAS ON THE CABLE COMMISSION, BUT DURING THE LAST FOUR YEARS I'VE BEEN PRIMARILY DOING VOLUNTEER WORK IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL AREA.

AND IN THE BEGINNING WITH THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, I WAS THE NATURAL RESOURCES STATE DIRECTOR FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AND IN FACT BROUGHT THE EMERGENCY CLIMATE RESOLUTION INTO MICHIGAN AND INTO THE LANSING AREA, WHICH WAS THE LANSING CHAPTER, ADOPTED IT, AND AS DID THE STATE, THE STATE OF MICHIGAN.

ALSO, WHILE AT THE LEAGUE, WE DID A HEAVY DOVE INTO RECYCLING AS WELL AS OTHER ISSUES, BUT HERE IN MERIDIAN NOW, FOR THE PAST YEAR, I'VE BEEN DOING MORE VOLUNTEER WORK AND IN FACT, A LITTLE BIT WITH PARKS AND WITH EMMA AT MARSHALL PARK AND THEN WITH THROUGH THE GREEN DIALOG WITH LEROY, WAS FORTUNATE TO HAVE A VOICE IN SHAPING THE GREEN NEIGHBORHOOD

[00:50:02]

I'M ALSO ON THE ENERGY TEAM AND I LOVE THE CLIMATE CITIZEN'S COMMITMENT THAT JOHN BROUGHT. I [INAUDIBLE] UP AT THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS IN LANSING.

THEY ADOPTED IT.

IT WAS SENT ON TO THE STATE FOR THEIR CONSIDERATION FOR THE STATE TO RECOGNIZE ALL THE DIFFERENT CHAPTERS IN THE STATE.

AND IN A COUPLE MONTHS, THEY'LL BE A PROGRAM ON IT THROUGH THE LEAGUE, THROUGH THE LOCAL LEAGUE, INCLUDING ALL THE LAWN EQUIPMENT, ELECTRIC EQUIPMENT AND THAT SORT OF THING.

I'M ALSO VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE SOLAR [INAUDIBLE] PROGRAM AND ALL OF THESE FIT INTO THE SORT OF GRASS ROOTS PROGRAMS. I THINK THERE'S JUST A BIG UPSIDE SORT OF IN THE BOTTOM UP, NO PUN INTENDED APPROACH TO PROBLEM SOLVING. AND I THINK IT'S A MATTER OF WORKING SMARTER, BEING INCLUSIVE.

I THINK IT FINDS BETTER RESOLUTIONS.

AND AS YOU KNOW, THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES GO WAY BEYOND BORDERS AND THE CHALLENGES ARE CERTAINLY COMPLICATED. SO THE INTEREST ON THE COMMISSION IS BECAUSE IT GETS ONE STANDING TO GET INVOLVED IN THESE NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES WITH THE LEAGUE, OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, NEIGHBORHOOD PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION, AND ALSO THE CAPITAL AREA SUSTAINABILITY PARTNERSHIP, WHICH IS JUST STARTING UP AND IS VERY EXCITING.

SO I THINK TO SHARE INFORMATION, BE EDUCATED ON THE ISSUE OF THE BEST INFORMATION AND WORKING TOGETHER REALLY [INAUDIBLE] BIG BENEFITS, AND SO THAT'S IT, A SEAT AT THE TABLE IS A SMALL WAY TO HELP SHAPE THE ENVIRONMENTAL FUTURE OF OUR TOWNSHIP AND I THINK REALLY OUR REGION. SO THAT'S IT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, VALERIE.

DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR VALERIE? ANNA, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE SOME REMARKS? HI, YES, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE . SO I'VE BEEN LIVING IN MICHIGAN IN OKEMOS.

SO WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE TO THE MERIDIAN MALL.

SO I AM A PHD CANDIDATE AT MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY, PHD IN GEOGRAPHY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES. AND MY RESEARCH USES SPATIAL AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS TO EXPLORE LOCAL WEATHER INTERACTIONS WITH THE [INAUDIBLE] ENVIRONMENT AND THE HEALTH EFFECTS.

SO MY BACKGROUND IS IN ARCHITECTURE.

SO THAT'S MY BACHELOR'S AND I DID A MASTER'S IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES IN MEXICO.

SO, SINCE THEN, I'VE BEEN DOING ASSESSMENT OF DIFFERENT MITIGATION AND ADAPTATION STRATEGIES TO DECREASE AMBIENT AIR TEMPERATURES AND FOR THOSE MORTALITY AND AMBULANCE CALLS WERE IN EXTREME HEAT EVENTS, WHICH ARE BECOMING MORE FREQUENT AND ARE HITTING HARDER, ESPECIALLY MIDWEST AREAS THAT ARE NOT PROPERLY BUILT FOR THIS EXTREME HEAT EVENTS. SO [INAUDIBLE] MY RESEARCH AND ALL OF MY RESEARCH CAREER AND ACADEMIC CAREER IS FINDING WAYS TO HELP LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IDENTIFY VULNERABLE NEIGHBORHOODS AND HELP DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT INTERVENTIONS TO MAKE CITIES MORE INCLUSIVE AND SAFE AND RESILIENT.

SO BY BECOMING A MEMBER OF THIS COMMISSION, I WILL BE SERVING MY COMMUNITY, WHICH HAS BEEN MY COMMITTEE FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS AND I'M ESPECIALLY INTERESTED IN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, THE POOR, ELDERLY, CHILDREN, PEOPLE OF COLOR WHO ARE GOING TO BE MORE IMPACTED BY THIS CLIMATE CHANGE AND EXTREME EVENTS.

AND SO I BELIEVE THAT MY BACKGROUND AND EXPERTISE WOULD ALLOW ME TO ADVISE THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP [INAUDIBLE] STAFF ON THESE EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS.

AND ALSO, I BELIEVE THAT ALTHOUGH WE HAVE INTERNATIONAL POLICE AND NATIONAL POLICE, WHICH ARE VERY CRITICAL, IT IS THROUGH LOCAL GOVERNMENTS THAT WE ARE GOING TO ACHIEVE ADAPTATION AND MITIGATION BECAUSE THEY ARE CLOSE TO LOCAL ENVIRONMENT AND PEOPLE.

AND ALSO THEY KNOW THEY HAVE LOCAL KNOWLEDGE, WHICH IS VERY MUCH REQUIRED FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF CLIMATE CHANGE AGENDAS.

SO I THINK THAT BY WORKING ON THIS COMMISSION, I WILL BE HELPING THIS COMMUNITY BE MORE

[00:55:04]

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ANNA? TOM, GO AHEAD. YEAH, I GUESS JUST IN REFERENCE TO YOUR LAST COMMENT ABOUT LEAVING THE COMMUNITY AFTER YOU RECEIVE YOUR PHD, WHAT'S YOUR TIMEFRAME CURRENTLY FOR GETTING YOUR PHD COMPLETED? I'M STILL VERY FAR, A LITTLE BIT FAR AWAY, SO I HAVEN'T DEFENDED MY DISSERTATION PROPOSAL, ACTUALLY.

SO I'LL BE STAYING HERE AT LEAST TWO YEARS MORE.

OK, THANKS. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? BILL, GO AHEAD.

ACTUALLY, IT WAS A QUESTION FOR YOU, JOHN.

REMIND ME, HAVE WE GOT SLOTS WE'RE TRYING TO FILL RIGHT NOW? MAYBE THIS A QUESTION FROM LEROY.

YES, ROSE RESIGNED.

WE HAVE A VACANCY.

SO WE HAVE ONE VACANCY AND FIVE CANDIDATES.

OK, GIVEN THE QUALITY OF THE APPLICANTS, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO REDUCE MY FORMAL COMMITMENTS TO THE TOWNSHIP. SO LET'S PUT THAT IN THE HOPPER.

I WAS GOING TO SAY THE SAME THING.

[CHUCKLING] WELL, BOTH, NED AND BILL, I DISCOURAGE YOU FROM TAKING IT IN THOSE TERMS BECAUSE YOU'RE SO VALUABLE AND LONG-STANDING MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.

CERTAINLY I CAN'T STOP YOU FROM DOING THAT.

BUT, IF YOU WANT TO DO THAT, THAT'S FINE.

THINK ABOUT IT. I CERTAINLY AM NOT GOING TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO THAT BECAUSE YOU'VE BEEN LONG TIME MEMBERS, HAVE A LOT OF BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCE, ARE LIAISONS TO IMPORTANT OTHER GROUPS LIKE THE PLANNING COMMISSION.

BUT, IF YOU WANT TO CONSIDER THAT, DON'T DO IT TONIGHT, BUT JUST GIVE IT SOME TIME.

I'D BE HAPPY TO CONTINUE AS A LIAISON.

ME AND NED WILL ARM WRESTLE LATER FOR THIS.

[CHUCKLING] OK, THAT'S FINE.

YOU CAN HAVE A BIKE RACE.

I THINK YOU SHOULD HAVE A BIKE RACE.

YOU KNOW THE ATTENTION I HAVE HERE.

AND CERTAINLY PEOPLE CAN MAKE MOTIONS IF THEY WANT TO MAKE A SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATION IS JUST TO HAVE ALL OF US MAKE COMMENTS AND ALL OF THIS WILL BE SHARED WITH RON STYKA, WHO, OF COURSE, HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR MAKING THE APPOINTMENT.

THE THING I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION, AND I MENTIONED EARLIER THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M REALLY IMPRESSED WITH THE NUMBER AND THE QUALITY OF THE CANDIDATES.

AND I THINK ALL FIVE REALLY HAVE A GREAT BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCE THAT COULD BE HELPFUL TO THE COMMISSION. I WOULD NOTE THAT THERE ARE THREE OF THEM WHO SPECIFICALLY HAVE KIND OF ENVIRONMENTAL EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE.

ANNA, VALERIE AND IKE AND, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST TWO OF THOSE, I'VE KIND OF RUN INTO THEM.

IKE AND VALERIE KIND OF ENGAGED THE TCOMMUNITY ALREADY IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL AREA.

SO THAT'S JUST KIND OF MY PERSONAL PREFERENCE, OF COURSE, IS TO FIND SOMEBODY THAT HAS A STRONG ENVIRONMENTAL BACKGROUND AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, IDEALLY HAVE SOME EXPERIENCE WORKING IN OUR COMMUNITY.

BUT OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? NED, GO AHEAD.

THINKING JUST LIKE WITH THE SUPREME COURT, IS THERE ANY FUNDAMENTAL REASON THAT WE'RE LIMITED TO THE NUMBER THAT'S IN THE ORDINANCE? I MEAN, IN THE DEFINING DOCUMENTS? I MEAN, I AGREE WITH YOU.

I AGREE WITH YOU, BUT THE SLATE OF CANDIDATES IS SO IMPRESSIVE THAT I WOULD MUCH RATHER SEE THE GROUP EXPAND THAN LOSE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH, EVEN IF I'M NOT WORKING WITH THEM DIRECTLY, EVEN IF I GOT OFF THE COMMISSION [INAUDIBLE] AND STILL IT WOULD MAKE ME SO HAPPY TO KNOW THAT THERE WERE SO MANY TRULY WELL-SUITED PEOPLE FOR WORKING ON THIS COMMISSION. YOU KNOW, LEROY HAS BROUGHT THIS UP MORE THAN ONCE.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF TASK FORCES AND COMMITTEES, AND THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF THE WORK IT'S DONE. AND SO ANY OF THE CANDIDATES, YOU KNOW, I'D ENCOURAGE THEM TO GET INVOLVED IN AN AREA THAT IS OF INTEREST, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S ANOTHER.

WAY TO GET THEM ENGAGED, INVOLVED IN WORKING ON ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN THE TOWNSHIP, BUT

[01:00:02]

THANK YOU. YES, I WOULD AGREE, FANTASTIC CANDIDATES AND I THINK WE HAVE SO MANY PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE TO WORK ON AND A LOT OF THE WORK REALLY GETS DONE OUTSIDE OF THIS MEETING.

SO I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN CANDIDATES AND FOLKS WHO ARE WILLING TO PUT THE HOURS IN OUTSIDE OF JUST THESE MEETINGS, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF PROJECTS THAT I CAN'T TELL YOU THE NUMBER OF HOURS I SPEND WORKING ON WETLANDS AND, YOU KNOW, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ISSUES AND ALL OF THAT KIND OF STUFF.

RIGHT. AND SO I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF IN ADDITION TO ALL THE OTHER PROJECTS THAT THERE ARE OUT THERE. SO I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE AND I WOULD REALLY BE INTERESTED IN FOLKS WHO WOULD WANT TO BE ON THE COMMISSION, WHO WANTED TO PUT IN THE HOURS IN ADDITION TO THESE MEETINGS AND HELP US WITH THE OTHER PROJECTS.

VERY GOOD POINT. AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANYBODY WHO'S KIND OF HEADING UP A TEAM [INAUDIBLE] COMMITTEE OR WHATEVER TO, YOU KNOW, AFTER THE DECISION IS MADE--WELL, ACTUALLY, ANY OF THE FIVE SHOULD BE APPROACHED IF YOU WANT TO RECRUIT THEM FOR THE WORK YOU'RE DOING, KIND OF, YOU KNOW, RECRUIT THEM.

OTHER THOUGHTS, COMMENTS ANYBODY HAS ABOUT--LEROY.

WE DID HAVE A COUPLE OF PEOPLE WHO COULDN'T MAKE IT TONIGHT, ONE THAT SENT IN A VIDEO AND THEN ONE THAT GAVE A NARRATIVE.

JEAN MCDONALD, I WILL FORWARD ALONG HER COMMENTS TO YOU OR I CAN READ IT NOW, WHATEVER YOU PREFER. AND I CAN ALSO EITHER FORWARD OR PLAY THE VIDEO FROM GRAHAM, IF YOU'D LIKE.

YOU HAVE A PREFERENCE? ARE THEY FAIRLY SHORT? YEAH.

WELL, I THINK YOU SHOULD GO AHEAD.

THIS IS IMPORTANT.

SO I THINK WE NEED TO HEAR FROM THOSE FOLKS IF THEY PROVIDED SOME INPUT.

JEAN MCDONALD SAID HER SISTER HAD SURGERY THE OTHER DAY, AND SO SHE CAN'T MAKE IT.

I'M A RETIRED TEACHER FROM THE LANSING SCHOOL DISTRICT, WORKED A LCC AND MSU PART TIME AFTER RETIREMENT. SHE WAS AN INGHAM COUNTY COMMISSIONER FROM LANSING FOR 20 YEARS AND THEN SERVED AS THE INGHAM COUNTY ROAD COMMISSIONER FOR SIX YEARS AND THEN MOVED TO HASLETT 20 YEARS AGO, PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN CLIMATE CHANGE AND TREES.

SHE CIRCULATED A PETITION AT LAKE OF THE HILLS CONDOS LAST YEAR.

AND SINCE MOVING THERE 20 YEARS AGO, MANY OF THE FULLY MATURE TREES HAVE BEEN REMOVED AND NOT REPLACED. EVERYONE I APPROACHED SIGNED THE PETITION AND AGREED A POLICY OF TREE REPLACEMENT WAS NEEDED THROUGHOUT THE TOWNSHIP.

WITH CLIMATE CHANGE BECOMING EVEN MORE SERIOUS, WE NEED [INAUDIBLE] BECOME MORE ACTIVE AND RESPONSIBLE A.S.A.P..

I'D BE HONORED TO SERVE ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND WORK TOWARDS THESE ENDS.

I'M FAIRLY FAMILIAR WITH MSU'S FORESTRY PROGRAMS AND THE COUNTY EXTENSION SERVICES.

SINCERELY, JEAN MCDONALD.

AND THEN, SHE ALSO EXPRESSED INTEREST IN POSSIBLY BEING ON THE TREE TEAM, ESPECIALLY WITH HER ADDED FAMILY COMMITMENTS.

SO WHETHER OR NOT WE APPOINT HER OR STYKA APPOINTS HER, SHE MAY BE INTERESTED IN SERVING ON A COMMITTEE. SO THANKS FOR BRINGING THAT OPPORTUNITY UP.

AND IF I COULD JUST SHARE MY SCREEN, OK, I'LL PLAY GRAHAM'S.

IF I CAN FIND IT HERE.

APOLOGIES.

LET ME TRY THIS ONE MORE TIME.

I HAVE TO HIT THE SHARE SOUND BUTTON BEFORE I SHARE IT.

OK, HERE WE GO. HI, EVERYONE, MY NAME IS GRAHAM DIEDRICH.

I'M A GRADUATE STUDENT AT MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY STUDYING PUBLIC POLICY.

I'VE EXPERIENCED IN DOING ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH IN RELATION TO INTERNATIONAL REGIME COMPLIANCE AND NEGOTIATION STANCES, SPECIFICALLY IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA. SO INCREASINGLY, I'VE BECOME INTERESTED IN LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY, AND I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE AN IMPACT OF MY OWN.

I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE MY COMMUNITY AND ADVOCATE FOR HARMONY IN NATURE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE FOR ALL.

I VIEW ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS AS A PREDETERMINED FOREST OF SOCIAL JUSTICE, ECONOMIC EQUITY

[01:05:02]

SO ON THIS COMMISSION, IT WOULD BE MY HOPE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE GREAT WORK THAT IS BEING DONE RIGHT NOW, AS WELL AS ADVOCATE AND PROMOTE THE EXPANSION OF THE COMMISSION IN RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER POLICY AREAS.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT.

I'M SORRY THAT I WAS UNABLE TO JOIN YOU ALL THIS EVENING, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU ALL VERY SOON.

THANK YOU. OK, THAT WAS GRAHAM AND HIS APPLICATION, GRAHAM DIEDRICH IS IN YOUR PACKET.

I JUST WANT TO SAY ONE MORE THING, AND THAT'S THAT A LOT OF THE COMMITTEES STARTED WITH ONE PERSON WITH A PASSION FOR AN IDEA.

SO THERE MAY BE A COMMISSION THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN LINKING UP WITH OR YOU MIGHT WANT TO START YOUR OWN COMMITTEE ON A PROJECT.

MAYBE IT'S A FOOD WASTE, OR MAYBE IT'S ANOTHER TOPIC.

BUT THERE'S NOTHING EVEN SOMEONE WHO'S NOT ON THE COMMISSION COULD START A COMMITTEE AND RECRUIT OTHERS TO ADVISE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND THE TRUSTEES.

SO, THAT'S ALL I GOT.

OK, WELL, LEROY PLEASE KIND OF SUMMARIZE OUR THOUGHTS AND COMMENTS AND STUFF AND PLEASE PASS THEM ON TO RON STYKA.

IS THERE ANY INTEREST IN DOING LIKE A...

WOULD IT MAKE SENSE TO HAVE A VOTE SYSTEM OR? WELL, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD BE FINE IF PEOPLE WANT TO DO THAT.

WHAT WE WOULD NEED TO DO IS HAVE SOMEBODY MAKE A MOTION AND THEN, YOU KNOW, KIND OF TAKE IT FROM THERE AND DISCUSS IT.

IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE SHOULD RECOMMEND ANY OF THE FIVE INDIVIDUALS OR TAKE A VOTE, THAT'S FINE, YOU KNOW.

I PROBABLY OPENED UP A CAN OF WORMS, BUT ANYWAY, I'LL BE HAPPY TO SUMMARIZE AND MAYBE RUN A DRAFT BY YOU ALL BEFORE WE SUBMIT THAT TO SUPERVISOR STYKA.

KENDRA'S GOT A QUESTION. YEAH, AND, YOU KNOW, RELATED TO VOTING, TOO, IF SOMEBODY DOESN'T WANT TO MAKE A MOTION TO ACTUALLY HOLD A COMMISSION VOTE ON IT, YOU CAN CERTAINLY EXPRESS YOUR YOUR PREFERENCE FOR ANY ONE OF THE CANDIDATES LIKE I DID.

I BASICALLY HAD A PREFERENCE FOR THE THREE THAT HAVE ENVIRONMENTAL BACKGROUNDS AND THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN KIND OF WORKING LOCALLY.

ANNA, GO AHEAD.

I WOULD SAY I HAVE A PREFERENCE FOR.

SOMEONE THAT HAS A BACKGROUND IN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IN PARTICULAR, SO I KNOW ANNA MENTIONED THAT AND I'M SORRY, I DON'T KNOW, IS IT, GRAHAM? I DON'T KNOW HIS BACKGROUND NECESSARILY, BUT I MEAN, I'D HAVE TO RELOOK AT HIS DOCUMENTS TO SEE IF HE HAD A BACKGROUND AND THEN I KNOW HE DID MENTION THAT IN THE VIDEO, BUT I DO THINK THAT IS AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT.

AND IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE UNDERSTANDING ON THE COMMISSION.

ANYBODY ELSE WOULD LIKE TO KIND OF MAKE A SIMILAR [INAUDIBLE] OR INDICATE THEIR PREFERENCE? KENDRA LIFTED HER HAND.

I JUST WANTED SAY THAT I GUESS I'M TRYING TO MAKE A CHOICE HERE, I GUESS IF NED AND BILL ARE CHOOSING TO STEP BACK, I GUESS THAT MAKES IT A LITTLE EASIER.

BUT THAT YOU'RE NOT DOING THAT TO--YOU KNOW, DO WE HAVE ONE SLOT, DO WE HAVE TWO SLOTS, DO WE HAVE THREE SLOTS? IT'S KIND OF HARD TO KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, RIGHT.

WHAT I CAN SAY THAT I KNOW THAT VALERIE'S BEEN VERY INVOLVED IN A LOT OF OUR INITIATIVES.

YOU KNOW, SHE, WEEKLY ATTENDS THE GREEN DIALOGS.

SHE'S BEEN WORKING AT THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS FOR I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG.

SHE WAS WORKING WITH THE OBSERVER CORPS, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT THE STATE TO MAKE SURE FOLKS LIKE US ARE FOLLOWING THE RULES TO SOME DEGREE.

YOU KNOW, SO THERE'S THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE TO HER THAT I'M AWARE OF AT LEAST, AND INTERESTED IN ENERGY AND OTHER TOPICS AND TRYING TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY IN DIFFERENT KINDS OF WAY AND HEAR MORE VOICES, YOU KNOW, ANA OR ANNA, I'M SORRY, I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT HER PRONUNCIATION OF HER NAME WAS, BUT, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY SHE HAS A SCIENCE BACKGROUND AND INTEREST IN STUDYING.

AND SO THAT'S FANTASTIC TOO, YOU KNOW, HOW LONG SHE'S GOING TO BE HERE VERSUS, YOU KNOW, IN TIME THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO GIVE TO, YOU KNOW, PROJECTS.

I THINK THAT'S THINGS THAT I LOOK AT.

SO I DON'T IF I'M BEING VERY CLEAR ABOUT WHAT I'M SAYING--I DON'T FEEL LIKE I AM, BUT, I'M GOING TO STOP NOW.

[01:10:05]

BUT IN A WAY, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COMMUNITY.

AND IN SOME WAYS, I FEEL LIKE WE COULD BE GOING IN A DIRECTION OF ENGAGING ANOTHER GENERATION OF MSU SCHOLARS AND PEOPLE WITH BROADER EXPERIENCE AND CONNECTIONS TO ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS.

I THINK THAT'S SUPER VALUABLE.

THANK YOU.

NED, GO AHEAD. I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THAT I THINK I MADE MY MOLECULAR CONTRIBUTION IN TALKING ABOUT THE DRIVEWAY SEALANTS AND MY PERSPECTIVE IS, YOU KNOW, I SOLVE PROBLEMS WITH SMALL MOLECULES AND THAT HAS SOME RELEVANCE TO THIS OVERALL TOPIC AREA.

AND I WOULD BE HAPPY TO BE SORT OF A CONSULTANT ALONG THOSE LINES.

BUT AS BILL SAID AND YOU KNOW, I READ THROUGH THE SLATE BEFORE GETTING TO THE MEETING, I'M SO IMPRESSED WITH THE COLLECTION OF PEOPLE AND THEIR EXPERTISE WHO ARE POTENTIALLY COULD POTENTIALLY BE MEMBERS OF THIS.

I WOULD BE HAPPY TO REMAIN AS A CONSULTANT, BUT MAKE SPACE FOR AT LEAST ONE MORE PERSON TO ONE MORE OF THESE AMAZING PEOPLE TO JOIN US.

WELL, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, BILL'S KIND OF EXPRESSED SOME WILLINGNESS TO STEP ASIDE TOO.

I GUESS, YOU KNOW, I'D ENCOURAGE BOTH OF YOU JUST TO GIVE IT A LITTLE MORE THOUGHT AND NOT NECESSARILY MAKE A DECISION TONIGHT, BECAUSE IF YOU WANT TO MAKE A DECISION TOMORROW, BASICALLY YOU CAN SEND ME AN LEROY YOUR KIND OF RESIGNATION.

AND THAT WOULD GIVE RON OBVIOUSLY AN OPPORTUNITY TO FILL TWO SLOTS.

AND HE'S GOT FIVE CANDIDATES.

AND MAYBE YOU BOTH WANT TO DO THAT.

BUT CERTAINLY THERE'S TIME, YOU KNOW, IF YOU DECIDE YOU WANT TO DO THAT.

WELL, KENDRA'S POINT ABOUT HOURS ON HOURS ON THE GROUND IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

AND I AM A RELATIVELY NEW GRANDFATHER WITH A TWO YEAR OLD GRANDDAUGHTER, LIVES ACROSS THE STREET COMBINED WITH, YOU KNOW, CONSIDERING GRADUATING THE LAST FEW STUDENTS FROM MY RESEARCH GROUP. AND I DON'T FEEL LIKE I'VE PUT IN AS MUCH TIME AS I WISH I COULD LATELY.

AND SO, YEAH, I'LL GIVE IT SOME THOUGHT, BUT I'M DEFINITELY WILLING TO MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION. PLUS, HE'S GOT A BUDDING SINGING CAREER GOING SO [LAUGHTER].

THAT COULD TAKE UP A LOT OF TIME.

THAT'S RIGHT, I'LL CONSULT WITH LEROY.

OH BOY. ANNA, DID YOU HAVE SOME FURTHER COMMENTS? YOU'VE GOT YOUR HAND RAISED.

I DIDN'T REALIZE I HAD TO LOWER IT AGAIN AFTER I RAISED.

I UNDERSTAND. OK.

ANY FURTHER COMMENTS? GO AHEAD, TOM. YEAH, JUST A COUPLE OF COMMENTS.

JOHN, I WOULD KIND OF ECHO YOUR EARLIER COMMENTS ABOUT ENCOURAGING BILL AND NED TO REALLY THINK HARD ABOUT RESIGNING.

I KNOW I'VE ONLY BEEN ON THE COMMISSION FOR A LITTLE BIT OVER A YEAR, AND I RELY PERSONALLY AND THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN ON LONGER, LIKE BILL AND NED AND YOU, JOHN, AND, YOU KNOW, IF WE IF BOTH OF THEM RESIGN, I THINK I WOULD BE SECOND IN SENIORITY AFTER JOHN.

SO THAT'S KIND OF A SCARY THING FROM THE STANDPOINT OF LONGEVITY AND KNOWLEDGE.

AND SO I DO THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT.

I ALSO AGREE WITH YOU, JOHN, ON A SECOND POINT THAT I, TOO, WOULD FAVOR ONE OF THE THREE CANDIDATES THAT DO HAVE AN ENVIRONMENTAL BACKGROUND.

AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT.

AND THEN FINALLY, I WOULD JUST SAY I LIKE HOW WE HAVE PROCEEDED ON THIS IN THE PAST AND JUST SUMMARIZING OUR COMMENTS FOR THE SUPERVISOR, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY IT REALLY IS HIS DECISION AS FAR AS MAKING A RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

SO WITH THAT, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO OFFER AT THIS POINT.

[01:15:03]

SO WE KNOW WE HAVE FOR SURE ONE VACANCY WITH 5 CANDIDATES.

MAYBE WE'LL HAVE ADDITIONAL VACANCIES AND THEN MR. STYKA CAN GO AHEAD AND DO HIS THING.

BUT ANY FURTHER COMMENTS BEFORE WE MOVE DOWN THE AGENDA? OK, I DON'T SEE ANY.

OK, WE HAVE A RESOLUTION TO HONOR ROSE AND LEROY, WOULD YOU KIND OF READ THAT

[5.D. Resolution to Honor Rose Vadnais]

WHEREAS ROSE HAS SERVED AS AN ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSIONER AND BEEN A REGULAR PARTICIPANT IN ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION MEETINGS AND WHEREAS ROSE HAS REGULARLY PARTICIPATED IN GREEN DIALOGS WITH THE COMMUNITY.

AND HAS PARTICIPATED IN THE FORMATION OF A TREE TEAM AND LED RESEARCH IN TREE CITY, USA DESIGNATION, WHEREAS ROSE HAS HELPED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PROGRAM OFFERING GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE GRANTS TO LOCAL SCHOOLS.

AND WHEREAS ROSE REMAINS COMMITTED TO ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN OUR COMMUNITY, IN HER WORK AND IN HER PERSONAL ENDEAVORS.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN. [INAUDIBLE] THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN, BY MEANS OF RESOLUTION, EXTENDS TO ROSE VADNAIS IS GRATEFUL.

THANKS FOR HER COMMITMENT AND VOLUNTARY EFFORTS ON BEHALF OF ALL THE RESIDENTS OF OUR COMMUNITY. CAN I HAVE SOMEBODY MAKE THAT MOTION? SO MOVE. OK, WE HAVE A FEW CHOICES.

ALL RIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR OF ADOPTING THE RESOLUTION PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

JUST AS A PERSONAL COMMENT, ROSE WAS INVOLVED IN SO MANY THINGS AND WE ALL KNOW WE'RE GOING TO REALLY MISS HER AND SHE REALLY JUST DID A LOT IN SO MANY WAYS.

SO SHE WILL DEFINITELY BE MISSED.

AND WITH THAT, WE HAVE NO OLD BUSINESS--CAN I MAKE ONE MORE COMMENT ABOUT ROSE? OH, SURE. AGAIN, I WOULD ECHO THAT SHE'S DONE A LOT OF THINGS THAT FOLKS WERE AWARE OF AND NOT AWARE OF, YOU KNOW SHE'S VICE CHAIR.

SHE TRIED ORGANIZING LOTS OF DIFFERENT THINGS.

SHE'S BEHIND THE SCENES, DOING A LOT OF WORK AND LOTS OF DIFFERENT WAYS.

AND I THINK SOMETIMES IT'S, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE UNSEEN STUFF THAT TAKES A TON OF TIME ARE THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE MIGHT NOT BE AWARE OF.

AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, HER WAY WAS NOT TO LOOK FOR THE ATTENTION, FOR ALL THE WORK THAT SHE WAS DOING, BUT SHE MOST CERTAINLY DESERVES A LOT OF ATTENTION AND RECOGNITION FOR HER TIME. ABSOLUTELY.

[7. CHAIR’S REPORT]

I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST IN THE TRAIL FROM CAMPUS TO LAKE LANSING.

AND, YOU KNOW, I LIVE CLOSE TO OKEMOS ROAD.

SO I JUST NOTICED THE OTHER DAY THAT THEY ARE DOING THAT PORTION OF THE TRAIL WHERE THEY'RE EXPANDING THE SIDEWALK AND OKEMOS ROAD, BECAUSE THE MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE TRAIL IS GOING TO [INAUDIBLE] OKEMOS ROAD, KIND OF SOUTH OF THE RAILROAD TRACKS, AND THEN YOU'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE A WIDER SIDEWALK TRAIL THAT WILL TAKE YOU UP TO THE INTER-URBAN AND THEN TAKE YOU ON TO LAKE LANSING.

SO IT'S MAKING PROGRESS.

WITH THAT, LEROY, STAFF REPORT.

[8. STAFF REPORT]

JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT FIVE O'CLOCK THAT [INAUDIBLE] EXTENSION WILL BE THERE.

PAIGE FELICE IS GOING TO BRING SOME INFORMATION ON SMART GARDENING.

AND ANYWAY, IF YOU HAVE AN INTEREST IN VOLUNTEERING WITH THIS OR HELPING STAFF A BOOTH OR IF YOU HAVE SUGGESTIONS FOR BUSINESSES THAT MIGHT PARTICIPATE IN THIS, LET ME KNOW.

[01:20:03]

I THINK SOMEBODY MENTIONED THE FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT PROPERTY THAT'S GOT A POLLINATOR GARDEN. IT MIGHT BE INTERESTING ON THAT TOUR.

SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR IDEAS FOR SUSTAINABLE SITES.

AND THIS CAN BE PART OF OUR EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOR WETLANDS AND GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE.

SO WE MIGHT CONSIDER SOME OF THAT, BUT ALSO BE A KICKOFF FOR THE SOLARIZE MERIDIAN CONCEPT THAT JOHN WILL TALK ABOUT, MAYBE BRIEFLY FOR THE [INAUDIBLE] TEAM UPDATE.

I KNOW DIRECTOR PERRY IS VERY INTERESTED IN PHASE FOUR OF OUR SOLAR INITIATIVES, MAYBE LOOKING AT A POWER PURCHASE AGREEMENT, MAYBE LOOKING AT PARKING STRUCTURES FOR THE TOWNSHIP THAT COULD HOUSE SOME SOLAR.

SO IF YOU HAVE AN INTEREST IN THE ENERGY TEAM, WANT TO SHARE SOME THOUGHTS RELATED TO THAT, WE'LL BE MEETING NEXT WEEK TO CHAT.

WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH A CONSULTANT TO ASSIST WITH THE RENOVATIONS AT THE RECYCLING CENTER. SO VERY ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THAT AND THE GREEN, DIALOGS ARE ONGOING.

BILL SHARED A VERY INTERESTING LITTLE FACTOID AFTER OUR GREEN DIALOG.

AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO SHARE THAT TONIGHT, BILL, BUT A LOT OF THE DISCUSSION WAS AROUND PACKAGING AND REDUCING WASTE AND THIS KIND OF RELATES TO THE FOOD ISSUE AS WELL.

BUT MAYBE HE'LL SHARE THAT LATER.

IT WAS JUST A GREAT BIG GRANT THAT WAS JUST GIVEN TO THE SCHOOL OF PACKAGING AT MSU, AND IT'S A BIG SHOT IN THE ARM FOR THEM AND WE'RE TRYING TO THINK OF WAYS TO PARTNER WITH THAT GROUP IN TERMS OF RECYCLING.

SO IF ANYBODY OF YOU HAS ANY CONTACTS IN SCHOOL PACKAGING, PLEASE.

BOX THEM THEM UP AND SHIP THEM OVER.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR LEROY? ARE YOU DONE, LEROY? I'M DONE.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR LEROY? HE'S OBVIOUSLY PRETTY BUSY.

I THOUGHT HE WAS GOING TO TALK ABOUT WORMS. OH, YEAH, BILL HAS A WORM BIN IF ANYONE WANTS A WORM BIN.

AND I THINK ANNA'S IDEA ABOUT A FOOD COMMITTEE COMPOSTING WOULD BE REALLY WELL RECEIVED.

AND I THINK IT'S RIPE FOR THE PICKING.

IT'S A LOW HANGING FRUIT.

OK, THERE GOES BILL BACK IN THE SWAMP.

WE'RE MOVING ON TO COMMISSION AND TEAM REPORTS, THE STUDY GROUPS, THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

[9.A. Board and Commissions • Board of Trustees • Brownfield Redevelopment Authority • Land Preservation Advisory Board • Planning Commission • Transportation Commission]

AND WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS.

FIRST, I HAVE TO SAY TO BILL AND NED, I APPRECIATE YOU BEING WILLING TO OPEN UP A POSITION, BUT I WOULD ECHO WHAT OTHERS HAVE SAID.

YOU'RE VERY VALUABLE. AND EVEN THOUGH WE MIGHT BE OVERREPRESENTED BY MSU PROFESSORS, THAT'S WHAT WE ARE.

RIGHT. SO I JUST I SUPPORT ANY ROUTE YOU GO.

BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT YOU ARE VERY VALUABLE AND I'VE ALREADY LEARNED A TON FROM THE BOTH OF YOU JUST BEING ON THE COMMISSION IN SUCH A SHORT TIME.

GREEN FAIR, LEROY, YES, SIGN ME UP AND KENDRA AND I AMONG WHOMEVER ELSE WOULD WANT TO POTENTIALLY HOST MAYBE NOT A BOOTH OR AT LEAST SHARE A BOOTH REGARDING WETLANDS.

I THINK WE CAN TALK FURTHER ABOUT THAT.

I DON'T WANT TO SIGN ANYBODY ELSE UP, BUT I THINK THAT WOULD BE A REALLY GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO ADD TO THE EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN.

SO THE BOARD DID APPROVE OUR MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP PATHWAYS PROPOSAL, SO THAT'S FANTASTIC.

I KNOW THAT DEREK PROVIDED A FANTASTIC PRESENTATION, BUT I REALLY JUST THINK HE DID SUCH THEY DID SUCH A GREAT JOB OF LOOKING AT CONNECTIVITY AND REALLY INTENTIONAL PLANNING WITH THAT. SO I'M REALLY EXCITED THAT THE BOARD WAS UNANIMOUS TO ADOPT THAT.

I KNOW DIRECTOR SCHMITT MENTIONED AND THERE'S SOME TALK ABOUT THE DRAINS, BUT THE GRETTENBERGER, MEIJER, AND OKEMOS DRAIN CONSOLIDATION HAS BEEN APPROVED AS WELL.

SO WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.

DANIELS DRAIN IS STILL UNDER DISCUSSION AT THE BOARD.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU SAW ANY OF THAT DISCUSSION, BUT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT BECAUSE IT'S A DIFFERENT TYPE OF DRAIN, DESIGNATED DIFFERENTLY.

SO WE HAVE TO TREAT THAT A BIT DIFFERENT.

[01:25:02]

SO THAT WORKS BETTER AS A SYSTEM SYSTEMICALLY.

GROUND WATER MANAGEMENT BOARD MEETING NEXT WEEK AND THEIR MAIN MISSION RIGHT NOW IS WORKING TO UPDATE THE GEOLOGICAL MAP, WHICH IS REALLY OUT OF DATE.

SO AS A REGIONAL EFFORT, WE'RE WORKING TO DO THAT.

AND I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT WITH [INAUDIBLE] PROTECTION AND GROUND WATER RECHARGE AND GROUND WATER QUALITY.

SO THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.

WANTED TO MENTION ONE OTHER THING THAT I DIDN'T WRITE DOWN, SO OF COURSE, I'VE ALREADY FORGOTTEN, BUT DIRECTOR SCHMITT DID MENTION A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OVER PARKING IN THE CURRENT ORDINANCE FOR THE NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES AND I'M NOT GOING TO SPEAK FOR THE BOARD ON THIS, BUT I'LL SPEAK FOR MYSELF, THAT I DO AGREE WITH THAT.

AND I WANT TO TAKE AN INITIATIVE TO RELOOK AT WHAT OUR NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES REQUIREMENTS ARE AND HOW THAT, YOU KNOW, IMPERMEABLE SURFACE ADDS TO SOME OF THE FLOODING AND THE WETLANDS CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE AND MAY BE LOOKING AT EITHER DOWNSIZING THE PARKING REQUIREMENTS AND OR LOOKING AT DIFFERENT TYPES OF SERVICES THAT WE CAN USE.

SO, IT IS ON MY MIND SAYING THAT TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.

CAN'T SPEAK FOR THE BOARD ON THAT.

BUT THAT'S MY REPORT.

THANK YOU, COURTNEY.

BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.

IT TURNS OUT THAT WE DIDN'T MEET TWO MONTHS AGO AND WE ALSO DIDN'T MEET THIS PAST MONTH.

TIM DID SAY THAT WE MIGHT MEET IN AUGUST, BUT I HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANY SCHEDULING INFORMATION YET. SO ANYWAY, THERE'S NO NEWS TO REPORT.

BUT I DID WANT TO COMMENT ON WHAT WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, THE ISSUE OF PARKING AND TRAILS BEING BUILT AND ALL OF THESE THINGS JUST SHOWS HOW INTERLINKED EVERYTHING IS. YOU KNOW, THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION, ALL OF THESE THINGS AND EDUCATION TIE INTO.

I WOULD SAY THAT AT LEAST IN HASLETT WHERE I LIVE AND AMONG THE PEOPLE THAT I KNOW, A RELATIVELY SMALL NUMBER, EVEN REALIZE THAT [INAUDIBLE] IS NEARBY AND IN THAT SAME SENSE, WHERE THE TRAILS OFFER THEM, OPPORTUNITIES TO RIDE BIKES OR OR WALK OR IN OTHER WORDS, TAKE OTHER MODES OF TRANSPORTATION.

AND SO I DO THINK THAT THE ISSUE OF PARKING, ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE SO INTERLINKED THAT A LOT OF THE CHALLENGES, EDUCATION AND OPENING PEOPLE'S EYES TO THE ALTERNATIVE POSSIBILITIES, IT GOES ALL THE WAY DOWN TO HOW MANY DOLLARS HAVE TO GET SPENT BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO PUT FOUR HUNDRED POUND PEOPLE INTO THE AMBULANCES BECAUSE THEY DON'T WALK.

I KNOW THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A STRETCH, BUT I'M JUST TRYING TO SAY I THINK THESE THINGS REALLY ARE HIGHLY INTERLINKED.

A LOT OF THE DISCUSSION COMES DOWN TO GETTING PEOPLE TO THINK ABOUT THEM IN AN INTEGRATED WAY RATHER THAN SORT OF TRYING TO COMPARTMENTALIZE.

LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD, KENDRA.

LAND PRESERVATION WE DID NOT MEET LAST MONTH, SO OTHER THAN PLEASE SIGNED UP FOR MCC PROGRAMMING.

SHE HAS ALL KINDS OF STUFF ECOLOGY TUESDAYS AND STEWARDSHIP WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS.

SO PLEASE JOIN.

THANK YOU. BILL, PLANNING COMMISSION.

THE PLANNING COMMISSION LAST MET ON JULY TWENTY SIXTH, THE MAIN ORDER OF BUSINESS WAS A SPECIAL USE PERMIT FROM SPARROW TO CONSTRUCT A BUILDING GREATER THAN TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND SQUARE FEET ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE ROAD EAST OF KANSAS STREET.

I'VE MENTIONED THIS IN THE PAST.

FIRST, THERE WAS A REZONING TO CHANGE THE LAND USE OF THE PARCELS, AND NOW THIS IS THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT BECAUSE THE BUILDING IS GREATER THAN TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND SQUARE FEET IN SIZE. IT REQUIRES A SUP AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION, HAS RECOMMENDED APPROVAL OF THAT PERMIT TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD, BUT NOT WITHOUT SOME DISSENT.

SO THERE'S STILL QUITE A BIT OF CONCERN IN SOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND THAT'LL GO BACK TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD. THANK YOU, BILL.

AND THAT BRINGS US TO THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION.

[INAUDIBLE], BUT HAS NOT MET SINCE WE LAST MET.

[01:30:03]

SO THAT'S A REALLY WELCOME SIGN OF INTERJURISDICTIONAL COOPERATION.

THAT'S GREAT.

[9.B. Teams and Study Groups • Earth Club and Student Groups • Energy Team • Environmental Justice • Green Infrastructure Grants • Green Team • Tree Team]

PART OF THE CHALLENGE IS JUST GETTING A TENT UP, GETTING THE WEIGHTS ON THE TENT SO IT DOESN'T BLOW AWAY, FINDING A TABLE AND CHAIRS AND THEN, OF COURSE, COVERING A SIX HOUR SHIFT. SO I THINK IT'D BE COOL.

AND YOU CAN CERTAINLY HAVE YOUR OWN TENT.

WE HAVE SPACE FOR 12 TENTS AND TABLES AND CHAIRS.

BUT WE'VE ALSO TALKED ABOUT SOME CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES WITH THE SCOUTS.

AND TODAY, [INAUDIBLE] HARVEY IN THE ROUNDABOUT MENTIONED THE KEY CLUBS, SOME YOUTH GROUPS AT THE OKEMOS AND HASLETT AS POTENTIALLY INTERESTED IN DOING A ROCK PAINTING, LIKE FOR GARDENS SIMILAR TO WHAT BURCHAM HILLS DID FOR THE RAIN GARDEN.

ANYWAY, I'LL LET BERNADETTE SPEAK, BUT I'D JUST LIKE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT COLLABORATION BEFORE EVERYONE SORT OF TRIES TO DO THEIR OWN BOOTH, BECAUSE THERE MIGHT BE SOME SYNERGY THERE. YEAH.

YEAH, SO I JUST WANTED TO I GUESS MENTION LIKE LEROY ASKED ME IF I COULD HELP CO-COORDINATE THE GREEN FAIR EVENT, SO I'M DOING THAT.

AND SO I'VE BEEN STARTING TO REACH OUT TO DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS THAT I KNOW OF THAT'RE KIND OF LIKE STUDENT GROUPS AROUND MERIDIAN.

THERE IS A LANSING EARTH UPRISING CHAPTER, WHICH IS LIKE KIND OF LIKE ANOTHER YOUTH ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATION.

AND THERE IS ALSO A CLIMATE CHANGE CLUB FROM I THINK IT MIGHT BE CHIPPEWA MIDDLE SCHOOL, BUT THEY ACTUALLY RECENTLY HELD LIKE A CAMP.

I THINK THEY ARE GOING TO CAMP THIS WEEK.

BUT SO YEAH, I WAS GOING TO REACH OUT TO THEM AND HOPEFULLY ORGANIZE LIKE A STUDENT BOOTH. SO ALL THESE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS CAN COME TOGETHER AND WORK AS ONE.

SO I GUESS THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT WITH THAT.

AWESOME, SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY.

DOES THAT SOUND LIKE IT MIGHT FIT WITH YOUR INTERESTS AS WELL, AUDREY? YEAH, THAT SOUNDS GOOD. MOVING ON TO THE ENERGY TEAM, I WOULD JUST BRIEFLY MENTION THAT, YOU KNOW, BACK IN 2018 WE DID A SOLARIZE PROJECT AND DID LIKE 11 WORKSHOPS AND REACH TWO HUNDRED AND SEVENTY PEOPLE.

THERE WAS A MAXIMUM OF THREE DOLLARS PER WATT THAT INSTALLERS COMMITTED TO, AND WE ENDED UP RESULTING IN LIKE 19 NEW SOLAR SYSTEMS. WHAT WE'RE LOOKING INTO NOW AND WE JUST STARTED LOOKING INTO IT AS ANN ARBOR HAS REALLY COME UP WITH A BETTER MODEL, A MODEL THAT'S MORE BASED ON NEIGHBORHOODS AND INDIVIDUAL WITHIN A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WANTS TO DO SOLAR, SOLICIT PROPOSALS, SELECT A CONTRACTOR AND A CONTRACTOR THAT IS WILLING TO GIVE A DISCOUNT FOR A GROUP.

AND SO THE TYPICAL MODEL IS TO INVITE EVERYBODY FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN ANN ARBOR AND THEY GET ABOUT 40 PEOPLE, FROM THAT, ABOUT 30 ACTUALLY ASKED FOR A SITE ASSESSMENT.

AND FROM THAT, ABOUT 15 OR MORE KIND OF ACTUALLY GET SOLAR SYSTEMS, WHICH LEADS TO A 15 PERCENT DISCOUNT. AND SO IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF DO EDUCATION IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND ALSO PROVIDE A SIGNIFICANT DISCOUNT WITH A GROUP BUY.

SO THAT'S KIND OF BEING EXPLORED AS MAYBE SOMETHING THAT THE ENERGY TEAM COULD DO MAYBE IN THE FALL OR NEXT SPRING.

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.

OK, SO LAST MONTH I TALKED ABOUT HAVING A DEFINITION OF WHAT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IS.

I'M GOING TO READ ONE FROM THE STATE OF MICHIGAN.

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IS THE EQUITABLE TREATMENT AND MEANINGFUL INVOLVEMENT OF ALL

[01:35:03]

SO THAT MEANS NO PEOPLE BEARS A DISPROPORTIONATE SHARE OF NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES RESULTING FROM GOVERNMENTAL, INDUSTRIAL OR COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS AND POLICIES, ALL PEOPLE BENEFIT FROM APPLICATION OF LAWS AND REGULATIONS AND ELIMINATING BARRIERS SUCH AS POVERTY, LACK OF ACCESS AS WELL AS REPAIRING SYSTEMIC INJUSTICES.

SO OTHER THINGS.

THAT MEANS PEOPLE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DECISIONS THAT AFFECT THE ENVIRONMENT AND THEIR HEALTH.

DECISION MAKERS SEEK OUT AND FACILITATE THE INVOLVEMENT OF THOSE POTENTIALLY AFFECTED.

PEOPLE'S CONCERNS ARE CONSIDERED AND DECISION MAKING PROCESSES AND PEOPLE CAN INFLUENCE THE AGENCY DECISIONS, WHICH DOESN'T REALLY AFFECT US.

BUT ALL THIS BEING SAID THIS IS WHY I KEEP ON GOING BACK TO SAYING WE HAVE TO HAVE CONSISTENCY IN POLICY AND PROCEDURES AND HOW WE EXECUTE THEM.

CASE BY CASE BASIS LEAD TO ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICE.

SO WHEN I TALK ABOUT THE WETLANDS AND RELATIONSHIP TO THAT, WE HAVE POLICIES OR WE HAVE CODES. THOSE SEEM PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD AND A BIG THING THAT THEY SAID IN THE CONFERENCE IN RELATIONSHIP TO ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IS YOU HAVE TO ENFORCE POLICIES.

IF YOU HAVE THE POLICIES, YOU HAVE TO EDUCATE FOLKS ABOUT THEM AND YOU HAVE TO ENFORCE THEM AS WELL IN A CONSISTENT MANNER.

SO I'M HOPING THAT HELPS GIVE SOME CLARITY ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, RELATIONSHIP TO THE WETLANDS AND OTHER ISSUES AS WELL.

ALTHOUGH I CAN TALK ABOUT THIS FOR HOURS, I'M HOPING THINGS LIKE DEI TRAINING MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP WITH THIS AND OTHER KINDS OF TRAINING THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL IN RELATIONSHIP TO ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.

THANK YOU, KENDRA. AND THAT LEADS US UP TO GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE GRANTS LEROY.

YEAH, [INAUDIBLE] MONTESSORI IS WRAPPING THINGS UP PROBABLY BY THE END OF THE MONTH THEY HAD A LITTLE DELAY WITH THEIR SIGNAGE.

I DON'T HAVE AN UPDATE BUT I GOT A PRETTY COMPLETE UPDATE LAST MONTH FROM HASLETT MIDDLE SCHOOL, SO I'M OPTIMISTIC THAT IF THEY HAVEN'T MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS SINCE THEN THAT THINGS ARE MOVING FORWARD.

I DON'T HAVE A LOT TO SHARE, BUT IT MIGHT BE NICE TO INVITE SOME OF THESE THESE PROJECT AND STUDENT LEADERS TO MAYBE PRESENT AT A FUTURE MEETING.

ANYTHING MORE ABOUT THE GREEN TEAM, LEROY? NO, I THINK THE GREEN FAIR IS THE BIG THING WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO EVENTS MONTHLY AT THE MARKETPLACE, WE ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS FOR THE ELECTRONICS RECYCLING EVENT.

AND ACTUALLY, TOM IS HERE.

BERNADETTE IS HERE.

JUST ONE LAST THING ON THAT, TOM, FEEL FREE TO CHIME IN, BUT IN THE PRIOR YEARS, WE'VE HAD 40 PERCENT OF THE VOLUNTEERS HAVE BEEN STUDENTS.

SO IF YOU GUYS CAN SPREAD THE WORD OUT ABOUT VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE ELECTRONICS COLLECTION, THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.

AND BE HAPPY TO TALK WITH YOU MORE ABOUT THAT.

AND TOM, DO YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING? NO, NOT REALLY.

I THINK YOU'VE COVERED IT, JUST LOOKING BACK A LITTLE BIT.

I'LL JUST MENTION THE PRESCRIPTION MEDICINE TAKE BACK PROGRAM.

I KNOW THE LEROY SENT OUT SOME INFORMATION ON THAT.

I HELPED STAFF THAT FOR PART OF THE DAY.

IT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL AS LEROY'S NUMBERS INDICATED, OVER FOUR HUNDRED POUNDS TAKEN IN.

AND IT WAS NONSTOP.

I MEAN, PEOPLE WERE COMING UP TO THE COUNTER WITH ALL KINDS OF THINGS TO TURN IN, AND THEY WERE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.

I MEAN, SOME PEOPLE LITERALLY WERE SAVING THINGS FOR AS LONG AS 30 YEARS AND IT WAS THEIR FIRST OPPORTUNITY TO TURN IN THESE MEDICATIONS.

SO I THINK IT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL AND CERTAINLY HOPE THAT WE CAN DO THAT AGAIN IN THE FUTURE. THANK YOU, TOM.

[01:40:03]

IS THERE ANYTHING GOING ON WITH THAT LEROY OR DO WE STILL HAVE A TREE TEAM? WE DO HAVE SOME INTEREST IN TREE RELATED ACTIVITIES.

I KNOW EMMA'S INVOLVED WITH QUITE A BIT OF THAT.

AND LET'S SEE, KENDRA MENTIONED AN INTERESTING PROGRAM WITH RELEAF MICHIGAN THAT CAME UP THE OTHER DAY, IF YOU WANT TO MENTION THAT AGAIN.

BUT THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION THAT I KNOW ABOUT TREE CITY OR EQUIVALENT CERTIFICATION IN THE TOWNSHIP.

BUT THAT'S. I KNOW THERE WAS INTEREST IN DOING ANOTHER TREE EVENT AND EMMA'S DONE A COUPLE OF THOSE THIS SUMMER.

KENDRA, DO YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING MORE ABOUT THAT OPPORTUNITY? THERE'S A FUN CONTEST, I THINK IT'S RELEAF MICHIGAN THAT IS LOOKING FOR THE LARGEST TREES OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF SPECIES IN DIFFERENT COUNTIES.

SO YOU MEASURE THE DIAMETER OF A TREE ABOUT FOUR AND A HALF FEET UP.

AND I WAS LOOKING AT ONE WHERE I GREW UP THAT WAS 11 FEET, ONE INCH IN DIAMETER, WHICH IS HUGE. AND I'M ENTERING IT IN AND I'M NOT SURE IF IT'LL WIN.

BUT THE THING OF IT'S A KIND OF EXCITING THING TO GET FOLKS.

I MEAN, I LOVE TREES AND I TOLD FOLKS EARLIER ACTUALLY LOVE TREES MORE THAN I LOVE WETLANDS. SO JUST THINKING ABOUT ALL THE BEAUTIFUL TREES YOU EVEN HAVE ON CAMPUS, YOU KNOW, IN DIFFERENT PLACES.

BUT, YOU KNOW, TO ENGAGE PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE STATE, IN DIFFERENT COUNTIES TO MEASURE TREES, GET INVOLVED, CARE, YOU KNOW, ENTER, I THINK YOU JUST GET RECOGNITION OR SOMETHING . DOESN'T REALLY MATTER. JUST GET PEOPLE OUT THERE AND GET CONNECTED WITH NATURE AND INVESTED. THANK YOU.

[INAUDIBLE] WE HAVE [INAUDIBLE] THE AGENDA, THE CAPITAL AREA SUSTAINABILITY PARTNERSHIP

[9.C. Other • Capital Area Sustainability Partnership and Ingham Environmental Commission • State of Michigan]

IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO MENTION? I'LL JUST SHARE THAT IF PEOPLE WANT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT, THOSE SUBCOMMITTEES ARE FORMING AND STARTING TO MEET AND CLIFF'S GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AUDIT DID COME UP IN OUR BUILDING AND CODES DISCUSSION AND THERE IS DEFINITELY INTEREST IN MOVING FORWARD ON THAT, AND IF MERIDIAN WANTS TO MOVE FORWARD, WE COULD SORT OF BE A TEST CASE FOR OTHER COMMUNITIES. SO THERE'S SEVERAL OTHER COMMITTEES, ONE ON COMPOSTING AND I DON'T HAVE ALL THE COMMITTEES IN FRONT OF ME, BUT.

.. [INAUDIBLE] ENERGY AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND JUST COVERS [INAUDIBLE].

YEAH.

THERE'S A GREENHOUSE GAS ONE, TOO.

I THINK IT'S MEETING AGAIN FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS WEEK.

YEAH, SO THAT'S MOVING FORWARD AND PRETTY EXCITING TO HAVE A REGIONAL COLLABORATION ON THOSE ISSUES. LAST THING ON THE AGENDA, THE STATE OF MICHIGAN, WHICH I THINK REFERS TO YOU, TOM, BUT MAYBE YOU DON'T REALLY WANT TO BE EXPECTED TO KIND OF TELL US WHAT THE STATE OF MICHIGAN'S DOING, WHICH IS LIKE A FULL-TIME JOB KEEPING TRACK OF THEM.

BUT DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO MENTION OR? YEAH, I REALLY DON'T.

AS FAR AS THE LEGISLATURE IS CONCERNED, IT'S BEEN KIND OF A SLOW SUMMER.

THEY'RE OUT RIGHT NOW.

I BELIEVE THE HOUSE COMES BACK FOR A DAY ON AUGUST 17TH AND THE SENATE A WEEK LATER ON AUGUST. 25TH, BUT NOT A WHOLE LOT HAPPENING, AT LEAST AS FAR AS THE LEGISLATURE IS CONCERNED RIGHT NOW.

ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT OR COMMENT BY ANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS, DOES ANYBODY WANT--COURTNEY? THANK YOU. I JUST QUICKLY WANTED TO MENTION, KENDRA, YOU HAD STATED THE DEFINITION OF ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND YOU REFERENCED DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION, POTENTIALLY TRAINING.

AND I DID JUST WANT TO SAY THAT WE, THE BOARD, HAS A DIVERSITY EQUITY INCLUSION PLAN THAT--I'M SORRY, TASK FORCE THAT I'M A PART OF.

AND WE HAVE OUR FIRST INTERNAL TRAINING TOMORROW FOR MANAGERS AND DIRECTORS.

SO IT'S REALLY EXCITING.

IT'S FROM NINE TO ONE. IT'S BEING FACILITATED BY A REPUTABLE AGENCY THAT'S GOING TO HELP US START AND INITIATE OUR DIVERSITY EQUITY INCLUSION PLAN.

SO I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THAT UP.

AND I'M SORRY I DIDN'T MENTION THAT, BUT I'LL REPORT NEXT THE NEXT MEETING ON HOW THAT IS

[01:45:04]

VALERIE? YEAH, SORRY, I WAS TRYING TO RAISE MY HAND, BUT IT DOESN'T SEEM TO WORK.

I MEAN, THE ICON.

I JUST WANTED TO ADD TO THE PREVIOUS DISCUSSION THAT REGARDING ORDINANCES AND WETLANDS, THAT A LETTER TO THE GREATER LANSING ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS EXPLAINING WHAT THE TOWNSHIPS POSITION IS WOULD CARRY A LOT OF WEIGHT, AND ESPECIALLY WITH A LINK TO INVITING REALTORS TO AN EDUCATION MEETING, WHATEVER ONE MAYBE IS BEING PLANNED WOULD BE, I THINK, AWFULLY HELPFUL. AND IN TERMS IF CARLA CLOS DOESN'T COMMIT, PAUL PRATT, I THOUGHT WAS OF EQUAL STATION TO HER.

MAYBE HE WOULD COME.

I KNOW THAT HE'S THE LIAISON TO THE LAKE LANSING ADVISORY COUNCIL, AND THEN JUST A FINAL COMMENT, IF YOU'LL INDULGE ME, I GUESS, ON THE EVENT, THE OCTOBER 1ST EVENT, THE OPEN HOUSE, THE SOLAR OPEN HOUSE, THAT ALSO MAY BE A GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE KIND OF THING. I MEAN, I THINK A BIKE TOUR WAS ALREADY MENTIONED ON THAT.

BUT TO PICK UP ON NED'S COMMENTS, THAT WOULD BE GREAT TO ROUTE THAT THROUGH, IF THAT'S POSSIBLE, A SUGGESTED ROUTE THAT MAYBE WOULD INCLUDE SOME OF THE NEW PATHWAYS OR WHATEVER, AND JUST LIKE DO IT ALL AT ONCE.

SO I WOULD BE VERY INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING IN THAT.

SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. ANY FURTHER COMMENTS BEFORE WE ADJOURN? ACTUALLY, JOHN, I DID HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU FROM THE ENERGY TEAM.

YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS THIS COMMUNITY OR GROUP MODE OF OF GETTING DISCOUNTS FOR INSTALLATIONS. SO HOW DOES THAT RELATE TO DOES THAT ALSO INVOLVE SOME KIND OF ACCELERATED OR OR PARALLEL PROCESSING FOR PERMITTING? BECAUSE PERMITTING ACTUALLY SOMETIMES IS THE BIGGER CHALLENGE OR AT LEAST IN TERMS OF TYING THINGS UP IN TIME.

BOTH PERMITTING AND THE...

WELL, IN OUR AREA, CONSUMERS SIGNING ON, SO THOSE ARE BOTH ISSUES THAT CAN TIE THINGS UP . AND, YOU KNOW, OCCASIONALLY I ASK INSTALLERS ABOUT THE PERMITTING ISSUES WITHIN THE TOWNSHIP.

I HAVEN'T YET RUN INTO ANYBODY THAT IS KIND OF COMPLAINING ABOUT THE PERMITTING PROCESS, WHICH IS REASSURING TO ME.

AND SO SINCE I DON'T SEEM TO BE GETTING ANY FEEDBACK THAT IT'S A PROBLEM, YOU KNOW, I HAVEN'T BEEN TOO CONCERNED ABOUT IT.

HOWEVER, IF WE ARE REAL SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING A LOT OF PEOPLE INTERESTED, I THINK FOR SURE WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO COORDINATE WITH THE INSPECTION FOLKS.

JUST, YOU KNOW, SO LIKE YOU SAY, THINGS GO SMOOTHLY BECAUSE THAT COULD BE AN ISSUE.

AND THERE IS ISSUES, I KNOW WITH GETTING UTILITY APPROVAL FOR INTERCONNECTION, BASICALLY CONSUMERS IS BETTER THAN DTE, BUT IT'S KIND OF LIKE AN INSURMOUNTABLE IT'S A BAD PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUT FOR YEARS NOW.

AND SO THAT'S I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE SOLUTION IS BECAUSE THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION KEEPS BRINGING IT UP AND THEY REGULATE THEM.

AND IT STILL SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM.

BUT SO, YEAH, I DON'T KNOW INTERESTED IN IF THIS SORT OF GROUP MODEL IS EMERGING, IF THERE IS A PARALLEL GROUP GROUP SIGN ON WITH CONSUMERS OR WHATEVER, DTE, WHICHEVER COMPANIES, IF THE COMPANIES THEMSELVES HAVE RECOGNIZED A WAY TO HANDLE SORT OF BULK COLLECTIONS OF PEOPLE PLANNING TO INSTALL AND CONNECT.

WELL, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, MY EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN THAT THE UTILITIES ARE VERY UNCOOPERATIVE. AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD TO GET THEM ON BOARD FOR ANYTHING BUT THE INSTALLERS ARE VERY FAMILIAR OF NECESSITY, OF WORKING WITH ALL THE UTILITIES AND KIND OF KNOW WHO THE RIGHT PEOPLE ARE TO TALK TO.

AND I MEAN, YOU MAKE AN EXCELLENT POINT.

IT'S JUST THAT I GUESS IT WOULDN'T HURT.

YOU KNOW, THE TOWNSHIP--NOW THAT YOU BRING IT UP, I'M GLAD YOU DID--YOU KNOW, THE TOWNSHIP DOES HAVE CONNECTIONS WITH CONSUMERS ENERGY, OF COURSE, WERE A CUSTOMER AT THE TOWNSHIP ITSELF. AND I GUESS IT CERTAINLY WOULDN'T HELP AS PART OF THE PROCESS TO KIND OF INTERACT

[01:50:01]

IT'S THE UTILITY. RIGHT.

WELL, VALERIE HAD SOME COMMENTS.

NO, I WAS JUST GOING TO REITERATE THE POINT THAT WAS MADE THAT IF YOU GET ALL THESE [INAUDIBLE] THE INSTALLER, IF HE REALIZES THEY'RE ALL WITHIN THE SAME MUNICIPALITY, IT LIGHTENS HIS WORKLOAD EXTENSIVELY TO ONLY DEAL WITH ONE SET OF RULES AND ONE SET OF PEOPLE. SO THEREFORE, THEORETICALLY, THE DISCOUNT SHOULD BE GENEROUS.

OK, YEAH, VERY GOOD, THANK YOU FOR EXPLAINING THAT.

YEAH. OTHER THOUGHTS OR COMMENTS BEFORE WE--YES, LEROY.

JUST IN TWO SECONDS, IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN TYPING UP MINUTES FOR THIS MEETING, I DON'T WANT TO DEPRIVE ANYONE OF THAT OPPORTUNITY.

[LAUGHTER] SO HIT ME UP AFTERWARDS.

OTHERWISE, IT'S BEEN FUN.

WELL, THAT'S QUITE AN OFFER LEROY.

[CHUCKLING] THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR MAKING THAT OFFER.

WELL, ANYTHING ELSE? CAN I GET A MOTION TO ADJOURN? OK, A SECOND? OK? ALL IN FAVOR OF ADJOURNING, HEY, THANK YOU, EVERYBODY.

IT'S A GREAT MEETING AND GOOD DISCUSSION ON ALL THESE TOPICS, AND I'M GLAD TIM SCHMITT COULD JOIN.

TAKE CARE OF EVERYBODY.

YOU TOO.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.