Nov 03, 2021 Environmental Commission Meeting

[00:00:19]

. I'LL TRY LOGGING OFF AND REJOINING AS SOMEBODY ELSE.

IT SAYS IN THE CHAT THAT YOU COULD TRY MAKING A CO-HOST.

OK.

WE MAY BE GOING LIVE FAIRLY SOON.

IF YOU CHECK THE CHAT WINDOW, SAMANTHA WILL LET US KNOW WHEN WE'RE LIVE.

WELL, WELCOME EVERYBODY TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION MEETING AND LET ME CALL THE

[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]

[2. GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT UPDATE: MONTESSORI RADMOOR]

THEY GOT A GRANT FROM THE TOWNSHIP, AND DAVIS IS GOING TO TELL US IF WE CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THE SCREEN SHARING WHAT, WHERE HE'S AT.

ALL THE STUFF THAT THEY'VE DONE.

SO WE WORK OUT THE SCREEN SHARING OR IS THAT STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS? I THINK WE CAN. I THINK IT SHOULD WORK NOW.

OK, DAVIS, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.

OK, WELL, WHAT I WITH THE OVERVIEW WHERE THE WHAT WE DID WITH THE GRANT WAS, IT WAS BASICALLY A TWO PART THING THAT WE DID AT MONTESSORI.

THE FIRST PART WAS TO IMPROVE OUR EXISTING GREENHOUSE, WHICH WAS IN ITS HEAVILY USED BY STUDENTS AND STAFF, AND IT WAS JUST STARTING TO GET REALLY RUN DOWN AND REALLY OVERGROWN AND NEEDED A LOT OF WORK AND A LOT OF IMPROVEMENTS.

SO WE USED SOME OF THE GRANT FUNDS FOR THAT.

AND THEN THE OTHER PART WAS OUR PATHWAY TO DISCOVERY, WHICH IS A REALLY IT'S A NATURE TRAIL THAT ENCIRCLES THE ENTIRE CAMPUS.

WE HAVE A JUST UNDER 10 ACRES AND IT GOES, WE HAVE THREE BASIC ECOSYSTEMS ON OUR CAMPUS THAT OPEN FIELDS AND WOODS AND A MARSH LAND USE THAT TO PROMOTE EDUCATIONAL OR ENVIRONMENTAL LEARNING WITH WITH THE CHILDREN AND DEVELOP SOME EDUCATIONAL SIGNAGE ALONG THE WAY THAT THE KIDS COULD USE AND THE TEACHERS COULD USE FOR LESSONS.

AND THE TEACHERS DO GO OUTSIDE WITH THE KIDS QUITE A BIT, AND WE HAVE KIDS FROM TODDLER AGE ALL THE WAY UP THROUGH SIXTH GRADE.

SO WE'VE ALSO, WE'RE TRYING TO REMOVE A BUNCH OF INVASIVE SPECIES AND WE'VE UTILIZED THE ADVICE OF NATURALISTS AND ARBORIST AND THE AUDUBON SOCIETY TO TRY TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO WITH OUR LITTLE SLICE OF HEAVEN.

AND THEY ALL SAID WE TRY TO, YOU KNOW, RAISE THE CANOPY, LOWER THE FLOOR AND REALLY MAKE A FOCUS ON REMOVING INVASIVE SPECIES AND START PLANTING NATIVE PLANTS.

AND WE BOUGHT QUITE A FEW PLANTS.

WE'VE ESTABLISHED SOME SHADE GARDENS AND PLANTED A BUNCH OF TREES WITH THE KID SAPLINGS, YOU KNOW, SMALL TREES AND WE'VE REALLY HAD A GOOD TIME WITH IT.

THE DEER ATE SOME, MOST LIVED, SOME DIED.

YOU KNOW, WE'VE DONE A LOT OF OUR NATIVE PLANTS DID REALLY, REALLY WELL.

THE NATIVE SHADE GARDENS LOOK GREAT AND THE SIGNS WHICH ARE A BIG CHUNK OF THAT PATHWAY TO DISCOVERY ARE STILL IN DEVELOPMENT, BUT THEY ARE CLOSE TO BEING DONE.

I WILL TRY TO SHARE THE SCREEN.

I DON'T KNOW IF WE.

OH, LOOKS LIKE WE CAN.

I HAVE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE, SO I'M PROBABLY GOING TO BE TERRIBLE AT IT.

I WILL GIVE IT A TRY.

[00:05:01]

CAN YOU SEE THAT? NO SHOOT.

TAKE YOUR TIME, AND IF ANYONE ELSE IS LISTENING AND THEY CAN PROMOTE BILL TO A PANELIST, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.

SO A BIT OF CLUMSINESS GOING ON ON MY END HERE.

NOT A PROBLEM. YOU WANT TO TRY THAT AGAIN, LEROY, I'LL SEE IF I CAN HIT THE RIGHT BUTTON THIS TIME. OH, I THINK I FIGURED IT OUT.

ALL RIGHT. SO THAT.

THERE, CAN YOU SEE THAT? WE ARE GOOD.

ALL RIGHT, SO THIS WOULD BE SIGN NUMBER ONE, THIS IS OUR WELCOME SIGN.

WE HAD A CUSTOM. I DON'T KNOW HOW WELL YOU CAN SEE THAT, BUT THIS IS THE PATH THAT ENCIRCLES THE ENTIRE CAMPUS AND THERE WILL BE A QR CODE ON EACH SCREEN WHERE THEY CAN OR EACH SIGN WHERE THEY CAN, THE TEACHERS CAN PUT CONTENT ON THE INTERNET AND THEY CAN ACTUALLY HAVE LESSONS ON THERE.

AND THIS IS OUR GREENHOUSE SIGN.

AND WE'RE TRYING TO, I HAVE LEARNING MATERIAL ACTUALLY ON EACH SCREEN, THINGS THAT ARE ALREADY A PART OF THEIR LESSONS.

THINGS THAT ARE AGE APPROPRIATE FOR ALL OF OUR AGE GROUPS ON CAMPUS.

SO THAT IS ONE.

ALL RIGHT, IT'S AMAZING.

AWESOME, YES, AND THAT'S THE SIGNS OF WHERE CAN YOU SEE THIS ONE, THE NEW ONE? I'M NOT SURE IF I'M DOING THIS RIGHT.

YES. YEAH, WE'RE ON TO MAMMALS NOW.

OH, WE ARE OK.

YEAH. THEN NOW I LOST IT.

OK. I'M SO SORRY.

GIVE ME ONE SECOND HERE.

TOTALLY FINE. THOSE ARE GREAT.

THOSE ARE REALLY GOOD LOOKING SIGNS.

YES, AND WE TRIED TO USE LOCALLY SOURCED VENDORS, TOO. SO THESE SIGNS ARE DONE BY WE USED PRINTING COMPANY THAT WE'VE USED BEFORE, JOHNSON PRINTING IN LANSING.

AND WE WERE SO FORTUNATE THAT SO MANY OF OUR VENDORS GAVE US DEALS AND SO A LOT WILDTYPE GAVE US DEALS. GO GROW IN CHARLOTTE GAVE US A BUNCH OF FREE TREES AND MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP GAVE US SOME FREE TREES AND THAT WAS REALLY, REALLY FUN.

SO AND MS. JACKIE HERE TOOK PICTURES OF ALL THESE FUNGI RIGHT HERE ON OUR CAMPUS.

AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO REALLY SHOW THE KIDS, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE HAVE ON OUR CAMPUS IS IMPORTANT AND YOU CAN LEARN FROM IT AND YOU CAN TAKE IT WITH YOU.

AND JACKIE HAS A LOT OF FARM TO TABLE THINGS IN HER GREENHOUSE CURRICULUM THAT THE KIDS DO SO WE HAVE AMPHIBIANS, WETLANDS, WE'RE IN A MARSH, BUT WE, YOU KNOW.

LET'S SEE HERE.

YEAH, SO WE HAVE 14 SIGNS THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST ONES, THIS IS A THREE FOOT SIGN AND THIS IS WILL BE ON OUR OBSERVATION DECK.

AND SO THE KIDS WILL ACTUALLY SIT WITH TEACHERS AND OUR HEAD OF SCHOOL, AND THEY CAN IDENTIFY ALL THE BIRDS AND WE'LL HAVE BINOCULARS.

AND IT'S JUST A REALLY, REALLY FUN THING.

THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN REALLY EXCITED ABOUT STARTING.

AND WE ARE BUILDING BAT HOUSES RIGHT NOW WITH THE CHILDREN THAT WE'RE GOING TO PUT UP RIGHT BEFORE, HOPEFULLY BEFORE THE SNOW FLIES.

AND THIS SIGN WILL BE RIGHT UNDER IT.

AND SO WE REALLY WORKED HARD ON THIS AND WE'RE PRETTY PLEASED WITH THE RESULTS NOW. WE JUST GOT TO GET THEM INTO THE GROUND.

YES. YEAH.

AND AS DAVIS WAS SAYING IN MONTESSORI, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE CHILDREN TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE CLASSROOM IS LIKE AN EXTENSION INTO THE OUTDOORS.

SO FROM TODDLER, THEY WILL GO AND THEY WILL HARVEST FLOWERS OR HARVEST GREENS AND TAKE BACK THE GREEN. THAT'S ACTUALLY ONE THING WE DO WITH THE GRANT WAS I WAS REALLY EXCITED TO MAKE A PET GARDEN AREA.

WHERE THERE'S GREENS AND DIFFERENT KIND OF THINGS THAT THE GUINEA PIGS AND, YEAH, WE HAVE

[00:10:05]

I DON'T KNOW IF THEY NECESSARILY CONNECT THE FARM TO TABLE, BUT GOING INTO PRIMARY, THEN WE ACTUALLY HAVE THE BOTANY NOMENCLATURE THAT THE KIDS USE AND THEY START TO TALK ABOUT THE PARTS OF THE PLANT, THE PARTS OF THE LEAF.

AND THAT KIND OF CARRIES OVER INTO ELEMENTARY WHERE WE GET SO PICKY THAT WE START TALKING ABOUT, LIKE [INAUDIBLE] NOT JUST REGULAR STAMEN AND PISTILS, BUT ACTUALLY TRYING TO FIND A STAMEN AND PISTIL OF LIKE A ZINNIA.

THAT'S NOT AS EASY AS MAYBE AN NASTURTIUM AND REALIZING THAT MAYBE RECENTLY PUMPKINS ARE BERRIES. SO THAT WAS A GOOD DEBATE IN THE CLASSROOM OF WHETHER A PUMPKIN WAS A VEGETABLE AND FRUIT, AND THE CHILDREN ARE ALWAYS GOING TO ARGUE ABOUT, OH, IT HAS SEEDS.

WELL, IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THAT.

SO GOING OUT TO THE GREENHOUSE AND ACTUALLY COLLECTING WE HAVE DUMPLING SQUASH RIGHT NOW COLLECTING THAT, DISSECTING THE ACTUAL FLOWER THAT THEY COULD GRAB FROM THE GREENHOUSE, BRING IT BACK TO THE CLASSROOM, PINNING IT ON THE LITTLE BOTANY TABLE, PUTTING IT UNDER THE MICROSCOPE AND ACTUALLY FIGURING OUT WHY IT'S A BERRY HAS BEEN, IT'S BEEN SO COOL FOR THE KIDS TO ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO USE THE GREENHOUSE MORE THAN THEY WERE ABLE TO USE BEFORE. IN EVERY CLASSROOM COMPOSTS, TOO, AND SO WE HAVE A COMPOSTING AND BRUSH PILE SIGNED TO TRY TO TEACH THEM, YOU KNOW, RIGHT FROM A YOUNG AGE, JUST SMALL LITTLE THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AND HOW YOU CAN KEEP THINGS OUT OF THE LANDFILL AND HOW THEY CAN BE.

YOU KNOW HOW THEY MATTER, YOU KNOW? BUT EVERYONE'S GOT TO DO THOSE LITTLE THINGS.

AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO PROMOTE.

YEAH. THE COMPOSTING, TOO.

TRYING TO TEACH THE KIDS TO KEEP A CLEAN COMPOST AREA AND THAT IT CAN BE SUCCESSFUL AND NOT JUST THIS GROSS THING AND UNDERSTANDING HOW MUCH IT DOES BUILD UP.

HOW MUCH EVERY SINGLE THING THAT WE THROW AWAY ACTUALLY WILL BUILD UP.

IT'S BEEN IT'S BEEN A GREAT JOURNEY.

AND I WANT TO SAY THAT A LOT OF THIS HAS ACTUALLY BEEN KIND OF INSTIGATED BECAUSE OF THE GRANT THAT WE GOT FROM YOU GUYS.

WE WERE ABLE TO DO LIKE A TON OF STUFF THAT WE WANTED TO, YOU KNOW.

AND I THINK WE INCREASED THE SQUARE FOOT OR THE PLANTABLE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THE GREENHOUSE ALMOST DOUBLED IT SO.

OH, DRAMATICALLY.

I AM SO THANKFUL THEY'RE ABLE TO GROW ACTUALLY RIGHT NOW, EVEN THOUGH IT'S COLD.

I HAVE BEEN TELLING DAVIS I NEED TO PULL THESE TOMATO PLANTS OUT BECAUSE I NEED TO PLANT THE WINTER CROPS BECAUSE WE ACTUALLY WE GROW YEAR ROUND LIKE WE HAVE THE KIDS GO OUT IN THE SNOW, PULL BACK THE PLASTIC AND WATER THE KALE, AND THESE TOMATO PLANTS JUST KEEP GROWING STILL AND KEEP GIVING US TOMATOES.

SO I'M GOING TO KEEP HOLDING ON FOR THOSE.

BUT WE HAVE SO MANY MORE PLANTS NOW BECAUSE OF THE BIGGER SPACE THAT WE HAVE TO GROW.

YEAH. FANTASTIC.

WELL, IT'S SO GREAT TO SEE SOME OF THESE IDEAS THAT WE BOUNCE AROUND BEARING FRUIT, SO TO SPEAK. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING AND ANY QUESTIONS FOR THESE FOLKS OR COMMENTS ? WELL, WHY DON'T YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR FUTURE PLANS? FOR THE GREENHOUSE, THAT'S JUST GOING TO KEEP EXPANDING.

THEY'VE BEEN DOING PLANT SALES FOR YEARS TO TRY TO RAISE FUNDS FOR FUTURE FOR SEEDS AND THINGS LIKE THAT THAT YOU WOULD PURCHASE.

WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO GROW OUR OUR NATURAL AREAS.

WE'RE TRYING TO PROMOTE GREEN.

WHAT THAT MEANS ARE SOME OF OUR FUTURE PLANS, OR AT LEAST MINE.

WE'VE NOTICED THAT WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF FOREST DIVERSITY, SO WE REALLY WANT TO START TRYING TO. DID I FREEZE HERE? WE REALLY WANT TO START TRYING TO INCREASE NATIVE PLANTS AND THE DIVERSITY OF WE'RE GOING TO START LABELING AT KID HEIGHT.

A LOT OF THE MATURE TREES SO THEY CAN SAY, OH, THAT A RED MAPLE, THAT'S ACER, YOU KNOW, AND YOU KNOW, THEIR LATIN NAMES, WHICH I KNOW THE UPPER ELEMENTARY KIDS ALREADY DO.

WE HAVE A LOT OF LOOK AND LISTEN STATIONS WHERE THE KIDS SIT AND TRY TO IDENTIFY ANIMALS.

AND ONE FUN THING THAT WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO DO, MAYBE EVEN THIS WINTER, IS TRAIL CAMERAS ON THE PATHWAY TO DISCOVERY.

SO IT ACTUALLY SHOW WHAT ANIMALS ARE USING THAT TRAIL WHEN PEOPLE AREN'T AROUND.

AND SO THAT'S ALL OF THAT STUFF IS GOING TO BE WITHIN IT SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR.

SO THAT'S REALLY FUN.

WE ALSO STARTED KIND OF OUR ORCHARD FINALLY.

SO WE WANTED TO GET GOING WITH AN ORCHARD, BUT I'M ALWAYS LIKE, WELL, YOU KNOW THAT THAT DOES INVITE DEER TO OUR PROPERTY IN WHICH THEY'RE GOING TO EAT THINGS.

[00:15:05]

SO LAST MONTH THEY MADE HUGE, HUGE CROCK POTS OF TOMATO SOUP, AND I TAUGHT THEM HOW TO MAKE A SOUR DOUGH BREAD AND THE THE LOVE AND THE TIME IT TAKES TO GET INTO MAKING SOURDOUGH BREAD. AND WE COOK ALL VEGAN JUST FOR ALLERGIES AND WHATNOT.

BUT THEY WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO MAKE ENOUGH TOMATO SOUP FOR ALL THE TEACHERS, ALL THE STUDENTS AND WITH ALL OF THE TOMATOES FROM THE GREENHOUSE AND NOW HAVING TO PURCHASE ANYTHING WHATSOEVER BECAUSE I TEACH THEM TO SAVE IT, LIKE CARVE OUT THE STEM AND EVERYTHING, WE PUT THEM IN THE FREEZER, WE PACKAGE THEM AND THEN WE CAN PULL THEM OUT.

AND THE KIDS ARE LIKE, OH, THEY'RE SO GROSS.

AND I'M LIKE, YOU GUYS, THESE ARE BASICALLY JUST LIKE CANS OF STEWED TOMATOES.

SO WE WERE ABLE TO KIND OF START OUR ORCHARD DAVIS AND I WANT TO EXPAND ON THE ORCHARD, HOPEFULLY. WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT AND WE'VE KIND NOT TOSSED THIS IDEA AROUND FOR A LONG TIME, BUT HAVING A ACTUAL KIND OF BARNYARD WHERE IT SHOWS ALL THE MAJOR CROPS THAT AMERICAN FARMERS MAKE.

SO YOU'VE GOT ALFALFA AND CORN AND SOYBEANS AND JUST IN LITTLE PLOTS, SO KIDS CAN ACTUALLY SEE WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE, HOW IT'S HARVESTED AND HOW IT'S, YOU KNOW, HOW IT'S USED. AND YOU KNOW, WE ALREADY DO SOME OF THAT, BUT WE'RE GOING TO DO IT IN SMALLER AREAS AND WE DO HAVE A VERY LARGE RESIDENT DEER POPULATION AND WE CAN'T FENCE OFF EVERYTHING.

SO WE DO KNOW THAT SOME THINGS ARE GOING TO JUST GO, BUT YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO DO OUR BEST. BUT THOSE CROPS ARE, IN MY OPINION, IMPORTANT TO TEACH TO THE CHILDREN BECAUSE MAYBE THEY'RE NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU GO AND YOU GRAB, BUT IT ALSO IS PUTTING NUTRIENTS BACK INTO THE SOIL. SO YOU CAN'T JUST DEPLETE THE SOIL CONSTANTLY.

YOU HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO ACTUALLY HAVE IT REST YOU A COVER CROP, DO A GRAIN CROP IN BETWEEN A LEGUME AND WHATNOT, AND ACTUALLY ABLE YOU'RE ABLE TO HAVE HEALTHY SOIL HEALTH, WHICH IS HUGE FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE CHILDREN.

WHAT THEY KIND OF GET CONFUSED ABOUT IS THEY THINK, OH, THERE'S DIRT EVERYWHERE.

WHY DON'T WE USE THIS TO PLANT OUR SEEDS? AND WHY DO WE HAVE TO BAG FIVE BAGS OF DIRT? AND YOU HAVE TO KIND OF EXPLAIN TO THEM THAT SOIL HEALTH IS HUGE AND HOW YOU ACTUALLY CAN CREATE GOOD SOIL? SO THAT'S THAT'S HUGE ON OUR LIST, TOO.

DO ANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? BILL, GO AHEAD. YEAH, I'M GOING TO LEAVE MY VIDEO OFF, I'M SORRY, I SEEM TO BE CONTRIBUTING TO THE BAD QUALITY HERE, BUT I WANTED TO COMMENT THAT EARLIER TODAY, SEVERAL OF US WERE IN A DISCUSSION THAT HAD TONES OF THAT KIND OF VERY ADULT.

GOOD GRIEF, THERE ARE SO MANY PROBLEMS, SO MANY ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS IN THE WORLD, AND THEY'RE ALSO COMPLICATED AND COMPLEX AND WICKED.

AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO ADDRESS THEM OR SO MANY BARRIERS? AND IT'S JUST SO REFRESHING TO SEE A PROGRAM THAT'S TRAINING, TEACHING, EDUCATING THE NEXT GENERATION ABOUT THESE REALLY IMPORTANT PRINCIPLES AND COMING AT THINGS FROM THAT THAT EXPLORATORY LEARNING ANGLE IS JUST SO IMPORTANT.

PERSONALLY, I'VE BEEN SPENDING A LOT OF TIME THINKING ABOUT DIVERSIFYING TREES IN MICHIGAN AND NATIVE TREES, AND I'VE BEEN THINKING MORE AND MORE ABOUT EDIBLE NUTS.

AND OF COURSE, I'M NOT THE FIRST PERSON TO THINK ABOUT THIS, THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF OUT THERE, PEOPLE DOING REALLY INTERESTING STUFF, AND LEROY KNOWS SOME OF THEM, AND SO THAT MAY BE ANOTHER THING TO CONSIDER IN WHAT SOUNDS LIKE A WONDERFUL PLAN YOU GOT GOING ON HERE. THANK YOU.

WE HAVE CONSIDERED THE NUT TREES ARE SOMETHING WE'VE TALKED EXTENSIVELY ABOUT.

THE PROBLEM IS WE DO HAVE ALLERGIES THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER.

SO WHEN WE DO PLANT THEM, THEY WILL PROBABLY BE FATHER AWAY ON SOME GREEN SPACE THAT WE HAVEN'T UTILIZED YET.

HAZELNUTS ARE A BIG ONE BECAUSE THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO GET GOING.

BUT YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT TO BE CAREFUL.

JACKIE AND HER STUDENTS HAVE ACTUALLY TRIED TO GET PAWPAW GROWING VERY, VERY PATIENTLY AND VERY WITH LIMITED SUCCESS.

BUT YOU KNOW, WE ARE TRYING TO GET AS MANY DIFFERENT REPRESENTATIONS OF NATIVE SPECIES AND FOOD SOURCES THAT YOU KNOW YOU CAN PUT IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD AND MAKE USE OF.

TOM, GO AHEAD.

OH, YOU'RE MUTED.

SORRY ABOUT THAT.

THANK YOU, JOHN.

I WAS JUST CURIOUS AS HOW LARGE OF AN AREA DO YOU HAVE DEVOTED TO YOUR PATHWAY AND THESE

[00:20:01]

AND THAT INCLUDES SOME MARSHLAND AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT ALSO INCLUDES OBVIOUSLY OUR PARKING LOT AND DRIVEWAY.

THE GREEN HOUSE ITS FOOTPRINT IS ROUGHLY TWENTY ONE BY TWENTY ONE AND IT'S PLENTY BIG FOR US AND WE HAVE COLD BOXES ON THE OUTSIDE.

AND THEN THIS FUTURE ORCHARD BARNYARD THAT JACKIE AND I ARE PUSHING FOR WILL PROBABLY BE ANOTHER 50 TO 100 BY 100 AREA.

THE PATHWAY ITSELF PRETTY MUCH TRAVELS THE PERIMETER, OR AT LEAST THROUGH MOST OF OUR PROPERTY. IT'S SOME OF ITS MATURE FOREST.

A LOT OF IT IS THICKET AND A LOT OF IT IS THINGS LIKE BUCKTHORN THAT NEED TO GO.

IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH BUCKTHORN, I HATE IT.

WE HAVE A BAD GARLIC MUSTARD PROBLEM.

SO WE'RE ALSO USING THIS PATHWAY TO POINT OUT THINGS AND LIKE THIS IS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU GUYS NEED TO LOOK FOR AT YOUR HOUSE.

IF YOU SEE IT, YOU'VE GOT TO PULL IT, YOU KNOW, AND BUT IT DOES OCCUPY QUITE A BIT OF SPACE OR IN CIRCUMFERENCE.

ONE THING DAVIS AND I ARE VERY LUCKY ABOUT IS OUR ANYONE THAT'S AHEAD OF US.

LIKE OUR ADMINISTRATORS, DAVIS AND I WAS LIKE, HMM, DO YOU THINK WE CAN MAKE ROOM FOR THIS? AND USUALLY, IF WE HAVE THE FUNDS AND THE EQUIPMENT THEY LET US.

LIKE RECENTLY, I'VE TALKED THEM INTO LETTING ME GROW A LITTLE SHIKAKI AREA IN THE BACK FOREST, AND I JUST APPLIED FOR A GRANT TO GET BEES ON THE PROPERTY.

SO EVEN THOUGH, LIKE THEY WERE LIKE BEES, YOU'RE GOING TO PUT BEES.

BUT I WAS ABLE TO KIND OF TALK TO THEM ABOUT PUTTING IT IN A SPOT THAT WOULD BE SAFE.

AND HONEYBEES AREN'T OUT TO STING ANYBODY, BUT YOU HAVE TO CONVINCE PEOPLE WHO THINK OTHERWISE. SO WE'RE VERY LUCKY THAT WITH THE 10 ACRES, ALTHOUGH SOME IS NOT, YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO DO MUCH ON IT, STILL HOST ANIMALS AND WE'RE REALLY ABLE TO KIND OF MAKE NEW WAYS.

THANKS TO DAVIS FOR CLEARING A LOT TO PUT NEW PROJECTS TOGETHER.

KENDRA, I THINK YOU HAVE A QUESTION, GO AHEAD.

THANK YOU. IT'S WONDERFUL TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR PROJECT AND GETTING KIDS CONNECTED TO THE EARTH AND CARING FOR IT AND ALL THE WILDLIFE AND JUST GETTING, YOU KNOW, CONNECTED TO NATURE, BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY MISSING SOMETIMES AND GETTING THEM INVESTED.

I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF I HAVEN'T SEEN YOUR CAMPUS BEFORE.

IT SOUNDS VERY INTERESTING HAVING 10 ACRES, AND I WAS WONDERING IF YOU WERE FAMILIAR WITH OUR WETLAND OUTREACH CAMPAIGN.

IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE WETLANDS ON THE PROPERTY.

WE'RE WORKING ON A BILL, IN FACT, THE BUFFER CAMPAIGN AND ALSO YOU'RE KIND OF ADDRESSING ISSUES RELATED TO FLOODING.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF HE'S HAVING THOSE ISSUES ON YOUR CAMPUS, BUT I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW IF YOU WEREN'T AWARE THAT THOSE ARE TOPICS THAT WE'RE CERTAINLY WORKING ON AND THE COMMISSION. YEAH, OUR WETLAND IS A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A MARSH THAN SOMETHING THAT FLOODS A LOT.

WE DO HAVE SOME DRAINAGE ISSUES, BUT THEY'RE NOT USUALLY AS A RESULT OF THE WETLAND.

THEY'RE MORE A RESULT OF BAD SIDEWALKS.

BUT WE DO TRY TO MAKE IT A POINT OF WATERSHEDS AND TALK TO THE KIDS ABOUT ABOUT THAT AND EVERYTHING THAT GOES ON THE GROUND IS GOING TO END UP IN THE WATER SOMEWHERE.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T FERTILIZE OUR LAWN, WE DON'T PUT PESTICIDES ON IT EITHER.

AND I WOULD LOVE TO, YOU KNOW, IF ONCE THESE SIGNS FINALLY GO IN THE GROUND, I WOULD LOVE YOU GUYS TO COME ON OVER AND TAKE A WALK AROUND WITH US AND CHECK IT OUT.

YEAH, THAT'D BE GREAT. NED, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO COME BACK TO JACKIE'S COMMENT ABOUT BEES.

THE GRADE SCHOOL THAT I WENT TO WAY BACK 10000 YEARS AGO IN MASSACHUSETTS.

WE HAD A HIVE THAT WAS ACTUALLY BUILT KIND OF LIKE THOSE ANT FARMS. THAT WAS BASICALLY A PAIR OF PLEXIGLAS WINDOWS WITH WOODEN STRUCTURE FOR IT TO SUPPORT THE CONES IN BETWEEN.

BUT IT WAS ACTUALLY INSIDE OUR THE SCHOOL'S LIBRARY, AND IT HAD THE ACCESS THAT WENT OUT THROUGH THE WINDOW.

THE BEES WOULD JUST COME AND GO AND DO THEIR THING, AND IT WAS IT WAS WONDERFUL.

YOU'D SIT THERE AND WATCH THEM DOING THEIR LIVING, THEIR LIVES, AND THEY DIDN'T BOTHER ANYBODY. AND ONE TIME WE ACTUALLY HAD A WONDERFUL SWARM AND OUR SCIENCE TEACHER TOOK US OUT AND WE COULD ACTUALLY PUT OUR HANDS ON THE SWARM BECAUSE IT'S THEY'RE TOTALLY PASSIVE. THEY'RE BASICALLY WRAPPING AROUND THE QUEEN AND KEEPING HER WARM.

BUT IT WAS IT WAS THE SIZE OF A PUMPKIN HANGING ON A TREE, AND THAT WAS JUST THAT'S AN EXPERIENCE I WILL NEVER FORGET.

SO I RECOMMEND IT.

THAT IS SO AWESOME, NED. MY STUDENTS, LAST YEAR, MY STEPDAD WAS A BEEKEEPER AND HE ZOOMED

[00:25:05]

THEY HAD REPORTS, BUT THE STUDENTS SINCE THEN HAVE BEEN SO INTERESTED AND THEY'RE REALLY LIKE, CAN WE GET BEES? DO YOU THINK MR. JOE WOULD LET US GET BEES? AND I SAW SOMETHING FOR THIS GRANT I APPLIED TO ABOUT DOING THAT INTERNAL STRUCTURE FOR THE KIDS JUST TO SIT AND OBSERVE, BECAUSE THAT'S A LOT WITH MONTESSORI.

THEY OBSERVE, EVEN LIKE THE GUINEA PIGS LIKE THEY SIT, THEY SEE HOW IT SCRATCHES AND WHAT IT EATS AND HOW OFTEN IT MOVES.

SO I HOPE THAT THAT CAN COME TO FRUITION BECAUSE I THINK IT WOULD BE SO BEAUTIFUL FOR OUR SCHOOL. AND WE ARE VERY OPEN TO ANY EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU GUYS HAVE IN THE WORKS OR THAT THERE'S, YOU KNOW, OUTREACH FOR WE.

OUR KIDS LOVE THAT STUFF.

JACKIE IS I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S YOU OR CHRISTINE THAT KNOWS THE BAT PERSON, THE BAT EXPERT, BUT WE WERE HOPING TO GET SOMEONE ON CAMPUS TO TALK ABOUT THE BATS AFTER WE GET THE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE BUILDING HOUSES RIGHT NOW.

YOU KNOW, WE ARE TRYING TO.

WE ARE FROM NOW ON.

I THINK WE ARE READY A GREEN SCHOOL, BUT WE'RE PUSHING TOWARDS DOING THAT AND MAKING SURE THE KIDS KNOW ALL OF THAT.

IT TAKES TO BE A GREEN SCHOOL AND, YOU KNOW, REDUCE YOUR WASTE AND YOU KNOW, WE WOULD LOVE TO. I THINK I TALKED TO YOU LEROY ABOUT SOLAR PANELS AND THE SOLAR INITIATIVE, THINGS LIKE THAT. YOU KNOW, WE ARE INTERESTED IN PROMOTING OUR CAMPUS FOR ALL THOSE ENVIRONMENTAL AVENUES AND BECAUSE TEACHING YOUNG, YOU KNOW, AND MAKING IT IMPORTANT.

KENDRA, GO AHEAD. AND I'M GRATEFUL TO HEAR THAT, BECAUSE PART OF OUR ROLE AS A COMMISSION IS TO TEACH PARTICULARLY ABOUT NATURAL RESOURCES, BUT CERTAINLY WETLANDS AND REACHING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS AND TEACHING ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTING THEM, WHICH WE'LL TALK ABOUT SOME FUN FACTS LATER ON RELATED TO THEM.

BUT THAT MIGHT BE FUN FOR YOUR STUDENTS TO LEARN.

AND YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY WETLANDS HELP WITH FLOODING.

AND SO AND HAVING THOSE BUFFERS, IT WILL CERTAINLY HELP WITH THAT TOO.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WORKING ON THAT AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR PLACES THAT HAVE A LOT OF EYES THAT CAN SEE THINGS TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY.

SO IT'S GREAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HAPPY TO I'M CERTAINLY HAPPY TO HELP YOU AND OH, PLEASE LOVE TO TROMP AROUND IN THERE.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? I JUST WAS THINKING ABOUT THE BEE, OBSERVING THE BEES FROM THE INSIDE AND IT OCCURS TO ME, DOES FENNER HAVE ONE OF THOSE? DOES ANYONE KNOW HAVE SOME? I KNOW MICHIGAN'S HOUSE DOES, BUT I DON'T KNOW ABOUT FENNER.

OKAY, I ONLY BRING IT UP IF IT'S USEFUL TO YOU ALL FOR A MODEL OF HOW SOMEONE ELSE MAY BE DOING IT LOCALLY.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, COURTNEY? THANK YOU, MR. SARVER, JUST FOR DAVIS AND JACKIE, YOUR EXCITEMENT IS INFECTIOUS, THAT'S FANTASTIC. AS A BOARD LIAISON, THIS IS REALLY EXCITING, EXCITING HOW MUCH YOU'VE DONE WITH, QUITE HONESTLY, A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY.

YOU SAID ALL YOU NEED ARE SOME FUNDS AND SOME BUY IN.

SO THIS IS, IT'S FANTASTIC.

I MEAN, THE EDUCATION THAT YOU'RE USING IS VERY TACTILE.

I MEAN, THIS IS THE MONTESSORI WAY, RIGHT? BUT IT'S VERY TACTILE.

AND LIKE YOU SAID, YOU HAVE TO INTRODUCE THIS VERY YOUNG AND KIDS JUST ABSORB IT AND THEY JUST MODEL IT IN THE FACT THAT YOU'RE USING SO MANY VARIOUS ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES TO ACCOMMODATE ALL THAT YOU'RE DOING.

IT'S JUST IT'S VERY EXCITING.

AND SO I'M VERY PROUD THAT YOU'RE PART OF OUR GRANT PROGRAM.

I DID WANT TO SAY THAT WE DO AND LEROY.

I HOPE I'M NOT OVERSTEPPING, BUT WE DID APPROPRIATE ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR THIS UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR. AND SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU IF IN FACT YOU NEED ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO DO MORE WORK TO AT LEAST APPLY TO THE GREEN GRANTS FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR AS WELL.

AND ANOTHER THING I'D LIKE TO ASK AND IF YOU'RE WILLING TO PRESENT ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES AS THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THEY HEAR ALL THE WORK YOU'VE DONE, YOU KNOW THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE APPROPRIATE.

THE FUNDING THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION IS THE ONE THAT CERTAINLY IS THE ADVOCATES FOR ALL OF THIS TYPE OF WORK.

[00:30:01]

SO I INVITE YOU TO DO THAT.

I CAN CERTAINLY WORK WITH LEROY TO GET YOU ON THE AGENDA SO THAT EVERYBODY CAN HEAR EVERYBODY OUT, EVEN OUTSIDE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL WORLD CAN HEAR ALL THE STUFF THAT YOU'VE DONE AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR THE YOUNG TO TO LEARN SO EARLY AND GOT THREE STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES, HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL THAT HAVE BEEN INTEGRAL IN GETTING OUR MESSAGE ACROSS IN MULTIPLE AVENUES.

SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU AND VERY EXCITED.

SO ARE WE. IN THE OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS.

HEY, DAVIS AND JACKIE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING, THIS HAS BEEN VERY ENLIGHTENING AND YOU'VE DONE OBVIOUSLY A GREAT PROJECT, AND I'M SURE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES WILL BE HAPPY TO KIND OF HEAR ABOUT IT.

SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO KIND OF WORKING WITH YOU IN THE FUTURE.

YES, PLEASE. AND YOU HAVE MY EMAIL.

PLEASE SEND ME ANY KIND OF OUTREACH INFORMATION YOU HAVE AND I WOULD LOVE TO SCHEDULE IF YOU GIVE TALKS TO KIDS, PLEASE LET US KNOW WE LOVE STUFF LIKE THAT.

SO IF YOU'RE WILLING TO SEND ALONG YOUR YOUR SIGNS, I'D BE HAPPY TO SHARE THAT WITH THE GROUP. AND NOW THAT YOU'RE PROFESSIONAL ON ZOOM, I'M SURE YOU BOARD PRESENTATION WILL BE TOP NOTCH. THANKS SO MUCH.

THANK YOU AGAIN. THANK YOU SO MUCH, YOU GUYS.

WELL, THE FIRST ITEM FOR US TO DEAL WITH IS THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA, AND I BELIEVE,

[3. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA]

AND I FOUND THAT VERY HELPFUL BECAUSE I DID KIND OF CHECK TO SEE ALL THE UPDATES THAT WERE THERE. AND SO WE'LL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO HIGHLIGHT SOMETHING OR ELABORATE SOMETHING WHEN WE GET DOWN TO COMMISSIONER AND STAFF UPDATES.

BUT I THINK VAL'S IDEA OF KIND OF HAVING A CONSENT AGENDA WILL PROBABLY HELP US HAVE MORE TIME FOR DISCUSSION AND KIND OF DEALING WITH VARIOUS ISSUES.

SO WITH THAT, LET ME GET A I'D LIKE TO HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE AGENDA.

AND IF ANYBODY WANTS TO ADD ANYTHING TO THE AGENDA THAT VALERIE, BY THE WAY, I'M ASSUMING THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LAKE LANSING UNDER THE TIMELY ENVIRONMENTAL TOPICS.

THAT'S BEEN A TOPIC OF MUCH DISCUSSION DURING THE PAST WEEKS, I GUESS.

AND LET'S SEE, BUT IS THERE ANYTHING VALERIE, I BELIEVE, MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA, BUT ALSO, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT ANYBODY WANTS TO ADD TO THE AGENDA? I FORGOT THAT. YEAH, KENDRA? IS IT A SECOND OR YOU WANT TO ADD SOMETHING? I WANT TO ADD I JUST WANT TO SAY TIMELY ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IS AN AGENDA ITEM THAT I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE ONGOING. BUT FOR THIS MONTH, I THINK EVERY MONTH WILL BE SOMETHING DIFFERENT. AND HERE I WOULD SUGGEST WE TALK ABOUT LAKE LANSING AND ALSO FLOODING WITH THE ONGOING RAINS THAT WE HAVE.

ADDITIONALLY, I'M NOTICING IN THE MINUTES FROM LAST MONTH THAT THERE'S NO MENTION OF US TALKING ABOUT FLOODING.

AND I KNOW THAT MOST CERTAINLY I SPOKE ABOUT FLOODING, AND NED SPOKE ABOUT FLOODING LAST MONTH. AND SO I WANT THAT TO BE REFLECTED IN THE MINUTES.

OK, OK.

WELL, WE'LL GET INTO THAT.

SO LET'S SEE.

DO I HAVE A SECOND FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA? THANK YOU, COURTNEY. THANK YOU, TOM.

ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE AGENDA.

PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. IS OK, IS ANYBODY OPPOSED? OK, MOVING RIGHT ALONG.

NOW, WE'RE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES, AND KENDRA HAS SUGGESTED MAKING SOME ADDITIONS TO THE

[4. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES]

WE'LL DO THAT.

AND SO IS THERE ANY OTHER ADDITIONS TO THE MINUTES THAT PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE OR CORRECTIONS? LOOK, I DON'T SEE ANY.

WOULD SOMEBODY LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? SO MOVED.

THANK YOU. OK.

TOM, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SECOND THAT? OK. ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

OK, ANY OPPOSED? OK, OK.

WE'RE MOVING ON TO PUBLIC REMARKS NOW.

[5. PUBLIC REMARKS]

BUT DO WE HAVE ANYBODY WHO'S KIND OF CONTACTED US WHO WANTS TO MAKE PUBLIC REMARKS? OK, I GUESS NOT. OK.

UH, MOVING UNDER NEW BUSINESS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A REGULAR ADDITION TO THE AGENDA OF

[6A. Timely Environmental Topics]

[00:35:07]

AND SO LET'S FIRST TALK ABOUT LAKE LANSING AND VALERIE.

COULD YOU JUST GIVE US A LITTLE BACKGROUND TO GET THE DISCUSSION GOING? YOU HAVE TO UNMUTE YOURSELF, THOUGH.

SO, YEAH, SO THE PAST WEEK, WE HAD THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THE LAKE HAD THE BLUE GREEN TOXIC ALGAE AND THAT IT WAS TESTED AND INDEED IT WAS THERE, AND NOW I GUESS IT'S KIND OF DISSIPATED, BUT IT SEEMED LIKE AN IDEAL OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF WHAT WE DO ON OUR YARD AND IN OUR DRIVEWAY, THE STUFF THAT WE USE AND WHAT GETS ON THE YARD IN THE LAKE LANSING WATERSHED AND HOW BIG RAINS, IT CAN JUST GET ALL FLUSHED DOWN TO THAT LOWER LEVEL, WHICH IS LAKE LANSING THAT'S SITTING THERE LIKE A BUCKET TO COLLECT IT ALL.

AND THE DAMAGE IT CAUSES.

AND ALTHOUGH THE BLUE GREEN ALGAE THAT IS TEMPORARY AND MAYBE IT'S ANOTHER LAKES, AND I THINK IT'S REFLECTIVE OF A PERHAPS CONDITIONS IN THE LAKE THAT ARE ALREADY COMPROMISED AND THERE'S THINGS MAYBE THAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE IT HEALTHIER.

AND SO AND IT REALLY FITS IN WITH KENDRA AND ALL YOUR HARD EFFORT ON OUR STORM WATER AND WETLANDS AND SO FORTH.

SO IT SEEMED LIKE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE USE THE LAKE, THEY KNOW THE LAKE, THEY LOVE THE LAKE, IT'S THE ONLY LAKE WE GOT, REALLY, SO WE COULD DO A BUNCH OF LITTLE STUFF TO MAKE IT BETTER.

AND SO THAT'S WHAT THE DISCUSSION WAS ABOUT.

AND, YOU KNOW, THE ALGAE, NOT THAT THAT WOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM, BUT APPARENTLY THAT ALSO CREATED SOME TOXIC BACTERIA, RIGHT, THAT SO BASICALLY IT LED TO A WARNING BY THE PUBLIC HEALTH FOLKS THAT NOBODY SHOULD BE SWIMMING IN THERE AND YOU KNOW, IT WAS A DANGER TO PEOPLE AND ANIMALS.

AND SO THAT WAS KIND OF NO SWIMMING FOR A WHILE, WHICH LASTED FOR A WHILE.

SO THAT WAS KIND OF TALK ABOUT A RED FLAG RIGHT AND LETHAL TO PETS THAT THEY COULD DRINK IT, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S NOT A GOOD THING.

IT CERTAINLY EQUALS UNHEALTHY ALTOGETHER.

NED, GO AHEAD. SO WE LIVE OUT THERE ON LAKE LANSING AND A COUPLE OF THINGS, ONE IS, OF COURSE, LET'S NOT FORGET THAT WE ACTUALLY DID, A FEW YEARS AGO NOW, BUT WE WERE INVOLVED IN TRYING TO FORBID THE SALE OF PHOSPHOROUS CONTAINING FERTILIZERS IN THE TOWNSHIP.

BUT THEN THE STATE CAME ALONG AND MADE THAT ILLEGAL ANYWAY.

AND SO OUR ACTIVITIES WERE WERE SUPERSEDED BY THAT.

BUT IT IS STRICTLY SPEAKING, NOT NOT ALLOWED TO APPLY PHOSPHOROUS CONTAINING PHOSPHATE CONTAINING FERTILIZERS TO LAWNS AROUND THE LAKE OR ANYWHERE, WHICH DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE DON'T GET PHOSPHATE IN THE IN THE RUNOFF, OF COURSE.

BUT THE OTHER THING IS THAT ALGAE, IT TENDS TO CONCENTRATE SORT OF DOWNWIND BECAUSE IT FLOATS. AND SO IT WAS CONCENTRATING ON THE SORT OF NORTH, WHAT WOULD I SAY? NORTHEAST CORNER OF THE LAKE? AND TO BE HONEST, IT'S KIND OF DISAPPEARED.

THAT DOESN'T SAY THAT THE TOXIN IS TOTALLY GONE, BUT IT'S THE SAME STUFF THAT SO SO IT'S STRICTLY SPEAKING, A BACTERIUM.

BUT BUT IT'S COMMONLY CALLED BLUE GREEN ALGAE, AND IT'S THE SAME STUFF THAT MADE TOLEDO HAVE TO ESSENTIALLY BRING IN WATER FROM THE OUTSIDE BECAUSE THEIR WATER SUPPLY WAS FROM LAKE ERIE AND AND WAS CONTAMINATED BY THAT STUFF.

SO YEAH, APPARENTLY IT'S ASSOCIATED WITH SORT OF DAMP AND WARM PERIODS.

AND THE QUESTION IS, IS IT SOMETHING OUR LAKE, YOU KNOW, IS IT SORT OF A CONSEQUENCE OF, YOU KNOW, BIGGER SHIFTS IN OUR BEHAVIOR OR IN OUR CLIMATE SITUATION? OR IS IT JUST, DOES IT JUST HAPPEN TO BE WHAT HAPPENED THIS SUMMER? AND OF COURSE, THAT'S ALWAYS THE QUESTION WITH ANY ENVIRONMENTAL SORT OF WEATHER STYLE ISSUE. SO, YEAH, I DON'T KNOW.

I DON'T KNOW. AS FAR AS WE'VE BEEN ON THE LAKE FOR 30 PLUS YEARS, AND THAT'S THE FIRST YEAR THAT I'M AWARE THAT IT'S BEEN AN ISSUE.

E. COLI HAS BEEN AN ISSUE OVER YEARS, BUT NOT THAT.

[00:40:02]

VALERIE? WELL, THE PHOSPHATE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S STUDIES THAT ARE DONE ON THE WATER.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S EVERY YEAR, BUT THEY WERE ELEVATED THIS YEAR, WERE THEY NOT? I MEAN, I'VE READ THE REPORT THAT WAS NOT THE LATEST, BUT WAS A RECENT ONE.

I WAS PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN THERE WAS A LAKE LANSING MANAGEMENT PRETTY EXTENSIVE REPORT, I THOUGHT THAT WAS DONE BY A LOT OF PEOPLE.

A LOT OF DIFFERENT ENTITIES GOT TOGETHER TO WRITE THAT, AND IT'S POSTED ON THE ON THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP LAKE LANSING ADVISORY COMMITTEE SITE.

AND YOU KNOW, IT WAS TALKING ABOUT ELEVATED PHOSPHORUS THEN, AS WELL AS NITRATES.

AND YOU KNOW, AND WHO KNOWS WHAT CONTAMINANTS OF PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, DUMP STUFF IN THERE IN THEIR YARDS OR EVEN LAKE OWNERS? THAT MAY I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I HEARD THE STORY SECONDHAND, BUT THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE CLEANING OUT THEIR FIRE PITS THAT THEY USE FOR RECREATIONAL PURPOSES AND THROWING THAT IN THE LAKE, WHICH, YOU KNOW THAT THAT WOULD NOT BE GOOD.

THERE'D BE A LOT OF BAD STUFF IN IT AND JUST THAT ORGANIC MATTER, YOU KNOW, IT'S INCREASING. I MEAN, WE'VE ONLY BEEN THERE FOR YEARS AND THE WATER WAS PRETTY CLEAR WHEN WE GOT THERE. AND SOME PEOPLE SAY, YEAH, THAT'S WHEN WE HAD THE WHATEVER THE INVASIVE THING WAS, IT WAS THE ZEBRA MUSSELS.

THE ZEBRA MUSSELS CLEARED IT UP A BIT AND THEN THE ZEBRA MUSSELS WENT THROUGH A DIP.

BUT NOW THEY'RE BACK AGAIN.

THIS YEAR, IT'S MAYBE A LITTLE DIFFERENT EVERY YEAR.

MAYBE IT'LL GET CLEAN AGAIN.

YEAH, BUT THE POINT IS, STUFF IS GETTING IN THERE.

I MEAN, IT COULD BE FROM THE WIND OR COULD BE, I DON'T KNOW, SOMEBODY.

I MEAN, WE'RE USING IT PROBABLY INNOCENTLY.

I MEAN, YOU CAN STILL BUY IT.

YOU CAN STILL BUY THE FERTILIZER, THAT'S THE 12-12-12 OR WHATEVER IT IS.

AND I THINK BY LAW, I DID A QUICK READ OF IT AND IT SAID, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN STILL USE IT AND FARMERS CAN USE IT AND YOU CAN USE IT ON SPECIFIC TREES AND STUFF, BUT YOU SHOULDN'T BE USING IT AS A GENERAL FERTILIZER IN YOUR YARD.

WHERE CAN YOU BUY IT? BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT HOME DEPOT AND ALL THE BIG STORES BASICALLY HAD STOPPED THAT THEY WEREN'T SELLING IT ANYWAY.

AND THEN WE ENDED UP SAYING THEY COULDN'T DO IT AT ALL.

AND I'VE SEEN IT AROUND.

YOU CAN BUY THE UNBRANDED 12-12-12 STUFF, BUT YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT'S JUST AN EDUCATIONAL THING, MAYBE IT NEEDS TO BE BACKED UP WITH A LITTLE BIT OF TWEAKING OF ORDINANCES.

I DON'T KNOW. I ALSO READ, YOU KNOW, MORE CAREFULLY, NOT ALL OF OUR ORDINANCES, BUT THERE'S ALSO A PRETTY LENGTHY LIST ABOUT WHAT NOT PUT IT IN YOUR YARD OR, YOU KNOW.

RIGHT. BUT I THINK PROBABLY IT'S MORE OUT OF, YOU KNOW, NOT KNOWING, PEOPLE HAD A BETTER IDEA. AND THERE'S A WHOLE LITANY OF THINGS THAT WE COULD BE DOING BETTER, INCLUDING, YOU KNOW, IN THE LAKE, WHEN THEY HARVEST THE WEEDS, THEY HARVEST THE WEEDS TWICE A YEAR, I GUESS NOW AND SOMETIMES THEY COME FLOATING UP IN MASSES TO THE SHORELINE, AND IT'S GOOD TO TAKE THOSE OUT BECAUSE THAT'S ORGANIC MATTER.

AND I UNDERSTAND THAT SOME PEOPLE KIND OF PUSH THEM BACK OUT TO SEA, HOPING THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T WANT TO DEAL WITH THEM.

SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF THAT COULD BE HELPFUL.

I'M SORRY, LEROY. I'LL CUT IT OFF THERE.

THAT'S ALL RIGHT. DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? JUST BRIEFLY, I APPRECIATE THIS.

I LOVE THIS CONCEPT OF AN ONGOING, TIMELY ENVIRONMENTAL TOPICS BECAUSE THAT'S OF COURSE, THE MEDIA, THE PUBLIC ARE MORE TUNED IN TO OUR AGENDA, AT LEAST SOME OF THE THINGS WE'VE BEEN DEVELOPING.

SO WE HAVE THE WETLAND BROCHURE AND WE HAVE A NEW FALL YARD CARE TIPS PIECE THAT HAVE INVOLVED MANY OF YOU AND THE PRODUCTION AND A LOT OF THE SUGGESTIONS IN BOTH OF THOSE PUBLICATIONS KIND OF RELATE TO SOME OF THESE SMALL THINGS THAT WE CAN EACH DO TO MAKE AN IMPACT ON NUTRIENTS ENTERING THE ECOSYSTEM, SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE JUST INVITE YOU.

WE ARE SORT OF WE ALL HAVE OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA OR THROUGH OUR EXISTING ORGANIZATIONS TO SHARE THIS INFORMATION.

AND SO YOU CAN HELP US KIND OF BE THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION THAT WE HAVE IS HOW DO WE GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT THE SMALL THINGS THAT WE CAN DO? AND CERTAINLY HOMTV IS HELPFUL, BUT THEY'RE ALSO QUITE OVERLOADED.

SO AS A GREEN NEIGHBOR OR AS A SOMEONE IN YOUR CONGREGATION OR YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU CAN HELP KIND OF SPREAD THIS TIMELY OPPORTUNITIES.

BUT HOW WE PACKAGE THIS INFORMATION WITH THESE TIMELY ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IS STILL A QUESTION. SO IT'S ALMOST LIKE TWEAKING THINGS AS WE GO TO TO FRAME IT IN A WAY THAT RELATES TO THE TIMELY ISSUE, BUT ALSO TO THE THE AUDIENCE THAT YOU ARE HELPING TO REACH.

[00:45:06]

I THINK KENDRA HAD RAISED HER HAND TO.

THANK YOU, I JUST ECHO IT, LEROY SEEING, YOU KNOW, WE HAD THE WETLAND BROCHURE AND WETLAND LETTER THAT WENT OUT TO FOLKS, YOU KNOW, ADJACENT OR ON WETLANDS, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF THE LAKE LANSING RESIDENTS ENDED UP GETTING THAT, BUT I KNOW I SENT THAT LETTER OUT MULTIPLE PLACES, AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GETTING TO THAT, FOLKS, BUT A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT'S IN THAT BROCHURE DOES APPLY AND WOULD BE HELPFUL TO THE LAKE LANSING FOLKS. SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S JUST A MATTER OF BRINGING EVERYBODY TO THE TABLE, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT MANY TIMES BEFORE IS, YOU KNOW, PROTECTING OUR WATERSHED. HOW MANY PLACES AND HOW MANY BOARDS OR COMMISSIONS AT THE TOWNSHIP ARE INVOLVED IN LIKE, SAY, WETLANDS OR WATERSHED OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, RIGHT? AND HOW CAN WE BRING EVERYBODY TO THE TABLE TO KIND OF DISCUSS THE ISSUES AT HAND AND AND HELP EVERYONE WITH SOME SIMPLE DO'S AND SIMPLE DON'TS AND THROUGH EDUCATION? AND I GUESS THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I'M THINKING ABOUT MY RELATIONSHIP TO THIS AND APPRECIATE VALERIE'S PASSION AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE.

AND, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE'S ON BOARD WITH THIS BECAUSE IT REALLY IS.

AND I THINK WE CAN'T IGNORE LIKE THE AMOUNT OF FLOODING WE'VE HAD, RIGHT? SO LAKE LANSING AND FLOODING.

YOU KNOW, THAT PART GOES TOGETHER LIKE I THINK VALERIE SENT OUT, AT LEAST TO ME.

I'M NOT SURE SHE SENT EVERYBODY A REPORT FROM LIKE, THINK IT WAS LIKE TWO THOUSAND ONE, YOUR RELATIONSHIP TO LAKE LANSING.

AND WITH ALL THESE HELPFUL HINTS OF THINGS TO DO TO HELP THE LAKE BE HEALTHY AND A LOT OF THAT WAS PUT IN ORDINANCES.

BUT FOLKS AREN'T JUST AWARE OF THOSE ORDINANCES, YOU KNOW, SO I THINK THAT'S WHERE IT'S OUR JOB TO SOME DEGREE TO HELP EDUCATE PEOPLE ON THAT AND THE WAYS TO GO ABOUT DOING IT.

I DON'T KNOW THAT I KNOW ALL THE WAYS TO DO THAT, BUT I'M HOPING WE CAN PUT OUR MINDS TOGETHER AND HELP. WELL, YOU KNOW, KENDRA, RELATED TO KIND OF CONVENING FOLKS THAT NEED TO KIND OF BE TALKING ABOUT THESE ISSUES IN THE PROCESS OF DOING THE DEVELOPING AND THE WETLAND EDUCATION CAMPAIGN, AND I KNOW THAT'S ONGOING.

I ASSUME A NUMBER OF THE ACTORS, MAYBE NOT ALL OF THEM HAVE ALREADY BEEN KIND OF CONVENED TOGETHER TO TALK ABOUT THE EDUCATION CAMPAIGN, RIGHT? YES, THE NUMBER OF FOLKS FROM THE TOWNSHIP, FOR SURE, YOU KNOW, THE NUMBER OF DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS FROM THE TOWNSHIP, I MEAN, WE'VE GOT ENGINEERING AND WE'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, LAND PRESERVATION PARKS.

WE, YOU KNOW, LEROY, WE'VE GOT SOME PLANNING FOLKS LIKE WE HAVE THOSE FOLKS, BUT WE DON'T HAVE AS THE COMMISSION, YOU KNOW, THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS LIKE THE LAKE LANSING ADVISORY BOARD OR I MEAN, WE HAVE [INAUDIBLE], BUT YOU KNOW, LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE PLANNING COMMISSION, YOU KNOW, I THINK ANYONE THAT TOUCHES AND HAS TO DO WITH THIS, WE NEED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION LIKE THIS WITH EVERYONE ON BOARD AND HEARING THE SAME INFORMATION, AND I'M NOT EVEN SURE THAT ALL THE INFORMATION WENT OUT TO THE TOWNSHIP STAFF.

YOU KNOW ABOUT WHAT THESE, YOU KNOW, RELATIONSHIP TO THE WETLAND ORDINANCE AND ALL OF THAT KIND OF STUFF AND THE SIMPLE DO'S AND SIMPLE DON'T SO.

SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, VERY LONG WINDED.

SORRY. SEVERAL TOWNSHIP FOLKS ARE INVOLVED.

I DON'T THINK THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ARE INVOLVED.

OK. IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT MAYBE THEY COULD BE INVITED TO FUTURE MEETINGS AND TRY TO ROPE THEM IN, BUT. AND GO AHEAD.

YES, THANK YOU, VALERIE, FOR BRINGING THIS UP, AND KENDRA, YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING? SO YOU MENTIONED EDUCATING ON THE ORDINANCES AND IT OCCURS TO ME THAT, YOU KNOW, VALERIE ALSO SENT IN SOME OF AND ONE OF HER EMAILS SOME POTENTIAL SUGGESTIONS OF ORDINANCE CHANGES OR CRAFTING NEW ORDINANCES.

SO I ONE, I DIDN'T WANT THAT TO GET LOST.

IF THIS IS A, YOU KNOW, A POINT OF I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A POINT OF DISCUSSION FOR TODAY, TOO. I WOULD SAY AS A NEWER COMMISSIONER, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR ME TO GET A SENSE, YOU KNOW, THAT IS ONE OF OUR TASKS OR ONE OF THE THINGS THAT AS A COMMISSION THAT THAT WE'RE TASKED TO DO IS TO ADVISE ON THINGS LIKE ORDINANCES.

SO I GUESS I'M JUST NOT SURE WHAT THE PROCESS IS OR WHEN WE GET INVOLVED IN THAT TYPE OF WORK. SO I THINK THAT COULD BE HELPFUL FOR ME TO KIND OF GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THAT PROCESS IS FOR ADVISING ON DIFFERENT ORDINANCES.

AND THEN ALSO JUST BRING UP THAT VALERIE HAD SENT AN EMAIL ABOUT THAT.

AND MAYBE.

AND IS IT A TIME TO DISCUSS THAT NOW? WE. I TELL YOU MY REACTION, TOO, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE CITY OF EAST LANSING IS A GOOD EXAMPLE WAS MORE SPECIFIC IN SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION

[00:50:03]

WE HAD LANGUAGE WHICH IS VERY BROAD, WHICH I THINK TO ME AT LEAST MEANS THAT EVERYTHING THAT EAST LANSING TALKED ABOUT WE CAN DO, IN FACT, WE COULD BE KIND OF WE HAVE LIKE A VERY BROAD MANDATE.

PART OF THE STRUGGLE, OF COURSE, WITH ANY COMMISSION LIKE US THAT HAS SUCH A BROAD MANDATE IS WHAT DO WE WORK ON? BECAUSE ENVIRONMENT OBVIOUSLY IS A ZILLION ISSUES, LOTS OF WICKED PROBLEMS TO DEAL WITH.

THE REALITY IS, AND AT SOME POINT LEROY MIGHT BRING THIS UP IS THAT WE DO DEVELOP GOALS FOR EACH YEAR. AND SO THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO BASICALLY SAY, OK, IT'S OUR PRIORITY FOR 2022 TO FOCUS IN ON X OR Y OR Q.

AND CERTAINLY, THOUGH, I LIKE THE IDEA OF THE TIMELY ENVIRONMENTAL TOPICS BECAUSE I THINK WHENEVER YOU COME UP WITH A PLAN, YOU STILL HAVE TO HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY TO KIND OF DEAL WITH THINGS THAT COME UP, YOU KNOW? AND SO I THINK THERE'S NOTHING REALLY MAGIC ABOUT THIS.

I DON'T THINK IT'S JUST THAT ANY OF US, AS COMMISSIONERS CAN RAISE AN ISSUE, DISCUSS IT.

WE CAN FORM A COMMITTEE IF THAT'S A GOOD PATH.

CERTAINLY THINGS THAT WE KNOW ARE IMPORTANT.

WE CAN PUT INTO OUR GOALS FOR THE NEXT YEAR OR THINGS COME UP.

WE CAN GET LIKE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LAKE LANSING NOW, YOU KNOW, DECIDE WHAT, IF ANYTHING, WE CAN DO. SOME OF THIS, I THINK, IS JUST HELPFUL TO KIND OF TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON. BUT LET ME BRING THIS BACK BEFORE WE TALK ABOUT FLOODING TO VALERIE OR ANYBODY ELSE. OK, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED AT LAKE LANSING.

IS THERE ANYTHING, VALERIE, THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE OR ANYBODY ELSE, FOR THAT MATTER, RELATED TO THAT ISSUE AS NEXT STEPS? WELL, I GUESS TWO THINGS COME TO MIND.

ONE IS THAT I COVERED LIKE, I MEAN, I WAS TAKING THAT OLD REPORT, THE LAKE LANSING MANAGEMENT REPORT, AND TOOK THREE THINGS FROM IT TO TO SAY COULD WE LOOK AT THESE ORDINANCES BECAUSE THEY DO SPEAK TO, YOU KNOW, THE LAKE AS WELL AS THE FLOODING THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE OF? AND YOU KNOW, ALL THE TOPICS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE I'D LIKE TO SEE US TAKE ONE EVEN MAYBE THE, YOU KNOW, THE IMPERVIOUS SURFACES LIKE WITHIN THE WATERSHED AREA.

YOU KNOW, ANYBODY THAT'S BUILDING A NEW SIDEWALK OR YOU KNOW, OR OR, YEAH, DRIVEWAY OR PATIO SOMEHOW USE BLOCKS OR SOMETHING OTHER THAN A BIG SHEET OF CONCRETE THAT'S GOING TO RAISE THE WATER RIGHT DOWN INTO THE LAKE BEFORE IT HAS A CHANCE TO PERCOLATE IN THE GROUND. I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A LOT THERE AND A LOT THAT HAVE TO BE DISCUSSED AND CONSIDERED, BUT TO GET SOMETHING ON ITS WAY, I THINK, WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.

AND THEN THEN WE'D UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS BETTER AND WHAT WE NEED FOR OTHER THINGS.

I KNOW THERE'S A WHOLE LITANY OF STUFF IN THE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE THAT EVERYBODY'S REAL EXCITED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO BRING IT TO LIFE.

AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S CERTAINLY ONE AREA, BUT THAT IS ONE AREA I THINK THAT WOULD REALLY HELP THE LAKE OR AT LEAST THE LAKE LANSING WATERSHED AREA.

I KNOW THAT THERE'S AN OVERLAY DISTRICT.

I'M NOT REALLY SURE HOW PLANNING HAS IT SET UP OR DOES IT HAVE TO BE FOR ALL OF MERIDIAN OR I DON'T KNOW.

I MEAN, THOSE ARE A WHOLE LOT OF QUESTIONS.

WELL, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THE AGENDA FOR THE DECEMBER MEETING WILL BE TALKING ABOUT GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE. YOU KNOW, AND I BELIEVE CLIFF IS GOING TO JOIN US OR IS THAT RIGHT? LEROY THAT'S KIND OF PLANNED FOR DECEMBER? THE IDEA IS TO GET SOME FEEDBACK FROM YANNIS AND TIM SCHMIDT, THE DIRECTOR ON THE KIND OF A LAUNDRY LIST OF OPTIONS THAT CLIFF HAD SUGGESTED.

I'M NOT SURE IF CLIFF CAN JOIN US OR NOT, BUT WE REALLY HAVE AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF FOLLOW UP ON WHAT VALERIE IS SUGGESTING IS LOOK AT WHAT ARE SOME OF THE LOW HANGING FRUIT, SOME CODE CHANGES THAT MAY NOT REQUIRE A WHOLE LOT OF EFFORT.

IN FACT, MAYBE IT'S JUST REMOVING OBSTACLES TO DOING SMART THINGS IN FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS.

SO CLIFF IS INTERESTED IN GETTING THAT SORT OF PRACTICAL FEEDBACK FROM PEOPLE OVER THE FEET ON THE GROUND.

AND TIM HAS PROMISED TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS AND SHARE HIS THOUGHTS.

CLIFF IS REALLY INTERESTED IN SORT OF THE PLANNERS PERSPECTIVE BECAUSE WE'RE KIND OF TAKING THE LEADERSHIP IN THE REGION HERE.

UNFORTUNATELY, CLIFF IS LEAVING TRI COUNTY, BUT HE DID GET A JOB WITH EAST LANSING, SO OUR SISTER CITY WILL BE AN ADVOCATE.

[00:55:04]

I SHARE THE THE DRAFT IN THE CHAT.

UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S A FAIRLY LARGE DOCUMENT, BUT YOU CAN GET A SENSE OF WHAT SOME OF THE IDEAS THAT CAME THROUGH ON THAT ARE.

AND. OK, SUPER.

JOHN, I SAID I HAD TWO THINGS, AND I'LL BE QUICK, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU ASKING AND GIVING ME THE SPACE TO EXPRESS THIS.

THE OTHER ONE WAS SEEDS OF IT CAME OUT OF THE GREEN DIALOG FROM THIS MORNING, AND THAT IS THAT THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT PLAYERS AROUND THE LEAGUE, DIFFERENT ENTITIES THAT WOULD BE WONDERFUL JUST TO GET THEM TOGETHER, NOT ONLY THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE TOWNSHIP, BUT YOU KNOW, MSU HAS A PRESENCE AND CERTAINLY THE COUNTY HAS A HUGE PRESENCE.

I DON'T KNOW IF SOME MEETING COULD BE CONVENED AT, YOU KNOW, AT A HIGH ENOUGH LEVEL THAT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF PEOPLE WOULD COME SO THAT WE COULD SO THAT EVERYBODY COULD TALK ABOUT THEIR PIECE OF IT. AND MAYBE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE COME UP WITH SOME BROADER SOLUTIONS BECAUSE IT IS COMPLICATED.

AND AS WE ALL KNOW, IN SITUATIONS WHERE IT'S NOT CLEAR WHO HAS RESPONSIBILITY, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE INVOLVED IN IT THAT ARE PRINCIPLE PLAYERS IT JUST GETS KEEP THE CAN JUST KEEPS GETTING KICKED ONE WAY AND THE OTHER, AND NOTHING HAPPENS.

SO WHO DO YOU SEE? I MEAN, THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD IDEA.

WHO DO YOU SEE IS CONVENING THE MEETING? WELL, IT COULD BE YOU OR WOULD WHAT YOU DO THINK MR. STYKA WOULD BE WILLING TO TO DO SOMETHING IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE AND THE LAND PRESERVATION COMMITTEE AND THE YOU KNOW, IN OUR [INAUDIBLE], YOU KNOW, THE LAKE LANSING ADVISORY COUNCIL AND THEN WITH THE LAKE LANSING ADVISORY COUNCIL, BE A LOGICAL GROUP TO CONVENE OR ISN'T THAT? I DON'T THINK THEY'VE HAD THE BENEFIT OF ALL THIS DISCUSSION THAT YOU KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD.

YEAH, WELL, I DON'T KNOW.

COURTNEY, DO YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR US ABOUT WHO MIGHT BE AN APPROPRIATE CONVENER? YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING AT BRINGING VALERIE, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT, AND I THINK. UM, I COULD CERTAINLY TALK TO THE SUPERVISOR AND ASK FOR HIS OPINION.

I'M NOT TERRIBLY FAMILIAR ON HOW THAT WOULD WORK, BUT I CAN CERTAINLY ASK HIM THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THIS ISSUE WAS BROUGHT UP.

WE'D LIKE TO DISCUSS MORE.

WE'D LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, CONVERGE ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS TOGETHER.

WHAT WOULD BE YOUR GUIDANCE ON HOW TO DO THAT? I COULD ASK THAT FOR SURE.

THAT WOULD BE, YEAH, THAT SOUNDS LIKE THE NEXT LOGICAL STEP TO ME.

I THINK HE WOULD HAVE SOME WISDOM ON THAT TOPIC BECAUSE I THINK LIKE YOU'VE INDICATED, VAL, I MEAN, IN ORDER TO GET THE PROPER ACTORS THERE, IT'S IMPORTANT WHO KIND OF PULLS THE MEETING TOGETHER.

SO THAT'S OK.

I THINK WE'VE GOT OUR TWO NEXT STEPS KIND OF FIGURED OUT AND ALSO IN THESE TIMELY ENVIRONMENTAL TOPICS, I THINK KENDRA HAD RAISED THE ISSUE OF FLOODING.

SO, YEAH, FLOODING IS AN ISSUE.

AND I MENTIONED IN THE GREEN DIALOG THIS MORNING, I JUST READ THAT APPARENTLY WE GOT SOME MONEY IN THE TOWNSHIP.

SO THERE'S BEEN SOME FLOODING IN GRAND RIVER AND OKEMOS ROAD AND SOME OF THE ROADWORK NOW IS GOING TO RAISE IT TWO FEET, WHICH APPARENTLY WILL CERTAINLY HELP WITH THE FLOODING.

SO, BUT ANY, KENDRA, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING SPECIFIC IN MIND WHEN YOU MENTIONED FLOODING OR? YES, I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT TALKING ABOUT IT.

YOU KNOW, AS A GROUP, BUT YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE CAN DO TO HELP YOU KNOW THEIR INDIVIDUAL PROPERTIES? WHAT ARE THE SIMPLE THINGS PEOPLE CAN DO? WHAT ARE THE SIMPLE DON'TS NOT TO DO? YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, THE KIND OF THINGS LIKE RATING DIFFERENT KINDS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT THEN HOW DOES THINGS LIKE NATURAL VEGETATION RAIDING GARDENS, YOU KNOW, HOW DO THOSE, YOU KNOW, BUFFERS? HOW DO ALL OF THOSE THINGS HELP? YOU KNOW, AND THAT KIND OF GOES ALONG WITH THE WETLAND PLAN.

BUT I THINK IT'S LIKE A MULTITUDE OF THINGS THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT TO ASSIST PEOPLE IN RELATIONSHIP TO FLOODING BECAUSE I MEAN, WE JUST GOT THREE INCHES OF RAIN LAST WEEK.

I MEAN, EVERY MONTH THAT WE'VE COME TOGETHER, WE'VE HAD MAJOR RAINS, YOU KNOW? AND SO I MEAN, SINCE JUNE, ANYWAY.

LIKE IN OUR RAIN GARDEN THAT WE HAVE, WE HAD THIS LIKE LITTLE DETENTION.

YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW BIG IT IS, BUT YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IT HAS NOT BEEN EMPTY SINCE

[01:00:04]

AND SO I THINK IT'S OUR DUTY AS ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION TO PAY ATTENTION TO THIS AND LET THE PUBLIC KNOW THAT WE CARE AND WE MIGHT HAVE SOME OPTIONS AND IDEAS OF THINGS TO DO.

NOW, COURTNEY. THANK YOU, CHAIR.

SO I 100 PERCENT AGREE WITH KENDRA THAT THERE'S INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY.

I KNOW SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS I'VE HAD AS A BOARD AND ALSO ON THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS. JUST MAYBE THIS IS SOMETHING THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION CAN WORK ON, BUT I FEEL LIKE WE OVER PARK.

SO WHEN IT COMES TO AN IMPERMEABLE SURFACE, I'M WONDERING IF IT'S NOT SOMETHING TO WORK WITH DIRECTOR SCHMIDT ON PARKING AS ASSOCIATED AS AN ORDINANCE WHEN IT COMES TO DEVELOPMENT. AND I KNOW THAT'S A LARGE CONTRIBUTOR TO THE FLOODING IS THAT WE HAVE NOWHERE FOR THIS WATER TO GO.

WE'RE WORKING ON DRAINS AT A AT A TOWNSHIP LEVEL.

WE'RE WORKING ON INDIVIDUAL PROPERTIES AS A WETLAND LEVEL.

BUT I'M WONDERING IF THAT'S NOT SOMETHING WE MAY WANT TO PURSUE EITHER NOW OR IN THE FUTURE ON THAT ORDINANCE AND HOW MANY PARKING SPACES PER DEVELOPMENT IS REQUIRED. YOU KNOW, AND THINKING ABOUT VALERIE AND I HAD THIS DISCUSSION ABOUT MAYBE, YOU KNOW, AS WE PROGRESS IN A WALKABLE COMMUNITY, MAYBE, I GUESS.

SPEAKING ABOUT AND OR ENCOURAGING MAYBE SOME ELECTRONIC BIKES OR ELECTRONIC VEHICLES AND REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF VEHICLES ON THE ROAD, THE VEHICLES THAT NEED TO PARK AND THINKING ABOUT ON A BIGGER LEVEL.

AND THIS IS A BIG DISCUSSION, BUT THINKING ON A BIGGER LEVEL, HOW DO WE REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF IMPERMEABLE SURFACE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP? AND A LOT OF THAT IS IS DICTATED BY CODE.

IT'S BEEN ON MY MIND FOR QUITE SOME TIME.

AND I THINK THAT THE COMMISSION MAY HAVE SOME OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THAT NOW THAT WE HAVE A NEW DIRECTOR LOOKING AT SOME ORDINANCES IF WE WANT TO LOOK AT SOME OF THESE OTHER ORDINANCE AS WELL.

SO THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS ON THAT.

I THINK WE HAVE SOME OPPORTUNITY THERE.

IN ADDITION, [INAUDIBLE] ON AN INDIVIDUAL LEVEL.

[INAUDIBLE] GO AHEAD. YEAH, THANKS.

IN RESPONSE TO TRUSTEE WISINSKI COMMENT, THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECENTLY CONSIDERED AN APPLICATION FOR AN AMENDMENT TO A SPECIAL USE PERMIT THAT LED TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE BUILDING THAT IS NOW AT NORTH WIND AND GRAND RIVER, HOBBY LOBBY.

AND THE PROPOSAL IS FOR A BUILDING IN THAT PARKING LOT, AND THE APPLICANT MENTIONED IN THE APPLICATION THAT THEY THOUGHT THAT THE ORIGINAL PARKING REQUIREMENT WAS EXCESSIVE AND THEY DIDN'T SEE ANY IMPACT ON THE EXISTING BUSINESSES BY REPLACING A BUNCH OF PARKING SPACES WITH A BUILDING.

AND I DID ASK THE DIRECTOR SCHMIDT IF THE PARKING MINIMUM PARKING REQUIREMENT IS ON HIS AGENDA AND HE WAS VERY ENTHUSIASTICALLY SUPPORTIVE OF REVISITING OUR MINIMUM PARKING REQUIREMENTS AND PART OF THE MIXED USE PLANNING UNIT DEVELOPMENT AND ORDINANCE REVIEW IS TRYING TO ENCOURAGE SHARED PARKING AMONG BUSINESSES.

SO YOU'RE NOT REQUIRING EVERY BUSINESS TO HAVE ALL THE PARKING IT'S GOING TO NEED ON AS BIG AS DAY. RECOGNIZING THAT DIFFERENT BUSINESSES HAVE DIFFERENT BIG DAYS AND BIG DIFFERENT TIMES OF DAY AND MAKING IT POSSIBLE TO DRIVE FROM ONE BUSINESS TO ANOTHER.

SO THOSE THINGS ARE DEFINITELY ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S AGENDA AND THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT'S AGENDA, AND I THINK SUPPORT FROM THIS COMMISSION WILL BE HELPFUL.

DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT SORT OF THE RULES ABOUT I MEAN, SO THIS THE GSI DRAFT HAS A WHOLE SECTION ON PERMEABLE PAVEMENT, BUT I THINK WHAT YOU END UP HAVING TO DO IF YOU WANT TO ACTUALLY ESPECIALLY FOR NEW BUILDS OR EVEN REPAVING WHEN YOU WANT TO CONVINCE SOMEBODY TO DO IT, THEIR FIRST RESPONSE IS, WELL, THAT STUFF COSTS 10 TIMES AS MUCH AND IT CAN'T BEAR LOADS AND YOU HAVE TO VACUUM IT EVERY TWICE A YEAR.

AND THOSE ARE SORT OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE STOCK RESPONSES.

[01:05:02]

THERE ARE MULTIPLE VERSIONS OF PERMEABLE PAVEMENT.

PERMEABLE SURFACES, LET'S SAY IT DOESN'T HAVE TO LOOK LIKE ASPHALT.

THAT'S SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT.

AND I WAS JUST WONDERING, YOU KNOW, ARE THERE ANY COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE ACTUALLY REQUIRED IT IN NEW BUILDS OR WHATEVER? SO ANYBODY KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THAT? OK. I DON'T.

I I'D BE INTERESTED IN SEARCHING IT OUT.

I KNOW THAT THERE'S ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF PAVERS, INCLUDING THE KIND THAT HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR A REALLY A LONG TIME THAT ALLOW THE GRASS TO GROW UP IN IT.

DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHERE AN EXAMPLE OF THAT IS? YES, THE PERFECT ONE IS THAT THE AT THE SURPLUS? WELL, THERE'S THAT, TOO. NO, BUT THAT'S THE.

ISN'T THAT THE REGULAR ASPHALT KIND? OH, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE QUAKER MEETING HOUSE? I'M TALKING ABOUT THE QUAKER MEETINGHOUSE.

YEAH, WHICH IS THE BLOCKS IN THE GROUND.

AND I SORT OF, YOU KNOW, RANDOMLY RIDE MY BICYCLE BY THERE AND GO AND LOOK.

AND IT'S BEEN THERE FOR MANY YEARS.

I MEAN, MAYBE NOT 20, BUT MAYBE PROBABLY PRETTY CLOSE TO 10.

AND IT'S NOT HEAVED OR ANYTHING.

IT'S NOW, OF COURSE, WITH COVID, IT'S A LITTLE GOT A FEW MORE SPROUTS OF GRASS GROWING BETWEEN IT. BUT IT'S THE BLOCK ITSELF IS NICE AND FLAT.

YEAH, I'M ACTUALLY I'D LIKE TO KNOW HOW TO DO THAT IN MY OWN DRIVEWAY.

WHERE IS IT, QUAKER? WHERE DOES WHERE IS THAT? IT'S ON TURNER.

YEAH, JUST, I WANT TO SAY NORTH OF GRAND RIVER ABOUT A PARKING LOT.

IN LANSING? YEAH. GO AHEAD.

OLD TOWN. OLD TOWN.

YEAH. GO AHEAD.

AND. WELL, NOW I GOT SUCKED AWAY IN THE NEXT CONVERSATION, I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY, OH, I'LL PUT MY HAND DOWN AND I'LL IF IT COMES BACK TO ME, I'LL RAISE IT.

YEAH, I JUST ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO TO READ THE DOCUMENT THAT NED JUST REFERRED TO THAT I POSTED HERE.

I CAN EMAIL YOU A SMALLER VERSION OF IT, BUT IT'S BASED ON A TEMPLATE THAT WAS DESIGNED NATIONALLY WELL THOUGHT OUT RESEARCH, CITING LOTS OF COMMUNITIES AND EXAMPLES AROUND THE COUNTRY DOING NOT JUST AS PERMEABLE PAVEMENT, BUT REDUCING ALL PARKING REQUIREMENTS.

REDUCING PARKING REQUIREMENTS ALTOGETHER.

SO THERE'S JUST LOTS OF INNOVATIVE BUT ALSO THOUGHTFUL RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE RIPE FOR THE PICKING. OH, I DO REMEMBER MY QUESTION DO WE HAVE IN OUR ORDINANCES? DOES ANYONE KNOW? DO WE HAVE TRADE OFFS LIKE IF WE HAVE CERTAIN AMOUNT OF BIKE PARKING, THEN WE CAN TAKE OUT A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF CAR SPACES? I DON'T THINK WE HAVE THAT KIND OF A TRADE OFF BUILT IN.

WE ADDED BIKE PARKING MINIMUMS TO THE CAR PARKING MINIMUM, BUT THERE BEING ANY DISCUSSION OF A TRADE OFF. OK, WELL, YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT I KNOW THAT THAT'S WHAT SOME CITIES ARE DOING AND SEEMINGLY SUCCESSFULLY.

THIS HAS BEEN, I COULD ADD, JUST FROM THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS WHEN I WAS SERVING ON THAT, THAT NOT NECESSARILY A TRADE OFF.

NOTHING IN THE ORDINANCE SAYING IF YOU DO THIS, YOU DO THAT.

HOWEVER, VARIANCES ARE GRANTED GIVEN SOME OF THOSE CONDITIONS.

OKAY. BUT SHOULD IT BE MORE OR COULD IT BE MORE PRESCRIBED? THAT MIGHT BE AN OPTION.

KENDRA, GO AHEAD. I'M WONDERING, BILL MENTIONED ANNA WAS ASKING AND BILL ANSWERED.

I KNOW THAT THE OH, GOODNESS GRACIOUS, I'M LOSING WORDS.

THE CODE OF ORDINANCES ARE BEING REVIEWED, RIGHT? AND SO DO WE GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THOSE BEFORE LIKE THAT GETS SET IN STONE TO KIND OF REVIEW THIS AND HAVE INPUT? AND HOW DOES THAT PROCESS WORK? IF YOU'RE REFERRING TO THE SPECIFIC PART OF THE ORDINANCE, THE MIXED USE PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE, WHICH IS CURRENTLY BEING REVISED.

WE DON'T HAVE A FORMAL ROLE IN THAT PROCESS, IN OTHER WORDS, THE PLANNING COMMISSION DOESN'T SEND THE PROPOSED CHANGE TO EVERY OTHER COMMISSION OR BOARD WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED. ULTIMATELY, THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVES ANY CHANGE TO THE ORDINANCES, AND IT'S KIND OF MY JOB AS LIAISON TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO KEEP THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION INFORMED OF THOSE PROPOSED CHANGES GOING FORWARD.

[01:10:01]

AND I BELIEVE THAT WAS MOTIVATED BY A DESIRE TO SPEED THE PROCESS.

BY FOLKS WHO BELIEVE THAT WE'RE NOT GETTING WHAT WE WANT FROM THE ORDINANCE BECAUSE THERE'S TOO THERE'S TOO MUCH RED TAPE.

BUT YEAH, THERE WERE TWO SETS OF STRIKEOUTS, AND ONE OF THEM APPEARED TO ABROGATE THE ROLE OF ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION IN REVIEWING WETLAND IMPACTS ON MUPUD.

FORTUNATELY, OTHER TRUSTEES WERE MUCH KEENER EYED THAN ME AND FOUND THAT AND EXPRESSED A STRONG DESIRE NOT TO SEE THAT CHANGE TO RETAIN ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION REVIEW OF A WETLAND USE PERMIT, EVEN IN THE CASE OF AN MUPD.

SO MEA CULPA. I JUST WANT TO MAKE A HISTORICAL COMMENT.

THAT ACCUSATION OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION SLOWING THINGS DOWN HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME, HOWEVER, WAS ALMOST ALWAYS THE OTHER WAY AROUND.

IT WAS THAT. PERMITS DIDN'T, WOULDN'T COME TO US, AND THEN THEY'D COME TO US SAY JUST A FEW DAYS TOO LATE, AND SO THEN THEY'D BE ASKING FOR US TO HAVE SPECIAL MEETINGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT AT ODD TIMES.

AND SO THAT ULTIMATELY IT CAME DOWN TO IT WASN'T SO MUCH THE PLANNERS FAULT AS THE AS THE DEVELOPER'S FAULTS USUALLY.

BUT THE POINT IS, IT'S NOT REALLY FAIR TO SAY A SYSTEM THAT'S IN PLACE AND WELL DEFINED WHERE BASICALLY ONCE THE PERMIT COMES IN, WE REVIEW IT, YOU KNOW, AT THE NEXT MEETING.

BUT THAT INVOLVES HISTORICALLY TYPICALLY WALKING THE PROPERTY AND SO FORTH.

SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING WHERE YOU CAN JUST SAY, OK, HERE'S THE PAPER THE DAY BEFORE AND THEN DO THE REVIEW.

SO YEAH, THAT THAT.

THAT SO-CALLED ACCELERATION OF THE PROCESS HAS A LOT OF DANGER.

AND I THINK I'M GLAD YOU, HOWEVER, IT GOT CAUGHT, I'M GLAD IT GOT CAUGHT.

WELL, LET'S MOVE ALONG IN OUR DISCUSSION BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE WETLAND EDUCATION TO TALK ABOUT, AND LEROY, YOU PUT ON THE AGENDA THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A NEW COMMISSIONER

[6B. New Commissioner Application]

AND THIS PERSON, BEVERLY NETTLES, EXPRESSED INTEREST IN SEVERAL COMMISSIONS, AND I JUST WANTED TO ALERT YOU TO THAT.

I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE KNOWS.

MS. NETTLES, SHE'S A FAIRLY POPULAR PERSON IN SOME CIRCLES.

RELATED TO THIS ISSUE, WE DO HAVE RE APPOINTMENTS COMING UP.

ALL OF OUR STUDENT POSITIONS ARE ONE YEAR AND SO WE NEED TO KNOW FROM ANNAKA, BERNADETTE AND LUCA IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE REAPPOINTED.

I ALSO WILL SHARE WHAT I MY UNDERSTANDING OF EVERYONE'S APPOINTMENTS.

ARE I? SO IF YOU.

UM, I'M NOT SURE THAT THE LIST OF EXPIRATION DATES IS TOTALLY ACCURATE, BUT I WANT TO SHARE THAT IN THE CHAT WINDOW.

ACTUALLY, LET ME JUST QUICKLY SHARE MY SCREEN IF THAT'S OK.

GO AHEAD. ALTHOUGH WHY DON'T YOU JUST SEND A NOTE TO ANYBODY WHOSE TERM IS EXPIRING AND, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD KIND OF PROMPT THEM TO MAKE A DECISION? TRY TO GET ASKED FOR REAPPOINTMENT OR WHATEVER, RIGHT? THAT SOUNDS GOOD. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IT'S ONLY LUCA, BERNADETTE AND ANNAKA.

BUT I WILL ALSO SEND OUT THE CURRENT EXPIRATION LIST.

SO YOU DON'T THINK ANY OF US ARE EXPIRING AT THE END OF THIS YEAR? I DON'T THINK SO.

OK. OK.

BUT IF WE IF YOU FIND THAT WE ARE JUST SENDING A NOTE TO THAT PERSON SO THAT CAN BE PERSON CAN MAKE A DECISION AND WHETHER TO RETIRE OR GET ASKED TO BE REAPPOINTED.

SOUNDS GOOD. LET'S MOVE ON TO VALERIE.

YOU HAD A QUESTION OR COMMENT? JUST TO COMMENT REALLY QUICKLY.

WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THIS IN A COUPLE OF OTHER INSTANCES, BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ORDINANCES. AND I WONDER IF WE CAN'T CONSIDER MAYBE ASKING THE BOARD TO CONSIDER NINE

[01:15:07]

IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE THERE'S LOTS OF WORK TO GO AROUND AND YOU KNOW, IT WAS SUGGESTED BEFORE THERE WOULD BE AN ORDINANCE CHANGE, I BELIEVE.

RIGHT. SO, SO COULD I.

LET'S SEE IF THIS WILL WORK.

CAN I MOVE THAT WE SEND A SUGGESTION TO THE BOARD TO CONSIDER NINE MEMBERS VERSUS SEVEN MEMBERS? WE HAD 11 MEMBERS, INCLUDING TWO STUDENT MEMBERS.

RIGHT? OK.

AND THEN THE AND THEN THE STUDENT MEMBERS ON TOP.

YEAH, THE STUDENT MEMBERS ARE FULL MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.

SO I THINK YOU'RE ASKING FOR AN ADDITIONAL TWO COMMISSIONERS, RIGHT? YES. YEAH. RIGHT.

THE THREE YEAR VERSIONS.

OK, WELL, LET'S LET'S PUT THAT ON THE LET'S SEE.

WELL, WE HAVE NEW BUSINESS.

LET'S TALK ABOUT, OK, WE'RE OK.

THIS IS STILL UNDER NEW BUSINESS.

SO I GUESS YOU'VE RAISED AN ISSUE OF NEW BUSINESS, WHETHER WE SHOULD INCREASE THE COMMISSION TO 11 MEMBERS.

DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT, OR MAYBE IT'S BEST TO KIND OF HAVE EVERYBODY THINK ABOUT IT AND TALK ABOUT IT AT THE NEXT MEETING? WELL, DO ROBERT'S RULES SAY YOU NEED A SECOND AND THEN YOU DISCUSS? OR ARE WE ROBERT'S RULES? ARE WE? YEAH, YEAH.

IF YOU ACTUALLY WANT TO MAKE A MOTION.

BUT I'M JUST SUGGESTING, TOO, THAT BECAUSE THIS, YOU KNOW, AS A BRAND NEW TOPIC THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO PUT IT ON THE AGENDA FOR THE NEXT MEETING AND GIVE US ALL A LITTLE TIME TO THINK ABOUT IT. IF THAT'S AGREEABLE TO YOU.

THAT IT MIGHT HELP US TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT WHEN WE WOULD LAST REVISED OUR PROCEDURES TO INCLUDE MORE STUDENT NUMBERS.

BUT I THINK TYPICALLY IN THE TOWNSHIP AND COURTNEY, CORRECT ME IF I'VE GOT THIS WRONG.

A COMMISSION LIKE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION WOULD FORMALLY ADOPT A RESOLUTION RECOMMENDING SPECIFIC CHANGE TO ORDINANCE LANGUAGE, AND THAT WOULD THEN, IF IT PASSED, WOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD AND IT WOULD GO ON THEIR AGENDA AS A PROPOSED ORDINANCE CHANGE.

THAT'S CORRECT. YEAH, THAT SOUNDS GREAT, AND THE STUDENT MEMBERS ARE WONDERFUL, I DIDN'T MEAN TO TO DENIGRATE THEM AT ALL.

SO YES. THE REASON THE REASON I SUGGEST THAT IS THAT WE TRIED TO DO THAT THROUGH MORE OR LESS A CHANGE IN OUR BYLAWS, BUT WITHOUT FORMALLY CHANGING THE ORDINANCE, IT DOESN'T REALLY HAVE THE EFFECT.

SO IT MIGHT ALSO BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MORE TO FORMALIZE THAT ASPECT AS WELL.

SO I DO THINK IT'S A DISCUSSION THAT WE SHOULD ENGAGE IN AND MAKE SURE WE'RE A COMMON LINE FOR WE TO SEND SOMETHING STRONG UP TO THE BOARD.

LEROY, WOULD YOU PUT ON THE AGENDA FOR OUR NEXT MEETING? NO, I WILL NOT.

NO. SURE.

OK, WE NEED TO DISCUSS IT.

YEAH, I DID WANT TO JUST TELL OR ASK LUCA, BERNADETTE AND ANNAKA TO JUST LET ME KNOW IF YOU'D LIKE TO BE REAPPOINTED NOW AND JUST OFFICIALLY AT THIS SET OUT.

IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS NOW.

DON'T WANT TO WASTE YOUR TIME, BUT WE MIGHT NOT SEE YOU AGAIN.

YOU WANT FOR US TO TELL YOU IF WE WANTED TO BE APPOINTED NOW OR OR EMAIL.

NOW OR OVER EMAIL. EITHER ONE TO BE REAPPOINTED FOR ANOTHER YEAR STARTING IN JANUARY.

I WOULD LIKE TO BE REAPPOINTED THEN.

I WOULD LIKE TO BE REAPPOINTED AS WELL.

FANTASTIC. WOULD IT BE ADVISABLE SINCE I'M PROBABLY NOT GOING TO GO TO COLLEGE NEAR THIS AREA LIKE I WON'T BE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP ANYMORE FOR LIKE THAT LONG OF A TIME? WOULD IT BE ADVISABLE FOR ME TO ASK FOR REAPPOINTMENT EVEN IF I'M NOT LIKE IN THE TOWNSHIP? I LIKE THE IDEA OF IF YOU WANT TO EVER WANT TO TUNE IN, ANYONE IS WELCOME, BUT IF YOU'RE THINKING WANT TO OPEN UP A SPACE FOR ANOTHER STUDENT, I THINK THAT WOULD BE GOOD TO LET US KNOW SOONER THAN LATER.

AND I'LL PROBABLY NOT RUN FOR REAPPOINTMENT THEN.

OK. GREAT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL FOR JUST VOICING YOUR PERSPECTIVES AND JOHN FOR KEEPING US ON TRACK ON THE AGENDA.

[7A. Wetland Education]

KENDRA, WOULD YOU LIKE TO GET US STARTED? YOU ARE SO WE MET LIKE 85 PERCENT OF OUR GOALS FOR THE WETLAND OUTREACH CAMPAIGN FOR OCTOBER, WHICH IS PHENOMENAL.

WE GOT A WETLAND LETTER OUT TO, I THINK, WHAT LEROY SAID FOR 14 HUNDRED FOLKS, ALONG WITH

[01:20:03]

REALLY GRATEFUL FOR LEROY'S EFFORTS AND FOR EMMA'S EFFORTS AND COURTNEY'S EFFORTS.

AND, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE AT THE AT THE TOWNSHIP AND EVERYONE ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION HERE AND LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD, EVERYONE WHO HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, WORKING ON THIS. SO I'M REALLY GRATEFUL FOR EVERYONE'S HELP.

SO WE HAD THAT SENT OUT MULTIPLE WAYS.

AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE BASICALLY WERE LOOKING AT LIKE, HOW DO WE NOT NECESSARILY CREATE A TON MORE WORK FOR PEOPLE? YOU KNOW, WHAT IS EMMA DOING? WHAT IS LEROY DOING? AND HOW CAN WE UTILIZE WHAT'S ACTUALLY GOING ON AND THEN FORM A PLAN BASED ON THAT? AND SO LEROY DID HIS FALL CLEANUP INFORMATION WITH HIS PEERS, INCLUDING, YOU KNOW, RESTORING THE WETLAND BUFFER, WHICH IS FANTASTIC.

YOU KNOW, EMMA DID SOME WORK DAYS OUT IN THE LAND PRESERVES AND ALSO SHE DID A PRESENTATION ALONG WITH AND LEE FROM LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD TO THE MSU EXTENSION COMMUNITY CONSERVATION CORPS COMMUNITY.

AND LET ME TELL YOU SOME COOL, FUN FACTS I LEARNED FROM THAT THAT ONE.

I'M GOING TO ASK THE STUDENTS ACTUALLY TO HELP HERE EVENTUALLY WITH WITH SOME OF THIS ONE, IF WE'RE LOOKING FOR OUR BIGGEST BANG, YOU KNOW, IN A SENSE OF HELPING WITH CLIMATE, WETLANDS HAVE REMARKABLE CAPACITY TO SEQUESTER CARBON, DESPITE COVERING LESS AREA THAN ALL ECOSYSTEMS. THE ESTIMATED TOTAL CARBON STORAGE OF WETLANDS GLOBALLY IS 225 BILLION METRIC TONS, OR THE EQUIVALENT OF CARBON EMISSIONS FROM ROUGHLY 189 MILLION CARS EVERY YEAR.

IF YOU CAN THINK ABOUT THAT, LIKE THAT IS WHAT WETLANDS CAN OFFER US, AND I KNOW IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE TO KIND OF THINK ABOUT THAT AND REALLY GRASP THAT.

BUT LIKE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S 20 TO 30 PERCENT GLOBALLY OF [INAUDIBLE]. THEIR FUNCTION IS CARBON STORAGE OF 20 TO 30 PERCENT.

GLOBALLY OF CARBON.

SORRY, I MESSED IT UP AGAIN.

20, 30 PERCENT GLOBAL SOIL CARBON STORAGE.

SO I MEAN, THAT'S PHENOMENAL.

SO I'M WONDERING IF THE STUDENTS MIGHT EVEN BE ABLE TO HELP US GET OUT ONE OF THOSE FUN FACTS. THAT'S A LITTLE HARD TO SAY, BUT LIKE 189 MILLION CARS EVERY YEAR.

I MEAN, THAT'S REMARKABLE.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO MANAGE OUR WETLANDS WELL AND, YOU KNOW, POORLY MANAGED WETLANDS CAN ACTUALLY BE SOURCES OF MORE CARBON WHEN THEY'RE DESTROYED, DRAIN ENCROACHED UPON BY DEVELOPMENT.

AND SO AND IT CAN TAKE YEARS TO CONSTRUCT A WEALTH WETLAND TO FULLY MATURE AND THEN OFFER WHAT WE NEED. SO I JUST WANT FOLKS TO TAKE THAT IN PERSPECTIVE BECAUSE I THINK IF YOU THINK ABOUT 189 MILLION CARS EVERY YEAR, I MEAN, THAT'S PRETTY REMARKABLE THAT THAT'S WHAT THE THE WETLANDS OFFER US.

ANOTHER FUN FACT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RELATIONSHIP TO FLOODING IS THAT ONE ACRE OF WETLANDS CAN STORE UP TO ONE TO ONE POINT FIVE MILLION GALLONS OF WATER.

I MEAN, AND SO IF WE CAN THINK ABOUT THOSE FUN FACTS FOR A MOMENT AND I JUST WONDER IF I COULD CHALLENGE THE STUDENTS TO EVEN, YOU KNOW, COME UP WITH SOME IMAGES FOR US IN RELATIONSHIP TO THESE FUN FACTS, I CAN SEND THEM OUT TO YOU SO THAT WE CAN SEND THEM OUT TO THE COMMUNITY. AND THE REASON I'M ASKING IS BECAUSE TYPICALLY, SOMETIMES YOU GUYS CAN BE MORE CREATIVE AND WITH IMAGES, PERHAPS MAYBE THAN SOME OF US, UNLESS SOMEONE ELSE WANTS TO VOLUNTEER.

BUT I'M JUST GOING TO ASK MAYBE IF YOU WOULD BE WILLING TO ASSIST WITH THAT? BE REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THAT.

AND THEN ADDITIONALLY, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE OUR NOVEMBER GOALS AND AGAIN, WITH THE WHOLE KIND OF BUILD BACK THE BUFFER WORK ON THIS FLOODING, TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE ISSUES WITH LAKE LANSING.

SO I KNOW I'VE SAID A LOT OF WORDS, BUT THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT.

YOU'RE MUTED, JOHN.

THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS RELATED TO WETLAND EDUCATION? I JUST BRIEFLY WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU, KENDRA, FOR THE RECAP, AND I LOVE THE IDEA OF FUN FACTS AND SORT OF WEIRD LITTLE MESSAGES AND GRAPHICS THAT WE CAN SHARE WITH THE PUBLIC AND OUR VARIOUS CIRCLES, OUR CLASSMATES, OUR.

[01:25:03]

AND BRANDY AND I HAVE MET A COUPLE OF TIMES TO TALK ABOUT A WETLAND OUTREACH PLAN AND THERE'S A. MY LATEST DRAFT, HOT OFF THE PRESS FOR TODAY IS IN THE CHAT WINDOW.

SO IF YOU'VE GOT ANY THING YOU WANT TO ADD OR YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR SUGGESTIONS.

THIS IS NOT AN APPROVED VERSION, BUT IT INCLUDES A LOT OF IDEAS FROM COURTNEY, KENDRA AND EMMA AND SOME OF YOU AS WELL.

SO. IF YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT, PLEASE DO.

AND GIVE US YOUR FEEDBACK.

KENDRA, I ALWAYS WANT TO SAY THANKS, LEROY, FOR PUTTING THAT TOGETHER.

I KNOW I EMAILED AND JUST SO YOU KNOW, LIKE WE MEET ON A PRETTY REGULAR BASIS.

SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF MEETINGS THAT WE'VE HAD A LOT OF TIME AND ENERGY, A LOT OF RESOURCES THAT HAVE BEEN PUT INTO THIS.

SO, YOU KNOW, THIS HAS BEEN A YEAR LONG CAMPAIGN AND WE'RE LOOKING AT NOT ONLY PROTECTING OUR WETLANDS AND LOOKING AT THE SERVICES THEY PROVIDE FOR US, BUT LOOKING AT THESE ISSUES RELATED TO FLOODING, WHICH IMPACTS LIKE FRANCINE AND ALL THIS OTHER KIND OF STUFF.

SO IT'S KIND OF LIKE ALL ENCOMPASSING KIND OF LIKE WHAT PART OF OUR MISSION IS.

SO I APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S HELP.

AND COURTNEY'S FOR ALLOCATING SOME ACTUALLY REAL DOLLARS TO HELP SUPPORT PRINTING AND MAILING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO COURTNEY GETS OFF.

WHAT WE'RE UP TO THE AGENDA ITEM WHERE WE HAVE COMMISSIONER AND STAFF UPDATES, AND IF I

[8. COMMISSIONER & STAFF UPDATES]

BASICALLY, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT THINGS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE PUT INTO THE UPDATES THAT BECAME PART OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.

OR IT COULD BE SOMETHING ELSE THAT YOU'D LIKE TO KIND OF MAKE US AWARE OF OR COMMENT ON.

SO I'M JUST GOING TO GO AROUND THE ROOM WHO I SEE.

SO I'M GOING TO START LEROY SINCE YOU'RE RIGHT TO THE WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO, YOU HAVE A STAFF UPDATE THAT YOU WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ANYTHING OR MENTION ANYTHING.

YOU'RE MUTED. TRY AND KEEP IT TO 10 SECONDS HERE.

I HAD A NICE MEETING WITH THE CLIMATE ACTION CLUB WITH HASLETT HIGH SCHOOL AND THEY'RE INTERESTED IN THE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT, SO I'M HOPING THAT WE CAN KIND OF GET THAT GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE GRANTS GOING SOON, AND THEY'RE INTERESTED IN MEETING WITH STUDENTS FROM OKEMOS, TOO.

SO IF ANY OF YOU STUDENTS WOULD LIKE TO SORT OF PARTNER UP AND TALK ABOUT COLLABORATING, I THINK THEY WOULD ENJOY THAT A LOT.

LEROY, LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION.

THERE ARE TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS ALLOCATED FOR THIS COMING YEAR; CORRECT? AND WAS THERE ANY MONEY LEFT OVER FROM LAST YEAR THAT WOULD BE PART OF THE POT? I'M NOT SURE HOW THAT WOULD IF THAT WOULD OVERFLOW INTO THE NEXT YEAR, I THINK THAT WOULD BE GREAT. BUT IT'S NOT A HUGE AMOUNT.

WE DID SPEND SOME OF THAT MONEY ON THE WETLAND MAILING.

I THINK THERE MIGHT BE TWELVE HUNDRED DOLLARS OR SO LEFT, WHICH IS NOT INSIGNIFICANT, BUT WE DON'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF TIME LEFT THIS YEAR.

WOULD THAT MONEY ROLL OVER, COURTNEY? DO YOU KNOW? SPRRY WRONG BUTTON.

I'M NOT CONFIDENT ON HOW THE THE MONEY IS THE TOWNSHIP WORKS IS WHETHER OR NOT IT ROLLS OVER. I WILL SAY THAT THE ADDITIONAL TEN THOUSAND, YOU KNOW, IS STILL THERE.

SO IF WE'VE USED SOME TO ACCOMMODATE THE THE THE NEW FY 22, THE FUNDING IS THERE.

SO I CAN CHECK WITH MANAGER WALSH TO SEE HOW THAT WORKS, BUT THAT'S A REALLY GOOD POINT.

CHIEF COMMISSIONER SARVER.

DID WE SPEND IT ALL AND CAN WE ROLL IT OVER AND HOW THAT WORKS? I CAN CHECK ON THAT FOR SURE.

THANK YOU. THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.

AND LEROY, HOW ARE YOU SOLICITING PROPOSALS? WELL, ROSE WAS ON OUR COMMITTEE, YOU WERE ON OUR COMMITTEE, IF ANYONE ELSE WOULD LIKE TO BE ON OUR GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE GRANTS COMMITTEE.

I JUST WANT TO DISTRIBUTE THE LATEST DRAFT OR THE DRAFT FROM LAST YEAR AND SEE IF ANYONE HAS ANY CHANGES TO THAT.

OTHERWISE WE CAN GET IT OUT.

SO LOOK, BERNADETTE AND ANNAKA, YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS FOR PROJECTS OR CONTACTS IN YOUR SCHOOL OR MAYBE THE EARTH CLUB.

I'D LOVE TO GET THAT OUT JUST AS SOON AS PEOPLE WANT TO START THINKING ABOUT IT.

ANYTHING RELATED TO GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH IS PRETTY BROAD.

IS THERE IS ANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS THAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO JOIN LEROY AND I ON THIS COMMITTEE? DOES ANYBODY HAVE AN INTEREST? OH, COURTNEY, OK.

SUPER THANK YOU. IT'S NICE TO HAVE THREE ON THE COMMITTEE, AND IT'S VERY EXCITING.

[01:30:03]

LEROY, ANYTHING ELSE? NO, I'M GOOD.

OKAY. I'M GOING TO PASS ON MYSELF AND THEN, NED, YOU'RE NEXT ON MY SCREEN.

ACTUALLY, IF I LOOK DISTRACTED, IT'S BECAUSE I SLIGHTLY, AM I? WE DID, IN FACT, GET A RELATIVELY ON THE GREEN BLUE GREEN ALGAE THING.

I'M TRYING TO FIND IT, AND I SEE IT ON, IT'S FROM ARMBRUSTER.

YEAH, BUT IT'S IN THE ONLY PLACE I CAN FIND IT IS IN NEXT DOOR, AND IT'S PROBABLY POSTED IN SOME BETTER PLACE ANYWAY.

YOU WANT US TO COME BACK TO YOU? WELL, I'M JUST GOING TO LET YOU KNOW THAT IT SAYS THAT THEY DID FURTHER TESTING, AT LEAST THIS POSTING IS 12 HOURS AGO.

I DON'T KNOW WHEN THE TESTING EXACTLY HAPPENED.

AND IT SAYS THE MICRO SYSTEM, WHICH IS THE TOXIN, APPEARS TO HAVE DISSIPATED, SO.

THAT'S A GOOD THING. YEAH.

ANYWAY, YEAH, IT MIGHT BE BETTER TO COME BACK BECAUSE IT GOES ON FOR A LITTLE WHILE LONGER. YEAH. OK, WE'LL COME BACK TO THAT, JOHN? YEAH. NOTHING REALLY TO ADD OTHER THAN JUST TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THE GREEN TEAM, THE NEXT EVENT THAT WE'RE HAVING IS A WINTER COAT GEAR DRIVE AT MARKETPLACE AND THAT'S HAPPENING ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20TH.

AND ALSO FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY BE INTERESTED, I JUST SIGNED UP A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO THAT EAGLE IS HAVING A RECYCLING WEBINAR COMING UP ON NOVEMBER 15TH.

I THINK IT'S SOME ONE HOUR STARTING AT 11 O'CLOCK IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THAT.

AND THANK YOU, TOM. VALERIE.

UM, WELL, I GUESS, ANNA, AND I THINK ANNA IS GOING TO GIVE A REPORT ON IT, BUT WE'RE WORKING ON THE, I DON'T KNOW, THERE'S LIKE A WORKING TITLE, I GUESS FOOD TO COMPOSTING.

WE'RE KIND OF FACT FINDING AND WE FOR SURE ARE GOING TO HAVE GREATER LANSING FOOD BANK, A COUPLE PEOPLE FROM IT AT OUR NEXT ONE.

I'M HOPEFUL TOM WILL BE THERE AS WELL.

MAYBE LEROY, EVERYBODY'S INVITED AND I'LL JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT SO ANNA CAN FILL IT IN.

BILL? YEAH, I MENTIONED EARLIER THE DRIVE THRU BANK PROPOSED FOR THE PARKING LOT AT HOBBY LOBBY.

CONSIDERED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION, BESIDES THE FACT THAT THE APPLICANT CITED AN EXCESSIVE PARKING CAPACITY IN THAT LOT.

THE SITE PLAN THAT'S THAT'S BEEN SUBMITTED WOULD ACTUALLY REDUCE THE IMPERVIOUS SURFACE BY PROVIDING MUCH MORE GENEROUS LANDSCAPING THAN IS CURRENTLY IN THAT LOT.

SO FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, THAT'S A WIN.

AND ALSO LAST NIGHT, IT WOULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN TO THE BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY YET, BUT THERE WAS DISCUSSION OF THE TOWNSHIP BOARD LAST NIGHT ABOUT THE EXPIRATION OF A TIMELINE FOR DEMOLITION AT PINE VILLAGE, WHICH IS THE HASLETT FOUR CORNERS SITE.

SO THEY'RE WRESTLING WITH THE INTRICACIES OF HOW TO ENCOURAGE THAT PROJECT TO MOVE FORWARD UNDER THE BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT ARRANGEMENT.

SO IT DOESN'T GET MUCH MORE COMPLICATED THAN THAT IN TOWNSHIP GOVERNMENT, FOLKS.

YEAH, I KEEP WATCHING FOR THEM TO START KNOCKING THE PLACE DOWN.

AND YEAH, NOTHING MUCH IS HAPPENING OVER THERE.

LUCA? NOTHING NEW TO REPORT FOR ME. ANNA? THANK YOU.

SO AS VALERIE MENTIONED, WE ARE WORKING WITH A GROUP ON FOOD TO COMPOST.

I WILL ALSO MENTION SO I ATTENDED THE MICHIGAN GOOD FOOD CHARTER CONFERENCE, A VIRTUAL CONFERENCE. SO ONE OF THE THING, THE OTHER THINGS THAT I'M INVOLVED WITH THIS I'M ONE OF THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR THE MICHIGAN GOOD FOOD CHARTER AND HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM ON. THEY HAVE A NUMBER OF STATEWIDE RECOMMENDATIONS ON SUSTAINABILITY IN THE FOOD SYSTEM AND HOW TO, YOU KNOW, TO INCREASE SUSTAINABILITY AND REDUCE GREENHOUSE EMISSIONS WITHIN OUR FOOD SYSTEMS. SO IT WAS GOOD THE CHARTER IS ACTUALLY GETTING, WAS GETTING UPDATED AFTER, I GUESS IT'S THE 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE CHARTER, SO THEY'RE UPDATING SOME OF THE STATEWIDE GOALS.

[01:35:03]

SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A KIND OF TWO SEPARATE THINGS THAT I'M INVOLVED WITH.

BUT WE DID TALK ABOUT THE MICHIGAN GOOD FOOD CHARTER ALSO AT OUR MEETING AND SOME POSSIBILITIES FOR DOING SOME FOOD COLLECTION OR WHAT WE IN THE FOOD WORLD CALLED CALL GLEANING.

SO GETTING EDIBLE FOOD INTO FOOD PANTRIES OR TO THE FOOD BANK VERSUS SO GENERALLY THE FOOD VALUE CHAIN. I WON'T GET TOO FAR INTO THIS, BUT THE BEST THING TO DO IS TO MOVE EDIBLE FOOD TO PEOPLE AND THEN TO ANIMALS, AND THEN WE GET DOWN TO COMPOSTING.

SO WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT THE THE WHOLE FOOD VALUE CHAIN THERE AND WHAT ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR GREATER SUSTAINABILITY AND THEN WHAT ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES REGIONALLY AND WITHIN THE TOWNSHIP.

SO WE'VE JUST REALLY STARTED SOME CONVERSATIONS TO GET AN IDEA OF WHAT WHAT IS THE CURRENT INFRASTRUCTURE? WHO'S DOING WHAT AND WHERE IS THEIR INTEREST TO GO FROM HERE? ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO BRING UP TO THE COMMISSION IS I DON'T KNOW IF IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR MYSELF OR FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO PROVIDE SOME, SOME BACKGROUND, SOME EDUCATION ON ON, ON OUR FOOD SYSTEM AND THE IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT.

I THINK PARTICULARLY FOOD WASTE.

I MEAN, THERE'S THINGS, YOU KNOW, KENDRA MENTIONED WITH WETLANDS, THE VEHICLE EMISSIONS.

AND IT'S IT'S SOMETHING LIKE, I THINK 37 MILLION VEHICLES WORTH OF EMISSIONS ARE JUST GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS ARE JUST RELATED TO FOOD WASTE ALONE IN THE U.S.

SO. AND THEN OF COURSE, THERE'S OTHER HUGE STATS ON THE AMOUNT OF WATER THAT IS WASTED, THE AMOUNT OF FARMING.

I THINK IT'S LIKE 20 PERCENT OF ALL FARMING FERTILIZER, THE LANDFILL CONTENT, THE METHANE EMITTED FROM FOOD WASTE.

SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE POTENTIALLY BE INTERESTING OR HELPFUL FOR THIS COMMISSION TO HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF, I MEAN, MAYBE MORE BROADLY ABOUT THE FOOD SYSTEM AND WHAT THE STATE SOME OF THE STATE COLLABORATIVES ARE INTERESTED IN DOING AROUND SUSTAINABILITY OF THE FOOD SYSTEM AND THEN MAYBE PARTICULARLY RELATED TO FOOD WASTE SINCE WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT MORE AS AS A WORKING GROUP.

WELL, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE SHOULD PLAN ON DOING THAT.

I THINK WOULD BE A GREAT TOPIC FOR ONE OF OUR GREEN THEMES TO HAVE YOU OR SOME OTHER SPEAKER THAT YOU IDENTIFY TO KIND OF DO THAT SORT OF OVERVIEW.

THE OTHER THING, TOO, YOUR GROUP MAY WANT TO CONSIDER IS THAT I DON'T BELIEVE OUR CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN HAS ANY MENTION OF FOOD AT ALL.

AND SO YOU MAY WANT TO GIVE SOME THOUGHT TO WHAT MAYBE SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN.

I THINK THAT WAS AN AREA THAT JUST GOT MISSED, BASICALLY.

THAT'S A GREAT SUGGESTION.

I ASSUME I KNOW I'VE ASKED THIS BEFORE, I ASSUME THAT YOU'VE TALKED TO DANA KIRK AND YOU'RE AWARE OF THE ANAEROBIC DIGESTER ON CAMPUS AND SO FORTH THAT TAKES THE THE FOOD WASTE FROM BRODY AND FERMENTS IT BASICALLY INTO BIO GAS TO GENERATE ELECTRICITY.

UM, HE GAVE A PRESENTATION AT THE CAST MEETING THE ONE MEETING THAT THEY DID HAVE THE CAPITAL AREA SUSTAINABILITY PARTNERSHIP, THE REGIONAL EFFORT.

SO AND HE'S PART OF THAT, BUT THEY'VE NOT HAD A SECOND MEETING YET.

SO HE'S. AND PEOPLE AND ANN AND I ARE BOTH ON CAST AND THE CHAIRPERSON OF CAST HAS ASKED TO BE ON OUR GROUP.

SO HE'S IN THE I DON'T KNOW.

YEAH, WE KNOW ABOUT HIM AND.

I KNOW. I ONLY MENTION HIM BECAUSE I THINK HE'S HE'S A TREMENDOUS RESOURCE, BUT MORE BROADLY, I MEAN, SPEAKING AS A CHEMIST, ONE OF THE ISSUES WITH COMPOST AND THAT RELATES TO THE ANAEROBIC DIGESTER TOO, IS THAT COMPOST THAT SORT OF DOESN'T GET TURNED OVER.

AN AERATED ULTIMATELY DOES WHAT ORGANIC MATTER IN THE BOTTOM OF THE SWAMPS DOES, WHICH IS TO MAKE SWAMP GAS, WHICH IS METHANE AND METHANE IS TWENTY SIX TIMES MORE POWERFUL THAN CARBON DIOXIDE ON A PER CARBON ATOM BASIS AS A GREENHOUSE GAS.

AND SO ACTIONS THAT ACTUALLY TAKE THE ORGANIC MATTER AND FERMENT IT INTO A THING LIKE A FUEL LIKE THE ANAEROBIC DIGESTER DOES ACTUALLY ARE THEMSELVES PROTECTIVE OF THE ATMOSPHERE. EVEN THOUGH IT DOESN'T CHANGE THE AMOUNT OF CARBON IT'S RELEASED IN A MUCH LESS NOXIOUS WAY.

IT'S STILL CO2, BUT IT'S NOT NEARLY AS BAD FROM A GLOBAL WARMING POINT OF VIEW.

[01:40:07]

LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU LOOK AT THOSE LANDFILLS AND THEY HAVE THESE PIPES COMING OUT.

THAT'S TO LET THE METHANE OUT.

YEAH, AND 10 PERCENT OF THAT METHANE IS DUE TO FOOD WASTE.

SO RIGHT NOW YOU MAKE A VERY GOOD POINT, AND THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. I GUESS THE OTHER THING I FORGOT TO MENTION IS ANOTHER TACTIC THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS SOURCE REDUCTION.

SO THAT'S REALLY, OF COURSE, THE BEST THING TO DO IS JUST TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF.

WELL, I DON'T KNOW. I'M NOT GOING TO SAY IT'S THE BEST THING TO DO, BUT SOURCE REDUCTION OF FOOD WASTE, BUT THEN GOING INTO THINGS LIKE GLEANING SO MOVING FOOD TO TO PEOPLE THAT NEED FOOD BECAUSE CERTAINLY WE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S FOOD SECURITY IN OUR TOWNSHIP AS WELL.

AND SO WE'RE WASTING 40 PERCENT OF THE AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD IS WASTING 40 PERCENT OF THEIR FOOD, WHICH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF HOUSEHOLDS THAT COULD ALSO USE ADDITIONAL FOOD.

SO, YOU KNOW, ARE THERE OPPORTUNITIES TO TO? WELL, THANK YOU. [INAUDIBLE].

THANK YOU. I WILL JUST COME IN AFTER THIS EFFORT BECAUSE EVEN AS JUST A RESIDENT AND A PARENT AND LUCA MIGHT BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO THIS, I AM ADAMANTLY AGAINST WASTING FOOD. SO AT THE END OF THE WEEK, WE HAVE A POTLUCK OF WHATEVER IT MAY BE, AND THEY ARE NOT ALWAYS EXCITED ABOUT IT.

BUT I JUST HAVE THIS INABILITY TO THROW AWAY FOOD, AND IT'S BECAUSE OF THAT AND NOT SO I APPRECIATE THAT. AND I WOULD 100 PERCENT SUPPORT ANY EFFORT THAT YOU MOVE TOWARDS WORKING THROUGH FOOD WASTE OR [INAUDIBLE] FOODS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

I DON'T HAVE MUCH TO SAY, SARVER, OTHER THAN ON OCTOBER 5TH BRIDGET DID PRESENT THE HASLETT MIDDLE SCHOOL GREEN GRANTS.

WELL RECEIVED. THE BOARD WAS VERY EXCITED.

I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE BRING THESE THINGS BACK TO THE BOARD.

SO IF IF THE COMMISSION IS OK, I WOULD LOVE TO INVITE OUR PRESENTERS TONIGHT, TOO.

IT JUST SHOWS IT WAS AMAZING WHAT THEY'VE DONE WITH [INAUDIBLE] SAID THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, IN THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE GAVE THEM IN THE AMOUNT OF OUTCOME THAT CAME OUT OF THAT IS JUST, IT'S INCREDIBLE.

SO I THINK THAT THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.

SO IF YOU'RE ALL IN IN FAVOR OF THAT, I WOULD LOVE TO INVITE THEM.

OK, THANK YOU. KENDRA MENTIONED THE WETLAND LETTER AND THE BROCHURE. I ALSO LET THE BOARD KNOW WHAT THE POSITIVE, ALL THE POSITIVE IMPACTS ON THAT AND AND THAT THEY APPROPRIATED FUNDS TOWARDS OUR EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN AND THAT WE'VE ALREADY WITH THE FIRST ENDEAVOR HAVE ALREADY GOTTEN SO MUCH POSITIVE IMPACT.

SO THANK YOU TO LEROY.

THANK YOU TO EMMA. THANK YOU TO KENDRA.

THANK YOU TO THE COMMISSION.

IT'S REALLY WE'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF FEEDBACK WITH REGARDS TO THE BUFFER, NOT KNOWING THAT THAT WAS A THING, AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT NOW, SO I JUST WANTED TO SHOUT OUT TO THAT.

THE LAST THING I WANT TO SAY IS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT TODAY, BUT THE THE MUPUD, THE MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE THAT WAS DISCUSSED AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING, WHICH WAS YESTERDAY, AND THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION WAS STRIKED FROM THE ORDINANCE AS A REVIEWER ON THE ORDINANCE, I WILL SAY THAT THAT WAS NOT MY DOING THAT.

I HAD A COMMISSIONER THAT CAME TO ME THAT BROUGHT THAT TO MY ATTENTION.

AND I THANK MS. GRASSESCHI FOR SAYING THAT BECAUSE I MISSED IT AND I APOLOGIZE.

JUST LIKE JOHN, YOU HAD SAID AND OTHER PEOPLE THAT THAT'S SO VERY IMPORTANT.

AND IT WAS A UNANIMOUS VOTE ON THE BOARD, STRAW VOTE THAT IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, GIVEN THAT WE HAVE ALL THESE CLIMATE CHANGE ISSUES COMING UP AND THAT THEY'RE JUST INCREASING, THAT WE BE A PART OF THOSE TYPES OF ORDINANCES AND THOSE TYPES OF DEVELOPMENTS. SO I APPRECIATE ALL THE INPUT FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION. ANY TIME, PLEASE, AS A BOARD MEMBER, LET ME KNOW IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT

[01:45:01]

IT'S IMPERATIVE I WOULD HAVE MISSED THAT.

SO I APPRECIATE THAT.

AND THAT'S MY REPORT.

AND THANK YOU, COURTNEY.

BERNADETTE, YOU'RE UP. UM, THERE'S NOT TOO MANY UPDATES WE HAVE BEEN RUNNING A CLOTHING DRIVE, THOUGH I BELIEVE WE'RE GOING TO GIVE IT TO LIKE A LOCAL BANK, BUT WE'RE LIKE TRYING TO COLLECT LIKE PEOPLE'S OLD CLOTHES.

SO WE'RE DOING THAT AND THEN WE'RE ALSO MAKING KIND OF LIKE ECO FRIENDLY ADS FOR OUR STUDY HALLS BECAUSE AT OHSU, WE KIND OF HAVE THIS LIKE STUDY HALL PERIOD ONCE A WEEK CALLED FLEX, WHICH THEY LIKE SHOW VIDEOS OF LIKE HAPPENINGS AT THE SCHOOL.

SO WE'VE BEEN MAKING KIND OF LIKE ADS FOR THOSE VIDEOS.

SO, YEAH, THOSE ARE THE TWO THINGS WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS MONTH, THOUGH.

WELL, THAT'S NEAT. HEY, BERNADETTE, ARE YOU SHARING THOSE AT ALL WITH HOMTV? I WONDER IF THEY'D BE INTERESTED.

I COULD ASK AUDREY OR ANNA, WHO ARE THE PRESIDENTS OF THAT ABOUT THAT.

I MEAN, I WOULD THINK HOMTV WOULD LOVE TO MAYBE SEE SOMETHING LIKE THAT THAT YOU'VE DEVELOPED. KENDRA, I THINK WE'RE UP TO YOU.

YEAH, SO AGAIN, I WOULD PLEASE ASK THE STUDENTS THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO ASSIST WITH SOME NEAT GRAPHICS OR IMAGES OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT THAT MIGHT GO WITH A COUPLE OF FUN FACTS.

I JUST THINK YOUR BRAINS WORK BETTER IN THAT CATEGORY, MOST CERTAINLY THAN MINE.

AND EMMA, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF MUST TO DO LIST.

AND I THINK EVERYONE KNOWS THAT EMMA IS PHENOMENAL BUT OVERWHELMED.

AND SO I'M KIND OF REALLY ASKING ON HER BEHALF, REALLY.

SO IF NOT FOR ME, PLEASE DO IT FOR HER.

AND THEN LAST I GOT A MESSAGE FROM MY HUSBAND, WHO'S REALLY INTO ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, AND HE HAS A DEEP PAVING MANUAL FOR MUNICIPALITIES THAT HE'S PROVIDED FOR ME TO SHARE WITH EVERYONE FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS.

AND I KEEP FORGETTING HE SENT ME A TEXT TO SAY SOMETHING.

SO GIVEN THE CONVERSATION, YOU KNOW, VALERIE AND BILL AND NED AND EVERYBODY, COURTNEY, EVERYONE WAS TALKING ABOUT HERE.

I'LL PROBABLY SHARE THAT AT SOME POINT IN TIME AS SOON AS I FIND IT.

SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, AUDREY? ALL FOR THE WETLAND FUN FACTS.

WHERE WERE YOU GETTING THOSE OR GETTING THOSE FROM THE EPA? LIKE, WHERE COULD I GET THAT IN WRITING, I GUESS, BECAUSE WE HAVE A NICE CLUB IN OUR CITY? YEP.

AND AND AH, I'M [INAUDIBLE] I'M GOING TO SEND IT TO YOU.

I'LL GET IT TO YOU. OK, THANK YOU.

YEAH. YEAH.

STEVE, WHAT'S GOING ON STAGE OF LIFE I'M IN RIGHT NOW? I LOOKED IT UP WHEN YOU SAW THAT.

I THINK I WAS LOOKING AT A AN EPA THING.

THAT SERVICE FUNCTIONS AND VALUES WETLANDS.

BUT ANNA HICKS, WHO'S THE OTHER CO-PRESIDENT, ALSO DID AN ARTICLE ON WETLANDS FOR OUR SCHOOL PAPER. BUT I NEED TO READ IT STILL.

SO. EXCELLENT.

EXCELLENT. ANNIKA.

I DON'T THINK YOU'VE HAD A CHANCE TO SAY ANYTHING.

[INAUDIBLE] BUT I'M INTERESTED IN DOING SO FOR THAT.

WHAT LENS LIKE FACTS SHOULD BE LIKE SOCIAL MEDIA, LIKE IN SOCIAL MEDIA FORMAT OR JUST LIKE A BLOG FORMAT? PROBABLY SOCIAL MEDIA.

I'LL GET THE INFORMATION.

HOW ABOUT I SEND IT OUT TO YOU? AND YOU KNOW, AGAIN, BECAUSE I'M SO NOT THINKING AS CLEARLY AS I WANT TO AT THE CURRENT MOMENT. BUT HOW ABOUT I SEND IT TO YOU AND YOU GET MORE INPUT FROM EMMA AND YOU HAVE TO ASK THEM TO BE CLEAR ABOUT IT THEN? THANK YOU SO MUCH. APPRECIATE IT.

HEY, WE'RE BACK TO YO, NED, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO ADD? YOU NEED TO UNMUTE. I WANTED TO FINISH THE COMMENTS ABOUT THE BLUE GREEN ALGAE, AND THERE REALLY WASN'T MUCH MORE TO THE REPORT, IT'S JUST SAID THAT THEY HAD DONE FURTHER TESTING MORE RECENTLY AND THE ORIGINAL TESTS CAME BACK POSITIVE.

THEY DID SORT OF A QUICK TEST AND THEN THEY DID A MORE COMPLICATED TEST AND THAT DID CONFIRM THE PRESENCE OF THE OF THE TOXIN IN THE SAMPLES FROM THE 15TH AND THE 20TH OF OCTOBER. BUT NOW THE MORE RECENT SAMPLES HAVE SHOWN THAT IT'S MORE OR LESS A NON DETECT, WHICH MEANS THEY'RE NOT SEEING IT IN THE SAMPLES AT ALL.

AND I GUESS THAT'S FAIRLY TYPICAL FOR THE SORT OF CYCLE WHEN WE GET INTO THE COOLER FALL WEATHER, THAT'S WHEN THIS STUFF CLEARS UP AND NORMALLY, SO IT'S NOT SURPRISING, BUT IT'S

[01:50:09]

WE DIDN'T WITNESS IT, BUT OUR CAT GOT VERY SICK RIGHT AROUND THAT TIME.

AND THEY SAY THAT IF PETS, I MEAN, IT CAN KILL PEOPLE AND PETS IF THEY DRINK THE STUFF WHEN IT HAPPENS TO BE AT RELATIVELY HIGH LEVELS.

AND IT WAS IN THE ORIGINAL DETECT, IT WAS ABOVE, YOU KNOW, LEVELS OF CONCERN.

SO, YOU KNOW, SHE CAME BACK SORT OF IN THREE OR FOUR DAYS, BUT SHE WAS REALLY JUST BARELY WITH US. IT SEEMED LIKE IT HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT.

JUST VERY BRIEFLY, I JUST POSTED A SUMMARY OF OUR MEETING IN THE CHAT WINDOW.

IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD TO IT, LET ME KNOW.

OK, THANK YOU. DID I MISS? DID I MISS ANYBODY? OK, I DON'T SEE ANY RAISED HANDS.

OK, LET'S SEE.

I THINK WE'RE UP TO PUBLIC COMMENTS.

IS THERE A, I GUESS SAMANTHA WOULD KNOW BECAUSE I DON'T SEE ANYBODY THE PUBLIC ON THE SCREEN. DO WE HAVE ANYBODY WHO'D LIKE TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENTS? OK, I GUESS NOT. OK.

WOULD ANYBODY LIKE TO MAKE ANY PARTING WORDS BEFORE WE KIND OF ADJOURN? I DON'T SEE ANY.

OK. OK, WELL, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE VERY GOOD DISCUSSION TONIGHT AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, I THINK, A VERY INTERESTING DISCUSSION ON OUR DECEMBER MEETING, TOO.

SO THANK YOU ALL FOR ATTENDING AND TAKE CARE.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.