Dec 01, 2021 Environmental Commission Meeting

[00:00:39]

HARVEY. WELL, LET ME CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.

[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]

AND I GUESS HE'S INDICATED EARLIER HE'S JUST BEEN WITH THE TOWNSHIP A COUPLE OF WEEKS NOW, RIGHT, BRIAN? HERE WE GO.

GOOD EVENING, YES, HI.

MY PURPOSE HERE TONIGHT IS JUST TO INTRODUCE MYSELF AND SIT IN AND KIND OF GET TO KNOW YOU. MY NAME IS BRIAN [INAUDIBLE].

I WAS APPOINTED AS A SENIOR PLANNER ABOUT TWO AND A HALF WEEKS AGO.

I'VE BEEN A LAND PLANNER FOR OVER 20 YEARS, MOST RECENTLY, I SERVED MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP ON THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS, SO I HAD ACTUALLY, YEAH SO OBVIOUSLY I HAD TO STEP OFF OF THAT, YOU KNOW TO TAKE THIS POSITION.

NO PROBLEM. ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES I'VE DEALT WITH ON AND OFF THROUGHOUT MY CAREER.

I'VE TALKED TO LEROY ABOUT SOME EXPERIENCES I'VE HAD.

I SPENT SIX YEARS IN KENTUCKY AMONG THOSE 20 YEARS AS A RESULT OF MY TIME IN GEORGETOWN.

I'M KIND OF FAMILIAR WITH, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND STUFF LIKE THAT, WE HAD A PRETTY STRINGENT STORM WATER ORDINANCE IN THE CITY OF GEORGETOWN THAT WE ENFORCED.

MOST RECENTLY, PLANNING WISE, I WAS WITH BATH TOWNSHIP FOR OVER THREE YEARS.

I REGULARLY WENT TENDED THE LAND USE LAUNCH, THE MID-MICHIGAN ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION COUNCIL, SO I'M FAMILIAR WITH THOSE FOLKS.

OTHER THAN THAT, THOUGH, I'M JUST HAPPY TO BE HERE TONIGHT AND JUST WANT TO LISTEN AND SEE WHAT I FIGURE. SEE WHAT I LEARN.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, BRIAN.

AND WHERE DID YOU GET YOUR EDUCATION OR TRAINING? MY MASTER'S DEGREE IS FROM EASTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY, I HAVE A MASTER'S OF SCIENCE IN GEOGRAPHY. OKAY.

DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR BRIAN? OK. HEY, THANK YOU, BRIAN, AND THANKS FOR COMING.

AND NEEDLESS TO SAY, YOU'RE WELCOME ANYTIME, YOU KNOW.

THANK YOU. YOU PROBABLY BEING A PLANNER, I KNOW YOU PROBABLY HAVE LOTS OF MEETINGS TO GO TO SO.

A LITTLE.

BUT JUST BEING JUST KNOW THAT WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU AT ANY TIME.

THANK YOU. LET ME FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA, OF COURSE, IS TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.

[2. APPROVAL OF/ ADDITIONS TO AGENDA and CONSENT AGENDA]

IS THERE ANYTHING TO ADD TO THE AGENDA OR ANYTHING ONE WANTS TO ELABORATE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? OK.

SEEING, NO HANDS RAISED WOULD SOMEBODY LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.

ALSO MOVE. OK, THAT I'M SO MOVED, VALERIE SECONDED.

ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE AGENDA.

JUST RAISE YOUR HAND, PLEASE.

OK THANK YOU. AND NEXT IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE LAST MEETING, AND DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY CORRECTIONS OR ADDITIONS TO THE MINUTES FROM THE LAST MEETING?

[3. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES]

CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? OH, SO MOVE.

THANK YOU, TOM. OK, SECOND.

THANK YOU, ANNA. OK.

ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES FROM THE LAST MEETING.

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

THIS IS OUR OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC REMARKS.

IS THERE ANYBODY WHO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE PUBLIC REMARKS? IS THERE ANYBODY THAT'S MAYBE ON THE PHONE WAITING TO MAKE PUBLIC REMARKS? OK, MOVING ON TO BUSINESS AND OUR FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS GREEN

[5A. Green Stormwater Infrastructure – Possible Next Steps]

AND LET'S SEE WHO WOULD LIKE TO GET US STARTED ON THAT.

[00:05:03]

MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT CLIFF HELPED DEVELOP A NINETY-THREE PAGE DOCUMENT THAT'S SORT OF A TEMPLATE FOR NOT JUST OUR TOWNSHIP, BUT MAYBE SOME SURROUNDING LOCAL UNITS OF GOVERNMENT TO SUPPORT POSITIVE CODE AND POLICY IMPROVEMENTS RELATED TO GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE.

AND FOR THE PAST YEAR, ONE OF OUR GOALS HAS BEEN TO FIGURE OUT SOME WAYS THAT WE MIGHT IMPLEMENT SOME OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS, SOME OF WHICH ARE LOW HANGING FRUIT AND OTHERS ARE MORE PERHAPS CREATIVE AND MIGHT REQUIRE A LITTLE BIT MORE LOBBYING.

TIM SCHMIDT HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THOSE AND.

I SUGGESTED THAT WE MIGHT TAKE A REGIONAL APPROACH, MAYBE SINCE CLIFF IS NOW WORKING WITH EAST LANSING, MAYBE LANSING WOULD BE INTERESTED.

MAYBE WILLIAMSTOWN TOWNSHIP, SOME OF THE COMMUNITIES ALONG THE CORRIDOR AND SORT OF COME AT THIS AS A REGIONAL PERSPECTIVE.

SO HIS SUGGESTION WAS MAYBE LOOK FOR A REGIONAL CHAMPION.

BRIAN REMINDED ME TODAY THAT THE LAND USE LUNCHES IN THE LAND USE RESOURCE TEAM THAT JANINE [INAUDIBLE] WITH THE COUNTY MIGHT BE A GOOD GROUP TO INTRODUCE CLIFF'S WORK TO.

THE DRAIN COMMISSION MAY ALSO BE ANOTHER REGIONAL CHAMPION.

AND WE ALSO I ALSO ASKED HIM ABOUT WHAT ARE SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT WE MIGHT LOOK AT SOONER THAN LATER AND KIND OF MOVE FORWARD WITH ON A MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP LEVEL AND.

I TALKED TO BRIAN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS, BUT BRIAN, DO YOU WANT TO MAYBE JUST GIVE A REAL LIFE EXAMPLE OF SOMETHING YOU'RE DEALING WITH NOW THAT MIGHT BE KIND OF AN OPPORTUNITY TO USE SOME OF THIS MATERIAL OR SOME OF THESE IDEAS SOONER THAN LATER.

I CAN GIVE YOU A LITTLE UPDATE.

WE HAD A STAFF MEETING THIS AFTERNOON AND WE KNOW NOW THAT ONE OF THE THINGS WE'LL BE LOOKING AT UPDATING NEXT YEAR IS OUR PARKING STANDARDS.

AND THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF THAT I HAVE EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH AND ARE IN THAT GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN THAT RELATES TO PARKING ISSUES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

WE HAVE AN UPCOMING SITE PLAN AND VARIANCE REQUEST FOR EXTRA PARKING WHERE THERE WOULD BE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

WHAT I CAN SAY IS.

WE ARE INTERESTED IN LOOKING INTO SOME OF THIS AS WE UPDATE OUR PARKING STANDARDS AND WHEN I HAVE INFORMATION, I'D LOVE TO COME BACK AND SHARE THAT WITH YOU WHEN I HAVE SOMETHING CONCRETE. NO PUN INTENDED THAT I CAN ACTUALLY SHOW YOU.

YEAH, WE ARE INTERESTED IN POTENTIALLY GOING IN THAT DIRECTION.

AND, BRIAN, WHEN THE DISCUSSIONS WERE HAD, YOU KNOW, WAS THERE DISCUSSION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE ISSUE OF PERMEABLE, IMPERVIOUS, YOU KNOW, THE PAVEMENT? IS THAT PART OF THE DISCUSSION? THAT IS A LITTLE SPECIFIC FOR THE KIND OF WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT TODAY.

WE TALK ABOUT CONCEPTUALLY, WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT DOING AS A STAFF NEXT YEAR? HOWEVER, I CAN TELL YOU, I HAVE EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH THAT MATERIAL PERSONALLY, BUT.

ANY LEROY, ARE YOU DONE OR SHOULD WE? NO, I'M JUST.

THIS IS SOMETHING SORT OF AN ONGOING CONVERSATION.

I'M JUST DELIGHTED THAT BRIAN HAS SOME PAST EXPERIENCE AND THAT TIM IS ON BOARD FOR MOVING FORWARD. BUT I GUESS THE BIG UNKNOWN IS HOW DO WE MOVE FORWARD REGIONALLY, WHICH COULD BE A REAL CATALYST FOR MUCH OF THE STUFF THAT'S IN THAT DOCUMENT.

SO THAT SEEMS TO BE AN EMERGING OPPORTUNITY IF ANYONE HAS ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS THAT THEY WANT TO ADD.

FEEL FREE TO CHIME IN. GO AHEAD, BILL.

I'M DELIGHTED TO HEAR ABOUT THE CONNECTION BACK TO THE LAND USE LUNCHES, I'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO A [INAUDIBLE] TO HALF A DOZEN OF THOSE AND I FOUND THEM REALLY, REALLY INFORMATIVE. SO I THINK THAT'S A GREAT APPROACH.

WELL, YOU KNOW, TO LEROY, YOU HAD MENTIONED THE REGIONAL CHAMPION, AND IT DOES MAKE SOME SENSE FOR LIKE MAYBE A COUNTY GOVERNMENT OR THE DRAIN COMMISSION TO KIND OF BE A CHAMPION. IT DOES SOUND LIKE, THOUGH, THAT THERE MIGHT BE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ANY OF US.

EAST LANSING, MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP TO BE A LEADER IN AT LEAST ONE OR TWO AREAS.

AND I HOPE THAT I THINK THAT'S A GOOD WAY TO GO, TOO, WHILE MAYBE WE LOOK FOR A COUNTY CHAMPION FOR THE OVERALL APPROACH, BUT SO HOPEFULLY BOTH OF THOSE CAN HAPPEN AT THE SAME

[00:10:05]

I JUST WONDER, HOW DO YOU TRIGGER THAT REGIONAL? I MEAN, IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S EASY FOR US TO SAY SOMEONE ELSE SHOULD MAYBE TAKE THE LEAD, BUT HOW DO WE TAKE THAT MESSAGE TO THEM OR AND HOW DO WE PACKAGE IT? OR HOW DOES IT GET TRANSMITTED TO THEM? I'M NOT QUITE SURE.

YOU MEAN, JUST BRING IT UP IN CONVERSATION AND HOPE SOMEBODY TAKES TAKES THE LEAD.

HOW DOES THIS? HOW DO YOU SEE THIS WORKING? RYAN SUGGESTED, YOU KNOW, ONE THING WOULD EASY NO BRAINER WOULD BE TO HAVE CLIFF COME AND SPEAK TO THE LAND USE, HAVE A LAND USE LUNCH AND THEN JUST START THE CONVERSATION THERE.

AND A LOT OF TIMES THERE'LL BE REGIONAL LEADERS THAT WOULD SHOW UP TO THOSE.

I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE LAND USE LUNCHES.

WHAT ARE THOSE AND WHO GOES AND IS IT JUST INGHAM COUNTY? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE? BRIAN, DO YOU WANNA PICK AT THAT? THE ORGANIZATION IS CALLED THE MID-MICHIGAN ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION COUNCIL, AND BILL, ACTUALLY, NOW THAT YOU MENTION IT, YOU'RE FAMILIAR. I PROBABLY RAN INTO YOU THERE.

THEY DO.

I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE CURRENTLY DOING IT DUE TO COVID, BUT FOR THE THREE PLUS YEARS, AS WITH BATH TOWNSHIP, THEY RAN A MONTHLY LAND USE LUNCH FOR FIVE BUCKS.

YOU WENT AND THEY PUT THE FOOD OUT.

BUT THE THING WAS, THEY ALWAYS HAD A SPEAKER AND THEY'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WHO'S WILLING TO COME IN AND TALK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT GIVES YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO A LOT OF ENVIRONMENTALLY ENGAGED FOLK FROM THE TRI COUNTY AREA ALL AT ONCE ABOUT THIS ISSUE. AND THEN FROM THERE, YOU MIGHT SEE WHERE IT CONNECTS FROM THERE.

I ALSO, YOU KNOW, DEPENDING AS I GET MY FEET BACK UNDER ME.

AFTER COMING BACK TO PLANNING, I STILL HAVE CONTACTS AT TRI COUNTY REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION. I DON'T KNOW HOW ENVIRONMENTALLY THEY ARE, BUT IT'S POSSIBLE DOWN THE ROAD.

I MIGHT ENGAGE SOME OF THOSE FOLKS AND SEE IF WE CAN GET SEE IF THIS INTERESTED TO.

OK, VALERIE, YOU GOT A FOLLOW UP.

WELL, JUST TO FOLLOW UP THAT I ALSO RECALL THAT THE CONVERSATION THAT CLIFF HAD WITH US IS THAT IT WASN'T NECESSARILY MEANT TO BE A WHOLE PACKAGE, BUT THAT WE COULD CHERRY PICK CERTAIN THINGS. AND SO JUST TO PICK UP ON THE LAST MEETING THAT WE HAD, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT MAYBE TRYING TO INCORPORATE MORE PERVIOUS SURFACES FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.

SO I HOPE THAT THOUGHT IS STILL PERCOLATING IN THE MIX AS WELL.

THANK YOU. TOM? YEAH, I GUESS I JUST HAD A QUESTION ON TIMING.

IT SOUNDS LIKE IF WE'RE LOOKING TOWARDS A REGIONAL APPROACH, WE'RE KIND OF STARTING, WE'RE KIND OF AT THE STARTING POINT AT THIS POINT.

AND I'M JUST WONDERING IF ANYBODY, BRIAN OR ANYONE ELSE MIGHT HAVE AN IDEA ON HOW QUICKLY A REGIONAL APPROACH COULD BE PASSED, IMPLEMENTED, ACTED UPON THAT TYPE OF THING.

NOT AT THIS POINT, NO.

WHAT I'M GUESSING IS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT LEADERSHIP, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT.

IT WOULD KIND OF HELP PROMOTE IT, RIGHT? AND I DON'T KNOW IF REALLY THEY DO ANYTHING RELATED TO THESE SORTS OF INFRASTRUCTURES, CERTAINLY THE DRAIN COMMISSION DOES, AND SO I WHEN I HEARD LEADERSHIP, I KIND OF THOUGHT THAT, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY WOULD BE KIND OF TALKING ABOUT IT, PUSHING IT, BUT IT WILL TAKE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO TAKE THE ACTION RIGHT? AND SO SOMEBODY IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE FIRST AT THE MUNICIPAL LEVEL.

KENDRA. YOU'RE MUTED.

YOU'VE GOT IT. ALL RIGHT, WELL, NICE TO MEET YOU, BRIAN.

WELCOME TO THE COMMISSION HERE.

SO I'M NOT SURE IF YOU HAVE HEARD, BUT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON PROTECTING THE WATERSHEDS, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT A BUILD BACK THE BUFFER KIND OF CAMPAIGN.

[00:15:01]

I'M JUST WONDERING IF YOU'VE THOUGHT ABOUT THAT, CONSIDERED THAT IT FITS IN WITH WHAT WE'RE ALREADY DOING WITH THE YEAR LONG WETLAND OUTREACH CAMPAIGN.

SO I WAS REALLY PLEASED TO SEE THAT LANGUAGE IN THIS DOCUMENT.

SO I WAS WONDERING IF YOU WERE FAMILIAR WITH THAT WITH OUR WETLAND LETTER COME OUT RECENTLY WETLAND BROCHURE AND THEN HOW WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW YOU MIGHT BE WILLING TO ASSIST IN THESE EFFORTS.

ASKING ME. OK.

YES. THANK YOU.

OH, SORRY. I'M FAMILIAR WITH THE DOCUMENTS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

I KNOW WE HAVE BUFFER LANGUAGE IN OUR ORDINANCE.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT MY SPECIFIC ROLE MOVING FORWARD LOOKS LIKE EXACTLY, BUT I DO KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT AND I'M GENERALLY SUPPORTIVE OF YOUR EFFORT OF THAT.

YES. I WAS ACTUALLY KIND OF IMPRESSED WHEN I SAW THAT THERE WAS BUFFER REQUIREMENTS, I PUSHED BUFFERS AND OTHER COMMUNITIES I'VE WORKED FOR AND GOT A LOT OF PUSHBACK ON THAT.

THAT'S ACTUALLY A PRETTY, PRETTY USEFUL TECHNIQUE.

LEROY, DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT? YEAH. EMMA WAS HOPING TO BE HERE AT THE MEETING TONIGHT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS SHE'S HAD WITH TIM ABOUT THE BUILD BACK, THE BUFFER IDEAS, SO HOPEFULLY SHE CAN JOIN US AT A FUTURE MEETING AS WE MOVE FORWARD TOO.

SO I KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING THAT TIM IS ON BOARD WITH AND.

I'M NOT SURE HOW MUCH BRIAN'S JUST ALSO GETTING HIS FEET WET, NO PUN INTENDED, BUT.

IT'S ALL RIGHT. YOU'VE GOT YOU MENTIONED ABOUT PAT LINDEMANN, MAYBE COME INTO A GREEN DIALOG SOMETIME IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

I WONDER IF WOULD THAT BE APPROPRIATE TO KIND OF RAISE THE ISSUE WITH HIM IF HE JOINS THE GROUP. DEFINITELY.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT TIM HAS ALSO SAID IS THAT A LOT OF THE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE STRATEGIES ARE REALLY IN THE CONTROL IN THE HANDS OF THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE.

SO IF WE COULD SORT OF GET A LIST OF OF THEIR REQUIREMENTS AND MAYBE WORK THOSE INTO OUR ORDINANCES, THAT THAT WOULD BE A KIND OF A REAL PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITY.

SO I THINK TIM WAS GOING TO TRY AND BE AT THAT MEETING TO WHICH HAVEN'T HAD IT CONFIRMED YET, BUT IT MIGHT BE IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS AT A GREEN DIALOG.

IT CERTAINLY WOULD BE QUITE AN OPPORTUNITY, I THINK, FOR US TO MOVE THINGS ALONG.

OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS OR.

OK, LET'S MOVE ON, BECAUSE I'D LIKE TO LEAVE QUITE A BIT OF.

OH, TOM DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? YEAH, I GUESS JUST ONCE AGAIN, I THINK VALERIE AND JOHN, YOU BOTH MENTIONED MAYBE PICKING OFF SOME LOW HANGING FRUIT, SO TO SPEAK AND AND MAYBE A COMMUNITY LIKE MERIDIAN OR EAST LANSING TAKING THE LEAD.

AND AGAIN, I KNOW WE HAVE DISCUSSED PERMEABLE PAYMENT SOMEWHAT IN THE PAST.

I JUST WONDERED IF KIND OF THAT MIGHT BE A FOCUS, POTENTIALLY FOR MERIDIAN, WHAT OTHERS MIGHT THINK OF THAT.

JUST ANY REACTION TO THAT CONCEPT.

WELL, CERTAINLY MY REACTION IS THAT WOULD BE A GOOD THING TO KIND OF HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT IT AND WE HAVE AN ADVANTAGE HERE.

I THINK HAVING CLIFF IN EAST LANSING NOW THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET THE SERIOUS DISCUSSION GOING IN BOTH MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AND EAST LANSING.

SO NONE OF US HAVE TO BE NUMBER ONE.

WE CAN BOTH BE GO FORWARD TOGETHER.

OKAY. OTHER, VALERIE.

JUST TO A THOUGHT, I'M JUST I'M WORRIED ABOUT RELYING ON SOMEONE ELSE TO COME FORWARD WITH THE LEADERSHIP ON THE REGIONAL LEVEL.

I IT SEEMS A BIT.

YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE UNLIKELY.

I MEAN, EVERYBODY IS SO BUSY, AND UNLESS THERE'S FUNDS FOR IT OR ANOTHER PERSON FOR IT OR SOMETHING, SOMEBODY TO CHAMPION IT, WHICH MEANS THEY'D HAVE TO HAVE TIME ON THEIR SCHEDULE TO GET TO IT.

I THINK IT JUST REMAINS AN ASPIRATION FOR US AND IT NEVER SORT OF GETS KICKED INTO ACTION. SO I'M AN ADVOCATE FOR TAKING A SMALL PIECE AND AND WORKING IT THROUGH THE SYSTEM

[00:20:04]

BUT I THINK MY READINESS IS HAS BEEN SO WONDERFUL IN TAKING THE INITIATIVE ON SO MANY THINGS ENVIRONMENTAL AND I'D LOVE TO SEE JUST A LITTLE PIECE OF THIS GOING FORWARD, TOO SO. CERTAINLY, THAT'S NOT INCONSISTENT WITH TRYING TO FIND A REGIONAL CHAMPION.

I MEAN, THEY CAN BOTH OCCUR AT THE SAME TIME.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO REASON WHY THEY CAN'T FORWARD.

THAT WOULD BE WONDERFUL. THANKS, JOHN.

VALERIE, I THINK YOU MAKE A SUPER VALID POINT IN I TALKED TO LEROY A LITTLE BIT AND SOME OTHER COMMISSIONERS AS WELL AND MAYBE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD DISCUSS ON OUR GOALS. BUT IF WE DEVELOP GOALS AND THEN MAYBE WE CAN, LIKE YOU SAID, I MEAN, WE CAN TALK ABOUT EVERYTHING AND HAVE ALL THE BEST OF INTENTIONS.

BUT IF WE DON'T ASSIGN OR OR SOMEBODY DOESN'T STAND UP TO CHAMPION, HOW DO WE MAKE THAT HAPPEN? SO MAYBE THAT COULD BE A PART OF OUR GOAL DISCUSSION IN THE EVENT.

IF THAT'S WHAT WE DECIDE AS A COMMISSION, AS A GOAL, THEN MAYBE ASSIGN A CHAMPION FROM MERIDIAN, EVEN IF IT'S NOT MERIDIAN THAT INITIATES THIS, I GUESS, ENDEAVOR, THEN WE CAN AT LEAST HAVE SOMEBODY THAT CAN REPORT BACK TO US AND BE A LITTLE BIT MORE ACCOUNTABLE.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S HELPFUL OR IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS THINK WOULD BE HELPFUL.

I CERTAINLY DO.

AND YOU KNOW, WHAT, WE HAVE THAT ON OUR AGENDA FOR TODAY, AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE QUITE A BIT OF TIME TO TALK ABOUT IT.

I MEAN, WHAT I WAS KIND OF ASSUMING IS WE COULD BE DOING A LOT OF BRAINSTORMING TONIGHT AND THEN DRAFT UP SOME GOALS FOR NEXT YEAR, WHICH WE WOULD ACTUALLY VOTE ON IN OUR JANUARY MEETING. THAT'S [INAUDIBLE] BECAUSE I THINK WE WANT OUR GOALS IN PLACE, HOPEFULLY AT THE JANUARY MEETING, BUT WE NEED TO HAVE SOME GOOD DISCUSSION TODAY TONIGHT.

TOM, DID YOU HAVE ANOTHER COMMENT OR.

OH, I'M SORRY, I FAILED TO LOWER MY HAND.

I GUESS SO. OKAY.

OKAY. WELL, LET'S WE HAVE SOME OTHER COMMENTS.

LET'S MOVE ALONG BECAUSE I THINK WE DO NEED SOME TIME FOR OUR GOAL DISCUSSION.

BUT THE NEXT ONE IS TIMELY ENVIRONMENTAL TOPICS.

[5B. Timely Environmental Topics]

VALERIE, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO BRING UP RELATED TO LAKE LANSING AT THIS TIME? NO, I MEAN, I WAS HOPING ONE OF THOSE REGIONAL LEADERS WOULD EMERGE, BUT I DON'T KNOW.

I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT WOULD BE OR I'M NOT SURE HOW TO GET IT GOING.

SO. OK, OK, KENDRA.

ARE YOU MUTED? OK, GREAT. SORRY ABOUT THAT IT TOOK ME SOME TIME.

SO JUST SO, YOU KNOW, I HAD A FEW CONVERSATIONS WITH CURT FROM LAKE LANSING ADVISORY COMMITTEE, SOME GREAT CONVERSATIONS AND TALKING ABOUT WAYS THAT WE CAN PARTNER ON.

SOME OF, YOU KNOW, THE WORK THEY HAD GOT A GREAT UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THEIR GROUP OPERATES AND PASS ALONG THE WETLAND BROCHURE AND WETLAND LETTER AND INFORM THEM ABOUT GREEN DIALOG AND HOW WE COULD KIND OF PARTNER TOGETHER INTO PROJECTS.

CERTAINLY, LOOKING AT BARKER PROJECTS THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT DOING AS WELL, SO I'VE BEEN HAVING SOME COMMUNICATION WITH THEM ON LAKE LANSING.

[INAUDIBLE] THAT'S GREAT.

LEROY. ON A RELATED NOTE, HAD A CONVERSATION WITH [INAUDIBLE] ABOUT THIS MICHIGAN SHORELINE PARTNERSHIP AND THEIR EFFORTS TO DO SORT OF A SHORELINE RESTORATION.

SO I HEARD BACK FROM THE DIRECTOR OF THAT SHORELINE PARTNERSHIP TODAY AND THEY ARE MORE OF AN ADVISORY GROUP, BUT THEY'RE OFFERING SOME ASSISTANCE AND TECHNICAL EXPERTISE AND [INAUDIBLE] HE'S HELPED US IN THE PAST WITH VARIOUS THINGS, IS A TRAINED PERSON FOR THAT, SO HOPEFULLY REBUILDING YOUR SHORELINE IS SIMILAR TO BUILDING BACK YOUR BUFFER.

SO I THINK THERE'S SOME SYNERGY THERE WITH THE LAKE LANSING IMPROVEMENTS, AND [INAUDIBLE] IS EXCITED ABOUT IT, AND HE WORKS WITH THAT ADVISORY GROUP THAT KENDRA'S BEEN REACHING OUT TO. SO I THINK A LOT OF COOL THINGS ARE COMING TOGETHER.

YOU KNOW, NED. I JUST HAD A QUESTION, I REALIZE.

SO PROBABLY THE, YOU KNOW, THE PUBLIC FACE OF LAKE LANSING, THE MOST PUBLIC FACE OF LAKE LANSING IS, OF COURSE, LAKE LANSING PARK SOUTH, YOU KNOW, DOWN THERE WHERE LAKE LANSING ROAD RUNS IN AND THAT'S A COUNTY PARK, IF I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY AND WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT WHO AT THE COUNTY OVERSEES IT AND SO FORTH?

[00:25:05]

GOING TO IMPROVE THINGS FOR THE PUBLIC.

THAT WOULD BE A GREAT PLACE TO HIGHLIGHT ACTIVITIES AND HIGHLIGHT THE ISSUES.

I'M ALL FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION SIGNS AND THINGS LIKE THAT HELP PEOPLE WHO ARE USING FACILITIES LIKE THAT.

YOU KNOW, RECOGNIZE THAT, FIRST OF ALL, WHAT IMPROVEMENTS ARE BEING MADE IF IF IMPROVEMENTS ARE BEING MADE AND ALSO WHAT THE ISSUES ARE, IF IN TERMS OF THEIR OWN STEWARDSHIP OF THE PLACE? VALERIE, DID YOU? I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, I THINK THE LAKE LANSING ADVISORY COUNCIL HAS THE PARK MANAGER COME.

I MEAN, I THINK THEY'RE ALWAYS INVITED.

I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY ALWAYS GO, BUT THAT'S I BELIEVE THAT'S THE LIAISON WITH THE GROUP.

SO I, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA.

MAYBE WE COULD INVITE SOMEBODY LIKE THE PARK COMMISSION, I THINK IS OVER IT.

MAYBE WE COULD INVITE THE CHAIR OF THE PARK COMMISSION TO COME TO GREEN DIALOG OR WHATEVER AND AND TALK WITH US BEING AS YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT JUST THAT PARK WHICH IS THE FACE OF THE LAKE, I AGREE, BUT IT'S ALSO THE HUGE INFLUENCE OF THE OTHER PARK WHERE THE BOAT LAUNCH THAT HAS SO MUCH TO DO WITH, WITH WHAT HAPPENS ON THE LAKE AND THE HEALTH OF THE LAKE AND SO FORTH.

YEAH. KENDRA. THANK YOU, SO I'M SPEAKING WITH CURT WITH LAKE LANSING, SOUTH, THEY'RE HOPING TO DO THE BUFFER OVER IN THAT AREA.

THE THE LAWN AREA, THAT'S CLOSER, I DON'T KNOW, BY THE CLOSER TO THE MAYFAIR AREA, I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT ROAD THAT IS.

I CAN'T REMEMBER SEEING THAT ROAD. SO THEY'RE HOPING TO GET A GRANT FOR THAT FOR NEXT YEAR. AND SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PARTNERING AND WORKING TOGETHER ON, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THIS STUFF TOGETHER. I HAVEN'T THAT CONVERSATION WITH KURT.

WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT LAKE LANSING NORTH, BUT WE DID TALK ABOUT LAKE LANSING SOUTH.

GO AHEAD. I'M JUST GOING TO SAY, YOU KNOW, THE BUFFER IS A SMALL PART OF THE HEALTH, I MEAN, AN IMPORTANT ONE, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER ISSUES GOING ON TOO.

BUT IT'S WONDERFUL THAT, YOU KNOW WHATEVER CAN BE DONE IS DONE.

BUT YOU KNOW, THERE'S THERE'S OTHER ISSUES AT PLAY AND.

YOU KNOW, LARGER ONES, AND MSU ALSO HAS A BIG INFLUENCE ON THE LAKE, SO ANYWAY.

WELL.

YEAH, LEROY.

I WAS WONDERING IF COURTNEY KNOWS ABOUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE MONEY COMING TO THE TOWNSHIP.

MAYBE THERE IS SOME OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOME GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS, AS WITH SOME OF THAT INFRASTRUCTURE MONEY, IT'S CERTAINLY WE DON'T WANT TO JUST STOP AT ONE PARK OR ONE.

ONE PROPERTY. IT'D BE NICE TO PUT TOGETHER SOME, SOME SHOVEL READY, IF YOU WILL PROJECTS TO THAT WE CAN PULL OFF IN THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO.

THANK YOU LEROY.

ALL RIGHT, I, YOU KNOW, WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED THE THE FUNDING YET, AND THERE HASN'T BEEN MUCH DISCUSSION AT THE BOARD LEVEL YET ABOUT THAT FUNDING.

I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO BRING THAT.

I'M WONDERING, THOUGH, BECAUSE IT'S INGHAM COUNTY AS OPPOSED TO MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

HOW THAT MIGHT PLAY A PART, BUT I CAN CERTAINLY BRING THAT UP IN AND SEE IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU KNOW, TOWNSHIP WOULD HAVE [INAUDIBLE].

THERE'S A SMALL PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT THE TOWNSHIP OWNS BY MACK AVENUE, I BELIEVE.

OKAY. WHERE THERE IS A SEAWALL BUILT, SO THAT'S JUST ANOTHER POTENTIAL SPOT, SO.

BUT THE MONEY TO DO THAT IS STILL A QUESTION.

BUT TURNING A SEAWALL INTO A, YOU KNOW, KIND OF A NATURAL SHORELINE IS JUST ANOTHER ASPECT OF A DEMONSTRATION PROJECT THAT MIGHT BE USEFUL FOR OTHER PEOPLE.

MAYBE WE COULD TALK OFFLINE IF YOU DON'T MIND AND AND TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE WHEN WE BRING THAT UP, I THINK THE FUNDING WILL BE APPROPRIATED OR AT LEAST AVAILABLE IN JANUARY. I'M NOT SURE WHAT MANAGER WALSH HAS BEEN IN THE WORKS ON.

WHEN THE TIMELINE WOULD BE FOR APPROPRIATION, BUT WE COULD CERTAINLY TALK ABOUT THAT WILLING. ARE THERE ANY OTHER TIMELY ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES BEFORE WE MOVE ON THE AGENDA? THIS IS KIND OF AN OPEN ITEM, SO WE'VE TALKED ABOUT LAKE LANSING, BUT IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE SOMEBODY WANTS TO? OK. LET'S MOVE ALONG THEN.

[00:30:03]

[5C. Commission/Committee Dialogue]

I MEAN, IT JUST CAME FROM WHEN THERE WERE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF APPLICANTS FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, SO THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST IN POTENTIALLY A LOT OF VOLUNTEER POWER AND RECOGNIZING ALL THESE DIVERSE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE.

IT JUST IT WASN'T.

IN FACT, IT WAS SOMEBODY ELSE'S SUGGESTION A WHILE BACK, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE A GOOD IDEA.

SO IT'S AN AND OR, YOU KNOW, I THINK OTHERS HAVE SAID, WELL, WE ALREADY HAVE GROUPS THAT AREN'T STRICTLY COMMISSIONERS, BUT THEY'RE VOLUNTEERS AND THEY MEET ON A REGULAR BASIS AND WITH STAFF OR WITH ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS.

AND THAT WORKS WELL, TOO.

SO I'M NOT SURE I DON'T WANT TO CREATE ANY MORE.

WHAT? I DON'T WANT TO CREATE ANY MORE WORK FOR STAFF.

THE IDEA WAS THAT IT WOULD THERE BE MORE PEOPLE DOING WORK, NOT CREATING PROBLEMS. SO IT ALL DEPENDS ON HOW YOU LOOK AT THAT, I GUESS.

YUP, LUCA.

I WAS JUST GOING TO COMMENT.

I THINK THE THE BOARD WAS BUILT OFF OF THE FUNDAMENTALS OF HAVING A DIVERSE GROUP OF PEOPLE TO COME IN AND TALK ABOUT THE DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE.

SO I AGREE WITH VALERIE ON THIS, THAT WE DO.

WE SHOULD HAVE MORE MEMBERS AS I FEEL LIKE EVERY SINGLE PERSON THAT WE ADD ON TO HERE IS JUST ANOTHER VOICE FOR ANOTHER PART OF THE COMMUNITY THAT CAN HELP US REALLY DO EXACTLY WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT. OH, TOM.

YEAH, I WAS JUST CURIOUS IN THIS DISCUSSION, IF WE KNOW THE THE SIZE OF SOME OF THE OTHER TOWNSHIP BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, IT SEEMS LIKE NINE IS A PRETTY, GOOD NUMBER TO ME JUST OFFHAND.

BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW WE COMPARE TO THE OTHER COMMISSIONS ON THE BOARD.

AND, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK WE WANT TO GET TOO BIG.

I AGREE WE WANT TO BE INCLUSIVE, BUT I ALSO THINK THAT FRANKLY, A LOT OF THE WORK THAT IS DONE IS DONE ON THE COMMITTEE LEVEL AS OPPOSED TO THE ACTUAL COMMISSION LEVEL.

AND THEN THOSE COMMITTEES OR COMMISSIONS VARIOUS COMMISSIONS KIND OF FEED INTO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.

BUT I GUESS MY MAIN QUESTION WAS, DOES ANYBODY KNOW HOW THE SIZE OF THIS COMMISSION COMPARES TO OTHER TOWNSHIP COMMISSIONS? LEROY DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS OR ANY IDEA HOW MANY? I DON'T KNOW THE AVERAGE NUMBER.

MAYBE BILL COULD TELL US HOW MANY ON TRANSPORTATION AND PLANNING, AND COURTNEY MIGHT HAVE A BETTER SENSE.

IN THE FIRST TWO, COMMISSIONS, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT CAME UP WITH, ONE HAS FIVE AND ONE HAS SEVEN TO NINE.

I THINK WE'RE GOING TO FIND A RANGE WITHIN THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.

I KIND OF AGREE WITH TOM AND THAT I THINK NINE IS ACTUALLY A PRETTY GOOD SIZED GROUP, AND I THINK I AGREE WITH TOM TOO, THAT, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE ACTUAL WORK IS GOING TO GET DONE AT THE COMMITTEE OR TASK FORCE LEVEL.

AND SO I THINK TO ME, THAT HAS A NUMBER OF ADVANTAGES.

ONE, WE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED, WE PUT THEM RIGHT TO WORK.

AND ALSO THE PEOPLE WHO GET INVOLVED WITH THIS VARIOUS COMMITTEES OR TASK FORCE BECOMES ALMOST LIKE LOGICAL CANDIDATES TO BECOME A COMMISSIONER IF THERE'S A VACANCY.

SO, BUT ANYWAY, COURTNEY? [INAUDIBLE] I WOULD I WOULD AGREE WITH ALL OF THAT CONVERSATION, I THINK.

SO AGAIN, I HAD A SMALL CONVERSATION WITH LEROY ABOUT GOALS, THE GOALS FROM THE BOARD VERSUS HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT THOSE GOALS WITH OUR COMMISSION ARE SUPPORTED? AND YOU KNOW, I'M WONDERING IF ITS NOT DETERMINING WHAT OUR GOALS ARE MIGHT HELP US DETERMINE THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS ON THE COMMISSION.

SO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE COULD IDENTIFY GOALS, BUT THEN, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY HAVE VOLUNTEERS AND OR, YOU KNOW, AND THEREFORE ASSIGN WHO WOULD BE MAYBE A PROJECT LEAD ON

[00:35:08]

AND I MEAN, YOU MAKE SOME REALLY GOOD POINTS.

LUCA, YOU MADE SOME REALLY GOOD POINTS, TOO.

MAYBE WE DO NEED ADDITIONAL MEMBERS TO SUPPORT THOSE GOALS, BUT MAYBE WE NEED TO MAYBE BE A LITTLE MORE FOCUSED KNOWING THAT THERE'S, YOU KNOW, AN EXPONENTIAL AMOUNT OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE WORKED ON.

BUT IF WE DETERMINE WHAT OUR FOCUS AND OUR GOALS ARE, AND MAYBE WE COULD NOT, THEN THEREFORE DETERMINE HOW MANY COMMISSIONERS WE MIGHT NEED TO TO MAKE THOSE GOALS GO FORWARD. KIND OF JUST A THOUGHT I'VE BEEN HAVING FOR A WHILE.

OKAY. YEAH.

YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD SUGGESTION, YOU KNOW, WE CAN REVISIT THIS ISSUE IN OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING IN JANUARY, AND MAYBE IT WOULD BE A GOOD DISCUSSION AFTER WE'VE HAD SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT OUR GOALS.

BUT IT'S WHATEVER IS THE PLEASURE OF THE COMMISSION.

ANY FURTHER COMMENTS? WELL, I JUST ADD WHAT LEROY JUST PUT IN THE COMMENTS THAT WE'VE ALSO DISCUSSED.

JOHN, I THINK IT WAS YOUR IDEA, A PANEL OF EXPERTS TO BE ABLE TO AND THAT FITS IN WONDERFULLY FOR DETERMINING, YOU KNOW, IF THERE SHOULD BE ADDITIONAL WHATEVER.

I MEAN, IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S COMPLEMENTED NICELY.

SO THAT'S ANOTHER KIND OF MECHANISM, YOU KNOW, THERE MAY BE PEOPLE THAT WE JUST WANT TO IDENTIFY AS KIND OF RESOURCE EXPERTS THAT WE CALL UPON OCCASIONALLY, RIGHT TO HELP US OUT ON ISSUES. [INAUDIBLE] WHEN I THINK OF THAT, I THINK OF SUSAN MASTEN BECAUSE SHE'S A WATER EXPERT, YOU KNOW, AND SHE'S BEEN REAL BUSY AND HAD TO LEAVE THE COMMISSION, BUT SHE'D BE A GREAT EXPERT TO CALL UPON.

WELL, LET'S MOVE ON TO THE NEXT COMMISSIONER APPOINTMENTS.

I GUESS LEROY THAT HAS TO DO WITH WE HAVE A STUDENT VACANCY, RIGHT? YES, WE DO. WE HAVE.

IF YOU INCLUDE ALTERNATES, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A COUPLE OF VACANCIES, I BELIEVE ANNIKA AND.

BERNADETTE CAN CLARIFY, BUT I THINK THEIR TERM IS EXPIRING THIS YEAR UNLESS THEY'VE CHANGED THEIR MIND, AND SO WE HAVE A COUPLE OF AT LEAST A COUPLE OF OPENINGS FOR STUDENTS AND WE HAVE ONE STUDENT AT MSU, STUDENT IS INTERESTED IN JOINING US AND YOU'VE PROBABLY SAW HIS APPLICATION IN THE PACKET.

HE GAVE US A AN AUDIO.

INTRODUCTION IN A PRAYER MEETING, AND THAT HE WAS APPLYING FOR A REGULAR POSITION AT THAT POINT, BUT IT OCCURRED THAT HE WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR ONE OF THE STUDENT POSITION OPENINGS, AND SO HE'S INTERESTED IN BEING APPOINTED.

AND LEROY, WE HAD SOME EMAILS BACK AND FORTH.

IS HE GOING TO JOIN US FOR THE JANUARY MEETING? YEAH, YEAH. HE COULDN'T MAKE IT TONIGHT.

AND FOR SOME REASON, I'M MISSING THAT PART OF MY PACKET.

I THINK IT'S GRAHAM [INAUDIBLE] IS HIS NAME.

HE'S GOT A LOT OF INTEREST IN ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.

YEAH. WELL, I SUGGESTED THE LEROY TO THAT HE SHOULD JOIN US AT THE JANUARY MEETING.

AND YOU KNOW, WE COULD ASK IF, YOU KNOW, IF WE DESIRE, THEN AT SOME POINT WE COULD ASK HIM TO LEAVE AND WE COULD THEN ACTUALLY EVEN AVOID A VOTE IN HIS APPOINTMENT EVEN AT THE JANUARY MEETING OR DELAY IT TO FEBRUARY.

BUT THE OTHER THING I'D WANT TO MENTION ABOUT STUDENT APPOINTMENTS, I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT SURE WOULD BE NICE IF WE GET SOMEBODY REPRESENTING HASLETT SCHOOLS.

BUT TOM? YEAH.

SORRY TO BE SO VOCAL TONIGHT, BUT IT'S UNCOMMON FOR ME, BUT YEAH, ONE THING I DID NOTICE IN HIS APPLICATION.

OBVIOUSLY, HE'S GOT A LOT OF QUALIFICATIONS, BUT THE ONE RED FLAG I NOTICED IS THAT HE IS A CANDIDATE FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE FOR JULIE [INAUDIBLE] CURRENT SEAT.

AND THAT MAY BE A CONCERN IN AND OF ITSELF.

AND ALSO, I THINK IF HE'S TRULY RUNNING FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE, HIS FOCUS IS GOING TO BE ON RUNNING FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE AND NOT SERVING ON A VOLUNTEER COMMISSION.

SO THAT'S A COUPLE OF CONCERNS I WOULD NOTE AT THIS POINT.

GOOD POINTS, COURTNEY.

THANK YOU, JOHN.

[00:40:02]

DO WE HAVE A PROCESS IN PROCEDURE FOR HOW WE DO THAT? SO IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WE'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT TIMELINES FOR DIFFERENT POSITIONS.

SOME RESIGN.

SOME ARE APPOINTED.

DO WE HAVE A PROCEDURE FOR THAT AS AS OPPOSED LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, I GUESS I'M NOT BEING ARTICULATE. DO WE POST IT? DO WE RECEIVE APPLICATIONS? DO WE REVIEW APPLICATIONS AND THEN INVITE PEOPLE? AND I SHOULD KNOW THIS, BUT I DON'T.

WELL, YOU KNOW, LET ME JUST TELL YOU AT LEAST THE RECENT EXPERIENCE THAT SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE COMMISSION IS NOW FOR THE APPOINTED COMMISSIONERS VOTING COMMISSIONERS.

YOU KNOW, WE IT SEEMS LIKE WE ALWAYS HAVE A RESERVOIR OF APPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC SERVICE.

AND SO IT'S IT'S LIKE IF SOMEBODY LEAVES THE COMMISSION, YOU KNOW, FOR ANY REASON, WE USUALLY HAVE, AT LEAST IN RECENT HISTORY, ONE, TWO OR THREE CANDIDATES THAT WE CONSIDER.

AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THE PROCESS WE'VE BEEN MOST RECENTLY USING RIGHT IS THE HAVING THEM COME IN AND KIND OF INTRODUCE THEMSELVES TO US.

WE HAVE SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT THEIR BACKGROUNDS AND EXPERIENCE.

WE KIND OF SHARE OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH THE SUPERVISOR WHO IS RIGHT MAKES THE APPOINTMENT.

NOW THE MOST RECENTLY WITH THE STUDENT MEMBERS, THOUGH, I GUESS I THINK I LEROY HIS ADVICE. HE INDICATED THAT IT WAS REALLY KIND OF OUR DECISION.

AND SO WE KIND OF HAD SOME GOOD CANDIDATES FOR THE STUDENT POSITIONS, AND WE JUST KIND OF VOTED ON HIM AND ACCEPTED HIM, AND I GUESS IN A TECHNICAL SENSE, PROBABLY THE TOWNSHIP BOARD APPROVED HIM. SO THAT'S, I DON'T KNOW LEROY DID I? DID I GET IT SOMEWHAT STRAIGHT? WHAT'S YOUR PERSPECTIVE HERE? YOU'RE THE STAFF. YEAH, I WILL GET NOTIFIED WHEN WE GET AN APPLICANT.

I WILL TYPICALLY TALK TO THE APPLICANT AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO PARTICIPATE OR WE'RE A PRETTY OPEN COMMISSION.

SO WHAT WHAT BETTER WAY TO FIND OUT IF SOMEONE'S A GOOD FIT AND FOR THEM TO FIND OUT IF THEY'RE A GOOD FIT, THEN PARTICIPATE TO JOIN US AT A MEETING.

SO ALL OF THE CURRENT APPLICANTS HAVE BEEN ENCOURAGED TO DO THAT.

I'M NOT SURE WHY THEY HAVEN'T SHOWN UP FOR THESE MEETINGS, BUT I KNOW FOR GRAHAM'S SITUATION IT WAS A CONFLICT ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT.

I THINK WE ALWAYS WANT TO WELCOME PEOPLE TO COME TO OUR MEETINGS AND PARTICIPATE, TO WANT TO KEEP IT OPEN AND INCLUSIVE.

SO IT'S PARTLY JUST THE CULTURE, ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE OF THIS COMMITTEE THAT IS IN GROUP. IT IS, I THINK, AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF THAT RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION.

WHAT YOU KNOW? YEAH, WELL, YOU KNOW, ONE THING, TOO, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, AND I GUESS THIS GETS BACK TO THE DISCUSSION OF GOALS.

YOU KNOW, I COULD IMAGINE A SCENARIO BY WHICH WE LOOK AT OUR GOALS AND SAY, MY GOODNESS, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY ARE MISSING SOME EXPERTISE AND MAYBE IF WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY, WE SHOULD TRY TO ACTUALLY RECRUIT SOMEBODY WITH SPECIFIC TYPE OF EXPERTISE.

IF THERE'S NOT A VACANCY IN THE COMMISSION, AT LEAST WE COULD HAVE THEM BE ONE OF THOSE THAT KIND OF I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE CALL THEM NOW, EXPERT ADVISORS.

BUT KENDRA? YES, THANKS, JOHN. I AGREE WITH YOU ON THAT.

YOU KNOW, FOR WHEN THEY WERE LOOKING AT THE DEVELOPING THE INGHAM COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, THEY WERE THEY SPECIFICALLY SAID, YOU KNOW, WE WERE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXPERTISE IN THESE DIFFERENT AREAS.

AND IT WAS A WELL-ROUNDED KIND OF LOOKING FOR DIFFERENT AREAS.

SO I THINK THAT'S A FANTASTIC IDEA.

I LIKE THE IDEA OF SPENDING SOME TIME DURING THESE MEETINGS BEFORE I CAME ON THE COMMISSION. I'VE BEEN JOINING THESE MEETINGS SINCE OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR.

I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH ENVIRONMENTAL STUFF SINCE, I DON'T KNOW, JULY, AUGUST OF LAST YEAR, ACTIVELY WORKING ON WATERSHED ISSUES.

AND SO BY THE TIME I CAME TO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A COMMISSIONER OPENING, I HAD A DECENT SENSE WHAT THAT LOOKED LIKE AND WHAT COMMISSION HAD ALREADY BEEN WORKING ON.

SO I THINK THAT THAT'S SOME GOOD OPPORTUNITIES.

THERE'S SO MANY WAYS THAT PEOPLE CAN GET INVOLVED AND CAN GET ENGAGED.

LIKE WE HAVE THE GREEN DIALOGUE, WE HAVE ALL THESE DIFFERENT STUDY GROUPS.

SO I THINK THAT THAT'S WAYS THAT PEOPLE GET INVOLVED.

REGARDING THE STUDENTS, I WANT TO SAY THAT I AM.

ANNA. I'M REALLY GRATEFUL.

I'M NOT DONE YET. OKAY.

REGARDING THE STUDENTS, I WANT TO SAY THAT I'M REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THEIR WORK.

[00:45:06]

IT WARMS MY HEART.

HOW MUCH YOU HAVE WORKED ON SOME OF THE STUFF WE HAVE HERE.

AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE'LL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WITH SOME OF THE WORK THIS TIME OR NEXT TIME AROUND. BUT I IT'S REALLY GREAT.

I'M REALLY GRATEFUL TO HAVE THEIR INVOLVEMENT, AND I DO LIKE THE THOUGHT OF HAVING A HASLETT REPRESENTING HASLETT SCHOOLS HERE TOO.

SO THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS.

SORRY, THEIR LENGTHY.

ANNA. OH, THANK YOU.

I WAS ACTUALLY GOING TO SUGGEST WHAT WHAT WAS ALREADY SUGGESTED WAS THAT WE LOOKED AT WHAT OUR GOALS ARE AND THEN GET A SENSE OF WHAT WHAT TALENT AND SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE WE ALREADY HAVE AND POTENTIALLY TRY TO BRING SOMEONE ON THAT THAT COMPLIMENTS THOSE.

I ALSO LIKE THE IDEA OF DOING SOME OUTREACH TO HASLETT SCHOOLS, AND I KNOW VAL PUT A NOTE IN THE CHAT HERE SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE MAY BE ABLE TO REACH OUT TO.

WAS IT BRIDGET BOOTHE? WITH HASLETT MIDDLE SCHOOL.

OR SHE MAY HAVE SOME STUDENTS, SO, YOU KNOW, I'LL LET VALERIE ADD TO THAT IF SHE WANTS TO, BUT I DO LIKE GETTING THE WORD OUT A LITTLE BIT.

I MEAN, WE DO HAVE A GOOD CANDIDATE, BUT IT DOESN'T HURT TO GET SOME MORE OPTIONS.

YEAH, I THINK LEROY JUST SENT A NOTE ON THAT THAT MAYBE HE HAD A DISCUSSION.

OH, I SEE THAT NOW TOO. [LAUGHTER] OKAY.

HEY, LET'S SEE OTHER COMMENTS BEFORE WE MOVE ON.

OK. YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO NOW APPROVE OUR MEETING SCHEDULE FOR NEXT YEAR, AND LOOKING AT

[5E. Meeting Schedule for 2022 (consent agenda)]

DID I GET THAT RIGHT? LEROY. OK.

IT DIDN'T TAKE A ROCKET SCIENTIST TO FIGURE THAT OUT.

AND SO UNLESS SOMEBODY HAS SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THOSE FIRST WEDNESDAYS OF THE MONTH, I NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE THE MEETING SCHEDULE FOR NEXT YEAR.

MOTION TO APPROVE.

OK, VALERIE AND ANNA SECONDED.

ALL IN FAVOR OF DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY DISCUSSION RELATED TO THE SCHEDULE? I SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE A DISCUSSION.

OK, GOOD. OK.

ALL IN FAVOR OF THE SCHEDULE.

PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. OH, OK.

MOVING ON TO A GOALS FOR NEXT YEAR, WHICH IS A VERY IMPORTANT DISCUSSION, SO I THINK

[5F. Goals for 2022 (see attached current and past goals)]

HOPEFULLY, WE CAN VOTE AND APPROVE THEM IN OUR JANUARY BOARD MEETING.

DOES THAT SEEM LIKE A REASONABLE SCHEDULE OR APPROACH? YEAH. OK, LET'S DO SOME BRAINSTORMING.

WHAT SHOULD WE DO NEXT? I DON'T. I DON'T KNOW IF IT IS HELPFUL, BUT.

AND LET ME JUST SHARE MY SCREEN, I TOOK THE LIBERTY OF JUST MAKING SOME GENERAL STATEMENTS SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DID LAST YEAR.

AND I'M GOING TO POST THIS DOCUMENT.

IT'S A GOOGLE DOCUMENT, SO IF YOU WANNA ACTUALLY, EDIT IT, YOU CAN GO TO THAT LINK.

LET ME JUST SEE IF MY SCREEN WORKS HERE.

THIS IS WHAT YOU SHOULD SEE IF YOU OPEN IT.

SO. GREEN GRANTS, WE'VE GOT SOME PROJECTS THAT HAVE SOME MOMENTUM GOING.

AND THE WETLAND EDUCATION OUTREACH, THE FOOD GROUP CLIMATE ACTION PLAN, SOME OF THE RECYCLING EVENTS, GREEN NEIGHBORS NETWORK, SOME OF THIS STUFF MAY BE JUST KIND OF A WE MIGHT WANT TO START FILLING IN SOME DETAILS OF THINGS WE'D LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN IN THIS COMING YEAR. AND THEN WE HAVE COMMITTEES ASSOCIATED WITH EACH OF THESE EFFORTS.

SO I THOUGHT THIS COULD BE A STARTING PLACE FOR US THAT WE COULD EXPAND ON OR IF YOU DON'T SEE THIS AS BEING PART OF OUR.

GOALS, WE COULD CERTAINLY REMOVE IT, BUT.

ANYWAY, DOES THIS SOUND LIKE A GOOD STARTING POINT? SURE, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD STARTING POINT, LET ME START THE DISCUSSION BY JUST MENTIONING THAT I THINK YOU'RE UNDER THE CLIMATE ACTION.

I THINK THAT'S A GOOD ONE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF THOUGHT THE OTHER DAY.

MY GOODNESS. IT'S THE PLAN WAS DEVELOPED IN 2017.

AND SO I THINK WE'RE NEXT YEAR WILL BE FIVE YEARS.

MY GOODNESS. SO I THINK WE SHOULD ASK THE ENERGY TEAM AND ALL THE OTHER RELEVANT

[00:50:05]

MAYBE MAKE ADDITIONS, I THINK MAKE SENSE FOR THE ENERGY TEAM TO TAKE THE LEAD ON THE ENERGY TEAM'S GOING TO BE INVOLVED WITH THE SOLAR MERIDIAN PROGRAM DURING THE EARLY PART OF THE YEAR OR SO. I THINK, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY THE ENERGY TEAM WANT TO REALLY DO A LOT OF WORK THE TOWARD THE SUMMER OR END OF 2022, BUT I THINK THAT.

IS AN IMPORTANT GOAL FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION TO UPDATE THE ACTION PLAN.

ALL RIGHT. THERE I AM. THE FOOD TEAM HAS ALSO BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN AND ADDING SOMETHING RELATED TO TO FOOD INTO THE ACTION PLAN, SO.

RIGHT. A NEW AREA.

BILL? YEAH, I THINK THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN REALLY DOES GIVE US A GREAT FRAMEWORK FOR THINKING THROUGH SOME OF THESE ISSUES IN MY VIEW, THE THE ENERGY GOALS HAVE AND OBJECTIVES HAVE BEEN ONES THAT WE'VE MADE THE MOST PROGRESS ON IN THE TOWNSHIP WITH SOME SOME BIG INVESTMENTS AND A LOT OF HARD WORK FOR THE ENERGY TEAM.

A LOT OF THE STUFF WE TALKED ABOUT WITH WATER IS MENTIONED IN THE TWENTY SEVENTEEN PLAN, BUT MAYBE IT IS NOT ELABORATED IN THE WAY WE WOULD TODAY AROUND GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE.

AND THERE IS ALSO A WASTE REDUCTION PORTION OF THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN THAT COULD REALLY USEFULLY BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE THE FOOD WASTE THAT I DON'T THINK WAS EVEN PROBABLY MENTIONED AND CERTAINLY NOT EMPHASIZED.

SO I THINK THAT IS A REALLY NICE FRAMEWORK, AND UPDATING THAT PLAN GIVES US A WAY TO LOOK AT WHAT THE OBJECTIVES THAT WERE SET PRIOR AND WHERE, WHAT PROGRESS WE'VE MADE AND WHAT WE'D LIKE TO FOCUS ON AND HOW WE'D LIKE TO EXPAND THOSE GOALS.

SO I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.

YOU KNOW, VALERIE. I JUST I'D LOVE TO SEE SOMETHING IN THERE ABOUT WORKING WITH ORDINANCES I KNOW ANNA AND TOM AND OTHERS HAVE MENTIONED IT TOO, SO I DON'T QUITE KNOW HOW, BUT I MEAN.

WHAT CAN WE DISCUSS IT? YEAH. ARE YOU ARE YOU SPECIFICALLY THINKING GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE OR BROTHERHOOD? WELL, PROBABLY AS A START, MAYBE.

YEAH, MAYBE AS THE START, BUT.

WELL, YOU WERE, JOHN, YOU WERE ON THAT REGIONAL COMMITTEE TO THE CAST COMMITTEE TO REDO THE ORDINANCES ON A BROAD SCALE.

I THINK WHAT ALL DID YOU COVER THERE WHEN YOU HAD A COUPLE OF MEETINGS AND THE CAST GROUP, WAS IT JUST GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE? YOU KNOW, THE MEETINGS HAVE BEEN SO FEW AND FAR BETWEEN.

I KNOW MY RECOLLECTION IS A LOT WAS COVERED AND YOU KNOW, YOU [INAUDIBLE] A LOT HAD TO DO WITH GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, A LOT HAD TO DO WITH BUILDINGS ALSO.

SO THAT'S MY RECOLLECTION.

WELL, MAYBE IF WE'RE BECAUSE WE'RE JUST GETTING STARTED SOMETHING IN GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, THEN I DON'T KNOW.

THAT IS AN IMPORTANT AREA THAT I THINK SHOULD BE HIGHLIGHTED AS ALMOST A SEPARATE GOAL.

OH, OK. RIGHT.

I MEAN, I THINK WE WANT TO WE GOT THE AUDIT.

WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE.

I THINK WE NEED A SEPARATE GOAL RELATED.

COURTNEY. IT WAS LAST, JOHN, I'D LIKE TO DEFER TO THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS FOR A MINUTE.

OK, THAT'S FINE. KENDRA.

SO I LIKE LOOKING AT THE CLIMATE ACTION AGREEMENT, LOOKING AT THAT AND OUR CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN, I THINK WE CAN LOOK AT THAT.

THERE'S SOME GOOD THINGS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE IN THERE.

THERE'S SOME GOOD ORDINANCES THAT ARE ALREADY IN PLACE.

I THINK THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT CONSISTENCY AND PROTOCOL POLICY AND PROCEDURE AND HOW THOSE THINGS ARE IMPLEMENTED.

AND SO I MEAN, I'M ALWAYS FOR MAKING THINGS GREENER, BUT I THINK WE HAVE A CHARGE AS FAR AS LIKE, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY LIKE PROTECTING WETLANDS, WATERSHEDS, NATURAL RESOURCES.

AND SO HOW DO WE DO THAT? HOW DO WE CREATE EQUITY AND ADDRESS ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ISSUES? YOU KNOW, WHICH EQUITY IS A HUGE PART OF THAT?

[00:55:03]

AND I THINK IF WE CREATE THAT, THEN MORE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S YOU TAKE YOU ADDRESS. YOU GET THE JUST ISSUES BY HAVING CONSISTENCY IN POLICY PROCEDURES, SO WE HAVE A LOT OF GOOD STUFF ON THE BOOKS.

LET'S WORK ON WHAT WE HAVE AS WELL.

ANNA? YEAH, SO ONCE AGAIN IN THE FOOD GROUP, WE HAVE STARTED DOING SOME THINKING ABOUT MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP ORDINANCES AROUND FOOD PROCUREMENT IN PARTICULAR.

I MEAN, THERE'S SOME AREAS THAT ALIGN WITH THE SOME OF THE PRIORITIES WITH THE MICHIGAN GOOD FOOD CHARTER ABOUT PROCURING PROCUREMENT PRACTICES WITHIN THE TOWNSHIP FOR.

I MEAN, MOST, YOU KNOW, FOR THE FOOD THAT THE TOWNSHIP PROCURES SO THEY CAN HAVE LESS OF AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OR BE LOWER WASTE ESSENTIALLY.

SO I DON'T KNOW THAT WE NEED TO GET INTO THAT MUCH DETAIL IN THIS DOCUMENT, BUT TO LOOK AT LIKE WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE BEST PRACTICE ORDINANCES IN THE TOWNSHIP AND HOW COULD WE MAKE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS? WELL, YOU KNOW, I GOT A QUESTION FOR EVERYBODY, I THINK AS WE TALK ABOUT THE GOALS, AT LEAST SO FAR, I THINK WE HAVE ENOUGH STRUCTURE IN PLACE, I GUESS IN THE SENSE OF COMMITTEES AND TASK FORCES.

YOU KNOW, SO I AND, YOU KNOW, IF I'M WRONG ON THAT, YOU KNOW, JUST CORRECT ME.

BUT BUT I DO THINK WE KIND OF HAVE AT LEAST THE BEGINNING OF THE STRUCTURE TO KIND OF ADDRESS ALL THESE GOALS BECAUSE WE HAVE QUITE A FEW DIFFERENT COMMITTEES AND TASK FORCE NOW AND THEY'RE DOING GOOD WORK.

SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK ONCE WE COME UP WITH GOALS.

I THINK IT WOULD BE FAIRLY OBVIOUS, WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR TRYING TO MOVE THOSE THINGS AHEAD? YEAH.

WELL, I'LL JUST ADD, YOU KNOW, IF I'M THINKING LIKE BIG PICTURE, I AGREE WITH YOU.

AND IF I'M THINKING MORE LIKE BIG PICTURE GOALS VERSUS LIKE ACTIVITIES OF LIKE THE ORDINANCES, I'D SAY, LIKE WITH THE FOOD AREA AND VALERIE, YOU CAN ADD TO THIS.

I WOULD THINK REDUCTION OF, FOR ME, THE BIG GOALS OF REDUCTION OF FOOD WASTE AND A STRONGER LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM BECAUSE THAT PLAYS INTO OUR RESILIENCY, LIKE THE RESILIENCE OF OUR FOOD SYSTEM, THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE AND THEN ALSO HAS AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT IN TERMS OF A LOT OF TIMES, LIKE LOCAL PRODUCTION IS MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT WAYS.

AND I WON'T GET INTO ALL THE DETAILS NOW, BUT I THINK THOSE WOULD BE TWO HUGE BUCKETS FOR ME. OKAY, NED? WELL KIND OF ALONG THE LINES OF THE FOOD QUESTION, BUT SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT, BUT ALSO IN THE CONTEXT OF COVID.

I THINK PACKAGING IS A HUGE ELEMENT IN THIS, YOU KNOW, THE MORE PEOPLE ARE ORDERING STUFF OUT, THE MORE PEOPLE ARE, FOR THAT MATTER, ORDERING STUFF FROM AMAZON THAT ISN'T FOOD TO BUT YOU KNOW, THERE ARE PLACES IN THE WORLD WHERE PEOPLE, FOR INSTANCE, AS AN EXTREME CASE, HAVE SIMPLY SAID NO MORE PLASTIC BAGS IN OUR COMMUNITY PERIOD.

AND IS THAT SOMETHING? MAYBE NOT THAT PARTICULAR ONE.

BUT ARE THERE AVENUES THAT WE CAN POTENTIALLY.

EXPLORE THAT THAT WOULD ADDRESS THE AMOUNT OF JUST CRUD THAT ENDS UP BEING ACCUMULATED AND THROWN AWAY IN THE CONTEXT OF ALL OF THIS ONLINE PURCHASING OR FAST FOOD PURCHASING, ETC.. I DON'T KNOW.

DO YOU MEAN LIKE AN AUDIT, NED? IS THAT WHAT YOU MEAN OR ARE YOU? OR YOU MEAN [INAUDIBLE] AT LEAST, IF NOTHING ELSE, IT'S SORT OF REVEALING HOW COMMUNITIES IN THE AT LEAST IN THE U.S.

HAVE ADDRESSED SOME OF THESE ISSUES BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I THINK BILL WILL SUPPORT ME ON THIS. WHEN YOU'RE RIDING A BICYCLE AROUND, THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT END UP ON THE GROUND THAT YOU SEE. AND IT'S NOT ALL JUST DEAD ANIMALS.

THEY DON'T ALL ROT WELL AND A LOT ACTUALLY.

ONE OF THE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S ANNOYING ME THE MOST IS MASKS.

YOU KNOW, PEOPLE JUST THROW THEIR THEIR QUOTE UNQUOTE DISPOSABLE MASKS ON THE GROUND.

I SEE. BUT ANYWAY, I DON'T KNOW.

I JUST HAPPENED TODAY TO FEEL PARTICULARLY SENSITIVE ABOUT THE SHEER QUANTITY OF

[01:00:04]

IT'S MADE OUT OF SPECIAL PLASTIC PRESENTATION, CONTAINERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, AND IT JUST SEEMS LIKE WE END UP THROWING AWAY AS MUCH STUFF AS WE USE.

IT'S IN CHEMISTRY.

THERE'S THIS VERY STRONG MOVEMENT TOWARD WHAT THEY CALL ATOM ECONOMY, WHICH IS BASICALLY ASKING WHAT IS THE PROPORTION OF TARGETED PRODUCT TO OVERALL BYPRODUCT WASTE THAT GETS DISPOSED OF? AND YOU KNOW, THAT WAY OF THINKING SHOULD APPLY, I THINK, ACROSS THE BOARD.

ANYWAY, I JUST MAYBE TODAY I'M ON MY KICK BECAUSE IT SEEMS WE'VE BEEN PARTICULARLY MESSY LATELY. WELL, AND YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF A, YOU KNOW, IF WE GET ACTIVE IN THAT AREA, ONE AREA OBVIOUSLY LOOK AT AS TOWNSHIP OPERATIONS AND KIND OF SEE HOW THE TOWNSHIP ITSELF IS DOING IT. MAYBE WE'RE DOING SUPER.

I JUST DON'T. BUT IT'D BE SOMETHING WE COULD STAFF AND THE COMMISSION COULD KIND OF DISCUSS AND TAKE A LOOK AT.

BUT VALERIE? WELL, A COUPLE UNRELATED [INAUDIBLE], BUT IS NED'S COMMENT? MAYBE THAT'S WHERE THE SPECIAL, THE SPECIALIST GROUP, IF WE HAVE SUCH A THING, MIGHT I MEAN, MAYBE IT'S JUST SOMETHING WHERE YOU KNOW, IT BECOMES A WEBINAR POSTED ON OUR SITE OR A PAPER OR A LETTER TO THE EDITOR OR SOMETHING JUST TO BUILD AWARENESS? I DON'T KNOW. ANOTHER COMMENT IS ON THIS LIST IS MAKING I MEAN, IS IT NOT POSSIBLE THAT SOME OF THESE CATEGORIES ARE GOING TO KIND OF FIT IN A COUPLE OF PLACES? SO MAYBE WE END UP REDEFINING WHAT THE GOAL IS BECAUSE I AM THINKING CERTAIN THINGS COULD FIT IN A COUPLE DIFFERENT AREAS.

AND THEN THE FINAL COMMENT IS, I HOPE WE CAN DO JUST MORE WITH SCHOOLS IN GENERAL OR WITH EDUCATION OR WHATEVER, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT ALREADY FITS IN ONE OF THE GOALS.

I KNOW IT'S NOT ON THE SCREEN ANYMORE, BUT I'D LIKE TO.

IT'S I'D LIKE TO SEE US REACH FOR THAT SOMEHOW.

AND IT MAY BE THIS FOOD TO COMPOSTING IF I.

AND JUST TAKE A MINUTE ON AUDITING AND WASTE AND SO FORTH, OUR SPEAKER ON FRIDAY IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT AN AUDIT THAT HE DID AT AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL OVER A THREE DAY PERIOD IN THE LUNCHROOM AND FOUND THAT.

A TEAM OF THEM DID AN AUDIT OF THE LUNCHES BEFORE THEY WERE THROWN AWAY AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING LIKE 30 MILK CONTAINERS THAT WERE UNOPENED AND NOT USED AND JUST A LOT OF STUFF THAT PEOPLE MAYBE A LOT OF TIMES IT'S JUST TRAINING OR AWARENESS FOR LITTLE ONES, I DON'T KNOW, BUT IT'S ALSO BEING SUPERVISED BY COMPANIES LIKE [INAUDIBLE] OR WHATEVER THAT PROVIDES THE FOOD, I UNDERSTAND.

SO I MEAN, THERE'S LIKE HUGE OPPORTUNITIES JUST TO.

KIND OF HAVE YOU KNOW, SOMEONE KIND OF LAY IT OUT OR GO THROUGH AN AUDIT, FOR INSTANCE, IN THIS SITUATION JUST TO, I THINK, TO HAVE SOME REALLY BIG BENEFITS WITH THAT, NOT TOO MUCH ONGOING VOLUNTEER EFFORT.

OK, THAT'S IT, THANK YOU.

KENDRA. SO LIKE VALERIE SAYING, I MEAN, IT IS OUR CHARGE REALLY TO DO EDUCATION OUTREACH, IF YOU LOOK AT THE CODE AND WHAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION'S DUTIES ARE.

IT IS TO DO EDUCATION OUTREACH FOR PROTECTING OUR NATURAL RESOURCES AND PROTECTING THE WETLANDS, PROTECTING NATURAL RESOURCES, REACHING OUT TO SCHOOLS.

IT'S IN OUR CHARGE TO DO THAT.

AND SO I THINK THIS IS ANOTHER NATURAL AREA WE COULD ADD ON.

AND I THINK IF WE JUST LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THAT WETLAND OUTREACH CAMPAIGN, YOU DEVELOPING A MULTILEVEL OF REACHING OUT TO PEOPLE AND LOTS OF LEVELS, I MEAN, WE GOT THE STUDENTS INVOLVED. THEY MADE THESE LOVELY, YOU KNOW, FUN FACTS FOR US, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'LL BE ABLE TO SHOW US TONIGHT.

BUT LIKE, YOU KNOW, GETTING THEM ENGAGED IN MULTITUDE OF LEVELS, I THINK, YOU KNOW, OUR CHARGE IS TO DO THESE EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH THINGS.

SO I THINK IF WE CAN HAVE A POINT PERSON EACH ONE AND MAYBE, YOU KNOW, FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THAT, I THINK THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.

WELL, COURTNEY.

LEROY, DO YOU WANT TO GO FIRST? NOT NECESSARILY.[LAUGHTER] YOU WANT TO HEAR WHAT WE ALL HAVE TO SAY FIRST.

JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS. SO.

OH, LEROY, WOULD YOU MIND PUTTING BACK UP YOUR NOTES AND YOUR DRAFT OF THE GOALS? I LOVE THIS, AND I THINK.

[01:05:03]

SO THAT'S A DIFFICULT ONE BECAUSE CLIMATE IS ALL BASED ON ALL OF THESE THINGS.

A COUPLE, JUST A COUPLE REALLY QUICK POINTS.

SO I HEARD AND I APOLOGIZE BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND LIKE THE GREEN TEAM OR THE OTHER CONVERSATIONS AND OR COMMITTEES THAT HAPPEN THAT FEED BACK INTO SOME OF THESE TOPICS. I'M WONDERING IF I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE, MAYBE NOT, BUT THAT WE COULD, YOU KNOW MAYBE MAKE A COLUMN THAT SAYS THE FOLKS THAT ARE ON SOME OTHER, OR MAYBE IT'S A NEW GRAPH, BUT HERE'S THE OTHER ACTIVITIES THAT ARE HAPPENING.

AND THEN THOSE PARTICULAR FOLKS COULD BE IN CHARGE OF REPORTING BACK OR WHAT HAPPENS AT THOSE. I FEEL LIKE I'M SO VERY OUT OF THE LOOP, AND IT'S IT'S LIKELY JUST ME AND I FEEL REALLY BAD BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE ALL THAT INFORMATION.

BUT AT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WHAT WE DO IS HAVE LIKE AN EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS.

WE HAVE ALL THE COMMITTEES THAT ARE GOING ON AND THEN WE HAVE ONE PARTICULAR PERSON REPORT BACK ON WHAT THOSE MEETINGS WERE ABOUT.

AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR ANYBODY ELSE THAN MYSELF.

AND IF IT'S NOT, THEN I FULLY UNDERSTAND.

SO THAT WAS JUST ONE SUGGESTION.

AND THEN I'M WONDERING, LEROY, THIS WOULD BE A GOOD QUESTION FOR YOU.

LIKE, HOW DO WE WORK WITH SPECIFIC STAFF? SO WE'RE IDENTIFYING COMMISSION MEMBERS THAT ARE WILLING TO DO THIS WORK AND HAVE THESE FANTASTIC IDEAS.

BUT WE'VE GOT STAFF THAT ARE IN CHARGE OF MAKING SOME OF THESE THINGS HAPPEN.

FOR EXAMPLE, RECYCLING EVENTS, LEROY IS ONE OF THEM, BUT WE HAVE OTHER STAFF TOO.

IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY MAYBE PUT INTO OUR GOALS WHAT STAFF ARE ALSO PERTINENT TO THOSE TOPICS SO THAT WE KIND OF ALL HAVE AN IDEA OF WHO THEY MAY BE AND THAT WE'RE KEEPING EVERYBODY IN THE LOOP? IT'S JUST ANOTHER IDEA I HAD, AND THEN I FULLY AGREE WITH NED ABOUT THE WASTE I WORK IN BENTON HARBOR AND FLINT BOTTLED WATER THAT THE LITERALLY THE ENTIRE CULVERTS ON EVERY STREET ARE FULL WITH, WITH EMPTY BOTTLED WATER, EMPTY WATER BOTTLES AND AND SO LIKE MASKS AND ANY OF THOSE OTHER THINGS, I FEEL LIKE I CAN MAYBE TAKE THAT BACK TO THE TOWNSHIP OR I CAN WORK WITH LEROY ON HOW DO WE MANAGE THAT WASTE BECAUSE IT'S JUST IT IS MADDENING IN AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S SAD.

SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY I WOULD BE WILLING TO HELP WITH THAT TOO.

THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS.

THANK YOU. KENDRA.

I LOVE COURTNEY'S IDEAS, THEY'RE IDENTIFYING THE STACK, AND IT MADE ME ALSO THINK ABOUT, LIKE OTHER COMMISSIONS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, INVOLVED IN DIFFERENT THINGS.

AND SO WHAT I FEEL LIKE IS THAT PEOPLE ARE OVERWORKED, OVERWHELMED, HAVE A LOT OF EVERYONE HAS LIKE A LITTLE SLICE OF THE PIE THAT THEY KIND OF ATTEND TO.

AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, PROVING THE COMMUNICATION WITHIN THE TOWNSHIP, IMPROVING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ON CERTAIN TOPICS, I THINK THAT WOULD MAKE A BUNCH OF SENSE, TOO. SO I WOULD MAYBE MAKE A GOAL AS AS FAR AS LIKE IMPROVING COMMUNICATION OR COLLABORATION.

YOU KNOW, I WOULD PUT COLLABORATION.

I MEAN, I WRITE TREATMENT GOALS ALL THE TIME, YOU KNOW, SO FOR ME, YOU KNOW, SO I WOULD, YOU KNOW, LIKE, IMPROVE COMMUNICATION AND IMPROVE COLLABORATION, YOU KNOW, WITH VESTED PARTNERS OR GROUPS OR INTERESTS.

I WAS GOING TO SUGGEST THAT MAYBE A NEXT STEP WOULD BE TO GO TO THE COMMITTEES OR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SORT OF IN CHARGE OF THESE VARIOUS TOPICS OR HAVE BROUGHT THEM UP AND JUST HAVE THEM SORT OF FLESH OUT MORE OF A DESCRIPTION.

AND MAYBE, AS COURTNEY SAYS, MAKE A LIST OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE INVOLVED WITH EACH OF THOSE COMMITTEES AND KIND OF PUT IT BACK IN THE COURT OF THE FOLKS WHO ARE ALREADY DOING THESE THINGS TO FURTHER ARTICULATE.

I WILL SAY THAT WE REALLY DIDN'T CONSULT OUR GOALS MUCH THIS PAST YEAR, BUT THEY REMAINED SORT OF GENERAL ENOUGH SO THAT WE KNEW WHAT THEY WERE.

[01:10:06]

I FEEL LIKE WE MADE A LOT OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS THIS PAST YEAR.

SO THIS WILL BE A USEFUL EXERCISE, I BELIEVE, BUT I'M NOT SURE THAT IT'S CRITICAL TO OUR SUCCESS. ANYWAY.

[INAUDIBLE] DOES THAT SOUND LIKE A NEXT STEP? GO AHEAD. GO AHEAD, ANNA.

YEAH, I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THAT DOES SOUND LIKE A NEXT STEP AND AT LEAST IN THE FOOD GROUP, WE'VE TALKED, YOU KNOW, PART OF IT AS WELL.

CERTAINLY VALERIE AND I AND YOU KNOW, WHOEVER IS PARTICIPATING ON THIS COMMITTEE CAN SAY WHAT OUR GOALS ARE, BUT PART OF IT NEEDS TO BE GETTING THE INPUT FROM THE OTHER PEOPLE THAT PARTICIPATE THAT AREN'T ON THE COMMISSION BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ONLY WE'RE ONLY A FEW PEOPLE, CERTAINLY.

AND A LOT OF WHAT'S GOING TO MOVE FORWARD IS WHAT OTHER FOLKS IN THOSE GROUPS ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT AS WELL.

SO. BILL? YEAH, MAYBE GOING TO A LITTLE BIT MORE OPERATIONAL LEVEL IF WE WERE TO STRUCTURE OUR AGENDAS FOR THE COMING YEAR AROUND SOME OF THESE ITEMS. IT MIGHT ALSO HELP US TO FOCUS OUR ATTENTION.

AND I KEEP COMING BACK TO THE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN, THE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN.

AND THERE ARE SPECIFIC SECTIONS ON ENERGY, RECYCLING, WATER AND TRANSPORTATION.

AND IF WE WERE TO BEGIN THE NEW YEAR AT EACH MEETING, KIND OF LOOKING AT THOSE SECTIONS OF THAT 2017 PLAN WITH A VIEW TO UPDATING IT FOR FIVE YEARS, WHICH IS MANDATED THAT MIGHT HELP STRUCTURE OUR CONVERSATIONS AROUND THESE TOPICS TO LOOK AT WHAT HAVE WE ACCOMPLISHED? AND WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'RE STRIVING FOR? I LIKE THAT IDEA BECAUSE IT DOES, LIKE YOU SAY, FOCUS OUR ATTENTION ON KIND OF OUR MAJOR GOALS.

WORKING ON THEM AND THEIR PREPAREDNESS TO ATTACK THOSE TO ADDRESS THOSE TOPICS IN SUCCESSIVE MONTHS.

WELL, NOW THAT'S AN EXCELLENT POINT, TOO, BECAUSE LIKE I CAN ALSO THEN MAKE SURE THAT THE APPROPRIATE STAFF WERE PRESENT WITH US FOR THOSE DISCUSSIONS.

YEAH. WELL, IT THIS MAKES ME HOW DO YOU IF YOU THINK IN TERMS OF GOALS AND YOUR WORK ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION, HOW DOES THAT ALL KIND OF FIT TOGETHER? YOU KNOW, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF THE ORDINANCE, POTENTIAL ORDINANCE CHANGES AND GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE THAT ENDS UP GOING TO VIA THE PLANNING COMMISSION, RIGHT? SO IT'S THERE'S SOME OF THE STUFF THAT CERTAINLY WE ARE ONE ONLY ONE PARTY INVOLVED IN MAKING THESE STUFF HAPPEN.

YEAH. ANY ORDINANCE CHANGE HAS TO BE ENACTED BY THE BOARD, AND THAT CAN ARISE EITHER AT THE BOARD LEVEL OR AT THE LEVEL OF THE PLANNING, ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORTATION OR ANY OTHER COMMISSION CAN RECOMMEND A CHANGE TO THE ORDINANCE.

SO THOSE THOSE THINGS KIND OF GO IN TANDEM.

WE SHOULD ALSO BE COGNIZANT OF THE FACT THAT THE MASTER PLAN UPDATE IS COMING DOWN THE PIKE, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE INTEGRATING AND NOT CROSSING WIRES.

SO TO THE DEGREE THAT WE CAN COORDINATE WITH HOW THE THOSE PROCESSES ARE GOING FORWARD, THAT WILL ALSO BE USEFUL.

KENDRA. I LOVE THOSE IDEAS, THEY'RE LIKE LOOKING AT THE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN, LOOKING AT THE MASTER PLAN, WHICH I DID AND YOU KNOW, WE THERE'S MOST CERTAINLY ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT, SOME THINGS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN ADDRESSED THERE THAT ARE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES THAT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT AND A LOT OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE ALREADY STARTING TO DO HERE.

BUT I THINK ON LOTS OF LEVELS, THOSE GIVE US A ROADMAP.

YOU KNOW, THE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN, YOU KNOW, THE MASTER PLAN, ALONG WITH WHAT WE'RE MANDATED TO DO VIA CODE, REALLY DOES GIVE US A ROADMAP TO THE THINGS THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE FOCUSING ON.

I WOULD JUST ALSO NOT TO FORGET THAT THERE'S SOME REGULATORY STUFF, SOME STUFF ORDINANCE STUFF, SOME THINGS WE'RE TRYING TO INVEST IN, BUT THE OUTREACH AND EDUCATION EFFORTS ARE ALSO REALLY IMPORTANT. I DON'T WANT TO THAT TO GET PUSHED TO THE SIDE AND ALWAYS HIGHLIGHTED IN OUR DISCUSSIONS OF WHAT OUR SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES IN THOSE REALMS ARE.

[01:15:10]

ONE NEXT STEP IS FOR THE VARIOUS COMMITTEES AND GROUPS AND TEAMS TO KIND OF CONSIDER WHAT WE DISCUSSED TONIGHT AND PROVIDE SOME.

FURTHER SPECIFICS, FEEDBACK TO US, LEROY, YOU'RE GOING TO POST YOUR NOTES OR YOUR KIND OF DRAFT GOALS ON THE GOOGLE DRIVE AND INVITE US ALL TO KIND OF GET IN THERE AND MAKE COMMENTS AND EDIT.

AND THEN WE COME TO OUR JANUARY MEETING WITH KIND OF A HOPEFULLY A PRETTY GOOD DRAFT OF GOALS FOR NEXT YEAR.

AM I ON THE RIGHT TRACK? KENDRA. THANKS, SORRY, I DIDN'T ASK THIS EARLIER, SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE MASTER PLAN AND THAT KIND OF THING, WHEN MAYBE THIS A QUESTION FOR COURTNEY, WHEN DOES THOSE WHEN DOES THAT TAKE PLACE? WHEN ARE THOSE DECISIONS GETTING MADE? YOU KNOW, SO HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, AS A TEAM ON THESE EFFORTS, BECAUSE IF I LOOK AT THE MASTER PLAN, YOU KNOW, SOME ENVIRONMENTAL, THERE'S QUITE A FEW ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES ON THERE, SOME OF WHICH HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED, OTHERS THAT HAVE NOT CLIMATES.

SEEING ABILITY PLANTS, SOME WE'RE DOING AN OK JOB, SOME THINGS WE'RE NOT.

SO WHEN WILL THOSE DECISIONS BE MADE? YEAH. GOOD QUESTION.

KENDRA, SO I JUST DROPPED IN THE CHAT THAT I'D BE HAPPY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ENVIRONMENT COMMISSION IS INVOLVED IN THOSE DISCUSSIONS AND OR AT LEAST UPDATED AND BRING, YOU KNOW, CONVERSATIONS BACK AND FORTH WITH THE MASTER PLAN UPDATES.

I'M NOT 100% SURE I'M ONE OF THOSE HAPPEN.

I DO KNOW IT'S, YOU KNOW, 2022.

SO I WILL FIND OUT AND I'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE CERTAINLY A VOICE WHEN I SAY WE.

THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION IS A VOICE IN IN THOSE UPDATES.

SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.

OK. FURTHER COMMENTS, SUGGESTIONS, IDEAS BEFORE WE KIND OF GO DO OUR ROUND ROBIN, JUST GIVE EVERYBODY AN OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF PROVIDE UPDATES.

ANY FURTHER THOUGHTS ABOUT THE GOALS? TOM? YEAH, I GUESS IT'S MORE OF A QUESTION IN LOOKING AT SOME OF OUR ONGOING GOALS FOR THIS YEAR.

ONE OF THEM WAS TO CONTINUE THE ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AWARDS, AND I'M NOT SURE WE MADE PROGRESS ON THAT THIS YEAR.

AND I'M WONDERING IF THAT'S SOMETHING WE WANT TO ADD INTO OUR GOAL FOR NEXT YEAR, POTENTIALLY. YEAH, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THAT'S ONE OF THOSE AREAS, TOO, WHERE, YOU KNOW, IF NOBODY'S KIND OF.

TAKES THE LEAD ON IT, IT DOESN'T HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF LIKE AT LEAST THE DISCUSSIONS WE'VE HAD BEFORE.

RIGHT. EVERYBODY AGREES THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AND THEN EVERYBODY GETS BUSY WITH OTHER STUFF. BUT LEROY WHAT'S YOUR FEELINGS ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AWARDS? I THINK YOU JUST ARTICULATED IT PRETTY WELL.

I THINK I DO THINK THAT KENDRA'S BEEN GOOD AT THIS, BUT JUST NOTICING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF PEOPLE THAT ARE RETIRING FROM THE COMMISSION.

SO WE HAVE BERNADETTE, ANNIKA UNLESS THEY'VE CHANGED THEIR MIND ONE WAY TO.

I MEAN, AN ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AWARD MIGHT BE DESERVING OF THESE TWO FOR THEIR SERVICE FOR THE LAST YEAR, AND HOPEFULLY THEY'LL CONTINUE TO BE INVOLVED AS THEY SEE OPPORTUNITIES, BUT CERTAINLY NOT BANNED FROM COMING FROM ANY MEETINGS.

BUT THIS MIGHT BE ONE WAY TO SORT OF REKINDLE THAT CONCEPT.

JUST TO RECOGNIZE THEM AND THEN SEE WHERE IT GOES FROM THERE.

NED HAS SOMETHING HE WANTS TO SAY TO.

WELL, I WAS JUST GOING TO NOTE THAT IN YEARS PAST WITH STAFF PASSED, THE STAFF SIMPLY CRACKED THE WHIP EVERY MEETING AND SIMPLY SAID, DON'T FORGET, WE NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT PEOPLE TO POTENTIALLY NOMINATE FOR THIS.

AND THEN AT SOME POINT, I DON'T KNOW, MARCH OR SOMETHING I'VE FORGOTTEN, BILL, DO YOU REMEMBER WE WOULD MARCH? WE WOULD VOTE. I THINK IT WAS.

IT WAS EITHER FEBRUARY OR MARCH WE WOULD VOTE ON, YOU KNOW, SORT OF A SLATE OF PROPOSED

[01:20:03]

AND I THINK THE IMPORTANCE OF IT IS NOT IT'S NOT THAT HUGE, BUT IT'S AGAIN ONE OF THOSE OUTREACH THINGS THAT HELPS PEOPLE BE AWARE OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THE COMMISSION.

AND SO IN THE SAME SENSE THAT I THINK WE SHOULD ALWAYS BE SUPPORTING SIGNAGE GOING IN PLACES THAT HELPS TO RAISE PEOPLE'S AWARENESS, WHETHER IT'S A BICYCLE TRAILS OR THE STATE OF THE LAKESHORE, ET CETERA.

THAT'S TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN CONTINUE THOSE STEPS THAT GET PUBLIC AWARENESS, THAT ENHANCED PUBLIC AWARENESS, I THINK THEY'RE ALL WORTH IT.

AND SO WHILE LEROY, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE THE ONE WHO CRACKS THE WHIP ALL THE TIME, BUT IF WE SIMPLY BUILT IN A REMINDER THAT WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR PEOPLE TO ACKNOWLEDGE, ONE OF THE REALLY OBVIOUS ONES IS THAT COMES TO MIND.

BESIDES BERNADETTE AND ANNIKA, OF COURSE, IS, YOU KNOW, THE TWO SCHOOLS THAT DID THIS WONDERFUL JOB WITH THEIR WITH THEIR UPDATE, WITH THEIR GREEN GRANTS.

AND ADMITTEDLY, THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WAS A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.

BUT IT'S STILL THEY THEY SURE MADE HAY OUT OF IT.

AND SO THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING TO ACKNOWLEDGE.

YEAH. BY THE WAY, IF YOU DON'T REMEMBER, BECAUSE NOT EVERYBODY HAS MEMORIZED EVERY ONE OF THESE AWARDS. LEROY HIMSELF RECEIVED ONE BEFORE HE WAS IN THIS OFFICIAL POSITION.

BUT OF COURSE, HE'S EARNING THE EQUIVALENT OF ONE EVERY SINGLE MONTH.

IN MY OPINION, THIS AGENDA, WHICH I ADMIT, I DIDN'T.

EVERY WEEK. OK, EVERY DAY.

WHEN I WHEN I MANAGED TO GET UP EARLY AND GO TO CAMPUS, YOU KNOW, AT THE PROPER TIME INSTEAD OF SOME LATER TIME, I'M ALWAYS RIDING BY LEROY GOING TO WORK ON HIS BICYCLE.

THE OTHER DIRECTION, NOT ALWAYS, BUT OCCASIONALLY.

I SAW LEROY ON HIS BIKE THE EARLIER, A FEW DAYS AGO, TOO.

SURE. SURE, RIGHT? ANYWAY, JUST LOOKING AT THIS, YOU KNOW, THIS PACKET IS A REALLY GOOD ILLUSTRATION.

I WAS JUST THINKING, YOU KNOW, THIS IS REALLY VERY PROFESSIONAL, VERY INFORMATIVE.

A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT COURTNEY WAS RAISING, YOU KNOW, AS A DRESS RIGHT THERE IN TERMS OF PROGRESS, THE DIFFERENT PRIORITIES AND DIFFERENT SUBGROUPS HAVE MADE.

IT'S NOT HUGE REPORTS, BUT IT'S AT LEAST SUMMARIES THAT HELP US TO RELATE TO WHAT'S GOING ON AND NOT FORGET IT.

AND I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT BECAUSE I LEROY THANK YOU FOR DOING WHAT I THINK IS AN INCREDIBLY GOOD JOB.

THAT WAS A WAS A TEAM EFFORT.

SO THANK YOU ALL FOR PROVIDING YOU UPDATES.

I'M JUST A CHANNEL OF YOUR WISDOM.

YEAH, RIGHT. WE HAVE EIGHT MORE MINUTES.

BILL, DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT YOU WANT TO MAKE? WELL, I WAS ALL READY TO CONTRADICT NED, AND I'VE NEVER CONTRADICTED NED IN MY ENTIRE LIFE. SO ANYONE STOLE MY THUNDER BECAUSE WHILE HE WAS SAYING THAT, I WAS FORMULATING THE THOUGHT THAT WE ARE DOING FAR BETTER THAN REWARDING PEOPLE FOR THINGS AFTER THE FACT, WE'RE PARTNERING WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO DO THIS STUFF.

AND TO ME, THAT'S AT LEAST AS VALUABLE AS RECOGNIZING GOOD THINGS THAT PEOPLE HAVE DONE OUTSIDE. AT THE SAME TIME, AMA HAS BUILT UP AN ENTIRE CONSERVATION CORPS AND ORGANIZED FRIENDS OF PARKS AND PLACES AND THINGS.

AND SO THERE'S SO MANY MEMBERS IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO ARE STEPPING FORWARD TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE ACTIVITIES THAT SINGLING OUT INDIVIDUALS OR ORGANIZATIONS AND PLACING A CROWN ON ONE ALMOST FEELS A LITTLE ANACHRONISTIC.

YOU THINK ANY WAY THAT WE CAN CELEBRATE THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE WHO ARE STEPPING UP AND HELPING POSITIVE CHANGE THE BETTER? SO WHEN WE HAVE OUTSTANDING CASES, WE MIGHT CONSIDER DOING THAT, BUT I'M JUST CELEBRATING HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE PARTICIPATING ON REGULARLY.

I WILL JUST COMMENT THAT ESSENTIALLY ALWAYS WE WOULD HAVE SOME SLATE OF NOMINEES, AND IN THE END, THEY ALL GOT AWARDS.

SO I MEAN, I DON'T THINK WE EVER ACTUALLY SAID, OH NO, THAT ONE ISN'T AS GOOD.

A COURTNEY. WHAT IF WE THAT? BILL, FANTASTIC IDEA.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

WHAT IF WE WERE TO WE, I KNOW.

MANAGER WALSH DOES THIS FOR ALL VOLUNTEERS, LIKE WHAT IF WE WERE TO HONOR ALL CONTRIBUTORS TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND MAYBE WE DO PICK ONE OR TWO OR THREE OR

[01:25:06]

I THINK, I REALLY LIKE THAT BILL, AND NED.

I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.

JUST THROWING IT OUT THERE, I'D BE HAPPY TO HELP.

WELL, I THINK ABOUT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO PARTICIPATED IN TREE PLANTING AND AT THE RECYCLING EVENTS.

YOU KNOW, THIS IS MANY, MANY DOZENS OF PEOPLE.

AND CONSERVATION CORE.

NOW WE'RE IT'S REALLY IF WE CAN FIND A WAY TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE BREADTH OF THAT PARTICIPATION AND MAKE IT CLEAR, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A CONTRIBUTION.

AND I THINK IT'D BE NEAT JUST TO SEE POTENTIALLY YOU COULD HAVE HUNDREDS OF HUNDRED PEOPLE OR MORE AT SOME SORT OF EVENT, WHICH WOULD BE KIND OF SHOW EVERYBODY THAT A LOT IS GOING ON IN THE TOWNSHIP.

AND OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, RECOGNIZE FOLKS AT THE SAME TIME.

KENDRA. I LIKE THAT IDEA.

COURTNEY AND NED AND BILL, YOU KNOW, BEING PART OF THE CONSERVATION CORE, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO VOLUNTEER SPEND SATURDAYS OUT IN THE SNOW AND, YOU KNOW, I PARTICIPATED IN, YOU KNOW, COLLECTING SEEDS AND PLANTING NATIVE SEEDS.

AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S JUST SO MANY FOLKS THAT ARE JUST SO DEDICATED AND SPEND THEIR THEIR TIME.

SO I THINK THAT THAT'S A REALLY GREAT IDEA.

AND I WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, IF THIS IS, YOU KNOW, ANNIKA AND BERNADETTE'S LAST MEETING, WHICH I HOPE AND AUDREY AND WHICH I HOPE IT'S NOT, I REALLY WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT LIKE IF THEY COULD AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ACCESS TO THE WORK YOU DID ON THE WETLAND.

FUN FACT, IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE AT THE JANUARY MEETING WHERE WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE.

CAN YOU POP IT UP THERE SO YOU GET RECOGNITION FOR YOUR WORK? OR CAN YOU PLEASE COME BACK IN JANUARY AND SHARE IT MORE WHERE WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT IT MORE? YOU KNOW, I'M SO GRATEFUL.

I'M SERIOUSLY, YOUR WORK JUST WARMS MY HEART.

OK. I THINK WE HAVE MADE SOME VERY GOOD PROGRESS TONIGHT, AND UNLESS ANYBODY HAS SOME FURTHER THOUGHTS OR COMMENTS, LET'S JUST DO OUR KIND OF GO AROUND THE THE SCREEN AND KIND OF PROVIDE ANY SORT OF UPDATE YOU WOULD LIKE.

ANY FURTHER THOUGHTS ABOUT THE GOALS, THOUGH, BEFORE WE DO THAT.

OK, LET'S START. I'M JUST MY SCREEN, KENDRA, YOUR UP THERE IN THE CORNER, SO GO AHEAD, YOU FIRST. OKEY, DOKEY.

SO LAND PRESERVATION MET ON NOVEMBER 11TH, WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT PROTECTING THE ECOLOGICAL DIVERSITY OF THE DAVID FOSTER PRESERVE, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO BE PLANNING ON LOOKING AT PURCHASING MORE ECOLOGICALLY IMPORTANT PARCELS IN JANUARY.

THE WETLAND GROUP WE HAVE, I SET ASIDE TIME EVERY SINGLE WEEK.

I'VE MET INDIVIDUALLY WITH EMMA AND WITH COURTNEY, AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LARGER MEETING IN DECEMBER WHERE WE'RE GOING TO PULL TOGETHER AND LOOK AT A PLAN THAT WE COULD TALK MORE ABOUT IN JANUARY.

BUT I DID REACH OUT TO LOOK.

I SPOKE ABOUT EARLIER.

I REACHED OUT TO LAKELAND THROUGH AN ADVISORY COMMUNITY GROUP AND A GREEN NEIGHBOR NETWORK AND SHARING INFORMATION THERE.

I'M NOT CLEAR IF STAFF GOT INFORMATION ON THE WETLAND BROCHURE AND LETTER, BUT YOU KNOW WE COULD TALK MORE ABOUT THAT AT OUR NEXT MEETING AND THEN THE GREEN GRANTS.

YOU KNOW, I ADDED INTO, YOU KNOW, THE CONSENT AGENDA, WHAT WE WERE LOOKING AT THERE AND KIND OF BUILDING ON THAT BUILD BACK THE BUFFER THEME AS AN OPTION KNOW WITH NATIVE PLANTS AND TREES AND SHRUBS, BUFFER ZONES AND GREEN GARDENS, AND PARTICULARLY BECAUSE WE'RE LOOKING AT FLOODING ISSUES THAT WE HAVE BEEN HAVING SINCE JUNE.

SO I JUST THINK THAT THAT'S A NICE OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF HAVE A WIN WIN WIN AND AGAIN, LOOKING FORWARD TO NATIVE PLANTS WITH THE CURIOUS NATURE CENTER.

AND I THINK. I'M THE SEEING GREEN NEIGHBOR NETWORK, AND WE NEED TO MEET, YET STILL ON THAT. I THINK THAT'S ALL THAT I HAVE FOR.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN SPENDING A BUNCH OF TIME, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THE HISTORY OF SOME OF OUR POLICIES.

I'VE BEEN SPEAKING WITH A LOT OF MEMBERS IN THE COMMUNITY WHO ARE SOME OF THE ORIGINAL WRITERS, CERTAINLY OF THE WETLAND ORDINANCE.

[01:30:02]

YOU KNOW, AND SO I CAN SPEAK MORE ABOUT THAT ANOTHER TIME.

IN FACT, THERE IS SOMETIMES SEEMS LIKE THERE'S SOME CONFUSION ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE COMMUNITY HERE.

BUT AGAIN, THAT'S WHERE I'M GOING BACK TO THAT CONSISTENCY AND PROTOCOL POLICY AND PROCEDURES. AND THAT'S A WAY TO AVOID SOME ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ISSUES SO I CAN TALK MORE ABOUT THAT. I'VE GIVEN PRESENTATIONS ON THE TOPIC SO I CAN TALK MORE ABOUT THAT AT ANOTHER TIME. THANK YOU.

TOM? YEAH, THANKS, JOHN.

NOT TOO MUCH TO REPORT AS FAR AS THE GREEN TEAM THAT WAS PART OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.

WE DID HAVE A COAT DRIVE A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO AND THAT WAS QUITE SUCCESSFUL.

WE'VE GOT OTHER EVENTS PLANNED FOR NEXT YEAR OR WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF PLANNING FOR THOSE EVENTS NEXT YEAR.

ONE THING I DID WANT TO MENTION IS THAT MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THE MICHIGAN GREEN COMMUNITY CHALLENGE IN PAST YEARS, AND THAT PROGRAM IS KIND OF TAKING A HIATUS THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS DUE TO STAFFING ISSUES AND FUNDING ISSUES.

BUT I JUST ATTENDED A WEBINAR ON IT YESTERDAY.

IT IS GOING TO BE COMING BACK IN 2022 AND STARTING IN JANUARY.

IT'S KIND OF A REVAMPED PROGRAM AGAIN, BUT AGAIN, IT'S A PROGRAM TO KIND OF BENCHMARK WHAT EACH COMMUNITY IS DOING.

SUSTAINABILITY WISE, THEY'RE GOING TO BROADEN THE CATEGORIES THIS TIME TO NINE DIFFERENT AREAS WITH POSSIBLE 127 ACTION ITEMS TO LOOK AT.

AND AS IN PAST YEARS, THERE WILL BE CERTIFICATES GIVEN OUT FOR BRONZE LEVELS, SILVER LEVEL AND GOLD LEVEL.

MERIDIAN HAS ACHIEVED THE SILVER LEVEL IN THE PAST AND AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN PURSUE THAT AGAIN NEXT YEAR.

I WAS INVOLVED IN THAT PROGRAM IN MY FORMER ROLE AS THE MICHIGAN WITH THE MICHIGAN TOWNSHIPS ASSOCIATION AND REALLY A GREAT PROGRAM TO SEE WHERE YOU'RE AT.

GET A GOOD BASELINE.

IN FACT, IT MIGHT EVEN BE SOMETHING THAT WE MIGHT EVEN CONSIDER FOR OUR GOALS FOR NEXT YEAR TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PARTICIPATE IN THAT PROGRAM ONCE AGAIN.

SO JUST MY PLUG FOR THAT.

LEROY. I THINK MOST OF MY UPDATES ARE IN THE CONSENT AGENDA.

JUST BRIEFLY ABOUT GRAHAM [INAUDIBLE], AND I ASSUME THAT WE WANT TO INVITE HIM TO OUR JANUARY MEETING AND THEN DECIDE WHETHER WE WANT TO APPOINT HIM AS A STUDENT POSITION FOR A YEAR THAT.

SO WE I THINK WE WANT TO INVITE HIM TO THE JANUARY MEETING, WHETHER WE ASK HIM TO LEAVE AND THEN VOTE OR VOTED A LATER MEETING, I GUESS WE COULD KIND OF SEE WHAT HAPPENS NOW.

I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT.

BUT I THINK HAVING COME TO THE JANUARY MEETING, IT'S A GOOD IDEA FOR.

GREAT. FINALLY, I'M MEETING, I THINK, WITH THE CLIMATE CLUB AND HASLETT HIGH SCHOOL ON FRIDAY MORNING AT SEVEN A.M.

SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO BE COOL, TO TALK ABOUT THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN OKEMOS HIGH SCHOOL AND HASLETT.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT FOLKS ARE INTERESTED IN, ALTHOUGH I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY MEET SO EARLY. I NOTICED STUDENTS ARE SUPER BUSY, SO MAYBE THAT'S THE ONLY TIME THEY CAN SQUEEZE IT IN, BUT.

I THINK WE SHOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT OVERLY BUSY STUDENTS.

WHAT DO YOU THINK, BERNADETTE, AUDREY AND ANNIKA AND LUCA? YOU'RE SHAKING THEIR HEADS. WHAT WHAT TIME DO THEY MEET? IT'S LIKE SEVEN ISH.

I WAKE UP AT 7:00 ISH.

NO, THAT'S RIDICULOUS.

THAT IS RIDICULOUS. THEY ARE AN ENTHUSIASTIC GROUP, THOUGH.

OK. THAT'S ALL I GOT.

YOU WAIT, YOU KNOW, AND YOU SAID THAT THEY MEET ON FRIDAYS.

EVERY OTHER FRIDAY, I BELIEVE, BUT WE CAN TALK MORE ABOUT THAT IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN MAYBE TAGGING ALONG OR CHECKING IT OUT, THAT'LL BE AWESOME OR MAYBE JUST ATTENDING ON YOUR OWN SOMETIME. OK.

THAT'D BE GREAT, AUDREY. COOL.

VALERIE? AND, YEAH, MAYBE JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS WHERE WE HAVE A TOUR OF HAMMOND FARMS A

[01:35:06]

I'D LIKE A HEADS UP FIRST SO WE DON'T GET TOO OVERWHELMED, BUT IT'S NINE O'CLOCK.

BUT MEETING THERE AT LIKE 8:45 AND WE'LL FIND OUT HOW LEE HAMMOND DOES HIS COMPOSTING AND A LITTLE BIT ABOUT FOOD SCRAPS TO.

IN FACT, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S MAYBE SOMETHING FOR THE GREEN NEIGHBOR NETWORK, I MEAN, JUST A THOUGHT. I DON'T THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD COME, BUT IT'D BE A NICE, YOU KNOW, A NICE INVITATION.

AND THEN THE SECOND THING IS.

I TALKED WITH SOMEBODY TODAY ON GRANTS ON RECYCLING OR SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT STUFF AND EAGLE, AS WILL BE COMING OUT WITH SOME AND THEN NEXT CYCLE ALSO HAS SOME.

AND WHAT I WAS TOLD BY THE IT'S [INAUDIBLE] NOW THAT I GUESS, YOU KNOW, HIM JOHN, HE SAID. HE KNOWS YOU AND TOM.

HE KNOWS YOU. [INAUDIBLE] I THINK.

IF I HAVE THAT RIGHT, HE WAS AT CITY OF ANN ARBOR, RIGHT? HE'S SAID, IF ANY, ANY PROPOSAL THAT YOU DO, IF YOU'RE DOING IT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH, I MEAN, ONE OF THE BIG GRANTS ARE IN PARTNERSHIP EITHER WITH PRIVATE, YOU KNOW, LIKE A HAMMOND FARMS OR, YOU KNOW, LIKE WILLIAMSTON TOWNSHIP OR TWO OR THREE, WHATEVER, IF JUST A THOUGHT, BUT JUST THEIR REWARDING SORT OF COLLABORATING WITH OTHER GOVERNMENTAL UNITS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY REALIZES THERE'S TOO MANY GOVERNMENTAL UNITS, WE SHOULD BE SHARING MORE AND DOING THINGS MORE ECONOMICALLY AND THAT SORT OF THING.

SO I JUST THOUGHT I WOULD PASS THAT ALONG.

I CAN GIVE YOU MORE INFORMATION.

LEROY. IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE INTERESTED FROM MY NOTES.

OK, WELL, ALL RIGHT.

THAT'S IT. THANK YOU.

NED. NOT A WHOLE LOT AS FAR AS THE BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT.

WE DIDN'T MEET, TIM SENT AROUND A NOTE AND SAID NEXT MONTH.

I DID. YOU KNOW, JUST TALKING ABOUT EDUCATION AGAIN.

I KNOW I'M ON THIS [INAUDIBLE] AND WE ALL ARE.

BUT YOU KNOW, LANSING HAD THIS BE A TOURIST IN YOUR OWN TOWN PROGRAM FOR A WHILE.

I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT'S OBVIOUSLY COVID MUST HAVE AFFECTED THAT BADLY, BUT IT STRIKES ME THAT JUST HAVING PREFERABLY IN BETTER WEATHER, A SOMETHING SORT OF LIKE THAT WHERE THE PUBLIC IS SIMPLY INVITED TO COME AND BECOME AWARE OF MERIDIANS THE LAND PRESERVATION RESOURCES, NOT JUST THE PARKS, NOT JUST THE OBVIOUS STUFF, BUT THE RESOURCES AND CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE HERE, WHETHER IT'S AWARENESS OF WETLANDS OR AWARENESS OF THE LAND PRESERVATION RESOURCES THAT WE PUT TOGETHER.

I THINK IT'S REALLY EASY FOR PEOPLE TO MOVE HERE AND THEY SAY, WELL, THERE'S PRETTY PARKS AND STUFF LIKE THAT, AND IT'S ALL VERY NICE, BUT THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT THESE THINGS FOR YEARS. I MEAN, THAT INCLUDES ME.

AND SO I DON'T KNOW HOW TO MAKE IT MORE INVITING, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE REALLY NICE TO HAVE, AS I SAID, SORT OF BE AN ECO TOURIST IN YOUR OWN TOWN TYPE OF INITIATIVE SOMEWHERE.

AND YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY LIKE EMMA WOULD ASK HER AND SHE'D SAY, OK, HERE ARE 10 PLACES.

THESE PEOPLE SHOULD JUST GO TO TAKE A DAY AND TAKE THEM AROUND THE TOWN.

WE CAN HAVE IT BE A BIKE TOUR.

ANYWAY, THAT WAS ONE SILLY IDEA.

THE OTHER ONE WAS THAT SIMPLY THE THE DISCUSSION OF HAVING KIND OF A RESOURCE TEAM OF EXPERTS AND WHATEVER THIS COMES BACK TO MY SUGGESTION THAT IF GIVEN THE SLATE OF RELATIVELY GOOD CANDIDATES WE'VE SEEN, IF SPACE NEEDS TO BE MADE, I'D BE WILLING TO BE ON THE RESOURCE TEAM RATHER THAN A COMMISSIONER.

IF IF THAT IS THE PLEASURE OF THE GROUP AND ALLOWS US TO INCLUDE MORE PEOPLE WHO WE THINK WOULD BE EXTRA ENERGY AND POWER, I FEEL AS THOUGH I DON'T GIVE IT ENOUGH.

I DON'T. I JUST DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO DO A GOOD JOB, AND I KNOW THAT'S HOW SUSAN FELT AS WELL. BUT SHE ALSO EXPRESSED THE WILLINGNESS TO BE PREPARED TO BE PART OF A CONVERSATION IF SOMEBODY WANTED TO ASK QUESTIONS.

SO I'M NOT EXPLICITLY RETIRING RIGHT THIS MINUTE, BUT IF SOMEBODY IF THE PLEASURE OF THE

[01:40:01]

BILL. I'M GOOD, THANKS.

COURTNEY. I THINK [INAUDIBLE] NED, MY COMMENT IS NO.

THAT'S ALL I.

[INAUDIBLE] [LAUGHTER] I'M JUST ONE PERSON.

I HAVE NO UPDATES, UNFORTUNATELY, BUT I JUST WANT TO MENTION THAT I WILL MAKE SURE THAT I HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT.

I WOULD LIKE TO BRING TO THE BOARD ALL OF THE [INAUDIBLE] COMMISSION ACCOMPLISHMENTS OVER THE LAST YEAR BECAUSE WE WORK TIRELESSLY AND EVERYBODY WORKS SO HARD ON SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS. IF LEROY, YOU WOULDN'T MIND WORKING TOGETHER TO JUST COME UP WITH.

HERE'S YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS THAT WE'VE DONE.

I'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE INVOLVED IN THE MASTER PLAN UPDATES.

I WILL WORK WITH LYNN TO SEE IF WE CAN'T FIND A WAY.

AND I WORK WITH LYNN AND LEROY ENVIRONMENTAL APPRECIATION.

SOME SORT OF EVENT, IF WE COULD.

AND THEN ALSO MICHIGAN GREEN COMMUNITIES.

SO WE WERE ONLY A SILVER TOM.

SO LET'S WORK ON GETTING THAT UP.

I MEAN, I JUST I WANT TO GO TO GOLD.

I'M JUST SAYING,[LAUGHTER] OH, BUT THAT'S FANTASTIC.

I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.

AND WHATEVER I CAN DO TO HELP WITH THAT, I'D BE MORE THAN WILLING.

AND THEN THE IDEA OF BEING AN ECO TOURIST IN YOUR OWN TOWN, I THINK IS IS WONDERFUL IN WHATEVER I CAN DO TO WORK WITH LAZY PARKS AND REC OR I'M SORRY, MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP PARKS AND REC OR WHOMEVER TO HELP FACILITATE THAT, I'M MORE THAN WILLING.

SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.

BERNADETTE. I GUESS THE ONLY REALLY NEW THING IS LIKE, WE'RE TRYING TO UPCYCLE CHIEF'S CLOTHING, SO WE'RE LIKE, BASICALLY, I THINK OUR PLAN IS LIKE PUT AN EMBROIDERED DESIGN OF SOME SORT LIKE THAT THE OTHER CLUB MEMBERS DESIGN THAT WE'RE GOING TO LIKE, PUT ON TOP OF THE CHIEFS LOGO AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO BASICALLY DO A POP UP SHOP FOR THAT CLOTHING FOR KIDS TO COME TO AND GET THE CLOTHING IF THEY WOULD LIKE.

SO, YEAH, THAT'S OUR WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW.

AUDREY. YEAH, WHAT BERNADETTE SAID AND I'VE ALSO BEEN WORKING WITH THE WILDLIFE PROTECTION COMMITTEE, AND WE WANT TO GET NATIVE PLANTS FOR THE GREENHOUSE SO WE CAN GROW THEM AND THEN HOPEFULLY PLANT THEM IN A PLANTER OUTSIDE OF OUR SCHOOL IN THE SPRING.

AND THEN WE'RE ALSO WE WANT TO.

REMOVE SOME INVASIVE SPECIES THAT ARE GROWING IN THAT SAME PLANTER.

BUT WE'RE WAITING, YOU KNOW, LIKE TWICE, BUT IT HAPPENED TO BE ON DAYS WHEN SHE WAS NOT IN THE OFFICE. SO WE'RE KIND OF JUST WAITING FOR THAT RIGHT NOW.

NOTHING HERE. ANNA.

NOTHING HERE. OKAY, WELL, LET ME JUST MENTION A COUPLE OF THINGS.

YOU KNOW, THE ENERGY TEAMS WORKING ON THE SOLAR RISE PROJECT FOR NEXT YEAR AND THAT AND ALSO WE'RE WORKING WITH STAFF ON THE NEXT SOLAR ARRAY PROJECT.

BUT ALSO, I TOOK A LOOK AT OUR 100% RENEWABLE ENERGY GOAL FOR TOWNSHIP OPERATIONS ELECTRICITY, AND WE'RE DOING VERY WELL.

YOU KNOW, THE A BIG PART OF OUR GOAL HAS TO DO WITH ONSITE SOLAR.

AND YOU KNOW, WE HAD DONE AN ESTIMATE THAT WE NEEDED ABOUT 400 KILOWATTS OF ONSITE SOLAR TO KIND OF BE THAT PIECE OF OUR GOAL BECAUSE PART OF THE GOAL INCLUDES REDUCING OUR USAGE THROUGH EFFICIENCY. BUT YOU KNOW, THE ESTIMATE WAS THAT WE NEEDED ABOUT 400 KILOWATTS OF, YOU KNOW, JUST A REFERENCE AT THE THE ONE IN FRONT OF THE TOWNSHIP HALL IS 20 KILOWATTS.

AND SO OUR GOAL IS ABOUT 400 KILOWATTS AND WE'RE OVER 200 NOW.

SO WE'RE KIND OF HALFWAY TO OUR ON SITE SOLAR GOAL.

SO WE'RE WE'RE DOING VERY WELL IN EFFICIENCY.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS THERE, TOO.

SO SO FAR, SO GOOD ON THAT END.

AND LET'S SEE BEFORE WE GET INTO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC REMARKS, IS THERE ANY FINAL

[7. COMMISSIONER & STAFF NEWS]

[01:45:06]

YEAH, JUST SORRY, I DIDN'T MENTION IT EARLIER, BUT WE JUST RECEIVED OUR ELECTRIC VEHICLE ASSESSMENT FROM THE CONTRACTORS WHO WERE PAID BY CONSUMERS.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY IN THE TOWNSHIP, AND I'M SURE YOU'LL BE HEARING MORE FROM DEREK ON THIS COURTNEY.

BUT LOOKING AT ELECTRIFICATION OF OUR VEHICLE FLEET, MAYBE ONE STEP AT A TIME HERE.

THAT'S IT. OH, THAT'S GREAT, THAT'S GOOD NEWS.

WOW, OK.

ANY OTHER KIND OF FINAL THOUGHTS OR COMMENTS OR I'LL THROW IT UP TO PUBLIC REMARKS TO.

I MEAN, ANYTHING ELSE FOR THE GOOD OF THE CAUSE.

I DON'T SEE. OK.

DO I GET A MOTION TO ADJOURN? THANK YOU, BILL. KENDRA'S SECOND, ALL IN FAVOR OF A JOURNEY.

PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

OK, EVERYBODY, ENJOY THE HOLIDAYS, TAKE CARE.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.