>> MEETING OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN.
[00:00:03]
WE'LL HAVE TWO OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC REMARKS THIS EVENING.IF ANYBODY SHOWS UP, THEY MAY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE.
OUR FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA THEN IS APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.
[3. APPROVAL AGENDA]
ONE OF YOU WILL LIKE TO MOVE TO ADOPT THE AGENDA TOM, MR. FRAZIER? SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GRASSESCHI.ANY CHANGES TO THAT AGENDA? WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE AGENDA IS ADOPTED AS CIRCULATED.
MOVING TO THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES,
[4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
WE HAVE SOME MINUTES FROM MARCH 2ND, WHICH IT LOOKS LIKE WE REVISED ON MAY 26TH.WE HAD I THINK MADE A NUMBER OF CHANGES TO THOSE MINUTES SO THEY ARE UP FOR FINAL ADOPTION TONIGHT, IF AM REMEMBERING THAT CORRECTLY?
>>ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ADOPTION OF THE MINUTES AS REVISED. MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY CHANGES TO THOSE MINUTES? WITHOUT OBJECTION, THOSE MINUTES ARE ADOPTED AS REVISED AND PRESUMABLY WILL SEE MINUTES FROM THE MAY 26TH MEETING AT SOME POINT?
>> THAT'S THE HOPE, YEAH. WE HAVE TO KEEP OUR FINGERS CROSSED. [LAUGHTER]
>> THAT'S THE HOPE. I'M CROSSING FINGERS AS WE SPEAK.
WELL, THAT TAKES CARE OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE BUSINESS AND BRINGS US ON TO NEW BUSINESSES,
[5A. Climate Sustainability Plan Updates]
I LIKE TO THINK OF IT AS NEW, EVEN THOUGH IT'S AN OLD BUSINESS ITEM, THE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN UPDATES.LAST TIME, WE'VE BEEN HEARING FROM THE ENERGY TEAM ABOUT THEIR INITIAL THOUGHTS ON REVISIONS TO THE ENERGY SECTIONS OF THE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN.
WHICH WOULD THEN INCLUDE SOME TRANSPORTATION COMPONENTS BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE THAT'S WHERE THAT ITEM MAINLY FITS WELL.
MOVING ON TO A NEXT SECTION OF THE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN, WHICH IN THE ORIGINAL VERSION WAS RECYCLING.
THEN IT HAD SOME SORT OF AN ITEM ABOUT ORGANIC RECYCLING.
NOW WE'RE MOVING INTO A PROPOSED NEW SECTION OR NEWLY FRAMED SECTION OF FOOD AND COMPOST.
COMMISSIONER LAFFERTY HAS BEEN LEADING THAT EFFORT.
I'LL GIVE HER THE FLOOR TO WALK US THROUGH THE ITEMS THAT ARE IN THE PACKET AND LOOKING FORWARD TO THE DISCUSSION.
>> LEROY AND HIS GREEN TEAM OF COURSE HAVE THE OVERALL RECYCLING GOAL, BUT WITHIN THAT IS ORGANIC WASTE MANAGEMENT.
THE HOPE IS TO KEEP THE ORGANIC WASTE OUT OF THE LANDFILL AND USE IT TO IMPROVE OUR SOILS AND COMPLETELY RECYCLE IT.
WE'VE COME UP WITH THREE GOALS.
TOM CARRY FROM THE FARMER'S MARKET IS ON THAT AND CONTRIBUTED QUITE A BIT AS ANNA CALLED IT TO THE THREE GOALS THAT WE HAVE.
THEY'RE PRETTY EXTENSIVE AND I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO NEED ONE EDITOR WHEN WE ALL GET OUR GOALS AND TO MAKE THEM SIMILAR.
THIS IS REALLY QUITE A BIT OF INFORMATION, BUT IT DOES PROVIDE A CONTEXT AND MAYBE IT HELPFUL CONTEXTS WHEN THAT PERSON, THAT SAME EDITOR GOES THROUGH THAT THEY CAN PROPERLY REDUCE IT.
>> WOULD YOU LIKE ANY OF THIS DISPLAYED ON THE MONITORS?
>> I'M WORRIED IT'S A LITTLE TEDIOUS, BUT ANNA, YOU CERTAINLY INSPIRED US IN THE BEGINNING TO EVEN GO THIS FAR.
WE WERE JUST GOING TO TALK ABOUT COMPOSTING [LAUGHTER] AND THEN WE EXPANDED BEFORE WE EVEN GOT STARTED.
MAYBE YOU WANT TO ADD A LITTLE BIT HERE.
I THINK WE HAD TALKED ABOUT IT BEING IN SEPARATE SECTION IN TERMS OF BEING MORE APPREHENSIVE ABOUT FOOD SYSTEMS. VALERIE, DO YOU WANT ME TO WALK THROUGH THE OBJECTIVES THEN?
>> NO, I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO REREAD THEM.
BUT THE REASON WHY INCLUDING FOOD AND WHY ARE WE DOING FOOD DECOMPOSING, NOT JUST COMPOSTING. MAYBE YOU CAN.
>> YES, I GUESS THERE'S A FEW REASONS THERE.
FOOD WASTE IS A LARGE CONTRIBUTOR TO CO2 EMISSIONS.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE A GRAPHIC HERE.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE FOOD RECOVERY HIERARCHY, WHEN YOU'RE REDUCING FOOD WASTE, YOUR NUMBER 1 OPTION IS FOR FOOD THAT IS STILL
[00:05:02]
EDIBLE TO BE DIVERTED TO PEOPLE THAT NEED FOOD.THAT'S REALLY YOUR NUMBER 1 OPTION FOR MANY REASONS.
BUT WE ARE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, SO WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT BEING BEST FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY.
THEN YOUR SECOND BEST OPTION IS TO MOVE FOOD TO ANIMALS.
YOUR THIRD OPTION THEN IS TO COMPOST.
GENERALLY, THIS IS VERY GENERALIZED.
BUT BECAUSE COMPOSTING IN ITSELF CAN CREATE EMISSIONS.
I THINK THAT WAS THE FIRST REASON FOR THE EXPANSION OF THIS SECTION.
BECAUSE SOME OF OUR MAIN PRIORITIES THEN ARE GLEANING.
GLEANING BEING MOVING USABLE FOOD FROM RESTAURANTS, GROCERY STORES, MOST OFTEN FROM BUSINESSES.
IF IT'S NOT SALABLE OR GOING TO BE USED TO PEOPLE IN NEED.
A LOT OF TIMES THAT FOOD IS THEN MOVED TO A FOOD PANTRY.
THAT IS ONE OF OUR PRIMARY OBJECTIVES HERE IS TO REDUCE FOOD WASTE THROUGH GLEANING PROGRAMS AND THEN WORKING DOWN.
I DON T KNOW THAT WE NECESSARILY HAVE SOMETHING SPECIFIC IN HERE IN TERMS OF ANIMALS THERE'S SOME DIFFERENT LOGISTICS TO THAT.
BUT IT CERTAINLY BUILDING UP THAT GLEANING COMPONENT AND THAT COMPOSTING COMPONENT.
OF COURSE, THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS OF OUR FOOD SYSTEM RELATED TO NOT JUST OUR AIR AND OUR ATMOSPHERE, BUT ALSO THE QUALITY OF OUR WATER.
THERE IS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS ALONG EVERY ASPECT OF OUR FOOD SYSTEM.
CERTAINLY THERE'S THE END OF THE LINE ASPECTS WHERE WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOOD WASTE.
BUT THERE'S ALSO THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS OF HARVESTING OUR FOOD.
IF THE PRACTICES THAT OUR FARMERS ARE USING OF TRANSPORTING OUR FOOD, CERTAINLY FOOD THAT IS TRANSPORTED LONG DISTANCES TEND TO HAVE A LARGER ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT.
FOR THAT REASON, SOME OF THESE BIGGER SYSTEM PRACTICES, WE ALSO WANTED TO ADDRESS SOME LARGER FOOD SYSTEM GOALS AND IN THIS SECTION OF THE PLAN.
MOST OF THAT I WOULD SAY, AND ONCE AGAIN THIS IS GENERALIZING, REVOLVES AROUND ENHANCING OUR LOCAL FOOD ECONOMY AND SUPPORTING OUR LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM.
ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS VERY GENERALLY SPEAKING, BUT OUR SMALL FARMERS, SMALL LOCAL FARMERS ARE GOING TO HAVE LESS OF AN ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT, NOT ONLY DOES IT SUPPORT OUR LOCAL ECONOMY, BUT IT ALSO HAS A REDUCED ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT.
SMALLER AND LOCAL FARMERS, EVEN IF THEY'RE NOT ORGANIC FARMERS, BECAUSE THERE ARE BARRIERS TO BECOMING CERTIFIED ORGANIC.
SOMETIMES FARMERS HAVE GOOD ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES BUT AREN'T NECESSARILY ORGANIC, PARTICULARLY OUR SMALL FARMERS.
NOT ONLY DOES SUPPORTING OUR LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM AND OUR SMALL FARMERS SUPPORT THE ENVIRONMENT, SUPPORTS OUR LOCAL ECONOMY, SUPPORTS PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES WITHIN THE TOWNSHIP.
WE ALSO HAVE SOME STRATEGIES ON INCREASING PRODUCTION AND SOURCING OF SUSTAINABLY GROWN FOOD PRODUCTS BY TOWNSHIP BUSINESSES, RESIDENTS AND A LOT OF THAT HAS TO DO WITH INCREASING PRODUCTION AND SOURCING OF LOCALLY GROWN FOODS.
I GUESS THE OTHER END OF THIS ALSO IS, THERE ARE DEFINITELY SOME STRATEGIES WE HAVE IN HERE AROUND EDUCATION.
I MEAN, THERE MIGHT NOT BE THE IMMEDIATE SUSTAINABILITY IMPACTS OF EDUCATION, BUT I DON'T THINK I NEED TO EXPLAIN TO EVERYBODY THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION.
THOSE ARE SOME OF OUR MAJOR STRATEGIES AND WHY WE'VE EXPANDED BEYOND COMPOSTING.
>> I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT PART OF THE GLEANING ALSO BESIDES LIKE MAYBE PRE-CONSUMER FOOD THAT ISN'T USED IF WE CAN FIND AN AVENUE TO MAKE USE OF THAT.
BUT ALSO AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS IS MAINLY WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW AND THAT IS
[00:10:03]
PRODUCE THAT'S NOT BEING USED BUT AS A SHORT TIME HORIZON.WE ACTUALLY HAVE ALREADY STARTED A PROGRAM AND WE'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT AT OUR NEXT MEETING.
THEN THE LAST SET OF GOALS, THE THIRD ONE IS JUST TO REDUCE ORGANIC MATERIALS GO INTO THE LANDFILL?
>> THERE'S SEVERAL SUGGESTIONS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT INDIVIDUALLY OR IN TANDEM WITH THE GREEN TEAM OR IN HOPEFUL EDUCATIONAL SEMINARS WITH MSU.
IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHAT'S HAPPENING AT A RECENT EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM THAT I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND.
BUT THANK YOU MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
THEY SAID THE REASON TO GO COMPOSTING VERSUS A DIGESTER WOULD BE IS YOUR SOURCE OF ORGANIC WASTE, IF YOU WILL.
IS IT CONTINUOUS OR IS IT SPORADIC LIKE SPRING AND FALL? IF IT'S SPRING AND FALL, THEN COMPOSTING IS LIKELY THE BEST WAY TO GO.
BUT IF YOU CAN FIND A CONTINUAL STREAM OF IT, AS IN SUPERMARKETS AND RESTAURANTS AS WELL AS WHATEVER ELSE, THEN IT MAKES SENSE TO GO THAT DIGESTING ROUTES.
I FOUND THAT VERY HELPFUL TO GET A HANDLE ON IT.
THERE'S ACTUALLY A LOT OF STUFF GOING ON IN THAT AREA AND WE'VE BEEN HAVING SPEAKERS AS YOU KNOW, WHEN IF NOTHING ELSE, IT'S MADE US A LITTLE BIT SMARTER.
HOPEFULLY, WE'LL MAKE BETTER DECISIONS.
>> I'LL ADD. ONE MORE ADDITIONAL THING IS THAT WE HAVE TRIED TO ALIGN OUR STRATEGY IS WITH THE STRATEGIES OF THE MICHIGAN GOOD FOOD CHARTER WHEREVER POSSIBLE, THERE ARE STATEWIDE EFFORTS CERTAINLY GOING ON AROUND OUR FOOD SYSTEMS AND BUILDING UP WEALTH.
THE MICHIGAN GOOD FOOD CHARTER HAS A WHOLE SECTION ON SUSTAINABILITY FOOD SYSTEMS THAT WHERE THEY'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK AND SUGGEST THAT A LOT OF STRATEGIES FOR CITIES AND TOWNSHIPS LIKE OURS TO MOVE FORWARD ON THE SUSTAINABILITY OF OUR FOOD AND OUR FOOD SYSTEMS. WE HAVE CONSULTED THAT AND ALIGNED WHERE IT MADE SENSE.
YOU'LL SEE WE'RE STILL TRYING TO WORK OUT SOME OF OUR SPECIFIC GOALS.
WE'RE LOOKING AT TRYING TO GET SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON WHERE THE TOWNSHIP IS AT CURRENTLY OR ON SOME OF THESE AND WHAT'S A REASONABLE GOAL IN TERMS OF REDUCING FOOD LOSS IS ONE THAT STICKS OUT TO ME.
BUT I KNOW THERE'S AT LEAST ONE OTHER, YEAH, REDUCING ORGANIC MATERIALS GOING INTO LANDFILLS.
WE'D LIKE TO ACTUALLY GET SOME SPECIFIC GOALS ON HOW MUCH WE'D LIKE TO REDUCE IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
BUT WE'RE STILL DOING THE RESEARCH ON WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE.
>> WE'LL OPEN THE FLOOR FOR DISCUSSION.
>> A SIMPLE QUESTION, TRY TO EXPLAIN THIS TO CIVILIANS, SO TO SPEAK.
THEIR FIRST REACTION IS, ISN'T MOST OF THE FOOD CIRCULATION PROCESS PRIVATE? ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, WHETHER IT'S RESTAURANTS OR SUPERMARKETS OR WHATEVER, OR INDIVIDUALS.
HOW DO WE, AS A PUBLIC ENTITY, ENGAGE THAT IN A WAY THAT MOVES THE POINTER?
>> ACTUALLY, I THINK THEY'RE ALL LOOKING, TRYING TO FIND SOLUTIONS THEMSELVES ON HOW TO.
WHAT'S THE BEST ENVIRONMENTAL WAY TO GET RID OF THEIR ORGANIC WASTE AND ALSO THE MOST ECONOMICAL.
BY DOING IT LOCALLY, IT'S CERTAINLY SOLVES A LOT OF THEIR PROBLEM.
WE HAD A SPEAKER FROM MSU ADDRESSED THE GROUP ABOUT A DIGESTER AND HE SAID THE ECONOMICS ARE SUCH THAT IF YOU CAN JUSTIFY ONE TO PAY FOR ITSELF WITHIN A FIVE-YEAR PERIOD, THAT YOU CAN GO TO THE RESTAURANTS AND SAY THE PRICE THAT YOU CHARGE THEM TO TAKE OVER THEIR STUFF VERSUS WHAT THEY HAVE TO PAY FOR A LANDFILL IS JUST HUGE DISTANCE APART.
JUST ON ECONOMICS AND IT WOULD SELL ITSELF.
>> THE DIGESTER SIDE OF THINGS. YEAH.
>> I GUESS WE'RE SEEING MORE AND HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF PEOPLE WHO USE LESS FOOD TO BEGIN WITH OR GET FOOD TO PEOPLE WHO NEED IT OR INFLUENCED THE FLOW BEFORE? SORRY THE FIRST TWO RUNGS OF THE FOOD RECOVERY HIERARCHY.
I AGREE WITH YOU THAT THE DIGESTER IS THE UNIVERSAL IN SOME WAYS BETTER THAN COMPOST IN TERMS OF GAS RELEASE. THAT'S FOR SURE.
>> THAT'S BETTER. THIS IS DANA KIRK WHO TALKED?
>> OH, WILLIAM, OKAY. SAME TEAM.
>> I THINK JUST LIKE WITH ANY RECYCLING TOPIC,
[00:15:03]
THE FIRST STEP IS NOT TO USE SO MUCH.[LAUGHTER] DO YOU REALLY NEED FIVE JACKETS OR WHATEVER.
I MEAN, I GUESS WE JUST HAVE TO CONTINUALLY WORK ON, IT'S A HABIT WE ALL HAVE AND HABITS TAKE A WHILE TO CHANGE, WE JUST NEED TO KEEP ON SHARING THAT MESSAGE, I GUESS.
>> UNDERLINE AS WELL BUT MOST OF THE EFFORTS THAT I'VE BEEN HEARING ABOUT IN THE DISCUSSIONS OF THE GROUP, WHETHER IT'S THE DIGESTER OR HAMMOND FARMS OR A REGIONAL MARKETING FEASIBILITY STUDIES.
ALL OF THOSE EXISTS BECAUSE OF EITHER SOME FEDERAL OR STATE SUBSIDY THAT'S BEING PROVIDED TO GET THE TECHNOLOGY TO A POINT WHERE IT'S SEEMED TO BE PAYING FOR ITSELF.
NONE OF THOSE ADVANCES WOULD HAVE HAPPENED THE NEW DIGESTER AT THE SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT.
ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE BASED IN MUNICIPAL OR STATE AND SOMETIMES FEDERAL PROGRAMS THAT ARE ABLE TO GET THOSE OFF THE GROUND.
>> I THINK ALL THE SOURCES FOR THE INNER DC AND ALL THE DIFFERENT AUTHORITIES ON OR THEY PROVIDE LEARNED STUDIES ON FOOD AND THAT THING, SAY IT'S NOT THAT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH FOOD, IT'S THAT WE WASTE IT.
IT'S 40 PERCENT WASTE OR SOMETHING RIDICULOUS.
THERE'S JUST A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE IN THAT AREA. SORRY, ANNA.
>> IT'S FINE. I WAS JUST GOING TO ADD, I SEE A FAIRLY SIMILAR LEAD TO MANY OF THE OTHER THINGS WE DO AS A TOWNSHIP.
I MEAN, WHEN WE HAVE POLICIES AND WE HAVE SYSTEMS WE'RE ESSENTIALLY TRYING TO INFLUENCE PEOPLE'S BEHAVIORS.
I THINK PART OF THAT IS AS A PUBLIC ENTITY, WHAT TYPES OF SYSTEMS CAN WE PUT INTO PLACE TO HELP PEOPLE TO GLEAN? CERTAINLY, THERE'S AN EDUCATION COMPONENT OF WHY THEY SHOULD.
BUT I THINK THEN THERE'S THE BIGGER QUESTION OF CAN WE HELP TO FORM SOME SYSTEMS THAT MAKE IT EASY FOR PEOPLE TO DO THIS, WHETHER THAT IS THE FINANCIAL, FOOD DIGESTER, WELL, THERE'S A PRETTY CLEAR FINANCIAL ARGUMENT TO BE MADE THERE.
BUT I THINK WITH GLEANING, THERE ARE OTHER ARGUMENTS OR SYSTEMS THAT COULD BE PUT IN PLACE TO INCENTIVIZE BUSINESSES OR PEOPLE TO MAKE CHANGE THAT HELPS THE ENVIRONMENT.
>> AT THAT SAME CONFERENCE THAT YOU GENEROUSLY SENT ME TO, THEY HAD A BEHAVIORAL PSYCHOLOGISTS THAT HAD A BUNCH OF RESEARCH AND TALKED ABOUT YOU EMPHASIZE THE BEHAVIOR YOU WANT AND THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER BREAKDOWNS.
YOU CAN'T JUST PUT IT OUT THERE AND YOU CERTAINLY CAN'T TELL SOMEBODY WHAT TO DO.
BUT IF YOU EMPHASIZE THE BEHAVIOR ONE AND ALLOW PEOPLE TO BUY INTO IT IN CERTAIN WAYS IN SENATE, IT HAS A HUGE EFFECT ACCORDING TO THE RESEARCH.
>> WELL, I WOULD SAY THAT'S MY TERRITORY.
>> YEAH, THAT'S FOR YOU. SORRY. WHAT AM I TELLING YOU FOR?
THAT HAS COME IN OTHER WAYS BECAUSE IT IS A WAY TO GET THE BUY-IN, RIGHT?
>> I HEAR IT'S HOW YOU SORT OUT GETTING THE BUY-IN.
I THINK THERE'S AN EDUCATIONAL PIECE AND THERE'S A WAY TO INCENTIVIZE PEOPLE AND TO UNDERSTAND HOW IT BENEFITS THEM.
LIKE EVERYONE HAS TO UNDERSTAND HOW IT BENEFITS THEM PERSONALLY, ECONOMICALLY AND THEN YOU LOOK AT THE INDIVIDUAL AND THEN THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE AND THEN BUILD UP FROM THERE.
>> THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THE BIGGEST IMPACT IS WHEN YOU COMPARE YOURSELF LIKE IN TRASH COLLECTION IN A NEIGHBORHOOD, THAT THEY ACTUALLY HAVE STATISTIC TO SAY YOU ARE ON AVERAGE WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS OR YOU'RE ACTUALLY DOING BETTER THAN YOUR NEIGHBORS IN TERMS OF, [LAUGHTER] SOMETHING, IT'S SOFT AND MAYBE FUN, BUT THAT HAS HUGE IMPACT.
YOU CAN REALLY BUMP IT UP THAT WAY, ANYWAY.
>> I WONDER TOO, MAYBE THIS ISN'T TRUE, BUT IT SEEMS WE HAVE A LOT OF GROCERY STORES IN THE TOWNSHIP.
I WAS TALKING TO A FRIEND OF MINE ABOUT THAT.
IT JUST SEEMS AND WE STARTED LISTING THEM ALL.
I'M WONDERING, DO WE HAVE AN IDEA WHAT THEY DO OR HOW MUCH WASTE THEY HAVE?
>> WE HAVE AN IDEA WHAT THEY DO.
ANOTHER MEMBER OF THE TEAM AND MYSELF WENT AROUND AND ASK AND THERE'S OTHER SERVICES OUT THERE, IT'S NOT JUST HAMMOND FARMS. THERE'S AGRICULTURAL SERVICES THAT TAKE IT AND MAKE IT INTO A LIQUID FERTILIZER AND THE BIGGER CHANGE, AND MEIER HAS SOMEONE THAT THEY WORK WITH.
WHAT'S EITHER KROGER HAS SOMEONE.
BUT INTERESTINGLY, WHEN WE WENT IN THERE, THE MANAGER TOLD US, OH, ONLY PRODUCE IS TAKEN AWAY IN THIS COMPANY WANTS IT AND THEY FEED IT TO THEIR HORSES OR SOMETHING OR COWS AND WE'RE GOING REALLY COWS.
BUT THEY DON'T TAKE THE; THEY HAVE A FLORAL DEPARTMENT WITH LOTS OF WAYS TO KNOW THAT THE FLOWERS WHEN THEY GO BAD AND WHATEVER, AND THEY DON'T PUT THOSE IN THERE AND THEY GO NO.
ACTUALLY GABBY, WHO'S ON OUR COMMITTEE WROTE A LETTER AND THEY'RE GOING
[00:20:03]
TO KICK IT UPSTAIRS ON THE KROGER FRENCH.>> I DON'T KNOW, YOU JUST HAVE TO KEEP TRYING.
>> THERE'S ALSO A PIECE I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF WHAT WE AS A TOWNSHIP CAN DO AND WHAT WE DID WITH SOLAR WAS TO WALK THE WALK AND PUT SOLAR PANELS ON THE ROOF, MAKE THAT INVESTMENT.
SOME OF THE FIRST ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT I'M AWARE OF ON THE GLEAMING SIDE OR ON THE FARMER'S MARKET, WHICH IS OUR SUPERMARKET.
SOME OF THE BIG SUCCESSES THERE AND MAKING SURE THAT THAT MID-SUMMER PRODUCES GO SOMEPLACE RATHER THAN LANDFILL IS HUGE AND IT SHOULD BE TAUGHT, I THINK THAT THE TRICK THIS TIME AROUND IS GOING TO BE KEEPING THIS PLAN, KEEPING UP WITH THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT ARE ACTUALLY BEING MADE AS GROUPS ARE WORKING ON THESE THINGS.
IT'S GOING TO BE A MOVING TARGET, BUT IT'S EXCITING BECAUSE THIS STUFF IS ALREADY HAPPENING WHEN THE GROUPS AREN'T JUST SITTING AROUND THINKING ABOUT THINGS THAT COULD BE DONE BUT ACTUALLY GOING OUT AND DOING THEM.
WE'RE ALMOST PLAYING CATCH-UP, WHICH IS GREAT.
>> IT'S NICE TO HAVE A PLAN WHERE YOU'VE ALREADY CHECKED A FEW THINGS OFFERED. [LAUGHTER]
I TAKE YOUR COMMENTS EARLIER ABOUT EDITING TO HEART.
I THINK ANY ONE OF US WHO TOOK THE THREE OBJECTIVES AND THOUGHT WHAT WAS THE MOST SENSIBLE ORDER FOR THEM WILL PROBABLY COME UP WITH A DIFFERENT SET OF ORDER.
I'M NOT SURE IT REALLY MATTERS.
I THINK BESIDES THE BENCH-MARKING, WHICH I THINK IS CRUCIAL, FINDING OUT WHAT THE CURRENT STATUS OF WASTE IS OR DIVERSION IS AND DOCUMENTING THAT IS HUGE.
I HOPE THAT IN KEEPING WITH THE CHARACTER OF THE PLAN THAT THAT STUFF GETS HIGHLIGHTED AS WINS AT THE TOP.
THESE ARE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT WE'VE MADE IN THIS REALM SINCE 2017.
THEN PROPOSED BOLD OBJECTIVES BELOW THAT ARE MEASURABLE, I THINK YOU'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK.
>> JUST ONE MORE COMMENT IT'S IS NOT JUST THE UNDERSTANDING FOOD AND IN SCHOOLS LUNCHES THAT ANNA BRINGS TO IT, BUT TOM CARRY BRINGS TO AGRICULTURAL PIECE TO IT.
THERE'S ALSO SOME OF THAT BUILT-IN TOO THAT THERE'S THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE IT.
MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP ISN'T EXACTLY AN AGRICULTURAL, BUT IT'S NOT URBAN EITHER.
BUT JUST TO KNOW THAT THE CONTEXTS THAT IT FITS IN, THERE WAS A LOT OF THOUGHT THAT WENT INTO IT.
>> I WAS TOLD BY SOMEONE RECENTLY WHO'S JUST BECOME A VENDOR AT THE FARMERS MARKET ABOUT HOW LONG THEY HAD TO WAIT FOR A SPOT TO OPEN UP.
>> APPARENTLY THE DEMAND FOR SPOTS AT THE MARKET IS HIGH AND WE'RE ALREADY AGAIN, BY VIRTUAL RUNNING THE FARMERS MARKET WERE ALREADY ACCOMPLISHING SOME OF THESE GOALS OF BRINGING LOCAL PRODUCE TO THE COMMUNITY.
IN SOME CASES, AT LEAST REPLACING THINGS THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPORTED FROM GREAT DISTANCES.
I THINK THERE ARE SOME GOOD TOOLS OUT THERE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT TOM CARRY IS ABLE TO DOCUMENT IN TERMS OF WHAT GETS SOLD, HOW MUCH GETS SOLD.
I KNOW HE'S VERY AWARE OF HOW MUCH DOESN'T GET SOLD.
>> I THINK JUST THIS SATURDAY WAS THE FIRST TIME THEY DID IT.
TOM AND HIM WENT THROUGH A PILOT PROGRAM.
WE'LL FIND OUT WE HAVE A MEETING ON MONDAY AND WE'LL FIND OUT HOW THEY DID AND THEN HOPEFULLY BRANCH OUT FROM THERE.
BUT THEY NEEDED A SCALE, CERTAIN SCALE AND TOM JUST BROUGHT IT UP TO LUANN AND SHE GOT IT.
IT'S COOL AND SHE FELT WELL, YOU GAVE US A CLUE ON THE COOLER AND THEY GOT A COOLER.
THEY CAN KEEP THE PRODUCE IN GOOD SHAPE OVER THE WEEKEND UNTIL THE GREATER LANSING FOOD BANK CAN PICK IT UP OR ONE OF THE FOOD KITCHENS CAN PICK IT UP.
>> I WAS HOPING TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE OBJECTIVE TO STRATEGY TOO, WHICH IS SUPPORT LOCAL PRODUCTION.
[NOISE] WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT THE FARMERS MARKET SERVING RELATIVELY LOCAL PRODUCE.
I THINK PART OF THIS IS SEEING IT RIGHT, IS PRODUCTION MORE WITHIN THE TOWNSHIP.
>> I'D LIKE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT WHAT WOULD YOU THINK THE BARRIERS TO THAT ARE?
>> THIS IS PRETTY MUCH A TIME CARRY ITEM HERE [LAUGHTER] SO ANNA, CAN YOU SPEAK TO ANY OF US?
>> LET ME SEE. I'M REVIEWING WHICH ITEM THESE ARE.
>> THERE'S A FARM TO SCHOOL AND SCHOOL GARDEN PROGRAMS WHICH WE KNOW ARE ALREADY GOING ON AND WE SUPPORTED.
>> FARM BUSINESSES WITHIN THE TOWNSHIP.
I KNOW THAT SINCE I MOVED HERE, IT BECAME LEGAL TO HAVE CHICKENS AS LONG AS THEY'RE REGISTERED SO WE'VE ACTUALLY MADE PROGRESS AND ENCOURAGING RESIDENTS TO PRODUCE THAT WAY.
[00:25:04]
I DON'T SEE OUR COMMUNITY GARDENS YET.BUT I KNOW THAT THE TOWNSHIP HAS INVESTED ENERGY AND RESOURCES AND COMMUNITY GARDENS AND THEY'RE PRODUCING FOOD SO I HOPE WE CAPTURE THOSE SUCCESSES AND GET SOME STRATEGIES ALONG THAT LINE.
>> AS FAR AS I KNOW ARE THEY NOT RUN BY THE GREATER LANSING FOOD BANK, TOM FRASIER ARE YOU AWARE OF THAT?
SOME OF THEM ARE DONE BY LOCAL CHURCHES, SOME ARE DONE BY THE FOOD BANK, BUT [OVERLAPPING] IT SEEMS TO BE EXPANDING IN THE AREA EFFECTING THERE HOME.
MY CHURCH IS LOOKING AT STARTING A COMMUNITY GARDEN, THIS YEAR SO ALL GOOD STUFF.
>> I CAN SPEAK TO THAT, I ACTUALLY THINK OUR COMMUNITY GARDEN OBJECTIVE MAY HAVE BEEN REMOVED AND MAYBE IT'S NOT THAT WE HAVE A LOT IN HERE, BUT I REMEMBER WE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS.
WE KEPT IN THE SCHOOL GARDENS BECAUSE OF THE EDUCATION COMPONENT.
I THINK WE REMOVED THE COMMUNITY GARDENS, NOT BECAUSE WE THOUGHT THAT THAT'S NOT THE IMPORTANT AND GOOD, BUT THAT IT IS COMPARED TO THE OTHER.
WE HAVE LOTS OF THINGS TO BE WORKING ON AND COMPARED TO THE OTHER THINGS WE COULD BE WORKING ON, THE ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT OF GETTING SOME ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY GARDENING AND DOES FAIRLY SMALL COMPARED TO SOME OF THE OTHER FOOD SYSTEMS AND SUPPORTING OUR LOCAL FOOD SYSTEMS ITEMS THAT WE COULD HAVE.
WE WERE HONESTLY TRYING TO CUT BACK BECAUSE THERE'S ONLY SO MANY OF US AND SO MUCH ONE CAN DO IN FIVE YEARS, [LAUGHTER] BUT I CAN'T SPEAK VERY ELOQUENTLY TO WHAT ARE THE BARRIERS? I KNOW TOM HAS SPOKEN ABOUT SOME OF THE BARRIERS TO INITIATING AND CONTINUING FARM BUSINESSES AND OTHER THINGS, BUT I COULDN'T TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT THOSE ARE.
>> WE SHOULD PROBABLY TRY TO GET ALLEN STREET TO ADDRESS THIS ON THE INCUBATION.
>> THAT WE'VE NOT GONE THERE YET.
>> I THINK I REMEMBER WASN'T, I CAN ALREADY HEAR SOMETHING.
HE WAS REALLY INTERESTED IN DOING A COMMUNITY GARDEN AND MERIDIAN AND REMEMBER THAT WAS PROBABLY A YEAR AGO OR SO THAT HE CAME TO SOME GREEN DIALOGUES AND WAS CONSIDERING, SO HE WAS REALLY INVOLVED IN AN ALLEN STREET WHAT THEY'RE DOING, IT'D BE FANTASTIC TO REPLICATE AND PARTNER WITH THEM.
THEY'RE DOING A FANTASTIC JOB.
>> WELL, I DO THINK THAT GREATER LANSING FOOD BANK HAS HER ARMS AROUND BECAUSE THEY SENT OUT SEVERAL EMAILS ABOUT DO YOU WANT TO BE PART OF ONE SO THEY WERE VERY OPEN TO THAT WHOLE CONCEPT.
>> ARE YOU GOING TO DRIVE IN ON THIS SITE OF KNOWLEDGEABLE.CONSCIOUS POST ON EFFORTS TO SUPPORT GARDENS?
>> YEAH, IT'S PROBABLY MY FAULT FOR NOT SHARING THE COMMUNITY GARDEN REPORT THAT WE GET EVERY YEAR FROM THE FOOD BANK.
BUT WE DO HAVE, AS TOM WAS MENTIONING, ABOUT HALF THE GARDENS ARE SUPPORTED BY THE FOOD BANK AND THERE'S OTHER HALF THAT ARE EITHER CHURCH RELATED CONGREGATIONS OR JUST NEIGHBORHOOD SPECIFIC.
BUT MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP HAS BEEN A LONGTIME SUPPORTER OF THE COMMUNITY GARDENS.
I THINK WE DEVOTE ABOUT ABOUT $5,000 A YEAR.
IT WOULD PRODUCE JUST TENS OF THOUSANDS OF POUNDS OF PRODUCE.
I'D BE IN FAVOR OF KEEPING IT IN AND, BUT ALSO SHARING SOME OF THAT INFORMATION WITH THE FOOD GROUP ABOUT WHAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING AND HOW THE TOWNSHIP HAS BEEN A SUPPORT ABOVE THAT EFFORT.
I THINK THAT'D BE AN EASY WIN.
I ALSO WANT TO INVITE PAT JACKSON, OUR SUPERVISOR TO CHIME IN IF YOU'D LIKE TO ADD ANYTHING, BECAUSE OF COURSE YOU'VE SUPPORTED A LOT OF THESE INITIATIVES OVER THE YEARS AND WE'LL HAVE A STEP UPDATE IN A MINUTE.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE ANYTHING, FEEL FREE AT ANY POINT.
MOST OF YOU KNOW PAT, BUT IF NOT, HE'S OUR SUPERVISOR AND LONGTIME ENVIRONMENTAL SUPPORTER AND I HEAR YOU'RE ALSO A FOODIE [LAUGHTER].
>> SHE LIKES BACON. [LAUGHTER]
>> YEAH. SAYING FROM A PSYCHOLOGICAL STANDPOINT.
THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW THINGS BENEFIT PEOPLE, BUT ALSO PEOPLE GETTING THE BUY-IN.
IF YOU WANT FOLKS TO EAT HEALTHY OR TEACH YOUR KIDS TO EAT HEALTHY, YOU COOK WITH THEM, YOU GET THE BUY-IN.
IF YOU HAVE A COMMUNITY GARDEN AND YOU HAVE PEOPLE CARING FOR THAT AND TENDING TO THAT, THEN THEY CARE ABOUT THE FOOD THEY'RE EATING.
THE COMMUNITY ASPECT IT HELPS IN SO MANY PSYCHOLOGICAL MANNERS, TO HELP HOW PEOPLE GO AHEAD.
>> I WAS JUST GONG TO SAY I AM A FULL SUPPORTER OF COMMUNITY GARDENS.
I THINK PART OF THIS WAS TO PRIORITIZE AND WHAT'S APPROPRIATE FOR A SUSTAINABILITY PLAN.
[00:30:03]
I THINK AT SOME POINT WE HAD THINGS THAT WERE PROBABLY MORE ON THE END OF FOOD ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORTING NUTRITION, WHICH WE WANT TO HAPPEN OR I DO.I GUESS I WON'T SPEAK FOR EVERYONE.
I THINK THE GROUP IS ALL SUPPORTIVE.
BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER IS IN HERE IS APPROPRIATE FOR A SUSTAINABILITY PLAN.
IS THAT IT VERY WELL MAYBE WE KEPT ONE IN FOR THE EDUCATION COMPONENT AND MAYBE WE SHOULD RECONSIDER WHETHER NOT JUST CHILDREN EDUCATION COMPONENT, BUT THAT COMMUNITY EDUCATION COMPONENT DOES REALLY BELONG.
I THINK WE CAN TAKE THIS DISCUSSION BACK TO THE FULL GROUP AND IF IN FACT IT HAS BEEN REMOVED, DECIDE IF THAT WAS THE RIGHT DECISION.
>> GREAT. I'M LOOKING AT ANOTHER ONE THAT'S IN THAT SAME SECTION AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GOING TO END UP ON MY PLATE.
IT'S THE THIRD BULLET ON NUMBER 2 WHICH SAYS, TOWNSHIP MASTER PLAN SHOULD INCORPORATE FARMLAND PRESERVATION PROTECTION AND ENCOURAGED VIABLE USE OF FARMLAND WHERE POSSIBLE.
SOUNDS GREAT. IF THE GROUP HAS ANY FURTHER IDEAS ON HOW THAT COULD BE REFLECTED IN THE MASTER PLAN, THAT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL.
I CAN TELL YOU JUST JUMPING THE GUN ON THE AGENDA A LITTLE BIT THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAS A COMMITTEE THAT IS FOCUSING ON WHAT MANY PEOPLE SEE AS THE CORE OF A MASTER PLAN, THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP, OUR VISION FOR WHAT THE FUTURE LAND-USE WILL LOOK LIKE.
IT'S HAD ONE MEETING, AND SO THOSE DISCUSSIONS HAVE BEGUN.
SO FAR WE'RE FOCUSING MAINLY ON THE SO-CALLED PICAS OR POTENTIAL INTENSITY CHANGE AREAS OF OKEMOS, HASLETT, AND CARRIAGE HILLS.
WE'RE STRUCK BY THE FACT THAT WE KNOCKED TWO OF THOSE OUT OF THE PARK ALREADY AND SO GOT ONE MORE TO GO, AND THAT'S REALLY ENCOURAGING.
BUT IT ALSO TELLS US THAT THAT GOAL OF THE MASTER PLAN OF 2017 WAS TO TRY TO PROMOTE INFILL DEVELOPMENT AND HAVE THE LESS DEVELOPED PORTIONS OF THE TOWNSHIP BE DEVELOPED, IF LATER.
WHAT DO WE DO OUT THERE TO ENCOURAGE THOSE AREAS TO REMAIN AGRICULTURAL OR TO BECOME AGRICULTURAL? IF THERE'S FOLKS IN YOUR GROUP THAT HAVE SPECIFIC IDEAS ON THAT, PLEASE HAVE THEM REACH OUT AND TALK MORE ABOUT IT.
>> GREAT. WE WILL BRING THAT BACK TO THE GROUP.
I BELIEVE WITH MUCH OF THAT SECTION, AS VALERIE SAID, THAT TOM CARRY WEIGHTED HEAVILY ON.
>> GREAT. AGAIN, KEEPING AN EYE ON WHICH OTHER GROUPS, BOARDS, AND COMMISSIONS WE SHOULD BE CONNECTING TO.
WE KNOW THAT ON THE TRANSPORTATION SECTION WE WANT TO REACH OUT TO THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION.
I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT, IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FARMLAND PRESERVATION OR LAND PRESERVATION, THAT GROUP PROBABLY THE SOONER THEY ARE ENGAGED IN THE DISCUSSION OF WHAT POLICIES WE WANT TO CONSIDER RECOMMENDING TO THE BOARD, THE BETTER.
GETTING ON THEIR AGENDA WITH THOSE TOPICS, I THINK SHOULD BE A PRIORITY AS WELL.
>> I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT DOING THIS SOONER BECAUSE I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE FOOD CAMPOS GROUP.
BUT IN RE-READING THIS OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS, IT'S THE LAST ITEM UNDER STRATEGY 1, WHERE IT'S ITEM 2; INCENTIVIZING MORE FOOD DONATION BY BUSINESSES.
THEN WE'VE GOT THE EXAMPLE OF TOWNSHIP OFFERING TAX CREDITS.
I'M JUST WONDERING IF WE HAVE THAT AUTHORITY, BECAUSE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP DOESN'T HAVE AN INCOME TAX AND I'M NOT SURE WE HAVE THE ABILITY, OR YOU HAVE THE ABILITY AS A TOWNSHIP BOARD TO OFFER THAT ON PROPERTY TAXES.
I'M JUST RAISING THAT AS A QUESTION AS WE MOVE FORWARD, THAT WE MAY WANT TO AMEND THAT SOMEWHAT.
>> I THINK I WAS FULLY EXPECTING THAT SEVERAL THINGS NEED TO BE [LAUGHTER].
>> THAT SOUNDS LIKE IT MAY BE A QUESTION FOR THE TREASURER'S OFFICE.
[00:35:02]
>> I CAN IMAGINE SOME SIMILAR IMPACTS COMING FROM EXISTING POLICIES, BUT I THINK IT'S BEST TO CHECK WITH THE TAX COLLECTOR AND THE ASSESSOR REALLY.
>> I THINK THAT WOULD BE GREAT IF YOU FOLLOW IT UP.
IT WOULD BE GOOD TO KNOW WHAT WE CAN AND CANNOT DO AND THE PART OF OUR RESEARCH GOING FORWARD ABOUT WHAT ARE THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION.
MAYBE THIS WILL BECOME CLEAR AS WE CONTINUE TO WORK THROUGH THIS, BUT IT SEEMS TO ME OUR DRAFT MAY HAVE MORE DETAIL THAN WE NEED OR WANT IT TO.
I HAVE WORKED EXTENSIVELY ON THIS DRAFT AND I THINK IT PROVIDES A LOT OF THE INFORMATION THAT WE NEED AS A GROUP TO THINK, WELL, WHAT ARE SOME OF THESE STRATEGIES? BUT IT IS UNLIKELY THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET FAR ON ALL OF THESE STRATEGIES.
I THINK THESE ARE, AT THE MOMENT, SOME OF OUR BEST STRATEGIES.
WE'VE PUT THEM DOWN ON PAPER AND WE'VE TALKED THEM OUT.
BUT I GUESS EITHER NOW OR AT SOME POINT, I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE SOME GUIDANCE ON WHAT LEVEL OF DETAIL WE WANT INCLUDED IN THE PLAN, VERSUS SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE BEHIND THE SCENES TO KNOW, WELL, HERE'S OUR OBJECTIVES AND HERE ARE SOME STRATEGIES WE'RE INVESTIGATING TO MOVE IT FORWARD.
RIGHT NOW YOU'VE GOTTEN ALL THE DETAIL ON ALL OF OUR THINKING, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S NECESSARILY APPROPRIATE TO GET INTO THE FIVE-YEAR PLAN.
>> I THINK I MENTIONED WHEN WE BEGAN IN THE CONTEXT I [NOISE] THINK FOR WHAT OUR THOUGHTS ARE.
FROM THAT, IT WOULD NEED TO BE [BACKGROUND] CONDENSED AND MADE LESS SPECIFIC [LAUGHTER].
>> TRUE. WHAT I ALWAYS WANTED TO SAY IN GENERAL, I MEAN, IT'S FANTASTIC TO HAVE ALL THIS BACKGROUND AND THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK.
I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN WORKING TO GET THIS MOVING FORWARD.
THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT HERE IS FANTASTIC.
BUT IN GENERAL, IN RELATIONSHIP TO ALL OF OUR DIFFERENT AREAS IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF WE HAD A FORMAT.
WHAT DO WE WANT? WHAT'S OUR GOAL AND OUR OBJECTIVES? WHAT DO WE WANT IT LOOK LIKE SO IT'S CONSISTENT ACROSS THE BOARD? FRANKLY, I'VE MADE MY JOB EASIER AS I DO THE NEXT PART PROBABLY [LAUGHTER].
PLEASE TELL ME WHAT TO DO [LAUGHTER].
THIS WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT WAS BRAND NEW.
[OVERLAPPING] WE WERE REACHING EVERYWHERE TO TRY [OVERLAPPING]
>> TREASURER, NO. I THINK IT'S SUPER GREAT FOR EDUCATING ALL OF US IN THE BACKGROUND.
BUT IN GENERAL, HOW SHOULD THAT LOOK? HOW SHOULD THEY ALL LOOK CONSISTENTLY? ENERGY, FOOD COMPOST, ALL THE RECYCLING AREAS, WATER, HOW SHOULD IT LOOK? CAN WE DECIDE THAT TODAY? [LAUGHTER]
THE PREFERENCE I'VE EXPRESSED IN THE PAST IS THAT THE STRUCTURE OF THE EXISTING DOCUMENT, THE 2017 CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN, I THINK IS APPROPRIATE.
I'M NOT SURE ALL THE STUFF IS IN THE RIGHT PLACE AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE MOVING STUFF AROUND, BUT THE IDEA OF HAVING OVERARCHING OBJECTIVES THIS IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO.
THEN HAVING THESE STRATEGIES THAT ARE MORE SPECIFIC.
THEN WITH SOME VERY SPECIFIC TARGETS UNDERNEATH THEM IS, I THINK, AN EFFECTIVE PART OF OUR CURRENT PLAN.
I'M ENCOURAGING US TO STICK WITH THAT LAYOUT.
I WOULD GO BACK AND LOOK AT THAT PLAN AND USE THAT AS A TEMPLATE.
BUT I'M NOT THE ONLY VOICE HERE, SO I'M JUST PUTTING THAT OUT AS MY OWN PERSONAL.
>> I'M LOOKING AT JUST THE TRANSPORTATION SECTION HERE.
WE ONLY HAVE A PARAGRAPH THAT'S BACKGROUND.
IT TALKS ABOUT TRANSPORTATION PRODUCES 27 PERCENT OF GREENHOUSE GASES, STUFF LIKE THAT.
BUT THEN AS YOU POINTED OUT IN THE PAST TOO, IT'S GOOD NOT TO BELABOR, BUT IT'S GOOD TO HAVE A SECTION THAT TALKS ABOUT WHAT WE'VE ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED BECAUSE I THINK THE PLAN IS AN EDUCATIONAL TOOL.
IN ADDITION TO WHAT YOU MENTIONED, I THINK A LITTLE BACKGROUND.
OBVIOUSLY YOU'VE GOT LOTS THAT YOU COULD PUT IT IN THERE.
THEN A FOCUS ON WHAT WE'VE ALREADY DONE IS REAL HELPFUL, I THINK.
>> PAST AND CURRENT PROGRESS SECTION.
>> I THINK RUNNING HAS ENCOURAGED US TO BE A BIT BRIEF BUT ALSO WE NEED ENOUGH FLEXIBILITY BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT FIVE-YEARS ARE GOING TO BRING OR WHAT OPPORTUNITIES ARE GOING TO BE BEFORE US.
IT NEEDS TO BE FLEXIBLE BUT I AGREE WE ALSO NEED [LAUGHTER] SOME SPECIFICS.
WE HAVE SOMETHING TO BE POINTING AT SO YEAH, A CHALLENGE.
[00:40:03]
[LAUGHTER] CLEAR AS MUD.>> THEN I GUESS ONE MORE PROCEDURAL QUESTION BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SECTION.
OBJECTIVE NUMBER THREE, WE CURRENTLY SAY, SHARED WITH THE GREEN TEAM.
WHAT I'M WONDERING SINCE THAT DEALS WITH WASTE AND RECYCLING, WOULD IT BE THE INTENT TO PUT THAT UNDER THE WASTE AND RECYCLING CATEGORY OF THE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN OR LEAVE IT HERE.
OR IS THERE A PREFERENCE? I'M JUST CURIOUS AS TO WHERE THAT SHOULD BE.
>> YEAH. I MEAN, THAT WAS A CONUNDRUM TO ME TO.
IT BRINGS IN PART OF THE GLEANING AND ALL THAT.
I DON'T KNOW HOW TO ANSWER THAT.
>> MY INITIAL TAKE ON IT WOULD BE TO LEAVE IT IN THIS SECTION AND THEN FOLLOW THE WASTE AND RECYCLING SECTION COMES DIRECTLY AFTER.
THEN I THINK WE DID TALK ABOUT IN THE LAST MEETING HOW WE COULD ALSO PUT SOME LANGUAGE IN THERE TO INDICATE WHERE THERE IS SOME CROSSOVER.
JUST TO SAY, WELL, THIS IS ALSO RELEVANT TO THIS SECTION BECAUSE A LOT OF THIS STUFF WILL HAVE OVERLAP I THINK.
>> MAYBE IN THE NEXT FIVE-YEAR PLAN IT WILL BE TOGETHER OR WHATEVER [LAUGHTER].
>> YEAH I THINK THERE'S A NUMBER OF EDITORIAL SOLUTIONS TO THAT.
IF WE SEE AN INORGANIC WASTE MANAGEMENT SECTION EMERGE SAY FROM THE GREEN TEAM THAT WANTS TO STAND ON ITS OWN.
I DON'T SEE WHY NOT? WHAT ORDER THEY GO IN, I'M NOT SURE IT MATTERS.
IT WOULD BE NICE IF THIS OBJECTIVE ON MINIMIZING ORGANIC WASTE WAS CLOSE IN PROXIMITY IN THE OUTLINE.
BUT AGAIN, IF YOU'VE GOT THESE CROSSWALKS AND SAY, "HEY, THE REST OF THE WASTE IS OVER IN THIS SECTION, GO LOOK THERE." THEN I THINK IT'S REALLY AN EDITORIAL PREFERENCE AT THAT POINT.
>> IT MIGHT BEHOOVE US AS WELL TO THINK DOWN THE ROAD A BIT AS WE DO GET A MORE COMPLETE DOCUMENT TOGETHER.
RECRUITING A SET OF REVIEWERS OR OUTSIDE EYES, WHO HAVEN'T SEEN IT BEFORE WHO ARE WILLING TO PICK IT UP AND READ IT AND SAY, "I DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS, THIS HAS GOT REPEATED," THOSE KINDS OF HIGH-LEVEL EDITORIAL SUGGESTIONS.
I CAN THINK OF A FEW PEOPLE WHO WILL PROBABLY AGREE TO DO THAT.
>> IN RELATIONSHIP TO THAT, I WOULD HOPE WE COULD WRITE IT, SAY ME AT AN EIGHTH GRADE READING LEVEL TWO, SO THAT ITS.
>> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE CURRENT DRAFT OF THE FOOD WASTE COMPOSTING SECTION.
I'M REALLY THRILLED TO SEE IT.
I THINK IT'S WHOLE NEW STUFF THAT WASN'T WITH US FIVE-YEARS AGO.
OTHER THAN ONE LITTLE BY THE WAY, THERE'S ORGANIC WASTE.
IT'S GREAT TO SEE IT BLOSSOMING INTO SOMETHING BIGGER.
WE HAVE ALSO TALKED IN THE PAST ABOUT WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT ISSUES OF ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE OR DIVERSITY EQUITY AND INCLUSION ARE SQUARELY ADDRESSED IN THESE.
I KNOW THAT ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS AS UNEXPLAINED FOR HAVING FOOD AS A HIGH TOPIC IS BECAUSE WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT FOOD SECURITY AND FOOD EQUITY [NOISE].
I JUST WANTED TO PUT A PIN IN THE IDEA OF HAVING A HIGH LEVEL STATEMENT AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS DOCUMENT THAT SETS OUT A GENERAL PRINCIPLE.
IF THERE'S ONE THAT THE TOWNSHIP HAD ALREADY ADOPTED OR ADOPTED BY THEN, THEN I THINK WE SHOULD USE THAT AND THEN WE SHOULD ADDRESS HOW EACH OF THESE OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES REFLECTS THAT BROADER OVERALL STATEMENT.
IT'S NOT JUST SORT OF THE LAST CHAPTER.
OH, BY THE WAY, EVERYBODY COUNTS, BUT IT'S A BEGINNING POINT.
I THINK WE MAY WANT TO MODIFY IT BECAUSE MANY OF THESE, I THINK OF AS INTERGENERATIONAL EQUITY ISSUES.
SOME OF THEM ARE TODAY FOOD SECURITY, BUT SOME OF THEM ARE WHAT WE'RE LEAVING AS A HERITAGE AND SO WE MAY WANT TO HAVE SOME SLIGHTLY MORE SPECIFIC LANGUAGE THAT'S RELEVANT TO THIS PLAN, BUT I DON'T WANT US TO LOSE SIGHT OF THAT THAT PIECE OF THE PLAN AS WELL.
>> YES. THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
I THINK THAT WE CAN LOOK AT THE WHOLE SECTION WITH THAT LENS AND SEE WHERE IT SHOULD, NOT CERTAINLY AT THE FOREFRONT, BUT ALSO WHAT ELSE SHOULD BE ADDED.
THINKING MORE EXPLICITLY ABOUT EQUITY AND WHETHER
[00:45:03]
THERE ARE SPECIFIC GOALS TO BE INCLUDED THERE. THANK YOU.>> I SUSPECT MAYBE ON, THIS IS WISHFUL THINKING ON MY PART THAT, FOR EXAMPLE THE COMMUNITY GARDENS, MY SENSE IS THAT THE PARTICIPANTS IN COMMUNITY GARDENS ARE A CERTAIN SUBSET OF THE COMMUNITY.
THOSE OF US WHO HAVE THE LAND, TO HAVE OUR OWN GARDEN ARE MORE LIKELY, I WOULD GUESS, TO GARDEN IN OUR OWN PROPERTY.
WHEREAS FOLKS WHO MIGHT CHOOSE A COMMUNITY GARDEN, MAYBE A DIFFERENT DEMOGRAPHIC.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF INFORMATION WE HAVE ON THAT OR COULD BE COLLECTED OR IF THAT'S RELEVANT.
BUT AGAIN, IT SEEMS LIKE A POTENTIALLY RELEVANT CONNECTION TO ME.
>> ALSO USING ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO PAY IT FROM THE MARKET, FOR THE PRODUCE.
>> ANYTHING FURTHER ON THE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN?
>> NEXT TIME WE'RE HOPING TO SPEND SOME TIME THINKING ABOUT WATER AND WETLANDS IN PARTICULAR, IS THAT OUR HOPE?
>>I'VE BEEN AT THE ABSENT. [LAUGHTER].
>> COURTNEY HAS BEEN ON HER SO WE HAVE A PLAN. [LAUGHTER]
>> GREAT. LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
IF THERE'S NOTHING FURTHER ON THIS ITEM FIVE,
[6. REPORTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS]
WE'LL MOVE TO REPORTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS, AND I PUT MYSELF A LITTLE NOTE IN HERE RELATED TO THE DEI STATEMENT.WE WERE CONGRATULATED RECENTLY BY THE MANAGER FOR RECEIVING AN AWARD THAT I'M VAGUELY AWARE OF.
I HOPE THAT CREDIT ENDS UP GOING TO THE FOLKS WHO ACTUALLY PARTICIPATED IN IT.
BUT WHERE WAS IT, THE GREEN COMMUNITIES CHALLENGE, CAN YOU REMIND US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THAT AWARD CAME ABOUT SO WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THE RIGHT FOLKS ARE GIVEN THE CREDIT BECAUSE I DIDN'T LIFT A FINGER [BACKGROUND].
>> WELL, AS I MENTIONED IN THE PRESS RELEASE, THIS IS THE ENVIRONMENTAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE TOWNSHIP HAD BEEN BORN OVER DECADES.
WE'VE BEEN OBVIOUSLY IMMERSED IN SEVERAL OF THEM.
BUT THE GREEN COMMUNITY CHALLENGE, ACTUALLY, TOM WAS INVOLVED IN THE EARLIER PHASES THAT'S BEEN AROUND FOR ABOUT A DECADE.
WE HAVE ACHIEVED SOME RECOGNITION THROUGH THAT OVER THE YEARS, THE CHALLENGE WAS TOTALLY REDONE THIS YEAR AND THERE'S ACTUALLY MORE GOLD RECIPIENTS THAN WE'VE EVER HAD BEFORE.
BUT IT WAS MORE A BIT MORE COMPREHENSIVE.
THERE ARE SEVERAL CATEGORIES THAT WERE LOOKED AT RELATED TO CLIMATE POLICIES.
JUST A BROAD RANGE OF TOPICS, BUT I'D BE HAPPY TO SHARE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT.
I THINK THERE WERE 22 COMMUNITIES THAT RECEIVED A GOLD RECOGNITION.
TOM, DO YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING?
>> NOT REALLY, OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT AS LEROY INDICATED, MERIDIAN HAS PARTICIPATED IN THE PAST, THE HIGHEST LEVEL MERIDIAN HAD RECEIVED PREVIOUSLY WAS A SILVER.
I KNOW PERSONALLY I WAS VERY HAPPY TO SEE THAT MERIDIAN DID ACHIEVE THE GOLD LEVEL THIS YEAR.
I THINK LEROY IS BEING A LITTLE BIT MODEST, BUT I THINK A LOT OF THE CREDIT ACTUALLY GOES TO HIM.
HE WAS THE ONE WHO FILLED OUT ALL THE PAPERWORK TO MAKE SURE THAT MERIDIAN GOT RECOGNIZED.
WELL, IT DOES INCLUDE ACTIVITIES THAT HAVE GONE ON FOR MANY YEARS, LEROY HAS LEAD MANY OF THOSE.
I THINK HE DESERVES RECOGNITION HERE AS WELL, PERSONALLY.
>> WELL, THAT'S SWEET OF YOU. [APPLAUSE] I THINK WE TRUSTEES DESERVE A LOT OF CREDIT AS WELL FOR SUPPORTING THESE EFFORTS.
AS WELL AS OUR CITIZEN LED TEAMS, THE WETLAND EDUCATION GROUP, THE GREEN TEAM, AND THE FOOD TEAM.
I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT MAKES THIS JOB INTERESTING AND EXCITING.
IT'S REALLY THE WORK THAT WE DO AS TEAMS THAT I THINK MAKES IT HAPPEN.
THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE IT. [OVERLAPPING] [INAUDIBLE] BE PART OF IT.
>> WHILE YOU'RE UP THERE, FIRST OF AM I REMEMBERING CORRECTLY THAT BY VIRTUE OF THAT AWARD, WE HAD SOME ACCESS TO SOME LABOR?
>> YES, IF WE HAD RECEIVED A SILVER OR A GOLD AWARD IN THE PAST,
[00:50:06]
WE WERE PART OF THE INITIATIVE THAT BASICALLY GIVES US ACCESS TO A GRAD STUDENT FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS AND STARTED A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT AND STAFF UPDATE.
>> AS LONG AS YOU'RE UP THERE, JUST CONTINUE ON IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION.
TELL US SOME STAFF UPDATE. SURE.
>> WE ARE NOT ONLY GET A GRASP. [OVERLAPPING]
>> YOU BETTER PLUG IN YOUR LAPTOP BECAUSE YOU'RE ABOUT TO DIE.
>> PLUG-IN OR FIND ANOTHER POWER SOURCE.
>> LET'S SEE WHAT I CAN DO HERE.
>> JUST TALK REAL FAST. [LAUGHTER]
I THINK I PRONOUNCED HER NAME AND HER ADVISOR, ALEXANDRA OR ALEX, HER DAD ARE WITH US.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE HELPING WITH PROMOTING SOME OF OUR GREEN GRANTS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN ADEQUATELY PROMOTED.
THIS PICTURE THAT YOU MIGHT SEE HERE IS THE BUTTERFLY GARDEN THAT ALCHEMISTS, PUBLIC MONTESSORI HAS BEEN WORKING ON.
WHAT WAS INTENDED TO BE A GRAND OPENING LAST FRIDAY WAS RAINED OUT.
IF ANY OF YOU WOULD LIKE TO GO TO THE RIBBON CUTTING THIS FRIDAY AT 1:30 AT THE OLD CENTRAL SCHOOL, THE CORNER OF MOUNT HOPE AND OKEMOS ROAD.
I WOULD INVITE YOU TO COME CHECK IT OUT.
THE KIDS ARE GOING TO DO SOMETHING.
I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT, BUT IT'S A BEAUTIFUL LITTLE POLLINATOR GARDEN DESIGNED AROUND BUTTERFLIES DESIGNED BY KIDS AND INCLUDE SOME ARTWORK THAT THE KIDS MADE.
THAT'S ONE OF FOUR GREEN GRANTS THAT WERE FUNDED.
KATIE IS HOPING TO PUT TOGETHER SOME DESCRIPTIONS, ASSEMBLE SOME PHOTOGRAPHS, AND HELP GET SOME OF THIS INFORMATION WORKING WITH OUR HOME TV OR COMMUNICATION STAFF ON OUR WEBSITE AND HIGHLIGHT THE PROJECTS WHICH INCLUDE HAZARD COMMUNITY CHURCH, MONASTERY, READ MORE AND OKEMOS PUBLIC LIBRARY.
JON SERVER AND KENDRA, GRASSESCHI, AND COURTNEY ARE ON THE GREEN GRANT REVIEW TEAM.
IF YOU GUYS WANT TO ADD ANYTHING ABOUT THAT, BUT I'LL BE KEEPING YOU POSTED OF KATIE'S WORK.
SHE ALSO MIGHT BE HELPING PROMOTE THE GREEN [NOISE] NATURAL SHORELINE INITIATIVES THAT WE'RE DOING AT LAKE LANSING.
SEE IF I'VE GOT A LITTLE PICTURE HERE.
THIS IS A INFOGRAPHIC THAT KATIE PRODUCED PRETTY MUCH ON HER OWN, HIGHLIGHTING THE RAIN GARDEN.
EMMA IS GOING TO BE WITH US IN THE RAIN GARDEN DOING SOME WEEDING NEXT TUESDAY AT 6:30.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO JOIN US FOR THAT, YOU'RE WELCOME TO HELP DO SOME WEEDING AS WELL.
BUT THIS IS AN INFOGRAPHIC FOR THE PEOPLE TO HELP IDENTIFY THE WEEDS VERSUS THE NATIVE PLANTS.
IT GIVES YOU A SENSE OF THE QUALITY OF WHAT KATIE IS COMING UP WITH.
SHE'S A STUDENT IN THE GRAHAM SUSTAINABILITY INSTITUTE AT U OF M. WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF GOING OUT TO BID ON A DEMONSTRATION PROJECT FOR LAKE LANSING THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH THE LAKE LANSING ADVISORY BOARD.
BEFORE MY COMPUTER DIES, WE'RE GOING TO BE DEMONSTRATING SEVERAL DIFFERENT TYPES OF NATURAL SHORELINES, WHICH I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT BECAUSE SEAWALLS ARE JUST A CHALLENGE AND DOING A NATURAL SHORELINE THAT IS EROSION PROOF IS A CHALLENGE.
WE'LL HAVE A LIVE DEMONSTRATION.
YANIS HASHRATE HAS BEEN WORKING ON THAT WITH A CONSULTANT, PROGRESSIVE A&E.
THAT MIGHT BE HAPPY OR GOING OUT TO BID OR HOPEFULLY YOU HAVE SOME CONSTRUCTION THIS FALL.
>> THAT IS GOING TO BE LAKE LANSING PARK SOUTH [NOISE].
NOT FAR FROM THE BIOSWALES THAT'S THERE RIGHT NOW.
A LITTLE BIT FURTHER TO THE SOUTH I BELIEVE.
MOST OF YOU KNOW ABOUT THE RAIN BARREL AND ACCOMPLISH PIN SALES.
[00:55:04]
I'M NOT GOING TO REALLY GET INTO THAT.WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A GREEN FAIR AT THE END OF THE MONTH, JUNE 25TH.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO HELP STAFF AND BOOTH AT THE MARKET.
I THINK EARTH CLUB IS GOING TO BE HELPING WITH THAT.
HER EARTH CLUB HASN'T DECIDED EXACTLY WHAT IT'S GOING TO DO.
BUT MAYBE IF YOU HAVE ANY UPDATES ON THAT, MAYBE SOME INTERACTIVE CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES.
CONSUMERS ENERGY REP IS GOING TO BE THERE AND BRING ELECTRIC VEHICLE.
THEN THERE'S SOME OTHER EXHIBITS THAT WERE OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS.
IF YOU HAVE ANYBODY YOU'D LIKE TO SEE AT THE GREEN FAIR ON JUNE 25TH AT THE MARKET.
BILL MENTIONED FRANK'S RECOGNITION FOR THE AWARD SO I APPRECIATED THAT FROM FRANK.
THAT'S ABOUT ALL I'VE GOT FOR MY COMPUTER DIES HERE.
>> THAT'S ONE OF THE DAYS OF CELEBRATING MERIDIAN.
>> YEAH. CELEBRATE MERIDIAN STARTS AT 08:00 AM.
THE GREEN FAIR STARTS AT 9:00 AT THE MARKET. ANY QUESTIONS? YEAH.
>> WITH THE MICHIGAN GREEN RECOGNITION, THERE WAS AN APPLICATION THAT YOU FILLED OUT BECAUSE I SAW SOME OF THE CRITERIA AND IS THERE A CERTAIN CATEGORY THAT IT WAS AWARDED IN, OR IS IT BROADLY?
THERE IS ABOUT SEVEN OR EIGHT CATEGORIES.
>> INCLUDES THINGS LIKE DIVERSITY, AND EQUITY, AND HEALTH, AND BROAD SUSTAINABILITY TOPICS.
BUT YOU GET POINTS IN EACH SECTION.
I STARTED TO OPEN UP THE WEBSITE HERE AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE THE CHECKLIST AT MIGREENCOMMUNITIES.COM.
IT GOES THROUGH ALL THOSE CATEGORIES.
I'M NOT SURE HOW QUICKLY IT WILL COME UP ON HERE.
>> WOULD IT BE HELPFUL TO SEE THE APPLICATION?
>> YEAH, IT WOULD BE BECAUSE I LOOKED AT WHAT THE CRITERIA WAS AND I DIDN'T KNOW IF THE CRITERIA, THAT'S WHERE I WAS AT.
I LOOKED AT, I DIDN'T KNOW IF THAT WAS FOR 2022, THAT I WAS SEEING THE CRITERIA FOR [OVERLAPPING].
>> IT IS. I WAS JUST WONDERING HOW WE'VE MET SOME CRITERIA IN THAT, BUT WE HAVEN'T MET ALL OF THAT. I DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE EQUITY THING, I THINK THERE'S SOME WORK IN ALL THE AREAS PLUS EQUITY.
THERE'S SOME WORK [OVERLAPPING] IN THAT CATEGORY.
THAT'S HOW I WAS CURIOUS HOW WE GOT GOLD BASICALLY. IT'S GOOD.
>> IT'S ALSO WHAT'S BETWEEN THIS AND PLATINUM.
>> BECAUSE IT IS A POINT-BASED SYSTEM AND THE MORE POINTS YOU ACCRUE, THE HIGHER YOUR RANKING.
>> I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT POINTS OF THIS RECOGNITION IS WHAT'S LEFT TO DO.
>> HOW DO WE GET TO PLATINUM? [OVERLAPPING] I ASSUME THERE'S A PLATINUM.
>> WELL, IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE 22 GOLDS, YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE A HIGHER CATEGORY.
[LAUGHTER] GET ON THESE PEOPLE AND WE'RE SHOOTING FOR DIAMOND REMIND ME.
>> WELL, I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP BECAUSE SOME OF THESE CATEGORIES MIGHT GIVE US SOME INSIGHTS IN OUR SUSTAINABILITY PLAN.
>> SOME OF THE STUFF WE'VE DONE AND SOME OF IT WE HAVEN'T DONE, BUT WE MIGHT INCLUDE IT IN OUR PLAN AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
>> I ACTUALLY NOW THAT I THINK OF IT, IF YOU'VE DOCUMENTED THOSE ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN THIS APPLICATION, THEN THERE'S NO NEED TO REDO THAT IN OUR CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN, WE CAN JUST LIFT THOSE ACCOMPLISHMENTS WHERE APPROPRIATE AND PLUNK THEM IN THERE.
>> JUST THROWING MORE WORK ON LEROY'S DESK.
>> WELL, IT MIGHT MAKE SENSE TO INCORPORATE THEM INTO EACH RELATED CATEGORIES.
>> PULLOUT THE ONES WE'VE ALREADY REPORTED AND THEN AWARDED FOR AND STICK THEM IN OUR OWN PLAN AS AN ACCOMPLISHMENT.
>> YEAH, HOPEFULLY I SAVED A COPY OF IT.
[LAUGHTER] IF NOT, I CAN GO TO THE GREEN COMMUNITIES GROUP AND GET IT. BUT YEAH.
>> I KNOW WITH THE LEAGUE OF AMERICAN BICYCLISTS, FOR INSTANCE, FOR THEIR BIKE FRIENDLY UNIVERSITY, GREAT BIKE FRIENDLY COMMUNITY PROGRAM.
THEY ACTUALLY HAVE REVIEWERS WHO GO THROUGH YOUR APPLICATION AND LOOK AT WHAT YOU'VE REPORTED AND MAKE SURE THAT IT MAKES SENSE, AND THEY GET COMMUNITY INPUT TO MAKE SURE IT'S TRUE.
BUT THEN THEY GIVE YOU A DOCUMENT THAT SAYS, HERE ARE THE THINGS THAT UNIVERSITIES OR COMMUNITIES THAT GOT PLATINUM DID.
IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO BE IN THAT GROUP, THESE ARE THE THINGS, GO LOOK AT THESE FOLKS, GO LOOK AT THESE FOLKS, GO LOOK AT THESE FOLKS.
THAT'S SUPER HELPFUL FOR A GROUP WANTING TO KNOW WHO ARE WE TRYING TO EMULATE HERE. YEAH.
[01:00:08]
>> ANYTHING ELSE AS A STAFF REPORT.
>> DO YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING AS A STAFF PERSON, [LAUGHTER] OR CHIEF ELECTED OFFICIAL?
>> I WILL JUST SAY, SO PAT JACKSON, AND I'M CURRENTLY SUPERVISOR MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
I WOULD JUST ADD THAT I'M VERY HAPPY I DECIDED TO COME TODAY BECAUSE I'VE WONDERED WHAT THIS GROUP HAD BEEN DOING AND WHAT THEY WERE UP TO, AND I'M VERY HAPPY TO SEE THAT YOU ARE DEVELOPING AND UPDATING YOUR SUSTAINABILITY PLAN.
I BELIEVE LAST YEAR, IN THE PAST FEW YEARS, WE HAVE AMENDED OUR MASTER PLAN TO INCLUDE JUST SUSTAINABILITY PLAN.
YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT THE STRUCTURE, VERY MUCH LIKE THE STRUCTURE OF THE MASTER PLAN.
THIS YEAR WE'RE ONLY DOING AN UP, WE'RE TRYING TO HOLD OURSELVES TO AN UPDATE OF THAT MASTER PLAN.
YOUR UPDATE THINGS I'VE BEEN HEARING FROM YOU TONIGHT ARE VERY EXCITING AS A PART OF INCLUSION TO THAT.
I'VE LEARNED A LOT [LAUGHTER] IN THIS TIME AND I HOPE TO COME BACK TO OTHER MEETINGS TO KEEP UP WITH WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND HOW ARE YOU DOING AND HOW ARE YOU THINKING.
WE, AT THE BOARD LEVEL, ALWAYS WELCOME YOUR INPUT AND YOUR SUGGESTIONS AND IDEAS.
I HOPE YOU'LL CONTINUE TO OFFER THOSE TO US. THANK YOU.
>> THANKS FOR JOINING US. NOW'S OUR TIME FOR ANY OTHER LIAISON OR WORK GROUP UPDATES, REPORTS.
>> FAIR ENOUGH. OKAY. WELL, THE WETLAND TEAM HAS BEEN BUSY AND I AM SO GRATEFUL TO THE WORK.
I PASS OUT TO YOU OUR LATEST LAST TIME I TALKED ABOUT, LIST WENT OUT TO THE LANDSCAPERS ABOUT THE WETLAND ORDINANCE AND THEN.
>> CAN WE PUT THOSE ON THE DOCUMENT CAM?
>> I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO THAT, BUT SURE. THANK YOU.
>> THERE'S BEEN SUCH A GREAT GROUP EFFORT, SO WE'RE JUST TRYING TO EDUCATE PEOPLE IN ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF MANNERS.
THE LATEST NOTICE THAT IS GOING TO BE GOING OUT TO FOLKS THAT THIS WAS A COLLABORATION BRANDY DID, EMMA AND I WORKED ON THIS.
BASICALLY, IT'S JUST A REMINDER TO FOLKS LIKE WHAT A WETLAND BUFFER IS, AND WHAT THE SIMPLE DO'S AND SIMPLE DON'TS ARE IN RELATIONSHIP TO IT.
BASICALLY IT'S JUST BASICALLY TRYING TO EDUCATE FOLKS LIKE WHAT DOES A BUFFER LOOK LIKE? WE'VE GOT A PICTURE OF BASICALLY UNDER THE IMPORTANT NOTICE, WE HAVE A PICTURE OF WHAT A HEALTHY WETLAND BUFFER LOOKS LIKE.
THEN THIS IS A PICTURE RIGHT HERE, WHAT A LOT OF WETLANDS LOOKED LIKE IN PEOPLE'S YARDS.
SOMETIMES FOLKS HAVE ESPECIALLY LASHING.
WE HIT ALL THE FLOODING THAT WE HAD.
PEOPLE MIGHT'VE BEEN ENCROACHING UPON A WETLAND AND NOT HAVE BEEN AWARE OF IT.
BASICALLY WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS FLOODING ISSUES, AND ALSO PROTECT OUR ECOSYSTEM AT THE SAME TIME.
THERE'S SOME SIMPLE DO'S AND DON'TS.
FOR EXAMPLE, TO NOT ADD CHEMICALS OR PESTICIDES OR HERBICIDES, NOT MOWING, DO NOT DUMPING WASTE ANY FODDER OR STONES OR MULCH, AND NOT REMOVING STUMPS AND ROOTS, AND THAT ONE PARTICULAR CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE AS FAR AS FLOODING GOES.
THEN THE SIMPLE DO'S ON THE BACKSIDE, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF WETLANDS, WHICH I DON'T KNOW THAT I NECESSARILY NEED TO GO OVER WITH THIS GROUP BECAUSE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT HOW MANY TIMES, BUT IT'S ON HERE.
I'M BASICALLY PLANTING NATIVE VEGETATION BECAUSE OF THE DEEP ROOTS WILL ABSORB SOME OF THAT STORM WATER AND REMOVING BASES.
THAT BOWING, EXCUSE ME, PROTECTING THAT WETLAND BUFFER AND CONTACTING THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT IF YOU WANT TO DO ANY WORK WITHIN 40 FEET OF A WETLAND, AND CONTACTING EMMA, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOME EDUCATION ON NATIVE PLANTS.
I'M VERY EXCITED TO SAY THAT OUR FIRST WETLAND DEMONSTRATION GARDEN IS GOING TO GO IN AT THE RIGHT SPOT, AT CENTRAL PARK.
THIS IS A NICE COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD, PARKS COMMISSION, IN THE FIRST DEMONSTRATION BUFFER PROJECT WILL GO IN ON JUNE 4TH FROM 1:30-3:30,
[01:05:04]
AND EVERYONE IS WELCOME TO ATTEND, AND EAGLE SCOUT, ETHAN OLDS IS GOING TO BE, IT'S PART OF HIS PROJECT TO BE PUTTING IN THIS GARDEN, THIS WETLAND BUFFER.IT'S REALLY GREAT TO SEE THE YOUNGER GENERATION GETTING INVOLVED IN CARRYING AND THEN HAVING THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN ALL OF THE GROUPS HERE BECAUSE IT REALLY, TRULY PROTECTING OUR WETLANDS, IS REALLY GOING TO REQUIRE COLLABORATION AMONG THE STAFF, AND BETWEEN COMMISSIONS, AND BOARDS IN THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
I THINK THIS IS A NICE OPPORTUNITY, SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE DEMONSTRATION BUFFERS IN THE FUTURE, BUT THIS IS THE START, AND EMMA AND REBECCA HAVE BEEN WORKING VERY HARD WITH ETHAN ON THIS.
I'M VERY EXCITED TO SHARE THAT.
THE WEBSITE, BRANDY HAS DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB OF UPDATING THE WETLANDS ON THE WEBSITE, AND PUTTING ON PICTURES OF WETLANDS.
THE DIFFERENT ONES PRESERVED THROUGHOUT OUR TOWNSHIP.
ALONG WITH EDUCATING FOLKS ON WHAT THE WETLAND ORDINANCE LOOKS LIKE.
I'M REALLY GRATEFUL FOR EVERYONE'S EFFORTS.
THEN AS OUR TEAM HAS GOTTEN LARGER, AND SO WE'VE COME UP WITH SOME PROTOCOLS AND HOW THEY GET EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS OUT.
THAT'S WHY I'M SHARING THIS WITH YOU TONIGHT.
IF ANYONE HAS ANY FEEDBACK FOR THIS AT ALL.
MOST OF THE STUFF ON HERE IS ON THE WETLAND BROCHURE ALREADY.
BUT THIS IS LIKE A SIMPLE NOTICE THAT'S GOING TO BE MAILED OUT TO PEOPLE WHO LIVE ON OR ADJACENT TO WETLANDS.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY FEEDBACK AT ALL? ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO CHANGE OR ADJUST BEFORE IT GOES OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AT ALL? ANY QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, COMMENTS?
>> WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? [LAUGHTER] ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THOSE PICTURES?
>> BUT I'M TRYING TO MAKE IT. ACTUALLY THIS IS WHAT I DID.
OVER THE WEEKEND, MY HUSBAND AND I PLANTED 60 NATIVE PLANTS AND WE ARE REHABILITATING THE WETLAND THAT IS IN THE FRONT OF OUR PROPERTY.
THAT IS, THAT CAN BE A DEMONSTRATION AREA BECAUSE THERE'S A BUNCH OF REED CANARY GRASS IN THERE.
WE'RE TRYING TO TAKE A NATURAL APPROACH AND HAVE THE PLANTS THAT WE PUT OUT COMPETE THE REED CANARY GRASS.
THIS IS GOING TO BE A FUN EXPERIMENT TO SEE IF IT WORKS.
YES. BUT ACTUALLY ONE OF THESE PICTURES ACTUALLY IS [LAUGHTER] REMEMBER HOW MY PROPERTY HERE FOR THE ONE IN THERE.
BUT ANYWAYS, ANY QUESTIONS? YEAH. GO AHEAD.
>> YOU'VE SAID THAT THIS IS BEING SENT OUT TO PEOPLE THAT ARE WETLAND ADJACENT.
ARE YOU AS PART OF IT? I GUESS I'M WONDERING, DO THEY KNOW THAT THEIR WETLAND AND ADJACENT? WOULD IT BE HELPFUL TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT SAYS, YOU ARE ON A WETLAND AND THIS APPLIES TO YOU.
>> GOOD POINT. WE DID SEND A LETTER LAST YEAR, BUT PROBABLY FEEL PEOPLE DON'T REMEMBER THAT.
THANKS, ANNA. YEAH. I WONDER IF WE WILL SORT THAT OUT.
THANK YOU. OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? IS THIS A GOOD GREEN LIGHT FOR THE COMMISSION? GREEN-LIGHT? [LAUGHTER] THAT'S GREAT.
>> I WANT TO MEET ALL THE BRAND SANFORD SCOTT, ALL THOSE LITTLE NORTH ARROWS AND THE WHOLE THING. IT'S GORGEOUS.
>> YEAH. BRANDY HAS DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB.
SHE HAS WORKED VERY, VERY HARD.
I'M REALLY GRATEFUL TO ALL OF HER WORK.
>> GREAT. THANK YOU. ANYTHING FROM THE ENERGY TEAM SINCE WE HEARD FROM YOU LAST MONTH?
>> A FEW ITEMS. YOUR PACKET INCLUDES THE FINAL DRAFT OF THE RENEWABLE ENERGY SECTION.
THAT'S READY FOR THE NEXT STEP, WHATEVER THAT STEP IS, I GUESS, AND AS WE FIGURED OUT THE PROCESS.
BUT THE MOST RECENT MEETING, WE TALKED ABOUT TRANSPORTATION.
I'M JUST GOING TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF THAT MEETING.
BILL IDENTIFIED SOME THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN ACCOMPLISHED SINCE THE PLAN WAS FIRST ADOPTED.
SAFETY CONVERSIONS OF LAKE LANSING ROAD, CENTRAL PARK DRIVE, JOLLY ROAD, INSTALLATION OF SOME SAFE MID BLOCK PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS IN M43 BECAUSE IT GETS BACK TO THAT ISSUE OF IDENTIFYING THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN ACCOMPLISHED DURING THE PAST FIVE YEARS.
ONE IS TO BASICALLY ENCOURAGE THE EMPLOYEES AND CITIZENS TO BE SMART COMMUTERS.
WE'VE IDENTIFIED SOME NEW STRATEGIES OR MODIFIED SOME STRATEGIES RELATED TO BIKES AND ELECTRIC BIKES.
ONE IS ENCOURAGING SECURE PARKING AT LOCAL STORES AND RESTAURANTS.
CONSIDERING SEPARATED PROTECTED BIKE LANES
[01:10:02]
TO LINK RESIDENTIAL AREAS TO COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS.CONSIDER CLOSING DOWN LANES TO ONLY BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC ON A PERIODIC BASIS TO ENCOURAGE THE USE OF BIKES AND WALKING.
OUR SECOND OBJECTIVE RELATES TO THE TOWNSHIP VEHICLE FLEET.
AS YOU KNOW, WE HAD A FLEET ASSESSMENT DONE BY CONSUMERS ENERGY AND THAT ASSESSMENT IDENTIFIED 46 VEHICLES THAT COULD BE CONVERTED TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES.
OUR FLEET IS OF 110 VEHICLES, SO IT'S ALMOST HALF OF THE VEHICLES.
WE PUT THAT IN AS A SPECIFIC ACTION ITEM OBJECTIVE.
ACTUALLY, I HAD MY GUESS INTO THE PLAN.
THE GOAL IS TO DO THOSE CONVERSIONS BY 2035.
FLEETS LIKE THIS, THEY HAVE A REGULAR SCHEDULE OF REPLACING VEHICLES.
WHAT THIS BASICALLY MEANS IS THAT DURING THE NORMAL REPLACEMENT PROCESS OR THEY'RE BUYING A NEW VEHICLE WHERE APPROPRIATE AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE BE SELECTED.
THAT'S BEEN REAL HELPFUL WITH CONSUMERS ENERGY ASSESSMENT BECAUSE THEY HELP TO IDENTIFY WHAT THOSE VEHICLES WERE AND WHAT THEY COULD BE REPLACED WITH.
THESE EXPERTS WHO CAME IN ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE MARKET AND WHAT'S AVAILABLE.
THERE'LL BE ADDITIONAL TYPES OF MODELS, OF COURSE, COMING OUT VERY SOON IN THE NEXT YEARS.
I THINK WE'RE ON A GOOD TRACK WITH THE TOWNSHIP FLEET.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT OTHER COMMUNITIES ARE DOING, BUT I THINK THIS IS A PRETTY AMBITIOUS GOAL, PROGRESSIVE GOAL TO THINK IN TERMS OF CONVERTING ALMOST HALF OF OUR FLEET.
BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME VEHICLES THAT ARE DIFFICULT TO REPLACE, ESPECIALLY THE BIGGER VEHICLES LIKE FIRE TRUCKS AND PURSUIT VEHICLES WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THE THIRD OBJECTIVE IS LAND-USE PLANNING.
BASICALLY THAT'S A CONTINUATION OF THE KEEP PUSHING THE COMPLETE STREETS POLICY, USING THE URBAN SERVICE'S BOUNDARY, ENCOURAGING CLUSTER DEVELOPMENTS, OTHER INFILL, OFFERING INCENTIVES FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT.
OBJECTIVE 4 IS THE EDUCATIONAL PIECE WHERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ENCOURAGING THE USE OF PUBLIC TRANSIT AND CAR-SHARING AND SMART COMMUTING.
THIS IS ACTUALLY AN AREA WHERE I DON'T THINK WE'VE DONE A LOT AND WE COULD PROBABLY DO MORE.
PROBABLY THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION ACTUALLY HAD BEEN DOING A LOT, ESPECIALLY IF YOU THINK IN TERMS OF BIKING AND PEDESTRIANS.
WE'LL BRING THIS UP AT THE NEXT ENERGY TEAM MEETING JUST TO SEE IF PEOPLE HAVE HAD SOME FURTHER THOUGHTS.
AND CERTAINLY IF ANYBODY HERE HAS SOME THOUGHTS, GIVE US SOME IDEAS OR COMMENTS.
IN THE NEXT MEETING TOO WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY PIECE, WHICH OF COURSE IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART.
THOSE ARE THE THREE PIECES WE'RE DEALING WITH, THE RENEWABLE ENERGY TRANSPORTATION, AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY.
BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY IMMEDIATE QUESTIONS OR IDEAS FOR WHAT COULD OR SHOULD BE INCLUDED HERE, WE COULD USE THE HELP.
>> PLEASE A QUICK CLARIFICATION WHILE PEOPLE ARE THINKING OF THOSE QUESTIONS.
I'M LOOKING AT PAGE 15 OF THE PDF, WHICH IS DESCRIBING A PART OF WHAT YOU WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT WHICH IS OBJECTIVE D, TO DECREASE USE OF PETROLEUM IN THE TOWNSHIP FLEET.
STRATEGY NUMBER 2, IT LOOKS LIKE THERE MIGHT BE SOME WORDS MISSING THERE, YOU WERE SAYING ELECTRIFY THE VEHICLE FLEET BY 2035?
>> I DON'T KNOW WHY THAT HAPPENED.
WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO COME OUT IS CONVERT 46 OF THE TOWNSHIP FLEET TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES BY 2035.
>> I GUESS BECAUSE IT'S GREEN.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS, [LAUGHTER] IT DISAPPEARED.
IN MY SHEET IT'S GREEN IN WHICH I GUESS MEANS THAT IT DISAPPEARS.
[OVERLAPPING] [LAUGHTER] THE MAGIC OF TECHNOLOGY.
>> IT JUST SO HAPPENS, I RODE THE CATA BUS TO CAMPUS
[01:15:01]
THIS MORNING AND I HAVEN'T DONE IT IN A LITTLE WHILE, ESPECIALLY THIS TIME OF YEAR, IT'S MUCH MORE FUN TO RIDE A BIKE.I WAS REMINDED OF HOW HARD IT IS TO FIND OUT WHAT CATA SCHEDULES ARE.
THEIR WEBSITE IS A DISASTER WHEN IT COMES TO FINDING THE SCHEDULE THAT'S RELEVANT TO WHERE YOU ARE AND WHEN YOU ARE.
[LAUGHTER] I'VE SEEN SO MUCH BETTER WEBSITES IN MANY OTHER METRO TRANSIT SYSTEMS AND I'M JUST WONDERING IF THERE'S ANY WAY THAT WE CAN SOMEHOW CATALYZE AN IMPROVEMENT. [OVERLAPPING]
>> IT EXISTS. YES, I WAS SITTING THERE.
THE APP IS CALLED TRANSIT AND IT'S A GLOBAL APP AND CATA IS CONNECTED TO IT.
ONCE YOU HAVE THAT APP ON YOUR PHONE, YOU'LL GET REAL-TIME APIS ON WHERE THEIR BUSES ARE.
>> WELL, I KNOW THAT THOSE THINGS EXIST, BUT CATA ITSELF, IF YOU GO TO THE CATA SITE, YOU DON'T GET TOLD THAT. [LAUGHTER]
>> NO. YOU CAN, I CAN SHOW YOU HOW TO DRILL DOWN.
YOU'RE RIGHT. THAT'S NOT WHERE THEY'RE INVESTING.
THEY'RE INVESTING IN APPS THAT ARE THIRD-PARTY.
MSU HAS AN APP THAT CAN SHOW YOU WHERE ALL THE CAMPUS BUS ROUTES ARE.
>> BUT THE POINT IS YOU ALREADY HAVE THE PERSON WALKING IN THE DOOR AND SAYING, I'D LIKE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
I WOULD SAY THAT ON THE AVERAGE, PEOPLE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP MUCH MORE THAN SAY PEOPLE IN LANSING ITSELF OR PEOPLE AROUND CAMPUS BARELY ARE AWARE OF BUSES LOOPING THROUGH OUR COMMUNITIES.
THE MORE WE CAN DO TO DRAW THEIR ATTENTION TO THOSE OPPORTUNITIES NOT ONLY CAN YOU RIDE THE BUS, BUT YOU CAN THROW YOUR BICYCLE ON THE FRONT AND DO THAT LAST MILE ON YOUR BICYCLE.
THE AMOUNT OF SERVICE IS MODEST, BUT WHAT WE GET ACTUALLY COULD HELP AN ENORMOUS NUMBER OF PEOPLE CHOOSE TO USE MORE OR LESS SINGLE OCCUPANCY CARS.
I JUST FEEL AS THOUGH A LOT OF THE BARRIER IS INFORMATION.
I KNOW THAT WHEN HE FIRST STARTED, THE NEW DIRECTOR OF CATA, BRADLEY FUNKHOUSER DID A PRPS.
IT WAS CALLED BRAD ON THE BUS.
HE WOULD GO OUT WITH A FILM CREW AND TALK TO DRIVERS, HE WOULD TALK TO RIDERS AND MEET AND GREET AND GET TO KNOW THE COMMUNITY.
BUT THE IDEA WAS TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS THAT HAD THE FACE OF THE ORGANIZATION OUT THERE DOING IT.
I THINK HE HAD SOME SURPRISES WITH THE WAY THE SERVICES WERE RUNNING AND HIS ABILITY TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON WHERE.
I THINK I REMEMBER ONCE SOME TOWNSHIP OFFICIALS RIDING THE NUMBER ONE BUS DOWNTOWN FOR COMMUNITY EVENT AND ENJOYING THE EXPERIENCE.
PROBABLY NOW IS NOT THE RIGHT TIME TO DO A BIG PR, ESPECIALLY ON A NUMBER ONE BUS, SINCE IT'S RUNNING A VERY [LAUGHTER] IRREGULAR SCHEDULE AT THE MOMENT.
>> THE 22 AND 23 ARE STILL MORE OR LESS FINE.
>> FOR THOSE WHO AREN'T AWARE, THE 22 AND 23 ARE THE TWO CIRCULAR ROUTES THAT GO FROM CAMPUS TO THE MALL THROUGH HASLETT AND THROUGH ALCHEMIST.
>> THEY GET YOU WITHIN RANGE OF A LOT OF TERRITORY.
YOU CAN THROW YOUR BIKE ON THE FRONT.
>> ARE YOU SUGGESTING THEN A STRATEGY AROUND ENCOURAGING BUS USAGE? BECAUSE THAT SEEMS LIKE IT WOULD MAKE SENSE IN TERMS OF OUR INTERNAL TRANSPORTATION.
>> WELL, THAT IS ABOUT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
I WAS JUST REMINDED THAT IT'S NOT THAT EASY TO FIGURE OUT IF YOU WERE JUST STARTING AND YOU SAID, WELL, I THINK TODAY I'LL TRY TO TAKE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
YOU MIGHT SPEND HALF AN HOUR TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO.
>> GOOGLE MAPS WILL GET YOU THERE TOO.
>> [OVERLAPPING] I KNOW THERE ARE WAYS AROUND.
>> I WAS GOING TO SAYING, WHAT KENDRICK BROUGHT UP EARLIER ABOUT HOW YOU HAVE TO GIVE AN INCENTIVE FOR SOMEBODY TO TAKE A DIFFERENT ROUTE TO SOMETHING THAT MIGHT BE A LITTLE HARDER FOR THEM VERSUS TAKING A CAR.
LIKE YOU WERE SAYING, IT'S NOT HAVING IT ON THE CATA'S WEBSITE OR NOT HAVING IT EASILY ACCESSIBLE TO ANYBODY WHO'S USING IT OR EASILY TO FIND MIGHT BE A PROBLEM THAT MIGHT LEAD TO ACTUALLY LESS PEOPLE USING IT.
>> I HAVE A GREAT IDEA. LET'S HAVE A WEEKEND IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP WHERE ALL GASOLINE COSTS $50 A GALLON.
[LAUGHTER] [OVERLAPPING] JUST A WEEK.
A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD NOTICE WHAT THE OPTIONS WERE THEN.
>> CAN WE JUST SWITCH THE PUMPS TO LITERS? [LAUGHTER]
[01:20:01]
I LIKE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IN TERMS OF INCENTIVIZING AND I WONDER IF MAYBE WE DO KNOW WHAT SOME OF THOSE BARRIERS ARE, IT SOUNDS LIKE INFORMATION IS THAT WE MAY ALSO CONSIDER WHETHER THERE'S SOME NEED TO GET A GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF WHY PEOPLE MAY NOT BE RIDING THE BUS IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, AND THEN FROM THERE COME UP WITH SOME STRATEGIES.>> I WOULD NOTE THAT THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION WAS CREATED NOT SOLELY, BUT IN LARGE PART TO HELP PROVIDE ADVICE TO THE BOARD ON THE SERVICES THAT THE TOWNSHIP PURCHASES FROM CANADA, AND THE SERVICES THAT RECEIVES.
GETTING IN THERE AND DEALING WITH THAT, I THINK WAS STARTING TO ABSORB TOO MUCH BOARD TIME.
THEY WANTED A GROUP TO THINK MORE ABOUT HOW THAT RELATIONSHIP WORKS AND THEN THEY'VE GOTTEN OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES.
BUT THERE IS A CORE RESPONSIBILITY OF THEIRS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS IT THAT WE'RE PURCHASING FROM CANADA AND HOW CAN WE GET PEOPLE TO USE IT? DO WE HAVE A DATE FOR A MEETING WITH THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION ON THIS SECTION OF THE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN?
>> I THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA THAT MAYBE YOU COULD FACILITATE A MEETING, AND SOME OF OUR REPRESENTATIVES CAN COME IN AND TALK ABOUT THIS AND EXPLORE WITH THEM HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER.
>> JUST THAT YOU KNOW THE SOLARIZED PROGRAM CONTINUES, OF COURSE, AND THEY'LL JUST HAD THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING, AND I CONSIDER ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL MEETING.
WE HAVE A FOURTH MEETING COMING UP ON JUNE 4TH, THE SATURDAY THAT DAVID ANSTEE IS DOING HIS NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING.
THEN WE HAVE A FIFTH MEETING BY HEIDI PORTER AND PROBABLY A SIXTH MEETING.
I THINK THAT WE'LL PROBABLY BE AT THIS SEASON.
BUT I THINK WE'VE BEEN GOING WELL ENOUGH THAT THE TEAM HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT A POSSIBILITIES THAT REPEATING IT NEXT YEAR AND MAKING IMPROVEMENTS.
I THINK BEN, IS A SUCCESS AND HAS BEEN GOING WELL, AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS, THE OVERALL APPROACH OF EDUCATING.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS AT THE GREEN DIALOGUES.
THE WHOLE IDEA THAT ONE GOOD WAY TO GET INFORMATION OUT IS TO HAVE A NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING AND HAVE SOMEBODY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHO'S HAD SOME EXPERIENCE WITH WETLANDS OR ENERGY OR WHATEVER, AND JUST BASICALLY INVITE NEIGHBORS TO COME AND TALK ABOUT OPTIONS AND STUFF.
IT'S A GOOD WAY TO GET PEOPLE TO THINK ABOUT DOING THINGS IN A DIFFERENT WAY BECAUSE I THINK A LOT OF TIMES.
AS AN EXAMPLE OF THIS, SOME PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT IT FOR A LONG TIME, AND THEY JUST NEED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOMEBODY TO FILL IN THE BLANKS, GIVE THEM SOME SPECIFIC INFORMATION, MAYBE GIVEN THEM AN INCENTIVE, AND THAT MAY APPLY TO OTHER AREAS THAT WE WORK IN. THAT'S IT.
>> SUPERB. LET'S SEE WHAT ELSE.
IS THERE ANYTHING FROM THE GREEN TEAM THAT WE HAVEN'T HEARD YET ALREADY?
>> NOT A LOT THAT YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY HEARD.
THE GREEN TEAM HAS REALLY BEEN FOCUSING ON EVENTS.
I THINK YOU ALL KNOW WE HAD THE SPRING RECYCLING EVENT BACK IN APRIL.
LAST MONTH WE HAD THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE COMPOST BINS AND RAIN BARRELS, AND THEN WE DO AS LEROY MENTIONED, HAVE THE GREEN FAIR COMING UP IN JUNE.
WE HAVEN'T REALLY FOCUSED A WHOLE LOT YET ON UPDATES TO OUR SECTION OF THE SUSTAINABILITY PLANS, SO I'M HOPING WE DO HAVE A MEETING COMING UP NEXT WEEK.
I'M HOPING WE CAN START THAT PROCESS, AND THAT'S REALLY ABOUT IT AT THIS POINT.
>> WE MIGHT LOOK FOR SOMETHING FOR OUR JULY MEETING, OR?
>> HOPEFULLY, [LAUGHTER] WE'LL SUIT FOR THAT.
I THINK WETLANDS HAS GONE UP IN JULY, BUT WE CAN TRY TO MEET THAT GOAL, AND IF NOT CERTAINLY BY AUGUST.
>> AT LEAST SOME PRELIMINARY THESE ARE THE THINGS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, IS FINE.
>> WE WANT TO FOCUS ON WETLANDS MOSTLY NEXT TIME.
[01:25:01]
>> I JUST WONDER, DO YOU ANTICIPATE YOUR GROUP ADDRESSING PLASTICS AT ALL?
>> I DON'T KNOW BECAUSE AGAIN, WE REALLY HAVEN'T BEGUN THE DISCUSSION BUT SOUNDS LIKE THAT'S A SUGGESTION.
>> NO. [LAUGHTER] IT DOESN'T FIT IN WITH ORGANIC, BUT IT CERTAINLY NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
>> YEAH, WE'LL ADD THAT TO OUR AGENDA THEN.
>> I JUST REMEMBERED SOMETHING.
>> I'M SO SORRY, I FORGOT THIS.
WHEN I MET WITH LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD LAST MONTH, ONE OF THE SUGGESTIONS OF THE GROUP WAS TO ADD NATIVE PLANTS AS PART OF THE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN.
I THINK LAST MEETING SOMEONE I THINK IT WAS YOU MENTIONED ABOUT TREES MAYBE OR WHO WAS THAT? I DON'T REMEMBER.
>> IT WAS YOU, OKAY. BUT I SPOKE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT AND IT WAS THAT GROUPS ADVICE THAT PERHAPS WE FOCUS ON NATIVE VEGETATION, AND I'M NOT SURE HOW TO EXACTLY PUT THAT IN THE PLAN, BUT WE HAVE A PLAN.
I NEED MERIDIAN HAPPENING AND ALL THAT STUFF UP BASICALLY THAT NEEDED VEGETATION WILL HELP WITH THE ECOSYSTEM IN A NUMBER OF WAYS AND HELP WITH FLOODING IN DIFFERENT THINGS.
I DON'T KNOW HOW WE WANT TO CONSIDER THAT AT ALL, BUT THAT WAS THE RECOMMENDATION OF THAT GROUP.
>> EXCUSE ME. ON THAT BILL, I WANTED TO MENTION THAT AMANDA FRITO-LAY TOOK OVER CLIFF WALLS POSITION.
SHE JUST STARTED AT THE TRI-COUNTY AND SHE WANTS TO HELP US CONTINUE ON WHERE WE LEFT OFF WITH THE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AUDIT, WHICH INCLUDES SOME OF THAT.
THAT MIGHT BE A NICE SEGUE BETWEEN THOSE TOPICS.
STUDENT ACTION, ANYTHING COMING FROM YOU GUYS AND YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH THE GROUP?
>> I GUESS SINCE I'M NOT GOING TO SCHOOL ANYMORE BECAUSE I'M A SENIOR, THE EARTH CLUB HAD ITS LAST MEETING, I THINK LAST WEEK WITHOUT NRI.
THE NEW PRESIDENT WILL BE ANNA HENDRICHIK AND SARA LEE.
I HOPE THAT I CAN GET THEM INVOLVED WITH THIS COMMISSION BUT I WILL DEFINITELY WORK WITH THEM AND MAKE SURE WE HAVE SOMETHING FOR THE GREEN FAIR.
I'M EXCITED FOR THAT BECAUSE I HAD A GOOD TIME WITH THEM LAST YEAR.
>> GREAT. ANY OTHER LIAISON WORK GROUP TO REPORT?
>> CAN I JUST SAY SOMETHING? I WANT TO SAY SOMETHING TO AUDREY.
I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK.
I SEE YOU AT ALL ENVIRONMENTAL [LAUGHTER] EVENTS.
YOU HAVE BEEN A REMARKABLE GIFT TO THIS COMMISSION AND TO THE COMMUNITY.
I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU DO IT WITH EVERYTHING YOU'VE BEEN DOING [LAUGHTER] BUT YOU CERTAINLY WILL BE MISSED.
>> I REALLY ENJOY ALL THE STUFF THAT I GET TO DO HERE.
I'VE REALIZED THAT I'VE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES THAT MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP SPECIFICALLY HAS AND I'VE REALLY ENJOYED THEM ALL.
I'M GLAD THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO BE HERE AND ALL THAT.
>> I'LL JUST REPORT VERY BRIEFLY THAT PLANNING COMMISSION ONCE AGAIN SAW THE PROPOSAL FOR HASLETT AND MARSH.
THAT APPLICATION WILL MAKE ITS WAY TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH IT'S A MIXED-USE RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL REDEVELOPMENT OF THAT CORNER.
THERE'S A LOT OF REALLY NICE ENVIRONMENTAL AMENITIES THAT WERE INCLUDED IN ORDER TO MEET SOME OF THEIR REQUESTS FOR WAIVERS.
MY FAVORITE IS A TRAILHEAD AT THE TOP OF THE INNER URBAN WHERE IT HITS MARSH WITH RESTROOM FACILITIES AND A LITTLE DOG PARK AND SOME COMMUNITY OPEN SPACE AND A FAIR AMOUNT OF GREEN SPACE WITH THE WHOLE SECTION THAT'S WETLAND BEING RESERVED FOR PRESERVATION.
THE OTHER DAY WE WERE LOOKING IN THAT COMMITTEE I MENTIONED AT THE CONCEPTUAL ARTIST'S RENDERING OF WHAT THAT PROPERTY COULD LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF LAYOUT AND WE WERE LOOKING AT THE CURRENT ARCHITECTURE REVISED APPLICATION.
IT'S PRETTY CLEAR THAT THE PEOPLE WHO DEVELOPED THE PLAN LOOKED AT THE MASTER PLAN AND SAID, THAT'S WHAT THE TOWNSHIP SAID THEY WANTED. LET'S BRING THEM THAT.
THAT'S ENCOURAGING TO SEE THAT THAT PROCESS IS YIELDING.
HOPEFULLY, WE LIKE WHAT WE GET BUT WE'RE CERTAINLY GETTING PRETTY CLOSE TO WHAT WE ASKED FOR.
[01:30:01]
IF THERE'S NO OTHER REPORTS, WE HAVE A FINAL OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC REMARKS, PLEASE.[7. PUBLIC REMARKS]
>> [LAUGHTER] I JUST WANTED TO SPEAK TO THAT EVENT [INAUDIBLE] CONCERNS ABOUT COMMUNICATING.
I WANT TO REMIND YOU ALL THAT THERE IS A MEMBER OF THE TOWNSHIP BOARD ON THE BOARD [INAUDIBLE].
I BELIEVE AT THIS POINT IT IS FILLED TO SHAPE [INAUDIBLE].
IT MIGHT BE USEFUL TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT COMMUNICATING.
>> WELL, I WAS ESPECIALLY CONCERNED WITH IRRELEVANT YOU PRIVILEGE COMMUNITY LIKE OUR ABILITY TO TRANSITION TO, IF THEY ASK THEMSELVES, HOW WOULD I USE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AROUND HERE? THAT SHOULDN'T BE A BARRIER.
BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE, IT'S MICHIGAN.
WE'RE IN THE MOLD OF REACHING OUR 14TH YEAR AND ASSUMING THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A CAR NEXT YEAR AND THAT'S JUST IN THE CULTURE.
BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE. [LAUGHTER]
>> I KNOW I'VE SEEN THE TREASURER AT SOME OF THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION MEETINGS BECAUSE OF THAT CATTLE LINKEDIN.
[OVERLAPPING] WE'LL SEE IF WE CAN GET ONTO THE TREASURER'S CALENDAR AS WELL. GET READY AT THE TABLE.
>> IF THERE ARE NO OTHER PUBLIC REMARKS THEN WE'RE READY FOR ADJOURNMENT.
>> DID YOU WANT TO GIVE A BOARD?
>> WE'VE HAD PRETTY FULL AGENDAS LATELY AND I'VE BEEN IN AND OUT BUT TWO THINGS THAT I THINK WILL BE PERTINENT TO THIS BOARD IS WE ARE WORKING AND MOVING FORWARD ON OUR SIGNAGE IN THE TOWNSHIP.
WITH THAT WE'LL HAVE OUR WELCOMING SIGNS THAT COME INTO THE TOWNSHIP BUT ALSO FOCUSING ON HERE AT THE TOWNSHIP MUNICIPAL COMPLEX, THE MARKETPLACE, AND THEN ALSO CENTRAL PARK.
TWO OTHER PARKS ARE TOWNER ROAD AND NEWTON ROAD.
I ASKED DIRECTOR MASON, HOW DO THEY DECIDE WHERE TO PUT THINGS AND WHY HERE RIGHT NOW AND A LOT OF IT IS BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE SIGNAGE OR IT IS REALLY POOR CONDITIONS.
THAT'LL BE EXCITING TO SEE THAT THE ONE FOR THE COMPLEX WILL HAVE A MARQUEE, SO IT'LL HAVE UPDATES ON CERTAIN THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE TOWNSHIP AS WELL.
THE OTHER ONE THAT I KNOW THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION AMONGST MANY COMMISSIONERS ON DIFFERENT BOARDS IS THE VIRTUAL COMPONENT OF THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU SAW THAT IN OUR LAST BOARD MEETING BUT ATTORNEY GENERAL NESSEL HAD DICTATED THAT WE CAN ACCOMMODATE THE ADA, THE AMERICAN DISABILITY ACT FOR TWO REASONS ONLY.
ONE BEING IN THE MILITARY, YOU CAN ATTEND VIRTUALLY, AND THERE IS AN OPTION FOR YOU TO OBTAIN AN ADA TITLE TOO, WHICH IS A QUALIFYING DISABILITY THAT HAS TO BE DESIGNATED BY A PHYSICIAN.
IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO PREVENT YOU FROM COMING BUT IT COULD ALSO BE IF IT'S INHIBITING YOU FROM COMING. I WANTED TO GIVE AN UPDATE.
I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT AND WE DIDN'T LET THAT FALL OFF THAT AGENDAS HOWEVER, OUR HANDS ARE TIED IN MANY CASES.
THAT WAS ALL I HAD FOR BOARD UPDATES.
>> THANK YOU. SORRY FOR ALMOST SKIPPING ON YOU.
>> WE ACTUALLY HAD TO AMEND THE ORDINANCE IN ORDER TO ALLOW THAT SIGNAGE.
>> BECAUSE IT'S OUTSIDE THE SIGNAGE.
>> WE REGULATE ALL OTHER BUSINESSES CHANGING SIGNS.
IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN UP HARRISON ROAD AND SEEN THE PRESENT CENTER, SOME OF THOSE SIGNS CAN BE SUPER DISTRACTING.
THIS IS NOT THAT. THIS IS A CHANGE ONCE OR MAYBE TWICE A DAY OR MAYBE IN CASE OF PUBLIC EMERGENCY THING.
BUT NOT SOMETHING WHERE EVERY TIME YOU GO BY AND IT'S TRYING TO ANIMATE SOME BUDDY PLAYING BASKETBALL.
[LAUGHTER] NOT TO WORRY BUT IF YOU LOOK OUT, THEIR STAFF WERE PUTTING SIGNS IN THE GRASS, LETS SAY, FARMER'S MARKET. [INAUDIBLE] LOOKS NICE.
>> WHO ELSE DID I FORGET? [NOISE] GOING ONCE?
>> WELL, ON THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, I THOUGHT THEY SAID THAT ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION DID NOT MEET IF WE CANCELED THE MEETING THIS PAST MONTH.
UNFORTUNATELY, I'M NOT GOING TO BE HERE IN MID-20TH OF JUNE WHEN WE PRESUME WE WILL HAVE THE NEXT MEETING.
IF ANYBODY WANTS TO VOLUNTEER TO STAND IN AT THAT MEETING, I'LL LET YOU KNOW THE MINUTE I KNOW DATES AND SO FORTH.
[01:35:02]
>> I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
>> ANY OPPOSE TO ADJOURNMENT? WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE ARE ADJOURNED.
[APPLAUSE]
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.