Mar 01, 2023 Environmental Commission Meeting

[00:02:56]

GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.

[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]

WE HAVE A COUPLE OF PUBLIC VISITORS WITH US THIS EVENING, AND ALTHOUGH IT'S NOT IN OUR AGENDA, I THOUGHT SINCE

[2. PUBLIC REMARKS]

SO WHAT I'M THINKING IS MY NAME IS BILL MCCONNELL.

I CHAIR THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.

I'VE BEEN ON AND OFF THE COMMISSION SINCE I GOT HERE IN 2005, AND I ALSO SERVE ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION.

JOHN, WHY DON'T YOU GO AND WE'LL COME AROUND THIS WAY.

JOHN SARVER ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.

I ALSO VOLUNTEER WITH THE ENERGY TEAM.

I LIVE IN THE KEYSTONE SUBDIVISION ON BURCHAM DR.

MY NAME IS EMMA. I'M PRESIDENT OF EARTH CLUB AND A STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE HERE AT OKEMOS.

I'M NED JACKSON. I'M A PROFESSOR AT MSU IN CHEMISTRY AND I'VE BEEN PART OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION IN VARIOUS ROLES FOR A VERY LONG TIME, AND I'M LATE. [CHUCKLING] NOT TOO LATE.

PLEASE GO AHEAD. I'M AMELIA.

I'M ALSO A STUDENT AT OKEMOS HIGH SCHOOL; I'M A JUNIOR.

MY NAME IS GRAHAM DIEDRICH.

I'M A MASTER OF PUBLIC POLICY STUDENT AT MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY.

I'M ALSO DUAL ENROLLED IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLICY PROGRAM AT THE UNIVERSITY AND FOCUS ON NATURAL CLIMATE SOLUTIONS.

TOM FRAIZER BEEN ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, I GUESS ABOUT THREE PLUS YEARS, MAYBE ALSO SERVE ON THE GREEN TEAM AND THE FOOD TO SMART RECYCLING GROUP.

[INAUDIBLE] COORDINATOR AND I DON'T KNOW IF OUR GUESTS WANT TO STEP UP TO THE MICROPHONE SO EVERYONE ON TV [INAUDIBLE] AS WELL.

[00:05:04]

I'M THE TOWNSHIP CLERK.

I SUBMITTED A COMMENT ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING, SO I WAS REALLY JUST HERE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT I'M APPRECIATIVE OF EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO.

OKAY, AND BY THE WAY, IF YOU'D LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A LONGER ADDRESS, PLEASE DO.

YOU'RE OUR VISITORS THIS EVENING, AND YOU'RE WELCOME TO ADDRESS US AT YOUR LEISURE.

THANK YOU FOR THAT PRIVILEGE, BUT I DON'T THINK I WILL.

[CHUCKLING] I'M PAT JACKSON.

I AM THE CURRENT SUPERVISOR IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, AND I'M A GREAT ADMIRER OF THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE AND THAT YOU ARE DOING, AND WE'RE LOOKING TO DO MORE.

SO THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TONIGHT.

THANKS FOR COMING. HI, I'M FRANK WALSH.

I'M THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER.

FFOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS, I WORK FOR THE, I'M LIKE THE SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT AT A SCHOOL WHO WORKS FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD.

SEVEN MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD.

I'M THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER.

I'M HIRED AND APPOINTED.

I'M NOT ELECTED AND I WORK FOR THE SEVEN ELECTED BOARD MEMBERS.

SO THAT'S MY. WOULD YOU LIKE ME? I WAS GOING TO MAKE SOME COMMENT.

YOU WANT ME TO WAIT UNTIL UNDER NEW BUSINESS TO DO THAT, IF YOU WOULD? WE'LL GET TO OUR AGENDA IN MINUTES AND THEN [INAUDIBLE], AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANKS FOR COMING.

SO NOW WE ALL KNOW WHO'S IN THE ROOM, AND WELCOME TO EVERYBODY AT HOME WHO'S FOLLOWING ALONG CLOSELY.

[3. CHANGES TO/APPROVAL OF AGENDA ]

WE HAVE MINUTES OF OUR PRIOR MEETING IN OUR PACKET.

[4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

YES. SO MOVED.

FRAIZER. SECOND.

SECOND COMMISSIONER JACKSON.

ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MINUTES AS CIRCULATED? PLEASE GO AHEAD. YES, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. NOT SO MUCH AS A CORRECTIONS OR ANYTHING, BUT MAYBE JUST AS A SUGGESTION FOR THE FUTURE MINUTES.

I WONDER IF IT MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE TO PUT COMMISSION MEMBERS WHO ARE PRESENT AND THOSE WHO ARE ABSENT SO THAT WE HAVE AN OFFICIAL RECORD OF THAT.

THAT SOUNDS LIKE AN EXCELLENT SUGGESTION, AND SINCE IT WAS YOUR MOTION, I TAKE IT YOU'RE GOING TO ACCEPT THAT AS A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO YOUR MOTION TO ADOPT.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR OF ADOPTING THE MINUTES WITH THAT RECOMMENDATION FOR FUTURE MINUTES, PLEASE SAY AYE.

OPPOSED SAY NO.

THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.

SO THAT MOVES US TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FIVE NEW BUSINESS

[5. NEW BUSINESS]

I'VE GOT A LIST. I HOPE THE REST OF YOU [CHUCKLING] I HAVE A LIST TOO.

I'M SURE YOU DO. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US THIS EVENING.

WE'RE HERE ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE BOARD, ACTUALLY.

ONE OF THE GOALS OF THE TOWNSHIP BOARD THAT THEY LAID OUT BACK IN NOVEMBER OR DECEMBER OF '22 FOR THIS YEAR, AMONG OTHER THINGS, WAS TO ENHANCE OUR COMMUNICATION WITH NOT ONLY THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, BUT ALSO OUR DIFFERENT GROUPS THAT WE WORK WITH, AND SO ONE OF THE GOALS THAT THE SUPERVISOR, CLERK GUTHRIE HAVE AND OTHERS ON THE BOARD IS TO GO OUT AND START INTERFACING WITH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE MANY GROUPS, THE COMMUNITY RESOURCE COMMISSION, THE LIBRARY BOARD, LOTS OF GROUPS, AND WE WANT TO START TO HAVE MORE INTERFACE, MORE CONVERSATIONS.

WHAT CAN WE DO TO SUPPORT YOUR MISSION, OUR MISSION TOGETHER? SO I'D LIKE TO START WITH JUST RECOGNIZING COMMISSIONER SARVER ON YOUR VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR AWARD.

SO THAT SPEAKS HIGHLY TO YOU, SPEAKS HIGHLY TO THE WORK OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE.

YOU KNOW, WHEN I LOOK AROUND TO WHAT MAKES A GREAT COMMUNITY, I MEAN, I'VE BEEN IN CITY TOWNSHIP MANAGEMENT TOMORROW WILL BE 31 YEARS IN A CAREER THAT I THOROUGHLY ENJOYED, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I ENJOY ABOUT IT IS HOW DO YOU MAKE A COMMUNITY BETTER? HOW DO YOU TAKE WHAT YOU HAVE--THERE'S A GREAT BOOK OUT THERE CALLED GOOD TO GREAT BY JIM COLLINS.

IF YOU HAVEN'T READ IT, IT'S REALLY A GREAT READ, AND IT'S I THINK IT CAME OUT IN ABOUT 91 OR 92, AND IT TALKS ABOUT HOW YOU TAKE AN ORGANIZATION OR A COMMUNITY THAT'S

[00:10:04]

WHAT ARE THE THINGS YOU DO? AND ONE OF THOSE THINGS HE TALKS ABOUT IS SETTING AUDACIOUS GOALS FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION.

THINK HIGH, AND ALSO, HE'S A GREAT SAYING IN THERE AND THIS IS A GOOD THING FOR THE YOUNGER FOLKS ON THE BOARD WHO ARE GOING TO GO ON TO CAREERS AND MAKE HIRING AND FIRING DECISIONS AS YOU GO IN YOUR ORGANIZATIONS, AND THERE'S A GREAT LINE IN THERE AND IT SAID, IF YOU'RE [INAUDIBLE] A GREAT ORGANIZATION, GET THE RIGHT PEOPLE ON THE BUS AND GET THE WRONG PEOPLE OFF THE BUS, AND IT GOES ON TO SAY, IT'S NOT THE PEOPLE THAT YOU FIRE YOU SHOULD WORRY ABOUT.

IT'S THE ONES THAT YOU DON'T THAT YOU SHOULD WORRY ABOUT, AND I'VE CARRIED THAT FORWARD AS I THINK ABOUT COMMUNITIES, HOW DO WE MAKE THEM? HOW DO WE TAKE OURSELVES FROM GOOD TO GREAT? AND I THINK ABOUT MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AND THE FIRST THING, YOU KNOW, BACK IN 2017, OUT OF ALL THE COMMUNITIES IN MICHIGAN.

THINK ABOUT THAT, OVER 2500 COMMUNITIES IN MICHIGAN, IF YOU ADD UP TO 1200 TOWNSHIPS AND CITIES AND VILLAGES AND ALL THAT, NEWSWEEK MAGAZINE, WHICH OF COURSE HAS SOME PULL.

NEWSWEEK MAGAZINE RATED ALL THE COMMUNITIES IN MICHIGAN AND BACK IN 2017 SAID MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP IS THE NUMBER ONE PLACE TO LIVE IN MICHIGAN.

THAT'S WONDERFUL. THAT'S GREAT.

THAT'S UNBELIEVABLE, BUT HOW DO WE TAKE THAT AND ENHANCE OURSELVES? SO WHEN YOU TAKE A LOOK AT HOW DO WE GET A RATING LIKE THAT? SO YOU TAKE A LOOK AT OUR POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT WE HAVE, YOU CAN TAKE A LOOK AND THINK ABOUT WHAT THEY'VE BEEN THROUGH IN THE LAST 90 DAYS, STARTING WITH KNOB HILL, THREE DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS OVER TO CORNELL SCHOOL, OVER TO OKEMOS SCHOOLS, OVER TO MICHIGAN STATE.

THINK ABOUT OUR 29 PARKS THAT WE HAVE.

THINK ABOUT OUR LAND PRESERVES, OVER A THOUSAND ACRES OF LAND PRESERVES.

THINK ABOUT OUR MARKETPLACE, WHICH IS A REAL CENTRAL DRAW, STRATEGICALLY LOCATED RIGHT IN THE HEART OF THE CENTER OF THE TOWNSHIP.

THINK ABOUT OUR IMPROVED ELECTIONS.

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO'VE BEEN AROUND A WHILE, OUR ELECTION PROCESS IS DIFFERENT TODAY THAN WHAT IT WAS IN THE PAST.

ALL THESE THINGS MATTER.

ALL THESE THINGS MATTER TO PEOPLE.

OUR POLICE ACADEMY, WE HAVE POLICE ACADEMIES FOR BOTH ADULTS AND A YOUTH.

SO IF YOU EVER HAVE ANY INTEREST IN A YOUTH POLICE ACADEMY OR GOING THROUGH OUR ADULT POLICE COMMAND ACADEMY, ALL THESE THINGS, OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE FIRST TOWNSHIP IN MICHIGAN TO BE AN ACCREDITED POLICE DEPARTMENT, THINKS WE ALL KIND OF HERE, BUT WE KIND OF LET GO.

CELEBRATE MERIDIAN OUR PROXIMITY TO MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY.

OUR DIVERSITY.

OUR DIVERSITY IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO US.

WE HAVE A DEI COMMITTEE WE JUST CAME OUT WITH.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OUR FIRST PRIDE FESTIVAL IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

THAT'S A BIG STEP FORWARD FOR US.

YOU THINK ABOUT OUR RESPONSE TO ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK THAT REALLY SETS US APART AS A COMMUNITY IS OUR RESPONSE TO KNOB HILL.

OUR RESPONSE TO MICHIGAN STATE WAS TREMENDOUS.

WE WERE ONE OF THE FIRST ON THE SCENE.

WE TRANSPORTED FIVE OF THE EIGHT VICTIMS. WE WERE THE FIRST ONES TO WALK INTO THE UNION.

OUR RESPONSE WAS JUST OUTSTANDING.

I ALSO GO BACK TO KNOB HILL.

WHAT HAPPENED AT KNOB HILL THAT NIGHT AND WHAT HAPPENED THREE DAYS WITHIN THAT? YOU REALIZE THAT AT KNOB HILL OUR RESPONSE PEOPLE JUMPING OFF THE THIRD FLOOR FIRE, THAT JUST SPREAD SO QUICKLY AND ALL THE LIVES THAT WERE SAVED BY MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AND THE VOLUNTEERS THAT WERE THERE, BUT THINK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED WITHIN THREE DAYS OF THAT.

WHAT OTHER COMMUNITY COULD PULL OFF RAISING OVER $120,000? OUR COMMUNITY BEING SO GENEROUS AND WITHIN THREE DAYS, EVERY KID THAT WAS IMPACTED BY THAT HAD A CHRISTMAS PARTY.

THEY HAD A CHRISTMAS PARTY AND ALL OF US WERE AT THAT PARTY.

IT WAS A SATURDAY. IT WAS CHRISTMAS EVE.

GAVE UP CHRISTMAS EVE.

PROBABLY AS I LOOK BACK AT MY CAREER, I STOOD THERE AND WATCHED THE PARTY FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROOM AND THE KIDS OPENING THEIR GIFTS.

IT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF MY CAREER WATCHING THAT OCCUR.

I TELL YOU ALL OF THAT BECAUSE IT SPEAKS TO MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AND WHAT WE HAVE HERE, BUT THERE'S ANOTHER PART OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, AND THAT'S WHAT YOU DO.

IT ISN'T JUST FIRE POLICE AND MARKETPLACE.

OUR PROXIMITY TO THE UNIVERSITY AND WHAT WE DO AND HOW WE RESPOND TO TRAGEDIES ISN'T JUST ALL OF THAT.

IT'S SOLAR.

IT'S BUILD BACK THE BUFFER.

REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT PROGRAM, THE URBAN SERVICES BOUNDARY, IF YOU'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH THAT, BUT THAT REALLY DICTATES WHERE WATER AND SEWER UTILITIES WILL GO TO, BECAUSE WHEN YOU START EXPANDING WATER AND SEWER, ALL YOU'RE GOING TO DO IS INCREASE THE RESIDENTIAL IN THAT AREA.

THERE ARE SOME SPACES IN THIS TOWNSHIP THAT WILL HAVE BEEN GREEN, AND ACCORDING TO THIS BOARD, WILL ALWAYS BE GREEN.

THERE WON'T BE DEVELOPMENT.

[00:15:02]

ALL THOSE THINGS, THE RECYCLING PROGRAMS THAT YOU DO.

WHAT THE MESSAGE FOR THE BOARD IS TONIGHT IS THAT THERE'S A LOT OF FOCUS ON POLICE AND FIRE AND THERE'S A LOT OF FOCUS ON OUR LAND PRESERVES AND PARKS AND THE MARKETPLACE AND MSU AND DIVERSITY AND OUR FESTIVALS, AND THAT'S WONDERFUL BUT LET'S NOT FORGET THE ENVIRONMENTAL PART OF IT.

YOU PLAY A VERY SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN WHAT WE DO, AND WE PROBABLY DON'T DO A GOOD ENOUGH JOB OF TELLING YOU THAT AND APPRECIATING THAT, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE TONIGHT , AND TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT, WE WANT TO HELP YOU BE SUCCESSFUL.

THE BOARD WANTS TO KNOW WHAT CAN WE DO AS A GROUP, SEVEN BOARD MEMBERS, MYSELF AND OUR ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM, WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP YOU BECOME MORE SUCCESSFUL? AND THAT'S THE CONVERSATION THAT WE WANT TO HAVE, NOT JUST TONIGHT, BUT GOING FORWARD.

I KNOW WE PROVIDE, I THINK IT'S $10,000 FOR GREEN PROJECTS, GREEN TEAMS, GREEN AWARDS.

I KNOW WE DO SOME THINGS.

BUILD BACK THE BUFFER, WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE HELP YOU COMMUNICATE THAT OUT THROUGH OUR MESSAGING AND OUR COMMUNICATIONS.

WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT.

WE WANT TO DO MORE OF THAT, BUT WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO? THAT COMPONENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL, WHICH IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS THE OTHER THINGS THAT I JUST WALKED THROUGH.

HOW CAN WE TAKE THAT AND ENHANCE IT? HOW CAN WE BE JIM COLLINS AND TAKE IT FROM GOOD TO GREAT? SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR TONIGHT AND WE'RE ANXIOUS TO HEAR FROM YOU.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE. MR. CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO MAKE THOSE COMMENTS.

THANKS FOR COMING. I'LL OPEN TO THE COMMISSION FOR COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, REACTIONS, THOUGHTS . IF YOU'D LIKE, I WOULD MAYBE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC AND MAYBE NEWER MEMBERS, MAYBE UNDERLINE A COUPLE OF THOSE POINTS THAT HAVE TO DO WITH WHAT THE TOWNSHIP IS ALREADY DOING SORT OF FOR OR IN CONCERT WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.

PERSONALLY, I WOULD PUT AT THE TOP OF THAT LIST HAVING A FULL TIME ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS COORDINATOR IS ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL.

THE GROUP COULDN'T OPERATE WITHOUT STAFF SUPPORT AND A LOT OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT GO ON ARE BECAUSE THERE'S SOMEBODY THERE TO TIE ALL THAT TOGETHER.

SO FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST PIECES.

OBVIOUSLY, WE ALSO DRAW ON OTHER TOWNSHIP STAFF, ESPECIALLY IN THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT AND OTHERS, AND THAT AGAIN, WE CAN'T WE CAN'T PUT OUT HIGH QUALITY EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS IF WE DON'T HAVE THE STAFF PEOPLE WITH THE EXPERTISE AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE BRAND STANDARDS AND HOW TO COMMUNICATE.

SO HOMTV IS A HUGE RESOURCE TO US.

IT'S BEEN ONE OF THE BIGGEST RESOURCES THAT WE'VE HAD IN TERMS OF GETTING MESSAGES OUT THROUGH OUR GREEN TEAM PRESENTATION.

SO THOSE DEDICATION OF STAFF RESOURCES I THINK ARE THE BIG TICKET ITEM, AND I'VE GOT SPECIFIC IDEAS FOR MORE, BUT ALSO THE GREEN GRANTS PROGRAM, WHICH WE ADMINISTER, WHICH IS THIS $10,000 A YEAR THAT HAS MAINLY BEEN TAPPED BY SCHOOLS FOR GARDEN TYPE GREEN PROJECTS IS A SUPER ONE THAT I KIND OF SEE COMING OUT OF THE TREASURER'S INITIAL INTEREST IN DOING A BIG TREE PLANTING EFFORT THAT HAPPENED DOWN AT THE AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND IT WAS JUST A HUGE SUCCESS.

BUT ALSO BUILDING ON ALL THE RECYCLING EVENTS THAT BRING OUT ALL THOSE VOLUNTEERS AND THINGS AND THEN HAVING THOSE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN THE BUDGET TO CONTINUE EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES LIKE BUILD BACK THE BUFFER, LIKE WETLAND PROTECTION, LIKE NOTIFYING RESIDENTS WHAT WETLANDS ARE AND WHERE THEY WHERE THEY MIGHT BE ADJACENT TO OR NEAR PEOPLE'S HOMES AND ALERTING THEM TO WHAT THEY WHAT THE BEST PRACTICES ARE WITH REGARD TO THOSE AND REACHING OUT TO CONTRACTORS WHO PROVIDE THOSE LAWN CARE YARD CARE SERVICES.

SO THOSE KINDS OF SUPPORT ARE WE WOULDN'T BE DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING WITHOUT THEM.

I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY ALSO ON THE ENERGY SIDE, THERE'S A FAIR AMOUNT OF STAFF ENGAGEMENT AROUND THE PHOTOVOLTAICS AND THE SOLARIZE MERIDIAN AND THINGS.

SO AGAIN, THOSE ARE AREAS WHERE WE'RE ACHIEVING THINGS BECAUSE WE HAVE THAT KIND OF SUPPORT FROM THE TOWNSHIP.

IF I COULD JUST ADD ONE MINOR POINT TO THAT.

I THINK IT'S BEEN VERY HELPFUL TO HAVE COURTNEY SERVING AS THE LIAISON TO OUR COMMISSION , AND SO IF WE DO HAVE ISSUES THAT COME UP THAT NEED ATTENTION BY THE TOWNSHIP BOARD, SHE HAS BEEN WILLING TO CARRY THOSE ISSUES

[00:20:06]

THANK YOU, AND I CAN ASSURE YOU, AS SOMEONE WHO REPORTS TO COURTNEY THAT SHE CARRIES FORWARD YOUR MESSAGE.

I WILL CONFIRM THAT, AND THANK YOU FOR REMINDING ME TO.

I NEGLECTED WHEN WE DID OUR INTRODUCTIONS TO MENTION THAT BOTH TRUSTEE WISINSKI AND COMMISSIONER GRASSESCHI HAVE FAMILY EMERGENCIES THAT PREVENTED THEM FROM JOINING US THIS EVENING. SO THEY BOTH SEND THEIR REGRETS FOR NOT BEING HERE THIS EVENING.

JOHN. YEAH, I HAVE TO KIND OF SECOND THE MOTION BY TOM THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN REALLY HELPFUL TO HAVE COURTNEY AS PART OF THE COMMISSION IS KIND OF OUR LINK TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD BECAUSE SHE'S ALWAYS TELLING US KIND OF WHAT YOU FOLKS ARE UP TO AND, AND OBVIOUSLY COMMUNICATING OUR ISSUES TO YOU FOLKS, AND I THINK THE FACT THAT YOU'RE HERE TONIGHT SAYS A LOT ABOUT YOUR WILLINGNESS TO COMMUNICATE.

YOU KNOW, PART OF THE STRUGGLE I THINK WE HAVE AS AN ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION IS IT'S SUCH A HUGE AREA.

YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THERE'S SO MANY THINGS WE COULD DO.

I MEAN, WE ALL HAVE LIMITED TIME AND STAFF HAS LIMITED TIME TOO.

IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO GET MAYBE MORE DIRECTION FROM THE TOWNSHIP BOARD.

IS THERE GAPS? ARE WE MISSING SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE ADDRESSING? YOU KNOW, YOU'VE BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OF ALL THE INITIATIVES WE'VE KIND OF PUT FORWARD, WHETHER IT'S WETLAND EDUCATION OR SOLAR INSTALLATIONS, BUT YEAH, IT IS A BIG AREA, AND IF YOU DO HAVE IF ANY OF THE FOLKS ON THE TOWNSHIP BOARD HAVE SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT MAYBE ARE WE MISSING ANYTHING? THANK YOU. [INAUDIBLE] YEAH, SO I'M NEW TO THE BOARD, I WOULD SAY, FOR ESPECIALLY WITH CLIMATE POLICY, IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE AN INTEGRATED APPROACH.

SO NOT JUST HAVING ENVIRONMENTAL DECISIONS BEING MADE INSIDE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, BUT ALSO ENGAGING WITH PLANNING AND LAND USE, AS WELL AS BUILDING CODE REGULATIONS SO ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY CAN STRETCH BEYOND THE LIMITS OF WHAT IS CONSIDERED INSIDE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.

SO I WOULD SECOND THAT MOTION AND SAY THAT IT'S IMPORTANT, AT LEAST FOR ME, TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THERE IS POSSIBILITIES FOR MORE ENGAGEMENT WITH MORE SO INDIRECT LINKAGES WITH WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE BOARD, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN WORKING ON.

DO YOU KNOW IF ANY ARE ALL OF YOU SIGNED UP WITH OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM THAT WE RECEIVE OUR WEEKLY MERIDIAN HAPPENINGS ? OKAY, AND IF YOU'RE NOT, MAKE SURE YOU ARE BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT COMES OUT, AND THEN ALSO I TEND TO SEND OUT FROM TIME TO TIME INFORMATION TO ALL THE APPOINTED.

THERE'S 110 APPOINTED OFFICIALS IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

LIKE FOR INSTANCE, WE JUST SENT OUT THE 2022 ANNUAL REPORT TO ALL OF YOU.

SO MAKE SURE YOU'RE SIGNED UP THROUGH MERIDIAN HAPPENINGS THROUGH OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT.

EMAIL ME IF YOU'RE NOT, AND I'LL MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET SIGNED UP.

THAT'S A BIG PART OF OUR COMMUNICATION THAT WE DO.

I'D LIKE TO SECOND THE MOTION, NOT MOTION THE STATEMENT THAT HOW MUCH WE VALUE COURTNEY'S CONNECTION AND SO FORTH.

I THINK IN THE TIME THAT I'VE BEEN PART OF THE COMMISSION, WE'VE GONE FROM MUCH MORE ISOLATED TO BASICALLY HAVING MADE THE TOWNSHIP'S MADE THE COMMITMENT TO HAVE BOARD MEMBERS ESSENTIALLY ON EVERY COMMISSION, IF I UNDERSTAND RIGHT, TO REALLY ENHANCE THE INTEGRATED INTEGRATION OF THE VARIOUS BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS WITH THE TOWNSHIP BOARD ITSELF AND THAT AND ALSO YOUR EFFORTS TO WHAT YOU JUST DESCRIBED, THE EFFORTS TO COMMUNICATE TO THE COMMUNITY, I THINK ARE TWO OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ADVANCES THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN THE TIME THAT I'VE BEEN PART OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.

I THINK THAT OVERALL COMMUNICATION, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING FROM A SIGN GOING UP EVERY WEEK FOR THE FARMERS MARKET TO TO, YOU KNOW, THE NOTE THAT CAME OUT LAST WEEK WHEN IT HAD JUST SNOWED BUT YOU DECIDED NOT YOU PERSONALLY BUT THE TOWNSHIP DECIDED NOT TO PLOW SO WE COULD UNDERSTAND WHY BECAUSE THERE WAS ICE UNDER THE SNOW.

THINGS LIKE THAT. THOSE ARE THAT SORT OF REAL TIME COMMUNICATION, I THINK HUGELY ENHANCES NOT ONLY THE WAYS THAT WE FUNCTION, BUT ALSO THE SIMPLY THE HEALTH OF THE TOWNSHIP AND OUR MUTUAL AWARENESS OF LOTS OF THINGS LIKE THE ASSETS OF BIKE TRAILS, WHY DECISIONS ARE MADE A CERTAIN WAY, ETCETERA.

[00:25:02]

ONE OF THE THINGS YOU'RE GOING TO NOTICE TOO, ACTUALLY, THE HOLES WERE WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON A PROJECT FOR ABOUT STARTED WITH CLERK GUTHRIE, THEN COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR GUTHRIE MAYBE SEVEN YEARS AGO, ABOUT IMPROVING OUR SIGNS.

YOU KNOW, OUR MUNICIPAL SIGNS WERE PUT UP IN THE 70S AND THE PRINT IS ABOUT HALF AN INCH, MAYBE AN INCH, AND YOU CAN'T READ THEM FROM THE ROAD, AND SO WE HAVE BEEN ON A PROGRAM FOR YEARS TO PUT TOGETHER OUR NEW SIGNS AND THE HOLES WERE DUG TODAY.

SO YOU'LL START TO SEE ALL THE NEW MUNICIPAL SIGNS GOING UP.

TWO OF THEM ARE ILLUMINATED, THE ONES ON THE CAMPUS HERE, AND THEN THE ONE AT THE MARKETPLACE, BUT WE'LL BE PUTTING UP NEW ENTRY SIGNS TO THE TOWNSHIP.

THE ONLY ONE WE'RE STRUGGLING WITH RIGHT NOW IS THE ONE ON GRAND RIVER ON THE WEST END OF THE COMMUNITY, BUT WE HAVE EAST, NORTH AND SOUTH.

ALL SPOTS HAVE BEEN OR LOCATIONS ARE ALREADY IN PLACE.

YOU'LL SEE THOSE GOING UP.

GOING TO BE A HUGE, REALLY NICE ADDITION TO THE COMMUNITY.

SO I'M FRANK WALSH, I DON'T THINK WE'VE MET.

HI, I'M ANNA COLBY.

I'M AN ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSIONER.

THE VICE CHAIR.

APOLOGIES FOR BEING LATE TODAY.

I HAD A COMMITMENT WITH MY DAUGHTER.

OH, UNDERSTOOD.

FAR MORE IMPORTANT THAN MEETING ME.

[CHUCKLING] SURE. [INAUDIBLE] GOT TO MEET SUPERVISOR PATRICIA JACKSON.

YES. I BELIEVE I'VE MET THE SUPERVISOR BEFORE.

I DON'T KNOW IF WE'VE.

WE HAVE NOT. NICE TO MEET YOU.

NICE TO MEET YOU. YOU MUST HAVE GOTTEN SWORN BY ZACH.

[CHUCKLING] YES, I DID.

I LIKE THROWING ZACH FOR A LOOP.

SO, MANAGER WALSH HAS ASKED IF WE HAVE A LONG WISH LIST OF THINGS THAT WE'D LIKE FROM THE TOWNSHIP, AND SO FAR, WE'RE BEING PRETTY.

.. WE HAVEN'T BEEN REAL SPECIFIC IN DEMANDING MORE ON THE APPRECIATION SIDE, WHICH IS GREAT BECAUSE WE DO GET A LOT OF GREAT SUPPORT.

IF I COULD KICK ONE OFF THAT'S KIND OF SUBSTANTIVE A LITTLE BIT, MAYBE THAT CAN GENERATE SOME DISCUSSION.

LATER ON IN OUR AGENDA TONIGHT, WE'LL BE DISCUSSING OUR CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN, AND THE BOARD WAS PRESENTED WITH THE LATEST DRAFT OF THE ENERGY SECTION OF THAT PLAN, AND WE DID THAT BECAUSE WE FELT IT WAS THE MOST ADVANCED AND SORT OF READY FOR PRIME TIME.

PLUS, IT'S GOT A GREAT SORT OF SUCCESS STORY TO IT BECAUSE AS MANAGER WALSH WAS TALKING ABOUT SETTING AUDACIOUS GOALS, THE 2017 PLAN SET SOME AUDACIOUS GOALS, AND WE'RE ON TRACK TO MEET THOSE BECAUSE THE BOARD HAS BEEN INVESTING IN LITERALLY INVESTING IN REDUCING ENERGY CONSUMPTION AND INCREASING PRODUCTION OF RENEWABLES WITHIN TOWNSHIP OPERATIONS.

SO IT'S ALWAYS FUN TO START OFF WITH THE ONE WHERE YOU SET A BIG GOAL AND YOU'RE, YOU'RE WELL ON TRACK TO MEETING IT.

THE ONE THAT WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT IS OUR LATEST ITERATION OF SOMETHING TRYING TO GET HOLD OF WATER, WHICH IS TRICKY BECAUSE WATER IS CONNECTED TO EVERYTHING BUT IT'S SO CRUCIAL IN A COUPLE OF WAYS, AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT COME UP IN HERE ABOUT WHERE WE ARE AS A TOWNSHIP IN TERMS OF OPERATIONS AND AS A COMMUNITY AND WHERE WE CAN GO IN THE FUTURE, START TO GET INTO THE REALM OF PUBLIC WORKS AND PLANNING.

SO HOW WELL ARE WE DOING WITH ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND PUMPING AND TREATING OUR WATER? WELL, I DON'T KNOW, BUT I KNOW OUR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS KNOWS, BUT OUR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS IS REALLY, REALLY BUSY BECAUSE HE'S GOT WATER MAINS THAT KEEP BREAKING AND FREEZING AND ROAD PROJECTS AND [INAUDIBLE] ICES AND STUFF.

SO I KNOW ALL THE WILLINGNESS IN THE WORLD IS THERE TO KIND OF HELP US TAKE ACCOUNT OF OF WHERE WE'RE AT AND WHERE WE CAN GO IN THE FUTURE , BUT I AM CONCERNED ABOUT CAPTURING BANDWIDTH, AND BEFORE WE GOT STARTED, I WAS SAYING THAT AT LAST NIGHT'S DISCUSSION I HEARD THAT PLANNING DIRECTOR SLIP UP AND ADMIT THAT HE HAS AN INTERN WHO CAN LOOK THINGS UP FOR HIM, AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IF THERE WERE ONE OF THOSE OVER THERE IN PUBLIC WORKS WHO HAD THE RIGHT SORT OF TRAINING AND UNDERSTANDING AND COULD ACCESS THE RIGHT INFORMATION THAT KIND OF POPULATE.

THIS IS WHERE WE'RE AT KIND OF STUFF, NOT POLICY STUFF, BUT THIS IS WHAT WE'VE DONE AND THIS IS, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD HELP US, I THINK, ADVANCE ON THIS DRAFT OF SORT OF WHAT ARE WE CALLING IT HERE? THE SECOND OBJECTIVE, WHICH IS MUNICIPAL WATER SUPPLY AND DISPOSAL.

[00:30:01]

SO WASTEWATER TREATMENT.

FOR FOLKS WHO ARE NEW, WE SHARE BOTH WATER SUPPLY AND WASTEWATER TREATMENT WITH SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES AND THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.

WE SEND OUR SANITARY WATER TO BOTH AN ANAEROBIC DIGESTER, AND THEY'RE REALLY HAVE IMPROVED THE OPERATIONS ENORMOUSLY IN TERMS OF THE AMOUNT OF SLUDGE THAT THEY'RE HAULING OFF TO LANDFILL, IN TERMS OF THE ENERGY THAT THEY'RE GENERATING FROM OUR SANITARY SEWER WATER.

SO HAVING KIND OF MORE CLOSE ACCESS TO THAT INFORMATION SO WE CAN SEE THIS IS THE STRIDES THAT ARE BEING MADE THROUGH INVESTMENTS IN WITH OUR PARTNERS WOULD HELP US SET AUDACIOUS GOALS.

ON THE OTHER SECTION IS THE WETLAND SIDE, AND WE HAVE INFORMATION IN OUR CURRENT DRAFT ABOUT OUR POLICY, WHICH IS NO NET LOSS THAT THE BOARD INSTITUTED BEFORE I GOT HERE AND SEEMS TO BE WORKING REALLY WELL, AND THAT RAISES THE QUESTION, WELL, IS IT GOING TO CONTINUE WORKING WELL UNDER A CHANGING CLIMATE? AND THIS IS A REALLY, REALLY TRICKY BUSINESS BECAUSE WE DON'T MANAGE STORMWATER.

OUR DRAIN COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE MANAGES STORMWATER, BUT WE DO BECAUSE WE REVIEW APPLICATIONS FOR LAND USE AND CHANGES AND BUILDING PERMITS AND THINGS.

SO THERE'S THIS KIND OF SPACE WHERE WE CAN POTENTIALLY ACT TO BE RESILIENT IN THE FACE OF CHANGES THAT WE THINK WE SEE COMING. BUT WHEN IT GETS INTO PLANNING STUFF, THAT'S TRICKY, RIGHT? PEOPLE GOT PROPERTY RIGHTS AND THERE'S LOTS OF RULES AND LITIGATION AND THINGS.

SO COMING UP WITH AN AUDACIOUS GOAL, WELL, YOU KNOW, LOTS OF SOLAR PANELS ON THE ROOF, WHO'S GOING TO STOP US? YOU KNOW, THE INSPECTORS WORK FOR US, BUT IN TERMS OF DEALING WITH INCREASING STORMWATER IN THE FUTURE, THAT'S ONE WHERE YOU CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT PLANNING EXPERTISE, AND IF I CAN JUST TAKE A SECOND AND GIVE TWO QUICK EXAMPLES THAT MIGHT ILLUSTRATE THIS. YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED ON MARSH ROAD, JUST NORTH OF THE ROUNDABOUT AT HAMILTON, THE CHURCH WHOSE NAME I ALWAYS GET WRONG THERE, BUT IT CHANGED HANDS AND THEY JUST EXPANDED THEIR PARKING LOT.

MAYBE YOU'VE SEEN THAT CONSTRUCTION.

COMMONS CHURCH. THANK YOU, AND BEHIND THE SCENES, THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER SAID, WELL, IF YOU'RE GOING TO DOUBLE SIZE YOUR PARKING LOT, HERE'S HOW YOU'RE GOING TO HANDLE THE DRAINAGE, AND IT WAS ONE I'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE IN THE PLANNING STAFF WERE LIKE, WOW, THAT'S KIND OF DIFFERENT.

SO THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE DOES STEP IN ON PROJECTS LIKE THAT AND SAY, LET'S UP OUR GAME.

MONDAY NIGHT, THE PLANNING COMMISSION WAS LOOKING AT A PUBLIC HEARING FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT FOR THE OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE ON MARSH ROAD, WHERE THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THAT A CAR WASH MIGHT BE INSTALLED THERE, AND IT TURNS OUT THAT THEY'RE ONLY GOING TO USE THE FIRST TWO THIRDS OF THE LOT AND THE BACK OF THE LOT IS ALL PAVEMENT.

WELL, WE DON'T HAVE A TOOL IN PLACE THAT INCENTIVIZES THAT APPLICANT TO DO SOMETHING WITH THAT ASPHALT AND TURN IT INTO AN IMPERMEABLE SURFACE.

MAYBE THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER WILL SAY, OKAY, IF YOU WANT TO BUILD THAT.

THEY DID THAT WITH BUDDY'S PIZZA AND INCREASED STORMWATER.

SO LOOKING FOR WAYS THAT WE CAN HELP INCENTIVIZE PROPERTY OWNERS OR DEVELOPERS IN THE COMMUNITY TO PLAN FOR THE NEXT 100 YEAR FLOODS, NOT THE LAST 100 YEAR IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE, BUT WE NEED HELP. SO THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS IN TERMS OF WHERE TOWNSHIP EXPERTISE, RESOURCES COULD BE USEFUL IN THE IMMEDIATE AND KIND OF CRAFTING A BOLD CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN, BUT ALSO IN LOOKING MORE BROADLY.

IF I MAY. YEAH.

YEAH, IT'S INTERESTING YOU BRING THAT UP.

YOUR TIMING IS IMPECCABLE BECAUSE WE JUST SIGNED ON A SUMMER INTERN WHO'S A BRIGHT YOUNG MAN.

HE'S FROM SAINT JOSEPH WHERE I WAS THE MANAGER FOR 17 YEARS BUT DIDN'T KNOW THE FAMILY.

HE'S A JUNIOR AT MICHIGAN STATE, AND EVERY INTERN, AS YOU KNOW, WANTS TO HAVE THAT ONE PROJECT AND HE'S GOING TO BE VERY ACTIVE.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE AWARE OR NOT, BUT WE'RE GOING THROUGH A MAJOR BUILDING RENOVATION STARTING IN APRIL.

YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR A LOT MORE ABOUT IT ONCE WE SIGN ON THE DOTTED LINE.

THIS WILL BE THE ONLY ROOM OPEN IN THE ENTIRE BUILDING AND WE'LL BE STILL SERVING THE PUBLIC OUT OF HERE WITH OUR TREASURER'S OFFICE WILL BE IN HERE SO WE CAN ACCEPT ALL SO PEOPLE 80 TO 90% OF THE PEOPLE WHO NORMALLY COME TO OUR BUILDING WE'LL BE ABLE TO SERVE OUT OF THIS BUILDING.

WE'LL HAVE AN ASSESSING PERSON HERE, WE'LL HAVE BUILDING AND GROUNDS AND WE'LL HAVE BUILDING PERMITS AND ENGINEERING, AND THE WHOLE TREASURER'S OFFICE

[00:35:01]

I MEAN, WE CLOSED A FIRE STATION IN 2014 BECAUSE OF THE CONDITION, AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO LET THAT HAPPEN TO THIS BUILDING.

SO LONG STORY SHORT, WE'RE MOVING 53 PEOPLE OUT OF HERE IN APRIL.

POLICE DEPARTMENT'S GOING TO TAKE 12.

THE SERVICE CENTER IS TAKING TEN, AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GOING TO BE LEASING THE BUILDING NEXT TO 242 DOWN ON BENNETT, THE [INAUDIBLE] CHURCH BUILDING.

WE'RE GOING TO BE PUTTING 21 PEOPLE DOWN THERE FOR ABOUT FIVE MONTHS AND WE'LL BE DOING WE'RE ONLY DOING THREE THINGS CARPET PAINTING AND OFFICE FURNITURE AND THAT'S IT. THE BATHROOMS ARE WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET TO THOSE BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO PAY.

WE'VE BEEN SAVING FOR THIS.

REMEMBER, WE PUT 2 MILLION IN THE HVAC SYSTEM THREE YEARS AGO WITH CASH.

THIS WE'VE SAVED NOW FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS.

THIS PROJECT WILL BE PAID FOR IN CASH, BUT WE HOPE TO BE BACK IN THE BUILDING BY OCTOBER 1ST.

THE REASON I TELL YOU THAT ONE, I WANT YOU TO ALL KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO COMMUNICATE THIS ONCE WE SIGN WITH THE ONE THING WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO IS ANNOUNCE WE'RE ALL DOING IT WITHOUT SIGNING CONTRACTS WITH AND PERFORMANCE CLAUSES BY EACH OF THE WE'VE LEARNED SOME THINGS FROM OTHER PROJECTS, BY THE WAY, BRIDGE 9 TO 12 MORE DAYS.

SO THERE'S A LITTLE AREA OF THAT BRIDGE THAT NEEDS TO BE WHERE THE LEFT HAND TURN LANE IS YET TO BE POURED.

THAT HAS TO BE POURED AND CURED FOR SEVEN DAYS.

ONCE THAT'S DONE, WE'LL BE OPEN FOR BUSINESS.

SO IT'S BEEN A LONG YEAR.

TRUST ME. THE INTERN IS LOOKING FOR A OTHER THAN HELPING WITH THIS RENOVATION PROJECT, WHICH HE WILL BE.

I'M LOOKING FOR A MAJOR PROJECT FOR OUR INTERN TO BE INVOLVED IN, SO IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION WOULD LIKE TO HAVE AND THINK ABOUT, LIKE IS THERE A MAJOR PROJECT THAT HE COULD ASSIST LEROY ON? BY THE WAY, WE AGREED LEROY COURTNEY THEY DO GREAT WORK FOR US? IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD PROJECT OR SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT TO TIE TO, PUT TO THIS [INAUDIBLE] OUR INTERN, HIS NAME IS WILL.

WILL CHRISTIE.

HIS DAD IS A DENTIST OVER IN SAINT JOE, AVID SKIER.

BUT IF THERE'S SOMETHING, YOU KNOW WHAT? I REALLY I WAS KIND OF ON HIRING THIS YOUNG MAN, YOU KNOW, I WAS LIKE, SOMETIMES PEOPLE ARE HARD TO FIGURE OUT, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY'RE A JUNIOR IN COLLEGE.

RIGHT? I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH HIM AND HE SAID, YEAH, I'M GOING SKIING THIS WEEKEND.

I SAID, YOU'RE GOING SKIING AGAIN.

HE SAID, YEAH, BUT THIS TIME IT'S SOMETHING DIFFERENT, AND HE SAID, THERE'S A SPECIAL OLYMPICS, SPECIAL NEEDS GROUP, AND I'M GOING UP TO BOYNE MOUNTAIN AND I'M HELPING THEM SKI ALL WEEKEND.

THERE'S JUST SOMETIMES ALL YOU NEED TO HEAR IS ONE THING AND YOU REALIZE YOU GOT THE RIGHT PERSON RIGHT? SO WILL IS GOING TO BE JOINING US.

IF THERE'S SOME KIND OF USE, SOME KIND OF PROJECT, PLEASE LET US KNOW BECAUSE I'D BE HAPPY TO ASSIGN WILL TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.

I EXPECT HIM TO BE HERE FOR FOUR MONTHS.

HE'S NOT GOING HOME AT ALL.

SO I THROW THAT OUT TO YOU.

SO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE BUILDING RENOVATION? YOU KNOW ABOUT THE BRIDGE.

YOU KNOW ABOUT THE INTERNSHIP.

SO I THINK YOU KNOW EVERYTHING I KNOW AT THIS POINT, I DON'T THINK THAT'S TRUE, BUT YES.

ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO THROW ANY THOUGHTS OUT THERE FOR OTHER WAYS THAT THE TOWNSHIP BOARD AND ADMINISTRATION CAN BE OF, WELL, I WANT TO AMPLIFY THE COMMUNICATION ASPECT OF THINGS.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN SOMEWHAT DIFFICULT IN THE OVERALL PROCESS OF TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS IN CONSIDERING ANY SITUATION THAT HAS COME TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION IS REALIZING HOW MANY DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS APPLY WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO THINK ABOUT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AT THE EDGE OF THIS ROAD OR WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, WHEN A PROJECT IS GOING ON NEAR A WETLAND OR WHATEVER, AND JUST THE DIVERSITY OF JURISDICTIONS.

WE'VE ALREADY MENTIONED THE DRAIN COMMISSION.

WE'VE MENTIONED SCHOOLS.

THERE'S THE COUNTY ROAD, THERE'S DOT, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT OVERLAPPING JURISDICTIONS AND EACH WITH THEIR OWN COLLECTIONS OF RULES AND GOALS OR AT LEAST ASSIGNMENTS AND THEN RIGHTS OF WAY OF POWER COMPANIES, ALL SORTS OF THINGS, AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE ALWAYS WISHED FOR WAS SOME MECHANISM FOR HAVING SORT OF A MORE

[00:40:02]

I MEAN, FOR EXAMPLE, I WOULDN'T MIND IF WE HAD ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, WE'VE HAD THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER COME THROUGH AND PRESENT TO US PROBABLY 2 OR 3 TIMES IN THE TIME I'VE BEEN PART OF THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER HIMSELF OR A VICE DRAIN COMMISSIONER, AND THAT'S BEEN VERY HELPFUL, BUT IT'S STILL BEEN SORT OF SPOTTY AND I JUST FEEL AS THOUGH WE COULD CONTINUE TO BUILD THIS THIS CONNECTIVITY THAT WOULD HELP US ALL UNDERSTAND BOTH THE MOTIVATIONS AND THE CONSTRAINTS ON WHATEVER PROJECTS WE IDENTIFY OR THE TOWNSHIP IDENTIFY.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF [INAUDIBLE] I MEAN, WE HAVE A TOWNSHIP MEETING WHERE ALL THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS GET TOGETHER AND SHARE WHAT THEY'RE DOING, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE NICE TO GO FURTHER THAN THAT.

FOR EXAMPLE, WITH THE DRAIN COMMISSION, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH THE COUNTY, I THINK A REGULAR MECHANISM FOR EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION COULD BE VERY HELPFUL.

YEAH, ONE THING THAT SUPERVISOR JACKSON SAID JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, AS WE LOOK AT THIS WHOLE HOW DO WE ENHANCE I DON'T USE THE WORD IMPROVE BECAUSE OUR COMMUNICATIONS, I THINK ARE OUTSTANDING COMMUNITIES TRY TO COPY WHAT WE DO IN COMMUNICATIONS.

DEBORAH GUTHRIE IN HER TIME AS COMMUNICATIONS WAS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE, IF NOT THE LEADER IN COMMUNICATIONS IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN.

SO I LIKE TO SEE IMPROVE THEM, BUT HOW CAN WE ENHANCE THEM? AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SUPERVISOR JACKSON SAID IS WHY AREN'T WE? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION, AND I DIDN'T HAVE AN ANSWER TO IT.

I KIND OF ACTED LIKE I DIDN'T HEAR, ACTUALLY.

[CHUCKLING] SHE SAID, WHY AREN'T WE GETTING TOGETHER ONCE A YEAR WITH THE BOARD AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, THE BOARD AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND MEETING ONCE A YEAR, BREAKING SOME BREAD, SITTING AROUND THE TABLE.

WE DON'T NEED TV CAMERAS ON.

JUST SIT DOWN AND HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW WE CAN WORK BETTER TOGETHER, HOW WE CAN LEARN FROM EACH OTHER, AND WE CAN BETTER THEN HEAR THE GOALS OF EACH ORGANIZATION AND WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH AND THEN WHEN WE GET READY TO PUT TOGETHER OUR BUDGET, WE'VE HAD ALL THESE MEETINGS AND WE UNDERSTAND WHAT EACH GROUP IS TRYING TO GET TO? SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S GOING TO BE COMING UP THAT THE SUPERVISOR HOPES TO BRING WITH THE BOARD.

SO WE'VE GOT A LOT OF ENERGY ON THE TOWNSHIP BOARD AS WELL.

SO IF YOU COME UP WITH SOME SORT OF OVER THE NEXT MONTH OR TWO, CAN CONTINUE THE DIALOG AMONGST YOURSELVES ABOUT WHAT IT IS WE CAN DO.

I'VE MADE A LOT OF NOTES HERE, COURTNEY'S IN A LOT OF THEM, BUT I MADE SOME NOTES ABOUT, YOU KNOW, MORE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE TWO AND MAYBE MORE DIRECTION FROM THE BOARD ABOUT WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN OR WHAT COULD HAPPEN AT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.

SO I JUST WANTED TO LEAVE YOU WITH THE THOUGHT AGAIN, NOT TO GO OVER THE WHOLE POINT, BELABOR THE WHOLE POINT, BUT DON'T THINK OF YOURSELF AS AN ISLAND.

THINK OF YOURSELF WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE COMPONENTS OF THIS TOWNSHIP.

POLICE AND FIRE, THE PARKS, THE CEMETERIES, THE LAND PRESERVES, ON AND ON AND ON THE MARKETPLACE, ALL THE THINGS WE HAVE.

ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.

YOU'RE ONE OF THOSE CIRCLES THAT HELPS US SUCCEED.

THAT'S WHY WE ARE RANKED NUMBER ONE IN THE STATE AS A PLACE TO LIVE AND ANY WAY WE CAN DO TO ENHANCE THAT, THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE AND WE'RE LISTENING AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING DIALOG.

THANK YOU. OKAY, SUPERVISOR JACKSON.

COULD I JUST ADD THAT IT OCCURS TO ME I'VE ALWAYS WONDERED WHY THE BOARD NEVER SEES THE MINUTES OF YOUR MEETING, YOU KNOW, AND SO WE DON'T KNOW DAY TO DAY OR WEEK TO MONTH TO MONTH WHAT IT IS YOU'RE FOCUSING ON, AND SO IS THERE A WAY A BOARD LIKE YOURS COULD HAVE YOUR MEETING MINUTES ADDED TO OUR I'M SURE THEY'RE ONLINE, AND, YOU KNOW, EVENTUALLY IF YOU GO HUNT FOR THEM, BUT ESSENTIALLY MAKE THEM A PART OF THE RECORD OF COMMUNICATIONS TO THE BOARD.

SURE. WHY NOT? YEAH, I HEAR NO OBJECTION TO THAT.

WE'VE GOT PRETTY DARN GOOD MINUTES AND, YOU KNOW, I'M A BIG FAN AND WE DON'T HAVE IT ON THIS AGENDA, BUT I FIND IT USEFUL AT MY AGE TO HAVE REMINDERS FOR LIAISON REPORTS, AND IT'S A LITTLE TRICKY BECAUSE FOR A BOARD LIAISON TO THIS GROUP, WE'RE MEETING ONCE A MONTH AND YOU GUYS ARE MEETING, IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY FOUR DAYS. [CHUCKLING] SO IT MAY SEEM LIKE WE'RE NOT THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT TO REPORT, BUT, YOU KNOW, REPORTING ON BEHALF OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION, THERE'S ALWAYS SO MUCH GOING ON

[00:45:05]

SO I AGREE WITH NED THAT HAVING A BOARD LIAISON TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION IS A HUGE STEP FORWARD IN THE FIRST PLACE, HAVING A STANDING ITEM ON THE BOARD AGENDA, WHICH [INAUDIBLE] THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION DO ANYTHING SO THAT THERE'S THAT SORT OF BUILT IN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY, NOPE, NOTHING, BUT THANKS FOR ASKING THAT.

[CHUCKLING] THAT COULD ALSO HELP.

I LIKE THE IDEA OF GETTING TOGETHER.

THERE IS A SORT OF ANNUAL GOAL SETTING WHICH IS A BIT UNRULY BECAUSE THE ENTIRE ROOM FILLS WITH BASICALLY 1 OR 2 REPRESENTATIVES OF EACH BOARD AND COMMISSION, BUT ALSO IN MY TIME HERE, MAYBE JUST IN THE LAST TEN YEARS, WE'VE GOTTEN A LOT BETTER, I THINK, AT CREATING OTHER LIAISONS THAN JUST BOARD LIAISONS BETWEEN SO BROWNFIELD, TRANSPORTATION, THOSE WE HAVE PLANNING, WE HAVE MEMBERS WHO ARE KIND OF TRYING TO DO THAT CROSS WALKING ON A MONTHLY-ISH BASIS.

SO THERE ARE SOME MECHANISMS, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO THE EXTERNAL ORGANIZATIONS, THAT'S TRICKIER.

IT'S KIND OF A ONE PROJECT DEPENDENT, RIGHT? WE HEAR A LOT FROM MDOT WHEN THEY GO TO REBUILD OUR MAIN ROAD, BUT OTHERWISE A DRAIN COMMISSIONER, THEY DON'T.

THAT'S DIFFERENT, AT LEAST WITH THE CATA BOARD, FOR INSTANCE, AND THE ROAD DEPARTMENT.

THERE ARE SOME MORE FORMAL CONNECTIONS THAT THE TOWNSHIP HAS, BUT MY SENSE IS THEY TEND TO GO MORE THROUGH THE ADMINISTRATION THAN NECESSARILY THE ELECTED OFFICIALS OTHER THAN THE CATA BOARD HAS REPRESENTATIVES.

YEAH. ALL RIGHT, WELL, AGAIN, THANKS FOR JOINING US.

YOU'RE WELCOME TO STICK AROUND AS WE HASH OUR WAY THROUGH THE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN AND SOME OTHER ORDERS OF BUSINESS.

I KNOW YOU ALL HAVE LOTS OF MEETINGS.

YOU ATTEND EVERY EVERY WEEK, SO WE WON'T BE OFFENDED IF YOU NEED TO MOVE ALONG.

OKAY, CAN I MENTION JUST ONE OTHER THING? SURE. I REALLY APPRECIATE EMMA.

SPEAKING OF INVESTMENT IN ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.

YES, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

I COMPLETELY FAILED TO NEGLECTED TO MENTION EMMA, AND THE CONNECTION TO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AND THE LAND PRESERVATION PROGRAM, WHICH WHICH ARE HUGE AND VERY LITTLE OF WHAT WE WOULD HAVE DONE IN WETLAND EDUCATION WOULD WOULD HAVE OCCURRED WITHOUT OUR AWARD WINNING EXCELLENT PARKS DEPARTMENT.

ACTUALLY, EMMA CAMPBELL, WE GIVE OUT AN ARCHIE VIRTUE SERVICE AWARD.

I'M SURE YOU PROBABLY ALL KNOW ARCHIE VIRTUE WAS WITH US FOR 57 YEARS AND PASSED AWAY ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO.

HE WAS IN THE BUILDING AND ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, AND HE WAS JUST THE TYPE OF PERSON WE ALL WANT TO BE, AND SO WE CAME UP WITH THIS ARCHIE VIRTUE SERVICE LEADERSHIP AWARD , AND EVERY YEAR WE NOW WE AWARD 3 TO 5 PEOPLE NOMINEES AND THEN ONE PERSON AND THE WHOLE ORGANIZATION GETS THE AWARD, AND THIS LAST YEAR, JUST IN DECEMBER, EMMA WAS ONE OF THE 5 OR 6 NOMINEES TO BE NOMINATED AND RECEIVED A CASH AWARD FOR BEING NOMINATED. SO CERTAINLY THE ORGANIZATION ALSO RECOGNIZES HER VALUE.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON TO ITEM SIX ON OUR AGENDA, OLD BUSINESS.

[6. OLD BUSINESS]

AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE BOARD HAS SEEN AND GOTTEN A QUICK PRESENTATION ON THE CURRENT DRAFT OF THE ENERGY SECTION OF THE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN, WHERE THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF ACTIVITY SINCE IT WAS ORIGINALLY ADOPTED IN 2017, AND WE'VE HAD TEAMS WORKING ON OTHER PORTIONS OF THE OTHER CHAPTERS OF THE PLAN, INCLUDING RECYCLING AND PARTICULARLY EXPANDING RECYCLING IN THE AREA OF ORGANICS, AND WE'VE ALSO HAD A GROUP, AS I SAID, KIND OF WRESTLING WITH THIS ISSUE OF OF WATER, AND IN MY VIEW, THAT WAS ONE OF THE LESS WELL DEVELOPED PORTIONS OF THE 2017 VERSION OF THE PLAN, AND NED HAS DONE A LOT OF WORK ON THE PRIOR DRAFT OF THIS, WHICH WAS RECEIVED CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE WETLAND EDUCATION TEAM AND PARKS AND LAND PRESERVATION, INCLUDING MEMBERS OF THE LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD WHO SPECIALIZE IN WETLANDS.

[00:50:03]

IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE LAND PRESERVATION PROGRAM, IT'S MILLAGE THAT SUPPORTED THE PURCHASE AND MAINTENANCE OF LAND PRESERVES IN THE TOWNSHIP, AND IT'S BEEN HUGELY SUCCESSFUL AND IS NOW IN, AS IN MY UNDERSTANDING, KIND OF SHIFTING FOCUS FROM MAINLY ACQUISITION TO MORE MAINTENANCE AND CARE FOR THE LANDS THAT HAVE BEEN PURCHASED, AND THAT SET ASIDE HUGE PORTIONS OF THE TOWNSHIP FOR PRESERVATION. SO, NED, DO YOU HAVE THOUGHTS ABOUT HOW YOU'D LIKE TO LEAD THIS? I GUESS THE OBVIOUS THING IS THE QUESTION IS HAVE PEOPLE HAD A CHANCE TO READ IT SINCE I ONLY MANAGED TO GET IT TO PEOPLE TO YOU ON FRIDAY AND I GUESS, I MEAN, IT'S ONLY THREE PAGES.

WELL, ONE OF THE ATTEMPT WAS TO SHORTEN IT UP.

IT WAS ONE OF THE FEATURES OF THIS CURRENT TECHNOLOGY THAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US IS THAT THESE MONITORS ARE ALL DRIVEN BY A REMOTE MOUSE AND KEYBOARD, AND IF YOU WANTED TO IF WE WERE INTERESTED IN WALKING THROUGH THE DOCUMENT IN SOME DETAIL, YOU COULD GRAB THE MOUSE AND WE COULD LOAD THE DOCUMENT AND SCROLL THROUGH.

IF YOU'D PREFER TO JUST KIND OF HIT HIGHLIGHTS, THAT'S ALSO OKAY.

WELL, I GUESS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO GO THROUGH IT.

YOU KNOW, OVERALL, ALTHOUGH IT'S FOUR PAGES OF READING, IT'S MY FEELING.

OKAY, SO HERE'S WHAT WE HAD.

WE HAD FROM MULTIPLE PEOPLE, BUT I GUESS KENDRA SORT OF TRIED TO BRING IT TO FOCUS.

UM, WE HAD A DOCUMENT THAT WAS QUITE LONG AND A LOT OF WHAT IT ARTICULATED WAS STUFF THAT'S ALREADY PART OF THE, THE TOWNSHIP'S POLICIES AND SO FORTH, AND WHAT I TRIED TO DO WAS TO WINNOW IT DOWN TO A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A FOCUS ON SPECIFICALLY HOW THINGS WHAT CLIMATE CHANGE BRINGS TO THE TABLE IN TERMS OF EXTRA CONCERNS, IN PARTICULAR THINGS LIKE FLOODING THE JUST THE WATER SUPPLY FOR WETLANDS AND SO FORTH AND SIMILARLY, YOU KNOW, DOES CLIMATE CHANGE RAISE ISSUES WITH, FOR EXAMPLE, OUR OWN USE OF WATER AND TREATMENT OF SEWAGE AND SO FORTH? UM, AND SO I TRIED TO APPLY SOME FOCUS TO THOSE THINGS THE BEST I COULD.

I DON'T WANT TO PRETEND THAT I HAVE ANY DIRECT SPECIFIC EXPERTISE IN THIS AREA, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF DOCUMENTS OUT THERE IN THE WORLD, AND SO I WOULD WELCOME PEOPLE'S DIRECT COMMENTS ON THAT'S I GUESS WHAT I WOULD LIKE IS BASICALLY JUST A SET OF COMMENTS ON THE DOCUMENT AS IT STANDS, BUT THAT WOULD REQUIRE US TO GO THROUGH ESSENTIALLY PAGE BY PAGE.

DO WE HAVE THE PATIENCE TO DO THAT? IT HAS TWO MAIN SECTIONS.

THE FIRST SECTION IS BASICALLY ABOUT WETLANDS AND THE ROLE OF THE WAYS IN WHICH CLIMATE CHANGE MAY IMPACT ESSENTIALLY THE OUTDOORS, ESPECIALLY WETLANDS AND WATER MANAGEMENT, STORMWATER MANAGEMENT AND SO FORTH, AND THEN THE OTHER HALF IS ESSENTIALLY OUR OWN WATER USAGE, MUNICIPAL WATER USAGE AND DISPOSAL, AND SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IN SOME COMMUNITIES, STORMWATER IS A BIG ISSUE AS AN INTERFACE WITH AT THE INTERFACE WITH SEWAGE, BECAUSE MANY COMMUNITIES DON'T HAVE SEPARATED SEWAGE SYSTEMS. WE ACTUALLY HAVE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS THE LAST 20 YEARS OR SO.

WE'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR QUITE A WHILE.

WE HAVE ESSENTIALLY COMPLETELY SEPARATED SANITARY SEWER TREATMENT AND STORMWATER SEWER TREATMENT AND SO WHAT WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF VULNERABILITY TO IN THIS COMMUNITY MOSTLY IS A BIG FLOOD OVER WHELMING THE SANITARY SEWER AND THEREFORE DUMPING LOTS OF RAW SEWAGE INTO RIVERS, WHICH HAPPENS IN OTHER PLACES WHERE THOSE, YOU KNOW, AN OVERWHELMING LOAD OF STORMWATER ENDS UP IN SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANTS THAT CAN'T HANDLE THAT MUCH.

SO WE'VE ALREADY ADDRESSED THAT CONCERN IN THIS TOWNSHIP.

[00:55:04]

OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE ENERGY CONCERNS.

THERE'S A LOT OF PUMPING, THERE'S A LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE, BASICALLY, THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE TO HANDLE ALL THE SEWAGE, AND SO THE LESS WATER USAGE WE CAN I MEAN, THE MORE WE CAN EDUCATE THE PUBLIC TO MINIMIZE WATER USAGE AND SO FORTH.

THOSE THINGS ARE SORT OF OBVIOUS, BUT I THINK THEY'RE ALREADY MOSTLY BUILT INTO THE PRACTICES OF THE TOWNSHIP ANYWAY.

SO THE SECOND HALF MENTIONS THESE ISSUES, BUT I DON'T REALLY SEE A WHOLE LOT OF MAJOR NEW STEPS THAT CLIMATE CHANGE WOULD WOULD CALL FOR IN THE USE OF PUBLIC WATER.

I MEAN, OF THE WATER SUPPLY, EXCEPT PERHAPS, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAD DROUGHT CONDITIONS, PEOPLE MIGHT OVERUSE IT FOR WATERING LAWNS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO CONSIDER, YOU KNOW, RAINWATER OR RAIN BARRELS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, RELATIVELY SMALL SCALE CHALLENGES, BUT DO WE HAVE THE PATIENCE TO GO THROUGH IT? [INAUDIBLE] WE WANT TO SET THAT AS A GOAL FOR A DIALOG OUTSIDE THE MEETING.

I WONDER IF WE MIGHT START AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL AND SORT OF SEE HOW WE FEEL ABOUT THIS CHAPTER OF THE PLAN BEING STRUCTURED AROUND THESE TWO KINDS OF SETS OF OF QUESTIONS.

ONE IS KIND OF WATER THAT FALLS AND WHERE DOES IT GO, WHETHER IT'S WETLANDS OR STORM SEWERS OR WHEREVER IT ENDS UP BEFORE IT GOES BACK TO THE ATMOSPHERE OR DOWN TO THE RIVER, AND THE OTHER IS WHERE WE GET OUR WATER AND WHERE WE SEND IT.

WHAT KIND OF THREATS IT MAY HAVE ARE TREATED WATER AND WHERE WE SEND IT, AND I WOULD UNDERLINE THAT ONE OF THE REASONS THAT MAY NOT BE OBVIOUS IN THIS CURRENT DRAFT THAT MUNICIPAL WATER SUPPLY AND TREATMENT IS NEEDS TO BE HERE IS BECAUSE IT IS AMONG THE GREATEST ENERGY CONSUMPTION FACETS OF OUR COMMUNITY.

RIGHT? WE DON'T USE ELECTRICITY FOR ANYTHING MORE THAN PUMPING WATER OUT OF THE GROUND, TREATING IT AND DISPOSING OF IT.

SO AGAIN, WE'RE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF EAST LANSING AND OTHERS ON VARIOUS ENDS OF THAT, AND THERE HAVE BEEN SOME DISCUSSIONS ON THE ENERGY SIDE. SO I GUESS ONE SORT OF HIGH LEVEL QUESTION IS IF THE ARE THERE QUESTIONS BEYOND THE ENERGY CONSUMPTION SIDE FOR THE MUNICIPAL WATER SUPPLY AND DISPOSAL THAT RELATE TO CLIMATE CHANGE, THAT WARRANT A WHOLE CHAPTER HERE, OR ARE THEY SUFFICIENTLY COVERED ALREADY IN THE ENERGY SECTION OF THE PLAN AND DON'T NEED TO APPLY HERE? YEAH. I HAVE A QUESTION THAT KIND OF TIES INTO WATER UTILIZATION.

SO DO WE HAVE AN IDEA OF HOW MUCH WATER MIGHT BE WASTED AS IT GOES THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM? LIKE I'M TALKING DRINKING WATER AS IT TRAVELS THROUGHOUT SYSTEMS, AND I KNOW LOOKING AT PREVIOUS EXAMPLES IN OTHER MUNICIPALITIES, THERE IS LIKE TEN, 20, SOMETIMES EVEN 30% OF THE WATER THAT MOVES THROUGHOUT THE PIPEAGE THAT'S LEAKING AND IS BEING WASTED.

SO I'M WONDERING IF WE HAVE ANY SORT OF IDEA IF THAT'S A CONCERN IN THE TOWNSHIP OR IF LIKE WHAT LEVEL THAT CONCERN WOULD BE, BECAUSE THAT MIGHT INFER THAT MIGHT INFORM SOME OF OUR ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT UTILIZATION AND EFFICIENCIES TO WHERE YOU COULD SEE TO WHERE YOU COULD LOWER SOME OF THAT ENERGY USAGE, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.

YEAH, I'M NOT PERSONALLY AWARE OF THAT KIND OF INFORMATION BEING COLLECTED.

I AM AWARE OF SEVERAL REPAIRS AND UPGRADES TO OUR WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM, BOTH FROM THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT THAT'S BEING UPGRADED SEEMS CONSTANTLY. I THINK WE JUST DID WORK ON BOTH TWO OF OUR WATER TOWERS AND OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, STUFF KEEPS BREAKING AND WE KEEP FIXING IT, AND I HAVE HEARD THOSE THOSE FIGURES OF WATER LOSS, BUT I'M NOT AWARE OF A METRIC IN THE TOWNSHIP.

I THINK THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION AND IT KIND OF SPEAKS TO THE INTERCONNECTEDNESS OF WHAT WE DO WITH PUBLIC WORKS AND SOME OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS WE'RE MAKING RIGHT NOW, AND I THINK IT WOULD BE WORTH TO KIND OF EXPLORE THAT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER.

I KNOW THAT OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT IS UNDERGOING A MAJOR SEWAGE INFRASTRUCTURE REHAB RIGHT NOW.

SO YEAH, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT TIMELY SUGGESTION AND MAYBE A WAY TO TIE THIS PLAN INTO SOME OF THE OTHER GOALS

[01:00:04]

WELL, GETTING BACK TO THAT WHOLE ISSUE OF OVERLAPPING JURISDICTIONS, YOU KNOW, OKAY, PIPES ARE UNDERGROUND, BUT THE WATER SYSTEM IS SO EAST LANSING-MERIDIAN WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY.

SO WE SHARE IT WITH ANOTHER COMMUNITY.

FIRST OF ALL, AND I MEAN, I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE SOME KIND OF REGULAR LIAISON WITH THEM AS WELL.

ACTUALLY, FRANKLY, I'D LIKE TO HAVE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION TAKE A TOUR TO THE WATER SUPPLY PLANT AND TO THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT, BECAUSE THOSE ARE VERY, VERY EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES, BUT THAT'S A WHOLE OTHER SUBJECT.

NO, IT'S EXACTLY THE SAME SUBJECT, AND THIS GOES BACK TO THE POINT I WAS MAKING WITH THE MANAGER IS I'VE SPOKEN WITH THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS ON THAT TOPIC AND HE'S MORE THAN HAPPY TO ARRANGE FOR A TOUR OF THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT.

IT'S JUST THAT THE WATER MAINS KEEP BREAKING ANY SO MANY OTHER THINGS TO KEEP DOING.

SO, YOU KNOW, IT MAY BE THAT IF THERE IS AN INTERN WHO'S GOT THE BANDWIDTH TO SORT OF COORDINATE ON THE SORT OF TOWNSHIP STAFF SIDE, ALONG WITH, I THINK A TRIP TO THE WATER TREATMENT FACILITY WOULD BE POPULAR.

I THINK A TRIP TO THE SEWAGE PLANT WOULD BE SURPRISINGLY POPULAR, BUT MAYBE THAT'S ME.

[CHUCKLING] FRANKLY, IT'S FASCINATING. I'VE TAKEN MY LITTLE GREEN CHEMISTRY CLASS THERE SEVERAL TIMES , AND IT'S BOTH, YOU KNOW, INSPIRING BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT YOU REALIZE THERE ARE THESE SMART, HARDWORKING PEOPLE DOING SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY TAKES FOR GRANTED AT OUR HOUSES AND, YOU KNOW, TAKING CARE OF US EVERY DAY.

IT JUST HELPS US RECOGNIZE THE VALUE OF OUR COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO IT'S SORT OF TECHNOLOGICALLY COOL AS [EXPLETIVE].

[CHUCKLING] CUTTING EDGE.

WATER TREATMENT PLANT HAS HAD OPEN HOUSES IN THE PAST, NOT RECENTLY, AND SO I TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THAT A WHILE BACK AND IT WAS INTERESTING.

IT WAS VERY INTERESTING, AND I KNOW THEY'RE MAKING IMPROVEMENTS TO THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT.

SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF WHAT WE DO.

I FIND IT VERY INTERESTING TO FIND OUT HOW ALL THAT STUFF WORKS, AND THE STAFF THERE, THE TIME I WENT WERE VERY HELPFUL IN EXPLAINING THINGS.

YEAH, VERY WELCOMING.

THEY WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT WHAT THEY DO.

[INAUDIBLE] CIRCLING BACK ON THE MUNICIPAL WATER SUPPLY AND DISPOSAL PORTION OF THE PLAN AND LOOKING AT THE STRATEGY.

I DON'T KNOW IF WE WANT TO TRY TO LOOK AT THEM IN DETAIL, BUT IN A GENERAL SENSE, THE PLAN IS, I BELIEVE, GOING TO BE MOST EFFECTIVE WHEN IT HAS HARD TARGETS, AND I THINK THE HARDER THE TARGET IS, THE MORE ASPIRATIONAL IT SHOULD BE, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE AT A POINT OF TRYING TO SET A TARGET.

WE HAVE SOME STRATEGIES HERE LIKE MINIMIZING WATER USAGE AT TOWNSHIP FACILITIES.

WELL, WE SAID THAT ON THE ENERGY SIDE AND THEN WE WENT AND DID AN ENERGY AUDIT AND FIGURED OUT WHICH BUILDINGS NEEDED IT MOST AND WHAT YOU COULD DO WITH THE HVAC AND OTHER THINGS. WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT KIND OF TEETH IN THIS VERSION THAT SAYS, WELL, YOU KNOW, FIGURE OUT WHAT CONSUMPTION IS AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO MINIMIZE IT.

WE DON'T HAVE ANY HARD OBJECTIVES IN TERMS OF REDUCING ENERGY COSTS OF WATER PUMPING.

I DON'T BELIEVE THAT APPEARS IN THE ENERGY CHAPTER AT ALL.

[INAUDIBLE]. ONE THING THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL BECAUSE WE WERE TALKING EARLIER ABOUT A POSSIBLE PART TIME OF THIS NEW INTERN, IT'D BE INTERESTING TO KIND OF HAVE THAT PERSON PULL TOGETHER STATISTICS FOR OUR SYSTEMS, BOTH ON THE WASTEWATER AND THE WATER TREATMENT AND DO A COMPARISON TO OTHER TOWNSHIPS THAT ARE KIND OF OUR SIZE OR OTHER MUNICIPALITIES OUR SIZE AND KIND OF GET A SENSE FOR I HAVE A SENSE WE'RE DOING REALLY WELL BUT, YOU KNOW, I HAVE NO DATA.

IT WOULD BE HELPFUL, I THINK, FOR AN INTERN TO KIND OF SEE WHERE WE'RE AT AND MAKE SOME COMPARISONS.

I'D ADD TO THAT, I THINK IT COULD BE HELPFUL BECAUSE I THINK SOMETIMES THIS DATA EXISTS AND SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T.

SO I'M WONDERING IF IT COULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE AN INTERN MAYBE TRY TO HELP US IDENTIFY GRANT OPPORTUNITIES OR FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES TO BE ABLE TO

[01:05:03]

I MEAN, I'M THINKING A LOT ABOUT THE FOOD SYSTEM END OF THINGS, WHICH IS YOU AND WE IN THAT END HAVE VERY FEW METRICS ABOUT WHERE WE'RE AT. SO WE CAN'T VERY WELL IF WE'RE SETTING SOME TARGETS, BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GET A BASELINE IN ORDER TO KNOW IF WE MET THEM, AND I BET THAT'S PROBABLY THERE'S PROBABLY SOMETHING SIMILAR IN MOST SECTIONS WHERE WE COULD USE SOME BASELINE, AND I THINK PROBABLY THERE'S THE WAY TO DO THAT IS SOME GRANT FUNDING.

AGAIN, THOUGH, THERE I MEAN, THERE ARE TWO SIDES TO THIS BECAUSE ONE IS WHAT'S THE TOWNSHIP ALREADY GOT AS SORT OF GOALS AND POLICIES IN PLACE AND WHAT IS THE FUNCTION OF THIS REPORT? THIS REPORT IS ABOUT CLIMATE ADAPTATION, ADAPTATION, AND SO I'M NOT SAYING ANYTHING THAT WHAT YOU JUST SAID IS ISN'T RIGHT.

I'M JUST SAYING IT'S VERY EASY TO VERGE INTO ALL THE THINGS WE SHOULD BE DOING AND SORT OF HAVE ALREADY ARTICULATED AS GOALS IN THE TOWNSHIP'S OVERALL COLLECTION OF DOCUMENTS, AND SO THAT'S SORT OF I WAS TRYING TO I WAS STRUGGLING WITH SORT OF WHERE TO OH, LIKE WHAT WHAT'S IN THIS DOCUMENT AND WHAT IS WHAT WHAT IS ADDITIONAL OR AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, CONCERNS THAT COME INTO FOCUS IN THE CONTEXT OF CLIMATE CHANGE.

RIGHT. AS OPPOSED TO SMART MANAGEMENT ANYWAY.

SO FOR INSTANCE, IF WE WERE IN A DROUGHT STRICKEN AREA OR DROUGHT PRONE AREA, WE MIGHT HAVE A DIFFERENT SET OF BENCHMARKING THAT WE WOULD WANT TO DO.

RIGHT? OUR GROUNDWATER DOESN'T SEEM TO BE AN IMMINENT PERIL FROM CLIMATE CHANGE, RIGHT? BUT THE ENERGY WE USE IN GETTING WATER TO COME OUT OF THE TAPS AND THEN TO DO SOMETHING WITH IT THE OTHER END DOES, AND THAT THEN TIES BACK TO CONSUMPTION.

SO I'M FEELING AN INTEREST IN TRYING TO DO SOME KIND OF A SIMILAR BENCHMARKING ON THE AT LEAST THE MUNICIPAL WATER CONSUMPTION, IF NOT THE TOWNSHIP WIDE WATER CONSUMPTION, IN THE SAME WAY THAT OTHER FORMS OF ENERGY CONSUMPTION, LIKE COOLING OF THIS BUILDING, RIGHT.

WAS ONE, YOU KNOW, OR HEATING OR COOLING OF THIS BUILDING WAS SOMETHING THAT YOU BENCHMARK AND SAY, WELL, ARE WE DOING THAT EFFICIENTLY OR COULD WE DO BETTER? AND WHAT WOULD IT COST TO DO BETTER? RIGHT, AND SO THAT COULD BE A VERY CONCRETE SORT OF STRATEGY HERE TO BENCHMARK TOWNSHIP, MUNICIPAL, INTERNAL AND COMMUNITY WIDE TREATED WATER CONSUMPTION AND DISPOSAL.

SO WHERE DO WE START WITH THAT THEN? ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, SEND PEOPLE TO OTHER TOWNSHIPS TO SEE WHAT IS SORT OF THE COMPARISON OR, YOU KNOW, OR MAYBE EVEN OURSELVES GO TO THE RESPECTIVE MANAGERS OF THE WATER SUPPLY AND THE WATER TREATMENT PLANTS.

I MEAN, TRY TO ACTUALLY GET HARD NUMBERS AND THEN ASK, IS THAT WHERE DOES THAT FALL RELATIVE TO IDEALIZED GOALS? THAT'S THE TROUBLE. YOU KNOW, IT'S A LITTLE HARD.

I'M GOING TO GUESS THAT MY INTERACTIONS WITH THE FOLKS AT THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT ANYWAY SUGGEST TO ME THAT THEY'RE VERY MUCH AWARE OF WHERE THEIR INDUSTRY IS AT IN TERMS OF NOT ONLY THE MASS CONSUMPTION, BUT THE TREATMENT THEY DO, WHAT KINDS OF POLLUTANTS THEY'RE LOOKING FOR AND HOW THEY'RE TREATING THEM AND THEY'RE REGULATED IN TERMS OF THE QUALITY OF THE WATER.

SO THEY'RE REPORTING THAT ALL THE TIME, BUT THE TOTAL CONSUMPTION MUST BE KNOWN.

I MEAN, IF YOU'RE GOING TO FIX WATER TOWERS, YOU GOT TO KNOW HOW MANY TOWERS YOU NEED, AND OH, YEAH, THEY KNOW HOW MANY GALLONS THEY PUMP.

THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS JUST SAYING THE OTHER DAY THAT WE'VE GOT AN AWFUL LOT MORE WATER LINES THAN WE ACTUALLY NEED BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL NETWORKED SO THAT IF ONE BREAKS, YOU CAN SHUT IT OFF AND YOU CAN STILL GET WATER TO OTHER PORTIONS BEYOND THE BREAK.

AND THAT CREATES A MUCH LONGER NETWORK, BUT A MUCH MORE RESILIENT NETWORK.

RIGHT, AND GIVEN THAT ALL OF OUR WATER IS PUMPED AROUND BOTH THE FRESHWATER AND THE SANITARY SEWER WATER, IT'S NOT INSIGNIFICANT.

THERE'S ALL SORTS OF OTHER STUFF THAT YOU READ ABOUT TRYING TO MAINTAIN THE SANITARY SEWERS, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE PUMP ALL OF OUR SEWAGE AROUND.

WE HAVE ALL THESE PUMP STATIONS THAT LIFT IT UP AND SEND IT DOWN TO THE TREATMENT PLANT, AND THE DENTAL FLOSS APPARENTLY IS THE NUMBER ONE CULPRIT RIGHT UP THERE WITH WIPES AND DIAPERS THAT CLOG THOSE PUMPS AND THE COST AND DOWNTIME AND STAFF RESOURCES TO GO OUT AND DO THAT IS ENORMOUS, AND IF IT COINCIDES WITH AN EXTREME WEATHER EVENT, THEN YOU'RE IN BIG TROUBLE.

RIGHT? SO THOSE SEEM TO ME LIKE A COUPLE OF CONCRETE THINGS THAT WE MIGHT TAKE.

I THINK WHAT I SEE IN HERE IS MINIMIZE WATER USAGE AT TOWNSHIP FACILITIES BY DEVELOPING SYSTEMS TO USE BLAH, BLAH, BUT WITHOUT THE BENCHMARKING, WE CAN'T SET A TARGET.

[01:10:09]

IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR CONSUMPTION IS, YOU DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, ALL THOSE THINGS.

SO THAT'S ONE AREA THAT WHERE I CAN SEE KIND OF PUTTING IN A HARD TARGET BECAUSE IT'S NOT GOING TO BE FREE, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S AN EXPERT CONSULTANT THAT COMES AND DOES THIS. THEN SOME.

PLEASE GO AHEAD. WELL, I WOULD SAY I MEAN, I'M ALL FOR BENCHMARKS AND KNOWING WHAT THE DATA SAYS, ALTHOUGH ON THE OTHER HAND, IF WE KNOW WHAT ACTIVITIES ARE MOST LIKELY TO CUT WATER USAGE, THEN WE COULD PRIORITIZE THOSE, AND THEN WE KNOW I MEAN, WE MIGHT KIND OF KNOW WHAT WE CUT BASED ON WHAT? LIKE ROUGHLY BASED ON WHAT WE DO.

I'M JUST I MEAN, I'M THINKING ABOUT LIKE, I USED TO HELP MANAGE THIS PROGRAM WHERE WE INSTALLED LOW FLOW SHOWERHEADS, RIGHT? LIKE WE TOOK A MEASUREMENT BEFORE AND A MEASUREMENT AFTER, AND THEN WE KNEW HOW MUCH WE CUT.

WE MIGHT NOT KNOW EXACTLY HOW MUCH OF LIKE THE PERCENTAGE OF THE TOTAL SYSTEM, BUT THERE MAY BE A WAY TO KIND OF KNOW WHAT ARE OUR HIGH WATER USERS AND OR AND THEN CUT THAT VERSUS LIKE ACROSS THE WHOLE SYSTEM.

YEAH, AND I'M GUESSING THAT I DON'T KNOW.

I HAVE NO FACTS.

I'M JUST KIND OF GUESSING THAT, YOU KNOW, A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF WATER USE IN THE TOWNSHIP IS PROBABLY FOR WATERING LAWNS IS WHAT I'M GUESSING, AND I'M WONDERING, TOO, IF THAT ATTITUDES THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO WATERING THEIR LAWNS MIGHT BE CHANGING OVER TIME, AND SO IT JUST AGAIN, JUST MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANYTHING, BUT THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT SOME COMMUNITIES HAVE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB AT CHANGING PERSPECTIVES.

BECAUSE I KNOW WHEN THE GREEN DIALOGS THAT ARE OCCUR, YOU KNOW, ON WEDNESDAY MORNINGS, THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT NATIVE PLANTS AND, YOU KNOW, REDUCING YOUR AMOUNT OF LAWN AND, YOU KNOW, USING GROUND COVER AND WHATEVER, AND SO THAT'S JUST AGAIN, I'M WONDERING, YOU KNOW AND I YEAH, COMPLETELY AGREE.

I MEAN THAT'S A THERE ARE SORT OF CULTURAL THINGS THAT IN PRINCIPLE ONE COULD HOPE TO ADDRESS.

YEAH. KIND OF GOING ALONG WITH WHAT YOU WERE SAYING.

I KNOW THAT NOW IN LIKE.

ESPECIALLY HIGH SCHOOLS, THEY ARE DOING A LOT MORE EDUCATION ON WHERE WATER GOES AND HOW TO REDUCE IT, AND I KNOW THAT MY TEACHER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE, MS. BELL, SHE HAD TAUGHT US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT AND HOW RATHER THAN HAVING GRASS, YOU COULD LIKE REPLACE YOUR YARD WITH OTHER NATIVE SPECIES OR STUFF LIKE THAT.

SO I DEFINITELY THINK THAT'S WHERE IT'S GOING TO GO A LOT MORE IN THE FUTURE.

WELL, THE OTHER THING THAT'S SHOCKING, I MEAN, EVEN IF YOU JUST GO TO OTHER COUNTRIES, IT'S SHOCKING TO PEOPLE THAT WE USE TREATED DRINKING WATER, WATER THAT'S BEEN TREATED TO THE LEVEL OF BEING, YOU KNOW, HEALTHY TO PUT IN YOUR BODY, TO FLUSH THE TOILET, TO WATER OUR GRASS, ALL THESE THINGS.

IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A STANDARD THAT IS SO HIGH COMPARED TO THE USAGE THAT IT'S BEING PUT TO.

IT'S ABSURD, AND FROM A COST POINT OF VIEW, IT'S JUST GOES OUT THE WINDOW, BUT IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE GOING TO SET UP TWO SEPARATE WATER SYSTEMS EXCEPT IN A LOCAL SENSE, LIKE HAVING RAIN BARRELS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

I WAS READING A STUDY THAT SAID THAT THIS WAS A STUDY BASED OUT OF CALIFORNIA AND IT WAS COMMUNITIES FEELING THAT THEY HAD A RIGHT TO WASTE WATER.

SO LIKE IN DROUGHT STRESS COMMUNITIES, LIKE THE FEELING THAT YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO GO IN AND WASTE WATER, LIKE WITH THE INTENT TO WASTE IT, NOT JUST LIKE USING IT FOR VARIOUS ACTIVITIES THAT OTHER PEOPLE MIGHT CONSIDER WASTEFUL, BUT TO ACTUALLY WITH INTENT, GO AND WASTE WATER.

SO IT IS INTERESTING, LIKE THE PSYCHOLOGY OF REVOLVING AROUND IT.

SO EVERYBODY IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP SHOULD SAIL ACROSS THE OCEAN ON A BOAT THAT DOESN'T GENERATE ITS OWN WATER.

THEN YOU REALLY THINK ABOUT IT.

LEROY HAS BEEN RAISING HIS HAND.

OH, NO, I JUST.

I REALLY LIKE THE IDEA OF TRYING TO DIG DOWN A LITTLE BIT IN DATA TO SEE ARE THERE SOME LEVERAGE POINTS IN WATER CONSUMPTION? CLEARLY, PEOPLE'S INDIVIDUAL WATER CONSUMPTION RECORDS ARE PRIVATE, BUT AS A PARTNER IN THE AUTHORITY THAT PROVIDES THEM THAT WATER, IT DOESN'T SEEM OUT OF LINE TO SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, ARE THERE CERTAIN? HOW DOES CONSUMPTION BREAKDOWN BY RESIDENTIAL, BY BY EVEN BY OTHER FINER CATEGORIES TO SEE IF ONE WERE TO MOUNT A CAMPAIGN TO REDUCE WATER CONSUMPTION?

[01:15:06]

IT SAYS PRESENTLY PRODUCING UP TO 11.5 MILLION GALLONS A DAY, AND THAT'S ALL BEING PUMPED OUT OF THE GROUND.

SO ANYWAY, LEROY, WHAT WERE YOU GOING TO SAY? I INCLUDED THE FOOD SECTION IN OUR PACKET TO REVIEW, AND THERE HAVE BEEN SOME CHANGES TO THAT, AND I UNDERSTAND YOU'VE MADE A DRAFT OF THE WATER SECTION.

I CAN CERTAINLY TAKE THE LATEST VERSIONS AND PUT THEM IN NEXT MONTH'S PACKET FOR US TO REVIEW BECAUSE I DON'T THINK EVERYONE'S HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THE LATEST WATER SECTION.

RIGHT. OKAY, I'M SORRY.

I'VE MADE THAT ASSUMPTION AND I'M IN ERROR.

DID WE WANT TO I ALSO JUST WANT TO MENTION THAT THE TIMING MIGHT BE REALLY GOOD BECAUSE LANSING IS UPDATING THEIR CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN, AND LAUREN SCHNOEBELEN WITH THE TRI-COUNTY HAS OFFERED SOME LANGUAGE RECENTLY RELATED TO GROUNDWATER PROTECTION AND MANAGEMENT THAT COULD BE BOILERPLATE LANGUAGE THAT COULD BE INCLUDED IN AND MAYBE YOU'VE ALREADY INCLUDED THAT, NED, BUT I SORT OF INCLUDED BY WEBSITE.

OKAY, BUT NO, BUT I WOULD I NEED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH LAUREN MYSELF ABOUT THIS DOCUMENT, BUT I WOULD WELCOME EVERYBODY'S COMMENTS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR HOW LONG IT'S TAKEN ME TO EVEN GET TO THIS POINT.

YOU'RE NOT ALONE. I WILL ALSO JUST MENTION ONE MORE THING THAT THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT DIRECTOR WILL BE AT THE GREEN DIALOG IN MAY. OH, GREAT, AND PROVIDING SORT OF A VIRTUAL TOUR AND UPDATE ON THAT.

COULD YOU RIFF FOR ANOTHER MINUTE ON THE GREEN DIALOGS? AND FOR ANYBODY WHO'S NOT NECESSARILY FAMILIAR WITH THAT? YEAH. EVERY WEDNESDAY MORNING AT 9:00 THERE'S AN OPEN DIALOG.

UM, YOU CAN TUNE IN ON ZOOM, I CAN SEND YOU THE LINK.

YOU CAN ALSO SEE IT IN.

IN THE STAFF UPDATE RELATED TO WATER.

RUTH KLEIN ROLLBACK WILL BE AT THE APRIL DIALOG.

APRIL. WHATEVER.

APRIL 1ST, WHATEVER THE FIRST WEDNESDAY IN APRIL IS.

SO SHE'S ANOTHER EXPERT ON WATER THAT WE CAN DRAW UPON, NO PUN INTENDED.

SO YEAH, AND SPEAKERS THIS MORNING WE HAD A SPEAKER ABOUT TALKING ABOUT CEMETERIES, GREEN CEMETERIES AND CEMETERIES AND PASSIVE RECREATION AND THAT WE TRY AND RECORD THE SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKERS SO YOU CAN ACTUALLY VIEW THAT LATER AS WELL.

SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. I WAS A HABITUAL ATTENDEE AT THOSE MEETINGS UNTIL I CHANGED MY WORK SCHEDULE AND NOW I'M ON THE BUS DURING THE MEETING AND IT DOESN'T SEEM APPROPRIATE FOR TRYING TO JOIN A ZOOM MEETING FROM THE NUMBER ONE GOING DOWN GRAND RIVER.

ALL I CAN DO TO HANG ON.

ALL RIGHT, WELL, I'M GLAD WE TOOK SOME TIME THIS EVENING TO START DIGGING INTO SOME OF THE WATER PIECES, AND I APPRECIATE NED'S EDITS ON THAT.

I UNDERSTAND WE ARE ALSO MAKING SOME FORWARD PROGRESS ON THE FOOD AND ORGANICS SECTION OF THE PLAN.

SO IF THERE'S NOT AN OBJECTION, MAYBE ANNA CAN TELL US WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THAT AND WE CAN KIND OF GET OUR HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT FOR WHERE TO GO NEXT.

SOUNDS GOOD.

SO WE JUST MADE A NUMBER OF EDITS TO IT.

I MEAN, I LITERALLY MADE A NUMBER OF EDITS TO IT LAST NIGHT.

SO I'M SURE THEY'RE I'M GUESSING THEY'RE NOT IN THE PACKET OF WHAT WE HAD HERE, BUT ESSENTIALLY WHAT CURRENTLY WE HAVE THREE SECTIONS, MAIN SECTIONS, THE WAY THE FOOD SYSTEM SECTION IS ORGANIZED AND THOSE FALL INTO THEY HAVE DIFFERENT NAMES, BUT IT'S COMPOSTING, GLEANING, SO FOOD RECOVERY FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION AND THEN ALSO INCENTIVIZING OR SUPPORTING MORE LOCAL FOOD PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION WITHIN THE TOWNSHIP.

I'M ACTUALLY THINKING ABOUT RESTRUCTURING THAT A LITTLE BIT TO BE FOOD WASTE SECTION AND FOOD PRODUCTION OR

[01:20:10]

AND WHAT YOU WANT TO DO WITH FOOD WASTE IS FIRST TO GET IT TO ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S EDIBLE TO ANOTHER HUMAN, AND THEN YOU WANT TO GET TO ANIMALS AND THEN TO COMPOST.

WE REALLY DON'T WE'RE NOT SUGGESTING ANY ANIMAL TYPE OF INTERVENTIONS IN THIS CURRENT PLAN FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS, BUT WE HAVE A NUMBER OF GLEANING TYPES OF INTERVENTIONS, INCLUDING BUILDING UPON WHAT'S ALREADY HAPPENING THAT STARTED LAST YEAR AT THE FARMERS MARKET, AND THEN ALSO WE'RE INTERESTED IN WHAT OPPORTUNITIES THERE ARE TO INCREASE COMPOSTING OR OTHER FORMS OF REDUCTION OF ORGANIC WASTE.

SO WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THE ANAEROBIC DIGESTER AND SOME OTHER, YOU KNOW, POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL, ALTHOUGH WE MAY NEED TO HAVE SOME CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHERE SOME OF THESE PIECES BELONG IN OUR PLAN.

OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S SOME OVERLAP.

SO THAT IS WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THE FOOD SECTION OPEN TO, YOU KNOW, IF THERE ARE THOUGHTS OR COMMENTS. NOW, GIVEN THAT OVERVIEW, I'M HAPPY TO HEAR THEM.

ALTHOUGH WHAT I DON'T THINK YOU HAVE THE MOST RECENT VERSION.

MY APOLOGIES FOR THAT.

WELL, THANKS FOR THAT OVERVIEW.

IT'S REMINDING ME THAT AMONG THE MANY TOWNSHIP RESOURCES THAT WE BENEFIT FROM, THE FARMERS MARKET MANAGER HAS OBVIOUSLY BEEN CENTRAL TO THE VERY SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM OF MAKING SURE THAT FOOD THAT COMES TO OUR FARMERS MARKET DOESN'T GO TO THE LANDFILL AND MAKES IT TO PEOPLE OR MAKES IT TO COMPOST IF THAT'S WHAT CAN HAPPEN WITH IT.

SO AGAIN, ONE OF THOSE PIECES WHERE TOWNSHIP STAFF REALLY HELPED US GET WHERE WE NEED TO GO.

YEAH. SO YEAH, THERE'S A IT'S STILL KIND OF THE BROAD OVERVIEW OF REDUCE FOOD WASTE AND INSECURITY, INCREASE LOCAL SOURCING AND DO THE BEST WE CAN WITH WHAT DOESN'T GET EATEN. IS THAT.

YEAH, I MEAN I THINK THAT REALLY FALLS INTO THE FOOD WASTE.

OKAY, SO FOOD WASTE.

SO DO WHAT WE CAN WITH FOOD THAT DOESN'T GET EATEN, WHETHER THAT'S DIVERTING IT TO OTHER PEOPLE OR IF THAT'S NOT A POSSIBILITY TO COMPOST AND THEN SUPPORTING LOCAL PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION OF LOCAL, AND I SAY LOCAL, BUT YOU KNOW, A LOT OF LOCAL FOOD IS MORE SUSTAINABLE.

SO IT'S REALLY SUSTAINABLE FOOD, BUT WE KIND OF BROADLY TALK ABOUT IT ABOUT LOCAL AND SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS OR FOOD PRODUCTION, AND I THINK ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WE'RE HAVING IS WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH TOM AT THE FARMERS MARKET AND THAT HAS BEEN WONDERFUL, AND IT YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF THE GLEANING OPPORTUNITIES, WE'D LOVE TO WORK MORE WITH COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES AND WITH OUR SCHOOLS.

THE FOOD GROUP HAS DONE SOME WORK WITH THE SCHOOLS ON LOOKING AT HOW MUCH FOOD WASTE THAT DOING FOOD WASTE AUDITS AND OTHER THINGS LAST YEAR, BUT THEN, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF FOOD WASTE COMES FROM COMMERCIAL ENTITIES, WHETHER THAT'S RESTAURANTS OR GROCERY STORES.

AND SO KIND OF WHAT ARE THE LEVERAGE POINTS THERE? ARE THERE WAYS TO INCENTIVIZE MORE, WHETHER THAT BE GLEANING OR COMPOSTING? YOU KNOW, IT KIND OF WHICH AVENUE IT IS DEPENDS ON WELL, IT DEPENDS ON THE FOOD AND THE WILLINGNESS OF OF THE PARTICIPANTS.

SO, YES, I'M WONDERING, HOW ARE YOU DEFINING LOCAL? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I'M ASSUMING YOU'RE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT THE TOWNSHIP, BUT MORE A REGION OR.

WELL, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION, AND WE DID NOT DEFINE LOCAL OR WE HAVE NOT YET WITHIN THE WITHIN THE SECTION AND LOCAL LIKE LOCAL FOOD IS DEFINED IN DIFFERENT WAYS DEPENDING ON WHO YOU SPEAK WITH.

SO I THINK THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION, SOMETHING FOR US TO CONSIDER BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF FARMS IN THE TOWNSHIP, RIGHT, BUT OBVIOUSLY AROUND US THERE, THE REGION IN THE COUNTY, THE TRI COUNTY AREA THERE ARE FARMS. YES, AND SOMETIMES THAT'S DEFINED BY LIKE A MILEAGE RADIUS.

SOMETIMES PEOPLE DEFINE LOCAL BY IN MY STATE.

SO LEROY DID YOU HAVE A I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT WE ARE STILL TAKING COMMENTS ONLINE.

THE THERE'S A WEBSITE SET UP ON MERIDIAN MADDUX WHERE YOU CAN MAKE COMMENTS ON THE PLAN.

[01:25:05]

I'M NOT SURE HOW BEST TO APPROACH THAT, BUT WE ARE TO THE PUBLIC.

WE ARE STILL ACCEPTING COMMENTS THROUGH THROUGH APRIL, THROUGH APRIL 1ST.

THANKS. YEAH, GO AHEAD.

I HAVE TWO BROAD QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN.

SO SINCE I'M NEW TO THE BOARD, I'M WONDERING POSSIBLY, LIKE WHAT AREAS MIGHT NEED TO BE ENGAGED WITH FURTHER LIKE WHERE I COULD FIT INTO THEM, OR IF THERE'S SECTIONS THAT MIGHT NEED FURTHER EYES ON IT IN TERMS OF REVIEW.

SO I WOULD BE HAPPY TO LIKE IF YOU ALL WOULD WANT TO APPROACH ME ON THAT OR LEROY IF YOU HAD ANYTHING THAT YOU MIGHT THINK OF LIKE I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ENGAGE WITH SECTIONS, AND THEN OVERALL, I'M ALSO LOOKING AT I'M CONDUCTING A PROJECT RIGHT NOW LOOKING AT THE WELL, I'M EVALUATING LOCAL CLIMATE ACTION PLANS AND ALL MICHIGAN MUNICIPALITIES THAT HAVE THEM.

SO ONCE I FINISH THAT ANALYSIS, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE USEFUL TO THE BOARD JUST TO SEE WHERE THE TOWNSHIP FITS WITH.

WHAT'S YOUR TIMELINE? DEPENDS ON THE GRANT.

I'M LIKE TWO MONTHS, MAYBE TWO MONTHS.

THAT SOUNDS GOOD. YEAH, I LIKE THE SOUND OF THAT.

YEAH, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT, RIGHT.

ENERGY, TRANSPORTATION, WATER, FOOD, THE ONE THAT FEELS TO ME MOST DYNAMIC BY FAR IS THE FOOD SIDE, RIGHT? OUR WATER SUPPLY AND TREATMENT SYSTEM GETS UPGRADES.

BUT IT'S NOT IT'S A DINOSAUR.

RIGHT. OUR ENERGY CONSUMPTION, WE'VE MADE SOME REALLY GOOD PROGRESS.

SO WE'RE ON THAT TRANSPORTATION AGAIN, LOTS OF MOVING PIECES AND IT MOVES CHUNK BY CHUNK , BUT THE FOOD PIECE, SINCE I'VE BEEN INVOLVED OVER THE LAST YEAR, EVERY TIME ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE FOOD GROUP GOES TO TALK TO A SUPERMARKET ABOUT WHAT THEY DO WITH THEIR IT'S A DIFFERENT STORY, WHETHER IT'S THE FLASH FOOD IN THE, YOU KNOW, OR THE SOME OTHER DONATION PROGRAM OR A FOOD PANTRY.

IT'S JUST IT'S A REALLY RAPIDLY CHANGING.

I HAVE TROUBLE KEEPING UP WITH IT.

SO ONE THAT I FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO GRAB BY THE TAIL IS THAT ONE IS THAT.

YEAH I AGREE WITH THAT IT HAS I MEAN WE'RE I THINK SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT IT'S A NEW AREA FOR THE TOWNSHIP ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AT LEAST. SO KIND OF THINKING WELL WHO DO WE CONNECT WITH IN THE TOWNSHIP? WHAT ARE THE LEVERS? YOU KNOW, IT KIND OF WHAT IS THE BEST PATH FORWARD? WHAT DO WE PRIORITIZE? I MEAN, ALL OF THAT IS WE'RE WADING THROUGH RIGHT NOW.

YEAH. THE WATER ENERGY FOOD NEXUS, TOO, LIKE LOOKING AT HOW THOSE INTERESTS ARE OFTEN COMPETING IN A SYSTEM THAT HAS LIMITED RESOURCES.

I THINK IT COULD BE. YEAH.

THAT'S INTERESTING.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT IS AN AREA THAT INTERESTS YOU, BUT WE CAN CONNECT.

YEAH, IT IS. I WOULD BE HAPPY TO.

OKAY, ALL RIGHT, WELL, I'M GOT AN EYE ON THE CLOCK AND KNOW THAT EVERYBODY'S GOT LIVES BEYOND THIS ROOM.

IF THERE ARE, I WOULD LIKE TO OPEN THE FLOOR IN THE EVENT THAT THERE ARE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO ARE INTERESTED IN THIS SPECIFIC TOPIC.

NOT TO WAIT AROUND TILL THE END OF THE MEETING.

ANYBODY LIKE TO ADDRESS THE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN? PLEASE COME ON UP.

YOU'VE ALREADY INTRODUCED YOURSELF AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO STAND ON FORMALITY.

I REFRAIN FROM SPEAKING EARLIER BECAUSE I WASN'T HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OR AS A BOARD MEMBER.

I CAME TO LISTEN TO YOU TALK ABOUT THE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN AND TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT BACK.

SO I DON'T REMEMBER IF ALL OF YOU WERE HERE WHEN I FIRST CAME HERE.

SO MY NAME IS DEBORAH GUTHRIE.

I'M THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP CLERK, BUT I'M HERE TO SPEAK AS A RESIDENT IF YOU NEED IT FOR THE MINUTES.

I'M AT TWO FIVE, SEVEN FIVE DUSTIN ROAD AND OKEMOS.

I REMEMBER LONG AGO WHEN RECYCLING STARTED IN THE TOWNSHIP, I THINK IT BEGAN WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.

LEROY CAME ON BOARD AND I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH A FORMER TOWNSHIP MANAGER, JERRY RICHARDS, AND WE'RE BACK IN THE HALLWAY TALKING ABOUT RECYCLING, AND I WAS LIKE, OH! AND HE WAS LIKE, HIS EYES POPPED OUT OF HIS OUT OF HIS FACE.

HE'S LIKE, WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T NEED TO RECYCLE? AND THEN HE STARTED TO TALK ME INTO IT AND IT WAS FREE.

[01:30:01]

SO JERRY RICHARDS AND THIS TOWNSHIP CAN BE CREDITED FOR NOT ONLY MY REDUCED TRASH AND WASTE AND RECYCLING EFFORTS, BUT JERRY RICHARDS AS WELL, AND I WOULD CREDIT A LOT OF THE THINGS I DO IN MY DAY TO DAY LIFE AND, UM, TO ACTIONS.

THAT I SEE BECAUSE I'VE BEEN IN THE TOWNSHIP FOR I DON'T KNOW, I'M REALLY OLD, SO I'VE BEEN HERE FOR LIKE A LONG TIME, FOR OVER 40 YEARS, AND, YOU KNOW, MY KIDS WERE RAISED HERE AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE SEEN A LOT OF TRANSITION IN THIS TOWNSHIP.

UM, SO I FEEL AS IF I DON'T HAVE A PREPARED STATEMENT.

I FEEL AS IF AS I GET OLDER AND THE MORE I LEARN, THE MORE I'M INVESTIGATING THINGS, THE MORE I'M REDUCING MY CARBON FOOTPRINT , AND THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS I LEARNED THIS YEAR, UM, THAT I FEEL HAS HELPED ME REDUCE THAT IN A WAY.

MY FAMILY HAD A REUNION IN MEXICO AND I WANTED TO GO SNORKELING IN THE BARRIER REEF, SO I STARTED INVESTIGATING SNORKELING IN THE BARRIER REEF AND THEN LO AND BEHOLD, ADS START POPPING UP ABOUT THE SUNSCREEN I'M SUPPOSED TO USE IN THE BARRIER REEF.

I HAD NO IDEA THAT THERE'S PROPER SUNSCREEN AND NOT PROPER SUNSCREEN, AND SO NOW I ONLY WANT TO USE THE BARRIER SAFE SUNSCREEN, NO MATTER WHERE I AM, BECAUSE OF WHAT I READ AND THEN HOW MUCH I SAW THE BARRIER REEFS BEING DESTROYED.

AND THEN MY HUSBAND I, FOR OUR ANNIVERSARY THIS AUGUST, WERE GOING TO ALASKA BECAUSE OF THE GLACIERS MELTING, AND SO, YOU KNOW, I'M INVESTIGATING EVERYTHING FOR THIS TRIP AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO, AND I START READING ABOUT OYSTER SHELLS AND PEOPLE SHUCKING OYSTER SHELLS AND HOW DAMAGING THAT IS IN THE OCEAN, AND SO THE MORE I'M LEARNING ABOUT THESE THINGS, THE MORE I'M TRYING TO AS A PERSON WHO'S TRYING TO REDUCE THEIR CARBON FOOTPRINT AND TRYING TO HELP SUSTAIN THE ENVIRONMENT, WHAT CAN I DO AS AN INDIVIDUAL? AND SO WHEN THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION ASKS FOR INPUT FOR CLIMATE SUSTAINABLE PLAN, AND THEN I HEAR IT AS A PERSON WHO'S HERE AND AS EVERYBODY ELSE TO GIVE INPUT, I'M NOT GOING TO BE A SCHMUCK AND NOT GIVE MY OWN INPUT AND REQUEST FOR MORE COMMUNICATION FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND WHAT I CAN DO AS AN INDIVIDUAL PERSON. I LEARNED ABOUT THE DAMAGE OF DOG POOP AND HOW MUCH BACTERIA THERE IS THAT GOES INTO THE GROUND, AND IT WAS THE ONE WAY IN WHICH I GOT MY HUSBAND TO PICK UP THE DOG POOP WHEN I SHOWED HIM ALL OF THE BACTERIA, AND IT'S THE SAME WAY THAT I GET OTHER PEOPLE TO PICK UP DOG POOP WHEN I SHOW THEM HOW MUCH BACTERIA, THE THOUSANDS OF BACTERIA THAT'S IN DOG POOP.

AND SO IT'S THIS INDIVIDUAL EFFORT THAT WE MAKE, THIS COLLECTIVE EFFORT, AND YOU ALL KNOW THIS BECAUSE YOU WANT TO SUSTAIN THE ENVIRONMENT AND YOU WANT TO YOU'RE TAKING ALL OF THIS TIME, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE IT AS AN INDIVIDUAL, AS A PERSON THAT YOU TAKE THIS TIME TO ASSIST IN REDUCING THAT FOOTPRINT THAT WE'RE LEAVING.

UM, SO I'M A MEIJER HIKER.

I'M GOING TO TRANSITION.

I'M A MASSIVE HIKER.

LOVE HIKING. THERE'S A LOT THAT THIS BRINGS TO ME SPIRITUALLY, MENTALLY, PHYSICALLY.

UM, I'M HIKING THE NORTH COUNTRY TRAIL, AND THERE'S THESE LITTLE INCENTIVES THAT THEY HAVE.

I PAY MY ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP OR I PAY FOR THE TRAIL CHALLENGE, AND WHEN I HIKE MY 100 MILES, I GET THIS LITTLE TEENY TINY PATCH, AND I'M SO SUPER DUPER GEEKED THAT I'VE HIKED ALL THESE MILES ON ROADS, ON DIRT ROADS, PAVED ROADS, PATHWAYS, WHATEVER IT IS, AND PARKS, STATE PARKS, NATURAL TRAILS, AND I LOVE THE TREES AND THE PROTECTION OF THE TREES , AND I LOVE SEEING HOW THESE DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES I'VE HIKED FROM OHIO TO ALMOST THE MANISTEE FOREST SO FAR IN THE NORTH COUNTRY TRAIL, AND I LOVE SEEING SEEING ALL OF THE WAYS IN WHICH PEOPLE ARE MAINTAINING THEIR PARKS AND THEIR TRAILS AND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE VOLUNTEERING ON THEIR TRAILS AND EVERYTHING THAT THEY'RE DOING SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY IN THE OUTDOORS.

SO THINK ABOUT THAT WITH, YOU KNOW, CORNELL ROAD AND OUR NATURAL BEAUTY ROAD, AND AS A RESIDENT WHO'S BEEN HERE FOR A VERY LONG TIME, WENT TO CORNELL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WANTING TO MAINTAIN THOSE TREES ALONG THAT ROAD, AND I KNOW THAT WE CAN COEXIST WITHOUT HAVING TO TAKE ANY OF THOSE TREES DOWN, THAT WE

[01:35:09]

WE CAN FIND A PATHWAY TO WALK ALONG IT SAFELY.

SO I JUST KIND OF LIVE IN THIS SORT OF INCENTIVE WORLD, AND I'M JUST HOW CAN WE WORK TOGETHER? YOU KNOW, I GET INCENTIVIZED BY THINGS LIKE, OH, STOP USING PLASTIC STRAWS AND GO TO THIS FREE EVENT.

WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU A METAL.

STRAW AND THEN USE THAT FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE, AND BUT NOW I'VE GOT TO USE WATER TO CLEAN IT.

SO I'M TRYING TO IN MY MIND, I'M WRESTLING.

HOW AM I GOING TO DO THIS? YOU KNOW, AND I'M INVESTIGATING CAMPING AND I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO USE THOSE PRODUCTS THAT I USE IN MY SHOWER WHEN I'M OUT CAMPING.

I'M SUPPOSED TO USE THESE PRODUCTS BECAUSE IT'S GOING DIRECTLY IN THE GROUND.

SO WHY THE HECK AM I USING THIS IN MY SHOWER? SO THE MORE WE INVESTIGATE, THE MORE WE KNOW.

HOPEFULLY WE CHANGE THE WAYS IN WHICH WE DO THINGS, AND IF THERE'S ANY WAY IN WHICH I AS A PERSON IN THIS COMMUNITY, I DON'T HAVE A TIME AS A BOARD MEMBER, BUT AS A PERSON IN THIS COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERING.

IF THERE'S ANY WAY IN WHICH I CAN HELP COME UP WITH ANY WAY TO INCENTIVIZE PEOPLE TO, YOU KNOW, LESS PLASTIC BAGS AND PLASTIC STRAWS AND SUNSCREEN, THAT'S NOT GOOD, AND SHAMPOO PRODUCTS THAT AREN'T GOOD AND WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN INCENTIVIZE PEOPLE TO OTTO AND, I DON'T KNOW, SHOW US THIS YEAR THAT YOU USE LESS WATER THAN LAST YEAR AND YOU GET A WATER.

I'M A WATER CONSERVATIONIST, YOU KNOW, PATCH.

I DON'T KNOW. SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU BECAUSE I LOVE THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.

I GET MAD A LITTLE PATCH THAT I DID SOMETHING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT OR THAT I CONTRIBUTED TO THIS, OR I'M PART OF THIS GREATER COMMUNITY AND WE'RE ALL IN IT TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, AND IT JUST AND IT FEELS LIKE I FEEL LIKE THOSE COMMUNITIES KEEP GROWING.

THE MORE WE SHARE THE INFORMATION WITH EACH OTHER AND ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER IN THESE INCENTIVE TYPE PROGRAMS, EVEN IF IT'S I GOT A STICKER ONE TIME FOR $75 THING I SIGNED UP FOR AND I WAS SO EXCITED TO GET THE STICKER LIKE I ACCOMPLISHED THAT.

YOU KNOW, I DON'T I KNOW THAT THERE'S OTHER PEOPLE OUT THERE LIKE ME, YOU KNOW? AND I RECENTLY READ ABOUT EGGSHELLS AND HOW HEALTHY THEY ARE FOR YOU AND ALL THIS STUFF, AND I'M WASTING FOOD LIKE NOBODY'S BUSINESS.

I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO DO WITH IT.

AND SO TONIGHT IS THE FIRST NIGHT THAT I'M REALLY LEARNING THAT I'M DOING A TERRIBLE THING WITH MY FOOD, AND THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT I CAN DO , AND SO ANYWAYS, IF THERE'S ANYTHING I CAN DO TO CONTRIBUTE AS A CITIZEN, I'M HAPPY TO DO IT , AND I HOPE THAT I CAN CONTINUE TO ATTEND MORE MEETINGS.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY AND I WON'T DRAG ON AND ON WITH PUBLIC COMMENT FOR EVERY MEETING.

WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR SHARING THOSE THOUGHTS WITH US.

THANK YOU FOR GIVING. I APPRECIATE THAT COMMENT.

YEAH, PLEASE GO AHEAD.

SO FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

THAT WAS YOU KNOW, IT'S CLEAR THAT YOU HAVE YOU HAVE A STRONG DRIVING FORCE TO FIND WAYS TO HELP.

ONE OF THE THINGS COMING BACK TO THIS WHOLE COMMUNITY, A MOTION THING I HONESTLY THINK IS ARGUABLY THE MOST VALUABLE THING WE CAN DO.

AS YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO MEET OTHER PEOPLE AS WE GO AROUND IS SIMPLY TO HAVE WHAT PEOPLE CALL AN ELEVATOR SPEECH.

IT HAS TO BE, YOU KNOW, JUST A MINUTE OR OR TWO, YOU KNOW, WITH A FEW PEOPLE ACTUALLY DON'T RESPOND TO FACTS THAT MUCH.

THEY RESPOND MUCH MORE TO EMOTION, BUT STILL FACTS CAN HELP, AND SO ONE OF MY FAVORITE FACTOIDS AS A CHEMIST, I GO THROUGH THE ACTUAL CALCULATION OF HOW MANY POUNDS OF CARBON DIOXIDE YOU PRODUCE WHEN YOU BURN THROUGH A TANK OF GASOLINE , AND SO WHEN YOU GO THROUGH THE CALCULATION, BASICALLY THE CONCLUSION IS THAT ANY CAR, EVEN A LITTLE CAR IS EMITTING FOR EVERY MILE YOU DRIVE, AT LEAST A POUND OF OF CO2.

AND BY THE END OF BURNING YOUR WAY THROUGH A GAS TANK OF A SMALL CAR, YOU'VE EMITTED 300 POUNDS.

THAT'S TWO PASSENGERS WORTH OF WEIGHT.

PEOPLE GO, OH, BECAUSE DON'T PEOPLE DON'T BELIEVE IN GAS, GASES, AND SO I'M JUST SAYING, THESE ARE LITTLE FACTOIDS THAT KIND OF CONFRONT YOU WITH, YOU KNOW, MY TOWN.

WELL, I'M JUST TELLING YOU.

SO IF YOU JUST LOOK AT THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM.

SO WHAT ARE WE, I DON'T KNOW, TEN, SOMETHING LIKE THAT OR 11, WHATEVER.

ESSENTIALLY, ALL OF US HAVE COME HERE IN A CAR AND, YOU KNOW, LET'S SAY THE AVERAGE TRIP WAS, I DON'T KNOW, FIVE MILES OR TEN MILES ROUND TRIP.

[01:40:09]

SO THAT'S 100 CAR MILES, AND IT'S I PROMISE YOU, IT'S SIGNIFICANTLY MORE THAN A POUND PER MILE.

THAT'S JUST FOR THIS LITTLE GATHERING.

THAT'S, YOU KNOW, MORE THAN 100 POUNDS OF CO2 DUMPED INTO THE ATMOSPHERE.

THAT'S JUST A SINGLE FACTOID EXAMPLE, BUT MY POINT IS, THOSE KINDS OF PITHY SEEING, IT'S LIKE YOUR INTERACTION WITH JERRY RICHARDS.

THAT RECOGNIZING AN OPPORTUNITY AND RECOGNIZING A FACT REALLY HELPS PEOPLE TO FOCUS.

NOW, YOU KNOW, ALMOST NOBODY IS PREPARED TO SAY, OH, WELL, I'M JUST GOING TO USE MY CAR ANYMORE, BUT THERE'S BUSSES IN THIS TOWN.

WHAT DID WE JUST HEAR? OUR CHAIR RIDES THE BUS AND OKAY, THE BUS EMITS CO2 TOO, BUT IT'S CARRYING A LOT OF PEOPLE.

SO THOSE KINDS OF LITTLE THINGS, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS TOWNSHIP DON'T EVEN KNOW THE BUS GOES THROUGH THE TOWNSHIP.

YOU KNOW THE BUS, THAT'S WHAT THE POOR PEOPLE DO KIND OF THING.

IT'S A VERY IT'S A VERY NARROW MINDED ATTITUDE.

SO I'M JUST SAYING IT'S HELPFUL TO HAVE AN ELEVATOR SPEECH INSTEAD OF ALL THE BALONEY I JUST SAID.

WELL, I WOULD JUST TACK ON THERE THAT THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION IS GRAPPLING WITH THE TRANSPORTATION SECTION OF THE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN.

SO SOME OF THOSE ISSUES OF HOW MIGHT WE MOVE THE NEEDLE ON TRANSIT RIDERSHIP ARE ON THEIR AGENDA.

DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS TO BE OFFERED AT THIS POINT? ALL RIGHT, MOVING RIGHT ALONG.

I SEE UNDER OLD BUSINESS WE HAVE APPROVING A STUDENT ALTERNATE POSITION, AND REMIND ME, DO WE HAVE ANY SORT OF A FORMAL PROCESS FOR THIS OR IS THIS MORE OF A WHAT ARE WE? STUDENTS DON'T HAVE TO BE SWORN IN, BUT IT'S MORE OF A EMBRACING THERE.

THE STUDENT PARTICIPATION ON THE COMMISSION, AND RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A NEED FOR AN ALTERNATE BECAUSE ONE OF OUR STUDENT COMMISSIONERS IS NOT HERE. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE AMELIA'S INTEREST, AND IT'S A ONE YEAR APPOINTMENT EXPIRES AT THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANTED TO SAY ANYTHING, AMELIA, ABOUT YOU STILL WANT TO HANG OUT WITH US AFTER WE SCARE YOU AWAY? YEAH. THANK YOU FOR THIS GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE FOR THIS COMMISSION.

I'M REALLY EXCITED TO WORK WITH YOU GUYS FOR THE NEXT COMING YEAR.

WOW. YAY! GREAT.

WE NEED A MOTION. DO WE CAN MOVE THAT? AMELIA SHOULD JOIN THE COMMISSION AS CLOSE AWAY AS SHE CAN.

I'LL SECOND. SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND TWO SECONDS.

WOULD ANYBODY LIKE TO ADD ANY DISCUSSION TO THIS MOTION? ALL IN FAVOR. SAY AYE.

WELCOME. THANK YOU.

WE'RE MOVING NOW TO REPORTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS, AND I HAVE GOT A COUPLE OF COMMUNICATIONS FROM PRESENT AND FORMER MEMBERS

[7. REPORTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS]

THE WETLAND EDUCATION FLIER, WHICH WAS INTENDED TO BE RECEIVED BEFORE PEOPLE START PLANNING WORK IN THEIR YARDS, AND WE WERE HOPING THAT WOULD GO OUT WITH A TAX ASSESSMENT.

IT SEEMS AS IF THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.

I REMEMBER SOME DISCUSSION OF THAT, BUT I'M NOT CLEAR ON THE DETAILS.

I DON'T KNOW. STAFF IF LAURA, YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON WHETHER THAT DID OR DIDN'T OR WHY NOT? THE CRYPTIC COMMUNICATION THAT HAS BEEN IN PRIOR TAX ANNOUNCEMENTS WAS REMOVED.

SO THAT IS AN IMPROVEMENT BECAUSE IT CREATED MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS, BUT WE'RE STILL LOOKING INTO WAYS THAT WE CAN PARTNER WITH OTHER UTILITY MAILINGS, FUTURE TAX MAILINGS AND SAVE POSTAGE COST.

AND THEN OF COURSE, THE MAILING THAT WE DID LAST YEAR, WE'RE HOPING TO REPEAT AGAIN FOR HOUSEHOLDS THAT LIVE ADJACENT TO WETLANDS, AND THAT'S GOING FULL STEAM. WE'RE UPDATING THE MAILING LIST FOR THAT.

WE'VE GOT SOME SUPPORT FROM OUR GIS PERSON ON THAT.

RYAN SCHAEFER, ANOTHER TOWNSHIP STAFF MEMBER, HELPING US OUT.

THERE YOU GO. YOU FORGET THEM IF YOU DON'T.

DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE RELATED TO THAT ONE? NO. OKAY, I THOUGHT I SAW I WAS SAYING THAT YOU HAD VAL'S UPDATE AS WELL.

YES. I WAS GOING TO PULL IT UP ON MY PHONE, BUT YOU HAVE IT.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO YOU'RE MORE FAMILIAR WITH THESE ITEMS? I JUST KIND OF CIRCLED THE ONES SHE SAID IN HER COVER THAT SOME OF IT WAS REHASH, AND I JUST CIRCLED THE ONES THAT LOOKED TO ME LIKE THEY WERE NEW AND EXCITING, BUT YOU PLEASE

[01:45:03]

YEAH, I WASN'T AT THE LAST MEETING WAS KAREN O'BRIEN FROM THE MICHIGAN RECYCLING COALITION AT THE AT I THINK WAS AT THE LAST FRIDAY MEETING THIS FRIDAY.

THIS COMING FRIDAY. OKAY SO THIS COMING FRIDAY THE GROUP HAS A MEETING AT NOON ON ZOOM SO ANYONE CAN REACH OUT TO ME IF THEY'RE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING, ALTHOUGH I HAVE I HAVE WORKED.

SO AM OFTEN NOT THERE, BUT VAL LAFFERTY, WHO WAS ON THE COMMISSION, LEADS THOSE UP.

LAST MONTH, TOM MARTIN, THE ASSISTANT MANAGER OF THE HUNTER PARK GARDEN HOUSE.

THAT'S FROM THE ALLEN NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER, GAVE AN OVERVIEW OF LOCAL PRODUCE FARMERS AND HOW ALLEN STREET SUPPORTS DELIVERY OF FRESH PRODUCE IN MANY WAYS , AND DISCUSSION INCLUDED THE GREATER LANSING LAND BANK AND FOOD BANK AND RULES TO ENCOURAGE COMMUNITY GARDENS AND URBAN FARMS. THE SECOND SPEAKER IN FEBRUARY.

SO THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, THE LAST MEETING WAS AARON PRICE FROM THE NATIONAL NONPROFIT FOOD RECOVERY NETWORK.

SO THAT IS FIGHTING AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE AND HUNGER.

I BELIEVE THAT'S MOSTLY WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER.

MORE GLEANING EFFORTS, AND SO THEY TALKED ABOUT PREPARED FOODS TO PREVENT WASTE, AND THEN LET'S SEE, OH, MARCH 20TH AT 1 P.M., THERE IS ANOTHER TOUR SCHEDULE THAT HAMMOND FARMS. IF I MIGHT, IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR, HAMMOND FARMS OPERATES UNDER A WINDROW COMPOSTING OPERATION AT THEIR DIAMOND DALE FACILITY. THAT IS THE DESTINATION FOR A HUGE PORTION OF OUR COMMUNITY'S GREEN WASTE, PARTICULARLY YARD WASTE AND OTHER MATERIALS THAT ARE COMPOSTABLE.

THEY CAN THEY DO ACCEPT ALSO MATERIALS FROM MICHIGAN STATE.

SO IT'S KIND OF OUR BIG REGIONAL COMPOSTING EFFORT, AND I'VE NEVER SEEN I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING DOWN THERE TO SEE HOW THEY DO IT.

SO IF ANYONE'S INTERESTED, LET ME KNOW AND I CAN MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE CONTACT.

IT'S ELAINE POTVIN THAT IS TAKING NAMES FOR WHO WILL BE ATTENDING, BUT I CAN MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE THEIR CONTACT IF YOU'D LIKE TO ATTEND THAT.

THERE'S ALSO WORK GOING ON BEHIND THE SCENES IN TERMS OF RESTARTING OR THE GLEANING AT THE FARMER'S MARKET THIS SPRING.

SO WE'LL LIKE LAST YEAR BE COLLECTING EDIBLE PRODUCE THAT IS UNSOLD FROM THE FARMERS MARKET AND THEN MAKING SURE THAT IT GETS TO A LOCAL FOOD BANK AND SOUP KITCHEN, I BELIEVE ARE THE TWO PLACES THAT WE HAD GOING LAST YEAR, AND THEN THERE HAS ALSO BEEN SOME EXPLORATION OF LOCAL COMMUNITY GARDENS WITH THE TOWNSHIP, THE GREATER LANSING LAND BANK AND THE FOOD BANK, AND THERE HAS BEEN TALK ABOUT IDENTIFYING COMMUNITY COMPOSTING.

SO SITES IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE THERE COULD BE COMPOST DROP OFF OR OTHER THINGS SINCE WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE PICKUP OF COMPOSTING. THERE IS A APPARENTLY A COMMUNITY COMPOSTING 101, AND IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING, YOU SHOULD LET US KNOW NO LATER THAN FRIDAY OF THIS WEEK TO POTENTIALLY QUALIFY FOR REDUCED TUITION.

UM, THERE DISCUSSION ABOUT STARTING A SMALL PILOT PROGRAM WITH PREPARED FOOD RESCUE FOR I'M NOT SURE WHAT THIS ONE MEANS, BUT AND LOCAL NONPROFITS MAY BE CONNECTING PREPARED FOOD TO SOME OF THE LOCAL NONPROFITS BUT SOME PILOT ABOUT PREPARED FOOD RESCUE.

SO THIS IS THE GOOD FOOD TO SMART COMPOSTING GROUP THAT MEETS ON FRIDAYS AT NOON.

I THINK IT'S EVERY OTHER FRIDAY CURRENTLY.

OR IS IT ONCE A MONTH? ONCE A MONTH? ONCE A MONTH? I PROBABLY SHOULD NOT BE THE ONE GIVING THAT UPDATE SINCE I HAVE ANOTHER MEETING AT NOON ON FRIDAYS THESE DAYS.

BUT TOM, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD TO THE MAYOR'S REPORT? NO, NOT REALLY.

SHE DID A GREAT JOB.

ALL RIGHT, ANYTHING ON GREEN TEAM? YEAH. GREEN TEAM HAS BEEN MEETING TO TALK ABOUT FUTURE EVENTS.

OUR NEXT MEETING IS NEXT THURSDAY.

WE GENERALLY MEET AT 4:00, USUALLY AT SCHULER BOOKS, BUT SOMETIMES IT VARIES.

SOMETIMES IT'S BY ZOOM, BUT I BELIEVE NEXT WEEK WE'LL BE AT SCHULER BOOKS.

THE TWO BIG EVENTS WE HAVE COMING UP IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

MARCH 18TH, WE START OUR SEASON FOR BEING AT THE FARMERS MARKET AND IT'LL BE INDOORS AT THE MALL IN

[01:50:02]

IT SERVES THROUGH CONSUMERS, ENERGY AND EGG CARTONS AND PEANUTS.

SO THAT'S ALWAYS A BIG EVENT AND WE ALWAYS NEED LOTS OF VOLUNTEERS FOR THAT, AND AGAIN, I KNOW EMMA AND OKEMOS HIGH SCHOOL PROVIDES A LOT OF VOLUNTEERS FOR THAT EVENT, SO I THINK THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT.

YEAH. SO IN TERMS OF THE FARMERS MARKET, THE GREEN TEAM IS TEAMING UP WITH OKEMOS EARTH CLUB.

WE HAVE A FEW MSU STUDENTS FROM THE LIKE A SUSTAINABILITY CLASS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COMING TO HELP US PROBABLY ABOUT I THINK FOR IT IS SO WE WERE LOOKING TO SELL OUR CLOTHES THAT WE HAVE UPCYCLED AND THEN WE'RE COLLECTING MORE DONATIONS SO NEW OR USED AS LONG AS THE CLOTHES ARE CLEAN, ADULT SIZES, T SHIRTS, SWEATSHIRTS, PANTS, ETC.

AND THEN I MEAN WE'LL ALSO HAVE LIKE SOME ACTIVITIES LIKE TAKE HOME ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS TO DO TO INCREASE THEIR PARTICIPATION IN EDUCATION OF THIS TOPIC , AND THEN WE ALSO MADE A WEBSITE, THE LINK IS ON THE GREEN GAZETTE OR THE IT'S ON INSTAGRAM.

OUR INSTAGRAM IS OKEMOS, UNDERSCORE EARTH CLUB, AND YOU CAN FIND THE LINK THERE, AND THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE HAVE ALL OF OUR UPDATES AND UPCOMING PROJECTS. I DO NEED TO UPDATE IT TODAY.

WE HAVE HAD TWO NEW THINGS COME UP.

WE ARE PARTNERING WITH OKEMOS CARES, WHICH IS BASICALLY A CLOSET AT OUR SCHOOL THAT COLLECTS CLOTHES AND GIVES THE CLOTHES TO PEOPLE IN NEED AT OUR HIGH SCHOOL.

SO THEY WANT US TO UPCYCLE SOME OF THE CLOTHES IN THERE, MAKE THEM MORE WHAT CURRENT HIGH SCHOOLERS WOULD WEAR, WHAT THEY WOULD WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE, AND THEN WE ALSO STARTED SELLING OUR CLOTHES IN THE SCHOOL STORE STARTING TODAY.

TODAY WAS OUR FIRST DAY AND WE ALREADY SOLD FOUR ITEMS. SO YEAH, THAT'S GREAT.

I THINK THAT'S ALL BECAUSE THE REST YOU CAN FIND ON OUR WEBSITE, WHICH I ENCOURAGE YOU GUYS TO GO CHECK OUT, IT'S PRETTY COOL.

ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, JOHN.

ANYTHING ON THE ENERGY TEAM? YEAH, A COUPLE OF THINGS.

THE YOU KNOW, WE DID GET SOME COMMENTS FROM THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, WHICH WAS GOOD TO SEE AND ON THE TWO ENERGY SECTIONS, AND SO IN THE ENERGY TEAM MET, WE REVIEWED THOSE COMMENTS AND INCORPORATED THEM INTO THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND RENEWABLE ENERGY SECTIONS.

WE'VE UPDATED THE RENEWABLE ENERGY SECTION TO BRING IN THE DATA UP TO THE END OF 2022.

SO NOW ON THE GOOGLE DRIVE, WE DO HAVE A FINAL DRAFT OF THE RENEWABLE ENERGY SECTION, LEROY AND I STILL HAVE SOME WORK TO DO ON UPDATING SOME OF THE DATA IN THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY SECTION.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALMOST THERE, AND I'D SAY THE SOLARIZE PROGRAM IS, IS YOU KNOW, I THINK AS I'VE MENTIONED BEFORE, THERE ARE FOUR MEETINGS PLANNED. THE FIRST ONE IS GOING TO BE, I BELIEVE, MARCH 23RD, AND THAT'S GOING TO BE AT WILLIAMSTON TOWNSHIP HALL BECAUSE WE HAVE FOUR MEETINGS PLANNED. ONE IS GOING TO BE CO-SPONSORED WITH WILLIAMSTON TOWNSHIP, ONE WITH THE CITY OF LANSING AND OUR NEXT ENERGY TEAM MEETING, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AMONG OUR REGULAR DISCUSSIONS, WE'RE GOING TO TALK A LITTLE ABOUT EV CHARGING FOR THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF ACTIVITY ALREADY GOING ON, AS I THINK YOU'VE HEARD FOR THE TOWNSHIP FLEET.

CONSUMERS ENERGY IS DOING QUITE A BIT OF WORK WITH OTHER COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES, BUT I THINK THE ENERGY TEAM WILL WANT TO KIND OF STRATEGIZE A LITTLE ON HOW WE COULD BE HELPFUL AND ENCOURAGING.

EV CHARGING THAT MAYBE APARTMENT BUILDINGS OR MAYBE IN SHOPPING AREAS.

I THINK WE NEED TO KIND OF THINK THROUGH WHAT'S A GOOD STRATEGY AND THAT'S IT.

GREAT. THANK YOU.

ANY. WHAT? BROWNFIELD. BECAUSE THE TRUTH IS THAT I WAS STRICKEN BY A STOMACH BUG ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT OF

[01:55:02]

I BELIEVE I HEARD, YOU KNOW, OF ANYBODY WHO WENT.

I HAVE NO INFORMATION. I BELIEVE I HEARD THE TREASURER MENTIONED AT THE LAST MEETING THAT THERE WAS SOME ACTION ON THE ONE OF THE APPLICATIONS IN HASLETT, BUT WHETHER IT WAS THE MARATHON OR ANOTHER ONE, I CAN'T REMEMBER.

IF YOU'RE NOT AWARE THE TOWNSHIP IN THE LAST FEW YEARS EXPANDED ITS.

ROLE IN TOWNSHIP BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT FROM AUTHORITY THAT THE STATE HAS TO LOCAL TAX INCREMENT AND SOME MAJOR.

BROWNFIELD HAVE BEEN REMEDIATED IN THE TOWNSHIP UNDER THAT BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.

IF THERE'S NO OTHER LIAISON REPORTS, I'LL JUST REITERATE THAT THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION IS LOOKING AT THE TRANSPORTATION SECTION OF THE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN, AS WELL AS FINALIZING ITS COMMENTS ON THE TOWNSHIP'S MASTER PLAN.

SO IF YOU'RE NOT AGAIN AWARE THE TOWNSHIP OPERATES UNDER A LAND USE MASTER PLAN THAT OPERATES EVERY FIVE YEARS AND IS UNDERGOING A PERIODIC REVISION AT THE MOMENT. OTHER THAN THAT, THE PLANNING COMMISSION I MENTIONED THE LAST PUBLIC HEARING FOR POTENTIAL RECONVERSION OF THE OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE OVER HERE TO A CAR WASH FACILITY.

AND OTHER THAN THAT, THE TOWNSHIP, THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAS SPENT A LOT OF TIME OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS PREPARING COMMENTS FOR THE TOWNSHIP BOARD ON MEDICAL I'M SORRY, THE RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA ADOPTION, AND IF ANYBODY IS INTERESTED IN THE VERY NITTY GRITTY OF THE DISCUSSION OF WHERE IT MIGHT OR MIGHT NOT BE SITED, UNDER WHAT CONDITIONS, PLEASE DON'T ASK ME BECAUSE I'VE ONLY GOT ONE OPINION, BUT I WAS JUST GOING TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY BEFORE WE FINISH HERE TO MENTION THAT I WAS SAYING BEFORE WE GOT STARTED THIS EVENING THAT THE TOWNSHIP BOARD HELD A WORK SESSION IN THIS ROOM LAST NIGHT AROUND LIKE WE WOULD DO AROUND TABLES AND A LITTLE BIT OF FOOD AND THINGS, AND I WAS VERY IMPRESSED THAT AN ISSUE THAT PROBABLY COULD NOT I CAN THINK OF A COUPLE OF ISSUES THAT MIGHT BE SLIGHTLY MORE DIVISIVE THAN MARIJUANA IN A COMMUNITY, BUT AND IT'S MY OBSERVATION THAT OPINIONS, VIEWS, PERCEPTIONS, DESIRES ON THE PART OF THE TOWNSHIP BOARD MEMBERS ARE QUITE VARIED.

I THINK THAT'S FAIR TO SAY, BUT GIVEN THAT THE FACT THAT THE BOARD WAS ABLE TO SIT IN THIS ROOM FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS AND HAVE A VERY RESPECTFUL AND COURTEOUS AND AT TIMES VERY CONVIVIAL DISCUSSION OF WHAT IS A VERY DIFFICULT TOPIC, I THINK SPEAKS TO THE LEADERSHIP THAT WE HAVE HERE IN THE TOWNSHIP AND TO THE TOWNSHIP.

I THINK IT REFLECTS WELL ON US AS A TOWNSHIP TO BE ABLE TO GRAPPLE WITH THAT KIND OF A TOUGH ISSUE AND IN A CIVIL WAY.

YEAH, I JUST HAVE A VERY BRIEF UPDATE.

YOU CAN READ A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT IN THE PACKET.

THERE'S LOTS OF STUFF GOING ON TONIGHT.

A HISTORIC NIGHT.

THE CLERK, SUPERVISOR, THE MANAGER, A PARENT ARE ALL IN THE AUDIENCE.

A MEMORABLE EVENING AND PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT I DID WANT TO MENTION THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL GREEN GRANTS ARE NOW AVAILABLE.

WE'RE ASKING FOR LETTERS OF INTENT PROPOSALS IN THE MIDDLE OF MARCH.

SO IT'S A FAIRLY SHORT TIMELINE, BUT WE'LL BE ACCEPTING THOSE THROUGH AS LONG AS THERE'S FUNDS AVAILABLE.

SO I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO CHECK THE TOWNSHIP WEBSITE FOR THE GREEN GRANT OPPORTUNITIES, AND THAT'S NOT A BIG FORMAL APPLICATION THAT CAN START WITH A PHONE CALL AND CAN GO FROM THERE AND DEVELOP WITH A RELATIVELY LOW COST.

YES, WE ALREADY HAVE ONE PROPOSAL IN AND ONE INTEREST LETTER OF INTEREST FROM CORNELL WOODS FOR DOING SOME TREE PLANTING. SO IT'S PRETTY EXCITING YEAR.

THANK YOU AND THANKS FOR THE USUAL DETAIL IN THE STAFF UPDATE THAT'S LINKED TO THE ON THE AGENDA THERE.

THAT'S REALLY HELPFUL TO BE ABLE TO REALIZE IT.

LAST CHANCE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.

GOING ONCE. GOING TWICE.

I LEARNED TWO NIGHTS AGO THAT THE CHAIR CAN JUST ADJOURN A MEETING.

[02:00:04]

ALWAYS LEARNING NEW THINGS.

[INAUDIBLE].

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.