[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]
[00:03:02]
I'M TOLD WE CAN START AT 7:00 AND IT'S NOW 7:00.
AT THIS TIME, WE WOULD ACCEPT ANY PUBLIC REMARKS.
I SEE NO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
SO WE'LL MOVE TO APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.
[3. CHANGES TO/APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING THEY WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE, ADD, OR REMOVE FROM THE AGENDA? YES. I'D LIKE TO ADD THE WATER PIECE TO THE OLD BUSINESS UNDER OTHER FOR AT LEAST A BRIEF DISCUSSION, BUT WE'LL SEE HOW MUCH PEOPLE ARE READY TO DO THAT.I'VE MADE A NOTE TO BRING IT UP.
I'VE GOT SOME COMMENTS ON THE HARD COPY THAT I'M HAPPY TO PASS ALONG.
WITHOUT OBJECTION THAT APPROVED AMENDED AGENDA IS APPROVED APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
[4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
ANYONE HAVE ANY COMMENTS, SUGGESTIONS, CHANGES, DELETIONS ON THE MINUTES? THERE'S ONE INACCURACY WHICH I'M EMBARRASSED TO ADMIT, BUT I WAS ACTUALLY NOT THERE.OKAY, SO WE'RE AMENDING THAT TO IN PARENTHESES, IN SPIRIT? YES. OKAY, [INAUDIBLE] SOMETHING ELSE? YEAH, A COUPLE OF SMALL ITEMS HERE.
IN THE FIRST MAIN PARAGRAPH, WE SAY TOWARDS THE BOTTOM, DISCUSS CHANGES THAT MIGHT ALLOW NON CEMENT CASKETS.
I THINK WE MIGHT MEAN NON CEMENT VAULTS THERE.
THAT'S [INAUDIBLE], AND THEN THE SECOND PARAGRAPH UNDER NEW BUSINESS, ABOUT MIDWAY DOWN IT SAYS MCCONNELL SUGGESTED THAT WE MIGHT HAVE A FORMAL DISCUSSION AT A FUTURE MEETING OR CONSIDER A
[00:05:05]
WORKING GROUP TO DISCUSS MAYBE.WELL, THAT'S JUST THE IMPERATIVE TENSE, BUT YEAH.
NO, I GET YOU, AND THEN TWO MORE.
THE UNDER THE UPDATE SECTION WHERE IT STARTS OUT WITH COLBY.
THERE'S A MISSING END OF THE SENTENCE HERE LINDSAY WALKER WILL PRESENT ON ZOOM ABOUT AND I THINK THAT WAS ABOUT THE EMMET COUNTY COMPOSTING PROGRAM, IF MEMORY SERVES, AND THEN THAT SHOULD BE A PERIOD INSTEAD OF A COMMA, AND THEN FINALLY, UNDER ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AWARD INCLUDE AT THE VERY END THERE, INCLUDING THE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN PROBABLY.
THANK YOU FOR THOSE CORRECTIONS.
YEAH, I HAVE A CORRECTION TO MY LAST NAME.
THE FIRST LINE UNDERNEATH UPDATE SHOULD BE ANDRECHEK.
PUTTING STAFF THROUGH THE WRINGER.
ANYTHING ELSE? WITHOUT OBJECTION, THOSE REVISED MINUTES ARE APPROVED.
THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS NEW BUSINESS, AND I'M NOT SEEING ANY OR HEARING ANY.
[Climate Sustainability Plan]
SECTION OF THE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN.I'VE READ THROUGH IT AND MADE A BUNCH OF COMMENTS, BUT WOULD YOU LIKE TO INTRODUCE IT? SURE, SO THIS IS THE HEALTHY FOOD SYSTEMS PART OF THE PLAN.
SO THIS IS OBVIOUSLY, AS YOU ALL KNOW, A NEW ADDITION TO THE PLAN.
I MEAN, NOT ALL OF THE ELEMENTS ARE A NEW ADDITIONS, BUT HEALTHY FOOD SYSTEMS AS A SECTION OF THE PLAN IS A NEW ADDITION, AND AT LEAST THE FIRST TWO OBJECTIVES ARE, I'D SAY, NEWER ADDITIONS OR AT LEAST NEW ADDITIONS TO THE PLAN.
SO THE REDUCING FOOD WASTE AND FOOD INSECURITY IS THE FIRST OBJECTIVE, AND THEN THERE'S A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT STRATEGIES UNDER THAT OBJECTIVE, MAINLY AROUND EXPANDING FOOD RESCUE OR GLEANING EFFORTS IN THE TOWNSHIP, AND THEN OBJECTIVE TWO IS INCREASING THE PRODUCTION AND SOURCING OF LOCAL AND SUSTAINABLY GROWN FOOD OR FOOD PRODUCTS BY TOWNSHIP AND RESIDENTS, AND ONCE AGAIN, A NUMBER OF STRATEGIES THERE.
AS YOU KNOW, I GUESS ALL OF THESE, YOU KNOW, THERE THERE ISN'T MUCH NECESSARILY TO DO TO REQUIRE THAT, BUT HOW DO WE ENCOURAGE THAT AND PROMOTE THAT WITHIN THE TOWNSHIP? AND THEN OBJECTIVE NUMBER THREE, DECREASE ORGANIC WASTE BY INCREASING COMPOSTING AND OTHER ORGANIC WASTE DIVERSION PRACTICES.
SO THESE YOU KNOW, THIS IS LARGELY FOCUSED AS THE OBJECTIVE STATES ON ON COMPOSTING, BUT ALSO LOOKING AT WHAT ARE OTHER ORGANIC WASTE DIVERSION PRACTICES THERE.
ONCE AGAIN, A NUMBER OF STRATEGIES.
I WON'T READ THROUGH ALL OF THIS.
I WILL SAY THAT ONE THING I REALIZE IS NOW MISSING IS THAT A LOT OF WORK HAS HAPPENED SINCE WE STARTED ON THIS PLAN, AND NONE OF THAT IS SUMMARIZED IN THIS DOCUMENT AS WE STARTED THE DOCUMENT AT THE TIME BEFORE THE WORK WAS GOING ON.
SO THAT IS, YOU KNOW, A PARAGRAPH OR TWO THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDED IN TERMS OF THE CURRENT EFFORTS GOING ON, AND THEN I'D LOVE TO OPEN IT UP FOR SUGGESTIONS.
ANYTHING FROM KIND OF MAJOR SUGGESTIONS ARE THESE THE RIGHT OBJECTIVES OR ARE THESE THE RIGHT STRATEGIES TO ANY TO REALLY ANYTHING, ANYTHING YOU HAVE? GREAT. THANKS.
I THINK IT PROBABLY MAKES THE MOST SENSE, AT LEAST TO ME, BECAUSE THIS IS HOW I THINK TO START WITH.
DO WE HAVE THE RIGHT SET OF OBJECTIVES HERE? IS THERE SOMETHING BIG MISSING? AND THEN WE CAN DRILL DOWN INTO THOSE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES ONE AT A TIME? I THINK THAT SOUNDS GREAT.
[00:10:01]
YES, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT SUMMARY, AND THEN IT'S IMPORTANT ALSO TO REMEMBER IN THE FOOD HIERARCHY IS IN THERE THAT IF YOU THAT KIND OF THE ORDER OF OPERATIONS IS THAT FOOD GOES TO OTHER HUMANS, I MEAN, THAT IS THE MOST SUSTAINABLE AND MAYBE ETHICAL OPTION AND THEN IT GOES TO ANIMALS AND THEN TO COMPOSTING, AND THEN IF IT CAN'T BE COMPOSTED TO OTHER FORMS OF WASTE AND WORST THING, WORST LANDFILL INCINERATION.YES. [INAUDIBLE] SO IS THERE A MAJOR PIECE OF THE FOOD HEALTHY FOOD SYSTEMS THAT WERE NOT SOMEHOW CAPTURED OR COULD NOT BE CAPTURED UNDER THESE THREE OBJECTIVES? YEAH, I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS LIKE A LARGE PIECE BECAUSE I THINK IT COULD BE TIED IN MAYBE TO OBJECTIVE ONE AS WELL AS OBJECTIVE TWO, BUT IT WOULD BE FOCUSING ON PROVIDING FOLKS WITH LOWER INCOMES ACCESS TO SOURCES THAT ALREADY EXIST.
LIKE WE MENTIONED, THE MERIDIAN FARMER'S MARKET QUITE A BIT THROUGHOUT IS A DISTRIBUTION SITE, BUT THEN WE DON'T MENTION SOME OF THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOWER INCOME RESIDENTS TO ACCESS THOSE SERVICES.
INCENTIVIZE VENDORS THEMSELVES TO CREATE CERTAIN TYPES OF PROGRAMS THAT WOULD OFFER RESIDENTS THAT AREN'T LOOKING TO SPEND ON LIKE ORGANIC, LIKE HIGH QUALITY, MORE EXPENSIVE PRODUCTS.
SO THAT WOULD BE [INAUDIBLE] CAN YOU TELL ME, I GUESS CAN YOU TELL ME MORE ON YOUR THOUGHTS? I MEAN, SO WE I THINK I HAVE A TENDENCY TO WANT TO ADDRESS FOOD INSECURITY WITH THIS PLAN AND REALIZING THAT IT IS A CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN.
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IN HERE IS CLEARLY TIED TO CLIMATE.
I SEE A TIE TO CLIMATE THERE IN TERMS OF, WELL, IF WE WANT MORE PEOPLE TO BE BUYING LOCAL, LOCAL TENDS TO BE MORE EXPENSIVE, YOU KNOW, I GUESS IS THAT KIND OF THE CONNECTION YOU'RE SEEING OR ARE THERE OTHER CONNECTIONS? THAT'S THE CONNECTION THAT I SEE, BECAUSE AT LEAST FOR ME, LIKE BEING SOMEONE THAT LIVES IN AN APARTMENT, LIKE I DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO A LOT OF THE LIKE, FOR INSTANCE, LIKE HOME RENOVATION AND ENERGY ELECTRIFICATION, WEATHERIZATION, LIKE ALL THOSE SORTS OF INITIATIVES THAT EXIST OUT THERE, LIKE ARE NOT ACCESSIBLE TO ME, EVEN IF I WANTED TO PURSUE THEM. SO THERE'S ALMOST LIKE TWO CLASSES IN TERMS OF CLIMATE ACTION.
IF I COULD JUST WANTED TO REMIND THAT WE HAVE IN THE PAST HAD A DISCUSSION OF SOME SORT OF DEI KIND OF FOUNDATION FOR THE PLAN BECAUSE THOSE ISSUES, WE BELIEVE ARE GOING TO ARISE IN EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS AND IF SOMEONE IS INTERESTED IN TAKING THE LEAD ON CRAFTING THAT SORT OF A STATEMENT THAT COULD SIT AT THE TOP OF THE PLAN, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
YEAH. ONE THING THAT I'VE NOTICED IN OTHER CLIMATE ACTION PLANS OR SUSTAINABILITY PLANS, LIKE FOR INSTANCE IN ANN ARBOR, THEY'LL MENTION BOTH THE GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORY IMPACT, BUT THEN THEY'LL ALSO MENTION THE EQUITY IMPACT FOR EVERY SINGLE OBJECTIVE AND THEN QUITE OFTEN EVERY SINGLE STRATEGY THAT THEY PROPOSE.
SO EVEN IF IT WAS JUST LIKE A SENTENCE OR TWO, LIKE I COULD START BRAINSTORMING THAT, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WOULD BE USEFUL, BUT I COULD GO INTO THE DOCUMENT AND MAYBE START ADDING SOME OF THAT LANGUAGE.
I SAW A HAND HERE AND THEN HERE.
[INAUDIBLE] PERHAPS [INAUDIBLE] OBJECTIVE TO ANOTHER THING WE COULD ADD IS INCREASING ACCESS TO COMMUNITY GARDENS, BECAUSE I KNOW IT MENTIONS SPECIFICALLY SCHOOL GARDEN PROGRAMS, BUT ESPECIALLY IN TERMS OF LOWER INCOME RESIDENTS, THAT WOULD BE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO INCREASE THE AVAILABILITY OF LOCALLY GROWN PRODUCE WITHOUT PARTICULARLY MAYBE DECLINING THE QUALITY OF IT.
SORRY I LOST MY VOICE, BUT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE BEGINNING OF--THANK YOU--YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE BEGINNING, YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'VE ALREADY DONE, BUT MAYBE DEFINING WHAT [INAUDIBLE] IS BECAUSE DOES THE AVERAGE PERSON KNOW WHAT THAT IS? THAT'S A GOOD POINT. YOU KNOW, AND JUST HOW BILL KIND OF MENTIONED IT, LIKE THE THREE WHEN YOU MENTIONED GOING TO PEOPLE FIRST AND SECOND THEN.
SO PERHAPS JUST A COUPLE SENTENCES UP THERE.
THAT WOULD BE GREAT. THANK YOU.
MORE SPECIFICALLY IN THE FOOD RECOVERY HIERARCHY.
[00:15:03]
I FEEL AS THOUGH I DON'T YOU KNOW, WE GET DOWN TO THE GREEN STRIPE, WHICH IS ABOUT FEEDING ANIMALS, AND I DON'T SEE REALLY ANY ANY ASPECT OF ANY OF THE INITIATIVES THAT TIE IN WITH THAT, AND, YOU KNOW, PART OF IT IS THAT OLD PEOPLE LIKE ME REMEMBER WHEN WE ACTUALLY HAD SEPARATE GARBAGE AND TRASH AND THE GARBAGE WAS AUTOMATICALLY GOING TO GO TO PIGS AND THEREFORE BE USED AND ULTIMATELY BECOME FOOD, FOOD IN A DIFFERENT CATEGORY, BUT FOOD STILL, AND WE DON'T DO THAT REALLY NOW, BUT BUT IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THAT'S IN SOME WAYS A LOT EASIER THAN DROPPING IT DOWN TO COMPOSTING, WHICH IS TWO LAYERS BELOW.IN TERMS OF THE DESIRABILITY HIERARCHY, I HAVE RESERVATIONS ABOUT COMPOSTING BECAUSE COMPOSTING THAT'S REALLY, YOU KNOW, DONE RIGHT ULTIMATELY RELEASES THE FOOD CARBON AS CO2, BUT IT'S VERY EASY TO DO IT WRONG AND END UP RELEASING A LOT OF METHANE, AND METHANE FROM A GREENHOUSE GAS POINT OF VIEW IS A LOT, LOT WORSE THAN THAN CO2, AND SO AS A CHEMIST, YOU KNOW, I ACTUALLY LIKE EITHER FEEDING IT TO THE PIGS WHO RELEASE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF METHANE THEMSELVES, I ADMIT.
BUT ALSO BUT OTHER THAN THAT, ANAEROBIC DIGESTION, PERHAPS OVER COMPOSTING, WHICH STILL LEAVES BEHIND THE NUTRIENTS THAT CAN BE USED FOR COMPOST AND FOR FERTILIZER, BUT ACTUALLY EXTRACTS THE ENERGY CONTENT OF THE FOOD.
SO I'M JUST RELATING TO THE FOOD RECOVERY HIERARCHY AND I FEEL AS THOUGH THERE ARE SOME STRIPES THAT ARE SORT OF LEAPFROGGED THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP, AND I YOU KNOW, I'M AWARE OF THAT AS A WHOLE, AND I THINK I GUESS I'D LOVE TO UNDERSTAND ALSO, YOU'RE ALL THINKING AS YOU'RE GOING THROUGH YOUR SECTIONS OF THE PLAN.
IN PART IT FELT LIKE I MEAN, PARTICULARLY WITH THE ANIMAL ONE WE DIDN'T HAVE, WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE ANY MOMENTUMS OR LEADS AROUND THAT, AND SO THAT'S WHY IT WAS NOT PUT ON THE PLAN.
AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL VOLUNTEERS AND WE, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE, WELL, HOW MUCH CAN WE PUT IN THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS? RIGHT. HOWEVER, I THINK THERE WERE MANY STRATEGIES WE KIND OF PUT IN THAT WERE LIKE, CONSIDER OR HERE ARE POTENTIAL STRATEGIES TO KIND OF, YOU KNOW, TO ACKNOWLEDGE THESE WERE OPPORTUNITIES AND TO LEAVE IT OPEN TO FUTURE DIRECTION.
I GUESS I'D LOVE TO HEAR OTHER FOLKS THOUGHTS AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S NOW OR AFTER IN TERMS OF LIKE I GUESS HOW MUCH TO NARROW IN ON WHAT WE ACTUALLY THINK WE CAN WE'RE GOING TO DO AND HAVE THE CAPACITY TO DO VERSUS BROADER INITIATIVES THAT KIND OF COMMUNICATE MAYBE A LARGER PLAN, EVEN IF IT IS NOT GOING TO ALL BE ADDRESSED IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
I KIND OF JUST HAD LIKE A SUGGESTION GOING OFF WHAT NED SAID.
THE SECOND PART OF THE GOOD FOOD, SMART COMPOSTING, IF WE LIKE INCLUDE A QR THAT WOULD TAKE YOU TO LIKE A LINK OR EVEN ANOTHER LIKE FLYER ABOUT LIKE HOW TO PROPERLY COMPOST, LIKE HOW MANY GREENS TO HOW MANY BROWNS YOU NEED, AND I DON'T KNOW, JUST KIND OF GET PEOPLE INFORMED ABOUT THAT.
OKAY. YEAH, AND PERHAPS INCLUDE SOME IF IT'S GOING TO REMAIN IN INCLUDING SOME EFFORTS OF EDUCATION AS PART OF THE PLAN, I THINK COULD COULD BE A GOOD WAY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE POTENTIAL PITFALLS.
WELL, STRATEGY NUMBER SIX UNDER OBJECTIVE THREE CERTAINLY DOES HIGHLIGHT THAT.
YEAH, I COMPLETELY AGREE THAT EDUCATION IS GOING TO BE PART OF ALL OF [INAUDIBLE] EVERYTHING.
SO THOSE STATEMENTS THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, THE PARAGRAPH AT THE BEGINNING WOULD HIGHLIGHT WHAT WE'RE ALREADY DOING AS A TOWNSHIP TO PROMOTE COMPOSTING BY DISTRIBUTING BARRELS AT THE MARKET AND DOING IT.
SO THERE'S ALREADY A CERTAIN BASELINE OF EFFORT THAT'S GOING ON, AND THEN IF THERE'S A SPECIFIC ADDITIONAL EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH PIECE THAT YOU'D LIKE TO DO, THEN THAT BECOMES AN ACTION ITEM AND IF THERE'S RESOURCES REQUIRED TO DO IT, THEN THOSE RESOURCES TURN INTO A BUDGET REQUEST.
AS LONG AS THERE'S A COUPLE IN THERE THAT DO THIS ONE.
DOES ANYBODY RAISE PIGS AROUND HERE ANYMORE?
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WELL, YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED IN THE TOWNSHIP, BUT WE HAVE PLENTY OF PEOPLE REGISTERED TO RAISE CHICKENS, AND I'LL BET THEY'RE GETTING A LOT OF FOOD SCRAPS.RIGHT? RIGHT. SO THERE IS A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF INTERESTING IDEAS.
YEAH. I GET THE IMPRESSION THAT THERE IS A NON-NEGLIGIBLE NUMBER OF REGISTERED CHICKEN RABBIT KEEPERS AND IS SOMETHING THAT WE KNOW [INAUDIBLE] [CHUCKLING] FOR ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE RABBITS REGISTERED SCRAPS.
YEAH, WELL, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SURE I DIDN'T ACTUALLY CONNECT WITH VAL, SO MAYBE SOMEBODY KNOWS MORE ABOUT THIS THAN I DO, BUT SHE LEFT ME A MESSAGE SAYING THAT ONE OF THE ANIMAL SHELTERS HAD CONTACTED HER ABOUT ABOUT THE GLEANING EFFORTS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO GET FOOD.
SO, YOU KNOW, THERE MAY ACTUALLY BE AN OPPORTUNITY ON THE HORIZON.
I DOUBT IT'S PIGS, BUT THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.
I MEAN, I'M SURE JUST LIKE RECYCLING.
IT'S HARD TO GET SEPARATION PLASTIC OUT OF IT.
SO SOMETIME IN THE LAST 18 YEARS, AND THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT STEP TO AMEND YOUR ORDINANCE TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO GROW POULTRY AND RABBITS, AND I'M STARTING TO HEAR OF PEOPLE LOOKING TO LOOK FOR OTHER FOWL QUAILS AND TURKEYS AND OTHER THINGS AND SUCH, ESPECIALLY THE TURKEYS, BECAUSE THEY'RE CUTE AND THEY COME WHEN YOU CALL AND ABOUT MINIATURE GOATS, TOO. YEAH, THERE HAVE BEEN A COUPLE OF GOAT CASES IN THE TOWNSHIP.
SO THERE'S ANOTHER THING TO THINK ABOUT LOOKING DOWN THE ROAD AND A PIE IN THE SKY.
HOW MUCH DO WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO BE GROWING? WHAT KINDS OF FOOD ON THEIR PROPERTY AND WHAT RESTRICTIONS DO WE HAVE IN PLACE AND HOW MIGHT THOSE BE ADDRESSED? AND LIKE I SAY, IT'S NOT UNFEASIBLE TO CHANGE THE ORDINANCE HAPPENED RECENTLY.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN MENTION IS LIKE A POSSIBILITY, BUT THEN THAT ALLOWS RESIDENTS THE POSSIBILITY OF GENERATING SOME OF THEIR OWN FOOD FROM THEIR HOME, AND THAT COULD ALSO BE HELPFUL IF WE WERE TRYING TO SEE A SYNERGY BETWEEN SOME OF THE COMPOSTING EFFORTS AND THEN SOME OF THE URBAN FOOD EFFORTS, BECAUSE AT LEAST WHAT FERNDALE DOES, IS THAT THEY'LL HAVE LIKE THE FREE COMPOSTING PILE THAT RESIDENTS CAN GO AND THEN THEY CAN USE THAT COMPOST TO CREATE AND GROW THEIR OWN FOOD AT HOME.
SO IF WE WERE TO THINK ABOUT IT LIKE THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS, THOUGHTS, SUGGESTIONS? JUST KIND OF A QUESTION UNDER OBJECTIVE NUMBER ONE, THAT FIRST SENTENCE THERE ABOUT THE TOWNSHIP ADOPT THE EPA. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY SUGGESTING OR.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S BEEN DONE YET.
RIGHT. SO I MEAN, MAYBE ADOPTS IS TOO STRONG OF A WORD.
ESSENTIALLY, WE'RE SAYING WE'RE COMMITTING TO THIS GOAL AND THAT IS THE GOAL OF THE EPA.
WELL, WE HAVE CERTAINLY THE TOWNSHIP HAS SIGNED A MAYOR'S CLIMATE PLAN.
WHAT AM I THINKING OF HERE? THE US MAYOR'S CLIMATE ALLIANCE.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT COURTNEY HAS THE BOARD ENDORSED ANY NATIONAL CAUSES RECENTLY.
I REMEMBER THE CLIMATE ONES THAT THE BOARD HAD ENDORSED OR KIND OF SIGNED ON TO.
YEAH, WE JUST SIGNED ON TO NATIONAL FLAG DAY, SO ABSOLUTELY. YES. OKAY, AND WE CAN ENDORSE AND AT LEAST SUPPORT FOR SURE.
COOL. YEAH, I GUESS I'M JUST TRYING TO DISTINGUISH WHETHER THIS IS A GOAL FOR, YOU KNOW, THE
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ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION OR WE'RE SPECIFICALLY ASKING THE TOWNSHIP BOARD TO TAKE ACTION TO ADOPT THAT POLICY. I'M NOT SURE IT'S REAL CLEAR AT THIS POINT.I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE FOOD GROUP WAS TRYING TO YOU KNOW, WE WANTED TO COMMIT TO SOME FORM OF A METRIC AND HAVE SOME REASONING BEHIND THAT METRIC, AND SO THAT WAS HOW WE GOT TO THAT METRIC IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE IMPACT WE WANT TO HAVE.
AM I RIGHT IN INTERPRETING THIS, THAT WHAT I'VE HEARD STATISTICS ABOUT A THIRD OF THE FOOD OR 30% IS WASTED.
RIGHT. SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 15%, BUT HOW WOULD WE, IS THERE ANY WAS ANY THOUGHT GIVEN TO HOW WE WOULD MEASURE THAT OR FIGURE OUT IF WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS? YEAH. YEAH.
OKAY. YOU KNOW, I GUESS NOW I NEED TO LOOK OVER AND AND.
I MEAN THERE ARE SOME I THINK THAT WOULD BE A PROJECT IN AND OF ITSELF.
THERE ARE SOME EFFORTS FROM THE THAT I LOOKED INTO MAYBE LAST YEAR FROM THE NRDC HAS BEEN WORKING WITH VARIOUS CITIES AROUND FOOD WASTE, MEASURING A BASELINE OF FOOD WASTE WITHIN CITIES AND THEN HELPING TO REDUCE REDUCE FOOD WASTE, ALTHOUGH WE ARE TOO SMALL TO PARTICIPATE ON OUR OWN.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE A POTENTIAL FOR US TO WORK WITH SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORING TOWNSHIPS.
I'M JUST KIND OF CURIOUS IF YOU THINK IN TERMS OF FOOD WASTE.
I MEAN, THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT JUST FROM HOMES, PEOPLE [INAUDIBLE] MOSTLY HOMES, RESTAURANTS AND GROCERY STORES.
WHERE'S THE DO YOU KNOW WHERE THE BIGGEST FOOD WASTE IS? THINK IN TERMS OF QUANTITY, BECAUSE I'M KIND OF GUESSING GROCERY STORES AND RESTAURANTS ARE THE MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR TO FOOD WASTE COMPARED TO RESIDENTIAL.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS IT'S MOSTLY RESIDENTIAL.
OH, OKAY, AND THEN AND THEN COMMERCIAL AND THEN, LIKE FARM WASTE.
YEAH. SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S CERTAIN CROPS THAT END UP GETTING LEFT ON THE FIELD FOR INSTANCE, IF THERE'S NOT A MARKET OR IT'S GOING TO THE MARKET, THE PRICE FOR THE PRODUCT HAS GOTTEN SO LOW THAT IT'S GOING TO COST THEM MORE TO PICK IT THAN TO SELL IT.
SO THERE IS SOME WASTE IN THAT, BUT THAT TENDS TO BE LOW.
SO EFFORTS THAT WE WOULD HAVE WOULD BE PROBABLY MORE TARGETED AT HOMEOWNERS OR RESIDENTS THEN, YEAH, YOU KNOW, IT'D BE HARD TO IMPACT PROBABLY RESTAURANTS AND GROCERY STORES AND WELL YOU KNOW YOU KNOW, NOW THAT I SAY THAT, I WANT TO LOOK AT THE NUMBERS AGAIN BEFORE I [INAUDIBLE] I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS, AND MY SENSE IS THAT THE MAJOR COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS THAT YOU WOULD THINK WOULD BE THE BIGGEST GENERATORS ARE ACTUALLY FINDING INCREASINGLY MARKETS FOR THOSE WASTES.
OKAY. THEY'RE NOT REALLY TOSSING THEM IN A DUMPSTER AND SENDING THEM TO GRAINGER AND MSU FOR THE DIGESTER.
WELL, NO, I THINK, YOU KNOW, AT TIMES THEY HAVE.
YEAH, BUT NOW THERE ARE OPERATORS WHO HAVE OTHER IDEAS OF WHAT THEY CAN DO WITH THEM.
OKAY. SO I THINK HAMMOND FARMS IS IN COMPETITION WITH A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER FOLKS WHO ARE ACCEPTING ORGANIC WASTES AND THEIR PROGRAM IS GROWING RAPIDLY IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF PLACES THEY'RE SERVICING, INCLUDING THE TOWNSHIP [INAUDIBLE].
SO YEAH, THE POST CONSUMER RESIDENTIAL IS THAT PIECE THAT IS LEFT UNDONE BECAUSE IT'S THE HARDEST, BUT WE DO HAVE SOME OF THE CURBSIDE PROGRAMS IN HERE TO TALK ABOUT EXPLORING AND THAT. I THINK THAT'S THE WAY YOU GET THERE.
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YEAH, I MEAN, RESTAURANTS IS ANOTHER IS ANOTHER ONE WHERE I DON'T I THINK MOST RESTAURANTS ARE NOT DOING MUCH WITH THEIR FOOD, AND IN SOME MUNICIPALITIES THERE ARE MAJOR GLEANING EFFORTS WITH RESTAURANTS OR, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE NONPROFITS THAT ARE STARTED THAT SPECIFICALLY, YOU KNOW, WILL GO PICK UP LEFTOVER FOOD FROM RESTAURANTS AND DELIVER IT.SO I THINK THAT'S ANOTHER REAL OPPORTUNITY.
SO IT'S MORE ABOUT BUILDING ON THAT BUILDING BLOCKS TO RESTAURANTS OUT OF 100.
HOW DO YOU GET THERE? I MEAN, I SAW THE OTHER DAY AT MEIJER HERE IN OKEMOS A TRUCK PUMPING THEIR FATS, OILS AND GREASE OUT OF THE BUILDING.
IT'S NOT GOING IN THE DUMPSTER IN THE BACK ANYMORE TO BE [INAUDIBLE] WHERE WHERE WAS THAT? MEIJER IN OKEMOS. OKAY.
YEAH. SO I HAD A COUPLE OF OTHER SPECIFICS IF NOBODY ELSE WANTS TO JUMP IN.
THE SHUTTLE SERVICE TO THE FARMERS MARKET REALLY CAUGHT MY EYE.
I DON'T KNOW IF REDI-RIDE OR THE OTHER ON DEMAND SERVICES ARE CURRENTLY SERVING THE MARKET, BUT I DO KNOW THAT CATA OPERATES A SHOPPING SHUTTLE THAT GOES BETWEEN SOME BIG HOUSING COMPLEXES AND GROCERY STORES, AND THAT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT COULD BE EXPLORED.
WHAT SORT OF SHUTTLE SERVICES MIGHT BECOME AVAILABLE FOR THAT? I JUST SAW TODAY MICHIGAN FIRE HAS A SHUTTLE TAKE YOU TO EAST LANSING, [INAUDIBLE] SOMETHING ANYWAY, AND THE ONE RIGHT AFTER THAT, ENCOURAGE SUPPORT DEVELOP FARM SCHOOL, SCHOOL GARDEN PROGRAMS. THAT'S A CONTINUE BECAUSE WE'RE ALREADY SUPPORTING SCHOOL GARDEN PROGRAMS, AND THE LAST TWO IN THAT OBJECTIVE TOO ARE FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
SO IF THE GROUP HAS SOME SPECIFIC IDEAS ABOUT WHAT BARRIERS EXIST TO CONTINUING FARM BUSINESSES WITHIN THE TOWNSHIP, IT'D BE GOOD TO KNOW THAT.
CONSERVATION AND PRESERVATION PLANNING COMMISSION TO INCORPORATE ENCOURAGE [INAUDIBLE].
YEAH, WELL NOW IS THE TIME TO BE SPECIFIC ABOUT THAT.
FARMLAND CONSERVATION AND PRESERVATION.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT CAN GET TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION IF IT'S GOT A LITTLE BIT MORE DEVELOPMENT TO IT IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU WOULD ACTUALLY DO.
OKAY, AND WHEN WOULD THAT NEED TO BE THE PLANNING COMMISSION? LIKE TOMORROW? SOONER.
NO, NO, BUT I THINK WE'RE SHOOTING FOR THE FALL, IS MY UNDERSTANDING.
I'LL MAKE MYSELF A NOTE TO LOOK BACK AT THE TIMELINE AND LET YOU KNOW.
OKAY. WELL, I WILL MOVE THAT UP ON MY PRIORITIES OF THINGS TO THINK ABOUT.
IN THAT VEIN BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF CURRENT HERE.
THE I NOTICED IN THE DRAFT WATER PLAN, A MENTION OF THE 75,000 RESIDENCES EXISTING IN THE TOWNSHIP AND THE REASON THAT CAUGHT MY EYE IS BECAUSE RECENTLY THE PLANNING STAFF DID A PRELIMINARY BUILD OUT ANALYSIS FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE MASTER PLAN THAT LOOKED AT VACANT PARCELS IN THE TOWNSHIP THAT ARE ZONED FOR RESIDENTIAL AND DID SOME ROUGH NUMBER CALCULATIONS ON HOW MANY YOU COULD BUILD BY RIGHT GIVEN THE ZONING AND IT'S SOMETHING LIKE 3500, AND OF THAT 3500, ABOUT 1000 OF THOSE HAVE ALREADY BEEN APPROVED.
SO ACCORDING TO THEIR FIRST ROUGH GUESS, THERE'S ABOUT 2500 MORE HOMES THAT COULD BE BUILT IN THE TOWNSHIP, AND THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED FULL BUILDOUT WITHOUT CHANGING/UP-ZONING, AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE I THINK IT BEHOOVES CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN AND THESE KINDS OF OBJECTIVES TO THINK ABOUT.
WELL, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY OF THOSE 2500 DO WE WANT TO BE FARMS AND HOW MANY OF THEM DO WE WANT TO BE PRESERVES AND HOW MANY OF THEM DO WE WANT TO BE AND HOW DO WE ACHIEVE THAT? I DON'T YET KNOW, BUT I BELIEVE THAT A LARGE CHUNK OF THOSE IS OUTSIDE OF THE SO CALLED URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY, WHICH IS BASICALLY A
[00:35:07]
POLICY DECISION BY THE BOARD NOT TO EXTEND UTILITIES BEYOND A CERTAIN POINT, TO DISCOURAGE, TO DELAY, TO PROLONG THE PRESERVATION OF THOSE OPEN LANDS, AND SO EVENTUALLY, RIGHT, AS INFILL FINISHES AND THERE CONTINUES TO BE DEVELOPMENT PRESSURE ON THOSE PARCELS WILL UNDER SOME CONDITION BE DEVELOPED.DOES THAT INCLUDE MULTIFAMILY OR IT DOES INCLUDE INFILL? IT SOUNDS LIKE IT DOES.
YEAH, BUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN HASLETT, FOR INSTANCE, IS GOING TO BRING A WHOLE LOT OF HOUSING.
OUTSIDE THAT'S ALL SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL OUTSIDE THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY.
SO IT'S ALL BIG LOT, YOU KNOW, MINIMUM LOT SIZE KIND OF THING, AND HOW IS THE THIRD OF THE TOWNSHIP THAT'S BEYOND THE SERVICE BOUNDARY? WHAT IS THAT TYPICALLY ZONED? IS THAT ZONE. THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.
THAT'S ALL BASICALLY RURAL, RESIDENTIAL, RURAL RESIDENTIAL.
SO IT IS RESIDENTIAL, BUT RURAL.
OKAY. I'LL GET THAT FOR NEXT TIME TOO.
IS THERE A MINIMUM LOT SIZE DEFINED FOR RURAL RESIDENTIAL.
THOSE ARE DENSITY TERMS, BUT WHAT IS IT, AN ACRE OR SOMETHING? I COULD FIND IT. WE'LL BRING IT [INAUDIBLE].
I DON'T WANT TO GIVE YOU THE WRONG NUMBERS, BUT SINGLE FAMILY HOMES SEPARATED CONSIDERABLY.
SO THOSE ARE THE COMMENTS I HAD.
ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? SUGGESTIONS, COMMENTS FOR THE HEALTHY FOOD SYSTEMS. OH, I HAD A NOTE. MERIDIAN CARES IS OUR ORGANIZATION WITHIN THE TOWNSHIP THAT PROVIDES SERVICES TO PEOPLE IN NEED, AND I THINK A LOT OF TIMES THAT INVOLVES FOOD. YEAH, THEY ARE CALLED OUT AT SOME POINT IN HERE.
NO, NO. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE IT WAS THERE IF I MISSED IT.
THAT'S GOOD. I MEAN, I THINK THEY'RE CALLED OUT IN ONE OF THE STRATEGIES, BUT DO YOU MEAN TWO AND TWO? YEAH. OH, THERE IT IS.
YEAH. I WAS SO FOCUSED ON THE SHUTTLE BUS, I DIDN'T FINISH READING THE SENTENCE.
WERE THERE OTHER AREAS WHERE YOU THOUGHT IN PARTICULAR THERE WOULD BE GOOD PARTNERS OR GOOD TO BE INCLUDED? WERE THERE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES OR STRATEGIES? I THINK IT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY SEE THE ENTIRE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN AND GET A CHANCE TO COMMENT ON IT SO THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE UNDERSTANDING THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY SERVE.
THEY'RE THE ONES IN CONTACT WITH THAT COMMUNITY, AND WHEN IT COMES EVEN TO ENERGY AND EXTREME CLIMATE IN THE WATER PLAN, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO BE SERIOUS ABOUT WHO WE THINK ARE MOST VULNERABLE IN ALL OF THESE AREAS.
OKAY. IS THERE SOMEBODY IN PARTICULAR WHO MAY BE GOOD ON THAT COMMITTEE TO LOOK [INAUDIBLE] ABOUT. I WILL TAKE CARE OF THAT.
OKAY, YOU'LL LOOK INTO THAT? SURE. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.
[Budget Discussion]
EVENING ON THE BUDGET DISCUSSION.AS FAR AS I CAN TELL, IT'S EXACTLY WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR.
I'M NOT SURE HOW BEST TO GO THROUGH IT.
WE BASICALLY HAVE A GREEN TEAM RECYCLING WETLANDS, GREEN GRANTS, THE GREEN GRANTS REVIEW PROCESS, WETLAND EDUCATION WITH AN UPDATED BUDGET, AND THEN SOME INFORMATION ON THE GREEN TEAM BUDGET.
SO I GUESS IF WE MIGHT, MAYBE SINCE THE GREEN GRANTS REVIEW PROCESS IS THE ONE NON-BUDGETARY, AT LEAST NOT DOLLARS AND CENTS, MAYBE TAKE THAT ONE FIRST AND THEN GO TO THE OTHER ONES THAT HAVE DOLLAR FIGURES ATTACHED.
[00:40:01]
I'M SURE I'VE SEEN ALL OF THIS INFORMATION BEFORE ABOUT THE GREEN GRANTS REVIEW PROCESS, BUT IT'S REALLY HANDY TO HAVE IT IN ONE PAGE IN MY HAND IT MAKES PERFECT SENSE TO ME.IT AND I'M CURIOUS IF ANYBODY ELSE HAS ANY THOUGHTS, SUGGESTIONS, QUESTIONS, CONCERNS WITH THE WAY WE ARE REVIEWING GREEN GRANTS.
SO I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL, PERHAPS SOME OF THE REVIEW CRITERIA THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.
THOSE ARE THE ONES I SAW. OH, AND ACTUALLY THE TEAM DID SHARE THEIR SCORE SHEET.
OH, THEY DID LAST ROUND WITH ME.
OH. BECAUSE IT'S A FAIRLY SENSITIVE DOCUMENT AND IT'S CLEAR THAT THERE'S A PRETTY RATIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR THREE REVIEWERS TO LOOK AT THE PROPOSAL, GIVE A SCORE ON EACH OF THOSE CRITERIA, AND THEN IN DISCUSSION AND A RECOMMENDATION COMES FORWARD.
SO FOR ME, THIS QUICK WRITE UP CLARIFIES AND MAKES TRANSPARENT THAT PROCESS.
SO ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO KNOW ABOUT IT, HERE IT IS.
IT'S IN OUR PACKET. THIS IS HOW WE DO THINGS.
SO I APPRECIATE GETTING THAT INFORMATION.
A LOT OF THEM, OF COURSE, THEY HAVE DIFFERENT ECOLOGICAL IMPACTS, BUT TO ME, THE THING THAT ALWAYS CAN STAND OUT IS THE EDUCATIONAL VALUE THAT KIND OF MAKES ONE THING STAND OUT MORE THAN THE OTHER, THAT IT'S NOT STRICTLY FOR THAT AREA OR THAT PROJECT.
THERE'S ALSO GOING TO BE SOME SORT OF TRANSFER OF EXPERIENCE OR KNOWLEDGE.
I THINK THAT'S A PRIME CONSIDERATION.
ALL RIGHT, SO IF I COULD GO TO THE PAGE BEFORE THAT, WHICH IS TITLED BUDGETING PROGRAM RELATED TO GREEN TEAM RECYCLING, WETLANDS/ GREEN GRANTS.
IN THAT FIRST PARAGRAPH IT KIND OF DESCRIBES STAFF'S DISCUSSION OF AN ABILITY TO AMEND THE TOWNSHIP BOARD'S BUDGET TO FULLY FUND MORE PROJECTS THAN WE HAD ORIGINALLY BEEN ALLOTTED MONEY FOR, AND THEN A RECOMMENDATION ABOUT WHAT WE MIGHT EXPECT THE BOARD TO SEE AS REASONABLE FOR 2024.
SO, LEROY, DID YOU WANT TO WALK US THROUGH ANY MORE OF THAT DOCUMENT OR ARE YOU.
NO, I THINK WE HAD A BRIEF DISCUSSION ABOUT GRANTS, WHICH WOULD BE SOMETHING TO ADD TO THIS CONVERSATION, TOO, IF LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE FOOD TEAM WANTED TO APPLY FOR A COMPOSTING GRANT, THIS DOESN'T INCLUDE THAT, BUT THERE'S CERTAINLY THE POSSIBILITY, IF THAT'S SOMETHING THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION WANTED TO CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT OR THE VARIOUS TEAMS. SO YEAH, I WAS DELIGHTED TO HEAR THAT DIRECTOR OPSOMMER WAS ENCOURAGING US TO EXPAND OUR BUDGET NEXT YEAR AND THINKS THAT'S LIKELY THAT WE COULD INCREASE IT BY I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT 20%, 25%, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THAT PERCENTAGE IS.
SO AT SOME POINT WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT, WELL, DO WE WANT TO EXPAND GREEN GRANTS, DO WE WANT TO EXPAND IN OTHER AREAS? SO THAT'S ENCOURAGING.
YEAH, AND IN EACH OF THE DIFFERENT AREAS HAS VARYING.
WELL, THAT'S MY COMMENT AT THE MOMENT.
IF YOU DOWNLOAD THE PACKET AS I DID AND THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL COUPLE OF PAGES IN THE HARD COPY ON THE TABLE, THE 2023 WETLAND EDUCATION TEAM GOALS HAS A BUNCH OF FIGURES ON IT AS IT WAS IN THE PACKET, BUT IN THE HARD COPY THERE'S A TOTAL.
[00:45:03]
GET WITHOUT GOING OVER AND SO I GUESS THAT BASICALLY LEAVES GREEN GRANTS AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO ASK FOR SUPPORT FOR, AND I'D LIKE TO KIND OF OPEN THE FLOOR ON THAT QUESTION OF [INAUDIBLE] WHAT'S THE NUMBER WE SHOULD BE LOOKING FOR AND HOW WOULD WE JUSTIFY THAT IF WE WERE TO ASK TO GO FROM 20 TO 25, WHAT WOULD THE ADDITIONAL 5000 BE GETTING THE TOWNSHIP? DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? AND THERE DOES SEEM TO BE QUITE A BIT OF GROWING INTEREST IN THE GREEN GRANTS, SO I COULD SEE HOW ADDITIONAL DOLLARS THERE COULD BE PUT TO USE.THERE'S A NUMBER OF AREAS LIKE ENERGY IS A GOOD EXAMPLE.
THERE'S NO THERE'S ALL SORTS OF FEDERAL GRANTS AND OTHER FUNDING AVAILABLE, DIRECT PAYMENTS FOR SOLAR PROJECTS THAT ARE AVAILABLE IN THE ENERGY AREA, BUT THE GREEN GRANTS AND THE WETLAND EDUCATION SEEM LIKE AREAS THAT DEFINITELY NEED TO SUPPORT ALONG THE LINES OF GREEN GRANTS.
I THINK IT WOULD BE SO THE FOOD TEAM DID SOME FOOD WASTE AUDITS IN SCHOOLS AND I THINK IT COULD BE REALLY INTERESTING TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME GRANTS TO SCHOOLS, NOT LIKE SO HERE'S YOUR FOOD WASTE AUDIT THAT, YOU KNOW, PRESUMABLY VOLUNTEERS COULD DO, BUT LIKE WHAT THEN? WHAT'S SOME FUNDING FOR WHAT STEPS THEY COULD TAKE THEN TO REDUCE FOOD WASTE? SO SOME VERSION OF A GREEN GRANT, BUT RELATED TO FOOD WASTE REDUCTION.
SO KIND OF EARMARK OR ADVERTISE AN OPPORTUNITY IN THAT AREA WITH THE NEXT ROUND.
IT SEEMS LIKE A GREAT WAY TO START AND YOU'RE NOT BUILDING SOMETHING NEW.
THEN YOU'RE JUST TAKING A PROGRAM THAT'S ALREADY GONE AND GETTING SOMETHING DONE WITH IT.
SO IF THERE'S STUFF BESIDES GREEN GRANTS, THAT REQUIRES FUNDING. I'M JUST I'M SAYING THAT I'M JUST GOING TO SORRY IN THERE'S ONE REALLY FINE PRINT BUDGET IN HERE.
THIS IS BASICALLY INCOME REVENUE AND EXPENSES CONSIDERED RECYCLING RELATED WITHIN THE TOWNSHIP, AND THERE'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF GROUPS THAT SPONSOR THESE EVENTS AND THEN THERE'S A TOTAL REVENUE FROM THE.
EVENTS, AND THEN THERE'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF EXPENSES LIKE ANY OTHER MUNICIPAL OR PRIVATE OPERATION.
HALF OF IT IS IS PERSONNEL, AND I DON'T... I WAS LOOKING AND DID NOT SEE IT.
MAYBE IT'S BURIED IN ONE OF THESE LINE ITEMS. WE PAY HAMMOND FARMS TO HAUL ORGANICS FROM THE FARMERS MARKET AND FROM THE TRANSFER STATION.
IS THAT RIGHT? YEAH, THAT'S I BELIEVE THAT'S THE EXPENSE IS SPLIT BETWEEN PARKS AND RECYCLING.
IT PROBABLY COMES OUT OF COMMUNITY PROMOTION OR SPECIAL PROJECTS.
I'M NOT SURE WHICH ONE THE CHALLENGE IS.
OKAY, THIS IS WHAT I GET WHEN I ASK ACCOUNTING, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH HAVE WE SPENT IN RECYCLING? SURE. NO, IT'S GREAT INFORMATION.
I'M VERY HAPPY TO SEE IT, AND THE GOAL IN THE PAST HAS BEEN TO COVER OUR RECYCLING, OUR TWO MAJOR RECYCLING EVENT EXPENSES, AND OUR GREEN TEAM REALLY HAS NOT, OTHER THAN HELPING US IDENTIFY SPONSORS AND COLLECT DONATIONS AT THOSE EVENTS.
NOW WE'RE STARTING TO LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, HOW MIGHT WE EXPAND THAT BUDGET? RIGHT. YES.
SO I THINK I MEAN, THE FOOD TEAM MENTIONED THAT WE ARE SO WE ARE PAYING HAMMOND FARMS AND PART OF THAT IS THROUGH A SUGGESTED DONATION, ALTHOUGH I THINK THERE ARE MEMBERS OF THE FOOD TEAM WHO WOULD LIKE TO STOP SAYING THAT THERE IS A SUGGESTED
[00:50:07]
DONATION TO DROP OFF YOUR COMPOSTING.WORRIED THAT IS DISCOURAGING FOLKS FROM COMPOSTING.
SO THERE IS THAT OF WHAT'S OCCURRING AND MAYBE WHERE ADDITIONAL FUNDS COULD POTENTIALLY BE SPENT, AND THEN THERE ARE THE TEAM IS ALSO GIVING AWAY COMPOSTABLE BAGS SO THAT SO THEY CAN GO HOME, COLLECT THEIR COMPOST AND THEN DROP IT OFF, AND I'M NOT ENTIRELY SURE.
I KNOW SOME VOLUNTEERS OFFERED TO BUY THOSE AND THEN POSSIBLY NOW THE TOWNSHIP IS COVERING THEM.
YEAH, THE TOWNSHIP IS PAYING FOR THAT.
OKAY. IT'S SORT OF IT'S KIND OF LIKE PROMOTIONAL FOR THE FOOD COMPOSTING PROGRAM.
OKAY, AND SO SMALL EXPENSE THAT WAS LIKE $200, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF FLEXIBILITY IN THE PAST THE TOWNSHIP, IF WE'VE GOT A GOOD ARGUMENT FOR IT, THE TOWNSHIP, THE FIVE LEVELS OF BUREAUCRACY ABOVE ME, YOU KNOW, GIVE IT THE OKAY, BUT IT'S IF WE WANT A MORE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO ANY OF THESE EFFORTS, WE SHOULD PROBABLY LOOK AT WHAT THAT BUDGET IS GOING TO BE AND THEN MAKE A MORE FORMAL REQUEST.
THAT MAKES SENSE. SO IF YOU WANT TO EXPAND THE FOOD PROGRAM, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? YEAH, IT MAKES SENSE TO ME AND I'M HAPPY TO LEAVE IT THIS EVENING WITH.
YEAH, WE'D LIKE TO SEE IF WE CAN GET OUR BUDGET RAISED FROM 20 TO 25 AND WE'LL SEE WHAT WE CAN DO IN TERMS OF GREEN GRANTS OR OTHER EXPENSES THAT MIGHT TAP A FEW OF THOSE DOLLARS, BUT RIGHT NOW THOSE COSTS ARE BEING COVERED.
YEAH, THE COMPOSTING COSTS, YEAH.
I THINK THERE IS HOPE FROM THE FOOD TEAM TO REALLY EXPAND THAT COMPOSTING EFFORT WITH RESIDENTS.
SO THERE WILL BE ADDED COSTS TO DO THAT AS FAR AS PICKING UP AT THE VARIOUS LOCATIONS AND POSSIBLY MORE BAGS THAT WILL BE NEEDED TO PROVIDE TO RESIDENTS.
SO THERE IS POTENTIAL FOR NEEDED FUNDS TO EXPAND THAT PROGRAM.
GREAT. I THINK AS THAT PROGRAM BUILDS, THERE WILL BE MORE AND MORE EVIDENCE FOR THE UPTAKE AS THOSE BINS AT THE MARKET GET MORE AND MORE FULL AND MORE OF THE BINS ARE REQUIRED TO ACCEPT ALL OF WHAT'S COMING IN.
THAT WILL NATURALLY LEAD TO A NEED FOR A BUDGET FOR THAT ACTIVITY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, ISSUES ON THE BUDGETS. THERE WAS SOME STUFF IN THE LAST PARAGRAPH OF THAT FIRST STAFF PIECE THAT KIND OF THREW ME THE OTHER GRANTS AND GRANT POSSIBILITIES.
A QUARTER MILLION IN FEDERAL AND STATE, NOT INCLUDING PARKS WITHOUT BECAUSE IT WAS 720.
SO THERE WAS A HUGE THE TROUGH FILLED AND THE TOWNSHIP FED AND STAFF, A STAFF ARE PRETTY MAXED OUT WHEN IT COMES TO TAKING ON NEW PROJECTS OR NEW PROJECTS HAVE GOOD FIT WITH THE BOARD STAFF AND VOLUNTEER PRIORITIES AND ABILITIES.
WE'RE BUSY WRITING LOTS OF GRANTS.
I THINK THAT'S HOW I READ THAT.
OUR PLATE IS FULL [INAUDIBLE].
YEAH, WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT? THE TOWNSHIP IS DOING WITH ITS GRANT MONEY IS JUST SO SPECTACULAR.
I TAKE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO JUST.
IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN WHAT'S GOING ON BEHIND FOODS FOR A LIVING, GO AND LOOK.
I WISH THEY'D PAINT IT GREEN SO IT'D BE TO THE EMERALD.
NOW IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE ON.
PLEASE. BACK ON THE 2023 WETLAND EDUCATION TEAM GOALS THERE AT THE BOTTOM, IT SAYS PROPOSED LOCATIONS AND IT SAYS AROUND LAKE LANSING, URBAN, INNER-URBAN PARKWAY, THE POOLS.
DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MANY LOCATIONS OF EACH OF THOSE WE MIGHT BE LOOKING FOR OR I'M HAPPY TO ADDRESS THAT AND TALK ABOUT IT.
SO MOSTLY I DON'T WE'RE LOOKING SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT ME TO.
[00:55:03]
DO YOU MIND IF WE TALK ABOUT THE SIGNS AND SHOW THEM WHAT WE'RE TALKING? NO, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. YEAH, FAIR ENOUGH.ALSO IN THE HARD COPY OF THE PACKET IS A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES OF THE SIGNS.
THE SIGNAGE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
LEROY, WOULD YOU MIND MAKING THAT GO UP ON THE SCREEN? ONE IS A FLYER AND ONE IS A SIGN.
I'LL JUST START WITH THE ONE ON THE TOP.
SO THAT'S A SMALLER SIGN TO GO AROUND DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE TOWNSHIP, LIKE PARTICULARLY AROUND LAKE LANSING, LOTS OF SPOTS WHERE THERE'S LOTS OF DUMPING THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE. SO MOSTLY SPOTS THAT EMMA HAS IDENTIFIED THROUGH WORK THROUGHOUT THE TOWNSHIP, SO PLACES AROUND THERE AND THEN MOSTLY SO AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE BUDGET HERE, YOU KNOW, 50 SIGNS.
SO EMMA HAS A GREAT IDEA WHERE SHE WANTS THOSE TWO TO GO.
SO A LOT AROUND LAKE LANSING AND THEN ALONG THE INNER URBAN PATHWAY, BRIAN SHORKEY WAS TALKING ABOUT SOME SPOTS THAT MAY BE HELPFUL, BUT JUST BASICALLY SPOTS IN THE TOWNSHIP THAT WOULD BE GOOD EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND MOSTLY THOSE WITH THE PROTECTED WETLAND AREA, JUST WHERE THERE'S PROBABLY MORE THAN LIKELY A LOT OF DUMPING THAT'S TAKING PLACE.
SO IF ANYONE HAS HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO VOLUNTEER WITH THE MERIDIAN CONSERVATION CORPS, LOTS OF TRASH HAS BEEN TAKEN OUT OF LOTS OF DIFFERENT AREAS, NATURAL AREAS THROUGHOUT THE TOWNSHIP AND THEN AROUND LAKE LANSING, AND I DON'T KNOW IF ANY I MEAN, I'VE SEEN DRIVING ON LAKE DRIVE, I'VE SEEN LIKE HOUSE PLANTS.
SO WHERE EXACTLY ARE ALL THOSE GOING TO GO? I CAN'T TELL YOU THE EXACT LOCATIONS, BUT THOSE ARE THE DIFFERENT SPOTS, THE VERNAL POOLS.
I KNOW THE VERNAL POOLS, LIKE THERE'S LIKE THREE OF THEM.
IF YOU GO INTO THE PRESERVE LAKE LANSING PRESERVE OFF OF, GOSH, WHAT IS THAT ROAD? ANYWAYS, THERE'S THREE VERNAL POOLS RIGHT ON THE RIGHT SIDE AS SOON AS YOU ENTER THE PATH, THE TRAIL FROM THE PRESERVE PROPERTY.
DO YOU KNOW WHERE THAT IS? YEAH AND SO PUTTING THAT ALONG THE TO PROTECT THOSE VERNAL POOLS TOO.
SO THAT'S WHERE THE SMALLER SIGNS GOING IN VARIOUS LOCATIONS IN THE TOWNSHIP WHERE IF I COULD I BELIEVE IN OUR PRIOR WETLAND USE PERMIT APPLICATIONS, WE HAVE CONDITIONED APPROVAL ON THE PLACEMENT OF THE SIGNAGE.
SO IF SOMEBODY HAS GOTTEN APPROVAL TO DISTURB A WETLAND DO SOME REMEDIATION, AND THESE SIGNS HAVE TO GO UP ALONG THE WETLAND AT THAT POINT BECAUSE NOW WE'VE AUTHORIZED THAT REMEDIATION TO TAKE PLACE AND WE NEED TO PROTECT IT.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER LOCATION WHERE THEY END UP GETTING, ALTHOUGH WE HAVEN'T HAD A WETLAND USE PERMIT IN AGES, BUT THAT WAS KIND OF THE ORIGIN, I BELIEVE, OF THIS SIGNAGE WAS, HEY, THIS IS HERE, ESPECIALLY ALONG SOME OF THE BIG MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL THAT'S BEEN DONE NEAR WETLANDS BECAUSE YOU HIRE A PROFESSIONAL CREW TO COME IN AND THEY'RE JUST GOING TO EMPTY THEIR MOWER WHEREVER IT'S HANDY, AND IF YOU PUT THIS UP THERE, THEN, YOU KNOW, TAKE IT WITH YOU [INAUDIBLE].
YEAH, I'M STILL FINDING TRASH IN THE WETLAND ON MY PROPERTY WHEN THE HOUSE WAS BUILT AND I DIDN'T LIVE THERE AT THE TIME IT WAS BUILT, BUT ANYWAYS, SO I KNOW THE SO THESE ARE THE LOCATIONS FOR THE SMALLER SIGNS THERE WILL BE IF I ASK EXACTLY WHERE SHE WANTS THEM TO GO. I'M SURE SHE WILL TELL ME EXACTLY WHERE.
YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. [INAUDIBLE] YEAH, AND THEN THE TWO LARGE.
SO WE GOT A SAMPLE BUFFER IN CENTRAL PARK AND THEN ONE'S GOING TO GO IN HILLBROOK PARK HERE, PROBABLY WHEN, I DON'T KNOW, SUMMERTIME WHEN WE GET THROUGH THE DROUGHT, BASICALLY, AND THESE ARE JUST TO EDUCATE, YOU KNOW, FOLKS ABOUT NATIVE PLANTS AND THE HELPFULNESS OF PROTECTING WETLANDS AND WHY WHY CARE ABOUT THEM AND ALL OF THE PARTS OF THE ECOSYSTEM THAT THEY, YOU KNOW, PROTECT OR OFFER REFUGE FOR, AND SO I THINK WHAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT MOVING FORWARD, YOU KNOW, EVERY YEAR IT'S INTENDED FOR US TO DO A BUFFER PROJECT SOMEWHERE IN THE TOWNSHIP AN IDENTIFIED IMPORTANT AREA TO DO THAT WHERE THERE'S HIGH TRAFFIC, GOOD EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES.
[01:00:07]
THE WETLAND EDUCATION TEAM? A LOT OF THESE PHOTOS ACTUALLY CAME FROM FOLKS ON THE WETLAND EDUCATION TEAM, AND THIS IS A LARGER SIZE.YES, THAT'S A BIG ONE AND THAT'S WHY IT'S SO EXPENSIVE.
YOU KNOW, IT'S A LARGER THOUSAND BUCKS A POP.
YEP. YEAH, AND THEN THE SMALLER SIZE.
SO AND WHERE DOES THE QR CODE GOES WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION? WHERE DOES THAT TAKE PEOPLE? OH YES, IT GOES TO THE WETLAND EDUCATION OR IT GOES TO THE WETLANDS PAGE ON THE TOWNSHIP WEBSITE.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE HAS LOOKED.
I PROBABLY HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT THAT IN A WHILE, BUT WE HAVE A GREAT.
LAST YEAR, BRANDIE YATES FROM COMMUNICATIONS CREATED A GREAT WETLAND, YOU KNOW THE ORDINANCE HOW TO PROTECT SIMPLE DO'S, THE SIMPLE DON'TS, THE CONNECTION, TELLS YOU ABOUT BUFFERS AND NATIVE PLANTS.
THE NATIVE PLANT GUIDE IS CONNECTED ON THERE TOO, SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO CHECK IT OUT.
YOU CAN TEST IT OUT. HOPEFULLY IT GOES THERE.
OH GOOD. [CHUCKLING] I DID NOT TEST IT.
I SHOULD HAVE DONE THAT. I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT IT.
THANKS. FANTASTIC. THEN CAN I ASK A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SPREADSHEET BUDGET? SURE.
AT THE BOTTOM IT SAYS 10,000, AND THEN IT SAYS OFF TO THE SIDE MONTHLY SERVICE CHARGE FOR PORTA-POTTY AT THE TRANSFER STATION, BUT THAT FIGURE IS 1056 PER MONTH.
SO THAT'S GOING TO BE OVER 10,000.
I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE LIKE 12,672 TO BE EXACT.
SO I'M JUST KIND OF CURIOUS ABOUT THAT.
12 MONTHS FOR THE PRICE OF TEN.
MAYBE AND I GUESS THIS MIGHT BE A QUESTION FOR LEROY, BUT I BELIEVE SOME OF OUR LIKE THE SPRING AND FALL RECYCLING EVENTS, THERE ARE SOME COSTS, LIKE WHEN WE GET SEMI TRAILERS FOR ELECTRONICS, FOR EXAMPLE.
I BELIEVE THAT LINE ITEM IS SORT OF A CATCH ALL LINE ITEM, THAT $10,000 [INAUDIBLE] LAST YEAR IT WAS 15,717.
SO WE POTENTIALLY HAVE A GAP TO FILL.
THE BUDGETED AMOUNT WAS PROBABLY 10,000, BUT WITH THE INCREASES IN ELECTRONICS RECYCLING AND THINGS LIKE THAT, IT MAY BE HIGHER THAN 10,000 THIS YEAR.
WOULD IT BE HELPFUL AT A FUTURE DATE TO SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE GRANULAR DETAIL ON THOSE TWO GREEN ITEMS THAT ARE DOING SO MUCH WORK HERE? WELL, I HATE TO REQUEST ADDITIONAL WORK, BUT IT DOES SEEM LIKE THERE'S MAYBE SOME UNDER-BUDGETING THERE AND IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO SEE THAT IN A LITTLE MORE DETAIL.
THE PAST 15 YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN HERE.
BASICALLY, THERE HAVEN'T BEEN COMPLAINTS ABOUT COVERING RECYCLING RELATED EXPENSES.
SO IF WE ARE OVER BUDGET, IT GETS COVERED.
SO IT HASN'T BEEN A YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO BREAK EVEN THIS YEAR.
WE ARE ALSO ONE OF THE FEW DEPARTMENTS THAT HAS TO PAY FOR ITSELF.
SO THAT LINE ITEM, A LOT OF THIS MONEY IS RAISED BY THE GREEN TEAM TO PAY FOR THAT LINE ITEM.
I'M SORRY, WHEN YOU SAY THAT WE'RE THE ONLY DEPARTMENT THAT HAS TO PAY FOR ITSELF, [INAUDIBLE] THAT'S AN ASSUMPTION, BUT IT MAY BE A MISNOMER, BUT THE RECYCLING PROGRAM IS EXPECTED AT LEAST THE RECYCLING SPECIAL EVENTS.
OUR GOAL HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO BREAK EVEN ON THAT RATHER THAN DRAW FROM THE TOWNSHIP BUDGET.
[01:05:04]
SO WITH DONATIONS AND SPONSORSHIPS COVER AS MUCH AS WE CAN, AND THEN IN THE PAST, AS I JUST MENTIONED, THE TOWNSHIP, IF WE DO GO OVER THE TOWNSHIP, WANTS THESE EVENTS TO CONTINUE.THEY'LL COVER THE DIFFERENCE LIKE THEY DID LAST YEAR.
IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE PROBABLY ABOUT $5,000 OVER LAST YEAR.
OKAY. WELL, I'M KIND OF WITH TOM HERE.
I THINK IT'S REALLY INTERESTING TO KNOW AND I'M SURE IT VARIES FROM YEAR TO YEAR, BUT I SEE $5,000 IN REVENUE FROM A RECYCLING EVENT, WHICH MEANS THAT EITHER A LOT OF PEOPLE PUT FIVE BUCKS IN THE CAN OR SOME OF THE STUFF THAT WAS COLLECTED THERE HAD MONETARY VALUE.
IS THAT LIKE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE FALL EVENT OF 2022? YEAH, THAT WAS LIKE $20 PER MONITOR.
YEAH, A LOT OF THAT WAS ELECTRONICS REVENUE.
OKAY. SO THAT'S FEES COLLECTED FOR THAT COLLECTION.
IT'S A SUGGESTED DONATION, BUT MOST PEOPLE PAY THAT OR MORE, AND THAT THEN GOES OUT AS AN EXPENSE. THE PERSON YOU PAY TO HAUL IT AWAY.
WE DON'T DISPOSE THE ELECTRONICS.
WE PAY SOMEBODY TO TAKE THEM BECAUSE WE'RE COLLECTING DONATIONS AND THEN WE'RE PASSING THAT ALONG.
RIGHT. YEAH. SO THAT'S RECYCLING SPECIAL PROJECTS.
I THINK IT'D BE FASCINATING TO KNOW FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS IN EXCRUCIATING DETAIL HOW MUCH MONEY, YOU KNOW, [INAUDIBLE].
NO, NOT NECESSARILY DIRECTLY FOR A SUSTAINABILITY PLAN, BUT AS A KIND OF LONG TERM SUSTAINABILITY GOAL.
KNOWING WHAT KIND OF STUFF ARE OUR RESIDENTS PAYING TO GET RID OF AND HOW IS IT CHANGING OVER TIME AND HOW CAN WE BE PREPARED TO SORT OF ACCEPT NEW FLOWS OF STUFF AS IT COMES IN? IT'D BE GREAT TO HEAR FROM THE GREEN TEAM THOUGHTS ABOUT PAST TRENDS AND FUTURE NEEDS, AND I THINK THE NUMBERS ARE PROBABLY BURIED IN THESE KINDS OF FIGURES.
WE'LL GIVE THE GREEN TEAM AN ACTION ITEM ON THAT ONE.
GET SOME GRANULAR DETAIL FROM STAFF AND HELP US UNDERSTAND WHAT'S BEHIND THAT.
OKAY. THAT WAS A VERY RELUCTANT "OKAY." [CHUCKLING] OKAY! THERE WE GO. [CHUCKLING] THERE YOU GO.
SO WE'VE PASSED 8:00 AND I FEEL LIKE WE'VE HAD A REAL GOOD DISCUSSION ON THE BUDGET.
WE HAD A REQUEST THAT WE SPEND SOME TIME ON THE WATER DOCUMENT.
DID EVERYBODY GET THAT IN THE EMAIL? HAVE A CHANCE TO LOOK AT IT.
DO YOU WANT TO GIVE US A KIND OF A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW? AND I'VE GOT SOME SPECIFIC SUGGESTIONS THAT I CAN PASS ALONG TO YOU OFFLINE.
WE ATTEMPTED TO NOT TO HAVE TOO MANY OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES BECAUSE WE WERE TRYING TO KEEP THE FOCUS ON ASPECTS THAT WERE NEW OR AT LEAST ENHANCED BY THE CONCERN OF CLIMATE CHANGE, AS OPPOSED TO THE GENERAL WISDOM OF HOW TO HANDLE FLOODS AND HOW WETLANDS ARE IMPORTANT AND SO FORTH, AND I DON'T THINK WE DID A PERFECT JOB, BUT ANYWAY, WHERE THE HECK DID I PUT THIS? SORRY, JUST FOR A SECOND.
FOR SOME REASON I'M NOT LOGGING INTO THE TOWNSHIP, SO NORMALLY I'M ABLE TO.
IT'S ASKING ME FOR PASSWORD AGAIN, WHICH I THOUGHT YEAH.
WHAT IS THE PASSWORD? [INAUDIBLE] THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT YOU SAID.
[01:10:09]
I MIGHT BE ABLE TO PULL IT UP.[INAUDIBLE] I MEAN, I DEFINITELY HAVE IT HERE.
IT'S NOT WORKING. IT'S TELLING ME THE PASSWORD IS INCORRECT.
THEY CHANGED THE PASSWORD ON US.
NO MORE GUESTS. [CHUCKLING] WELL, ANYWAY, SO, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE SORT OF THREE MAIN THEMES THE STORMWATER ASPECT OF THINGS, THE WETLAND ASPECT, AND THEN ESSENTIALLY THE ISSUE OF WATER AS PEOPLE USE IT, THAT IS TO SAY, DRINKING WATER AND WATER AND SEWER BASICALLY, AND SO WE TRIED TO FOCUS ON WHAT THINGS MIGHT BE ADDED POINTS OF FOCUS OF CONCERN BECAUSE OF CLIMATE CHANGE, BECAUSE OF THE THREAT OF MORE EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS AND SO FORTH, AND SO SOME OF THE THINGS ARE SORT OF OBVIOUS PROMOTE AND INCENTIVIZE THINGS LIKE POROUS PAVEMENT, RAIN GARDENS, ETCETERA, THINGS THAT WOULD ENHANCE THE RESILIENCE TO HEAVY DUTY RAIN STORMS, ETCETERA.
STEVE, WAS DID YOU SEE STEVE'S FEEDBACK ABOUT LIKE USING NATIVE PLANTS AND THAT KIND OF THING? YEAH, I THINK I LEFT IN THE PIECES THAT STEVE INCLUDED.
I NOTICED THAT WEREN'T IN THERE, BUT I HAVE THEM.
OH, REALLY? WELL, IF WE COULD, MAYBE THE SAME PROCEDURE WE FOLLOWED WITH THE HEALTHY FOOD SYSTEMS. DO WE HAVE THE RIGHT SET OF OVERALL OBJECTIVES HERE? AS NED INTRODUCED, WE'VE GOT ONE THAT'S ABOUT WATER THAT FALLS FROM THE SKY AND ONE THAT'S ABOUT WATER THAT SITS ON THE GROUND AND TWO, ONE ABOUT WATER THAT FLOWS THROUGH PIPES.
WELL, THAT'S A GOOD WAY OF PUTTING IT.
YEAH. ARE WE MISSING SOME IMPORTANT WATER RELATED ISSUES HERE? I SAW SURFACE WATER, GROUNDWATER, WETLAND, WATER, SEWAGE, WATER, DRINKING WATER, WATER, WATER ALL AROUND.
WELL, I THINK AND WELL, I SUPPOSE DROUGHT, RESILIENCY, I GUESS.
PROBABLY, AND THAT PROBABLY CAN GO IN.
DO ANY OF THE OBJECTIVES AND I'M FOCUSED ON OR THE STRATEGIES FOCUS ON CAPTURING WATER THAT FALLS FROM THE SKY AND MAYBE NOT USING IT IN THE PIPES, BUT FOR THINGS THAT TYPICALLY PEOPLE USE IN THE PIPES.
SO WE USE IT COULD BE CONSIDERED HOLDING ON SOME RAINWATER COLLECTION IS A GREEN STORMWATER STORMWATER IRRIGATION SYSTEM. MAYBE WE SHOULD ARTICULATE THAT MORE EXPLICITLY.
RAIN BARRELS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
YEAH. IT SAYS REUSE OF STORMWATER FOR IRRIGATION PURPOSES, BUT THERE ARE OTHER PLACES TOO, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU RUN THE WATER AND YOUR SHOWER IS COLD TILL IT GETS WARM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHATEVER, FIVE GALLONS DOWN THE DRAIN.
HOW CAN YOU REUSE IT? WELL, I DON'T KNOW.
BUT ENCOURAGING SOMEONE TO BUILD A HOME THAT HAS THAT CAPACITY IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT THING THAN ENCOURAGING SOMEONE TO RETROFIT A HOME THAT WASN'T BUILT WITH THAT CAPACITY, AND IF SOMEONE IS GOING TO BUILD A HOME IN A PLACE THAT IS NOT SERVED BY MUNICIPAL WATER, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A HIGH INCENTIVE TO HOLD ON TO ALL THE WATER THAT THEY'VE GOT AND TO MANAGE THE WATER ON THAT PROPERTY AS BEST THEY CAN.
SO THE REASON I'M BRINGING IT UP IS, AGAIN, THIS ISSUE OF WE'VE GOT THIS AREA WHERE WE SAID WE'RE NOT GOING TO HELP YOU OUT WITH THE UTILITIES, BUT WE RECOGNIZE AT THE SAME TIME THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO WANT TO BUILD HOMES THERE, AND SO MY QUESTION IS, WHAT KIND OF HOMES DO WE WANT PEOPLE TO BE BUILDING THERE? AND THIS KIND OF STUFF, I THINK IS THE SORT OF STUFF THAT WE HOPE PEOPLE WILL DO THERE, RIGHT, BUILD THE GREENEST HOUSE YOU'VE EVER BUILT, THAT'S EVER BEEN BUILT.
BUILD US THE GREENEST HOUSES THAT THERE ARE.
[01:15:08]
THIS VERSION OF THE MASTER PLAN, BUT IT COULD GO INTO THE NEXT ONE.SURE, IT WILL BE PART OF THE DISCUSSION GOING FORWARD OF NOW THAT INFILL IS DONE, WHAT DO WE WANT TO SEE OUT THERE? AND THIS IS THE KIND OF STUFF WE WANT TO SEE.
STAY THE HECK OUT OF THE WETLANDS, RIGHT? INCREASE THE NUMBER OF WETLANDS ON YOUR PROPERTY.
YOU KNOW, DO THESE DO THESE THINGS.
THAT'S AN AREA WHERE WE CAN START CREATING INCENTIVES, BUT WE CAN'T DO IT AT THE LAST MINUTE.
THERE'S STILL A WHOLE BUNCH OF INFILL TO DO, BUT I JUST WANT TO SO WE CAN BROADEN THE IN THE CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN THE INFRASTRUCTURE. PROMOTING PUBLIC EDUCATION AND WATER, DRINKING WATER COMES FROM AN IMPORTANCE OF REDUCING WATER CONSUMPTION.
I MEAN, WE COULD ADD, YOU KNOW, A SENTENCE OR TWO THERE THAT SAYS, YOU KNOW, SOMEHOW ENCOURAGED THE INCLUSION OF THESE KINDS OF GOALS IN NEW DEVELOPMENT PROCESSES.
YEAH. SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES.
YEAH. SO I WAS THINKING LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE NUMBER FOUR HERE REVIEW AND UPDATE PLANNING AND THAT WOULD ADD AND BUILDING POLICIES AS NEEDED TO ACCOMMODATE EXPECTED CHANGES IN STORM SURGES AND EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS.
SO YOU DO IT RIGHT THERE AND BUILDING AND BUILDING IS WHAT I WANTED TO ADD RIGHT THERE.
OTHER THOUGHTS. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS.
SO I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE ALL THE PEOPLE WHO PUT EFFORT INTO THIS.
SO, NED AND [INAUDIBLE] AND STEVE THOMAS AND VAL OFFERED SOME INFORMATION AND SUSAN ANDREWS [INAUDIBLE] ADVISORY AND I THINK WHEN YOU KIND OF LOOK LIKE HOW WE MET AND WE CAME UP WITH THESE THINGS AND I THINK IF YOU LOOK UNDER OBJECTIVE TWO LIKE HOW WE LOOK AT INVENTORY PROTECT EXPAND, EDUCATE YOU KNOW I THINK THOSE ARE THE KIND OF THE TOP WORDS THERE.
I THINK I WOULD LIKE TO I KNOW NED WANTS TO HAVE FEWER THINGS ON THERE, BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, SEPARATING OUT A AND B IS PROBABLY IMPORTANT TO DO. I JUST DON'T WANT THINGS TO GET LOST LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, UNDER PROTECTION DEVELOP POLICY TO PREFER INFILL DEVELOPMENT OVER SPRAWL PROJECTS AND YOU KNOW AND WATER RETENTION AREAS.
BASICALLY WHAT BILL WAS JUST KIND OF TALKING ABOUT.
SO STARTING WITH INFILL AND SEPARATING THAT OUT SO THAT WE CAN SEE IT A LITTLE BIT EASIER AND SUBHEADING I THINK SO, AND THERE'S SOME COMMENTS ON HERE THAT STEVE THOMAS OFFERED THAT IT DIDN'T MAKE IT IN HERE, AND I THINK WE CAN TALK MORE ABOUT THAT, BUT BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, PUTTING THINGS ON YOUR PROPERTY, YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, NATIVE PLANNING, DIFFERENT KINDS OF THINGS THAT DON'T REQUIRE AS MUCH WATER , AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVEN'T TAUGHT I DON'T SEE ANYTHING IN THE PLAN AND MAYBE I'M WRONG, BUT DO WE HAVE TREE CANOPIES IN THERE? LIKE, IS THERE ANYTHING ABOUT THAT ANYWHERE IN PLANS? I THINK AT ONE POINT THERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT URBAN TREE COVER AND URBAN HEAT ISLAND THE ENERGY PLAN, BUT I DON'T RECALL IF THAT'S STILL THERE.
I DON'T KNOW. THERE WAS A GENERAL I MEAN, THERE WAS THIS SENTENCE THAT SIMPLY SAID INCREASE THE NUMBER OF STREET TREES, BUT IT WAS SORT OF FREESTANDING. SO THIS MIGHT BE A PLACE FOR THAT, TOO, IF YOU WANT TO FIND A PIECE TO TIE IT IN. OKAY.
I HAVE ONE ITEM THAT CAUGHT MY EYE BECAUSE OBJECTIVE THREE HAS WATER AND SEWER TREATMENT.
I KNOW WE DON'T WANT BIG LONG PREAMBLES TO THESE.
IT'S EASY TO GET TOO WORDY, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, THE PRESENTATION THAT WE RECENTLY GOT FROM THE [INAUDIBLE] WHO MANAGES THE WASTEWATER RECOVERY FACILITY OUTLINED A TON OF IMPROVEMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE AT THAT PLANT THAT HAVE INCREASED ITS ENERGY EFFICIENCY, THAT HAVE INCREASED ITS BIOLOGICAL EFFICIENCY, THAT HAVE REDUCED ITS SOLID WASTE OUTPUT AND SOON TO BE GENERATING ENERGY, AND I WOULD HATE TO NOT HAVE THAT POKE OUT SOMEPLACE IN THE PLAN AND SAY, HEY, AS A MEMBER OF THIS AUTHORITY, WE'RE UPGRADING OUR WATER TREATMENT FACILITY.
[01:20:04]
WE'RE UPGRADING OUR WATER RESOURCE RECOVERY FACILITY.THESE ARE THINGS THAT ARE HUGE, POSITIVE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE DON'T SEE, BUT THEY'RE GOING ON, AND I DON'T KNOW TO WHAT DEGREE THE TOWNSHIP ENDS UP INVESTING DOLLARS IN THOSE.
MY SENSE IS THAT THOSE TWO SYSTEMS PAY FOR THEMSELVES.
THEY'RE PUBLIC UTILITIES AND THEY COLLECT FEES AND THEY SPEND MONEY AND THEY GET GRANT DOLLARS AND MEET THEIR FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS, BUT NEVERTHELESS, THE SYSTEM IS IMPROVING AND INCREASING ITS CAPACITY AND ITS ABILITY TO HANDLE STORMS, FOR INSTANCE.
I MEAN, I WAS EVEN THINKING MAYBE AT THE VERY TOP OR SOMETHING, BUT ANYWAY.
YES, SOMETHING AT THE VERY TOP.
OKAY. YEAH. OR IN THAT SECTION.
I DON'T I DON'T REALLY CARE WHERE IT GOES.
I JUST I MEAN THE EASIEST THING WOULD BE IF YOU PROPOSED A SENTENCE OR TWO.
OKAY, I'LL SCRATCH MY HEAD A BIT MORE AND SEE WHERE IT SEEMS TO FIT IN.
SO MAYBE AND THEN WE GO TO SPECIFIC SUBJECTS LIKE STORMWATER, WETLANDS, ETCETERA, AND SO MAYBE, I DON'T KNOW, YOU MIGHT WANT TO PUT IT THERE.
I THINK ACTUALLY UNDER MUNICIPAL WATER.
MAYBE AS A I'LL THINK ABOUT IT SOME MORE.
ONE ISSUE IN SPECIFIC THAT ALSO CAUGHT MY EYE THAT KENDRA AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT BEFOREHAND IS THE SUGGESTION OF REGULAR INVENTORY OF WETLANDS IN THE TOWNSHIP, AND THE MORE I THINK ABOUT THAT, THE MORE I'M UNSURE OF HOW AND WHO WOULD DO THAT.
FOR THOSE THAT ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE PROCESS, AT WHAT POINT THE TOWNSHIP PAID FOR INTERPRETATION OF AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY THAT SUGGESTED PLACES THAT PROBABLY WERE WETLANDS AT THAT TIME THAT THE PHOTOGRAPHY WAS FLOWN, AND THAT BECAME THE PROVISIONAL WETLANDS MAP THAT THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT USES WHEN THERE'S AN APPLICATION FOR DEVELOPMENT. THEY LOOK AT THAT AND SAY, DO WE THINK THERE MIGHT BE WETLANDS THERE? AND IF THE PRELIMINARY MAP SAYS YES, THEN THE APPLICANT HIRES SOMEONE TO GO OUT AND FIND IT.
THE TOWNSHIP SENDS A CONSULTANT TO GO AND VERIFY IT, AND IF ANYTHING NEEDS TO BE ADJUSTED, THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS, AND ONCE THAT DELINEATION HAS HAPPENED, THE PROVISIONAL MAP IS THEN UPDATED TO REFLECT THAT WE NOW HAVE BEEN ON THE TERRAIN AND WE KNOW WHERE IT IS.
IF IT'S EVER BEEN TOUCHED, THEN IT'S NEVER BEEN SURVEYED PROBABLY IN TERMS OF ITS EXISTENCE OR ITS QUALITY AS A WETLAND. IS THAT A FAIR SUMMARY OF HOW THINGS WORK? SO WHEN I THINK OF UPDATING AN INVENTORY, I THINK OF BOTH MORE RECENT DATA, RIGHT? THE AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY THAT WAS USED FOR THAT WAS A PRETTY CRUDE PANCHROMATIC PHOTOGRAPHY THAT JUST SHOWED KIND OF DARK SPOTS AND THERE'S MUCH BETTER IMAGERY OUT THERE THAT CAN DO A MUCH BETTER JOB OF DETECTING, ESPECIALLY IF YOU CATCH IT AT THE RIGHT TIME.
SO WE COULD ASK THE TOWNSHIP TO INVEST IN A MORE MODERN, REMOTE SENSING BASED PRELIMINARY ESTIMATE IN TERMS OF WHETHER IT ACTUALLY BECAUSE THAT THING HAS REGULATORY FUNCTION, I'M NOT SURE HOW IT GETS UPDATED.
I THINK IT WOULD HAVE TO BE DONE BY A PROFESSIONAL, A LICENSED PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER THAT WAS CONTRACTED TO GO OUT AND GET THE IMAGERY AND DO IT, AND THEN IF THERE WERE FIELD WORK, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE ACCOMPANIED BY ALL THAT FIELD WORK, BUT THERE ARE FIRMS THAT COULD DO , REPEAT THAT, WHATEVER IT WAS 1970 SOMETHING [INAUDIBLE] PHOTO ANALYSIS, AND WE COULD CERTAINLY ASK STAFF TO GET COST ESTIMATES FOR WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE, AND IN TERMS OF LIKE UNOFFICIAL LIKE PRELIMINARY ESTIMATES, LIKE YOU COULD JUST PULL UP A GIS LAYER 30 METER LIKE SATELLITE IMAGERY AND THEN JUST RUN IT THROUGH A GIS FRAMEWORK, AND THEN YOU COULD SEE OVER TIME THE AMOUNT OF WHAT WOULD BE CLASSIFIED IN GIS AS WETLANDS AND SEE HOW THAT INCREASES AND DECREASES OVER TIME FOR THE BOUNDARIES OF THE TOWNSHIP.
THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE PRETTY EASY.
YEAH, DEPENDING ON THE DATE AND TIME OF THE IMAGERY, ETCETERA.
[01:25:01]
I KNOW THAT THE STATE HAS RECENTLY LET A CONTRACT FOR MAPPING ALL THE CULVERTS IN THE STATE, SO THEY FLEW LOW ALTITUDE LIDAR OVER THE ENTIRE STATE AND THEY CAN SEE THE CULVERT UNDER YOUR DRIVEWAY, EVERY SINGLE CULVERT.IT'S A MULTI-AGENCY EFFORT DRIVEN MAINLY BY DOD BECAUSE THEY WANT TO KNOW WHERE THE CULVERTS UNDER THEIR HIGHWAYS AND ROADS ARE, BUT ALSO OTHER AGENCIES USE THEM A LOT FOR OTHER REGULATORY ISSUES AND THAT KIND OF IMAGERY SOURCES IS NOW AVAILABLE AND SOMEONE WHO'S GOT THE RIGHT SKILLS AND TECHNIQUES CAN GO INTO IT AND SAY, OKAY, WELL, I WOULD GUESS HERE AND IT'S GOING TO BE PROBABLY QUITE DIFFERENT FROM WHAT HAPPENED 20, 30 YEARS AGO, IS THAT POTENTIALLY A SERVICE THAT THE STATE OFFERS? I MEAN, IS THAT IF THEY'VE ALREADY DONE THAT KIND OF A SURVEY, MAYBE THEY HAVE, WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK INTO IT.
WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK INTO IT.
I'M HAPPY TO DISCUSS THAT WITH THE WETLAND EDUCATION TEAM AND START TO LOOK AT OPPORTUNITIES FOR DOING A MORE CONTEMPORARY LOOK.
CERTAINLY THERE'S BEEN A LOT MORE DEVELOPMENT.
WEATHER PATTERNS HAVE CHANGED.
I LIKE GETTING A HANDLE ON WHAT IT IS THAT WE'VE GOT AND SO WE KNOW WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO PRESERVE, CORRECT? YEAH [INAUDIBLE] AGAIN, IF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO START GOING OUT THERE AND DEVELOPING IN THE EASTERN THIRD, WELL, LET'S, YOU KNOW, HAVE THE BEST POSSIBLE IDEA WE HAVE FOR OUR PRELIMINARY SO THAT WHEN THEY SUBMIT THEIR PLANS, WE ARE NOT WORKING OFF A 30 YEAR-OLD.
ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GETTING ON IN TIME HERE.
SO I'M GOING TO RECOMMEND THAT WE SUBMIT INDIVIDUAL COMMENTS ON THE DRAFT OF THE WATER PLAN FOR TO THAT GROUP AND TALK ABOUT IT MORE NEXT TIME IF WE NEED TO.
MOVING ON TO REPORTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS STAFF, I SEE YOU HAD YOUR JUNE 7TH STAFF UPDATE ON YOUR
[7. REPORTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS]
[INAUDIBLE] AND IF FOLKS HAVE QUESTIONS.YEAH, JUST TWO OR THREE BIG THINGS.
THE NATURAL SHORELINE INSTALLATION STARTED IN LAKE LANSING THIS WEEK AND IT'S IN PROCESS.
TOMORROW THEY'RE GOING TO BE PLANTING BUSHES AND A TREE.
EMMA'S GOING TO BE THERE, AND THAT'S A PARK LAKE AND BERTRAM.
WE'RE GOING TO PLANT SOME NATIVE PLANTS AND DO SOME WEEDING, AND THEN THE MSU'S ENERGY STUDY WAS DELIVERED TODAY.
SO THAT'S KIND OF A SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE IN TERMS OF IDENTIFYING ENERGY EFFICIENCY OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE THIS BUILDING AND THE ONE NEXT DOOR , AND THEN FINALLY, SAM FLECKENSTEIN, A SCHOLAR WITH THE U OF M.
GRAHAM SUSTAINABILITY INSTITUTE, WHO'S BEEN WORKING ON WATER LAKE HEALTHY RESEARCH.
SO THOSE ARE 4 OR 5 BIG THINGS HAPPENING.
YES. KENDRA, GO AHEAD. SO VERY EXCITING.
I THINK I CAN OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCE THIS NOW, AND THE LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD CAN OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCE THIS NOW, COURTNEY, THAT WE'RE THEY WENT TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, RIGHT? AND THEY WENT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION ABOUT PURCHASING THE PROPERTY.
SO WE'RE LOOKING TO PURCHASE A PROPERTY, A NEW PRESERVE, AND IT'S ON BY CORNELL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
SO IT WOULD BE NORTHEAST OF CORNELL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND CORNELL ROAD.
SO IT'S VERY EXCITING, AND SO IT'S THE I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT'S BEEN SINCE THE PURCHASE THE LAND PRESERVE, BUT IT'S BEEN A BIT, AND SO IT'S EXCITING.
SO WHAT'S THE CURRENT STATUS, DO YOU KNOW? PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDED APPROVAL.
I DON'T THINK IT'S MADE TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD'S AGENDA YET.
OKAY, BUT I SAW ON YOUR AGENDA AT ONE POINT IN TIME, RIGHT.
WHERE IT WAS JUST ANNOUNCED OR WAS IT JUST AN ANNOUNCEMENT? IT [INAUDIBLE] SECTION WAS TITLE 61--IF I GOT THAT RIGHT--REVIEW.
THE TOWNSHIP BOARD SAID THERE'S A STATE LAW THAT REQUIRES PUBLIC HEARING IN ORDER FOR A PUBLIC BODY TO ACQUIRE LAND. SECTION 61 REVIEW IS WHAT IT'S CALLED, AND IT BASICALLY REQUIRES THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO AFFIRM THAT THE
[01:30:05]
ACQUISITION IS NOT CONTRARY TO THE MASTER PLAN AND THAT WAS AN EASY CALL FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION SO THAT SECTION 61 REVIEW HAS NOW BEEN DONE.THAT'S HOW IT CAN GO BACK TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD.
SO IT'S A VERY EXCITING LOCATION FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.
ONE IS CLOSE TO CORNELL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND OFFERS OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO GET OUT THERE AND LEARN AND LEARN TO LOVE THE EARTH AND PARTICIPATE IN PULLING GARLIC, MUSTARD AND DIFFERENT KINDS OF THINGS IF POSSIBLE, AND THEN ALSO IT'S CONNECTED TO A COUNTY PROPERTY TOO.
SO THAT'S GREAT FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.
SO VERY EXCITED TO BE PART OF THAT PROCESS.
ANY OTHER LIAISONS? ENERGY TEAM? WE HAVE OUR NEXT AND THIS ONE IS GOING TO BE ON ZOOM, AND SO THERE IS A LINK TO REGISTER FOR THIS.
SO IF YOU OR ANYBODY, YOU KNOW, MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN LEARNING ABOUT SOLAR POWER AND A POSSIBLE GROUP DISCOUNT, IT'S GOING TO BE NEXT TUESDAY, JUNE 13TH, AND WE CAN GIVE YOU THE LINK TO PASS ON OR TO USE TO KIND OF REGISTER FOR THE MEETING.
THANK YOU. I SEE YOUR HAND GOING UP.
SO I JUST HAD IT PULLED UP AND NOW I LOST IT.
WHERE'D IT GO? ALL RIGHT. OKAY.
WELL, SO AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE GROUP IS NOW HANDING OUT COMPOST BAGS AT THE MARKET.
IT TO ENCOURAGE COMPOSTING DROP OFF AND THIS HAS THEY'VE SEEN A DRAMATIC INCREASE AT THE MARKET OVER ONE WEEK FROM PASSING OUT THOSE COMPOSTING BAGS.
SO IT'S BEEN A GREAT WAY I THINK TO GET THE WORD OUT AND MAYBE ALSO TO REDUCE SOME BARRIERS OF, YOU KNOW, THE KIND OF ICK FACTOR BY PROVIDING THE COMPOSTABLE BAG.
THERE ARE NOW SO THE GLEANING EFFORTS CONTINUE AT THE FARMERS MARKET.
THERE ARE NOW SEVEN NONPROFITS FOR WHICH THE GROUP IS DROPPING OFF FOOD FROM THE MARKET, AND MARKET VENDOR RECENTLY OFFERED TO GIVE UNSOLD PLANT STARTS.
AS OF I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS, I GUESS IT'S AS OF NEXT WEEK THEY WILL BE DONATING UNSOLD PLANT STARTS TO SOME OF THE COMMUNITY GARDENS SO THEY'LL BE RECIPIENTS OF THAT.
OTHER LOCAL PRODUCTS AND PLANT STARTS AND THE TEAM WILL BE ATTENDING OR MANNING A TABLE WITH THE GREEN TEAM AND MY GREEN MICHIGAN AT THE NEXT MARKET RECYCLING EVENT ON JUNE 14TH TO INCREASE GLEANING AND COMPOSTING.
SADLY, I WILL BE OUT OF TOWN SO I WILL NOT BE THERE.
IT'S A BROWN BAG MEETING TO FORMULATE NEXT STEPS WITH THE GROUP AND INCREASE PARTNER PUBLIC OUTREACH AND TO CONTINUE TO SO WE HAVE OUR SUSTAINABILITY GOALS AND THEN THERE'LL ALSO THE GOALS OF THE TEAM WHICH ARE HOPEFULLY ALIGNED BUT I THINK THE GOALS OF THE TEAM ARE KIND OF MORE IMMEDIATE GOALS OF WHAT IS THE TEAM GOING TO BE WORKING ON NOW.
ALSO THERE WAS A TOUR OF MSU'S ANAEROBIC DIGESTER AND JOHN [INAUDIBLE] ORGANIC FLOUR AND FOOD FARM.
SO IF ANYBODY WHO ATTENDED THOSE WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON THAT, I'LL LEAVE IT THERE.
I CAN ADD JOHN [INAUDIBLE] IS CONSIDERED THE FATHER OF [INAUDIBLE], STARTED THE OPERATION IN MSU BEFORE HE RETIRED, AND APPARENTLY HE'S GOT A LOVELY PEACH FARM OUT IN OR SOMEWHERE NORTH OF HERE.
THE ANAEROBIC DIGESTER LIVED UP TO ITS BILLING.
EVERYBODY IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD WILL KNOW WHERE YOU'VE BEEN TODAY.
THE WIND WAS FROM THE WEST, BUT EXTREMELY INFORMATIVE AND EXCITING TO SEE IT.
I GUESS REAL QUICK, FROM THE GREEN TEAM, GREEN TEAM'S NEXT MEETING IS TOMORROW ACTUALLY AT 4:00 AT
[01:35:08]
SCHULER'S CAFE IN THE MALL.OUR NEXT EVENT AT THE MARKET IS JUNE 17TH.
IT'S GREEN FAIR DAY FROM 9 TO 1, AND THE FOCUS AT THAT EVENT WILL BE BIKE RECYCLING. THERE'S GOING TO BE ELECTRONIC OR EXCUSE ME, ELECTRIC BIKE DEMONSTRATION, COMPOSTING OPTIONS AND ALSO SUSTAINABLE FASHIONS AT THAT EVENT.
CELEBRATE MERIDIAN IS JUNE 24TH.
SO JUST HAVE THAT ON YOUR CALENDAR, SHOULD BE FUN.
OUR PRIDE CELEBRATION IS STILL FOR AUGUST 26TH.
IT'S OUR FIRST PRIDE CELEBRATION.
SO WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF PLANNING, BUT OUR PROJECT MANAGER, BRIAN SHORKEY, IS FANTASTIC.
THAT'S COMING ALONG REALLY WELL AT THE BOARD LEVEL.
JUST BUDGETS ARE BEING DISCUSSED AND WILL BE PROPOSED TO THE BOARD IN AUGUST.
SO GIVEN ALL THE DISCUSSION AROUND BUDGETS HERE, JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT OUT THERE.
MENTIONED THE MASTER PLAN THAT IS ON THE AGENDA FOR THE BOARD TO WORK ON.
WE ARE WORKING ON THE WE JUST FINISHED OUR SIGN ORDINANCE WORKING ON THE RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA ORDINANCE, AND SO THAT WILL GIVE US TIME TO BEGIN THE MASTER PLAN.
YEAH, WE DON'T HAVE VERY MANY UPDATES.
THE LAST MEETING OF THE YEAR WAS, I BELIEVE, LAST WEEK.
IT IS SUMMER. YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE DOING THIS.
YEAH. SO THAT IS GOING ON PAUSE.
WE DID SELL MORE OF OUR CLOTHES.
SO IN TERMS OF LIKE THE GREEN FAIR, WE WON'T HAVE MUCH CLOTHES TO SELL, BUT THERE WILL STILL BE SOME THERE, AND THEN, YEAH, THAT'S ALL FOR EARTH CLUB'S UPDATES.
GREAT. ANYTHING ELSE ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO BRING TO THE ATTENTION OF THE COMMISSION? I'D GIVE YOU A PLANNING COMMISSION UPDATE, BUT IT'S ALL ABOUT MEDICAL MARIJUANA AND IT'S NOT RELATED.
SO IF ANYONE DOES NOT KNOW ABOUT THAT AND WANTS TO ATTEND, LET ME KNOW AND I CAN FORWARD THE INVITE.
ALL RIGHT. BROWNFIELD WAS SUPPOSED TO MEET TOMORROW, BUT IT'S NOT, BUT IT'S CANCELED FOR LACK OF BROWNFIELDS OR FOR A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION IS GOING ON OVER AT THE WEST END OF WHAT USED TO BE THE [INAUDIBLE] IN HASLETT.
THAT IS GOING UP FAIRLY QUICKLY NOW, AND OH, AND I GUESS IT WAS ON FACEBOOK, BUT WE SAW PEOPLE WERE LOOKING FOR SUGGESTIONS AS TO WHAT TO DO WITH THE UNDEVELOPED OKEMOS CENTER THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE REDEVELOPED SOMETIME.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT. THERE WERE JUST VARIOUS SUGGESTIONS ABOUT PLANTINGS OR SIGNAGE OR SOMETHING TO MAKE THIS BARREN WASTELAND THAT WAS CREATED WHEN THERE WAS A PLAN TO BUILD SOMETHING THERE INTO SOMETHING THAT'S A LITTLE LESS BLEAK.
I COULD WRITE A LITTLE UPDATE ON THAT.
SO THE DEVELOPERS AND THE TOWNSHIP BOARD AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION ARE WORKING TOGETHER.
JUST A REMINDER THAT PROPERTY IS NOT OWNED BY MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
[LAUGHTER] MADE REAL USE OF THAT.
VERY GOOD WAY OF PUTTING IT. ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU, EVERYONE, FOR ATTENDING.
WE'RE ADJOURNED. THAT'S A GOOD POINT.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.