[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]
[00:00:02]
I'M GETTING THE THUMBS UP THAT WE ARE GOOD TO GO.
AND AS ALWAYS, THE FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS PUBLIC REMARKS.
AND THERE IS A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WITH US.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION NOW, YOU'RE WELCOME TO OR ANY OTHER POINT ALONG.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'M JUST HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF IT COMES UP.
WE WILL BE SURE TO TOUCH ON THAT ISSUE.
[3. CHANGES TO/APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY CHANGES, ADDITIONS, SUBTRACTIONS, CLARIFICATIONS, TYPOS THEY FOUND IN THE AGENDA? HEARING NONE. THE ONLY THING I WOULD ASK IS THAT UNDER UNFINISHED BUSINESS, WE RETURN TO THE ISSUE OF APPOINTMENTS TO OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.SO I INVITE YOU, WHEN WE GET TO THAT PART OF THE MEETING TO LOOK AT THOSE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT WE TYPICALLY HAVE LIAISONS TO OR APPOINTMENTS TO AND FIGURE OUT WHETHER THOSE MEETING TIMES AND THAT TOPIC WILL INTEREST YOU.
AND ALSO, I HAVE A NEW BUSINESS THE JOINT BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS MEETING ON MARCH 26TH.
SO WITHOUT OBJECTION, WITH THOSE TWO AMENDMENTS TO THE AGENDA IS ADOPTED AS AMENDED.
[4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
ANYBODY HAVE ANY CHANGES THEY WOULD LIKE TO OFFER TO THESE MINUTES OF THE FEBRUARY 7TH, 2024 MEETING? A COUPLE OF MINOR ONES ON THE SECOND PAGE UNDER PLANNING COMMISSION.MASTER OF CEREMONIES? YES. I THINK YOUR NAME GOT CUT SHORT THERE.
THAT'S ALL RIGHT. WE I UNDERSTOOD WHAT HE MEANT, BUT.
YEAH AND WHILE WE'RE IN THAT PARAGRAPH, PROBABLY A LITTLE FURTHER DOWN, REVIEWING SEVERAL SECTIONS.
AND THEN FINALLY, THE LAST SENTENCE IS A FIVE YEAR PLAN.
MULTIPLE PLURALS, TWO PLURALS TO CORRECT.
ANY OTHERS? WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE MINUTES ARE ADOPTED WITH THOSE CHANGES.
SO THAT TAKES US TO NEW BUSINESS.
[5. NEW BUSINESS]
AND THE ITEM I WANTED TO POINT OUT IS THAT EVERY YEAR, THE TOWNSHIP BOARD HOLDS AN OPEN MEETING IN THIS ROOM WITH ALL THE OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS IN THE TOWNSHIP, AND BASICALLY A CHANCE FOR THE BOARD TO HEAR WHAT'S GOING ON IN MORE DETAIL THAN THEY WOULD SORT OF PICK UP AT BITS AND PIECES AND FOR THOSE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS TO SUGGEST WHAT IT IS THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON AND WHAT THEY'D LIKE TO BE WORKING ON OR ANYTHING THEY'D LIKE TO GET FROM THE BOARD, EITHER IN TERMS OF GUIDANCE OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT MIGHT COME ALONG.SO I'VE AGREED TO ATTEND THAT MEETING ON BEHALF OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
ANYBODY ELSE WHO'D LIKE TO COME ALONG IS WELCOME.
AND IT'S, IN MY VIEW, VERY HELPFUL, ESPECIALLY FOR SOME OF THE MORE ACTIVE GROUPS LIKE THE ENERGY TEAM, TO BE ABLE TO ATTEND AND PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON WHAT'S GOING ON. I THINK THINGS LIKE THE GREEN GRANTS ARE SORTS OF THINGS THAT THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO HEAR ABOUT, NOT IN ANY GREAT DETAIL.
THE ROOM WILL BE FULL, IT'LL BE FULL OF TABLES FACING THE DAIS.
AND IN MY EXPERIENCE, EACH OF THOSE BOARDS OR COMMISSIONS WILL SPEND 10 OR 15 MINUTES SORT OF EXPLAINING AND MAYBE IN SOME BACK AND FORTH WITH THE BOARD.
AND I'M GOING TO EXERCISE MY PREROGATIVE AS CHAIR AND MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND THE AGENDA ONE MORE TIME.
LET'S DO SOME QUICK INTRODUCTIONS, SINCE WE HAVE A NEW MEMBER WITH US THIS EVENING.
[00:05:04]
AND YOU SAW, I THINK, IN THE MEETING NOTES FROM STAFF A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF TRUSTEE TRESIZE, WHO I'VE BEEN FORTUNATE TO SERVE ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION WITH FOR MY TIME THERE.AND HE IS NOW ACCEPTED A POSITION AS INTERIM TRUSTEE.
NO, I'M A FULL TRUSTEE OKAY. I WILL BE RUNNING FOR REELECTION.
SO WHAT I'M GOING TO SUGGEST IS THAT WE JUST GO AROUND REAL QUICKLY AND DO A QUICK INTRODUCTION.
SO THAT WE ALL KNOW WHO WE ARE, IF THAT'S OKAY.
I CHAIR THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
I ALSO SERVE ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
I'VE BEEN IN THIS GROUP FOR NOT QUITE AS LONG AS JOHN SARVER, OR NEARLY AS LONG AS NED JACKSON WAS.
OKAY. AND I'M ANNA FISCHER COLBY.
I'VE BEEN ON THE COMMISSION FOR A FEW YEARS NOW, MAYBE THREE YEARS.
I'M GOING WITH HAS IT BEEN THAT LONG? AND LET'S SEE, YOUR MAIN INTEREST IS IN THE FOOD.
YES. MY MAIN INTEREST IS IN THE FOOD SYSTEM.
END OF THINGS. ALTHOUGH, AS WE'RE GOING TO REPORT, THERE'S A IN TERMS OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN OKEMOS, THERE'S A NUMBER OF VERY ACTIVE WELL, FORMER COMMISSIONER AND OTHER RESIDENTS.
I'M JOHN SARVER AND I'M A MEMBER OF THE ENERGY TEAM.
THAT'S HOW I GOT INVOLVED WITH THE TOWNSHIP.
AND FROM THE ENERGY TEAM, I ENDED UP GETTING APPOINTED TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
AND I GUESS IT HAS BEEN A WHILE.
I KIND OF LOST TRACK OF HOW MANY YEARS.
BUT I THINK YOU WERE HERE WHEN I CAME.
I'M PRETTY SURE YOU AND NED WERE BOTH HERE.
I'M A STUDENT COMMISSIONER FROM OKEMOS HIGH SCHOOL.
TOM FRAIZER GOING ON THREE YEARS, RETIRED FROM THE MICHIGAN TOWNSHIPS ASSOCIATION.
I THINK I'VE BEEN ON THE COMMISSION SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF FOUR PLUS YEARS.
SERVE ON THE GREEN TEAM AND HAVE ALSO BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE FOOD GROUP.
[INAUDIBLE]. I'M APPOINTED TO THE TRUSTEE POSITION IN JANUARY.
I SERVED ABOUT SIX YEARS ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
I WORKED FOR STATE GOVERNMENT FOR MANY YEARS.
I ALSO WAS ON THE OKEMOS SCHOOL BOARD FOR 16 YEARS.
SO I'VE BEEN ON VARIOUS BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS FOR QUITE A WHILE.
SO DON'T HOLD THAT AGAINST ME.
I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT MY ROLE IS ON THIS COMMISSION AS A LIAISON.
I DON'T BELIEVE I'M A MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION.
I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE I'M WRONG.
I DON'T BELIEVE I'M A VOTING MEMBER, AND I'M NOT SURE I COUNT TOWARDS QUORUM, BUT I'M HERE TO OFFER INPUT THAT I MIGHT HAVE AND TO LISTEN TO YOU AND GIVE INFORMATION BACK TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
SUPER. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.
THE PRACTICE OF HAVING INFORMAL LIAISONS BETWEEN BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, INCLUDING THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, HAS BEEN EMERGING, I WOULD SAY, OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS OR SO.
THERE ARE SOME FORMAL APPOINTMENTS THAT OCCUR BETWEEN ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND BROWNFIELD DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY AND LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD, WHERE WE HOLD APPOINTED JOINT SEATS ON THOSE.
THE TRUSTEES LIAISON TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, IN MY UNDERSTANDING, IS INFORMAL.
SO NOT VOTING OR QUORUM, ON THE OTHER HAND.
WE RARELY CONDUCT BUSINESS THAT REQUIRES A QUORUM.
IN MY VIEW, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING LIKE APPROVING A RECOMMENDATION FOR GREEN GRANT FUNDING.
THERE'S A KNOWLEDGEABLE MEMBER THERE.
[00:10:03]
OR IF WE WERE TO RECEIVE A WETLAND USE PERMIT APPLICATION FOR REVIEW AND WERE TO MAKE A FORMAL RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD FOR APPROVAL OR DENIAL OR TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, DEPENDING ON THE PERMIT THAT WOULD REQUIRE A QUORUM AND A FORMAL VOTE.HAD YOU EVER REVIEWED A WETLAND USE PERMIT APPLICATION SINCE YOU'VE BEEN ON THE TOWN? YEAH. NOT RECENTLY, BUT I HAVE, YEAH.
HAVE YOU HAD THAT HONOR? I DON'T BELIEVE SO.
I THINK IT'S BEEN AT LEAST 4 OR 5 YEARS SINCE WE'VE SEEN ONE.
AND WE'VE HAD SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT WHY THAT MIGHT BE.
BUT IT'S HARD TO SAY EITHER OUR ORDINANCE IS SPECTACULARLY SUCCESSFUL.
THERE'S NO MORE GOOD WETLANDS TO BUILD IN.
I THINK THEY ARE, AND THAT PEOPLE ARE JUST GETTING THE MESSAGE AND NOT TRYING TO ENCROACH ON A WETLAND TO GET ONE MORE UNIT IN AN APARTMENT BUILDING BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT'S JUST AN UPHILL. SO I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED A WETLAND ISSUE WITH THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS, WHICH I ALSO SERVE ON AS A MEMBER.
YOU'D BE HAPPY TO KNOW WE TURNED IT DOWN, BUT WAS AN ENCROACHMENT NEAR LAKE LANSING.
SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.
SUPER. MAYBE THE WEATHER CHANGED TOO.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S SO MUCH FLOODING.
I MEAN, IT MAY JUST SEEM RISKIER TO TRY TO BUILD SOMETHING ON A WETLAND THAN IT USED TO.
YEAH, STUBBORN PEOPLE OUT THERE.
AS I UNDERSTAND IT, TO SERVE IN THIS POSITION.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.
ANY OTHER NEW BUSINESS WE NEED TO INTRODUCE? AT THIS POINT, UNFINISHED BUSINESS APPOINTMENTS.
[6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS]
WE HAVE THE MEETING TIMES IN FRONT OF US, AND I BELIEVE WE'VE [INAUDIBLE] LEE IS GOING TO CONTINUE IN THE FUNCTION OF A LIAISON TO THE LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD BECAUSE SHE'S ALREADY APPOINTED TO THAT BOARD.SO IT MAKES SENSE FOR HER TO REMAIN AS THAT LIAISON.
SINCE I'M CURRENTLY SERVING ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION, MY INTENTION IS TO CONTINUE SERVING AS A LIAISON TO THAT GROUP AND THAT LEAVES REALLY THE DDA AND BROWNFIELD WHERE WE HAVE AND TRANSPORTATION WHERE WE HAVE TYPICALLY HAD SOME REPRESENTATION.
BROWNFIELD IS FORMAL, RIGHT? BROWNFIELD IS A VOTING MEMBER.
YEAH AND WE STARTED TO DISCUSS THIS A LITTLE BIT LAST TIME, BUT THOSE MEETINGS OCCUR IN THE MORNINGS SINCE OFTENTIMES THEY INVOLVE DEVELOPERS OR APPLICANTS FOR PROJECTS OR STATE OFFICIALS.
AND THAT'S CAN BE TRICKY FOR THOSE OF US WITH SCHOOL OR JOBS.
THOSE WHO ARE RETIRED MAY BE MORE AMENABLE TO MAKING THOSE MEETINGS.
ON THE OTHER HAND, PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN THE BROWNFIELD.
I HAVE SERVED ON THAT AS THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
IT MEETS RARELY BECAUSE IT ONLY MEETS WHEN THERE'S AN AGENDA ITEM EITHER APPROVING A BROWNFIELD AGREEMENT WITH A DEVELOPER OR STARTING THE REPAYMENT PROCESS AND APPROVING THEIR EXPENDITURES AND ALL THAT.
MOST OF THE BACKGROUND WORK IS DONE BY STAFF.
SO WHAT THEY GIVE YOU IS SOMETIMES A VERY LARGE PACKET OF MATERIAL, BUT IT'S SUMMARIZED PRETTY WELL, AND IT'S BEEN BACKED BY ALL OF OUR ACCOUNTANTS TAX PEOPLE TO MAKE SURE IT'S APPROVED.
SOME OF IT HAS TO GO TO THE STATE.
I THINK I WAS ON IT FOR A YEAR AND A HALF AND PROBABLY WE HAD.
FIVE MEETINGS, AND MOST OF THOSE WERE DONE IN HALF AN HOUR TO 45 MINUTES.
SO IT IS NOT A HUGE COMMITMENT OF TIME.
AND DO YOU KNOW HOW FAR IN ADVANCE YOU USUALLY ARE AWARE OF THOSE MEETINGS? THE MEETINGS ARE SCHEDULED ANNUAL.
AND YOU'LL RECEIVE NOTICE PROBABLY TWO WEEKS BEFORE THAT.
THE MEETING IS BEING CANCELED.
OKAY. OTHERWISE, YOU GET AN AGENDA.
BUT THE AGENDA MAY NOT COME TILL LATE.
[00:15:02]
AND SO IF YOU'RE RELYING ON WAITING FOR AN AGENDA AND YOU HAVE SOME CONFLICTS THAT CAN BE PROBLEMATIC, THEY DO SOMETIMES HAVE TROUBLE GETTING A QUORUM.BUT IT IS NOT A MONTHLY MEETING OR IT HAS NOT BEEN A MONTHLY MEETING.
RIGHT NOW, THE ONLY TWO I KNOW OF WOULD BE THE FOUR CORNERS INN IN OKEMOS AND THE REMAINING PART OF HASLETT VILLAGE. AND THEY HAVE AN AGREEMENT? THEY HAVEN'T STARTED BUILDING, SO THEY'RE NOT GETTING ANY MONEY BACK.
THERE'S NO TAX REBATES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
FOR BOTH OF THOSE AT THIS POINT BUT I WOULD BE WILLING TO SERVE, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING KIND OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES. AND I HAVE A FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE.
IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'D BE A LEARNING EXPERIENCE.
IS THERE ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO CHALLENGE COMMISSIONER FOR THIS HONOR? CAN ARM WRESTLE FOR IT? YEAH, I CAN LOSE ARM WRESTLING.
I THANK YOU FOR VOLUNTEERING IT CAN BE DAUNTING.
I'VE ONLY ATTENDED A FEW MEETINGS.
THE LEVEL OF DETAIL THAT GOES INTO WHAT IS THE CONTAMINATION THAT CONSTITUTES A BROWNFIELD? AND WHAT ARE THE WHAT'S THE REMEDIATION PLAN? AND IT QUICKLY GETS VERY TECHNICAL VERY QUICKLY.
SO IT'S BUT YOU'VE GOT THE BACKGROUND IN STATE FINANCE TO AT LEAST BE ABLE TO FOLLOW THE CONVERSATION, RIGHT? YEAH. WELL, LET ME ASK YOU, THE OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN APPOINTED, AM I RIGHT IN ASSUMING THEY KIND OF HAVE FOUND SOME PEOPLE WITH CERTAIN EXPERTISE OR SOME.
YEAH. OKAY. AND THEY USUALLY FOR ANYTHING MAJOR, THEY HIRE OUTSIDE EXPERTS.
OKAY. THAT PREPARE REPORTS AS FAR AS OKAY.
WHAT IS NECESSARY. THE APPLICANT HAS TO DO THAT.
AND WE HAVE OUR OWN ENVIRONMENTAL PEOPLE THAT GO BACK AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE DOING IT CORRECTLY.
AND IT IS WELL SUPPORTED BY STAFF AS WELL AS EXPERTS TO COME IN AND ANSWER QUESTIONS.
WHO'S THE STAFF PERSON? I THINK IT'S TIM SCHMIDT.
AND I BELIEVE THE MANAGER SITS ON THE BOARD.
YES, HE DOES AS A VOTING MEMBER AND FRANK IS VERY INVOLVED IN IT.
OKAY, WELL, I'VE LEARNED OVER TIME TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THINGS I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT.
ABSOLUTELY. MAYBE THAT'S MY QUALIFICATION AND THAT'S HOW I ENDED UP CHAIR, I ASK QUESTIONS.
YOU BE CAREFUL ABOUT SHOWING UP TOO OFTEN.
GOTCHA. MY SENSE IS THAT SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BEFORE THAT, TYPICALLY AN APPLICATION IS NOT GOING TO LAND ON THE DESK UNLESS IT'S PRETTY WELL VETTED.
IT IS GOING TO BE EXTREMELY WELL VETTED.
SO I REMEMBER THERE BEING SOME POTENTIAL OVERREACH ON ONE PROJECT, AN OLD TIRE STORE WHERE THEY WANTED TO GET SOME THINGS AND I THINK THE BRA SAID THAT'S A LITTLE BIT TOO MUCH.
BUT THERE'S FOR THE MOST PART THEY'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL, AT LEAST IN TERMS OF GETTING THE STRUCTURE IN PLACE, EVEN IF VERTICAL CONSTRUCTION ISN'T ALWAYS GOING.
AND USUALLY THE LAW IS FAIRLY CLEAR ABOUT WHAT QUALIFIES AND WHAT DOES NOT.
BUT IT'S AN INTERESTING PROCESS.
SUPER. WELL, I THINK THOSE ARE ALL THE ONES THAT WE NEED.
AND I WOULD VERY MUCH ENCOURAGE IN GENERAL FOLKS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION, BUT IT'S NOT A HOPEFUL SCHEDULE. YEAH.
BUT AND JUST AS A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND, THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION, I BELIEVE, WAS INITIALLY CREATED TO RELIEVE THE TOWNSHIP BOARD FROM HAVING TO, WELL, WADE INTO ALL OF THE DETAILS OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CANADA, ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO ON DEMAND SERVICES WHICH THAT BOARD THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION DID AND A NEW AGREEMENT WAS STRUCK.
AND IT SEEMS LIKE THAT SATISFIED FOLKS.
[00:20:09]
TOWNSHIP AND PARTICULARLY THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MORE ROBUST, NON-MOTORIZED TRANSPORTATION PLAN IN ADDITION TO OUR PATHWAY PLAN, WHICH IS BASICALLY A MAP OF WHERE WE'D LIKE TO BUILD PATHWAYS.AND THE POINT OF THAT IS TO DO A BETTER JOB OF LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE AND TO BOLSTER OUR NEXT ROUND OF APPLICATION TO BICYCLE FRIENDLY COMMUNITY, WHICH EXPECTS TO SEE A MORE ROBUST PLAN IN PLACE.
FINALLY. YEAH. ANY QUESTIONS OR OTHER ISSUES ON BOARD OR COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS? LIAISON APPOINTMENTS? WELL, THIS BOARD MAY FIND IT INTERESTING TO PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT'S COMING IN FRONT OF THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS AND I WILL TRY TO LET YOU KNOW IF I SEE SOMETHING COMING UP ON AN AGENDA THAT MAY BE OF IMPORT TO THIS GROUP SO THAT YOU CAN COME AND AT LEAST MAKE PUBLIC COMMENTS EITHER FOR OR AGAIN. YEAH.
FOR FOLKS WHO ARE NEW, CAN YOU SAY ONE SENTENCE ABOUT WHAT A ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS IS? ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS, HOW THAT DIFFERS FROM A PLANNING COMMISSION.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION COMES LOOKS AT PROPOSALS WITHIN THE EXISTING ZONING LAWS AND PERMISSIBLE SPECIAL USE PERMITS UNDER THE CURRENT ZONING LAWS THAT MAY NOT ALLOW A BUILDER TO DO EXACTLY WHAT HE WANTS TO DO.
WE'VE HAD SOME ARGUMENTS ABOUT SETBACKS THAT DON'T HAVE ENOUGH ROOM.
THEIR LOT WAS BIG ENOUGH THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH ROAD FRONTAGE.
SO THE QUESTION WAS WHETHER THEY COULD GET A ZONING VARIANCE TO DO THAT.
WE HAD ONE WHERE A GENTLEMAN WANTED TO PUT ONE CORNER OF HIS HOUSE ABOUT 15FT INTO THE WETLANDS BUFFER SO THAT HE'D HAVE A VIEW OF THE LAKE.
THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS ONE THAT THIS BOARD MAY HAVE BEEN INTERESTED IN WEIGHING IN ON.
WE GET SOME SIGN ORDINANCE STUFF AND ZBA AWARE THE SIGN ORDINANCE IS SO RESTRICTIVE THAT A BUSINESS CAN'T PUT UP A SIGN ON THEIR BUILDING BECAUSE THERE'S ALREADY TWO ON THERE. IT'S A LARGE BUILDING WITH MANY TENANTS, AND THEY ALL WANT TO PUT A SIGN UP.
SO THOSE TYPES OF THINGS AGAIN, THAT'S ONE THAT IF THERE'S NOTHING PENDING, THERE'S NO MEETING.
SO I DO KNOW WE HAVE A MEETING THIS MONTH WITH ABOUT THREE APPLICATIONS.
I HAVEN'T REVIEWED THEM ALL YET BECAUSE I HAVEN'T RECEIVED THEM ALL YET.
IS THE PROCEDURE FOR ZBA SIMILAR TO PLANNING COMMISSION, WHERE AN APPLICATION WILL BE BROUGHT FOR A FIRST HEARING, FORMAL OR INFORMAL, AND THEN DECIDED UPON AT THE NEXT MEETING, OR SOMETIMES SOMETIMES WAIVE RULES.
AND IT'S NOT IT CAN BE DONE ON THE SAME NIGHT UNLESS THERE'S QUESTIONS.
BUT I THINK WE USUALLY TAKE THEM UP THE SAME NIGHT.
UNLESS THERE'S SOME REASON THAT THERE'S QUESTIONS AND THE APPLICANT SAYS, CAN I COME BACK AND ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS AND DO SOME THINGS, OR WOULD YOU PLEASE COME OUT AND LOOK AT OUR PROPERTY AND SEE WHAT WE WANT TO DO BEFORE YOU REACH A VOTE? AND THAT'S OCCASIONALLY DONE? YEAH, I'M JUST TRYING TO THINK OF HOW THE LOGISTICS OF THAT WORK.
IF YOU MEET ON MARCH 20TH OUR NEXT MEETING WOULD THEN BE ON APRIL 3RD.
AND THEN YOU'D MEET AGAIN ON APRIL 17TH.
IF HOW WOULD HOW WOULD THE MECHANISM OF US WEIGHING IN WORK IF YOU'RE ACTUALLY IN THE SAME NIGHT? I'VE GOT TO LOOK AT SOME OF MY EMAILS.
I MAY HAVE SOME INFORMATION ON THAT AS FAR AS WHAT'S COMING UP.
OKAY. I CAN SEND EARLIER THAN THAT.
[00:25:04]
MOST OF THEM DO NOT INVOLVE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.I'M TOO CLOSE TO THE NEIGHBOR.
IT'S A DEC ISSUE AND BEING TOO CLOSE TO THE PROPERTY LINE.
SO IT'S NOT A NEW INCURSION INTO ANYTHING.
THEY JUST NEED APPROVAL TO BECAUSE IT'S A NON CONFORMING USE TO DO THIS.
SO. RIGHT. I'LL TRY TO KEEP YOU AS KNOWLEDGEABLE AS I AM.
[7. REPORTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS]
ALL RIGHT. WELL, LET'S MOVE ON TO THE FUN STUFF THEN.REPORTS. WE ALWAYS START OFF WITH STAFF WHO POINT US TO THEIR SITES.GOOGLE.COM SLASH VIEW SLASH STAFF UPDATES FROM WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT FOR US THIS EVENING? LEROY. IF YOU DIDN'T GET THE LATEST GREEN GAZETTE, LET ME KNOW.
I'D BE HAPPY TO PUT YOU ON THE MAILING LIST, BUT I TRY AND PUT MOST OF THE HIGHLIGHTS IN THAT.
AND YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THE UPDATE ON THE FASHION SHOW.
THERE'S ALSO A COUPLE BIG RECYCLING EVENTS COMING UP.
YOU CAN ORDER FIRST 50 PEOPLE GET TEN BUCKS OFF THEIR COMPOST BIN.
AND IF YOU'D LIKE TO BE COME TO A PUT A SMALL STINT IN AT ONE OF THE RECYCLING EVENTS, WE ARE LOOKING FOR ABOUT 60 VOLUNTEERS, AND I NOTICED THAT TOM WAS THE FIRST VOLUNTEER TO SIGN UP FOR THAT, [INAUDIBLE] I DIDN'T KNOW I WAS THE FIRST.
I MEAN, YOU GET TO CHOOSE YOUR JOB.
NO, I WAS ACTUALLY PERSUADED TO TAKE A NEW JOB THIS YEAR.
SO I HAD BEEN DEMOTED FROM TRAFFIC TO ANOTHER POSITION, WHICH SHALL REMAIN NAMELESS.
HE WILL BE FROM HERE ON, KNOWN AS THE SHREDDER.
NICE. WELL ATLEAST YOU HAVE A NEW NICKNAME? COME BACK NEXT WEEK, LIKE THIS WEEK.
HI AND IF YOU HAVEN'T LOOKED AT THE STAFF UPDATE OR YOU'VE GOT SOME QUESTIONS, GO TAKE A PEEK AND SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING JUICY FOR YOU THAT YOU WANT TO BITE INTO.
WHAT'S UP JOHN? WELL, WE DID HAVE A BRIEFING FOR THE REGION ON THE 29TH.
AND I THINK WE GOT A PRETTY GOOD TURNOUT.
I THINK ABOUT 18 PEOPLE, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE TO HAVE MORE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS REPRESENTED.
WE DID HAVE CITY OF EAST LANSING, CITY OF LANSING, INGHAM COUNTY, WILLIAMSTON TOWNSHIP.
THEN WE HAD MSU THERE, QUITE A FEW REPRESENTATIVES OF THE BOARD OF WATER AND LIGHT AND TRI COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION, AND I AND STAFF FROM ABSOLUTE SOLAR DID A BRIEFING ON THE SOLARIZE PROGRAM.
AND MARSHALL [INAUDIBLE] TALKED ABOUT THE CAPITAL AREA FRIENDS OF THE ENVIRONMENT.
A NONPROFIT GROUP THAT HAS MAYBE GOT STARTED A YEAR AGO, MAYBE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
JUST KIND OF MAKING EVERYBODY AWARE OF THAT.
AND THEN WE HAD SOME OPEN DISCUSSION.
SO IT WAS A, YOU KNOW, LIKE A NOON TO 130 MEETING AND JUST FOR PEOPLE TO KIND OF SHARE WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO PROMOTE WHAT THE TOWNSHIP'S BEEN DOING.
AND YOU KNOW, LEROY MENTIONED OUR FIRST SOLARIZE MEETING IS APRIL 1ST HERE, AND THEN WE'RE TRYING TO WE ARE JOINTLY HOLDING MEETINGS.
[00:30:02]
BUT WE'VE GOT APRIL 1ST WILLIAMSON TOWNSHIP HAS, I THINK, MAY 21ST, AND THEN WE'RE EXPECTING TO DO DATES IN JULY AND SEPTEMBER HOPEFULLY IN EAST LANSING AND LANSING.BUT THEY'RE KIND OF WORKING THROUGH WHO WOULD THE RESIDENT BE THAT WOULD PARTICIPATE? WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR A CITY TO SPONSOR SOMETHING WITH JUST ONE SOLAR INSTALLER? SO THEY'RE KIND OF THINKING IT THROUGH, BUT I'M OPTIMISTIC THAT WE'LL END UP WITH A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE FOUR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
OKAY. PETE, ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE SOLARIZED? I CALL THEM TUPPERWARE PARTIES.
DO YOU WANT TO GIVE A ONE SENTENCE EXPLANATION OF WHAT A SOLARIZED MEETINGS LOOK LIKE? YEAH. YOU KNOW, WE THE ENERGY TEAM STARTED OUT BY DOING MORE TRADITIONAL KIND OF MEETINGS, WHICH WE DID AFTER THE CLIMATE PLAN WAS ADOPTED, WHICH WE DID FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS.
AND THEN WE GRABBED AN IDEA FROM ANN ARBOR, WHICH WAS THE IDEA.
YOU HAVE A MEETING TO EDUCATE RESIDENTS ABOUT SOLAR, YOU KNOW, PLUSES, MINUSES.
IT'S HOSTED BY SOMEBODY WHO'S ALREADY A SOLAR OWNER.
AND THEN THEIR SOLAR INSTALLER ASSUMING THAT COMPANIES WILLING WILL GIVE A GROUP DISCOUNT DEPENDING ON HOW MANY PEOPLE IN THE GROUP GO AHEAD AND BUY, WHICH WOULD BE 1%.
SO EIGHT PEOPLE, LET'S SAY 30 PEOPLE SHOW UP, TEN DECIDE TO BUY A SYSTEM.
THOSE TEN, THEY WOULD ALL GET A 10% DISCOUNT.
WOW. AND SO THE MINIMUM 5% DISCOUNT, MAXIMUM 15%.
LAST YEAR WE DID HAVE ONE THAT THERE WERE 14 BUYS.
AND SO ALL THOSE PEOPLE GOT 14% OFF.
A LOT OF TIMES IT'S BEEN 5% OR SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN.
SO GET LEARN ABOUT SOLAR AND MAYBE GET A BREAK ON THE PRICE.
DO MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT COME TO THAT THE CITIZENRY HAVE PLANS FOR SOLAR? DO THEY HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT'S AVAILABLE TO THEM, OR IS IT A.
I CAN SEE THIS AS COMING TO THREE MEETINGS, THE FIRST ONE TO TELL YOU WHAT MIGHT BE AVAILABLE, THE SECOND ONE TO DISCUSS WHAT YOU'RE THINKING, AND THE THIRD ONE TO MAYBE BITE THE BULLET AND DO THAT.
NO, THESE ARE SEPARATE MEETINGS WHERE DIFFERENT PEOPLE ATTEND, I UNDERSTAND.
YEAH, YEAH. SO WHAT THE NOW IT VARIES QUITE A BIT, BUT IT'S NOT UNUSUAL FOR SOMEBODY WHO HAS ALREADY BEEN THINKING ABOUT IT FOR A WHILE AND PROBABLY READ SOME ARTICLES AND TALKED TO SOME PEOPLE.
IT'S POSSIBLE SOMEBODY JUST FIRST TIME THEY EVER THOUGHT ABOUT IT, BUT THAT'S NOT LIKELY.
IT'S MORE LIKELY THEY'VE GIVEN IT SOME THOUGHT FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS.
THEY'VE DECIDED NOT TO JUMP INTO IT.
SO THEY'RE THINKING, OKAY, GROUP DISCOUNT AND I CAN GET SOME QUESTIONS ANSWERED AND BECAUSE THE PRESENTATION ITSELF IS TYPICALLY A HALF AN HOUR AND THEN A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS, AND THEN THE REAL YOU REALLY GET INTO THE NITTY GRITTY WHEN THE INSTALLER COMES OUT TO YOUR HOUSE, ASSUMING YOU WANT THE INSTALLER TO DO THAT AND THEY INTERACT WITH YOU AS A HOMEOWNER.
AND ARE YOU INTERESTED IN WHAT ABOUT GROUND MOUNT ROOFTOP? SO MUCH OF IT IS SITE SPECIFIC.
YES. AND THEN THE INSTALLER GIVES THEM A DETAILED PROPOSAL.
AND ONE THING THAT I THINK HELPS BECAUSE WE'VE HEARD THAT FROM OTHER PEOPLE, MEMBERS OF THE ENERGY TEAM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE PEOPLE GO, OH, YEAH, I'M INTERESTED.
BUT WHO DO I CONTACT TO GET BIDS, YOU KNOW, AND SO THIS PROGRAM MAKES THAT BARRIER VERY EASY BECAUSE THEY'RE TALKING TO A FELLOW RESIDENT WHO'S ALREADY GONE THROUGH AND SELECTED SOMEBODY.
AND SO THERE'S A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF CONFIDENCE THAT, OKAY, MAYBE THIS SOLAR INSTALLER IS REPUTABLE.
AT LEAST THIS PERSON THOUGHT ENOUGH OF THAT COMPANY TO KIND OF USE THEM.
AND THAT HELPS THE PROCESS, TOO.
NOW WE DO ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY WHO ATTENDS GO OUT AND GET OTHER BIDS.
[00:35:09]
GUESS. I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW.YEAH, THE TIMING IS YOU DON'T GO HOME WITH TUPPERWARE, I UNDERSTAND.
NO, YOU GO TO THE MEETING AND THEN YOU HAVE A WEEK TO DECIDE WHETHER YOU WANT TO GET IT ON SITE.
ALL RIGHT? OKAY. AND ONCE YOU DECIDE AN ON SITE, THAT TAKES A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
AND THEN ONCE YOU GET YOUR PROPOSAL, THEN YOU GET, LIKE, ANOTHER MONTH, RIGHT? ABOUT A MONTH? TO ACTUALLY MAKE A DECISION YOU HAVE TO KEEP MOVING ALONG BECAUSE OTHERWISE NOBODY WILL KNOW WHAT THEIR DISCOUNT NUMBER IS UNTIL EVERYBODY DECIDES.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS WONDERING. HOW CAN YOU TELL WHAT THE DISCOUNT IS UNTIL PEOPLE KNOW WHAT THEY'RE BUYING? YEAH, SO PEOPLE HAVE THE WHOLE PROCESS TAKES LIKE A COUPLE OF MONTHS.
SO NO, NO, THE ONE THING THAT THERE HAS BEEN A LOT, QUITE A BIT OF HARD SELLING, YEAH.
SO FROM SOLAR INSTALLERS, PEOPLE KNOCKING ON DOORS AND SAYING, HEY, I GOT A DEAL FOR YOU.
HERE. SIGN HERE. BUT THIS IS VERY SOFT SELL AND PEOPLE A LOT OF TIME FOR PEOPLE TO KIND OF THINK ABOUT IT, ASK QUESTIONS, GET OTHER BIDS, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THAT'S IT'S A BIG EXPENDITURE FOR MOST PEOPLE.
WE DON'T WANT TO PUSH ANYBODY INTO IT.
YEAH. AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GETTING UNTIL, RIGHT.
YOU GOT TO WEIGH IS THE EXPENDITURE WORTH WHAT I'M GOING TO SAVE.
YEAH. ALL THAT STUFF. SO YEAH OKAY.
YEAH. APRIL 1ST APRIL 1ST, 6 TO 730.
AM? PM? PM. I'M USED TO EARLY MORNING MEETINGS TOO.
NOPE. MOVING ON TO GREEN TEAM.
I THINK LEROY GAVE THE HIGHLIGHTS ALREADY, BUT JUST SO PEOPLE HAVE A IN MIND.
THE SPRING RECYCLING EVENT IS APRIL 27TH, AND THAT'S AT CHIPPEWA MIDDLE SCHOOL, AGAIN, PRIMARILY COLLECTING LATEX, PAINT, METALS AND SHREDDING DOCUMENTS THAT PEOPLE WANT SHREDDED. SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE A GOOD TURNOUT FOR THAT.
AND REMIND US SOME OF THOSE ITEMS ARE FEES ASSOCIATED.
IF YOU HAVE AN APPLIANCE WITH FREON, I THINK THERE'S A FEE FOR THAT AS WELL.
YEAH. THE ONLY CHANGE WOULD BE IF YOU'RE A CONSUMERS CUSTOMER AND YOU'VE GOT A DEHUMIDIFIER OR A SMALL FRIDGE OR A AIR CONDITIONER, YOU COULD POTENTIALLY GET A REBATE INSTEAD OF HAVING TO PAY A FEE.
SO YOU ARE GOING TO DO APPLIANCES.
YES. OKAY AND YOU JUST SAID LATEX PAINT? RIGHT. OKAY.
THEY DO NOT TAKE OIL BASED PAINT AT THIS EVENT.
OKAY. DO WE HAVE EVENTS THAT DO? NO DEPARTMENT.
I THINK HEALTH DEPARTMENT DOES.
IS THAT HOW THAT WORKS? THEY SELL IT.
SO YEAH, IT'S USED AS KIND OF A BASE AND IT IS RESOLD AS PAINT.
RIGHT ON. YOU SHOULDN'T MIX IT BEFORE YOU.
RIGHT. JUST BRING IT IN THE ORIGINAL CAN WITH A LID.
GREAT. WELL THANK YOU, LEROY, FOR PROMPTING VALERIE LAFFERTY TO SEND AN UPDATE ON WHAT THEY ARE UP TO IN TERMS OF THE FOOD TO COMPOSTING TEAM.
SO I'M GOING TO UPDATE PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW FROM HER.
AND THEN WE HAVE DAVID BATON HERE WHO CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT WE MIGHT HAVE.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WOULD HAPPEN NOW.
WONDERFUL. SO AS I THINK MANY OF YOU KNOW, BUT FOR THE NEWER TEAM MEMBERS VALERIE AND I WELL,
[00:40:04]
I GUESS I KIND OF STARTED THESE WITH VALERIE, BUT SHE REALLY TOOK THEM, YOU KNOW, AND RAN WITH THEM.THERE WERE FOOD TO COMPOST ZOOM MEETINGS PRIMARILY THAT WERE HAPPENING FOR A FEW YEARS AND THAT WORK LED INTO A LOT OF THE WORK THAT THE FOOD THE COMPOST TEAM IS NOW, YOU KNOW, NOW ACTUALLY DOING.
SO THE GLEANING PROGRAM AT THE FARMERS MARKET, FOOD SCRAP COLLECTION, SO INCLUDING PUBLIC AND EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH AND FOOD RESCUE INITIATIVES SO THE FOOD RESCUE INITIATIVES ARE STARTED AT THE END OF LAST SUMMER.
SO IT'S THEY HAVE A WEBSITE CALLED FOOD RESCUE US LANSING COMMUNITIES MICHIGAN, AND THEY COVER ROUGHLY 25 MILES AROUND THE CAPITAL.
SO THE MODEL IS TO RESCUE PERISHABLES FROM COMPANIES THAT SUPPLY FOOD.
AND THEY DO THIS THROUGH VOLUNTEERS USING THEIR OWN VEHICLES, AND THEN DIRECTLY DELIVER THE FOOD TO SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES THAT SERVE PEOPLE THAT ARE FOOD INSECURE AND CURRENTLY, ALL EIGHT OF THE AGENCIES ARE IN THE LANSING AREA.
SO THAT'S CRISTO REY, FIRST PRESBYTERIAN FOOD BANK, DOWNTOWN, THE CITY RESCUE MISSION, NEW HOPE COMMUNITY CENTER HOLY WHICH IS, I GUESS, SLASH, HOLY CROSS, HOMELESS ANGELS SOUTHSIDE COMMUNITY KITCHEN, SOUTH LANSING MINISTRIES, AND PUNKS FOR LUNCH.
SO THERE'S A NUMBER OF VOLUNTEER RESCUERS.
AND RIGHT NOW THEY NEED MORE FOOD DONORS.
SO THESE ARE RESTAURANTS, CATERERS, SCHOOLS YOU KNOW, GROCERIES OR FOOD STORES.
YOU KNOW, REALLY ANYONE THAT'S PROVIDING FOOD.
SO ANY COMMUNITY ENCOURAGEMENT IN THAT AREA WOULD BE HELPFUL.
SO MOVING IT FROM THE RETAILERS TO THE, YOU KNOW, THE PLACES MENTIONED, A LOT OF FOOD BANKS, SOUP KITCHENS AND PANTRIES. SO THAT IS THE UPDATE ON THE THE NEW WORK.
IS THAT PAUSED UNTIL SUMMER? OH YEAH. UNTIL THE COOLERS AVAILABLE.
YES. SO WE USE A DEER HUNTING [INAUDIBE] I GUESS SO.
SO IT'S THE TOWNSHIP'S COOLER, BUT DURING CERTAIN SEASONS THEY NEED THE COOLER.
SO IT CAN'T STORE OUR OUR PRODUCE.
BUT IT'S A YOU KNOW THERE'S GREAT SYNERGY THERE BECAUSE THEY DON'T NEED THAT COOLER ALL THE TIME.
AND THAT CAN BE ONE OF THE MAJOR BARRIERS TO DOING THINGS LIKE THIS IS ACTUALLY HAVING COOLER SPACE.
THE MARKET MEANING WOULDN'T HAVE OCCURRED WITHOUT.
DAVE, CAN I ASK, ARE THERE NEW PLANS FOR THIS SUMMER? WELL, COULD YOU COME UP HERE SO WE CAN GET YOU ON CAMERA AND GET YOU ON TAPE? SURE. YOU HAVE TO MAKE UP A FICTITIOUS NAME AND ADDRESS TO PUT INTO THE RECORD.
OTHERWISE, WE CAN'T LET YOU SPEAK.
TO THE PODIUM YOU DON'T MIND? YEAH. PUTTING YOU ON THE SPOT.
RED LIGHT COMES ON. YOU GOT TO BE CAREFUL.
WATCH OUT! BUT PLEASE TELL FOR THE AUDIENCE WHO YOU ARE.
THERE YOU GO. AND SO THE GLEANING PROGRAM STARTED, RIGHT, BECAUSE OF THE COOLER.
THE ISSUE IS THAT THE MARKETS ON SATURDAY.
AND SO WE STARTED WITH SATURDAY COLLECTIONS FROM THE VENDORS IN THE FARMERS FOR FRESH PRODUCE.
AND THEY WOULD DONATE IT AND WE WOULD COLLECT IT.
AND THE PROBLEM IS THAT AGENCIES THAT PROVIDE FOOD TO THOSE IN NEED ARE NOT OPEN ON WEEKENDS TYPICALLY. AND SO THE FOOD, IF WE HAD COLLECTED IT WOULD BE OBVIOUSLY NOT IN PRIME CONDITION, BUT THE COOLER PROVIDED US THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE THE DONATED FOOD FROM THE MARKET ON SATURDAY, PUT IT IN THE COOLER, AND THEN THE AGENCIES CAME AND COLLECTED IT FROM THE COOLER ON MONDAY.
AND SO THAT WAS A CRITICAL STEP.
[00:45:06]
WE ALSO STARTED WEDNESDAYS.ONCE WE SAW THAT THAT WAS GOING TO WORK LAST YEAR, WE ADDED A COMPONENT OF LETTING THE COMMUNITY PARTICIPATE THAT PRIOR TO THAT, IT WAS ALL THE VENDORS AND THE FARMERS.
AND WE HAD OVER THREE TONS LAST YEAR.
AND FROM THAT THE IDEA CAME ABOUT THAT WE COULD DO FOOD RESCUE, IN OTHER WORDS, RESCUING FOOD YEAR ROUND AND PROVIDE IT TO THE COMMUNITY.
SOME OF THE RECIPIENTS THAT MIGHT BE INTERESTING ALSO THAT WE'RE JUST NOT INCLUDED IN BELL'S MEMO.
HAS THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OKEMOS PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
GRAND LEDGE HAS JUST HAD AN OPPORTUNITY.
SO THE WORD IS SPREADING AND WE'RE ON OUR WAY.
THAT'S GREAT. WE JUST STARTED IN OCTOBER, SO WE'RE PRETTY PLEASED WITH GOT OVER 50 VOLUNTEERS.
WE DON'T DO PREPARED FOOD FROM RESTAURANTS.
IN OTHER WORDS, WE CAN'T COLLECT.
THIS IS JUST IN OUR OWN VEHICLES TAKING IT DIRECTLY FROM PICKUP TO THE DESTINATION.
SO WE DON'T DEAL WITH PREPARED FOOD VERY MUCH UNLESS IT'S TAKEN CARE OF AHEAD OF TIME.
YEAH. SO IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS.
YES, SIR. YEAH. I DID LOOK INTO IT A LITTLE BIT INTO FOOD RESCUE.
BECAUSE IN MY DAY JOB AS PART OF MSU, I'M INVOLVED IN FOOD RESCUE.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO SEE WHETHER THAT MIGHT BE A VIABLE VEHICLE FOR US.
BUT WHEN I LOOKED AT THE SCHEDULE OF PROVIDERS, I SAW WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER LARGE GROCERY STORES.
TARGET COST WAS COSTCO, BUT, YES, TARGET, WALMART WHOLE FOODS.
RIGHT. OH, CITY RESCUE IS OPEN.
CITY RESCUE MISSION IS OPEN ON THE WEEKENDS.
AND SO WHOLE FOODS WE COLLECT ON THE WEEKEND AND ARE ABLE TO TAKE IT TO CITY RESCUE.
ANDTHEY'RE ONE OF THE FEW OPERATIONS THAT ARE OPEN ON THE WEEKENDS.
YES. WE HAVE REGULAR STOPS FOR THOSE THE SCHOOLS ARE OCCASIONAL.
IT'S WHEN IT IS APPROPRIATE FOR THEM THAT THEY'D LIKE TO DO THAT.
SO WHAT CAUGHT MY EYE? AND I'M CURIOUS IF YOU HAVE AN INSIGHT ON THIS IS MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT SOME OF, IF NOT THE BIGGEST SOLAR INSTALLATIONS IN THE TOWNSHIP ARE ON THE ROOF OF TARGET, NOT BECAUSE OF ANYTHING WE DID, NOT BECAUSE OF ANY ORDINANCE WE PASSED OR ANY INCENTIVE WE GAVE.
AND IT I TAKE IT THE SOLAR WAS BASICALLY A CORPORATE DECISION.
THIS IS SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO DO WITH THE ROOFS OF OUR STORES.
AND THEY DIDN'T MAKE A BIG SPLASH ABOUT IT.
YOU KNOW, WE JUST KIND OF HEARD ABOUT IT BY THE BUY.
BUT IT'S A HUGE PORTION OF OUR COMMUNITY'S SOLAR CAPACITY THAT'S GOING IN BECAUSE OF THESE.
AND I'M WONDERING. YOU KNOW, TO WHAT DEGREE THESE SUPERMARKETS ARE ALSO SORT OF RESPONDING TO A CORPORATE POLICY, OR IF THE INDIVIDUAL LOCAL MANAGERS ARE SAYING, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.
NO, IT'S GENERALLY A CORPORATE POLICY.
THERE ARE SOME LIKE ALDI'S WHERE THEY'RE SHOOTING.
YES. SO AND I THINK THEY'RE SHOOTING FOR 50% IN A FEW YEARS.
BUT YES, MOST OF THE CORPORATE OPERATIONS HAVE IT'S A GOAL OF THE WHOLE SYSTEM.
THE MANNER IN WHICH IT'S CARRIED OUT IS OFTEN DETERMINED BY THE LOCAL STORE MANAGER.
BUT THERE IS THE CORPORATE GOAL.
AND CAN I PLEASE FOLLOW UP ON THAT? SO THEN HOW HAVE YOU ALL GOTTEN THEM ON? LIKE, I UNDERSTAND THERE'S A POLICY, BUT HOW HAVE YOU GOTTEN THEM ON BOARD THEN TO TO PARTICIPATE.
[00:50:03]
WELL USUALLY WITH THE CORPORATE POLICY I DIDN'T MEAN TO INTIMATE OTHERWISE.THERE IS THERE ARE HUMAN BEINGS, AND THEY ALSO ARE IRRITATED BY WASTE AND REALIZE THAT IT HAS A VALUE AND THAT THERE ARE WAYS THAT WE CAN DO THIS IF WE WORK TOGETHER.
SO FOOD BANK USED TO DO MORE FOOD RESCUE, AND THAT WAS WHERE I BECAME FAMILIAR WITH.
WE USED TO RESCUE FOOD AT MSU SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT.
AND SO I WAS FAMILIAR WITH THEIR OPERATIONS, TOO.
AND NOW IT'S KIND OF MORE PIECEMEAL.
CRISTO REY DOES A LOT OF THEIR OWN COLLECTION NOW RESCUING FOOD.
AND SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT IT'S HAPPENING WITHIN OUR COUNTY, WITHIN THE AREA.
BUT YOU ALL HAVE JUST APPROACHED APPROACHED STORES, AND THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE BEEN RECEPTIVE.
YEAH, I THINK THAT WAS A QUESTION.
DID YOU GO TO THEM OR DID THEY COME TO YOU? OH, WE WENT TO THEM.
OKAY. THAT'S GREAT. WELL WE'RE NEW.
THEY AND OFTENTIMES IT'S A SHARED EXPERIENCE.
SUCH AS IN TARGET AT THE TARGET STORES.
THE GREATER LANSING FOOD BANK ALSO COLLECTS, BUT THEIR COLLECTION IS DIFFERENT.
YEAH. OKAY, SO WE'RE NOT OFTEN ALONE.
THERE ARE OFTEN OTHER PLACES [INAUDIBLE].
FASCINATING. THAT SHOULD BE PUBLISHED.
[INAUDIBLE] I'M SORRY I MISSED MY OPPORTUNITY.
OH, DO YOU JUST GO ASK THEM? AND I SAID, WELL, SURE.
AND ALSO IF ANYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY HAS A SUGGESTION OR A SENSE THAT THERE IS A PLACE THAT THEY KNOW ABOUT THAT WOULD HAVE THAT KIND OF INTEREST WE'D CERTAINLY APPRECIATE HEARING THAT SUGGESTION AND WE'LL FOLLOW UP ON IT.
GREAT. I WAS JUST CURIOUS, DOES MSU THE DINING SERVICES, DO THEY DONATE FOOD TO THE WHEN, THE MSU DINING HALLS? BILL WOULD KNOW BETTER THAN I'M SORRY.
I DIDN'T MEAN TO. NO, I'M NOT AWARE ANYMORE.
I WOULD SAY THAT THERE WAS A PRETTY RIGOROUS PROCESS BEING CONSTRUCTED PRIOR TO COVID AND LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE, THE UNIVERSITY, YOU KNOW, GOT ON IT A WHOLE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT TRACK.
WE STILL DO MAJOR COLLECTION OF NONPERISHABLE FOOD AT SEVERAL POINTS DURING THE YEAR, ESPECIALLY MOVE OUT FROM THE RESIDENCE HALLS WHERE WE COLLECT THAT FOOD IN THE SERVICE CENTERS AND CENTRALIZE IT AND AND DONATE IT.
AND WE HAVE GOOD CONTACTS WITH MOST OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS.
SO FOR NOW, WE'RE CONTACTING THEM ON A ONE OFF BASIS.
THERE ARE OCCASIONS WHERE A SPARTY'S MARKET HAS TOO MANY SANDWICHES.
AND THEY ASK US, CAN YOU FIND A HOME? IN MY VIEW, THE FOOD RESCUE WOULD BE A GREAT WAY TO AVOID HAVING ME JUMP IN THE TRANSIT VAN AND DRIVE AROUND THE WORLD AND DO A BETTER JOB OF GETTING IT TO SOMEBODY WHO CAN USE IT, BECAUSE SOMETHING LIKE THAT'S PERISHABLE AT THE LAST MINUTE IS KIND OF DISRUPTIVE FOR A FOOD BANK, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE ALREADY COOKING MEALS TO SHOW UP AND SAY, WELL, I'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, FOOD FOR 50.
WELL, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALREADY MADE FOOD FOR.
SO IT'S, THERE'S A LOT OF INS AND OUTS, BUT.
MOST OF THE SURPLUS FOOD FROM THE CULINARY SERVICES GOES TO THE MSU STUDENT FOOD BANK BECAUSE THEY'RE RIGHT ON CAMPUS, AND THAT'S A FAIRLY TIGHT CONNECTION.
SO IT'S ONLY WHEN OUR SURPLUS EXCEEDS THEIR DEMANDS THAT WE GO OUTSIDE.
AND I'D BE HAPPY TO BORE YOU WITH WAY MORE DETAIL ABOUT THAT IF YOU'RE EVER INTERESTED AND I DON'T KNOW, THIS MIGHT THIS IS A SUGGESTION, BUT I GOT HIRED AT JACKSON NATIONAL AND THEY HAVE A CAFETERIA WITH LOTS OF BOOTS, SO AND THEY'RE REALLY ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING WITH THAT, BUT.
EXCELLENT. THANK YOU. YEAH, AND THE OTHER PIECE OF THE FOOD, THE COMPOSTING FOOD RESCUE IS THE COMPOSTING.
YES, I WOULD PASS THIS ONE OVER TO MAYBE MR.
[00:55:05]
HARVEY, BUT THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION, IN OTHER WORDS, FOR DETAILS, I DON'T HAVE PERSONALLY DETAILS ON THAT EXCEPT THAT YES, IT OPERATES ALL YEAR LONG.PETER MENTIONED THAT HE USES THAT REGULARLY.
TWICE A WEEK. I WILL MENTION THAT TOM CAREY, THE MARKET MANAGER, HAS JUST PUT AN ONLINE DONATION SYSTEM OUT THERE, AND WE HOPE TO PUBLICIZE THAT FAIRLY SOON.
NO, I NEEDED TO JUST MENTION ALSO.
YES, IN VAL'S NOTE AND IN MY ANSWERING QUESTIONS, I NEGLECTED TO MENTION TOM KERRY, THE MARKET MANAGER, WHO WAS AN INITIATOR OF THIS GLEANING PROGRAM ALONG WITH VAL AND SO, I MEAN, HE OBVIOUSLY HAS BEEN INTEGRALLY INVOLVED AS WE GO ABOUT THIS. HE HAS THE MARKET AND HE'S SUPPORTIVE OF WHAT WE'RE DOING.
HE WAS SUPPORTIVE OF THE COMPOST PROGRAM BEING ADDED THERE.
AND SO HIS ASSISTANCE HAS BEEN VERY SIGNIFICANT.
YEAH. JUST TO BUTT IN A LITTLE BIT, I'M YOU MAY HAVE HEARD ON THE COMPOSTING FRONT, YOU MAY HAVE HEARD THAT A WHILE BACK, THE MSU DAIRY PROGRAM SUFFERED A PRETTY CATASTROPHIC FIRE THAT WIPED OUT SEVERAL OF THEIR GRAIN SILOS AND THEIR FEEDING BARN.
AND I'VE BEEN FOLLOWING THE PROCESS OF RECONSTRUCTION, AND THERE'S IT'S GOING TO BE SIGNIFICANT NOT ONLY IN MODERNIZING, BUT ALSO IN EXPANDING.
SO THE NEW OPERATION IS GOING UP CLOSER TO 700, WHICH IS STILL SMALLER THAN MOST BIG COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS, BUT KIND OF REPRESENTATIVE OF MID SIZED DAIRY OPERATIONS IN THE STATE.
AS A FUNCTION OF THAT THE DIGESTER THAT WE OPERATE ON SOUTH CAMPUS IS ABOUT 50% SUPPLIED BY COW MANURE, WHICH IS VERY HIGH IN CARBON BUT VERY LOW IN NUTRIENTS.
AND THEN THAT SUPPLEMENTED WITH SOME FORM OF OTHER ORGANICS, WHICH IS TYPICALLY FOOD WASTE.
SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE A NEAR TRIPLING OF THE DAIRY HERD, THERE'S GOING TO BE A NEAR TRIPLING OF THE REST OF THE FEEDSTOCK, WHICH IS FOOD WASTE. SO IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR DIVERSION OF ORGANICS FROM A LANDFILL TO MEET THIS GROWING NEED ON AT SOUTH CAMPUS DIGESTER BECAUSE OF MICHIGAN LAWS PROHIBITING ORGANICS IN LANDFILLS GOING FORWARD, ALL THE INDUSTRIES THAT GENERATE ORGANIC WASTE ARE LOOKING FOR PLACES TO TAKE IT.
AND OUR ANAEROBIC DIGESTER IS ONE OF THOSE PLACES.
HAMMOND FARMS IS ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE PLACES.
AND IT'S AMAZING TO ME HOW DYNAMIC THIS INDUSTRY IS.
THERE'S NATIONAL ANAEROBIC DIGESTER SPECIALIST FIRMS MOVING INTO MICHIGAN TO CAPTURE THIS MARKET.
THERE'S EUROPEAN COMPANIES MANUFACTURING EQUIPMENT THAT'S USED AT HAMMOND FARMS AND ELSEWHERE.
AND IF YOU'RE A FAN OF STINKY GARBAGE, THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO BE A FAN OF STINKY GARBAGE.
AND I'D BE HAPPY TO BORE ANYBODY TO DEATH WITH MORE OF THAT.
DID I JUST SEE A PROGRAM STARTING IN LANSING FOR CURBSIDE ORGANIC? I DON'T KNOW, I BELIEVE THERE IS AN OPERATION GOING ON IN LANSING.
I KNOW THERE'S ONE IN EAST LANSING CALLED EAST SIDE.
THE GUY RIDES AROUND ON A BIKE WITH A TRAILER WITH A BUNCH OF FIVE GALLON BUCKETS ON IT.
AND THINK I READ SOMETHING ABOUT IT LAST WEEK.
IT MAY JUST BE IN PLANNING, BUT AND IT WASN'T FOR THE WHOLE CITY.
IT'S A PILOT TYPE PROGRAM, IF I RECALL.
WELL, IF THEY ARE, WE SHOULD HAVE THEM OUT HERE TO TALK WITH US.
EXACTLY. THAT'S THE HARDEST THING TO DO.
THAT'S A THEY DO THAT IN MY DAUGHTER'S CITY IN PORTLAND, OREGON.
GREAT. ANYTHING ELSE ON FOOD COMING, GOING.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING AND SHARING WITH US, DAVE.
WE APPRECIATE IT. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.
[01:00:01]
IT'S WONDERFUL TO HEAR ABOUT I SEE GREEN BURIAL ON OUR AGENDA.SOMEBODY PREPARED TO SPEAK TO I SOMEBODY ASKED FOR AN UPDATE AND THEN THERE WAS SOME EMAIL.
THEY ARE NOW TAKING RESERVATIONS FOR PLOTS, SELLING PLOTS, I GUESS.
BUT IF YOU'RE DYING TO HEAR MORE, I'LL FIX YOU UP.
HE DOESN'T. IT'S NOT ACCIDENTAL.
HE'S ACTUALLY HIS STOCK IN TRADE.
I'M DONE. OKAY. BUT I BELIEVE, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, THAT EXPLORING GREEN BURIAL IS ON THE IMPLEMENTATION LIST OF THE MASTER PLAN DRAFTED IN THERE.
EITHER PRO OR CON, JUST TO EXPLORE.
FIRST CLUB. THERE'S A COUPLE THINGS.
THEY'RE PLANNING ON DISCUSSING IT AS AN ACTUAL SORT OF SOLIDIFIED ITEM.
IN TERMS OF THE FASHION EVENT THAT IS HAPPENING AT THE MALL UPCOMING, I THINK IN MARCH, THERE HAVE BEEN A COUPLE POSTERS IN THE HIGH SCHOOL, SO I KNOW THEY'RE TRYING TO HAVE SOME SORT OF OUTREACH AND ENCOURAGEMENT TO ATTEND THE EVENT ON THAT FRONT.
I'M NOT ENTIRELY SURE HOW SUCCESSFUL THAT BE, BUT I HAVE SEEN IT AROUND THE SCHOOL.
THERE'S FLIERS UP AND THEN FINALLY, NOT ENTIRELY RELATED TO EARTH CLUB, BUT I KNOW OKEMOS OUTREACH HAS HAD A BOTTLE AND CANNED DRIVE RECENTLY AS A WAY TO FUNDRAISE FOR THEIR EVENTS.
YEAH. CAN YOU REMIND US WHAT OKEMOS OUTREACH IS? TO MY UNDERSTANDING, IT'S NOT EXACTLY A CLUB.
MORE OF THEY DO LIKE A SORT OF EVENT WHERE THEY SEND STUDENTS DOWN AND IT'S LED BY A TEACHER.
I BELIEVE IT'S MRS. HARROD. I MIGHT BE WRONG, I WAS A PART OF THAT CLUB, ACTUALLY.
DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT BECAUSE I'VE NEVER BEEN IN IT.
IT WAS MR. FEY. HE WAS LIKE MY MATH TEACHER.
MOTHERS, AS LONG AS THEY GO TO SCHOOL OR HAVE A JOB AND GO TO A BIBLE STUDY.
AND SO WE GO DOWN THERE FOR A WEEK AND JUST HELP OUT FOR FREE.
SWEET. MY BOY SCOUT TROOP USED TO FILL A SHIPPING CONTAINER WITH NEWSPAPERS.
WE'RE BACK IN THE DAYS WHEN YOU COULD GET PAID FOR NEWSPAPERS.
NOW, WHEN PEOPLE TOOK NEWSPAPERS.
WHEN PEOPLE READ NEWSPAPERS? YEAH, WHEN PEOPLE HAD BAGS OF NEWSPAPERS.
ANY OTHER LIAISON REPORTS OR ANYTHING ELSE? ANYTHING, ELSE ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO SHARE THIS EVENING? IF NOT FINAL OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC REMARKS AND ADJOURNMENT.
SEE YOU NEXT MONTH. THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.