Apr 03, 2024 Environmental Commission Meeting

[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]

[00:00:02]

ALL RIGHT. I'D LIKE TO CALL TO ORDER THE APRIL 3RD, 2024 MEETING OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION OR CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN.

OUR FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS, AS ALWAYS, IS PUBLIC REMARKS.

SEEING NO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC PRESENT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.

[3. CHANGES TO/APPROVAL OF AGENDA]

JUST A FIRST POLE ON A PROPOSED CHANGE TO MEETING TIMES.

OH, DON'T HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION, JUST SOMETHING I'D LIKE TO THINK ABOUT.

OKAY. IF THERE'S NO OBJECTIONS WITH THAT REVISION, THE AGENDA IS APPROVED.

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES, ANYBODY HAVE ANY CHANGES THEY WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE TO THE MINUTES AS DISTRIBUTED.

[4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

I DIDN'T CATCH ANY.

LOOK GOOD TO ME.

OH. OH, I'M GOING TO GIVE CREDIT TO TOM AGAIN FOR PREVIEW.

DESIGN. WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE MINUTES ARE ADOPTED AS CIRCULATED.

MOVING TO NEW BUSINESS.

REPORT ON JOINT COMMISSION MEETING.

[Report on Joint Commission Meeting]

MENTIONED THE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN, GOT A LOT OF HEAD NODS AND A COMMITMENT TO GET THAT ON THE BOARD'S AGENDA AT SOME POINT THIS YEAR.

FROM THE CHAIR.

SUPERVISOR PRO TEM.

YES. THE RESIDENTIAL SOLAR NUMBERS ALWAYS KNOCK EVERYBODY'S SOCKS OFF.

THE GREEN GRANTS, BIG HIT. SHOUT OUT TO THE TREASURER FOR KIND OF GETTING US STARTED WITH TREE PLANTING BACK IN THE DAY.

AND THEN DAVE BATTEN OF THE GREEN TEAM, FOOD TEAM AND HALL OF FAME GAVE A REALLY WONDERFUL PRESENTATION ON THE FOOD RESCUE, THE GLEANING AT THE MARKET IN PARTICULAR. AND IT REALLY HIT HOME WITH THE BOARD AND IT WAS REALLY NICE.

ANYBODY ELSE WAS THERE LIKE TO ADD IN, ANDREA, PETER.

ALL I CAN SAY, I THINK THERE WERE 19 PRESENTATIONS, INCLUDING CATTLE REPRESENTATIVE FROM BOARD OF WATER AND LIGHT AND ANOTHER COMMUNITY GROUP THAT I CAN'T REMEMBER, BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT PROBABLY 100 OR SO OR MORE VOLUNTEERS IN THE TOWNSHIP THAT SERVE ON BOARDS AND COMMISSION.

AND IF IT WASN'T SAID IT WAS LAST NIGHT, MENTIONED THAT THE BOARD MEETING, THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT VOLUNTEER SERVICE TO THE TOWNSHIP AS A WHOLE.

AND WE DO APPRECIATE THAT, IT'S SOMETHING THAT KEEPS YOU INVOLVED, BUT IT ALSO KEEPS US INFORMED.

SO THANK YOU ALL FOR FOR SERVING ON THIS COMMISSION OR OTHER POSITIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE WITH THE TOWNSHIP.

ANY REFLECTIONS? NO.

I THOUGHT THE BOOKS IN THE LIBRARIES SPEECHES WERE INTERESTING.

YEAH, YEAH.

FOLLOWING THE PARKS COMMISSION IS LIKE TRYING TO FOLLOW THE WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS HERE.

YOU KNOW, THEY HAD SO MUCH WONDERFUL STUFF GOING ON IN THE MOST OF OUR LAND OR MANAGE MOST OF OUR LAND.

SO YEAH, THAT'S ALWAYS A A TRICKY ONE.

SO ANY QUESTIONS, BY THE WAY THE MEETING BEGAN WITH THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER PRESENTING ACHIEVEMENTS FOR 2023 AND GOALS FOR 2024.

AND I BOOKMARKED THE PAGES IN THE PRINTOUT OF THE POWERPOINT ON ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY, WHICH IS MAINLY ABOUT THE GREEN GRANTS AND THE WETLAND EDUCATION SIGNAGE.

AND THAT AGAIN COMES UP HIGHLIGHTED IN THE GOALS FOR 2024.

IF ANYBODY'S INTERESTED, YOU'RE WELCOME TO TAKE THIS WITH YOU.

BUT IT WAS NICE.

GOT A LOT OF NICE COMMENTS.

I'VE GONE OUT OF ORDER AND ALREADY APPROVED THE AGENDA.

WITH THE. SORRY.

I'M MOVING MY MOVING MY MINUTES.

THERE WE GO. THAT TAKES US TO, I THINK ONE OF OUR TWO BIG MAIN ITEMS OF DISCUSSION THIS EVENING, WHICH IS A DOCUMENT THAT WE'VE GOT, AND THERE'S A REVISED ONE WITH THE BLUE HEADINGS ON APPLICATIONS FOR GREEN GRANT AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COMMITTEE.

[Green Grant Recommendations]

[00:05:02]

BUT ANDREW, YOU MIGHT BE IN A POSITION TO GO OVER IT WITH US.

YEAH, I WROTE, LIKE A SENTENCE LONG SUMMARIES ABOUT EACH PROJECT AND WHAT THEY WANT THE FUNDING FOR.

SUPER. SO, JOE, IF I GO OVER ALL EIGHT OF THEM, OR SHOULD WE JUST DO ONE AT A TIME? I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS OKAY, BECAUSE I THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO DISCUSS THEM OR ASK QUESTIONS.

SO I, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU TAKE A FIRST RUN THROUGH AND TAKE ANY REQUESTS FOR CLARIFICATION.

OKAY ON WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED AND THAT IF WE THEN WANT TO TALK MORE GENERALLY ABOUT EVALUATION, WE CAN KIND OF DO THAT MORE HOLISTICALLY.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? SOUNDS GOOD.

SO THE FIRST ONE IS THE ENVIRONMENTAL LAW INSTITUTE, AND IT'S ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF A BOOK ON THE ECOLOGICAL HISTORY OF WILDLIFE, ALSO KNOWN AS MUD LAKE OVER BY LAKE LANSING.

AND THE FUNDING WOULD SUPPORT THE PRINTING AND DISTRIBUTION COSTS TO LOCAL LIBRARIES AND SCHOOLS.

THE NEXT 1500 THEY'RE REQUESTING.

YEAH. 1500.

YEAH. AND I WROTE COMMENTS LIKE I THOUGHT THEY COULD MAYBE PROMOTE THE BOOK, LIKE HERE OR AT BOOK CLUBS AND BOOKSTORES OR EVEN AT LIKE MSU, THE NATURAL RESOURCES DEPARTMENT, SINCE IT'S KIND OF RELATED TO THAT.

GREAT. AND I THOUGHT MAYBE WE COULD GET A BOOK THAT WOULD BE NICE.

BUT I ALSO, IF I CAN CLARIFY, THE REQUEST IS A PORTION OF THE ACTUAL REQUEST THAT IS BEING RECOMMENDED FOR GRANTING OR IT'S THE ACTUAL REQUEST THAT SOMEHOW MAGICALLY COMES TO ALMOST EXACTLY TO, 20,000.

I BELIEVE THAT'S THE TOTAL.

I THINK THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL REQUEST.

WOW. COOL. YEAH, GREAT.

I THINK THE END TOTAL WAS LIKE 255 ABOVE 20,000.

BUT YEAH, ORIGINALLY IT WAS UNDER SO THE NEXT ONE IS [INAUDIBLE] MONTESSORI.

SO THIS ONE, THIS PROJECT INCLUDES NEW NATURE TRAIL SIGNS AND NATIVE PLANT DIVERSITY PROJECT, MYCOLOGY GARDEN AND A PLANT ID SIGN PROJECT ON THEIR SCHOOL GROUNDS AND SO THAT'S $8,000.

I'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ONE.

SO THE NEXT ONE IS FOR THE HASLETT COMMUNITY CHURCH.

THIS ONE IS FOR AN EXTENSION OF THEIR SUN TOLERANT GARDEN THAT THEY GOT FUNDED WITH THE GREEN GRANTS LAST YEAR.

SO THIS ONE WOULD INCLUDE A NATIVE SHADE TOLERANT SECTION AND ALSO INSTALL AN OUTDOOR LENDING LIBRARY FOCUSED ON ENVIRONMENTAL TOPICS. AND MY IDEAS FOR THAT ONE WAS LIKE MAYBE PUT A BENCH IN THE GARDEN SO PEOPLE COULD READ BOOKS AND THEY COULD.

I DON'T KNOW WHO, BUT SOMEONE COULD DO, LIKE MAYBE AN ENVIRONMENTAL BOOK DRIVE FROM SCHOOLS AND MSU IN THE COMMUNITY TO GET THOSE BOOKS IN THAT LIBRARY.

THE NEXT ONE IS THE PINE CREEK CONDO ASSOCIATION.

SO THIS FUNDING ONLY $1,000 IS SOLELY FOR THE BRUSH DELIVERY TO RECLAIMED BY DESIGN SITE AFTER THEY WILL FACILITATE THE INVASIVE SPECIES REMOVAL ON THEIR PROPERTY AND TRANSITION IT INTO A POLLINATOR GARDEN.

COULD YOU SAY THAT ONE AGAIN FOR ME, PLEASE? YEAH. SORRY, I TALKED FAST.

IT'S THE FUNDINGS FOR THE BRUSH DELIVERY AFTER THEY REMOVE THE INVASIVE SPECIES ON THEIR SITE.

AND THEY'RE GOING TO TRANSITION INTO A POLLINATOR GARDEN, AND THEY'RE DELIVERING IT TO WHAT'S CALLED RECLAIMED BY DESIGN.

SO THANK YOU.

THE NEXT ONE IS THE MID MICHIGAN ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION COUNCIL.

THIS ONE IS FOR THE REHABILITATION OF THE HIDDEN RIVER RAIN GARDEN AT THE INTERSECTION OF PARK LAKE ROAD AND BERTRAM ROAD.

AND THIS IS TO INTERCEPT RUNOFF CONTAMINANTS.

AND THAT ONE IS FOR $700 OR NO, SORRY, $2,750.

AND THEN THE NEXT ONE IS THE MID MICHIGAN LAND CONSERVANCY.

THIS ONE IS FOR FUNDING FOR TREE AND SHRUB SEEDS, FOR PLANTING IN RIPARIAN AND WELLHEAD AREAS OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

AND THAT ONE IS FOR $700.

AND I WROTE A QUESTION THERE ABOUT THE FOR CLARIFICATION ON THE $31 AN HOUR VOLUNTEER TIME, BECAUSE I WAS JUST CONFUSED BECAUSE THE VOLUNTEERS WERE FREE.

BUT I DON'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT THAT.

AND THEN THE NEXT ONE IS THE HASLETT CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER.

SO THIS ONE WOULD BE FOR PLAYGROUND IMPROVEMENTS.

THEY WANT TO PLANT A TREE ON THEIR PROPERTY AND ALSO DO SOME NATIVE PLANTINGS AND BUILD A WOOD PORCH SWING FOR THE PURPOSE OF GIVING THE KIDS SHADE AND EDUCATION.

THAT ONE'S $1,660 FOR THE PRIMARY PART, AND THEN 1330 TO 3330 FOR THE

[00:10:04]

AND THEN THE LAST ONE IS THE HASLETT BEAUTIFICATION.

SO THIS ONE WILL BE FOR THE POLLINATOR GARDEN INSTALLATION AT THE HASLETT PUBLIC LIBRARY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AND EDUCATIONAL IMPACTS.

AND THAT ONE IS FOR $300.

AND THAT'S IT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT SUMMARY.

YEAH. THERE'S A NOTE ON THE HASLETT CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER ABOUT PRIMARY AND SECONDARY.

COULD YOU EXPLAIN THAT JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE, PLEASE? FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, IT WAS LIKE THEIR PRIMARY GOAL WAS TO BUILD THAT ONE TREE.

AND THEN THE SECONDARY GOALS WERE ALL THE OTHER, LIKE SHRUB AND GRASS AND FLOWER PLANTINGS AND THEN THE BENCH.

AND THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO YOU FUND UP PRIORITY ITEMS, WHICH IS THE PRIMARY THIS YEAR.

YES. AND USE THE ADDITIONAL $255 FUNDS FROM 3000.

IS THE SECONDARY ALLOCATED INTO THE TOTAL REQUESTS, OR IS THAT LEFT OUT OF THAT TOTAL? THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO TEST THIS.

THE SECONDARY IS LEFT OUT OF THE OF WHAT WAS RECOMMENDED.

YEAH, I THINK I THINK I ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION.

YEAH. CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG ON THAT.

YEAH. THIS IS THIS THIS IS THE RECOMMENDATION WAS FOR THE PRIMARY THINGS THAT THEY ASKED FOR.

OKAY. YEAH, I WAS JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE NOTE THAT'S IN THE SPREADSHEET.

FUND PRIORITY ITEMS THIS YEAR USE ADDITIONAL $255 FUNDS FROM THE 30,000 ALLOCATED FOR CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN PROJECTS.

YEAH. THE TOTAL THE SUM OF ALL THE REQUESTS WAS $255 OVER.

I SEE THE $20,000 THAT WE HAVE TO SPEND THIS YEAR.

SO THAT'S THE 255 THAT'S DOWN BELOW.

SO FUND DEBT, 255 OVERRUN FROM ANOTHER PLACE.

THIS PROPOSAL. WHAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT NEXT AND THE OTHER $30,000.

BUT THAT THIS IS MAYBE A LITTLE MISNOMER BECAUSE THE 255 COULD RELATE TO IT RELATES TO THE TOTAL, NOT SPECIFICALLY HASLETT.

OKAY. IS THAT UNDERSTOOD? YEAH. AS A GROUP, THEY ALL OVERRUN BY 255.

YOU WOULDN'T. YEAH.

THANKS. I THINK I UNDERSTAND THAT NOW.

MAYBE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS LIKE ONE IS AS FAR AS THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION, I'M ASSUMING THE COMMITTEE IS RECOMMENDING FUNDING ALL THE PROJECTS.

IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH. OKAY.

AND THEN SECONDLY, AS JUST KIND OF CURIOUS, IF WE IF THE COMMITTEE KNEW HOW MUCH EACH OF THESE WERE PUTTING INTO THE PROJECT, LIKE AS FOR MATCHING FUNDS OR ARE THEY STRICTLY BEING FUNDED OUT OF THE GRANTS? IF IT WAS, WE HAD A REQUEST FOR A LOT MORE THAN WHAT WE HAD, WE WOULD HAVE LOOKED INTO RATING THEM.

SPECIFICALLY, I THINK OUR RATINGS WOULD HAVE AND THAT COULD HAVE POTENTIALLY INCLUDED HOW MUCH MATCH WAS BEING COMMITTED.

BUT SINCE WE HAVE ENOUGH FUNDING FOR ALL THE REQUESTS SO FAR, WE DIDN'T DIG THAT DEEP.

ALL OF THAT INFORMATION IS ON UM WEBSITE.

SO WE COULD WE COULD GATHER IT REALLY QUICKLY.

BUT THAT WASN'T PART OF THE INITIAL.

I'M GOING TO HAZARD A GUESS THAT IN ALL OF THESE INSTANCES, THERE'S A SUBSTANTIAL IN-KIND DONATION OF STAFF TIME, EVEN FILLING OUT THE APPLICATION, BUT ALSO DOING ALL THE WORK.

IF YOU'RE GOING TO PRINT SIGNAGE, SOMEBODY'S GOT TO MAKE IT, YOU KNOW? SO THERE'S AND WE I DON'T THINK THAT'S A FORMAL REQUIREMENT THAT WE HAVE.

SO YEAH, THIS IS KIND OF CURIOUS AS TO GET TO A COMPETITIVE POINT WHERE WE'VE GOT MORE APPLICATIONS THAN MORE, A LOT MORE REQUESTED THAN WE'VE GOT. RIGHT.

THEN WE MIGHT, I THINK, AS WE'RE SAYING, LOOK, BUT I'M INTERPRETING THE SCORING AS SAYING THERE'S A COUPLE OF ITEMS THAT A COUPLE OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS FELT WERE NOT AS STRONG AS OTHERS WITHIN EACH OF THE INDIVIDUAL APPLICATIONS, BUT THAT THEY WERE ALL CLEARLY FUNDABLE.

THERE'S A LOT OF FOURS ON ON ALL OF THEM.

AND AND I THINK IT'S WORTH LEARNING AS WE GO.

[00:15:08]

YOU KNOW, IF IN A GENERAL SENSE, AGAIN, NOT IN A SPECIFIC WAY, GOING BACK TO THE 255.

IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE ARE LOOKING INTO, LIKE REDUCING FROM THE RECOMMENDATIONS, OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT FOR SURE CAN BE FUNDED OUT OF THAT EXTRANEOUS 30,000? I THINK THAT WOULD BE PART OF ANY MOTION THAT WE WOULD CONSIDER.

OKAY. SO IT SHOULD BE REDUCED WHETHER TO HOW TO HOW TO HANDLE THAT OVERAGE.

OKAY. AND WE DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO CAN IT COME TO FROM THE FUND THAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT NEXT YET.

BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT THAT YET.

I WILL BE PASSING A HAT AROUND.

YEAH. I CAN IMAGINE ALL SORTS OF OPTIONS.

WE COULD SAY, WELL, TAKE 255 AND SUBTRACT IT EQUALLY FROM OR PROPORTIONALLY, OR SOME FORMULA THAT JUST REDUCES EVERYBODY BY 50 BUCKS OR WHATEVER IT IS.

AND YOU'RE. WHO'S GOING TO BLINK, RIGHT.

I BUT I DON'T KNOW, THERE COULD BE LOTS OF SOLUTIONS.

AND WHOEVER MAKES THAT MOTION GETS THE FIRST CALL.

DID YOU HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS? NO. I SHOULD NOTE I DIDN'T COMPLETELY ABSORB WHERE ALL THE PROJECTS ARE GOING TO TAKE PLACE, BUT MY ASSUMPTION IS THE PINE CREEK CONDO ASSOCIATION IS ONE OF, IF NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT'S SORT OF TAKING PLACE ON PRIVATE PROPERTY.

YOU KNOW, THE RADMOOR MONTESSORI.

OKAY. MAYBE OUTSIDE THE INSTITUTIONAL PLANNING CATEGORY.

WELL, THAT WAS ONE THING THAT I LOOKED AT THE READ MORE ONE, AND IT'S A LOT OF MONEY.

IT'S A GREAT PROPOSAL, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT IT GETS TO ANYBODY OTHER THAN THEIR STUDENTS AS FAR AS OUTREACH.

THAT'S A GREAT POINT. AND IT'S SOMETHING I WANTED TO BRING UP.

AND I'VE WRITTEN IT ON MY OLD COPY OF THE PICTURE.

WE'VE, I AT LEAST ORIGINALLY WE WERE PRETTY MUCH REQUIRING THAT FUNDED PROJECTS COME AND SHOW US WHAT THEY DID AND IN MANY CASES, INVITE US TO SITE VISITS WITH THEM.

AND SOME OF THOSE, LIKE THE BUTTERFLY GARDEN, GOT A REALLY NICE HOME TV SEGMENT THAT GETS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND GETS USED AND BROADCAST.

SO IT, IT MAY BE WORTH THINKING ABOUT PROJECTS THAT ARE MORE SUBSTANTIAL LIKE THE BIGGER PROJECTS THAT THEY BUILD IN A COMPONENT OF MAKING SURE THAT YOU ARE PREPARED TO SHOWCASE IT.

THAT COULD BE A CONDITION ON GRANT.

IN OTHER WORDS, APPROVE THE GRANT, BUT INSIST THAT YOU PROVIDE SOME WAY THAT WE CAN COME BACK AND LOOK AT THE COMPLETED PROJECT.

MAKE SURE IT WAS DONE, FOR ONE THING.

YEAH. AND I THINK IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT THAT FRANK WALSH WOULD CONSIDER ON HIS MONTHLY MERIDIAN MORNING OR WHATEVER THE NAME OF HIS SHOW IS. HE'S ALWAYS LOOKING FOR SOME CONTENT THERE.

AND IF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION COULD GO THERE, AND THESE ARE THE GRANTS WE FUNDED, THIS IS WHAT IT SHOWED.

AND IF IT'S JUST THIS IS THE BOOK THAT WAS PUBLISHED THAT'S GOING TO ALL THE SCHOOLS.

SOME THINGS LIKE THAT, SO THAT BOTH THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND THE TOWNSHIP GET SOME BANG FOR THEIR BUCK PUBLIC TO SHOW WHAT THE MONEY IS GOING TO. YEAH.

YEAH, THAT'S EXACTLY ONE OF MY QUESTION WAS, IS THERE LIKE A REPORT THAT THE FUNDED PROJECTS, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE AT THE END OR, OR IS THERE SOME WAY THAT, YEAH, WE CAN STANDARDIZE, YOU KNOW, THESE SOME SHARING OF RESULTS FROM THESE GRANTS WITH THE WHOLE COMMUNITY BECAUSE SOME OF THESE THINGS I WAS LIKE, OH, I DIDN'T KNOW THERE WAS A RAIN GARDEN AT THE CORNER OF, YOU KNOW, PARK LAKE VERSION.

YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER SEEING I RIDE MY BIKE BY THERE QUITE REGULARLY.

TRY NOT TO RUN OVER TRAFFIC ISLANDS AT THE MIDDLE OF THE TRAFFIC ISLAND.

OKAY. OH IS IT, IT IS THE. IT IS.

OKAY. PLEASE.

OKAY. THE ONE THING I NOTICED, AT LEAST FOR THE MONTESSORI ONE, LIKE EVEN THE OTHER ONE ON THE PRIVATE LAND LIKE PINE CREEK CONDO ASSOCIATION, IT'S AN INVASIVE SPECIES PROJECT.

SO IT SEEMS LIKE IT IMPACTS THE COMMUNITY OUTSIDE OF PRIVATE LAND VERSUS AT LEAST WITH THE MONTESSORI ONE.

I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF EXPERIENCE WITH MYCOLOGY.

IT WOULD BE REALLY HARD TO MAKE THAT IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT WOULD BE PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE, JUST BECAUSE OF THE CONDITIONS THAT YOU'D HAVE TO HAVE TO HAVE A MYCOLOGY SET UP.

I MEAN, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE INDOORS EVEN WITH GREENHOUSES.

THE TEMPERATURE, MOISTURE, IT'S REALLY, REALLY TOUCHY.

I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO PUT THAT IN LIKE A PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE AREA AND JUST HAVE IT OPEN.

I'VE BEEN ON SEVERAL TOWNSHIP VISITS WHERE A HOME TV PERSON WITH A CAMERA CAN COME IN AND GET SOME FOOTAGE, AND IT'S, IT'S EARTH GOLD.

[00:20:10]

AND EVEN IF THE APPLICANT THEMSELVES WANTS TO SHOOT THEIR OWN FOOTAGE.

RIGHT. LET THEM DEVELOP THE CONTENT AND AND YOU KNOW, I SO BY THE WAY, I THINK IT IS GOOD PRACTICE TO GO AND SEE WHAT THEY'VE DONE. YES.

SO THE FOCUS WOULD BE MEDIA FOOTAGE AND NOT NECESSARILY LIKE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.

THAT'S WHAT I'M GETTING OUT OF THIS FOR THE STORY ONE.

WELL, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD SAY THE SAME THING ABOUT ANY PRIMARY SCHOOL GOING ON TO SCHOOL GROUNDS DURING SCHOOL SESSION CAN BE TOUCHY.

SO, YEAH, I THINK GIVING SOME LEEWAY TO THE APPLICANTS TO HOW THEY CAN SHARE, THEY CAN COME HERE AND MAKE A PRESENTATION.

THEY CAN SHOOT A VIDEO. THEY CAN CERTAINLY GOT RATED HIGHLY BY EVERYBODY WHO DID THE RATING BECAUSE IT'S AN EXCELLENT EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM.

THE ONLY THING I WAS THINKING IS WE NEED A WAY TO SHOW THE COMMUNITY AND WHAT'S BEING DONE WITH THEIR TAX DOLLARS.

YEAH, THE NICE THING ABOUT THESE PROJECTS IS THEY'RE VERY VISUAL.

SO I THINK HOME TV IS MORE THAN WILLING TO COVER THINGS.

AND THEN WE'VE ALSO BEEN INVITED TO LIKE PRESS CONFERENCE, LIKE FOR THE GRAND OPENING AT SOME OF THESE, LIKE THE BUTTERFLY GARDEN AT THE PUBLIC MONTESSORI.

I THINK WE HAVE PRESENTED AT THE BOARD AND WE'VE HAD SOME OF THE WE'VE INVITED PRESENTERS TO PRESENT HERE NOT SO MUCH LAST YEAR AS THE YEAR BEFORE.

I FEEL LIKE THAT'S ONE OF THE COGS THAT HASN'T COMPLETELY REENGAGED SINCE COVID.

RIGHT. RIGHT.

SO YOU HAVE A RADMOOR MONASTERY.

THEY DID IT COME TO A GREEN DIALOG AND DESCRIBE THEIR PROJECT, WHICH WE RECORDED.

AND THAT'S ON OUR HOME TV CHANNEL, YOUTUBE STATION.

SO BUT THESE ARE ALL GREAT IDEAS TO REFRESH US.

AND IF ANY OF YOU ARE WILLING TO ATTEND SOME OF THESE GRAND OPENINGS THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TOO.

WE'LL MAKE SURE THE BOARD KNOWS ABOUT THIS, THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, BECAUSE THERE'S OFTEN TIMES WHERE WE GO TO GRAND OPENINGS OF STORES AND WHATEVER.

IT'D BE NICE TO INCLUDE THIS ON THE LIST OF OPTIONS FOR PEOPLE IF THEY HAVE THE TIME.

I KNOW FOLKS ARE PRETTY NEW TO THE GREEN GRANT PROGRAM, SO MAYBE THIS IS A QUESTION MORE FOR STAFF FIRST, BUT I FEEL LIKE INTEREST HAS GROWN WITH THE RESOURCES OR THE RESOURCES HAVE GROWN WITH THE INTEREST.

AND IT FEELS LIKE WE ARE NOW LITERALLY AT A POINT WHERE WE'RE GETTING REQUESTS FOR MORE THAN WE HAVE.

I'M WONDERING IF THE COMMITTEE WE CAN TALK ABOUT THIS AFTER WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATION WHETHER OUR CRITERIA ARE GOING TO KEEP WORKING FOR US IF WE GOT FOUR TIMES THE REQUESTS NEXT TIME AROUND, SHOULD WE BE THINKING ABOUT WHAT CRITERIA WE WANT TO FOCUS ON IN THE EVENT THAT IT BECOMES SO POPULAR THAT WE CAN'T JUST BORROW 255 BUCKS FROM SOMEPLACE ELSE? WELL, I THINK YOU SHOULD.

I THINK YOU NEED A MORE DETAILED EVALUATION, AND YOU SHOULD GIVE THAT TO THE APPLICANTS SO THAT THEY KNOW WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.

IT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE APPLICATION FORM.

WELL, THEN ONCE WE'VE DEALT WITH THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION THE NEXT CHARGE FOR THAT GROUP, I GUESS, IS THEN TO LOOK AT THOSE CRITERIA AND CONSIDER HOW THEY MIGHT WORK IN A TWICE AS MUCH DEMAND CIRCUMSTANCE AND MAYBE PROPOSE SOME CHANGES FOR FUTURE.

SOUNDS GOOD. IN THAT CASE DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE AT A POINT WHERE YOU'D LIKE TO MOVE APPROVAL OF THE RECOMMENDATION IN SOME FORM OR ANOTHER? YEAH. WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION? ME? YES.

HOW DO I MAKE A MOTION? IF I WERE MAKING THE MOTION, IT WOULD BE SOMETHING IN THE ORDER OF.

I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION FOR FUNDING OF GREEN GRANT APPLICATIONS IN THE AMOUNT OF WHATEVER.

AND IT WOULD BE VERY USEFUL IF THAT MOTION ALSO SPECIFIED WHAT YOU THINK SHOULD HAPPEN WITH THE 255.

BUT THAT CAN ALSO COME AS AN AMENDMENT.

OKAY. AND I'LL REPEAT THE MOTION AND SOMEONE CAN SECOND IT.

OKAY. SO FORGIVE ME IF MY WORD IS WRONG, BUT OKAY.

I RECOMMEND THE MOTION BE FOR $20,000, WHICH IS THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT, AND THEN GO ON TO SAY THERE'S AN EXCESS OF 220 $55 OR WHATEVER REQUESTED.

WE RECOMMEND THAT WE SEEK OTHER FORMS OF FUNDING.

[00:25:03]

I THINK THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH THAT.

HE'S GOT A LOT OF PARLIAMENTARY EXPERIENCE UNDER HIS BELT.

IF YOU PREFER THAT HE TAKE THE STAB AT THE MOTION, THAT'S OKAY.

BUT I'M SORRY, I'M NOT A VOTING MEMBER.

I CAN'T MAKE A MOTION.

YOU'RE RIGHT. WE COULD ALSO, LIKE, TAKE A PERCENTAGE.

LIKE TAKE A LARGER PERCENTAGE FROM THE RADMOOR MONTESSORI AND TAKE A SMALLER PERCENTAGE FROM, LIKE, SOMEONE THAT ONLY WANTS $300, YOU KNOW, KIND OF LIKE MAKE IT EQUAL.

SO PROPORTIONAL.

YEAH. BIGGER CHUNK FROM THE PROPORTIONAL BASED UPON THE MAGNITUDE OF THE FOR THAT AMOUNT.

YOU COULD TAKE IT ALL FROM THE RADMOOR.

YEAH. THEY CAN BUY A FEW LESS PLANTS.

I MEAN, THEY'VE GOT A A MAJOR PROJECT OR PROGRAM THAT THEY'RE DEALING WITH AND IT'S THEY ALMOST HALF OF THE MONEY THAT WE HAVE.

IT SEEMS LIKE MORE COULD BE PROGRESSIVELY DONE.

LIKE IF THEY WANT TO APPLY FOR MORE FUNDING IN A FUTURE CYCLE BECAUSE THEY HAVE MANY DIFFERENT PROJECTS.

SURE. IF THEY WANT TO DO SOMETHING NOW AND THEN DO MAYBE SIGNAGE LATER, THAT SEEMS LIKE IT WOULD MAKE SENSE WITH HOW MUCH THEY'RE REQUESTING UP FRONT.

TRUE. AND I THINK IT'S PROBABLY GOOD PRACTICE FOR THIS COMMISSION TO SAY, WHAT IS THE DEADLINE FOR FINISHING THIS PROJECT SO THAT WE CAN COME OUT AND SEE IT? I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE SOME GUIDANCE ON THAT.

BUT YOU KNOW, AGAIN, SORRY, COVID AND PEOPLE AND SUPPLY CHAINS AND I UNDERSTAND I'M NOT SAYING THREE WEEKS, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF THIS CALENDAR YEAR OR SOME SUCH THING.

I THINK MOST OF THEM HAD A TIMELINE, LIKE WHEN THEY WERE LIKE THE STEPS THEY WERE GOING TO TAKE AND WHEN THEY WERE COMPLETING THE PROJECT.

I COULD DOUBLE CHECK ALL OF THEM THOUGH, BUT I THINK MOST OF THEM DID HAVE A TIMELINE.

I THINK THEY DID TOO.

YEAH. SO THAT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE AN ADDITIONAL ISSUE BEYOND THE CRITERIA THAT THE COMMITTEE WOULD LIKE TO FIRM UP A BIT AND SAY, WHAT IS OUR EXPECTATIONS FOR COMPLETION? AND RIGHT, MAKE SURE THOSE ARE ALL EXPLICIT.

TYPICALLY WE WILL HAVE PROJECTS THAT EXTEND THAT REQUIRES A BUDGET AMENDMENT.

AND AS IT'S NOT A HUGE ISSUE, BUT YEAH, WE HAVE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED THEM TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT IN THIS CALENDAR YEAR.

YEAH. AND IT MAY BE AS SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS IN THE GRANT APPROVAL TO THEM.

PLEASE GIVE US A DEADLINE DATE OR A DEADLINE DATE AT WHICH THIS WILL BE COMPLETED.

AND WE WILL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU.

THE THE OTHER THING I DON'T KNOW IF THE COMMITTEE WANTS TO LOOK AT ALSO IS WHETHER WE WANT TO HAVE LIKE A, YOU KNOW, A MAXIMUM AMOUNT PER, YOU KNOW, GRANT OR PER APPLICATION IF WE GET MORE AND MORE GRANTS, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU WERE SAYING THAT THE ADD MORE ONE IS ALMOST HALF OF THE AVAILABLE FUNDING. YOU KNOW, THERE'S PROS AND CONS TO THAT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, MOST OF THE GRANTS THAT I APPLY FOR GENERALLY THERE'S SOME, YOU KNOW, LIKE A MAXIMUM AMOUNT PER GRANTEE OR PER SO, AND IT'S ALMOST DE RIGUEUR WITH FEDERAL GRANTS THAT YOU GET SOME PROPORTION OF WHAT YOU ASKED FOR.

YES, 85, 90% OF WHAT YOU.

SO WHAT I'M HEARING BUBBLING UP IS A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDED THAT ALL OF THESE APPLICATIONS UP TO $20,000 WITH A 255 BEING DEDUCTED FROM THE RAD MORE REQUEST.

SOUNDS GOOD. THAT'S YOUR MODEL MOTION.

AS THE CHAIR, I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO MAKE A MOTION AS A CHAIR, I'M NOT ALLOWED TO ALLOW DISCUSSION ON THE TOPIC WITHOUT A FORMAL MOTION ON THE TABLE.

BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE THAT FORMAL THIS EVENING, SO I JUST NEED A MOTION FROM ON THAT MOTION.

ALL RIGHT. I HEARD WAS ACCEPT THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION ON FUNDING THE PROJECTS AS ALIGNED HERE, -255 FROM THE RADMOOR MONTESSORI.

IF SOMEBODY LIKES THE WAY I RESTATED THAT, I'LL NEED A SECOND.

AM I ALLOWED TO SECOND IT OR NOT? YES, I SECOND IT.

I THINK SO SHOULD BE THE TOTAL AMOUNT LISTED IN THERE TO THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF THOSE REQUESTED? SHOULD IT BE A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $20,000 IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF $20,000? YEAH. IS THAT GOING TO GET INTO THE MINUTES? SURE. THANK YOU.

THAT'S THE ADVANTAGE OF HAVING COURTLAND KEEPING TRACK OF US.

THAT'S RIGHT.

[00:30:01]

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT MOTION? ALL IN FAVOR OF THAT MOTION, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU TO THE COMMITTEE FOR YOUR WORK.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO DEAL WITH THE POPULARITY OF THIS PROGRAM MOVING FORWARD.

I, I FEEL LIKE OVER TIME, WE HAVE BEEN GETTING A LITTLE BIT MORE RIGOROUS ABOUT HOW WE GO ABOUT THIS, AND I THINK THAT'S A GOOD THING.

AND IT'S BY FAR THE MOST TRANSPARENT GRANT PROCESS I'VE EVER.

THIS IS IN A PUBLIC WEB SITE, RIGHT?

[Discuss Climate Sustainability Funding Decisionmaking $30,000 Proposal]

WHAT HOW THEY DID.

THAT'S UNUSUAL. SO, MOVING ON TO CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY FUNDING DECISION MAKING.

WE HAD A NICE LITTLE SUMMARY CIRCULATED BY EMAIL TUESDAY AT 1:44 P.M..

SUMMARIZING, IN 2022, THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVED $10,000 FOR WETLAND EDUCATION.

IN 2023, VICE CHAIR COLBY ASKED ABOUT POSSIBLE FUNDING FOR OTHER INITIATIVES, SUCH AS FOOD RELATED.

IN 2023.

TRUSTEE THEN TRUSTEE WISINSKI, OUR LIAISON, PROPOSED $30,000 BUDGET TO BE USED FOR ANY ITEMS RELATED TO OUR CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN, WETLAND, FOOD WASTE, ETC.

AND SUGGEST THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION HELP IDENTIFY PROJECTS.

AND LEROY HAS VERY HELPFULLY PROPOSED A DRAFT OF A WAY TO GO ABOUT DISCUSSING HOW WE'RE GOING TO CONSIDER SPENDING THIS NEXT TRANCHE OF FUNDING.

I LIKE ALL OF THESE THINGS PERSONALLY, AND I'M WONDERING WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE THINKS ABOUT HOW WE MIGHT BEST MOVE FORWARD ON MAKING A DECISION, A RECOMMENDATION FOR THAT FUND SINCE EXPENDITURE OF 30,000.

IS THERE A TIME FRAME ON THAT? LIKE IS IT WITHIN THE FISCAL YEAR OR IS THAT JUST FOR THE WHOLE PROJECT? STAFF HAS SUGGESTED THAT WE DISCUSS SUGGESTIONS IN MAY AND MAKE A RECOMMENDATION AT FINAL DECISION IN JUNE.

THAT'S LICKETY SPLIT WHERE I COME FROM.

BUT WHY NOT? I DON'T THINK IT'LL BE CAST IN STONE.

YES SIR. YEAH, JUST JUST A QUESTION ON ITEM NUMBER ONE.

TO GIVE THESE VARIOUS TEAMS OPPORTUNITIES TO SUGGEST IDEAS, WILL ALL OF THEM BE MEETING DURING THE MONTH OF APRIL? IF THERE'S MONEY, WE WILL.

I'M ALL ABOUT.

YEAH. CHASING MONEY? NO. YEAH.

I THAT'S VERY QUICK TURNAROUND, BUT I WOULD I WOULD SAY THAT WE'VE ALREADY PREPARED TWO SHOPPING LISTS. WE HAVE QUITE A LONG SHOPPING LIST OF CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN IMPLEMENTATION ACTIONS.

DOZENS AND ALL OF THEM COST SOMETHING.

A FEW OF THEM APPEAR MORE OR LESS IN THE RECENTLY ADOPTED MASTER PLAN.

SO THAT'S POLICY THAT THE BOARD HAS ADOPTED.

SO IN A SENSE, THERE'S ALREADY BEEN SOME KIND OF WE KNOW THE TOTAL NUMBER OF THINGS WE'D LIKE TO DO TO BE CLIMATE SUSTAINABLE.

AND SOME OF THOSE WERE ELEVATED INTO THE MASTER PLAN, BOTH IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY SECTION AND IN THE IMPLEMENTATION BULLET POINTS. SO THE EASIEST SOLUTION IN MY MIND IS TO GO THROUGH THOSE THE MOST DISTILLED VERSION OF THOSE, THE ONE THAT APPEARS IN THE MASTER PLAN AND SEE WHO MIGHT STEP UP AS A CHAMPION.

I REALLY LIKE THIS.

LET'S BRAINSTORM PROJECT IDEAS.

AND WHO MIGHT LEAD THEIR DEVELOPMENT? BECAUSE NOTHING'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN MAY AND JUNE UNLESS SOMEBODY STEPS UP AND WANTS TO TAKE THIS ON HAS ALREADY THOUGHT IT THROUGH.

AND HE'S GOT SOME IDEAS ABOUT HOW THEY MIGHT SPEND MONEY AND CAN PUT A PROPOSAL TOGETHER.

AND I KNOW THAT SOME DO.

FOR INSTANCE, THE ENERGY TEAM HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, DOING A LOT AND HOSTING MEETINGS AND THINGS.

AND I KNOW THAT THEY'VE GOT SOME IDEAS.

MANY OF THE ITEMS ON THOSE TWO LISTS I JUST MENTIONED ARE GOING TO REQUIRE PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE, ESPECIALLY THE ONES RELATING TO LIKE LANDSCAPING ORDINANCE.

AND YOU KNOW, THE TOWNSHIP HAS SO MUCH STAFF.

SO IF SOMETHING ADDITIONAL IS GOING TO COME AROUND, THAT IS GOING TO BE A PROPOSED ORDINANCE CHANGE THAT MIGHT REQUIRE SOME OUTSIDE ASSISTANCE.

[00:35:07]

EVERY TIME A PLANNING APPLICATION COMES IN, TOWNSHIP STAFF NOTES WHETHER THERE BE SENSITIVE AREAS AS SPECIFIED IN THE GREEN SPACE PLAN.

BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THAT THAT BUDGET GOES TO OUTSIDE CONSULTING.

IT COULD BE TO OTHER THINGS.

SO SO IS THAT IS THAT LIST OF THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW THAT NEED IMPLEMENTATION AND MAYBE SOME FUNDING TO SUPPORT THAT, IS THAT AVAILABLE? YOU KNOW, SO WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.

RIGHT. CAN YOU OPEN A BROWSER AND GO TO THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WEB PAGE? THE CLEMENTS SUSTAINABILITY PLAN.

NO, I WAS GOING TO THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.

SO ABOUT US.

ALL THE WAY TO THE LEFT.

THERE YOU GO. DEPARTMENTS.

COMMUNITY PLANNING.

BING! TOP LEFT CORNER.

MASTER PLAN. BADA BOOM, BADA BING! AND THEN IN OUR FAVORITE FLIP SNACK.

AND I THINK IT'S LIKE PAGE 16 OF THAT DOCUMENT.

OKAY. WE'LL SEE PAGE NUMBERS, SO STOP ME WHEN I GET TO IT.

WELL, THAT ONE RIGHT HAS A WHOLE BUNCH OF ACTION ITEMS. AND THEN THIS PAGE HAS A FEW OF THOSE KIND OF HIGHLIGHTED AS IMPLEMENTATION HIGHLIGHTS IN THAT LIST THE LANDSCAPE ORDINANCE ELECTRIC CAR CHARGING STATION AND ALTERNATIVE ELECTRICITY.

THOSE ARE ENERGY TEAM BUILD OUT ANALYSIS.

HOW DO WE WANT TO BUILD IN THE EASTERN THIRD IS SOMETHING THAT THIS THIS GROUP COULD WEIGH IN ON.

THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT STAND OUT TO ME FROM THAT LIST AS THE ONES THAT HAVE GOTTEN THE HIGHEST KIND OF SIGNALING FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE TOWNSHIP BOARD.

SO IF SOMEBODY WAS LOOKING FOR BUY IN FROM THOSE TWO GROUPS A CHAMPION WOULD.

IF I WERE GOING TO PICK ONE, I'D PICK IT OFF OF THAT LIST PERSONALLY.

BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THE TWO.

THREE. HERE WE GO. I GUESS I'M SO I'M.

I UNDERSTAND THAT THESE ARE IMPLEMENTATION PRIORITIES AND STUFF.

I'M NOT SURE LIKE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I'M JUST KIND OF NEW TO THIS THEN IS LIKE, WHICH ONES OF THESE ARE, YOU KNOW, THE STAFF DOES OR THE COMMISSION DOES OR WHICH ONES ACTUALLY NEED FUNDING POTENTIALLY TO IMPLEMENT.

SO THAT'S THE PART I'M STRUGGLING WITH.

RIGHT LANDSCAPE ORDINANCE WOULD BE PRIMARILY STAFF.

YEAH. WE HAVE BENEFITED FROM AN OUTSIDE CONSULTANT.

THAT'S TRUE, THAT'S TRUE.

I GUESS THE QUESTION I HAVE BEFORE WE GET TOO FAR DOWN THIS, HAS THE 30,000 BEEN APPROPRIATED? YES. YES. OKAY.

BECAUSE SINCE YOU RECOMMENDED IT.

SORRY. YEAH, I SHOULD HAVE SAID AND THAT GOT THAT ADOPTED IN THE BUDGET RIGHT BEFORE YOU GOT.

ALL RIGHT. OKAY.

TOM, JUST TO IF YOU WANT TO START SPENDING IT BEFORE YOU'VE GOT IT.

YEAH. I THINK YOU MAY WANT TO SLOW.

THANK YOU. IT'S JUST CURIOUS AS TO WHETHER ANYBODY HAS PUT A COST TO TO THESE ITEMS, OR IS IT SOMETHING WE'D HAVE TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT? I PERSONALLY HAVE NOT HEARD ANY COST ESTIMATES ON ANY OF THESE.

I WOULD GUESS THAT THE FOLKS WHO OUR CHAMPIONS.

THAT'S THEIR HOMEWORK.

AGAIN PRIORITIZING SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE DONE BY TOWNSHIP STAFF.

WE CAN, YOU KNOW, WAVE THE FLAG, BUT THAT'S NOT HOW THE MONEY'S GOING TO GET SPENT.

BRINGING OUTSIDE ASSISTANCE TO HELP STAFF IS ONE WAY THAT I CAN THINK OF TO APPROACH THOSE THINGS THAT ARE KIND OF REQUIRE PROFESSIONAL, WHETHER IT'S

[00:40:03]

ON THE OTHER HAND, UPDATING ALTERNATIVE ENERGY GENERATION ORDINANCES IS SOMETHING THAT AN ENERGY TEAM COULD DO BECAUSE THEY'RE ALREADY THINKING ABOUT THAT STUFF AND THEY ALREADY KNOW WHERE THE WEBSITES ARE THAT TELL THEM WHAT THE BEST SORT OF MODEL LEGISLATION IS AND CAN GO OUT AND DO THAT SO IT DOESN'T HAVE TO FALL ON TOWNSHIP STAFF. THE TIMING ON THIS, I THINK, IS GOOD BECAUSE THE TRUSTEES WILL BEGIN TO THINK ABOUT A BUDGET THIS SUMMER, AND WE'RE NOT LIMITED TO $30,000.

THE TOWNSHIP HAS A MULTIMILLION DOLLAR BUDGET THAT WILL BE DEVELOPING FOR NEXT YEAR.

SO I THINK MY SENSE IS THAT WE WOULD BE LOOKING FOR A SHOVEL READY THINGS THAT ARE AND THEN FROM THE COMMISSIONS, FROM STAFF, FROM OTHERS, YOU KNOW, READY TO GO THIS YEAR WHAT IT MIGHT BE A CHARGING STATION FOR 20 GRAND.

IT MIGHT BE A ELECTRIC VEHICLE, IT MIGHT BE A RAIN GARDEN.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT WHAT THOSE PROJECTS ARE.

I KNOW I THINK THE FOOD COMMITTEE PROBABLY HAS SOME IDEAS.

ENERGY TEAM HAS SOME IDEAS.

YOU YOU MIGHT HAVE SOMEONE FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION.

CAN YOU GO BACK ONE PAGE, PLEASE, FOR A SMALL FEE.

PART OF THE 30,000.

JUST 5%.

YEAH. ITEM NUMBER FOUR, UPDATE THE TOWNSHIP'S 2004 GREEN SPACE PLAN TO BE A MORE EFFECTIVE TOOL.

THAT WAS DEVELOPED BY A CONSULTANT.

IT COULD BE. WE COULD GET A BID ON THAT IN A MONTH.

NO PROBLEM. IF THAT WAS SOMETHING WE WANTED TO PRIORITIZE.

SO MY QUESTION IS WE HAVE THESE PRIORITIES.

HAS THERE BEEN ANY ATTEMPT TO ESTABLISH WITH THESE MAYBE ONE OR SEVERAL OF BEING FUNDED THROUGH ALTERNATIVE MEASURES AND WOULDN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO FALL UNDER THE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY FUNDING? HAS THAT BEEN DETERMINED YET? SO LIKE FOR SOME OF THESE, THEY COULD ALREADY BE FUNDED THROUGH DIFFERENT MECHANISMS. AND WE THUS MAY NOT HAVE TO CONSIDER THEM AS NOT NECESSARILY PRIORITIES OF OURS, BUT JUST IN THE CONTEXT OF THIS FUNDING PARTICULARLY, MAYBE THAT'S ALREADY BEING FUNDED THROUGH DIFFERENT WAYS.

AND WE CAN THINK STRATEGICALLY THERE.

I THINK WHEN THEY SAY CONTINUE TO, THAT MEANS THERE'S ALREADY EFFORT GOING ON.

THERE'S MONEY BEING SPENT WHEN IT SAYS START, DO AT THAT'S NOT IN A BUDGET.

OKAY. SO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT EFFORTS FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON WETLAND REGULATIONS AND BENEFITS.

THAT HAS BEEN OUR MAIN EXPENDITURE WAS DEVELOPING AND DISTRIBUTING WETLAND EDUCATION.

SIGNAGE, PLEASE.

IT SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF THESE DON'T HAVE I MEAN, THESE ARE LIKE GOOD RECOMMENDATIONS THAT HAVE OBVIOUSLY BEEN DISCUSSED, BUT THERE'S NOT LIKE A PROPOSAL WITH A BUDGET AMOUNT ON IT.

SO MAYBE THE FIRST COURSE OF ACTION SHOULD BE I MEAN, A LOT OF THESE ARE THROUGH COMMITTEES OR THROUGH, I DON'T KNOW, DEPARTMENTS.

THEY HAVE CHAIRS OR LIAISONS.

WOULDN'T THAT BE A GOOD IDEA ON AN EMAIL AND BE LIKE, WHAT'S YOUR, YOU KNOW, MOST IMPORTANT PROPOSAL ON THIS? HOW MUCH WOULD IT COST? SO WE KNOW HOW MUCH WE'RE EVEN ESTIMATING OUT OF THAT 30,000.

THIS IS A FIVE YEAR UPDATE.

SO THIS IS NOT DESIGNED TO GET DONE IN A YEAR, RIGHT? THE MASTER PLAN. RIGHT.

AND SO AND THE OTHER THING IS I'M NOT SURE WHAT OTHER THAN MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THIS GROUP TO THE TOWNSHIP. I DON'T SEE THIS AS A GRANT PROGRAM UNDER THE CONTROL.

SO IT'S I THINK WHAT YOU NEED TO DO IS FOCUS ON THE VARIOUS GROUPS AND GET THEIR INPUT AS TO WHAT THEY FEEL IS THE MOST IMPORTANT LOW HANGING FRUIT, IF NECESSARY, WE'LL GO FORWARD ON TO SHOW PROGRESS IN THE FIRST YEAR. AND THESE THESE DIDN'T FALL OUT OF THE SKY, RIGHT? THEY ALL EVERYTHING THAT'S IN THE MASTER PLAN THAT'S ABOUT ENERGY CAME THROUGH THE ENERGY TEAM.

SO THEY'VE ALREADY GOT THIS ON THEIR BRAINS.

AND SO YES, I THINK WHAT STAFF IS SUGGESTING IS THAT WE GO BACK TO THE PEOPLE WHO HELPED US DEVELOP THE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN AND THE MASTER PLAN AND SAY IF YOU CAN COME UP WITH A PROPOSAL BY NEXT MONTH THAT COULD FIT WITHIN THE 30,000 THAT WE'VE BEEN ALLOCATED WE'D BE WILLING TO CONSIDER IT.

AND IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A FORMAL APPLICATION PROCESS.

AT THIS STAGE, WE CAN DEVELOP A FORMAL APPLICATION.

I MEAN, IT'LL HAVE TO BE A FORMAL BUDGET AND A TIMELINE AND ALL THOSE.

I THINK IT HAS TO BE A PROPOSAL TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD AS TO THIS IS WHAT WE RECOMMEND THIS MONEY BE SPENT ON.

AND THEN THEY GO FOR RFP AND SOME OF THAT STUFF.

BUT IF WE CAN GET SOME INFORMATION FROM SOME OF THESE GROUPS AS TO WHAT THEY FEEL IS THE MOST IMPORTANT, THAT AND THEN APPROXIMATE WHAT WHAT

[00:45:06]

BECAUSE THE CARRYING OUT IS NOT GOING TO BE DONE IN ANY OF THESE WITH $30,000.

VERY FEW OF THEM, LET'S PUT IT THAT WAY.

YEAH, I WOULD I WOULD SAY THAT CONTINUING TO DO PUBLIC EDUCATION ON WETLAND OUTREACH WON'T GET DONE UNLESS WE DECIDE TO NOT DO THAT ANYMORE.

RIGHT. HAVING SOMEONE HELP US THINK THROUGH A POTENTIAL REVISION OF A LANDSCAPE ORDINANCE.

YEAH, WE COULD DO THAT.

WE COULD HIRE A PROFESSIONAL.

WE CAN HIRE THE TOWNSHIP CONSULTANT, WETLAND CONSULTANT TO COME HERE AND ADDRESS US AND AND HELP US THINK THROUGH LANDSCAPE ORDINANCE WETLAND PROTECTION PLANS ALL SORTS OF STUFF AND.

YEAH. GOOD.

MY IMPRESSION WHEN COURTNEY WAS TRUSTEE WAS THAT THIS WOULD BE DECIDED ON BY THE A RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE DECIDED BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.

I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT, BUT IT IS A RECOMMENDATION TO THE TO THE TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD TO EXPEND THE FUNDS.

SO IF WE CAN COME I FORESEE THAT BEING A BULK RECOMMENDATION.

YOU ALLOTTED 30 GRAND.

HERE'S HOW WE'D LIKE TO SPEND IT.

THIS IS THE PROCESS WE WENT THROUGH TO GET TO THIS.

AND THAT WAY IT COMES TO TOWNSHIP BOARD AND THEY SAY, YOU'RE FINE.

I THINK THE SUPERVISOR MIGHT BE ABLE TO SAY, ANYWAY, WE CAN WE CAN FIGURE OUT THE I THINK RIGHT NOW WHAT STAFF HAVE LED ME TO REALIZE IS THAT BY PUTTING A FIRE UNDER THESE GROUPS THAT HELPED US TO SAY AT LEAST RAISE YOUR HAND RIGHT IN THE NEXT 30 DAYS, AND PLEASE CONTACT US AND IF YOU CAN COME AND TALK WITH US ABOUT WHAT YOU'D LIKE TO TO DO, WE'LL HAPPY TO HAVE YOU.

AND IF WE GET 15 GROUPS THAT COME AND WANT TO DO IT, WELL, WE MIGHT HAVE TO THINK ABOUT HOW TO HANDLE THAT.

BUT MY. IN THE WORLD I LIVE IN, THE LAST MONTH OF THIS SCHOOL SEMESTER, YOU'LL GET THE PEOPLE WHO ARE REALLY READY TO GO.

AND I THINK AT THIS POINT MAYBE LIKE YOU WERE SAYING, JUST AN EMAIL TO THOSE GROUPS THAT SAYS, THIS IS THE PROCESS WE'RE IN.

YOU HELPED US TO FILL UP THESE.

RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU'D LIKE TO BE THINKING ABOUT IMPLEMENTATION IN A SHORT TIME FRAME.

HOW DOES THAT SOUND? YEAH, I THINK THAT SOUNDS GOOD.

I GUESS MY QUESTION IS. SO IT'S THE OVERLAP OR OR IT SHOULD BE TIED TO THE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN THEN.

RIGHT. IMPLEMENTATION OF BOTH.

YOU'RE SAYING LIKE IF, IF THERE'S OR IF WHAT I CAST MY VOTE, I WILL BE VOTING FOR THINGS THAT ARE FUNDING THINGS THAT ARE IN THAT PLAN.

OKAY. YEAH. WE WORKED HARD TO PUT ALL THOSE THINGS TOGETHER.

AND IF WE GOT MONEY, THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO SPEND.

WHICH OF THEM THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, I GOT MY FAVORITES, BUT AS A BASE CONDITION.

YEAH. AND I'M SUGGESTING THAT IT'LL BE EVEN EASIER TO GET BUY IN IF IT'S ALSO IN THE MASTER PLAN.

OKAY. BUT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE.

IT'S NOT A REQUIREMENT, BUT IT'S A GOOD IDEA.

YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE WHEN YOU GO ASKING FOR MONEY, YOU LOOK FOR WHAT THE FUNDER WANTS, RIGHT? AND DELIVER IT TO THEM, WHAT THEY ARE HOPING FOR.

WOULD IT MAKE SENSE TO HAVE A SMALL SUBCOMMITTEE THAT CAN MEET AFTER EARTH DAY WHEN WE REQUEST THESE PROPOSALS BY TO TO REVIEW THEM? KIND OF LIKE WHAT WE DID WITH THE GREEN GRANTS COMMITTEE OR WHAT SHOULD WE JUST SEE WHAT KIND OF RESPONSE WE GET AND THEN MAKE THAT DECISION.

BECAUSE I COULD SEE GETTING TWO PEOPLE OR THREE PEOPLE TOGETHER WOULD BE EASIER THAN, YOU KNOW, A LENGTHY DISCUSSION AT OUR NEXT MEETING.

I THINK THAT MAKES SENSE.

TWO WEEKS FROM NOW, TO HAVE A GROUP GET TOGETHER AND SAY, WHO HAVE WE HEARD FROM AND HOW DO WE WANT TO GO FORWARD? AND THAT WAY WE'RE NOT FUMBLING ALONG IN OUR NEXT MEETING WITH THE RAW DATA.

SO RUN THAT BY EVERYBODY OR THE GREEN GRANT GROUP OR WOULD PEOPLE THAT ARE VOLUNTEER THIS EVENING? OUR ONLY REQUIREMENT IS THAT IT NOT BE A QUORUM.

I'M. NEXT TWO WEEKS.

WELL, IT COULD IT COULD BE DONE BY SENDING IT TO EVERYBODY AND ASKING FOR COMMENTS BACK TO LEROY TO PUT THEM BACK TOGETHER, TO PRESENT TO THE BOARD.

SO NOBODY IS CONSULTING WITH OTHERS.

IT'S NOT WHAT IT IS.

THIS IS MY FIRST THOUGHT ON THIS.

YEAH, I CAN I CAN SEE THAT BY A DATE.

CERTAIN STAFF COLLECTS ANY RESPONSES THAT THEY'VE GOTTEN AND COMMUNICATES THOSE AS A, AS A WHOLE TO THE COMMISSION.

[00:50:06]

OKAY. AND THE ONLY MODEL FOR THAT I'M AWARE OF IS THE GREEN GRANT APPLICATION, WHICH, YOU KNOW, IS THE WHO, THE BUY WHEN AND THE HOW MUCH.

RIGHT. WELL, YOU COULD PUT IN STUFF LIKE PLEASE REVIEW THE THE MASTER PLAN, THOSE ON PAGE 1617, WHATEVER.

COMPARE IT TO WHAT'S IN THE PLAN FROM THIS COMMISSION, SEE WHAT OVERLAPS WHAT'S AVAILABLE.

WHAT? WHAT YOU THINK YOUR GROUP CAN PROPOSE THAT FITS IN TO THE GENERAL GUIDELINES OF BOTH OF THEM, RECOGNIZING THAT THE TOTAL BUDGET IS $30,000.

AGAIN, THIS WAS INSPIRED BY ANNA ASKING, WELL, MAYBE THE FOOD TEAM WANTS MORE MONEY.

SO THE IDEA WAS TO INVOLVE THE THE GROUPS WITHIN THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION THAT ARE INTERACTIVE.

THAT WAS THE PRIMARY FOCUS.

OKAY. THIS PROPOSAL SORT OF EXPANDS THAT PRETTY BROADLY AND OPENS UP MANY MORE POSSIBILITIES, BUT IT BECOMES A LITTLE MORE INCLUSIVE.

BUT THE INTENTION TO MAKE IT SUPER COMPLICATED, LET ME PROPOSE SOMETHING SIMPLE.

IF YOU AND I CAN FIGURE OUT AN APPROPRIATE EMAIL TO SEND TO THE FOLKS WHO MIGHT BE, BASED ON OUR DISCUSSION THIS EVENING ASKING ANYBODY WHO IS THINKING THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO LEAD AN EFFORT IN THE SHORT TERM TO CONTACT YOU AND HAVE WHEN YOU SUMMARIZE THE RESPONSE THAT YOU GET FROM THOSE INDIVIDUALS, IF YOU CAN SIMPLY SPECIFY WHERE IT MATCHES THE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN, WHICH, WHICH ITEM AND IF IT MATCHES ANY OF THE MASTER PLAN ITEMS. THAT WAY WE CAN GET KIND OF AN INITIAL OBJECTIVE SCORING OF, YEAH, THIS LOOKS LIKE THEY TOOK IT FROM HERE.

AND WE'LL TELL PEOPLE WHEN WE SOLICIT THAT, WE'RE GOING TO BE PAYING SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THOSE THINGS THAT ARE LISTED IN HERE.

NOT EXCLUSIVE, BUT THAT'S GOING TO BE.

AND THEN WE CAN GET A SUMMARY BACK THAT'S SIMPLY OBJECTIVE ON THE MATCH TO THESE EXISTING PROGRAM.

YES. AT LEAST FOR WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR BACK FROM THEM.

MIGHT IT BE A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE THEM BREAK DOWN, I GUESS.

ARE WE REQUESTING DOLLAR AMOUNTS IN OUR PROPOSALS, THE PROPOSALS THEY SEND US, I THINK THAT THAT MAY BE A REAL CHALLENGE IN TERMS OF FAIRNESS.

JUST BECAUSE WE'RE PULLING THIS TRIGGER KIND OF LATE.

SO, LIKE I'M SAYING, THE ENERGY TEAM, I THINK COULD, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF CHARGING STATIONS ON THE BACK OF AN ENVELOPE, BUT THE FOOD TEAM MIGHT HAVE TO REALLY GET TOGETHER AND SCRATCH THEIR HEADS AND THINK ABOUT WHAT COULD WE DO AND HOW WOULD IT PLAY OUT AND DO IT IN TWO STEPS? YEAH. AN EXPRESSION OF INTEREST.

IS THERE A CHAMPION? THIS IS YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT A BUDGET AMOUNT THAT THAT WE CAN MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD.

WHAT WOULD YOU IF YOU HAD UP TO $30,000 OR WHATEVER NUMBER YOU WANT TO PUT IN THERE, WHAT WOULD YOU THINK WOULD BE THE BEST USE OF THAT MONEY FOR THE SUSTAINABILITY, CLIMATE, SUSTAINABILITY THAT YOUR GROUP WOULD, WOULD CHAMPION? YEAH. AND THEN COME BACK AND SAY, IF YOU'RE INVITED TO OUR MEETING ON MAY 5TH, YOU PLEASE COME WITH SOME ROUGH ESTIMATES AS TO COSTS RATHER THAN TRYING TO GET THAT BACK TO YOU IN TWO WEEKS, WHICH IS WHAT IF YOU GIVE THEM A MONTH, MAYBE THEY CAN COME UP WITH SOME SOME NUMBERS AND NOT TO BE HELD ABSOLUTE TO THOSE, BUT GIVE US A PRELIMINARY IDEA OF WHAT YOU THINK THIS WILL COST TO CARRY THROUGH.

IN TERMS OF THAT, I THINK IT'D BE A GOOD IDEA TO ASK FOR PROPOSALS IN SMALLER DOLLAR AMOUNTS.

LIKE WITH MONTESSORI, THEY HAD AN $8,000 PROPOSAL FOR A GREAT DEAL OF PROJECTS THAT WEREN'T REALLY DIVIDED UP.

IT WOULD BE GOOD IF WE COULD GET PROPOSALS FOR INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS, SO THAT MAYBE WE COULD DECIDE WHAT WOULD FUND AND WHAT WE WOULDN'T, BECAUSE IT SEEMS KIND OF HARD FOR A SINGLE ORGANIZATION NOT KNOWING HOW MANY ORGANIZATIONS ARE REQUESTING 30,000 TO MAKE A PROPOSAL WITH A LIMIT THAT WOULDN'T BE 30,000.

LIKE, YEAH. I TAKE YOUR POINT.

I WAS ALSO GOING TO UNDERLINE ONCE AGAIN, THAT I'M NOT REAL CLEAR AT THE MOMENT ON HOW THE WETLAND EDUCATION PROGRAM THAT HAS BEEN LAUNCHED

[00:55:09]

AND WHETHER THAT COMES OUT OF HERE, ITS CONTINUATION NEEDS TO BE PART OF THIS CONSIDERATION.

SO IF WE CAN GET THAT CLARIFICATION DURING THIS TWO WEEK PERIOD, THEN WE'LL KNOW IT.

WE CAN MAKE A DECISION AS WE WANT THAT TO BE PART OF IT.

AND THEN WHAT'S WHAT'S LEFT OVER FROM THAT.

AND I THINK I WOULD BE TRANSPARENT WITH THE COMMUNICATION AND SAYING THAT THIS IS OUR KIND OF ONGOING COSTS WITHIN THE 30,000.

WE HAVEN'T DECIDED WHETHER IT'S A ONE OR A BUNCH.

BUT GIVE US YOUR IDEA AND HELP US THINK THROUGH WHAT AND IF WE ONLY GET ONE GROUP AND THEY WANT TO SPEND ALL OF OUR FUNDS.

WELL, YOU CAN LISTEN TO THEM.

IF WE GET 15 GROUPS AND WE STILL LISTEN TO THEM, BUT.

YEAH, BUT WE'LL DEVELOP SOME CRITERIA FOR SELECTING HOW IT IS THAT WE SPEND THE FUNDS.

COULD BE A SNEAKY WAY TO GET PEOPLE TO READ THE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN.

WELL, EXACTLY, EXACTLY.

THEY'VE ALL READ IT. AND I WOULD SAY SOMEHOW, MAGICALLY, YOU KNOW, 20,000 TO 55 SEEMS LIKE THE OUR APPLICANTS ARE GETTING COMMUNICATION FROM THE STAFF THAT'S LEADING THEM TO APPROPRIATELY SIZED REQUESTS.

AND SO THAT'S GOOD.

IN MY VIEW. DO YOU HAVE ENOUGH TO GO ON OR IS THERE MORE? WELL, PLEASE GO AHEAD. I WAS JUST GOING TO MENTION THAT IN TERMS OF THE WETLAND EDUCATION, I YOU KNOW, KENDRA DID COMMUNICATE WITH ME BEFORE SHE STEPPED OFF, YOU KNOW, THE COMMISSION.

AND SO I DO HAVE AN INTEREST IN FILLING IN, YOU KNOW, AND SEEING WE CAN CONTINUE TO ADVANCE THE THINGS THAT KENDRA HAS STARTED WITH THE WITH THE TEAM.

I JUST HAVEN'T HAD TIME YET TO ACTUALLY CONVENE, YOU KNOW, THE TEAM, BUT I WANTED A GOOD PLAN TO MEET WITH STAFF AND KIND OF GET AN UPDATE ON WHERE THINGS ARE AND THEN THE REST OF THE TEAM. SO I'M HEARING A VOLUNTEER TO LEAD THE EFFORT TO MAKE SURE THAT ANY COSTS THAT WE SHOULD BE BEARING ON THE CONTINUATION OR EXPANSION OF THE WETLAND EDUCATION PROGRAM, YOU CAN COMMUNICATE WITH STAFF AND FIGURE OUT WHAT PARKS AND REC IS DOING, WHAT COLLINS IS DOING, AND WHAT WE'RE EXPECTED TO DO.

YEAH, AND I THINK EMMA'S GOT SOME COSTS THAT SHE COULD PROBABLY IDENTIFY REAL QUICKLY ON THAT.

YEAH. SO THANK YOU.

SURE. IS EVERYBODY COMFORTABLE WITH THAT? PLEASE GO AHEAD. I JUST HAVE ONE MORE THING.

KIND OF LIKE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE GREEN GRANTS.

LIKE, WHEN THEY COME HERE TO SHOW US WHAT THEY WANT.

LIKE, MAYBE WE THEY COULD ALSO INCLUDE, LIKE, A TIMELINE, YOU KNOW, LIKE A LENGTHY PROJECT MAYBE WOULDN'T BE AS PRIORITIZED AS, LIKE, ONE THAT COULD BE COMPLETED FASTER AND AND THEN LIKE, MAYBE LIKE PROOF OF COMPLETION, LIKE PICTURES OR, YOU KNOW, STUFF LIKE THAT.

MY SENSE AND I, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, IS THAT AT LEAST THE GREEN GRANT PROGRAM IS ALL DONE WITH REIMBURSEMENT.

SO IF YOU GO AND BUY A BUNCH OF FENCING AND YOU SAID YOU WERE GOING TO BUY FENCING, YOU GIVE US A RECEIPT AND WE REIMBURSE YOU, RIGHT? YEAH. SO AT LEAST FOR THE SORT OF PURCHASING SIDE OF IT, THAT THAT PART IS ALL DONE AFTER THE FACT THAT WHETHER IT GOT IN THE GROUND AND WAS STANDING UP AND THERE'S ANY BUTTERFLIES IN THE TO BE SEEN.

YEAH. I DON'T THINK WE WANT TO BE MICROMANAGING PROJECTS LIKE WE MIGHT WITH GREEN GRANTS.

WE DON'T WANT TO MICROMANAGE THEM EITHER, BUT WE WANT STUFF THAT IS READY TO GO.

THAT'S FAIRLY CLEAR.

AND AND ALSO TO THE DEGREE THAT ALL OF THEM WILL REQUIRE SOME SUPPORT FROM TOWNSHIP STAFF, NONE OF THEM IS GOING TO GET FUNDED IF THE STAFF AREN'T AVAILABLE.

SO IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO GET BUY IN FROM THE DEPARTMENT HEADS TO SAY, YEAH, WE'RE GOING TO SPEND TIME ON THAT.

IF YOU'VE GOT I MEAN, THERE MAY BE SOME THAT DON'T REQUIRE ANY TOWNSHIP STAFF, BUT I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT IT'D BE.

YEAH, YEAH.

WE RELY A LOT ON OUR ON OUR EXPERTS.

SO I THINK DAN AND COURTNEY SHOULD HAVE SORT OF A KEY ROLE IN JUST ADMINISTERING THE APPROVING FINAL PAYMENTS.

I DON'T THINK WE WANT TO WE WANT THE ULTIMATE APPROVAL BY THE TRUSTEES, BUT THAT WE WANT THE SUB.

WELL, TRUSTEE WOULD HAVE TRUSTEES WOULD APPROVE THE EXPENDITURES OR WHATEVER THE RECOMMENDATION IS, AND THEN THE CARRYING OUT WOULD BE THROUGH ADMINISTRATION.

AND I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT THAT COURTNEY, PROBABLY IN MUCH OF THIS WOULD BE INVOLVED IN DAN AND IN THE ACCOUNTING OFFICE WITH REGARD TO PAYING OFF.

IF IT'S OVER CERTAIN LIMITS, YOU GOT TO GO THROUGH RFPS AND ALL THAT STUFF.

AND SO IS EVERYBODY COMFORTABLE WITH THAT PROCESS GOING FORWARD THEN? CAN YOU CAN YOU REPEAT THAT PROCESS?

[01:00:01]

SO I'M LIKE.. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT LAUREN AND I ARE GOING TO COORDINATE ON A COMMUNICATION TO THE FOLKS BASICALLY LISTED IN ON THIS LIST.

AND THOSE WHO HELPED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN EXPLAINING THAT WE HAVE SOME FUNDING, WE'RE LOOKING FOR IMPLEMENTATION IDEAS.

OUR THINKING IS THAT THE STRONGEST PROPOSALS WILL COME FROM THOSE THAT REFLECT, WELL, REFLECT THE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN, AND EVEN MORE SO, THE MASTER PLAN.

BUT THAT'S NOT EXCLUSIVE.

AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM PEOPLE WHO THINK THAT THEY CAN PROVIDE US SOME NOTION OF COSTS AND DELIVERY AT OUR NEXT MEETING.

AND THEN BASED ON THE WE'RE GOING TO GIVE THEM TWO WEEKS TO RESPOND TO THAT TO STAFF.

AND STAFF WILL THEN SUMMARIZE THOSE RESPONSES IN TIME FOR US TO THINK ABOUT IT FOR OUR NEXT MEETING.

IS THAT RIGHT? I'LL SUBMIT WHAT WE RECEIVE TO THE ENTIRE COMMISSION FOR COMMENT, AND THEN THAT WILL BE SUMMARIZED.

NO, YOU'LL YOU'LL GET THE EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST THAT YOU RECEIVE.

YOU'LL MATCH THEM WITH THE TWO PLANS AND JUST GIVE US A SUMMARY OF THAT.

AND THEN THAT SUMMARY IS WHAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO.

ABOUT AND DISCUSS AT OUR AT OUR MAIN MEETING.

I GUESS I HEARD THAT WE WOULD WE WOULD WE MAY WANT TO OFFER COMMENTS ON THAT, WHAT WE RECEIVE AND HOW IT'S MATCHED BEFORE WE MEET AGAIN.

AS LONG AS THOSE COMMENTS JUST GO TO YOU.

YEAH, YEAH.

BUT AGAIN, SENSITIVE TO OPEN MEETINGS, I COULD WRITE YOU THREE PAGES, AND I DON'T THINK IT'S REASONABLE TO EXPECT YOU TO TAKE ALL, YOU KNOW, ALL THE COMMENTS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET AND SOMEHOW NEATLY SUMMARIZE THEM IN A WAY.

THAT'S WHY I WAS SUGGESTING THAT REALLY JUST MAKE SURE THAT THEY KIND OF FIT THOSE HOW LOOK, HOW WELL THEY FIT THOSE TWO, THOSE TWO PLANS.

I COULD SEE US SPENDING A TWO HOURS IN MAY DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW.

AND I JUST IF THERE'S ANY WAY THAT WE CAN STREAMLINE THINGS, I GUESS WE'LL CROSS THAT BRIDGE WHEN WE COME TO IT.

BUT SEE HOW MANY AMPUTATIONS YOU GET.

YEAH. SEE HOW MANY RESPONSES YOU GET.

YEAH. GOOD POINT.

REASONABLE TO REQUEST REPRESENTATIVES AT OUR NEXT MEETING TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.

YES. WELL AGAIN, IF WE GET 60 THEN WE CAN'T.

YEAH. IF WE GET NONE, THEN WE WOULDN'T.

IF WE GET SOMETHING THAT LOOKS LIKE A REASONABLE NUMBER THEN I THINK WE CAN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE THAT DECISION BASED ON THE RESPONSE RATE.

REALLY? I ASKING PEOPLE TO SHOW UP ON A WEDNESDAY EVENING AND SIT THROUGH A THREE HOUR DISCUSSION OF IT JUST DOESN'T THERE IS A PROVISION IN YOUR BYLAWS TO HAVE EXTRA MEETINGS.

YEAH. AND WHAT IT MAY BE, WE CAN ALSO HAVE STUDY GROUPS THAT MEET WITHOUT A QUORUM INFORMALLY AROUND A TABLE AND CHAT WITH FOLKS ABOUT THEIR IDEAS. AND IT WON'T BE RECORDED.

IT'S AN INFORMAL GATHERING, SO THAT'S ANOTHER OPTION.

BUT I THINK, PERSONALLY, I WOULD PREFER TO SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE RAISE THEIR HAND.

AND AND AT THAT POINT, IT MAY BE THAT THIS GROUP WILL GO THROUGH AND SAY, WELL, OF THE 15 THINGS WE HAVE HERE IN THE SUMMARIES AND HOW THEY FIT THIS AND THAT, THIS DOESN'T SEEM TO BE THE STRONGEST.

THIS ONE DOES, AND WINNOW IT DOWN TO FOUR FIVE AND HAVE THEM MAKE PRESENTATIONS.

AND AS GRAHAM MENTIONED, WE COULD RECOMMEND SOME OF THESE OTHER PROJECTS BE APPROVED IN THE 2025 BUDGET OR INCLUDED IN THE 2025 BUDGET OR OTHER SEEK OTHER FUNDING SOURCES.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? MOVING ON.

ITEM 55544445E.

MEETING TIME. A WHILE BACK, THE PLANNING COMMISSION, WHICH HAD TRADITIONALLY BEEN MEETING FOR MANY, MANY YEARS AT 7 P.M.

TOOK THE UNUSUAL STEP OF MOVING ITS MEETING TIME FORWARD TO 6:30.

THIS COMMISSION FOR MANY, MANY YEARS HAD SEVERAL ACTIVE FACULTY MEMBERS ON IT WHO HAD STRUGGLED TO GET HERE EVEN BY SEVEN.

SOMETIMES JUST GIVEN THAT WAY, THAT CAMPUS AFFAIRS TEND TO BLEED INTO THE AFTERNOONS AND EVENINGS AND FACULTY MEETINGS AND PHD DISSERTATION REVIEWS AND THINGS.

SO I'M JUST PUTTING ON THE TABLE THAT THAT IS WITHIN OUR PURVIEW TO SET THAT MEETING TIME.

[01:05:07]

THAT WAY OR ANOTHER, THERE WERE ISSUES WITH THE MEETING AT SEVEN, SO THE ISSUES BE WORSE MEETING EARLIER.

IN IN THE OLD DAYS, WE NEVER COULD HAVE PULLED IT OFF BECAUSE THE FOLKS WHO WERE BARELY MAKING IT AT SEVEN NEVER WOULD HAVE COME BY 630.

AND OUR CURRENT CHAIR OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAS A JOB THAT MAKES IT A CHALLENGE FOR HER TO GET HERE BY 630, BUT SHE AGREED TO GO ALONG WITH IT, SO WE PUNISHED HER BY MAKING HER CHAIR. BUT IT ALLOWS ALL OF US AND THE HOME TV STAFF TO GET ON TO OUR NEXT PART OF THE DAY. BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT I'M SEMI-RETIRED, AND I CLOCK OUT AT 3 P.M., SO I'M, YOU KNOW PROBABLY BE THE EASIEST ONE.

WE HAVE SOME RETIREES ON BOTH COMMISSIONS.

SO WHAT FOLKS HAVE SIGNED UP TO IS 7 P.M.

ONCE A MONTH, AND I'M.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO CHANGE THAT UNLESS, FOLKS, EVERYBODY'S COMFORTABLE WITH IT, IN MY VIEW.

BUT I'M JUST CURIOUS IF PEOPLE PERSONALLY, I WOULD BE SERVED BY STARTING EARLIER, BUT I'M INTERESTED IN SOME FEEDBACK.

I'M FLEXIBLE, BUT I CERTAINLY HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THE 7:00 PM START.

I GUESS THAT'S WHAT WE'RE KIND OF USED TO WITH THIS COMMITTEE.

AND FRANKLY, IT DOES GIVE PEOPLE PLENTY OF TIME TO FOR THOSE THAT DO WORK OR HAVE OTHER COMMITMENTS TO GET OUT OF THOSE COMMITMENTS, HAVE SOMETHING TO EAT AND THEN GET HERE BY SEVEN.

BUT THAT'S NOT TO SAY I WOULD BE OPPOSED TO 630 EITHER.

SO. I FEEL THE SAME WAY.

I MEAN, I, I I DON'T THINK THAT HALF HOUR MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE.

THE DAYS THAT I WON'T BE ABLE TO COME BECAUSE I'M OUT OF TOWN OR DOING FIELD WORK OR WHATEVER, IT DOESN'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

637 BUT IT YOU KNOW, IT DOES FOR THOSE OF US, YOU KNOW.

YEAH, WE'VE GIVES US A LITTLE MORE TIME, BUT I THINK MOVING IT UP IS ALSO OKAY.

IS THAT EVEN AN OPTION FOR STAFF FOR LEROY.

IS THAT SOMETHING YOU COULD I COULD, I COULD DO 6:30.

DO YOU HAVE A PREFERENCE? NOT A STRONG ONE.

OKAY. ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO WEIGH IN ON THE IDEA? JUST TO BE CLEAR, THIS IS FOR OUR COMMITTEE.

LIKE THIS ONE. OKAY.

I FAVOR SEVEN.

I HAVE RECITATION AT ENDS BY FIVE, SO IT'S A GOOD TIME TO EAT DINNER, BUT I COULD MAKE 6:30.

BUT I'LL ALSO BE MOVING OUT OF STATE SOON, SO I IMAGINE I'M PROBABLY NOT THE PERSON THAT THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT.

NO, NO, NO, I WOULD KIND OF RATHER DO 6:30 JUST BECAUSE IN THE WINTER IT WOULD BE LIKE LIGHTER OUT MORE WHEN I LEAVE THE HOUSE.

BUT I'M FLEXIBLE TOO.

I HAVE NOT EATEN DINNER YET, BUT I, I HAVEN'T EVEN COOKED AND USUALLY DO NOT BECAUSE I'M ALWAYS JUMPING FROM THING TO THING. SO I THINK SEVEN IS USUALLY THE PLACE THAT I'M MORE AMENABLE TO JUMPING TO THAN 6:30.

BUT YEAH, TRUSTEE TREZISE.

I DON'T REALLY CARE.

I WAS HERE AT 5:45 TONIGHT BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT'S WHAT OUR MEETING WAS.

THAT'S WHEN THE TRUSTEE MEETING IS.

SO I'M RETIRED.

I CAN BE HERE AT ANY TIME.

I DO ALL THE COOKING. SO WE EAT LATE A LOT.

YEAH. I'M NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING WITHOUT TALKING WITH OUR OTHER COMMISSIONERS AND SEEING HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT IT.

SO I'VE GOT A SENSE OF HOW FOLKS FEEL.

AND IF WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD, WE CAN DO THAT SOME FUTURE TIME.

THANKS FOR CONSIDERING ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS.

I DON'T HEAR ANY REPORTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS.

[7. REPORTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS ]

WELL, IF ANYONE WANTS TO GO FIRST, I'LL PUT, I HAVEN'T PICKED THE CHERRIES YET SO I KNOW JOHN COULDN'T, HE'S OUT OF TOWN TONIGHT.

HE COULDN'T MAKE, I WILL BRIEFLY SAY, UNLESS SOMEBODY ELSE WANTS TO REPORT THAT WE DID HAVE A GOOD MEETING ON MONDAY WE HAD A SOLARIZE MEETING.

I DO HAVE SOME EXTRA HANDOUTS FROM ABSOLUTE SOLAR AND A PRESENTATION THAT I GAVE ABOUT SOLARIZE.

SO IF YOU'RE INTERESTED. OH, PETER, YOU WERE THERE.

I WAS THERE. YEAH, IT WAS A GREAT VERY INFORMATIVE.

I'M NOT SURE I'M IN THE MARKET FOR SOLAR AT THIS POINT, BUT IT MADE ME THINK ABOUT MAYBE I SHOULD BE SO.

AND IT'S GOING TO BE ANOTHER ONE IN MAY.

I BELIEVE IN WILLIAMSTON, AND THEY'RE HOPING TO HAVE TWO MORE THIS YEAR IN LANSING AND EAST LANSING.

IF YOU'RE AT ALL LOOKING AT IT, IT'S A GREAT WAY TO FIND OUT ABOUT IT.

HAVE SOMEONE COME AND LOOK AT YOUR PLACE AND SAY, THIS IS WHAT WE COULD PUT UP THERE.

[01:10:04]

THIS IS WHAT WOULD SAVE YOU OVER TIME.

THIS IS WHAT YOUR REPAYMENT WOULD BE LIKE.

THEY TALK ABOUT TAX REBATES AND OTHER THINGS.

SO IT WAS VERY INFORMATIVE.

BUT A LITTLE AROUND TOWN, FIVE MINUTES, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

THAT'S WHEN I LEFT. NOW, THE THE GUYS THAT WERE DOING THE PRESENTATION MAY HAVE BEEN HERE FOR ANOTHER HOUR ANSWERING QUESTIONS FROM INDIVIDUALS, BUT HOPEFULLY.

BUT IT WAS WELL ATTENDED.

THE ONLY OTHER THING I WOULD ADD IS WE GOT THE I'LL LET TOM REPORT ON THE RECYCLING EVENT.

THE GREEN GAZETTE IS OUT, AND WE HAD A WE HAD NICE COVERAGE OF THE SUSTAINABLE FASHION SHOW.

GRAHAM DID A GREAT JOB WITH SOLAR DEMONSTRATIONS AND WITH HELP FROM ABSOLUTE SOLAR.

WELL, CHANNEL 47 WAS HERE MONDAY RECORDING THE THE SOLAR MEETING, AND THERE WAS A SHORT BLURB ON THE NEWS, I BELIEVE THAT NIGHT OR THE NEXT DAY.

YEAH, I COULD I'VE GOT THE LINK TO IT IN MY STAFF UPDATE IF YOU'D LIKE TO, TO WATCH IT.

I MENTIONED TO BILL THAT NORM COX IS COMING TO THE GREEN DIALOG NEXT WEDNESDAY.

WE'VE GOT A FEW SPEAKERS THIS MONTH.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN EV OWNERS DIALOG ON THE 24TH.

AND AMANDA FROM TRI-COUNTY IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT SOME HOW HOW RESIDENTS IN THE AREA ARE ADDRESSING WATER QUALITY IN THEIR HOMES AND YARDS.

SO THAT'LL BE INTERESTING.

TODAY WE HAD A PRETTY LENGTHY CONVERSATION ABOUT NO MOW MAY, AND EAST LANSING'S COUNCIL IS GOING TO BE DISCUSSING WHETHER THEY DO IT AGAIN THIS THIS YEAR NEXT WEEK.

SO THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST IN POLLINATOR FRIENDLY LAWNS AND LANDSCAPING.

AND IF YOU'D LIKE TO THE REPORT ON THAT DIALOG I'D BE HAPPY TO SHARE YOU THE EMAIL THAT I ASSEMBLED FOR THAT.

TOM WAS THERE. OKAY, THAT'S MY QUICK REPORT.

LET'S SEE. YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? CAN YOU REMIND ME AGAIN WHEN THE GREEN DIALOG IS? WEDNESDAY MORNING AT 9 A.M.? WEDNESDAY MORNING. AND THERE IS A SHORTCUT TO THAT IN THE STAFF UPDATE, I BELIEVE.

BUT I'D BE HAPPY TO ADD YOU TO THE INVITE LIST.

SO IS THAT LIKE EVERY WEDNESDAY? EVERY WEDNESDAYS FOR THE LAST THREE AND A HALF YEARS? OKAY. WOW.

OKAY. YEAH, I WOULD HIGHLIGHT THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE 2004 GREEN SPACE PLAN THAT WAS DEVELOPED WITH GREENWAY COLLABORATIVE.

NORM COX, THE PRESIDENT OF GREENWAY COLLABORATIVE AND IN AROUND ANN ARBOR.

AND THAT FIRM ALSO DID A RED CEDAR GREENWAY PLAN FOR MSU AROUND THAT SAME PERIOD, AND ONCE A GRADUATE OF MSU AND HAS A LOT OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE AREA.

SO A LOT OF GREAT EXPERTISE TO ALSO SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION, NOT JUST WETLAND CONSERVATION AND OTHERS. ANY OTHER GREEN TEAM? WE HAD A SEGUE TO THE GREEN TEAM.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

YEAH. JUST AGAIN, KUDOS TO LEROY AND GRAHAM AND SOME OF THE STUDENTS AT OKEMOS HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE SUSTAINABILITY FASHION SHOW.

IT WAS A GREAT EVENT, GREAT ATTENDANCE.

I THINK THERE'S INTEREST IN DOING IT AGAIN IN FUTURE YEARS.

SO GOOD JOB TO EVERYONE INVOLVED.

OTHER THAN THAT, JUST TO REMINDER THAT THE SPRING RECYCLING DAY IS COMING UP HERE PRETTY SOON.

AT THE END OF THE MONTH, IT'S APRIL 27TH AT CHIPOLA MIDDLE SCHOOL FROM 9 TO 1:00.

AND PRIMARILY THE ITEMS THAT WILL BE TAKEN, THERE ARE METALS BIKES, DOCUMENT SHREDDING AND PAINT FOR RECYCLING PURPOSES.

SO ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO COME OUT AND RECYCLE THOSE ITEMS. AND I THINK WE PROBABLY STILL NEED VOLUNTEERS FOR THAT DAY.

DO WE JUST GOT A BIG BOOST FROM OKEMOS HIGH SCHOOL AND I'M SURE AMELIA HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THAT, BUT WE STILL NEED ABOUT 20 VOLUNTEERS TO PULL IT OFF. APRIL 20TH.

THERE IS A LINK TO THE VOLUNTEERS SIGN UP IN THE STAFF UPDATE.

[01:15:02]

SURE. YES.

OKAY. YEP. I HEARD A SEGUE TO OKEMOS HIGH SCHOOL.

WE'RE JUST GETTING BACK FROM SPRING BREAK, SO NOT QUITE AS MUCH AS LAST MEETING, I GUESS.

BUT I'VE HEARD GOOD THINGS ABOUT THE FASHION SHOW, SO I'M GLAD THAT WENT WELL.

THE TECH RECYCLING THAT I SPOKE ABOUT LAST TIME THAT WAS KIND OF AMBIGUOUS IS APPARENTLY OCCURRING NOW.

TO MY UNDERSTANDING, IT'S A BIT MORE INFORMAL THAN WHAT'S OFFICIALLY HOSTED IN THE SPRING RECYCLING DRIVE, AND THAT I THINK IT'S JUST A BOX IN A TEACHER'S CLASSROOM.

THEY'RE WORKING MORE ON ADVERTISEMENT.

JUST BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE PEOPLE ARE NOT VERY MUCH AWARE OF THIS BOX IN THE TEACHER'S CLASSROOM.

I'M NOT SURE THEY HAVE ANY DISTINCT PLANS AND WHAT TO DO WITH THE TECH EITHER OR EXACTLY WHAT'S TAKEN.

BUT IF PEOPLE HAVE TECHNOLOGY THAT THEY WISH TO RECYCLE, IT JUST GOES IN THE BOX.

THEY'LL FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO WITH IT LATER, IS MY UNDERSTANDING OF THAT.

IN TERMS OF THE OFFICIAL RECYCLING EVENT LATER IN THE SPRING, IF YOU GUYS NEED MORE VOLUNTEERS, I CAN TALK TO NHS AND ACTION AGAIN AND SEE IF WE CAN GET MORE PEOPLE.

OTHER THAN THAT. YEAH.

WHAT AM I FORGETTING? [INAUDIBLE] GOT STUFF GOING ON.

YEAH, THEY HAD A MEETING IN FEBRUARY, AND SINCE I MISSED THE MARCH MEETING FOR THE COMMISSION, I THOUGHT I WOULD JUST GIVE THE UPDATE ON THE FEBRUARY MEETING.

SO A COUPLE THINGS.

THE CORNELL SWEETWOOD ACQUISITION, THAT WAS THE LATEST ACQUISITION IN THE CORNELL NEIGHBORHOOD THERE THAT'S MOVING, YOU KNOW, MOVING AHEAD.

AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE DEVELOPING A STEWARDSHIP PLAN AND WORKING ON PROPERTY BOUNDARY MARKING AND SIGNAGE AND STUFF.

SO AND THEN CHECKING ON THE NAMING OF THAT PRESERVE THEN.

SO COULD USE THE NAME, GIVE US JUST ONE SENTENCE ON THAT ACQUISITION WHERE IT'S AT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.

IT'S IT'S REALLY CLOSE TO THE CORNELL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LIKE ACROSS THE STREET THEN.

AND IT'S I DON'T KNOW FOR SURE.

IT'S I THINK IT'S SOUTH WAS..

IT'S BASICALLY ACROSS FROM THE FIRST STREET OUT OF SILVERWOOD, OKAY, NORTH OF CORNELL, AND IT'S MORE OR LESS AN UNBUILDABLE UNBUILDABLE AND UNREACHABLE FOR MOST.

YEAH. IT'S MOSTLY FORESTED.

YEAH. AND SOME WETLANDS ON THERE.

YEAH. AND THEN EMMA ALSO SHARED THE 2023 ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE MERIDIAN CONSERVATION CORPS.

AND SO I'VE GOT LIKE JUST A QUICK SUMMARY HERE.

I'LL PASS THAT AROUND.

SO I WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT, BUT PRETTY IT'S REALLY IMPRESSIVE.

I MEAN, ALL THE WORK THAT SHE DOES, ESPECIALLY WITH THE LIKE, I THINK SHE HAS OVER 100 NOW, LIKE, VOLUNTEERS AS PART OF THE MERIDIAN CONSERVATION CORPS AND 750 VOLUNTEER HOURS, YOU KNOW, AND ALL THESE WORK DAYS THEN.

SO AND THEN SHE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE GOALS FOR, FOR THIS YEAR FOR THE PROGRAM.

THERE'S A COUPLE THINGS THAT SHE'S..

STOP YOU THERE. I THINK I HEARD AT ONE POINT THAT THEY MAY BE INCREASING STAFF.

YEAH. THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO MENTION.

RIGHT? SHE'S GOING TO BE HIRING, I THINK 2 TO 3 STAFF.

THERE'S SOME OF THEM ARE INTERNS.

AND THEN I THINK THERE'S ONE, MAYBE ONE FULL TIME PERSON, AND THEN THE OTHER ONES ARE LIKE PART TIME, YOU KNOW, JUST STUDENTS THAT ARE DURING THE, DURING THE SUMMER.

SO. BUT YEAH.

SO THAT'LL BE GREAT. AND THEN I THINK THEY'RE ALSO GOING BE TRYING TO KIND OF YOU USE MORE CONTRACTORS THIS YEAR TO GET STEWARDSHIP WORK DONE.

SO MORE BURNS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND THEN I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE SEEN SOME OF THE SIGNAGE.

I KNOW SHE'S BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT A LOT, WAITING FOR SOME OF THE SIGNS TO GO UP.

AND SO IF YOU DRIVE AROUND AND YOU SEE A LOT OF THE PRESERVES HAVE THESE REALLY NICE, YOU KNOW, AND PARKS AND STUFF TOO, I THINK, RIGHT.

BRAND NEW, SOME OF THE BRAND NEW SIGNAGE.

SO THAT'S THAT'S GREAT.

AND THEN I BROUGHT UP AT THE MEETING ABOUT THE MASTER PLAN THAT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT LAST TIME AND HOW THERE WERE A COUPLE THINGS IN THE MASTER PLAN THAT THE LAND PRES ADVISORY BOARD MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN, LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE REVIEWING WETLAND SETBACK REQUIREMENTS, THE WOODLAND ORDINANCE, AND THE SHIFTING LAND FOCUS AWAY FROM ACQUISITION. SO THERE DEFINITELY WAS INTEREST FROM LAND PRES TO PARTICIPATE IN SOME DISCUSSION ON, YOU KNOW, IF WE IF WE WHEN WE IF WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS THOSE TOPICS.

SO IF THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES FOR LIKE A JOINT MEETING OR I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW HOW, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD DO THAT.

BUT IF WE CAN FACILITATE IT.

BUT THEY WERE DEFINITELY, DEFINITELY INTERESTED IN WANTING TO HAVE PARTICIPATE IN SOME DISCUSSION.

AND THEN THEY BROUGHT UP THE TREE ORDINANCE.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP BEFORE.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S PART OF THE PRESERVATION.

YEAH. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S PART OF THE WOODLAND ORDINANCE, BUT THAT WAS SOMETHING THEY WERE WONDERING.

IT WAS DEFINITELY INTEREST ON, YOU KNOW, ON THE ON THE BOARD ABOUT THAT AND WONDERING IF, YOU KNOW, ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION HAD WAS INTERESTED IN THAT TOO.

SO REMIND ME, WHEN LAND PRES MEETS.

THEY MEET THEY'LL ACTUALLY MEET NEXT WEDNESDAY AT SIX.

[01:20:03]

OF BOTH. I'M SORRY.

I GOT A FROG IN MY THROAT.

YEAH, I'LL BE RIGHT BACK.

OKAY. PLEASE.

IF ANYBODY ELSE HAS A LIAISON REPORT.

I'LL COME BACK.

JUST RELATED TO THAT, IT MIGHT BE INTERESTING TO HEAR FROM OTHER COMMUNITIES LIKE US.

I KNOW WE HAVE LESS CONTROL OF TREES THAN LIKE A CITY WOULD.

BUT MAYBE THERE ARE OTHER TOWNSHIPS WHO HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S NO CANTON.

CANTON TOWNSHIP HAS DONE A LOT OF WORK WITH THE GRAHAM SUSTAINABILITY INSTITUTE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SURROUNDING THEIR URBAN FORESTRY INITIATIVE.

SO I THINK IF WE'RE LOOKING FOR A MODEL COMMUNITY TO CONSIDER, IT WOULD PROBABLY BE THEM.

THAT'S WHAT COMES TO MIND FOR FOR A TOWNSHIP, AT LEAST, IT SOUNDS LIKE THE LAND PRES WOULD COULD BE A CHAMPION FOR THAT.

SORRY FOR THAT. ANY OTHER LIAISON REPORTS? I WANTED TO MENTION TWO QUICK THINGS.

LAST NIGHT I ATTENDED A FILM SCREENING OF A DOCU SERIES CALLED ROOTS SO DEEP.

IT'S A DOCUMENTARY ON A RESEARCH PROJECT INVOLVING SOME NUMBER OF UNIVERSITIES AND PRIVATE FIRMS LOOKING AT REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE, BY WHICH THEY MEAN ADAPTIVE MULTI PADDOCK GRAZING.

SO CUTTING CATTLE GRAZING PASTURES INTO SMALL PADDOCKS WITH INTENSIVE USE, TRYING TO MIMIC HOW BISON WOULD TRAMPLE AND GETTING MORE DIVERSE GRASSES AND STUFF.

AND IT WAS A THERE MUST HAVE BEEN 80 PEOPLE THERE AT BRODY AUDITORIUM BEFOREHAND.

THEY HAD A WHOLE VARIETY OF MEAT DISHES PRODUCED ON THESE FARMS HERE IN MICHIGAN AND HIGHLIGHTING FOLKS WHO ARE TRYING TO RETHINK HOW WE THEY'RE THE PRODUCER DIRECTORS.

BOTTOM LINE IS THAT DONE PROPERLY, YOU CAN PROVIDE YOU CAN GROW MORE EDIBLE BEEF AND TURN THAT PRODUCTION FROM A CARBON SOURCE TO A CARBON SINK OVER TIME.

AND YOU CAN MULTIPLY THE LEVEL OF WATER RETENTION, SOIL MICROBIAL ACTIVITY.

THEY DID THE SOIL CORES, FLUX TOWERS, YOU KNOW, THE WORK.

SO REALLY INTERESTING AND GOOD TO SEE MSU CHAMPIONING SOME OF THAT STUFF.

THE OTHER THING IS IF ANYBODY HERE KNOWS ANYTHING ABOUT COMPOSTING MANURE OR SAND CASTING ALUMINUM, PLEASE SEE ME AFTERWARDS. INTERESTING REQUEST.

I FEEL LIKE THESE ARE TWO SEPARATE THINGS, RIGHT? HOPEFULLY, I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T KNOW, THEY'RE BOTH ON MY.

WELL, NOT ON MY PLATE.

SO MUCH MORE LIKE IN MY DRIVEWAY, BUT YEAH.

ANY OTHER FINAL COMMISSIONER REMARKS, REQUESTS, DEMANDS, ASSERTIONS.

HEARING NONE. THANK YOU, EVERYBODY, FOR COMING TONIGHT.

WE ARE ADJOURNED. THANKS.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.