Aug 07, 2024 Environmental Commission Meeting

[00:00:01]

ALRIGHT. I'VE BEEN GIVEN THE SIGNAL THAT THE CREW IN THE BACK IS READY TO ROLL.

SO I'M GOING TO CALL TO ORDER THE AUGUST 7TH, 2024 MEETING OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION OF CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN.

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

AT THIS POINT, WE ENTERTAIN PUBLIC REMARKS FROM ANYBODY ON ANY TOPIC THEY SO DESIRE AND IF THERE'S ANYBODY HERE THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION AT THIS TIME, YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO JOIN, BUT NOT REQUIRED.

SEEING NONE, WE'LL MOVE TO CHANGES AND APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.

CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS CIRCULATED.

SO MOVED. WE HAVE A MOTION.

[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]

ANY DISCUSSION ON THE AGENDA? I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE THAT WE MOVE TO THE SWAP OUR ITEMS FOUR AND FIVE.

NEW BUSINESS AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES.

BECAUSE WE HAVE A NEW COMMISSIONER WITH US WHO HAS A LIMITED TIME WITH US THIS EVENING, AND THAT WILL GIVE HIM A CHANCE TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES.

[3. CHANGES TO/APPROVAL OF AGENDA]

SURE. I SEE THAT ON THE NEW BUSINESS.

OKAY. OH, COOL.

WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE AMENDMENT TO THE AGENDA IS APPROVED, AND WE'LL MOVE THEN TO NEW BUSINESS AND WELCOME HARRISON BATTEN, A NEW STUDENT MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION.

IF YOU'D LIKE TO TAKE A FEW MOMENTS TO TELL US AND THE VIEWING PUBLIC ABOUT YOUR INTEREST AND EXPERIENCE. WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU.

YES. HELLO.

SO, I AM A SOPHOMORE IN HIGH SCHOOL.

I GO TO HASLETT HIGH SCHOOL.

FOR A WHILE NOW, I'VE HAD AN INTEREST IN SUSTAINABILITY IN THE ENVIRONMENT.

[New Student Application from Harrison Batten. Sophomore at Haslett High School.]

THERE HAVE BEEN SOME GREAT TEACHERS AND CLUBS AND THINGS THAT LET ME GET INTRODUCED TO THE TOPIC, AND THAT KIND OF STARTED MY INTEREST IN IT.

I JOINED A NEW GROUP LAST YEAR, MY FRESHMAN YEAR, THAT FOCUSES A LOT ON BRINGING MORE INTO THE SCHOOL CURRICULUM AND TRYING TO BRING MORE AWARENESS OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND THINGS LIKE THAT IN THAT KIND OF BROUGHT ME HERE.

MY GRANDPA IS A FRIEND OF THE BOARD, AND HE DOES LOTS OF SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL STUFF AROUND MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, AND THAT ALSO CONTINUED MY INTEREST.

GREAT. WELL, WELCOME.

ARE THERE ANY PAST ACTIVITIES THAT YOU'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH IN THE TOWNSHIP THAT COME TO MIND OR FUTURE ACTIVITIES OR ISSUES THAT YOU'D LIKE TO ADDRESS AS A MEMBER OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION? I HAVE NOT HAD AS MANY EXPERIENCES WITH IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, MORE JUST MY SCHOOL AND HELPING OUT THERE.

WELL, THAT'S IN THE TOWNSHIP, SO THAT DEFINITELY COUNTS.

YES, ABSOLUTELY. WE'LL TAKE IT.

YEAH AND SO DIFFERENT THINGS IN THERE.

ADDING TO SCHOOL CURRICULUMS. WE DID A TEACHER TRAINING TO TRY TO GET MORE TEACHERS AWARE AND HAVE MORE INFORMATION AND I PARTICIPATED ON THAT AND I'VE DONE SIMILAR THINGS.

ALONG WITH THAT WITHIN THE BOARD IN THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO ADD, THERE IS I'M STILL KIND OF LEARNING AND THIS IS KIND OF MY PLACE TO DO THAT.

AND I'LL FIND PLACES WHERE I WANT TO IMPROVE AND ADD TO AND GOING FROM THERE.

FANTASTIC. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR COMMISSIONER? SEEING NONE.

WE'LL MOVE TO APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.

WE HAVE CIRCULATED A COPY OF THE JUNE 5TH, 2024 ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES.

I BELIEVE THOSE ARE THE MOST RECENT.

IS THERE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES AS CIRCULATED? AGAIN, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ANY DISCUSSION OF THE MINUTES? MR. CHAIR, DO YOU HAVE ONE ITEM? CLOSE TO THE TOP THERE, UNDER APPROVAL OF MINUTES.

THERE'S SOME CHANGES THAT I OFFERED LAST TIME AND THEN THE NEXT SENTENCE SAYS MCCONNELL SUGGESTED, AND THEN

[4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

YEAH. THANK YOU.

I COULDN'T HAVE BEEN ANYTHING MEMORABLE.

SO MAYBE WE'LL JUST STRIKE THOSE TWO WORDS.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

ANYTHING ELSE? WE SHOULD DO IT.

I WAS GOING TO SUGGEST THAT THE TITLE SHOULD READ JUNE 5TH, 2024.

[00:05:04]

THE LAST SENTENCE READS.

THE GBC ALSO FEELS THAT ITS GREEN BURIAL COMMITTEE ALSO FEELS THAT MAINTENANCE WOULD BE LESS BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OR NATURAL BURIAL GROUNDS.

I THINK THAT MEANS THE NATURE OF NATURAL BURIAL GROUNDS.

SECOND PAGE ENERGY TEAM SARVER EXPLAINED.

I THINK THAT WAS PROBABLY PROGRESS ON SOLARIZING MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AND THE SOLARIZE PROGRAM.

AND THEN THAT NEXT SENTENCE SHOULD READ THE LAST MEETING WAS RECENTLY HELD IN WILLIAMSON TOWNSHIP AND AT THE VERY END WE HAD SOME PUBLIC COMMENT AND THEN APPARENTLY THE MEETING EVAPORATED.

SO THERE MUST HAVE BEEN ANADJOURNMENT AT SOME POINT.

YOU CAN PROBABLY GET OFF THE TAPE HERE.

I HAVE BEEN SITTING HERE SINCE THEN.

YES. WE BUT AGAIN, AS ALWAYS, I DON'T OFFER THOSE AS A CRITIQUE OF THE MINUTE.

THESE ARE ACTUALLY JUST GREAT MINUTES AND THEY'RE VERY HELPFUL IN REVIEWING WHAT WE DID LAST TIME AND IF THERE ARE NO OTHER CHANGES AMENDMENTS, ADDITIONS, DELETIONS, WITHOUT OBJECTION, THOSE MINUTES ARE APPROVED, AS AMENDED.

THEN WE HAVE A COUPLE OF RESOLUTIONS UNDER NEW BUSINESS NOW.

IN SUPPORT OF RETIRING COMMISSIONERS COLBY AND SAFFRON AND I'M GOING TO ASK FOR VOLUNTEERS TO READ TYPICALLY.

WE DON'T GO THROUGH ALL OF THE WHEREASES, ALTHOUGH WE CAN.

BUT AT LEAST THE THE RESOLUTION, THE CONCLUSION OF APPRECIATION.

BUT WHOEVER OFFERS THE MOTION TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT CAN CHOOSE HOW THEY WANT TO READ IT.

DOES ANYONE NEED A COPY OF THAT?

[Resolution in support of retiring commissioners Anna Colby and Amelia Saffron]

YOU CAN AD LIB THROW IN A COUPLE OF AND I DO NOT HAVE ONE.

I SENT AN EMAIL TO MISS SAFFRON, AND I WANTED JUST MORE DETAIL ON WHAT SHE HAD DONE DURING HER STAY AND SO WOULD YOU LIKE TO DEFER THESE UNTIL OUR NEXT MEETING WHEN WE HAVE FULL RESOLUTIONS FOR BOTH.

SURE I WOULD. YEAH.

OKAY. THAT'S FINE. THAT'D BE FINE.

I THINK THAT'S MORE APPROPRIATE.

LET ME CATCH UP ON THAT EMAIL AND GET MORE INFORMATION SO WE CAN GET PROPER RESOLUTIONS.

OKAY AND CAN I JUST INVITE ANYONE TO CHIME IN ON IF THEY ESPECIALLY IF THEY WORKED WITH ANNA? THERE'S ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO ADD.

JUST SEND ME AN EMAIL.

YEAH, I GOT A COUPLE OF THINGS I CAN GIVE YOU.

GREAT. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. THAT TAKES CARE OF NEW BUSINESS AND ON TO THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE EVENING.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS. WHICH SOUNDS PRETTY BORING, BUT ACTUALLY, OUR UNFINISHED BUSINESS THESE DAYS TENDS TO FOCUS ON PROPOSALS FOR CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY RELATED FUNDING, AND I WONDER IF I CAN PUT STAFF ON THE HOT SEAT FOR JUST A MOMENT TO GIVE THE THRONGS IN OUR VIEWING AUDIENCE AND NEW MEMBERS JUST A VERY QUICK UPDATE OF WHAT SORT OF FUNDING THE COMMISSION HAS UNDER ITS DISCRETION.

OKAY. THERE'S TWO PROGRAMS THAT WE ARE INVOLVED WITH.

[Proposals for Climate Sustainability-Related Funding]

PETER HAS BEEN INVOLVED AND JOHN SARVER AND I HAVE ALSO BEEN INVOLVED WITH THAT.

THEN THIS YEAR WE HAVE A NEW SOURCE OF FUNDING, WHICH IS AN EXPANSION OF THE WETLAND EDUCATION FUNDS.

THE IDEA WAS TO NOT JUST LIMIT SUSTAINABILITY FUNDING TO WETLANDS, BUT TO OPEN IT UP TO OTHER SUSTAINABILITY RELATED PROJECTS.

SO WE PUT IT OUT TO OUR GREEN TEAM, OUR ENERGY TEAM, OUR GREEN BURIAL TEAM, AND OF SEVERAL PROJECTS WERE IDENTIFIED FOR FUNDING AND WE SOME OF THESE PROJECTS HAVE LABORED A LITTLE BIT.

SO THE BASIC NEWS IS THAT WE HAVE MONEY TO SPEND.

WE COULD POTENTIALLY ENTERTAIN SOME NEW PROPOSALS.

WE'D LIKE TO SPEND ABOUT $30,000 THIS YEAR OR IF WE DON'T SPEND IT, WE CAN CARRY IT OVER TO THE NEXT YEAR.

THAT COULD INCLUDE STUDENT PROJECTS.

SO IF THERE'S A SPECIAL PROJECT THAT A STUDENT GROUP, THE EARTH CLUB OR HARRISON, ANYTHING THAT YOU'RE INVOLVED WITH THAT NEEDS SOME SUPPORT, WE POTENTIALLY COULD LOOK AT ANYTHING ENVIRONMENTAL RELATED AND THEN BRING THAT BACK TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND THEN THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION MAKES THE

[00:10:04]

I WOULD ADD THAT OUR UNDERSTANDING FROM THE BOARD IS THAT THE FUNDING IS INTENDED TO SUPPORT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN WHICH IS AN AWFULLY LARGE BUCKET AND IF YOU CAN'T FIND IT ON THERE, IT'LL BE WELCOME ADDITIONS AND EVEN TO A GREATER DEGREE SOME OF THE ITEMS LISTED IN OUR CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN ALSO WERE ELEVATED IN OUR RECENTLY ADOPTED MASTER PLAN UPDATE.

SO THOSE KINDS OF PROJECTS ARE MOST LIKELY TO GAIN SUPPORT FROM OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, AND PARTICULARLY THE TOWNSHIP BOARD.

IN MY STAFF UPDATE, THERE'S THERE'S A LINK TO THAT.

THERE'S A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECTS THAT WERE RECOMMENDED.

I'VE GOT IT UP ON THE SCREEN HERE AS WELL AS THE ORIGINAL BUDGET AND THEN RECENT EXPENSES, AND YOU'LL SEE THAT THERE'S QUITE A BIT LEFT THERE AND I UNDERSTAND THAT EMMA'S MADE SOME PROGRESS ON THE WETLAND EDUCATION, AND YOU MAY YOU'LL PROBABLY REPORT ON THAT LATER, BUT OR WHENEVER YOU LIKE.

BUT THAT'S JUST TO FLESH OUT MY MINI REPORT.

APPRECIATE IT. SO AT OUR LAST MEETING IN THE MINUTES WE WERE JUST REVIEWING, THERE WAS A FAIRLY INVOLVED DISCUSSION OF A PROPOSAL FOR A FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR GREEN BURIAL AND WE KNOW THAT THERE IS A GROUP IN THE TOWNSHIP HAS PRESENTED TO US AND TO OTHER GROUPS ABOUT THE PROSPECT AND THAT THERE'S BEEN SOME SORT OF LEADERSHIP SHOWN FROM WILLIAMSON TOWNSHIP AND I NOTICE IN THE MINUTES THAT ONE OF THE ACTION ITEMS WAS REQUESTING MORE INFORMATION FROM WILLIAMSON TOWNSHIP AND I'M WONDERING IF LORI, IF YOU'RE AWARE OF ANY FURTHER INFORMATION THAT WE GLEAN FROM OUR NEIGHBORS TO THE EAST? YES. BRUCE HAS BEEN IN TOUCH.

HE'S ALSO DONE A FOLLOW UP SURVEY AT THE MARKET, SORT OF GETTING PUBLIC INPUT.

SO HE'S GOT I'M NOT SURE HE SHARED THAT AT HIS LAST UPDATE.

HE SAID HE SURVEYED, CONDUCTED FARMER'S MARKET.

78% WANTED TO BE KEPT IN THE LOOP.

YEP. THERE'S THAT AND PART OF THAT HAS BEEN KEEPING TRACK OF WHAT'S GOING ON.

I THINK THEY HAD THEIR FIRST RESERVATION RECENTLY OR OVER THIS SUMMER IN WILLIAMSTOWN.

YES. YEAH.

SO BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANY FURTHER DIRECT INFORMATION TO DISCUSS THIS EVENING WITH RELATION TO THAT PAST AGENDA ITEM.

I DID INCLUDE THE PROPOSAL THE COMMISSION HAD REQUESTED TO LOOK MORE DETAIL ABOUT THE PROPOSAL, AND THAT'S IN THE PACKET.

IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS, WE COULD CERTAINLY BRING BRUCE BACK IN.

I KNOW THERE'S CONCERN ABOUT MOVING FORWARD WITHOUT GETTING DETERMINING WHETHER OR NOT THE BOARD IS SUPPORTIVE OF THE CONCEPT.

THERE IS SOME RESISTANCE FROM THE STAFF.

FOR THE SITE THAT THEY WERE LOOKING AT.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING FURTHER ON THE GREEN BURIAL ISSUE, OR CAN WE MOVE TO OTHER TOPICS OF POTENTIAL CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY FUNDING? JUST A QUESTION.

I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY CAN ANSWER THIS NECESSARILY, BUT I'LL THROW IT OUT THERE.

I JUST CURIOUS AS TO WHETHER THERE'S BEEN ANY DIRECT CONVERSATION WITH THE TOWNSHIP BOARD ON THIS ISSUE SINCE OUR LAST MEETING. AT ALL.

I CAN TELL YOU IT HAS NOT COME IN FRONT OF THE BOARD IN ANY WAY AT THIS POINT.

WE'VE BEEN KIND OF BUSY.

BUT I DO JUST HIS BACKGROUND.

I'VE GONE THROUGH THIS NEW PROPOSAL IN THE DETAIL, AND I FIND IT MUCH MORE ACCEPTABLE TO ME THE WAY IT'S PRESENTED TO GET COMMUNITY INPUT AS PART OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF A POTENTIAL PLAN TO BRING TO THE BOARD.

SO I LOOK, I DO LIKE THE WAY IT'S BEEN MODIFIED FROM THE ORIGINAL PROPOSAL WAS ESSENTIALLY TO DESIGN IT AND TRY TO GET IT IMPLEMENTED WITHOUT THE COMMUNITY INPUT.

SO I THINK THE CHARETTE AND SOME OF THE OTHER FUTURE SHARES IS A GOOD ADDITION TO THIS PROCESS AND IT DOES SOUND LIKE THE PROPOSAL IS FROM A GROUP OR AN INDIVIDUAL THAT HAS DONE SOME VERY SIMILAR KIND OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH, STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT IN OTHER PLACES.

IT DOES, ALTHOUGH IT'S UNCLEAR TO ME WHO THE CONTRACT WOULD BE WITH, WOULD IT BE GOING THROUGH A COMMITTEE OF THIS BOARD OR A GROUP THAT'S BEEN REPORTING TO THIS BOARD TO MONITOR THAT.

I MEAN, DON'T WANT TO PUT IT ALL ON LEROY TO GET THIS ALL SET UP AND GOING.

[00:15:03]

BUT IS THERE A COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT? THIS IS NOT A COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION ITSELF.

YEAH. THAT'S A GREAT POINT AND WE HAVE HAD DISCUSSION IN THE PAST ABOUT HOW BEST TO ASSIGN RESPONSIBILITY FOR OVERSEEING IMPLEMENTATION AND MONITORING. MY SENSE IN THIS CASE IS THAT SINCE IT CONCERNS TOWNSHIP PROPERTY, PROBABLY THE OVERSIGHT OF ANY CONSULTING WORK WOULD BE UNDER THE PURVIEW OF THE DEPARTMENT RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT SITE.

I AGREE WITH THAT.

BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE PERSONALLY AND THIS ISN'T FORD SPEAKING.

THIS IS ME. I'D LIKE TO SEE THE GROUP THAT HAS BROUGHT THIS PROPOSAL FORWARD, THE COMMUNITY GROUP THAT HAS BEEN HERE PRESENTING THIS TO US, SERVE ON SOME SORT OF A COMMITTEE OR SOME SORT OF A LIAISON SO THAT WHATEVER COMES OUT OF THIS MEETS THEIR NEEDS AS WELL AS THEY HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY ITSELF.

SO I JUST THINK AS A LIAISON OR A PART OF THE PROCESS, WE SHOULDN'T CUT OUT THE GROUP THAT INITIALLY BROUGHT THIS PROPOSAL TO US.

OKAY. WE DO, UNDER OUR BYLAWS, HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO CREATE.

THANKS FOR COMING ALONG THIS EVENING.

YEAH. THANK YOU. HAVE FUN THIS EVENING TO APPOINT WORK GROUPS THAT DON'T NECESSARILY NEED TO BE MEMBERS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND EFFECTIVELY, THE GREEN TEAM AND THE ENERGY TEAM OPERATE THAT WAY.

I UNDERSTAND THAT, AND TRADITIONALLY, AS LONG AS THERE'S AT LEAST ONE COMMISSIONER WHO CAN KIND OF BE THE LIAISON TO THAT MORE FORMALIZED WORKING GROUP THEN THAT WOULD SEEM TO BE.

WOULD THAT WOULD BE FINE.

I MEAN THAT'S FINE.

IT JUST THIS PARTICULAR PROPOSAL DOESN'T MENTION ANY LOCAL.

IT COMES DIRECTLY FROM THE RESEARCHER OR THE PLANNING GROUP.

SO WE NEED A COVER PAGE WITH SOME NAMES.

WE NEED SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE PART OF THE COMMUNITY THAT WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS AND CAN GET THEIR INPUT DIRECTLY TO THEM AS WELL AS LISTEN TO THE INPUT FROM THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY.

SURE. BUT AGAIN, THAT'S JUST MY AND I DON'T GET A VOTE.

NO, BUT WE'RE GOING TO NEED A CHAMPION THAT UP THE LINE.

SO I ALMOST HEARD YOU VOLUNTEERED TO SERVE AS THE LIAISON TO THAT COMMUNITY GROUP, AND I'M NOT GOING TO.

YOU WANTED TO YOU WANTED A COMMISSIONER TO SERVE, DIDN'T YOU? YEAH. I'D BE HAPPY TO SERVE AS A LIAISON FROM THAT GROUP TO THE BOARD.

ALL RIGHT. SO I WOULD BE HAPPY TO BE PART OF THAT.

WELL, THE QUIETLY ASKED THE MEMBERS WHO ARE NOT WITH US TONIGHT WHICH ONE OF THEM CANNOT GET OUT OF BEING APPOINTED TO JOHN SARVER CAN GET THE IS THERE ANY ANY COMMISSIONER WHO WOULD LIKE TO SERVE MORE FORMALLY AS A CONNECTION TO THIS GROUP? I GUESS IF IT WOULD MOVE THE PROCESS ALONG, I WOULD BE WILLING TO DO THAT.

IF SOMEBODY ELSE WANTS TO DO IT, THAT'S FINE.

BUT IN ABSENCE OF OTHER VOLUNTEERS, I COULD SERVE IN THAT CAPACITY.

GOING GOING BACK AND I DON'T WANT THIS TO SLOW DOWN THE REVIEW OF THIS AND POSSIBLE APPROVAL.

IT'S JUST THE PROCESS.

NO. ABSOLUTELY UNDERSTOOD.

THANK YOU. I FEEL LIKE THE ACTION ITEM THEN IS FOR COMMISSIONER FRAIZER TO REACH OUT TO THE GROUP GET A DEVELOP A WAY OF EXPRESSING WHO IS CHAMPIONING THIS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.

AND WHAT? I'M CALLING A COVER PAGE TO A PROPOSAL THAT WOULD BE A COMMUNITY GROUP BASICALLY ASKING THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION TO CONSIDER THIS PROPOSAL FROM THIS CONSULTANT.

DOES THAT SOUND RIGHT? GREAT.

IS THERE ANYTHING MORE ON GREEN BURIAL? YEAH. DIRECTOR OPSOMMER SUGGESTED THAT BECAUSE OF THE SIZE OF THE CONTRACT, WE MAY HAVE TO GO OUT TO BID.

SO JUST TO PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE, I DON'T KNOW WHO ELSE WOULD BID ON ON SUCH A THING, BUT.

SO MAYBE THE FIRST CHARGE OF THIS GROUP BEFORE WRITING A LETTER IS TO CONTACT MR. OPSOMMER AND GET INFORMATION ON WHETHER THERE ARE LIMITS TO SOLE BIDDER OR WHAT THE PROCESS FOR GOING TO BID WOULD BE.

SO THAT WE'RE NOT TANGLED UP IN THAT LATER, AND WE GET THAT ACTUALLY AS PART OF OUR PROPOSAL.

RIGHT. POSSIBLY.

[00:20:07]

PERHAPS THE TREASURER'S OFFICE COULD BE A BETTER STARTING POINT.

I WOULD SAY, BECAUSE I'M SURE A TREASURER IS NOT BUSY WITH ANYTHING THESE DAYS, YOU KNOW.

NO. ALL RIGHT, WELL, LET'S LEAVE IT WITH WORK, WITH ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION STAFF TO IDENTIFY WHO IN THE TOWNSHIP CAN INSTRUCT US ON HOW TO GET THIS FUNDED.

DOES THAT MAKE. IS THAT VAGUE ENOUGH FOR OUR PURPOSES? THANK YOU. WELL, IT DOES NEED TO BE A BOARD PRIOR.

WE DO NEED TO. IT IS IN THE MASTER PLAN TO DO TO EXPLORE THIS.

BUT I JUST THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME GOOD CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE EXISTING BOARD AND THEN ALSO THE DIRECTORS WHO ARE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS DEVELOPING A PROPOSAL TO SEND TO THE BOARD. ANYTHING ELSE ON GREEN BURIAL? IT MAY BE A SITUATION WHERE TO GET IT MOVING ALONG.

WE'D HAVE TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT AND SEE WHAT WE GET FOR, SAY, 7000, WHICH MAY FALL BELOW THE BIDDING THRESHOLD.

RIGHT. BECAUSE THERE'S A TIMING ISSUE HERE AS FAR AS THE BID PROCESS AND ALL THAT GOING OUT TO.

SO AND MAYBE A GOOD IDEA TO GO BACK TO THE COMPANY HERE AND SEE WHAT THEY CAN DO FOR A LITTLE BIT LESS.

THAT WILL GET US MOVING DOWN THE ROAD TO.

AS ANOTHER OPTION, IT MAY NOT BE SOMETHING THAT MAKES SENSE TO THEM OR TO THE PROCESS, BUT.

YEAH AS WE SAID BEFORE, NO PROPOSAL HAVE EVER SUBMITTED HAS BEEN FULLY FUNDED AT THE AMOUNT I ASKED FOR IT.

SO SOME PORTION OF THAT.

SO IF WE CAN GET INFORMATION FROM WHEREVER IT IS ABOUT WHAT LIMITS THERE ARE ON VALUE OF CONTRACTS AND BIDDING PROCESSES, THEN THAT WOULD BE PRETTY GROUP CAN WORK THAT OUT AND YEAH OKAY.

SO AS ROY WAS EXPLAINING EARLIER ONE WAY TO THINK OF THE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY FUNDING IS AS KIND OF A MULTIPLE OF THE ORIGINAL WETLAND EDUCATION FUNDING.

IS THERE ANYTHING REGARDING THAT YOU WANTED TO DISCUSS AS PART OF THIS AGENDA ITEM RATHER THAN AN UPDATE LATER ON IN OUR UPDATES? FOR THE WETLAND EDUCATION STUFF? YEAH. I HAVE NOT ACTUALLY HAD A CHANCE TO CATCH UP WITH EMMA YET.

I EMAILED HER, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE SHE'S ON VACATION UNTIL NEXT WEEK, SO I DON'T HAVE AN UPDATE.

YEAH. ALL RIGHT.

OTHER ISSUES THAT HAVE COME ACROSS MY DESK OR MY BRAIN, THAT COULD BE POTENTIALLY CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY RELATED.

WE GOT SOME COMMUNICATION IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS FROM ONE OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO'S PARTICIPATED IN A LOT OF LAND PRESERVATION AND PERSONAL NATIVE PLANTINGS ABOUT FUNDING ACTIVITIES AROUND ENCOURAGING THE USE OF NATIVE PLANTS AND LANDSCAPING BOTH THROUGH PUBLIC EDUCATION AND POTENTIALLY OUTREACH TO VENDORS AND THAT FEELS TO ME LIKE SOMETHING THAT FITS PRETTY WELL WITHIN OUR CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN.

I DON'T KNOW, TRUSTEE, IF YOU HAVE ANY MORE INFORMATION OTHER THAN THE EMAIL THAT YOU FORWARDED.

NO, I DON'T HAVE IT, BUT I'M SURE SHE WOULD BE WILLING TO SPEAK WITH US.

AS FAR AS SOME PROPOSALS AND DETAILS, SHE'S A VERY ACTIVE CLIMATOLOGIST, SELF-DECLARED, AND HAS A BEAUTIFUL WETLAND GARDEN AREA WITH NATIVE PLANTS AND A PATH THROUGH THAT FOR HERSELF TO WALK THROUGH IN THE YARD.

IT'S JUST A VERY NICE AND SHE'S BEEN DOING IT FOR YEARS, SO SHE'S VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE.

GREAT, I HOPE WE DO SEE SOME SORT OF A PROPOSAL COMING FROM THAT AREA.

IF THERE'S ANYBODY THAT'S INTERESTED IN THAT, I'M HAPPY TO FORWARD THE COMMUNICATION.

IS THAT SOMETHING YOU'D LIKE TO SEE? YEAH. ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT TRYING TO ENCOURAGE MORE IN NEED OF PLANTINGS ON PRIVATE LAND OR ON TOWNSHIP PROPERTY? I'M NOT SURE. HER ISSUE INITIALLY HAD TO DO IN MUCH OF THE LETTER HAS TO DO WITH INVASIVE SPECIES, WHICH MAY BE MORE THAN WE CAN TACKLE, AND IT IS A DIFFERENT CAN OF WORMS. BUT SHE ALSO IS VERY MUCH INTO NATIVE PLANTINGS AND I THINK SHE'D BE OPEN TO ANYTHING, BUT IT PROBABLY NEEDS TO BE PUT IN SOME SORT OF

[00:25:03]

WHAT I CAUGHT FROM HER EMAIL WAS THAT SHE'S TAKEN PART IN A LOT OF ACTIVITIES WITH EMMA, AND HAS REALLY ENJOYED THEM, AND WOULD LOVE TO SEE THOSE ACTIVITIES EXPANDED AND YOU KNOW HOW IF THOSE WERE TO BE EXPANDED, IS THIS THE RIGHT FUNDING MECHANISM TO USE, OR SHOULD WHATEVER FUNDING GOES FOR MS PROGRAMS BE EXPANDED THROUGH SOME OTHER ITEM? I DON'T KNOW, BUT IT CERTAINLY SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING THAT THIS COMMISSION WOULD PROBABLY SUPPORT.

OKAY. TWO OTHER ISSUES, IF I MAY.

ONE HAS TO DO WITH THE UPDATING OF OUR 2004 GREEN SPACE PLAN, WHICH OCCURS APPEARS BOTH IN OUR CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN AND THE MASTER PLAN AND I'VE BEEN KIND OF ON THE FENCE ABOUT IT FOR A WHILE BECAUSE I DON'T, SINCE SO MUCH OF THAT PLAN WAS BASED ON WHERE WE BELIEVE WETLANDS MIGHT BE, AND CONNECTING THEM AND CONSIDERING THEM AS HABITAT.

IT'S HARD FOR ME TO IMAGINE THAT KIND OF BASEMAP BEING UPDATED WITHOUT GOING OUT AND STARTING TO DELINEATE A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER WETLANDS, WHICH ARE ALL ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, WHICH WE CAN'T DO.

SO I'M UNCLEAR ABOUT THAT.

BUT THEN I WAS READING A ARTICLE IN ONE OF THE PLANNING MAGAZINES ABOUT AREAS WHERE PUBLIC UTILITIES WEREN'T AVAILABLE AND THE ONLY FOLKS WHO COULD AFFORD TO BUILD THERE WERE PEOPLE WHO COULD AFFORD TO BUILD THEIR OWN SEPTIC SYSTEMS AND THEIR OWN WATER SYSTEMS AND THE RESULT OF THAT IN THAT CASE WAS A LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN A LUMBER TOWN.

WHICH WAS CAUSING THE MILL TO SHUT DOWN AFTER THREE GENERATIONS OF OPERATIONS IN OREGON OR WASHINGTON OR SOMETHING OF THAT EFFECT AND THAT'S NOT ANALOGOUS TO WHAT'S GOING ON HERE. BUT IT'S ALWAYS MADE ME WONDER, YOU KNOW, IF SOMEBODY WHO OWNS PROPERTY OUT IN THE EASTERN THIRD OUTSIDE THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY DECIDED, OKAY, I'M JUST GOING TO GO AND BUILD MY OWN SEPTIC SYSTEM, I'LL GET MY OWN, MAKE MY OWN WATER SUPPLY LIKE WE USED TO DO BACK IN THE DAY, AND LIVE OFF THE UTILITIES GRID.

HOW WOULD WE HOW MIGHT WE FEEL ABOUT THAT? I THINK THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THE UTILITY LINE, IS TO KEEP THAT RURAL AND LOTS OF LOTS OR LOTS OF LARGE FACILITIES, RATHER THAN BUILDING IT BY SUBDIVISION AFTER SUBDIVISION.

I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF IMPETUS TO ALTER THAT.

THAT WAS ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE GOT FEEDBACK ABOUT THE URBAN SERVICES BOUNDARY.

AS WE WERE LOOKING AT THE NEW MASTER PLAN, AND PEOPLE WERE UPSET THAT IT MIGHT BE MOVED 50FT TO ACCOMMODATE A COUPLE OF LOTS THAT WERE SPLIT IN HALF.

SO I WOULD BE SURPRISED IF THEY WERE WILLING TO CHANGE THAT.

BUT THERE ARE.

WE COULD, IN THEORY, I SUPPOSE, ENACT SOME RESTRICTIONS AND REQUIREMENTS AS FAR AS ON SITE DISPOSAL THAT MIGHT BE MORE STRICT THAN SOME OF THE STATE STANDARDS, BUT THAT WOULD COME ALONG WITH THE REQUIREMENT TO HAVE AN ENGINEERING STAFF TO MONITOR IT AND MAKE SURE IT WAS COMPLIED WITH.

SO I DON'T KNOW.

YEAH, IT CAN CREATE A REAL CAN OF WORMS. IN MY LITTLE TINY EXPERIENCE WITH SORT OF OFF THE GRID COMMUNITIES, OFTENTIMES INTENTIONAL COMMUNITIES WILL BUILD THAT INFRASTRUCTURE FOR A NUMBER OF RESIDENTS AND I KNOW THAT MANY OF OUR SUBDIVISIONS DO PUMP, FOR EXAMPLE, STORMWATER OUT AT THEIR OWN EXPENSE, THAT THEY'RE NOT ON A MUNICIPAL WATER STORM WATER PUMPING SYSTEM.

SO I GUESS I'M, JUST TRYING TO THINK INTO THE FUTURE OF OF WHAT MIGHT PEOPLE COME UP WITH TO DO WITH THOSE PROPERTIES AS THEY DEVELOP? AND HOW DOES THAT IMPACT OUR THE SUSTAINABILITY OF OUR HOUSING STOCK? DO WE JUST CREATE A BUNCH OF PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THROWN OUT THERE? THAT IS A REAL DEBATE.

I KEEP HOPING THE PLANNING COMMISSION ABOUT IT.

I JUST WHEREVER I CAN AND THE LAST ONE I HAD WAS LEROY HAD HAD PUT ME IN CONTACT WITH THE FELLOW WHO RUNS THE EAST SIDE COMPOST BUSINESS IN LANSING, AND THERE ARE CURBSIDE RESIDENTIAL COMPOST PICKUP SERVICE THAT DOES THEIR OWN ON SITE COMPOSTING AND FARMING.

AND THERE HAS BEEN SOME INTEREST IN THE PAST IN OUR

[00:30:10]

SO I'M JUST TOSSING IDEAS ON THE TABLE AND LOOKING FOR ANY INTEREST THAT THERE MIGHT BE.

I LIKE THAT IDEA.

I DON'T. SO ARE THEY DOING IT SOMEWHERE? THEY ARE. IF YOU LOOK UP EASTSIDECOMPOST.COM, YOU'LL SEE THEY HAVE SOMETHING LIKE 6 OR 7 SERVICE AREAS IN EAST LANSING AND EAST LANSING AND I'VE SEEN THEIR I'VE SEEN A GUY ON A BIKE WITH A TRAILER FULL OF FIVE GALLON BUCKETS.

I THINK THAT'S THEIR PICKUP SERVICE AND IT'S SEASONAL.

THEN THE POOR GUY WAS IN GLEN CANYON, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, AND, YOU KNOW, FIVE GALLON BUCKETS ARE FULL OF.

YEAH. SO WHETHER THAT.

YEAH. IS THERE SOMETHING YOU WERE PARTICULARLY SCROLLING FOR OVER THERE? I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF REITERATE OTHER IDEAS THAT HAVE COME UP, BUT I DON'T WANT TO GET OFF TRACK WITH THE COMPOST DEMO IDEA.

I ORIGINALLY INCLUDED A COMPOST RELATED SUBSIDY THAT WOULD HELP UNDER UNDERWRITE THE COST OF THE COMPOST BINS.

WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT MANY TAKERS, AND WE HAVE NOT BEEN BILLED FOR THAT, SO THERE'S NO EXPENSE.

BUT COMPOSTING WAS IN OUR ORIGINAL ROUND OF SUGGESTIONS.

I THINK THAT MIGHT BE A NATURAL EXTENSION SINCE.

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

I DID TALK TO BRIAN IN PLANNING, AND HE MENTIONED THAT A BICYCLE.

I ASKED HIM, I MENTIONED THAT THERE MIGHT BE SOME FUNDS AVAILABLE.

HE MENTIONED A COUPLE OF THINGS.

A BICYCLE PLAN, WHICH IS PROBABLY SIMILAR TO THE GREEN SPACE PLAN COST.

YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT CHEAP, BUT DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH COULD BE DONE REGIONALLY, MAYBE WE COULD SUPPLEMENT THE REGIONAL PLAN THAT'S BEING DEVELOPED.

THE OTHER ONE WAS A WETLAND ORDINANCE REVISIONS.

RIGHT NOW WE SORT OF HAVE A TWO TIERED SYSTEM WHERE THE IF THE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT WAS PLANTED BEFORE A CERTAIN DATE.

I THINK IT'S LIKE 1992 OR WHENEVER THE WETLAND ORDINANCE WAS PASSED THAT THEY ARE EXEMPT FROM SOME OF THE CONDITIONS AND THAT CREATES CONFUSION.

THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING TO CONSIDER.

YEAH. I'M NOT NOT CLEAR TO ME HOW CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY FUNDING WOULD BE USED TO ADDRESS THAT WHEN IT COMES TO A BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN PLAN THAT IS MORE THAN OUR MAP.

I UNDERSTAND HOW YOU GET SOMEBODY WHO'S AN EXPERT IN THAT, AND THEY COME AND LOOK AT YOUR PLAN AND HELP YOU DEVELOP A MORE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN BEYOND THE MAP.

THE OTHER THING THAT WAS MENTIONED WAS PETER MENTIONED THIS ENERGY STAR CERTIFICATION FOR ONE OF OUR BUILDINGS THAT WE MIGHT CONSIDER SOME ENERGY IMPROVEMENTS, AND MAYBE A AND YOU CAN DESCRIBE THAT BETTER THAN I COULD.

PETER. IT WAS IT JUST CAME TO ME WHEN I WENT TO THE CEREMONY AT THE STANDALONE ER ON JOLLY ROAD THAT THEY WERE ENERGY STAR RATED AND IT SAYS, WELL, WE OUGHT TO LOOK INTO WHAT THAT WOULD COST TO ADDRESS THIS BUILDING OR ONE OF THE OTHER BUILDINGS, AND NOT THAT WE HAVE THE FUNDING IN THIS ORGANIZATION OR THIS COMMISSION TO FUND THE CHANGES THAT MIGHT BE REQUIRED.

BUT TO DO A STUDY TO SEE WHAT THE FEASIBILITY IS.

[INAUDIBLE]. ALL GREAT STUFF AND BASICALLY WE PUT THESE OUT THERE AND IF THERE'S THIS CHAMPION WHO CAN GET A PROPOSAL TOGETHER WITH A NUMBER THAT WE CAN CONSIDER, THEN THESE IDEAS MOVE FORWARD.

UNTIL THAT TIME, WE'RE SPITBALLING DOESN'T WORK, BUT LOOKING FOR CHAMPIONS.

THE ONLY THING I WOULD ADD TO THAT IS THAT A POINT.

MAYBE IT'S THE SAME THING YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A CHAMPION, BUT ALSO SOMEONE WHO'S WILLING TO BE THE POINT PERSON FOR THE PROJECT.

[00:35:06]

I MEAN, YOU CAN BE THE CHAMPION FOR THE PROJECT, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE SOMEONE TO COORDINATE IT AND CAN HELP WITH THAT.

BUT MAYBE YOU HAVE AN INTEREST AS WELL.

ANYTHING ELSE ON PROPOSALS FOR CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY RELATED FUNDING.

THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION THAT CAME UP AT THE ONE OF THE LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARDS.

THERE WAS SOME INTEREST IN WATER CONSERVATION, LIKE LOOKING AT HOUSEHOLD USE, YOU KNOW, WATER AND FIGURING OUT WAYS TO, YOU KNOW, HELP ENCOURAGE, YOU KNOW, WATER CONSERVATION, MORE WATER CONSERVATION.

DO WHAT? WHAT DO WE DO NOW? DO YOU KNOW? LIKE, WHAT DO WE HAVE IN THE TOWNSHIP IN TERMS OF WATER.

WE BILL PEOPLE.

SEND THEM A BILL.

USUALLY SAYS TRY TO USE LESS.

BUT THERE WAS A PROPOSAL A FEW YEARS AGO ABOUT TO REVIEW OUR BILLING STRUCTURE, BECAUSE YOU CAN SHAPE THE BILLING STRUCTURE TO ENCOURAGE MORE CONSERVATION VERSUS GIVE PEOPLE DISCOUNTS IF THEY PAY FOR LAWN WATERING, FOR EXAMPLE.

THAT SEEMS COUNTERINTUITIVE TO ME, BUT THE ARGUMENT IS THAT MONEY IS NOT GOING TO THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT, SO PEOPLE SHOULD GET A DISCOUNT. BUT ANYWAY, THERE'S LOTS OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT BILLS COULD BE STRUCTURED TO FOSTER MORE EFFICIENCY.

OKAY. INCLUDING WHAT CONSUMERS DOES WITH THE BILL AND SAY, COMPARED TO YOUR NEIGHBORS, YEAH, YOU'RE USING A BUNCH.

YOU'RE USING A LITTLE FOR CONSUMERS.

HUGE ORGANIZATION. I'M SURE THE SOFTWARE IS OUT THERE.

THAT JUST DOES IT FOR THEM TRYING TO DO THAT FOR WATER BILLS.

I DON'T KNOW. COULD IT.

COULD YOU TRACK THAT RIGHT.

I MEAN IT SEEMS LIKE YEAH. THEY HAVE TO KNOW EXACTLY HOW MUCH YOU CONSUMED IN ORDER TO SEND YOU THE BILL.

I THINK THEY ONLY MEASURE IT ONCE IN A WHILE AND THEN AVERAGE IT, BUT STILL.

RIGHT. IN THEORY.

WELL, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THE METERS AND THAT'S A BIG PROJECT THAT'S GETTING UNDERWAY TO REPLACE AND UPGRADE.

I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY THOUSANDS OF WATER METERS JUST FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS SO THAT THEY WILL HAVE SOME OF THAT INFORMATION AND BECAUSE IT IS A REAL HEADACHE TO DO THE WATER BILLING RIGHT NOW, THE UTILITY BUILDING, I CAN IMAGINE.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT DEPUTY MANAGER OPSOMMER HAS BEEN TRYING TO GET MOVING AND IT IS MOVING, BUT IT'S A SLOW PROCESS TO REPLACE REMOTE OR READABLE WATER METERS FROM OUTSIDE AND ALL THAT.

SO I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT'S AT.

BUT I THINK ONCE THAT WERE IN PLACE, IT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE TO CHANGE THE RATE STRUCTURE.

SO IF YOU LOSE, USE LESS THAN X NUMBER OF GALLONS FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR, THEN YOUR RATE WOULD BE SUCH AND SUCH AND THEN THAT'S THE WAY THEY DO IT WITH POWER COMPANIES. NOW TO AN EXTENT BUT THAT WOULD TAKE SOME STUDY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE STILL END UP PAYING FOR OUR WATER SO THAT WE'RE NOT A DRAIN ON THE BUDGET.

BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S SOMETHING ALREADY GOING IN THAT DIRECTION.

OKAY. AT LEAST THE ABILITY TO IDENTIFY MORE ACCURATELY ON A REGULAR BASIS.

MAYBE. SO MAYBE SOMETHING THAT IN A YEAR OR TWO, ONCE THAT SYSTEM IS IN PLACE AND WE CAN LOOK INTO, YOU KNOW, WHAT KINDS OF THINGS WE COULD DO TO ENCOURAGE WATER CONSERVATION.

THE TIMING MIGHT BE GOOD TO EXPLORE IT, BUT WOULD ALSO BE INTERESTING CURIOUS WHAT OTHER COMMUNITIES ARE DOING WOULD LEARN FROM.

YEAH. ALL RIGHT.

IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE, WE'LL MOVE ON TO REPORTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS.

I THINK WE ALREADY HAVE OUR STAFF REPORT UP HERE.

MAYBE ANY HIGHLIGHTS YOU'D LIKE TO HIT? AMONG THE. JUST TO REMIND YOU, IF YOU'VE GOT AN IDEA FOR A PROJECT OR ONE OF YOUR PROJECTS IS FLEDGLING AND YOU NEED SOME HELP, PLEASE GIVE ME A CALL.

I WILL BE GONE FOR THE NEXT WEEK OUT EAST.

BUT YOU CAN.

I MAY HAVE ACCESS TO THE INTERNET.

[7. REPORTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS]

IF YOU WOULD HAVE A CHANCE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WERE PART OF THAT CONVERSATION WITH THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES LAST MONTH, BUT THE PROJECTS ARE MOVING ALONG SOME FASTER THAN OTHERS AND THOSE ARE THE MAIN THINGS.

[00:40:01]

WELL, JOHN IS NOT HERE TONIGHT.

HE'S NOT GOING TO MAKE IT, BUT I CAN TALK ABOUT THE ENERGY LATER.

RIGHT? SO LET'S MOVE ON THEN, TO LIAISON REPORTS.

ANYONE LIKE TO REPORT ON ANY OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS? ANYTHING GOING ON AT THE TOWNSHIP BOARD THAT DIRECTLY RELATES TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION? AT PRESENT, NO. AT PRESENT, NO.

THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAS RECENTLY BEEN REVIEWING A REZONING REQUEST FOR A PROPERTY ON DOBIE ROAD NORTH OF THE FAITH LUTHERAN CHURCH, WHICH HAS BEEN VACANT SINCE THE CHURCH WAS BUILT, AND THAT WILL WOULD RESULT IN THE REPLACEMENT OF THE VEGETATION THAT'S CURRENTLY ON THAT SITE WITH SOME FORM OF OF HOUSING.

IF IT'S BUILT BY RIGHT, IT WOULD BE SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING.

IF IT WERE BUILT ACCORDING TO THIS REZONING, IT WOULD BE MORE MULTIFAMILY HOUSING, LIKE WHAT EXISTS TO THE NORTH OF IT AND TO THE NORTH EAST OF IT.

COPPER CREEK WHICH I WOULD BE TROUBLED TO FIND ON A MAP, IS MOVING FORWARD.

IT'S UP IN THE NORTHERN SIDE, AND IT'S KIND OF AN EXTENSION OF LIKE PHASE FIVE OF SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR A WHILE.

PLUS A FINAL APPROVAL ON A ADULT USE MARIJUANA OPERATION ON HASLETT ROAD NEAR OKEMOS ROAD AND DETAILS ON THAT TO ANYBODY WHO WOULD LIKE THEM.

ANY OTHER BOARD LIAISONS BEFORE WE MOVE TO TEAMS? JUST THE LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD.

YEAH. THEY BEEN WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF US VISITS AND JUST KIND OF TAKING A LOOK AT SOME OF THE, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE RESERVES AND SEEING THE PROGRESS THAT'S BEEN MADE ON STEWARDSHIP AND EMMA'S GOT A COUPLE OF 2 OR 3, THREE, I THINK SEASONALS THAT ARE HELPING HER. SO SHE'S GOT SOME ADDED CAPACITY TO REALLY GET SOME MORE WORK DONE AND THEN SOME NEXT WEEK THERE WE'RE DOING I DON'T KNOW, IT'S LIKE A, SOME EVENT, GRAND OPENING, SIGNAGE, SOMETHING AUGUST 14TH AT DAVIS FOSTER PRESERVE.

AND SO I THINK IT'S AT SIX.

SO ANYWAY, IF ANYONE'S INTERESTED IN, YOU KNOW, JOINING US FOR THAT, I SAW AN ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THAT AND IN MY I'VE, MOST OF I'VE ONLY BEEN TO DAVIS WALSH A COUPLE OF TIMES.

MOST OF WHAT I'VE HEARD ABOUT IT IS WHEN THEY BURN IT.

RIGHT? YEAH. BUT THEN THE PICTURE I SAW WAS JUST THIS MASSIVE HILLSIDE OF JUST WILD FLOWERS.

THAT'S JUST OUTRAGEOUS.

IT'S SUCH A TRANSFORMATION.

YEAH. ANYTHING ELSE? GREEN TEAM.

THERE'S ELECTRONICS RECYCLING COMING UP.

I'M SO EXCITED. I'M.

I JUST GOT A COLLECTION GOING ON THE FLOOR OF MY GARAGE.

THERE IS. YOU CAN EMPTY YOUR GARAGE IN SEPTEMBER.

IT'S SEPTEMBER 21ST, AND IT'S GOING TO BE THIS FALL AT THE MERIDIAN MALL AS OPPOSED TO CHIPPEWA MIDDLE SCHOOL.

SO PLEASE NOTE THAT CHANGE IN LOCATION.

IT'S 9 TO 1 ON SATURDAY THE 21ST.

AGAIN, IT'S MAINLY ELECTRONICS.

WE'RE ALSO COLLECTING COATS AND BOOTS AND SHOES AND SNOW PANTS FOR FOR DISTRIBUTION FOR THIS WINTER AND THEN WE'RE PARTNERING AGAIN WITH CONSUMERS ENERGY TO COLLECT SOME ITEMS FROM THEIR CUSTOMERS AS WELL.

THE GREEN TEAM HAPPENS TO BE MEETING TOMORROW AFTERNOON.

SO WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE MORE DETAILS AFTER THAT MEETING, BUT ANYONE IS WELCOME TO ATTEND THE AT SCHULER BOOKS IN THE MALL AT 4:00.

AND I THINK THAT'S ABOUT IT.

UNLESS LAURIE HAS ANYTHING TO TO ADD.

THANK YOU. DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING ON ENERGY? I KNOW THAT ENERGY TEAM HAS BEEN MEETING EVEN THOUGH COMMISSIONER SARVER IS NOT WITH US THIS EVENING.

[00:45:01]

THE NEXT ONE IS IN LANSING AND I DON'T HAVE THE DATE ON ME, BUT I BELIEVE IT MIGHT BE IN THE GREEN GAZETTE.

IF NOT THIS MONTH, NEXT MONTH, AND THEN A GRANT TO LOOK AT COMMUNITY SOLAR.

THERE'LL BE A SURVEY GOING OUT TO GET PEOPLE'S OPINIONS ON SOLAR.

I SENT OUT A DRAFT IN THE GREEN GAZETTE AND WAS NOT AWARE THAT IT WAS NOT THE FINAL DRAFT.

SO I'LL BE SENDING THAT OUT AGAIN, I HOPE NONE OF YOU HAVE TAKEN IT YET, BUT YOU'LL GET A SENSE OF WHAT IT'S ABOUT IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE GREEN GAZETTE.

SO GET SOME INPUT ABOUT HOW MUCH OF AN INTEREST THERE IS COMMUNITY SOLAR CAN PROVIDE SOLAR TO SOMEONE WHO MIGHT NOT HAVE SOLAR ACCESS ON THEIR HOME, OR THEY MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD A $20,000 SOLAR INVESTMENT.

I GUESS ONE OTHER LITTLE THING.

THE NEXT MEETING, THERE'S INTEREST IN DOING A STORY ON OUR PROGRESS IN RENEWABLES AND SOMEONE FROM THE LEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERS, I BELIEVE, IS WORKING ON A VIDEO.

SO WE MIGHT MEET WITH THEM NEXT MONTH.

LATER THIS MONTH.

I RECALL SEEING MAYBE FORWARDING SOMETHING ABOUT A STATE LEGISLATION THAT DISALLOWS HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS FROM DISALLOWING SOLAR INSTALLATIONS.

I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE THAT RESTRICTION IN ANY OF OUR SUBDIVISIONS, BUT APPARENTLY THIS NEW LAW WOULD OVERRIDE THOSE SUCH RESTRICTIONS IF THERE'S NOT A SPECIFIC RESTRICTION IN THE HOA.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN THE HOA BOARD, WHICH DOES HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO APPROVE MODIFICATIONS, WOULD APPROVE THEM.

NOW THERE ARE.

NOW THEY CANNOT DENY IT, SUBJECT TO A FEW GUIDELINES THAT THEY CAN IMPOSE.

BUT THERE WERE, I'M SURE, A NUMBER OF HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS WHICH WERE RELUCTANT TO APPROVE SOLAR INSTALLATIONS IN THE TOWNSHIP.

IN THE TOWNSHIP. YEAH.

THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.

THAT WAS AN ITEM ON OUR AGENDA AND BOTH THE GREAT LAKES RENEWABLE ENERGY ASSOCIATION AND THE CITY OF ANN ARBOR HAVE PROVIDED SOME MODELS THAT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS CAN USE AS THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT REVISING THEIR POLICIES.

SO THE ENERGY TEAM WOULD LIKE TO PROMOTE THAT TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN.

THANKS. WELL, YOU TRIGGERED ME BACK.

CITY OF ANN ARBOR ALSO OUTLAWED LEAF BLOWERS, GAS POWERED LEAF BLOWERS.

SO THAT'S A THING, RIGHT? WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT, BUT WE'VE NOT TRIED TO CROSS THAT.

WE JUST WAIT UNTIL THEY DO IT DOWN THERE AND WE SAY, SEE, IT'S FINE.

I SO ALL SORTS OF FUN STUFF COMING UP FROM DOWN IN WHAT AM I FORGETTING? ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY OTHER UPDATES, NEWS, INFORMATION, FUN TIDBITS OF NEWS TO SHARE WITH THE COMMISSION AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC AT THIS TIME? WE STILL HAVE OPENINGS FOR STUDENTS.

IT'D BE NICE TO GET A STUDENT REP FROM OKEMOS ONCE THEY GET BACK IN WITH SCHOOL AND IF YOU HAVE CONTACTS IN WITH STUDENTS IN OKEMOS MIGHT ENCOURAGE THEM. SO THAT'S ALL.

ALL RIGHT. SHAMELESS PLUG FOR MY DAY JOB.

HALF TO HALF JOB DAY.

STUDENTS WILL BE RETURNING TO CAMPUS WEEK AFTER NEXT, AND THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN RECYCLING AT THOSE MOVE INS AT THE RESIDENCE HALLS.

WE COLLECT ALL THE CARDBOARD AND ALL THE POLYSTYRENE, OTHERWISE CALLED STYROFOAM, THAT THOSE STUDENTS BRING WITH THEM AND IT ALL GETS RECYCLED. IT'S A HUGE DEAL IF YOU'VE NOT BEEN INVOLVED.

IT'S ONE OF THE MOST FESTIVE AND SOMETIMES HEARTWARMING THINGS THAT I GET INVOLVED IN.

PARENTS DROPPING OFF THEIR STUDENT AT COLLEGE.

YEAH AND ALL THE SILLY THINGS THE DADS SAY AND DAUGHTER'S SAY DAD.

BUT IT'S KIND OF FUN TO BE RIGHT THERE AT THE FRONT LINE IN THAT MOMENT WHEN THAT'S ALL GOING ON AND BEING ABLE TO KIND OF HELP.

YEAH. THE CARDBOARD GOES IN HERE, WE CAN CUT IT UP THIS WAY, AND WE BAG UP THE STYROFOAM AND IT GOES DOWN TO DART AND DART DRIVES SEMI-TRAILERS UP HERE TO COLLECT ALL THAT STUFF AND TAKE IT DOWN AND RUN THROUGH THE DENSIFIER AND MAKE IT INTO MORE POLYSTYRENE.

SO IF THAT'S IF YOU GOT NOTHING ELSE TO DO THE WEEK AFTER NEXT TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, THE BIG DAYS, LET ME KNOW AND I'LL SEND YOU THE SIGN UP GENIUS.

[00:50:07]

YOU GET A T SHIRT AND YOU CAN GET A MEAL OUT OF IT.

THAT'S COOL. I THOUGHT IT WAS THE FRESHMAN MOVE IN DAYS.

SO IT'S THE FIRST TIME THEIR PARENTS BRING THEIR KIDS THERE? YES AND UNLOADING PART OF THAT IS COORDINATING THE COLLECTION POINTS.

EXACTLY. BOXES OUT OF THE HALLWAY AND TEARING UP AND DOWN 4 FLIGHTS OF STAIRS OR THE ELEVATOR OR WHATEVER.

BUT IT IS FUN.

YEAH. AS LONG AS IT DOESN'T RAIN OR STORM OR THUNDER OR [INAUDIBLE].

SHE USUALLY DOES.

NO, THEY GIVE THE FAMILIES 15 MINUTE SLOTS.

PROBABLY NO OTHER STUFF THAT YOU GET ACCESS TO THE CUL DE SAC IN FRONT OF THE RESIDENCE HALL FOR 15 MINUTES.

YOU EMPTY YOUR CAR, AND THEN SOMEBODY'S GOT TO GO DRIVE IT TO ONE OF THE FAR OFF LOTS WHILE EVERYBODY GETS THE STUFF UPSTAIRS OR IN THE CAR AND IT'S KIND OF LIKE RINGLING BROTHERS AND THEN YOU FIND SOME FAMILIES THAT PARK THOSE CARTS IN THE HALLWAYS, AND NO ONE ELSE CAN GET ADVICE, SO THEY CAN BUILD A LOFT OR PUT DOWN A CARPET.

ALRIGHT, WE HAVE NO MORE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC IN ATTENDANCE.

IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE, WE WILL ADJOURN AT 7:49.

FOR THE RECORD.

THANKS, EVERYBODY, FOR COMING ALONG TONIGHT.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.