Aug 06, 2025 Environmental Commission Meeting

[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]

[00:01:01]

I HAVE IT ON STRONG AUTHORITY THAT WE'VE BEEN GIVEN THE THUMBS UP FROM OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT.

ALL RIGHT. OTHER THAN DIRT ROADS AND, YOU KNOW.

SO IF I MIGHT, I WOULD LIKE TO CALL TO ORDER THE AUGUST 6TH, 2025 MEETING OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN AND ASK STAFF TO PROCEED WITH A ROLL CALL. I KNOW WE HAVE A COUPLE OF EXCUSED ABSENCES.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. CHAIR. I'LL PROCEED WITH A ROLL CALL HERE.

WE'LL GO WITH OUR CHAIR, BILL MCCONNELL. I'M HERE.

VICE CHAIR YU MAN LEE? HERE. COMMISSIONER LAURA BESILE.

ABSENT. COMMISSIONER JOHN SARVER. HERE. COMMISSIONER RICHARD MIKSICEK.

HERE. COMMISSIONER HARRISON. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER CYNTHIA PETERSON.

ABSENT. COMMISSIONER TOM FRAIZER. HERE. AND TRUSTEE NICKOLAS LENTZ.

HERE. ALL RIGHT. AND I AM HERE ON THE TOWNSHIP'S BEHALF, PROJECT ENGINEER JACK HUGHES.

AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE FOUR VOTING MEMBERS THAT CONSTITUTES A QUORUM. SO WE'RE AVAILABLE FOR ACTUAL BUSINESS THIS EVENING.

BUT FIRST, AS IS OUR CUSTOM, WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO A PRESENTATION FROM THE GREAT LAKES RENEWABLE ENERGY ASSOCIATION'S SOLARIZE MERIDIAN PROGRAM,

[3.A. Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association’s “Solarize Michigan” Program]

PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND LET US KNOW WHAT YOU GOT TO SAY.

I SERVE AS THE PROJECT DIRECTOR OF MICHIGAN SOLAR COMMUNITY WITH THE GREAT LAKES RENEWABLE ENERGY ASSOCIATION.

IT'S A LITTLE BIT ABOUT GLREA. MISTER SARVER IS ON OUR BOARD.

THANK YOU FOR HIS YEARS OF SERVICE. GLREA IS ONE OF THE OLDEST NONPROFITS IN MICHIGAN.

BEEN AROUND 30 YEARS WORKING TOWARDS ADVOCACY, EDUCATION, AND IMPLEMENTATION OF RENEWABLE ENERGY HERE IN MICHIGAN, PRIMARILY SOLAR, WIND, AND GEOTHERMAL. WE'RE A MEMBER BASED ORGANIZATION MADE UP OF INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS, BUSINESS MEMBERS AND STUDENT MEMBERS GOT LOTS OF INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE.

I REALLY FOUND GLREA WHEN I WAS RESEARCHING 100% RENEWABLE ENERGY TRANSITION BACK IN 2014, 2015, WHEN I WAS A STUDENT AT MICHIGAN STATE.

AND EVERY TIME I DOVE INTO IT WAS GLREA, A MEMBER OF GLREA, A BOARD MEMBER.

SO I SERVED ON THE BOARD FOR 3 OR 4 YEARS, AND I'VE BEEN A STAFF MEMBER FOR JUST OVER A YEAR NOW AND SMALL BUT MIGHTY TEAM.

AND WE DO HAVE A VOLUNTEER BOARD THAT IS VERY ACTIVE.

I'VE SERVED ON MANY BOARDS AND NO BOARD IS MORE ACTIVE THAN GLREA.

EACH BOARD MEMBER IN THEIR OWN RIGHT OFTEN RUNS AN ORGANIZATION, MOSTLY NON-PROFITS, SOLAR INSTALLERS FINANCING FOR CLEAN ENERGY.

AND SO IT'S REALLY A GROUP OF EXPERTS THAT ARE COMMITTED TO PROMOTING RENEWABLE ENERGY HERE IN MICHIGAN.

I'D LIKE TO SHOW THIS GRAPHIC TO EVERY PRESENTATION THAT I DO.

AND THANK YOU TO THE LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL LABORATORY FOR MAKING THIS AVAILABLE TO US IN NREL.

THIS IS A 2021 ENERGY MIX OF MICHIGAN. THE INFORMATION IS MORE OR LESS THE SIMILAR TODAY.

IT DOES A GREAT JOB OF TO ME VISUALIZING WHAT OUR ENERGY MIX IS.

SO YOU CAN SEE AT THE TOP THERE THAT VERY SKINNY YELLOW LINE IS A SOLAR MIX.

SO WE HAVE A LONG WAYS TO GO TO TRANSITION MICHIGAN TO MEET OUR CLIMATE HEALTHY GOALS THAT WERE PASSED IN THE 2023 LEGISLATION.

AND ONE THING I LIKE TO POINT OUT TO PEOPLE IS THE AMOUNT OF REJECTED ENERGY FROM FOSSIL FUELS.

SO YOU'LL SEE ON THE RIGHT THOSE DARK GRAY ENERGIES THAT'S REJECTED ENERGY, OFTEN IN THE FORM OF HEAT.

SO FOSSIL FUELS TAKES A LOT OF ENERGY JUST TO REACH BASELOAD.

BUT WE LOSE A LOT, NOT ONLY THROUGH TRANSMISSION BUT ALSO JUST THE PURE BURNING OF THE FOSSIL FUELS.

SO AS WE DECARBONIZE AND TRANSITION TO RENEWABLES, WE'RE GOING TO ELIMINATE THAT REJECTED ENERGY.

SO THAT'S A BIG PORTION OF OUR WORK IS TO TO GROW THAT SOLAR BAR, TO GROW THE HYDRO BAR THAT WIND, GEOTHERMAL. AND YOU'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SEE NUCLEAR ON ON THE GRID FOR MICHIGAN.

THEY'RE FIRING UP PALISADES POTENTIALLY THIS MONTH.

[00:05:03]

SO THERE'S A LOT OF RESEARCH GLOBALLY GOING ON IN THIS SPHERE.

I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT OUR MICHIGAN SOLAR COMMUNITIES GUIDEBOOK.

THANKS TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF GLREA, THIS WAS A 3 OR 4 YEAR PROJECT THAT REALLY LOOKED AT EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN.

I DO HAVE PHYSICAL COPIES IF PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED.

JUST GET IN TOUCH WITH ME. I'VE GOT BUSINESS CARDS. I CAN DROP ONE OFF OR MAIL ONE TO YOU.

A 100 PAGE DOCUMENT REALLY TALKS ABOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT SOLAR OPTIONS OUT THERE.

WE GOT OUR GROUND MOUNT SYSTEM IS WHAT A ROOFTOP SYSTEM IS, WHAT COMMUNITY SOLAR CAN BE.

WE DON'T HAVE THE LAW IN MICHIGAN. BUT JUST A GREAT RESOURCE.

AND YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THE DIGITAL VERSION AS WELL AT OUR WEBSITE.

I WOULD LIKE TO INCLUDE THAT FOR FOLKS. AND THEN SO WHAT IS SOLAR RIGHTS.

SO MERIDIAN HAS REALLY LED THE WAY FOR SOLAR RISE.

THE PROGRAM STARTED IN ANN ARBOR IN 2022. IN 2023, 2024 GROUPS LIKE THE MERIDIAN ENERGY TEAM ANN ARBOR REACHED OUT TO GLREA TO TRY TO EXPAND THIS PROGRAM STATEWIDE.

AND SO WHAT IT IS AT THE CORE IS NEIGHBORS, FRIENDS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS COMING TOGETHER TO GET GROUP BY PURCHASE DISCOUNT.

SO WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IS, SAY, TEN NEIGHBORS IN THE SAME COMMUNITY SIGN UP.

THAT RESULTS IN A 10% DISCOUNT FOR THE GROUP PURCHASE OF THAT SOLAR, UP TO 15%.

AND REALLY, THE THE BEAUTY BEHIND THE MODEL IS IT'S AN EDUCATION OPPORTUNITY FOR NONPROFIT TO PARTNER WITH A LOCAL UNIT OF GOVERNMENT.

USUALLY SOME ADVOCACY GROUPS JUST HAD A GREAT EVENT.

INGHAM COUNTY EDWARDS COMMUNITY CHURCH TWO WEEKS AGO.

MERIDIAN ENERGY TEAM WAS A VITAL PART AND KEEPING THAT GOING.

IT'S RESULTED IN NEARLY 100 KW MEETING SINCE I TOOK OVER THIS PROGRAM ABOUT A YEAR AGO.

SO I RUN THIS PROGRAM STATEWIDE. YOU'LL SEE IN THE UPCOMING SLIDES HERE.

REALLY CAPITALIZING ON THOSE PEER TO PEER RELATIONSHIPS, TRYING TO BUILD NEIGHBOR SUPPORT. AND KIND OF THE IDEA BEHIND THE SAVINGS IS THAT NOT ONLY ARE THE INSTALLERS ABLE TO FOCUS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY'RE FROM, I LIKE TO PARTNER THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES WITH A LOCAL INSTALLER.

BUT WHEN THEY PULL THOSE PERMITS, THEY ONLY HAVE TO TO DO A GROUP OF PERMITS AT ONCE.

THEY DON'T HAVE TO DRIVE THEIR TRUCKS THREE HOURS NORTH OR THREE HOURS WEST TO DO ONE INSTALL.

THE IDEA IS TO KEEP EVERYTHING LOCAL, AND THEN WE GET THAT ECONOMIES OF SCALE TO GIVE A DISCOUNT TO NEIGHBORS.

AND MERIDIAN HAS DONE A GREAT JOB. WE GOT MORE NUMBERS COMING UP.

SO I'M NOT GOING TO GET TOO FAR AHEAD OF MYSELF, BUT THESE ARE SOME OF OUR ACTIVE COMMUNITIES. YOU CAN SEE PRETTY WELL COVERED ACROSS THE STATE. AND I'M EXCITED TO SEPTEMBER 18TH, WE'LL HAVE OUR FIRST UP EVENT, SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO PUT ONE OF THESE SONS UP IN THE U.P., ALGER COUNTY, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH A COMMUNITY ACTION GROUP UP THERE CALLED ACRES, ELDER COUNTY RENEWABLE ENERGY SOLUTIONS, I BELIEVE, AS WELL AS MICHIGAN ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL.

THEY HAVE A STRONG MARKET PRESENCE. SO THEY'RE PARTNERING WITH US ON THAT.

AND MICHIGAN SAVES, THE NATION'S FIRST GREEN BANK HAS BEEN A VITAL PARTNER IN ALL THIS WORK.

SO THE MERIDIAN ENERGY TEAM THERE'S A LOT OF WORDS HERE I THINK A QUOTES IN HERE FROM MISTER SARVER.

IT'S KIND OF FUN. BUT MERIDIAN'S DOING THE WORK.

YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY ARE THEY PROMOTING RESIDENTIAL SOLAR, BUT THE TOWNSHIP ITSELF IS COMMITTED TO THIS.

YOU CAN SEE HERE THERE ARE DIFFERENT INSTALLATIONS THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE ACROSS THE TOWNSHIP AND MORE IN THE WORKS.

I KNOW THE MERIDIAN ENERGY TEAM, WE MEET MONTHLY.

OUR NEXT MEETING IS AUGUST 14TH AT NOON. SO IF PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED AND JOINING THAT, WE CERTAINLY WELCOME YOU.

IT'S A GREAT GROUP OF DEDICATED RESIDENTS, VOLUNTEERS WORKING TO MAKE IT HAPPEN HERE IN MERIDIAN.

AND WHAT BETTER PLACE? I MEAN, JUST I, YOU KNOW, I LIKE TO TRAVEL A BIT AND THERE'S NO PLACE ABOUT COMING HOME.

AND THE WILDLIFE IN MERIDIAN IS JUST UNPRECEDENTED.

I MEAN, I CHALLENGE ANYONE TO FIND ME ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO GET 10 TO 20 DIFFERENT SPECIES OF WILDLIFE, YOU KNOW, WALKING IN BEAUTIFUL TRAILS, JUST TALKING TO JACK BEFORE THE MEETING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE TRAILS WE GOT RIGHT HERE, JUST, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE MOST SPECIAL TRAILS I'VE HAD THE EXPERIENCE OF TRAVELING.

SO THIS IS THE FUN SLIDE. MERIDIAN, BY THE NUMBERS.

THERE'S BEEN 13 EVENTS OVER THE LAST THREE, THREE AND A HALF, FOUR YEARS 294 ORIGINAL PARTICIPANTS, I THINK WE'RE PROBABLY OVER 300 WHEN WE WORK IN THE LAST INGHAM COUNTY EVENT, WHICH WASN'T SPECIFICALLY MERIDIAN.

OVER 125 SALES. 609 KW. SO THAT'S. THAT'S IMPRESSIVE.

AND I HAD THE PLEASURE OF THE KIND OF SMALL FOR ME TO SEE, SO I'M NOT GOING TO RECITE THEM HERE, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF HARD TO UNDERSTAND WHAT 609.45 KW REALLY IS.

[00:10:05]

I THINK THERE'S CARS OFF THE ROAD. TREES PLANTED, OIL TANKERS.

YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE SOME KIND OF FUN NUMBERS TO BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, VISUALIZE WHAT IT ACTUALLY IS.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT 609 KW COMING OFF THE GRID AND 125 NEIGHBORS HAVE PUT SOLAR ON THEIR HOME.

THIS IS AWESOME. ANN ARBOR ITSELF HAS DONE OVER FIVE MEGAWATTS, SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A THOUSAND KW FIVE TIMES OVER.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T REPLICATE ANN ARBOR, BUT YOU KNOW, MERIDIAN IS WELL ON ITS WAY TO BEING A LEADER IN THIS WORK.

AND SOLARIZE MERIDIAN HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL.

WE HAVE A HOMEGROWN COMPANY, ABSOLUTE SOLAR. THAT'S DONE A MAJORITY, IF NOT ALL OF THOSE PROGRAMS, AND THEY'RE REALLY STAND UP COMPANY. YOU KNOW, I WORK WITH SOLAR CONTRACTORS ACROSS THE STATE, AND I JUST CAN'T SAY ENOUGH GOOD THINGS ABOUT ABSOLUTE, AND THEY'RE IN IT FOR THE RIGHT REASONS. I THINK WE ALL KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS.

THERE'S A LOT OF FLY BY NIGHT SOLAR COMPANIES THAT, YOU KNOW, MONEY GRABBING AND THINGS LIKE THIS.

BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT ABSOLUTE IS ABOUT. THEY REALLY ARE IN IT TO GET CARBON OFF THE GRID, FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE AND CREATE A HEALTHIER FUTURE FOR OUR FUTURE GENERATIONS.

SO SOLARIZE MICHIGAN. THIS IS A FLYER THAT KIND OF JUST HIGHLIGHTS THE PROGRAM AGAIN.

THE GROUP, BY PURCHASING PARTNER WITH LOCAL UNITS OF GOVERNMENT ACROSS THE STATE.

HIGHLIGHT THAT AND THAT SECOND ONE THERE. HOST YOUR OWN.

WE'D LOVE TO HOST THESE. UNFORTUNATELY, THE STATE OF SOLAR IS CHANGING WITH THE NEW FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION.

THE BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL, THE HOME RESIDENTS CREDITS EXPIRE, 30% FEDERAL TAX CREDIT EXPIRES AT THE END OF 2025.

SO OUR LAST SOLARIZE EVENT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE LAST ONE WE'RE GOING TO DO HERE IN THE REGION BEFORE THOSE TAX CREDITS DISAPPEAR, THANKFULLY. AND I MEAN, IT'S STILL A CHALLENGE, BUT THE BUSINESS, PLACE OF WORSHIP, NONPROFIT AND LOCAL UNION GOVERNMENT CAN STILL OBTAIN THOSE TAX CREDITS THROUGH 2026. THE CONSTRUCTION NEEDS TO START BY JULY 4TH, 2026.

THERE'S SOME UNCERTAINTY ON WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.

DOES THE PROJECT NEED TO BE COMPLETED BY JULY 4TH, 2026? DOES IT NEED CONSTANT CONSTRUCTION AFTER JULY 4TH, 2026? THE TAX CREDIT TECHNICALLY REMAINS ELIGIBLE THROUGH 2027, BUT I'M RECOMMENDING TO FOLKS THAT NOW'S THE TIME TO DO IT.

GET THOSE PROJECTS VERY CLOSE TO CONNECTED IF YOU CAN, BEFORE THAT JULY 4TH DATE, JUST SO YOU DON'T RUN INTO ANY ISSUES.

I JUST GOT FEEDBACK TODAY FROM ONE OF MY CONTRACTORS IN KALAMAZOO, WHERE WE HAVE AN EVENT AT THE END OF THIS MONTH THAT CONSUMERS IS TAKING LONGER THAN EVER TO THE INTERCONNECT PROCESS. SO NOT ONLY DO COMMUNITIES HAVE TO PULL THE PERMITS, WHICH MERIDIAN IS GREAT, BUT THEN YOU HAVE TO GET AN INTERCONNECTION AGREEMENT WITH THE UTILITY CONSUMERS IS OUR UTILITY HERE AND IT'S TAKING 10 TO 12 WEEKS.

SO THREE MONTHS THAT'S ALREADY AT THE END OF THE YEAR.

AND SO YOU KNOW, I DON'T EXACTLY KNOW HOW WE CAN PRESSURE OUR INVESTOR OWNED UTILITIES TO SPEED THIS UP.

BUT IT FEELS A LITTLE YOU KNOW, INTENTIONAL TO DELAY THESE INTERCONNECTIONS.

AND SO WITH THE WHOLE RESIDENTIAL CREDITS DISAPPEARING AT THE END OF THE YEAR, THIS YEAR, IT'S PRETTY VITAL THAT OUR LOCAL UTILITIES ARE TAKING THIS SERIOUSLY AND GETTING THESE SYSTEMS ONLINE SO THAT RESIDENTS WHO ARE, YOU KNOW, BEING PROMISED NOT ONLY BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BUT BY LOCAL INSTALLERS THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS 30% FEDERAL TAX CREDIT IS AVAILABLE. AND THAT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE IN THE BOTTOM LINE.

AND ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU PARTNER RISE UP TO 15%, YOU'RE LOOKING AT 45% OFF YOUR SOLAR INSTALLATION.

AND WE'VE EXPANDED TO BUSINESSES, NONPROFITS, PLACES OF WORSHIP.

THAT'S WHAT THIS LAST INGHAM COUNTY EVENT WAS.

SO WE'RE STILL LOOKING TO GET BUSINESSES INVOLVED.

IT'S BEEN A STRUGGLE. WE'VE HAD A LOT OF PLACES OF WORSHIP THAT HAVE BEEN INTERESTED.

NOT VERY MANY NON-PROFITS, I LIVE IN A HOUSING NONPROFIT.

WE'RE DOING SOME SOLAR ON OUR HOMES, THANKFULLY, TO GET THE TAX CREDIT BEFORE IT GOES AWAY.

BUT NOW'S THE TIME. THIS SAVES BUSINESSES MONEY.

IT'S GOOD FOR YOUR BOTTOM LINE AND ULTIMATELY GETS CARBON OFF THE GRID. I THINK THAT'S THAT'S WHY I DO THE WORK.

AND THAT DEADLINE TO SIGN UP FOR BUSINESSES IS NOT UNTIL NOVEMBER 1ST.

SO WE HAVE A RECORDING OF THE EVENT. WE CAN SHARE THE SLIDES.

KIND OF YOU KNOW, I'M A LOCAL PERSON HERE. I LIVE IN LANSING.

SO HAPPY TO MEET WITH PEOPLE IN PERSON AND JUST TALK ABOUT THE OPTIONS THAT ARE OUT THERE.

BUT REALLY, ANY HELP THAT THIS BODY AND THE LOCAL UNION OF GOVERNMENT HERE CAN DO TO PROMOTE THE WORK TO BUSINESSES IS REALLY NEEDED.

I THINK THIS IS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND, SO WE'RE NOT SURE HOW IT'S GOING TO WORK OUT, BUT THE IDEA IS THAT IF WE CAN GET 15 BUSINESSES TO SIGN UP, THAT'S 15% OFF THAT INSTALLATION, STILL GET THAT 30% AND YOU'RE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GET THOSE 45% OFF YOUR BILL, ANYWHERE FROM A 7 TO 10 YEAR PAYBACK PERIOD PRETTY READILY FOR A BUSINESS.

[00:15:02]

I THINK THERE'S MORE PROGRAM RESULTS HERE AT THE BOTTOM, KIND OF IT'S KIND OF THE LAW OF 50.

YOU KNOW, WE AIM FOR 40 TO 60 PEOPLE TO ATTEND A MEETING THAT'S GOING TO RESULT IN 20 TO 30 QUOTES.

AND THEN HOPEFULLY FROM THAT YOU GET THAT 10 TO 15 PEOPLE SIGN UP.

SO KIND OF THAT 50, 50, 50 IS SEEMING TO PLAY OUT ACROSS THE STATE.

AND, YOU KNOW, REALLY THE IMPORTANCE OF DRIVING TURNOUT, GETTING THE QUOTES AND GETTING PEOPLE INVOLVED.

SO WELCOME QUESTIONS AND REALLY JUST THINK, YOU KNOW, MR. JOHN SARVER AND THE REST OF THE MERIDIAN ENERGY TEAM, LOCAL UNION GOVERNMENT LEROY HARVEY, JACK FOR BEING THERE. IT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE.

I THINK IT PROVIDES CONFIDENCE TO THE COMMUNITY WHEN YOU KNOW MY GOVERNMENT IS DOING SOMETHING.

THERE'S A NONPROFIT HERE DOING SOMETHING IN THE LOCAL ORGANIZATION OF DEDICATED CITIZENS, LIKE THE ENERGY TEAM THAT ARE OUT HERE DOING SOMETHING.

SO KIND OF THAT BLEND REALLY BRINGS THE PROGRAM TOGETHER AND IT'S BEEN SUCCESSFUL.

SUPER THANK YOU VERY MUCH. COULD YOU GO BACK TO THE VERY FIRST SLIDE JUST FOR OUR DISCUSSION? SO WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION. THE YEAH THAT'S GREAT CONTACT HERE YEAH EXACTLY. SO QUESTIONS COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONERS? GO AHEAD. YES THE RACKING, THE INSTALLATION COSTS THIS THE WHOLE PICTURE.

THE UP TO 15% DISCOUNT COMES OFF THAT AND THE WAY THAT WORKS IS YOU KNOW, SAY THE RESIDENTIAL DEADLINE IS IN TWO WEEKS FROM NOW.

YEAH, TWO WEEKS TO RECEIVE A FREE QUOTE, TWO WEEKS TO MAKE A DECISION.

AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WEEK FIVE, YOU HAD YOUR INITIAL BID ON WHAT IT COST.

AND THEN THE COMPANY WILL KEEP PEOPLE AFLOAT ON HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE SIGNED UP.

WHAT'S THE DISCOUNT LOOKING? AND THEN AT THE END OF THE, YOU KNOW, FIVE WEEKS, WE KNOW WHAT THE PICTURE LOOKS LIKE.

GOTCHA THANK YOU. AND THEN MY SECOND QUESTION IS SO YOU MENTIONED CONSUMERS AND THERE SEEM TO BE A DELAY, IS THAT DELAY IN THAT THEY NEED TO APPROVE RESIDENTIAL HOMEOWNERS TO INSTALL THIS AND START SEEING THAT THOSE REALIZED BENEFITS AND THAT'S TAKING 10 TO 12 WEEKS? YEAH SO IT'S CALLED INTERCONNECTION.

SO ONCE THE PERMITS BEEN PULLED AND APPROVED BY THE LOCAL UNIT OF GOVERNMENT, THE SOLAR HAS BEEN MOUNTED ON THE ROOF, ALL THE ELECTRICAL HAS BEEN HOOKED UP. YOU CAN'T ACTUALLY START GETTING THOSE BENEFITS UNTIL THE LOCAL UTILITY APPROVES THE INTERCONNECTION PROCESS.

AND IN SOME PLACES, IT'S INSTANTANEOUS. AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S A CHALLENGE WHY IT'S TAKING CONSUMERS 10 TO 12 WEEKS WHEN IT'S REALLY, YOU KNOW, A RUSH HERE TO GET THESE PROJECTS DONE.

YEAH THANK YOU. IS THAT. DO THEY NEED TO COME OUT AND REVIEW THE BUILDING OR WHAT'S THE PROCESS FOR THAT? YEP, COME OUT, REVIEW IT. AND IN THE BACK END, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S IT'S PART OF A BIGGER GRID.

THE [INAUDIBLE] IS VERY BACKED UP. BUT A WHOLE RESIDENTIAL SYSTEM IS, IT'S NOT GOING TO DO MUCH TO THE GRID.

AND MOST OF THAT POWER IS BEING CONSUMED BY THE HOME.

IT'S A VERY MINIMAL AMOUNT THAT IF EVER GETS PUSHED BACK ONTO THE GRID.

SO IT'S REALLY NOT A SAFETY CONCERN. YOU KNOW, THERE'S IT'S VERY UNCLEAR WHAT'S TAKING SO LONG TO GET THESE.

WHY, WHAT'S THE CHANGE? IT'S NOT. THIS IS NOT NORMAL FOR IT TO TAKE THAT LONG.

I APPRECIATE THE EXPLANATION, MARSHALL. I HAD A VERY SIMILAR QUESTION ABOUT THAT DELAY.

I GUESS THE INSTALLER PUTS IN WHATEVER METERING AND ALL THAT OTHER STUFF.

IT'S JUST SOMEBODY COME ALONG AND SAY, YEAH, YOU DID IT RIGHT.

THAT'S RIGHT. YEP THAT'S YEAH THE LOCAL PERMIT USUALLY THE ELECTRICAL INSPECTOR AND THEN THE UTILITY COMES OUT AND YEAH, IT'S JUST SLOWING THE PROCESS DOWN. AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S TAKEN AWAY FROM PEOPLE'S PAYBACK PERIOD TO, YOU KNOW, THREE MONTHS THAT YOU COULD BE COLLECTING SOLAR.

IT'S JUST SITTING THERE. I GOT A COUPLE OF OTHERS.

UNLESS SOMEBODY WANTS TO JUMP IN. YOU SAID THERE WERE 125 SALES IN THE TOWNSHIP, AND THAT WAS BY THE CALCULATOR, SOMETHING LIKE 82 HOMES WORTH OF ENERGY. SO THAT TELLS ME THAT USING THOSE NUMBERS, THOSE SYSTEMS THAT HAVE BEEN INSTALLED HAVE BEEN PROVIDING MUCH MORE THAN HALF OF THE CONSUMPTION OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE PURCHASED.

IS THAT KIND OF A FAIR READING OF THOSE NUMBERS? YEAH, I THINK THAT'S A FAIR READING. SO OBVIOUSLY 125 SALES IS 125 HOMES.

THAT 80 NUMBER IS GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, THAT WHOLE OFFSET, A LOT OF TIMES BECAUSE THE UTILITY DOESN'T GIVE A FAIR ONE FOR ONE EXCESS CHARGE TO YOU. WE LOST OUR NET METERING SEVERAL YEARS BACK.

SO IF I USE 100 KILOWATT HOURS A MONTH IN MY SOLAR SYSTEM GENERATES 150, I'M NOT GOING TO,

[00:20:02]

THEY'RE GOING TO CHARGE ME FOR THAT POWER AND WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE ME FOR PUTTING IT BACK ON THEIR GRID. AND SO A LOT OF PEOPLE, WHAT THEY'LL DO IS YOU CAN DIAL YOUR SYSTEM INTO GENERATE 60% TO 75% OF YOUR USAGE, AND THAT REALLY IMPROVES YOUR PAYBACK PERIOD.

SO THAT'S WHAT WHEN PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT THE FINANCING, THEY'RE SAYING, HEY, WHY WOULD I, YOU KNOW, SEND MONEY BACK IN JUNE AND JULY TO THE UTILITY WHEN I'M NOT, YOU KNOW, GETTING A FAIR SHAKE HERE.

AND SO WHEN YOU PARE THAT SYSTEM DOWN, THAT'S WHERE YOU GET THAT DISCREPANCY FOR 125 HOMES SALES VERSUS, YOU KNOW, 80 HOMES OFFSET. GOTCHA THANK YOU. COUPLE MORE.

YOU MENTIONED THE MICHIGAN SAVES GREEN BANK, WHICH IS NEW TO ME.

CAN YOU TELL US? YEAH YEAH, CERTAINLY. SO MICHIGAN SAVES IS THE NATION'S FIRST GREEN BANK.

AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THEY PARTNER WITH LOCAL CREDIT UNIONS ACROSS THE STATE TO PROVIDE FINANCING FOR CLEAN ENERGY PROJECTS, WALL REPLACEMENT, NEW ROOFS. VERY REPUTABLE COMPANY.

ONE OF THE BENEFITS THAT WE HAVE IN MICHIGAN IS WE HAVE MICHIGAN SAVES.

A LOT OF STATES DON'T HAVE THIS TYPE OF OPTION. SO IF YOU CAN'T PAY FOR THE SYSTEM UPFRONT WITH CASH, SOLAR DOES COST MONEY UP FRONT. YOU CAN FINANCE IT THROUGH AN INSTITUTION LIKE MICHIGAN SAVES WITH A, YOU KNOW, PERCENTAGE INTEREST LOAN THAT YOU PAY BACK.

BUT ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES OF MICHIGAN SAVES IS THERE'S NO PENALTY FOR PAYING OFF THAT LOAN EARLY.

SO IF YOU HAVE AN INFLUX OF MONEY, YOU WANT TO PAY THAT LOAN DOWN.

YOU CAN DO THAT WITHOUT ANY PENALTY. AND OFTENTIMES I'VE SEEN IT EIGHT MONTHS OF THE YEAR WHEN THE SUN SHINING.

YOU'LL PAY LESS MONEY FOR THAT SOLAR LOAN THAN WHAT YOU'RE PAYING TO THE UTILITY.

AND SO THAT'S JUST ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, KIND OF A NO BRAINER FOR, YOU KNOW, DOING SOLAR IN MICHIGAN.

GRANTED, JANUARY AND FEBRUARY, WE DON'T HAVE GREAT PRODUCTION.

IT'S CLOUDY AND GRAY. BUT IT DOES WORK WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE WHOLE, YOU KNOW, YEAR OVERALL.

OKAY LAST ONE, I LOVE YOUR DESCRIPTION OF THE 50/50.

AND IT SEEMS PERFECTLY LOGICAL TO ME THAT, YOU KNOW, HALF THE PEOPLE WOULD COME THROUGH.

I'M GUESSING THAT IN MANY OF THOSE CASES, IT'S SIMPLY A MATTER OF TIMING OR FINANCING OR WHATEVER.

HAVE YOU HAD ANY ATTEMPTS OR SUCCESS AT SECOND BITE AT THE APPLE OF FOLKS WHO CAME ALONG THE FIRST TIME AND DIDN'T MEET THE ORIGINAL DEADLINE.

YEAH, YEAH SO THAT HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT WE'VE INCORPORATED INTO KIND OF IT'S A NEWER MODEL SINCE I'VE TAKEN OVER THIS PROJECT IN THE LAST YEAR.

AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE DONE, ACTUALLY, IS WORKING WITH ABSOLUTE SOLAR. ANYONE THAT'S RECEIVED A QUOTE PREVIOUSLY THAT HASN'T SIGNED UP, WE LET THEM KNOW AND SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOTTEN A QUOTE FROM US BEFORE WE HAVE A NEW SOLAR OPPORTUNITY AVAILABLE.

AND SO THAT HAS RESULTED IN PEOPLE THAT WERE MAYBE ON THE PHONES, YOU KNOW, LIKE, HEY, I ALREADY KIND OF WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS.

I HAD THOUGHT ABOUT IT. YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T END UP GOING WITH IT BEFORE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I STILL I'M IN THAT PROCESS AND, YOU KNOW, THANKS FOR REACHING OUT. YOU KNOW, NOW I CAN GET A DISCOUNT FROM WHAT YOU HAD OFFERED ME BEFORE. SO IT'S BEEN THAT'S HELPED A LOT TO KEEP MERIDIAN NUMBERS GROWING.

DO WE KNOW IF ANY OF THEM WERE GOING OFF AND FINDING OTHER VENDORS TO GET QUOTES FROM AND GOING? YOU KNOW, WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE QUOTE THEY'RE RECEIVING IS, YOU KNOW, ANY PURCHASE, I THINK IT'S GOOD TO SHOP AROUND.

BUT ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES OF THE SOLARIZE PROGRAM IS NOT ONLY ARE THEY A MICHIGAN SAVINGS VETTED CONTRACTOR, WHICH IS REALLY A PRETTY STRINGENT PROCESS, IT TAKES QUITE A WHILE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR BUSINESS PRACTICES ARE ALL LINED UP.

THEY NEED A MASTER ELECTRICIAN ON STAFF. ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH THE SOLAR INDUSTRY IS THAT IT'S VERY SEGMENTED.

SO YOU'LL HAVE A COMPANY THAT IS MAKING THE SALES, AND THEN YOU'LL HAVE ANOTHER COMPANY THAT'S DOING THE INSTALL, AND YOU'LL HAVE ANOTHER COMPANY THAT'S DOING THE PERMITTING. AND WHEN THOSE PROCESSES AREN'T FULL IN-HOUSE WITH ONE COMPANY, IT GETS VERY MESSY. YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHERE YOU GET SOME OF THE CASH GRABS.

I JUST HEARD ABOUT AN EXAMPLE TODAY WHERE THERE WAS SOME FEDERAL GRANTS AVAILABLE AS LONG AS THE SOLAR WAS INSTALLED.

SO ALL THEY DID, THEY DIDN'T DO ANY OF THE ELECTRICAL WIRING.

THEY LITERALLY JUST PUT SOLAR UP ON A ROOF, SLAPPED IT DOWN, TOOK PHOTOS, GOT THE MONEY AND RAN, AND THEN THEY'RE GONE. AND SO THIS, YOU KNOW, THESE THINGS ARE HAPPENING.

THERE'S SOLAR COMPANIES THAT POP UP ALL THE TIME, ESPECIALLY IN LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES WHERE THERE'S GRANT FUNDING AVAILABLE.

AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES OF SOLARIZE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, GLREA IS THERE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CONTRACTOR IS A GLREA MEMBER AND IS A MICHIGAN STATE'S VETTED CONTRACTOR. SO THAT'S ONE OF THE STOP GAPS WE HAVE.

AND MAKING SURE IT'S A, YOU KNOW, REPUTABLE AND SAFE INVESTMENT FOR PEOPLE.

FANTASTIC. YOU KNOW, IT'S I'M GLAD THAT MARSHALL BROUGHT UP MICHIGAN SAVES BECAUSE YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE AREN'T AWARE OF THE PROGRAM. AND REALLY, IT'S EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GO WITH THE FINANCING,

[00:25:03]

AND SO IF YOU WANT TO DO A NEW ROOF OR A HOT WATER HEATER OR A AIR SOURCE HEAT PUMP, YOU JUST KIND OF DO THAT AND YOU KIND OF PUT IN YOUR ZIP CODE AND HOW, YOU KNOW, A DISTANCE THAT YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH.

AND LIKE IT'S BEEN MENTIONED, THE THEY'VE BEEN VETTED TO A LARGE EXTENT.

AND TO ME, IT'S A BETTER WAY TO FIND A CONTRACTOR THAN GOING AT GOOGLE.

YEAH. AND BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW THAT THE FOLKS YOU FIND WHEN YOU DO A SEARCH HAVE KIND OF PAID AND TO BE VERY VISIBLE.

AND I THINK THEY'VE EVEN PAID THE COMPANIES, THEY KIND OF REFER PEOPLE.

BUT MICHIGAN SAVES DOESN'T DO THAT. I MEAN, THEY BASICALLY HAVE THIS FIND A CONTRACTOR SYSTEM THAT TO ME IS REALLY HELPFUL IF YOU WANT TO DO ANYTHING RELATED TO YOUR HOME. YEAH AND IT'S BEYOND EVEN SOLAR.

LIKE JOHN SAID, YOU KNOW, HEAT PUMPS, FURNACES, WELLS IS OFFERING NOW AND ACTUALLY MERIDIAN.

THAT'S AN ISSUE OUT HERE IS TRANSFERRING PEOPLE THAT ARE ON WELLS TO EITHER CITY OR GETTING WELL REPLACEMENTS.

AND IT'S EXPENSIVE. AND SO MICHIGAN SAVES CAN HELP THEM IN THAT FRONT.

AND THAT'S A PRETTY NEW OFFERING.

THEM. BUT I WAS JUST CURIOUS ABOUT IS IT POSSIBLE TO DO A SOLAR PROJECT THAT'S LIKE FOR A HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION SO THAT IT WOULD GENERATE SOME POWER FOR LIKE MULTIPLE HOUSEHOLDS WITHIN THAT, YOU KNOW, SUBDIVISION OR SOMETHING? DISALLOWED HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS FROM PREVENTING YOUR SOLAR.

SO NOW HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATION NOT ONLY HAS TO ALLOW FOR SOLAR, BUT IT OPENS UP THE DOOR FOR HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS TO MEET ABOUT SOLAR.

AND SO ACTUALLY, THERE'S ONE OF OUR GLREA BOARD MEMBERS HAS A SOLAR WENT LIVE TODAY OR, YOU KNOW, THIS WEEK ON TUESDAY. AND HE WANTS TO DO A SOLARIZE WITH HIS HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATION.

AND SO WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING TO DO THAT IN MILFORD.

HOPEFULLY AT THE END OF THIS YEAR. OKAY FURTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? YES. YEAH JUST CURIOUS AS TO WHAT YOU THINK THE IMPACT MIGHT BE AS FAR AS FUTURE RESIDENTIAL SOLAR WITH THE ELIMINATION OF THE TAX CREDITS COMING UP? IT'S NOT GOOD [LAUGHTER]. IT'S GOING TO BE DIFFICULT.

I, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S GOING TO DECREASE, YOU KNOW, HOMEOWNERS GETTING SOLAR, THE 30% IS A BIG DEAL.

THANKFULLY, IT STILL DOES MAKE FINANCIAL SENSE TO DO SOLAR.

ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU DO, LIKE I SAID, THAT 60% TO 75% OF YOUR CONSUMPTION WHERE YOU'RE NOT SENDING POWER BACK TO THE GRID.

THAT REALLY IMPROVES YOUR PAYBACK PERIOD TO MAKE IT STILL FINANCIALLY AVAILABLE.

THE REALITY IS THAT SOLAR IS THE CHEAPEST FORM OF ENERGY TO BUILD NEW.

THE TECHNOLOGY HAS GROWN EXPONENTIALLY IN THE LAST 5 TO 10 YEARS.

FROM, YOU KNOW, IF THIS IS ABOUT THE SIZE OF A PANEL YOU KNOW, TEN YEARS AGO, THIS WOULD BE A 250 WATT PANEL.

THIS IS KIND OF THE STANDARD. NOWADAYS YOU HAVE 390-410 WATT PANEL.

SO, YOU KNOW, THE STRENGTH OF THE PANEL IS REALLY IMPROVED.

THE EFFICIENCY HAS IMPROVED FROM 18% TO 23%. SO YOU'RE JUST SEEING IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TECHNOLOGY DRASTIC.

ALL THE WHILE THE COST HAS COME DOWN. AND SO NOT ONLY IS THE BETTER TECHNOLOGY IT'S THE MOST AFFORDABLE IT'S EVER BEEN.

SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S THERE'S NO SUGARCOATING IT THAT IT'S BAD.

IT'S. BUT, YOU KNOW, I'M SOMEWHAT OPTIMISTIC AND HOPEFUL THAT STATE AGENCIES, SOLARIZE DISCOUNTS, HOPEFULLY FOUNDATIONS COME TO THE TABLE AND START TO OFFER SOME INCENTIVES IN PLACE.

YOU KNOW, I'VE HEARD SOME RUMBLINGS THAT THERE ARE FOUNDATIONS.

MICHIGAN HAS SOME PRETTY STRONG FOUNDATIONS THAT ARE INTERESTED POTENTIALLY, AND, YOU KNOW, SOME SORT OF GROUP BY DOWN TYPE PROCESSES. WHILE YOU KNOW, THE TAX CREDIT GOES AWAY, ESPECIALLY FOR LOW AND MODERATE INCOME FOLKS, RENTERS. I THINK THAT'S A PART OF THE ENERGY TRANSITION THAT'S LEFT OUT OF THE PICTURE IS HOW DO WE, YOU KNOW, GET THESE SOLAR BENEFITS TO LOW INCOME PEOPLE.

AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE GOT TO PUT THEIR MONEY WHERE THEIR MOUTH IS.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FOUNDATIONS, LOCAL UNIONS OF GOVERNMENT,

[00:30:05]

AND, YOU KNOW, LAWS CHANGE FAST. I THINK WE LEARNED THAT, YOU KNOW HOPEFULLY WE CAN CHANGE IT BACK.

MINUS THE CARROT THERE'S THE STICK OF ENERGY RATES.

WE'RE JUST GOING TO KEEP INCREASING TOO. WELL YEAH THAT'S A GREAT POINT.

AND YOU KNOW I KEEP TELLING PEOPLE THERE'S NO GUARANTEE IN LIFE EXCEPT YOUR ENERGY BILLS ARE GOING TO GO UP [LAUGHTER].

AND SO YOU KNOW WHAT? THAT MAKES HOME SOLAR THAT MUCH BETTER, YOU KNOW, MORE ATTRACTIVE OF OF AN OPTION FOR YOU.

YOU KNOW, I THINK I SAW AN ANALYSIS THAT HOME ENERGY RATES WITH YOU KNOW, THE ENERGY EMERGENCY AND A LOT OF THE CLAWING BACK OF THIS INFLATION REDUCTION ACT, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE 15% TO 20% OVER THE NEXT 2 TO 3 YEARS OF YOUR ENERGY BILL RISING.

EVERY YEAR CONSUMERS, DTE ARE REQUESTING HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN RATE HIKES FOR THE, YOU KNOW, THE RATEPAYERS AGING INFRASTRUCTURE, BAD INVESTMENT AND ULTIMATELY THEIR SHAREHOLDERS GET A 9.9 RATE OF RETURN.

THERE'S, YOU KNOW, NO INVESTMENT THAT'S GOING TO GIVE YOU A GUARANTEED 9.9 RATE OF RETURN.

BESIDES BEING AN INVESTOR OWNED UTILITY RATE, YOU KNOW, STOCK SHAREHOLDER.

SO YOU KNOW, IT'S. THERE IS PROBABLY JUST ONE ADVANTAGE WITH ELIMINATING THE FEDERAL TAX CREDIT BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME BAD ACTORS IN THE INDUSTRY.

AND OF COURSE, THEY HEAVILY PUSH IN MISREPRESENT THE FEDERAL INCENTIVES.

AND SO ONCE THE FEDERAL TAX CREDIT IS GONE, A LOT OF THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE FLY BY NIGHT WILL DISAPPEAR.

YEAH IS A LOT OF THE BAD ACTORS ARE GOING TO GET ALL THE SPACE, YOU KNOW, AND IT REALLY STINKS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, ONE FAMILY OR ONE PERSON THAT GOES THROUGH THAT PROCESS NOW HAS A TERRIBLE IMAGE OF THE SOLAR INDUSTRY.

AND, YOU KNOW, NOW THEY CAN'T TRUST ANYONE. AND THEY'RE TELLING THEIR NEIGHBORS, THEY'RE TELLING THEM IT'S KIND OF THE OPPOSITE OF THE SOLARIZE MODEL, RIGHT? [LAUGHTER] IT'S LIKE, YEAH, DIESEL RISING THROUGH IT, YOU KNOW.

SO I APPRECIATE THE IDEA OF STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT SOMEHOW HELPING FILL THAT GAP AND SHORT OF FINANCING, IT SEEMS THAT THE ONE WAY THAT A LOCAL UNIT OF GOVERNMENT CAN DO THAT IS THROUGH ITS ORDINANCES. AND WE'VE CHIPPED AWAY A BIT AT THE EDGES OF WHEN WE LOOK AT WHAT SORTS OF THINGS MIGHT AN APPLICANT INCLUDE IN THEIR PROJECT IN ORDER TO BE GRANTED A VARIANCE ON SOME RESTRICTION ON HEIGHT OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE.

AND HAVE ADDED THOSE KINDS OF INCENTIVES AMONG THOSE LISTS OF THINGS THAT YOU MIGHT GET CREDIT FOR.

ARE THERE OTHER THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, OF LOCAL COMMUNITIES ARE DOING THAT CAN HELP BUSINESSES MAKE THAT DECISION TO PURCHASE? YEAH, WELL, SORT OF ON TARGET IS NOT NECESSARILY HELPING BUSINESSES, BUT I HELPED BENTON HARBOR RECENTLY WRITE A GRANT PROPOSAL THAT WAS AWARDED BY THE STATE OF MICHIGAN LAW FOR ALL FUND.

WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO IS THEY'RE GOING TO PUT SOLAR ON ALL THEIR MUNICIPAL BUILDINGS THAT THEY CAN, AND THEY'RE GOING TO DISTRIBUTE 50% OF THOSE BENEFITS TO ELDERLY RESIDENTS THAT ARE NEEDING HELP ON THEIR UTILITY BILLS.

AND SO THAT'S EFFECTIVELY A COMMUNITY SOLAR MODEL.

WITHOUT A STATE LAW THAT ALLOWS FOR COMMUNITY SOLAR.

SO THAT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF HOW A LOCAL UNIT OF GOVERNMENT CAN BE PROACTIVE AND NOT ONLY USING THEIR SPACE, REDUCING THEIR BILLS, BUT ALSO DISTRIBUTING THE BENEFITS TO LOCAL RESIDENTS THAT NEED HELP ON FIXED INCOME THAT, YOU KNOW, ARE GETTING TANGIBLE BENEFITS. AND SO I DID DO A PROPOSAL FOR A LANSING COMMUNITY CENTER IN A SIMILAR VEIN THAT LOOKED TO BW WASN'T WANTING TO PARTICIPATE, SO WE WERE MAXED OUT AT DOING 110% OF THE BUILDING'S CONSUMPTION BY LAW.

YOU CAN BUILD A SOLAR ARRAY UP TO 110% OF YOUR LAST 12 MONTHS.

YOU KNOW, CONSUMPTION. AND SO 50% OF THOSE BENEFITS WOULD GO TO SURROUNDING NEIGHBORS OF THAT COMMUNITY CENTER.

SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S A BUSINESS COMMUNITY CENTER AC3 SO THEY ARE A NONPROFIT, BUT 50% OF THE BENEFITS WILL BE GOING TO THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORS. 40% WILL BE GOING TO THE COMMUNITY CENTER, AND THEN 10% WOULD GO TO THE PBA POWER PURCHASE AGREEMENT OPERATOR.

SOMEONE THAT IS MANAGING THE MONTHLY DIVIDENDS TO THE SUBSCRIBERS AND JUST HELPING TO MANAGE THE PROJECT.

[00:35:01]

I DON'T SEE NEW CONSTRUCTION, INCLUDING THAT.

YEAH, YOU KNOW, I'M A LITTLE PERPLEXED BY THAT, TOO.

FROM EVERYTHING I'VE HEARD THAT IT'S NOT A SUCCESS FOR ONE IT PREVENTS SNOWBOUND.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S A SAVINGS THERE THAT IS NOT NECESSARILY CALCULATED.

AND THE COST FOR SOLAR. IT DOES COST MORE TO BUILD THE STEEL AND BUILD IT HIGH ENOUGH FOR CARS.

YOU KNOW, STEEL IS CONTENTIOUS RIGHT NOW. THERE ARE NEW TARIFFS ON STEEL.

SO I THINK WE GOT TO START, ESPECIALLY WITH A WORLD CLASS RESEARCH INSTITUTION, IS HOW CAN WE BUILD THESE RACKING SYSTEMS WITH A MORE SUSTAINABLE MATERIAL? A MORE AFFORDABLE MATERIAL? I SEE NO REASON WHY WE CAN'T USE DIFFERENT MATERIALS OTHER THAN STEEL TO BUILD THESE CARPORTS TO BRING THE PRICE DOWN, AND THEN TO REALLY, YOU KNOW, COVER FOR ME WE NEED TO COVER EVERY LARGE, FLAT ROOF, EVERY PARKING LOT.

THAT'S THE LOW HANGING FRUIT. YOU KNOW, THERE'S, YOU SEE THE PARKING LOTS EVERYWHERE.

AND IT'S WHY IS THERE NOT SOLAR THERE? I MEAN, ONE OF THE CHALLENGES IS THAT WE HAVE UTILITIES THAT DON'T WANT TO PLAY NICE AND PARTICIPATE IN THESE IDEAS. OFTENTIMES, A PARKING LOT MAY BE FAR FROM A METER.

AND SO THAT POWER HAS GOT TO GO SOMEWHERE. SO IF THE UTILITY IS NOT WILLING TO HOST IT ON THE GRID AND REDISTRIBUTE THE BENEFITS OUT.

THAT'S A CHALLENGE THAT YOU RUN INTO. BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU LOOK AT A MEIJER, A WALMART OR ANY OF THESE BIG BOX STORES THEY USE A TON OF POWER.

THEY HAVE A METER. AND SO WHY CAN'T WE ENCOURAGE THEM TO USE THE PARKING LOT SPACE, THEY CAN RECEIVE SOME OF THE BENEFIT, AND THEN WE CAN SHARE THE REMAINING BENEFITS TO SUBSCRIBERS LOW INCOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS, OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN NEED.

I THINK I'VE HEARD THAT OUR BIGGEST SOLAR ARRAY IN THE TOWNSHIP IS ON TOP OF TARGET, AND THAT WASN'T BECAUSE WE TRIED TO GET THEM TO DO SOMETHING BECAUSE TARGET CORPORATE SAID, DO THIS. YEAH, THERE'S SOME GOOD ACTORS.

YOU KNOW, TARGET, DOLLAR GENERAL IS PUTTING SOLAR ON ALL THEIR STORES AROUND THE NATION.

AND FURTHERMORE, THEIR DOLLAR GENERAL IS UNDER A LOT OF FOOD DESERTS, AND THEY'RE PROVIDING HEALTHY PRODUCE.

SO I DON'T KNOW WHO'S ON THE BOARD OF DOLLAR GENERAL OR SOMETHING [LAUGHTER], BUT THEY'RE GOOD THINGS. SO YOU KNOW, THERE'S COMPANIES OUT THERE THAT ARE LOOKING INTO THIS TYPE OF THING AND REALIZING IT MAKES GOOD BUSINESS SENSE AND SO.

OKAY, SO HERE'S MY SILLY IDEA. WE'LL DO AN AERIAL SURVEY OF THE TOWNSHIP.

WE'LL LOCATE ALL OF THOSE COMMERCIAL ROOFTOPS OVER, AND WE'LL TELL ALL THEIR NEIGHBORS THAT THEY'RE NOT KEEPING UP WITH IT [LAUGHTER].

THAT'S RIGHT. I MEAN, HONESTLY, IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETIMES IT'S OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF MIND. BUT IF YOU KNOW, HEY, MY NEIGHBOR IS DOING IT, I WANT TO, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T LET THEM GET AHEAD OF ME. SO YOU WANT TO PICK AT WALMART? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE? [LAUGHTER] NO, I WANT. ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION IS PICKETING WALMART [LAUGHTER].

I WANT TO GO TO THE DDA AND SAY, HEY, ENCOURAGE YOUR FOLKS TO GET ON BOARD, YOU KNOW, AND MAKE IT MAKE A SPLASH OUT OF IT.

WE'LL CELEBRATE IT. SO. YEAH AND NOW'S THE TIME.

YOU KNOW, THE TAX RATES ARE GOING AWAY AND THERE'S BONUS DEPRECIATION FOR BUSINESSES AS WELL.

AND A LOT OF THE ENERGY JUSTICE 10% ADDERS THAT WERE OUT THERE OR, YOU KNOW, QUESTIONABLE IF THEY'RE THERE.

BUT YOU KNOW IT'S TAX CREDITS ARE THERE FOR BUSINESSES.

SO IT REALLY IS YOU KNOW TIME TO GO GET IT AND MAKE SENSE.

GREAT. ANY OTHER THOUGHTS QUESTIONS? BEFORE WE THANK OUR SPEAKER.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING AND GIVING US YOUR EVENING. YEAH THANK YOU FOR THROUGH HOME TV. SO PLEASE POINT PEOPLE THERE YOUTUBE, ALL SORTS OF PLACES WHERE THE CONTENT CAN BE SHARED AND THE WORD GOTTEN OUT.

YEAH, AND GLREA HAS GOT A YOUTUBE AS WELL WHERE WE RECORD ALL OUR [INAUDIBLE] MEETINGS.

SO DEFINITELY TONS OF RESOURCES. EVERY THURSDAY NIGHT WE HAVE A DIFFERENT SOLAR STORY.

THEY'RE FUN, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS, A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE SHARING ABOUT THEIR RENEWABLE ENERGY JOURNEY ON THERE.

SO EVERY THURSDAY AT SEVEN, WE HAVE ONE OF THOSE.

YEAH. IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN MORE AND, YOU KNOW, MEET A COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE DOING THE WORK. THANKS FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO.

YEAH THANK YOU. THANKS, MARSHALL. THANK YOU SIR NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS CITIZENS ADDRESS AGENDA AND NON-AGENDA ITEMS. SINCE WE HAVE NO FURTHER PUBLIC WITH US. COMMUNICATIONS, I HAVE SEEN NONE.

SO THAT TAKES US TO APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.

[6. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]

ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. THE AGENDA IS APPROVED AS SUBMITTED.

[00:40:04]

[7. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES –July 2, 2025 REGULAR MEETING]

SECOND. COMMISSIONER LEE. ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MINUTES? ANY NOTES? HOW'D I DO? [LAUGHTER] YOU DID GREAT.

ONE THING THAT CAUGHT MY EYE TWICE AND I FINALLY FIGURED IT OUT IS ITEM 8.A AT THE END IS IN BOLD THE ORIGINAL MOTION THAT WAS MADE.

AND THEN THE ACTION TAKEN IS A SECOND SENTENCE THERE, WHICH IS A DIFFERENT FORMAT THAT I'M USED TO.

AND I SKIPPED OVER IT. I THOUGHT WE DIDN'T TAKE A VOTE, BUT WE DID.

SO SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT AS YOU CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THESE EXCELLENT MINUTES.

I REALLY LIKED THE WAY THE DISCUSSION WAS SUMMARIZED.

ONE OTHER PIECE I HAD FROM THAT DISCUSSION WAS THE TWO SENTENCES BEFORE THAT BOLDED CONCLUSION WAS ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION INCLUDED THE POSSIBILITY OF A LARGER CULVERT TO PROVIDE A SAFE UNDERPASS FOR WILDLIFE, AND THE POTENTIAL FOR EDUCATIONAL SIGNAGE ON THE BOARDWALK, WHICH I RECALL DISTINCTLY.

BUT I ALSO REMEMBER THERE BEING SOME MENTION OF DISCUSSION OF THAT WILDLIFE CROSSING WITH THE COUNTY.

I DON'T REMEMBER IF IT WAS THE ROAD DEPARTMENT OR THE DRAIN COMMISSION, BUT I THINK IT'S PERHAPS WORTH COMMEMORATING THAT AT LEAST DISCUSSION IS ON HAS BEEN THAT ISSUE HAS BEEN DISCUSSED WITH THE COUNTY AND IT SEEMS TO BE SUPPORTIVE.

CAN WE CRAFT A SENTENCE TO THAT EFFECT AND ADD IT? WOULD THAT BE APPROPRIATE? THAT THEY'RE IN FAVOR OF THAT APPROACH? I DON'T KNOW THAT WE GOT THERE IN FAVOR OF AN APPROACH BECAUSE OUR THEY'RE ENGINEERS AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO DO [LAUGHTER] SOMETHING THAT THEY HAVEN'T SEEN, BUT AT LEAST THEY'RE WILLING TO TALK ABOUT IT. RECEPTIVE TO THE IDEA? YEAH.

OKAY THAT WOULD DO WELL QUESTIONS? CONCERNS WITH THE MINUTES? HEARING NONE WILL TAKE THE MINUTES APPROVED AS AMENDED.

MOVING ON TO NEW BUSINESS. WE HAVE A VERY LIGHT AGENDA TODAY BECAUSE THERE'S NO NEW BUSINESS.

IN THE INTEREST OF SAVING TIME THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR I'M GOING TO QUICK GRAB THOSE SO I CAN GIVE YOU A MORE COMPLETE VERSION OF WHAT I, AS YOUR TOWNSHIP BOARD MEMBER.

FANTASTIC IN THE MEANTIME, WE'LL APPOINT YOU TO SEVERAL BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS [LAUGHTER].

IS THIS THE WAY? JUST FOR FUN POP UP THOSE RULES OF PROCEDURE, WHICH ARE ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION'S WEB PAGE ON THE TOWNSHIP.

AND I HAD SOME THOUGHTS AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT THIS LATER.

BUT DISCUSSION ABOUT GIVING OTHER FOLKS A CHANCE TO CHAIR MEETINGS SO THAT THEY DON'T SUDDENLY FIND THEMSELVES, LIKE, HERE, I GOT TO DO IT ON SHORT NOTICE, BUT AND I'M GETTING A LITTLE BIT OF CONCERN FROM STAFF THAT IF WE'RE CONDUCTING OFFICIAL BUSINESS, WE GOT TO CLONE PRETTY CLOSELY TO ROBERT'S RULES.

AND IF THE CHAIR IS IN ATTENDANCE, THEY SHOULD BE IN THE SEAT.

UNLESS THEY'RE RECUSING THEMSELVES FOR SOME PARTICULAR ITEM, IN WHICH CASE THEY WOULD THEN HAND THE GAVEL TO THE VICE CHAIR.

AND THEN I THOUGHT, WELL, THIS WOULD BE A GREAT TIME TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT COME JANUARY.

WE FOUL THIS UP LAST YEAR. SO THIS YEAR WE HAVE A CHANCE TO REDEEM OURSELVES AND ELECT A CHAIR AT THAT JANUARY MEETING.

SO I'M JUST PUTTING THAT ON THE TABLE AND HOPING THAT FOLKS WILL GIVE THAT SOME THOUGHT.

AND ANYBODY WHO'S INTERESTED IN TAKING THIS RESPONSIBILITY.

THAT MEANS YOU COULD BE CHAIR FOREVER [LAUGHTER]. SO MOVE [LAUGHTER].

ALL RIGHT, SO THAT BRINGS US THEN TO REPORTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS BEGINNING WITH STAFF.

[10. REPORTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS]

THIS IS AN ALTERNATIVE APPROACH TO GETTING TO THAT 100% GREEN ENERGY THAT MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP IS LOOKING TO DO BY 2035.

SO THIS WOULD BE AN OPTION TO WEAR IT EFFECTIVELY INSTEAD OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP BUILDING OUR OWN RENEWABLE ENERGY SOLAR.

WE DO HAVE A FEW SOLAR PROJECTS IN MIND, BUT IF INSTEAD WE WANTED CONSUMERS TO HANDLE THE EQUIPMENT AND MECHANICAL SIDE OF THAT,

[00:45:04]

SO WE SAT DOWN AND TALKED TO THEM FOR ABOUT AN HOUR OR SO TODAY ON THAT.

THERE'S A CERTAIN MINIMUM NUMBER OF KILOWATTS THAT'S NEEDED TO JOIN A PROGRAM LIKE THIS.

AND MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP IS RIGHT AT THAT. IT'S LIKE A MILLION I THINK IS THE LEVEL.

SO THEY ENCOURAGED US TO JOIN THIS YEAR I THINK APPLICATIONS ARE BEING TAKEN UNTIL SEPTEMBER 30TH.

HOWEVER IF IT FILLS UP BEFORE THEN, THAT'LL BE IT FOR THE YEAR.

WE TOOK A LOOK AT WHAT THEIR KIND OF ESTIMATED RETURNS WOULD LOOK LIKE ON THIS, AND IT LOOKED LIKE THE TOWNSHIP WOULD BE PAYING EXTRA FOR ABOUT SIX YEARS. WE'D BREAK EVEN ON THE SEVENTH YEAR, AND THEN WOULD START TO ACTUALLY BENEFIT FROM THIS PROGRAM.

FROM YEARS 7 TO 20 IS THE LENGTH OF THE PROGRAM THEY OFFER.

SO WE ASKED FOR SOME ADDITIONAL CLARIFICATION ON THOSE RETURN CREDITS BECAUSE THEY WERE ONLY ESTIMATES.

SO WE KIND OF WANT TO LOOK INTO THAT A LITTLE FURTHER BEFORE WE COMMIT OR NOT.

BUT AN IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION IS SINCE WE'RE SO CLOSE TO THAT MINIMUM, IF WE GO THROUGH WITH THE COUPLE SOLAR PROJECTS WE HAVE IN MIND FOR THIS YEAR, THAT MIGHT ACTUALLY REDUCE US TO WHERE WE WOULD NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS PROGRAM.

SO WE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IS THIS SOMETHING WE WANT TO LOOK AT FOR NEXT YEAR? AND WE MIGHT, BUT IT LOOKS MORE LIKE THIS YEAR WOULD BE THE YEAR TO DO IT.

BECAUSE EVEN IF NEXT YEAR WE PUT ON A BUNCH OF NEW SOLAR TILES, WE GET A LOT MORE EFFICIENT AND WE START USING LESS ENERGY.

WE WOULDN'T THEN BE KICKED OUT OF THE PROGRAM IF WE FALL BELOW THAT THRESHOLD, BUT IN ORDER TO ENTER IT TO BEGIN WITH, WE NEED TO BE THERE. SO JUST SOMETHING WE'RE LOOKING AT.

WE'LL HOPEFULLY HAVE SOME MORE INFORMATION SHORTLY AND CERTAINLY BY BEFORE SEPTEMBER 30TH.

SO I WOULD HOPE THAT AT OUR SEPTEMBER MEETING WE'LL HAVE SOME MORE NEWS TO SHARE THERE.

SO THERE'S A LITTLE MORE NEWS IN THE SOLAR VEIN.

AS JUST A REFRESHER, WE ARE LOOKING TO DO SOLAR INSTALLATIONS AT THE FIRE STATION AND THE HISTORIC VILLAGE UP HERE, AS WELL AS ON THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING. THAT ONE WILL BE A LITTLE FURTHER OUT.

THAT MIGHT NOT BE UNTIL 27 OR SO, BUT YEAH, JUST A LITTLE UPDATE ON THAT.

I ALSO HAVE A SMALL UPDATE ON THE GREEN GRANTS.

PLEASE. LITTLE PROGRESS THERE. SO WE AS A REFRESHER, WE AWARDED SIX GRANTS THIS YEAR.

FOUR OF THOSE GRANTS WE NOW HAVE OUR FIRST PAYMENT OUT.

SO WE'VE STRUCTURED IT TO WHERE WE'LL WHATEVER THEY'VE ASKED FOR, WE GIVE THEM 50% AT THE START.

AND WHEN THEY FINISH WE GIVE THEM THE REST. SO WE HAVE FOUR OF THOSE HAVE BEEN HAVE HAD THEIR FIRST PAYMENTS.

THOSE WENT OUT TO CORNELL WOODS HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, THE GIRL SCOUTS TROOP.

OH I'M SORRY, THE GIRL SCOUTS TROOP. WE ACTUALLY HAD A WE FOUND AN ERROR ON THEIR W-9.

SO WE NEED TO GO BACK AND GET THAT CORRECTED WITH THEM.

BUT THAT IS IT'S PENDING. BASICALLY THE APPLICANT PUT THEIR NAME DOWN ON THE W-9 INSTEAD OF THE GIRL SCOUTS TROOP, THE ORGANIZATION. SO WE NEED TO GET THAT FIXED UP [LAUGHTER].

WE'RE NOT GIVING THE MONEY TO HER IT'S GOING TO THE GIRL SCOUTS.

SO THEY'RE IN A LITTLE BIT OF LIMBO THERE. BUT ASIDE FROM THEM, THE MONTESSORI RADMOOR SCHOOL, THEY GOT THEIR FIRST CHECK. THE YMCA, AS WELL AS THE MID-MICHIGAN LAND CONSERVANCY.

THE ONLY OTHER ONE BESIDES THE GIRL SCOUT TROOP THAT WE ARE STILL WAITING ON IS THE PINE CREEK CONDO ASSOCIATION.

WE'VE SENT THEM A LETTER OR WE SENT THEM THE AGREEMENT LOOKING FOR A SIGNATURE.

WE IT IS THAT ONE'S BEING KIND OF STRUCTURED DIFFERENTLY WHERE IT'S THE PINE CREEK CONDO ASSOCIATION, WERE THE APPLICANTS. BUT ALL THE WORK IS BEING DONE THROUGH RECLAIMED THROUGH DESIGN, RECLAIMED BY DESIGN.

SO WE NEEDED AN UPDATED W-9 FROM THEM. AND WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO RIGHT, KIND OF REWRITE THE AGREEMENT TO WHERE IT'S PRESENTED TO PINE CREEK CONDO ASSOCIATION ON BEHALF OF RECLAIM BY DESIGN TO KIND OF JUST GET THAT BUNDLED IN THERE.

SO THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF AN UPDATE THERE. I'M HOPING BY THE NEXT MEETING WE'LL HAVE THE GIRL SCOUTS W-9 SORTED OUT AND HOPEFULLY GET SOMETHING OUT TO THE PINE CREEK CONDO ASSOCIATION TOO. THANK YOU. QUESTIONS FOR STAFF ON THOSE TWO ITEMS? I THINK THE FIRE STATION PROJECT. I DID WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP HAS APPLIED THROUGH SENATOR SLOTKIN OFFICE TO HAVE THAT COVERED.

I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT ACCURATE, THAT IT WOULDN'T BE INSTALLED UNTIL 2027 AT THE EARLIEST,

[00:50:02]

SO FOR THE RENEWABLE ENERGY FOR THAT PROGRAM, WOULD THAT IF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP DID GET ACCEPTED INTO THAT PROGRAM, WOULD THEN THAT MEET THAT GOAL OF 100% BY 2035? I BELIEVE SO. YEAH, THAT WOULD BE KIND OF A SHORTCUT TO GETTING TO THAT GOAL EFFECTIVELY [LAUGHTER] IF WE AND REALLY THEY STRESS COMPANIES, MUNICIPALITIES THAT ARE BIG INTO THIS ARE THE ONES THAT JUST DON'T HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF GREEN SPACE WE HAVE HERE.

SO KALAMAZOO IS THEIR BIGGEST HIGHLY TOUTED ORGANIZATION BECAUSE KALAMAZOO IS PRETTY DENSE.

THEY DON'T HAVE THE ROOM, BUT THEY HAVE THE INITIATIVE AND THE DESIRE TO BE GREEN.

SO THIS IS A GREAT WAY FOR THEM. ANOTHER EXAMPLE WAS WALMART, WHICH FUNNILY ENOUGH WE TALKED ABOUT TONIGHT.

THEY HAVE SO MUCH PARKING SPACE. YOU KNOW, IF THEY PUT CARPORTS UP THEY'D HAVE ALL THE SOLAR AVAILABILITY IN THE WORLD.

BUT THEY ALSO, I GUESS, WANT TO PURPORT THEMSELVES TO BE GREEN.

AND THIS IS A WAY FOR THEM TO HAVE GREEN ENERGY WITHOUT ACTUALLY GOING THROUGH THE HURDLES OF HAVING TO GET IT ALL INSTALLED.

SO EITHER WAY, IT DOES GET YOU TO 100% GREEN.

BUT I THINK MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP SIDE, WE ARE INTERESTED IN UTILIZING THE GREEN SPACE WE HAVE AND PUTTING UP OUR OWN PANELS.

AND A NOTE THAT WAS MADE WAS FISCALLY, FINANCIALLY.

THERE'S A CONVERSATION TO HAVE. BUT THEN ASIDE FROM THAT, THERE IS JUST THE LIKE THE PUBLIC IMAGE OF WHEN YOU DRIVE BY MARSH ROAD AND YOU SEE THOSE BIG PANELS OUT THERE, THAT'S A BIG BEACON TO SAY, HEY, LOOK AT WHAT THIS TOWNSHIP IS LOOKING TO DO.

AND THIS IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE BELIEVE IN. WHEREAS IF ALL THAT'S ABSTRACTLY FUNDED THROUGH A CONSUMERS PLANT THAT'S HALFWAY ACROSS MICHIGAN, YOU KNOW, WE CAN SAY THAT OUR ENERGY IS GREEN, BUT, YOU KNOW, CITIZENS DON'T SEE IT THE SAME WAY.

SO JUST SOME OF THE KIND OF THE TALKS WE'RE HAVING ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE THE QUESTION IS WHAT MAKES UP THEIR WHAT MAKES UP THEIR RENEWABLE ENERGY PROGRAM? LIKE IS IT SOLAR OR IS IT WIND? IT'S ENTIRELY WIND AND SOLAR AS FAR AS I UNDERSTAND.

SO PART OF MY REPORT, WHICH THE IRONY OF ME RUNNING OUTSIDE [LAUGHTER] TO GRAB NOTES AND THEN JACK REPORTING ON HIS VERSION OF IT.

ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS GOING TO SAY IS A WATER PLANT I'M NOW JOINED THEIR BOARD SO I HEARD THE [INAUDIBLE] VERSION OF THIS PROPOSAL AND THE WAY TO THE WAY TO THINK ABOUT IT THAT DAN OPSOMMER PUT IN OUR MEETING, WHICH THE REPRESENTATIVE AGREED WITH WAS IT'S BASICALLY YOU KNOW, WE ARE GIVING THEM A BOND TO BUILD NEW SOLAR FACILITIES.

BY AGREEING TO, YOU KNOW, FUND THIS KIND OF PROJECT IN THIS WAY WHICH FOR MLSA IF MLSA MERIDIAN AND LIKE UP TO TEN OTHER CUSTOMERS BEFORE THAT SEPTEMBER 30TH DEADLINE COME IN, THEY'LL HAVE THE RESOURCES TO BUILD A SIGNIFICANTLY LARGE SOLAR PANEL FACILITY, I THINK IS WHAT HE HAD MENTIONED TO US IN PARTICULAR, NO MATTER WHAT THAT PROJECT, I THINK IS GOING TO BE BUILT, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF, YOU KNOW, THE EFFICIENCY OF WILL THEY NEED TO APPLY TO LOANS TO GET IT.

AND IF THEY CAN DO IT BY OFFERING MERIDIAN AND ALSO MLSA BECAUSE THOSE ARE DIFFERENT FINANCIAL STRUCTURES.

A DEAL IN THE LONG TERM BY SIGNING A 20 YEAR DEAL.

THAT'S WHY IT'S ADVANTAGEOUS FOR BOTH. BUT IT IS ALMOST ENTIRELY SOLAR, FOR IT'S A PROJECT THAT THEY'RE PROPOSING FOR BOTH MERIDIAN AND MLSA. IF THE TOWNSHIP GOT INTO THE CONSUMERS ENERGY PROGRAM AM I RIGHT IN KIND OF ASSUMING THAT WE COULD LEAVE THE PROGRAM AT ANY TIME WE WANT, OR IS THERE A COMMITMENT WE HAVE TO MAKE TO BE IN IT FOR A CERTAIN NUMBER OF YEARS? BASICALLY, ALL THE UPFRONT COSTS WOULD BE THOSE FIRST SIX YEARS.

SO IT WOULD BE A SHAME TO LEAVE IT AFTER WE'VE ALREADY PAID INTO IT AND WOULD THEN BE SEEING THE RETURNS AFTER THAT.

OKAY. AND THEY DID SAY, THOUGH, THAT IF THE I WAS KIND OF LIKE WHAT NICK MENTIONED IS THEY'RE RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE POOLING RESOURCES. THEY'RE GETTING THEY'RE TRYING TO BUILD A LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS BEFORE THEY ACTUALLY GO AND BUILD THE FACILITY. AND IF THEY DON'T QUITE GET THE NUMBERS THEY'RE LOOKING FOR AND IT COMES OUT THAT, OKAY, IT'S GOING TO COST A LITTLE MORE THAN WHAT WE PROMISED YOU WHEN YOU SIGNED THE AGREEMENT.

IF IT'S 10% MORE THAN WHAT THEY HAD HAD SOLD US ON THEN.

THE TOWNSHIP THEN HAS THE OPTION TO JUMP OUT AND PASS ON THE PROJECT OR JOINING IT.

I'M SORRY I MISSED THIS PART. ARE THERE PARTICULAR SITES LOCATIONS WHERE THAT ARE BEING DISCUSSED, OR IS THAT TOO SOON FOR THAT TO HAPPEN? IT IS.

ACCORDING TO CONSUMERS, THEY KEEP IT REAL CLOSE TO THE CHEST UNTIL IT'S RIGHT ABOUT TO BE DEVELOPED.

SO THEY'VE GOT THEY'VE GOT SITES, TWO SITES PICKED OUT FOR 2026, ONE SITE PICKED OUT FOR 27 AND THEN ONE SITE PICKED OUT FOR 28,

[00:55:05]

SO IT FROM WHAT THE INDICATION I THINK I WAS HEARING WAS UP NORTH A LITTLE BIT IN 127 AREA YOU KNOW THE BENEFIT FOR US AS CONSUMER CUSTOMERS IS THAT WE OBVIOUSLY WOULDN'T NEED TO MAINTAIN THEM.

WE WOULD JUST SEE THAT FIXED BENEFIT AS DEFINED BY THE CONTRACT THAT IS SIGNED.

JACK KNOWS MORE ABOUT THE MERIDIAN SIDE. I KNOW MORE ABOUT THE MLSA SIDE. MLSA NO MATTER WHAT, WOULD BE A 15% REDUCTION IN ENERGY USE, WHICH OVER THE LIFETIME WOULD WORK OUT WELL FOR US.

SO BUT IT IS THEIR LAND ENTIRELY, THEIR PROJECT.

IT'S JUST A FINANCIAL PROJECT THAT WE WOULD BE SEEING THE BENEFITS OF.

BUT I CAN ALMOST GUARANTEE YOU THERE WOULD BE NO SOLAR PANELS IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP THAT WOULD DIRECTLY BENEFIT THIS PROJECT.

AND JUST FOR THE VIEWING PUBLIC'S BENEFIT IS FLOWING SO EASILY OFF OF YOUR TONGUE.

SO THE EAST LANSING MERIDIAN [LAUGHTER] WATER IS SORRY.

THE WATER? SO. APOLOGIES FOR ANYONE CONFUSED BY THE ACRONYMS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

I'M STILL A LITTLE FOGGY ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE WATER PLANT ON BURCHAM AND THE SEWAGE TREATMENT FACILITY IN LANSING. SAME AUTHORITY, DIFFERENT AUTHORITIES.

SO THE SEWER TREATMENT IS I BELIEVE THAT'S IF IT'S IN THE CITY OF LANSING.

IT'S BOARD OF WATER AND LIGHT. MLSA YEAH, YEAH. GOTCHA IT IS BY FAR THE BIGGEST. IS THAT TRUE? THAT ELECTRICITY CONSUMERS AND YES IS IT A. EXCUSE ME, IT IS A 24 HOUR OPERATION AND IT IS THE LARGEST CONSUMER OF MUNICIPAL ELECTRICITY.

EAST OF THE CITY OF LANSING. THAT'S AS MUCH AS I CAN [LAUGHTER] I'M GOING ON A RECORD. SO, YEAH, IT IS, YOU KNOW, LEADING INTO MY DISCUSSION.

I APOLOGIZE FOR HIJACKING THIS PART OF THE DAY.

YEAH, I WAS INTRIGUED BY DAN ASKED SOME VERY GOOD QUESTIONS, WHICH, YOU KNOW, IS WHY THE TOWNSHIP IS LUCKY TO HAVE HIM IN THAT ROOM.

AND SO WE'RE LOOKING TO HEAR BACK ON THAT, BUT SIMILAR TO THIS BOARD, I'M A NON-VOTING MEMBER OF THAT BOARD, SO IT IS NOT MY DECISION TO MAKE. BUT IT WAS A VERY INTERESTING PRESENTATION.

SO, AS I'M SURE YOUR HOUR LONG CONVERSATION WAS [LAUGHTER].

IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE, THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO A REPORT FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION.

I'M SORRY, I DID AM ALL OVER THE PLACE AND I WAS JUST TAKING OVER JACK MENTIONED SO.

WELL, YOU SAID THIS PERFECTLY, AND I ALMOST LEAPFROGGED SO PERFECTLY I DID WANT TO, FIRST OF ALL, APOLOGIZE FOR MISSING LAST MEETING.

I HAD A SEWER ISSUE. FUNNY ENOUGH, [LAUGHTER] NEEDING A PLUMBER SO I WAS NOT ABLE TO ATTEND.

I DID WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE SO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD HAS APPROVED A REDUCTION IN PARKING LOT MINIMUMS IN THE TOWNSHIP, WHICH I DON'T KNOW IF EVERYONE'S BEEN WATCHING WITH BATED BREATH ON THE TOWNSHIP MEETINGS, BUT I THINK IT'S A GREAT STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

WE'VE ALREADY REDUCED PARKING LOTS, I BELIEVE, MOST RECENTLY EIGHT YEARS AGO.

BUT THIS, YOU KNOW, CONTINUES TO MOVE US TOWARDS A WORLD WHERE WE DON'T NEED [LAUGHTER] TENS OF THOUSANDS OF SQUARE FEET OF PARKING LOTS, WHICH THE US HAS OVER 10 BILLION PARKING SPOTS LAST TIME I LOOK AT THAT [LAUGHTER].

SO MERIDIAN IS DOING ITS PART FOLLOWING ALONG THAT MY APPOINTMENT TO THE MLSA BOARD AND ALSO IN CONGRESS WITH THE TRI COUNTY REGIONAL PLANNING BOARD, I SIT ON THERE'S BEEN A LONG TERM PROJECT LOOKING AT THE VIABILITY OF A LIME EXCUSE ME, LIME REHAB CENTER.

I MENTIONED IT TO THIS BOARD, I BELIEVE, A FEW MONTHS AGO AS A POTENTIAL OPTION FOR SOMETHING,

[01:00:01]

THIS FACILITY WHICH WOULD TURN WASTE BACK INTO USABLE QUICKLIME REUSABLE LIME.

THE TWO LARGEST CONTRIBUTORS ARE BORDER WATER AND LIGHT AND THE CITY OF ANN ARBOR.

AND IT MIGHT NOT BE AS VIABLE TO BUILD SOMETHING THAT IS ON A 50 YEAR LIFE CYCLE WORTH MILLIONS OF DOLLARS SHARED BETWEEN MANY MUNICIPALITIES, WITHOUT THOSE TWO BEING AS FULL FLEDGED SUPPORT AS THEY WERE MAYBE AT SOME POINT GOING TO BE SO A BIT DISCOURAGING, AS I WAS VERY INTERESTED IN SEEING THAT MOVE FORWARD.

BUT I WILL, I GUESS, KEEP THE GROUP INFORMED THAT AS A VOTING MEMBER OF THE TRI COUNTY PLANNING, WE DID VOTE ON APPROVING $30,000 TO REDO THE STUDY TO SEE IF IT IS VIABLE WITHOUT THOSE TWO LARGE ENTITIES INVOLVED. I CANNOT SAY AT WHAT THE RESULTS OF THAT WILL BE.

THERE ARE ENGINEERS SMARTER THAN ME LOOKING AT THAT.

LAST THING RELATED TO MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP TOOK THE REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP FOR BEST TASTING DRINKING WATER [LAUGHTER] AND WILL BE COMPETING IN THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP [LAUGHTER] ON SEPTEMBER 26TH, I BELIEVE WHICH EVERYONE WHO IS ON OUR DRINKING WATER SHOULD BE PROUD THAT THEY HAVE SOME OF THE BEST TASTING WATER IN THE STATE [LAUGHTER].

AND LASTLY, I WANTED TO POINT OUT AS SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE SEEN, MERIDIAN VOTERS VOTED NO ON THE POTENTIAL FOR SENIOR AND COMMUNITY CENTER.

I AM BRINGING THAT UP JUST SO THAT ANYONE WHO IS LISTENING, BECAUSE THIS IS THE FIRST MEETING POST THAT VOTE BEING MADE PUBLIC.

THE BOARD IS NOW GOING TO EXPLORE OPTIONS AS TO WHAT THAT MEANS MOVING FORWARD, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY NO ADDITIONAL REVENUE COMING FROM THAT MILLAGE BUT.

AND THAT IS THE END OF MY HIJACKING OF DASH AND MY OWN REPORT [LAUGHTER].

SO WASN'T THERE SOME GRANT INVOLVED WITH POTENTIALLY THE NEW COMMUNITY CENTER? SENIOR CENTER? YEAH SO THAT SO THOSE DOLLARS ARE NOT LOST THEY ARE ONLY LOST IF THEY ARE NOT ENTIRELY SPENT DOWN BY I BELIEVE THE END OF OCTOBER OF THIS YEAR.

SO SOME OR AT LEAST ALLOCATED TOWARDS SPECIFIC PROJECTS.

I CAN'T SPEAK TO EXACTLY WHAT THE PLAN IS GOING TO BE.

IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO EITHER ATTEND OR WATCH THE TOWNSHIP BOARD MEETING THAT'S TAKING PLACE TOMORROW.

ONE OF OUR DISCUSSION ITEMS IS NO MATTER WHAT IT WAS GOING TO BE DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS PASS OR NOT PASS.

SO WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE A PRETTY IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION AS TO WHAT EXACTLY THAT MEANS, BUT AS OF NOW, THOSE DOLLARS ARE STILL WITH MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

NEED TO EXPLORE WHAT OPTIONS COULD EXIST SO. ANY OTHER? WHO VOTED ON THE DRINKING WATER? [LAUGHTER] I HONESTLY, I FORGOT TO ASK THAT QUESTION, BUT I KNOW IT'S WEIRD JUDGES. YEAH, YEAH, WE'RE ONE OF FOUR FINALISTS [LAUGHTER].

SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE A GREAT DAY IF WE TAKE HOME THE PRIZE [LAUGHTER].

I'VE HEARD IT SAID COLLOQUIALLY, THAT MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP VOTERS NEVER FOUND A VILLAGE THAT THEY DIDN'T SUPPORT.

APPARENTLY, [LAUGHTER] THAT THIS IS THE ONE THAT PROVES THE TRUTH ANYTHING ELSE FOR TOWNSHIP BOARD QUESTIONS, DISCUSSION, ETC.? SO NOW, HAVING TRIED TO SKIP OVER THE REPORT YES THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS DELIGHTED THAT REDUCTION OF PARKING AREA HAS BEEN ADOPTED BY THE BOARD.

NOW WE'RE TWEAKING AWAY AT THE EDGES ABOUT HOW MUCH LANDSCAPING HAS TO GO AROUND PARKING LOTS AND IN PARKING LOTS AND IN ISLANDS, AND WHAT KIND OF THINGS HAVE TO BE PLANTED THERE, AND HOW PERMEABLE DOES IT HAVE TO BE AND HOW BIG IS THE TREE WHEN IT'S PLANTED AND HOW MANY OF THEM HAVE TO SURVIVE. SO WE'RE REALLY DIGGING INTO THE DIRT.

BUT LUCKILY WE ALSO GET TO TALK ABOUT THE RESIDENTIAL ROOSTERS.

AND WE'RE REALLY STAFF HAS BEEN PROVIDING US A LOT OF INFORMATION ABOUT WHERE THOSE COMPLAINTS ARE COMING FROM AND WHO'S GOT THE RIGHT TO HAVE THEM AND WHO MAYBE SHOULDN'T HAVE, AND MAYBE HOW THE ORDINANCE MIGHT BE MORE REGULARIZED.

[01:05:03]

SO YOU CAN HAVE A ROOSTER IF? ROOSTERS ARE NOT ALLOWED IN ANY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT EXCEPT A RURAL RESIDENTIAL LARGE LOT. OKAY YEAH. OKAY. AND SO WHERE IN YEAH. OKAY. IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, I WE COULD GET INTO THOSE ROOMS [LAUGHTER] THEY COULD BY RIGHT AND. ROOSTER AND THERE ARE ROOSTERS BEING KEPT THERE ARE COMPLAINTS COMING IN.

SO PLANNING COMMISSION IS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO RECOMMEND TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD TO REGULARIZE THAT.

AND FINALLY WE HEARD FROM THE PLANNING DIRECTOR AT A PREVIOUS MEETING ABOUT SOME THOUGHTS THAT STAFF HAVE ABOUT RECONCILING THE WETLAND ORDINANCE WITH THE FLOODPLAIN ORDINANCE IN TERMS OF ALLOWING DE MINIMIS.

IMPACTS FOR ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW. A SIMILAR THING IS GOING ON WITH REGARDS TO A TRIGGER WE HAVE IN OUR ORDINANCE THAT ANY PROJECT THAT INVOLVES CONSTRUCTING A BUILDING GREATER THAN, EQUAL TO, OR GREATER THAN 25,000FT² REQUIRES A SPECIAL USE PERMIT, BUT THAT IN MOST CASES, A BUILDING THAT BIG IS ALREADY GOING TO BE RESTRICTED IN HOW IT CAN BE BUILT BY VIRTUE OF THE ZONING.

SO IT SEEMS LIKE WE MAY JUST HAVE AN EXTRA LAYER OF BUREAUCRACY AS BUILDINGS HAVE GOTTEN BIGGER THERE, MORE AND MORE BUILDINGS THAT QUALIFY FOR THAT, THAT DON'T REALLY NEED TO.

AND WHAT'S THE UNDERLYING REASON FOR THAT? USUALLY IT'S ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY AND ABOUT UTILITIES AND ABOUT POSSIBLE NUISANCE WITH A GREAT BIG BUILDING.

BUT ALSO JUST TO SHED MORE LIGHT WHEN A BIGGER PROJECT COMES ALONG SO THAT THERE'S MORE PUBLIC REVIEW OF THEM.

AND THEN THERE'S SOME SMALL ANOMALIES IN THERE ABOUT BUILDING GREATER THAN OR GROUP OF BUILDINGS GREATER THAN 25.

AND NOBODY KNOWS WHAT THAT MEANS. SO THAT'S THE KIND OF THING THAT REALLY BOTHERS THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE TO STAND AT THE DESK AND RESPOND TO APPLICANTS QUESTIONS ABOUT, WELL, WHY? [LAUGHTER] WHAT DOES THAT WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? AND IF THEY CAN'T ANSWER IT, THEY DON'T. BUT THAT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE GOOD GOVERNANCE TO THEM.

SO THAT'S WHAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAS BEEN UP TO.

MOVING RIGHT ALONG THEN TO LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD.

ANYTHING TO REPORT? NOT REALLY THEY DID. THEY HAD A SITE VISIT IN JULY, BUT UNFORTUNATELY I WASN'T ABLE TO GO TO THE SITE VISIT.

AND THEN THEY MEET NEXT WEEK SO. OKAY. YEAH. AND DO WE KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT A BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY? YES. WE WERE STILL TALKING ABOUT HASLETT VILLAGE AND THE BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY DID APPROVE THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AMENDMENT TO THE BROWNFIELD PLAN, WHICH THEN WENT TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, WHICH APPROVED IT ALSO.

AND THERE WAS A QUESTION OF THE DEVELOPER SCHEDULING, AND HIS RESPONSE WAS THAT ASSUMING, YOU KNOW, MR. APPROVES AND THAT THE INFRASTRUCTURE WOULD BE PUT IN THIS YEAR AND THEN ACTUALLY MAYBE BUT MORE LIKELY NEXT YEAR, THEY WOULD START CONSTRUCTION ON THE, YOU KNOW, I GUESS PROBABLY THE APARTMENT BUILDINGS, BUT I'M NOT SURE WHICH PHASE. BUT SO IT'S MOVING AHEAD.

GREAT. WE'RE GOING TO SEE SOME ACTIVITY IN HASLETT VILLAGE.

LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU WITH THE GOLDEN SHOVEL IN YOUR HAND IN THE HARD HAT [LAUGHTER]. THERE'S NO QUESTIONS ON BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT WE'LL MOVE TO. WHAT'S THE PARK COMMISSION GETTING ITSELF TO THOSE SO THE JUNE MEETING WAS CANCELED, BUT THE LAST MEETING WAS ON JULY 8TH.

I WAS NOT ABLE TO ATTEND THAT, BUT I FORTUNATELY WAS ABLE TO GET A COPY OF THE DRAFT MINUTES FOR THAT MEETING.

AND TO SUMMARIZE THOSE MINUTES, IN ADDITION TO ROUTINE BUSINESS, WHICH INCLUDED REVIEW OF THE STEWARDSHIP AND ACTIVITIES CALENDAR FOR THE UPCOMING MONTH.

DIRECTOR WISINSKI APPROVED A SUMMARY OF THE. PROVIDED A SUMMARY OF THE CELEBRATE MERIDIAN EVENT, WHICH TOOK PLACE ON SATURDAY, JUNE 28TH, AND SHE EMPHASIZED THAT IT TOOK MONTHS AND MONTHS OF PLANNING AND COMMITTED TO BOTH THE TOWNSHIP STAFF AND THE OVER 70 VOLUNTEERS THAT SHE HAD TO HELP OUT WITH THAT.

AS YOU'RE PROBABLY AWARE, THIS YEAR'S SHOW FEATURED A DRONE SHOW RATHER THAN THE TRADITIONAL FIREWORKS DISPLAY.

[01:10:02]

SOME OF THE FACTORS THAT WENT INTO THAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF THE LOWER ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT WITH THE DISPLAY OVER THE FIREWORKS.

LESS NOISE EASIER ON PETS AND INDIVIDUALS WITH SENSORY OVERLOAD ISSUES.

AND THEN ON THE OTHER SIDE THE NOSTALGIA AND SPECTACLE OF A FIREWORKS DISPLAY.

PROVIDED [LAUGHTER] I THINK THE OFFSETTING SO FEEDBACK WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO THE PLANNING FOR NEXT YEAR'S EVENT AND DECIDE ABOUT WHAT TO DO GOING FORWARD.

THE COMMISSIONERS JUST ALSO DISCUSSED PARKS AND RECREATION NAMING POLICY FOR TOWNSHIP PARKS AND FACILITIES.

THE EXISTING POLICY, WHICH WAS DATES BACK TO 2008.

STRESSES THAT COMMEMORATIVE NAMES FOR PARKS AND FACILITIES BE USED PRIMARILY TO ACKNOWLEDGE INDIVIDUALS WHO'VE MADE SUSTAINED COMMITMENTS OR SIGNIFICANT GIFTS OF LAND OR MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE TOWNSHIP.

IN ADDITION TO THE NAMING OF FACILITIES, IT WAS NOTED THAT THE POLICY FOR MEMORIALIZATION SHOULD INCLUDE OTHER TYPES OF RECOGNITION, SUCH AS PLAQUES OR OTHER TANGIBLE ITEMS THAT COULD INCLUDE A NOTE OF THANKS TO THE DONOR. THERE WAS A CONSENSUS AMONG THE PARK COMMISSIONERS MEMBERS THAT THE CRITERIA FOR NAMING TOWNSHIP PARK FACILITIES SHOULD BE CLARIFIED AND CODIFIED, PERHAPS SIMPLIFIED AS WELL AS THERE SHOULD BE BETTER ALIGNMENT BETWEEN THE NAMING POLICY FOR PARK FACILITIES IN PRESERVES THAT ARE ADDED TO THE TOWNSHIP LAND PRESERVATION PROJECT. SO THERE SHOULD BE SOME COORDINATION BETWEEN HOW THE NAMES ARE DECIDED ON.

DIRECTOR WISINSKI PROVIDED AN UPDATE ON SOME IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE BEING MADE IN PLAYSCAPE EQUIPMENT FOR A COUPLE TOWNSHIP PARKS, THE TOWNER ROAD PARK AND THE OTTAWA HILLS INCLUSIVE PLAYGROUND.

SHE ALSO ADDRESSED THE RED CEDAR WATERWAY PROJECT AND PLAN TO INSTALL TWO EASY DOCKS BY USE FOR PADDLERS PADDLING THE RED CEDAR RIVER. ONE WHICH WILL BE INSTALLED AT LAUNCH PARK, WHICH WILL BE FULLY ADA COMPATIBLE.

AND THEN ALSO A NEW DOCK AT THE HARRIS NATURE CENTER, WHICH UNFORTUNATELY CAN'T BE ADA COMPATIBLE BECAUSE OF THE SITUATION OF THE BANK AT THAT AND THEN I THINK EVERYONE NOTICED THE RESURFACING OF A PARKING LOT NEAR THE MERIDIAN MARKETPLACE ON THE GREEN.

AND THE PARK COMMISSION DISCUSSED THAT A LITTLE BIT.

I THINK THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION OF SHARING SOME OF THE COST OF RESURFACING.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE DETAILS ARE FOR THAT. MAYBE YOU CAN ADD TO THAT? YEAH SO THE BOARD ACTUALLY, FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION TOMORROW NIGHT IS DECIDING ON WHETHER OR NOT IT'S AN ACT OF GOOD FAITH TO SHARE SOME OF THAT COST.

THE LAST TIME IT WAS BROUGHT FORWARD, THEY WERE ASKING FOR 48 POINT SOMETHING PERCENT TO BE COVERED BY THE TOWNSHIP, AND WE ASKED IF THAT COULD BE REDUCED. SO THAT WILL BE AGAIN BEFORE THE BOARD TOMORROW EVENING FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS WHEN ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS NOTED THAT IF THERE IS COST SHARING, THEN THE TOWNSHIP SHOULD ALSO HAVE SOME INPUT ON, FOR EXAMPLE, IMPROVEMENTS FOR PEDESTRIAN ACCESS AND TRAFFIC FLOW TO THE MARKETPLACE ON THE GREEN.

SO IT'S A TWO WAY CONVERSATION. AND THEN THE NEXT MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR THIS COMING TUESDAY, AUGUST 12TH, WHICH I SHOULD BE ABLE TO ATTEND THANK YOU MOVING ON TO TEAMS ENERGY TEAM. WELL, MIKE MARSHALL MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A SOLARIZE COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. AND I THOUGHT IT TURNED OUT I WENT TO CHECK IT OUT AT EDGEWOOD COMMUNITY CHURCH, AND I SO IT WAS A PRETTY GOOD TURNOUT IN, LIKE, AS MENTIONED THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THERE WAS A EMPHASIS ON NONRESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL

[01:15:06]

A WEEK FROM SATURDAY IS OUR GREEN FAIR THAT TAKES PLACE AT THE FARMERS MARKET.

SO THAT'S ON AUGUST 16TH, AND THEN IN SEPTEMBER AND SEPTEMBER 20TH.

WE HAVE OUR ELECTRONICS RECYCLING EVENT. IT'S KIND OF BECOME AN ANNUAL FALL EVENT, AND IT LOOKS LIKE THE LOCATION OF THAT IS CHANGING SLIGHTLY.

WE THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE IN THE PARKING LOT NEAR CHILI'S.

SO INSTEAD OF THE PENNY OR FARMER'S MARKET AREA, IT'S GOING TO SHIFT TO THE OTHER END OF THE MALL.

BUT AGAIN THOSE TWO EVENTS ARE UPCOMING. THE GREEN TEAM MEETS NEXT WEEK TO CONTINUE PLANNING FOR THOSE TWO EVENTS. FANTASTIC ANYONE KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT FOOD, COMPOSTING OR GREEN BURIAL AT THIS POINT? GREEN BURIAL? YEAH, GREEN BURIAL. NOTHING MUCH TO REPORT.

ALTHOUGH I DID CHECK WITH THE CHAIR OF THAT COMMITTEE JUST TO SEE, BECAUSE LAST I KNEW, THEY WERE SHOOTING TO TRY TO PRESENT TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD IN JULY. UNFORTUNATELY, THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN DUE TO SCHEDULING CONFLICTS, BUT I BELIEVE THE HOPE IS STILL TO DO THAT THIS MONTH SOMETIME. SO THAT'S ALL FOR GREEN BURIAL.

ALL RIGHT. OUR HIGH SCHOOL REPRESENTATIVE IS ABSENT THIS EVENING.

THAT BRINGS US TO COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC, WHICH WE HAVE NONE.

OTHER MATTERS AND COMMISSIONER COMMENTS. WHAT DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING FURTHER THEY'D LIKE TO PUT ON THE TABLE THIS EVENING?

[12. OTHER MATTERS AND COMMISSIONERCOMMENTS]

SO, YEAH, SO GLAD YOU ASKED. IT IS A THIS YEAR, YOU KNOW, AS A WAY TO HAVE THE BUDGET ALIGN WITH THE TOWNSHIP GOALS. PREVIOUSLY, THEY WERE FLIP FLOPS THE BUDGET WAS SET AND THEN THE GOALS WERE SET.

KIND OF PUT YOUR GOALS IN THE BOX. SO AS OF NOW, WE HAVE APPROVED OUR TOWNSHIP GOALS FOR BUT THE BUDGET HAS NOT BEEN PUT BEFORE THE BOARD YET FOR MAJOR DISCUSSION.

I KNOW THAT SOME TALKS ON A DURING WHAT THEY CALL THE M TEAMS WHICH IS THE MANAGERS MEETINGS ON MONDAY MORNINGS.

ARE STARTING AROUND THAT BUT WITH THE NEW FINANCE DIRECTOR AS WELL AS THOSE DISCUSSIONS BEING STAFF RIGHT NOW, IT IS NOT BEFORE THE BOARD YET. SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE, IF THERE IS A RADICAL DEPARTURE FROM THE LAST BUDGET, WHICH APOLOGIES, I DON'T HAVE ALL THAT INFORMATION RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME.

TO HAVE IT BE ON THE AGENDA SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.

IF NOT HAVING DIRECTOR OR HAVING DAN AND HIS CREW AT LEAST AWARE OF IT FOR HIS ONGOING DISCUSSIONS WITH FINANCE SO.

OR ARE WE KIND OF BECAUSE OF OUR FUNDING KIND OF NOT A BIG DEAL THE WHAT WAS PASSED BUT I BELIEVE WE ARE RELATIVELY INSULATED FROM ANY DRASTIC CHANGES, LIKE WHAT OUR PRESENTER WAS SAYING, THOUGH THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE MAYBE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THAT ARE NOT GOING TO BE AS AVAILABLE AS THEY OTHERWISE WOULD BE.

SO BUT AS OF NOW, THERE'S NOT AN EXPECTATION THAT MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP NEEDS TO RADICALLY CHANGE ITS EMPLOYMENT OR

[01:20:04]

AND THESE BULLET POINTS HERE THAT. IF SO, TONIGHT WE HAD A RELATIVELY LIGHT AGENDA, A VERY NICE PRESENTATION, WHICH MAKES FOR A GREAT MEETING. A LIGHT AGENDA SUGGESTS TO ME THAT WE MIGHT HAVE SOME BANDWIDTH.

SO I'M JUST BY PUTTING THIS UP THERE, I DON'T WANT TO GO THROUGH THEM IN ANY DETAIL AS MUCH AS JUST REMIND US THAT IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A CAUSE TO CHAMPION, THERE'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF GOOD ONES IN HERE. JUST FOR INSTANCE, UPSTATE THE LANDSCAPE ORDINANCE TO CREATE LOW IMPACT DESIGN STANDARDS.

THAT'S WHAT I WAS DISCUSSING EARLIER ABOUT LANDSCAPING AND PARKING LOTS AND OTHER LANDSCAPING PARTS.

SO UPDATE ALTERNATIVE ENERGY GENERATION ORDINANCES TO ADDRESS CHANGES.

THESE ARE THINGS THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDED TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD AND THE TOWNSHIP BOARD ADOPTED.

THERE'S A WHOLE LOT MORE OTHER OBJECTIVES IN THIS PLAN, BUT THIS WAS CONSIDERED THINGS THAT MIGHT BE CLOSE TO SHOVEL READY.

SO IF THERE ARE THINGS THAT CATCH YOUR INTEREST IN THERE THAT YOU'D LIKE TO BE INVOLVED IN.

I LOOK RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE AND SEE CREATE A BICYCLE PEDESTRIAN PLAN TO COMPLEMENT AND HELP IMPROVE AND HELP IMPLEMENT THE PATHWAY MASTER PLAN.

I KNOW THAT THERE ARE PLANNING STAFF WHO ARE PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN THAT. I DOUBT THAT IT IS GOING TO GET A WHOLE LOT OF ATTENTION FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION, GIVEN THE OTHER REGULAR BUSINESS THAT IT CONDUCTS, BUT THAT'S THE SORT OF THING THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION COULD CHOOSE TO INVEST SOME ENERGY IN. AND WHAT THAT TYPICALLY AMOUNTS TO, IN MY EXPERIENCE, IS SOME SET OF SOME FORM OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT TO HELP UNDERSTAND HOW THE COMMUNITY VIEWS THE CURRENT SYSTEM AND WHAT IT WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT GOES BEYOND THE MAP THAT WE USE TO SPEND OUR PATHWAY MILLAGE DOLLARS, WHICH IS REALLY THE HEART THAT YOU SPEND MONEY ON, BUT IT DOESN'T REALLY HAVE THAT BROADER PERSPECTIVE OF HOW DOES THIS FIT.

HOW SHOULD WE PRIORITIZE THESE THINGS THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, BY VIRTUE OF ITS MANDATE, HAS THE ABILITY TO BRING THE PUBLIC INTO GET INPUT ON THOSE THINGS, OR EVEN MANY TIMES COMMUNITIES WILL HIRE CONSULTANTS TO MANAGE THAT PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT EFFORT. SO THAT'S ONE THAT CATCHES MY EYE.

BUT THERE MAY BE OTHER THINGS IN HERE THAT COULD COME UNDER THE PURVIEW OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION THAT WE COULD CHOOSE TO.

DID THE PLANNING COMMISSION DISCUSS THE ELECTRIC CAR CHARGING STATIONS ISSUE? TO THE EXTENT THAT IT'S MENTIONED AS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT AN APPLICATION COULD INCLUDE THAT WOULD HELP THEM EARN VARIANCES YES. OKAY. IN TERMS OF A REQUIREMENT FOR CHARGING STATIONS AS PART OF A PARKING ORDINANCE NO.

OKAY. SO WE KIND OF WORKING ON THE INCENTIVE SIDE MORE THAN THE DISINCENTIVE SIDE.

SO THAT'S JUST SORT OF A REMINDER OF IF WE'RE LOOKING FOR MORE THINGS TO DO BECAUSE NONE OF US IS BUSY ENOUGH [LAUGHTER] THAT'S A GOOD PLACE TO FIND THEM.

IF THERE'S NO OTHER COMMISSIONER COMMENT. NO OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT? WE ARE ADJOURNED. THANK YOU, EVERYONE, FOR COMING THIS EVENING.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.