[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER ]
[00:00:36]
WE'RE GOING TO GO AROUND AND DO INTRODUCTIONS FOR THE NEW FOLKS.
I JUST GOT THE INFAMOUS THUMBS UP.
SO, WE SHALL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.
SO, JUNE 3RD MEETING OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, REGULAR MEETING.
AND WE GOT EXCITED BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME NEW MEMBERS TO THE COMMISSION.
SO, WE'RE GOING TO DO ROLL CALL AND THEN PROBABLY COULD GO AROUND AND DO SOME QUICK INTRODUCTIONS SO EVERYBODY KIND OF GETS TO MEET EVERYBODY THEN.
JACK, ARE YOU GOING TO DO THE ROLL CALL? ALL RIGHT.
WE'LL START WITH OUR CHAIR, YOU-MAN LEE.
OUR VICE-CHAIR BILL MCCONNELL.
AND THEN WE HAVE OUR COMMISSIONERS RICHARD MIXACEK.
PRESENT. COMMISSIONER IS TOM FRAZIER. HERE. COMMISSIONER LAURA BELIL. ABSENT. AND WE HAVE OUR NEW COMMISSIONER, IKE IONKE. PRESENT. PRESENT.
NEW COMMISSIONER, BRUCE MORTIMER. PRESENT. PRESENT.
OUR COMMISSIONER IS HARRISON BATTEN. PRESENT. PRESENT. AND A NEW COMMISSIONER, SHANMUKA ALURA. ALURU, SORRY.
EXCELLENT. AND THEN FINALLY, WE HAVE TRUSTEE LENZ, WHO IS PRESENT. AND I AM STAFF PROJECT ENGINEER, JACK HUGHES.
GREAT. SO, IS IT OKAY WITH EVERYBODY? WE COULD KIND OF JUST QUICK GO AROUND THE TABLE AND DO SOME QUICK INTRODUCTIONS.
I CAN START OVER HERE. I'M A PROJECT ENGINEER FROM REDDIAN TOWNSHIP. I'VE BEEN WITH THE TOWNSHIP FOR ABOUT THREE AND A HALF YEARS NOW.
I AM TAKING OVER THE ROLE OF LEROY HARVEY, WHO USED TO BE OUR ENVIRONMENTAL COORDINATOR AND LIAISON TO THIS COUNCIL.
I WORK IN THE PUBLIC WORKS AND ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT. I'M PRIMARILY ON WATER SEWER, BUT STARTING TO KIND OF REACH INTO THE ENVIRONMENTAL KIND OF TERRITORY HERE.
SO, YEAH, WE CAN JUST KIND OF GO DOWN OUR TABLE HERE AND JUST KIND OF WHO YOU ARE AND KIND OF WHERE YOU'RE FROM.
I'M ACTUALLY, I LIVE ACROSS FROM THE POWER DEPARTMENT. I MEAN, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OVER THERE.
I'VE BEEN PART OF THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP SINCE COVID. SO, WE MOVED FROM LANSING TOWNSHIP TO YEAR 2020.
BUT I'VE BEEN PART OF THE LARGER LANSING AREA SINCE 1996. SO, I STUDIED, GOT A JOB HERE AT MSU, GOT MARRIED, AND I HAVE KIDS HERE, AND ALL THAT.
SO, I'VE BEEN PART OF THE LARGER LANSING AREA FOR QUITE A WHILE UNTIL I MOVED CLOSER HERE AND GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME ON.
SO, I'M GLAD TO MEET EVERYONE HERE.
I'M TOM FRAZIER. I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP FOR A LITTLE OVER 30 YEARS, ASLITT SPECIFICALLY.
AND I'VE BEEN ON THE COMMISSION FOR, I THINK, A LITTLE OVER SIX YEARS.
I'M RETIRED FROM THE MICHIGAN TOWNSHIPS ASSOCIATION.
SO, I'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN THE PAST AND GLAD TO BE HERE AND WELCOME ALL THE NEW PEOPLE.
THAT'S TRUE. I ALSO WORK WITH THE GREEN TEAM THAT PUTS ON SEVERAL EVENTS DURING THE COURSE OF THE SPRING THROUGH THE FALL, MOSTLY IN CONJUNCTION
[00:05:01]
WITH THE FARMER'S MARKET.I'VE, LIKE TOM, BEEN IN THE COMMUNITY OF MERIDIAN FOR A LITTLE OVER 30 YEARS.
RECENTLY RETIRED, WELL, A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO I RETIRED FROM MSU, WHERE I TAUGHT PHYSIOLOGY.
SO, MY BACKGROUND IS ACTUALLY BIOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH SCIENCES, BUT I HAVE A STRONG INTEREST IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES AND NATIVE PLANTS, AMONG OTHER THINGS.
I AM THE, I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF THE ENERGY TEAM, AND I SERVE AS A LIAISON FOR THE COMMISSION TO THE PARK COMMISSION.
I HAVE LIVED IN THE TOWNSHIP SINCE 2010.
LIKE, WE MOVED HERE WHEN MY KIDS TRANSFERRED INTO THE OKLAHOMA SCHOOLS.
AND SO, AND I HAVE BEEN ON THE COMMISSION FOR, I GUESS, SEVERAL YEARS NOW.
I CAN'T REMEMBER WHEN I STARTED.
BUT I'VE BEEN ON, PRIOR TO THAT, AND STILL, I AM ON THE LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD FOR THE TOWNSHIP AS WELL.
AND SO, I AM A CONSERVATION SCIENTIST WITH MICHIGAN NATURAL FUTURES INVENTORY.
SO, I HAVE A BACKGROUND IN HERPETOLOGY AND WETLANDS AND NATURAL RESOURCES.
AND SO, IT'S BEEN SUPER EXCITING TO BE PART OF THE LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD AND THEN JOIN THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND SEE ALL THE GREAT THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE TOWNSHIP RELATED TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES AND EVERYTHING.
SO, I'M EXCITED TO WORK WITH ALL THE NEW MEMBERS.
I'VE BEEN ONLY IN THE TOWNSHIP FOR 20 YEARS.
I'M JUST LEARNING MY WAY AROUND.
I'M PART OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION FOR MOST OF THAT TIME AND ALSO NOW SERVE ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
I'VE RECENTLY RETIRED FROM MSU, SO TIME ON MY HANDS.
BUT SOMEHOW IT ALL GETS FILLED.
I'M DELIGHTED TO SEE ALL THE NEW MEMBERS JOINING US.
IT REALLY IS AN EXCITING MOMENT FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
BUT I'M GOING TO STAND AND STRETCH OVER HERE.
PLEASE DON'T LET IT DISTRACT YOU.
AND I'VE BEEN A MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP RESIDENT ABOUT 20 YEARS.
AND I'M KIND OF A SEMI-RETIRED VETERINARIAN.
AND I'VE BEEN A VETERINARIAN ABOUT 35-ISH, 37-ISH YEARS, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND SO JUST KIND OF STEPPING BACK FROM THAT A LITTLE BIT.
AND, YEAH, LOOKING FORWARD TO JOINING.
HARRISON BATTEN, I AM A JUNIOR, SOON TO BE SENIOR NOW, AT HASLETT HIGH SCHOOL.
I HAVE BEEN A PART OF THE COMMISSION FOR COMING ON THE END OF MY SECOND YEAR NOW.
AND I JUST TRY TO STAY AS INVOLVED WITH ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION AND SUSTAINABILITY AS MUCH AS I CAN, WHETHER THAT BE CLUBS AT MY HIGH SCHOOL OR THINGS LIKE THIS OR SPEAKING AT DIFFERENT EVENTS, REALLY WHATEVER I CAN DO, VOLUNTEERING FOR THE GREEN TEAM.
AND I JUST, IT'S KIND OF MY PASSION THAT I HAVE DEVELOPED.
AND SO I TRY TO DO AS MUCH AS I CAN.
AND SO I VERY MUCH ENJOYED MY TIME ON THE COMMISSION SO FAR.
I'M A CURRENT JUNIOR AT UTHMAN HIGH SCHOOL.
AND I'M GOING TO BE A SENIOR NEXT YEAR.
WHO'S THAT COMING HERE? SO, I KIND OF, LIKE, I'VE DEVELOPED THIS, LIKE, SENSE FOR, LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, LOVING NATURE AND, LIKE, UNDERSTANDING, LIKE, I JUST REALLY WANT TO UNDERSTAND, LIKE, HOW CAN HUMANS BE WITH NATURE AND COEXIST AND BE, LIKE, YOU KNOW, TOGETHER AND ALL OF THAT.
LIKE, EVER SINCE I WAS, LIKE, A REALLY LITTLE KID, MY DAD USED TO TELL ME ALL OF THESE THINGS, LIKE, OH, WE HAVE TO, LIKE, PROTECT NATURE.
AND, LIKE, YOU KNOW, NOW I'M, LIKE, GROWING.
I'M UNDERSTANDING ALL OF THESE, LIKE, NEW THINGS ABOUT, LIKE, HOW THE WORLD WORKS AND HOW I CAN, LIKE, MAKE A CHANGE.
AND, LIKE, I FEEL LIKE I JUST WANT TO LEARN FROM ANY OPPORTUNITY THAT I GET.
LIKE, YEAH, I WANT TO, LIKE, YEAH, LIKE, HELP THIS OPPORTUNITY.
[00:10:12]
I AM NICHOLAS LENTZ.I AM THE TOWNSHIP TRUSTEE WHO IS THE LIAISON TO THIS ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
FOR YOU NEW FOLKS, MY ROLE ISN'T REALLY TO TAKE AN ACTIVE PART IN NECESSARILY EVERY DISCUSSION.
I DON'T HAVE A VOTING ROLE, BUT IT'S TO KEEP YOU INFORMED AS TO WHAT THE TOWNSHIP BOARD IS MAKING IN REGARDS TO DECISIONS, TELL THEM ABOUT THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU DO, BE A CONNECTION IF AT ALL YOU NEED, ANY COMMUNICATION RELATED TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD.
SO MOST OF THE TIME YOU WILL FIND ME HERE BECAUSE NOW THAT WE HAVE A FULL PANEL, YOU KNOW, THERE WILL NOT BE A SEAT FOR ME UP THERE, WHICH I WILL HAPPILY RE-ENGLISH.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOU NEW FOLKS FOR JOINING AND THE ONES THAT HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A WHILE.
I KNOW THAT BILL AND I HAVE TALKED FOR HOURS ABOUT THE WORK THAT IS DONE HERE, AND IT'S REALLY AN ENCAPSULATING VIEW OF WHAT WE GET TO BENEFIT FROM HERE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
SO I WILL RE-TAKE MY SEAT OVER THERE FOR LAUREN'S PRESENTATION SHORTLY, BUT GOOD TO MEET YOU ALL.
HAPPY TO CHAT WITH ANY OF YOU NEW FOLKS ABOUT THE TOWNSHIP BOARD AT ANY POINT IF YOU'D LIKE TO.
OH, AND I'VE LIVED HERE FOR EIGHT OR NINE YEARS.
YEAH, THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR THAT.
NICE WAY TO KIND OF GET EVERYBODY INGRATIATED HERE.
WE'LL BE PROCEEDING NEXT INTO A PRESENTATION FROM THE GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT BOARD, BUT BEFORE WE DO, IT CAME TO THE ATTENTION OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL OR COMMISSION THAT THE PREVIOUS LIAISON, LEROY HARVEY, HAS PASSED AWAY.
SO WE WOULD JUST LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT HERE OUT OF RESPECT TOWARDS THE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT HE MADE TO NOT ONLY THIS COMMISSION BUT TO THE TOWNSHIP AS A WHOLE AND JUST TO HONOR HIM AND HIS GREAT IMPACT THAT HE HAD HERE.
[3. A. Private Well Abandonment - Groundwater Management Board ]
AND WITH THAT, WE WILL MOVE ON.SO IT'S MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE LAUREN FROM THE GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT BOARD.
I DO NOT LIVE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW ME, MY NAME IS LAUREN SCHNOBLIN.
I'M AN ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNER WITH TRI-COUNTY REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION.
WE ARE A REGIONAL METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION FOR THE GREATER LANSING AREA.
ONE THING THAT WE'RE HEAVILY KNOWN FOR IS HELPING TO BRING THE FEDERAL FUNDS FOR TRANSPORTATION DONE TO THE REGION TO HELP WITH FEDERAL HIGHWAY PROJECTS, ROAD CONSTRUCTION, THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT OUTSIDE OF THAT, WE HAVE AN ECONOMIC PROGRAM.
BUT MY BREAD AND BUTTER IS OUR ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAM.
I AM ONE OF TWO ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNERS, AND I HELP COORDINATE OUR GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT BOARD, WHICH MERIDIAN IS A PROUD MEMBER OF.
AND SO THE POINT OF THIS ORGANIZATION, YOU'VE BEEN AROUND SINCE THE 80S.
IT IS ABOUT 10 COMMUNITIES, WATER PROVIDERS, AS WELL AS MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY.
AND WE WORK TOGETHER TO HELP PROTECT THE QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF OUR DRINKING WATER, WHICH IS GROUNDWATER FOR OUR AREA.
AND I'VE BEEN ASKED TODAY TO KIND OF TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT PRIVATE WELL ABANDONMENT AND WHAT MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP CAN DO TO HELP WITH THAT ISSUE.
SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MIGHT NOT KNOW, WE'LL DO A QUICK RUNDOWN OF WHAT GROUNDWATER IS, AS WELL AS HOW MANY FOLKS WITHIN THE TOWNSHIP GET THEIR WATER FROM A PRIVATE WELL RATHER THAN THROUGH EASTLINE SIMULATOR WATER SEWER AUTHORITY.
WE WILL THEN TALK ABOUT WELL ABANDONMENT, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, WHY IT IS A RISK TO OUR DRINKING WATER, WHAT OTHERS ARE CURRENTLY DOING OUT OF STATE BUT THEN ALSO LOCALLY.
AND THEN WE WILL WRAP UP ON POTENTIAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR WHAT YOU GUYS CAN DO TO HELP ADDRESS THIS ISSUE.
SO DO WE ALSO HAVE PRINTOUTS? YES.
THEY HAVE THEM UP ON ALL THE SCREENS, THOUGH, SO THEY CAN...
HOPEFULLY, IF THEY NEED TO, THEY CAN LOOK AT THE SLIDES LATER TO LOOK INTO MORE DETAIL FOR THINGS.
SO FIRST OFF, LIKE I SAID, OUR DRINKING WATER IS FROM GROUNDWATER, BUT SPECIFICALLY, IT IS FROM THE SAGINAW AQUIFER.
THIS IS A CONFINED AQUIFER, AND IT IS MADE PRIMARILY OF SANDSTONE WITH A PROTECTIVE LAYER OF SHALE, WHICH IS GREAT BECAUSE IT HELPS TO PREVENT ANY POTENTIAL CONTAMINANTS FROM GETTING INTO THE DRINKING WATER COMPARED TO SOMETHING THAT'S A BIT CLOSER TO THE SURFACE, WHICH CAN RECHARGE QUICKER FROM LARGE RAIN EVENTS, THINGS
[00:15:01]
LIKE THAT, BUT CAN BE MUCH MORE AT RISK OF, SAY, SOMEONE IS DUMPING A BUNCH OF OLD FERTILIZER THAT THEY WANT TO GET RID OF FROM SPRING CLEANING, THINGS LIKE THAT, OR A LEAK IN A CAR.ANYTHING LIKE THAT COULD POSE A RISK DIRECTLY TO OUR DRINKING WATER, AND IF YOU ARE CLOSER TO THE SURFACE, THERE'S A GREATER RISK.
BUT LUCKILY, OUR DRINKING WATER IS VERY MUCH PROTECTED.
THIS AQUIFER IS AROUND 100 TO 370 FEET THICK IN PLACES, SO IT'S ONE OF THE BEST SOURCES FOR DRINKING WATER IN OUR STATE, AND IT IS A VERY CONSISTENT SOURCE OF DRINKING WATER, WHICH MAKES OUR WATER PROVIDERS VERY HAPPY.
SO FOR THE BASICS, MERIDIAN HAS DONE A LOT FOR DRINKING WATER, AND THERE'S A LOT GOING ON.
BEFORE THE FIRST BULLET POINT, I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO TOUCH ON EAST 19 MERIDIAN WATER SEWER AUTHORITY.
THEY GET THEIR DRINKING WATER FROM 29 MUNICIPAL WELLS.
THIS AVERAGES ABOUT 400 FEET DEEP, SUPER WELL-PROTECTED COMPARED TO PRIVATE WELLS, WHICH USUALLY GO AROUND 80 TO 100 FEET DEEP IN OUR AREA.
BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY DON'T EXIST IN THE TOWNSHIP.
AS YOU GUYS PROBABLY KNOW, YOU HAVE A VERY URBAN AREA IN PARTS OF YOUR TOWNSHIP, AND IT QUICKLY GOES THROUGH RURAL, LIKE MANY OTHER PARTS OF THE GREATER LANSING AREA.
AND WITH THIS COMES PRIVATE WELLS.
SO YOU HAVE, FROM WHAT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS ESTIMATED FOR ME, ABOUT 1,468 PRIVATE WELLS.
SO THAT IS HOW MANY INDIVIDUAL HOUSEHOLDS OR BUSINESSES WILL HAVE A PRIVATE WELL ON THEIR LOT.
AND THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ANY CONNECTION TO ELMSO'S WATER SOURCE, AND SO THAT'S A BIG THING.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE IS THAT EVEN THOUGH YOU GET URBAN WATER OR RURAL WATER, YOU'RE BOTH STILL GETTING IT FROM THE SACANILE AQUIFER.
AND SO TO HELP UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT DRINKING WATER, MERIDIAN DID AN AMAZING JOB SEVERAL YEARS AGO TO HELP FUND A WATER SURVEY FOR THE TOWNSHIP, WHERE WE SAMPLED ABOUT 20 PRIVATE WELLS GEOGRAPHICALLY DISPERSED ACROSS THE TOWNSHIP TO GET A BETTER IDEA OF WHAT'S GOING ON THERE.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED, WE HAVE THIS REPORT LISTED ON OUR WEBSITE, SO FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO ME AND I CAN SEND IT OVER OR JACK CAN SEND IT OVER AS WELL.
BUT MORE DETAILS ON PRIVATE WELLS.
THOUGH WE HAVE OVER 1,000 IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, MICHIGAN HONESTLY JUST LOVES THEIR PRIVATE WELLS, AND IT PROBABLY HAS TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF WATER.
SO BECAUSE OF THAT, WE LEAD THE NATION WITH OVER 1 MILLION HOUSEHOLDS IN PRIVATE WELLS, WHICH IS ASTRONOMICAL WHEN YOU TALK TO PEOPLE EVEN OUT WEST WHO DEAL WITH GROUNDWATER ALL THE TIME.
THEY JUST DON'T HAVE ANYWHERE NEAR AS MANY AS WE DO.
BUT THAT BEING SAID, IT'S HARD BECAUSE A PRIVATE WELL OWNER IS SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR DRINKING WATER.
THOUGH WE HAVE THE SAFE DRINKING WATER ACT, THAT DOES NOT APPLY TO OUR PRIVATE WELL OWNERS.
IT IS ONLY EXCLUSIVELY FOR URBAN DRINKING WATER WHO GET A WATER BILL AND RELY ON THEIR COMMUNITY TO PROVIDE THEM WITH SAFE DRINKING WATER.
AND SO BECAUSE OF THAT, OUR PRIORITY IS MAKING SURE EVERYONE HAS CLEAN, SAFE DRINKING WATER.
AND SO WHAT MANY COMMUNITIES HAVE DONE, ALONG WITH MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, HAS INSTILLED SOME ORDINANCES THAT WILL REQUIRE YOU TO HOOK UP TO YOUR CITY WATER IF YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH.
IT'S NOT AN AUTOMATIC, BUT IF YOUR WELL HAS COME TO AGE AND YOU WANT TO DRILL A NEW ONE BECAUSE YOU JUST HAVE GROWN UP ON WELL WATER AND THAT'S YOUR PRIORITY, SADLY, IF YOU ARE WITHIN, I THINK, LIKE 300 FEET OR SO TO A CITY MAIN, YOU ARE LEGALLY REQUIRED TO CONNECT TO THAT WATER.
THIS HELPS TO REDUCE POTENTIAL IMPACTS TO OUR DRINKING WATER BECAUSE ONE OF THE BIG THINGS WITH WELLS, AND THIS SLIDE IS JUST SO YOU GUYS CAN SEE A LITTLE BIT BETTER OF WHAT THE GRAPHIC IS, ALL IT REALLY IS IS A GIANT, BIG OLD PIPE THAT WE STICK INTO THE GROUND.
SO IF WE CAN LIMIT THE NUMBER OF PIPES THAT ARE A DIRECT HOLE TO OUR DRINKING WATER SOURCE, THAT IS ALWAYS OUR PRIORITY.
SO WHEN A COMMUNITY WILL BE CONNECTING TO CITY WATER, THE RECOMMENDATION IS THAT YOU WILL THEN ABANDON YOUR WELL.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF REASONS WHY YOU WILL ABANDON YOUR WELL, AND IT KIND OF REALLY VARIES ON WHAT'S GOING ON.
SOME IS THAT YOU'RE JUST PERMANENTLY DISCONNECTING IT BECAUSE IT'S COME OF AGE AND YOU ARE MOVING FORWARD, CONNECTING TO THE CITY.
IT HAS GOTTEN SOME MAJOR REPAIR ISSUES, THINGS LIKE THAT, AND IT'S TOO COSTLY TO REPAIR, SO PEOPLE WILL CONNECT TO THE CITY INSTEAD OF GETTING IT REPAIRED.
[00:20:01]
WELLS ARE A VERY OLD TECHNOLOGY.THEY HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR MANY A MOON, THOUGH WE HAVE DEVELOPED AND GOTTEN SAFER TECHNOLOGY FOR HOW WE ACTUALLY DRILL AND INSTALL WELLS.
THAT DIDN'T STOP US IN THE 1800S.
SO SHOCKINGLY, WE ALSO DIDN'T HAVE REALLY GOOD RECORDS IN THE 1800S.
SO WHAT HAPPENS IS A LOT OF WELLS HAVE ALSO JUST GOTTEN FORGOTTEN, ESPECIALLY BETWEEN CHANGES IN OWNERSHIP OF PROPERTY, THINGS LIKE THAT, AND IF SOMEONE HAS CONNECTED TO A WELL TO CITY WATER AND THE PROPERTY HAS BEEN BOUGHT A COUPLE OF TIMES, YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW THAT THERE'S STILL A WELL ON YOUR PROPERTY BECAUSE IT HASN'T ALWAYS BEEN THE CASE THAT YOU'VE HAD TO ABANDON THAT WELL WHEN YOU'VE CONNECTED.
ADDITIONALLY, SOME OTHER REASONS FOR ABANDONMENT MIGHT BE THAT THERE IS A CONTAMINATION ISSUE.
MAYBE THERE WAS A BIG SPILL THAT CAUSED A PFAS ISSUE, OR THERE'S JUST BEEN A LOT OF CHLORIDE, AND SO IT'S VERY HARD TO GET CHLORIDE OUT OF YOUR WATER AT TIMES, AND SO THAT COULD BE ANOTHER THING, PRIMARILY HEALTH AND SAFETY STANDARDS.
SO THE REASON WHY IT'S A RISK, OTHER THAN JUST BEING A BIG HOLE IN THE GROUND, IS THAT, AS YOU CAN SEE, IT CAN THEN IMPACT YOUR GOOD QUALITY WELLS.
SO BECAUSE THEY BOTH JUST HAVE PIPES, THE OLD ONE DOESN'T HAVE THE PROTECTIONS, THE WELL CAP IN PLACE TO PREVENT THINGS FROM GETTING IN, AND SO ANY POLLUTANTS THAT ARE ON THE SURFACE CAN EASILY SEEP DOWN, AND BECAUSE WATER DOESN'T CARE ABOUT BOUNDARIES, IT DOESN'T CARE THAT YOUR WELL IS 20, 30 FEET AWAY, IT'S GOING TO DO ITS THING, AND THE POLLUTANTS CAN POTENTIALLY MOVE OVER IT AND THEN ENTER YOUR DRINKING WATER, WHICH YOU THOUGHT, OH, MY WELL IS PERFECTLY GOOD, IT'S UP TO STANDARD, THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND SO THESE ABANDONED WELLS CAN POSE A VERY BIG RISK.
SOME OF THE REASONS, THOUGH, FOR WELL ABANDONMENT AND WHY THEY DON'T GET PROPERLY SEALED, WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO IS IF YOU ARE MOVING FROM A PRIVATE WELL TO CITY WATER, YOU PROPERLY ABANDON THIS WELL, AND I'LL SHOW A FEW GRAPHICS OF WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
BUT LIKE I SAID, THEY CAN REALLY BE ANYWHERE BECAUSE OF THAT LAW, SO IT COULD BE IN FARMLAND, INDUSTRIAL SITES, EVEN IN URBAN AREAS, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S A VERY OLD HOUSE, THEY STILL MIGHT BE CONNECTED TO WATER, BUT THE PROPERTY MIGHT STILL HAVE A WELL.
BEFORE I CONTINUE ON FOR THE MAIN REASONS, THOUGH, WHAT I DO WANT TO POINT OUT IS, AS YOU GUYS CAN SEE IN THIS PICTURE, THIS IS A NICE BIG OLD WIND FAN, WIND TURBINE, OLD INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX ON A PROPERTY.
AND LOOKING AT IT, YOU WOULDN'T THINK ANYTHING OF IT, BUT IF WE GO BACK TWO SLIDES, THAT WELL ON THE RIGHT IS RIGHT UNDERNEATH THAT INFRASTRUCTURE, AND YOU DON'T REALLY EVEN THINK ABOUT THAT BECAUSE YOU MIGHT JUST THINK IT'S SOMEWHERE OUT ON THE FAR END OF YOUR PROPERTY, AND YOU DON'T REALIZE THAT THAT'S GOING TO POSE A RISK TO YOUR DRINKING WATER.
OUTSIDE OF JUST FORGETTING THAT IT EXISTS, ANOTHER BIG ISSUE IS THE FACT THAT IT CAN BE COSTLY.
AND SO A LOT OF PROPERTY OWNERS WILL TRY AND FIND WAYS AROUND NOT HAVING TO PAY FOR THAT COST BECAUSE THEY ALREADY HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE EXPENSE OF TRANSITIONING OVER TO CITY WATER, AND THEY DON'T WANT TO DEAL WITH THAT.
AND TO PREVENT THAT, A LOT OF HOMEOWNERS WILL ACTUALLY JUST SAY, OH, NO, I'M GOING TO KEEP THIS WELL BECAUSE I'M GOING TO USE IT FOR IRRIGATION PURPOSES.
I DON'T WANT TO PAY A WATER BILL TO WATER MY LAWN OR ANYTHING ELSE LIKE THAT, WHICH IS PERFECTLY FINE, BUT THE ISSUE, AGAIN, IS IF YOU DON'T PROPERLY DOCUMENT AND KEEP TRACK OF THAT, IT CAN GET LOST IN THE CYCLE, AND FEWER HOMEOWNERS DOWN THE ROAD THINK, OH, THIS HOUSE IS ON CITY WATER, I DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT A WELL, BUT THEN THEY STUMBLE UPON ONE LATER ON.
SO THIS IS JUST A FEW IMAGES FOR YOUR GUYS' REFERENCE OF WHAT PROPERLY ABANDONING A WELL CAN LOOK LIKE, AND IT IS PRIMARILY JUST MAKING SURE THAT YOU FILL THE REALLY DEEP HOLE UP WITH A LOT OF STUFF THAT PREVENTS CONTAMINATION FROM ENTERING THE BIG HOLE.
BUT BECAUSE OF THIS, COMMUNITIES HAVE REALIZED THAT THEY NEED TO DO SOMETHING TO HELP ADDRESS WELL ABANDONMENT BECAUSE THERE ARE THESE LOOPHOLES WHERE PEOPLE CAN JUST STICK WITH IRRIGATION REASONS FOR DOING THIS, AND WE'VE HEARD THIS HAS BEEN AN EXAMPLE FOR A HOUSE OR TWO IN THE TOWNSHIP ALREADY, WHICH IS WHY I'VE KIND OF COME HERE TODAY TO KIND OF TALK ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND ALSO TO HELP ADDRESS WHAT THE BIG ISSUE IS WITH THE FUNDING COST OF IT.
AS WE ALL KNOW, THINGS ARE NOT CHEAP RIGHT NOW, AND SO TAKING ON A LARGE COST FOR WELL ABANDONMENT CAN BE A STRUGGLE FOR MANY FAMILIES AND ESPECIALLY FOR LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS WHO MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD THIS.
[00:25:01]
THROUGH NOW ARE A COUPLE OF OUT-OF-STATE EXAMPLES OF WHAT PEOPLE ARE DOING TO HELP THEIR COMMUNITIES WITH WELL ABANDONMENT, AND THEN WE WILL TALK ABOUT A COUPLE OF LOCAL EXAMPLES HERE IN THE REGION.SO FIRST OFF, OREGON, THEY HAVE THEIR WELL ABANDONMENT REPAIR AND REPLACEMENT FUND, AND THIS IS PRIMARILY TO HELP LOW- AND MODERATE-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS TO ADDRESS THEIR WELL ABANDONMENT COSTS.
THEY CAN RECEIVE UP TO 100% OF THE COSTS FOR WELL ABANDONMENT, AND THEY ONLY REQUIRE A PRE- AND POST-INSPECTION JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S PROPERLY DONE AND DONE BY A CERTIFIED WELL DRILLER.
FOR WISCONSIN, THEY HAVE THEIR WELL ABANDONMENT GRANT, AND WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THIS IS THAT IT'S NOT EVEN JUST THE HOMEOWNER THAT CAN DO IT, BUT IT CAN BE THE LANDLORD, THE SPOUSE OF THE HOMEOWNER, THE HEIR, LEGAL REPRESENTATIVE, A RENTER OR A SHARED WELL OWNER.
SO THIS CAN PREVENT DEALING WITH POTENTIAL GAPS OR HURDLES INTO BEING ABLE TO ACCESS THIS FUNDING SOURCE.
AND THEN AGAIN, IT COVERS ELIGIBLE COSTS OF MATERIALS AND LABOR TO FILL AND STEAL PRIVATE WELLS THAT ARE ABANDONED OR UNUSED.
NOW LOCALLY, TWO OF OUR NEIGHBORS HAVE WELL ABANDONMENT PROGRAMS ALREADY IN PLACE.
DELTA TOWNSHIP HAS ESTABLISHED A WELL PLUGGING PROGRAM, AND THIS IS THROUGH THEIR ORDINANCE.
THEY HAVE A CERTAIN SET OF REGULATIONS.
THIS IS UP TO 50% OF THE COST OF THE PLUG FOR THE WELL OR UP TO $700, DEPENDING ON, I BELIEVE, WHICH ONE'S CHEAPER.
AND THEN ADDITIONALLY, THEY MUST BE COMPLETED BY A LICENSED WELL DRILLER, WHICH THE STATE HAS A FULL CERTIFIED LIST FOR, WHICH IS EASY ACCESS SO THAT IF SOMEONE'S TRYING TO DO THIS, YOU CAN EASILY PROVIDE THIS INFORMATION TO THEM.
AND THE ONLY THING IS THAT THE COST IS UP FRONT FOR THE OWNER, BUT THEY DO GET THAT REIMBURSEMENT LATER ON.
ALTERNATELY, WEST SIDE WATER FOR LANSING TOWNSHIP, THEY PRIMARILY COVER THE ENTIRE COST WHERE THEY CAN.
THEY COVER THE COST FOR ALMOST ALL PRIVATE WELL ABANDONMENT, BUT THEY HAVE COMMERCIAL WELL ABANDONMENT ON A CASE-TO-CASE BASIS.
AND IT ALSO DEPENDS ON HOW DEEP THE WELL IS.
SO THIS IS, AGAIN, WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT WITH HOW OUR AQUIFER CAN CHANGE IN DEPTH.
SO IF IT IS A MORE SHALLOW WELL, THEY'RE ABLE TO ACTUALLY JUST DO IT THEMSELVES.
THEY WILL HAVE A CERTIFIED WELL DRILLER OUT THERE SO THAT THEY CAN SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING, BUT THE TOWNSHIP STAFF WILL ACTUALLY DO IT THEMSELVES AND FILL IT TO HELP SAVE COSTS.
OR IF IT'S MUCH DEEPER, THEN THEY WILL ACTUALLY HIRE THE REQUIRED STAFF TO BE ABLE TO GO THROUGH THIS.
SO RECOMMENDATIONS FOR WHAT MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP CAN DO TO HELP WITH WELL ABANDONMENT.
FIRST OFF, LAST YEAR, YEAH, WE'RE ALREADY WELL INTO 2026.
LAST YEAR I WAS HERE, NOT WITH THE COMMISSION, BUT AT MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, IT'S TO HELP TALK WITH STAFF ABOUT THE EAST LANSING MERIDIAN WELLHEAD PROTECTION PLAN.
AND IN THAT PLAN, THERE ARE THREE ACTION ITEMS THAT HELP ADDRESS THIS WELL ABANDONMENT ISSUE.
AND I'VE PULLED THOSE OUT OF THE NUMBER OF GOALS AND PROPOSED MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES THAT ARE LISTED, BUT THE ONES THAT ARE HEAVILY RELATED TO WELL ABANDONMENT ARE GOAL NUMBER EIGHT, WHICH IS TO IDENTIFY AND EVALUATE POTENTIAL AND EXISTING SOURCES OF DRINKING WATER CONTAMINATION AND PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS TO EITHER ELIMINATE OR MINIMIZE THEIR RISK.
THIS QUALIFIES AS MAYBE A LEAKING UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANK AT AN OLD GAS STATION SITE OR AN ISSUE WITH A LEAKING LANDFILL SITE, BUT IT DOES ALSO COUNT TOWARDS WELL ABANDONMENT BECAUSE IMPROPERLY ABANDONED WELLS POSE A HUGE RISK TO POTENTIAL CONTAMINATION OF OUR DRINKING WATER.
GOAL NUMBER NINE, WHICH IS TO INCORPORATE WELLHEAD PROTECTION CONSIDERATION INTO EACH COMMUNITY'S ONGOING REGULATORY REVIEW AND PLANNING PROCESS.
SO AGAIN, THIS KIND OF LINES UP WITH THE COMMISSION'S WORK AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING TO REALLY PUSH ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATION INTO THE ACTIONS THAT ARE HAPPENING, ESPECIALLY WITH THE MASTER PLAN LANGUAGE AND THE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN THAT MERIDIAN HAS.
AND THEN LASTLY, ONE OF THE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES THAT THEY ARE WORKING ON IS ABANDONED WELLS BEING IDENTIFIED WILL BE GIVEN PRIORITY FOR PERMANENT CLOSURE, AND THE TOWNSHIP WILL SET ASIDE MONIES FOR CLOSURE IF POSSIBLE.
I RAN OUT OF SPACE FOR THE IF POSSIBLE BIT, BUT I DID MY BEST.
THAT'S WHY I HAVE ALL THE LITTLE DOTS.
BUT THAT WAS A BIG CONSIDERATION THAT WE DID TALK ABOUT, ESPECIALLY WITH ALL STAFF HERE, ABOUT WHAT OPTIONS WERE AVAILABLE FOR THAT.
[00:30:02]
SUSTAINABILITY PLAN.I'M LIKE, I DON'T RECOGNIZE YOU.
SO, YEAH, JUST TO KIND OF TIE THIS INTO THE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN THAT MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP ALREADY HAS, OFFERED IN 2023, WE HAVE A SECTION ON WATER AND GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE MANAGEMENT, AND DIRECT QUOTE IS WATER AND HOW IT IS MANAGED IMPACTS ALL ASPECTS OF OUR SOCIETY, PARTICULAR HEALTH, FOOD PRODUCTION, WATER SUPPLY, AND SANITATION, ECOSYSTEM FUNCTIONS, AND COMMUNITY RECREATION.
SO, IT'S ALREADY IN OUR KIND OF SPHERE OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT WITH OUR CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN IS LOOKING AT WATER, STORMWATER, WETLANDS, RECYCLING.
IT'S A RATHER COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
THIS IS ONE SECTION OF IT THAT FOCUSES MORE ON THIS AREA.
AND THEN, AS LAUREN MENTIONED, WE ARE A MEMBER OF THE GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT BOARD, SO WE DO WORK WITH THEM ON THESE ISSUES THAT KIND OF ARE A LITTLE MORE THAN JUST MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
BUT, SO EAST LANSING MERIDIAN SURER WATER AUTHORITY, ELMSWA, THEY HAVE A PROTECTION PLAN IN PLACE.
THEY'RE KIND OF THE ONES WHO AUTHORED THIS AND ARE RUNNING THIS.
IT'S A VOLUNTARY PROGRAM THROUGH THE STATE OF MICHIGAN AIMED AT PROTECTING PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY THAT USE GROUNDWATER AND CONSIDERING ALMOST EVERY ONE OF OUR RESIDENTS HERE USE GROUNDWATER.
IT'S OF PARTICULAR INTEREST TO US OR, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY IN THIS CENTRAL MICHIGAN AREA.
BUT SPECIFICALLY TO HIGHLIGHT OBJECTIVE C3, SECTION C IS THE SECTION ON WATER IN OUR CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN.
AND OBJECTIVE C3, IT DIRECTLY STATES WE'RE LOOKING TO INCORPORATE THE GOALS OF ELMSWA AS WELL AS A PROTECTION PLAN INTO OUR TOWNSHIP ACTIVITIES.
IT'S FURTHER DELINEATED BY ITEM NUMBER FIVE THERE TO SPECIFICALLY IDENTIFY ABANDONED WELLS WITHIN THIS PROTECTION PROGRAM AND WORK TOWARDS THEIR CLOSURE.
SO THERE IS A VERY STRONG PRECEDENT INSIDE OF OUR CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN TO SUPPORT INITIATIVES LIKE THIS.
IT'S BASICALLY HARD WRITTEN IN THERE THAT WE ARE ON BOARD WITH THIS.
SO WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT WAYS THAT WE COULD CONTRIBUTE OR MAKE THIS FEASIBLE.
SO THIS IS A QUICK LITTLE SNAPSHOT OF THE CURRENT CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY BUDGET.
WE'LL LOOK AND WE'LL GET INTO THIS A LITTLE MORE DETAIL FURTHER IN OUR MEETING.
BUT JUST A QUICK SNAPSHOT TO SHOW KIND OF WHERE WE STARTED, WHERE WE'RE AT, TO LOOK TO SEE THAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY $25,000 IN AVAILABLE FUNDING FOR CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PROJECTS.
WE HAVE A COUPLE OF THESE IDEAS CIRCULATING THAT WE'LL KIND OF LOOK INTO A LITTLE MORE LATER.
BUT AS ONE POTENTIAL AVENUE FOR THIS FUNDING, WE COULD LOOK AT CLOSING UP OR STUDYING SOME OF THESE PRIVATE WELLS THAT ARE IN NEED OF ABANDONMENT.
A COUPLE ESTIMATES THERE ON WHAT THIS CAN LOOK LIKE.
THE TOWNSHIP CAN THEN, IF THIS IDEA IS EMBRACED BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, TOWNSHIP STAFF, MYSELF, WE CAN START LOOKING AT KIND OF MORE LOGISTICAL, NITTY-GRITTY ON WHAT THIS WOULD BREAK OUT TO.
BUT JUST BROAD STROKES, WE COULD LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, CLOSING A CERTAIN NUMBER OF HIGH-IMPACT WELLS.
WE COULD LOOK AT CLOSING A GREATER NUMBER OF LOW-IMPACT WELLS.
WE COULD IMPLEMENT A SYSTEM LIKE DELTA WHERE WE OFFER REIMBURSEMENT OR INCENTIVE TO HOMEOWNERS.
THAT COULD GET US UP TO, SAY, 30 WELLS OR SOMETHING IF WE STICK TO THEIR $700 FIGURE.
OR WE COULD USE SOME OF THIS TO JUST, YOU KNOW, MAYBE LOOK AT A STUDY THAT IDENTIFIES, YOU KNOW, THE HIGHEST-RISK WELLS, YOU KNOW, THE ONES THAT ARE IN, YOU KNOW, DIRE NEED OF ATTENTION.
SO JUST LITTLE IDEAS THERE TO KIND OF START KIND OF GRAPPLING WITH THIS AND SEEING HOW, IF DESIRED, WE COULD UTILIZE THIS AS ONE POTENTIAL OUTLET FOR SOME OF THIS FUNDING WE HAVE SET ASIDE.
SO, YEAH, IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE FEEL FREE.
YEAH, THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS TOPIC.
ONE IS, DO YOU KNOW HOW, LIKE, HOW SUCCESSFUL HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, LIKE, THE DELTA TOWNSHIP OR THE LANSING TOWNSHIP, ESPECIALLY WITH, IT SOUNDS LIKE THOSE ARE MOSTLY VOLUNTARY LANDOWNERS COMING TO THE TOWNSHIPS, RIGHT, TO APPLY FOR FUNDING OR TO GET THE, DO YOU HAVE A SENSE OF, LIKE, WHAT THE RESPONSE HAS BEEN AND HOW SUCCESSFUL HAVE THOSE PROGRAMS BEEN? THEY'VE DEFINITELY BEEN SUCCESSFUL.
THEY'RE JUST NOT COMMON, BUT ALSO PEOPLE HAVING TO GIVE UP THEIR WELL AND CONNECT TO CITY WATER IS NOT A COMMON OCCURRENCE.
SO THEY MAYBE GET A HANDFUL A YEAR AT MOST.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE YOU'RE GOING TO GET FLOODED WITH, LIKE, 50 HOMEOWNERS BEING LIKE, HEY, I'M READY TO CONNECT TO CITY WATER, PAY FOR MY WELL ABANDONMENT.
SO THERE'S THAT OPTION OF FOCUSING EXCLUSIVELY ON WHEN THEY'RE ABANDONING THAT WELL AND CONNECTING TO THE CITY WATER WHERE YOU CAN DO THAT.
[00:35:01]
OR, AS JACK COMMENTED, YOU COULD FOCUS ON TRYING TO IDENTIFY WHERE THERE ARE ALREADY CURRENT ABANDONED WELLS AND PROPERLY GET THOSE ABANDONED.AND THEN THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE WAS, DO YOU KNOW IF THERE'S ANY, LIKE, FUNDING OR GRANTS, YOU KNOW, AT THE STATE OR, I DOUBT, FEDERAL LEVEL, BUT IF THERE'S ANY GRANTS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE TOWNSHIP COULD APPLY FOR THAT COULD POTENTIALLY HELP WITH THIS ISSUE? THERE ARE NOT.
SO THIS WAS A HUGE FOCUS FOR THE STATE IN THE EARLY 2000S AND LATE 90S TO THE POINT WHERE THE GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT BOARD HAD A HUGE FUNDING SOURCE TO GO AROUND.
THEY DID A FULL EDUCATION CAMPAIGN ON WELL ABANDONMENT.
WE ACTUALLY HAD A MASCOT CALLED CAP WELL.
AND THEN THEY ALSO DID FUNDING TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL ABANDONED WELLS AND ALSO TO ABANDON THEM.
BUT AS OF RIGHT NOW, THERE'S CURRENTLY NO FUNDING, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE WE USED TO HAVE THE SURFACE WATER PROTECTION GRANT, WHICH WAS FOR COMMUNITIES WITH WELL PROTECTION OR SURFACE WATER PROTECTION PLANS THAT WOULD ALLOW YOU TO DO THINGS FOR WELL PROTECTION.
BUT WELL ABANDONMENT WAS EXCLUSIVELY NOT INCLUDED IN APPROVED GRANTS.
AND EVEN NOW THAT GRANT IS ON HIATUS DUE TO CHANGES IN FEDERAL FUNDING.
WE'VE SEEN MANY STATES ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES AREA AND EVEN BEYOND THAT HAVE DEDICATED WELL ABANDONMENT FUNDING FOR BOTH PRIVATE WELLS AS WELL AS MUNICIPAL WELLS.
AND SO WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS WE HAVE DEVELOPED A LETTER OF CONCERN TEMPLATE FOR GMB MEMBERS TO FILL OUT.
BUT RIGHT NOW WHAT WE'RE DOING IS I ACTUALLY SENT EMAILS TODAY, WE ARE WORKING ON CONNECTING WITH THE MICHIGAN CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN WATER WORKS ASSOCIATION AS WELL AS THE MICHIGAN RURAL WATER ASSOCIATION TO IDENTIFY THE BEST WAY TO BRING THIS ISSUE TO EGLE, CONGRESS, AND THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S ATTENTION TO IDENTIFY LIKE, HEY, THIS IS A HUGE RISK FOR SOURCE WATER PROTECTION AND THERE'S NO FUNDING FOR IT.
WHAT CAN WE DO TO ADDRESS THIS FOR BOTH PRIVATE AND MUNICIPAL OWNERS? AND SO WE'RE WORKING ON SEEING IF WE CAN GET THAT LETTER, SOMETHING THAT NOT JUST GMB COMMUNITIES CAN SIGN, BUT COUNTLESS COMMUNITIES ACROSS MICHIGAN CAN SIGN TO BRING THIS CONCERN TO THE STATE.
I'LL PIGGYBACK ON THAT QUESTION.
WHAT INFORMATION DO WE CURRENTLY HAVE BASED ON, FOR EXAMPLE, A PROGRAM THAT WAS DISCONTINUED AND ONGOING MAINTENANCE PROGRAMS AND INFORMATION FROM DRILLING COMPANIES ABOUT THE SCOPE OF THE PROBLEM? WITHIN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MANY ABANDONED WELLS THERE CURRENTLY ARE? SO MY FAVORITE THING ABOUT THE STATE OF MICHIGAN IS THEIR DESPERATE EFFORTS TO UPDATE THEIR DATA SOURCES.
SO WE HAVE THIS LOVELY DATA SITE CALLED WELLLOGIC, WHICH IS WHERE PRIMARILY ALL WELL RECORDS ARE LOGGED THERE, SO BOTH MUNICIPAL AND PRIVATE WELL.
LIKE I SAID, WELLS HAVE BEEN AROUND WELL BEFORE COMPUTERS, SO THERE ARE MANY THAT ARE JUST PAPER COPIES SHOVED INTO VERY DUSTY FILING CABINETS AT HEALTH DEPARTMENTS, BUT THE MAJORITY OF WELL RECORDS ARE ON THAT SITE, AND YOU CAN LOOK THEM UP BASED OFF OF ACTIVE OR INACTIVE WELLS, AND SO ABANDONED WOULD BE INACTIVE.
BUT THEY DON'T LET YOU SEARCH OVER 500, AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK FOR INACTIVE WELLS IN MERIDIAN, THEY COME OVER 500.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY'RE NOT PROPERLY ABANDONED.
IT JUST MEANS THAT THEY'RE NOT RUNNING, SO IT COULD BE A COMBINATION OF BOTH PROPERLY ABANDONED AND UNABANDONED WELLS, AND SO IT WOULD REQUIRE A LOT OF FUN CALCULATIONS.
BUT THE INGHAM HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS ACTUALLY WORKING ON DIGITIZING ALL OF THEIR WELL AND SEPTIC RECORDS RIGHT NOW INTO A DASHBOARD FOR USE BY THEM, AND I BELIEVE HOPEFULLY ALSO LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES FOR A LOT OF THEIR PLANNING EFFORTS.
AND ONCE THAT'S COMPLETED, THEY WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE A BETTER IDEA OF THE NUMBER OF ABANDONED WELLS.
THEY'RE LIKE 95% DONE, BUT SADLY MERIDIAN WAS THE LAST TOWNSHIP ON THE LIST, SO YOUR RECORDS ARE NOT COMPLETE YET.
BECAUSE I TRIED TO GET A NUMBER FOR THIS PRESENTATION, AND IT'S JUST BEEN A, WE DON'T HAVE THE CAPACITY AT THE MOMENT YET, UNLESS YOU WANT TO SPEND A LOT
[00:40:01]
OF HOURS COUNTING RECORDS.NO MICROPHONE, SO I'LL GET OFF THE RECORD.
BUT TO MY UNDERSTANDING AS A WELL AND SEPTIC USER AT MY HOUSE, INGHAM COUNTY REQUIRES AN INSPECTION BEFORE SELLING A PROPERTY FOR WELLS.
DO YOU KNOW, DOES THAT INCLUDE ABANDONED WELLS, OR IS THAT ONLY FOR ACTIVELY USED? ACTIVE USE WELLS.
THAT'S OUR POINT OF SALE ORDINANCE.
IT'S THE ONLY COUNTY IN THE TRI-COUNTY AREA THAT HAS IT.
EATON USED TO HAVE IT, BUT THEY GOT RID OF IT SEVERAL YEARS AGO, SADLY.
SO INGHAM'S THE ONLY ONE CURRENTLY THAT REQUIRES AN INSPECTION OF THE WELL BEFORE THE PROPERTY CAN CHANGE HANDS.
WE'RE BEING ACTIVE, BUT IT DOESN'T REALLY NECESSARILY SOLVE IT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.
HOW EASY IS IT TO TELL IF, YOU KNOW, AN ABANDONED WELL IS AN ISSUE, IF IT'S A, YOU KNOW, PRIORITY FOR CONTAMINATION? SO WITH A WELLHEAD PROTECTION PLAN, THERE ARE TWO AREAS THAT YOU FOCUS ON.
FIRST IS, SO ALSO A WELLHEAD PROTECTION PLAN IS ONLY DONE USUALLY BY A COMMUNITY THAT PROVIDES WATER.
SO IT'LL BE FIRST, YOU'LL LOOK AT YOUR WELLFIELD, WHICH IS THE GEOGRAPHIC AREA THAT COVERS ALL THE WELLS WITHIN YOUR MUNICIPALITY SYSTEM.
FROM THERE, YOU'LL CREATE A WELLHEAD PROTECTION AREA, WHICH IS TWO THINGS THAT ARE CALLED TIME OF TRAVEL OR DELINEATION.
IT IS HOW QUICKLY A CONTAMINANT THAT IS SPREAD AT THE BOUNDARY CAN ACCESS YOUR WELL.
SO FOR MERIDIAN, THEY ARE PART OF THE GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT BOARD WHERE FOR MANY YEARS NOW WE'VE HAD A GROUNDWATER MODEL, SO THEY HAVE A BIT MORE OF A IN-DEPTH WELLHEAD PROTECTION AREA COMPARED TO OTHERS.
COMPARED TO THE FREE ONE THAT EAGLE HAS THAT JUST IS A FUN LITTLE POLYGON, THEY AT LEAST HAVE A BIT MORE OF A DESCRIPTION, OKAY? IT'S NOT GREAT, I'LL ADMIT, BUT IT'S BETTER THAN OTHERS.
BUT SO WHAT WE'VE DONE, BECAUSE AS I'VE MENTIONED, THE STATE HAS DONE SOME FREE ONES, BUT THAT'S JUST FOR A REGULAR 10-YEAR TIME OF TRAVEL.
BUT BECAUSE OF THE GROUNDWATER MODEL, YOU HAVE A 10-YEAR, 20-YEAR, AND 40-YEAR TIME OF TRAVEL.
SO BECAUSE OF THAT, YOU COULD SAY ABANDONED WELLS WITHIN THE 10-YEAR TIME OF TRAVEL ARE AT HIGHER RISK BECAUSE IT WOULD BE QUICKER TO ACCESSING ELMSWOOD'S WELL FIELD, AND ONES THAT ARE IN THE 40-YEAR TIME OF TRAVEL ARE A BIT LOWER RISK, OR ONES THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF THE WELLHEAD PROTECTION ARE EVEN LOWER BECAUSE THAT'S BEYOND WHAT WE'VE BEEN ANALYZING FOR.
CAN YOU TALK JUST TO THE SLIDES? CAN I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A MINUTE, PLEASE? I WAS GOING TO TRY TO GRAB THE CONTROL.
SEE IF YOU'RE SITTING AT YOUR SEAT.
ALL THESE SLIDES WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE PACKET THAT GETS AMENDED HERE, SO THIS WILL BE AVAILABLE ON THE TENANTSHIP WEBSITE.
SO I DON'T HAVE ANY GOOD GRAPHICS MYSELF, BUT THESE ARE ONES THAT I PULLED OFF JUST TO KIND OF REINFORCE THAT IDEA OF YOU'RE FILLING THE GIANT TUBE IN THE GROUND WITH STUFF.
IT'S A VERY HIGHLY TURBID SOLUTION THAT GETS PUMPED INTO ANY KIND OF VOLUME TO FILL AND COMPACT THAT VOLUME.
IT PREVENTS ANYTHING ELSE FROM INFILTRATING IT AND MOVING THROUGH IT.
I THINK THEY CAN INJECT IT THAT WAY, TOO.
AND I'LL GO BACK TO OUR PRIVATE WILL DISPLAY.
IF YOU'LL SEE HERE, THERE IS A LAYER OF BETONITE CLAY ON THE OUTSIDE AS WELL.
ANY KIND OF MIGRATION OF ANY KIND OF, YEAH, WATER THROUGH THERE.
SO THAT LAYER OF BETONITE CLAY WILL HELP TO PREVENT THIS MIGRATION OF POTENTIAL CONTAMINANTS INTO THE MINOR WELL.
[00:45:06]
HOPEFULLY I WAS LOUD ENOUGH TO BE ON RECORD.ANY OTHER QUESTIONS I MIGHT ANSWER? AND THEN THE LAST PAGE IS MY CONTACT INFORMATION, BUT ALSO ALL OF THE GMB INFORMATION.
SO THIS HAS OUR WEBSITE AND OUR SOCIAL MEDIA.
WE DO SHARE INFORMATION ON PROPER WELL MAINTENANCE AND WELL ABANDONMENT, AND WE DO HAVE A FULL SECTION ON OUR WEBSITE.
SO IF YOU DO COME ACROSS A RESIDENT IN MERIDIAN OR EVEN OUTSIDE THAT HAS A PRIVATE WELL, YOU CAN DIRECT THEM THERE.
OR IF THEY'RE DEALING WITH WELL ABANDONMENT, WE HAVE INFORMATION ON THERE AS WELL.
WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE REST OF OUR AGENDA HERE REAL QUICK.
HAVE YOU GUYS HEARD OF THE ONE ABOUT THE BLIND GUY WHO FELL INTO THE WELL? YOU DID NOT SEE THAT WELL.
SO THAT WAS REALLY INTERESTING.
SO WE'RE GOING TO BE, WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THIS LATER WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE FENCE ON THE BLACKOUT.
SO NEXT ON THE AGENDA THEN IS COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.
DOES NOT LOOK LIKE WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC.
[5. COMMUNICATIONS ]
SO WE'RE GOOD.WE ACTUALLY DO HAVE COMMUNICATIONS.
I'M GOING TO PULL IT UP ON SCREEN.
THIS WILL BE, THIS IS INCLUDED IN THE PACKETS AT YOUR DESK, BUT WE DIDN'T GET THIS UNTIL YESTERDAY.
SO IT'S NOT ON THE MAIN PACKET THAT WENT OUT.
SO, YEAH, THIS WAS OUR, UM, DIRECTOR COURTNEY WOZICKI REACHED OUT TO US TO, UM, LET US KNOW THAT THE PARK COMMISSION IS UPDATING ITS FIVE-YEAR PARKS AND RECREATION MASTER PLAN.
AS PART OF THIS PROCESS, THEY ARE SEEKING INPUT ON THE PARKS AND RECREATION SYSTEM AND THE FACILITIES, WHAT IS WORKING WELL TODAY, HOW EXISTING PARKS AND PRESERVES CAN BE ENHANCED, AND WHAT FUTURE PARK IMPROVEMENTS ARE NEEDED.
YOU, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDER, AND THEY WOULD VALUE YOUR PERSPECTIVE.
SO, THE PARKS COMMISSION IS INVITING US TO PARTICIPATE IN ONE OF THREE VIRTUAL STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS LISTED BELOW.
DURING EACH OF THESE MEETINGS, YOU'LL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS, IDEAS, AND PRIORITIES FOR THE PARKS AND RECREATION SERVICES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THESE MEETINGS WILL BE FACILITATED BY MIKE HOFFMEISTER FROM THE MANNEQUIN SMITH GROUP, MICHIGAN-BASED PLANNING AND ENGINEERING FIRM ASSISTING THE TOWNSHIP WITH THE UPDATE OF ITS PARKS AND RECREATION MASTER PLAN.
SO THEN THERE ARE THE THREE MEETINGS ARE AVAILABLE HERE.
UM, AGAIN, YOU GUYS ALL HAVE THIS INFO IN THE PACKETS AVAILABLE AT YOUR, UH, DESK THERE.
UM, SO, YEAH, UM, IF INTERESTED, PLEASE CONSIDER ATTENDING ONE OF THESE TO VOICE YOUR, UH, CONCERNS, OPINIONS, COMMENTS, SUGGESTIONS.
DO YOU KNOW, JACK, IF, IF THE CURRENT, UM, MASTER PLAN IS ON THE TOWNSHIP'S WEBSITE THAT WE CAN LOOK AT IT? I BELIEVE SO.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE, DO YOU KNOW? I'M PRETTY SURE IT IS.
IT'S PROBABLY IN THE, UH, RECREATION.
THE PARKS PAGE SHOULD HAVE IT.
JUST LIKE OUR CLAIM THIS IS AN ABILITY PLAN IS AVAILABLE ON OUR ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION PAGE.
JUST FOR THOSE WHO MAY WANT TO LOOK INTO IT A LITTLE FURTHER.
BUT, YEP, THAT'S ALL WE'VE GOT FOR COMMUNICATIONS.
[6. APPROVAL OF AGENDA ]
OKAY, UM, SO NEXT ON THE AGENDA THEN IS THE, UM, APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY, UM, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY CHANGES OR COMMENTS ON THE AGENDA? OH, I THINK WE JUST HAVE NO CHANGES.
[7. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES - April 1st, 2026 REGULAR MEETING]
[00:50:01]
APPROVAL.NEXT IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE APRIL 1ST MEETING.
UH, ANYONE, UH, RICHARD, TOM, ANYTHING FROM YOU GUYS? YEAH.
I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF REAL MINOR CHANGES.
SO, THE MINOR CHANGES ARE, FIRST ONE IS ON PAGE ONE, ITEM EIGHT, IN THE VERY LAST WORD, MY NAME THERE, UH, THE I AND THE Z, GOT REVERSED.
UM, AND THE SECOND PAGE, JUST BECAUSE I'M MENTIONING, UH, THE TYPOS WITH MY NAME, I'LL MENTION THIS, BUT IT'S REALLY MINOR.
UH, AT THE VERY BOTTOM OF PAGE TWO, IT SAYS THE SUBCOMMITTEE, UH, WILL THEN REVIEW THE DATA AT VIRTUAL MEETING, PROBABLY AT A VIRTUAL MEETING.
UH, AND FINALLY, UM, PAGE THREE, AT THE TOP, AGAIN, COMMISSIONER FRAZIER, UH, JUST REVERSING THE, THE Z AND THE I, AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
ANYTHING ELSE HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR EDITS FOR THE MINUTES? OKAY, SO THEN JUST WITH THOSE MINOR CHANGES IN IT, ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES, SAY AYE.
OKAY. SO NEXT ON THE AGENDA, CITIZENS ADDRESS AGENDA ITEMS AND NON-AGENDA ITEMS. AGAIN, WE DON'T HAVE ANY IN THE ROOM. SO
[9.A. Environmental Commission Roster Update • Student Position Term Ending ]
NEXT IS NEW BUSINESS. SO FIRST IS ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION ROSTER UPDATE.SO YEAH, SO JUST WE LOOKED AT THIS IN JANUARY, AS WE WERE SETTING UP FOR THE YEAR. BUT THIS IS JUST AN ACTIVE ROSTER THAT WE LIKE TO KEEP OF THE COMMISSION HERE. SO JUST UPDATING THIS TO INCLUDE OUR THREE NEW MEMBERS, OUR BRUCE MORTIMER TAKING THE TERM UNTIL 2026, AIKE YONKE TAKING THE TERM UNTIL 2028, AND SHAMUKA ALURU JOINING US ON THE SECOND STUDENT ROLE UNTIL 2027.
AND THIS ALSO BRINGS IN ONE OF OUR TERMS IS ENDING FOR HARRISON BATTEN THIS MONTH. SO WE'D JUST LIKE TO ASK HARRISON IF HE WOULD BE INTERESTED IN CONTINUING TO SERVE ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
OKAY. IT MIGHT BE MY LAST, AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO COME BACK.
BECAUSE YOU'LL BE GOING INTO YOUR SENIOR YEAR, RIGHT? I WILL.
CONGRATULATIONS. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO PROVIDE THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR ME. I'VE LOVED MY TIME ON HERE.
THANK YOU. HAPPY TO HAVE YOU ON BOARD. ALL RIGHT. WE WILL GET THAT RE-UPPED TO THE JUNE 31ST, 2027. I THINK THAT'S ALL WE HAVE FOR NOTES HERE. IF ANYBODY ELSE HAS ANY COMMENTS OR NOTES.
SO I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION. SO WHY IS BRUCE'S TERM, IS IT 12-31-2026? I BELIEVE BRUCE TOOK OVER THE TERM THAT CYNTHIA PETERSON HAD KIND OF SET UP, SO HE'S KIND OF FILLING IN THE BACK HALF OF THAT.
AND THEN HE'LL HAVE THE CHANCE TO RE-UP FOR THREE YEARS WHEN THAT TIME COMES UP.
AND, YEAH, WITH THAT, WE'RE ACTUALLY AT A FULL COMMISSION. SO CONGRATULATIONS.
[9.B. Climate Sustainability Funding Overview ]
OKAY, AND THEN NEXT, THEN, IS THE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY FUNDING OVERVIEW.OKAY. SO HERE WE CAN GET INTO THIS A LITTLE FURTHER. SO I HAD HALF OF THIS INCLUDED IN THE PRESENTATION, JUST THE FIGURE SIDE OF IT.
THE REST OF IT IS INCLUDED HERE.
JUST KIND OF SHOWS AN OVERVIEW OF THE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM FUNDING SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 2024.
THIS FUND WAS CREATED IN ORDER FOR THE EC TO ACTUALLY HAVE SOME ABILITY TO ACT ON THE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN THAT WAS AUTHORED IN 2023.
SO THE IDEA WAS TO CREATE THIS BUDGET THAT WE COULD THEN UTILIZE IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT OR ACT ON STRATEGIES OR IDEAS INSIDE THAT CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN.
SO I HAVE A COUPLE, I HAVE THESE EXAMPLES LISTED TO SHOW THAT WE'VE HAD SMALLER PROJECTS, WE'VE HAD LARGER PROJECTS, WE'VE HAD HUGE
[00:55:02]
PROJECTS THAT HAVE ALL SAMPLED FROM THIS FUND.WE STARTED OFF WITH A LOT OF UPGRADES AROUND THE FARMER'S MARKET WITH SOME GLEANING INITIATIVES.
WE HELPED INCREASE THE WETLAND SIGNAGE AND THE KIND OF EDUCATIONAL ASPECTS OF OUR WETLANDS THERE, WORKING WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IN 2024.
AND THEN WE'VE, I THINK WE'VE FINISHED OUT THE REST OF THE PLANNED EDUCATION SIGNAGE IN 2025.
AND THE LAST BIG PROJECT WE'VE LOOKED AT WITH THIS ARE THE, IS THE CURRENTLY ONGOING BILES WHALE PROJECT AT MARSHALL PARK, WHICH I'LL GET INTO IN JUST A MOMENT THERE TO KIND OF GET THE WHOLE COMMISSION UP TO SPEED ON WHAT'S HAPPENING OVER THERE.
BUT THIS JUST KIND OF SHOWCASES THAT THE FUNDING HERE IS AVAILABLE FOR SMALL THINGS, FOR CALL IT MEDIUM-SIZED THINGS, AS WELL AS RATHER LARGE PROJECTS.
SO WE HAVE 25,000 IN AVAILABLE FUNDING AVAILABLE, AND IT'LL JUST BE SOMETHING THAT THIS YEAR THE COMMISSION IS LOOKING TO COME UP WITH PROJECTS, AVENUES, ABILITIES TO SPEND THIS FUNDING DOWN AND FIND SUITABLE PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING TO BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY AND FALL IN STEP WITH THE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN PROGRAM THAT THIS FUNDING IS ATTACHED TO.
SO WE'VE, I THINK WE'VE DISCUSSED A FEW IDEAS THAT HAVE BEEN KIND OF FLOATING AROUND BEFORE.
THE WELLHEAD ABANDONMENT PROGRAM IS THE MOST CURRENT IDEA THAT'S COME UP, SO I WANTED TO GET THAT WELL COMMUNICATED TO THE COMMISSION HERE AS ONE POTENTIAL AVENUE FOR THAT.
WE HAVE A COUPLE OTHER IDEAS FLOATING AROUND, LIKE SOME TREE REPLANTINGS ON CARLETON STREET.
WE'VE LOOKED AT SOME INITIATIVES TO KIND OF FURTHER SUPPORT SOME OF THE COMPOSTING AND OTHER GREEN ACTIVITIES THAT HAPPEN AT THE FARMER'S MARKET.
SO A COUPLE IDEAS ARE FLOATING AROUND RIGHT NOW.
IT'D BE THE GOAL THIS YEAR TO START ZEROING IN ON ONE THING IN PARTICULAR OR A COUPLE THINGS IN PARTICULAR THAT HELP US TO UTILIZE THESE FUNDS APPROPRIATELY AND EFFECTIVELY.
UH, WE'VE ALSO PUT OUT REQUESTS TO SOME OF OUR TEAMS TO START BRAINSTORMING ON THIS AS WELL.
UM, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION IS CONNECTED TO A FEW, UM, UH, PUBLIC VOLUNTEER-BASED TEAMS, WE CALL THEM, THE GREEN TEAM, THE ENERGY TEAM, THE GREEN BURIAL TEAM, A COUPLE OF THESE EXAMPLES.
AND WE'VE BEEN ASKING THEM FOR SOME CONSIDERATION ON THIS TOPIC AS WELL TO SEE IF THEY, UH, UM, CAN PRESENT ANYTHING.
WHEN THIS, UM, FUNDING WAS FIRST ANNOUNCED, WE DID A RATHER LARGE KIND OF BRAINSTORMING EVENT WHERE WE TRIED TO CONTACT QUITE A FEW OF THESE TEAMS AND A COUPLE OTHER, UH, PLAYERS IN THIS FIELD TO COME UP WITH SOME STRATEGIES ON HOW TO, UM, ALLOCATE THIS.
SO WE'RE LOOKING TO DO THAT AGAIN NOW THAT WE'RE KIND OF AT THIS POINT WHERE WE'VE GOT, UH, A PRETTY GOOD AMOUNT HERE TO UTILIZE.
SO, UM, JUST KIND OF PUTTING IT OUT THERE FOR TONIGHT.
UM, WE'VE GOT ONE MORE, AT LEAST, UM, BIG CANDIDATE, I THINK, FOR, UM, A PROGRAM HERE.
AND IF, BASICALLY JUST WANTED TO ASTERISK THAT ALL, IF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION LIKES THAT IDEA, EMBRACES THAT IDEA, THEN TOWNSHIP STAFF CAN START MOVING FORWARD ON COMING UP WITH ESTIMATES AND MORE, UH, REALISTIC FIGURES ON KIND OF WHAT TACKLING THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE.
UM, YEAH, SO JUST TO KIND OF TOUCH INTO, OR TO GIVE SOME EXAMPLES ON OUR CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM HERE, THIS IS THE CURRENTLY ONGOING PROJECT.
UM, BRUCE, IKE, SHANMUKA, IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH, UM, MARSHALL PARK, IT'S A LITTLE, UM, RATHER WATERLOGGED PARK WE HAVE OFF OF MARSH AND COLUMBIA STREET.
UM, THIS SOUTHEAST CORNER OF COLUMBIA STREET IN PARTICULAR, UM, HERE'S LAKE LANSING OVER HERE TO THE EAST, BY THE WAY, TO KIND OF COORDINATE YOURSELVES.
THIS CORNER, UH, CURRENTLY EXPERIENCES VERY EXTREME FLOODING DURING OUR, UM, SUBSTANTIAL RAIN EVENTS THAT WE GET IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
UM, SO WE, THE TOWNSHIP STAFF HAD APPROACHED SOME OF OUR ENGINEERS WHO WORK ON OUR ROADS AND ROAD AND REDESIGNING, AND THEY PRESENTED A SOLUTION THAT WAS ENTIRELY THROUGH, UH, MORE CONCRETE AND MORE CULVERTS AND MORE DRAINAGE, WHICH WOULD HAVE, UM, ADDRESSED SOME OF THE FLOODING ISSUES OUT THERE AND HELPING TO REDIRECT ALL OF THAT WATER INTO THE LAKE.
UM, BUT INSTEAD OF TACKLING THAT ENTIRELY THROUGH CONCRETE AND STEEL, UH, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, UM, HAD, UH, A HAND IN PRESENTING AN ALTERNATIVE TO, UM, CREATE MORE NATURAL APPROACHES TO DEALING WITH, UH, THAT STORM SURGE, THE SUDDEN RUSH OF WATER WE GET DURING OUR BIG FLOODING EVENTS.
UM, ESSENTIALLY THAT, UM, THAT, UM, APPROACH LOOKED LIKE CREATING A TIERED MOUNTAIN LAKE SYSTEM OF DIFFERENT POCKETS
[01:00:01]
OF WATER THAT WOULD BE TREATED IN A NATURAL SENSE BEFORE IT EVENTUALLY FLOWS INTO THE LAKE THERE.UM, SO WE HAD, UH, ENGINEERING FIRMS, BALDING TO DECKER CAME UP WITH TWO CONCEPT PLANS FOR US, UH, ONE THAT WAS A LITTLE MORE, UM, KIND OF PARK AND OPEN SPACE FOCUSED, AND ONE PLAN THAT WAS A LITTLE MORE, UH, NATURAL FOCUSED, UM, REALLY TRIED TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF GREEN, UM, SPACE IN THIS AREA, AND PARTICULARLY TRIED TO GET A LOT OF TREES, UM, BIG EVAPOTRANSPIRATORS THAT CAN HELP DRY THE SOIL OUT IN THIS AREA.
UM, AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION WAS INVITED TO PROVIDE COMMENTARY ON THESE PLANS, AND WE EFFECTIVELY, ALONG WITH THE PARKS COMMISSION, WE WERE VERY MUCH IN ALIGNMENT ON SUGGESTING SOMETHING IN BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM, WHERE WE MAINTAIN OPEN SPACE TO THE, TO THE WEST HERE.
THIS WAS KEY FOR, UM, LIKE, OUR FIREFIGHTERS AND EMTS WHO NEED TO HAVE EYES IN THROUGH THIS PARK AS THEY'RE DRIVING ON MARSH ROAD.
UM, HAVING A GIANT CANOPY HERE BLOCKING THE ENTIRE PARK WAS SOMETHING THAT THEY FLAGGED A CONCERN WITH.
AND, UM, JUST AS A, AS A, AS A TOWNSHIP, OR AS A PARK INSIDE OF THE TOWNSHIP, TOO, UM, THERE WAS JUST EXPRESSED A NEED FOR, YOU KNOW, HAVING PLAYGROUND SPACES, YOU KNOW, COURT SPACES, UM, PLACES TO RECREATE THAT WOULD BALANCE WITH, UH, THE NATURAL APPROACH, YOU KNOW, THE NATURAL REDESIGN.
UM, SO THIS PROJECT IS STILL ONGOING, UM, THEY'RE STILL IN THE DESIGN PHASE HERE, I THINK THEY'RE TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WAS OFFERED TO THEM, AND WE ARE AWAITING KIND OF A NEW CONCEPTUAL PLAN ON, UM, WHAT THIS KIND OF PARK EVOLUTION IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE.
BUT THIS IS JUST, UH, UM, FOR TONIGHT, JUST TO GIVE A LITTLE PERSPECTIVE ON HOW BIG OF A PROJECT WE CAN LOOK AT WITH THIS FUNDING, YOU KNOW, VERSUS WETLAND SIGNAGE OR, YOU KNOW, SMALLER, NOT TO SAY LESS IMPACTFUL, BUT SMALLER LITTLE THINGS HERE AND THERE.
SO WE CAN, WE'VE GOT A, WE'VE GOT A, QUITE A BIT OF FREEDOM HERE ON HOW TO, HOW TO UTILIZE THIS.
UM, YEAH, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS ON THAT? UM, AGAIN, NOT REALLY LOOKING FOR A FIRM YES OR NO RECOMMENDATION TONIGHT, BUT JUST TO KIND OF INTRODUCE THE IDEA AND, UH, JUST KIND OF, UM, START THINKING ABOUT AS ONE POTENTIAL VECTOR HERE.
YEAH, I GUESS FIRST A QUESTION ON THE, UH, FINANCIAL KNOWLEDGE.
MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT THIS FUND WAS STARTED OFF AT 30,000, WHICH IS REFLECTED AT THE, THE TOP OF THE PAGE THERE.
AND THEN I SEE AS OF JANUARY 1ST OF LAST YEAR, UH, IT JUMPED UP TO 49.
SO WAS THERE SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAT THE TOWNSHIP BOARD PROVIDED, OR WHERE DID THAT MONEY COME FROM? CORRECT. THAT WAS IN 2025, THEY ALLOCATED $25,000 TOWARDS THIS PROGRAM.
SO WE HAD IN 2024, $30,000 WAS ALLOCATED.
SO THAT'S WHERE THAT INJECTION COMES FROM.
THAT EXPLAINS THE JUMP FROM KEY 49 TO $499 HERE.
OKAY. AND THEN, I'M GOING TO SOUND LIKE A BROKEN RECORD HERE, BUT I WILL BRING IT UP ONCE AGAIN.
AND THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE BEEN AROUND KNOW THIS ISSUE.
THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE NEW HAVE NEVER HEARD ABOUT THIS.
BUT IN MAY OF 2024, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION DID RECOMMEND TWO PROJECTS FOR FUNDING OUT OF THE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM FUNDING.
ONE WAS FOR A FOOD COMPOST PROGRAM AT THE CITY MARKET, AND THE LEVEL OF FUNDING FOR THAT WAS $2,500.
AND THEN THE OTHER ONE THAT WAS, BOTH OF THESE WERE ACTUALLY RECOMMENDED BY THE GREEN TEAM, AND APPROVED AT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION LEVEL, AND THEN I THINK LATER APPROVED FOR FUNDING BY THE TOWNSHIP BOARD.
BUT THEN THE SECOND ONE WAS ANOTHER SMALL ONE FOR $635 TO IMPROVE FINEAGE AT THE RECYCLING CENTER.
SO, I KNOW WE TALK ABOUT THESE FROM TIME TO TIME, BUT SO FAR NEITHER ONE HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED, AND I'M HOPING NOT TO GIVE UP
[01:05:03]
ON THIS AND ACTUALLY TRY TO GET THESE TWO IDEAS IMPLEMENTED, BECAUSE, AGAIN, THEY WERE APPROVED BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, AND I'D LIKE TO SEE THEM GO FORTH IF POSSIBLE.THE WHOLE IDEA BEHIND THE COMPOST PROGRAM AT THE CITY MARKET IS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE A FOOD COMPOST PROGRAM WHERE PEOPLE CAN BRING THEIR FOOD SCRAPS, AND THERE'S TWO LARGE BINS THERE, THEY CAN DROP THEM OFF.
THE PROGRAM STARTED IN 2023 KIND OF AS A VOLUNTEER PROGRAM WHERE PEOPLE COULD BRING THEIR FOOD COMPOST, BOTH DROP IT OFF, MAYBE GIVE A SMALL DONATION TO HELP COVER THE COST OF THE PROGRAM.
AND THEN LATE IN THE YEAR, THE PROGRAM WENT TO KIND OF A SUBSCRIPTION-BASED PROGRAM WHERE THE TOWNSHIP WAS CHARGING RESIDENTS TO DO THIS.
AND THERE WAS SOME INITIAL BACKLASH THAT SOME RESIDENTS WERE CONCERNED THAT THEY WERE NOW BEING CHARGED TO DO THE RIGHT THING AS FAR AS KEEPING THEIR FOOD WASTE OUT OF THE LANDFILL, REDUCING METHANE GASES.
AND SO WHAT THE GREEN TEAM BROUGHT FORTH AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION APPROVED WAS JUST A ONE-YEAR KIND OF TRIAL PERIOD WHERE WE WOULD PROMOTE THIS IDEA OF HAVING PEOPLE, RESIDENTS, BRING THEIR FOOD SCRAPS TO THE FARMER'S MARKET AT NO COST, AND THEN THE TOWNSHIP COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT WOULD TRY TO PROMOTE THAT TO THE RESIDENTS OF THE TOWNSHIP.
AND I DID HAPPEN TO LOOK AT THE TOWNSHIP WEBSITE TODAY, AND IT IS BEING PROMOTED, BUT IT'S BEING PROMOTED AS A SUBSCRIPTION-BASED PROGRAM.
SO, AGAIN, I'D LIKE TO SEE US TRY TO IMPLEMENT THIS ONE-YEAR PROGRAM WHERE WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO PROMOTE RESIDENTS TO DO FOOD COMPOSTING AND REALLY ALLOW IT SOME TIME TO GET IT OFF THE GROUND.
AND THEN IF WE NEED TO SWITCH TO SUBSCRIPTION-BASED, MAYBE CONSIDER THAT AT THAT TIME.
AND THEN THE ISSUE WITH THE SIGNAGE AT THE RECYCLING CENTER, IT WAS A MINOR COST.
THERE IS SOME CONFUSION, I THINK, BY RESIDENTS WHEN THEY GO INTO THE CENTER AS FAR AS WHERE DO ITEMS GO? WHAT CAN I RECYCLE? AND WE JUST NEED SOME BETTER SIGNAGE THERE IN FRONT OF THE BINS.
SO, AGAIN, I WILL QUIT AT THAT POINT, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US AT LEAST SAVE THAT FUNDING THAT WAS APPROVED AS PART OF THIS REMAINING, WHAT, 25,000 THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE LEFT IN THE SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM FUNDING.
I GUESS MY QUESTION IS WHO, LIKE, WHO'S SUPPOSED, LIKE, I KNOW THE WETLAND EDUCATION, I GO TO EMMA AND EMMA CAMPBELL, AND SHE MADE THE SIGN.
SO, IN THIS CASE, LIKE, WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO, LIKE, WHO WOULD HELP US IMPLEMENT THESE THINGS EXACTLY? WELL, I THINK IN THE CASE OF THE FOOD COMPOST, IT WOULD PROBABLY BE TOM, THE FARMER'S MARKET MANAGER.
AND I KNOW HE'S SOMEWHAT CONFLICTED BECAUSE THE CURRENT COST OF PICKING UP THIS FOOD COMPOST IS COMING OUT OF HIS BUDGET, I BELIEVE.
SO, I CAN SEE WHERE THERE'S CONCERN ON HIS PART, YOU KNOW, THAT HE DIDN'T RECEIVE THE FUNDING TO PAY FOR THIS PROGRAM.
BUT WE DO HAVE THE FUNDING AVAILABLE
[01:10:01]
IN THE SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM TO COVER IT AT LEAST FOR A YEAR.IT'S ABOUT $2,000 A YEAR TO, AS FAR AS COST FOR THE PROGRAM.
AND THEN THERE WERE SOME, A FEW DOLLARS PUT IN FOR BIODEGRADABLE COMPOSTABLE BAGS THAT PEOPLE COULD PICK UP AT THE FARMER'S MARKET AND THEN BRING THEM BACK.
AND THEN AS FAR AS THE, THE OTHER, THE SIGNAGE, I THINK IT WOULD BE WORKING WITH TREVOR OVER THERE.
HIS NAME HAS ESCAPED ME FOR A MOMENT.
TREVOR OVER AT THE RECYCLING CENTER TO TRY TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
SO, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE JUST NEED TO, YOU KNOW, LIKE COMMUNICATE WITH TOM AND THEN JUST TRUST THE MONEY? THAT'S SOMETHING I CAN, I'LL REACH OUT TO TOM AND I'LL CONNECT WITH HIM ON THIS AND SEE KIND OF, YEAH, HOW EXACTLY WE COULD LINK THAT UP AND MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
I THINK WE HAVE TALKED WITH TREVOR A LITTLE BIT AND I GUESS I DON'T WANT TO SAY ANYTHING DEFINITIVE, BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT LIKE THE TOWNSHIP'S RELATIONSHIP WITH THAT RECYCLING CENTER.
IT'S OWNED BY THE TOWNSHIP, BUT IT'S RUN BY RECLAIM BY DESIGN.
SO WE, WE'RE FIGURING OUT ON IF IT'S IN OUR PURVIEW TO BE PURCHASING SIGNAGE FOR THEM.
AND, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A, A NEED FOR IT.
IT'S, IT NEEDS BETTER ORGANIZATION OUT THERE, BUT WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT EXACTLY LIKE, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, AND IF SO, WHERE DOES THAT FUNDING COME FROM? YEAH.
AND I GUESS TO RESPOND TO THAT, IF I COULD, MADAM CHAIR, IS, I THINK YOU COULD ARGUE THERE'S A PUBLIC INTEREST IN EXPENDING THESE DOLLARS, EVEN THOUGH THE PROGRAM IS RUN BY A PRIVATE ENTITY.
IT DOES HELP SERVE THE PUBLIC BY GIVING, BY EDUCATING THEM, YOU KNOW, HOW TO PROPERLY RECYCLE, YOU KNOW, WHERE THESE ITEMS GO IN EACH BIN AND THAT TYPE OF THING.
IT'S PROBABLY NOT UNLIKE SOME OF THE, UH, GREEN GRANTS THAT WE'VE HANDED OUT THIS, THIS YEAR THAT, YOU KNOW, IS IT, IS IT A PUBLIC PURPOSE? IS IT FOR A PRIVATE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, FOR EXAMPLE? IT'S KIND OF A FINE LINE, BUT, UH, I THINK IN ALL CASES YOU CAN MAKE THE ARGUMENT THAT THERE IS A PUBLIC PURPOSE THERE.
YEAH, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY THOSE SIGNS COULD PROBABLY BELONG, COULD BELONG TO THE TOWNSHIP ANYWAY, RIGHT? SO YOU'RE JUST USING THEM WHILE WHOEVER IS OPERATING THE FACILITY.
SO YOU'RE GOING TO LOOK INTO IT SOME MORE AND THEN KIND OF, UH, GIVE US AN UPDATE MAYBE NEXT, NEXT MEETING? YEAH, I'LL PLAN ON THAT.
I'LL PLAN ON REACHING OUT TO TOM AND TRY TO GET THE, UH, UM, PREVIOUSLY APPROVED, UM, COMPOST BAGS.
UM, GET THAT PROGRAM KIND OF SET UP.
YEAH, I THINK THE IDEA THERE WAS TO ALLOW, THE PROGRAM WAS ANNOUNCED AND THEN SWITCH TO SUBSCRIPTION SO QUICKLY THAT THE KIND OF THE WIND NEVER FILLED THE SAILS ON THAT.
AND WE JUST WANTED MORE MOMENTUM TO GROW WITH THAT PROGRAM BEFORE SWITCHING OVER.
JUST DO IT, RE-INJECT SOME LIFE INTO IT HERE.
YEAH, IT SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD, A GREAT IDEA.
I'VE GOT THE NEXT VERSION OF THIS QUESTION.
THAT WILL BE INCLUDED IN HERE ALONG WITH, UH, ANY OTHER DISTRIBUTIONS THERE.
UM, DOES THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION LIKE THE IDEA OF PURSUING THE WELLHEAD ABANDONMENT? I CAN START LOOKING INTO THAT A LITTLE FURTHER IF SO.
I GUESS I, I WOULD LIKE, IF WE COULD, UM, CAUSE I FEEL LIKE WE, WE BROUGHT UP DIFFERENT IDEAS, BUT WE HAVEN'T REALLY DEDICATED, LIKE, OKAY, LIKE THIS IS THE, YOU KNOW, A DEADLINE FOR THE IDEAS AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT IT, YOU KNOW, AT THIS NEXT MEETING AND THEN MAKE IT, YOU KNOW, MAKE SOME DECISIONS TYPE OF THING.
SO, UM, AND THEN NOW IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THOSE DIFFERENT IDEAS AND SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE A LITTLE LOST IN MY HEAD AGAIN.
SO I'M WONDERING IF WE CAN, UM, YOU KNOW, LIKE SET A DEADLINE, YOU KNOW, FOR, WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, ALL PROPOSALS, RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, PROJECTS BY THIS DATE.
AND IF WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT AT THE NEXT, AT THE, YOU KNOW, JULY MEETING, UM, LIKE ALL OF THOSE IDEAS AT ONCE.
AND I MEAN, I, I LIKE THE WELLHEAD IDEA, I GUESS, AND HAVING BIGGER PROJECTS, BUT I ALSO LIKE HAVING, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THIS FUNDING BE AVAILABLE FOR SMALLER STUFF THAT CAN ALSO ADDRESS SOME OF THE OTHER GOALS AND OBJECTIVES IN THE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY FUNDING.
SO IT'D BE NICE TO LOOK AT KIND OF ALL THE DIFFERENT PROJECTS TOGETHER, I GUESS, IS WHAT I WAS, WOULD BE MY PREFERENCE.
SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT OTHER FOLKS THINK ABOUT THAT, I GUESS.
[01:15:01]
I LIKE THAT IDEA.THAT'S, THAT'D BE MY GOAL TO BE, YEAH, TO BE ABLE TO PUT TOGETHER ALL THE PROPOSALS TOGETHER, HAVE SOME NUMBERS FOR EACH OF THEM AND HAVE THE WHOLE COMMISSION KIND OF WEIGH IN ON THAT.
UM, SO YEAH, RIGHT NOW I'M JUST LOOKING TO CONTINUE TO KIND OF ADD PROJECTS INTO THIS POOL.
AND THEN, YOU'RE RIGHT, MAYBE WE JUST PICK AND SAY, LOOK AT THE AUGUST MEETING, WE JUST SIT DOWN WITH WHAT WE HAVE, AND WE LOOK AT EVERYTHING THERE.
WHEN DID WE, CAN WE JUST SET IT AT, WAIT, SORRY, WHAT WERE WE GOING TO SAY? UM, I LIKED THAT ONE BULLET POINT WHERE THE TOWNSHIP STAFF COME OUT TO MY HOUSE AND ABANDONED MY WELL FOR ME.
IT WOULD BE REALLY INTERESTING TO SEE HOW MANY TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS MIGHT RAISE THEIR HAND IF THEY WERE ASKED, RIGHT.
WILL YOUR HOUSE GO OVER THE WELL? DO YOU STILL USE IT? MM-HMM.
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN, YOU KNOW, THINKING ABOUT THIS? MM-HMM.
I BET YOU GET A LOT OF HANDS RAISED.
UM, SO I CAN GET ALL MY NEIGHBORS LINED UP AND YOU CAN JUST DO US ALL IN ONE ROOM.
AND I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE BY, IT SOUNDS LIKE I DON'T KNOW HOW QUICKLY THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS GOING TO HAVE THE INFORMATION, BUT IF WE HAD SOME NUMBERS, YOU KNOW, LIKE ON HOW MANY ABANDONED WELLS THERE MIGHT BE IN THE TOWNSHIP.
UM, AND THEN EVEN THAT ANALYSIS OF, I DON'T KNOW HOW EASY IT IS TO DO THAT ANALYSIS OF THAT SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT, LIKE WHICH ONES ARE THE HIGH RISK ONES POTENTIALLY.
UM, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S WHERE MY QUESTION ABOUT WHEN YOU MAKE IT VOLUNTARY, WHAT KIND OF RESPONSE DO YOU GET, YOU KNOW, VERSUS IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE TARGETING HIGH RISK WELLS INSTEAD.
SO WHICH APPROACH MIGHT BE BETTER? AND MAYBE WE STAGE IT, YOU KNOW, LIKE THIS YEAR WE FOCUS ON THIS AND THEN NEXT YEAR, YOU KNOW, WE FOCUS ON THE NEXT SET BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WE'RE NOT GOING TO POTENTIALLY ADDRESS ALL OF THEM, YOU KNOW, IN ONE YEAR, SO.
YEAH, I LIKE THAT IDEA OF KIND OF LOOKING AT MAYBE THE MORE EMERGENT ISSUES FIRST AND THEN WE CAN LOOK AT MORE VOLUNTARY PROGRAM WITH SOME INCENTIVES.
I ACTUALLY LIKE THE IDEA OF IF WE'RE ABLE TO IDENTIFY HIGH RISK WELLS THAT COULD BE CAPPED, THEN SETTING ASIDE A PORTION OF THE BUDGET FOR THAT PROJECT.
I ALSO LIKE THE IDEA OF SETTING ASIDE FUNDS FOR SMALL PROJECTS IN THE FUTURE, SO NOT NECESSARILY COMMITTING ALL THE FUNDS ON ONE LARGE PROJECT.
BUT RELATED TO THAT QUESTION, I'M WONDERING, NOW THAT WE HAVE SOME GOOD CONCEPT DESIGNS IN PLACE ON THE MARSHALL PARK LYLE SWALES PROJECT.
DO WE HAVE A PROJECTION ON WHAT THAT PROJECT WILL ACTUALLY COST TO IMPLEMENT AND HOW THOSE FUNDS WILL BE COVERED BY THE TOWNSHIP? YES.
I DO, NOT WITH ME, BUT I DO HAVE THE FULL KIND OF QUOTE PROPOSAL THAT SPALDING TO DECKER GAVE US.
AND AT LEAST TO THE BROAD STROKES, THE ROAD IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALL COVERED THROUGH THE TOWNSHIP'S LOCAL ROAD PROGRAM IN THAT FUNDING.
THE BIOSWALE INITIATIVE WAS ONLY POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF THE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY FUNDING THAT WE HAVE KIND OF IN A SEPARATE BUCKET FOR PROJECTS LIKE THAT.
SO THAT'S WHAT ALLOWS US TO ENHANCE A PROJECT LIKE THAT THAT WOULD HAVE ORDINARILY AND OTHERWISE BEEN COVERED ENTIRELY BY ROAD FUNDS.
BUT THAT'S WHERE THE LION'S SHARE OF THAT WHOLE, THEY'RE REDOING ALL THE ROADS IN THAT MARSHALL PARK AREA, AND THAT'S THE BULK OF THAT'S COMING OUT OF THE ROAD PROGRAM.
SO THEN IS IT SAFE TO CONCLUDE FROM THAT THAT THE BIOSWALE PROJECT WILL NOT PUT ANY ADDITIONAL PRESSURE ON THE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY FUND? I CAN'T SAY FOR SURE.
I THINK THIS, WHAT WE'VE INITIALLY PUT IN, I BELIEVE COVERED ALL OF THE INITIAL KIND OF SURVEYING THEY HAD TO DO KIND OF THE MODEL CREATION, WHEN THEY START IMPLEMENTING SOME OF THIS, WE'D HAVE TO LOOK INTO THAT AGAIN.
BUT THERE'S A POTENTIAL THAT SOME OF THAT COULD AGAIN JUST BE UTILIZED WITH THE ROAD FUNDING.
SO DID I HEAR, SO CAN WE SET WHAT'S THE DEADLINE THEN FOR THE IDEAS AND WHICH MEETING WE'RE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING THEN? YEAH, LET'S SHOOT FOR AUGUST.
TRY TO GET THE REST OF THE PROPOSALS THIS SUMMER AND TRY TO LOOK AT ALL THAT THERE.
SO CAN WE, CAN YOU LET US KNOW WHAT THE DEADLINE IS FOR ACTUAL IDEAS THEN IN CASE? I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT TALKING IN LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH EMMA ABOUT ANY OTHER WETLAND EDUCATION POTENTIAL PROJECTS OR ANYTHING.
WE'D PROBABLY SHOOT FOR, I THOUGHT I SAW A HAND UP, PROBABLY SHOOT FOR JULY THEN, AT LEAST TO KIND OF GET THE ROUGH IDEAS TOGETHER AND THEN WE CAN KIND OF CONSOLIDATE THOSE INTO SOME REAL NUMBERS BY AUGUST.
I WOULD THINK IF WE WANTED TO GET IT ON THE AGENDA
[01:20:01]
FOR THE JULY MEETING, THEN THERE SHOULD BE A DEADLINE.WE COULD, IN ADVANCE OF THAT, IN ORDER TO GET IDEAS THAT CAN BE PLACED ON THE AGENDA.
I THINK JULY 15TH OR SOMETHING, WILL THAT WORK? OR? YEAH.
AND TOWARDS THE END OF JUNE, I THINK.
WE HAVE A SAME FOR THE AUGUST MEETING.
CAN I ASK A QUICK QUESTION? JACK, MAYBE YOU SAID IT AND I MISSED IT, BUT IT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION WHEN YOU SAID THERE MIGHT, WE MIGHT NEED ADDITIONAL FUNDING FROM THE SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM FOR THE BIOSWALES PROGRAM OR PROJECT.
DO WE HAVE A TIMELINE FOR WHEN WE'LL KNOW THAT, ONE WAY OR THE OTHER? I KNOW THAT THE INITIAL TIMELINE THEY GAVE US, THEY EXPECTED TO HAVE ALL THE SURVEYING DONE BY NOW, SO I THINK THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT OVER THE INITIAL PROJECTIONS RIGHT NOW.
I THINK THEY WERE KIND OF DIGESTING SOME OF THE FEEDBACK WE GAVE THEM AND THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO GIVE US KIND OF AN UPDATED TIMELINE THERE.
BUT I CAN REACH OUT ON THAT AND I CAN HAVE A LITTLE MORE DETAILED SUMMARY OF KIND OF HOW THE PROJECT'S GOING FOR OUR NEXT MEETING HERE.
AND KIND OF WHAT THAT NEW TIMELINE'S LOOKING LIKE.
I KNOW IT DID GET PUSHED BACK A BIT.
BUT SOME OF THE, WE HAD BIGGER IDEAS THAN THEY HAD LOOKING AT THAT PARK.
WAS IT MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE MIGHT BE SOME FUNDS FROM THE PARK COMMISSION, PARKS AND RECREATION BUDGET, TO UNCOVER SOME IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PARK OR NOT? POSSIBLY, NOT THAT I KNOW OF FOR SURE.
SO I JUST WANT TO REVISIT THE DEADLINE.
SO DO WE SAY WE NEED TO KNOW BEFORE THE JULY MEETING OF THE PROPOSAL IDEAS OR IS IT OKAY FOR JULY 15TH, THE MIDDLE OF JULY TO GET ALL THE PROPOSAL IDEAS? IS THAT OKAY? YEAH.
AND THEN I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION FOR TRUSTEE LENTZ.
WHEN DOES THE TOWNSHIP TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR? SO IS THERE POTENTIAL TO GET ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY FUNDS FOR NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET? HOW DOES THAT WHOLE PROCESS WORK? YEAH.
SO LAST YEAR WAS THE FIRST IN A NEW SYSTEM, WHICH I THINK HAS BEEN A LOT MORE EFFECTIVE.
FOR ANYONE WHO'S CURIOUS, YOU CAN WATCH OUR AUDIT PRESENTATION LAST NIGHT.
FIRST YEAR, AND AS LONG AS ANYONE CAN REMEMBER, NO NOTES ON THE TOWNSHIP BUDGET FROM AN AUDITORY PERSPECTIVE.
SO SHOUT OUT TO THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
BUT TO DIRECTLY ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE TOWNSHIP BOARD.
I WOULD IMAGINE, ACTUALLY, I'M GLAD YOU ASKED BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT WAS ACTUALLY GOING TO GET BROUGHT UP LAST NIGHT AND IT WAS NOT ON OUR AGENDA.
BUT YOU CAN ANTICIPATE A SPECIAL MEETING IN LATE JUNE THROUGH MAYBE MID-JULY.
THAT WOULD BE TAKING PLACE FOR ABOUT A HALF HOUR BEFORE ONE OF OUR NORMALLY SCHEDULED MEETINGS FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO WATCH THAT PROCEDURE.
AND THAT IS WHERE WE WILL TALK ABOUT SOME OF THESE TOWNSHIP GOALS AND, THEREFORE, HOW THE BUDGET GOES TOWARDS AFFECTING THOSE GOALS.
AND THEN THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A SECOND PART THAT I MISSED OF THAT.
WELL, I'M JUST WONDERING, I DON'T KNOW HOW IT'S WORKED IN THE PAST.
HOW DOES THIS CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY FUNDING COME UP IN THE TOWNSHIP BUDGET? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT THE COMMISSION SHOULD BRING FORWARD SOME IDEAS? OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S JUST KIND OF THE TOWNSHIP? SO MY UNDERSTANDING, AND MR. MCCONNELL MIGHT BE ABLE TO GIVE ME SOME PERSPECTIVE FROM BEFORE I WAS ELECTED, BUT I BELIEVE IT WAS ORIGINALLY $30,000, WHICH WAS PUT ON THE BUDGET FIVE OR SIX YEARS AGO AT THE BEHEST OF ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS WHO WAS NO LONGER ON.
AND THAT WAS CUT LAST YEAR, AS WITH MANY OTHER PROGRAMS. WE CUT ABOUT $1.2 MILLION FROM THE OVERALL TOWNSHIP BUDGET.
SO THAT WAS JUST AN AREA, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING WHERE THE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM FUNDING WASN'T FULLY UTILIZED IN PAST YEARS, THAT IT WAS, YOU KNOW, AN EASY POT TO MAKE A CUT.
AND CONSIDERING WE, YOU KNOW, IN SOME CASES HAD TO LET SOME STAFF GO BECAUSE PROGRAMS WERE ENDING AND CONSOLIDATING WORK, SO THAT'S WHERE THAT CAME FROM.
[01:25:01]
OF SEVEN BOARD MEMBERS, I CAN SAY THAT I THINK IF THERE ARE NOVEL AND GOOD USES OF TOWNSHIP FUNDS THAT A PROGRAM COULD, YOU KNOW, BENEFIT FROM, WE WILL ABSOLUTELY BE OPEN TO HEARING ABOUT IT.WEIGHING THOSE AGAINST A LOT OF THE OTHER CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE.
IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE FACTORED IN AS WE WORK WITH TIM, DEMPSEY, THE MANAGER, AND THEN THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT ON WHERE EXACTLY ALL THOSE FUNDS END UP GOING.
SO, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN TAKING NOTES DURING THIS DISCUSSION.
AND, YOU KNOW, IF IT DOES COME TO A HEAD WHERE A PROGRAM DOES WANT TO MAYBE BE PROPOSED BY THIS COMMISSION, YOU KNOW, I'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE IT TO OTHER BOARD MEMBERS TO DISCUSS FURTHER.
I WAS JUST THINKING THAT NOW THAT WE ARE STARTING TO, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT MAYBE DOING SOME BIGGER PROJECTS, IT SOUNDS LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A GREATER CHANCE POTENTIALLY OF USING THE REMAINING 25,000 IN THE, YOU KNOW, IN THE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY FUNDING RIGHT NOW.
SO THEN THAT WOULD MEAN THAT THERE WOULDN'T BE FUNDING FOR NEXT YEAR UNLESS WE GET IT INTO THE TOWNSHIP BUDGET, RIGHT? SO THAT'S, I JUST DIDN'T KNOW HOW THAT PROCESS WORKS THEN.
SO, YEAH, I THINK IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A TIMELINE OF DECISIONS BY THIS GROUP BEING MADE BY AUGUST, IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE TIGHT TO TURN AROUND WHEN THE TOWNSHIP WOULD BE VOTING ON THE FULL BUDGET, OR TOWNSHIP BOARD VOTING ON THE FULL BUDGET.
SO I, CANDIDLY, I DON'T KNOW NECESSARILY IF NEXT YEAR WOULD BE THE YEAR TO, UNLESS WE ALL WANT TO STAY HERE FOR MANY HOURS AND MAKE JACK TYPE UP, NO, TONIGHT.
SO I THINK MAYBE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A PLAN WITH PUBLIC WORKS, THE PARKS, AND JUST THE APPARATUS OF STAFF AS TO HOW TO BEST TACKLE THIS.
I WOULD RECOMMEND YOU ALL AS COMMISSIONERS TO THINK ABOUT THAT, MAYBE PLAN AHEAD FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR'S BUDGET, FISCAL YEAR 28, MY GOODNESS.
BUT I HOPE THAT IS HELPFUL IN THIS EXPLANATION FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH.
YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS TURN TO THE FINANCE AND TIM DEMPSEY IN GENERAL TO ASK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ARE THERE FUNDS THAT ARE SET ASIDE SPECIFICALLY FOR CERTAIN PROJECTS? YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE, AS YOU KNOW, PARKS, LAND PRESERVATION, MILLAGES THAT PAY FOR CERTAIN PROJECTS.
SO, YOU KNOW, IF THERE ARE AVENUES OF FUNDING, I KNOW THAT EVERY AVENUE WILL BE EXPLORED IF THE TOWNSHIP BOARD EXPRESSES INTEREST IN THAT.
SO IT'S NOT A STANDING THING THAT THEN THEY DISCUSS WHETHER TO KEEP OR CUT? DO YOU KNOW? I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW IT GETS ONTO THE BUDGET TO BEGIN WITH.
THAT'S THE PART I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT.
SO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I WAS NOT A PART OF THAT AT THE TIME.
BILL, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE CONTEXT BEYOND WHAT I'VE SPOKEN TO, BUT I BELIEVE IT WAS THE FORMER TREASURER EXPRESSING WE SHOULD DO THIS TO HAVE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY PROJECTS IN THE TOWNSHIP WHERE MEMBERS OF THE TOWNSHIP CAN PROPOSE PROJECTS.
AND, THEREFORE, THE GREEN GRANTS AND CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PROJECTS CAME TO BE.
AND BECAUSE THAT WAS AN EXPRESSED DESIRE FROM THAT BOARD MEMBER, IT WAS A CONTINUED PROJECT ON THE BUDGET, ONLY REDUCED AGAIN BECAUSE IT WASN'T FULLY UTILIZED.
SO DO YOU HAVE ANY CONTEXT BEYOND THAT? ONLY TO KIND OF GET FROM MOST ORGANIZATIONS LIKE OUR BOARD, LAST YEAR THE BUDGET WAS YOUR STARTING DISCUSSION.
AND SO IT'S KIND OF IN THERE AS A LINE ITEM.
THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO KNOW, LIKE, IS IT ALREADY IN AS A LINE ITEM? AND THEN THEY DECIDE WHETHER TO FUND IT OR CUT IT, WHICH IS FINE, OR WHETHER WE HAVE TO GET IT INTO THE BUDGET, YOU KNOW? AND THAT'S WHAT I DIDN'T KNOW.
SPEAKING MAYBE MORE CANDIDLY THAN I SHOULD, BUT THIS IS A LONG MEETING ALREADY.
SO I CAN'T IMAGINE MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS CONSIDERING WHERE WE ARE IN THE WORLD, MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AND OUR ENVIRONMENTAL FOCUS, HAVE ANY INTEREST IN CUTTING IT.
SO IT WILL, YOU KNOW, ELIMINATING THIS FUND.
SO I WOULD IMAGINE IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE AT LEAST SOME, ON THE BUDGET IN SOME FORM OR ANOTHER.
ANYTHING I'M HAPPY TO KEEP STANDING OR SOMETHING?
[01:30:03]
THAT QUESTION HAS BEEN, LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, BEEN CIRCLING THE DRAIN FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND I NEVER FIGURED IT OUT.SO CAN I KIND OF PIGGYBACK ON THAT IF I COULD? AND SO JUST TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT.
SO WE REALLY HAVE TWO FUNDS IS MY UNDERSTANDING.
THE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY FUND.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE ONE YOU'RE SUGGESTING BECAUSE OF OUR DEADLINE IN AUGUST TO FOCUS ON THE NEXT BUDGET CYCLE.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE THE GREEN GRANTS PROGRAM AND THAT FUNDING WAS ACTUALLY CUT THIS YEAR.
AND WE DID HAVE MORE REQUESTS THAN WE HAD FUNDING FOR.
SO I GUESS, NOT TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, BUT IF I COULD MAKE A PUBLIC PLEA FOR THE TOWNSHIP BOARD TO CONSIDER RESTORING FULL FUNDING FOR THE GREEN GRANT PROGRAM.
BECAUSE UNLIKE PAST YEARS WHERE WE DIDN'T HAVE MORE REQUESTS THAN THE FUNDING AVAILABLE, THIS PAST YEAR WE DID.
AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE TO FUND SOME OF THOSE OTHER PROJECTS AT THE FULL REQUEST.
SO I THINK IT WAS CUT 5,000 THIS YEAR, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
SO, YEAH, IF THERE'S ANY WAY TO RESTORE THAT TO THE FULL 20,000 AS OPPOSED TO 15,000, THAT WOULD BE AWESOME.
I APPRECIATE THE SUGGESTION AND I IMAGINE IT WILL BE A PART OF OUR MINUTES AND I WILL BRING IT UP WITH OTHER BOARD MEMBERS TO EXAMINE FURTHER.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY FUNDING OR GREEN GRANT FUNDING OR ANYTHING YOU WANT TO PUT TRUSTEE LANCE ON THAT HOT SEAT ABOUT? LUCKILY, I KNOW THE ENTIRE BUDGET, EVERY LINE OF THAT.
I HAVE LIKE 245 PAGES, SO I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
[11. REPORTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS ]
DO WE HAVE ANYTHING UNDER HERE? NO? OKAY.THEN REPORTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS STARTING WITH STAFF.
SO, ACTUALLY KIND OF A NICE SEGUE THERE TO JUST TOUCH ON OUR GREEN GRANT PROGRAM FOR THIS YEAR.
LIKE TOM HAD MENTIONED, THIS WAS A $20,000 PROGRAM LAST YEAR.
IT WAS CUT DOWN TO $15,000 FOR THIS YEAR.
WE HAD SIX APPLICANTS AND THE COMMITTEE MET AND SUBCOMMITTEE MET TO FURTHER DECIDE ON HOW TO ALLOT THAT.
AND THIS IS THE FINAL RESULT HERE OF WHAT WAS REQUESTED AND WHAT WAS AVAILABLE AND WHAT WAS THE FINAL AWARDING FOR EACH OF THESE PROJECTS.
IT GOES TO SHOW THAT THERE IS GREAT COMMUNITY INTEREST IN THIS PROGRAM.
WE HOPE TO CONTINUE OFFERING IT EVERY YEAR.
WE HOPE TO CONTINUE EXPANDING THE NUMBER OF APPLICANTS WE DO HAVE.
WE HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE FOR NEXT YEAR TO CREATE LIKE A MAILING LIST OF ALL PREVIOUS CANDIDATES, ALL PREVIOUS APPLICANTS, AND TO ALERT THEM EARLY IN THE YEAR WHEN THIS PROGRAM STARTS UP AGAIN IN 2027 TO HOPEFULLY START TO ATTRACT, SAY, DOZENS OF APPLICATIONS PER YEAR.
WE'VE BEEN SPOILED IN YEARS BEFORE WHERE WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO FULLY FUND A LOT OF THESE PROJECTS WITH THE GENEROUS BUDGET WE'VE HAD TO WORK WITH.
THIS WAS, AS TOM MENTIONED, THE FIRST YEAR WE'VE HAD TO BE A BIT MORE JUDICIOUS, AND WE BELIEVE IT'S IN THE GOOD SPIRIT OF THE PROGRAM TO CONTINUE THAT TREND AND TO CONTINUE INCENTIVIZING GOOD APPLICATIONS, STRONG APPLICATIONS, ONES THAT BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
SO JUST A QUICK TOUCH ON THAT TO KIND OF REFRESH ON WHERE WE'RE AT, WHERE WE'RE GOING.
THE FIRST PROCESSED PAYMENTS FOR THESE WILL BE GOING OUT AFTER THE 16TH BOARD MEETING, SO IT'LL BE THAT WEEK.
SO ABOUT TWO, THREE WEEKS FROM NOW, THE FIRST PAYMENTS WILL GO OUT, AND THEN LATER IN THE SUMMER, LATER IN THE YEAR, WE'LL BE IN TOUCH WITH EACH OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS TO BE LOOKING AT THEIR PROGRESS REPORTS.
AND ONCE THEY HAVE COMPLETED THEIR PROJECTS, THEY WILL GET THE SECOND HALF OF THEIR FUNDING, AND THEN WE WILL TRY TO INVITE THEM IN TO COME AND SHARE WITH US THE SUCCESSES THEY'VE HAD, THE THINGS THEY'VE LEARNED FOR OTHER PROGRAMS, APPLICANTS IN THE FUTURE, AND JUST AS A GOOD SHOWCASE OF, YOU KNOW, KIND OF WHAT THIS PROGRAM IS DOING.
AND BY DOING SO, THAT GIVES US A LOT OF WEIGHT WHEN WE ASK THE BOARD TO RECONSIDER OUR, YOU KNOW,
[01:35:03]
WHAT THAT BUDGET WILL LOOK LIKE FOR 2027 AND YEARS FORWARD.YOU KNOW, THIS IS GOOD SHOWING THAT WE'RE BEING GOOD STEWARDS WITH THIS FUNDING AND HAVING PROPORTIONATE IMPACTS ON OUR COMMUNITY THERE.
I'LL CONTINUE TO UPDATE US AS I GET UPDATES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
AND THEN THE OTHER NOTE I'VE GOT FROM STAFF HERE IS MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP ONCE AGAIN APPLIED FOR THE MICHIGAN GREEN COMMUNITIES PROGRAM.
IF YOU'RE UNFAMILIAR, THIS IS JUST A BIG ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS FOCUSED INITIATIVE ACROSS THE STATE OF MICHIGAN TO HELP FOSTER ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS AND PROMOTE KIND OF GREEN PROGRAMS AND IDEAS WITHIN MICHIGAN COMMUNITIES.
IT'S FREE TO ENTRY FOR MUNICIPALITIES, TOWNS, VILLAGES, CITIES TO ENTER, AND IT JUST INCREASES AWARENESS AND TRIES TO CREATE LIKE A KIND OF A MORE ALIGNED COMMUNITY ON A LOT OF THESE GOALS AND ACTION ITEMS. SO MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP APPLIED FOR THIS LAST YEAR AND WE WERE AWARDED THE GOLD STANDARD, THE BRONZE, SILVER, GOLD, AND THEN PLATINUM.
TWO CITIES MANAGED TO ACHIEVE PLATINUM LAST YEAR, ANN ARBOR, WHICH IS THE PRIZE TO NOBODY, AND GRAND RAPIDS.
AND THEN AS OF LAST YEAR, MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP WAS AWARDED THE GOLD STANDARD.
THAT PUTS US IN HERE, DOWN AT THE BOTTOM HERE.
AND THEN SOME OTHER COMMUNITIES HERE MANAGED TO ACHIEVE SILVER AND BRONZE.
THIS IS LOOKING AT LIKE IT'S A VERY BROAD APPLICATION.
IT COVERS 120-SOME ACTION ITEMS THAT THE TOWNSHIP IS ENGAGED IN, COVERING MANY DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF WHAT A GREEN COMMUNITY WOULD LOOK LIKE.
IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO CHECK OUT THEIR WEBSITE, KIND OF A LITTLE BIT MORE WHAT THEY DO.
THE NOTE WE HAVE FOR US THIS YEAR IS WE HAVE REAPPLIED FOR THIS AWARD FOR 2025.
SORRY, THESE ARE THE LISTS FOR 2024.
THEY'RE NOW JUDGING THE APPLICANTS FOR 2025, WHICH WE HOPE TO BE ONCE AGAIN GOLD.
AND WE DID A LITTLE MORE, I DID A LITTLE MORE LEGWORK WITH SOME OF OUR DEPARTMENT THIS YEAR, AND WE TRIED TO ATTACH A FEW MORE THINGS IN OUR APPLICATION THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BUMP US UP A TIER INTO PLATINUM.
BUT WE DO EXPECT TO AT LEAST ACHIEVE THE GOLD STATUS AGAIN THIS YEAR.
GOOD JOB, MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, ON BEING A GREEN COMMUNITY.
AND THAT IS ALL I HAVE FOR STAFF ANNOUNCEMENTS.
SO FOR THE NEW MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION, YOU'LL SEE IN THE MINUTES THAT A COUPLE OF US WERE RECUSED FROM THE DISCUSSION OF THE GREEN GRANTS PROGRAM AT THE LAST MEETING BECAUSE WE'RE MEMBERS OF THE APPLICANTS.
THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION AT THE, REFLECTED IN THE MINUTES ABOUT PUBLIC ACCESS TO THE PROJECTS.
AND I'M JUST, IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE SOME CLARIFICATION ON HOW THAT'S BEING HANDLED IN THE AWARD PROCESS.
SO THE IDEA OF THE GREEN GRANT PROGRAM IS TO FOSTER GREEN INITIATIVES, CONSERVATION INITIATIVES THROUGHOUT THE TOWNSHIP.
IT IS TYPICALLY TAKEN ON BY NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, OCCASIONALLY SCHOOLS, OCCASIONALLY ALSO HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS.
AND WHEN THEY, WHEN THE PROJECTS ARE TAKEN ON BY HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS, THE TOWNSHIP JUST ASKS THAT HOW MUCH OF THIS PROJECT WILL BE, WILL BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
AND FOR EXAMPLE, IF A PROJECT IS HAPPENING SPECIFICALLY ON THE GROUNDS OF AN HOA OR A NEIGHBORHOOD, WE'D JUST LIKE TO CLARIFY THAT THIS WILL BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY.
DOES THE PUBLIC HAVE ACCESS TO THESE AREAS? AND, YOU KNOW, IS THERE SIGNAGE THAT ENCOURAGES THIS OR DISCOURAGES THIS? AND WE HIGHLY ENCOURAGE THESE APPLICANTS TO MAKE THEIR PROJECTS AS PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE OR AS COMMUNITY BENEFITING AS POSSIBLE.
ANOTHER NOTE I SHOULD MENTION IN OUR PLAN FOR NEXT YEAR IS TO COME UP WITH A SCORING RUBRIC TO TAKE OUT SOME OF THE AMBIGUITY IN THE JUDGING PROCESS THERE AND ACTUALLY HAVE SOME JUST CONCRETE NUMBERS WE CAN LOOK AT AND WE CAN EVALUATE AND SCORE SOME OF THESE PROJECTS BASED ON, FOR EXAMPLE, CATEGORY BEING, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY IMPACT, PUBLIC EDUCATION, OUTREACH.
AND WE COULD WEIGHT THAT CATEGORY, YOU KNOW, APPROPRIATELY TO ENCOURAGE OR INCENTIVIZE PROJECTS THAT BENEFIT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY
[01:40:02]
AND NOT JUST ONE SMALL SEGMENT OF THE COMMUNITY.DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? OKAY.
I CAN ALSO REPORT ON THE PLAN OF COMMISSION.
AT LEAST YOU GUYS WANT TO SWITCH.
I WILL BE UP IN JUST ONE MOMENT.
CAN I MAKE A BRIEF COMMENT WHILE HE'S GETTING READY.
I JUST WANT TO THANK JACK AS TOWNSHIP STAFF FOR SUBMITTING THE GREEN COMMUNITIES CHALLENGE APPLICATION THIS YEAR.
IT'S A PROGRAM THAT'S KIND OF DEAR TO MY HEART BECAUSE WHEN I WAS WITH THE MICHIGAN TOWNSHIPS ASSOCIATION, I WAS VERY INVOLVED IN PROMOTING THAT PROGRAM WITH OUR MEMBER TOWNSHIPS.
SO, JACK, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR GETTING THAT DONE, AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL AT LEAST GET GOLD, IF NOT HIGHER THIS YEAR.
THANK YOU FOR FILLING THE TIME, TOM.
BECAUSE OF THE MAY ELECTION THIS YEAR, THE TOWNSHIP BOARD MEETING TOOK PLACE AFTER THIS MEETING.
NORMALLY, I SEE YOU GUYS A DAY AFTER I INTERACT WITH THE TOWNSHIP BOARD.
SO, THREE MEETINGS HAVE TAKEN PLACE.
HEARD A GREAT PRESENTATION FROM THE MERIDIAN GARDEN CLUB.
THEY DO A LOT OF BEAUTIFICATION PROJECTS IN THE TOWNSHIP.
I KNOW THAT THIS GROUP HAS HEARD FROM THEM IN THE PAST AND, YOU KNOW, GIVE THEM A LOT OF PROPS FOR THEIR WORK.
AS FAR AS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, I THINK IT IS NOTABLE TO LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT LAST NIGHT WE FINISHED IMPLIES THAT THE WHOLE PROJECT IS DONE.
WE HAVE CONTINUED UPDATING OUR PARKING ORDINANCE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
SO, THIS HAS BEEN A YEARS-LONG PROJECT WITH PLANNING COMMISSION WORK, SEEING THIS FIRST.
BUT, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE IT A VERY BROAD STATEMENT, MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP HAS MORE PARKING THAN IT NEEDS, AND THE WAYS IN WHICH THAT THE ENVIRONMENT AROUND PARKING HAS BEEN REGULATED IN A WAY THAT IS NOT NECESSARILY IN LINE WITH THE WATER AND SOIL NEEDS OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
SO, THAT WAS MOST RECENTLY UPDATED.
I BELIEVE, BILL, THERE ARE STILL A COUPLE MORE UPDATES THAT WILL BE COMING OVER THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO, BUT I CAN'T SAY EXACTLY WHAT THOSE ARE.
THE BIGGEST ONE IS REDUCTION IN PARKING MINIMUMS FOR STORES.
THAT MEANS LESS IMPERVIOUS SERVICES.
THAT WAS PASSED MONTHS AND MONTHS AGO, BUT THE CONTINUED WORK OF ENCOURAGING BIOSWALES, NATURAL USING NATIVE PLANTINGS FOR THE AREAS IN OUR PARKING GOES A LONG WAY CONSIDERING THE AMOUNT OF IMPERVIOUS SURFACES IN OUR AREA.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE APPOINTED THREE NEW BOARD MEMBERS WHO ARE ALL HERE.
THAT IS, WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU ALL JOIN.
AND THEN, NOT DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, WE HAVE A MERIDIAN PRIDE THIS SATURDAY.
I WOULD RECOMMEND ANY AND ALL COME TO THE MARKETPLACE ON THE GREEN.
AND IT SHOULD BE A LOT OF FUN, MUSICAL PERFORMANCES, YOU KNOW, VENDORS, THINGS OF THAT SORT.
AND THEN, ON THAT SAME NOTE OF, SORRY, LET ME PULL UP MY CALENDAR, OF UPCOMING FESTIVITIES, THE JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION IS NEXT FRIDAY, THE 12TH, AT 4 P.M.
THAT, I BELIEVE, IS IN THE PARK HERE, BUT THAT IS ON THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP WEBSITE.
AND THEN, CELEBRATE MERIDIAN, WHICH IS THE ONE THAT IS JUST US.
BUT THAT IS ON JULY 25TH THIS YEAR, WHICH IS MOVING BACK
[01:45:01]
IN THE CALENDAR SLIGHTLY.NORMALLY, IT'S RIGHT AROUND 4TH OF JULY THIS YEAR.
IT GOT MOVED BACK FOR, I MEAN, IT'S A LARGE EVENT, SO I CAN'T SAY EXACTLY FOR WHAT REASON, BUT YOU CAN LOOK FORWARD TO THAT AS WELL.
OTHER THAN THAT, IT WAS, I WAS OUT OF TOWN FOR A MEETING, AND IT ENDED UP BEING THE SHORTEST MEETING THAT ANYONE COULD REMEMBER TWO WEEKS AGO, SO I WAS SAD TO HAVE MISSED THAT ONE.
THERE ISN'T A TON RELATED TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION BEFORE THE TOWNSHIP BOARD RIGHT NOW.
OUTSIDE OF THE UPDATES, I'VE GIVEN YOU IN THE MONTHS PAST, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN ON THE COMMISSION FOR A WHILE.
SO, HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, SO.
I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE PARKING THING, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S MAYBE FOR YOU OR MAYBE FOR BILL FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
SO, THE PARKING ORDINANCE IS ONLY FOR, LIKE, NEW CONSTRUCTION OR NEW PARKING TO REDUCE THE PARKING, OR DOES IT ALSO INCLUDE TRYING TO, LIKE, REMOVE OR REDUCE SOME EXISTING PARKING LOTS? SO, ALL NEW CONSTRUCTION WOULD HAVE TO FOLLOW, AND MY UNDERSTANDING FROM REMEMBERING THE TEXT OF THE LANGUAGE IS, YOU KNOW, AS BUSINESSES IN PARTICULAR WILL NEED TO UPDATE PARKING OR REPAVE.
YOU KNOW, THIS GIVES THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO POTENTIALLY REPAVE LESS AND, YOU KNOW, CHANGE SOME OF THOSE LESS ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY AREAS OF THEIR PARKING INTO, I MEAN, THE BATH MIRE IS MY EXAMPLE, BECAUSE THAT'S MY MIRE.
YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE A LITTLE BIOSWALE RIGHT THERE IN THE PARKING LOT, SO IT ENCOURAGES A LOT OF THAT.
BUT SPECIFICALLY TALKED ABOUT UPDATING BICYCLE PARKING REGULATIONS, WHICH I THINK ARE IMPORTANT, AND THEN REGULATIONS WERE CREATED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN DISAPPROVAL FOR EV STATIONS.
SO, THOSE WOULD ALL BE, OBVIOUSLY, NEW PROJECTS AS WELL.
AND BILL, I'D ASK IF I HIT THAT ON THE HEAD VERY QUICKLY.
SO, CAN'T COMPEL EXISTING BUSINESSES TO RETROFIT ENTIRELY, BUT NATURALLY THINGS WILL NEED TO BE UPDATED, AND THAT'S WHERE THIS WOULD COME INTO PLAY.
YEAH, THE PARKING ISSUE CONTINUES TO CONFOUND THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
IT'S EASY TO THINK ABOUT THE MALL PARKING LOT OR YOUR AVERAGE STRIP MALL OR AN APARTMENT BUILDING, BUT THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER EXAMPLES OUT THERE.
THINK ABOUT THE BANK THAT'S IN THE HOBBY LOBBY PARKING LOT.
AND THERE'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER THINGS.
AND A LOT OF THE ORIGINAL PARKING ORDINANCE HISTORICALLY WAS WRITTEN TO ENSURE THAT IF I HAVE ONE BUSINESS IN A SHARED PARKING AREA, THERE'S ENOUGH SPACES FOR MY CUSTOMERS.
AND AN ADJOINING BUSINESS CAN'T JUST BUILD OUT THEIR WHOLE PARCEL AND HAVE ALL THEIR CUSTOMERS PARKING IN FRONT OF MY STORE.
WE'RE NOT REALLY BUILDING STRIP MALLS MUCH ANYMORE.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE OLD WHEAT JEWELER GOING TO A PANDA EXPRESS, THEY'RE GOING TO BUILD AS MUCH PARKING AS THEIR CORPORATE MODEL TELLS THEM THAT THEY SHOULD BUILD FOR THAT MANY SEATS.
IT'S VERY RARE FOR A DEVELOPER TO COME ALONG AND SAY, I'D LIKE MORE PARKING.
AND EVERYBODY SAID, WELL, OF COURSE.
THERE HAVE BEEN SOME EXPANSIONS, SUCH AS THE CHURCH THAT'S JUST ABOVE THE ROUNDABOUT ON HAMILTON AND MARSH.
THEY EXPANDED THAT PARKING LOT SIGNIFICANTLY, AND THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER MADE THEM HOLD ALL THAT WATER ON THEIR SITE FOR A LONG TIME.
SO A LOT OF THE CONCERNS ABOUT STORMWATER RUNOFF REALLY ARE HANDLED BY THE COUNTY DRAIN COMMISSIONER, WHO HAS THE POWER OF...
SO CONVINCING BUSINESSES THAT THEY SHOULD BUILD FEWER PARKING SPACES THAN THEIR CORPORATE MODEL SUGGESTS IS A TRICK.
BUT WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT NEW CONSTRUCTION OR REDEVELOPMENT OF THE SITE.
THERE IS NO MECHANISM BY WHICH SOMEBODY GOES OUT AND SAYS, YOU'VE GOT SOME.
UNLESS THEY PUT A CHRISTMAS TREE IN YOUR LOT.
ALSO ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S AGENDA, I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ANYTHING REALLY SOLID.
[01:50:01]
I'LL TAKE A LIGHT SUMMER.ALL DRIVE-THROUGHS, REGARDLESS OF THE USE, REQUIRE A SPECIAL USE PERMIT.
SO THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE OLD CHICAGO SITE INTO A DRIVE-THROUGH.
HUNTINGTON BANK IS ONE THAT WE LOOKED AT, AND WE LOOK AT TRAFFIC CONCERNS AND RUNOFF CONCERNS AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
BUT YOU'LL SEE THAT HAPPENING.
THERE'S ANOTHER ONE PROPOSED, WHICH IS A TALL BOYS, NEW TALL BOYS LOCATION.
THEY HAVE A COUPLE OF OTHERS IN THE REGION.
AND IT WOULD GO ON GRAND RIVER ACROSS THE STREET FROM TOM'S, NEXT TO THE MEDICAL PRACTICE WHERE THE OLD PANERA'S WAS, AND IS NOW THE ALTUZ SECOND LOCATION.
THAT WILL BE AN INTERESTING ONE.
SO EVERYTHING THEY DO THAT AFFECTS M22 HAS GOT TO GO THROUGH THE STATE DOT.
AND, YOU KNOW, IF THEY SAY, YEP, YOU CAN DO THAT, AND THE DRIVEWAY GOES LIKE THIS, THEN THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO BUILD.
THERE WILL BE AN ACTUAL TURNOUT LANE, SO YOU'RE NOT BLOCKING MARSH ROAD TRYING TO GET IN AND OUT OF THEIR PARKING.
WE'RE GETTING INTO THEIR PARKING.
WE WERE BLESSED TO HAVE EMMA CAMPBELL JOIN US TO EXPLAIN A LAND ACQUISITION THAT THE TOWNSHIP WAS CONSIDERING ON HAMILTON ROAD.
IT'S JUST A PARCEL, A LITTLE PARCEL ADJACENT TO AN ALREADY EXISTING LAND PRESERVE WHOSE NAME IS GOING TO ESCAPE ME, BUT IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND OUR DEER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM AND SOME OTHER INVASIVE CONTROL AND THINGS.
AND SO SHE WAS JUST SEEKING REALLY THE ADVICE OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION ON THAT ONE.
AND THEN WE'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT POTENTIALLY UPDATING OUR ORDINANCES TO ENCOURAGE.
WE ARE UPDATING OUR ORDINANCE TO ENCOURAGE THE USE OF MASS TIMBER IN CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, ALONG WITH A WHOLE OTHER SET OF AMENITIES THAT WE OFFER INCENTIVES FOR, LIKE GREEN ROOFS OR SOLAR PANELS OR ALL SORTS OF OTHER ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY ASPECTS.
SO ADDING MASS TIMBER, WHICH EAST LANSING RECENTLY DID, AND IF YOU HAVEN'T DONE IN THE STEM BUILDING ON CAMPUS, CHECK IT OUT.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT PLANNING COMMISSION.
LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD, WE DID NOT MEET IN MAY, AND SO I DON'T HAVE ANY UPDATES FOR THAT.
WE SHOULD BE MEETING NEXT WEDNESDAY, SO I'LL UPDATE THE NEXT COMMISSION MEETING THEN.
BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY? YEAH.
THE BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY KIND OF MEETS AS NEEDED.
SO THERE WAS NOT A MEETING IN APRIL, BUT THERE WAS A MEETING IN MAY.
THE PRIMARY THING ON THE AGENDA WAS THE HAZLITT VILLAGE SQUARE PROJECT, AND THERE'S A BROWNFIELD PLAN FOR THAT PROJECT, WHICH THE BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY ACTUALLY CAPTURES TAXES, LOCAL TAXES AND SCHOOL OPERATING TAXES, AND THEN REIMBURSES THE DEVELOPER FOR SOME OF THE COST OF POLLUTION CLEANUP AND SITE PLAN OF CONSTRUCTION OR PREPARING THE SITE FOR CONSTRUCTION.
ANYWAY, LONG STORY SHORT, THE BANK THAT IS FINANCING THE PROJECT WANTED AN AMENDED PLAN TO BE APPROVED BY THE BROWNFIELD AUTHORITY, AND SO THAT AMENDED PLAN WAS APPROVED AT OUR MAY MEETING.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, IF YOU'VE GONE BY THE CORNER OF MARSH AND HAZLITT ROAD, THE PROJECT IS UNDERWAY.
AND, YEAH, I THINK THAT'S ABOUT IT.
AS FAR AS I KNOW, THERE WILL BE A MEETING THIS MONTH, AND WE'LL REPORT ON THAT AT THE NEXT ONE.
IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL TRY TO ANSWER THOSE.
SO I WILL REPORT ON THE PARKS COMMISSION FROM MEETING FROM MAY 12TH.
SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE YEAR, THEY BROADCAST THAT MEETING THROUGH HOME TV, SO THE MAY 12TH MEETING WAS ACTUALLY HELD
[01:55:02]
IN THIS ROOM AND TELEVISED.I WAS OUT OF THE COUNTRY, SO I COULDN'T ATTEND THE MEETING IN PERSON, BUT I LISTENED TO THE BROADCAST, SO I'M REPORTING FROM WHAT I LISTENED TO.
SO THE STEWARDSHIP CALENDAR FOR MERIDIAN CONSERVATION CORPS FOCUSED IS EXPECTED FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR ON INVASIVE SPECIES REMOVAL, IN PARTICULAR, A BIG CONCERN WITH LESSER CELANDINE, WHICH IS AN INCREASING PROBLEM IN TED BLACK WOODS, IN ADDITION TO SOME OTHER PARKS AND PRESERVES, AS WELL AS COUNTYWIDE.
THERE'S INCREASED VISIBILITY ABOUT THAT, LOTS OF RESOURCES ONLINE, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN KNOWING ABOUT THAT.
IT'S A SPRING EPHEMERAL THAT GROWS IN WET AREAS, BUT IT'S EXCEEDINGLY DIFFICULT TO REMOVE ONCE IT GETS ESTABLISHED, AND IT HAS AN EXPLOSIVE GROWTH PATTERN.
SO THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS THAT IT CHOKES OUT OTHER EPHEMERALS AND IS NOT A GOOD PLANT TO HAVE IN YOUR PRESERVE.
THEY'VE CONTRACTED WITH AN OUTSIDE SERVICE TO HERBICIDE SPRAY WITHIN TED BLACK WOODS IN ADDITION TO OTHER CONTROL MEASURES.
THE NEXT STEP TO UPDATING THE PARKS AND RECREATION FIVE-YEAR PLAN, THE COMMISSION REVIEWED AND FINALIZED THE PARKS AND PRESERVES COMMUNITY SURVEY, WHICH IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR COMMUNITY INPUT ONLINE.
IF YOU WANT TO FIND THAT SURVEY AND PROVIDE YOUR OWN INPUT, YOU CAN SEARCH FOR MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP PARKS AND RECREATION MASTER PLAN SURVEY.
THEY'RE OBVIOUSLY INTERESTED IN GETTING BROAD INPUT TO THAT, WHICH THEY WILL INCORPORATE INTO THEIR UPDATED MASTER PLAN.
AND AS WE HEARD EARLIER IN THEIR MEETING, THERE ARE THREE.
THEY'RE HOLDING THREE INPUT LISTENING SESSIONS.
THE JULY 9TH SESSION WILL BE IN THE CENTRAL PARK PAVILION.
JULY 30TH WILL BE AT HARRIS NATURE CENTER.
AUGUST 13TH WILL BE AT THE TOWNER ROAD PARK.
THEY WANTED TO CAPTURE NORTH MERIDIAN RESIDENTS BY HOLDING ONE OF THE SESSIONS UP THERE.
THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO ATTEND AND PROVIDE INPUT AND ASK QUESTIONS.
DIRECTOR WAZINSKI ALSO REPORTED THAT INSTALLATION OF THE PLANNED SHELTER FOR THE SMALL DOG PARK IS UNDER CONTRACT AND IS SCHEDULED FOR COMPLETION THIS SUMMER.
THAT WAS A REQUEST PLACED BY SEVERAL USERS OF THE SMALL DOG PARK.
IF THERE'S NO SHELTER, THEY'RE OUT THERE IN INCLEMENT WEATHER.
AND THEY REQUESTED SOME SORT OF A BUS STOP-TYPE SHELTER TO PROTECT THEM FROM WIND AND RAIN DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER.
AND THAT'S GOING IN THIS SUMMER.
THE RED CEDAR REGATTA WAS HELD LAST MONTH ON MAY 16TH.
IT BEGAN AT MCCORMICK PARK IN WILLIAMSTON AND ALSO INCLUDED A RIBBON-CUTTING CEREMONY TO DEDICATE THE RED CEDAR WATER TRAIL.
AND TO PREPARE FOR THAT, I BELIEVE THERE WAS A CLEARING IN THE RED CEDAR RIVER ALL THE WAY FROM WILLIAMSTON TO HAGEDORN ROAD NEAR CAMPUS.
SO YOU CAN PADDLE ALL THE WAY WITHOUT ANY OBSTRUCTION.
HOPEFULLY I HAVEN'T DONE IT MYSELF, BUT I INTEND TO LATER THIS SUMMER.
AS WE'VE HEARD BEFORE, DEMAND FOR VENDOR SPACE AT THE MERIDIAN FARMERS MARKET CONTINUES TO INCREASE TO THE POINT WHERE A REQUEST FOR BOOST EXCEEDS AVAILABLE SPACE AND OUTLETS, ELECTRICAL OUTLETS, TO SERVE THOSE VENDORS.
IN RESPONSE, THE ADVISORY BOARD, WHICH VETS APPLICATIONS FROM PROSPECTIVE VENDORS FOR THE FARMER'S MARKET, HAS A CHALLENGING JOB OF TRYING TO BALANCE VENDOR TYPE AND NUMBER TOGETHER WITH OTHER CONSIDERATIONS TO ACCOMMODATE AS MANY VENDORS AS THEY CAN WITHOUT CREATING A LOT OF DUPLICATION WITHIN THE VENDORS APPEARING AT THE FARMER'S MARKET.
WHILE SUCCESS OF THE FARMER'S MARKET IS GOOD NEWS, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY PLACING PRESSURE ON AVAILABLE SPACE AND INFRASTRUCTURE ON THIS TOWNSHIP FACILITY.
SO AT SOME POINT THERE WILL HAVE TO BE SOME ACCOMMODATIONS FOR THAT.
AND THEN FINALLY, DIRECTOR WYSZYNSKI ALSO REPORTED ON SOME ISSUES RELATED TO RECENT DRAIN COMMISSION WORK CLEARING A SECTION OF THE PINE LAKE OUTLET DRAIN WITHIN HILLBROOK PARK THAT INVOLVED THE CLEARING OF TREES AND SHRUBS, AND IT RESULTED IN THE DEPOSITION OF SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF WOODY DEBRIS AND SHRUBS ALONG THE DRAIN.
THERE WERE A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THAT.
IN RESPONSE TO THAT, DIRECTOR WYSZYNSKI MET WITH CARLA CLOSE FROM THE NEW COUNTY DRAIN COMMISSION TO DISCUSS THE PROJECT AND THE AGREED-UPON SOLUTION, WHICH I THINK HAS PRETTY MUCH ALREADY BEEN
[02:00:01]
IMPLEMENTED, IS TO SPREAD THE DEBRIS TO DRY AND EVENTUALLY DECOMPOSE, AND ALSO TO SEE THE AREA ALONG THE CLEAR DRAIN WITH RYE AND WHEAT GRASS AND ALSO WETLAND PERENNIAL SEEDS.THE GRASS HAS ALREADY STARTED TO COME IN, AND THEN THE PERENNIALS WILL START TO TAKE AND BLOOM HOPEFULLY WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS.
IT'S CHANGING THE HYDROLOGY OF THE AREA A BIT ACCORDING TO LOCAL RESIDENTS, BUT IT WAS A MUCH-NEEDED KIND OF 25-YEAR MAINTENANCE ON THAT PORTION OF THE DRAIN.
AND THAT'S IT FROM THE PARK COMMISSION.
NEXT MEETING IS TUESDAY, JUNE 9TH.
OKAY, NOW ON TO TEAMS. ENERGY TEAM.
AND THAT'S ALSO ME, SO I'LL REPORT ON A ZOOM MEETING THAT THE ENERGY TEAM HAD ON JUNE, NO, ON MAY 18TH.
I WAS ALSO OUT OF TOWN, BUT JOHN SARVER, WHO ORGANIZES THE ENERGY TEAM, PROVIDED SOME GOOD NOTES.
THE TWO THINGS I WANTED TO REPORT BACK ARE THAT THE PLANS FOR THE ENERGY FAIR, WHICH IS ONE OF THE GREEN EVENTS WHICH OCCURS THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER SEASON OVER AT THE MERIDIAN FARMERS MARKET, PLANS ARE IN PLACE FOR SATURDAY, JUNE 20TH, SO A COUPLE WEEKENDS FROM NOW.
IN ADDITION TO AN INFORMATIONAL TABLE STAFFED BY THE ENERGY TEAM VOLUNTEERS, THERE WILL BE EXHIBITORS INCLUDING ABSOLUTE SOLAR, CONSUMERS ENERGY ELECTRIC VEHICLE TEAM, AND MICHIGAN INTERFAITH POWER AND LIGHT, NIPPLE, AS WELL AS THEY'RE TRYING TO LINE UP A GEOTHERMAL INSTALLER TO INFORM USERS ABOUT POSSIBILITIES OF THAT GREEN ENERGY IMPROVEMENT FOR RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES.
AGAIN, SATURDAY, JUNE 20TH AT THE FARMERS MARKET.
AND THERE IS A SOLARIZE WORKSHOP BEING PUT TOGETHER FOR INGHAM COUNTY RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.
PLANS ARE TO HOLD THAT ON AUGUST 20TH.
THE DETAILS WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN THE FUTURE.
THAT'S IT FROM THE ENERGY TEAM.
WE HAD A VERY SUCCESSFUL RECYCLING EVENT TOWARDS THE END OF APRIL.
IT WAS SOME OF THE FINAL NUMBERS, BUT I KNOW WE HAD SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 625 AND 650 VEHICLES GO THROUGH, WHICH FROM A COMPARISON STANDPOINT IS ACTUALLY VERY GOOD, ONE OF OUR HIGHEST EVENTS IN RECENT YEARS.
I BELIEVE WE TOOK IN ABOUT 05,000 POUNDS OF PAPER AND AROUND 10,000 POUNDS OF METAL.
AND I KNOW CONSUMERS ENERGY GAVE OUT A LOT OF NEW DEHUMIDIFIERS AND TOOK IN A LOT OF OLD ONES.
BIKES WERE ACCEPTED AS WELL, EGG CARTONS.
AND, AGAIN, MAYBE JACK CAN FILL IN A LITTLE BIT MORE.
AND THEN THE OTHER EVENT THAT RICHARD JUST TALKED ABOUT IS KIND OF OUR NEXT GREEN TEAM EVENT.
BUT, FORTUNATELY, THE ENERGY FOLKS REALLY PUT THAT ON, SO IT'S KIND OF A LIGHT LIFT FOR THE GREEN TEAM.
SO HOPEFULLY PEOPLE CAN COME OUT ON JUNE 20TH AND ATTEND THAT EVENT AT THE FARMER'S MARKET.
JEFF, DO YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL STATS TO ADD TO THE REPORT? I DO. I DON'T HAVE THEM ON ME, BUT I CAN'T SAY THAT, YEAH, WE DID.
IT WAS OUR MOST SUCCESSFUL TURNOUT WE'VE HAD ON AN EVENT LIKE THIS.
AND, YEAH, RAVE REVIEWS FROM ALL THE DIFFERENT VENDORS AND RECYCLERS WE HAD THERE, COLLECTED LATEX PAINT, EGG CARTONS, STYROFOAM, BIKES, WHICH I THINK WE FILLED UP THREE OR FOUR TRAILERS FULL OF, TWO GIANT BINS FULL OF SCRAP METAL, AND AN ENTIRE SEMI-TRUCK FULL OF DOCUMENTS AND PAPER THERE.
SO GREAT HAUL OVERALL, AND, YEAH, ONCE I HAVE THE FINAL NUMBERS FROM ALL THOSE VENDORS, I'LL TRY TO SHARE THAT WITH THE GROUP HERE.
I WOULD ADD TO THAT THANKS AND KUDOS TO ALL THE VOLUNTEERS WHO HELPED OUT AT THE EVENT.
ABSOLUTELY. HARRISON INCLUDED.
I WAS THERE CLICKING AND COUNTING ALL THE CARS.
THAT'S WHERE ONE OF THOSE NUMBERS COMES FROM.
[02:05:01]
WITH THE BIKES? DO THEY GET RECYCLED? WE HAVE TWO DIFFERENT COLLECTORS.WE HAVE MSU BIKES THAT'LL TAKE THOSE, THE MOST WORKABLE OF THE BIKES, AND TRY TO GET THOSE BACK UP INTO A RESELLABLE CONDITION.
AND THEN WE HAVE A SEPARATE BIKE COLLECTOR WHO TOOK ALL THE LESS-THAN-FAVORABLE BIKES AND WILL RECYCLE THOSE BITS.
AND THEY ENDED UP WITH A RATHER HUGE HAUL, I WANT TO SAY.
OKAY. GREEN BURIAL TEAM? NO UPDATE, ACTUALLY.
OKAY. NOW WE'RE ON TO THE STUDENT UPDATE.
I KIND OF HAVE A LOT, BECAUSE I MISSED THE APRIL MEETING AND THEN WE DIDN'T HAVE ONE IN MAY.
SO, WE HAVE KIND OF WRAPPED UP THE YEAR.
THIS IS MY LAST WEEK OF SCHOOL.
SO, ALL OF THE DIFFERENT CLUBS AND THINGS HAVE BEEN COMING TO AN END FOR THE YEAR.
I'LL TRY TO GO KIND OF CHRONOLOGICALLY.
RIGHT AFTER THE MARCH MEETING WAS THE DEADLINE FOR GREEN SCHOOL APPLICATIONS, WHICH IS THE CERTIFICATION THAT I'VE BROUGHT UP BEFORE, WHERE SCHOOLS CAN BE CERTIFIED THAT THEY ARE A GREEN SCHOOL.
THERE'S DIFFERENT TIER LEVELS, DIFFERENT TIERS LEVELS.
AND I AM HAPPY TO SAY WE ARE ONE OF TWO DISTRICTS IN ALL OF MICHIGAN THAT GOT EVERY BUILDING IN OUR DISTRICT TO BE A GREEN SCHOOL.
BECAUSE INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS APPLY, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO GET EVERY ONE THROUGH OUR DISTRICT SUSTAINABILITY TEAM TO SUBMIT THEIRS.
AND I WAS VERY HAPPY WITH THAT.
THEN, SPRING BREAK CAME AND AFTER THAT, I WAS ABLE TO SPEAK AT THE MI HEALTHY CLIMATE CONFERENCE.
IT WAS IN MID-APRIL IN DETROIT.
AND IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.
ME AND THREE OTHER YOUTH STUDENTS FROM AROUND THE STATE WERE ABLE TO SPEAK.
AND WE JUST TALKED ON KIND OF OUR EXPERIENCE, WHY WE DO THE WORK THAT WE DO.
WE ARE ALL ENVIRONMENTALLY ACTIVE.
AND SO, IT WAS VERY INSPIRING TO THE ADULTS THAT WERE THERE.
IT WAS TO A FEW HUNDRED PEOPLE AND IT WAS BY FAR MY BIGGEST SPEAKING THING.
BUT IT WAS A LOT OF FUN AND I MET A LOT OF GREAT PEOPLE, INCLUDING, I WANTED TO SAY TO COMMISSIONER BELIAL, I MET HER HUSBAND THERE.
BUT YES, THAT WAS PRETTY COOL.
THEN SHORTLY AFTER, THERE WAS THE STUDENT SUSTAINABILITY SUMMIT, WHICH IS RUN PRIMARILY BY EAGLE.
THAT WAS RIGHT HERE IN LANSING AT THE KELLOGG CENTER AT MSU.
AND THAT THERE'S, IT'S KIND OF WHAT THE NAME SUGGESTS, THE SUMMIT OF A WHOLE BUNCH OF DIFFERENT PRESENTATIONS AND ACTIVITIES AND ALL SORTS OF STUFF SURROUNDING THE CLIMATE.
AND IT'S RIGHT AFTER EARTH DAY, EARTH MONTH, AND SO YOU GET ALL OF THESE SCHOOLS UPDATES AND THEY ANNOUNCE ALL OF THE SCHOOLS THAT GOT GREEN SCHOOL CERTIFICATION AND ALL OF THAT FUN STUFF.
AFTER THAT, THE DISTRICT SUSTAINABILITY TEAM PRESENTED TO, I SAY PRESENTED TO, THE BOARD MEMBERS AND ADMINISTRATION FOR OUR DISTRICT.
IT WASN'T AT LIKE AN OFFICIAL MEETING, BUT WE MADE POSTER BOARDS AND SHARED ALL OF WHAT WE DID TO GET GREEN SCHOOL CERTIFICATION AND JUST WHAT WE'VE DONE OVER THIS PAST YEAR.
AND IT WAS REALLY COOL TO SEE KIND OF THEIR SURPRISE.
ALSO A LITTLE SAD THAT THEY'RE NOT MORE UPDATED ON IT, BUT THEY WERE INTERESTED AND SO IT'S NOT, IT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE INTERESTED IN AS WELL AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE SUPPORTED SEEMINGLY, JUST ALL OF THE DIFFERENT EVENTS THAT WE DO.
EARTH CLUB WRAPPED UP FOR THE YEAR.
WE DID OUR INFAMOUS TIE-DYE LESSON, WHICH IS ALWAYS FUN.
AND THEN JUST WHAT WE CALL OUR PICNIC WHERE WE HAVE POPSICLES AND JUST HANG OUT FOR A LITTLE WHILE.
[02:10:01]
YEAH, THAT'S ABOUT IT.WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT AS THE SCHOOL YEAR HAS ENDED, GOALS FOR NEXT YEAR, ESPECIALLY SAYING ME AND MY BOARD ARE THE OTHER STUDENTS THAT I OFTEN WORK WITH.
WE'RE BOTH GRADUATING NEXT YEAR SO KIND OF WRAPPING UP ALL OF WHAT WE CAN DO WHILE WE'RE STILL IN HIGH SCHOOL.
WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO GET A PROGRAM THAT SPANS EVERY SCHOOL SO WHEN KIDS ARE GOING THROUGH THE DISTRICT THEY ARE ABLE TO SEE THE SAME PRACTICES AND THEN IT'S NOT OKAY, WELL AT THIS SCHOOL THERE'S DIFFERENT BINS FOR RECYCLING AND THEN THEY GET CONFUSED, RIGHT? SO HAVING CONSISTENCY AND THEN REALLY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT COMPOSTING FOR OUR SCHOOL AND I'VE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT IT.
WE KEEP HAVING DISCUSSIONS BUT THAT'S MY MAIN GOAL FOR NEXT YEAR AND IT'S A TRICKY ONE BUT I'VE BEEN ENJOYING THIS.
THE GREENWOOD SCHOOL CERTIFICATION IS THAT SOMETHING THAT ONCE YOU'RE CERTIFIED YOU'RE GOOD OR DO YOU HAVE TO RENEW THAT? YOU REAPPLY.
IS IT EVERY YEAR? EVERY YEAR, YES.
SO, IT'S DUE IN MARCH EVERY YEAR,AND THEN THEY'RE VERY-IF YOU'RE FILLING IT OUT, YOU'RE GENERALLY GOING TO GET IT, RIGHT? THEY'RE NOT TOO PARTICULAR ABOUT IT. AND IN OUR CASE, FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL SPECIFICALLY, SO YOU CAN SUBMIT, IT'S ACTIVITY BASED, SO YOU SUBMIT ALL THE DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES THAT YOU DO IN THESE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES AND DEPENDING ON HOW MANY YOU HAVE IS THE TIER THAT YOU WILL GET. AND SO, WE SUBMITTED ENOUGH TO GET THE MIDDLE TIER, AND WE'RE OLD, SO EVEN IF THEY DIDN'T LIKE SOME, WE WOULD JUST GET THE GREEN SCHOOLING.
BUT YOU GENERALLY ARE GOING TO GET WHAT YOU APPLIED FOR.
LIKE, THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE TRYING TO HAVE YOU GET THE CERTIFICATION. IT'S NOT, LIKE, THAT TRICKY TO GET. IT'S JUST PROVIDING UNDERSTANDING AND KNOWLEDGE TO THE COMMUNITIES THAT YOU HAVE EARNED THAT. WE GOT A FLAG AND EVERYTHING, SO YEAH. THAT'S GREAT. IT'S GREAT THAT ALL THE IN THE DISTRICT, TOO. GOOD JOB.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND I DON'T, YOU'RE NEW, SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNEW THAT WE USUALLY ASK THE STUDENTS TO GIVE AN UPDATE. SO, IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING FOR OKEMOS... I CAN, LIKE, GIVE A SMALL UPDATE. SO, OUR EARTH CLUB IS, LIKE, COMING TO A CLOSE, EVERYTHING. WE HAD OUR, LIKE, SUSTAINABILITY FASHION SHOW AT THE MERIDIAN MALL, AND THAT WAS PRETTY COOL. WE DIDN'T, YOU KNOW, I THINK, LIKE, WE'RE A BIT CONTRARY TO, LIKE, WE DO NOT HAVE, WE'RE NOT CERTIFIED AT THE GREEN SCHOOL FROM, LIKE, FIVE YEARS. SO, LIKE, I DID TRY AND ASK, LIKE, FOR MORE INFORMATION AND HOW TO, LIKE, APPLY AND ALL OF THAT. I WAS MET WITH SOME BACKLASH FROM MY PRINCIPAL AND A LOT OF SWITCHING OF, LIKE, PRINCIPALS AND SWITCHING OF SUPERINTENDENTS. IT WAS A LITTLE BIT CHALLENGING FOR ME TO, LIKE, APPLY AND, LIKE, GET THINGS TOGETHER AND, LIKE, FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO. SO, LIKE, THIS NEXT YEAR, I'M PLANNING TO, LIKE, MEET WITH MY SUPER BECAUSE I'M ALSO PART OF, LIKE, THE SUPERINTENDENT STUDENT ADVISORY, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO, I CAN, LIKE, DIRECTLY CONTACT THE SUPERINTENDENT AND BE LIKE,"HEY, I KIND OF WANT TO DO THIS THING. IS IT POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO GIVE ME MORE INFORMATION ON THIS? AND, LIKE HE'S, LIKE, OUR NEW SUPERINTENDENT. HE ACTUALLY WAS SOME KIND OF, LIKE, DIRECTOR FOR THE GREEN SCHOOL, SO, LIKE, I'M SURE HE CAN HELP US IN SOME KIND OF WAY. SO, LIKE, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT. WE CONCLUDED EARTH CLUB, FOR THIS YEAR. WE HAD, OR FOR KEY CLUB, I CREATED AN EVENT FOR, LIKE, TRASH PICKING UP FOR OUR SCHOOL. SO, LIKE, WE DID THAT FOR EARTH DAY, AND YEAH, WE HAD A WE HAD A PICNIC FOR THE END OF EARTH CLUB, AND I GUESS PRETTY MUCH IT FOR FOR ELK. THAT'S GREAT. DEFINITELY IMPRESSED WITH ALL THAT'S GOING ON IN ALL THE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS. MAKES ME FEEL BETTER, FOR SURE. THERE WAS HOPE. OKAY, KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT.
[12. OTHER MATTERS AND COMMISSIONER COMMENTS ]
GREAT.ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER MATTERS, COMMENTS? NOT TO PROLONG, BUT I WAS VERY SAD TO HEAR OF LEROY HARVEY'S PASSING. AND THOSE OF YOU WHO KNEW HIM, HE DID A LOT FOR THIS COMMISSION AND A LOT FOR MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP FROM AN[02:15:01]
ENVIRONMENTAL PERSPECTIVE. AND I WAS JUST CURIOUS AS TO IF ANYONE KNOWS, IS THERE GOING TO BE ANY TYPE OF MEMORIAL SERVICE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? HIS KIDS WERE ORGANIZING THAT. THAT IS COMING TOGETHER. OKAY, CAN YOU...I'LL LET THE COMMISSION KNOW, SURE. I'LL PASS ALONG ANY INFO I'VE GOT WITH THE REST OF US. THANK YOU. YEAH, THANKS FOR SAYING THAT. I ONLY OVERLAPPED WITH LEROY JUST A LITTLE BIT. THAT'S BECAUSE I STARTED THE COMMISSION, AND SO I DIDN'T WORK WITH HIM TOO MUCH, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE HE DID A LOT TO THE COMMUNITY, FOR SURE. YEAH, JUST TO ADD ONE WORD OF SADNESS, I DON'T KNOW, I TOLD YOU THE TIME I MET YOU, I KNEW LEROY FOR A LONG TIME WHEN HE WAS IN MSU BEFORE HE MOVED TO, HAD THE URBAN ACTIONS. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNEW ABOUT IT BEFORE HE CAME HERE. SO, WE WERE FRIENDS.YEAH, VERY SAD TO HEAR THAT BECAUSE OF WHO SHOULD HAVE THAT. YEAH, THANKS FOR SHARING THAT. OKAY. IF WE DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR ANYTHING, THEN WE ARE ADJOURNED. THANK YOU, EVERYBODY FOR ATTENDING. WELL, OF COURSE, YOU, YEAH.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.