[CALL TO ORDER / AGENDA APPROVAL]
[00:00:04]
ALRIGHT, CALL THIS MEETING.WE'RE GONNA CALL THE MEETING OF THE, UH, UPPER PROVIDENCE TOWNSHIP ENVIRONMENTAL ADVISORY COUNCIL, TOGETHER AT WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19TH, 2025.
UM, DO WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT FOR, OR, UH, AGENDA APPROVAL? AND A MOTION FOR THE AGENDA? I, A MOTION I SECOND, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT FOR NON AGENDA ITEMS ALL HERE.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM OUR LAST MEETING.I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE MINUTES FROM JANUARY 15TH.
CAN YOU GUYS, I'M SORRY THE MICROPHONE ISN'T WORKING.
SO YOU'RE ON AND WE CAN SEE YOU AND HEAR YOU, BUT YOU CAN'T SEE US.
[2. Discussion: Otterbein Church Community Garden]
YOU WANNA GIVE US A, AN OPENING PRESENTATION? YES, I PAPERS FOR YOU TO LOOK AT AS I PRESENT THIS.I BELIEVE YOU'VE GOT THE LETTER THAT WE YES.
WE ARE LOOKING TO PUT A COMMUNITY GARDEN ON THE PROPERTIES OF FROM 1 53, 1 59, AND 1 63 THAT HAVE BEEN TAKEN DOWN.
WE THINK THAT IT MIGHT BE A WIN-WIN SITUATION FOR ALL.
WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO PROFIT AT ALL FROM THIS.
EVERYTHING THAT WE HARVEST, WE'RE PLANNING ON THE NEIGHBORS BEING ABLE TO TAKE 'CAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO DO THE WORK, TAKE WHAT THEY THEY WANT, AND THEN TO REST, WE WILL HAVE A, A STANDOUT OUTSIDE THE CHURCH.
AND WE ALSO WILL TAKE TO THE FOOD PANTRY TO DISTRIBUTE THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
WE SAY, UH, LOOKING AT THE PROPERTIES, I TOOK NOTICE THAT THERE'S A HILLSIDE THAT GOES UP TOWARDS THE RAILROAD TRACKS.
WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO IS BACK ONE PROPERTY TOWARDS THAT GRADE PLANT FRUIT TREES TO HELP WITH ANY EROSION THAT WOULD COME DOWN AND WANT.
THE TREES ARE GOOD FOR HOLDING BACK AND HOLDING THE GROUND DOWN.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT PUTTING FRUIT TREES THERE.
I, I COULD TELL EXACTLY WHERE THE GRADE GOES UP WITH THE MAP THAT THEY GIVE.
SO I'M NOT AN ENGINEER, SO I'M DOING THE BEST I CAN.
YOU CAN SEE ON EITHER SIDE OF THAT IS BERRIES LIKE THAT, DIFFERENT STRAWBERRIES, BLUEBERRIES, RAS, BLACK RASPBERRIES, THAT TYPE OF THING THERE.
AND THEN IN THE FRONT, THE VEGGIES, THE DIFFERENT VEGGIES THAT WE CAN DO.
NOW WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'D ALSO LIKE TO SUGGEST OR SEE IF IT'D BE POSSIBLE TO PUT IN A FENCE OR HAVE A TEMPORARY FENCE LIKE THIS CONSTRUCTION SITE, FENCES OR SOMETHING TO KEEP THE DEER OUT FROM DESTROYING.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT, THAT WOULD BE GOOD.
I WAS TOLD THAT'S PUTTING POLES DOWN IN THE GROUND WITH THE WIRE GOING AROUND FOR WILDLIFE.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHICH WOULD BE RECOMMENDED.
WE WOULD COOPERATE WITH WHATEVER IS SUGGESTED, BUT IT'S MAINLY TO KEEP THE DEER OUT.
AND ALSO IT WOULD KEEP LIABILITY FROM ANYONE GOING IN THERE AND GETTING HURT ON THE PROPERTY.
WE WOULD NEED TO REMOVE SEVERAL TREES THAT ARE IN THE CENTER OF THE PROPERTY.
THINK I COUNTED SIX OR SEVEN TREES THERE.
AND WE GO BY YOUR RECOMMENDATION ON HOW TO REMOVE
[00:05:01]
THEM.AND WE'RE REPLACING THE TREES BEHIND THE TREES AND REPLACE SOME GOING UP.
AGAIN, WE GO BY YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS OF WHAT WE CAN DO.
AND I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THIS 'CAUSE I DIDN'T SEE ANY CODES OR ANY, I'M NOT FROM THIS AREA, SO PART OF MY IGNORANCE ON IT, BUT IF THERE'S RAIN BARRELS THAT WE CAN PUT UP AROUND THE RAILROAD TRACKS, YOU KNOW, UP TOWARDS THAT HEIGHT, SO WE CAN PUT A HOSE TO THE BOTTOM OF IT AND PUT SOAKER, UM, HOSES ON THEM.
SO IT'D BE CONSTANT INSTEAD OF BAD RUSH DOWN, HOPEFULLY WE HAVE SOME WATER COMING DOWN TO BE ABLE TO WATER A GARDEN.
AND THE TREES WE'RE LOOKING AT SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
ANY SHEDS THAT WOULD BE NEEDED TO PUT ON THE PROPERTY, WE WOULD NOT PUT IT ON THE TOWNSHIP'S PROPERTY.
THE CHURCH WOULD PUT IT ON THEIR PROPERTY.
WHERE'S THE CHURCH?
RIGHT TO THE RIGHT, TO THE RIGHT, RIGHT TO THE RIGHT.
AND THAT'S THE RAILROAD BEHIND THEM.
WE HAVE A DRIVEWAY UP TOP, RIGHT? OH, YOU DO? SO WHAT'S THE HISTORY OF THOSE LOTS? THEY WERE DEMOLISHED AFTER THE
SO THERE WAS PROPERTY THERE WAS THERE AND THEY WERE, THEY WERE DEMOLISHED.
AND THE PATCH, THAT ONE, CORRECT.
WELL, YEAH, THEY DOWN, THEY FLATTENED IT AFTER I, I LIVE RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET, SO I WORK REMOTELY.
SO I, ON MY THIRD FLOOR, I, I CAN SEE ALL THE ACTION, SO NO, IT'S FINE.
THEY PUT SOME, UH, AND, UH, DO YOU HOPE TO DO THIS, THIS SPRING? GETTING STARTED GOING? WE WOULD LOVE TO GET IT STARTED.
UM, I KNOW IT'S GONNA BE A PROCESS SO WE CAN AT LEAST GET SOMEWHAT OF IT STARTED BY GETTING THE TREES DOWN AND GETTING THE TREES PLANTED, BECAUSE IT'S GONNA BE FRUIT SEASON PLANTING.
IF NOT, CAN WE GO WITH THE FLOWERS? I'M NOT LYING, GONNA GET UPSET, BUT WE WANNA FOLLOW EVERYTHING TO, TO THE, WHAT'S THE, UM, WHO'S GONNA DO ALL THIS WORK? WE AND WATERING AND NEIGHBORS.
SO LET ME, I LIVE ACROSS THE STREET AND WE PLAN ON, I PLAN ON COMPANY OUT TO GET RECRUITMENT OF VOLUNTEERS THAT HELP WITH WHATEVER WORKS NEEDED TO BE DONE SINCE WE'RE GOING TO GIVE TO COMMUNITY AND THE CHURCH IS NOT PROFITING OR OF ANY SURE.
THE CHURCH HAS PLENTY OF YOUTH GROUPS OF OTHER CHURCHES IN THE AREA THAT LOVE TO COME AND HELP.
WE CAN GET YOUTH GROUPS TO COME GIRL SCOUT.
AND I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THAT'S TOTALLY DO YOU HAVE PRETTY STRONG CONGREGATION? YES.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT.
UM, I'M HERE ACTUALLY ON POSITION ON THIS PROJECT.
UM, MATT BERGER, UM, PRESIDING AT 1 45 WALNUT.
UM, WHERE'S THAT AT? THAT I'M THE PROPERTY OWNER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE LOTS.
I HAVEN'T SEEN THOSE NUMBERS ON IT.
WHERE YOU THERE? UM, THIS IS MY COMPANY RIGHT HERE.
SO YOU STILL HAVE A HOUSE? I AM, YES.
I HAVE MITIGATED THAT PROPERTY FROM THE 2005 FLOOD.
SO I AM, UM, A SMALL SPRING BED CREEK SEPARATES THOSE TWO PROPERTIES.
UM, I'VE READ THE LETTER AND I AM HERE TO EXPRESS MY OPPOSITION.
UH, PRIOR TO MAKING ANY DECISIONS ABOUT THESE CLEAR THOUGHTS IN MONTCLAIR, WERE ANY OF THE CLEAR THOUGHTS? I ENCOURAGE THE TOWNSHIP TO FOLLOW THE SAME INCLUSIVE DILIGENCE PROCESS.
IT WOULD FOLLOW FOR ANY PARCEL.
I BELIEVE THE PROCESS REQUIRES CAREFUL AND PRUDENT PLANNING AND INVOLVES SUCH STEPS AS EVALUATION OF HOW THE USE FITS IN WITH THE TOWNSHIP COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, CONSIDERATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS SUCH AS DRAINAGE, RUNOFF, HABITAT DESTRUCTION, ET CETERA.
THINGS THAT THIS COMMITTEE COUNCIL KNOWS BETTER THAN I DO.
[00:10:02]
CONSIDERATION OF THE IMPACTS ON ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS, ONGOING MAINTENANCE PLAN THAT WAS JUST MENTIONED, AND A COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATION OF THE SHORT TERM LONG TERM RAMIFICATIONS.IN THIS CASE, I THINK THE MOST SIGNIFICANT IS THE FLOODING.
UM, THAT PROPERTY HAS FLOODED EVERY SIX TO EIGHT YEARS SINCE 1999.
I HAVE DOCUMENTED EVIDENCE OF DAMAGES OF MY PROPERTY.
1999, I THINK THAT WAS REMNANTS OF HUGO 2006 FEDERAL DISASTER DECLARED MY HOUSE WAS DESTROYED AND REBUILT TO CODE AND ABOVE GRADE, MAY, 2014 OR JUNE 1ST, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND OF COURSE, THE 2020 ANOTHER FEDERAL DISASTER, TWO FEDERAL DISASTERS IN THE PAST 14 YEARS, ONE COULD JUSTIFY THE STATE THAT WE'RE NOW FIVE YEARS INTO A SIX TO EIGHT YEAR CYCLE OF FLOODING.
THE LETTER, I FEEL, IS A HASTY AND AMBITIOUS PLAN, WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY ALLOWING THE CHURCH TO ANNEX THIS PROPERTY FOR A VERY LIMITED AND VERY SEASONAL USE.
UM, I DON'T BELIEVE THE CHURCH TO BE A QUALIFIED AND APPROPRIATE LAND MANAGER, A COMMUNITY GARDEN IS GREAT.
I THINK THE IDEAS THAT THE CHURCH HAS AS FAR AS HELPING PEOPLE AND FOOD INSECURITIES, I THINK THAT'S ALL GREAT.
BUT I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR THESE PROPERTIES.
SO WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE DONE WITH THOSE PROPERTIES, BEN? I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT LEFT OPEN LIKE ALL OF THE OTHER PROPERTIES THAT HAVE BEEN DESTROYED, UM, EITHER RETURNED TO NATURAL HABITAT OR LOADED, MAINTAINED BY THE TOWNSHIP AS WHATEVER, WHATEVER IS REQUIRED BY THE NFIP.
CAN YOU ASK QUESTION? WELL, YEAH, I MEAN, AND I JUST SAY THIS BOARD WILL NOT MAKE A DECISION.
IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S A, SO WE'RE HERE TO GATHER INFORMATION AND TO, TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT IT'S THEY WANNA DO.
AND THAT WAS THE FIRST QUESTION I ASKED.
ARE YOU PLANNING ABOUT DOING IT THIS YEAR? BECAUSE YES, IT'S PASSING.
YEAH, IT'S PASSING PAST EIGHT HOUR.
SHOULD BE TILLING AT THIS POINT.
SO WE'RE JUST, YEAH, WE'RE HERE JUST TO GATHER INFORMATION AND RESPECTFULLY, EVERYTHING THAT HAVE YOU POINTED OUT, HAVE YOU SUBMITTED A PLAN TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION? NOT AS YET.
THEY TOLD ME TO COME HERE FIRST.
I JUST WONDER IF WHAT WISH JEFF WAS HERE SO HE COULD, UH, HE COULD, UH, VERIFY THAT.
BUT YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, WHICH I WAS ONE OF THE AUTHORS OF THAT, UM, YOU'RE RIGHT.
THERE ARE SOME ISSUES AROUND, AND I WAS GONNA ASK THAT QUESTION WHEN SHE WAS DONE, ABOUT HOW THIS AFFECTS THE PLANNING COMMISSION SHOULD BE, YOU KNOW, THE GUYS THAT REALLY, WHO WANTS TO GO MAKE A DECISION ON THIS AND THEN PASS IT TO THE SUPERVISORS AS A RECOMMENDATION THAT IT GOES FORWARD OR THAT WE WE'RE NOT, WE'RE AGAINST IT.
AND HAVE IT OPEN THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
SO, UM, I MEAN, I THINK BILL MAKES A GOOD POINT.
I MEAN, THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH LEARNING.
WE'RE HERE LEARNING AND WE CAN, YOU KNOW, TAKE THAT ALL IN.
BUT I, IT SOUNDS, AND AGAIN, I APOLOGIZE, JEFF, WHO IS OUR, UH, IS OUR, UH, TOWNSHIP, UH, ZONING AND, UM, PLAING COMMISSION, UH, CHAIR, UH, NOT CHAIR DIRECTOR.
AND, UM, HE WOULD BE THE GUY TO, I WOULD SUGGEST YOU CONTACT HIM.
AND, AND SEE WHAT THE PROCESS IS.
HE'S THE ONE WHO SENT ME HERE.
WELL, UM, THAT'S STRANGE THAT HE WOULD'VE DONE THAT.
SO WE NEED, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO GET SOME GUIDANCE ON WHERE TO GO AND MOVING FORWARD.
OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE OPPOSITION HERE, WHICH IS FINE.
NOT EVERYBODY'S GONNA AGREE TO SOMETHING IF IT'S, IF IT'S TAKING THE CHURCH AS FAR AS THE LEADERSHIP OUT IT, OUT THE PICTURE.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT COMMITTEE WE GO BYLAWS AND UNDERSTANDING.
MY CONCERN NOT ONLY IS WITH THE LAND JUST LAYING, FOUND OUT NOT BEING USE, WHICH I THINK WOULD BE SHAME.
MY OTHER CONCERN IS FOR THE DEER.
UH, AND FOR THE, AND WE HAVE THREE PROPERTIES, THREE, SIX OR SEVEN MORE TOWARDS PER JUNCTION.
THE OTHER ONES HERE CROSSING FROM MY HOUSE AND NEXT TO HIS HOUSE.
ANY, THE ONES DOWN THE ROAD TRACK A LOT OF DEER.
I GO OUT FOR EARLY MORNING WALKS EVERY DAY.
I SEE THE DEER OUT ON HIS PROPERTY ABOUT DEER.
I'M JUST SAYING THIS IS GOING TWICE MORE DEAR TO IT.
SO IF WE CAN, YOU KNOW, THAT TO ME IS CONCERN.
IF NOTHING HAPPENS OUT OF THIS LAND FOR USE OF US, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITY OF HOW TO BE DIRECT THE ROAD TO, TO CHANGE THE TRAFFIC
[00:15:01]
PATTERN.LAND THAT, OR THE LIMITATIONS.
WELL, I THINK THAT'S ALL DETERMINED BY WHAT THE FEMA BUYOUT PROGRAM HAD TO SAY WHEN WE AGREED TO BE PARTNERS WITH THEM.
SO PART OF WHAT, UM, WE AGREED TO WAS TO LEAVE MANY OF THE PROPERTIES, UM, WITHOUT STRUCTURES ON 'EM.
FLOWER BEDS AND
IF WE PUT A FENCE UP, THAT WOULD BE A STRUCTURE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'RE GONNA PUT THE SHEDS ON YOUR PROPERTY, WHICH IS GREAT.
UM, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT IN TERMS OF THE FEMA BUYOUT PROGRAM, THAT WE WOULD, MIGHT BE ALLOWED TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS JUST BECAUSE IT WOULD BE STRUCTURES ON THE PROPERTY THAT WE PURCHASE TO TEAR DOWN.
AND THEN PUT ANOTHER STRUCTURE.
LIKE WE HAVE A PLAYGROUND THAT'S REALLY CLOSE TO YOU GUYS AT FORT PROVIDENCE PARK.
WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO BUILD A STRUCTURE ON THAT PROPERTY.
SO THE TOWNSHIP'S GOAL, AND I'M, I'M THE PARK DIRECTOR.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT JEFF AND I HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT A LOT LATELY IS WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH ALL THESE EMPTY LOTS.
WE DON'T WANT THEM TO JUST BE MOVED AREAS.
THEY WILL GO BACK TO, UM, FORESTRY WITH HOPEFULLY SOME KIND OF TRAIL SYSTEM THAT GOES THROUGH THERE.
AND MAYBE A FLOATING GOLD LAUNCH THAT FEMA WOULD APPROVE.
BUT OUTSIDE OF THAT, RIGHT NOW WE ARE TALKING ABOUT MAKING SOME OF THESE UNITS, UM, OF LAND IN OUR BIRD TOWN OPTION.
SO WE DO HAVE PLANS FOR THESE LOTS, BUT WE ARE MORE CONCERNED WITH MAKING SURE WE HAVE AN OPEN SPACE AND NOT JUST MOWED GRASSES.
SO LIKE, THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE ARE.
BUT I DO KNOW THE FEMA BUYOUT WAS THE BIGGEST ISSUE THAT WE WOULD HAVE WITH, WITH ALL OF US.
MAY I FINISH PRESENTING? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
WELL, BEFORE, BEFORE YOU STARTED, YOU'VE DONE THAT.
YOU, I, I SAID, I'VE SAID WHAT I HAD TO SAY.
I MEAN, I WOULD, UH, COMMENT TO THIS GENTLEMAN'S COMMENT.
NOTHING ATTRACTS DEER LIKE FOOD.
SO PUTTING A BUNCH OF FOOD PLOTS, THERE'S ONLY GONNA BRING DEER IN.
I MEAN, THEY'RE ALREADY EVERYWHERE, SO.
AND THAT'S AN ISSUE TOO, PROBABLY FOR ANOTHER CONVERSATION.
TALKING ABOUT LIABILITY RISK, THERE WOULD BE NOBODY ALLOWED ON THE PROPERTY TO USE OUR EQUIPMENT UNDER THE AGE OF 18.
WE'LL HAVE TO SIGN PAPERS, WE'LL HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE OVER THE AGE OF 18.
AND THIS, THE CHURCH WILL DO BY OVERSEEING ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO VOLUNTEER FOR AS FAR AS ANY CHILDREN GOING IN THERE AND WORK IN THE GARDEN, THEY HAVE TO BE ACCOMPANIED BY AN, AND ANY VOLUNTEERS WILL SIGN A WAIVER THAT THEY WILL NOT SUE THE TOWNSHIP.
IF THEY GET HURT ON THE PROPERTY, THEY'LL SUE THE CHURCH.
THEY GET HURT BUSINESS ON THE CHURCH'S PROPERTY.
AND ANY PATHWAYS THAT WOULD BE MADE IN BETWEEN THE PATCHES OF VEGETABLES WILL BE PUT IN MULCH.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S, I UNDERSTAND THIS GENTLEMAN'S ISSUES.
I TOO AM A SURVIVOR OF A MAJOR FLOOD IN 1972.
THE WATER WAS THIS FAR FROM OUR SECOND FLOOR.
SO I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE AND I'VE BEEN THERE, DONE THAT.
BUT I DON'T, I CAN'T STOP MOTHER NATURE.
AND EVEN IF YOU LEAVE THAT PROPERTY OPEN, THE CHURCH IS GOING TO BE INVOLVED WITH SOME FLOODING.
IF THE WATER COMES DOWN THAT WAY.
NOW THE HOUSES THAT ABSORBED THAT ARE MISSING, IF YOU NEED TO GO BACK TO THE NATURE, NATURE WHEN YOU NEED TO GO AND DON'T MOW A PROPERTY, YOU GET INSECTS WHICH CARRY DISEASES.
YOU GET LITTLE RODENTS THAT MAKE THEIR WAY INTO THE CHURCH.
AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO PUT A STUFF THAT'S GOING AND CHASE 'EM OUT OF THE CHURCH AND INTO THE OTHER'S PROPERTIES.
THESE ARE ALL WHAT WE DON'T WANT.
WE WANNA DO WHAT'S RIGHT FOR THE COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH SENATOR JOHN FEDERMAN ON HIS PROPERTY.
'CAUSE I WAS ONLY UNDERSTANDING AT FIRST, FEMA OWNED HIS PROPERTY, HIS PROPERTY.
I WAS NEVER TOLD UNTIL LATER THAT THE TOWNSHIP OWNED IT.
SO JOHN FEDERMAN GAVE US AN ADVOCATE FOR THIS.
UNFORTUNATELY, HE CANNOT SAY ANYTHING BECAUSE IT'S A LOCAL LEVEL.
SO WE ARE GOING BY HELPING COMMUNITY IS WHAT OUR GOAL
[00:20:01]
IS.IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE TO KEEP WATER FROM GOING ONTO HIS PROPERTY, IF IT'S A MATTER OF GRADING, THAT DOESN'T FLOW THAT WAY.
WELL, MY, MY PROPERTY FILL UP FIRST.
THAT'S WHERE THE WATER COMES IN.
AND WE SHOULD BE WORRIED ABOUT IT.
WELL, THIS ISN'T ABOUT FLOOD MITIGATION.
THIS IS ABOUT YOU TRYING TO ANNEX A PROPERTY.
AND NOW YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT FENCING, BRINGING IN PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ENFORCING RULES, NOT ALLOWING CHILDREN ON THE PROPERTY WITHOUT CHILDREN SHOULD BE ABLE TO PLAY IN A PROPERTY.
THAT'S LIKE MONTCLAIR'S NUMBER ONE PROBLEM IS CHILDREN DON'T HAVE A PLACE TO PLAY.
ADULTS CAN FIND A PLACE TO GARDEN.
CHILDREN CANNOT FIND A PLACE TO PLAY.
AND THAT IS THE MOST A, THAT IS THE MOST KIDS CAN'T GET IN A CAR.
WE TO REMOVE IT BECAUSE IT WAS, UM, IN THE FLOODPLAIN.
AND THERE'S NO HOUSES THERE WHERE THAT PROPERTY IS, IS THE MOST DENSE PART OF MONTCLAIR.
EXCEPT IF YOU GO DOWN THE PORT AND THERE'S ANOTHER GROUP OF DENSITY.
CAN I, CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION? MAYBE IF YOU MIGHT MAKE ALL OF THIS SORT OF PUT IT IN DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE, WHEN YOU MENTIONED LIKE FEMA MIGHT NOT ALLOW FENCE.
LIKE DO WE KNOW THAT THEY WON'T ALLOW OFFENSE? I KNOW THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING INTO AT THE MOMENT.
BECAUSE THAT ACTUALLY, THAT'S A, THAT WOULD ACTUALLY CHANGE THIS WHOLE DISCUSSION.
WE DON'T NEED TO ARGUE ABOUT WHETHER WE SHOULD WHO ANNEXING WHAT OR WHATEVER IT IS.
JUST IF EMAIL WON'T ALLOW US TO PUT OUR EVENTS ON THERE, WE REALLY CAN'T DO THIS.
SO WE SHOULD FIND THAT OUT FIRST.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHY I'M SURPRISED THAT JEFF SENT YOU HERE, BECAUSE I KNOW HE, THAT'S HIS ROLE AND HE, HE, I WOULD THOUGHT HE WOULD HAVE, HE NOT HERE TONIGHT OBVIOUSLY.
SO SEE, DEFENSE FENCING WE WERE SAYING WAS TEMPORARY TYPE FENCING.
IT'S NOT A PERMANENT IN THE GROUND FENCING.
WELL, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RULES ARE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY DEFINE IT.
IF WE WANT, IF YOU PUT STAKE IN THE GROUND, I THINK THAT'S A FENCE.
I DON'T CARE WHAT WHAT YOU CALL YEAH, THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW, I THINK.
AND THE QUESTIONS I WAS TRYING TO GET TO WHERE, WELL FIRST OF ALL YOU HAVE THIS, THIS SKETCH PLAN ON, ON THE TAX PARCEL MATTER.
I, I THINK SOMETHING WILL, I DUNNO IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING MORE SOPHISTICATED THAN THIS.
BOXES OR A BIG, I WAS GIVEN DAYS BEFORE NOTICE OF THIS MEETING.
SO YEAH, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING INFORMATION.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE.
SO, SO THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED, YOU KNOW, WE'D HAVE TO KNOW WHAT EXACTLY WOULD BE GOING ON.
BUT WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO, WHAT WE CAN'T DO.
AND I THINK WE DON'T, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING, FIND THAT OUT.
I MEAN, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT SUE ALREADY KNOWS 'CAUSE OF HER INVOLVEMENT WITH FEMA, FEMA, FEMA.
AND ALSO IF YOU LOOK UP FEMA'S RULES FOR THEIR OPEN LAND, WHICH I REALIZE IT'S TOWNSHIP'S LAND, BUT IF YOU GO BY FEMA'S RULES, THEY DO MENTION THAT OPEN LAND CAN INCLUDE A COMMUNITY GARDEN GARDENS LIKE ALLOTMENTS OR A COMMUNITY GARDEN COMMUNITY.
IT SAYS THAT THEY ALLOWS GARDENS TO ACTUALLY ALLOWS HOUSING FOR LIVESTOCK.
SO, UM, YEAH, THERE'S, WELL, WE JUST GOTTA MAKE SURE THAT RIGHT.
THIS, I KNOW TOWN MANAGER BROUGHT TO HIS ATTENTION.
I KNOW YOU CAME TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING LAST MONTH, UM, AND PRESENTED THE IDEA TO THEM.
AND I THINK RIGHT NOW WE'RE TRYING TO FIND OUT THE INFORMATION FROM THE FEMA END OF THINGS AND WHAT OUR, UM, ZONING ALLOWS US TO DO AND GETTING THOSE PIECES TOGETHER.
BUT I THINK JEFF HAD YOU COME HERE TODAY JUST SO THE EAC WHO WOULD HELP TOO, BETWEEN THE EAC AND THE PARK BOARD.
IT WOULD BE US THAT WOULD PRIMARILY BE ASSISTING WITH THESE TYPE OF PROJECTS.
SO I THINK THEY WANTED US TO GET THE EDUCATION FROM YOU GUYS ON EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
SO IF THE ALLOWANCE IS THERE, THEN WE CAN SAY LIKE, HERE'S WHAT WE'D LIKE TO SEE AND ADVISE YOU ON THAT.
SO I THINK THAT'S KIND OF, WHICH IS A CONVERSATION PIECE.
AND IT WAS NO APPROVAL OR ANYTHING ALONG THOSE LINES, BUT RIGHT.
UM, WE JUST WANTED TO HEAR EXACTLY WHAT THE PLAN WAS VERSUS A STATEMENT.
NOW WE KIND OF SEE WHERE YOU'RE GOING, WHAT YOU WANT TO DO.
CAN I ASK AN ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTION? UM, ESPECIALLY ABOUT FLOODS, UM, THAT, THAT, DO YOU THINK ANYTHING COULD BE DONE TO THIS PROPERTY THAT WOULD MAKE YOUR DAMAGE TO YOUR HOUSE DURING THESE FLOOD TIMES LESS? I KNOW.
SO I GUESS I WONDER LIKE WHY, WHY WOULD THIS THEN, IF WE DID THIS PROJECT, WHY, HOW WOULD THAT AFFECT THE POTENTIAL DAMAGE TO YOUR HOUSE? AND THEN I DIDN'T COME HERE AND SAY ANYTHING ABOUT DAMAGE TO MY HOUSE.
I'M ALREADY MITIGATED ABOVE THE FLOOD ZONE.
OH, I THOUGHT YOU WERE SAYING, SAYING YOU DON'T WANT THIS TO HAPPEN AGAIN.
I THINK HE'S, HE'S GOT OTHER ISSUES WITH THE, THE PLANE.
I THINK WE'VE, I, I HEARD WHAT YOUR ISSUES ARE.
YOU DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT FLOODING.
YOU WERE MORE ABOUT THE, THE ANNEXATION.
PEOPLE COMING IN FROM EVERYWHERE.
[00:25:01]
THE FLOODING, THAT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE A PLAN FOR THAT PROBABLY WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO HAVE ITS OWNI THOUGHT YOU WERE SAYING THIS MIGHT MAKE YOUR PROPERTY.
I THINK IT, I THINK IT'S A D IT'S A DIFFERENT ISSUE SHOWING THE PROPERTY ON THE DOCK.
WE BRING PEOPLE IN FROM ALL OVER THE PLACE ALL THE TIME.
SO HOW, I DON'T SEE HOW THAT IS LIKE, THAT'S GREAT FOR YOU, BUT THIS IS A TOWNSHIP OWNED PROPERTY FOR TOWNSHIP THAT COMMUNITY.
YOU'RE TRYING TO HELP THE YOU THE GARDENING COMMUNITY.
THAT'S WHO YOU'RE TRYING TO HELP.
I DON'T, I HAVE NO INTEREST IN BEING INVOLVED IN THIS UNLESS IT'S A COMMUNITY GARDEN.
THE CHURCH WANTS TO TAKE UP SOME OF THAT RESPONSIBILITY.
THEY'RE PART OF THE COMMUNITY.
BUT I, I DON'T SEE, I'M A NEIGHBOR.
I DON'T SEE THIS AS THE CHURCH TRYING TO GET MORE PROPERTY.
BUT I, BUT I, AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW.
I SEE THAT AS, AND I DON'T WANT TO BE INVOLVED WITH IT.
IF IT IS THAT I WANT TO BE INVOLVED WITH IT.
IT'S A COMMUNITY BASED PROGRAM.
AND, YOU KNOW, AND, AND IN FAIRNESS THAT JEFF'S NOT HERE.
LIKE I SAID, WE KEEP, I KEEP SAYING, BUT HE MAY NOT HAVE KNOWN THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE OPPOSITION TO THIS.
SO, SO THAT, THAT PROBABLY ADDS ANOTHER FACTOR YOU WEREN'T AWARE OF.
IT WASN'T, YOU KNOW, THIS WASN'T OUR IDEA.
NEIGHBORS CAME TO US, SAID THAT THEY BEEN PLANNING FOR A COUPLE YEARS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A PLACE TO PUT A COMMUNITY BOARD.
BUT REALLY THERE'S NO OTHER PLACE, NO OTHER AREA AVAILABLE.
THE CHURCH COULD GLADLY BUILD ANOTHER PROPERTY TO USE, BUT WE ONLY HAVE A SMALL, SMALL PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT IT'S FEASIBLE TO MAKE IT HARD.
SO I THINK THAT'S THE MAIN THING THEY ASKED US ON OUR HELP.
CAN I ASK A COUPLE QUESTIONS JUST IN A PARK AND REC STANDPOINT WITH MAINTENANCE AND THINGS, UM, FOR THE NEIGHBORS COMING IN, ARE YOU SPEAKING OF JUST THE NEIGHBORS THAT LIVE ON THIS STREET? OR ARE YOU TALKING LIKE, DO YOU HAVE LIKE, WE'RE TALKING CHURCH NEIGHBORS, PARKING FOR ANY OF THIS? WE'RE TALKING CHURCH NEIGHBORS.
WHEN YOU TALK CHURCH NEIGHBORS, YOU'RE TALKING ANYBODY YOU'RE ENOUGH IS WELL IN THE TOWN.
WE'VE GOT AN UPPER PARKING LOT AND ANOTHER PARKING LOT.
AND THEN, UM, IN TERMS OF, LET'S SAY YOU START THIS PROCESS, WE APPROVE EVERYTHING AS A TOWNSHIP.
YOU ARE NOW RUNNING THIS COMMUNITY GARDENS ON THIS PROPERTY AND IT'S NOT GOING WELL.
LET'S SAY A LOT OF COMMUNITY GARDENS FAIL, ESPECIALLY IN THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY AND CHESTER COUNTY AREA.
IT IS JUST A LOT OF PARK IN OUR DEPARTMENTS START THESE AND THEY END UP GOING SOUR BECAUSE SOMEONE WANTS TO SPRAY THIS PLANT.
THE PERSON NEXT SOMEONE WANTS ORGANIC.
AND NOW WE'RE TORTURING EACH OTHER'S PLOTS.
AND I, I'VE WORKED IN MANY DEPARTMENTS, SO I'VE JUST SEEN IT FIRSTHAND.
SO IF LET'S SAY NOTHING'S GROWING, WE'RE GETTING, WE'RE NOT PRODUCING WHAT WE THOUGHT WE WOULD AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO GO AWAY WITH THE PLAN LEAVE.
WHO TAKES CARE OF THE PLOTS? LIKE WHO'S GOING TO MAINTAIN THAT MOVING FORWARD? BECAUSE THE LAST THING, WHAT THE TOWNSHIP WANTS IS, IS TAKE OVER PROPERTY.
NOT ONLY THAT, BUT WE DON'T WANT, UM, PROPERTIES THAT ARE ON THESE KIND OF GARDENS ON OUR PROPERTIES AND THEN THEY'RE NOT MAINTAINED.
BECAUSE THEN WE WILL HAVE TO COME IN JUST LIKE A LOT OF THE PROJECTS THAT PEOPLE DO ON OUR PROPERTIES THAT END UP NOT BEING MAINTAINED.
AND THEN WE'RE TAKING THEM DOWN BECAUSE WELL SUE THAT.
THAT'S A, THAT'S A GREAT POINT.
'CAUSE I WAS GONNA ASK THAT SAME QUESTION.
MY FEAR IS THAT YOU GUYS ALL GO AWAY SOMEDAY.
YOU KNOW, YOU MOVE OR YOU, GOD FORBID WHAT IF SOMETHING HAPPENS AND THE PEOPLE THAT REPLACE YOU DON'T WANT TO DO THIS.
AND NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN THE TOWNSHIP HAS THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY, RIGHT.
FROM NATURAL TO, YOU KNOW, BEEN KILLED AND PLANTED TREES.
NOW WE GOTTA MAINTAIN ALL THAT PROPERTY, THE TOWNSHIP.
I THINK THE STRUCTURE OF, I THINK THE CHURCH IS WHERE THAT COMES IN BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA BE THERE.
YOU KNOW, SHE'S GONNA LEAVE YOU BE DIFFERENT MINISTER, HIS PRIORITY MIGHT NOT BE THERE.
BUT IT IS A BETTER CHANCE TO HAVE THE CHURCH THING.
THERE IS A, THERE IS AN OFFSET BALANCE.
YOU DO HAVE SOME, WE HAVE TO TALKED AND DISCUSS WITH THE NEIGHBORS ABOUT THIS.
AND IT'S BEEN AGREED UPON THAT IF THE GARDEN WOULD FAIL, WE WOULD TAKE EVERYTHING, PUT IT BACK TO SEED IT, IT'S SEEDED NOW, AND PUT SOMETHING THERE.
WE WOULD SEED IT AND THEN IT WOULD BE MOVED BY THE NEIGHBORS.
MY QUESTION BACK TO YOU IS ONE, ONE THAT FAIL.
YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WHAT I SAID AT THE BEGINNING, IF THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME KIND OF FORMATION OF A GROUP STEERING COMMITTEE, SOMETHING THAT HAS BYLAWS, THEN I THINK THAT THOSE THINGS WE COULD ADDRESS IN THOSE ISSUES.
AND THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING, GOING BACK TO YOU.
THAT'S, THAT'S, WELL, BUT HAVE YOU SEEN IT, THERE'S OTHER GROUPS THAT YOU SUCCEEDED OR FAILED.
SO PEOPLE GENERALLY WILL BUY IN ON
[00:30:01]
THEIR LITTLE, UM, FARMING PLOT, IF YOU WILL.SO LET'S SAY IT'S RAISED BEDS AND THEY'RE LONG ENOUGH SIZES SO THAT FOUR PEOPLE CAN HAVE A LITTLE PLOT IN THIS ONE RAISED BED.
EVERYBODY HAS TO SIGN WAIVERS.
THERE'S AN APPLICATION PROCESS THAT YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE THE CORRECT PERSON TO WANT THIS.
YOU'RE SIGNING AGREEMENTS TO IT.
YOU ARE IN CHARGE OF THE FOLLOWING ITEMS. AND ALL THAT STUFF IS LAID OUT BEFORE YOU'RE ALLOWED TO USE THAT LOT.
WHAT CAN HAPPEN IN MANY TIMES IS THAT PEOPLE AREN'T AS TRUTHFUL AS YOU WOULD LOVE THEM TO BE.
AND SOMETIMES THINGS HAPPEN IN THEIR PERSONAL LIVES AND NOW THEY SAY, I CAN ONLY UNDO THIS, BUT NOW I HAVE A TERM OR A LENGTH OF TIME THAT I HAVE TO KEEP THIS PROPERTY.
OR LET'S SAY LINDA AND I SHARE THIS SPACE SHE OWNS RIGHT NEXT TO ME.
AND NOW FOR WHATEVER REASON, WE AGREED UPON THIS AND NOW WE DON'T.
I DON'T, HER TOMATOES ARE OVERGROWN OF MY HOURS.
AND I KNOW THIS IS SILLY, BUT THIS IS WHAT THIS IS.
THEY'RE INTERTWINING AND NOW WE, SHE'S PICKING MY CUCUMBERS AND I'M TAKING HER TOMATOES.
AND I'M NOT SAYING BECAUSE IT'S A COMMUNITY BASED THING, UM, FOR THE CHURCH TO FEED THE PEOPLE, THAT IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
BUT THESE KIND OF FEUD CONTINUE TO HAPPEN.
WE'RE NOT PLANNING ON INDIVIDUAL LITTLE PLOTS FOR FAMILY.
WE'RE PAYING ON JUST AS IT IS.
THERE'S A SQUARE, SAY TOMATOES ARE IN THIS AREA.
PEPPERS ARE IN THIS AREA, CUCUMBERS ARE IN THIS AREA, AND SO FORTH AND SO ON.
THAT MEANS YOU COME IN AND THE HARVEST IS THERE.
SO IS THERE SOMEONE IT'S, IT IS, THIS SOUNDS SILLY, BUT IT'S A POLICING THING, RIGHT? POSSIBLY AT SOME POINT.
IS JOHNNY COMING IN AND TAKING THE MAJORITY AND NOW YOU DON'T HAVE AS MUCH AS YOU WANT FOR SOMEBODY ELSE? LIKE IS THERE A SYSTEMATIC, UM, OPERATION IN PLACE THAT IT'S GOING TO BE, YOU CAN TAKE THIS BUSHEL AND IT'S WEIGHED THIS MUCH AND THIS IS HOW MUCH YOU GET AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER? DO YOU HAVE TO PARTAKE IN THE GARDENS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO TAKE LIKE THERE IS A CO IS THERE QUESTION THAT I YEAH.
I I WOULD SAY AS A, AS A NEXT STEP OR A FIRST STEP IS CONTACTED, UH, PHS THE PENNSYLVANIA HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.
AND THEY, UH, THEY STARTED AND RAN THE, UH, COMMUNITY GARDEN PROGRAM IN THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA.
I MEAN, THEY HAVE, THEY WROTE A BOOK CALLED, UH, EDEN'S LAWS.
AND SO THEY'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS WHOLE, THIS WHOLE THING AND THEY'VE GOT PEOPLE WHO LIVE OUT IN THIS AREA WHO THEY WOULD SEND TO YOU TO CONSULT WITH YOU AND MAYBE COME TO THE MEETINGS, SO ON AND SO FORTH.
BECAUSE ALL THESE THINGS THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, THEY, THEY'VE EXPERIENCED, THEY'VE DONE IT.
AND, AND IT, IT'S A, BUT THE FIRST THING I THINK EVEN BEFORE THAT IS THAT WE HAVE TO GET CLARIFICATION ON WHAT THE RULES ARE OR THE LAND.
I THINK THAT'S, WHO HAS MAKES THAT CALL? WHO'S GOING TO VERIFY OR ALLOW THIS AND WHAT'S, UH, FEMA'S RULES AROUND IT, THAT PROBLEM.
SO THAT HAS TO BE DONE BEFORE ALL THIS OTHER STUFF.
BECAUSE I, I'VE READ UP ON A LOT OF THIS STUFF.
I'VE HEARD OF THE COMMITTEE THAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT, AND I'VE READ THE BOOK THAT YES, I, I BRUSHED UP ON THIS, BUT WHY GO ANY FURTHER UNLESS WE KNOW IF I CAN GO FURTHER.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I'M, SO I DON'T HAVE THE TIME UNTIL YOU GET THAT ALL CLARIFIED.
OR DID WE GET THAT CLARIFIED? SO GIVE THE NEXT STEP TO YOU GUYS, BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE WE'VE BEEN IN A CIRCLE WITH THE SUPERVISORS WE HAVE AND THEY SENT IT HERE.
WELL, IT WAS A PUBLIC COMMENT.
SO YOU DIDN'T PRESENT ANYTHING TO THE SUPERVISORS AT THIS POINT.
YOU, YOU DIDN'T COME WITH A PLAN OR THERE WASN'T A, YOU KNOW, PLOT MAP OR ANYTHING ALONG THOSE LINES.
AND I THINK THIS IS EXACTLY WHY WE'RE DOING ALL THESE EXERCISES, IS TO MAKE SURE THAT LIKE, SOME OF THESE THINGS ARE BROADENED BEFORE.
IF IT DOES GET, IF WE DO FIND THAT FEMA SAYS THIS IS AN OKAY THING FOR US TO DO, OR ZONING ALLOWS THIS TYPE OF THING, THEN YOU HAVE ALL OF THIS EDUCATION TO THEN MOVE FORWARD TO THE NEXT STEP.
WELL THEN WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENTS, THEN WE'RE BACK INTO THE DISCUSSION ABOUT WHETHER TO AT ALL.
JUST, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER DECISION, WHATEVER, UH, JEFF DECIDES WHATEVER BOARD'S GONNA MAKE THIS DECISION, THEN THEY'RE, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO MAKE, BOTH SIDES GONNA MAKE PRESENT THEIR CASES.
AND THEY'RE GONNA, THEY'RE GONNA DECIDE THAT WHAT GOES TO THE SUPERVISORS FOR APPROVAL, SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS.
SO DO WE NEED TO TALK ANYMORE ABOUT THIS NOW? NO, I, I THINK I WROTE EVERY, ALMOST EVERYTHING YOU SAID DOWN, IT'S ALL BEING RECORDED.
SO WE CAN GO BACK TO EVERYTHING.
SO IF, UM, I THINK THAT WE MOVE ON.
I THINK THAT'S, THANK YOU GUYS.
MADAM, YOU KEEP, KEEP ON THE WEBSITE, OUR WEBSITE AND SEE WHAT, YOU KNOW, HOW THIS PROCESS IS MOVING.
[00:35:01]
ABSOLUTELY.I I THINK YOU MAKE GREAT POINT.
I WAS GONNA ASK, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH EVERYBODY.
YOU WHEN CAME IN, BUT I MEAN, WE MET ONCE IN THE DARK.
HOW YOU DOING? SNORING? IT WAS SUPPOSED TO JUST BE PUBLIC ON IT.
IT'S ACTUALLY, IT WAS, UM, UNDER OUR ACTION ITEM TODAY.
YEAH, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WAS THE DISCUSSION.
AND NOW WE'RE GONNA HAVE, I'M STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY IT'S ALL
I, I AGREE WITH I AGREE WITH THAT, LORI.
I THINK THAT'S, I THINK IT WOULD PREMATURE, BUT I THINK IT MIGHT BE WHAT YOU SAID TOO, SUE.
IT'S LIKE INSTEAD OF THE BOARD GOING BACK TO FIND OUT WHAT FEMA IS, THEY DON'T HAVE TO LIKE BOTHER WITH HIM.
'CAUSE IT COULD COME OUT THAT WE GO, IT'S NO GO AND NEVER HAS TO GO ANY FURTHER.
AND THERE ZONING, THERE ARE SOME ZONING THINGS, LIKE I SAID, THAT WE HAVE
YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF SPECS HAVE TO BE TAKEN BEFORE WE GET TO A POINT WHERE IT'S A BEAUTIFUL IDEA, EH.
BUT THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO DO.
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE POINTS YOU BROUGHT UP.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE CHANGE AND THEN, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU'VE GOT THIS EYESORE LEFT.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHY CONTEXT.
I DIDN'T WANNA SAY ANYTHING 'CAUSE I'M HERE FOR SOMETHING ELSE, BUT I WAS IN A COMMUNITY GARDEN AND THAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED WITH THE SPRAY AND EVERYTHING.
AND THEN SPRAY SOMEBODY TAKING MORE THAN OTHER PEOPLE AND THEY'RE GIVING IT TO THEIR BROTHER AND THEY CAN REAL QUICK AND JUST MAKE SURE THAT, UM, LAURIE CAN SEE YOUR SLIDESHOW AS WELL.
AND THEN I SHOULD GO TO THE T WHERE IS IT? THE PURPLE T.
OH, ACTUALLY, IF YOU LOOK AT YOUR MOUSE, I CAN, OH, THERE, IT'S THERE.
[3. Discussion: Plastic Bag Ordinance, Linda Rooney, Dandelions Digital]
JUST GONNA SHARE OUR SCREEN WITH YOU, LAURIE, SO YOU CAN SEE THE POWERPOINT.I'M NOT USED TO TEAMS, SO I'M SHARING.
UM, AND GO TO YOU SHOULD, YOU SHOULD BE WINDOW, THE WINDOW AND THE 11 NEXT TO IT DOWN A LITTLE BIT.
IT'S NOT, I CAN SEE THE, YOUR SCREEN.
CAN YOU SEE MY SCREEN? CAN YOU SEE THE SCREEN? CAN YOU SEE THE PLASTIC, PLASTIC BAG OR PLEASE.
SO MAYBE LEAVE IT LIKE THAT INSTEAD.
SLIDESHOW AND JUST SCROLL DOWN.
SO, UM, MY NAME IS LINDA ROONEY.
UM, OUR COMPANY, DANDELIONS DIGITAL HANDLES, UM, COMMUNICATIONS FOR THE TOWNSHIP.
SO WE DO, UM, THE MONTHLY EMAIL NEWSLETTER, THE SOCIAL MEDIA, UM, FLYERS, ALL KINDS OF THINGS OF THAT.
SO WE WORK WITH, WE ALSO DO THESE SPECIAL PROJECTS WITH, UM, TOWNSHIPS AND MUNICIPALITIES, UM, REGARDING PLASTIC BAG ORDINANCES.
WE'VE DONE COMM WE DO, UM, FOR THE PLASTIC BAG ORDINANCE, WE WORK WITH YOU FROM THE START.
AND WE KIND, WE'VE DONE IT LIKE FOUR OR FIVE TIMES NOW WITH OTHER MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS.
AND, UM, WE'LL WORK WITH YOU THROUGH THE PROCESS.
SO IT'S NOT ALL, YOU KNOW, LIKE WHAT ARE, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE? WHO ARE WE SUPPOSED TO BE IN TOUCH WITH? AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.
SO, UM, SO BASICALLY, UM, THE PLASTIC BAG ORDINANCE, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU PASS OR YOU APPROVE OR YOU'RE WORKING THROUGH A PLASTIC BAG ORDINANCE, YOU HAVE TWO AUDIENCES.
YOU HAVE THE BUSINESSES WHO HAVE TO
[00:40:01]
CONVERT TO PAPER OR, YOU KNOW, REUSABLE MATERIALS.AND I'M NOT SURE AT THIS POINT WHAT YOU'RE PUTTING IN THE ORDINANCE, WHETHER IT'S GONNA BE PLASTIC BAGS, STRAWS, POLYESTER.
IT WAS ORIGINALLY JUST BACKED.
SO YOU'RE NOT LOOKING AT POLYSTYRENE AND STYROFOAM? WE CERTAINLY DID.
BUT RIGHT NOW, THE ORDINANCE THAT WE WERE TRYING TO GET PAST WAS JUST BACKED.
SO, UM, I WILL SAY AS FAR, SO, UM, AS FAR AS THE BUSINESSES GO, THE BIG, THE LARGER BUSINESSES ARE USED TO THIS.
AND SO WHEN YOU TELL CVS THAT, YOU KNOW, OR WEGMANS, WEGMANS IS BASED IN NEW YORK.
THE WHOLE STATE HAS PLASTIC BAG VAN.
SO, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY KNOW.
AND, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, MOST OF THE ARE ALREADY USING PAPER AND NOT USING, I THINK, I THINK YEAH, I THINK LAKE WAS YEAH.
SO, UM, ALREADY WENT THAT WAY.
AND, AND IT WOULD BE NICE IF THE STATE WOULD PASS A, A PLASTIC BAG BAN ORDINANCE, BUT YEAH.
BUT YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY HAVE IT.
NEW YORK HAS, SO, UM, SO IT'S UP TO THE MUNICIPALITIES.
SO THE PLASTIC BAG, UM, WE DO CALL IT AN ORDINANCE AND NOT A BAN.
THAT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, LANGUAGE.
UM, AND THEN WE RECOMMEND INVOLVING BUSINESS OWNERS FIRST.
SO, UM, AND GETTING THEM ON BOARD AND, UM, LETTING THEM KNOW THAT YOU'RE A PARTNER IN THIS BECAUSE THE SMALLER BUSINESSES ARE THE ONES THAT ARE REALLY GONNA BE AFFECTED.
THEIR BOTTOM LINES ARE GONNA BE AFFECTED BY, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT'S MORE EXPENSIVE FOR THEM TO BUY PAPER.
AND THEY PROBABLY ALREADY HAVE A STOCK OF PLASTIC, YOU KNOW, TO LAST THEM A YEAR OR SO.
SO THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE GONNA BE LIKE, OH, NOW YOU KNOW, I'VE GOTTA BUY, UM, YOU KNOW, PAPER BAGS OR, UM, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER PIECE IS EDUCATING RESIDENTS TO BRING THEIR OWN BAG.
SO, BUT THE BUSINESSES AND THE AUDIENCES, THEY ARE TWO DIFFERENT, UM, THE, THE BUSINESSES AND THE RESIDENTS ARE TWO DIFFERENT AUDIENCES.
SO WE RECOMMEND GETTING THE BUSINESS OWNERS ON BOARD FIRST.
SO THAT MEANS, WELL, SOME OF THE BIGGEST, UM, PEOPLE THAT ARE CAUSING THIS PROBLEM ARE NOT NECESSARILY WALL.
YOU KNOW, THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ONE OF THE BIGGEST ONES, RIGHT? YEAH.
AND THEY'RE NOT REALLY, YOU KNOW, YOU GO TO THOSE STORES, ARE THEY GONNA BE ABLE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GONNA REFER IT UP TO SOMEBODY ELSE, RIGHT? YEAH.
OUR, OUR EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN THOSE LARGER STORES, THEY'RE, THEY'RE ALREADY PREPARED, I'M SURE.
AND, AND THEY SEND THE PAPER BAGS.
LIKE WHERE I LIVE IN MEDIA, BOROUGH CVS WAS ONE OF THE FIRST EARLY ADOPTERS.
THEY, THEY ONLY HAVE PAPER BAGS NOW.
UM, ARE YOU GONNA CHARGE FOR PAPER AT STORES? ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE THAT MANDATORY? HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THAT ALREADY? DOES WACO CHARGES? YEAH.
AND, AND ONE THING, YOU KNOW, SOME, SOME MUNICIPALITIES ARE DIFFERENT THAN OTHERS.
SOME WILL SAY A BUSINESS, THE BUSINESSES HAVE TO CHARGE BECAUSE IT TRAINS THEIR RESIDENTS TO BRING BAGS.
OTHER, UM, MUNICIPAL, OTHER MUNICIPALITIES WILL SAY IT'S OPTIONAL.
IF IT IS, IF THIS IS AFFECTING YOUR BOTTOM LINE.
WELL, THE ONLY RESERVE THE AGREEMENTS WE ARE WRITING OR HAVE WRITTEN OR HAD HAD APPROVED, JOE WAS SENT TO OUR ATTORNEY AND HE, HE APPROVED IT.
IT'S BEEN FOUR YEARS WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON IT.
UM, I DON'T RECALL WHAT WE PUT IN THERE ABOUT CHARGING, CHARGING.
WE JUST TOOK THAT AND WE HAD JOE GO THROUGH IT AND PL IN WHERE, YOU KNOW, IT APPLIED WHERE IT DIDN'T APPLY AND ALL THAT KIND STUFF.
SO I DON'T REALLY RECALL OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD WHAT'S IN THERE ABOUT CHARGING OR NOT CHARGING OR WHATEVER.
SO IT SOUNDS LIKE, UH, THIS PROBABLY, UH, JUST IF YOU'RE JUST BANNING PLASTIC BAGS, IT'S ACTUALLY PROBABLY GONNA BE EASIER TO CONVEY THAT MESSAGE TO RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES THAN IF YOU WERE GETTING INTO THE TAKEOUT CONTAINERS AND THE STRAWS AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT.
UM, IF YOU DO GO WITH BANNING STRAWS, WE WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU LET RESTAURANTS KNOW THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE PLASTIC ON HAND FOR PEOPLE
[00:45:01]
WITH DISABILITIES.THAT'S BEEN KIND OF SOMETHING THAT WE FOUND OUT.
WHAT'S THE ISSUE WITH THAT? DISABILITIES CAN'T USE PAPER.
LIKE IF THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, WHEELCHAIR BOUND.
AND IS THAT JUST JUST STRAWS OR DOES THAT APPLY TO OTHER PLACES? STRAWS.
THE RESTAURANTS SHOULD HAVE 'EM ON HAND.
SO, UM, YEAH, SO BASICALLY YOU WANNA, UM, WE WANNA EDUCATE BOTH BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY'S AWARE THAT OF THE DANGERS OF PLASTIC.
NOW THERE'S SO MANY STUDIES ON MICROPLASTICS IN OUR BODIES AND IN OUR ENVIRONMENT MM-HMM
THERE ARE ALWAYS GREAT THINGS TO USE.
AND WHEN WE COMMUNICATE ABOUT A PLASTIC BAG ORDINANCE, WE ALWAYS USE THE MOST RECENT STUDIES TO LET PEOPLE KNOW, UM, WHAT'S GOING ON.
SO BASICALLY WE WOULD BE TELLING PEOPLE LIKE, 80% OF PLASTIC PACKAGING IS NOT RECYCLED.
THERE'S STILL A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DON'T KNOW THAT.
WELL, THEY ALSO BELIEVE THAT EVERY PIECE OF PLASTICS RECYCLED.
IT'S REALLY LIKE 10% OF, I JUST DON'T THROW IT IN WITH THEM.
FIGURE OUT FIVE TO 6% IS RECYCLED.
TWO, ANY NUMBER HIGHER THAN TWO CAN.
OR IF IT'S DIRTY OR IF IT COMES IN WITH DIRTY RECYCLING, THEY WON'T RECYCLE THE WHOLE LOAD.
SO, UM, BUSINESSES ARE OFTEN HESITANT TO SWITCH TO BUY BIODEGRADABLE PACKAGING 'CAUSE IT'S MORE EXPENSIVE.
SO WHAT WE RECOMMEND IS THAT YOU COMMUNICATE THAT YOU'RE A PARTNER WITH THE TOWNSHIP BUSINESSES, SO YOU WANT TO EDUCATE BUSINESSES ABOUT ALTERNATIVE PACKAGING OPTIONS, PROVIDE 'EM WITH A LIST OF VENDORS.
AND WE HAVE SOME OF THESE LISTS, LIKE SOME OTHER EACS HAVE PUT TOGETHER REALLY GOOD LISTS OF ONLINE VENDORS OF PAPER BAGS.
UM, AND IF THEY WANT THAT, IT ALSO HAS EVERYTHING ELSE.
SO IF A RESTAURANT IS SWITCHING TO PAPER BAGS, THEY MAY BE STARTING TO SAY LIKE, MAYBE WE SHOULD DO THE BUYING DEGRADABLE FOOD CONTAINERS.
SO IF YOU, IF YOU LEAD THEM TO THESE, THESE LISTS OF VENDORS, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ALWAYS A GOOD THING BECAUSE THEY MAY END UP BUYING MORE.
SO, SO DO YOU FIND THAT, THAT THE CAP SHIFTS GET COMFORT WITH ALL PROVIDING THIS INFORMATION TO THE RETAILERS? WELL, I, I WOULDN'T SAY YOU'D HAVE TO REINVENT THE WHEEL.
SO OUR, OUR MOST SUCCESSFUL, UM, PLASTIC BAG ORDINANCE WAS MEDIA BOROUGH WHERE I LIVE, AND WE HELPED THEM FROM THE FIRST PIECE OF IT TO THE LAST PIECE OF IT.
SO WE, WE ALREADY HAVE THE LIST.
I, LIKE YOU COULD USE THE LIST THAT I, I GUESS MY QUESTION WAS SINCE, SINCE THESE PLASTIC BAG ORDINANCES HAVE BEEN AROUND NOW FOR LEAST FIVE YEARS YEAH, YEAH.
OR THAT WOULD MOST RETAILERS KNOW EXACTLY WHAT DO YEAH, THE BIGGER ONES WILL.
IT'S THE SMALL RESTAURANTS THAT NEED TO HANDLE THAT.
RESTAURANTS THAT AREN'T PART OF A BIGGER CHAIN.
IT'S A LOT OF TIMES IT'S THE ETHNIC RESTAURANTS THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T WANT THEIR BOTTOM LINE AFFECTED.
AND, AND THEY ALSO SERVE FOODS LIKE, LIKE CHINESE FOOD AND ASIAN FOOD AND, UM, INDIAN FOOD, THEY, THEY HAVE TO USE CONTAINERS.
IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE TO USE PLASTIC.
SO, YOU KNOW, JUST SO THAT, YOU KNOW, EDUCATING EM ABOUT WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN AND, AND LIKE AT THIS POINT YOU WOULD SAY IT'S JUST THE BAGS THAT YOU'RE SENDING PEOPLE HOME WITH, YOU KNOW, YOU WOULD HOPE THAT THEY WOULD ADOPT OTHER PRACTICES, BUT RIGHT NOW IT'S JUST THE BAGS, YOU KNOW, AND MOST, YOU KNOW, MOM AND POP ORGANIZATIONS, I THINK CAN, CAN SWEAT MAKE SWITCH.
IT IS THOUGH, YOU DO HAVE TO REMEMBER IT DOES AFFECT YOUR BOTTOM LINE.
BUYING PAPER BAGS IS MORE EXPENSIVE.
SO, SO TO MOVE THIS ORDINANCE FORWARD MM-HMM
I GUESS WOULD RECOMMENDING YEAH, I THINK THAT, AND THEY CAN HELP US GET THE MARKETING MATERIALS READY TO GO, UM, THE EXPERIENCE IN IT.
BUT I, I, I DO, I HAVE THE DOCUMENT THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, THE SINGLE USE PLASTIC DOCUMENT FROM JEFF THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IN, UM, OCTOBER.
AND IT DOES HAVE A LOT MORE THAN JUST THE PLASTIC BAGS.
SO IF WE WANNA RUN THIS OUT, WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE JOE OR SOMEBODY REWRITE IT TO JUST THE PLASTIC
[00:50:01]
BAGS.WHEN WE, WHEN WE PROPOSED THIS FOUR YEARS AGO, WHEN THIS COMMISSION FIRST STARTED COMMITTED FOUR YEARS AGO, IT WAS ONLY BAGS.
BUT LIKE I SAID, WE HIRED IT OR WHATEVER APPROPRIATE APPROPRIATING THIS FROM ANOTHER.
SO WHAT'S IN THERE, YOU KNOW, WITH JOE, HE JUST WENT THROUGH IT.
HE MIGHT, YOU KNOW, ABSOLUTELY.
I THINK, I THINK WE COULD BEND IT OR LEAVE IT.
WE COULD LEAVE IT DOING A TIMELINE WITH THOSE ALSO.
LIKE SIX MONTHS LATER OR THREE MONTHS LATER, WE, WE DO RECOMMEND A TIMELINE.
WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND? YEAH.
SO FROM, FROM THE TIME YOU START TO COMMUNICATE THAT THIS IS IN THE PIPELINE TO THE TIME YOU ACTUALLY START ENFORCING IT WITH FINES OR, YOU KNOW, HOWEVER YOU'RE GONNA ENFORCE IT.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S ABOUT A YEAR.
SO IT'S LIKE, IT'S LIKE THREE MONTHS TO GET IT, YOU KNOW, WHILE WE'RE COMMUNICATING WITH BUSINESS OWNERS FIRST AND THEN RESIDENTS.
FOR RESIDENTS, IT'S JUST LIKE, BRING A BAG, YOU KNOW, BRING A BAG AND WHAT, WHEN YOU SHOP IN THE TOWNSHIP.
UM, BUT FOR BUSINESSES, LIKE WE RECOMMEND LIKE, HAVE A LIVE MEETING, YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU GO THROUGH FOR THE EAC TO GO THROUGH IT FOR THOSE BUSINESSES.
SO LIKE, HAVE A LIVE MEETING, INVITE BUSINESS OWNERS.
IF YOU CAN GET BUSINESS OWNER EMAILS.
I DON'T KNOW, SOME PEOPLE, SOME TOWNSHIPS GET IT FROM THE TAX RECORD.
SOME PEOPLE GET THEM FROM THE CHAMBER, A CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
LIKE IF YOU CAN GET, BUT IF WE ENGAGE THE, YOU KNOW, THE RESTAURANT OWNERS PARTICULARLY.
I GUESS, I MEAN, WOULD, WOULD AN EXPERT LIKE YOURSELF OR YOUR COMPANY BE THERE? YEAH.
I MEAN, I SEE THE PICTURES OF THE FORKS AND KNIVES, WHICH IS A GREAT IDEA, BUT I WOULDN'T HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO ADVISE THEM.
SO WHAT WE DO IS WE INVITE, UM, A RESTAURANT AND RETAIL ADOPTERS FROM ANOTHER TOWNSHIP NEAR YOU WHO HAVE MOVED OVER TO, WE WANT LIKE, HAPPY ADOPTERS.
SO IF YOU KNOW THAT, UM, XTON, THEY JUST, OH, PHOENIXVILLE JUST, YEAH.
PHOENIXVILLE, PHOENIXVILLE JUST, YEAH.
SO WE JUST BRING PEOPLE, RESTAURANT AND RETAIL IN FROM PHOENIXVILLE WHO ARE HAPPY ADOPTERS THAT WILL SHOW THEM LIKE, THESE ARE THE CONTAINERS WE STARTED BUYING.
THESE ARE THE BAGS THAT WE GET.
IT'S REALLY FASCINATING TO DO THESE MEETINGS AND HAVE BUSINESS CENTERS COME AND YOU SHOW THEM LIKE THAT.
THIS IS WHAT WE SWITCH TO THE, THE, YOUR BUSINESS OWNERS WILL SAY LIKE, HOW MUCH, HOW DID IT AFFECT YOUR BOTTOM LINE? HOW MUCH MORE ARE YOU SPENDING NOW ON THESE MATERIALS EVERY YEAR? AND THOSE ARE GREAT QUESTIONS THAT, THAT THE BUSINESS OWNERS ASK.
YOU KNOW, DURING THESE, AND, AND OF COURSE YOU HAVE THE SELF-MOTIVATED BUSINESSES WHO ARE DOING THIS STUFF.
ALREADY THEY LIVE AREAS THAT DON'T EVEN HAVE YEAH.
YOU, UM, FOR, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR EXAMPLE, CALIFORNIA TORTILLA UP NEAR ME, UH, THEIR GOALS, CARDBOARD, WHERE THEY CALL IT.
I, I DON'T THINK I'VE SEEN A PLASTIC THING THERE AT ALL.
UNLESS, UNLESS IT'S THE FLATWARE, YOU KNOW? RIGHT.
AND SOME BUSINESSES JUST START THEIR BUSINESS WITH, WITH NOT, YOU KNOW, BEING SUSTAINABLE.
SO WHAT, WHAT WE USUALLY HELP WITH IS WE'LL HELP YOU EDUCATE THE BUSINESS OWNERS.
WE'LL HELP YOU WITH, YOU KNOW, ONE OR TWO MEETINGS.
WE'VE DONE LIKE A REALLY NICE FAQ SHEET AGAIN FOR MEDIA BOROUGH THAT LIKE SAYS LIKE, WHY ARE, WHY IS THIS ORDINANCE BEING PASSED? YOU KNOW, AND YOU CAN, AND HOW'S IT GONNA AFFECT MY BOTTOM LINE? WHERE CAN I FIND THE MATERIALS THAT I NEED TO BUY? LIKE, ALL THOSE KIND OF QUESTIONS.
WE'LL GET THOSE UP ON THE WEBSITE.
WE'LL DEDICATE, YOU KNOW, TWO OR THREE PAGES OF THE WEBSITE TO THE PLASTIC BAG ORDINANCE, UM, ALONE, SO THAT ANYBODY WHO IS TRYING TO LEARN ABOUT IT CAN FIND IT, WHETHER THEY'RE A RESIDENT OR A BUSINESS.
UM, WE RECOMMEND MAYBE TABLE TENTS FOR RESTAURANTS THAT SIT ON THE TABLES AND THAT SAY LIKE, YOU KNOW, HOWEVER YOU WANT TO WORD IT.
I MEAN, THAT'S KIND OF, WE'LL BRAND THE WHOLE THING, YOU KNOW, HOWEVER YOU WANT TO WORD IT.
LIKE WE'RE, WE'RE A SUSTAINABLE TOWNSHIP OR WE'RE, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
OR, YOU KNOW, WE AIM FOR SUSTAINABILITY.
AND YOU COULD PUT THOSE TABLE TENTS ON RESTAURANT TABLES SO THAT, YOU KNOW, THE PATRONS KNOW THAT YOUR RESTAURANTS AND RETAIL ARE WORKING TOWARDS SUSTAINABILITY.
UM, WINDOW POSTERS, SO THAT, YOU KNOW,
[00:55:01]
IN THE BEGINNING, UM, AS PEOPLE ARE GETTING USED TO THIS, THE, THE, UM, RETAIL AND RESTAURANTS, ESPECIALLY THESE SMALL MOM AND POP PUT THEM IN THEIR WINDOWS.LIKE WE DON'T HAVE PLASTIC BAGS ANYMORE.
YOU KNOW, SO, YOU KNOW, BRING YOUR OWN BAG, UM, AND VENDOR LIST.
AND THEN WE ESTABLISH A TIMELINE FOR APPROVAL, AND THAT TIMELINE GETS COMMUNICATED WITH THE BUSINESSES.
SO LIKE WHEN, ONCE THE ORDINANCE PASSES, YOU HAVE THREE MONTHS TO COMPLY AND YOU'LL GET A WARNING IF YOU'RE NOT COMPLYING.
AND THEN YOU HAVE ANOTHER THREE MONTHS BEFORE THERE WILL BE FINES.
HOW DID THEY ENFORCE IT? THEY HAVE WITH THE, WHO ARE THE POLICE THAT ENFORCE IT? SO THEY WERE LUCKY.
BILL
UM, MOST OF THE TOWNSHIPS DO DO RESIDENT REPORTING, LIKE, OH, OKAY.
SO, SO LIKE A RESIDENT WILL SAY LIKE, I JUST GOT A PLASTIC BAG AT SUCH AND SUCH OR WHATEVER.
THEY HAD A HEALTH, A HEALTH DIRECTOR.
AND THEN DELAWARE COUNTY STARTED A HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
SO THE HEALTH DIRECTOR BECAME THE SUSTAINABILITY ENFORCER.
SO SHE ENFORCES ALL BUSINESS RECYCLING AND THE PLASTIC BAG ORDINANCE.
AND THEN, SO THAT IS WHAT A WARNING, FIRST TIME A WARNING.
AND THEN THE SECOND TIME IS A STERNER WARNER FINE, THEN A FINE? WELL, WE, IT'S ACTUALLY FOR, FOR MOST OF OUR CLIENTS, IT'S ACCORDING TO THE TIMELINE.
SO YOU SAY, SAY THE PLASTIC BAG ORDINANCE IS APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, THEN YOU SAY YOU HAVE THREE MONTHS TO SWITCH OVER, USE, USE UP YOUR SUPPLIES AND SWITCH OVER.
AND THEN THEY GET A WARNING AT THREE MONTHS.
IF THEY'RE NOT COMPLYING AT SIX MONTHS, THEY PEOPLE START GETTING FINED.
AS LONG AS YOU COMMUNICATE THAT TO ALL BUSINESS, ALL THE BUSINESS OWNERS, UM, YOU KNOW, AND THEY'RE AWARE OF IT.
SO THEY'RE NOT ALL OF A SUDDEN SHOCKED AFTER SIX MONTHS THAT THEY GET A FINE.
I WAS GONNA SAY OURS, WE PUT IN A W UM, WRITTEN WARNING FIRST, AND THEN IF INITIAL VIOLATIONS OCCUR, THEN WE FOLLOW THIS STANDARD.
UM, SO, UM, SO THE OBJECTIVE IS TO ENSURE CLEAR COMP TRANSITION FOR BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS AND ALSO TO MAKE SURE WE'RE COMMUNICATING WITH THEM ALL.
AS THIS GOES THROUGH THE PROCESS.
DO YOU SEE SOME, OR THAT YOU WORK WITH ON THIS? DO YOU SEE THAT ASSISTING ANY OF THE SMALL BUSINESSES OR WOULD BE MORE RESIDENTIAL LIKE FOR OUR FALL FEST, THE BIG GIVEAWAY THAT WE DO ARE BAGS, WE ALWAYS DO RECYCLED BAGS WITH.
THEY'RE, UM, REGULAR REUSABLE BAGS OR INSULATED BAGS.
BUT WOULD THAT BE SOMETHING THAT WE AS A TOWNSHIP HAVE TO ASSIST THE SMALL BUSINESSES WITH OR JUST MAKE SURE THE RESIDENTS HAVE THE BAGS? YEAH.
SOME OF OUR TOWNSHIPS HAVE ASSISTED THEM BY PRINTING TABLE TENTS FOR RESTAURANTS.
UM, AND PROVIDING LIKE BAG STUFFERS.
THE BAG STUFFERS ARE MORE FOR RESIDENTS AND WHEN THEY PURCHASE SOMETHING IN THE STORE, THEY JUST PUT THE BAG STUFFER IN AND BASICALLY THEY DON'T HAVE A PICTURE OF SOMEBODY USING A REUSABLE BAG.
AND IT'LL SAY LIKE, REMEMBER, BRING A BAG NEXT TIME, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
IT'S JUST LIKE A HALF OF AN EIGHT AND A HALF BY 11.
I THINK WE COULD SUPPORT ON ANY OF THOSE.
UM, IN THE NEWSLETTER THAT GOES TO ALL THE RESIDENTS, UM, IS HOW WE WILL COMMUNICATE.
IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE COULD GET BUSINESS EMAILS.
'CAUSE WHAT WE USUALLY DO IS WE SET UP A SEPARATE SEGMENT IN MAILCHIMP AND WE JUST EMAIL 'EM AS THIS GOES THROUGH THE PROCESS SO THAT THEY KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
UM, THE LIVE MEETING, UM, WE TALKED ABOUT, WE PROVIDE ALTERNATIVE VENDOR LISTS FOR ECHO FRIENDLY PACKAGING, FLYERS FOR WINDOWS FAQ SHEET, UM, TABLE TENTS, DIGITAL OUTREACH.
UM, WE WOULD HANDLE THE, ALL THE WEBPAGES, EMAIL, NEWSLETTERS, SOCIAL MEDIA, THOSE EMAILS TO BUSINESSES, AND THEN SWAG.
THAT'S WHAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT BEFORE? MM-HMM
SO, AND THEY HAD IT AT THE FARMER'S MARKET AND YOU HAD TO PROVE THAT YOU WERE A RESIDENT OF MEDIA BOROUGH TO GET ONE.
BUT, UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE USE THEM.
AND I DON'T HAVE MY, 'CAUSE I DON'T HAVE MY PURSE, BUT IT'S JUST THIS LITTLE THING, THIS LITTLE, IT WAS THE TRIANGLE AND IT JUST FOLDS UP AND
[01:00:01]
I ALWAYS HAVE IT IN MY PURSE.IT'S NOT LIKE, IT'S NOT AS ECHO FRIENDLY AS IT COULD BE.
IT'S NOT A, IT'S NOT, IT'S PROBABLY, IT'S CLOSE.
IF IT GETS TURNED OUT, IT'LL STAY IT, BUT, UM, TRIED THOUGH.
WE'RE ON THE RIGHT PORCH AND IT HAD THEIR LOGO ON IT, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE DO CARRY THAT.
YOU CAN SEE
IT'S GOT, IT DOES HAVE A LITTLE CLIP ON IT, SO YES.
UM, YEAH, SO THAT'S BASICALLY HOW WE GO THROUGH THESE, UM, PLASTIC BAG ORDINANCES, UM, YOU KNOW, AND WHAT WE HELP YOU WITH AS FAR AS COMMUNICATIONS AND STUFF.
UM, I DON'T WANNA TAKE UP LIKE AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT, WHATEVER, BUT, UM, DO YOU SEE A LOT OF OPPOSITION FROM BUSINESSES NOT WANTING TO OH, I THOUGHT YOU WERE GONNA SAY PEOPLE, 'CAUSE THERE'S, I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR YEARS AND PEOPLE TIMES WHERE PEOPLE ARE AGAINST IT.
BUT RIGHT NOW THEY SHOULD HAVE A TRUNK OF REUSABLE BAGS.
YOU WOULD THINK BOTH MY CARS ARE PACKED, BUT USING IT IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT THING TOO.
THAT'S WHY I HAD, THAT'S WHY I GOT A WHOLE BUNCH MY TRUNK.
WELL, SO, UM, TOTALLY ASIDE FROM THIS, MY CAR WAS IN THE DEALERSHIP AND, AND THEY WERE TEST DRIVING IT, AND IT GOT TOTALED.
LUCKY YOU, MY LITTLE MINI COOPER.
AND SO I SAID TO MY HUSBAND, GO GET MY BAGS OUT OF THAT CAR.
I JUST HAD MY TRUCK SERVICED TODAY, AND THEY HAD TO, I GET INTO MY APARTMENT TO SOME, AND I HAD TWOS.
SO, UM, THE, WE HAVE, WE HAVE SEEN SMALLER BUSINESSES WHO, UH, UH, OBJECT IN THE BEGINNING.
LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE HAD ONE HEATED RESTAURANT OVER AT A PUBLIC MEETING THAT, BUT ONCE WE WENT THROUGH EVERYTHING AND HE SAW PEOPLE FROM WESTCHESTER CAME AND THEY SHOWED EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE USING, EXPLAINED WHAT THE EFFECT WAS ON THEIR BOTTOM LINE, UM, HE CALMED, HE CALMED DOWN.
AND HE WAS ACTUALLY AN EARLY ADOPTER.
SO, UM, I WOULD SAY IT'S, IT IS, IT IS HARDER FOR THE SMALLER BUSINESSES TO UNDERSTAND BECAUSE THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, THEIR BUDGETS ARE SO TIGHT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, MY, MY CONTENTION IS JUST DRIVE DOWN SECOND AVENUE OR LEWIS ROAD AND, AND YOU'LL, YOU SAY, WHY ARE WE DOING THIS? BECAUSE THEY'RE IN THE TREES.
TREES, THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE EVERYWHERE.
AND YOU KNOW, ANY REASONABLE PERSON IS GONNA SAY, WHY, WHY ARE WE DOING THIS? YEAH.
SO ACTUALLY I'M GLAD THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT BECAUSE ONE OF THE REASONS, ONE OF, NOT REASONS, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME UP INTERNALLY WAS, WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT ALL OF OUR PARKS BECAUSE ALL OF OUR PARKS HAVE JOG WASTE BAGS.
IF WE DON'T PERMIT THE BUSINESSES TO USE THEM, WE REMOVE THEM FROM OUR PARKS.
AND THIS IS MORE OF A QUESTION LIKE, LIKE, YOU GUYS WANT TO ADOPT THIS.
IT'S, I DON'T WANT TO SINGLE MYSELF OUT, BUT IT IS A HUGE, I HAVE WELL, ISN'T THAT, ISN'T THAT, YEAH.
WELL, YOU KNOW, AT THE SAME TIME.
BUT ISN'T THAT, ISN'T THAT A QUESTION OF, UH, YOU KNOW, ASKING LIKE GAINESVILLE, WHO JUST ADOPTED IT, SAY, HEY, HOW DO YOU GUYS HANDLE? ABSOLUTELY.
I'M, I'M ASKING ON, I DON'T KNOW HOW.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY, I OFTEN WONDER THAT TOO WHEN I GRAB ONE.
AND I SEE THEM ON THE TRAIL SIDE TOO, RIGHT? I DO, THEY DO THEY MANUFACTURE SOMETHING THAT'S BIO, THEY DO MAKE BIODEGRADABLE ONES, CORRECT.
I'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT ABOUT IS YOU'RE TAKING SOMETHING BIODEGRADABLE AND PUTTING IT IN A NON BIODEGRADABLE ITEM.
IF YOU'RE NOT, PICK IT UP, JUST LEAVE IT.
I'M MORE HAPPY IF YOU LEAVE IT UP.
BUT I, THIS THING YOU DO, DO THEY HAVE RECYCLABLE? DO THEY HAVE BIODEGRADABLE ONES? BUT THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS, I WOULD SAY IF IT'S IN THAT METAL BOX, YEAH.
THAT BOX IS WATERPROOF, GOT A LITTLE BIT OF WATER, THEN THEY'RE WASTED.
I THINK IT'S A, AND THAT'S WHY I JUST THINK IT'S LIKE A FOOD FOR THOUGHT THING.
IF DEFINITELY FOOD, IT'S LIKE A VERY SMALL THING.
[01:05:06]
NO, I DO.I KNOW WE'RE RUNNING BEHIND, SO I, I'M GOOD FOR NOW.
READY TO DO THE WALL AGAIN? PARDON ME? READY TO GO DO THE WALL AGAIN? YEAH.
HAVEN'T SEEN ANYONE THINK THAT'S OKAY.
I NEED TO VOLUNTEER RIGHT NOW.
I DO HAVE A LETTER CAR OUT THERE.
ARE THEY GONNA GET YOU A NEW CAR? LIKE DO YOU GET A NEW CAR FOR THEM? IT'S TOTAL, SO I GET THE VALUE AND THEN I'M HOPING THE DEALERSHIP WILL GIVE ME PICK UP.
I ONLY HAD 30,000 MILES ON IT.
THAT WOULD BE A GOOD BUSINESS DECISION.
BUT I HAVE THE NEW ONE NOW WITH ALL THE BELLS AND WHISTLES AND LET'S SURE HIS MINI COULD CONVERT A MICRO, AH, MICRO MACHINE.
I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, IT'S A VERY SAFE CAR.
THE GUY DIDN'T GET, THE BAGS WERE FINE.
CAR FOUR, CAR NUMBER FOUR, CAR NUMBER FOUR, AND A FIVE CAR PILE.
AND THE CAR IN FRONT WAS ONE OF THOSE ANCIENT LEAD SLABS.
AND THE MINI WERE ACTUALLY THE DAMAGE TO THAT CAR.
AND THE CAR BEHIND WAS LIKE A MITSUBISHI BANG VAN, THE LIQUOR VAN.
AND DID DAMAGE TO THAT VAN TOO.
BUT THE DOORS, THE DOORS STILL OPEN.
THE DOORS STILL OPEN, BUT IT WAS A THREE CAR PILE UP AND THE FRONT CAR AND THE BACK CAR ARE DESTROYED.
WELL, AT LEAST YOU WEREN'T DRIVING.
NOW, AS A TECHNICIAN WAS THE DRIVER OKAY? YEAH.
[4. Update: Local Climate Action Plan]
SUPPOSED TO TALK ON THE LOCAL, UM, ACTION CLIMATE PLAN, BUT I THINK, UM, I KNOW WE HAVE A MEETING TOMORROW AND THEY'RE GOING TO PRESENT AN APRIL BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING THAT'S ON MONDAY, APRIL 21ST, THE DAY AFTER EASTER.UM, SO WE'RE GONNA, THEY'RE GONNA PUT ALL THEIR FINDINGS THAT THEY HAVE HAD SO FAR AND LORI BACK ME UP ON THIS.
UM, BUT THEY'RE GOING TO PRESENT EVERYTHING THAT I FOUND SO FAR AT THAT MEETING.
SO IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN HEARING MORE IN DEPTH OF HOW THINGS ARE GOING AND, UM, WHERE THE TOWNSHIP IS, THAT WOULD BE THE DATE TO EITHER WATCH LIVE OR, OR COME BY AND LISTEN TO.
I DON'T WANT TO BOTCH ALL THE TERMINOLOGY, BUT THAT WOULD BE MY TWO HAVING CLUE.
BUT THEY ARE DOING A REALLY GOOD JOB.
THEY DO HAVE A LOT OF REALLY CREATIVE AND, UM, VERY INFORMATIVE VIEWS ON, ON WHERE WE SHOULD GO FROM HERE.
SO I'M VERY CURIOUS TO SEE WHAT THEY SAID.
OH, WHEN IS THAT? THIS APRIL 21ST.
AT WHAT TIME? THE BOARD MEETING.
OH, AT THE BOARD MEETING? MM-HMM
AND JEFF NICELY DID PUT IN ALL OF THEIR, UM, ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT, UM, NOT LAST WEEK, BUT THE WEEK BEFORE.
SO IF YOU GUYS WANT TO RUN THROUGH THAT, YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO WHAT I WOULD SAY FOR A BETTER LIPS TO COME TO THE MEETING.
CAN I EXPRESS SOMETHING NEW? OF COURSE.
WE, THROUGH EVERYTHING, WE HAVE NOT WORKED THROUGH EVERYTHING YET.
BUT IF YOU HAVE, IF YOU WANT DO IT NOW, THAT'S FINE.
UM, OH, SPEAKING OF JUMPING IT, TIM, LOVELY SOUL.
WHAT DIDN'T YOU ASK FOR? UM, RIGHT.
WELL HE, HE PUT A GUY NAMED JACK WARD ON ME TO HEAD UP THE YES.
COMMITTEE FOR THE REFERENDUM FOR OPEN SPACE.
SO ALL I'M DOING AT THE MOMENT IS JUST THROWING IT OUT THERE THAT THERE IS GOING TO BE A COMMITTEE FOR THAT.
COMMITTEE, IT'S THE PEOPLE WHO
[01:10:01]
HELP DO FUNDRAISING AND PUT OUT THE SIGNS TO GET PEOPLE TO THINK ABOUT GOING YES.THERE'S NOTHING ELSE IN PLACE.
WE'RE JUST THROWING THAT OUT THERE IN CASE THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE WHO WANT TO GET INVOLVED WITH THE SO-CALLED YES.
EXPLAIN AGAIN, LORI, WHAT THAT IS.
THERE'S A COMMITTEE OF PEOPLE WHO GET TO DO THE LEG WORK.
THEY TRY AND CONVINCE THE MUNICIPALITY, THE TOWNSHIP TO VOTE YES FOR THE OPEN SPACE REFERENDUM THAT WILL BE ON THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER.
SO DID THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? YEP.
AND TONIGHT'S UP ALL NIGHT, SO I'M SO SORRY.
YOU WERE COMING TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING, BILL, YOU WEREN'T COMING TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING.
CAN I, YOU WANT ME TO DO THAT REALLY QUICK WHILE YOU'RE HERE? OKAY.
UM, THE NUMBER SEVEN ON OUR AGENDA, THE PT EAC REPRESENTATION AT AMY SOBER BIRTHDAY.
WE THINK THAT'S A FABULOUS IDEA.
UM, MY TEAM IS APRIL THROUGH JUNE EVERY WEEKEND WE HAVE AN EVENT.
SO, UM, WE CANNOT ATTEND, BUT I'M HAPPY TO PURCHASE THE TABLE AND HAVE EAC ATTEND THE EVENT AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE ALL THE PAPERWORK AND THINGS THAT YOU NEED FOR IT.
BUT IF SOMEONE WANTS TO GO TO IT AND CAN CONFIRM THAT THEY'LL BE THERE, I'M HAPPY TO GET THE TABLE ON BEHALF OF THE TOWNSHIP.
AND I BELIEVE THAT WAS APRIL 26TH.
SO I'LL PUT IT ON, I'LL SEND OUT AN EMAIL OKAY.
AND IF I HAVE CONFIRMED EAC MEMBERS THAT CAN ABSOLUTELY BE THERE FOR THE ENTIRE TIME, LIKE I'M HAPPY TO, I'M HAPPY TO.
I CAN TELL YOU NOW I CAN, I HAVE A PARTNERSHIP THAT STARTS AND I, I, YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT YOU PARKS FROM PARTICULARLY PROGRAMS, RIGHT? BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM PROVIDENCE TOWNSHIP OBVIOUSLY GO ABSOLUTELY.
SEND ALL THE EARTH DAY PEOPLE FOR THAT THING OVER TO OUR CAR SHOW WHERE ALL THOSE INTERNAL COMBUSTION AGENTS ARE GONNA BE FIRING UP AND BURNING UP AND UM, YOU KNOW, THAT MIGHT BE A GREAT, THAT MIGHT BE A GREAT, A GREAT THING TO GET TOGETHER.
I'M SORRY, SUE THE DATE ON THAT.
AND I'LL SEND THAT IN AN EMAIL, LORI, WITH THE INFORMATION FOR IT.
AND LIKE I SAID, I'M HAPPY TO PURCHASE IT AS LONG AS I KNOW SOMEONE'S GONNA BE THERE.
IT'S, IT IS MY PARENTS' ANNIVERSARY, BUT DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.
I'LL SAY A LITTLE HAPPY ANNIVERSARY FOR THEM.
I, I'LL BE DOING THE 17TH EAC EVENT, UH, OR THE TABLE FOR THE SHREDDING EVENT.
I WANT TO DO THAT ONE IN JULY 27TH.
HOW LONG IS THE I'M GONNA CHECK IT FOR YOU REALLY QUICK PERSON.
ALWAYS I GET OUTSIDE TRANSPORTATION BECAUSE I CANNOT DRIVE.
AND, AND SO BEFORE I PUT INTO THAT, IT WOULD BE NICE TO KNOW HOW LONG I'M GONNA BE THERE SO THAT I CAN TWIST MY HUSBAND'S ARM TO TAKE ME OF COURSE.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE IT IS AT THE, UM, AT
IT DOES NOT SAY WHAT TIME THE VENDORS NEED TO ARRIVE, BUT I WOULD ASSUME YOU HAVE TO BE THERE BY NINE OR NINE 30 OR I MEAN 11 OR 1130 IF IT'S AT 12 O'CLOCK, SIR, IT'S A, IT'S A FULL DAY.
SO WOULD BE PROBABLY FROM LIKE 11 TO FOUR 30.
SO LIKE I SAID, THAT BE THERE TOO.
I MEAN I WOULD, BUT I'M PROBABLY IN TWO OTHER LOCATIONS AT THAT MOMENT.
WE HAVE TWO THINGS BACK TO BACK.
UM, I WILL LOOK AT, I'LL SEND EVERYBODY THIS EMAIL THAT BILL SENT ME WITH ALL THE INFORMATION TO, UM, PHOENIXVILLE.
[01:15:02]
THE OTHER OPTION THAT WE COULD HAVE IS TO HELP SPONSOR IT.UM, SO WE CAN LOOK AT THAT TOO, IF THAT INVOLVES, IF LIKE WE SEND 'EM, UM, A SPONSORSHIP FORM IF THEY HAND OUT OUR INFORMATION AS WELL OR LIKE HOW THAT WORKS.
I ALSO AM NOT SURE IF THIS IS MY FRIENDS WITH THE PHOENIXVILLE, IT'S THE PHOENIXVILLE GREEN TEAM IN PHOENIXVILLE AREA TRANSITION.
I DON'T WHAT THOSE TWO THINGS ARE.
SO I DON'T THINK IT'S MY FRIEND WITH THE PARK DEPARTMENT.
BUT LIKE I SAID, I'LL SEND YOU GUYS AND YOU GUYS DECIDE AS A GROUP.
I CAN PROBABLY, WHAT THAT MEANS IS MY HUSBAND GETS A BIG BREAK TO DO WITH HIS SERMON WRITING THAT HE HAS TO HAVE READY.
HE'S, HE'S, HE'S AT FAULT FOR WHY I HAVE A BROKEN FOOT.
SEE HE HAS DIRECTLY EVERYWHERE.
[5. Update: Birdtown Program]
UM, NEXT THING ISSO WE'RE GONNA HAVE A MEETING WE'RE GONNA BRING NEXT, UH, TWO MONTHS.
WE ARE GOING TO HAVE THE EAC AND PARKS AND RECS MEET AT THE SAME TIME.
I'M GONNA HAVE I FROM BIRD TOWN ACTUALLY COME OUT AND GO OVER THE WHOLE PROGRAM.
SHE WENT OVER THE SLIDES WITH ME, BUT THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT MORE QUESTIONS WE'RE GONNA HAVE THAT I DON'T HAVE ANSWERS TO.
BUT BASICALLY WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO IS THAT THERE WAS A LETTER WITH, I SENT OUT THE, THE DRIVE THAT SHE HAD EVERYTHING ON, BUT THERE'S A LETTER THAT THE TOWNSHIP BOARD HAS TO COMMIT TO, TO ALLOW US TO DO THIS BEFORE.
WELL SHE CAN, WE CAN DO IT WHENEVER.
NOT WHENEVER, BUT I MEAN EVEN AFTER SHE'S HERE.
BECAUSE SHE'S JUST GONNA BE THE INITIAL, HEY, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOTTA DO.
AND THEN THERE'S THE, THE REGISTRATION IS A HUNDRED DOLLARS ONE TIME FEE, BUT WE GET TWO SIGNS AT
THEY WILL HELP US WITH ANY LITERATURE, FLYERS, UM, PROGRAMS THAT WE WANT TO PUSH.
UM, IT JUST GETS YOU DIFFERENT CERTIFICATES AS YOU GO.
AND IT'S THINGS THAT WE'RE ALREADY DOING GREAT.
LIKE GARDENS, NOMO AND ALL THAT.
AND THAT'S WHAT THEY PUSH US TO IS THE I KNOW.
'CAUSE WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THE NOMO, THE NO SPRAY AND THAT ACTUALLY WILL HELP US.
SUPPOSEDLY, I THINK THE UBON MASTER SIDE, THE BERG TOWN IS SEPARATE FROM UBON.
BECAUSE THEY'RE TWO DIFFERENT GROUPS NOW.
SO I HAVE HEIDI COMING OUT IN TWO WEEKS, I MEAN TWO MONTHS HOPEFULLY TO PRESENT THIS TO US.
AND WE CAN HAVE, AND WE SO GET ALL YOUR QUESTIONS READY.
REFRESH MY MEMORY OF WHAT BIRD TOWN IS.
SO BIRD TOWN IS, IS TAKING YOUR COMMUNITY.
SO THE BIG THING WITH BIRDS IS WE'RE THEY'RE LOSING HABITAT AND FEEDING PLACES BECAUSE OF BUILDING AND SPRAYING AND OPEN PROPERTY.
SO BIRD TOWN DOES IS THEY COME IN, HELP EDUCATE US ON A TOWNSHIP ON HOW TO PLANT MORE NATURAL FRIENDLY GRASSES, BIRD HOUSES, FEED IN THE WINTERTIME OR THE SUMMERTIME, WHAT THEY EAT WOULD WANT TO DO.
AND WHAT IT ALSO DOES IS WE ACTUALLY WOULD PROJECT THIS ONTO THE COMMUNITY AND THE NEIGHBORS TO GET THEM INVOLVED IN THEIR OWN PROPERTIES.
SO WHAT IT DOES IS IT, IT JUST, IT'S HELPING TO REPOPULATE NATURALLY FOR THE BIRDS, BUT THEY ALSO DO INSECTS.
SO IT'S KIND OF AN ALL INSECTS BE LIKE BEES.
OR I GUESS, UM, I DIDN'T EVEN ASK HER DIRECTLY LIKE PRAYING MANTIS IS, THEY ARE VITAL AND ALL THAT, SO.
THE, THE GOOD IN THE GOOD INSECTS, RIGHT.
NOBODY WANTS MOSQUITOES, NOT FLIES, BUT LIKE EVEN IF THINGS BRING IN THE BAD BUGS, THE BIRDS KIND OF GO AFTER THOSE ANYWAY.
SO IT IS KIND OF LIKE A CHANGE, IT'S A CIRCLE LIKE RIGHT.
SO, BUT IT'S REALLY TO POPULATE HONEYBEES.
AND THAT'S THE THING THAT BRING THE BEES, THE BIRD BEING THE BEADS AND THE BIRDS BACK AND HELP TO, TO, AND THAT'S, AND THAT'S THROUGH, UM, NON SPRAY, THAT KIND OF STUFF.
WELL WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS SPECIES, NATIVE SPECIES.
BECAUSE LIKE THE BIG THING I KNOW THE MONARCHS IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET, UM, MILK, WEED TO GROW.
IT'S HARD TO GET TO GROW, BUT THEY USED TO COME
[01:20:01]
ALL THE WAY UP FROM MEXICO UP THROUGH HERE.BUT NOW WITH US BUILDING AND EVERYTHING DYING AND EVERYTHING, NO ONE WANTS THE MILK WEED IN THEIR FRONT YARD.
SO NOW THE MONARCHS ARE DWINDLING DOWN.
AND THAT'S PART OF THE POLLINATION IF YOU THINK THEY POLLINATE ALL THE WAY FROM THE SOUTH OVER.
AND THAT'S, WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THE MONTCLAIR AREAS THAT WE ED TO LIKE BE GREAT STARTING HAVING HABITATS FOR, FOR THIS
THEY, YOU'RE NOT BUILDING ON 'EM.
YOU'RE JUST NATURALLY PLANNING.
THEN YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO MOW 'EM BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA FLOOD ANYWAY.
SO YOU GET A LITTLE WATER RESISTANT.
BUT, BUT, BUT YOU, YOU'D LIKE TO GET THE COMMUNITY INVOLVED FOR THEIR OWN PERSONAL PROPERTIES ALSO.
AND I THINK IT CAME UP PERFECT TIME WITH US DOING THE, THE NO MOSS.
SO WE DO NO MO IT'S PLANT FLOWERS.
WELL I'M EXCITED, I'M EXCITED TO HEAR FROM HER AND I'M EXCITED BECAUSE THE, OUR BOARD WANTS TO BE INVOLVED AS WELL.
SO HAVING A JOINT MEETING IN MAY JUST MAKES THE MOST SENSE.
THAT WAY WE CAN GET ALL THE INFORMATION OUT ONCE IF IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WHOEVER, IF IT'S THE PARTNER, WHOEVER WANTS TO DO THIS MM-HMM
'CAUSE 'CAUSE I, I TALKED ABOUT THIS, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS.
SO IT'S A, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ITS OWN BOARD.
IT COULD BE A SUB BOARD OR A COMMITTEE.
IT'S A COMMITTEE MINIMUM OF THREE PEOPLE.
SO MY SUGGESTION TO SUE US IS I'M ALREADY ON BOTH BOARDS.
I COULD RUN AS ONE PERSON AND WE GET ONE FROM EAC AND ONE FROM PARK BOARD.
THEN WE HAVE ALL BASES COVERED.
AND PRETTY MUCH WHAT WE WOULD BE INVOLVED IN IS IF WE HAD A TABLE FOR THE EEC, WE COULD BAN THE EEC AND A BIRD CABLE AT THE SAME TIME BECAUSE THEY'D BE THE SAME TABLE.
I WAS MORE, AND THAT'S KIND OF, I UNDERSTAND, BUT I WAS MORE THINKING THAT THE ACTUAL, OKAY, YOU'RE GOING TO PLANT THESE, UH, WILDFLOWERS FOR WILD FIELDS IN SOME OF THESE PROPERTIES.
I THINK THE TOWNSHIP WHO DOES THAT? I THINK THE TOWNSHIP INVEST IN IT.
ONCE THEY SIGN OFF ON IT, WE'RE INVESTING INTO THE
WHO ACTUALLY DOES THE WORK? WHO PUTS UP THESE BIRD HOUSES PUTS UP, RIGHT.
AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'LL COLLABORATIVE PARTNERS WITH THAT MAYBE, LIKE WE ALREADY WERE, WE'RE ALREADY PART OF THE BLUEBIRD SOCIETY, SO WE ALREADY GET BIRD HOUSES FROM THAT SOCIETY.
UM, SOMETIMES THEY HAND US ONES THAT WERE IN REALLY GOOD SHAPE, THAT THEY'RE REMOVED FROM OTHER PLACES THAT THEY GIVE US TO SEE IF WE WANT THEM FOR OTHER PROPERTIES THAT WE HAVE THAT AREN'T BLUEBIRD.
UM, BUT WE HAVE RESOURCES, WE HAVE GOOD PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCILS THAT WOULD I'M SURE BE HAPPY TO ASSIST.
OR WE CAN HAVE BIRDHOUSE BUILDING DAY.
WE CAN BE A KID EVENT OR ON EARTH DAY, COMMUNITY DAY LIKE LOWE'S DOES.
UM, I THINK LOWE'S, MAYBE IT'S FROM YUKO, THEY DO CHILDREN'S DAYS WHERE ONCE A MONTH THEY PICK A NEW CRAFT AND THEY KIDS ACTUALLY BUILD WITH, THEY GET A PIECE OF WOOD, THEY CUT IT, THEY DO ALL THE THINGS AND THEY MAKE A BIRDHOUSE FOR FATHER'S DAY TYPE OF THING.
UM, BUT LIKE WE COULD DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO GET THE BOWL ROLLING.
I I, I'M, I'M MORE JUST, AND I'M NOT, I I'M JUST ASKING ABOUT PHYSICAL WORK.
YOU KNOW, BUILDING THE BIRDHOUSE IS NICE FOR THE KIDS, THAT KIND OF STUFF.
PUBLIC WORKS WOULD HAVE TO DO THE ACTUAL YES.
IF THERE WAS PHYSICAL WORK TO BE DONE, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE, AND THE THREE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY IN THE COUNCIL WOULD PRETTY MUCH BE ADVISOR MORE OR LESS LIKE, HEY, WE NEED TO FIX THIS OR THIS WASHED OUT.
I'M JUST ALWAYS CONCERNED AND TO KNOW BETTER THAN ME.
I'M ALWAYS CONCERNED WHAT WE MAKE WORK FOR PUBLIC.
BUT THAT'S WHY WE HAVE A PARKS DIVISION IS FOR THESE TYPE OF THINGS.
AND WHAT I ANNOUNCED, WHAT I PRESENTED TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON MONDAY WAS THE HOOPS TO, IF WE'RE GOING TO BUILD A NEW, OR IF WE'RE GOING TO ADD TO ANY OF OUR PARK AMENITIES AND FACILITIES, IT'S TO ADD TRAILS AND OPEN SPACES AND THINGS LIKE THIS INSTEAD OF LIKE BIG PLAY SPACES AND BIG STRUCTURES AND THINGS THAT NEED HIGH ATTENTION TO MAINTENANCE BECAUSE WE ONLY HAVE A THREE MAN PARK CREW.
SO I DON'T WANNA ADD THINGS IN TERMS OF THAT'S WHAT I'M ALWAYS CONSERVATIVE, THAT'S ALL SAME ALWAYS.
THE HOPE WOULD BE THAT IT'S EITHER A ONE YEAR MO OR A NOMO.
AND I DON'T THINK ANYBODY COULD ARGUE THAT.
ANY PUBLIC WORKS GUY GOES THAT'S ALL THE OUT THERE VERY MUCH LIKE WE DON'T WANNA YEAH, WE DON'T WANNA, I'M SURE THEY DON'T.
I'M SURE THEY DON'T WANNA BE BOTHERED, BUT I JUST, I'M ALWAYS CONSIDERING WE, THESE THINGS ARE GREAT THERE, BUT YOU KNOW, WHO'S DOING THAT ACTUAL PHYSICAL WORK.
AND I AM A LITTLE CONSIDERED THIS PROBLEM ON THE PUBLIC WORKS AND OUR FRIENDS.
WELL, AS I SAID, THESE ARE QUESTIONS WE NEED TO REMEMBER TO ASK HER WHEN SHE COMES IN TOO.
LIKE HOW DOES THE OTHER TOWN COMMITTEE WHO DOES IT RIGHT, HOW DO THE OTHER TOWNSHIPS DO ALSO, WHICH I'M SURE SHE'S, I ASKED HER TO COME WITH SOME ANSWERS BEFORE.
IF WE CAN GET QUESTIONS TO HER IN ADVANCE AND SEND THEM TO HER SO SHE CAN GO THROUGH THEM.
WHICH I'LL HAVE, I'LL HAVE, UM,
[01:25:01]
THAT'S, THIS IS THE MAY 14TH, RIGHT? YEAH.I'M INTERESTED, I MEAN THAT'S REALLY COOL.
I, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK IT'S COOL BECAUSE I LOVE BERT AND I, THEY SEEM TO BE ALL, I MEAN SHE WAS REALLY, BUT I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
I DON'T KNOW ANY, BUT YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T KNOW THEY WERE DEPLETED OR NOT DEPLETED.
I WAS TRYING TO TRANSFER KNOWLEDGE JUST RIGHT.
BRING HER IN, TELL YOU WHAT COMES.
YEAH, BECAUSE THERE'S SOME I HAVE THAT COME, THEY'RE ONLY THERE FOR TWO WEEKS AND I DON'T SEE 'EM AGAIN UNTIL NEXT YEAR.
AND THEN THEY'RE GONE AND MY KIDS MAKE FUN OF.
[6. Update: Butterfly Garden / Replanting in Anderson Farm Park]
UM, OKAY, SO THE NEXT THING UP IS FREE MOON LAURIE, THE BUTTERFLY GARDEN AT ANDERSON.AND WHAT, UM, IF ANY, UM, IDEAS ARE READY FOR IN, IS IT THE SAME LADY THOUGH? IS THAT THE SAME LADY? NO, NO, THANK YOU.
I'VE BEEN HERE FOR A LONG TIME TODAY.
SHE, SHE'S IN THE BUTTERFLIES.
WELL THEY, THE UBON DOES BUTTERFLY STUFF, SO WE LIKE, BUT THIS IS A SEPARATE INITIATIVE.
YOU WERE TALKING, I THINK THAT'S WHAT JEFF PUT IT AS, BUT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT UM, THE ANDERSON PARK, EITHER THE, UM, BASIN THAT'S BEING MOWED OR THE AREA IN FRONT OF THE COMMUNITY CENTER BY THE WETLAND THAT WE HAVE AND WE COME BACK TO IT.
I'LL DO THIS OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD AND MAKE IT UP.
UM, BACK FOR OUR LAST MEETING THAT JEFF WAS TALKING ABOUT, IT WAS JUST LIKE, THERE WAS THIS LIKE VERY SMALL LITTLE AREA IN THE TURNAROUND WAS SOME SOMEPLACE THAT INSTEAD OF HAVING DEAD GRASS THERE, THEY PUT IN PLANTINGS THAT TURNED TO BE UH, KIND OF LIKE A
SO ALL I'M SAYING IS JUST PICK A SPOT.
IT COULD BE AT ANDERSON PARK IN FRONT OF THE FACILITIES BUILDING.
IT COULD BE ANOTHER LITTLE SPOT SOMEWHERE ELSE OF JUST NATIVE PLANTS THAT WOULD ATTRACT BUTTERFLIES.
KEEP IN MIND THAT THINGS THAT ATTRACT BUTTERFLIES ALSO ATTRACT MEAT.
BUT ANYWAY, THAT'S ALL I REALLY HAD.
SO IT'S JUST, CAN WE PUT IN A WATER PLUG OVER SOMEWHERE ELSE? ACTUALLY SLIGHTLY SEGUE.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US PUT IN AS MUCH NATIVE PLANTS AND WILD FLOWERS AND AS MANY PLACES AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.
EVERY TIME I DRIVE DOWN ONE 13 AND DRIVE BY UNIVERSITY PARK, THERE WAS THAT BIG GREEN SWAP OR YOU KNOW, WELL IT SPREAD, UH, NEXT ONE 17.
THAT'S BETWEEN ONE 13 AND THE AND WHY CAN'T WE PUT IN
YEAH, I'M ACTUALLY DOES THAT GET USED FOR LIKE THE EVENTS OF THE EVENTS YOU HAVE AND STUFF? NO, WE MOVED MOSTLY EVENTS OVER HERE.
WHY DON'T, THIS IS THE RIGHT, RIGHT.
NO, I, NO, IT'S IT'S BETWEEN THE ROAD.
OH, I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF THEY USED IT FOR RUNNING OR YOU KNOW, GAMES FOR KIDS DURING SOME OF THE EVENTS OR SOMETHING.
I DON'T, BUT I MEAN, I AGREE WITH YOU LORI.
IT'S, IT'S, I UNDERSTAND IT'S JUST THE BIRDS ON THE SIDE OF ROAD.
I JUST, I LOOK AT ALL OF THOSE THINGS AND GO, WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE GRASS THAT WE HAVE? RIGHT.
I DIDN'T, I I JUST WAS ASKING A QUESTION, BUT YEAH, WE'RE NOT USING IT.
THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT FENCE LINE BEHIND IN THE OUTFIELD AND THIS, UM, END OF THE SOCCER FIELD IS WHERE WE WE'RE PROPOSING REBUILDING PART OF OUR TRAIL SYSTEM, BUT ON THE OTHER SIDE TO ONE 13 OFFSET THAT I, I I THINK IT WOULD JUST BE ONE LESS THING TO BE HONEST.
I MEAN I JUST, WHY KNOW IT IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO? I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE NOT USING IT EXACTLY.
AT ONE POINT, I, I TOOK AN AERIAL VIEW OF ANDERSON PARK OFF OF GOOGLE MAPS AND LITTLE RED CIRCLES AROUND ALL THE PLACES THAT I HAVE WHO COULD JUST ADD WILDFLOWERS TO NOW WILDFLOWERS DO TEND TO BE ANNUAL, BUT YOU GET SOME THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WILLED THEMSELVES.
AND IT COULD BE OTHER THINGS LIKE FORAGE AND OTHER THINGS TOO THAT DON'T NEED TO BE MOWED AND THEY ED THEMSELVES.
[01:30:01]
AND AS FAR AS THE BUTTERFLY GARDEN, WE, SOMETHING COULD BE DESIGNED THAT ARE THE PLANTS THAT WOULD ATTRACT BUTTERFLIES.I WOULD SUGGEST THAT IT BE SOMETHING NOT IN THE MIDDLE OF WHERE ACTIVITIES ARE HEAVY.
BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, IT ATTRACTS BUTTERFLIES.
I'LL TAKE IT TO MY, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, NOTHING, THERE'S NOTHING, I MEAN THE GRASS IS GREEN, BUT THERE'S NOTHING TRICKY ABOUT IT.
WELL I CALL THOSE GRASSES GOOSE ONES BECAUSE THESE ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT MAKE KEYS.
WELL, YEAH, WE'RE NOT USING IT.
WHAT THE HECK AGAIN, WHY WOULD ANYBODY ARGUE ABOUT MOW WITH IT IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO MOW? YEAH, I WILL DEFINITELY.
I'M DOING A WALKTHROUGH OF ANDERSON ON FRIDAY, SO I'LL BRING IT UP.
YOU SAY YOU BRING IT UP TO, UM, PUBLIC WORKS.
OH, SO WHAT YOU DO A WALKTHROUGH WITH THEM TO MAINTAIN FOR THIS UPCOMING SEASON? YEAH, WE, WE TRY TO EXACTLY, BECAUSE WE WERE STARTING TO GET TO BALL SEASON, SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THE BALL FIELDS ARE AT LEAST READY FOR, THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO OPEN APRIL 4TH WITH THIS WEATHER PATTERN AND THEN NEXT WEEK IT'S GONNA KILL US.
YEAH, WE'RE GONNA GET THE READY THIS WEEK AND THEN IT'S GONNA FREEZE.
IS IT SUPPOSED TO BE NEXT WEEK? IT'S LIKE FULL SPRING TODAY AND THEN WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO PM NEXT WEEK.
I BE LIKE, WE'LL BE SICK NEXT MONTH.
COULD YOU CHANGE MY EMAIL ADDRESS? YOU HAVE TO, TO THAT ONE BECAUSE I GIVE YOU EMAILS.
I'M LIKE, I KNOW I SEND THEM TO HIM.
UM, SO IF YOU GO TO THE EMAIL, I'LL GET 'EM FOR SURE.
NO, THANK YOU FOR BEING PATIENT.
UM, LORI, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE FOR TONIGHT? NO.
UM, I WILL CALL THIS MEETING TO ADJOURN UNLESS ANYONE ELSE HAS ANY COMMENTS, CONCERNS.