Agendas and Minutes

Conservation and Climate Outreach Committee (View All)

Conservation Commission Monthly Meeting 02/23/11

Agenda
Wednesday, February 23, 2011

 

ASHLAND CONSERVATION COMMISSION

MINUTES

6-8 p.m. – February 23, 2011

Community Development Building

 

 

CALL TO ORDER

Chairperson McGinnis called the meeting to order at 6:00 pm.

Attendees:

Thomas Beam, Risa Buck, Stuart Corns, Ross Finney, Jim Hartman, Shelley Lotz, Jim McGinnis and David Runkel were present.  Sheri Cellini was not present

 

City Council Liaison: Carol Voison.

Staff Representative: Larry Giardina, Mary McClary

 

The Commissioners discussed the schedule of meetings within the calendar year.

Commissioner Buck made motion that we have one meeting a month, 12 monthly meetings a year.

 

 

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Chairperson McGinnis asked for approval of the minutes for January 23, 2010.

 

The members discussed notes from the last meeting. 

Commissioner Runkel made a motion (last meeting) to award 100.00 gift certificates as awards

for the Conservation Awards Program.  That motion was seconded by Commissioner Beam and passed.

(resulting in the purchase of four 100.00 gift certificates)

 

In the previous meeting, there was discussion about creating guidelines for budget items.

 

Commissioner Lotz made a motion to approve the minutes with stated corrections and Commissioner

Corns seconded the motion.

 

Voice Vote: All Ayes.  The motion passed with a unanimous vote.

 

 

PUBLIC FORUM

Carter Franklin, an intern with the Conservation Division, was present.  His major is Environmental Studies at Southern Oregon University. (SOU)

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

The next Commission meeting will be March 30, 2011.

 

Commissioner Beam will be taking the Master Recycling Class.

He has been working with the city on a 100% heat and energy recovery system for one of his businesses and is now in the final stages of being approved.  It takes all the thermal energy released and recycles it back into a hot water loop.

 

Commissioner Lotz announced the Southern Oregon Sustainable Business Network is doing a green business challenge in April, evaluating and helping them become more sustainable.  They are looking for volunteers.

 

Commissioner Finney announced April concludes his third full run on the commission, so April’s meeting will be his last meeting.  He and his wife are expecting a baby April 11, 2011.

 

Commissioner Lotz will also have her last meeting in April.  She is resigning due to increased responsibilities in her career.

 

 

NEW BUSINESS

Earth Day Booth

The members discussed having the award winners at the booth and they would be invited to display

their conservation measures. 

 

The conservation tag board will be at the Community Development Building and needs to be updated and evaluated.  Larry will bring it to the meeting on the 30th. 

Also, Commissioner Lotz will check on the availability to give away trees and some instructions on how to take care of them.  Chairperson McGinnis suggested they interact in some fashion to receive a tree.  Example:  What type of conservation have you done?

            Commissioner Hartman will check into students facilitating the windmills.

           

 

Conservation Award Program Presentation

Commissioner Runkel believed the nominations submitted were few, and suggested an additional press release to extend the date until March 10, 2011.

 Commission members can also make nominations.

The members decided a staff person should also be involved in processing the nominations.

The members discussed different ways to do outreach for the community to stimulating interest and awareness.

 

Award Categories:

Non profit

Commercial

Student

Senior

 

The members discussed asking the Mayor/Councilor Voisin/Chair and Vice-Chair to make

the presentations. 

 

Next step in Council Sustainability Plan

Chairperson McGinnis passed out a summary of the Ashland Conservation Commission proposed 2012-2013 City Council Goal---Sustainability Planning.  This goal will be included in the April/May agenda for the City Council.

Chairperson McGinnis wanted to review the actual recommendation that was proposed to the City Council.

The members discussed their next move, which would be to ask the City Administrator for a date for the City Agenda.

 

            Commissioners Beam, Corns and McGinnis will get together to discuss further structure plan, to be

 presented to the ad-hoc committee if that is the direction the Council decides to go in.

 

Commissioner Buck talked about the lack of Conservation direction within the City.  This sustainability plan is closely related to a Conservation presence within the City.  The members discussed that Conservation implementation would be included within the sustainability plan.

 

Larry Giardina updated the Commission on the structure of conservation programs and how their reimbursement might change.  They won’t know until after April, 2011.

 

 

RVTV

Chairperson McGinnis reviewed the subjects that the Conservation Commission would discuss

on the upcoming show.  He suggested different members create a descriptive paragraph on each of the goals. In addition, bring the paragraphs to the next meeting so they can be added to the minutes.

 

Councilperson Voisin suggested visuals and/or a PowerPoint presentation.

The members will send all the information to Mary to put into a supplemental package for next month.

Chairperson McGinnis and Commissioner Beam volunteered to be on the show, and any of the other

members could attend if possible.

 

 

 

 

 Pre-select a new chair

It was determined the Commission could select a new vice-chair in their May monthly meeting along with a new Chair.

We will have two new Commission opening as of May. 2011.

 

 

 

 

Compost Class Discussion

Commissioner Buck announced there will be a new compost instructor, Rhinna Simes who is the Land Stewart Coordinator at the SOU extension office.  The compost dates for this year are:

 

June 25—Tom Beam

July 30---Jim Hartman

August 27---Carol Voisin

September 24---Staff member

 

Recycling center, Saturday from 10am to 12noon.

The members discussed ways the program would be improved.

 

Commissioner Buck made a motion to purchase a gift certificate in the amount of $150.00 from the Ashland Chamber of Commerce for Rhinna Simes in gratitude for teaching the compost class.

The motion was seconded by Commissioner Lotz.

 

Voice Vote: All Ayes.  The motion passed with a unanimous vote.

 

 

Conservation presence in City

 Previously discussed

 

 

 

Timeline of Goals

The Commissioners updated each other on the progress of each goal. 

Climate Change

Chairperson McGinnis is working on writing a letter to offer an educational

presentation for the City/Commissions.

 

Commissioner Hartman explained about the popular belief of climate change

has changed from one of support to one of more doubt.

 

Water Conservation

Larry Giardina commented on the new City’s Building Official recommended to the building

department that they develop a rain water harvesting policy.  The Curb to Creek program is waiting to hear from the City (Pieter Smeenk) on when they can move forward with the project, when the City will have the necessary materials.

 

Conservation Department

Larry Giardina presenting a PowerPoint presentation tonight.

 

Green Building

Commissioner Runkel working on a citizen outreach proposal.

 

Sustainable Planning

            Reported earlier in meeting.

 

           

Allocation of Budget

Set aside for next month.

 

 

QUARTERLY LIAISON REPORTS (SOU, Ashland School District, Conservation Department & Recology)

 

Conservation Commission

PowerPoint presentation

 

 

 

 

Recology

Commissioner Buck reported that Recology no longer collects latex paint, but there is an Oregon Paint Care program, and locally, Miller Paint Company will recycle with some lead time.

 

Recology will start a new program, called “Route Smart”.  In addition, the changes will make it easier for businesses to participate in the Green Business Program.

 

Hazardous Waste Collection day will be May 6 & 7.

Same price of $5.00.

 

The transfer station will accept up to 7 electronic items per day.

 

The Recycle Center has a fresh make-over and the Transfer Station also has made some improvements.

 

Recology is working with City of Ashland, and the City of Talent to provide permanent containers for prescription drugs, which will help with the overall water quality.

 

The “Waste Not Video” will get updated during this year.

 

Recology has can hangers to help citizens place the correct items in green debris, trash, and recycling containers.

 

In 2014, there is an expanded bottle bill in Oregon for carbonated drinks and juices and then in 2015, the deposit will go from a .05 cents to a .10 cents.

 

Successes for 2010:

 

  • Electronic collection went up to 94 tons
  • Fluorescents went up to 2 tons
  • Plastic round up went up 12.5 tons here and another 12.5 in the valley

 

  • There is a special container at the recycle center for soft film and plastic bags.  In 2009 there was 9 tons collected, and last year it went up to 31 tons.

 

Commissioner Beam and one of Recology’s drivers is taking the 4th Master Recycling Class starting March 3rd.

 

COMMISSION ITEMS NOT ON AGENDA

Set aside

 

ADJOURNMENT

Chairperson Mcginnis adjourned the meeting at 8pm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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