Agendas and Minutes

Conservation and Climate Outreach Committee (View All)

Conservation Commission Monthly Meeting 07/25/12

Agenda
Wednesday, July 25, 2012

 

CONSERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES

6:00pm-8:00pm –July 25, 2012
Community Development Building
51 Winburn Way, Ashland, OR  97520
--- To be approved at the August 22, 2012 Commission Meeting.
 
CALL TO ORDER
Chairperson Beam called the meeting to order at 6:00 pm.
Attendees:
        Thomas Beam, Roxane Beigel-Coryell, Risa Buck, Cat Gould, Jim McGinnis, David Runkel and Mark
        Weir were present.  Jim Hartman was not present.
 
City Council Liaison: Carol Voisin
Staff Representative: Adam Hanks, and Mary McClary.
 
Chairperson Beam welcomed Barbra Christensen, the Ashland City Recorder and David Lohman, the Ashland City Attorney.  
 
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Chairperson Beam asked for approval of the minutes for June 27, 2012.
   The following changes were presented:
            Chairperson Beam called the meeting to order, not Chairperson Hartman.
            Commissioner Buck pointed out the location address was incorrect.
            Commissioner Buck corrected the meaning of her motion:
                    
       Commissioner Buck moved to make approximately 20 tee shirts for the July event that
         could be 
reused and would be completed by the June 29, 2012 deadline for a total of up to 150.00. 
         The 
motion was seconded by Commissioner Gould.
 
    She wanted to relay: Commissioner Gould got 20 tee shirts from the Free Box, then
     the Commissioners would re-purposed them for the 4th of July event.
 
Commissioner Weir moved to approve the minutes of June 27, as amended, seconded by Commissioner Buck.
Voice Vote: All Ayes.  The motion passed with a unanimous vote.
 
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Commissioner McGinnis announced the sustainable sub-committee was going to meet on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month, place to be determined based on availability, from 9 – 10am.  Chairperson emphasized to let Mary know so she could notice the meetings.
 
Commissioner Weir announced the water sub-committee was going to meet next on August 6th, from 5:30-7:30 in the Guanajuato room in the Ashland Library.  Commissioner Buck asked if the 4th of July sub-committee could hold a final meeting in conjunction with the water sub-committee meeting.  Then, the 4th of July sub-committee would not meet again until September, 2012.
 
Chairperson Beam announced the Ashland Chamber is promoting a program Greener Greeters.  The Chamber is also in support of zero waste events.  Greener Greeters will meet Friday, the 27th at the Sesame Restaurant at 8:30am.
 
Chairperson McGinnis re-stated the next sustainability sub-committee would be August 16th.
 
Compost classes:
August 11, Sheri Cellini
September 6, Mark Weir
 
PUBLIC FORUM
Southern Oregon Sustainable Business Network (SOSBN)
Lynn Blanche, Co-Executive Director for SOSBN, gave an update to the Commission about the development,
accomplishments thus far and the future direction for SOSBN.
 
Commissioner Runkel moved to move unfinished business to the end of the meeting, seconded by Commissioner Buck.
Voice Vote: All Ayes.  The motion passed with a unanimous vote.
 
NEW BUSINESS
North Main St Road Diet Project Update—Mike Faught
Set aside, Mike Faught not present
 
Commission Rules & Operating Procedures—City Recorder & City Attorney
City Recorder, Barbra Christensen, thanked the Commission on behalf of the City Council and the City of Ashland for their volunteer work, expressing much appreciation.
 
Barbra led a PowerPoint presentation and discussion on:
  • Public Records Law
  • Definition of Public Meeting
  • Public Meeting Requirements
 
City Attorney, David Lohman, led a PowerPoint presentation and discussion on:
  • Rules & Regulations
  • Ethics—State and City
http://www.ashland.or.us/Files/Commission_Presentation_2012.pdf
(The PowerPoint file is located on the City Web site.)
 
The presentations included updated state laws, awareness of responsibilities, limitations, liabilities, absenteeism, representation of citizens, and the differences between state laws and the city policy.  The Commissioners were able to address concerns, communicate which portions of Uniform Policy (2.10) worked well, and asked any questions regarding specifics of different aspects of their presentation. 
 
Commissioner Gould moved to continue with New Business items, seconded by Commissioner Weir.
Voice Vote: All Ayes.  The motion passed with a unanimous vote.
 
Recology Ashland Sanitary Quarterly Liaison Report
Commissioner Buck reported:
  • Recology was looking to expand recycling in three areas: mattress, oil and co-mingling options 
  • Changing their ad spot on SOPTV to information about disposal of prescription drugs
  • Attendance for the compost classes-June, 12—July, 9, looking at next year having 3 intro classes, and 1 advanced class
  • Ongoing upgrade of the compost area at the Recycling Center, creating two different areas for demonstration with non-food scraps and composting with food scraps.
  • Many thanks to all involved with the 4th of July event, looking forward to next year
  • Green Debris Program changed, no contract and no required deposit
  • Upgrading the signage at the Transfer Station
  • Operation Supervisor drives a clean natural gas truck
  • Clear Max moving to North Mountain Park, also creating recycling trash collection area using mosaic from 100 recycled bottles.
  • Recology adopted Blue Mountain Park
  • Recology chose a storm drain marking date to participate
  • Waste diversion success for 2011 for Ashland/Talent:
               105 tons of electronics, 1.7 tons compact fluorescents, 500 pounds of injects toner cartridges,
               15 tons at the plastic round-up, 2.4 tons of co-mingle recycling, 795 tons of glass, 1070 tons
               of cardboard, 63 tons of shrink wrap, 180 tons of scrap meter, 19.3 tons motor oil, 18 tons of
               tires, 832 bio-mass, 2300 tons green leaves, and 625 pounds of prescription drugs.  Jackson
              County succeeded in 48% diverted to the landfill.
  • Looking at transportation/recycling glass
 
COUNCIL LIAISON REPORT
No report.
 
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Commissioner Assignments to Unified land Use Code Project Sub-committee
Adam reported last meeting the Commission voted to have sub-committee, but did not assign any members.  Commissioner Runkel, Weir, and Gould (when returns from Australia) were interested.  At present moment, not enough members to form the sub-committee, set aside until next meeting date.
 
2012-13 Commissioner Master Calendar Review
Commissioner Weir asked to have Earth Day planning moved to October/November.
Staff will check with Mr. Faught to see when he would be able to attend a Commission Meeting.
 
NEW BUSINESS
City Operational Sustainability Plan sub-committee report
Members: Commissioners McGinnis, Beam and Beigel-Coryell.
Commissioner McGinnis reported the sub-committee would work on establishing high-level goals for example 5% reduction in energy use in specific categories by a certain time.  The committee was hoping to work on 5 year attainable goals. They would meet the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month.  Commissioner Gould would like to join the sub-committee when she returns from Australia. 
 
Commissioner Weir reported the Water Sub-Committee would meet August 6th at the Library, the time to be determined.
 
Commissioner Weir wanted the Commission to think about involvement in the Plaza re-design in terms of sustainability and conservation measures.  The members discussed how they could have an impact on the re-design plan, studies conducted, costs for the environmental impact, sustainability planning, duration of remodel, and communication with the project manage/director and/or architect.
 
Commissioner McGinnis moved the Conservation Commission put together a request for the city to include a sustainability evaluation for in planning this project, seconded by Commissioner Weir.
 
The members discussed if the Council would have time to review a request, also their concerns for downtown public safety, and sustainability within the downtown re-design plans.
 
Motion and second withdrew.
 
Commission Buck motioned to extend the meeting by 15 minutes, seconded by Commissioner Gould.
Voice Vote: All Ayes.  The motion passed with a unanimous vote.
 
Commissioner Buck motioned the Conservation Commission request their liaison, Carol Voisin to communicate their interest and concern, and their desire to address the environmental impact and sustainability issues pertaining to the plaza re-design model.  The motion was seconded by Commissioner Runkel.
 
Commissioner Weir made a motion to amend asking Carol Voisin recommend on behalf of the Conservation Commission, the Council recommends the architect for the downtown plaza re-design project include SITES’s sustainable standards for environmental sustainability within their plans.  The motion was seconded by Commissioner Gould.
 
The members discussed the usage of the word sustainability, the importance of a sustainability plan as a guideline for city practices and a functioning operational plan.
 
The chairperson called for a vote on the amended motion.
Voice Vote: All Ayes, except one against.  The motion passed with a majority vote.
 
The chairperson called for a vote on the original motion.
Voice Vote: All Ayes, except one against.  The motion passed with a majority vote.
 
 
ADJOURNMENT
Commissioner Runkel moved to adjourned, seconded by McGinnis.
Voice Vote: All Ayes.  The motion passed with a unanimous vote.
 
 
Respectfully submitted by:
Mary McClary
 
Administrative Assistant for
The Electric Department
City of Ashland
 
 
 
 
 

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please contact the Community Development office at 541-488-5305 (TTY phone number is 1-800-735-2900).  Notification 72 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to the meeting (28 CFR 35.102-35.104 ADA Title1).
 


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