All right, mics on, please. Good morning, everyone. Um, welcome to um the environmental commission of the city of Cape May. We're holding our monthly meeting and I'd like our members to have
the pledge of allegiance, please. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Thank you.
Would you like to do the roll call, please? Sure. All right. Mike Jones, absent. Councilman Bonner here. Christopher. Gretchen here. Kimberly can't here.
Randall here. Justine here. Barbara here. Sarah here. Charlotte here and myself. And we have a copy of the minutes from April
22nd. Does anyone have any additions or corrections to those minutes? You can look them over and talk to Chris about them if you'd like. But if not, let's approve the minutes for April
22nd. Do I have a motion? I'll make a motion. You and a second. Second. Okay. And all in favor? I I thank you.
Under old business, Mike generally provides us with a a good planning board report and he is out of town this week. So, we'll move forward. I'll just make a comment that I reviewed two applications
yesterday. They were minor. Um, one was for where Prawn is. They have approvals. They had approvals already. final site plan approvals to renovate
that building. But it seems like now they're kind of stepping back and maybe not going to do the the addition of making it a three-story townhouse. They're it's kind of in limbo right now. So, they've just
asked for additional time. Um I think temporarily it's proposed to be a private club, which I don't know what that means. somebody just wants to be able to use it and hang out there, I think. Um, so
there wasn't any any change based on the review that we did previously. Um, so I said okay at this point they're again they're just asking for additional time. Um and then the
other one was at um the La Mer Hotel about additional seating outside but reducing the number of seats inside increasing for the summer season
like 16 seats outside. It doesn't really change anything any footprint. So again, there was really no comments um on our behalf. So those were just two that I I looked at that I can share.
Thank you, Gretchen. Um Councilman Bodner, you have a report. Um just a I guess a a couple matters I'll touch on. Um the nature trails um the nature trails are
scheduled to be completed by mid June um the contractor tells us. So um that's appears to be the target date um right now and they seem to be on um on target for that. Um I would add that for those
that want to get a sneak peek at the nature trails because they're not open right now, there's going to be a wellness walk. um a city council wellness walk uh city walk well wellness walk tomorrow which actually I'll be participating in. So if anybody wants to
come out and get a sneak peek of the nature trails it's scheduled for 1:00 in the afternoon. Um you know we'll be meeting I guess near the corner of St. John and and Lafayette Street and have a chance to see um uh to see the nature
trails. Um guess I would also add the Lafayette Street Park phase one. Um if you've gone down Lafayette, you see that they're hard at work not just the construction vehicles aren't there just for the
nature trails but also for uh the Lafayette Street Park uh that is being worked on and that phase should be done uh by the end of June. And I think the target is to have that um com that phase completed by
uh Fourth of July weekend, prior to Fourth of July weekend. So that's what I have for for today. Thank you. Thank you. And Gretchen, do you want to talk about our ANJ grant? Um well, I submitted a grant.
Um where is a copy of it? Where'd it go? Here. I got it. Um, I submitted a grant for Anjek for a Kate May Garden scavenger hunt. And it was basically a way to connect all our open
spaces and parks through um a simple brochure that could be put together and then monarch butterfly signs that would be placed at the different gardens. um with an
interactive like question answer type of thing. So you have to get the answer you have to visit the garden, find the sign. Um it gets people to go to all of the different places. We have 12
um 12 different gardens. Um, and yeah, the it there's also in the grant there's a little extra money for plants um to print a
brochure and to buy the the signs which already exist. We can get them um through the nature center Kate May and they're, you know, uh weather proof signs that will hold up. And so we
submitted that. Um the only thing I'm not 100% sure cuz I was going back and forth with the city manager that he had to sign send a email and I hope that he did. Okay. Is all I
can say is that and he sent something back to me but it wasn't the attachment and I said you have to file it to the to the ANJ site. So, I just would like to confirm that. But, um, had a little bit of push back from the garden club to be
honest with you. It just kind of buted heads a little bit. Um, I think that they wanted us to apply for the grant to buy more plants for their gardens. And I think we talked about it here a little bit that I I don't I can't see putting
all of it into one garden. The whole idea is to get people to visit all of these open spaces. And um so anyway, that's where we are. It was submitted. We you're supposed to find out very soon by June 1st. So I
think after this week, we may know. Well, it's a highly creative and inclusive grant. Thank you so much. I know how much work goes into, you know, trying to um create these grants. It's
it's not an, you know, a day exercise at all. and and this grant in particular getting um we all and the tourists to the various sites to see that Cape May cares so much that we have created
enough gardens around town um to try to feed the butterflies and the birds and that's a tremendous example for the public and for us as well. Thank you very much Gretchen. Um, I mean, I I just
want to add that that's um I talked to a couple people for letters of support and there's there's this feeling out there some people like, "Oh, well, we don't really have parks."
People have said that and there's feedback I've gotten from from people like, "What parks? We don't have parks." Apparently, it was in Kate May magazine about like that we don't really have parks and how exciting it is maybe to have the Lafayette Street park, but we
have a lot of open space. And um and then a few people that I've talked to, I would mention things like the water tower garden. They like, "Where's that? I never noticed that." And it was like it's just to bring attention sometimes, you know, we could we could do a
better a better job of highlighting these places. So maybe if we get the grant, that's one way to do that. But maybe there's another way we can, you know, um it's very exciting what's happening with the nature trail and
what's going to happen at Harborview Park with the emphasis of native plants and all of that. So, it's something I think as a commission that we should be looking at. Maybe we do some type of public information campaign to get get
it out. Maybe walks happen in the different parks, you know, um with city council doing a let's visit the different places. So, if I could just jump on Gretchen's comments for a moment, couldn't agree with you more. Um, and I think that's one of the
reasons why um is with the when I had a chance to do the wellness walk and to pick the the location that I wanted to or wanted to walk. I mean, look, everybody loves the Prominade. It's fantastic. But we've um the idea is give a chance to see some other places too.
And part of it was as much as I want to get out there and see the new nature trails as as well. I think other people excited about it. We want to promote that as well. And I think that um yeah, yeah, that feedback that you're
hearing about, you know, that Kate May doesn't have parks is kind of a well, I'm not even sure where that's coming from. Not not people, it's not everybody, but yeah, it's but I mean, as as you said, Harborview Park is going to be amazing once and that project is
scheduled to be done just this fall. And when it when that's completed, I I think the city's committed to kind of um well promoting that as well simply because it's going to be another another showcase. I know that um it's not necessarily a a park, but one of the
things I actually I meant to add is the you know with the beach mats that Kate May has is such a unique um unique compared to any other any other community. And we've extended the beach mats as well now that they go the full length of the prominant that
project was has been completed for you know for this year. So um I think I think the city has been promoting those more. I think Lafia Street Park as well when it gets done and it's a an area for people to use. Yeah, we this the city
definitely needs to promote that. Um if nothing else, it's all part of our the commitment to this is this is it in this time of year. where do you want to be outside? So, we want to encourage people to do that and utilize all of that. So, and also from an educational standpoint,
we have these plants, we have such a habitat, you know, uh friendly area down here, too. And from the education standpoint, we need to kick that up just like you and I talked about the other day as well. Thank you. Thank you very much. Um and and it's interesting that we we do have
some parks that are not even labeled. Um for example, Kate May Avenue is a park and it's restricted. And yet some people feel that that would be a place to park cars. And so I think we should probably
dig out that information and I will. Um so that maybe some a little signage there would let people know and and certainly our shade tree commission has been active in making certain that just the most beautiful trees are there to
support the birds. So that's just a little aside. Thank you. Um David, do you want to go next or? Yeah, sure. So um I hand out the paper to everybody. It's for um so we do this mayor's monarch pledge and
that's through um National Wildlife Federation. Um this year I was I was I was allowed to choose I think the topics. I'm not and I apologize I'm not sure how involved environmental commission was in previous years. Um but I think this would be a good start um
going forward. So, um, essentially we got to pick a couple different topics, different goals, then we want to adhere to them to keep our, um, our minor pledge certificate. So, I highlighted
the the five that I chose for this year. Um, and I was just hoping you all can take a look at it and then maybe we can fit those into a program. Um, Harbor Fest would be great. Um Gretchen to talk about planting native flowers throughout
the city here that that also hears to some of the five that I picked here. Um so I was just hoping for free back if it's not today later on about what maybe we can do to get this completed January 1st through January 1. So we have the whole summer fall to complete this too.
Um dune plan would be another great thing. I think last year when we did this we put the dune planning towards the goal. Um the same thing with Harbor Fest when we had the tables at the nature center working at I believe in conjunction with the nature center on um I think it was like maybe butterfly
crafts or releasing butterflies things like that. So um I think I'm just asking if you guys take a look at them and see if there's something we can do as a committee or just as a city to kind of adhere to those highlight areas. So Gretchian will will there be a Monarch
Fest? Yes. Yes. We don't have the dates yet. Um, I can tell you when it always is. Um, September 28th. Um,
and how about Harbor Fest? That's June 28th. June 28th. Mhm. So, yeah, that's I just asked I think I don't know if Harbor Fest kind of came up sort of quickly that they're going to
do it again. Um I I had talked to Emily at Reed at the nature center and I don't know how much planning she's been able to do. Um, and last year we tried to make like
an eco affair with an affair kind of. Um, so I'm not sure what's happening. Okay. And if I'm pretty sure the environmental commission had a table, um, we had two. Yeah.
Right. Yeah. So, I was going to talk about later on, but talk about that. I did talk to the organizers of Harbor Fest, not Monarch obviously, but for Harbor Fest. And if we want to continue to have tables there, that's fine. Um, they said we have a t as many tables as we want there. So, if you want to do a
couple tables at Harbor Fest, that's fine. Also, I did reach out to Emily to see if we can have a table back on the grounds there for their section. I haven't heard back from yet, but that was just I think Friday last week. So, the weekend holiday get it. So, thank you for Yeah. So, if you want some tables, just let me know and have as
many as you want. Okay. All right. We appreciate the support. Thank you, David. Um, well, I guess we have to decide though because it's it's uh a month away, right? And last year our focus was like community solar.
That's what focus on. Yeah. People really really enjoyed seeing that solar panel last year. Wonderful. Yeah. Yeah. and the questions that they had about it, him and Sarah, they they it was it
was a real seller. It was something that they finally could maybe see that that they don't notice on a building. Um and a lot of good questions, don't you think? Yeah. Yeah. So, and these highlighted areas also
would be something maybe good to do one of the tables for the um mayor's monarch pledge. So, if you want to do a table to kind of focus on that also we can have many tables at one. I'm planning on man table. Um but that'd be nice way to kind of get those projects done. So, with the
table would would you think that you'd want to be able to loan that again or not? Yeah. Is it still at the center? Still at the center. I think it is. Yeah. Yeah. So, well, how many of you would still be interested in being a
participant in the Harbor Fest? And I I think I'd be able to. I have to check, but I'm pretty sure. Yeah, I'm pretty sure I can. Well, we still have a little time, but So, you have to say soon, right? If you put it on your calendar, I mean, it doesn't have to be too too
soon. Okay. I it would be nice to get some kind of plan put together for what we'll do at the tables. I think that would be the um if you want to get literature made up. Yeah, we'll have to print things if we want them printed. Things like that. That's going to be the most
timeconsuming part. Getting the tables isn't going to be the issue. It's just getting the presentations together. I have to say that in terms of solar use in the city of Cape May, the first building that our city had
solar attached to it was um the lifeguard station downtown. That was years and years ago when Mayor Enderwiss was probably the year 2000 or
something like that. it was the first usable site in that they felt they were along the beach and they were going to get really great sun rays. So, um then of course,
um we have solar then for our I guess our diesel plant. And I'm hoping that um the city can, you know, expedite that to 10 times
the amount that they have now, if not more. I don't know if how far along the new diesel plant is coming. Have you heard anything at all? Still working on the uh
the designs for it, but I know that um energy costs are a significant factor with with the diesel plant and um the answer to that is yes. they're absolutely taking into consideration
um to maximize the use of solar power. Um so there's it's a it's a constantly in the mind of of um you know th those that are working on the on the project and um so I I expect that that's going
to be a you know a significant it's a significant part of it as far as with the energy use. Wonderful. Thank you so much. Um, and I do know that our school has Lafayette Street School has a little bit of solar, but I was hoping as
they needed a new roof that they would be able to expand and put even more solar. I'm not sure. I don't have any followup on that, but I know the nature center um has some solar and does that
need replacing or That was a good question. It's uh 18 years now. [Music] Um so yeah, weren't we very fortunate to have an advocate in in Harley Schuler?
Yeah, Harley Schuler just passed and we're very very lucky, I think, in this community to have enough people who pay attention to what's going on in various segments. And Harley was an
engineer and came to the nature center and offered some of his resources for our solar initially. Um, but obviously we need more.
Um, let's see. Charlotte, if I could add, there's solar panels on the roof of this building as well. So, city hall has right has solar panels on it. That that just happened a couple years ago, didn't it? I um I'm not sure exactly when it happened, but I've had an opportunity to
see them firsthand, so I know they're up there. Fabulous. That's great. This is this is good news. Um but today I am moving along I guess to
um a topic that I've thought about and I've called it stewardship and and the natural world. Um
and and I've thought about our national parks as a kickoff for this. Um we certainly have Theodore Roosevelt as our 26th president of the United States from 1901
to 1909. and he was a very noted conservationist, a man of action. During his presidency, he established
230 million acres of public lands and that was between 1901 and 1909. This also included 150 national forests and 55 federal bird reserves,
gain reserves, five national parks, and 18 national monuments. So, I'd like to elaborate a little bit on Teddy's life. Theodore Roosevelt was born on October 27th, 1858
in Manhattan. Um his youth was shaped by his poor health of all things. He was um he had debilitating asthma attacks that
terrified him and his parents and for the doctors at that time they didn't seem to have a cure. Nevertheless, he was energetic, mischievous, inquisitive. His lifelong interest was in
zoology and beginning at the age of seven, he saw a dead seal at a market and obtain the seal's head. Roosevelt and his cousin formed the Roosevelt Museum of Natural History when he was
only 9 years old. um and he wrote a paper called the natural history of insects. In September 1876, he entered Harvard College. His father instructed
him to take care of his morals and his studies, but he did inherit at the end of that a comfortable living for the rest of his life. As an Harvard educated New Yorker, Roosevelt was deeply
inspired by nature and the western frontier. A lifelong hunter and explorer, he continued into the wilderness for renewal. From the backwoods of Wayne, Maine to the Dakota Badlands to an
unmapped river in the wilds of Brazil. His youth and early education often pursued this strenuous life. His relationship to nature took on an almost spiritual
quality. Once elected as president, Teddy Roosevelt became sympathetic ear to nature and a man of action. As president, he cultivated friendships of conf
conservations like John Mure and Pinshot. He also inspired in him a transformation of reverence for nature and he turned it into national policy while he was
president. A nation that behaves well and treats its natural resources well is an asset. In the mid 19th century, natural resources were heavily exploited, especially in the west. Land speculators
and developers took over large tracks of forest and grazing land. Acreage important to water power was seized by private private concerns. Mining companies pract practiced improper and wasteful mining.
Assuming a seemingly inexhaustible supply of natural resources, Americans at that time developed a tradition of waste not so different from today, I would assume. However, Theodore
Roosevelt is known as our conservation president for his undaunted efforts. And in the 20th century, he did shield wildlife and public lands from development. His
efforts helped established Americans National Park and Forestry services, putting more than 200 millions of acre under public protection. Theodore Roosevelt created five national parks.
He established 18 national monuments and 150 um national forests and more. And I would like to mention to you all that here in the city of Cape May, we are
protected in two places by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. And one area is at Cape May Harbor and the other area is the sew
tract. We got a letter from Wish Fish Game and Wildlife back in 1989 1989 that fish game and wildlife said
that the sew track should be preserved without a doubt. So that happens to feed right into our national park services. And um if you want to look at some of the areas that are protected,
it's it's pretty wonderful that we have a map such as this that shows you all of the areas that are protected
here. And the one area that is visited the most is the one in the Smoky Mountains. So, it's close enough by if you're traveling down the highway to Tennessee
and North Carolina that you can get to the Smoky Mountains and the Appalachian Trail and walk it if you like. Not today, but maybe another day. Um, I'm so proud of the fact that we
were wise enough at this point to protect these particular areas. I am somewhat fearful that they may not stay protected. So that's why I'm bringing
them to your attention today. Thank you. Can I make a comment please? Um, so there's a gentleman Doug Taly from a professor from the University of
Delaware who's on the forefront of the effort to encourage people to plant natives in their home landscapes. And he has this movement called the homegrown national parks. Um, and it's basically
that, recognizing these important sacred places, but how we can make a difference in our own backyard. Um, he recently did a presentation at the Kate May Point Science Center. I missed it, but um, I
don't know if anybody else had a chance to go to it. Um, and I I forgot I I there was an article in the New York Times Sunday edition maybe two weeks ago about him. And
um what he's proposing is that you don't it's not that you have to do everything. you don't have to make a a total change over in your home landscape if you have non-native species.
Um he he's kind of come to this 7030 rule um where if you can try to emphasize 70% native plants and 30% non-native just as long as they're not problem plants like invasive species or
aggressive plants. Um, but it's just something that we should all be aware of and maybe again as a commission we could be promoting a little bit more of this. We do it, you know, we review plants, we
make suggestions, we have a recommended list of native plant species, but um I don't know how we can maybe take it up a notch more and and really join this movement of the homegrown national park.
We can make a difference in our community. Aren't you aren't we able under New Jersey Audabon to supply signs that congratulate people who do that in the yard? Um they're not doing that anymore.
Um but through the National Wildlife Federation they are. Um so it's not New Jersey Audabon but it's NWF that does those signs. Um, how do we get more
involved in that? Well, interestingly, uh, we certified the Cape Island as a, um, wildlife friendly habitat and it has to be renewed every 5
years and I feel like it's probably due for that. I mean, I did that when I used to work at the center. I I did the Evelyn Lovevitz who used to be on the commission and I put together that application say a dozen years ago then
we had to renew it five years later. It's got it must be up for renewal. And part of that is you have to show certain points that your community is on board. Um you have so many schools, so many businesses, so many homeowners
um that you know take the pledge and basically um commit to landscape using native species and things that benefit wildlife. Um, so I don't know. I can reach out and
check to see where that renewal is, but we were the second or third community in New Jersey that got that certification. Um, but you have to it has to be active
like you have to look at the application every five years to renew. So, I'm not really sure where it is in the renewal. Is there anybody on the commission who'd like to work with Gretchen on this? Because I think about our green team
purposes as well. The green team will be, you know, trying to list um the the the types of activities that we um engage in from year to year. And last
year we submitted and we did really well, but there isn't a green team this year. I think it will be happening again next year. So, if anyone if you could let Gretchen know if you have time to go
with her and find out where it is. I'll I'll make some phone calls and at our next meeting I can give you a report on the status and try to I mean I'm not a 100% even familiar with this whole homegrown national park effort. I know
it's a it's a national effort that has has started. Um I'll educate myself a little bit more about that and see how it could apply. It might tie into the monarch, the mayor's monarch pledge and
and other things that we're trying to do, highlighting the gardens. It it's all connected, but um I'm just throw Who certifies them? I'm I'm sorry. So, is it somebody with national National Wildlife Federation to be a certified wildlife
habitat? It's a like a selfcertification process and you submit that paperwork to them and then they approve it and then they Okay. Correct. Um, New Jersey Aottabon is a state affiliate of National Wildlife
Federation, but it's not New Jersey Audabon's program. It's NWF's program. We just help administer it. And honestly, I don't know the status. I the last I heard the the
person who was doing that for New Jersey Ottabbon is no longer with them and I think part of it could be a funding issue. So I don't know what's going on with that. It was a partnership. We helped deliver the program for them in
the state of New Jersey. So, I don't I'm sure the program still exists, but I just wonder if like a citizen would be able to work with them to certify. Yes. Yeah. You can go online right now on NWF's website. So, like a citizen could
certify themselves and they could also certify other people underneath the the statutes of the the feder wild federation then. So they can in conjunction with them and then with it's like a 20 what they it's a $25 application fee. You you certify your
own property. You you have to go through this questionnaire that you've done these measures to provide habitat. Um you get a certificate. Um if for like $50 more you can get the plaque and put it in your yard. But you don't have to
do all that. when New Jersey Autobond was managing that program, there may have been something like instead of $25, it was $20 and then New Jersey Autobon got $5 of that. Um,
we, you know, we just encouraged people to participate and then on top of that, we helped communities become a community certified habitat. And that's what we did in Cape May, but Cape May was
actually Cape Island. So it it was the first community that was more than one town. It was West Kate May, Kate May Point, Kate May City, and parts of Lower Township. Um, so anyway, I I'm not sure what the
status is other than the person I know who was doing it is no longer with New Jersey Audabon. I can make some phone calls and I can come back and tell you, you know, what that status is and um I'll I'll just,
you know, next meeting. It's it sounds as if to me that the grant that we've applied for through Anjac is is a perfect feed in to these these signs as well. I mean if you know our city then
would have some of these markers. So, it's it's a feather in Cape May's cap, I think, to have the obvious for the visitors and
for all of us as well. So, thank you. If I could just add, if there is a a community certification, yeah, that would be especially if it's up for renewal, it'd be a shame to let that lapse without us looking into that. I think we should, if there's a way, we should look into that. um because I
guess you can always reapply, but it seems like that's the laboring war to start over and we shouldn't have to if that's if that's the case. So, if there's a way to whatever verific um information that we can can get and um take whatever steps we can
to address renewal if that is, you know, if we're up on that. Yeah. And the city has done more towards it like points towards it with the parks improvements and and and an emphasis on
like even the doom everything that that's been done. There's more we can do too. So, um do you want to continue on with the citywide yard? Oh, the only So,
I love a good yard sale, I admit. Um, and I went to with my friends to the Westg Cape May yard sales a couple weekends ago and I noticed that it said sponsored by the environmental commission, the citywide yard sales.
Now, I don't know what that means. Like, if you're a homeowner, do you have to register? Do you pay your yard sale fee? I don't know what they do other than they just help promote it um with the
idea um oh interestingly too my sister-in-law who is a a thrifter and she resells like antique mid-century modern pieces um she sent me this article
about with with the tariffs maybe um the the whole thing of thrifting and anti peaks and things like that that are not impacted by tariffs are going to just go crazy. But um I don't know if that's
something that we want to look at just encouraging people to reuse, repurpose instead of buying new all the time. Is that something I know Kate May City is a a different place than West Kate May,
but is that something that we want to look at? We can you know, we'd have to go through city administration to see how that would work. And we also have to think about what else is going on in
town with traffic. Um, I'm just putting it out there what your thoughts are. Well, certainly I don't think we're finished with clothing. So, I mean, this meeting we can um look
into that as well, but um well, we can talk talk about it. put put some thought to it like when do you think this would be a good time that doesn't conflict with other things going on in town and um then we can present
that to the city manager or council to see if that's something that they'd be supporting and and interestingly you talked about the um West Cape May Environmental
Commission it has been my hope over the years that um I know we're all really busy, but it would be fabulous if we could work together um here on the island. Um and certainly Cape Me Point if if they have time too.
So um a project like it was I mean I don't know if we could do it the same weekend as theirs there. there. It was the same weekend as the Coastg Guard Community Festival, the bird birding event.
Um I don't know what else was going on in town on the 17th, but or they I think they do one in the fall, too. So, I'll make some calls. I I can reach out to the West Cape May Environmental Commission and find out
like by them sponsoring it, what does that mean? What do they do? Thank you, Gretch. Okay. Maybe they um enable residents to not have to fill out the temporary event like vendor forms.
And I know that a lot of municipalities require people who are having yard sales to submit paperwork getting permission to do so. Maybe that is streamline it somehow. And they have a master list of all the
addresses of of where there's a yard sale. Um there's usually an after effect of large u bulk trash right too after right do you think off season is best or
something when visitors are you know pros and cons I mean yeah a lot of people do them like this weekend fourth of July weekend people tend to do them but
Um, I don't know. Well, it's it's a good thing to look into. Thank you. Um, David, do you want to talk to us about a couple of things? Yeah. So, um
just a reminder that our next theme community June 19th, uh Grand Street on May one, we got hit by a little raintorm. We got hit by a little bit of a rainstorm on the May one. So, June 19th is going to be our next one. What's
the time? It's from 3 to 5. I'm sorry. It's right there at the beach entrance. So, please come now if you can. And then you talked here about two other items. Yes. Dark skies. Um, we touched on it shortly the other day. um the last sorry
the last meeting about maybe perhaps having it at the nature trail. Um so I just want to see if there's any more thought in it or if anybody like to still continue to do it or look into it because there's going to be some planning involved for sure with running that event. Um just to kind of keep it on the
burner. I don't know if there's any of the um the astronomers that you had come out with their scopes once the
trail is open if they went out there to see what the potential is because it's always light pollution is a problem. Um, I mean it was great on the deck at the convention center and we can still
do it there, but um maybe we don't have to pick the location 100%. Maybe you do for convention hall you have to reserve. Well, yeah, but I think last time we were even talking about maybe not using as much telescopes and more of like
guess on the nature and with like migrations and birds and kind of that's always another option. Doesn't have to be telescopes or can be um we can get generators. There are some things we can work with for sure, but I just want to keep that conversation going. Yeah. For planet purposes. Well, I don't know. Just reach out to him and say, "Hey, go
go go out." I don't know. Is the nature trail of open at night or is it going to be posted that you can't walk out there? It's open. It'll be open at night. Okay. Yeah. just to to see if it's good out there and then because then obviously if it's
bad weather that it's a problem. But based on the excuse me based on the attendance last year I think it's worth doing it again for sure. So we should start planning it and then we can always decide And is there a report on the water audit
and the DAL plant? I just want to touch on that right now. The the report, the final briefing and recordings all official on the city website right now. So if you go to the
department's um tab on city's website and you go to water sewage there would be all the links right here so anybody can access it for all these reports the view. In terms of the next steps um for the potential implementation of the official
recommendations, um it would be really wonderful if as a commission we did um watch the presentation and read the report. Um, Councilman Bodner and I were in the meeting um where uh Columbia
delivered it to the city um but then it was subsequently made public and I think the environmental commission does have a role to play in um seeing this all come to fruition. So the sustainability
management team was broken into four committees. Um hydraology, finance, demand and what was the other one? Um circul circulation was that the the
fourth area? Yeah. Um so each group had a series of recommendations um that were focused towards their specialty. Um for instance, the hydraology team had recommended um energy recapture devices
for the new del plant which would make it incredibly more efficient than it currently is reducing um operating costs and increasing the longevity of the facility itself etc. But all of that information is available
in detail in the presentation and the report. Um, in terms of the demand committee, um, there were recommendations made, um, for a rebate program and a tiered, uh, water pricing
system. um the city manager in preliminary meetings had identified those potentials as um areas of interest um for council and the city management as potential
solutions that we could actually implement that would make a big difference. So in terms of the environmental commission and what we may be able to do, I think it would be
to go to council, follow up on these potential programs and start creating a plan on on how we can introduce them to to the community. Justine, when would you feel comfortable about going to
council with the information? Um, and how many of us would you like to, you know, participate or could you lead it or? Um, I'm happy to be um a leader on that subcommittee
because I'm I'm very familiar with it. Uh, I've attended probably six meetings with that subcommittee. Um, but I do think that a collaborative approach would be most effective and having
conversations beforehand um would be fantastic. I think there will be a lot of people in the business community who are not happy about some of these uh suggestions, but that when
they realize that their commercial enterprises ultimately will save money um on their water bills um that we we can win everyone over, but it it's going to take quite an effort.
um you know, we need step one. We do. And um for instance, the demand team um created a a rebate program template that essentially um plugged in some numbers for something like
$150,000 rebate program where the city um reimbures hotels, restaurants for the installation of lowflow toilets, showers. um the city can save millions and within a certain number of
years of very few years that the the actual business is also saving a lot of money on their water bills. So it's in everyone's best interest but it's change and it's scary for people who think that
you know oh the price per gallon of our our water is going up. So um we need to create a best plan for how to engage with the public. So as far as the presentation itself
just are you looking to are you thinking to boil it down because the report is the report is is very well done. I thought the very very thorough is excellent. Um at the same time it is what 70 pages long or so. So, it's it's
a it's a it's a read, you know, it's a it's a it's a deep read. Are you looking to take the I don't want to say the highlights, but boil it down to the the real particulars you think that um could be put forth in
say like a 15minute presentation because I think that's if you're going to do a presentation that's the most effective way to do it is in a in a period of time that type of time window and then um build out from there. But I guess I'm I'm just trying to get a get a sense as
far as what you're thinking with the Do you think that it makes sense for the commission to give a presentation to council on each of the four areas or do you think it makes sense for us as a
commission to just focus on that rebate program and tiered pricing system? I would need to think about that. um hadn't um I think it's it's an interesting idea. Um I just want to make sure and
I'm sure you know the whole point of this is to get maximum impact you know with that focus on the issues that that um we want to focus on as groups. I would actually need to think to think about that [Music] um which I guess we can you know we can
do and we can have further conversations on that. Yeah. I mean the one aspect of it is you know with the design of the plant there's we have we have the ability to have that time and have that conversation at this point in time to
have a presentation and still be able to have an impact. Um so we could um I guess the question would be who else and you've done an um significant amount of work. appreciate all the work you've done being in on the meetings, working
on the audit, working with the the Colombia team and being available for that, but I think we um we're certainly better as a group if we're we get a a broader group of folks being involved here as as well. So, I guess I'll I'll
throw that out there as far as whether others would um who else would be interested in getting involved um with that. I think it would be great if we had a big group working together on this. So
maybe because there are some council members that don't know that there are even there were four committees and four different areas of recommendation. So maybe an overview presentation that's
even five to eight minutes and just takes the top three recommendations from each section and then we as a commission hone in on the demand reduction programs. So, I think we could talk about a little bit more, but I think I
think within the report, the framework is there for us to be able to pull pull pieces out as far as what would uh be I think of best use for council as well as for the community because look, as as we
know, and I'm the report's fantastic. I'm glad we have it posted on the city website, but it doesn't hurt to have it presented in another manner as well by us taking that work and uh and a and a
presentation being done for the public as well because that's um big piece of this is the public understanding where these ideas are coming from and how they're useful for the city and how they're going to provide a financial impact residents as well as obviously
the the commercial businesses, which one of the things we we learned was how significant, not that we didn't already know the how significant impact of commercial businesses on the D South plant, but it really came into focus with some of the research that was done.
It was incredible. I um assisted the the team with identifying the accounts and addresses and created a spreadsheet of the top 250 users and it'so hotel restaurants you know and
most of those properties have three four five water accounts themselves. So they're definitely going to um have a lot of opinions understandably, you know, make makes sense. They they will.
But one of the things I I liked as well about the um the work that was done is they also the team identified cost savings for um you know for the larger water
users as well. Um, I'm sure look, you know, commercial entities, they have some awareness of this, but they're probably looking at for the most part, you know, work on a day-to-day basis. How how deep are they doing their own water use analysis? Um, this is probably
something a lot different than the type of research they would have done. And I think that um you know when you when you're able to look at the the numbers that I think are backed up by well that are backed up by the research that was done and their actual use. Um yeah we
can actually have a conversation with people beyond just theory and to say here's an this would this would be an actual cost savings for you know for this particular business or that particular business. And it's uh I I think that's I think that's a big
part of the conversation. As the commission members listen to the conversation, is there someone who would like to work and knows right now that they have a little time to spare for this very important presentation for
council and work with Justine? I would I'm I would I'll do that. Well, the first thing I want to do is look at the obviously the website and see the video and see the Yeah, certainly would be willing to help. Yeah. Think maybe we
should target like early fall. There's not a big rush that everything is so hectic right now. There's just a lot going on. The report isn't going anywhere. I think it's best to be amply prepared.
I agree. I think that um in the once the the summer gets going um people are going to be we're going to get it's going to get lost in the shuffle. I think there's a a greater opportunity for that. I think if we have
this conversation early fall, we haven't lost anything because of the through time. uh we haven't lost any opportunity there and I agree. I think it gives everybody the opportunity that wants to get involved to get up to speed on the
on the report. Candidly, you have you hit the ground running and you have the the knowledge that goes with it. Um had a chance to be involved in all those meetings as well. And there's no doubt about it. There is a there's a learning curve that goes with reading through the
report. and I had a learning curve going through the entire the entire process. So, um I think for I think that's I think that's a good goal that for for the fall to put together a a good presentation and u kind of at that point in the season.
We'll also probably have a window there where people will be able to look back, especially some folks if they've seen their water bills over the course of the summer. Um and this might have actually a little bit of a of a little bit more meaning. um form at that point in time as well. So we can I
think we could talk about a specific date once we start moving forward with this. Obviously I'll I'll talk with you about this as well. Um but I think other would certainly welcome other other um members in getting getting involved in this as well. And I think lastly,
oh I just thought I think you should some flyers the upcoming uh fundraiser for the nature center or Kate May the um petate night is June 22nd and here's
a flyer about it and more details you can reach out to the nature center go online buy tickets there's you can buy a ticket you can buy a table but I just grabbed some flyers about I was there
last week I have a a a small announcement having to do with the nature center. And um years and years ago um when my grandchildren were at the nature center
helping um and we have such an amazing handson group of of young teens that help us. Um, there happened to be a young teen that I met just this weekend and she is
now a doctor and she was a part of our our team of teenagers at the cash register and talking to people about nature. And she introduced me to her husband and their six-month-old little
girl and she said, "Mrs. Todd, this is the next volunteer at the nature center. So, it was quite a sweet little proposal, but very, very happy that that's continuing on. It's so important
to instill these tangibles, fun with a purpose. Thank you. I know. I can't wait. I got one more year for my grandson to be able to go to the nature center classes. He thinks he keeps on calling it GG's work
though and I was like I don't want there anymore. It's not my Thank you everyone. Thank you. Thank you.