in accordance with the open public meeting Act of the state of New Jersey adequate notice of meeting second Township environmental commission was made by board in the municipal building both on Council website and electronically transmitted the officially designated newspapers
indicating that this meeting would take place in person at 7 p.m. on February 24th mhm yeah 20 okay that's that
yeah Chase maybe not uh not here either a Stan yes Paul yes ter yes [Music] yes my chair report a little different
than my usual stuff says um in the last two weeks I've presented a talk at ruers to graduating civil engineering students I talked about environmental engineering and the work of our environmental commission I cover our plan review support of evv work stream cleanup in
support of clean energy a second presentation was to a great decisions group on how climate change was affecting the economy doing research for both presentations I realized we're facing an uphill fight against the current Administration in Washington
this makes our work here even more important the consequences of not recognizing the dangers placing us leads us to disaster everything we can accomplish is our contribution to the effort to combat the effects of global warming and climate
change get back to the regular stuff the planing board has given preliminary approval of plant to construct a multi-story building and hon Street project is one we reviewed recently mixed use building with businesses on the ground floor and residents on the
floors above and Ted Chase is here the side of my eye okay good okay T that's for you okay uh public comment oh minutes comes first
um motion to accept the minutes of the second all favor I any changes Corrections [Music] [Music] modifications sorry that was it give
time to pretend to take a breath or two that's what I'm doing okay keep this there's no sense of rewriting it you know at this point you're going to type it anyway I got the I took notes to said just the
anoun um okay so um approval of the minutes again we already approved to open it comment on it no no comments change favor I okay minutes are approved public comment uh open the
floor to public comment motion all in favor any comments from the public um yeah uh two quick ones um one is that last meeting I mentioned that I would make a article about volunteering here and then um Stan and I
had and I agreed to two more and I didn't get them done yet cuz I didn't realize there was a meeting tonight and just by the time that it was getting started I that I needed to send it to you guys it wasn't really at the Quality I wanted it but um I'm on it and they've already been started and in the next
like few days before the end of this week I will send it to you so you have time to read it over because our next meeting is next Monday yes conveniently um and then the other thing I want to mention is um after the event the um on regenerative agriculture which
I went to with my parents um at home we were all really excited about how that went and they're really hyped about buying from their local Farm um and we were also talking that um it could be nice to have a similar sort of event that's all about why you should plant native um before spring starts and
people are starting to think about their Gardens and especially now that a lot of nurseries have like a native plant section and they're pretty well labeled um I think that that could be a good idea oh I like that plan any other comments nothing this one
I should intvw introdu yes introduce myself yeah okay I'm rich wolvin I've been in the township a little over 10 years um went to a viewing of the movie last week and um I'm also a 2003 graduate of the Duke Farms environmental
stewards program uh recently retired and I'm available to help I think it's really important like I said you know right now to do things local level that's that's that was you got the message yes oh wow been looking for volunteers help us
with things we had the stream cleanup coming up and I noticed that the Canal Walk Environmental Group put it out to all their people that were having the stream cleanup so they'll and they said they we're going to take a part so uh welcome for that that's yeah we are
doing more of these films so I am 2017 environmental St what she okay I don't know I didn't have my hours I was in the second class of that's what I was in I think yeah you
recognizing no that's I don't recognize you either um was that 2003 I think it was I think so it was ear it was soon after I retired from ruter and yeah I was really gung-ho about it but I hate to say it they wanted my social security number
and I objected to that people still do I know it's not it was never intended for you know background checks never intended for anything we were in a military we're told it goes to nobody but now it goes to
everybody particularly El musk and mine's on the dark web oh Oh's mine I found that out from my taxes a black check two pages a lot of old addresses and that kind of stuff but but some current stuff the New Jersey Department
of pension was hacked so un [Music] vulnerable nothing's safe okay motion to close the public wait sorry I with my idea before I forgot to add on to it um it might be
good to tap into the Native Plant Society there's Somerset County chapter get a speaker from there I was just going to actually add to that when the so the trails advisory committee we have a member on our Trails advisory committee that works with the Native Plant Society so we can maybe make a
partnership between the environmental commission and trails to tap into that I think that would be good yeah I wrote it on my list I just want to pitch what what Jenny said So speaking of uh Jen's volunteering I also asked her whether
she could do a article for our annual uh awareness about safe the M till Earth Day and um about our stream cleanup stream cleanup is um to us now routine so um just uh I I'll give update when
it's time about stream clean up but U yeah that's that's what I wanted to kind of pitch in about the article writing uh because Jenny is very uh very good at English going to make a comment to the man that uh from Duke Farms you know
hello same class w w o l v n it's like I I you mentioned that you saw the movie Common Ground to me that was Earth shaking I mean I emailed all the Commissioners and it gave me a whole new perspective on
agriculture I grew up as a kid watching modern Farmer on TV the old 20th version Petr chemicals tilling Ro to tilling and Common Ground totally turned me around and it it's like I hope it does that for
a lot of people people but I'm glad you brought it up thank you our food system is very vulnerable [Music] yes motion to close the meeting public comments more all favor I com any
correspondence uh no correspondence okay any r or no plan reveal no plan reveal wow yes last time we did so many yeah last time we did so many the other night okay new business
sustainable Jersey recertification du this year yes so I finished going through the um the inventory of actions that we do to kind of see where we're at uh you know what we can submit um basically what yes it's bigger it's like
that's more involved yeah at this point but yeah um so I turned it into a Google doc I put basically this is going to be for the green team's use but it has the action the possible points the points that we can get if it's eligible for a
gold star here's the status so for example if it says discuss that means I have to speak with these people or during the green Mee green team meeting speak with them to figure out can we figure finish these last one two or three steps to get the points um there's
some notes if I have any there's a link to the action so whoever has assigned it can easily click click on it and then I these are just like statuses about when we submit so we have I believe if we include everything even things that are missing a little bit here and there we
have 625 points we need to submit 350 so we have plenty uh we have to choose from so I'm going to recommend save some points for next so yeah we can we never submit all of the points we usually submit 450 100 extra because they do go
through and really so I think we can go through and the ones that require the most work we won't you know we're not going to go crazy trying to finish that we'll go through what we have done and ones that are almost done and we can submit that what's the deadline on this when uh the
next submission is May 16th okay and then there's a final submission final submission nove no I'm sorry September right I have it here whenever August or September June final submission is July 31st
this time Y when you sub might finish a few more things between andly is there a green team scheduled meeting I'm going to be scheduling the green team so I emailed this to Bob War locker and asked him what works because a lot of the township staff is on the Green Team so I needed to see so it's going to be a
Wednesday morning like it was last time um I just don't know which Wednesday morning 8 in the morning or 9 yeah I think it was like 8:30 a.m. it was early morning yeah so yeah so uh oh I'm sorry Arie you got a question um so when you s submitted in May that's a preliminary is
the second date so if they have comments that or they so the first time yeah we submitted in may we can put planned if we don't have everything ready it just kind of lets them know and be ready what we're submitting for and they can start looking through anything we submit the June 30th that's when we really
everything needs to be in and then we have July 31st to do the final final and then from July until September they'll go through every line and every document that we submit and I believe you know if you're a few points short they'll work
with you to try and get to that you know deadline but we're usually okay cuz we submit 100 extra points cuz we know how they what's the next level above the there's no silver is the highest level although you can get a gold star in
either energy health or um energy health or Transportation water I have think right yeah water so we can we do qualify for the gold star in health so we'll submit for that for sure for the health assessment and the things that have come out of it there is some items under
energy that we do qualify for but I don't know if we meet all of them I think that it might be like say there's five requirements we might have three so I can look and see can we finish these extra two requirements before the submission it's going to depend on what
it is um next year or we can do it for next time yeah absolutely absolutely three year cycle three years yeah so the next step is basically as soon as I know when the date is going to be um it'll be in March for sure I'm going to email this spreadsheet out two weeks early so
everyone in the green team can look through it and kind of see like you know read it you know correct make any corrections and then we'll go through it at the Green Team and discuss it and then assign who's supposed to be doing what um but I have all the narratives we submitted last year and everything so
for a lot of them I can give the person you know last times narrative and they can edit it maybe here so I think well it we in good shape so yeah I I looked through it all and I had this feeling of
not knowing how close we were on most of the yes yeah so yeah oh definitely yeah there's some that are like yeah that require a little bit of asking the person during the green team meeting like you know he like this one is for
safy Creative assets inventory and I have disuss because I don't know if we have um like I don't know if we have this uh Cai which is a creative assets inventory if we have it in spreadsheet form or a map do we have both I don't
know what we have so I have to ask her and see and if she says we have nothing that might be something we wait on if she says well we have it in a spreadsheet but not a map we can definitely get a map you can you give me example what means creative asset uh creative asset an example of a creative
asset is trying to think back to the action I can click on it um give me one second here A Creative asset I think for example like AR gazebo would be like a creative asset and the uh arazo would be one it's a place where you can basically
go to have different types of cultural events creative events you know there's like um at the Gazebo they do concerts things like that so that would be an asset um I don't know what I mean I guess probably the library would probably be considered a creative asset
any Outdoor Classroom is probably considered one I don't know if we have you know well you know the new library might stand a chance of getting stuff since we have a rain guard in front of it that's true and weal commission pushed for that right yep the youth
center maybe potentially could be considered a creative asset at least part of it um but I don't know what's status so that's an example of something that's like oh I I have to check and see where that is cuz that I'm not 100% let is something we definitely want to ask
there might be something going on at the youth center that would kind oh I'm sure there is they do painting and crafts and things there yeah they do podcast too this whole room oh that would work oh yeah so that would work perfect yeah that would work what about Franklin day
Franklin day that would be probably under like a green fair or events that's like something we could probably submit for that who gave us all those uh nightlights the box of NightLight that came from the grant we got through sustainable jersey for the Energy
Efficiency partners that they give away those out at different place yeah Tara have we have we um included maybe in the water aspect the rain barrel that's uh attached to the Gazebo I love that I mean I wish I could bring it to my my
condo community but is totally against anything I mention I love that rain barrel yeah so a few years ago I think we submitted for a rain barrel program because you can't submit for just one barrel but you can submit if you hold a
program done it in this time but that's something we can look into doing again if that's to have it on our buildings is good but maybe to spread it out look at all the common interest communities we have here I called I think the New Jersey water authority water supply Authority water
supply yeah and they said they would give them away this was a couple of years ago when I was researching for free yes y like about $100 a piece free I think when we did it I think was $35 a piece constructed the barrels in the lobby yes yeah so that's stff we can do
um one example for it like the commun municipally supported Community solar program that is one that we know we have completed safy has the um the marketing materials her work with the companies she has the resolution passed by the
township so we have that like for example that's one thing we know we can submit and we meet the criteria so that's an example of one that it's like just writing up the narrative so energy aggregation we may not be fully ready by
may but certainly by you know if we put in that well we solicited bids and so forth we something for that oh yeah absolutely would the food composting help if we got something like that if it
was if it got up and running by the time we do our final submitt yes maybe they're now work I got an email from them from Anthony woo that they're finalizing their insurance policy perfect that's what they need to get into Canal War so if it's up and running
by the time we subit go well maybe by in April it'll be up and running more I me know and then we can you know show it all perfect so that's that so we're moving I wonder if um uh librar is considered
asset how about having a Township uh focused a newspaper um like a two right one is oh yes yes so so the Franklin times cuz it has to be through what we do so the town
we do submit the Franklin times but it's under our Communications category so we submit it as part of our Communications with the public y but we so we do submit that okay our historic homes have any
have be anything um you know it's interesting there's really not much in terms of historic homes on the sustainable Jersey actions if we do a project with with um historic homes that is based in sustainability we can submit it for an
Innovative project which is basically a you can submit three alog together I have two listed one is the eval certification and one is the save the mo until Earth Day because they don't really fit into existing ones that would be a great project if there was one and we could submit it under Innovative
because it doesn't submit the only problem is I don't know if we've done anything in our historic homes that would meet you know this criteria I'm not sure but that is a good we that is something we want to do an event in those homes not an event um well it
could be an event but it would I remember they do something for historical there's there's a lady who comes here uh sometimes oh Terry Terry and she does something historical in on one of those she does yeah so that's done by The Meadows foundation so it
have to be done by us but so one great example say we were ever able to do something at like van wickle van van Dy van wickle house that was you know would assist with a climate change problem that they're facing with flooding that could be an Innovative project but we
don't have anything just yet same with that old growth forest that's here in town um Memorial Forest yes that concept if that that would have to be completed though so yeah yep yep so we're moving so you know I'll keep everybody posted
what about not the senior not not senior sent yes because they do yes that could count as a creative asset so like same thing with the youth center it's like we would submit it but it would be like oh the portions of the buildings are the things they do that fit into sustainable Jersey so like the podcasting the senior
center absolutely they do some Arts um and you know yeah so we could definitely do include that y we we had the film the film the film series yes that's that's all submitted so we're in good shape we're in good shape it's just a matter of getting like wrangling green team
together adopt the drain I guess it's collecting something adopted drain so we submitted for that at the last time we can submit for that again as a Innovative Community project but if we have a different Community project I'd rather submit for that but I have it
like kind of on the back also feel that it's not working well it it's kind of like petering out a little yeah we have to work on that yeah because even from my perspective it's like you know yeah our drains get cleaned by the guys going
down down the street we took up the leaves I hear you yeah okay I got a email from adopter drains that bugging me about I hav't submitted anything in 3
months but then just a couple of days ago I noticed that there wasn't accumulation on my drain so I went and cleaned it and submitted it oh that was good idea actually speaking of the rec records so they do not have option that
you would check that it has been inspected and there was no garbage because they are always asking that you have to enter what what did you find oh you're right they don't so if you go there a clean and there's nothing there is no op no I got an email about that that one could
submit because this anytime I go to the store anytime I go anywhere West I pass pass by that drain and check on it yeah and if it doesn't need clean you still need to check it it was inspected right that's
true you're right yeah they don't have that that's something we can mention for sure yeah okay so we going to Item B family steam night and your school so I was going to say this this was correspondence but I forwarded it to
Maria because of the education and Outreach committee so just to kind of Explain real quick we received an email from Shana pona and she is a teacher on the at the Elizabeth Avenue School Green Team and they're applying for sustainable Jersey for
schools um and so she wanted to see if um we'd be interesting in collaborating with them they're holding a family steam night for K through five students on April 24th it's from 6:00 to 7:30 um they want to incorporate more sustainability awareness and they'd like
to know if we would like to come and share our accomplishments or information at this event so I forwarded it to Maria it's like um having a table there yeah and we do have some giveaways now and we can talk about you know whoever wants to
go and be at the table we can talk about our accomplishments we can talk about a lot of stuff actually Saturday right it is April 24th uh hang on let me look
April 24th is a Thursday Thursday oh I think Thursday 6:00 to 7:30 someone is going and you I can make it okay so let her know you can you can't okay I've got all the stuff I'm I might be able to it's far enough away
anybody else wants to come lights we bring some of the night lights with us yeah I'm using them I two I got two plugged in I want my we can bring those Night Lights we also have the tablecloth we have you know we have a lot of stuff we can bring and
basically they're applying for sustainable Jersey for schools so most likely this steam nighted they're going to apply they're doing the same certification process we're doing but basically for Schools they're probably going to apply for it as like holding a green Fair green event so when people come by we can just explain you know
this is what who we are this is what we do you know well can can we get points for supporting them yeah on April 24 so when you hold an event together one group usually get however this is a school it's two different programs so
maybe we could like say we were working with Montgomery on a film night right only if Montgomery submitted for it they would get the points not us but since this is it's still sustainable Jersey but it's a different certification maybe we can we could always try you know have typ of cloth will travel you
know the schools I can't open have fewer possibilities they do it's not as much they should have first okay so I will write back to her or did you want to write back to her up to you either
way if maybe is I'm going to for you have her email right or you want me to ref for you the uh s p o n a okay I can't email okay so yes since you'll be the one that'll be there and you're yeah and then you and Paul can coordinate I guess on getting the things he said
maybe he'll come you know bring you I got to check Thursday nights sometimes I have something to doing but which Thursday night th of the month yeah yep mention send an email
about what's the impact of your school with SJ PS uh that is something that we can work with Franklin High School andv Tech um is there so many and I can't open my emails um I sent it to you
um partnership program with p ps and oh the technical assistant yes I figured maybe you could talk about that under the Committees is that okay CU I didn't really look into I just sent it to you but yeah I don't know if it's something it's even interested in doing you know so this something I can we can bring in
the communications I mean education committee and then my question I put to you is that the members of the committing is the same and the composition has to be three yes you can't have a quorum so only three people and as far as I know the Committees are the same how many
people are on your committee oh I have um Stan e and Ellen myself oh okay yeah so you can only have three right yeah I think well yeah because on before you got a quum for the committee if you meet
if you meet in person actually if you meet that's why I haven't had any meeting because I want to make sure oh okay yeah H yeah because then then four is a is is a quorum for the do only have one committee that only has two people
Communications I think right I'm pretty sure is it Robin and I don't know because I had never been assigned to Communications but if I do then I would drop the education yeah because I think Robin there's only her and technically
you at this point but you're not even really so if you want to move there that would actually probably be the best thing if you want you want to do that okay so so Stan can move to Communications and then this way you guys will have three and then uh okay
perfect five a quorum no I think four is a quorum isn't it am I wrong because the technically there are seven members and two oh two alternat okay so there's only seven people voting the AL don't count
towards the quum the alternates vote no they don't no they vote only if uh not pres that's why sometimes I don't even I don't want because I'm turning one and they don't need my yeah they say yeah
but that's okay counting right all right so I'll update the Comm the um committee list so Stan you're going to move to Communications which would leave education Outreach with Maria Ellen NZ okay okay that's good
because I think yeah I think she's she might be the only one technically on there right now okay perfect yeah on the um well we have a volunteer and the volunteers yes volunteers and on on the plans we just have EAS and I and you don't count as a
member I don't count as and Ted you have had two have three I'm not a member yeah we have three all right okay Works um skip the stuff I have a question about that because I've been thinking about that a little bit it's as I gather it's
you don't want people um putting automatically putting this the the packages of knife and forks into the takeaway stuff right the extra stuff I go sometimes to um Jersey miks over here on Ceda Grove oh yeah and they have a
bucket of packaged knives and forks nobody says anything if you want one you take it if you don't you don't uhuh does is that going to be banned to un skip the stuff or is that fall Within not you know how does that fit they're not supposed to automatically put it in the
B so yes you you can keep it out and if people want that's because that's I'm seeing other places are doing that as well they want to do it as S as possible well I was thinking of and this may be a lot would
be um going around and talking to all of these businesses and if they will agree to get the not automatically put these things in we give them a little sign which
explains this what it is yeah so the reason this is on the agenda is Robin spoke with yes uh Kathy Lynch she's the president of green matters and uh I guess Robin was saying you know hey what have you guys done in
terms it's in Montgomery what have you done in terms of skip this stuff so what they have done is they didn't go through it as an ordinance like we had originally proposed but they made it a voluntary program and kind of what you're saying Ted is that um they
developed a logo a skip the stuff logo and then if restaurants participate they can get this logo some sort of certification right right and so they volunteered they worked with their Montgomery Business Association and basically it's a logo and if they agree
to do it they get it and this way they decided not to do by ordinance because the hold up on our end with the ordinance is that is the enforcement it's basically having what staff is going to enforce it who's going to do it it's a lot of work to go to all these restaurants and keep on them and follow
so the voluntary program might kind of be a a good option we should work through the Chamber of Commerce yeah and now we have the partnership with the Chamber of Commerce so maybe this is a better idea you know how about um if you wanted to put something together some
kind of a flyer or something or half a page thing um and the Somerset County Health Department inspects all the restaurants Somerset County Health Department is our health department so if we were to give
that to them and say every restaurant that you inspect hand out one of these flyers that's a good idea cuz that's a good way to get it to them I like it I like it they supposed
to listen to us and accept they should they're we contract with them we pay them money to okay Health Department okay and we could still you know also get this to the Chamber of Commerce um but I think that might be a
good idea I mean the only thing is and again it's kind of like an honor System thing so hopefully no one just puts the logo up and then you know a year later decid not to do it but seem me that
if if they agree to do this and they are actually saving on KN forks and spoons and whatever if they don't automatically
put got every reason to continue I like it I think it's good so instead of pursuing the ordinance everyone think this is a good way to try them yeah I also think that aside from giving them some sort of uh
label that they can put at the door that would communicate the con consumers maybe we should have some sort of a listing online listing where you know people could could go and see uh who is
recognized and that way it's a little bit more public we could also have it circulated through Franklin times periodically as newes come certified um I like it I think that's a
good idea too yeah I think about Costco when you're in the food area they just have the dispensers on the side by the mustard the forks and the and you press it down if you want one but you don't have to take all three you just take one you want and they don't they don't put it out when you when when you get the
food it's around the corner where the mustard and that kind of stuff is I like it school do us they give the food to the kids and if they want they get their yeah the pool they want uh they want a for sometimes sometimes that can be also
abused but I mean what you can do right so you what you can do it's a machine they have to pull one it's a control one when you go on the parkway the the stuff in the you know in the in the uh place where P to
get food they also they have the the machine not a machine just just tisue papers you know sometimes I dispens yeah you're right there always those and then when they uh uh drop the
plate you know only few of them are used or even they take they grab the pile of napkins it's true and so what is the rest but I'm just renting you know so we
do what we can do yes there's always people out here who don't give a skip the stuff come into sustainable Jersey we probably won't have it up and running till this time but next time y okay so Everyone likes that idea of
trying okay so we that would be Communications committee so I guess I will let Robin know and we can figure out yeah okay good okay request for donation from clean communities grant
for rare head headquarters annual stream cleanup so riton Headwaters sent us a letter and they're basically basically the long and short of it is that they are hosting a stream cleanup on April 12th it's their 35th annual stream
cleanup they have thousands of volunteers that participate in cleaning up rivers and streams across 38 municipalities um there are municipalities in the watersheds that participate that give a donation to allow them to keep doing this large
scale stream cleanup uh it was sent to the mayor and what he was told is that and I believe this is true I have to definitely verify it but I'm 99% sure this is correct um we they we can use our clean communities money to give them
the donation because we're giving this group a donation from our clean community's Grant to do this uh large scale stream cleanup that benefits Franklin town so they've made a request for a donation from the clean communities the request amount is
$1,000 um we don't have to agree to that we don't have to you know we can agree to it we don't have to agree to it we can agree to a different number we can agree to nothing but I just wanted to bring that forward we do get a clean communities Grant from the county to the township um so how much is in the Grant
I mean how much money if we got to over 125 or $100,000 what is it oh it's used for recycling programs and our storm water management and coal clean it does y, yeah we use it
for our own street cleanup this would be a donation to Raritan Headwaters we reaction is we're not in the Raritan Headwaters right yes you're correct we're lower rity in a lower Rarity and we should if anything give
money to lower rip partnership yeah yeah they could always write a letter and request a donation through clean communities now it has to be Project Specific it can't just be like we're giving them money but if they have a project they do have project they have plenty of projects well and they
participate in our stream up so we don't even have to respond to this if no one wants to do this I just bring It Forward I like the idea of doing something with the lower rare now no yeah and we have adopted resolution supporting we have
have yeah we didn't promise we'll give them money but well we could is is this somebody that you deal with on different things that you no I have not no I've not dealt with this person ever um headquarters yeah but low RAR we deal
with a lot I me the one that's request one raron headquarters no no I think they probably re sent the same letter to every nearby community you know Community WR on in some of
count so uh probably the only one that really is not in the Rarity right you're right um I don't know if I need a I mean this was a request sent forward I don't know if I need do you think we need a motion either way I probably should make
a motion just so that I can say yes or no the money yeah okay so yeah so the question would be again a donation of $1,000 a less amount no amount that's the request lower Ron no no we can't just offer money lower raron if they
they have to submit like a letter like this saying we we're looking for this project here's the day here's the whatever here's the amount but this is a letter that came from them and they're seeking $1,000 Ron headquarters well I think if if we're
going to have a motion I would say that we find it unnecessary to donate to ratan Headwaters Association since we are not in the
ratan headquarters and would prefer to support a project of lower ratan Watershed partnership perfect I'll second that okay go ahead okay this is motion motion on the
floor seconded it okay any question about that okay all in favor all right draft I don't even know if do do I need to respond to them and say we we give no
Don that's why I asked if you had any had any Communications with cuz if you did I'd say it' be it would be the nice thing to do to respond back I don't no this I got from the mayor sent to me so yeah I could just write something back and basically say you know we can't at
this time and you know we're not the riton headquarters but thank you good luck you know so so if if I informally approach uh lower right the partnership to S proposal something motion so it's through our clean
communities Grant so if they have a project that meets the requirements of clean communities which is basically stream cleanups educational programs storm water management lot of recycling I'm about to ask whether we should suggest certain
yeah find out what's available that that sounds like a likely place to that or LS could be used I would see what project they have that they're interested in you know oh we didn't know we could use clean communi money and if they have something they know about it actually
hether told me about it I didn't make the connection that we could actually route some of the money that yeah okay yeah got the board to do that money for our clean up which in
fact we still have money I mean they they support us when we're doing ours like clean communities funding that's what we use to fund adopted drain that's another like those are the types of things you know so some years ago we had a a
cleanup along the canal and I guess to some extent the river all the way way from 518 I think to Butler Road and we got a lot of people out for it I worked with some teenagers it was a place with
a lot of junk we spent the whole time cleaning up that one spot but but it is some where we usually do our cleanups along the in one of the streams that run
directly into the Raritan whether run or C Brook right right what I'm about to ask you now do we have um information about streams that go to Millstone that needs clean up because I do not inspect those you are closer yeah
most of them I don't need it because they they don't run close to roads I mean they've got a road crossing say but I mean 6 m run you got the sixmile Run Reserve all around
it yeah yeah well it's pretty much when you have lots of population around then you get garbage like bu stopping shop but but along Canal Road it's it's rural so yeah well stuff does get thrown out
of cars along Canal Road gets thrown out of cars along Old Georgetown Road and I've got to go pick it up which we do from time to time um but this was specifically all along Canal Road and the
[Music] canal we want want a toath no I don't know whether the the park cleans up along the toe path or whether it would be necessary to
for us to do it there wasn't a lot on it's a state park yeah the state park will probably do it and if we if we do any more volunteer and 10 volunteers there we need a permit I tell you I on January 1st I volunteered on um
some just tour along top path but in Trenton and there it needs clean up okay but again it's very densely populated so you have lots of garbage yeah DNR Canal watch sponsors a
cleanup in South Brown Brook along the canal in January okay oh wow yeah me every January yeah we been doing it I've sometimes
done it and sometimes not done it because if I knew about it we could at least promoted through our subscribers I didn't know this is I didn't either yeah that's interesting though all right well we can promote it next time that's for sure although this is not our town no
but that's okay it's adjacent you know the boundary well I think we we can certainly tell people about it okay yeah okay southbound Brook is our suburb okay uh e is 2025 fundamentals
for Effective environmental commissions that's the Anie anj announcement I saw yes so an Jack is having um on Tuesday March 18th at 7:00 p.m. why is it grading out here there's three right yeah there's three Tuesday March
18th oh there we go uh at 700 p.m. Wednesday March 19th is about storm water management at noon then you got Wednesday March 19th at 700 p.m. is local land use planning Thursday March 20th Communications and Community engagement uh they're all Zoom so
they're online courses that anj is holding and I just sent that around in case anyone's interested in attending any of them is it meant as a refresher for everyone or only for new bees um it could be for if you want it's not required you can do you know whatever if you want to take it
I mean if we're an an member which we are it's free so I that's why I sent it around really it's free so if you're interested feel free about land use when local land use planning it is Wednesday March 19th at 700 p.m. oh March
19 to me oh yeah I can resend it to everybody I'll send the link again against everyone I'll be I should have it I'll be I've gotten it I just got it I give directly to anj as well as being a member through the
EC I will just reset everyone if you're interested feel free okay I didn't know whether it I've got all of these topics I guess it goes beyond the basics my first reaction would be is this something for
fled environmental commission with movies uh thinking that would that might be worth you know if you want to go though Alan yeah you're but it doesn't question anything two of those I already signed
up I got the email I already signed up for the warehouses okay oh the warehouse spr perfect heard the membership at en is quite expensive now yeah I think it's I'm trying to think what it was we haven't been able pay it yet because
we're waiting for the full budget to be in there but Mark has it so he'll pay it but quarter or something like that yeah over $100 oh no I think it's like $400 yeah I think it's $425 I want to say yeah that's what I
heard yeah okay and there's no money coming from the feds to help us with [Music] that think positively we are not being banned from doing it right [Music]
head I got that excuse me um so now we're up to committee reports um Mar you have anything from the education committee um I think I asked a question
we want to reconfigure um then can be attending the event and also uh we're going to talk about the PN information and that's it uh I have also um
update now since communication okay so uh in Hillsboro so um um I mean we are not in the old business but so this is new business so Hillsboro they also attended our Common Ground film
screening Kelly Francisco she's a member of the Hillsboro Green Team uh they will have uh films uh let me read this thing short shorts in Winter um and it will be on March 1st
which is Saturday at 2 p.m. in our there Municipal Building at 379 South Branch Road Hillsboro New Jersey 08844 no RSVP necessary and yes uh the
films are appropriate for ages 8 plus and include drama scarce educational humor and a human interest documentary flyer is attached I think I sent it to everyone I remember seeing it yeah so
public can be on notice um so uh I think we should send it to our subscribers quickly because it's this Saturday is this yes it's that one um Tara can you send it out yep let me just put it in
my okay uh maybe not necessary committee but I forwarded to all of you um earlier today um notice from the EP MH Department of protection because
they have preliminary d of the New Jersey state development plan is open for public comment so this is not country specific but this is we are part of the state so yeah I think that and and I went through the survey there is a
link and it's asking you whom do you represent right and it goes through all roles from townships to even resident so uh all of us we can submit commment as a resident but uh if we give it to to
someone who is uh at the township and they feel like they want to have a comment they select okay Township we submitted already from this committee yep yep from this committee and open we talked about this like maybe like a month ago or so it's the updated State development and Redevelopment plan and
it was very vague comment that was basically like it's not you know there's um it's not doesn't have like enough teeth I guess is what I kind of want to say to it like it's kind of more insirational new this updated development and Redevelopment it is it
came out few months ago the the updated draft because the email was today yeah okay their comment period goes through it's been in the works though this plan for like 10 plus years but yeah yeah so I must have missed the
pr I just thought that U no that's good yeah but you should submit as a resident as well yeah if you have comments on it or anything like that absolutely I have a comment on the topic that I email and T answer about it um it's
this in PNG in June we all got an email and I just thought that it could be an opportunity to revisit the topic of energy with the township you know I mean um oh right right talking probably about
increase but okay these are the options um that you have and oh right yes we can um I was thinking we can use that as an opportunity to for do more a little more education about energy that's all yeah I
think that makes sense yeah now when is it um in June I think it's in June June 2025 and need 17% increase okay we cannot do anything about it but we can talk about uh Energy
Efficiency ruce um car bills or uh these are the options that the town is come going F sure or an opportunity I think that makes sense all right let's do you want to on your committee like look into the if there's any flyers or any kind of well
they probably didn't make like ucation like to meet with yeah okay perfect I think that's a good idea yeah in June yeah okay and you're right that would be a good opportunity to promote Energy Efficiency because of the increase in
bill okay and we are working with uh Robin on um Landscaping um dark uh Dark Skies ordinance we have uh oh Robin found something in hope well that they have
one of the strongest in the state um Landscaping dark dark skies yeah yeah I was going to comment about that we've been approving uh full cut off lighting fixtures for all the all
the U warehouses that's part of the automatic thing now no when whenever a warehouse is built with lighting around the periphery they have full cut off F fixtures they're not Amber but I don't know anybody that's putting in Amber
that that's a whole new area it's it's different from everything I ever learned in life mhm for white light the cut off fixtures are pretty standard now yeah they are have to worry about them cut off means that
they turn off the light no the lights go this way oh this way that way the way the fixture is designed internally it's got a a beveled lens behind it and the the fixture doesn't allow any light to go up that yeah and whether it's Amber
or white my always fear not fear but um we always felt that the police and authorities needed white light to really focus on colors of you know wrongdoers and that kind of stuff when it's Amber
it's about balancing balancing security exactly me yeah one more thing under Hot Topics that Robin had asked to be on is Senate Bill uh number 4100 it was introduced February 3rd of this year
um and what it is it that it requires the establishment of an automated platform to expedite construction code approval of applications to install residential solar energy systems so um basic I mean it's pretty
straightforward but basically it's for residential operations that are proposing to install energy generation systems that there is a to speed up those permits that there's an automated platform so some kind of web-based platform that allows the permits to be
EXP ited it's this one here yes 4100 um I'm trying to think if there's anything in here that uh let's see uh okay like for example it says in here it has been reported that contractors who are in business of installing residential solar energy
systems and home batteries within in New Jersey avoid entering into contracts to install these sub systems within municipalities that impose especially burdensome permitting requirements so that makes sense of course uh I'm trying to get to the action part here
so it's called the state smart solar permitting platform bill um all right so what it would do is that it would perform robust Code Compliance checks using algorithms to evaluate characteristics of the proposed residential solar energy system it has
to be done by a qualified contractor or subcontractor um the system would include the following construction documents to be used for inspection of the residential system and for recordkeeping uh instantly release permit and permit revisions to construct
a residential solar energy system consistent with the requirements of the state uniform construction code so basically when you go in you apply for this permit if you meet the requirements instant you would your permit would be produced there's it it basically cuts off a lot of time be
designed to process permits for at a minimum approximately 75% of resident IAL rooftop solar G Energy Systems that weigh less than or equal to 4 lb per square foot and comply with the state uniform construction code so those are
the requirements if it's less than 4 pounds per square foot and you meet the UN uniform construction code requirements your permit gets processed right away it would provide users with the ability to submit an application 24 hours a day except when the platform is down for maintenance or
upgrade um be provided to the department at no low cost if a third part is involved allow the use of electronic signatures that's important allowing the use of electronic signatures on all applications um and basically was within one year of
the passing of this bill that that would become a requirement so Robin wants that to bring want to bring that to our attention I believe she also wanted us to support this bill with the council if I remember correctly give me one second cuz I I know she wanted us to see it I
just want to make sure I'm not missing any action here uh Robin let's see is this it uh let's see no this one maybe oh gosh okay not that one all
right give me one sec Robin Robin um H maybe it was just that she wanted us to look at it I I'm pretty sure she wanted us to support this though yeah um and
um related to that um question to the audience I know that here in our Township we have a a limitation imposed by the fire inspector that the solar
panels cannot be along certain distance with U on the edges along the edges of the roof because apparently um fireman axes or something um I find it a little bit overly
limiting because in our Township we have lots of trees and shades and sometimes you have to really um juggle where you put the solar panels and how many so that you get enough generation and if somebody comes and say
hey in case that there would be fire and blah blah blah uh I don't want you to use this section of roof uh I would I would like to know how how many uh how many times uh this rule
helped firefighters our firefighters today whether it it justifies continuation of this rule but besides I would like to know whether this is only our Township or whether this is universal I really don't know um
that's yeah I like that it's like to see what other people have done and that and it's been successful um comes out from a warehouse fire that was down in South Jersey the solar was and the firemen were afraid of what was
going on yes yes when was it couple years ago because most of those fires I mean I want to say all of them are related to faulty installation probably right yeah you're right about that I am actually so on our a advisory committee
we have a a member that is a firefighter um and he actually was talking at the last me right before the meeting he's like oh I just came from this training um about how to handle Fires for EV charging stations and I said oh do you also do for solar okay and he was like
yeah we do that training once a year but um he's a member of a Volunteer Fire Company just one so I don't know how the other volunteer fire companies are handled in the township that I'm not sure of they have to put the ladder with the
hooks MH up on top of the roof just above the gutter then they can't have a solar panel right there right at the edge above the gutter mine are pretty close I think that's a part of it that makes sense my thinking was that it includes
the edges on the side the sides like when you have slope like this that it's not just the bottom but also on on the sides and that's what bothers me because my I mean I'm talking about myself you know I have them higher up so I don't have problem at the bottom but I have
them edge to edge and they were installed in 2011 back then there was no limit right and when I need to replace the roof I want to be grandfathered you know grandfathering mine mine was 2013 I
think I put mine in and they're right to the edge cuz I had a guy go cuz I had um I had I had swirls nests under this under the uh under the pels and they were in the wires oh gosh so they turned the guys went up cuz I my output went
down and the guys went up on the roof they killed the power because some of the wires were laying in the nest so now the the Solar Company came and they put what they call Critter guard around the edges so they can't they can't get under the thing but it's
nice and warm under there and the squirr it was a nice you know protected them from heavy rain and wind and all that stuff so for for this bill though this this 4100 do you do we want to think about it more before we write a recommendation of support to I would
just bluntly recommend it I mean there's yeah yeah yeah there's nothing wrong to do that resolution okay to do that resolution make a motion to support can I ask a question first I mean any tracking or
accountability associated with this bill if people are going to be applying online that they want to do this does anybody go back and check that they've done it properly yeah that's an inspection the inspector no just asking former safety inspector I just want to make sure there some INSP proving
because they want proval to be fast but roll it up to the have the synopsis of it show you know the very beginning usually shows yeah the synopsis automated platform this is the first step
inspectors come and they inspect afterwards if but the system uses an algorithm that you basically going to enter you know what your roof size is how many pounds your solar panels are and if it's 4 lounds or less per square
foot right is that what I said plus you meet the UCC requirements you would your permit would you could print it out it would like your permit would be approved if you put that in and it doesn't meet it then it'll tell you like you need to come into construction code but it's a way to basically say if you're within
the requirements you don't need to you know do all this to get it so this platform would be set up to to approve those that meet and and when it's automatically you have to notify them and then he inspector comes and the estimate that
that's 75% of applications for residential solar would meet these requirements I mean and when they in my case when they U inspect when the installation got done says you can't turn it on until Public Service comes or
town inspector says it's it's okay when talking about construction code yes is that that includes electricity and every everything is so that's one of our offices construction code and we have a construction code official and they
issue all the permits yeah for your electricity your um structural yeah structural H it's not a problem from the application Viewpoint because you you never need to upgrade your uh system electrically because it always subtracts
from your use inspection yes you have to inspect there's two different inspectors that come out at least one for construction for oh yeah structure electricity fire fire yeah they and they will still like if a permit's generated
there is still a requirement that that permit be inspected and everything so that'll be done but it would save our people probably a lot of time and again it's only under these circumstances that they meet these specific requirements that they would be approved for anyway how does it uh Save Our People time so
instead of all 75% of people coming in to install a residential solar energy generation system standing at the counter having our people process the paperwork and all that it would the person themselves could just apply for it online and if they get approved the
permit is emailed to them right then and there so no none of our staff would have to be invol I know when when I had mine installed last year um company that installed it took care of all the prop yeah the company will take care of I mean our
staff but they probably the the um contractor probably has to come here to the township and then meet with somebody they so then they can go online yes they can go online yeah but the fee for application is the still the same right it doesn't say anything about changing the Fe it doesn't say probably raise the
Fe yeah Ser no but but you don't have the labor right but you still collect the fee come on everything goes up in price come on the fee will still be the same and we have the online payment system so that it'll be simple you have to pay the UPG software so if we want to recommend
this to council that Council supports it or we want to write a resolution of support basically I do need a motion though for that okay make a resolution to support Second all in favor no okay all
right did everybody did you raise H waiting for discussion oh oh you need more discussion I'm sorry just waiting for him to say discussion he's like did you raise your hand I thought you answer yes it's good all right this discuss already right you
do the discussion after you do motion the motions and then you do the approval that's the way you're supposed to do it okay yeah but I'm I'm I'm for it okay okay we have a unanimous vote okay uh so that finishes Hot Topics
I think yep so now we're up to Old business yes you want to talk about some of this yeah the community health monitoring and mitigation I can't remember if I said I know I said this at the open space meeting I can't remember if I said it at this meeting so I'll just say it again we applied for a
Federal grant to do a heat monitoring project through the community Heat monit Ing and mitigation program which is through I'm going to tell you the exact name of the office it's through the center for collaborative heat monitoring which is under the national integrated
heat health information system uh this was developed through the inflation reduction act and they're basically focused on reducing heat and figuring figuring out ways to mitigate the impacts of extreme heat climate change Etc so we applied for that Grant it's for $10,000 it's a nationwide Grant
they're only giving 10 out um we're supposed to find out March 1st I did receive an email from them that basically said you know right now obviously with what's going on we don't know where we stand 100% we're still
working every day until we're told not to so as of right now apparently they're still processing the applications the people are still working there um but it's only Monday wait I know but they said as long as they can still go we
should still hear something February I'm sorry March 1st I don't know how many applicants applied or anything like that it's a nationwide Grant and like I said they're only giving 10 out this is the first time they did it so we applied for it and we'll see uh if we get it and if we do get it we'll see if they're still
in business in a few months sobody for with the the the money it was a sad email yeah it was it was sad that they felt the need to write that email you know but because Noah who is where this coming
from is being cut Y and that's to other people the whole thing it's craziness yeah yeah the film so B is film scream we've been doing that yeah I wasn't sure if anyone wanted to report on it or anything that was all but yeah so it was
very successful we had give take 60 people um uh the film was the educational version of Common Ground 43 44 minutes um uh after that we had a panel
discussion with uh three invited uh Farmers um it was uh Michelle Logan um Jason D Salvo and uh Ron Vice um and um we were discussing about um
how how is regenerative agriculture important they share their stories what made them uh to switch um and how it improve their quality of life um and uh
how they uh improve quality of the soil it it's not just about growing the good stuff but also uh improving U quality of soil so there is no improved water absorption capability uh less
erosion uh more nutrients more more carbon content in in the soil that's that's what dictates the quality um lots of questions lots of Engagement um and we had people from montgomary um
Hillsboro new bronck um I didn't count everyone but um um get from bard of fed um Bill grippo Bill grippo okay he was
there he was there and he made comment why don't you bring it to kids right this and and you know we do advertise it they somebody from the board of ad is on our mailing list aren't they y y and we put it on
our social media FTV we put it on a bunch we put on our website um yeah so um it's not well good opportunity for kids get extra credit in a class that is a good opportunity for kids but then that it
has to be implemented as option to get credit right it's not for real little kids it's for bring sum high schoolers I think it should work um speaking of venue I think we had so far the best
experience because uh uh consolata they have wonderful big room okay that this is this is perfect but people are confused when they get there because the the driveway from 27 is not well
recognized and then when they enter then uh which of the buildings it is and it's actually from the back it's not even official entrance it it it looks like a fire escape entrance yeah I know AR's
mentioned this before to yeah so so Library uh proximity grade but they need to close at eight so that would not work uh but Senior Center they have a little bit more flexibility they have also what
flexibility they can let us longer to 9 but but the problem is that they're actually quite popular so when we were reserving the date we had to go back and forth a lot yeah right so we ask them do you have this available no do you have
that one yes we do fine next day sorry I was wrong this one is not available and and the conversation goes back and forth again and again so this is this is dting um but uh we were very pleased
with the with the audience with the excitement uh Next Step would be if we can provide some sort of refreshment that would be nice yes we have a budget once it's approved we can we absolutely can
the logistics somebody has to take care of it yeah yeah yeah and that that person needs to be do that compensate it or I don't know usually Costco cookies and coffee yeah we could do that and you
can submit it as a you know you can submit it as a bill so you have to buy it first right that's what happens and then get reimbursed I would love if we can offer uh popcorn I would love that too I would love it if we can actually we us you know what we used to do for um
sustainable man on sustainable Manvel we have a movie theater in town um the movie that there would give us like popcorn they would donate it especially like to some of our events like cuz they always have a ton of popcorn obviously so they would just give us cheap you
need machine to pop it yeah my friend actually to work there I could ask her that's how I got the popcorn for free so yeah but no you're right we we can definitely look into doing that the other thing is I was just thinking this
the trails committee cuz a lot of our trails are very it's very hard to see where the parking is they had DPW make them a sign it's only on two orange like those big orange cones and it's a metal reflective sign and it just says hike today and so when one is there they
literally put it right in front of where the driveway is we could ask to have a sign like that made that says aent here or you know Park here or something like that if you want I could ask I don't know if that's helpful or not is that
help consol it's a consada I don't know if that's helpful no I wouldn't go there again oh you don't want to go back there I mean do we need to make a vote no no I just of 250 then we need to be at
consada yeah but then um the youth center can you go to the youth center or no have you ever that's that's busy well what about like at night time they they did till 8:00 oh okay so this sign though cuz I remember you brought up that people that wouldn't be helpful a
sign like that or it's not that bad during the summer it's not that bad because you know it's late out but yeah turn the winter no light you right past the entrance yeah well we can try then
to work with the senior center Rec Center as much as possible I know the library it's difficult with the timing to at the youth center but yeah cuz the timing there too yeah kids are playing basketball you know late and and they um upstairs areas the kids are
studying and that kind of stuff yeah I there's not really a big big enough Auditorium place on the youth center but and also it would have to be specifically for children because our program is not really for children it's for General audience yeah yeah that's
true I mean most of the kids there are Juniors and uh junior high school and some high school they're trying to get more high school kids it's mainly Junior High School speaking of the short films in Hillsboro can you send specifically to
someone in Youth Center to make them spread it there so that I a Wendy so that they can invite them I can it's a Wendy what about one of the school auditoriums that could work that's right
that's a good one one and and that reminds me when uh Manville had screening of their asbesto city that was in high school it was it was a good place except that the film is R-rated in my
book I cannot repeat the word here it was part of the film okay so that's anyway I mean was it Mesa was it the kids kids I knew they had heard
all those words yeah but no our Franklin High School would be great uhy but then um yeah it you even do it at Claremont maybe because that's a they have a lot of sustainability features there too
which everyone is available for remember wasn't it open space advisory committee I think we we did a tour there at Claremont remember that would be cool if you could partner it they gave us a great tour of the place it was really nice okay the midle schools maybe like the
next film if you can think about like Sustainable Building or something like that partner with them the woman from that works there she really gave us an excellent tour we can give them a tour of all the trees that died in the front yes we'll tour that first we'll be like
look over here no actually don't I know okay all right the um super fun actually we voted on that last meeting yes and well we voted on it I and Arie thank you for helping me with the language I needed so it's been sent it's done it's been sent correct language found okay
and the curbside composting program I'm waiting to hear from Anthony woo that they have the insurance and when they do Canal walks got at least 20 people willing to sign up to start oh God awes you should be living in Canal Walk you're doing so much well they have the
guy that the guy that's running it David that's ré he was thinking about becoming a member here a couple years ago he had been in Cranford uh environmental commission and he took the application but he never submitted it I think he found his home his Liv in Canal Walk and
there's enough people there en my my condo Community as soon as we hear from uh Anthony I think we'll get the okay there's some um change in the RS that
may require bonding but I'm not going to push that until I let's let's see he's got the insurance they have car insurance but they need liability insurance and and they have to get it so that will go into their C structure so
that's that one any other old business just reminder um Maria did we report that Franklin High School will have green fa there May 12 is it may may may but I'm and I confirmed that we're
going she she actually told me was May 3rd May 3 May 3rd and it should be Saturday uh from uh 11:00 a.m. to 2: p.m. that's where we bring the table CL what the games the whole thing um they
asked me to put together electric vehicle show Kentucky Derby day unless uh the administration will ban electric vehicles we will be able to shutting down 8,000 charging stations in federal
government yeah it's awful it's talk about efficiency I mean okay stand electric vehicles not as long as that includes the lay of all the people that won't be able to use the charges
anyway long as it includes Tesla Tes sales have been going down lately yeah I was just going to say that with if you do it in the schools and it starts at 7:00 you could have a built-in audience for kids that had after school
activities so you got kids that are you know more high school kids if you have the high school I they're already there have soft promised that uh Rodger solar Club they will bring solar
racer what solar racer it's like a small that you can see it has solar panels you can there's a ruter solar Club yesol yeah no oh there's a national program there my
grandson boarding school they have a program doing this and they go to to race them oh wow yeah okay unfortunately UPA does not have the product ready yet but uh once
they do I will be bringing it everywhere have you heard of UPA sorry I digress it's the solar powered electric vehicle oh I've seen bits and pieces but yeah what happened to the little wood derby
bu thing that you made the no not I forget what it's called it's made out of wood and you races with that Soap Box is that was soap box derby I thought yeah they they showed a video Long Way Ted I I saw a video last night was on the news
on gravity people driving behind the the Tesla Foundation truck and they're projecting messages on the tail this you know this is a junk car a whole bunch of things but you can read this you're too close
no it takes the whole width and how he of a panel and IT projects from the car behind it they project when they get behind it they turn it on I don't know Stan should the FEC should we get one of these little cars silver cars right wouldn't that be nice drive all around
uh well there are a little kids that you can um buy YouTu um eBay uh and you can assemble have kids assemble them like they have four wheels put solar on it and you when you Expos it to Sun it starts actually moving I want to buy
them for still L of the lithium B batteries that sometimes can spontaneously explode no they don't only when you do something wrong I mean the manufacturer I me no well I looked it up and they do a very very low percentage
but none of my gasoline cars have ever exploded if they hit a building anyway um we're going to ask for motion to open the the meeting to public comment so move favor I want to make a closing
comment go ahead good timing or an opening comment he's been waiting for a while oh no I'm just saying I most just want to introduce myself okay time I'm Tom um we moved um uh to the Summerfield 360 back in May with my partner uh yeah
I um I actually co-run a small ecological Design shop with my partner we um he's got a landscape architecture license and I have my s's accredited professional um certification so just wanted to say that we love to lend any skills I'm taking notes it's really cool
to hear about all this stuff I actually I heard David de roch's name pop up and I'm actually doing a presentation with my colleague Dean at Canal Walk in uh in March at some point with their in so it's very cool to be a part of this today I was just taking notes and it's cool to hear um all the work that you
folks are doing so happy to lend come back next time around and you know yeah love native plants I love I was going to say do you like we planted about a thousand last year yeah we did some Popa trees some blueberries some good yeah number landscaping companies yeah yeah
it's landscape design and electric uh lawn mowers and things oh we don't do landscaping specific we're designers so we'll designers yeah we'll go and we'll do a lot of inventory of spaces and we'll do some design work and then we work with local folks to work with Pleasant Run Nursery down in Princeton and some other local spots awesome put
on the ground make sure there's a good man you don't do anything with composting like designing a compost area you could sure yeah anything outside yeah so just wanted to just mention very excited to be here um excited to participate and uh it's cool to hear
about um some of the educational opportunities too something that we're always interested to explain more about you know why native plants are important why polat Gardens are important perfect you're welcome to comp meetings we start at 7 that's great first and third Mondays of usually this time because of
President's Day that's why we're on the fourth Monday but so next Monday is the first Monday so we'll meet again that makes sense okay excuse me did you sign in do we have your name I will though I absolutely will please and your email I yeah no worries thanks folks appreciate it thank you so much thank you for
coming rain oh absolutely yeah I love Rens yeah absolutely yeah we love a good um yeah we both studied at Ruckers for our masters in landscape architecture and he's gone and done a lot of stuff like like the Hamptons and things like that I do a lot of other stuff on the side which is not important today but
but yeah so we the two of us are working together to do a lot of cool native plants local stuff yeah cool stuffy I love it yeah that's ex we're on the New Jersey sustainable business registry it's not are okay yeah yeah we know that
registry yes yeah I think so yeah so you look at that okay cool that's awesome well thank you for coming yeah when you sign in at the end we can add and then we when we send out you know events and things like that you'll be on thato nice to meet everybody thank you
too thanks yeah of course motion to close unless you have any second all favor I I actually um just Tom reminded me I wanted to suggest um so
princ uh spent lots of efforts on um helping their l landcaping companies to switch to what they call quiet Princeton project electric mowers yeah electric mowers electric blowers electric everything um I came across a company
that is actually on that list and they're also servicing Highland Park and I'm thinking that maybe we can also pass communication to our subscribers and say listen if you want to hire quiet uh uh
Landscaping Company go to that little find a contractor and um and and that way we can actually help the good guys to get more business yeah and have directionally improved town we we can
send people to a list but we can't send them to an individual good that's that's exactly it because it is it is list that's well they have what Tom said which is and we've looked at it before the sustainable business registry yes and so if you go there you can search
for sustainable businesses and you have it's a certification program right so you had to meet certain criteria we looked at it I think a long time ago um lot of great folks on but yeah so say you so well here that was my bad I had
the wrong don't worry okay I got an email uncaught EXC what's going on with this I don't know this is acting up my uh cuz this has gone out a few times but I I'll get yeah something's up I think something might be happening with our
internet here but if you go on the New Jersey sustainable business registry once it's up and running I I think something's up with the firewall in here because the compu the TV went out a few times too if you go there you can search for businesses like Tom's but there's also other categories right like it's
like you're under Landscaping they have there's like printers there's oh okay there's an today I got an email oh there's an outage on the website right now yeah but but yes um so yeah so okay so we can't show you what it is but
there's lots of businesses there's restaurants and stuff on there right like lots of different businesses cleaning services cleaning services yeah yeah we can do that we can promote that registry that's through the state of New Jersey it's even better because I was
just um narrowed about that Princeton quiet Princeton list but okay so that um maybe if we have it also a link on our website yeah can do that that yeah that's good okay going to make a motion to
close the meeting just want to read one headline came in today un issues urgent warning as US representatives skip out on key climate Signs meeting more depression I hate to close the meeting I know say more depression
yeah motion to adjourn the meeting second okay all favor