Okay. Uh, welcome to the Township of Sparta Environmental Commission meeting, uh, Thursday, April 24th, 2025. It is 7:04 p.m. Uh, we are live in the council chambers at the municipal building. Also
streaming live on YouTube at the Sparta Township stream. Um, please take notice that action will be taken on the following items at the Spartan Environmental Commission meeting. Uh, the meeting is called to order at
7:05 p.m. Adequate notice of this meeting was provided to the public and the press on January 10th, 2025 by delivering to the press and posting on the township website a copy of the notice. Uh, let's have a salute to the
flag. To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisibility, liberty, justice for all.
Thank you. Can we have the roll call, please? Deputy Mayor Marjgerie Murphy, here. Chair Kimberly Null, Vice Chair Neil Sourine here, Christine Dunar here, Ted Gaul here, Christine Rogers here,
Barbara Kazulka, Landon Tenieri, Robert Otto here, John Grath here. Thank you. Thank you. Okay, the first item on our agenda is approval of minutes from our April 10th,
2025 meeting. Did everyone have a chance to review them? Correction. on page two. Um I know Emily when you looked at that I'm trying to remember uh with Miss Burn
uh where I suggested that she watch the meeting. I wonder if I was talking about um Barbara Aida's presentation about NJP doing a a deer population. Oh, was it that one? I think it might have been that because she was more concerned
about the deer population and kind of management and we went pretty in-depth in plants as well as deer control with uh that meeting with Barbara Oida. Um I just don't know when that meeting was
that's okay. I can reference that. Yeah, that's the only thing I noticed. Okay. The deer population. Yeah. I don't know when that meeting is. I don't know if anybody ever contacted No, the um we had someone
uh Arbor Abida came um representing Lake Moahawk Horicultural Group, right? And she had kind of done a lot of the leg work and we were going to try to work with her. But then we after that we had some a concern um resin came in
uh and was talking about deer control and I don't know if she had seen that meeting. So there's just something in the in the uh minutes that says that I suggested that she watch the meeting with Lisa Jerello's presentation. Um but that was native
plants. We did touch on deer. Um, we were gonna have a speaker about the deer, but I don't think they've gotten back to Yeah. Noel yet. Yeah. Okay. So, I think Miss Noel Kim uh Yeah, she's working on that probably. Yeah. Okay.
Do we have any other comments? So, need more time. Did you have a comment? No. Margie? No. Chris? Um, I'm I'm good with it. Should we make
um Yeah. Um it's some sometimes the terminology um those me. But yeah. Okay. Can someone make a
motion to approve? I'll make a motion. Second. All in favor say I. I. I. Motion to uh approve minutes has passed. We have no applications tonight. We have
no one in the public to comment. So, next item is reports. Start with Who wants to go first? Want to talk about planning?
Well, I I'm I would like to just mention at the planning board that we were able to um Thank you. Thank you very much. We were able to have the stop and shop company agree that um that they would
change the lighting on their ground signs to be um always facing downward rather than up. Did I I don't know that we got an agreement, but they heard our request. Oh, you don't think they
agreed? So the the lawyer well so we had the resol resolution for stop and shop and in that we had kind of talked about like it would be nice if um the daffodils had started coming up in front of those ground monument signs for stop
and shop and it just kind of reminded me like I wish I would have asked not conditioned um just to have lighting from above down because having the flood lights from from below it's just kind of like makes the nice flowers look like a
mess and also it's contributing to light pollution. So the lawyer uh for the applicant was was in attendance for the resolution and we voted on the resolution as it was but we just asked that they bring it back to the applicant
I think um and so he said he would I don't know that without the applicant I don't think we can say that he we can't really say that can't say that it was agreed to but I think that he seems fine to bring it to them and so fingers
crossed All right. So, the person sitting in back of the room that was a member of the applicant team, he was just agreeing. You think that he would u discuss it with with the team? Yeah. Yeah. They've been pretty amendable to
stuff. So, just fingers crossed. Great. Yeah, that would that would be wonderful if we could always make sure that we we don't have any upward lighting. Yeah, we did kind of we kind of said what are the three or four points? You know, it's something we've talked about
on committee here, but just with uh artificial lighting, um signage and uh facades that we'd like to kind of I think we're still waiting on
chairwoman Noel's uh moving it forward, but Uh just generally um putting in reasonable controls on output shades uh operating
only during hours of operation as needed. Um keeping the color temperature 20 below 3,000 Kelvin. So typically that's a 2700 to 3,000 Kelvin range. Uh and then we've just added kind of going forward I think we're going to be better
about asking applicants to um consider lighting from above at planning board. Right. Okay. So, but I think that's that's kind of the next phase of
what we looked at with the dark sky ordinance that we kind of looked over as just maybe it's as simple as making a recommendation. You know, we want to curb artificial light. We don't think it's a burden to applicants.
um and then send it to the planning board and the planning board attorney for review and then maybe it's something we can get in the application process right away if you guys Yeah. So, but I don't I don't know the vice chair, you know, we just kind
of revisit that. Good. Good. Um, that was that was pretty much it. Hearing the application and talking about that one application. Yeah.
Thanks, Chris. Uh, we actually spent the entire town council meeting on our hot stores ordinance. So, we didn't ret. I didn't even get to talk about this committee.
So, I have nothing new to report other than the uh ordinance for the marijuana stores passed non-native plants. Really? I'm surprised. Okay, we tried.
Thank you. Win some, you lose some. planning board. I was thinking I think I think I said everything on that. Um I just want to see what the next steps are from environmental. What what would we need to do to
escalate these kind of simple three or four points from lighting? Again, maybe we have a framework for an ordinance. Maybe the the best thing is just to kind of just do a a a short memo with those three or four points that we want to
curb um intensity and downward lighting and temperature um and hours of operation and then just I can we can say attached is kind of something we all looked at um and then leave it to
planning because all all the stuff we had kind of talked about before like uh different zones should have the stadium lighting and that's true, but that's all in there. So, just maybe just leave it with the planning the planner the planning board attorney and the rest
of the planning board to kind of take their take a look at. So, I think that was it. That sounds good. We don't have an existing lighting ordinance, do we? I don't think so. We have uh design standards and so there's certain ways
that you can light um signage um that are approved. Internally lit is not approved. Um there's some grandfathered in uh internally lit, but um so this this to me kind of sounds like a good recommendation from
environmental and and it also is kind of good to be thinking about that. I think probably from master master plan subcommittee. It's something that if we can package this up nicely, you'll get another look at it um with what you're
doing and then we can specify within the zones any different things that we need to do for lighting. Um so that's how I see it going. But you know, this isn't
I'm I'm still figuring it out. So I'm open to if there's a different way we should do this or present this or move this forward. Um, think about it. Let me know. Yeah, maybe I'll try to bring this up at our next meeting.
John, anything from the schools? Sorry. Anything from the schools perspective? Um, no, not not yet. Okay, great. Um, you have nothing, right?
Sorry, I didn't mean to leave you out. Um, the master plan subcommittee uh had a joint meeting with the planning board and the zoning board and the council last Wednesday where we presented the results of the um master plan
survey which is still available. It's the results are available on the website township website and the meeting is uh available on our YouTube channel. And where exactly is it on the maybe for
the people online that where exactly is the survey? Where is that available? Do you know? Well, it's it's on the township website. I'm not sure exactly where. I haven't looked at because the survey was terrific. Yeah, it was. It was a very good turnout from what it
was. planner said we had over a thousand results. Yeah, those are pretty pretty comprehensive and great response. So, yeah, that's that's a I'm not sure where on the website, but I think it's
pretty it's under news flashash. Thank you, Emily. You're welcome. Um and it's also the uh presentation is on our uh YouTube
stream TWWP. Um our next meeting will be on Thursday, May 1st. So for the master plan subcommittee subcommittee. Yes. So guess that does it for unfinished
business sustainable New Jersey certification. Do we know where we are on the actions needed? You had uploaded the one. They came back um with some comments, right? So, we
have to get the re-upload by next month, right? for second chance. The second chance. Yeah. I got a very favorable response from Debbie Crasser who reviewed the winter road salt project
and um she thought we were doing a fantastic job. But she did um say well and she approved all of the inventory documents. That's the 10 points. But the for the five points what she wanted to see us bringing this forward to our
earth day to recruit people for next winter and show them you know what our results are and what what we've done and she felt that would build our green team perhaps a little bit more because they would become members of the green team
then and more engaged in everything that we're doing throughout the year. Um so um we're working on having something um presented to the public on um on the Earth Day. Yeah. Wonderful. Along those
lines, and we also need to um update, she said, you also need to update your um your website information a bit. Um you know, up because that was from last year. So, we just need need to make edit it a little bit and make it rele
relevant to this moment in time. and she, you know, she liked the idea of presenting the the results, you know, to the public. Great. Great. That's that's wonderful to hear. And what were the ones that they
responded with the need that we needed more information? I can't remember. I know there were some that Yeah, I don't know. I'd have to go back to it. Um, there were several that we had to make some tweaks to, but I think
if we can get past the Earth Day Fair, then I have a little bit more availability and we can meet again and the update. Great. Yeah, I know you're you're busy with that now. Um, I did upload the sustainable land use pledge.
Okay, so that one I haven't marked it as completed yet, but I think still need a little bit more text, but I uploaded the uh the It's different. Did you want uh on sustainable? We had talked a little bit the the lighting or Christine, do you
know like is there an opportunity to get any kind of anything out of how we present the the lighting ordinance? It probably is, but I don't know off hand. We'd have to just double check. So, so before we escalate it, I just
want to make sure we're not missing an opportunity. So, if you guys want to just take a look at it and see. I'll check that. Okay. Sorry, I forgot. No, I I just don't want if there's low hanging fruit there since we're doing it anyway. I just want to make sure. Just tell us
what we need to do. Absolutely. Okay. Next uh topic on on unfinished business is our Earth celebration updates. Okay. So, we are doing our Earth fair on May 3rd from 10 to 2
o'clock, which is a Saturday. That's going to be at Sparta Middle School, and it's going to be a free event for families throughout the area. So, we have a lot of good updates since last time. and I'll run through um our final
exhibitor list. So, we're going to have our environmental commission table. The Sparta Middle School environmental club and some members of the high school um some of the service clubs are going to be running our kids
corner and there's going to be a bunch of activities. Everything from pine cone bird feeders, recycling bingo, the Freddy the fish that we did last time, which is an interactive story time. Uh they're going to be making eco
hero hats, and then wild flower planters made from toilet paper rolls. So, it's going to be a lot of activities um for families. And then um the other exhibitors are going to be the Walkill River Watershed Management
Group, New Jersey Highlands Coalition, Foodshed Alliance, Poland Skill Watershed Community, New Jersey Forest Fire Service, Lake Mohawk Preservation
Foundation, Aven Wildlife Center, Friends of the Walkill River National Wildlife Refuge, Sparta Community Food Pantry. So, please bring an item um for donation.
New Jersey Forest Watch, Sparta Responsible Development, Sussex County Office of Mosquito Control, New Jersey Micological Association, Simple Bear Necessities, Sparta Historical Society
is going to open up the Vanc Museum for everyone to take a peek at. Um, we're gonna have music with Steve Kums. And then we're gonna have food. Uh, Senator Sandwiches and Chefies are
going to be there as our food vendors. And then we'll have tables with a couple of exhibitors weren't able to come. Um, so we're going to put out some of their brochures. And we also have some items from brochures from the
Sparta Recreation Department and Sparta Recycling. Um they're going to give us some information and they also are buying some free giveaway items for us as well that we're going to be able to distribute. Um, so I did meet with Cara Johnson,
who's the teacher at the Sparta Middle School that we've been working with this morning, and we went over the layout of how to space the different stations and make sure that we're covering that entire area. Um, our event so far has been advertised in a number of different
locations. It's on the sign at Sparta Eye Associates and now right here at our municipal building. Uh, the library put it on their digital sign. It was in tap into Sparta and the Sparta Independent as well as the advertiser. Um, I put it
on route 94.com. Christine posted it for us on her Poland skill watershed community page. It went out in the New Jersey Highlands Coalition Earth Day newsletter. Uh, it's posted on Sparta Moms. We have flyers up at the recck
department, at the Sparta Glenn, at some of the local shops. Uh, it went out to all the middle school students and Cara Johnson's trying to get approval to blast it out through the other schools and I'll also be sending it out to the other schools in the area um next week when they come back from
spring break. And then um Emily got us permission that it's going to be posted on the sign across from the post office in town and then we're looking to put it on the township social media pages. So,
it's coming along. It's going to be a really great event. We're crossing our fingers for good weather. Um, but it's going to be a lot of fun and definitely tailored to the entire family. And it's and it's free. So, come check it out. Um, I want to know from some of you
though, like who's going to be coming and who could help with our table because we're going to be kind of stationed. So, it's in that lower parking lot of the middle school. So, you're going to come down, get to the right, you come down the hill, you get to the stop sign, and you're going to turn left into that lower parking lot.
So, we're going to be kind of up front as the welcoming table. So, we would like to have a couple EC members kind of stationed there. Um, Christine is going to be bouncing back and forth between our EC table and also her organization
table, and I'm going to be doing the same. But the way we set up the layout is that our tables are going to be right nearby by so we can easily just jump back and forth. But do some of you know right now that you're going to be able to attend? Yes, I'll be there in the morning for
sure. Okay. I'm not sure how long I can stay after noon to Okay. I'll be there all day, Christine. I can help. Oh, perfect. See, I could help, but I think I'm going to be there by myself for my table. So, okay. You would. And then can I get you the
information again for the vendor agreement and the insurance? I'll send it to you. I turned it in. Oh, did it go right to the town? Okay, perfect. Oh, I'm sorry. Did you need it? I need it just to get it to the middle school, too. I have it, so I'll I'll send it to Okay, perfect. Yeah. Okay, thank you.
Um, is anyone else able to come? Landon said I think Kim said she was Kim I think will be there. Yeah, I think Landon too. Okay. Thank you. And then does anyone have any extra tables or chairs or a tent or anything
like that that we can use? I think Kim brought us a tent last time, right? Said she had a tent. I'm doing this. Okay. I think I have access to a table. The cultural affairs committee might have one and a tent as well. Okay. Are we Is there any size table we're recommending? Um have a couple.
Yeah, it really depends. I mean, it could be your space is at least 12 x 12. So, I have a couple tables. I also have chairs. Yeah, if you could bring a couple just in case someone doesn't have one, that would be super helpful. And then where is all our stuff? Like all of
our brochures for the EC that we passed out in the past. Is that like somewhere in the township? Like that box of There were like all different brochures that we had previously. Might have some. I'm not sure. Okay. I don't
because we also have like that banner. Where is all that stuff kept banner? I can ask Michelle. She She might know. Okay. I feel like they might be in the attic somewhere, but I'll ask her. Yeah, because we can um I can swing by and
pick stuff up early if if need be. Okay. Um chairs are important. Yeah. I have Yeah, I have plenty of chairs. And I guess the other thing that's going to be important is if we can weight down your tent because it's going to be on the pavement so it's not going to be able to
be inserted into the grass. Um, and then if we could also have some of us when you're there just kind of meander around, take photos of the event because I think we definitely want to make sure we have some of that.
Um, and then what do we actually want to display on our table? So, are we going to go with the road salt? And well, I think to engage people, I think if we had the map of Sparta with the different colored watersheds and and ask the
question, do you know which watershed you're in? You know, and have them identify um where they are and and then they can um we can have a container of water. This is what I'm hoping for. A container of water there from their
watershed. And if we have strips, they can test the water. We can show them where it came from. You know, the wall killer, the pequest or musketon pollen skill or poseic. And um then they can see how easy and fun this is and ask
them if they have a um a favorite pond, lake, or stream nearby. And if they know if their road is salted that's nearby and would they like to test their water to make sure it's not having high levels of chloride in it
this next winter season. So that is sort of in my mind to do. I thought you were going to drink it. Um, so did you that for that map did uh because Corey Stoner had
provided a pretty good the map, but I'm I'm I'm kind of looking at it thinking that if I could make a few changes on it just so that maybe they could see a little clearer where their streets are
because that that was kind of faint. Yeah. So that's So are you going to follow up with PO and Corey Stoner to Yeah, I can I can ask them u you know to maybe make a couple of revisions on it. And then the other concern was is that
um it would be nice if we could protect it in some way. I mean if this is too big to be laminated, maybe they could shrink it down a little bit and then we can go have that laminated and then you can actually have it put on when you have it laminated. You can have a board
put on the back of it. So, it's all fused together. And it comes with a little stand and edge protectors also. So, it would just have this, you know, great thing. You want it to be interactive, though. You want it to be interactive,
right? You want to put pins on it or something. It could be it. That's true. It could be uh pinned. So, here's I I've thought about this a little bit more. I mean, you could that's as easy as just a can of contact cement and some foam board and you could spray that and put
it on there. Yeah, that if as long as you get the graphic and I think that was like 80% ready to go, you could put it on there and I I think it's like negligible like with the color printing maybe $6 less than $10 for that one
sheet. So, I'm kind of wondering you could protect it but it's a good record. You could have the date printed on there for that event and then you could just keep those with either the marker dots or pin, not the pins, but like marker
dots or stickers on them and then we that could be like a physical record that you know you could print up another one. It's not that costly to print up another one versus if you laminate it, you do dry erase on there, that's great
during the event, but after the If you're trying to see like how has engagement changed or how has stuff changed, you you'd have to like copy that and it wouldn't stay on. No. So, it's just a thought um
that printing another one of those once you get a good clean, you know, how you want it, you know, how many of these events are you going to anticipate using that for? couple times a year. Maybe this one. Well, there's Sparta
Day, right? Yeah. And there's Earth Day every other year, right? Yeah. So, I mean, and then not to be if you do it on foam board, you you put in plastic, what are the chances that, oh, I don't know where it went. But if it's on paper and
it's marked up and it kind of shows the work, it might be kind of nice to we could scan that then. And you could also keep it kind of We can talk offline. We'll talk. There's a lot of possibilities. I mean, we could
even have this map done and I could put um the places that are being sampled and I could put the high and low scores on it so people can can see. So, there's a there's lots of ways we can um you know,
draw them in. And um you know, I'm I'm sure they'll be thrilled with it and want to join our green team, right? Is there anything else we want to do for interactive stuff at our station?
I mean, I did reach out to Anjac about barring the stuff. Never heard back. Really? Oh, I thought we had something lined up. No, not for this event. Nope. Well, there is the Envircape tape.
And I did have um a nice big poster laminated um at that they can look at that we can put in back of it so they can see problem areas um problem and then solution you know they can read that it's very very nice
and you know we could do the non-point source pollution table do you know which one I'm talking about the big plastic table and It shows all of the different environments in watershed. Yeah. Where is that the one we used last year? That
was You're talking about the one that I brought last time, right? The water. Yeah, the waterershed model. Oh, that was that was Yeah. Yeah. What was that? But who did you reach out? We had last time we had that um like Plinko game. Remember it was like it goes in the
slot. Yeah. So, so who did you reach out to? Uh, I'd have to you want to get a response? I'd have to follow up. I don't remember her name. When I There was a whole chain of them and then she was the one who reached out who's to say that they couldn't come and
then I asked her if we could borrow it and there was no response. When I I had asked about the availability for Sparta day and I got a pretty fast response. Okay. Do they have it available for Sparta Day? For for Sparta Day. Okay. Let me let me try.
Yeah. Or let me know who you reached out to and I could find out. All right. But great. Fantastic. Yeah. It's going to be a good event. Yeah. Now, if it rains, would we go inside? Yes. So, that's why we moved it to the middle school this
time because we do have the backup of putting it in the cafeteria if it need need be. And did you say you had food? Yep. There's uh uh senator sandwich and chef's confirmed to be there.
Wonderful. What time should we get there to start? Uh I think most of the exhibitors are coming around 9, but they're having people from the middle school there are starting at 7:30. So if we get there around 8:00, that would be
perfect to just get our stuff set up a little early and then help where needed. Okay, perfect. Fantastic. Okay. Um guess the next topic is our speaker um presentation schedule.
Do we have a a date for their next for our next speaker? Uh Kim was dealing with that deer presenter. Um, I reached out to Rigiden Valley Consery about potentially coming to our meeting, but no date is
confirmed yet. We going to have something uh with our watershed ambassador for now. Uh, I read that they made a lot of cuts to Americaore. She's not affected by that, is she? Not yet. No.
So, we don't have anything on the schedule yet. Um, it's going to be Yeah, it's the two items down. The rain barrel workshop. Oh, yes. That's it today, right? Or is that No, you want me to just talk about that now? So, it's the rain barrel workshop. U is
going to be with Jenna Black, the watershed ambassador from the Walkershed. So, we're looking at June 12th and she's going to try to do it at 5:30 before our meeting so that it'll wrap up and then we can go right into our meeting and anyone who participates
can stay for our meeting. So, she's working on getting the flyer and everything for that and then we just I guess have to confirm that the space is available and that there's no issue. But that's the date we're looking at, June 12th at 5:30. Oh, great.
Um, and that's only open to Sparta residents or uh, No, no, it doesn't have to be. Okay. I had a friend ask me about that. Yeah. Who doesn't live in Sparta? So, that was June. What was the date? 12. 12.
Wonderful. So, uh, Kim was handling the deer population. I don't have any updates on that. Sparta day updates. Do we have we pay for a table? You know, um, I don't I'm not
sure. I know. I let Kim know the cost of it. So, I don't know. Um I don't know if we got a table yet, but I'll look into it. What is the cost of it? I forget. Um it
was really good table I think is almost $80. That's I think it was anywhere between the cheap one which was like 40 for this junior women's club, right? I know they raised their prices this year, so I'm pretty sure it was a range of
between 60 and 95. It depends on your location. Yeah. Okay. So, are we definitely in or are um Yeah, that's still up in the air. I'm not sure. I'll have to see if if Kim reached out to somebody yet or if not
then I can do it. Okay. Okay, thank you. Um, what's next? Oh, tree ordinance update. They and ANZAC or sustainable Jersey rather sorry had a presentation on the
the new tree ordinance action which has different requirements now what we uh what we have been working on what we we had did we enter that as an action yet
I don't think so I guess but I I I forwarded u the presentation that they had yesterday to to everybody here and to there's a whole different set of requirements more
points to it starts uh the the current action which expires uh the end of this year is only worth 10 points and the new one is worth 15 to2. Wow.
But That's a biggie. There are stricter requirements. Um, it will apply to all public and private land rather than I think the current one was just certain private
land. I don't know what the qualification for that was, but and different different uh requirements around funding. permits permitting and such. So Barbara was working on that,
right? I I had asked her about that just because other ordinances. Um so I think she provided to the chair and the chair had Cy Stoner looking at it. Um
I was kind of curious about that and native plants. Um, and then I guess for the tree ordinance, if there's a lot of changes like that, sounds like it's going to bring up enforcement and staffing issues that it's going to be
interesting. Yeah, they they did touch on that. I didn't watch the full presentation. I tried to see as much of it as I could this afternoon. Um, obviously we're not going around
checking for people watching. Is anybody watching? Yeah. Um, sorry. Yeah. So, um, maybe Barbara will be able to revisit that the ordinance
because what was what has been created was to satisfy the current sustainable Jersey action. Anything else under unfinished business? No, I guess I would just add that um for
sustainable Jersey that our Earth Day fair will also count as another 10 points for sustainable Jersey points. Perfect. I don't know if this is under unfinished business, but I just wanted to say that LMPF is having
uh earth their own Earth Day this Saturday to help pick up garbage and everything all around town. So, anybody that's interested in coming down to Lake Mohawk and helping, please do. Is that all around town or just in the lake?
Just in the lake. Yeah, just in the lake. But there was so much that we didn't get on the last goound. I mean, I only got one side of Woodport and the other side was horrendous. So, anybody that wants to come, maybe some of your friends from
school, want to come Saturday? Yeah, I'll I'll see what I can do. Yeah, come down to the uh to the country club and there'll be bags and pickups and we're going Yeah. All around the plaza, all around downtown. There's different groups to start
there, right? But if not, there's more up on Woodport Rose. So, but that's with Lake Mohawk Preservation Foundation. Thank you. Nine in at the uh Country Club parking lot.
Yes. Right. Wonderful. There's one other item um under unfinished business. I think uh I think the last meeting did I give you Margie the packaging and paper product stewardship
[Music] resolution. You weren't at the last meeting. Packaging product stewardship act. Yes. Well, the The only thing that I reme I do remember reading about
it and um I remember thinking to myself a couple of things. One of the things is is that this is going to be would be a wonderful wonderful thing if on the other
end companies actually are able to recycle the new packaging. the new packaging, you know, and the other thing I was thinking is that it's going to be an expense to businesses and so it has to
be phased in very gradually. And you know, I was hoping that there would be some sort of a a reward for businesses for for improving their packaging so that it could be recycled, reducing it and having it be recyclable products,
plastics or cardboard or whatever. And then the other thing I remember reading about this is is that it has gone through the assembly or senate nine times and has not passed. They've been
pushing for it every year. So that is why it's so important that townships, you know, say, "Well, we would like this to see more of this in our town." Um,
That's what I know about about it. Yeah. So, are you suggesting that we revise the resolution? I think this was a sample resolution I took from another town that had passed it. Uh, but
that because these are bills that are before the legislature now that Yeah. Oh, I think that we should encourage them to to pass. Well, that's what the resolution that's ask this and I'm not
sure how we would adjust it for Sparta in particular. Well, I don't know if we really need to because it's not specific to Sparta. It's a statement. It's a statement. Yeah. Yeah. And you're just saying we support it. Yeah. Yeah.
And that's and because the last time I had said that in Colorado for example in Summit County it's not the same as in Breenidge like Breenidge has absolutely no plastic water bottles, Coke bottles,
soda bottles, anything. That's just in Breenidge. That's not in the entire county. You can't even get them at the super at the supermarket or on the mountain or in any little convenience store. They don't have them.
It's all the the the aluminum ones. Mhm. So that's not a county. That is a town. So is is that is there something there too? Because it seems to me it's kind of two-part. you have uh that you're agreeing in the spirit of
this for a regional adoption, but then locally is there something that town council be interested in incentivizing, you know, bring bring your growlers in to get refilled or but bring, you know, we have places where
you can get refills in your own containers, even coffee, have a reusable and kind of discount that because bringing a reusable thing. Yeah, we have local shop just local shops, coffee shops or whatnot.
Bring your own container in. Just a thought. I think we also wasn't there something about like the utensils, you know, saying trying to reduce the utensils that are packed in take out. So beyond I wonder
beyond this, is there anything there that you think we should look at, Neil? Now, I'm not sure what exactly what exactly is in the act, whether it addresses those those those utensil uh issues or not. I have to look at that.
But that could be we could look into doing something on our own. Sure. Could be interesting, I guess. Yeah. That would be great. It would give us ideas, I think. I did read this, but it's been a while, you know, because it's been around for a while. So I think
if maybe we need another two weeks or a month to really read this because it's really focused on I mean unless they're like they want to do it before they recess, you know. Um it's really focused
on when I read it, it was focused on businesses and what they can do. Do you mean the act the act or the resolution? Um yeah, the the not the resolution but the act but What we're saying is is that
um it's very vague of course um we want it's saying we want a strong and effective packaging product stewardship act. It doesn't say we want this exactly it these because this is a very
specific requirements for businesses when you read the Senate and the Assembly version. So, it's safe to say that we all would like, you know, to have uh a a strong and effective packaging product
stewardship act. We don't have to read these bills and make specific recommendations. We are encouraging the assembly and senate, don't you think? Exactly. to to to keep pursuing this until they get something
that is actually practical and that can happen for our state. But what I hear you you saying is is that there is something perhaps we can do specifically to help Sparta residents and help us be more sustainable. And if we read these
uh the Senate and Assembly, which are identical um acts, if we read this, we might it might trigger something or perhaps from a trip that we just took, you know, to a place that's very ecologically
sensitive, you know, we might get an idea that would suit our situation here in our large town. Well, because there's there's a big difference, right, between I don't want to say pie in the sky ideas, but kind of, right, this this
is like turning like a really big ship around. We're talking about large scale manufacturing and packaging lines being changed and that's going to take time. But meantime, the deputy mayor has uh
brought up a a case study or an example of a town which is able to do it within their town. And I expect it's done with carrots, not sticks. uh where it's just, you know,
we're talking about how can we uh be business friendly, support local business. Seems like there could be something in there that we could develop. I mean, she's talking about Breen Ridge. Um my undergrad way back when was like, oh, you know, buy this
reusable coffee cup and then, you know, every time you bring it in, you get a dollar off your your refill. Um and nothing's happened. But what I think that does with like the road salt stuff or like green team stuff is you're
trying to change people's perception of things because right now we can I think we can agree that this is a good thing to sign and these pledges are good but if we
could see it with our own eyes and see that needle moving locally I think that's kind of empowering And it's like, oh, this isn't hard to do, right? So, I don't know what that looks like, but you know, I bring up
coffee. I jokingly brought up beer with growlers, but, you know, it's it is a thought. Um, there's there's other things, you know, like uh consumables that we use in the home.
Is there something, you know, c could we talk to stop and shop, shop, right, and say, "Hey, do you have any kind of bulk packaged things that you could get that we could buy by the by the pound or by, you know, x ounces, by the gallon?" Um,
so anyway, I don't know. Yeah, I agree. And I know that in one state they I forget which state it is, they actually have um machines where you can bring in your cans or bottles. Um when you go grocery
shopping, you just bring them with you and then you get actually get like a few cents and you used to get five like five cents and then some of them used to be able to refill your water your water jugs. Yeah. Yes. Last July 1st, 2024 is when they
put this they enacted this. Um, are you talking about this in Breenidge? Oh, in Breenidge. Oh, so it's new for them. Yeah, because Yes. So, is that something is that something that you could look into? Maybe see see how they did it. The
plastic water bottle ban includes all businesses in Breenriidge and the single use container and service where ban applies to retail food establishments also. So it's stores and retail food establishments. Sustainability manager
gave updates. Uh yeah, and I I think also I mean if if we were to look into this and again I think we have to be careful because we want to do it in a way that is nurturing local
business, not turning them away. Um empower them, you know, because they can say we're recognized stewards for Sparta stewards, whatever. Um, but I still kind of think about the things like the soft plastics, you know, like people don't
people don't know about that and that's, you know, uh, just some of the other things that people I don't know. I'd like to kind of weave in the recyclables and the the local options that we have that most towns I don't think
have into this just being more sustainable and then I'll get you guys more points for sustainable New Jersey possible so these are things we could look into but in the meantime this resolution is
something that's that's very simple straightforward just in support of bill the council would want to pass that. Yeah. Well, I'll make a motion. I'll make a motion that we um that we uh as it is. Yep. Because they'll look at it
anyway that we pass this to town council for their consideration. Do we need to vote on this motion? Tell us. Does it hurt anything if we do just accept it?
Pass it off to Margie. Here you go. Thank you. Okay. And it could be slightly tweaked. It sounds like if you need it to Thank you. So, uh, I guess that is that
it for old business, unfinished business. Let's go to new business. Um, we haven't make polluters pay resolution here. Um, I did not get a chance to find this where I had found it
before, but um, I'll look into it again. This is another another one that's sitting in committee. Not very hopeful for, but We'll see. Is there any other new business? Old business. Young business. Yeah. Any
young business from the school? Not particular. No. Anything anybody else wants to talk about for the good and betterment of Sparta? I guess I can ask for a motion to adjurnn.
I'll make that motion and I'll second that motion. All in favor? I I Great. It's an hour. Got anything?