City of Bloomington, Indiana Environmental Commission, 16 Jul 2020

Previous Meeting

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From YouTube: Bloomington Environmental Commission, July 16, 2020

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meeting agenda: https://bloomington.in.gov/onboard/meetingFiles/download?meetingFile_id=7140

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This is the july 16 2020 meeting of the.

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Bloomington, environmental commission and we will start with.

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Quorum confirmation and I see that we have seven people.

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Seven commissioners, so far, so we're ready to go on that.

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And then we'll go to introductions. I am mike littman, a commission member.

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The vice chair and acting chair today and go alphabetically again matt.

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Matt caldey commissioner meredith meredith dickerson, commissioner don.

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Commissioner susannah susannah comfort, commissioner.

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Andrew is absent: shelby shelby hoshaw, commissioner.

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Reagan, oh he's absent. That's right! Daniel daniel olsen, commissioner.

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And david dave parker's, commissioner, now uh linda.

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Sorry, sorry, sorry, I didn't unmute myself uh linda thompson.

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um Environmental planner lays on to the commission.

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Okay and then our student assistants.

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Kate, corcoran's, via fellow and in curran and.

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I'm here jesus rivera, intern, okay, is there anybody here from the.

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Public would like to introduce themselves.

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Hearing nobody we'll move on to uh approval of the june and february.

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Minutes start with february: it's been a long.

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Time on that one uh I had redem and confirmed that I was.

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Satisfied with it in the past, so I didn't revisit it.

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uh So uh does anybody have any comments on the february minutes.

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I guess the people that were not on the commission at that time are.

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Welcome to abstain or whatever they want to do so. Let's take a vote on approving.

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The february minutes: oh, let's, have a.

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Motion first, there's no move.

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Oh, do I have a second a second okay, all in favor of approving february.

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Minutes say: aye aye all right and raise your hand yeah.

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Okay and now the june minutes.

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Because, technically we should have a motion. First, I think they're fine. I move.

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We accept them. Second, okay, any comments on the june.

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Minutes that case uh everybody in favor of approving the june minutes.

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Raise your hand, I.

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Is anybody able to get a face uh headcount on this? I don't.

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I don't see everybody at the same time linda. Could you tell I thought.

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Everybody's hands were up. Well, I don't see, I don't for some reason.

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My setup doesn't, let me see everybody at the same time, I.

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Actu, actually, I could have seen, but I wasn't paying close enough attention. Okay, uh anybody.

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Who is opposed to to uh proving the june minutes, say, nay,.

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Hearing none assumes the minutes are approved.

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Next item is public comment. We have anybody from the public who would like.

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To comment okay hearing, none, we will move on to.

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Reports from the various commissions that we sit in on first one.

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Would be the tree commission street commission met yesterday morning.

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We looked at the urban foresters report talked about a bunch of trees that had.

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Been oh mark marked for removal and sent to.

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The streets department there were 11 trees like that there were three or four trees.

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uh Marked for emergency removal and some trail.

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And storm tree cleanup was done um up. Tem upcoming activities.

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Was there here for me anything what what.

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Upcoming is somebody else talking what's happening, uh upcoming.

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I bet, I beg your pardon, I did not have my mute on. I think it was.

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Probably my son, oh okay, upcoming activities of the parks board.

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They'll be talking about a removal contract.

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With bluestone and with j.r ellington at the cascades golf course and they're.

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Forming an agreement with the community orchard.

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And ongoing activities include watering trees.

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Pruning in some council districts and working with the bartlett tree.

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Experts on ash tree treatment and marking and.

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Removing hazardous trees and then the tree.

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Commission itself talked about uh that iu is hiring an.

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Arborist, I guess I said that last time around too they've.

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Been doing some watering, their health is thin because of the.

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Virus but there wasn't much tree damage during.

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From the recent storm, although there was a lot in the city, I.

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Think and then we, um let's see.

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I can't read what my next note is. We talked about who had actually.

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Responded to the letter in in the newspaper that.

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We and we, the environmental commission and the tree commission, had sent out.

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And we did get responses from.

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I think the head of the library board and.

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I'm forgetting her name, somebody on the sustainable.

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The the uh person who is the city.

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Equivalent of of uh linda for the sustainability commission.

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Asked some questions and got some information from tom coleman.

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So that's the three commission that would be lauren yeah right. Oh okay,.

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Did was there anything significant in the response from the.

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Library, well basically said our our plans are still not.

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uh Made for certain so it was, things are still open.

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And I guess that's significant okay.

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Next report would be from the county, environmental commission.

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If it exact actually exists, um I sat in on it. um This is from the public.

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I can give a little bit of an update if no one else has anything.

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Go for it yeah, um so I had actually. I had trouble today finding their minutes.

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For the meeting, so I had to basically just go off my notes and there were actually four discussion points, but I only wrote down.

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Two things that they discussed for most of the meeting um the monroe county.

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Environmental commission, mainly, they spent a lot of time discussing what their plans for the rest of the year are going to be.

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um One thing is they want to send out a survey throughout the county.

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um Addressing for feedback from the public about what people want to know.

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About environmentally or concerns that people have etcetera, um this was this made up most of the discussion for their meeting.

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um I thought it was interesting. I was going to bring it up during commissioner announcements about. Maybe us collaborating with them.

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On this, they really want to collect a lot of data on what people are interested in by environmentally and what they need to address for the rest of the year, especially now that.

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With coven, things have just changed so drastically.

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And then another thing they were talking about was a social media outreach.

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I think developing some social media platforms etc.

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So people can get more information easily or.

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Much more easily from the monroe county environmental commission, which is.

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Another thing I wanted to bring up about us doing social media outreach, so those.

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Are two key talking points from their meeting? um If anyone can help me find their minutes and they don't post them online.

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They uh they have. The video recorded for the meeting.

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And I remember talking to the president or the the chair: I'm sorry, not the.

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President, the chair of the commission at the time um and I'm.

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Having trouble finding the video so yeah, that's what I got.

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Okay, thank you uh next would be the sustainability commission, bloomington.

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Sustainability commission uh much most of the actual meeting.

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Presentation was uh their.

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Lauren uh their. What is what what is her title, uh lauren's title.

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Again, uh she's the assistant director of sustainability,.

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She's, the liaison um she's got a different title, but she's.

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The liaison with the uh because, like I am with ec.

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Yeah, I I my take was that she's, basically.

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A kinder year situate your position. uh She spent the bulk of the time as far.

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As actual information was related to the.

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um Climate action, vulnerability assessment that.

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I think that you're working on as well. Yes, so she went through.

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A slide presentation, powerpoint, slides on that and discussed aspects that are.

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Going to go into that and then to the report to the city council and then after that, it really broke down more into a.

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Prolonged discussion of the issues they were having with.

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Conditioners and not having form.

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um Bylaws were basically similar to ours. I think they.

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Only allowed three um missing.

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Meetings and apparently they've been having a number of people that they.

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Have missed more than that, um so it was and then they also.

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I got into the discussion of whether they should have a.

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Vote for new officers, so it was um um basically a lot of.

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That was pretty much the summation of the meeting.

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Again, like the parallelisms of things that.

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We're related to are germane to us. uh We don't have necessarily the same.

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Financial or business mission that they have, but as far as.

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Our mental aspects, it seemed they're pretty much in the same boat that we.

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Okay sounds good. Next would be iraq, that's the.

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Parks, department, environmental resources, advisory council.

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Okay, all right, uh our june 2020 meeting uh we first talked about.

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What's closed and what's open because of the virus in the parks.

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Department and they're being careful about this.

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Infection griffey boathouse, I think they're using.

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Chlorine up there for some reason uh we talked about again water quality at.

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Leonard springs park, it's been bad, particularly the water.

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Coming from shirley springs and it's affecting micro and vertebrate.

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Invertebrates they don't know whether the problem is cattle.

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Or septic systems, or what and they're researching it.

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Further, so more information later talk briefly about programs where you.

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Adopt a stream a dr adopt an acre and adopt a trail.

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Talked about updates at switch yard park, including lots of landscape work.

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uh The griffey lake master plan is being updated piece by piece.

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Recently, at the clear creek trail, there were 22 acres of woody material removed.

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And I may have reported this last time, but.

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Apparently this the parks department has removed.

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Or planted I mean 15 000 trees in the last three years in 14 locations. This.

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Year and in places deer predation.

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Of seedlings has been a problem, so they used some of them.

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At one point, there was a resident who complained: oh those fences around those.

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Trees are ugly but um they're needed. If you want to.

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Keep the trees so there's that that's what I have for iraq.

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Okay, next is the metropolitan planning organization, citizens, advisory committee.

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I think that's an andrew thing. um I sat there also the um advisory.

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Committee as well, so I can give a little bit update once.

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Again, um just limited to my notes at the current moment, one.

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Second, um the uh pat martin and ryan clemens.

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Sat in and gave basically an update um on the.

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2045, uh the um give me a quick second. uh Actually, it's all right, I'm just.

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Gonna share with you guys their minutes link right here.

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um But basically um they went over um transportation numbers public.

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Transportation numbers what they're projecting and one key.

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Thing that um I noted uh that pat mark brought up was that.

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They're expecting public transportation over the next five years.

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It's going to be a five-year process before it recovers.

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One house they went over the 2045 metropolitan transportation plan.

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Survey and what they're hoping to get from the.

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Survey and basically that was a basic presentation.

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Okay, thanks for that um next item is the.

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Friends of lake monroe.

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uh Dave, do you want to do that? uh I've already done two? Why don't you.

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Okay, dave and I both sat in on their virtual meeting.

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Last night they had a wonderful presentation of photographs of lake.

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Monroe by a fellow named louis.

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Tennis tensen his last name is now. uh Do you remember dave what his last.

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Name was, uh I think, it's lewis tenney tenny right.

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Liz, he spends a good part of his time out there, apparently in a kayak taking photographs, and he had wildlife.

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Photographs as well as landscape photographs and very.

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Very very good ones: lots of sunsets and sunrises.

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I think he said he had them on his facebook page.

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So you might give that a try if you want to take a look at them.

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Beyond that, maggie sullivan just gave an update on the watershed study.

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Situation, they've had to cut that back somewhat because of the.

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Epidemic but they're still working on it and they gave some.

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Future dates for various milestones and what they're going to be working on next.

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I might comment on that in september, 18 they'll be looking for volunteers to go.

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Out and do sampling so if anybody's interested email me and.

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I'll I'll connect you to the person who is taking.

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The reservations.

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Sounds good anything else. I forgot nothing comes to mind. Okay, that's the.

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End of the reports then, and we'll move on to.

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Our own working groups or committees, the b cycle, the first of which would be.

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Outreach do we have anything on outreach.

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um I think that you know our plan had been to submit a letter to the hd once a.

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Month and since we had the um the letter related to.

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The middle school, I think, we're just that was our.

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Our our sorry, the library, the letter related to the library that was going to.

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Be our our outreach for this month.

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And that was so. That was just what we went to the newspaper or.

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Other agencies was basically our outreach. Okay.

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Oh yeah, after listening to and watching mayor.

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Hamilton's presentation on youtube.

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I think that I'd like to rethink the letter on energy, because.

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Of what he outlined as far as that, uh and I think that we need to.

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I think both all the both the sustainability and.

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Environmental commission really need to help out with the mayor's.

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Outline program, I think that.

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It really the city's gonna need all the help they can get.

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Yeah, I think definitely connecting your letter and energy to the mayor's.

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Recent announcements is really uh helpful. You know, like I think.

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Tying it to that will help it get published. So if you want to submit another version of it, don go for it, yeah.

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I think because it when the pandemic hit and the tax.

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Fell basically in limbo, effects of addressing energy and the climate change.

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Is um there's now a looks like there's.

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Going to be a structure to work within this, where.

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The city can actually do more than just you know, suggest to people ways that.

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They can uh save on energy and also, I think that.

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Bringing out the idea of social justice.

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I thought the whole presentation uh to me was.

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I was very impressed. I don't know how the rest of you.

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If any, the rest of you have already watched it, but.

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um Thank you. Thank you, linda for sending the link.

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You're welcome. Okay. Next would be the uh plan committee.

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Review of plan commission petitions- okay, I have one to talk about.

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uh There's only one one case for the planned commission next time.

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And um given um our way of having a meeting here, I won't.

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Be able to show you a lot, but.

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uh Is that okay.

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And I know you can't see this, but I don't know what it exactly else to.

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Now I got to do it upside down and backwards.

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um uh This is rogers street and this is switch yard.

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This is the warehouse, and this is three acres.

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Of a warehouse grimes lane is along here, and this is.

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Storage express- and this is all current warehouse.

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And you access it um by uh west hillside.

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So this is a giant warehouse that is no longer needed, because.

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You know thompson manufacturers, not in business, so the proposal.

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Is to tear that down and to build housing.

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On the north and the south ends are proposed tall buildings.

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Five stories parking on the bottom uh apartments on the top and then in the.

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Middle they're proposing to put a street down.

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It and have like town houses right along.

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The beeline trail and small small lot single.

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Along the other small houses- and I know you can't see this at all- you.

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Have to use your imagination, and so I'm not going to take up a lot of time.

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But anyway, the cool thing is.

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There'll be a lot of housing, there'll be quite a bit of affordable.

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Units there and all of the houses and the um the five-story buildings.

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uh Will be, uh are going to be required to be leed certified.

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So they um so far, I the only thing I've had to say about.

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Their proposal is, they haven't shown us where the street trees are yet.

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But that'll come along, but so far it sounds like a.

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Fabulous new neighborhood and basically that's all I've, got to say.

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About it, I'm not going to try to show you the.

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The big rendering.

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Okay and that's the only petition we have for the plan commission right now,.

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Yes, okay, uh I assume there's nothing from the biodiversity group.

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Something uh reorganized over the last month.

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So we will move on. Could I could I ask a question of window.

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Sure could I ask a question of linda: um do you know what type of construction.

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They're going to use what type of construction.

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Yes, um I don't know about the five-story buildings.

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But the houses um looked so looks similar to the south dunn.

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Neighborhood, like um kind of small bungalows for the single family.

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Houses and then more like townhouse looking.

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Things for the the ones um uh that are going to.

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Overlook the park, those will be very small and, on a.

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Smaller footprint but they'll be three stories tall.

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What's concerned, me was the five-story buildings.

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uh We are soil, wise.

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It's not that bad for seismic or aggressive wait a minute.

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You're breaking up, I didn't hear you.

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We are in a region of moderate seismic risk.

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A warning that I feel obligated to bring up.

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Is parking garages on multi-story buildings.

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At the ground floor are potentially a major.

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Threat uh they're considered to be engineering-wise to be.

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What's called a soft first story.

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And the discount structural discontinuity.

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With the overlying structures uh tends to result in that lower floor.

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Collapsing and triggering a pancaking so.

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That would be right off the bat, a concern I would have.

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I understand that it reduces the footprint of having the parking.

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And that story, so that's why I'm asking about.

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The structure whether they would be used.

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A steel reinforcement.

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I I don't know my magic power, okay, um I don't know, but I will ask the.

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Question um that is a real major.

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Seismic hazard concern okay, cool. Thank you very much for that.

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I'll find out from the architect.

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Anything more on that.

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um Okay, the next item is old business, and that specifically, is.

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The new paper column letter for the.

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Bachelor school library project yeah. Well, I didn't mention when I talked.

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About the tree commission yesterday that, first of all, they voted unanimously to.

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Allow that column which I sent to everybody. I hope you all got it.

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And so they all agreed that that should go out.

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And also they voted this time not to have all their individual names on.

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The column as they did on their letter, which I found to be some something a.

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Nuisance and at least some of them did too so they.

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They voted uh not to have all individual names.

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So the column, if we agree to it, will go out with.

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uh That it's sponsored by the tree commission and the environmental.

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Commission and uh it will be submitted to the.

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Herald times by tom coleman, he was maybe going to join us tonight, but.

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Apparently hasn't, uh and so he and I.

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uh Sort of have been the major movers of that.

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Issue but uh linda in fact, wrote most of the column.

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That I sent to you yesterday and then a bunch of people.

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Contributed to it, and so I hereby move that we also agreed to.

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Send it under the name of the environmental commission, along with the.

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Tree commission, I can, I say a couple: things got a second.

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First, we have a second.

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ah Okay susanna says yes, okay, linda, go ahead um in the very first.

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Sentence, uh this is really a pretty small deal.

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It says uh blah blah and the tree commission.

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Have learned about a proposal? Would it be.

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Better grammatically, if the word have was taken out.

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I would say at this point since the tree commission approved it.

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Dave, you can maybe speak to this more uh if we're going to make any recommended.

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Changes there should be real red flags because otherwise it will have to go back to the competition again. This is totally not a red flag at all. So.

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uh Yeah, do you think that could be approved like that could be approved.

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Without another vote over there- and it's no big deal if it's in there, I.

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Think it's grammatically fine, both ways. um I just know a lot of times.

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Writers, don't want to have words like have and had and stuff in there. So.

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It's really no big deal.

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But I decided: let's go with it since the thing is.

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Since it's already been voted on by the other folks, I think that sounds fine.

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Okay, uh any other discussion.

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uh If not, then we'll do our weird voting method. Again, everybody.

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One more thing: I really like the small changes that were made.

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Dave, uh I thought I thought those were really.

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Good good edits, made by a whole bunch of people, including my forester wife,.

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um Okay: let's have a vote. Everybody in favor of.

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Of uh proving this letter say hi and raise your hand.

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I anybody uh could anybody that sees everybody at the same time,.

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Give me a head count.

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Well, it was one two three four five, six, seven, seven out of the seven.

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Members here, okay, the uh motion passes unanimously.

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Put that in the record.

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And we will move on to new business good. Thank you.

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Yeah, thanks for doing all that, work on that.

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First item is an environmental justice statement which I gathers.

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Might be put together by kate and jesus, yes, um jesus and I have been.

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Brainstorming together, what that entertainment might look like, and we.

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Talked to linda a little bit this morning um about it, and we came up with a couple of.

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Options and I sent them out but right before.

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The meeting started, so I don't think I imagine most of you haven't.

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Looked over it, but there um a couple of options of short statements.

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That we could maybe make as an ec and.

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I'd be happy to go ahead and read them if.

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If you guys would like um to get an idea of what we're thinking of.

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Okay, okay, so.

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The first option that we had come up with.

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Was the bloomington environmental commission.

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Is committed to the sustainable and equitable development of our community.

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This includes ensuring our community develops in a way that does not.

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Disproportionately expose vulnerable minority and low-income populations to.

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Environmental hazards, such as increased rates of air pollution.

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Water pollution, dust, odor noise and light pollution.

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Illegal jumping and toxic runoff into neighborhoods and nearby water bodies.

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The environmental commission is working to build a deeper body of research that.

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Fundamentally, addresses historical and ongoing environmental.

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Justice issues by which we can educate ourselves and our community when the environmental commission reviews new developments in our city, we are committed to viewing the development.

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Plans through the lens of environmental justice and will incorporate this perspective into our recommendations going forward.

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Okay, so then we have another statement that we wrote up.

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um To give another option of what we might say so.

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Again, I also emailed these out to you guys beforehand, if you do want to read.

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Along or anything, but I can go ahead and read that second option.

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um As well, it's similar but a little different, so the.

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Second option we came up with is the bloomington environmental.

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Commission is committed to the sustainable and equitable development of our community land use policies and local zoning codes.

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Have historically been tools for segregating people and concentrating.

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Pollution in low-income and minority communities.

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The environmental commission is committed to thoughtful and deliberate.

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City planning that addresses the cumulative environmental burdens borne by these communities, the.

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Environmental commission is working to build a deeper body of knowledge and.

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Understanding of historical and ongoing environmental justice issues.

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Which we can use to educate ourselves and our community.

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When the environmental commission reviews new developments in our city, we are committed to viewing the development plan through the lens of environmental justice and will incorporate this.

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Perspective into our recommendations going forward.

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um Could you are there any significant differences between those two options.

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That uh you think we should be aware of um mostly just in in how they.

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I guess the the second sentence of them is different. They both.

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Start with that, the commission is committed to sustainable and equitable development in our.

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Community but then the second one kind of goes on.

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To say that this means ensuring the.

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Community develops in a way that doesn't um expose vulnerable minority.

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Communities to all these environmental hazards um and then kind of lifts them all off, but then.

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It goes on to say that basically we're trying to educate ourselves.

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And going forward, we want to.

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Incorporate this in how we make recommendations and then the second.

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Option again starts out with like the exact same sentence as the first one, but the second option just kind of.

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Starts right after that, by saying that land use policies and local zoning codes.

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Have been used to concentrate pollution in certain communities and that we are committed to awful and deliberate.

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City planning um and then the the second or I guess.

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The the last two sentences um are basically the same as in the.

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First option: the only difference is kind of like that.

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First middle part: um I'm looking at here I'm looking at.

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Them online and it seems, and I've read through them with her and.

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It seems like the first one actually lists specific things like air.

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Pollution and uh smog and and that sort of thing.

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And the second one doesn't list specific things. I like the first one.

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I like them, I like the first one so far. I like the first one better. Also what's.

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Here number three: okay: there yeah there was one third one.

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um That I just figured, maybe we want a.

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Little shorter one, so the third one is the bloomington.

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Environmental commission is committed to the sustainable and.

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Equitable development of our community land use policies and local zoning codes.

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Have historically been tools for concentrating pollution and other environmental hazards in low-income and minority communities.

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The environmental commission is committed to raising awareness around.

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These environmental justice issues, as well as advocating for thoughtful and.

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Deliberate city planning that addresses the cumulative environmental burdens.

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Borne by low income and minority communities going forward.

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I like number one, but I don't get to vote.

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Upon reading the email before the meeting started, I really liked the way.

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The third one read, but I also see the value of having the.

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The increased detail that there is in the first one so, but I like a couple of them. um I guess.

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The only comment I have I like the first one.

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And the only issue that I would add to it was that.

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Tradition as far as hazards go, flooding in particular is one that.

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A low-income and minority communities are nationally globally.

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More vulnerable to so with climate change.

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And etc, etc, etc, and increased risk of flooding.

I

That's something that I think we should be.

I

Highlighting also again, like my rethinking of what I had written.

I

Before about energy,.

I

Again, tying it again because the mayor's uh program that he outlined.

I

Again stresses.

I

So much the environment, social justice.

I

We can again plug the mayor's plan and support the mayor's plan.

I

By incorporating that, in the the letter.

E

Okay, I um I think we can definitely put in.

E

Flooding, if if we were to go with the first option since it lifts out specific.

E

Environmental hazards, um we could easily put that in.

E

In that list, it does say water bodies and nearby water bodies.

F

Maybe flooding is more specific and more understandable to people.

E

I also wanted to mention, though, that we wanted to make a statement, but I recall.

E

From the last meeting that we also talked about submitting a letter to the ht or not a letter, but.

E

um A column about environmental justice and um doing that as a commission as.

E

Well, so if we were to elaborate on something.

E

Like the mayor's plan or um anything else, more local or just.

E

Any elaboration in general, we could also put into our.

E

Word column that we want to submit is the idea to pick one of these tonight.

F

And make it official or what what's the proposal.

A

Well, some of us, including myself, have not read these yet.

A

I don't know, I think it's a little early to to actually have a vote on it. Okay,.

A

I, like the idea of we also have to decide on.

A

How what the form of it's going to be yeah? I like the idea of submitting it as.

A

A letter to the to the ht which we've been doing anyway, but maybe we can decide on that tonight. A a guest column, though, would give us.

I

More um room to.

I

uh Elaborate a little bit more on detail. That's what we've been doing is called.

I

Okay, you said you said letter. I thought you just said leonard.

A

I did, but you have to interpret one of the one of the things that.

D

Jesus and kate, and I talked about today, was a just a statement.

D

From the ec, which is uh what kate has presented tonight and then.

D

Take that statement and include it in um um they call not this. This.

D

The 600 word special editorial thing to to write out.

D

Because they've been doing a lot of research on this, and so they have the material to write an entire guest editorial. That would.

D

Include this, but this would be the ecs just statement.

D

On environmental justice yeah can, I just add.

J

Thank you to jesus and cakes. I think you guys did a really nice job.

J

Getting us started talking about this, because I think it's really important.

J

And really matters, I'm definitely all for.

J

Submitting a letter to the editor or whatever, but I also think that moving.

J

Forward we should think about how we want this to be actionable for the for the ec. um So, for example, like linda just.

J

Introduced that planning project- I wonder if, like environmental justice.

J

Needs to be kind of on our checklist of when we're talking about a project.

J

Like that, like it all, sounds good, I mean we might say this project really helps like uh you know, rectify issues of of.

J

Justice and equity- it may I don't actually know, but somebody with.

J

Some expertise and maybe we can create a committee or whatever we'll have to look more closely at that project and think about.

J

The neighborhood, it's in think about you, know any flooding or other environmental.

J

Issues that that might be related and include that.

J

Kind of in our our comments to the plan commission or.

J

Whoever moving forward so I don't know, I know nobody wants another.

J

Committee, um but I think this is a big enough topic that perhaps having a subcommittee on it would.

J

Be meaningful susanna. I was thinking the exact same thing.

K

What came to mind when reading these statements right after that proposal,.

K

From the planned commission was the affordable housing aspect which.

K

I heard a little bit about, but I would love to go deeper in that.

K

Into that, especially, if we're writing in our statement that we're committed.

K

To looking into those issues, not just a cursory look but.

K

A deeper look, the one thing I will say about the statements.

K

Is wow they're amazing, you guys did great.

K

um I really like, in the second statement that there's an.

K

Acknowledgement in the second sentence about how land use policies and local.

K

Zoning codes have historically been tools for segregating people. It's.

K

It's drawing attention to the environmental, um the deliberate decision.

K

Within environmental and planning to segregate black and brown communities.

K

Away from white communities, which was the historical purpose of them and then.

K

Systematically concentrating pollution became kind of.

K

An unintended consequence, but we could also.

K

Kind of pick and choose and merge merge those.

K

Two statements together: I just liked that it pointed out the deliberate.

K

Choices that people have made in the past and that and the environmental um commissions like us, you know we have to really pay.

K

Attention to that uh supporting you, I think first thing.

I

Comes to my mind, is east chicago, um and that is a.

I

The epitome I think, in indiana and uh and also issues in gary area as well.

I

I

Real live hazardous, environmental injustice.

F

I think I agree with I. I think this is what you said meredith I.

F

I think what I think is that we should add this part.

F

uh Out of the second writing to the first one, that would be my choice.

F

So that they're both parts, the individual problems.

F

And that business about zoning and so on yeah both be there. Can, I add one other.

C

Thing- and this doesn't necessarily take on zoning, but when I sat in on the.

C

Mpo citizens advisory committee, um we're actually discussing um the.

C

Metropolitan transportation plan one criticism of it- was on the lack of.

C

Social justice that was mentioned in the plan and they found out someone from the environmental commission, was just.

C

Sitting in listening, they got. They were very excited because they're, like we hope, environmentally specifically talk about public transportation, also affecting people socially.

C

Environmentally and discrimination um that in the mpt um I'm sorry, the mtp.

C

um It wasn't mentioned anything about making.

C

Being proactive on public transportation socially and affecting people and.

C

um That affects the environment as well, so yeah. I shouldn't bring that up.

H

All right, meredith, I'm glad you brought that up, because that was going to be one of my recommendations too, to pick out that sentence, because I.

H

Think it is important for us all to acknowledge it and, most importantly, for.

H

The community to see that we acknowledge, like the historic history of this, and I actually I used to live in the.

H

Near west side, um and that historically was a black.

H

Neighborhood and as bloomington started, increasing.

H

That community was pushed out of that neighborhood, and so I think it.

H

Definitely is really relevant to how we're planning and creating things.

H

In our own city too, well, it seems like we have general.

A

Agreement that we really want to do something here, how about, if everybody sends their comments.

A

To uh kate and jesus and we'll get to hopefully get something finalized for.

A

The next meeting to vote on and also.

A

uh Sounds like there's interest in forming a committee.

A

To explore how we can uh incorporate this into our.

A

Planning reviews, so maybe we could have people also.

A

Indicate their interest in being on a committee.

A

Either now or by email later on.

A

Any thoughts on that. um I know that it's really common.

K

For cities to do like environmental impact statements.

K

um But in places that are rife with gentrification like new york,.

K

Specifically in brooklyn there was a proposal last summer.

K

To do racial impact statements whenever there was development proposed.

K

This could be something that we just keep in mind if we're doing a committee.

K

It sounds like there was like a little bit of interest in looking at affordable.

K

Housing, um but also like the racial impacts of.

K

Any kind of development- I don't know how we would implement that I can look into.

K

How new york was looking to implement that, but I just thought that was something that was really cool that went hand in hand with environmental justice, um yeah.

I

Just something crossed my mind is in indianapolis there's a tremendous amount.

I

Of gentrification taking place in again some of the older.

I

Neighborhoods, that became african american.

I

Neighborhoods and now they're being gentrified.

I

I

The um african and hispanic americans are being.

I

Pushed out by gentrification is so it's again. This is a an issue.

I

That's even here in indiana.

A

Any other discussion on this.

A

Okay, so uh we will get comments by mail. Have a final.

A

Product for the next meeting and show the willingness of people to form.

A

An ad hoc committee to work on how the environmental.

A

Commission itself can address this, get all of that done by the next meeting.

G

Can I ask a question uh linda: do we have.

I

Maps and information that does show the uh breakdown of.

I

Us social, economic and racial neighborhoods in bloomington.

G

Is this? Yes, we do. Okay, good.

A

uh Pollution can be included in that sort of thing too. I don't know if that's.

A

Much of an issue in bloomington, but I I used to live in.

A

South texas, in the beaumont area, had the high the largest oil.

A

Refinery in the world and black neighborhoods.

A

Were right next to it, and the black citizens in beaumont had.

A

15 higher cancer rate than the white.

A

Citizens and I'm sure, that's true other places as well. I don't know if that's going to be much of an issue for bloomington.

I

Well, going back to the pcb issues where the lemon landfill.

I

May not necessarily have been african-americans, but it certainly.

I

Impacted uh people of lower income, a dumb question.

I

uh Back with some time ago, one of our meetings some time ago, there was a.

I

I

Problems with the water over there by um jb salvage.

I

Does anything further happen related to that.

F

I was with mercury, wasn't it? I think that you know.

I

Remember, being metal is some formatting related.

D

I I don't know the way I don't know the latest on that.

D

um I know that they were monitoring it and that information is probably.

D

Available at idem, but I haven't.

D

Personally, kept up on it, so I just don't know.

D

Any updates, so the people that brought it to our attention haven't.

I

Been back brought it back up with us, not that I know of.

A

Okay, the uh the next item on the agenda is sort of connected to this. I think.

A

Because we're gonna get some updates. Okay, kate,.

A

And jesus on their status with the commission and.

A

What uh current status of what things that they've been working on.

E

Okay, I can, I can start um well. I.

E

Will be here for just a couple more weeks because.

E

I'm finishing up my last few classes for um my dual degree and I.

E

Recently accepted a job with the epa in washington dc and.

E

I'm going to be a policy analyst in their clean air markets, division.

E

And I'm moving there next month, so I have to wrap up my time on the ec.

E

Which is a bummer, but I'm also really excited to.

E

To get going and have a job after graduation.

E

It's pretty pretty good feeling.

E

Thank you very much, but um I will be leaving and.

E

I won't be here. This will be my last meeting. Oh.

E

This is it for me, yeah, um I I guess my other update would be.

E

That I have been uh working on the green space report, but.

E

I'm still looking for um a couple of pieces, I guess for those.

E

Of you who weren't here when I started working on it, um the the environmental commission has in the past done a green space report.

E

For the city of bloomington, where we just.

E

I get to use a catalog and and analyze all of the green space in the city.

E

And I was doing that at the beginning of uh this year or the semester, because I.

E

Was taking an applied gis course and.

E

I had a little trouble with it towards the end because of the pandemic and.

E

Getting all the data that I needed like from the city, computers and from certain city employees, but um I'm I'm confident that I can.

E

Wrap that up before I leave so um I guess that's, uh that's the only.

E

Update, I have for you right now on that.

L

um I have an update as well. If kate, I don't want to.

L

Are you good, yeah, okay? um So this is a project that kate and I kind.

L

Of started um a little while ago, through much of last.

L

Winter, we were trudging through snow and a couple of um snow and mud.

L

In a couple of these spots, but we were doing sort of.

L

An environmental environmental commitments review.

L

um You know that you all give recommendations on plans and.

L

In theory, like these, things are supposed to be followed up on by developers um so.

L

We kind of tried to do sort of a review as to where a lot of those commitments stand.

L

um You know a year or more out after the development was supposed to.

L

Have been done um so we largely surveyed, uh I want to say I.

L

Might be forgetting somebody was retention, attention, funds and then a couple of bios whales as well throughout town. I think we kind of.

L

Did a survey of about 18 different developments.

L

The big- this might not surprise you all, but the big overarching theme is that.

L

For the most part, regrettably, in instances where developers were meant.

L

To have committed to doing native plantings.

L

There was usually something that wasn't quite correct: either we found a lot of locations where.

L

uh The plantings that the plantings in the ponds or the biospheres themselves.

L

Had been mowed um or where they just weren't taken care.

L

Of enough and invasive species that already started taking over, um we do want to give props to a couple of folks specifically.

L

This was a city development um and I always forget the name of it is.

L

It evergreen village, maybe linda yeah,.

D

Evergreen, yes, they did a great job and they actually.

L

Have a designated area that they have indicated. Please do not mow or spray or.

L

Do anything to that space whatsoever, so they.

L

Actually did follow through, but for the most part we would say.

L

There's mixed success and part of the reason we took a little.

L

Bit long is because we were partnering with iu because as much as we might be able to identify some things, we're not really.

L

Super good experts at identifying specific natives versus not.

L

um So heather who works at iu, was able to kind of help us out in identifying a.

L

Lot of these things, so I have some finer points. I'm work.

L

We've developed basically sort of a report with sort of an overview and then.

L

Individual project notes that we're working on making a little.

L

Pretty for you all, there's gonna be some photos as well and then we'll be sending it over at some point. But I'm happy to answer um a few questions. If you have them um sort of pretty quickly.

J

I don't have any questions, but that sounds amazing and I'm really looking forward to seeing it cool.

K

Unrelated but since kate is leaving soon, I'm assuming within the next couple.

K

Weeks, um jesus, if you need help going over the revisions for the.

K

Statement I can jump in okay, yeah, okay, cool.

A

Thank you anything else. Any questions.

A

Now we will move on to commissioner announcements.

A

And again we will do that alphabetically, so.

A

Matt, do you have anything uh one personal announcement is as of this.

B

Week I have solar panels on my roof, so we got no sun today. So no energy.

B

Generated now, but I'm excited looking looking forward.

A

A

Meredith, nothing personal to announce. Congratulations, kate! That sounds like a.

K

Dream have fun in dc.

I

um Basically, just an update from m.c iris.

I

uh They are um quite pleased with their targeting of.

I

Asian bush honeysuckle.

I

I forgot the total number of people that have.

I

I

But I know in people, in my opinion, a surprising number of people have.

I

Been removing their honeysuckle, including on my own street,.

I

um And that's impressive um and also they're, now thinking about.

I

Going ahead with a similar project for next year and the sort of the game plan that was brought up at last when it was at.

I

Thursday's meeting um was to maybe whether to.

I

Remain with asian bush, honeysuckle or uh possibly greenbrier, and I forgot the.

I

The other one off the top of my head, uh but the discussion was maybe to.

I

Have more than one or uh pick a new target uh invasive.

I

um So that's something that again touches on for several other.

I

People on the commission's concerns of invasive plants.

I

And myself and a couple of my neighbors have been helping out at.

I

Southeast park.

I

uh Trying to help the city.

I

Anyhow, I think it's helping, hopefully okay susanna.

J

uh No announcements uh but kate, I want to tell you.

J

I also I lived in dc for 10 years after college and I loved it.

J

I worked for an environmental ngo, there's tons of ngos based there.

J

So if you get bored with the epa, you should give out jumping to the ngsa.

J

Because it's a little more fun in my personal opinion, but the epa of course.

J

Is really important work so they're lucky to have you.

E

A

uh Shelby, I have no no announcements. Okay,.

A

Reagan's not here um daniel, so um what I brought up with the monroe.

C

County environmental commission, I'm going to bring up two things um so.

C

They're uh the survey they're doing and I think.

C

This could have been rob a new business, but I figured I'd just wait for announcements, but the survey they're doing um when I was.

C

Listening to it, it sounds like they. um They want to do a survey basically from.

C

Monroe county to gather what their goals will be for 2021 and I.

C

Don't um I don't recall the timeline to add for.

C

Sending out the survey, but I'm wondering as to um how the everyone would feel about me reaching out to them and see if we could.

C

Collaborate with them on this survey and work with them, um maybe to our.

C

Benefit to collect as much data as possible from people on what the.

C

Environmental needs of the community are from citizens, and also you know their.

C

Big concern is just from an outreach standpoint with any survey. The number one goal is to get out.

F

She's not here, can you call me back in about 10 minutes, I'm on.

F

In a meeting right now, um yeah no problem.

C

um The goal of any survey mainly is to get as many.

C

Responses as possible, so I think it would be to our benefit to collaborate.

C

With them um they may say no and then I guess next.

C

Me I could bring up the idea of us doing our own survey. um It just sounds.

C

Like a good idea, they even brought up the point of. Why haven't we thought of this before sending out a survey and getting as many responses as possible? So I'm just wondering what.

C

People's thoughts are on that.

A

If you could remind us of that by email- and we could put that on the agenda.

A

For the next meeting we could discuss it then.

A

And sounds like a good idea to me and if you get any updates on it,.

A

Especially to the effect that they don't want us, you can let us know about that too. Okay, so yeah I'll reach I'll reach out.

C

To them um and then uh second thing was they.

C

Brought up social media outreach- and um this is.

C

Maybe something that could have brought up an outreach, but um the idea of us starting the bloomington environmental.

C

Commission starting a facebook page and a twitter account for outreach um running that idea across people's thoughts.

I

B

The facebook page is something we've tried to deal with before.

B

I think there is one and that it's being run or not being run, but that the.

B

Admins are someone that was here a long time.

B

Ago um I I remember at one point on outreach.

B

We were trying to do something with that and we realized that.

B

One, it exists and we don't have control over it and two. I think.

B

I think something in our rules might have made it.

B

Tricky for us to accomplish what we wanted, but I unfortunately don't.

B

Remember many specifics.

C

Would there be any issues of just creating a fresh one.

C

Even if the old one still exists- and it's just not in use.

D

Probably not, there was a rule in the city that.

D

There would be one city, facebook, page and.

D

Individual commissions and boards, like us,.

D

Weren't supposed to have them and that, I think, is no longer a rule.

D

The downside is just who's going to manage it.

C

Gotcha yeah I mean I would like I said I if there was to be social media. I.

C

Was thinking about being someone who'd volunteered to manage uh social media.

C

Accounts having some familiarity with them and having a technical background.

C

Especially now when people are so isolated, social media is obviously.

C

Even before was still the best way to get things out and talking about surveys.

C

And things like that- and I don't know just a good way to.

C

Communicate with the public- and you know like right now- we don't have anyone really from the public at this meeting, but having a social media account um which allows to broadcast when our meetings.

C

Are we might get more people from the public that was brought up in the monroe county environmental commission meeting.

C

You know I think they had. I was the only person there from the public and they said if we could get social media going. We might get more people here.

C

Which you know the difference between having one person and five people makes.

C

All the difference and what a commission does as far as getting uh their ambitions out there.

B

Yeah, I think it sounds like something we could do if it's something we're allowed.

B

To do and I'm sure we could make a procedure for.

B

Who posts and how it changes? Hands if people roll off the commission and having a number of admins so that there's.

B

Multiple people who can who can do something if someone's away for a while.

B

I bet we could make something work if we're allowed.

D

Well, let me let me check on it. I I think we are now. I just don't know.

D

The rules, so let me let me check on it. Okay, um another item for next month's.

A

Agenda, yes, that's all. I got.

C

um Okay, congratulations, kate, um dave.

F

Sorry if I answered the phone when I had my.

F

System on, I thought I was muted, um nothing else to say: okay,.

A

um I have kind of a general announcement about what our outlook is going to be.

A

For the rest of this year, number one it looks like we don't have.

A

Any idea when andrew's going to come back, it may not be at all this year, so we're looking at.

A

An acting chair, possibly at least for a couple of months, possibly for the rest.

A

Of the year, coupled with the problem with.

A

Not being able to have face-to-face meetings and.

A

Losing our interns for at least for a while uh we're probably.

A

Going to be kind of low-key the rest of the year, certainly, if anybody has letters they want to send or things they want to take on. We can do.

A

That but we're probably not going to take on any big projects. The rest of the.

A

A

Having said that, next year is our 50-year.

A

Anniversary for the environmental commission and.

A

Hopefully, we will be able to come up with.

A

Some event to celebrate that and we'll certainly try to get going on a.

A

Higher scale again as soon as we can- and so I I feel kind of sorry for the.

A

New members who, since we've not even met, face to face.

A

Haven't really seen how we normally operate, but I just ask you to stick with.

A

Us until we can get back in gear here and that's all- I have.

A

D

um I want to I want to thank kate and maybe jesus he might be here for.

D

Another meeting he's not quite sure yet because he's also got a job in.

D

Washington he's just unsure about um his starting.

D

Date, so we don't know if he'll be here next month or not, but I just want to.

D

Give my thanks to them and kate, especially because she's been with us.

D

For over two years for doing such a great.

D

Job and being such a great team member for.

D

E

Thank you linda. I've learned a lot um I like being here. So thanks for hiring.

E

Me what, as you're, welcome you're welcome. I.

F

Was going to mention one thing um I was, I was in the epa on a summer.

F

Fellowship back about 1982 and I wrote while I was.

F

There I wrote a risk analysis for bloomington's pcbs.

F

That later got published, so it was a.

F

Different epa, then.

I

I'd also like to thank both of you for your help and participation.

I

Thank you and good luck with your careers.

E

Thank you. I meant to do that as well and once you've become stars in dc, don't.

A

Forget us: okay, stay off cable news.

A

A

If not um we're adjourned.

M