Bordentown City Environmental Commission

Bordentown City Environmental Commission MINUTES from October 11, 2023 meeting via Zoom submitted by Lynn Robinson -- The meeting was called to order by Chairperson Cathy Elliot Shaw. -- Members present included Cathy Elliot Shaw, Joel Dowshen, Dan Preston, Ralph Simon, Ralph Tolomeo, Lauren Drumm, and Lynn Robinson. Dan Aubrey and Peggy Peak were guest at the meeting. -- Public Meeting Statement was given. -- The minutes from the last meeting were approved. Correspondence  Cathy received an e-mail from Advanced Solar Products, requesting letter of support for Community Solar installation at 201 Elizabeth Street. This discussion will be tabled until the city attorneys review the plans and the project.  Farmers Market extended into November. BCEC needs to decide if we will have a table on October 29th and November 19th. Everyone will check their calendars to see their availability. Reports Planning Board Report (Lynn)– nothing to report. D&R Greenway & Abbott Marshland Reports (Joel) We need to get more people from Bordentown to get involved. There will be a report attached to the minutes. Invasive Species Remediation (Team = Dan, Brooke, Ralph T. and Cathy) – meeting in late Oct. ANJEC Grant for Oliver Street Park (Brooke) Planting at the park will take place on November 1st. There will also be other beautification projects for students. We should be able to close out this grant by end of the year. Discussion Items and updates Pumpkin Collection 2023 – The pumpkins will be collected near the pizza box. So far we have one bin. The township will also be collecting. The township’s public works will take the pumpkins collected in the township to a farm for composting; the pumpkins collected at the city location will be picked up by a company called One Compost Can. An e-mail and a flyer will be sent out for promotion purposes. Nov 1 Volunteers for a Day of Service – ideas for student volunteers? Green Team engagement strategy ideas – contact info collected during Cran Fest – Seven people showed interest in the Green Team. A “Meet and Greet” might be planned in the near future to tell people about the Green Team. Pizza boxes – now accepted by Burlington County recycling. We will have a conversation with the farmers about how we should proceed with this project. 2023 BCEC Budget (& Expenditures) - Peg shared the budget with us. Cathy and Ralph will review the budget, make sure all bills are paid and report back to us. Draft Calendar year 2024 - This draft calendar might help us start to organize further in advance. If we know in advance we could get out a press release and put more information in publications. Conversations about the Environment (formerly Earth Talks) – It might be good to have a sub committee to plan talks 2-4 times a year.  Would a few people be interested in organizing ideas and report at next meeting?  Identify tentative dates and add to 2024 calendar  Green Infrastructure – City received NJ DEP grant $115,000 for bioretention system at Carslake SJ Grant for municipal Solar Feasibility Study ($10,000) – Peg is working to finalize and close. We will wait to hear more from Peg. Upcoming events: Nov. 1 planting at Oliver Street Park Pumpkin Collection Nov. 1 – Nov. 31 Creative Team Meeting – 1st Monday of each month. Upcoming opportunities Tri-County Sustainability – All Green Teams Conference October 18 @ 6 pm Burlington County Green Teams round table -November 4 postponed, new date TBD NJDEP Climate Pollution Reduction Grant Program webinar Oct. 24 noon to 1:30 Quarterly Check-In Report (Q1 in March, Q2 in June, Q3 in Sept, Q4 in Dec) Representatives of these subcommittees/initiatives will present a status report on a quarterly basis.  Farmer’s Market  Community Garden  Pizza Box Recycling  Creative Team Adjournment at 7:58pm Next meeting: WEDNESDAY, November 8, 2023 at 7:00 pm (Via Zoom or in person – for discussion) Attached Reports D&R Greenway  D&R continues to showcase Point Breeze with the Discovery Center (Gardener’s House) and historic garden – all a great draw for people to find out about Bordentown City as an important destination.  The "Harvest Season: Historic Garden at Point Breeze Walk-About" on September 24th, and the "Harvest Moon Ball” on September 30th were both great successes with a number of Bordentonians attending, and lots of people from out of town who are now getting familiar with all we have to offer.  Join the D&R Greenway for a Swinging Good Time Return to the “Speakeasy” Saturday, October 28 5:30 for the Masquerade Ball – 9:30 p.m. Hillside Farm 62 Lambertville- Hopewell Road, Hopewell  A reminder to click the link below to see D&Rs new video about the history and ecology of Point Breeze – featuring Jim Lynch o Point Breeze History and Ecology Video Abbott Marshlands  The Friends for the Abbott Marshlands are offering some exciting new events in October, all available to you, your families, and friends. o Watson After Dark   October 18 – 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm  Come visit the historic Isaac Watson House, and see the house and grounds in a NEW LIGHT as the Friends light up the night and the house by candlelight. o Wednesday Watson Woods Walks at the Tulpehaking Nature Center  October 18th and 25th - 10 am to 11:30 am  Enjoy an easy walk with our group as we observe the seasons change while exploring the beautiful trails of Roebling Park each week. Free Program. o Early Bird Walks at the Tulpehaking Nature Center  October 19th – 8:30 am to 11:00 am  Join us for a casual hike dedicated to spotting our fine feathered friends during the fall migration. All abilities of birders are welcome. Bring a pair of binoculars if you. o Rhythms of the Land with Susan Hoenig – Ages 10-18  October 21st – 10 am to 12 pm  In this workshop for young people, we will use watercolor and oil pastels to express the beauty of trees. o Abbott Marshlands Nature Book Club  October 24th – 7 pm to 8 pm  Join us each month for an informal discussion about a book that focuses on the natural world. Just email bookclub@abbottmarshlands.org for information, and we will send you meeting details. o Wild Plant Culture: Restoring Native Edible and Medicinal Plant Communities  October 28th – 10 am to 11 am – Tulpehaking Nature Center  Native edible and medicinal plant species can be integrated into gardens and ecological restoration projects to create habitats that support (and include) humans as part of local ecosystems. o Photography Walk – Textures and Colors of Autumn – Bordentown Bluffs  October 29th – 10 am to 12 pm  It's time to get started making images for our next Voices for the Marsh Photography Show! Join photographers Mary Leck and Mary Ann Borge for a guided photography walk on the Bluffs. o Family Leaf Art – Tulpehaking Nature Center  October 29th – 2 pm to 3:30 pm  Gather some autumn leaves that have fallen around the TNC, and then use the leaves to make a beautiful sun catcher for your window. For families. o To get more information and to register for these programs go to the Friends for the Abbott Marshlands “Events” Page.