Chesapeake Environmental Improvement Council

Chesapeake Environmental Improvement Council Meeting Minutes June 22, 2022 This meeting of the Chesapeake Environmental Improvement Council was held in person at the River Crest Community Center. Chairwoman Becky Greenwald called the meeting to order at 12:06 p.m. WELCOME and ANNOUNCEMENTS Ms. Greenwald welcomed members, staff, and guests. Announcements: • The volunteer hours report was passed around to confirm hours listed or update as needed. • ERP has large rain barrels available at a reduced price. Members Present: Vikki Barnette, Sydney Covey, Kendra Dildy, Christel Dyer, Becky Greenwald (Chair), James Haluska, Jared Hoernig, Mike Hoffman, Lauren Ragsac, Sandy Madison, Mike Perry, Adrienne Sawyer, Lacy Shirey (Vice- Chair), Lacie Wever, Amy Weber (Secretary), Jennifer Williams Members Absent: none Associate Members: (Non-voting) Rogard Ross Staff Present: Megan Hale, Ana Elezovic, Guests: Markelle Moore MINUTES: Guests: None Approval of Meeting Minutes: May minutes were sent electronically; hearing no corrections, they were approved as sent. Environmental Tip: • Mr. Ross suggested that with the current high gas prices, we should combine trips whenever possible. Walk or bike when you can as well. • Mr. Ross also recommended electric powered lawn equipment. Nationally, 5% of emissions come from lawn equipment. Environmental Group Spotlight: • Beginning July 1st, Wegmans grocery stores in Virginia will no longer provide plastic bags. REPORTS: • Executive Committee – Chairperson Rebecca Greenwald reported on the following: • A collaboration meeting with our community partners in Norfolk and Suffolk will be held in Norfolk on Friday, June 24th. • Beautification Committee – Vikki Barnette reported on the following:  • Notable Yards judging has begun and asked for more volunteers to judge. • Keep Chesapeake Beautiful Calendar contest entries are due by the end of the month. • Conservation Landscaping/License Plate Fund Committee – Lauren Ragsac reported on the following: • Two applications for License Plate Fund projects are being considered. Information on both was sent out electronically for voting. Both projects were approved by a quorum vote. • She will meet on site with applicants to provide suggestions for a sustainable design. • Outreach Committee – Sydney Covey reported on the following: • The Heron Chronicle is in final edits. It’s heavy on organic content with a total of 10 pages. • Farmers’ Market tabling events – volunteers are needed and encourages members to sign up for at least one weekend • Tree Board – Jim Haluska reported on the following: • A community tree planting is scheduled for the fall, led by Mike Andruczyk with Virginia Cooperative Extension- Chesapeake. • Consolidated tree list is being finalized with recommendations for homeowners. • They will be working on getting tree planting letters out to 10 churches. • A letter is being drafted to Deep Creek Middle School on how to make the tree planting there successful. • Ms. Greenwald noted that the new Urban Forester, Kevin Kaul is working on an Urban Forestry Management Plan. Ana Elezovic noted that they are working with Virginia Department of Forestry to control invasive trees. • Waste and Recycling Committee – Lacy Shirey reported on the following: • Clean and Green Poster Contest - Winner presentations were made by Mayor West on May 10th and posters are now on display at City Hall. • Community Cleanups: Clean the Bay Day volunteers removed over 5500 pound of garbage from the 4 CEIC locations, 19 locations overall. The next clean-up will coincide with International Coastal Cleanup during the months of August through October. Mike Hoffman noted that the Ocean Conservancy has September 17th as their focus date. • Cigarette Litter Prevention Program / NO Butts About It campaign – Butts and signs are now displayed outside the Chesapeake Conference Center. • Litter Grant Funds – $41K of the $43K have been spent so far. Megan Hale talked about the WaterMonster 125-gallon refill station that has been purchased and will be launched at the July 3rd Celebrate Freedom Event. • Plastic Bag Fee – We are closely watching the efforts in Virginia Beach. • PRT Special Programs/askHRgreen – Megan Hale reported on the following: • askHRgreen is emphasizing reduce and reuse R’s before recycling, particularly with plastics. • The launch of the WaterMonster at the Celebrate Freedom event will have a huge impact with about 12,000 participants expected. • She will be conducting a Litter Index linked to Keep America Beautiful, rating the seven area high schools. This is usually done in early August and gives us an idea of where we need to focus our cleanup efforts/education. 2  • Lacie Wever and Christel Dyer have invited us to tour the HRSD Nansemond Treatment Plant/ SWIFT on August 3rd. We will take the PRT 22 passenger van. NEW BUSINESS: • Election- The nominating committee presented the following slate of officers: o Chair - Becky Greenwald o Vice-Chair – Amy Weber o Secretary – Adrienne Sawyer Ms. Greenwald asked for nominations from the floor. There were none. We voted to elect the slate as presented. Ms. Greenwald thanked Lacy Shirey for her service as vice-chair and Amy Weber for her service as secretary for the past year. • Ms. Greenwald presented the Year End Review as attached. • Volunteer hours – Ms. Hale reminded everyone to email their hours to her by July 5 and reminded members to confirm hours noted on the report being passed around the table. • Ms. Wever and Ms. Dyer discussed the Nansemond Treatment Plant/ SWIFT Tours and what to expect. More details will be available as they are refined. SEEKING VOLUNTEERS – Volunteers are needed for the following upcoming events: • Chesapeake Farmers’ Market at City Park, Saturdays through November 19th. Ms. Covey will send out a Sign-up Genius several times throughout the season. Materials will need to be picked up from the PRT office prior to each event but can be dropped off immediately after. • PRT Summer Pop-up Programs on July 12th and 19th and August 2nd and 15th. HEARING OF CITIZENS: • Mr. Ross noted that rezoning will be considered by the Planning Commission for the Williams tract of land for the Coastal VA Commerce Park. • Ms. Moore voiced questions and remarks about recycling. ADJOURNMENT: Ms. Greenwald adjourned the meeting at 1:19 p.m. NEXT MEETING: Upcoming meeting schedule: NO meeting in July The next regular meeting will be on Wednesday, August 24, 2022, at 12:00 p.m. at River Crest Community Center Minutes submitted by Amy Weber, Secretary Chesapeake Recycles Days for 2022: • October 15th, Greenbrier • November 12th, Great Bridge 3  MEETING ATTACHMENT: CEIC 2021-2022 Year in Review Spent most of the year down about 4 members, but still got a lot done. Now just one vacancy. Started the year with Executive Committee meetings to determine our goals for the year, then presented those to the mayor, who supported our objectives. Continued with our committee structure, established regular monthly meeting times, mostly virtual. Combined the Waste Reduction and Recycling committee with Litter and Pollution Prevention committee into Waste and Recycling Committee. CEIC met some virtually, then went back to in-person. Continued with our contests, providing judges for the Notable Yards contest to judge nearly 30 yards, annual calendar photo contest (80+ photos), K-12 Clean and Green poster contest, Environmental Awards. Approved funding for two more license plate fund beautification projects. Decided to combine our Business Beautification Award with the annual Business and Industry Award presented at the Environmental awards luncheon. Outreach: Refined our Facebook posting process, increased followers from 682 to 824 (goal is 1000); published The Heron Chronicle every quarter, adopting a different theme each edition, and expanded our email list, signing up subscribers at tabling events; rotated the Big Butts display and cigarette litter prevention materials at all the libraries; continued Farmers Market tabling, giving away hundreds of reusable produce bags. Engaged with city manager and staff and council members re: tree preservation legislation, litter issues and the curbside recycling program. Provided volunteers to work Chesapeake Recycles Days, table at Autumn Fest (Arboretum), Holiday Craft Show, Dollar Tree pollinator garden event. Member-led cleanups at NW River Park for Intl Coastal Cleanup, January cleanup at Lakeside Park, Great American Cleanup (2) in March, and Clean the Bay Day (3) in June. Planned spring Chesapeake Conservation Conference; moved to October due to the pandemic. Put on holiday party attended by mayor, two deputy city managers, PRT director and deputy New urban forester and landscape designer added to PRT. Propagated seedlings from the historic Johnson Park sweet gum; members are tree-sitting. Hosted the first regional environmental group collaboration meeting in February; next one June 24. Initiated contact through CPS Supervisor, Secondary Science Education with Environmental Science Club sponsors and students at middle and high schools; coordinated tree planting plan at Deep Creek Middle. Straws on Request and City Hall single-use plastic reduction initiatives have been delayed; plastic bag tax discussions are in their infancy- goals to work on next year. THANK YOU, CEIC Members for giving over 900 volunteer hours this year! 4