Bee City USA

Approved: October 12, 2022 Bee City USA September 14, 2022 Via Teleconferencing through Zoom 7:00pm Term Exp. Members Present Absent Staff Brenda Alexander X 6/30/2024 Gail Brown X 6/30/2023 Maria Ulloa-Bustos (a 7:22pm) X 6/30/2022 Anahi Espindola (a 7:15pm) X 6/30/2022 Ariela Haber X 6/30/2024 Alan Hew, Chair X 6/30/2024 Ordom (Brian) Huot X 6/30/2024 Marc Pound X 6/30/2023 Jim Sauer X Also present: Katie Little, Lead Community Engagement Specialist, UMD; Kathryn Kovarik, Girl Scout Troop 96; Sheryl DeWalt, contract secretary The Bee City Committee meeting was called to order by Alan Hew, Chair, at 7:06pm. 1. The agenda was reviewed. Mr. Sauer made a motion to accept. Ms. Haber seconded. Motion caries for approval 5-0-0. 2. The August 10, 2022, minutes were reviewed. Ms. Haber motioned to accept the minutes with amended changes. Ms. Espindola seconded. Motion carries for approval 5-0-0. 3. City activities: a. The tree giveaway ends this Friday, September 16, 2022. b. Wood mulch is available to City residents. Compost will be available later in the month. c. October clean up days: October 8 – clean up and document shredding; October 22 – clean up, compost and wood mulch pick up. d. Pollinator signs were delivered; four signs were ordered that can be used in other areas. After discussion on placement of sign at Cherokee Street, the decision was made to place one below the Bee City sign and another by the dog waste station. 4. Ms. Kovarik gave an update on the Girl Scout’s pollinator activities: a. The sculpture is almost completely assembled and painted. She believes that one or two more afternoon for 100% completion. The scouts have called Miss Utility and will mark the location; Ms. Alexander asked them to mark it with white spray paint and DPW will dig the holes and to measure the size of the poles so an appropriate hole size can be dug. This should be done and installed by the end of September. b. The sign for the Pollinator Garden will not be done; the troop decided against doing one. They did weed the area on Tuesday and will continue to do so until the late fall/winter. c. They will be collecting seeds from the butterfly plant for the seed bank. d. They have started on designing signs for the Trolley Trail area at Calvert Road and Rhode Island Avenue.  e. Ms. Alexander asked if some members of the troop might be available to volunteer for the tree giveaway on October 1 from 8:00am – 12:00noon. Ms. Kovarik will ask the troop. f. College Park Day is October 15 from 12Noon – 6:00pm. Black-eyed Susans and Swamp Milkweed seed packets will be given away. Discussed the idea of having a Bee City banner for the table; Ms. Alexander will discuss with the City Communications coordinator. Volunteers are: a. Mr. Hew for set up and until 1:30pm b. Ms. Ulloa-Bustos – 1:30pm-3:00pm c. Mr. Sauer – 3:00pm-4:30pm d. Ms. Haber – 4:30pm-6:00pm e. Mr. Hew will reach out to Mr. Pound and Mr. Huot to see if they would like to volunteer. 5. October Municipal Scene – Visitors to the Pollinator Garden/Biodiversity – Ms. Ulloa-Bustos. This is due by September 26 to Ms. Alexander. 6. Professor Brandon Donahue, UMD Art, has agreed to assist with the painting at Lackawanna Street. It will require about $200 in supplies. Mr. Hew will reach out to CPAE for assistance. 7. Good Neighbor Day registration opens on Monday, September 19 for volunteers for the various projects slated. Bee City projects are: a. Landscaping around the American Legion – 2 groups of 8 volunteers. MNCPPC will be donating a rain barrel to this project. DPW will deliver mulch prior to Good Neighbor Day. Do they have tools necessary for this project? b. Half-moon garden area at 53rd Street and Lackawanna Ave. – 4 volunteers c. Calvert Road at Rhode Island Avenue (where the girl scouts project is located) – 6 volunteers. 8. ReMeadow.org – Friends of the Patuxent Pollinator Festival on September 24 from 9:00am- 1:00pm. This is located at Patuxent Research Refuge – North Tract, 230 Bald Eagle Drive, Laurel, Maryland 20724 (Anne Arundel County). 9. Mr. Sauer discussed the potential idea of having a BUMBA (beekeepers association of Upper Marlboro and Bowie) aviary located in College Park. He offered to have a representative come to a Bee City meeting to discuss the idea. Several committee members thought it would be hard to find a location in College Park. It was also stated the UMD and USDA already have aviaries. Further discussion was tabled. 10. The committee would like to start working on the No Mow Month consent from Mayor and City Council. Ms. Alexander will work with the City Clerk’s office about finding a date on the City Council calendar. 11. The next meeting is scheduled for October 12, 2022, at 7:00pm. Ms. Espindola made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Ms.Ulloa-Bustos seconded. Motion carries 6- 0-0. The meeting adjourned at 8:50pm. Respectfully submitted by Sheryl DeWalt, contract secretary.