Bee City USA

Bee City USA Committee September 13, 2023 7:00pm Term Exp. Members Present Absent 6/30/2026 Maria Ulloa-Bustos X 6/30/2025 Anahi Espindola X 6/30/2025 Ariela Haber X 6/30/2024 Marc Pound X 6/30/2025 Terra Virsilas X 6/30/2026 Jennifer Lindstrom X 6/30/2026 Frank Cifaldi X 6/30/2026 Sally Wood X Staff Liaison Brenda Alexander X Also present: Councilmember Alan Hew. The Bee City Committee meeting was called to order by Ms. Ulloa-Bustos at 7:12 pm. It was noted that a quorum was not present for this meeting. 1. Review and approval of agenda Ms. Ulloa-Bustos accepted the agenda without exception. 2. June, July, and August 2023 minutes Without a quorum, the June, July, and August minutes were simply reviewed by those present, and several amended changes were made. These minutes will be reviewed at the October meeting and if a quorum is present, the minutes will be approved. 3. City Activities:  Good Neighbor Day projects have been submitted. There is a meeting on September 14 to finalize all the details.  Ms. Alexander announced her retirement from the City of College Park effective November 30, 2023. 4. USGS Bee Lab Ms. Ulloa-Bustos emailed the plant list to the committee so decisions can be made as to which plants are needed for various projects. The following Good Neighbor Day projects will need plants:  Muskogee Playground (replaced Lackawanna).  American Legion – wants to expand the plantings there. Ms. Alexander is working on a design plan and will select the plants to go there.  Calvert Hills – Ms. Alexander agreed to work on a design plan and will select plants to go there. There will also be some trees and bulbs, plants and possibly shrubs.  Cherokee Garden Meadow 1  There will also be plants available, most in ½ gallon pots, to use for the tree giveaway with MNCPPC on September 30 at the College Park Airport. Ms. Alexander will make arrangements with Ms. Ulloa-Bustos to pick up the plants. 5. Educating the Public on Pollinator Gardens Discussed ideas on what could be included in the seminar/webinar:  Replacing current plants with native plants  Explain the difference between a pollinator garden, meadows, etc. and what to expect from each type. 6. Municipal Scene For October – Ms. Espindola will develop a chart showing the native plants and growing season, how easy or difficult it is to grow, different types of habitats in a garden. Due by September 21 to Ms. Alexander. A future article could be done on the different types of pollinator gardens and where they are located in College Park. At the October meeting, suggestions will be made for Municipal Scene articles and volunteers to write them and schedule them out for an entire year. 7. College Park Day College Park Day is on Saturday, October 7 from 12:00pm-6:00pm. The request has been made for a full table under the City Tent. Volunteers are as follows:  Ms. Ulloa-Bustos, Mr. Pound: 12:00pm-2:00pm  Ms. Espindola, Ms. Lindstrom: 2:00pm-4:00pm  Ms. Haber, Mr. Cifaldi: 4:00pm-6:00pm Ms. Alexander will pack up the Bee City Committee box. The City will deliver the box to the City Tent. Committee members will need to unpack and set up the display including the prototype of a mud house for chimney bees. 8. Soil request Ms. Ulloa-Bustos requested garden soil, 2 or 3 – 20-quart bags, to plant the Lobelia. Mr. Cifaldi sent an email that he would be able to help house plants over the winter. 9. Next Meeting The next meeting is scheduled for October 11, 2023, at 7:00pm as a Zoom meeting. The meeting ended at 8:33pm. Respectfully submitted by Sheryl DeWalt, contract secretary. 2