Committee for a Better Environment

Approved: 11/28/16 Committee for a Better Environment United Methodist Church, College Park October 24, 2016 7:00 PM Members Present Absent Melissa Avery X Suchitra Balachandran X Matt Dernoga X Sarah D’Alexander X Karen Garvin X Alan Hew X Susan Keller X Todd Larsen X Janis Oppelt X Kennis Termini X Daniel Walfield X Donna Weene X Guests Present: Andrew Fellows, EFC, University of Maryland; Steve Beavers, City Liaison; Janice McCauslin; Kate Harrison, UMD SGA; Martha Brumfield; John Krouse: Sheryl DeWalt, Contract Secretary The meeting was called to order at 7:00pm by Ms. Oppelt. 1. The agenda was amended as follows: John Krouse, resident, will speak first on preservation of Hollywood Neighborhood Park, then the September minutes will be reviewed, and the remainder of the agenda will be taken in order. Ms. Oppelt made a motion to accept the agenda with changes. Mr. Dernoga seconded the motion. All in favor; no opposed. 2. Mr. Krouse discussed the opposition to the pond as proposed by M-NCPPC to the Hollywood Neighborhood Park. The citizens association voted unanimously in opposition of the pond and the many negative impacts it would have on the neighborhood park. The citizens association is seeking endorsement from CBE to City Council to vote against the M-NCPPC being allowed to put in a pond. Mr. Krouse had emailed information to the CBE members via Ms. Oppelt which outlined the report from the citizens association as well as an email with a synopsis. After reviewing all of the information, Ms. Oppelt made a motion for the CBE to support the recommendation of the North College Park Citizens Association not to have the pond. Mr. Dernoga seconded the motion. All in favor; no opposed. Ms. Oppelt will compose a letter to City Council on behalf of the CBE. 3. The minutes from the September 26, 2016, meeting were reviewed. Ms. Oppelt announced that Ms. Garvin no longer has time for the committee and will be resigning. Both Ms. Avery and Ms. Keller have missed a few meetings; Ms. Oppelt will email them and ask their intentions. Amendments were made to the information on the soil testing.  Mr. Larsen made the motion to accept the minutes with the changes discussed. Mr. Dernoga seconded the motion. All in favor; no opposed. 4. The budget remains at $10,161. 5. Discussed yard waste totes that has been requested by Councilmember Kujawa. Will the City sell the totes? Will there be a rebate to the owners? Are we opening this up to all residents? Ms. Oppelt will speak to Mr. Stumpff at Public Works with regards to the totes, procedure, and pricing. She will inform the committee after her discussion. 6. One of the mission statements for CBE is business recycling throughout College Park. CBE would like City Council to include business recycling in all new developments in College Park and will make a written recommendation. The University of Maryland student feasibility committee wants current businesses to find a way to recycle. They should be able to find a way to cooperate and potentially share dumpster space for recycling. There is approximately $22K left in the recycling grant. There was at one time a Recycling committee, a sub-committee of CBE, that was pursuing business recycling. Mr. Larsen made a motion to reactivate the Recycling Sub-Committee. Ms. Weene seconded the motion. All in favor; no opposed. Ms. Harrison volunteered to co- chair the committee with Mr. Dernoga. Other members will include Ms. Oppelt, Ms. Weene, Mr. Larsen and Mr. Hew. Other goals discussed and reviewed were: a. Setting up workshops every other month b. Helping citizens with rain barrels c. Food Recovery Network d. Energy Management. Mr. Fellows indicated that he will email suggestions to CBE with people who can help with energy management. 7. Ms. Oppelt continues to work on the CBE Annual Report. 8. Ms. Oppelt is representing CBE at the Tree and Landscape Board meetings. 9. No new information to share from the Zero Waste/SMART meeting. 10. The next meeting will be held on November 28 at the United Methodist Church. This will be a pot luck dinner meeting. Ms. Oppelt made a motion to end the meeting. Ms. Weene seconded the motion. The meeting ended at 8:40pm. Respectfully submitted by Sheryl DeWalt, contract secretary.