Committee for a Better Environment

Approved: 082420 Committee for a Better Environment Via Teleconferencing through GoToMeeting July 27, 2020 7:00 PM Members Present Absent Suchitra Balachandran X Alexa Bely X Pablo deOliveria X Matt Dernoga X Oscar Gregory X Alan Hew X Todd Larsen X Andrea McNamara X Nikki Pancho X Cameron Thurston X Daniel Walfield X Caroline Wick X Also Present: Joseph Jakuta, Sierra Club; Janet McCaslin, City Liaison; Sheryl DeWalt, Contract Secretary The meeting began at 7:02pm by Todd Larsen, chair. 1. The agenda was reviewed. Ms. Bely motioned to accept the agenda. Mr. Dernoga seconded. Motion carries 11-0-0. 2. The June 22, 2020 minutes were reviewed. Ms. Bely motioned to accept the minutes. Mr. Dernoga seconded. Motion carries 11-0-0. 3. City activities: a. CBE has a budget of $3000 for this fiscal year. b. Potential expenditures for FY2021: i. Signage for water quality. Suggested to partner with the Anacostia Watershed Society. ii. Tree signage. Need to reach out to TLB for assistance. The website needs to be updated with more information on trees and plants. c. Tips for Municipal Scene for August – grass clippings and mosquitos. Potential idea for September – checking house gutters. 4. The Green Award winners were unable to join the meeting tonight. Their letter, certificate and check will be mailed. Reminder that there are four (4) Green awards available for this upcoming fiscal year. 5. Joseph Jakuta is looking for assistance from the CBE to assist with going 100% clean energy in the schools. He mentioned items such as stopping the purchase of fossil fuels, changing over light bulbs, electric buses, essentially reducing energy consumption. Their goal is to be 100% clean energy by 2030 and would like the school boards to adopt the resolution. The Sierra Club is reaching out to student groups and PTA’s as well. There will be a petition launched in two weeks. Mr. Jakuta will send all materials to the CBE. There were several questions asked by CBE members: a. Will the resolution be binding or articulate the goal and create a plan from it? b. Can the County board pass a policy to mandate? c. What are the thoughts and costs to replace boilers/cooling, cooking equipment, increase insulation, roof repairs? Can the school districts afford this? d. Suggestion to contact Grimm Parker, architects who are designing schools to follow environmental designs. 6. Mayor and Council will support the City Climate Action Plan. Mr. Thurston volunteered to research college towns on how they deal with rentals and potential demand for furnished rentals. He will forward all information to Ms. McCaslin. 7. Follow up actions: a. GAT traps – 56 traps have been requested; CBE has 48 traps. It was suggested first come, first serve. Each trap will come with instructions that Ms. McCaslin will create. The residents will need to complete a survey at the end of the season. Mr. Larsen made a motion to spend $450 to purchase more traps to meet the current requests. Mr. Hew seconded. Motion carries 11-0-0. b. Car magnets were received. Residents can pick them up at Davis Hall upon request. CBE members volunteered to distribute at the Farmer’s Market, MOM’s, Community center, car charging stations. Suggestion was made to advertise in Municipal Scene. c. The environmental analysis was completed and turned into Mayor and Council. Councilmember Kennedy has reached out to Mr. Dernoga to discuss. Mr. Larsen heard from Major Wojahn that it is being reviewed. Ms. Wick and Ms. Bely emailed to Councilmembers Riggs and Day. They are giving their commitment and agreed to work with the City Manager to develop a response. 8. Ms. Bely will finalize the survey with Ms. McCaslin. 9. The Permaculture Garden will be funded through Landscaping. Mr. Hew will work with Brenda Alexander about fall plantings of blueberries, Nanking cherries, paw tree and gator bags. 10. Mr. Gregory gave an update from the TLB meeting: • Contracted tree work with EXCEL is near completion. • The maps of the PEPCO line clearance work are posted on the City website. • Met with the PEPCO planners for tree removals in North College Park.  • The Hollywood Dog Park construction contract was approved by the City Council. • The Odessa Park project concept plan is still being finalized. • The landscape crew is working on weeding, pruning, and watering. • Initiating a dialogue with Public Services for enforcement of vegetation encroachment in the right of way. • Currently working on having a risk assessment performed for shared ownership of a tree in North College Park. • There were 13 TCEP applications and 28 trees planted for FY 2020. • Current new developments in the City: ➢ The Hub, ➢ The Tempo ➢ The Standards, ➢ Knox road development ➢ The Aspen ➢ The Atworks ➢ Southern gateway ➢ Branchville gardens ➢ The Marriott ➢ The WaWa at Ikea • The following City neighborhood projects are underway: ➢ Gateway Park complete. ➢ Hollywood street skate – reclaiming paved area to add plantings, performance space, adding landscaping, bike lanes, path along Muskogee street, enhancing street safety ➢ Duvall Field, completed an envisioning process on how to renovate the rest of the facility. ➢ Rhode Island Ave designing a buffered bike lane ➢ Berwyn Neighborhood Park ➢ Electric bicycles and scooters contract extended for another year ➢ Added more parking for the bicycles and scooters. 11. The County bill on reducing pesticides has been stalled. 12. How does CBE plan activities around Covid-19? Potential online workshops: Weatherizing, energy and climate control, waste management. 13. The next virtual meeting is scheduled for August 24, 2020 at 7:00pm. Instructions will be sent out via email prior to the meeting date. Ms. Bely motioned to adjourned. Mr. Gregory seconded. Motion carries 11-0-0. The meeting adjourned at 9:00pm. Respectfully submitted by Sheryl DeWalt, contract secretary.