Committee for a Better Environment

Committee for a Better Environment Via Teleconferencing through Zoom May 24, 2021 7:00 PM Members Present Absent Alexa Bely X Dylan Burns X Pablo deOliveria X Matt Dernoga X Alan Hew X Todd Larsen X Andrea McNamara X Nikki Pancho (a 7:26pm) X Donnie Scally X Don Schmadel X Emily Shohfi X Holly Simmons (d. 8:00pm) X Stacy Teng X Cameron Thurston X Daniel Walfield X Caroline Wick X Mitchell Wyllins X Guests: Anahi Espindola, Urs Weber, Sandra Roper, Bill Roper, Janis Oppelt Also Present: Janet McCaslin, City Liaison; Sheryl DeWalt, Contract Secretary The meeting began at 7:04pm by Todd Larsen, chair. Our Green Award Winners were welcomed to the meeting. 1. The agenda was reviewed. Mr. deOliveria motioned to accept. Ms. Bely seconded. Motion carries 11-0-0. 2. The April 26, 2021 minutes were reviewed. Ms. Wick motioned to accept the minutes. Ms. Bely seconded. Motion carries 11-0-0. 3. City activities: a. CBE has a current budget of $1688.98 for FY2021. The budget for FY2022 will be $3,000.00. b. The Dog Park, near Huron and 51st, should be opened shortly. The City is waiting on permits. c. Department of Public Works have placed two new EB stations in the parking lot. They will be operational as soon as the permits are received. d. If interested, the Green Team Summit for the Route 1 corridor is tomorrow, May 25. Ms. McCaslin will send out the link to the committee. 4. The Green Award winners were presented to the committee. Each nomination was read. The winners will receive a certificate and a check for $100. Arrangements will be made with Ms. McCaslin for the certificate and the check. Congratulations to: a. Urs Weber/Anahi Espindola b. Friends of Guilford Run – accepted by Sandra Roper c. Janis Oppelt d. Rick Borchelt – Mr. Borchelt was unable to attend the meeting, but Ms. McCaslin will reach out to him. 5. Labeling trees on the Trolley Trail. Ms. Bely has started to map out native trees at the Southern edge around Calvert Hills and Old Town and the Northern edge at Berwyn. It’s still a work in progress. She also spoke to the sign company (the one who did the signs for the Permaculture Garden) and the cost for printing 20 signs and mini posts is approximately $950. The suggestion was made to have the signs with the common name, the genus species, and the family species. There will be a larger size detailing the labeling project and a QR code will be added at the bottom which will point to tree website link. The committee would like to have the information about the labeling of the trees on the CBE website. Ms. McCaslin reminded the group that all information on the website will need to be approve by the City’s Communication Coordinator. 6. Tip for Municipal Scene: a. June – Using You Tube to look up repair procedures – Mr. Hew will handle. b. July – Advice on air conditioning size for your home – Mr. Walfield will handle. 7. Discussed expenditures for the remaining monies for FY2021 and for FY2022. The motion was made by Mr. Larsen to apply $950 for the Trolley Trail Tree Signs and $597 for the Bee Hotels. If monies are available in the Shrub and Flower line item, the $650 for the Gator Bags will be paid from there; if monies are not available, the $650 for the Gator Bags will be purchased in FY2022. Mr. Hew seconded the motion. Motion carries 11-0-0. 8. A virtual Mosquito workshop will be held on June 17. It will be presented by the Maryland Department of Agriculture. They will discuss a) prevention and control of mosquitos, b) GAT trap instructions, and c) Question and Answer. Ms. McCaslin will forward the link and flyer to the committee. There was a suggestion that a sign language interpreter and/or a Spanish interpreter. 9. “No Mow May” will not happen until 2022. Mr. Hew explained that in our area, the month to not mow would be April. The entire program would need Mayor and City Council approval. In order for that to happen, a proposal/plan of action would have to be written up with detailed information. It would need to be sent to Ms. McCaslin will who write up a staff report. Everything will be sent to the City Clerk’s office and scheduled for a City Council meeting. Once the meeting is scheduled, members of CBE would have to be present. Ms. Teng will continue to work with Bee City USA committee on a sign/plaque design that residents can post in their yards if the program is approved.  10. Ms. McCaslin stated that a CBE representative was not present at the Tree and Landscape Board meeting. It is part of the charter that a CBE representative is present for the TLB meetings. Ms. Wick has agreed to attend the June 16 meeting. Ms. DeWalt will forward the draft copy of the May minutes to the committee. 11. The next CBE meeting will be on June 28, 2021 at 7:00pm. Instructions will be sent out via email prior to the meeting date. Mr. Hew motioned to adjourned. Mr. deOliveria seconded. Motion carries 10-0-0. The meeting adjourned at 9:00pm. Respectfully submitted by Sheryl DeWalt, contract secretary.