Committee for a Better Environment
Regular MeetingCollege Park, MD · April 22, 2024
Minutes
Committee for a Better Environment
Via Teleconferencing through Zoom
April 22, 2024 – 7:00 PM
Staff Present Absent
Janet McCaslin X
Susan Whitney, Councilmember X
Members Term Expires Present Absent
Alexa Bely 6/30/2025 X
Frank Cifaldi 6/30/2026 X
Wentao Guo 6/30/2025 X
Brendan Hall 6/30/2024 X
Michael Hottinger 6/30/2026 X
Todd Larsen 6/30/2026 X
Sam McGranahan 6/30/2026 X
Nikki Pancho (d. 8:00pm) 6/30/2025 X
Shyamala Rajan 6/30/2026 X
William “Donnie” Scally 6/30/2026 X
Nicole Sieck 6/30/2026 X
Stacy Teng 6/30/2025 X
Caroline Wick (a. 7:09 pm) 6/30/2026 X
Janice Wallace 6/30/2026 X
Also Present: Students from UMD: Huy Nguyen, David Strong,
Sheryl DeWalt, Contract Secretary
The meeting began at 7:05pm by Alexa Bely, acting chair.
1. Ms. Sieck motioned to accept the agenda with one addition, and Mr. Larsen seconded.
Motion carries 11-0-0.
2. The March 2024 minutes were reviewed. Mr. Guo motioned to accept with one change,
and Mr. Cifaldi seconded to accept the minutes. Motion carries 12-0-0.
3. City activities:
a. The remaining budget is $3,378. The $8,000 for the electric lawn equipment has
been set aside in the budget to cover the rebates as well as $200 for the remaining
Green Awards.
b. There are no more round magnets advertising electric cars or biking. The total to
order one set of each of the three different magnets are $567. Mr. Larsen made a
motion to spend up to $700 on the magnets to cover the cost and shipping. Ms.
Wallace seconded. Motion carries 12-0-0.
c. Spring Clean-up days left are April 27 and May 18 (shredding will also be
available on May 18). Bulk trash rules will be waived during these four dates.
There will be a $4.00 charge per tire; tires must be off the rim.
d. The Permaculture clean up day went very well. There were many CBE
volunteers. Altogether there were about 30 volunteers. Thank you to Alec Lynde
for bringing the refreshments.
4. The letter supporting the Maryland Bottle Bill was sent to Mayor and Council.
5. The winners of the Green Awards were not present. Ms. McCaslin will contact each of
them and ensure that they can attend the May meeting.
6. Ms. Wallace indicated she will give a further update on Green-inspired events at the May
CBE meeting.
7. Ms. McCaslin was able to purchase a non-slip sealer for several of the painted storm
drains. This will be further discussed at the May CBE meeting. There are two storm
drain paintings that will be done either May 28 or May 29; Mr. Scally will prime the
drains on May 24 or 25, depending on the weather. We are waiting for NASA Greenbelt
to decide where they would like to paint their mural.
8. Climate Action Plan. Mr. Guo sent out a draft of the plan for the committee to review.
There were several suggestions to the plan. Mr. Guo asked everyone to email their
suggestions to him, and he will redo the draft and send back out the committee to review.
This will be reviewed at the May meeting.
9. The Sustainability Survey closed on Friday, April 19. Ms. McCaslin will reach out to
communications to find out the number of people who took the survey and the results.
10. Ms. Bely could use assistance with putting in the signs for the trees along the Trolley
Trail.
11. Ms. Rajan drafted a letter to support establishing the Southern Maryland Woodlands
National Wildlife Refuge, and Todd Larsen sent the letter to Mayor and Council.
12. Bee City update:
a. No Mow April started on April 1. It seems to be going well.
b. The planting event in April with MNCPPC will be rescheduled to the park
ranger’s schedule.
c. Continuing to work on Pollinator Week in June.
13. Municipal Scene - May and June articles have been submitted. At the May CBE
meeting, we will look for articles and volunteers to write them for July and August.
14. The College Park parade is on May 4. CBE, TLB, and Bee City should be marching
together. Ms. McCaslin has last year’s signs that members can carry. It was decided,
based on a previous approval of $200, to order produce bags and fill them with candy to
hand out during the parade.
15. TLB Update:
a. Miriam Bader, City Planning Office, attended the meeting to discuss the trail in
Old Town.
b. Arbor Day planting will be done in Calvert Hills.
c. Discussed urban master tree plan.
d. Door hangers were made on how to remove ivy from trees.
16. CBE will be supporting the Davis Field Community Garden. Mr. Larsen will discuss
with the Bee City chair and will also draft a letter of support to be sent to Mayor and City
Council.
17. Due to the Memorial Day Holiday, the next CBE meeting will be on Wednesday, May
29, 2024, at 7:00pm. Ms. DeWalt will contact the City Clerk’s office to change the
meeting date.
Ms. Wallace motioned, and Mr. Hottinger seconded to adjourn the meeting. Motion carries 11-
0-0. The meeting was adjourned at 8:31pm.
Respectfully submitted by Sheryl DeWalt, contract secretary.
Agenda
DRAFT AGENDA
College Park Committee for a Better Environment
Monday, April 22, 2024
7 pm
Location: Online meeting – Zoom (see instructions)
1. Amendments to and/or approval of this agenda
2. Review and approve March 2024 minutes
3. Report on City activities and CBE budget – Janet McCaslin
Ongoing Business
Green Awards presentation
Update on electric/manual lawn equipment incentive program
Green events – ideas and planning
Stormwater drain art/medallions
Climate Action Plan – working draft of letter to review -
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Z9gy26EgAYI1_YVKAz8CWd9TcivvJp7Jvz3ubZ0HR2M/e
dit?usp=sharing
Sustainability Survey – responses?
Labeling trees on the trolley trail
Permaculture garden clean up – report out
Letter of support for South MD Wildlife Refuge
Tips of the month for coming months – we have May and June
Report out on Bee City activities
Tree and Landscape Board report
New Business:
Letter of support for Davis Field Hollywood Community Garden
Next Meeting: April 22, 2024
Green Award Grantees – approved at the March 2024 meeting
Vincent McDonald
Vince lives in the Yarrow section of College Park and over the years has taken it upon himself to work
with the City to redesign the entrance signs and plantings at the entrances of College Park Estates and
the Yarrow neighborhoods.
Vince not only worked with the city on the redesign, but purchased, prepared the soil, and planted all
the plants. He did this because he is proud of his community and wants to keep it looking good. Vince
continues to upkeep the area, he adds compost and mulch as needed, and keeps the area free of litter.
- Submitted by Janet McCaslin, CBE Liaison and Resident of College Park.
Janet Wagner, a resident of Calvert Hills, for the CBE Green Award. Janet and her husband, Richard, are
a great demonstration that one can promote connections with nature through careful ornamental
landscaping, which promotes diversity while sustaining our green spaces. Janet and Richard are
examples of responsible and conscious care of our tree canopy: they take extreme care of the trees on
their property, regularly having them checked by expert arborists and trimmed if needed. Align with this,
their yards are carefully maintained, with an ornamental backyard that features several levels of
vegetation, promoting larger and medium trees, as well as shrubs and herbaceous plants. These plants
do not only provide a complex backyard, but are also incredibly beautiful, with flowers present throughout
the year, and currently displaying stunning dogwood flowers and incredible azalea bushes. Further,
probably because of their structural complexity and health, their yard also welcomes native volunteers,
such as the trout lilies which have recently started to establish. Although I feel we usually tend to
recognize people who promote natives, I feel that their conscious and careful care of their spaces with
ornamentals provides beauty that makes neighbors and trail visitors pause to observe, connect with, and
value nature.
- Submitted by Anahi
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