Environmental Commission

Madison Environmental Commission Meeting Minutes March 24, 2016 We called the meeting to order at 7:39 PM Present at the meeting were Pat Rowe, Claire Whitcomb, Trina Mallik, Mary Ellen Kapalo, Stephan Stocker and Amy Terracciano Meeting of Madison Environmental Commission complies with P.L. 1975 c. 231 Reviewed the responsibilities and duties of the Environmental Commission. The Commission has two masters: Mayor or Council and ANJEC. Local conservation programs was elaborated on to include: cut and leave the grass on the lawn initiative, use no pesticides program and electronic recycling. Informational materials included the development and distribution of the ERI. Examples of maps include the GIS maps and the map drawn up of all conservation easements. The responsibility of operate conservation programs was discussed. Two conservation programs that are being currently run are the food pantry project that is run out of the community garden. The garden supplies fresh produce all year round to the Morristown food pantry. The second program is the restoration of wetland forces that has a timeline of 10 years. In terms of ANJEC duties and responsibilities we have not advised the health board. However, two ideas which included checking the water at the public schools and to retest the water run-off on the turf fields. The toxicity of tire crumbs was discussed and how to possibly circumvent any potential consequences among children who use the field. The three new members took the oath of office for the Madison Environmental Commission. Minutes from the February meeting were approved. No communications or guest speakers for this meeting. The goals for 2016 were voted on and they include: - The Shoe Drive. The MEC will be doing the drive through the YMCA - Renewable Energy - home audit initiative - Green Fair - Bottle Hill Day Shoe drive: need volunteers to pick up the shoes and to box them up. As of now, all of the elementary schools are on board and ready to implement the shoe drive for this year. Trina discussed the efforts happening within the elementary schools, middle school and high school to brainstorm ideas and to generate more eco-friendly initiatives for each school to adopt. This topic stemmed into creating a garden at KRS and possibly using that vegetation to give to the same food pantry or distributing it to local families in Madison. Healthy Kids Day at the YMCA is happening in April 30, 2016. Volunteers are needed to help manage the table. Creating educational and awareness outreach programs was briefly mentioned. Single stream recycling was discussed as well as enforcing an anti-idling campaign. Stephan is working on applying for grant; one through the Morris County Parks Commission to start an internship program for the wetlands and another grant for $30,000 for a major overhaul of the wetland and forest area. The grants were voted and approved by the committee to pursue. Twenty students are going to come April 9th from the college of New Jersey to work on the wetland and remove invasive species and to narrow the trail. A second group will come from FDU later in the month to also help. Architect to look into mixture of native trees and shrubs to benefit the biodiversity of the environment at Drew University. Green Fair was discussed to go over the number of tables, the possibility of having a school table and the different displays that will be present. Site Map of a location on Green Avenue was reviewed to determine any negative impacts of run-off. It was concluded that there was no stormwater management plan. The meeting was adjourned at 9:15PM.