Green Team

Morgantown Municipal Green Team Monday, November 4, 2019 5:30pm–7:00pm Draft Minutes Facilitator: Jim Kotcon Note taker: Vanessa Reaves Present: Members Jim Kotcon (chair), Pam Cubberly (vice chair), Joe Kanosky (NETL), Jing Zhang, Karen Kalafat, Vanessa Reaves, Lynn Castro, and Mark Brazaitis; and visitors Mayor Bill Kawecki, Kestral Innes- Wimsatt, and Andrea Soccorsi, Brandon Darnell, Ryan Childers, Brendon Taylor, and Jordyn Malry (Eberly College). After introductions, team members approved the September Minutes after a few edits. Agenda. Pam suggested removing the agenda item on the team’s Strategic Plan (2018–21) and instead forming a small committee to review proposed edits and to propose 2020 team goals for discussion/approval on December 2. Members okayed the idea. Action: Joe Kanosky and Jing Zhang agreed to carry out this review; Pam will send them the latest versions; Joe and Jing will report on December 2. Presentation on plastic alternatives downtown (Eberly College students). The students presented a PowerPoint with info/data on (1) Millennials’ general willingness to act on their concerns on the environment as well as from (2) an expanded survey of 40 downtown businesses using graphs to illustrate main points. Businesses on average responded favorably (4 to 5 on a scale of 5) on the harmful effects of single-use plastics; their openness to reducing single-use plastics; their willingness to make the switch; and the idea of creating a standard for businesses to meet. Their main findings were:  Of the surveyed businesses, 48.8% of the businesses already have plastic alternatives in use whereas 51.2% do not use alternatives to single-use plastic.  Businesses such as restaurants/groceries (16/2) showed, on average, the most promising responses on further change.  A few outliers (not-so-common store types) have products already in plastic wrapping.  Many businesses also expressed a lack of access to recycling bins / recycling in general. In general, the team and Mayor Kawecki supported City-sponsored Green Business certification and encouraged Eberly students to present, within 3–6 months, a detailed proposal to the City Council on implementation, shored by this class’s recommendations and examples of similar city programs. Action: The students will send the team their recommendations, the PowerPoint, and the raw data before the end of the Fall semester. Annual meeting (Oct. 8) with City Manager (Jim Kotcon). Jim described the following outcomes:  Paul was enthusiastic about a program certifying Green Businesses in Morgantown.  He had no new information on LED streetlights but Mon Power is considering a tariff as part of the rate settlement with Energy Efficient West Virginia (EEWV). Jim noted that Alex Stockdale recently became the City’s new Public Works Director.  Paul indicated the City may have discretionary funds to help fund gaps in the REAP grant award. 1 Action: Jim agreed that quarterly meetings with Paul would be better than yearly and will pursue. Update on RecycleRight grant awarded (Pam and Vanessa). The final award of $36,786 to the City for the RecycleRight Campaign breaks down as follows:  Recycling Manager (half-time for 14 months) at $25,000 (no benefits funded separately)  Travel by manager to an annual recycling conference at $750  City-Wide Curbside Anti-Contamination Campaign (ACC) implementation at $8,363  City Schools Recycling Projects (3) totaling $2,400 Not funded were tablets for ACC ($1,000), City-Wide Publicity/Media Outreach Campaign ($13,500), City Composting Study by Downstream Strategies ($4,000), Big Bellies ($27,450), and other smaller items. The Reduce, Reuse, Recycle committee (RRR) is waiting to hear from City Grants Writer Robyn Hess on the City’s view of the team’s role in implementation. In addition, Reed College writing and Martin Hall Agency students continue to prepare final products to present to the RRR committee in mid-December. Action: RRR will soon set a meeting to discuss next steps this fall for City approval. CAP and Energy Committee Report (Jim). The committee did not meet in October so there was nothing to report. A meeting will be scheduled in November. Climate Summit in Pittsburgh October 30 (Pam). Pam attended the summit in lieu of Jim. Beginning with basic education on climate change, the summit mainly focused on regional impacts and efforts, and included panels on partnering across sectors to accelerate government response; youth demanding action; impact on diverse communities in the region; and tactical regional action to reverse global warming. Although Pittsburgh is taking global warming seriously, the Ohio River Valley is experiencing significant expansion of plastics production using fracked ethane gas from shale deposits; this has created a big controversy in the region. Action: Pam will summarize and send to team members the predicted impacts from climate change on southwest PA and parts of neighboring West Virginia and Ohio. Team Public Education Project (Jing). Jing presented a list of equipment etc. for team purchase in 2019 to support a developing Green Team education effort on issues of team concern at a range of general public events (not just green and including fairs and parades) in Morgantown in 2020. RecycleRight public education could take advantage of this program next year. The team reviewed the items to purchase and made some suggestions. Kestral and Karen indicated their interest in assisting Jing in forming a volunteer team to run tables, etc. at these events. Actions: Jing will contact Andrew Stacy (City communications director) for list of annual community events. Jing will refine the purchase list and get final team approval at the December 2 meeting. Pam will send Jing a list of “friends” of the Green Team for judicious use in seeking volunteers. ______________________ The meeting adjourned at 7:25pm. The next monthly meeting will take place on Dec. 2, 5:30–7:00pm, Conference Room B on the second floor. 2