Environmental Control Advisory Board Meeting

CITY OF NORMAN, OK ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL ADVISORY BOARD MEETING 225 N. Webster, Development Center, Conference Room B, Norman, OK 73069 Wednesday, July 19, 2023 at 5:30 PM MINUTES It is the policy of the City of Norman that no person or groups of persons shall on the grounds of race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, age, place of birth, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, familial status, marital status, including marriage to a person of the same sex, disability, relation, or genetic information, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or otherwise subjected to discrimination in employment activities or in all programs, services, or activities administered by the City, its recipients, sub-recipients, and contractors. In the event of any comments, complaints, modifications, accommodations, alternative formats, and auxiliary aids and services regarding accessibility or inclusion, please contact the ADA Technician at 405-366-5424, Relay Service: 711. To better serve you, five (5) business days' advance notice is preferred. ROLL CALL PRESENT Board member Dane Heins Board member Debra Cretsinger Board member Inger Giuffrida Board member Nathalie Rocher Board member Debbie Smith Board member Valerie Green ABSENT Board member Lainey Phillips Board member Bob Nairn Board member Sara Bondy INTRODUCE NEW MEMBERS, GUESTS & STAFF New Members: Valerie Green & Debra Smith Staff: Rachel Croft, Utilities Capital Projects Engineer Jerry Gates, Environmental Services Assistant Manager ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL ADVISORY BOARD MEETING - Wednesday, July 19, 2023 Page |1 Guest: Safe Lawns ANNOUNCEMENTS None MINUTES 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES FOR THE JUNE 21, 2023 MEETING Motion made by Board member Cretsinger, Seconded by Board member Rocher. Voting Yea: Board member Heins, Board member Giuffrida, Board member Smith, Board member Green DISCUSSION ITEMS 2. Discussion with Safe Lawns regarding spraying program Safe Lawns is a group of concerned citizens that have come together and recognize this is an issue. The one thing they think they can do best is get the community more involved and on board. The immediate goal is to work with the City of Norman/ECAB to reduce the use of chemicals across all municipal departments. They are trying to learn more about what ordinances exist and which ones should be created. They would eventually like to work with the businesses and residential community as well. Education is a must because a lot of people are not aware that there is a phosphorus ordinance and local stores are not allowed to sell certain products. It was mentioned that some Norman departments are still using some chemicals just because they have it on the shelf and are trying to use it up. Safe Lawns group was curious about the time frame for using up the rest of the chemicals and asked about the potential to add to a Master Plan for the City to be pesticide/herbicide free by a certain date. The Norman Parks and Stormwater Departments mentioned previously that they would be on board if ECAB could provide an organic or nontoxic herbicides list that would be effective as they do have a responsibility to the citizens to keep the right-of-ways and other public spaces clear Safe Lawns would like to put a pamphlet together with ECAB that has some educational information on Pesticide/Herbicide use that can be dispersed throughout the City. 3. Discussion of the Mayors Climate Protection Agreement ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL ADVISORY BOARD MEETING - Wednesday, July 19, 2023 Page |2  Discussed action items 1-5. Added a few points and removed others. Document updated and will continue discussions in next month's meeting. Board would like to prioritize and highlight the top 3 and then do a public education flyer after approval, that lists the groups top 10 recommendations for improving Norman. All other points will stay. MISCELLANEOUS COMMENTS Gates asked if ECAB would still be interested in touring the SE landfill. The Board is interested, but would like to schedule it for some time in October so that it will be cooler. Giuffrida wanted to let everyone know about an upcoming project that she wasn’t aware of where there is going to be a large stretch of electric poles going throughout the City, in the floodplain and in Ruby Grant Park. Smith mentioned how she recently saw a trash can somewhere that said “landfill” instead of “trash.” She thinks putting this on trash cans throughout Norman is a much more impactful message that would make people think about recycling. The rest of the Board was in agreement. Rocher mentioned she emailed someone at OU about the low levels in the Duck Pond that was mentioned at last month’s meeting. They mentioned that the dam under Lindsey could have broken and are going to investigate. Green mentioned there are ponds around the St. James addition that she recently saw were being sprayed. She did not know if it was the City spraying or a lawn care company, but she was concerned. QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC None ADJOURNMENT Time:_7:22 PM Dane Heins Signed Sept. 7, 2023 ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL ADVISORY BOARD MEETING - Wednesday, July 19, 2023 Page |3