Environmental Control Advisory Board Meeting

CITY OF NORMAN, OK ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL ADVISORY BOARD MEETING Development Center, Conference Room, 225 N. Webster Avenue, Norman, OK 73069 Wednesday, May 15, 2024 at 6:15 PM MINUTES AMENDED PLEASE NOTE TIME CHANGE 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 1. PRESENT Board member Dane Heins Board member Deborah Cretsinger Board member Bob Nairn Board member Nathalie Rocher Board member Debbie Smith ABSENT Board member Inger Giuffrida Board member Lainey Phillips Board member Sara Bondy Board Member Eileen Grzybowski ANNOUNCEMENTS Clean up 10am-noon Saturday at Creekside Bike Park at the request of Austin Ball who will be in attendance. Final big event of Green Norman EcoMonth is Sunday at Lake Thunderbird State Park ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL ADVISORY BOARD MEETING - Wednesday, May 15, 2024 Page |1 INTRODUCE NEW MEMBERS, GUESTS, AND STAFF Staff Present: Rachel Croft, Water Treatment Plant Manager Michele Loudenback, Environmental & Sustainability Manager Specialist Garrett Billings, Stormwater Inspector Guests Present: Ken Hobson, Retired OU Professor MINUTES 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES FOR THE APRIL 17, 2024 MEETING Motion made to approve the minutes by Board member Smith, Seconded by Board member Rocher. Voting Yea: Board member Heins, Board member Cretsinger, Board member Nairn DISCUSSION ITEMS 3. DISCUSSION AND UPDATE OF THE INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENT HEAD MEETINGS FOR MCPA Smith spoke with WRF and said that they were really receptive. Phillips spoke with Utilities. Nairn stated that Murphy with Stormwater Maintenance, cancelled so they will need to reschedule. Rocher has not had time to meet, but schedule is freeing up. Rocher asked if there was a list of all HOA's in Norman in order to reach out to each to help make changes in Norman since they have their own set of covenants. Loudenback will bring it up with management to see if she can gather a list for the City of Norman ACTION ITEMS 4. DISCUSSION AND/OR APPROVAL OF THE FRESHWATER CHALLENGE Calls on Cities to advance their own policies and strategies in conserving and restoring America's fresh water systems. Nairn believes that this might be something that ECAB would be interested, that Norman could potentially become a "member". TABLED - it was decided that this item be tabled until next month's meeting in order to give everyone time to review the document and discuss it further. ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL ADVISORY BOARD MEETING - Wednesday, May 15, 2024 Page |2 MISCELLANEOUS COMMENTS Rocher wanted to correct last month's meeting that she misspoke when she said that the YFAC does not have trees, the YFAC does in fact have trees, but it's the Griffin Soccer fields that do not have many, which is what she's concerned about. QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC Mr. Hobson attended the tree board meeting and that they discussed the Ruby Grant Park trees at the west lot in which there are 5 Chinese Pistache trees, which are extremely invasive and effects the survival other native plants and animals. Additionally he mentioned that these trees are showing up in Oliver's Woods along with Laced Bark Elm. He believes the City planted them in 2019 where they are trying to preserve natural ecosystems, which was before Mr. Zink, City Forester, was hired. In the meeting he had requested to have the one female Pistache cut down so it won’t reproduce with the others and spread, to which. Zink and Mr. Briggs explained that they do not have the time or money to devote to cutting these trees down. He is wondering if there could be any feedback from ECAB that he can take back to the tree board in order to get these trees removed and also assist in getting the City an developers to stop planting these types of trees altogether. Smith mentioned there is a list of approved trees that the City uses. Hobson mentioned that Colin had told him the Chinese Pistache doesn't have any benefits for the City, but does not give the reason to cut existing trees down. He also wants to support more natives and pollinators and stop the unnecessary mowing, which will also assist in eliminating erosion. He believes that the Parks Department needs to have an ecologist on staff, to which Loudenback brought up that the City does have a landscape ecologist on staff in the Parks Department. Loudenback agreed that discussing these matters with the Parks Board would be a great idea as they are over Parks. His concern is that Parks has no expertise in this matter as staff mainly has recreation backgrounds and he has already received push back. Cretsinger told him that they would be discussing the MCPA in detail with the Parks Department in the near future and would have more information at a later date. Hobson asked how they address something where they are getting no response from the City when it comes to their concerns. Everyone agreed the next step would be to go to the City Manager. Loudenback noted that no one is currently assigned to discuss the MCPA with him and Rocher said that she would. ADJOURNMENT 5. TIME: 7:10 PM ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL ADVISORY BOARD MEETING - Wednesday, May 15, 2024 Page |3