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, June 26, 2024 at 5:30 PM MINUTES AMENDED 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 Deborah Cretsinger Board member Inger Giuffrida Board member Lainey Phillips Board member Bob Nairn Board member Sara Bondy Board member Debbie Smith Board Member Eileen Grzybowski ABSENT Board member Dane Heins Board member Nathalie Rocher INTRODUCE NEW MEMBERS, GUESTS & STAFF Staff Present: Rachel Camp, Water Treatment Plant Manager Michele Loudenback, Environmental & Sustainability Manager Specialist Jerry Gates, Environmental Services Assistant Manager ANNOUNCEMENTS ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL ADVISORY BOARD MEETING - Wednesday, June 26, 2024 Page |1 Two activities planned for Love Your Lakes week. Partnering with the Lake Thunderbird Water Alliance and Blue Thumb. July 21st at the Library - Rain chain making workshop July 27th at the Well - Combination of Butterflies, Bees and something with Bugs and Fishes MINUTES 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES FOR THE MAY 15, 2024 MEETING Motion to approve made by Board member Smith, Seconded by Board member Cretsinger. Voting Yea: Board member Giuffrida, Board member Phillips, Board member Nairn, Board member Bondy, Board Member Grzybowski DISCUSSION ITEMS 3. DISCUSSION AND UPDATE OF THE INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENT HEAD MEETINGS FOR MCPA Phillips - one meeting with Olson, Parks and Rec and one with Mattingly, Utilities and they both went really well. Mattingly was all in. Discussion with Mattingly was how to get businesses and apartments on board with the recycling. Mattingly wants to go to some businesses and get them started on some sort of recycling program and then reward them by advertising that they are doing it. With Olson they discussed recycling within the parks themselves. Olson's issue is the swapping out the old trash cans with new ones in regards to money. He did say that as they are needed to be replaced, they can switch them to include the recycling at that time as well as any new parks as they are developed. She let them know that while the YFAC does have the separate bins they are identical and people will not differentiate the two. Also discussed the bottle size openings. The other issue that they had is that they do not have anyone to pick up the recycling. Bondy & Cretsinger - They met with the whole parks department. Bondy said that her biggest takeaway is that what Parks needs from ECAB is advertising on the things that they are doing right. Which they feel is a good idea to get them more on board with more things that ECAB is trying to implement. There seems to be a disconnect within the parks department regarding the issue with the Chinese Pistache tree. Mowing was another thing that was discussed. They are mowing less along the creeks. Olson is working on getting some electric mowers for the department as well as a different chute to keep the clippings from going into the streets. They would not bend on the mowing near Saxon and Ruby Grant because it is mandated for those who do use it for sports and other things. We can give kudos for the natives that they have planted. Olson stated that they ran out of money so the rest of it is Bermuda. Griggs said that he would like ECAB to promote that Parks & Recs should get separate funding for "beautification". He said that he puts in for it every year and never gets it but if he ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL ADVISORY BOARD MEETING - Wednesday, June 26, 2024 Page |2  could get that then he would be able to put in more native gardens and things like that. They just do not have the funds for it. Bondy proposed to them that they could potentially look for some grants for them to use and his response was that they didn't want to deal with anything that was $1000-$2000. The issue is that they are public servants and they have to "please" everybody. There are two sides to please, those that prefer the manicured look and those that prefer the pollinators and natives. Giuffrida - Task was to be able to get Loudenback to present to the AIM Norman group. She was told by the consultants that there was not enough time. So she sent the video of Loudenback presenting the MCPA to the Council as well as the document. She is still advocating to have Loudenback go and do a presentation. All the department heads have the document but she would still like to be able to sit down and discuss it with them. Nairn - Murphy cancelled their meeting. Grzybowski - Update - she spoke with the people at Norman North staff and they are on board with doing something. They would do some public service announcements. Although now is not a good time to be talking to them in regards to PSA with it being Summer. Need to come up with some topics for them to discuss. ACTION ITEMS 4. DISCUSSION AND/OR APPROVAL OF THE WATERS WORTH IT PROCLAMATION Motion to add Wildlife and Biodiversity to the document, once added motion to approve made by Board member Nairn, Seconded by Board member Cretsinger. Voting Yea: Board member Giuffrida, Board member Phillips, Board member Bondy, Board member Smith, Board Member Grzybowski MISCELLANEOUS COMMENTS Had a great nonprofit meeting for the solar initiative. Several nonprofits showed up to learn more about the solar initiative. There will be other meetings for people to come to as well as online videos. Loudenback asked Nairn to accept the Waters Worth It/Love your Lakes Week Proclamation at the July 9th Council Meeting. QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC None ADJOURNMENT 5. TIME: 6:13 PM ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL ADVISORY BOARD MEETING - Wednesday, June 26, 2024 Page |3