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, September 18, 2024 at 5:30 PM MINUTES The Environmental Control Advisory Committee of the City of Norman, Cleveland County, State of Oklahoma, met in Regular Session in Conference Room B at the Development Center, on the 18th day of September, 2024, at 5:30 p.m., and notice of the agenda of the meeting were posted at the Norman Municipal Building at 201 West Gray, Development Center at 225 N. Webster and on the City website at least 24 hours prior to the beginning of the meeting. ROLL CALL 1. PRESENT Board member Dane Heins Board member Deborah Cretsinger Board member Inger Giuffrida (6 PM) Board member Lainey Phillips Board member Bob Nairn Board member Debbie Smith Board Member Eileen Grzybowski ABSENT Board member Nathalie Rocher Board member Sara Bondy INTRODUCE NEW MEMBERS, GUESTS & STAFF Staff: Rachel Camp, Water Treatment Plant Manager Jerry Gates, Environmental Services Assistant Manager Michele Loudenback, Environmental & Sustainability Manager Specialist Katrina Boteler, Storm Water Inspector ANNOUNCEMENTS Nairn - Great Plains Nature Based Solutions Inventory 10/10 - inventory in Tulsa. 10/11 - Field day to see installations in Ottowa County. ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL ADVISORY BOARD MEETING - Wednesday, September 18, 2024 P a g e | 1  Camp to send flyer from Nairn to all board members following meeting. Grzybowski - NPS Video to be put on the agenda for next month with Norman Public Schools following Grzybowski's efforts. MINUTES 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES FOR THE AUGUST 21, 2024 MEETING Motion made by Board member Phillips, Seconded by Board member Cretsinger. Voting Yea: Board member Heins, Board member Nairn, Board member Smith, Board Member Grzybowski DISCUSSION ITEMS 3. DISCUSSION OF THE INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENT HEAD MEETINGS FOR MCPA Giuffrida and Rocher had their meeting with Planning and Public Works and had a pretty good outcome. Giuffrida stated that they have many suggestions from them that appear to be really productive and positive. They will discuss more at next month’s meeting when they are both present to go over all the suggestions. 4. DISCUSSION OF THE FRESHWATER CHALLENGE There has been no luck in getting responses from anyone. Group will continue in their efforts and discuss at a later date. 5. DISCUSSION OF FUTURE EFFORTS IN COMPOSTING AND RECYCLING EDUCATION AND AUDITS Group had discussed doing more educational pieces with recycling and composting. Loudenback stated that with the new fiscal year they have a couple of great opportunities to make that happen. The city has taken in recycling as well as the residential food waste pilot project with Fertile Ground. Loudenback wanted to know what ideas they had as far as the education goes and if they still wanted to move forward with doing the recycling audit program. Cretsinger thinks that it would be good, especially with the Fertile Ground project, to get the word out via social media or newspaper article. Smith agreed and said that she would also like for the Manger of the program to come out and talk to them and tell them what his plans are for taking on recycling. Loudenback let the group know that we have a new Public Information Officer working with us and they have told her that if they need anything posted to let him know. Phillips said that she would eventually like to add a compost bin with the trash cans and once the trash cans get replaced to replace them with ones that say "landfill" on them. Loudenback said that they could also look at making more stickers to put on the bins. ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL ADVISORY BOARD MEETING - Wednesday, September 18, 2024 P a g e | 2 ACTION ITEMS 6. DISCUSSION AND/OR APPROVAL OF FALL GREEN NORMAN EVENTS Monarchs in the Park will be October 5th and ECAB will have a booth at the event. * Phillips and Cretsinger will help man the booth. * Would like to add to the recycling game and have a composting game as well. * Get the swag together for the event as well as items to keep things from blowing around. * Work on getting some signage for ECAB. October 20th will be a cleanup in the Little River Watershed at Ruby Grant. October 26th is OU's Little Event where we will do 2 projects that might need some helpers on. * Putting in a garden at Colonial Commons and help them set up some water harvesting as well as a cleanup. * Working with Alcott and Okies for Monarchs to put in a pollinator garden at the school. October 27th Lake Thunderbird workshop and cleanup event at the Boathouse. If you are available to come out and help please do. October 31st is the Spooky Stormwater Scramble which is an event that is done with the construction stakeholders where they can learn more about stormwater. November 9th is the E-Waste event. 2 part foraging class that includes a filed and kitchen portion. * November 10th, Foraging for food items at Saxon Park. * November 17th will be the Kitchen portion at The Well, cooking and preserving. November 23rd is a Composting class with Choctaw Nation Norman residents. Motion to approve participation in the Fall Green Norman events made by Board member Smith, Seconded by Board member Cretsinger. Voting Yea: Board member Heins, Board member Giuffrida, Board member Phillips, Board member Nairn, Board Member Grzybowski MISCELLANEOUS COMMENTS Regarding the Norman Solar Initiative they are currently at 787 kilowatts and still have some other installations pending and we just might make our 2 megawatt goal. Camp said that she could send data to Loudenback on their panels as well as the Water Reclamation Facility panels. ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL ADVISORY BOARD MEETING - Wednesday, September 18, 2024 P a g e | 3 Blue Neighborhood is ramping up again and last year they did 40 homes and they are reaching out to those 40 to take photos of their progress and did another soil test on some yards that had the compost dressing. Reaching out to get more homeowners involved. They are also getting an assessment done for restoring the creek that runs through Chisholm Cattle Drive. They won the Stormwater Initiative award from OFMA last night. QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC None ADJOURNMENT 7. TIME: 6:09 PM ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL ADVISORY BOARD MEETING - Wednesday, September 18, 2024 P a g e | 4