Green Space Advisory Commission

City of WEBSTER GROVES 4 E. LOCKWOOD AVE. | WEBSTER GROVES | MISSOURI | 63119 314.963.5300 | WEBSTERGROVES.ORG WEBSTER GROVES GREEN SPACE ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES Date: Feb 1, 2023 Location: City Hall Called to Order: 5:00 p.m. Adjourned: 6:30 p.m. Next Meeting Date: WEDNESDAY, Mar 1 2023, 5:00 p.m. WG City Hall Conference Room or via Zoom This meeting will be available to the public in-person, and via teleconference. Instructions on listening through your phone or computer to the teleconference will be made available at www.webstergroves.org/teleconference. Public comments may be made in-person, virtually via Zoom with the raise hand option. Public comments via zoom will be limited to three minutes. NAME PRESENT ABSENT Carrie Coyne, Chair X Ginger Garrett X Lynnda Green X Bill Hoss X Liz James X Laura Jordan X Joe Oelke X Jerry Pinkner X Corin Pursell X Emily Hixson Shepherd, Council Liaison X Yvonne Steingruby, Staff Liaison X I. Call to Order II. Roll Call II. Approval of January Minutes IV. Visitors Comments: None V. Old Business: a. Secretary Schedule: Joe Oelke Mar, Liz James, Apr/May, Jerry Pinkner Jun/Jul, Lynnda Green Aug/Sep, Laura Jordan Oct/Nov  b. Trees of Distinction Update: four submissions to date. Liz to share the flyer via social media. Joe to look at the trees prior to next meeting. Try to promote the TOD at he Speaker series to generate more interest. Carrie has requested a Powerpoint/slide for the February 16th talk. c. Speaker Series & Marketing Update: Lynnda has created a marketing/timeline for promotional purposes. Lynnda has spoke with the Kirkwood/Webster Times Newspaper. The KWT jumped the gun and published an article promoting the Speaker Series prior to GSAC having all of the details ironed out. The Dark Skies night at the Webster Groves Library had a great turnout. Roughly 35 people in attendance. Residents are very excited to take part in the Dark Skies initiative. Many residents expressed concerns over the excessive lights at the Webster Groves Rec Center. Carrie has suggested that this be added to the March Meeting Agenda. Lynnda has emailed the Chair of the Sustainability Commission to possibly help address the issue as a united front. Carrie has suggested a possible sub committee with Sustainability. Lynnda has made a timeline with tasks to complete. The committee should discuss the possibility of a suburban Dark Sky Park in Webster Groves. Carrie has suggested that we have a laptop on hand for the speaker series and have the guest speakers bring a thumb drive. Lynnda and Carrie are working on a fact sheet. Hopefully to be published in the KWT Paper. Signs are to be made to promote NO MOW. Carrie is working with Jen Starky to complete this task. Yvonne has suggested to print two sided signs “No Mow/Leave the Leaves” Possibly solicit donations for signs? Carrie has created a sign as a demo. Liz suggested a QR code for donations. GSAC needs to get pricing for signage. The March 16th guest speaker has not been locked in. Yvonne has suggested her brother, a local Bee Keeper or James Faupel. The April guest speakers are Danelle Haake and Stacy Arnold. They will be speaking on the Deer Creek/River Des Peres Watersheds. Joe will will introduce the speakers and speak on why this is an important topic. Joe to provide photos and stories of his excursions throughout the watershed. c. Mayors for Monarchs: Jerry was absent. No update. d. Stormwater Committee Update: Nothing new to report. Jamie and Carrie will be reviewing RFQs with Public Works on Feb17. VI. New Business a. Focusing our efforts (TOD, GOC, Speaker Series, etc…) Carrie has expressed concerns  in regards to spreading ourselves to thin. Is the Trees of Distinction worth saving? Corin sees this as a necessity and feels that we need to continue with the awards program. Liz agrees, she suggested a run on social media to see what happens. Yvonne to print TOD applications. Yvonne suggested GSAC apply for a TRIM Grant through MDC. We use the funds to obtain a Laptop,Microphone, etc. She also thinks we should apply for a Tree City USA Growth Award. Carrie and Joe are to reach out to Mark Grueber from the Missouri Department of Conservation about this possibility. b. Arbor Day Celebration: This years event will be held at Blackburn Park Tuesday April 25th 5:30 pm. Yvonne plans on setting a world record tree planting event prior to the celebration. She will need volunteers to make this happen. c. Tree Steward Awardee: for 2023 is Vincent Huening. He is nominated by Yvonne for his work in Blackburn Park. Joe will reach to him as he is his neighbor to confirm. d. 4th of July Parade: Possible partnership with sustainability. Carrie to reach out to Sustainable Jamie. Yvonne has offered three golf carts to that GSAC could use if needed. VII. Council Liaison Update: No major updates from City Council. Emily is to update City Council in regards to all of the GSAC shenanigans. VIII. City Liaison Update: Yvonne wants a budget for next year. If GSAC wants to apply for a TRIM Grant this will need to be taken in to account. IX. Next Meeting Date: March 1, 2023 @ 5:00pm X. Adjournment: 6:30pm Individuals who require an accommodation (sign language, interpreter, listening devices, etc.) to participate in the meeting should contact the City Clerk at 314-963-5318 (fax number 314-963-7561) or Relay Missouri at 1-800-735-2966 (TDD) at least two working days prior to the m e e t ing.