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Green Committee Minutes 2011 03-28-11 APPROVED 4/25/11 Meeting Minutes YORKVILLE GREEN COMMITTEE March 28, 2011 7:00 P.M. - Yorkville Library Mission Statement: To advise the City Council of the United City of Yorkville, Illinois on ways to enhance the community environment and ways to equip and encourage citizens and businesses to participate in sustainable ecological practices. Call to Order: Marta Keane called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. Welcome Members and Guests: Marta Keane – chairperson; Anne Engelhardt – secretary; Seaver Tarulis; Richard Scheffrahn; Becca Cherwin; Jackie Dearborn – City of Yorkville, liaison. Guests: Eric Paetzel and Jean Paetzel. Citizens’ Comments: None. Approval of Minutes: The February Meeting minutes will be presented for approval at the next meeting, on April 25. New Business: 1.Earth Day – April 22, 2011. Cherwin asked for suggestions as to where her son’s Scout Troop may be able to get a tree to plant for Arbor Day next week. Scheffrahn suggested asking a nursery. Dearborn will give Cherwin information about her neighbor, who is taking out trees without charge to those who are able to provide the equipment and manpower to remove the trees. Committee Reports: th 1.Environmental Fair Committee – Summary of March 5 event Eric Paetzel, from the Chamber of Commerce, presented the findings from the questionnaire to the vendors on the day of the Fair. See attached list of positive comments and suggestions for improvement. Engelhardt gave additional recommendations in writing to Dearborn for next year, including suggestions for early promotion. Dearborn talked about improving the procedures for handing out the door prizes. She also suggested that vendors send in their applications and fees online to make it more efficient. Vendor survey could also be done online next year. Dearborn already sent out a thank you letter to vendors. Dearborn brought ideas from Glory Spies, Community Relations, who suggested adding a “wow” feature next year (game show, like Minute to Win It, a recycled garments fashion show, “I got Trashed” - recycling king and queen from HS, Elvis impersonator, decorated rain barrels that could be auctioned off at end of fair. Another idea from Dearborn was to ask businesses to use the promotional flier and put these out at their business and through their web sites. After the election Dearborn will contact the individuals who are interested in becoming a member of the Green Committee. She will follow up with a letter Engelhardt will send Dearborn the letter used last year, and Cherwin will follow up with a phone call. About 75 Green Committee re-usable shopping bags were left over. Dearborn will bring these to the next chamber event on April 14, “Spring Break”. 2.Green Music Under the Stars – planning progress th Cherwin reported on Green Music Under the Star event on July 8.. The band is booked by Tim Evans, who works for the City’s Rec Center. Cherwin showed a draft of a promotional logo for the event. Vendors will need to register for a space; they will have no charge and will bring their own tables and chairs for their assigned space, probably along the diagonal sidewalk in the middle of the park. Cherwin will write a letter of invitation. Richard will assist. The letter and registration form should go to Dearborn, who will make sure it is on the web site, on facebook, and that the registration can be done online. nd Dearborn talked about the Aurora Area 2 Annual Green Fest sponsored by Aurora Green Light, (www.auroragreenlights.org), June 11, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., theme is Going Greener Every Day, outdoors in different places in Aurora. Keane suggested to have rain barrels for sale at the Music Under the Stars event. Businesses would purchase a rain barrel and then invite an artist to paint it; the th painted rain barrels will display June 1 – July 3at the businesses. Then at 4 of July events in the park people will vote a penny per vote; the cash will go to the th artist(s) of that barrel. On July 8, the barrels will be displayed in the park and sold by a silent auction with the proceeds to go to the Environmental Committee. Artists will be invited from the schools, the Art Academy, the Kendall County Art Guild, as well as the public, Keane will contact Brooke McDonald about a good price for the Rain Barrels and Home Depot for conversion kits. th 3.Share & Care Recycling Event – October 15 planning progress Engelhardt confirmed the date of Saturday, October 15, 2011, is set with the Kendall County Fairgrounds. She will begin contacting the recycling groups in August. 4.Chamber Green Committee – Update 5.School Outreach – Update 6.Plastic Bag Reduction – Illinois Legislation Update 7.Water Conservation Committee – Recommendations progress report a.Storm water Management Program Plan Recommendation Progress Reports: 1.Tree Survey Recommendation – progress report 2.Tree City Recommendation – progress report 3.Electronic Recycling Permanent Program progress – monthly totals Dearborn reported that 3,019 pounds of Electronics collected by Com2 on March th 5 during the Environmental Fair. 4.Franchise Agreement Recommendation – update since reviewed by PW Committee 5.Recycling in Parks, Athletic Fields – grant update 6.Budget Line Items – Deposits, Expenses Old Business: 1.Clean Air counts – Gold Level May 16 -20, Bike to Work Week. To get the Gold Level status for Clean Air counts, the City needs to promote this event. Engelhardt suggested promoting the event to citizens. Ask them to take a photo of themselves in front of their work places, send photos to the City office; they will be put on the City’s facebook page. Engelhardt suggested some sort of incentive, such as a coupon or discount to some business in town. Dearborn will ask Rec Center if they would give a discount on memberships to those who participate and turn in a photo. Dearborn will do the publicity / promotion. Keane suggested the flashing sign at the City Park to advertise. 2.Earth Hour – Next Global Date March 26, 2011 3.Yorkville School Green Efforts Update 4.Building Code Update Committee a.Update on ASHRAE STD 189.1 5.Zoning Ordinance Committee Update 6.Wind Turbine Ordinance Progress 7.Cool City Challenge Action Plan 8.Rain Garden – City Rain Garden Progress 9.Solar Power Plant Presentation 10.Community Garden Project Additional Business: 1.Report from Jackie Dearborn, Green Committee Staff Liaison Tour of Com2. Members of the City of Yorkville Green Committee will join the YCC Green Group, who will be going for a tour on Monday, June 27. Engelhardt will give details at the next meeting about leave time and location for car pooling. 2.Keane reported on a new contract in Will County with Vintage Tech which is offering curbside electronics recycling for no cost to the residents or communities. Keane mentioned that this program might be offered to nearby communities. 3.Engelhardt requested information on the Veolia contract renewal date so that the Green Committee can be involved in the review of the contract for the possibility of volume –based recycling in the next contract. Dearborn will check on the contract dates. Adjournment: Keane adjourned the meeting at 8:52 p.m.