Green Committee Minutes 2010 05-24-10
APPROVED W/ CORRECTIONS
8/23/10
Meeting Minutes
YORKVILLE GREEN COMMITTEE
May 24, 2010
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 7:06 p.m.
Welcome Members and Guests:
Members --Marta Keane, Anne Engelhardt, Cheryl Lee, Richard
Scheffrahn, Al Green; City Liaison – Jackie Dearborn. Member Mariann Manthei resigned this past month.
The committee currently has seven appointed members with open positions for three more members.
John Pavilionis new member arrived at 7:15 p.m.
Approval of Minutes:
March Minutes and April Notes
Al Green motioned to approve the March minutes and April notes. Engelhardt seconded. Green discussed
corrections – date changes: Committee Reports #1. Date for Environmental Fair should read March 5, 2011
and Old Business #5 – Date for the next meeting is May 26. Green motioned to amend the motion with these
two changes; Engelhardt seconded. Vote: All “yes.”
New Business:
none
Committee Reports:
1.Environmental Fair Committee 2010 & 2011
Cheryl is in the process of analyzing the procedures for organizing an environment fair and putting
these into a written document for future use.
2.Share & Care Recycling Event – Fall 2010 Planning
Engelhardt reported that the Smith Building on the Kendall County Fair Grounds is reserved for
October 16, 2010, 8 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. for the next Recycling Day, October 16, 2010. Marlin Hartman,
of the Solid Waste division of the Kendall County Health Department, agreed to partner with the
Green Committee in the same capacity as last year. Lee stated that when contacting the high school
environmental group, replies may be more likely to occur by copying the email to the high school
principal.
Keane suggested Dearborn contact Taylor Coffey, Senior at Yorkville High School, to find
out all the environmental activities he took charge of this past year and that the Green Committee
present an award to give recognition to his environmental efforts this past year. Keane motioned to
recommend to the Mayor that the Green Committee give a yearly “Green Teen Award” beginning
th
this year at the YHS Awards program this Thursday, May 27. Sheffrahn seconded. Vote: All
“yes.” Dearborn and Lee will contact Mayor Burd to seek approval and Glory Spies to make a
certificate of recognition.
3.Water Conservation Committee – Recommendations progress report
a.Storm water Management Program Plan
Keane reported about a display showing a storm water runoff. This display is used for
students’ education about storm water run-off. It depicts a storm drain, stenciled to show it
drains to river, a pipe is drawn on the display and appears to end at a pool of gold fish that are
given away at fairs to increase awareness of storm water and encourage stenciling.
4.Plastic Bag Reduction
Engelhardt motioned that Keane follow-up with a letter to the editor (and forward it to Glory Spies
for review) to recognize the local businesses that support the reduction of plastic bags by encouraging
the use of re-usable shopping bags and collecting the plastic bags for recycling. (Jewel, Wal-Mart,
Home Depot, Menards, Walgreens, Target, Office Max) The motion was seconded by Scheffrahn.
Vote: All yes.
5.Chamber Green Committee – Update
Lee has the application for Green Business Designation on their web. The application is in PDF form
right now and will be changed to a read-write form so that it can be completed on-line. Action
Graphics donated the decals to use as the recognition in the designated businesses car or store-front.
The one-time application fee is $20.00.
Recommendation Progress Reports:
1.Tree Survey Recommendation - progress report
2.Tree City Recommendation
3.Electronic Recycling Perm Program progress
Dearborn gave an update on the sign. Keane requested that Dearborn get a monthly report on the
amount of E-waste that is collected by Com2 from the Yorkville Site and present this to the Green
Committee each month. Engelhardt asked if it might be possible to have the E-waste site open one
Saturday per month. Dearborn explained that the Public Works employees’ schedule is set, and there
is no money in the budget for overtime for these employees. Keane asked if volunteers from the
community could staff it one Saturday morning per week. Dearborn answered that it might be
possible if someone from YPD could unlock and lock the doors while they are on duty. Scheffrahn
suggested contacting various groups in town for staffing the recycling facility, beginning with the
summer months.
4.Franchise Agreement Recommendation – to be assigned to PW committee
5.Recycling in Parks, Athletic Fields, etc – grant update.
Dearborn reported that the City received the grant for the recycling containers. From these
containers all the contents need to be sorted and measured using random samples for a report
indicating usage. All 31 Yorkville parks will have recycling cans. The cans will have stickers
stating “recycling only” on the sides. The cans are green and have white lids with one round hole;
the top has a decal that states what items can go into it. Decals will be ordered this week. Spies will
publicize these recycling containers when they are ready for use.
6.Budget Line Items – Deposits, Expenses
There is a negative balance due to the postage for sending in the grant application.
Old Business:
1.Clean Air Counts
Dearborn reported how the awards are set up, including the check list for specific clean air action
items. Dearborn reported that the City is probably qualified for Bronze Award. She will continue to
check with the various City Departments to find out their level of clean air action items for which
they currently qualify. Scheffrahn suggested aiming for the Silver Award this year, and perhaps
strive for the Gold Award next year. Dearborn will fill out the forms for Silver and make suggestions
for the departments so they may continue to strive for gold level in the future.
2.Earth Hour 2010 Report
This agenda item will be temporarily taken off the monthly reports. In January the Green
Committee will begin planning the 2011 Earth Hour / Earth Day activities.
3.Yorkville School Green Efforts Update
Engelhardt suggested that two members and Dearborn meet with the new Superintendent in July in a
casual meeting to discuss partnering on Green initiatives in the school systems. Engelhardt asked to
have an agenda item at next month’s meeting to request input from the Green Committee on
initiatives for the schools. Engelhardt, Keane, and Lee all volunteered to meet with the
Superintendent.
Keane offered to write a letter to communicate with all the area churches inviting them to have one
th
(or more) representative attend the Green Committee meeting on October 25 The purpose of this
meeting is to begin to network with the area churches by dialoguing about what they are currently
doing as green action and what other things they would like to do. Green Committee members will
create a handout with a simple check list of ways to become an environmentally friendly church.
Engelhardt suggested following a similar format for the Yorkville public and private schools at the
th
Green Committee’s September 27 meeting to begin to network with the schools on environmental
initiatives and interests. Keane has access to environmental checklists for schools which can be used
as is or adapted.
4. Building Code Update Committee
a.
Update on ASHRAE Std 189.1 The recommendation was sent in to the City in March.
5.Zoning Ordinance Committee Update
6.Wind Turbine Ordinance Progress – No current action on this item. This agenda item will be taken
off the list of monthly reports.
7.Cool City Challenge Action Plan
8.Rain Garden – City Rain Garden Progress
Additional Business:
1.Report from Jackie Dearborn, Green Committee Staff Liaison
2.Pavilionis recently went to the Green Festival on Navy Pier. Keane asked him to share his
observations with the Green Committee at the June meeting.
3.Engelhardt asked the Committee for an opinion about getting a shredding company to shred
documents for residents and businesses at the Share & Care Recycling Event. All agreed that it
would be a good thing to add if a financial sponsor can be found to support it.
Pavilionis stated that Shred-It and Iron Mountain are two companies that shred documents.
Keane and Dearborn will send contact information about these two companies to Engelhardt, who
will follow up.
Adjournment:
Meeting adjourned the meeting at 9:01 p.m.
2010 Meeting Schedule
May 24 July 26 Sept 27 Nov 22
June 28 Aug 23 Oct 25 No Dec Meeting