HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-10-21 ENR Minutes
MINUTES
CITY OF MAPLEWOOD
ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION
7:00 p.m., Monday, October 21, 2019
Council Chambers, City Hall
1830 County Road B East
1. CALL TO ORDER
A meeting of the Environmental and Natural Resources Commission was called to order at 7:05
p.m. by Chair Redmond.
2. ROLL CALL
Keith Buttleman, Commissioner Absent
Joe Gould, Commissioner Absent * on leave until May/June 2020
Mollie Miller, Vice Chair Present
Candace Okeson, Commissioner Present
Ann Palzer, Commissioner Present
Ted Redmond, Chair Present
Staff Present
Shann Finwall, Environmental Planner
3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Commissioner Palzer moved to approve the agenda as submitted.
Seconded by Commissioner Miller. Ayes – All
The motion passed.
4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Commissioner Miller moved to approve the August 19, 2019, Environmental and Natural
Resources Commission meeting minutes as submitted.
Seconded by Commissioner Palzer. Ayes – All
The motion passed.
5. NEW BUSINESS
a. Results of the 2018 Food Waste and Organic Recycling Experiment
i. Environmental Planner, Shann Finwall reported on the results of the 2018 Food
Waste and Organic Recycling Experiment
ii. Romack Franklin, Republic Services, addressed the Commission regarding
Republic Services’ experience with the organic recycling experiment.
Following are the recommendations that came out of the experiment:
October 21, 2019
1
Environmental and Natural Resources Commission Meeting Minutes
Strong feedback system to encourage careful source separation. Example -
energy usage feedback that households receive comparing their usage to
similar neighbors/neighborhoods.
Manufacturers should be encouraged to minimize packaging, make them
compostable, or have packaging be easier to separate from food.
Strong interest of study participants to have access to curbside organics
recycling. The county and the city should work together to pilot curbside
collection programs in the area.
Raise awareness towards the environmental, social, economic, and public
health benefits of reducing food waste at home.
Consider the effect on food waste reduction when organics curbside collection
programs are available.
Targeted awareness on households with children.
Co-collection is more straightforward and more convenient than other forms of
organics separation.
Explore alternative ways to encourage proper source separation – central
source separation of materials on behalf of households.
b. Update on the Maplewood Organics Drop Off Site and Future Curbside Organics
Recycling Collection
i. Environmental Planner, Shall Finwall gave the Update on the Maplewood Organics
Drop Off Site and Future Curbside Organics Recycling Collection.
ii. Filsan Ibrahim, Ramsey County Environmental Health Specialist, addressed and
answered questions of the Commission regarding organics and the recycling
collection.
Ramsey County offers residential organics drop off at their yard waste sites. They
are expanding the organics program by partnering with cities to install satellite
organics recycling collection sites throughout the County. Maplewood has been
chosen to host one of the sites.
The organics recycling collection site will be constructed on the MCC/YMCA
parking lot, in between the main parking lots for the MCC/YMCA and Ramsey
County Courthouse. The site will be constructed along White Bear Avenue, within
three existing parking stalls. Ramsey County offers free starter kits, available at
City Hall. The kits include a kitchen size organic container, organics bags, and
educational information. Organics bags are also available at the enclosure and
City Hall.
c. Update on the Maplewood Trash and Recycling Contracts
i. Environmental Planner, Shann Finwall gave an update on the Maplewood Trash and
Recycling Contracts.
After going out for bid Tennis Sanitation and Republic Services will continue as the city’s
recycling and trash contracted haulers from January 2020 through June 2025.
6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
None.
7. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS
None present.
October 21, 2019
2
Environmental and Natural Resources Commission Meeting Minutes
8. COMMISSION PRESENTATIONS
None.
9. STAFF PRESENTATIONS
a. Environmental and Natural Resources Commission Appointments (oral report)
On September 23, 2019 the City Council reappointed Commissioner’s Okeson, Palzer,
and Redmond for a 3 year term.
Commissioner Joe Gould had an opportunity to work as a professor in Bemidji and
requested a leave of absence until May 2020. The commission vacancy of Tom Sinn who
had resigned will be on Monday, October 28, 2019 and there will be 2 commissioners
interviewing that evening.
b. Fall Clean Up Campaign (oral report)
st
The Fall Clean Up Campaign will be October 7 – November 1 to schedule this call bulk
item clean up contact Republic Services at 651-455-8634 which you can prepay for on a
credit card.
c. Maplewood Nature Center Programs (oral report)
i. For more information contact the Maplewood Nature Center at (651) 249-2170.
10. ADJOURNMENT
Chair Redmond adjourned the meeting at 8:32 p.m.
October 21, 2019
3
Environmental and Natural Resources Commission Meeting Minutes