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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-03-29 ENR Minutes MINUTES CITY OF MAPLEWOOD ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 2023 7:00 P.M. 1. CALL TO ORDER Acting Chairperson Bryan called a meeting of the Environmental and Natural Resources Commission to order at 7:01 p.m. 2. ROLL CALL Emma Broadnax, Commissioner Absent Rebecca Bryan, Acting Chairperson Present Nancy Edwards, Commissioner Present Benjamin Guell, Commissioner Present David Lates, Commissioner Present Mollie Miller, Commissioner Present Ted Redmond, Commissioner Absent Staff Present Shann Finwall, Environmental Planner 3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Staff requested the addition of item 3.a. – Oath of Office Commissioner Guell moved to approve the amended March 29, 2023, Environmental and Natural Resources Commission agenda. Seconded by Commissioner Redmond Ayes – All The motion passed. 3.a. OATH OF OFFICE Nancy Edwards and David Lates were sworn into the Environmental and Natural Resources Commission with the Oath of Office. 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES a. November 30, 2022 Commissioner Redmond moved to approve the November 30, 2022, Environmental and Natural Resources Commission minutes. Seconded by Commissioner Guell Ayes – All The motion passed. 1 b. January 25, 2023 Commissioner Guell moved to approve the January 25, 2023, Environmental and Natural Resources Commission minutes. Seconded by Acting Chair Bryan Ayes – Bryan, Edwards, Guell, and Lates Abstain – Redmond The motion passed. 5. NEW BUSINESS a. Tennis Sanitation Recycling Collection Annual Review 1) 2022 Recycling Collection Year End Report 2) 2023 Recycling Collection Work Plan Environmental Planner Finwall presented the report. Willie Tennis and Alexia Hieserich Freund of Tennis Sanitation answered questions of the ENR Commission. The ENR Commission had the following feedback on the Recycling Collection Annual Review:  Does Tennis Sanitation recycle electronics as part of the City’s recycling service? No, the collection of electronics is part of the City’s trash service and the contract with Republic Services.  Can Tennis Sanitation begin recycling Styrofoam? No, the recycling companies require at least a 40,000-pound load of recyclables. Styrofoam is very lightweight and breaks up easily.  How are the recycling markets doing? Tennis Sanitation has success in recycling their materials because they work with all local recycling companies in Minnesota and the Midwest. b. Republic Services Trash and Yard Waste Collection Annual Review 1) 2022 Trash and Yard Waste Collection Year End Report 2) 2023 Trash and Yard Waste Collection Work Plan Environmental Planner Finwall Presented the report. Beverly Mathiasen and Samahra Hallada of Republic Services answered questions of the ENR Commission. The ENR Commission had the following feedback on the Trash and Yard Waste Collection Annual Review:  How will Republic Services report the amount of food scraps collected in the new curbside food scraps collection program? The City will want that information for its annual greenhouse gas assessment. Those details are 2 still being worked out through the pilot program. However, once the procedures for weighing that material is determined, Republic Services can include that information on the monthly and yearly reports.  Residents with the smallest size trash carts that currently take their food scraps to the drop off site may have challenges fitting the durable compostable food scrap bags into the cart. The County’s food scraps drop off sites will remain open. It is estimated that 20 percent of most resident’s trash is made up of food scraps. 6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS 7. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS None 8. COMMISSIONER PRESENTATIONS None 9. STAFF PRESENTATIONS Environmental Planner Finwall updated the ENR Commission on the following: a. March 13, 2023, City Council Meeting Update – Renewable Energy Ordinance and Wetland Buffer Variance for 1910 County Road C (Carretta Senior Housing Development) b. April 17, 2023 - ENR Meeting Updates c. April 22, 2023 - Spring Clean Up at Aldrich Arena from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. d. No Mow May Update e. June 3, 2023 – Waterfest at Phalen Regional Park from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. f. Earth Week Plalking Challenge 10. ADJOURNMENT Commissioner Redmond made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Seconded by Commissioner Edwards Ayes – All The motion passed. Acting Chair Bryan adjourned the meeting at 8:15 p.m. 3