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HomeMy WebLinkAboutConservation Commission - 03/10/2020APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE CONSERVATION COMMISSION MEETING TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2020 7:00 PM, Heritage Rooms 1 & 2 8080 Mitchell Road COMMISSION MEMBERS: Anna Anderson (Chair), Jeanne DeSanctis, Aaron Poock, JoAnn McGuire, Debjyoti Dwivedy, Cindy Hoffman, Kate Lohnes, Daniel Katzenberger, Priya Senthilkkumar CITY STAFF: Senior Planner Beth Novak-Krebs, Planning Division, Kristin Harley, Recording Secretary STUDENT MEMBERS: Abhiram Nallamalli, Kiersten Orning, Mina Kim, Nile Timmerman, Rohin Gurumurthy I. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Chair Anderson called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m. Absent was Katzenberg, Lohnes, and student members Orning and Timmerman. Eden Prairie Public Works staff member Patrick Sejkora joined the meeting. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: Poock moved, seconded by McGuire to approve the amended agenda to add the Climate Action Plan under Item C, Reports from the Commission. Motion carried 6- 0. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM FEBRARY 11 MEETING MOTION: McGuire moved, seconded by Poock to approve the minutes of February 11, 2020 Conservation Commission meeting. Motion carried 6-0. IV. REPORTS A. REPORTS FROM STAFF 1. NEW COMMISSIONER INTERVIEWS Novak-Krebs announced Katzenberger reapplied for his commission seat and was reappointed. Two other candidates were being considered. There Conservation Commission Minutes March 10, 2020 Page 2 was a suggestion by the City Council to rename the Conservation Commission as the Sustainability Commission, and the Council wanted feedback on this. Another suggestion was the Environmental Commission. McGuire asked what other commissions in the Metropolitan Area were named. Novak-Krebs replied there were various names: Environmental, Sustainability, et cetera. Hoffman replied a lot were named Environmental Commission. Discussion followed on possible names. Hoffman urged drawing a distinction between the commission and the Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Commission t. Novak-Krebs stated the City Council saw a connection between the commission and Sustainable Eden Prairie. Anderson replied she did not get the sense from this commission this was urgent, whereas if the City Council had strong feelings the commission would be open to it. Novak-Krebs replied the City Council only wished to get a sense of what the commission wished to do. McGuire stated she had worked in the environmental field for a number of years and sustainability could mean a number of things. It was a term she encountered being on this commission. Senthilkumar suggested the Environment and Sustainability Commission. McGuire commended this idea. DeSanctis noted a name change was an opportunity for marketing. The commission agreed on suggesting “Environment and Sustainability” as a new name. 2. HOME AND GARDEN EXPO The event would be held March 21 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Anderson gathered volunteer names for the event for time slots: 9:00-11:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m., and 1:00-3:00 p.m. Anderson offered to email the schedule to the commission members. A sign-in sheet was passed around for names and phone numbers. Discussion followed on a giveaway/drawing prize (a gift card for a smart irrigation controller). Novak-Krebs offered to speak to Stovring about arranging for a drawing every two hours or so. [Dwivedy arrived at 7:13 p.m.] Anderson offered to bring the water irrigation quiz. Novak-Krebs gave Anderson the water usage table updated through 2019. Discussion followed on irrigation behaviors. Anderson reminded the commission to spread a message about cleaning storm drains in the spring after snow melt. Sejkora mentioned the adopt-a-drain program. DeSanctis stated the commission should have information on this in the booth. Hoffman and Novak-Krebs agreed, and Novak-Krebs stated she would get this from Conservation Commission Minutes March 10, 2020 Page 3 Stovring as well. Discussion followed on inappropriate dumping down storm drains. Hoffman mentioned the water and energy displays were up at the Eden Prairie Center and asked if the water display was needed for this event. Discussion followed on retrieving the display for the Home and Garden Expo. Anderson suggested giving out Sustainable Eden Prairie magnets. Hoffman asked which shirt the commission should wear: the older green t- shirts or the newer black t-shirts. Discussion followed on what t-shirts were left. Hoffman also suggested name tags. Anderson suggested wearing a black shirt or the shirt from the State Fair Event. Novak-Krebs announced Carol Lundgren resigned her position from the City and the City was in the process of preparing a posting to hire for the position. Anderson commended the t-shirt Lundgren had created for the State Fair Event. Discussion followed on t-shirts to wear with a name tag, if necessary. 3. ARBOR DAY EVENTS The event would be held May 2 from 9:00 a.m. to noon. Anderson stated recycling would be the theme. Anderson suggested having an alternative to free seeds, such as free saplings. Novak-Krebs mentioned Stovring had suggested baby plants at $3.00 apiece. 4. DISPLAY AT EDEN PRAIRIE CENTER Hoffman showed the commission the exhibited display on her phone. Anderson asked DeSanctis to request that Anderson be allowed to retrieve the water panels for the Home and Garden Expo. 5. AEON FOR OCEAN MOVIE McGuire stated Menaka Nagarajan, Executive Director of Aeon for Ocean, suggested a screening in May instead of April due to the coronavirus spread. Anderson concurred. The commission agreed to discuss the screening at its April meeting. 6. NEW COMMISSIONER TRAINING Novak-Krebs reiterated there would be two new commissioners at the next meeting. Discussion followed on having a presentation during the first ten minutes of the commission meeting to orient new commission members. Hoffman suggested a short presentation on the commission’s accomplishments the previous year and goals/ideas for this year. McGuire Conservation Commission Minutes March 10, 2020 Page 4 stated when she started it seemed the commission emphasized the Sustainable Eden Prairie Awards but actually accomplished so much more. Hoffman suggested a training for students as well. Senthilkumar suggested a training for students in the fall, not just spring. Hoffman asked how long the presentation to the City Council was, and Anderson replied it was approximately 12 minutes plus five minutes for Q&A. B. REPORTS FROM CHAIR Anderson announced this was her last meeting as both Chair and as a commission member, and thanked the commission members. Novak- Krebs agreed with Anderson the commission had made great strides forward in partnering with other organizations. C. REPORTS FROM COMMISSION 1. WATER UPDATE 2. WASTE UPDATE Hoffman stated she went to the City Council meeting to see the Climate Action Plan be presented. She added it was reported in last week’s Eden Prairie News. Across the board the City Council loved the presentation and reacted positively and was very supportive. The City Council particularly liked the planned reevaluation every two years. Questions from the Council Members were thoughtful. The Climate Action Plan would be voted on next Tuesday, March 17, 2020. Discussion followed on the format of a consent agenda, which would not make this vote a dramatic, separate one. 3. LANDSCAPE/POLLINATOR UPDATE 4. ENERGY UPDATE Poock announced the Xcel Energy tiered program would start in April. Discussion followed on advertising this program. D. REPORTS FROM STUDENTS Gurumurthy stated he knew the teacher Kim would be sending the event calendar to, and stated it was very important that students come to these events. V. OTHER BUSINESS Conservation Commission Minutes March 10, 2020 Page 5 VI. UPCOMING EVENTS Home and Garden Expo, March 21, 2020 Environmental Commitment Conference, April 4, 2020. Hoffman stated she had sent out information to the commission members, and suggested attaching this to the commission’s Work Plan. Arbor Day, May 2, 2020 Schooner Days, May 30, 2020. The parade would begin at 10:00 a.m. (These events were cancelled due to the Covid-19 outbreak.) VII. NEXT MEETING The next Conservation Commission meeting will be held Tuesday, April 14, 2020, 7:00 p.m. in Heritage Rooms 1 & 2. (This meeting was cancelled due to the Covid-19 outbreak.) VIII. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Poock moved, seconded by McGuire to adjourn the meeting. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. The meeting was adjourned at 8:16 p.m.