03/16/1999 - 00002313CITY OF FRIDLEY
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY & ENERGY COMMISSION MEETING
MARCH 16, 1999
CALL TO ORDER:
Chairperson Sielaff called the March 16, 1999, meeting to order at 7:35 p.m.
ROLL CALL:
Members Present: Brad Sielaff, Jack Velin, Peter Panchyshyn, Rosalie Landt
Members Absent: Rich Svanda
Others Present: Julie Jones, Recycling Coordinator
Jennifer Schol, BFI
APPROVAL OF FEBRUARY 16, 1999, ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY & ENERGY
COMMISSION MINUTES:
MOTION by Mr. Velin, seconded by Mr. Panchyshyn, to approve the February 16,
1999, Environmental Quality & Energy Commission minutes as written.
UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON SIELAFF DECLARED
THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
1. NEW BUSINESS:
a. Review of BFI's Mobius Curriculum: Understanding the Waste Cycle
with Jennifer Schol, BFI Mobius Project Coordinator
Ms. Jones introduced Jennifer Schol from BFI, who explained the Mobius
Education Curriculum. Ms. Schol explained that BFI provides use of the
curriculum to all its contract cities at no charge. Methods used to gain
acceptance of the curriculum in area schools were discussed.
Mr. Sielaff asked what direction staff is seeking from the Commission regarding
the Mobius program.
Ms. Jones stated that she would like to know whether or not the Commission
feels the curriculum is important to pursue, and then she would like direction as
to how that pursuit would be carried out.
After some discussion, the Commission decided to have staff write a letter, with
Ms. Schol's assistance, to be signed by the Chairperson on behalf of the
Commission.
Mr. Sielaff suggested that the content of the letter would:
• include the fact that Julie Jones would be the person to contact if they are
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MARCH 16, 1998 PAGE 2
interested in the program;
• emphasize that the City wants to start this curriculum in the fall of 1999;
• include the fact that the purpose of using this educational curriculum is to
increase recycling participation; and
include that the City intends to survey Fridley residents in the future as an
attempt to measure the program's success.
2.. OLD BUSINESS:
a Review of Anoka County's Response to EQEC Comments on Solid
Waste Master Plan
The Commission did not have any comments regarding the County's response.
b. Update on Commission Membership Size
Ms. Jones reported that since the last Commission meeting, the City Manager's
Office has received three applications for commission openings. Since staff had
not yet communicated the Commission's decision to advise reduction in the
Commission membership size to five members, Mr. Sielaff recommended
delaying communication of that decision in an attempt to get the existing
openings filled. The City Council is scheduled to interview the commission
candidates on March 22, 1999.
The Commission members agreed that it would be best to attempt to fill the two
vacant positions.
c. Review of Layout for Review of Other City's Recycling Program Results
Ms. Jones explained that she has contacted staff at six metro counties and has
developed the spreadsheet enclosed in the meeting packet based on the
information received. There were two additional columns that she has
considered adding: (1) the year curbside service was started; and (2) how many
publicity events/pieces does the County typically generate per year.
Ms. Landt suggested asking where they primarily advertise their programs
instead of how many times they do it.
Ms. Jones agreed that advertising methods would likely be a more important
factor.
It was debated whether or not information on the average number of persons/
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MARCH 16, 1998 PAGE 3
household would be a critical factor. Ms. Jones said she would attempt to obtain
that census information from the library.
In general, the Commission directed staff to proceed as planned and
encouraged Ms. Jones to add additional measurements in the spreadsheet if
additional information seems pertinent.
d. Update on Plans for 50t" Anniversary Celebration
Ms. Jones reported that obtaining golf carts for the 49'ers Day parade will be
expensive, and she could not gain acceptance for the expenditure by the
Community Development Director.
Mr. Velin stated that he got approval from the City Manager to cover the cost of
two golf carts.
Ms. Jones stated that she would like to order the Commission members T-shirts
if BFI cannot provide them. She also suggested ordering some item like
recycled-content pencils for the Commission members to distribute throughout
the parade route. She already had about 2,000 recycling magnets that could be
distributed. She believed she could get approval for this non-budgeted expense
since the City just saved $200 in the recycling promotions budget due to a
decrease in bulk mailing rates.
It was agreed to distribute the refrigerator magnets and pursue the purchase of
T-shirts and pencils if BFI cannot provide them.
e. Update on Monthly Problem Waste Collections
Ms. Jones reported that contracts have been signed for all materials scheduled
for special recycling days in 1999. An article will appear in the April City
Newsletter detailing the collections.
Ms. Jones stated the next step is figuring out how to line up the trucks in a way
that allows safe, smooth traffic flow—especially since the yard waste transfer
site will be tentatively open on April 10, the date of the first special collection
day.
3 OTHER BUSINESS:
a. Update on Springbrook CWP Project
Ms. Jones stated that there was a joint Advisory/Technical Committee meeting
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MARCH 16, 1998 PAGE 4
earlier in the afternoon. The highlight of the meeting was to review some of the
preliminary water quality/quantity results from the various monitoring stations.
The results showed tremendously high flow rates coming in from Site 3. Total
suspended solids and phosphorus levels were not abnormally high, however.
Other results shared were that the macroinvertibrate study showed Springbrook
scoring slightly higher than the comparison wetland at Carlos Avery Wildlife
Refuge. However, minnows contained in the bottle traps were suspected of
eating other samples and skewing the data. Springbrook also scored higher in
the emergent vegetation results by having more diversity, however, like Purple
Loosestrife
The project intern indicated that the Technical Committee representative from
the University of Minnesota had suggested that vegetative plots be selected at
the Nature Center and analyzed each year for changes as an alternative
approach.
Ms. Jones stated the seedbank assay results showed that there were only four
plants/square inch which was not enough to be considered viable. This means
that drawing down the wetland ponds in drought years to allow seeds to
germinate and grow would not be a viable solution to restore vegetation.
Planting of seedlings or overseeding would be required which significantly raises
the cost of restoration.
Ms. Jones stated that monitoring will now continue this spring and will wrap up
by June or July. The Committees are not expected to meet again during that
time, with the exception of the Education Subcommittee which is meeting again
on March 19, 1999.
Ms. Jones reported that the Education Subcommittee is working on some
exciting projects including:
1. an open house promoting the project at the Nature Center to be held
some time in September;
2. a video related to storm water management;
3. a grant proposal through the Fridley Wal-Mart store, which will help fund
the education components of the CWP project.
b. Update on Wellhead Protection
Ms. Jones distributed minutes from the February 26, 1999, Municipal Wellhead
Planning Group meeting as additional information to the memo in the meeting
packet.
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MARCH 16, 1998 PAGE 5
Mr. Sielaff questioned why the cities involved had different deadlines and said
he would contact the State Health Department for an explanation.
c. Report on Water Education & Storm Water Management Conferences
Recently Attended by City Staff
Ms. Jones reported that three City staff inembers (herself, a Planning Assistant,
and the Springbrook CWP intern) recently attended an all day workshop on
storm water management that was very informative.
Ms. Jones stated she had also attended a water education workshop sponsored
by the Metropolitan Council and obtained a binder of extensive educational
materials on water quality. She explained that much of the material can be
copied for use in Fridley.
ADJOURNMENT:
MOTION by Mr. Velin, seconded by Ms. Landt, to adjourn the meeting.
UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON SIELAFF DECLARED
THE MOTION CARRIED AND THE MARCH 16, 1999, MEETING ADJOURNED AT
9:21 P. M.
Respectfully submitted,
Julie A. Jones
Staff Liaison