We're going to go ahead and jump right into tonight's meeting. It is six o'clock on March 27th and
 we've got a lot of bodies at the table, which is very exciting. So let's go ahead and jump on into
 the roll call and then we'll take some time to actually talk to our new folks and introduce
 ourselves and all that.
 The first will go through the roll call. Yeah, Kerry Albrown. I'm here. Nadia Kane. Here. Matt Colby.
 Here. Casey Chapelle. Here. Adam Fudifer. Here. Shannon Gate. Here. Adam Martinez. Here. Mitchell
 Owens is not here yet. David Parker. That's everyone. I'm Rachel Johnson.
 Emerson, did you want to introduce yourself? I'm Emerson. I have some of you. I am a fellow with
 the Urban Green Space team here with Parks and Rec. So I get to work with Abby Garcia. She's gearing
 up for her big event on Saturday and her play event at Switch Yard. So I am here to, yeah, write
 support and report back to our page as well.
 Awesome. And then Ella Thompson is online.
 What was that?
 We should speak extra loudly so everyone can hear. You said Ella Thompson? Yes. Ella, did you want
 to introduce yourself?
 Yeah, I'm just an Urban Green Space intern here to listen in to tonight's meeting.
 Thank you. Perfect. Great. Well, our first order of business is our new faces, which is fantastic.
 Welcome. Thank you for being part of the EC. Can't wait to get to know you all more.
 So what we will do, first of all, as we go through tonight's agenda and all the talking points, I'll
 make sure to give as much context as I can, try and reduce the number of acronyms I use.
 And then as we go through our working groups and everything, we'll just take some time to make sure
 we're explaining everything, but feel free to let us know if you have questions as we go.
 Shout them out, raise your hand, say them to the end, whatever you want to do, but we welcome your
 clarifications and questions as you have them.
 So we have this nice, full, mostly full commission. So I would say, first, why don't we go ahead
 and have the two of you just introduce yourself, you can let us know sort of what had you
 interested in the EC, you can tell us about where you're at professionally or academically or just
 personally that brought you here.
 Sure. My name is Adam Fedeker. I've been a Bloomington resident for 13 years. I live in Parker, Jeece.
 I teach at IU. I'm a biologist, background in conservation, animals, primarily animals, and I'm
 also on the Environmental Resources Advisory Commission.
 I'm Casey, I've only been a Bloomington resident since 2021 when I was in my third graduate school.
 I'm also a biologist, primarily an ecologist. I'm a graduate student in the biology department. I'm
 also the water conservation outreach intern at CBU, on top of having other things I do.
 So, yeah, primarily wanted to get more involved in the city. I know Linda Thompson, so she
 recommended that I apply for this just based on my background.
 Okay, welcome. So I think we go ahead and take a moment and we can all introduce ourselves again
 you can share professionally academically personally kind of where you are right here so I think we
 go ahead and start with Rachel who. Yeah, so I met with both Adam and Casey gave them the ECU one
 on one presentation.
 I'm the senior environmental planner, I also serve as a city's public administrator. So I do those
 things environments, when it comes to private development, sometimes stuff in a public way, but
 mostly helping developers.
 My name is Narnia I'm a senior at IU studying environmental management and astrophysics.
 And I just found the commission by, I think I did a Google search.
 But, yeah, it's been great we've been working on bugs which I'm sure you'll hear about, and
 I'm Adam Martinez, I'm probably the least qualified person here but I
 think I'm an interest in sort of urban planning, that kind of thing. And I also really like birds.
 So this is kind of spot where I can affect both of those.
 I'm Shannon and I teach the English department at IU, and they run the environmental futures in the
 communities initiative there.
 I'm in person. I'm also a grad student and I'm over in SEA, and I am focused on food and farming
 sustainability but entering urban green space interests, which is highlighted in the Parks and
 Wildlife.
 My name is Matt Colley. I've been on the commission since 2017.
 No real science background just been engaged in certain citizens.
 And this is also our vice chair and treasurer and Adam is our secretary, so we appreciate their
 help too. I'm Carrie. I'm the chair of the commission for a while now and I work for a nonprofit
 that does funding and resource support for
 environmental educators around the world so mostly in the environmental education side of things
 but yeah definitely excited to kind of have this group of passionate women Tony and so that's it.
 David Parker.
 I was on this be a faculty for about 30 years starting in 1973.
 I was on this commission in 1974.
 I've been on for a while, and recently for about six years I guess my undergraduate degrees in
 applied medicine that's mostly what I taught in speed of this match.
 Um, we, so yeah we kind of cover all different grounds and again, I'm sure like you know that the
 publications to be on the EC are basically that you care about Bloomington's environmental quality
 and the different things that impact it so we're glad to have you
 again feel free to ask me any questions. So you got the EC 101 training, the handbook which we're
 currently in the final stages of I assume you both got the email of that or you can send them out
 there if I sent them the handbook but it's in today's packet,
 since it being revised. Yeah, yeah. And then we talked about with new commissioners, having you sit
 down within the first month or so with Rachel just to kind of get like a background in the one on
 one's probably effectively that, but also, if there are any commissioners who'd like to make
 themselves
 available to have some sit down and just talk about some of the history there's so much that has
 gone on and the one on one presentation there's a lot of kind of the, the documentation of the
 places we've been the projects we focused on but if you have any questions
 just how does this work or how do I get involved in this or what have we done, whatever. I'm open
 to that so commissioners if that's something that you're interested in your hand for feel free to
 communicate that otherwise you can just kind of do it as needed, but I think you're welcome to ask
 questions.
 Okay, well that is sort of that new business side of things we're going to actually talk about old
 stuff like last month's minutes they were in the packet so unless anybody has any additions to what
 was sent through already, we can consider it for
 the last month's meeting. Yes.
 Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.
 I just want to say real quick, first time I did them, and you know, they were really, yeah, yeah,
 well, well done past everyone but they were so well done.
 You're going to start wearing a tie to these meetings.
 Okay, well we've got a moment for public comment so if there's anybody else that has joined, or
 literally walking in the door at this very moment.
 Yeah.
 Welcome.
 We have two new commissioners, which is super exciting. So, Mitchell is a saint because he actually
 drives down from Indianapolis for these, I mean, not for this means he's going home but he raises
 himself back from work so that you can get to these
 meetings which is really, really kind so if you want to choose yourself and maybe just get like a
 super just like the kitchen. Hi, I'm Mitchell Owens, I am
 an employee at IDEM in the Office of Water Quality and Water Quality Monitoring, also a PhD
 candidate at IU in the Department of Geography, do more water quality stuff there.
 I've been with the commission for two years now.
 I'm Adam. I've been in Bloomington for 13 years, and I have a background in animal conservation.
 I'm Casey, I'm a graduate student in biology and also the water conservation intern at CBU.
 Have we talked?
 Okay, well we just approved Adam's very first minute so we're all very excited about that.
 We're just taking a moment for public comment but it sounds like we do not have any additions. Okay.
 All right, sounds good. Well then we're going to go ahead and roll into old business.
 The first item here, there should actually be a pretty quick meeting tonight, which is great.
 The first item on the old business is the working group updates. And so basically working groups,
 also known as subcommittees are basically our chance to really specialize in some different themes
 that we think are important as far as what the EC can affect
 what our city might need what people should interest in. And so we have a list of different working
 groups here, there are actually a few others that exist and we'll talk about that a little bit
 later but there are other ones that exist that we just sunset from
 time to time or maybe it's just not as pressing at the time for me we just don't have the resources
 to have all the subcommittees active about all the same time.
 So we have a handful that we focus on, we typically ask our commissioners to be involved in at
 least one, and honestly maybe more than one might be a big ask depending on what your availability
 is but we really love for people to spend a little bit
 of extra time and energy, focusing on one of the projects that we really try and highlight.
 One of the things I, I have not emphasized enough but what we talked about at our annual planning
 meeting was having one working group or subcommittee sort of focus, the, or have a bit more in
 depth presentation at our monthly meetings.
 Okay, tonight it's the special projects group so cool, got it. But basically it'd be a chance to be
 a little bit more in depth about what that working group is doing, how it ties to the goals will be
 lined up for the year the sort of bigger objectives
 all that stuff so that'll be something that I will try and highlight for the months to come, but
 ideally it's just a chance for us to kind of spend a moment really sinking in a bit more like, what
 are we doing, is it having an impact
 on what we have what we need are the working groups, feeling like they've got the support resources
 or whatever so just really trying to make sure that we're making them with what we're doing,
 because there could be a lot just with spending, you know, we let it so.
 All right. Okay, so we're going to go through these, and so the person who is speaking for the
 different working groups, please just give like maybe a little bit detail on what your group
 focuses on who else is in the group and y'all can say
 about that where you don't have to you can wait and let us know later.
 But then also like right now what's the highest priority for your, for your group and that way they
 have an interest or other people have renewed interest, they can jump in.
 And that works for you all. I'm going to pass over to Adam, captain of our light pollution working
 group. Yeah, so the light pollution working group is the newest one.
 It's only me and that at the moment. We, like two or three months ago we started, I guess,
 officially, we haven't really done anything yet because we've kind of been focusing on eco heroes,
 different projects coming up.
 After April, I think we might start getting underway that the main goal is to just, it's kind of,
 to see what we can do to reduce light pollution and say, maybe we're working towards some sort of
 certification.
 I guess, in terms of updates, it's not really, but again, we're waiting till after the videos. Yeah,
 I appreciate that. Thanks. Then I'm going to move over to the water quality subcommittee.
 I haven't really done much this past month is kind of waiting for us to have more than two members
 because right now it's just me and Dave.
 But we have some more people in the commission.
 I was planning on the next week or two reaching out to utilities. If you're an intern there, do you
 know Evelyn? Yeah, I know she's been working on putting together like monitoring, plan, everything.
 I've been checking in, trying to help there where I can. So I was going to follow up because it's
 getting close to the sampling season. Same how that's going and if she needs any help or anything
 that we can do for support or PR or anything like that.
 So check in with them and see how things are going and then figure it out from there.
 Would you mind kind of sharing a little bit about the like considering a water quality report or
 something like that? Yeah, so the big goal that the water quality working group was one that I
 think previously been in Sunset but I kind of brought back because it's what I do.
 And I was interested in, as I was starting the environmental commission that actually had been
 doing air quality thing put together a report for like, what's the air quality and city what's the
 monitoring situation look like where is data being collected what's being collected.
 I wanted to do something similar for water quality so it's been a lot of pulling together the data
 that other organizations primarily like item or volunteer monitoring things like that have been
 collected and seeing what it says about the water quality
 and city but also as I was working on that.
 The folks at utility said that they were wanting to do some monitoring internally, because clear
 creek in particular and then listed for a number of impairments and trying to figure out where
 specifically in the watershed those were coming from that kind of stuff so holding off on the
 report for now to get.
 In terms of that monitoring what that data looks like because it's much more recent than anything I
 was able to find which is like 2016 for the highest quality data.
 So, yeah, I think this year, it's just kind of helping where we can with the ongoing project and
 then picking back up with the report probably next year once we have data.
 I have a suggestion for the city, wherever you have one of these
 sewer covers that says sanitary, the other type on on in front of that.
 So why the heck is it college called sanitary.
 We have been like in the water quality group.
 The water quality reports isn't the only thing we focused on like we work with storm water just
 kind of update and see what they're up to regularly but also kind of keeping tabs on like stuff
 like the streets we've been going like that kind of pollution
 issues or even one of the members of the issue that recently retired, Mike was very interested in
 focused on record buffers in the city and trying to go back and forth with the planning department
 a little bit on what how those should be measured and implemented
 in practice and trying to figure out those kind of water quality issues as well in addition just
 figuring out kind of the state of our waters.
 Yeah, and as we have these different reports are when Matt put together the air quality report, the
 goal is to have a document that we can then share with the public share with the council chair any
 other recommendations or additional takeaways
 that we think would be helpful for decision making, either by individual residents or at a city
 level.
 All right, thank you Mitchell. Next up is the biodiversity working group, Shannon.
 So we have not met.
 But the diversity working group has two projects really right now the first one is the city USA
 certification which I have some questions about I just want to check in about the other one is sort
 of the habitat and activity plan, and the mapping which
 we've been talking about or doing things with recently because the city is, yeah, what is that it's
 also sorting on class because it will be a big priority.
 Yeah, so, um, as for the city USA.
 I didn't send out any emails, because I'm very nervous about the conversation we had last time.
 So I didn't want to hold a meeting either because most of the things could be managed everything.
 So, a couple of questions I have some updates so. So first of all, I've been I continue to be in
 conversation with you and tangible and they're moving forward and that's going to.
 They're sort of on the same timeline we are I hope in terms of getting the certification.
 I need to complete the application, but really quickly realized that I need to talk to Rachel,
 because we need.
 Like, as probably city address on this and certainly so I just have a couple of questions from the
 other people on this with other people on the committee are match and carry and David.
 And I think one of you, this is okay not Smith was going to get this on the common Council has that
 happened.
 I have an update on that okay they want to have an error vote on account so on April 16 was that
 date or.
 version of the, yes, of the resolution. So basically all we have to do at this point is this
 application which doesn't sit down.
 Mr. Smith did ask for a memo and or a supporting document. And she has to submit that to the
 council attorneys by April 7, and if we can try to get it to romantic April 3 or April 4 so she has
 time to look at it before submitting it to the council attorneys.
 She wanted the email I think she just kind of wanted a synopsis of like why the city was important
 for the city to adopt.
 And she just needs more info and outreach.
 And, and we can't, again, I'm still so uncertain about this because I can't draft this, and then
 send it out to the committee to check it. If you draft it I can post it online.
 And then any comments can be sent to me.
 Or you can have a meeting where you have on a projector. Yeah, like a meeting that is announced
 publicly and project and work through it.
 Yes, so I would say definitely send it to reach them.
 There are some adjustments to how we do our communication to ensure we're providing and we're
 talking about the handbook today, too. Yes. Okay, because I have questions about.
 Okay.
 If anybody has any comments.
 I think for that and then maybe like post a new draft.
 So, does that seem fine with everyone.
 I know about why we're pursuing this step, and I wouldn't be surprised if they have language on the
 city website like kind of toolkit style language to that might be useful.
 Resolution itself kind of lays out a fair amount of the live but still we can put together a brief
 memo.
 This was a project that one of our former commissioners was Gary.
 And we might need the body or the habitat connectivity plan, are you familiar with that.
 How would you like to just describe it and maybe just say like where we are at.
 Sure, so there was a report that was completed around the time that I joined talking about
 connectivity kind of fighting fragmentation of habitat, encouraging people to plant natives remove
 invasives and somewhere along the line.
 We decided we should make it a math project where people can contribute.
 And what they did general location and we could also highlight some of the more important places to
 try to build a corridor.
 The map project was taken on by an intern, and it was not very good.
 So now we're enlisting the city to help us make a nice map.
 We I've met with the JS folks once, trying to just kind of lay out exactly what we're looking for
 but I let them know that we're hoping to do it over summer and that we're kind of really tied up
 being incoherent at the moment, but they may sound like it won't be too big of a lift.
 So, we will get back in those conversations and we can check in with them this week just to see if
 they have a progress update. They are continuing to work on it, they have not forgotten about it.
 So what's the goal is to find places that need to be filled in?
 I mean, I'm hoping that the map is going to be a major engagement tool, because we talked about the
 importance of, you know, planting natives and how, whether it's an actual corridor or just stepping
 stones, just any way to make it so that everything from the pollinators to the deer to everybody
 can move between, you know, good quality green space areas, just to strengthen biodiversity.
 But it's something that we talk about when we table that we kind of share with people a lot, but we're
 hoping that a map would really push people to want to make an impact, to want to put something on
 there to see what other people have done.
 Yeah, I mean, because the neighborhood level that might also be very encouraging, even if it's just
 little stuff to say, oh, I removed a calorie bear and planted a dark cherry tree or something,
 whereas other people might say it took out a quarter acre of turf and did all this, but every
 little bit counts as kind of what we're driving at.
 So we're hoping that the map makes it something that motivates people and kind of spreads the word
 of what we're looking for.
 In the map that was just there, the yellow, where it's missing.
 Based on 2017 report, which is I think using 2013 data, they identified those three areas that are
 green as the largest and most sensitive
 areas of habitat. And so they were looking at ways to connect them based on how stable and how
 sensitive they are. And yeah, Ben's attempts with the yellow circles to highlight some of the
 places where it was obviously missing or a big connection could go.
 The map is difficult to use, required you to be signed in on Google, did not have a clean link.
 And just basically people had a lot of questions when they saw most of the points, most of the
 markers on the map were put on by commissioners, so
 it left a fair amount to be desired but we're hoping to have a much nicer one through the GIS
 department that still preserves some amount of detail on where the major green spaces are but
 without the need for the yellow circles or any of the red dots or anything like that.
 And hopefully we can find maybe some kind of more recent canopy or green space data, because I know
 some of these green space areas change developments happen but we want to kind of have an idea of
 where those areas are so people can see not just what they're doing with their neighbors
 but what on the bigger picture, it's all connecting.
 That's the reason I found this helpful just to look at the show other people, as well as to get a
 sense in terms of development, where, where are those are the most fragile areas or the areas that
 we really need to maintain that connectivity and, you know, in the last
 couple years we were discussing this, the development this hundred forty acre development which is
 right smack in the middle of one of those green spaces.
 And it's just beautiful to see.
 Once we get a new map, we should show it to Haskell Smith, the urban forester and ask him to make
 suggestions too.
 And then it'd be a good resource to try and pull in on this in terms of even just trying to make
 like an overtime map of some sort of like here's what, and john especially specialized like old
 maps, but like early city versus like even the 2013 data versus
 some of them and show how connectivity has probably been lost in the game and lost and over time as
 well. One of the one of the difficulties with the project in general, over time to figure out here
 is just just how much detail we want to have on
 just how many layers. I mean, I don't, I feel like it'd be, you know, repetitive to duplicate some
 of the things that say, er I has done, or any of these other but but still we could have have
 layers that could be turned on and off that have certain things
 sensitive areas of the tree canopy or, you know, we want some level of detail but we don't want to
 try to create this mega math that's complicated either we didn't want people to be able to see what
 others have done and tag what they're doing.
 And that's one of the things we're like in our road like story map thing can be really handy as
 well like breaking those, having all the data in there but breaking it into very discernible pieces.
 Yeah, people make these maps know how to do this. Yes.
 I just realized that Anderson and if I was still online, I don't know if this is something that you
 all are familiar with or if it strikes any chords with any stuff that you're doing but I'm sure I
 know.
 I have a lot of fun with parks and recs with admittedly hasn't lived in since January but there's a
 huge push for updating like all data on field maps. So parks and rec is like actively naming and
 mapping every park assets so that will be like light bulls to planters to polygons of like formal
 landscaping.
 Part of what I'm working on is like mapping stormwater management too so good to know you work for
 utilities.
 But all that to say is really trying to have a more comprehensive data set online about everything
 that's being managed or at least owned by parks.
 Not just in like a large green space but also to provide maybe a bit more context of what an
 activity can look like in the urban central city environment.
 Anything else from the diversity.
 Okay, well there's a little glimpse into some of the things that we've got going on.
 Yeah, the last one is the special projects group special projects group basically arose because we
 started talking about grants we started talking about sort of city certification started talking
 about things are a little bit more administrative and then we, as we discussed it, trying to have
 that folded into each of these different working groups seem like it might be a little complicated,
 and perhaps having a committee that was there to sort of help power some of these things would be
 helpful.
 And so Mitchell and I have been holding strong on that special projects working group that we haven't
 done any grants yet last year we started to talk about them but then with the some of the other
 projects that coming up it was clear that was not the top priority but ideally the special projects
 group just helps with some of that that formalizing of things.
 And I think that one thing that's kind of on my mind for for this group is a little bit more
 talking about like the budget usage particularly between the EC and between eco heroes thinking
 through what are some of the things that we want to do when we're tabling when we're doing
 different kinds
 of public outreach when we are having these tools that we're trying to build. And then definitely
 when we have a big art contest that we want to make sure that we are, you know, bolstered with
 either prizes or materials or whatever.
 So just thinking about how we're using our budget which we haven't really done a whole lot of so I
 think that is probably the next round of conversations just figuring out what suggestions we'd like
 to have.
 So that was something that I sort of solicit from folks and then we can talk about if there's any,
 any different things we want to pursue.
 Like grants or any, you know, some of the certifications that we talked about that would make sense
 to roll up. Yeah, happy to give that push.
 The eco heroes planning so you may or may not have heard of say the word eco heroes about 40 times
 already tonight. I have some updates just on the process but with one of the other subcommittee
 members like just kind of describe the eco heroes.
 So, to the best of my knowledge, it is our contest and it's 14th year, I believe.
 Every year there's a different theme I know we've had a wastewater or not wastewater to stormwater
 related one.
 Plants have been a focus in the past this year it's bugs and bloom so like native bugs and how they're
 important to like our native plants or agriculture, etc.
 It was originally just for like school aged kids to submit art in any form they wanted so whether
 that's like something simple as a drawing to like I think we've had things like wood carvings and
 people like have created video games.
 Singing songs dances.
 But now it's open to all ages. And so the art is judged and age groups.
 And how many awards do we give out like how many is three, first, second, third place for five
 different categories of ages, I think.
 And then they get recognized at the Earth Day celebration that we put on.
 They get to take a picture with the mayor, or I'm not really kind of up in the air on that one, I
 think, for now. But yeah, and we get the prizes you get for winning are donated by like city
 businesses.
 So I think from like actual money to like a bachelor to go do something or like get a certain
 amount of food.
 So we reach out to local businesses and ask them for their donations to get enough prizes.
 That's great. Thanks for sharing that. The group is Adam, Nadia, Matt, and myself. And as we
 mentioned, it's a decent size undertaking just because it's a theme.
 There's a lot of coordinating beforehand. There's a lot of putting together things for educators
 and stuff like that and getting the word out and then things will follow.
 So I was going to just give an update since I have a Since We Last Saw You section in my notes,
 which means since the last meeting, we have sent out the educator messaging.
 So all these different teaching groups, MCCSE or homeschool groups or whatever, we sent out letters
 basically inviting them to participate.
 We have on the website a bunch of different resources for learning about bugs, teaching about bugs,
 things like that.
 We have some lists of ideas for things if you want to come up with something to submit. Our table
 of people cannot be part of the contest, but if you know anyone, young people, it also goes 18 plus
 or 18 plus category.
 Please feel free to participate because, yeah, the goal is just to get a lot of people involved,
 but we sent out the messaging there.
 We've got some graphics that I've seen on our social media account coming out so on Facebook that
 is coming out about it.
 And then the donations that I was talking about. Basically, we put together a donation request
 letter and have mailed those out. And at this point, I think we're hoping to hear back from
 everybody by Monday, and then if we have her back with them.
 But I did have a couple of quick questions for Rachel. So we have, we already have at least one
 donation, and they asked her want to pick it up.
 I was just wanting to ask about that too. So, if the city has formed a paper or like a form to give
 to donors, so they can use that broadly their taxes, so our office manager can provide that I can
 send it over email so if the donor wants to drop it off
 to the city hall or if somebody who seems to pick it up and drop it off to me, I think either one
 of those options for once we get that the city that letter can be emailed or picked up, depending
 on if they drop it off.
 I don't have thoughts on that. I'm kind of how we move through that process. I think we should not
 make them come here and drop it off since they're giving us something more than happy to go pick it
 up.
 Yeah, I agree that I think they're donating them having to donate their time to get it to us also
 feels like a bit of an ass. It can't be that far.
 It's true we mostly stuck to Bloomington. Okay, so we're going to say that for donations, the subcommittee
 will figure out how to pick them up and Nadia, if you're raising your hand for at least the
 beginning that'd be amazing.
 Okay. And then Rachel you said you will email them the donation form, and then we're saying that we
 need to also have any copy of the donation form. No, no, I don't think the donation form has to be
 sent, but if the donations are being hosted city hall.
 Well, I think it makes sense like once we received a donation that's going to send it out. So, I'm
 keeping track of like, what's being housed and being sent. Okay, gotcha.
 Okay, and that email probably come from Melissa Hurtsell, who's our office manager.
 Melissa Hurtsell, H-I-R-T-C-E-L. I think she's at the bottom of our agenda, actually. Yes, she is.
 Well, that's fun and hopefully we'll get some good donations. Usually we have a pretty good turnout
 and then at the event we put them on the website with their names on, you know, the slides at the
 event and things like that.
 But yeah, it's usually a pretty good turnout with different kinds of interpretations of the theme
 and hopefully with it being bugs and insects and spiders and all sorts of stuff, people are excited
 to express themselves in that.
 Is there anything else from the -- oh, actually, no, I have more things. I'm sorry. Speaking of eco
 heroes, we are going to be tabling at the Earth Day event, which is at Switchart Park, April 19th.
 I believe it's one -- no, noon to four. Noon to four. I think maybe set up starts at 11.
 So we will have a table for the environmental commission, which we typically have like some handouts
 about native plants and we typically have just sort of like the odds and ends that we can share
 just so people know we exist and we encourage them to come and visit with us or check out what we're
 doing on the website, stuff like that.
 So we will need, one, folks who are interested in volunteering for a shift. If you want to come for
 a shorter shift, then that makes -- gets everyone else a little bit freer, too, but if you're
 really excited and just want to hang for four plus hours, you are also welcome to do that.
 Hard to say what the weather will be. It's April, so it'll be kind of out there, but I would say if
 it is a 11 to 4 kind of window, and I assume that the tear down will be pretty quick, but I know
 that they're pretty committed to us staying through the entire event versus tearing down early.
 I would say that if we could have at least four people volunteering, we can kind of stagger them or
 at least have a buddy so you're not by yourself too much if you don't have to be.
 Are there any folks that know they will be around to help with the tabling?
 It is Saturday.
 Okay, so Nadia is showing interest, Adam, and which is now going to start quiet.
 I'm so sorry.
 Number one, first Adam.
 Easter is late this year.
 It's the day after.
 Well, thank you.
 You said you're interested. Awesome. I'm going to be there already for seeing you. So I can. So you
 can comment for sure.
 Nice. We get our tables next to each other. Yeah.
 I'll be out of town.
 That's it. All right.
 No, no, no worries.
 Thank you for coming, Nadia.
 That's great. Thank you, everybody who has offered to help. If anybody else finds himself with
 nothing to do, feel free to raise your hand and we'll make some space for you.
 Yes, absolutely. So I've been to go into the Earth Day. So I believe there are there will be
 another art like display there. I think it's artists for her. I think it's the nonprofits name. So
 those will both be displayed in the pavilion in separate corners. So there's no confusion.
 If there is a rain day, everyone will be in the pavilion. So it will be a little chaotic. But you
 the EC table will be near the office managers set office, because I will be dropping off the
 submissions that Thursday before.
 So then they can easily be transported from the office to the table. Will you also be able to bring
 the prizes. Yeah.
 I will not be able to go on Saturday, but I'm thinking of having anything there that Thursday and
 we have a meeting that Thursday so if there's anything Sean Marler, the office manager cannot store
 like big items so address comes that might be given to an EC member that Thursday evening.
 Thanks. That's a helpful update.
 Yeah, that's definitely, definitely one of the things I'm just gonna.
 I'm sure company. Um, so one of the things that we do is when we get these submissions, we have to
 cut off is the 11. But in that week between when the, when the cutoff is and when we have the event,
 we have to judge them get to judge them.
 So, that's basically open for anybody. What would be helpful is in the past we have had the liaison
 with the intern, basically set everything out kind of engage groupings and then we all have a sheet
 of paper where you have, you know, a through to
 the second third place, and basically what you do is you go through and you look at the submissions
 for that age group, and you just write down the ones that you think are that and then in the past
 the intern so we kind of shifted sort of responsibilities live in the
 past the interim with that take those and sort of figure out who would be within each category and
 then that would be how do the prices, we put together prices for based on what donations we have,
 and why don't we have to give away.
 And put them together. And then, I believe we would. I don't know what day it would be but notify
 the players to say hey you should come to the Earth Day event because you're going to get something
 and you know, everyone else thank you for getting this event.
 So we need to determine when we will have the judging.
 I don't know if we want to try and do it as a coordinated everybody comes in within like a three
 hour window within a 20 minute window of the course of the day.
 And that's been the intern that doesn't I know that's been a little bit different so I don't know
 if you put preference of how we do it this year to make it most effective for you and Fiona, they
 are being displayed in the some back tables in our office.
 I am typically in office a week but others obviously know that they're planning or eight years
 going on in the department so if anyone would be able to stop by during office hours, that would be
 very easy.
 If there was a certain day a certain evening that would work better that should be able to stay
 late.
 So they're coming during the evening time.
 Obviously, everything that we probably said visible but there's a certain day.
 I'm happy to stay late.
 Are there certain days of the week that you are officially in or not and Tuesdays and Thursdays are
 typically night in office.
 Okay, I don't live in Bloomington so usually it's a little bit of that.
 As far as just kind of thinking logistically, are there folks who would like to judge that no for
 sure I can definitely do it during the workday or I definitely cannot do it during that like nine
 to five will say, are there any folks who would like to judge it when I make their availability
 known.
 Sure.
 Yeah, are you flexible for Tuesday and Thursday during the day or is it better after 5pm.
 I'm flexible so I could do it. Okay, I'm good after.
 I'm good after four. Okay.
 Or in the mornings. I'm also if people are coming in throughout the day on Thursday at the
 nomination or the planning committee wants to meet Tuesday night and I can give everybody the forms
 for the determination, so that would allow a couple days for to contact the winners.
 Yeah.
 Yeah. Do you say, was it said Thursday versus Tuesday.
 So they were probably.
 Okay, any preference from anybody else for judging. I think it makes sense to do it. So like that
 Tuesday the 15th. So what if we did in for like Tuesday between like three and 6pm that were three
 Rachel.
 I think so. Okay, and going to a nature that day that day and helping out with parks, but I should
 be. Yes. I should be back by two or three if I'm not not people in the department know that you
 expect.
 Perfect.
 Between three and six. Yeah, that'd be okay. Yeah. Okay.
 And particularly Tuesday. This would be Tuesday.
 The after the 11th, whatever the 50th. Yeah. Okay.
 So judging tabulating things quickly. Oh my gosh, I know.
 To nominate one super computer to do that. Okay. Okay, so judging Tuesday, April 15, between three
 and 6pm. And then maybe Rachel I can just coordinate with you on if there's any like, just how we're
 set up and make sure of our forms and stuff like that and then once everybody's done their judging.
 The eco heroes crew, one of us can can tally there is that.
 And then yeah we would just contact because we have all the forms that they've submitted when they
 can get their pieces so within be able to contact the winners Rachel would it be possible for you
 to reach out to those folks on Wednesday if we have results at the end of the night.
 And then I should say, yeah, yeah.
 In a draft email, it just means that like you want from the category, you gotta be helpful. Yeah.
 Yeah, okay.
 Okay, and so the last thing.
 So one of the things that we're kind of shifting is just making sure that when we have subcommittee
 meetings that they go through the proper channels of being made public and taking place in public
 spaces so people want to balance it in they can.
 So, you know, we recently adjusted sort of how we do the cost of a parent for the working groups
 and for the, the main commission meeting so just trying to everything super super communicative.
 But it seems like for the eco heroes committee sort of one of the last things is figuring out what
 we're going to do about prizes, because we will be getting donations in, you know, through,
 hopefully the next week or so, we'll probably also have a window we say okay.
 What is the EC, or the eco heroes budget we want to spend on prizes from, you know, local
 businesses to because we're in the past we have just gone to like a random place and purchase you
 know items that were being adjacent as part of prizes so that would be something
 that we just need to meet up to chat about so we can do that.
 Okay, and before I switch over to an entirely different topic, talking to the eco heroes group, and
 you both are welcome to join any time.
 Are you all around for us to do a meeting sometime next week.
 If we want to do a little checking, give me the daytime, nighttime evening coffee in the morning.
 31st through the fourth. Are there any days of the week that work best or not so great for either
 of you, or anything.
 I don't think I have anything.
 Flexible.
 Nice.
 Cool. Okay, well, how about, would either of you like to join before I just make a decision.
 Maybe not Tuesday, maybe not Tuesday. Well, how do we feel about Thursday.
 Rachel, would you help us have a meeting on Thursday, and don't like six o'clock is that to general
 for you.
 So basically when we decided the brand of the meeting, what's helpful is when Rachel was able to
 secure us a room in this building, it's nice public space easy to do. And if not, there's things
 like that and stuff like that.
 I'm happy to help. I talked to Rachel earlier thing, but I know she said that if there's five of us
 present, it's like forum for normal meeting, and if there's four of you guys, then that's why I was
 like, I'll stand back, because then it's like general
 forum.
 So that's why I was like, I'm not going to volunteer to show up.
 That was because we just set our new forum. So, um, and that would require it going through the
 like cats and would you have to be here for that would, would that be
 publicly noticed as an environmental commission full group meeting if it's meeting in DC forum.
 I think that's just the city's policy and preference I don't. I'm not sure if it's something or not.
 Like, like this meeting I think it's a courtesy that we open it up for a virtual option. Okay, okay.
 Well then, let's go ahead and proceed with the meeting as planned, and then we'll just enjoy having
 you as part of the bigger picture.
 Okay.
 Okay, so we're going to say, Thursday at six ish somewhere hopefully within city hall. Yes, I just
 reserved in the costy room which is, I think you guys met there.
 So you don't need any bad access assuming the front doors are working.
 So I will send out the public noticed, probably on one day.
 Yeah. Okay, I'm going to send a sudden meeting invites you all before I forget.
 Great. And did you want to meet the week of the seven.
 For any reason, just so I can get a reservation.
 I think we want to make do you want to preemptively plan a meeting for this week of the seven or
 that's like the last few days before the cut off of prices.
 I mean submissions.
 It's not a bad idea. All right, let's do that. We're gonna have something to talk about. We can
 always cancel. You can always cancel and have a sneeze. Okay, so I'm going to say you go here is
 meeting for that.
 Okay, and I'm going to add. Is it just that Thursday. Yeah, that works for everybody. That'd be
 great. Even if last year is not available.
 Well, I can pitch you the only bad access number so I can just ask facilities keep the door open.
 Yeah.
 Probably wait to send us them until after you guys meet next Thursday, just to make sure you all
 are going to be.
 Is there anything else.
 I can't remember what the thing I was going to say was, but I'm sure.
 Great. Great. Great. Great. All right. We've done it. We've made it through our bold business
 working group update.
 Now we're moving on to activity number seven on the agenda, which is the staff update. So this is
 where Rachel shares different updates, either from the team at the city or just things that we're
 doing.
 Yeah, so the first thing I have is the city council schedule update. You kind of already talked
 about it, but the council attorneys and.
 I have floated April 16 to hear the B-City U.S.A. resolution. And Ang Mo along from Susana, you
 also reached out today to Joe. I think he reached out to Heidi Schumacher, but I think he needs to
 reach out to Joe in the sparks. So I think we got that coordinated as well as me. So we're going to
 be kept in the loop as city points of contact for the campus city.
 So if I hear things on that, I'll report it back.
 Any questions about the council updated B-City stuff.
 The other item I have is the environmental commission handbook update. So I'll move back to the
 agenda.
 So I am happy to, but did not necessarily intend on walking through each of the 24 pages.
 But to give a quick synopsis, I track my changes. You can disregard the table of contents because
 it takes up some time.
 But the first change I made was to change the commission power and duties connect what we talked
 about with Title II.
 So I'm going to go through this pretty quickly just because I'm happy to let you know a lot of copy
 of this as well.
 And can you remind me, this was reviewed by the special committee that was doing all the
 adjustments?
 Not the specific handbook, but the Title II changes were.
 Okay. And so those are written in as we proposed them?
 The only thing that I think Commissioner Friedman-Smith added was that we did not talk about was to
 submit an annual rental report to the mayor and the common council, which was already in the bylaws.
 She decided that to be in Title II and not to be codified.
 I changed the fall patients and started the commission because that was part of Title II.
 Then added some COVID era regulation in there that Commissioner I think is 50% of the biggest
 person and may not extend more than a few consecutive meetings virtually.
 Carrie had passed around some of the chairperson's responsibilities earlier this year, specifically
 changing the treasurer position from the secretary to the vice chair.
 So I just updated that language based off your email.
 Change, small changes.
 Let's see.
 These are all COVID era requirements that were adopted I think by all city commissions in probably
 early 2021.
 I added that I distributed packets. I took out the use of email just based off what legal
 recommended.
 Standing working groups.
 I didn't know if each working group needed to be described in the handbook. So I did not remove
 anything at this point, but I didn't know if that should be a separate working or separate document
 describing each working group or that should be in the handbook.
 So I did not have a preference. I wanted to leave that up to everyone else.
 So we've done a couple different ways as far as how we distribute the sort of status of the
 different working groups or who's on the working groups or kind of going into detail on them.
 What do you all think about keeping them as part of our handbook, knowing that they may or may not
 be active, they may or may not be totally updated.
 Like the biodiversity one, for example, is it's one of our biggest working groups and it hasn't
 been the shortest description so knowing that that's not always going to be one to one.
 What do you all think about keeping it versus potentially creating a separate document that we just
 update from time to time that is that more in depth description that we can change, whatever.
 Yeah, separate document.
 Everybody else feel okay about that.
 Okay, okay, that's right with everyone I say yeah let's go and just extract that from the handbook
 and then just have a separate working document with the committees.
 Okay, um, with the current subcommittees, there are not a description or if you'd like to beef up
 your description.
 Is that something that can be worked on the coming months. We make that the working group homework.
 And there are other people in the biodiversity working groups isn't necessarily have to follow me
 Shannon, but maybe just making sure that each working group submits something to to Rachel that
 then we can include for next month.
 Yes, but so this is not enough information. That's the issues, I mean for the biodiversity working
 group is just like, it doesn't really give a lot of detail of like what we're actually doing it's
 kind of a generic like this is the concept of it but thinking about it as a separate document that
 actually reflects what the different working groups do as we would describe and like to new
 commissioners and things like that, because this isn't going to be in the document anymore this is
 going to be just a totally separate thing.
 In that would it be helpful to have descriptions of like pastor and active working groups as well,
 like their quality working group or something like that just so people can know like what has been
 done.
 Yeah, I really like that if somebody comes in with a specialty or like just to read passion for
 something and sees that we have done something that wants to. Yeah, and once they're resurrected
 for example, I think that's a great idea I know that we have a couple documents floating around of
 those, those past groups so yeah if each working group and just make sure that they've got whatever
 they want that to be written out and then share with Rachel, then I can see what I've got in mind
 it's super.
 Yeah, I can separate that out and whenever I'm kind of imaging that each description, maybe has.
 I mean I know what I know so I can include like the current members attached to each working group
 but if there are past members that you know that should be highlighted and also with their names
 and also like what reports have been completed just kind of keep everything centralized.
 I don't think we need to introduce until May or June, the back to do okay.
 Okay.
 It doesn't make sense to leave a lot of descriptions is somewhat generic looking are we trying to
 make it a history document or because I mean yearly plans are going to change just like groups are
 going to change so I don't know how, how much detail we feel that you do into.
 I mean I don't think we need to go into like researching old notes and things like that but I think
 if you're a member of the group that either knows what it's done, what it's working on, or what its
 goal is like like which is a great example where it's like, it's brand, it's just brand new and so
 there's a lot of aspirations, whether or not what you write up, you know, for this, this particular
 document will apply in a year from now.
 It's not a huge deal for us to go in and just update it because it's not a super formal document it's
 just a way for people to say, what is it that you're doing, or new commissioners to have a little
 bit more.
 I think this is the same as like a brochure.
 Yeah, we have to have like a full boat if a working group would just want to update their
 description, their vision area, just a paragraph or two. I imagine like for like biodiversity,
 highlighting like a standing long term project like connectivity flow or something.
 Since you can't co-work, do you want to write a little paragraph for the like, I'll write a little
 paragraph because it's a former air quality. Yeah, that'd be great.
 People should decide who's going to write what since we can't share.
 And I guess eco heroes is kind of. Yeah, eco heroes is kind of put off by itself but.
 We can bump it with the working group document. Yeah, definitely.
 I assume that's going to continue next year.
 Can I crank and go back to the email thing. Yeah.
 Do we strike this this way. I mean, so I mean, so my question is, you know, here it has this clause,
 however no binding vote shall be taken every email because this would be in violation of the window.
 Great.
 You know, that's, that's for him it's improving official actions in a non public setting. But so
 one of my concerns I mean we talked about this last time a little bit is that so much of the
 business is not even really business that we're doing we're not approving
 anything necessarily but just needs a quick like, send it out, it's done five minutes calling the
 meeting is a multi step process it has to be public and most of us don't have a lot of time for
 extra meetings.
 So is there no way that we can maintain some sort of very limited and email capability of you know
 and each other, other people in the group to deal with any sort of easy business, or that was just
 you said it was a recommendation of legal,
 how strong recommendation I get is it are they insisting on this like this is the question legal
 has informed me that any discussion about business is not okay.
 How do we find business.
 Yeah, I think we talked about the definition of business last time but
 I don't have to be sorry I mean, that's my thing.
 I think, I think the process of all of this is for a very wide reaching application across all
 boards and commissions and so the individual for this.
 Yes, I totally understand why we need to like not be doing things behind closed doors. I'm not
 familiar with issue but if there was a word doc that there's a link on the commission's website,
 that the public had access to the history,
 like a Google Doc. Yeah, it's my impression that that is not but I assume it's actually because of
 like the nature of the like live link, but you might know.
 The commissioner's sustainability just was told that they could not have any type of Google Drive
 or work on Google Docs in between, like, multiple commissioners could not make changes to the same
 document between meetings.
 So, they would have like I would have to submit a PDF of each individual change by each
 commissioner. So I think that was what we talked about earlier.
 We could do those things during working meetings, during these smaller meetings and whatnot.
 And so you still have to announce it. Or you send it to Rachel, she puts it up and says hey
 everybody go look at the website because there's a thing up that everyone needs to weigh in on.
 Subcommittees still need to be on CAS too.
 So I listened to that, that was my first, like I listened to it, the last one that you had was crazier
 than that. That was the first one I listened to.
 Thank you for being on the show. Yeah, very nice.
 I found that in the end of the note of what an official action is, and that includes discussions,
 deliberations, receiving information, giving information, as well as final actions including voting
 and decisions.
 I would not recommend any type of, you know, passing communication about official actions over
 email.
 And Shannon, this is out of the words of our city liaison and the legal department, they're saying
 they recommend that you don't.
 All they can say is they recommend that you don't. In case we get sued and then they're like, you
 were violating. What a heartbreak that would be if they're like, send me all of your emails, Nadia.
 No, I can't identify it like that. I'm trying to find the because his knees on sent me the letter
 that they received from legal.
 Okay, I don't I'm not mean to like rehash from last time even though I'm just like, I mean, it's
 intensely inconvenient like it's terribly inconvenient it doesn't make a lot of sense off the cuff
 and we're not doing anything that's hurting anybody.
 But at the end of the day, they're recommending, and there's a good.
 But violation of the law or policies may result in removal from the commission, or the wreck of
 snowing or intentional damage or destruction of public record is 11678.
 That's what he is told from evil.
 Okay, I don't mean to slow us down either I just when I was looking back at this seems reasonable.
 I don't think anybody here. Yeah, I think your intuition is a lot of us probably feel the same way
 which is this is a hugely inconvenient, especially when we have documentation that we are trying to
 hash out as quickly as possible.
 It's not, it's not convenient. And when you have a single question like I just needed to know what
 was the status with the city and is that you know I just wanted to, I guess I could have just, I
 couldn't, I couldn't ask you over email that.
 Yeah, if you go through Rachel Rachel.
 Yeah.
 Can we talk about city like I was talking about the city with tangible. Was that okay.
 I think so.
 If your parents or tangible or somebody who doesn't live here anymore, but if you email commissioners
 about it that's when it starts to get a little so we have to do all business in person basically,
 or in subcommittee original or through Rachel.
 And she talks for us, basically, to each other.
 And I wouldn't, you know, I would be just copying and pasting you know words that I'm not going to
 rephrase like everyone said but I can post like documents online, send out an email to all the
 commissioners saying the websites been updated.
 So if you're CC on that email.
 Legal is pretty firm about it. I'm not sure if I'm CC if that would be okay.
 And then they'll have to send it to you, and then it will go out to everybody, but like an exchange.
 Yeah.
 The ownership.
 Now, we're also like, I know.
 Okay, we can get back to this.
 I'm really sorry.
 It was absolutely.
 Yeah.
 And I think, I think a little bit of it is, it will always be something that doesn't feel quite
 natural compared to all the other kinds of communication we have as human beings, but I also think
 this last three months is very, very new to us, maybe in a year from now we will
 be able to communicate with each other a little bit more.
 And it will feel easier but right now it is outrageously difficult. I know.
 So,
 trying not to have levels that's my goal for 2020.
 I haven't heard that one yet. I tried to sit through the state code and I saw the possibility of a
 fine. Yeah, the second fine and what I can give you that Indiana code number.
 See, I changed citizens to residents because you know, the city does not like to move there.
 Orientation new members we kind of talked about this.
 So, you know, commissioners can feel free to add any part of this document I know this is
 how we want to onboard the commissioners.
 Commissioner explanation, I included the mayor's office and clerk's office, they like to send a
 thank you letter to you whenever you resign so they always ask, what is their address, and I always
 have to reach out again to make sure
 that the correct address is on file.
 And they, the controller's office also wants to know if anyone's pay, I don't think you know their
 commissioners are paid now some commission missions have paid these things.
 If that ever changes you don't think I know about it.
 We removed the fellow language from the bylaws, not to say that develop will never work on our
 mission tasks, again, just removing all of our department interest to be more well rounded for the
 entire department rather than having them siloed.
 Yeah, it's not these meetings anymore.
 The bike safety commission is not exists anymore the Transportation Commission recently absorbed
 that the standards template for outreach materials and publications, Office of the mayor has city
 design guidelines.
 So, I didn't change any of the language but I didn't know if that is something you want me to, you
 know, put in the use another box of bonds.
 They have certain colors so stuff to you all whether you want to adopt that or not.
 If we want to I'm very familiar with it because I've seen me you I've made out like a lot of bill
 inserts and everything like these exact guidelines and have them memorized so nice.
 Is there any mention of accessibility with documentation that we created.
 It has some digital accessibility. It's pretty in since I don't think it's like a one figure. They
 have several links on our knowledge base, but I can include that we added the link to it just to
 say that we recommend going through those just put out content.
 I appreciate you doing that for the part 1000.
 Maybe a template information being present, but also maybe just recommended.
 What does it say will use.
 I'm just, you know, the instance that we want to do a really flowery brochure for native landscaping
 or something. I like it being there because it's a resource. I don't like it being a.
 This is the only way for any type of document.
 Can you change the word, you see will use standardized templates to like, may recommend using
 something like these. I don't know, I didn't use any template, I mean, where those came from, but
 they definitely did not use the
 the same name uses.
 See, it doesn't mean everyone's dating or they reduce their schedule. So, I just say, because they're
 found their chamber every year.
 This history, Mike provided a document should pair all the history. So, again, does this need to be
 in the handbook or is it a document that should be separated.
 That's a good question. What do you think, especially some of the newer folks who received the handbook
 as a brand new source of information, does having Mike sort of historical, should be separate,
 separate.
 Yeah, I don't, I don't have a super smart, you know, where it's housed, I do like having it
 available on having access to it, but I don't know if it needs to be in handbook.
 The separate document is a little bit more comprehensive than the whole paragraphs, anyone that
 really wants to get into can have just a better document.
 Reference to it there. Yeah, like it's like, if you're interested, it's over here.
 These are also possible policies.
 This might have been a brainstorm by Linda that step in here.
 But this was in the most recent handbook document. So I didn't know, I'm not sure who was I assume
 she's a former commission member.
 But I don't know if this possible policies belongs in the handbook.
 Okay, no, this might have been somebody just adding notes to a document.
 So that's a summary of all the changes invested.
 I figured everyone should be able to sit down and read through this, even before a two day time on
 it and I think he was using it and pushing it so next time, if you want to go April or May or
 whenever. Yeah, there's so the working groups piece is not going into this document so our work
 long it takes us to get those things together.
 If folks are super busy you're not able to do it.
 So in this.
 It seems like we would be able to that there's not new stuff going into this that you need language
 for for us to vote next.
 Let's put on the agenda for next.
 If you have any comments or recommendations, you can send that to me like, at least a week before
 the meeting I know everything's around.
 It would allow me just to make sure I'm putting everything in the right place so we're building on
 a correct document.
 That would be the 15.
 That is everything.
 I do have one staff update that's not on the agenda.
 Yeah, yes be reached out to see. She does not have the capacity for air quality working group of
 sorts so she wanted to see the DC wanted to, it would be interesting.
 That she hopes to be see takes on, but she does not have the capacity to do. Would she be willing
 to come to one of our meetings to give us a little pitch for it. Yeah, I can ask her to
 ask questions and kind of think through if it's something that any of us are interested in making
 some time for.
 Yeah, the air quality piece is interesting because we've members of our team up with some of the,
 the climate action plan is big initially that they did the sort of heat island.
 Research that they did this past summer with it.
 So it's kind of moved more into the hands of sort of the estate DM because as much but the sort of
 more from from those folks perspective so yeah they shouldn't have a kind of aspect this way.
 I will move back to the agenda.
 Okay. Okay. All right. Well, this is a rounding third base as they say, with the agenda for the
 night we have our moment for updates from the different commissions and councils and things like
 that that are our commissioners
 sitting on or part of an Adam if you're on Iraq, then you and David can maybe like do reports in
 tandem, maybe, you know, save and save time but moving forward, feel free to work out how you'd
 like to do that.
 As for tonight, the last meeting I reported on our last meeting so because we write meets every
 other month so yeah so there's nothing new reporting tonight.
 All right, next month so high pressure women.
 Is there anything from commission or. Yeah, if you want to report on the next, next month.
 All right, commission.
 Very often when we're to commission meetings are mostly the urban foresters reports for the month,
 and that was true this time around.
 Haskell Smith reported to start with the street department is working through various removals.
 The street department takes out a tree and the tree commission asked them to really plant more
 trees than they take out and that usually happens.
 So far this year.
 The urban forestry group has taken out their Esperanto trees and probably in 2000 this year.
 They're just ramping up their planting they've done 150 so far this year.
 There is a tree assistance program. Haskell has $50,000 to assist low income homeowners with high
 risk treatment removal and pruning and so on.
 And the goal is to remove and replace, replace in case of removals.
 Again, assisted with the group called that did some planning at Crestmont.
 He's still working on a report called the urban forest master planning.
 Working on downtown square.
 Trying to get
 Actually, it's great in various places and those grades
 cost about $2,000 they're going to get people to
 pay for them and then have their names on them or have something
 more
 on them, you know, friends or whatever. There's a fall pre-evention appreciation event that they're
 working on
 at Fountain Square Mall.
 Cope financial has complained about some tree
 that was removed and they hope to replace it with more trees.
 At April 5th at Winslow's Forest Park.
 Foragers, forest girls scouts, I think, put out, put in 45
 fruit and nut trees.
 His staff is doing seasonal chainsaw safety training.
 And we are once again tree city.
 And apparently part of tree cities of the world and tree city growth floor.
 The next thing that happened was I reported on the Environmental Commission meeting so I won't
 repeat that.
 And then each time there's a report from Mia Williams who represents Indiana University at the Tree
 Commission.
 She's their landscape architect.
 And they got accreditation for tree campus higher education.
 And April 25, there will be an Arbor Day tree planting with students.
 And also another tree planting at Bayou Hospital.
 And then Julie, I forget her last name, wanted to talk about the canopy group.
 They put in 100 plus trees at Cresmont and another at Broadview and they've been doing neighborhood
 potlucks and they did a Trees 101 class at the library.
 It was well attended with 28 people.
 So, as I said, the next thing on our agenda is ERAC and I reported on that back in February because
 the ERAC meeting was before our meeting and there's nothing new from friends of Lake Monroe.
 Thank you, Dave. Thanks for the details on that one. I made a bunch of notes about the different
 events that are going on through Tree Commission. So, that's good.
 Any updates from BCOS attendees or watchers?
 Yes, I watched that meeting.
 BCOS stands for the Commission of Sustainability.
 While they were meeting, there actually isn't a lot to report on that one. Dave Relo gave council
 updates about the sunsetting of the Climate Action and Resilience Standing Committee, but not
 abandoning any of those causes.
 They just decided they didn't need the committee. Also discussed some of the similar things that
 are going on before the council.
 The commission referred to a kind of whiteboard style priority meeting like we do that they did in
 a working session meeting, so I didn't actually see that, but they established priorities and it
 seems like they're really leaning into education, outlook, and tabling type stuff, so that sounds
 pretty familiar.
 They wrapped up their meeting by electing officers and then adjourned.
 I know that when Don was on or was attending the BCoast meetings, he was very excited about the
 opportunity to work together and then just, you know, for a variety of reasons, we just hadn't
 really come up with a collaborative option.
 I don't know in what they decided at the working session once, so I guess I'd have to watch or read
 something about that. I still do get the impression that we really want to be communicating, and
 like Matt Austin occasionally mentions that specifically.
 But at the moment, I don't know if any projects that either commission is doing that will be really
 beneficial to have the other commission also.
 Thanks for the update. I think if there's any working group that feels like there's something they're
 doing that would make tons of sense for BCoast to be like a policing group or something like that
 that would make sense for us to try and collaborate on.
 I think it would make absolute sense to pop into their meeting as a member of the public and say
 like, hey, there's something we're talking about. If y'all are interested, let us know or something
 like that.
 I don't know if you all have any input on this, but I would assume that bringing a "are you
 interested" conversation to another commission or committee isn't something that we would need to
 talk about if it's not actually a solid pitch for anything.
 It's just saying, would you be interested in working together on something? If they say yes, we say,
 okay, what does that look like and decide as a commission?
 But what do you all think about that? As far as, you know, if Dave was at the Tree Commission, he
 said, oh, we've got a thing we're doing. Would you like to talk about potentially collaborating?
 How do you all feel about being able to approve that pitch happening beforehand or if it's okay to
 just kind of roll with it?
 Shannon, stop it.
 One member of the commission is going to another commission. I mean, it's not like a forum is being
 met at the EC, so there shouldn't be a problem with that.
 Yeah, so I don't know if you all have any sharp things like, no, I'd really rather know before the
 special projects, bring something up to another group.
 But I just want to kind of throw that out there in case folks are like, yeah, this sounds like it
 makes sense.
 Like, you know, we're talking about habitat connectivity and it makes sense to be in the Be Coast
 meetings just say, hey, we're working on this.
 If you have any folks who feel very strongly about, you know, that sort of thing, come to our next
 meeting. Here's when it is or whatever.
 Okay, great. Just wanted to kind of clarify that because we talked a lot about wanting to
 collaborate with other groups, but as you probably noticed, there's a lot going on.
 It's, you know, the fun thing that we're all doing as a generosity of our hearts and so we can't do
 everything so try not to overcommit that way.
 Um, MC Iris, anything from MC Iris? Yeah, so they are doing a tree replacement program for calloway
 pear and strawberry placement for Japanese barberry and burning bush. So the applications are live.
 We found on their website. They're also doing a similar but invasive tree removal assistance
 program. So first one is your replacement. This one's assistance for removal of calloway pear,
 white mulberry, and tree pebbin.
 Let's see if they have partners. They have discounts with Bluestone and Norman Arbor Pear for those
 invasive trees. Again, the application is live on their website. There's some weed wrangles
 sponsored by Parks. It's on the Park City website. They have a whole list of where they're going to
 be. They're focusing on a lot of multi-floor rows.
 That seems to be a part of the discussion. They're doing some luster calum dining work at Cedar Bluffs
 Nature Preserve. Let's see. They've been working with a couple of elementary middle schools on
 invasive removal.
 And then again, a large discussion is the planning for the native plant sale, which will be
 September 6th at Maiden's Building Esquiture Park, 730 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday. So all
 day.
 They are also doing -- I think ESD is doing a zero in Bloomington. I think there was a press
 release about this a few weeks ago.
 But there is -- it's an online platform that provides them to residents with customized
 recommendations to reduce emissions. So you can kind of track your way to -- or track your actions
 that reduce emissions.
 And MCIRS has an account on there. So there will be like a winner of that. Whoever is like tracking
 the emission reductions the most.
 And then they announce that the garden fair will be April 12th. Again, Earth Day will be -- the
 Earth Day celebration is April 19th.
 So yeah, they also have quite a few dates that were announced. Those were the dates. Yeah.
 Does MCIRS have suggestions for convincing your neighbors to take advantage of the calorie?
 I think they have, you know, a paper, like one page, and they also have door handles.
 And on September 12th, they will be having their annual native plant sale at Switchyard Park.
 September 6th. The 6th is what made the meeting notes.
 I thought it was September 12th. Let me see. I put it in my calendar. Maybe she made a mistake.
 This is an MCIRS, but since Parks is such a close partner, I will show that earlier this month they
 sent out letters to neighborhoods about encroachment with some other invasives like Blessed
 Valentine and things like that.
 So there was a mess. Letter put out. And there were interns in your room with some letter in their
 hours.
 Yes, thank you for that update.
 Yeah.
 Yeah, just like, just so you know, this is something that's terrible so you like the greenery. It's
 not great.
 In the past there's been the opportunity for the EC to go to a weed wrangle together, which I think
 is a great idea. I think last year the, I don't know, two years ago the original day, maybe got
 snowed out and then got rescheduled but that's something that we talked about learning to do.
 A lot of the weed wrangles happened during the day, like the work day so I think that that might be
 a complication for us but if folks are interested.
 Actually, if folks are interested, do you want me to just come up with a couple of dates and
 propose them at our next meeting? Okay. Do we have to announce that we are gathering for a weed wrangle
 as an unofficial meeting?
 I can check on that because I checked with legal about the field trips, and they said social outings
 do not have to be noticed. Let me see her language on that.
 I'm so sorry.
 Don't talk about E.C.
 I'll make a little side step. The thing from the eco heroes, photographer for the winners. In the
 past, Christy Lindbergh was our photographer but I don't know if we have anyone who's designated as
 that so
 one of us can obviously do it but.
 I take pictures of birds, I'm not sure how well the skills are.
 Well I have like smaller lenses too. Okay. I'd be willing to do it but I'm not like.
 If you're willing to help that would be amazing. I'll watch some YouTube videos.
 There might be a professional photographer there too so I can check on that at the next.
 Okay. Yeah, typically we do each winner with the mayor and then send it to them so it's possible to
 do that with professional awesome but if not, that'd be amazing.
 I think that I remember them saying that they had only
 planned for a photographer photographer to be there. The first half, which includes eco gears title
 that will check more pictures, the better though.
 Thank you. Sorry to interrupt the conversation is struck. As far as the field trips which may apply
 to be.
 Okay, so we need wrinkles and Dina has a median said that under the, you know, door lock a meeting
 does not include social gatherings, on site inspections but she bolded for the field trip, travel
 to meetings of organizations, caucuses or
 gatherings for orientations or administering, administering votes. This field trip is more like an
 on site.
 All right, well I will bring to our next meeting some suggested dates and might do a redrangle and
 then if a few of us are many of us are all of us want to participate and great.
 You want to announce that I'm happy to post a public notice in case you want to kind of gather
 people if not, if you want to put it on Facebook and also happy to do that.
 That's great.
 Okay, those are all the updates. I believe there's anything else. Sorry about that. There's nothing
 else from no serious. Okay. Awesome. Okay. Commission announcements. That's when we go through and
 just share anything that we would like to share with the group.
 We are on cats is for people to watch for years to come but feel free to share it can be
 professional non professional EC related, whatever you'd like to share.
 Two things one comment. This thing up here, the captioning on the captioning. When Rachel said Cal
 Repair, it translated as colored hair.
 And the other thing is, those of you who remember, Don, former member of this group. I see him
 fairly often pulling weeds and picking up junk in the southeast part, which we both live near.
 So I walked through there fairly often and he's pretty often they're working so dedicated. That's
 amazing. And he said, Don, I agree with the captioning said donut.
 Do this edition. Yeah, well I've got two events, I think, coming up that I just kind of found out
 about in May.
 People are interested in Hoosier River watch the volunteer monitoring program that the state kind
 of helps run administer and gives you supplies for and you can report data back to them. There's a
 training for that nearby in Spencer.
 May. 16, which is a Friday it's 10 to four which might make it a little tricky for folks with jobs
 that don't want to take time off.
 But it is a fun thing to get involved with and that's the closest training, I've seen to Bloomington
 so far this year that I've been aware of, you know, if it's 18 plus to do the training.
 Yes.
 The city put some on a station. Yeah, there's a bunch of people that are trained as trainers in the
 city. The one in Spencer is being done by Dylan Allison who's like from I don't know it's like that.
 It'll be a fun thing to be involved with if you want to be. And then the other event coming up in
 May, as I was catching up on work emails from fraternity leave the this year's Indiana Academy of
 Sciences Bioblitz got announced.
 And it will be an evil Marsh nature preserve in court way.
 I can leave on May 31 but I can't find that email it's not listed online anywhere so don't quote me
 on the date quite yet I can update that evil or evil, evil.
 Marsh is a video game level in many video games.
 There's a 24 hour period see how many kind of organisms of all kinds mammals plants birds bugs
 aquatic bugs there's like 15 different terrestrial bug groups that go out because they're all hyper
 specialized and how they collect things.
 But if you ever wanted to get involved in any of that kind of stuff.
 You don't have to have any kind of technical and practical experience just bodies are welcome and
 needed and if you're interested, I can send you the registration and relation everything.
 And if we went as a group, it's a fun trip, and so it is very much a social.
 Great. Those are great, great updates. Good one. So every year, this is an active in one on campus
 the Institute for Advanced Studies Kansas big symposium three days.
 This year, the focus is apologies, and it will be people from across campus and co convenient with
 actually a biology person Jim Lowe, and people from across campus talking about apology from
 different disciplinary perspectives Thursday through Saturday.
 It should be like Anna saying we probably have a bad, you know, that's very nice. So, that'd be fun.
 That's awesome. I want to chance book reading on her book which is titled.
 All the time you medieval.
 Yeah, it was happening. This is Thursday through Saturday. So the first two speakers on Patterson
 in conversation with David Stringer. So she's in biology he's in second language studies they both
 talk about words.
 So, from really different.
 So it should be the ideas of people from really different perspectives on ecology in conversation
 with each other.
 Other updates from commissioners.
 Speaking of birds. I think the DNR I think has reported a few hundred central cranes that died from
 bird flu.
 So it's just something that's happening in Michigan. Yeah. And to my knowledge there haven't been
 any moving cranes found, which is good because they're numbers are not very high.
 Okay, any other folks. Any updates.
 Otherwise we'll move on to the next and final portion of our evening which is social media posts.
 Yes, so Fiona, I sent her the email you passed along so she's going to post that on Monday.
 Sorry I didn't get posted this week.
 But it will be posted on Monday.
 So if there's anything that you'd like to see on their Facebook, feel free to email me and I will
 pass along to Fiona. Can we send the ESD zero Bloomington opportunity thing can we add that to our
 social feed.
 What's Facebook.
 Bless you for that.
 I have a question. Yeah, would it be possible to get the parts department to share our posts
 because I know they're pretty popular and social media. I can ask.
 Instagram.
 Yeah.
 Yeah, it'd be possible to share it or we could send them one of like the square graphics and then
 put it on. Just three years or every post.
 Okay. Well, our next meeting is coming up here in April, it'll be right before that.
 I'm going to bring some snacks. I love a good snack during a meeting in springtime. I feel like we're
 all going to distract with everything else going on. And so, is there anybody here who has any
 allergy or food exclusion?
 Tree nuts.
 Tree nuts.
 Every nut but a peanut basically.
 Okay. All right.
 I'm vegan.
 Vegan. Perfect.
 Anything else?
 Shellfish.
 Shellfish. Oh my goodness. So I won't be bringing this.
 Okay. So no tree nuts and vegan. Oh, I don't know what I'm going to bring, but please feel free to
 bring stuff that people can snack on if they want to. My memory is that we don't have a lot to eat
 off of.
 So if you do feel like bringing something awesome, but maybe bring like some paper towels or napkins
 or troughs, whatever it is to distribute food, but I'm going to bring some something.
 Okay.
 Anything else or anybody have any big ideas about what we should do next?
 Move for you, Jeremy.
 All right. All right.
 Turn at seven, four to six. Thanks, everybody.
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