20211104 - Green Ridgewood/Green Team Virtual Meeting Minutes
Green Ridgewood-Green Team Meeting Minutes 20211104
Held on Zoom
Attendance:
Green Ridgewood: Bob Upton, George Wolfson, Ellie Gruber, Yvone Nava, Mary Mogerley (Parks & Recreation Rep), Jill Fasano (Village Staff Rep), Pam Perron (Village Council Liaison).
Green Team: Justin Manger, George Wolfson, Ellie Gruber, Bob Upton, Tony Mauriello, Mike Faherty.
Guests: Miles Luo (RHS), Carolyn Jacoby (STC), David Refkin, Dianne Kidwell.
1. Welcome/Introductions/Apologies
Apologies for absence had been received from Beth, Christine, Saurabh, and Anthea.
We were pleased to welcome our guests.
2. Approve October Meeting Minutes
The October draft minutes had been distributed to members by e-mail on October 14th. Pam motioned to approve the October minutes, seconded by Mary and passed unanimously.
3. Membership/Recruitment/Leadership
Bob conducted an e-mail survey of those members whose terms are expiring or of which we have no record. Responses were as follows:
George - reappoint to Green Team, NOT to Green Ridgewood
Ellie - reappoint to Green Ridgewood, NOT to Green Team
Bob – reappoint to Green Ridgewood and Green Team
Justin and Tony - reappoint to Green Team
Diala - did not respond so her Green Team membership will expire.
Miles and Pam reported some interest in the Student Liaison position to the Green Team and candidates are encouraged to submit an application.
4. Communications:
Nothing to report.
5. Green Team/Sustainable Jersey
Silver Recertification: We will take this up after the holidays.
6. Sustainable Bergen Hub
(a) Wyckoff hosted a Zoom Hub meeting in on October 25th attended by Tracy Zur, Bergen County Commissioner. The minutes are available on Basecamp. Next Hub meetings November 22nd hosted by Ridgefield Park and January 25th hosted by Glen Rock.
(b) Styrofoam sub-committee has not met. Collections are being undertaken by individual towns with advice from the Hub but no financial support.
(c) Single Use Plastics sub-committee will meet November 9th.
(b) EV Sub-Committee: No Hub events or meetings but Green Ridgewood and Glen Rock held an EV education event at the Ridgewood Farmers Market on October 17th. The committee voted by consensus to reimburse Justin for $48 for posters. He will submit a claim.
7. EAGER (Encouraging Alternative Green Energy for Ridgewood)
The RGEA sub-committee held its second educational event promoting EAGER and collecting signatures of support at the Ridgewood Farmers Market on October 17th.
8. EPS/Styrofoam Collection
The Styrofoam collection on Saturday, October 16th went off very smoothly thanks to our own volunteers and especially volunteers from Ridgewood and Ramapo High Schools’ Project Interact teams and GWMS Green Team. We are grateful to Ridgewood Recycling for sponsoring the event which resulted in wider publicity. One and a half 20 foot truckloads of Styrofoam were delivered for recycling. The Recycling Department has proposed holding regular Styrofoam collections with Green Ridgewood coordinating volunteers. They proposed Jan 8th or 22nd for the next event and we suggest Jan 8th with 22nd as rain date.
9. Earth Day Fair
The Earth Day organizing committee met on Oct 12th and is working on materials to promote the event to local businesses and seek corporate sponsors by appealing to their interest in ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance). The committee will meet again on November 23rd. There is a need for someone to lead an effort to “green” the event.
10. Sustainable Yard Maintenance (Leaf Blowers, Lawn Chemicals, etc)
Mike F is leading an active sub-committee working on the project as outlined at the October meeting.
11. Movie “The Sacrifice Zone”
Several members took advantage of the virtual screening and discussion presented by Sustainable Jersey. The movie focusses on environmental injustice centered on the Newark Ironbound section and its exposure to pollution sources, in particular the garbage incinerator. The question was left open of whether to try to coordinate a local screening/discussion with other groups. Ellie will follow-up.
12. Ridgewood Adopt-A-Drain
The development of this proposed program is paused waiting for a suitable volunteer to lead it.
13. Rivers & Flooding
So far attempts to determine which organization, if any, is addressing river maintenance in and beyond Ridgewood have been unsuccessful. The Village Engineering Division is holding a Flood Education Seminar on November 17th which may shed some light on this issue.
14. Resiliency
David Refkin had asked to address the committees on this topic. He expressed concern that the Village is not prepared for future escalation of natural events caused by rain and temperature extremes and public health emergencies and encouraged an assessment of infrastructure, emergency preparedness, vulnerability of power & water supply etc, in particular his own experience with PSE&G’s recent inadequate response. Again the Flood Seminar may prove informative and he was also referred to the Village’s Office of Emergency Management.
15. Planning Board/Master Plan/ERI
No issues of environmental concern have been raised at recent Planning Board meetings. The Planning Board Master Plan Sub-committee continues to work on the new Plan and the next public update is scheduled for January 18th.
Meantime the Village has engaged the Land Conservancy of NJ to update the Open Space Plan and they will also create an ERI (Environmental Resource Inventory) for the Village, something long sought by our committees. Barbara Davis, VP of LCNJ, has asked to attend our next meeting to discuss this project and will provide some info ahead of the meeting.
16. Village Council Update
Pam provided a brief summary of Village Council activity of interest to the committees including recent discussion of purchase of an EV or hybrid version Ford Escape and plantings in downtown tree wells. The Tree Protection ordinance is still being written.
17. Next Joint Meeting will be Thursday December 2nd at 7:00 pm, via Zoom. (Note: Venue was switched from in-person to Zoom to facilitate the ERI presentation/discussion).
Minutes submitted by: Bob Upton, November 19th, 2021.
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