20230209 - Green Ridgewood Meeting Minutes

                                Minutes of GREEN RIDGEWOOD MEETING

Feb 9th, 2023, 7:30 – 9:00 pm

 Ridgewood Stable, Lower Level

 

 

Green Ridgewood attendees: Jill Fasano, David Refkin, Caitlin O’Leary, Pam Perron, Beth Creller, Yvone Nava, Nurhan Ezik, Tessa Florida

Green Team attendees:  Mike Faherty, Justin Manger, Adam Peterseil

Guests: Miles Luo, Carolyn Jacoby, Bob Upton, Justin Jonsson

 

Administration

 

1.    Welcome + Introductions, David

2.    Approved Minutes, David

·       Voted to approve Jan 2023 minutes

 

3.    Chair Report, David

·       Guidance on Master Plan

·       Kicking off Earth Day planning in earnest

 

4.    Village Council, Pam  

·       Village moving forward with Town Garage

·       Schedler Property update – what size field, turf, grass, lighting? Environmental concerns on turf for Pam.  Research on the safety of turf seems inconclusive.  The underlay has changed. Pam is researching further.

·       60 MM USD+ bonds approved at Village Council to treat PFAS.

·       Sustainable Jersey training coming up.  Courses are available to everyone on the Committee.  ANJAC training also available.

·       Leaf Blower Ordinance – Head of Parks Maintenance can live with our proposed ordinance.  Two-stroke backpack engines are the focus.  These are the loudest, most inefficient and pollute the most.  Parks & Rec can live with the four-stroke engine as a transition until electric efficiency improves.

5.    Green Ridgewood Committee Membership - David

·       Thank you to Jill for organizing tour at Ridgewood Water

·       Two committee openings filled.  Justin Manger & Yvone have spots on Green Ridgewood.

·       Proposed two additional spots.  Feb 22 Council meeting will discuss the issue. Voting to occur at March 8 Village Council meeting.

 

6.    Earth Day & Daffodil Festival - Pam/Bob

·       Committee met recently, Pam & George attended

·       George has ecopies of the brochure.  These are available to everyone via email.

·       Get the word out for food vendors, exhibitors, sponsors

·       The event date is April 23 from 11am – 2 pm

·       The event costs about 5K USD to host

·       Add to RPS GroupSpot channels, Beth

·       Add to RHS newsletter, Tessa

·       Add to Ridgewood Newcomers newsletter, Beth

·       Valley Hospital to donate

·       PSEG to donate

·       Repeat cahoots game this year with give aways.  RHS volunteers can help, Miles

·       Pam asked Village attorney to review if blue laws apply to clothing, homeware sales offered in booths

·       March 23 Earth Day special meeting, in person.  Place TBC

 

7.    School Projects - Miles/Tessa/Beth

·       RHS Green Club has a new website

·       April 14 with be RHS Earth Day celebration.  Considering various ideas:

o   More recycling bins installed at RHS

o   Trees to be planted via recent tree grant on April 15

o   Garbage pickup on campus at the creek

o   Trash audit demo

o   Sustainable life hacks for college freshman

o   Participate in Village Earth Day – booth topic TBC

·       Green Coffee with RPS next Friday, Beth

·       Science Saturday is March 4 – should we present/send someone?

·       Combine RHS NHS club service event with Green Club Earth Day event to earn their 40 hours before May, Tessa

 

8.    No Mow May & Green Team- Sustainable New Jersey Application – Mike/Frank M.

·       Ridgewood is a designated Bee City USA (Frank).  Importance of pollinators, continued education

·       Aligns with two goals in Master Plan

·       Earns two Sustainable Jersey points

·       Can we encourage a new aesthetic of wilder lawns?

·       Nancy/Katie/Christina (Parks Dept) are supportive

·       10 town park properties will have a section for No Mow May

·       Signup available with QR code

·       Activities for kids in the parks observing No Mow May

·       Nomowmayridgewood.org – to register property.  Must register, so you can not get dinged for having lawn more than 10 in. high

·       Signs can be printed & laminated at The Stable

·       Purchase sign stakes at Home Depot.  Sign placement can’t be in right of way

·       We can register people at Earth Day & distribute the signs

·       Addl locations to signup/collect signs can be The Stable & the Library

·       Add Green RW logo to the sign

·       Add No Mow May to Project 1000 Acres website/Green Ridgewood website

·       Ridgewood Living will feature an article on No Mow May

 

9.    Ridgewood Planning Board – Pam/David

·       Master Plan Implementation subcommittee added to Planning Board (chairman, vice chair, Pam, David)

·       214 recommendations in Master Plan reviewed with prelim ideas to prioritize, cheaper/sooner recommendations which need more insight from city planner

·       Posting for new Ridgewood City manager live until March 10

·       Green RW can be advisor and encourage Planning Board

 

10. Sub-Committee Structure – Team Members

         a.      Earth Day (Bob)

         b.      Resource Management (Justin) 

·       Possible action items from Master Plan: R1 and GB 5.2.

·       Other possible issue: Can there be a pilot program for a new recycling bin to keep cardboard and paper dry?

         c.       Green Building & Sustainability (Beth)

·       Previously identified action items: 3.14 and 3.4 from Master Plan to work on

·       Other issue to look into: Is there a suitability checklist that we can look into for developers?

         d.      Resilience, Flooding and Stormwater (David)

·       Will schedule meeting to discuss action items

         e.      Communication (Caitlin)

·       Will schedule meeting

         f.       Green Team, discussed at agenda point 8

 

Discussion

11.    Goals/Actions for 2023

12.    Potential Use of Green Ridgewood Funds – Electric Leaf Blower

 

Old Business/New Business:

13.    Field Trips

·       Discussion on how to spread the message of the lesson learned on the tour of Ridgewood Water to the public, especially the message of how using less water in the summer can result in lower PFAS levels in drinking water.

14.    April Bergen Hub Meeting – hosted by Ridgewood

·       Meeting is April 24^th at 7pm at Village Hall

·       Rich Calbi from Ridgewood Water will attend

15.    Deer Forum – May – Pam:

·       Scheduled for May 31^st

·       Three speakers scheduled so far: 1. Department of Health, 2. Tyco (animal rescue), and 3. Entomologist from the County to speak on ticks.

·       Received information police regarding accidents from deer

 

16.    Other Business

 

Next Meeting: Thursday March 2^nd@ Ridgewood Stable

Special Meeting: March 23^rd to discuss planning for Earth Day

 

Minutes submitted by Beth Gould Creller, Caitlin O’Leary