About this meeting
- Government Body
- Environmental Review Committee
- Meeting Type
- Environmental Review Committee
- Location
- Cupertino, CA
- Meeting Date
- May 21, 2026
Transcript
218 sections (from 225 segments)
You are fine. Let's do the roll call. Yes.
Chair Thong.
Present.
Vice chair Carter.
Present.
Commissioner Pad Gwangkar. Present. Commissioner Hanson. Present. And Connie Ying absent.
Alright. Thank you so much. We have the new business item, a point of sustainability commissioner to replace commissioner Yang following her resignation from the waste diversion education training subcommittee.
Great. We don't have a presentation, but I will give you a few calendar reminders. So right now, we have our we've completed our first planning meeting already, and we just have one more scheduled for the subcommittee meeting. Right now, it's scheduled for June 10. Around that time, if we needed to reschedule based off of the availability of the other person chosen, we can. But that's our goal is mid June to have this meeting. And then the other hope for this subcommittee member is they attend at least three sessions in between September 2 and October 7.
Would you, for our online audience, remind everyone what this
is for.
Absolutely. So the commission has come together and said they wanted to do waste education programming. And so you, your commission, are helping staff form this commission or this this program, so to speak. And the idea of this climate action plan measure is to just form a series of classes, kind of like a master composter program. But instead of doing the hands on composting, it's really focused on Cupertino specific resources.
So we'll be talking about things like our franchise agreement, where our waste goes in Cupertino, how to sort. We'll be talking about some state and local policy, our foodware ordinance. So everything that has to do with waste diversion and waste prevention is what we've talked about in this curriculum. It will also include a couple field trips, optional field trips if you want to go tour. Those are great field trips.
I will
be hopefully out of town the third week of September into October for a few weeks. Mhmm. And when I say out of town, hopefully, I mean out of country, hopefully. But I haven't booked the flight and both if there won't be any flights, but we'll
K.
Soon after that, I will be getting a new knee. So I probably will not be available from around the September 3
until November. October 3? You said September. Well, September is
Third week of September to November because I will probably be in a little pain.
You're talking to me. I don't make the decision.
Well, but you mentioned
The second three
Avail availability times.
Yes.
That's why I'm looking at you because you have an idea of availability times. K? So now I can look at the rest of you, but it's I'm just giving you those parameters. K. No?
Are there other clarifying questions? And then we have to go to public comment. Okay.
Alright. So are there any public comments for this item?
No. No members of the public.
Alright. Then we can move on to discussion then. Susan, are you interested?
I can't do it. I'm like
It's during the academic year. Well, it's
not that. It's that time of the year. It's the amount of work that you have to do in the beginning of the school year is overwhelming. And then it's back to school. Like, there's all this stuff that you have to do. And so I was actually getting ready because I have to go to the funeral. So I'm doing stuff right now, and I was actually with this who I was trying to teach how to run everything. So that's why I forgot because I was I didn't expect him to come. I was gonna go tomorrow morning. But, anyway so I can't do it.
So clarifying question for Snap. Can you do an alt can you appoint an alternate? Like For the subcommittee? Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Because it comes down to either Jack or myself. And I know Jack is you were so honest about and transparent about your schedule, and I'm afraid to commit more because my I'm getting a promotion at work. So Okay. Thank you. And I know I have to take on a lot more work. Can staff share the schedule again about what what the expectations are?
So June 10 is the meeting.
June 10 is a meeting. Okay.
And then
June September 2 through October 7. Every Wednesday, it's six to eight, or what's the time?
Yes. Right now, it's six to eight. Six to eight every Wednesday for five Wednesdays.
Six weeks. Six Wednesdays. And you can do three. That's what you're saying. Right?
Yeah. That's what we have written in the last, like, adopted as we voted last. That's flexible. That's up to you. If you say, you know, we only want the subcommittee to attend two of the meetings, then that's fine. You know, there's no rule that says you can't change your
charter.
Can we do this that Jack attends three meetings and he I'm gonna attend all six.
Okay.
So he can attend three, and he can attend.
But Jack's day is not
No.
I can't I can't got canceled. Yes.
I came in here knowing that I was going to be targeted, which is fine. I'm okay with that. But I do want but there are I do have those limitations.
So you could appoint Jack knowing that he's not going to be able to serve at the full capacity, and you could appoint an alternate if you wanted to tap in Alex for the remainder of the Wednesdays, you can attend, or an alternate if you could attend one.
So he cannot attend with us? Any. Okay. So is it possible we move it to Thursday or no?
We have to check with Parks and Rec. I can't get you an answer. What's comes? She just can't do it? Correct.
So But she knows that she can come only halfway. Right? Like, if she can do three and Jack can do three, like, cannot do any of them?
To my knowledge, she completely resigned from the subcommittee.
Okay. So I know you mentioned that you can attend all six.
Yeah. I will attend.
So I think as long as one of the subcommittee members are there, at least there's representation from a sustainability commission, then under that, just acknowledging that, I think it's okay if, you know, not two members are there at the same time. As long as someone is from the commission there representing the body, I think that is fine. So, Jack, would you be interested in taking on the the position, and then I can be your all
I've I've already resigned to that. But I would but, basically, I did not make your new position with your real company vulnerable.
Oh, no. I mean It's
absolutely not, like
Yeah. It's definitely a profit.
Is that something you can remote in on or not?
Do we
have a friend? We're doing it in person right now.
What about the sixth number of Wednesdays from six to eight?
Is the date adjustable? Is that what you're
Just the time. Wednesdays is really bad time for me, actually.
Actually, Thursday even works better for me. If you can, can you just make an inquiry? If not, then it's okay. I'll just I'll come anyway. But Thursdays work better for me also.
Okay. Well, so if we could switch it to Thursdays, would you be interested?
Part of it, but I can't do all of it.
Okay. So that's the problem. Is it
My only problem is I don't have a problem at all, actually. The only issue for you guys is if we can get plane tickets to Germany for that period of time, I will be gone from two to three weeks. And then I have knee surgery, which I am supposed to be up and moving very quickly. So that means that it's just another about another week or whatever where I would not be able to come.
Awesome. That's okay. So there's a couple
So, anyway, the last is in October 7. So that is fine. So So
I think if you could even attend the first two weeks of September, does that sound
I have to be I have to be in Cupertino two week first two weeks. That's harvest time.
Okay.
And it's I will come in, and I will be sweaty, and I will
No. You're gonna shower before your Christmas.
I'll die.
Just a little deeper. God.
Anyway but I can try. I'm I'm not gonna guarantee it. It depends on how bad it is at school. Like, seriously, I totally blew it today because I
god. Yeah.
I was working with somebody who was gonna cover for a new one.
If you could come partially for one of the times, it would be great.
Yeah. I mean
You could at least help
But if
my my my my mentality towards this
Yeah.
Educator.
But the only thing is is that if I can't come, it'll just be smelling on her.
No. That's fine because we are going to
That's just at the very end.
We are not going to do much, actually.
That's at the
very Most of the things, they are going to do.
And Alex might be fired and have all time available.
Who knows that could happen? You
know, I think we could split the alternate position. First alternate, second alternate.
We could do that technically. Right? There's nothing against it. It's just like the whole thing. Isn't Bob's job.
Basically, let's if we can find out if Thursday is possible
Look. It's fine. But still, that doesn't matter. For me
So for him, it is easier because
Possible.
Instead of Wednesday. Right?
I mean
They're not gonna make it work a little
Not
not that our president would make any poor decisions, but it's possible that there will be no jet fuel.
Yeah. That should well or if it does, it's gonna be price
I think it's still fine right now internationally, so don't jinx it. But
Yeah. Mine too.
So okay. Kinda summarizing all this. Do we feel comfortable with Jack taking on? But then Susan and I are gonna be the alternative.
So if we can do two two two, that will be good. Two weeks, two weeks, two weeks. We'll see. Because I don't
know what it's gonna be like. That's why they always sign me up for adjuncting, so it's always
true. The way that I look at this is like, you know, this can be a living doffing, and, you know, we can switch whenever we need to. Because I know that a couple of months in advance is still too early. You know,
and it's it's it's gonna be fun. It's gonna be fun. Mean, just I mean, I got a call earlier this week saying, do you do you have time on Tuesday to come to a meeting? Right?
Yeah. Thank you. My flight was delayed.
Basically, we go like, okay. Sure. Why not throw all the punches?
Yeah. No. I know.
So So anybody has time to come on June 10 meeting?
And you can always say no.
I'm actually in the workshop on June 10. I have two classes.
This is not the right time of the year to be asking Susan for something in the future.
Well, I schedule all this professional development during the summer. Mhmm. So because that's when you get all the good stuff.
Mhmm.
Mhmm. Not the stuff.
Awesome. Got the
So if anybody can come on June 10, we will appreciate because we are revising whatever they are doing. So that's only one day. It is it from six to eight also? No. That was
04:30 to We're flexible on that week. Yeah. It's between you and Sonali. We're working all week.
Yeah. I'm I'm actually in a workshop on the ninth, tenth, and eleventh, and then I have another one sixteen, seventeen, and eighteen. It's crazy. I
think I mean, it's just wonderful to see that all of us, despite our responsibilities, wanna support staff. And I think just to Sunali's point is whatever we could do, you know, without compromising our personal responsibilities. So, Jack, if you are okay with taking on Yeah.
I'm I'm I'm I'm
I'm I
feel I believe I've already said that. Yeah.
And then Susan and I, we can step in as necessary. But, you know, this alternate thing, it do you think it's necessary to have an alternate, or you can just text one of us to join?
Well, we appoint when we just, you know, and we Okay.
Are you okay with being first alternate?
I would prefer to be set on alternate.
So Wednesday, he cannot do anyway. So we have to Well, yeah, we have to look at But, the yeah,
if I can't make it, we try. Right?
Which days in July are you talking about?
No July. No July.
No July.
It's September 2. So it's June 10. And then
Hold on. Hold on. So June 10.
Yeah. And then September 2 through October 7. So what time on June 10? 04:30 to 06:30. But that is we can change it. Do you guys want are you coming in on eighth?
Eighteenth.
Yeah. Will you be ready by eighth?
Yeah. We can do the eighth.
Are you okay with the eighth?
I'm I'm tied up on the eighth is okay, but that's my first day for summer vacation day. So then I go to this thing, nine, ten, eleven. And on the tenth, I'm busy from 08:30 to four.
Well, it sounds like Jack is more available on
No. I'm gonna be I'm try we're trying to figure out I wanna hear what the dates we have. So we're in May right now. Not in May.
None. We already did our first one in May.
Okay.
June 10. Are you free on June 10.
I'm okay.
The week of June 10. Okay. And then the next, the actual event is happening on Wednesdays from September 2
September 2.
Through October 7.
Every day?
Wednesday. Every Wednesday.
Oh, October 7. So I okay. Unfortunately, I I'm available. So yeah.
Okay. Well, unless you book a flight.
What?
I thought you said you were gonna book a flight.
No. I'm available on the
On Wednesdays.
On the Wednesdays
Before the flight.
Before the flight.
Okay.
That has not been booked yet.
Okay. And then the knees.
Yeah.
And the doctor might say, oh, we we can't do it right when you get back. You have to wait two, three weeks. So the non available towards the end of that. But I
And you said it is going to be where it is going to be? It's going to be there. Right?
MonoVest direct center, which is why we can't hybrid because there's no technology there.
Got
it. So, Cher, I could let you know after I make my booking and I call surgeon what dates I really actually have.
Sounds like a plan. I think we'll I think we'll all just make a best effort.
Yeah.
And if not, it's okay. Yeah. I know staff is more than capable of running the program anyways.
I think too too having two commissioners is kind of a a good nice step.
It is. Yeah. To show support. Yeah.
Especially since we were the ones that wanted to do
it. Yeah.
So but I I think it's gonna work.
Okay. So would someone like to make a motion to have commissioner Carter replace commissioner Yang as the sub education subcommittee representative?
I can, yeah, I can make a motion. I second. Okay. And then do we wanna add the alternate now or I
mean, we we may as well just change that motion to add an alternate too. Yeah.
First and second. I mean, because it's insufficient.
And you can put me Okay. Hold on as soon as it Yeah. I I get it.
Well, then I'll be second alternate. And then if you can't do it, then I'll try to fit it
in. Yeah.
I mean, basically, you can, if you can't.
Because it's from six to eight. And if you can't do it, I'll just do it. But I'm just worried because it's inconvenient.
Well, it'll be. You don't put so much pressure in room.
It's okay.
If you can't do it, you can't do it.
Yeah. Because I'm still at school.
Yeah.
I'm not one of these teachers that I'm upset, though. I can never get home until 06:30. And I was like that when I had Sean too.
Well, you miss good cheese and yogurt slush.
Today? Well, this week.
Do we need another option to amend? Was
really good. And strawberry. We had racks of strawberries.
I'm gonna repeat the motion, and then we'll go to roll call vote. So the motion is for commissioner Carter to replace commissioner Yang as the waste education subcommittee representative with commissioner Feng as alternate and commissioner Hansen as second alternate. K. Great. Okay. Chair Feng? Aye. Chair Carter?
You're voting. You're voting.
Say aye. Aye.
I was innocent.
Do you need me to repeat it?
You named me. No. I named me. I thought it was Yes.
You could vote. Commissioner Pat Gwangkart and commissioner Hanson.
Yay. Yeah. Thank you,
Where did you get the strawberries?
Strawberries from where? Before we get into strawberries, you can you adjourn the meeting?
Alright. Let's adjourn the meeting at 04:34.
This transcript was automatically generated from the official public meeting video and is presented unedited. It reflects remarks made on the public record by elected officials, staff, and public commenters. Transcript accuracy may vary; view the original recording for reference.