Environmental Commission - Regular Meeting

It is 7 o'clock and I will call the environmental commission meeting to order here at FE on at the city council chambers on February 3rd. If we could go just down the row and say whether you're here or not and your name for the record. Virginia Schmidt present. Gina Hutter present. Jonah Pette present. Helen Mings present. Michael Walton present. Patrick Jeffers present. David Post present.

Awesome. And then we had no minutes sent to us. Um we have not met since last calendar year. So we will just kind of wait until the next meeting to approve our minutes from uh last calendar year. There are no presentations. Unfortunately, nobody has as raising the cold to come out here. So no audience participation, which brings us on to commissioner reports. Um does anybody want to start first? I'll start.

Go ahead. Virginia. I just um passed these along to everybody the brochures for this year for Twinsburg Garden Club and Twinsburg Native Habitat Association which I'm part of both. And I just wanted to bring to your attention on the back of the garden club one there's a list of the events. The main fundraiser for the garden club is the plant sale on Saturday May 9th. And I will tell you I sorry start again just as I passed around the the brochures for the garden club and the habitat association that uh plant sale for the garden club is Saturday May 9th and I will announce that again. Uh over about 10 years we've given more than $20,000 worth of scholarships as a result of our plant sale. So it's great fundraiser for us. The Native Habitat Association um this is our second full year. The first event for the year is going to be on Saturday, March 21st. It's a um frog and salamander festival from noon to three geared towards younger kids and families. We also did have a winter seed sewing project on um about two weeks ago, two weeks tomorrow I think. And um there was I think 25 people that came and we did native seeds in milk jugs. So that was well attended. And then uh the next event is um Saturday, May 2nd. That's a all day native habitat workshop and plant sale. We're going to have three speakers. And one thing that ties both the garden club and the native habitat association was our dear friend Stanley Stein. So I just want to acknowledge his passing earlier. It was at the end of January and how much he meant to everyone really in the city of Twinsburg. It was a wonderful outpouring, wonderful um remembrance from the city and just again to acknowledge Stanley. That's it. Thank

you. Thank you, Gina.

Um I just wanted to get ahead of the game because last year we did our first insert in the mailer and um a a huge amount of help um on from city hall on that because we didn't have a cost necessarily directed to us. But I would love to do that again and get ahead of it. And I know Helen, you said you'd be interested in working on that, but I just wanted to um make sure we were like advertising all the neat things that are going on. So people I would love to use the mailer. It's it's this big. Um but I think it could be a great uh connection to all the all the smaller activities that we could publish and also like the Arbor Day celebration if we can get ahead of it this year. I think last year it it um was something we were thinking about and then trying to get it in in a timely manner was a little bit harder but it was a learning curve and um I'd love to do that again if you guys think that it would be valuable if it would work if we can get um it uh approved by the mayor and council.

I I think that would be a good idea because it goes out quarterly. Correct. And so we be it would go out March. Well, the bills were just paid in February. I think they were due in February, right? That's February now, right? You mean January? Yeah, it just came out of the checking account like about two weeks ago. So, January. Yeah. So, April. April. And that would be great because we could do we could get a lot of the May events and highlight Arbor Day. And Arbor Day, which is our kind of big event, right? Mhm.

If if they um already have a flyer that they want to put in there, will they put a second flyer in there? I don't I'm just curious. It's more of a I I have no idea. Is that Not sure. Not sure. I um I I wouldn't know, but I can certainly ask. Great question. That's a great question. I'm just thinking that, you know, I don't want to you guys to plan if they already have something in there and they don't want to do two. I just I don't know. I'm just talking out loud in real time here. I don't Jenny would be the person to reach out to. Contact. So, okay. She's great.

She was extraordinary helping because um there were some um I was sending pictures and then they were um being put into junk. Um so, she was really patient with the whole um conversing over the internet. So, she was great. If we can include anything storm water related on any of those, we get points for our storm water permit that we submit every year. Even if there's just some type of little storm water related message in the like get your leaves out of the drain. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Something like that. Or grass clippings or salt usage in the winter or um really anything for going along the lines of storm water. We get credit on our storm water permit.

Grass clippings. Salt. Great ideas. Writing them down. I I like this idea. Um, I know we did it last year and I I I'm very happy if Gina and Helen, you guys take the lead if you're comfortable doing that on this. Good. Is that okay? Uh, since I get mine electronically, I don't get the insert. So maybe when it's finished for the next one, maybe you can email a copy and I can try to pass it along. I think even um it can go in the Mr. Scapites like he does a mailer quarterly. Yeah. So maybe we could have it in the back as well. It's a good idea. C

is Is your microphone on? I just It's hard to hear you from Maybe you're just talking soft. I don't know. Um we'll maybe ask if it can be in uh the mayor's um uh quarterly send out too. Yeah, I think he is planning on expanding that to make it more. So it's Everybody loves it. It's great. So yeah, probably makes sense to also put that information around the same time on the commission's website. Yes. Yeah, we could actually probably even duplicate whatever we have and ask Marks to update our commission's web page. Yeah. To me, that would benefit the people that that get their bills electronically wouldn't necessarily see the paper.

That it's a good point. So I could do that part once it's finalized. Gina, was there anything else? I don't don't want to feel like I'm cutting you off or anything. Okay, that that was my main. Awesome. All right, if there's anything, we can always circle back. Um Helen, we we'll jump to you. I don't I don't have anything. That's a Okay, we're just surviving in this arctic temperature. Michael, we'll jump over to you. Yeah, no report for me as well.

Also surviving. I feel that. Um so my report, you know, I I wanted to just kind of update you on a couple things. Uh, we'll talk about the the Good Neighbor Award, the Earth Day event, um, in a second for unfinished business, new business, but shred day event, I asked Pat if there was a date. He's going to reach out to our service director to see if there is a date scheduled. I imagine it'll be that first or second Saturday in June, as it has been the past couple of years, but you never know. So, Pat will get that to us, you know, hopefully next meeting. Can can I ask a question about just related to shredding? Based on what happened last year with the I don't know if it was the size of the truck or just the demand. Would there be any modifications done for next this coming year?

Yeah. Yeah. I'll talk to Dennis Low service director and see what they've got in the works for for shred day here this year. I know the the mayor got involved with uh trying to schedule the the second truck there there last year. So, I have a feeling that he'd probably either want either a a second truck or a second date or something to to make sure that we have enough uh capacity for the demand. I think the problem is it's a crapshoot. You just have no idea. And I think I didn't they say last time that they had the same truck they've always had. This year, last year was just an anomaly where so many people showed up, which actually is great. Maybe maybe you guys are getting the word out more and maybe that's why. Maybe people are just because of all the advertising that you're doing. It's just

maybe that's helping. For the past three years, we have filled the truck. Um last year I was unfortunately unable to help you guys, but I I remember it was filled rapidly. And so I I've spoken to council a couple times. I thanked everybody who helped with that that shred day that I wasn't able to be at. Um and I think I spoke about possibly, you know, two, you know, a couple other cities near us have multiple shred days throughout the year. And if it's feasible, able to happen financially. You know, it might be makes sense to have one earlier, maybe May, June, and then one, you know, kind of back to school time when people are sort of going through papers and seeing sensitive documents that might need to be shredded. So,

in that conversation, if you wouldn't mind possibly just bringing that up, not to add so much more to your plate. I know you're very busy, but

um so the shroud day and then I just wanted to talk about the wastewater treatment plant tour or plant tour. I know we've done that the past couple years. Um, and I I've loved it and I appreciate Nate giving us that tour of the wastewater treatment plant. The reason we've gone the past couple years, year after year, is because we had such high turnover on our commission. Wanted to make sure everybody has sort of seen it. Um, a couple questions to you guys. Do we want to tour the wastewater treatment plant again? And and if so, you know, what is the plan if we want to tour it? Because again, I think it's great to go, great to learn what Nate's doing, but going just to go in in my personal opinion is is it's great, but to go to go every year, I feel like there must be a point. And so that's just a personal thought of mine. Again, I'm one body of seven, but I wanted to hear your guys' thoughts on that. I

mean, I went last year. I don't know that I'd need to go again this year. Um, I probably wouldn't go if you had another one. So, I think it's good if we can get maybe some members of the community to go to maybe have some I don't know I don't know how you would select people. I mean, I've asked a a friend or a neighbor to come with me, but I think it's good for members of the community to tour it as well. That's a great idea. They can do bigger groups because he has classes come in of 30 kids. Yeah. So they had Boy Scout groups, Girl Scout groups. They've had quite a number of groups come through the the plan. It could be a bigger group.

So we could do one maybe where it's like sponsor it kind of. Okay, that might that would be beneficial so others could see what we've all learned because we talk I talk about at the council, you know, sing the praises of Nate and we talk about it at many events, but I I feel like we need to do something with what we learn and I think sharing that knowledge with others could also be really beneficial. Okay. Any other thoughts on that? Yeah, I got a thought, Councilman.

Um, it might be beneficial at this point. You know, they're going to do a complete overhaul of it. That I mean, a huge massive rebuild of it. That maybe instead of maybe wait a couple years till the overhaul is done and then the environmental commission go visit at that point to see the change. I mean, since you've all already seen it once, I I agree with what you said, Helen. This I was thinking the same thing. I know they're supposed to reover overhaul. I'm like, well, I'd want to go back. At that point, I think everybody would want to go back to see the changes, I think. But once you've had that smell one time, I'm not sure you need to go back and see it that smell again, you know? But I would just maybe it'd be worth it to wait a few couple years

and then every I I bet you get a lot of takers. I mean, that would be something we could I mean, if he I if Nate opens and and and doesn't mind the public coming, you know, maybe say if you're interested in touring, put it that could be a blurb on our little flyer or whatever or something at the Arbor Day. You know, understand here's our wastewater treatment. You know, they're always you can always have a tour. you can book a tour blah blah blah to make the public aware especially if they're going to redo an over you know he loves giving tours. I mean he so he's passionate and he knows a ton. Yeah. Yeah. If you tell him you're bringing 25 people from the community he'd love that.

Yeah, for sure. That's the thought maybe at Arbor Day like have some like pick a date and then have a signup sheet the first 25 people or something and and if there's three people that sign up then you know the interest isn't there but I bet there would be a lot of interest. Okay. So, I'm hearing that maybe we do maybe we do do a summer do um we do a summer tour uh this year and possibly like Arbor Day we have a sign up. If you're a community member, you're interested, sign up here, you know, first 25 people or so. Um if Nate is okay with this and able to accommodate, but she has date and time first. Get the date and time first. Yes. daytime first, but get that first and sign up and then we all just show up as much as

or who who wants to show up. Everybody doesn't have to. Yeah.

But I think it's great. I can't wait to go and see it new. But I think you start even if we start small and we bring 10 people, that's 10 more people that are talking about it so that we can have those 10 people be voices. Um and and so I think it might be worth it this year and I'll go a second time. It's It's an adventure. Um and it's right here. And I'm positive there's more to learn about it than I picked up the first round. So, um I I think if we put that sign up, that would be fun. Um even if we say minimum 10 or something, we set a goal um and we get those people out and a couple of us show up in our shirts so we can be present and be visible. I think that would be great. And then we'll be turning people away when it's brand new. I'm sure of it. So, would we do he want me to reach out to Nate, set up a date in the summer, um and then we can go forward with this plan?

Yes, I think. And ask him for a cool fact he wants me to put on the bulletin while you're there. Okay. Give me three cool facts. Did you want me to reach out or did you want to reach out? If you want to reach out directly, that's fine. You prefer I do it. I either way. It doesn't matter to me. What'sever easiest for you guys and the world you work in. You can speak with them. That's fine. Okay. All right. I'll just reach out to him and you'd pick it when in the summer and after school. Yes. Yeah. In the summer and after school. I'll try to aim for I I think we've aimed for about the 10 11 a.m. spots. Um seems to work, but again I have to work around his schedule, his his busy, you know, calendar. So I'll just give him suggestion whatever he could work with in the summer. So

but awesome. Um, that was really all I had for my commissioner report minus a reminder. Um, you know, commission applications are open. If you need to reapply, make sure you do before February 11th. Um, I know a couple of us our terms might be expiring. So, make sure you reapply before February 11th. Uh, as council will then make their determination. With that said, council report. Councilman Post. I have nothing today.

Wow. I I I usually have something. I I think you guys are doing an awesome job. You know, many times I was like, "Hey, do the insert. Do the insert." But you guys are on it. You guys are really doing an awesome job communicating in all different avenues and you guys are awesome. So, I appreciate it. So, thank you. I have nothing.

Engineer Pat, would you like to give a report? Yeah, I met today with um Matt Nutell from uh Summit Soil Water Conservation District. Uh he's our our contact over there for to help out with public involvement, public participation. Um he was up here today offering his services uh information, brochures, bulletin boards, displays. Um every once in a while they come and set up tables at some of our events. Um he's uh helped organize rainarrow workshops in the past. Um really anything that that you guys are are thinking along those lines, he's a a great resource to to include. I did mention to him the uh Earth Day uh Arbor Day event coming up. That is that still um I had down April 25th. Yes. Is that still going to be correct? Okay. I did mention to him that that event was coming up and asked if he could either send somebody uh to to man a table or if they're they're busy that day. I know our uh Earth Day is a a busy time of year for them. If they can't come, then if we can get any type of display that that he can lend to us to to set up.

That's awesome. I I appreciate you. That is the one group I don't have contact info for. I was going to see if somebody else did. So, I I appreciate you that you just saved me a couple minutes of searching and and trying to find that. Um, anything else for counselor Pat?

Uh, no. That's it. This is the time of year that we're working on our storm water report. I kind of mentioned earlier with any kind of storm water themes that we can include in any time type of publication. Um, our storm water report or MS4 report with the Ohio EPA requires us to reach out to 50% of the the Twinsburg population with some type of information. So, every time we put something in a the sewer bill or whatnot, that those those numbers count for for that. They also require public involvement, public participation. um requirements to to get the the public involved in some type of environmental storm water activity in the community. So, anytime we have a a clean up, trash cleanup or a rain barrel workshop or anything that that gets uh people out putting storm water stench on on storm drains at this drains to the creek, that kind of thing. Uh gets us those uh requirements on our storm water permit. So, I'm always grateful for everything that you guys put on that helps us check those boxes.

Absolutely. We appreciate you. Um, all right. So, that moves us on to unfinished new business miscellaneous. Uh, I wanted to talk about the the Earth Day Arbor Day event in this section. It's it's kind of unfinished business, so to speak. We brought it up at the last year's meeting. Uh, you asked me all as permission to reach out to, you know, the various different I'll call them vendors, people who attend our event. Um, Earth Day Arbor Day event is April 25th, 11:00 am to 1 pm at the Twinsburg Community Center. So, April 25th, 11:00 a.m. to 1 p.m. Twinsburg Community Center. The same setup as last year where it's stations and, you know, we have the entire community center. I spoke with Director Benton. She's graciously got us the entire community center. Uh, we're running the show this year. And so last year, parks and wreck, director Benson very much set everything up, got it ready for us. It's going to be us as the commission doing most of that. Um, she'll be there or one of her staff members will be there to assist, but it's our commission running most of that show. And so sort of setting up will be 9:00 a.m. to 11 for our commission. Um, and then cleaning up immediately after putting away the tables, which which shouldn't take us hopefully too long. Uh I've reached out to a number of the groups. I have confirmation from a number of the groups. Just so you're aware, I've reached out to uh these Summit Metrop Parks. I' I've formally invited them, waiting to hear back on if they can make it that day. Uh Summit Soil and Water. I don't have a contact, but Pat has reached out to them and asked them. Uh TNHA has confirmed. Uh Tinker Creek Watershed Partners has confirmed. Twinsburg High School with Cindy Kurt has confirmed. Uh, the garden club has confirmed the beekeeper Kathy Uma from last year. She has also confirmed.

Um, she was a big hit if you remember last year with the dead bees and all of that.

Uh, either the parks and recck department or the parks and recck commission. One of those two entities will be there. Uh, they have confirmed through director Benson. I confirmed for us on my little list. So, he'll be there. Um, and we talked about having that scavenger hunt built on other people's clues. Uh, nobody has sent me sort of, you know, what they're doing yet. I followed up and said, "Hey, if you know what you're doing or could give us a hint following post, yeah, that'd be great." But this event's not till April and it's still February as of now. So, I imagine, you know, some of these groups are still figuring out what they're going to do for this event. Um, that's all I think I have on the Earth Day Arbor Day event. Questions, concerns, anything I need to do, anything you guys want to do, add on this event, anything there. I wasn't

I wasn't there last year. So can you refresh how the either the scavenger hunt went or how you see it changing if there is a change? Absolutely. So last year this ideal or the situation was supposed to be outdoors and uh rain had occurred. It's April in Ohio. So we moved everything inside. We pivoted to an indoor scavenger hunt where you were essentially going to the other tables. Like that was our activity. So, you know, what's buzzing about here? And it would send you to the beekeeper. It was a really popular hit. We had at least a dozen scavenger hunts turned back into us.

Um, probably more that were out just, you know, never fully complete it. We gave away some water bottles, some uh pins, we had a couple of other prizes from just other events that we were able to give away for those who completed it. And I I thought people really liked it. Uh we talked about having hints now this time created by the groups attending instead of just like us creating the hints. Okay. So if you're bringing like if the beekeeper is bringing dead bees, you know, maybe she could create some sort of hint that would help we could use to help guide people to her station

um as it's sort of that scavenger hunt. You're set up stationwide across the entire community center and tables and people are able to move about and talk and learn information about, you know, the earth, the environment, and all these different groups. So, I I personally thought it went really well.

I I think it was fantastic. People left, everybody left with something in their hands. Um the high school students did a phenomenal activity where they you were building like uh something to bring home and plant. Uh there were I think trees like uh started that were rooting. Um the garden club did a beautiful um putting flowers in a vase. You I'm sure had your hands on that somehow. Um but it was really neat and they we used all of the facility so you were moving. I didn't think it felt too it didn't feel too um closed up. you were there so you remember and I think um you brought your friend participated and you had your grandchildren and so the high school also had some volunteers who were having a game. I don't know it wasn't like um it was something on the floor but they were busy so it was something for all the ages. Um I thought it was great. I I think the only thing better would be sunshine but it worked out really really well. Um and and the volunteers were all um top-notch energy, you know, happy, really engaging. It was good.

I got a question about that. So the um when you advertise that, you advertise that on the website, obviously you advertise it um on if you do a little card in the sewer thing. Um where else do you advertise that again? On the two non city sponsored community Facebook pages, the talk, the round table. Let me push it out there. Was there something on the on the sign? There was not anything on the sign and you had yelled at me for not not reaching out to Mayor. There should have been something on the sign. So this year I I have it in my calendar to reach out to Mayor Spiti and Mark about getting something on the sign.

Who's the target audience? Would you say it's kids? Would you say it's I know you could say anybody's welcome, but if you had to pick a target audience, who's your target audience? uh elementary school kids, uh middle school kids, students or adults, I guess is the question. I I would really say target audience is is probably, you know, six and up. Um based on the at least based on the activities brought last year, you really did have something for everybody of all those ages. Um you had Cindy Kurt, the high school students planned events that were, you know, six and under probably would have struggled with,

right? uh the beekeeper, you know, for anybody with interest and if you have a passion for environment and you know, any adult could walk in. Sure.

Very much find information and and learn a lot more about what's going on that I guess I'm thinking like targeting in the advertisement in elementary schools like to the um maybe not Willox, you know, if they're too if you think they're like a a younger, but maybe Bissell Dodge um maybe is there a way to reach out to those PTA groups or is there a way to um maybe have a morning announcement said at the um on the morning announcements for a couple times like hey kids you know we have a you know I'm just thinking if if if kids are the ones that get a lot out of this cuz like I said my girlfriend's kid he thought it was great whatever um

we could do a flyer too you know maybe target somehow through the schools that that'd be a good way to I don't know I'm just I'm just thinking in real time here I'm not I don't I don't have a plan in place I'm I don't think it's too hard to reach out to the both PTA and and the school principles themselves and say, "Hey, Earth or Earth Day Arbor Day events this day. Here's some of the groups attending. Your students might find value. Can you please forward this on to your science teacher, general, you know, education teachers that can share this with students and or parents and family

or maybe like a a flyer cut in half on a half page. I I could I like the flyer because I think and then give it to the kids. They bring it home, right? They every every kid has a folder that they bring home. They do have a folder, right? So, I mean, I even think I'm in lunch aid now at Willox. So, I mean, I could take them to Willox. You You've got some I I think kindergarten and first grade definitely. You know, you got some kindergarteners that are six already. You know what I And you're talking and I know my my grandson was five almost six and he loved it. you know, the little all the schools then. Yeah, just Yeah, I would say yeah,

like just give something to, you know, again, I was thinking a flyer, but I don't know if paper friendly, but you know, but if you So, maybe that's some half page to save paper, but give them that to take home and because I know my girlfriend looks through his folder and says, "Oh, you got this. Oh, you got that. Oh, right. Right. That that's that's that's a target audience, right?" I mean, they do that for Cub Scouts. They do that for, you know, the baseball, for soccer, for all that. All those kids are bringing that stuff. Bringing home flyers for everything. Right. Right. So, I mean, you're right. Why couldn't we to save paper, print it, and then I'll just take them and cut them in half or something? And and it should roll together pretty easily because I would imagine that a lot of the schools have some education around our thing as it is, right? So, this could just be something that's also mentioned as part of that.

And it's during the school. It's during the school year. So, it's not like we're asking them to do them in the middle of summer, right? Yeah. I'm just thinking out loud. You guys can roll with it, not roll with it, whatever. Yeah, I just I think the only caveat is what's our budget and since we don't have one officially um we I think the half sheets a really good move, but also we could at least get it on um their website. Like a lot of times like at my school we send a weekly update out to all families and there are group reminders um upcoming events something like that um and we could even

Yeah, Will Cox does that. They have like the teacher does the principal does something. I'm sure Oh, they do that at all the schools. So I mean even if we just printed up the a flyer gave it to them somehow they could incorporate it in that

right like I I was saying instead of printing thousands of flyers um that'd be a lot of paper a lot of waste I you know we have many teachers on this commission we know that students sometimes forget things in their bags. So instead of risking all that paper waste, possibly, you know, again, one person you're out of commission, but possibly send it PTAs, principles say, "Hey, could you share this, you know, out to parents or to the general ed or science teachers, you know, so they can incorporate in their lessons and possibly pass it on to their their I mean, put it on make an online poster, you know, set it up so that it can get nice folks." Yeah,

I think one ream of paper cut in half is a thousand pieces of paper. It is. And that's going to hit so many grades just from one ream, even two reams is going to hit a lot. And I think that online stuff is good. But I think a lot of times when it's online, you got to go looking for it versus that piece of paper smacks you in the face and goes, "Oh, this is," you know what I mean? So I think and at the bottom of the flower, you could put, "Please recycle me." you know, cuz then it is a reminder to recycle your paper. Um, so I don't know. I think that sometimes

spending a little bit. I mean, reams of paper cost nothing. I mean, it's I mean, a flyer costs nothing. I mean, we don't need to put this kind of thing together. Just a basic flyer on black and white costs nothing. Spend a little bit of money on the paper or wasting a couple reams. If three reams of paper brings an extra 50 kids, that's that's money well spent to me. That's my two cents. But you got again just I I don't care either way. I'm just talking all up. So you would need somebody to make that flyer. I'm sure Jenny would be able to help.

I would say I would say talk to Jenny, too. Yeah. Put that together. Yeah, talk to Jenny. She's great at that. And that's too tough to start. Say, "Hey, Jenny, here's the idea. Help me make it better." I think we need to go to Rebecca first, right? Because we need the budget from Well, the budget, it's just some reams of paper. I mean, I don't think that that's much. I don't think there's going to be any flag on that. And printing. Does the city have those like counters on the copers by department or anything like that or Yeah, the departments usually has a has a copy machine that that they they maintain the

the budget for the the paper and toner and whatnot, but Rebecca would be able to help with that. Jenny would be able to help with that. Yeah, I think we go to Rebecca before we go to Jenny. Is that correct or no? We just go right to Jenny. Either one would be fine. Okay. Okay. I just don't want to overstep procedure, you know? I don't know. They work a couple offices down from each other, right? They can they can just Hey, hey, I'm wants these. Can we print them out on Yeah. So,

okay. But I think I think it's worth spending money on some paper if it's if the goal is education and to educate people. It It's worth it. It's not It doesn't always have to be, you know. So paper conscientious and if you put on the bottom please recycle me there's another reminder don't throw me in the storm drain right recycle points so you know just

okay I will also speaking on that earth day environmental or arbor day event uh I will have to reach out to Rebecca um to see if she's able to sort of purchase things for us to pass out again as as last year and our spooktacular event was was popular. We have given away everything that has been purchased over the past couple years for our commission. Um, and so I was I was thinking in my head, you know, possibly like little tiny stress ball earths, you know, I've seen those passed out before, but you know, again, I don't know how much budget she's willing or able to part with. So, if we have any other ideas of things I suggest to her. I like the little things. Nate has those little like people the

the little puff balls with the eyes. Yes. There's a name for those. I just Yes. Yes. Yes. So that Okay. A pencil like that has uh that's blue with clouds or something or um you know green earths or something that's like out there advertising that has our name on it. Yeah. Like environmental Twinsburg environmental commission. I would pick a pencil over something plastic, right? Yes, that's the only thing because then I was thinking like what about seed packets? I think that there's a lot of that happening in other spots. So, you can um have you can leave with seeds for sure. Yeah, for sure. That's true.

I think I have seen in some places where they have promotional items for sale, they they actually make pens that are recyclable and they're they're made out of like plant-based products. Yeah. wood or cardboard those pencils that are cardboard. Yeah, something like that. Okay, that's that's a great great starting point for me just so I could reach out and give her suggestion saying stickers. Oh, stickers. Hey, I don't I don't know your budget or what you were able to give to the commission, but we would love if you could possibly purchase a couple things for us to pass out. Here's some things we suggested. Whatever may be feasible, possible, etc. because again, you know, it's coming out of her her department's budget. So, I'll send those suggestions on to her.

Helen, you said stickers. Did you mean stickers are good or stickers are? Stickers are good. Oh god, kids love stickers. Everybody loves stickers. Kids love stickers. Love stickers.

Yeah, everybody loves stickers. Um, my next sort of new business was the the Good Neighbor Award. Um, nominations went live yesterday, today officially. I I sent all the councilmen the mayor who should have gotten the email with the link to nominate people. I have will make sure I share it to the two city Facebook pages that are not official um the Facebook groups. But as we talked about last calendar year, uh these nominations go till March 1st. Uh what we do need to pick though is is that subcommittee who will review and and whittle not whittle down but like narrow down the nominations. I would do it again

per the rubric and that subcommittee would meet March. At the April meeting, this commission would decide on the second good neighbor award recipient per our timeline uh discussed last last calendar year and our last meeting. Um I don't know if we wanted to do the subcommittee nominations today. We do have two members missing or if we wanted to wait till next month in the March meeting because we just have to decide during the month of March. So we do have some flexibility sometime because the next meeting is March 3rd. So we would have plenty of time waiting might give them a chance be beneficial. Okay.

I think um we can recycle the um design of the sign the yard sign that we got. So we'll just be a little ahead of that this time. Um so second time around's always easier.

Absolutely. And so March we'll decide who's on that subcommittee. Subcommittee will meet in March. narrow down per the rubric to the top two or three um you know possible recipients. April present them to the entire commission. We as a commission would decide on the second good neighbor. After that the chair of this commission if it's if it's still me it'll be me. If it's not it'll be whoever it is or reach out to who the commission selects. Say hey would you like to receive this award? Would you like to come to a council meeting? Um, and then when that's confirmed, talk with mayor, his uh administrative assistant, Leslie, so they could get the plaque printed. Uh, let Jenny know she should get the yard sign printed. Let uh Pat and Post know so they could grab one of our t-shirts to give to them and speak with council president to confirm that it's still good to use council chambers and an award presentation. Obviously getting way ahead of ourselves. That's a couple months away, but uh that's sort of the timeline there. Good plan.

Okay. Again, did we want to put something on one of these bullet these like electronic bulletin boards about hey, you know, we're we're doing another good neighbor again this year. And I can't control the bulletins. I did send the form to mayor and all the councilmen an hour ago. Okay. So, if if they if they choose to and they're able to, but I I can't control the bulletin board. So you can ask though parks and w too and I asked council to share and nominate at the last council meeting. Okay. So I mean parks and wreck has their own electronic sign too. I could forward that on to great. Yeah

to Jenny. I will forward that on to or to Jen Benson. Yeah. Just because then people are driving by. Oh yeah. Yeah. I remember that. Alrighty. Okay. So that's all I have my report for new finished or new business unfinished miscellaneous. Um is there any other miscellaneous stuff for anybody else in the commission? No. No. No. Going once, going twice. Sold. All right. Uh next we have excusing absent members. I would make a motion to excuse John MacArthur. Is there a second? I'll second. Seconded by Helen. All those in favor of excusing John MacArthur,

please say I. All oppose, please say nay. It's unanimous. John is excused. Uh, our next meeting is March 3rd, 2026 at 7 PM. And if there's no objection, we will adjourn the meeting at 7:40.