11-14-01 Minutes
CHANHASSEN ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION
REGULAR MEETING
November 14, 2001
Meeting called to order by Dotti Shay at 7:05 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT:
Dotti Shay, Jo Mueller, Kim Hankins, Deborah Yungner, Susan
McAllister, Steve Nalefski
MEMBERS ABSENT:
STAFF PRESENT:
Jill Sinclair, Environmental Resources Coordinator, Lori Haak, Water
Resources Coordinator
APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
October minutes were approved. No additions or corrections.
GUEST SPEAKER:
Marcus Zbinden, Carver County Environmental Services. Marcus gave an
update on the newly purchased Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) facility. Environmental
Services had trouble getting budget approval for building a new facility and then the county lost
the Field of Dreams recycling center when Waste Management bought Chaska Sanitation. The
Commissioners employed a new strategy; they started looking at existing buildings. In October
the county bought a building to serve as a HHW facility and recycling center. Marcus would like
recommendations on what services the city would like to see at the facility. Chanhassen’s
representative on the county board of commissioners, Julianne Ortman, voted against the
purchase because she thought the process was going too fast. The building is located in an
industrial park off of Hwy. 41. The county is looking into adding 1000 SF addition to serve as a
transfer station so all of Carver County’s waste could be handled at the facility. They would be
able to separate organics out of the waste for composting and non-recyclables for the energy
plant. There will also be a products exchange area. Marcus said that on Nov. 28 the MPCA
would be meeting to discuss options for making facilities like this easier to site and operate.
Marcus offered the Environmental commission a tour of the building. The commission decided to
have their December meeting at the facility. The city council will be invited too.
BY-LAWS:
Commission discussed and voted on adding language to the by-laws stating that all
members should be in compliance with all environmental regulations at their residences and home
businesses. If a member were not in compliance, they would have six months to mitigate the
infractions unless otherwise deemed by the environmental regulating body. Hankins made the
motion, Nalefski seconded. Five yes, McAllister nay. Motion passed.
PREFERABLE PURCHASING GUIDE:
Commission would like City Council to pass
resolution for preferable purchasing. Sinclair and staff will draft resolution.
LIBRARY BOOKS:
Dotti brought a list of 30 recommendations. Deborah will be contacting
70 environmental groups and asking each group for 2-3 recommendations. Dotti wondered about
adding periodicals to the list. Steve thought those could be donated since there are lots of
technical journals that aren’t read by subscribers. They could be brought to the library. Susan
said she wouldn’t submit a separate list of recommendations. Rather she will approve the
recommendations made by the environmental groups.
ENVIRONMENTAL EXCELLENCE AWARD PROMOTION:
Commissioners gave staff
suggestions for promoting the award. They included ads in the Villager, emailing or faxing
information to members of the Chamber (ask the Chamber for a list), visit the Wednesday Rotary
meeting, add a slide to the slide show for cable, table tent thing at restaurants, promotional ad on
grocery bags, letter to the editor.
WASTE REDUCTION:
In the past a commissioner has written an article for the Villager on
waste reduction for the holidays. This year someone will write a letter to the editor. Sinclair will
find last year’s article. The letter should be submitted to the Villager the first week of December.
UPDATES:
OEA/Chamber – Susan talked to Vernelle Clayton about the presentation. She says it’ll
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be a hard sell. Susan says she needs more information and can talk to the downtown
council then.
No phosphorous fertilizer promotion in Longacres was unsuccessful. Only 3 bags of
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fertilizer were sold at Lotus; none at Halla. Commission thinks the timing was bad.
Perhaps it should be a spring program.
Deborah said that the company, Greener Pastures, is trying to get listing in the PPG. If
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they do, the city should promote it next year.
GENERAL DISCUSSION:
Arbor Day – city should offer prizes for different kinds of trash, i.e. largest, unique, etc.; a
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sculpture should be built that day out of the trash collected; have a medallion hunt.
Compost bins – city attorney advised against offering them to the council for free.
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Commission will offer them to council for $10 or $15.
Carver County is offering an environmental excellence award too. Their program is
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targeting schools.
Lake atlas – It should be given to area educators, great map – need to get it out to the
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public.
Meeting was adjourned at 9:05 p.m.
Prepared and Submitted by Jill Sinclair
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